Frogs in the Pros: August 13-19, 2015

Here's a look at how the 7 MLB Frogs fared the week of August 13-19, 2015 (all screenshots courtesy of ESPN):

Jake Arrieta (P/Chicago Cubs) – The Cubs played the White Sox on August 15, and Arrieta pitched 6 2/3 innings.  He hit a bit of a rough patch in the bottom of the 2^nd and had a wild pitch that allowed White Sox player Avisail Garcia to advance to second.  Two plays later, Arrieta made a throwing error and Garcia advanced to third while Alexei Ramirez made it safely to second.  Garcia scored on the following play.  But Arrieta got the third out and came back the following inning like it all never happened.  He allowed 5 hits and 3 runs in the game, with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts.  The Cubs won 6-3.  This was a tough game for Arrieta, but it could've been a whole lot worse.  He's still having a great season.  His ERA came up just a smidge to 2.39, with a WHIP holding steady at .99.  You can see more stats from his 2015 season here.

Matt Carpenter (3B/St. Louis Cardinals) – Carpenter has had a busy week.  The Cardinals finished a series against the Pirates on August 13.  It started rough with Carpenter making a throwing error that allowed Pittsburgh's Jung Ho Kang to get to second and allowed Andrew McCutchen to score in the top of the 1^st.  But when the Cards came to bat, Carpenter was walked, and ended up scoring the first run for St. Louis.  He advanced on a wild pitch in the 3^rd but couldn't make it home before the inning ended.  He got on base with a bunt in the 7^th and advanced with another wild pitch before scoring later in the inning.  Unfortunately, the Cardinals lost 10-5.  A 3-game series against the Marlins started August 14.  He had a bunt in the bottom of the 5^th that brought Mark Reynolds home.  Then in the bottom of the 8^th, he had a nice home run to put the Cards ahead 3-0.  Final score was 3-1.  Carpenter didn't have any luck on August 15, but the Cardinals still managed the 6-2 victory.  He managed a couple hits on August 16 but couldn't get back home.  The Cardinals lost 6-4.  He did the same thing on August 17 in a close game against the Giants.  The Cardinals pulled off the 2-1 win with a run in the 8^th.  In the second game of the series on August 18, Carpenter had no luck until the bottom of the 9^th, when he walked.  He made it to second on fielder's indifference but couldn't get back home again.  The Cardinals lost that game 2-0.  In the bottom of the 7^th on August 19, Carpenter grounded to a fielder's choice and made it to second, bringing home Thomas Pham.  The Cardinals won 4-3.  While he still has good games and bad, Carpenter is obviously doing something right to keep hitting these homeruns.  He's currently got 18 home runs and 63 RBIs for the season.  Carpenter's AVG is currently .281.  For more stats from Carpenter's 2015 season, click here.

Andrew Cashner (P/San Diego Padres) – Cashner has only had one game since our last recap.  On August 15, the Padres met the Rockies in Colorado.  Cashner pitched into the bottom of the 6^th.  Side note: He was relieved by Marc Rzepczynski with runners on first and second.  Rzepczynski immediately threw a wild pitch that allowed the runners to advance.  Then Paulson hit a sac-fly to left and brought Gonzalez in score.  And that was it for Rzepczynski.  Poor guy...but back to Cashner...our San Diego Frog allowed 7 hits and 4 runs, with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.  His ERA is currently 4.20 with a 1.36 WHIP.  For more of Cashner's stats, click here.

Taylor Featherston (3B/Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) – Featherston started filling in for Erick Aybar at shortstop.  On August 13, the Angels played the Royals and Featherston had a throwing error in the bottom of the 4^th that allowed the runner to get to 2^nd.  He didn't have any luck hitting, either.  The Angels managed to win 7-6.  On August 14, he was hit by a pitch in the top of the 2^nd.  He got to second but couldn't make it home by the end of the inning.  In the top of the 7^th, he grounded into a fielder's choice and made it to 2^nd but was out on the next play.  The Angels lost 4-1.  On August 15, he had another fielding error in the bottom of the 4^th that allowed Alex Rios to be safe at first and Mike Moustakas to reach third.  In the top of the 5^th, he was hit again by a pitch.  The Angels went on to lose the game 9-4.  On August 16, Featherston was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an upper back strain.  Not surprising, considering he was whallopped (is that a word?) twice by our former friends the Royals.  Seriously, Kansas City?  We already knew you weren't Frog Fans, but sheesh.  Featherston's AVG is currently .130.  You can see more of his season here.

Brandon Finnegan (P/Cincinnati Reds) – As mentioned last week, Finnegan should be appearing with the Reds starting in September.  We're counting down the days and we're keeping his seat warm for him up here in the MLB recap section.  Don't let us down, Reds.  You're already on our list.  For stats on Finnegan's minor league season, check out the recap below.

Bryan Holaday (C/Detriot Tigers) – The Tigers moved Holaday to their Triple-A team in Toledo on July 3^rd.  Check out stats on his Triple-A season below.  You can find his MLB stats here.

Chad Huffman (Outfielder/Chiba Lotte Marines) – Huffman continues to stay on the insanely huge Lotte roster.  We're hoping to see him play soon.  In the meantime, his AVG still sits at .260.  You can continue to follow his season here and here.

And now here's a look at the 25 Frogs currently competing in Minor League Baseball:
(Click on a player's name for full stats. Click on a team name for full team information.)

Jason Coats – OF/Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox AAA) - Seasons at TCU: 2009-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Jason Coats has cooled off a bit at the plate since our last update. In six starts since August 13, the power-hitting outfielder combined to go 4-24 at the plate with three RBI, a walk, and eight strikeouts. Most recently, on August 18, Coats hit a solo homer that accounted for the only run scored for Charlotte against the Columbus Clippers. The Knights are 7.5 games out of a playoff spot.

Brandon Finnegan – P/Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds AAA) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Brandon Finnegan made just one start for the Louisville Bats since our last update. On August 14, he pitched 5.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out one. While he didn’t pick up the win, his AAA ERA dropped almost a point and a half to 6.43. Finnegan’s Bats are fighting to stay relevant in the playoff race, however the team has fallen to 13 games out of first place in the West Division of the International League.

Bryan Holaday – C/Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers AAA) - Seasons at TCU: 2008-2010. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2010- Present. – Bryan Holaday’s hot and cold 2015 season continues in Toledo. After his batting average dropped to a season-low .187, Holaday had his best day at the plate on August 17. He went 3-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. The effort bumped his batting average up to .209. However, in the 10^th inning of that contest, Holaday dislocated his thumb during a collision at the plate and was placed on the Mud Hens’ 7-Day Disabled List. Unfortunately for Holaday, the Mud Hens have been eliminated from playoff contention in the International League.

Matt Purke – P/Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals AA) - Seasons at TCU: 2010-2011. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2011-Present. – Since our last update, Matt Purke made just one start for the Harrisburg Senators. He toed the rubber on August 18 against the Akron RubberDucks where he lasted just 1.2 innings, giving up two runs on one hit. However, Purke hit a batter and walked four in his short start. The Senators find themselves 12.5 games out of first place in the Western Division of the Eastern League.

Kyle Winkler – P/Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels AA) - Seasons at TCU: 2009-2011. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2011 –Present. – Kyle Winkler has made two appearances for the Arkansas Travelers in the last week. On August 13, he pitched an inning against the Corpus Christi Hooks, allowing an earned run on two hits. Then, on August 15, Winkler took the loss as he allowed three earned runs on one hit and five walks in 2.0 innings of work. Winkler’s ERA increased to a season-high 3.62 after the outing. The Travelers are locked in a tight playoff race in the North Division of the Texas League. Arkansas and Tulsa are tied for second, just one game behind Springfield for first place.

Jantzen Witte – 1B/Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox AA) - Seasons at TCU: 2009-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Jantzen Witte remains on the Sea Dogs’ Disabled List. The first baseman hasn’t made an appearance since July 16 after suffering an undisclosed injury. In 85 games with the Sea Dogs this season, Witte is batting .283 with 89 hits and 48 RBI.

Stefan Crichton – P/Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013- Present. – Since our last report, Crichton has made just one relief appearance for the Frederick Keys. On August 15, he pitched 1.2 inning of scoreless baseball, allowing one hit and striking out two. He picked up his first save with the Keys in the five-out performance. Frederick trails Paul Hendrix’ Lynchburg Hillcats by 3.0 games in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.

Kevin Cron – 1B/Visalia Rawhide (Arizona Diamondbacks A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Kevin Cron has started all of Visalia’s games in the last week. In that span he combined to go 9-27 with two home runs, six RBI, three walks, and only four strikeouts. His week was highlighted by an August 17 performance in which he went 5-6, knocking in two runs and scoring two himself. Cron’s batting average is hovering at .274 on the year. The Visalia Rawhide have already clinched a spot in the California League Playoffs by virtue of winning the North Division in the first half of the season.

Paul Hendrix – SS/Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland Indians A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Paul Hendrix has made four starts since our last update. In that span he has hit just 2-16 with one RBI and five strikeouts. His batting average had dropped to .254 during his recent slump. The Hillcats lead the Northern Division of the Carolina League by three games.

Jordan Kipper – P/Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angles Angels A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Since our last report, Jordan Kipper made just one start for the Inland Empire 66ers, and it was a rough one. He picked up a loss after allowing seven earned runs on seven hits in 1.2 innings of work. He also walked two and struck out two. After the outing, his ERA bumped up to a season-high 5.33. The 66ers are 6.0 games out of a playoff spot in the South Division of the California League.

Trevor Seidenberger – P/Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewers A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Trevor Seidenberger made his only relief appearance of the week on August 18 against the Daytona Tortugas. He pitched 1.2 innings, allowing no hits and no runs while dancing around three walks. His ERA dropped to 2.32 on the season. Brevard County’s playoff hopes are fading as the Manatees are 10 games out of a playoff spot as of today.

Tejay Antone – P/Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Tejay Antone made a strong start for the Dayton Dragons this week. Against the Burlington Bees on August 15, Antone went 7.0 innings deep, giving up only one run on one hit while walking one and striking out four. Although he didn’t pick up the win, his ERA dropped to 2.85 on the year. The Dragons, however, are 12 games out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League.

Riley Ferrell – P/Quad Cities River Bandits (Houston Astros A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Riley Ferrell was activated off the River Bandits’ 7-Day Disabled List on August 13. Since then, he has made two appearances, pitching a combined 1.2 innings. In that span, he has given up three hits and one unearned run while walking two and striking out two. His ERA has now dropped to a season-low 1.08. Quad Cities has already secured a playoff spot by winning the first half of the Western Division of the Midwest League.

Nick Frey – P/Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Since last week, Nick Frey has made just one relief appearance for Peoria. On August 16 he allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of work against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. That outing caused his ERA to rise to 6.04 on the year. The Chiefs are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Division of the Midwest League and are currently sitting four games out of first place.

Andrew Mitchell – P/Kannapolis Intimidators (Chicago White Sox A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Mitchell is nearing a full year after his last start with Kannapolis. He remains on the team’s disabled list.

Jerrick Suiter – OF/West Virginia Power (Pittsburgh Pirates A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Since our last update, Jerrick Suiter continues to find success at the plate. In his last six starts, he has combined to go 9-24 with two RBI. On August 18, he knocked in a run, stole a base, scored two runs, and went 4-5 at the plate. His batting average has dipped below .300 only six times this season and currently sits at .308. The Power are running away with the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League as they currently hold a seven game lead.

Trey Teakell – P/West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Trey Teakell picked up a hold against the Great Lakes Lions on August 18, pitching a scoreless 8^th inning in which he allowed a hit and a walk. Teakell’s ERA dipped to 0.74 on the season after the performance. West Michigan is sitting in second place in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League, 3.5 games out of first place.

Tyler Alexander – P/Connecticut Tigers (Detroit Tigers A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2014-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Tyler Alexander made his only start of the week on August 16 against the Aberdeen IronBirds. He gave up one earned run on two hits while walking three in three innings of work. His ERA on the year has yet to surpass 1.00 and currently sits at 0.96. Alexander was elected to the roster for the North Team in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game, however he did not make an appearance in the August 18 contest. Connecticut continues to fight for their playoff lives as the Tigers sit four games out of first place in the Stedler Division of the New York-Penn League.

Keaton Jones – SS/Connecticut Tigers (Detroit Tigers A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Keaton Jones’ struggles at the plate have continued into this week. In 14 plate appearances across four starts for Connecticut, he has registered only one hit and one walk while striking out three times. His slash line continues to drop and is currently .153/.177/.254.

Preston Morrison – P/Eugene Emeralds (Chicago Cubs A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Despite only making one start, Preston Morrison had a big week for the Eugene Emeralds. On August 16 he started a combined no-hitter against the Everett AquaSox. Morrison was perfect in three innings of work where he racked up four strikeouts. His ERA on the season dropped to a miniscule 0.66. The Emeralds are still locked in a tight playoff race. They currently trail the Hillsboro Hops by one game in the South Division of the Northwest League.

Alex Young – P/Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Alex Young has made one appearance since our last update. On August 17, he pitched a perfect inning against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Young has pitched four scoreless innings this season, allowing only two hits with four strikeouts and no walks. The Hops have already qualified for the Northwest League Playoffs through winning the first half of the South Division.

Cody Jones – OF/Idaho Falls Chukars (Kansas City Royals Rookie League) - Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Cody Jones continues to tear it up in Idaho Falls. In his last five starts he has collected seven hits in 22 plate appearances. In that span, he has picked up a double, a triple, and an RBI. His batting average continues to rise and is currently .306 on the year. The Chukars have a three game lead in the South Division of the Pioneer League.

Patrick O'Brien - P/GCL Yankees2 (New York Yankees Rookie League) - Seasons at TCU: 2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Patrick O’Brien has made two relief appearances since our last update. He combined to pitch 3.1 innings, allowing no runs on two hits while walking two and striking out two. His ERA has continued to fall as of late and is currently 3.00 on the year.

Scott Atchison – P/Free Agent - Seasons at TCU: 1995-1999. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 1999-Present. – Atchison’s days as a professional baseball player could be numbered. He was released from the Minnesota Twins’ AA club following a relief appearance on July 13. The 17-year veteran is currently a free agent.

Josh Elander – OF/Free Agent - Seasons at TCU: 2010-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Elander is currently a free agent after being released by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ A-Full Season squad in May. The outfielder is a career .273 hitter with 220 hits and 135 RBI.

With less than two weeks in the MiLB season and many former Frogs fighting for playoff spots, it should be an exciting end to the regular season. Stay tuned!