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Astros Minors: River Bandits Begin Playoff Run Sept. 9
By Larry Manch
Astros Class-A Report: Quad Cities River Bandits (August 29-Sept. 4)
The River Bandits are one of seven Astros’ farm teams making the playoffs in 2015, breaking the previous franchise record of six. Quad Cities begins their playoff run on September 9, on the road against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Their first home playoff game is the following night at Modern Woodmen Park.
Quad Cities set a franchise attendance record this season, with 250,004, and an average of 3906 fans per home game. The mark is the best in the 56-year history of the team that earlier this summer was named the #1 minor league market in the country.
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“The quarter-million fans who came to the ballpark this season showed again why the Quad Cities is the No. 1 minor league sports market,” said River Bandits owner Dave Heller in this story by Marco LaNave.
Round Two draft pick, #14 prospect Thomas Eshelman, will not pitch for the Bandits in the playoffs. He returned on September 2 to the GCL Astros after going 0-0 with a 4.26 ERA, nine hits, three walks, and five strikeouts in 6.1 innings in the Midwest League. Eshelman was not expected to pitch much in his first professional summer after appearing in 130 innings for Cal State Fullerton, according to this story from July by the Houston Chronicle’s Jose de Jesus Ortiz.
Dean Deetz is 7-2 with a 1.77 ERA in 45.2 innings in ten recent appearances. The Astros named Deetz Quad Cities August pitcher of the month with his 4-1 record in five August starts, allowing only one earned run (0.33 ERA) in 27 innings. Outfielder Bobby Boyd is the player of the month. Boyd hit .330 with 32 hits, 10 stolen bases, and a .405 OBP in August.
Riley Ferrell, 2015 third round draft pick, and the Astros’ #13 prospect, has given up only one earned run in his last 13.2 innings, despite giving up 13 walks in that span. Eric Peterson’s last 20.1 innings show him with a 0.89 ERA with only two earned runs, four walks, and 26 strikeouts. Andrew Thome has a 1.13 ERA with two walks and 19 strikeouts in his last 32 innings.
Nick Tanielu is a model of consistency at the plate, hitting .316 in his last 10 games, and .309 for the season. Drew Ferguson still has a hot bat; he is at .351 in the last ten appearances. Number 26 Astros prospect Jason Martin is batting .297 in the same time frame.
Cover photo courtesy of @QCBanditPhotog.
Other notes:
- C Marlon Avea moved to the River Bandits on August 29 from Tri-City.
- Juan Robles is 17-years-old, the youngest to play in a Quad Cities game in 28 years.
- RHP Andrew Thome was promoted on August 31 from Greeneville to Quad Cities.
- RHP Steve Naemark’s stay in Quad Cities was short but good. After joining the River Bandits on August 4 from the Tri-City Valley Cats, he was promoted again on August 31 to High-A Lancaster.
- Lachlan Madden moved up on September 2 from Greeneville to Quad Cities.
- The Bandits were 3-4 this week as they played their final regular season home games, and prepare for the final road trip before the playoffs begin.