8/31 Gameday Thread: No Sleep Till Brooklyn

Let's see if Dedgar and Hildemaro can continue to shine this season....and if Haley's reunion with the Sox org. continues to go well.

Fun fact: Matt Kent is on pace to lead the system in innings for the second year in a row. Last player to do that?














Tim Kester, 2004 and 2005.

Just want to point out before Greenville's game later that Santiago Espinal is having a nice end to the year. He's batting .406 in August. On the year, he has demonstrated really solid contact with only a 12.3% K-rate. There's little to no power in his game currently, and likely ever, but as a SS who can flash some leather, run a little bit, and put the bat to ball...he's kind of interesting.

I think part of where Espinal lands next year depends on Chatham. I wouldn't be surprised if Chatham starts the year in Greenville, but if he shows up ready to go he may start in Salem. I think that's currently where this site has him pegged to start. If he does start in Salem, that leaves them with two shortstops deserving of a starting spot. Does Espinal move to second in that scenario or does Chatham move somewhere? Chatham may not be as good a defender as Espinal, but he's good enough to stick long term, even at his size. In a perfect world, they both get everyday at bats, but in the same lineup, that becomes more difficult.

I think from a performance standpoint, Espinal handled himself quite well in low-A and would be ticketed for Salem next year. Addam603 made good points above regarding how Chatham could affect his placement. That said, Espinal doesn't have the kind of ceiling such that you need to ensure he has consistent SS reps. He could easily fit on a roster with Chatham next year playing some SS in addition to 2B, and the added versatility could help his profile moving forward. So yeah, in my opinion, he seems like a safe bet to start in Salem next year.

Though I think all those innings may be why his ERA is 5.10 in August. 

www.app.com/story/sports/baseball/patriots/2017/08/29/patriots-outfielder-pacchioli-signed-red-sox-organization/614204001/?cookies=&from=global

Story on Salem's new outfielder, Justin Pacchioli. 10th round pick back in 2015. Lots of speed, good contact, manager said he had plus defense in the outfield. I like how they gave him the 2018 contract guaranteed. He's still young. Could contribute this year even as just a speedy guy off the bench for the playoffs. But there's a glut of outfielders between Salem and Portland, especially when Kemp and Washington come back next year.

It's nice to see Ockimey finishing strong in Portland. It will give him something to build on.

Longshot of the evening:
Jeremy Barfield is a completely different hitter this year from any before. And, perhaps having something to do with that, he's basically flipped his GO/AO ratio, from 1.2-1.4 down to 0.55. He's got 26 HR in less than 400 PA. It seems real, and (increasingly cliched these days), approach-related. He's 29...but like Brentz, seems like a new hitter. Brentz made a minor change with major effect. Idk what Barfield has done, but oes he now have a role in the organization going forward, and a legitimate shot at meaningful MLB time?

I went to watch Portland close out the Yard Goats home season last night. Dedgar 's fastball sat 87-90 touching 91 twice in the first inning (stadium gun). He stayed out of the middle of the plate and produced a lot of weak contact including 2 of the 4 hits he surrendered. One was a slow roller between 1st and 2nd that the batter got jammed on and another was Carrizales dragging a bunt to first where he easily beat Dedgar to the bag for a hit. Last night his off speed offerings ranged from 79 to 84. The first k was looking and the next two were on breaking pitches. Dedgar got only 3 swings and misses all night, none on the fastball.

Buttrey came in with a runner on 3rd and one out in the 6th. He promptly k'd Vasquez on 3 pitches and got White to foul out to the catcher to end the threat. Also pitching the 7th and into the 8th, his fastball ranged from 93 to 98 touching 99 and 100 once each on the stadium gun. Breaking pitches were 82 to 85 with good downward movement that also got swings and misses. Appeared to tire a little in his 3rd inning of work. Exciting arm to watch.

Poyner's fastball was 88-90 touching 91 and 92 once each. Breaking pitches were 77 to 82. He was able to get weak pop ups with both and also some swings and misses.

On offense, Portland faced a pitcher that actually threw a tick slower than Dedgar. Unlike Dedgar who threw mostly fastballs, Wynkoop seemed to throw more changeups than anything else. When he doubled up on a changeup to Barfield in the 4th, he hit it 400 to dead center over the 30ft wall. Barfield's 2nd homer off the lefty Lamb was on a shoulder high fastball off the plate that he lifted down the right field line where it easily cleared the short 308 wall.

Chavis had trouble squaring up Wynkoop's change but did better against Pierpont's 90 fb that he hit off the centerfield wall to clear the bases in the 7th. Ockimey touched the starter for a line single to right on a 90 fb (3-1 count) in the 4th. Facing another lefty in the 9th, he drove the ball deep over the right centerfield wall. Tobias' homer in the 6th was also not a cheapie, high and deep over the left center field wall on Wynkoop's 86 mph offering.

I'm always appreciative of first hand information like this and your previous post about the start by Jimenez. Thanks!