7/19 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 20, 2009 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)

7/7 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 9, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Phillies OF prospect Michael Taylor and Marlins OF prospect Michael Stanton each rapped three hits yesterday.  Taylor smacked two doubles and drove in two while stealing three bases.  The big day raised his average to .345 and pushed his season stolen base total to 17.  At 15 HR and 64 RBI, there isn’t much left for him to prove at the AA level and it seems logical to expect that he will get some AAA AB’s some time soon. 

Michael Stanton’s three hit day included his 18th HR of the season and three RBI.  Since his promotion to AA 29 games ago, the king sized slugger has struggled, hittng just .221 with 13 BB/34 K.  I’m not too dismayed by this, though.  Stanton is only in his second full season as a pro and his plate discipline is still a work in progress.  His month of June was dismal (.214 3 HR 9 RBI 9 BB/27 K in 22 games), but his July numbers (.241 3 HR 7 RBI 4 BB/7 K) shows marked improvement.  I expect that he will continue to acclimate himself well to AA pitching and think that the month of August will be his best yet.

Today’s top prospect is no stranger to this list.  Brian Matusz turned in his best performance of ‘09 tossing eight innings of one-hit ball, walking none and striking out 11.  This dominant outing lifted the lefty to a perfect 4-0 record at Bowie with a 0.34 ERA.  AA hitters are batting just .122 against Matusz and he’s walked just 6 and struck out 32 in 26.1 innings.  Despite his excellent showing, I don’t think he’ll get a crack at pitching in Baltimore this season as the club have Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta ahead of him.  Tillman has fallen off as of late, though, and there could conceivably be a situatio where Matusz leapfrogs him for a promotion in September.  Arrieta will definitely be there by September at the latest.  Matusz is in his first season as a pro and prudence exercised by the O’s wouldn’t be a bad thing.  One thing is for certain, though, the future of the Orioles’ pitching staff looks to be quite bright.

AA Player of the Day—BRIAN MATUSZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Ryan Strieby—2-5 HR(16) 2 RBI 3R BB
• Cale Iorg—2-6 HR(9) 2 RBI 3R
• Alex Avila—3-6 HR(8) 4 RBI 3R 2B
• Pedro Alvarez—1-5 HR(17) 2 RBI
• Michael Taylor—3-4 2 2B R 2 RBI 3 SB(17)
• Nick Weglarz—2-3 HR(13) 2 RBI 2R BB
• Beau Mills—2-4 2B 2R RBI
• Carlos Rivero—3-4 2B
• John Drennen—2-4 2 RBI
• Juan Francisco—2-3 HR(15) RBI BB 2R
• Mike Wilson—1-2 HR(3) RBI 2 BB 2R
• John Shelby Jr.—2-5 2B 3B R RBI
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 R SB(3) BB
• Dayan Viciedo—2-5 2R
• Stefan Gartrell—1-3 HR(16) 3 RBI
• Michael Stanton—3-5 HR(18) 3 RBI 2B
• Logan Morrison—1-2 2B R RBI 3 BB
• Alex Gordon—2-5 2B HR(1) 3 RBI
• Darin Holcomb—1-3 HR(4) RBI
• Lance Zawadzki—2-4 2B 2R
• Mitch Canham—1-3 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Johnny Whittleman—1-4 HR(4) 3 RBI BB 2R
• Chad Tracy—3-5 2 2B R 2 RBI
• Adrian Cardenas—3-4 R
• Josh Donaldson—2-4 2B R RBI
• James Rapoport—3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Steven Hill—1-5 HR(12) 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Brian Matusz—8 IP H 11 K W (8-2)
• Luis Perez—6 IP 5H ER BB 5K W (6-6)
• Scott Diamond—7 IP 6H 3 ER BB 10K L (3-8)
• Cesar Carillo—8 IP 3H Er BB 4K W (6-4)
• Michael Kirkman—6 IP 2H BB 5K W (6-5)

7/5 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 6, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

L.A. Dodgers OF/1B prospect Andrew Lambo is swinging a hot bat through the first few days of July.  Yesterday’s 3-5 performance that included his 8th HR, five RBI and two runs scored raised his average to .438 for the month and .275 overall.  On the surface, Lambo’s HR numbers are a little below expected, but his 26 doubles and improved BB/K ratio are positive signs of good things to come.  Talent abounds on the Dodgers’ major league roster, especially in the outfield where the trifecta of Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, and Matt Kemp rivals baseball’s best.  Couple in James Loney’s sweet lefty swing at 1B and the fact that Lambo is still just 20 years old and it becomes apparent that the Dodgers will be unlikely to rush Lambo in his development.  Once he does arrive on the major league scene, Lambo is a likely bet to become a 20-25 HR middle of the lineup hitter for several years to come.

Greg Halman’s season has been, in large part, a major disappointment after his breakout 2008 season in which he was nearly a 30 HR/30 SB player.  Playing almost exclusively at West Tennessee, Halman is batting just .208 with 20 HR 50 RBI and just 5 SB.  Plate discipline is the biggest culprit as Halman has walked just 16 times and has punched out 119 times in just 71 games.  Halman’s all or nothing approach to hitting is frustrating as some days (like yesterday’s 2 HR 3 RBI 4 run day) he looks like a 5-tool elite prospect and other days he resembles the extremely raw player that struggled in 2007.  At just 21 years old, there is ample time for Halman to address his contact issues and pitch recognition.  The tools and athleticism is there for Halman to be a dynamic player at the major league level, but his future success is anything but a foregone conclusion.  Watch to see if he can improve his ability to control the strike zone before making any substantial investments in his cards.

Today’s top AA prospect is another 2008 breakout player Florida Marlins 1B prospect Logan Morrison.  The powerfully built lefty had a big day yesterday hitting his 5th HR as part of a 5-6 day with two doubles, five RBI and two runs scored.  Morrison’s big day boosted his batting average for the month of July up to .455 and his 3rd HR in the last five games is a prime indicator that his fractured right wrist is close to or at full strength.  Morrison was electric in the Arizona Fall League this past winter, raising his stock significantly within the organization and amongst baseball card prospectors.  The Marlins are in an endless quest to fill big league positions with low cost talent.  Jorge Cantu is a solid first baseman who is earning $3.5 million this season and should earn more through arbitration next season.  There is a chance that the Marlins don’t offer him arbitration next year and in favor of giving Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison a shot to vie for the position this following spring.  The market for Morrison’s cards is strong right now, but is not quite as hot as it was when he was opening eyes in the AFL this past fall.

AA Player of the Day—LOGAN MORRISON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Ike Davis—1-2 HR(9) RBI
• Mike McBryde—4-5 2 3B 4 RBI 2R SB(14)
• Brett Pill—2-4 2B 3 RBI
• Sharlon Schoop—2-4 2R BB 2 SB(3)
• Brock Bond—2-5 2R 3 RBI
• Carlos Rivero—3-3 R RBI
• Greg Halman—3-5 2 HR(20) 3 RBI 2B 4R
• Mike Wilson—4-4 HR(2) 4 RBI BB 2 2B 2R
• Matt Mangini—2-5 HR(6) RBI
• Logan Morrison—5-6 HR(5) 5 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Scott Cousins—3-5 2B R RBI SB(18)
• Juan Portes—2-5 2B 3 RBI
• Tyler Colvin—3-5 HR(7) 2 RBI R 2B 2R
• James Adduci—4-5 3 RBI SB(19)
• Josh Reddick—2-6 R 3B 2 RBI
• Ryan Kalish—3-5 HR(7) 2 RBI 2B 2R
• Jorge Jimenez—3-5 HR(9) 2 RBI 2R
• Argenis Diaz—2-4 2 RBI
• Lars Anderson—1-4 2B R RBI BB
• David Cooper—2-4 R RBI BB
• Dayan Viciedo—2-4 RBI
• David Lough—3-5 2B R HR(6) 3 RBI
• Alex Gordon—2-4 4 RBI
• Colin Delome—2-4 3B 2 RBI
• Andrew Lambo—3-4 HR(8) 5 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Russ Mitchell—2-5 HR(8) 3 RBI 2R BB
• Tommy Giles—1-3 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Cyle Hankerd—1-4 HR(5) RBI
• Pete Kozma—2-4 R RBI BB
• Cedric Hunter—3-4 2B 2R

Pitching:

• Ryan Mullins—8 IP 5H 8K W (6-8)
• Radhames Liz—7 IP 7H BB 7K W (3-1)
• Casey Coleman—8 IP 2H 3 BB 4K W (9-3)
• John Ely—6 IP 5H 3 ER 3 BB 5K W (7-7)
• Pat Stanley—7 IP 5H ER 2 BB 8K W (5-2)
• Eric Nielson—5 IP 5H ER 2 BB 9K
• Tim Alderson—6 IP 3H 3 ER BB 3K W (6-2)

7/2 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 3, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Prior to the start of the ‘09 season, San Diego Padres 2B prospect Eric Sogard was very high on my sleepers list.  Perhaps it was his excellent first season in the California League (.308 10 HR 87 RBI 92 runs 42 doubles) or the fact that he is a former ASU Sun Devil, but I couldn’t help but compare him to ‘08 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia.  While the two share many similarities, style of play, body size and structure, plate discipline, etc., Sogard’s got a long way to go before those comparisons have any merit.  The fact remains, however, that Eric Sogard is an intriguing MLB talent.  After a slow month of May that saw him hit .212,  he bounced back nicely during the month of June by hitting .314 with 21 runs scored and 11 RBI in 24 games.  Sogard’s main competition for the 2B job with the Padres is the disappointing enigma known as Matt Antonelli.  I believe that he will leapfrog him by this point next season, perhaps into a starting job with the Padres.

Madison Bumgarner remains the top left handed pitching prospect in all of baseball, but the hype for him has cooled a little bit since his promotion to Connecticut.  Regardless, the former ‘07 1st rounder continues to tack up wins.  His seven innings of four hit, shutout ball netted him his sixth AA win and ninth overall for the season.  Bumgarner has allowed just one earned run over his last 19 innings, but the strikeout numbers have been down a little bit and his 19 BB/66 K in 74 innings is less impressive that last year’s Nintendo-like 21 BB/164 K’s in 141 innings.  Also, it seems like Bumgarner’s workload has increased over his last two outings (8 IP and 7 IP respectively).  Perhaps this is because the Giants are edging into playoff contention and the chances that Bumgarner will be called upon to pitch for San Fran in 2009 are waning.  I believe that Bumgarner can hold his own against MLB hitters right now, but holding him back until 2010 may be the more prudent move.  Watch the market for his cards.  If it dips, jump on his stuff now.  He’ll have a prominent role with the Giants in 2010.

Today’s top prospect is another southpaw, Baltimore Orioles top ‘08 draftee Brian Matusz.  his seven shutout innings marked his third consecutive dominant start at Bowie where he’s gone 3-0 with a 0.49 ERA and 6 BB/21 K in 18.1 IP.  Matusz has been flat out dominant this season going 7-2 with a 1.80 ERA in 14 starts this year.  His 27 BB/96 K ratio in 85 IP is a fine indicator that he is commanding his mid-90’s heater well while keeping hitters honest with his slider and change.  He profiles as a #2 or 3 starter for a Baltimore Orioles rotation that could soon rival that of the pennant winning O’s of 1979.

AA Player of the Day—BRIAN MATUSZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Carlos Santana—2-4 HR(12) 3 RBI
• Gorkys Hernandez—1-4 HR(1) RBI
• Jose Tabata—1-4 HR(2) RBI SB(6)
• Brad Emaus—3-4 3R BB SB(7)
• Shawn Bowman—4-4 2B
• Desmond Jennings—1-3 R 2 BB SB(29)
• Jesus Montero—2-5 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Ryan Strieby—2-5 HR(15) 2 RBI 2R
• Brennan Boesch—2-3 HR(16) RBI 2R BB
• Alex Avila—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Zack Cozart—1-4 HR(9) 2 RBI
• Todd Frazier—1-4 HR(8) RBI
• Andrew Lambo—1-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Josh Bell—2-3 2B RBI
• Pedro Ciraco—3-5 HR(2) 2 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Mark Hallberg—3-4 2B R
• Steffan Gartrell—3-4 HR(15) RBI
• Eric Sogard—2-4 HR(3) 3 RBI BB
• Logan Forsythe—2-4 R RBI BB
• Cole Garner—1-4 HR(7) RBI
• Justin Smoak–1-2 3 BB
• Mitch Moreland—1-5 HR(11) RBI 2R
• Dan Delasco—1-4 HR(8) 2 RBI BB
• Josh Donaldson—2-5 2B R RBI
• Matt Spencer—2-4 2R RBI BB

Pitching:

• Brian Matusz—7 IP 4H 2 BB 6K W (7-2)
• Hector Rondon—6 IP 4H 3 ER BB 8K L (7-5)
• Madison Bumgarner—7 IP 4H 3 BB 5K W (9-2)
• Tyler Herron—4.2 IP 4H ER 4 BB 7K
• Matt Torra—7 IP 4H Er BB 4K W (6-6)
• Chaz Roe—5.2 IP 2H 2 BB 6K W (3-1)

6/18 AA Minor League Report

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

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

Meet Johnny Whittleman.

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

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

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

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

AA Player of the Day—ZACK COZART

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

6/16 AA Minor League Report

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

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

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

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

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

AA Player of the Day—JHOULYS CHACIN

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

6/15 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 16, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

A couple of pitchers had dominating performances in the AA ranks yesterday.  San Diego Padres top pitching prospect Mat Latos mowed down 12 hitters yesterday over 5.1 IP, walking none and allowing just five hits.  Unfortunately, the three runs that he allowed were enough to hand him his first loss this season.  Latos has been as impressive as any pitcher in the minor league ranks this year as he has a 6-1 record with a 0.84 ERA and 11 BB/61 K’s in 53 innings.  Armed with a fastball that reaches 97 MPH and a fierce knockout slider, Latos is a powerfully built, strikeout machine that has All-Star written all over him.  Unfortunately, Latos has had a history of injury problems and attitude issues that have obscured his development to date.  His promotion and continued dominance shows that he has moved well beyond some of those issues in a quest to fulfill his boundless potential.  Don’t be surprised if Latos treads a fast track similar to what Tommy Hanson has done over the past year. 

L.A. Angels RHP Tim Kiely lacks the stuff that Mat Latos possesses, but his complete game, 13 K debut for Arkansas is worthy of note.  Prior to Monday’s start, the 23 year old meandered to a ho-hum 5-5 record with High-A Rancho Cucamonga with a 4.44 ERA in 12 starts.  Control is the name of Kiely’s game as he posted an impressive 8 BB/44 K in his 73 innings of work.  Drafted out of Trinity College in the 27th round of the 2008 draft, Kiely was used exclusively as a reliever in ‘08 but seems to be adjusting fairly well as a starter.  The Angels are customarily loaded with nice young arms, which will make Kiely’s road going forward difficult, but 31 year old Matt Palmer has shown that pitchers with good command of the strike zone and durable arms will always have an opportunity to stick with an organization. 

Today’s top prospect at the AA ranks is a no stranger to prospectors and collectors.  Chicago White Sox 3B import Dayan Viciedo went 3-4 yesterday, hitting his 5th HR while driving in three and scoring three runs.  Viciedo got off to a tortoise-like start out of the gate, hitting .234 with one HR and 9 RBI through the month of April.  May was a bit better (.293 2 HR 20 RBI) and June has been even kinder (.333 2 HR 9 RBI) thusfar.  Viciedo’s bat has not provided as many souvenirs as expected to this point, but his willingness to use all parts of the field is indicative that the 20 year old has worked dilligently on refining his approach at the plate.  Strike zone judgement is still a raw spot for the Cuban native as he has earned just 9 BB versus 48 K’s in his first 63 professional games.  Viciedo is likely never going to be a walk magnet, but he should be able to curb his overagressiveness going forward.

AA Player of the Day—DAYAN VICIEDO

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Mitch Moreland—4-6 HR(10) 2 RBI 2R
• Adrian Cardenas—4-6 2 2B 2 RBi 2R
• Chris Carter—2-6 RBI
• Matt Spencer—2-5 2R SB(1)
• Cole Garner—4-4 2B R
• Kurt Mertins—3-4 2B R RBI
• Jason Castro—1-3 2R RBI BB
• Tyler Henley—1-4 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Jon Lucroy—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Yonder Alonso—1-2 HR(8) 2 RBI
• Scott Cousins—2-4 2B SB(14)
• Michael Stanton—1-3 2B (Game 1)…..1-3 2B RBI BB (Game 2)
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 2R BB
• Dayan Viciedo—3-4 HR(5) 3 RBI 2B 3R BB
• Stephan Gartrell—3-4 HR(10) 3 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Evan Frey—3-5 3B R RBI
• Andrew Lambo—2-4 2 2B R
• Russ Mitchell—3-4 2B 3B R RBI SB(4)
• Michael Taylor—1-3 2B R BB

Pitching:

• Joe Savery—6 IP H 3 BB 4K W (8-1)
• Polin Trinidad—8 IP 4H 3 BB 7K W (6-4)
• Mat Latos—5.1 IP 5H 2 ER 12K L (6-1)
• Tim Kiely—9 IP 3H 2 ER 3 BB 13K W (6-5)
• Kyle McCulloch—7 IP 7H 3K W (6-6)

6/14 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 15, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

If you’ve been paying attention to this blog over the last year, you would know that I have a good deal of love for Chicago White Sox 1B prospect Brandon Allen.  The 6-2 235 lb. slugger has had a fine season at AA Birmingham, hitting .295 with 7 HR 35 RBI and 38 runs scored.  Allen’s power production has been down this season, after hitting 30 HR between High-A and AA last year, and his stolen base totals have diminished to almost nil.  However, the plate discipline that once was a major question mark in Allen’s game has now become one of his strengths.  Through 60 games, the ‘04 draftee has walked 29 times and has struck out 45 times.  Factor out the month of April and those numbers are even better (23 BB/34 K).  Similar to Oakland A’s 1B prospect Chris Carter, the power should increase as the summer goes along as Allen’s confidence with in his more disciplined plate approach increases.

Today’s top prospect is a repeat offender.  Cleveland Indians prospect Matt McBride went 2-4 with a grand slam HR, four RBI, a double and two runs scored.  McBride was promoted to Akron after a blistering start at High-A Kinston where he hit .405 with 6 HR 36 RBI and 15 doubles in 31 games.  Since moving to Akron, McBride has not been as good (.247 2 HR 16 RBI 7 doubles in 23 games), though much of his offensive struggles happened during the month of May.  McBride entered the ’09 season as a catcher, but he’s played the bulk of his innings as a corner outfielder as top prospect Carlos Santana is the Indians’ catcher of the future.  June’s been a hot month for McBride as he’s hit .455 in the early going.  If he can continue his torrid pace and continue to drive the ball, he may make a strong case to be considered as a solid corner outfielder for the Indians by the middle of 2010.  Given their depth at the position, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him packaged up in an off-season deal either.

AA Player of the Day—MATT MCBRIDE

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Nick Evans—2-5 2B R RBI
• Shawn Bowman—2-5 2B R RBI
• Ian Desmond—2-5 2B 2 RBI BB SB(5)
• Marvin Lowrance—3-4 HR(10) 2 RBI 2B
• Jeremy Slayden—4-4 2B 3 RBI
• Brian Jeroloman—1-4 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Casper Wells—2-4 HR(3) RBI 2B
• Brnadon Snyder—-2-3 2 2B BB
• Matt McBride—2-4 GS HR(8) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Sean Henry—4-4 2R
• Chris Heisey—1-3 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Brandon Allen—3-4 2B 3 RBI BB
• John Shelby Jr.—1-3 HR(6) RBI
• Mike Paulk—3-5 HR(2) 4 RBI
• Jason Castro—2-4 R
• Eric Sogard—2-4 2B R
• Kellen Kulbacki—3-4 R RBI SB(2)
• Cedric Hunter—2-5 R 2 RBI
• Lance Zawadzki—2-5 2B R 3 RBI
• Chad Tracy—3-4 R 2 RBI
• Mitch Moreland—2-5 3R BB
• Matt Spencer—2-4 2R
• Drew Sutton—2-5 2B R RBI

Pitching:

• Alfredo Figardo—7.1 IP 3H 2 ER BB 10K W (5-2)
• Hector Rondon—4 IP H BB 3K
• Scott Elbert—5 IP 4H 3 ER 3 BB 9K L (2-2)
• Brian Omogrosso—5 IP 4H 2 BB 5K W (7-2)
• Jay Jackson—5 IP 4H ER 6K

6/9 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 10, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Juan Francisco tapped out four more hits yesterday raising his June batting average to .312.  Francisco is an elite power prospect for the Cincinnati Reds, but his plate discipline is, to say the least, disconcerting.  After a 2008 season where he garnered a miserable 19 BB/123 K ratio at High-A Sarasota, he’s continued his free swinging ways by walking just 9 times versus 57 K’s through 59 games.  The potential for Francisco to be a 30+ HR guy at the major league level is there, but the high K rates and low on base percentages will continue to haunt his development.

Kyle Drabek won his second AA game and sixth overall this season tossing five innings.  He was far from his dominant self, allowing seven hits and five walks, but he found a way to limit the damage to just two runs.  This shows me that he has the ability to pitch his way through adversity and is showing a savvy for getting guys out when he doesn’t have his customarily solid command of his stuff.  Drabek’s situation going forward will be quite interesting since the Phillies are reportedly shopping for a starting pitcher.  Top pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco has been a disaster this season, which raises Drabek’s stock as a high-value commodity come trade time.  Don’t be surprised to see his name tied to trade rumors as the summer progresses.

Today’s top performer at the AA ranks is Detroit Tigers OF prospect Brennan Boesch.  The 6-6 210 lb. lefty has quietly put together a nice power season for a Tigers organization that lacks many impact prospects.  Boesch went 2-5 yesterday, hitting his 12th HR of the season, tripling and driving in five runs.  He is a solid defender and more athletic than his long, lanky frame suggests.  To date, Boesch is hitting .277 with 12 HR 44 RBI and 16 doubles through 57 games.  The Tigers currently have under-producing and rapidly aging former All-Star Magglio Ordonez handling the RF duties and LF is an assortment of mid-level prospects like Josh Anderson, Ryan Raburn, and Clete Thomas.  The opportunities for someone of Boesch’s size and stature are there if he can continue to move forward in his development.  He’ll need to continue to work on his plate discipline (12 BB/54 K), but ther power potential is there for him to club 25+ HR per season.  Put him on your sleepers list and keep track of his progress over this summer.

AA Player of the Day—BRENNAN BOESCH

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Whit Robbins—3-3 2B 2R BB
• Wilson Ramos—2-4 2B R RBI
• Matt Moses—1-4 HR(5) 2 RBI
• David Cooper—1-3 HR(3) RBI 2R BB
• John Drennen—3-3 HR(3) 3 RBI 2B
• Carlos Santana—2-3 3B R BB
• Ryan Kalish—1-3 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Brennan Boesch—2-4 HR(12) 5 RBI 3B BB
• Scott Sizemore—2-5 2B 3B 2R 2 RBI
• Casper Wells—1-4 HR(1) 3 RBI BB
• Reegie Corona—3-5 HR(2) RBI
• Jon Lucroy—2-3 2B 2 RBI BB
• Logan Schafer—2-4 3B 2R
• Chris Heisey—2-6 HR(11) 2b
• Juan Francisco—4-6 2B R
• Zack Cozart—2-3 2 BB SB(5)
• Darwin Barney—2-3 R 2 RBI
• Timmy Smith—3-4 2B RBI SB(2)
• Tyler Flowers—1-4 HR(8) RBI

Pitching:

• Jeff Manship—7 IP 5H 2 ER 2 BB 4K W (5-4)
• Kyle Drabek—5 IP 7H 2 ER 5 BB 3K W (6-1)
• Edgar Osuna—7 IP 4H er 4 BB 2K W (5-4)

5/5 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 6, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Last ngiht’s AA action saw the debut of Florida Marlins elite prospect Michael Stanton.  Touted by some to be the second coming of Dave Winfield, Stanton collected two hits in four AB and drove in two runs.  His promotion to Jacksonville seems to be well-timed and I am most interested to see if he can continue to be disciplined at the plate.  Prior to his promotion, Stanton had a solid 28 BB/45 K through his first 50 games.  Could he make his big league debut this season?  I think not, but a trip to the Arizona Fall League in the offseason could be the final bit of seasoning for Stanton before his big league debut.

In other action, Beau MIlls hit HR #5 and drove in two runs.  He’s been a little bit of a disappointment in the early going, hitting .261 with 5 HR and 21 RBI for an offesively anemic Akron Aeros team, but his early returns from June have been solid (.381 HR 3 RBI 6 runs) and his big league bloodlines are reason to extend a bit of patienct to the 22 year old 1B prospect.  Speaking of first basemen, Oakland A’s slugger Chris Carter blasted his 7th HR, drove in two runs, walked twice and stole his 7th base of the season.  As predicted by me, Carter’s power has returned after hitting just one HR during the month of April.  Even more encouraging is the fact that Carter’s pitch recognition and plate discipline has taken a step forward as his 34 BB/53 K ratio is a marked improvement from his 77 BB/156 K performance from a year ago. 

Today’s top AA performer is New York Yankees right hander Zach McAllister  who tossed 7.2 shutout innings, striking out six for his 5th victory of the season.  The 21 year old McAllister has had an understatedly excellent season as a Yankee farm hand, going 5-2 with a 1.61 ERA and a very respectable 18 BB/48 K ratio through his first 61 innings.  McAllister has allowed just one HR in his first 10 starts and has held hitters to a .220 BA.  The former 2006 draft pick looks to be a mid-rotation workhorse with a four-seam fastball that approaches 95 MPH and a two-seamer with good sink that sits at 89-91 MPH.  His slider and changeup are solid pitches that have made significant strides over the past season and it is on the strength of those offspeed offerings that McAllister has been able to vastly elevate his stock within the organization.

From a market perspective, McAllister’s optimal values will be realized if he is able to stay in pinstripes.  However, as his stock increases, so does his value as a late season trading chip for a Yankees team that is in a heated pennant chase with the Boston Red Sox.  Don’t be surprised if McAllister’s name starts to get floated around as a potential part of a trade deadline deal.  While that would bode well for the 6-6 230 lb righty’s immediate baseball future, his best market gains would be realized if he can make his MLB debut in a Yankees uniform.

AA Minor League Report—ZACH MCALLISTER

Other Notable Peformances

Hitting:

• Justin Snyder—2-4 2 RBI R
• Lars Anderson—2-3 R BB
• Argenis Diaz—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Juan Francisco—1-3 HR(11) RBI
• Bryan Peterson—3-5 R
• Michael Stanton—2-4 2 RBI
• Beau Mills—1-4 HR(5) 2 RBI 2R
• John Drennen—2-5 2B 2R 4 RBI
• Andy Dirks—2-3 2R RBI BB SB(5)
• Brandon Crawford—1-2 R 2 RBI BB SB(4)
• Chris Hatcher—2-4 2 HR(4) 2 RBI 2R
• Josh Bell—1-3 HR(6) 2 RBI BB
• James Adduci—3-4 2B R RBI
• Taylor Green—2-4 R RBI
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 2 RBI 2B R
• John Shelby Jr.—2-4 2B R
• Dayan Viciedo—3-4 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Sean Coughlin—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R 2B
• Kurt Mertins—3-6 2B 2R 4 RBI
• Jordan Parraz—3-6 2 2B 2 RBI R SB(4)
• Jose Duarte—3-5 R RBI SB(9)
• Josh Horton—3-5 2B 2R
• Chris Carter—2-3 HR(7) 2 RBI 2BB SB(7)
• Adrian Cardenas—2-4 R BB
• Darin Holcomb—2-3 HR(2) RBI 2R BB
• Eric Sogard—2-4 R BB
• Todd Cruz—2-3 R BB
• Steven Hill—2-4 2B R RBI

Pitching:

• Trevor Reckling—6.2 IP 3H ER 7 BB 7K
• Jhoulys Chacin—6 IP 4H Er 2 BB 7K W (4-4)
• Sergio Perez—6 IP 5H ER 2 BB 6K
• Scott Diamond—6 IP 5H Er BB 3K W (2-5)
• Zach McAllister—7.2 IP 7H 6K W (5-2)
• Luis Marte—7 IP 4H BB 6K W (4-5)
• Aaron Poreda—6 IP 3H 5 BB 7K W (5-4)
• Brad Holt—6.1 IP 2H ER 3 BB 3K