10/15 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 20, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Somehow, this one didn’t get posted when I wrote it and hit “Publish”. My apologies, here are the results from Thursday’s games.

The winds must have been blowing out last night because there was no shortage of runs put on the board last night in each of the three games.  Andrew Lambo, Dayan Viciedo, Jose Iglesias, Russ Mitchell, Colin Curtis, Yonder Alonso, Grant Desme, Corey Brown, and Darin Holcomb all went yard last night for the first time while Tigers 2B prospect Scott Sizemore liked it so much he did it twice.  Yankees 1B prospect Brandon Laird had five base knocks to raise his league leading average to .818 but yesterday’s star was Kansas City Royals top prospect Mike Moustakas.

The 21 year old third baseman hit his first homerun as part of a three hit, seven RBI day.  Moustakas played the entire season at High-A Wilmington batting just .250 with 16 HR 86 RBI 10 SB and 32 doubles.  Anyone who has watched Moustakas can see that he has extreme power potential and a very fast bat, but he struggled last year to work himself into good hitters counts, resulting in a high number of groundball outs and a mere 13% line drive rate.  Inexperience is the main culprit of this and there is plenty of reason, still, to be optimistic that Moustakas will develop into a potent middle of the lineup hitter for the Royals over the next couple of seasons.  The market for Moustakas’ cards is fairly strong right now with his autos in 2007 Donruss Elite Extra and 2008 Bowman Chrome selling for $20-25 each.

AFL Player of the Day—MIKE MOUSTAKAS

Other AFL Performances:

Back in the Saddle Again

Posted by Jeremy on October 13, 2009 under Uncategorized | Read the First Comment

I would like to apologize for my long hiatus from the blogging scene.  I had the opportunity to do some extra work in a non-baseball related industry for some extra dough and took it.  My sudden disappearance from the blogging scene left several of you asking questions about the exact location of the earth that I fell off of and whether I would ever come back to do more writing.

Thank you to those of you who offered kind words of support and well wishes.  Your thoughts and considerations were much appreciated and served as a catalyst that has brought me back to the keyboard.  I cannot make the promise making daily additions to the blog, but I will do my best to provide you with a good read and high value tidbits of info each and every time I post. 

The Arizona Fall Leauge and various winter leagues get underway today which should provide ample offseason fodder for us to mull over during the cold winter months.  Have a great idea for an article or a question for the mailbag?  Let me know in my email or in one of the comments threads. 

Stay tuned for a look at each of the Arizona Fall League Rosters!

Jeremy

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

8/5 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)

Cliff Lee To The Phillies Trade & The eBay Market

Posted by Jeremy on August 3, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

This was an article submitted some time ago to the Cardboard Connection, but it didn’t make its way to publication.  As a result, I will post it up on PPR for your viewing pleasure.  Have some opinions on the trade deadline deals and their effects on the sports card market?  Let your opinions be known in the comments section!

As the banter between the Blue Jays and Phillies for coveted RHP Roy Halladay reached an impass, the Phillies utilized their backup plan and shipped highly regarded prospects Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson, and Jason Knapp to the Cleveland Indians for 2008 Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco.  Here’s a closer look at the primary pieces involved.

Cliff Lee:  The southpaw should provide the stability in the #2 rotation spot that struggling young ace Cole Hamels needs.  Lee has been one of the few bright spots for the A.L.’s worst team this year going 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA this season.  A move to the defending world champions should help breathe some life into the market for Lee’s various first year cards from 2002 as well as his autographed cards from subsequent seasons and sets.  Philadelphia is a solid collector’s market and Lee’s level of success should dictate the amount of heat that his cards generate on eBay and other sites.

Jason Donald: After a largely successful 2008 season which saw him lead Team USA to a bronze medal in Beijing and hit over .400 in the Arizona Fall League, it seemed that Donald was going to be the logical replacement for either Chase Utley or Pedro Feliz as each recovered from off season surgery.  Instead, it was Donald who struggled with injuries and missed most of June and July recovering from surgery on his torn meniscus.  In 51 games this season, the former Arizona Wildcat is hitting just .235 with one HR and 16 RBI at AAA Lehigh Valley.  Donald is a versatile infielder, able to play SS, 2B and 3B adaquately, though he best profiles at second or third defensively.  His bat should come around once his knee gets to full strength and he gets to full speed.  Donald has chart topping makeup and work ethic skills that makes him a natural leader on and off the field.  Cleveland is a rebuilding team with several holes to fill, but it seems that the one most suitable for next season will be in place of impending free agent Jamey Carroll as the team’s utility man.  Donald has enough offensive upside that he could be a 10-15 HR per season guy with good plate discipline and the ability to hit for a decent average.  From a market perspective, Donald’s card values, most notably his 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft and 2008 Bowman Sterling Auto, apexed during  last year’s AFL campaign and prior to spring training when there was much conjecture that he would be joining the Phillies as a starter.  Things have not worked out that way and the market for his stuff has waned but not disappeared.  His ‘06 Bowman Chrome Draft cards can be had from time to time in lots for 75 cents to $1.25 each and his ‘08 Sterling autos sell for $6-8 apiece.  If all goes well healthwise, it seems to be a sure bet that Donald will earn some playing time with the Indians at some point this summer.  Keep an eye on his bat to see if he can replicate some of his ‘08 magic.  If so, the market for his cards could see a nice short term boost.

Lou Marson: The acquisition of Marson is a prime indicator of a future departure of All-Star catcher Victor Martinez.  Marson has had a solid, but unspectacular season playing primarily at Lehigh Valley hitting .294 with one HR and 24 RBI in 63 games.  Marson is a solid defensive catcher with a strong arm and excellent leadership skills behind the plate.  Offensively, he has demonstrated the ability to hit for a high batting average with spectacular plate discipline, but his power numbers are below average.  Once V-Mart finds a new home, Kelly Shoppach should take over behind the plate with Marson backing him up.  Unfortunately for Marson, #1 Indians prospect Carlos Santana is not far behind and his 19 HR at AA is a prime indicator that his tenure with the club will begin very soon.  Similar to Donald’s cards, Marson’s 2004 first year cards, particularly in the Bowman Chrome Draft and SP Prospects sets, experienced their greatest values toward the end of 2008 when it was speculated by many that he would be the Phillies’ opening day catcher for 2009.  Currently his SP Prospects auto (#/550) sells for $15-18 and his Bowman Chrome Draft cards sell for less than a buck each.  He should be called up from AAA Columbus soon, perhaps immediately after the club trades Victor Martinez.

Carlos Carrasco: Baseball America tabbed the Venezuelan right-hander as the Phillies’ #1 prospect in 2008 but he has pitched like anything but in 2009.  After starting the season at 0-6, Carrasco has had much more fortune lately winning six out of his last nine decisions.  Carrasco, 21, has a tall and strong frame that oozes projectibility.  With a fastball that reaches 94 with good late life and a fading changeup he has the potential to be a solid #2 or 3 pitcher at the major league level.  Moving forward, Carrasco needs to be more consistent.  He has proven to be durable, averaging six innings per start this season, but he’s also had problems putting away hitters with regularity.  His move to the Indians will surely secure a rotation spot for him in the near future.  Carrasco has first year cards in the 2005 Bowman Chrome set that sell for $2-3 each and autographs in the 2008 Bowman Sterling set that can be had at $7-8 each.  While his ceiling remains high, Carrasco will need to prove that he’s ready to be a consistent MLB hurler in order for his cards to surpass their current prices.

Jason Knapp: The 19 year old hurler is perhaps the top prospect in this trade.  Knapp is big and burly (6-5 235 lb.) with a fastball that approaches 100 MPH. and a power slider that should be a devastating strikeout pitch in time.  Knapp’s 2-7 record and 4.01 ERA belies the  true dominance of his stuff as he’s compiled a 39 BB/111 K ratio over his first 85 innings this season and is limiting hitters to a .208 batting average.  Shoulder fatigue shut has shut Jason down for the past couple of weeks, but the Phillies organization have maintained that the move was a precautionary procedure and not injury related.  The challenge for Knapp moving forward will be his ability to sharpen the command of his two plus plus pitches.  He’s shown an aptitude for throwing a changeup and its development could determine whether Knapp is going to develop as a frontline starter or dominant closer.  Knapp has first year autos in several 2008 sets including Donruss Elite, Playoff Contenders, and Bowman Sterling.  They range from $8-12 each and his 2009 Bowman autos fetch $6-8 each. 

This deal was a true blockbuster that saw both the Phillies and Indians reap benefits.  For the Phils, they recevied yet another left handed pitcher for their rotation without having to part with Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown, or Michael Taylor.  The acquisition of Lee levels the playing field between them and the Dodgers and should make for a thrilling NLCS showdown this year and sets them up for another pennant run in 2010.  Ben Francisco gives them an upgrade in their bench and probably spells the end of the line for John Mayberry Jr.  The Indians receive organizational depth that is, with the exception of Knapp, MLB ready.  For a rebuilding team looking to slash payroll, this was a solid, but not spectacular, haul.

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)

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

Posted by Jeremy on July 27, 2009 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!

$100 Growth Project Update

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

Hello all!

I am back from a one week getaway to the Pacific Ocean.  I looked back on my last posts and realized that I did not indicate that I was going to be gone.  I apologize to any of you who were wondering where I went.

Prior to my trip, I sold the 15 count Nolan Reimold ‘05 Bowman Chrome Draft Refractor Lot for $150.  For those of you who have been reading for some time, you may remember that this was the first purchase of the $100 Growth Project and was purchased for $46.05 on Feb. 22 of this year.  Reimold has been a pleasant sleeper turned A.L. ROY candidate and his cards have been steady sellers on the eBay market.  After the sale, eBay and Paypal (i.e. eBay’s excuse to double-dip) took their customary pound of flesh from the proceeds leaving me with a net of $133.50.  Subtract $1.75 paid for bubble mailer shipping and my net is $131.75, a profit of $85.70.

I have not been nearly as active as I once planned when I decided to take this challenge, but our transactions so far have left us exponentially in the green.  Here’s the breakdown of the ledger to date.

Cash on Hand: $158.46

Inventory: 2007 Bowman Chrome Chris Coghlan Blue Refractor Auto #/199.

Now that the All-Star break has come and gone, the trading season is getting ready to enter into full swing.  This is the time where some of baseball’s bigger names start to change locales as contending clubs become buyers and struggling clubs become sellers.  For every big league regular that gets traded, there are usually two or three minor league prospects that come back as compensation. 

With that in mind, my focus for the next transaction turns towards prospects or young MLB players that are primed to make further impacts at the major league levels within the next couple of months.  Several guys are popping up on my radar screen right now and you can rest assured that the next buy/sell purchase will happen sooner rather than later.  Due to my interest to keep prices as low as possible, I am keeping my candidates close to the vest for the time being….

…but I’d love to hear your suggestions!  Use the comments area to share your thoughts on the next big short term value buys!