8/23 Gameday Thread: Rookie Leagues' Regular Season Finale

Miguel Ugueto starting a rehab assignment in the FCL after being out since May 12. Also, Barbaro Pinero was released - he had a tough go of it this year.

FCL Sox looking like they'll go with either Monegro if he doesn't piggyback or Elmer in the one-game semifinal Thursday.

DSL Blue have lined up some combination of Colmenares, Cohen, and JC Reyes for the first round (all rounds best of 3). Reyes hasn't pitched since 8/10, but I presume he threw on the side over their weird two-day break 8/16-17 (his turn was yesterday but they went bullpen game, which may have been to line him up for game 1 or something). Fourth starter is Nunez, who goes today.

I think DSL Red can still get in with a win, a Phillies Red loss, and an Astros Orange loss. Phillies Red are a game up on DSL Red Sox Red, Astros Orange, and Padres. Astros Orange holds tiebreaker over the Red Sox (HTH record). Red Sox hold tiebreaker over Phillies Red and Padres based on last 20 games (Red Sox would be 16-4, Phillies 13-7, Padres 11-9).

DSL Red won.

Phillies Red currently down 6-5 to division-leading LAD Mega, T6.

Astros Orange up 4-0, B8, on last-place KC Stewart.

To be fair, if there's a three-way tie (or four-way, the Padres lead first-place AZ Black 12-8, B6), I'm not sure what the tiebreaker is, although Astros Orange would be 17-3 in their last 20 so they'd probably win it. What an awful way to lose that tiebreaker that would be... go 16-4 and still not have it!

Frayner Noria is another 17 year old in the DSL that went under the radar this year - hit .299 with a .790 OPS which I believe is only behind Alcantara and Ascencio among the 17 year olds. Yuten was just behind with a .771 OPS.

If that's the end of the DSL Red team's season, Eybersson Polanco is definitely the team MVP (probably combined MVP between both teams). He ended the season with the following ranks in the DSL: 4th in ERA, 5th in WHIP, and 4th in BAA. He also had the second most starts and was 12th in innings pitched.

Impossible to completely tell who will come state-side for instructs and/or next year, but these seem like likely candidates from the DSL Red team:

Johanfran Garcia, Freili Encarnacion, Yosander Asencio, Nathanel Yuten, Franyer Noria, Eybersson Polanco, Alvaro Mejias (if healthy), and Simon Pacheco.

Maybes: Ovis Portes (pitched well in limited innings), Jancel Santana (got a big bonus but struggled)

There's always other candidates that are under the radar (see Michael Valera and Luis Talvara from this year)

It'll be interesting to see what they do with Cristofher Paniagua, who got $400k but was delayed by MLB's approving his contract for some reason. He started and hit near the top of the lineup once he played.

Last year, there were, by my quick count, 6 pitchers and 9 hitters who came up for the FPP, so 3 P and 4/5 hitters per team sounds right if they do the same thing.

Candidates:

C Johanfran Garcia
IF: Freili Encarnacion, Fraymi De Leon (bad year but a bonus baby), Armando Sierra, Marvin Alcantara
OF: Nathanael Yuten, Yosander Asencio, Kelvin Diaz, Albertson Asigen, Andy Lugo, Cristofher Paniagua?
P: Eybersson Polanco, Willian Colmenares, Luis Cohen, Cristian Nunez, Simon Pacheco, Wandy Abreu, Yizreel Burnet if healthy, Inmer Lobo if healthy, Alvaro Mejias if healthy

Respectfully disagree on Franyer, who wasn't a full-time player, but maybe I'll be surprised.

Tough start for Chris Murphy. 3 BB, 3 HR and a HBP in 3 innings. ERA over 5 in AAA now and the peripherals suggest he's lucky it's not higher.

Best Defender In MiLB.

Wow! That was amazing! He is our pitching staffs best friend.