DotF: Tampa unable to stay alive in Championship Series

Two quick notes before we get to the day’s postseason action:

• LHP Justus Sheffield was included in today’s Monday Morning Ten Pack, and his write-up is above the paywall, so make sure you check it out. “He peppered everywhere from 91-95 with tremendous life, the fastball especially explosive when thrown up in the zone. He also mixed in a good, hard slider and a solid change,” said the write-up, based on one of Sheffield’s recent starts.
• OF Blake Rutherford is one of eight prospects the folks at 20-80 Baseball pegged as a breakout candidate for 2017. “The arm works and might be enough for right field should he need to shift to a corner, but ultimately it’s going to be the bat that makes Rutherford a future Yankee regular, and potentially an anchor in their lineup,” said the write-up.
• Baseball America released their end-of-season minor league All-Star teams. RHP Chad Green (Triple-A), LHP Jordan Montgomery (Double-A), Gleyber Torres (High-A), and 2B Nick Solak (Short Season) all made various lists. Torres did most of his work this year with the Cubs, obviously.
• RHP Yefrey Ramirez was placed on the High-A DL, the team announced. He got rocked yesterday, which could indicate injury, though I think this might be a paper move to add an extra arm to the roster. Ramirez isn’t scheduled to pitch again this series. RHP Chase Hodson took the roster spot.

Triple-A Scranton swept their first round postseason series. They’ll play Gwinnett (Braves) in the best-of-five International League Championship Series. That series begins tomorrow. Shane Hennigan says LHP Jordan Montgomery will start Game One, and be followed in order by LHP Phil Coke, RHP Brady Lail, and LHP Daniel Camarena. The Game Five starter is TBA at the moment.

Double-A Trenton won their first round postseason series. They’ll play Akron (Indians) in the best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series, which begins tomorrow. The Thunder held a workout in Trenton today before making the six and a half hour bus ride out to Akron.

High-A Tampa (4-1 loss to Bradenton) they lost the best-of-five Florida State League Championship Series in four games … tough finish to an otherwise very good year in Tampa

• 2B Jorge Mateo: 0-4, 1 K, 1 E (missed catch) — went 3-for-30 in the postseason
• CF Rashad Crawford: 1-4, 1 K
• SS Gleyber Torres: 0-4, 3 K — went 1-for-17 (.059) in the finals
• 1B Kevin Cornelius: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K — hit 15 homers in 62 total games this year
• LF Trey Amburgey: 1-4, 1 K
• RF Tito Polo: 0-2, 1 K, 1 HBP
• 3B Thairo Estrada: 2-3 — like Mateo in the first round, Thairo was dropped to eighth in the lineup in a must-win game because he simply hasn’t hit this series
• LHP Josh Rogers: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 6/5 GB/FB — 47 of 68 pitches were strikes (69%) … last year’s 11th rounder, who signed for $485,000, finishes the season with a 2.50 ERA and a 119/22 K/BB in 147.1 total innings, postseason included
• RHP Jordan Foley: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GB/FB — nine of 13 pitches were strikes (69%)

Both Low-A Charleston and Short Season Staten Island lost their first round postseason matchup. Their seasons are over.

The season is over for Rookie Pulaski, Rookie GCL Yanks East, and Rookie GCL Yanks West. None of the three teams qualified for the postseason.