Gentlemen, start your engines

[maurice]

Tonight's opening matchups:
Charlotte v. Columbus
Birmingham v. Jacksonville
Kannapolis v. Asheville

- - -

Winston-Salem opens tomorrow (4/8) against Kinston.

[ChiSoxRowand]

Is BMAC pitching for Charlotte tonight?

[Rex Hudler]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxRowand

Is BMAC pitching for Charlotte tonight?

Looks like Adkins got the start..... gave up a 7-spot in the 2nd in the process.... Charlotte down 10-4 in the 7th.

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by Rex Hudler

Looks like Adkins got the start..... gave up a 7-spot in the 2nd in the process.... Charlotte down 10-4 in the 7th.

Big Joe Borchard went 2-4!

[California Sox]

Kanny threw a shutout. Gio was the starter. Don't know how many innings he pitched, but he had 8 SO.

[BigEdWalsh]

Gio pitched 5 innings and struck out 8. Good performances outta the pen too, by Little and Zaleski. 3 more K's for each for a total of 14 K's.
Boomer Berry, 2-4 with a double and an rbi.

In the Charlotte game, Adkins was rocked but Anderson, Big Ben and Becker all homered. 11-10 Columbus.

Bullard lost Birmingham's opener 7-0.

[maurice]

9 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 14 K works for me.

Kanny also features Francisco Hernandez at C, Javier Castillo at SS, Adam Ricks at 3B, and former high-round pick Clint King at DH/OF. The pitching staff is mostly guys from last year's draft, including Ray Liotta. Should be a fun team to follow.

[Randar68]

Originally Posted by maurice

9 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 14 K works for me.

Kanny also features Francisco Hernandez at C, Javier Castillo at SS, Adam Ricks at 3B, and former high-round pick Clint King at DH/OF. The pitching staff is mostly guys from last year's draft, including Ray Liotta. Should be a fun team to follow.

Kanny has a ton of potential in their rotation. Liotta, Harrell, Russell, Gio, and not sure who the 5th will be (probably Grant Hansen). All 5 of those guys could easily be within the top 30 prospects in the organization on some lists. Gio is top 10, but IMO, Harrell and Liotta are in the next ten and Hansen and Russell somewhere in the next 10-15. Quite the rotation.

Henrandez is the real "guy to watch" there at Catcher. De Los Santos and Castillo are both "under the radar" type prospects. The OF in Kanny is mostly older college draftees without a ton of pro potential, IMO.

[California Sox]

I was surprised to see that Lucy did not make a full season roster. Is he hurt or is he simply an overdraft and a bust already? It would be really disappointing if a college second-rounder from last year's draft is playing short season ball.

[Randar68]

Originally Posted by California Sox

I was surprised to see that Lucy did not make a full season roster. Is he hurt or is he simply an overdraft and a bust already? It would be really disappointing if a college second-rounder from last year's draft is playing short season ball.

I'd hardly say that at this point. He's a good defensive catcher and that will take you a long way in baseball. He has offensive potential but struggled last year. I have not heard of injury, but I suspect he's working at the training facility in Arizona with the rest of the rookie-level prospects. Hernandez moved past him on the organizational depth chart, and the Sox like to use their veteran defensive catchers, particularly with their better pitching prospects.

To call him a bust now would be silly.

[maurice]

Originally Posted by Randar68

not sure who the 5th will be

I have Egbert pencilled in for some reason. Can't remember where I got that from. He put up solid numbers both starting and relieving at Great Falls last year.

De Los Santos

They need to find a position for this kid, especially if Berry, Castillo, and Ricks will be the starting IF most days. He played all over for Bristol, while hitting for a high AVE and driving in runs. OTOH, his 0 HR, 1 SB, 5 BB are a cause for concern.

[Randar68]

Originally Posted by maurice

They need to find a position for this kid, especially if Berry, Castillo, and Ricks will be the starting IF most days. He played all over for Bristol, while hitting for a high AVE and driving in runs. OTOH, his 0 HR, 1 SB, 5 BB are a cause for concern.

de los Santos is a talented kid, and he did play all over for Bristol, but when I saw him he looked out of place at 3rd. At that level, few can handle the defensive portion of 3rd. Either guys with arm and no glove, or vice versa. de los Santos has a strong arm, he's just very raw with the glove and he hits like a second baseman. Physically pretty talented, but he looked overmatched at the plate the few games I saw him.

Utility minor league infielder at this point, but someone to keep an eye on. I can't imagine him staying at 3rd, not the bat nor really the glove, IMO. I thought they were going to move Ricks to catcher, but they have 3 catchers on the team, so what the heck...


Harrell was solid as a starter for Bristol, I think he future is there, Hansen might be the most likely to go to the pen if Egbert is indeed in the rotation...

[California Sox]

Originally Posted by maurice

I have Egbert pencilled in for some reason. Can't remember where I got that from. He put up solid numbers both starting and relieving at Great Falls last year.

Egbert was a 13th round draft choice out of Rutgers last year. And yeah, he pitched very well in short season last year.

All I was saying with Lucy is this is a guy drafted ahead of Suzuki and Jaramillo last year. Short season ball can't be looked at as a plus.

[maurice]

Originally Posted by Randar68

Kanny has a ton of potential in their rotation. Liotta, Harrell, Russell, Gio, and not sure who the 5th will be (probably Grant Hansen).

Looks like you hit the nail on the head. So far, it's been Gio Gonzalez, Matt Hansen, Ray Liotta, and Adam Russell.

I thought they were going to move Ricks to catcher, but they have 3 catchers on the team, so what the heck...

Josh Hansen is listed as a catcher, but they've been playing hime elsewhere. It looks like Ricks will remain an IF for the time being.

[Randar68]

Originally Posted by California Sox

Egbert was a 13th round draft choice out of Rutgers last year. And yeah, he pitched very well in short season last year.

All I was saying with Lucy is this is a guy drafted ahead of Suzuki and Jaramillo last year. Short season ball can't be looked at as a plus.

He's on the DL in Winston-Salem.