| |
31 October, 2004
Arizona Fall League Friday's games ... Chris Oxspring SD 5.0 1 1 0 0 5,
3.45 ... Josh Barfield SD 1-4, homer, 2 RBI, .302 ... Keith
Bucktrot PHI 5.1 2 1 0 1 5, 1.71 ... John Hudgins TEX 4.0 7
2 1 0 3, 4.86 ... Ryan Howard PHI (in LF) 3-4, .411 ... Mark
Teahen KC 1-3, 2 errors, .446 ... Freddy Sanchez PIT 2-5,
5th double, .333 ... John Hattig TOR 2-3, 7th double, 2 walks,
.338 ... JD Durbin MIN 4.0 3 2 1 1 7, 3.94 ... Rickie
Weeks MIL 1-3, 5th homer, .370 ... Jeff Francoeur ATL 2-4,
triple, .339 ... Chris Shelton DET 1-5, 8th double, 3 RBI, .410
... Brad Thompson STL 2.0 1 0 0 1 0 ... so far, it's mainly the
relievers who've been the shining stars of the moundsmen in the AFL :
PITCHERS ERA IP H BB SO
Thompson, Bradley STL 0.00 2.0 1 1 0
Crain, Jesse MIN 0.00 5.0 2 0 6
Baker, Brad SD 0.00 5.2 6 1 9
Moseley, Dustin CIN 0.75 12.0 3 4 9
Street, Huston OAK 0.90 10.0 8 1 11
Aardsma, David SF 1.35 6.2 4 2 9
Dittler, Jake CLE 1.50 12.0 15 5 9
Bucktrot, Keith PHI 1.71 21.0 17 3 18
Stodolka, Michael KC 1.84 14.2 11 6 10
Sarfate, Dennis MIL 3.38 13.1 9 8 18
Oxspring, Chris SD 3.45 15.2 15 4 8
Peterson, Adam TOR 3.52 7.2 7 5 10
Durbin, J.D. MIN 3.94 16.0 14 5 20
Rosario, Francisco TOR 3.95 13.2 14 6 17
Baker, Scott MIN 4.11 15.1 18 3 15
Arnold, Jason TOR 4.30 14.2 21 1 14
Hudgins, John TEX 4.86 16.2 27 8 9
Wainwright, Adam STL 5.23 10.1 15 9 12
Bray, William WAS 5.68 12.2 15 3 11
Ryu, Jae-Kuk CHN 5.94 16.2 23 7 14
Mexico -- Dave Krynzel MIL 1-5, RBI,
.333 ... Joe Borchard CHA 1-4, .162
Venezuela -- some of the prospects, through games of
Thursday :
BATEADOR AVE VB H2 H3 HR BB SO
BOSCAN JEAN C. ATL .433 30 1 0 0 1 4
LEONE JUSTIN SEA .400 5 1 0 0 3 2
GIMENEZ HECTOR HOU .361 36 3 1 1 1 8
GUTIERREZ FRANKLIN CLE .360 50 6 0 3 2 11
YOUNG WALTER BAL .359 39 4 0 3 5 6
KELTON DAVE CHN .326 43 3 0 3 8 19
REYES RENE COL .288 52 1 1 1 2 8
CALLASPO ALBERTO ANA .256 43 2 0 0 8 3
LINDEN TODD SF .250 24 0 0 1 2 6
Good news for Dallas McPherson owners ... maybe not so swell for
those with Casey Kotchman :
" ... The Angels plan to cut ties with third baseman
Troy Glaus, handing the position to rookie Dallas McPherson and positioning the
team for a possible run at center fielder Carlos Beltran, the crown jewel of
free agency. "From a financial standpoint, McPherson fits better than Glaus and
we've got other needs," Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman said Friday ... The
Angels plan to move center fielder Garret Anderson to left and keep former
center fielder Darin Erstad at first base, leaving starting pitching and center
field as the top two winter priorities ... McPherson, 24, the Sporting News
minor league player of the year, hit .317 with 40 home runs between double-A
Arkansas and triple-A Salt Lake. In 16 games with the Angels in September, he
hit .225 with three home runs and 17 strikeouts in 40 at-bats. "If we didn't
have McPherson, it might be different," Stoneman said. "We've got a guy ready to
break through at the major league level." McPherson will earn slightly more than
the $300,000 major league minimum in each of the next three seasons, assuming he
remains on the team. Stoneman said Robb Quinlan, 27, another minimum-wage player
who hit .344 in 56 games with the Angels, also would get time at third base."
(LA Times)
Dick Kaegel, MLB.com, on Mark Teahen KC :
" ... Shaun McGinn, the Royals' director of player
development, watched Teahen in Arizona and continues to get good reports on the
left-handed batter. "Before, he was a guy who hit the ball to the opposite field
a lot," McGinn said. "The biggest thing that we have been talking to him about
is not sliding forward and making sure you stay back so you can get to the inner
half of the plate for fastballs. Because pitchers would pound him inside with
fastballs and throw soft away." Andre David, the Royals' minor league hitting
instructor, is continuing to work with Teahen in Arizona. "The most pleasant
surprise for us is that he took to this so quickly," McGinn said. "He's hitting
above-average fastballs that are on the inner third (of the plate) to right
field. He's pulling balls because he's not going out to meet the ball and he's
really staying back. That's the biggest thing with him. Even when he makes outs,
they're hard outs." Teahen, obtained from the Oakland A's in the Carlos Beltran
trade, has improved his strike-zone discipline, too, with eight walks against 12
strikeouts. "He's right on schedule, doing a great job," McGinn said. "He's
playing great defense. He's an above-average third baseman right now defensively
... Royals general manager Allard Baird has said repeatedly that Teahen
would not be ready to start next season at the Major League level. But McGinn
hinted that the situation could change."
Joe Ptak, Cleveland Indians' Report, on
Ryan Garko :
" ... Garko is splitting time between catching
(seven games), first base (six games) and DH (one game). Compared to Tigers
prospect Chris Shelton ... by Carolina League managers this season and Twins
role-bat Matt LeCroy by Indians brass late this season for his good-hit,
no-position in the field resume, I prefer to aim higher and compare Garko to
Royals all-star first-basemen, and former catcher, Mike Sweeney. Think I'm
crazy? Well, perhaps I am. But take at look at Sweeney's 1995 season as a
22-year old in Wilmington (.310/.548, 23 2B, 18 HR) as compared to Garko's 2004
season at Kinston as a 23-year old (.329/.609, 17 2B, 16 HR). Note also that
Garko had 100 fewer at-bats than Sweeney. Now, it's true that Sweeney showed
incredible plate discipline (60 BB / 39 K) as opposed to Garko (26 BB / 34 K)
but it's not like Ryan was up there hacking away. In fact, he was far from it.
It's also true that the one-year age difference between the two needs to be
taken into account as does the fact that Garko was generally considered old for
the Carolina League at age 23. But you could counter that by saying that
Sweeney's '95 season was his fifth season in pro ball whereas last year was
Garko's first full year as a professional. Given that he continued to rake at
Akron as well as during a late season promotion to Buffalo and continues to do
so in the Arizona Fall League, I think the potential bar for Garko needs to be
raised."
Jon Connolly, still trying to prove he's a prospect :
" ... He ended up putting together a second straight
impressive season on the mound, finishing a combined 11-7 with a 2.59 ERA and
three complete games in 25 starts between Lakeland and Daytona ...
Connolly led the Florida State League with a 2.40 ERA last season. He also was
named to the league's postseason all-star team and earned a late-season
promotion to Double-A, where he went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his only start with
the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. He hopes it's enough to prompt the Cubs to add
him to their 40-man major-league roster this offseason. The Cubs still have
until Nov. 30 to protect Connolly or risk losing him to another organization in
the Rule 5 minor-league draft. "I think I deserve to be a (big-league)
prospect," he said of a 28-10 combined record and 1.97 ERA over the last two
seasons, including 51 starts, 325.0 innings, 221 strikeouts, 68 walks, eight
complete games and four shutouts. Yet Connolly takes nothing for granted. He
remains as humble as ever about his talent since he still throws only 84-88 mph
and still relies on pinpoint control in the strike zone and a fantastic changeup
to keep opposing hitters off balance. "I still look at myself as a 28th-round
draft pick who has to keep putting up numbers. Nothing is going to be handed to
me," he said." (Grand Rapids Press)
30 October, 2004
Arizona Fall League, no games Thursday -- rained out. Hard not to be
impressed ... Mark Teahen KC ... leads the league in average (.453), tops
in on-base (.516), second in slugging (.717).
Mexico -- Josh Kroeger ARZ 0-2, walk, .267
... JJ Furmaniank SS SD 2-4, 3rd homer, 2 RBI, .316
Venezuela -- Franklin Gutierrez CLE,
finally the collar, 0-4 ... Todd Linden SF 4-4, homer, 3 RBI, .250
... Dave Kelton CHN 1-4, grand slam, .326 ... Alberto
Callaspo ANA 2-4, .256
OAK closer candidate & future ARZ OF the Pitcher & Hitter of the Week in the AFL
:
" ... Huston Street (OAK) ranks second
in the league with a .90 ERA. In eight games, Street has held hitters to one run
on eight hits. He has walked only one batter and struck out 11 ... In his
first professional season, Street had a rapid rise through the Oakland system.
Street began the year at single-A Kane County of the Midwest League and was
promoted to AA Midland in August. He excelled in the Texas League, going 1-0
with two saves, while posting a 1.42 ERA in nine appearances. The former Texas
Longhorn pitcher finished the year at AAA Sacramento. Conor Jackson (AZ)
hit .400 (10-for-25) for the Scorpions. The outfielder hit a double and four
home runs. He drove in eight and scored five times. Jackson is hitting .361
overall and leads the league in home runs (6) and is third in RBI (19) ... was
the Diamondbacks’ first round pick in the 2003 Amateur Draft. The 22-year-old
Jackson had a good start to his professional career, winning the MVP of the
Northwest League in 2003 after hitting .312 with six home runs and 55 RBIs, as
well as setting the league record for doubles with 32. Jackson joins the Arizona
Fall League in 2004 following his second season in the Diamondbacks’
organization. Jackson was promoted to AA El Paso this year after hitting .345
with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs at single-A Lancaster." (Arizona Fall League)
A vote for an ANA phenom as the best of the minors in 2004 :
" ... Dallas McPherson, slugging third
baseman in the Anaheim Angels’ organization, continued his impressive drive
toward Major League stardom with strong performances at two levels in 2004 to
earn the 45th annual J. G. Taylor Spink Award as the Topps/Minor League Player
of the Year. He batted .317 with 40 homers, the second highest total in all of
Minor League Baseball, and had 126 runs-batted-in. McPherson, 24, split the
season between the Arkansas Travelers (Double-A Texas League) and the Salt Lake
Stingers (Triple-A Pacific Coast League) ... in his fourth pro season after
being drafted in the second round out of The Citadel in 2001, had played just 28
games above the Class A level prior to this season. He had a few growing pains
and was batting .192 two weeks into the season. Then the 6-4, 230-pound
lefthanded hitter from Randleman, NC, went 8-for-9 in back-to-back games and was
on his way. He had no such problem adjusting to his first look at Triple-A
pitching after a promotion in mid-June, going 3-for-3 with a double and homer in
his first start. Finishing 2004 in Anaheim, Dallas also went 3-for-3 in his
first MLB start, finishing with 3 homers and 6 RBIs in 16 games." (MinorLeagueBaseball.com)
Alan Matthews, Baseball America, on SS Justin Upton, the early pick as
the #1 in the June draft :
" ... . After a ho-hum summer showcase tour,
Upton shined for Team USA in the World Junior Championships in Taiwan in
September, leading the team in runs (eight), hits (10), triples (four), total
bases (21) and slugging percentage (.875). He was sharp again in Fort Myers and
remains the top overall draft-eligible prospect. "He's the premiere guy as far
as having tools on both sides of the game," a National League scouting director
said, and scouts agree that Upton's tools grade above-average in all five
categories. Accustomed to being pitched around, he also has developed discipline
and rarely chases pitches out of the zone. His range is exceptional and he gets
to balls few other players at the position reach. Still, some scouts think he
fits better in center field, where his speed is an asset and his strong though
erratic arm plays better."
29 October, 2004
Arizona Fall League
Wednesday ... Jason Arnold TOR 4.0 7 4 4 1 5, 4.30 ... Aaron
Hill TOR 1-4, 2nd homer, .344 ... John Hattig TOR 1-4, 2nd
homer, .333 ... Kevin Thompson NYA 1-3, 4th homer, 3 RBI, .352 ...
Jason Barlett MIN 2-3, .375 ... Kevin Howard 2B CIN
3-6, .524 ... Jesse Gutierrez 1B CIN 5-7, 3rd double, .300 ...
Conor Jackson ARZ 2-4, 6th homer, 2 walks, 5 RBI, .361 ... Jason
Repko LA 4-5, 4th & 5th homers, 2 walks, 5 RBI, .302 ... Reid
Gorecki STL 2-5, 2nd & 3rd homers, .432 ... Brian Dopirak CHN
3-4, 3rd double, .280 ... Jason Nix COL 2-4, double, .292 ...
Jeremy Hermida FLO 2-5, 9th double, 3rd homer, 4 RBI, .303 ...
Mark Teahen KC 2-5, .453 ...
Mexico -- Matt Riley BAL 2.0 3 3 3 4 1 ... Josh
Kroeger ARZ 1-5, SB, .279 ... Dave Krynzel MIL 3-5, .333 ...
Dan Johnson OAK 3-3, 2 RBI, .278 Venezuela --
Franklin Gutierrez CLE 1-3, .391 ... Alberto Callaspo
ANA 0-4, .231
Austin Kearns passed first test in the Reds' 3B experiment :
" ... Encouraged by Austin Kearns' progress at third
base during an Instructional League stint that ended Friday, the Reds are making
plans to continue the experiment through the offseason. General manager Dan
O'Brien said Wednesday, however, that no decision has been made regarding a
position change for the 24-year-old outfielder. "I would say there was some
progress," O'Brien said Wednesday from St. Louis. "I think we need to keep it
all in the appropriate context, because this is very much a sequential process,
hopefully getting to an end result everyone is pleased with. But there are no
promises." The Reds are asking Kearns to follow a daily workout schedule for the
next two months in Lexington." (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Any idea what the following have in common ? Derrick Gibson, Cristian
Guerrero, Jason Middlebrook, Brent Butler, Jackson Melian, Jack Cust, Eugene
Kingsale, Darnell McDonald, George Lombard, Gookie Dawkins, Ricardo Aramboles,
Jeff Austin, Kenny Kelly, Steve Lomasney, Rene Reyes, Jorge Toca, Chip Ambres,
Ryan Minor, Peter Bergeron, Adrian Hernandez, Ryan Mills, Pascual Coco, Pat
Strange, Donzell McDonald, Esteban German, Mike Rivera, Bud Smith, Kevin
Nicholson, Brad Cresse, Matt White, Aquilino Lopez, Simon Pond.
All once highly rated prospects or, at least,
players with promising futures. Now all with a kind of seal of
disapproval, joining the list of six-year, minor league free agents. (Source,
Baseball America)
Matthew Pouliot, at RotoWorld, reviews some of his 2004 AL rookie picks :
" ... BJ Upton ... showed plenty of offensive
potential and a shaky glove after arriving in the majors ... The plan now
is for him to enter 2005 as a regular third baseman. It will probably be at
least one more year before his bat is an asset at that position ... could hit
.280-.290 with 15 homers and 30 steals in his first full season."
" ... Matt Riley ... The Orioles are
still waiting on Riley to pitch up to his potential. They probably would have
looked to deal him this winter if not for his strong September. He went 2-1 with
a 2.43 ERA in his final five starts to make himself a top candidate for a spot
in next year’s rotation. Riley’s talent has never been in doubt, but his command
remains a big problem."
" ... Jose Lopez ... Considering that
he was just 20 years old, Lopez played about as well as expected after replacing
Rich Aurilia at shortstop for Seattle. He has impressive power for such a young
middle infielder, and he was decent enough defensively ... should
eventually hit 20-25 homers per year as a third baseman. In 2005, though, it’s
more likely that he’ll remain a below average offensive shortstop. Unless the
Mariners decide to upgrade, expect a .250-.260 average with 12-15 homers and a
handful of stolen bases."
" ... Daniel Cabrera ... Cabrera had a
4.24 ERA in the South Atlantic League in 2003, but a fast start at Double-A
Bowie combined with Baltimore’s pitching problems got him pushed to the majors
in May and he did surprisingly well for three months before fading down the
stretch. Long-term, Cabrera has the stuff to be a second or third starter. Next
year, though, hitters figure to take better advantage of his control
difficulties. There’s a good chance he’ll struggle and spend some additional
time in the minors. Avoid him until 2006."
28 October, 2004
Arizona Fall League Tuesday's games ... Omar Quintanilla OAK 5-5, 3
doubles (5), .421 ... Nate McLouth PIT 2-4, 1st homer, 4th SB, 3 RBI,
.294 ... Ian Kinsler TEX 2-4, double, .306 ... Joey
Gathright TB 1-4, 12th & 13th SBs, .354 ... Jason Nix COL 2-4,
.273 ... Chris Duncan STL 1-4, 1st homer, .318 ... Jason
Botts TEX 1-3, 2nd homer, .372 ... Francisco Rosario TOR 4.0 4
1 1 2 7 ... Rickie Weeks MIL 3-5, 3rd & 4th homers, 2 RBI, .373
... 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff CLE 3-5, 6th double, .375 ... Ryan
Garko CLE 2-4, 6th double, 2 RBI, .373 ... Ben Johnson SD
(at leadoff) 2-4, 5th double, .333 ... Josh Barfield SD 2-5, .308
... Mike Stodolka KC 5.0 4 1 1 3 1, 1.84 ... Mark Teahen
KC 2-4, 5th double, 1st homer, 4 RBI, .458 ... Ryan Howard PHI
2-5, 8th & 9th doubles, .400 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 3-5, 7th & 8th
doubles, .295
Venezuela -- Franklin Gutierrez CLE 2-4, 6th double, .395 ... catcher
Hector Gimenez HOU 2-3, .361 ... Rene Reyes COL 3-5,
triple, 5 RBI, .277 ... catcher JC Boscan ATL 2-5, double,
.433
Kevin Kouzmanoff is a 23-year-old third baseman, an All-Star this past
season in the South Atlantic League (as a utility infielder, Ian Stewart COL
made the grade at 3B). A 6th round pick in the 2003 draft. .272, 8
homers, 33 RBI in 54 games in his pro debut in '03. Breakout season in
2004 (but, failed to make BA's SAL Top 20, age a likely factor) :
" ... led the entire Indians player
development system in percentage of quality at-bats with a 52.51 percentage.
Kouzmanoff finished the year with 293 quality at-bats in 558 plate appearances.
He spent almost all of 2004 with Lake County where he batted .330 (156-473) with
74 runs scored, 35 doubles, 5 triples, 16 HR and 87 RBI in 123 games before
being promoted to Akron for the last week of the season where he batted .208
(5-24) with 3 RS, a double, a triple, a HR and 6 RBI in 7 games with the Aeros.
Kouzmanoff also appeared in 3 playoff games with the Carolina League Champion
Kinston Indians. Combined during the regular season at Lake County and Akron, he
walked 46 times and struck out just 80 times in 497 at-bats. " (Cleveland
Indians)
27 October, 2004
AFL Monday's games ... Freddy Sanchez PIT 3-4, error (3B), .357 ...
Ian Kinsler TEX 2-3, 2 walks, 4th homer, .289 ... Chris
Duncan STL 3-3, double, triple, walk, .325 ... Delmon Young TB
2-5, .267 ... Dustin Moseley CIN 3.0 0 0 0 1 1, 0.75 ... Rickie
Weeks MIL 1-2, 2 walks, HBP, .348 ... Ryan Garko CLE 2-5,
5th double, .364 ... Shin-soo Choo SEA 1-2, walk, HBP, 2nd homer, 3 RBI,
.311 ... Huston Street OAK 0.2 0 0 0 1 0, 4th Save, 0.90 ...
Mark Teahen KC 2-4, .455 ... Ryan Howard PHI 3-4, 7th
double, 2 RBI, .400 ... Chris Shelton DET 4-5, 7th double, 2 RBI,
.479 ... Jeff Francoeur ATL 2-5, 5th double, 3 RBI, .353 ...
Don Murphy 2B KC 4-4, 2nd double, 2 runs, 3 RBI, .265
Another top prospect sits out the AFL :
" ... right fielder Carlos Quentin — one of
Arizona's top prospects — will sit out the remainder of the Arizona Fall League
season because of a lower-back strain. Quentin, one of the D-Backs’ two
first-round picks in 2003, had played in only three games for the Scottsdale
Scorpions because of his sore back, going 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBIs.
He was examined Monday by team doctor Michael Lee, and it was decided Quentin
needed rest and some rehabilitation. At Class A Lancaster and Class AA El Paso
this year, Quentin batted .332 with 21 home runs and 89 RBIs. He was hit by a
pitch 43 times, a minor league record." (East Valley Tribune)
Bryan Smith, Wait Til Next Year,
on OF prospects, TB :
" ... The first and most ready is Joey Gathright,
who could probably be ready by midseason 2005. But, what he will produce in the
Majors, isn’t much. If you average his AA and AAA numbers, Gathright hit about
.330/.390/.380 this season, and both the batting average and on-base percentage
will drop in the Majors. Next is Elijah Dukes ... immensely talented, and
the most eligible of these three players for the centerfield spot. He played
well in Bakersfield this year, and would be best suited to be the Opening Day
starter in 2007, after Delmon Young has already established himself. While he
must show more power, Dukes does have 25-25 potential. Finally, the least
advanced is Jason Pridie. While older than Dukes ... Pridie spent his
second season in the South Atlantic League. And again, like Wes [Bankston],
things improved the second time around. But a kid who can’t top an .800 OPS the
second time around, while also posting a BB/K of 37/114. I think Pridie is
drastically overrated, and WAY behind Dukes and even Gathright in prospect
rankings. Some are going to say Matt Diaz or Jonny Gomes here, but
I don’t think these players have much of a future with this organization. Bench
spots maybe."
Canadian kid, Jason Bay, the best rookie in the NL :
" ... the team announced that Bay has been chosen by
his peers as The Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year. Bay will be
among the annual award winners in both leagues featured in the Nov. 1, 2004
edition of The Sporting News. Recipients of the awards were determined by the
voting of 522 Major League players who submitted ballots to the magazine ...
batted .282 and led all Major League rookies with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs. He
also paced all NL rookies with 54 extra-base hits, 226 total bases and a .550
slugging percentage despite missing the first month of the season while
recovering from shoulder surgery ... The Jackie Robinson Award, named in honor
of the player who won the first BBWAA Rookie of the Year Award in 1947 while
breaking baseball's color barrier, will be announced by Major League Baseball on
Nov. 8." (MLB.com)
Bobby Crosby OAK, was the TSN pick in the AL.
Jack
Magruder, at Baseball America, has a feature on Nate McLouth PIT :
" ... McLouth, who turns 23 on Thursday, has shown
the combination of gap power and speed that would seem to render the question of
his protection on the Pirates' 40-man roster this winter moot. "He has a knack
of putting the ball in play with some authority," said John Russell, the
Saguaros' bench coach and the third-base coach for the parent Pirates in the
last two seasons. "He can get the ball deep in the gaps. He can hit the ball and
get in areas of ballpark where he is going to create extra-base hits, and that's
what you look for, especially from top of the order guys." McLouth batted third
and played mostly right field for Altoona this summer, and his speed and
approach make him a fit as a possible No. 1 or No. 2 hitter. His on-base
percentage has been above .380 in each of his last two seasons, and he has
nearly as many walks (103) as strikeouts (130) in that span."
CLE manager Eric Wedge with some tidbits in an MLB.com chat :
" ... I think Fernando Cabrera will challenge
for a spot in the bullpen next year and I'm looking forward to taking a look at
Ryan Garko in big league camp as well ... Garko is a strong bat
and if he continues to post impressive numbers, we will find room for him."
Billy Traber and Brian
Tallet? " ... Tallet is further along than Billy Traber. Tallett
should be ready at Spring Training and Billy once we get into the regular
season."
26 October, 2004
AFL, no games Sunday ... the batting leaders :
ON-BASE PERCENTAGE
Teahen, Mark KC .500
Botts, Jason TEX .500
Shelton, Chris DET .500
Whiteman, Tommy HOU .500
Weeks, Rickie MIL .482
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
Shelton, Chris DET .907
Howard, Ryan PHI .706
Jones, Mitch NYA .703
Jackson, Conor ARZ .685
Garko, Ryan CLE .680
Mexico
-- Josh Kroeger ARZ 0-4, 3 Ks ... Jorge Cantu TB 1-4 ... Dan
Johnson OAK 1-3, homer, 3 RBI
Some
catchup ... Jeff Baker COL on the shelf ... Kris Honel CHA
off the shelf :
" ... Baker has left the Arizona Fall League because
of soreness in his left wrist, but he said it is not related to the problems
that led to three surgeries -- most recently, last September ... Baker was named
to the Class A California League All-Star team after batting .325 with 11 home
runs and 64 RBIs in 73 games at Visalia. He was promoted to Double-A Tulsa,
where he hit .297 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 24 games before sustaining the
injury." (MLB.com)
" ... In a reversal from the late-season struggles
he displayed while attempting to return from the first major injury of his
career, the soon-to-be 22-year-old ... is looking like a bona fide prospect
again. "He's shown flashes of his old self and is really making a lot of
progress," said White Sox minor league pitching coordinator Kirk Champion of
Honel, who has made five appearances during Instructional League action. "You
see that skip in his step again that we want to see, and he's got a smile on his
face. "It's a combination of bringing him back both mentally and physically.
It's a gradual process." ... Along with a devastating knuckle-curve as an out
pitch, Honel's top attribute was his high level of confidence. In fact, with the
White Sox's season-long struggles at fifth starter, a healthy and effective
Honel almost certainly would have had a shot to fill the void, a fact not lost
on the right-hander. Honel's fastball has shown life against Instructional
League squads fielded by the Giants and the Rangers, and he delivered a solid
effort against the Chinese National Team. But with basically one year of
inactivity behind him, Honel has some work to do to get back into the overall
mix. "He's going about his business as a professional and carrying himself a
little better," Champion said. "We want him to be ready tomorrow, but that's not
the case. We hope to have him ready by February and definitely by April." (MLB.com)
25 October, 2004
AFL Saturday's games ... Adam Wainwright STL 3.0 6 4 4 4 4 ... Brian
Dopirak CHN 3-3, double, walk ... Mark Teahen KC 1-1, 3
runs, 4 walks, .432 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 2-4, 5th double, 4th
SB, .283 ... John Hudgins TEX 1.0 6 5 5 2 0 ... Conor
Jackson ARZ 4-5, 4th & 5th homers, 4 RBI, .370 ... James Loney
LA 1-6, homer, .333 ... Dustin Pedroia BOS 3-4, double, 2 RBI,
.370 ... Aaron Hill TOR 3-4, 2 RBI, .339 ... Scott Baker
MIN 4.2 5 4 4 1 3 ... Chris Shelton DET 1-2, HBP, walk, 6th
double, .442 ... Ben Johnson SD 2-3, walk, 4th homer, 2 RBI, .347
... Marland Williams ARZ 3-3, .393
Mexico -- Josh Kroeger ARZ 2-4, .324 ... Jorge Cantu
TB 3-4 ... Dan Johnson OAK 0-4, 2 Ks, .192 ... Jason
Dubois CHN 1-4, .241 ... Joe Borchard CHA 2-3, double, .172
... Dave Krynzel MIL 1-5, 3 runs, 2 RBI Venezuela --
Franklin Gutierrez CLE 1-3, .385
Dad saves Tiger dream for Justin Verlander :
" ... Credit for saving the deal can be attributed
to Richard Verlander, a representative for the Communications Workers of
America. After sitting down with Justin and the rest of family to evaluate their
options, he called Smith on Monday. The hour-long conversation led to daily
talks that culminated in the deal both sides hoped to reach all along ...
Those final talks are believed to have occurred without the presence of agent
Michael Milchin, who had been acting as Verlander's adviser since the draft.
Nobody on either side would discuss Milchin's status, but he was not on the
conference call. Nor was he with Verlander in Lakeland, Fla., where the two
sides finalized the deal Friday. "As of right now, I'm not going to comment on
the agent situation," Justin Verlander said ... The deal is a Major League
contract, meaning Verlander will be invited to big-league camp in Spring
Training and will most likely have to stick in the Majors by 2008 or '09." (MLB.com)
Bryan Smith, Wait Til Next Year,
on Sergio Santos ARZ :
" ... A growing 20-year-old shortstop, Santos was
extremely young for the TL, but kept afloat with the advanced pitching. He hit
.282/.332/.461 for the season, showing good contact and power skills, with plate
discipline being his obvious flaw. Some are also concerned for his defense,
because he made 24 errors in just 87 games at shortstop. In fact, some say
concern over Santos’ future position led to the Diamondbacks first round
selection of Stephen Drew ... But, scouts also don’t believe Drew will stick at
shortstop, saying second base or centerfield are better spots for him. If they
move Santos and Drew, who’s the next shortstop? How about Justin Upton, the
consensus best player of the 2005 draft? I’ve always been one to say that I
think Arizona plans on leaving Santos at shortstop, and will not spend the money
on Upton come next June. Instead, I think the team will stay conservative,
choosing one of the better collegiate hitters in the country."
2B heads up from
Prospect
Pulse, Baseball America :
" ... NL scout in Arizona watching instructional
league was impressed by how hot a pair of second baseman were at the plate.
Hernan Iribarren of the Brewers hadn't cooled off after blitzing the
Rookie-level Arizona League with a .439 average--the second-best mark in league
history--and leading the circuit in on-base and slugging percentage. "Iribarren
was on fire the whole time," the scout said. "He's a Rod Carew type with a level
stroke and an open stance. He was driving the gaps like it's nothing."
" ... Despite an unorthodox swing, Antoin Gray
enjoyed similar success for the White Sox following a .294-13-49 season at low
Class A Kannapolis. "I think I saw him have about 15 at-bats, and he must have
hit seven doubles," the scout said. "He's a marginal second baseman
(defensively), but you have to give him credit for his bat."
24 October, 2004
AFL Friday's games ... (suppose the message is getting across -- not much
good pitching so far) ... Rickie Weeks MIL 2-4, 5th double, RBI, .341 ...
Tommy Whiteman HOU 2-4, 2 RBI, .429 ... JR House PIT
2-4, double, .368 ... Freddy Sanchez PIT 2-4, double, 2 RBI, .314
... Nate McLouth PIT 3-5, double, triple, 2 RBI, .308 ... JD
Durbin MIN 5.0 4 4 4 1 6 ... Curtis Granderson DET 4-6,
double, .370 ... Ryan Garko CLE 2-4, 4th homer, 3 RBI, .370-.412-.717 ... OF
Ben Johnson SD 3-5, 4th double, 2dn & 3rd homers, 4 RBI, .326 ...
Mitch Jones 1B NYA 3-6, 3rd homer, 3 runs, 2 RBI, .324 ... Tony
Pena Jr. 4-6
Mexico -- Josh Kroeger ARZ 0-4, 3 Ks, .300 ... Jorge
Cantu TB 2-4, 2 doubles, .563 Venezuela -- Walter
Young BAL 2-4, 3rd homer, .409 ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 2-4,
5th double, .424
Jason Kubel likely out for 2005. Twins' GM Terry Ryan -- ""It's
more extensive than just the ACL.". The primo OF prospect was hurt
Wednesday while playing in the Arizona Fall League.
" ... Kubel was diagnosed with a torn anterior
cruciate ligament in his left knee and is believed to have more extensive
ligament damage that will require surgery. Renowned orthopedist Dr. Frank Jobe
will examine the 22-year-old at his clinic in Los Angeles in the next couple of
days. It is already expected that Kubel will be out of action from nine months
to a year, but should make a full recovery. "It's a bad deal," Twins general
manager Terry Ryan said Friday. "It's going to be a long ordeal. It's a shame."
(MLB.com)
Twins appear hesitant to throw kids into the mix for 2005 :
" ... you have to be careful of anointing people who
can't stay in one piece. Terry Tiffee and Jason Bartlett
might figure in the Twins' future. First, they're going to have to show they can
stay healthy. "Tiffee was not healthy," Ryan said of the often-injured third
baseman. "He was not healthy here, and he was not healthy at Triple A. That's
always a concern of mine. You've got to have people who are healthy if you're
going to rely on them." Bartlett, a shortstop, also is injury prone. "He'll be
in major league spring training," Ryan said. "He broke a wrist in early May.
When a player gets hurt like that, it's to nobody's liking. It isn't what I like
at all." And then there is pitcher J.D. Durbin, the Twins' version of the
Mouth that Roared. I hope this kid pans out — for his sake. He is so cocky and
runs his mouth so often that if he doesn't produce, someone might just hang him
upside down in a locker and forget about him. When the manager came out to give
him the hook during an unimpressive relief stint late in the season, Durbin
flipped him the ball and announced, "Well, it wasn't one of my best outings,"
and strutted off. Ryan is going to have to figure out which players he can
afford to re-sign and which minor leaguers might have a chance before he looks
outside the organization to improve the club." (Pioneer Press)
Robert Falkoff, MLB.com, on Jason Botts TEX :
" ... "We have a specific plan for all of our
players in the Arizona Fall League that goes beyond statistics," said John
Lombardo, the Rangers' director of minor league operations. "We're asking Jason
to play some in the outfield, and he's doing a good job with the defensive
adjustment and also swinging the bat well." Botts, who was selected by the
Rangers in the 46th round of the 1999 draft, has built an impressive resume as a
right-handed hitter. He had a combined .289 average coming into the 2004 season,
and proceeded to build on that mark by hitting .293 with 24 homers and 92 RBIs
for Frisco in 481 at-bats. "It was a good year for me," said the 24-year-old. "I
went into the season with a mission to drive the ball more, and I accomplished
that." Botts has picked up in the AFL where he left off during his season in the
minors. Through his first 23 at-bats, he was hitting .391 for Peoria."
23 October, 2004
AFL Thursday's games ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-3, 2nd double, 3rd homer,
.333 ... Mike Stodolka KC 4.2 4 2 2 2 5 ... Mark Teahen
KC 3-4, 3rd double, .417 ... Kevin Kouzmanoff CLE 2-2, 5th double,
.405
Mexico -- Marshall McDougall TEX 1-4, .226 Venezuela
-- Franklin Gutierrez CLE 1-4, 4th double, .414 ... Walter
Young BAL 1-3, 2nd homer, .389
Tigers get their man, after all :
" ... Tigers today announced the club has
agreed to terms on a five-year contract with right-handed pitcher Justin
Verlander, Detroit's first pick (second overall) in the 2004 First-Year
Player Draft from Old Dominion University. Verlander compiled a 7-6 record and
3.49 ERA (105.2IP/41ER) in 16 games for Old Dominion as a junior in 2004. The
6-4, 200-pound right-hander established a school record with 151 strikeouts this
past season, limiting the opposition to 90 hits and issuing 43 walks ... Tabbed
as a preseason All-American by Baseball America in 2004, Verlander was rated by
the publication as possessing the best fastball among all college draft-eligible
prospects ... finished with a 21-18 record and a 2.57 ERA (335.2IP/96ER) in 46
games during his three seasons at Old Dominion University. He struck out 427
batters in his career, while allowing 267 hits and issuing 126 walks." (Detroit
Tigers)
Major worries about one of the leading prospects -- MIN's Jason Kubel
:
" ... Kubel suffered a major knee injury this week
in an outfield collision in the Arizona Fall League. The injury could turn out
to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which could take until well into next
spring for recovery. Before the injury, Kubel was expected to become a regular
in the Twins' lineup." (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
Nothing definitive yet on the Austin Kearns 3B experiment ... this from
Sunday's Cincinnati Post :
" ... He's working, quite literally, from the ground
up. The focus of nearly all of [Reds minor league infield coordinator Freddie]
Benavides' instruction so far has been footwork. At times, Kearns will throw a
baseball-sized yellow plastic ball off a concrete wall and field it, just to
concentrate on his approach. Or Benavides will stand 20 feet away and throw
baseballs at the dirt, moving Kearns right and left, forward and back. "It's
easy out in the outfield to get lazy," said Kearns. "At third base, you've got
to have your feet moving." Reaction time is also at a premium, and perhaps the
biggest change from playing the outfield. Batted balls reach the third baseman
faster than any fielder but the pitcher, and unlike the pitcher, the third
baseman is expected to snare most of them ... Throwing isn't as much of a
concern. Kearns' arm is as strong as any on the team, and he hasn't had to alter
his usual motion too much ... "The biggest thing is, I'm just going to have to
slow the game down," Kearns said. "Things happen a lot faster at third base than
they do in the outfield. That's when I'll know that I really feel comfortable,
is when things feel like they slow down." He may not reach that point before his
crash course ends next week, but the Reds hope they'll have enough evidence
supporting or rejecting the great experiment to decide if it should continue
into spring training ... If it is determined that Kearns has a "legitimate
chance" at making the switch, O'Brien said, they'll let Kearns know so he can
tailor his offseason plan accordingly. Kearns said his first step would be
losing some weight to help with his agility. If the decision-makers come down on
the opposite side, Kearns will likewise be informed and do what he's always done
during the winter as an outfielder ... Can he do it? "I think so," he said,
after a momentary pause. "I think it's going to take a lot of work, I'm going to
have to get after it and really work hard. But I definitely think it's something
I can do."
Baseball America with an update on LA lefty Greg Miller :
" ... Miller threw off a mound in instructional
league with no pain. He entered the 2004 season as one of the game's best
pitching prospects, but missed the campaign after surgery to remove a bursa sac
from his left shoulder. "Everything we know from the trainers is the kid should
be better than ever," Dodgers scouting director Logan White said. "He's been
throwing great. He hasn't gone 100 percent against hitters yet, he hasn't thrown
his curveball and sliders yet, but we're just being careful with him because of
his age and his ceiling."
22 October, 2004
AFL Wednesday's games ...
Jesse Crain MIN 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 ... Chris Shelton DET 2-4,
4th homer, 2 RBI, .459 ... Jeff Francoeur ATL 2-3, 4th double,
.357 ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 2-3, double, SB, RBI, .333 ...
Ian Kinsler TEX 3-5, 3rd homer, 2 RBI, .270 ... John Hattig
TOR 2-4, homer, .395 ... Josh Barfield SD 3-3, 3rd double, SB, 3
RBI, .310 ... Mark Teahen KC 3-5, 2 RBI, .375 ... Kevin
Howard 2B CIN 3-5, double, SB
Mexico -- Joe Borchard CHA 1-4, 2nd homer, 3 RBI, .115 ...
Matt Riley BAL Riley 3.0 1 2 2 5 3 ... Jorge Cantu
TB 1-4, homer ... Josh Kroeger ARZ 2-5, 4th homer, .346 ...
Venezuela -- Franklin Gutierrez CLE 3-4, 3rd double, 3rd homer, 4
RBI, .440 ...
A pair of Phillies and a Tiger saluted in the Arizona Fall League :
" ... teammates Keith Bucktrot and
Ryan Howard along with the Rafters Chris Shelton were
named Pitcher and Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Oct.11-17
... Keith Bucktrot (PHI) finished the week with a 1.28 ERA. Bucktrot pitched
seven innings in two starts giving up only one earned run, on eight hits while
striking out two ... Bucktrot finished the 2004 season with the AA-Reading
Phillies where he earned a 3-1 record with a 2.56 ERA. He allowed only 13 runs,
while fanning 30 in seven games for Reading ... Howard led the Desert Dogs
offense batting .500 for the week (9-for-18). He hit six doubles, a triple, and
a home run with four walks, five RBIs and five runs scored. He finished the week
leading the league in hits (15) and doubles (6) and remained among the leaders
in home runs (3) and RBIs (10) ... Shelton finished the week hitting .474,
including nine hits, a double, three home runs, eight RBIs and five runs scored.
He is among the league leaders in home runs (3) and RBI (10)."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, on Brian Dopirak CHN :
" ... 2002 draft, Dopirak showed flashes of power
with 15 homers in 71 games between Boise and Lansing in 2003. Until this year,
however, he hadn't shown much ability as an all-around hitter with a batting
average hovering around .250. This season in Lansing was a different story.
Dopirak hit .307 for the Lugnuts, good for a tie for seventh in the Midwest
League. His 166 hits tied a Lansing record and led the league ... Dopirak
certainly didn't sacrifice anything in the power department to bump up the
average. His 39 homers, 120 RBIs and 77 extra-base hits all set Lugnuts records.
He topped the Midwest League in home runs, extra-base hits and doubles, while
finishing second in RBIs, slugging percentage and runs scored. The 20-year-old
picked up plenty of acccolades for his performance: MVP of the Midwest League,
the Cubs' Minor League Player of the Year, and the Midwest League's top prospect
according to Baseball America. And while the home run total is what really
grabbed people's attention, Dopirak wants to continue to make a name for himself
as a complete hitter."
" ... Dopirak is in Arizona working on his biggest
weakness at the plate: discipline. He's hoping that playing for the Mesa Solar
Sox will help him improve that aspect of his game. "My pitch slection, being
patient at the plate, trying to slow things down," said Dopirak, who has hit a
pair of homers in 31 at-bats. "I need to work for my pitch and when I get my
pitch, not to miss it. I don't want to miss a mistake."
So far ... looks like more work to do -- .229, one
walk, 8 Ks in 9 games.
Steve Matthews,
AtHomePlate.com, has Felix Hernandez SEA atop a list of pitchers to watch in
2005. A couple of the baker's dozen :
" ... 2. Ervin Santana ... stuff is simply
amazing for a 20 year old. He throws a hard moving fastball that can hit 98 on
the radar gun, though his pitches hit in the mid 90's. He has an outstanding,
knee-buckling slider (ala K-Rod) and his change-up is average right now, though
he is working on perfecting it. Tommy Lasorda once said that some guy named
Pedro Martinez would never be a starter because he was too fragile. Don’t make
the same mistake that Tommy did with Pedro. Draft Santana and wait. Santana has
struggled to stay on the mound and off the DL, but this isn't a reason to shy
away from him."
" ... 6. Jon Papelbon – Boston Red Sox: He
now stands 6'4" 230 pounds and has the build and durability to become a
frontline starter."
Alex Ernst, FutureSox.com, sees a much depleted WSox farm with just a couple
of top hitting prospects -- Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney -- and slim pickings
for mound work :
" ... the only pitcher that can be viewed as having
near the top would be lanky Brandon McCarthy. The 6-7 righty led the
minor leagues in strikeouts (202) with his excellent control, while only walking
30. With a 17-6 record in the minors this year, he is viewed as possibly being
on the fast track to Chicago with the troubles in the Sox rotation. The Sox have
eased up on McCarthy’s workload, opting out of sending him to the Arizona Fall
League in response to his amount of innings pitched this year. It may not be too
far off in the future when McCarthy is announced as the new fifth starter if the
Sox do not trust Felix Diaz to mature into the rotation and their horrid luck in
the fifth spot continues."
21 October, 2004
Scoresheet opening ... owner for Team 6 in the
NL and
AL
Dowbiggin leagues ... 2005 will be the 16th season for the NL loop, 15th for the
AL ... Dave Crouch, one of the original owners, is taking a break to concentrate
on work and family (those pre-teens sure can take a lot of time & effort!) ...
let me know if interested.
We're looking for a single owner to handle both the NL and AL clubs (one of the
features of the leagues -- no crossovers, they simply go to your team in the
other league).
AFL Tuesday ... Francisco Rosario TOR 4.0 2 1 1 2 2 ... Freddy
Sanchez PIT 2-4, double, error (at SS) ... Jason Botts TEX
2-3, walk, double, 2 RBI, .400 ... 3B John Hattig TOR 2-5,
6th double, 3 RBI, .385 ... Joey Gathright TB 3-5, .343 ...
Jason Nix COL 2nd homer ... Tommy Whiteman HOU 5-5,
5th double, 2nd SB, 2 RBI, .412 ... Brian Peterson C CIN 3-4, 4th
& 5th doubles, .520 ... Jason Perry OAK 2-4, double, 3rd homer, 2
RBI, .323
Mexico Tuesday ... Jorge Cantu TB 3-5, 3 RBI ... Josh
Kroeger ARZ 1-3, 3rd homer ... Joe Borchard CHA 0-4, .091 ...
Jason Dubois CHN 1-4, .227. Venezuela Tuesday ... Alberto
Callaspo ANA 2-2, walk ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 2-5,
double, .381 ... catcher Hector Gimenez HOU 3-5, triple
Ah, the hype ... BJ's younger brother the early choice as the best of the 2005
draft ... BA's pick as the top 16-year-old player in the US :
" ... Justin Upton was the nation's best
14-year-old in 2002 and best 15-year-old in 2003, and now he completes the hat
trick. He's followed almost the same career path as his older brother B.J. ...
B.J. surfaced in the big leagues this year, two years after being the No. 2
overall pick in the draft. Justin could do him one better as he's projected to
be the top pick in next year's draft. A 6-foot-2, 190-pound shortstop, Upton has
five-tool ability. He's been clocked at 6.23 seconds in the 60-yard dash and has
above-average power potential and arm strength. He earned first-team All-America
honors last spring at Great Bridge High in Chesapeake, while hitting .565-8-23
with 30 stolen bases. He was named the inaugural winner of the Jackie Robinson
award as AFLAC's national player of the year."
Jim Callis,
Baseball America, on a pair of Dodger mound hopes - Edwin Jackson,
Greg Miller :
" ... I ranked Jackson as the best pitching prospect
in the game entering 2004, and while I won't do that again after this season, I
still believe in him. Even after he went 6-4, 5.86 in Triple-A with a 70-55 K-BB
ratio in 91 innings, he still has the upside of a No. 1 starter ... He's still
learning to pitch, maintain consistency and improve his command ... still
needs to improve his feel for pitching, and to do so he should return to
Triple-A to begin 2005. I ranked Miller as the second-best pitching prospect in
baseball before this season, and I'm more worried about him. The good news is
that exploratory arthroscopic shoulder surgery revealed his shoulder problems to
be bursitis, a relatively comforting diagnosis. He had some setbacks in his
rehab and never got into a regular-season game, but he has looked good in
instructional league. The Dodgers expect him to be fine and say they've been
cautious because of his youth (he's still just 19) and his immense potential.
Still, missing an entire season does give me pause. I want to see Miller
throwing his low-90s fastball, power curveball and tough slider in games before
I fully believe in him again."
20 October, 2004
AFL Monday's games ... Ryan Garko CLE 3-3, 2 HBP, 3rd double, 3rd
homer, 3 runs, 2 RBI, .389 ... Kevin Kouzmanoff CLE 2-6, homer, 3
RBI, .400 ... Jason Cooper CLE 4-5, 4th double, .324 ... Aaron
Hill TOR 2-6, homer, .282 ... John Hattig TOR 3-5, 5th
double, .382 ... Chase Lambin NYN 2-5, 2 homers, 5 RBI, .208 ...
JR House PIT 1-3, homer, .333 ... Adam Wainwright
STL 4.0 2 0 0 1 5 ...Chris Shelton DET 1-4, .483 ... Delmon
Young TB 2-4, .345 ... Rickie Weeks MIL 3-5, 2nd homer, 5
RBI, .344 ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-3, 2nd homer, .375 ... Royce
Huffman HOU 5-5, double, homer, 4 runs, 5 RBI, .391
Bryan Smith, Wait Til Next Year,
with some notes on some of the Cubbie kids :
" ... No Cub pitching prospect broke out this
season more than Renyel Pinto. Despite respective ERAs of 3.31 and 3.22
in the Midwest League and FSL, Pinto didn’t draw a lot of hype despite less than
stellar K/9 and K/BB ratios. Things change. As a 22-year-old in the Southern
League, Pinto changed all that, striking out 179 in 141.2 IP, while allowing 107
hits and ten home runs. His BB/9 has gone up in each of the last three seasons,
a trend that must stop if Pinto is to have a future with this organization."
" ... Before the season, the Cubs two best southpaw
arms belonged to Justin Jones and Andy Sisco, a few
high-talent, low-performance prospects. Jones was dealt to the Twins, and
Sisco’s poor season in the FSL puts his future in doubt. Now, the Cubs top two
lefties have shifted, to Pinto and Sean Marshall. As a 21-year-old
in the Midwest League, Marshall dominated, with a 1.11 ERA in seven starts.
Marshall allowed just 29 hits in 48.2 innings, with an awesome strikeout-walk
ratio of 51-4 ... the Cubs aggressively moved Marshall to AA, where he
struggled in six starts before hurting his left hand. Sent to the AFL to get
more work, Marshall has done well in two starts, posting a 3.18 ERA in 5.2
innings."
Joe Cowley, Daily Southtown, on two of the WSox OF hopes :
" ... Brian Anderson Key 2004 stats: Hit .319
with eight homers and 10 stolen bases in 69 games at Class A Winston-Salem and
.270 with four homers and 27 RBI in 48 games at Double-A Birmingham. [Manager
Ozzie] Guillen on Anderson: "Great future. This kid is going to be here earlier
than people think, as long as he can stay healthy." [General manager Ken]
Williams on Anderson: "If something else happened this season, another injury, I
was going to call him up. He's got offensive ability, he's a gamer, he's got
some Aaron Rowand in him." Fearless Forecast: Will get a long look in spring
training, but will begin the year at Triple-A Charlotte. Will likely be the
first option in the outfield if there's an injury or a trade involving the
big-league club. Will be an everyday starter by 2006, and maybe sooner."
" ... Ryan Sweeney Key 2004 stats: Hit
.283 with 71 runs scored, seven home runs and 66 RBI in 134 games at Class A
Winston-Salem. Guillen on Sweeney: "He's right there behind Anderson. I'm
impressed with both of them. They had a good year in the minor leagues, but I
thought they should have had better years." Williams on Anderson: "I don't even
know if this kid has turned 20 yet, but at some point, he's going to force me to
ignore his age and just look at what he's able to do. He's coming fast. We
pushed him a little bit; we challenged him. The plan was to send him to Single-A
Kannapolis, but he had such a good start in spring training, so we put him at
Single-A Winston-Salem. He had a slow start and then turned it around. To do
that showed me something." Fearless Forecast: Is just behind Anderson, but the
Sox have no doubts he will be ready for the 2006 season. Sweeney is the reason
another highly touted prospect, Jeremy Reed, was expendable in the trade for
Freddy Garcia in June."
19 October, 2004
AFL hitting leaders, through Sunday :
AVG G AB R H HR RBI
Shelton, Chris DET .520 7 25 7 13 3 10
Gorecki, Reid STL .480 6 25 8 12 1 4
Howard, Ryan PHI .441 9 34 8 15 3 10
Kouzmanoff, Kevin CLE .414 8 29 6 12 0 5
Choo, Shin-soo SEA .407 7 27 7 11 1 3
Loney, James LA .400 9 35 8 14 0 6
Botts, Jason TEX .391 7 23 7 9 1 6
Morse, Michael SEA .387 8 31 5 12 0 4
Francoeur, Jeff ATL .375 8 32 3 12 0 4
Gorneault, Nick ANA .348 6 23 4 8 0 4
Mexico, Sunday's games ... Dan Johnson OAK 1B 1-4 ... Jason
Dubois CHN 1-4 ... Joe Borchard CHA 1-4 ... Josh
Kroeger ARZ 2-4, double, homer. Venezuela Sunday ... Alberto
Callaspo ANA 0-2, .182 ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 2-3, homer,
.375
Seth
Trachtman, SportsBlurb, noting a couple of hot starts in the AFL :
" ... Chris Shelton ... AFL performance
could be very telling after a year of basically sitting on the bench in Detroit.
Well, he has gotten off to a great start hitting .520-3-10 in 25 at-bats. I have
never had any doubt that this guy could hit, and perhaps he will be the new
Edgar Martinez within a year or two."
" ... Ryan Howard, ... will probably be
traded out of the Phillies organization within the next year since some guy
named Jim Thome is manning first base. He is hitting .441-3-10 in his first 34
at-bats. If he has not proven himself after hitting 40 homers in the minors this
season, he should sway all of the doubters if he continues to hit in the AFL."
Ted Lukacs, Minors First,
with his picks as the best of the Florida State League. Among them :
" ... The runaway SS choice is Joel Guzman.
He was the top-ranked prospect in the league. He batted .307 in about 2/3 of a
season, with an OPS of 900. He hit 22 doubles, 8 triples and 14 HRs, which you
can project to 33, 12 and 21 in a full season. Guzman is now 6'6 225 at 19, and
the Dodgers talk about moving him to 3rd base ... We saw him in some dozen or so
games, and he is very fluid and showed us excellent range, making the difficult
plays in the hole and towards second. He made just 11 errors during his time at
Vero, so he is not erratic ... Why move him to 3rd? Yeah, if he ends up 6'7,
240, then maybe you have to move him. But right now, he is an excellent fielder,
and moving him makes no sense."
" ... I really liked SS Tony Giarratano of
Lakeland. He batted .376 in 200 AB's, not quite half a season, and was steady
throughout. He showed some pop with 11 doubles and 5 HRs. Would have liked to
see him walk just a little more, but he is a contact hitter. He stole 14 bases
and made just 8 errors in about ˝ season ... Although he played only SS, I
make him my utility infielde ... Giarratano really impressed me."
PITCHERS,
BY LEVEL, SHORT-SEASON & ROOKIE BALL ...
Top 20, sorted by ERA, minimum of 40 innings ...
Others of interest, sorted alphabetically
PITCHERS ERA
G GS IP H
BB SO K/9 W/9
SS TEX *Brannon, Clint
0.59 15 10 61.0 35
14 58 8.6 2.1
SS OAK McGirr, Mike
0.66 7 7 41.0
23 7 31 6.8 1.5
R NYN Hernandez, Gabri 1.09
10 9 49.2 25 12
58 10.5 2.2
SS CLE *Laffey, Aaron 1.24
8 8 43.2 38 10
30 6.2 2.1
SS PHI Bisenius, Joseph 1.43
11 11 50.1 39 14 38
6.8 2.5
SS TOR Macdonald, Micha 1.55
8 8 46.1 30 6
30 5.8 1.2
SS TB *Lavergne, Jarrad 1.64
12 8 60.1 47 8
46 6.9 1.2
SS ARZ Shappi, AJ
1.75 12 11 67.0 64
8 65 8.7 1.1
R PHI Mitchinson, Scot 1.75
10 10 61.2 40 1
60 8.8 0.1
SS BOS Sanchez, Anibal 1.77
15 15 76.1 43 29 101 11.9
3.4
SS NYA Hoover, Jesse
1.78 16 9 55.2
28 26 90 14.6 4.2
SS MON *Wideman, Aaron 1.81
10 10 44.2 26 13 38
7.7 2.6
R BAL McCrory, Bob
1.92 11 11 51.2 42
32 51 8.9 5.6
SS NYN Devaney, Michael 1.95
14 14 69.1 58 29 56
7.3 3.8
SS HOU Martinez, Ronnie 1.96
15 15 92.0 62 20 81
7.9 2.0
SS FLO *Vargas, Jason 1.96
8 8 41.1 35 13
41 8.9 2.8
SS DET Bumstead, Nathan 2.03
11 9 57.2 47 15
75 11.7 2.3
R PHI Delacruz, Maximi 2.11
12 11 59.2 64 13 54
8.1 2.0
R OAK Acevedo, Danieli 2.17
10 9 54.0 63 11
42 7.0 1.8
R HOU Romero, Levi
2.19 13 7 53.1
41 22 43 7.3 3.7
SS TB *Barratt,
Jon 2.74 10 10
42.2 38 11 50 10.5 2.3
SS NYA Beam, T.J.
2.57 12 12 66.2 61
14 69 9.3 1.9
R TOR *Cheng, Chi-hung 2.82
14 14 60.2 47 35 74
11.0 5.2
R COL Deduno, Samuel
3.18 15 15 76.1 62
32 118 13.9 3.8
SS TEX Diamond, Thomas 2.35
5 3 15.1 13 5
26 15.3 2.9
R MIN Duguay, Steven
3.36 12 11 56.1 55
11 70 11.2 1.8
R LA *Elbert, Scott
5.26 12 12 49.2 47
30 45 8.2 5.4
R CIN Gruler, Chris
1.75 7 5 25.2
20 13 10 3.5 4.6
SS TEX Hurley, Eric
5.40 8 6 28.1
31 6 21 6.7 1.9
R TEX Hurley, Eric
2.35 6 2 15.1
20 4 15 8.8 2.3
SS TOR *Jackson, Zachary 5.40
4 4 15.0 20 6
11 6.6 3.6
R CHA *Liotta, Ray
2.54 14 11 63.2 59
28 65 9.2 4.0
SS NYN *MacLane, Evan 2.48
12 12 69.0 61 6
68 8.9 0.8
SS COL Miller, James
0.97 34 0 37.0
21 11 65 15.8 2.7
SS SEA *Nottingham, Shaw 3.15 15
14 88.2 74 29 87 8.8
2.9
R CIN *Pelland, Tyler 3.42
18 12 73.2 67 39 82
10.0 4.8
R MIN *Perkins, Glen
2.25 3 3 12.0
8 4 22 16.5 3.0
R MIN Rainville, Jay
1.83 8 7 34.1
39 3 38 10.0 0.8
SS BAL Ramirez, Luis
4.76 11 11 51.0 46
12 75 13.2 2.1
R MIL Rogers, Mark
4.73 9 6 26.2
30 14 35 11.8 4.7
SS CLE *Sipp, Tony
3.16 10 10 42.2 33
13 74 15.6 2.7
R MON *Sosa, Gabriel
2.29 11 9 51.0
36 23 63 11.1 4.1
SS FLO *Tankersley, Tayl 3.38
6 6 26.2 21 8
32 10.8 2.7
R MIN Waldrop, Kyle
1.42 7 7 38.0
32 4 30 7.1 0.9
R MIN Waldrop, Kyle
3.24 4 4 25.0
21 3 25 9.0 1.1
18 October, 2004
AFL Saturday's games (no games Sunday)... John Hudgins TEX 3.2 6 2 2 1 1 ... OF Brian
Anderson CHA 2-2, 2 walks, double, homer, 3 RBI, .304 ... John
Hattig TOR 2-5, 3rd & 4th doubles, .345 ... Scott Baker MIN
Baker 4.0 5 1 1 1 3 ... Chris Shelton DET 2-2, 2 walks, 4th
double, 2 RBI, .520 ... Mark Teahen KC 3-3, walk, double, triple,
.348 ... Greg Dobbs SEA 3-5, double, 4 RBI, .417 ... Corey
Myers ARZ 3-5, 2 doubles, homer, 2 RBI, .276
Mexico ... Marshall McDougall TEX 1-4, double, .176 ... no much progress,
Joe Borchard CHA 0-4, 4 Ks, .071 ... Jason Dubois CHN 0-2, .214 ...
Josh Kroeger ARZ
0-4, 3 Ks, .286
Venezuela ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 2-6, homer & 0-3, .308 ...
Alberto Callaspo ANA 2-3, .222 ...Yusmeiro Pettit NYN 4
1 0 0 0 3
An updated MIL Top 50 at
BrewerFan ... Fielder, Weeks, Hardy 1-2-3. Some worries, it appears,
about Sweet Lou :
" ... 9. Dana Eveland ... About as
impressive a first full season of pro baseball as you are going to see - Dana is
getting on the fast track to Milwaukee if he keeps it up into 2005."
" ... 11. Lou Palmisano ... Some character
issues are starting to creep into the picture for the Cap'n, and the Brewers are
known for not tolerating too much from their players."
" ... 21 Hernan Iribarren ... Maybe the most
remarkable single statistic from the 2004 season was Hernan's 14 triples in less
than 260 at-bats in his first stateside pro season."
Reds' top pick headed for surgery ... but, minor :
" ... Homer Bailey's time in the
Instructional League was cut short by surgery. Not to worry, Reds fans. It was
on his knee - not his elbow or shoulder. "He just had his knee cleaned out,"
director of player development Tim Naehring said. "He'll be ready to go in six
weeks." The little Bailey did throw in the Instructional League was encouraging.
"Everyone thinks he has just electric stuff," Naehring said." (Cincinnati
Enquirer)
Paul
Colbert, TigersCentral, has a review of the top DET prospects. Here's
a couple of the entries :
" ... 1. Kyle Sleeth. His goal was to get
some innings [at] Lakeland and move up to Erie in June. Mission accomplished. A
blister hindered his effectiveness but shows every indication he is destined for
the Tiger starting rotation ... He accomplished his goals but was less than
stellar in doing so. The organization still has confidence in him and most
important, Sleeth still has confidence in himself. 2005 OUTLOOK: Will put in a
full season at Toledo and get called up in September."
" ... 3. Joel Zumaya. His pitching
style enhances his injury potential but so far the results are outstanding.
Often throws shutout ball through the first 3-5 innings before tiring. On track
... Will start out at Lakeland and may be promoted to Toledo but Tigers in no
rush with this kid. Possible candidate for “closer school”.
" ... 4. Tony Giarratano. May have
made the most progress of any position player ... Was in line for FSL batting
crown until a shoulder injury sidelined him. Played much better after promotion.
2005 OUTLOOK: Baseball America’s #5 ranked SS should put up good numbers in
Erie’s cozy ballpark."
" ... 6. Curtis Granderson ... Tremendous 2004 season at Erie
earned him a cup of coffee at Comerica. 2005 OUTLOOK: Don’t be surprised
if he starts in CF opening day against Kansas City."
PITCHERS,
BY LEVEL, SINGLE-A (full-season) ...
Top 20, sorted by ERA, minimum of 50 innings ...
Others of interest, sorted alphabetically
PITCHERS ERA
G GS IP H
BB SO K/9 W/9
A+ PIT *Duke, Zach
1.39 17 17 97.0 73
20 106 9.8 1.9
A+ NYA DeSalvo, Matt
1.43 13 13 75.1 48
30 80 9.6 3.6
A KC *Hughes, Dusty
1.56 8 8 52.0
39 15 36 6.2 2.6
A+ TB *Prochaska, Mike 1.70
11 11 63.2 67 16 56
7.9 2.3
A TB Kranawetter, Jos 1.79
12 11 65.1 54 21 69
9.5 2.9
A+ TOR Banks, Joshua
1.80 11 11 60.0 49
8 60 9.0 1.2
A+ SF Cain, Matt
1.86 13 13 72.2 58
17 89 11.0 2.1
A+ TB Hammel, Jason
1.87 11 11 72.1 52
21 66 8.2 2.6
A BOS Vaquedano, Jose 1.88
11 11 67.0 59 12 66
8.9 1.6
A OAK *Bondurant, Steve 2.08
21 21 125.2 92 27 132 9.5
1.9
A+ CHA McCarthy, Brando 2.08
8 8 52.0 31 3
60 10.4 0.5
A+ KC McGill, Trae
2.13 20 17 105.2 92
24 62 5.3 2.0
A TOR Mastny, Thomas
2.17 27 27 149.0 123 41
141 8.5 2.5
A PIT *Gorzelanny, Tom 2.23
16 15 93.0 63 34 106 10.3
3.3
A ATL *James, Chuck
2.25 26 22 132.0 92
48 156 10.6 3.3
A ATL *Stevens, Jake
2.27 27 19 135.0 100 39
140 9.3 2.6
A+ LA Billingsley, Cha 2.35
18 18 92.0 68 49 111 10.9
4.8
A+ TEX Hudgins, John
2.35 15 11 65.0 49
18 73 10.1 2.5
A ANA *Posey, Micah
2.36 9 8 53.1
39 14 34 5.7 2.4
A NYN Petit, Yusmeiro 2.39
15 15 83.0 47 22 122 13.2
2.4
A HOU
Albers, Matt 3.31 22
21 111.1 95 57 140 11.3 4.6
A+ LA Broxton, Jonatha 3.23
23 23 128.1 110 43 144 10.1 3.0
A+ SF *Burres, Brian
2.84 36 15 123.2 115 30
114 8.3 2.2
A CHN *Connolly, Jon
2.59 25 25 153.0 151 29
109 6.4 1.7
A TEX *Danks, John
2.17 14 8 49.2
38 14 64 11.6 2.5
A+ ATL Davies, Kyle
2.63 14 14 75.1 55
32 95 11.4 3.8
A TEX Diamond, Thomas 2.05
7 7 30.2 18 8
42 12.3 2.3
A BAL *Dixon, Zachary 2.54
24 21 120.2 97 65 105 7.8
4.8
A MIL *Eveland, Dana
2.84 22 16 117.1 108 24
119 9.1 1.8
A MON Everts, Clint
2.49 17 17 90.1 67
21 103 10.3 2.1
A+ MON Everts, Clint
2.25 4 4 20.0
16 10 19 8.6 4.5
A BOS Gardner, Jarrett 2.51
25 23 136.0 130 11 92 6.1
0.7
A+ CIN Gardner, Richie 2.50
18 12 86.1 77 13 80
8.3 1.4
A+ PHI *Hamels, Cole
1.13 4 4 16.0
10 4 24 13.5 2.3
A TB Hammel, Jason
3.23 18 18 94.2 94
27 88 8.4 2.6
A MIN Harben, Adam
3.09 26 26 142.2 114 68
171 10.8 4.3
A+ SEA Hernandez, Felix 2.74
16 15 92.0 85 26 114 11.2
2.5
A+ MON *Hinckley, Mike 2.61
10 10 62.0 47 18 51
7.4 2.6
A+ COL Jimenez, Ubaldo 2.23
9 9 44.1 29 12
61 12.4 2.4
A+ NYN *Kazmir, Scott 3.42
11 11 50.0 49 22 51
9.2 4.0
A OAK Knox, Brad
2.59 26 25 156.1 141 24
174 10.0 1.4
A STL Lambert, Christo 2.58
9 9 38.1 31 24
46 10.8 5.6
A BAL *Loewen, Adam
4.11 20 19 85.1 77
58 82 8.6 6.1
A+ BAL *Loewen, Adam
6.75 2 2 8.0
7 9 3 3.4 10.1
A NYN *Maclane, Evan
2.39 14 10 67.2 57
10 66 8.8 1.3
A+ TOR Marcum, Shaun
3.12 12 12 69.1 74
4 72 9.3 0.5
A TOR Marcum, Shaun
3.19 13 13 79.0 64
16 83 9.5 1.8
A CHA McCarthy, Brando 3.64
15 15 94.0 80 21 113 10.8
2.0
A+ LA *Megrew, Mike
3.41 22 22 105.2 84
43 125 10.6 3.7
A CLE Miller, Adam
3.36 19 19 91.0 79
28 106 10.5 2.8
A+ CLE Miller, Adam
2.08 8 8 43.1
29 12 46 9.6 2.5
A SEA *Oldham, Thomas 2.93
19 19 116.2 108 30 132 10.2 2.3
A+ SEA *Oldham, Thomas 3.21
7 6 42.0 47 6
56 12.0 1.3
A+ FLO *Olsen, Scott
2.97 25 25 136.1 127 53
158 10.4 3.5
A+ BOS Papelbon, Jon
2.64 24 24 129.2 97
43 153 10.6 3.0
A+ CIN Pauly, Thomas
2.97 28 19 121.1 96
26 135 10.0 1.9
A MIN *Perkins, Glen
1.30 9 9 48.1
33 12 49 9.1 2.2
A+ NYN Petit, Yusmeiro 1.22
9 9 44.1 27 14
62 12.6 2.8
A+ TOR Ramirez, Ismael 2.72
28 27 165.1 151 25 131 7.1
1.4
A+ STL Reyes, Anthony 4.66
7 7 36.2 41 7
38 9.3 1.7
A+ ANA Shell, Steven
3.59 28 28 165.1 151 40
190 10.3 2.2
A CHN *Sisco, Andy
4.21 26 25 126.0 118 65
134 9.6 4.6
A+ SD Stauffer, Tim
1.78 6 6 35.1
28 9 30 7.6 2.3
A SD *Thompson, Sean
3.10 27 27 148.0 124 57
157 9.5 3.5
A LA *Tiffany, Chuck
3.70 22 22 99.2 76
40 141 12.7 3.6
A MIN Tyler, Scott
2.60 22 19 103.2 73
64 132 11.5 5.6
A+ DET Zumaya, Joel
4.36 20 20 115.2 90
58 108 8.4 4.5
|
