This week we're going behind the plate as all three players are catchers. The two Major Leaguers are Miguel Montero and Alex Avila while Devin Mesoraco still toils in the minors. One thing all three have in common is the ability to contribute with the bat.
Montero had his breakout season in 2009 when he hit .294 with 16 home runs and 59 RBI in 128 games. That finally lived up to the promise he showed in 2005 in the minors when he played in the Futures game and finished the season hitting .326 with 26 home runs and 95 RBI in 115 games. I had him on my team 2008 through 2010 as the Arizona Diamondbacks struggled as a team but this season they are challenging the Giants as Montero's bat has heated up with the rest of the team. Through 71 games he has hit .273 with nine home runs and 40 RBI. Defensively he is currently in the eighth in caught stealing percentage with 27.3
In his second full season in the majors Avila is developing into one of the most productive catchers offensively while greatly improving on defense. Through 66 games with the Tigers he has hit .303 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI. I landed him in last year's draft for $1 on a whim after seeing he hit five home runs in 61 at bats as a late season call up in 2009. He sat on my farm team as he struggled through his rookie season hitting .228 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 104 games. Avila actually had a short stint in the minors with two seasons after being drafted out of Alabama in 2008. On defense this season he is currently second in caught stealing percentage with 36.8
Mesoraco is one of the top catching prospects and will represent the Reds organization on the U.S. roster in the Futures Game July 10th. This season he is batting .315 with eight home runs and 46 RBI in 70 games. He is building off a strong 2010 when he hit .302 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI in 115 games. The ability to hit for average and power will make Mesoraco a prized target for many years especially if he stays at catcher.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
2011 Futures Game Preview
The 2011 Futures Game is set to be played July 10 at Chase Field in Phoenix. It is an All-Star game set up in a U.S. vs the World format with every Major League team providing at least on player from their respective minor league system. The series is tied at 6 to 6 as the U.S. won last year 9-1. Each team will have a roster of 25 which consists of 10 pitchers, two catchers, four corner infielders, four middle infielders, and five outfielders.
The pitchers on the U.S. roster are Jarred Cosart, Kyle Gibson, Matt Harvey, Shelby Miller, Matt Moore, Brad Peacock, Drew Pomeranz, Tyler Skaggs, Tyler Thornburg, and Jacob Turner.
Cosart was born in League City, TX. He plays for the Phillies Class A Advanced team Clearwater Threshers. This season he is 6-4 with a 3.16 ERA and 62 strikeouts against 30 walks over 74 innings.
Gibson was born in Grennfield, IN. He plays for the Twins Triple A team Rochester Red Wings. This season he is 3-7 with a 3.87 ERA and 83 strikeouts against 21 walks over 81.1 innings.
Harvey was born in New London, CT. He was just promoted to the Mets Double A team Binghamton Mets.
His stats are from A ball where he was 8-2 with a 2.37 ERA and 92 strikeouts against 24 walks over 76 innings.
Miller was born in Houston, TX. Miller plays for the Cardinals Double A team Springfield Cardinals after starting the year in A Advanced. This season he is a combined 5-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 114 strikeouts against 28 walks over 85 innings.
Moore was born in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. He plays for the Rays Double A team Montgomery Biscuits. This season he is 4-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 103 strikeouts against 23 walks over 77.2 innings.
Peacock was born in Miami, FL. He plays for the Nationals Double A team Harrisburg Senators. This season he is 8-2 with a 2.28 ERA and 114 strikeouts against 18 walks over 87 innings.
Pomeranz was born in Memphis TN. He plays for the Indians Class A Advanced team Kinston Indians. This season he is 2-2 with a 1.81 ERA and 81 strikeouts against 27 walks over 64.2 innings.
Skaggs was born in Woodland Hills, CA. He plays for the Diamondbacks Class A Advanced team Visalia Rawhide. This season he is 4-5 with a 3.36 ERA and 102 strikeouts against 32 walks over 83 innings.
Thornburg was born in Houston, TX. He plays for the Brewers Class A Advanced team Brevard County Manatees. This season he is 7-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 76 strikeouts against 25 walks over 68.2 innings.
Turner was born in St. Charles, MO. He plays for the Tigers Double A team Erie SeaWolves. This season he is 2-2 with a 3.01 ERA with 72 strikeouts against 23 walks over 86.2 innings.
The catchers on the U.S. roster are Devin Mesoraco and and Austin Romine.
Mesoraco was born in Dubois, PA. He plays for the Reds Triple A team Louisville Bats. This season he is hitting .320 with eight home runs, 44 RBI, 35 runs and 1 steal in 67 games.
Romine was born in Lake Forest, CA. He plays for the Yankees Double A team Trenton Thunder. This season he is hitting .294 with four home runs, 31 RBI. 24 runs and 2 steals in 46 games.
The infielders on the U.S. roster are 3B Nolan Arenado, SS Chase d'Amaud, 3B James Darnell, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, SS Grant Green, 2B Jason Kipnis, SS Manny Machado, and 3B Will Middlebrooks.
Arenado was born in Newport Beach, CA. He plays for the Rockies Class A Advanced team Modesto Nuts. This season he is hitting .293 with seven home runs, 48 RBI, 40 runs and 2 steals in 68 games.
d'Amaud was born in Torrance, CA. He plays for the Pirates Triple A team Indianapolis Indians. This season he is hitting .280 with four home runs, 33 RBI, 39 runs and 17 steals in 62 games.
Darnell was born in Fresno, CA. He plays for the Padres Double A team San Antonio Missions, This season he is hitting .340 with 16 home runs, 58 RBI, 57 runs, and 1 steal in 70 games,
Goldschmidt was born in Wilmington, DE. He plays for the Diamondbacks Double A team Mobile BayBears. This season he is hitting .319 with 23 home runs, 65 RBI, 57 runs and 6 steals in 73 games.
Green was born in Fullerton, CA. He plays for the A's Double A team Midland RockHounds. This season he is hitting .288 with four home runs, 35 RBI, 35 runs, and 1 steal in 66 games.
Kipnis was born in Evanston, IL. He plays for the the Indians Triple A team Columbus Clippers. This season he is hitting .286 with eight home runs, 43 RBI, 51 runs and 10 steals in 72 games.
Machado was born in Miami, FL. He now plays for the Orioles Class A Advanced team Frederick Keys after starting the season in Class A. This season combined he is hitting .275 with seven home runs, 25 RBI, 26 runs and 3 steals in 41 games.
Middlebrooks was born in Greenville, TX. He plays for the Red Sox Double A team Portland Sea Dogs. This season he is hitting .294 with eight home runs, 32RBI, 27 runs, and 4 steals in 53 games.
The outfielders on the U.S. roster are Gary Brown, Bryce Harper, Wil Myers, Matthew Szczur and Mike Trout.
Brown was born in Diamond Bar, CA. He plays for the Giants Class A Advanced team San Jose Giants. This season he is hitting .321 with six home runs, 47 RBI, 59 runs and 33 steals in 69 games.
Harper was born in Las Vegas, NV. He plays for the Nationals Class A team Hagerstown Suns. This season he is hitting .322 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, 45 runs and 13 steals in 67 games.
Myers was born in High Point, NC. He plays for the Royals Double A team Northwest Arkansas Naturals. This season he is hitting .287 with three home runs, 14 RBI, 24 runs and 5 steals in 42 games.
Szczur was born in Cape May, NJ. He plays for the Cubs Class A team Peoria Chiefs. This season he is hitting .318 with five home runs, 24 RBI, 47 runs and 16 steals in 54 games.
Trout was born in Vineland, NJ. He plays for the Angels Double A team Arkansas Travelers. This season he is hitting .325 with nine home runs, 25 RBI, 59 runs and 24 steals in 67 games.
The pitchers on the World roster are Henderson Alvarez, Kelvin Herrera, Liam Hendriks, Gregory Infante, Jhan Martinez, Carlos Martinez, James Paxton, Martin Perez, Julio Teheran and Arodys Vizcaino.
Alvarez was born in Valencia, Venezuela. He now plays for the Blue Jays Double A team New Hampshire Fisher Cats after starting the season in Class A advanced. This season he is combined 4-3 with a 2.98 ERA and 31 strikeouts against 10 walks over 51.1 innings.
Herrera was born in Tenares, Dominican Republic. He now plays for the Royals Double A team Northwest Arkansas Naturals after starting the season in Class A Advanced. This season he is combined 4-1 with a 1.74 ERA and 40 strikeouts against 3 walks over 35.1 innings. He also has five saves.
Hendriks was born in Perth, Australia. He plays for the Twins Double A team New Britain Rock Cats. This season he is 7-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 70 strikeouts against 16 walks over 77 innings.
Infante was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He now plays for the White Sox Triple A team Charlotte Knights after starting the season in Double A. This season he is combined 2-1 with a 1.54 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 15 walks over 35 innings. He also has eight saves.
Jhan Martinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Marlins Double A team Jacksonville Suns. This season he is 2-5 with a 3.94 ERA and 39 strikeouts against 24 walks over 29.2 innings. He also has one save.
Carlos Martinez was born in Colinas Del Sur, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Cardinals Class A team Quad Cities River Bandits. This season he is 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 50 strikeouts against 14 walks over 38.2 innings.
Paxton was born in Richmond, BC, Canada. He plays for the Mariners Class A team Clinton LumberKings. This season he is 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA and 73 strikeouts against 30 walks over 50 innings.
Perez was born in Guanare Estado Portuquesa, Venezuela. He plays for the Rangers Triple A Team Frisco RoughRiders. This season he is 4-2 with a 3.28 ERA and 78 strikeouts against 32 walks over 82.1 innings.
Teheran was born in Cartagena, Colombia. He plays for the Braves Triple A team Gwinnett Braves. This season he is 8-1 with an 1.79 ERA and 72 strikeouts against 18 walks over 85.2 innings.
Vizcaino was born in Yaguate, Dominican Republic. He now plays for the Braves Double A team Mississippi Braves after starting the season in Class A Advanced. This season he is combined 4-3 with a 3.01 ERA and 72 strikeouts against 21 walks over 71.2 innings.
The catchers on the World roster are Wilin Rosario and Sebastian Valle.
Rosario was born in Bonao, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Rockies Double A team Tulsa Drillers. This season he is hitting .257 with 11 home runs, 26 RBI, 29 runs, and zero steals in 56 games.
Valle was born in Los Mochis, Mexico. He plays for the Phillies Class A Advanced team Clearwater Threshers. This season he is hitting .350 with three home runs, 23 RBI, 22 runs, and zero steals in 45 games.
The infielders on the World roster are 1B Yonder Alonso, 2B Jose Altuve, SS Hak-Ju Lee, 3B Francisco Martinez, 3B Alex Liddi, 3B Jefry Marte, SS Jurickson Profar and 3B Jonathan Schoop.
Alonso was born in Havana, Cuba. He plays for the Red Triple A team Louisville Bats. This season he is hitting .306 with nine home runs, 42 RBI, 37 runs and 5 steals in 68 games.
Altuve was born in Maracay, Venezuela. He now plays for the AStros Double A team Corpus Christi Hooks after starting the season in Class A Advanced. This season he is hitting combined .397 with eight home runs, 51 RBI, 50 runs, and 23 steals in 76 games.
Lee was born in Jeonju, South Korea. He plays for the Rays Class A Advanced team Charlotte Stone Crabs. This season he is hitting .340 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 52 runs, and 20 steals in 58 games.
Martinez was born in Rio Chico, Venezuela. He plays for the Tigers Double A team Erie SeaWolves. This season he is hitting .285 with seven home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs, and 6 steals in 64 games.
Liddi was born in San Remo, Italy. He plays for the Mariners Triple A team Tacoma Rainers. This season he is hitting .256 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, 67 runs, and 5 steals in 74 games.
Marte was born in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Mets Class A Advanced team St. Lucie Mets. This season he is hitting .286 with five home runs, 35 RBI, 34 runs, and 9 steals in 71 games.
Profar was born in Willemstad, Curacao. He plays for the Rangers Class A team Hickory Crawdads. This season he is hitting .261 with six home runs, 27 RBI, 40 runs, and 8 steals in 58 games.
Schoop was born in Willemstad, Curacao. He now plays for the Orioles Class A Advanced team Frederick Keys after starting the season in Class A. This season he is hitting combined .303 with eight home runs, 41 RBI, 53 runs, and 7 steals in 67 games.
The outfielders on the World roster are Chih-Hsien Chiang, Reymond Fuentes, Starling Marte, Alfredo Silverio, and Dayan Viciedo.
Chiang was born in Taitung, Taiwan. He plays for the Red Sox Double A team Portland Sea Dogs. This season he is hitting .295 with 12 home runs, 46 RBI, 39 runs, and 3 steals in 57 games.
Fuentes lists Puerto Rico has his birthplace as well as Orlando, FL. Strange. He plays for the Padres Class A Advanced team Lake Elsinore Storm. This season he is hitting .297 with zero home runs, 19 RBI, 53 runs and 32 steals in 66 games.
Marte was born in Santo Dominigo, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Pirates Double A team Altoona Curve. This season he is hitting .333 with four home runs, 24 RBI, 37 runs and 15 steals in 68 games.
Silverio was born in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Dodgers Double A team Chattanooga Lookouts. This season he is hitting .321 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 45 runs, and 9 steals in 72 games.
Viciedo was born Villa Clara, Cuba, He plays for the White Sox Triple A team Charlotte Knights. This season he is hitting .323 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, 37 runs and 1 steal in 74 games.
This game gives a glimpse into players these teams hold in high regard and have a decent chance on ending up on their parent clubs' rosters. I've written about a handful of these players already this year and look forward to seeing them play together. This is easily my favorite all-star game of the year.
The pitchers on the U.S. roster are Jarred Cosart, Kyle Gibson, Matt Harvey, Shelby Miller, Matt Moore, Brad Peacock, Drew Pomeranz, Tyler Skaggs, Tyler Thornburg, and Jacob Turner.
Cosart was born in League City, TX. He plays for the Phillies Class A Advanced team Clearwater Threshers. This season he is 6-4 with a 3.16 ERA and 62 strikeouts against 30 walks over 74 innings.
Gibson was born in Grennfield, IN. He plays for the Twins Triple A team Rochester Red Wings. This season he is 3-7 with a 3.87 ERA and 83 strikeouts against 21 walks over 81.1 innings.
Harvey was born in New London, CT. He was just promoted to the Mets Double A team Binghamton Mets.
His stats are from A ball where he was 8-2 with a 2.37 ERA and 92 strikeouts against 24 walks over 76 innings.
Miller was born in Houston, TX. Miller plays for the Cardinals Double A team Springfield Cardinals after starting the year in A Advanced. This season he is a combined 5-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 114 strikeouts against 28 walks over 85 innings.
Moore was born in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. He plays for the Rays Double A team Montgomery Biscuits. This season he is 4-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 103 strikeouts against 23 walks over 77.2 innings.
Peacock was born in Miami, FL. He plays for the Nationals Double A team Harrisburg Senators. This season he is 8-2 with a 2.28 ERA and 114 strikeouts against 18 walks over 87 innings.
Pomeranz was born in Memphis TN. He plays for the Indians Class A Advanced team Kinston Indians. This season he is 2-2 with a 1.81 ERA and 81 strikeouts against 27 walks over 64.2 innings.
Skaggs was born in Woodland Hills, CA. He plays for the Diamondbacks Class A Advanced team Visalia Rawhide. This season he is 4-5 with a 3.36 ERA and 102 strikeouts against 32 walks over 83 innings.
Thornburg was born in Houston, TX. He plays for the Brewers Class A Advanced team Brevard County Manatees. This season he is 7-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 76 strikeouts against 25 walks over 68.2 innings.
Turner was born in St. Charles, MO. He plays for the Tigers Double A team Erie SeaWolves. This season he is 2-2 with a 3.01 ERA with 72 strikeouts against 23 walks over 86.2 innings.
The catchers on the U.S. roster are Devin Mesoraco and and Austin Romine.
Mesoraco was born in Dubois, PA. He plays for the Reds Triple A team Louisville Bats. This season he is hitting .320 with eight home runs, 44 RBI, 35 runs and 1 steal in 67 games.
Romine was born in Lake Forest, CA. He plays for the Yankees Double A team Trenton Thunder. This season he is hitting .294 with four home runs, 31 RBI. 24 runs and 2 steals in 46 games.
The infielders on the U.S. roster are 3B Nolan Arenado, SS Chase d'Amaud, 3B James Darnell, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, SS Grant Green, 2B Jason Kipnis, SS Manny Machado, and 3B Will Middlebrooks.
Arenado was born in Newport Beach, CA. He plays for the Rockies Class A Advanced team Modesto Nuts. This season he is hitting .293 with seven home runs, 48 RBI, 40 runs and 2 steals in 68 games.
d'Amaud was born in Torrance, CA. He plays for the Pirates Triple A team Indianapolis Indians. This season he is hitting .280 with four home runs, 33 RBI, 39 runs and 17 steals in 62 games.
Darnell was born in Fresno, CA. He plays for the Padres Double A team San Antonio Missions, This season he is hitting .340 with 16 home runs, 58 RBI, 57 runs, and 1 steal in 70 games,
Goldschmidt was born in Wilmington, DE. He plays for the Diamondbacks Double A team Mobile BayBears. This season he is hitting .319 with 23 home runs, 65 RBI, 57 runs and 6 steals in 73 games.
Green was born in Fullerton, CA. He plays for the A's Double A team Midland RockHounds. This season he is hitting .288 with four home runs, 35 RBI, 35 runs, and 1 steal in 66 games.
Kipnis was born in Evanston, IL. He plays for the the Indians Triple A team Columbus Clippers. This season he is hitting .286 with eight home runs, 43 RBI, 51 runs and 10 steals in 72 games.
Machado was born in Miami, FL. He now plays for the Orioles Class A Advanced team Frederick Keys after starting the season in Class A. This season combined he is hitting .275 with seven home runs, 25 RBI, 26 runs and 3 steals in 41 games.
Middlebrooks was born in Greenville, TX. He plays for the Red Sox Double A team Portland Sea Dogs. This season he is hitting .294 with eight home runs, 32RBI, 27 runs, and 4 steals in 53 games.
The outfielders on the U.S. roster are Gary Brown, Bryce Harper, Wil Myers, Matthew Szczur and Mike Trout.
Brown was born in Diamond Bar, CA. He plays for the Giants Class A Advanced team San Jose Giants. This season he is hitting .321 with six home runs, 47 RBI, 59 runs and 33 steals in 69 games.
Harper was born in Las Vegas, NV. He plays for the Nationals Class A team Hagerstown Suns. This season he is hitting .322 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, 45 runs and 13 steals in 67 games.
Myers was born in High Point, NC. He plays for the Royals Double A team Northwest Arkansas Naturals. This season he is hitting .287 with three home runs, 14 RBI, 24 runs and 5 steals in 42 games.
Szczur was born in Cape May, NJ. He plays for the Cubs Class A team Peoria Chiefs. This season he is hitting .318 with five home runs, 24 RBI, 47 runs and 16 steals in 54 games.
Trout was born in Vineland, NJ. He plays for the Angels Double A team Arkansas Travelers. This season he is hitting .325 with nine home runs, 25 RBI, 59 runs and 24 steals in 67 games.
The pitchers on the World roster are Henderson Alvarez, Kelvin Herrera, Liam Hendriks, Gregory Infante, Jhan Martinez, Carlos Martinez, James Paxton, Martin Perez, Julio Teheran and Arodys Vizcaino.
Alvarez was born in Valencia, Venezuela. He now plays for the Blue Jays Double A team New Hampshire Fisher Cats after starting the season in Class A advanced. This season he is combined 4-3 with a 2.98 ERA and 31 strikeouts against 10 walks over 51.1 innings.
Herrera was born in Tenares, Dominican Republic. He now plays for the Royals Double A team Northwest Arkansas Naturals after starting the season in Class A Advanced. This season he is combined 4-1 with a 1.74 ERA and 40 strikeouts against 3 walks over 35.1 innings. He also has five saves.
Hendriks was born in Perth, Australia. He plays for the Twins Double A team New Britain Rock Cats. This season he is 7-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 70 strikeouts against 16 walks over 77 innings.
Infante was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He now plays for the White Sox Triple A team Charlotte Knights after starting the season in Double A. This season he is combined 2-1 with a 1.54 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 15 walks over 35 innings. He also has eight saves.
Jhan Martinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Marlins Double A team Jacksonville Suns. This season he is 2-5 with a 3.94 ERA and 39 strikeouts against 24 walks over 29.2 innings. He also has one save.
Carlos Martinez was born in Colinas Del Sur, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Cardinals Class A team Quad Cities River Bandits. This season he is 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 50 strikeouts against 14 walks over 38.2 innings.
Paxton was born in Richmond, BC, Canada. He plays for the Mariners Class A team Clinton LumberKings. This season he is 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA and 73 strikeouts against 30 walks over 50 innings.
Perez was born in Guanare Estado Portuquesa, Venezuela. He plays for the Rangers Triple A Team Frisco RoughRiders. This season he is 4-2 with a 3.28 ERA and 78 strikeouts against 32 walks over 82.1 innings.
Teheran was born in Cartagena, Colombia. He plays for the Braves Triple A team Gwinnett Braves. This season he is 8-1 with an 1.79 ERA and 72 strikeouts against 18 walks over 85.2 innings.
Vizcaino was born in Yaguate, Dominican Republic. He now plays for the Braves Double A team Mississippi Braves after starting the season in Class A Advanced. This season he is combined 4-3 with a 3.01 ERA and 72 strikeouts against 21 walks over 71.2 innings.
The catchers on the World roster are Wilin Rosario and Sebastian Valle.
Rosario was born in Bonao, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Rockies Double A team Tulsa Drillers. This season he is hitting .257 with 11 home runs, 26 RBI, 29 runs, and zero steals in 56 games.
Valle was born in Los Mochis, Mexico. He plays for the Phillies Class A Advanced team Clearwater Threshers. This season he is hitting .350 with three home runs, 23 RBI, 22 runs, and zero steals in 45 games.
The infielders on the World roster are 1B Yonder Alonso, 2B Jose Altuve, SS Hak-Ju Lee, 3B Francisco Martinez, 3B Alex Liddi, 3B Jefry Marte, SS Jurickson Profar and 3B Jonathan Schoop.
Alonso was born in Havana, Cuba. He plays for the Red Triple A team Louisville Bats. This season he is hitting .306 with nine home runs, 42 RBI, 37 runs and 5 steals in 68 games.
Altuve was born in Maracay, Venezuela. He now plays for the AStros Double A team Corpus Christi Hooks after starting the season in Class A Advanced. This season he is hitting combined .397 with eight home runs, 51 RBI, 50 runs, and 23 steals in 76 games.
Lee was born in Jeonju, South Korea. He plays for the Rays Class A Advanced team Charlotte Stone Crabs. This season he is hitting .340 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 52 runs, and 20 steals in 58 games.
Martinez was born in Rio Chico, Venezuela. He plays for the Tigers Double A team Erie SeaWolves. This season he is hitting .285 with seven home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs, and 6 steals in 64 games.
Liddi was born in San Remo, Italy. He plays for the Mariners Triple A team Tacoma Rainers. This season he is hitting .256 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, 67 runs, and 5 steals in 74 games.
Marte was born in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Mets Class A Advanced team St. Lucie Mets. This season he is hitting .286 with five home runs, 35 RBI, 34 runs, and 9 steals in 71 games.
Profar was born in Willemstad, Curacao. He plays for the Rangers Class A team Hickory Crawdads. This season he is hitting .261 with six home runs, 27 RBI, 40 runs, and 8 steals in 58 games.
Schoop was born in Willemstad, Curacao. He now plays for the Orioles Class A Advanced team Frederick Keys after starting the season in Class A. This season he is hitting combined .303 with eight home runs, 41 RBI, 53 runs, and 7 steals in 67 games.
The outfielders on the World roster are Chih-Hsien Chiang, Reymond Fuentes, Starling Marte, Alfredo Silverio, and Dayan Viciedo.
Chiang was born in Taitung, Taiwan. He plays for the Red Sox Double A team Portland Sea Dogs. This season he is hitting .295 with 12 home runs, 46 RBI, 39 runs, and 3 steals in 57 games.
Fuentes lists Puerto Rico has his birthplace as well as Orlando, FL. Strange. He plays for the Padres Class A Advanced team Lake Elsinore Storm. This season he is hitting .297 with zero home runs, 19 RBI, 53 runs and 32 steals in 66 games.
Marte was born in Santo Dominigo, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Pirates Double A team Altoona Curve. This season he is hitting .333 with four home runs, 24 RBI, 37 runs and 15 steals in 68 games.
Silverio was born in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He plays for the Dodgers Double A team Chattanooga Lookouts. This season he is hitting .321 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 45 runs, and 9 steals in 72 games.
Viciedo was born Villa Clara, Cuba, He plays for the White Sox Triple A team Charlotte Knights. This season he is hitting .323 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, 37 runs and 1 steal in 74 games.
This game gives a glimpse into players these teams hold in high regard and have a decent chance on ending up on their parent clubs' rosters. I've written about a handful of these players already this year and look forward to seeing them play together. This is easily my favorite all-star game of the year.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
CWS Finals 2011 Preview
The Finals round of the 2011 College World Series begins Monday as defending champion South Carolina faces Florida in the first game of a best of three. Both teams went through their respective brackets unscathed with perfect 3-0 records. Florida beat Texas 8-4 and Vanderbilt twice 3-1 and 6-4. South Carolina beat Texas A&M 5-4 and Virginia twice 7-1 and 3-2.
Both teams represent the SEC and played three times with South Carolina winning two of three at Florida. South Carolina won the first game 9-2, lost the second 2-1, and won the third 4-3. They had a chance to meet again in the SEC tournament but South Carolina was knocked out after a win against Auburn when they had consecutive losses to Vanderbilt and Georgia. Florida won the SEC tournament winning four of five games including the title game against Vanderbilt.
Florida has had a stronger season at the plate with a .309 team average compared to .295 for South Carolina. Florida is a greater long ball threat with Mike Zunino at 18 and Preston Tucker at 15 leading the team total of 68 compared to South Carolina's 45 led by Christian Walker with 10 and Jackie Bradley Jr with six. South Carolina has the edge in pitching with a 2.49 ERA led by 13-3 Michael Roth's microscopic 0.98 compared to Florida's 2.97 led by 11-3 Hudson Randall at 2.24.
After being ousted in the SEC tournament South Carolina is riding an eight game winning streak. Florida is 8-1 over that same stretch and 12-2 including the SEC tournament. The experience of winning the national championship last season is another important factor for South Carolina. In the end I think the experience and their pitching with be enough to allow the Gamecocks to top the Gators and repeat as champs.
Both teams represent the SEC and played three times with South Carolina winning two of three at Florida. South Carolina won the first game 9-2, lost the second 2-1, and won the third 4-3. They had a chance to meet again in the SEC tournament but South Carolina was knocked out after a win against Auburn when they had consecutive losses to Vanderbilt and Georgia. Florida won the SEC tournament winning four of five games including the title game against Vanderbilt.
Florida has had a stronger season at the plate with a .309 team average compared to .295 for South Carolina. Florida is a greater long ball threat with Mike Zunino at 18 and Preston Tucker at 15 leading the team total of 68 compared to South Carolina's 45 led by Christian Walker with 10 and Jackie Bradley Jr with six. South Carolina has the edge in pitching with a 2.49 ERA led by 13-3 Michael Roth's microscopic 0.98 compared to Florida's 2.97 led by 11-3 Hudson Randall at 2.24.
After being ousted in the SEC tournament South Carolina is riding an eight game winning streak. Florida is 8-1 over that same stretch and 12-2 including the SEC tournament. The experience of winning the national championship last season is another important factor for South Carolina. In the end I think the experience and their pitching with be enough to allow the Gamecocks to top the Gators and repeat as champs.
Two Major One Minor 062511
Three starting pitchers are being examined today. They are Danny Duffy, Madison Bumgarner and Jenrry Mejia. All three share the fortune to have played in the 2009 Futures Game with Duffy and Bumgarner on the U.S. team and Mejia on the World team,
Danny Duffy is a starting LHP and was the first of the highly touted Royals pitching prospects to reach the majors this season. He heads into his start tonight having gained 34 innings of experience as his season sits at a crossroads. Two inferior pitchers Bruce Chen and Kyle Davies are returning from the DL and the organization has to choose whether Duffy remains in the starting rotation, goes to the bullpen or heads back to the minors. Although heading to the bullpen will keep him in the majors the other two options will help with his development more. His previous start was shortened to 3.1 innings due to a calf cramp but glimpses of his brilliance shone through with his nine strikeouts. That high strikeout ability was showcased in his rise through the minors along with good control which led to low walk rates and ERA. The future is bright for this one.
Madison Bumgarner is in his second season with the Giants and is experiencing the sophomore slump. So far this season the lefty is 3-9 with a 4.06 ERA and is coming off one of the worst all time performances in major league history. Against the Minnesota Twins he managed one strikeout for his only out as he was knocked out in the first inning after giving up eight runs on nine hits with five being for extra bases. Bumgarner has the talent to bounce back strong and his youth may help in putting aside short term memories. He does have a good rookie season with post season experience plus a meteoric rise though the minors to build on. In 2008 he blew the doors off in his first season in the minors by dominating A ball with a 15-3 record with and 1.46 ERA and 164 strikeouts against only 21 walks and 111 hits allowed over 141.2 innings. This season he is dealing with some growing pains that will make him a better pitcher in future seasons.
Mejia cut his teeth as a 17 year old young pup on the Mets rookie team going 2-3 with a 2.47 ERA with 47 strikeouts over 43.2 innings as he started half the 14 games he appeared in. His right armed cannon helped him quickly advance through the minors and he even spent some time in the majors in 2010 getting some experience in the bullpen. He was back in Triple A this season honing his skills as a starter and working on his control when he was felled with an elbow injury after five starts and had Tommy John surgery May 17th. A number of pitchers have successfully bounced back from this surgery and being so young this should only be a minor detour to his career.
Danny Duffy is a starting LHP and was the first of the highly touted Royals pitching prospects to reach the majors this season. He heads into his start tonight having gained 34 innings of experience as his season sits at a crossroads. Two inferior pitchers Bruce Chen and Kyle Davies are returning from the DL and the organization has to choose whether Duffy remains in the starting rotation, goes to the bullpen or heads back to the minors. Although heading to the bullpen will keep him in the majors the other two options will help with his development more. His previous start was shortened to 3.1 innings due to a calf cramp but glimpses of his brilliance shone through with his nine strikeouts. That high strikeout ability was showcased in his rise through the minors along with good control which led to low walk rates and ERA. The future is bright for this one.
Madison Bumgarner is in his second season with the Giants and is experiencing the sophomore slump. So far this season the lefty is 3-9 with a 4.06 ERA and is coming off one of the worst all time performances in major league history. Against the Minnesota Twins he managed one strikeout for his only out as he was knocked out in the first inning after giving up eight runs on nine hits with five being for extra bases. Bumgarner has the talent to bounce back strong and his youth may help in putting aside short term memories. He does have a good rookie season with post season experience plus a meteoric rise though the minors to build on. In 2008 he blew the doors off in his first season in the minors by dominating A ball with a 15-3 record with and 1.46 ERA and 164 strikeouts against only 21 walks and 111 hits allowed over 141.2 innings. This season he is dealing with some growing pains that will make him a better pitcher in future seasons.
Mejia cut his teeth as a 17 year old young pup on the Mets rookie team going 2-3 with a 2.47 ERA with 47 strikeouts over 43.2 innings as he started half the 14 games he appeared in. His right armed cannon helped him quickly advance through the minors and he even spent some time in the majors in 2010 getting some experience in the bullpen. He was back in Triple A this season honing his skills as a starter and working on his control when he was felled with an elbow injury after five starts and had Tommy John surgery May 17th. A number of pitchers have successfully bounced back from this surgery and being so young this should only be a minor detour to his career.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Texas gone
The Texas Longhorns are the first team to be eliminated from the 2011 College World Series. It was only the fourth time in 34 trips to Omaha that they have gone two and BBQ. Florida beat them in the first game 8-4 and North Carolina finished them off 3-0.
Even in the new era of the restricted composite bats Texas was still a light hitting team compared to the rest of the field. They relied on station to station baseball and lived on hits, walks, sacrifices, and steals to make their way around the base paths. In Omaha their bats went cold and their pitching wasn't dominating.
Against Florida they managed only five hits and drew no walks. They were aided by Florida errors which let Texas score three unearned runs. Half of their four runs were scored on sacrifice flys. Their ace Taylor Jungmann had control issues with four walks and couldn't get past the fifth inning as Florida turned the tables on him by scoring five runs on only three hits.
Facing elimination they failed to get their bats going against North Carolina Freshman sensation Kent Emanuel. Texas managed only four hits and drew only one walk as Emanuel shut them out in a nine inning gem. Texas only left three on base as they did against Florida which also shows they weren't giving themselves many chances.
There will be plenty more baseball played in Omaha but Texas will be riding into the sunset to end their 2011.
Even in the new era of the restricted composite bats Texas was still a light hitting team compared to the rest of the field. They relied on station to station baseball and lived on hits, walks, sacrifices, and steals to make their way around the base paths. In Omaha their bats went cold and their pitching wasn't dominating.
Against Florida they managed only five hits and drew no walks. They were aided by Florida errors which let Texas score three unearned runs. Half of their four runs were scored on sacrifice flys. Their ace Taylor Jungmann had control issues with four walks and couldn't get past the fifth inning as Florida turned the tables on him by scoring five runs on only three hits.
Facing elimination they failed to get their bats going against North Carolina Freshman sensation Kent Emanuel. Texas managed only four hits and drew only one walk as Emanuel shut them out in a nine inning gem. Texas only left three on base as they did against Florida which also shows they weren't giving themselves many chances.
There will be plenty more baseball played in Omaha but Texas will be riding into the sunset to end their 2011.
Monday, June 20, 2011
PopWe CWS
Check out my guest post on the Population We blog about the 2011 College World Series:
http://population-we.blogspot.com/2011/06/pop-we-highlights-inaugural-2011.html
update: January 27, 2012
This is the article I posted last June on Population We:
Omaha welcomes the final eight baseball teams to a new venue as the 2011 College World Series begins Saturday. Gone are the years at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium as the championship tournament moves across town to the new NCAA mandated TD Ameritrade Park. One of the most talented fields ever promises to start this new era with several exciting games.
The first game Saturday has 52-10 Vanderbilt against 50-14 North Carolina. Vanderbilt advanced to Omaha by crushing Oregon St 11-1 and 9-3 in their super regional. North Carolina also swept the opponent Stanford in more closely contested 5-2 and 7-5 games.
The Vanderbilt Commodores are led by Head Coach Tim Corbin. Their top seven hitters are Jason Esposito (.357), Aaron Westlake (.353), Conrad Gregor (.350), Riley Reynolds (.346), Anthony Gomez (.343), Joel McKeithan (.333), and Tony Kemp (.325) with Westlake leading the team with 17 home runs followed by Esposito with nine. Their top four starting pitchers are Sonny Gray (12-3, 1.97 ERA), Grayson Garvin (13-1, 2.36) Taylor Hill (5-1, 2.84) and T.J. Pecoraro (7-0, 1.59) with Navery Moore being their closer with 11 saves. In the 2011 MLB draft they had an NCAA record 12 players selected: Gray (Oakland, 1st round), Garvin (Tampa Bay, 1st round supplemental), Esposito ( Baltimore, 2nd), Jack Armstrong (Houston, 3rd), Westlake (Detroit, 3rd), Correy Williams (Minnesota, 3rd), Hill (Washington, 6th), Mark Lamm (Atlanta, 6th), Curt Casali ( Detroit, 10th), Moore (Atlanta, 14th), Will Clinard (Minnesota, 30th), and Joe Loftus (Arizona, 46th)
The North Carolina Tar Heels are led by Head Coach Mike Fox. Their top seven hitters are Colin Moran (.335), Tommy Coyle (.318), Levi Michael (.300), Jesse Wierzbicki (.298), Jacob Stallings (.287), Ben Bunting (.278), and Chaz Frank (.278) with Moran leading the team in home runs with nine followed by Wierzbicki with seven. Their top four starting pitchers are Patrick Johnson (13-1, 2.27 ERA), Kent Emanuel (8-1, 2.55), Chris Munnelly (6-5, 4.11) and Cody Stiles (4-0, 2.43) with Michael Morin being their closer with 10 saves. In the MLB draft they had five players selected: Michael (Minnesota, 1st round), Greg Holt (Washington, 8th), Wierzbicki (Houston, 24th), Brett Moneyham (Washington, 38th), and Danny Sandbrink (San Francisco, 42nd)
The second game Saturday pits 49-17 Texas against 50-17 Florida. Texas fought their way to Omaha by besting Arizona St after losing 3-1 they won the last two 5-1 and 4-2. Florida battled past fellow SEC member Mississippi St by winning the first game 11-1, losing the second 4-3, and winning the final 8-6.
The Texas Longhorns are led by Head Coach Augie Garrido. Their top seven hitters are Erich Weiss (.358), Brandon Loy (.344), Tant Shepherd (.305), Paul Montalbano (.279), Mark Payton (.269), Jonathan Walsh (.253), and Jordan Etier (.238) with Shepherd leading the team with five home runs followed by Weiss with four. Their top four starting pitchers are Taylor Jungmann (13-2, 1.38 ERA), Sam Stafford (6-2, 1.72), Cole Green (8-3, 3.03), and Hoby Milner (7-4, 2.53) with Corey Knebel being their closer with 19 saves. In the MLB draft they had eight players selected: Jungmann (Milwaukee, 1st round), Stafford (NY Yankees, 2nd), Loy (Detroit, 5th), Green (Cincinnati, 9th), Andrew McKirahan (Chicago Cubs, 21st), Shepherd (NY Mets, 24th), Austin Dicharry (Philadelphia, 41st) and Kevin Lusson (Tampa Bay, 45th).
The Florida Gators are led by Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan. Their top seven hitters are Mike Zunino (.376), Daniel Pigott (.339), Josh Adams (.329), Bryson Smith (.323), Preston Tucker (.314), Brian Johnson (.312), and Nolan Fontana (.301)with Zunino leading the team 18 home runs followed by Tucker with 14. Their top four starting pitchers are Hudson Randall (10-3, 2.29 ERA), Karsten Whitson (8-0, 2.45), Brian Johnson (8-3, 3.66) and Alex Panteliodis (6-2, 3.95) with Austin Maddox being their lead closer at five saves although others have shared that duty. In the MLB draft they had 11 players selected: Nick Maronde (LA Angels, 4th round), Anthony DeSclafani (Toronto, 6th), Panteliodis (NY Mets, 9th), Tommy Toledo (Milwaukee, 11th), Adams (Florida, 13th), Tucker (Colorado, 16th), Ben McMahan (Milwaukee, 23rd), Matt Campbell (Philadelphia, 24th), Greg Larson (LA Angels, 29th), Smith (Cincinnati, 34th) and Tyler Thompson (Washington, 46th).
The first game Sunday has 37-21 California against 54-10 Virginia. California won their super regional by sweeping Dallas Baptist 7-0 and 6-2. Virginia took their series down to the wire against UC Irvine by winning the first game 6-0, losing the second 6-4, and winning the final in an exciting 3-2 game.
The California Golden Bears are led by Head Coach David Esquer. Their top seven hitters are Tony Renda (.335), Austin Booker (.319), Chadd Krist (.304), Vince Bruno (.301), Devon Rodriguez (.288), Louie Lechich (.286), and Marcus Semien (.277) with Chad Bunting leading the team with seven home runs follwed by Semien and Rodriguez both with five. Their top four starting pitchers are Erik Johnson (7-4, 2.91 ERA), Justin Jones (9-6, 2.93), Dixon Anderson (4-3, 3.90) and Kevin Miller (6-4, 2.59) with Matt Flemer being the lead closer with five saves although others have shared the duty. In the MLB draft they had seven players selected: Johnson (Chicago White Sox, 2nd round), Semien (Chicago White Sox, 6th), Anderson (Washington, 9th), Krist (Chicago White Sox, 13th), Miller (Houston, 18th), Flemer (Kansas City, 19th) and Booker (Oakland, 33rd).
The Virginia Cavaliers are led by Head Coach Brian O'Connor. Their top seven hitters are David Coleman (.366), John Hicks (.340), Steven Proscia (.335), Jared King (.333), Kenny Swab (.314), Chris Taylor (.310), and John Barr (.283) with Proscia leading the team with eight home runs followed by Hicks with seven. Their top four starting pitchers are Danny Hultzen (12-3, 1.49 ERA), Will Roberts (11-1, 1.58), Tyler Wilson (8-0, 2.29) and Cody Winiarski (6-3, 3.04) with Branden Kline being their closer with 17 saves. In the MLB draft they had eight players selected: Hultzen (Seattle, 1st round), Hicks (Seattle, 4th), Roberts (Cleveland, 5th), Proscia (Seattle, 7th), Wilson (Baltimore, 10th), Swab (Kansas City, 21st), Winiarski (Chicago White Sox, 36th) and Barr (Cleveland, 39th).
The second game Sunday showcases 47-20 Texas A&M against defending champion 50-14 South Carolina. Texas A&M won an exhausting two of three against Florida St by winning 6-2 in the first game, getting thumped 23-9 in the second and then winning a decisive 11-2 in the final. South Carolina swept Connecticut 5-1 and 8-2 to advance to Omaha.
The Texas A&M Aggies are led by Head Coach Rob Childress. Their top seven hitters are Tyler Naquin (.390), Krey Bratsen (.335), Matt Juengel (.309), Jacob House (.303), Kenny Jackson (.279), Charlie Curl (.278) and Andrew Collazo (.277) with Juengel leading the team with seven home runs followed by Kevin Gonzalez and Adam Smith both with five. Their top four starting pitchers are Ross Stripling (14-2, 2.29 ERA), Michael Wacha (8-3, 2.10), John Stilson (5-2, 1.68), and Dylan Mendoza (3-2, 4.01) with Joaquin Hinojosa being their closer with eight saves. In the MLB draft they had eight players selected: Stilson (Toronto, 3rd round), Stripling (Colorado, 9th), Nick Fleece (Cincinnati, 13th), Smith (NY Yankees, 25th), Brandon Parrent (Chicago White Sox, 30th), Jackson (Florida, 31st), Gonzalez (Houston, 36th) and Steve Martin (Houston, 37th).
The South Carolina Gamecocks are led by Head Coach Ray Tanner. Their top seven hitters are Christian Walker (.359), Scott Wingo (.338), Brady Thomas (.311), Evan Marzilli (.299), Robert Beary (.292), Adrian Morales (.286), and Jake Williams (.279) with Walker leading the team with 10 home runs followed by Jackie Bradley Jr with six. Their top four starting pitchers are Michael Roth (13-3, 1.02 ERA), Forrest Koumas (6-1, 3.07), Colby Holmes (7-3, 3.78) and Steven Neff (3-1, 2.45) with Matt Price being their closer with 18 saves. In the MLB draft they had 11 players selected: Bradley (Boston, 1st round supplemental), Price (Arizona, 6th), Wingo (LA Dodgers, 11th), Peter Mooney (Toronto, 21st), John Taylor (Seattle, 22nd), Adam Matthews (Baltimore, 23rd), Bryan Harper (Washington, 30th), Michael Roth (Cleveland, 31st), Neff (San Francisco, 41st), Tyler Webb (Cincinnati, 48th) and Morales (Kansas City, 49th).
There are many intriguing stories such as the bracket that begins Saturday having the more challenging bracket and the Sunday bracket includes the top ranked team in Virgina and the defending champion South Carolina. Two coaches have local ties to Omaha with Brian O'Connor being born in Omaha and played at Creighton while Rob Childress had been an assistant down the road at Nebraska when they made three trips to the CWS. Then again there is the story of it being the first year at TD Ameritrade Park. Those back stories only enhance the games that will be played between these extremely talented teams.
Play ball!!
http://population-we.blogspot.com/2011/06/pop-we-highlights-inaugural-2011.html
update: January 27, 2012
This is the article I posted last June on Population We:
Omaha welcomes the final eight baseball teams to a new venue as the 2011 College World Series begins Saturday. Gone are the years at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium as the championship tournament moves across town to the new NCAA mandated TD Ameritrade Park. One of the most talented fields ever promises to start this new era with several exciting games.
The first game Saturday has 52-10 Vanderbilt against 50-14 North Carolina. Vanderbilt advanced to Omaha by crushing Oregon St 11-1 and 9-3 in their super regional. North Carolina also swept the opponent Stanford in more closely contested 5-2 and 7-5 games.
The Vanderbilt Commodores are led by Head Coach Tim Corbin. Their top seven hitters are Jason Esposito (.357), Aaron Westlake (.353), Conrad Gregor (.350), Riley Reynolds (.346), Anthony Gomez (.343), Joel McKeithan (.333), and Tony Kemp (.325) with Westlake leading the team with 17 home runs followed by Esposito with nine. Their top four starting pitchers are Sonny Gray (12-3, 1.97 ERA), Grayson Garvin (13-1, 2.36) Taylor Hill (5-1, 2.84) and T.J. Pecoraro (7-0, 1.59) with Navery Moore being their closer with 11 saves. In the 2011 MLB draft they had an NCAA record 12 players selected: Gray (Oakland, 1st round), Garvin (Tampa Bay, 1st round supplemental), Esposito ( Baltimore, 2nd), Jack Armstrong (Houston, 3rd), Westlake (Detroit, 3rd), Correy Williams (Minnesota, 3rd), Hill (Washington, 6th), Mark Lamm (Atlanta, 6th), Curt Casali ( Detroit, 10th), Moore (Atlanta, 14th), Will Clinard (Minnesota, 30th), and Joe Loftus (Arizona, 46th)
The North Carolina Tar Heels are led by Head Coach Mike Fox. Their top seven hitters are Colin Moran (.335), Tommy Coyle (.318), Levi Michael (.300), Jesse Wierzbicki (.298), Jacob Stallings (.287), Ben Bunting (.278), and Chaz Frank (.278) with Moran leading the team in home runs with nine followed by Wierzbicki with seven. Their top four starting pitchers are Patrick Johnson (13-1, 2.27 ERA), Kent Emanuel (8-1, 2.55), Chris Munnelly (6-5, 4.11) and Cody Stiles (4-0, 2.43) with Michael Morin being their closer with 10 saves. In the MLB draft they had five players selected: Michael (Minnesota, 1st round), Greg Holt (Washington, 8th), Wierzbicki (Houston, 24th), Brett Moneyham (Washington, 38th), and Danny Sandbrink (San Francisco, 42nd)
The second game Saturday pits 49-17 Texas against 50-17 Florida. Texas fought their way to Omaha by besting Arizona St after losing 3-1 they won the last two 5-1 and 4-2. Florida battled past fellow SEC member Mississippi St by winning the first game 11-1, losing the second 4-3, and winning the final 8-6.
The Texas Longhorns are led by Head Coach Augie Garrido. Their top seven hitters are Erich Weiss (.358), Brandon Loy (.344), Tant Shepherd (.305), Paul Montalbano (.279), Mark Payton (.269), Jonathan Walsh (.253), and Jordan Etier (.238) with Shepherd leading the team with five home runs followed by Weiss with four. Their top four starting pitchers are Taylor Jungmann (13-2, 1.38 ERA), Sam Stafford (6-2, 1.72), Cole Green (8-3, 3.03), and Hoby Milner (7-4, 2.53) with Corey Knebel being their closer with 19 saves. In the MLB draft they had eight players selected: Jungmann (Milwaukee, 1st round), Stafford (NY Yankees, 2nd), Loy (Detroit, 5th), Green (Cincinnati, 9th), Andrew McKirahan (Chicago Cubs, 21st), Shepherd (NY Mets, 24th), Austin Dicharry (Philadelphia, 41st) and Kevin Lusson (Tampa Bay, 45th).
The Florida Gators are led by Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan. Their top seven hitters are Mike Zunino (.376), Daniel Pigott (.339), Josh Adams (.329), Bryson Smith (.323), Preston Tucker (.314), Brian Johnson (.312), and Nolan Fontana (.301)with Zunino leading the team 18 home runs followed by Tucker with 14. Their top four starting pitchers are Hudson Randall (10-3, 2.29 ERA), Karsten Whitson (8-0, 2.45), Brian Johnson (8-3, 3.66) and Alex Panteliodis (6-2, 3.95) with Austin Maddox being their lead closer at five saves although others have shared that duty. In the MLB draft they had 11 players selected: Nick Maronde (LA Angels, 4th round), Anthony DeSclafani (Toronto, 6th), Panteliodis (NY Mets, 9th), Tommy Toledo (Milwaukee, 11th), Adams (Florida, 13th), Tucker (Colorado, 16th), Ben McMahan (Milwaukee, 23rd), Matt Campbell (Philadelphia, 24th), Greg Larson (LA Angels, 29th), Smith (Cincinnati, 34th) and Tyler Thompson (Washington, 46th).
The first game Sunday has 37-21 California against 54-10 Virginia. California won their super regional by sweeping Dallas Baptist 7-0 and 6-2. Virginia took their series down to the wire against UC Irvine by winning the first game 6-0, losing the second 6-4, and winning the final in an exciting 3-2 game.
The California Golden Bears are led by Head Coach David Esquer. Their top seven hitters are Tony Renda (.335), Austin Booker (.319), Chadd Krist (.304), Vince Bruno (.301), Devon Rodriguez (.288), Louie Lechich (.286), and Marcus Semien (.277) with Chad Bunting leading the team with seven home runs follwed by Semien and Rodriguez both with five. Their top four starting pitchers are Erik Johnson (7-4, 2.91 ERA), Justin Jones (9-6, 2.93), Dixon Anderson (4-3, 3.90) and Kevin Miller (6-4, 2.59) with Matt Flemer being the lead closer with five saves although others have shared the duty. In the MLB draft they had seven players selected: Johnson (Chicago White Sox, 2nd round), Semien (Chicago White Sox, 6th), Anderson (Washington, 9th), Krist (Chicago White Sox, 13th), Miller (Houston, 18th), Flemer (Kansas City, 19th) and Booker (Oakland, 33rd).
The Virginia Cavaliers are led by Head Coach Brian O'Connor. Their top seven hitters are David Coleman (.366), John Hicks (.340), Steven Proscia (.335), Jared King (.333), Kenny Swab (.314), Chris Taylor (.310), and John Barr (.283) with Proscia leading the team with eight home runs followed by Hicks with seven. Their top four starting pitchers are Danny Hultzen (12-3, 1.49 ERA), Will Roberts (11-1, 1.58), Tyler Wilson (8-0, 2.29) and Cody Winiarski (6-3, 3.04) with Branden Kline being their closer with 17 saves. In the MLB draft they had eight players selected: Hultzen (Seattle, 1st round), Hicks (Seattle, 4th), Roberts (Cleveland, 5th), Proscia (Seattle, 7th), Wilson (Baltimore, 10th), Swab (Kansas City, 21st), Winiarski (Chicago White Sox, 36th) and Barr (Cleveland, 39th).
The second game Sunday showcases 47-20 Texas A&M against defending champion 50-14 South Carolina. Texas A&M won an exhausting two of three against Florida St by winning 6-2 in the first game, getting thumped 23-9 in the second and then winning a decisive 11-2 in the final. South Carolina swept Connecticut 5-1 and 8-2 to advance to Omaha.
The Texas A&M Aggies are led by Head Coach Rob Childress. Their top seven hitters are Tyler Naquin (.390), Krey Bratsen (.335), Matt Juengel (.309), Jacob House (.303), Kenny Jackson (.279), Charlie Curl (.278) and Andrew Collazo (.277) with Juengel leading the team with seven home runs followed by Kevin Gonzalez and Adam Smith both with five. Their top four starting pitchers are Ross Stripling (14-2, 2.29 ERA), Michael Wacha (8-3, 2.10), John Stilson (5-2, 1.68), and Dylan Mendoza (3-2, 4.01) with Joaquin Hinojosa being their closer with eight saves. In the MLB draft they had eight players selected: Stilson (Toronto, 3rd round), Stripling (Colorado, 9th), Nick Fleece (Cincinnati, 13th), Smith (NY Yankees, 25th), Brandon Parrent (Chicago White Sox, 30th), Jackson (Florida, 31st), Gonzalez (Houston, 36th) and Steve Martin (Houston, 37th).
The South Carolina Gamecocks are led by Head Coach Ray Tanner. Their top seven hitters are Christian Walker (.359), Scott Wingo (.338), Brady Thomas (.311), Evan Marzilli (.299), Robert Beary (.292), Adrian Morales (.286), and Jake Williams (.279) with Walker leading the team with 10 home runs followed by Jackie Bradley Jr with six. Their top four starting pitchers are Michael Roth (13-3, 1.02 ERA), Forrest Koumas (6-1, 3.07), Colby Holmes (7-3, 3.78) and Steven Neff (3-1, 2.45) with Matt Price being their closer with 18 saves. In the MLB draft they had 11 players selected: Bradley (Boston, 1st round supplemental), Price (Arizona, 6th), Wingo (LA Dodgers, 11th), Peter Mooney (Toronto, 21st), John Taylor (Seattle, 22nd), Adam Matthews (Baltimore, 23rd), Bryan Harper (Washington, 30th), Michael Roth (Cleveland, 31st), Neff (San Francisco, 41st), Tyler Webb (Cincinnati, 48th) and Morales (Kansas City, 49th).
There are many intriguing stories such as the bracket that begins Saturday having the more challenging bracket and the Sunday bracket includes the top ranked team in Virgina and the defending champion South Carolina. Two coaches have local ties to Omaha with Brian O'Connor being born in Omaha and played at Creighton while Rob Childress had been an assistant down the road at Nebraska when they made three trips to the CWS. Then again there is the story of it being the first year at TD Ameritrade Park. Those back stories only enhance the games that will be played between these extremely talented teams.
Play ball!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Can Gamecocks Repeat?
The 2011 College World Series starts on Saturday and South Carolina took a big step toward defending their title by earning a trip back to Omaha. They will attempt a feat that only five other teams have managed to do although the other USC skews the actual total number by winning five in a row. The other teams to accomplish back-to-back championships were Texas, Stanford, LSU, and Oregon State.
My first experience with South Carolina baseball was in 1985 when the team made it to Omaha with a catcher named Jeff Churchich. Churchich was an Omaha native and played ball at Omaha Burke. Having a local boy on the team playing my favorite position made the Gamecocks my chosen team to root for that year. Unfortunately they went two and BBQ but a bond was made. A few years later I met my friend Ron who had adopted South Carolina as his second team. Due to these two factors I have kept an eye on South Carolina baseball for several years now. The championship last year produced many smiles and cheers in Nebraska both in the stands and at home.
South Carolina returns to Omaha with a good core of the players that battled through the losers bracket to win the whole thing in 2010. Their top six hitters all had experience in the championship game. Christian Walker, Scott Wingo, Brady Thomas, Evan Marzilli, Robert Beary and Adrian Morales all played in that classic 2-1 win over UCLA. Michael Roth was the starter of that game and has returned as the ace of the staff with a 13-3 record and stingy 1.02 ERA. Matt Price also returns and has 18 saves as the closer.
The Gamecocks have the talent and experience to make a realistic run at defending their title. They appear to have a favorable bracket with two of the weaker teams in their first round opponent Texas A&M and California who plays Virginia. I believe they have a better than average chance to make the championship round where another classic is ready to be made.
My first experience with South Carolina baseball was in 1985 when the team made it to Omaha with a catcher named Jeff Churchich. Churchich was an Omaha native and played ball at Omaha Burke. Having a local boy on the team playing my favorite position made the Gamecocks my chosen team to root for that year. Unfortunately they went two and BBQ but a bond was made. A few years later I met my friend Ron who had adopted South Carolina as his second team. Due to these two factors I have kept an eye on South Carolina baseball for several years now. The championship last year produced many smiles and cheers in Nebraska both in the stands and at home.
South Carolina returns to Omaha with a good core of the players that battled through the losers bracket to win the whole thing in 2010. Their top six hitters all had experience in the championship game. Christian Walker, Scott Wingo, Brady Thomas, Evan Marzilli, Robert Beary and Adrian Morales all played in that classic 2-1 win over UCLA. Michael Roth was the starter of that game and has returned as the ace of the staff with a 13-3 record and stingy 1.02 ERA. Matt Price also returns and has 18 saves as the closer.
The Gamecocks have the talent and experience to make a realistic run at defending their title. They appear to have a favorable bracket with two of the weaker teams in their first round opponent Texas A&M and California who plays Virginia. I believe they have a better than average chance to make the championship round where another classic is ready to be made.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Two Major One Minor 061411
This week the focus is on three power hitting outfielders that represent the past, present and future of my roster. They are Nelson Cruz, Mike Stanton and Dayan Viciedo. The home run is the calling card for each of them.
I remember at the end of our draft in 2008 that I made the choice to select Ryan Raburn instead of Nelson Cruz for $1. He went unclaimed and I watched him have a phenomenal year in the minors as he hit .342 with 37 home runs and 24 steals in 103 games before the Rangers called him up. I jumped at the chance and was very happy to claim him at $5. He was one of my prized players that I knew had a productive career ahead of him. In the midst of his breakout season the following year I traded him and two others for Zack Greinke during his Cy Young season. Cruz finished that season batting .260 with 33 home runs and 20 steals for the Rangers. Although he has had some injury issues when healthy Cruz is one of the most talented in the game. In an injury shortened 2010 season he still managed 22 home runs and 17 steals in 108 games while batting .318. This season he has also missed some games due to injury which I believe has led to his eye not being as sharp contributing to a .229 average while slugging 15 home runs through 50 games. In the last seven days Cruz has two of the longest home runs with blasts of 459 and 450 feet.
Stanton quickly brought the spotlight on himself when he slugged 39 home runs as a teenager. I started to follow him the following season as he put 28 balls over the fence but never advanced above Double A. Going into our 2010 draft I made Stanton my top prospect target and I was able to land him for $5. He proceeded to break out of the gates by hitting .313 with 21 home runs and 52 RBI through only 53 games before getting called up by the Marlins. He finished out the season hitting 22 home runs and 59 RBI through 100 games while managing to hit .259. Through 62 games this season he is hitting .259 with 16 home runs and 41 RBI while his strikeout rate is down and his slugging percentage is up.
Before that same 2010 draft I read how the Chicago White Sox signed a young Cuban infielder named Dayan Viciedo for 4 years at $10 million with a $4 million signing bonus. I took a chance and got him for $1 and watched him hit .274 with 20 home runs and 47 RBI in 86 games at AAA and hit .308 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 38 games with the White Sox. This season he is back in AAA and moved to the outfield while hitting .318 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI though 62 games and he has greatly improved his walk rate showing better plate discipline. He is still only 22 and has a very promising future. White Sox GM Kenny Williams has said on more than one occasion that Viciedo hits the ball harder than anyone currently on their roster. It will only be a matter of time before Viciedo is a regular in the White Sox line up.
I remember at the end of our draft in 2008 that I made the choice to select Ryan Raburn instead of Nelson Cruz for $1. He went unclaimed and I watched him have a phenomenal year in the minors as he hit .342 with 37 home runs and 24 steals in 103 games before the Rangers called him up. I jumped at the chance and was very happy to claim him at $5. He was one of my prized players that I knew had a productive career ahead of him. In the midst of his breakout season the following year I traded him and two others for Zack Greinke during his Cy Young season. Cruz finished that season batting .260 with 33 home runs and 20 steals for the Rangers. Although he has had some injury issues when healthy Cruz is one of the most talented in the game. In an injury shortened 2010 season he still managed 22 home runs and 17 steals in 108 games while batting .318. This season he has also missed some games due to injury which I believe has led to his eye not being as sharp contributing to a .229 average while slugging 15 home runs through 50 games. In the last seven days Cruz has two of the longest home runs with blasts of 459 and 450 feet.
Stanton quickly brought the spotlight on himself when he slugged 39 home runs as a teenager. I started to follow him the following season as he put 28 balls over the fence but never advanced above Double A. Going into our 2010 draft I made Stanton my top prospect target and I was able to land him for $5. He proceeded to break out of the gates by hitting .313 with 21 home runs and 52 RBI through only 53 games before getting called up by the Marlins. He finished out the season hitting 22 home runs and 59 RBI through 100 games while managing to hit .259. Through 62 games this season he is hitting .259 with 16 home runs and 41 RBI while his strikeout rate is down and his slugging percentage is up.
Before that same 2010 draft I read how the Chicago White Sox signed a young Cuban infielder named Dayan Viciedo for 4 years at $10 million with a $4 million signing bonus. I took a chance and got him for $1 and watched him hit .274 with 20 home runs and 47 RBI in 86 games at AAA and hit .308 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 38 games with the White Sox. This season he is back in AAA and moved to the outfield while hitting .318 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI though 62 games and he has greatly improved his walk rate showing better plate discipline. He is still only 22 and has a very promising future. White Sox GM Kenny Williams has said on more than one occasion that Viciedo hits the ball harder than anyone currently on their roster. It will only be a matter of time before Viciedo is a regular in the White Sox line up.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Other Side of the Coin
The MLB baseball draft took place this week and there are now 14 players that are at a crossroads. Each of those 14 were just out of high school and now have the choice between signing with the major league team that drafted them or honoring their commitment to play in college. The deadline to make this decision is August 15th and there will be millions of dollars involved.
Dylan Bundy selected fourth by the Baltimore Orioles and Blake Swihart selected 26th by the Boston Red Sox are part of the same Texas recruiting class. Bundy has slightly tipped his hand by stating that he would like to play in the same rotation as his brother Robert who was drafted by the Orioles in 2008. Swihart is a talented catcher that grew up a Texas fan and it may take well above the normal 26th spot signing bonus to entice him to head to Boston.
Bubba Starling selected fifth by the Kansas City Royals and Archie Bradley selected seventh by the Arizona Diamondbacks both have the option to play quarterback in college. Starling has to choose between playing football and baseball at Nebraska or signing with his local team that is just minutes from his hometown. Bradley has the same offer to play both football and baseball for his home state Oklahoma Sooners or joining the Diamondbacks organization.
I believe that Javier Baez drafted ninth by the Chicago Cubs and Brandon Nimmo drafted 13th by the New York Mets may have the easiest decisions to make. Baez is a shortstop that is bound for Chipola Junior College in his home state of Florida but now has the no-brainer to accept top ten money to sign with the Cubs. Nimmo could go to Arkansas and play for Coach Dave Van Horn who also coached his brother Bryce at Nebraska but will likely opt for what the Mets have to offer which is a huge jump for a player limited to Legion ball since they don't play spring baseball in Wyoming.
Francisco Lindor drafted eighth by the Cleveland Indians is a shortstop from Florida who could choose Florida State. Jose Fernandez drafted 14th by the Florida Marlins is a RHP from Tampa and committed to play for his hometown team University of South Florida. Tyler Beede drafted 21st by the Toronto Blue Jays is a RHP from Massachusetts could head to Vanderbilt. Taylor Guerrieri drafted 24th by the Tampa Bay Rays has the option to play for his hometown South Carolina Gamecocks. Joe Ross drafted 25th by the San Diego Padres is a California boy that might see it enticing to be a right-handed pitcher for UCLA after seeing two of their pitchers develop into top three draft picks this week. Robert Stephenson drafted 27th by the Cincinnati Reds is another RHP from California and his choice could be to take the Tim Lincecum route through the University of Washington. Jake Hager was another Rays pick at the 32nd position who is a shortstop from Nevada that could head to Arizona State. Finally Kevin Matthews drafted 33rd by the Texas Rangers is a LHP from Georgia who could play for Virginia.
Some of these players have to make the choice between their hometown team or going pro. There will be numbers with many zeros tossed around as they make the biggest decision of their young lives. In the end it will involve a lot more than the flip of a coin.
Dylan Bundy selected fourth by the Baltimore Orioles and Blake Swihart selected 26th by the Boston Red Sox are part of the same Texas recruiting class. Bundy has slightly tipped his hand by stating that he would like to play in the same rotation as his brother Robert who was drafted by the Orioles in 2008. Swihart is a talented catcher that grew up a Texas fan and it may take well above the normal 26th spot signing bonus to entice him to head to Boston.
Bubba Starling selected fifth by the Kansas City Royals and Archie Bradley selected seventh by the Arizona Diamondbacks both have the option to play quarterback in college. Starling has to choose between playing football and baseball at Nebraska or signing with his local team that is just minutes from his hometown. Bradley has the same offer to play both football and baseball for his home state Oklahoma Sooners or joining the Diamondbacks organization.
I believe that Javier Baez drafted ninth by the Chicago Cubs and Brandon Nimmo drafted 13th by the New York Mets may have the easiest decisions to make. Baez is a shortstop that is bound for Chipola Junior College in his home state of Florida but now has the no-brainer to accept top ten money to sign with the Cubs. Nimmo could go to Arkansas and play for Coach Dave Van Horn who also coached his brother Bryce at Nebraska but will likely opt for what the Mets have to offer which is a huge jump for a player limited to Legion ball since they don't play spring baseball in Wyoming.
Francisco Lindor drafted eighth by the Cleveland Indians is a shortstop from Florida who could choose Florida State. Jose Fernandez drafted 14th by the Florida Marlins is a RHP from Tampa and committed to play for his hometown team University of South Florida. Tyler Beede drafted 21st by the Toronto Blue Jays is a RHP from Massachusetts could head to Vanderbilt. Taylor Guerrieri drafted 24th by the Tampa Bay Rays has the option to play for his hometown South Carolina Gamecocks. Joe Ross drafted 25th by the San Diego Padres is a California boy that might see it enticing to be a right-handed pitcher for UCLA after seeing two of their pitchers develop into top three draft picks this week. Robert Stephenson drafted 27th by the Cincinnati Reds is another RHP from California and his choice could be to take the Tim Lincecum route through the University of Washington. Jake Hager was another Rays pick at the 32nd position who is a shortstop from Nevada that could head to Arizona State. Finally Kevin Matthews drafted 33rd by the Texas Rangers is a LHP from Georgia who could play for Virginia.
Some of these players have to make the choice between their hometown team or going pro. There will be numbers with many zeros tossed around as they make the biggest decision of their young lives. In the end it will involve a lot more than the flip of a coin.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
My Strategy
I would imagine that my general strategy to playing fantasy baseball is similar to most players out there. Yet over the past few years my philosophy has adapted and evolved. Plus I found that research is vital to improving your team in the present and for the future.
Baseball is a kids game at the core and I admit that I am constantly adjusting my roster the way a kid would play with tinker toys. I find what works and strive to make it even better. If a player isn't performing he might be replaced by someone on the waiver wire if they appear to have a higher upside. There are times that having patience would be better when a player I drop starts performing down the road. It does irk me to have to pick a player back up for more than I originally had them for but that is the nature of the game.
For hitters I try to find a healthy mix of power, average and speed. Ideally you would find someone with all three like Josh Hamilton or Hanley Ramirez. Two out of three often finds productive players like Drew Stubbs, Hunter Pence and Mitch Moreland. Then there are the one category specialists that dominate one category but have trouble in the others such as Mike Stanton and Juan Pierre. The trick is to find the right mix of these players and I am lucky enough to have some of these on my roster. Finding a good power hitter should help in the home run, runs, and RBI categories. Having a base thief not only helps in stolen bases but also boosts in runs because they are getting in better position to score.
For pitchers I am going after high strikeout performers first because each swinging miss contributes not only to the strikeout category but boosts ERA and WHIP. Secondly I look for good control because fewer walks puts fewer unnecessary players on base and that helps keep both the WHIP and ERA down. Zack Greinke, CJ Wilson, and Jeremy Hellickson all fall in this category while Jaime Garcia has made great strides this season also.
Each week I am following who is hot in the majors and following players in the minors. If a hot player is available on the waiver wire I may try and bid for them and try and ride out their hot streak with them. I keep an eye on the minors to add players to my watch list for both future drafts and possibly to pick them up in season if they are called up. One helpful guide is the Future's Game which will give a clue which players the organizations have on their radar and will likely fast track. Joey Votto, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, Jamie Garcia and Justin Verlander are all Future Game alums.
My favorite aspect is picking up a sleeper before he is on anyone's radar. In the past I made the mistake of collecting these players and trading them for highly touted prospects rather than just keeping these hidden gems for myself. Two examples from 2007 were James Shields who I traded for Clay Bucholtz and Carlos Pena who I traded for Nick Adenhart. I ended up trading Bucholtz the following season and the Adenhart tragedy could not have been foreseen. My current golden sleeper is Allen Craig who I picked up last season and called up from my farm team a few weeks ago. While I enjoy snagging the highly touted prospects when given the chance there is something special about getting a sleeper that pans out. Anyone can win with the top players but it is extra sweet when I beat you with my blue collar players.
This season I am battling for second place as our leader looks to keep a stranglehold on the championship for the fifth year in a row. My goal is to win at least one category and hopefully claim two or three. At present I am in first for strikeouts and when the schedule allows I will forgo saves so I can load up on pitchers that have two starts. I am currently in second for steals and middle of the pack for home runs so week to week I am juggling my line up to be steal oriented one week and power hitters the next. Hopefully that will pay off. That is my strategy for now. As always I will keep adapting and trying to evolve.
Baseball is a kids game at the core and I admit that I am constantly adjusting my roster the way a kid would play with tinker toys. I find what works and strive to make it even better. If a player isn't performing he might be replaced by someone on the waiver wire if they appear to have a higher upside. There are times that having patience would be better when a player I drop starts performing down the road. It does irk me to have to pick a player back up for more than I originally had them for but that is the nature of the game.
For hitters I try to find a healthy mix of power, average and speed. Ideally you would find someone with all three like Josh Hamilton or Hanley Ramirez. Two out of three often finds productive players like Drew Stubbs, Hunter Pence and Mitch Moreland. Then there are the one category specialists that dominate one category but have trouble in the others such as Mike Stanton and Juan Pierre. The trick is to find the right mix of these players and I am lucky enough to have some of these on my roster. Finding a good power hitter should help in the home run, runs, and RBI categories. Having a base thief not only helps in stolen bases but also boosts in runs because they are getting in better position to score.
For pitchers I am going after high strikeout performers first because each swinging miss contributes not only to the strikeout category but boosts ERA and WHIP. Secondly I look for good control because fewer walks puts fewer unnecessary players on base and that helps keep both the WHIP and ERA down. Zack Greinke, CJ Wilson, and Jeremy Hellickson all fall in this category while Jaime Garcia has made great strides this season also.
Each week I am following who is hot in the majors and following players in the minors. If a hot player is available on the waiver wire I may try and bid for them and try and ride out their hot streak with them. I keep an eye on the minors to add players to my watch list for both future drafts and possibly to pick them up in season if they are called up. One helpful guide is the Future's Game which will give a clue which players the organizations have on their radar and will likely fast track. Joey Votto, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, Jamie Garcia and Justin Verlander are all Future Game alums.
My favorite aspect is picking up a sleeper before he is on anyone's radar. In the past I made the mistake of collecting these players and trading them for highly touted prospects rather than just keeping these hidden gems for myself. Two examples from 2007 were James Shields who I traded for Clay Bucholtz and Carlos Pena who I traded for Nick Adenhart. I ended up trading Bucholtz the following season and the Adenhart tragedy could not have been foreseen. My current golden sleeper is Allen Craig who I picked up last season and called up from my farm team a few weeks ago. While I enjoy snagging the highly touted prospects when given the chance there is something special about getting a sleeper that pans out. Anyone can win with the top players but it is extra sweet when I beat you with my blue collar players.
This season I am battling for second place as our leader looks to keep a stranglehold on the championship for the fifth year in a row. My goal is to win at least one category and hopefully claim two or three. At present I am in first for strikeouts and when the schedule allows I will forgo saves so I can load up on pitchers that have two starts. I am currently in second for steals and middle of the pack for home runs so week to week I am juggling my line up to be steal oriented one week and power hitters the next. Hopefully that will pay off. That is my strategy for now. As always I will keep adapting and trying to evolve.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Two Major One Minor 060411
Here we are in June and the bats are heating up with the temps. This week I have three pitchers that are fighting fire with fire as they are dominating on the mound. The two Major Leaguers are Dillon Gee and Craig Kimbrel with the Minor Leaguer being Edwar Cabrera.
Gee is one of those players that I have asked myself each week whether I should add him to my team. All he does is continue to impress with one strong outing after another. He won again tonight with a shutout over the Braves to push his record to 6-0 with a 3.33 ERA. His performance has him auditioning for both Rookie of the Year and ace of the Mets staff. Last season this righty really blossomed in AAA going 13-8 with a 4.98 ERA and 165 strikeouts over 161 innings. While his 39 strikeouts over 54 innings are a bit off that pace the .207 average he has held opposing hitters to along with his 1.11 WHIP show the ability to control the game.
Kimbrel is also make a strong run at the Rookie of the Year with his great start as the closer for the Braves and has set a rookie record with 17 saves before the All-Star break with several games to play. He burst onto the scene last season getting 20.2 innings of experience while hurling 40 strikeouts as a right handed flamethrower and showcasing an impressive 0.44 ERA. This season has been a little bumpier with four blown saves and his ERA is currently 3.00 to date. One positive is his control has improved as his walks are down over more innings than he had last season. He learned under Billy Wagner last season and it appears he was a good student.
This may be a bold statement but I think that Edwar Cabrera might be the Dominican Republic's version of Tim Lincecum. He has logged more time in the minors than the Giant's great did but they both have similar body types yet generate extraordinary strikeout ability. This lefty in the Rockies system is still only 23 and should start burning his way through the minors as he dominates. So far this season he is 4-1 with a 3.30 ERA with 96 strikeouts over 71 innings while only allowing 14 walks and holding opponents to a .221average. This is a continuation of his previous years when he struck out 113 over 78.2 innings in 2008, 78 strikeouts over 52.1 innings in 2009 and 87 strikeouts over 73.1 innings in 2010. Over those same years he held opponents to .221, .183 and .251 respectfully. Before long Colorado could be blessed with another talented arm in their roster.
Gee is one of those players that I have asked myself each week whether I should add him to my team. All he does is continue to impress with one strong outing after another. He won again tonight with a shutout over the Braves to push his record to 6-0 with a 3.33 ERA. His performance has him auditioning for both Rookie of the Year and ace of the Mets staff. Last season this righty really blossomed in AAA going 13-8 with a 4.98 ERA and 165 strikeouts over 161 innings. While his 39 strikeouts over 54 innings are a bit off that pace the .207 average he has held opposing hitters to along with his 1.11 WHIP show the ability to control the game.
Kimbrel is also make a strong run at the Rookie of the Year with his great start as the closer for the Braves and has set a rookie record with 17 saves before the All-Star break with several games to play. He burst onto the scene last season getting 20.2 innings of experience while hurling 40 strikeouts as a right handed flamethrower and showcasing an impressive 0.44 ERA. This season has been a little bumpier with four blown saves and his ERA is currently 3.00 to date. One positive is his control has improved as his walks are down over more innings than he had last season. He learned under Billy Wagner last season and it appears he was a good student.
This may be a bold statement but I think that Edwar Cabrera might be the Dominican Republic's version of Tim Lincecum. He has logged more time in the minors than the Giant's great did but they both have similar body types yet generate extraordinary strikeout ability. This lefty in the Rockies system is still only 23 and should start burning his way through the minors as he dominates. So far this season he is 4-1 with a 3.30 ERA with 96 strikeouts over 71 innings while only allowing 14 walks and holding opponents to a .221average. This is a continuation of his previous years when he struck out 113 over 78.2 innings in 2008, 78 strikeouts over 52.1 innings in 2009 and 87 strikeouts over 73.1 innings in 2010. Over those same years he held opponents to .221, .183 and .251 respectfully. Before long Colorado could be blessed with another talented arm in their roster.
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