TOP OF THE SYSTEM
A look at how the current top 10 prospects did today. Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. Rankings as of 8/16/11.
1. Gerrit Cole, RHP (No Stats) – DNP
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP (2-3, 4.52) – Next probable start 8/23
3. Luis Heredia, RHP (1-1, 4.28) – Next probable start 8/25
4. Starling Marte, CF (.328) – 2-for-5, 3B, HR, 3 RBI
5. Josh Bell, RF (No Stats) – DNP
6. Robbie Grossman, RF (.292) – DNP
7. Tony Sanchez, C (.237) – DNP
8. Stetson Allie, RHP (0-2, 7.33) – DNP
9. Kyle McPherson, RHP (7-4, 3.15) – Next probable start 8/22
10. Colton Cain, LHP (6-8, 3.64) – DNP
DAILY SUMMARY
Top Hitter: Starling Marte, CF (.328) – 2-for-5, 3B, HR, 3 RBI
Home Runs: Starling Marte (11), Andrew Lambo (6), Dan Grovatt (8)
AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Result: Lehigh Valley 3, Indianapolis 1
Starting Pitcher: Jeff Locke, LHP (0-1, 2.38) – 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: John Bowker, RF (.310) – 3-for-4, 2 2B
Other Notable Performers
Jared Hughes, RHP (2.27) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Gorkys Hernandez, CF (.288) – 2-for-3
Game Notes: Alex Presley and Chase d’Arnaud each went 1-for-4 in a rehab appearance. Jeff Locke made his second start at the AAA level, struggling a bit with his control. Jared Hughes has not allowed a run in his last six outings, spanning 6.2 innings.
AA: ALTOONA CURVE
Result: Reading 7, Altoona 6
Starting Pitcher: Matt McSwain, RHP (3.94) – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Starling Marte, CF (.328) – 2-for-5, 3B, HR, 3 RBI
Other Notable Performers
Bryan Morris, RHP (3.49) – 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Andrew Lambo, RF (.272) – 1-for-3, BB, HR, 2 RBI
Brock Holt, SS (.290) – 3-for-3, 2B, BB, SB
Game Notes: Marte hit his 11th home run of the year, and his sixth in 141 at-bats since the All-Star break. Andrew Lambo is hitting for a .339/.423/.548 line in 62 at-bats in August. Bryan Morris has a 1.23 ERA in 14.2 innings over his last ten outings, with a 13:3 K/BB ratio.
A+: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
Bradenton was postponed.
A: WEST VIRGINIA POWER
Result: West Virginia 9, Delmarva 1
Starting Pitcher: Porfirio Lopez, LHP (2-4, 3.57) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Dan Grovatt, RF (.287) – 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Other Notable Performers
Casey Sadler, RHP (2.35) – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Jason Townsend, RHP (2.25) – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Mel Rojas Jr., CF (.254) – 2-for-3, BB, RBI, SB
Game Notes: In three starts this year with West Virginia, Lopez has a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings, with a 16:5 K/BB ratio. Grovatt has been playing well lately, with a .361/.387/.611 line in 72 at-bats during the month of August. His home run tonight was his third of the month. Rojas stole his 22nd base of the year. Casey Sadler has a 1.03 ERA in 26.1 innings since the All-Star break, with a 24:4 K/BB ratio.
A-: STATE COLLEGE SPIKES
Result: Auburn 2, State College 1
Starting Pitcher: Ryan Hafner, RHP (2.56) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Wes Freeman, RF (.296) – 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, 3 K
Other Notable Performers
Alex Dickerson, 1B (.277) – 1-for-3
Rodarrick Jones, LF (.273) – 1-for-4
Game Notes: Hafner has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last seven outings. Wes Freeman had a rare infield double due to heads up play, advancing to second base when no one was covering the bag. One downside is that his three strikeouts give him eight in his past five games, which is a concern given his strikeout history.
RK: GCL PIRATES
Result: Tigers 6, Pirates 2
Starting Pitcher: Bryce Weidman, RHP (0-2, 4.50) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
Top Hitter: Jorge Bishop, 3B (.203) – 2-for-3, 2B
Other Notable Performers
Exicardo Cayonez, DH (.286) – 2-for-3, RBI
Game Notes: Alen Hanson stole his 22nd base of the year. Weidman has a 4.50 ERA as a starter in the GCL this year, but has an impressive 20:5 K/BB ratio in his 32 innings.
ORGANIZATIONAL STANDINGS
AAA: Indianapolis Indians – 66-63, 3rd Place, 14.0 GB
AA: Altoona Curve – 56-69, 6th Place, 13.5 GB
A+: Bradenton Marauders – 63-59 Overall, 33-19 2nd Half, 1st Place
A: West Virginia Power – 60-62 Overall, 25-30 2nd Half, 6th Place, 7.5 GB
A-: State College Spikes – 23-37, 6th Place, 14.0 GB
RK: GCL Pirates – 30-24, 2nd Place, 5.0 GB
RK: DSL Pirates – 41-30, Season Completed
RK: VSL Pirates – 40-32, Season Completed
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
FWIW abt PA….0-4, 3Ks
With the Pirates spending money like drunken sailors (nobody thought they’d ever hear that abt these formerly tight-fisted guys), if PA doesn’t recover soon, what will the F.O. plan for next season?
Isn’t it time to start the #PromoteMarte campaign? What does he have to prove in AA?