Rainiers Recap - 7/3/14, Reno 1, Tacoma 5

Skydivers entered the stadium pre-game. America!

I attended the Rainiers' annual Independence Day spectacular, and it was spectacular indeed! I also chose it as my annual game to take score at, simply to find out if I still remember how to score a baseball game. It turns out that I do, and armed with my score card, I'm capable of a nice little game recap.

Aces 1, Rainiers 5

Summary: This game was a cluster luck special, though the Rainiers gleefully accepted the good fortune. Tacoma, according to Mike Curto's recap, went 20 innings without scoring a run before breaking though in the sixth inning last night. Jordan Pries stranded base runners left and right throughout his seven innings of work, while his adversary for the Aces, Charles Brewer, proved largely untouchable until the fateful sixth inning. The Rainiers strung together six consecutive hits in the sixth inning, with the pivotal blow stuck by Ji-Man Choi, a bases-clearing double (sort of - Justin Smoak got thrown out at the plate, so only two runs scored despite the emptied bases). Abraham Almonte added a home run that appeared to land on the hill across the street right outside the right field fence in the eight inning, adding a finishing touch to the game and serving as a fitting prelude to the fireworks extravaganza that followed the Rainiers victory.

Game notes:

• Jonathan Stewart, a current NFL running back for the Carolina Panthers, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He graduated from Timberline High School and obviously maintains a connection with his hometown roots. It is odd to see the best athlete on a professional field throw out a ceremonial pitch and do nothing else. The wonders of AAA baseball, particularly on one of the biggest nights of the year.
• Jordan Pries makes the most of his talent thanks to his composure. Ultimately, his pitching line was pretty nice - 7 innings, 1 run, 6 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts, 99 pitches. However, the line does not capture everything. Pries labored early on, throwing 18 pitches in the first inning and 25 in the second, where he also managed to wriggle out of a bases-loaded jam. His only clean 1-2-3 inning came in the third. He worked around a Chris Taylor error in the sixth. Pries had to deal with the stress of a very tight game too, given that the Rainiers did not score until the sixth inning. Pries topped out at 90mph, which is normal for him (I've seen him start a few times now), and if he threw a few miles an hour harder he would get way more buzz. His ability to manage his pitch count, continually strand base runners, and keep the Rainiers in the game until they broke through, was probably a bit lucky, but not all luck. Pries has high "pitchability" as scouts would say. He knows how to pitch.
• Stephen Kohlscheen pitched the eighth inning for the Rainiers. This was my first chance to see him and I was interested to see him. He hasn't generated much buzz despite blitzing through the M's minor leagues with impressive numbers out of the bullpen. He worked a fairly clean eighth inning, allowing no hits or runs with a walk and a strikeout. The first thing that stands out about Kohlscheen is his height - he's listed at 6'6" and looks every bit that tall. His eighth inning enthralled me because I'm not entirely sure how he generates the results that he does. Kohlscheen doesn't throw particularly hard. He consistently hit 90mph, and occasionally touched 91 or 92 when he reached back for a little extra on his fastball. However, he generated a surprising number of swings and misses, and some batters looked late and uncomfortable in the batter's box. The best explanation I have is Kohlscheen's wind-up. He uses his height to his full advantage with a high arm slot, which creates an abnormally downward angle for the ball's path to home plate. Moreover, Kohlscheen appears to hide the ball well from batters by keeping his pitching arm low behind his back and plant leg most of the delivery. The first comp that came to mind as I watched him last night is current Mariners miracle-worker Chris Young.
• Stephen Pryor worked the ninth inning for the Rainiers. He sat at 92mph early in counts with an easy delivery. However, the old flame-throwing Pryor seems to still be around, because once he got two strikes on a batter he dialed up to 95mph, again with a relatively easy delivery. He gave up a hard-hit double (that, by the way, probably gets caught by a better right fielder than Stefen Romero, who took a circuitous route before jumping up against the right field wall to try to catch it) but followed that with two strikeouts to finish off the Rainiers victory.
• Nick Franklin extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double in the middle of Tacoma's sixth-inning barrage.

  

  Jesus Montero (#40) didn't play in the
  game, but warmed up Jordan Pries a
  few times between innings.

• Abe Almonte had a very promising night. He saw 10 total pitches in his first two at-bats before getting aggressive in his final two. He ended up with two hits, a solid single the opposite way to left field in the sixth inning (on the second pitch of the at-bat), and the aforementioned bomb he pulled to right field that led off the eighth inning. What also made the home run impressive to me is that it came on the first pitch of the at-bat, off of Kevin Munson, whom the Aces had just inserted into the game. This suggests to me that Almonte's confidence at the plate is on the rise. He went into that at-bat knowing he would swing if he saw a particular pitch - clearly, he got it, and did not miss it. He wasn't just swinging at anything thrown, as evidenced by his extended at-bats early in the game. Almonte has holes in his swing and must compensate for them with a disciplined approach at the plate. He exhibited great discipline in this contest.
• Justin Smoak had an unassuming night at the plate. He went 1-4, collecting a single in the middle of Tacoma's sixth-inning outburst. The single in the sixth inning was easily his most impressive at-bat as it came on the eighth pitch in a 2-2 count.
• Stefen Romero is too aggressive at the plate. He ended up with a single in the sixth inning on a hard-hit ground ball that just eluded the shortstop. He only saw seven pitches total in his three plate appearances on the night and did not make memorable contact.
• Chris Taylor, despite an error on defense and a strikeout in the seventh inning, had a solid night overall. He got two singles, one to left field and one to right, along with a stolen base. He also did a solid job working counts, seeing 15 pitches total in his 4 plate appearances. The only plate appearance he saw less than four pitches was his sixth inning single, which he hit on the second pitch of the at-bat and got an RBI out of. At the time, that single tied the score at one. It turns out Taylor's single was the first of Tacoma's six consecutive hits in the sixth inning.
• Xavier Avery deserves a shout-out. He went hitless on the night but was a pest. He only got three trips to the plate but saw 15 pitches. This is even more impressive given that he only saw one pitch in his second plate appearance, which he dropped down for a beautiful sacrifice bunt that moved Humberto Quintero to third base in the sixth inning (right before the Rainiers strung together six consecutive hits.) Avery lacks power but has good speed and does little things that at least make him an annoying out.

The Rainiers hit the road for a week before returning to Cheney July 11 for a quick three-game home stand against the Fresno Grizzlies before the AAA all-star break.

Farmhands of Note (2014 Midseason Report, Part 1)

 Chris Taylor (photo credit: gty.im/480700409 by Mike McGinnis)

The Mariners play their 81st game tonight, exactly halfway through the schedule. That makes this time of year a nice one for reviewing the season so far, especially given that the trade deadline looms.

Minor league seasons aren't quite as a long as Major League ones, so they are passed halfway points or just starting seasons in the case of all the half-season affiliates. Regardless, it's time to check in on the farm.

This is a season of transition in the M's farm system because so many of the bigger names have graduated to the MLB roster over the past year and a half. Still, there are talents worth getting to know, some of which are posted here:

Tacoma Rainiers (AAA)

• 1B Ji-Man Choi - Choi lost most of the first half to a 50-game suspension. However, his limited AAA at-bats show more of what he's flashed throughout his minor league ascent: patience with a little bit of  power. Choi recently started a game in the outfield too; I'm curious to see if that was just to get him on the field with Justin Smoak rehabbing, or something more to add some versatility. Choi is a guy to watch closely over the next month. I'll go out on a limb and say that, with a good July, Choi is in the majors by August - either with the Mariners, or with a team he's dealt to in a deadline trade for a bat.
• INF Nick Franklin - I won't spend too much time on Franklin because he's a fairly well-covered player now. Franklin hits in AAA and is yet to produce similar results in the majors. Robinson Cano has displaced him. If I was Jack Zduriencik, this is the player I would center any trade around to acquire a bat.
• RHP Stephen Kohlscheen - A former 45th round draft pick (!), Kohlscheen has quietly and methodically risen through the minor leagues. He just got to Tacoma a few weeks ago, but he was fantastic in AA. Given the struggles of Logan Bawcom and Carson Smith in Tacoma this year, there might be a larger opening for Kohlscheen than most realize. He's not a big-time prospect but it isn't hard to see him quietly eating up some middle innings in a bullpen in the near future. He's my early favorite to be a dark horse candidate for the M's opening day 2015 roster.
• RHP Brandon Maurer - Technically, Maurer is a Mariner right now, but his ticket back to Tacoma will be punched any day now. He has flamed out as a starter the past year and a half, but reports are that his fastball reaches 98mph out of the bullpen. I am intrigued to see how he fares in a regular bullpen role, and given the aforementioned struggles of Bawcom and Smith, there are some bullpen innings to grab in Tacoma.
• RHP Jordan Pries - For now, the Mariners rotation is fine, though history suggests it's only a matter of time before Chris Young breaks down. Pries is easily Tacoma's most productive starter and might be next in line for a rotation spot at this point (assuming Taijuan Walker gets called up for Monday's start). I've seen a few Pries starts in Tacoma. He's all about "pitch ability" and command, though not quite smoke and mirrors. He's basically another Blake Beavan at best. That might not sound exciting, but don't forget that Pries didn't cost Cliff Lee to acquire (the Mariners selected Pries in the 30th round in 2011).
• SS Chris Taylor - Truth be told, the reason Nick Franklin is my top trade trip is because of Chris Taylor. I love Taylor. I don't think he's a star, but he's a darn good middle infielder and would have no problem stepping into a backup role on the Mariners right now. Taylor is a solid defender that has (and will) stick at shortstop, though he has also played some second base this year. He doesn't have the power that Franklin has, but consistently drives the ball in the gaps and has good speed that generates a few triples where others have doubles. I'll be surprised if both Taylor and Franklin are still in the Mariners system come August 1.

Jackson Generals (AA)

• 3B Patrick Kivlehan - The former Rutgers football player continues to hit, even as he transitions out of High Desert's friendly confines and into a more pitcher-friendly Southern League. His defense is still an issue, and it's bad enough that he probably moves off of third base in the near future. At least I would move him off of third base at this point, and a corner outfield spot would make a ton of sense.
• RHP Stephen Landazuri - Landazuri is a bit like Brandon Maurer in that he's a prep arm the Mariners signed rather late in the draft (22nd round in 2010) and have slowly developed. The fruits of their labor look like they are about to pay off again as Landazuri continues to post better and better numbers each year even as he faces more advanced competition. An injury sidelined him for about a month and a half, but he's back now, and should be watched closely in the second half.
• 3B D.J. Peterson - The M's first round pick last year just got promoted to AA in the past week. It's amazing to me that he continues to play as much third base as he has. If he has a future in Seattle, it's clearly at first base. I would start grooming him at first base now with an eye towards making sure he's ready to take over at some point in 2015, perhaps as early as opening day.
• SS Ketel Marte - The Mariners were very aggressive with Marte when they placed him AA this year. He's very young for AA (just 20 years old) and essentially skipped High Desert. However, Marte has made the Mariners look smart. While his hitting isn't amazing - he's a slap hitter with speed - it's as good as it was in Clinton. He's handled the jump just fine. Don't let the 23 errors fool you; Marte's calling card will be his defense as he matures. He profiles as an above-average defender at shortstop. It doesn't take much hitting for a slick fielding shortstop, particularly one with Marte's speed, to be an MLB-caliber player. Marte will never be a top prospect, but he's another reason that Nick Franklin should be expendable at the trade deadline.
• LHP Tyler Olson - Olson got promoted to Jackson when Landazuri got hurt earlier this season, but wasn't sent back down once Landazuri was healthy. Olson, a southpaw from last year's draft, is already 24 years old and needed to move quickly through the minors to become an interesting prospect. He has, and so far has struck out more batters than I expected out of him. He's a fringe starting prospect at this point, and could provide depth as a sixth or seventh starter as early as next season.

High Desert Mavericks (A+)

• OF Jabari Henry - Henry's path in the minors, at least at this early juncture, looks a bit like Stefen Romero's. Henry, like Romero, was a college bat that posted a deceptively good year in Clinton his first full season as a pro. This year Henry has erupted at High Desert's launching pad. If he continues to hit when he gets a promotion to Jackson, either at some point this summer or at the start of next year, he will generate buzz. For now the jury is still out.
• RF Gabby Guerrero - Gabby started to flash his power potential at the tail end of last year in Clinton and has continued to build on that success. His game remains raw across the board, but the tools are there and the production is starting to show up.
• C Tyler Marlette - The Mariners don't look like they'll need a catching prospect for a little while with Mike Zunino already producing in the majors, which makes Marlette a quiet trade chip for the upcoming trade deadline. Marlette can hit and his receiving skills continue to develop.
• RHP Dylan Unsworth - Unsworth's season stats are pretty bad, but those need to be taken with a few grains of salt in High Desert. He's been doomed by unsustainable hits allowed and home run rates, which are partly products of High Desert's extreme hitting environment. Unsworth has flashed potential from time to time, most notably with a 12-strikeout performance on June 20. He's also from South Africa, if you are the type of fan who likes to root for international prospects from unexpected baseball locales.

Clinton LumberKings (A)

• RHP Edwin Diaz - Diaz dominated in Pulaski last season and has followed up with a solid debut in full-season ball for the first time. I'm interested to see if the Mariners place him in High Desert next year or push him to Jackson. He's quite young at only 20 years old.
• C Marcus Littlewood - Littlewood might be in the process of re-emerging as a prospect after an arduous transition to catcher. He projected to have a decent bat when he was drafted, but that disappeared until this season. Perhaps the high learning curve behind the plate was too much until this season. Littlewood will stay under the radar for the rest of this season, but next could (and needs) to be a big one for him if he's going to be a legitimate prospect. His production this year opens up the possibility that he could emerge.
• OF Tyler O'Neill - O'Neill's season came to a screeching halt when he punched his hand into a concrete wall after a strikeout. Walls are still undefeated. However, pre-temper tantrum, O'Neill had 6 home runs in only 119 at-bats as one of the youngest batters in the Midwest League. It's historically a league that dampens power production, and 6 home runs over a full season for O'Neill could have been a success. He will hopefully be back on the field soon, and a strong finish to 2014 will put him in prime position to be a breakout prospect next year.
• OF Austin Wilson - Wilson is a bit old for the Midwest League, and given his strong production, I'm a little surprised that he's still in Clinton. The power Wilson flashed in batting practice but not so often in Pac-12 games last year has been apparent in Clinton, which bodes well for his future. He still strikes out a fair amount though, which isn't an issue in low A, but should eventually be an issue.

The overarching message should be that the Mariners farm system is not bereft of talent. Jack Zduriencik has developed a pipeline. It's particularly telling that a handful of later draft picks are developing - that's a sign that the Mariners are honestly developing talent, not just lucking into finished products.  The Mariners have a deep enough system to pursue some sort of bat at the trading deadline without mortgaging their entire future.