Quakes’ Mount goes down again

Poor Ryan Mount can’t catch a break.

The Rancho Cucamonga third baseman got back in the Quakes lineup after missing nine weeks with a foot injury. And what happens? He gets hurt again.

The Ayala High School grad apparently got hurt sliding into third base in the fifth inning, according to manager Carlos Subero.

Not only did Mount not say anything, he stayed in the game. He was serving as designated hitter so he went in the clubhouse and rode a stationary bike to stay loose. He also almost beat out an infield hit later in the game.

“That shows just how tough he is,” Subero said.

At the same time the Quakes were hitting and prepping for a game against Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, Mount was seeing a doctor. Subero said the injury is likely a torn ACL.

Mount turns 27 in 10 days so it is possible that serious of an injury could be career-ending, especially in such a competitive field as professional baseball.

Mount was hitting . 342 and made the all-star team when he was injured. Before last night he last played on May 31.

Mount was in the Angels organization up until last year. Everyone in both organization’s was bummed about the players’ latest setback.

“He’s a great guy and he worked so hard to get back,” Subero said. “We’re all upset for him.”

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!

 

 

Mount off the DL for Quakes

There was a lot of roster moves made by the parent club Dodgers to the Rancho Cucamonga roster.

The most notable move for local baseball followers is that third baseman Ryan Mount came off the disabled list. The Ayala High School grad was having a career year (hitting .342) when he injured the same foot he had surgically repaired two years ago. He was in the starting lineup on Tuesday for the first time since May 31.

Right-handed pitcher Edwin Carl has been signed to a free agent contract and assigned to Rancho Cucamonga while  another right-hander, Craig Stem, has been transferred to Rancho Cucamonga from Class-A Great Lakes of the Midwest League.

Outfielder Devin Shines has been transferred to Great Lakes while  infielder James McDonald has been transferred to Rookie-League Arizona.

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.

Inland Empire outfielder shooting for rare Triple Crown

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.

Sixers, Quakes back in action tonight

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).

 

2014 California League schedule is released

Here is the 2014 Cal League schedule, if you click on the link below. Quakes open at home on April 3, play the 66ers for the first time, at home on April 7, and 66ers open at home on April 10.

66ers will host on July 4, Quakes on July 3.

2014 California League Schedule(1)

Borenstein finally back for 66ers; Baez promoted from Quakes

 

Zach BorensteinPedro Baez

Zach Borenstein, who hadn’t played since June 15 with a strained hip flexor after hitting .315 with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs in 65 games, finally returned to the 66ers lineup on Wednesday. He was activated off the disabled list and had RBI singles in each of his first two at-bats at Lancaster. The Sixers had an open roster spot so they did not need to make another move.

Not so for the Quakes, who needed to find room for former big-league closer Carlos Marmol. Since Marmol is technically a minor leaguer and not on a rehab assignment, the Quakes needed to make room for him. The room was made with Pedro Baez, in his first year as a pitcher, getting promoted to Double-A Chattanooga. Baez was 2-2 with a 3.63 ERA and two saves in 32 appearances for the Quakes.

“Double-A will challenge him to make more progress,” Quakes manager Carlos Subero said. “It will help in his development.”

Another pitcher DL for 66ers, Coyle comes off DL for Quakes

Daniel Tillman

Daniel Tillman

Bobby Coyle

Bobby Coyle

 

 

 

 

The Quakes and 66ers each made roster moves in advance of their series finale on Tuesday at San Manuel Stadium.

The Sixers had yet another pitcher go down with an injury, as right-hander Daniel Tillman went to the DL with a strained flexor tendon in his pitching arm. Tillman, who pitched for the Sixers the last two years, had made only two appearances since rejoining the team, the last time on July 4. In his place, the Sixers got right-hander Jairo Diaz. Diaz was 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA and eight saves for low Single-A Burlington before joining the Sixers.

The Quakes, meanwhile, brought outfielder Bobby Coyle off the disabled list. Since joining the team from Double-A Chattanooga a week ago, Coyle had been on the disabled list with an illness. Although he batted just .141 at Double-A, he did hit .288 with two home runs in 18 games with the Quakes earlier this season. To make room for Coyle, outfielder Devin Shines was placed on the disabled list.

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

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.