Congrats to the San Antonio Missions and Lake Elsinore Storm for advancing in their league playoffs. The Missions beat the Frisco Rough Riders, 5-0, on Friday at home (recap | box) to sweep their three-game series, while the Storm topped the Inland Empire 66ers, 8-2, at The Diamond in Elsinore (recap | box).
One of the fun things if you’re a Padres fan (especially one who got to see a few Storm games earlier in the season) is that many of the kids leading the charge for San Antonio started the year in the Cal League. Among them were left-hander Wade LeBlanc, who allowed just two hits over six innings in the clincher, while striking out 10. Four Missions players collected two hits, including top prospects Matt Antonelli (who also walked), Will Venable, and Chase Headley. Left fielder Brett Dowdy, who hit five home runs during the regular season, knocked his second of the series in support of the effort.
With the victory, San Antonio advances to the Texas League Championship Series for the first time since 2003. Not bad for a team that’s enjoying its inaugural season as a Padres affiliate. The Missions will play a best-of-five series against the Springfield Cardinals, who swept their series against the Tulsa Drillers. The championship series begins in San Antonio on Tuesday night. Listen to the games live at the Missions web site.
Meanwhile, back here in SoCal, another left-hander dominated on Friday. Steve Garrison, the least heralded of the minor leaguers that came over from Milwaukee in the Scott Linebrink trade, spun seven shutout innings, and the offense did what it’s done pretty much all season. Mike Baxter collected three hits, while Josh Alley and Juan Ciriaco each added a pair. Garrison’s strong performance was much needed, as the Storm bullpen had worked a total of 13 2/3 innings over the first two games of the series.
Next up for Elsinore: a best-of-five series against the Lancaster JetHawks starting Saturday (ah, the joys of the Cal League — no rest for the winners). The first two games are at the windy confines in Lancaster, with Elsinore playing host on Monday night (and Tuesday, if needed). Of course, thanks to the magic of the Internet, you can listen to those games as well. Better yet, head out to The Diamond on Monday — the Padres are off that night, so you have no excuse.
Go Missions! Go Storm!
It sounds to me like Garrisson may have been a sleeper in this trade. He has pitched all but perfectly since he got to the Storm. It will be fun to see if he can do well at higher levels.
Garrison has youth working in his favor, but the low K/9 could present problems at higher levels. It will be interesting to see how he fares at San Antone next year.
Actually all three of those guys, Thatcher, Iman and Garrison look pretty good – especially when you consider how Linebrink hasn’t pitched that well in Milwaukee.
The K/9 ratio is a good stat, but I’m starting to have less confiedence in it after watching the current Missions staff pitch.
I think I”ve come to the same conculusion that Rob Neyer of ESPN.com believes – there is no such thing as a pitching prospect – you kind of have to throw them out there and see what happens. Case in point, one of the best pitchers statisitically in the orgnaization since the all-star break has been Tim Stauffer.