6/28 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 29, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Oakland A’s 1B of the future Chris Carter continues to pound the baseball, going 2-3 yesterday with his 13th HR six runs batted in and two runs scored.  I predicted at the beginning of June that Carter was due to go off on a power rampage and, suffice to say it, he has.  Over his last 100 AB, Carter is hitting .313 with 7 HR 19 RBI and a 19 BB/24 K ratio.  His improvements in his approach at the plate has resulted in a 40 point rise in batting average.  Also, Sean Doolittle’s injuries and potential move to the OF has opened the door wide for Carter to be the premier 1B prospect in Oakland’s farm system.  Jason Giambi is a one season hold over and Daric Barton offers a paper-thin resistance to Carter’s comprehensive skill set.  The A’s are desperate for offensive fire power and the 6-4 225 lb. Carter offers it in abundance.  He should make a move to AAA Sacramento at some point this summer and if Oakland continues to play last place baseball in the AL West, he should get a look at some point in September.  I expect that Chris Carter will get to continue his development at the Arizona Fall League this winter before getting a long look by the A’s this following spring. 

Today’s player de jour is the always impressive Michael Taylor of the Philadelphia Phillies organization.  The Stanford alum collected three more hits yesterday, including his 14th HR, four RBI and two runs scored.  Taylor’s banner day raised his season batting average to .342 .  He’s bound to earn a promotion soon either to AAA or, perhaps, to Philly.  The eBay market for Taylor’s cards has been red hot as of late with his ‘07 Bowman Chrome Draft cards selling at $2.00-2.50 each and his ‘08 Donruss Elite autos (#/720) ranging between $20-25 each.  There is quite a bit of room for all of Taylor’s cards to grow.  His blend of power, speed, plate discipline and batting average and his athletic 6-6 250 lb. frame spells S-U-C-C-E-S-S at the major league level.

AA Player of the Day—MICHAEL TAYLOR

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Chris Carter—2-3 HR(13) 6 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Adrian Cardenas—3-4 3R 2 BB SB(6)
• Matt Sulentic—3-6 2R 3 SB(16)
• Josh Donaldson—1-2 R 3 BB
• Matt Spencer—2-5 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Eric Sogard—2-5 2R
• Logan Forsythe—2-4 3B RBI R BB
• Tim Smith—3-4 2B 2 RBI BB R
• Mitch Moreland—2-5 2B RBI R
• Michael Taylor—3-4 HR(14) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Jesus Montero—2-4 HR(9) RBI
• Jose Tabata—1-3 2B 2R RBI BB SB(5)
• Jim Negrych—2-4 2 RBI R SB(4)
• John Shelby Jr.—2-3 2B 3B 2 RBI 2 BB R SB(10)
• Dayan Viciedo—2-3 2 2B 2R BB
• Todd Frazier—1-4 HR(7) 2 RBI
• Sean Henry—2-4 HR(9) 2 RBI
• Andrew Lambo—3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Eric Campbell—2-3 3B 2 RBI
• Desmond Jennings—2-4 2R RBI BB SB(28)
• Bryan Petersen—3-5 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Darin Holcomb—2-3 2B R BB
• Tyler Henry—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R
• Hank Conger—2-5 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Mark Trumbo—2-4 2B RBI
• Danny Worth—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Casper Wells—2-5 2B 3B
• Michael Daniel—2-5 R (Game 1)…..3-5 R (Game 2)
• Leonard Davis—2-5 HR(11) 3 RBI BB
• Rene Tosoni—3-4 2B R BB

Pitching:

• Michael Stutes—7 IP 5H 2 ER BB 3K W (5-4)
• Charles Shirek—7 IP 8H ER BB 2K W (10-2)
• Kyle Parker—7 IP 4H Er 2 BB 4K
• Ryne Reynoso—7.2 IP 6H Er 2 BB 6K W (5-4)
• Travis Wood—7 IP 5H 2 ER BB 4K
• Kasey Kiker—6 IP 4H 6K

6/28 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

We’re up and running again.

Cleveland Indians OF prospect Michael Brantley had a day that MLB managers love to see from their leadoff hitters by going 1-3 with four walks, two runs scored and three stolen bases.  Brantley’s bat has cooled significantly over the last 10 games as he is hitting just .154 and hasn’t driven in a single run.  His plate discipline has continued to be rock steady, however, as his four free passes yesterday gave him a positive 37 BB/36 K ratio for the season.  The Indians traded 3B Mark DeRosa over the weekend which doesn’t have any immediate effect on Brantley, though it does give an indicator that the Indians have already fancied themselves as sellers and there should be several more transactions (most notably Cliff Lee) to follow.  This is a double edged sword.  On one hand, it could, and should, open thing up for Brantley at the major league level.  On the other hand, the extradition of MLB players from the Indians’ roster will result in the increase of minor league talent within their organizational depth chart.  The acquisition of a high profile OF prospect wouldn’t have a short term effect on Brantley’s future, but a blue chip OF prospect could pose a challenge in the long term.  All in all, Brantley is primed for a Jacobs Field debut at some point this season.  He needs to bump his batting average up another 10-20 points and continue to draw walks and steal bases.  If he puts together a solid month of July, we could see him debuting by August.

Yankees top prospect Austin Jackson has been an interesting case study this season.  Yesterday the 22 year old OF hit his 2nd HR of the year and drove in two runs.  A-Jack has reminded me a little bit of Andrew McCutchen in his development thusfar.  As he has progressed, Jackson has developed into more of a top of the lineup hitter rather than a power hitter.  Jackson has held fast to his .300 plus average all year and is a perfect 13 for 13 in stolen base attempts.  His plate discipline is still an area of concern, as testified by his 25 BB/73 K ratio.  His average for the month of June has dipped to .265 and his 5 BB/26 K’s is also his below his April and May numbers.  The Yankees most likely will not call up Jackson until September when the rosters are expanded.

Today’s player of the day is Seattle Mariners OF prospect Michael Saunders.  The former Canadian National Team member went 3-4 hitting his 10th HR of the season and drawing a walk.  While the month of June has been a little disappointing (.220 4 HR 11 RBI), no one can argue with the impressive tools that the 22 year old boasts.  At 6-4 205 lb., Saunders has the potential to hit 20+ HR per season while playing above average defense in CF.  He’s cut down his K’s from last season and as a result, has a respectible 22 BB/38 K ratio through his first 50 games.  The M’s outfield situation is somewhat in flux as Endy Chavez has been lost for the season and Wladimir Balentien looks more and more like a minor league player.  The acquisition of left hand hitting OF Ryan Langerhans should further delay Saunders’ ascention to Safeco Field and GM Jack Zdurencik has indicated that he would like to exercise patience in developing Saunders.  The Mariners despite their litany of injuries are still in contention for a post season bid.  While that may change come one or two months from now, each day they are in contention signals another day that Michael Saunders will be in the middle of Tacoma’s starting lineup.

AAA Player of the Day—MICHAEL SAUNDERS

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Brandon Allen—2-4 R 2 RBI
• Chris Heisey—3-5 2B 2R RBI SB(14)
• Jamie Hoffmann—2-3 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Matt Joyce—1-6 HR(7) RBI SB(3) BB
• Reid Brignac—3-7 2B 2 RBI R
• Rhyne Hughes—3-5 HR(19) 2 RBI BB
• Michael Brantley—1-3 2R 4 BB 3 SB(29)
• Matt LaPorta—1-3 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Jordan Brown—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Mark Hamilton—3-6 2B 2R RBI
• Jon Jay—1-4 HR(3) 2 RBI BB
• Cameron Maybin—2-5 2B 2 RBI R
• Gaby Sanchez—2-4 2B R RBI
• Jai Miller—3-5 2B 2R 2 RBI SB(5)
• Austin Jackson—1-3 HR(2) RBI 2R BB
• Julio Borbon—1-5 HR(2) 2 RBI 3R BB
• Cole Gillespie—1-3 HR(6) RBI
• Jacob Hester—2-3 2 2B R
• Michael Saunders—3-4 HR(10) RBI 2B

Pitching:

• Matt Maloney—6.2 IP 7H 3 ER 2 BB 6K W (5-4)
• Anthony Swarzak—7 IP 2H ER 2 BB 5K W (4-4)

Camping Trip–A Brief Rant

Posted by Jeremy on under Uncategorized | Read the First Comment

I’m back from my Eastern Washington camping trip feeling exhausted and sun scorched.  We stayed at a little resort called Sun Lakes Park just outside of Coulee City.  The campground is nestled in a valley amidst two tall bluffs that offer views akin to numerous red-rocked sites in Arizona.  Within walking distance are several recreational amenities including a 9-hole golf course, a scenic lake, tons of biking trails, mini-golf and a state park. 

This is a place that I frequented quite often as a youth and the desire for me to rekindle some of those memories with a family of my own has offered more than enough incentive over the past couple of years to stuff our Ford Escape full of gear, food, and Lord knows what else to head across the mountains.  Last year’s trip was outstanding.  We rented three sites and had several family and friends join us on the trip.  We took my mom’s Sea-Doo and spent just about every sun drenched moment wake hopping and rooster tailing over every nook of that lake. 

This trip was a little different.  While we had some friends accompany us, we did the trip sans Sea-Doo.  No bother, we hauled our bikes and planned to put some mileage on them.  My wife and I found a trail that led to a lake three miles in, which was a perfect distance for my son Derek to pedal.  About two and a half miles in, Derek’s front tire blew out meaning that we had to hoof it back to camp and re-rack the bikes.  By the time that we got back, the sun was starting to set over the canyon walls which, while splendidly beautiful, propogated another problem—wind.  In all of my infinite nostalgia, I seemed to forget the infamous battles that my folks had with the raging wind storms of Sun Lakes Park.  As I mentioned earlier, the campground is located between two cliffs that are probably 400-500 feet tall each.  The wind whips through there as if it was a channel, victimizing many nylon and fiberglass structures in its wake.  I was able to locate some rope amongst our stuff and anchored our tent down to three trees and my roof rack.  While that allowed the main frame of our too-big-for-its-own-good tent to maintain its structural integrity, it did nothing to change the status of the rain fly which flapped noisily with each frequent wind gust.  Sound sleeper that I am, it did nothing to effect my sleep, but it wreaked havoc on my wife Amber’s ability to rest.

The other thing that really stunk about the trip was that the site adjacent to us had the much desired group of 18-21 year old couples that crammed four tents onto one site.  This bunch fulfilled just about every irritating cliche imaginable.  While the guys sported their tribal armband tattoos, the ladies each had their own creations etched into the smalls of their backsides.  Cigarette smoke and the F-word were popular items that wafted their way into our confined camp space.  Bob Marley Greatest Hits on the stereo in the morning? Check.  Follow it up with an assortment of Gangsta Rap, Sublime, Limp Bizkit, Nickleback chasers?  Check! 

Speaking of chasers, how ’bout a rousing midnight game of beer pong?  They were up to it.  As the booze flowed, so did the four letter expletives, squeals from girls, and “huh-huh-huhs” from the guys.  Polite requests from surrounding sites (including ours) for them to quiet down and watch their language was briefly acknowledged and almost immediately forgotten.  As a result, sleep was difficult and ill will toward our neighbors was waaaaay too easy.

On the good side, we took a day trip to Lake Chelan and played at the waterslides all day.  The work that I have done over the past couple of months on getting in shape seems to be paying off.  I had tons of energy for the entire day and was able to enjoy the rides without too much residual soreness.

Additionally, I played a nice round of golf with Derek who is turning into a pretty good little golfer.  He’s got long levers and a fluid line to his swing.  Course ediquette is still in its rudimentary stages (he likes to chat during backswings and takes all of his clubs onto the green), but he’s always willing to adhere to instruction—something he doesn’t always submit to on the baseball diamond or when doing household chores.

Last but no least, dealing with some of the adversity that we did on our trip offered more confirmation to Amber and I that we are great teammates in this little journey called marriage.  There were several things within our environment that peeved us and got us into foul moods.  It is during those times that loved ones take their frustrations out upon one another, disrupting the God-blessed harmony of the relationship with snarky remarks and self-serving attitudes.  We kept our chins up though, and worked together to make the best of what we had.  Those are building block moments not only for our marriage, but for Derek to see and hopefully emulate in his ensuing relationships.  I feel proud of the fact that we were able to add another brick to our firm foundation.

All and all, four days away from the baseball world is way too long.  I am relieved to be sitting in front of this computer once agains parusing box scores and seeing that the market for Tommy Hanson’s cards jumped about 50% since his back to back wins against the Yankees and Red Sox.

Back to the grind, thanks for your patience!

On Vacation….

Posted by Jeremy on June 24, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Judging by the decrease in my posts, one would surmise that I have been on vacation.  Alas, I have been out and about doing other things, but starting today, I will be camping in Eastern Washington with the family until Sunday.  I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I fully intend to step up my efforts upon my return.

See you Monday!

Jeremy

6/23 AAA, AA, High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 23, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

We’ve hit the All-Star break for several leagues which means that game results will be diminished over the next few days.  It’s been an exciting first half filled with excellent performances from top prospects, breakouts from sleepers and tons of promotions through all levels.  The second half should be even more exciting than the first.  The trade deadline is coming up in the next month, changing the location and, likely, fortunes of several fine prospects.  2009 draftees continue to sign with their big league clubs and are being integrated into the lower levels of the farm system.  Also, the month of September is roster expansion time, where a fresh batch of prospects will get their first cups of coffee at the big league level.

Buckle up, things are just about ready to really take off!

Today’s top prospect from the AAA ranks is someone we formerly profiled at the AA level, White Sox 1B prospect Brandon Allen.  Allen was promoted to Charlotte on June 19th and all he’s done since then is go 817 with a HR, four RBI, two doubles, and four runs scored.  The move to AAA signifies to me that the Sox will almost certainly bring him up in September for a look.  Expect him to go to the Arizona Fall League in the offseason to get more seasoning.  After that, he’ll be a prominant contender for the White Sox 1B job in sprign training 2010. 

AAA Player of the Day—BRANDON ALLEN

Other Notable Performances

• Brandon Allen—3-5 HR(8) 3 RBI 2R
• Brett Clevlen—3-4 3 RBI SB(6)
• Matt Macri—2-4 3B RBI
• John Jaso—1-3 HR(4) RBI BB
• Jack Egbert—6 IP 5H ER 5K W (5-2)
• Homer Bailey—7 IP 6H ER 2 BB 8K W (8-5)

At the AA level, Marlins super prospect Michael Stanton homered for the second consecutive day, giving him 14 for the season.  Stanton started slowly after his promotion but has homered in each of his last two games and seems to be cutting down on his K’s.  Chicago Cubs RHP Jay Jackson outdueled Tampa Bay’s Jeremy Hellickson over five innings allowing just one hit while striking out five.  Jackson is now 4-3 on the season and has been dominant over his last 46 innings allowing just six unearned runs while striking out 47 hitters.

Today’s top AA player is Seattle Mariners 3B prospect Matt Mangini.  The former Oklahoma State Cowboy has been a big disappointment since being selected in the 2nd round of the ‘07 draft battling injuries and poor performance.  Prior to the draft, Mangini was widely regarded as one of the more polished college bats with sound defensive skills.  He’s repeating at the AA level with better results, batting .272 with 3 HR 24 RBI and 22 runs scored.  While the numbers are not prototypical of 3B prospects, they are indeed an improvement over the totals from the last couple of years.  The Mariners will need to fill the hole left by Adrian Beltre as he is slated to leave via trade or free agency.  The organization offers little immediate answers.  Matt Tuiasosopo followed up a stellar spring training with a bad showing at both Seattle and Tacoma before injuring his knee.  Journeyman Mike Morse may be an in house candidate, but he’s no long term answer.  Jharmidy DeJesus and Mario Martinez loom at the lower levels as does Italian standout Alex Liddi.  Odds are that the M’s look outside the organization for a mid-level 3B, but the opportunity for the powerfully built 23 year old Mangini to open some eyes still exists.  If he can continue to swing a hot bat, he may once again figure into Seattle’s future plans.

AA Player of the Day—MATT MANGINI

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Michael Stanton—1-4 HR(14) RBI 2R BB
• Scott Cousins—1-4 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Matt Sulentic—2-3 R SB(13) BB
• Tim Smith—4-5 2B RBI
• Jordan Parraz—2-3 HR(7) 2 RBI BB
• Jeff Bianchi—2-5 2R 2 RBI
• Eric Sogard—2-5 2R BB
• Cedric Hunter—2-5 R RBI BB SB(4)
• Mitch Canham—2-5 2B R 2 RBI SB(4)
• Brian Joynt—2-4 HR(2) RBI 3R BB
• Lance Zawadzki—1-5 HR(12) 4 RBI
• Collin DeLome—2-5 2R BB
• Jason Castro—2-5 HR(8) RBI BB
• Ezequiel Carrera—3-4 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Matt Mangini—3-4 HR(3) RBI 2R SB(1)
• Cyle Hankerd—2-3 2R 3B BB
• Evan Frey—2-4 2 RBIK

With the All-Stars from the California League and Carolina League getting ready to square off, the Florida State League was the only High-A division that was in action yesterday.  Today’s top prospect is Milwaukee Brewers 1B prospect Steffan Wilson.  The Harvard alum was selected in the 28th round of the 2007 draft but has exceeded expectations since being drafted.  In his first full year at Low-A West Virginia, Wilson hit .287 with 19 HR and 100 RBI while doubling 27 times and scoring 91 runs.  This season has been even better as Wilson is currently hitting .308 with 7 HR 28 RBI and 8 SB.   The Brewers don’t have much depth at the 1B spot other than all-star slugger Prince Fielder.  Wilson needs to shore up his plate discipline (20 BB/57 K) but his muscular 6-1 220 lb. build and current power production are good indicators that he should be able to hit 20+ HR per season at the major league level.  The Brew Crew has been rumored for quite some time as being potential sellers at some point when it comes to Prince Fielder.  If Wilson continues to progress with his power, plate discipline and batting average, he could help Milwaukee make that an easier pill to swallow.

High-A Player of the Day—STEFFAN WILSON

• Josh Butler—7 IP 7H ER BB 4K W (8-1)
• Jay Jackson—5 IP H 5K W (4-3)
• Jeremy Hellickson—4 IP 4H 6
• Starlin Castro—3-5 3R 3B
• Jake Opitz—3-3 2R RBI BB 2 SB
• Brandon Guyer—3-4 2B 3R 2 RBI (Game 1)…..2-4 RBI (Game 2)
• Christopher White—3-4 R
• Audy Ciriaco—2-3 2B RBI (Game 1)…..3-3 (Game 2)
• Shawn O’malley—2-4 3 RBI SB(23)
• Austin Romine—2-4 HR(9) RBI
• Jack Rye—2-4 HR(1) RBI SB(1) BB
• Moises Sierra—2-6 2 RBI
• Steffan Wilson—3-4 2B 3B 2R RBI BB SB(2)
• Eric Farris—2-4 2 SB(32) BB
• Adron Chambers—2-3 2B SB(12)
• Matt Klinker—6 IP 6H 9K W (3-1)
• Richard Castillo—7 IP 6H ER BB 3K L (1-7)

6/21 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 22, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Milwaukee’s 3B prospect Taylor Green went 2-3 yesterday hitting his 4th HR, driving in three and walking twice. Green is putting together a solid month of June that has seen him hit .329 with all four of his HR and 16 of his 24 RBI.  Green missed the first month and a half of the season rehabbing from offseason surgery on his wrist, though he appears fully healthy and strong now.  Green reminds me a great deal of former Boston Red Sox 3B Bill Mueller.  Like Mueller, Green is not a big guy (5-10 175 lb.) which makes his projected 12-15 HR power below average for MLB third basemen.  He’s got excellent plate discipline and makes good contact at the plate using foul line to foul line.  The Brewers have Mat Gamel ahead of him on the organizational depth chart, but Gamel continues to struggle defensively and, like Ryan Braun before him, should find a home at a different position.  Green is a solid defender with a strong arm and soft hands that should play well at third base for the Brewers.  He’s a major leaguer for sure, but he lacks the “wow” factor that other hot corner prospects may have.

Today’s top AA prospect is Texas Rangers SS prospect Marcus Lemon.  The son of former Detroit Tigers OF Chet Lemon has been on a big hot streak as of late, hitting .500 (17-34) with six RBI and seven runs scored in his last 10 games.  Lemon has long been lauded for his intangible skills (i.e. makeup, work ethic, leadership) and he has handled every challenge that the Rangers have put before him admirably.  He is a disciplined and refined hitter who hits for a high average and good contact, but he doesn’t have much power and doesn’t utilize his plus speed as a weapon on the basepaths.  Defensively, Lemon has improved from last year’s 43 errors by committing just 15 by the midpoint of this season.  While he remains a work in progress, he should be able to stick as a shortstop prospect. 

There’s just no room for Lemon, though.  The Texas Rangers have moved from A.L. West doormat to frontrunner in a one year period and their rock solid left side of the infield has done wonders for improving the success of their pitching staff.  Lemon is a solid prospect, but he is not good enough to supplant Elvis Andrus or Ian Kinsler as a middle infielder.  Outside of a trade, there is just too much talent in Texas’ system for Lemon to supplant at this time.  Even if he was to make the transition from shortstop to the outfield, Lemon’s game at this stage is too one dimensional to trump Texas’ flotsam of fourth outfielders or prospects like Julio Borbon or Greg Golson.

AA Player of the Day–MARCUS LEMON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Jesus Montero—2-4 RBI 2B
• Ruben Tejeda—2-3 2B R
• Lucas Duda—2-2 HR(4) RBI BB
• Matt McBride—3-4 2B 2 RBI 3R
• Jared Goedert—3-4 2 2B 2 RBI
• Danny Worth—2-4 2 2B 2 RBI BB
• Brad Emaus—2-4 2B R RBI
• Ian Desmond—1-4 2R BB 3 SB(10)
• Michael Taylor—3-5 HR(12) 2 RBI
• Jeremy Slayden—4-4 HR(2) 2 RBI 3R
• Rene Tosoni—2-3 2R 3 RBI 2 BB
• Juan Portes—3-5 RBI
• Danny Valencia—2-5 2 RBI
• Brett Pill—2-4 HR(7) RBI 2R BB
• Andrew Lambo—1-3 2B R RBI BB
• Taylor Green—2-3 HR(4) 3 RBI 2 BB
• Logan Morrison—2-3 2R RBI BB SB(1)
• Michael Stanton—1-5 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Scott Cousins—2-4 2B 3B RBI R
• Marquez Smith—2-4 2 HR(10) 2 RBI 2R
• Wellington Castillo—1-3 HR(6) 3 RBI BB 2R
• Mitch Moreland—2-4 2B RBI
• Marcus Lemon—3-3 2B 2 RBI R
• Cedric Hunter—2-5 2R 3B
• Brian Joynt–2-5 2B R

Pitching:

• Luis Perez—7.1 IP 4H ER 2 BB 8K

6/21 AAA Minor League Report

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2008 was a banner year for Kansas City Royals 1B prospect Kila Ka’aihue.  The 25 year old slugger blasted pitching at both the AA and AAA levels, hitting .314 with 37 HR 100 RBI 91 runs and a league leading 104 walks.  Expectations for Ka’aihue were high until the Royals traded for Florida’s 1B Mike Jacobs in the offseason.  Since then, Ka’aihue has been toiling at AAA and putting up numbers that are far below his video game stats from ‘08.  Despite the dropoff, Ka’aihue is still having a solid season.  His two HR day yesterday gives him 10 for the season with 31 RBI and 45 runs scored.  Ka’aihue still has a very discerning eye at the plate walking 56 times versus just 50 K’s.  Yesterday’s power burst helps to end a June power drought and could propel him towards another hot streak.  The Royals are fledgling, especially on offense, and Mike Jacobs’ ‘09 season is far below the numbers he put up as a Marlin last year.  The window is shrinking for Ka’aihue, but it’s still open.  Jacobs currently has a one year contract, and it looks to be increasingly the case that K.C. will be sellers within the next month.  If Jacobs goes, Ka’aihue is next in line for an opportunity at 1B.

AAA Player of the Day—KILA KA’AIHUE

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Lou Marson—2-4 RBI
• Scott Sizemore—1-3 2R BB (Game 1)…..3-6 HR(10) 2 RBI 3B (Game 2)
• Clete Thomas—2-3 2B 2 RBI BB R SB(10) (Game 1)…..3-5 2 2B RBI (Game 2)
• Michael Brantley–1-2 2 BB SB(22)
• Rhyne Hughes—2-4 2B R
• Brett Wallace—2-4 2B
• Steve Clevenger—2-3 3 RBI BB SB(1)
• Mike Baxter—2-4 2B R RBI BB
• Matt Antonelli—3-4 2 2B 3B 3 RBI 2R
• Luis Martinez—3-5 2B R 4 RBI BB SB(3)
• Howie Kendrick—4-4 2B RBI SB(3)
• Alex Romero—4-6 2 2B 2 RBI R
• Cole Gillespie—2-4 2B RBI
• Angel Salome—2-4 2B R
• John Raynor—1-4 HR(3) RBI 2R BB SB(8)
• Yordany Ramirez—2-5 HR(8) 2 RBI 2R
• Kila Ka’aihue—2-4 2 HR(10) 2 RBI 2R BB

Pitching:

• Troy Patton—6 IP 7H ER BB K W (7-3)
• Kevin Mulvey—7 IP H ER 6K
• Lucas French—8 IP 4H ER BB 10 K
• Trevor Bell—7 IP 3H 2 UER BB 4K
• James Simmons—6 IP 6H 2 ER 3K
• Franklin Morales—6 IP 4H ER BB 4K W (1-2)
• Neftali Feliz–5 IP 7H Er BB 7K

6/18 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 19, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

When evaluating prospects, I find that there is a blend of statistics and physical attributes that each possesses that tell a great deal about what to expect from them at higher levels.  A hitter that struggles with plate discipline often finds his batting average and on base percentages suffers against more refined pitchers.  Batters that hit for a good number of doubles and triples as youngsters(18 to 21 yrs old) tend to build strength as they mature and hit for more power.  These along with several other characteristics often hold true, but every once and awhile a player pops up that defies my parameters of conventional wisdom, leaving me scratching my head.

Meet Johnny Whittleman.

The Texas Rangers’ young 3B prospect has an athletic build (6-2 195 lb.) and, at age 22, has the frame to build more strength as he matures.  Whittleman was a personal favorite sleeper of mine after his successful 2007 season that saw him hit .262 with 17 HR 72 RBI and 34 doubles at two full season Class A stops.  Formerly a 2nd round pick in the ‘05 draft, Whittleman shows a disciplined approach at the plate uncharacteristic of most prep to pro players.  Last season at High-A Bakersfield, Whittleman drew 82 walks while striking out 113 times in 118 games.  Despite a mediocre HR total of just seven and a batting average well below California League standards (.257), Whittleman smacked 38 doubles, leaving promise of power to come.

Fast forward to 2009 and you would find Mr. Whittleman’s numbers diminishing even further.  His batting average sits at just .224 (boosted about 20 points after his 4-5 performance yesterday), though his on base percentage is more than 100 points higher, due to his fine 31 BB/42 K ratio.  16 two baggers puts him on pace for his third consecutive season of 30+ doubles but he hasn’t been able to log in with his first HR yet.

What do we make of this going forward?  Prior to Michael Young’s five year extension with the Rangers, I would have been more enthusiastic about Whittleman.  The Rangers, for all their organizational depth, are quite thin at 3B.  The talent is still there for Whittleman to carve out a major league career, but there’s a great deal left for him to prove.

Today’s top prospect is Cincinnati Reds SS Zack Cozart.  The former 2nd rounder smacked two homeruns and three RBI in the first game of a double header and then followed it up with a two hit, RBI showing in the nightcap.  Cozart has been blistering hot during the month of June, batting .339 with 6 HR 10 RBI and 4 SB.  A blue collar player through and through, Cozart skipped over High-A ball and has attacked AA pitching with aplomb, hitting .290 with 8 HR 35 RBI and 17 doubles.  Ahead of Cozart is the sweet swinging Chris Valaika who just returned to Louisville’s lineup after missing a month with a broken hand.  Valaika’s bat is more polished at this point than Cozart’s, but Zack is a better defensive shortstop.  Given that he has already skipped a level this season, it would not be surprising to see the Reds keep him in AA for the duration of the regular season.  Watch to see if Cincy places him in the Arizona Fall League this offseason.  If so, there may be a good opportunity for Cozart to get a decent look by the Reds in spring training 2010. 

AA Player of the Day—ZACK COZART

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Rene Tosoni—1-3 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Gorkys Hernandez—2-3 2B R
• Jose Tabata—1-3 RBI SB(4)
• Cale Iorg—2-4 R 2 RBI
• Josh Thole—3-5 2B 3R 2 RBI BB SB(4)
• Ryan Kalish—2-3 R BB
• Nick Evans—2-4 2R HR(3) 2 RBI
• Matt Whitney—4-5 2B R
• Yonder Alonso—3-6 RBI SB(1)
• Zack Cozart—2-4 2 HR(8) 3 RBI BB (Game 1)…..2-4 RBI (Game 2)
• Tyler Colvin—2-5 2 HR(5) 2 RBI 2R
• Darwin Barney—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Juan Francisco—1-5 2B R RBI BB (Game 1)…..3-4 HR(13) 4 RBI 2R (Game 2)
• Chris Heisey—1-2 3R
• James Adduci—2-3 2B 2R BB SB(16)
• Josh Bell—3-4 2 2B R RBI SB(2)
• Eduardo Perez—2-5 HR(6) 2 RBI 2B
• Taylor Green—1-3 HR(4) 3 RBI BB
• John Shelby Jr.—2-4 2B
• Tyler Flowers—1-2 HR(10) RBI 2 BB
• Christian Marrero—1-4 HR(8) 2 RBI
• C.J. Retherford—2-5 2B R RBI
• Matt Mangini—2-3 R RBI BB
• Drew Locke—4-6 2B R  5 RBI
• Wladimir Sutil—3-6 4R RBI
• Mitch Moreland—3-6 2B R
• Marcus Lemon—3-5 2B 2R 4 RBI
• Johnny Whittleman—4-5 2 2B 3R 2 RBI
• Timmy Smith—4-5 R 2 RBI
• Luis Durango—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Lance Zawadzki—2-3 HR(11) RBI 2 BB 2R
• Brian Joynt—3-5 2B HR(1) 2 RBI
• Chris Carter—2-4 HR(10) RBI 2B BB
• Matt Spencer—1-4 2B RBI BB
• Daryl Jones—3-5 R
• Cole Garner—2-4 2B 3 RBI
• Daniel Mayora—4-5 2B 2R 3 RBI
• Mark Trumbo—3-4 2 2B 3B 4 RBI

Pitching:

• Mark Rzepczynski—7 IP 5H ER BB 8K
• Tim Bascom—7 IP 3H 2 BB 7K
• Ryan Pope—5.2 IP 5H 4K
• Tyson Brummett—7 IP 4H 2 ER 5K
• Travis Wood—5 IP 8H 3 ER BB 6K W (7-3)

6/18 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Texas Rangers OF prospect Julio Borbon went 3-5 with an RBI and two runs scored yesterday.  His trifecta of base knocks marked the fourth consecutive multi-hit game for the former Tennessee Volunteer.  June has been a great month for Borbon as he has hit .373 so far, raising his season average to .307.  Last year, Borbon torched the basepaths for 66 SB and showed decent power over two levels, hitting seven HR’s.  Though he hasn’t rendered the same results through the midpoint of this season, his 18 SB and 10 doubles has helped to make him an intriguing prospect for a regular spot with the Rangers in 2010 or, perhaps a valued trading chip for a resurgent Rangers team vying for a post season nod.  Either way, Borbon’s days as a minor leaguer are numbered.  He presents a highly polished blend of speed, plate discipline, hitting ability and defense desired of a top tier leadoff hitter. 

Today’s top prospect comes from the Oakland A’s farm system.  Hard throwing lefty Gio Gonzalez mowed down 10 hitters through 5.1 shutout innings, allowing four hits and only one walk.  Gonzalez’s career course has been frustrating to those that have invested in his cards as he has been shuttled from Oakland to Sacramento several times over the last two seasons.  Control has been the key determinant in the 24 year old’s level of success.  When it’s on, Gonzalez has a mid-90’s heater and an upper-70’s yakker that baffles hitters at any level.  When he’s off, Gonzalez racks up walks at a copious rate and gets hit hard with misplaced fastballs.  Gonzo was awful during his stint with the A’s once again, racking up a 7.27 ERA in his 8.2 innings, allowing seven walks and striking out seven.  His performance yesterday marks the second consecutive one in which he has not allowed a walk and, therefore, has not allowed a run.  He’s still very young and has a chance to refine his command.  With the depth of quality arms in Oakland’s farm system and the probability that the A’s will be sellers at the trade deadline, the need for Gonzalez to compile a greater semblance of consistency is greater than it has ever been.  Watch his next couple starts carefully, but more importantly, keep tabs on his next stint with the A’s.  I think it will speak volumes about his future.

AAA Player of the Day—GIO GONZALEZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Allen Craig—2-4 HR(7) RBI
• Brett Wallace—1-4 HR(8) RBI
• Jarrett Hoffpauir—1-4 HR(9) RBI
• Steve Clevenger—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Joe Koshansky—2-6 2B RBI
• Angel Salome—2-5 HR93) 2 RBI 2R
• Cole Gillespie—1-3 3B R BB
• Julio Borbon—3-5 2R RBI BB
• Joaquin Arias—3-6 RBI
• Jose Vallejo—2-5 HR(2) 2  RBI
• Chris Johnson—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Cameron Maybin—3-4 2B 3R RBI 2 BB
• Jai Miller—2-5 2B R 3 RBI
• Brian Bogusevic—2-4 RBI
• Jamie Hoffmann—2-4 2B 2R
• Michael Saunders—1-5 HR(8) RBI
• Kevin Frandsen—2-4 HR(7) RBI 3B 2R
• Kyle Blanks—1-3 HR(12) 3 RBI BB
• Cliff Pennington—1-2 3b R 4 RBI BB
• David Winfree—1-1 2B 3 RBI
• Michael Brantley—3-5 R
• Brandon Jones—2-5 2 2B 2R
• Steven Pearce—1-4 HR(11) RBI

Pitching:

• Chris Tillman—6 IP 4H 3 ER 2 BB 4K L (5-4)
• Carlos Gonzalez—5.1 IP 4H BB 10 K W (2-1)
• Carlos Torres—5 IP 0H 5K W (5-4)
• Anthony Swarzak—7 IP 8H 2 ER 2 BB 2K

6/16 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 17, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Yesterday was a day for the pitchers in the AA ranks.  Tim Alderson had another excellent outing, tossing seven innings of two hit, shutout ball, walking two and striking out five for his 4th win of the season.  Alderson has outpitched fellow teammate Madison Bumgarner since being promoted to Connecticut, earning three of his four wins with a 1.82 ERA and 4 BB/34 K in 39.2 innings. 

A couple of pitchers had nice outings in losing efforts.  Trenton’s Zach McAllister tossed 7.1 innings, allowing an uncustomarily high nine hits and three earned runs.  He did strike out eight Connecticut Defenders though and didn’t allow any walks.  McAllister has the stuff and size to be a frontline strikeout pitcher, but his seems to oscillate between dominant, high-K performances and high-contact, low-K outings.  Perhaps this is because he is still working on establishing his secondary pitches, but the variances in performances makes it difficult to determine what he will be like at the major league level. 

Another big righty with frontline stuff is L.A. Angels top pitching prospect Jordan Walden.  The man with the 100 MPH heater was good in a loss, tossing 6.2 IP allowing 7 hits, three runs (one earned) and six K’s.  Walden has struggled with his command big time this season, walking 20 and striking out 38 in 37 innings of work.  June has been a big time bounce back month for Walden.  After a horrendous month of May (12.79 ERA in two outings) he’s bounced back with a 1.02 ERA in three June starts walking just 7 and striking out 22 in 17.2 innings.  Watch his next couple of starts going forward.  Conventional wisdom says that he’s back on track.

Today’s top prospect is Colorado Rockies top hurler Jhoulys Chacin.  The guru of the groundball went 7.1 innings allowing two hits and two earned runs while walking just one and striking out 10 hitters.  Chacin has some struggles during the month of April, but looks to be back on track with a solid May and June.  For the season, Chacin is now 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA and 25 BB/67 K in 76.1 IP.  He’s forcing 2.12 GO/FO and Texas League hitters are batting just .212 against him.  He’s due for a promotion soon and, given the lack of depth in Colorado’s rotation, it’s reasonable to consider that he may get a look in September.

AA Player of the Day—JHOULYS CHACIN

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Lucas Duda—2-2 2B R RBI
• Nick Evans—2-4 2 2B R
• Ian Desmond—3-4 HR(3) RBI
• Leo Davis—2-4 2b RBI SB(5)
• Lars Anderson—3-4
• Mark Wagner—2-3 2B R RBI
• Ryan Khoury—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2R
• Juan Portes—2-3 2R 3B BB
• Erik Lis—3-3 R 2 BB
• Gorkys Hernandez—2-5 2B 2R RBI
• Jose Tabata—2-4 2R RBI BB
• Beau Mills—1-2 R 2 RBI BB
• Brett Pill—3-4 3 RBI
• Michael Taylor—2-4 2B 3B R
• Brandon Snyder—1-2 2R 2 BB
• Mitch Moreland—2-5 R RBI BB
• Chad Tracy—2-5 2B 2R RBI BB
• Johnny Whittleman—1-4 2R 2 RBI 2 BB
• Marcus Lemon—2-5 2R
• Josh Donaldson—2-5 2R 3 RBI
• Chris Carter—2-5 2R
• Hank Conger—2-4 2B R
• Mark Trumbo—2-4 RBI
• Donnie Delasco—2-4 2B R RBI BB
• Luis Durango—3-4 R SB(26)
• Cedric Hunter—2-4 3B 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Jordan Walden—6.2 IP 7H ER 3 BB 6K L (1-3)
• Trey Hearne—7 IP 5H 2 ER 3 BB 2K W (6-1)
• Adam Mills—6 IP H 8K W (2-4)
• Tim Alderson—7 IP 2H 2 BB 5K W (4-2)
• Zach McAllister—7.1 IP 9H 3 ER 8K L (5-3)
• Jhoulys Chacin—7.1 IP 2H 2 ER BB 10K W (5-5)