PPR Mailbag: Jason Heyward’s 2010 Season

Posted by Jeremy on August 12, 2009 under Readers Mailbag | 3 Comments to Read

Another question made its way into the mailbag yesterday and it’s one that I am sure is on several minds….including my own.

Question:  So do you think Heyward grabs a starting role in the Majors straight out of camp next year? He’s certainly dominating AA.

Answer: Heyward’s jump to AA has exceeded expectations as he is hitting .405 with 6 HR 24 RBI and 12 doubles over 32 games with Mississippi.  What’s more is the fact that Heyward has drawn 17 free passes versus 12 K’s.  The 2010 season looks very interesting for the Braves as both Ryan Church and Garrett Anderson are signed just through the end of this season.  Anderson will be a free agent, unlikely to return, and Church will be arbitration elligible and the jury is out about whether the Braves will offer it to him. 

This opens the doors for players like Heyward, Jordan Schafer, and Brandon Jones to vie for those spots.  It will be interesting to see what the Braves decide to do in the offseason and towards the end of this season.  Just three games out of the NL Wild Card spot, Atlanta is in the thick of the playoff hunt, which should give them pause to experiment much with Heyward, but that could well change by the end of this month.  He’ll get a look in September but may not get a pronounced number of AB’s if the Braves stay in the hunt. 

As for the offseason, it seems almost a foregone conclusion that Heyward will play in the AFL this winter.  Often, this is a league that is dedicated for the top prospects who figure prominently into their club’s plans for the following season.  Despite being just 20 years old on opening day, I think Heyward will be the starting RF and will hit right away.  He is the top prospect in baseball right now and should become a household name beyond the collecting ranks by next season.  Hope for a slowdown in the market for his cards this winter and buy in copious amounts.

PPR Mailbag: Chris Carter and Brett Wallace

Posted by Jeremy on under Readers Mailbag | Read the First Comment

I plucked these questions from a previous comments thread and thought they would make great mailbag discussion questions. Feel free to add your input and thank you Eric for the questions.

Question: Does Chris Carter have any future at 1B or is he a full-time DH when he hits the ML circuit?  Also, do you think Brett Wallace will have to move across the diamond to 1B or are they going to everything they can to keep him at 3B?

Answer: Carter’s defense has been an area of question for some time now, but a brief look at the numbers indicates that he has made measurable improvements this season.  Last year, Carter committed 10 errors in just 41 games at 1B at High-A Stockton, but this season he’s cut that down to seven errors in 98 games at 1B.  While I haven’t watched him in person (something I hope to rectify next season), he seems to be more agile and athletic than last year, as testified by his increased SB totals and better fielding statistics.  The A’s already have a potential Gold Glove 1B in Sean Doolittle, but the Virginia alum has been on the DL since late May and looks to be a future RF for the A’s.  I am quite optimistic that Carter will be the future 1B for the A’s by as soon as the middle of next season.

Brett Wallace is an adaquate defensive 3B prospect whose below average athleticism and mobility is compensated by a good work ethic and soft hands.  The A’s don’t have any other third base prospects with the offensive upside of Wallace, which should prompt the A’s to compromise some defensive mobility in favor of a better bat in the lineup (something that they are quite used to doing).  Eventually Wallace should shift to a new position, but don’t be surprised if it is DH rather than 1B.

8/11 AA Minor League Report

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

Yesterday’s scoreboard was limited almost exclusively to the Eastern League so today’s breakdown may be a little thin.  Carlos Santana came a homerun away from hitting for the cycle, driving in his 83rd and 84th runs of the season.  Santana has hit full stride this season after a July that saw him hit .311 with 8 HR and 29 RBI.  For the season, the Indians’ young receiver is hitting .288 with 20 HR 84 RBI 25 doubles and 74 runs scored.  Like last year, the plate discipline continues to be one of Santana’s strong suits as his 71 BB/68 K has helped to push his OBP to .410 this year.  Santana is a guy who can hit at the major league level right now and probably will do so very soon.  The trade of Victor Martinez has opened the door wide open for Carlos and there is not much that either Kelly Shoppach or Lou Marson can do to hold him back.  Currently, Santana’s 2008 Bowman Sterling autos sell for $22-25 each and his Razor Metal autos command about $9-12 each.  Santana ranks amongst Matt Wieters and Buster Posey as one of baseball’s elite young catchers.  If he can secure a spot in Cleveland’s opening day lineup next year, he should be one of the early AL ROY favorites.

Today’s top prospect is Florida Marlins top prospect Michael Stanton.  Yesterday, Stanton hit his 24th HR on the season as part of a three hit, three RBI day.  The 19 year old has struggled during the month of August hitting just .227 during his first 11 games.  This isn’t too big of a surprise.  The Marlins are moving him quickly through their system and the plate discipline has had trouble catching up.  After posting promising BB/K numbers (28/45) at High-A, Stanton has not been able to replicate that success at the AA level as he has walked 21 times and has 72 strikeouts in 56 games.  The power has carried forward though and I think the plate discipline will emerge as Stanton gathers more experience.  The eBay market for Stanton’s various 2008 autos has remained solid throughout this season with his heavily traded Bowman Chrome autos selling at $32-35 each, but his Razor autos (#/1199) have slipped to single digits in value.  I think that Stanton should stay in AA for the remainder of the season and will benefit greatly from playing in an offseason league.  He’ll be just 20 years old on opening day next year and should start the season in AAA before earning a much heralded callup at some point next season.  Watch to see if the market cools during the offseason and pounce on some of his autos.

AA Player of the Day—MICHAEL STANTON 

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Carlos Santana—3-5 2B 3B 2 RBI R
• Carlos Rivero—2-3 R RBI BB
• Brandon Crawford—2-4 2 2B RBI
• Mike Mooney—2-4 2B 3B 2R
• Brennan Boesch—1-4 HR(25) RBI
• Casper Wells—2-4 2B R
• Erik Lis—2-4 2B HR(15) 2 RBI
• Brad Emaus—1-4 HR(9) RBI 2R BB
• Josh Bell—3-6 2B R
• Luis Exposito—3-4 RBI
• Gorkys Hernandez—3-6 3R RBI
• Shelby Ford—2-5 2R 2 RBI
• Pedro Alvarez—3-4 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Steve Lerud—3-5 2B R
• Austin Krum—2-4 2B 2R BB SB(9)
• Edaurdo Nunez—3-5 R RBI 2 SB(16)
• Michael Stanton—3-5 HR(24) 3 RBI 2R
• Logan Morrison—3-4 2B 2 RBI R BB
• Bryan Peterson—2-4 3R BB

Pitching:

• Michael Crotta—5.2 IP 6H 2 UER BB 4K W (6-6)
• Eric Niesen—6 IP 5H 2 ER 2 BB 8K
• Michael Stutes—6 IP 7H ER 2 BB 6K

8/11 AAA Minor League Report

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

Allen Craig really likes to hit in the thin air of Colorado Springs as he belted three HR’s during a double header to raise his tally to 21 on the season.  Craig has been as hot as any hitter in the minor leagues since the All Star break, hitting .446 with 13 HR 30 RBI and 27 runs scored in just 28 games.  Craig continues to play in the outfield which surprises me in the wake of the Brett Wallace trade.  He’s never been a bad fielder at 3B, but the organization seems to find him a better fit in left field.  Regardless of where he’s playing, Craig has been the best hitter in the Cardinals’ organization this season and should earn a big league call up at some point this year.  His only first year cards are in the 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft set and his singles can still be had in lots for less than a buck apiece.

Gaby Sanchez was a darkhorse N.L. ROY candidate by some baseball pundits on the heels of his fine 2008 season at AA Carolina.  Instead, he like fellow Marlins teammate Cameron Maybin, struggled to earn playing time with the big club and was demoted to New Orleans.  Last night, Sanchez went 3-5 with his 12th and 13th dingers, driving in five runs and scoring four times.  Sanchez has been hot during the month of August, hitting .325 with 4 HR 7 RBI and a killer 10 BB/3K ratio.  Sanchez is in a tough spot.  Logan Morrison has made a successful return from a broken wrist and is driving the ball with authority in AA.  He’s the heir to the first base job in Miami, leaving Sanchez either to switch to a new position or continue to toil at AAA.  At his best, Gaby is a well disciplined hitter with decent power to the gaps and above average defensive skills that could help him carve out a starting job with a big league club someday.

Today’s top prospect is one of Cleveland’s newest additions, RHP Carlos Carrasco.  After back to back rocky starts with Columbus, Carrasco tossed eight innings of four hit, one run ball, striking out 10 hitters for his 9th victory of the season.  Carrasco has the stuff to be a frontline pitcher at the major league level, but his inability to establish consistency and pitch with confidence at times was maddening to the Phillies franchise.  Perhaps the move to Cleveland will be just what Carlos needs to rediscover his potential as an MLB stopper.  Surely this outing does wonders for his chances to crack the Indians’ rotation at some point this season.  Carrasco’s 2008 Bowman Sterling Jsy/Autos are currently trading at $4-6 each on eBay and seem like a solid low risk buy for someone who has slipped off of many collectors’ radars.

AAA Player of the Day—CARLOS CARRASCO

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Matt Tuiasosopo—1-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Mike Carp—1-4 R 2 RBI BB
• Adam Moore—4-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Tony Abreu—1-5 HR(10) RBI
• Gaby Sanchez—3-5 2 HR(13) 5 RBI 4R BB
• John Raynor—2-6 2R RBI SB(16)
• Brett Hayes—2-4 R 3 RBI BB
• Travis Buck—3-4 2B 3 RBI SB(3)
• Allen Craig—2-3 2 HR(20) 3 RBI 2R (Game 1)…..1-3 HR(21) RBI (Game 2)
• Jarret Hoffpauir—2-3 2B 3B RBI R
• Eric Young Jr.—3-5 RBI (Game 1)…..1-2 R BB SB(55) (Game 2)
• Brandon Allen—3-4 2B 2R RBI BB
• Cole Gillespie—2-5 2B 2 RBI
• Chris Johnson—2-3 2B HR(10) RBI
• Juan Miranda—1-5 2B R 2 RBI
• Travis Snider—2-4 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-4 RBI
• John Mayberry Jr.—2-3 R SB(6)
• Lou Marson—3-4 R RBI
• Wes Hodges—2-4 2B R
• Justin Maxwell—2-3 R SB(28)
• Brent Clevlen—2-3 HR(15) RBI
• Aaron Bates—2-4 2B R

Pitching:

• Scott Elbert—4 IP 2H 3 BB 3K
• Travis Wood—6 IP 6H ER 3 BB K W (12-4)
• Carlos Carrasco—8 IP 4H ER 10K W (9-9)

8/6 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 8, 2009 under Uncategorized | 4 Comments to Read

Brandon Erbe has had a roller coaster of a professional career since the Orioles selected him in the first round back in 2005.  After last year’s bounce back that saw him win 10 games and pitch 150 innings, Erbe got off to a solid start at Bowie with a 0.90 ERA in his first four outings.  Shoulder fatigue hit Erbe in late April and put him on the shelf until mid July.  Upon his return, Erbe struggled a bit with his command but remained unhittable.  Yesterday, he was at his best, throwing eight no-hit innings while walking three and striking out five.  It is no secret that the Orioles’ farm system is loaded with talented young starters and two of them, Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz are doing their part to nail down slots in next year’s rotation.  Erbe has as good, if not better, stuff than anyone in the organization.  His fastball sits regularly at 93-95 MPH and his slider is already an MLB plus pitch.  He has shown the ability to mix in a good two seamer and his changeup shows promise as well.  The key for Erbe is health and consistency.  It took him over a month and a half to recover from the shoulder fatigue that may have been caused by his high effort delivery.  He has promise as a starting pitcher, but the Orioles are flush with elite starting prospects who are further along developmentally than the 21 year old Erbe.  On the flip side, the vacancy left by George Sherrill seems like an ideal slot for the hard throwing right hander to slip into someday.  Unlike several other prospects that make the conversion from starter to closer, I think that this move would serve as a beneficial one to the values of Erbe’s cards.  For some reason, I get the feeling that Erbe will be like a Jon Papelbon–a high upside power pitcher whose durability and mechanical issues make him better suited to close games out.  He could flourish in this role and his path to the major leagues will surely be quicker and less contested as a reliever.  The market for his 2005 ca

Josh Reddick recently made his major league debut with the Red Sox and former Portland teammate Ryan Kalish is doing his part to make sure that he’s the next great OF prospect to make his Fenway debut.  The 21 year old centerfielder struggled after his promotion, hitting just .133 in 60 May at bats.  However, since the All-Star break, Kalish has looked like an elite prospect, hitting .318 with 4 HR 15 RBI and 22 runs scored in 22 games.  Improved plate discipline is the key component to Kalish’s success as he has earned a respectible 11 BB/15 K ratio since the break.  Last winter Ryan spent playing in the Aloha State, but I feel that this is the year we can expect him to make the transition to the Arizona Fall League to put the finishing touches on his development.   The Red Sox have an interesting offseason ahead of them as All-Star LF Jason Bay is a free agent and the verdict is out on whether he will be back with Boston.  Reddick stands next in line to inherit the position while Kalish will likely go to AAA.  Beyond that, things look a little bleak for Kalish’s immediate future.  J.D. Drew is signed for big money ($14M/season) through 2011 and Jacoby Ellsbury has firmly entrenched himself into the CF and leadoff spot for several years to come.  The Sox are a franchise that is chocked full of talent at multiple positions and it wouldn’t be surprising to see several clubs covet the future services of this athletic young outfielder.   Kalish has several 2008 first year autos to choose from.  His most valuable are the 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects cards that sell for $8-10 each, but some of his others (Bowman Sterling, Bowman SOTF, Donruss Elite Extra) can be had for $6-8 each. 

AA Player of the Day—RYAN KALISH

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Ryan Kalish—2-4 HR(12)
• Jon Still—1-3 2B 2R RBI BB
• Juan Apodaca—2-4 2 2B 3 RBI R
• Josh Thole—2-5 2B R
• Lucas Duda—1-3 2B 2R 2 BB
• D.J. Wabick—3-4 2B 2R 2 BB
• Rene Tosoni—3-5 HR(11) 3 RBI 3R
• Luke Hughes—4-4 2 2B 2R RBI BB
• Erik Lis—2-4 R BB
• Justin Snyder—3-3 2B 2R RBI BB
• Dominic Brown—1-3 2R 3B RBI BB SB(16)
• Juan Francisco—3-5 R RBI
• Zack Cozart—2-5 2B 2R
• Todd Frazier—1-3 2B R RBI 2 BB
• Ezequiel Carrera—3-4 2B R RBI
• Matt Mangini—2-4 HR(9) 3 RBI 2R SB(4)
• Mitch Moreland—2-4 3B 2 RBI
• Chris Carter—3-4 2B 2R RBI BB
• Shane Peterson—2-4 HR(8) 3 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Jemile Weeks—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Josh Donaldson—3-5 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Matt Spencer—2-5 2 RBI R
• Darin Holcomb—3-5 R
• Mike Paulk—3-4 2 Hr(6) 4 RBI 2R
• Jeff Bianchi—2-4 R RBI
• Drew Locke—2-4 2B HR(18) RBI

Pitching:

• Brandon Erbe—8 IP 0H 3 BB 5K W (3-4)
• Dylan Owen—6.2 IP 5H Er 2 BB 3K W(4-7)
• Adam Mills—8 IP 5H UER 8K W (10-5)
• Cole DeVries—7.1 IP 2H 3 BB 8K W (7-11)
• Matt Long—7 IP 2H BB 3K W (3-6)
• Daryl Maday—7 IP 4H ER 2 BB 4K

8/6 AAA Minor League Report

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

Brandon Wood hit two more homeruns last night to raise his season’s total at AAA Salt Lake City to 19.  Wood continues to demonstrate, like his teammate Sean Rodriguez, that he can be a devastating power hitter at the AAA level while struggling mightily in a major league lineup.  Personally, I think that both of these guys would benefit greatly from a change of scenery.  The Angels’ success over the years has limited the margin of patience that they can exercise towards giving players opportunities to play through their growing pains.  A move to a rebuilding franchise would give each of these young and highly talented players that opportunity.  That won’t happen this year, though, and is a minute possibility in the offseason.  Both Wood and Rodriguez are still just 24 and I remain optimistic that they will get a chance within the next season to earn playing time either in an Angels jersey or for another franchise.  Wood’s 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft auto is still a prevalent commodity on the eBay market, but the price has settled down into the $15-18 range.  While this remains a moderately high risk investment, the 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft cards, both autos and non-autos have proven to be high demand items in the past.

Today’s top prospect is St. Louis Cardinals OF Shane Robinson.  The 24 year old centerfielder went 2-3 yesterday with his 4th HR, five RBI, two runs scored and his 16th SB.  Robinson is the prototypical fourth outfielder type who plays solid defense and hits for good contact.  However, there is not much punch to speak of in his bat and Memphis teammate Jon Jay has a higher ceiling than him going forward. 

AAA Player of the Day—SHANE ROBINSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Justin Smoak—1-4 2B 2 RBI BB
• Mike Baxter—3-4 2 2B SB(5)
• Chad Huffman—2-4 HR(15) 4 RBI 2B BB
• Chin Lung Hu—3-5 3B 3R 2 RBI
• Alcides Escobar—1-4 HR(4) RBI BB 2 SB(40)
• Blake DeWitt—3-5 3B 2 RBI R
• Angel Salome—4-5 RBI
• Mat Gamel—2-4 2B R RBI BB
• Eric Young Jr.—3-5 2R 3B BB
• Shane Robinson—2-3 HR(4) 5 RBI 2R BB SB(16)
• Matt Tuiasosopo—2-5 RBI
• Brandon Wood—2-4 2 HR(19) 3 RBI BB 2R
• John Hester—2-4 2B R RBI
• Aaron Mathews—4-6 R
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 2B RBI
• Jose Tabata—-2-4 R
• Jeff Clement—2-4 HR(18) 2 RBI 2R
• Brandon Jones—1-4 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—2-4 2B 3 RBI
• Jeff Frazier—3-5 3 2B R RBI
• Brent Clevlen—2-4 HR(13) 3 RBI
• Nick Evans—1-4 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Matt LaPorta—3-4 4 RBI BB
• Jason Donald—1-3 HR(2) RBI 4R
• Michael Brantley—2-4 3R RBI BB SB(38)
• Juan Miranda—2-4 RBI R 2B
• Desmond Jennings—2-3 2R BB SB(40) BB

Pitching:

• Fabio Castro—8 IP 4H 3 BB 4K
• Matt Maloney—6.2 IP 5H 2 ER 3 BB 9K W (8-8)

8/5 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 6, 2009 under Uncategorized | Read the First Comment

J.B. Shuck added another multi-hit game to his resume by rapping five hits yesterday, driving in two runs and scoring four times.  The Houston Astros’ 6th round pick in last year’s draft is hitting .333 with 1 HR 32 RBI and 18 SB this season.  Shuck has excellent speed and top notch plate discipline that has helped him earn a sterling 51 BB/39 K ratio this season.  The Astros’ farm system is incredibly thin, but one of the few areas that they have a good amount of depth is the outfield.  Players like Brian Bogusevic, Collin DeLome, T.J. Steele, Jon Gaston and Jay Austin are thought of highly and pose serious threats to Shuck’s development.  One thing that works against him is the fact that he has little to no power potential.  His discipline, speed, and defensive capabilities makes him an intriguing prospect going forward, especially if he can be included in a deal to an organization that could better use his services.

Today’s top prospect from the High-A ranks is Oakland A’s OF prospect Grant Desme.  A 2nd round draft pick in 2007, Desme knocked his 24th and 25th HR’s of the season, driving in three and stealing his 35th base.  Desme has torn the cover off of the ball since being promoted to Stockton, hitting 14 of his 25 HR’s in just 40 games.  Desme’s game is very similar to fellow A’s farmhand Corey Brown.  Both Brown and Desme have above average athleticism and well-leveraged swings that generate exceptional power to all fields.  Unfortunately both Desme and Brown are highly culpable to racking up a large number of strikeouts.  Desme has fanned 129 times in 108 games.  He has shown some willingess to draw walks but he’s got a long way to go.  Desme doesn’t have any major market cards out to date, but keep your eyes peeled for a 2009 offering, perhaps an auto in the ‘09 Donruss brands.

High-A Player of the Day—GRANT DESME

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Alex Liddi—2-3 2 RBI BB
• Leury Bonilla—3-5 2B R RBI
• J.B. Shuck—5-6 2B 4R 2 RBI
• Koby Clemens—3-6 2B 2R 3 RBI
• Brian Barnes—4-4 R 3B 3 RBI
• Matt Weston—3-6 2R 2 RBI
• Ebert Rosario—3-5 HR(5) 3 RBI 3R BB
• Lonnie Chisenhall—1-4 HR(18) RBI
• Cody Overbeck—3-4 2 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Michael Burgess—2-4 2 HR(18) 4 RBI 2r
• Ryan Adams—3-5 2 2B R 4 RBI
• Pedro Florimon Jr.—2-5 2B R 4 RBI
• Ty Henson—2-4 3R BB
• Billy Rowell—3-4 HR(9) RBI 2R BB
• Robert Widlansky—3-4 2B 2R RBI BB
• Christopher White—1-3 HR(2) 3 RBI 2R BB
• Austin Romine—2-4 3R 2 RBI 2 BB SB(10)
• Dan Brewer—3-6 R
• Brandon Laird—2-5 R 2 RBI
• David Adams—3-5 2B RBI
• Luis Nunez—3-5 2R BB
• Neftali Soto—3-4 R 2 RBI
• Devin Mesoraco—2-5 2B 2 RBI
• Brandon Guyer—2-3 2R BB
• Ben Revere—3-6 R SB(34)
• Chris Parmelee—2-6 2B R 2 RBI
• Evan Bigley—1-5 HR(3) 3 RBI
• Adron Chambers—2-5 3R 3B 3 RBI
• Jose Garcia—4-5 HR(2) 3 RBI
• Mauro Gomez—3-4 HR(19) 3 RBI BB
• Matt Lawson—2-4 2 2B 2R RBI
• Charlie Blackmon—2-4 2B 2R
• James Darnell—2-5 HR(17) 3 RBI
• Felix Carrasco—1-4 HR(9) 2 RBI BB 2R
• Grant Desme—3-4 2 HR(25) 3 RBI 2R SB(35)
• P.J. Phillips—3-5 2B R 4 RBI
• Clay Fuller—2-5 2 RBI R SB(26)
• Trayvon Robinson—2-5 HR(13) 2 RBI 3B 2R
• Elian Herrera—2-2 HR(3) 3 RBI 2 SB(32)

Pitching:

• Christian Freidrich—5.2 IP 3H 2 UER 3 BB 10K
• David Kopp—5.2 IP 2H 2 BB 8K W (5-3)
• Paolo Espino—7.1 IP H ER BB 6K
• Darren Byrd—6 IP 3H ER 3 BB 5K W (5-3)
• Jay Jackson—6 IP 5H ER 3 BB 4K W (6-5)
• Steve Hirschfield—6 IP 5H 2 ER BB 7K W (4-5)

8/5 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on under Uncategorized | Read the First Comment

Juan Francisco cranked out two more homeruns last night, raising his total to 22, and drove in four runs as part of a three hit night.  Since I wrote about Francisco yesterday, I will seek out some new AA prospects to tout today. 

Drew Locke became the first 100 RBI guy in the minor leagues this season after rapping four hits in five at bats yesterday.  Locke is hitting .330 this season for the Corpus Christi Hooks and has hit 17 HR and 25 doubles.  At 26 years old, the Boston College alum is way too old for AA and does not have an clear shot at any OF position with the Astros.  Carlos Lee is under contract from now until….forever and there is no one that will supplant Hunter Pence from the other spot.  End result?  A good hitting AAAA player in the mold of Chris Carter (Red Sox), Jaime D’Antona, and Joe Koshansky.

Today’s top AA Player is Oakland A’s 1B prospect Chris Carter.  The burly slugger went 3-4 yesterday with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.  Carter’s transformation into a complete hitter this season has been something to behold.  So far, Carter has been able to raise his average 70 points over last season’s totals in the much more hitter friendly California League.  He’s smacked 19 HR 84 RBI 35 doubles and has scored 94 runs with Midland and has an respectible 69 BB/102 K rate this season.  The power is there for Carter to hit more than 30 HR every year as a major leaguer but his willingness to use the whole field and work deeper into counts has made him a multi-dimensional hitter.  At just 22 years old, Carter seems primed to take over the 1B duties as early as opening day next season.  The market for Carter’s cards is not as hot as one might expect.  His 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects cards sell for $1.00-1.75 each and his 2008 Donruss Threads autos, his only autos to date, are hard to find but can be had for $17-20 each.  I think there is considerable room for growth in his cards as he has now found a way to pair his extraordinary power with sound plate discipline and a whole field plate approach.  

AA Player of the Day—CHRIS CARTER 

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Jon Lucroy—2-3 3B RBI R BB
• Matt Dominguez—2-4 2 2B
• Jorge Jimenez—2-5 3B 2 RBI R
• Jon Still—2-5 2B R RBI
• David Cooper—1-2 HR(6) 2 RBI 2 BB
• Ruben Tejada—3-5 2B R 2 SB(12)
• Ike Davis—2-5 2R RBI
• Luke Hughes—1-3 HR(9) 4 RBI
• Brennan Boesch—2-4 HR(24) RBI 3R
• Brett Pill—3-5 2B 3 RBI
• Beau Mills—2-5 R RBI
• Eduardo Nunez—2-4 HR(8) 2 RBI 2R SB(13)
• Dominic Brown—2-4 HR(12) 2 RBI 2B 2R
• Chad Tracy—2-4 2 2B 2R 3 RBI
• Chris Carter—3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Matt Spencer—1-4 R 2 RBI
• Drew Locke—4-5 2B R RBI
• Jose Duarte—2-3 2B 3 RBI BB 2 SB(19)
• John Shelby III—3-4 2 2B R RBI BB
• C.J. Retherford—2-3 2 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Evan Frey—3-5 R 3 SB(20)
• Freddie Freeman—1-3 2B R RBI BB
• Mark Trumbo—2-4 HR(12) 4 RBI
• Peter Bourjos—1-4 HR(5) RBI 2R BB
• Drew Sutton—2-4 2 2B 2R 2 RBI SB(12)
• Juan Francisco—3-4 2 HR(22) 4 RBI 2R
• Ty Wright—2-4 HR(8) 2 RBI 2R BB

Pitching:

• Kenny Rodriguez—7 IP H 3 BB 9K W (8-6)
• Eric Niesen—5 IP 5H 2 ER 2 BB 10K W (5-10)

8/4 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 5, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Cincinatti Reds 3B prospect Juan Francisco hit his 20th HR yesterday, driving in two and scoring twice.  Francisco has as much power potential as anyone in the Reds’ farm system and has made big strides this season to cut back on his strikeouts.  Last year, Francisco hit 23 HR and drove in 92 runs while earning a 19 BB/123 K ratio in 127 games.  This season, Francisco has kept his power numbers up and has cut back his K rate to 88 in 100 games.  He’s only walked 19 times, but the progress at a higher level is worthy of note.  The market for Francisco’s first year cards was hot at the end of last season as several collectors anticipated him to become one of the top sluggers in the minor leagues this season.  However, a slow start and mitigable increases in his numbers has caused several prospectors to divert their funds elsewhere.  His 2008 autos in Donruss Threads (#/999) and his Donruss Elite Extra autos #/1495 can be had at $4-7 each-roughly 1/3 their values in late 2008.

Pedro Alvarez continues to be a beast at the AA level as he socked his 8th HR at Altoona and 22nd on the season.  He added two doubles and two RBI during a three hit day and raised his post-promotion average to .307.  The Pirates made more big trades at the deadline that will go a long way in overhauling a once maligned farm system.  With each trade, new opportunities sprout up for aspiring youngsters to make their mark in a major league uniform.  Alvarez will get his shot this season.  I mused in my Brian Matusz article about the market effect that would occur in his cards after his debut.  Matusz, like Alvarez, has an exclusive deal with Razor Entertainment Group which effectively limits the exposure of his cards on the eBay market. 

Matusz had a fine and victorious debut surrendering one run on six hits over five innings, walking three and striking out five Detroit Tigers.  In the hours following his performance, the prices of his ‘08 Razor autos have jumped about 30-40%.  It is nice to see that the cards are considered viable investments on the open market, but the rise in price is on par with what other larger brands would experience in similar situations.  In other words, the fact that Razor has exclusive deals with several ‘08 draftees does not, at this time, seem to have a pronounced inflationary effect on the values of their cards. 

Today’s top prospect doesn’t have a major brand card issued as of yet, but that may change soon.  Chicago White Sox RHP prospect Dan Hudson was dominant once agains yesterday, scattering three hits over six scoreless innings, striking out seven.  The dominant performance raised the former Old Dominion hurler to 7-0 since his promotion to Birmingham and gave him his 12th victory of the ‘09 season.  Hudson was ranked the 24th best prospect in the White Sox farm system by Baseball America but he’s pitched as well as anyone, including departed prospects Aaron Poreda and Dexter Carter.  Hudson has been virtually unhittable at each of the three levels he’s thrown at this season as hitters are batting a combined .191 against him.  Just as impressive is his sterling 25 BB/142 K ratio in his 123 innings of work.  Hudson has a workhorse frame (6-4 220 lb.) and features a 92-94 MPH fastball that saws off right handers and fades away from lefties.  His slider and changeup are a bit behind, but each offers good downward movement that keeps him from getting hit hard.  The vacancy left by Poreda and Carter elevates Hudson to the upper ranks of Chicago’s young arms.  Hudson will likely finish the year at AA and should be a prime candidate to pitch in the Arizona Fall League.  Keep your eyes peeled for his first year cards and snag them early as he might not gain as much post-release notoriety as he deserves.  Secondary sites like Sportsbuy.com and Beckett.com should provide excellent values for his non-autographed releases.

AA Player of the Day—DAN HUDSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Matt Spencer—2-4 HR(15) RBI 2B
• Darin Holcomb—2-5 HR(10) RBI 2R BB
• Mike McKenry—2-5 2B
• Ryan Harvey—3-5 HR(16) 5 RBI 2B
• Cole Garner—3-4 2B 2R RBI
• Cedric Hunter—3-5 2B RBI
• Ezequiel Carrerra—3-5 3B 2R 3 RBI SB(19)
• Andrew Lambo—1-3 2B 2 RBI
• Scott Cousins—1-2 R HRI(10) RBI 2 BB
• Juan Francisco—3-5 HR(20) 2 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Todd Frazier—2-5 R RBI
• Starlin Castro—2-4 R 2 RBI BB
• Jose Lobaton—2-3 HR(4) 3 RBI 2B
• Jason Heyward—2-3 (.422 BA at AA)
• Gorkys Hernandez—2-4 2R RBI 2 BB
• Pedro Alvarez—3-6 HR(22) 2 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Brian Friday—3-4 2 2B 2 RBI R BB
• Ryan Kalish—1-4 HR(11) RBI BB
• Jorge Jimenez—3-4 HR(12) RBI 2BB BB
• Ruben Tejada—3-4 R RBI
• Miguel Abreu—3-5 2 2B R 3 RBI
• Cale Iorg—1-4 HR(11) RBI
• Michael Bertram—2-3 HR(12) 4 RBI BB
• Brett Pill—2-5 Hr(13) 2 RBI
• Brandon Crawford—2-5 HR(10) RBI
• Carlos Santana—1-3 RBI 2 BB

Pitching:

• Dan Hudson—6 IP 3H 7K W (12-5)
• Chaz Roe—9 IP 6H 2 ER 3 BB 3K W(5-2)
• Aneury Rodriguez—6.2 IP 6H ER BB 6K W (7-10)
• Travis Banwart—7 IP 3H 2K W (7-5)

8/4 AAA Minor League Report

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

Eric Young Jr. couldn’t stay off of the bases as he rapped two hits and drew three walks yesterday, scoring three times.  Oddly, he didn’t add to his PCL-leading total of 54 stolen bases but his three runs scored yesterday brings his season total to an MiLB high of 99 for the season.  Young’s name was bantied about in trade rumors but the Rockies held fast to their speedy 2B prospect.  There was some thought prior to last season of moving Young to the outfield where his speed and marginal infield glove would be a better fit.  Young has work dilligently over the past couple of years to improve his infield defense, cutting his errors nearly in half and raising his fielding percentage by more than 20 points.  Clint Barmes is the current second basemen for the Rockies, but he is arbitration eligible and due to receive a raise from his current $1.6M contract.  Young is ready to take over the helm and is a much more potent top of the lineup hitter.  Unlike many speedsters, Young has some pop in his bat.  This season, the 24 year old has collected 30 XBH and his 49 BB/64 K ratio falls in line with a prototypical top of the order hitter.  Expect Young to get his callup by September and to be the odds on favorite to be the opening day starter in 2010.

Today’s top prospect is rapidly rising catcher Buster Posey.  The Giants’ future backstop hit his first AAA HR, driving in four runs and scoring twice.  Posey had gotten off to a slow start after his promotion, but has regrouped to hit .281 over his last 10 games.  Posey’s plate discipline has not waned as he has a 55 BB/55 K ratio.  I expect Posey to continue to swing a hot bat through the rest of the AAA season, which should enhance his chances to earn some playing time behind Benji Molina at some point in September.  Molina’s contract expires at the end of the ‘09 season and it seems quite reasonable that he will not return to the Giants in 2010.  The market for Posey’s cards is understandibly hot right now as he has rapidly shot up through San Francisco’s farm system.  His top selling cards are his 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft autos which command a healthy $37-42 each.  There are more affordable first year autos to be had, like his ‘08 Donruss Elite Extra autos (#/934) which command $27-32 each, 08 Bowman Sterling ($24-27), and ‘08 Razor ($20-22).  Even with this elevated market, I think there is still room for some value growth in his products, especially if he can help contribute to the Giants’ pennant run.  A more opportune time to purchase his first year autos, though, should be during the offseason when the collecting masses diverts its attention to football cards and memorabilia.

AAA Player of the Day—BUSTER POSEY

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Jaime Hoffmann—2-5 2 2B 2 RBI SB(14)
• Tony Abreu—2-5 HR(8) 2 RBI
• Joe Koshansky—1-5 HR(18) 2 RBI
• Angel Salome—1-1 R RBI 2 BB
• Buster Posey—2-4 HR(14) 4 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Brett Wallace—2-5 2B R RBI
• Eric Young Jr.—2-3 3R 3B 2 RBI 3 BB
• Kila Ka’aihue—3-5 r RBI
• Van Pope—2-3 HR(4) RBI 2R SB(2)
• Michael Brantley—2-3 BB SB(37)
• Brandon Snyder—3-5 2R SB(3)
• Nick Evans—3-5 2 2B R
• Jeff Frazier—3-5 2 2B 2R RBI
• Chris Heisey—3-4 2B
• Neil Walker—1-4 2B R 4 RBI
• Desmond Jennings—2-5 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Matt Joyce—3-4 2 RBI
• Jose Morales—2-3 2 2B 2 RBI BB

Pitching:

• Drew Carpenter—6 IP 6H 2 ER BB 6K W (9-2)
• Travis Wood—7 IP 3H 2 BB 4K W (10-4)