Bus Leagues Express: August 29

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Miley leads International League All-Stars: Although they aren’t represented by any players on the All-Star team, Empire State’s manager Dave Miley was honored. It was an easy choice; not only do his Yankees have the second best record in the league, he’s done it without a single home game on the season. It was easy to write them off before the season, with the adversity they were facing as I did, but instead they’re headed to the playoffs. Pawtucket’s Mauro Gomez and Lehigh Valley’s Tyler Cloyd were honored with Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year respectively. There were no Bus Leagues Top 100 Prospects, but Starling Marte is one of a handful of players that has a future in the bigs.

Top prospects dot Texas League All-Stars: While the International League All-Stars had no Bus Leagues Top 100 Prospects, the Texas League is fully stocked. A pair of Frisco RoughRidgers, Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt make up the left side of the infield, and they’re joined by Springfield’s Player of the Year Oscar Taveras and Corpus Christi’s Jonathan Singleton. Barret Loux was named Pitcher of the Year, and even though he hasn’t continued pitching as well as he did in his 10-0 start, it’s still been a solid season for the Rangers prospect. Breakout pitchers Dan Straily and Trevor Rosenthal also made the team.

Bowling Green hit with another suspension: Not even a week after three Hot Rods were suspended 50 games for a positive drug test, former Rays first rounder Josh Sale was hit with a suspension for testing positive for the same substances. While it seems incredibly likely that this is not a coincidence, mixed messages are coming out from the players. Ryan Brett‘s agent issued a statement that says the positive test came from not being aware of the contents of a pill he ingested, and Sale issued a statement saying his suspension is unwarranted and would’ve appealed with more evidence to support his case. Charlie Cononie and Justin Woodall have not made any public comments.

Votto walks in return to diamond: The Reds are streaking even without him, but a healthy Joey Votto could put them over the top. For the first time since July 15th, Votto took the field, this time with Dayton in a rehab appearance. The MVP made two plate appearances as their first baseman, walking in the first and striking out in his second. He’s expected to play for Dayton at least once more, and when the rosters expand on September 1st, he’ll be back with the Reds. Since the injury, Cincinnati has played .667 ball, winning 28 games while losing 14. Their division lead expanded by an additional five games, and having Votto back for the final month will give them even more firepower to clinch their second NL Central title in three years.

Herrera, Lopez lead GCL Pirates to game one win: In a three game series, it’s even more important to get off to a good start, and the GCL Pirates did just that in their 5-2 win over the GCL Red Sox. The Red Sox didn’t score until the 9th inning, and the driving force behind that was Cesar Lopez with five strikeouts in three scoreless innings. Dilson Herrera, a notable international signing from Colombia, is continuing a solid season with a huge game. He was a single shy of the cycle, and his 9th inning two run homer gave the Pirates some solid insurance. The series shifts up I-75 to Bradenton today where a Pirates win would clinch the championship.

On tap today

MiLB.TV schedule

Appy League playoffs begin

Arizona League wraps up regular season

GCL Pirates look to clinch championship

Workman, Morgan each look to improve to 4-0 in the Eastern League

Sampson, Gray meet in top TL matchup

Ynoa, Guerrieri meet in top NYPL matchup