What would this sell for now?

The most eagerly anticipated debut in MLB history has happened and, by universal accord, its author met the hype and pumped 98 MPH gas past it. In front of a highly energized, standing room only home crowd, Washington Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg used 94 pitches to punch out 14 Pittsburgh Pirates in just seven innings of work. He didn’t issue a walk, and a two run homerun on a diving 91 MPH changeup by Delwyn Young, provided the only blemish on what seems to be a historic start. 

Just days ago, I wrote an entry examining the eBay market for some of Strasburg’s cards. I also gave some projections on what I thought would happen following a strong debut. 

Card Description                  Market on 6/7         Market on 6/9              +/-       

•2008-09 UD USA #25             $65.00-70.00           $65.00-70.00                +0%
•2010 Bowman                           $7.50-10.00               $25.00-30.00                +200-233%
•2010 Bowman Top 100         $4.00-5.00                 $12.00-15.00                 +200%
•2010 Bowman Chrome          $25.00-30.00           $45.00-50.00                +67-80%
•2010 Bowman Auto                $425.00-450.00      $500.00-550.00          +11-22% 

**Pardon the misaligned numbers, the site refuses to accept my edited formating**

Here’s what I wrote in my initial market projection: 

“It doesn’t take much analysis to come to the conclusion that Strasburg’s various 2010 products are at or very near their apexes.  With expectations this high, it would take a statline comparable to Ubaldo Jimenez’s numbers this year to escalate the market values of his cards any further.  Regardless, there is some room for growth in the Bowman base card and even in the Chrome card.  Additionally, he has a “Top 100 Prospects” insert in the ‘10 Bowman set that can be attained for $4-5 right now. ” 

True, my market analysis was a bit conservative…but, really……a 14 K performance in his debut was even better than the Baseball Tonight bunch could have dreamed.  Notice from the numbers above that I was indeed correct in projecting the best value picks to be his Bowman base card and his Top 100 prospects insert.  Each one of those tripled in value in the hours following the game before simmering a bit as the online supply increased.  Also note that the Upper Deck Team USA cards did not change in value.  Much of this is due to the fact that only two were sold at the time that I wrote this article.    

Where do we go from here?  It seems that an encore performance is going to be a difficult feat.  Then again, his next start is against the Cleveland Indians, who may have an even more anemic offense than the Pirates.  Still, anything short of a no-hitter won’t provide the profound market punch that last night’s memorable debut offered. 

If you have Strasburg’s cards as investments, the time to sell was last night and is now.  If you are looking to buy him as an investment, wait for him to get knocked around for a start or two (it’ll happen…right?) and then check in with the market at that time.  The other option is to keep tuning in to this blog and join me under the radar as we sift for hidden gems.  

Current Stephen Strasburg eBay Auctions: 

$14,300 and rising!

Strasburg Superfractor Watch!

I ran across the news of this auction via the Cardboard Connection and figured that I should chime in and give my two cents worth (may be exaggerating the value of my opinion).  As many of you know, this card is currently setting the eBay market ablaze and even has non-industry sports writers taking notice.  As I write this article, the 2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects Stephen Strasburg superfractor has collected 73 bids and sits at a staggering $14,299.99 with just under four days left on it. 

Given that this card has received so much market attention via various sports and collecting blogs, the chances of it eclipsing the $20,000 mark is an inevitability.  Superfractors are the Holy Grails of the overproduced “1/1″ industry due in large part to their attractive chrome design and true one of a kind status.  That notion combined with the super human performance of last year’s #1 overall pick and, well, a market extravaganza is born.

My congratulations go out to the owner that plucked this Wonka-esque ticket from a pack and I do hope that the card appreciates enough to allow him to upgrade from a new Kia Sportage to a Range Rover.  That being said, I feel the odds of this particular auction being successfully completed are tenuous at best.  It is commonplace for eBay auctions that gain media hype to also attract an unusually high amount of dubious bidders who have no ability or intention to complete the transaction.  This then leaves the seller with the task of sending repeated emails to the non-paying party, then recouping eBay fees and ultimately having to relist the auction.  Relisted auctions have a terrible track record of reaching original prices and the risk involved with a highly pedigreed prospect like Stephen Strasburg is even greater simply for the fact that the market values of his cards are already at or near peak levels.  One bad start or, heaven forbid, an injury could mean an exponential drop in value.

Bearish pessimism aside, the attention this auction has gained is a win for the industry and, let us hope, for the very fortunate owner of this treasured card.

JIT, or “just in time” inventory is a commonly practiced merchandising tactic employed by several businesses in the purchase, production, and selling of their products.  For those of you who haven’t taken or, in my case, slept through Economics 101, here’s a brief refresher.  In an effort to reduce the amount of physical inventory or supplies on hand, several companies will streamline the purchases of that inventory to coincide with the production and/or delivery of the items that they are selling.  Done correctly, the process is a highly efficient and profitable way to conduct business.

The same approach can be used in this industry as well.  Several large sports card vendors will pre-sell boxes of product before the manufacturer has even shipped them.  Then when the product is received, they allocate the product to their customers without the product ever even touching their shelves.  Often, the vendor will make a note in the auction stating when the product is anticipated to be released by the manufacturer as well as an approximate shipment date.

That’s all good and well for wax boxes, but what about the much more volatile singles market?  Year in and year out the eBay market is flush with rapid rises and falls of card values as buyers are whipped into a frenzy over the latest and greatest young superstar.  Often, we as prospectors do a good job of prognosticating who these players will be and, by keeping a finger on the pulse of the market, the buy and sell times can effectively monitored and profitably utilized. 

Every once and a while, though, an unforeseen opportunity presents itself and it is at this time that one may consider a JIT game plan.  This season has presented two of these to me so far and the results have been…well….mixed.

Case #1: The Brennan Boesch Buffet

Detroit Tigers OF phenom Brennan Boesch has gone from a market oversight to industry sensation almost overnight.  Batting .345 with 4 HR and 19 RBI in his first 150 AB, the 6-4 230 lb. slugger has evoked comparisons to Al Kaline by bullish Tigers fans.  Quickly his first year cards in the 2007 Bowman Chrome prospects and Bowman Heritage sets jumped from less than a quarter a piece into the $8-10 range.  Autographs in the 2008 Bowman Chrome set also experienced exponential jumps from $4-6 to upwards of $30 in just a week’s time.  Perusing a couple of other sports card vending sites, I was able to track down a total of 20 chromes , 6 base cards and 12 Heritage cards from an assortment of vendors for 25-50 cents each.   I didn’t know just how long the Brennan Boesch love fest would last, so I placed the items in my store immediately after purchasing them from the other site.  I didn’t want these to sit in my store too long so I set them at a 25% discount from the median price.

They didn’t last long.

Within hours, I had sold ten chromes, six base cards, and twelve Heritage without having one in my inventory.  I received the cards three days later and shipped them directly to the buyers. 

“Just In Time”.  It’s a beautiful thing…..or is it?

Case #2: The Dallas Braden Affair

Major League Baseball has 19 perfect games in its history, making each occurrence a noteworthy  and celebrated event.  As Oakland A’s southpaw Dallas Braden etched his name into the record books, the eBay market sizzled with activity over his cards.  Much like Boesch, Braden’s cards were seldom targeted as “must have” merchandise.  27 batters later and eBay was infested with a cornucopia of his 2007 first year products.  Past experience has showed me that no-hitters, like magnesium strips, sparkle white-hot but flicker and fade quickly.  With that in mind, I decided that I didn’t want to purchase a large quantity of his low cost product.  Rather, I targeted items with a little more juice.  I hit my favorite buy spots and found that I wasn’t the only person with this idea in mind.  Braden products were being vacuumed up off of sites at mouse clicking speeds and, when it was all said and done, I was only able to accrue five 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft refractors at a rate of $1.50-2.00 each.  Brief market research showed these cards to be selling in the $10-12.50 range.  With thoughts of immediate liquidation in mind, I set my price at $8.00 per card.

Again, they were gone within hours.  One buyer purchased the lot of five and paid immediately.  Okay, so far so good.  Two days later, I received an email stating that the two that I bought from this particular vendor were sold already on another site.  A day after that, another seller stated that his copy had been sold in his shop. By this time, the prices of his refractors had fallen back down to the $3-4 range.  I found one on eBay and won it at a price of $4.25 shipped.  It still hasn’t arrived.  I am in the process of issuing a refund to the buyer who has been extremely patient to this point.  Given the inconvenience of this matter, I am inclined to ship him two of them and offer him a refund for four (instead of three).  Hopefully, this will do enough to reconcile the situation without taking too big a hit on my sterling reputation. 

Could this situation have been avoided?  Not completely.  What can be gleaned from this is that the quicker a turnaround you desire, the more risk you must assume in the deal.   Opting for a JIT approach to selling reaps optimal profits, but be prepared to pay, literally, the consequences if and when things go awry.  

JIT questions or experiences? Share them in the comments section below.

Now that we’ve gotten the “good to be back” formalities out of the way, I thought I’d give you a little peek at what I’ve been working on over the past 6 months.  It’s been a while since I have been writing and the following blurbs are my attempt to knock some of the rust off.

This offseason, I decided to get more serious about stocking my eBay store.  After all, paying $15 a month for a vacant storefront is not a sound investment strategy.  Going through my inventory at home, I quickly came to the realization that I was woefully disorganized.  I spent the better part of two days separating my cards by players and alphabetizing them.  I then pulled out the cards that I felt would stand a good chance to move on the market and created storefront auctions.  The great thing about eBay store auctions is that they run for 30 days (opposed to 3, 5, 7, or 10) and are cheaper to do than the customary fixed price auctions.  Also, items can be listed in bulk for no additional charge (a real boon for the prospector).   I built my storefront up to about 300 items and priced my items at about 10-15% lower than the median prices of other storefront items in hopes that they would attract more attention.  I also made the decision to offer free shipping on combined item shipments.

Things started to vanish out of my inventory quickly and I used the revenues to purchase more prospects.  I targeted players that I felt would have a good chance of making early impacts at the major league level.  Jason Heyward, Starlin Castro, Chris Carter, Michael Taylor, Michael Stanton, Jesus Montero, Julio Borbon, Brett Anderson, Desmond Jennings, Freddie Freeman, Carlos Santana, Reid Brignac, and others.  I snagged base and chrome bulk lots of each of these players with the intent of having a considerable quantity available if and when these fine young players made their marks at the major league level.

Since this time, players like Heyward, Santana, Castro, and Stanton have long since left my inventory, as their hot starts created a frenzy of market activity.  Others like Borbon, Carter, Taylor, and Jennings battled injuries or poor performances in the early going, and the demand for their RC’s is still a bit below what it should, and very well could, be.  So still they sit in the inventory, and I look for opportunities to add to the quantities every day.

The other buying strategy that I employed was to find good deals on short print, refractor, and serial numbered cards of MLB stars.  Players like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, Joe Mauer, and Evan Longoria are always in high demand and available in bulk quantities.  Being a prospect guy, I was a bit leery of risking too much capital on non-RC’s but soon found myself quite surprised with the rapid, and profitable, turn around on several of these players’ cards.  I’ll be tinkering with this a bit more to further optimize the process.

One area that I didn’t research as much this year was lower level (i.e. Low and High A) prospects.  The main impetus behind this notion is the simple fact that long term prospect holds tend to have a diminuative effect on cash flow.  I’ve covered this theory in past blog posts but, for those of you who are new to this site or to prospecting, I’ll go over it again.

The eBay market for first year cards is highly active upon the initial release of the products within which they reside.  For example, a can’t miss prospect in the latest Bowman Chrome set will command high dollar values as the masses of eager collectors snap them up for their collections.  As a prospector, this is a bad time to buy the particular product.  However, it is an excellent time to research the prospects within the set to gain a better feel for their skills, projectability, future impact potential, and the anticipated speed of their track to the major leagues.

Eventually new products come out and the hoards divert their attention elsewhere leaving you with the opportunity to buy.  If you’ve done your research and have monitored the progress of the prospects, you should have a pretty fair idea of who to buy and approximately how long you will have to wait for that player to don a major league uniform.  As you see from my list above, I hand picked several players that I anticipated would be making initial impacts this season and could be acquired in low-cost bulk quantities.  Once some of the players debuted, I quickly got an an assessment of the way that the market was trending and set my prices within that range.  As the players continued to perform, I gradually raised the prices of their cards until my inventory was completely empty.

Jason Heyward is a great case-in-point example of this method at work. 

Upon the arrival of the 2007 Bowman Draft and Chrome set, Heyward was lauded as one of the high demand prospects to be had within the product.  Chrome cards went regularly for $4-5 each as many collectors were, for good reason, intrigued by his considerable upside.  Heyward performed well at each stop of his two year minor league stint and remained an elite prospect, but his cards lost some of their early steam and dropped into the $2.50-3.00 range.  Base and gold cards from the set were even cheaper at just $1-2 each.

BUY, BUY, BUY!

Fast forward to spring training.  Heyward ripped through Grapefruit League pitching and prospectors took notice.  Soon his chrome cards pushed north of $5.00 on eBay and threatened to push into double digits.  I was tempted to cash in at this point and price my stuff to market.  I held, however, and waited for April to roll around.

Opening day.  A laser beam home run and multiple comparisons to baseball legends by the Baseball Tonight bunch pushed all of his cards into the stratosphere.  His ‘07 BCD cards shot into the $20-25 range almost overnight.  Even the base and gold cards were going for $8-12 each.  Within hours, I had my complete inventory up online, sold and shipped.

Now, a skeptic could read this and say “Duh, It doesn’t take a genius to know that Jason Heyward was going to be a star”.  Precisely.  While his cards were a bit more expensive than a deep sleeper toiling in Low-A ball, there was still enough room for a nice profitable growth and the risk of attrition was far less than casting my lot on a lesser known commodity.  Additionally, the short term investment was much more beneficial on my cash flow situation and allotted me an opportunity to roll my income into another short term investment.

As for those short term investments….we’ll see what happens in the next few months.

Use the comments section below to further the conversation and thanks for checking in!

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

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

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.

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)

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)

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