8/11 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 12, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Allen Craig really likes to hit in the thin air of Colorado Springs as he belted three HR’s during a double header to raise his tally to 21 on the season.  Craig has been as hot as any hitter in the minor leagues since the All Star break, hitting .446 with 13 HR 30 RBI and 27 runs scored in just 28 games.  Craig continues to play in the outfield which surprises me in the wake of the Brett Wallace trade.  He’s never been a bad fielder at 3B, but the organization seems to find him a better fit in left field.  Regardless of where he’s playing, Craig has been the best hitter in the Cardinals’ organization this season and should earn a big league call up at some point this year.  His only first year cards are in the 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft set and his singles can still be had in lots for less than a buck apiece.

Gaby Sanchez was a darkhorse N.L. ROY candidate by some baseball pundits on the heels of his fine 2008 season at AA Carolina.  Instead, he like fellow Marlins teammate Cameron Maybin, struggled to earn playing time with the big club and was demoted to New Orleans.  Last night, Sanchez went 3-5 with his 12th and 13th dingers, driving in five runs and scoring four times.  Sanchez has been hot during the month of August, hitting .325 with 4 HR 7 RBI and a killer 10 BB/3K ratio.  Sanchez is in a tough spot.  Logan Morrison has made a successful return from a broken wrist and is driving the ball with authority in AA.  He’s the heir to the first base job in Miami, leaving Sanchez either to switch to a new position or continue to toil at AAA.  At his best, Gaby is a well disciplined hitter with decent power to the gaps and above average defensive skills that could help him carve out a starting job with a big league club someday.

Today’s top prospect is one of Cleveland’s newest additions, RHP Carlos Carrasco.  After back to back rocky starts with Columbus, Carrasco tossed eight innings of four hit, one run ball, striking out 10 hitters for his 9th victory of the season.  Carrasco has the stuff to be a frontline pitcher at the major league level, but his inability to establish consistency and pitch with confidence at times was maddening to the Phillies franchise.  Perhaps the move to Cleveland will be just what Carlos needs to rediscover his potential as an MLB stopper.  Surely this outing does wonders for his chances to crack the Indians’ rotation at some point this season.  Carrasco’s 2008 Bowman Sterling Jsy/Autos are currently trading at $4-6 each on eBay and seem like a solid low risk buy for someone who has slipped off of many collectors’ radars.

AAA Player of the Day—CARLOS CARRASCO

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Matt Tuiasosopo—1-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Mike Carp—1-4 R 2 RBI BB
• Adam Moore—4-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Tony Abreu—1-5 HR(10) RBI
• Gaby Sanchez—3-5 2 HR(13) 5 RBI 4R BB
• John Raynor—2-6 2R RBI SB(16)
• Brett Hayes—2-4 R 3 RBI BB
• Travis Buck—3-4 2B 3 RBI SB(3)
• Allen Craig—2-3 2 HR(20) 3 RBI 2R (Game 1)…..1-3 HR(21) RBI (Game 2)
• Jarret Hoffpauir—2-3 2B 3B RBI R
• Eric Young Jr.—3-5 RBI (Game 1)…..1-2 R BB SB(55) (Game 2)
• Brandon Allen—3-4 2B 2R RBI BB
• Cole Gillespie—2-5 2B 2 RBI
• Chris Johnson—2-3 2B HR(10) RBI
• Juan Miranda—1-5 2B R 2 RBI
• Travis Snider—2-4 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-4 RBI
• John Mayberry Jr.—2-3 R SB(6)
• Lou Marson—3-4 R RBI
• Wes Hodges—2-4 2B R
• Justin Maxwell—2-3 R SB(28)
• Brent Clevlen—2-3 HR(15) RBI
• Aaron Bates—2-4 2B R

Pitching:

• Scott Elbert—4 IP 2H 3 BB 3K
• Travis Wood—6 IP 6H ER 3 BB K W (12-4)
• Carlos Carrasco—8 IP 4H ER 10K W (9-9)

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

7/20 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 21, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Minnesota Twins OF prospect David Winfree is a name that makes our run down of daily performances quite often, but he is oft overlooked amidst the prospecting ranks.  Yesterday the former 2003 draftee launched his 13th HR of the season as part of a three hit day and drove in two runs.  The Twins are still in contention for a post season bid and have a good deal of depth in their current OF situation, however, the 23 year old Winfree is someone to keep an eye on as a sleeper for future consideration.  At 6-3 230 lb. Winfree has as much power potential as anyone in the Twins’ system not named Angel Morales.  This season, Winfree is batting .274 with 13 HR 48 RBI and 22 doubles.  He has good athleticism and a strong arm that plays well in right field.  His positive strides made last year in plate discipline (41 BB/85 K) have gone by the wayside this year (15 BB/65 K), and he will need to shore that up in order to tack down a future big league job.  The Twins have some good depth in their outfield right now, but no one seems to have distinguished themselves as franchise fixtures.  Michael Cuddyer is signed through 2010, but his contract ($8.5M in ‘10) puts him at the center of several trade rumors.  The Twins are in need of an upgrade on the left side of their infield and there have been some rumors that Braves SS Yunel Escobar could be had for either Cuddyer or Denard Span.  Over the long term, I don’t see Winfree having a sustainable future with the Twins as trio of Ben Revere, Aaron Hicks, and Angel Morales are a couple years away from making their impact on the major leagues, but there could just be a window for Winfree to get a shot to make his major league debut when the rosters expand in September.

Houston Astros former 1st round southpaw turned outfielder Brian Bogusevic has had a decent season, but not to the level that I envisioned this past offseason.  After going 3-5 with a HR and three RBI yesterday, the former Tulane Wave is hitting .280 with 6 HR 44 RBI 11 SB and 44 runs scored.  There is still quite a bit to like in Bogusevic’s game.  At 6-3 215 lb., he is big, strong and has exceptional athleticism that allows for him to play at an above average CF with a cannon for an arm.  He’s shown better plate discipline in the past, but his 37 BB/80 K ratio this season is not particularly alarming.  At 25 years old, Bogusevic is primed to make his major league debut soon, but the fact that the Astros are in contention will delay that a bit.  Houston’s GM Ed Wade has given the indication that the Astros will utilize a wait and hold strategy as the deadline approaches.  They are not interested in selling off some of their high priced talent (Carlos Lee, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada) for much needed organizational depth.  Conversely, they are reluctant to dip into their farm system in order to add a piece or two.  I see the ‘Stros sliding out of the race as St. Louis and Milwaukee make the Central a two team race.  The best thing that Boguesvic can do over the next month is tighten up his BB/K ratio and continue to drive the ball with XBH authority.  The more he can do that, the better his MLB opportunities will be going forward.

Today’s top prospect from the AAA ranks is Arizona Diamondbacks catching prospect John Hester.  Yesterday, the 25 year old backstop belted HR’s number five and six, driving in three runs and scoring three times.  Hester is a 2006 13th round draftee of the D’backs who played sporadically at Stanford but has progressed steadily through Arizona’s farm system.  This season the 6-4 215 lb. Hester is hitting .313 for the Reno Aces with 6 HR 40 RBI 25 doubles and 10 stolen bases.   Defensively, Hester has drawn accolades from current Diamonbacks manager and former catcher A.J. Hinch as being the best at blocking balls in the dirt and shows above average aptitude at calling games, mobility and arm strength.

The organization’s depth at catcher is underwhelming.  Current Arizona starter Miguel Montero is enjoying his best season as a pro, but has still underdelivered since his promising minor league career.  Hester has been likened to K.C. backstop John Buck, but I think that he has a better bat than him.  Expect Hester to catch some Dan Haren and Brandon Webb pitches at some point this season and, perhaps, beyond that.

AAA Player of the Day—JOHN HESTER

 


Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Rhyne Hughes—2-4 HR(21) RBI 2B
• Steven Pearce—2-5 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-4 2B R BB SB(36)
• Chris Valaika—1-2 HR(5) RBI 2 BB
• Matt LaPorta—2-3 2 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Wes Hodges—2-4 R RBI
• Jason Pridie—4-5 R 5 RBI SB(20)
• David Winfree—3-5 HR(13) 2 RBI 2B
• Hernan Iribarren—3-5 2B 2R RBI
• Alcides Escobar—2-5 R RBI
• Tyler Greene—1-3 HR(5) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Brian Bogusevic—3-5 HR(6) 3 RBI
• Tommy Manzella—1-4 HR(6) 2 RBI BB
• Yorandy Ramirez—1-1 HR(10) 3 RBI
• J.P. Arencibia—2-4 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Kila Ka’aihue—3-5 2B 3R 3 RBI
• Michael Saunders—2-3 2B R
• Chad Huffman—2-5 2 2B RBI
• John Hester—2 HR(6) 3 RBI 3R BB
• Buster Posey—3-5 2B

Pitching:

• Dan McCutchen—6 IP 6H Er BB 6K W (9-5)
• James Simmons—5 IP 6H Er 2 BB 4K W (5-5)

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

5/16 AAA Minor League Report

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

I wrote an article for The Cardboard Connection a couple of weeks ago profiling some of the top MLB debuts that would be happening during the summer months of the season.  Of the 10 that I mentioned, one player that didn’t make the final cut was Cincinnati Reds OF prospect Drew Stubbs.

Stubbs has had an excellent yet understated season at AAA Louisville, hitting .312 with 2 HR 20 RBI and 24 SB.  There have been many concerns in the past about his ability to hit at the major league level as many scouts and prognosticators have been concerned with his plate discipline, but he has made significant progress over the last season and a half in that department.  His walk yesterday gave him 29 on the young season against 41 strikeouts.  His lack of HR power has flummoxed several people as well.  At 6-4 205 lb., Stubbs seems to be someone who should be able to put up 20+ HR seasons, yet his 7 HR from last season and two this season gives him the look of an oversized slap hitter.  However, it bears worth noting that Stubbs has 19 doubles this season and had 33 last year, which indicates that he drives the ball well to the gaps. Under the right tuteledge and in a hitter’s locale like the Great American Ballpark, I’m optimisitic that he will become a double digit HR hitter at the major league level.  The Reds have an assortment of outfielders, Jay Bruce excluded, that have underperformed and have a less impressive assortment of tools than Stubbs.  I fully expect that Stubbs will earn a callup within the next month and it will be quite interesting to see how his skills carry forward against MLB pitchers.

Today’s top player from the AAA ranks is former L.A. Angels 1st rounder Trevor Bell.  Bell made his AAA debut last night and was brilliant tossing a complete game, two-hit shutout, walking none and striking out four.  Bell has had a big time bounceback season this year, going 5-3 with a 1.97 ERA and 20 BB/55 K in 77.2 IP.  The key to Bell’s success is a low 90’s sinker that induces groundballs at a rate of over 1.5 per flyball out.  Bell has allowed just one HR this year and AA and AAA hitters are batting a combined .199 against him.  Despite his sterling debut, his chances of earning a big league start this season is small….unless John Lackey and Ervin Santana continue to have struggle with forearm injuries.  Keep an eye on his next couple of starts at Salt Lake City.  If he continues to have success, he may just push his way into a cameo appearance with the Angels come September.

AAA Player of the Day—TREVOR BELL

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Chris Carter—1-3 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-3 2B R RBI BB SB(24)
• Rhyne Hughes—3-5 HR(16) RBI 2B 2R
• Micheal Brantley—3-4 2 RBI BB R
• Matt LaPorta—1-4 2 RBI BB R
• Jordan Brown—3-5 HR(8) 3 RBI 2B 2R
• Brent Clevlen—3-4 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Juan Miranda—3-4 2R 2 RBI
• Austin Jackson—2-4 R
• Joe Koshansky—1-2 HR(12) RBI BB 2R
• Gaby Sanchez—2-4 2B RBI
• Matt Camp—3-4 R RBI
• Julio Borbon—2-4 BB SB(18)
• Joaquin Arias—3-4 RBI SB(11)
• Adam Moore—3-4 HR(6) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Chad Huffman—2-4 HR(10) RBI
• Travis Buck—3-4 2B R BB
• Dan Putnam—1-4 HR(4) 3 RBI
• Matt Carson—3-5 HR(10) RBI 3R SB(4)
• Eric Patterson—2-4 3B 2 RBI BB
• Kevin Frandsen—2-4 2R HR(6) 2 RBI BB

Pitching:

• Kris Johnson—4.2 IP 2H 3 BB 5K
• Trevor Bell—9 IP 2H 4K W (5-3)

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

6/2 AAA Minor League Report

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

Eric Young Jr. has gotten off to a red hot start in the month of June with seven hits over his last two games.  Pacing the league with 31 SB, Young has shown that he is a quite capable candidate to hit atop Colorado’s order as soon as the Rockies are ready to give him a shot.  His HR yesterday was evidence that he has some potential to drive the ball with authority at times.  Cameron Maybin had four hits yesterday and Will Venable had a big day at the plate with two HR and five RBI.  Angels OF prospect Chris Pettit is working on raising his average back towards the .400 plateau as he had three hits, including his 4th HR and two doubles. 

Yesterday’s top prospect is former Cincinnati Reds ace-in-waiting Homer Bailey.  The Reds’ former 1st round pick from the ‘04 draft has had a roller coaster season quite similar to his volitile professional career.  Yesterday, he was on top of his game as he allowed just four hits over eight scorelesss innings, walking two and striking out five.  For the season, Bailey is 5-5 at AAA Louisville with a 3.79 ERA and 22 BB/52 K over 59.1 IP.  He has, at times, looked like a #1 starter (as shown by his April 29th 15 strikeout performance against Toledo).  Other times, he has looked overmatched (as shown by his sole four innings, six run, six walk outing for Cincinnati earlier this season).  Bailey reminds me a bunch of Boston’s Clay Buchholz as a pitcher with stuff that is far better than his performance at the major league level.  On the upside, Bailey has been quite durable this season, going at least six innings in each of his last eight starts.  He has had good control, allowing just the 22 walks, but he has also been a bit more hittable, surrendering a .264 BA to opposing hitters including 9 HR.  He has historically been a flyball pitcher, which in a park like Cinergy Field, often spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R.

Bailey is just 23 years old and still has considerable upside that could be realized given the right opportunities.  The Reds have shopped him around to several other clubs over the past season, and it may in fact be a change of scenery that puts him back on the right road to success.  Two months in, the Reds are in the thick of a competitive NL Central hunt, though could be losing ground fast as Edwin Encarnacion is on the shelf until at least late June with a fractured wrist and Joey Votto is on the DL for an undisclosed personal issue. 

The Reds are desperately in need of a bat and a couple more starts like this out of Bailey could be his ticket to a better opportunity with a new franchise.  Watch this closely….

AAA Player of the Day—HOMER BAILEY

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Cameron Maybin—4-5 R
• Angel Salome—1-3 2B RBI
• Jon Jay—2-5 R SB(12)
• Julio Borbon—1-4 R BB SB(15)
• Chris Johnson—2-4 3B R RBI
• Kila Ka’aihue—3-4 2B R
• Ben Copeland—4-5 HR(1) RBI 2B 3R
• Eric Young Jr.—3-5 HR(2) RBI 2B 2R
• Chris Pettit—3-4 HR(4) 2 RBI 2 2B
• Will Venable—3-5 2 HR(12) 5 RBI 2R
• Chad Huffman—2-3 2B R 2 BB
• Trevor Plouffe—2-4 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Drew Stubbs—2-5 2B R
• Drew Sutton—1-2 HR(2) 2 RBI 2 BB 2R
• Juan Miranda—2-4 3B R
• Will Rhymes—2-3 2B R BB SB(8)
• Brent Duglach—2-4 HR(5) 2 RBI BB SB(3)
• Gordon Beckham—1-4 2B R

Pitching:

• Chris Tillman—5 IP 4H 4 UER 4K L (5-1)
• Homer Bailey—8 IP 4H 2 BB 5K W (5-5)

5/27 AAA Minor League Report

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

Tommy Hanson’s MLB debut comes closer with each dominant start he has.  Yesterday, the big righthander surrendered just one run on five hits over seven innings while striking out nine hitters.  He also helped himself at the plate with a single and run scored in two AB’s.  Hanson received a no-decision for his efforts, but has assuredly reiterated to the Braves that he is quite ready to make his major league debut.

In other action, Jeff Clement had two more hits, scoring three times and driving in three runs.  He has been red hot during the month of May, hitting .360 with 3 HR 21 RBI 11 doubles and 17 runs scored.  Clement was curiously passed over for a big league promotion after Kenji Johjima’s hamstring injury in favor of the much less potent Guillermo Quiroz.  This leads me to believe that Clement’s days as a catcher, at least within the M’s organization, is coming to a close.  Watching him extensively last season, I completely agree with the move.

Today’s top prospect is another catcher, in fact it is the top catching prospect in all of baseball, Matt Wieters.  Shortly after receiving word that he would be making his MLB debut on Friday May 30th, Wieters went 4-4 with a double and four RBI.  The month of May has been good to the 23 year old Georgia Tech alum as he has hit .330 with 4 HR 25 RBI and 20 runs scored in 25 games.  During the first two months of the season, there hasn’t been many distinguishable performances from the ‘09 AL rookie class.  Wieters has an ample opportunity to step in and fulfill the expectations of many baseball prognositcators that predicted that his switch hitting power bat and Gold Glove defensive abilities would propel him to this year’s ROY award.

AAA Player of the Day—MATT WIETERS

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Matt Wieters—4-4 2B R 4 RBI BB
• Justin Turner—3-4 2B 3R BB SB(2)
• Wilkin Ramirez—1-4 2B 2 RBI BB
• Neil Walker—2-4 2 2B
• Trevor Plouffe—1-4 HR(4) 2 RBI 2R
• David Winfree—2-4 HR(7) 3 RBi
• Lou Marson—1-3 2B 2R BB
• Drew Stubbs—2-4 2B RBI
• Brian Bogusevic—3-5
• J.R. Towles—2-4 2B 2R RBI
• Chris Johnson—2-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Josh Whitesell—3-4 R
• Jacob Hester—1-3 2R RBI BB SB(5)
• Alcides Escobar—2-4 2B R BB SB(21)
• Hernan Iribarren—3-5 2B 2R RBI
• Cole Gillespie—1-4 2B 2 RBI
• Jeff Clement—2-3 2B 3R 3 RBI BB
• Michael Saunders—2-5 2R
• Cameron Maybin—2-5 2 2B 2R
• J.P. Arencibia—2-4 RBI
• Travis Snider—1-3 R

Pitching:

• Yorman Bazardo—8 IP 3H BB 6K W (5-2)
• Drew Carpenter—7 IP 6H ER BB 4K W (2-0)
• Tommy Hanson—7 IP 5H ER 2 BB 9K…..1-2 R
• Kevin Mulvey—7 IP 6H 2 ER BB 6K

5/22 AAA Minor League Report

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

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

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

AAA Player of the Day—DAVID HERNANDEZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

5/21 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 22, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Brett Wallace hit his first HR at AAA and looks to be a strong contender to get a shot with St. Louis at some point this season.  Wallace is destroying AAA pitching to the tune of a .524 BA in his first five games.  Yankees 1B prospect Juan Miranda belted his 7th HR today, driving in three and scoring four runs in helping George Kontos earn his 3rd win.  Matt Wieters hit his 5th HR and drove in two, while Angels 2B prospect Sean Rodriguez blasted his 15th dinger and drove in two runs.

Today’s top prospect is no stranger to this list as Tommy Hanson tossed six innings of one-hit ball striking out nine for his third win.  Hanson’s top notch performance lowered his ERA to 1.51 and increased his MiLB-leading strikeout total to 73 in just 53.1 IP.  Teammate Kris Medlen made his MLB debut tonight with the Braves and struggled mightily walking five and surrendering five runs through just three innings of work.  It seems as if the Braves are counting the days until June 1st rolls around in order to avoid starting Hanson’s arbitration clock.  Once it does, expect Atlanta to find a way to fit Hanson into their rotation.

AAA Player of the Day—TOMMY HANSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Drew Stubbs—2-3 R RBI
• Trevor Crowe—4-5 2B 2R SB(5)
• Fernando Martinez—2-4 2B R
• Brandon Jones—3-5 2 2B 2 RBI R
• Reid Brignac—3-3 2B R RBI BB
• Matt Joyce—3-5 2 2B R 2 RBI
• Austin Jackson—1-4 R 3 RBI 2 BB
• Matt Wieters—1-4 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Eric Patterson—2-5 2B 2 RBI SB(18)
• John Raynor—2-3 2 2B 2 RBI R
• Sean Rodriguez—1-3 HR(15) RBI 2 BB
• Brett Wallace—3-4 3-4 HR(5) RBI 2 BB
• Freddy Sandoval—1-3 HR(5) RBI 2 BB
• Allen Craig—2-5 2 RBI
• Jeff Clement—4-5 2 2B 3 RBI R
• Michael Saunders—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Alcides Escobar—2-4 2 2B 2R
• Chad Huffman—1-3 HR(9) 3 RBI bb 2R
• Julio Borbon—3-5 2B R SB(9)
• Max Ramirez—2-4 HR(2) 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Neftali Feliz—6 IP 4H ER BB 4K
• Tommy Hanson—6 IP H BB 9K W (3-3)
• Drew Carpenter—6 IP 8H 3 BB 2K
• George Kontos—6 IP 2H 2 BB K W (3-2)