Mormon Baseball

How long does it take before a player becomes accustomed to a new level of play? And how do you tell when they just need more time to get acclimated, or have reached the most of what they can do? Managers and players alike must wonder as they ponder when to promote or demote those who are struggling or performing well. Take Taylor Cole, for example. He pitched very well last year for Vancouver in the Northwest League (A short season), earning a 0.81 era. This year he is still fairly good (3.99 era), but has struggled at times, basically alternating a good start with a start in which he struggled — kind of like his first year in Vancouver (5.88 era).

Given this past week’s performance, it looks more like Cole is just becoming better accustomed to the new league. He struck out 7 in 7 innings without giving up a walk and just 2 earned runs (both solo home runs) for his 4th win of the season. Keep it up, Taylor, and managers will have to believe you’ve become accustomed to this level of play.

Cole isn’t the only pitcher who performed well last week. Also in the Midwest League, reliever Taylor Mangum (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) went 2 innings without giving up a run. And Matt Neil struggled to a win, giving up just 2 runs in 5.1 innings (3.38 era) while striking out 7. But he somehow gave up 10 hits in the process.

At the plate the standout was Mitch Maier, who was 5 for 15 with 6 walks. While Maier has a .300 batting average, he has had just 80 at bats this season, since he began the season on the DL.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

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Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 71 strike outs (10th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Tyson Brummett — relief pitcher (right handed) — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Eastern League) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-1, 7.71 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 1 k, 0 bb in 2.1 innings
  YTD: 0-5, 7.15 era, 58 hits, 40 er, 47 k, 22 bb in 50.1 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League A) — Toronto Blue Jays
  1-0, 2.57 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 7 k, 0 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 4-4, 3.99 era, 71 hits, 30 er, 48 k, 31 bb in 67.2 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  2 for 7 (.286) 1 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .276, 37 run, 22 rbi, 0 hr, 27 bb, 14 sb, 48 so in 225 at bats
• Austin Hall — pitcher (right handed) — AZL Brewers (Arizona Leauge Rookie) — Milwaukee Brewers
  (opening game June 20)
• Bryan Harper — relief pitcher (left handed) — Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League – A) — Washington Nationals
  0-1, 27.00 era, 5 hits, 6 er, 2 k, 3 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 3-1, 5.32 era, 15 hits, 13 er, 21 k, 17 bb in 22.0 innings
• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — unassigned?? (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
  no information — did not play
  
• Cale Iorg — Second base — Aberdeen IronBirds (New York-Penn League A short season) — Baltimore Orioles
  Did not play. Reportedly demoted from Bowie Baysox (Eastern League AA)
  YTD: .145, 5 run, 6 rbi, 1 hr, 4 bb, 3 sb, 22 so in 55 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  1 for 7 (.143) 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .244, 11 run, 4 rbi, 2 hr, 10 bb, 1 sb, 25 so in 82 at bats
• Mitch Maier — outfielder —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  5 for 15 (.333) 6 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 6 bb, 1 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .300, 24 run, 15 rbi, 3 hr, 18 bb, 3 sb, 17 so in 80 at bats
• Taylor Mangum — relief pitcher (right-handed) — Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Midwest League – A) — Milwaukee Brewers
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 2 k, 1 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 1-3, 3.04 era, 27 hits, 9 er, 25 k, 11 bb in 26.2 innings
• Matt Neil — starting pitcher (right handed) — New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Miami Marlins
  1-0, 3.38 era, 10 hits, 2 er, 7 k, 0 bb in 5.1 innings
  YTD: 3-4, 5.34 era, 73 hits, 36 er, 53 k, 15 bb in 60.2 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  3 for 20 (.150) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .220, 22 run, 19 rbi, 6 hr, 26 bb, 2 sb, 56 so in 218 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  5 for 22 (.227) 0 run, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 2 sb, 9 so
  YTD: .249, 35 run, 37 rbi, 5 hr, 39 bb, 8 sb, 66 so in 221 at bats
• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League – AAA)— Miami Marlins
  On 7-day DL – last pitched April 7th
  YTD: 1-0, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 3 k, 2 bb in 5.0 innings
• Nik Turley — starting pitcher (right handed) — Trenton Thunder (Eastern League – AA) — New York Yankees (40-man MLB roster)
  0-1, 10.80 era, 6 hits, 6 er, 6 k, 2 bb in 5.0 innings
  YTD: 5-5, 4.90 era, 59 hits, 36 er, 75 k, 36 bb in 70.1 innings

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  Did not pitch this week
  YTD: 2-3, 4.30 era, 43 hits, 18 er, 25 k, 17 bb in 37.2 innings

Last Year’s players released: (could still be picked up by other teams)

• Derek Cone — starting pitcher (right handed) — Los Angeles Dodgers organization Released.
  Cone has returned to school at ASU pursuing a degree in Accounting
• Willie Mays Eyre — starting pitcher (right handed) — Texas Rangers organization
  Retired
• Kyle Hurst — relief pitcher (right handed) — Independent
  Released
• Lance Pendleton — starting pitcher (right handed) — Tampa Bay Ray’s organization
  Released
  Now a salesman with Baker Hughes
• Jordan Whatcott — relief pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies organization
  Released

Other players who may be Mormon:
[We need to determine if these players are Mormon before publishing further information about them.]

Rick Anton, Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Tyler Chism, Dallas Christison, Stephen Fife, Tyler Hanks,Steve Hirschfeld, Zachary Jones, Ryan Khoury, Kam Mickolio (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way), Cole Miles, A. J. Murray, Jordan Taylor Pratt, Tanner Robles, Braeden Schlehuber, Justin Smith, Matt Spring, Brad Thompson

Non-Mormons who may be confused for Mormons

Matt Carson (non-Mormon who went to BYU), Derek Christensen, Egan Smith, Jordan Smith