8/6 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on August 8, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Brandon Wood hit two more homeruns last night to raise his season’s total at AAA Salt Lake City to 19.  Wood continues to demonstrate, like his teammate Sean Rodriguez, that he can be a devastating power hitter at the AAA level while struggling mightily in a major league lineup.  Personally, I think that both of these guys would benefit greatly from a change of scenery.  The Angels’ success over the years has limited the margin of patience that they can exercise towards giving players opportunities to play through their growing pains.  A move to a rebuilding franchise would give each of these young and highly talented players that opportunity.  That won’t happen this year, though, and is a minute possibility in the offseason.  Both Wood and Rodriguez are still just 24 and I remain optimistic that they will get a chance within the next season to earn playing time either in an Angels jersey or for another franchise.  Wood’s 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft auto is still a prevalent commodity on the eBay market, but the price has settled down into the $15-18 range.  While this remains a moderately high risk investment, the 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft cards, both autos and non-autos have proven to be high demand items in the past.

Today’s top prospect is St. Louis Cardinals OF Shane Robinson.  The 24 year old centerfielder went 2-3 yesterday with his 4th HR, five RBI, two runs scored and his 16th SB.  Robinson is the prototypical fourth outfielder type who plays solid defense and hits for good contact.  However, there is not much punch to speak of in his bat and Memphis teammate Jon Jay has a higher ceiling than him going forward. 

AAA Player of the Day—SHANE ROBINSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Justin Smoak—1-4 2B 2 RBI BB
• Mike Baxter—3-4 2 2B SB(5)
• Chad Huffman—2-4 HR(15) 4 RBI 2B BB
• Chin Lung Hu—3-5 3B 3R 2 RBI
• Alcides Escobar—1-4 HR(4) RBI BB 2 SB(40)
• Blake DeWitt—3-5 3B 2 RBI R
• Angel Salome—4-5 RBI
• Mat Gamel—2-4 2B R RBI BB
• Eric Young Jr.—3-5 2R 3B BB
• Shane Robinson—2-3 HR(4) 5 RBI 2R BB SB(16)
• Matt Tuiasosopo—2-5 RBI
• Brandon Wood—2-4 2 HR(19) 3 RBI BB 2R
• John Hester—2-4 2B R RBI
• Aaron Mathews—4-6 R
• Tyler Flowers—2-4 2B RBI
• Jose Tabata—-2-4 R
• Jeff Clement—2-4 HR(18) 2 RBI 2R
• Brandon Jones—1-4 HR(4) 2 RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—2-4 2B 3 RBI
• Jeff Frazier—3-5 3 2B R RBI
• Brent Clevlen—2-4 HR(13) 3 RBI
• Nick Evans—1-4 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Matt LaPorta—3-4 4 RBI BB
• Jason Donald—1-3 HR(2) RBI 4R
• Michael Brantley—2-4 3R RBI BB SB(38)
• Juan Miranda—2-4 RBI R 2B
• Desmond Jennings—2-3 2R BB SB(40) BB

Pitching:

• Fabio Castro—8 IP 4H 3 BB 4K
• Matt Maloney—6.2 IP 5H 2 ER 3 BB 9K W (8-8)

7/16 AAA Minor League Report

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

Wow, I go away for a week and return to a bevy of changes.  Chicago White Sox 1B prospect Brandon Allen was traded to the Diamondbacks for relief pitcher Tony Pena Jr. and the promising trifecta of Michael Taylor, Tyler Flowers, and Buster Posey all made their AAA debuts last night.  Taylor and Posey were hitless in their four AB’s, but Flowers hit his 1st HR for the Charlotte Knights in his debut.

The influx of talent back into the AAA ranks makes it an interesting level to report on once again.  A battle for future Texas Rangers 1B duties is taking place between former 1B Chris Davis and future All-Star Justin Smoak.  Currently, the recently demoted Davis is winning the battle handily, hitting .364 with 1 HR and 7 RBI for Oklahoma City in 8 games.  He has cut back on his K’s and seems to be working on taking more walks.  After a dreadful 17 BB/117 K showing, this is positive news.  Meanwhile, Justin Smoak has had trouble adjusting to his AAA promotion, hitting just .139 with 1 HR and 3 RBI in his first 10 games, but his four hits in the last three games and 7 BB/9 K ratio shows promise of better numbers to come.  Davis has been playing at 3B since being sent down and all indications point to Justin Smoak being the front runner as next year’s regular 1B.  Where does that leave Davis?  The Rangers are in playoff contention for the first time in a long time and are assuredly looking for another arm for their rotation.  There haven’t been any definitive rumors of dealing Davis at this point, but the value that a 23 year old, left-handed hitter with 30+ HR power is certainly intriguing.  Davis could also return next season as the Rangers’ DH.  Both Andruw Jones and Hank Blalock have performed admirably in the role this season, but the price tags for each of them are considerably higher than Davis’ MLB minimum pay.  The Rangers are a team in financial turmoil and cutting payroll will be a popular offseason activity for sure.  Regardless of Davis’ future, the key for him right now is that he rediscovers his pitch recognition and adjusts his approach to the ball.  He seems to be a kid with excellent makeup who has taken well to the demotion and is working earnestly to make his way back to the big leagues.

Today’s top AAA prospect is St. Louis Cardinals 3B/1B/OF prospect Allen Craig.  The former University of California standout went 3-5 yesterday with a double, triple and three runs scored.  I was high on Craig as a sleeper this past offseason, as his first year cards in the 2006 Bowman Draft and Chrome set were selling for next to nothing.  His numbers at Memphis have been solid this season (.270 8 HR 32 RBI 34 runs scored), but not to the levels of his AA numbers from a year ago.  While he’s not been able to duplicate his power numbers or OBP numbers, he still remains a solid future role player who has the versatility to play both infield corners and outfield corners with decent offensive production.  The Cardinals don’t have any room on their roster for him to earn any considerable playing time this season, but I think that a September call up is likely.  Marketwise, Craig’s first year cards are still at rock bottom prices (a 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft Gold Refractor recently sold for just $12.50) and many active listings reside in the highly overpriced storefront areas.  I think his card values apexed in 2007 when he broke out at High-A ball, but there could be another brief spike in value if he produces during his September cup-o’-coffee or if a trade to another franchise opens up future opportunities.

AAA Player of the Day—ALLEN CRAIG

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Shelly Duncan—2-3 HR(22) 2 RBI BB
• Shelby Ford—3-5 HR92) RBI 2 2B 3R
• Steven Pearce—3-5 2 2B 2 RBI
• Danny Valencia—3-4 2B RBI
• Michael Brantley—3-4 2 2B 2 RBI BB
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 2B R
• Scott Sizemore—1-4 2B R 2 RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—2-4 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Tyler Flowers—1-4 HR(14) RBI
• Jon Jay—2-6 2R RBI
• Allen Craig—3-5 2B 3B 3R
• Donovan Solano—2-4 2R BB
• Cole Gillespie—2-4 HR(8) RBI
• Chris Davis—2-6 2B R RBI BB
• Jose Vallejo—2-6 2B R RBI
• Joaquin Arias—3-7 R SB(10)
• Justin Smoak—2-7 2B R RBI
• Tommy Manzella—2-6 GS HR(4) 4 RBI
• Brandon Allen—1-3 HR(10) RBI BB

Pitching:

• Fabio Castro—7 IP 4H ER 2K W (6-4)
• Lucas Harrell—7 IP 2H UER 2 BB 4K W (10-4)
• Matt Maloney—6.2 IP 7H BB 8K L (6-6)

7/7 AAA Minor League Report

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

The family is finally in bed and after a long day, I am able to sit down at my computer and check box scores!

Yesterday’s action at the AAA ranks saw Minnesota Twins 3B prospect Danny Valencia stroke another two hits, scoring twice and driving in three runs.  Since his promotion to Rochester, Valencia has torn the cover off of the ball, hitting .352 with 2 HR 12 RBI and 12 runs scored in 15 games.  The former Miami Hurricane has made significant steps in increasing his plate discipline, as testified by his 33 BB/47 K ratio, and has shown decent power numbers by hitting 9 HR, driving in 41 runs and smacking 19 doubles.  The Twins currently have Joe Crede manning the hot corner and, while he’s had a solid power numbers this year and has played good defense, his low batting average and impending free agency makes him an unlikely candidate to return to the Twins.  Valencia has an opportunity to take the next step forward and nestle into a full time role with MInnesota as early as April of next year. 

Today’s top AAA prospect is San Diego Padres OF Chad Huffman.  The stocky 24 year old righty went 3-4 with his 12th HR, two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored yesterday.  Huffman’s big day raised his average to .246 and has been swinging a hot bat through the first seven games in July.  Huffman has boosted his power numbers this season, but at the expense of his plate discipline.  Regardless of his inconsistencies, Huffman remains a strong and offensively adept OF who is a gritty competitor and tireless worker.  Players of that caliber inevitably grind their way onto major league rosters in some capacity.  The Padres are chocked full of outfielders with higher upsides than Huffman, but most of them are still at the single-A levels right now.  That gives the former TCU Horned Frog a brief window of opportunity to wriggle his way into a major league job.  Expect him to get a look in September.

AAA Player of the Day—CHAD HUFFMAN

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• John Raynor—2-4 2B R 2 RBI
• Chad Huffman—3-4 HR(12) 4 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Chin-Lung Hu—3-4 BB
• Cole Gillespie—1-3 2B 2R BB
• Joaquin Arias—4-5 3 RBI R
• Chris Davis—3-4 2B 3B 2R RBI
• Greg Golson—4-5 3R
• Yorandy Ramirez—2-4 HR(9) RBI
• Mark Hamilton—2-4 2B R
• Brett Wallace—2-3 RBI BB
• Jeff Clement—2-5 2B HR(12) 4 RBI
• Mike Carp—0-2 2 BB 3R
• Brandon Wood—2-4 HR(16) RBI 2B 2R
• Jesus Guzman—2-4 2R RBI BB
• Jacob Hester—2-5 2 2B
• Danny Valencia—2-4 2R 3 RBI BB
• David Winfree—4-5 HR(10) 2 RBI
• Reid Brignac—2-5 2 RBI
• Brian Bixler—2-6 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Shelby Ford—2-4 2 2B 3R BB
• Michael Brantley—3-5 2B R
• Trevor Crowe—1-5 3B 2 RBI
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 2 RBI
• Juan Miranda—3-4 HR(11) RBI 2R BB
• Brandon Snyder—2-4 R 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Will Inman—6 IP 6H 2 ER BB 4K W (1-4)
• Bryan Augenstien—5 IP 6H 2 ER BB 4K W (2-4)
• Clay Buchholz—6 IP 4H 2 ER 4 BB 4K W (7-1)
• Jake Arrieta—6.1 IP 7H 4 ER BB 8K W (8-5)

5/16 AAA Minor League Report

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

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

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

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

AAA Player of the Day—TREVOR BELL

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

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

6/14 AAA Minor League Report

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

Sunday’s action at the AAA ranks saw a couple very nice performances from former callups who are making strong cases to be promoted by their major league clubs.  The Brewers duo of Alcides Escobar and Angel Salome both had excellent showings yesterday.  Escobar went 2-3 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored.  Escobar has effectively defied my earlier concerns about his makeup by hitting .310 with 3 HR 22 RBI 17 doubles and 49 runs scored through his first 64 games.  He’s also been successful on 25 of 31 SB attempts and has played sparkling defense.  The Brewers’ middle infield has been truly pathetic this season, with All-Star SS J.J. Hardy hitting just .205 and Rickie Weeks sidelined for the entire year with a wrist injury.  Craig Counsell has taken most of that playing time, but his punchless bat and meager production on the basepaths pale in comparison to Escobar’s potential.  The callup has to happen soon.  The glaring weakness in Escobar’s game is his lopsided 15 BB/41 K ratio.  Those numbers are not indicative of a top of the order threat, but his ability to make contact and his speed on the basepaths would be a nice fit in the #8 spot in MIlwuakee’s order. 

Angel Salome is another prospect that I was wary of.  He broke out big time last season at AA Huntsville, hitting .360 with 13 HR 83 RBI and 30 doubles.  While his BB/K ratio was solid and his athleticism behind the plate was a plus, there were some raw elements of his game that I felt would be a struggle going forward.  Salome has an unorthodox swing and, at times, gets sloppy behind the plate.  Knowing these things, I felt that 2009 would be an adjustment period at the AAA level.  While his numbers have been below last year’s output (.267 2 HR 23 RBI), it bears worthy of notice that his BA has improved each month (.191 in April, .295 in May, and .316 in June).  The power seems to be increasing as well.  He’s hit six doubles during the month of June and has 9 RBI.  Current Brewers starter Jason Kendall, for all his defensive acumen, has been miserable at the plate hitting just .227 with zero homeruns.  Like Escobar, Salome’s tenure with the Nashville Sounds will be brief.

Today’s top player is L.A. Dodgers RHP James McDonald.  The lanky 24 year old put up his second consecutive double digit strikeout performance by punching out 13 in seven scoreless innings.  McDonald’s control with the Dodgers was a far cry from last year’s stellar showing as he allowed 16 walks in 18.2 innings.  This led to a 6.75 ERA and a trip to AAA Las Vegas.  It will be very interesting to see how the Dodgers handle McDonald going forward.  The boys of Chavez Ravine are clicking on all cylinders right now with an MLB best 42-22 record.  The rotation has been very quite strong, though McDonald’s presence in the #5 slot seems much more lucrative than the two Erics (MIlton and Stults).  Could the Dodgers be in the market for a bat come late July?  If so, McDonald’s stock as a trade chip would be quite high, allowing the Dodgers to add some protection to Manny Ramirez once he returns.  Hard to say what the Dodgers will do, but McDonald is not long for the lights of Las Vegas.

AAA Player of the Day—JAMES MCDONALD

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Kila Ka’aihue—2-5 R RBI
• Jake Fox—2-5 3B R 2 RBI
• Brandon Wood—2-5 2B R RBI
• Howie Kendrick—2-5 2B R RBI
• Alex Romero—3-3 2R 2 RBI
• Cliff Pennington—2-4 2 2B R RBI
• Alcides Escobar—2-3 2R 3B RBI BB
• Angel Salome—3-4 3 2B 2R 4 RBI BB
• Cameron Maybin—2-3 2 2B
• Chin-Lung Hu—3-5 2R
• Chris Carter—3-6 2B 2 RBI 2R
• Aaron Bates—3-5 2R BB
• Drew Stubbs—3-4 R BB 2 SB(22)
• Wes Bankston—2-5 HR(11) 2 RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—3-4 2 RBI SB(20)
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 R

Pitching:

• David Purcey—7.2 IP 4H 2 ER 3 BB 9K W (2-1)
• Wade LeBlanc—7 IP 5H 2 ER 6K L (1-4)
• Jame McDonald—7 IP 2H BB 13K W (1-0)
• Kevin Pucetas—7 IP 2H BB 3K W (6-2)
• David Hernandez—4 IP 2H 2 ER 3 BB 7K

6/9 AAA Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 10, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Michael Brantley’s bat continues to be red hot in the month of June.  Going 3-4 with three runs scored and stealing his 19th base, the former Milwaukee Brewers farmhand is now hitting .441 in the month of June with a HR four RBI and four stolen bases.  Brantley has scored 41 times in 55 games as the leadoff hitter for AAA Columbus.  His power hasn’t manifested itself as a major factor in his game, but his blend of plate discipline, speed and hitting ability makes him an excellent candidate to become Cleveland’s leadoff hitter in the future, moving Grady Sizemore to the middle of the lineup.

Speaking of top of the order talents, Eric Young Jr. had two hits, scored twice and stole his MiLB-leading 38th base yesterday and raised his season average to .318.  The Rockies currently have Clint Barmes logging a majority of the innings at 2B and he’s been solid this season.  However, Young’s upside as a top of the order presence is too intriguing to leave at the AAA ranks for much longer.  As the Rockies slip slide their way out of contention, Young’s potential for a callup increases.

Today’s top player is a toss up between St Louis 2B prospect Jarret Hoffpauir and Pittsburgh Pirates OF/1B Steven Pearce.  Both Hoffpauir and Pearce hit two homeruns apiece, with Hoffpauir driving in five runs and Pearce four runs.  Each prospect turns 26 at some point during the ‘09 season and their opportunities are dwindling to make impacts at the major league level.  Pearce finds himself to be the odd man out after the Pirates bulked up their major league roster and farm system over the past season.  His best opportunities going forward may be as a bench bat with power or platooning DH in the American League.  As for Hoffpauir, the Cardinals have a hodge podge of players sharing time at 2B led by utility player Skip Schumaker.  Hoffpauir doesn’t profile to give the Cardinals anything that Schumaker, Joe Thurston or Brendan Ryan could.  Unless things change, consider him a AAAA utility guy.

AAA Players of the Day—STEVEN PEARCE & JARRET HOFFPAUIR

Other Notable Performances:

Hitting:

• Ryan Patterson—2-4 2 2B 2 RBI
• Matt Macri—4-5 HR(5) 2 RBI 2 2B 3R
• Trevor Plouffe—2-4 2R RBI
• David Winfree—2-4 2R RBI
• Wilkin Ramirez—1-3 HR(6) RBI 3 BB
• Charles Johnson—3-4 2B R
• Michael Brantley—3-4 3R SB(19)
• Matt LaPorta—3-5
• Julio Borbon—2-4 2B 2R BB
• Joaquin Arias—2-5 2B R 2 RBI SB(7)
• John Jaso—2-4 HR(3) RBI
• Rhyne Hughes—2-4 2B
• Steven Pearce—3-5 2 HR(8) 4 RBI 2B 2R
• Austin Jackson—2-5
• Juan Miranda—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• John Raynor—3-6 2B
• Gaby Sanchez—1-5 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Jai Miller—2-4 HR(3) 2 RBI 2B 3R
• Brett Hayes—2-4 2 2B 2 RBI
• Jarret Hoffpauir—2-4 2 HR(6) 5 RBI
• Eric Young Jr.—2-3 2R BB SB(38)
• Michael Saunders—2-3 R RBI 2 BB
• Jeff Clement—2-5 2B R 3 RBI
• J.P. Arencibia—2-4 R
• Brandon Wood—1-3 HR(12) 2 RBI

Pitching:

• Elizardo Ramirez—6 IP 4H ER BB 7K W (3-4)
• Jeff Samardzija—6 IP 5H ER 3K W (3-2)
• Clay Buchholz—5 IP 5H ER 3 BB 2K
• Daniel McCutchen—7 IP 3H 2 ER 2 BB 6K

Hot Prospect Profile—MATT LAPORTA

Posted by Jeremy on May 2, 2009 under Hot Prospect Profile | Be the First to Comment

The chronic shoulder soreness of Travis Hafner added with a red hot month of April at AAA Columbus has ushered in the long-awaited Matt LaPorta era.  The Cleveland Indians will call up LaPorta on Saturday and, given Hafner’s health over the past couple of seasons, it is quite conceivable that the Indians’ top prospect  will be playing full time either as a DH or outfielder. 

Here’s what I wrote about the former Florida Gator for Hot-Prospects.net on 11/13/08….

LaPorta got off to a red hot start last season as the centerpiece of AA Huntsville’s star-studded lineup.  LaPorta belted 20 HR in just 84 games while hitting .288.  LaPorta then was traded to the Cleveland Indians in the C.C. Sabathia trade where he struggled in a brief stint before playing in Beijing for the bronze medal winning U.S. Olympic Baseball Team.  LaPorta has light tower power that could translate into 30-40 HR per season at the major league level. He has a keen eye at the plate and works counts well. Numerous coaches and players have given him credit for having an unparalleled work ethic as well.  Defensively and athletically, LaPorta is limited.  His arm strength and foot speed will relegate him to LF or 1B and he will never be a threat on the basepaths.  It is LaPorta’s bat that commands respect, though, and his power is real.

2009 Projection: LaPorta is playing in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason and has struggled offensively.  Expect him to start the ‘09 season at AAA Buffalo as the Indians are eager to get him into their lineup at some point in 2009.  Watch to see if LaPorta can get his considerable offensive potential back on track early.  If so, his 2007 Bowman Sterling and Donruss Elite Extra Autographs could experience a considerable bump in market value.

UPDATE: LaPorta has definitely gotten things back on track at Columbus hitting .333 with 5 HR 14 RBI and 22 runs scored in just 21 games.  He has good plate discipline to compliment his 30+ HR power walking 9 times versus 10 K’s this season.  With no really solid AL Rookie of the Year performances to date, there is still an ample opportunity for the Indians’ top prospect to distinguish himself as the top rookie hitter in the junior circuit.

Current eBay Values for LaPorta’s Cards:

• 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft—$3.50-5.00
• 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto—$40.00-45.00
• 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto (#/593)—$38.00-42.00
• 2008 Bowman Chrome Auto—$40.00-45.00

As you can see, expectations are high for LaPorta to succeed at the major league level but is there room for growth in his autographed cards?  I would say yes, but with the caveat that spending nearly $50 on an autograph makes it much more risky to generate a nice return on investment than a lower priced card does.  I’ll cover this method of prospecting in a future article (I promise).

To me, the best buys for an elite prospect like Matt LaPorta can be found in the Bowman base and Chrome cards, preferrably from the ‘07 set.  Once LaPorta starts heating up and sending balls into the seats at Jacobs Field, several of the more casual baseball card fans will start hitting the eBay market hard in hopes of adding the young slugger to their collections.  This level of collector tends to seek out the cheaper cards, but tends to pay close to, and in some cases above, full book value for these cards.  Snagging a bulk lot of base cards at $1.00-1.50 apiece could turn into exponential profits within a short period of time.

Here are some current Matt LaPorta auctions on eBay

4/20 AAA Minor League Report

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

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Mat Gamel hit homerun number four and Jake Fox, Brandon Wood, and Josh Whitesell continue to prove to their prospective major league clubs that they are ready for a recall.  After slow starts, it looks like Colorado’s Eric Young Jr. and Toronto’s J.P. Arencibia are starting to catch stride, but today’s top performer is former #1 overall pick Luke Hochevar.  The tall righty tossed eight innings allowing a run on five hits and four strikeouts for his third win of the season.

Pacific Coast League Player of the Day—LUKE HOCHEVAR

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Kala Ka’aihue—1-4 2B R RBI BB
• Mat Gamel—1-2 HR(4) RBI 2 BB
• Joe Koshansky—1-4 HR(2) RBI
• Alejandro De Aza—2-4 3B HR(1) RBI 2R
• Jake Fox—1-4 2B 2 RBI
• Nate Spears—1-4 2R 2 RBI BB
• Freddy Sandoval—2-5 2 RBI
• Brandon Wood—2-4 2 RBI BB
• Sean Rodriguez—2-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Alex Romero—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI SB(1)
• Josh Whitesell—2-3 2 2B 2R RBI BB
• Jacob Hester—2-4 GS HR(1) 4 RBI
• Cliff Pennington—3-4 2R SB(2)
• Matt Tuiasosopo—2-5 2B R RBI
• Eric Young—2-4 R 2 SB(7)
• J.P. Arencibia—3-5 2B 2 RBI
• Kyle Blanks—1-3 RBI BB

Pitching:

• Luke Hochevar—8 IP 5H ER 2 BB 4K W(3-0)
• Kevin Pucetas—6 IP 4H 2 BB K
• Cesar Ramos—5 IP 6H BB 2K

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE 

Several games in the IL were washed out by rain last night, but there were still a few nice performances.  Kris Medlen continues to look like a nice sleeper pitcher as he won his second game by striking out six in five innings.  Matt LaPorta and Chris Valaika rapeed two hits and an RBI apiece, and Daniel Bard save his third game, punching out two in the ninth.  Today’s top prospect was Pawtucket’s starting pitcher Michael Bowden who surrendered just three hits and a walk over 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts.

International League Player of the Day—MICHAEL BOWDEN

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Chris Valaika—2-4 2 2B RBI BB
• Matt LaPorta—2-5 RBI R
• Jordan Brown—2-3 2B R RBI BB
• Brandon Jones—2-3 2 RBI BB

Pitching:

• Michael Bowden—5.1 IP 3H BB 7K W(1-0)
• Daniel Bard— IP BB 2K SV(3)
• Kris Medlen—5 IP 5H 2 ER 6K W(2-0)
• David Huff—6 IP 4H 2 ER 2 BB 4K

4/16 AAA Minor League Report

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

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

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

Pacific Coast League Player of the Day—SEAN RODRIGUEZ

Other Notable Peformances:

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

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

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

International League Player of the Day—NICK EVANS

Other Notable Performances:

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

4/14 AAA Minor League Report

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

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Tommy Hanson spun another gem on Tuesday allowing just one run and striking out seven in 5.2 IP, but his efforts were not good enough as he received his first loss of the season.  Andrew McCutchen’s MLB debut will come soon if he continues to put up three hit, three RBI days like he did yesterday, and Matt LaPorta and Wes Hodges combined for five hits and four runs scored.  Today’s IL top performer, however, is unsung former 1st round pick Chris Lambert.  The Toledo Mud Hen tossed eight one-hit innings racking up 11 strikeouts for his first win of the season.

International League Player of the Day—CHRIS LAMBERT

Other Notable Performances:

• Kevin Russo—4-6 R 2B RBI SB(3)
• Austin Jackson—1-3 2R 2 BB 2 SB(3)
• Mark Melancon—2 IP H 4K W(1)
• Eddie Kunz—3 IP H 5K
• Luke Hughes—1-3 2 RBI
• Wes Hodges—3-5 2 2B 2R RBI
• Matt LaPorta—2-4 2B 2R RBI
• Michael Aubrey—4-5 2 2B 2 RBI
• Stephen Head—1-5 HR(1) RBI
• Andrew McCutchen—3-6 2B 3B 3 RBI
• Brian Bixler—4-4 2 2B 4R 2 BB RBI SB(1)
• Shelby Ford—1-4 HR(1) 3 RBI SB(1)
• Tommy Hanson—5.2 IP 3H ER 2 BB 7K L(1)
• Reid Brignac—1-4 2B RBI
• Chris Lambert—8 IP H 2 BB 11K W(1)
• Carlos Fisher—3.1 IP 2H 4K
• Nolan Reimold—2-4 2B
• Matt Wieters—1-3 BB

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Mike Carp, Allen Craig, and Jesus Guzman made their first deposits into outfield seats while Xavier Paul and Sean Doolittle each had three hit days.  It was Iowa Cubs slugger Jake Fox who had the biggest day going 4-5 with two HR, five RBI, and three runs scored.

Pacific Coast League Player of the Day—JAKE FOX

Other Notable Performances:

• Mike Carp—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2B
• Jesus Guzman—1-4 HR(1) RBI
• Julio Borbon—2-6 2 RBI R SB(1)
• Max Ramirez—2-5 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Joaquin Arias—0-3 R 3 RBI
• Luis Mendoza—5 IP 2H 2 BB 6K W(1)
• Mat Gamel—1-4 2B R
• Allen Craig—3-4 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Jon Jay—2-4 3R BB SB(1)
• Tyler Greene—2-5 RBI R SB(2)
• Chris Lubanski—1-3 R BB
• Mitch Maier—1-3 2B RBI 2 BB
• Josh Whitesell—2-4 2B RBI
• Alan Johnson—6 IP 2H 2K W(1) (2-3 2B 3 RBI)
• Jake Fox—4-5 2 HR(3) 5 RBI 2B 3R
• Xavier Paul—3-5 3B 3 RBI SB(2)
• Blake DeWitt—1-3 RBI R 2 BB
• Kyle Blanks—1-3 2 RBI BB
• Daric Barton—1-3 R 2 RBI BB
• Sean Doolittle—3-5 2B R
• Eric Patterson—2-4 2B R BB