Minor League Wrap (8/17-23/09)
I’m around for questions this time, so if there’s anything important left over from last week, shoot.
To the jump!
Draft Wrap-up:
Here’s the 2009 draft, by some numbers:
· Fifty-two picks (thirty-five signed)
· Twenty-eight hitters (nineteen signed)
· Fifteen left-handed, three switch, ten right-handed (nine/three/seven signed)
· Twenty-four pitchers (sixteen signed)
· Nine left-handers, fifteen right-handers (four/twelve signed)
· Eight prep, forty-four college (three/twenty-seven signed)
· Two that got away (34th-round RHP Scott Griggs, 14th-round 3B Adam Nelubowich [football for the Cougars])
For additional reading, Triunfel may be back soon and that rag Dave writes for did a piece on the recent international scouting renaissance. I was not aware that there were Argentinian minor leaguers (I knew that there weren’t Chilean ones) or that Maori players had been signed. Hooray!
Tacoma Rainiers (4-3 this week, 63-66 overall)
The Week in Review:
Monday, August 17th 2009
Iowa 5 (CHC + 4), Tacoma 3
W: Fossum (4-4, 4.44); L: Vargas, J (2-3, 3.43); SV: Parker (16)
Tuesday, August 18th 2009
Omaha 2 (KC – 20), Tacoma 4
W: Hernandez, G (6-9, 6.01); L: Nicoll (0-1, 14.54); SV: Messenger (25)
Wednesday, August 19th 2009
Omaha 5 (KC – 21), Tacoma 10
W: Morrow (3-2, 3.98); L: O’Connor (1-1, 4.88)
Thursday, August 20th 2009
Omaha 13 (KC – 20), Tacoma 7
W: DiNardo (9-5, 3.47); L: Seddon (7-8, 4.51)
Friday, August 21st 2009
Omaha 9 (KC – 19), Tacoma 8 (eleven innings)
W: Hamulack (3-3, 5.60); L: Baldwin (6-10, 4.62)
Saturday, August 22nd 2009
Tacoma 2, Fresno 0 (SF + 8 )
W: Vargas, J (3-3, 2.98); L: Kinney (8-12, 5.25); SV: Manuel (1)
Sunday, August 23rd 2009
Tacoma 10, Fresno 5 (SF + 7)
W: Hernandez, G (7-9, 5.86); L: Hammond (9-11, 5.66)
Hitter of the Week:
3B Chris Shelton, R/R, 6/26/1980
7 G, 26 AB, 7 R, 10 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 4/6 K/BB, .385/~.500/.731
Shelton has two and a half months with an OPS over 1.000 and one (total) with an OPS around .630. He shows minor platoon splits, hits for power, doesn’t strike out in horrible excess, walks a fair amount, can hit in Cheney unlike a lot of guys, and no one seems to want him, not even the Mariners. Okay, so he can’t really play anywhere but first. I’d make an analogy for how he’s being treated anyway but it seems to be too obvious. Someone find a home for this guy.
Now at Third OR Second Mention:
IF Matt Tuiasosopo, R/R, 5/10/1986
7 G, 28 AB, 10 R, 9 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, SB, 8/5 K/BB, .321/~.424/.643
Pitcher of the Week:
LHP Jason Vargas, 2/2/1983
1-1, 2 GS, 2.31 ERA in 11.2 IP, 11 H, 4 R (3 ER), 9/3 K/BB, 4/19 G/F, WP
I have to remind myself now and then that Vargas didn’t pitch all of last season, because he has 125 innings in the books for the year, which as it stands would rank just behind the 135.1 he had in 2007 and the 181.2 he had in 2005. His start on Monday was nothing special, going through five and two-thirds innings and letting three runs score on nine hits, three walks, and two Ks, but Saturday he got through six allowing just two hits and striking out seven.
Possible September Call-Up Mention:
RHP Robert Manuel, 7/9/1983
0-0, 3 G, S, 0.00 ERA 3.2 IP, 2 H, 3/0 K/BB, 2/6 G/F
From The Training Room:
Nothing new, save Hull’s demotion. Josh Hall is rehabbing in Arizona.
Strange Happenings:
RF Mike Wilson had three assists in Monday’s game, but he wasn’t perfect out there: he had an error as well. The Rainiers had fourteen home runs this week (three of which were Wilson’s), the same number of home runs Gut has on the season. I’d pine for such an offense, but not at the cost of that kind of defense. Incidentally, the pitching gave up four solo home runs on Sunday.
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (3-4 this week, 30-27 in the second half, 57-70 overall)
The Week in Review:
Monday, August 17th 2009
West Tenn 3, Hunstville 4 (MIL –11)
W: Braddock (2-0, 0.00); L: Aumont (1-3, 3.94); SV: Wooten (9)
Tuesday, August 18th 2009
West Tenn 4, Hunstville 1 (MIL –12)
W: Munoz, L (7-6, 4.35); L: Green, Ni (0-4, 3.86); SV: Varvaro (7)
Wednesday, August 19th 2009
West Tenn 6, Hunstville 7 (MIL –11)
W: Henderson (1-0, 2.25); L: Aumont (1-4, 5.09)
Thursday, August 20th 2009
Rain out
Friday, August 21st 2009
West Tenn 0, Huntsville 1 (MIL – 11) (seven innings)
W: Welch, D (8-8, 4.20); L: Hill, N (5-5, 2.66)
West Tenn 3, Huntsville 0 ( – 12) (seven innings)
W: Bray (6-6, 2.94); L: Holliman (7-8, 4.73)
Saturday, August 22nd 2009
Birmingham 3 (CHW + 14), West Tenn 11
W: Rohrbaugh (2-3, 2.63); L: Lowe (0-3, 10.70)
Sunday, August 23rd 2009
Birmingham 9 (CHW + 15), West Tenn 2
W: Long (6-3, 2.63); L: Downs (1-1, 8.44); SV: Brooks (1)
Hitter of the Week:
CF Ezequiel Carrera, L/L, 6/11/1987
7 G, 29 AB, 5 R, 13 H, 2B, 1/0 K/BB, .448/~.448/.483
I’m not sure what to make of this line. Carrera is making a killing right now on the slap hit, but he’s taking it to an extreme. Sure, he has fifty-two walks on the year, six more than he had last year when he played twenty-five more games, and yet I find it a bit difficult to get all excited about a guy who didn’t have double-digit doubles until August 15th. Last year, he had a lot more triples and a few more home runs to go with, so it wasn’t so bad. Here’s hoping he recovers some of that in the next year or two.
Nice Eye Numbers Mention:
1B Marshall Hubbard, L/R, 4/16/1982
7 G, 22 AB, 2 R, 6 H, 2B, HR, 5/5 K/BB, .273/~.407/.455
Pitcher of the Week:
RHP Luis Munoz, 1/10/1982
1-0, 2 GS, 0.75 ERA in 12.0 IP, 8 H, R, 13/3 K/BB, 6/16 G/F, WP, HB
The other Luis picked up off waivers, Pena, was released earlier in the week, but Munoz has been turning in progressively better performances after a slow start to the season. Compare his July numbers next to his August ones. In each, you have five starts, but in August he has 27.1 innings to July’s 25.0, and a 28/11 K/BB to the earlier 19/13 ratio. Command has always been problematic for him, so if he’s ever going to be a major league pitcher, he needs to keep this up.
Another Long Shot Contender for a 40-man Spot Mention:
LHP Robert Rohrbaugh, 12/28/1983
1-0, 2 GS, 1.54 ERA in 11.2 IP, 11 H (HR), 3 R (2 ER), 9/1 K/BB, 11/14 G/F
Another DH CG Mention:
LHP Nick Hill, 1/30/1985
0-1, GS, 1.50 ERA, 4 H, R, 8/0 K/BB, 7/2 G/F, WP
From the Training Room:
As I noted above, Luis Pena was released as the M’s selected Messenger from the Rainiers. To replace him, Kyle Parker was activated, and it looks like Eric Hull was demoted from Tacoma to fill in a vacancy left by Aumont, who went on the DL with a left hand injury. Paredes was also sent back to High Desert.
Strange Happenings:
Steve Bray also had a complete game win this week in the double-header, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out five. Just like last week.
High Desert Mavericks (5-1 this week, 31-25 in the second half, 74-52 overall)
The Week in Review:
Monday, August 17th 2009
Off day
Tuesday, August 18th 2009
Rain out
Wednesday, August 19th 2009
Rancho Cucamonga 7 (ANA – 1), High Desert 9 (seven innings)
W: Wild (6-7, 3.94); L: Miller, J (5-8, 4.44); SV: Richard, S (12)
Rancho Cucamonga 3 (0), High Desert 2 (seven innings)
W: Flores, M (1-2, 3.70); L: Jensen (3-2, 3.53); SV: Carmona, I (20)
Thursday, August 20th 2009
Rancho Cucamonga 7 (ANA – 1), High Desert 11
W: Hume (15-5, 4.40); L: Flores, M (0-2, 4.34); SV: Richard, S (11)
Friday, August 21st 2009
Inland Empire 4 (LA – 12), High Desert 19
W: Hensley (7-3, 4.62); L: Sexton, T (8-12, 3.44); SV: Mortimore (1)
Saturday, August 22nd 2009
Inland Empire 3 (LA – 13), High Desert 10
W: Ramirez, J (7-9, 4.94); L: Miller, J (0-4, 6.63)
Sunday, August 23rd 2009
Inland Empire 0 (LA – 14) High Desert 5
W: Robles (2-1, 2.66); L: Alvarez, Ma (4-6, 4.91)
Hitter of the Week:
RF Carlos Peguero, L/L, 2/22/1987
6 G, 22 AB, 9 R, 9 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 6/2 K/BB, .409/~.458/1.091
Averaging over nine runs of offense per game, topping double digits three times, and boasting five hitters getting regular playing time in the week who hit over .400, it’s going to be a real shame if a Maverick isn’t Cal League Hitter of the Week. For my pick, I’m opting for Peguero, who had one of his four home run weeks to give him twenty-five dingers total on the year. It’s weeks like these that have made him a frequent suggestion over the years for a breakout player in this system. His problem is that his plate discipline is just as bad as Halman’s, with a 159/36 K/BB in 112 games. Both are leading their respective leagues in Ks, while Pulaski Mariner Jarrett Burgess is tied for the lead in the Appalachian League.
Limited PT Superstar Mention:
2B Edilio Colina, R/R, 10/10/1988
4 G, 11 AB, 6 R, 5 H, 2 2B, RBI, SB, 1/4 K/BB, .455/~.600/.636
Back to His Old Self Mention:
SS Juan Diaz, S/R, 12/12/1988
5 G, 19 AB, 3 R, 8 H, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 6/2 K/BB, .421/~.476/.684
Still Improving Mention:
3B Alex Liddi, R/R, 8/14/1988
5 G, 18 AB, 6 R, 9 H, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 2/4 K/BB, .500/~.591/.611
One of Everything Mention:
CF Tyson Gillies, L/R, 10/31/1988
5 G, 7 R, 21 AB, 8 H, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 3/1 K/BB, 2 SB, 2 CS, .380/~.409/.667
Remember My Hit Streak? Mention:
LF James McOwen, L/R, 9/26/1985
6 G, 21 AB, 8 R, 10 H, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4/3 K/BB, .476/~.542/.571
Pitcher of the Week:
LHP Mauricio Robles, 3/5/1989
1-0, GS, 0.00 ERA in 7.0 IP, 3 H, 8/3 K/BB, 11/2 G/F
I’m liking the repeat appearance of Robles on the list. He’s only really had one bad outing all month, the third of an inning affair on the fifth when he allowed five runs to score on five hits and two walks. Since then, he’s logged nineteen innings, striking out twenty and… walking twelve. So the command isn’t all there yet, but he’s only allowed six hits, and he’s had a two and a quarter grounders for every fly since arriving in Adelanto, compared to the near even ratios he was running in the Tigers org. That’s probably part of why none of his nine home runs this year have come while pitching in the Cal League.
Back in Action Mention:
RHP Michael Pineda, 1/18/1989
0-0, GS, 0.00 ERA in 3.0 IP, 2 H, 4/0 K/BB, 4/1 G/F
[first outing in the Cal League in over three months]
From the Training Room:
Pineda and Paredes are both back on the pitching staff.
Clinton Lumberkings (2-4 this week, 25-30 in the second half, 65-60 overall)
The Week in Review:
Monday, August 17th 2009
Cedar Rapids 1 (ANA + 2), Clinton 3
W: Carraway (3-0, 2.74); L: Correa, M (6-9, 4.76); SV: Josselyn (2)
Tuesday, August 18th 2009
Cedar Rapids 6 (ANA + 3), Clinton 3
W: Boshers (3-1, 5.97); L: Kasparek (10-6, 2.42); SV: Taylor, A (6)
Wednesday, August 19th 2009
Off day
Thursday, August 20th 2009
Clinton 0, Peoria 3 (CHC + 12)
W: De Leon, M (4-3, 2.38); L: Moran (0-2, 3.65); SV: Huseby (17)
Friday, August 21st 2009
Clinton 3, Peoria 7 (CHC + 13)
W: Cabrera (7-2, 4.87); L: LaFromboise (7-8, 4.08); SV: Hamren (7)
Saturday, August 22nd 2009
Clinton 0, Peoria 8 (CHC + 14)
W: Shafer (9-8, 4.96); L: Vasquez (1-3, 7.71)
Sunday, August 23rd 2009
Clinton 4, Peoria 1 (CHC + 13)
W: Carraway (4-0, 2.57); L: Bristow (5-7, 4.12); SV: Hann (10)
Hitter of the Week:
IF Kyle Seager, L/R, 11/3/1987
5 G, 17 AB, 5 H, 3 2B, RBI, 2/3 K/BB, SB, .294/~.400/.471
Seager started his tenure as a Lumberking by going 15-for-44, and then seemed to faceplant once the calendar turned over. On the plus side, three of his six doubles on the year came in the past week, and he still has sixteen walks to thirteen strikeouts for the season. Additionally, they’ve been experimenting a bit with him playing around a bit. He was a second baseman by trade in college, but now he’s also seeing regular time at short and some starts at third. I’m hoping that his ability to see the ball well means better power production in the future.
Could Stand to Walk More Mention:
LF Jake Shaffer, L/L, 8/16/1987
6 G, 22 AB, 8 H, 3 2B, RBI, 5/0 K/BB, SB, .363/~.363/.500
Pitcher of the Week:
RHP Andrew Carraway, 9/4/1986
2-0, 2 GS, 1.63 ERA in 11.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 8/1 K/BB, 11/14 G/F
Carraway, a twelfth-round pick this year, started out as the closer for the Aquasox before they opted to move him back to the rotation, where he spent the last two years at Virginia. His senior campaign, when he ran a 75/22 K/BB in 91.0 IP, wasn’t quite as his junior one when it was 87/12 in 75.1 innings, but he did shave about forty points off of his average. His stuff is just a tick above average, so his high strikeout rate so far in the minors is mostly the result of advanced pitching knowledge and command. He could move quickly despite not having a great ceiling.
Hasn’t Allowed a Run Since June Mention:
RHP Cheyne Hann, 9/17/1984
0-0, 3 G, S, 0.00 ERA in 3.1 IP, 3 H, 4/0 K/BB, 1/5 G/F
Please Stay Healthy Mention:
RHP Maikel Cleto, 5/1/1989
0-0, GS, 0.00 ERA in 3.0 IP, 2 H, 6/0 K/BB, 0/2 G/F
From the Training Room:
Kris Sanchez hit the DL again, which brought in Dwight Britton from Pulaski. The M’s people seem to be experimenting a bit with that last outfield spot. Speaking of which, I don’t know what happened yet, but Mendez and Gallagher are no longer being listed on the roster. Mendez hasn’t played in over a month, and Gallagher has been out all season. One additional move was Tommy Johnson coming over with Britton for another go at the league, though he hasn’t caught a game yet since arriving.
Everett Aquasox (2-4 this week, 34-28 overall)
Monday, August 17th 2009
Everett 0, Salem-Keizer 5 (SF + 17)
W: Bucardo, J (4-3, 2.91); L: Moorer (1-2, 5.51)
Tuesday, August 18th 2009
Everett 5, Salem-Keizer 1 (SF + 16)
W: Hesketh (1-0, 0.87); L: Toole (1-3, 2.79)
Wednesday, August 19th 2009
Off day
Thursday, August 20th 2009
Salem-Keizer 3 (SF + 15), Everett 5
W: Kirkland (3-4, 4.92); L: Gloor (5-1, 2.80); SV: Cordero (1)
Friday, August 21st 2009
Salem-Keizer 7 (SF + 16), Everett 2
W: Vazquez (3-0, 2.90); L: Stanton (3-3, 4.08)
Saturday, August 22nd 2009
Salem-Keizer 8 (SF + 17), Everett 0
W: Westcott, C (2-0, 2.66); L: Esquibel (2-3, 4.59); SV: Bucardo, W (1)
Sunday, August 23rd 2009
Eugene 9 (SD – 6), Everett 8
W: Erickson, D (3-4, 3.00); L: Cordero (0-1, 4.50); SV: Fetter (5)
Hitter of the Week:
OF Wellington Dotel, 10/2/1985
5 G, 18 AB, 4 R, 6 H, 2 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 2/1 K/BB, SB, .333/.400/.611
Dotel is a study in the general weirdness of summer league play. Signed as a NDFA in late 2004 as a 21-year-old, he played his first year in the Dominican Republic and hit .373, slugged .631, and was among the leaders in most meaningful categories. It was a wonder that no one had previously noticed him considering the ability that he seemed to be displaying. Then he was nailed with a 50-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs. Oh. His talent is clearly not all chemical, and he hasn’t since been caught, nor has any other M’s prospect. He’ll continue to have that raised eyebrow for a while though.
Walker of the Week:
CF Matt Cerione, L/L, 1/4/1988
6 G, 20 AB, 3 R, 4 H, HR, 8/8 K/BB, CS, .200/~.429/.350
Pitcher of the Week:
RHP Fray Martinez, 5/20/1989
0-0, 3 G, 0.00 ERA in 6.1 IP, 4 H, 5/2 K/BB, 7/6 G/F
I mentioned Fray a while back when I was going the hitters to pitchers thing, but he’s here again, and after a string of solid performances, he’s yet to allow an earned run in August. His command is also improving, gradually, but that’s to be expected as he gets more and more acclimated to the league. While he was dealing with visa issues or what have you, he was running a 33/4 K/BB in 20.2 innings in the DSL, so the ability is there. He might be the best off of the guys who were transitioned within the system.
Good Starter Mention:
LHP Jonathan Hesketh, 6/3/1986
1-0, GS, 1.80 ERA in 5.0 IP, 4 H (HR), 5/0 K/BB, 7/3 G/F
Okay Starter Mention:
RHP Andres Esquibel, 7/13/1986
0-1, GS, 2.84 ERA in 6.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R (2 ER), 6/0 K/BB, 6/6 G/F
From the Training Room:
Jonathan Hesketh got moved back from Clinton after a few weeks and is in the ‘Sox rotation. I’m pretty sure Kyle Brown is on the DL. Dotel got sent back too and it looks like Royster might be on the DL. Avila is back though.
Strange Happenings:
In an instance of “you’re doing it wrongâ€, the ‘Sox finally played James Jones off position in Monday and Tuesday night’s games. Unfortunately, that position happened to be first. The Aquasox got no-hit on Saturday. Of the twenty-three runs Aquasox starting pitchers gave up this week, nine were unearned.
Pulaski Mariners (4-3 this week, 25-31 overall)
Monday, August 17th 2009
Pulaski 6, Burlington 5 (KC – 16)
W: Housey (2-2, 2.67); L: Roberts, L (2-1, 3.86); SV: Cloud (1)
[Note: Monday’s first game was continued from the suspension on Sunday]
Pulaski 10, Burlington 6 (– 17) (seven innings)
W: Diaz, O (1-0, 10.80); L: De La Cruz, De (2-2, 3.90); SV: Sorce (1)
Tuesday, August 18th 2009
Pulaski 6, Burlington 2 (KC – 18)
W: Maurer (3-4, 4.12); L: Fortuna, C (2-6, 4.76)
Wednesday, August 19th 2009
Off day
Thursday, August 20th 2009
Rain out.
Friday, August 21st 2009
Elizabethton 5 (MIN + 18), Pulaski 4 (seven innings)
W: Watts, D (2-0, 5.40); L: Gillheeney, J (0-1, 4.40); SV: Davis, T (6)
Elizabethton 9 (+ 19), Pulaski 3 (seven innings)
W: Sanchez, An (5-1, 5.01); L: Tome (3-4, 5.77)
Saturday, August 22nd 2009
Elizabethton 6 (MIN + 20), Pulaski 5 (thirteen innings)
W: Kennelly (2-1, 1.08); L: Chang (0-6, 6.64)
Sunday, August 23rd 2009
Bluefield 4 (BAL + 3), Pulaski 5 (ten innings)
W: Sorce (2-0, 2.35); L: McCrory (1-1, 9.00)
Hitter of the Week:
OF Brandon Haveman, L/R, 6/21/1986
6 G, 26 AB, 5 R, 10 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4/2 K/BB, SB, CS, .384/~.429/.692
Haveman is already tied for third on the team with five home runs, despite having between twenty-nine and sixty-three fewer at-bats than everyone tied with or ahead of him. As his slugging percentage, .567, leads the team by a good eighty-five points, it seems unusual that they’re leading him off most of the time, but he does have the best OBP of anyone still on the team at .424, so it seems to make some sense. I don’t know who else they’d use, as Noriega doesn’t walk a great deal.
Also Ten Hits Mention:
3B Vinnie Catricala, R/R, 10/31/1988
6 G, 24 AB, 6 R, 10 H, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2/0 K/BB, SB, .417/~.417/.583
SS Gabriel Noriega, S/R, 9/13/1990
6 G, 22 AB, 4 R, 10 H, HR, 4 RBI, 5/2 K/BB, CS, .455/~.500/.590
Pitcher of the Week:
RHP Chris Sorce, 10/28/1987
1-0, 3 G, S, 1.22 ERA in 7.1 IP, 7 H, R, 13/1 K/BB, 5/3 G/F
Next up on our exciting tour of Pulaski’s patchwork pitching staff, we have Sorce, a twenty-sixth rounder this year who served as Troy’s closer this season after two years at Pensacola JC. There weren’t high expectations for him, but he had fifty-three Ks in 38.2 innings for the Trojans. His low-90s FB is his best pitch, with his secondary offerings needing a bit of work, so I can’t say I know what the deal is with his recent campaign to strike out the entire world.
Get Him a Good IF Defense Mention:
RHP Brandon Maurer, 7/30/1988
1-0, 2 GS, 0.79 ERA in 11.1 IP, 16 H, 5 R (ER), 7/4 K/BB, 16/4 G/F, HB
From the Training Room:
C Alexis Fonseca and 3B Rudy van Heydoorn have both moved up from Peoria, though only Fonseca has played as of yet because he was replacing Tommy Johnson. Van Heydoorn likely replaces Britton.
Dispatches from the Land of Rehabbers:
RHP Danny Cruz: 0-0, G, 0.00 ERA in 1.0 IP, H, 2/0 K/BB
SS Nick Franklin: 5 G, 20 AB, 3 R, 4 H, 2B,
RHP Josh Hall: 0-0, GS, 0.00 ERA in 1.0 IP, H, 1/0 K/BB
OF Julio Morban: 4 G, 16 AB, 3 R, 7 H, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 7 RBI, 4/0 K/BB, SB, .438/~.438/.875
RHP Francisco Valdivia: 0-0, G, 0.00 ERA in 1.0 IP
Comments
19 Responses to “Minor League Wrap (8/17-23/09)”
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I enjoy checking up on this years acquisitions. Great Job. How would you grade the Org. based on the numbers of signers you listed early on? How is Saito doing? Still striking out the world?
Would it be a bit off to call Nick Hill our best pitching prospect in terms of a combination of ceiling plus the probability of reaching that ceiling?
Nick Hill is by far our best pitching prospect that is close to the Bigs. He has a 2.38 ERA as a started and more than a K per inning. He leads the team in K’s, ERA and WHIP. I hear that he needs to pay back 100K to West Point for his school and if he doesn’t get called up and pay that $$ back to the Army. I hope he gets a call up!!
Boooo!!
Good stuff as usual.
Jay, at this point where do you put Robles in terms of the organizations top pitching prospects? He’s lights out so far pitching in a hitters league.
I’m a little confused, Jay.
I thought there were 35 “signs” out of those 52 picks for the M’s, am I totally off-base?
At this point, does Halman have much of a future with the M’s? Or any team for that matter?
Fixed. I might have been going off a bad list last night.
Better than last year, when we failed to sign picks nine through eleven. I think there was a lot of anticipation of who was available in the first round versus who was taken that’s negatively skewing perceptions, but there’s plenty to like after that point and Poythress, Seager, Jones, maybe even Cerione and Gebbers all look like solid gets. I’m not wild about the pitching. Blandford is the best arm, but his issues hitting spots are well-known. Gilheeney is around the Rohrbaugh level of talent. Merry and Witten could rebound, but even then, there aren’t a whole lot of high ceiling arms that we did sign. With the kind of hitting returns we’re getting and the arms we acquire from international scouting and elsewhere, that’s fine, just a little disappointing.
Still striking out nearly a batter per inning. They’re toying with how they’re using him a bit. Early in the month it was three innings, then it was short stints for a week, and now he’s around two per outing. They may be testing him again to see what he can handle without losing his touch.
That’s pretty qualified, though it seems accurate. The pitching didn’t step forward as we thought it might this season, and those that did (Lorin, Pribanic) were sent elsewhere. Feierabend is injured, Ramirez has been extremely inconsistent, Pineda and Rohrbaugh have been injured off and on, Cleto took forever to get his visa squared away, Valdivia hasn’t done as expected, Orta is proving himself to be a reliever just because he can’t handle anything else, inexplicable personal favorites like Vega and Mohr have been hurt, Gaby Hernandez is Gaby Hernandez. On the positive end of the spectrum, Kasparek is quite good so far and Wild and Hume could turn out be useful too.
Hill is an easy pick, in my opinion, because he’s so close already and his approach and stuff work. It’s not time yet to kick off Olson/Vargas/whomever, as he still has a few things to work out, but I think he’s working his way into the discussion. He’s an above-average lefty who pitches smart, doesn’t get intimidated, and records a lot of groundballs. That’s an asset.
I want more data on this. I’m a little confused as to how he went from being an average to extreme flyball pitcher to an extreme groundball pitcher in the space of five starts and I can’t selectively look at the last two and say “Oh, six walks in fourteen innings, he’s making progress.” Short-term right now, he’s looking like a left-handed Cleto in terms of output. There’s a lot to be excited about on potential, emphasis on the last word, and if he did tweak something to get grounders suddenly, all the more reason.
It’s a cop-out answer, but as I’ve said before, that really depends on Halman. He doesn’t lack talent and he doesn’t lack the capacity to make adjustments, but he’s a very emotional player who isn’t accustomed to adversity and when he gets into bad stretches they turn into death spirals because he’s trying to hit a six-run home run out there. In order for him to be any good, he needs to make those adjustments and stick with them rather than falling back on his power output to get him out of trouble.
And just out of curiousity, why are they trying Jones at first? I get that they are trying to be felxible and see who can do what, but we don’t exactly have a lack of depth at that position.
This post is like the Sunday NY Times– I’m glad it only comes once a week, because it takes me days to get through it.
Injuries. The Aquasox have had a lot of them over this year, or other reasons no one can play. In this case, Avila was hit in the face by a pitch and couldn’t really play, while the outfield depth at the time was at least passable.
Additional injury notes: Royster landed on his shoulder while diving for a ball, Ryan Moorer has mono, Valdez strained a pec, and Brown has rotator cuff issues.
I am NOT putting crossword puzzles in this.
Should we then take it as a positive sign that, after his DL stint/demotion in the middle of the season, he’s been a little bit better at the plate? Or is it merely random noise?
Jay,
What the chances Nick Hill is a September call up this year and put on the 40 man? What would you project his ceiling as, a #3/4 or is there more in the tank??
Jay,
So far I’ve heard that Aumont, Fields, Triunfel and Ackley are all going to the Arizona Fall League. Do you [k]no[w] if that speculation is accurate and who else do you think might go? I believe they can send two more players.
He’s struck out slightly less and simultaneously stopped hitting for power entirely. I’d have a hard time calling that progress without speaking to a scout or a coach to know what they have him working on.
Hill doesn’t need to be added until next offseason anyway, so I wouldn’t put the odds as very good as teams tend to avoid adding prospects until the point when they have to. #4 starter sounds about right.
Sounds reasonable, but the rosters aren’t out yet and I haven’t personally heard any speculation. It depends on what lots are drawn as position player assignment goes.
What are the M’s plans with Tui going forward? How has his defense looked at 3B?? It seems he is absolutely crushing the ball running nearly a 1 eye ratio making him look like an ideal long term fit for the M’s. However, with the M’s keeping Hannahan and acquiring Bill Hall–do the M’s not believe in Tui’s defense?? Also, why is he playing 2B in Tacoma–is is just to get Shelton in the lineup? It would be great if Tui could play AVG defense at 2B then they could kick hack a Lopez to the curb next year.
Jay,
Where do you think Carpe Diem aka Seize the Carp fits into this organization now?
He’s not making as many errors this year, for whatever that’s worth, and he’s turning DPs at a higher clip (again), but his range seems to be roughly the same. He’s not Beltre, but he’s not Mike Morse either. He’ll probably be below-average with a chance of being just average. The second base thing, from my perspective, is just a versatility thing. If the right deal comes along to get rid of Lopez or acquire a good hitting third baseman, he could be capable of filling in. I’m not expecting a whole lot out of him there, but they say his athleticism is stronger than it’s ever been.
The Bryan LaHair four-year tour of triple-A? Okay, probably not that, but I’ve heard that the M’s want to keep Branyan and Branyan likes Jack and all that, so there may not be a place for him. He could definitely play first if Branyan moves to the other end of the diamond (don’t hold your breath), or he could take over as DH next season if the M’s are willing (much higher probability). In 2011, 2012, things get a little more nebulous, because you have Poythress possibly coming in, Ackley fighting with Saunders/Gut/Ichiro for playing time, and some other things to contend with. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep him around. He’s lost some momentum as the season has gone on, though he’s still the best first base prospect we’ve had in a long time, as little as that says.