*** This Week in Minor League Baseball - August 13 *** From The My Sportsbook
By Kevin Spiegel, Contributing Editor
Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Since being called up in mid-July by Seattle, Bucky Jacobsen has hit safely in 18 of 22 games, including a current eight-game hitting streak. Prior to his promotion, Jacobsen was batting .312 in 81 games with Tacoma (Triple-A), with 91 hits, 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in. The Mariners have wasted his talents, however, as they are seven games below .500 since July 16th.
David Wright started out the season with Binghamton of the Eastern League. Following a seven-game hitting streak, Wright was promoted to Norfolk (Triple- A) in mid-June. While with the Tides, he produced 34 hits in 31 games with eight home runs and 17 RBI. Next stop was the New York Mets. In 20 games with the parent club, Wright has 22 hits in 20 games with 13 runs batted in and 11 runs scored. In his last three appearances, Wright has recorded three two-hit games and for the month of August, he's 14-for-41 and had a six RBI game on the fifth.
RED-HOT HICKORY
Is there a hotter team in Minor League Baseball than the Hickory Crawdads? Try four straight wins, seven victories in their last eight games and 20 in the last 26. The Crawdads are now 6 1/2 games clear of Kannapolis and Lakewood in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League. First baseman Jon Benick has led the way with a .316 batting average, 26 home runs and 80 RBI. In his last seven games, which includes an 0-4 on Thursday, Benick has 11 hits in 33 at bats with six runs scored.
TWO TOUCHDOWN PERFORMANCE
What seemed like a football score, Brooks Conrad belted his ninth homer of the season and Wandy Rodriguez pitched a gem to help lead the Round Rock Express to a 14-0 victory over the visiting El Paso Diablos in Texas League play on Monday, August 9th. Conrad had a stellar night at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with four RBI. Conrad blasted a two-run shot over the left field wall in the bottom of the sixth to give the Express a 10-0 lead. Rodriguez pitched eight scoreless innings and allowed just four hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts. Rodriguez notched double digits in the win column with his record now 10-6 on the season. Hector Gimenez also had a solid night at the plate for the Express, finishing 4-for-5 with a double, run scored, and three RBI.
MUD HENS FINALLY WIN ONE IN AUGUST
After opening the month of August with nine consecutive losses, Toledo finally got off the schneid with a 4-0, six-inning shortened game over Charlotte. Pat Ahearne was stellar in his six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Despite the horrid streak, the Mud Hens are just three games out of first in the West Division of the International League, trailing Columbus.
RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY
Stormy weather postponed 17 games throughout Minor League Baseball Thursday, August 12th. The following games, league-by-league, were rained out: Southern League - Jacksonville at Greenville; South Atlantic League - Savannah at Kannapolis, Lakewood at Greensboro, Lake County at Capital City, Columbus at Charleston-WV, Hagerstown at Augusta; New York-Penn League - Oneonta at Tri- City, Lowell at Vermont; Midwest League - Wisconsin at Beloit, Battle Creek at South Bend; International League - Syracuse at Scranton-WB, Toledo at Charlotte; Florida State League - Clearwater at Sarasota; Carolina - Kinston at Myrtle Beach; Appalachian - Burlington at Elizabethton, Bristol at Johnson City, Bluefield at Princeton. More postponements are expected through the weekend, with Hurricanes Bonnie and Charley wreaking havoc across the Eastern seaboard.
PHILLIPS' STREAK COMES TO A CLOSE
Buffalo's Brandon Phillips went 0-for-4 on Wednesday, August 11th and saw his consecutive game streak of reaching base end at 51. Phillips' tally was the longest in the International League this season. During that span, Phillips had a couple of lengthy hitting streaks, one of 18 games and the other 16.
SEVEN'S THE NUMBER
After posting a doubleheader sweep of Memphis on Tuesday, August 10th, the Tucson Sidewinders saw their winning streak end at seven, as they suffered a 10-2 thumping by the Redbirds the following night. In their seven-game streak, the Sidewinders scored an amazing 51 runs. Brandon Lyon recorded his first two wins of the season in relief during that time, pitching a total of four scoreless innings.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Triple-A
International League: Pitcher - J.D. Durbin, Rochester; Player - Adam Hyzdu, Pawtucket, OF. Pacific Coast League: Pitcher - Carlos Hernandez, New Orleans; Player - Aaron Guiel, Omaha, OF.
Double-A
Eastern League: Pitcher - Boof Bonser, New Britain; Player - Nate McLouth, Altoona, OF. Southern League: Pitcher - Glenn Woolard, Huntsville; Player - Tony Blanco, Chattanooga, IF. Texas League: Pitcher - Tim McClakey and Jared Gothreaux, Round Rock; Player - Rashad Eldridge, Frisco, OF.
Single-A
California League: Pitcher - Brad Ziegler, Modesto; Player - Brian Stavisky, Modesto, OF. Carolina League: Pitcher - Thomas Pauly, Potomac; Player - Matt Tupman, Wilmington, C. Florida State League: Pitcher - Scott Olsen, Jupiter; Player - James Shanks, Jupiter, OF. Midwest League: Pitcher - Adam Harben, Quad Cities; Player - Micah Furtado, Clinton, OF. NY-Penn League: Pitcher - R.J. Swindle, Lowell; Player - Chip Cannon, Auburn, IF. Northwest League: Pitcher - Jerry Blevins, Boise; Player - Jim Fasano, Spokane, IF. South Atlantic League: Pitcher - Erick Arteaga, Lakewood; Player - Delmon Young, Charleston-SC, OF.
Rookie
Appalachian League: Pitcher - Jordan Timm, Pulaski; Player - Reid Brignac, Princeton, SS. Pioneer League: Pitcher - Samuel Deduno, Casper; Player - Sean Rodriguez, Provo, IF.
AT THE PLATE
(Triple-A): Batting Average - Larry Sutton, Albuquerque (.370), Garrett Atkins, Colorado Springs (.357), Ryan Church, Edmonton (.347), Maicer Izturis, Edmonton (.347). Home Runs - Earl Snyder, Pawtucket (32), Calvin Pickering, Omaha (31). RBI - Dan Johnson, Sacramento (97), Andy Tracy, Colorado Springs (95), Earl Snyder, Pawtucket (89). Hits - Clint Barmes, Colorado Springs (156), Jhonny Peralta, Buffalo (154), Matt Diaz, Durham (144). On-Base Percentage - Larry Sutton, Albuquerque (.472), Calvin Pickering, Omaha (.448). Runs Scored - Clint Barmes, Colorado Springs (93), Nick Swisher, Sacramento (92), Jhonny Peralta, Buffalo (90). Stolen Bases - Freddy Guzman, Portland (42), Nook Logan, Toledo (38), Esix Snead, Norfolk (38).
(Double-A): Batting Average - Napoleon Calzado, Greenville (.360), John Castellano, Reading (.354). Home Runs - Ryan Howard, Reading (37). RBI - Ryan Howard, Reading (102). Hits - Danny Sandoval, Tulsa (141), Nate McLouth, Altoona (140), Napoleon Calzado, Greenville (140), Chris Duffy, Altoona (137), Alberto Callaspo, Arkansas (136). On-Base Percentage - Josh Willingham, Carolina (.432), Michael Cervenak, Norwich (.420), Ryan Shealy, Tulsa (.418), Todd Self, Round Rock (.412), John Hattig, Portland (.411). Runs Scored - Chris Duffy, Altoona (83), Nick Gorneault, Arkansas (81), William Bergolla, Chattanooga (77), Ryan Shealy, Tulsa (77). Stolen Bases - Wayne Lydon, Binghamton (59), Willy Taveras, Round Rock (49), Dwaine Bacon, West Tenn (48), Tyrell Godwin, New Hampshire (37).
(Single-A): Batting Average - Brian Horwitz, Salem Keizer (.350), Brian Stavisky, Modesto (.348), Jeff Salazar, Visalia (.347). Home Runs - Brian Dopirak, Lansing (34), Brandon Sing, Daytona (30), Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (26), Kevin Collins, Lansing (26). RBI - Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (106), Vinny Rottino, Beloit (102), Brandon Moss, Augusta (101). Hits - Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (162), Brian Stavisky, Modesto (147), Brandon Moss, Augusta (147). On-Base Percentage - Jeff Baker, Visalia (.439), Michael Bourn, Lakewood (.436), Brian Snyder, Kane County (.434), Casey Craig, Everett (.433). Runs Scored - Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (90), Brian Stavisky, Modesto (89). Stolen Bases - Chris Walker, Lansing (55), Josh Anderson, Lexington (48), Nyjer Morgan, Hickory (47), Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (44), Michael Bourn, Lakewood (44), Alex Requena, Vero Beach (42), Rajai Davis, Lynchburg (41), Javon Moran, Lakewood (41).
(Rookie): Batting Average - Billy Butler, Idaho Falls (.401), Eddie Solis, Idaho Falls (.397), Sean Rodriguez, Provo (.389), Nate Sutton, Provo (.380), Juan Lucena, Johnson City (.375). Home Runs - Mitch Einertson, Greeneville (17), Bobby Mosby, Billings (13). RBI - Brian McFall, Idaho Falls (55), Mitch Einertson, Greeneville (48), Seth Smith, Casper (47), Andrew Toussaint, Provo (47). Hits - Billy Butler, Idaho Falls (73), Eddie Solis, Idaho Falls (73). On-Base Percentage - Billy Butler, Idaho Falls (.511), Sean Rodriguez, Provo (.510). Runs Scored - Billy Butler, Idaho Falls (53), Brian McFall, Idaho Falls (47), Dustin Hahn, Casper (47), Carl Loadenthal, Danville (46). Stolen Bases - Juan Valdes, Burlington (21).
