The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Thought, we should throw this one out there too, since we're nearing mid-season.

* Let's start with Eric Lauer, who signed with the Padres for a reported $2M bonus. That got done quickly.

* Andrew Chafin started the year where things weren't going great. Then a week happened where he gave up 9 hits (including 5 for extra bases) and 9 runs in 2 2/3 innings over three appearances. That got him sent to AAA where he pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings before returning to the D-backs this week (he's had 2 appearances over 2 shutout innings). His ERA is a pretty horrid looking 8.05, but, he's given up 22 hits in 19 innings, with 8 walks and 22 SOs. He's also given up only 1 EXB outside of the disastrous week. So, basically, he's pitching pretty well, but it doesn't look that way (take away the horrid weak and he's pitched 16 1/3 innings giving up 13 hits (all singles except for 1 double) with 7 BBs and 19 SOs). The DBacks are carrying no other lefties, so Chafin will likely go nowhere, but it has changed their usage pattern of him as he is pitching more short outings than last year. Honestly, I think he'll be fine.

* Travis Shaw cooled off considerably from his very hot start, but he is still hitting 270/336/456 and that is just fine. Like all Travis Shaw articles, there is always talk about his approach to hitting and he has said that he is honestly chasing stuff he shouldn't be (high fastballs and sliders that fall out of the zone once he falls behind in the count). The Red Sox fans are a bit impatient, but they seem to forget he saved him from the gaping hole (literally) that Pablo Sandoval created when he showed up to Spring Training about 50 lbs overweight and immediately got hurt and shut down for the season. After all, no one had Shaw pegged as anything more than possible bench material this year, but he's played every game so far and plugged a ginormous (literally) hole that they had no other way to fix. Despite never really playing third since turning pro, most metrics suggest he has been fine defensively (even above average). While there is some concern about his hitting against lefties (not good this year in not that many at-bats), the biggest thing that strikes me is that he absolutely rakes the ball at Fenway (311/382/549) but is mediocre on the road (227/287/361). This is the same as last year. I can't imagine what would make that big of a difference, and I've never seen any article trying to explain it.

Bopol,

I figured I would add a bunch more players to your former Kent State baseball players in the pros:

Tyler Skulina - Chicago Cubs AA team in Tennesse, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2016/ALL

Emmanuel Burriss - Philadelphia Phillies, here is a link to his web page = http://www.baseball-reference.com/player...em01.shtml

Anthony Gallas - Cleveland Indians AA team in Akron OH, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2016/ALL

David Lyon - Texas Rangers, High Desert Mavericks High A team, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp...504&y=2016

Derek Toadvine - New York Yankees, Charleston RiverDogs, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2015/ALL

Eric Dorsch - Pittsburgh Pirates, West Virginia Black Bears, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2015/ALL

Brian Clark - Chicago White Sox, Charlotte Knights, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2016/ALL

Taylor Williams - Milwaukee Brewers, AZL Brewers, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2016/ALL

John Fasola - Texas Rangers, Frisco RoughRiders, here is a link to his web page = http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?pla...g/2016/ALL

Andy Ravel & Connor Simonnetti. Not a bad list of current pro ball players for a MAC school!

Thanks GoFlashes7.

A couple of things:

* Gallas got cut from Cleveland and is playing independent ball for the American Association's Kansas City club. He's hitting pretty well, but that team is pretty awful.

* Burriss was placed on waivers by the Phillies, passed through them and ended up at AAA Lehigh Valley.

* I've read that Taylor Williams is likely to miss this year entirely after missing last year entirely with Tommy John surgery.

Looking at 2016 Golden Flashes in the Pros...

Emmanuel Burriss - back on the Phillies' 40-man roster, played 33 games for them and 51 games at Lehigh Valley-AAA this year. .115 average at Philly, .263 at Lehigh Valley

Chris Carpenter didn't play this year

Travis Shaw, 14 HR, 63 RBI, .248 for the Boston Red Sox

Eric Lauer, Zipped through the Rookie league, had 7 starts in Tri-City in the A- level with a 1.44 ERZ, now at Fort Wayne in the A level

Conner Simonetti, in the Rookie league for the Nationals, playing 1st base, 6 HR, 24 RBI, .280 BA in 42 games, that's a good start

Brian Clark, spent a month in AAA at Charlotte in the White Sox' organization, and is back in the pen at Birmingham; 30 games 1.74 ERA, 4 saves at Birmingham

Andy Ravel, in the Blue Jay's A- level team in Vancouver; 11 games 3-1, 5.12 ERA

Johnny Fasola, for the Rangers, played A+, AA and AAA this year, currently on the 7-day DL. 3-1, 3.73 ERA in 31 games for Frisco in AA and 7 games, 2.00 ERA for Round Rock in AAA. 58 strikeouts in 51 innings this year between the 3 levels

Taylor Williams, has spent 2015 and 2016 on the DL in the Brewers organization

David Lyon, still hanging on in the Rangers organization, in the High Desert A+ level; 55 games, 13 HR, 36 RBI, .232 BA

Andrew Chafin, With the Diamondbacks, spent some time on the DL with tendonitis in the left shoulder, also spent some time at AAA Reno; 32 games 6.75 ERA in the bullpen at Arizona

Tyler Skulina, 4-12 W-L with a 5.39 ERA with Tennessee in the Southern League, AA level for the Cubs.

Anthony Gallas, played 4 games at Akron but was released by the Indians in April

Eric Dorsch, George Roberts, and Derek Toadvine didn't play this year.

Thanks for the update. A few thoughts:

* Burriss didn't hit all that great in the bigs or at AAA. At 31, I am worried that he might not get another chance.

* I've heard that the book is out on Shaw that you can get him to chase high sliders out of the strike zone. Shaw's a smart guy and I think he'll learn to adjust, but it's painful right now.

* David Lyon strikes me as someone being groomed for a coaching job.

* Chafin pitched fine except for one tremendously s**tty week. I'd love for the Indians to get him as I think he'd be a better leftie than Kyle Crockett. Apparently, he hurt his groin in rehab and that's why he's not pitching right now.

* Skulina seemed to get worse the entire year.

* Eric Lauer should have no trouble in the low minors. I expect the Pads will get a better sense of what he can and can't do when he hits AA, which I expect will be sometime next June.

The Red Sox just called up Yoan Moncada - he's "played mostly second base in the minors but started the last 10 games at third base and played the position for two years in Cuba."

With Shaw, I'll be curious to see how his defense at third is perceived. Baseball-reference has his slightly above average for the year. Fangraphs says he is average.

If he can handle third and make the adjustments to his batting, I think he has a future as a platoon starter (maybe not with the Sox, who seem to have many options). At the very least, he seems like a useful left-handed bat off the bench.

As someone who follows baseball closely enough to make projections based on performance in the minors, he has exceeded my expectations. I don't think he'll be a star, but I do think he'll have a decent big league career.

Travis Shaw traded from Boston to the Brewers...

"the Brewers traded away their best reliever (Tyler Thornburg) for an everyday player (Travis Shaw) and two prospects (Mauricio Dubon and Josh Pennington) and PTBNL or cash considerations."

All signs point to the Brewers having Shaw every day at third (against righties and lefties). They are moving the current 3B to 2B and benching the current 2B. He didn't really hit lefties last year, but the Brewers think he can and he has in the past. They really want the lefthanded power bat that Shaw may be able to provide. The biggest think is Shaw making the corrections needed to adjust to the adjustments the pitchers made to him last year. I think he can be an average third baseman and that has value. Of course, two years ago, I would have put only a 20% chance of him ever becoming a big league regular, so he has already exceeding my expectations and may continue to do so.

The Red Sox are going all in to win next year.