April Stat Review: Las Vegas 51s

Wally Backman’s team finished the month at 11-10

            The Las Vegas 51s got off to a slow start in April because they were overall inconsistent, but they won the last 5 games of the month to finish above .500.

The 51s had trouble hitting with runners in scoring position over the first few weeks, which led to them scoring 3 runs or less in 7 of their first 14 games. They then finished the month averaging 8+ runs during their 5-game winning streak, and two former first round picks – Brandon Nimmo and Gavin Cecchini – were key contributors during the final week of the month.

The starters and bullpen also received some poor outings over the first week, but most of those pitchers have started pitching as expected. On the positive side, Gabriel Ynoa is leading the league with a 1.48 ERA after one month, and Sean Gilmartin is not far behind with a 1.66 ERA.

            Below are the April stats for all Las Vegas players, with a comment or two added for most players.

April's

MVP: I thought Travis Taijeron was easily the team’s MVP last year, and he’s back to smacking line drives all over the field this year.

Cy: Gabriel Ynoa was the toughest PCL starter to score on in April, so this was a no-brainer.

Fireman: Chase Bradford has never posted the big K numbers that you look for from a reliever, but he has good control and can reach 94 MPH from the right side, so could be a middle-relief option.

Offense

Dilson Herrera - 68 PA, 0.258/0.279/0.364, 7 R, 7 2B, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 13 K, 2 GIDP, 3 SB, 2 CS, 8.9% SwStr, 17.2% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA, 0.321 BABIP

His overall line may not impress, but Dilson had a hit in 9 of the 10 games he played in the field. He spent the first 9 days of the season limited to DH/PH due to a sore shoulder, and then sat out the last few days of the month with a sore back

Gavin Cecchini - 77 PA, 0.258/0.364/0.333, 6 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 11 BB, 11 K, 3 GIDP, 2 SB, 1 CS, 6.8% SwStr, 17.9% Whiff/Swing, 4.2 Pitches/PA, 0.296 BABIP

Didn’t start picking up the hits until the end of the month, but his K: BB rate has been excellent all season

Brandon Nimmo - 82 PA, 0.260/0.333/0.315, 8 R, 4 2B, 8 RBI, 7 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SAC, 18 K, 2 GIDP, 1 SB, 2 CS, 9.5% SwStr, 20.8% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA, 0.345 BABIP

Wasn’t active for most of Spring Training, so understandable that he got off to a slow start

Matt Reynolds - 88 PA, 0.299/0.379/0.468, 17 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 10 BB, 1 SAC, 18 K, 1 GIDP, 4 SB, 7.4% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 4.1 Pitches/PA, 0.368 BABIP

Strikeout rate is still too high, but he’s been walking a lot again this year, and had 7 XBH’s in April

Travis Taijeron - 82 PA, 0.299/0.415/0.522, 16 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 14 BB, 1 SF, 20 K, 2 GIDP, 1 SB, 12.8% SwStr, 30.7% Whiff/Swing, 4.1 Pitches/PA, 0.391 BABIP

T.J. Rivera - 67 PA, 0.344/0.369/0.508, 13 R, 7 2B, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 1 BB, 2 HBP, 1 SF, 2 SAC, 7 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB, 13.5% SwStr, 24.4% Whiff/Swing, 3.7 Pitches/PA, 0.37 BABIP

Very limited at shortstop, but he plays 1B/2B/3B/SS and now LF

Ty Kelly - 57 PA, 0.386/0.500/0.477, 8 R, 4 2B, 8 RBI, 11 BB, 1 SF, 1 SAC, 10 K, 3 CS, 6.6% SwStr, 20.5% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.486 BABIP

Probably wouldn’t hit enough in the majors to be a useful bench piece, but his defensive versatility, hustle and decent speed made him a PCL stud in April

Marc Krauss - 59 PA, 0.277/0.390/0.532, 10 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 9 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SF, 15 K, 1 SB, 10% SwStr, 26.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.2 Pitches/PA, 0.323 BABIP

Roger Bernadina - 72 PA, 0.305/0.408/0.424, 11 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 11 BB, 1 SF, 1 SAC, 18 K, 1 GIDP, 7 SB, 1 CS, 11.6% SwStr, 27.1% Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA, 0.415 BABIP

Rene Rivera - 29 PA, 0.280/0.357/0.320, 3 R, 1 2B, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SAC, 3 K, 12% SwStr, 24.4% Whiff/Swing, 3.2 Pitches/PA, 0.318 BABIP

Johnny Monell - 61 PA, 0.220/0.246/0.305, 5 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 10 K, 8.6% SwStr, 18.5% Whiff/Swing, 3.2 Pitches/PA, 0.25 BABIP

Nevin Ashley - 12 PA, 0.111/0.333/0.111, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 GIDP, 8.2% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 5.1 Pitches/PA, 0.143 BABIP

Danny Muno - 24 PA, 0.050/0.208/0.050, 3 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 9 K, 1 CS, 10.7% SwStr, 27.5% Whiff/Swing, 4.3 Pitches/PA, 0.091 BABIP

Awful month after an awful showing in the majors last year, Muno has fallen off a cliff since a strong 2014 PCL debut with Las Vegas

Pitching

Starters

Andrew Barbosa - 5 IP, 7 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 2B, 1 HR, 12 TB, 6 K (4 K/Sw), 3 GB: 4 FB: 4 LD: 4 PU, 84 Pitches (54 Strikes), 11 Swinging, 19 Called, 13.1% SwStr, 31.4% Whiff/Swing, 16.8 Pitches/IP, 21 BF

Sean Gilmartin - 21.7 IP, 15 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 2B, 2 HR, 25 TB, 8 BB, 25 K (20 K/Sw), 25 GB: 14 FB: 12 LD: 3 PU, 343 Pitches (216 Strikes), 41 Swinging, 63 Called, 12% SwStr, 26.8% Whiff/Swing, 15.8 Pitches/IP, 89 BF

While not a stud, there are 29 other teams who would love to have Gilmartin pitching in AAA as an emergency option

Gabriel Ynoa - 24.3 IP, 15 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 2B, 3 3B, 23 TB, 9 BB, 12 K (11 K/Sw), 35 GB: 17 FB: 15 LD: 6 PU, 356 Pitches (224 Strikes), 33 Swinging, 67 Called, 9.3% SwStr, 21% Whiff/Swing, 14.6 Pitches/IP, 97 BF

He’s throwing a sinker and focusing on attacking the bottom of the zone this year, and it’s definitely helped. Not too concerned about the walk rate, because he’s always had a higher walk rate in April, it’s a new league, and it’s the PCL.

Duane Below - 12 IP, 16 H, 7 R (7 ER), 4 2B, 3 HR, 29 TB, 3 BB, 11 K (8 K/Sw), 27 GB: 6 FB: 5 LD, 175 Pitches (118 Strikes), 15 Swinging, 34 Called, 8.6% SwStr, 17.9% Whiff/Swing, 14.6 Pitches/IP, 52 BF

Rafael Montero - 14 IP, 18 H, 8 R (6 ER), 3 2B, 2 3B, 25 TB, 5 BB, 14 K (10 K/Sw), 20 GB: 12 FB: 10 LD: 4 PU, 268 Pitches (165 Strikes), 32 Swinging, 44 Called, 11.9% SwStr, 26.4% Whiff/Swing, 19.1 Pitches/IP, 66 BF

Stolmy Pimentel - 14.7 IP, 19 H, 9 R (9 ER), 4 2B, 2 HR, 29 TB, 8 BB, 12 K (11 K/Sw), 24 GB: 10 FB: 13 LD: 3 PU, 250 Pitches (147 Strikes), 28 Swinging, 40 Called, 11.2% SwStr, 26.2% Whiff/Swing, 17 Pitches/IP, 70 BF

Seth Lugo - 17.7 IP, 31 H, 21 R (19 ER), 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 47 TB, 7 BB, 18 K (14 K/Sw), 31 GB: 13 FB: 17 LD: 2 PU, 325 Pitches (212 Strikes), 34 Swinging, 56 Called, 10.5% SwStr, 21.8% Whiff/Swing, 18.4 Pitches/IP, 88 BF

Appears to have been going through a ‘dead-arm’ phase after Spring Training

Relievers

Erik Goeddel - 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 HR, 10 TB, 5 BB, 6 K (6 K/Sw), 11 GB: 5 FB: 4 LD: 1 PU, 125 Pitches (73 Strikes), 17 Swinging, 14 Called, 13.6% SwStr, 28.8% Whiff/Swing, 17.9 Pitches/IP, 33 BF

High rate of walks is the only strike against him

Josh Smoker - 8.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R (4 ER), 3 2B, 11 TB, 4 BB, 15 K (10 K/Sw), 11 GB: 3 FB: 4 LD, 150 Pitches (97 Strikes), 24 Swinging, 30 Called, 16% SwStr, 35.8% Whiff/Swing, 17.3 Pitches/IP, 38 BF

He’s obviously had a few rough outings, but the important numbers are his 39.5 K% and 35.8% Whiff/Swing

Paul Sewald - 12.1 IP, 13 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 21 TB, 2 BB, 16 K (12 K/Sw), 15 GB: 10 FB: 6 LD: 2 PU, 213 Pitches (142 Strikes), 29 Swinging, 34 Called, 13.6% SwStr, 26.9% Whiff/Swing, 17.3 Pitches/IP, 51 BF

His slider looks great so far

Dario Alvarez - 8 IP, 9 H, 8 R (6 ER), 2 2B, 2 HR, 17 TB, 5 BB, 17 K (10 K/Sw), 8 GB: 4 FB: 3 LD, 156 Pitches (98 Strikes), 23 Swinging, 35 Called, 14.7% SwStr, 36.5% Whiff/Swing, 19.5 Pitches/IP, 38 BF

Very mixed results so far, will need to be much more consistent before the Mets call on him

Jeff Walters - 10.2 IP, 13 H, 6 R (6 ER), 1 2B, 2 HR, 20 TB, 7 BB, 13 K (10 K/Sw), 12 GB: 8 FB: 9 LD: 1 PU, 197 Pitches (116 Strikes), 24 Swinging, 30 Called, 12.2% SwStr, 27.9% Whiff/Swing, 18.5 Pitches/IP, 50 BF

His fastball is sitting 94-95 MPH this year

Zach Thornton - 10.1 IP, 12 H, 8 R (8 ER), 3 2B, 1 HR, 18 TB, 7 BB, 3 K (1 K/Sw), 22 GB: 8 FB: 6 LD: 3 PU, 208 Pitches (121 Strikes), 7 Swinging, 39 Called, 3.4% SwStr, 8.5% Whiff/Swing, 20.1 Pitches/IP, 51 BF

Chasen Bradford - 12.1 IP, 12 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 2B, 15 TB, 2 BB, 7 K (4 K/Sw), 23 GB: 8 FB: 8 LD: 1 PU, 179 Pitches (121 Strikes), 21 Swinging, 22 Called, 11.7% SwStr, 21.2% Whiff/Swing, 14.5 Pitches/IP, 51 BF

Chase Huchingson - 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 2B, 4 TB, 3 BB, 6 K (5 K/Sw), 8 GB: 1 FB: 3 LD: 1 PU, 89 Pitches (48 Strikes), 13 Swinging, 10 Called, 14.6% SwStr, 35.1% Whiff/Swing, 17.8 Pitches/IP, 24 BF

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