Mormon Baseball

Financial advisors often disclaim their proposals with the statement “past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.” That’s true in baseball also. But while we hear and understand that disclaimer, we don’t exactly believe it—we expect baseball players to perform the way they have in the past.

By this past week’s numbers, the Sacramento River Cats’ Shane Peterson looks like he will be a star in the majors. He was 10 for 22 (.455) with 2 home runs, 4 rbis and 7 runs scored. And those numbers just topped off a great season so far; Peterson’s average for the season is .316 and he leads the PCL with 95 runs scored and 156 hits and is second in RBIs (82) and 4th in walks (59). While those numbers will no doubt drop off  when he reaches the majors, we all believe that he will do well.

But, “past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.” We’ll see.

Peterson was joined in fantastic performance by Jaycob Brugman, who continued his hitting streak last week, going 10 for 25 (.400) with 4 home runs, 9 runs scored and 9 ribs! Brugman now has 10 home runs in the last two weeks — matching his total for all the previous weeks of the season. And this comes after he was promoted to the A+ California League. Does he need to go straight to AA?

On the mound a trio of pitchers deserve mention. Boone Whiting earned a 0.00 era with 4 strike outs over 4 innings last week. In the International League (AAA), Nik Turley earned a win giving up just 1 earned run while striking out 4 in 5.1 innings pitched. And Clayton Mortensen is back to his regular form earning a win in a 7-inning start with a 0.86 WHIP. With luck he can stay healthy and make it back to the majors next year.

Marcus Littlewood was promoted to the High Desert Mavericks of the California League (A+) from the Clinton Lumberkings of the Midwest League (A). Taylor Cole was sent back down from the Eastern League (AA) to the Dunedin Blue Jays in the Florida State League (A+). Tyson Brummett remains on the disabled list.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Jacob Hanneman (Midwest League – A) — 32 stolen bases (tied 9th)
• Adam Law (California League – A+) — 19 stolen bases (17th); .354 OBP (tied 21st)
• Shane Petersen (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — .316 average (6th); 82 RBIs (tied 2nd); 95 runs (1st); .389 OBP (tied 6th); .863 OPS (16th); 156 hits (1st); 59 walks (tied 4th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Taylor Cole (Florida State League – A+) — 3.05 era (4th); 8 wins (tied 10th); 161 strikeouts (1st); 1.16 WHIP (4th); 124.0 innings (tied 13th); 21 starts (tied 19th)
• Bryan Harper (Carolina League – A+) — 3 saves (tied 22nd)
• Tyler Pill (Eastern League – AA) — 3.85 era (12th); 8 wins (tied 13th); 106 strike outs (tied 5th); 1.16 WHIP (5th); 114.2 innings (tied 21st); 19 starts (tied 21st)
• Boone Whiting (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — 1 complete game (tied 7th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Darwin Barney — 2nd base — Albuquerque Isotopes (LAD) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play – promoted to the majors
  YTD: .257, 5 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 5 so in 35 at bats
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• Jaycob Brugman — Outfield — Stockton Ports (OAK) — California League (A+)
  10 for 25 (.400) 9 run, 9 rbi, 4 hr, 3 bb, 1 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .283, 60 run, 67 rbi, 20 hr, 46 bb, 8 sb, 105 so in 399 at bats
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• Tyson Brummett — Pitcher — Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) — Southern League (AA)
  Did not pitch — on the 7-day DL
  YTD: 4-5, 2.79 era, 69 hits, 22 er, 57 k, 21 bb in 71.0 innings; 1.27 WHIP
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• John Buck — Catcher — Salt Lake Bees (LAA) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  4 for 18 (.222) 4 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .314, 8 run, 10 rbi, 1 hr, 9 bb, 0 sb, 16 so in 86 at bats
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• Taylor Cole — Pitcher — Dunedin Blue Jays (TOR) — Florida State League (A+)
  1-1, 4.50 era, 10 hits, 5 er, 18 k, 6 bb in 10.0 innings; 1.60 WHIP
  YTD: 8-9, 3.43 era, 119 hits, 52 er, 171 k, 44 bb in 136.1 innings; 1.20 WHIP
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• Jeff Gelalich — Outfield — Bakersfield Blaze (CIN) — California League (A+)
  8 for 28 (.286) 7 run, 6 rbi, 2 hr, 2 bb, 2 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .238, 67 runs, 46 rbi, 10 hr, 43 bb, 18 sb, 120 so in 411 at bats
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• Jacob Hannemann — Center Field — Daytona Cubs (CHC) — Florida State League (A+)
  5 for 26 (.192) 3 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .255, 71 run, 45 rbi, 7 hr, 38 bb, 36 sb, 99 so in 440 at bats
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• Bryan Harper — Pitcher — Potomac Nationals (WSH) — Carolina League (A+)
  0-0, 7.36 era, 2 hits, 3 er, 7 k, 3 bb in 3.2 innings; 1.36 WHIP
  YTD: 2-0, 3.27 era, 50 hits, 20 er, 45 k, 22 bb in 55.0 innings; 1.31 WHIP
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• Elliot Johnson — Infield — Columbus Clippers (CLE) — International League (AAA)
  1 for 21 (.048) 4 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 5 bb, 1 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .232, 40 run, 31 rbi, 4 hr, 37 bb, 10 sb, 75 so in 285 at bats
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• Adam Law — Left Field — Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (LAD) — California League (A+)
  6 for 28 (.214) 6 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .272, 59 run, 32 rbi, 0 hr, 37 bb, 19 sb, 60 so in 357 at bats
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• Marcus Littlewood — Catcher — High Desert Mavericks (SEA) — California League (A+)
  4 for 16 (.250) 3 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .253, 43 run, 44 rbi, 8 hr, 40 bb, 4 sb, 59 so in 297 at bats
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• Brandon Lyon — Pitcher — Salt Lake Bees (LAA) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not pitch — free agent
  YTD: 0-6, era 4.08, 33 hits, 8 er, 8 bb and 9 k in 17.2 innings; 2.32 WHIP
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• Mitch Maier — Outfield — Northwest Arkansas Naturals (KC) — Texas League (AA)
  4 for 19 (.211) 3 run, 3 rbi, 2 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 10 so
  YTD: .259, 12 run, 8 rbi, 3 hr, 6 bb, 0 sb, 22 so in 58 at bats
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• Adam Miller — Pitcher —South Bend Silver Hawks (AZ) — Midwest League (A)
  1-0, 0.00 era, 0 hits, 0 er, 4 k, 0 bb in 2.0 innings; 0.00 WHIP
  YTD: 5-1, 3.23 era, 51 hits, 19 er, 44 k, 19 bb in 53.0 innings; 1.32 WHIP
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• Clayton Mortensen — Pitcher — Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  1-0, 2.57 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 1 k, 1 bb in 7.0 innings; 0.86 WHIP
  YTD: 5-3, 3.70 era, 66 hits, 27 er, 17 bb and 53 k in 65.2 innings; 1.26 WHIP
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• Matt Neil —Pitcher — Montgomery Biscuits (TB) — Southern League (AA))
  Did not pitch — released
  YTD: 1-2, 7.40 era, 34 hits, 17 er, 4 bb and 19 k in 20.2 innings; 1.84 WHIP
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• Stephen Parker — 3rd base —Nashville Sounds (MIL) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play
  YTD: .000, 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 0 so in 0 at bats
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• Shane Peterson — Outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (OAK) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  10 for 22 (.455) 7 run, 4 rbi, 2 hr, 4 bb, 0 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .316, 95 runs, 82 rbi, 11 hr, 59 bb, 11 sb, 127 so in 494 at bats.
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• Tyler Pill — Pitcher —Binghamton Mets (NYM) — Eastern League (AA)
  1-0, 5.40 era, 3 hits, 3 er, 6 k, 0 bb in 5.0 innings; 0.60 WHIP
  YTD: 8-5, 4.00 era, 112 hits, 53 er, 110 k, 30 bb in 119.1 innings; 1.19 WHIP
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• Travis Pitcher — Pitcher —AZL Athletics (OAK) — Arizona League (R)
  0-0, 5.40 era, 2 hits, 1 er, 3 k, 2 bb in 1.2 innings; 2.40 WHIP
  YTD: 1-2, 7.48 era, 25 hits, 18 er, 27 k, 18 bb in 21.2 innings; 1.98 WHIP
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• Adam Rosales — Infielder — Round Rock Express (TEX) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play — promoted to majors
  YTD: .276, 42 runs, 43 rbi, 7 hr, 28 bb, 3 sb, 61 so in 272 at bats.
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• Mason Smith — Outfielder —AZL Padres (SD) — Arizona League (R)
  2 for 14 (.143) 4 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 1 sb, 9 so
  YTD: .213, 19 run, 9 rbi, 1 hr, 15 bb, 2 sb, 45 so in 136 at bats
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• Nik Turley — Pitcher — Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) — International League (AAA)
  1-0, 1.69 era, 4 hits, 1 er, 4 k, 5 bb in 5.1 innings; 1.69 WHIP
  YTD: 3-2, era 4.83, 44 hits, 27 er, 36 bb and 39 k in 50.1 innings; 1.59 WHIP
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• Boone Whiting — Pitcher —Memphis Redbirds (STL) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  0-0, 0.00 era, 3 hits, 0 er, 4 k, 2 bb in 4.0 innings; 1.25 WHIP
  YTD: 4-6, 3.73 era, 75 hits, 34 er, 85 k, 40 bb in 82.0 innings; 1.40 WHIP
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Independent Leagues:

• Cole Miles — outfielder — Florence Freedom (Frontier League)
  2 for 23 (.087) 2 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 1 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .280, 39 run, 27 rbi, 6 hr, 26 bb, 25 sb, 47 so in 257 at bats
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Foreign Leagues:

• Brett Pill — Kia Tigers — Korean League
  4 for 6 (.667) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .312, 48 runs, 47 rbi, 16 hr, 19 bb, 6 sb, 45 so in 247 at bats.
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Last Year’s players released: (could still be picked up by other teams)

• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
• Cale Iorg — released (was with Aberdeen IronBirds (BAL) — New York-Penn League (SS))
• Taylor Mangum —Released (was with Brevard County Manatees (MIL) — Florida State League (A+))
• Mitch Talbot — Free Agent (was with Las Vegas 51s (NYM) — Pacific Coast League (AAA))

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Other players who may be Mormon: [We need to determine if these players are Mormon before publishing further information about them.] Rick Anton, James Brooks, Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Eric Byrnes, Chris Capper, Tyler Chism, Dallas Christison, Shaun Cooper, Stephen Fife, Tyler Hanks, Steve Hirschfeld, Travis Huber, Zachary Jones, Goose Kallunki, Ryan Khoury, Kam Mickolio (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way), A. J. Murray, Jordan Taylor Pratt, Tanner Robles, Braeden Schlehuber, Justin Smith, Matt Spring, Brad Thompson, Tyler Wagner

Non-Mormons who may be confused for Mormons Matt Carson (non-Mormon who went to BYU), Derek Christensen, Parker Morin, Egan Smith, Jordan Smith, Keenyn Walker
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