*Jeremy Brown has been tearing up the Pacific Coast League as of late, currently riding a seven-game hit streak in which he has raked to the tune of .414/.482/.897, with three homeruns, five doubles, and eight batted in.
*Lance Cormier tossed an absolute gem in his last start at Richmond, going the distance and shutting out the Durham Bulls, allowing just seven hits (six singles and a double) while striking out four without surrendering a walk. Two of Lance's four K's came against the league's most (in)famous prospect, the highly-talented yet irascible bat-tosser himself, Delmon Young. Perhaps now the big club will look into giving Lance another shot, as the recent Jason Shiell experiment (0-2/8.62) has already proved a total failure.
*The Peoria Chiefs will have their hands full tonight, going up against one of the Midwest League's most dominant starters over the last month in Kane County righthander Trey Shields. Coming off a masterful performance in his last outing (7 IP/1 ER/6 SO) in which he outdueled Quad Cities first-round pick Adam Ottavino, Shields has posted a mark of 2-0/2.33 in his last three starts and has not lost a decision since June 29th.
*Wade LeBlanc picked up his first W in his second start since his promotion to Ft. Wayne, defeating the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to improve to 1-0/3.00 as a Wizard.
*Demonstrating that new Royals GM Dayton Moore may really not be any more enlightened than his ousted predecessor Allard Baird, Paul Phillips was sent back to Omaha to make room for the immortal Paul Bako, undoubtedly one of the most useless players taking up major league roster space today. Ostensibly the lefty-swinging, veteran backup to equally unimpressive starter John Buck, the 35 year-old Bako's presence doesn't even make sense from a platoon standpoint - the guy can't hit righties or lefties, and it's not like he's anything close to a defensive whiz behind the dish, either. I'm not saying that Phillips is they key to turning around one of the most pathetic organizations in professional sports, by any stretch, but continuing to rely on washed-up, no-talent bums like Bako instead of making an effort to improve both now and in the future by giving a younger, more talented player a chance is precisely the type of mindset that got the Royals in this mess in the first place. Until they figure that out, this franchise will continue to languish in the AL Central cellar.
CRIMSON TIDE IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
MLB
Andy Phillips, New York Yankees
Taylor Tankersley, Florida Marlins
AAA
Jeremy Brown, Sacramento River Cats (OAK)
Lance Cormier, Richmond Braves (ATL)
Dustan Mohr, Toledo Mud Hens (DET)
Dax Norris, Richmond Braves (ATL)
Adam Pavkovich, Salt Lake Bees (LAA)
Paul Phillips, Omaha Royals (KC)
High A
Brent Carter, Lake Elsinore Storm (SD) (DL)*
Brian Reed, Clearwater Threshers (PHI)
Andrew Walker, Bakersfield Blaze (TEX)
Low A
Wade LeBlanc, Ft. Wayne Wizards (SD)
Trey Shields, Kane County Cougars (OAK)
Short-Season
Evan Bush, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (SF)
Jordan Davis, Jamestown Jammers (FLA)
T.J. Large, Lowell Spinners (BOS)
Kody Valverde, Eugene Emeralds (SD)
Rookie
Matt Downs, AZL Giants (SF)
*Lance Cormier tossed an absolute gem in his last start at Richmond, going the distance and shutting out the Durham Bulls, allowing just seven hits (six singles and a double) while striking out four without surrendering a walk. Two of Lance's four K's came against the league's most (in)famous prospect, the highly-talented yet irascible bat-tosser himself, Delmon Young. Perhaps now the big club will look into giving Lance another shot, as the recent Jason Shiell experiment (0-2/8.62) has already proved a total failure.
*The Peoria Chiefs will have their hands full tonight, going up against one of the Midwest League's most dominant starters over the last month in Kane County righthander Trey Shields. Coming off a masterful performance in his last outing (7 IP/1 ER/6 SO) in which he outdueled Quad Cities first-round pick Adam Ottavino, Shields has posted a mark of 2-0/2.33 in his last three starts and has not lost a decision since June 29th.
*Wade LeBlanc picked up his first W in his second start since his promotion to Ft. Wayne, defeating the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to improve to 1-0/3.00 as a Wizard.
*Demonstrating that new Royals GM Dayton Moore may really not be any more enlightened than his ousted predecessor Allard Baird, Paul Phillips was sent back to Omaha to make room for the immortal Paul Bako, undoubtedly one of the most useless players taking up major league roster space today. Ostensibly the lefty-swinging, veteran backup to equally unimpressive starter John Buck, the 35 year-old Bako's presence doesn't even make sense from a platoon standpoint - the guy can't hit righties or lefties, and it's not like he's anything close to a defensive whiz behind the dish, either. I'm not saying that Phillips is they key to turning around one of the most pathetic organizations in professional sports, by any stretch, but continuing to rely on washed-up, no-talent bums like Bako instead of making an effort to improve both now and in the future by giving a younger, more talented player a chance is precisely the type of mindset that got the Royals in this mess in the first place. Until they figure that out, this franchise will continue to languish in the AL Central cellar.
CRIMSON TIDE IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
MLB
Andy Phillips, New York Yankees
Taylor Tankersley, Florida Marlins
AAA
Jeremy Brown, Sacramento River Cats (OAK)
Lance Cormier, Richmond Braves (ATL)
Dustan Mohr, Toledo Mud Hens (DET)
Dax Norris, Richmond Braves (ATL)
Adam Pavkovich, Salt Lake Bees (LAA)
Paul Phillips, Omaha Royals (KC)
High A
Brent Carter, Lake Elsinore Storm (SD) (DL)*
Brian Reed, Clearwater Threshers (PHI)
Andrew Walker, Bakersfield Blaze (TEX)
Low A
Wade LeBlanc, Ft. Wayne Wizards (SD)
Trey Shields, Kane County Cougars (OAK)
Short-Season
Evan Bush, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (SF)
Jordan Davis, Jamestown Jammers (FLA)
T.J. Large, Lowell Spinners (BOS)
Kody Valverde, Eugene Emeralds (SD)
Rookie
Matt Downs, AZL Giants (SF)
