High Heels On The Field

Rays '11 First-Rounder Taylor Guerrieri Learning How To Turn Down The Heat

Brooklyn - It’s one thing to hear the constructive criticism from those around you. It’s another to apply the advice. Rays 2011 first-round pick Taylor Guerrieri is already getting the hang of that in pro ball.

It was pointed out that he needed to keep his shoulder straight and he quickly corrected the mechanical issue. His emotional temperature on the mound has needed checking and cooling. He might not have loved having that one pointed out, but he didn’t back down from the challenge

When Hudson Valley Renegades catcher Jake DePew stepped into the interview and was asked what Guerrieri needed to work on, he paused, then said, “His maturity.”

“Aww, come on, man,' Guerrieri responded. 'Really?'’

But when the nineteen-year-old righty from South Carolina was asked if there's truth to that he actually displays a lot of maturity.

“Yeah. Yeah, when I don't perform like I expect myself to it's frustrating. It happens. It's part of the game, so, I"m still learning how to deal with that.”

Selected by the Rays out of Spring Valley High School, Guerrieri has put up some impressive numbers in his 20 innings of work for the New York Penn League Renegades. He has a 0.90 ERA, with only 2 walks allowed and just two earned runs on 12 hits. He’s struck out nineteen batters.

The difficulties might not seem evident based on those results, but there’s been some bumps in the physical day-to-day realm.

“Just the throwing everyday. Coming out of high school it's definitely an adjustment. The transition is getting easier.”

In that transition, he’s sharpening the raw talent that made put him in the top slot of last year's draft. Throwing strikes early in the count, that basic part of pitching successfully, has come fairly easy for him.

“First pitch strikes have helped me a lot. First pitch strike, staying ahead of the batter, that's the key to not walking guys.”

DePew was straightforward about what his battery mate needs to improve, but he also highlighted where he excels and how.

“He's got really good stuff, throws a lot of strikes, he's got good movement on his fastball. 

He's got the stuff to do it, he just has to keep working."

When the frustration creeps up, Guerrieri follows some earthy advice.

."We've got a pitching coordinator that says, 'Breathe on a pebble.' Pick out a pebble and just [exhales]. Just take one pitch at a time."

The road ahead involves improving more complicated basics. 

"Command is always a big part of it for me. And my changeup too. I'm working towards that and it's getting better everyday.”

 

Coverage of the NYPL will continue for Baseball Digest/Going Nine and Bus Leagues Baseball. Read my continuing coverage of the Staten Island Yankees and Brooklyn Cyclones at Gotham Baseball Magazine.

A Thursday Night Showdown Between The Brooklyn Cyclones And Staten Island Yankees

Brooklyn - Tension, excited hope, disapointed exaltation, wasted opportunities, exhaustion, frustration, finally, one hit, one run and we can all go home. 

It is a ballgame the players in Thursday night's matchup between the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees could have won or lost a lot of different ways.

That's no new kind of story. But these aren't seasoned vets. These aren't even seasoned Double-A ballers. These are your hungriest. Most of them in their first year of professional baseball, untamed, unadjusted, but you can see, already, the ones that are quickly adjusting. They ease into the challenge, not without difficulty, but with a clear kind of focus and drive that guys that have been playing baseball all their lives always seem to have. 

Thursday night's game that was on display in every inning, every pitch, every botched ball, gutsy play, solid hit and fruitless swing. 

Gabriel Ynoa was on the hill for the Cyclones. He opposed the Yankees Andrew Benak. Both righties have had a measure of success with a good dose of failure. The Cyclones have come ahead in the race, with a 19-11 record, while Staten Island has gone the opposite direction, going 12-18.

Ynoa entered the game 1-1 with a 3.30 ERA. Benak came in a bit more bruised with a 5.09 ERA. Despite those numbers both pitchers showed early what they're capable of. The hits did not come, walks were not issued. Not for awhile anyway. Fifteen innings. Clean. The game was won, of course, in the bullpen.

When DH Saxon Butler, the New York Penn League RBI & home run leader, was stopped at third in the 14th after catcher Peter O'Brien singled, that felt like it had to be it. Butler could've been waved home, but Staten Island manager Justin Pope chose to hold him. He explained, post-game, that Matt Snyder was hitting hot. Pope, a first year manager, had to go with his gut. He believed Snyder would get that run home. It's that instinct every manager has to trust. Regardless of the outcome. Pope, like his players, is in the learning stages, too. But that's lesson one. No manager can second guess himself or his players once he's made a strategic decision.

There was no result in that inning, other than Snyder flying out to Mets big name prospect Brandon Nimmo. 

Late into the night and diehard fans were shouting, making the game feel a lot more meaningful. The emotions were heightened. 

Shaky defense showed up a bit. A few plays were misread. But it didn't lead to disaster. 

The ending, for all that dramatic, grueling journey, was quiet and simple. 

In the 15th, the Cyclones finally put together an inning that produced a singular result: Dimas Ponce doubled, Jonathan Clark singled, Ponce advanced to third, Richie Rodriguez with a sac-fly, Ponce scored. Staten Island could not make a threat a promise and Tyler Vanderheiden got his sixth save of the season.

Cyclones manager Rich Donnely summed it up. 

"Pitching, pitching, pitching," he said on the field as his victorious players filed off the field. 

It is a small game in the big picture of their careers, but in their short careers, that game felt big. At least for four hours and twelve minutes.

Cyclones Hilario Shows Strengths; Staten Island Bolstered By Butler, Bullpen

Reports filed Brooklyn, Staten Island - The New York Penn League affiliates of the Mets and Yankees are playing through the heat wave and in two games this week, both teams showcased their best assets and their inevitable weaknesses. These are guys, many of them, in their first professional season of baseball. Time is testing them, not to mention the new daily grind, and the heat, well, that's not helping. 

Here's some notes from two contests.

Hudson Valley Renegades at Brooklyn Cyclones, July 17th

Righty Julian Hilario (0-1, 2.61) took the mound for the Cyclones, going against righty Jesse Hahn (0-2, 6.57). HIlario was aggressive, keeping the pitches on the low side in the first inning, and working calmly through a jam with runners on. He'd begun to look shaky once guys got on, but after a conference on the mound, he came back to fire three straight strikes to get the next batter and make it two outs, eventually getting out of the inning with a fly-out.

Hudson Valley's Hahn's velocity was steadily around 92-93, topping out around 94. He looks like he still needs to put a few pounds on and is still growing into his body. He throws hard, but location was a problem at times. If he can command the fastball in the zone more consistently, as he did throughout his start, he'll move much quicker through the system. 

Renegades catcher Luke Maile hit his first professional home run. 

Eduar Quilonez got the win. Hilario took the loss in the 4-1 HV victory. 

 

Aberdeen IronBirds at Staten Island Yankees, July 18th

Saxon Butler continues to prove himself, with two singles in Wednesday's game the first baseman now has 33 hits on the season. 

A close game to the end, with Aberdeen's Sebastian Vader (0-4, 6.92) and SI's Tim Flight (1-2, 5.85) keeping things interesting. Vader's off-speed offerings were effective for the most part, showing a curveball that he threw for strikes. His fastball hovered around 87-89, but his location was an issue at times. 

Flight was good when he kept the ball down and allowed his defense to work for him. He let hitters make contact and got a good helping of groundball outs. But he started to get a bit wild and walked guys later in the game. After allowing the IronBirds to make it 3-2 in the 5th, he got two straight strikeouts to end a difficult inning. 

The Yankees bullpen did a fine job with the one-run lead. With both James Pazos and Taylor Garrison working quickly to hold the lead for a final of 3-2. Pazos struck out three batters in his two innings of work. Flight got the win and Garrison notched his third save. 

Staten Island Yankees manager Justin Pope

"They've got to throw strikes. They've got to pound the strikezone. Don't be afraid to pitch away from contact. Don't try to strike everybody out."

"They've done a really good job of coming in the next day and kind of forgetting the night before."

"We talked to them about right now, the most important part of your day from 2-6 is to get your work in. And hitters get their work in the cage. Pitchers get their side stuff in."

 

Saxon Butler 

"I'm not feeling as good as I was a couple of weeks ago, but the season's a grind. It's already about half way through. I feel mentally tough up there. I'm chasing a little bit, but it'll work itself out. I'm just trying to get quality at-bats."

"There's some pitches I overswing at. Pitches I should drive and I swing and miss it. I have to work on that."