White Sox Minor Keys: May 26, 2023
Smokies Stadium (Swiderfanclub / Wikipedia)
Following up on the introduction to Thursday’s Minor Keys, the Birmingham Barons lost again on Friday to drop to 5-17 in May. They only added one run to their minors-worst run differential, but in 2023 Barons fashion, it was as painful as another 11-run drubbing.
The Barons led the Tennessee Smokies 7-3 after seven innings, and 9-4 entering the bottom of the ninth. Nash Walters opened the bottom of the ninth by striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong, and yet Birmingham still managed to lose to Tennessee, 10-9.
The sequence:
- Walk
- Single
- Single (RBI)
- Walk
- Walk (RBI)
- Strikeout
- Two-run double
- Walk
- RBI single
Crow-Armstrong delivered the walk-off hit to complete his unfinished business.
Charlotte 7, Jacksonville 1
- Lenyn Sosa went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Oscar Colás, 0-for-3 with two walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Carlos Pérez went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Tennessee 10, Birmingham 9
- José RodrÃguez went 3-for-4 with a walk, sac fly and a stolen base.
- Eloy Jiménez and Alsander Womack both were 1-for-3 with three walks and a strikeout.
- Yoelqui Céspedes went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Adam Hackenberg went 1-for-3 with a double, two walks and a strikeout.
Brooklyn 3, Winston-Salem 2
- Terrell Tatum went 0-for-4.
- Loidel Chapelli was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- DJ Gladney, 0-for-3 with an HBP and two strikeouts.
- Wilfred Veras went 1-for-4 with a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Wes Kath, 0-for-2 with two walks and a strikeout.
- Hard-working line for Jonathan Cannon: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 61 of 96 pitches for strikes.
Augusta 8, Kannapolis 2
- Jordan Sprinkle went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Bryan Ramos after a day off was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Jacob Burke went 1-for-2 with a homer and two walks.
- Brooks Baldwin was 0-for-4 with a K.
- Tanner McDougal: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR
It seems likely that Tatum is ready for AA and that Burke is ready to take his place in A+.
Tyler Neslony, Taylor Snyder, Ben Norman, Chris Shaw, Duke Ellis any of these guys can be shown the door to make room in Birmingham. Holy crap there’s a lot of bad there.
Maybe time for Gladney to go up too, Tyler Osik, Xavier Fernandez, Chris Shaw can easily make way for him.
I have to say it, I am probably most disappointed in Jose Rodriguez. He was my best hope for MI relief but is playing himself out of contention as his Bunsen burner offense doesn’t play in AA let alone in the majors.
Seems like a strange time to give up on Jose Rodriguez.
Who said I was giving up on him? I said I was disappointed. If you’re not disappointed then you must have already given up or never believed in the first place.
In the end it doesn’t matter if I’m disappointed or you’ve given up, its the inconsistent play that matters.
What is a Bryce Willits? Maybe its time for him to move up too. I would hope the idea is to move Ramos to AA shortly.
Maybe move Elko to W-S when you move Gladney out.
Sosa, Colas, Perez, Rodriguez and Womak, you need to know what you have here by the end of the year. They should see as much time in the majors as possible. Unfortunately, chasing 2nd place in the ALC wont afford them any real playing time.
Nm