Rookies 2006

                                                                                                                           Pitching Line = IP H R ER BB SO
 


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26 March, 2006

   ST action ... Chuck James ATL 1.0 1 0 0 1 2, 3.97 ... Robert Andino SS FLO, overshadowed in the SS battle, 2-2, double, homer, 3 RBI, .375 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 1-3, .222 ... Nick Markakis BAl 2-4, .360 ... Adam Wainwright  STL 1.0 2 0 0 0 3, 0.71 ... Joel Guzman LAD 0-4, .294 ...  Francisco Liriano MIN 3.0 3 2 2 1 2, 4.50 ... Jason Kubel MIN 2-4, 2 doubles, walk, .256 ... Matt Childers NYA 3.0 4 0 0 1 2 ... Edwin Jackson TB, inconsistency is his consistency, 3.2 8 6 4 5 4, 5.29 ... Brian Bannister NYN 5.0 5 3 1 5 4, 0.95 ... Lastings Milledge NYN 0-4, 3 Ks, .333 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 1-4, double, 5th & 6th errors, .311 ... Ian Kinsler TEX, in a slump, 0-4, 2 Ks, .238 ... Ian Stewart COL 1-1, .395 ... Justin Leone SD 3-5, double, 3rd homer, 2 RBI, .361 ... Juan Cruz OAK  2.0 0 0 0 0 3, 0.00 ... yikes, Jesse Foppert SEA 0.0 1 5 5 3 0...  Joe Borchard SEA, in CF, 2-4, homer, 5 RBI, .277 ... Sean Marshall CHN 4.0 0 0 0 4 5, 0.00 ... Angel Guzman CHN 4.0 0 0 0 2 2, 4.09 ... Rich Hill CHN 4.0 5 1 1 0 4, 6.92 ... Felix Pie CHN 2-4, .324 ... Esteban German KC (also playing the oF) 3-4, SB, .324 ... Alex Gordon KC 1-4, .351 ... Brian Anderson CHA 3-5, 2 doubles, .333 ... Dustin Nippert ARZ 5.0 1 1 0 2 6, 3.46 ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-3, .450 ... Josh Barfield SD 1-2, walk, error, .400 ... Kendry Morales LAA 3-4, 2 homers, .333 ... Howie Kendrick LAA 0-4, .250 ... Dallas McPherson LAA 0-4, .133 

   Troop Movements ... CIN - signed Alex Sanchez to a minor league contract ... CLE - optioned RHP Jeremy Guthrie to Triple-A ... OAK - optioned Dan Meyer to Triple-A ... TEX - assigned Kevin Walker to minor league camp, optioned Jason Botts to Triple-A ... HOU - placed Jeff Bagwell on the 15-day DL ... 

   An interesting piece at Baseball America as John Manuel picks his top prospects from the World Baseball Classic :

" ...  1. Yulieski Gourriel, 2b, Cuba Gourriel lived up to his pre-tournament billing, showing five above-average, present, major league tools. "If he were available," one scout said, "he might get $20 million just to sign right now. He's in the top 15 major league second basemen right now, and he's 21."

" ... 4. Chin-Lung Hu, ss, Taiwan (Dodgers) The 22-year-old ranks 10th in a deep Dodgers system ... Hu was the prospect most American viewers never got to see as his Pool A games were played in Japan. The Dodgers shortstop has remarkable hands and range, but there are questions about his bat due to his slight frame; the 22-year-old is just 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds. His bat was working at the Classic though as he went 5-for-12 with two doubles after hitting .313-8-56 at high Class A Vero Beach."

   In his WAS prospect preview Kevin T. Czerwinski, MLB.com, includes a pair of little publicized farmhands :

" ...  Collin Balester ...   first full season as a pro and was a smashing success, going 8-6 with a 3.67 ERA for Savannah in the Sally League just a year removed from high school. The opposition hit .222 against him ...  Nationals watched him closely and did not allow him to work deep into games, so as a result he threw only 125 innings. He's improved his off-speed stuff and will likely begin the season in Potomac ...  "I wouldn't rule him out as being one of the first guys moved to Double-A, especially if we're in need of starting pitching," Brown [Dana Brown, the club's director of scouting] said. "He can start at high A because he's so young [19], and if he makes a good run early we can always move him."

" ... Ian Desmond ...  there will come a time when Desmond joins Ryan Zimmerman to form what the club hopes will be a long-lasting and potent left side of the infield. Desmond split time between the Sally and Carolina Leagues last season, hitting .250, with seven homers and 38 RBIs. Desmond has good range at shortstop and is aggressive, as his 39 errors would indicate ... His outstanding arm, though, makes up for many of his miscues. He's ticketed for Harrisburg. "He's one of my favorites," Brown said. "He just keeps getting better and better. He's a high-energy player. He's a good shortstop and he has some pop in his bat ,and we think he'll hit for some power down the road. He has a chance to start at Double-A."

   Andrew Miller bouncing back strong after a poor effort last time, 7 4 0 0 1 13 (108 pitches) :

" ...  North Carolina junior left-hander Andrew Miller struck out a career-high 13 batters over seven innings to lead the No. 2 Tar Heels (20-3, 5-2 ACC) to a 2-0 shutout of No. 4 Georgia Tech (18-4, 3-4 ACC) ...  Now 5-0 for the second straight season, Miller allowed no runs on just four hits and one walk for his third shutout performance of six or more innings this year. His 13 strikeouts surpassed his previous career best of 12 against Arizona State March 4, 2005. The Gainesville, Fla., native struck out 10-plus batters for the third time in his last five starts and the seventh time in his career."  (UNC)


25 March, 2006

   ST -  Sendy Rleal BAL 1.0 0 0 0 1 0, 1.00 ... Craig Hansen BOS 1.0 1 0 0 0 0, 0.00 ... Davis Romero TOR  2.0 6 7 7 2 0 ... Jeremy Guthrie CLE 2.0 1 0 0 1 1, 4.00 ... Alex Gordon KC 0-4, 2 Ks, .364  ... Prince Fielder MIL 2-3, double, walk, 4 runs, 3 RBI, .323 ... Carlos Quentin ARZ 0-3, 2 Ks, .326 ...  Joel Guzman LAD 1-1, double, .319 ... Reggie Abercrombie ARZ 3-4, 4th homer, SB, .438 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 2-5, .216 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 0-5, .358 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 1-3, double, .316 ... Nate McLouth CF, PIT, leadoff,  1-4, 3rd homer, .349

   Troop Movements ...  BOS - claimed Hee-Seop Choi off waivers from LAD ... CLE - optioned  Ryan Garko, Franklin Gutierrez, Andy Marte to Triple-A, Lou Merloni, Ben Howard to minor league camp (MLC) ... SEA - -released Dave Burba, Fernando Vina ... ARZ - released Felix Heredia ... CIN - optioned Mike Gosling, Justin Germano, Chris Denorfia to Triple-A, assigned Jung Keun Bong to MLC ... NYA - acquired catcher Keith McDonald from TEX for PTBNL ... FLO - reassigned Taylor Tankersley, Josh Stewart, Ryan Rupe to MLC ... 

    Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, highlights a couple of SP candidates in his preview of the Philly Pharm :

" ... Gio Gonzalez ... two plus pitches in his fastball and curve. His changeup, while lagging a touch behind the other two, is a very usable pitch as well, meaning he profiles as a solid three-pitch starter. A high-energy performer, Gonzalez just needs to control his emotions a little more on the mound, and realize that throwing harder isn't always better. He really just needs experience on the mound to develop into a frontline starter. He'll begin by getting it with Reading to start the season."

" ... Scott Mathieson ... was in and out of Phillies camp this spring while participating in the World Baseball Classic (he pitched one scoreless inning for Team Canada). Mathieson showed a lot of improvement with his secondary pitches last year, and the key to his success is his ability to command those pitches. Like many young power pitchers -- Mathieson can crank it up to the mid-90s -- he sometimes get caught in the harder-is-better mentality. Once he learns to pitch more with his stuff, his improving changeup and sometimes-plus slider will catch up to his plus, plus heater. He'll head to Reading this season and when his pitchability comes along, his ceiling is as high as any pitcher in the system."

   David Regan, RotoAmerica, goes with Alex Gordon over Billy Butler as the top prospect in the Kansas City system :

" ...  #1 Alex Gordon ... has an incredible work ethic and it’s resulted in his being called the best college hitting prospect since Mark Teixeira. He has it all – great patience, power to all fields, bat speed, etc. He even has a little speed, stealing 23 bases in his junior year. In the field, he should be a tick above average defensively at 3B with a strong arm and nice footwork ...  could move to the outfield depending on the progress (or lack thereof) of current 3B Mark Teahen, but expect to see Gordon in KC later in the year."

" ... #2 Billy Butler ...  If Butler were even projected to be even average defensively, he’d likely get the nod over Gordon. He’s a left-fielder right now and while he could potentially wind up there for the Royals, a lot of scouts see him as a future 1B/DH type. His bat will get him to the majors in some capacity though. He’s the total package at the plate: bat speed, raw power, strength, good eye, and confidence. He can be a .310/.400/.580 type in the majors."

    In DET,  good news for both Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya :

" ...  Leyland made it official Friday morning: Verlander and Zumaya will both make the Opening Day roster. Verlander was named the fifth starter, while Zumaya was added to the bullpen. The decision came after both pitchers tossed two scoreless innings Thursday afternoon against the Phillies -- Verlander as a starter, Zumaya in relief. "I talked to the coaches [Thursday night] and I talked to [president/general manager] Dave [Dombrowski]," Leyland said. "It was a unanimous decision. Nobody had any reservations."  (MLB.com)

    A break for Jeremy Reed might mean a break for Joe Borchard in SEA :

" ...  Mariners center fielder Jeremy Reed broke a bone in his right hand while unsuccessfully trying to catch a fly ball against the center-field wall in Peoria Stadium Thursday night ... One option might be to move Ichiro Suzuki to center. Willie Bloomquist or the just-acquired Joe Borchard are other options. Moving Ichiro to center would enable DH Carl Everett, backup outfielder Matt Lawton or utility outfielder/infielder Mike Morse to fill in." (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

    Ken Rosenthal, FOXSports, offers a feature on the MVP of the WBC, Japanese hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka :

" ...  next off-season, Matsuzaka could spark a frenzy among major-league clubs if his Japanese team, the Seibu Lions, is willing to sell his negotiating rights to the highest bidder. The one caveat: Matsuzaka, 25, indeed throws a lot. He has averaged a mere 174 innings in seven seasons with Seibu, but his performance in the 1998 Summer National High School Baseball Tournament in Japan remains a source of wonder and concern for major-league clubs. Matsuzaka pitched on four consecutive days in the tournament, starting and finishing three of those games, including one that went 17 innings. One day after that reported 250-pitch effort, Matsuzaka worked an inning of relief. And the day after that, in the tournament's championship game, he pitched a nine-inning no-hitter, becoming a legend at age 17." ... Matsuzaka, who throws 91 to 94 mph with a variety of off-speed pitches, could be at least a No. 2 starter, scouts say."


24 March, 2006

   First time I've actually fried a computer ... geesh, smelled like burning plastic. Anyhow, working from my laptop (without all my latest files) so a few glitches might be on the horizon.  Seems a couple of weeks before the new one arrives. 

   ST - Nick Markakis BAL 4-4, 2 doubles, .356 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 1-3, SB, .315 ... Paul Maholm PIT 4.0 6 6 6 2 5, 8.50 ... Chris Denorfia CF CIN 2-4, .286 ...  Andy Marte CLE 2-4, 6th double, .359 ... Joey Devine ATL 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 ... Tigers' kids making it tough to cut 'em, Justin Verlander 2.0 0 0 0 0 2, 2.63  ...  Joel Zumaya 2.0 1 0 0 0 1, 5.40 ... Joel Guzman LAD 1-4, .304 ... Ezequiel Astacio HOU 4.0 6 4 3 0 4, 3.29 ... Ian Kinsler TEX 1-2, homer, .286 ... Boone Logan CHA 1.0 2 1 1 0 1, 1.08 ... Carlos Gonzalez ARZ, getting little ST time, 1-3, homer ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-3, .432 ... Dan Meyer OAK 5.0 5 3 3 1 1, 4.09 ... Felix Pie CHN 1-2, double, .321 ... David Bush TOR 6.0 5 0 0 0 4, 0.90 ... Corey Hart MIL 2-4, .333 ... Felix Hernandez SEA 5.0 4 1 1 1 8, 3.86 

   Troop Movements ... BOS -  assigned Alejandro Machado to Triple-A ...  ATL - optioned Anthony Lerew to Triple-A, assigned Wes Obermueller, Jarrod Saltalamacchia to minor league camp (MLC) ... CHN - optioned Brian Dopirak to Double-A,  Geovany Soto to Triple-A, assigned Casey McGehee, Augie Ojeda to MLC ... WAS - released Valerio de los Santos, optioned Billy Traber to Triple-A, assigned Mike DiFelice, Kyle Denney, Kenny Kelly, George Lombard to MLC ... LAD - assigned Takashi Saito to MLC, optioned  Andre Ethier to Triple-A ... CIN - sent Jason Standridge outright to Triple-A ... SD -  sent  Seth Etherton outright to Triple-A ... DET - optioned Wilfredo Ledezma to Triple-A,  sent Josh Phelps, Ryan Ludwick, Chad Durbin to MLC ... SEA - optioned Shin-Soo Choo to Triple-A ... STL - returned Juan Mateo, a Rule 5 pick, to CHN ...  OAK - Juan Gonzalez, who may have signed a minor league contract with BOS, now may have signed a minor league deal with the A's ...  

   Jason Ratliff, MLB.com, checks out the Mets farm and manages to find a few prospects beyond the top gun - Lastings Milledge. 

" ... Carlos Gomez ...  If you were to apply word association to Mets prospects, the word "tools" would probably most often lead to the quick response of "Lastings" or "Milledge." But there's a new kid on the block that might be even "toolsier" than New York's prized outfield prospect, and that's Carlos Gomez. At the age of 19, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Domincan was second in the Minors in steals in 2005 with 64. He also has the power to wow spectators during batting practice and is generally considered to have the best outfield arm in the system. He's impressed during Spring Training, flashing his blazing speed down the line and around the bases, going 4-for-13 with a pair of triples in four games with the big league club. He could be tested at the plate in the Florida State League in 2006 after hitting .275 at Hagerstown last year."

" ... Brian Bannister ...    As impressive as Bannister's 2005 season was, it's his phenomenal 2006 Spring Training effort that has him knocking on the big-league door. With just eight Triple-A starts under his belt, the 2003 seventh-round pick out of USC has done enough to earn himself the No. 5 spot in the Mets' rotation to start the season. Whether he begins there will be determined by the team's bullpen needs, but a 0.64 ERA and 9-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio has certainly upped his stock. Even if he doesn't begin the season in the bigs, he'll be a call away in Norfolk should anyone falter or be injured."

   Cole Hamels PHI, back to A-ball to begin the season :

" ...  the Phillies announced ... that their top pitching prospect will start the season at Class A Clearwater. He hasn't officially been reassigned, so he can stay in big-league camp to continue his pitching and back exercises ... The decision was made as a way of keeping Hamels and his balky back in a more controlled Florida temperature. He could be promoted soon, assuming he stays healthy and pitches well. He has started twice at the Minor League complex, but the important thing is that his back has been pain-free. "It has nothing to do with ability," said Mike Arbuckle, the team's assistant general manager of scouting and player development. "Because of weather and bus rides, we thought it made sense to start him in warm weather and where there are very limited bus rides. We don't anticipate him being there a long time." Assuming Hamels stays healthy and effective, Arbuckle said he could wind up at Reading or Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as early as May."  (MLB.com)

   JD Arney, Red Reporter, checks in with his CINCY Top 40 (quite a challenge !) and there's a touch of surprise at the top :

" ... 1.  Chris Denorfia ...  I'm not entirely sure that the Reds appreciate what they have with Chris Denorfia, because he ought to be the starting center fielder on Opening Day. That'd improve the defense , not just with the addition of Denorfia, but also by moving Griffey to left. It'd also improve the offense because Denorfia is definitely a better hitter than Scott Hatteberg. Won't happen, but it should. Regardless, I think Denorfia is going to make an excellent fourth outfielder, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him get 300+ AB at the major league level this year."

" ... 2. Homer Bailey ...  Still injury free! I'm impressed just by that. Bailey threw 100 pretty decent innings last year, and had an excellent K rate, but he's going to have to cut down on the walks. 5.38 BB/9IP is a helluva lot, and it's the biggest thing that's going to hurt him moving forward. With the long look he received in Spring Training I have to imagine he'll be on the move this year, starting at Sarasota and ending up who knows where. Whether he can make it to the major leagues with his right arm intact is one of the more intriguing story lines that the Reds have to offer right now."

   David Luciani, Baseball Notebook, has a piece on Spring Surprises, including :

" ...  8. Joel Guzman: The Dodgers keep talking about moving him around and while his 2007 fantasy value may drop if he ends up as an outfielder, which it looks like he will, that's more than offset by him getting a chance in the majors a year or two earlier than just about anyone would have expected three months ago. I'm not sure he could keep his average high enough to stick in the majors, at least not immediately, but he already has 20 home run like power if somehow he ends up a regular. Even that he's being considered for a starting role in the outfield for Opening Day of 2006 is already a surprise to me, even if it doesn't turn out that way a week or two from now."

" ... 2. Curtis Granderson: Nook Logan looked to be a primary competitor for the starting center field position but Granderson had five home runs as I made this note and Logan is trying to either crack the team at all or could be on his way out via trade if the Tigers can find a match somewhere. I don't think Granderson could maintain this power level into the regular season but he's still a solid bet for 10-15 home runs and 10-15 steals and while he strikes out a lot, should be able to maintain a near .260 average. "

   Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com, with notes on Josh Barfield, among others :

" ... Barfield has lived up to his billing as the Padres' No. 3 prospect by showing improved plate discipline and driving the ball to all fields. "I want him to keep grinding, but he hasn't done anything to make us believe he shouldn't have the job," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "He's been by far our best player in camp." Barfield ... has hit .300 in four of his five minor-league seasons. He was once considered a question mark in the field but has shown significant improvement. This spring Barfield is playing the hops more proficiently and showing what scouts call a better "clock" in the field. "He knows the runners a little bit now -- when he needs to rush and when he has time to make a play," Towers said. "I've seen a huge difference in him defensively." 


23 March, 2006

    Spring Training ...  Josh Willingham FLO 1-2, 2nd homer, .435 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 1-3, 4th triple, .396 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 1-3, .196 ... Nick Markakis BAL 1-4, double, .293 ... Josh Johnson FLO 3.2 3 2 2 1 1, 2.70 ... Daniel Cabrera BAL 5.0 4 3 3 3 5, 3.96 ... Sendy Real BAL 1.0 1 0 0 0 1, 1.12 ... Kyle Davies ATL 5.0 4 0 0 2 1, 0.64 ... Gary Majewski WAS 0.2 5 5 5 0 0, 37.80 ... Adam Wainwright STL 1.0 2 0 0 0 2, 0.77 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 1-3, 4th error, .314 ... Conor Jackson ARZ 2-3, 2 homers, .412 ... Stephen Drew ARZ 0-3, .344 ... Bobby Jenks CHA, another stinker, 1.0 4 4 4 1 1, 7.88 ... Edinson Volquez TEX 2.0 5 5 5 3 0,  5.73 ... Juan Dominguez TEX 3.1 6 5 5 3 0, 8.25 ...  Ian Snell PIT 4.1 5 4 4 1 2 ... Scott Baker MIN 4.1 2 2 2 3 5 ... Francisco Liriano MIN 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 ... Taylor Buchholz HOU 5.0 6 2 2 2 4 ... Fernando Nieve HOU 4.0 4 0 0 1 3 ... Kelly Shoppach CLE 2-3, RBI ... Lastings Milledge NYN 1-2, double, .347 ... Jonathan Papelbon BOS 5.0 5 2 2 3 1, 5.50 ... Adam Stern BOS 3-5, double, homer, 2 RBI, .429 ... Wily Mo Pena BOS 2-4, homer, .375 ... Casey Kotchman LAA 1-3, 3rd homer, 3 RBI, .441 ... yikes - Matt Cain SF 4.1 10 8 8 1 2 .

    Troop Movements ...  STL - optioned Anthony Reyes, Tyler Johnson, Carmen Cali to Triple-A to Triple-A ... BAL - optioned Hayden Penn, Val Majewski to Triple-A, Jeff Fiorentino to Double-A ... NYN - assigned Jeremi Gonzalez, Mike Pelfrey to minor league camp (MLC) ... CLE - Andrew Brown, Fausto Carmona to Triple-A ... SD - signed Bubba Nelson to a minor league contract ... FLO - optioned RHP Yusmeiro Petit to Triple-A ...  MIL - optioned  Ben Hendrickson, Dennis SarfateDave Krynzel to Triple-A

    Zach Chalifour, RotoTimes, has begun his 2006 prospect previews with reports on the NL East and NL Central.  A few of the picks :

" ...  Lastings Milledge ...  Just 20 years old, Milledge excelled last season in his second full year of professional baseball after being selected out of high school in the 2003 draft. In a season split between High-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, Milledge improved as the season went on, hitting an outstanding .337 for Binghamton after batting .302 with St. Lucie. His power is still developing, as shown by his eight home runs, but Milledge also stole 29 bases despite being thrown out on nearly 40-percent of his steal attempts. He has above-average speed, however, and should be a constant stolen base threat once he improves upon his timing and technique."

" ...  Joey Devine ...   It will not be long before Devine is no longer infamously known for his major-league debut in which he gave up a grand slam to lose a game in extra innings. The 22-year-old fought through the adversity as well as the team could have hoped for, and he has complemented his closer mentality with an outstanding performance this spring. In his fourth outing of the spring on Sunday, Devine pitched two perfect innings with five strikeouts, raising his spring totals to 14 Ks in seven innings pitched, with a perfect ERA of 0.00. Look for Devine to overtake Chris Reitsma as the Braves closer by season's end."

" ...  Neil Walker ...   With the likes of Joe Mauer, Victor Martinez, and Jeff Mathis now all in the majors, Walker will headline the new class of catching prospects. In just his second full season since being drafted in the first round of the 2004 draft out of a Pennsylvania high school, Walker is projected by many to be a .300 hitter and perennial 20- or 30-homer hitter. The 20-year-old hit just below .300 last season with 12 home runs and 80 RBI between Low-A Hickory and High-A Lynchburg. While the Pirates may elect to move Walker away from catching and to another position, he has an excellent bat and will join the Pirates in either late 2007 or early 2008. If he can have another solid season back at Lynchburg and increase his home run total, look for Walker to become one of the elite prospects in all of baseball."

" ... Troy Patton ...  A ninth-round pick out of a Texas high school in 2004, Patton has excelled at every level he’s played, posting a composite 2.13 ERA in 148 career innings ranging from Rookie-level Greeneville to High-A Salem. The 20-year-old also has 164 strikeouts under his belt and has walked just 33. Patton will likely head to Double-A Corpus Christi this year and continue to work to improve his secondary pitches. In the most likely scenario, the southpaw will see his first action with the Astros late next season and join the rotation in 2008."

    Chris Kline, Baseball America, reports a top A's prospect is likely done for the year.

" ...   outfield prospect Javier Herrera will likely miss the entire season after being diagnosed with an injured elbow ligament that will require Tommy John surgery. Herrera, the organization's No. 2 prospect, was sent to the minors after a stint in big league camp. After reporting to the minor league camp, he reported pain in his elbow. Dr. Doug Freedberg in Phoenix confirmed the injury and told Herrera that he would need reconstructive elbow surgery. The 20-year-old Venezuelan hit .275/.374/.444 last season at low Class A Kane County with a 5-for-12 cameo at Triple-A Sacramento."

    At Baseball America, ATL's Dayton Moore (assistant general manager for baseball operations) comments on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia :

" ...  We're committed to Salty staying behind the plate. And he's worked so hard. I remember when we drafted him and some of our scouts sitting around and some thought he could play third or first base, some felt he could stay behind the plate, some didn't ...  The plan is to continue to develop him behind the plate. There's no doubt he and Brian McCann both have the athletic ability and the hands and the foot quickness and the agility to play first base or other places. That will take care of itself in the long run and we just want Salty to go to Double-A--where he's never had an at-bat--and concentrate on continuing to improve as a catcher, continue to make adjustments as a hitter and this time next year maybe we're forced to evaluate our decision and come up with a more direct plan. We'll make that decision when we feel like it needs to be made."

    MiLB.com is having a nice second season.  Among the profiles on line :

Merkin Valdez Chris Roberson, Luis Cota, Joe Borchard, Angel Guzman, Russ Martin , Justin Upton, Elvis Andrus, Kyle Davies, Jeremy Hermida, Josh Johnson

    Lefty Logan looking like a lock on a roster spot.

" ... the White Sox are prepared to break camp with 21-year-old Boone Logan on the 25-man roster. According to one Sox source, unless Logan has a complete meltdown over the remaining nine Cactus League games, he will be one of three left-handed relievers the club leaves Arizona with. That also means the Sox are expecting right-handed reliever Dustin Hermanson to start the regular season on the 15-day disabled list. Pitching coach Don Cooper said it wouldn't be fair for him to say if Logan has made the team with a little more than a week to go, but he did praise the southpaw. "Boone Logan continues to do everything he can to make best use of the opportunity he's been given,'' Cooper said. "Absolutely, he is a strong candidate.''   (Chicago Sun Times)

    Former top LAA prospect might be facing another turn in the minors.

" ... The Angels acknowledged Tuesday that Dallas McPherson, who lost the third base job to leadoff batter Chone Figgins and does not appear to be in the designated hitter mix, could open the season at triple-A Salt Lake. "There's still an opportunity for him to make the club," Manager Mike Scioscia said, "but if he's not going to have a significant role, we're going to be best served having him play every day." ...  "Do I feel that would help me? No, because I don't have anything else to prove at triple A," said McPherson, who missed much of 2005 because of hip and lower-back injuries. "I'm healthy. If they send me down, it's going to have to be for baseball reasons."  (LA Times)

    The indefatigable Dayn Perry, FOXSports, has his Top 10 of  more young guns - those who are no longer rookies, but still not eligible for salary arbitration. 

" ... 4. B.J. Upton ...  shows patience at the plate, uses the whole field, hits for power and runs the bases with speed and intelligence. His defense at short needs work, but the Rays are finally letting him grow into the position. Upton has succeeded at every minor-league level despite always being significantly younger than his peer group — that's a sign of future greatness. He's the next Derek Jeter."

" ... 6. Brian McCann ...   has yet to make much of a splash at the highest level, but his minor-league dossier suggests great things are ahead. Despite toiling in a rash of generally pitcher-friendly parks, McCann put up impressive raw-power numbers throughout the minors. Such was Atlanta's confidence in their young catcher that they traded away incumbent regular Johnny Estrada over the winter. With his power potential, McCann could become the best offensive catcher in the NL right away."


22 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ... Alan Schwarz, Baseball America, with some suggestions for the next Classic and a enthusiastic "thumbs-up" for the inaugural .

" ... This Was A Blast. Baseball America readers have long recognized the appeal of international baseball, but the WBC convinced even the most hardened skeptics that a worldwide competition could, in fact, be held safely and successfully. When people just calmed down and let the games take over, they couldn't help but have one heck of a time."

    Spring Training ...  maybe he's turned the corner, Gavin Floyd PHI (3-0) 5 2 0 0 2 5, 2.30  ... Hayden Penn BAL 3 2 2 2 2 2, 2.45  ... Nick Markakis BAL 0-2, .297 ... Reggie Abercrombie FLO continues his sizzling & surprising spring, 2-3, double, homer, .439 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 2-3, triple, .400 ... Josh Willingham FLO 0-3, 2 Ks, .429  ... Dan Uggla FLO 1-3, homer, .240 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 1-4, double, .186 ... Edwin Encarnaction CIN 1-3, double, .468 ...  Jon Lester BOS, bounced again, 2.0 5 5 5 1 0, 19.50 ... Zach Duke PIT 5.0 7 2 2 1 5 ...  Chris Young SD 1.2 6 5 5 2 2, 12.60 ... Josh Barfield SD, at leadoff, 3-5, 2 doubles, .469 ... Sean Marshall CHN 3.0 2 0 0 1 2 ... Carlos Quentin ARZ 1-4, homer, .342 ... Casey Kotchman LAA 1-3, .452 ... Ian Kinsler TEX 1-3, .290 ... Eric Munson, one-time highly rated prospect trying to catch on with HOU, 4-5, 2 doubles, homer ...

    Troop Movements ...  CIN - traded Bobby Basham to SD David Ross, designated Jason Standridge for assignment ...  SEA - optioned Bobby Livingston to Triple-A, assigned Matt Tuiasosopo, Asdrubal CabreraTodd Sears, Jeff Clement and  Rob Johnson to MLC ... PIT - optioned Sean Burnett, Tom Gorzelanny, Brad Eldred, Yurendell DeCaster and Rajai Davis to Triple-A, assigned Jason Alfaro, Gookie Dawkins to MLC ... FLO - optioned Logan Kensing to Triple-A ... CHA - Josh Fields, Agustin Montero to MLC ... SD - purchased the contract of Alan Embree ...

    Good to see John Franco back with his Farm Report at SportsBlurb ... it's just one of the key features of SportsBlurb's Xtra Innings package (check 'em out). .  We've managed to gain entrance in order to provide a few snippets from the coverage.  In his initial report for the season, John lists his top five picks for ROY in each loop. 

" ...  Ian Kinsler ...  It’s all about opportunity. I’m betting that Kinsler, who has the second base job all but wrapped up in Texas, will hit enough in 500 to 600 at-bats to outweigh the production that the No. 2 player, Delmon Young, will provide in 200 to 300 at-bats. Kinsler plays solid defense and has the ability to hit for a decent average with above average power, and could drive in 80 runs in the potent Ranger lineup."

" ... Kenji Johjima ...   power isn’t going to translate to the major leagues, especially in Safeco, but he could reach double-digits in home runs. His value will come from a good on-base percentage and good defensive skills, and in the fans he brings to the ballpark."

    It's Jason Ratliff with the ATL prospect previews at MLB.com.  While Jarrod Saltalamacchia grabs the headlines, there are some other players of note in the system :

" ...  Elvis Andrus ...   At just 16, Andrus would have been young for just about any league outside of Little League. The 6-foot, 185-pound Venezuelan proved his mettle in the Gulf Coast League, where he was hitting over .300 until he went 0-for-7 in his final two games ...  Braves say they see a young Derek Jeter, primarily because of their young shortstop's intangibles, as he's well beyond his years in terms of poise and leadership. Andrus also has a sound and fundamental hitting approach and is very sure in the field."

" ... Eric Campbell ...  A monstrous season at short-season Danville placed Campbell squarely in the Braves' future plans ... led the Appalachian League in doubles (26), home runs (18), extra-base hits (46) and RBIs (64) while hitting .314 and sharing league MVP honors with teammate Max Ramirez. The 20-year-old is more athletic than your average third baseman, too, as he also swiped 15 bases. Though the Braves aren't looking to move him, Campbell's agility and quickness would allow him to play the middle infield -- probably second base, where he often takes ground balls."

    TB manager Joe Maddon on some work for Delmon Young in Triple-A :

" ...  From what I heard, the end of the Triple-A experience, I guess maybe chasing the breaking ball a little too often," Maddon added. "Maybe not having his strike zone in order. For me, it's just basically about hitting. I know he's going to be a great hitter. But when you get up here with advance scouting, they can expose your weaknesses very quickly. ... When he gets here, I just want to make sure he is prepared for all kinds of situations in regards to his at-bats. I love the way he ran the bases, I love the way he played defense. He's got a great feel for the game." (MLB.com)

    A new face for the Mets' infield to begin the season :

" ...  With Kaz Matsui (sprained knee ligament) likely to start the season on the disabled list and Bret Boone having retired, there's not too much drama at second base. Jeff Keppinger could handle the job, but the organization seems to have buried him, leaving Anderson Hernandez the likely choice - at least until Matsui returns."  (New York Daily News)


21 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ... Japan over Cuba 10-6 to win the inaugural WBC ...  pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka named the MVP ...

    Spring Training ...  Jason Kubel, LF, leadoff, 0-4 ... Todd Coffey CIN 1 0 0 0 0 0 ... Edwin Jackson TB, four starts, brilliant, brilliant, awful, awfully good, 5 1 0 0 2 4 ... Brad Eldred PIT 1-4, homer ... Anthony Reyes STL, still off course, 4 6 3 3 1 3, 8.10 ... Angel Guzman CHN 3 1 2 2 3 1 ... Rich Hill CHN 3 0 0 0 3 5 ... Conor Jackson ARZ 0-2, error ... Stephen Drew ARZ 0-2 ... Antonio Perez OAK, on a roll, 2-4, homer, 4 RBI ... Kenji Johjima SEA 0-3 ... Brandon McCarthy CHA 1-3 2 3 3 3 1, 7.30  ... Alex Gordon KC 0-2 ...lefty sleeper alert, Boone Logan CHA 1.2 0 0 0 0 0 0, no runs allowed in 7 1-3 ... Bobby Jenks CHA 1 2 0 0 1 0 0, 3.86 but 1 K and 7 walks in 7 innings ... Russell Martin LAD 2-2, homer, 4 RBI  ... Clay Hensley SD 1 2 2 2 1 0 ... Joel Guzman LAD 1-4, 2 RBI

    Troop Movements ...  ARZ - optioned Brian Bruney to Triple-A,  assigned Chris Carter  to minor league camp (MLC) ... LAA - optioned Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Tommy Murphy to Triple-A, Dustin Moseley to MLC ...  BOS - trades Bronson Arroyo to CIN for Wily Mo Pena ... CHA - trades Joe Borchard to SEA for Matt Thornton ... MIN - optioned  Boof Bonser, Garrett Jones to Triple-A ... CIN - Jimmy Journell, Ty Howington ...  KC - assigned  Kyle Snyder, J.P. HowellAndres Blanco, Justin Huber to Triple-A ... OAK - Doug Clark to MLC ... PHI - assigned Peter Bergeron, Clay Condrey to MLC ... COL - assigned Keiichi Yabu, Bret Prinz to MLC ... LAD - assigned Chad Billingsley, Joe Beimel, Matt Kemp to MLC, James Loney, Delwyn Young to Triple-A

    At  The Hardball Times, Aaron Gleeman checks in with the first installment of his Top 50 (check the link for qualifications and preamble).  Toronto kid, Russell Martin LAD, just made the cut :

" ...  49) Russell Martin ...   I'm a sucker for young catchers who have good on-base skills and a solid defensive reputation, and Russell Martin fits that bill perfectly ... has a .391 on-base percentage in 369 career minor-league games and is generally regarded as a very good catch-and-throw guy behind the plate. His .430 OBP at Double-A last season was second in the Southern League, behind only Jeremy Hermida's .457, and he quietly stole 15 bases to earn the "runs well for a catcher" tag for the rest of his life. The biggest question with Martin is whether or not his power will develop. After hitting 15 homers and 24 doubles in 416 at-bats at Single-A in 2004 he dropped to a measly nine homers and 17 doubles in 409 at-bats last season ...  In most organizations Martin would be far and away the catcher of the future, but the Dodgers have to decide whether they like him or Dioner Navarro more long term. Navarro has a head start, but I'm guessing it'll be Martin."

    Kevin T. Czerwinski, MLB.com, highlights some of the Padres' top prospects, including :

" ...  George Kottaras ...  While Kottaras won't go shattering any power records a la Piazza, he does hit for average and will probably settle in as a 15-homer player in the Major Leagues ...  "He does everything easy on the baseball field," Bryck [Padres field coordinator and special assistant] said. "If you're not watching, you might miss something. This guy has the most natural, fluid stroke in the system. I would say he's a natural hitter with easy power. The ball just jumps off his bat. And he throws like he swings. His throws just carry. He has a solid Major League arm. He does things so easily, you don't know he's there."

" ... Cesar Carrillo ...  Though he tired at the end of the season, his power and poise were evident ...  Look for him to split time between Double-A and Triple-A this season, and possibly land in southern California by season's end. "He's a competitor and has great belief in himself," Bryck said. "You can tell that on the mound. He's got that look in his eye that he's going to get the hitter out. He has something that you're born with, something you can't teach. He has the heart to be a top-notch Major League pitcher. He expects to win and has a quiet confidence. He doesn't get rattled and has a chance to be a top-of-the-rotation guy."

    Bryan Smith, Baseball Analysts, taking in some ST in Arizona, offers lots of interesting tidbits :

" ...  Mike Napoli impressed me for the second straight year. In his one at-bat, Napoli homered to left field. His approach at the plate and his subsequent home run led me to believe that Napoli is a big-time pull hitter. This would seem to be the reason why he strikes out a lot, but also indicate why his power is so great. Jeff Mathis had two hits in the game and looked ready for the season, but the Angels shouldn't be placing him on a pedestal above Napoli. In 2007, I hope the two have a chance to battle evenly for the catching position."

    Zack Greinke KC, the news leans toward the positive.

" ...  The Royals have no plans to place pitcher Zack Greinke on the 60-day disabled list when the season starts, which suggests they expect him to return to the active roster before early June. “We spoke (recently),” general manager Allard Baird said, “and everything seems to be moving forward. We still don’t have a timetable, but he’s not going to go on the 60-day disabled list.” ...  “I talked to him, and he sounds great,” manager Buddy Bell said. “He said he’s getting some things straightened out."  (Kansas City Star)

    At MiLB.com, Kevin T. Czerwinski continues his team-by-team prospect reviews with the loaded Arizona system on tap (near impossible here to highlight "under-the-radar" guys) :

" ... Carlos Gonzalez ...  had a big year in the Class A Midwest League, earning MVP honors after hitting .307 with 18 homers and 92 RBIs. He's still young, he won't turn 21 until October, so there's little need to push him through the system. The Venezuela native, though, is just as fluid on the field as he is at the plate, so the temptation would be to bump him up quickly and see how he handles the pressure of playing in Double-A. While that may happen at some point this season, there's little reason to think he won't begin the year at Lancaster in the hitter-happy world of the California League."

" ... Stephen Drew ...  Arizona's infield future would appear to center around Drew and 2005 first-round pick Justin Upton. Though position changes are always a possibility, Drew figures to be at shortstop at some point this season and is expected to begin the season at Tucson ... Though his whirlwind year caught up with him in the Southern League (.218 in 101 at-bats), he rebounded nicely after a month off in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .337 with six homers and 17 RBIs. While there were some concerns about his makeup and attitude before he was drafted, Drew alleviated them in 2005 and figures to be an impact player in the big leagues before long, simply waiting for Craig Counsell to step aside."

    Spring Training stats (including games of Sunday), young guns and a few others of interest, sorted by OPS (OnBase Plus Slugging) :

                            BA   OBA   SLG   OPS  G AB 2B 3B HR BB SO
  Encarnacion Edwin CIN   .488  .533 1.122 1.655 14 41  6  1  6  3  5
  Carter Chris ARZ        .520  .538 1.040 1.578 15 25  2  1  3  1  5
  Morneau Justin MIN      .500  .563 1.000 1.563  5 14  1  0  2  2  0
  Fields Josh CHA         .450  .500 1.050 1.550 14 20  3  0  3  2  5
  Olson Tim TEX           .545  .615  .909 1.524 10 11  1  0  1  2  3
  Willingham Josh FLO     .500  .583  .889 1.472  9 18  2  1  1  4  0
  Stewart Ian COL         .429  .462  .971 1.433 17 35  4  0  5  3  7
  Cuddyer Michael MIN     .520  .625  .800 1.425 10 25  1  0  2  6  3
  Upton Justin ARZ        .500  .563  .857 1.420  8 14  3  1  0  2  3
  Barfield Josh SD        .462  .481  .885 1.366 10 26  6  1  1  0  5
  Castillo Jose PIT       .481  .533  .815 1.348 10 27  3  0  2  3  8
  Lowrie Jed BOS          .429  .556  .786 1.342 11 14  2  0  1  4  2
  Murton Matt CHN         .500  .567  .769 1.336 14 26  4  0  1  4  2
  Granderson Curtis DET   .371  .522  .800 1.322 12 35  1  1  4  9  5
  Maier Mitch KC          .467  .500  .800 1.300 10 15  1  2  0  1  4
  Kotchman Casey LAA      .464  .483  .786 1.269 10 28  3  0  2  1  0
  Cruz Nelson MIL         .387  .457  .806 1.263 15 31  2  1  3  4  9
  Duncan Eric NYA         .414  .452  .793 1.245 18 29  3  1  2  2  4
  Dukes Elijah TB         .400  .538  .700 1.238 14 20  1  1  1  6  4
  Jackson Conor ARZ       .429  .543  .679 1.222 11 28  5  1  0  7  2
  Clement Jeff SEA        .222  .417  .778 1.195  8  9  0  1  1  3  1
  Dubois Jason CLE        .400  .523  .657 1.180 15 35  3  0  2  6 12
  Quentin Carlos ARZ      .364  .512  .667 1.179 13 33  4  0  2  9  5
  Abercrombie Reggie FLO  .421  .450  .711 1.161 15 38  5  0  2  1 11
  Hairston Scott ARZ      .448  .500  .655 1.155 14 29  6  0  0  3  3
  Bankston Wes TB         .357  .357  .786 1.143  9 14  1  1  1  0  3
  Loney James LAD         .438  .500  .625 1.125 15 32  6  0  0  4  3
  Closser JD COL          .381  .458  .667 1.125 10 21  1  1  1  3  3
  Drew Stephen ARZ        .407  .448  .667 1.115 10 27  4  0  1  2  3
  Ramirez Hanley FLO      .381  .409  .690 1.099 13 42  0  2  3  2  3
  Betemit Wilson ATL      .464  .483  .607 1.090 11 28  1  0  1  1  4
  Sweeney Ryab CHA        .360  .370  .720 1.090 15 25  0  0  3  1  2
  Kinsler Ian TEX         .286  .429  .643 1.072 12 28  1  0  3  3  4
  Gordon Alex KC          .440  .548  .520 1.068 12 25  2  0  0  6  5
  Dopirak Brian CHN       .375  .375  .667 1.042 14 24  1  0  2  0  5
  Mathis Jeff LAA         .318  .444  .591 1.035 10 22  3  0  1  4  6
  Frandsen Kevin SF       .350  .400  .625 1.025 17 40  1  2  2  2  5
  Stern Adam BOS          .375  .389  .625 1.014  8 16  1  0  1  1  4
  Doumit Ryan PIT         .250  .379  .625 1.004 10 24  0  0  3  5  6
  Kottaras George SD      .250  .500  .500 1.000  4  4  1  0  0  2  1
  Braun Ryan MIL          .500  .500  .500 1.000  1  2  0  0  0  0  0
  Hart Corey MIL          .324  .405  .595 1.000 17 37  2  1  2  5  8
  Laird Gerald TEX        .364  .364  .636 1.000 10 22  1  1  1  0  5
  Montero Miguel ARZ      .364  .364  .636 1.000  8 11  1  1  0  0  0
  Fielder Prince MIL      .286  .459  .536  .995 11 28  1  0  2  7  4
  Nady Xavier NYN         .366  .409  .585  .994 14 41  1  1  2  2  7
  Zimmerman Ryan WAS      .318  .388  .591  .979 14 44  3  0  3  4 12
  Marte Andy CLE          .353  .378  .588  .966 13 34  5  0  1  2  6
  Phillips Brandon CLE    .323  .382  .581  .963 12 31  2  0  2  3  6
  Weeks Richie MIL        .308  .419  .538  .957  9 26  3  0  1  3  7
  Morales Kendry LAA      .350  .381  .575  .956 15 40  4  1  1  2  5
  Napoli Michael LAA      .294  .368  .588  .956 12 17  2  0  1  2  3
  Stokes Jason FLO        .333  .343  .606  .949 13 33  3  0  2  1  9
  Youkilis Kevin BOS      .214  .313  .607  .920 11 28  2  0  3  3  8
  Markakis Nick BAL       .314  .432  .486  .918 16 35  3  0  1  8  4
  Kirkland Kody DET       .296  .355  .556  .911 10 27  2  1  1  3  6
  Borchard Joe CHA        .324  .351  .559  .910 14 34  2  0  2  2  9
  Guzman Joel LAD         .306  .342  .528  .870 15 36  2  0  2  2  8
  Johjima Kenji SEA       .321  .345  .500  .845 11 28  2  0  1  0  0
  Johnson Kelly ATL       .333  .462  .381  .843  9 21  1  0  0  5  6
  Aybar Erick LAA         .353  .368  .471  .839 11 17  2  0  0  1  0
  Perez Antonio OAK       .355  .382  .452  .834 13 31  1  1  0  2  5
  Iannetta Chris COL      .286  .375  .429  .804  5  7  1  0  0  1  0
  Garko Ryan CLE          .250  .413  .389  .802 17 36  2  0  1  6  6
  Milledge Lastings NYN   .340  .354  .447  .801 17 47  2  0  1  1 11
  Linden Todd SF          .295  .411  .386  .797 15 44  2  1  0  7  8
  Pie Felix CHN           .240  .269  .520  .789 14 25  1  3  0  1  5
  Anderson Brian CHA      .265  .316  .471  .787 12 34  2  1  1  2  6
  Nix Jayson COL          .300  .364  .400  .764  6 10  1  0  0  1  4
  Saltalamacch Jarrod ATL .219  .219  .500  .719 15 32  0  0  3  0  7
  Kendrick Howie LAA      .281  .303  .406  .709 14 32  0  2  0  1  4
  Hu Chin-Lung LAD        .375  .333  .375  .708  4  8  0  0  0  0  2
  Wood Brandon LAA        .100  .308  .400  .708  9 10  0  0  1  2  5
  Upton BJ TB             .276  .323  .379  .702 13 29  3  0  0  2  7
  LaRoche Andy LAD        .250  .280  .417  .697 11 24  1  0  1  1  1
  Martin Russell LAD      .348  .348  .348  .696 11 23  0  0  0  0  3
  Victorino Shane PHI     .232  .306  .375  .681 16 56  2  0  2  4 11
  Young Delmon TB         .250  .323  .357  .680 15 28  0  0  1  2  4
  House JR HOU            .286  .313  .357  .670  9 14  1  0  0  0  3
  Zobrist Ben HOU         .267  .389  .267  .656  8 15  0  0  0  3  3
  Jones Adam SEA          .158  .273  .368  .641 13 19  2  1  0  3  7
  Kubel Jason MIN         .250  .306  .313  .619 14 32  2  0  0  3  3
  Fiorentino Jeff BAL     .200  .333  .267  .600 13 15  1  0  0  3  2
  Uggla Dan FLO           .234  .260  .340  .600 15 47  2  0  1  1  8
  Teahen Mark KC          .250  .295  .300  .595 13 40  2  0  0  3  9
  Tulowitzki Troy COL     .182  .308  .273  .581  8 11  1  0  0  2  4
  Desmond Ian WAS         .267  .313  .267  .580 11 15  0  0  0  1  4
  Herrera Javier OAK      .200  .273  .300  .573  6 10  1  0  0  1  2
  Gutierrez Franklin CLE  .194  .333  .226  .559 15 31  1  0  0  7  7
  Hermida Jeremy FLO      .179  .327  .231  .558 15 39  2  0  0  9  9
  Barton Daric OAK        .154  .389  .154  .543 11 13  0  0  0  5  3
  Quiroz Guillermo TOR    .150  .190  .350  .540 11 20  1  0  1  1  4
  Callaspo Alberto ARZ    .194  .256  .250  .506 15 36  2  0  0  3  3
  Pennington Cliff OAK    .250  .250  .250  .500 10 12  0  0  0  0  3
  Burroughs Sean TB       .222  .276  .222  .498 12 27  0  0  0  1  2
  Spivey Junior STL       .167  .286  .190  .476 15 42  1  0  0  6 14
  McPherson Dallas LAA    .111  .238  .222  .460  8 18  0  1  0  3  8
  Tuiasosopo Matt SEA     .188  .188  .250  .438  6 16  1  0  0  0  4
  Kemp Matt LAD           .118  .139  .294  .433 13 34  1  1  1  1  5
  Shoppach Kelly CLE      .083  .290  .125  .415 11 24  1  0  0  6  9
  Quintanilla Omar COL    .143  .217  .190  .407 10 21  1  0  0  2  5
  Navarro Dioner LAD      .063  .167  .063  .230  8 16  0  0  0  1  0
  Bush Matt SD            .111  .111  .111  .222  8  9  0  0  0  0  2
  Maybin Cameron DET      .000  .000  .000  .000  3  4  0  0  0  0  0

20 March, 2006

    World Baseball Classic ...  championship game is Monday, 9 pm ET

    Spring Training ... Fausto Carmona CLE 3 2 0 0 0 4 ... Andy Marte CLE 1-3 ... Scott Olsen FLO 5 4 0 0 0 1 ... Brian Bannister NYN 5 2 2 1 0 3 ... Mike Jacobs FLO 1-4, homer ... Jeremy Hermida FLO, another ofer, 0-4, 2 Ks, .179 ... Ryan Zimmerman WAS 1-3, error ... Joey Devine ATL 1 3 3 3 1 0 ... Joel Zumaya DET 2 0 0 0 1 2 ... Edwin Encarnacion CIN 1-3, double, 2 RBI ... Erik Bedard BAL 5 3 1 1 0 3 ... Jesse Foppert SEA 1 3 5 5 3 1... Jeff Clement SEA 1-2, triple ... Ian Stewart COL1-2 ... Kevin Frandsen SF 2B 2-3, triple, homer, 3 RBI ... Alex Gordon KC, at 1B, 1-3 ... Ryan Braun MIL 1-2 ... Daric Barton OAK 0-1, .167 ... Antonio Perez OAK 4-5, triple ... Corey Hart MIL 0-2, 2 walks, SB ... Prince Fielder MIL 1-2, 2 RBI ...

    Troop Movements ...  HOU - Matt Albers, Felipe Paulino to Triple-A ... BOS - signed Juan Gonzalez to a minor league contract ... MIL - signed Allan Simpson to a minor league contract, sent Zach Jackson to minor league camp (MLC) ... NYN - John Maine, Steve Schmoll to Triple-A, Matt Perisho, Julio Ramirez to MLC ... NYA - announced the retirement of Al Leiter, optioned Sean Henn, Melky Cabrera to Triple-A, T.J. Beam to Double-A, assigned Frank BrooksJ. Brent CoxEric Duncan to MLC ...  ... CIN - released Tuffy Rhodes, assigned Homer BaileyEarl Snyder to MLC ...  TB - optioned Jason Hammel to Triple-A, signed Al Reyes to a minor league contract ... TEX - announced that Edison Volquez is really Edinson Volquez ...  OAK - optioned Shane Komine to Triple-A, assigned Jason Karnuth, Kurt Suzuki to MLC ... SF - optioned Justin KnoedlerNate Schierholtz to Triple-A,  Matt Anderson to MLC ...  WAS - ptioned Tyrell Godwin, Bernie Castro to Triple-A

    Kevin T. Czerwinski, MLB.com, checks out the Rockies' farm :

" ...  Troy Tulowitzki ...  Injuries also slowed last year's first-round pick, but he's got too much potential, especially from a power perspective, to ignore. If he stays healthy, he projects as a 20-plus homer guy, especially at Coors Field ...  likely begin the season in Tulsa, finding his way to Colorado Springs or above before the end of the year."

" ... Joe Koshansky ...  Could he ultimately anchor an infield with Tulowitzki and Stewart at Coors Field? If he continues hitting the way he did in 2005, there's no reason to believe he won't. Koshansky finished second in the Minor Leagues to Brandon Wood with 38 homers, adding 115 RBIs while spending the bulk of his time in Asheville. He got a taste of Double-A Tulsa late in the season and continued his surge. He'll turn 24 this year, so age is becoming a factor."

    So far, FLO still likes Josh Willingham as a catcher.

" ...  Willingham's approval rating climbed Saturday when manager Joe Girardi gave the catching candidate his strongest endorsement yet to take over the position on a regular basis. ''We believe . . . that he can catch in the big leagues every day,'' Girardi said of Willingham, who has received extra training at the position this spring -- ''Catching 101,'' as the manager put it -- so the Marlins can keep his bat in the lineup. Although he stopped short of naming Willingham the team's No. 1 catcher, Girardi made it clear that Willingham has done nothing to end the experiment and move on to Plan B: shifting Willingham to left field." (Miami Herald)

    Hmmmm ... another little bit of rebellion?  Delmon Young takes his time reporting to Triple-A.

" ...  Top prospects B.J. Upton, Delmon Young and Elijah Dukes did not report to the minor-league complex Saturday as Rays officials had hoped. Agent Larry Reynolds said Upton will be there today: "B.J.'s a competitor and he wanted to get a good look (in major-league camp). The club felt he needed more reps at shortstop. He's going to refocus, and be ready to go (today)." As a member of the 40-man roster, Young has until Monday to report. Dukes was excused for medical reasons."  (St. Petersburg Times)

    A rookie breakthrough in BAL.

" ...  Sendy Rleal has come on as a strong candidate to make the team. Rleal throws hard and has struck out seven in seven innings while allowing only one run. He didn't have his best stuff in an appearance Friday but didn't allow any runs. "I've seen him better," Perlozzo said. "But he hasn't backed off."  (Baltimore Sun)

" ...  Hayden Penn has been tremendous in camp, notching a 1.13 ERA in eight innings of spring action. Penn is first in line to serve as a contingency plan if any of Baltimore's starters get hurt."  (MLB.com)

    LA's Hong-Chih Kuo appears ready :

" ... Kuo struck out the first four Tigers he faced Saturday and went two innings for the first time this spring. He has allowed only one hit with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. He said earlier preparation to compete for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic has him in top shape, even though he allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings in the tournament. "The kid has been outstanding the last couple of times," said manager Grady Little. "He was in complete command of the ballgame. He didn't back off any hitter -- his stuff was outstanding. What more can you say?"

 

 
 

    

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