Minor League Review: Too Many Walks

The title says it all. It’s a miracle that Rays affiliates went 2-2 on Wednesday despite a combined 28 walks, 7 per game.

Triple-A International League: Syracuse Chiefs (WSN) 15, Durham Bulls 8

Alex Cobb has swing-and-miss stuff Wednesday. That’s about the only good thing anyone can say. Cobb recorded just 5 outs, 4 of which via the strikeout, and allowed 7 runs, 6 earned, on 5 hits and 3 walks. Josh Lueke allowed just 1 run in 2.1 innings, recording 3 K’s to 1 walk, and Romulo Sanchez followed with 2 shutout innings, allowing just 1 hit, but the horrific pitching returned in the 7th. John Gaub struck out 2 without allowing a hit in the 7th. One problem: he walked 5 (!) and allowed 2 runs. And Jhonny Nunez capped things off by allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in the 8th. For the Chiefs, Chien-Ming Wang started in a rehab appearance and actually pitched well, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits in 7 innings, striking out just 1 while walking 1, but forcing a 12-2 groundout to flyout ratio. The Chiefs bullpen imploded in the 8th to allow 6 runs to the Bulls to close with 10-8 before Syracuse put the game away with 5 in the bottom of the frame. Matt Mangini went 2 for 4 with a grand slam for Durham and Jesus Feliciano went 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Other than those two, it was a night that the Bulls will have to forget quickly. Cobb was bad and the bullpen was worse. The Bulls drop to 12-22 on the year.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 9, Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) 0

I can’t believe how negative I’m about to be about a 9-0 shutout victory for a Rays affiliate. Lefty Kyle Lobstein tossed 3-hit shuout ball for the first 5 innings of the game, striking out 7. But he also walked 5 and threw just 49 of 99 pitches for strikes, less than half. That won’t cut it at all. Lobstein’s ERA fell to just 6.32 on the year despite the 5 scoreless frames, and it’s pretty clear why Lobstein has struggled. Scott Shuman followed with 2 shutout innings for Montgomery, striking out 3 and lowering his ERA all the way to… 12.32. The reason his ERA is so high: walks. He also walked 4 in this one. Neil Schenk did close this one out with 2 perfect innings, striking out 2, so that’s nice. The Biscuits’ big bats in this one where the 4-5-6 spots in their order as Henry Wrigley with 2 for 5 with a double, 2 RBI, and a run scored, Omar Luna went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, and Michael Sheridan went 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored. The Biscuits are now just two games under .500 at 16-18.

High-A Florida State League: Charlotte Stone Crabs 5, Daytona Cubs 1

You’re killing me, Enny. Enny Romero went 6.1 shutout innings for Charlotte on Wednesday, allowing just 2 hits. But every other part of his outing was bad. He struck out just 3 while walking 4 and he also threw a wild pitch. He allowed 8 flyouts to just 6 groundouts. Based on xFIP, Romero should have allowed 4.07 runs based on all that. OF course, random fluctuations happen from game to game, but why can’t Romero pitch a good outing and actually strike guys out and force groundballs? On offense for Charlotte, four players had multi-hit games. Riccio Torrez went 2 for 4 with a double, a solo homer, and 2 RBI. Ty Morrison and Mikie Mahtook each went 2 for 3 with a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. Mahtook also had an RBI. And the red-hot Mayo Acosta (Acosta is red-hot, not mayonnaise) went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. The Biscuits had a nice overall game and are now 15-18 on the season.

Low-A Midwest League: Lansing Lugnuts (TOR) 7, Bowling Green Hot Rods 3

This game with completely forgettable, especially since the Hot Rods lost. Ryan Brett, Matt Rice, and Cameron Seitzer all went 2 for 5 and the latter two had doubles. Drew Vettleson went 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Tyler Goeddel and Josh Sale were a combined 0 for 5 with a walk. Trevor Shull walked 4 in 4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs (3 ER). Jason Partridge went 3.2 innings, striking out 4 while walking just 1 but allowed 3 runs (1 ER). The Hot Rods had a tough night, following to 17-16.