Photo Credit: Kevin Cunningham | Giant Futures
It feels like we’ve progressed far enough into the season to start taking a look at how guys are doing, and as readers seem to enjoy this service, let’s bring back the ol’ Stats Review. Nothing but numbers (and a few transactions) herein:
Sacramento River Cats (17-10)
T-1st Place, PCL West Division
Run Differential: +24
Just as I predicted/hoped for in the team preview, the Sacramento team has shown enough depth of real talent to finally put a truly competitive team on the field. Though they split last week’s series with Las Vegas, they have yet to lose a series (and had previously won all three).
Somewhat surprisingly, as you’ll see, they’ve done this without having a ton of offense, as there are really only three every day players who are providing above average production. Instead, the team is being led by a pitching staff currently sporting the PCL’s best team ERA. They’re tied for fewest HR allowed in the league and also very near the bottom in walks allowed. Seems very Giantsy!
SORTABLE TABLES: HITTERS PITCHERS
Strong work by Donnie Walton there!
PCL LEADERS
Trenton Brooks: BB/K (10th), SwS% (9th)
Marco Luciano: OBP (8th), BB (T-3rd), BB% (T-3rd)
Luis Matos: K% (4th), FB% (3rd), SwS% (6th)
Heliot Ramos: SLG (10th), OPS (9th), HR (T-5th), 3b (T-7th), ISO (9th), HR/FB (2nd), wRC+ (T-10th)
Blake Sabol: BB% (T-5th)
Casey Schmitt: Hits (T-8th), RBI (T-4th)
David Villar: Runs (T-10th)
Brett Wisely: OBP (7th), BB/K (4th)
Spencer Bivens: Sv (T-5th)
Mason Black: ERA (1st), FIP (1st), K9 (4th), BB9 (4th), K/BB (3rd), K% (2nd), BB% (6th), K-BB% (2nd), Opp Avg (1st), WHIP (2nd), BABIP (3rd). GB% (10th), IFFB% (1st), SwS% (7th)
Tommy Romero: ERA (3rd), FIP (10th), Opp Avg (8th), WHIP (9th), BABIP (7th), IFFB% (9th), SwS% (8th)
Juan Sanchez: Sv (T-5th)
Carson Seymour: ERA (10th), K9 (9th), GB% (3rd), IFFB% (2nd)
Carson Whisenhunt: SO (7th), K% (9th), K-BB% (8th)
Pitching cutoff for qualified this week appears to be right at about 20 IP, so Whisenhunt (19.1 IP) missed the mark for all of the rate stats. Black is obviously off to a terrific start.
TRANSACTIONS (not including recall/options to/from SF)
OF Wade Meckler placed on 7-day IL
RHP RJ Dabovich placed on 7-day IL
RHP Clay Helvey assigned to Sacramento from Richmond
RHP Sean Hjelle rehab assignment transferred to Sacramento from San Jose
RHP Blayne Enlow placed on 7-day IL
Richmond Flying Squirrels (11-10)
T-3rd Place, EL Southwest Division
Run Differential: +9
This will get a bit redundant, but Richmond is another club being lifted on the shoulders of its pitching staff so far. The Squirrels’ offense is 9th in the 12-team league in runs per game, and dead last in team average (.207), OBP (.300), and OPS (.621). But the club is third best in terms of run suppression in both runs per game and team ERA. They also have the third most strikeouts, but the one weakness with the arms so far is a league high walks issued (103). The trio of Hayden Birdsong, John Michael Bertrand, and Carson Ragsdale contributed to the cause, throwing 17 shutout innings this weekend.
SORTABLE TABLES: HITTERS PITCHERS
EL LEADERS
Carter Howell: 2b (T-10th)
Grant McCray: BB (T-7th)
John Michael Bertrand: ERA (6th), IP (2nd), BB9 (4th), BB% (5th), WHIP (7th), BABIP (9th), GB% (3rd)
Hayden Birdsong: SO (T-7th)
Nick Garcia: Sv (T-7th)
Ryan Murphy: ERA (7th), IFFB% (T-10th)
Tyler Myrick: Sv (T-7th)
Carson Ragsdale: SO (T-3rd), IP (4th), , K9 (8th), K% (5th), Opp Avg (7th), IFFB% (6th), SwS% (10th)
TRANSACTIONS
RHP Clay Helvey assigned to Sacramento from Richmond
RHP José Cruz activated from Development List
SS Christian Koss placed on 7-day IL
LHP Reggie Crawford assigned to Richmond from XST
INF Dilan Rosario activated from Development List
RHP Mat Olsen placed on 7-day IL, later activated from IL
INF Jimmy Glowenke placed on 7-day IL
1b Logan Wyatt placed on 7-day IL
HONORS
LHP John Michael Bertrand named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, April 22-28
Eugene Emeralds (15-6)
T-1st in NWL
Run Differential: +36
Eugene sits percentage points behind Spokane in the league’s top spot — and the two will duke it out for 1st this coming week. The Exploding Whales have dominated both sides of the ball so far. They have scored the most runs per game in the league and allowed the fewest (in each case with Spokane right on their tail). Their pitchers are in a dead heat with Spokane for best team ERA (2.68) and have the most strikeouts in the league (209). Though the hitters don’t seem like a power-packed bunch, they are actually second in the league in batting average (.245), slugging (.348), and OPS (.719), and leading in OBP (.370) — which tells you something about offense in the NWL in these early weeks.
SORTABLE TABLES: HITTERS PITCHERS
NWL LEADERS
Scott Bandura: 3b (T-2nd), R (T-4th), RBI (T-9th), BB (T-5th), BB% (9th), HR/FB (T-8th)
Matt Higgins: Avg (1st), OBP (1st), SLG (4th), OPS (1st), BB (T-5th), BB% (2nd), K% (3rd), BB/K (1st), HR/FB (T-8th), wRC+ (1st)
Andrew Kachel: OBP (8th), SLG (9th), OPS (7th), 2b (T-7th), RBI (T-9th), BB% (7th), BB/K (9th), ISO (8th), FB% (10th), wRC+ (6th)
Quinn McDaniel: Avg (3rd), OBP (2nd), SLG (8th), OPS (5th), Hits (T-7th), BB (2nd), BB% (1st), BB/K (10th), SB (1st), HR/FB (T-8th), wRC+ (5th)
Zach Morgan: 2b (T-7th), RBI (T-2nd), K% (8th), BB/K (5th), SwS% (7th)
Onil Perez: Avg (9th), 2b (T-7th), SB (7th), K% (4th), BB/K (8th)
Diego Velasquez: Avg (8th), OBP (9th), OPS (10th), Hits (T-4th), 2b (T-4th), RBI (T-9th), SB (T-8th), wRC+ (10th)
Jack Choate: ERA (6th), FIP (6th), SO (T-6th), IP (5th), BB9 (3rd), K/BB (5th), K% (6th), BB% (3rd), K-BB% (5th), Opp Avg (8th), WHIP (7th), BABIP (8th), IFFB% (9th), SwS% (7th)
Seth Corry: Sv (T-3rd)
Dylan Cumming: ERA (2nd), FIP (2nd), SO (2nd), IP (10th), K9 (3rd), BB9 (4th), K/BB (3rd), K% (2nd), BB% (4th), K-BB% (3rd), Opp Avg (2nd), WHIP (2nd), BABIP (6th), GB% (2nd), IFFB% (8th), SwS% (3rd)
Seth Lonsway: ERA (7th), FIP (3rd), SO (8th), IP (6th), K9 (4th), K/BB (8th), K% (5th), K-BB% (6th), Opp Avg (6th), WHIP (8th), BABIP (7th), GB% (4th), SwS% (10th)
Ben Madison: SO (3rd)
Nick Sinacola: ERA (4th), K9 (5th), BB9 (2nd), K/BB (2nd), K% (4th), BB% (2nd), K-BB% (4th), Opp Avg (4th), WHIP (1st), BABIP (1st), GB% (10th), IFFB% (6th), SwS% (5th)
TRANSACTIONS
None! Shockingly little roster movement for a month!
HONORS
Hillsboro OF Andrew Pintar was named NWL Player of the Week, after going 7 for 21 with two HR, four XBH, and three SB against the Emeralds last week.
San Jose Giants (9-11)
3rd Place, CAL North
Run Differential: -33
If the woeful Stockton Ports didn’t exist, the San Jose club would basically be last in every important hitting category so far. But unlike some of their system-mates, the pitching isn’t quite coming to the rescue. Giants’ pitching has been good — especially the starters — but more middle of the pack than top of it. And that’s how you get W-L records and run differentials that are underwater so far. Hopefully, the return of Bryce Eldridge will help things going forward.
SORTABLE TABLES: HITTERS PITCHERS
CAL LEAGUE LEADERS
Jonah Cox: Hits (T-6th), SB (1st), K% (10th)
Cole Foster: Hits (T-6th), 2b (T-3rd), RBI (8th), K% (8th), FB% (8th)
Elian Rayo: 2b: (T-7th)
Dylan Carmouche: ERA (2nd), FIP (2nd), IP (T-10th), SO (T-10th), K9 (6th), BB9 (8th), K/BB (6th), K% (4th), BB% (9th), K-BB% (3rd), Opp Avg (2nd), WHIP (3rd), BABIP (3rd), IFFB% (7th), SwS% (8th)
Tommy Kane: Sv (T-1st)
Ubert Mejias: BB9 (6th), BB% (6th), WHIP (T-10th), BABIP (8th), SwS% (T-10th)
TRANSACTIONS
RHP Sean Hjelle sent to San Jose on rehab assignment
RHP Luke Jackson sent to San Jose on rehab assignment
RHP Austin Strickland assigned to San Jose from XST
SS Maui Ahuna placed on 7-day IL
Today’s Scheduled Starters
Sacramento (TBD) vs Tacoma (Lawrence), 6:45 pm PDT, MiLBTV
Richmond (Murphy) at Akron (TBD), 3:35 pm PDT, MiLBTV
Eugene (TBD) at Spokane (Green), 11:05 am PDT, MiLBTV
San Jose (Bostick) vs Lake Elsinore (TBD), 11:30 am PDT, MiLBTV
More morning baseball! Sneak out of the office and get out to Excite Park for a little Excitement! We’ll be back tomorrow with the Minor Lines!