PPR Mailbag: Jason Heyward’s 2010 Season

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

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

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

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

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

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

8/11 AA Minor League Report

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

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

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

AA Player of the Day—MICHAEL STANTON 

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

Brian Matusz to Make His MLB Debut Tonight

Posted by Jeremy on August 4, 2009 under Market Watch | Read the First Comment

We’ve been musing about it for a while now and, while I expected this move to happen in September, the Baltimore Orioles have called up their prized southpaw and #4 overall pick from last year Brian Matusz to make his MLB debut on the road against the Detroit Tigers.  Matusz has been lights out this season at both High-A and AA going 11-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 31 BB/121 K in his 113 innings of work.  Given his workload to date, it seems improbable that the O’s will keep Matusz up for the rest of the season. 

Even more intriguing to me is how the eBay market will respond to Brian Matusz’s various Razor cards.  Remember, Razor notched an exclusive deal with Matusz and, outside of his assortment of UD Team USA cards, the company has cornered the market on his cards.  To date, the baseball collecting world has not warmed to Razor’s offerings to the same degree that they have with the larger manufacturers.  However, Matusz’s debut marks the beginning of several other impending debuts from top ‘08 draftees that they have exclusive deals with like Justin Smoak, Pedro Alvarez, Brett Wallace and Yonder Alonso. 

My gut tells me that the market will not respond with the same voracity that it would if these cards were issued by a Topps, Donruss, or Upper Deck brand, but the demand for these cards will grow as these young future stars start to don their first MLB uniforms.

Pirates/M’s and Cliff Lee Trade Analyses

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

The Cardboard Connection has posted my article I wrote in the wake of the Matt Holliday deal.  While the trade is now old news, here’s the link to the article for your viewing pleasure.

I also stayed up late last night tapping out similar articles for the Pirates/M’s trade and the Cliff Lee to Philly deal.  I think the Pirates added some significant depth to their system as did the Indians.  The M’s filled a couple of holes in their roster, but not spectacularly so.  The Phillies may have purchased a couple more trips to the World Series while keeping their trifecta of elite prospects (Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown, and Michael Taylor). 

I will link to the Pirates/M’s trade article and Cliff Lee to Philly articles once they are posted on the Cardboard Connection.  If you haven’t checked out that site yet, do so today.  It is rapidly becoming one of the best sports card info sites on the web.

Market Implications of Wednesday and Thursday’s MLB deals

Posted by Jeremy on under Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

Pardon my delay in getting this out.  I have been dealing with a wicked ear infection over the past three days that has affected my use of anything brain-related.  I have been following the trade deadline transactions with great intrigue and will continue to bring you analysis either on this site or the Cardboard Connection over the next couple of days.

Multi-player swaps between the Phillies/Indians and Mariners/Pirates gobbled up the headlines over the past 24 hours, but there were several smaller deals that have popped up during that time that should has some short and long term implications on the eBay baseball card market.  Let’s knock them down one by one…

WEDNESDAY:

San Francisco aquires Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Freddy Sanchez for AA RHP Tim Alderson

On the surface, it seems that the Giants overpaid for the former All-Star second baseman.  Alderson was ranked by Baseball America as San Francisco’s #4 overall prospect for 2009.  After a solid start at High-A San Jose, the Giants promoted Alderson to AA Connecticut where he has compiled a 6-1 record with a 3.47 ERA in 13 starts.  However, his last handful of starts have not been without struggle as he has allowed 17 earned runs on 36 hits in just 28 innings.  Add that to the fact that the Giants’ rotation seems to be stacked for the long term with Lincecum, Cain, Zito, Bumgarner, and Jonathan Sanchez.  That stockpile of talent, along with the emergence of Henry Sosa made Alderson expendible, but several, including this sportsfan, feel that the Giants could have gotten more in return for him.  From a market perspective, Alderson’s move to Pittsburgh converts him from being a future mid-rotation starter to becoming the Pirates’ best pitching prospect.  This should accelerate his path to the major leagues and, in turn, offer a potential bump in the values of his various 1st year cards.  Currently, Alderson has autos in the 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft, Bowman Sterling and Donruss Elite Extra (#/719) sets that currently sell for $17-22 each right now.  There is a lot to like about Alderson as a prospect.  At 6-6 220 lb., he’s got projectible stuff and command that not many 20 year olds can match.  However, he’s had his difficulties dominating hitters during his first couple of seasons in the same way that his former counterpart Madison Bumgarner has.  In 99 innings this season, Alderson has a 17 BB/66 K ratio.  In addition, hitters from both the California League and Eastern League have had a significant amount of success against him combining to hit .272.  Alderson, like Bumgarner, is one of the youngest pitchers in the AA ranks right now and there’s reason to believe that some of his recent struggles could be attributed to a lack of experience over a decrease in stuff.  He’ll likely stay in the minor leagues this season before challenging for a rotation spot next spring.

As for Sanchez, his consistent offensive production in Pittsburgh has gone largely unnoticed with collectors as the Pirates have been perennial cellar dwellers for much of his career.  Now a member of the Giants and in the thick of a pennant chase, Sanchez’s 2002 autos are beginning to summon an increased amount of market appeal.  Sanchez is not the focal piece of the Giants’ lineup, but his bat will fit nicely in the #2 spot of the order and he should contribute immediately.  As the Giants go, so will the demand for Sanchez’s cards.  Unless they make the World Series, though, I think the most pronounced bounce in value will come in the the first few days following this trade. 

Ryan Garko traded to the San Francisco Giants for high class A LHP Scott Barnes

Again, the Giants surrendered a high potential power arm for a solid but not spectacular infield bat.  Garko has put up decent numbers this year, hitting .280 with 11 HR and 39 RBI this season for the Indians.  Like Sanchez, the fetch for Garko’s 2005 first year cards and various autos will depend largely upon his and the Giants fortunes down the stretch. 

Scott Barnes is a 6-4 195 lb. lefty that has tamed the rampant bats of the California League this season to the tune of a 12-3 record and 2.85 ERA.  What makes this even more impressive is the fact that Barnes is a flyball pitcher in a league that usually eats them alive.  The key to Barnes’ succes?  A 91-94 MPH fastball with wicked movement that has limited hitters to a .227 batting average.  He also features a curveball with good bite and improving command.  To date, the former St. John’s standout doesn’t have a first year card, but should in the near future.

Orioles trade LHP George Sherrill to the Dodgers for 3B Josh Bell and RHP Steven Johnson

This deal is all about the prospects.  Sherrill is going to be a set-up man for the Dodgers and has no market value.  From a baseball standpoint, the Dodgers have to shore up their bullpen depth with a quality veteran southpaw.  As for the youngsters, Josh Bell has long been a favorite sleeper prospect of mine.  He struggled through injuries last season and was shut down early to rehab his knee.  He’s been nothing but healthy and productive this year, though, hitting .296 with 11 HR 52 RBI 30 doubles and 47 runs scored in 94 games.   What’s more is that his BB/K ratio continues to get better and better.  This season, Bell has walked 50 times while striking out 70.  At 6-3 235 lb., and just 22 years old, there is a vast amount of power potential in the youngster’s game, as he possesses wicked bat speed from both sides of the plate, but there are also some concerns about his ability to stay at 3B for the long term.  Bell has committed 17 errors this season and has a decent .929 fielding percentage.  The organization has little definitive depth at the hot corner but features promising sluggers Brandon Snyder and Brandon Waring at 1B.  Bell’s first year cards in the 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft set sell for less than $1 each and his first autographed cards in the 2008 Bowman Chrome set can still be had for $5-7.50 each.  Bell’s probably a year away from being ready for major league competition, but with Melvin Mora’s contract option likely not being picked up, there is a chance that Bell competes for the third base job in spring training 2010.  I know that I’ve said this before, but the Orioles are a season or two away from being a really good team.

Steven Johnson has had a nice bounce back at High-A Inland Empire this season going 8-4 with a 3.82 ERA and a 42 BB/102 K ratio in 97 innings.  He continued to look sharp in two AA outings with Chatanooga going 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 15 K’s in just 10 innings of work.  Johnson can get his fastball up to 92 MPH and also works with a fringy changeup and solid average curveball.  He’s an extreme flyball pitcher who probably would benefit more by being in a more spacious ballpark than Camden Yards.  At 21 years old, there’s some upside for Johnson as a back of the rotation starter, but the Orioles are an organization loaded with pitching talent which should spell “long reliever” as Johnson’s future role in an O’s uniform.  The eBay market for Steven Johnson’s only cards, 2005 Bowman Draft and Chrome, is limited to the oft-overvalued eBay store items.  There aren’t any deals to be had on his chromes which are frequently on sale for $1.00-1.50 each.  Cheaper alternatives can be found on Beckett’s Marketplace or Sportsbuy.com where prices fall into the more appropriate 25-50 cent range.

7/26 AAA Minor League Report

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

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

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

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

AAA Player of the Day—ADAM MOORE

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

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

7/7 AAA Minor League Report

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

The family is finally in bed and after a long day, I am able to sit down at my computer and check box scores!

Yesterday’s action at the AAA ranks saw Minnesota Twins 3B prospect Danny Valencia stroke another two hits, scoring twice and driving in three runs.  Since his promotion to Rochester, Valencia has torn the cover off of the ball, hitting .352 with 2 HR 12 RBI and 12 runs scored in 15 games.  The former Miami Hurricane has made significant steps in increasing his plate discipline, as testified by his 33 BB/47 K ratio, and has shown decent power numbers by hitting 9 HR, driving in 41 runs and smacking 19 doubles.  The Twins currently have Joe Crede manning the hot corner and, while he’s had a solid power numbers this year and has played good defense, his low batting average and impending free agency makes him an unlikely candidate to return to the Twins.  Valencia has an opportunity to take the next step forward and nestle into a full time role with MInnesota as early as April of next year. 

Today’s top AAA prospect is San Diego Padres OF Chad Huffman.  The stocky 24 year old righty went 3-4 with his 12th HR, two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored yesterday.  Huffman’s big day raised his average to .246 and has been swinging a hot bat through the first seven games in July.  Huffman has boosted his power numbers this season, but at the expense of his plate discipline.  Regardless of his inconsistencies, Huffman remains a strong and offensively adept OF who is a gritty competitor and tireless worker.  Players of that caliber inevitably grind their way onto major league rosters in some capacity.  The Padres are chocked full of outfielders with higher upsides than Huffman, but most of them are still at the single-A levels right now.  That gives the former TCU Horned Frog a brief window of opportunity to wriggle his way into a major league job.  Expect him to get a look in September.

AAA Player of the Day—CHAD HUFFMAN

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• John Raynor—2-4 2B R 2 RBI
• Chad Huffman—3-4 HR(12) 4 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Chin-Lung Hu—3-4 BB
• Cole Gillespie—1-3 2B 2R BB
• Joaquin Arias—4-5 3 RBI R
• Chris Davis—3-4 2B 3B 2R RBI
• Greg Golson—4-5 3R
• Yorandy Ramirez—2-4 HR(9) RBI
• Mark Hamilton—2-4 2B R
• Brett Wallace—2-3 RBI BB
• Jeff Clement—2-5 2B HR(12) 4 RBI
• Mike Carp—0-2 2 BB 3R
• Brandon Wood—2-4 HR(16) RBI 2B 2R
• Jesus Guzman—2-4 2R RBI BB
• Jacob Hester—2-5 2 2B
• Danny Valencia—2-4 2R 3 RBI BB
• David Winfree—4-5 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Reid Brignac—2-5 2 RBI
• Brian Bixler—2-6 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Shelby Ford—2-4 2 2B 3R BB
• Michael Brantley—3-5 2B R
• Trevor Crowe—1-5 3B 2 RBI
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 2 RBI
• Juan Miranda—3-4 HR(11) RBI 2R BB
• Brandon Snyder—2-4 R 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Will Inman—6 IP 6H 2 ER BB 4K W (1-4)
• Bryan Augenstien—5 IP 6H 2 ER BB 4K W (2-4)
• Clay Buchholz—6 IP 4H 2 ER 4 BB 4K W (7-1)
• Jake Arrieta—6.1 IP 7H 4 ER BB 8K W (8-5)

6/30 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 2, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Sorry for getting this one out late. My son is out of school for the summer which limits my online time significantly.  I have lit the candle, though and it is currently burning at both ends.  This should keep me up later each night to try and get more work done after the family goes to bed.

We’ll see.

As for the High-A action, Thomas Neal and Angel Villalona each had three hits and drove in three runs for the San Jose Giants.  Neal has hit the tar out of the ball this season, hitting .349 with 13 HR 49 RBI 22 doubles and 53 runs scored this season.  June was a banner month for Neal as he hit .414 with 6 of his HR during that time.  The 22 year old rightfielder has the most power in the Giants organization of any prospect not named Angel Villalona.  His plate discipline is sound and he makes good contact at the plate, but I would really like to see what this guy can do at the AA ranks.  The California League, as I have long maintained, is a very hitter friendly environment while the Eastern League (home of San Fran’s AA affiliate Connecticut) tends to favor pitching.  Somehow I think the .349 average is flukish and that his numbers should more closely resemble last season’s .279 mark.  Regardless that average, mixed with 25-30 HR power, should make him a highly intriguing prospect once his first year cards surface on the eBay market.

Angel Villalona has been hovering below the radar this season as many other San Jose Giants like Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson, Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, and the aforementioned Thomas Neal have all garnered more attention.  Still, the 18 year old 1st Baseman has put up a solid showing at High-A ball, hitting .271 with 9 HR 39 RBI and 41 runs scored.  Plate discipline and pitch recognition continues to be a sore spot for Angel as his 9 BB/66 K ratio vehemently testifies.  He will never be a low strikeout guy, and chances are he won’t walk a ton either, but his ability to more closely match those numbers will speak volumes to just how high his ceiling will be.  A full season at San Jose would best behoove Villalona developmentally as would some work in a winter league.

High-A Player of the Day Tyler Henson blasted two homers yesterday, driving in three runs.  The Baltimore Orioles’ 3B prospect first popped up on my radar this past winter when he paced the Hawaiian Winter League in runs scored, doubles and bases on balls.  Unfortunately, he also finished second in strikeouts and committed nine errors at the hot corner.  Henson has tons of athleticism that he uses well on the basepaths and his 6-1 190 lb. frame indicates that he should be a 12-15 HR hitter at the major league level.  This season with Frederick, Henson has struggled to make consistent contact at the plate, striking out 83 times while walking 23 times.  This has contributed to his lackluster .246 batting average and anemic .310 OBP.  He’s still driving the ball well to the gaps, hitting 19 doubles, and his 12 SB this season indicates that he is on track for his third consecutive 20 SB season.  The O’s don’t have a whole lot of depth within their organization at 3B as Billy Rowell has moved to the other side of the diamond, Mike Costanzo is a perennial disappointment, and Tyler Kolodny is having a so-so season at Low-A Delmarva.  There is ample opportunity for the 21 year old former SS prospect to make some moves up the organization’s depth chart if he can turn some of his exciting tools into more consistent skills.

High-A Player of the Day—TYLER HENSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Julian Perez—2-5 2R RBI SB(5)
• P.J. Phillips—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R
• Trayvon Robinson—1-3 HR(10) 2 RBI
• James Darnell—1-4 HR(9) 3 RBI
• Sawyer Carroll—2-4 3B 2R RBI
• Tyson Gillies—4-6 2R 3 SB(21)
• Carlos Peguero—3-4 2 HR(18) 5 RBI 3R
• Alex Liddi—3-5 2 2B 3R RBI SB(7)
• James McOwen—2-5 Hr(4) 2 RBI 2B 2R
• Brandon Barnes—2-4 Hr(8) 3 RBI 2R
• Jermaine Mitchell—3-4 2 2B 3B 3R RBI BB
• Thomas Neal—3-5 2 2B 3B 3 RBI 2R
• Angel Villalona—3-5 3 RBI R
• Brian Bocock—2-4 2B 3R 3 RBI BB
• Darren Ford—3-4 3R 3B
• Jason Kaase—3-5 2B R
• Ollie Linton—3-6 2 RBI
• Jesus Sucre—2-4 HR(2) 2 RBI 2B
• Michael Burgess—2-5 2B 3B RBI
• Seth Rooney—3-4 3 2B 2 RBI BB
• Brent Morel—4-5 HR(10 3 RBI 2R SB(17)
• Tyler Kuhn—4-4 2R 3B RBI
• Tyler Henson—2-4 2 HR(6) 3 RBI 2R
• Mike Moustakas—3-3 2B RBI BB
• Derrick Robinson—2-5 2B 2R
• Pedro Florimon Jr.—2-3 2 2B 2R RBI
• Tim Federowicz—2-5 HR(11) RBI 2R
• Yamiaco Navarro—3-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2B
• Che Hsuan Lin—2-4 3B 3R 3 RBI BB
• Jason Place—2-5 2 2B R RBI
• Jordy Mercer—1-4 3B R 2 RBI
• Greg Burns—2-3 2 2B R RBI BB 2 SB(20)
• Matt Dominguez—1-4 HR(5) 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Ryan Morris—5 IP 3H ER 3 BB 7K

6/14 AAA Minor League Report

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

Sunday’s action at the AAA ranks saw a couple very nice performances from former callups who are making strong cases to be promoted by their major league clubs.  The Brewers duo of Alcides Escobar and Angel Salome both had excellent showings yesterday.  Escobar went 2-3 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored.  Escobar has effectively defied my earlier concerns about his makeup by hitting .310 with 3 HR 22 RBI 17 doubles and 49 runs scored through his first 64 games.  He’s also been successful on 25 of 31 SB attempts and has played sparkling defense.  The Brewers’ middle infield has been truly pathetic this season, with All-Star SS J.J. Hardy hitting just .205 and Rickie Weeks sidelined for the entire year with a wrist injury.  Craig Counsell has taken most of that playing time, but his punchless bat and meager production on the basepaths pale in comparison to Escobar’s potential.  The callup has to happen soon.  The glaring weakness in Escobar’s game is his lopsided 15 BB/41 K ratio.  Those numbers are not indicative of a top of the order threat, but his ability to make contact and his speed on the basepaths would be a nice fit in the #8 spot in MIlwuakee’s order. 

Angel Salome is another prospect that I was wary of.  He broke out big time last season at AA Huntsville, hitting .360 with 13 HR 83 RBI and 30 doubles.  While his BB/K ratio was solid and his athleticism behind the plate was a plus, there were some raw elements of his game that I felt would be a struggle going forward.  Salome has an unorthodox swing and, at times, gets sloppy behind the plate.  Knowing these things, I felt that 2009 would be an adjustment period at the AAA level.  While his numbers have been below last year’s output (.267 2 HR 23 RBI), it bears worthy of notice that his BA has improved each month (.191 in April, .295 in May, and .316 in June).  The power seems to be increasing as well.  He’s hit six doubles during the month of June and has 9 RBI.  Current Brewers starter Jason Kendall, for all his defensive acumen, has been miserable at the plate hitting just .227 with zero homeruns.  Like Escobar, Salome’s tenure with the Nashville Sounds will be brief.

Today’s top player is L.A. Dodgers RHP James McDonald.  The lanky 24 year old put up his second consecutive double digit strikeout performance by punching out 13 in seven scoreless innings.  McDonald’s control with the Dodgers was a far cry from last year’s stellar showing as he allowed 16 walks in 18.2 innings.  This led to a 6.75 ERA and a trip to AAA Las Vegas.  It will be very interesting to see how the Dodgers handle McDonald going forward.  The boys of Chavez Ravine are clicking on all cylinders right now with an MLB best 42-22 record.  The rotation has been very quite strong, though McDonald’s presence in the #5 slot seems much more lucrative than the two Erics (MIlton and Stults).  Could the Dodgers be in the market for a bat come late July?  If so, McDonald’s stock as a trade chip would be quite high, allowing the Dodgers to add some protection to Manny Ramirez once he returns.  Hard to say what the Dodgers will do, but McDonald is not long for the lights of Las Vegas.

AAA Player of the Day—JAMES MCDONALD

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Kila Ka’aihue—2-5 R RBI
• Jake Fox—2-5 3B R 2 RBI
• Brandon Wood—2-5 2B R RBI
• Howie Kendrick—2-5 2B R RBI
• Alex Romero—3-3 2R 2 RBI
• Cliff Pennington—2-4 2 2B R RBI
• Alcides Escobar—2-3 2R 3B RBI BB
• Angel Salome—3-4 3 2B 2R 4 RBI BB
• Cameron Maybin—2-3 2 2B
• Chin-Lung Hu—3-5 2R
• Chris Carter—3-6 2B 2 RBI 2R
• Aaron Bates—3-5 2R BB
• Drew Stubbs—3-4 R BB 2 SB(22)
• Wes Bankston—2-5 HR(11) 2 RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—3-4 2 RBI SB(20)
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 R

Pitching:

• David Purcey—7.2 IP 4H 2 ER 3 BB 9K W (2-1)
• Wade LeBlanc—7 IP 5H 2 ER 6K L (1-4)
• Jame McDonald—7 IP 2H BB 13K W (1-0)
• Kevin Pucetas—7 IP 2H BB 3K W (6-2)
• David Hernandez—4 IP 2H 2 ER 3 BB 7K