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)

6/18 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)

4/23 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on April 24, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Michael Taylor had a big day at the plate belting two HR, driving in three and scoring three times.  Detroit Tigers shortstop prospect Maxwell Leon, who had zero homeruns last season, blasted his third and drove in six.  Collin DeLome hit HR number six and drove in three and Justin Smoak hit his second HR of the season, driving in three.

Today’s top player was Chicago White Sox top hurler Aaron Poreda.  The tall lefty surrendered just four hits over seven innings striking out 11 en route to his first victory of the season.  Once rumored to be a part of Chicago’s bullpen out of spring training, it appears that the Sox would much rather feature his 98 MPH fastball for more than one inning in a game.  AA should be a good fit for him right now as he needs to develop greater command of his slider and change in order to reach his potential as a frontline starter.  At 22 years old, there is plenty of time for the youngster to develop.

AA Player of the Day—AARON POREDA

Other Notable Peformances

Hitting:

• Mike Mooney—1-4 GS HR(2) 4 RBI
• Michael Taylor—4-6 2 HR(2) 3 RBI 3R
• Maxwell Leon—3-5 HR(3) 6 RBI 3B
• Jim Negrych—2-5 2B 2 RBI R
• Pedro Lopez—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2R
• Joshua Rodriguez—3-3 3R RBI BB SB(1)
• Brandon Allen—1-4 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Mark Hallberg—4-5 2B R
• Gerardo Parra—2-5 2B R
• Tony Thomas—3-5 HR(4) 2 RBI 3R SB(3)
• Jose Vallejo—3-5 2B 3B 2R 2 RBI
• Johnny Whittleman—3-4 2B R RBI
• Collin DeLome—3-5 HR(6) 3 RBI 3R SB(3)
• Mitch Einertson—2-5 HR(3) 3 RBI
• Drew Locke—3-5 HR(3) 4 RBI 2R
• Chris Carter—2-4 2 2B 2 RBI BB 3R
• Adrian Cardenas—2-5 2B RBI
• Mitch Canham—3-4 2 2B RBI R
• Peter Bourjos—2-4 2B 2R SB(5)
• James Rapoport—3-5 GS HR(1) 5 RBI 2R
• Daryl Jones—3-4 2R
• Chris Nelson—2-4 2B 2R HR(3) 3 RBI
• Justin Smoak—2-5 HR(2) 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Troy Patton—5.1 IP 2H ER 3 BB 1K
• Alfredo Figaro—6 IP 3H 2 ER BB 8K W(2-0)
• Zach McAllister—7 IP 2H ER 4K W(1-0)
• Aaron Poreda—7 IP 3H ER BB 11 K W(1-2)
• Bryan Augenstein—7 IP 3H ER BB 4K W(3-0)
• Casey Coleman—6 IP 6H 2 ER 3 BB 5K W(3-0)
• Travis Banwart—5.2 IP 3H 2 BB 5K W(2-0)

4/2 Minor League Report

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

Trevor Cahill made his final start of the spring and, while he didn’t look particularly sharp, he is slated to be Oakland’s #2 man in the rotation against the L.A. Angels.  Travis Snider and Pablo Sandoval continue to prove that they can hit MLB pitching really hard as each gathered 3 more hits to push their spring averages well into the .400 range.  Today’s youngster of the day is a repeat offender, Colby Rasmus.  The 22 year old Cardinals CF went 2-4 with his 1st HR of the spring, a double 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.  That performance helped him to cement a spot in St. Louis’ opening day roster, and perhaps, in the starting lineup.

Youngster of the Day—COLBY RASMUS

Other Notable Performances:

• Jair Jurrjens—4 IP 5H UER K W(2)
• Bud Norris—4 IP 5H ER 4K
• Stephen Pearce—1-2 HR(1) RBI
• Brad Corley—2-2 R
• Andy LaRoche—1-1 R RBI BB
• Chris Dickerson—2-2 R BB
• Colby Rasmus—2-4 HR(1) 2B 2R 3 RBI
• David Freese—3-4 R
• Jason Motte—IP 2K SV(5)
• Cameron Maybin—1-2 2 RBI
• Daryl Jones—1-1 2B R
• Travis Sinder—3-4 2B R
• Justin Maxwell—1-5 2B R RBI
• Scott Moore—2-4 3B 2R RBI
• Trevor Crowe—2-4 2B 2R
• Ian Stewart—1-4 3B RBI R
• Dexter Fowler—0-0 2 BB R SB(7)
• Justin Upton—1-3 3B 2 RBI
• Jacob Hester—2-2
• Gerardo Parra—1-3 R RBI SB(2)
• Chris Davis—2-3 R RBI
• Johnny Whittleman—1-2 HR(2) RBI
• Justin Smoak—1-1 2B RBI
• Jarrod Saltalamacchia—1-3 2B RBI
• Adam Fox—1-1 HR(1) 3 RBI 2R BB
• Nick Hundley—2-3 RBI
• Blake Tekotte—2-2 2B R
• Ezequiel Carrera—1-2 2B RBI R
• Pablo Sandoval—3-4 2B 3B 2 RBI R
• Trevor Cahill—5 IP 6H 4 ER 4 BB K L(2)
• Kendry Morales—2-4
• Cedric Hunter—2-4 2 2B 2R
• Seth Johnson—2-3 HR(1) 4 RBI
• Brian Baxter—1-1 3 BB 2R
• Cesar Carrillo—4.1 IP 5H ER BB 4K W(1)

11/19 AFL Report

Posted by Jeremy on November 20, 2008 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Brian McFall’s 2 HR 4 RBI game would normally be enough to win the Player of the Day award, however, Phil Hughes stole the show with a dominant 5 innings of 2 hit 10 K ball against the Scottsdale Scorpions.  Hughes has demonstrated that he is fully healthy and ready to regain his status as one of the Yankees top young prospects.

Player of the Day: PHIL HUGHES

Memo to the Yanks: Handle With Care

 Surprise Rafters  11

• Brian McFall—2-5 2 HR(3) 4 RBI 2R
• Johnny Whittleman—2-5 2B HR(2) RBI
• Russ Mitchell—2-3 HR(1) 2 RBI 2 BB 2B
• Blake Davis—2-5 2B R 2 RBI

 Phoenix Desert Dogs  6

• Eric Young Jr.—1-2 HR(4) RBI
• Dustin Martin—2-3 HR(3) 3 RBI R BB SB(6)
• Ryan Patterson—3-4 2 2B R
• Shane Tolleson—1-3 R 2B SB(7)

 Mesa Solar Sox  7

• Jeff Larish—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R
• Matt Young—2-5 2B
• Jeremy Slayden—1-1 HR(3) 4 RBI
• Scott Cousins—1-4 R BB
• Kris Medlen—3 IP 5K (W)

 Peoria Saguaros  4

• Bill Rhinehart—2-4 HR(4) 2 RBI 2B
• Brett Wallace—2-3 HR(6) RBI BB
• Leonard Davis—1-4 2B R
• Cody VanAllen—5 IP 2 H 6K

 Peoria Javelinas  5

• Kevin Russo—1-4 HR(3) 2 RBI BB
• Chris Valaika—2-5 R
• Drew Stubbs—2-3 2B R BB
• Justin Henry—2-5 2B R SB(8)
• Rhyne Hughes—1-3 2B BB
• Phil Hughes—5 IP 2H 10K (W)
• Doug Fister—3 IP 3H 4K

 Scottsdale Scorpions  0

• Kevin Frandsen—3-4
• Chris Pettit—1-4
• Mark Trumbo—1-4
• Eammon Portice—3 IP H BB 3K

8/22 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 23, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Here’s the AA rundown….I am going to a street fair with the family and will have to get to the High and Low A reports this evening.  Enjoy!

J.P Arencibia

• 1-4 HR(27) RBI 2R BB—.303 27 HR 101 RBI (17BB/94K a little concerning)

Jose Tabata

• 3-5 RBI 2B R SB(15)—.415 HR 6 RBI 5 SB 12 R since trade to Pirates

Jason Berken

• 7 IP 3H 8K (W)—7-0 2.19 ERA 54K/64IP last 10 games

Drew Carpenter

• 7 IP 2H 2BB 8K (W)—Great in 4 of his last 5 starts

Jordan Schafer

• 2-4 HR(10) 3B 3 RBI 2R BB—.410 5 HR 13 RBI 10R last 10 games

Kris Medlen

• 6 IP 3H BB 10K (W)—6-8 3.62 ERA 112K/114IP (pitching well as a starter)

Brandon Allen

• 2-3 HR(25) RBI BB—HR’s in 3 straight games (.375 Avg last 10 games)

Alcides Escobar

• 2-4 3B RBI R—.335 91 R 174 H 8 HR 74 RbI 32 SB

Adam Moore

• 1-2 HR(13) 2 RBI BB—.355 2 HR 8 RBI 6BB last 10 games

Greg Halman

• 1-4 HR( 28 ) RBI—.274 28 HR 80 RBI 90 R 31 SB

Gerardo Parra

• 2-4 2 2B 2RBI 2R BB—.333 HR 10 RBI 8R last 10 games

Eric Young Jr.

• 2-5 2R BB 2 SB(45)—.326 12 R 7 SB last 10 games

Johnny Whittleman

• 2-3 HR( 8 ) RBI 2BB—Sterling AA debut with Frisco

Jose Vallejo

• 3-5 2B R 2 SB( 38 )—.436 17 H 9 R 4 SB last 10 games

Javier Herrera

• 3-5 2R SB(7)—10-20 3 HR 9 RBI 6R last 4 games

BUY/SELL Analysis

Saying NO to drugs

Jordan Schafer’s tumultuous 2008 finally seems to be taking a turn for the better.  After being suspended in mid-April for 50 games for using PED’s, Schafer returned to AA and struggled, hitting just .228 in the month of July.  August has been a different story for Jordan as he is batting .346 with 6 HR 19 RBI in 20 games.  Schafer was honored as the top prospect in the Braves farm system prior to the season and many thought that he was going to be the everyday CF for Atlanta for the bulk of this season.  His suspension coupled with his slow start has left many prospectors wondering–Who is the real Jordan Schafer?

Aside: My personal opinion on PED’s is that, while they certainly enhance physical performance, the greater benefits are found in the psychological edge that they create.  Confidence and mental toughness are key components to success in baseball.  Streaks and slumps often occur due to changes between the ears of these athletes.  If they think that something is working, it is, and if they think something is inhibiting them, they are also correct.  My feeling on Schafer is that there was an initial crisis of confidence once he returned, which detracted from his performance.  Now he apprears more confident, aggressive and disciplined.

Schafer’s sole first year cards are found in the 2005 Bowman Draft and Chrome set with chromes selling for $1.50-2.50 and refractors selling for $7-8 each.  His non-chrome cards are solid buys at 50-75 cents each.  Additionally, Schafer is one of the featured autos in the newly released 2008 Bowman Chrome set.  These have been in solid demand from collectors garnering prices between $17-20 each.

Market Advice: His cards have plummeted since last season which bodes well for prospectors who believe that Schafer’s true talents were not the product of HGH.  I am one who is in that contingent and I think that his limited supply of cards are well worth the risk.  The ‘08 Autos are priced about right as this is his first certified autographed card.  The Braves would be best served to not push Schafer this year, letting him build on his current run of success.  Another trip to the Arizona Fall League to replicate his “tainted” numbers from last year could expediate his promotion to the center of Turner Field’s outfield in 2009. I find the best value to be in his lower priced stuff, BUY a batch of his ‘05 chrome or base cards and wait for Spring Training.

8/12 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 13, 2008 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Lots of super performances from Tuesday night!

Michael Taylor

• 2-4 HR(14) RBI—.415 3 RBI 17 H 7 R 8 2B last 10 games

Collin DeLome (in double header)

• 3-6 3 HR(21) 7 RBI BB SB(14)—.249 22 HR 67 RBI 14 SB over two levels

Rick Porcello

• 5 IP 6H ER 2BB 2K (W)—4-0 2.61 ERA 27K/51IP last 10 games

John Drennen

• 1-3 2B 2R RBI BB—Showing signs of breaking season slump (6-15 2 HR 8 RBI last 6 games)

Zach McAllister

• 5 IP 4H BB 5K (W)—7-6 2.03 ERA 55K/80 IP in 13 games @ Tampa

Taylor Green

• 2-4 2B R BB—.308 3 HR 8 RBI last 10 games

Brent Brewer

• 2-6 HR(1) 3 RBI—Heating up .300 12H 7R last 10 games

Derrick Robinson

• 2-4 2R RBI SB(56)—.308 8R 8BB 6SB last 10 games

Paulo Orlando

• 2-5 HR(10) RBI 3R SB(29)—Traded from White Sox (intriguing sub-radar prospect)

Brandon Snyder

• 2-5 HR(12) 2 rbI 2R—.303 12 HR 73 RBI 29 2B

Billy Rowell

• 1-4 HR(6) RBI—.230 6 HR 31 RBI 22 2B 90K/99 games

Michael Burgess

• 2-4 2B 2R 3 RBI—Hitting well in two games at Harrisburg

David Cooper

• 2-5 2B RBI—Hitting machine .343 22 2B 5 HR 44 RBI in 209 AB’s over 3 levels

Kevin Pucetas

• 6 IP 2H ER BB 7K (W)—10-0 2.47 ERA 87K/109IP

Cedric Hunter

• 2-5 HR(7) RBI 2B—.317 6 Hr 64 RBI 82 R 37BB/39K

Ryan Mount

• 2-5 HR(12) 3 RBI—HR’s in 4 straight games (undervalued prospect)

Hank Conger

• 1-3 R 2 RBI—.295 8 HR 53 RBI in 54 games

Johnny Whittleman

• 4-5 HR(7) 2 RbI 2R—Red hot .408 18 H 6 RBI last 10 games

Ian Gac

• 1-5 HR(27) 2 RBI 2R—.295 27 HR 91 RBI 140 K’s over 2 levels

BUY/SELL Analysis

Homeruns Mount-ing

Ryan Mount was lauded as a toolsy middle infielder when drafted in in the 2nd round of the 2005 draft by the L.A. Angels.  Mount since being drafted has had season after season of injuries that have severely hampered his progress as a prospect.  This season was no exception as Mount missed the first two months of the season with a strained quad, but has become increasingly potent at the plate hitting .241 in June, .309 in July, and .370 so far in August.  Homers in four straight games gives an illustration of Mount’s ability to get leverage and power from his left-handed swing.  Mount has RC’s in the ‘05 Bowman Draft and Chrome, Bowman Sterling and Bowman Heritage sets.  HIs chrome and Sterling cards are most popular and can be had at 40 cents to 75 cents each.

Market Advice: The injuries are really the biggest detractor from Mount’s game.  Chronic problems never seem to go away and they may keep Mount from being the power-hitting middle infielder he has the potential to be.  When healthy, he reminds me of a left hand hitting version of another Angels 2B prospect Sean Rodriguez.  Mount’s cards get very little attention so far as his injury issues have caused many prospectors to turn away.  He is a low cost prospect to collect who has very limited 1st year card exposure.  He does have autographs in the ‘07 Bowman Sterling set that sell for $2.50-4.00 each.  These may be nice BUY options as Mount’s only autographed cards.  If you purchase Mount’s cards, cross your fingers and hope for a full season of good health at AA Arkansas.  If so, he could be a solid .280 20 HR 80 RBI hitter and will open more eyes.

7/18 High A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 20, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Josh Reddick

• 1-3 HR(16) RBI BB—The new 2008 Bowman Chrome set should have had his auto rather than Kalish

Yamaico Navarro

• 2-3 HR( 8 ) RBI 2R BB—7 for 12 in 3 games for Lancaster

Marcus Lemon

• 4-5 2B RBI—.303 5 HR 31 RBI .399 OBP

Johnny Whittleman

• 2-2 2 RBI R BB—.263 8 RBI 10 BB last 10 games

Daniel Mayora

• 2-5 3R—.326 HR 6 RBI 8R last 10 games

Mark Trumbo

• 2-3 HR(23) 2 RBI BB—.286 3 HR 9 RBI

Ryan Mount

• 3-4 2B R—.265 4 HR 20 RBI .357 OBP 30 R in 40 games

P.J. Phillips

• 2-5 HR (7) RBI—.341 HR 2 RBI 6 SB last 10 games

Tommy Mendoza

• 6 IP 5H 4K (W)—1st win after 8 consecutive losses (stil young enough to turn it around)

Corey Brown

• 1-4 HR(16) RBI—.243 2 HR 5 RBI 5BB/19K in 9 games since promotion

Austin Gallagher

• 2-3 2 2B R BB—.325 HR 6 RBI last 10 ( he will produce more power as he matures)

Kellen Kulbacki

• 3-5 2B 2 RBI R—.317 13 HR 44 RBI at High A

Beau Mills

• 2-4 2R RBI—.277 15 HR 63 RBI 27 2B

Eric Campbell

• 2-5 2B R 2 RBI BB—.395 4 HR RBI 7 BB last 10

Jim Negrych

• 2-5 HR(5) RBI—.366 5 HR 57 RBI .441 OBP

Derrick Robinson

• 2-5 2 2B SB(44) R—.247 0 HR 20 RBI 44 SB

Michael Taylor

• 2-3 HR(12) 2 RBI 2B—.225 2 HR 11 RBI 3BB/17K since promotion to Clearwater

Alexandre Periard

• 7 IP 6H 2 ER 3K—6-2 2.32 ERA 43K/66 IP

Tyler Green

• 2-3 HR(11) 3 RBI 2B—.394 11 HR 59 RBI 44BB/49K

Scott Cousins

• 2-5 HR(7) 3 RBI 2R—.421 4 HR 11 RBI 11 R last 10 games

Ryan Royster

• 2-3 HR(7) 2 RBI 2B BB—.382 3 HR 7 RBI last 10 games

Ryan Pope

• 7 IP 4H 2 ER 8K (W)—6-4 2.35 ERA 51K/69IP at High A level

Deolis Guerra

• 5 IP 8H 4 ER K (W)—10-4 4.42 ERA 46BB/51K in 100 IP (still just 19)

BUY/SELL Analysis

Mark Trumbo was an 18th round pick out of high school in the 2004 draft.  After a solid showing at rookie league Orem, Trumbo struggled in 2006 at Cedar Rapids hitting .220 with 13 HR and 59 RBI.  Last season, Trumbo repeated Low-A and improved to the tune of a .272 BA with 14 HR and 76 RBI.  Trumbo has stepped up his production at Rancho Cucamonga hitting .286 with 23 HR and 64 RBI.  In a system that finds itself severely lacking power hitting and 1B prospects, Trumbo has a veritable opportunity to progress quickly.  His 23BB/61K rate is not alarming, but Trumbo will need to take more bases on balls as he progresses.  2004 Donruss Elite Extra offers an autographed RC of Trumbo (#’ed to 1,321) which sells for $8-10 each.  His more popular ‘04 SP Prospect Auto (#’ed to 400) can be had for $15-18.

Market Advice: I don’t see Trumbo as being a star in the making, but as the Angels’ top 1st base prospect, now that Matt Sweeney is hurt, he will get a longer look by collectors.  Coupled with the imminent possibility that Trumbo will hit 30 HR’s by the season’s end, the ‘04 autos of Trumbo are a decent BUY at these prices, especially the SP Prospect autos (if you can find them).  It’s hard to diagnose whether or not Trumbo will continue to progress at higher levels, but if you are in possession of some of his cards now, SELL if and when he reaches 30 HR this year.

7/14 High A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 17, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Jon Still

• 2-4 HR(16) RBI 2R—.272 58 RBI .884 OPS

Josh Reddick

• 2-3 2B 2R BB—.346 15 HR 64 RBI 10 SB 10 3B (superstar in the making)

Chih Hsien Chiang

• 2-4 HR( 8 ) 4 RBI—.395 2 HR 13 RBI last 10 games

Austin Gallagher

• 2-5 2B RBI—.405 HR 9 RBI last 10 games

Carlos Santana

• 2-4 R RBI 2 SB(7)—.371 2 HR 9 RBI last 10 games

Johnny Whittleman

• 1-3 2B R RBI 2BB—Athletic young hitter is better than his .249 Avg.

Alexander Torres

• 6 IP 2H 2BB 5K—5-0 1.23 ERA 29K/29IP

Chris Carter

• 1-3 HR(26) RBI—.366 6 HR 14 RBI last 10 games

Eric Campbell

• 1-4 HR(12) 2 RBI 2R—.333 4 HR 8 RBI last 10 games

Jon Owings

• 1-2 HR(14) RBI—.412 4 HR 14 RBI last 10 games

Brandon Snyder

• 2-4 2 RBI R—.310 7 HR 50 RBI

Brandon Allen

• 1-4 HR(15) RBI—.343 2 HR 3 RBI 10 R last 10 games

Scott Cousins

• 3-4 HR(6) 3 RBI 3R 2BB SB(10)—.395 3 HR 8 RBI last 10 games

Logan Morrison

• 3-6 HR( 8 ) RBI—.444 2 HR 8 RBI last 10 games

Shaun Garceau

• 7 IP H 2 BB 5K—5-2 2.81 ERA 29K/51 IP last 10 games

BUY/SELL Analysis

Logan Morrison was an unknown draft and follow 22nd round draft pick out of Maple Woods CC in Missouri.  After his ‘07 season where he hit .267 with 24 HR and 86 RBI at Low A Greensboro, he opened eyes as a 1B who could potentially hit .300 with 30 HR per year at the MLB level.  This season at High A Jupiter, Morrison has continued to impress, hitting .337 with 9 HR and 54 RBI.  His 36 BB/ 53 K’s show that he has advanced plate discipline for his age and he seems to have figured out how to hit LHP’s (.300 this season vs. .195 last year).  Morrison has 1st year cards in the 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects set that currently are fetching $1.25-2.00 each and with refractors (#’ed to 599) selling at about $12-15 a pop. 

Market Advice: Morrison is on the fast track to Miami.  His blend of power and average are very appealing and at less than $2.00 a chrome card, he seems to be a must BUY.  Additionally, I would keep posted for the checklist of 2008 Bowman Sterling cards, as he possibly could have an auto in that set.

7/13 High A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 15, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

There was lots of action from many solid prospects in Sunday’s High A games.  Here’s a rundown…

Carlos Peguero

• 1-4 HR(12) RBI—.361 2 HR 6 RBI last 10 (K rate is coming down a little)

Carlos Santana

• 2-4 2B R—.412 3 HR 10 RBI 7 BB 2 SB last 10 games

Austin Gallagher

• 2-4 2R 2 RBI—.395 9 RBI 17 H last 10 games

Josh Reddick

• 2-4 2B R—.351 15 HR 55 RBI 10 3B over 2 levels

Brian Joynt

• 2-3 2B 3B 2R 2 RBI BB—.325 5 HR 25 RBI

Hank Conger

• 1-4 HR(2) 3 RBI—.231 HR 7 RBI last 10 games

Daniel Mayora

• 2-3 HR(3) 3 RBI 2R—.419 18 H 3 HR 11 RBI last 10 games

Josh Donaldson

• 1-5 HR( 8 ) 4 RBI 2R—.368 2 HR 8 RBI since trade to A’s

Corey Brown

• 1-3 3R RBI 2BB—.273 HR 4 RBI 11 K’s last 10 games

Chris Carter

• 2-5 HR(25) 6 RBI 2B 2R—.357 5 HR 12 RBI last 10 games

Craig Italiano

• .1 IP 6 H 6R BB K 2 HR allowed—Ugh…Kane County was much kinder

Johnny Whittleman

• 2-6 2B R—.249 30 2B 6 HR 47 RBI 63BB/86K

Evan Frey

• 3-7 HR(1) 2 RBI 2 SB(23) 2R—.316 65 R 8 3B

Kasey Kiker

• 5 IP 5H 2 ER 4BB 3K—5-3 4.55 ERA 79K/93 IP

John Shelby Jr.

• 2-4 2B R RBI BB—.274 10 HR 51 RBI 18 SB

Koby Clemens

• 2-4 2B R RBI—.263 5 HR 36 RBI

Anibal Sanchez

• 5.2 IP 3H 2BB 6K—1-0 2.40 ERA 13K/15IP (pitching well on the road back)

Scott Cousins

• 2-4 2R HR(6) 3 RBI—.333 3 HR 7 RBI 4 SB last 10 games

Logan Morrison

• 4-4 2B 2 RBI—.500 19 H HR 7 RBI last 10 games

Darren Ford

• 1-2 2B 2 RBI 3BB—.230 2 HR 27 RBI 45 SB

Alexandre Periard

• 7 IP 4H BB 6K (W)—8-6 3.58 ERA 73K/106IP

Rick Porcello

• 4 IP 6H 5ER 2BB 4K—Has not dominated this year but held his own at High A

Joe Savery

• 8 IP 4H 2BB 8K (W)—4-8 3.97 ERA 90K/111 IP

BUY/SELL Analysis

Hank Conger was the 1st round pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2006 and is tabbed to be the catcher of the future for the Halos.  With plus power from both sides of the plate, Conger adeptly uses the whole field with power.  Baseball America ranked Conger as the Halos’ 4th rated prospect in 2007 after he hit .290 with 11 HR 48 RBI and 9 SB at Low A Ceder Rapids.  2008 promised to be a major breakout year for Conger, however, recovery from wrist surgery and a minor tear in his right shoulder caused for him to miss the first two months of the season.  Since his return, Conger has hit .277 with 2 HR and 21 RBI missing games intermittantly.  Conger’s 1st year cards are found in the 2006 Bowman Draft and Chrome products as well as autos in the ‘06 Bowman Sterling set.  Currently, chromes sell for 50 cents to $1.00 each and his Sterling autos sell for $7.50 to 10.00 apiece.  Conger has a better chance at a longer MLB career at a different position.

Market Advice: When healthy, Conger is one of baseball’s top catching prospects, but this guy is a walking M.A.S.H. unit.  If you have some of his cards, I would HOLD in hopes that he can stay healthy for a sustained amount of time to produce.  If he goes on a streak and the market notices, SELL his cards and invest in someone less risky.