8/21 MINORS FINAL SUNDAY: SIMS sharp but bullpen combusts

[rico43]

SUNDAY'S MINOR LEAGUE SCORES

CLASS AAA

Rochester 3, Gwinnett 2

LP: Janas (2-2) 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Roney 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
Cleto 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Simmons 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Kazmar 2-4, HR (5th), RBI
Snyder 1-3, HR (3rd), RBI
Mustelier 1-4, 2B

CLASS AA

Pensacola 6, Mississippi 3

Sims 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
LP: Phillips (BS, 5-2) 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Peterson 0.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Pfeifer 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Gaylor 1-3, RBI
Odom 3-4, 2B, R
Albies 1-5, RBI
Peterson 1-4

ADVANCED CLASS A

Carolina (45-81) @ Wilmington, ppd.

CLASS A

Rome 4, Asheville 2
Trailed 2-0 going into 9th

WP: Allard (3-3) 8 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, HR
Watts (Save, 7) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Riley 1-4, HR (16th), 2 RBI
Castro 2-4, HR (14th), 2 RBI
Josephina 2-4, 2B, R
Ellison 1-1 (PH)

SHORT-SEASON

Bluefield 7, Danville 4

SP: Stanton 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
LP: Mora (1-6) 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR
Rice 0.2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR
Matos 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Gilmore 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Cruz 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Osuna 1-4, 2B
Mooeny 1-4, 2B, R, RBI

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GCL Braves, DSL Braves idle

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[rico43]

MINOR LEAGUE PENNANT RACES

CLASS AAA

Gwinnett (57-70) leads IL South (Charlotte) by 1.5 games with 16 games remaining

CLASS AA

Gwinnett (33-20) lead SL South (Mobile) by 6 games with 16 games remaining

ADVANCED CLASS A

Carolina (16-40) trails CL Southern by 18.5 games and has, mercifully, been eliminated; currently on six-game losing streak

CLASS A

Rome (32-23) trails Augusta by 1.5 games in SAL Southern with 16 games remaining; Rome has won three straight, Augusta has lost four in a row

SHORT-SEASON

Danville (27-27) trails Burlington by 4.5 games, in fourth place; 10 games to elimination

GCL Braves (23-26) leads Pirates in GCL Northeast by 2.5 games; magic number is 7

DSL Braves (26-39) has been eliminated; 6 games remaining in season

[bravesfanMatt]

Thanks Rico. I was going to check the standings in a bit and now don't have to. Rome is on fire and has a series with the leaders coming up. Mississippi should hold that lead. Good stuff.

[bravesfanMatt]

Riley and Castro each with 2 run bombs in the 9th to give allard a chance for the win. Allard dealing.

[bravesfanMatt]

Hoping they were going to let Allard go complete.

8ip. 2er. 7h. 4k. 0bb. Only 90 pitches.

[jpack1]

Allard giving us some hope he will become the Ace we all hope.

Riley really turning in a solid year after the early struggles.

[bravesfanMatt]

Simmons with a good inning for g-Braves.

Sims still with to many balls. Can't go very deep with that many balls. (Someone will take that one I am sure).

[UNCBlue012]

I said it during his last start and I'll say it again: Allard is our best prospect.

[nsacpi]

I said it during his last start and I'll say it again: Allard is our best prospect.

best pitching prospect

[Nerfherders]

I'm curious... Is there any gamesmanship in playoff chases where organizations purposely demote players to get an advantage for a playoff push?

[depley]

pitching pitching and more pitching, some need to cut down the walks but the rest is interesting

Allard (Last 8 starts - 1.83 ERA), Weigel (Last 12 - 1.83), Soroka (Last 7 - 2.14), Newcomb (Last 6 - 2.34) & Toussaint (Last 14 - 2.91) Lucas Sims (Last 9 2.07 ERA)

[clvclv]

I'm curious... Is there any gamesmanship in playoff chases where organizations purposely demote players to get an advantage for a playoff push?

Not typically - although that doesn't mean "never". Most organizations usually want their guys to spend as much of their time as possible competing against the highest level of competition they can handle because the main goal is to get them to the big leagues. A perfect example that the Braves aren't concerned with records and playoff runs is this year's Mudcats affiliate. Camargo has been kept in Mississippi all season despite the presence of Albies and Swanson for much of the second half, Weigel jumped from Rome to Mississippi, Mader was assigned to Mississippi even though Sims and Newcomb have been there almost all year, etc..

The Braves have always seemed to be more interested in pushing their prospects up the ladder as soon as they feel they're ready for the next challenge regardless of how that affects the teams' results (or even the players' results in some cases). They appear more interested in allowing their prospects to experience some failure and struggles as they climb the ladder in the hope they'll be better prepared to handle it as they begin to graduate to the majors.

I have no idea whether that's the "right" approach - the Royals' organization under DMGM has typically tried to keep groups together, and they've gone on record saying that they like to have their prospects get chances to compete for Championships as part of their maturing process.

[clvclv]

pitching pitching and more pitching, some need to cut down the walks but the rest is interesting

Allard (Last 8 starts - 1.83 ERA), Weigel (Last 12 - 1.83), Soroka (Last 7 - 2.14), Newcomb (Last 6 - 2.34) & Toussaint (Last 14 - 2.91) Lucas Sims (Last 9 2.07 ERA)

Don't think that's gone unnoticed by the brass (as well as the early success Anderson, Wentz, and Muller have had). Part of Coppy's "calling out" of Wisler and Blair is probably directly related to those numbers. Kind of a - "hey guys, if we don't start seeing some progress from you soon we're not going to be afraid to push some of these other guys that are showing us they can get people out WITHOUT walking the ballpark.

[bravesfanMatt]

pitching pitching and more pitching, some need to cut down the walks but the rest is interesting

Allard (Last 8 starts - 1.83 ERA), Weigel (Last 12 - 1.83), Soroka (Last 7 - 2.14), Newcomb (Last 6 - 2.34) & Toussaint (Last 14 - 2.91) Lucas Sims (Last 9 2.07 ERA)

Why you hating on others.. Fried (Last 8 - 2.13.. {included his last start 5 ER}), Povse (8 starts in AA- 2.45 ), Jed Bradley (71 innings, 2.28 ERA --that is since joining the Braves)...

That doesn't include the great work by Anderson, Muller, Walker, and Wilson in the lower levels. Even Wentz has soon stuff.

[depley]

no hate involved, just didn't keep looking :) I love Fried, Povse is real interesting an are many of the others. I think Fried and Allard will top our rotation by 2020.

[UNCBlue012]

no hate involved, just didn't keep looking :) I love Fried, Povse is real interesting an are many of the others. I think Fried and Allard will top our rotation by 2020. I agree. I've said it before, but I think Allard is our best prospect - yes, Dansby and Swanson included.

[bravesfanMatt]

I agree. I've said it before, but I think Allard is our best prospect - yes, Dansby and Swanson included.

Wait we have two dansby?

[bravesfanMatt]

no hate involved, just didn't keep looking :) I love Fried, Povse is real interesting an are many of the others. I think Fried and Allard will top our rotation by 2020.

I know. There is some good pitching. Some great stuff a bit further away.

[Deester11]

I agree. I've said it before, but I think Allard is our best prospect - yes, Dansby and Swanson included. This will hold true until/if/when/should Maitan live up to 3/4ths of his billing. That being said, I've seen all of our prospects this year except Povse (I keep missing him). But I've seen him since Rome as well (He was literally a man amongst boys even when he wasn't effective). Allard is our pitching stud right now. I don't think that's a question. HOWEVER, IF and that's a huge IF, Newcomb learns to walk..maybe 2-3 a game vs close to 5, you will put him at the top or even with Kolby. He's virtually unhittable when he can locate his pitches.

[Chico]

This will hold true until/if/when/should Maitan live up to 3/4ths of his billing. That being said, I've seen all of our prospects this year except Povse (I keep missing him). But I've seen him since Rome as well (He was literally a man amongst boys even when he wasn't effective). Allard is our pitching stud right now. I don't think that's a question. HOWEVER, IF and that's a huge IF, Newcomb learns to walk..maybe 2-3 a game vs close to 5, you will put him at the top or even with Kolby. He's virtually unhittable when he can locate his pitches.

That's the thing with Newcomb I like. If he gets his command down he could be dominant.

[bravesfanMatt]

That's the thing with Newcomb I like. If he gets his command down he could be dominant.

Newcomb will be great. He hasn't even matured fully yet. He is very high on my list.