Down On The Farm: Dale Thayer Named SL’s Pitcher-Of-The-Week

Tennessee 6, Montgomery 2. Erold Andrus was 2-4 and hit his 10th double and 1st home run since being promoted from Vero Beach. Reid Brignac was 0-4, and Fernando Perez was 2-4.

Clearwater 9, Vero Beach 8. Sergio Pedroza was 4-4 and hit his 18th home run. It was his third straight game with a home run and he is 8-10 over that span, with 3 doubles, 3 home runs and 10 RBI. He is 17-36 (.472) with 5 home runs and 5 doubles and a triple in the last 10 games.

Columbus 6, Lexington 4. This year’s 2nd round pick, Will Kline, had his longest outing yet as a pro, striking out 3 in 4 innings. He gave up 1 run in 4 hits and a walk. Ryan Royster hit his 19th home run.

Staten Island 5, Hudson Valley 4. Alex Cobb, the Rays 4th round pick last year made his 10th start of the season, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings. He has a 3.18 ERA on the season.

Danville 7, Princeton 6 (10 innings). After scoring 3 in the top of the 10th to break the 3-3 tie, Danville came back with 4 in the bottom half of the frame for the victory. Two errors did in the P-Rays in the bottom of the 10th with the final run being scored on a 1-out single. Another 2006 draftee, Jeremy Hall, struck out 8 in 6 scoreless innings.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

• The Durham Bulls had a scheduled off day yesterday.
• Dale Thayer was named the Southern League’s pitcher of the week. During the week he picked up 1 win and 3 saves. [Stacy Long’s Riverwalk Talk]
• Jed Lockett takes a look at Tyree Hayes, the son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes. Being around the game his entire life made his career choice somewhat inevitable, but his path to becoming a pitcher did not develop until much later. [Bluefield Daily Telegraph]
• With the promotion of Rhyne Hughes to AA, JT Hall has been working at first base, a position that he is familiar with. [TCPalm]
• The P-Rays have made an effort this season to visit as man of the local little leagues as possible. [Princeton Rays]

The Hangover: Its Like Selling A Dead Bird To A Blind Kid

Devil Rays @ Detroit Tigers
A 3-game set…Tampa Bay is 42-68, 25.5 games back in the AL East…Detroit is 61-49, a half game back in the AL Central…The Rays are 16-35 on the road…Justin Verlander pitches for Detroit tonight. He is 11-4 with a 3.49 ERA…Edwin Jackson takes the mound for the Rays. He is 2-11 with a 6.56 ERA.

(a conversation between Joe Maddon and Jim Leyland in Leyland’s office before tonight’s game)
Papa Joe: What are the chances that my team can beat you guys tonight Jim?
Papa Jim: (taking a long slow drag on a cigarette) Well, that’s pretty difficult to say.
Papa Joe: (sporting a giddy school girl smile) Hit me with it! I’ve come a long way to see you, Jim. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Papa Jim: (lighting another cigarette) Not good.
Papa Joe: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Papa Jim: (lighting up his third cigarette since the conversation started) I’d say more like one out of a million.
Papa Joe: (looking confused, and then breaking out in a big smile) So you’re telling me there’s a chance.
(Joe Maddon turns and skips his way out of Leyland’s office)
Papa Jim: (blowing smoke rings) There is no way this ends well.
(Jim Leyland shakes head and pulls out another cigarette)

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• After Joe Maddon’s latest comments on BJ Upton we have to wonder if Rocco Baldelli has a future with the Devil Rays. Maddon expressed that Upton is clearly a better hitter and a more confident player while playing the outfield. [Devil Rays]

Because Upton looks so athletic in center field, Maddon was asked if Upton is wasted when he plays second base…”Not so much wasted, he’s looking very natural out there,” Maddon said. “I think from what I’m seeing, he will always hit better because that’s a mentally easier position for him to play.”

• We applaud Carl Crawford’s latest comments in which he expressed his frustration with this season. While some take the comments to mean that CC wants out, we see a young player that is growing into a team leader and letting it be known that the status quo is unacceptable. [tampabay.com]

“This year hasn’t went as planned, so I don’t know anymore,” Crawford said. “I’m just trying to wait and see what happens toward the end. Every year is a new year now…This year has been a setback, and I’m not used to setbacks. I’m frustrated with this season. It ain’t been a good year.”

• Jason Hammel threw a bullpen session on Saturday and he believes he will be able to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday. Joe Maddon is waiting to see how the shoulder feels today and tomorrow before making a decision. [Herald-Tribune]
• We may have been a little quick on the trigger earlier this season when we anointed James Shields as the Rays’ ace. [The Ledger]
• Jonny Gomes has done what Jorge Cantu could not. When benched, he kept his mouth shut and performed when given the opportunity and worked his way back into the everyday lineup with strong numbers. [tampabay.com]
• Don’t look for Akinori Iwamura to make any appearances at second base this season. Joe Maddon believes that is a move better suited for Spring Training. [TBO]
• BJ Upton’s younger brother Justin, made his major league debut for the D-Backs, 4 days younger than BJ made his debut. [TBO]
• The Devil Rays are expected to announce their new name and colors on Nov. 11. [tampabay.com]
• Former Devil Ray Jason Tyner finally hit his first major league home run after 1,220 at bats. [SFGate]

Down On The Farm: Austin Hinkle Playing Above His Draft Position

Charlotte 6, Durham 4. JP Howell struck out 8 and walked only 1 and allowed 3 runs in 7 innings. Justin Ruggiano was 2-4 and hit his 15th home run. He is hitting .290. Evan Longoria was the Bulls’ DH and went 1-4 with a strike out. He is now 4-13 (.308) with 3 RBI since being promoted to AAA. He has 3 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Montgomery 11, Tennessee 8. Jon Jaso was 3-3 and was on base 5 times. He scored 4 runs, hit his 9th home run and drove in 2. He is now hitting .308. Fernando Perez was 3-5 with his 7th home run and Ptrick Breen hit his 5th.

Clearwater 12, Vero Beach 4. Sergio Pedroza was 3-4 with 2 doubles and his 18th home run, his second in 2 days. He drove in 4 and now has 7 RBI in the past 2 games.

Columbus 9, Lexington 2. Heath Rollins picked up his 13th win, allowing 2 runs in 7 innings. He struck out 4 without walking a batter. Ryan Royster was 1-3 with 3 RBI and his 18th home run (his 2nd of the weekend). He also stole his 13th base and is hitting .314.

Staten Island 13, Hudson Valley 8.

Bluefield 3, Princeton 1 (game 1).
Princeton 4, Bluefield 0 (game 2). Austin Hinkle a 41st round draft pick this year struck out 8 in 5 shutout innings. He allowed 2 hits and 1 walk. He has given up 6 hits and is yet to allow a run in 13.2 professional innings covering 2 starts and 3 relief appearances.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

• Reid Brignac was named the top shortstop prospect in the minors by Baseball America. [Stacy Long’s Riverwalk Talk]
  
• Evan Longoria’s most recent promotion to AAA puts him in a position that the Devil Rays did not expect when they drafted him just over one year ago. A strong finish to the season in Durham and Longoria could be a regular in the Majors in 2008. [TBO]

With that leap made, it’s only a matter of time before Longoria takes the final step. Don’t expect to see him in Tampa Bay this season unless injuries come into play, but he certainly has positioned himself for a serious look in major-league camp next spring.

If he shows he can hit Triple-A pitching over the final month of Durham’s season and can hold his own in a planned stint in the Arizona Fall League, there’s a decent possibility Longoria will be on the Rays’ Opening Day roster next April.

“I would say that we’re going to go into spring training next year with an open mind, and he’ll have every chance to compete for a job on the major-league team,” Friedman said.

• Jim Caple features the Bulls old Durham Athletic Park in his column “Lost Ballparks and Old Landmarks”. [ESPN]
• On Friday Jake McGee struck out 10, while walking only 1 in 7 shutout innings. He allowed only 2 hits but failed to pick up the win as the Rays lost 3-2 in 15 innings. McGee is 5-4 with a 2.93 ERA and leads the FSL with 145 strikeouts in only 116.2 innings. He has 28 more strikeouts than the next highest total. [MiLB]
• On Saturday, Jeremy Hellickson improved to 10-2 with 5 strong innings. He allowed 1 run on 4 hits and a walk, while striking out 5. [MiLB]
• On Friday, Rhyne Hughes hit his first home run since being promoted to Montgomery. [MiLB]
• On Saturday, Chris Mason picked up his league leading 13th win with 6 shutout innings. [MiLB]

The Hangover: Rays Are Starting To Look Like The Team Joe Maddon Always Wanted

Devil Rays (off day)
The Rays open a three game set tonight at the Trop against the Baltimore Orioles. How bad have the Devil Rays been this season? At the beginning of June, the Rays had thoughts of third place in the division. Now Tampa Bay is 9 games behind the one team they should be ahead of. If the Rays have any hopes of ever getting out of the cellar the Orioles are the one team the MUST beat on a regular basis when in fact the exact opposite is what they have done. Baltimore has won 7 straight in the series and 8 of 9 this season. The Orioles have taken 14 of the last 16 and 38 of 53 since the beginning of the 2004 season.

With a new bullpen and a new-found confidence, the Devil Rays absolutely cannot lose this series.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• It seems like we get another story every day about how happy Carlos Pena is playing for the Devil Rays after failing in five other organizations. This means absolutely nothing to us unless Pena signs a long-term deal for below market value. Otherwise, when he becomes a free agent and signs someplace else for whichever team offers the most money, we are certain that he will “love” that city and that team more than Tampa and the Devil Rays. [Devil Rays]
• Andrew Friedman is starting to put together a team that Joe Maddon has long coveted. A team driven by their 7th, 8th and 9th inning pitchers. It was the formula that the 2002 Angels, a team coached by Papa Joe, road all the way to the world series. We still are not sold on Gary Glover as one of the 7th inning guys, but Grant Balfour (in the 7th), Dan Wheeler (in the 8th), and Al Reyes (in the 9th) is not a terrible lineup. Of course we still prefer the 7+1+1 formula, where the starter gives the team 7 innings and hands-off to Wheeler. [TBO]
• Grant Balfour missed nearly two seasons due to two separate surgeries with two and half seasons between major league appearances. [TBO]

It wasn’t until spring training this year, after the Brewers picked him up off waivers, that Balfour finally felt he was back. He allowed 10 runs in eight Cactus League innings, failing to make the cut for Opening Day, but all the little things felt better than they had in years. He felt like a pitcher instead of a patient.

• Baseline Report has written an open letter to Stuart Sternberg. The premise of the letter is that the Devil Rays should run their organization in much the same manner as a small company trying to compete against giants. You know. The companies that later get purchased by the giant company. We are fairly certain that there are a lot of people that think the Rays should be purchased by another franchise to be their minor league team. As for the outline of suggestions, we hope that the organization has already instituted most of them (ie. emphasize defense in the minors). [Baseline Report]
• Is Joe Maddon the 6th “Crappiest Baseball Manager”? We are not sure, but Maxim thinks so. We still stand by the the old maxim (see what we did there? cool, huh. no? ok) that baseball managers get too much credit when the team does well and too much criticism when the team performs poorly. A manager can’t win the game. They can only put the players in a position to win the game. On the other hand, we also believe that a manager can lose a game, so maybe the criticism is fair. [Maxim]
• The Devil Rays are trying to do something that the Vince Naimoli regime never could. Build a presence in Tampa. The latest step was to open an office in Downtown Tampa. [Devil Rays]

Located on the first floor of the Park Tower Building, the space will feature full mock-ups of a Tropicana Field suite and other featured premium hospitality options. The office will also serve as an outlet for Rays tickets, high-end team merchandise and promotional material for sporting events throughout the Tampa Bay area…”Our intent is to not merely strengthen our ties to the very large segment of the Tampa Bay community located in downtown Tampa, but to become a significant part of that community ourselves,” said Rays Senior Vice President of Business/Chief Sales Officer Mark Fernandez. “To this end, we will also use the space as a staging area for community activities and special events, both inside the office and across the street in Lykes Gaslight Park.”

Down On The Farm: Joel Guzman And Wes Bankston Likely To Be Traded After Season

Durham 9, Columbus 8. Mitch Talbot struck out 7 in 5 innings, but allowed 6 runs (5 earned). Shawn Camp pitched the 9th inning for his first save. Evan Longoria made his AAA debut, playing third base and batting 6th. He was 0-3 with a strike out, but had a first inning sac fly to drive in a run. He also committed a throwing error which led to a run. Joel Guzman, who has been shifted to first base with the promotion of Longoria, was 2-4 with his 15th home run and 3 RBI.

Tennesee 5, Montgomery 3. The Biscuits committed to errors which led to 3 unearned runs being charged to Wade Davis. In all Davis allowed 4 runs in 6 innings on 7 hits and a walk. He struck out 3 and dropped to 4-2 at AA. Reid Brignac was 3-4 and hit his second home run in three games. He now has 15. Rhyne Hughes was 0-4 and is now 0-7 since being promoted.

Brevard County 5, Vero Beach 2. Doug Waechter dropped to 0-4 in 4 Vero Beach rehab starts. He allowed 5 runs in 4.1 innings. He gave up 9 hits but id not walk a batter.

Columbus 2, West Virginia 0. After missing a start, Wade Townsend returned and pitched 6 scoreless innings despite battling control problems. He allowed 3 hits and walked 5, while striking out 4. Cesar Suarez was 3-4 and drove in one of the Catfish 2 runs. He also stole his 25th base.

Tri-City 7, Hudson Valley 1.

Princeton 3, Greenville 2.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

• Jeff Niemann’s shoulder is fine but he will miss two starts. While the setback is minor for the team, being shutdown for two weeks could be a big setback for the big right hander. In his last few starts, Niemann was beginning to show that he was ready to make the jump to the major leagues. With this latest shut-down, Niemann may have endangered any chances of making his big league debut in 2007 as the team will take every precaution. [MLB]
• Joel Guzman will continue to receive playing time at third base but he is comfortable with the move to first base. With Carlos Pena firmly entrenched at first base at the Major League level, we have to wonder what the long-term plans are for Guzman and Wes Bankston. We will have to wait and see how long the team will allow two spots on the 40-man roster to go to two players that appear to have no future with the ball club. We expect one or both to be traded this off-season. [Herald-Sun]

“I’m pretty comfortable over there,” he said. “I played winter ball down in the Dominican Republic, and I played first and third over there. Last year when I was with the Dodgers, I played pretty much around first, third and he outfield. It’s nothing new, not like I’m lost over there.”

The Hangover: So THIS Is What A Major League Bullpen Looks Like

Devil Rays 6, Blue Jays 2.
Thank you Mr. Friedman. Thank you. It’s not the ’96 Yankees or the ’02 Angels or the ’06 Tigers. Hell, it is still not even the ’06 Pirates. But for the first time in two years, it is not the Long Island Ducks either.

So this is what a major league bullpen looks like? We had heard rumors. Apparently there are teams in this league with bullpens that don’t give up 4 runs every night. Apparently other teams have relief pitchers that don’t allow inherited runners to score on a consistent basis. We had heard rumors and now we get to see it with our own eyes.

For the first time in recent memory. Hell, for the first time in our long-term memory, the Devil Rays bullpen dominated a series. The Rays won two of three for the Jays in which the bullpen combined to throw 13.1 innings, allowing 8 hits, 5 walks while striking out 11. But the most important stat was 1. As in 1 run in three games. In the first 4 months of the season, most Devil Rays pitchers allowed a run just walking in from the bullpen.

Thank you Mr. Friedman. There is still work to be done, but we can see the difference already and it is more than the bullpen. The players look more confident. They look like they are having fun again.

Now if we could get a dependable veteran arm in the rotation next season and maybe, just maybe…nah. nevermind. Baby steps.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• Jason Hammel was pulled from the game after throwing 3 pitches in the 4th inning. It was originally termed shoulder tightness, and now looks like tendinitis. Hammel hopes to not miss a start. [Devil Rays]
• David Gassko of The Hardball Times analyzes all of the trades from this past weekend and gushes over the deals that Andrew Friedman was able to pull off [The Hardball Times]

[On the acquisition of Dan Wheeler] And the Devil Rays make another spectacular acquisition for their bullpen! Andrew Friedman is quickly moving up the ranks as one of the smartest baseball executives around. Wheeler’s 5.07 ERA this season is deceiving: His xFIP is a solid 3.56, which is in line (actually, a little better) with his xFIPs the previous two seasons.

• It has been a long and winding road for Carlos Pena but he appears to have found a home. [USA Today]
• Raul Cassanova cleared waivers and was outrighted to Durham.

Down On The Farm: Kinda Like Jose Canseco With Green Skin

Columbus 8, Durham 3. Jae Seo was touched for 6 runs in 5.1 innings on 10 hits and 2 walks. Brian Shackelford walked 3 in 1.2 innings and gave up a 3-run home run. Wes Bankston was 3-4 and drove in 3.

Montgomery 3, Birmingham 2. Jonathon Barratt struck out 6 and allowed 1 run in 6.1 innings. Dale Thayer struck out 2 to pick up his 19th save. Erold Andrus was 3-4 and Reid Brignac was 0-4. Aaron Sisk was 1-4 with 2 RBI and Rhyne Hughes was 0-3 in their AA debuts.
West Virginia 9, Columbus 1. Will Kline struck out 5 in 2 innings, but allowed 2 unearned runs on 2 hits and 2 walks. It was Kline’s 4th professional start and he has now struck out 10 and walked 6 in 9 innings of work.

Vermont 4, Hudson Valley 3.

Elizabethton 5, Princeton 3.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

• Vero Beach’s double-header with Jupiter was canceled due to poor field conditions. [MiLB]
• Wool E. Bull will be featured on a comic book cover in which the Incredible Hulk is running the bases while wearing a Durham Bulls uniform. [Durham Bulls]

Writers That Cover The Devil Rays Have ADD

Yesterday was the trading deadline for Major League Baseball. The Rays did not make any additional trades. The key word is “additional”. Over the course of this past weekend, Andrew Friedman made three trades moving Ty Wigginton, Seth McClung and Jorge Cantu to other clubs in order to strengthen the bullpen. Of course, a quick look around the internets and you would think Friedman and Company spent the past week on the golf course.

The Headlines…

No deals, no problem [tampabay.com]

The Rays didn’t make any trades by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline

Yes they did. In fact, they made three.

So uh…That’s it? [DRays Bay]

The deadline has came and gone without any moves

They actually made a bunch of moves. Three trades in addition to several other roster moves.

Rays Stand Pat As Trade Deadline Passes [TBO]

Pleased with the bullpen he remade during the weekend, Andrew Friedman was dealing from a position of strength as the phone calls swirled around him Tuesday.

In defense of TBO, Marc Lancaster did acknowledge the trades made previously in the opening paragraph unlike the others. However, we would hardly call an overhaul of the bullpen as standing pat.

Rays listen, pass at trade deadline [tampabay.com]

For all the talking, all the thinking, all the projecting and analyzing, when it came down to Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline for non-waiver trades, the Devil Rays didn’t have another deal they considered worth making.

People…THE DEVIL RAYS MADE THREE TRADES THIS WEEKEND.

But we save the best for last.

Shelton: Rays sit out deadline, and that’s standup move [St. Pete Times]

Gary Shelton argues that not making any trades was the correct move.

Not trading any of their coveted relievers was the right message to send to fans and players

Gary Shelton believes that Andrew Friedman is more worried about team image than team talent. Gary Shelton is saying that no matter what was offered to the Rays, they would not have traded one of their relief pitchers because that was the “right message to send to the fans and players”. Umm. No. The Devil Rays did not trade the players because they did not have to make a move (Reyes and Wheeler are not free agents-to-be) and other teams did not make an offer worth accepting. If a strong offer had been made that would have improved the ballclub, the team would have made a deal.

Of all of the do-nothing days in the history of the Devil Rays, this one was the best.

They didn’t trade Al Reyes.

They didn’t trade Dan Wheeler.

How about all the days this past off-season when the team did not trade BJ Upton? Having Upton around these parts for the next 4-5 years might be slightly more important than having Al Reyes and Dan Wheeler around until the trading deadline next season. Or how about all the days the team turned down offers for Carl Crawford even though every team between here and Walla Walla inquired about his availablity? And how about the time last year when the team did not cave into Julio Lugo’s contract demands? This year Julio Lugo is hitting .221 with a .612 OPS and a brick for a glove. Right now Red Sox fans hate Julio Lugo more than Bill Buckner. And Lugo is making $8.25 million. Brendan Harris is hitting .301 with a .800 OPS to go along with an average glove. He is making $386K.

They didn’t trade the largest contract in the room in exchange for not having to pay it.

Hmm? Reyes has a $1 million option for 2008 (An extremely cheap price for a closer) while Wheeler made $2.1 million this year and is set to make approximately $3 million in arbitration. On the other hand, Wigginton is making $2.7 million this season and is likely to make $3.5-4 million in arbitration next season. It has been a while since we took first grade math, but we think Wiggy’s contract is bigger.

In other words, on trade deadline, the Rays didn’t do anything. And bully for them for resisting the urge.

[For those not familiar (we had to look it up) “Bully for them” is an old western slang that means “Good for them”. We envision Gary Shelton sitting in his one-room studio somewhere in Carrolwood typing on his computer wearing Billy the Kid underoos. And we are frightened.]

Actually, they did make three trades, demoted Shawn Bleepin’ Camp, and activated Josh Paul. We needed an abacus to figure out who was on the roster Tuesday night.

Is Gary Shelton saying that a team on their way to their second consecutive 100-loss season, should not try to improve the team? Apparently the Devil Rays are ready to contend with this roster.

If no deals could be made to make the team better t
hen don’t make a deal. But we are fairly certain that not making a trade for the sake of “standing pat” is not exactly what Andrew Friedman had in mind yesterday.

[THE HANGOVER] Rays Send Message To Elijah Dukes: You Are Not Welcome Back

Blue Jays 2, Devil Rays 0.
If anybody was wondering whether or not we would see Elijah Dukes in a Devil Rays uniform again this season, the team made a very subtle move to indicate that it will not happen this year, and may not happen ever again. Dan Wheeler asked for, and was granted, Dukes’ #35.

How far has Dukes’ status fallen? He was once considered one of the top prospects in the organization, a true five-tool talent. Now? The team has given a middle reliever the jersey right off of Dukes’ back. The best we could tell from looking through old pictures, Dukes has worn #35 his entire professional career, so this is not an oversight by the front office. Wheeler’s stay in a Devil Rays uniform could last as little as a few weeks and is not likely to last more than 12 months. Still, that was long enough, that the team apparently does not expect Dukes to need his number back.

If the team was going to release Dukes, it would have happened by now. More likely, they are waiting until the off-season when the internet-generation’s attention span has waned and will try to move Dukes to another team for something of value. Either way, we have probably seen the last of Elijah Dukes in a Devil Rays uniform.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• Yesterday’s trade deadline came and the Rays did not make any additional trades. There is a possibility that Al Reyes and/or Dan Wheeler could still be moved before the August 30th waiver-wire deadline. [TBO]

Down On The Farm: The Dirtbag Is One Step Closer To The Majors

Evan Longoria has been promoted to AAA Durham. He hit .307-21-76 with a .930 OPS in 105 games. He is tied with for the lead league in home runs and leads the SL in RBI and Runs (78). Despite a stellar glove, Joel Guzman will be moved permanently to first base to make room for Longoria. Guzman started at first base for the Bulls on Tuesday night. It will be interesting to see if a strong month at AAA will tempt the Devil Rays front office to bring The Dirtbag to the Trop for a September call-up. [Montgomery Advertiser]

Indianapolis 5, Durham 3. JP Howell was masterful for the Bulls, striking out 12 and allowing only 1 walk and 2 hits in 7 shutout innings. Howell left the game with a 3-0 lead but the bullpen was unable to protect it as Chad Orvella and newly acquired Brian Shackelford combined to allow 5 runs in the 9th inning on 3 home runs. Shackelford allowed a walk-off 2-run home run to the only batter he faced. Jason Pridie was 0-3 and Joel Guzman was 0-4.

Montgomery 6, Birmingham 2. Reid Brignac was 1-4 with his 14th home run. He also committed his 20th error of the season.

Columbus 4, West Virginia 0. Heath Rollins moved to 12-4 with 7 shutout innings. He allowed 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5. Ryan Royster hit his 16th home run, a 3-run shot in the first.

Vermont 6, Hudson Valley 1.

Princeton 6, Elizabethton 3.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…

• Rhyne Hughes (.329-12-57) and infielder Aaron Sisk were promoted to AA Montgomery. Sisk was recently named the FSL offensive player of the week when he hit 6 home runs in the week ending July 15.
• Both Jeff Niemann and Wade Townsend are currently sidelined but neither injury is considered serious. [TBO]
• Evan Longoria was named the top prospect in the “MLN FAB50 Baseball 2007 Rankings”, a mid-season look at minor league talent. [The Raw Feed]
• Jeremy Owens was named the IL’s batter-of-the-week. He is the 5th Bull to win a weekly award. [Our Sports Central]
• Behind the Dugout takes a look at three of the Devil Rays’ top pitching prospects. [Behind the Dugout]
• Vero Beach and Jupiter were postponed due to rain.