Monday, June 12, 2017

Dominican Summer League Cardinals Notebook 6-12-17



The Dominican Summer League Cardinals started out on a positive winning three out of the first four games but ended losing their last three.  The Redbirds have a 3-4 record with .429 PCT and are one and a half games out of first place in the South Division.  They are 2-1 when defending home field and 1-3 on the road.

Week In Review:

June 3, 2017: The Cardinals opened the 2017 calendar year hosting the Nationals in an extra innings thriller.  Both teams matched each other through the whole entire game until the 12th when the Cardinals plated the winning run.  Angel Rondon started and pitched four scoreless innings, while striking out three.  Ivan Herrera hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning.  Luis Montano doubled, tripled, walked twice and drove in two runs.  Carlos Soler reached base three times on walks.

June 4, 2017: Off Day

June 5, 2017: The Cardinals went on the road looking for the series sweep against the Nationals.  The Nats took the early lead and scored two runs in the first two frames.  Starting pitcher Brian Pirela rebounded to go five innings and only allowed the two runs and struck four out.  William Jimenez put the Redbirds on the board with a solo home run in the third and Carlos Soler and Erik Pena each contributed a RBI the help send the contest in extras.  Diego Cordero followed Pirela to finish out the game but coughed up two runs in the bottom of the tenth for the loss.

June 6, 2017: The Cardinals began a two-game set with Rockies, with the first being on the road.  The Redbirds starting pitcher Francis Ventura didn't get much help from the defense that committed a total of four errors the entire game.  The Rockies plated three runs in the first two innings and held the Cardinals out until the sixth, when their own wildness and errors started kicking in.  Roy Garcia followed Ventura with three scoreless innings.  William Jimenez helped get a rally started in the ninth by driving in two runs and the Redbirds came from behind to win 5-4.

June 7, 2017:  The Cardinals welcomed in the Rockies for the second game of the series.  The Redbirds came out of the gate swinging and scored three runs in the first inning.  Allinson Benitez was cruising alone until the fourth when he gave up three runs but did strike out six when he was pulled in the fourth.  The Rockies knocked in a total of nine runs over the fourth and fifth innings before the Cardinals bullpen took back control.  Both teams exchanged zeros in the sixth and seventh and Hector Soto helped by tossing two and two-thirds scoreless frames.  The Redbirds scored the winner in the eighth.  Raffy Ozuna lead the way offensively with two singles, one double, and two RBIs and Franklin Soto contributed one single, one walk, and two RBIs.

June 8, 2017:  The Cardinals stayed home and the Yankees visited.  The Redbirds were being no-hit until Franklin Soto doubled in the fourth.  The Cardinals would only connect for another two hits after.  The Redbirds pitching staff did no better and coughed up eight runs in their first shut-out of the young season.

June 9, 2017: The Cardinals went out on the road and looked to avoid being swept by the Yankees.  The Yanks tore apart the Redbirds pitching staff, including knocking the starter, Angel Rondon, out in the second inning.  The Cardinals defense was poor as they racked up four errors and let the Yankees get double-digits by the sixth inning.  The Redbirds offense was cold until the eighth and nine innings went they mounted a comeback.  The Luis Montano led the way with a double and two RBIs but the Yankees were too far out and claimed the victory.

June 10, 2017: The Cardinals stayed out on the road for the finale of the week against the Mets One.  Brian Pirela threw the best quality start for the Cardinals, up to this point of the early season, with five scoreless frames and five strikeouts.  The Redbirds took an early lead, which included Luis Montano tripling in a run.  The Mets One however made a comeback, with the help of errors and a poor bullpen performance, to beat the Cardinals and send them to their third straight loss.

June 11: Off Day


Who's Hot:

William Jimenez has a two-game hit streak and also collects four multi-hit games the past week.  The 21-year old right-handed hitter went 9-for-25 (.360) with one home run, five RBIs, six runs, five walks, two hit by pitches, two sac flies, two stolen bases, five strikeouts, and one caught stealing/pickoff.  He played four games in left field (two outfield assists and one resulted in double play) and three in right.

Ivan Herrera ended this period on a two-game hit streak.  The 17-year old right-handed hitter went 6-for-19 (.316) with one double, one home run, two RBIs, three runs, and eight strikeouts.  He played six games behind the plate where he threw out two of four base runners and committed two errors (one missed catch and one throwing).

Luis Montano looks to add on to his two-game hit streak in the next series of games.  The 17-year old left-handed hitter went 5-for-19 (.263) with three doubles, two triples, five RBIs, two runs, seven walks, and five strikeouts.  He played four games in right field (one outfield assist) and two in left (committed two throwing errors).

Brian Pirela picked up where he left off last season.  The 19-year old right-handed made his first start on June 5th and pitched five innings allowing four hits, two runs (one earned), two walks, and struck four out.  His next start came on June 10th, where he tossed five scoreless innings giving up two hits, one walk, struck out five, and assisted in one double play.  He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 12-to-7.

Roy Garcia began his professional career on a solid note.  The 16-year old right-hander was called out of the bullpen on June 6th and he pitched an extended three innings allowing one hit, no runs, two walks, hit one batter, threw one wild pitch, and struck three out.  He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 2-to-2.


Who's Not:

Freddy DeJesus ended the week with a two-game hit streak but struck out two or more times in four of six contests played.  The 17-year old right-handed hitter went 4-for-26 (.154) with one run, 12 strikeouts, and grounded into one double play.  He played six games at first base, assisting in four double plays.

Cristhian Longa couldn't pick up a hit in his final two games played and only one in five played.  The 17-year old right-handed hitter went 1-for-9 (.111) with one RBI, two walks, and three strikeouts.  He played three games at catcher (threw out of of two base runners) and two at first base.

Carlos Soler will look to snap his two-game hitless streak but extend his four-game on base.  The 17-year old left-handed hitter went 1-for-13 (.077) with one RBI, two runs, seven walks (one intentional), one stolen base, five strikeouts, and three caught stealing.  He played four games in centerfield.

Wilman Madera was thumped on to begin the new season.  The 18-year old was called from the bullpen on June 3rd and gave up four hits, three runs (two earned), and struck four out over two and a third.  Then on June 9th, he coughed up six hits, six earned runs, one home run, one walk, and struck one out over two innings.  He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 5-to-1 and held one inherited runner on base.

Rodard Avelino looked to get a good start to his season, but went sour at end of this period.  The 18-year old right-hander pitched two innings of relief on June 6th, allowing one hit, one earned run, one home run, and struck two out for the winning decision.  On June 9th, he got a struggled with control and gave up two hits, four earned runs, three walks, threw one wild pitch, committed one pickoff error, and struck one out.  He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 2-to-1.


Notes:

Moises Castillo, Leandro Cedeno, Noel DeJesus, Dariel Gomez, Andres Luna, Jonathan Machado, Elehuris Montero, Winston Nicacio, Julio Rodriguez, Brian Sanchez, and Carlos Soto were promoted to the Gulf Coast League.

Junior Gonzalez, Johan Oviedo, Enrique Perez, and Edwar Ramirez were promoted to Johnson City

Cristhian Lugo is at extended spring training with no assignment yet.

Oscar Cotes, Angel Estevez, Esequeil Delgado, Jesus Garcia, Hector Linares, Dylan Melendez, Carlos Luis, Sebastian Nunez, and Estailin Tejada were released.

Victor Garcia, Hector Mendoza (recently signed 23-year old Cuban RHP), Alexander Samuel, and Larimel Soriano have not yet made their 2017 debuts.

I have heard the St. Louis Cardinals have some interest in Cuban LHP Darien Nunez, currently competing in the JBD Baseball Amateur League in the Dominican Republic: Video


Dominican Summer League Stats:

The team has played seven games going 51-for-235 (.217, 33rd) with ten doubles, four triples (t-9th), two home runs, 25 RBIs, 75 total bases, 36 runs, 33 walks, four stolen bases, 76 strikeouts (worst), five caught stealing, .316 OBP (33rd), .319 SLG (28th), and .636 OPS (30th).  They rank roughly middle of the pack to lower half of the league in hitting stats.

The club has a 3-4 record with 5.74 ERA (39th), 1.60 WHIP (33rd), one hold, and two saves (t-10th).  They have allowed 71 hits (worst), 51 runs (2nd worst), 41 earned runs (worst), three home runs (t-6th worst), 32 walks, hit eight batters, and struck 55 out over 64.1 innings.

Franklin Soto is tied for second in doubles.

Luis Montano is tied for ninth in doubles, tied for first in triples, and tied for eighth in walks.

Carlos Soler is tied for eighth in walks and tied for second in caught stealing.

Freddy DeJesus is tied for third in strikeouts.

Dionis Zamora is tied for second in saves and tied for second in game finishes.

Brian Pirela is tied for sixth in innings pitched.

Wilman Madera is tied for seventh in runs allowed and tied for fourth in earned runs allowed.


Up Next (2017 Record, Vs. Cardinals):

June 12: Mets One (3-4)(1-0)
June 13: Phillies Red (4-3)(0-0)
June 14: @ Phillies Red
June 15: Twins (4-2)(0-0)
June 16: @ Twins
June 17: @ Angels (4-3)(0-0)
June 18: Off Day

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