10/27 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 29, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Back to the keyboard to provide some more AFL updates.  Tuesday’s games saw Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Jose Tabata have his best game as at the plate, going 3-6 with his first HR and six RBI.  Tigers SS prospect Cale Iorg logged his first dinger as well, driving in three and scoring three times.  Freddie Freeman went yard and looks to be emerging from an early season slump. 

In Phoenix, the Oakland A’s OF tandem of Corey Brown and Grant Desme are providing ample evidence that the A’s’ present offensive woes may become a thing of the past.  Desme is currently leading the league with eight dingers and, though he didn’t add to that total Tuesday, he did drive in two runs and score three times.  Brown, an Oklahoma State alum, also had three RBI on the strength of his fourth HR of the season.  Both Brown and Desme are highly athletic players who have the ability to hit 30 HR per season at the major league level.

Tuesday’s top star, however, is household name Stephen Strasburg.   The Nationals’ franchise player bounced back big time from his lousy outing last week by tossing 4.1 innings of one-hit, one run ball walking one and striking out five for his second win of the season.  Despite the poor outing last week, Strasburg’s various 2008 and 2009 cards remain white hot commodities on the eBay trading floor.  A couple more outings like this will only amply that market.

AFL Player of the Day—STEPHEN STRASBURG

Other Notable AFL Performances:

  Peoria Saguaros 6

• Freddie Freeman—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2R
• Matt McBride—1-4 HR(2) 3 RBI
• Cedric Hunter—2-3 3 RBI
• Zack Cozart—2-4 2B 2R SB(2)

  Mesa Solar Sox 5

• Chris Parmelee—2-5 2 2B 2 RBI
• Luis Exposito—2-3 2B RBI BB
• Greg Burns—2-4 R
• Rene Tosoni—1-4 2R RBI BB

  Phoenix Desert Dogs 7

• David Espinosa—2-4 2B R
• Grant Desme—1-2 2B 3R 2 RBI 2 BB
• Corey Brown—2-4 HR(4) 3 RBI 2B SB(1)
• Brad Emaus—2-3 2 RBI BB SB(2)
• Steven Strasburg—4.1 IP H ER 2 BB 5K W (2-1)

  Surprise Rafters 6

• Jeff Bianchi—2-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2R
• Mitch Moreland—2-4 2B RBI BB
• Marcus Lemon—2-4 3B 2R RBI

  Peoria Javelinas 10

• Jordan Danks—2-3 3R RBI 2 BB
• Cale Iorg—3-5 HR(1) RBI 3R SB(3)
• Russ Mitchell—1-4 3 RBI
• Dustin Ackley—1-4 2R BB

  Scottsdale Scorpions 9

• Jose Tabata—3-6 2B HR(1) 6 RBI
• Domonic Brown—2-5
• Cole Gillespie—3-5 2B R
• Brandon Crawford—1-2 3R RBI 2 BB
• Scott Mathieson—1.2 IP H BB 3K

10/13 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 14, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

The 2009 Arizona Fall League season kicked off in grand fashion yesterday with several fine offensive performances.  Homeruns by Phillies top prospect Domomic Brown, Baltimore’s Brandon Snyder, Washington’s Chris Marrero, and Minnesota’s Rene Tosoni helped to fuel fine offensive outputs for their clubs but today’s top performance came from NY Mets 1B prospect and former 1st round selection Ike Davis.  The 6-5 son of former Minnesota Twins pitcher Ron Davis went 4-6 yesterday with his first Hr, six RBI and two doubles to pace the Surprise Rafters 17 run output against the Peoria Javelinas.

Davis had a big time bounce back over two levels in his first full professional season, hitting .298 with 20 HR 71 RBI and 31 doubles.  With Carlos Delgado’s time with the organization at a likely close, the focus for the next Mets 1B may turn to within the organization.  A short term salve may be Nick Evans but Davis’ long term potential is considerably better than Evans and current Rafter teammate Lucas Duda.  If Davis continues to tear the cover off of the ball this fall, thinks could get real interesting at that spot this coming spring.

AFL Player of the Day—IKE DAVIS

Other AFL Performances:

  Mesa Solar Sox 10

• Rene Tosoni—1-4 HR(1) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Starlin Castro—3-5 3 RBI R
• Mike Stanton—1-3 R 2 BB SB(1)
• Jose Iglesias—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Steve Singleton—2-5 2B 2R

 Phoenix Desert Dogs 6

• David Espinosa—1-4 3 RBI
• Brandon Snyder—2-5 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Chris Marrero—1-3 HR(1) RBI BB
• Jemile Weeks—1-4 2B R BB

  Surprise Rafters 17

• Ike Davis—4-6 HR(1) 6 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Bryan Anderson—3-5 3R RBI BB
• Lucas Duda—2-5 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Brandon Laird—4-6 3 RBI 2R
• Ruben Tejeda—2-5 2B 2R RBI SB(1)
• Colin Curtis—3-6 2B 2 RBI R
• Ian Kennedy—4 IP 2H eR 4K W (1-0)

  Peoria Javelinas 4

• Casper Wells—2-3 2B RBI
• Lucas May—1-4 HR(1) RBI
• Lorenzo Cain—1-3 2B R BB

 Scottsdale Scorpions 8

• Domonic Brown—1-5 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Darin Holcomb—2-3 R
• Brandon Crawford—2-4 2B 2 RBI BB
• Jose Tabata—1-2 2R RBI 2 BB SB(1)
• Hector Gomez—2-4 2B R RBI

  Peoria Saguaros 4

• Jason Heyward—2-5 2 2B R RBI SB(1)
• Chris Heisey—2-4 3B R RBI

Cliff Lee To The Phillies Trade & The eBay Market

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7/27 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)

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)

5/29 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 30, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Sorry about the brief hiatus from the daily reports.  As the school year ends, my son has tons of school related activities that I get to take part in, which leads me away from the computer.  Also, I have written an article for the Cardboard Connection covering 10 much anticipated MLB debuts that we as baseball fans and card collectors can look forward to.  It has not yet been posted on the site, but when it is, I will provide a link to it.

On the the AAA docket.  Gordon Beckham rapped his first two hits as a AAA player.  Ever since Chicago served notice to Josh Fields and Chris Getz that their jobs were in jeopardy, the production from each of them has picked up significantly.  Don’t expect this to hold true for a prolonged period, though, Beckham will eventually supplant one of them. 

In other games, Matt Joyce hit his 5th dinger at Durham and career minor league slugger Joe Koshansky blasted his 10th.  Jesus Guzman’s tenure with the Giants during their interleague stretch was brief and unproductive, but he has gone right back to tatooing the ball at Fresno, hitting his 7th HR, driving in three and scoring twice. 

Today’s top performer was Colorado Rockies 2B prospect Eric Young Jr.  The 24 year old speedster went 4-5 with a double three runs scored an RBI and his league-leading 28th SB.  Young put together a memorable Arizona Fall League performance this past winter by hitting .430 with 5 HR 20 RBI and 37 runs scored in just 31 games.  Additionally, Young was 20 for 21 in SB attempts and earned a respectible 12 BB/14 K ratio.  While he has not be as impressive at AAA Colorado Springs, he has still shown that he is a viable top of the order candidate for a struggling Rockies franchise.  Through the first two months of the season, Young has hit .291 with a HR 15 RBI 41 runs scored and 28 SB in 34 chances.  It would be nice to see him produce some of the same promising power numbers that he put up in Arizona.  Defensively, Young is still a bit rough around the edges.  He has poor footwork at times and is a more natural fit for the outfield.  However, his best opportunities in Colorado will happen if he can stick at 2B, as the Rockies are quite loaded with talented young outfielders.  Currently, Clint Barmes has garnered a major share of the playing time at 2B, but his diminuative production, coupled with Colorado’s profound struggles this season, could pave the way for Young to earn an opportunity at some point this summer.

AAA Player of the Day—ERIC YOUNG JR.

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Gordon Beckham—2-3 RBI
• Matt Joyce—1-4 Hr(5) 3 RBI
• Lou Marson—3-4 2B R RBI
• Justin Turner—3-5 2B 4 RBI
• Joe Koshansky—1-3 HR(10) RBI BB
• Steven Pearce—4-5 2B 4R RBI
• Neil Walker—2-4 2B R 3 RBI
• Brian Bixler—2-4 2B R 3 RBI
• Chris Johnson—1-4 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Julio Borbon—1-4 RBI R BB SB(12)
• Greg Golson—3-4 3B RBI 2R BB SB (6)
• Alex Romero—2-3 2B 3 RBI 2 BB
• Michael Saunders—2-4 2R RBI BB
• Jeff Clement—1-4 2B 2R BB
• Adam Moore—3-4 R
• Eric Young Jr.—4-5 2B 3R RBI SB(28)
• Cliff Pennington—2-4 2B SB(17)

Pitching:

• Lucas French—7 IP 5H BB 6K W (3-3)
• Charlie Morton—9 IP 7H BB 7K W (7-2)
• Carlos Carrasco—7 IP 6H 2 ER 2 BB 6K
• PJ Walters—8.1 IP 6H Er 2 BB 4K
• Cesar Valdez—8 IP 2H BB 6K W (3-4)
• Gio Gonzalez—7 IP 2H 3 BB 6K

5/12 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 13, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Michael Stanton hit HR #8 last night and Ryan Kalish continued to show that he has more pop than expected has he hit his 5th.  Cody Johnson did his best to stay in the minor league HR race by hitting his 12th.  On the mound, Atlanta Braves lefty Edgar Osuna pitched well in a losing effort by allowing just one hit and one run over 6 IP while striking out 8, but it was another lefty in the Oakland A’s system that took home top player honors.

Carlos Hernandez tossed 6 no-hit innings allowing just two walks and striking out 8 for his second win.  The 21 year old southpaw has struggled this season after a solid 7-0 record at two levels last year, but 12 of his 21 earned runs allowed have been surrendered in two terrible starts.  Part of these struggles this year can be ascribed to control problems as he has walked 17 in 34.2 IP.  On the bright side, he has struck out 31 in that time frame and has induced a GO/FO rate of 1.38.

High-A Player of the Day—CARLOS HERNANDEZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Lance Zawadzki—2-5 2 2B 4 RBI
• Felix Carrasco—3-5 2B R
• Brad Chalk—3-6 R RBI
• Matthew Sweeney—1-3 2B RBI BB
• Hector Gomez—3-5 RBI
• Joey Butler—2-4 3R RBI
• David Stoneburner—2-3 2 2B 2 RBI BB R
• Ryan Kalish—3-5 HR(5) 2 RBI 2R
• Jason Place—1-4 2 RBI R BB
• Freddie Freeman—2-2 BB
• Cody Johnson—1-3 HR(12) RBI
• Tyler Henson—1-2 2B 2 RBI R BB
• Matthew Angle—3-3 2B R BB SB(10)
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis—2-3 HR(6) 2 RBI 2B 3R 3 BB
• Ike Davis—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Francisco Pena—1-4 HR(2) 4 RBI BB
• Carlos Guzman—1-5 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Adron Chambers—3-5 3B 3 RBI
• Thomas Pham—2-4 HR(2) RBI 3R BB SB(8)
• Darin Mastroianni—2-4 2 RBI BB SB(25)
• Raul Barron—1-3 2B 2R BB SB(4)
• Tim Kennelly—2-4 2 2B 2R RBI BB SB(3)
• Caleb Gindl—2-4 2 RBI R SB(4)
• Eric Haydel—2-5 R SB(14)
• Michael Stanton—1-4 HR(8) RBI
• Neftali Soto—2-5 2B R 2 RBI
• Devin Mesoraco—2-3 2B 3B 2 RBI 2R 2 BB
• Dan Perales—2-5 3B 4 RBI R
• Jesus Montero—2-4 2 RBI R
• Brandon Laird—2-3 2 RBI BB
• Starlin Castro—2-4 3B R 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Alex Cobb—5 IP 3H ER 4K
• Jose Rosario—7 IP 2H 2 BB 6K
• Brad Holt—4.2 IP 5H ER 9K
• Eammon Portice—6 IP 3H ER 3 BB 7K W (2-3)
• Carlos Hernandez—6 IP 0H 2 BB 8K W (2-4)
• Clayton Tanner—6 IP 3H UER 3 BB K
• Edgar Osuna—6 IP H ER BB 8K L (2-3)

5/5 AA Minor League Report

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

Lots of big performances to report in the AA ranks!  Gerardo Parra continues to sting the ball, hitting his second HR while driving in two and scoring twice.  The Blue Jays’ duo of David Cooper and Brad Emaus combined for eight hits, including Emaus’ second round tripper, Desmond Jennings raised his average to .392 as he raked six hits, drove in two runs, scored twice and stole three bases in a double header, Lance Lynn won his AA debut tossing five scoreless innings and striking out six for a win.  Mobile’s Bryan Augenstein won his fifth game surrendering just two runs over 5.2 innings.

Today’s top player outdid all of them, though by tossing a rain-shortened five inning no-hitter.  Chicago White Sox top lefty Aaron Poreda struck out eight, but walked five, in a win over West Tennessee.  Poreda has electric stuff and is still harnessing his control.  At 6-6 and 240 lb., Poreda has the look of a top of the rotation workhorse and his 100 MPH heater is, at times, unhittable.  Southern League hitters are batting just .165 against Poreda this season and he has a 16 BB/28 K ratio through his first 27.1 innings.  Keep an eye on his control numbers as the season progresses and for the development of his changeup.  The 22 year old Poreda already has a fastball and slider that both profile as plus plus pitches at the major league level, but it is the development of his third pitch that will quickly usher him into the White Sox rotation.  Expect him to get a look at U.S. Cellular Field at some point in September.

AA Player of the Day—AARON POREDA

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Gerardo Parra—3-5 HR(2) 2 RBI 2R SB(6)
• Scott Cousins—3-5 2 2B RBI R
• Bryan Peterson—2-4 3B R RBI
• Todd Cruz—2-4 HR(1) 2 RBI 2B 2R
• Andrew Brown—2-4 3R
• Tony Thomas—1-4 HR(5) RBI
• Ty Wright—2-4 2 2B RBI
• Ryan Mount—1-3 HR(3) RBI
• Jordan Parraz—3-4 RBI
• Joe Dickerson—2-4 2B 3B R RBI (Game 1)…..3-6 2B R BB
• Brian McFall—3-6 2B RBI
• John Shelby—2-2 2B R BB
• Dayan Viciedo—1-2 2B 2 RBI
• Desmond Jennings—3-5 2 SB(8) (Game 1)…..3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI SB(9)  (Game 2)
• Kala Ka’aihue—1-2 HR(3) RBI (Game 1)…..2-3 2B 2 RBI R BB (Game 2)
• Brad Emaus—4-6 HR(2) 2 RBI
• David Cooper—4-5 2B RBI R
• Aaron Bates—2-4 2B HR(2) RBI 2R
• Argenis Diaz—4-5 4 RBI R
• Reid Engel—1-4 HR(1) 3 RBI BB
• D.J. Wabick—3-5 2 2B 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Bryan Augenstein—5.2 IP 6H 2 ER BB 5K W (5-0)
• Lance Lynn—5 Ip 5H 2 BB 6K W (1-0)
• Aaron Poreda—5 IP 0H 5 BB 8K W (2-3)
• Scott Diamond—6 IP 7H ER 3 BB 8K L (1-2)
• Mark Rzepczynski—7.2 IP 5H ER BB 6K W (5-1)
• Vance Worley—6 IP 4H BB 4K
• Henry Sosa—6 IP 4H BB 4K

4/1 Spring Training Report

Posted by Jeremy on April 2, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Turning the page on the calendar, I saw the big red circle around April 6th marking the beginning of the 2009 MLB regular season!  Spring training has flown by this season at a rocket’s (not steroid enhanced) pace and what a spring it has been for several young players!  Wednesday’s action saw all or nothing slugger Michael Wilson of the Seattle Mariners slug his 8th HR of the spring, and super non-rookies Travis Buck and Alex Gordon hit their 4th and 6th HR’s respectively.  ‘08 N.L. Rookie of the Year, Geovanny Soto and Mets prospect Omir Santos rang the dinger bell twice, but it was the young pitchers who opened eyes today.  San Francisco Giants superstar-in-the-making Madison Bumgarner surrendered just one hit in 3 innings of work while striking out 4, but even that performance was not good enough to usurp the one time phenom Homer Bailey.  The Cincinnati Reds hurler tossed 6 innings allowing 4 hits, 2 earned runs a walk an 8 strikeouts.  Additionally, he went 2 for 2 at the plate with a double and a run scored.  While it may not earn him a spot on the Reds’ rotation, it is surely worthy of receiving today’s Youngster of the Day award.

Youngster of the Day—HOMER BAILEY

Other Notable Performances:

• Josh Anderson—1-4 R RBI
• Adam Rosales—2-3 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Homer Bailey—6 IP 4H 2 ER BB 8K (2-2 2B R)
• Chris Johnson—2-4 2B RBI R
• William Glen—4 IP 6H ER BB 4K (W)
• Omir Santos—2-3 2 HR(4) 3 RBI 2R
• Travis Snider—2-3 2 2B R RBI
• Ross Detwiler—2.1 IP H
• Derek Holland—4 IP 3H ER BB 4K W(2)
• Matt Brown—1-3 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Geovanny Soto—2-2 2 HR(2) 5 RBI
• Travis Buck—2-2 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Cliff Pennington—2-2 2B 2 RBI R
• Rob Johnson—1-5 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Trevor Crowe—1-4 BB 2R
• Mike Wilson—2-5 HR(8) 2R 2 RBI
• Dexter Fowler—3-5 2B 3B RBI 2R
• Alex Gordon—2-4 HR(6) RBI
• Albert Callaspo—2-3 2B RBI BB SB(1)
• Billy Butler—1-4 HR(4) RBI
• Madison Bumgarner—3 IP H 4K

MLB.com Article on Michael Stanton

Posted by Jeremy on March 11, 2009 under Market Watch | 2 Comments to Read

40 HR Threat Coming To A Ballpark Near You!

In my morning jog around the internet, I happened upon an article on the Florida Marlins’ homepage praising the early returns from top Marlins prospects Michael Stanton and Matt Dominguez.  We all know about Stanton’s prolific power, but this article gave a closer glimpse of what he can do.  As I dug a little deeper, I noticed another article praising Stanton’s immense talents procured by none other than ESPN’s own Peter Gammons.

Currently, Stanton has several 2008 autographed RC’s on the market right now with the Bowman Chrome Draft autos selling in the greatest volumes at about $40-45 each.  A considerably cheaper purchase are his ‘08 Razor Autos #/1199 that sell at just $15-17 each.  Stanton may very well be the best power hitter in all of the minor leagues this next season, and it is not out of the question to think that he may be in the major leagues at some point in 2010.  If he continues on his pace of 40+ HR per season, we may look back on these prices and wonder why we didn’t buy more.