Minors Report for 7/22/10 (Jorge Vazquez; Adam Warren; Daniel Brewer; Dellin Betances; Brandon Laird)

Minor Leagues Report — By Tom K on July 22, 2010 10:12 pm

Scranton:

Jorge Vazquez blasted his 9th home run since being promoted to Scranton, but it lead to the only two runs Scranton would score in a 5-2 loss.

Jesus Montero went 1-for-4 with a double, while Eduardo Nunez went 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and 20th stolen base in 24 attempts.

Vazquez is hitting .272 with nine home runs in 32 RBI in 35 games for Scranton.   However, he has also walked only four times while striking out 40 times.

With all of the advancements he has made with his hitting, it gets easy to ignore Nunez’s value as a base-runner.  He is stealing bases at a very impressive clip, and has improved in that facet of the game.  Last year, he stole a total of 19 bases in 26 attempts.  In 2008, it was 14 steals in 24 attempts.

On the hill, Zach McAllister’s uneven season continues.  He threw 5.1 innings tonight, giving up four runs on ten hits.  He walked two and struck out three.
The 22-year old right-hander is now 7-7 with a 4.93 ERA in 19 starts (102.1 IP, 127 H, 25 BB, 61 K, 14 HR).
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Trenton:

Adam Warren continued his strong pitching tonight, while Daniel Brewer had a big offensive night in a 8-3 victory.
Warren went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits.  He walked one and struck out five.     In his two starts with Trenton, he has allowed four runs (three earned) on ten hits.   He has walked five and struck out ten in 12 innings.

Brewer went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs batted in, and a walk.   The 22-year old outfielder hasn’t had a great time in Trenton, hitting only .233 with 23 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 47 RBI.  He has 20 steals in 28 attempts.  He hasn’t necessarily had a bad season, but he also has built on his very strong 2009 in Tampa.

Brandon Laird contributed his organization-leading 20th home run of the season, a solo shot in fifth inning.    After hitting nine home runs in June, this was his first July blast.
Shortstop Luis Nunez also had three hits, while Ryan Pope struck out the side in the 9th (with a walk and hit in between) to earn the save.    In 20 games as a reliever, he is 1-2 with a 3.28 ERA.  In 35.2 innings, he has allowed 31 hits while walking nine and striking out 40.
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Tampa:

It wasn’t Dellin Betances’ best outing, but it was definitely enough as Tampa squeaked out a 4-3 victory.
Betances only lasted five innings, but avoided major damage by allowing only two runs on four hits.  He walked two and struck out five in improving his record to 5-1.    In nine starts, he has compiled a 1.60 ERA.  He has gone 45 innings, allowing only 26 hits while walking 12 and striking out 52.   The kid has been very, very good.

Zolio Almonte went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while Bradley Suttle contributed a solo home run (his fifth of the season).

Almonte is only hitting .237/.305/.269 in 93 at-bats since being promoted.  However, given that I think the plan was for him to be in Charleston all year, it’s a good sign just to see him in Tampa.  He’ll be back here to start 2011.
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Charleston:

Not a pretty game in Charleston tonight as they got trampled, 10-1.
24-year old Luke Murton went 2-for-4 in the losing effort.    He is at .290/.370/.484 in 248 at-bats this season.    The right-handed hitting first baseman has a shot to make it someday as a hitter; but given his lack of versatility, it may be tough for him to stick if he doesn’t become a very good bat.    At the very least, he has been smoking lefties all season (.910 OPS) and if he can become great at doing that, his chances obviously will go up.

Slade Heathcott showed his batting eye, drawing a pair of walks.   He stole a base, but was also caught stealing on a pickoff.  Seems he has been picked off a few times this year.   He has 16 walks in 36 games, and has stolen nine bases…though he has been caught five times.

There must be something in the grass down in Charleston.   As I have stated previously, Jimmy Paredes has already broken the 30-error barrier.  Well, tonight, third baseman Robert Lyerly committed his 26th error, while shortstop Kelvin Castro committed his 24th error.    I guess this is why the Yankees are looking for power arms in the draft.

Lefty Josh Romanski was the latest to suffer at the hands of his defense, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits.  He walked two and struck out six and is now 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in ten Charleston starts.    In 58.2 innings, he has allowed 57 hits while walking 13 and striking out 60.
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Lower Minors:
Mikey O’Brien lost his first game of the season (5-1) with a poor performance tonight.  He went only four innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits.  He walked five and struck out only one…First baseman Reymond Nunez hit a three-run blast for the GCL squad today.    It was the 19-year old right-handed batter’s third home run of the season in 105 at-bats (.210/.252/.352)….Sam Elam, an 8th round pick in the 2009 draft, continues to struggle.  After allowing 15 walks in 9.1 innings for Staten Island this year, he was demoted to the GCL…where he has six walks in 4.2 innings.   In his career, he has 42 walks in 22 innings.   Oh, to be young and left-handed….Cito Culver went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk as the lead-off hitter.  He is at .235/.319/.309….

Tags: Adam Warren, Bradley Suttle, Brandon Laird, Daniel Brewer, Eduardo Nunez, Jesus Montero, Jimmy Paredes, Jorge Vazquez, Josh Romanski, Kelvin Castro, Luis Nunez, Luke Murton, Reymond Nunez, Robert Lyerly, Sam Elam