Twenty-Nine Players From Tacoma’s Triple-A All-Star Game Currently In The Majors

Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the 2017 season at Cheney Stadium was the Triple-A All-Star Game back on July 12th.

The game has a history of showcasing future major league stars, and I’m sure our game will stand up to many previous editions in that regard.

A total of 29 players who appeared in that game have been called up to the major leagues. Several appear to be making a statement for long-term major league employment.

Here’s a list of the players who appeared in the Triple-A All-Star Game and are currently in the major leagues:

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

• Amed Rosario – New York Mets (Las Vegas)
• Derek Fisher – Houston Astros (Fresno)
• Christian Walker – Arizona Diamondbacks (Reno)
• Willie Calhoun – Texas Rangers (was Oklahoma City in the game, then traded)
• Ildemaro Vargas – Arizona Diamondbacks (Reno)
• Garrett Cooper – New York Yankees (Colorado Springs in game, traded)
• Dan Vogelbach – Seattle Mariners (Tacoma)
• Colin Moran – Houston Astros (Fresno)
• Renato Nunez – Oakland A’s (Nashville)
• Alex Verdugo – Los Angeles Dodgers (Oklahoma City)
• Carson Kelly – St. Louis Cardinals (Memphis)
• Max Stassi – Houston Astros (Fresno)
• Tomas Telis – Miami Marlins (New Orleans)
• Wilmer Font – Los Angeles Dodgers (Oklahoma City)
• Troy Scribner – Los Angeles Angels (Salt Lake)
• Jimmie Sherfy – Arizona Diamondbacks (Reno)
• Ryan Sherriff – St. Louis Cardinals (Memphis)

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

• Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves (Gwinnett)
• Chance Sisco – Baltimore Orioles (Norfolk)
• Andrew Stevenson – Washington Nationals (Syracuse)
• Chris Bostick – Pittsburgh Pirates (Indianapolis)
• Mike Marjama – Seattle Mariners (Durham in game, traded)
• Jorge Alfaro – Philadelphia Phillies (Lehigh Valley)
• Steven Brault – Pittsburgh Pirates (Indianapolis)
• Caleb Smith – New York Yankees (Scranton)
• Lucas Sims – Atlanta Braves (Gwinnett)
• Andrew Kittredge – Tampa Bay Rays (Durham)
• Kevin Shackelford – Cincinnati Reds (Louisville)
• Jimmy Yacabonis – Baltimore Orioles (Norfolk)

I did not include players who had major league experience prior the Triple-A All-Star Game and did not get called up after it, such as Pawtucket’s Rusney Castillo and Bryce Brentz. This list is just players in the big leagues right now.

Some players of note:

Two of the starting middle infielders in the Triple-A All-Star Game have locked up jobs in the majors: Amed Rosario is the Mets starting shortstop of the present, and Ozzie Albies has taken the Braves everyday second base job.

The Phillies have made Jorge Alfaro their starting catcher and so far, so good. He’s hit .304 with four homers in his first 27 games.

Despite being playoff-bound, the Houston Astros are giving Derek Fisher a long look as a potential everyday outfielder for next year. He’s been kind of so-so in his MLB debut, hitting just .207 but with walks (16) and some power (five homers) in 135 at-bats.

Lights-out Reno closer Jimmie Sherfy has not allowed a run over his first 11 major league games for the Diamondbacks, and the playoff-bound team is has even used him in some key situations down the stretch. He’s eligible for the playoff roster.

Ex-Rainiers reliever Andrew Kittredge (grew up in Spokane –> University of Washington) has been outstanding in his first major league stint, posting a 1.93 ERA in 14 games out of Tampa’s bullpen.

Natural born hitter Willie Calhoun launched his first major league home run for Texas on Wednesday. He’s only had 19 at-bats.

Two highly regarded catching prospects are getting their first tastes of the big leagues right now, and they have different outlooks. Cardinals receiver Carson Kelly is generally considered to be ready for a starting job in the majors, but he is stuck behind Yadier Molina. Baltimore’s Chance Sisco has hit two homers in September and may have a clearer path to regular playing time.

It was a fun game, and those of us who attended will be reminded of it in years to come while watching MLB games.

Links:

• Bob Dutton has been a MLB beat writer for over 30 years, and he is retiring after the Mariners season ends on Sunday. We’ll miss his quality stories, like this one suggesting the Mariners need to make a big splash in the offseason.
• Tacoma Rainiers creative design wizard Tony Canepa was commissioned to do the logo for a new collegiate wooden-bat summer league team in Macon, Georgia: the Macon Bacon. Here’s his logo.
• Found this fun story on unusual baseball artifacts in the Bay Area, which made me think I’d love to see a similar story for Seattle/Tacoma.

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Accolades and Endings

We’re back! Today we have some news on off-the-field personnel to pass along, and a couple of good links.

Tacoma Rainiers team president Aaron Artman received a major honor last week, when he was named Pacific Coast League Executive of the Year.

The Rainiers had an amazing season off the field, highlighted by hosting the Triple-A All-Star Game in July. The all-star events went off spectacularly, and that’s a main reason Artman was honored by his peers.

It wasn’t just the All-Star Game. Tacoma also had great crowds, recording the third-highest total attendance in franchise history. Merchandise sales continue to rank among the best in the minors. Aaron continues to try to improve the Cheney Stadium experience by making improvements to the park: the R-Yard deck in left a couple of years ago, then the kid’s playground and whiffle ball field, and prior to 2017 the improved top deck/beer garden.

Artman became the first Tacoma executive to win this award since Stan Naccarato in 1975.

Up north, Seattle Mariners Radio is losing it’s anchor to retirement.

Kevin Cremin is retiring after 35 years as the producer/engineer for Mariners Radio. He traveled with the team, handled all equipment-related issues, and produced the broadcasts including pregame and magazine-style shows among many other duties.

Kevin has been a big help during the handful of games I filled in over the years. I hope he enjoys not working!

For more on Cremin, check out Shannon Drayer’s blog post on his career.

Links:

• Ryan Divish turned in a long story explaining the Mariners pitching problems and the path they took to try to overcome the problem. While writing about the Mariners, Divish told the story of the 2017 Tacoma Rainiers.
• The Mariners were eliminated from postseason contention with Sunday’s loss. Baseball’s longest playoff drought is 16 years.
• Good story alert: Tim Lincecum has decided to disappear.

Check back later this week, when we’ll see how many players from our Triple-A All-Star Game got called up to the big leagues afterwards.

And The Triple-A National Champion Is…

The Durham Bulls.

Durham beat Memphis in the Triple-A National Championship Game last night at PNC Park in Scranton, PA, by a final score of 5-3.

Durham’s Kean Wong was the star, hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the fourth inning. That was part of a three-hit game for the Bulls second baseman.

Ex-Rainiers outfielder Tyler O’Neill hit a pair of singles and scored a run for Memphis in the losing cause.

It marked the second Triple-A National Championship for Durham in the 12 years that the game has been played. Durham won in 2009 – coincidentally, also against Memphis.

(Tacoma reached the final game after winning the PCL title in 2010, but lost to Jason Kipnis and Columbus).

Here’s coverage of the game from MiLB.com, and the newspaper in Scranton.

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That was the final minor league baseball game of the year. Now we’ll watch the end of the major league season play out, with the playoffs right around the corner.

This is shaping up to be an interesting October, with both of last year’s World Series teams (Cubs and Indians) red hot at the moment, the once-mighty Dodgers stumbling down the stretch, the Astros with their brand new Verlander, the baby Yankees, the Red Sox turning Price into a bullpen weapon, and two dangerous teams playing in the NL Wild Card game.

This blog will be off duty for the remainder of the week; we’ll be back next week.

Triple-A Title Game Tonight

The final game of the Minor League Baseball season is tonight, when Memphis plays Durham in the Triple-A National Championship Game in Scranton, PA.

The one-game battle between the PCL and International League champions starts at 4:00 (Pacific) and can be watched live on the NBC Sports Network.

There will be some prospects to watch on the mound. Durham – the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate – is starting former Mariners prospect Ryan Yarbrough, and expects to use top prospect Brett Honeywell in relief. Hard-throwing St. Louis Cardinals prospect Dakota Hudson is set to start for Memphis.

Let’s root for the PCL. Hopefully Tyler O’Neill will hit a bomb for the Redbirds!

Links:

• We have previews of the Triple-A National championship Game from MiLB.com, and from the newspaper in Scranton.
• The Seattle Times has a story on ex-Rainiers reliever Emilio Pagan.
• John McGrath turned the clock ahead two weeks, reporting live from a future in which the Mariners just went on a huge stretch-run winning streak.

 

Roses For The Redbirds

Congratulations to the Memphis Redbirds, who are the 2017 Pacific Coast League champions.

A fitting title for the team that had the best record during the regular season, winning a franchise record 91 games.

Memphis beat Colorado Springs in the American Conference finals, then had a real dogfight with El Paso in the Championship Series.

Memphis went up 2-0 at home in the best-of-five series, but then lost the next two at El Paso to set up a winner-take-all game last night.

Game Five turned out to be a pitching-and-defense affair, which the Redbirds won 3-1. Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run homer, and Matt Pearce pitched six innings and gave up just one run.

Wisdom was named MVP of the postseason, collecting nine RBI in ten playoff games.

Memphis has one game left, on Tuesday in Scranton in the Triple-A National Championship Game against the International League champion Durham Bulls.

Links:

• Coverage of the PCL Championship, from MiLB.com, the El Paso Times, and the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
• On the Mariners front, Ryan Divish found a positive to take away from the 2017 season: the outfield appears to be set for a while.
• Bob Dutton talked to several opposing scouts about the Mariners, and it makes for an interesting read.

Game Five Of PCL Finals Tonight

The PCL Championship Series has gone the distance.

After losing the first two games at Memphis, El Paso returned home and has won two straight to even the series and bring us to the decisive Game Five tonight.

San Diego Padres pitching prospect Jacob Nix pitched into the seventh inning and allowed just one run in his Triple-A debut, and Nick Buss hit a three-run homer as the Chihuahuas topped Memphis on Saturday night, 5-1.

Here are reports on the series from MiLB.com and the El Paso Times.

Game Five is tonight at 5:05 (Pacific). Memphis starts Matt Pearce against El Paso’s Kyle Lloyd. Follow along right here.

M’s Affiliate Wins Title; Chihuahuas Stay Alive

Congratulations to the Seattle Mariners Class-A Modesto affiliate, which won the California League championship last night.

The Nuts swept their way through the postseason, sweeping both best-of-five series to win the title.

Infielder Joe Rizzo was named MVP of the postseason. Up from Low-A Clinton for the playoffs, the 19-year-old third baseman hit .538 over the five games he played in, driving in six runs. Rizzo was the Mariners second round draft pick in 2016.

You can read about the Nuts title run right here.

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In the PCL, the El Paso Chihuahuas avoided extinction by taking down Memphis on Friday night, 3-0.

Franchy Cordero hit a go-ahead home run, and five El Paso pitchers combined to pitch a shutout. We have game stories from MiLB.com and the El Paso Times.

Game Four of the series is tonight at 6:05 (Pacific), with Memphis still able to win the trophy with a victory. Memphis leads the series, two games to one.

Whoever wins the series will play Durham in the Triple-A National Championship Game on Tuesday in Scranton, PA. Durham (Tampa Bay Rays affiliate) won the International League title last night.

You can follow Game Four of the PCL Championship Series right here.

 

Game-Ending HR Gives Memphis 2-0 Lead

Game Two of the PCL Championship Series was a real thriller yesterday in Memphis, Tennessee.

After a brilliant pitching performance by Memphis Redbirds starter Kevin Herget, the game was decided on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Jose Adolis Garcia snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run homer to give the Redbirds a 2-0 victory – and also a 2-0 lead over El Paso in the best-of-five series.

Herget struck out a career-high 15 batters over eight shutout innings. He was one strikeout shy of the Memphis franchise record, established by current Cardinals starter Lance Lynn in 2010.

El Paso starting pitcher Bryan Rodriguez pitched seven scoreless innings, and Puyallup product Adam Cimber tossed two scoreless frames to keep it 0-0 through nine innings. Eric Yardley ended up allowing the game-winning homer.

The series moves to El Paso tonight, where the Chihuahuas are backed into a corner. Memphis can win the championship with a victory in Game Three tonight at 6:05 (Pacific). Follow along right here.

Links:

• Coverage of Game Two of the PCL Championship Series from MiLB.com, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, and the El Paso Times.
• Tacoma Rainiers PR and Baseball Information guru Brett Gleason compiled his 2017 Rainiers Season In Review. You can check it out right here.
• Remember Bryce Brentz, the Pawtucket slugger who impressively won the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby at Cheney Stadium two months ago? Despite hitting 31 homers this season, the Red Sox did not call him up – and he’s about to become a free agent. The Boston Globe tells his story. Maybe he liked Tacoma?
• Larry Stone has a column on the possibility of the Mariners signing Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani (or Otani – it seems to be 50/50 on the spelling, due to translation considerations). MLB.com lists the Mariners as one of five likely destinations for Ohtani. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times actually went to Japan and chased down Ohtani in a parking lot (the Dodgers will be a major player if Ohtani decides to come to the US).
• The New York Times visited the Driveline baseball academy up in Kent.
• I enjoyed this little Wright Thompson article on ESPN.com, in which he walked home with rookie outfielder Greg Allen after the Indians 22nd straight win.

Memphis Takes Game One of PCL Finals

The Memphis Redbirds won the opening game of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series on Wednesday night, beating El Paso 6-4. Patrick Wisdom hit a pair of doubles, drove in two runs, and scored twice.

Tyler O’Neill also got into the act, hitting a solo homer. He’s had a big postseason for the Redbirds, with four homers in six playoff games.

You can read about the game from MiLB.com, and from the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.

Game Two is crucial. If El Paso wins, they will have earned a split of the two road games, and have home field advantage for the final three. If Memphis wins, they are up 2-0 and will get three tries needing just one win at El Paso.

Game Two is a day game – and it just started, at 10:05 AM. Follow live right here.

PCL Finals Open Tonight

Game One of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series is tonight, when El Paso plays at Memphis. First pitch is set for 5:05 (Pacific).

El Paso is trying to repeat as league champion. Memphis is trying to put the crown on top of a record-setting 91-win season.

The Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals affiliate) are starting hard-throwing prospect Dakota Hudson in the opener tonight.

The little doggies of El Paso (San Diego Padres affiliate) are going with rising prospect Chris Huffman, who moved from Class-A to Double-A to Triple-A all in one season.

Here’s a series preview from the good folks of MiLB.com.

You can follow along with a live scoreboard, Gameday, or streaming broadcast outlets by going to this landing page.

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The lone Mariners affiliate in the playoffs is Advanced-A Modesto. The Nuts took the opener of the California League Championship Series last night, 13-6 at Lancaster. Here’s a recap and link to box score. It’s a best-of-five series.

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Big news in the majors yesterday, as Jeff Passan reported that the “Babe Ruth of Japan” Shohei Otani will be posted after the season.

Every team is going to be interested, including the Mariners. In fact, apparently general manager Jerry Dipoto and several of his top scouts are in Japan right now, scouting Otani.

Bob Dutton explains how the process of signing Otani works. Bidding is essentially capped, and it becomes more of a recruiting battle than anything else. This may bode well for Seattle – and the big market teams.