Author Archives: Michelle Gardner

Inland Empire outfielder shooting for rare Triple Crown

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Winning a Triple Crown is tough in the majors, but it’s almost as tough in the minors. Inland Empire outfielder Zach Borenstein has a shot.

Borenstein, a 23rd round draft pick out of Eastern Illinois, leads the California League in batting (.341). The next two players behind him in that category have been promoted and won’t have enough at-bats by the end of the year to qualify.

The other two categories might be tougher. Borenstein has 21 home runs, trailing only Rancho Cucamonga’s Scott Schebler (23) and Sixers teammate Michael Snyder (22).

In RBI Borenstein (76) trails just Andrew Aplin (84) and Matt Duffy (77), both of Lancaster. That might the toughest deficit to overcome because the two frontrunners have a decided advantage playing in the most hitter friendly venue in the league. It’s actually amazing the Borenstein is that close in RBI with Aplin having played 23 more games.

The last player to win a Triple Crown in the Cal League is Ruben Gonzalez who did so with the then San Bernardino Spirit in 1989. His numbers weren’t exactly overwhelming – a .308 batting average with 27 home runs and 101 RBI.

Borenstein also seems to have a legitimate shot at Cal League Player of the Year honors. He leads the league in slugging percentage (.649).

If nothing else, Borenstein has put himself on the Angels’ organization’s radar. He wasn’t listed in the top 30 prospects this year but it would be hard for Baseball America to leave him out next year given those numbers.

Quakes pitcher moves up

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The Los Angeles Dodgers promoted RHP Carlos Frias from High-A Rancho Cucamonga to Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday, forcing a Quakes manager Carlos Subero to alter his rotation.

Frias, 23,  had been schedule to pitch against Inland Empire tonight at San Manuel Stadium but Subero handed the ball to Gustavo Gomez instead.

Frias was 2-3 with a 4.11 ERA in eight starts with the Quakes. He started the season at Low-A Great Lakes and made his first start with Rancho on June 15.

 

Sixers, Quakes back in action tonight

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The Inland Empire 66ers and Rancho Cucamona Quakes both return from an off day in pursuit of a California League playoff berth and will start a head-to-head three-game set at 7:05 tonight at San Manuel Stadium.

The Sixers (58-50 overall, 21-17 second half) finished second to Lancaster in the first half and are second in the second, two games behind that same opponent. They are in good position to make the postseason as a wild card if they don’t win the half at 4 1/2 games better than Seattle affiliate High Desert and eight better than the Quakes for the second playoff spot.

If Lancaster, a Houston Astros affiliate, wins the second half too, the two teams with the next best records would advance.

The Quakes (50-58, 19-19) have been a much better team in the second half and come into the set having won seven straight series. They are four games behind Lancaster for the half and 3 1/2 behind High Desert for the second wild card, assuming Lancaster wins the second half.

The Sixers are led by reigning Cal League Player of the Week Zach Borenstein while outfielder Scott Schebler has spearheaded the Quakes resurgence.

Carlos Frias (2-3, 4.11) is the scheduled starter for the Quakes while the Sixers counter with All-Star Mark Sappington(10-4, 3.42).

 

Sixer player gets weekly honor

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Designated hitter Zach Borenstein of Inland Empire is this week’s California League Player of the week.

In seven games Borenstein hit .435 (10 for 23) with a double, four home runs, 14 RBI and seven runs scored. That solid showing was punctuated by a grand slam home run in Sunday’s 7-4 win over High Desert.

Borenstein hit an impressive .315  in the first half of the season but has posted a .411 since the All-Star break, collecting 24 RBIs in 16 games, even after missing three weeks with a hip injury.

He is hitting .333 on the season with 21 home runs and 74 RBI. He is second to Chris Taylor of High Desert in batting average and trails Scott Schebler of Rancho Cucamonga by one in the home run column. He is third in RBI despite playing 21 fewer games than leader Andrew Aplin of Lancaster who has 82.

Pitcher of the Week honors went to San Jose’s Clayton Blackburn.

 

 

 

Quakes player named best of week

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Outfielder Scott Schebler of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes is this week’s California League Player of the Week.

Schebler, 22, hit .448 (13 for 29) in seven games with two doubles, three triples, three home runs, 10 RBI and nine runs scored.

A 26th-round pick in 2010, Schebler is having his strongest season at the plate this year and has already surpassed personal marks with 15 homers and 10 triples in his first 74 Cal League games.He is hitting .308 on the season.

Pitcher of the Week honors went to San Jose’s Edwin Escobar.

 

When it comes to promotions, it is often about the money

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The minor leagues are all about player development. That has always been clear. Yes winning a championship is nice but the priority is getting players ready to move on to the next level so they can eventually help the parent club.

Players want to climb the ladder as quick as possible and for most, playing in the High-A California League still seems like it’s pretty far from the big leagues.

But some promotions don’t seem to make sense. For example, pitcher JonMichael Redding of Rancho Cucamonga would seem to warrant a promotion. He pitched shutout ball against Inland Empire on Sunday and lowered his ERA to 2.00. He would be the top pitcher in the league when it comes to ERA if he had enough innings to qualify but has been used primarily as a reliever.

When the parent Dodgers had a chance to promote a starter earlier his month it chose to move up Garrett Gould, holder of a 2-7 record and 7.04 ERA.

Redding, 25, is in his fourth year in the Cal League and has been putting up good numbers this year. Gould, who turns 22 later this month, was in his second year and his numbers with the Quakes were worse than they were last year.

Well it’s all about money. Gould was a second-round draft choice so the Dodgers have more invested in him. The higher the draft pick, the more chances that player will get to prove himself.  Not that Redding was a slouch. He was a fifth-rounder.

The same can probably be said for reliever Eric Cendejas of the Sixers. He has had two solid years in the Cal League. He had a 2.87 ERA in 47 appearances last year and has a 2.74 in 34 this season.

Yet two Sixers relievers have been promoted ahead of him. Granted both those players had numbers worthy of promotion, unlike Gould. But still Cendejas was a 33rd draft choice. He has to wonder when his shot will come.

Sometimes players have to hope if their numbers don’t them promoted in one organization, maybe another will take notice and they can get a shot elsewhere.

Sixers pitcher sidelined

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Inland Empire right-hander Orangel Arenas is sidelined for now with some stiffness in his pitching arm. Sixers manager Bill Haselman says he doesn’t think it’s a major issue and doesn’t expect his pitcher to miss more than two starts.

Arenas, 24, is 6-3 with an ERA of 4.20. He has been lights out at home with a 4-0 record and miniscule 0.67 ERA. His road stats are a bit inflated because he’s had two starts at High Desert and one at Lancaster. On the road he’s 2-3 with a 7.53 ERA.

Haselman has to hope this stint on the disabled list doesn’t turn into something more major. He already is without arguably his top pitcher in All-Star Kramer Sneed who is out with tendonitis and is currently in Arizona trying to work through that setback.

Replacing Arenas on the roster will be Alex Keudell who comes up from Low-A Burlington of the Midwest League where he was 4-3 with a 3.11 ERA, He will start tonight’s 7:05 game against Lancaster at San Manuel Stadium.

Quakes’ Mount still sidelined

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Third baseman Ryan Mount of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes won’t be back in the lineup any time soon.

Mount, a graduate of Ayala High School, has been out since May 28 with a frayed tendon in his foot, the same one he had surgically repaired in 2011.

Mount saw his doctor on Tuesday. The injury is getting better but he’s probably another three weeks away from resuming baseball activity. He is trying to get back by the end of the season but that will probably be tough.

Mount, who turns 27 next month, was having a career year, hitting .342 in 42 games when he was sidelined.

He says he hopes to play winter ball to make up for the lost months.

Quakes’ Gould promoted to Double-A

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Right-handed pitcher Garrett Gould has been promoted by the Dodgers from High-A Rancho Cucamonga to Double-A Chattanooga of the Southern League.

Gould was just 2-7 with a 7.04 ERA in 15 starts this season. Given that record the promotion is a little hard to comprehend. Gould was also with the Quakes last year with only moderately better success – 5-10 with a 5.75 ERA.

Maybe the Dodgers feel a change of scenery and a different mentor will help. A move to the bullpen is also a possibility. That seems to be a common move when a pitcher is struggling.

Gould was a second round draft choice in 2009 and was ranked as the organization’s No. 11 prospect in 2012 according to Baseball American. Maybe the Dodgers feel it’s time to sink or swim.

His place on the roster will be taken by Bobby Coyle, who has bounced back and forth between Rancho and Chattanooga this season.

 

Nuts take both weekly honors

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The Modesto Nuts had both the Cal League Pitcher of the Week and the Offensive Player of the Week for June 24-30. Daniel  Winkler was named Pitcher of the Week and while first baseman Harold Riggins was tabbed Offensive Player of the Week.

Winkler had two starts, totaling 14 and one-third innings and gave up just two hits and two runs with 15 strikeouts. He got the win in both, one of which included seven innings of a combined no-hitter.

Winkler, 24, is 11-2 with a 2.02 ERA in 16 starts and has given up just 49 hits with 113 strikeouts in 98 innings.

Riggins hit .375 (9 for 24) on the week with two doubles, three home runs, four walks, seven RBI and nine runs scored. On the season the North Carolina State product is hitting .244 with 15 doubles, 12 home runs and 39 RBI in 71 games.