7/27 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 28, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Cleveland Indians 1B prospect Beau Mills rapped two more homeruns last night, raising his season total to 10.  Yesterday’s pair of HR’s marks the first time this season that Mills has went yard in back to back games.  He’s been, in my opinion, a mild disappointment during his first full year at AA, hitting .261 with 10 HR 54 RBI and 22 doubles.  His contact numbers are solid with just 64 K’s in 101 games, but he’s walked just 24 times and has a .305 OBP. June and July has shown an uptick in his numbers and could be an indicator of a strong finish to his season.  The Indians just traded Ryan Garko last night to the San Francisco Giants which should open up a litany of future options for the Tribe at 1B.  Will they move LaPorta there or, perhaps, Nick Weglarz or Wes Hodges?  My gut says that Mills is still the long term guy and a strong finish to his ‘09 season will go a long way towards confirming that thought.

Kyle Drabek had a solid outing last night in what may be his last as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies organization.  Drabek tossed seven innings, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while striking out five en route to his 11th win on the season.  Drabek has been at the center of trade rumors as a primary piece in the deal that could potentially send Roy Halladay to the Phillies.  Philadelphia’s hesitance to trade him is a primary indicator on just how far he has come this season.  Last year, the 21 year old battled injuries and concerns about his make up but his future really seemed to turn towards the positive after a strong showing in the Hawaiian Winter League.  The value of Drabek’s 2006 and 2007 autos will be strongest if he remains a member of the Phillies.  Philadelphia remains a major market team primed to sustain a long run of success in the NL East.  However if Drabek is dealt, the opportunity for him to make a 2009 MLB debut rises significantly and with that the short term value of his cards. 

Today’s top AA prospect is another elite pitching prospect, Brian Matusz.  Seven innings of four hit, six strikeout ball raises his perfect AA record to 7-0 and gives him 11 total wins this season.  Chris Tillman was just called up by the Orioles to make his MLB debut and to further rub salt into the wounds of the Seattle Mariners who just recently put much maligned starter Erik Bedard on the DL….again.  The move by the O’s may soon open up a spot for Matusz to move up another notch to AAA Norfolk.  I expect that this will happen within his next couple of starts.  Matusz’s 2008 Razor cards range from about $12-15 for his Exclusive autos and $15-18 for his serial #’ed cards.  If he gets the call in September, these cards could jump significantly.

AA Player of the Day—BRIAN MATUSZ

 


Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Jordan Danks—2-5 R RBI
• C.J. Retherford—2-4 2B RBI BB
• Michael Stanton—1-4 HR(22) 3 RBI
• Logan Morrison—1-3 HR(6) RBI
• Josh Thole—4-5 2B 3R BB SB(5)
• Ike Davis—2-6 2B R
• Lucas Duda—1-5 2B 2 RBI 2R BB
• D.J. Wabick—3-6 HR(2) 6 RBI 2R
• Nick Weglarz—2-4 HR(14) 2 RBI
• Carlos Santana—1-4 HR(19) RBI
• Beau Mills—2-4 2 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Michael Daniel—3-4 HR(4) 3 RBI 2R BB
• Josh Reddick—2-4 2B R BB
• Ryan Kalish—1-4 HR(10) RBI
• Mitch Moreland—2-5 R RBI
• Taylor Green—2-5 2B HR(6) 2 RBI
• Lorenzo Cain—1-3 HR(2) 2 RBI BB
• Corey Wimberley—3-4 3 RBI BB R 2 SB(14)
• Matt Sulentic—2-3 2B 2R 2 RBI BB SB(19)
• Chris Carter—1-4 2B 2R 2 RBI 2 BB
• Tony Thomas—2-4 HR(9) 2 RBI 2R
• Mark Reed—2-4 2R 2B 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Tommy Mendoza—7 IP 4H ER 3K
• Tyson Ross—6 IP 4H Er BB 3K W (6-6)
• Steven Johnson—6 IP 3H BB 7K W (9-5)
• Luis Atilano—7 IP 6H 2 BB 3K W (5-7)
• Dylan Owen—5 IP 6H 3 BB 3K
• Brian Matusz—7 IP 4H 3 BB 6K W (11-2)
• Kyle Drabek—7 IP 7H 2 ER 5K W (9-5)

7/27 AAA Minor League Report

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

Former Oakland A’s farm hand and current San Diego Padres OF prospect Dan Putnam hit his 14th HR of the season and drove in three runs in a three hit outing.  Putnam has been solid over his last 10 games batting .361 with 3 HR 17 RBI and 7 doubles.  At 26 years old, time is ticking for Putnam to make an impact at the major league level.  He’s proven to be a consistent power hitter over the past few seasons but has never been quite good enough to stand out above his peers.  That shouldn’t change at San Diego.  He’ll likely earn a look in September but the Padres will likely be much more interested in getting a better look at fellow Portland teammate Chad Huffman.

Today’s top player is a former MLB flash in the pan Florida Marlins 2B propect Tony Abreu.  The ex-Dodger had a perfect day at the plate yesterday, going 5-5 with his 6th HR, 3 RBI and 3 doubles.  Abreu has bounced back nicely with the Marlins after missing the entire 2008 season, hitting .348 with 6 HR 29 RBI 11 doubles and 20 runs scored in just 27 games with Albuquerque.  Abreu’s first year cards in various 2007 sets experienced an uptick of popularity after his solid debut with the Dodgers in ‘07 and there could be an opportunity for the cards to be, likely to a lesser degree, relevant again.  The Marlins have already switched former 2B Chris Coghlan to the outfield and it has long been rumored that the future of Dan Uggla as a member of the Marlins is not a long one.  Abreu is still just 24 years old and his switch hitting bat has proven to be a consistent one with decent gap power and the ability to hit for a high average.  The market for Abreu’s 2007 products is deflated, making this the perfect opportunity to add a low serial #’ed rookie card to your portfolio for less than $5.

AAA Player of the Day—TONY ABREU

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Cole Gillespie—1-2 Hr(9) 2 RBI BB SB(11)
• Jon Jay—2-5 R SB(17)
• Tyler Greene—3-5 HR(7) 2 RBI
• Allen Craig—2-3 HR(15) 2 RBI 2R
• Mark Hamilton—4-5 2 HR(10) 4 RBI
• Alejandro De Aza—3-6 3B RBI 2R
• Cameron Maybin—1-3 2B R 3 RBI 3 BB
• John Raynor—1-2 HR(4) RBI 2 BB 3R
• Austin Jackson—2-5 2B RBI
• Cliff Pennington—2-4 2B 2R
• Aaron Cunningham—2-4 2 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Brett Wallace—2-4 2 2B R RBI
• Tony Abreu—5-5 3 2B HR(6) 3 RBI
• Alcides Escobar—1-4 2R SB(36)
• Joaquin Arias—3-4 3R HR(5) RBI
• Ian Desmond—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Brandon Snyder—1-4 2 RBI
• Justin Turner—2-4 2B RBI
• Reid Brignac—1-3 2B R RBI 2 BB SB(5)
• Rhyne Hughes—3-3 2 2B R BB
• Cole Armstrong—2-4 HR(8) 2 RBI 2B
• Chad Huffman—2-5 HR(14) 3 RBI 2R
• Dan Putnam—3-4 2B HR(14) 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Jeff Manship—8 IP 7H ER 3 BB 3K
• Fabio Castro—7 IP 2H 2 BB 10K W (7-5)
• Shairon Martis—7 IP 5H BB 3K W (3-1)

7/26 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 27, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Joaquin Arias had a stellar spring training with the Rangers but found himself as a late March cut as the Rangers were dead set on giving Elvis Andrus the starting SS job with Omar Vizquel playing the role of seasoned mentor.  Arias has been hot as of late, hitting .319 with 3 of his 4 HR and 12 of his 46 RBI over the last 10 games.  He’s got excellent speed (16/18 SB) and has committed only six errors this season.  At 24 years old, he’s the perfect candidate for a rebuilding team with a vacancy at SS (Mariners anyone?)  His MLB audition last season was solid as he hit .291 in 32 games with 4 SB and 10 XBH.  I would love to see him packaged as an extra piece in a deal to another franchise as it is always a shame to see talented players mired in deep systems lose precious years of MLB experience biding their time at the minor league levels.  Watch to see if he is packaged in a deal at the deadline and then pick up one of his several autos for less than $5.  His first year cards are autographs in the Bowman Chrome and Bowman’s Best sets.  Each can be had for $3-4 each.

Brandon Snyder is a name that we haven’t mentioned much since his promotion to AAA as he has struggled with the new challenge.  However, his 3-4 showing yesterday in which he doubled and scored two runs is an indicator that he may be starting to get on his feet.  He has hit safely in six of his last seven games but still has not found the plate discipline that he displayed at AA Bowie.  This is a prime time to buy low once again as he has settled back into the $3-5 ranks with his various autos.  Keep tabs on his next 10 games, if he continues to hit the ball well and can balance the BB/K scale a bit more, he could find himself in Camden Yards come September.

Today’s top performer is a repeat offender.  Tacoma’s Adam Moore hit his 9th HR of the season, driving in five runs and scoring twice in the Rainier’s 14-9 rout of the hapless Las Vegas Stars.  Moore is the M’s most polished and well rounded receiver as Jeff Clement is no longer a viable catching prospect and Rob Johnson is a good catch/no hit backup.  The spectre of former GM Bill Bavasi will cast a two year blight on the current catching situation at Safeco as Kenji Johjima’s $24 M extension remains one of the club’s worst maneuvers this side of Carlos Silva’s 4 year $42 M sentence.  Johjima’s high price forces the club to endure his menail production while inhibiting opportunities to get a full feel for what they have in Moore.  His 2008 autos are still solid bargains at $4-6 each and his ‘09 Bowman Chrome autos can be snagged at similar prices.  He’s probably a year away from earning significant MLB service time, but he immediately becomes Seattle’s best catcher when he arrives.

AAA Player of the Day—ADAM MOORE

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Andy Marte—1-2 HR(18) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Chris Johnson—1-3 HR(6) RBI
• Yorandy Ramirez—3-4 2 SB(9)
• Mike Baxter—1-3 2B 2R RBI BB
• Chris Petit—2-4 2R
• Sean Rodriguez—2-2 2R RBI 2 BB (Game 1)…..2-3 2B R (Game 2)
• Travis Snider—2-5 HR(6) RBI
• Jeff Clement—2-5 2 RBI R
• Adam Moore—2-4 HR(9) 5 RBI 2R BB
• Chris Heisey—3-5 R
• Drew Stubbs—1-5 HR(3) RBI
• Chris Valaika—1-3 2B 2 RBI
• Joaquin Arias—3-4 HR(4) 3 RBI 3R 3B BB
• Chris Davis—2-4 R 2 RBI
• Jose Vallejo—2-4 2B 3B 3 RBI R
• Brandon Snyder—3-4 2B 2R
• Matt Joyce—2-3 2 2b 2 RBI R
• Rhyne Hughes—3-4 HR(22) 2 RBI 2B
• Jason Pridie—4-7 2B RBI R SB(21)
• David Winfree—2-5 R 2 RBI 3B
• Alejandro De Aza—3-5 2B HR(6) RBI 3R
• Jai Miller—1-4 HR(8) RBI
• Buster Posey—0-0 2R 4 BB
• Ramiro Pena—3-3 HR(2) 2 RBI BB
• Wilkin Ramirez—2-5 2B 2R RBI
• Brent Clevlen—3-5 HR(11) 3 RBI 2B 2R

First Hand Report of 7/25 Game Between Tacoma Rainiers and Las Vegas 51’s

Posted by Jeremy on under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

I scored a sweet deal online to see the Tacoma Rainiers.  It was as follows:

• 4 Tickets (good seats about 20 rows up behind 1B)
• 4 Tacoma Rainiers hats
• 4 Slices of Little Caesars Pizza
• 2 Tickets to Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
• 2 L.C. Hot and Ready Pizzas
• 2 Orders of Crazy Bread

All for just $44!

The minor league baseball experience is just so much more intimate and family friendly than any MLB team can offer.  Ballparks are more intimate, players are much more accessible, and everything is cheaper.  For the same price, I would have been able to get just one ticket in the lower level of Safeco Field but wouldn’t have enough dough to park my car or get any in-game snacks.  Here are some in-game observations I made when I wasn’t busy shuttling my son around for autographs, festivities or goodies.

The pitching match up pitted the unspectacular journeyman Chris Seddon against rehabbing Scott Richmond.  Richmond has good offspeed stuff but was outpitched by Seddon.  Actually, the 51’s just could not muster much offense and when they hit the ball well, a Tacoma Rainier made an outstanding play.

• Richmond displayed excellent offspeed stuff that kept the Rainiers bats quiet over five innings.  The lefty, Rommie Lewis threw easy gas at 92-94 MPH and was unhittable over two innings.
• Aaron Matthews has a nice compact swing and good range in CF, he should have a major league job with someone
• Osvaldo Navarro may never hit in the major leagues, but his glove and range is excellent, he made a diving stop on a hard hit one-hopper in the hole at SS and then gunned down Aaron Matthews in a bang bang play at 1B. 
• Mike Carp played LF in place of Michael Saunders who was called up by the M’s.  Carp ran down a drive in the gap and had a very professional AB to hit a sac-fly to drive in one of the Rainiers’ two runs on the evening. 
• Jeff Clement still can’t lay off of off-speed pitches in the dirt and Travis Snider is struggling to find his stride @ AAA.  He was called out on strikes once (and was almost run from the game) and popped up twice. 
• J.P. Arencibia had a PB and was unable to stop a couple of pitches in the dirt.  He did throw out Osvaldo Navarro trying to steal on a failed hit and run by Prentice Redman.
• Jerry Owens is fast and could be a nice off the bench catalyst for someone.  He executed a perfect bunt base hit and then stole a base to get in position for the Rainiers’ 1st run.
• Former Brewer 1B prospect Brad Nelson hit a solo shot over the RF wall that was right where I was standing (to let my son run on the field in between innings) not 5 min. earlier.  Dang it!

There are two more of these promotions between now and the end of the season.  I would love to try and do it again.  I am also slated to attend an Everett Aqua Sox game at some time in the not too distant future.  If and when I do, I will give a report of that as well.

Minor league baseball is great and it comes as no surprise to this fan to see that it is flourishing!

7/22 Low-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 24, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

How was your day today?  I spent much of mine hitting groundballs to my son Derek and teaching him some of the more subtle nuances of the back float in the lake near my house today.  Finally able to find a quiet moment, I am happy to bring you a closer look at last night’s action in the South Atlantic and Midwest Leagues.

Chicago White Sox right hander Dexter Carter tossed six scoreless innings of five hit ball, adding nine punchouts to his league leading total of 138.  At 6-6 195 lb., the former Old Dominion hurler has dynamite stuff that includes a lively fastball that touches 96 MPH and a curveball that is a devastating strikeout offering.  Carter lasted until the 13th round in last year’s draft due to concerns of his ability to repeat his delivery and command his breaking ball.  After dilligent work with the White Sox instructional staff, that doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore.  This season, Carter has walked just 38 batters in his 111 innings so far and is limiting hitters to a .238 BA.  At just 22 years old, there is some room for projection in his long, lean frame that could help to add a tick or two to his already outstanding fastball.  He doesn’t have any first year cards out right now, but that could change in the upcoming fall sets.

Wednesday’s top prospect from the Low-A ranks is last year’s #1 overall draft pick Tim Beckham.  The Tampa Bay Rays SS prospect collected four hits including a grand slam HR.  The first full season for Beckham has been a solid one that has seen him hit .281 with 5 HR 54 RBI and 23 doubles this season.  Still just 19 years old, Beckham has some developing to do.  His BB/K ratio sits at 25/79 in 86 games and he’s only been successful in 7 of 15 SB attempts.  Additionally, he’s committed 32 errors at SS this season despite the being lauded for his defensive skills.  To me, this is a prime indicator of a player who has an abundance of tools that have yet to fully transpose themselves into consistent skills.  Despite the rawness still present in his game, Beckham looks to be the real deal as the Rays’ future shortstop.  As a high profile coverboy for Razor’s maiden voyage into the baseball card industry, Beckham’s initial autos sold like hot cakes, averaging $45-50 each for his short printed versions (#/499) and about $30-35 for his non-numbered, or exclusive autos.  The market has cooled a bit since then as his cards sell for less than half of their market highs. 

Some would surmise that this is due to Razor’s decline in collector appeal or are a result of the overall state of the economy, but other keynote players in Razor’s checklist like Justin Smoak, Brett Wallace, and Casey Kelly have seen marked improvements in the overall value of their similar autos.  I think that the steady decline in the value of Beckham’s cards can be more closely attributed to the fact that he’s put up ordinary numbers when collectors expected that he would be the keynote performer of the 2008 draft class.

I think his numbers get better from here and the values of his card should start to grow once again.  It may be too much to expect $45-50 values again, but at $15-20 a pop, Beckham’s ‘08 Razor autos seem to be a great long term value.

Low-A Player of the Day—TIM BECKHAM

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Ronnie Welty—1-4 HR(8) 2 RBI
• Joe Mahoney—1-4 HR(4) RBI
• Yoel Campusano—2-5 HR(4) 3 RBI 3B
• Adam Milligan—2-4 HR(3) RBI
• Jahdiel Santamaria—3-4 2B RBI R
• Erik Morrison—1-3 HR(16) 2 RBI
• Francisco Peguero—3-5 2B R
• Eduardo Escobar—3-3 2R 2 3B 2 RBI
• Brandon Short—1-3 HR(2) RBI BB 2R
• Abe Almonte—2-5 2B 2R 2 SB(18)
• Melky Mesa—1-3 HR(19) RBI 2BB
• Corban Joseph—2-4 2R 2 RBI BB
• Travis D’Arnaud—2-3 HR(10) 2 RBI 2 BB
• Harold Garcia—2-5 2B R RBI
• Kai Gronalier—1-4 HR(6) 3 RBI
• Robbie Grossman—3-5 2B R SB(27)
• Steven Souza—2-4 2 RBI SB(17)
• Steve Lombardozzi Jr.—2-4 3R 3B BB 2 SB(10)
• Tim Beckham—4-5 GS HR(5) 4 RBI
• Blake Tekotte—2-5 2B R RBI
• Gabe Jacobo—2-4 3b RBI
• Alex Morales—2-4 2B R
• Danny Rams—1-4 HR(9) RBI
• Johermyn Chavez—1-3 HR(15) 2 RBI 2R BB
• Mike McDade—1-4 HR(10) RBI
• Alfredo Marte—2-6 HR(4) 4 RBI 2R
• Marc Krauss—2-5 HR(2) 3 RBI 2B
• Scott Savastano—2-4 HR(4) RBI
• Byron Wiley—1-2 3B 2R 2 RBI 3 BB
• Kevin Coddington—3-5 RBI SB(9)
• Cody Puckett—2-5 2B 2R
• Peter Fatse—3-4 2B 3B 2R
• Brett Lawrie—2-4 2B R 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Manaurys Correa—6 IP 5H ER 2 BB 5K
• Henderson Alvarez—5 IP 2H 4K W (6-5)
• Brandon Hamilton—6 IP 3H 2 BB 4K W (4-3)
• Stolmy Pimentel—6 IP 6H 3 ER 6K L (9-4)
• Oliver Drake—6 IP 3H 2 BB 7K W (6-6)
• Dexter Carter—6 IP 5H 2 BB 9K W (6-2)
• Cory Arbiso—8 IP 0H 2 BB 4K W (3-7)
• Justin DePratus—7.2 IP 5H Er 7K W (4-3)
• Chris Schwinden—6 IP 5H 10K W (7-5)
• Marcos Frias—6 IP 8H ER BB K W (6-3)
• Michael Watt—6 IP 4H 6
• Brad Tippett—8.2 IP 3H Er BB 3K
• Kenny Smalley—7 IP 2H 2 BB 6K

7/20 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 21, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Pedro Alvarez is red hot right now.

The former #2 overall pick of last year’s draft was decent in his stint with High-A Lynchburg and got off to a molasses-like start after his promotion to Altoona, but the last 10 games has seen Alvarez post a .368 BA with 3 HR 6 RBI and 9 runs scored.  Alvarez is a highly potent all-star hitter in the making, but his high K rates, low batting average and spotty defense has detracted from his overall performance.  All told, the sum is greater than its parts.  Alvarez is clicking right now offensively, and his 19 HR and 67 RBI are on par with expectations.  I believe that he will continue to raise his average from its current .255 level to finish around .270-.280. 

Will he earn a September callup?  Tough to say.  My gut says yes, but it was the Pirates that were so glacially slow in giving Andrew McCutchen his debut.  While that worked to McCutchen’s benefit, I think they will not exercise the same patience with Alvarez.  His collegiate resume and immediate power impact keeps him on the fast track to Pittsburgh and nothing that Andy LaRoche or Neil Walker can do will stop it.  Alvarez has a major league contract and it makes complete sense for the Bucs to get a first hand look at exactly what they have in the former Vanderbilt superstar.  Expect him to be one of the September callups unless injury or a complete collapse in his performance happens before then.

Today’s top AA prospect is Boston Red Sox catcher turned first baseman, turned outfielder, turned eventual DH Jon Still.  The Red Sox slugger blasted two HR and drove in seven runs yesterday in Portland’s 16-1 massacre over New Britain yesterday.  Despite his career day, Still has been a big disappoint me to me this year.  The former 2006 draftee is hitting .239 with 13 HR 61 RBI and 26 doubles this year, but his 27 BB/103 K’s is far and away his worst showing in his professional career.  Despite hitting .302 with 16 RBI over his last 10 games, Still has struck out 18 times and has failed to draw a walk during the same timeframe.  I think that he is going to continue to decline in his production as he progresses until he joins the Jeff Bailey, Aaron Bates and Chris Carter ranks of the organization as a player who makes the frequent treks between Pawtucket and Boston.  Look to see if the market for his stuff jumps after a few good performances and sell accordingly.

AA Player of the Day—JON STILL

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Michael Daniel—3-4 BB
• Brennan Boesch—1-4 HR(18) 2 RBI
• Mike McBryde—1-4 HR(4) 3 RBI 2R
• Ike Davis—2-4 HR(12) 2 RBI 2 RBI BB
• Josh Thole—2-5 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Ruben Tejada—3-4 2R
• Josh Reddick—3-6 HR(13) 2 RBI 3R
• Ryan Khoury—3-5 4R BB
• Jon Still—3-6 2 HR(13) 7 RBI 3R
• Ryan Kalish—2-5 HR(9) 2B 2 RBI BB
• Jorge Jimenez—3-5 HR(10) 4 RBI 2 2B 4R BB
• Argenis Diaz—2-5 2B RBI
• Pedro Alvarez—3-4 2 2B 2 RBI 2R
• Brian Friday—1-3 HR(7) 2 RBI BB
• Jim Negrych—2-4 2 2B 2R
• Quentin Berry—2-4 R 2 SB(34)
• Reegie Corona—2-3 R 2 BB
• Jesus Montero—2-4 HR(15) RBI BB
• David Cooper—1-3 2B 2 RBI 2 BB
• Jeremy Moore—2-3 HR(8) 2 RBI 2R
• Mark Trumbo—2-5 R RBI
• Jarrod Dyson—2-4 2R 3 SB(21)
• Drew Locke—2-4 2B 2R
• Matt Spencer—3-5 2B 2 RBI R
• Josh Horton—2-5 2B 2R
• James Rapoport—2-5 2B R 2 BB
• Tyler Henley—3-5 2B R RBI

Pitching:

• Blake Beavan—6.1 IP 8H 2 ER K L (6-7)
• Corey Kluber—6 IP 4H BB 6K W (8-9)
• Adam Mills—7 IP 5H Er 2 BB 5K W (7-5)

7/20 AAA Minor League Report

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

Minnesota Twins OF prospect David Winfree is a name that makes our run down of daily performances quite often, but he is oft overlooked amidst the prospecting ranks.  Yesterday the former 2003 draftee launched his 13th HR of the season as part of a three hit day and drove in two runs.  The Twins are still in contention for a post season bid and have a good deal of depth in their current OF situation, however, the 23 year old Winfree is someone to keep an eye on as a sleeper for future consideration.  At 6-3 230 lb. Winfree has as much power potential as anyone in the Twins’ system not named Angel Morales.  This season, Winfree is batting .274 with 13 HR 48 RBI and 22 doubles.  He has good athleticism and a strong arm that plays well in right field.  His positive strides made last year in plate discipline (41 BB/85 K) have gone by the wayside this year (15 BB/65 K), and he will need to shore that up in order to tack down a future big league job.  The Twins have some good depth in their outfield right now, but no one seems to have distinguished themselves as franchise fixtures.  Michael Cuddyer is signed through 2010, but his contract ($8.5M in ‘10) puts him at the center of several trade rumors.  The Twins are in need of an upgrade on the left side of their infield and there have been some rumors that Braves SS Yunel Escobar could be had for either Cuddyer or Denard Span.  Over the long term, I don’t see Winfree having a sustainable future with the Twins as trio of Ben Revere, Aaron Hicks, and Angel Morales are a couple years away from making their impact on the major leagues, but there could just be a window for Winfree to get a shot to make his major league debut when the rosters expand in September.

Houston Astros former 1st round southpaw turned outfielder Brian Bogusevic has had a decent season, but not to the level that I envisioned this past offseason.  After going 3-5 with a HR and three RBI yesterday, the former Tulane Wave is hitting .280 with 6 HR 44 RBI 11 SB and 44 runs scored.  There is still quite a bit to like in Bogusevic’s game.  At 6-3 215 lb., he is big, strong and has exceptional athleticism that allows for him to play at an above average CF with a cannon for an arm.  He’s shown better plate discipline in the past, but his 37 BB/80 K ratio this season is not particularly alarming.  At 25 years old, Bogusevic is primed to make his major league debut soon, but the fact that the Astros are in contention will delay that a bit.  Houston’s GM Ed Wade has given the indication that the Astros will utilize a wait and hold strategy as the deadline approaches.  They are not interested in selling off some of their high priced talent (Carlos Lee, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada) for much needed organizational depth.  Conversely, they are reluctant to dip into their farm system in order to add a piece or two.  I see the ‘Stros sliding out of the race as St. Louis and Milwaukee make the Central a two team race.  The best thing that Boguesvic can do over the next month is tighten up his BB/K ratio and continue to drive the ball with XBH authority.  The more he can do that, the better his MLB opportunities will be going forward.

Today’s top prospect from the AAA ranks is Arizona Diamondbacks catching prospect John Hester.  Yesterday, the 25 year old backstop belted HR’s number five and six, driving in three runs and scoring three times.  Hester is a 2006 13th round draftee of the D’backs who played sporadically at Stanford but has progressed steadily through Arizona’s farm system.  This season the 6-4 215 lb. Hester is hitting .313 for the Reno Aces with 6 HR 40 RBI 25 doubles and 10 stolen bases.   Defensively, Hester has drawn accolades from current Diamonbacks manager and former catcher A.J. Hinch as being the best at blocking balls in the dirt and shows above average aptitude at calling games, mobility and arm strength.

The organization’s depth at catcher is underwhelming.  Current Arizona starter Miguel Montero is enjoying his best season as a pro, but has still underdelivered since his promising minor league career.  Hester has been likened to K.C. backstop John Buck, but I think that he has a better bat than him.  Expect Hester to catch some Dan Haren and Brandon Webb pitches at some point this season and, perhaps, beyond that.

AAA Player of the Day—JOHN HESTER

 


Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Rhyne Hughes—2-4 HR(21) RBI 2B
• Steven Pearce—2-5 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-4 2B R BB SB(36)
• Chris Valaika—1-2 HR(5) RBI 2 BB
• Matt LaPorta—2-3 2 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Wes Hodges—2-4 R RBI
• Jason Pridie—4-5 R 5 RBI SB(20)
• David Winfree—3-5 HR(13) 2 RBI 2B
• Hernan Iribarren—3-5 2B 2R RBI
• Alcides Escobar—2-5 R RBI
• Tyler Greene—1-3 HR(5) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Brian Bogusevic—3-5 HR(6) 3 RBI
• Tommy Manzella—1-4 HR(6) 2 RBI BB
• Yorandy Ramirez—1-1 HR(10) 3 RBI
• J.P. Arencibia—2-4 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Kila Ka’aihue—3-5 2B 3R 3 RBI
• Michael Saunders—2-3 2B R
• Chad Huffman—2-5 2 2B RBI
• John Hester—2 HR(6) 3 RBI 3R BB
• Buster Posey—3-5 2B

Pitching:

• Dan McCutchen—6 IP 6H Er BB 6K W (9-5)
• James Simmons—5 IP 6H Er 2 BB 4K W (5-5)

7/19 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 20, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Atlanta Braves OF prospect Cody Johnson reclaimed the minor league HR lead by blasting his 24th yesterday, driving in two and scoring twice.  He also walked and stole his 9th base of the season.  Power is definitively his calling card, but it is nice to see him drawing more walks as of late and stealing bases.  The more that Johnson can distinguish himself as a multi-dimensional hitter, the more bullish I become about his major league future.  Johnson has already exceeded his walk totals from last season, drawing his 47th yesterday, and his K rate has slowed significantly during the month of July (13 BB/19 K).  On the flip side, Cody has posted his lowest batting average splits this month, hitting just .207 with 4 HR and 15 RBI.  I am not too concerned with this as he may be making mechanical adjustments and altering his aggressive approach.  I look at this as a positive sign for long term success.  The power potential is there for Johnson to be a perennial 30-40 HR hitter at the big league level and his overall potential reminds me of towering slugger and whiff machine Adam Dunn.  His walk rates are behind Dunn’s at this point, but at just 20 years old, there is plenty of time for Johnson to boost his totals.  Johnson’s first year autos have experienced bi-polar fluctuations over the past couple of seasons, rising to $20+ in 2007 and dropping to $8-10 during ‘08.  Currently, they are residing somewhere in the middle at $7-9 for his Bowman Sterling autos and $9-12 for his Bowman Chrome Draft autos.  I think that AA ball is going to be a huge litmus test for the former AFLAC All-American and we’ll likely have to wait until next season to see the effects of that.  As for this season, 30 HR 90 RBI and about 150 K’s seems to be solid locks.

Roger Kieschnick had four knocks yesterday including his 19th HR, four RBI and three runs scored.  Kieschnick’s big day snapped a 2-18 dry spell and raised his average to .296 and his RBI total to 74 on the season.  Similar to Johnson, Roger seems to be altering his approach at the plate to cut back on his K’s as his BB/K ratio for the month of July has been quite balanced (8 BB/10 K) but his batting average (.237) is more than 40 points lower than his previous season low.  I am much more an advocate of a balanced approach at the plate.  Strikeouts are not a major detractor from overall performance if the power numbers and OBP remains high.  Hitters like Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, Carlos Pena and others have put up monster seasons despite big K numbers as they are able to also draw 80-100+ walks per season.  Kieschnick’s first year autos are quite affordable right now with prices for his Donruss Elite Extra, Razor Threads, and Playoff Rookie Ticket autos selling for $7-10 each.  I think Kieschnick’s power numbers will carry forward, but I am skeptical of his batting average totals.  The athletic outfielder’s flirtation with the .300 mark has more to do with the fact that he is currently in the California Leauge and amidst a talented lineup.  Perhaps his recent struggles can be attributed in part to the fact that Buster Posey has moved on to AAA. 

Today’s top prospect is another California League offensive benefactor, San Diego Padres 3B prospect James Darnell.  The former South Carolina Gamecock belted HR’s 12 and 13 yesterday, driving in four runs.  Darnell started slowly after his late June promotion, but has caught fire over the last 10 games, hitting .324 with four HR, eight RBI and seven runs scored.  Darnell’s plate discipline is extraordinary as he has a positive 68 BB/61 K ratio.  The Padres have a pleasant dilemma at the hot corner as both Darnell and AA star Logan Forsythe are both having stellar seasons.  Defensively, Forsythe is clearly superior as his excellent range, arm, and hands trump Darnell’s decent skills.  Darnell will likely have to move to the outfield where there is a plethora of talented prospects to compete with.  I think he’s a player that should play at both AA and AAA next year with a shot at earning a 2010 September debut, but it will be interesting to see exactly where he ends up as a pro.  His first year autos from the 2008 Donruss Elite Extra, Playoff Contenders, and Razor sets are all quite affordable right now at $3-8 each and serve as excellent sleeper buys for next season.

High-A Player of the Day—JAMES DARNELL

Other Notable Performances:

Hitting:

• Michael Bianucci—2-4 HR(16) RBI 2B 2R
• Roger Kieschnick—4-5 HR(19) 4 RBI 3R
• Conor Gillaspie—3-5 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Thomas Neal—2-6 2 2B 2R
• Darren Ford—2-4 2B R RBI
• C.J. Ziegler—5-5 2B 2R RBI
• Tyson Gillies—2-4 2B
• Joe Dunigan—1-3 HR(22) 2 RBI
• Jake Rife—3-4 2B 2 RBI
• Jay Brossman—1-3 2R 2B 2 RBI BB
• Jemile Weeks—3-5 2 2B R
• Grant Desme—2-4 2B 3R RBI BB
• Jermaine Mitchell—3-4 2 RBI R SB(10)
• Jon Gaston—2-4 HR(23) 2 RBI 2R
• James Shuck—2-5 3R
• Brian Barnes—1-3 3R RBI 2 BB
• Koby Clemens—3-5 2B 3 RBI
• James Darnell—3-5 2 HR(13) 3 RBI 2R
• Matt Clark—2-5 2 HR(15) 2 RBI 2R
• Christan Lara—3-5 HR(5) 2 RBI SB(11)
• Pedro Baez—2-4 2B R SB(5)
• Radamez Nazario—3-4 2B 2R RBI
• Pedro Florimon Jr.—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Derrick Robinson—2-5 R RBI SB(46)
• Johnny Giavotella—2-5 RBI 2 SB(16)
• Eric Huber—1-4 2B 4 RBI
• Alex Presley—3-5 2B 2R
• Cody Johnson—1-3 HR(24) 2 RBI 2R BB SB(9)
• Dominic Brown—2-3 2 RBI BB
• Arlon Quiroz—3-4 R SB(15)
• Derrick Mitchell—2-4 2B HR(7) RBI
• Brad McElroy—3-5 2R SB(4)
• John Tolisano—1-3 R RBI 2 BB
• Manny Rodriguez—2-4 HR(5) 4 RBI BB
• Logan Schafer—3-5 2B 2R
• Lee Haydel—1-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Damon Sublett—2-5 2B BB
• Austin Romine—1-4 2B R RBI BB
• Chris Swauger—2-2 HR(9) 3 RBI BB

Pitching:

• Nick Additon—6.1 IP 7H 4 ER 2 BB 8K
• Darren Byrd—6 IP 4H ER 3K W (2-3)
• Jeff Mandel—7 IP 5H Er BB 6K W (8-4)

7/19 AA Minor League Report

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

Mitch Moreland continues to put up big numbers since his promotion to AA Frisco.  Yesterday the former Mississippi State star went 2-5 with his 13th HR, a double and five RBI.  Since being drafted, all Moreland has done is hit the snot out of the ball, batting .324 with 18 HR and 99 RBI and 37 doubles in ‘08 at Low-A Clinton.  He’s well on his way to exceeding those numbers this year, producing a .333 BA with 13 HR 65 RBI and 31 doubles so far at two levels.  Though he is an smooth fielding 1B, the Rangers have moved him to the outfield as Chris Davis and Justin Smoak have created a formidable log jam at first.  Moreland’s a year away from making his debut and to date does not have a first year card from a major manufacturer.  I have to think that that will change with the upcoming Bowman Chrome set slated to come out at the end of August.  Long term, his power potential in an excellent hitter’s ballpark makes him a solid value buy from the get go.  Expect him to finish out the year at AA and keep an eye open to see if Texas send him to Arizona in the offseason for a stint in the AFL.  If so, it will indicate a fervency by the Rangers to include him in their 2010 plans at some point next year.

Today’s top prospect from the AA ranks is Cincinnati Reds southpaw Travis Wood.  The undersized 2005 2nd rounder was not very good last year, but has turned things around in a big way in ‘09.  Yesterday’s seven innings of four-hit, nine-strikeout ball was good enough to elevate him to a 9-3 record this season.  Though this is his second go around at AA, Wood is looking more like the frontline pitcher that he was touted to be as a prep star.  He’s not overpowering, with a fastball that ranges between 87-90 MPH, but his changeup is the best in the system and he’s scrapped his mediocre curvball for a low to mid 80’s cutter with good late life.  Couple that with improve command and voila!  You have an 180 degree turnaround.  To date, Wood has a miniscule 1.21 ERA with 37 BB/103 K in 119 innings.  He’s commanded the zone well, holding hitters to a .189 BA and just 2 HR.  Wood seems ready for a promotion to AAA Louisville in the very near future.  Wood currently has first year cards in just one set, 2005 Bowman Draft and Chrome.  Despite his success, sales for Wood’s non-refractor cards have been quite low.  Chromes can be found for 75 cents to $1.25 each and his non-chrome editions range from 25-50 cents. 

Despite his good numbers, Wood will be hard pressed to earn a promotion to the big club this season.  He’s got to prove that he can duplicate his success at the next level and he’ll always have his demure size (5-11 165 lb.) and finesse stuff causing skepticism of his ability to sustain a heavy workload at the major league level.  Ultimately, he’s got the ability to be mid to end of the rotation starter at the major league level.

AA Player of the Day—TRAVIS WOOD

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Rene Tosoni—3-4
• Luke Hughes—2-4 HR(8) RBI
• Tim Kennelly—2-5 HR(5) 3 RBI 2B 2R
• Brad Emaus—3-4 2B R
• Travis Jones—3-3 HR(4) 4 RBI BB
• Michael Stanton—3-4 2R RBI
• Logan Morrison—1-2 2R 3 BB
• Gorkys Hernandez—2-4 3B RBI
• Jose Tabata—2-3 2 RBI
• Mike McKenry—1-4 HR(10) RBI
• Mitch Moreland—2-4 2B HR(13) 5 RBI BB
• Drew Locke—1-3 HR(13) 2 RBI BB
• Christian Marrero—3-4
• Dayan Viciedo—3-4 R
• Logan Forsythe—1-4 HR(10) 3 RBI
• David Lough—2-4 HR(10) RBI 2R BB SB(10)
• Tyler Henley—2-5 HR(10) 2 RBI BB

Pitching:

• Nick Hill—6 IP 2H BB 5K W (3-3)
• Cesar Carrillo—7 IP 6H ER BB 3K W (8-4)
• Michael Stutes—5.1 IP 5H 5 BB 3K W (7-5)
• Ryne Lawson—6 IP H 3 BB 4K
• Travis Wood—7 IP 4H 8K W (9-3)
• Daniel Moskos—6 IP H 4 BB K W (7-7)

7/19 AAA Minor League Report

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

Cameron Maybin went 4-4 yesterday with two doubles and two runs scored.  Since his demotion to New Orleans in mid-May, Maybin has been spectacular hitting .345 with 3 HR 23 RBI five triples and seven stolen bases in 55 games.  Plate discipline did Maybin in during his time with the Marlins, but he’s had much better success with the Zephyrs walking 26 times versus 38 K’s.  Despite his stratospheric power potential, Maybin has not developed as a middle of the order hitter yet.  At just 22 years old, there’s plenty of reason to believe that it will develop.  I am encouraged by his high line drive rates that he has posted since being sent down.  Over the last month, Maybin’s line drive rates have hovered at around 28 percent.  For a guy that has been criticized in the past for hitting too many groundballs, this is an marked improvement, giving further evidence that he is getting better leverage out of his swing.

Maybin has an assortment of first year autos from the various Bowman sets that are currently hovering in the $15-20 range—about 40 percent below their Opening Day totals.  Maybin is playing his way back into the Marlins’ lineup and will likely perform better in his next go around.  Current Marlins RF Jeremy Hermida’s name has been bantied around in trade rumors and after being swept by the Phillies over the weekend, the team’s trade deadline dial may have been shifted from “BUY” to “SELL”.  If a spot opens in the Marlins’ OF, Maybin is definitely the first name to be recalled.

Michael Bowden made a successful return from the DL yesterday by tossing five no-hit innings for Pawtuckett, walking four and striking out five.  Like Hermida, Bowden’s name has been bantied about in trade rumors both this season and last as a key prospect in bringing a final piece for the Red Sox’s title run.  Bowden’s numbers in June were terrible (1-2 6.28 ERA and 8 HR allowed in 28.2 IP) but he seems to have things working well in July allowing just one earned run in two starts.  He’s not been sharp with his control during that stretch, walking a batter an inning, but history has proven that he typically has good command of his pitches.  I have long maintained that he is not a future staff ace, rather a mid-rotation innings eater in the mold of Jeff Suppan.  Developmentally, he’s blocked by too much talent ahead of him and a pennant race in Boston, but should be an immediate callup if he gets shipped to a different organization.

Today’s top player is a back to back selection.  Allen Craig blasted two HR’s yesterday and drove in four runs raising his average to .275 and giving him 11 HR and 40 RBI on the season.  The spike in power (he hit a homerun on Saturday as well) seems to be a direct result of a more aggressive approach at the plate.  He’s walking less and striking out more often over the last 10 games (2 BB/10 K).  This was also an issue during May where he had his best power month.  While swatting 4 HR and 12 RBI, Allen also compiled a dismal 5 BB/30 K’s.  He’s shown in the past that he can meld power with plate discipline which gives me hope that he can do it again. 

AAA Player of the Day—ALLEN CRAIG

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Brian Duglach—3-4 2B R
• Scott Sizemore—1-4 2B R 2 RBI
• Alcides Escobar—2-4 R SB(35)
• Brendan Katin—2-3 HR(20) 2 RBI 2R BB
• Allen Craig—2-4 2 HR(11) 4 RBI 2R
• Mario Lisson—1-4 HR(9) 3 RBI
• Eric Young Jr.—3-4 2R SB(50)
• Eric Patterson—3-4 HR(9) RBI 3R 2B
• Daric Barton—1-4 HR(9) 2 RBI
• Brandon Allen—1-3 HR(12) RBI
• Sean Rodriguez—1-4 3B RBI
• Trevor Plouffe—2-4 HR(7) RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-5 2B 2 SB(35)
• Chris Valaika—2-5 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Cameron Maybin—4-4 2 2B 2R BB
• Gaby Sanchez—1-4 HR(9) 2 RBI 2R
• Jai Miller—1-4 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Jovanny Rosario—3-5 3R 3B RBI
• Chin-Lung Hu—2-4 3 RBI
• Julio Borbon—3-4
• Yorandy Ramirez—3-4 RBI
• Matt Tuiasosopo—1-4 HR(1) RBI

Pitching:

• Andrew Carpenter—7 IP 3H ER BB 8K
• Brandon Hynick—6 IP 5H 2 ER 2 BB 3K
• Michael Bowden—5 IP OH 4 BB 5K