10/21 Arizona Fall League Report

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

I was looking through some of my past posts and saw that the scoreboard section of each entry is a little mushed together, making it difficult to discern the final scores of each game.  I will try to do better going forward.

As for tonight’s action, the Phoenix Desert Dogs put up 17 runs tonight to provide us with a wealth of offensive performances to choose from.  Grant Desme blasted two more homeruns to up his league leading total to five and Josh Bell increased his league leading batting average to .600 on the strenght of a four hit day that included his first AFL dinger, a double and three RBI.  In other games, Jordan Danks went yard for the second consecutive day, Yonder Alonso and Colin Curtis hit their second HR’s of the fall and Daryl Jones homered, scored twice, walked three times and stole two more bases to increase his total to six on the young season.

We go back to the Desert Dogs for our top performer of the day.  Baltimore Orioles 1B prospect and former 1st round pick Brandon Snyder belted HR’s number 2 and 3 earlier today, driving in seven runs and scoring three times.  Those of you who have followed this blog for some time have heard me on several occasions laud the offensive potential of the 23 year old power hitter.  Snyder’s ‘09 campaign got off to a rousing start as he batted .343 with 10 HR 45 RBI and 19 doubles in just 54 games at AA Bowie.  A promotion to AAA Norfolk saw him struggle to maintain his batting average and power numbers (.248 2 HR 43 RBI 18 doubles in 73 games).   The cool down performance at Norfolk diminished the market for his cards somewhat, making his various autos in 2005 Rookie Cup and various 2006 Bowman products nice bargain basement buys at $5-10 each. 

The Orioles have some decisions to make in the off season as the club has clearly opted to shift to a more youth oriented lineup.  Emerging stars like Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, Nolan Reimold and a plethora of pitching talent make Baltimore an exciting up and coming A.L. East powerhouse that could contend with the other beasts in the east within the next two to three seasons.  Snyder’s torrid start to the ‘09 AFL season (.481 3 HR 12 RBI 10 runs) should increase the Orioles’ confidence in making him the front runner for the position in 2010.  Former Indians prospect Michael Aubrey should factor into the competition as well, but Snyder’s power upside and youth gives him a decided upper hand.  As much as I like Snyder, I do think he will struggle some in his first couple of months in a major league lineup.  He has a history of starting slowly at new levels before taking off and putting up better numbers.  Regardless, he’s a future 20-25 HR hitter who could drive in close to 100 runs in the middle of a young and talented Baltimore Orioles lineup.  Once that happens, the days of $5 Bowman Chrome and Sterling autos will be a thing of the distant past.

AFL Player of the Day—BRANDON SNYDER

Other Notable AFL Performances:

  Mesa Solar Sox 5

• Josh Vitters—3-5 2B R 2 RBI
• Bryan Petersen—2-5 2B R RBI
• Wellington Castillo—3-4 BB
• Greg Burns—1-2 3B R RBI 2 BB
• Tommy Mendoza—4 IP 3H ER 3K W (1-1)

  Scottsdale Scorpions 4

• Buster Posey—2-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Thomas Neal—1-4 R SB(3)

  Surprise Rafters 10

• Colin Curtis—3-5 HR(2) 2 RBI 2R 3B
• Mitch Moreland—1-5 HR(1) 2 RBI 2R
• Ike Davis—3-4 2B 2 RBI BB
• Trey Henley—2-4 2B 2r HR(1) 3 RBI BB
• Bryan Anderson—2-4 3B 2 RbI
• Daryl Jones—1-1 2R HR(1) RBI 3 BB 2 SB(6)
• Carlos Gutierrez—3.2 IP 2H 2 BB K W(2-0)

  Peoria Saguaros 9

• Chris Heisey—4-5 2 2B 3B 2R 2 RBI
• Lance Zawardzki—2-5 3B 2R RBI
• Yonder Alonso—1-4 HR(2) 3 RBI
• Josh Rodriguez—1-3 HR(1) RBI SB(1)
• Jon Gaston—2-4 3B R

  Phoenix Desert Dogs 17

• Brandon Snyder—4-5 2 HR(3) 7 RBI 2B 3R SB(1)
• Grant Desme—2-3 2 HR(5) 3 RBI
• Josh Bell—4-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2R 2B
• Corey Brown—1-4 HR(1) RBI BB
• Matt Angle—3-5 2R RBI BB
• Jemile Weeks—1-5 3R RBI BB SB(2)

  Peoria Javelinas 4

• Russ Mitchell—3-3 2B 2R RBI
• Jordan Danks—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• C.J. Retherford—2-4 2 RBI

10/19 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 20, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | 2 Comments to Read

Domonic Brown hit his second HR of the season while the potent middle of Phoenix’s lineup (Josh Bell, Brandon Snyder, and Grant Desme) continue to punish the ball with multi hit games.  Brandon Erbe looked good in his AFL debut (2 IP 2K) and Reds OF prospect Chris Heisey hit his second HR.

Today’s top prospect is red hot Detroit Tigers 2B prospect Scott Sizemore.  Already three HR’s into his season, Sizemore logged in with a 3-4 day at the plate with two doubles and four RBI.  Sizemore now has a league leading 9 RBI and is hitting .375 through his first four games.  The 24 year old infielder had a breakout season splitting time between AA Erie and AAA Toledo, hitting .308 with 17 HR 66 RBI 21 SB 88 runs and 39 doubles.  Sizemore’s AFL season should factor greatly in shaping Detroit’s offseason plans when it comes to re-signing free agent Placido Polonco.   Sizemore’s ability to step into the role would allow the Tigers to save $5-6 next season to allocate to other need areas.  Sizemore has only one rookie card, an autograph in the 2007 Bowman Heritage set, to date.  His hot start in the AFL has garnered some attention for the card as it currently sits at $7-9 and is only intermittently listed on eBay at this time.

AFL Player of the Day—SCOTT SIZEMORE

Other AFL Performances:

  Scottsdale Scorpions 7

• Pedro Ciriaco Jr.—2-5 2B R RBI
• Domonic Brown—2-5 HR(2) RBI
• Brandon Allen—2-5 2B 2 RBI
• Thomas Neal—1-2 2B R 2 RBI 2 BB SB(2)
• Joe Martinez—3 IP 3H ER BB 3K W (1-0)

  Surprise Rafters 3

• Ruben Tejada—2-4 2 2B
• MItch Moreland—2-4 2B R
• Jeff Bianchi—2-4 BB

  Peoria Javelinas 8

• Scott Sizemore—3-4 2 2B R 4 RBI
• Dayan Viciedo—1-5 2 RBI
• Jordan Danks—1-1 HR(1) RBI BB
• Lorenzo Cain—0-3 3R 2 BB SB(2)
• Scot Drucker—3 IP 3H K W (1-0)

  Mesa Solar Sox 1

• Chris Parmelee—3-4 2 2B R
• Ryan Kalish—2-4 RBI

  Phoenix Desert Dogs  6

• Josh Bell—4-5 2B 3B 3R RBI
• Grant Desme—3-5 2B R
• Brandon Snyder—2-5 2B R
• Adam Loewen—1-4 HR(1) 3 RBI BB
• Brandon Erbe—2 IP 2K
• Mickey Storey—2 IP H 4K
• Drew Storen—IP H 2K

  Peoria Saguaros  2

• Nick Weglarz—3-4 2B
• Jason Castro—1-3 R BB
• Chris Heisey—1-4 HR(2) RBI

10/17 Arizona Fall League Report

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

Saturday saw Brandon Snyder, Corey Brown, Mike Moustakas and C.J. Retherford put another multi-hit game under their belts while bright catching prospects Wilin Rosario (Rockies) and Wellington Castillo (Cubs) joined Mike Stanton in hitting their first HR’s of the young season.  Today’s top prospect award was a toss up between Oakland A’s pitching prospect James Simmons (3 IP 2H 2 BB 2K W) and Seattle Mariners OF/1B prospect Joe Dunigan (3-5 HR 2 RBI 2B 2R).  On the strength of my heavy M’s bias, we’ll give the award to Dunigan.

The former Oklahoma Sooner had a monsterous breakout season with the High Desert Mavericks of the California League, hitting .294 with 30 HR 104 RBI 20 SB and 84 runs scored.  At 6-1 and 215 lb., Dunigan is extremely strong and has a good amount of athleticism to boot.  His arm is ideal for right field and his left handed uppercut swing is a good fit at Safeco Field.  The California League, especially the thin air of High Desert, has a well earned reputation of inflating hitters’ numbers only to have them fall flat on their faces at AA.  Dunigan’s plate discipline (43 BB/129 K) makes him a prime candidate to fall culprit to this same attrition.  Keep an eye on his AFL numbers as well as the first couple of months of his AA debut to see if he can prove me wrong.  Dunigan doesn’t have any cards to speak of yet, and once they do appear (2009 Bowman Draft?), they should be “buyer beware” investments until he proves he can handle AA.

AFL Player of the Day—JOE DUNIGAN

Other AFL Performances:

  Phoenix Desert Dogs  11

• Brandon Snyder—2-4 2R 2 RBI BB
• Chris Marrero—2-4 R BB
• Corey Brown—3-5 R 2 RBI
• A.J. Jimenez—1-4 HR(1) 2 RBI BB
• Matt Angle—2-5 2B 2R
• James Simmons—3 IP 2H 2 BB 2K W(1-0)

  Surprise Rafters 2

• Mike Moustakas—2-4 R SB(1)
• Jeff Bianchi—3-4 RBI
• Mitch Moreland—2-4 R

  Peoria Javelinas 9

• Jordan Danks—2-5 2 RBI
• C.J. Retherford—3-5 2 RBI 3B R
• Joe Dunigan—3-5 HR(1) 2 RBI 2B 2R
• Taylor Green—2-3 R BB

  Scottsdale Scorpions 5

• Pedro Ciraco Jr.—3-5 2 RBI 2B 2R BB
• Domonic Brown—2-4 RBI 2 BB
• Wilin Rosario—1-5 HR(1) RBI
• Daniel Moskos—2 IP H 3K

  Mesa Solar Sox  6

• Mike Stanton—2-4 HR(1) RBI
• Steve Singleton—2-5 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Wellington Castillo—1-3 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Casey Kelly—1-2 R 2 BB

  Peoria Saguaros 4

• Chris Heisey—2-3 HR(1) RBI 2B 2R SB(1)
• Matt McBride—2-5 RBI R SB(1)

10/16 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Russell Mitchell homered and drove in four RBI for the second consectutive day and Scott Sizemore hit his third HR of the young season.  Andrew Lambo collected four more hits and Michael Stanton’s three hits and third stolen base continues to give evidence that he’s developing into a more well rounded offensive player.  Orioles 3B prospect Josh Bell rapped three hits and drove in three runs, but it was show stopping teammate Stephen Strasburg who takes home top honors with a solid AFL debut, pitching 3.1 shut out innings, allowing two hits, one walk while striking out two for his first AFL win.

AFL Player of the Day—STEPHEN STRASBURG

Other AFL Performances:

  Peoria Javelinas  13

• Russ Mitchell—2-5 HR(2) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Scott Sizemore—1-4 HR(3) 2 RBI 2R BB
• Dayan Viciedo—2-5 2B 3R RBI
• Casper Wells—3-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 3R
• Andrew Lambo—4-5 2B 3B RBI
• Jordan Danks—2-5 2B 3R

  Peoria Saguaros 3

• Cedric Hunter—2-2
• Zack Cozart—1-4 2B R
• Jon Gaston—1-3 R RBI BB
• Chris Heisey—2-4 RBI BB
• Chia-Jen Lo—2 IP H 4K

  Surprise Rafters 7

• Brandon Laird—1-5 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Dan Delasco—3-5 R
• Marcus Lemon—1-3 R RBI BB SB(1)
• Ruben Tejeda—1-3 RBI 2 BB SB(2)
• Tanner Scheppers—2 IP H BB 2K

  Mesa Solar Sox  3

• Michael Stanton—3-4 RBI SB(3)
• Starlin Castro—3-4 SB(1)
• Ryan Mount—1-3 RBI BB

  Phoenix Desert Dogs 7

• Brandon Snyder—2-3 3R BB
• Josh Bell—3-4 2B 3 RBI R
• Grant Desme—2-4 HR(2) RBI
• Brad Emaus—2-4 RBI SB(1)
• Stephen Strasburg—3.1 IP 2H BB 2K W (1-0)

  Scottsdale Scorpions 4

• Jose Tabata—2-5 RBI
• Buster Posey—1-3 RBI BB
• Brandon Allen—1-3 RBI BB
• William Susdorf—1-4 HR(1) RBI
• Thomas Neal—1-4 R SB(1)

10/14 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 15, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | 2 Comments to Read

Yesterday’s league action did not conjure the offensive fireworks that Tuesday’s action did, but there were a few fine performances to note.  Dustin Ackley had two hits in his first action as a pro, scoring once.  Ike Davis added two more RBI to up his league leading total to 8.  Trayvon Robinson tripled, scored and drove in a run, walking twice and stealing two bases. Domonic Brown doubled twice and drove in a run while new Arizona Diamondbacks OF prospect Cole Gillespie went 3-3 with two walks and a stolen base.

Today’s top award goes to unheralded Florida Marlins OF prospect Bryan Petersen, who collected three hits including his first AFL HR and two doubles.  Petersen’s numbers, on the surface, were solid but not standout (.297 7 HR 49 RBI 13 SB 64 runs in 121 games).  Oddly, areas that he excelled in in 2008 (23 HR 23 SB) diminished somewhat this past season, but his plate discipline (50 BB/66 K) and batting average experienced significant improvements.  All told, Petersen is a 23 year old player with a limited upside and enough athleticism and polish to be a solid contributor to a franchise.  The Marlins, however, are a team that is flush with more talented OF’s which could relegate Petersen to an eventual 4th outfielder role with the club.  He also remains someone who could draw some interest by other clubs as an inclusion in a trade, though the Marlins tend to be an organization that trades for prospects instead of shipping them out.  Until the situation changes, Petersen’s 2008 autos should continue to languish in the $3-5 range.

AFL Player of the Day—BRYAN PETERSEN

Other League Action:

  Phoenix Desert Dogs 4

• Jemile Weeks—2-5 2B R RBI SB(1)
• Chris Marrero—2-4 2B RBI BB
• Brandon Waring—1-5 HR(1) RBI

 Mesa Solar Sox 2

• Bryan Petersen—3-5 HR(1) RBI 2 2B
• Josh Vitters—3-4 2B
• Michael Stanton—2-4 SB(2)
• David Cooper—1-4 2B RBI
• Mike McCardell—2 IP H 4K

  Scottsdale Scorpions 3

• Domonic Brown—2-5 2 2B RBI
• Cole Gillespie—3-3 RBI 2 BB SB(1)
• Donald Veal—2 IP 3K

  Peoria Saguaros 1

• Jason Heyward—1-4 2B R
• Matt McBride—2-3 3B RBI BB
• Josh Rodriguez—2-4 2B

  Surprise Rafters 6

• Ruben Tejeda—2-5 2R RBI
• Mike Moustakas—1-4 2B R RBI
• Austin Romine—3-4 RBI
• Ike Davis—1-3 2 RBI
• Trey Henley—2-3 RBI R BB

  Peoria Javelinas  4

• Trayvon Robinson—1-3 3R R RBI 2 BB 2 SB(2)
• C.J. Retherford—1-4 3B RBI R
• Taylor Green—1-2 2 BB
• Dustin Ackley—2-4 R

$100 Growth Project Update–A Large Lot Purchase

Posted by Jeremy on October 14, 2009 under $100 Growth Project | 4 Comments to Read

Remember this undertaking?  For those of you who don’t or are new readers to the blog, I decided to take $100 of my hard earned dollars and invest them in various purchases and sales to see just how much I could net over one year’s time. 

At my last count, I had banked $158.46 and had a 2007 Bowman Chrome Chris Coghlan Blue Refractor Auto RC in my inventory.  The Coghlan auto, on the heels of his NL ROY performance has sold for $50 on a “BUY IT NOW” in my eBay store, netting me $43.42, or $13.42 profit. 

I was spot on with my analysis of Coghlan as a poor man’s Dustin Pedroia.  In fact, the Marlins’ rookie exceeded the ‘08 AL MVP’s numbers despite being in the minor leagues for the first month and a half of the season.  Given this, I think I undersold on the Coghlan card and would not be surprised to see this push past the $100 range following his christening as the 2009 NL ROY.  That said, my initial goal when purchasing this card was to sell at $50 and I did accomplish that.

That brings the total earnings to $201.88, or more than 100% profit over the initial investment.  Not bad considering my passive attention to the project. 

The Purchase…

Immediately following the sale, I won an auction for a mega sized 350 count lot of 2007 Bowman Draft Michael Taylor RC’s.  Shipped, the total cost for the lot was $95.55 or a mere 27 cents per card.  I immediately put the entire lot of them into my eBay store at the price of $1.00 each.  Given Taylor’s potential to earn a spot on the Phillies’ roster next season and long term prospects as a future star, I figure that the ‘07 RC’s will be spectacular low end buys this coming spring.  I received the lot yesterday, and to my pleasant surprise found that the seller had included an additional 15 Taylor RC’s upping the total to 365.

Current Cash On Hand: $106.33

Current Inventory: (365) 2007 Bowman Draft MICHAEL TAYLOR RC’s

Was this a good purchase?  Was it not?  Make your voice heard in the comments section below.  Stay tuned for more purchases and sales in the $100 Growth Project and for more quality prospect analysis!

Arizona Fall League: Mesa Solar Sox Roster and Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on under Minor League Ball today | 2 Comments to Read

This is the first of a six part series that will examine the rosters of each Arizona Fall League team.  The Arizona Fall League is annually renown for showcasing the elite talent of each major league organization and often serves as a spring board for talented youngsters to carve out opportunities with their big league clubs in the following MLB season.  For the savvy prospect investor, the AFL offers a prolonged look at the development of key prospects during the baseball offseason and shapes the buying and selling strategies to be employed throughout the ensuing season.

Our first look is at the Mesa Solar Sox which boasts talents from the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, L.A. Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and Florida Marlins.  Enjoy!

Top 5 Players to Watch:

1.) Michael Stanton

• It was a tale of two seasons for the king-sized Florida Marlins slugger who split time between High-A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville this season.  With Jupiter, Stanton hit .294 with 12 HR 39 RBI and a solid 28 BB/45 K ratio in 50 games.  His promotion to Jacksonville, however, exploited some still raw strike zone judgement (31 BB/99 K in 79 games) that plagued him throught 2008.  As a resut, Stanton mustered a .231 BA against Southern League hurlers, though his 16 HR and 53 RBI were demonstrative indicators of the power to come.  The market for Stanton’s various ‘08 RC autos is still quite active but the costs have diminshed by about 25% since his hot spring numbers.  His cheapest autos can be found in the 2008 Razor series (#/1199) for a shade under $10 each.  His more popular autos in the Bowman Chrome Drat set command $30-35 each.

AFL Outlook:

• Stanton has drawn rave reviews from members within the Marlins organization for his work ethic and cerebral approach to the game.  His struggles with the strike zone are issues stemming strictly from a lack of experience and an expedient ascent through the system.  Like other power hitters, he will always rack up high K totals, but I think that he will find a way to be more selective at the plate which should raise his BB totals as well as his batting average in future years.  If his AFL season is a successful one, Stanton should figure heavily in the Marlins’ plans at some point in 2010.

2.) Josh Vitters

• The top prospect of the Chicago Cubs played like one in his first full professional season, hitting .316 with 15 HR 46 RBI and 42 runs scored in his 70 games at Low-A Peoria.  That performance earned him a promotion to the Cubs’ High-A affiliate Dayton where his numbers dropped considerably (.238 3 HR 22 RBI in 50 games).  Like Stanton, plate discipline was the main culprit of Vitters’ struggles as he earned just 12 walks in 458 AB. 

AFL Outlook:

• Vitters is at least a year to year and a half away from making his major league debut, so this AFL experience is really just an opportunity for Josh to show the Cubs’ brass where he is development-wise.  Current Cubbies 3B Aramis Ramirez is under contract through next season and has a $14.6 million player option that he can utilize for 2011.  This should give Vitters just enough time to develop into a player that can effectively replace Ramirez’s production once he hits the free agent market.  Vitters has autographed cards in various 2007 and 2008 products that all seem to fall in the $10-20 range.  For someone who has promise to be the face of the Cubs franchise within the next two to three seasons, his cards seem like rock solid investments.

3.) Casey Kelly

• Is he a pitcher or an infielder?  Judging by last year’s numbers, his arm seems to be ahead of his bat.  Propelled by a 6-1 record and 1.12 ERA, the 19 year old Sarasota native rocketed his way to High-A Salem and continued to post excellent numbers (3.09 ERA 7 BB/29 K in 35 IP).  Kelly, as per the Red Sox plans, stopped pitching in the second half of the season and played at SS, where his bat (.222 3 HR 16 RBI 16 BB/49 K) failed to muster the same heat has his electric right arm.

AFL Outlook:

• On a roster drunk with top tier shortstops (Starlin Castro, Jose Iglesias), it seems that Kelly’s initial AFL experience will be limited and a primary source of extra offseason work against elite talent.  My gut tells me that Kelly will eventually develop as a pitcher, forgoing the offensive side of his game.  There are several other fine SS (Iglesias, Yamiaco Navarro, Argenis Diaz, Oscar Tejeda) within the system.

4.) Starlin Castro

• The 19 year old Chicago Cubs farmhand had an excellent debut season shooting up to AA Tennessee, hitting .299 with 3 HR 49 RBI and 28 SB over two levels.  The youngest participant in the Arizona Fall League, Castro has shown sound strike zone discipline (29 BB/53 K) and the ability to hit for future power (32 XBH). 

AFL Outlook:

• Castro’s AFL performance could go a long way towards determining just where the Cubs will start him for the 2010 season.  My hunch is that he will go back to AA Tennessee with the intent of earning a promotion to AAA Iowa within the first couple of months.  Current Cubbies SS, Ryan Theriot, had another solid season with both the glove and the bat, which could mean that Castro’s first MLB action may be at 2B instead of SS.  That could happen at the tail end of the 2010 season.  Castro’s first year cards have just been issued in the 2009 Bowman Chrome set.  The base chrome cards are currently trading at $1.25-2.00 each and his refractors can be found for $4-5 per card.  Vitters may be the face of the franchise, but Castro should be playing next to him and hitting in front of him for several future seasons.

5.) Ryan Kalish

• Kalish bounced back after a ho-hum 2008 season to put up big numbers at his High-A and AA stops this year, hitting .279 with 18 HR 77 RBI 21 SB and 84 runs scored.  The increase of his power output did not come at the expense of his plate disciline, which at a rate of 68 BB/107 K in 141 games, is still quite acceptable.

AFL Outlook:

• After being outsted by the L.A. Angels in a three game sweep, the Red Sox have some glaring offseason questions to answer.  Current LF Jason Bay is an unrestricted free agent and J.D. Drew is a prolonged stint on the DL (35 or more days) away from allowing the Red Sox the ability to opt out of the rest of his contract.  Josh Reddick, who received a couple of brief stints with the Sox this year, is at the front of the list of potential replacements, but Kalish may offer a more comprehensive skill set than Reddick has.  Long term, both are quite talented enough to flank Jacoby Ellsbury as a formidable Fenway trifecta for seasons to come.  The current eBay market for Kalish’s various 2008 first year autos between $8-12, which seems like a bargain considering the future potential that Kalish posesses.

Others to watch:

• Luis Exposito–Red Sox top catching prospect highly successful @ AA (.337 3 HR 12 RBI in 23 games)
• Ryan Mount—Disappointing ‘09 season but now top 2B with departure of Sean Rodriguez
• Hank Conger–1st fully healthy season at AA rendered good results (.295 11 HR 68 RBI 55 BB/68 K)
• Andrew Cashner—Cubs ‘08 1st rounder w/ power arm showed he can start (24 starts 2.60 ERA)
• Rene Tosoni—Twins OF w/ solid all around skill set may be playing for a change of scenery
• Chris Parmelee—’06 1st rounder developing plate discipline and light tower power (16 HR 27 2B)
• Jose Iglesias—Cuban FA SS with dynamic glove and emerging offensive potential for Red Sox
• Matt Dominguez–A disappointing 2009 season may be due more to being rushed than overall talent
• David Cooper–Unlike Dominguez, his extremely good ‘08 may be the aberration

PPR Mailbag: Chris Carter and Brett Wallace

Posted by Jeremy on August 12, 2009 under Readers Mailbag | Read the First Comment

I plucked these questions from a previous comments thread and thought they would make great mailbag discussion questions. Feel free to add your input and thank you Eric for the questions.

Question: Does Chris Carter have any future at 1B or is he a full-time DH when he hits the ML circuit?  Also, do you think Brett Wallace will have to move across the diamond to 1B or are they going to everything they can to keep him at 3B?

Answer: Carter’s defense has been an area of question for some time now, but a brief look at the numbers indicates that he has made measurable improvements this season.  Last year, Carter committed 10 errors in just 41 games at 1B at High-A Stockton, but this season he’s cut that down to seven errors in 98 games at 1B.  While I haven’t watched him in person (something I hope to rectify next season), he seems to be more agile and athletic than last year, as testified by his increased SB totals and better fielding statistics.  The A’s already have a potential Gold Glove 1B in Sean Doolittle, but the Virginia alum has been on the DL since late May and looks to be a future RF for the A’s.  I am quite optimistic that Carter will be the future 1B for the A’s by as soon as the middle of next season.

Brett Wallace is an adaquate defensive 3B prospect whose below average athleticism and mobility is compensated by a good work ethic and soft hands.  The A’s don’t have any other third base prospects with the offensive upside of Wallace, which should prompt the A’s to compromise some defensive mobility in favor of a better bat in the lineup (something that they are quite used to doing).  Eventually Wallace should shift to a new position, but don’t be surprised if it is DH rather than 1B.

8/11 AA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Yesterday’s scoreboard was limited almost exclusively to the Eastern League so today’s breakdown may be a little thin.  Carlos Santana came a homerun away from hitting for the cycle, driving in his 83rd and 84th runs of the season.  Santana has hit full stride this season after a July that saw him hit .311 with 8 HR and 29 RBI.  For the season, the Indians’ young receiver is hitting .288 with 20 HR 84 RBI 25 doubles and 74 runs scored.  Like last year, the plate discipline continues to be one of Santana’s strong suits as his 71 BB/68 K has helped to push his OBP to .410 this year.  Santana is a guy who can hit at the major league level right now and probably will do so very soon.  The trade of Victor Martinez has opened the door wide open for Carlos and there is not much that either Kelly Shoppach or Lou Marson can do to hold him back.  Currently, Santana’s 2008 Bowman Sterling autos sell for $22-25 each and his Razor Metal autos command about $9-12 each.  Santana ranks amongst Matt Wieters and Buster Posey as one of baseball’s elite young catchers.  If he can secure a spot in Cleveland’s opening day lineup next year, he should be one of the early AL ROY favorites.

Today’s top prospect is Florida Marlins top prospect Michael Stanton.  Yesterday, Stanton hit his 24th HR on the season as part of a three hit, three RBI day.  The 19 year old has struggled during the month of August hitting just .227 during his first 11 games.  This isn’t too big of a surprise.  The Marlins are moving him quickly through their system and the plate discipline has had trouble catching up.  After posting promising BB/K numbers (28/45) at High-A, Stanton has not been able to replicate that success at the AA level as he has walked 21 times and has 72 strikeouts in 56 games.  The power has carried forward though and I think the plate discipline will emerge as Stanton gathers more experience.  The eBay market for Stanton’s various 2008 autos has remained solid throughout this season with his heavily traded Bowman Chrome autos selling at $32-35 each, but his Razor autos (#/1199) have slipped to single digits in value.  I think that Stanton should stay in AA for the remainder of the season and will benefit greatly from playing in an offseason league.  He’ll be just 20 years old on opening day next year and should start the season in AAA before earning a much heralded callup at some point next season.  Watch to see if the market cools during the offseason and pounce on some of his autos.

AA Player of the Day—MICHAEL STANTON 

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Carlos Santana—3-5 2B 3B 2 RBI R
• Carlos Rivero—2-3 R RBI BB
• Brandon Crawford—2-4 2 2B RBI
• Mike Mooney—2-4 2B 3B 2R
• Brennan Boesch—1-4 HR(25) RBI
• Casper Wells—2-4 2B R
• Erik Lis—2-4 2B HR(15) 2 RBI
• Brad Emaus—1-4 HR(9) RBI 2R BB
• Josh Bell—3-6 2B R
• Luis Exposito—3-4 RBI
• Gorkys Hernandez—3-6 3R RBI
• Shelby Ford—2-5 2R 2 RBI
• Pedro Alvarez—3-4 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Steve Lerud—3-5 2B R
• Austin Krum—2-4 2B 2R BB SB(9)
• Edaurdo Nunez—3-5 R RBI 2 SB(16)
• Michael Stanton—3-5 HR(24) 3 RBI 2R
• Logan Morrison—3-4 2B 2 RBI R BB
• Bryan Peterson—2-4 3R BB

Pitching:

• Michael Crotta—5.2 IP 6H 2 UER BB 4K W (6-6)
• Eric Niesen—6 IP 5H 2 ER 2 BB 8K
• Michael Stutes—6 IP 7H ER 2 BB 6K

8/11 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on 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)