Photo Credit: MLive

ball he threw against St Lucie.  After making one more start in Dunedin, Hernandez was inexplicably sent back to Lansing.  Why would you demote a 23-year-old when he was getting the job done at a higher level?  As it turns out, Hernandez was likely just injury cover for Nolin.

Ok, I’m with the Jay’s thinking so far.  Hernandez’s rotation spot in Lansing had been filled by spot starts from, amongst others, Blake McFarland.  With Lansing winning the first half title, their playoff position was guaranteed, and maybe they wanted a set rotation heading into the post-season.  Which is why the next coupe of moves had me scratching my head.  After making a few appearances for Dunedin, Nolin was promoted to New Hampshire.  Based on his season, this was a no-brainer.  Nolin was too good for the Florida State League.   To replace Nolin in Dunedin the organization promoted, you guessed it, Jesse Hernandez.  Although this makes sense based on his play and other reasons described above, I just don’t get the reasoning of sending him to Lansing while Nolin got a few reps in Dunedin.  The Jays must have known that Nolin would not be in the FSL for long once he was back from injury, so why yo-yo a guy when his position in Lansing had been filled by spot starters anyway?

With Lansing 12 games away from their playoffs, I would have thought now would be the time to set the rotation you want for a playoff run.  That would give all the starters roughly two more starts.  Having McFarland spot start, then move to the bullpen, now seemingly start again is perplexing.  Not only because he doesn’t have a defined role so late in the season, but because he also hasn’t been particularly good.

In Vancouver, Javier Avendano has been lights out all season.  In his last 10 starts he’s struck out 63 against 14 walks in 53 innings and has won Northwest League pitcher of the week honours twice.  Why, if the organization knew Nolin would be sent to Double-A, would the Jays not just leave Hernandez in Dunedin and replace him full stop in Lansing with Avendano?  Javier actually started the season in Lansing in a relief role.  Once the short season teams got their schedule underway he was re-assigned to stretch out a bit as a starter.  This being his fourth year of pro-ball, and effectively his repeat year with a short season club, surely he would have been told that if he does well, a promotion is on the cards, right?  I understand the C’s are in the midst of a playoff push, and the Jays have always been enthusiastic about getting their prospects playoff experience, but at the cost of leaving a player at a level below where he should be?

Now, I’m sure the Jays team of minor league coordinators (who are a lot smarter than me) have a plan in place, but with two teams already guaranteed playoff berths, and a third fighting for one, it seems logical to lock up the starting staffs now.  That way, the pitchers in question know how many starts they’ll have left in the season, where they’ll be, and what sort of role they’ll play come playoff time.  Hitters are more flexible, highlighted by the slew of recent call-ups from Bluefield to Vancouver, but pitchers seem to work better on a strict schedule.

Not leaving Hernandez in Dunedin while promoting Avendano to replace him was odd.  In fact, leaving Avendano in Vancouver full stop is odd.  I’ll be interested to see if there’s more moves to be made as the minor league teams season draw to a close.  In fact, with the Jays season in disarray, how the affiliates fare come playoff time are the last remaining bits of hope I have for the 2012 season.

 Wins/Losses: 1-5 | Streak: L3 | T-3rd in PCL Pacific South division (4.0 GB)

Fresno Grizzlies 10, Las Vegas 51s 5 (LP: Pino, 0-1)

It’s hard to come back when you’re down 8-0 after three innings, but that was the case for the 51s as a six-run third sealed their fate in their 10-5 loss to Fresno on Tuesday night.

Hitting:

Las Vegas mounted a late rally with a total of five runs in the sixth and seventh innings combined, led by Travis Snider, who finished 1-for-5 on the night but knocked a two-run double. Travis d’Arnaud went 2-for-4 with a double in the cleanup spot, Adeiny Hechavarria went 3-for-5 with two RBI hitting second, and Mike McCoy went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a pair of walks at the very bottom of the batting order.

Pitching:

Making his first start since being called up to Triple-A, Las Vegas starter Yohan Pino was shelled for eight earned runs on 10 hits in just three innings of work. He struck out a pair and did not issue a walk, but gave up four doubles and a triple. Reliever Clint Everts righted the ship after that, though, allowing just one hit in three scoreless innings, before Bobby Korecky gave up a pair of earned runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. Robert Coello closed things out with 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts around a pair of hits.

Wins/Losses: 3-2 | Streak: W1 | 2nd in EAS Eastern division (1.5 GB)

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, Reading Phillies 2 (WP: Hutchison, 2-0)

Despite a late scare from two Reading home runs, the Fisher Cats were able to make a winner out of their starter and top the Phillies 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Hitting:

Right fielder Brad Glenn went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and hit his first home run of the season, a two-out solo shot in the second inning, while Mark Sobolewski went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI hitting seventh. Mike McDade‘s double was New Hampshire’s only other extra-base hit, and their offense finished with three runs on nine hits.

Pitching:

Despite not recording a single strikeout, Fisher Cats starter Drew Hutchison kept the Phillies scoreless in six strong innings, allowing eight hits and one walk. Danny Farquhar and Aaron Loup each recorded holds after combining to throw a scoreless seventh, while Ronald Uviedo made things interesting by letting Reading make it a one-run game with solo homers in the eighth and ninth.

Wins/Losses: 4-1 | Streak: W2 | 1st in FSL North division (0.0 GB)

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Daytona Cubs 2 (WP: Gracey, 1-1 | S: Barnes, 3)

After their bats were silenced for the game’s first seven innings, the D-Jays’ offense woke up with a four-run eighth to take the lead and steal a 4-2 win over Daytona on Tuesday night.

Hitting:

Dunedin hitters left a runner on base in each of the first six innings before erupting with all of their offense in the top of the eighth. Leadoff hitter Jonathan Jones reached on a throwing error and advanced to second before Sean Ochinko and Marcus Knecht hit back-to-back doubles to quickly tie the game at 2. After another Daytona throwing error allowed Kevin Nolan to reach base and Knecht to score, Ryan Schimpf doubled Nolan home to put Dunedin up 4-2 before being thrown out at third trying to leg the hit into a triple.

Pitching:

Dunedin starter Casey Lawrence gave up the only runs of the game and finished his outing with two earned runs on nine hits in six innings with one walk  and two strikeouts. Scott Gracey earned the win in relief after tossing a scoreless seventh, Matt Wright and Dustin Antolin both recorded holds after combining for a scoreless eighth, and D-Jays closer Danny Barnes recorded his third save of the season after a scoreless ninth despite allowing a hit and issuing two walks.

Wins/Losses: 5-0 | Streak: W5 | 1st in MID Eastern division (0.0 GB)

Lansing Lugnuts 6, Dayton Dragons 2 (WP: Hernandez, 1-0)

Thanks to a dominant performance by Lugnuts starter and Michigan native Jesse Hernandez, Lansing was able to cruise to a 6-2 win over Dayton on Tuesday night and match their best start in franchise history at 5-0.

Hitting:

The Lugnuts broke a 0-0 tie with five runs in the top of the fifth, kicked off by a two-run home run by shortstop Andy Burns.  Markus Brisker and Kenny Wilson kept the inning alive with back-to-back two-out walks before executing a successful double steal to advance into scoring position. Lugnuts catcher Carlos Perez singled them both home to put Lansing up 4-0, and later scored on a K.C. Hobson RBI single for another valuable insurance run.

Pitching:

The story of the game was Hernandez, though, who allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings of work, with one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts. He induced ground ball outs from the first five batters he faced before striking out four of his next six. After retiring 11 consecutive batters, the only “blemish” on Hernandez’s night was the single that he allowed in the fourth inning before retiring nine of his final 10 batters.

Making his second outing of the year, left-hander Tyler Ybarra gave up two runs (one earned) in two innings of relief, failing to record a strikeout while issuing two walks.

-JM

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