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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 Sarfate,
Dave 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 Cabrera, Todd 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. Howell, Andres 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 Brooks,
J. Brent Cox, Eric Duncan to MLC ... ... CIN -
released Tuffy Rhodes, assigned Homer Bailey,
Earl 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 Knoedler,
Nate 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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