By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights for the week of September 2-8, 2019. Since most leagues completed their regular season on September 2, the stats include playoff performances:

Yerzy

Yerzy

Hitter of the Week: Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks)
1B Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/A-short-season/Hillsboro Hops) went 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and 3 RBIs in the team’s regular-season finale on September 2. In four playoffs games since then, Yerzy — who moved from catcher to first base this season — hit .455 (5-for-11) with a home run, 2 doubles, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. The highlight: a three-run, walk-off home run in Game 1 of the Northwest League championship series on September 7 (see article/video, photo).

Rosenberg

Rosenberg

Pitcher of the Week: Kenny Rosenberg (Rays)

Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/AA/Montgomery Biscuits) pitched beautifully in a September 5 playoff game, pitching 7 scoreless innings on 5 hits, one walk, and 2 strikeouts. Unfortunately, Montgomery scored just one run, so Rosenberg — through no fault of his own — took the loss.

Mazel tov

  • C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was called up from Triple-A on September 2. On September 8, his sole appearance since then, Stubbs went 1-for-1 with a double, walk, and 3 RBIs.
  • Danny Valencia, a 34-year-old infielder who spent nine years in the Major Leagues and last played in 2018, obtained Israeli citizenship last week and is playing for Israel in the European Championships held in Germany. Valencia manned third base in Game 1 and served as the designated hitter in Game 2. Haaretz had an interesting article on the Israeli team and the growing number of American players who have obtained joint citizenship this year. Click here to see the team’s roster.
  • Speaking of the European Championships — a pit stop on the improbable road to the 2020 Olympics — Israel is 2-0 so far, beating the Czech Republic 6-1 on Saturday and earning a walk-off, 4-3 win against Sweden on Sunday.

Other highlights

  • LF Tyler Benson (Padres/AA/Amarillo Sod Poodles) went 3-for-4 with a HR, 2 RBIs, and a stolen base in the team’s regular-season finale on September 2, with Benson’s 8th-inning home run providing the winning margin. Amarillo begins the Texas League playoffs on Wednesday, but Benson — who hit .417 in 11 games for the Sod Poodles this season and didn’t make a single error — may not be playing. He was demoted on September 4.
  • 3B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/High-A/Inland Empire 66ers) went 1-for-3 with an RBI single in the team’s regular-season finale on September 2. Inland did not make the playoffs.
  • C CJ Stubbs* (Astros/A/Quad Cities River Bandits) went 3-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBIs in the team’s regular-season finale on September 2. In three playoff games since then, Stubbs hit .125 (2-for-12) with one RBI.
  • P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/AA/Arkansas Travelers) earned a save in Game 1 of the playoffs September 4, pitching a perfect inning with one strikeout. In another playoff appearance on September 7, Delaplane delivered 1.2 scoreless innings, yielding no hits and one walk while striking out 4.
  • P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/AA/New Hampshire Fisher Cats) retired the only batter he faced in the team’s regular-seas0n finale September 2 and earned a save for it. New Hampshire did not make the playoffs.
  • P Jake Miednik (Indians/A/Lake County Captains) struggled a bit in Lake County’s regular-season finale on September, but he earned a win in a September 5 playoff game. In 3 shutout innings, Miednik yielded 2 hits and a walk while striking out one.
  • P Noah Davis (Reds/Rookie Advanced/Billings Mustangs) pitched well in a 5-inning start on September 4, yielding one earned run on 4 hits and no walks while striking out 2. Billings has since moved on to the Pioneer League playoffs.

Transactions

  • P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AAA/Columbus Clippers) was placed on the temporary inactive list on September 7.
  • LF Tyler Benson (Padres) was reassigned from the Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA) to the AZL Padres (Rookie) on September 4.
  • 2B Michael Wielansky (Astros/A/Quad Cities River Bandits) came off the injured list on September 4.
  • C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was called up from Triple-A on September 2.

Free agents

  • Players believed to be seeking employment include RC Orlan.

Injured list

* Players marked with an asterisk were drafted in 2019.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

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