144 games, four playoff teams, but only one champion. Unlike years prior, the last day of the 2015 International League (Triple-A) season had much significance when it arrived Monday as two teams, the Columbus Clippers and the Indianapolis Indians, were fighting for not only a division title but home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Ironically, both bullpens blew leads in the ninth inning of their respective games, resulting in a tie at the top of the IL West division and the Clippers claiming three games at Hunnington Park for a best-of-five series with Norfolk. Are the two division foes destined to face-off for the Governors' Cup next week?
Semi-Finals
78-66 Norfolk (South Champion)
at 83-61 Columbus (West Champion)
Head-To-Head in Regular Season: Norfolk won season series 5-4.
"This Ship Rocks!" From top prospect Francisco Lindor to Jose Ramirez and Lonnie Chisenhall, manager Chris Tremie's Columbus Clippers have continued to find "sailors" for their voyage. Triple-A veterans like Jesus Aguilar and Tyler Holt have continued to prove worthy of Major League call-ups by the prior driving in an IL leading 93 RBIs and the latter hitting .302. And who can forget about the pitching of Toru Murata? The right handed starter has truly stiffed the competition, including the Toledo Mud Hens in his last start (7.0 IP, 0 ER, and 6 K). Luckily for the Norfolk Tides, they will have to face him once this series.
Out of all the teams in the International League Postseason, Norfolk can definitely be identified as the one that has limped to the finish. considering they have won only eight of their last 21 games. Then how did the Tides advance this far? They almost didn't, for the Gwinnett Braves were only one game behind when the season concluded on Monday. Nevertheless, a new "season" begins Wednesday and after its competition, all of Minor League Baseball will know whether or not a Tide can sink the ship.
Hitters to Watch
NOR-Christian Walker
***5th Prospect in Baltimore's Organization
---.257 BA, 18 HR, & 74 RBI.
COL-Jesus Aguilar
***25th Prospect in Cleveland's Organization
---.267 BA, 19 HR (4th), & 93 RBI (1st).
Pitchers to Watch
NOR-Oliver Drake
---1 W. 2 L, 0.82 ERA, 23 SV (2nd), & 66 K in 44.0 IP.
COL-Toru Murata
---15 W (1st), 4 L, 2.90 ERA, & 101 K in 164.1 IP.
Schedule
Game 1-September 9
Columbus (Ryan Merrit)
at Norfolk (Terry Doyle)
Game 2-September 10
Columbus (Jarrett Grube)
at Norfolk (Chris Jones)
Game 3-September 11
Norfolk (Tyler Wilson)
at Columbus (Toru Murata)
Game 4-September 12***
Norfolk (Elih Villanueva)
at Columbus (Will Roberts)
Game 5-September 13***
Norfolk (TBA)
at Columbus (TBA)
83-61 Indianapolis (Wild Card)
at 81-63 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (North Champion)
Head-To-Head in Regular Season: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre won season series 4-3.
Will 2015 finally be the season of success for Indianapolis? The Indians, who own the two highest ranked prospects participating in the IL Postseason (Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell), have never quite been able to finish off great seasons when September begins. Whether Starling Marte and Matt Hague or Gerrit Cole and Gregory Polanco donned uniforms, the affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates have not advanced to the Governors' Cup Championship since 2005. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hopes to continue the trend.
Despite competing in the same division as Buffalo's Matt Hague, the RailRiders have overcome Hague's MVP season to claim the North Division. Although New York Yankees' top prospect Luis Severino graduated from the team in early August and Aaron Judge (MLB.com's 19th prospect) has had an awful last five weeks at the plate (.195 batting average, 6 home runs, and 17 RBIs during span), unlikely candidates such as Ben Gamel, Cole Figueroa, and Kyle Davies kept the team on the tracks to their first division title since changing the team name.
Hitters to Watch
IND-Josh Bell
***33rd Prospect in MLB
***3rd Prospect in Pittsburgh's Organization
---.347 BA, 2 HR, & 18 RBI.
SWB-Ben Gamel
---.300 BA (4th), 10 HR, 14 3B (1st), & 64 RBI.
Pitchers to Watch
IND-Tyler Glasnow
***7th Prospect in MLB
***1st Prospect in Pittsburgh's Organization
---2 W, 1 L, 2.20 ERA, & 48 K in 41.0 IP.
SWB-Kyle Davies
---11 W (3rd), 8 L, 3.30 ERA, & 99 K in 152.2 IP.
Schedule
Game 1-September 9
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Kyle Haynes)
at Indianapolis (Wilfredo Boscan)
Game 2-September 10
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Eric Wooten)
at Indianapolis (Vance Worley)
Game 3-September 11
Indianapolis (Tyler Glasnow)
at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Kyle Davies)
Game 4-September 12***
Indianapolis (Chris Volstad)
at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (TBA)
Game 5-September 13***
Indianapolis (TBA)
at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (TBA)
Governors' Cup Championship
Schedule
Game 1-September 14
IND/SWB
at NOR/COL
Game 2-September 15
IND/SWB
at NOR/COL
Game 3-September 16
NOR/COL
at IND/SWB
Game 4-September 17
NOR/COL
at IND/SWB
Game 5-September 18
NOR/COL
at IND/SWB