FFA Week of July 9th – July 16th

Phil Gurnee ♦ July 17, 2017 ♦ 1 Comment

The contenders:

Wilmer Font – started in the PCL AAA All-Star game on Wednesday and threw one scoreless inning. Followed that up with six innings, three hits, one earned run, zero walks, and eight strikeouts on Sunday.  Font continues to excel at AAA as he waits to see if his production will turn into a major league turn.

Errol Robinson – The speedy 2nd/SS collected nine hits in his last five games, including four stolen bases.  All of his hits were singles but with four stolen bases you could say some were doubles:). Errol has spent time on three teams this year running up the ladder from A- to A+ to AA. He showed some power with Rancho but has yet to have an extra base hit for Tulsa (AA).  Overall Errol has 15 stolen bases with four caught stealing in just 53 games.

Jose Miguel Fernandez  – Jose had nine hits in his last four games, including two three hit games. The 2nd baseman has been playing 1st and 3rd as he tries to show off his versatility because his only ticket to the majors is probably as a utility player.

Josh Sborz – Sborz made two starts last week giving up only one earned run combined. Overall he went 13 2/3 innings, gave up just six hits, one earned run, walked five and struck out eight.  Since giving up six runs on June 8th, Sborz has made six straight quality starts, not giving up more than two earned runs in any of those six games.  That is the good news, the bad news is that his KK/BB ratio is horrible over those six games.

Andrew Sopko – Sopko continued his fine work in June/July with a seven inning gem. Sopko threw seven innings, gave up six hits, two earned runs, zero walks, and four strikeouts.  He has only given up six earned runs over his last five starts, but just like Sborz has a problem getting strikeouts, and walks too many hitters for such a low punchout rate.

Keibert Ruiz – Keibert spent his first week with Rancho showing why he’s the best position prospect in the Dodger system. The 18-year-old switch hitting catcher played in five games, collected seven hits, two walks, including his first home run in Rancho. His line so far in A+ ball is .368 / .429 / .737 with an OPS of 1.165.  Did I mention he is 18-years- old playing in A Plus ball. This will be the last time because he turns 19 this week.

Dennis Santana – Dennis went eight innings, gave up seven hits, two earned runs, one walk, and had six strikeouts. You don’t see many pitchers below AAA going eight innings and it was the first time for Santana. I’m pretty sure it was the first time for any Rancho pitcher.

Ibandel Isabel – Izzy hit three home runs last week to take the league lead away from teammate DJ Peters. Isabel now has 20 home runs. He also had nine hits and if he didn’t have eight K’s to one walk he’d get more play.

Caleb Ferguson – Fergy continued his strong July run with two good starts last week. He combined to throw 11 innings, gave up only five hits, three earned runs, four walks, and eighteen strikeouts. Caleb hasn’t given up more than two earned runs since June 1st a span of nine starts.

And the winner is……..

Caleb Ferguson who wins the Weekly Farm Factory Award for the Week of July 9th – July 16th.

I really wanted to give it to Keibert Ruiz but I’ll be writing more about him and this was the first time that Caleb was in the running, and he has been on a nice run.

Top Prospects have been on the move:

• Keibert Ruiz was promoted from Great Lakes to Rancho
• Walker Buehler was promoted from Tulsa (AA) to Oklahoma (AAA).  Will be interesting to see what the Dodgers do with Walker. Will they start using him in relief in over the final six weeks of the minor league system to get him ready for a possible call up to the Dodger bullpen?
• Edwin Rios was promoted from Tulsa (AA) to Oklahoma (AAA). Rios has been playing the outfield and 1st base for Oklahoma but no games at 3rd base since his promotion.

One final note, I did not include Starling Heredia in the running for FFA Player of the Week because he is playing in a Rookie league. Just so you know,  the 18-year-old Starling is knocking the crap out of the Pioneer League.  He had three, three hit games, and two, two hit games last week. Plus three home runs. Plus five walks.