Pena bails on Scranton in loss (for good reason)

May 5, 2011 by Mike Axisa 40 Comments

Update: Trenton’s game is over, I added it to the post.

Triple-A Scranton (4-1 loss to Pawtucket)
Kevin Russo, 2B: 1 for 3, 1 BB
Chris Dickerson, CF & Gus Molina, DH: both 0 for 3 – Dickerson walked, whiffed, and got picked off first … Gus struck out all three times
Jesus Montero, C: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB – eight for his last 22 (.364) with three walks
Jorge Vazquez, 1B: 1 for 4, 1 E (fielding)
Justin Maxwell, LF: 0 for 4, 2 K – threw a runner out at the dish
Brandon Laird, 3B: 2 for 3, 1 2B
Jordan Parraz, RF: 2 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 E (throwing)
Ramiro Pena, SS: 0 for 0 – he was pulled after the first inning, so that means he’s on his way to join the big league team
Luis Nunez, SS: 0 for 4, 1 K
Andrew Brackman, RHP: 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 3-2 GB/FB – 55 of 96 pitches were strikes (57.3%) … strikes Andrew, challenge them in the zone, you’ll win more often than not
D.J. Mitchell, RHP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 3-0 GB/FB – 15 of 22 pitches were strikes (68.2%) … he was supposed to start Tuesday, the game that rained out, so they skipped his start … this was just one of those “stay sharp” outings
Luis Ayala, RHP: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 3-1 GB/FB – 15 of 29 pitches were strikes (51.7%) … Buddy Carlyle better start watching back
Amaury Sanit, RHP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0-1 GB/FB – 14 of 19 pitches were strikes (73.7%)
Eric Wordekemper, RHP: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0-2 GB/FB – 12 of 20 pitches were strikes, but the walk was intentional

Double-A Trenton (8-7 win over Portland in 11 innings, walk-off style)
Austin Krum, LF: 2 for 5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 SB – 18 BB, 19 K in 28 games
Corban Joseph, 2B: 1 for 6, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K – 16 game hit streak, 20 game on-base streak
Austin Romine, C: 1 for 5, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K – nine for his last 25 (.360)
Bradley Suttle, 3B: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB – ten for his last 23 (.435) with two doubles, two triples, and a homer
Cody Johnson, DH: 0 for 4, 1 RBI, 4 K – yeesh
Dan Brewer, PH: 0 for 0, 1 RBI, 1 BB – pinch-hit for Johnson in the 11th and drew the walk-off walk
Melky Mesa, CF: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB – just 14 hits this year, but eight have gone for extra bases (four doubles, two triples, two homers)
Jose Pirela, SS: 1 for 5, 1 E (throwing)
Ray Kruml, RF: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 K. 2 SB
Addison Maruszak, 1B: 1 for 4, 1 BB
Manny Banuelos, LHP: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 5-3 GB/FB – he was supposed to be on a 75-80 pitch count, but he ended up throwing 96 (53 for strikes, 55.2%) … he loaded the bases in the first, second, and fourth inning
Pat Venditte, SHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3-1 GB/FB
Tim Norton, RHP: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 3-2 GB/FB – first disaster outing of the year
Wilkins Arias, LHP: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2-0 GB/FB
Fernando Hernandez, RHP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1-2 GB/FB

High-A Tampa (5-0 loss to Daytona) that’s 14 losses in their last 16 games
Rob Lyerly, 3B: 1 for 3, 1 BB, 1 K
Jason Place, DH: 1 for 4 – got picked off first … .174/.208/.217 since signing
Kyle Higashioka, C: 2 for 3
Everyone Else: combined 0 for 20, 2 BB, 7 K – Zoilo Almonte and Emerson Landoni each drew a walk
Josh Romanski, LHP: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 8-4 GB/FB – first start off the disabled list
Michael Solbach, RHP: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2-1 GB/FB – well, at least one of the walks was intentional
Scottie Allen, RHP: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HB, 2-0 GB/FB

Low-A Charleston (5-2 loss to Lakewood)
Slade Heathcott, CF: 0 for 4, 2 K – :(
Jose Mojica, SS: 1 for 3, 1 BB
J.R. Murphy, DH: 2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 K – fourth two-hit game in his last five contests … eight for his last 20 (.400) with five doubles
Rob Segedin, 3B: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Ramon Flores, LF: 0 for 4, 1 K – threw a runner out at third … only the second time all year he’s failed to reach base safely (24 games)
Kelvin DeLeon, RF: 1 for 4, 1 K
Gary Sanchez, C: 2 for 3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB – dropped in the order, and the early returns are good … picked a runner off first with a snap throw
Kyle Roller, 1B: 0 for 4, 1 K
Anderson Feliz, 2B: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 2 K
Nik Turley, LHP: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HB, 4-3 GB/FB, 1 E (pickoff) – 33-11 K/BB ratio in 31.1 IP
Rich Martinez, RHP: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0-2 GB/FB
Manny Barreda, RHP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0-2 GB/FB – had just three walks in the year coming into the game

http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak

Tommy Kahnle must be on the “once-a-week” pitching plan.

Anyway, my idea for the IF: Turn Montero into a third baseman and call him up. Bam. Mind blown.
- Louis
  
  Or make nunez play 3B and convert Montero into a shortstop.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  It’s multiple innings every three days, they’ve done that with their relief prospects for forever. Just seems like an eternity between appearances.
  - Pat D
    
    I think this is the first time I’ve seen two of the site owners talk to each other in a post like this.
    
    Interesting.
- Greg
  
  or maybe turn Montero into a Spice Girl.
IRF

So who gets to Tampa first: Heathcott or Murphy?
- steven
  
  both would be insanley awsome
  - squishy jello person
    
    I’m tempted to say Murphy. He’s straight up mashing.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  They’ll probably both go up at the same time.
  - Dave M
    
    “They’ll probably both go up at the same time.”
    
    I’m with you on that point Mike.
  - Mister Delaware
    
    Carpool!
Thomas Cassidy

When is Heathcott’s arrival time? Late 2013-early 2014?
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  That’s about righ
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
    
    t.
squishy jello person

Flores =(
- squishy jello person
  
  On the other hand, Maquinito =D
http://facebook.com/andrewjcalagna Drew

Montero NOWWWWWW!!!!

#impatientyankeefan
- The Big City of Dreams
  
  And now he’s getting walks :)
Slugger27

how do you go 0-4 with 4 Ks and get an RBI?
- GearCity
  
  Everyone had at least 5 AB’s. It must have been a sac fly.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  Sac fly, which for whatever reason is considered an at-bat.
Dan

any reason for concern at the lack of power from Montero?

its nice that he’s starting to get his walks and no one can complain about the .372 avg (coming into today)
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  Nah, not yet.
- Slugger27
  
  id be more concerned if he hadnt had a .228 isoP in the very same league last year. but it is….. odd.
  
  i think it takes several hundred plate appearances for isoP to stabilize. im not worried about it yet, but it should be something to keep an eye on.
- Johnny O
  
  he needs to go some balls (winces)
John

So… they opted to call up Peña who can field, but can’t bat.

Now they are gonna have another player below average offensively to the already bad lineup JoeG is sending every night:

Swisher = 0.223 AVG / 0.345 OBP
Gardner = 0.213 AVG / 0.337 OBP
Posada = 0.161 AVG / 0.247 OBP

66 strikeouts total they have in 256 at bats = a strikeout 25.78% of the times, while they be on base 94 times, or 30.81% (0.308 OBP).

Now they are gonna bring Peña up, with his below average AVG / OBP / OPS, good fielder but mediocre bat.

I’d say bring up Jorge Vázquez, put him at DH, bench Posada and play ARod at 3rd base, if he needs to sit, then Vázquez can play at third, or even at first base.

Bench Gardner and play Andrew Jones, who is batting 0.280, with pretty much the same OBP as Posada+Gardner+Swisher.

Another possibility would be to call Montero to the majors and use him as a DH, or Martin to DH and Montero at catcher, but nah, its easier for the Yanks to call to the majors lousy players just because they are relatively young (example: last year’s parade of lousy hitters from their minor leagues). But i don’t think they will call Montero as they seem to be keeping him at AAA to increase his value and they can trade him for an old pitcher, a PETCO-park-wonder pitcher (hello Dustin Moseley!), or an overpaid hitter on his way out.

But my feeling is it will happen the same as with Millwood, a team in desperate need of pitchers, knowing Hughes would be from 6 to 8 weeks away, if not more, they decide to cut Millwood, now they’re gonna have to trade maybe somebody to acquire a pitcher roughly like Millwood.

To round things off?

Call up Peña, trade Jorge Vázquez to acquire a pitcher, and now not only the yankees shot themselves on the foot, but also made one of Cashman’s many idiotic trades.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  You might want to sit the next few plays out, champ.
  - Pat D
    
    I couldn’t think of anything more clever to say than this.
- jon
  
  if only the yankees had the best offense in the league, o wait they do
  - ZZ
    
    They don’t. The Royals and Indians have scored more per game.
- Monteroisdinero
  
  Andruw Jones should not play over Gardner. I don’t like Jones much.
Nickel

Is that the first decent outing Pat Venditte has had this season so far?
Pat D

A lot of yuck from two of the B’s tonight.
Accent Shallow

I would be 100% OK with DFAing Pena.

I’d rather not see him attempt to hit again, especially if I pay to attend a game.
nick

What are Carmen Angelini and David Adams doing?
Rehabing in extended spring training?
What is their ETA to actual games?
http://rareexoticlovedolls.com Michael Cutler

David Adams is going to be a good major league hitter someday . . .but when will everyone get the fact that Andrew Brackman just isn’t that good at baseball. . . . ???
- Fairweather Freddy
  
  Maybe when they get a crystal ball like you have
Samuel

Banuelos was being squeezed a lot last night, so much that Romine actualy turned around TWICE to ask the umpire. Chirping going on from the Thunder dugout and most of the fans. Ump had the tighest strike zone I have ever seen.

Manny was getting nothing on the outside corner and had to bring the ball more over the middle of the plate. When he does that, his ball has very little movement and it gets hit hard. Credit the Sea Dog hitters, who were laying off all the outside pitches knowing they would not be called strikes.

Manny’s curve ball was iffy, much worse than what I saw last year,and bounced quite a few change ups.

Depsite the HR, Melky Mesa is terrible at the plate. He swings at every off-speed pitch thrown to him.

But he is not nearly as bad as Cody Johnson, who has a major hitch in his swing and can’t even catch up with an 88 MPH fastball on the inner third.

He should be released soon.

I am wondering what the hitting coach in Trenton is doing…or not doing.
- Guns of the Navarone (a mushroom cloud layin’ muthafucka, muthafucka)
  
  Thanks for the report. It’s troubling to see Banuelos walking so many guys in his starts. I have confidence he’ll turn it around. And I’m even more confident that leaving him in the minors was the right thing to do. It’s night’s like last night – when things aren’t going his way, or when an ump is squeezing him – that he has to learn to deal with. That’s an ugly line at Double-A…it would have been murder in MLB.
http://rareexoticlovedolls.com Michael Cutler

its not a crystal ball, ive watched him pitch. . . .hes below average with everything, and hes injury prone