masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Single-A Frederick Keys are now one win away from a Carolina League championship. Well, a co-championship any way.
The league office announced today the cancellation of the Carolina League Mills Cup championship series with a hurricane on the way. One of the four competing teams, Myrtle Beach, plays in a city that could be evacuated and sometimes real life matters top even baseball. It was a sensible decision. So the league decided that the two winners of the semi-finals series will be…

The Single-A Frederick Keys are now one win away from a Carolina League championship. Well, a co-championship any way.

The league office announced today the cancellation of the Carolina League Mills Cup championship series with a hurricane on the way. One of the four competing teams, Myrtle Beach, plays in a city that could be evacuated and sometimes real life matters top even baseball. It was a sensible decision. So the league decided that the two winners of the semi-finals series will be declared co-champions for the 2017 season.

Yesterday afternoon the league announced that the best-of-five playoff series that began last night would be reduced to best-of-three due to the same weather concerns.

Then hours after that announcement Thursday, Frederick pulled off a stunning comeback and scored four in the last of the ninth to beat favored Lynchburg 10-9. Now they play at Lynchburg tonight with a chance to sweep the series, 2-0. Or, should they lose tonight, play one game Saturday night to determine the co-champs. In the other series, Down East beat Myrtle Beach 4-1 last night to begin that series.

Well, he came close: Baseball America today named Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna as its minor league Player of the Year. The Orioles Austin Hays was one of five finalists.

A 19-year-old center fielder, Acuna was a deserving choice. He began the year at High-A, advanced to Double-A and on to Triple-A. His stats got better each time he moved up. For the year he hit .325/.374/.522 with 31 doubles, eight triples, 21 homers, 44 steals, 82 RBIs and an OPS of .896.

Hays’ year doesn’t take a back seat to anyone of course. In 128 games between Frederick and Double-A Bowie, he hit .329/.365/.593 with 32 doubles, five triples, 32 homers, 81 runs, 95 RBIs and with an OPS of .958. A third-round pick out of Jacksonville University in 2016, this is Hays’ first full year in the minors.

Hays has shown the ability to hit for both average and power this year.

“I feel like I have a good combination of size and speed,” he told me earlier this summer. “So I have quick hands and I can generate power with that quickness, but also I have good bat control and that kind of plays for the average side, too.”

The Orioles have had one player named as Baseball America minor league Player of the Year. Catcher Matt Wieters took the honor in 2008.

I wrote an extensive feature on Hays for Baseball America which I believe is for subscribers only. Click here for that.

Kendall on Mountcastle: On July 20, the Orioles promoted Ryan Mountcastle at age 20 from Frederick to Bowie. He also changed positions, moving from shortstop to third base.

For most of his time with the Baysox, the kid’s batting average was under .200. But in his last 12 games he hit .300 (15-for-50) with four doubles, a homer and five RBIs. He ended up batting .222 in 39 Bowie games.

Bowie manager Gary Kendall said it has been a great experience for Mountcastle at the Double-A level.

“Offensively we all saw him in spring and his ability to drive the ball and get the barrel to the ball,” Kendall said. “He’s handled fastballs and sliders here and overall this has been a real positive experience for him on offense. And you like to see a player on the rise which he has done. He is very important in our lineup in terms of what he brings. He can get a single, a double, he can hit it out of the park. He can backspin the ball.

“Defensively, I’ve been pleased. The biggest thing with him is learning the position and the instincts of playing third. Learning the depths, when to play in, when to back off. He played short all those years and it’s a bit of an adjustment. His arm, based on what I’ve seen of him in a small sample size at short, his arm plays better at third. He’s done a nice job for us,” Kendall said.

As for tonight’s games, Frederick pitches lefty Brian Gonzalez (5-7, 4.91 ERA) at Lynchburg at 6:30 p.m. Bowie, after a 2-0 loss to Altoona last night, pitches lefty Tanner Scott (0-2, 2.22 ERA) at home at 7:05 p.m. The Baysox are down 1-0 in the best-of-five series.