Mormon Baseball

In a week the number of Mormon players in the minors post-season games has fallen from 9 to 3, as their teams have been eliminated in their playoffs. The best among them last week was Clayton Mortensen of the Omaha Stome Chasers (Pacific Coast League — AAA), who gave up just 1 unearned run in a single 5 inning relief appearance and ended up with a loss. Mortensen was otherwise strong, striking out 8 without a single walk and giving up just 1 hit. He ended up with a strikingly low 0.20 WHIP for the week.

Somewhat surprisingly the other two Mormon players remaining in post-season play, Tyler Pill and Bryan Harper, are also pitchers. Pill’s first of two starts was a disaster, but he escaped without a loss, and managed to get a win his second start. Harper pitched just 1.1 innings of relief, but shut out his opponents.

Here’s a run-down of the nine Mormons in the minors who were on teams that played in the minor league post season:

AAA teams:

Each of the two AAA leagues have league conference playoffs, championship series, and then the champions of each league then meet in a single game AAA championship, scheduled for September 16th in Charlotte, North Carolina.

International League

• Elliot Johnson, Columbus Clippers, International League, West Conference Champions
  * Clippers lost their 5-game series 3-1 to the Durham Bulls Sept. 3-7
  .
  2 for 6 (.333) 1 run, 1 rbi, 1 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  Reg. Season: .236, 43 run, 37 rbi, 5 hr, 43 bb, 10 sb, 82 so in 314 at bats
  .

Pacific Coast League

• Clayton Mortensen, Omaha Storm Chasers, Pacific Coast League, American Northern Conference Champions
  * Storm Chasers won a 5-game series 3-1 over the Memphis Redbirds Sept. 4-8
  * They are now playing in the 5-game League championship series Sept. 9-14, and are ahead 1-0.
  .
  0-1, 0.00 era, 1 hits, 0 er, 8 k, 0 bb in 5.0 innings; 0.20 WHIP
  Reg. Season: 5-4, 4.74 era, 86 hits, 40 er, 22 bb and 62 k in 76.0 innings; 1.42 WHIP
  .
• Boone Whiting, Memphis Redbirds, Pacific Coast League, American Southern Conference Champions
  * Redbirds lost a 5-game series 1-3 to the Omaha Storm Chasers Sept. 4-8
  .
  0-1, 3.60 era, 7 hits, 2 er, 6 k, 1 bb in 5.0 innings; 1.60 WHIP
  Reg. Season: 5-4, 4.74 era, 86 hits, 40 er, 22 bb and 62 k in 76.0 innings; 1.42 WHIP
  .

AA teams:

The top two teams in each of the two divisions in the Eastern League play each other in a 5-game series to determine the division champions. The division champions then face each other in a championship series.

• Tyler Pill, Binghamton Mets, Eastern League, Eastern Division 2nd place team
  * Binghamton Mets won a 5-game series Sept. 3-7 against the Binghamton Mets.
  * They are now playing in the 5-game League championship series Sept. 9-13, and lead the Richmond Squirrels 1-0.
  .
  1-0, 5.40 era, 12 hits, 7 er, 7 k, 2 bb in 11.2 innings; 1.20 WHIP
  Reg. Season: 9-5, 3.97 era, 121 hits, 57 er, 124 k, 32 bb in 129.1 innings; 1.18 WHIP
  .

A+ teams:

California League

A wild card team in each of the two divisions in the California League plays a 3-game series against the second half season champion. The winner then plays a 5-game division series against the first half season champion to determine the division champions. The division champions then face each other in a championship series.

• Jaycob Brugman, Stockton Ports, California League, North Division 2nd half winner
  * Stockton Ports lost a 3-game series Sept. 3-5 2-0 to the Visalia Rawhide.
  .
  3 for 8 (.375) 1 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  Reg. Season: .280, 67 run, 72 rbi, 21 hr, 51 bb, 8 sb, 115 so in 443 at bats
  .
• Jeff Gelalich, Bakersfield Blaze, California League, North Division 1st half winner
  * Bakersfield Blaze lost a 5-game series Sept. 6-10 1-3 to the Visalia Rawhide.
  .
  4 for 16 (.250) 2 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 6 so
  Reg. Season: .238, 72 runs, 49 rbi, 11 hr, 49 bb, 21 sb, 131 so in 446 at bats
  .

Carolina League

The first and second half season winners in each of the two divisions in the Carolina League play each other in a 3-game division series that determines the division champions. The division champions then face each other in a championship series.

• Bryan Harper, Potomac Nationals, Carolina League, Northern Divison Champions
  * The Nationals won a 3-game series 2-0 over the Lynchburg Hillcats September 3-5
  * They are now playing a 5-game championship series September 6-11 against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and lead the series 2-1.
  .
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 2 k, 0 bb in 1.1 innings; 1.50 WHIP
  Reg. Season: 3-0, 3.19 era, 53 hits, 21 er, 51 k, 25 bb in 59.1 innings; 1.31 WHIP
  .

Florida State League

Each of the two divisions in the Florida State League play division series between the winners of each half of the season to determine the division champions. The division champions then face each other in a championship series.

• Taylor Cole, Dunedin Blue Jays, Florida State League, first half winners, North Division
  * Blue Jays lost a 3-game series Sept. 2-4 0-2 t0 the Daytona Cubs.
  .
  0-1, 40.50 era, 6 hits, 6 er, 3 k, 0 bb in 1.1 innings; 4.50 WHIP
  Reg. Season: 8-11, 3.43 era, 126 hits, 55 er, 181 k, 46 bb in 144.1 innings; 1.19 WHIP
  .
• Jacob Hannemann, Daytona Cubs, Florida State League, second half winners, North Division
  * Daytona Cubs won a 3-game series Sept. 2-4 2-0 over the Dunedin Blue Jays.
  * The Cubs lost the 5-game League Championship Series 1-3 against the Fort Myers Miracle Sept. 5-9.
  .
  7 for 28 (.250) 2 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 1 sb, 9 so
  Reg. Season: .251, 74 run, 51 rbi, 8 hr, 42 bb, 37 sb, 111 so in 487 at bats
  .

I will try to keep us all up-to-date with the status of the remaining three Mormon minor leaguers over their remaining games. Enjoy the rest of the minor league post season!