7/7 AA Minor League Report

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

Phillies OF prospect Michael Taylor and Marlins OF prospect Michael Stanton each rapped three hits yesterday.  Taylor smacked two doubles and drove in two while stealing three bases.  The big day raised his average to .345 and pushed his season stolen base total to 17.  At 15 HR and 64 RBI, there isn’t much left for him to prove at the AA level and it seems logical to expect that he will get some AAA AB’s some time soon. 

Michael Stanton’s three hit day included his 18th HR of the season and three RBI.  Since his promotion to AA 29 games ago, the king sized slugger has struggled, hittng just .221 with 13 BB/34 K.  I’m not too dismayed by this, though.  Stanton is only in his second full season as a pro and his plate discipline is still a work in progress.  His month of June was dismal (.214 3 HR 9 RBI 9 BB/27 K in 22 games), but his July numbers (.241 3 HR 7 RBI 4 BB/7 K) shows marked improvement.  I expect that he will continue to acclimate himself well to AA pitching and think that the month of August will be his best yet.

Today’s top prospect is no stranger to this list.  Brian Matusz turned in his best performance of ‘09 tossing eight innings of one-hit ball, walking none and striking out 11.  This dominant outing lifted the lefty to a perfect 4-0 record at Bowie with a 0.34 ERA.  AA hitters are batting just .122 against Matusz and he’s walked just 6 and struck out 32 in 26.1 innings.  Despite his excellent showing, I don’t think he’ll get a crack at pitching in Baltimore this season as the club have Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta ahead of him.  Tillman has fallen off as of late, though, and there could conceivably be a situatio where Matusz leapfrogs him for a promotion in September.  Arrieta will definitely be there by September at the latest.  Matusz is in his first season as a pro and prudence exercised by the O’s wouldn’t be a bad thing.  One thing is for certain, though, the future of the Orioles’ pitching staff looks to be quite bright.

AA Player of the Day—BRIAN MATUSZ

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Ryan Strieby—2-5 HR(16) 2 RBI 3R BB
• Cale Iorg—2-6 HR(9) 2 RBI 3R
• Alex Avila—3-6 HR(8) 4 RBI 3R 2B
• Pedro Alvarez—1-5 HR(17) 2 RBI
• Michael Taylor—3-4 2 2B R 2 RBI 3 SB(17)
• Nick Weglarz—2-3 HR(13) 2 RBI 2R BB
• Beau Mills—2-4 2B 2R RBI
• Carlos Rivero—3-4 2B
• John Drennen—2-4 2 RBI
• Juan Francisco—2-3 HR(15) RBI BB 2R
• Mike Wilson—1-2 HR(3) RBI 2 BB 2R
• John Shelby Jr.—2-5 2B 3B R RBI
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 R SB(3) BB
• Dayan Viciedo—2-5 2R
• Stefan Gartrell—1-3 HR(16) 3 RBI
• Michael Stanton—3-5 HR(18) 3 RBI 2B
• Logan Morrison—1-2 2B R RBI 3 BB
• Alex Gordon—2-5 2B HR(1) 3 RBI
• Darin Holcomb—1-3 HR(4) RBI
• Lance Zawadzki—2-4 2B 2R
• Mitch Canham—1-3 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Johnny Whittleman—1-4 HR(4) 3 RBI BB 2R
• Chad Tracy—3-5 2 2B R 2 RBI
• Adrian Cardenas—3-4 R
• Josh Donaldson—2-4 2B R RBI
• James Rapoport—3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Steven Hill—1-5 HR(12) 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Brian Matusz—8 IP H 11 K W (8-2)
• Luis Perez—6 IP 5H ER BB 5K W (6-6)
• Scott Diamond—7 IP 6H 3 ER BB 10K L (3-8)
• Cesar Carillo—8 IP 3H Er BB 4K W (6-4)
• Michael Kirkman—6 IP 2H BB 5K W (6-5)

6/28 AA Minor League Report

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

Oakland A’s 1B of the future Chris Carter continues to pound the baseball, going 2-3 yesterday with his 13th HR six runs batted in and two runs scored.  I predicted at the beginning of June that Carter was due to go off on a power rampage and, suffice to say it, he has.  Over his last 100 AB, Carter is hitting .313 with 7 HR 19 RBI and a 19 BB/24 K ratio.  His improvements in his approach at the plate has resulted in a 40 point rise in batting average.  Also, Sean Doolittle’s injuries and potential move to the OF has opened the door wide for Carter to be the premier 1B prospect in Oakland’s farm system.  Jason Giambi is a one season hold over and Daric Barton offers a paper-thin resistance to Carter’s comprehensive skill set.  The A’s are desperate for offensive fire power and the 6-4 225 lb. Carter offers it in abundance.  He should make a move to AAA Sacramento at some point this summer and if Oakland continues to play last place baseball in the AL West, he should get a look at some point in September.  I expect that Chris Carter will get to continue his development at the Arizona Fall League this winter before getting a long look by the A’s this following spring. 

Today’s player de jour is the always impressive Michael Taylor of the Philadelphia Phillies organization.  The Stanford alum collected three more hits yesterday, including his 14th HR, four RBI and two runs scored.  Taylor’s banner day raised his season batting average to .342 .  He’s bound to earn a promotion soon either to AAA or, perhaps, to Philly.  The eBay market for Taylor’s cards has been red hot as of late with his ‘07 Bowman Chrome Draft cards selling at $2.00-2.50 each and his ‘08 Donruss Elite autos (#/720) ranging between $20-25 each.  There is quite a bit of room for all of Taylor’s cards to grow.  His blend of power, speed, plate discipline and batting average and his athletic 6-6 250 lb. frame spells S-U-C-C-E-S-S at the major league level.

AA Player of the Day—MICHAEL TAYLOR

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Chris Carter—2-3 HR(13) 6 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Adrian Cardenas—3-4 3R 2 BB SB(6)
• Matt Sulentic—3-6 2R 3 SB(16)
• Josh Donaldson—1-2 R 3 BB
• Matt Spencer—2-5 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Eric Sogard—2-5 2R
• Logan Forsythe—2-4 3B RBI R BB
• Tim Smith—3-4 2B 2 RBI BB R
• Mitch Moreland—2-5 2B RBI R
• Michael Taylor—3-4 HR(14) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Jesus Montero—2-4 HR(9) RBI
• Jose Tabata—1-3 2B 2R RBI BB SB(5)
• Jim Negrych—2-4 2 RBI R SB(4)
• John Shelby Jr.—2-3 2B 3B 2 RBI 2 BB R SB(10)
• Dayan Viciedo—2-3 2 2B 2R BB
• Todd Frazier—1-4 HR(7) 2 RBI
• Sean Henry—2-4 HR(9) 2 RBI
• Andrew Lambo—3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Eric Campbell—2-3 3B 2 RBI
• Desmond Jennings—2-4 2R RBI BB SB(28)
• Bryan Petersen—3-5 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Darin Holcomb—2-3 2B R BB
• Tyler Henry—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R
• Hank Conger—2-5 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Mark Trumbo—2-4 2B RBI
• Danny Worth—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Casper Wells—2-5 2B 3B
• Michael Daniel—2-5 R (Game 1)…..3-5 R (Game 2)
• Leonard Davis—2-5 HR(11) 3 RBI BB
• Rene Tosoni—3-4 2B R BB

Pitching:

• Michael Stutes—7 IP 5H 2 ER BB 3K W (5-4)
• Charles Shirek—7 IP 8H ER BB 2K W (10-2)
• Kyle Parker—7 IP 4H Er 2 BB 4K
• Ryne Reynoso—7.2 IP 6H Er 2 BB 6K W (5-4)
• Travis Wood—7 IP 5H 2 ER BB 4K
• Kasey Kiker—6 IP 4H 6K

6/18 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 19, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

When evaluating prospects, I find that there is a blend of statistics and physical attributes that each possesses that tell a great deal about what to expect from them at higher levels.  A hitter that struggles with plate discipline often finds his batting average and on base percentages suffers against more refined pitchers.  Batters that hit for a good number of doubles and triples as youngsters(18 to 21 yrs old) tend to build strength as they mature and hit for more power.  These along with several other characteristics often hold true, but every once and awhile a player pops up that defies my parameters of conventional wisdom, leaving me scratching my head.

Meet Johnny Whittleman.

The Texas Rangers’ young 3B prospect has an athletic build (6-2 195 lb.) and, at age 22, has the frame to build more strength as he matures.  Whittleman was a personal favorite sleeper of mine after his successful 2007 season that saw him hit .262 with 17 HR 72 RBI and 34 doubles at two full season Class A stops.  Formerly a 2nd round pick in the ‘05 draft, Whittleman shows a disciplined approach at the plate uncharacteristic of most prep to pro players.  Last season at High-A Bakersfield, Whittleman drew 82 walks while striking out 113 times in 118 games.  Despite a mediocre HR total of just seven and a batting average well below California League standards (.257), Whittleman smacked 38 doubles, leaving promise of power to come.

Fast forward to 2009 and you would find Mr. Whittleman’s numbers diminishing even further.  His batting average sits at just .224 (boosted about 20 points after his 4-5 performance yesterday), though his on base percentage is more than 100 points higher, due to his fine 31 BB/42 K ratio.  16 two baggers puts him on pace for his third consecutive season of 30+ doubles but he hasn’t been able to log in with his first HR yet.

What do we make of this going forward?  Prior to Michael Young’s five year extension with the Rangers, I would have been more enthusiastic about Whittleman.  The Rangers, for all their organizational depth, are quite thin at 3B.  The talent is still there for Whittleman to carve out a major league career, but there’s a great deal left for him to prove.

Today’s top prospect is Cincinnati Reds SS Zack Cozart.  The former 2nd rounder smacked two homeruns and three RBI in the first game of a double header and then followed it up with a two hit, RBI showing in the nightcap.  Cozart has been blistering hot during the month of June, batting .339 with 6 HR 10 RBI and 4 SB.  A blue collar player through and through, Cozart skipped over High-A ball and has attacked AA pitching with aplomb, hitting .290 with 8 HR 35 RBI and 17 doubles.  Ahead of Cozart is the sweet swinging Chris Valaika who just returned to Louisville’s lineup after missing a month with a broken hand.  Valaika’s bat is more polished at this point than Cozart’s, but Zack is a better defensive shortstop.  Given that he has already skipped a level this season, it would not be surprising to see the Reds keep him in AA for the duration of the regular season.  Watch to see if Cincy places him in the Arizona Fall League this offseason.  If so, there may be a good opportunity for Cozart to get a decent look by the Reds in spring training 2010. 

AA Player of the Day—ZACK COZART

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Rene Tosoni—1-3 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Gorkys Hernandez—2-3 2B R
• Jose Tabata—1-3 RBI SB(4)
• Cale Iorg—2-4 R 2 RBI
• Josh Thole—3-5 2B 3R 2 RBI BB SB(4)
• Ryan Kalish—2-3 R BB
• Nick Evans—2-4 2R HR(3) 2 RBI
• Matt Whitney—4-5 2B R
• Yonder Alonso—3-6 RBI SB(1)
• Zack Cozart—2-4 2 HR(8) 3 RBI BB (Game 1)…..2-4 RBI (Game 2)
• Tyler Colvin—2-5 2 HR(5) 2 RBI 2R
• Darwin Barney—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Juan Francisco—1-5 2B R RBI BB (Game 1)…..3-4 HR(13) 4 RBI 2R (Game 2)
• Chris Heisey—1-2 3R
• James Adduci—2-3 2B 2R BB SB(16)
• Josh Bell—3-4 2 2B R RBI SB(2)
• Eduardo Perez—2-5 HR(6) 2 RBI 2B
• Taylor Green—1-3 HR(4) 3 RBI BB
• John Shelby Jr.—2-4 2B
• Tyler Flowers—1-2 HR(10) RBI 2 BB
• Christian Marrero—1-4 HR(8) 2 RBI
• C.J. Retherford—2-5 2B R RBI
• Matt Mangini—2-3 R RBI BB
• Drew Locke—4-6 2B R  5 RBI
• Wladimir Sutil—3-6 4R RBI
• Mitch Moreland—3-6 2B R
• Marcus Lemon—3-5 2B 2R 4 RBI
• Johnny Whittleman—4-5 2 2B 3R 2 RBI
• Timmy Smith—4-5 R 2 RBI
• Luis Durango—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Lance Zawadzki—2-3 HR(11) RBI 2 BB 2R
• Brian Joynt—3-5 2B HR(1) 2 RBI
• Chris Carter—2-4 HR(10) RBI 2B BB
• Matt Spencer—1-4 2B RBI BB
• Daryl Jones—3-5 R
• Cole Garner—2-4 2B 3 RBI
• Daniel Mayora—4-5 2B 2R 3 RBI
• Mark Trumbo—3-4 2 2B 3B 4 RBI

Pitching:

• Mark Rzepczynski—7 IP 5H ER BB 8K
• Tim Bascom—7 IP 3H 2 BB 7K
• Ryan Pope—5.2 IP 5H 4K
• Tyson Brummett—7 IP 4H 2 ER 5K
• Travis Wood—5 IP 8H 3 ER BB 6K W (7-3)

6/14 AA Minor League Report

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

If you’ve been paying attention to this blog over the last year, you would know that I have a good deal of love for Chicago White Sox 1B prospect Brandon Allen.  The 6-2 235 lb. slugger has had a fine season at AA Birmingham, hitting .295 with 7 HR 35 RBI and 38 runs scored.  Allen’s power production has been down this season, after hitting 30 HR between High-A and AA last year, and his stolen base totals have diminished to almost nil.  However, the plate discipline that once was a major question mark in Allen’s game has now become one of his strengths.  Through 60 games, the ‘04 draftee has walked 29 times and has struck out 45 times.  Factor out the month of April and those numbers are even better (23 BB/34 K).  Similar to Oakland A’s 1B prospect Chris Carter, the power should increase as the summer goes along as Allen’s confidence with in his more disciplined plate approach increases.

Today’s top prospect is a repeat offender.  Cleveland Indians prospect Matt McBride went 2-4 with a grand slam HR, four RBI, a double and two runs scored.  McBride was promoted to Akron after a blistering start at High-A Kinston where he hit .405 with 6 HR 36 RBI and 15 doubles in 31 games.  Since moving to Akron, McBride has not been as good (.247 2 HR 16 RBI 7 doubles in 23 games), though much of his offensive struggles happened during the month of May.  McBride entered the ’09 season as a catcher, but he’s played the bulk of his innings as a corner outfielder as top prospect Carlos Santana is the Indians’ catcher of the future.  June’s been a hot month for McBride as he’s hit .455 in the early going.  If he can continue his torrid pace and continue to drive the ball, he may make a strong case to be considered as a solid corner outfielder for the Indians by the middle of 2010.  Given their depth at the position, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him packaged up in an off-season deal either.

AA Player of the Day—MATT MCBRIDE

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Nick Evans—2-5 2B R RBI
• Shawn Bowman—2-5 2B R RBI
• Ian Desmond—2-5 2B 2 RBI BB SB(5)
• Marvin Lowrance—3-4 HR(10) 2 RBI 2B
• Jeremy Slayden—4-4 2B 3 RBI
• Brian Jeroloman—1-4 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Casper Wells—2-4 HR(3) RBI 2B
• Brnadon Snyder—-2-3 2 2B BB
• Matt McBride—2-4 GS HR(8) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Sean Henry—4-4 2R
• Chris Heisey—1-3 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Brandon Allen—3-4 2B 3 RBI BB
• John Shelby Jr.—1-3 HR(6) RBI
• Mike Paulk—3-5 HR(2) 4 RBI
• Jason Castro—2-4 R
• Eric Sogard—2-4 2B R
• Kellen Kulbacki—3-4 R RBI SB(2)
• Cedric Hunter—2-5 R 2 RBI
• Lance Zawadzki—2-5 2B R 3 RBI
• Chad Tracy—3-4 R 2 RBI
• Mitch Moreland—2-5 3R BB
• Matt Spencer—2-4 2R
• Drew Sutton—2-5 2B R RBI

Pitching:

• Alfredo Figardo—7.1 IP 3H 2 ER BB 10K W (5-2)
• Hector Rondon—4 IP H BB 3K
• Scott Elbert—5 IP 4H 3 ER 3 BB 9K L (2-2)
• Brian Omogrosso—5 IP 4H 2 BB 5K W (7-2)
• Jay Jackson—5 IP 4H ER 6K

5/5 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 6, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Last ngiht’s AA action saw the debut of Florida Marlins elite prospect Michael Stanton.  Touted by some to be the second coming of Dave Winfield, Stanton collected two hits in four AB and drove in two runs.  His promotion to Jacksonville seems to be well-timed and I am most interested to see if he can continue to be disciplined at the plate.  Prior to his promotion, Stanton had a solid 28 BB/45 K through his first 50 games.  Could he make his big league debut this season?  I think not, but a trip to the Arizona Fall League in the offseason could be the final bit of seasoning for Stanton before his big league debut.

In other action, Beau MIlls hit HR #5 and drove in two runs.  He’s been a little bit of a disappointment in the early going, hitting .261 with 5 HR and 21 RBI for an offesively anemic Akron Aeros team, but his early returns from June have been solid (.381 HR 3 RBI 6 runs) and his big league bloodlines are reason to extend a bit of patienct to the 22 year old 1B prospect.  Speaking of first basemen, Oakland A’s slugger Chris Carter blasted his 7th HR, drove in two runs, walked twice and stole his 7th base of the season.  As predicted by me, Carter’s power has returned after hitting just one HR during the month of April.  Even more encouraging is the fact that Carter’s pitch recognition and plate discipline has taken a step forward as his 34 BB/53 K ratio is a marked improvement from his 77 BB/156 K performance from a year ago. 

Today’s top AA performer is New York Yankees right hander Zach McAllister  who tossed 7.2 shutout innings, striking out six for his 5th victory of the season.  The 21 year old McAllister has had an understatedly excellent season as a Yankee farm hand, going 5-2 with a 1.61 ERA and a very respectable 18 BB/48 K ratio through his first 61 innings.  McAllister has allowed just one HR in his first 10 starts and has held hitters to a .220 BA.  The former 2006 draft pick looks to be a mid-rotation workhorse with a four-seam fastball that approaches 95 MPH and a two-seamer with good sink that sits at 89-91 MPH.  His slider and changeup are solid pitches that have made significant strides over the past season and it is on the strength of those offspeed offerings that McAllister has been able to vastly elevate his stock within the organization.

From a market perspective, McAllister’s optimal values will be realized if he is able to stay in pinstripes.  However, as his stock increases, so does his value as a late season trading chip for a Yankees team that is in a heated pennant chase with the Boston Red Sox.  Don’t be surprised if McAllister’s name starts to get floated around as a potential part of a trade deadline deal.  While that would bode well for the 6-6 230 lb righty’s immediate baseball future, his best market gains would be realized if he can make his MLB debut in a Yankees uniform.

AA Minor League Report—ZACH MCALLISTER

Other Notable Peformances

Hitting:

• Justin Snyder—2-4 2 RBI R
• Lars Anderson—2-3 R BB
• Argenis Diaz—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Juan Francisco—1-3 HR(11) RBI
• Bryan Peterson—3-5 R
• Michael Stanton—2-4 2 RBI
• Beau Mills—1-4 HR(5) 2 RBI 2R
• John Drennen—2-5 2B 2R 4 RBI
• Andy Dirks—2-3 2R RBI BB SB(5)
• Brandon Crawford—1-2 R 2 RBI BB SB(4)
• Chris Hatcher—2-4 2 HR(4) 2 RBI 2R
• Josh Bell—1-3 HR(6) 2 RBI BB
• James Adduci—3-4 2B R RBI
• Taylor Green—2-4 R RBI
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 2 RBI 2B R
• John Shelby Jr.—2-4 2B R
• Dayan Viciedo—3-4 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Sean Coughlin—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R 2B
• Kurt Mertins—3-6 2B 2R 4 RBI
• Jordan Parraz—3-6 2 2B 2 RBI R SB(4)
• Jose Duarte—3-5 R RBI SB(9)
• Josh Horton—3-5 2B 2R
• Chris Carter—2-3 HR(7) 2 RBI 2BB SB(7)
• Adrian Cardenas—2-4 R BB
• Darin Holcomb—2-3 HR(2) RBI 2R BB
• Eric Sogard—2-4 R BB
• Todd Cruz—2-3 R BB
• Steven Hill—2-4 2B R RBI

Pitching:

• Trevor Reckling—6.2 IP 3H ER 7 BB 7K
• Jhoulys Chacin—6 IP 4H Er 2 BB 7K W (4-4)
• Sergio Perez—6 IP 5H ER 2 BB 6K
• Scott Diamond—6 IP 5H Er BB 3K W (2-5)
• Zach McAllister—7.2 IP 7H 6K W (5-2)
• Luis Marte—7 IP 4H BB 6K W (4-5)
• Aaron Poreda—6 IP 3H 5 BB 7K W (5-4)
• Brad Holt—6.1 IP 2H ER 3 BB 3K

6/2 AA Minor League Report

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

Yesterday was a day for top pitching prospects to strut their stuff in the AA ranks.  BoSox import Junichi Tazawa tossed seven quality innings, allowing a couple of runs and earning his 6th victory.  Baltimore Orioles lefty Jake Arrieta did even better by punching out nine and allowing two runs over 6.2 innings for his 5th win.  San Fran’s Tim Alderson allowed two runs over eight innings but lost and Dodgers youngster Josh Lindblom outdueled Arizona’s Jarrod Parker for his third win.

As good as the pitching was yesterday, not every AA hitter’s bat was silenced.  Philly’s Michael Taylor hit his 10th HR as did Cincy’s 3B prospect Juan Francisco.  Cleveland Indians top prospect Carlos Santana hit his 8th and 9th dingers while driving in three, and the group of Brandon Allen, Todd Frazier, Josh Bell,  and Quentin Berry each rapped three hits.

Top honors for the day go to Chicago White Sox OF prospect John Shelby Jr.  The son of former Baltimore Orioles and L.A. Dodgers catalyst John “T-Bone” Shelby went 4-5 with his 5th HR and five RBI.  “Treybone” got off to a somewhat slow start this year and struggled through the month of May, hitting just .200.  However, he has looked like a 5-tool talent over the last 10 games, hitting .308 with 2 HR 10 RBI and 7 runs scored.  Last season, Shelby hit .295 with 15 HR 80 RBI and 33 SB at High-A Winston-Salem.  He also amassed over 35 doubles and 80 runs for the second consectuive season. 

Critics of Shelby, point to his struggles with his plate discipline (22 BB/98 K in ‘08) as a potential pitfall to his progress as a prospect.  However, he has made significant strides through the first two months, having already walked 21 times vs. just 31 K’s.  An upward shift in his plate discipline could revive thoughts of Shelby being a bonafide top of the order hitter for the White Sox.  He is already an excellent defensive centerfielder and his blend of power and speed is always intriguing. 

The Sox have a pleasant dilemma, however, as ‘08 draftee Jordan Danks has looked spectacular as a CF candidate as well.  The younger and more projectible Danks has bested Shelby’s numbers across the board this season and seems to be on a fast track to U.S. Cellular Field, perhaps by the end of this season. 

What does this mean for Shelby?  Perhaps a trade….as the Sox have already tried to make a move for more pitching by putting together a deal for Jake Peavy.  Although that deal fell through, it did demonstrate that Sox GM Kenny Williams is holding fast to his reputation of being an aggressive wheeler and dealer.  It could also mean nothing, as Danks has been mainly playing LF since his promotion to Birmingham.  Jermaine Dye’s contract is set to expire and Danks has the arm strength and size to be an everyday rightfielder.  Also, everyday leftfielder and frequent DL denizen Carlos Quentin seems to be a better fit as a DH once Jim Thome departs. 

Center field in Chicago’s south side has been a morass of mediocrity since the days of Aaron Rowand, but both Shelby and Danks seem to be excellent candidates who can each provide solidarity to the position within the next season or so.  I think that the next couple of months will tell us a great deal about the Sox plans for both Shelby and Danks going forward and each should have a much more definitive major league role once Spring Training 2010 rolls around.

AA Player of the Day—JOHN SHELBY JR.

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Lucas Duda—2-4 HR(3) RBI 2B
• Mark Wagner—1-4 2B R 2 RBI
• Aaron Bates—2-4 2B RBI
• Brett Pill—2-3 2 2B RBI
• Beau Mills—2-4 2B BB R
• Carlos Santana—2-4 2 HR(9) 3 RBI 2R
• Nick Weglarz—2-3 2B R BB
• Quentin Berry—3-5 R
• Michael Taylor—1-4 HR(10) RBI 2R BB
• Jim Negrych—1-4 HR(1) 2 RBI 2R BB
• Ryan Strieby—2-4 2B RBI BB
• Gorkys Hernandez—1-3 2b R
• Josh Bell—3-4 RBI
• Todd Frazier—3-5 2B
• Juan Francisco—1-4 HR(10) RBI
• Jordan Danks—2-5 R RBI
• Tyler Flowers—2-5 2R RBI BB
• Brandon Allen—3-5 3R
• Dayan Viciedo—2-6 R
• John Shelby Jr.—4-5 HR(5) 5 RBI 2R
• Tyler Green—1-4 2B 2R 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Travis Wood—6 IP 3H BB 6K
• Josh Lindblom—5 IP 3H 4K W (3-3)
• Jarrod Parker—6 IP 5H 2 ER 4 BB 4K L (4-2)
• Kyle Parker—7 IP 2H 2 BB 2K W (2-2)
• Kyle Cofield—7 IP 2H BB 3K W (4-2)
• Tim Alderson—8 IP 6K 2 ER 3K L (2-1)
• Jake Arrieta—6.2 IP 5H 2 ER 3 BB 9K  W (5-3)
• Junichi Tazawa—7 IP 5H 2 ER 3K W (6-3)

5/27 AA Minor League Report

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

With the Texas League taking the day off, yesterday’s AA slate of games was somewhat light.  Jordan Danks hit his 2nd HR of the year and scored twice while teammate John Shelby Jr. enjoyed a nice day at the plate hitting his 4th dinger and driving in three runs.  Tampa Bay’s Desmond Jennings hit his 5th HR as did lesser known Red Sox 1B prospect Aaron Bates.

Yesterday’s top performer is New York Yankees RHP Zach McAllister.  The 21 year old tosses seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five.  After a highly successful 2008, McAllister continues to shine in the AA ranks going 3-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 15 BB/32 K in his first 47 innings.  McAllister has a solid fastball that ranges from 91-94 MPH and he also mixes in a 89-91 MPH two seamer that has nasty sink to it.  Offspeed pitches include a solid slider and changeup that he commands well in the strike zone.  Despite his frontline starter size and velocity, McAllister pitches to contact and looks to induce ground ball outs.  I can’t help but think that he has some projection left in that frame that could add some power and velocity to his stuff.  McAllister should pitch the majority of the season at AA before earning a mid to late summer promotion to AAA.

AA Player of the Day—ZACH MCALLISTER

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Jon Lucroy—1-3 2B RBI BB
• Ty Wright—2-4 2B 2R RBI
• James Adduci—1-3 HR(1) 3 RBI BB
• Desmond Jennings—1-4 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Zack Cozart—3-4 2B 2R
• Sean Henry—1-3 2B 2R BB SB(3)
• Todd Frazier—2-4 2 RBI
• Juan Francisco—2-3 R 2 RBI
• Cyle Hankerd—3-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Jordan Danks—3-4 HR(2) RBI BB 2R
• Brandon Allen—1-3 2B R RBI 2BB
• John Shelby Jr.—2-3 HR(4) 3 RBI 2B BB
• Eduardo Nunez—4-4 HR(3) 2 RBI 2R
• Collin Curtis—5-5 3R BB
• Andy Dirks—3-5 2B 3B 2 RBI R
• Brennan Boesch—2-5 2 2B R RBI
• Scott Sizemore—2-6 2 2B R
• Aaron Bates—2-4 HR(5) 2 RBI 2R
• Ryan Kalish—2-4 R RBI
• Michael Taylor—2-4 2B R RBI
• Leonard Davis—2-5 HR(6) RBI

Pitching:

• Vance Worley—7 IP 3H BB 2K W (4-2)
• Zach McAllister—7 IP 4H 2 BB 5K W (3-2)
• Lucas Harrell—5 IP 5H er 2 BB 4K W (6-1)
• Matt Torra—7 IP 5H UER 2K W (2-5)

5/14 AA Minor League Report

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

Mets catching prospect Josh Thole gathered a handful of hits yesterday, scoring two runs and driving in one.  Michael Taylor blasted his 6th HR and drove in four runs, Tampa Bay Rays 3B prospect Rhyne Hughes hit his 12th Hr and drove in three and Padres OF Cedric Hunter continued to raise his average with a three hit, three RBI day.  On the mound, Kasey Kiker continues to pitch like he did in ‘07, tossing six solid innings of two run, eight strikeout ball, Joe Savery won his third game and young Indians prospect Jeanmar Gomez tossed eight innings of shutout ball, striking out eight and winning his 5th game.

Today’s top AA player is L.A. Dodgers 3B prospect Josh Bell.  The former 2005 4th round pick suffered a knee injury last year that cut his season to just 51 games, but after going through a rigorous off season training regimen he looks as healthy and strong as he has ever been.  His 6-3 235 lb. frame gives him an imposing presence at the plate, but the power has not manifested itself yet as it has in seasons past.  In place of the HR totals, however, is an increased amount of plate discipline (23 BB/25K) and increased agility at the hot corner.  Bell’s card sales have dropped off considerably since his injury last season and concerns that arose from his poor plate discipline two years ago.  Currently, his 2008 Bowman Chrome Autos sell for $3-4 each and his refractors (#/500) are a bargain at just a buck or two more.  Bell, if he stays healthy, is a prime candidate to break out from underneath the radar and onto L.A.’s Top 20 prospect list.

AA Player of the Day—JOSH BELL

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Carlos Rivero—2-6 2R
• Beau Mills—3-4 R
• Michael Taylor—1-2 HR(6) 4 RBI
• Eduardo Nunez—3-4 HR(2) 3 RBI 2R BB SB(5)
• Josh Thole—5-5 2B 2R RBI
• Tony Thomas—3-5 HR(6) RBI R
• Timmy Smith—3-4 3 2B RBI R
• Josh Bell—3-4 HR(2) 4 RBI 2R BB
• Andrew Lambo—1-4 2B 2R BB
• Brett Wallace—2-5 2B R
• Brandon Allen—1-4 2B 2 RBI
• John Shelby Jr.—1-3 HR(2) RBI
• Justin Smoak—2-4 R BB
• Steven Murphy—3-4 2 2B 2R
• Drew Locke—1-4 HR(8) RBI
• Rhyne Hughes—2-3 HR(12) 3 RBI 2B BB
• Cedric Hunter—3-6 2B 3 RBI
• Luis Durango—2-3 2 BB SB(19)
• Desmond Jennings—1-3 2B 2R BB

Pitching:

• Kyle McCullough—7 IP 6H ER 2 BB 5K
• Kasey Kiker—6 IP 4H 2 ER 2 BB 8K W (3-2)
• Jeanmar Gomez—8 IP 4H 8K W (5-2)
• Joe Savery—5 IP 2H ER 2 BB 4K W (3-1)…..1-2 2B R
• Kyle Winters—7 IP 5H ER BB 3K
• Scott Diamond—7 IP 6H ER 6K

AA 5/6 Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 7, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

There were several rainouts in the AA ranks and not many spectacular performances.  Birmingham’s trio of John Shelby Jr., Gordon Beckham, and Dayan Viciedo combined for 9 RBI to help John Ely earn his fourth win of the season.  Promising Cardinals duo of Daryl Jones and Brett Wallace drove seven runs between the two of them.  Steven Hill homered in both games of a double header, increasing his season’s total to seven.  Brandon Snyder came back after a few games off to have two hits and two RBI and Gerardo Parra, Juan Francisco, Drew Locke and Mario Lisson also homered. 

Today’s top performer is long time Colorado Rockies SS prospect Chris Nelson.  Nelson, a former 2004 1st round pick, has had an up and down professional career but, at 23 years old, he seems to be turning the corner.  Nelson went 3-4 yesterday with two triples, two RBI and two runs scored.  Nelson had an abysmal 2008 season, but really turned things around in the Arizona Fall League by hitting .321 with 6 HR 17 RBI 4 SB and 22 runs scored in 27 games.  He’s continued to hit well while repeating at AA Tulsa, hitting .289 with 4 HR 11 RBI and 19 runs scored in 23 games.  The key indicator for Nelson’s turnaround has been his increased plate discipline.  Nelson is working deeper into counts and seems to be capitalizing on pitches he sees in the strike zone.  At the major league level, current Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki has been anything but spectacular since his incredible rookie season in 2007.  Injuries and poor plate discipline has wreaked havoc on his production and has vastly inhibited his ability to perform.  Nelson is, by no means, a consistent player at this point, nor a suitable candidate to displace Tulo. But at age 23, there is still ample reason to keep an eye on his development going forward.

AA Player of the Day—CHRIS NELSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• John Shelby Jr.—2-4 2 2B 3 RBI R
• Gordon Beckham—2-5 R 3 RBI
• Dayan Viciedo—1-5 HR(3) 3 RBI
• C.J. Retherford—2-3 2 2B 3 RBI R
• Jesus Lopez—3-4 2B 2 RBI
• Shawn Hill—1-3 HR(6) RBI (Game 1)…..1-4 HR(7) RBI (Game 2)
• Mario Lisson—1-4 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Kurt Mertins—2-3 2B 3 RBI BB R
• James Rapoport—1-2 2B 3 RBI 2R 3 BB
• Daryl Jones—2-3 4 RBI
• Brett Wallace—1-4 3 RBI
• Dan Delasco—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Pete Kozma—2-3 2R RBI BB
• Gerardo Parra—1-3 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Juan Francisco—2-3 HR(5) RBI
• Juan Portes—2-3 2 2B RBI
• Erik Lis—2-3 HR(1) RBI 2R
• Reegie Corona—2-3 2 RBI 2 BB 2R
• Brandon Snyder—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Lars Anderson—1-4 2B R RBI BB
• Ruben Tejada—3-3 2B 3B R BB
• Chris Nelson—3-4 2 3B 2 RBI
• Drew Locke—1-3 HR(6) RBI

Pitching:

• Antonio Bastardo—5.1 IP 4H ER BB 7K W (2-1)
• Esmil Rogers—6 IP 0H 3 BB 6K
• Amalio Diaz—4 IP 4H 5K
• Junichi Tazawa—6 IP 6H ER BB 3K W (3-2)
• Cole DeVries—5 IP 5H 2 BB 2K W (2-1)
• John Ely—6 IP 8H ER BB 6K W (4-0)

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