Rookies 2006

                                                                                                                           Pitching Line = IP H R ER BB SO
 


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19 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ...  amazing, they keep losing their top stars and yet they continue to win and now against major leaguers ...  Cuba moves into the final with a 3-1 triumph over the Dominican Republic ... Cuba meets Japan which topped handed Korea its first loss in the tournament, 6-0.

    Spring Training ...  Chuck James ATL 4 2 2 2 1 1 ... Mike Pelfrey NYN 4 3 1 1 0 3 ... John Maine NYN 1 2 1 1 0 0 ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia ATL 2-4, 3rd homer ... 3B Eric Campbell ATL 0-4 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 1-3, triple, error ... Jeremy Hermida FLO, another ofer, 0-3 ... Kevin Howard 2B NYA 2-4, triple, 4 RBI ...  Dan Uggla FLO 0-2 ... Homer Bailey CIN, might be some pressure to keep 'em up, 2 2-3 2 1 0 0 5 ... Paul Malholm PIT 5 2 1 1 1 2 ... Tom Gorzelanny PIT 3 5 2 1 0 5 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 3-3, 2 doubles, walk ... Lastings Milledge NYN, at leadoff, 1-4, homer ...  Edwin Encarnacion CIN 2-4, double, 2 RBI ... Elvis Andrus ATL 1-2 ... Adam Stern BOS, leadoff, 3-4, double, homer ... Chad Billingsley LAD 3 2 1 1 2 3 ... Hong-Chih Kuo LAD 2 0 0 0 0 4 ... Justin Verlander DET 4 3 0 0 0 3 ... Russ Martin LAD 1-1, 2 RBI ... Ezequiel Astacio HOU 3 2-3 2 5 2 4 2 ... Casey Kotchman LAA 2-3, double, 3 RBI ... Ian Stewart COL 0-4 ... Felix Hernandez SEA 4 5 2 2 1 4 ... Todd Linden SF 3-6, triple, 4 runs ... Jason Ellison SF, leadoff, 5-5, double ... Zach Jackson MIL 3 5 6 6 3 4 ... Prince Fielder MIL 1-4 ... Stephen Drew ARZ 1-3, double ... Ian Kinsler TEX 0-3 ... Alex Gordon KC 1-2, double ... Brandon McCarthy CHA 1 2-3 0 0 0 0 2 ... Felix Pie CHN 0-2 ... Joe Borchard CHA 2-4, error

College -- a setback for North Carolina's Andrew Miller, 5 9 6 5 1 6 (99 pitches)

    Troop Movements ...  BAL - reassigned Keith ReedLeo Daigle to minor league camp (MLC)  ... SD - optioned Tim Stauffer to Triple-A  ... CLE - Ryan Mulhern to MLC ... TOR - Dustin McGowan to Triple-A ...

    David Regan, RotoAmerica, finds some depth in the MIL system after sitting Prince Fielder atop the prospect chain :

" ... #2 Ryan Braun ...  Anytime a guy hits .352 in his pro debut, it has to be classified as a success ... .a polished college product not that far from the big leagues. Has very good bat speed and 35 homerun power. While his .393 OBP is nice, Braun could stand to take a few more pitches ...  a bit raw as a 3B, but has a good arm. Just needs to take a ton of grounders in practice, as he has the athleticism and skills to be a solid 3B ... on target to be the Brewers’ 3B sometime in 2007."

" ...  #7 Corey Hart ...  Very versatile, having played both infield corners in the minors as well as the outfield, and even CF in his big league debut in 2005. He’s a big kid, standing 6’6”, allowing him to generate very good raw power. He’s also a very good baserunner, stealing 33 of 40 (including 2 in the majors) bases ...  Hit .353/.405/.647 in the Arizona Fall League, so it appears his bat is ready for the show."

" ... #9 Angel Salome ...  Although his bat is significantly ahead of his glove, the bat is good enough to rank him above Lou Palmisano as the organization’s top catching prospect. Just had an incredible stint in the Pioneer League ...  has a quick bat that covers most of the strike zone plus a few inches. He could stand to lay off the pitches half a foot out of the zone, as his approach was fine in the Pioneer League but not as successful in Low A. Runs well and is athletic for a catcher, and defensively it’s thought he should be able to stay at the position with some work. Good arm. I think he’ll start back in Low A and attempt to work on his plate discipline. Nice future."

    Tidbits (is that timbits in Canada?) from Ken Rosenthal, FOXSports.com :

" ...  A rival executive on Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida: "He sticks out like a sore thumb, the way he carries himself, the way he runs the bases, cuts the bases. He's got a quick bat. There's fluidity to his movements. He just looks like a big leaguer."

" ... The strong play of second baseman Josh Barfield is one reason the Padres released infielder Bobby Hill. Barfield has the inside track on a starting job, and Mark Bellhorn is likely to fill a utility role."

    Some notes from the Royals' camp :

" ... Left-handed pitcher Mike Stodolka, the Royals' first-round pick in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, has switched to first base. "He's swinging the bat impressively after a long layoff from hitting," McGinn said. ... It's been decided: Billy Butler, the top pick of 2004, will open the season as Wichita's left fielder."  (MLB.com)

    Chris Kline, Baseball America, covers the LAD system in an interview with Dodgers' vice president of scouting and player development Roy Smith :

Matt Kemp  " ...  It's funny, because his batting average isn't that high this spring, yet everyone's impressed with him. He's a big guy that can run and we're going to keep him in center field until he plays himself off it ...   I think he can, but if he doesn't, that's OK. He's going to hit for enough power, but there's still a little bit of rawness ...  We'll give him another 500 at-bats at probably Double-A this year and then see what we have. But potentially by the time you see him in L.A. it could be 1,000 at-bats from now, and that's a good feeling."

    The minor league tread mill.  Adrian Gonzalez SD facing a fourth year in Triple-A.

" ... Gonzalez, 23, remains upbeat, yet after piling up 1,030 plate appearances in Triple-A with three franchises since 2003, he believes a major league bench job would best suit his development. “I don't think I can get much out of Triple-A anymore,” Gonzalez said without a trace of rancor. “Obviously playing every day is good. But I want to get to see pitchers in the big leagues. I want to get to know the pitchers. Even if I'm not playing, I can see them live and I can study them and know what they've got. I think that's more important in my career than getting everyday at-bats.”   (San Diego Union Tribune)

    Jeff Niemann TB, still a ways from competitive action.

" ... the right-hander has been sidelined since October after minor surgery on his throwing shoulder, and he is feeling a bit stir-crazy these days. "I'm working through a throwing program right now," said Niemann, who added he'd begin to throw off the mound again in about a month. "Ninety feet this week, next week it's 105 [feet]. ... It's frustrating, but you have to start somewhere. "[The hardest part is] not being able to go out and just throw. You're on a schedule and you want to get out there and pitch, instead you're sitting through the games. Once you get in the game and have that adrenaline, it's great. ... You can't simulate that [in workouts]." Adrenaline is the stuff that helps the 23-year-old toss a 97 mph fastball, an overpowering pitch that collected a total 48 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings in his first pro season ...   Seemingly on a fast track to the big leagues at a young age, Niemann had his progress hampered by inflammation in his pitching shoulder that cost him six weeks in the middle of the season. When the season was finished, he underwent a procedure to shave the joint between his collarbone and shoulder. He has been rehabbing ever since."  (MLB.com)


18 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ...  semi-final action on Saturday,  Cuba vs Dominican Republic in the afternoon contest, Japan vs Korea in the nightcap.  Championship game on Monday.

    Spring Training ...  late Thursday, Ian Stewart COL 0-5, 3 Ks ... Joe Koshansky COL 2-4, double, homer, 4 RBI ... Friday ... Ian Snell PIT 4 2 0 0 0 4 ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 1-4, 3rd SB ... Andy Marte CLE 1-3 ... Jason Hammel TB 2 1 0 0 1 1 ... Fernando Nieve HOU, that's more like it, 4 5 0 0 0 4 ... Taylor Buchholz HOU 3 2 0 0 0 2 ... Kyle Davies ATL 4 6 1 1 1 3 ... Brandon League TOR, this and then a demotion, 2-3 8 6 6 1 0 ... Dustin McGowan TOR 1 0 0 0 0 2 ... Jason Kubel MIN, RF, 0-4 ... Jonathan Papelbon BOS, much better, 5 1 0 0 3 2 ... Craig Hansen BOS 2-3 1 0 0 0 2 ... Josh Johnson FLO, a setback, 4 5 5 3 2 0 ... Jason Stokes FLO 0-3 ... Nick Markakis BAL 1-2, double, walk ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 0-2 ... Chris Carter 1B ARZ 2-2, triple ... Stephen Drew ARZ 2-3, double, SB ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-3, double, triple, 3 runs, 2 RBI ... Ian Stewart COL 1-1, double ... Josh Barfield SD, at leadoff, 1-3, double ... Adam Jones SEA 1-2, double ... Jered Weaver LAA 5 2 0 0 0 5 ... Dan Meyer OAK 4 2 0 0 0 2 ... Prince Fielder MIL 2-3 ... Juan Dominguez TEX 4 3 2 2 0 2 ... Ian Kinsler TEX 1-3 ... Lastings Milledge NYN 3-5, run RBI ... Andre Ethier LAD 1-3, triple, 2 RBI ...

    Troop Movements ...  LAD - Greg Miller, Andy LaRoche to minor league camp (MLC) ... LAA - Nick Gorneault to Triple-A ... OAK - Daric Barton, Cliff Pennington to MLC ... TB - Jon Switzer outright to Triple-A  ... DET - released Matt Mantei, assigned Jordan Tata, Eulogio De La CruzPreston Larrison, Tony Giarratano, Kody KirklandBrent Clevlen to Double-A ... BOS - optioned Cla Meredith to Triple-A, Jed Lowrie to MLC ... CHA - Jerry OwensPaulino Reynoso to Triple-A ... SEA - T.J. Bohn to Triple-A ... TEX - Joaquin Arias to Triple-A ...  TOR - Brandon League, Shaun Marcum, Franciso Rosario, Ty Taubenheim, John-Ford Griffin to Triple-A, Miguel Negron to Double-A ...

    Looking better and better for Jason Kubel :

" ...  Twins manager Ron Gardenhire keeps preaching caution in the case of Kubel. But he can no longer keep the excitement out of his voice after watching the outfielder play. Kubel, recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, is tentatively slated to start the season at Class AAA Rochester. But ... Kubel is hitting .308 for the spring and said the past couple of games have renewed his confidence in his ability to hit big-league pitching, especially lefties. "I'm starting to hit them hard," Kubel said. "I'm excited to get that swing back, and get going." Said Gardenhire: "He got that second base hit with a man on third, and I said right away, 'This young man is really going to make it interesting as we go along here in spring.' "Your thought is on the cautious side, but let me tell you what, he's swinging pretty good, and he's moving pretty good, and if he's the best player out there, that's who will be playing out there."   (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)

    Michael Hindman, The Newberg Report, on Eric Hurley :

" ...  First, the good news about Eric Hurley’s two-inning outing against the Royals kids: his fastball sat at 93-94 and touched 96. He threw a couple of very filthy 84 mph sliders ...  Now, the bad news: he got hit pretty hard. In the first, he yielded a weak dribbler for a single and hit a batter, but in the second he surrendered a double and three hard-hit singles. Hurley’s fastball appeared to be more hittable at 96 than it was at 93. The slider, though inconsistent, has a big chance to be a plus pitch. I'm far less concerned about him developing his secondary pitches than I was a week ago."

    Josh Wolff, FutureSox, checks out the best of the CHA youngsters :

" ...  Ray Liotta ...  a distant cousin to actor Ray Liotta, has put up impressive numbers in his brief minor league career. A groundball pitcher, he has won ERA titles in two leagues in his first two seasons. Armed with a 12-to-6 curveball and low 90’s fastball, his stuff is not overpowering, yet he is an example of someone who just produces at every level. He should be ready for the majors in 2008."

" ... Josh Fields ...  With the power potential of a No. 3 hitter and his defense improving, the Sox are in no hurry to lock in incumbent Joe Crede long-term. Although he strikes out too much, he has shown the ability to draw walks. The Sox believe improvement will come with experience. His ability to play defense and make consistent contact will dictate whether or not he becomes a starting third baseman."

" ... Francisco Hernandez ...  Only 20-years old, his arm and quickness behind the plate are already major-league caliber. He still needs to learn how to call games better, but the Sox believe that will come with more experience. Offensively, he is a skilled switch-hitter who will be able to make solid contact in the majors. His power will be more than sufficient for a catcher, but he could stand to walk more. A strong minor league season could vault Hernandez into elite catching prospect status."


17 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ...  Mexico over Team USA 2-1 ... Roger Clemens 4-1/3 6 2 2 0 4 ...

    Spring Training ...  Joel Guzman LAD, LF, 1-3, 2nd homer ... Delwyn Young LAD, being groomed as a utility guy, 1-1, homer in RF ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 2-4, 3rd SB ... Dan Uggla FLO, another ofer, 0-4 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 1-3 ... Jon Lester BOS, having a rough time with MLB hitters, 2 4 4 4 3 0 ... BJ Upton TB 0-3, error, SB  ... Adam Wainwright STL 4 3 2 0 1 1 ... Nick Markakis BAL 2-4 ... Jordan Tata DET 2 0 1 0 4 1 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 2-4, 3rd homer ... Eric Duncan NYA 0-2 ... Zach Duke PIT 3 2 1 1 1 3 ... Edwin Encarnacion CIN 2-3 ... Ryan Doumit PIT 1-2, homer ... Jason Kubel MIN, RF,  2-3, double, 2 RBI ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 1-2, double ... Glen Perkins MIN 2 2 2 2 2 2 ... Dustin Nippert ARZ 4 6 3 2 0 1 ... Conor Jackson ARZ 0-3, error (Tony Clark 1-1, homer) ... Alex Gordon KC 3-4 ... Stephen Drew ARZ 2-3 ... Merkin Valdez SF 2 3 3 3 1 1 ... Ian Kinsler TEX 0-3 ... Rich Hill CHN 2 5 5 5 2 1 ... Jeff Mathis LAA 2-3 ... Mike Napoli LAA 1-1, homer ... Gavin Floyd PHI 4 5 1 1 0 5 ... Lastings Milledge NYN 2-4, double ...

    Troop Movements ... among the cuts ...  ARZ  - Miguel Montero to minor league camp (MLC) ... MIN - Matt Garza to MLC ... TOR - Sergio Santos, Rob Cosby and Josh Banks to Triple-A,  Ismael Ramirez to Double-A,  Curtis Thigpen and Casey Janssen to MLC ... TEX - Thomas Diamond, John Danks to MLC ...  CLE - Kazuhito Tadano to Triple-A,  Brad Snyder to Double-A ...  NYN - Alay Soler to MLC ... MIL - optioned Dana Eveland, Tony Gwynn, Jr. to Triple-A,  Hernan Iribarren to A+, Wilfredo Rodriguez to MLC ... TB - optioned  Delmon Young, B.J. Upton Wes Bankston, Chris Seddon to Triple-A, Elijah Dukes to MLC ...

    Drafting from scratch in a keeper league?  Just interested in the relative ranking of prospects?  The folks at Baseball America had some fun in holding a "Dream Draft" - 10 guys, 10 rounds, simply take the best player available.  Check it out.  There's at least one "One of these things is not like the others".   The Top 10  (with the full list posted on the Top 100s page).

1. Pujols Albert      6. Hernandez Felix
2. Rodriguez Alex     7. Teixeira Mark
3. Wright David	      8. Mauer Joe
4. Cabrera Miguel     9. Young Delmon
5. Santana Johan     10. Prior Mark

    At MLB.com, Kevin T. Czerwinski offers a preview of the Dodgers farm.  Hard to find under-the-radar prospects in this system. 

" ...  Scott Elbert ...  former first-rounder (2004) had a solid second season in the pros, easily handling the hitters in the South Atlantic League. He was 8-5 in 25 games (24 starts) at Columbus, striking out 128 in 115 innings. His stellar 2.66 ERA is worth noting, as well. Elbert, who figures to start the season at Vero Beach of the Florida State League, has a mid-90s fastball, but needs to find more consistency on his off-speed pitches."

" ...  Blake DeWitt ...  former first-rounder will move across the infield from third to second ...  "I think he'll do fine," Terry Collins said. "He was a shortstop out of high school, so he knows about playing middle infield. He's got good feet and a strong arm, but his bat is going to carry him no matter what position he's at." DeWitt had 12 homers and 72 RBIs splitting time between Columbus and Vero last year and will return to the Florida State League to start this season."

" ...  Delwyn Young ...  had a big season in '05, splitting time between Double-A Jacksonville and Vegas, combining for 20 homers and 76 RBIs with a .305 average ... The plan is to move him to the outfield full-time, and according to some front office folks, he has a legitimate chance to make the parent club out of Spring Training depending on the makeup of the bench."

    Add "H" to DVD in TEX. 

" ...  The trio could soon become a quartet, with Eric Hurley the newest member. Hurley, a 20-year-old right-hander with a fastball that has touched 97 mph and works in the 90-95 range, was a 2004 first-round pick out of Jacksonville. "The sky is the ceiling" for Hurley, said Rangers bullpen coach Dom Chiti, who was director of player personnel last year. "He's got a chance to be a very good Major League pitcher." Hurley led the Midwest League with 152 strikeouts in 155 1/3 innings last season with Class A Clinton. He also throws a change-up and slider ...  In the pros, Hurley realizes he can't get by with a fastball, even one in the mid-90s, but it remains his faithful standby ... Hurley likely will open this season with Class A Advanced Bakersfield in the California League."   (MLB.com)

    Dan's da man.

" ... Manager Joe Girardi hasn't made any final decisions, but he gave his strongest indication of the spring Wednesday that Dan Uggla will be Florida's starting second baseman. "When we brought him in, our hope was he would be our everyday second baseman. He has made great progress. Right now he is our everyday second baseman," Girardi said. Uggla, a Rule 5 pick from the Diamondbacks, is a proven minor-league hitter who is batting.250 this spring."  (Palm Beach Post)


16 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ... Cuba upset  Puerto Rico 4-3 to move into the semi-finals ... Korea shaded Japan 2-1, Chan Ho Park SD 5 4 0 0 0 3 (10 innings, no runs, no walks, 8 Ks) ... Shunsuke Watanabe 6 1 0 0 2 3, one run in 10 2/3s ...

    Spring Training ... Hayden Penn BAL, bidding for some rotation time this season, 3 1 0 0 1 3 ... Craig Hansen BOS 1 0 0 0 0 0 ... Nick Markakis BAL 0-3 ... Nate McLouth PIT CF 3-5 ... Andy Marte CLE 1-3, double, 2 RBI ... Joey Devine ATL 1 0 0 0 1 1 ... Jon Rauch WAS 5 1 1 1 1 6 ... Aaron Heilman NYN 4 3 0 0 0 3 ... Lastings Milledge NYN 1-2, 2 runs ... Edwin Jackson TB, after two Cy-like starts, this 3 1-3 5 6 6 3 2 ... Wes Bankston TB 1-3, homer ... BJ Upton TB 0-2 ... Delmon Young TB 1-3 ... Ian Kinsler TEX 2-3, homer ... Casey Kotchman LAA 1-2, homer, 3 RBI ... Yusmiero Petit FLO 3 0 0 0 1 1, 7.94 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 0-3, .207 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 1-4 ... Dan Uggla FLO 0-4, .250 ... Joe Borchard CHA 2-3, double, .296 ... Prince Fielder MIL 1-1, homer, walk ... Kenji Johjima SEA 1-3, double ...  Joe Saunders LAA 3 7 4 4 2 1 ...

    Troop Movements ...  ATL - Brad Baker, Scott Thorman to Triple-A, Josh Burrus to Double-A ...  SEA - released Jeff Heaverlo, Travis Blackley, Cesar Jimenez to Trriple-A, Marcos Carvajal, Wladimir Balentien to Double-A, Andy Dominique minor league camp (MLC) ... SD - waived infielder Bobby Hill ... HOU - Jason Hirsh, Jimmy Barthmaier to Triple-A, Jared Gothreaux, J.R. House to MLC ... LAA - Brandon Wood, Michael Collins to MLC ... CLE - Jason Stanford, Jake Dittler,  to Triple-A,  Michael Aubrey to Double-A, Jeremy Sowers, Tony Sipp to MLC ... CIN - Reds claimed Matt Kata off waivers from PHI, released Allan Simpson ... CHN - Brandon Sing, Brian Boehringer, Carmen Pignatiello to MLC,  Carlos Marmol and Scott Moore to Double-A ... FLO -  optioned Renyel Pinto to Triple-A,  Anibal Sanchez and Scott Tyler to Double-A ...

    Jason Ratliff, MLB.com, offers a review of the SEA farmhands, including :

" ...  Asdrubal Cabrera ...  Tabbing a decidedly defensive-minded middle infielder as a potential breakout player might be a bit of a stretch, but Cabrera has the potential to shine in one of two ways in 2006. At just 19, he was sent to Triple-A Tacoma for the stretch run last year and and held his own offensively in the PCL playoffs ...  If he returns to Tacoma, his offense will likely remain a non-factor, but he'd have a chance to prove his fielding prowess at a high level at the age of 20. Or, if Cabrera is dropped back down to, say, the California League or Texas League, there's a chance the switch-hitter could boost his three-year career average from .286 closer to the .300 mark."

" ...  Matt Tuiasosopo ...   just 19 years old. An excellent athlete ...  already 6-foot-2, 210 pounds and still getting bigger and stronger ...  still yet to really develop a power stroke, hitting just six homers in 409 at-bats for Wisconsin, but the Mariners like his swing and think his bat is very promising. He's still got a ways to go defensively -- his .922 fielding percentage was by far the worst among any shortstop in the MWL who played more than 60 games -- and he may eventually be moved."

    Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya atop the DET prospect chart at RotoAmerica.  David Regan also highlights a top pick from last June and a solid but aging (24) arm.

" ...  #3 Cameron Maybin ...  A true five-tool talent, Maybin ... has a chance to be the Tigers’ best home-grown hitter since the days of Travis Fryman and earlier, Kirk Gibson. He was a draft day steal as teams drafting ahead of Detroit opted for the more polished college products. He has tremendous raw power and at 6’3”, 195 and age 18, he has plenty of time to grow into his body. I could see him launching 35 bombs a year, even in Comerica. He glides around the bases, plays solid defense, and has a cannon for an arm ... Of course he hasn’t played a lick of pro ball yet, so it’s tough to project him, but a challenge in Low A seems to await him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the majors by early 2008."

" ... #13 Jordan Tata ...  Was the Florida State League pitcher of the year after he held hitters to a .239 AVG and won 13 of 15 decisions ... stands 6’6” and his height makes his 91-93 mph fastball seem that much more effective, resulting in a sinking action. Also throws an effective cutter and an average-at-best curve. His stuff warrants a higher placement on this list, but still, he’s 24 and hasn’t yet hit AA, so I want to see more. I’m guessing his ultimate destination is the bullpen where his stuff would allow him to be a solid setup man."

    Kevin T. Czerwinski, MLB.com, with some of his Spring Training hits and misses :

" ...  Carlos Quentin ...  He's done little to dispel the notion that he's ready to play in the Major Leagues, hitting .360 through 26 at-bats. While Quentin knows he's headed back to Tucson - his path is blocked in the outfield in Phoenix - he's handled the situation with aplomb, making him that much more attractive to the Diamondback front office."

" ...  Kendry Morales, Howie Kendrick ...  The Angels are giving the future right side of their infield a long look this spring, and neither player has disappointed. Morales (first base) was hitting .423 through 10 games, while Kendrick (second base) was hitting .360 over the same stretch. Kendrick has put in a great deal of work this spring on his fielding and has improved significantly from a defensive standpoint. Morales hasn't been as impressive at first and still looks uncomfortable at the position. "

" ...  Prince Fielder ...  The soon-to-be Prince of Milwaukee has played more like a pauper this spring, hitting .214 with a homer through six games. Fielder heads into the season as the club's starting first baseman, so sending him back to Triple-A Nashville isn't an issue. But he hasn't shown much of the form that helped build his reputation as one of the Minor League's most-feared power hitters in recent years. "

" ...  Jarrod Saltalamacchia ...  One of the game's best catching prospects has had been more than adequate behind the plate this spring, earning praise from Atlanta's hurlers and the club's coaching staff. Aside from a pair of big home runs, though, he's been a bit overmatched at the plate, hitting .167 with a .167 on-base percentage. He's only 20, so a great deal wasn't expected of him. "

    Ryan Shealy COL on the shelf along with plans to convert him to the outfield.

" ... Shealy continued to be bothered by soreness in his right elbow, prompting the Rockies to sideline him until he is completely pain free and to decide they would not pursue the possibility of moving him to the outfield. The outfield experiment was designed in hopes of finding a way to keep Shealy's powerful bat in the big leagues. "  (Rocky Mountain News)

    An injury to bullpen lefty John Foster could mean a spot for rookie Chuck James.

" ...  Manager Bobby Cox, faced with a potentially serious injury to Foster, said Tuesday that he would have no qualms about using James in relief despite the 24-year-old's inexperience in that role. "You have to do what it takes to win right now," Cox said. "Our starting rotation is pretty well flooded. If he can help us [in relief], I'm comfortable with using him there." ...  James was 13-7 with a 2.12 ERA in the minors last year, striking out 191 in 161 1/3 innings before making his major league debut in late September. Using a promising left-handed starter out of the bullpen wouldn't be a first for Cox. "We did the same thing with Jimmy Key one year in Toronto," he said. "We used him in relief, and the next year we started him."  (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

    Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, on Juan Dominguez TEX :

" ... Dominguez hasn’t proven anything yet. He’s shown rare talent, but the only thing he has consistently done is anger the Rangers with unprofessional, unreliable behavior. He’s shown up late, shown up heavy and there was at least one occasion when he didn’t show up at all. If the guy didn’t have the kind of talent he does, the Rangers would have long ago released him. Dominguez went into the winter as strong candidate to be in the rotation. He’s steadily gone backwards since then. There are plenty of times I’ve questioned the Rangers’ decision-making process on pitching, but Dominguez’s problems seem to be right out there in the open. Thing is, with Josh Rupe’s elbow problem, Dominguez could fall back into the plans. Maybe he’ll seize that opportunity and never let go. The Rangers hope so, but until Dominguez separates himself with performance, his behavior is going to continue to be a tiebreaker (in the negative for Dominguez). "

    Tidbits from Ken Rosenthal, FOXSports.com :

" ... He's played great," a scout says of [Hanley] Ramirez. "He's getting a lot of batting-practice fastballs, but he's doing damage. He's still going to chase off-speed stuff once the season starts, but for his confidence, he's doing real well. I think he's going to be a stud. From the neck down, everything is there. We just have to wait and see how he handles the big leagues."

" ... A rival general manager says of Cubs center-field prospect Felix Pie: "He's going to be a superstar. He's really fun to watch. He's just got electric tools. He can fly. He's got power. He plays the heck out of center field. He just needs some experience."

" ...  [Ian] Stewart isn't going to displace third baseman Garret Atkins, who probably has hit the ball harder than anyone in Rockies' camp, according to one club official. But Stewart runs well for a player who is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and his arm is above-average. Right field could be in his future."

    Oh my.  From a Spring 1999 report here :

" ... TSN -- #3 Chad Hutchinson " ... development is a little behind because of football, but he has a very high ceiling and could be a future staff ace. If Hutchison and Ankiel fulfill their potential, the Cardinals could have a devastating 1-2 punch."

" ... ESPN #1 -- Mike Cuddyer " ... did very well in his pro debut, hitting .276 with 36 doubles, 12 homers, 61 walks, and 16 steals in the Midwest League. Cuddyer is an excellent athlete, with a solid swing and good knowledge of the strike zone. He has been compared to Chipper Jones, although he isn't a switch-hitter and doesn't run quite as well. Scouts expect Cuddyer to develop into a high-average hitter with very good power, and since he already controls the strike zone ... doesn't really have the range to play shortstop, but has the arm for third base, and will probably move there soon."

" ... BBHQ -- #2 Jason Dewey " Has positioned himself as the catcher of the future for the Angels with two solid seasons in a row."


15 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ... Japan over Mexico, Daisuke Matsuzaka 5 1 0 0 2 2 ...  Dominican Republic moved into the semi-finals with a  2-1 over Venezuela, Daniel Cabrera 4 0 0 0 1 7, Francisco Liriano 2 1 1 1 232  ...

    Spring Training ... Scott Olsen FLO 4 1-3 4 5 5 2 4 ... BJ Upton TB 2-2, double ... Delmon Young TB 2-4, 1st homer, 2 RBI, SB (5th)  ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 1-3 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 2-3 ... Anthony Reyes STL 4 5 2 2 0 2 ... Erik Bedard BAL 3 2-3 6 7 7 2 6 ... Brian Bannister NYN 4 1 0 0 0 2 ... Boof Bonser MIN 2 8 7 7 1 1 ... Justin Jones MIN 3 2 0 0 1 1 ... Jason Kubel, DH again, 1-1, double ...  yikes, wind must have been blowin' out, a 10 homer game (DET 14 CLE 10) ...  Jeremy Sowers CLE 1 2-3 6 2 2 1 1 ... Joel Zumaya DET 3 3 3 3 1 2 ... Ryan Mulhern CLE 2-5, 2 homers, 3 RBI ... Ryan Garko CLE 2-5, homer ... Josh Banks TOR 2 1 0 0 1 3 ... Brandon Phillips CLE 2-3, double, homer ... Andy Marte CLE 1-4, 2 RBI ...  and the beat goes on, Edwin Encarnacion CIN 2-3, 6th homer, SB  ... John Danks TEX 4 4 2 2 2 2 ... Tim Stauffer SD 3 5 4 4 4 5 ... Josh Barfield SD 1-3, double ... Brandon Wood LAA 1-1, homer, 2 RBI ... Kendry Morales LAA 2-4, triple, 3 RBI ... Michael Collins LAA 1-1, homer ... Jeff Mathis LAA 2-3, homer ... Alex Gordon KC 2-3, walk ... Brandon McCarthy CHA 3.2 7 4 4 0 2 ... Carlos Quentin ARZ 1-1, homer, 3 RBI, 2 walks ... Justin Upton ARZ 1-4 ... Stephen Drew ARZ 1-3 ... Corey Hart MIL 2-3, double, walk, SB ... Ian Stewart COL, on a roll, 2-2, 3rd double, 5th homer, 2 RBI (12), .591 (this follow's Monday's  2-4, 2 homers, 4 RBI) ...

" ... Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels turned in two successful innings on Tuesday in one of the better-attended Minor League intrasquad games of the spring. In his first game action since July, Hamels allowed two hits and a walk while striking out two. He shattered fellow prospect Greg Golson's bat to start the game. "This will be a good day," Hamels said he thought to himself on the mound. "How many bats can I break?" More importantly, Hamels said he felt fine after his mound workout and hour in the trainer's room afterward."  (MLB.com)

    Troop Movements ...  among the cuts ... ARZ - Chris Young, Edgar Gonzalez, Tony Pena assigned to AAA, Bill Murphy to minor league camp (MLC) ... TOR - Vince Perkins to AA ... BOS - returned RUle 5 pick Jamie Vermilyea to the Blue Jays ...  CHA - Casey Rogowski, Charlie Haeger to AAA, Lance Broadway and Ray Liotta to MLC ... COL - Jayson Nix, Jeff Salazar, Ubaldo Jimenez, Juan Morillo to AAA, Chris Iannetta, Troy Tulowitzki to MLC .... PHI - Daniel Haigwood and Michael Bourn to AAA, Scott Mathieson to AA, Jason Jaramillo, Gio Gonzalez to MLC ...  WAS - Alex Escobar to MLC, Tony Blanco to AAA ...  LAA - Nick Adenhart to MLC ... MIN - optioned J.D. Durbin, Alex Romero to AAA, Justin Jones, Adam Harben to MLC ...

    Along with the Top 100s, the Top 10s page has also been updated (a couple of rankings had mysteriously disappeared).

    Two hits and a key defensive play for Kenji Johjima SEA :

" ...  Lucky. Lucky. Lucky," Johjima said after emerging victorious in his first real battle with a proven big league base-stealing threat. Chone Figgins had 62 steals last year for the Angels, but in the first inning Monday he dusted himself off and trotted back to the dugout.  Johjima, meanwhile, slapped his right hand into his glove hand, and then shot his unencumbered hand into the air. It was a somewhat unexpected show of emotion from Johjima in his first Cactus League camp ... . "That was a great throw," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, himself a former catcher. "He caught the ball and he got it to second base in a hurry."  (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

    Justin Upton ARZ, leaving quite an impression.

" ... Though only 18, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft has clearly impressed everyone in the organization with his maturity, physical attributes and his potential, which some say is limitless. "I didn't expect to do as well as I did, but they got me my at-bats early and I showed them I can compete," Upton said Friday, the day before he was assigned to minor league camp. "I thought I would struggle right away, but I didn't struggle." Upton was 6 for 10 at the plate with three doubles, a triple and six RBIs. He didn't get much time in the field to show his defensive ability, but what the Diamondbacks saw was enough to know they have a special player ... "Whatever they decide to do, I'll be OK with," Upton said. "I'd prefer to stay at shortstop because that's where I feel the most comfortable, but it might not be my decision. We'll just see what happens."  (Arizona Republic)

    Jason Ratliff handled the LAA & OAK reports at MLB.com.  It's pretty hard to find an under-the-radar prospect in the Angels' system. Maybe one. More on the A's farm.

" ...  Jose Arredondo ... the breakout for Arredondo may have begun during the playoffs last year, when the 21-year-old converted shortstop allowed just one run on four hits in 15 innings over two starts to help lead the Orem Owlz to their second consecutive Pioneer League title. Arredondo struck out 15 while walking four in those two games ...   fastball is anywhere from 94 to 97 and his slider has the chance to be a plus pitch, though his changeup, understandably, needs work ... The Angels like his arm so much that they added him to the 40-man roster during the offseason and will most likely give him a chance to shine at Low A Cedar Rapids to start 2006."

" ... Kevin Melillo ...   numbers in 2005 may have been muted simply by the fact that he rocketed through three levels, from Low-A Kane County to Double-A Midland, chopping up his stats into thirds. But add those numbers together and Melillo clearly had one of the best seasons of anyone in the organization. The 2004 fifth-round pick hit .305 with 35 doubles, 24 home runs, 93 RBIs and 21 stolen bases -- not exactly the type of production you expect from a 5-foot-11 second baseman. And while defense isn't his forté, he made just 16 errors in 567 total chances."

" ...  Cliff Pennington  ...  Hard-nosed. Gritty. Gamer. Makeup. Energy. Instincts. Savvy. These are the type of words that get thrown around when conversation turns to the A's 5-foot-11, 160-pound first-round pick ... It was thought he'd start out at at short-season Vancouver, but instead he went straight to Class A Kane County, where he had a nice, if predictable, season, batting .276 with little power (.359 SLG), but a knack for getting on base (.364 OBP) and scoring runs (49 in 69 games). He stole 25 bases in 31 attempts and also played a solid shortstop."

    He could look DOWN on Randy Johnson.  Loek Van Mil MIN could become the majors first 7-footer :

" ... He stands three inches taller than 6-10 All-Star Randy Johnson, and two inches taller than 6-11 Washington Nationals pitcher Jon Rauch ...  Twins director of baseball operations Rob Antony refers to Van Mil as "a project." The club plans to start him in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League this year, to let him gain a professional foundation. Three days into his first camp, he already has made a decent impression. "You're thinking a 7-foot guy is going to be long and lanky, with a delivery that looks like a train wreck," said Rick Knapp, the Twins' minor league pitching coordinator. "That's certainly not the case with this fellow." Van Mil's fastball has topped out at 91 miles per hour. He also throws a slider and a change-up ...  never played organized basketball, only pickup games in his back yard. Baseball became his passion when he was growing up in Oss, a city of about 80,000 people. In the Netherlands, baseball isn't as popular as basketball, but Van Mil is quick to note that the Dutch play some of the best baseball in Europe ...Even though Van Mil turns 22 in September, the Twins don't want to rush him through the low minor-league levels."  (Minneapolis Star Tribune)


14 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ...  Korea upsets Team USA 7-3, Seung-Yeop Lee 5th homer ...  ... Dominican Republic 7, Cuba 3, Odalis Perez 4 2/3 3 0 0 1 3 ... Venezuela 6 Puerto Rico 0.

    Spring Training ...  Nick Markakis BAL, CF, 0-3 ... Sean Burnett PIT 3 3 1 1 1 1 ... Ian Snell PIT 3 3 0 0 0 0 ... Eric Duncan NYA 2-2, double, homer ... Justin Verlander DET 3 1 1 1 4 3 ... Scott Mathieson PHI 2 3 0 0 2 3 ... Jason Hirsh HOU 3 3 6 4 2 1 ... Rob Cosby TOR 2-2, double, homer, 5 RBI ... Paul Maholm PIT 4 7 2 2 2 2  ... Tom Gorzelanny PIT 3 2 0 0 2 1 ...  Jason Dubois CLE 2-2, double, homer, 2 RBI ... Elijah Dukes TB 2-2, double, 3 RBI ... BJ Upton 1-1 ... Delmon Young 0-2 ... Chad Billingsley LAD 2 1 0 0 1 2 ... Greg Miller LAD 1 1 2 2 1 0 ... Joel Guzman LAD 1-5, double ... Felix Pie CHN 2-2, triple ... Edison Volquez TEX 4 4 2 1 0 1 ... Ervin Santana LAA 4 4 1 1 0 6 ... Travis Blackley SEA 2 4 4 4 2 0 ... Erick Aybar LAA 2-2, double ... Joe Borchard CHA 2-5, double, homer, 3 RBI ...  Zach Jackson MIL 3 6 3 3 1 4 ... Clay Hensley SD (one of the hot commodities in many drafts) 1 4 4 4 1 1 ... ooops, Homer Bailey CIN 1-2/3 6 5 2 0 2 ...  Jason Kubel MIN , DH, 1-4, .227 ... Ian Stewart COL 2-4, 2 homers, 4 RBI, .550 ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-2, double .. Carlos Quentin ARZ 1-4, homer, 3 RBI ...

    Troop Movements ...  among the cuts ... SF - Fred Lewis, Erick Threets and 1B Travis Ishikawa optioned to AAA ...   LA - Kurt Ainsworth, Justin Orenduff to minor league camp (MLC) ... BOS - Jermaine Van BurenAbe Alvarez, Jon Lester, Brandon Moss and David Murphy to AAA ...  LAA - Steven Shell to AAA ...  SD - Paul McAnultyFreddy Guzman to AAA, Jared Wells, Sean Thompson, George Kottaras to AA, Kenny Baugh, Cesar Carrillo, Matt Bush to MLC ... MIL - Manny Parra to AA ... TEX - Wes Littleton to AAA, Armando Galarraga to AA ... CIN - Elizardo Ramirez, Ray Olmedo to AAA, Travis Chick, Joey Votto to AA ... PIT - Andrew McCutchen to MLC ...  DET - Kyle Sleeth DET (TJ surgery)  to A+ ... OAK - Javier Herrera to AAA ... NYN - Juan Padilla to miss the season, Tommy John surgery.

" ... Rangers pitcher Josh Rupe, a candidate for the club's fifth starter spot, has been sent back to Texas after experiencing pain in his right elbow. Rupe will be examined by Dr. Keith Meister and probably undergo an MRI, but the Rangers are concerned that it may be a serious injury. Rupe pitched 3 1/3 innings in a start against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, and his velocity was down." (MLB.com)

    The Consensus 100 is posted.  It is a compilation which includes rankings from 20 "Top" lists (a couple of them which focused solely on the 2006 season).  Jeremy Hermida grabbed the top slot over Delmon Young, even though Young was the No. 1 choice on most of the charts (Young dropped to No. 2 because of a single list which ranked him pretty low because he wasn't given much chance of being in the lineup this season.  Obviously, other calculations could be used to more precisely order the prospects but, for now, this seemed an easy to understand approach.  There's one Top 100 of note yet to come (Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com). 

    David Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner, offers a detailed analysis of a pair of likely top picks in June - North Carolina's Andrew Miller and Daniel Bard "

" ...  Bard is listed at 6′4, 202 lbs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the height was fudged by an inch or two. He’s not a big kid, but he’s tall enough to overcome the short pitcher stigma. He throws from a 3/4 slot with solid leg drive and okay mechanics. There’s some unnecessary head movement and his release points weren’t consistent, but he’s in college, so that’s to be expected. There wasn’t anything in his delivery that isn’t fixable, and he’s got the foundation of good enough mechanics."

" ...  Miller’s two seam fastball was impressive, his slider lethal, and he varied the speed on his fastballs enough to keep hitters off balance even without a change-up. His command wasn’t great ... This kid can pitch. In the end, Bard and Miller lived up to the hype, pitching 14 innings and allowing only an unearned run ...  Bard and Miller are vastly different animals. Bard looked like the velocity guy who lights up the radar gun, consistently hitting 97 and showing a good enough slider to miss a lot of bats. Despite the advanced reports, however, Miller’s not a project getting by on arm strength; he’s got a variety of weapons at his disposal and he showed the better idea of how to pitch.  Both have a ways to go; they aren’t polished, major league ready pitchers. But they aren’t supposed to be; they are starting their junior year in college, and there is enough there to like to see why major league clubs are getting excited."

    Michael Hindman, at The Newberg Report, on Jason Botts TEX :

" ...  Botts, who has been consistently impressive at the plate even when he hasn’t hit (with what seems like an endless string of eight, nine even ten pitch at-bats), has hit plenty. Yesterday, the big switch-hitter punished the Royals in the "B" game, blasting a pair of homers and a double in a 3-6 outing that drove in five runs to key a 9-5 Rangers victory. Botts, who hit .353 / .432 / .660 with 18 homers in just 153 at-bats from the right side for Oklahoma last year (think about that), is now hitting a robust .385 / .448 / .808 in 29 big league plate appearances this spring. "

    PIT Tidbits from MLB.com :

" ...  Neil Walker, a first-round pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, will hit off of a tee on Monday for the first time since undergoing surgery in December to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. The Pirates hope Walker will be ready to play for Class A Lynchburg by the second week of April."

" ...  John Van Benschoten, a top pick in 2001 who spent the entire 2005 season recovering from surgeries to both shoulders, threw 22 pitches in a bullpen session on Friday. It was his first trip back to the mound since mini-camp. There has been no timetable set on Van Benschoten's return to game action."


13 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ...   Team USA with a run in the bottom of the 9th, 4-3 over Japan ... Cuba over Venezuela 7-2 in spite of Johan Santana 5 2 1 1 0 5 ... Puerto Rico 7, Dominican Republic 1 ...

    Spring Training ...  when does it become worrisome?  Zach Duke PIT 4 5 6 5 0 0, 8.00 ... Jonathan Papelbon BOS 3-1/3 6 5 5 1 2, 10.12 ... Edwin Encarnacion CIN 2-3, double (to go along with 5 homers), .481 ... Ben Zobrist HOU 1-3 ... Andre Ethier LAD 2-3, SB ... Joel Guzman, late replacement in LF, 0-1, .348 ... Taylor Buchholz HOU 4 6 2 2 0 0 ... Fernando Nieve HOU 3 4 3 2 2 0 ... Jason Kubel MIN, RF, 0-2, .222 ... Scott Baker MIN 3 3 2 2 0 1 ... Andy Marte CLE 0-2, 2 walks ... Sean Henn NYA 1 4 4 4 4 0 ... Chuck James ATL 3 4 2 2 1 1 ... Joey Devine ATL 2 0 0 0 0 5 ... Casey Janssen TOR 1 0 0 0 0 3 ...  Ryan Zimmerman WAS 0-2, .267 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 2-3, 2 homers, walk, .357 ... Dan Uggla FLO 2-4, .323 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 0-3, .190 ... Jason Stokes FLO 0-4, walk, 3 Ks ... Josh Johnson FLO, now a strong contender for a rotation spot,  4 0 0 0 1 2 ... Delmon Young TB 1-2, .167 ... Jason Hammel TB 2 4 4 4 1 3 ... Howie Kendrick LAA 3-4, triple, .348 ... Kendry Morales 2-3, double, .417 ... Nick Adenhart LAA 2 1 0 0 1 1 ... Jeff/Jered Weaver LAA 4 2 0 0 2 2 (MLB.com box score says it's Jered, the MLB.com recap says it's Jeff ...  Brandon Wood LAA 0-2 .... Jeff Mathis LAA 1-2, double ... Daric Barton OAK 1-2, .111 ... Matt Tuiasosopo SEA, 3B, 0-3, .231 ...  Felix Hernandez SEA 3 3 0 0 1 3 ... Josh Barfield SD 2-3, RBI, .588 ... Matt Cain SD 4 4 2 2 0 6 ... Ian Stewart COL 2-4, 2nd homer ... Prince Fielder MIL 2-4 ... Angel Guzman CHN 2 3 3 3 1 0 ...

    Troop Movements ...  BAL - Adam Loewen among those sent to minor league camp (MLC) :

" ... There are no major surprises here, though I expected Loewen to stick around a little bit longer.  "He needs to pitch," manager Sam Perlozzo said. "It's more important that he gets his work in."  Loewen will be remembered this spring for shutting out the U.S. over 3 2/3 innings in the WBC. He appeared in one exhibition game, allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. He walked two and hit a batter, and improving his command remains a central issue. He walked three in his WBC outing."  (Baltimore Sun)

" ... Shortstop Justin Upton ...  reassigned to minor league camp. As first impressions go, Upton's first big-league camp couldn't have been better. The 18-year-old went 6 for 10 with three doubles, but more important, he impressed the organization and his teammates with his ability and maturity. "I can't imagine being 18 and being able to swing the bat the way he does," pitcher Terry Mulholland said. "I can see why the Diamondbacks paid the money they did to get that kid." Melvin said Upton, who is slated to begin the year in Class A South Bend, could resurface in major league games before the end of spring training. "It's just time for him to get down there and defensively get more work,"  (Arizona Republic)

STL - Reid Gorecki to AAA ...  NYA - Philip Hughes to MLC ...

    Over at Baseball Notebook, David Luciani rejigs his prospect chart to select the top young guns for a limited time frame - just up to the end of the 2008 season.  Under the revised  format, it's Brandon Wood atop the list ahead of Delmon Young and Howie KendrickBenjamin Zobrist, the HOU shortstop, is quite a surprise at No. 4, a rung up on Nick Markakis.  Rounding out the top 10 -- Prince Fielder, Brandon Moss (OF BOS) , Ian Kinsler, Kevin Kouzmanoff (3B CLE) and Javier Herrera

    Andrew Miller, North Carolina, fourth start Sunday :

" ... Miller (4-0) went a season-long eight innings and allowed just one unearned run on three hits and three walks. The Gainesville, Fla., native struck out three en route to his team-best fourth win of the season. After Wake scored its lone run of the game in the second, Miller faced the minimum over the next four innings before issuing a seventh inning walk."  (UNC)

    Tidbits from Ken Rosenthal, FOXSports.com :

" ... Don't be surprised if the Marlins convert right-hander Anibal Sanchez — the principal return in the Josh Beckett trade — into a reliever. Sanchez, sidelined with shoulder tightness earlier in the spring, throws with more effort than some of the Marlins' other young starters, and he could dominate out of the bullpen with his 95-mph and power curve."

" ... A scout says of third baseman Alex Gordon, the second overall pick in last June's draft, "He's already the best hitter on the Royals." Gordon, 22, is expected to open at Double-A. He has yet to play in the minors."

    Notes from the LAA camp :

" ... Cuban defector Kendry Morales is 8-for-21 with a .571 slugging percentage. ... Right-hander Ervin Santana has allowed no runs and one hit in five innings, while striking out five. ... Highly touted pitching prospect Chris Bootcheck is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his first five innings. ... Casey Kotchman is hitting .412. "  (MLB.com)

    Kevin T. Czerwinski handles the TEX farm report at  MLB.com :

" ... John Danks ...  Look for the big southpaw to split time between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Oklahoma this season. His rise might have been quicker had he not stumbled down the stretch last season ...  His curve is potentially devastating, but he needs to develop his fastball more if he is to make that jump to Triple-A meaningful and not just a paper shuffle."

" ... John Mayberry Jr. ...  upside is tremendous, but there were some scouts who pointed to his decline in production from his penultimate to his final year at Stanford as a true indication of his talent level. He silenced some of the critics, at least in the power department, by cracking 11 homers and driving in 26 runs for Spokane in the Northwest League. He also had 71 strikeouts in 265 at-bats. He's slated for a California League start. "

    Homer Bailey making a good impression at the Reds' camp :

" ... "He's going to be a good one," Reds Hall of Famer Tom Browning said. "It comes to him naturally. He can't be far away." Can he be a No. 1 type? "Oh, yeah, yeah," Browning said. "He's smart. He's big and strong. "When he refines his three pitches - really when he's refined two of them - he's going to be a star." Bailey, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-hander, has pitched in two games this spring and has thrown three shutout innings. He was shaky in the first outing, walking the first two hitters he faced. But he was better the second time out. He has struck out three and allowed one hit in the three innings. He also has shattered two bats. Catcher Jason LaRue says Bailey's stuff is big-league right now. "He's legit," LaRue said. "He's got three good pitches. It's exciting to see. You don't see many guys come along with his potential."  (Cincinnati Enquirer
 

 
 

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