Tweet
For the first time since the Marlins changed their short-season affiliate, I was able to return to Dwyer Stadium in Batavia for a Muckdogs game. For those who recall, in the past, I've provided amateur scouting notes on the Jamestown Jammers when they were the Marlins' affiliate playing in Batavia (check the minor league archives here for some of my past reports, if you wish). I'm in NY visiting family this week and was able to take my dad to the game for Father's Day, and for 8 1/2 innings, the Muckdogs were looking good against Auburn. The top of the ninth, however, was an implosion of epic proportions. So, here are my thoughts, observations, and anecdotes:
SS Anfernee Seymour (7th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins): Despite being a 7th round pick, the program lists him as an undrafted free-agent signing. It was clear that speed is Seymour's game. His box score reads 2-5 with a double and a strikeout. He's a switch-hitter, seeing most of his action in this game from the left side. He's short in stature and tried to bunt for a hit on one pitch with runners on first and second in the second inning. He also tried to bunt, then hit-and-run with Travis Brewster at first in the 5th inning. His bunting appeared to need some work. The outfielders played him very shallow in left and center fields. His double came in the 7th and was aided by a high hop over the head of the first baseman. He made a bad decision on the basepaths, going from second to third, and getting caught, on a ground ball to short.
CF Stone Garrett (8th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins): The big (6'2") Texan was 1-5 with a run, a double, and two K's. In his first AB, he K'd swinging on a slider low and away. He's constant motion at the plate, swaying back and forth and waving his bat in a circular motion (as opposed to up-and-down like Gary Sheffield) until the pitch. His double was a bouncer down the third base line. The wind was active today and wreaked havoc at times on the fielders. It may have come into play in the 5th as the wind either held up the ball or Garrett didn't come in quick enough. Either way, it dropped between him and the second baseman (who may have had a play on it had he read it better). Garrett's profile, according to the program, is "big time power, a plus arm, and above-average speed."
1B Eric Fisher (17th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with A- Batavia): Drafted twice by the Marlins, once in 2013 before deciding to return to school and again in 2014, Fisher is in his second go-round with the Muckdogs. He was 1-4 with an RBI on this afternoon. His hit was a seeing-eye single between first and second. He was robbed of another base hit in the second thanks to a diving play made by the second baseman. Fisher's RBI came on a sac fly in the 5th. Fisher also grounded out three times. I have to laud his defense, as he made two nice picks of balls in the dirt to complete double-plays, one in the 3rd and one again in the 4th.
DH Brad Haynal (18th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with A- Batavia and A Greensboro): A catcher by trade, Haynal was the DH here. Haynal finished the day 1-4 with an RBI and a walk. He drew the walk on a 3-2 count in his first plate appearance. He stands somewhat upright at the plate with less than the usual torso bend. In the 5th, he reached out and flicked and RBI single into center on a good pitch. He grounded out twice and flied out in his other at-bats.
3B Taylor Munden (27th Round Pick, 2015): The first 2015 pick in the lineup, Munden was 0-4 with a run, walk, and strikeout. He looked particularly short at the plate, standing just 5'10". His strikeout was of the swinging variety in the 3rd, on a high fastball. Munden also grounded out twice and popped out. He led the Big 12 in home runs this year.
C Korey Dunbar (20th Round Pick, 2015): In his first professional action, Dunbar was 2-2 at the plate with a run scored, a double, and a walk. His defense was not as stellar. But first, the offense: Dunbar crouches deeply at the plate and wears an ankle/shin brace on his left leg. He had a nice sacrifice bunt in the 8th against a left-handed side-armer, a task which I can't imagine is easy. Defensively, Auburn stole one base against him, but it was on the pitcher as the ball was in the dirt. He also committed what I thought were two passed balls, but was only dinged with one. The first looked like a cross-up that he never got his mitt on, the other was off his glove and just a bad play. He blocked pitches pretty well. As a bonus: His walk-up music was "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence.
2B Giovanny Alfonzo (21st Round Pick, 2015): Alfonzo plated a run with a double in the second inning and went 1-3 at the dish. His double was a line drive that tailed away from the right fielder, either due to wind or natural trajectory. In the fourth inning, he was safe at first when Auburn couldn't complete a double play and the ball got away from the first baseman. Alfonzo got greedy and tried for two, but was out by a fair margin. He was also credited with a sacrifice bunt in the 6th.
RF Miles Williams (15th Round Pick, 2013; spent 2014 with A- Batavia): It was a game to forget for Williams. He was 0-2 with a run scored, two walks and two strikeouts, and was caught stealing. On the positive side, he has good size and alertly scored on an errant throw to first base in the 8th inning. Early in the game, he was late on a fastball and fouled it straight into the Auburn dugout in what was a scary moment. However, no one was hit. Later, on one of his strikeouts, he had a 3-0 count and ended up whiffing. His CS came on a 2-2 pitch in the 4th. Williams was part of the guilty parties in the 9th inning melt-down, committing errors on back-to-back pitches. The first was innocent enough, as when fielding a line-drive single, the ball glanced off his glove and away from him, allowing runners to advance to second and third. On the next pitch however, in what would've been a big first out in the inning with Batavia still leading, Williams completely botched a line drive right to him. The man on third likely would've scored anyway, but he scored as did the man on second, and the batter reached second base.
LF Travis Brewster (Signed as an undrafted free-agent, August 6, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins; has also appeared for A+ Jupiter in 2015): Brewster appears short and squatty (5'9", 210 pounds), but his size belies his speed. He stole third base in the 8th and was 2-3 at the plate with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk. He was first-pitch hitting in the 5th, sending a ground ball into right to reach base. His RBI base hit came on a broken-bat roller to second in which he beat the throw. Brewster showed a plus arm in the field, combined with great effort in sliding to cut off a ball and almost gunning down the batter going to second, from the left-field corner. His walk-up music: "Budapest" by George Ezra.
SP Nestor Bautista (32nd Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins and A+ Jupiter): Bautista pitched well enough to get the win, and almost did had the bullpen not faltered. Bautista went 5 innings, giving up four hits, an earned run, walking one and striking out four. He threw an economical 67 pitches, pitching to contact for the most part. The lanky lefty has a quick wind-up and explodes out of his compact, high three-quarters delivery. In his final inning, he worked out of a man on second, no-out jam to come away unscathed. He showed some decent offspeed stuff, including getting at least one strikeout on the pitch.
RP Ayron Adames (Signed as an international free-agent, August 24, 2010; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins and A- Batavia): Credited with a hold, Adames went 3 innings, giving up two hits, and unearned run, walking two and striking out four. Adames looked like a thrower who didn't always know where the ball was going. He had a low three-quarters delivery and a live fastball. It appeared that he struggled with his offspeed stuff, which was substantially slower than his fastball. He was visibly frustrated with the first batter he faced in his third inning of work, a batter he ended up walking.
RP Juan Guzman (Signed as a minor-league free-agent, January 20, 2015; did not pitch in 2014; spent 2013 with A Delmarva in Orioles organization): The oldest pitcher on the roster at 24 years of age, Guzman struggled mightily when tasked with holding a three-run lead in the 9th. In one inning of work, he gave up four hits, seven runs (six earned), two walks, a strikeout, and a home run. Guzman displayed an easy throwing motion and won't be confused with a max effort reliever. In the wind-up, he brings his glove over his head when stepping back. He started the first batter with an 0-2 count before walking him, a harbinger of things to come. Guzman had at least four players on two-strike counts, but didn't seem to have a pitch to put them away with. It was almost as if he was aiming the ball at times rather than just pitching. He seemed to have some communication issues with the catcher, and manager Angel Espada even came out to talk to him after two runs were given up. Auburn did not get cheated at the plate as all the hits he surrendered were well-stung. With the game tied at five, Guzman balked in the go-ahead run from third. Espada argued, and slammed his hand into the railing on his way back to the dugout, either in frustration with the call or with his pitcher. The next batter hit a three-run homer, and the stadium began to empty at that point.
So, it's reasonable to ask...why didn't Espada replace Guzman when he clearly had nothing out there? I was told that while there are 32 players listed on the Muckdogs roster, the Marlins have sent the team many college pitchers (draft picks) who aren't available to pitch due to wanting them to rest after pitching an entire college slate. Therefore, there are times, like the night before, when there may be 19 pitchers in the bullpen, but only three are actually available to pitch. Guzman may have been the only man available here for whatever reason, as no one was even warming up during the inning.
SS Anfernee Seymour (7th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins): Despite being a 7th round pick, the program lists him as an undrafted free-agent signing. It was clear that speed is Seymour's game. His box score reads 2-5 with a double and a strikeout. He's a switch-hitter, seeing most of his action in this game from the left side. He's short in stature and tried to bunt for a hit on one pitch with runners on first and second in the second inning. He also tried to bunt, then hit-and-run with Travis Brewster at first in the 5th inning. His bunting appeared to need some work. The outfielders played him very shallow in left and center fields. His double came in the 7th and was aided by a high hop over the head of the first baseman. He made a bad decision on the basepaths, going from second to third, and getting caught, on a ground ball to short.
CF Stone Garrett (8th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins): The big (6'2") Texan was 1-5 with a run, a double, and two K's. In his first AB, he K'd swinging on a slider low and away. He's constant motion at the plate, swaying back and forth and waving his bat in a circular motion (as opposed to up-and-down like Gary Sheffield) until the pitch. His double was a bouncer down the third base line. The wind was active today and wreaked havoc at times on the fielders. It may have come into play in the 5th as the wind either held up the ball or Garrett didn't come in quick enough. Either way, it dropped between him and the second baseman (who may have had a play on it had he read it better). Garrett's profile, according to the program, is "big time power, a plus arm, and above-average speed."
1B Eric Fisher (17th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with A- Batavia): Drafted twice by the Marlins, once in 2013 before deciding to return to school and again in 2014, Fisher is in his second go-round with the Muckdogs. He was 1-4 with an RBI on this afternoon. His hit was a seeing-eye single between first and second. He was robbed of another base hit in the second thanks to a diving play made by the second baseman. Fisher's RBI came on a sac fly in the 5th. Fisher also grounded out three times. I have to laud his defense, as he made two nice picks of balls in the dirt to complete double-plays, one in the 3rd and one again in the 4th.
DH Brad Haynal (18th Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with A- Batavia and A Greensboro): A catcher by trade, Haynal was the DH here. Haynal finished the day 1-4 with an RBI and a walk. He drew the walk on a 3-2 count in his first plate appearance. He stands somewhat upright at the plate with less than the usual torso bend. In the 5th, he reached out and flicked and RBI single into center on a good pitch. He grounded out twice and flied out in his other at-bats.
3B Taylor Munden (27th Round Pick, 2015): The first 2015 pick in the lineup, Munden was 0-4 with a run, walk, and strikeout. He looked particularly short at the plate, standing just 5'10". His strikeout was of the swinging variety in the 3rd, on a high fastball. Munden also grounded out twice and popped out. He led the Big 12 in home runs this year.
C Korey Dunbar (20th Round Pick, 2015): In his first professional action, Dunbar was 2-2 at the plate with a run scored, a double, and a walk. His defense was not as stellar. But first, the offense: Dunbar crouches deeply at the plate and wears an ankle/shin brace on his left leg. He had a nice sacrifice bunt in the 8th against a left-handed side-armer, a task which I can't imagine is easy. Defensively, Auburn stole one base against him, but it was on the pitcher as the ball was in the dirt. He also committed what I thought were two passed balls, but was only dinged with one. The first looked like a cross-up that he never got his mitt on, the other was off his glove and just a bad play. He blocked pitches pretty well. As a bonus: His walk-up music was "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence.
2B Giovanny Alfonzo (21st Round Pick, 2015): Alfonzo plated a run with a double in the second inning and went 1-3 at the dish. His double was a line drive that tailed away from the right fielder, either due to wind or natural trajectory. In the fourth inning, he was safe at first when Auburn couldn't complete a double play and the ball got away from the first baseman. Alfonzo got greedy and tried for two, but was out by a fair margin. He was also credited with a sacrifice bunt in the 6th.
RF Miles Williams (15th Round Pick, 2013; spent 2014 with A- Batavia): It was a game to forget for Williams. He was 0-2 with a run scored, two walks and two strikeouts, and was caught stealing. On the positive side, he has good size and alertly scored on an errant throw to first base in the 8th inning. Early in the game, he was late on a fastball and fouled it straight into the Auburn dugout in what was a scary moment. However, no one was hit. Later, on one of his strikeouts, he had a 3-0 count and ended up whiffing. His CS came on a 2-2 pitch in the 4th. Williams was part of the guilty parties in the 9th inning melt-down, committing errors on back-to-back pitches. The first was innocent enough, as when fielding a line-drive single, the ball glanced off his glove and away from him, allowing runners to advance to second and third. On the next pitch however, in what would've been a big first out in the inning with Batavia still leading, Williams completely botched a line drive right to him. The man on third likely would've scored anyway, but he scored as did the man on second, and the batter reached second base.
LF Travis Brewster (Signed as an undrafted free-agent, August 6, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins; has also appeared for A+ Jupiter in 2015): Brewster appears short and squatty (5'9", 210 pounds), but his size belies his speed. He stole third base in the 8th and was 2-3 at the plate with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk. He was first-pitch hitting in the 5th, sending a ground ball into right to reach base. His RBI base hit came on a broken-bat roller to second in which he beat the throw. Brewster showed a plus arm in the field, combined with great effort in sliding to cut off a ball and almost gunning down the batter going to second, from the left-field corner. His walk-up music: "Budapest" by George Ezra.
SP Nestor Bautista (32nd Round Pick, 2014; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins and A+ Jupiter): Bautista pitched well enough to get the win, and almost did had the bullpen not faltered. Bautista went 5 innings, giving up four hits, an earned run, walking one and striking out four. He threw an economical 67 pitches, pitching to contact for the most part. The lanky lefty has a quick wind-up and explodes out of his compact, high three-quarters delivery. In his final inning, he worked out of a man on second, no-out jam to come away unscathed. He showed some decent offspeed stuff, including getting at least one strikeout on the pitch.
RP Ayron Adames (Signed as an international free-agent, August 24, 2010; spent 2014 with GCL Marlins and A- Batavia): Credited with a hold, Adames went 3 innings, giving up two hits, and unearned run, walking two and striking out four. Adames looked like a thrower who didn't always know where the ball was going. He had a low three-quarters delivery and a live fastball. It appeared that he struggled with his offspeed stuff, which was substantially slower than his fastball. He was visibly frustrated with the first batter he faced in his third inning of work, a batter he ended up walking.
RP Juan Guzman (Signed as a minor-league free-agent, January 20, 2015; did not pitch in 2014; spent 2013 with A Delmarva in Orioles organization): The oldest pitcher on the roster at 24 years of age, Guzman struggled mightily when tasked with holding a three-run lead in the 9th. In one inning of work, he gave up four hits, seven runs (six earned), two walks, a strikeout, and a home run. Guzman displayed an easy throwing motion and won't be confused with a max effort reliever. In the wind-up, he brings his glove over his head when stepping back. He started the first batter with an 0-2 count before walking him, a harbinger of things to come. Guzman had at least four players on two-strike counts, but didn't seem to have a pitch to put them away with. It was almost as if he was aiming the ball at times rather than just pitching. He seemed to have some communication issues with the catcher, and manager Angel Espada even came out to talk to him after two runs were given up. Auburn did not get cheated at the plate as all the hits he surrendered were well-stung. With the game tied at five, Guzman balked in the go-ahead run from third. Espada argued, and slammed his hand into the railing on his way back to the dugout, either in frustration with the call or with his pitcher. The next batter hit a three-run homer, and the stadium began to empty at that point.
So, it's reasonable to ask...why didn't Espada replace Guzman when he clearly had nothing out there? I was told that while there are 32 players listed on the Muckdogs roster, the Marlins have sent the team many college pitchers (draft picks) who aren't available to pitch due to wanting them to rest after pitching an entire college slate. Therefore, there are times, like the night before, when there may be 19 pitchers in the bullpen, but only three are actually available to pitch. Guzman may have been the only man available here for whatever reason, as no one was even warming up during the inning.
Comment