Mormon Baseball

If it is hard to adjust to professional baseball from college for some players, then how hard must it be for players drafted from High School? Mason Smith, who graduated this summer from Rocky Mountain High School in Meridian, Idaho, was selected in the 4th round of this summer’s draft (118th overall) by the San Diego Padres. After signing he was sent to the Padre’s Arizona League affiliate (the AZL Padres), where he struggled to adjust.  While Smith initially did well at the plate, he fell into a bit of a slump in July, and his batting average dropped to a low of .154. But since then he has adjusted and started hitting. In August he hit .303, and last week he was 4 for 11 (.364) with 2 rbis and a stolen base. No doubt Mason will suffer slumps from time-to-time in the future, but the past month shows he has adjusted to the minors, and may be ready for promotion next year.

Smith’s turnaround last week was similar to that of Stephen Parker, who plays for the AAA Nashville Sounds. Parker was 8 for 24 (.333) last week, with 8 rbis and a home run. Parker, who was traded from the Oakland As’ Sacramento River Cats to the Milwaukee Brewers affiliate, has struggled somewhat during the season, with a batting average just above .200. But last week’s performance brought his season average up to .220 with 42 rbis. Still, he’ll have to do better to earn a promotion to the majors.

Among pitchers, Nik Turley split the week, winning one outing and losing another. But his era for the two games was just 2.08, from 3 earned runs in the 5.2 inning loss (4.76) — a bit more run support and that might have been a win also. The win (yesterday), was even better, as Turley lasted 7.1 innings, gave up 4 hits and struck out 7. The only run scored against him was on an error.

Former major leaguer Mitch Talbot, who spent much of this season on the New Orleans Zepher’s DL, has been traded to the Las Vegas 51s (New York Mets affiliate).  Talbot, who had pitched well since his return, was hammered in his first game for Las Vegas, giving up 4 earned runs in 3.2 innnings. Still, the bad outing only raised his season era to 3.24. I’ve also been told that Taylor Cole, until now pitching with the Lansing Lugnuts (A Midwest League, Blue Jays), has been promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays (A+ Florida State League). However that change hasn’t yet made the news or  player databases, so expect to see it next week.

.

Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Adam Law (Arizona League – Rookie) — .357 BA (2nd); .430 OBP (1st); .848 OPS (9th); 21 stolen bases (2nd)
• Adam Law (Pioneer League – A) — 14 stolen bases (tied 6th)
• Shane Peterson (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — 78 rbis (tied 10th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Taylor Cole (Midwest League – A) — 101 strike outs (tied 7th); 132.0 IP (7th)
• Adam Miller (Pioneer League – Rookie) — 4.61 era (7th); 1.44 WHIP (7th)
• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 10 wins (tied 6th); 132 strike outs (7th)

.

Current Roster Players:

• Jaycob Brugman — outfielder — Vermont Lake Monsters (New York-Penn League A short season) — Oakland As
  Did not play — on “Temporary Inactive List”
  YTD: .261, 13 run, 23 rbi, 1 hr, 7 bb, 7 sb, 48 so in 165 at bats
• Tyson Brummett — relief pitcher (right handed) — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Eastern League) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-1, 6.00 era, 4 hits, 4 er, 4 k, 2 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 1-7, 5.63 era, 89 hits, 53 er, 77 k, 31 bb in 84.2 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League A) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-0, 3.38 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 3 k, 3 bb in 5.1 innings
  YTD: 7-11, 4.02 era, 141 hits, 59 er, 101 k, 59 bb in 132.0 innings
• Kyle Farnsworth — reliever (right handed) — Indianapolis Indians (International League AAA) — Pittsburgh Pirates
  0-0, 0.00 era, 1 hits, 0 er, 2 k, 1 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 0-1, 5.79 era, 6 hits, 3 er, 2 k, 2 bb in 4.2 innings
  MLB YTD: 2-0, 5.76 era, 37 hits, 19 er, 19 k, 7 bb in 29.2 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  2 for 16 (.125) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 1 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .253, 60 runs, 37 rbi, 1 hr, 56 bb, 20 sb, 99 so in 419 at bats
• Roy Halladay— starting pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies
  Back in the majors.
  YTD: 0-0, 3.00 era, 13 hits, 4 er, 8 k, 6 bb in 12.0 innings
  MLB YTD: 2-4, era 8.65, 33 hits, 33 er, 17 bb, 35 k in 34.1 innings.
• Jacob Hannemann — outfielder — Boise Hawks (Northwest Leauge A short season) — Chicago Cubs
  Did not play
  YTD: .268, 9 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 4 sb, 12 so in 71 at bats
• Bryan Harper — relief pitcher (left handed) — Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League – A) — Washington Nationals
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 1 k, 1 bb in 2.2 innings
  YTD: 5-1, 4.06 era, 31 hits, 20 er, 41 k, 29 bb in 44.1 innings
• Cale Iorg — Second base — Aberdeen IronBirds (New York-Penn League A short season) — Baltimore Orioles
  Did not play. Released
  YTD: .145, 5 run, 6 rbi, 1 hr, 4 bb, 3 sb, 22 so in 55 at bats
• Adam Law — 3rd base — Ogden Raptors (Pioneer Leauge A) — LA Dodgers
  10 for 22 (.455) 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 5 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .359, 41 run, 27 rbi, 0 hr, 19 bb, 35 sb, 32 so in 195 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  1 for 11 (.091) 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .233, 31 run, 17 rbi, 3 hr, 36 bb, 1 sb, 51 so in 193 at bats
• Brandon Lyon — relief pitcher —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  Did not pitched — released
  YTD: 0-0, 1.69 era, 5 hits, 1 er, 3 k, 1 bb in 5.1 innings
  MLB: 2-2, 4.98 era, 43 hits, 19 er, 23 k, 13 bb in 34.1 innings
• Mitch Maier — outfielder —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  7-day Disabled list
  YTD: .310, 32 run, 22 rbi, 3 hr, 24 bb, 3 sb, 26 so in 113 at bats
• Taylor Mangum — relief pitcher (right-handed) — Brevard County Manatees (Florida State League – A+) — Milwaukee Brewers
  0-1, 4.50 era, 6 hits, 3 er, 3 k, 3 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 3-8, 3.76 era, 69 hits, 29 er, 58 k, 24 bb in 69.1 innings
• Adam Miller — pitcher (right-handed) — Missoula Osprey (Pioneer League – Rookie) — Arizona Diamondbacks
  0-0, 6.00 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 1 k, 2 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 1-4, 4.61 era, 62 hits, 27 er, 35 k, 14 bb in 52.2 innings
• Clayton Mortensen — relief pitcher (right handed) — Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  0-0, 0.00 era, 3 hits, 0 er, 5 k, 2 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 3-0, 2.47 era, 34 hits, 12 er, 39 k, 20 bb in 43.2 innings
  Majors YTD: 1-2, 5.34 era, 32 hits, 18 er, 21 k, 16 bb in 30.1 innings
• Matt Neil — starting pitcher (right handed) — Jacksonville Suns (Southern League – AA) — Miami Marlins
  Did not pitch
  YTD: 4-5, 3.92 era, 110 hits, 45 er, 91 k, 30 bb in 103.1 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  8 for 24 (.333) 4 run, 8 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .220, 42 run, 42 rbi, 8 hr, 46 bb, 3 sb, 99 so in 377 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  6 for 27 (.222) 5 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 5 bb, 0 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .258, 69 run, 78 rbi, 12 hr, 74 bb, 17 sb, 120 so in 442 at bats
• Adam Rosales — shortstop — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  in majors with Texas Rangers
  YTD: .280, 7 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 1 sb, 8 so in 50 at bats
• Mason Smith — outfielder — AZL Padres (Arizona League – Rookie) — San Diego Padres
  4 for 11 (.364) 1 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 1 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .209, 13 run, 11 rbi, 0 hr, 14 bb, 3 sb, 45 so in 129 at bats
• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — Las Vegas 51s (Pacific Coast League – AAA)— New York Mets
  0-0, 9.82 era, 7 hits, 4 er, 0 k, 3 bb in 3.2 innings
  YTD: 2-1, 3.24 era, 15 hits, 6 er, 11 k, 6 bb in 16.2 innings
• Nik Turley — starting pitcher (right handed) — Trenton Thunder (Eastern League – AA) — New York Yankees (40-man MLB roster)
  1-1, 2.08 era, 11 hits, 3 er, 11 k, 8 bb in 13.0 innings
  YTD: 10-8, 3.79 era, 114 hits, 59 er, 136 k, 73 bb in 140.0 innings

Independent Leagues:

• Cole Miles — outfielder — Florence Freedom (Frontier League)
  Did not play – DL
  YTD: .207, 5 run, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 3 so in 29 at bats

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  Did not pitch
  YTD: 5-4, 4.29 era, 81 hits, 37 er, 51 k, 36 bb in 77.2 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
• Austin Hall — pitcher (right handed) — AZL Brewers (Arizona Leauge Rookie) — Milwaukee Brewers
• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — unassigned?? (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
• 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