TRENTON- J.P. Feyereisen was an Akron pitcher just over two weeks ago, fighting for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs. Now, the reliever is with Trenton, and looks set to be a key part of the Thunder post-season push. But he gets to see his old mates Tuesday, as the Rubber Ducks are in town for a three-game...
TRENTON- J.P. Feyereisen was an Akron pitcher just over two weeks ago, fighting for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.
Now, the reliever is with Trenton, and looks set to be a key part of the Thunder post-season push. But he gets to see his old mates Tuesday, as the Rubber Ducks are in town for a three-game set with Trenton.
"It is definitely strange," Feyereisen said. "I was talking to some of the guys. I actually had a couple buddies drive my truck up from Akron. It is kind of cool seeing them, but strange playing against the team I was on earlier this year."
"They are a whole different team from when I was there in the beginning of the season," Feyereisen said. "I would say there are maybe three or four guys in the starting lineup that are the same, and the bullpen has changed. I think they have signed a few more guys too."
While the Akron team started out the season so well, the Rubber Ducks are now 60-60 coming into the series, and sit 6.5 games behind Altoona in third place in the Western Division.
Akron is just three games behind Harrisburg for the second playoff spot, but at this point, it may be tough to keep up with the two teams in front of it.
The Indians organization was strengthened at the top via a trade with the Yankees that sent Andrew Miller to the Indians. Feyereisen was just one of the four pieces that came over from Akron. Two top prospects were included as well: 2013 first round pick OF Clint Frazier and 2014 first round pick P Justus Sheffield. The fourth player, Ben Heller, is already in the major leagues with the Yankees. So that is four players that could really help the Yankees over the next few years.
But while the Indians were strengthened, their minor league teams have obviously taken a huge hit, especially Akron. A once-strong and deep team in April and May has seen prospects traded (see above), or moved up to Triple A, including Shawn Morimando (14-4, 2.84 ERA) and Bradley Zimmer (14 HR, 53 RBI with Akron)
Obviously, the main goal of any organization is to win the World Series, and Cleveland is well placed to do that. At 67-49, the Indians are five games up (six in the loss column) on Detroit for the Central Division crown. Andrew Miller could be the main piece that Terry Francona needed to win the pennant, and Miller is under team control through 2018, which makes him more valuable to the Indians.
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But while the Indians have drained their system, the Yankees may now have the number one system in all of baseball.
Whether or not all of those prospects end up in New York (not likely) or they are moved in trades to continue the rebuilding process in the Bronx (more than likely some will be moved over the next two winters,) the Yankees have put themselves in a strong position to contend in the next few years.
With a loaded free agent class in 2018, led by Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Clayton Kershaw, the Yankees are set up to be major players at the winter meetings this offseason, and at the trade deadline next summer.
How many of the 2016 Thunder alumni will be a part of that youth movement? Time will tell.
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The Thunder honored Army Captain Paul Perez Jr. during the seventh inning stretch, as part of Honoring Our Heroes Baseball Family Fun Night. Perez Jr. is the son of Paul Perez, ex-Trenton mayoral candidate.
Perez's group, Partnerships For Trenton, had two of its participants sing at ARM & HAMMER Park: Antonio Vitella sang the National Anthem before the game, and Aliyah Clark-Rodriguez sang God Bless America in the seventh inning.
Perez Jr. returned recently from his third tour of Iraq. Baseball is one of the things that he missed while out of country.
"I got back 50 days ago, and we tried to come to an earlier game, but it was sold out," Perez Jr. said. "I grew up on baseball. I played Babe Ruth League up at Ft. Dix, a while back. My dad was my coach. I played varsity baseball. Baseball is a big, big part of my life."
"I haven't seen a professional baseball game, or any baseball game, since I have been in the Army," Perez Jr. said. "So it is really a big deal to be able to come back and enjoy these things. I went and got these shirts made for this night, and got my cousin (Vitella) one for the experience of it."
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean