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I know there are just a few ( Euro and Sooner got me going as a Rafter fan a few years ago….and I thank them very much to this day ) fellow Salt River fans amongst us, so if you’re not, just skip over this post if you may. Yep, the first 4 batters in the Rafter lineup were at it again today! In their previous 2 games they were an astounding 15-31 at the plate. So what did these 4 mashers do today vs a very skilled Scottsdale Scorpion squad? How about 9-16 with Carter Kieboom going boom in the 7th inning just two batters after Jazz Chisholm launched a monster shot high up into the left field “rafters”. 10-9 Salt River the final and it’s looking more and more that the Rafters just may sail right past all of the competition en route to their 5th AFL crown. This will be the Rafters 3rd championship in Salt River. Previously, they won titles in 2000 as the Grand Canyon Rafters and won their first way back in 1993 as the Tempe Rafters. Go Rafters!
In #stlcards AFL action today: Andy Young (p) had a huge game at the plate with four hits and three RBI, Jeremy Martinez plated two and Connor Jones tossed two scoreless innings. However, Surprise pitching was bad overall, leading to a 21-8 defeat. https://t.co/enBltOFTyr pic.twitter.com/36LkFv1s7g
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 26, 2018
Now I know why they call it Surprise Stadium; Only having 474 fans tickle the turnstiles today totally shocked the daylights out of me. Maybe I’m on to something? Shock Stadium even sounds better than Surprise Stadium….Could come in handy one day after Max Schrock is inducted into Cooperstown too….you’d only have to go out and buy a big letter “C” and a big letter “R” and it would only take your maintenance crew about 20 minutes to run out to your stadium entrance to insert those letters into “Shock”, thus transforming your field’s name into SCHROCK STADIUM.
Question: How do you bang out 8 runs on 14 hits, plus keep the opposition from homering…..and still lose the game by 13 runs???? Answer: Commit 4 errors, hand out 7 free passes and give up 24 hits.
Only one #STLCards prospect played in Surprise’s Friday win at Scottsdale. 2B Andy Young @AndyjYoung15 hit cleanup and singled in four at-bats for the Saguaros. @evankruz will make Saturday's start on the mound. https://t.co/nkxLxPTURz pic.twitter.com/t2FggXfE6O
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 27, 2018
Surprise’s Saturday 4-0 AFL shutout over Scottsdale featured five scoreless innings from #stlcards LH Evan Kruczynski @evankruz and three more combined from Conner Greene and Will Latcham. Lane Thomas singled, but Tommy Edman went 0-for-4. https://t.co/EMcC2lZWh8 pic.twitter.com/SkH9RhlmbB
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 28, 2018
LHS Evan Kruczynski @evankruz is #STLCards only representative selected to Saturday's Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game. 1.72 ERA through four starts.
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 29, 2018
Oh, for sure it is a top prospect game, first and foremost. Always has been. That is one reason why they do not call it a league all-star game. If Vlad Jr. had hit .050 in the AFL, he would still be there. (Maybe that is a bad example, as he is playing well, but you get my point…) Young has played in 10 games there, most all good. I had thought he might make it, too. Still could be a late add if the need arises.
I looked at the numbers. The only second baseman on the West roster:
Keston Hiura (MIL) – .340/.414/.660/1.074, 4 HR, 24 RBI (no typo) in 12 games. MLB Pipeline #30 of 100 overall, #2 of 10 at 2B nationally, #1 MIL prospect.
vs. Young – .371/.452/.686/1.138, 2 HR, 9 RBI in 10 games. Non-ranked in STL top 30.They also have only one first baseman and one third baseman, but three shortstops:
Lucius Fox (TB) – .340/.459/.400/.859, 8 RBI, 6/6 steals in 10 games. #9 TB prospect.
Yu Chang (CLE) – .354/.404/.479/.883, 8 RBI in 13 games. #6 CLE prospect.
Cole Tucker (PIT) – .318/.396/.409/.805, 10 RBI, 6/7 steals in 11 games. #5 PIT prospect.It is also worth noting that Hiura and Chang are the only reps from MIL and CLE, and every MLB team needs someone. There are 25 spots for 15 MLB organizations.
For TV watching plans on the next three Saturdays. (I will be there this Saturday as usual.) The Military Appreciation Game is Mesa at Salt River.
All three games will be on @MLBNetwork and simulcast on https://t.co/TalsUUcO1R: Fall Stars Game on Nov. 3, Military Appreciation Game on Nov. 10, @MLBazFallLeague Championship Game on Nov. 17. https://t.co/XBXZyL8W0N
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) October 29, 2018
There is also a fan final vote process, but Young is not included. I have heard really good things about TEX OF Julio Pablo Martinez.
2 players will be added to @MLBazFallLeague Fall Stars Game rosters. The candidates are below. Vote: https://t.co/nOx4hXl43g
East#Cubs Nico Hoerner#Dbacks Jazz Chisholm#Phillies Arquimedes Gamboa
West#Rangers Julio Pablo Martinez#Yankees Thairo Estrada#Orioles Ryan McKenna pic.twitter.com/9gyVpROdlf— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 29, 2018
Catcher Jeremy Martinez went 1-for-3 as Surprise twice lost the lead and fell to Peoria in Monday Arizona Fall League action. #stlcards LHP prospect Evan Kruczynski was named to the Fall Stars Game. https://t.co/jj3SDerFfo pic.twitter.com/4z0A9I5QEe
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 30, 2018
All of you Salt River fans will be happy to read that your Rafters came out on top yet once again today. Salt River totally manhandled a very feisty Solar Sox squad by the score of 14-4 at Sloan Field today. Josh Fuentes lit up Mesa with a booming 5th inning blast that may very well have come close to drawing rain and Travis Blankenhorn banged out 3 hits and 4 rbi for your victorious Rafters, who moved their impressive W-L slate to 11-7 on the young AFL campaign.
Two articles on Tuesday's Arizona Fall League action at The Cardinal Nation. One is our regular free daily game recap. The other is my in-game observations and photos ($). CF Lane Thomas starred. Both can be access from the recap here. https://t.co/RMDce43jsW pic.twitter.com/calDvw19Kk
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 31, 2018
Two #stlcards prospects in Surprise's lineup today in the Arizona Fall League. SS Tommy Edman is leading off and 2B Andy Young is batting third. In the upcoming days, I'll have interviews with them and all the organization's eight prospects here in the desert. Plus Stubby, too! pic.twitter.com/nwbv668wTq
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 31, 2018
Sweet, Brian! Do you think you might be able to squeeze in a Salt River Rafter interview too for all of we Rafter rooters?
Sorry, Pugs, it is not in the cards! They do play Surprise on Friday, but I cannot get out there that day.
Three #STLCards position players contributed to the Surprise Saguaros’ defeat of Mesa on Thursday, including Lane Thomas’ three hits and a run scored. Conner Greene earned his first Arizona Fall League save. (free) https://t.co/lGPxaVFCdd pic.twitter.com/xwpFIO2wfY
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 2, 2018
Eight Is Enough
No….Dick Van Patten didn’t go 8 innings strong and Willie Aames and Adam Rich did not whack back-to-back round trippers…..but, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the ravishing Rafters out of Salt River came up big yet once again today, scoring 8 runs on 8 hits vs our sagging Saguaros squad. Bo Takahashi your winner, moving his win-loss ledger to 2-1 and Matt Eckelman was saddled with his second loss on the campaign vs no victories, as a result of getting taken downtown by “Slammin” Sammy Hilliard with a mate onboard in his one inning of labor. Jake “The Snake” Noll also went yard for the victors….his a majestic towering shot with 2 teammates along for the ride that left all 512 patrons in attendance almost speechless. Lane Thomas and Tommy Edman went a combined 0-3 in the Saguaros 8-3 setback, but they did manage to coax 3 free passes.
#STLCards Lane Thomas and Tommy Edman drew four walks between them and scored once in Surprise’s Friday loss. Connor Jones (p) started and threw two scoreless innings and Will Latcham added a clean inning in relief. TCN's daily AFL report is free! https://t.co/z4bB2eNFx7 pic.twitter.com/uSDDWxjGAd
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 3, 2018
This is the second of 10 AFL interviews for members. I will not post notifications of all here, but wanted to draw special attention to this one, as Evan Kruczynski is one of the prospects who stepped forward this year, but remains relatively unknown.
(Tomorrow, Stubby Clapp talks about how Memphis pulled together after a wholesale roster change to win the PCL and Triple-A titles. Thank you to those who are members!)
#stlcards prospect Evan Kruczynski @evankruz of @ECUBaseball has already enjoyed a breakout first full professional season which nears its end with a likely national TV appearance tonight in AFL Fall Stars Game. The 6-5 LHP discusses his 2018 and more! ($) https://t.co/Eu2jA2DL4v pic.twitter.com/4krlHmbzWj
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 3, 2018
The Clapp interview and the Kruczynski interview were excellent. Nice to hear them talk. Nice to hear what they have to say. Good questions.
#stlcards prospect Evan Kruczynski @evankruz threw two scoreless innings for the West in tonight's Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game. Plenty of details coming in our free post-game report. Here is what batters see during his windup. pic.twitter.com/4i3MYRxcG9
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 4, 2018
My Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game recap is #stlcards-focused, but includes many more notes. #stlcards LH Evan Kruczynski threw two scoreless innings, and his West team won 7-6 on a walk-off home run. (free) https://t.co/S3dBpz7fTc pic.twitter.com/JaZp5qCP0F
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 4, 2018
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