Sunday, April 6, 2014

Down on the Farm: 4/6/2014

AAA  Las Vegas 51's edged the Fresno Grizzlies 6-5:

Gary Brown(CF)- 3 for 5, 2B, 3B, SB(1).  BA= .368.
Joe Panik(SS)- 3 for 5.  BA= .313.
Chris Dominguez(1B)- 1 for 3, 2 SF, SB(3).  BA= .294.
Adam Duvall(3B)- 2 for 5.  BA= .278.
Tony Abreu(2B)- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .267.
Jason Berken(RHP)- 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 6.75.
Jeremy Affeldt(LHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 27.00.

This is the kind of line we used to see from Gary Brown with some regularity in college and San Jose.  BA, Gap power, speed.  That's his ticket.  He just needs to be himself, IMO, but he needs to have one of these lines 2-3 times per week.  Interesting that Panik played SS and had a nice game at the plate.  Is Dominguez turning into more of a base-stealer than slugger?  Much better line from Affeldt.

AA  Richmond Flying Squirrels trounced the New Britain Rock Cats 8-2:

Jarrett Parker(RF)- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .556.
Myles Schroder(Catcher)- 2 for 3, HBP.  BA= .313.
Ricky Oropesa(1B)- 1 for 3, SF.  BA= .300.
Brett Krill(LF)- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .308.
Kyle Crick(RHP)- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 6/1.  ERA= 1.80.
Austin Fleet(RHP)- 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 6.75.

Parker stays hot.  Solid first AA game for Cricky.

High A  San Jose Giants topped the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 3-1:

Jesus Galindo(CF)- 2 for 5.  BA= .333.
Ben Turner(Catcher)- 3 for 4.  BA= .500.
Elliott Blair(LF)- 2 for 4.  BA= .444.
Pat Young(RHP)- 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 0.00.
Ryan Bradley(LHP)- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.
Steven Okert(LHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.
Tyler Mizenko(RHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, Save(2).  ERA= 4.50.
Chad Billingsley(RHP, Quakes)- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 6.75.

IMO, Pat Young and his nasty stuff is a major sleeper in the system to watch.

Low A  Charleston River Dogs defeated the Augusta Greenjackets 4-1:

Brandon Bednar(3B)- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .467.
Tyler Horan(RF)- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .357.
Carlos Diaz(LHP)- 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.50.

Nice peripherals from Diaz.

Around the League:  The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that top pitching prospect, Jameson Taillon, will undergo Tommy John Surgery in the near future.  This adds yet another pitcher with triple digit radar gun readings to the TJ ranks in what is fast becoming an epidemic.  Hitting triple digits appears to be a definite risk factor.

25 comments:

  1. Got a chance to catch Crick's start, and was very impressed with his poise out there. Didn't hurt that his offense was piling on the runs each of the first few innings, but still... Crick did not beat himself. Even rolled a couple really nice curves for strike 3. Gary Brown's early start is very exciting. Looking like a true leadoff hitter!

    Save some room in the Pat Young boat for me DrB... that's one heck of a 4th starter on a High-A team. Speaking of 2013 draft sleepers, it looks like DJ Snelten has been taken off the Augusta roster (no idea why). Christian Jones is getting the first start out of the #6 spot in the rotation. NVT starts tonight (or tomorrow, if they have the day off... haven't checked schedule). I'm very curious about Snelten, but also interested to see if Jones can still stretch it out. Had solid pre-TJ numbers as a starter for Oregon.

    I really feel for Taillon and the Pittsburgh organization. They've been so excited about this kid for so many years, it seems. If/when he gets to pitch in the same rotation as Cole, that will be one tough group to crack.

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    1. Starters today are Chris Heston, Kelvin Marte, Joe Biagini and Jake Smith.

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    2. Per David Lee, it's Vander Tuig for Augusta today, then Christian Jones tomorrow. Smith is a reliever, and I'm not sure why they had him listed as a probably starter in the first place.

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    3. Guess it's nobody since the Augusta game was rained out. Ugh! I hate rainouts, even at the minor league level!

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    4. Same with Richmond. Bummer. Susac just pelted his 1st HR of the season tonight! Then hit a seed the other way in his 2nd AB. Caught at the warning track.

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  2. Is there space for Jarrett Parker and Jesus Galindo to "move up" with mid-season promotions? As far as middling prospects who need promotions to prove their limited skill-set continue to translate I think Parker (power+OBP) and Galindo (contact+OBP+steals) are prime candidates. Not a lot of sense letting them age in the minors - I don't think we see them developing new skills or developing their current abilities that much farther, but it would be interesting to see how they fare against the savvy vets of AAAA. We're just letting Parker's bat and Galindo's legs get slower.

    What do you all think it would take to bounce former major league talent like Colvin, or Abreu from the roster? Ford is the surprise non-prospect on the AAA roster, just waiting to be bounced I think. Are there outfielders queued ahead of Parker or Galindo for promotion?

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    1. I think Galindo will likely spend most of his season in San Jose. Parker is a prime candidate for early promotion. Giants will keep Colvin and Abreu around for insurance as long as possible.

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  3. Sad about Taillon. I like the Pirates, they can't afford to have injuries like this, except maybe they can with the depth in their farm system and the magic powers of their pitching coach (Ray Searage).

    Very exciting series for Gary Brown. I think the Mets were running good arms out there - at least Snydergaard throws gas - and hopefully his ligaments remain in tact.

    Pat Young: starter of reliever? Crystal ball doesn't know. How 'bout Doc?

    Dominguez is quite the athlete. What's his future?

    Andrew Susac is quite the hitter. Any chance the Giants work him out at third base?

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    1. Pat Young might be a future reliever. He just has that jerky-jerky nastiness about him.

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    2. Hello nasty. You much of a Beastie Boys fan?

      So many arms not enough spots. Crystal ball says Giants will be in contention and in need of a starting pitcher. James Shields if the Royals fall out ? Whoever they go get, there will be an exodus of young arms and maybe a catcher.

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    3. Susac, if he can hit well enough to be a starter, will stay a catcher, it would be Posey who gets worked out at 3B because the Giants (and he) knows that his long-term effectiveness as a hitter would be hampered by him staying a catcher long-term. He's going to insist on being the starting catcher as long as there is no viable replacement in the farm system, but once Susac (or Sanchez) looks ready to start, they would start the transition of Posey to another starting position, and I think 3B is the most probably position right now, mostly because Bochy offered that up when asked but also because his ankle injury means that 2B is probably not the best spot for him, due to the higher probably of injury at that position, due to runner collisions.

      I doubt the Royals will deal Shields unless they think that he won't sign with them long-term and the season has already ended for them, too far away from contention. They would not have traded Wil Myers for him unless they were hoping to sign him long-term, I think.

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    4. We may have to trade for a starter. We'll see. Hopefully we keep Crick and Mejia.

      Don't know much about what Brown did in the offseason, but it seems to be 'I will do it my way as far as mechanics, but mentally, I will be more mature....tougher...more focused.' Just guessing here.

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    5. OGC, sounds familiar (Beltran/Wheeler). But the Royals have to fall out of it anyway and they seem good enough to hang around in the AL Central - at least vie for the WC. What trade candidates do you have in mind at this early juncture?

      Giants and Posey seem kind of stubborn about the catching gig. But if Posey keeps throwing lasers to second, he may never move off the position. Just a thought about Susac. Got to find a spot for org bats. A's Donaldson was a catcher.

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    6. Yeah, I don't think it's a given that Posey is going anywhere but behind the plate.

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    7. Posey and the Giants ain't stubborn, Susac and Hector ain't proven. Yet.

      First, Susac has not proven he can perform at the MLB level. SSS in AAA, is fun, but not indicative of future performance. I have no problem letting Susac "season" at AAA this year and maybe the next. Susac has to show us one full year of production. Good catchers take time to learn the tools of ignorance.

      Hector was rushed to the majors. Amazingly he has produced, albeit, with some defensive, injury, and conditioning issues. This year Hector appears to be taking a mature season-long approach.

      The fun thing is, we get front row seats to see how it plays out. But please don't blame this on Posey.

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    8. Who is blaming Posey for anything?

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  4. BTW, Chad Billingsley is reported to have "felt something" in his elbow at the end of his appearance. He will likely miss his next rehab appearance.

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    1. He had TJ, right? Beckett hit a snag too I understand. Dodgers may make a move for a starter before the deadline.

      Okay, so no Beasties, how about The Beach Boys?

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    2. Pajama Boy gave up a 2 out 2 run base hit to your sleeper SS Miller before he checked out.

      I'm the Beasties guy, rock the sure shot fo sho!

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    3. Okay so "Pajama Boy" is Billingsley because of the pants, but whose sleeper is Miller? Blake, listed as a 1B? Sometimes you guys go too deep for me. Let a guy get out of A ball before he's a true prospect.

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  5. Oh this is rich. We've got the B-boys, hipster food trucks and anon's cursing at other posters. What is going on at When The Giant's Come To Town on a sleepy monday with no G's baseball???

    Ryan - in case the entire thread gets deleted, I'm talking about Blake Miller, 25th round draft pick out of Western Oregon, he's 6'3, they have him listed at 1B and he's playing SS for SJ. He played well at S/K, earned a promo straight to SJ.

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  6. Thanks Shank. You guys run deep. Nice numbers for Miller at S/K in about a hundo PAs.

    Anybody have Matt Duffy as a sleeper before he was a prospect?

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    1. Miller was the GNAC MVP last year... and maybe the year before that... played here in Billings for WOU (same conference). I asked our head coach about him a few weeks ago. Said a friend of his coaches at Sac State. Blake played in Sac during his frosh season, and apparently was the most talented player on the team. Transferred back home to OR the next season. One year, you're playing in D2, the next you're in SJ, playing for one of the most prestigious clubs in all the minor leagues. That kid's a grinder, I'll tell you that.

      I wrote a spotlight piece on Duffy last summer when he started heating up for Augusta. Didn't know much about him at the type, but I remember getting a comment from DrB about his college stats in the Big West being misleading. Sounds like there were definitely a few people on his trail even before the Giants drafted him. When I wrote that piece, the defensive reports weren't all that hot... now, it seems as though he might be one of the best defensive SS in the system. Maybe he's been working his butt off out there, or the reports I read were bad. Probably a little of both!

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    2. I picked him as my sleeper SS for a draft preview I wrote prior to Los Gigantes popping him. I put up his college stats and said "man that's a bad sleeper" but truth be told the Cape Cod he played quite well. I love scrapper types, he fits the bill.

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