8/11 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 12, 2009 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)

8/2 AAA Minor League Report

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

Wow, lots has happened since the last minor league reports.  Several prospects have gotten fresh starts with new franchises and some are capitalizing on those opportunities.

Jeff Clement has,  as predicted, donned a first baseman’s glove and has hit like a top tier corner infielder since joining the Indianapolis Indians, hitting .545 with three HR and five runs scored in three games.  Clement is going to get a shot with the Bucs in the very near future and I think that the move to the NL and to 1B is going to be one that benefits him greatly.  The market for Clement’s cards is starting to pick up steam as many prospect prognosticators feel the same way that I do about his yellow and black rebirth.  Despite the optimistic start, beware!  Jeff Clement is an incredibly streaky hitter who could rip out 5 HR one week and manage just 5 hits the next.  Expect to pay $8-12 for each of his ‘06 autos right now and $2.50-3.50 for each of his ‘05 Bowman Chrome or Bowman Sterling first year cards right now.

Speaking of streaky hitters…..Travis Snider is molten hot right now.  The beefy Blue Jays OF blasted his 9th HR with the Las Vegas 51’st, driving in three runs and scoring three runs.  Snider is hitting .436 over his last 10 games with 4 HR 16 RBI and 12 runs scored.  In addition, he’s walked 8 times vs. 9 K’s during that time.  Strikeouts are always going to come in bunches for Snider, but his ability to work counts and get on base is key to his success in his next audition with the Jays.  Things are poised to open up for Snider soon as OF Jose Bautista’s production has been anemic at best.  At the same time, there is no real reason to rush the 21 year old slugger back to Toronto either.  This season was supposed to be Snider’s coming out party, but plate discipline woes and a shoulder injury mitigated his production.  The market for his first year autos in 2007 Bowman Sterling has been cut by more than half since this spring from $35-40 each to $15-18 today.  The bat speed is real, the power is prestigious, and the market for his cards are at all time lows.  Buy accordingly. 

Today’s top prospect is another Blue Jays farmhand.  Brian Dopirak is a long time minor league slugger who, at the age of 25, is experiencing a rebirth of his own as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization.  Drafted as an 18 year old in 2002, Dopirak pounded his way on prospectors’ radars in 2004 when he blasted 39 HR and 120 RBI for High-A Lancaster.  Since then, he has continued to hit HR’s at each minor league stop but has never been able to hit beyond AAA.  Yesterday’s 4-5 day that saw him hit HR’s #23 and 24 may change all of that.  At 6-4 and 220 lb., Dopirak is all hitter and is a below average defender at 1B.  Dopirak hits LH and RH pitching equally well but shows more power against southpaws.  He’s bound to get a look in September but it is unclear how much playing time he’ll get.  The market for Dopirak’s cards is low and slow right now, but a power surge in a big league uniform can create a brief window of collector interest for his cards.

AAA Player of the Day—BRIAN DOPIRAK

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Brandon Allen—2-5 2B HR(17) RBI
• John Hester—3-5 2 2B 2 RBI R
• Trent Oeltjen—2-4 HR(10) 2 RBI 2R BB SB(18)
• Matt Downs—2-4 HR(11) RBI 2B 2R (Game 1)…..2-4 2B 3B R
• Matt Tuiasosopo—2-4 HR(2) 3 RBI (Game 1)…..3-3 RBI (Game 2)
• Brad Nelson—2-3 HR(11) RBI 2R 2B
• Tyler Greene—3-3 3R BB 2 SB(21)
• Allen Craig—2-3 R RBI BB
• Wes Hodges—1-4 HR(4) RBI
• Austin Jackson—2-4 2 RBI R 2 SB(19)
• Jeff Clement—1-2 HR(17) RBI 2 BB 2R
• Neil Walker—3-4 2 2B 2 RBI
• Greg Golson—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Brett Wallace—1-3 HR(12) 2 RBI
• Cole Armstrong—2-4 HR(9) 3 RBI 2R
• Scott Sizemore—2-4 2R
• Gaby Sanchez—1-2 HR(10) RBI 2 BB
• Travis Snider—1-3 HR(9) 3 RBI 3R 2 BB
• Brian Dopirak—4-5 2 HR(24) 3 RBI 4R

Pitching:

• Junichi Tazawa—5.1 IP 2H 2 ER BB 3K L (9-7)
• Clay Mortensen—5.1 IP 5H ER 3 BB 5K

7/27 AAA Minor League Report

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

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

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

AAA Player of the Day—TONY ABREU

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

7/19 AAA Minor League Report

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

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

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

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

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

AAA Player of the Day—ALLEN CRAIG

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

7/16 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 17, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Wow, I go away for a week and return to a bevy of changes.  Chicago White Sox 1B prospect Brandon Allen was traded to the Diamondbacks for relief pitcher Tony Pena Jr. and the promising trifecta of Michael Taylor, Tyler Flowers, and Buster Posey all made their AAA debuts last night.  Taylor and Posey were hitless in their four AB’s, but Flowers hit his 1st HR for the Charlotte Knights in his debut.

The influx of talent back into the AAA ranks makes it an interesting level to report on once again.  A battle for future Texas Rangers 1B duties is taking place between former 1B Chris Davis and future All-Star Justin Smoak.  Currently, the recently demoted Davis is winning the battle handily, hitting .364 with 1 HR and 7 RBI for Oklahoma City in 8 games.  He has cut back on his K’s and seems to be working on taking more walks.  After a dreadful 17 BB/117 K showing, this is positive news.  Meanwhile, Justin Smoak has had trouble adjusting to his AAA promotion, hitting just .139 with 1 HR and 3 RBI in his first 10 games, but his four hits in the last three games and 7 BB/9 K ratio shows promise of better numbers to come.  Davis has been playing at 3B since being sent down and all indications point to Justin Smoak being the front runner as next year’s regular 1B.  Where does that leave Davis?  The Rangers are in playoff contention for the first time in a long time and are assuredly looking for another arm for their rotation.  There haven’t been any definitive rumors of dealing Davis at this point, but the value that a 23 year old, left-handed hitter with 30+ HR power is certainly intriguing.  Davis could also return next season as the Rangers’ DH.  Both Andruw Jones and Hank Blalock have performed admirably in the role this season, but the price tags for each of them are considerably higher than Davis’ MLB minimum pay.  The Rangers are a team in financial turmoil and cutting payroll will be a popular offseason activity for sure.  Regardless of Davis’ future, the key for him right now is that he rediscovers his pitch recognition and adjusts his approach to the ball.  He seems to be a kid with excellent makeup who has taken well to the demotion and is working earnestly to make his way back to the big leagues.

Today’s top AAA prospect is St. Louis Cardinals 3B/1B/OF prospect Allen Craig.  The former University of California standout went 3-5 yesterday with a double, triple and three runs scored.  I was high on Craig as a sleeper this past offseason, as his first year cards in the 2006 Bowman Draft and Chrome set were selling for next to nothing.  His numbers at Memphis have been solid this season (.270 8 HR 32 RBI 34 runs scored), but not to the levels of his AA numbers from a year ago.  While he’s not been able to duplicate his power numbers or OBP numbers, he still remains a solid future role player who has the versatility to play both infield corners and outfield corners with decent offensive production.  The Cardinals don’t have any room on their roster for him to earn any considerable playing time this season, but I think that a September call up is likely.  Marketwise, Craig’s first year cards are still at rock bottom prices (a 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft Gold Refractor recently sold for just $12.50) and many active listings reside in the highly overpriced storefront areas.  I think his card values apexed in 2007 when he broke out at High-A ball, but there could be another brief spike in value if he produces during his September cup-o’-coffee or if a trade to another franchise opens up future opportunities.

AAA Player of the Day—ALLEN CRAIG

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Shelly Duncan—2-3 HR(22) 2 RBI BB
• Shelby Ford—3-5 HR92) RBI 2 2B 3R
• Steven Pearce—3-5 2 2B 2 RBI
• Danny Valencia—3-4 2B RBI
• Michael Brantley—3-4 2 2B 2 RBI BB
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 2B R
• Scott Sizemore—1-4 2B R 2 RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—2-4 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Tyler Flowers—1-4 HR(14) RBI
• Jon Jay—2-6 2R RBI
• Allen Craig—3-5 2B 3B 3R
• Donovan Solano—2-4 2R BB
• Cole Gillespie—2-4 HR(8) RBI
• Chris Davis—2-6 2B R RBI BB
• Jose Vallejo—2-6 2B R RBI
• Joaquin Arias—3-7 R SB(10)
• Justin Smoak—2-7 2B R RBI
• Tommy Manzella—2-6 GS HR(4) 4 RBI
• Brandon Allen—1-3 HR(10) RBI BB

Pitching:

• Fabio Castro—7 IP 4H ER 2K W (6-4)
• Lucas Harrell—7 IP 2H UER 2 BB 4K W (10-4)
• Matt Maloney—6.2 IP 7H BB 8K L (6-6)

5/22 AAA Minor League Report

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

Several of the usual prospects make this list and, as players from the AAA ranks keep getting recalled to their major league clubs, the list of true prospects to report about gets smaller and smaller.  Andrew McCutchen hit his 2nd HR of the season and Brandon Wood hit #10.  Today’s top performances, however, were on the mound.  Red Sox pitcher Charlie Zink tossed eight quality innings allowing a run on three hits for his 3rd win.  Padres righty, Will Inman struck out nine over 5.2 innings but today’s competition boils down to two American League pitching prospects.

Vin Mazzaro had another dominant performance tossing eight innings of one-hit ball, striking out six in a no-decision.  Mazzaro has now allowed just one run over his last 23 innings of work and has held opponents to a .207 BAA–quite a feat considering the tough pitching atmosphere in the PCL.  In the International League, Baltimore Orioles righty David Hernandez surrendered three unearned runs, all in the 8th inning, in 7.1 IP on just three hits, no walks and 14 strikeouts.  Hernandez has followed up last year’s breakout season by continuing his dominance at Norfolk, going 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 60 K’s in just 43.1 IP.  Last year, Hernandez paced the Orioles organization with 166 K’s.  His fastball sits between 90-92 MPH, hitting 94 on occasion.  Hernandez has a deceptive delivery and hides the ball well from hitters.  In addition to his fastball, he has a decent slider and changeup that he has improved the command of this season.  Ultimately, Hernandez profiles as a mid-rotation starter within an organization that has a considerable amount of near major league ready pitching depth.  Don’t be surprised if the O’s bring him along at some point this season, though it may be in the bullpen.

AAA Player of the Day—DAVID HERNANDEZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Michael Brantley—2-5 2R RBI
• Fernando Martinez—2-5 2 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—1-2 2 BB SB(15)
• Andrew McCutchen—1-5 HR(2) RBI
• Matt Wieters—2-4 2B R RBI
• Carlos Gonzalez—2-4 2 RBI
• Aaron Cunningham—2-6 2B R
• Cliff Pennington—3-3 2B BB SB(16)
• Freddy Sandoval—2-5 R SB(11)
• Brandon Wood—2-4 HR(10) RBI
• Allen Craig—2-4 2B R RBI
• Bryan Anderson—2-4 2B R RBI
• Michael Saunders—2-3 R BB
• Joe Koshansky—1-4 HR8) RBI 2R BB SB(2)

Pitching:

• Will Inman—5.2 IP 6H 2 ER 2 BB 9K
• Vin Mazzaro—8 IP H BB 6K
• David Hernandez—7.1 IP 3H 3 UER 14K
• Matt Maloney—7 IP 6H UER BB 3K
• Charlie Zink—8 IP 3H ER 2 BB 3K W (3-4)

5/16 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 17, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

I have a little window of time to give you the reports for Saturday’s games as I have been super busy with family festivities.  Saturday’s games saw Tommy Hanson continue his dominance of the International league as he threw seven two-hit innings of shutout ball striking out seven and earning his second win of the season.  Teammate and best friend Kris Medlen may be beating him to the Braves rotation, but rest assured that they will both be pitching there for the bulk of the 2009 season.  Brett Wallace looked exceptional in his AAA debut going 3-4 with two runs and an RBI.  His presence in Memphis’ lineup should help to improve the bats of both Jon Jay and Allen Craig.  As good as Wallace was, he was outshone by the sterling pitching performance of P.J. Walters who tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out 9.  Jake Fox continues to put forth an MVP performance this season with a 3-4 day scoring two runs and raising his season average to .429.  On Friday night, Fox clubbed his 16th HR and, with his 46 RBI, he has continually pushed the envelope for another Cubbie callup.

Today’s top L.A. Angels prospect is 2B/SS Sean Rodriguez.  Sean-Rod went 5-5 with two HR, boosting his total to 14, and driving in 5 RBI.  He also scored three times.  The Angels are a team that is impending transition with several of their stars aging, therefore ushering in the need for a new era of talent.  Rodriguez, along with Brandon Wood seem to be in line to inherit roles with the big league club, but they have struggled to show that capability during their brief stints with the big club.  Both Wood and Rodriguez are still just 23 years old and have immense offensive potential that should be realized within the next season or two, either with the Angels or another big league club.

AAA Player of the Day—SEAN RODRIGUEZ

Other Notable Peformances

Hitting:

• Alcides Escobar—2-4 2 2B 2R RBI
• Angel Salome—2-4 2 RBI
• Cole Gillespie—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Chad Huffman—2-2 HR(7) RBI 2BB
• Brett Wallace—3-4 2B 2R RBI
• Jon Jay—2-5 2B R
• Allen Craig—2-5 2B R
• Jake Fox—3-4 2B R
• Freddy Sandoval—2-6 2 RBI 2R SB(9)
• Matt Brown—2-4 2 HR(5) 5 RBI 3R
• Sean Rodriguez—5-5 2 HR(14) 5 RBI 3R
• Brandon Wood—1-3 3R 2 BB
• Jeff Clement—2-5 2B 2 RBI
• Mike Carp—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Adam Moore—2-4 R RBI BB
• Cliff Pennington—2-4 3 RBI R SB(10)
• Adrian Cardenas—1-2 2B 2R 2 BB SB(3)
• Fernando Martinez—1-2 R 2 BB SB(2)
• Brandon Jones—2-4 2B R RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—4-5 2 HR(4) 2 RBI 2R

Pitching:

• David Hernandez—5.1 IP 2H 4 BB 6K W (3-1)
• Matt Maloney—7 IP 6H ER BB 5K L (3-2)
• Tommy Hanson—7 IP 2H BB 7K W (2-3)
• Gaby Hernandez—6 IP 4H ER 4 BB 4K W (3-2)
• Sean O’Sullivan—7 IP 4H 3 ER BB 9K W (3-1)
• P.J. Walters—9 IP 3H BB 8K W (2-1)

5/6 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 7, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

We skipped a day of reports, but today we’ll get back into the swing of things starting with some of the AAA performances.  Marlins 2B prospect and former player of the day winner Chris Coghlan continued his torrid hitting by going 3-3 with his third HR in four games, six RBI, two doubles and two runs scored.  Coghlan has shaken off an early season slump to hit .556 in his last 10 games with 20 hits, 3 HR 16 RBI 5 SB and 12 runs scored.  Cardinals 3B prospect Allen Craig hit his third HR last night, giving the indication that his bat may also be starting to warm up.  On the mound, Michael Bowden pitched 6.2 quality innings allowing just an unearned run and Daniel Bard picked up his eighth save by striking out four of the five batters he faced.

Today’s top performance is really a toss up between two pitchers.  Atlanta Braves undersized righty Kris Medlen was simply dominant again last night surrendering just two hits over seven innings while striking out 10 en route to his fourth win and lowering his season ERA to 1.17.  He has clearly outpitched even his teammate Tommy Hanson this season and is making a strong case to be the first call up for the Braves when a rotation spot opens up.  Medlen’s stock has been consistently rising since his sterling performance in the Arizona Fall League this past November in which he earned a 2.14 ERA with 1 BB/25 K in just 22.1 innings.  Medlen was originally going to be developed as a closer, as his small stature (5-10 190 lb.) was thought to serve as a detriment to his overall stamina.  The Braves have altered their ideas, however, and Medlen has flourished.  His 94 MPH fastball and two plane slider are both MLB plus pitches and his changeup is a serviceable third pitch capable of generating outs.  Medlen is an excellent athlete with clean pitching mechanics and a closer’s demeanor on the mound.  His only cards to date can be found in the 2006 Bowman Chrome draft set and the market for them is quite low right now at just 40-75 cents each.

Colorado Rockies prospect Brandon Hynick tossed seven shutout innings and helped himself out at the plate by going 2-3 with his first HR of the season.  Hynick has struggled to replicate the exceptional 2007 season he had at High-A Modesto when he went 16-5 with a 2.52 ERA in the hitter friendly California League.  Hynick is a soft tosser whose offspeed stuff is a poor match for the thin air of Colorado.  His upside is as an end of the rotation starter, but more likely will be the case that he will become a spot starter and long relief guy at the major league level.

AAA Players of the Day—KRIS MEDLEN & BRANDON HYNICK

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Reid Brignac—3-4 2B 2R RBI BB
• Matt Joyce—2-4 HR(3) 4 RBI
• Blake DeWitt—4-5 2B R
• Jon Jay—2-3 2 2B R RBI 2 SB(6)
• Allen Craig—1-3 HR(3) RBI BB
• Shane Robinson—1-3 3B 3R BB
• Joe Koshansky—1-4 HR(5) 3 RBI
• Matt Camp—3-4 R 2 RBI
• Sean Doolittle—2-4 2B BB
• Cliff Pennington—3-4 2B RBI SB(7)
• Fernando Martinez—2-4 2B 3B RBI
• Luke Hughes—1-4 HR(5) RBI
• Drew Sutton—3-4 2B R
• John Raynor—2-4 2B 3R BB
• Chris Coghlan—3-3 2 2B HR(3) 6 RBI 2R
• Eric Young Jr.—2-4 3B R SB(17) (Game 1)…..1-3 R BB SB(18) (Game 2)
• Chris Pettit—4-5 2B 2 RBI SB(8)
• Freddy Sandoval—2-5 3B R 2 RBI
• Kyle Blanks—2-4 2B RBI

Pitching:

• Jose Asciano—5 IP 3H 9K W (1-1)
• Kris Medlen—7 IP 2H BB 10K W (4-0)
• Michael Bowden—6.2 IP H UER 4 BB 2K
• Daniel Bard—1.1 IP H 4K SV (6)
• Brandon Hynick—7 IP 5H BB 2K W (2-2)…..2-3 HR(1) RBI
• Gaby Hernandez—5 IP 4H 2 ER BB 5K W (1-2)
• Anthony Swarzak—7 IP 5H ER 2 BB 6K W(2-3)

4/27 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on April 28, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Hey gang!  I apologize for my three day hiatus from the blogosphere.  I had some family obligations to tend to, which consequently limited my time spent online.  I am back into the fray though and ready to crank out some more great prospect reports.  Let’s get started in the AAA ranks!

Mat Gamel hit homerun number seven on Monday and both Juan Miranda and Brad Snyder chipped in their fifth.  Eric Young Jr. showed that he can do more than just steal bases by hitting his first round tripper and Kyle Blanks chipped in his third longball.  On the mound, Clay Buchholz looked dominant over six innings allowing one run on three hits and seven K’s and Luke Hochevar looked like a #1 overall pick as he won his fourth game of the year. 

The name on everyone’s tongues this spring has been Chicago Cubs slugging prospect Jake Fox.  Fox didn’t dissapoint last night as he blasted not one, but two HR to increase his minor league leading total to 11.  Fox, though, was outdone by another two HR slugger, Oakland A’s 1B/OF prospect Sean Doolittle.  The former Virginia Cavalier knocked in four runs and scored three times as he doubled his 2009 HR output to four.  Doolittle has made great strides in transforming himself from a Mark Grace-type high average, low power player to an athletic player with the capability of hitting 20-25 HR in the middle of a major league lineup.  Oakland has some potential holes at 1B that Doolittle is just about ready to fill. Expect him to get a shot at some point in 2009.

AAA Player of the Game—SEAN DOOLITTLE

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Wes Hodges—2-4 2B
• Michael Aubrey—2-4 HR(2) 2 RBI 2R 2B
• Clete Thomas—3-4 HR(1) 2 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Juan Miranda—1-5 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Austin Jackson—1-5 2R 2B SB(5)
• Trevor Plouffe—2-3 2R
• Steven Pearce—1-4 HR(3) RBI
• John Mayberry—2-5 HR(4) RBI 2B 2R
• Adam Rosales—3-3 2B 2 RBI R
• Drew Stubbs—2-4 2B RBI
• Chris Lubanski—2-3 2B 2 RBI BB R
• Kila Ka’aihue—2-4 3B RBI
• Jake Fox—2-3 2 HR(11) 2 RBI 3R BB SB(1)
• Brad Snyder—3-4 HR(5) 3 RBI
• Mat Gamel—1-4 HR(7) RBI BB
• Alcides Escobar—1-4 2B 2 SB(10)
• Josh Alley—2-3 2B 2R RBI BB (Game 1)…..2-3 (Game 2)
• Chris Pettit—2-3 2B RBI (Game 1)…..3-3 2 2B 2 RBI (Game 2)
• Kyle Blanks—2-3 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Allen Craig—1-4 HR(2) RBI 2R
• Brian Boguesevic—2-4 3B R RBI
• Eric Young Jr.—2-3 HR(1) RBI 3B 2R
• Sean Doolittle—2-3 2 HR(4) 4 RBI 3R BB
• Jesus Guzman—2-3 HR(3) 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Ian Kennedy—4.2 IP 7H UER 2 BB 4K
• Clay Buchholz—6 IP 3H ER 7K
• Drew Carpenter—7.1 IP 4H UER 3 BB 3K
• Luke Hochevar—6 IP 4H UER 2 BB 7K W(4-0)

4/16 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on April 17, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Neftali Feliz won his first game of the season, thanks in large part to a 12 run fourth inning put up by Oklahoma City’s offense.  Carlos Gonzalez got his season on track with a three run, two RBI performance against Tuscon.  Jon Jay and Mat Gamel continue to swing hot bats, but not as hot as Angels 2B prospect Sean Rodriguez who hit his third HR of the season with three RBI and three runs scored.

Pacific Coast League Player of the Day—SEAN RODRIGUEZ

Other Notable Peformances:

• Josh Whitesell—2-4 R RBI
• Carlos Gonzalez—2-3 3R 2 2B 2 RBI 2 BB
• Matt Miller—3-4 2 RBI R 2B
• John Raynor—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Gaby Sanchez—2-5 2 RBI
• Jon Jay—2-3 2B 2R RBI
• Shane Robinson—2-5 R RBI
• Tyler Greene—2-4 2R
• Allen Craig—1-4 2B RBI
• Jess Todd—2 IP 2H 2K SV(1)
• Julio Borbon—2-5 2R 2 RBI 2 BB
• Max Ramirez—2-6 R RBI
• Joaquin Arias—2-4 3R RBI BB
• Greg Golson—2-3 2B 2R 3 BB 3 RBI
• Neftali Feliz—5 IP 3H 2 Er 2 BB 5K W(1)
• Mat Gamel—2-4 2B R
• Hernan Iribarren—1-4 3B RBI R
• Kila Ka’aihue—1-4 2 RBI
• J.R. Towles—3-4 2B R RBI
• Yordany Ramirez—2-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Sean Rodriguez—2-4 HR(3) 3 RBI 2B 3R SB(2)
• Will Venable—2-5 2R
• Kyle Blanks—2-4 2B R RBI BB
• Eric Patterson—1-4 HR(1) RBI 2R BB
• Cliff Pennington—0-2 2R 3 BB RBI
• Daric Barton—1-5 2B 3 RBI
• Mike Carp—1-4 2B R RBI

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Pitching was at center stage tonight as Pawtuckett’s Kris Johnson outdueled Rochester’s Anthony Swarzak in a 1-0 win.  David Price surrendered just one earned run over five innings in a losing effort and Carlos Carrasco struck out six in six innings.  Matt Wieters hit his first bomb of the new season and Matt LaPorta and John Mayberry Jr logged in with their second.  The IL player of the day was New York Mets future 1B Nick Evans whose two HR four RBI day was tops in the AAA ranks.

International League Player of the Day—NICK EVANS

Other Notable Performances:

• Fernando Martinez—2-5 2 2B 2R
• Nick Evans—2-5 2 HR(3) 4 RBI 2R
• Mark Melancon—1.2 IP 2 BB 3K W(2)
• Kris Johnson—5 IP 2H 2 BB 3K W(1)
• Anthony Swarzak—7 IP 5H Er 5K L(2)
• Matt LaPorta—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Michael Brantley—1-3 RBI BB SB(2)
• Wilkin Ramirez—2-4 RBI
• Adam Rosales—2-4 HR(3) RBI 2R BB SB(2)
• Andrew McCutchen—1-4 R SB(3)
• Neil Walker—1-4 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Van Pope—3-4 2B RBI R
• Matt Joyce—1-3 2B RBI
• David Price—5 IP 4H UER BB 6K
• John Mayberry Jr.—1-5 HR(2) 3 RBI
• Matt Wieters—2-5 HR(1) RBI BB 2R
• Carlos Carrasco—6 IP 7H 2 ER 6K
• Luis Montanez—2-3 3R 2 RBI 2 BB SB(2)
• Nolan Reimold—1-5 2 RBI
• Mike Costanzo—1-4 2B R BB
• Justin Turner—3-4 RBI BB