Ryan Kellogg, Canadian Baseball Network POW, Week XVIII
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Legend has it that when Ryan Kellogg showed up for his first practice with the Ontario Prospects he was asked what position he played.
“Catcher, sir,” Kellogg replied.
Well, fairy tales or fishing stories become legends.
Rob and Rich Butler, the East York line drive hitting brothers, told the Kellogg as a lefty, his best position was on the mound.
Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) went on to become a legend with the Canadian Junior National Team, the Arizona State Sun Devils (having one of the highest win totals by any Canadian starter in three years) and now he is making a name for his own self in the Chicago Cubs organization pitching for the South Bend Cubs.
The lefty won two games this week -- making it three straight -- to earn Canadian Baseball Network minor league player of the week honors. In the second half, Kellogg has gone 4-3 with a 2.01 ERA in eight starts walking six and striking out 36 in 44 2/3 innings.
How Kellogg’s week that was went as he ...
_ Pitched 5 2/3 innings scoreless in a 2-0 win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps before 4,665 fans at Four Winds Field. He allowed two hits and walked two, while striking out a pair. Kellogg threw 93 pitches (54 strikes) retiring seven batter on ground ball outs and four more on fly balls.
_ Worked five innings in a 4-1 win against the Great Lakes Loons in front of 5,992 at Four Winds Field. He allowed one run on four hits and fanned six. The lefty threw 69 pitches (51 strikes) recording four ground ball out and three fly outs.
Kellogg is just one of four Canucks with the Chicago Cubs who landed there thanks to former scouting director Tim Wilken, who held the same position with the Toronto Blue Jays and owner of a pair of World Series rings. The Canucks:
_ LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) is 6-3, 4.03 at Triple A Iowa and is 9-5 with a 4.13 ERA in 23 games -- 22 starts at Double-A and Iowa. He is a former Canadian Baseball Network minor league players of the week.
_ 3B Jesse Hodges (Victoria, BC) is hitting .250, with one homer and four RBIs at Class-A Myrtle Beach. On the season Hodges is batting .281 with seven doubles, five triples, a homer and 25 RBIs in 73 games at class-A South Bend and Myrtle Beach.
_ Kellogg, who was signed by Steve McFarland, is 6-7, with a 3.21 ERA at South Bend.
_ OF Michael Foster (Pickering, Ont.) is batting .180 with five RBIs at class-A Eugene Emeralds.
And in other news ... OF Cole Bauml (Meunster, Sask.) was named to the class-A New York-Penn League, North Division All Star Team.
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Charles Leblanc - A Spokane 25 8 10 - 2 .400
Josh Naylor - A Lake Elsinore 22 3 8 1 8 .364
Andy Yerzy - Rkie AZL D’backs 20 2 7 - 4 .350
Jordan Procyshen - A Salem 16 2 5 1 4 .313
Ismael Pena - Rkie AZL Mariners 13 2 4 1 3 .308
Kellin Deglan - AA Frisco 10 2 3 2 3 .300
Vladimir Guerrero - Rkie GCL Jays 24 5 7 2 7 .292
Daniel Pinero - A Connecticut 21 3 6 - 2 .286
Sebastien Boucher - IND Ottawa 20 6 8 - 5 .400
Carter Bell - IND Joliet 27 7 9 - 5 .333
Maxx Tissenbaum - IND Quebec 23 5 7 - 4 .304
Jonathan Malo - IND Quebec 31 7 9 1 4 .290
(Minimum 10 AB’s required.)
BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCES
ROB ZASTRYZNY LHP - AAA IOWA CUBS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.0 2 - - 1 5 1-0 - 0.50 0.00
Another excellent start this week by Rob Zastryzny for the Iowa Cubs on Aug. 7th, in a 6-4 win over Oklahoma City Dodgers. He pitched six scoreless innings, surrendered only two base hits while striking out five Dodgers hitters, to earn his sixth win of the season. His record in 14 starts with Iowa in the Triple A Pacific Coast League, now stands at 6-3 with a 4.03 ERA.
NICK PIVETTA RHP - AA READING FIGHTIN’ PHILS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 2 - - 4 5 1-0 - 1.20 0.00
Of all Canadian starting pitchers currently active in the Minor Leagues this season, it’s reasonable to say that Nick Pivetta has probably been the most consistent, and this week was just one more example. On Aug. 7th in a 14-0 rout of the Altoona Curve he pitched five scoreless innings and gave up two base hits while striking out five Altoona batters, to earn the win. This outing improved his record in 22 starts for Reading in Double A Eastern League, to 11-6 with a 3.41 ERA.
MICHAEL SOROKA RHP - A ROME BRAVES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 4 - - 2 5 1-0 - 1.20 0.00
On Aug. 6th Michael Soroka made another fine start for the Braves in a 2-0 shutout win over the Columbus Fireflies. In this game he pitched five scoreless innings and gave up four base hits while striking out five Columbus batters, to earn his fifth win of the season. His record in 21 appearances with Rome in the Single A South Atlantic League, now stands at 5-9 with a 3.03 ERA.
RYAN KELLOGG LHP - A SOUTH BEND CUBS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 10.2 6 1 1 1 8 2-0 - 0.69 0.88
Following up on his fine performance in the previous week, Ryan Kellogg made two very good starts for the Cubs this week. On Aug. 3rd in a 2-0 win over Ft. Wayne Tin Caps, he pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, surrendered two base hits while striking out two Ft. Wayne hitters to earn his fifth win of the season. On Aug. 9th in a 4-1 win over the Great Lake Loons, he tossed five innings gave up four base hits and one earned run while fanning six Great Lakes batters to gain his second win of the week, and sixth of the year. These outings improved his record, in 20 appearances with South Bend in the Single A Midwest League, to 6-7 with a 3.21 ERA.
ALEX WEBB RHP - A DAYTON DRAGONS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 3 1 1 - 3 1-0 - 0.60 1.80
Recently moved by the Cincinnati Reds from Rookie Class Billings Mustangs up to Single A Dayton Dragons in the Midwest League, Alex Webb has made it quite clear he was ready for the promotion. On Aug. 5th in a 5-1 over West Michigan Whitecaps he pitched five innings, gave up only three base hits and one earned run while striking out three Whitecaps batters to earn his first win for the Dragons. His record with Dayton is now 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA.
EVAN GRILLS LHP - AA CORPUS CHRISTI HOOKS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 13.2 10 6 4 3 17 1-1 - 0.98 2.73
Although the results were mixed, including a win and a loss, there’s no doubt Evan Grills had two very good starts for the Hooks this week. On Aug. 3rd in a 6-2 victory over San Antonio Missions, he pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings allowing five base hits while striking out twelve San Antonio batters, to earn
his fourth win of the season. On Aug. 9th a 4-1 loss to Northwest Arkansas Naturals, he tossed six innings giving up five base hits and four earned runs while striking out five Naturals hitters, but was saddled with the loss. These outings improved his Double A Texas League record to 4-5, with 1 Save and a 4.11 ERA. His overall record for the year in a total of 20 appearances, including an earlier stint with Single A Lancaster JetHawks in the California League, now stands at 7-6 with 1 Save and a 3.97 ERA.
PLAYER MOVEMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS
RHP Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) - Optioned by the Detroit Tigers back to Triple A Toledo Mud Hens.
RHP Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) - On Re Hab Assignment, moved by the New York Mets to Single A St. Lucie Mets from Triple A Las Vegas 51’s. Appeared in one game with St. Lucie and was moved back
to Las Vegas 51’s.
RHP Jesen Dygestile-Therrien (Montreal, Que.) - Moved by Philadelphia Phillies to Double A Reading Fightin’ Phils from Single A Clearwater Threshers.
C Dustin Houle (Penticton, BC) - Moved by the Milwaukee Brewers to Single A Brevard County Manatees from Double A Biloxi Shuckers.
LHP Connor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) - Moved by the Los Angeles Angels to Rookie Class Orem Owls from Rookie Class AZL Angels.
RHP Jake Polancic (Abbotsford, BC) - 2016 Eleventh Round Draft Pick activated by Arizona Diamondbacks at Rookie Class AZL Diamondbacks.
RHP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC) - Activated from Disabled List by the St. Louis Cardinals at Double A Springfield Cardinals.
SS Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Arizona Diamondbacks at Triple A Reno Aces.
2B Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Toronto Blue Jays at Single A Vancouver Canadians.
RHP Jon Fitzsimmons (London, Ont.) - His contract was acquired from Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League by the Cleveland Indians, and he was assigned to Single A Lake County Captains.
LHP Donovan Feenstra (Calgary, Alta.) - Free Agent signs with the Joliet Slammers IND Frontier League.
RHP David Leblanc (Beaconsfield, Que.) - Activated from Disabled List by Trois Rivieres Eagles IND Can Am League.
LHP Guillaume Blanchette (St. Constant, Que.) - Placed on Disabled List by Trois Rivieres Eagles IND Can Am League.
INF/OF Reed Lavallee (North Delta, BC) - Released by Trois Rivieres Eagles IND Can Am League.