May Stat Review: Columbia Fireflies

J.C. checking out his bat

Jose Leger’s squad finished May with a 14-15 record

            The Columbia Fireflies had an up-and-down month of May but enter June in 2^nd place in the SAL Southern division. The Fireflies went through a few stretches where they struggled to score, and the bullpen was shaky at times, but the starting pitching kept them in nearly every game. They’ve had trouble against the Charleston River Dogs this season, blowing multiple leads late, which is the only difference between the two squads in the standings. Below I’ve posted everyone’s May statline, with some comments added for each player.

May

MVP: J.C. Rodriguez did a little bit of everything for Columbia in May, and he’s having a really nice season in his return to the SAL. J.C. offers the Fireflies good defense at 3B, 2B, and SS, and he’s been coming through with big hits at the top of the order.

Cy: P.J. Conlon is waiting for pro baseball to challenge him. All he’s done so far in his pro career is post a 1.09 ERA across 74 innings between the NYPL in 2015 and the SAL this year, with an excellent 72 K: 11 BB ratio and only 57 hits allowed.

Fireman: Craig Missigman. Realistically, this is a tossup between Missigman and Tyler Bashlor, but Missigman nice walk rate earned him the nod.

April stats

Offense

Enmanuel Zabala - 13 PA, 0.273/0.385/0.455, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB, 8.5% SwStr, 21.1% Whiff/Swing, 3.6 Pitches/PA, 0.333 BABIP

Zabala was good in his brief look but was apparently only with the team to temporarily fill an outfield spot

Patrick Mazeika - 51 PA, 0.333/0.431/0.381, 6 R, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 2 HBP, 1 SF, 9 K, 3.2% SwStr, 9.7% Whiff/Swing, 4.3 Pitches/PA, 0.412 BABIP

Mazeika was finally cleared to play in mid-May and is off to a quick start. He has quick hands and has shown an excellent eye at the plate

Kevin Kaczmarski - 88 PA, 0.286/0.356/0.442, 13 R, 9 2B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 7 BB, 2 HBP, 1 SF, 1 SAC, 13 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB, 1 CS, 6% SwStr, 15.6% Whiff/Swing, 3.6 Pitches/PA, 0.328 BABIP

Kacz started heating up at the end of May and looked poised for a big June

Jean Rodriguez (JC!) - 109 PA, 0.292/0.361/0.417, 13 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 11 BB, 1 SF, 1 SAC, 13 K, 4 SB, 2 CS, 9.4% SwStr, 21.1% Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA, 0.325 BABIP

J.C. just missed a walkoff homer earlier in the year, settling for a walkoff triple off the top of the wall. He has a cannon for an arm

David Thompson - 71 PA, 0.270/0.324/0.429, 14 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 4 BB, 2 HBP, 2 SF, 11 K, 2 SB, 1 CS, 10.4% SwStr, 21.7% Whiff/Swing, 3.4 Pitches/PA, 0.302 BABIP

Thompson’s arm has looked fine at 3B, and he’s made a number of flashy plays at the hot corner. Just like Kacz, I think Thompson will have a big June for the Fireflies

Vinny Siena - 126 PA, 0.280/0.415/0.320, 22 R, 4 2B, 3 RBI, 19 BB, 4 HBP, 3 SAC, 32 K, 1 GIDP, 3 SB, 8.6% SwStr, 23.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.2 Pitches/PA, 0.412 BABIP

Siena had the loudest BP when I was in Rome Monday and was still an on base machine in May, but he swung through too many pitches, especially with two strikes

Luis Ortega - 32 PA, 0.258/0.281/0.452, 4 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 HBP, 6 K, 3 CS, 7.5% SwStr, 14% Whiff/Swing, 3.3 Pitches/PA, 0.261 BABIP

At 23, Ortega is a little older for a prospect making his full season debut, and I had nothing about him before he debuted recently. He showed some pull side pop in his first week, launching two moon shots to LF.

Milton Ramos - 96 PA, 0.256/0.354/0.341, 5 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 11 RBI, 12 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SF, 17 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB, 2 CS, 9.1% SwStr, 23% Whiff/Swing, 3.6 Pitches/PA, 0.318 BABIP

Ramos is having a much better season than the numbers suggest and has a real chance to be at least an average major league shortstop. He’s made a bunch of flashy plays and should have no problem sticking at short. He’s walking more than ever, not striking out too often, and his extra base hits have been LOUD – I have him at one wall double to LF in Columbia, two wall doubles to dead CF in Greenville, and another that landed on the CF warning track in Greenville.

Dash Winningham - 95 PA, 0.200/0.274/0.388, 5 R, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 9 BB, 1 SF, 18 K, 6 GIDP, 1 CS, 8.5% SwStr, 19.9% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.227 BABIP

Dash went through a cold stretch near the end of May but appeared to have found his way out of it when I saw him in Rome

Tyler Moore - 47 PA, 0.256/0.326/0.308, 6 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 2 SF, 1 SAC, 10 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB, 11.8% SwStr, 29.3% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.323 BABIP

Jeffrey Diehl - 72 PA, 0.169/0.250/0.292, 3 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 1 HBP, 28 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB, 0 CS, 14.5% SwStr, 33.6% Whiff/Swing, 4.2 Pitches/PA, 0.278 BABIP

Diehl is a big guy with an all-or-nothing approach

Ivan Wilson - 90 PA, 0.173/0.256/0.272, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 9 BB, 32 K, 3 GIDP, 2 SB, 3 CS, 13.8% SwStr, 37.3% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.255 BABIP

Tools for days but needs to improve his pitch recognition

Vicente Lupo - 53 PA, 0.174/0.283/0.196, 6 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 7 BB, 22 K, 2 CS, 21.2% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 3.7 Pitches/PA, 0.333 BABIP

Joe Tuschak - 77 PA, 0.188/0.273/0.203, 9 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 8 BB, 17 K, 2 GIDP, 2 SB, 7.3% SwStr, 18.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.1 Pitches/PA, 0.25 BABIP

Jose Garcia - 49 PA, 0.178/0.245/0.222, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 17 K, 1 GIDP, 2 CS, 17.9% SwStr, 36.9% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA, 0.286 BABIP

Reminds me of Juan Centeno - good defense, but no power from the left side

Pitching

Starters

Andrew Church - 12.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 2B, 1 3B, 13 TB, 15 K (9 K/Sw), 11 GB: 8 FB: 8 LD: 5 PU, 162 Pitches (124 Strikes), 23 Swinging, 36 Called, 14.2% SwStr, 26.1% Whiff/Swing, 12.8 Pitches/IP, 50 BF

This came out of nowhere but does not appear to be a fluke. Scouts told me he was 92-94 MPH with his heater Monday in Rome, and he’s had pinpoint command of the pitch over his first two starts

Tyler Badamo - 22 IP, 22 H, 6 R (5 ER), 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 34 TB, 6 BB, 13 K (13 K/Sw), 34 GB: 20 FB: 15 LD: 5 PU, 296 Pitches (193 Strikes), 33 Swinging, 46 Called, 11.1% SwStr, 22.4% Whiff/Swing, 13.5 Pitches/IP, 94 BF

Badamo is looking to end AB’s in as few pitches as possible, so he’s not always getting to strikeout counts or posting big K numbers, but his Whiff/Swing rate suggests his stuff is missing bats often enough

P.J. Conlon - 33.1 IP, 25 H, 7 R (6 ER), 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 41 TB, 8 BB, 29 K (28 K/Sw), 49 GB: 20 FB: 15 LD: 11 PU, 486 Pitches (319 Strikes), 56 Swinging, 79 Called, 11.5% SwStr, 23.3% Whiff/Swing, 14.6 Pitches/IP, 134 BF

Should be on his way to the FSL soon enough

Kevin Canelon - 30.1 IP, 27 H, 10 R (9 ER), 5 2B, 0 1 HR, 35 TB, 4 BB, 28 K (23 K/Sw), 30 GB: 31 FB: 15 LD: 8 PU, 459 Pitches (328 Strikes), 62 Swinging, 65 Called, 13.5% SwStr, 23.6% Whiff/Swing, 15.1 Pitches/IP, 117 BF

Canelon’s fastball tops out around 87/88 MPH, which limits his upside, but his changeup and slider get him a lot of swinging strikes

Joe Shaw - 31.2 IP, 31 H, 15 R (12 ER), 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 47 TB, 9 BB, 27 K (25 K/Sw), 55 GB: 21 FB: 18 LD: 3 PU, 460 Pitches (299 Strikes), 45 Swinging, 78 Called, 9.8% SwStr, 20.4% Whiff/Swing, 14.5 Pitches/IP, 137 BF

Shaw’s mechanics aren’t the prettiest, but his breaking stuff is pretty nasty

Thomas McIlraith - 14.2 IP, 20 H, 15 R (14 ER), 8 2B, 28 TB, 5 BB, 7 K (6 K/Sw), 30 GB: 9 FB: 11 LD: 3 PU, 216 Pitches (133 Strikes), 12 Swinging, 30 Called, 5.6% SwStr, 11.7% Whiff/Swing, 14.7 Pitches/IP, 67 BF

McIlraith was moved to the DL after his shortest start as a pro and I haven’t heard anything about why or when he’s expected back

Chase Ingram - 23 IP, 26 H, 18 R (15 ER), 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 36 TB, 13 BB, 18 K (13 K/Sw), 42 GB: 13 FB: 12 LD: 5 PU, 385 Pitches (227 Strikes), 55 Swinging, 48 Called, 14.3% SwStr, 30.7% Whiff/Swing, 16.7 Pitches/IP, 107 BF

Ingram allowed 4+ runs in 3 of his May starts, but he’s missing bats at an excellent rate this year, and that’s the more important indicator for future success

Relievers

Craig Missigman - 13.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 2B, 1 3B, 10 TB, 2 BB, 10 K (7 K/Sw), 19 GB: 10 FB: 4 LD: 3 PU, 167 Pitches (114 Strikes), 14 Swinging, 23 Called, 8.4% SwStr, 15.4% Whiff/Swing, 12.2 Pitches/IP, 50 BF

Missigman doesn’t light up the radar gun like some of his teammates in the pen, instead he relies on good control and a high groundball rate for his success

Tyler Bashlor - 13.2 IP, 9 H, 1 R (0 ER), 9 TB, 8 BB, 15 K (13 K/Sw), 16 GB: 8 FB: 7 LD: 5 PU, 248 Pitches (156 Strikes), 39 Swinging, 32 Called, 15.7% SwStr, 31.5% Whiff/Swing, 18.1 Pitches/IP, 59 BF

Bashlor is a workout fiend who has topped out at 98 so far in 2016

Christian Montgomery - 11 IP, 11 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 2B, 1 3B, 15 TB, 10 BB, 19 K (12 K/Sw), 6 GB: 6 FB: 7 LD: 6 PU, 235 Pitches (140 Strikes), 35 Swinging, 36 Called, 14.9% SwStr, 33.7% Whiff/Swing, 21.4 Pitches/IP, 56 BF

Montgomery continues to post silly strikeout rates, but he’ll need to get those walks under control

Seth Davis - 13.1 IP, 14 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 2B, 17 TB, 5 BB, 14 K (10 K/Sw), 19 GB: 7 FB: 5 LD: 3 PU, 185 Pitches (115 Strikes), 28 Swinging, 30 Called, 15.1% SwStr, 32.9% Whiff/Swing, 13.9 Pitches/IP, 56 BF

Davis has generally worked as a long reliever for the Fireflies but probably slides into more of a LOOGY role in the upper levels

Alex Palsha - 13.1 IP, 11 H, 5 R (5 ER), 2 2B, 13 TB, 1 BB, 16 K (13 K/Sw), 18 GB: 8 FB: 7 LD: 2 PU, 179 Pitches (128 Strikes), 27 Swinging, 28 Called, 15.1% SwStr, 27% Whiff/Swing, 13.4 Pitches/IP, 53 BF

Palsha continues to post silly strikeouts rates, and he’s limited walks so far in 2016

Johnny Magliozzi - 10.1 IP, 19 H, 11 R (10 ER), 4 2B, 2 HR, 29 TB, 1 BB, 10 K (7 K/Sw), 23 GB: 11 FB: 5 LD, 180 Pitches (131 Strikes), 18 Swinging, 31 Called, 10% SwStr, 18% Whiff/Swing, 17.4 Pitches/IP, 52 BF

Magliozzi is limiting walks and getting groundballs at a great rate, but balls are finding their way through for hits too often

Nicco Blank - 5 IP, 8 H, 12 R (12 ER), 1 2B, 3 HR, 18 TB, 7 BB, 10 K (8 K/Sw), 8 GB: 4 FB: 1 LD, 151 Pitches (86 Strikes), 16 Swinging, 25 Called, 10.6% SwStr, 26.2% Whiff/Swing, 30.2 Pitches/IP, 33 BF

Blank can light up a radar gun but hasn’t had great command in his first full season look 

  

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