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27 March, 2005
Game action ... Brandon Phillips CLE 0-4 ... Jesse Crain
MIN 1 2 0 0 0 2 ... Gavin Floyd PHI 3 9 8 8 2 4 ... Ryan
Howard PHI 0-3 ... Kevin Youkilis 1B BOS 0-4 ... cancel that
phenom alert, Brandon McCarthy CHA 3 2-3 9 7 7 2 5 ... Adrian
Gonzalez TEX 3-4 ... Joe Borchard CHA 1-2, double ...
Clint Barmes SS COL 1-3, homer, 3 RBI ... Jeremy Reed
SEA 4-4, 2 RBI ... Emil Brown RF KC 1-3, 2 RBI ... Kirk
Saarloos OAK 5 2 0 0 1 3 ... Prince Fielder MIL 0-2, error ...
JJ Hardy MIL 2-3
Troop movements ... PIT - Zach Duke to minor league camp ...
LA - Edwin Jackson, Dioner Navarro to AAA ... SEA -
Jose Lopez, Cha Seung Baek to AAA ... MIL -
Ben Hendrickson, Jose Capellan to AAA
A little holdup on the Top 100 matrix ... as I try and get my leagues in order
for the new season with the end of the drafts (although another one picking up
this weekend).
26 March, 2005
Game action ... Wilfredo Ledezma DET 6 5 1 1 0 1 ... Michael
Restovich MIN
2-3, double, homer ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 2-2, walk, SB ... Chin-Feng
Chen LA
1-1, homer, 3 RBI ... Robinson Cano 2B NYA 2-4 ... Ryan Howard PHI 0-5, 2 Ks ...
David Krynzel CF MIL 4-4, double, homer ... Cory Sullivan CF COL 2-5, triple ...
Cha Seung Baek SEA 4 1-3 6 4 2 1 4 ... Luke Scott
CLE 2-5, 5th homer, 3 RBI ... Jhonny Peralta SS CLE 2-3, RBI ...
Yusmeiro Petit NYN 2 5 5 5 2 2 ... Dae-Sung Koo 2 0 0 0 1 3 ...
Ricardo Rodriguez TEX 4 1-3 12 6 6 1 1 ... Juan Cruz OAK 3 1 0 0 3 5
... Nick Swisher OAK 1-3, triple
Troop movements ... CHN - Angel Guzman to AAA ... CLE - Kazuhito
Tadano to AAA ... FLO - Jeremy Hermida to minor league camp
In the final piece in his Top 50,
Aaron Gleeman, TheHardballTimes,
picks Joe Mauer as baseball's top prospect.
" ...The expectations for Mauer were
incredibly high last year, yet he somehow managed to be even better than
expected. He hit .308/.369/.570, showed surprising power, did a magnificent job
controlling the strike zone, and shut down the running game defensively. He
looked as good as a 21-year-old rookie catcher could conceivably look, but
instead of talking about how great Mauer was, Twins fans spent the whole
offseason worrying about (and getting constant updates on) that damn knee. The
latest news is good, because although he had some swelling and discomfort with
the knee early this spring, Mauer is back behind the plate and feeling good. Oh,
and he's also hitting .400. If he does have to move out from behind the plate,
Mauer still has a great career ahead of him ... If healthy, Mauer has a chance
to be a once-in-a-lifetime type of player, a catcher with a package so diverse
and complete that there is really no directly comparable player in the history
of the sport."
1 Joe Mauer
6 Scott Kazmir
2 Felix Hernandez 7 Casey Kotchman
3 Delmon Young 8 Prince Fielder
4 Andy Marte 9 Joel Guzman
5 Ian Stewart 10 Dallas McPherson
" ... We've seen what a legitimately great
hitter like Todd Helton can do with the Rockies ... and Stewart's
minor-league resume is shaping up to be even more impressive than Helton's ...
Stewart will likely be entrenched as the Rockies' starting third baseman by the
time he's 22. Stewart has hit .318/.399/.583 in two pro seasons, showing very
impressive power (.265 Isolated Power), good plate discipline (95 walks in 188
games), and surprising speed (23 steals at a 70% clip). His defense should be
good enough for him to remain at the hot corner, which makes his potential value
that much higher."
Tomorrow -- the Top 100 matrix.
Zach Chalifour, TheRotoTimes, with his choices as the Top 10 prospects in
the NL East ... Andy Marte, Lastings Milledge, Jeremy
Hermida 1-2-3. Mets placed three -- Milledge, Philip
Humber (no. 6) and Yusmeiro Petit (no. 8) :
" ... Humber has gone somewhat under the
radar after being taken with the third-overall pick of last year's draft. He was
the first player chosen from the Rice University "Big Three," but the other
members of that trio, Jeff Niemann and Wade Townsend, who went fourth and eighth
overall, respectively, stole the media spotlight in the offseason ... Humber
should move back to the forefront in 2005, as he will move rapidly through the
minor leagues and maybe even reach Shea Stadium by the end of the season. He has
dominant stuff and can rack up the strikeouts and currently stands as one of the
best pitching prospects in the National League."
" ... Petit had an absolute breakout
season in 2004 where he skyrocketed through the minors, finishing the year at
Double-A Binghamton after starting out at the Low-A level. In 15 starts for
Capital City, Petit posted a 9-2 record, a 2.39 ERA and 122 strikeouts in just
83 innings pitched. He was just as good in 44 innings at High-A St. Lucie, going
2-3 with a 1.22 ERA and 62 strikeouts. Petit was strong in his two starts for
Binghamton as well, and he will head back to the Double-A level Mets to begin
2005. He should reach Triple-A sometime this summer. "
Grady Sizemore CLE, maybe he has a chance after all :
" ... Shortstop isn't the only key decision to
be made by Indians manager Eric Wedge and his staff in the next week. There's
also the issue of right field, where Juan Gonzalez appeared to firm up his
credentials Thursday by hitting another home run. However, reading between the
lines on Wedge's postgame remarks makes it clear Gonzalez is anything but a slam
dunk to be on the Tribe's opening-day roster ... "Juan had some good
swings today," said Wedge. "But it's still wide open. We'll see what happens in
the next three or four days." Wedge clearly isn't yet sold on Gonzalez ...
"We're going to look at the total game (of Gonzalez and Sizemore)," said Wedge.
"Which one allows us to be a better club? Offensively, defensively, intangibles,
persona, attitude, energy - the whole nine yards." Wedge said Gonzalez has had a
good attitude this spring, then added, "We've got to be able to count on him
being able to play every day and to play the outfield." Asked about Gonzalez's
defense, Wedge offered a terse, "He's still getting his feet under him."
Sizemore is hitting .306 with one home run this spring, and he's second on the
team in RBI with 10." (News-Herald)
Kevin Youkilis wins a spot in Boston :
" ... Because he made the most of his rookie season,
Youkilis will be wearing a Red Sox uniform on Opening Day in New York. Youkilis,
26, will back up third baseman Bill Mueller. He has worked out at first base
this spring and played a couple games, so he could see some action there. "I
like it," Youkilis said. "As long as I get to hit, I don't really [care].
Playing is playing. I like both places. Whatever I can do to play more, that's
what I want to do." (Hartford Courant)
25/26 March, 2005
Game action ... Daniel Cabrera BAL 4 2-3 2 1 0 2 4 ... Jon
Papelbon BOS 3 5 4 4 1 2 ... Luis Matos BAL seems
revitalized, 2-2, homer, SB ... Edwin Jackson LA, not much lustre
left, 5 7 7 7 3 1 ... Jhonny Peralta SS CLE 1-1, walk, RBI ...
Terry Tiffee 3B MIN 3-3, double, 2 runs, 2 errors ... Rick
Ankiel PH STL 1-1, double ... Gustavo Chacin TOR 5 6 1 1 1 3
... Brandon League TOR 2 2 0 0 1 0 ... Tony Giarratano
SS DET 3-5, triple ... Josh Willingham 1B FLO 2-4 ... Brad
Halsey ARZ 5 7 1 1 2 1 ... JD Closser COL 2-2 ... Dan
Meyer OAK, could mean a detour to the minors, 4 2-3 6 4 4 1 1 ...
Huston Street OAK 1 1-3 3 1 1 0 3 ... Jason Dubois RF
CHN 2-3 ... Jeremy Reed CF SEA 2-3, 2 RBI ... Casey
Kotchman ANA 1-4, double, RBI ... Ruben Gotay KC 1-4, 6th
homer & 16th & 17th RBI (in 18 games)
Troop movements ... Adam Wainwright STL among the cuts :
" ... Wainwright, the Cardinals' righthanded
pitching prospect who was in contention for a long-relief role ... assigned to
the minor-league camp ... Wainwright, 23, made a push for a big-league roster
spot with a strong spring, particularly his first two outings, a total of four
scoreless, no-walk innings. The Cardinals opted to keep him developing as a
starter, rather than rush him to the majors to apprentice while relieving. "We
weighed it and it's more important for a lot of reasons, for him and for us,
that he's going to pitch every five days rather than as a reliever," La Russa
said. "It really sets him up for his future as a starting pitcher. ... He's made
major strides since last year." (STL Post-Dispatch)
Aaron Gleeman, TheHardballTimes, has the
fourth installment (11-20) of his
Top 50. Aaron goes with :
11 Jeremy Reed SEA
16 Rickie Weeks MIL
12 Carlos Quentin ARZ 17 Dan Meyer OAK
13 Brandon McCarthy CHA 18 Edwin Encarnacion CIN
14 Daric Barton OAK 19 Anthony Reyes
STL
15 Yusmeiro Petit NYN 20 Jeff Francis COL
" ... There are a ton of promising young third
basemen around baseball these days and I think Edwin Encarnacion often gets lost
in the shuffle. His offensive numbers aren't as gaudy as some of the other top
prospects at the position, but he is young, a solid defensive player, and has
been very good at the plate on a consistent basis ... stayed at Double-A last
season and put together his best year yet, hitting .281/.352/.443 with 13
homers, 49 total extra-base hits, 17 steals at an 85% clip, and a very solid
79-to-53 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Joe Randa is currently keeping the hot corner
warm for Encarnacion in Cincinnati."
" ... one of the best southpaw pitching
prospects in all of baseball. At 23 years old, Meyer has five stops on his
minor-league resume, throwing between 61 and 81 innings at each place, and has
posted the following ERAs: 2.74, 2.87, 2.87, 2.22, 2.79. And he's got the
peripheral numbers to match too, with an outstanding career strikeout-to-walk
ratio of 381-to-87 in 352 innings ... Meyer could use a little more
Triple-A seasoning, but the A's have some major holes to fill in their rotation
and he should be able to at least hold his own in the big leagues."
Brad Dowdy, RotoJunkie,
looking at the future of the Cubs' outfield, includes some notes on Felix Pie
:
" ... There is no prospect more hyped in the
Cubs system than Felix Pie. Much of it is warranted, but I am still taking a
cautious tack with him, mainly because he conjures up thoughts of Wilson Betemit
in my head. They both signed young and started professionally stateside at age
17, but Pie is much more advanced at the same age than Betemit ... Pie
also has unbelievable speed, something which Betemit never had, but his success
rate is very low for someone that fast. But now comes the one Achilles heel that
they both share - very poor plate discipline ... Betemit has never been able to
overcome this issue, and Pie has regressed the last three seasons ...
Double-A will be big a challenge for the 20 year-old Pie in 2005, but if he can
make strides in his plate discipline, he could be patrolling the Wrigley
outfield for years to come."
Dayn Perry, FoxSports,
with his picks as the 10 best rooks for 2005 -- Brandon McCarthy,
Garrett Atkins included :
" ... [If Mark Buehrle is ready to start the
season] then the deeply gifted McCarthy will open the season back in the
minors. Even so, once the Sox get around to figuring out Jon Garland isn't going
to live up to the press clippings ... then McCarthy should get the nod. He's one
of the best pitching prospects in the minors, and after posting an incredible
6.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio across three levels last season, he's ready for
competition at the highest level. The Sox, however, will need to be patient. I'm
not sure the organization realizes they play in one of the best hitter's parks
in the AL, and as such they tend to overvalue their hitters and undervalue some
of their pitchers. In any event, McCarthy's shot will come at some point this
season. Expect great things from him."
" ... Atkins will be the Rockies' opening day
starter at third base, and, barring unexpected struggles, he figures to keep the
job for the entire year ... Long-term, he's merely keeping Ian Stewart's
position warm for him, but in the near term, reasonable promise as a hitter plus
Coors Field should equal strong superficial, unadjusted numbers for Atkins."
Steve Bisheff, Orange County Register, with a feature on Casey Kotchman
:
" ... The rookie with style is ready to move up. The
veteran with guile is not ready to step down. Casey Kotchman and Darin Erstad
are playing out one of those hidden dramas in the bright sunshine of Arizona
spring training. Kotchman is a 22-year-old kid so gifted, so slick, so highly
regarded by baseball scouts everywhere, that if he were given a shot at 500
at-bats this season, he might be a serious candidate for American League Rookie
of the Year ... in many ways, Kotchman, hitting a robust .391 this spring
and leading the team in RBIs with 15, is competing for a position that isn't
really there. That has to be frustrating for a rookie aching to get his first
chance as a big-league regular, right? "Not really," Kotchman said. "I don't get
frustrated about things I can't control. With us younger guys, I think everybody
just goes out and plays and sees what happens." His words indicate one thing,
but his I-can't-say-what- I-really-think smile tells you something else ...
"Kotch is still growing into his body," Scioscia said. "When he does, I think
you'll see a guy who is a dynamic offensive player and a Gold Glove first
baseman."
24 March, 2005
Game action ... Erik Bedard BAL 6 5 1 1 0 3 ... Joe Mauer
C MIN 2-3, double ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 1-3, triple ...
Ryan Howard 1B PHI 3-5 ... Luke Scott CF HOU 2-5, 4th
homer, 4 RBI ... Zach Duke PIT 2 3 1 1 1 0 ... Jhonny
Peralta SS CLE 1-4, double ... Grady Sizemore CF CLE 1-4,
homer ... Angel Guzman CHN 2 1-3 6 4 4 1 2 ... Prince Fielder
MIL 1-2, 3 walks, homer, 3 RBI ... Joe Borchard OF CHA 2-2, double
... Chris Young TEX 4 1-3 2 2 2 3 4 ... Dan Haren
OAK 3 1-3 10 8 8 1 1 ... Ian Kinsler 2B TEX 1-2, double ...
Jeff Francis COL 5 7 2 2 1 4 ... Clint Barmes COL 2-3, homer,
3 RBI ... Jason Ellison CF SF 3-4, double ... Abraham
Nunez KC 3-5, homer, 4 RBI ... Jose Lopez SS SEA 2-5, double
... Tim Stauffer SD 3 3 3 3 2 0 ... a phenom just days ago,
Denny Bautista KC 4 8 6 6 1 3 ... Ruben Gotay KC,
just about wrapping up the 2B job, 1-4, 5th homer, 3 RBI ... Felix
Hernandez SEA 2 1 0 0 0 2 ... Jeremy Reed CF SEA 2-4, triple
... Casey Kotchman ANA 1-1, 2 RBI ... Jorge Campillo
SEA 5 3 1 1 0 1 (then sent to minor league camp)
Troop movements ... BOS -- Lenny DiNardo and Mark Malaska
to AAA ... MIN -- Scott Baker to minor league camp
Aaron Gleeman, TheHardballTimes, has the third installment (21-30) of his
Top 50.
" ... 24) Chad Billingsley ... In a Los
Angeles system bursting with intriguing young pitching prospects, Chad
Billingsley separated himself from the rest of the pack with a dominant season
split between Single-A and Double-A ... began last season at Single-A Vero
Beach. He made 18 starts there, posting a 2.35 ERA and 111-to-49
strikeout-to-walk ratio in 92 innings ... performance dropped off slightly after
a promotion to Double-A, but he still managed 47 strikeouts and a 2.98 ERA in 42
innings, with a .213 batting average against. Oh, and he doesn't turn 21 until
the end of July."
" ... 25) Curtis Granderson ...
upped his plate discipline and power at Double-A Erie last year and put together
an outstanding season. Granderson hit .301/.405/.513 in 123 games, increasing
his home runs from 11 to 21 and going from 49 walks to a very impressive 80, all
while maintaining the same strikeout rate ... considered a good defensive
outfielder, although he may end up being a bit of tweener -- just passable in
center field but very good in either corner. He should get a chance to give
center field a go now that the Tigers have ended the forgettable Alex Sanchez
Era ... should be patrolling the middle of the Comerica Park outfield by the end
of the year."
Zach Chalifour, RotoTimes,
has his picks as the Top 10 in the AL West -- Felix
Hernandez, Dallas McPherson, Casey Kotchman 1-2-3
with lots of talent at the bottom of the list
too :
" ... 8. Thomas Diamond ... 10th overall
pick in last year's draft, Diamond was unhittable at Low-A Clinton in his first
taste of professional action. In just under 31 innings pitched through seven
starts, Diamond went 1-0 with a 2.05 ERA. He recorded 42 strikeouts against just
eight walks and allowed only 18 hits ... The Rangers have been starved for quality starting
pitchers for a long time now, and Diamond could team with fellow prospect John Danks to give them two potential aces in their rotation as soon as mid or
late-2006."
" ... 10. Shin-Soo Choo
...
one of the steadiest prospects in the entire Seattle organization over the past
three years and will soon be ready for a spot in the Mariners' lineup. After
spending all of 2003 at High-A Inland Empire, Choo stayed on track and played
all of 2004 at Double-A San Antonio, where he showed all the makings of a
five-category player (.315 average, 89 runs, 15 home runs, 84 RBI and 40 stolen
bases). Choo will head to Triple-A Tacoma this season and will get another full
year of seasoning before getting a chance join the Mariners' outfield in 2006."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, has a preview of the Cubs' farm ... first baseman
Brian Dopirak and outfielder Ryan Harvey among those noted :
" ... The only things the Cubs might like
better than Dopirak's swing are his personality and his work ethic. A sponge for
learning, he never changes his approach or focus in success and failure. Case in
point was the AFL season. As one of the younger players in the Fall League,
Dopirak struggled initially, but stuck with it to finish with a .274 average and
was among the league leaders with seven homers. Dopirak is a big guy with a
small swing that generates light-tower power."
" ... Harvey possesses one of the best swings
in the minor leagues. All questions of his health were answered as he helped
lead Boise to the Northwest League title in 2004. Harvey runs better than you'd
think for a guy his size, showing good speed going first to third. Defensively,
he's got a plus arm and makes all the plays. He's unusually polished for a high
school draftee. All he needs at this point are at-bats, and he'll start getting
them with the Cubs' new low-A affiliate in Peoria."
Jim Callis, Baseball America, on JD Closser COL :
" ... he spent most of last year at Triple-A
Colorado Springs (another high-altitude environment) and hit .299/.384/.440 with
seven homers and 54 RBIs in 83 games. Tools-wise, he has decent power from both
sides of the plate, draws his share of walks and doesn't strike out excessively.
His arm his solid but his mechanics aren't, so he still needs work at combating
the running game, and he's more of an offensive catcher than a defensive
specialist. Closser will bat toward the bottom of Colorado's lineup this year.
In a normal park, I could see him becoming a .270 hitter with 10-15 homers.
Helped by Coors Field, those numbers could translate to .295 with 12-18
longballs."
John M. Barten, 'Till You're Blue in the Face,
JJ Hardy MIL :
" ... He can hit and he has a good glove. If can
stay healthy, he's an All Star. I worry about that shoulder though. His shoulder
popped out of socket when he swung at pitch in a spring training game. I don't
like the sound of that. And shoulder injuries have a nasty tendency in pitchers
to re-occur. I don't know if that tendency carries over to hitters, but it is
enough for me to push his final grade down a level. But if he's healthy, he's as
good a prospect as Ian Kinsler, and unlike Kinsler, he has the opportunity to
stick at shortstop long term. Hardy's been struggling in spring training, so
he's probably heading to Milwaukee's new AAA affiliate in Nashville while Bill
Hall acts as the stopgap for at least the first couple months of the season.
Long term, Hall is more of a super-utility player and no real threat to Hardy's
job security."
Ryan Howard in the outfield? The trial is over :
" ... After the Phillies' brain
trust watched Howard play in three minor league intrasquad games on March 12 to
14, as well as in the major league intrasquad game Feb. 28, they agreed Monday
that the conversion would take too long. "As we felt going into it, we don't
feel like the instincts are there," said Mike Arbuckle, the club's assistant
general manager in charge of player development and scouting. Howard, 25, hasn't
played leftfield in any real games either in the minors or majors. He hit a
combined 48 home runs playing first base in Double A, Triple A and the majors
last season using a swing Charlie Manuel helped modify last year when Manuel was
a front-office adviser. Manuel loves the swing, but, after witnessing Howard
play in four intrasquad games and seeing Howard shag flies during defensive
drills and take one-on-one work with coach Gary Varsho, Manuel can't stand to
watch Howard tromp around the outfield any more. "He had real high steps, and he
wasn't going anywhere," Manuel evaluated ... "Howard's a good enough hitter for me to bring him up [from
Triple A] when we play interleague games," Manuel said - and not necessarily to
be the designated hitter. "He can play first base, and we can DH Thome." That's
why Howard will continue to see major league pitching for the last dozen spring
games." (Philadelphia Daily
News)
Another Rule 5 pick likely heading home (Tyler Johnson returned to STL,
Jays get lefty AJ Wideman from WAS to allow the Sens to keep
Tyrell Godwin) :
" ... appears extremely unlikely
that left-handed reliever Luke Hagerty, the Marlins' Rule V pick in December,
will crack the 25-man roster. Hagerty hasn't seen Grapefruit League action in
weeks after enduring control problems at the onset of spring training. Unless
Hagerty is placed on the disabled list, the Marlins would lose their control
over the hard-throwing pitcher if he's not with the team opening day, which is a
possibility. Hagerty informed the team he ''tweaked'' a finger on his throwing
hand a few days ago." (Miami Herald)
23 March, 2005
Game action ... Seth McClung TB 2 0 0 0 0 0 ... Jeremy
Hermida RF FLO 1-2 ... Gary Majewski WAS 3 2 1 1 0 ... JJ
Davis WAS 2-4, double, RBI ... Willy Tavaras HOU 2-3,
double ... Luke Scott HOU 2-4, double, triple ... Tony
Giarratano SS DET 3-5, homer, 2 RBI ... Ryan Doumit C PIT 1-2,
5th homer ... Wilson Betemit SS ATL 3-5, 2 homers, error ...
Ryan Langerhans LF ATL 1-2, homer ... Jose Capellan MIL
3 6 4 4 1 5 ... JJ Hardy SS MIL 2-3, double, triple ... Jose
Lopez SEA 2-5, double ... Tadahito Iguchi 2B CHA 2-3,
double ... Juan Cruz OAK 2 1 0 0 0 2 ... Adrian
Gonzalez 1B TEX 2-4, double, 3 RBI ... Ryan Howard 1B PHI 2-4, 2
errors ... Jesse Foppert SF 3 5 1 1 0 5
Troop movements ... pair of top CHA OF prospects, Brian Anderson &
Ryan Sweeney, sent to minor league camp ... CIN -- 3B Edwin
Encarnacion and catcher Dane Sardinha to AAA ... TEX --
Kameron Loe to AAA ... OAK -- sent Tyler Johnson (Rule
5 pick) back to STL ...
At
MLB.com, Jonathan Mayo features the CIN farm system :
" ... Edwin Encarnacion ... a big
bright spot in Major League camp this spring, hitting .353 over his first 34
at-bats. He's a guy with gap-to-gap power now who has home run potential.
Defensively, he's got good range at third and a strong arm. The only hurdle
Encarnacion has faced is finding consistency from pitch-to-pitch on both sides
of the ball. With a laidback personality, Encarnacion sometimes can look like
he's taking a pitch or two off, but he's also able to dial it up a couple of
notches when needed."
" ... Richie Gardner ... In his first
season of pro ball, Gardner went 13-5 with a 2.53 ERA at two levels, finishing
at Double-A. A real competitor, Gardner throws strikes (26 walks in 156 2/3 IP).
His biggest asset is his ability to command his fastball on both sides of the
plate. His slider is a plus pitch now and he's developing a changeup as well.
He'll head back to Double-A to start the season, but the Arizona product may not
be there for long if he keeps pitching at this level."
Charles Richter,
RotoAmerica.com, likes Ian Kinsler as the best of the Rangers'
prospects (Thomas Diamond the runnerup, Joaquin Arias
No. 3) :
" ... While most guys have Thomas Diamond
claiming the top spot for the Rangers, Kinsler earned it with the season he had
and he showed scouts that he isn’t just an average guy that had a fluke season.
Kinsler, due to an off-season strength and fitness program, put up some
impressive #’s across the board and lead the entire minor leagues in doubles
(51) while cranking out 20 home runs between 2 stops ... has a short, but quick
swing that generates good contact and distance ... doesn’t have the
arm, hands or instincts to play short so he profiles better as a 2nd basemen
.... I see a lot of Ryne Sandberg in Kinsler."
" ... Arias, sent over in the Arod deal with
Soriano, has a lot of resemblance to his current teammate. Like Soriano, Arias
is a tall middle infielder, wiry strong and athletic. Arias flashes his 5 tools
at the SS position with a strong arm, good speed (stole 30 bases), enough
strength to hit for modest power, excellent defender in the middle of the field
despite his 40 errors, and can hit for average (hit .300 in High-A Stockton) ...
Keep an eye on Arias in ’05 because he’s capable of a breakthrough with his
talent and skill set for his age."
So far, so good for the kid at shortstop in MIN :
" ... With Jason Bartlett looking like the favorite
to win the Twins' starting shortstop job, Manager Ron Gardenhire went on record
Monday saying he has no problem using a rookie at that position. "I did it,"
Gardenhire said. "I was a rookie shortstop. You have to be a rookie sometime or
another. So I don't have any qualms." In 1982, the New York Mets opened the
season with a 24-year-old Gardenhire as their starter ... "If they let me open at
shortstop, anybody can open at shortstop," Gardenhire said. The Twins entered
this spring with four candidates for the starting job, but Bartlett has
separated himself from Nick Punto, Juan Castro and Augie Ojeda." (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
How the kids (with a couple of sleepers tossed in) are doing ... including
Monday's games :
BATTERS AVE SLG OBA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO E
TEX Joaquin Arias .889 1.222 .889 9 8 3 0 0 3 0 0 0
CLE Franklin Gutierrez .588 .882 .650 17 10 3 1 0 4 3 3 0
CHA Pablo Ozuna .515 .697 .515 33 17 4 1 0 5 0 0 0
ANA Alberto Callaspo .481 .667 .500 27 13 3 1 0 8 1 0 2
TOR Guillermo Quiroz .444 .611 .524 18 8 3 0 0 2 2 1 0
WAS JJ Davis .435 .783 .458 23 10 3 1 1 3 1 11 1
COL Garett Atkins .432 .595 .512 37 16 3 0 1 4 6 2 1
DET Chris Shelton .429 .643 .467 14 6 3 0 0 2 1 5 0
DET Marcus Thames .429 .857 .600 14 6 0 0 2 4 6 2 0
OAK Daric Barton .429 .571 .500 7 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
PIT Ryan Doumit .429 1.357 .467 14 6 1 0 4 10 0 6 1
HOU Luke Scott .423 .885 .464 26 11 3 0 3 8 2 4 0
TOR Gabe Gross .406 1.125 .525 32 13 2 0 7 15 7 5 0
MIN Joe Mauer .400 .467 .500 15 6 1 0 0 4 3 0 0
LA Jason Repko .395 .581 .435 43 17 3 1 1 4 3 4 0
MIN Jason Bartlett .394 .576 .412 33 13 3 0 1 2 0 3 1
ARZ Luis Terrero .393 .714 .485 28 11 3 0 2 2 4 4 0
SF Tony Torcato .391 .565 .417 23 9 2 1 0 3 1 2 0
BOS Hanley Ramirez .389 .500 .450 18 7 2 0 0 4 2 2 1
CIN Edwin Encarnacion .389 .472 .476 36 14 3 0 0 6 6 7 0
COL Jeff Baker .387 .581 .525 31 12 3 0 1 5 9 6 0
KC Mark Teahen .381 .548 .447 42 16 4 0 1 6 5 10 4
ATL Andy Marte .375 .708 .375 24 9 2 0 2 6 0 2 0
ANA Casey Kotchman .372 .442 .426 43 16 3 0 0 12 4 9 0
BAL Luis Matos .371 .543 .465 35 13 3 0 1 6 5 5 1
ARZ Koyie Hill .367 .533 .355 30 11 2 0 1 4 0 4 1
KC Ruben Gotay .367 .714 .407 49 18 5 0 4 12 4 9 0
COL Jayson Nix .364 .409 .364 22 8 1 0 0 3 0 6 0
PHI Ryan Howard .364 .727 .447 33 12 3 0 3 7 4 9 1
OAK Dan Johnson .357 .500 .471 28 10 1 0 1 2 6 0 0
SEA Greg Dobbs .357 .643 .367 28 10 0 1 2 11 1 3 1
MIL Bill Hall .355 .419 .444 31 11 2 0 0 1 4 6 3
SF Jason Ellison .355 .516 .444 31 11 2 0 1 6 5 4 0
SD Xavier Nady .351 .622 .381 37 13 1 0 3 8 1 2 2
SEA ShinSoo Choo .350 .500 .435 20 7 0 0 1 4 3 3 0
TB Delmon Young .350 .600 .350 20 7 2 0 1 3 0 5 0
CIN Felipe Lopez .343 .429 .410 35 12 3 0 0 2 4 9 1
TEX Adrian Gonzalez .341 .545 .362 44 15 3 0 2 11 2 7 0
ARZ Chris Snyder .333 .429 .462 21 7 2 0 0 4 5 6 1
LA Russell Martin .333 .467 .412 15 5 0 1 0 3 2 0 0
LA Antonio Perez .333 .333 .405 33 11 0 0 0 3 4 9 3
OAK Omar Quintanilla .333 .400 .412 15 5 1 0 0 3 2 3 0
TB Jorge Cantu .325 .500 .349 40 13 4 0 1 7 2 6 1
CHN Jason Dubois .323 .710 .364 31 10 0 0 4 6 2 11 0
CLE Jhonny Peralta .323 .548 .425 31 10 1 0 2 8 7 5 0
COL Brad Hawpe .323 .484 .353 31 10 2 0 1 5 2 6 0
KC John Buck .323 .516 .344 31 10 3 0 1 2 1 5 0
MIL Prince Fielder .323 .516 .343 31 10 0 0 2 11 2 8 0
ARZ Conor Jackson .321 .429 .344 28 9 0 0 1 3 1 4 0
HOU Jason Lane .317 .707 .378 41 13 3 2 3 8 4 6 1
TEX Ian Kinsler .316 .553 .395 38 12 6 0 1 6 4 6 0
MIL Rickie Weeks .314 .486 .415 35 11 2 2 0 4 5 8 4
CLE Grady Sizemore .311 .400 .354 45 14 2 1 0 9 3 11 0
ARZ Scott Hairston .310 .552 .412 29 9 4 0 1 5 3 6 1
ANA Jeff Mathis .300 .850 .304 20 6 2 3 1 5 1 5 0
NYN David Wright .297 .459 .422 37 11 3 0 1 8 8 7 0
ANA Erick Aybar .296 .296 .296 27 8 0 0 0 3 0 1 1
SEA Jose Lopez .294 .441 .314 34 10 3 1 0 7 1 2 0
SEA Jeremy Reed .292 .479 .328 48 14 2 2 1 9 5 2 0
LA Norihiro Nakamura .290 .516 .313 31 9 1 0 2 5 1 6 1
BOS Dustin Pedroia .286 .429 .444 7 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0
BOS Kevin Youkilis .278 .389 .366 36 10 1 0 1 6 4 3 2
NYA Robinson Cano .269 .385 .269 26 7 0 0 1 5 0 3 1
DET Tony Giarratano .259 .407 .333 27 7 1 0 1 3 3 4 3
HOU Chris Burke .259 .481 .394 27 7 1 1 1 4 5 6 1
WAS Ryan Church .258 .484 .333 31 8 3 2 0 5 2 5 0
CHA Tadahito Iguchi .257 .314 .333 35 9 2 0 0 2 3 5 1
ATL Wilson Betemit .250 .375 .294 32 8 1 0 1 5 2 8 2
BAL Nick Markakis .250 .250 .333 8 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 0
MIN Terry Tiffee .250 .361 .289 36 9 1 0 1 1 2 5 1
TB Joey Gathright .250 .250 .308 12 3 0 0 0 1 1 3 1
OAK Nick Swisher .239 .261 .364 46 11 1 0 0 1 9 16 2
MIN Justin Morneau .231 .385 .286 26 6 4 0 0 2 2 3 0
MIN Michael Restovich .229 .286 .357 35 8 2 0 0 3 6 9 0
CHA Joe Borchard .226 .677 .333 31 7 2 0 4 11 5 7 2
CHA Josh Fields .222 .333 .364 18 4 0 1 0 2 4 5 1
COL Ryan Shealy .222 .370 .300 27 6 4 0 0 6 1 9 1
MIL Dave Krynzel .219 .375 .324 32 7 1 2 0 5 5 6 0
CHA Ross Gload .214 .286 .241 28 6 2 0 0 2 1 5 0
CLE Ryan Garko .214 .571 .389 14 3 2 0 1 2 2 4 0
COL Clint Barmes .200 .229 .300 35 7 1 0 0 3 3 5 1
LA Dioner Navarro .200 .267 .368 15 3 1 0 0 2 4 1 0
MIL JJ Hardy .184 .289 .220 38 7 2 1 0 5 2 5 3
FLO Jeremy Hermida .176 .265 .200 34 6 3 0 0 1 1 6 1
FLO Josh Willingham .176 .206 .243 34 6 1 0 0 2 3 10 0
DET Curtis Granderson .167 .667 .545 6 1 0 0 1 2 5 2 0
ARZ Josh Kroeger .133 .400 .235 15 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 0
ARZ Carlos Quentin .130 .130 .286 23 3 0 0 0 0 5 3 0
CLE Brandon Phillips .121 .152 .250 33 4 1 0 0 4 5 3 3
TB BJ Upton .118 .294 .158 17 2 0 0 1 2 1 4 2
COL JD Closser .107 .107 .167 28 3 0 0 0 0 2 6 1
ERA BA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO
ANA Chris Bootcheck 0.00 .233 4 0 8.0 7 0 0 0 0 2
NYN Matt Ginter 0.00 .195 4 2 11.0 8 3 0 0 3 8
TB Jeff Niemann 0.00 .200 2 0 4.0 3 0 0 0 1 4
CHA Brandon McCarthy 0.59 .170 4 4 15.1 9 3 1 1 1 9
MIL Chris Capuano 0.75 .200 4 4 12.0 8 1 1 0 6 11
DET Franklyn German 0.82 .211 7 0 11.0 8 1 1 0 3 8
MIN Scott Baker 0.82 .225 5 3 11.0 9 2 1 0 0 8
KC Denny Bautista 0.84 .211 4 1 10.2 8 2 1 0 6 12
KC Mike Wood 0.84 .211 4 2 10.2 8 1 1 0 1 12
NYA Chien-Ming Wang 1.00 .207 3 2 9.0 6 1 1 0 3 6
COL Jeff Francis 1.29 .240 2 2 7.0 6 1 1 0 2 6
OAK Dan Haren 1.29 .235 4 4 14.0 12 2 2 0 3 10
TB Scott Kazmir 1.42 .229 4 2 12.2 11 3 2 0 6 9
CHA Neal Cotts 1.50 .190 5 0 6.0 4 1 1 0 3 2
BAL Daniel Cabrera 2.19 .222 3 3 12.1 10 3 3 0 2 9
ANA Ervin Santana 2.25 .241 4 1 8.0 7 3 2 0 2 8
OAK Huston Street 2.25 .179 7 0 8.0 5 2 2 1 3 8
BAL Erik Bedard 2.35 .283 4 4 15.1 17 5 4 0 3 12
SD Tim Stauffer 2.45 .355 4 1 7.1 11 2 2 0 2 8
TEX Ricardo Rodriguez 3.00 .250 4 4 15.0 14 5 5 0 5 13
PHI Gavin Floyd 3.18 .158 4 4 17.0 9 6 6 1 9 12
KC Andy Sisco 3.60 .118 5 0 5.0 2 2 2 0 3 7
PIT Zach Duke 3.60 .275 3 1 10.0 11 4 4 1 2 6
SEA Felix Hernandez 3.86 .353 3 1 4.2 6 4 2 0 4 4
TB Dewon Brazelton 4.00 .289 3 3 9.0 11 5 4 0 6 6
OAK Joe Blanton 4.15 .275 4 3 13.0 14 6 6 2 2 8
TEX Chris Young 4.15 .244 4 3 13.0 11 6 6 0 5 4
STL Adam Wainwright 4.50 .308 4 0 6.0 8 4 3 0 0 4
STL Anthony Reyes 4.76 .340 4 2 11.1 16 6 6 1 3 12
BOS Abe Alvarez 5.40 .316 3 1 5.0 6 3 3 0 2 6
MIN Jesse Crain 5.40 .300 6 0 10.0 12 6 6 4 0 7
CHN Angel Guzman 5.68 .379 3 1 6.1 11 4 4 0 3 4
SF Jesse Foppert 6.00 .226 4 1 9.0 7 6 6 1 4 6
TOR Brandon League 6.00 .320 5 0 6.0 8 4 4 1 4 5
LA Edwin Jackson 6.75 .324 3 2 9.1 12 7 7 3 6 3
OAK Keiichi Yabu 6.75 .283 5 1 12.0 13 10 9 1 7 4
OAK Dan Meyer 8.31 .345 4 3 13.0 20 13 12 3 3 6
MIL Jose Capellan 9.00 .356 4 1 10.0 16 11 10 1 3 7
TOR Gustavo Chacin 10.64 .313 4 3 11.0 15 13 13 1 6 8
KC Dennis Tankersley 12.00 .429 3 0 6.0 12 8 8 3 4 5
WAS Michael Hinckley 12.00 .467 3 1 6.0 14 9 8 0 5 3
DET Wilfredo Ledezma 12.54 .378 4 1 9.1 17 13 13 3 7 11
BAL Matt Riley 13.50 .429 4 2 6.0 12 9 9 1 6 7
22 March, 2005
Game action ... Scott Kazmir TB 4 2-3 5 0 0 1 5 ... Wilson
Betemit 3B-SS ATL 1-2, RBI ... Edwin Encarnacion 3B CIN
2-2, SB ... Scott Baker MIN 3 5 2 1 0 1 ... Jesse Crain
MIN 2 1 0 0 0 1 ... Gavin Floyd PHI 5 1 1 1 5 4 ... Gabe
Gross TOR 1-4, 7th homer ... Dustin Pedroia 2B BOS 2-3 ...
Kevin Youkilis 3B BOS 1-2, homer ... Scott Hairston LF
ARZ 3-4, double, homer ... Chris Capuano MIL 5 3 0 0 0 4 ...
Rickie Weeks 2B MIL 3-4, triple, 4th SB ... Keiichi Yabu
OAK 3 5 5 5 3 0 ... Huston Street OAK 1 0 0 0 2 1 ... Brian
Tallet CLE 2 1-3 4 1 1 1 2 ... Grady Sizemore CLE CF 2-4, double ...
Jason Lane CF HOU 2-5 ... Jeremy Reed SEA 1-3, triple
Troop movements ... COL - Ryan Shealy, Choo Freeman to AAA ... WAS
- Brendan Harris to AAA, Michael Hinckley shut down
for a couple of weeks (shoulder strain) ... HOU - Carlos Hernandez
to AAA ...
Aaron Gleeman has kicked off his annual Top 50 at
TheHardballTimes ... the bottom 20 posted so far.
" ... 35. Erick Aybar ... a very
intriguing player, but his sizeable flaws include a major lack of plate
discipline (25 non-intentional walks in 136 games last season) and some awful
stolen base percentages (51-for-87, or 58.6%). However, he has enough positives
in his game to outweigh the negatives ... will likely begin the 2005
season at Double-A Arkansas and could be major-league ready by 2006. He is
considered a very good defensive shortstop and most feel he should be able to
stick at the position in the majors, although the Angels just locked up the
position for the near future with Orlando Cabrera this offseason. There are
plenty of reasons to doubt whether Aybar is for real or not and 2005 will be a
big test for him, but it'll be tough to leave him off this list until he stops
hitting .300."
" ... 45. Josh Barfield ... moved
up to Double-A Mobile last season and saw his batting average drop nearly 100
points. As usual, there are some potential excuses for Barfield's poor season.
For one, he suffered through leg problems all year, which led to him stealing
just four bases after swiping a total of 42 between 2002 and 2003. For another,
the Southern League is tough on hitters and Mobile is not a great park for
offense. However, while Barfield did hit .260 on the road compared to just .234
at home, his slugging percentage was nearly identical away from Mobile (which
means he actually showed less power, considering the higher batting average).
The interesting thing about Barfield's 2004 season is that while his offense
fell of a cliff, the reviews of his defense at second base continued to get
better and better ... he's still a 22-year-old middle infielder who
has smacked 117 extra-base hits over the past two years, which is why he remains
on this list."
" ... 49 Ervin Santana ... 2004 season
was ruined by injuries ... However, the good news is that in the eight starts he
was healthy enough to make, Santana pitched extremely well at Double-A as a
21-year-old, tossing 43.2 innings with a 3.30 ERA and 48-to-18 strikeout-to-walk
ratio. There is little to complain about with his on-field performance or
numbers, so the only real issue is Santana's health ... if I knew he could stay
healthy and avoid a major arm surgery, Santana would be at least a dozen spots
higher on this list."
At
RotoTimes, Zach Chalifour has Top 10s by division, with the AL East & AL
Central the first up. Joe Mauer is the leading prospect in the AL
Central with a pair of Indians close behind :
" ... 2. Michael Aubrey ... enters this
season as one of the top hitting prospects in all of baseball. The 22-year-old
began the 2004 campaign at High-A Kinston (.339-10-60), but his stay only lasted
60 games before he was promoted to Double-A Akron. Though he struggled somewhat
at Akron (.261-5-22 in 134 at-bats), Aubrey's combined statistics were excellent
... may supplant Ben Broussard at first base in Cleveland as soon as opening day
2006."
" ... 3. Adam Miller ... would be the
definitive No. 2 prospect on this list if not for his current health issues.
After posting a sub-3.00 earned-run average last year along with 152 strikeouts
in 134 innings at the Single-A level, Miller was expected to begin 2005 at
Double-A and potentially make his Indians debut at the end of the season. Those
plans have been put on hold, however, as Miller began to feel elbow discomfort
at the beginning of spring training. In effort to protect his arm from serious
injury, the Indians plan to shut Miller down for the next two months ... If he
can make a strong and quick recovery this summer, it's possible that he could
still fight for a rotation spot next spring."
Delmon Young, Hanley Ramirez and Scott Kazmir rank
1-2-3 in the AL East. Jeff Niemann is No. 4 :
" ... After signing Niemann - the
fourth-overall pick of the 2004 draft - just two months ago, the Devil Rays are
finally in the process of developing not only a legitimate big-league rotation,
but an Oakland-like "Big Three" of their own. Well, almost. If Niemann moves
fast and Dewon Brazelton can improve upon last year, those two and Kazmir could
form a formidable threesome come opening day in 2006. Niemann will likely start
this season at High-A Visalia, but he should move through the system quickly.
The only setback could involve minor injury problems he experienced at Rice
University, but all reports this spring point to the fact that Niemann is 100
percent healthy. He is a must-have in keeper leagues and with a strong showing
this year in the minors, it is not out of the question for Niemann to make his
Devil Rays debut this September."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, with a PIT farm report which includes notes on
Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny :
" ... When you've got a really live arm and
you're not so tall, everyone will want to make you a reliever. While Snell's
eventual role might be out of the bullpen, the Pirates figure they'll let the
5-foot-11 Snell start until he proves he can't. And so far he's done nothing to
show he can't handle the rigors of starting. His fastball sits in the 91-95 mph
range and he complements it with an above-average curve and decent change. Snell
has good control, but not always command, meaning he doesn't always locate his
pitches where he wants to within the strike zone ... He'll join a loaded
Indianapolis rotation, where he'll continue to work on pitch development."
" ... Gorzelanny is a live-armed lefty who
ended up on Altoona's playoff roster in his first full season. He's got three
pitches that are average to above-average and basically needs more experience to
find consistency with his delivery and his command. He'll go to Altoona as a
starter, but he showed the organization something with his success coming out of
the bullpen for Altoona during the playoffs. He could be a reliever down the
road, a la Mike Gonzalez, a current Pirates reliever who started for most of his
pro career."
Michael McHenry, NoPepper,
reviews the top outfield prospects in the ATL system :
" ... Kelly Johnson ... pegged
as the next Chipper after his 2001 season, but a couple of not-so-spectacular
seasons at Myrtle Beach and Greenville shut that hype up pretty quickly. He had
a really nice 2004 as 40% of his hits went for extra bases, including a whopping
35 doubles. If his defense at SS had been better, he would've been an excellent
replacement for Furcal in 2006. As it stands now, he has better players both in
front of and behind him."
" ... I think Baseball America putting [Jeff]
Francoeur as the Braves #1 prospect ahead of Andy Marte says a lot more
about the magazine than it does about either player. Francoeur has all the tools
and the makeup that scouts and front office folks love. And he's also got a huge
amount of power for his age. But he has to work on the plate discipline. In his
2 seasons above rookie ball, he has walked just 52 times in 931 ABs. The good
thing is that he knows this is the one weak link in his game, and in multiple
interviews he has said this will be his focus in 2005. If it all comes together
for him in the next few months, then he'll be the opening day RF in 2006."
Some mound options in KC :
" ... RHP Mike
MacDougal: Looking a lot like the guy who made
the All-Star team as a rookie closer in 2003. His fastball regularly hits the
mid-90s with sink, and his slider remains a knee-buckler. Has a string of five
scoreless outings with just one walk and two strikeouts in his last four innings
... LHP Andrew
Sisco: Appears certain to make the club because of his status as a
Rule 5 acquisition who must be offered back to the Cubs even if he clears
waivers (which is unlikely) ... RHP Kyle
Snyder: He's a bullpen candidate only because
his pitch count won't be ready for the rotation by opening day. Could still open
the season as a starter at Omaha, but he's been superb in short relief ... RHP
Wood: Making a late push for the rotation but
seems a more-likely fit as the swingman. Has allowed just one run in 10 2/3
innings after working four perfect innings in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Rockies."
(Kansas City Star)
21 March, 2005
Game action ... Anthony Reyes STL 4 6 0 0 1 4 & 1-2, homer ...
Wilson Betemit SS ATL 1-4 ... Ryan Howard 1B PHI 3-5, double, 3rd homer, 3 RBI ...
Grady Sizemore CF CLE 2-4, walk, SB ... Johonny Peralta SS CLE 1-3, walk, 2 runs
... Luke Scott HOU 3-4, double, 2 RBI ... Matt Ginter
NYN 4 1 1 0 2 2 ... Adam Wainwright STL 1 2 1 0 0 2 ...
Wilfredo Ledezma DET 3 7 6 6 1 1 ... Joe Mauer DH MIN
1-3, double, 2 RBI ... Ryan Rupe LA 2 1-3 3 1 1 0 1 ... Dennis
Tankersley KC 2 8 6 5 1 2 ... Mike Wood KC 4 0 0 0 0 4 ...
Brad Hawpe RF COL 3-4, homer ... Brandon McCarthy
CHA 5 2 1 1 0 4 ... Casey Kotchman 1B ANA 1-2, double ... Erick
Aybar SS ANA 1-3, SB ... Nick Swisher RF OAK 2-3, double
... Omar Quintanilla 2B OAK 2-2, double ... Dan Johnson
1B OAK 2-5, homer ... Daric Barton DH OAK 1-2 ... Tim
Stauffer SD 1 1-3 3 1 1 1 1 ... Ricardo Rodriguez TEX 5 2 0 0 1 6
Troop movements ... LA gets catcher Jason Phillips from the Mets for
starter Kazuhisa Ishii ... Daric Barton OAK,
Guillermo Quiroz TOR, Ryan Garko CLE among the cuts ...
Scott Rex, OnDeck, has posted his
Top 500 -- yes, 500 (from Joe Mauer C MIN to Ben Zobrist SS HOU).
The top 20 :
1 Mauer Joe 11 Floyd Gavin
2 Young Delmon 12 Miller Greg
3 Hernandez Felix 13 Marte Andy
4 Kazmir Scott 14 Cain Matt
5 Hamels Cole 15 Niemann Jeff
6 Miller Adam 16 Guzman Joel
7 Stewart Ian 17 Jackson Edwin
8 Fielder Prince 18 McGowan Dustin
9 Kotchman Casey 19 Francoeur Jeff
10 Billingsley Chad 20 Howard Ryan
Rockies sticking with JD Closser in spite of a rocky spring :
" ... Closser's struggles illustrated the fragility
of prospects and amplified an issue that has hung over the Rockies since camp
began: Will breaking in an inexperienced catcher jeopardize the success of the
rotation, the team's muscle? "If we anticipated winning the division, I would be
a little concerned. But we are in the development mode," catching instructor
Jamie Quirk said. "We have a semi-veteran staff who will guide J.D. I think it
will work out perfectly as they learn together." ... Closser is part of a new
beginning, a central figure in the team's full-blown youth movement. While
scouts have whispered that Closser is in trouble defensively, Quirk said the
25-year-old has given him more reason to believe he can make the transition to
the big leagues this spring, citing pitch sequences called, solid throws to nail
baserunners and his ability to block balls." (Denver Post)
John M. Barten, 'Till You're
Blue in the Face, on George Kottaras SD :
" ... Now this is what a catcher prospect looks like. Kottaras is
polished offensively, especially for his age. He has a touch of power and a
great approach at the plate. He could improve his defense a touch, but he's not
a liability and the Padres like his chances of becoming an above average
defender, and there's never been so much as a whisper of him moving to another
position...yet ... Projected to the Major Leagues, he'd be one of the
3 or 4 best offensive catchers in the game. Now he just has to avoid injuries
and stagnation. As J.R. House has shown us, that's easier said than done."
Huston Street ... comparisons to Dennis Eckersley :
" ... "The delivery is very similar, and Huston
repeats (his pitches' results) the same as Dennis,'' special assistant to the GM
and former A's pitcher Matt Keough said. "It isn't an accident that he locates
pitches as well as he does. Huston has probably a better breaking ball than Eck
and Eck never developed a change-up. That said, Eck's out in front by a lot of
wins and saves.'' ... A's general manager Billy Beane hesitated before
saying, "I've got to be careful with these comparisons, but what the hell, I
compared Eric Chavez to George Brett when he came up ... Huston and Eck are
similar: good velocity but don't blow hitters away, great command, low
three-quarter delivery. Huston's not as unorthodox as Dennis, but he's that
style of pitcher. And despite the Hall of Fame credentials, Huston's a far
better athlete, as anyone who watched Dennis during pitchers' fielding practice
can tell you.'' Worries that such lofty praise will put undue pressure on Street
are misplaced. "Huston handles pressure really well,'' said Street's father,
James. "He thrives on it, to some extent.'' (San Francisco Chronicle)
20 March, 2005
Game action ... Ryan Howard 1B PHI 1-2 ... Daniel
Cabrera BAL 5 1 0 0 1 4 ... Terry Tiffee 3B MIN 2-4, homer ...
Chien-Ming Wang NYA 4 2 1 1 2 3 ... Jhonny
Peralta SS CLE 2-4 ... Brandon Phillips SS CLE 0-3 ...
Gustavo Chacin TOR 4 1 1 1 2 3 ... Guillermo Quiroz
TOR 2-3, double ... Edwin Jackson LA 3 9 5 5 1 1 ... Jason
Repko RF LA 3-4 ... Ryan Doumit C PIT 1-1, 4th homer ...
tough day for the MIL kids,
Ben Hendrickson 3 7 4 4 1 1, Prince Fielder 1-4,
Rickie Weeks 0-4, Dave Krynzel 0-4, JJ
Hardy 0-3 ... Joe Borchard CF CHA 1-4 ... Dan Meyer
OAK 4 1-3 5 3 2 0 1... Dan Johnson OAK 2-4, double ... Felix
Pie CF CHN 2-3, triple ... Jason Dubois LF CHN 1-4, 4th
homer ... Brad Halsey ARZ 5 6 1 1 1 4 ... Cha
Seung Baek SEA 3 6 7 1 1 1 ... Sergio Santos SS ARZ
1-2, homer, 3 RBI ... Joe Blanton OAK 4 6 2 2 0 3 ... Juan Cruz
OAK 3 3 1 1 0 5 ... Nick Swisher OAK 2-4
Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News, on some spring surprises :
"
... Right-handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy ... caught Chicago White
Sox general manager Kenny Williams' attention early ... "I had a
talk with him and told him I had no doubt (about) his physical abilities, but it
was a concern of maturity," Williams recalled. "He told me, 'I'm the most mature
21-year-old you'll ever meet.' " Now manager Ozzie Guillen is making noise
about keeping the Cheyenne Mountain High School graduate."
"
... Remember the name Willy Taveras. He might start the season at
Class AAA, but it will not be long before he is at Minute Maid Park ... Taveras,
22, blossomed in what was his fifth minor-league season, winning the Class AA
Texas League batting title by hitting .335 at Round Rock (Texas). He also stole
55 bases, giving him 166 in 201 attempts the past three seasons."
"
... Nobody knows for sure what is going on at Toronto, where, in the past
two weeks, the Blue Jays have anointed Justin Speier as the closer, then
replaced him with displaced starter Miguel Batista. Keep an eye on
Brandon League, who never has earned a save but began working in relief at
Class AA New Hampshire last year (10 starts in 41 appearances). The consensus is
he is the hardest thrower in the Blue Jays camp."
Zach Duke PIT, forcing some second thoughts :
" ... Both manager Lloyd McClendon and general
manager Dave Littlefield would prefer the 21-year-old Duke start the season at
Triple-A Indianapolis. But, so far, he has pitched as well or better than the
other contenders for the No. 5 job ... "He (Duke) has some
impressive numbers, he shows a lot of poise," McClendon said ... They had
to like this, with Duke constantly keeping the Phillies off balance with his
curveball, changeup and well-placed fastball, which rarely reaches above 93
miles per hour but is almost never out of the strike zone. Duke had the best
numbers of any minor-league pitcher last season, going a combined 16-5 with a
1.46 ERA at Class A Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona. What was especially
impressive was his consistency; he allowed two or fewer earned runs in 25 of 26
starts, and gave up three runs once. Still, the Pirates are reluctant to rush a
pitcher who is 31-14 with a 2.21 ERA in three minor-league seasons to the majors
so quickly. And while Duke was hopeful of having a good spring, he wasn't
counting on making the Pirates' opening day roster. "But a kid like this one,
either he's ready to pitch in the big leagues or not," McClendon said. "I don't
buy into this 'he's too young' stuff." (Associated Press)
19 March, 2005
Game action ... Kyle Davies ATL 3 5 4 4 1 2 ... Brian
Tallet CLE 2 3 0 0 0 1 ... Brandon Phillips SS CLE 1-4, RBI
... Jesse Crain MIN 2 3 1 1 0 1 ... JD Durbin MIN 2
0 3 3 4 0 ... Erik Bedard BAL 5 6 2 2 0 4 ... Hanley
Ramirez SS BOS 1-1, double ... Adam Wainwright STL 1 4 3 3 0 0
... Josh Willingham RF FLO 2-4 ... Angel Guzman CHN
3 3 1 1 1 3 ... Joe Borchard RF CHA 1-2, 4th homer, 2 RBI
... Jason Dubois LF CHN 2-3 ... Ervin Santana ANA 2
3 1 1 1 2 ... Mark Teahen KC 2-3, 2 doubles ... Dan
Haren OAK 5 5 0 0 1 3 ... Huston Street OAK 2 3 1 1 0 4 ...
Daric Barton 1B OAK 1-1, double ... JJ Hardy SS MIL
0-3, error ... Ian Kinsler 2B TEX 1-3, double, walk ... Jesse
Foppert SF 2 3 3 3 3 1 ... Jorge Campillo SEA 1 1-3 4 3 3 1
0 ... Zach Duke PIT 5 3 0 0 1 5 ... Ian Snell PIT 2-3 3 2 2
0 1 ... AJ Hinch PHI 2-2, homer ... Brandon Claussen
CIN 2 2 2 1 1 0 ... Seth McClung TB 2 2-3 6 4 2 1 1
Troop movements ... ANA Erwin Santana, Jeff Mathis,
Alberto Callaspo, Erick Aybar, Kendry Morales (still
stuck in the Dominican due to visa problems) to minor league camp ... ARZ
Edgar Gonzalez, Adam Peterson to minor league camp ...
ATL Andy Marte, Kelly Johnson, Kyle Davies,
Tony Pena to AAA, Anthony Lerew to AA ... BOS
Hanley Ramirez to AA, Kelly Shoppach to AAA ... CHA
Bobby Jenks to AAA, Josh Fields to minor league camp
... CLE Andy Brown, Franklin Gutierrez to AAA ...
HOU Tommy Whiteman to AAA ... SD Justin Germano,
Humberto Quintero to AAA, Paul McAnulty to AA ... TOR
Francisco Rosario to AAA ... TB Jeff Niemann
to begin his pro career in Double-A :
" ... Rays optioned right-hander Jeff
Niemann to Double-A Montgomery on Friday. Niemann, drafted fourth overall
out of Rice last June, pitched four innings during spring training and did not
allow an earned run. "He has a pretty good mound presence for a guy who has
never been around pro ball before," Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella said. "He
realizes as we do that this is best for him to get into a rotation." Niemann
gave up four hits and one walk this spring, striking out four. "I don't think
his hiatus from major league baseball will be too long," Piniella said."
By the time you read this,
Scott Rex, OnDeck,
may have the final pieces posted in his Top 500. Yes. FIVE hundred.
Jose Lopez still in the running for a starting slot :
" ... a seismic shift appears to be happening at
shortstop. With Pokey Reese's spring affected by an ankle problem and, more
lately, personal matters that took him out of camp for several days, Jose Lopez
has used the opportunity and shown far better play at short than he did when he
was called up for the last half of last season — in addition to hitting .308
this spring with some big late-game, run-producing hits. Yet this is far from
decided. Reese is a known quality as a superior defensive player whose downside
has long been limited offense and frequent injuries. If Lopez is kept, he will
play. That would push Reese to a backup slot and create a jam on the bench."
(Seattle Times)
Joe Posnanski, KC Star, has a piece on
Denny Bautista :
" ... Every spring training camp needs a phenom, a prodigy, a kid who makes
scouts' eyes pop out of their heads. The man on the mound fits the story. He's
24. He's 6 feet 5. He throws a 98-mph fastball. He throws a slider that bears in
on you like a car salesman at a dealership. He throws a curveball that dives
like Louganis. Some scouts think his change-up is his best pitch ... Coming into this game, he has
not given up a run yet in the spring. He has struck out more hitters than any
other pitcher in spring training. Already, he has inspired Royals pitching coach
Guy Hansen to say these words: “He's the most intimidating pitcher I've ever
seen in my 30 years of baseball.” “I'll tell you what,” says the
harder-to-impress Allard Baird, the Royals' general manager. “This guy's got
some serious, serious stuff.” ... By the end of the three innings, Bautista —
even without a single curveball — has so overwhelmed the Angels hitters that Figgins desperately tries to bunt for a single with two outs. He pops it up
... Bautista has now pitched 10 2/3 innings in the spring; he has
struck out 12. He has an 0.84 ERA. (KC Star)
Rick Ankiel STL, some promising signs in minor league action :
" ... Ankiel
homered and singled in six at-bats for Class A Quad Cities against the Florida
Marlins' Greensboro affiliate one day after managing three hits in six at-bats
in a split squad game. "It was all right - not bad," Ankiel said after leading
off each of the first six innings for Quad Cities. "My swing feels pretty good.
I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing." Word of Ankiel's exploits
spread quickly throughout the major-league camp after he fouled off several
two-strike fastballs then crushed a changeup high up on a light pole on a back
field at the Roger Dean Stadium complex. Ankiel is scheduled to play right field
this afternoon for the first time since announcing his decision March 9 to give
up pitching in favor of playing outfield. There have been discussions within the
organization about whether to start Ankiel at Class A Quad Cities or high Class
A Palm Beach. Noting the lefthander's early success, La Russa said any decision
is subject to review. "I don't care who's pitching, if you go five for 12 in
your first two days, that tells me you have special talent," he said. "I'd like
to wait and see." (STL Post Dispatch)
David Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner, on
his choices as the likely top picks in the June draft :
" ... 1. Alex Gordon, 3B ... The best bat in the draft with a powerful lefthanded stroke. Comparisons range from Chipper Jones to Mark Teixeira, but
everyone agrees that Gordon has monstrous power and an advanced eye for hitting.
He has the tools to be either a good defensive third baseman or a great
defensive first baseman. Some back problems in his past are the only downside
involved with Gordon, who should be making a push for the major leagues by the
end of 2006."
" ... 2. Justin Upton, SS/CF ... younger brother of Tampa Bay phenom B.J. Upton, Justin is
a similar talent, and some scouts prefer Justin to B.J. He’s basically off the
charts on traditional tools rankings; he’s probably the fastest player in the
draft, his arm is a cannon, and everyone expects him to hit for high average
with at least gap power. The big question surrounds his defense at shortstop,
which is erratic at best ... Scouts are
mixed on his eventual position, though everyone who has seen him play center
field claims he can be an impact defender even if he has to move to the
outfield."
If Stephen Drew and Jered
Weaver are in the draft ?
" ... Drew would rank #3. Weaver wouldn’t rank
in the Top 5 after a year layoff."
David Luciani, Baseball Notebook, on Gabe Gross TOR :
" ... former first round draft pick, Gross is
leading the majors in spring training home runs with six and beyond the
statistical total, he is driving every ball he touches with tremendous line
drive authority, something he rarely showed in last year's big league audition.
The Blue Jays had already told him at the start of spring training that the plan
was for him to go down to Triple-A and be ready for when the call comes ...
I don't expect him to win an Opening Day starting job, barring a trade from the
Toronto roster, but he's now a lock to get a call-up at some point in 2005 and
he does have a chance to win a job on the bench, though it's unlikely that the
organization would want him to sit much at this point of his career."
MLB.com with a SEA farm report which includes notes on Shin Soo Choo and
Clint Nageotte :
" ... Choo has shown glimpses of tremendous
tools since signing in 2000, but he really started putting it all together in
2004 He put up great numbers for San Antonio, then continued to hit in the
Arizona Fall League. Choo, 22, can hit for average and power, runs the bases
well and has an above-average outfield arm."
" ... Nageotte struggled when he made
his big league debut. The right-hander's stuff is still intact, including
perhaps the best slider in all of the minors. But until Nageotte can trust and
command his fastball, he may have trouble finding consistent success. The
ability to command the fastball would make the slider an even better pitch. The
struggles he showed increased talk that he may be better suited as a relief
pitcher, particularly because he hasn't shown mastery of a third pitch (a
changeup)."
John M. Barten, 'Till You're
Blue in the Face, with a note on Jeremy Brown OAK :
" ... The book Moneyball made him infamous as
a "fat catcher" who scouts hated and statheads loved ... Brown can hit for
a modest average, play replacement level defense, and draw enough walks to
warrant keeping him around. He isn't a future star because he doesn't hit for
much power. If he ever finds a power spike, he can probably find himself
starting for a season or two with a middle of the pack team looking for some OBP
from the bottom of the order. If he doesn't find that power spike (which is the
more likely scenario), he'll have a 4 to 8 year run as a decent backup catcher
for a major league team. He isn't a wasted pick. He was a compromise for a cash
strapped organization."
18 March, 2005
Game action ... Jeff Niemann TB 2 1 0 0 0 3 ... AJ Hinch
PHI 2-4, homer ... Jason Pridie TB 3-4 ... Jose
Capellan MIL 3 1-3 9 6 5 0 2 ... Luis Terrero ARZ 3-5, double,
homer ... Rickie Weeks MIL 0-4, error ... JJ Hardy
MIL 0-4, error ... Denny Bautista KC 3 3 1 1 3 1 ... Andy
Sisco KC 1 2 2 2 2 2 ... Jeff Mathis ANA 1-4, triple ...
Keiichi Yabu OAK 3 2 1 0 1 2 ... Ubaldo Jimenez COL 3 5 5 5 2
0 ... Tim Stauffer SD 2 5 1 1 0 3 ... Garrett Atkins
COL 3-4, homer ... Jason Ellison RF SF 3-4, double
Peter
Gammons. ESPN.com, with some of his rookie picks :
" ... Brandon McCarthy ... "He's the
best young pitcher I've seen this spring," says one AL scout. "He can really
pitch. He has a great changeup, outstanding breaking ball and his fastball is
enough. The next Jack McDowell." Was 17-5 on three levels."
" ... Gavin Floyd ... At the end
of last season, his velocity was down in the 80s. It's back to 94, with the
killer hammer. "I haven't seen better stuff this spring," says one scout. "He'll
go right into that rotation, and his curveball is one of the best around."
" ... Scott Baker ... Shot
through the organization last season. Locates fastball down on both sides of the
plate, has a little funkiness and run that gets under lefties hands. By
mid-season, Baker could well be in the Minnesota rotation as they run at their
fourth consecutive 90-victory season."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, has a report up on the TEX system :
" ... Joaquin Arias ... Part of the
Alex Rodriguez deal, Arias made a nice step forward in 2004. Playing in the
California League at age 19, Arias hit .300 and stole 30 bases. He even showed
some surprising pop with 32 extra-base hits. He's still a little raw, but is
ahead of the curve for someone his age. He definitely opened some eyes in the
organization with how far he came in just one year in the Rangers' system. At
his age, he'll move a level a year, meaning he'll be Frisco's shortstop at age
20."
" ... Thomas Diamond ... already ranks as one
of the top arms in the Rangers' system. Primarily a fastball-changeup guy, he
didn't need much in the way of secondary pitches while at New Orleans. He's
working on a breaking pitch this spring and will use that wherever his
assignment is, possibly high-A Bakersfield. If he can master a curve or slider,
he could see Double-A sooner rather than later."
Joe Ptak, Cleveland Indians Report, on
Franklin Gutierrez and Jhonny Peralta :
" ... Gutierrez continues to be the talk of
camp, hitting a sizzling .588 (10-for-17) with three doubles and showing
impressive skills in the outfield. For you Bisons fans, an outfield of Gutierrez
and Sizemore will be fun to watch this summer."
" ... While a formal announcement has yet to be
made, it's beginning to look more and more like Jhonny Peralta (as
expected) will open the season in Chicago as the Indians starting shortstop.
Eric Wedge even hinted to the fact earlier in the week when, in his best
coachspeak, he stated "nothing has been decided yet, but that's fair to say"
when asked if Peralta has an edge over Brandon Phillips. In 23 at-bats this
spring, Peralta is hitting .304 with a pair of homeruns (he singled twice
yesterday against the Astros). Phillips, meanwhile, is hitting just .130
(3-for-23) in a similar number of at-bats."
At RotoAmerica.com, Chuck Richter has
team-by-team top prospect lists (the top three available as freebies).
Carlos Quentin is No. 1 on the D'backs :
" ... Anytime I see a prospect put up a .984
OPS in his first full season of pro ball, I take notice. He’s as complete a
hitter as they come, showing the ability to hit for average and power with
strong plate discipline skills. The one potential issue that could keep Quentin
from fulfilling his vast potential is his propensity to crowd the plate and get
hit. It’s one thing to have A/AA pitchers driving you off the plate and at times
plunking you, but major leagues with pinpoint control, who aren’t afraid to bust
hitters inside could give Quentin troubles at the major league level ...
Quentin could be starring at Bank One by this summer. I fully expect him to open
as the regular RF no later than April 2006, but his performance this year in
AA/AAA could certainly accelerate that timeline."
Scott Rex, OnDeck, has wrapped his team-by-team reports (Blue Jays & Mets the
last two) as we look forward to his Top 500 within the next few days.
Ooops, I may have had some column titles mixed up on
the Top 10s page. If so, now corrected, along with the updates from OnDeck
& MinorLeagueBall.
Alex Gordon, Ryan Zimmerman names to know.
John Manuel, Baseball America, with an early look at the 2005 draft :
" ... There's no doubt this is a good year for
third basemen," an American League scouting director said. "I think Gordon and
Zimmerman are clearly at the head of the pack. Gordon is the total package--a
profile corner guy with a history of production. With Zimmerman, you have to do
some projection. He hasn't hit with a lot of power up to this point but there is
looseness and snap in his swing and he showed last summer he can find the barrel
consistently with wood. Zimmerman also is arguably the best defensive player in
the country." Zimmerman's prowess with the glove forced Gordon to spend most of
his time with Team USA at first base. But his lefthanded power will play at any
position. "Gordon's power is a separator," another AL scouting director said.
"He's the best college bat at this point. Zimmerman's lack of power is a
concern."
17 March, 2005
Game action ... Gavin Floyd PHI 5 3 2 2 1 3 ... Jason Lane
HOU 2-3, double, triple ... Jhonny Peralta CLE 2-4 ... Grady
Sizemore CLE 2-2, double ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 2-5,
double, SB ... Eric Dubose BAL 3 0 0 0 1 2 ... Norihiro
Nakamura 1B LA 2-3, homer ... Robinson Cano 2B NYA 1-1, homer
... Tony Giarratano
SS DET 0-4, error ... Scott Baker MIN 2 1 0 0 0 3 ... Brandon
League TOR 1 1 1 1 2 2 ... Anthony
Lerew ATL
2 4 0 0 1 2 ... Andy Marte
3B ATL 1-1 ... Jeremy Reed SEA 0-3 ... Bobby Jenks
CHA 1 0 0 0 0 1 ... Mark Teahen
KC 1-3, double ... Justin Germano
SD 2 2 0 0 0 1 ... Daric
Barton 1B OAK 2-2 ... Edgar Gonzalez ARZ 1 5 5 5 1 0 ... Ian
Kinsler TEX 2-5, 2 doubles, 2 RBI ... Adrian Gonzalez TEX
2-5, double
A few stats notes ... games through Wednesday ...
Garrett Atkins COL, 2nd in AVE in the NL at .458, 4th in OBA, .536 ...
Gabe Gross TOR, 3rd in AVE in the AL at .478, 1st in homers (6),
tied for 2nd in RBI (11), 1st in SLG and OBA
Troop movements ... Jason Stokes FLO to AAA ... Clint Nageotte
and Shin-Soo Choo SEA to AAA, to Tacoma Yuniesky
Betancourt to AA ... BJ Upton, Jonny Gomes &
Joey Gathright TB to AAA
Scott Rex, OnDeck, has just about
wrapped up his team-by-team prospect lists with the Jays among the final entries
-- Dustin McGowan, Brandon League, Gabe
Gross 1-2-3.
At RotoAmerica.com,
team-by-team prospect reviews among the offerings ... with access to the top
three on each club :
Scott Olsen, No. 1 FLO " ... If Olsen
is #1 on this list, then Hermida is #1A. It was that close, but I couldn’t deny
a 20 year-old lefty who was the best pitcher in the FSL at age 20. Olson
continued to fill out his big frame this year and as a result increased his
velocity to the point where can bring it as high as 96 at time while sitting
comfortably in the 92-93 mph range. His slider is to the point where he throws
it on 3-2 counts to get batters out .... I think this kid is still very
projectable considering his frame and how much velocity he added in the past
year ... A potential future #1 starter."
Angel Guzman, No. 3 CHN " ... The
Cubs are wise to take the cautious approach with Guzman, as when he’s on, he’s
clearly their top pitching prospect, and one who was dominant, at times, in 2003
as a 21 year-old in AA. Stuff-wise, his fastball and curve are tops in the
organization and rank as two of the best pitches in the minors. He can run the
heater up to 96-97 with considerable movement and sink. The curve can be
devastating. What’s really not fair though is that his third pitch, a changeup,
also rates as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. #1 starter stuff when healthy,
but his shoulder will bear watching heading into 2005."
Casey Kotchman ANA on the cusp of a major league job.
" ... He's a good ballplayer and a good defensive
player. He knows the game and he's just a real good hitter who is going to get
better with experience and you're still getting experience no matter where you
play," Hatcher (hitting coach Mickey Hatcher) said. "He really has a good idea
about hitting. There is not a pitch that he cannot hit. He has a tendency to
have great at-bats and sees some great pitches." The question facing the Angels
now is whether or not it's time to move him up on a more permanent basis.
Kotchman would be well served by being in an every day lineup and that gives
manager Mike Scioscia pause, as he does not want to see Kotchman sit for
extended periods of time just to give his team a left-handed bat. But Kotchman
is making an impression that his time may be nearing. "Casey is feeling much
more comfortable at playing at this level," Scioscia said. "I think he is ready
for the challenges of the Major Leagues." One job that is far from settled is
designated hitter and Kotchman is proving that he can handle the stick. In
addition to Kotchman, three other players are in the running for that job, or at
least part of it. Juan Rivera, Jeff DaVanon and Robb Quinlan are all DH
candidates. But Quinlan may be thrust into the starting lineup at third in place
of the injured Dallas McPherson while Rivera and DaVanon will also be reserve
outfielders. Kotchman knows that his big break is close, but he tries to focus
on playing the game. "I try not to think about things that I can't control,"
Kotchman said. "We'll just see what happens." (MLB.com)
Jonathan Mayo. MLB.com, on some future Giants :
" ... Nate Schierholtz... top left-handed hitter in
the organization, Schieholtz made a seamless transition to the outfield after
being promoted to San Jose last season. Free from the rigors of playing third,
he could relax even more with the bat ... should wield a big enough bat to man a
corner outfield spot or make a move to first base if needed. He'll be given a
chance to make the Double-A club this spring."
" ... Eddy Martinez-Esteve ... has an advanced idea
at the plate, should have power down the line and is a little better than
average on the basepaths. His main weakness is defense, something he didn't work
on in college, but he's more playable than some thought. That being said, it's
Martinez-Esteve's bat that will carry him, and carry him quickly. He'll have a
chance to make the Norwich club, but a logjam of outfielders in the system may
mean he'll have to start back in San Jose."
Jim Callis,
Baseball America, on Aaron Hill TOR :
" ... Hill is a half-year to a year away from
playing regularly in Toronto. While he's the best position player in the system,
he was just solid in Double-A last year (.280/.369/.411) and needs some time in
Triple-A. Furthermore, Russ Adams is ready for major league duty, and he'll open
the season at shortstop for the Blue Jays. Because Hill has more arm strength,
he's better suited than Adams to play shortstop in the long term. But Hill's
range and quickness are average at best, and clubs usually want more than that
out of their shortstop. Ideally, from a defensive standpoint, Adams would
probably fit best at second base and Hill at third base. If Hill moves to the
hot corner, he'd have to show more power than the 11 homers he hit last year. He
has the potential to produce as many as 15-20 per season."
16 March, 2005
Game action ... Jason Repko CF LA 1-3, triple ... Russell
Martin C LA 2-2, RBI ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 3-3, 2 SBs ...
Jeremy Hermida RF FLO 1-5 ... Wilfredo Ledezma DET 3 3 1 1
2 2 ... Gabe Gross TOR 1-2, walk, 6th homer ... Guillermo
Quiroz TOR 2-2 ... Scott Kazmir TB 3 1-3 5 2 2 1 3 ...
Hanley Ramirez SS BOS 2-2, error ... BJ Upton TB
SS 0-1 ... Yusmeiro Petit NYN 2 2 1 1 0 2 ... Dae-Sung
Koo NYN 1 0 0 0 0 2 ... Jhonny Peralta SS CLE 1-4, homer
... Brandon McCarthy CHA, third win, one earned run in 10 innings,
5 6 2 0 1 3 (also, see below) ... Casey Kotchman ANA 3-4 ... Huston Street
OAK 1 1 1 1 0 0 ... Nick Swisher LF OAK 3-4 ... ShinSoo
Choo RF SEA 3-4 ... Ricardo Rodriguez TEX 4 2-3 3 0 0 3 2 ...
Joaquin Arias SS TEX 2-2 ... John Patterson WAS 3 7 5 5 1 1
... Jon Rauch WAS 2 3 1 1 1 1 ... Ryan Church WAS
1-2, triple ... Brendan Harris WAS 3-5 ... Chris Capuano
MIL 3 2 0 0 3 5 ... JJ Hardy MIL 1-3, triple ... Brad Nelson MIL
PH 1-1, homer ... Prince Fielder MIL 0-3
Troop movements ... Kurt Ainsworth BAL might be through (including a
partially torn rotator cuff & labrum) ... Alex Sanchez released by DET
... Chris Truby KC, broken wrist, Mark Teahen likely with a
starting spot ... Curtis Granderson DET, optioned to AAA along
with Kenny Baugh and Chris Shelton ... Justin Verlander
to begin his pro career at A-Level Lakeland ... Kris Honel CHA to AA ...
Merkin Valdez SF to AAA ... Matt Cain SF to minor league camp
Some quality at the top of the FLO prospect chart as
John Sickels picks the best of the
Marlins' farm. Outfielder Jeremy Hermida takes the top slot
with lefty Scott Olsen as the runner-up. Former poster boy
Jason Stokes ranks No. 8.
" ... Hermida took a major step forward last year,
and further advancement would make him a Grade A- type guy. He has both tools
and skills. The question will be how much his power develops, and a lot of
scouts are very optimistic on that count. Scott Olsen doesn't get a lot of
attention, but is one of the best LHP prospects around ... Jason Stokes
continues to impress people with his power, but he hasn't learned the strike
zone and is not a refined hitter. I personally believe that he has a good chance
of stalling out as a Triple-A slugger."
John M. Barten, 'Till You're
Blue in the Face with some notes on a sure thing and a couple of sleepers :
Joe Mauer " ... I think the power spike
was real. He has plate discipline, outstanding hand-eye coordination, and a
beautiful swing. He's simply a gifted hitter. His swing is crafted for line
drives, but he hits them hard enough that a lot of them are going to fly over
the fence ... When your worst case scenario is John Olerud, you're doing pretty
well. Defensively, the knee injury casts doubt on his ability to stay behind the
plate, but he's always been pretty athletic for a catcher, with quick feet, good
hands, and a reasonably strong arm. I think third base would be a logical
destination."
Wilfredo Ledezma " ...
He's reportedly added a pretty effective changeup to his arsenal, which already
had an above average, low 90's fastball and a decent slider. Obviously his
command is a hell of a lot better than it was in 2003, when he was routinely
hammered by Major League hitters. His name is being floated around as a sleeper
candidate. I think he might need a consolidation year before he really breaks
out ... For now, I'd be happy seeing him become a decent 4th starter this
season and a #2/3 after that. He's slotted in as the Tigers 5th starter ...
I like him a lot, but there's a lot of hyperbole and hype surrounding his
development."
Justin Huber " ... pretty much
doubled his walk rate in 2005, which is a good sign. I expect that we'll see a
small power spike in the next couple of seasons. He's a solid hitter whose bat
is good enough that it will translate well to either a corner outfield spot or
as is expected, to 1B/DH. Expect Huber to develop into a kind of Mike Sweeney
for the next generation of Royal fans, mediocre defense and all. He'll pound a
mess of doubles, some home runs, and draw some walks. He'll be a cornerstone of
the next good Royals team as long as management doesn't screw it up by sending
him to Billy Beane before he becomes arbitration eligible."
Jonathan
Mayo, MLB.com, on the COL farm, including SS Chris Nelson :
" ... Nelson had Tommy John surgery in high school
while a two-way player, but worked tirelessly to come back as a shortstop. The
Rockies were very cautious with him and used him mostly as a DH in his debut
with Casper last summer. When he's 100 percent healthy, he has a plus, plus arm
from shortstop. And even with the remarkable offensive potential he has, no one
foresees a need to move him out of the middle of the infield. He's an impact
player in the middle of the field and someday could hit in the middle of the
lineup. He has a shot at breaking camp with Asheville when the season begins."
Charles Richter reports RotoAmerica.com
just about ready to kick off (some news feeds still a couple of weeks away).
Looks impressive. While it's to be mainly a pay site, there's some
prospect news ... with the Top 25 of its Top 100 available (Felix Hernandez,
Delmon Young, Ian Stewart 1-2-3). A bit of a surprise at No. 5 :
Chad Billingsley No. 5 " ... So advanced that
he was skipped straight from rookie ball to high class A this past year, ending
up in AA. Jumps to the top of an impressive list of Dodger pitching prospects
after striking out A/AA hitters at a rate of 10.6 / 9 IP. A 97 mph fastball,
hammer curve, slider, and change allowed him to hold AA hitters to a .221 avg.
Not bad for a 20 year old."
Carlos Quentin No. 12 " ... One of the best
hitters in Stanford history translated his skills with the bat at the
professional level. Quentin stands for “the Quintessential slugger” Quentin is
going to be an excellent RF and power bat for the Diamondbacks for some time. He
might crack the roster this season.
Brandon McCarthy CHA making quite an impression :
" ... Over 10 1/3 innings, McCarthy has allowed
seven hits and struck out five. His ERA is the same 0.00 as it was when he threw
his first pitch against Arizona. So, once again, the White Sox find themselves
with a dilemma in the starting rotation. There aren't enough spots to fit in
McCarthy. "He's the best pitcher in camp right now. There's no doubt about it,"
said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who seems more amazed by McCarthy with
each trip to the mound. "I wish I had this kid last year. I would have had one
less headache. "It's fun to watch this kid pitch. It's amazing that he's a baby
and he does what he does. You won't see too many kids pitch at the big league
level the way he does now." ... McCarthy might be shining brightest, but
the White Sox appear to have a galaxy of young pitching stars in their minor
league system. Right-handers Sean Tracey and Kris Honel don't have McCarthy's
results, but they certainly have proven their value as part of big league camp.
Digging a little deeper, there are lefties such as Gio Gonzalez and Ray Liotta
standing a little further away from contributing but equally as talented."
(Scott Merkin, MLB.com)
Ken Gurnick, MLB.com, on Joel Guzman LA :
" ... "His ceiling offensively is off the chart,"
said farm director Terry Collins. "The only shortstop I can really compare him
to is Cal Ripken. And that's pretty unfair to compare him to Ripken when he's
20." It is Guzman's size that is part of the fascination. He is listed at
6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. That's at shortstop, not small forward. Of course, most
scouts say they aren't sure where he'll play in the field eventually, they just
know it won't be shortstop ... Collins said Guzman is staying at shortstop, at
least for a while, because there's no compelling reason to move him ...
Jerry Royster ... manager at Triple-A Las Vegas ... said he's part
of a small minority that believes Guzman should remain at shortstop. "There will
always be someone smaller and quicker, but nobody's told me why he can't play
there," said Royster. "He has everything it takes to be a big league shortstop."
Mariano Duncan, once a touted shortstop in the Dodgers system who will be
Royster's coach, said Guzman will be a superstar. "At his age, I didn't think
like he thinks," said Duncan. "He sees a nasty pitch, he lets it go. I ask him
what he's thinking and he says, 'That plate belongs to me.' He recognizes the
strike zone. Latin players come to swing the bat. You don't find too many guys
like that."
Bryan Smith, BaseballAnalysts.com,
with a note on Felix Pie, his No. 2 pick on the Cubs Top 40 :
" ... It’s time to start taking Pie for what he is.
I’m sure we can remember the winter after his great short-season performance,
when comparisons to other Dominican outfielders (notably Vladimir Guerrero) were
thrown out. Wrong. Pie is not that type of player at all, his power is just not
there ... What Pie can be ... the future Cubs leadoff hitter and the man to push
Corey out of center. It would have to take someone really good on defense to do
that, and Pie is as good a defensive outfielder as anyone in the minors. His
stolen bases, walks and strikeouts are all a bit frustrating, because all of
those facets of his game must improve for him to be a good leadoff hitter.
.300/.360/.440. That’s what Felix Pie is. Take it or leave it ... Pie is a
special talent, and if he’s anything near Kenny Lofton, can be a lifelong Cub in
my book. There are major hurdles that he needs to jump over, however, and this
is the year to do it. AA is called the make or break level for a reason, and
it’s time Pie shows us what he is. It’s time to stop being raw."
15 March, 2005
Game action ... Daniel Cabrera BAL 4 1-3 7 3 3 1 3 ... Hanley
Ramirez SS BOS 0-4 ... Justin Verlander DET 1 2 1 1 0 1 ...
Edwin Encarnacion 3B CIN 2-2, double, 2 walks ... Jesse
Crain MIN 2 3 1 1 0 0 ... Boof Bonser MIN 2 4 1 1 0 1 ...
Josh Willingham FLO LF 1-5 ... Gustavo Chacin TOR 3 7 6
6 2 0 ... Gabe Gross TOR 2-3, 2 doubles ... Adam
Wainwright STL 2 1 0 0 0 1 ... Andy Marte 3B ATL 0-2 ...
Wilson Betemit 3B ATL 0-2, error ... Rick Ankiel STL PH
0-1 ... Curtis Granderson DET, game-winning, two-run homer, 1-1
... Ian Snell PIT 1 1 0 0 0 2 ... Ryan Shealy 1B COL
3-3, 2 doubles ... Joe Borchard CHA 1-4, homer ...
Yuniesky Betancourt SS SEA 2-3, triple ... Jeremy Reed
CF SEA 1-4, homer ... Kameron Loe TEX 1 2 2 1 1 0 ... Adrian
Gonzalez TEX 2-4, double ... Alberto Callaspo ANA 2-3,
triple, 2 RBI ... Casey Kotchman ANA 1-1, 2 RBI ...
Dennis Tankersley KC 3 3 2 2 3 2 ... Clint Nageotte SEA
2 5 2 2 1 0 ... Edwin Jackson LA five runs in two innings before a
rain out ... Felix Hernandez SEA 2 2 0 0 0 3 :
" ... Hernandez threw strikes on 13 of his 16
pitches and fanned the first two batters he faced, setting the tone when he got
Khalil Greene swinging on a curveball that broke hard despite a steady wind
blowing in from left field. "I relaxed," said Hernandez, who turns 19 on April
8. "When I threw the first pitch, I was more relaxed." The Mariners wanted to
see how the Venezuelan, who throws a 97-mph fastball, would respond after
getting roughed up in his last appearance. He allowed four runs on four hits and
walked four batters in a loss last week to Kansas City. This time, he relied on
fastballs and curves, working in two changeups. "I made some adjustments. In the
bullpen, I threw my pitches and I did the same in the game," Hernandez said.
Asked to elaborate on the adjustments, he said: "Stay closed, not open. Don't
try to overthrow." Seattle bullpen coach Jim Slaton called it was an impressive
comeback, just what team officials wanted to see. "We were kind of glad to see
him get beat up a little bit in that last game, and this is why," Slaton said.
"We wanted to see how he'd respond. He came back and threw strikes. He's going
to be something special. ... He doesn't have any fear." (Associated Press)
Crafty lefty at the top of the PIT prospect chart in
John Sickels' review at
MinorLeagueBall.com.
" ... At the top you have lefty Zach Duke,
owner of a 142/30 K/BB ratio and a sub 1.50 ERA last year. He's also a soft-tosser,
relying on command and deception to survive. He's done this very well thus far
obviously, and certainly rates as a solid B+ prospect, but he's not a sure
thing. Number two guy Ian Snell has better stuff and an impressive
track record, but is a short righthander; scouts are concerned he will not be
durable. Still, I think he's underrated as a prospect."
Scott Rex, OnDeck, has posted his TEX and WAS prospect lists -- Michael
Hinckley, Clint Everts, Larry Broadway 1-2-3
on the Nats ... Thomas Diamond atop the Rangers' chart, followed
by Adrian Gonzalez and John Danks.
Oh, oh ... now it's worry time for Mark Prior owners :
" ... Prior will be out indefinitely because
of inflammation in his right elbow ... trainer Mark O'Neal said Monday the
24-year-old Prior has some inflammation in the elbow joint and a little
irritation to the ulnar nerve ... Prior and O'Neal both said the current
injury is not related to last year's problem ... Cubs general manager Jim
Hendry said Prior saw elbow specialist Dr. Lewis Yocum last weekend and had a
precautionary MRI on Sunday. "There is no damage to the nerve," Hendry said.
"The ligament remains exactly the same from the MRI last year." Prior was
supposed to pitch Tuesday against Kansas City but will miss that start. O'Neal
said that in addition to rest, Prior is taking anti-inflammatory medication and
the Cubs would see how he responds to the rest and medication before determining
when he will begin throwing again. (Associated Press)
Building your lineups? Just in case ... the following among the 40-man
roster guys already cut from major league camps ... BAL Walter Young,
John Maine, Adam Loewen ... BOS Abe Alvarez,
Manny Delcarmen ... CLE Jeremy Guthrie, Fausto
Carmona ... ARZ Josh Kroeger, Dustin Nippert
... SD Brad Baker, Josh Barfield ... WAS Michael
Hinckley. And, the NRI page has been
updated to reflect the invitees who've been chopped.
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful notes on my mom's amazing recovery. She's
just fine. Almost as if nothing had happened. Now back at home base & hope
to get all all the emails in the next day or so.
14 March, 2005
Checking out the kids ... Anthony Reyes STL 3 1-3 5 3 3 0 4 ... Erik
Bedard BAL 4 2-3 4 0 0 2 6 ... vet Scott Seabol 1B STL 4-4,
double ... Rick Ankiel STL PH 0-1 ... Franklin Gutierrez
CF CLE 2-2, double ... Grady Sizemore CLE CF 2-4 ... Jeremy
Hermida RF FLO 1-1, double ... Norihiro Nakamura 3B LA 2-3,
homer, 2 RBI ... Jason Repko LF LA 1-3, double ... Hanley Ramirez
BOS, back at SS, 1-1, double ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 1-2, homer
... Joe Mauer MIN C 2-2 ... Zach Duke PIT 3 4 1 1 0
0 ... Brandon League TOR 2 3 0 0 0 2 ... Seth McClung
TB 3 4 1 1 0 1 ... Gabe Gross TOR 2-3, double ... John Maine
BAL 1-3 3 5 5 2 0 ... Hayden Penn BAL 1 0 0 0 2 3 ... Jeff Francis
COL 4 4 1 1 1 4 ... Kris Honel CHA 2-3 2 3 3 2 0 ... Joe Borchard
CHA 2-5, 2 doubles, 4 RBI, error ... Angel Guzman CHN 1 1-3 6 3 3
1 0 ... Ervin Santana ANA 2 2 2 1 0 1, 2 WP ... Casey Kotchman
ANA 2-4 ... Brad Halsey ARZ 3 5 4 3 3 2 ... Conor Jackson
ARZ 1B 2-2 ... Reggie Abercrombie ARZ 2-2, homer ... Rickie
Weeks MIL 2-3, double ... Huston Street OAK 1 1 0 0 1 1 ...
Daric Barton OAK 1B 0-1 ... Joe Blanton OAK 1 1 0 0
1 1 ... Dan Meyer OAK 3 2-3 8 3 3 0 1 ... Merkin Valdez
SF 3 1 0 0 2 2 ... Ruben Gotay KC 2-3, homer
Troop movements ... Jack Cust OAK, another failed attempt, sent to
minor league camp along with Brad Sullivan and Richie Robnett
... TEX sent Juan Dominguez to AAA and John Danks
& Thomas Diamond to minor league camp
John Sickels has the BAL system Top 20 with a trio of outfielders at the top -- Nick
Markakis, Val Majewski and Jeff Fiorentino ...
righty Hayden Penn ranked No. 4. Lefty Adam Loewen
is down at No. 8.
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