Royals Renew Player Development Contract With Omaha Through 2016

KANSAS CITY, MO (June 19, 2012) – The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has extended its Player Development Contract (PDC) with Omaha through the 2016 season.

Triple-A Omaha, an affiliate from the inception of the two franchises in 1969, won the 2011 Pacific Coast League Championship after compiling a 79-63 regular season record.  Omaha is currently in first place in the PCL’s American North Division with a 44-27 mark on the season.  The Storm Chasers announced their new ownership group, Alliance Baseball Omaha LLC, on Tuesday.

“Omaha has an outstanding new facility and a great management team in place,” said Scott Sharp, Royals Director of Minor League Operations.  “The club announced new ownership partners today, making this a perfect time for the Royals to show our continued commitment to the Omaha area.”

“Having been affiliated with Kansas City since 1969, there was never a question of if we were going to extend the PDC, but when,” said Omaha President and General Manager Martie Cordaro.  “In my 14 years of Minor League Baseball, I have never personally experienced such a great relationship with a Major League affiliate. We are excited to extend our partnership with the Royals.”

The Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) went 2-4 over their last eight games and now sit at 27-18 on the season as they finish up a trip to the west coast.  The Storm Chasers have the third best record in the PCL trailing Sacramento and Fresno, but lead their division by eight games.

Who’s Hot
Offensively for the Storm Chasers Tony Abreu and Clint Robinson each have continued to swing hot bats.  Robinson is hitting .351 with 10 RBI over his last ten games.  Abreu is hitting at a .324 clip over his last ten contests and has two home runs, six RBI, and seven runs scored in that time.  Both players have been hot all season offensively with Robinson hitting .315 with 29 RBI, and Abreu checking in at .333 with 24 RBI.  Will Smith has been getting things done on the mound in Omaha.  He has allowed just three runs in 14.2 innings over his last two starts.  Smith is 1-3 on the season with a 4.01 ERA in nine starts this season.

Who’s Not
Jason Bourgeois has continued to struggle at the plate after being sent down to Triple-A.  Bourgeois was one of the players acquired in Spring Training from the Houston Astros in exchange for left-hander Kevin Chapman.  He is hitting .135 (5-for-37) over his last ten games with two RBI.  Vin Mazzaro also had a tough outing his last time on the mound for the Storm Chasers.  In his last Triple-A start Mazzaro went five and a third inning allowing nine hits and five runs, despite striking out seven.

Double-A

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) are now 24-coming off of their best road trip of the season.  The Naturals went 5-3 on the trip, including a sweep of the Tulsa Drillers, that has pulled them within one game of the lead in the North Division.

Who’s Hot
Catcher Julio Rodriguez is more known for his defense than his offense, but he has had one of the hottest bats in the Texas League over the past week.  Rodriguez is hitting .409 (9-for-22) over his last eight games with three runs scored and two RBI.  Yem Pradesis seeing his bat heat up again as well going 6-for-16 (.375) over his last five contests.  Prades also hit his second home run of the season during that span.  On the mound for the Naturals Patrick Keating has been lights out in May.  The right-hander has appeared in six games, tossing seven innings, and allowing just two hits, while striking out 10.

Who’s Not
First baseman Johnny Whittleman has hit his first slump of the season.  Whittleman is just 5-for-30 over his last nine games (.167), but when he has hit the ball it has been hard.  He has hit two home runs over that stretch to give him seven on the season.  Elisaul Pimentel had his strongest outing of the season in his first start of the year against Tulsa, but struggled his last time on the hill against the Arkansas Travelers.  Pimentel went three and two-thirds innings allowing five hits and three runs in his second start of the season.

Class-A Advanced

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Carolina League) went 5-2 last week and are now 20-23 on the season and in second place in the Carolina League’s Northern Division.  The Blue Rocks are trailing the Lynchburg Hillcats by four game and open the week with a series against third place Potomac.

Who’s Hot
Brian Fletcher and Kevin David have been providing the offense for the Blue Rocks over their last ten games.  David is hitting .417 (10-for-24) with a home run and six RBI.  The catcher has also scored four times in his last eight games.  Fletcher is continuing to be a force at the plate hitting .325 in his last ten games with one home run, seven RBI, and eight runs scored.  The outfielder has pulled his average up to .308 for the season with three home runs and 19 RBI in 42 games.  Yordano Ventura has been hot on the mound for the Blue Rocks.  The starting pitcher has gone 2-0 in his last two trips to the hill allowing only five hits and one run in 13 innings, while striking out 13.

Who’s Not
Outfielder Geulin Beltre, who appeared in some spring training games with the Naturals, has gone 4-for-32 (.094) over his last nine games with one home run and two RBI.  Tyler Sample continues to bounce back and forth between the hot and not lists.  In his last two outings Sample has logged nine innings of work allowing 12 hits and nine runs.

Class-A

The Kane County Cougars went 3-4 over the past week and they now sit at 23-22 on the season.  The Cougars are in third place in the Midwest League’s Western division, but are just 5.0 games behind the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for the division lead.

Who’s Hot
Infielder Michael Antonio has been hitting everything in sight over his last nine games.  Antonio has gone 13-for-35 (.371) with eight runs scored, two home runs, and 10 RBI.  Jorge Bonifacio is back on another one of his hot streaks as well.  The young outfielder is hitting .341 (14-for-41) over his last ten games with nine runs scored, a home run and five RBI.  On the mound for the Cougars Edwin Carl has continued to be one of the best pitchers in the Midwest League.  In his last two outings Carl has logged 13 innings allowing 12 hits and three runs, while striking out seven.  The right-hander is 4-2 on the season with a 1.79 ERA in 50.1 innings of work.

Who’s Not
Shortstop Orlando Calixte, who was on the hot list just two weeks ago, has cooled off recntly.  He is 4-for-34 (.118) over his last nine games.  On the mound for the Cougars Kellen Moen is coming off one of his worst outings of the season.  Moen allowed ten hits and five runs in four and two-thirds innings.  He is 2-2 on the season with a 5.05 ERA in 46.1 innings of work.

Alumni Report (Former Naturals outside the Kansas City organization) 

Who’s Hot
Ernesto Mejia is putting together his best month of the season, so far in May.  The first baseman is hitting a blistering .357 (25-for-70) so far in May with four home runs and 17 RBI.  He has 32 RBI on the season, which ranks him sixth in the International League.  Outfielder Tim Smith, who was recently signed by the Atlanta Braves, was promoted to Double-A Mississippi last week.  In two games with the Braves Smith has gone 2-for-4 with a run scored an RBI and two walks.

Who’s Not
Josh Johnson who is now with Triple-A Syracuse in the Washington Nationals organization is 5-for-28 (.179) over his last nine games, but has managed to score eight runs and knock in four over that stretch.   Chris McConnell, who is also in the Nationals organization with Double-A Harrisburg is struggling at the plate as well.  He is hitting just .167 over his last seven games.

Kila Ka’aihue has been struggling recently in the major leagues with the Oakland Athletics.  The first baseman is 3-for-20 in his last seven games, but does have two RBI, including a game winner over that stretch.

Photo Courtesy of Minda Haas

Triple-A
The Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) has posted the second best record in the PCL going 17-8 trailing only the Fresno Grizzlies who are 19-6 on the campaign.  The Storm Chasers have remained hot despite having send several players up to Kansas City, some of which have since returned.

Who’s Hot

The offense has slowed down a touch, but is continuing to carry Omaha to victories.  A pair of former Naturals have been leading the charge over the last week.  Anthony Seratelli is hitting .412 for the season, and posted his first four-hit game of the season back on April 27 against Memphis.  Terry Evans, who began the season in Northwest Arkansas has been red hot since being called up.  The outfielder has posted a .378 batting average and has belted a pair of home runs in 11 games.  On the mound for the Storm Chasers Mike Montgomery has been brilliant as of late.  The left-hander has turned in three straight quality starts (at least 6 innings and three earned runs or less).  He has allowed just seven runs in his last 20 innings of work after giving up the same number in his first 7.2 innings to start the season.

Who’s Not

Jamie Romak is in limited playing time (29 at bats) is hitting just .172 with no home runs and two RBI.  On the mound for the Storm Chasers Francisely Bueno  has surrendered five runs, only two of which were earned, in his last two outings, which have totaled three innings.

Double-A
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) are back to .500 after at 12-12 after a 7-1 homestand that put them back in second place in the Texas League North.  The Naturals are heading out on the road to Springfield for four games.  They are just 2-8 away from Arvest Ballpark this season.

Who’s Hot

Wil Myers who was named the Texas League Player of the week (April 23-29) has been leading the charge for the Naturals.  The outfielder is hitting .349 while leading the Naturals in home runs with six and RBI with 15.  Another outfielder made a name for himself over the last homestand Carlo Testa.  Testa hit three home runs on the homestand including a grand slam on April 27 and two more home runs on April 30.  He is now tied for second on the team in RBI after driving home 10 runs in his last four games.

Who’s Not
Rey Navarro had a three hit game on April 26, but has been cold since.  The second baseman has gone 1-for-17 over the last four games.  On the mound for the Naturals Bryan Paukovits allowed just one run of his own in his last appearance, but did allow all three runners he inherited to cross the plate as well in two thirds of an inning.

Class-A Advanced
The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Carolina League) went just 2-5 last week and after getting back to .500 the week before.   The Blue Rocks are now 10-13 on the season and sit in second place in the Carolina League’s North Division.

Who’s Hot

Brian Fletcher has turned his season around in a matter of days.  The corner outfielder has hit in eight of his last nine games and collected multiple knocks in seven of those contests.  He has raised his batting average from .152 to .305 over that same stretch.  Nick Rogers has continued to be as close to perfect as anyone on the mound, and has yet to allow a run this season.  The right-hander has allowed just six hits over nine innings walking just one and striking out nine.  His opponents are hitting just .182 against him and he has converted both of his save opportunities.

Who’s Not

Outfielder Geulin Beltre had a tough week, but showed signs of breaking out of his slump with his game yesterday tallying three hits in that contest, prior to that he had been mired in an 0-for-12 slump.  Tyler Sample allowed a season high five runs in his last outing on April 27 against Winston Salem.  Sample issued three walks and five hits in that contest.  The rough outing for Sample followed his best outing of the season, which came on April 17, when he worked six innings allowing just one run and fanning a season high seven.

Class-A
The Kane County Cougars also went 2-5 over the past week and now sit at 11-14 on the season.  They are sitting in sixth place in the Midwest League’s Western division, but are just three games behind Quad Cities for the division lead.

Who’s Hot

Starting pitcher Alexander Scott has been on point for the Cougars as of late.  Scott made his first two appearances out of the bullpen, before starting in two of his last three appearances.  In his two starts Scott has worked ten innings allowing just eight hits and two earned runs, while striking out eight.  He has posted a 1.04 ERA in five appearances.  Outfielder Jorge Bonifacio has continued to carry the bulk of the load offensively.  He is leading the team with a .340 batting average, and has nine extra base hits in 24 games this season.

Who’s Not

Right-hander Michael Giovenco has hit a rough patch in his last two outings.  The 6’6” relief pitcher has giving up seven runs over his last three innings of work.  These two outings are coming after he had allowed just two earned runs over his first seven and a third innings.  Cather Jin-Ho Shin is stuck in an 0-for-16 slump over his last five games.  The South Korean born backstop has seen his average dip down to .179 after it had been up at .258 back on April 19.

Alumni Report (Former Naturals outside the Kansas City organization)

Who’s Hot

Jordan Parraz continues to be hot for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves.  The outfielder is leading the team with a .367 batting average in 22 games.  Parraz has been his best against left-handed pitching hitting a scalding .600 (15-for-25) against them on the season.  A teammate of Parraz Dusty Hughes seems to have found a spot in the bullpen late in games.  Hughes earned three saves in his last four outings and has continued to see his ERA be one of the top ones in all of minor league baseball.  The left-hander has allowed just one run in 12.2 innings, while striking out 11, posting an ERA of just 0.71.

Blake Johnson has continued to be one of the top pitchers for Double-A Chattanooga in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.  Johnson has appeared in eight games, and worked 15.1 innings allowing just three earned runs while striking out 14.  He also ranks second on the Lookouts with a 1.76 ERA.

Tim Smith, who was released by the Kansas City Royals following spring training, has signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves.  The veteran outfielder made his debut with Class-A Advanced Lynchburg this past week going 2-for-3 with two walks and a run scored against Frederick on April 29.

Who’s Not

Ernesto Mejia had been off to a hot start for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, but has cooled off of late.  The first baseman is just 4-for-28 over his last eight games with the Braves.  He has provided some power though with five doubles and three home runs to go along with 15 RBI.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale.  Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

Game six rolls around and the Cardinals find themselves in yet another do-or-die situation. The team must win to extend their 2011 season. Extending the season is required at this point to keep a lifelong Cardinal in the home team uniform for one more game.

No, I’m not talking about Albert Pujols. I speak of Skip Schumaker.

I do not sit here and pretend that Skip Schumaker is not replaceable, nor do I feel he is a future Cardinal legend of any kind. He simply has never been in that category. What he has been, however, is a player that has given the team and the fans everything he has on a daily basis. He is an outfielder who has spent the better part of the last three seasons playing second base because that is where the team needed him. He has been a near .300 hitter for his career while batting almost everywhere in the lineup.

I have been one of the biggest critics of the second base transition for Skip Schumaker. I am also a very big fan of Schumaker as a St. Louis Cardinal, but feel he is much more valuable in the outfield. He is a speedy fielder with a live arm and good instincts. He can play all three outfield positions very well and projects well as a fourth-outfielder in key spots, such as filling in for Jon Jay in the centerfield in the World Series.

Skip Schumaker’s Career Stats

When it comes time to decide who stays and who goes at the end of this season the name Skip Schumaker will be batted around. If his name comes up as a solution to the middle infield rebuilding process, then it is time to let Skip find his way onto another roster. If, however, there is room for Schumaker to be the fourth (or fifth) outfielder on this team, I think he deserves to remain a part of this franchise.

When game six plays out, and game seven follows if necessary, the fans will stand and applaud Albert Pujols as he takes what may be his final at bat in front of a home town crowd that realizes he is a once in a lifetime player. At some point during that game, Schumaker will possibly take his final at bat in front of that same crowd. The young man has bled Cardinal baseball since he was drafted in 2001. He has given the fans everything he has had in the outfield, infield, and even on the mound. If you are lucky enough to be in attendance for whichever game proves to be the end of the 2011 season, I ask but one favor: recognize Skip Schumaker for the player that he has been for this team and show him that St. Louis appreciates him.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

Andrew Brown put together an impressive season for the Memphis Redbirds this year, being chosen as a Pacific Coast League All Star in the process.

Photo Courtesy of Erika Lynn

The corner outfielder would post a .284/.382/.501 slash line while driving in 73 runs and hitting 20 home runs. He had become a strong hitting prospect within the organization since his 18th round selection in the 2007 amateur draft.

Brown was also involved in a collision with Shane Robinson shortly after the season began in 2011. Both players have recovered since then, with Robinson taking the more severe injuries. You can read (and see) more about that in i70baseball’s early article found by clicking here.

Before the beginning of the 2011 National League Championship Series, the Cardinals made some roster adjustments. In one of those moves, Andrew Brown was placed on waivers and Lance Lynn was added to the 40-man roster.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Brown has been claimed by the Colorado Rockies organization. Their report can be found by clicking here.

Brown joins former Cardinal outfielder Joe Mather in Colorado for the 2012 season.

Brown’s career minor league numbers:

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

Royals Farm Report: August 25th
Naturals, Storm Chasers, Cougars solidify playoff chances

Triple-A

The Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) had a night to remember on Wednesday, as their win over Round Rock combined with Memphis’ loss allowed the Storm Chasers to clinch the American Northern Division title. This marks the first time since 1999 that the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate has made the postseason.

Who’s Hot

As he has all season, Luis Mendoza delivered for Omaha this week. He went six innings in each of his two starts since last week’s report, allowing a total of three runs. The 2011 PCL Pitcher of the Year has now won his last four starts, lowering his league-leading ERA to 2.18 in the process. Outfielder Lorenzo Cain had a big week at the plate. Though his 13-game hitting streak was snapped on Tuesday, Cain responded with a 5-for-5 performance in Wednesday’s crucial contest.

Who’s Not

Former Natural Cody Clark has slumped in recent days, as the catcher is just 1-for-23 in his last six games. Clark has not driven in a run since Aug. 18 and did not homer at all in the last month. Fellow backstop Manny Pina has just three hits in five games since rejoining Omaha following a stint in the big leagues.

Double-A

Seven days ago, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) had a commanding six-game lead in the circuit’s North Division. At the time, the club’s magic number stood at seven. Since then, however, the Naturals have lost six of their last seven games and have fallen into a first-place tie with the red-hot Tulsa Drillers, winners of nine straight. The division’s second playoff spot will be decided from Sep. 3-5, when the teams meet in Tulsa on the final three days of the regular season.

Who’s Hot

The Naturals’ recent struggles are no fault of Tim Smith and Ben Theriot, as the two left-hand batters have hit well in recent days. Smith is 6-for-10 with a homer in his last three games, while Theriot is 8-for-11 in his last four. Third baseman Mario Lisson hit his 30^th home run as a Natural on Wednesday, establishing a new franchise record. On the mound, southpaw Will Smith showed why he was selected as the Naturals’ Pitcher of the Year in his last start, allowing just an unearned run while racking up 10 strikeouts in a game for the first time this season.

Who’s Not

Promoted from Wilmington early this week, Elisaul Pimentel made his Double-A debut on Wednesday and got a rude welcome to the level. Pimentel allowed five runs in three innings, including back-to-back homers in a four-run first inning. Reliever Edgar Garcia allowed four home runs in the course of one outing on Monday, including two in the decisive tenth inning as the Drillers finished a sweep of the Naturals.

Class-A Advanced

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Carolina League) have been eliminated from playoff contention but did not go away quietly, posting a 4-3 record over the last seven days. The Blue Rocks have four more games in their 2011 campaign, which concludes at home on Labor Day against the Frederick Keys.

Who’s Hot

Allen Caldwell has pitched well since joining the Wilmington rotation about a week ago. In his most recent start, Caldwell allowed just one hit in 5 2/3 scoreless frames, striking out six in a win over Myrtle Beach. AZL Royals Pitcher of the Year Andrew Stueve made the jump to Wilmington last week and has not allowed a run through three innings with the Blue Rocks. Though he is hitless in his last two games, Yem Prades racked up a pair of multi-hit games within the last week and leads the team with a .297 batting average.

Who’s Not

In what has been another up-and-down season for the right-hander Tim Melville had a rough start on Tuesday, as he was tagged for four runs on six hits in just 4 2/3 against the Pelicans. Melville also issued five walks in the contest. Offensively, outfielder Whit Merrifield went just 3-for-20 in six games since last week’s report.

Class-A

Like Triple-A Omaha, the Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) wrapped up a playoff spot on Wednesday, in their case with a win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Former Natural and Northwest Arkansas resident Vance Wilson has a chance to get his club a Midwest League title in his first year as a minor-league manager.

Who’s Hot

Though he endured an 0-for-12 stretch earlier in the week, former Arkansas Razorback Brett Eibner helped Kane County secure their postseason future with a pair of multi-hit games in the last two days. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, Eibner went 4-for-8 with a double, a triple and three walks. On the mound, right-handerJason Adam has excelled of late, allowing just one run over five innings in each of his last two starts.

Who’s Not

Though his league-leading ERA remains below 2.00, Greg Billo has now been roughed up in three consecutive starts. On Aug. 27 against Peoria, Billo yielded four runs on a season-high 11 hits. The right-hander is expected to have one more start to right the ship before postseason play begins. 18-year-old Cheslor Cuthbertis experiencing the grind of a full professional season for the first time, and the lengthy schedule may be taking its toll. Cuthbert hit just .124 with four extra-base hits in the month of August, but his season stat line still shows a player who is holding his own as one of the youngest bats in the league.

Short Season/Rookie

The Idaho Falls Chukars (Pioneer League) are the team in the organization that will play the deepest into September during the regular season. While all the full-season teams will wrap up by Labor Day, the Chukars’ 2011 campaign does not conclude until Sep. 8. Still technically alive for postseason play, the Chukars must make up a six-game deficit in a little over a week.

Who’s Hot

Right-hander Edwin Carl put the finishing touches on a ridiculous Pioneer League campaign with three strikeouts in two innings on Aug. 26 before a promotion to Kane County. Carl departs the Chukars with an absurd total of 71 strikeouts – against three walks – in 33 innings out of the Idaho Falls ‘pen. Named Idaho Falls Player of the Year, Runey Davis notched a hit in all but one of his games last week to keep his batting average level at .331 with an impressive .437 on-base percentage. Challenged by a promotion to this level, 2011 draftee Cameron Gallagher is 2-for-7 with a homer early into his stint with the Chukars.

Who’s Not

Reliever Jose Sanchez was tagged for a pair of losses in his last two appearances, allowing a total of nine earned runs in five innings of work. Even though nine of the runs he has allowed have been unearned, Sanchez still has a bloated 9.19 ERA. At the plate, catcher Tyler Smith has one hit in his last nine at bats and is hitting just .188 with a lone double in his time in the Pioneer League.

One of two affiliates to conclude their respective seasons this week are the Burlington Royals (Appalachian League), who dropped their final three contests to finish the year at 24-44, tied with the Bristol White Sox for the worst record in their league.

Who’s Hot

Selected as Burlington’s Player of the Year, outfielder Jorge Bonifacio finished the season with hits in nine of his last 10 games. Bonifacio led the club with 20 doubles and finished tied for second with seven home runs. On the mound, Nick Graffeo ended his run with the B-Royals with a win over Greeneville in his final start. Posting a 2.04 ERA while splitting time between the ‘pen and the rotation, Graffeo was deservedly honored as the club’s Pitcher of the Year.

Who’s Not

Though he homered in the season finale, Murray Watts finished the season with just two hits in his final eight games. After struggling at Kane County earlier in the year, Watts hit just .222 with Burlington and will work through the offseason to realize the power potential residing in his 6’7” frame. Reliever Andrea Pizziconiended the season by allowing six runs between his last two appearances, taking the loss against Johnson City on Aug. 28.

The AZL Royals (Arizona League) also concluded their season this past week, finishing the complex league season in last place at 22-34. Still, the true purpose of the circuit should not be forgotten, as the past two and a half months have given recent draftees and international signees valuable reps in their first taste of professional baseball.

Who’s Hot

Terrance Gore put the finishing touches on a solid run with the AZL Royals with a three-hit game on Aug. 28 against the Padres’ affiliate. In 35 games in Arizona, Gore hit .340 with a .447 on-base percentage and was not caught in 17 stolen base attempts. D’Andre Toney matched Gore with a .340 average and finished the season even better. Toney had three hits in each of the last two games and totaled two triples, a homer and six RBI in those contests.

Who’s Not

Collectively, the club’s pitching staff had trouble finding consistent success, thanks in part to the notably hitter-friendly weather down in Arizona. The team’s pitchers combined for a 6.11 ERA. Cesar Ogando finished the season by allowing three runs in four innings, wrapping his stint in Arizona with a 10.52 ERA. With that said, at just 19 years old, Ogando’s best days of baseball are undoubtedly still in front of him.

Former Naturals outside the Kansas City organization

Last week brought one of the proudest moments in the baseball career of Juan Abreu, who made his Major League debut with the Astros on 8/29. Abreu became the 23^rd player to reach the big leagues after playing for the Naturals. Though he allowed a run in two-thirds of an inning, Abreu fanned a pair and will have a chance to establish himself in the season’s final month.

In departing for Houston, Abreu left the Pacific Coast League, the circuit in which Blake Johnson is currently plying his trade. Johnson currently has a 6.17 ERA for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, allowing a run in each of his last four appearances. Over in the International League, Jordan Parraz has continued his solid season for the Yankees’ Triple-A club. Parraz has hit safely in four of his last five games and carries a solid .361 on-base percentage with Scranton/Wilkes Barre. In the same league as Parraz is Ben Swaggerty, who so far has an 8.02 ERA in 14 games with Gwinnett.

At the Double-A level, Jeff Howell is hitting at a .370 clip with five extra-base hits through his first seven games with the Portland Sea Dogs, Boston’s Eastern League club. He now plays in the same league as Chris McConnell, who is now hitting just .213 for Harrisburg.

Down in the Southern League, Ernesto Mejia continues to lead the group of former Naturals now playing for the Mississippi Braves. Mejia knocked in three runs within the last week, giving him 89 RBI to go along with his 35 doubles and 22 homers. Among Mejia’s teammates with the M-Braves are Ed Lucas (.263 AVG, .335 OBP) and Rowdy Hardy (3.14 ERA).

At the Advanced-A level, Harold Mozingo has a solid 3.26 ERA for the Dunedin Blue Jays. Finally, a pair of former Naturals remains among the walking wounded, asDan Cortes (Seattle Mariners) and Jose Duarte (Jupiter Hammerheads) both reside on the disabled list.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

The fine folks at the Northwest Arkansas Naturals provide us with a brief rundown of the Royals farm system every week. The details are listed below:

Triple-A

The Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) went 5-2 last week, continuing to solidify a playoff berth that is not yet locked up. Since the PCL does not have any wild card postseason berths, Omaha must win the league’s American Northern division to play deep into September. As of this week’s report, Omaha holds a four-game lead over the Memphis Redbirds, putting their magic number at nine.

Who’s Hot

Slugging first baseman Clint Robinson elevated his game last week, hitting safely in six of Omaha’s seven games and clubbing three doubles and a pair of home runs. After a quiet July (.245, 1 HR), Robinson is hitting .385 with a .462 on-base percentage in the month of August. On the mound, Luis Mendoza continues to lead the way for the Storm Chasers, as he allowed just one unearned run over seven innings in his last start. Improbably, the win was Mendoza’s first home victory of the season. The righty lowered his league-best ERA to 2.18 in the process.

Who’s Not

Yamaico Navarro had another slow week at the plate, collecting just four singles in 18 trips to the plate. Since joining the organization at the trade deadline, Navarro has just two extra-base hits in 57 at bats. Lance Zawadzki has also struggled since last week’s report, and his on-base percentage has now fallen to .296. Mostly everything has gone right for Omaha’s pitching staff of late, though Mike Montgomery has yielded four or more runs in each of his last three starts.

Double-A

It seems as though the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) are heating up at just the right time. As of Wednesday’s action, the club had won 10 of its last 12 games to take command of the circuit’s North Division. The Naturals lead each of their division rivals by at least six games in the second half standings, and with 12 games left in the regular season the team’s magic number rests at seven.

Who’s Hot

Derrick Robinson had a day to remember on Wednesday night at Springfield. Robinson collected four hits and stole four bases, matching a franchise record for individual steals in a game. He now has 52 thefts in 2011, breaking his own mark of 50 set last season. Overall, Robinson racked up nine hits and seven stolen bases in the past seven days. Outfield prospect Wil Myers also had a productive stretch, notching three doubles and a pair of multi-hit games. Myers is batting .299 with a .390 on-base percentage and nine extra-base hits in August. Reliever Blaine Hardy continues to shred Texas League opposition, as his four scoreless innings this past week lowered his ERA to 1.11.

Who’s Not

Though he has been one of the team’s best run producers this season, Jamie Romak is working through a bit of a slump. The Naturals’ cleanup hitter has gone hitless in three straight games and is 2-for-19 in his last five. Also having a rough go at the plate is catcher Ryan Eigsti, who has not recorded a hit since Aug. 11, a span of 11 at bats.

Class-A Advanced

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Carolina League) put together a bit of a charge last week, sweeping the Salem Red Sox in four games over a two-day span. Unfortunately, the club then dropped two consecutive games at Potomac just before this week’s report. In order to make the postseason, Wilmington would need to erase an eight-and-a-half game deficit – while jumping over Lynchburg – in just 11 contests. Though not a mathematical impossibility, all signs point to an early end to the Blue Rocks’ campaign.

Who’s Hot

Right-hander Tim Melville put together a strong start in his last outing, striking out seven over six innings in a win over Salem. Melville allowed just one earned run on six hits in what was his second straight quality start. One day later, Elisaul Pimentel fired six scoreless innings to beat the Red Sox as well. At the plate, Yem Prades has hit safely in four straight games, including a three-hit performance with a double and a triple in his most recent ballgame.

Who’s Not

Tyler Sample could not match the output of Melville and Pimentel against Potomac on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old was tagged for nine runs – five earned – in just three innings of work. The outing sent Sample’s ERA up to 5.66. At the plate, outfielder Tim Ferguson had just one hit in five games last week and does not have an extra-base hit since Aug. 6. First baseman Ryan Stovall also had a slow week, collecting two hits in 17 at bats while fanning seven times.

Class-A

The Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) see-sawed last week, at one point enduring a three-game losing streak in going 3-4 since last week’s report. The Cougars have fallen into a tie with Clinton for second place in their division’s second half standings, one game behind first-place Quad Cities. Because the River Bandits won the first-half title, however, Kane County is almost guaranteed a wild card playoff berth.

Who’s Hot

Yet again, Brian Fletcher led the offensive charge for Kane County last week. Though he hit safely in only three games, all three were multi-hit performances. Fletcher cranked a pair of homers against Beloit on Aug. 19. Despite playing in just 80 of 127 team games, Fletcher leads the club with 30 doubles and 13 home runs this season. On the mound, 20-year-old Jason Adam threw five innings of one-run ball on Wednesday to pick up his first win in three weeks. Fellow starter Leondy Perez blanked Clinton over five three-hit frames in his last start.

Who’s Not

Brett Eibner launched his 12^th home run of the season last week, but that long ball was one of just two hits for the outfielder since last week’s report. Eibner also struck out 12 times last week and has now fanned 78 times in 65 games. Almost always found in the ‘Who’s Hot’ section, Greg Billo did not make it out of the third inning, allowing eight runs – though just three were earned – on nine hits.

Short Season/Rookie

The Idaho Falls Chukars (Pioneer League) went 3-4 for a second consecutive week, never winning or losing more than two consecutive games. Now in fourth place in their division’s second half standings, there is a good chance that the Chukars do not make the postseason. Still, there is a pair of phenomenal individual performances worth tracking through the end of the regular season.

Who’s Hot

Heading into this past week, it seemed impossible for Edwin Carl to improve upon his incredible campaign. But Carl did just that, firing four scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit and struck out 10 of the 13 batters he faced. In 31 innings with the Chukars, Carl has racked up 68 strikeouts while walking just three batters, an unbelievable K/BB rate of 22.7. At the plate, Nick DelGuidice has three multi-hit games in his last five contests and is now hitting .457 with five doubles in his first 10 games since a promotion from the Arizona League.

Who’s Not

A recent addition to the Chukars’ rotation, Eric Diaz gave up nine runs in just three innings his last time out, walking five while allowing seven hits. Diaz has now yielded 12 earned runs in seven frames over his first two starts. Recently moved into the bullpen, Willian Avinazar allowed three runs in each of his last two appearances, though he did fan seven over four innings the last time he pitched.

The Burlington Royals (Appalachian League) went just 1-6 last week and are 3-11 in the last 14 days. Officially eliminated from playoff contention, Burlington will look to end their season on a high note in the final week of the regular season.

Who’s Hot

Murray Watts had just two hits last week, but they were a pair of home runs in the same contest. Hitting just .230, Watts has nonetheless paced the team with 14 homers, a figure that ranks fourth in the league. Right-handed reliever Andrea Pizziconi tossed 2 1/3 solid innings against Kingsport on Sunday, earning the club’s only win last week.

Who’s Not

Reliever Malcolm Culver allowed a total of eight runs in two appearances last week, yielded six in just an inning and a third the last time he took the mound. Starter Matt Ridings has also struggled of late, getting tagged for four or more runs in each of his last three starts.

Like Burlington, the AZL Royals (Arizona League) will see their season end at some point in this upcoming week. The club has won three of its last four games but rests well out of playoff contention. After their Aug. 29 finale, the focus at Kansas City’s complex in Surprise will shift to instructs, as the team’s most recent waves of draft picks get their feet wet in the organization’s methods and philosophies.

Who’s Hot

Terrance Gore continues to make a strong impression down in Arizona. Though he had just two hits in four games last week, he also collected one walk in each contest. Gore now boasts a .443 on-base percentage, has walked 14 times against 18 strikeouts and is a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen base attempts. On the mound, reliever Andrew Steuve put together a solid week, allowing just one run while racking up a pair of saves in three appearances.

Who’s Not

Cesar Ogando gave up a total of eight runs in six innings spread over two appearances last week, while Julio Morales blew a save and took the loss in his lone outing. At the plate, catchers Cameron Gallagher and Alexander Marquez are hitting .129 and .184, respectively.

Former Naturals outside the Kansas City organization

Backstop Jeff Howell is off to a scorching start with the Red Sox organization. In his first four games with Double-A Portland, Howell is 7-for-15 with two doubles, a triple and a pair of home runs. Howell’s last two games came against the Harrisburg Senators, for whom Chris McConnell has gone hitless in his last four games, dropping his batting average to .220.

Over in the Southern League, Ernesto Mejia continues to both hit and strike out at prolific rates for the Mississippi Braves. Mejia has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and has racked up 35 doubles and 21 home runs despite fanning 138 times in 126 contests. Mejia shares the M-Braves’ clubhouse with Ed Lucas (.270, 5 2B, 3 HR in 32 games) and Rowdy Hardy (3.14 ERA, 40 K, 19 BB). In Chattanooga, Corey Smith is now hitting .262 for the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate.

Up in Triple-A, Ben Swaggerty has allowed runs in each of his last three appearances with Gwinnett. Also in the International League is Jordan Parraz, notched four hits last week for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, keeping his batting average at a solid .290.

On the other side of the country, Juan Abreu lowered his ERA to 1.86 and has racked up saves in each of his last two appearances for Oklahoma City. Also in the PCL is Blake Johnson, who was tagged for four runs in two innings his last time out – though he was pitching on a second consecutive day.

Reliever Dan Cortes was placed on the 15-day DL with a bruised ankle. Also out of commission is Jose Duarte, who has not played for the Jupiter Hammerheads since Jul. 29. Rounding out this week’s report is Harold Mozingo, who has fired four straight scoreless outings for the Dunedin Blue Jays.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

The fine folks at the Northwest Arkansas Naturals provide us with a brief rundown of the Royals farm system every week. The details are listed below:

Triple-A

The Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) rolled through another solid week, posting a 4-2 record since last week’s report. With their combination of a potent offense and strong pitching, the Storm Chasers have put themselves in prime position for a playoff spot. With just 19 games remaining in the season, the 69-55 Storm Chasers are at least five games clear of every other team in the PCL’s American Northern Division.

Who’s Hot

Before last week, speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson had hit just two home runs in over five professional seasons. But last week, Dyson accomplished the improbable, homering in back-to-back games against the Salt Lake Bees. Dyson had four multi-hit games last week and is now hitting .294 with 35 stolen bases in 37 attempts. Several recently promoted relievers are excelling for the Storm Chasers as well. Kelvin Herrera has allowed just one run and struck out 13 batters in 9 1/3 innings with Omaha, while Willy Lebron (1.80 ERA in 3 games) and Zach Miner (1.80 ERA in 7 games) have been dominant as well.

Who’s Not

Though he has still put together an outstanding season in the PCL, Lorenzo Cain had a bit of a quiet week, going 5-for-22 at the plate with five strikeouts in six games. The recently acquired Yamaico Navarro is off to a slow start in his new organization, as the shortstop is batting .205 with two extra-base hits in 11 games with the Storm Chasers. Now working in the bullpen, Kevin Pucetas had a rough go on Aug. 13, when he allowed three runs on four hits in less than an inning against Salt Lake.

Double-A

The playoff future of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) is a bit less secure than that of their Triple-A brethren, but the Naturals helped their cause with a 4-2 week. With 19 games remaining, the Naturals are four games ahead of the Springfield Cardinals, their chief competition for the North Division’s second playoff berth. A series to watch will take place late next week, as the Naturals head to Hammons Field to battle the Cards from Aug. 23-26.

Who’s Hot

Chris Dwyer looks like a completely different pitcher from the one who struggled with his control during the first half of the 2011 season. After a bit of a rocky start in Frisco last Thursday, Dwyer bounced back with 6 2/3 strong innings this past Wednesday night. Dwyer struck out eight while only walking one, and is now 5-1 with 40 strikeouts in his last six starts. Performing right along with Dwyer in the Natural rotation are Will Smith and Jake Odorizzi. Smith has spun three consecutive quality starts, while Odorizzi befuddled Frisco hitters to the tune of 6 1/3 scoreless his last time out.

Who’s Not

Jeremy Jeffress has spent the past month in the Natural rotation as the right-hander attempts to harness his control. After beginning the season in the Kansas City bullpen, Jeffress has struggled to throw strikes at times in Northwest Arkansas, issuing 17 walks in 23 2/3 innings of work. On the bright side, Jeffress has allowed just one home run and is inducing ground balls at a very high rate (2.83 ground out/air out ratio). Though he may have righted the ship with a scoreless outing in his last game, reliever Kevin Chapman had allowed five runs over his previous three appearances.

Class-A Advanced

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Carolina League) were not able to match the performance of their high-minors counterparts last week, as they went 2-4 and enter this week’s report having just suffered a three-game sweep at the hand of the Frederick Keys. Though the team is not yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the chances that Wilmington plays into the middle of September are slim.

Who’s Hot

Nick Van Stratten put together a solid week at the plate for Wilmington, as the outfielder has hit safely in his last six games. His week included three doubles and four RBI, as Van Stratten is now batting .297 in the Carolina League. Acquired with Omaha’s Yamaico Navarro at the trade deadline, reliever Kendal Volz has yet to allow an earned run in four appearances with the Blue Rocks. Starter Justin Marks pitched into the eighth inning his last time out, allowing just two runs on four hits against Lynchburg.

Who’s Not

Wilmington is batting a collective .244, struggling to generate offense in the pitcher-friendly environs of Frawley Stadium. First baseman Ryan Stovall has hit a rough patch of late, going just 3-for-19 last week. Outfielder Whit Merrifield has also stumbled to a 1-for-12 showing in his last three contests.

Class-A

Trying to make the postseason in their first year as a Royals affiliate, the Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) went 3-3 this week. Though they treaded water in the games that they played, the club took advantage of a rough week for the Quad Cities River Bandits. Kane County and Quad Cities are now tied atop the league’s Western Division second half standings, three games ahead of third-place Clinton in what could be a two-team race down the stretch.

Who’s Hot

This week saw more impressive production from outfielder Brian Fletcher. The 22-year-old racked up three two-hit games in the five contests in which he played last week and roped a pair of doubles along with his 11^th home run of the season. Producing along with Fletcher of late is Brett Eibner, who has now hit safely in seven straight games. On the mound, Greg Billo has fired five consecutive quality starts. Though he allowed three runs over six frames his last time out, Billo still leads all qualifying full-season minor leaguers with a 1.56 ERA.

Who’s Not

Like Wilmington, Kane County’s offense is hitting under .250 this season, and of late first baseman Jacob Kuebler has not provided much pop. Kuebler has gone just 2-for-16 in his last five games. Shortstop Orlando Calixte is 1 for his last 18 as his batting average has slipped to .215. The right-hand batter is hitting just .189 against lefties this season. Reliever Chas Byrne was tagged for three runs in an inning of work as he suffered a loss to Peoria on Aug. 11.

Short Season/Rookie

The Idaho Falls Chukars (Pioneer League) broke out the lumber in the middle of last week, scoring 28 runs a two-game span. The club might wish that they could have spread those runs out, however, as the team went 3-3 last week and did not get any closer to the .500 mark. The Chukars are currently in third place in the South Division second half stadings, three games behind Orem and Ogden.

Who’s Hot

Edwin Carl has put together one of the most impressive campaigns of any reliever in minor league baseball. He struck out 8 of the 11 batters he faced last week and has now racked up an incredible total of 58 strikeouts in 27 innings with Idaho Falls. Carl has only issued three walks and has allowed just four earned runs.Richard Espy has cranked a pair of homers in his last four games, hitting safely in every game in which he played last week. Promoted after shredding the Arizona League, Nick DelGuidice is off to a hot start for Idaho Falls with six hits in his first 16 at bats.

Who’s Not

Moved into the starting rotation in the last few weeks, right-hander Willian Avinazar has not found his stuff yet, allowing four or more runs in each of his last three starts. A move to the bullpen has not helped Arkansas native Jonathan Dooley, who retired just two batters while giving up four runs in his last appearance.

The Burlington Royals (Appalachian League) did not fare well last week, going 2-4 as the team continues to fall off the pace. At just 20-35 overall, the Royals are likely to find themselves on the outside looking in at the end of the regular season.

Who’s Hot

Center fielder Lane Adams was an offensive bright spot for Burlington last week, notching three consecutive two-hit games at one point. Adams has at least one knock in 11 of his last 12 games, a surge that has raised his batting average from .268 to .305. On the mound, reliever Rudy Brown (2.97 ERA, 7 BB, 36 K) has been a standout on a staff that has a subpar 5.12 ERA this season.

Who’s Not

Joining the Royals at the beginning of August, reliever David Middendorf is off to a slow start as he has allowed at least three runs in each of his first three apperances in the Appy League. Opponents are hitting .448 off Middendorf to this point. Starter Angel Baez has struggled as well, posting a 9.00 ERA through three starts in the month of August. At the plate, second baseman Derek Hamblen is just 5-for-49 (.102) with no extra-base hits in 20 games with the club.

Down in Surprise, the Royals’ complex league club picked up just one win last week, as the AZL Royals (Arizona League) are now 17-29 this season. With that said, now that the amateur signing deadline has passed, there is a chance that some of the club’s recent draft picks could begin their professional careers with the team in the next few weeks.

Who’s Hot

Outfielder D’Andre Toney continues to swing a good bat down in Arizona, as he is batting .322 in 35 games with the team. Producing right up there with Toney is infielder Adrian Morales, who has three three-hit games in the last 10 days and is batting .355 with an impressive .483 on-base percentage. Morales has walked (21) more often than he has struck out (15) in AZL action.

Who’s Not

Collectively, the AZL Royals have a 6.63 staff ERA. Starter Cesar Ogando yielded three runs in four innings last time out, while Andrew Durden allowed four runs in less than an inning during a relief appearance on Wednesday. At the place, 2011 draftee Cameron Gallagher is still finding his feet at the plate, as the catcher is batting .174 in his first 11 professional games.

Former Naturals outside the Kansas City organization

A former Natural who began the season in the independent ranks is back in affiliated ball, as the Boston Red Sox recently purchased the contract of Jeff Howellfrom the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association. Howell has been assigned to Double-A Portland, where he will join former Naturals’ infielders Josh Johnson and Chris McConnell in the Eastern League. McConnell is currently batting .233 for the Nationals’ affiliate in Harrisburg while Johnson is batting .253 in 110 games.

After pitching sparingly in his first week or two with the Seattle Mariners, Dan Cortes is beginning to establish himself in the big leagues. The big right-hander tossed five scoreless innings last week, though he has not yet struck out a single batter in eight innings with Seattle. Fellow reliever Juan Abreu is making a case for a spot in the Houston Astros ‘pen, as he has not allowed a run in any of his last four outings with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Also now in the PCL is Blake Johnson, who fired three scoreless innings last week for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

Down in the Southern League, Corey Smith is hitting .270 for the Chattanooga Lookouts. He is joined in that circuit by a bevy of former Naturals, as Ernesto Mejia(.300, 30 2B, 20 HR), Ed Lucas (.281, 3 HR in 25 games) and Rowdy Hardy (3.14 ERA) all play for the Mississippi Braves.

Ben Swaggerty had been on the M-Braves roster as well, but recently eared a promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he allowed a run in 3 1/3 innings over two appearances last week. He joins Jordan Parraz in the International League, as Parraz is batting .295 for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

Rounding out this week’s report is a look at the Florida State League. Outfielder Jose Duarte remains on the Jupiter Hammerheads’ disabled list, while Harold Mozingo has a 3.29 ERA for the Dunedin Blue Jays.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

The fine folks at the Northwest Arkansas Naturals provide us with a brief rundown of the Royals farm system every week. The details are listed below:

Triple-A

The Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League) stumbled a bit over the last week, posting a 3-4 record that has seen the club alternate wins and losses over the past six days. With that said, the 65-53 Storm Chasers still hold a five-game lead in the PCL’s American Northern Division, putting them in good shape for postseason play.

Who’s Hot

Catcher Salvador Perez bashed his way through the Pacific Coast League in less than two weeks. The 21-year-old hit safely in his final seven games with Omaha before earning a promotion to Kansas City after Tuesday night’s action. Perez cranked five doubles and a home run in 12 games in the Pacific Coast League. Though he has yet to earn a look from the big club, David Lough continues to put together a strong season, as he owns a seven-game hitting streak at the time of this week’s report. Finally, after struggling as a starter in Double-A, Zach Miner has delivered out of the bullpen for Omaha, tossing 10 2/3 scoreless innings over his last four appearances. Miner now has a 1.46 ERA in five games with the Storm Chasers.

Who’s Not

Infielder Lance Zawadzki was just 2-for-16 at the plate over the last week, dropping his season batting average to .242. Though he has hit for power at times this season, Zawadzki has just two extra-base hits in his last 11 games. Though he ended up with a win on Wednesday, Mike Montgomery allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings of work, raising his ERA to 5.31.

Double-A

With a 3-3 record over the last week, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) were unable to pad their lead in the North Division second-half standings. But thanks to the parity within the division, the Naturals didn’t lose much ground, either. With 25 games remaining, the Naturals are two games up on each of the other three teams in the North, setting up what could be a dramatic finish over the season’s final month.

Who’s Hot

Over the last three weeks, left-hander Chris Dwyer has looked like a completely different pitcher than the one who struggled to a 2-9 record to begin the year. On Aug. 5, Dwyer became the third Natural – and first since 2008 – to strike out 10 batters in one game as he earned his fourth straight win. In those four starts, Dwyer has allowed just six runs in 27 innings while fanning 29. Three days later, Will Smith fired eight scoreless innings against the Arkansas Travelers, striking out six against one walk. Though the Naturals eventually lost that game in extra innings, it was Smith’s sixth quality start in his last eight games.

Who’s Not

Unlike Dwyer and Smith, Jake Odorizzi had a rough outing against the Travelers his last time out. Odorizzi allowed a pair of two-run homers, giving up a total of six runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. The right-hander will look to snap a two-start losing streak when he takes the mound on Friday night. Outfielder Derrick Robinson is one of the most dynamic players in the league on the basepaths but has struggled to reach base in recent games. Robinson has just three hits in his last eight games as his batting average has fallen from .273 to .254.

Class-A Advanced

Time may be running out for the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ playoff chances. The Carolina League club went 2-5 last week to drop to 53-61 overall and 17-28 in the second half. With the team now 10 games out of first and seven back of Potomac in a potential wild-card scenario, the Blue Rocks may need a historic run to reach the postseason in 2011.

Who’s Hot

Justin Marks turned in one of his best outings of the season on Monday in earning one of his team’s two wins last week. Making the start against Winston-Salem, Marks tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, allowing just three hits. Acquired from the Red Sox at the trade deadline, reliever Kendal Volz has yielded just two hits in his first two outings with the Kansas City organization. At the plate, outfielder Yem Prades carries a five-game hitting streak into the writing of this week’s report.

Who’s Not

Though he bounced back with a strong showing on Wednesday, lefty Noel Arguelles endured his roughest outing of the season on Aug. 5. In that game, Arguelles allowed six runs on seven hits in just 2 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to a high water mark of 3.36. Tim Melville also struggled in two starts last week as he did not get out of the third inning on either occasion, allowing a total of 10 runs.

Class-A

The Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) were not able to establish any momentum in either direction last week, as the team has alternated wins and losses since Aug. 4. Now 27-18 in the second half, Kane County remains one game behind the Quad Cities River Bandits in the circuit’s Western Division. The two teams to not meet again in the regular season, so the Cougars must finish strong and hope for a little bit of help.

Who’s Hot

Though it may sound repetitive at this point, Greg Billo put together a pair of dominant outings this week. After a no-decision on Aug. 5, Billo yielded just one hit in six innings on Wednesday, earning his fourth win of the year and lowering his ERA to a microscopic 1.40. Antonio Cruz is another trade acquisition who is off to a strong start in the Royals organization. Cruz tossed five scoreless innings between two games last week and has not allowed a run in 13 1/3 frames since joining Kane County. Outfielder Brian Fletcher continues to impress, as he had a four hit game and two three-hit games last week, blasting a pair of home runs as well.

Who’s Not

Kane County catcher Juan Graterol is mired in a slump, as the 22-year-old is just 1-for-16 in his last five games. This stretch has dropped his batting average to .177 and on-base percentage to .233. Fellow catcher Kevin David had three hits last week but has now drawn a walk since Jul. 28. On the mound, Santiago Garridoyielded six runs in 8 1/3 innings over two starts last week.

Short Season/Rookie

The Idaho Falls Chukars (Pioneer League) rallied from a four-game losing streak to win each of their last two games last week, but a 3-4 mark over the last seven days dropped them to 21-28 overall. Though the Chukars are currently four games back in the South Division’s second-half standings, there is still time for the team to turn their season around and get back into the race.

Who’s Hot

Reliever Edwin Carl continues to be one of the most consistent hurlers on the Idaho Falls staff. Carl gave up just one run in four innings last week and is now a perfect three-for-three in save opportunities this season. Starter Aaron Brooks turned a dominant outing against Casper on Tuesday, striking out 10 while walking just one in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. At the plate, Runey Davis is now 5-for-12 in his last three games, raising his batting average to .328.

Who’s Not

Recently moved into the bullpen, Robert Penny followed his first scoreless outing of the season by allowing three runs in just an inning and a third on Aug. 7. Though he has struck out better than a batter per inning with Idaho Falls, Penny’s ERA now stands at 10.86. Outfielder Darian Sanford has hit a bit of a rough patch over the last few days, as he is just 2-for-15 in his last four games.

Like Idaho Falls, the Burlington Royals (Appalachian League) lost four games in a row at one point last week. In going 2-5 over the last seven days, the club is now 18-31 and in the basement of the East Division. Barring an incredible stretch run, Burlington is likely to be on the outside looking in when the postseason begins.

Who’s Hot

Right fielder Jorge Bonifacio found a bit of a groove last week, as the 18-year-old racked up three multi-hit games and hit his fifth home run of the Appy League season. Though his plate discipline needs to improve (43 strikeouts, seven walks), Bonifacio is hitting at an impressive .298 clip. Right-hander Matt Ridings had a bit of a rough start on Tuesday but fired six scoreless innings the previous Thursday, and continues to pace the Burlington rotation with a 3.16 ERA.

Who’s Not

Reliever Abel Gonzalez was tagged for four runs in each of his last two appearances, the first of which encompassed just one inning. Gonzalez now has a 10.80 ERA through six games with Burlington. Utilityman Derek Hamblen went hitless in six at bats last week and is now just 3-for-45 this season without an extra-base hit.

In complex league play, the AZL Royals (Arizona League) went 2-4 last week to drop their overall record to 16-25. A lack of pitching has been the story of late, as the team has lost its last two games by scores of 16-14 and 11-10.

Who’s Hot

Though he is not a member of the club’s regular roster, southpaw Buddy Baumann made a pair of rehab starts for the AZL Royals over the last ten days. He excelled on Aug. 7, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts in three innings of work. Baumann has now been activated from the disabled list and has re-joined Double-A Northwest Arkansas. At the plate, Nick DelGuidice is still hitting over .400 and has shown impressive strike zone judgment, striking out just 10 times in 34 games in the Arizona League.

Who’s Not

Christian Witt had a day to forget on Tuesday, as he yielded 8 runs in a relief appearance in that 16-14 loss against the Giants’ complex league club. 2011 draftee Cameron Gallagher is hitting just .179 through seven professional games, but should dramatically improve as he adjusts to a much higher level of competition.

Former Naturals outside the Kansas City organization

Right-hander Dan Cortes remains in the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen, though his last big-league outing was one to forget, as Cortes gave up hits to both batters he faced and was tagged with the loss on Aug. 5 against the Angels. The next former Natural to make a major league bullpen could be Juan Abreu, as the right-hander allowed just one run in three appearances for Houston’s Triple-A squad in Oklahoma City this past week.

Elsewhere in Triple-A, Blake Johnson had his roughest outing since joining the Colorado organization, allowing seven runs – six earned – on eight hits last Thursday. But since then, the right-hander has bounced back to allow just an unearned run over his last two appearances. In the International League, Jordan Parraz notched a pair of multi-hit games last week and is hitting .298 for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

Down in the Southern League, Ernesto Mejia homered on Wednesday night for the Mississippi Braves, his 18^th long ball of the season. Though he has struck out 124 times in 114 games, Mejia has put together a solid season with 29 doubles and a .375 on-base percentage. Also on the M-Braves roster are Ed Lucas (.271, 3 HR in 20 games), Rowdy Hardy (3.19 ERA, 39 K:18 BB) and Ben Swaggerty (4.26 ERA, 32 K in 19 IP).

Also in the Southern League is Corey Smith, who has hit safely in each of his six games with the Chattanooga Lookouts since being sent down from Triple-A Albuquerque. In the Eastern League, Chris McConnell has doubled in two straight games for the Harrisburg Senators. Finally, in the Florida State League, Jose Duarte is currently on the disabled list for Jupiter while Harold Mozingo is carrying a 4.09 ERA through eight games with the Dunedin Blue Jays.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

The following is a press release from the Omaha Storm Chasers and is reprinted in its entirety:

Giavotella Headed to Kansas City
Storm Chasers’ star second baseman set to join Royals Friday

OMAHA, Neb. — Second baseman Johnny Giavotella will be called up from Triple-A Omaha and join the Kansas City Royals Friday, the club announced late Thursday night. No corresponding roster move was made at the time of the announcement.

Giavotella, 24, hit .338 in 110 games for the Storm Chasers this season, amassing a league-leading 153 hits and collecting 34 doubles, nine home runs, 72 runs batted in and 67 runs scored. The 2011 Pacific Coast League All-Star starter was one of the hottest hitters in baseball over the months of June and July, batting .391 (90-for-130) with 31 extra-base hits during the two-month stretch. He was honored as the PCL’s Player of the Month for June.

Giavotella moved quickly through the Kansas City organization, spending the latter part of 2008 in Class-A Burlington, 2009 in High-A Wilmington, 2010 in Double-A Northwest Arkansas and just shy of a full season in Omaha. The New Orleans-area native was selected out of the University of New Orleans in the second round (49^th overall) of the 2008 draft.

Although no official announcement has been made, Giavotella could be in Kansas City manager Ned Yost’s lineup as early as Friday when the Royals host the division-leading Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Meanwhile, Omaha skipper Mike Jirschele will have to turn to another source to provide offense for the Storm Chasers, after penciling Giavotella’s name in all but two lineup cards this season.

With the pending roster move, the Royals will now feature nine players who began the year on the Storm Chasers’ Opening Day roster. In order of their initial promotions to the big leagues, they are Blake Wood, Louis Coleman, Eric Hosmer, Everett Teaford, Danny Duffy, Greg Holland, Mike Moustakas, Manny Pina and Giavotella.