Sanchez goes deep on Opening Day

Ryan Pope, Josh Schmidt, Luis Nunez, R.J. Baker, P.J. Pilittere, Jose Ortegano, Mike Gipson, Jeremy Bleich, Alan Horne, David Adams, Grant Duff, and Warner Madrigal are all starting the season on the disabled list according to Mike Ashmore and Josh Norris. First of all, yes Pilittere is back. He signed with the Diamondbacks as a minor league free agent over the winter, but was released in Spring Training and re-signed with the Yankees a few days ago. Secondly, I assume Pope is actually hurt. The organization’s closest to the majors relief prospect (a guy on the 40-man roster, no less) isn’t someone you stick on the phantom DL. Ortegano’s probably hurt too; you don’t claim a guy off waivers and keep him on the 40-man just to stick him on the minor league DL as a place holder.

Anyway, on to the games. As per tradition, here’s the full lineups on Opening Day…

Triple-A Scranton (7-2 loss to Lehigh Valley)
Kevin Russo, 2B: 0 for 5, 3 K, 1 E (fielding) – brutal
Chris Dickerson, CF: 0 for 4, 1 BB, 1 K
Jesus Montero, C: 1 for 4, 2 K – first hit of the season was a line drive to the opposite field
Jorge Vazquez, 1B: 0 for 4, 2 K
Justin Maxwell, LF: 0 for 4, 3 K
Brandon Laird, 3B: 1 for 4, 2 K
Greg Golson, RF: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB – solid night amidst a lot of crap
Jordan Parraz, DH: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Ramiro Pena, SS: 1 for 4, 2 K – poor guy is a ninth place hitter even in the minors
David Phelps, RHP: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HB, 10-0 GB/FB – 58 of 89 pitches were strikes (65.2%) … not his best night, but at least he got all those grounders
George Kontos: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-2 GB/FB – 16 of 20 pitches were strikes (80%) … allowed an inherited runner to score
Andy Sisco: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K – 11 of his 20 pitches were strikes (55%)
Amaury Sanit: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 2-0 GB/FB – 12 of 20 pitches were strikes (60%) … kinda surprised he’s still around

Double-A Trenton (5-1 win over New Hampshire)
Austin Krum, LF: 2 for 5, 1 K
Jose Pirela, SS: 1 for 4, 1 R, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 E (fielding)
Austin Romine, C: 0 for 3, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, I E (catcher interference) – he had just four multi-walk games last year
Bradley Suttle, 3B: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 HBP – nice AA debut … he was outstanding down the stretch last season
Cody Johnson, DH: 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB
Melky Mesa, CF: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K – another nice AA debut
Corban Joseph, 2B: 0 for 4, 1 K, 2 E (both throwing)
Addison Maruszak, 1B: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 1 K – so much for the catching experiment, I guess
Ray Kruml, RF: 1 for 4, 1 RBI
Steve Garrison, LHP: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2-2 GB/FB – he wasn’t properly stretched out in Spring Training, so the short start isn’t surprising
Craig Heyer: 3 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 7-1 GB/FB – what a shame, he didn’t walk his first batter until July 15th last season
Tim Norton: 1 IP, zeroes, 3 K – check this guy out
Fernando Hernandez: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GB/FB

High-A Tampa (7-5 loss to Lakeland)
Abe Almonte, CF: 1 for 5 – hopefully he stays healthy this year
Carmen Angelini, SS: 0 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E (throwing) – back from the dead … I’ll have more on him in tomorrow’s mailbag
Rob Lyerly, 3B: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 E (throwing) – might be the streakiest player in the organization
Luke Murton, 1B: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Taylor Grote, RF: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI – another guy that needs to stay healthy in 2011
Zoilo Almonte, LF: 1 for 4, 1 SB
Kyle Higashioka, C: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB – hopefully he hits a little this year, his defensive skills are legit
DeAngelo Mack, DH: 1 for 4
Walt Ibarra, 2B: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Brett Marshall: 4 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HB, 8-2 GB/FB, 1 E (fielding) – the ground balls are good, but everything else is bad
Michael Solbach: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2-1 GB/FB
Preston Claiborne: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HB, 0-1 GB/FB
Ronny Marte: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 0-1 GB/FB

Low-A Charleston (6-1 win over Lexington)
Slade Heathcott, CF: 1 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K – excited to see what he does this year
Anderson Feliz, 2B: 0 for 4, 1 BB, 1 E (throwing)
J.R. Murphy, DH: 1 for 4, 2 R
Gary Sanchez, C: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K – singled in his first full season at-bat … the homer came off a brand name, the 19th overall pick in last year’s draft
Rob Segedin, 3B: 1 for 3, 1 HBP – I’d be surprised if he stayed here all season
Ramon Flores, LF: 1 for 4, 1 RBI
Kelvin DeLeon, RF: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K – I wonder what Charleston’s all-time strikeout record is…
Kyle Roller, 1B: 2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K – he hit cleanup for Short Season Staten Island last year … deferring to the prospects now
Jose Mojica, SS: 0 for 4, 2 K
Shane Greene, RHP: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 10-2 GB/FB – he’s a little old for the level, I wouldn’t expect him to be here long
Dan Burawa: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 7-0 GB/FB – very nice, but more whiffs please

Can’t believe this is going to be the sixth full year of DotF. Crazy.