Cal League South Division scenario update with 3 games left

After Friday’s games, the three-team race for the final South Division playoff spot has gotten tighter with 3 games left.

The 66ers beat Lancaster 12-8, the Quakes beat Lake Elsinore 9-0 and San Jose beat High Desert 12-3.

The 66ers and Lancaster are tied for 1st in the second half race. It’s as simple as this for the 66ers: If they win 2 of the final 3 games against Lancaster, they are in the playoffs. They could still tie for the second half title with LE, but as stated in a previous post, that would be enough to get the Sixers in. There would be no 1-game playoff.

Should the Sixers lose at least 2 of the next 3 games, the last spot would go to High Desert or the Quakes. After Friday’s games, those teams are tied for the last spot.

They COULD have a 1-game playoff. And it would be at High Desert on Tuesday, because HD won the season series, 13-11.

Sixers’ Borenstein is league MVP

Inland Empire outfielder-designated hitter Zach Borenstein, 23, has been named California League Most Valuable Player.

Borenstein is leading the league in hitting (.332) and slugging percentage (.628), is second in home runs (25) and fourth in RBI (87). He was on the disabled list for a month with a hip injury which possibly cost him a shot at a Triple Crown.

He has notched career highs in every offensive category except doubles.
Borenstein is the first Sixer to earn MVP honors since Carlos Santana in 2008, Santana played in San Bernardino when it was a Dodgers affiliate and is now the starting catcher for the Cleveland Indians.

Borenstein led a group of four players from Inland Empire who earned All-Star team. The others are second baseman Alex Yarbrough, first baseman Michael Snyder and pitcher Mark Sappington. All are still with the Sixers except for Sappington who was promoted to Double-A Arkansas three weeks ago.

The lone representative for Rancho Cucamonga is outfielder Scott Schebler who is hitting .307 with a league-high 23 home runs and eighth in RBI (83) and is hitting .274.

Rodney Linares of Lancaster is the Manager of the Year. His team is 75-54 overall. The JetHawks won the South Division first half and have a seven-game lead in the second with 11 games left.

Dan Winkler (12-5, 2.97) of the Modesto Nuts is the Pitcher of the Year.

Here’s the whole list of honorees:

MVP – Zach Borenstein, Inland Empire

Manager of the Year – Rodney Linares, Lancaster

Pitcher of the Year – Dan Winkler, Modesto

Rookie of the Year – Addison Russell, Stockton

Catcher – Ryan Casteel, Modesto

First base – Michael Snyder, Inland Empire

Second base – Alex Yarbrough, Inland Empire

Third base – Matt Duffy, Lancaster

Shortstop – Addison Russell, Stockton

Utility – M.P. Cokinos, Lancaster

Designated hitter – Zach Borenstein, Inland Empire

Outfielder – Scott Schebler, Rancho Cucamonga

Outfielder – Andrew Aplin, Lancaster

Outfielder – Travis Jankwoski, Lake Elsinore

Pitcher – Mark Sappington, Inland Empire

Pitcher – Ty Blach, San Jose

Pitcher – Dan Winkler, Modesto

Pitcher, Andrew Barbosa, Visalia

 

 

 

Colvin goes to disabled list

Right-handed pitcher David Colvin of the High Desert Mavericks has been place on the disabled list by the parent Seattle Mariners.

Colvin, 24, had appeared in 31 games, 30 of those out of the bullpen. He had a 5-0 record and 2.38 ERA in 56 2/3 innings. Those are pretty impressive numbers given the hitter-friendly California League venue in which he pitches.

Colvin has not pitched since July 27 but was only recently placed on the disabled list.

Colvin was a 27th round draft pick by the Mariners in 2011.

His loss is big for the Mavericks who are trying to hold off Rancho Cucamonga and Lake Elsinore for the final South Division playoff spot with the season over in less than two weeks.

Velasquez knocked out in fourth inning of Cal League debut

Vincent Velasquez, a Garey High product who was the 58th overall pick by the Houston Astros in the 2010 draft, made his California League debut on Tuesday for Lancaster.

After allowing three baserunners and no runs in the first three innings, the right-handed Velasquez ran into trouble against host Lake Elsinore.

In the fourth, he allowed 10 men to come to the plate as the Storm scored five runs on a home run, two walks, five singles and a wild pitch. He was replaced with two outs.

His final line: 3 2/3 innings, seven hits, five earned runs, three walks, four strikeouts, one hit batter and one wild pitch. He threw 79 pitches. He also took the loss in a 5-4 Lake Elsinore win.

Players of the week named

Stockton and Lake Elsinore boasted recipients of this week’s Cal League Player of the Week honors.

Player of the week honors went to the Ports’ Tony Thompson, who hit .429 (12 for 28) with three home runs, 15 RBI and seven runs scored.

The 24-year-old Kansas  plated nine runs on a 4-for-5 night Friday. He added another blast and four more RBIs on Saturday, pushing him into second place in the Cal League with 87 on the season.

The Storm’s Johnny Barbato, 21, claimed Pitcher of the week honors, giving up three hits in six scoreless innings in his only outing of the week against Rancho Cucamonga. He struck out seven.

 

“Best Tools” singles out top players

Kyle Crick has a 1.58 ERA in 45 2/3 innings for San Jose.

Baseball America has announced the results of its annual Best Tools survey which asks the managers in each league to evaluate the prospects they think are best at each position in each facet of the game.

Inlnad Empire had one player singled out as Alex Yarbrough was named Best Defensive Second Baseman. I think Eric Stamets should have been named Best Defensive Shortstop but Modesto’s Trevor Story was named.

Rancho Cucamonga’s Jon Garcia, who has since been promoted, was named Best Outfield Arm.

Here is the rundown:

Best Batting Prospect – Addison Russell, Stockton

Best Power Prospect – Mac Williamson, San Jose

Best Strike Zone Judgment – Nolan Fontana, Lancaster

Best Baserunner – Travis Jankowksi, Lake Elsinore

Fastest Baserunner – Travis Jankowski, Lake Elsinore

Best Pitching Prospect – Kyle Crick, San Jose

Best Fastball – Kyle Crick, San Jose

Best Breaking Pitch – Clayto Blackburn, San Jose

Best Changeup – Tanner Peters, Stockton

Best Control – Ty Blach, San Jose

Best Reliever – Jake Barrett, Visalia

Best Defensive Catcher – Austin Hedges, Lake Elsinore

Best Defensive 1B – Max Muncy, Stockton

Best Defensive 2B – Alex Yarbourgh, Inland Empire

Best Defensive 3B – Juan Silverio, Bakersfield

Best Defensive SS – Trevor Story, Modesto

Best Infield Arm – Trevor Story, Modesto

Best Defensive OF – Travis Jankoswki, Lake Elsinore

Best Outfield Arm – Jon Garcia, Rancho Cucamonga

Most Exciting Player – Addison Russell, Stockton

Best Managerial Prospect – Webster Garrison, Stockton

 

 

 

Wilson solid in Quakes outing

Maybe it was just one inning, eight pitches. But it was a good start.

Brian Wilson made his debut in the Dodgers organization, pitching the first inning for Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday against Lake Elsinore.

Wilson has been sidelined for 16 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April of 2012. The Giants let him walk. So much for 171 saves and three all-star appearances in seven seasons.

Wilson barely broke a sweat, getting a strikeout and the other two outs on routine grounders to second base. He was clocked between 89-91 mph.

The next stop will be Triple-A Albuquerque.

There is always a bit of a buzz when a major leaguer plays at a lower level on a rehab. And the Quakes have had more than their fair share. But Wilson brought more than the usual buzz, including a media contingent of about 20, 19 more than usual.

Plenty of fans showed up, many wearing San Francisco Giants jerseys. Wilson got a nice round of applause as he took the field. Maybe it was that flamboyant personality or the fact that the once-hated rival was now a part of a team so much a part of the Southern California landscape.

After pitching and talking to the media, he signed autographs for about 20 minutes on his way out.

One outing doesn’t mark a complete return, but it’s a good start.

Former Giant to pitch at Rancho

Former San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson will start his comeback tonight at LoanMart Field where the Los Angeles Dodgers California League affiliate Rancho Cucamonga (52-63) will be hosting Padres affiliate Lake Elsinore (51-63) at 7:05 p.m.

Wilson, 31, signed with the Dodgers on July 30, five days after throwing a bullpen session to show he had sufficiently recovered fro Tommy John surgery he underwent in April of 2012.

It was the second Tommy John surgery for Wilson, who first had the procedure done in college.

Don’t arrive late. Wilson, who recorded 171 saves in 314 career games with the Giants, will start the game but likely only pitch an inning.

Wilson will be followed to the mound by the regularly scheduled starter Freddie Cabrera (2-2, 5.05).

Photo: Who's ready for newly acquired Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Brian Wilson 38? 48? He is scheduled to take the mound tonight for the first time in over a year for your Quakes as they take on the Lake Elsinore Storm. Wilson is scheduled to start so make sure you arrive early. Game time 7:05pm. Gates open 6:05pm. Go Quakes!

 

 

Quakes, Sixers back in action

After a day off both local California teams are back in action.

Rancho Cucamonga will host Lake Elsinore while Inland Empire will be traveling to High Desert. Both games are set for 7:05 p.m.

The Quakes (52-62) will send (4-6, 5.03)Lindsay Caughel to the mound while the Storm (50-63), a Padres affiliate, will counter with John Barbato (2-4, 5.19.

Meanwhile the Sixers will start Orangel Arenas (6-5, 4.98), who has been nearly unhittable at home but struggled in road games.  Jordan Pries (6-6, 5.07) is slated to start for the Mavericks.

High Desert game postponned

Monday night’s game between the High Desert Mavericks and Lake Elsinore Storm at Mavericks Stadium was been postponed, due to a water main issue.

Several other area business were also without water much of the day. The city notified the Mavericks of the issue early Monday and the game was called before the Storm had to make the trip.

The game will be made up in a doubleheader beginning Sept. 1 at 2:05 p.m. All tickets for Monday’s game may be exchanged at the front office for any other 2013 home game.

High Desert and Lake Elsinore are scheduled to begin their series at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Mavericks stadium.