I went to Yarmouth-Dennis on Friday, but the scheduled pitching matchup had changed and once again I ended up seeing only pitchers I have already seen and written about. With less than two weeks left in the season, and still between 20 and 30 pitchers left unseen, I am making it a point to avoid situations like these from now on.
The postponements and inconsistent accuracy of the Cape League's "Pitchers: Next 3 Days" page are making things difficult, but I am going to try to overcome these obstacles.
As for Friday, Y-D won 6-3 and is starting to distance itself from the pack in the Eastern Division.
Righthander Michael Goodnight from the University of Houston started for Y-D and put together an average performance. Goodnight's main issue is his front side flies open too early and it leads to struggles with his command. Goodnight has good size and a projectable frame at 6'4" 215. His fastball sat in the 91-93 mph range, and he showed an inconsistent 75 mph curveball. When he threw the pitch well it had sharp downward break, but he sometimes didn't finish it and it would hang up in the zone. Goodnight also threw an average changeup with some tail down and in.
Chatham's starter was Patrick Johnson from the University of North Carolina, who is really just held back by his size. Johnson is 5'10" 170 and he throws with big effort. Johnson's fastball sits in the 87-89 mph range and he will occasionally touch 90. His best pitch is a hard 78-82 mph slider with tight break that he can throw for a strike. He also has a pretty deceptive 80 mph changeup with downward movement and an average 72-75 mph curveball. The problem with Johnson is he is pretty much showing you all that he will be, and that is not going to be good enough against professional hitters.
A reliever of interest was Y-D righthander Tyler Burgoon from the University of Michigan, who has put up tremendous numbers as Y-D's closer since I last saw him during the first week of the season. Burgoon hasn't allowed an earned run all season, and he entered Friday's game having given up just four hits in 17.1 innings pitched and striking out 27. He's doing it with only two pitches and a fastball that tops out at 91 mph. Burgoon is undersized at 5'10" 165 and he throws with big effort. His fastball sat in the 89-91 mph range and had good tailing action in on right-handed hitters. He threw a very good 81-82 mph slider with sharp two-plane break. It is pretty clear it is that slider that gets him a lot of his strikeouts. You can't argue with his results, but he is still not a top-level prospect because of his size and average velocity that is clearly maxed out.
Among hitters, three of Y-D's better players put good swings on balls during the game Friday. First baseman Mickey Wiswall turned on a high and inside fastball and hit a line drive home run that left the park in a hurry. He showed really quick hands and a compact swing. Rightfielder Austin Wates from Virginia Tech drove an outside fastball off the top of the rightfield fence, and catcher Ben McMahan from the University of Florida also did nicely taking a outside fastball the opposite way for a double.
I am taking my second non-rain-related day off of the summer on Saturday to attend a function back home in Connecticut. I will return to the Cape on Sunday intent on seeing as many of the elusive unseen pitchers as I can over the last week-and-a-half of the regular season.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Harwich 3 Cotuit 2: Both second baseman Phil Gosselin and rightfielder Dan Grovatt, each from the University of Virginia, went 2-for-4 for Harwich.
Falmouth 3 Hyannis 2: Shortstop B.A. Vollmuth from Southern Mississippi hit a home run for Falmouth. Second baseman Nick Crawford from UAB and centerfielder Trent Whitehead from East Carolina each had three hits for Hyannis.
Wareham 2 Orleans 1: Rightfielder George Springer from UConn, first baseman Jordan Swaggerty from Arizona State and catcher Chris Hannick from Cal State Northridge each had two hits for Wareham.
The Brewster at Bourne doubleheader was rained out.
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Showing posts with label Patrick Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patrick Johnson. Show all posts
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
July 18 for July 17 Update
I went to Bourne on Friday, mainly because most of the league's pitching matchups were between guys I have already seen, and I had heard a rumor Chatham's right-handed starter Matt Harvey from UNC was getting moved up a day to pitch. Unfortunately, he was not and I ended up seeing a game with seven pitchers I have already seen extensively.
Bourne scored nine runs in the sixth inning when 12 consecutive batters reached base and Bourne beat Chatham 10-1.
Bourne starter Bryan Morgado from the University of Tennessee, the White Sox' third-round pick who disappointed me the last time I saw him, had better stuff Friday but he struggled with his control. Morgado's fastball sat in the 90-92 mph range and a couple of times crept up to 94. This was an improvement from the 88-91 I saw a couple of weeks ago. One Major League scout said he saw Morgado touch 96 in a relief appearance earlier in his pitching career. Morgado's 78-80 mph slider was average and he threw a decent 78-81 mph changeup. Morgado walked six and hit a batter in five innings, but also struck out eight. He still knows how to pitch, and the increased velocity made him more impressive, but I'm still not sure he was worth a third-round pick.
Chatham's starter was righthander Patrick Johnson from UNC. Johnson is undersized at 5'10" 170 and throws with a lot of effort. Johnson's fastball sat in the 87-90 mph range and once touched 91. He threw both a 78-82 mph slider and a 72-75 mph curveball, and both were good but not great. He also threw an 80 mph changeup with good tailing action down-and-in. Johnson pitched effectively for five innings Friday and was out of the game before the nightmarish sixth. Johnson is really just a good college pitcher and is probably not a professional prospect.
I have already written a few times about Bourne right-handed reliever Kevin Munson from James Madison, but he looked good pitching a garbage inning at the end of the game Friday. His fastball reached 95 and his slider is still really good.
A position player who continues to impress me is Bourne third baseman Rob Segedin from Tulane. Segedin went just 1-for-5 Friday, but his one hit was a good piece of hitting when he a stroked a triple to right-center field. Segedin has a really smooth right-handed stroke and is one of the better right-handed hitting prospects in the league. He is also a solid third baseman and made a really good play and a strong throw on a sharp ground ball early in the game.
Bourne centerfielder Scott Woodward from Coastal Carolina ruffled some feathers when he stole second base toward the end of the sixth inning after Bourne had already scored a nine-run lead. Chatham manager John Schiffner yelled an expletive across the field to Bourne manager Harvey Shapiro, and Chatham threw at Bourne first baseman Stefen Romero from Oregon State in the next inning. I'm told Shapiro has yelled repeatedly at Woodward for running on his own. He does have very good speed.
AROUND THE LEAGUE:
Y-D 3 Brewster 1: Right-handed starter Michael Goodnight from the University of Houston pitched five shutout innings for Y-D. Third baseman Jedd Gyorko from West Virginia University homered for Brewster.
Falmouth 8 Cotuit 3: Centerfielder Todd Cunningham from Jacksonville State and 1B Hunter Morris from Auburn each had three hits for Falmouth. Leftfielder Cory Vaughn from San Diego State homered for Cotuit.
Wareham 7 Hyannis 3: Centerfielder Ryan LaMarre from the University of Michigan went 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Wareham. Designated hitter Eddie Rohan from Winthrop went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Hyannis.
Orleans 10 Hyannis 2: Centerfielder Gary Brown from Cal State Fullerton had four hits for Orleans.
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Bourne scored nine runs in the sixth inning when 12 consecutive batters reached base and Bourne beat Chatham 10-1.
Bourne starter Bryan Morgado from the University of Tennessee, the White Sox' third-round pick who disappointed me the last time I saw him, had better stuff Friday but he struggled with his control. Morgado's fastball sat in the 90-92 mph range and a couple of times crept up to 94. This was an improvement from the 88-91 I saw a couple of weeks ago. One Major League scout said he saw Morgado touch 96 in a relief appearance earlier in his pitching career. Morgado's 78-80 mph slider was average and he threw a decent 78-81 mph changeup. Morgado walked six and hit a batter in five innings, but also struck out eight. He still knows how to pitch, and the increased velocity made him more impressive, but I'm still not sure he was worth a third-round pick.
Chatham's starter was righthander Patrick Johnson from UNC. Johnson is undersized at 5'10" 170 and throws with a lot of effort. Johnson's fastball sat in the 87-90 mph range and once touched 91. He threw both a 78-82 mph slider and a 72-75 mph curveball, and both were good but not great. He also threw an 80 mph changeup with good tailing action down-and-in. Johnson pitched effectively for five innings Friday and was out of the game before the nightmarish sixth. Johnson is really just a good college pitcher and is probably not a professional prospect.
I have already written a few times about Bourne right-handed reliever Kevin Munson from James Madison, but he looked good pitching a garbage inning at the end of the game Friday. His fastball reached 95 and his slider is still really good.
A position player who continues to impress me is Bourne third baseman Rob Segedin from Tulane. Segedin went just 1-for-5 Friday, but his one hit was a good piece of hitting when he a stroked a triple to right-center field. Segedin has a really smooth right-handed stroke and is one of the better right-handed hitting prospects in the league. He is also a solid third baseman and made a really good play and a strong throw on a sharp ground ball early in the game.
Bourne centerfielder Scott Woodward from Coastal Carolina ruffled some feathers when he stole second base toward the end of the sixth inning after Bourne had already scored a nine-run lead. Chatham manager John Schiffner yelled an expletive across the field to Bourne manager Harvey Shapiro, and Chatham threw at Bourne first baseman Stefen Romero from Oregon State in the next inning. I'm told Shapiro has yelled repeatedly at Woodward for running on his own. He does have very good speed.
AROUND THE LEAGUE:
Y-D 3 Brewster 1: Right-handed starter Michael Goodnight from the University of Houston pitched five shutout innings for Y-D. Third baseman Jedd Gyorko from West Virginia University homered for Brewster.
Falmouth 8 Cotuit 3: Centerfielder Todd Cunningham from Jacksonville State and 1B Hunter Morris from Auburn each had three hits for Falmouth. Leftfielder Cory Vaughn from San Diego State homered for Cotuit.
Wareham 7 Hyannis 3: Centerfielder Ryan LaMarre from the University of Michigan went 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Wareham. Designated hitter Eddie Rohan from Winthrop went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Hyannis.
Orleans 10 Hyannis 2: Centerfielder Gary Brown from Cal State Fullerton had four hits for Orleans.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? E-Mail me at schimmeldbk@gmail.com
Want to be alerted every time I update this blog? Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Greg_Schimmel
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