Here's a look at how the 7 MLB Frogs fared the week of August 27-September 2, 2015:
Jake Arrieta (P/Chicago Cubs) - Jake Arrieta has a knack for understated humor. As of last week's recap, he had won 10 of the last 11 games he pitched. The sole game he lost was a no-hitter by Cole Hamels. So what does Arrieta do this week? He pitches a no-hitter. Game. Set. Match. He had 116 pitches over 9 innings against the Dodgers on August 30. He struck out 12. But the best part of the night may have been the pajama party after the game. Manager Joe Madden had already planned a pajama party for the team, which turned into a celebration for Arrieta's no-no. Of course Arrieta still had to do a press conference after the game, so he appeared like this. Classic.
Additionally, here are some of my other favorite moments tweeted from the Cubs regarding Arrieta's big night:
There were also the tweets from a very humble Arrieta:
Pics from the Cubs' ceremony commemorating Arrieta's no-hitter
Arrieta's stats are at an all-time low (which is good for a pitcher), with a 2.11 ERA and a .94 WHIP. You can see more stats from his 2015 season here.
Matt Carpenter (3B/St. Louis Cardinals) - Carpenter had a busy week with the Cardinals. On August 27, they met the Diamondbacks on the road. Carpenter scored in the top of the 1st, but didn't have much luck the rest of the game. The Cardinals won 5-3. On August 28, the Cardinals played the Giants in San Francisco. Carpenter was able to score in the top of the 4th, but it wasn't enough for the Cards to get the win. The Cardinals lost 5-4. On August 29, the Cardinals continued their series against the Giants, and Carpenter had a great RBI in the top of the 5th and then scored. He also had a double in the top of the 9th and was brought home when Stephen Piscotty hit a triple. The Cardinals won with a huge 6-0 victory. In the final game of the series against the Giants on August 30, Carpenter started the game with a home run to center field. He also had a double in the 4th, but it didn't lead anywhere. The Cardinals pulled off the 7-5 win, to make them 2-1 for the series. The Cards finally got to come home on August 31 to meet the Nationals. Carpenter walked in the bottom of the 7th and later scored to tie the game 5-5. The Cardinals went on to win 8-5. On September 1, the Cardinals continued the 3-game series against the Nationals. Carpenter walked in the bottom of the 3rd and scored on a Peralta single. He was intentionally walked in the bottom of the 8th but was out at second. The Cardinals won 8-5 (again) and continued to the final game on September 2. Other than a double in the bottom of the 6th that didn't lead anywhere, Carpenter didn't see much action. The Cardinals lost 4-3. Carpenter has now logged 20 home runs, 69 RBI, and his AVG is currently .260. For more stats from Carpenter's 2015 season, click here.
Andrew Cashner (P/San Diego Padres) - Cashner and the Pads headed to D.C. to meet the Nationals on August 27. In 6 ⅔ innings, Cashner allowed 9 hits and 3 runs, including 1 home run. He walked 3 and struck out 6. The Padres lost 4-2. On September 1, the Padres played at home against the Rangers. Cashner pitched 5 innings again, allowing 8 hits and 4 runs, including 1 home run. He struck out 4 and didn't give up any walks. Unfortunately, the Padres lost to the Rangers 8-6. Cashner's numbers rose slightly this week. He has a 4.15 ERA and WHIP of 1.38. For more of Cashner's stats, click here.
Taylor Featherston (3B/Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) - Featherston was activated from the 15-day DL list on September 1. He played with the Angels at Oakland on September 1. He had a single in the top of the 3rd to get on base and ended up scoring when Albert Pujols was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. He also had an RBI in the top of the 4th. The Angels won 6-2, which was a nice solid win to welcome Featherston back. The second game against the A's on September 2 didn't go quite as well, with Featherston going 0-for-4. But hey, he didn't get hit by any pitches. And the Angels won 9-4. Overall, we call that a win for this Horned Frog. His AVG still sitting at .130. You can see more of his MLB season here.
Brandon Finnegan (P/Cincinnati Reds) - Dear Walt Jocketty (Reds GM), IT'S SEPTEMBER. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? Bring Finny back. NOW. Love, Frog Fans Everywhere
For stats on Finnegan's minor league season, check out the recap below.
On a slightly different note, while checking Finnegan's stats on ESPN, this SMU ad popped up on my computer:
In light of the SMU v Baylor game tonight, I found it amusing. Here's to another "rebuilding year" for SMU. This is the only time I will ever say "GO MUSTANGS!"
Now back to baseball...
Bryan Holaday (C/Detroit Tigers) – It appears the Tigers are smarter than your average Red, so they recalled Holaday from the minors. He dislocated his thumb mid-August, so there’s still a bit of recovery going on. He’ll be third in line for catcher and saw some game time in the position on September 2 against the Royals. He grounded out to first in the top of the 9th for his first at-bat after returning to the MLB. The Tigers lost 12-1. He filled in as a pinch hitter in the top of the 8th for Kinsler against the Royals on September 3. In the bottom of the 8th, he filled in at 2nd base. The Tigers lost 15-7. His AVG is currently .260. You can find his MLB stats here.
Chad Huffman (Outfielder/Chiba Lotte Marines) - Huffman continues to sit on roster for Lotte. 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 had a pretty successful week since our last update. In seven starts, Coats combined to go 9-29 with five doubles, a home run, and three RBI. He also drew three walks and struck out seven times. Most recently, on September 2, Coats went 3-4 with two doubles and two runs scored in a 7-5 loss to the Durham Bulls. The Knights season comes to an end on Monday, and with the team already eliminated from playoff contention, Coats is a fringe candidate to be promoted to the Chicago White Sox. The Sox have two open positions on their 40-man roster and currently only hold five outfielders.
Brandon Finnegan – P/Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds AAA) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Brandon Finnegan has yet to be called up by the Cincinnati Reds. While he is on Cincinnati’s 40-man roster, he was not promoted on September 1 when MLB rosters expanded. The club is likely waiting for Finnegan to make his final scheduled start for Louisville on September 4. Speaking of starts, Finny toed the rubber for Louisville on August 30, allowing four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out five. His AAA ERA took a bit of a hit and is now up to 6.30. Stay tuned to see if Finnegan is called up in the coming days.
Bryan Holaday – C/Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers AAA) - Seasons at TCU: 2008-2010. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2010-Present. – After three promising starts in Toledo, Bryan Holaday was promoted to the Detroit Tigers once MLB rosters expanded on September 1. In his final three outings as a Mud Hen, Holaday went 5-10 at the plate, collecting two doubles and two RBI. He also stole a base on August 30. The slugging catcher improved his batting average to .244, the highest it had been since early July.
Matt Purke – P/Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals AA) - Seasons at TCU: 2010-2011. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2011-Present. – Matt Purke was activated from the Senators’ Disabled List on August 28. Since then, he has been moved to the team’s bullpen where he has made two relief appearances. On August 28, Purke pitched a perfect inning of work, striking out two in the process. He also appeared on August 30 to record one out via a strikeout. Purke’s AA ERA remains high at a 6.64, but it is promising to see him find success after a short stint on the DL. Purke's season will be wrapping up soon as the Senators have been eliminated from playoff contention in 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 relief appearances since our last update. On August 27, he allowed an earned run on two hits while striking out a batter in one inning of work against the Tulsa Drillers. Then on August 30, he gave up two earned runs on one hit and two walks while striking out one against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The Travelers are one of the few teams left yet to clinch a playoff spot. They lead the North Division of the Texas League by two games with four remaining.
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. We likely won’t see Witte for the remainder of the season. The Sea Dogs only have four games remaining and have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Stefan Crichton – P/Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Stefan Crichton’s impressive ERA took a major hit this week. On August 29, he allowed one earned run on two hits while striking out three in two innings against the Winston-Salem Dash. However, the bulk of the damage came on September 2 against the Carolina Mudcats. In that contest, Crichton blew a save by allowing four earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two in two innings of work. Entering this week, Crichton’s ERA was 1.08. It currently sits at 4.38. With the Keys eliminated from playoff contention, Crichton could be ending his season on a sour note.
Kevin Cron – 1B/Visalia Rawhide (Arizona Diamondbacks A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Kevin Cron has cooled off a bit after a string of hot starts for the Visalia Rawhide. In six appearances this week, Cron combined to go 5-24 with a home run and three RBI. He also drew a walk and struck out four times. Cron’s batting average remains constant 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 burst back onto the scene this week with four multi-hit games in his last five appearances. In that span, he combined to hit 8-20 with two doubles, a home run, and three RBI. He also scored three runs and struck out three times. Hendrix improved his batting average to .253 after this successful week. Luckily for Hendrix, the Hillcats have clinched a spot in the Carolina League playoffs and will have more opportunities to swing his hot bat.
Jordan Kipper – P/Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angles Angels A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Jordan Kipper got roughed up a bit in two starts since our last update. In 10.0 total innings of work, he allowed 11 runs on 17 hits while walking three and striking out seven. Kipper took the loss in each of the two outings. His ERA remains rather steady at 5.56 on the year. With Inland Empire’s season coming to an end on Monday, Kipper’s season is likely finished.
Trevor Seidenberger – P/Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewers A-Advanced) - Seasons at TCU: 2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – Trevor Seidenberger hasn’t made any relief appearances since our last update. The lefty is active and has been effective out of the Brevard County bullpen as of late. Seidenberger is 5-1 on the year with a 3.42 ERA in 47.1 innings of work and hasn’t allowed a run since July 30. The Manatees have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Tejay Antone – P/Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Tejay Antone made two starts for the Dragons this week. On August 27, he allowed two earned runs on six hits while walking three and striking out two in five innings of work. Then, on short rest, he allowed three earned runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings of work against the Lake County Captains on September 1. With Dayton eliminated from the playoffs, Antone will likely only have one more start this season.
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 remains on the River Bandits’ Disabled List after a lingering injury placed him back on the DL on August 18. The righty closer has pitched 16.2 innings this season, allowing just two earned runs while striking out 13 and walking none. His ERA is 1.08 on the year. Quad Cities clinched a playoff spot earlier this week, so we could see Ferrell in the postseason if he is healthy.
Nick Frey – P/Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Nick Frey made three relief appearances this week, giving up two earned runs on three hits in three total innings of work. In his first outing, against Quad Cities on August 29, Frey struck out the side and was a walk away from a perfect inning. In his most recent appearances, he took a loss after giving up a pair of runs on three hits. Peoria has clinched a playoff spot so we will likely see Frey again in the postseason.
Andrew Mitchell – P/Kannapolis Intimidators (Chicago White Sox A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2013. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-Present. – It has now been more than a year since Mitchell’s last appearance in a MiLB game. He remains on the team’s disabled list, and unless something drastic happens, we won’t see Mitchell again until at least 2016.
Jerrick Suiter – OF/West Virginia Power (Pittsburgh Pirates A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-Present. – Jerrick Suiter has hit safely in six of his seven starts since our last update. In that span, he is 9-26 with a triple and two RBI. The power-hitting outfielder has also collected three walks and six strikeouts. After a 3-5 appearance on September 2, Suiter’s batting average is just under .300, sitting at .294 on the year. Thanks in part to Suiter’s bat and glove, the Power are steamrolling into the playoffs as one of the South Atlantic League’s best teams.
Trey Teakell – P/West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers A-Full Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2011-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Trey Teakell made two relief appearances this week for West Michigan. On August 28, Teakell gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in three innings of work against the Lansing Lugnuts. Three days later, he allowed three earned runs on six hits in two innings against the Great Lakes Loons. He also picked up a strikeout and a walk in the later contest. Teakell’s ERA jumped over 1.00 for just the third time this year and currently sits at 1.87. The Whitecaps have clinched a spot in the Midwest League playoffs as a wild card team.
Tyler Alexander – P/Connecticut Tigers (Detroit Tigers A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2014-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Since our last update, Tyler Alexander made two successful starts for the Connecticut Tigers. On August 27, he went three innings deep, allowing no earned runs on one hit with a walk and three strikeouts. Then, on September 1, Alexander gave up just one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts mixed in over the course of three innings. His ERA remains under 1.00 and is currently 0.97 on the year. The Tigers were eliminated from playoff contention in the New York-Penn League this week.
Keaton Jones – SS/Connecticut Tigers (Detroit Tigers A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Keaton Jones started every game for the Connecticut Tigers since our last report. In those seven games, Jones combined to hit 5-21 with a double, two walks, and four strikeouts. Keaton’s struggles at the plate this season have resulted in a .170 batting average. His on-base percentage and slugging percentage have slumped as well and sit at .215 and .250, respectively.
Preston Morrison – P/Eugene Emeralds (Chicago Cubs A-Short Season) - Seasons at TCU: 2012-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Preston Morrison returned to the mound this week after beginning a combined no-hitter in his last start. This time around, Morrison allowed just one hit while striking out seven in three scoreless innings on August 28. After the performance, his ERA dropped to 0.95 while his opponents’ batting average fell to .197 on the year. The Emeralds are fighting for a playoff spot and currently hold on to a one game lead 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 allowed his first earned run of the year this week. On August 27, he pitched one relief inning, giving up a run on three hits against the Tri-City Dust Devils. Young reverted back to his scoreless ways on September 2, giving up just a walk in an inning of work against the Boise Hawks. His ERA is currently 1.50 on the year. The Hops have already clinched a spot in the Northwest League playoffs.
Cody Jones – OF/Idaho Falls Chukars (Kansas City Royals Rookie League) - Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-Present. – Cody Jones started all seven games for the Idaho Falls Chukars this week. Jones combined to hit 6-26 with two triples, two RBI, while drawing five walks and scoring nine runs. His batting is hovering around .300 and currently rests at .294 on the year. The Chukars are involved in a tight playoff race of their own, as they lead the Ogden Raptors by one game in the South Division of the Northwest 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’s season came to an end this week as the GCL Yankees2 missed the Gulf Coast League playoffs. Before hitting the offseason, O’Brien made one final appearance. On August 29, he allowed one run on one hit in one inning of work. He also walked one and struck out one. O’Brien finished his first season of professional baseball with a 1-0 record and 3.38 ERA after allowing six earned runs on 14 hits in 16.0 total innings of work. On the year, he struck out 23 and walked nine.
Scott Atchison – P/Free Agent - Seasons at TCU: 1995-1999. Seasons in Pro Baseball: 1999-Present. – Atchison’s days as a professional baseball player are 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. – As we reported last week, Josh Elander has left minor league baseball for a coaching position at TCU. Elander was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ A-Full Season squad in May. The outfielder is a career .273 hitter with 220 hits and 135 RBI.
Seven MiLB Frogs have already clinched spots in the postseason and four more are trying to complete that feat in the final days of the year. The regular season in Minor League Baseball ends on Monday, so stay tuned as the Postseason begins!