Season in Review – Tri-City Valley Cats
Record: 33-42 (.440)
Hitting: .247/.335/.349 32HR 513K 272BB 92SB 42CS 63GIDP
Pitching: 3.78ERA 1.39WHIP 36HR 614K 250BB
Offensive Leaders
Zach Johnson – G/PA/AB/H/RBI/TB
Matthew Duffy – R/2B/AVG/SLG/GIDP/HBP
Neiko Johnson – SB/BB/OBP/Sac
Bubby Williams – HR(6)/SF
Brandon Meredith – 3B
Pitching Leaders
Yuri Perez – GS/IP/BF
Dayan Diaz – W-L/ERA(1.98)/BB/K/WHIP
Ryan Cole – G/GF/SV
Euris Quezada – WP
Jonas Dufek -- HB
As the season progresses
June: 6-7 (.462)
July: 11-18 (.379)
August: 16-17 (.485)
Outfield
June LF: Meredith; CF: Gominsky; RF: Muren
July LF: Meredith/N.Johnson/Killsgaard; CF: Gominsky(Muren); RF: Muren(Meredith)
August LF: Epps/N.Johnson/(Scott); CF: Gominsky(Springer); RF: Muren(Epps)
Justin Gominsky (.237/.311/.276) and Andrew Muren (.257/.376/.324) were fixtures for most of the season before losing playing time in August to late-signer George Springer and newly-promoted Chris Epps and Jordan Scott. Gominsky saw his average fall during the year (.283 in June, .263 in July and .187 in August) while Muren seemed to rally as the season progressed (.171 in June, .222 in July and a team-leading .330 in August). Neither showed much power, and while speedy, both were caught stealing way too often (Muren 8/16; Gominsky 7/19). Muren also led the team with 55K in 222AB. Brandon Meredith started well (.270/.413/.378 in June) but tailed off in July before going on the DL in August. He finished at .244/.371/.395, leading the team in triples with 4. Springer struggled a bit in his pro debut (.179/.303/.393) but only 2K in 28AB looks promising. Both Epps (.212/.414/.385 in 70PA) and Scott (.235/.409/.353 in 22PA) seemed to adapt well, though neither hit much for average in limited appearances after their promotions. Kellen Killsgaard struggled mightily (.159/.194/.261) and was sent down to Greeneville in early August.
Infield
June 1B: Z.Johnson; 2B: Hinson; 3B: Duffy; SS: Rodriguez/N.Johnson
July 1B: Z.Johnson; 2B: Hinson; 3B: Duffy; SS: Healey(N.Johnson)
August 1B: Z.Johnson(Valenzuela); 2B: N.Johnson(Arrendell/Z.Johnson); 3B: Duffy(Valenzuela); SS: Healey(Arrendell)
Injuries figured heavily in the variety of alignments, as Jacke Healey was injured in the opening series, Rafael Valenzuela missed June and July recovering from last season’s injuries, and John Hinson went down in August. All of that meant that Miguel Arrendell had to drop down from Lancaster to fill in at middle infield positions in August, while normal first baseman Zach Johnson experimented with time at second. Meanwhile, Hector Rodriguez spent a few days in June on the Lancaster roster before joining Tri City and earned a promotion to Lexington in August. Duffy was the offensive star of the infield hitting a consistent .298/.370/.417 for the year with 20 doubles and 37 RBI. Hinson was heating up with a team-leading .305 average in July before his injury and finished at .284/.348/.389. He also fielded his position very well. At .262/.339/.369 and a team-leading 40RBI, Zach Johnson was also an offensive force. His defense, though, included 12 errors at 1B and 3 more in 7 games at 2B & 3B. Rafael Valenzuela appears to be recovered, hitting .316/.367/.456 in 128 PA’s after his return, but at 23 he has to play catch-up to retain any sort of prospect status. The slick-fielding Arrendell, however, may be headed nowhere. After stuggling for playing time over the past three years behind Mier and Altuve (Greeneville in 2009, Lexington in 2010 and Lancaster this year), he finds himself back in short-season ball at age 23. Neiko Johnson is another 23-year-old who needs to move up quickly. He split time evenly between 2B, SS and LF while swiping 21 bases and drawing 41 walks in 238 PA; he also struck out 37 times, though, and haad just 6 XBH.
Catcher
June Hamblin(Williams/McCurdy)
July Hamblin(McCurdy/Williams)
August McCurdy/Hamblin
Williams & Hamblin also accounted for well over half the starts at DH between them as management struggled to work three catchers into the mix. Bubby Williams struggled at the plate after a strong year at Greeneville in 2010, though he did end up leading the Valley Cats in HR with 6. He hit only .158 in June and barely cleared the Mendoza line, finishing at .206/.223/.397 – exclusively as DH in August. Miles Hamblin also started slow (.229 in June) but recovered to post a .264/.346/.398 line for the season, though he struck out 44 times in 201 AB. Meanwhile, Ryan McCurdy, who got very little playing time last year in rookie ball, hit .324/.388/.382 in 118 PA. He’s 23, though, and time is running out for him. None of the three were able to slow down the running game, with opponents successful on 108 of 137 attempts.
Rotation
June Perez/Dufek/Quezada/Hallock/Tropeano
July Perez/Dufek/Quezada/Hallock/Tropeano
August Perez/Hallock/Tropeano/Cotton/Champion
Jonas Dufek pitched well (3.71 ERA; 1.39 WHIP) before being injured in mid-August, while Euris Quezada (6.95 ERA; 2.05 WHIP) was much less successful before being suspended for 25 games for having unauthorized syringes. They were replaced by Adam Champion, who moved out of the bullpen to register a 2.77 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in August, and Jamaine Cotton, who posted a 3.68 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP after being promoted from Greeneville. The “big three” all year, though, were Yuri Perez (1-6; 5.48 ERA; 1.62 WHIP; 9.0K/9), Kyle Hallock (3-4; 2.63 ERA; 1.22 WHIP; 8.9K/9), and Nick Tropeano (3-2; 2.36 ERA; 1.18 WHIP; 10.6K/9).
Bullpen – by IP
June Diaz/Champion/Smink/Rosario/Bueno/Cole/Bullock/Lambson/Blankenship/Belliard
July Lambson/Smink/Diaz/Bullock/Champion/Cole/Blankenship/Bueno/Rosario/Belliard
August Diaz/Smink/Bullock/Blankenship/Lambson/Cole/Rosario/Belliard/Bueno
Apart from Adam Champion being moved into the rotation in late July, the bullpen makeup was consistent for the full year. Ryan Cole (1-1; 2.33; 1.33 WHIP; 8.3K/IP; 10 saves) was the closer, while other roles appeared to be distributed pretty evenly. The standout performer was Dayan Diaz (7-3; 1.98 ERA; 1.14 WHIP; 12.6K/IP and 2 saves in 18 relief appearances and 1 start). Ebert Rosario was making the transition from 3B and posted a respectable 3.42 ERA (and a less respectable 1.69 WHIP) along with 27 K’s in 23+ innings. Garrett Bullock (2.51 ERA; 1.24 WHIP), Mitchell Lambson (4.33 & 1.16), Travis Blankenship (3.90 & 1.07) and Travis Smink (4.37 & 1.32) all contributed to a strong bullpen as well, but Bullock is 25 and only Lambson is under 23.
In sum: This team was at least mathematically in the race for a playoff spot until late in August, and was not as bad as the record indicates. They actually outscored opponents (345 to 343) and projected to a 38-37 record using the Pythagorean method. That said, key contributors were all a bit older than would be expected, and will have to really step it up to maintain prospect status as they move up the ladder.