Daily Farm Report: Urias heats up in Memphis

Sacramento River Cats 4, Memphis Redbirds 2

Austin Warner (SP) - 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Jesus Cruz (RP) - 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Ramon Urias (2B) - 2-3, 2B, RBI, BB

Max Schrock (3B) - 1-4, 2B

I’ll have to go back through the back through the archives, because I can’t remember the last time I recapped a Memphis game and didn’t type out R-a-n-d-y A-r-o-z-a-r-e-n-a. In absence of Randy, let’s zero in on another relatively old signing who had some under-the-radar camp hype coming into 2019: Ramon Urias. You see, Urias was miserable in the early going, limping along to a .223/.348/.319 line with a 71 wRC+ through June 8. There were some positives, like a new career-high 12.1% walk rate and a slightly trimmer 17.3% strikeout rate, but on the whole Urias just wasn’t doing any damage on contact. Then Urias landed in the injured list, missing the rest of June and the first week of July. He subsequently went on a seven game rehab trip through Palm Beach and Springfield, before returning to Memphis on July 16. Since that day, he’s been a completely different hitter. Urias has walked more than he’s struck out in that span en route to a .333/.458/.596 stat line. His .372 BABIP in that window is a tad high, but not alarmingly so. Here’s to hoping he doesn’t slow down.

The loss drops Memphis to 51-64. Game 2 against Sacramento will open tonight at 8:05pm CDT.

Tulsa Drillers 9, Springfield Cardinals 3

Johan Oviedo (SP) - 0.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Connor Jones (RP) - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Conner Capel (CF) - 1-4, HR, RBI, K

Lars Nootbaar (LF) - 0-2, 2 BB

You may have missed it (I know I did), but Lars Nootbar has made it all the way up to Springfield. The entire handling of Nootbaar this year has been bizarre, to my eye. He hit really well at Peoria, but he didn’t exactly blow the doors off the place either. It seemed like he was making an effort to hit more fly balls, and the change looked as if it was beginning to bear fruit, but then he was bumped up to fly ball death trap of Palm Beach after just 29 games. Then in 39 games at Palm Beach, he basically rode good plate discipline to a 104 wRC+. Now he’s spent 22 games in Springfield, where he’s pushed his plate discipline to Fowler-esque levels while still failing to show an meaningful signs of in-game power. At the very least, the organization apparently feels that Nootbaar is capable enough to keep his head above water at Double-A in his first full season. On a side note, Nootbaar won’t turn 22 years old until a month from today, which makes this author feel kind of old considering he hit that mile marker on Monday.

Springfield is now 51-64. They take on Arkansas tonight at 6:10pm CDT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 4, Jupiter Hammerheads 0

Michael Baird (SP) - 5 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Zack Thompson (RP) - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Michael Perri (SS) - 3-3, 2B, HR, RBI

Nick Plummer (LF) - 1-1, HR, 2 RBI, BB

Jupiter Hammerheads 6 @ Palm Beach Cardinals 0

Edgar Gonzalez (SP) - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Dennis Ortega (DH) - 1-2, BB, K

Nolan Gorman (3B) - 1-3, K

Since being selected in the first round two months ago, Zack Thompson has made ten appearances (8 at palm Beach). There’s not a lot we can learn from the sample, but 18 strikeouts versus just 3 walks isn’t too shabby.

Splitting the day with the Hammerheads puts the Cardinals record at 35-29. They open a series with Clearwater this evening at 5:30pm CDT.

Beloit Snappers 7, Peoria Chiefs 2

Parker Kelly (SP) - 5.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR

Freddy Pacheco (RP) - 2.1 Ip, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Imeldo Diaz (3B) - 1-4. HR, RBI

Righty reliever Freddy Pacheco is still doing his thing. And that thing, if you’ve forgotten, is strike f*#$ers out. He’s appeared in 34 games now for Peoria, and in that time he’s struck out a staggering 36.2% of batters. Unfortunately, Pacheco has another thing, and that thing isn’t nearly as exciting: he’s also walking batters at a 23.1% pace.

The Chiefs have now dropped to a pitiful 43-71. They take on Beloit again this evening at 5:30pm CDT.

Johnson City Cardinals 4, Burlington Royals 1

Jake Sommers (SP) - 8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR

Zach Jackson (DH) - 1-3, HR, 4 RBI, BB, 2 K

Todd Lott (1B) - 2-4

GCL Cardinals 5, GCL Marlins 4

Anthony Green (RP) - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR

Pablo Gomez (1B) - 2-3, HR, 4 RBI

Francisco Hernandez (3B) - 1-4, HR, RBI

DSL Brewers 6, DSL Cardinals Red 5

Yonael Dominguez (SP) - 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Sander Mora (2B) - 3-4, RBI, BB

Claudio Ramirez (LF) - 1-3, 2 BB, K

DSL Cardinals Blue 5, DSL Yankees 2

Engels Martinez (SP) - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Darlyn Del Villar (SS) - 2-4, 3B, RBI

Brandon Hernandez (DH) - 2-4, 2B, RBI

~

Thursday’s Probables

MEM: Genesis Cabrera

SPR: TBD

PMB: Kyle Leahy

PEO: TBD

SC: Scott Politz

JC: TBD