8/2 AAA Minor League Report

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

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

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

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

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

AAA Player of the Day—BRIAN DOPIRAK

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

4/16 AAA Minor League Report

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

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

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

Pacific Coast League Player of the Day—SEAN RODRIGUEZ

Other Notable Peformances:

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

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

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

International League Player of the Day—NICK EVANS

Other Notable Performances:

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

Top Caribbean Winter League Performer #5

Posted by Jeremy on January 19, 2009 under Prospects in Products | Be the First to Comment

5.) JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA—Texas Rangers C

How much should we glean from Salty’s DWL statline?  He has essentially reversed all of the disappointing numbers he put up in Texas during this brief stint.  His 3 HR in 200 AB’s has morphed into a bomb in every 7 AB’s in the DWL.  His 31 BB/74 K ratio is now a svelt 17 BB/13 K’s and his batting average enjoyed a 110 point boost.  Jarrod has all the tools in place to be an outstanding power hitting catcher but his poor fielding may well relegate him to the role of 1B or DH in the near future.  Taylor Teagarden’s superb late season showing has muddied the waters a bit for Salty, but there have been several reports that the Red Sox are interested in trading for either him or Teagarden to eventually replace the venerable Jason Varitek.  This bears watching as both Teagarden and Saltalamacchia are too talented to lanquish in a platoon situation.

Philadelphia Phillies/Texas Rangers Trade Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on November 21, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis | Be the First to Comment

Last night’s transaction between the World Series-winning Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers marked an unusual occurrance in baseball trade market as each team exchanged one minor league player for another.  Former 2004 1st round pick OF Greg Golson heads to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 2005 1st rounder John Mayberry Jr.  Here’s a closer look at the parties involved in the deal.

Greg Golson:

• Golson had a solid season at AA Reading batting .282 with 13 HR 60 RBI and 23 SB.  Golson has top of the order speed and enough pop to be an solid top of the lineup offensive catalyst.  However, Golson racks up strikeouts at an alarming rate racking up 623 K’s in 511 career games.  The Rangers made the deal for Golson due to his Gold Glove caliber defense in CF.  This move will allow Josh Hamilton to move to his more natural position of RF, shifting David Murphy to LF.  Golson will not need to be a power hitter with the Rangers as their lineup possesses enough to light up all of the state of Texas.  Perhaps this will allow for him to focus more on working counts and improving his OB% which was just .333 last season.  Golson’s Rangers future is likely as a part-time defensive and baserunning specialist as the starting OF is chocked full of more intriguing hitters like Josh Hamilton, David Murphy, and Nelson Cruz.  This doesn’t bode well for his 2004 rookie cards.

John Mayberry Jr.:

• The son of former New York Yankees OF John Mayberry has not fully lived up to the potential that his athletic 6-6 230 lb. frame projects.  Mayberry split time between AA Frisco and AAA Oklahoma City batting .264 with 20 HR 74 RBI and 10 SB.  On the surface, these numbers are decent, though in hitter friendly environments like Frisco and OKC and given Mayberry’s age and talent, they are quite mediocre.  Perhaps the move to the world champs will jump start Mayberry’s career similar to how it did for Jayson Werth.  Werth is an ideal comp for Mayberry as a long, strong, and athletic OF who has taken a while to refine his considerable skill set into consistent production.  Given Pat Burrell’s inevitable departure via free-agency, Mayberry may get that chance as early as April.  Watch to see how Mayberry produces in the Grapefruit League this spring.  If he is successful, he may break camp with the Phillies as a 4th outfielder.  The Phillies are rumored to be making a push to sign Seattle Mariners free-agent OF Raul Ibanez.  If they sign him, this will cut into Mayberry’s opportunities with the big club.  At 25 years old, Mayberry needs to take a major step forward this season to show that he can be ready for more regular AB’s in a big league uniform.  With much more projectible players like Dominic Brown and Michael Taylor ascending quickly, Mayberry’s greatest value to the Phillies may be as a mid-season trading chip.

This trade was interesting as each side trimmed some of their surplusses in exchange for other needs.  Both Golson and Mayberry should play in some capacity with their new teams this season, though it it likely that neither will earn a starting spot this season.  If you have any of their rookie cards, wait for a string of good performances (especially in spring training when hope and speculation abounds) and SELL accordingly.

Your thoughts and opinions are always welcome!