Minor league roundup: August 29
Donny Lucy went 1-for-3 with a strikeout for the Charlotte Knights today, and assuming it’s his last start before call-up season, he closed the book on a successful August. Lucy hit .333/.351/.444 over 10 starts (36 at-bats), and used the run to put himself in serious contention for the ceremonial third catcher spot.
Here’s how his numbers look before and after the All-Star break:
- Before: .212/.261/.318 over 132 AB
- After: .302/.339/.396 over 53 AB
Compare him to Tyler Flowers, and there might not be much competition:
- Before: .229/.324/.478 over 249 AB
- After: .194/.356/.312 over 93 AB
Flowers has some crazy splits going on all over the plate. He’s hitting much better away from Charlotte’s bandbox, and he has even splits against lefties and righties (historically speaking, he slaughters lefties).
The good news is that Flowers has reduced his strikeout rate from month to month since peaking in May at a horrendous 38.7 percent. It’s down to 21.7 in August, and he’s drawing a walk for nearly every time he’s whiffing this past month.
I have a feeling Guillen is going to go with Lucy, which will gum up what was supposed to be a relatively seamless transition from A.J. Pierzynski to Flowers. It wouldn’t be undeserved, either, but since it’s only for emergency purposes, I’m hoping he’ll go with the guy who (still) actually has a major-league future.
- Durham 8, Charlotte 5
- Brent Morel hit a solo shot (No. 8) and struck out over four PAs.
- Dayan Viciedo went 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Jordan Danks went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a strikeout.
- Birmingham 16, Tennessee 1
- Christian Marrero (two RBI, walk) and Eduardo Escobar (double, strikeout, steal) both went 2-for-5.
- Josh Phegley went 2-for-6 with an RBI and a strikeout.
- Tyler Kuhn led the 20-hit attack with four hits, including a homer. He also walked and struck out once over six PAs.
- Gregory Infante pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
- Winston-Salem 5, Myrtle Beach 4 (13 innings)
- Jose Martinez went 3-for-5 with a double.
- Jon Gilmore hit a two-run homer, walked and struck out three times.
- Nick Ciolli hit a solo shot during a 2-for-5, two-strikeout day.
- Stephen Sauer was good: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR.
- Bristol 4, Kingsport 3 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Rangel Ravelo went 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk.
- Daniel Black did the same, except he doubled.
- Bristol 3, Kingsport 1 (Game 2, 7 innings)
- Ravelo wore the collar.
- Great Falls 9, Ogden 5
- Andy Wilkins went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk.
- Ross Wilson had two singles, a sac bunt and an HBP over five PAs.
