The Dodgers minor league affiliates have had a bit of a slow start to the 2014 season with a collective 48-56 won-loss record. The one brighter light has been the Low Single A affiliate in the Midwest League, the Great Lakes Loons. However, a one month sample is not enough to start waving a white flag for the other Dodger farm teams. The split season standings with a first half and second half winner as well as wild card spots always offer a second chance after a slow start or poor first half. Here’s how the first month of the 2014 played out down on the Dodgers farm at the Class A level.

Great Lakes Loons (Low A)
The Loons finished April with a 15-11 record wrapping up the month with a 15-4 drubbing of the Fort Wayne TinCaps on April 30. The TinCaps accounted for more than one half of the Loons victories as they fell to the Great Lakes team eight time in April. The Loons presently are second in the Western Division of the league 1.5 games behind the first place Dayton Dragons.

They should also be a team that simply gets better and better as the season progresses because of the youth factor on the team. On any given day in the season the Loons could take the field with four nineteen year old players and two twenty year olds in the starting lineup. The lineup may well include Jacob Chigbogu (19) at first base, Jesmuel Valentin (19) at second base and Alex Santana (19), formerly a third baseman, playing left field. Joey Curletta (20) in right field and Jacob Scavuzza (20) in center field, both recently turned twenty, share outfield duties with Santana. Twenty-one year old Malcolm Holland splits his time between second base and centerfield.

Right fielder Joey Curletta hit an impressive .378 for the Loons in April.
(Photo courtesy of greatlakes.loons.milb.com)

Of equal interest is the pitching staff. The starters listed on the roster include four nineteen year olds: Zachary Bird, Victor Arano, Greg Harris and Jonathan Martinez.

The Loons offense has been a pleasant surprise leading the entire league in runs, hits, doubles, runs driven in, stolen bases and total bases. At the same time they are second only to the Quad Cities River Bandits in triples, walks, on base percentage, slugging percentage, batting average and in OPS.

The pitching sheet is not nearly as impressive with the staff producing a 4.28 ERA and sitting in the lower half of the league along with a 1.40 WHIP while yielding 241 base hits, third most in the league. One bright light is that the pitching staff has given up only 80 walks, fourth lowest in the league. I fully expect the pitching to improve significantly as the weather warms up and the teen age starting staff gains experience.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Advanced A)
The Quakes had an 8-19 won loss record in April leaving them in last place in the southern division of the California League a full eight games behind the first place Lake Elsinore Storm. The expectations for the Quakes were high heading into the present campaign with a roster featuring top prospects shortstop Corey Seager along with pitchers Chris Anderson and Tom Windle. Perhaps the greatest anticipation was generated when seventeen year old Julio Urias was assigned to the Quakes.

Quakes fans have been treated to rehab starts by Brian Wilson, Josh Beckett and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw as well as an unsuccessful appearance for Chad Billingsley. The Quakes roster also features two players that have changed positions in the past year. Blake Smith has been converted from the outfield to relief pitching while former first round draft pick pitcher in 2009 Aaron Miller went in the opposite direction becoming an outfielder.

The pitching has been about middle of the pack with an ERA of 3.98 and a WHIP of 1.41. Quake pitchers have given up the second most walks in the league with 112. Starters Anderson, Windle, Urias have all recently had good starts as has control artist Lindsey Caughel and Fabio Martinez. With a couple of exceptions the bullpen for the Quakes has been ineffective in protecting leads or limiting further damage. The team has had nine one run losses and the pen has been charged with nine losses.

By contrast the Lancaster JetHawks , the Houston Astro Advanced Class A Affiliate pitching staff, has given up the fewest hits in the league and lead the league with a WHIP of 1.24. The JetHawks staff includes five pitchers that are listed among the Astros’ top twenty prospects: Mark Appel (2), Lance McCullers(5), Vincent Velasquez(9), Josh Hader(15), Kyle Smith (19).

The Quakes certainly miss the 2013 bats of O’Koyea Dickson, Noel Cuevas and Scott Schebler as well as Darnell Sweeney. Corey Seager, presently on the seven day DL and Adam Law have been the bright spots in the lineup. Overall the Quakes offense is almost dead last with a batting average of .223 with only the Inland Empire 66ers being more anemic.

Quakes third baseman Adam Law had a 15-game hitting streak during the month of April and currently leads the team with his .309 batting average. (Photo credit Ron Cervenka)

The Quakes have an up hill climb but the ship can be righted with some more effective relief work and some better offensive production. Catcher Tyler Ogle with six hits in his last four games and right fielder Jeremy Rathjen are starting to heat up a bit and along with first base slugger Chris Jacobs and Corey Seager on his return from the DL can power the offense.