PDA

View Full Version : Yankees minor league notes



jacksonianmarch
04-06-2007, 08:07 AM
Figured I'd make a thread on the minor leaguers as the minors kicked off last night.

AAA
SWB lost to Norfolk 7-5.

In the loss, Clippard had a very good line

5IP 2ER 4H 3K 2BB

Beam and Bean cost them the game. The only offensive prospects on that team are Gonzalez and Duncan

Gonzalez went 1-4
Duncan 1-4 with an RBI double


AA
Trenton lost to Bowie 1-0

Chase Wright was magnificent. 7IP 0ER 2H 9K 0BB as he is the highest lefty pitcher in the yankee system to this point.

Gardner and Piliterre were the only ones who had hits for trenton.

Other notes

Jose Tabata went 1-2 in a rain shortened loss for Tampa

Charleston Yankees of the A ball leage beat the Red Sox affiliate even though Lester was dominant in his 4 IP of work. Tim Norton threw 5 scoreless in that one as he tries to crack into Tampa's rotation by the end of the yr.

As for tonight, Phil Hughes throws at 7pm.

Optimist
04-07-2007, 09:23 AM
Phil Hughes won his start last night

5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Whoa! A pitcher in the Yankees organization going 5 innings?!

jacksonianmarch
04-07-2007, 11:01 AM
AAA

see post above for Hughes' dominance

Eric Duncan went 1-4 with a 2 run homer

Alberto Gonzales went 2-3 with a walk.

AA

Top 10 prospect Jeff Marquez threw a gem on his way to the win. He threw 5IP of 2H 2ER ball with 5K and 1BB en route to a 4-2 victory.

Offensively, Cody Ehlers went 1-2 with 2BB and a double and Brett Gardner went 2-4 with a run scored.

A+

Yankees first round draft pick from a yr ago, Ian Kennedy was dominant in his debut. He threw 5IP 2H 1ER 2BB and 8K.

Anthony Claggett, acquired in the Sheffield deal, went 2IP of relief allowing 2H and K'ing 3

Jose Tabata went 3 for 4 with a triple and a run scored. He has started the season 4 for 6.

A

Eric Hacker threw 6 shutout innings for the win. Austin Jackson went 2 for 4 with his first homerun on the campaign as the charleston riverdogs won.

jacksonianmarch
04-08-2007, 11:10 PM
I didnt update from yesterday, so now seems like a good time. As for today, all games were rained out except Charleston.

AAA

Yankees win 5-3.

Ross Ohlendorf started out awful, but gutted his way through 5IP, while allowing 3ER and 11 baserunners.

On the offensive side, Eric Duncan hit his second homer of the season a 3 run shot and is positioning himself for a late season callup to snag the 1b spot. To this point, he is hitting .300 with 2HR and 6RBI in 3 games.

AA

Alan Horne threw 5IP allowing 3ER for the win. Horne K'd 7 in the win. Lefty reliever Garrett Patterson, the enigmatic, erratic, power armed lefty K'd 2 in his one inning of scoreless relief.

On offense, Brett Gardner went 2 for 5 with a triple and his first SB of the season, raising his average to .308.

A+

Tampa Yankees lost 3-1. In the loss, George Kontos threw 6 strong innings, 6IP 2ER 6H 5K 1BB.

On the offensive side, Jose Tabata went 2 for 3 and hit his first homer on the campaign. He is now 6 for 9 on the young season and starting out absolutely on fire.

A

Riverdogs won yesterday, 2-1.

Grant Duff threw 5IP of 1 hit ball en route to the win. Highly touted rookie, Austin Jackson went 2 for 3, raising his average to .364.

Riverdogs won today, 8-1.

Dunn pitched 6IP of 1ER ball with 8K's.

Mitch Hilligoss had 2 hits and Austin Jackson contributed 1 in the win.

AlexanderTheGreat13
04-08-2007, 11:59 PM
When will Joba Chamberlain pitch?

jacksonianmarch
04-09-2007, 05:33 AM
When will Joba Chamberlain pitch?

Joba strained a hamstring in the early part of ST and is currently on the DL. He should be back in a week to 10 days at this point.

yankees228
04-09-2007, 01:35 PM
Nice to see Eric Duncan finally swinging the bat well.

jacksonianmarch
04-09-2007, 02:05 PM
Nice to see Eric Duncan finally swinging the bat well.

yeah, something clicked when he was sent back to AA last yr. The power stroke is there, and with the talent he has, we could be looking at 25-30 homers in AAA and a 23 yr old starting at 1b for NY next yr.

jacksonianmarch
04-09-2007, 09:19 PM
AAA

SWB wins 8-5.

Matt DeSalvo had a tough start, 3IP 2ER 5H 2BB 3K

Duncan 1 for 4 with 3K's.

Gonzalez 1 for 4 as well

AA

Trenton tied 4-4 in the 9th.

Smith went 5IP with 3ER, nothing great.

Gardner 1 for 3 with a double, 2 runs and 2 walks.

A+

Tampa wins 10-4

Tabata 1 for 3 with a BB and an RBI dropping his average to .583.

Vecchionacci 2 for 5.

Miranda broke out with a 2 for 4 day.

Curtis, drafted last season, went 3 for 5.

Phil Coke with a shitty start, but Claggett got the save, working 1.2IP 2K and 1H, 0ER.

A

Angel Reyes with an interesting line today. 3.1IP 9K 2ER 1H 3BB. He is the most promising lefty in our system, but most likely in relief. I think Chase Wright is the most rotation ready lefty in our system.

jacksonianmarch
04-11-2007, 08:14 PM
Chase Wright threw 7IP 1H 0ER 10K 0BB today. He has now thrown 14 innings of scoreless ball, with only 4H given up and 19K

jacksonianmarch
04-12-2007, 07:52 PM
Phil Hughes was uninspiring today. Location was off a bit.

jacksonianmarch
04-15-2007, 03:52 PM
BTW, Trenton, the yankees AA team, has now thrown 46 consecutive scoreless innings. The pitching in this system is nice!

TheKilo
04-15-2007, 07:45 PM
BTW, Trenton, the yankees AA team, has now thrown 46 consecutive scoreless innings. The pitching in this system is nice!

sigh.

jacksonianmarch
04-16-2007, 06:30 AM
Tabata had another 3 hits and raised his AVG to .389.

Miranda chipped in with 2 hits and is finally coming around. He is now hitting .312 in A+ ball. I expect him to see a callup soon as he is on the fasttrack after defecting from Cuba.

jacksonianmarch
04-17-2007, 12:40 PM
Tabata went 2 for 4 with a triple yesterday raising his average to .400.

a700hitter
04-17-2007, 07:38 PM
I heard that Hughes has been having a rough time. How has he been doing?

Rdsxmbnt
04-17-2007, 07:49 PM
10 IP, 9 hits, 7ER, 4 BB, 7 Ks. Only 2 starts so far

a700hitter
04-17-2007, 07:51 PM
10 IP, 9 hits, 7ER, 4 BB, 7 Ks. Only 2 starts so farWow! Very Clemens-like.:rolleyes:

CrespoBlows
04-17-2007, 08:49 PM
Wow! Very Clemens-like.:rolleyes:

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

jacksonianmarch
04-17-2007, 08:50 PM
he got painted in his last start. 1 good start, 1 bad one. He needs more time.

CrespoBlows
04-17-2007, 09:03 PM
he got painted in his last start. 1 good start, 1 bad one. He needs more time.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Optimist
04-18-2007, 03:16 PM
Wow! Very Clemens-like.:rolleyes:

Hughes struggled initially when called up to AA, then went on to basically destroy the league. So don't get your hopes up just yet.

jacksonianmarch
04-18-2007, 04:22 PM
Hughes struggled initially when called up to AA, then went on to basically destroy the league. So don't get your hopes up just yet.

tis true.

jacksonianmarch
04-18-2007, 07:49 PM
Hughes is back on.

6IP 0ER 2H 10K 0BB and a win.

yankees228
04-18-2007, 07:50 PM
Hughes is back on.

6IP 0ER 2H 10K 0BB and a win.

Wow, that's really great news. Do you know how many pitches he threw?

jacksonianmarch
04-18-2007, 07:54 PM
83 pitches.

CrespoBlows
04-18-2007, 09:07 PM
:rolleyes: Ya, Hughes sucks, cuz he had a bad 10 innings.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

jacksonianmarch
04-19-2007, 06:05 PM
Ohlendorf dealing right now. 4IP 1ER 3K 1H 1BB. He has had some serious control issues thus far this season after walking only 29 in 185 innings last yr. If he can return to his previous control/innings eating ways, then he will emerge as our most likely to be called up prospect.

jacksonianmarch
04-19-2007, 06:44 PM
Final line, 6IP 1ER 2H 4K 2BB

jacksonianmarch
04-19-2007, 06:51 PM
tabata 1 for 1 to this point, hitting .347. BTW, the rest of our offensive prospects in long season ball suck pretty bad. Duncan is getting outplayed.

26 Reasons to Hate Us
04-24-2007, 09:07 AM
from nomaas.org:



Tabata Watch
Jose (18, RHB ) had a tough week, going just 3 for 24 with 6 Ks and 0 walks. He currently is hitting .300 / .358 / .433 / .792 in Tampa.


Hughes Watch

Phil (20, RHP) put together his first terrific outing of the season on Thursday against Syracuse:

6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K.

For the season thus far, his numbers are

16 IP, 11 H, 4 BB, 17 K, and a 3.94 ERA.


Catcher Watch

Charleston: Jose Gil (20, RHB ) .270 / .308 / .432 / .740
Tampa: Francisco Cervelli (SHB, 21) .302 / .362 / .395 / .757


Start of the week contenders:

Brett Smith (23, RHP) for Trenton against the Binghamton Mets – 7 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K. Smith now has 17.1 IP on the season in three starts, giving up only 9 H and posting a 20:8 K:BB ratio.

Intriguing youngster Angel Reyes (20, LHP) in Charleston on Friday: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

New England native Tim Norton (23 RHP) turned in an exceptional outing in the second game of Charleston’s doubleheader on Friday, going 6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, and 10 K.

Tampa’s George Kontos (21, RHP) went 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K on Tuesday.


Relief appearance of the week

Jonathan Ortiz (21, RHP) made his professional debut with Tampa on Friday, and pitched 3 scoreless and hitless innings, while walking none and striking out 7.


What’s going on?

Brett Gardner (23, LHB ) went 2 for 17 this past week, dropping his already low numbers to .204 / .295 / .352 / .647. On the positive side, he has walked more than he has struck out (7/6).

Tyler Clippard (22, RHP) got knocked around in his lone start on Friday (5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3K), but Steven Jackson (25, RHP) one-upped him, going 3.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K on Saturday.

Eric Duncan (22, LHB ) went 2 for 5 in his last game on Thursday raising his season line to .211 / .326 / .395 / .721, but he also struck out 3 more times, bringing his total to 13 in just 38 ABs.

Eric Abreu (23, RHP) looks done, as he has not regained his mid-nineties velocity. In his two starts this week he has gone 6 IP, 15 H, 8 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Tim Battle (21, RHB ) also looks finished. His season line is currently .145 / .209 / .161 / .370 in 62 ABs, and he has struck out 26 times in contrast to his mere 5 walks. .


Worst Line of the Week:

Justin Pope (27, RHP) had a nightmare relief appearance for Scranton on Saturday, posting the worst line of the week: 0.1 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.


Keep an Eye On Me

David Robertson (22, RHP) is dominating in low A Charleston much the same way he did in the Cape this past summer. After Saturday’s 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K performance, his season line now stands at 11.1 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 16 K and a 0.00 ERA.

Venezuelan reliever Edgar Soto (22, LHP) is also dominating in Charleston, putting up a season line of 9.2 IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 17 K, and a 1.86 ERA.


Injury Dossier

Charleston OF Austin Jackson (20, RHB ) was DL’d with a hamstring injury.

Marcos Vechionacci (SHB, 19) left Tuesday’s game in Tampa with a hand/wrist injury.


Non-Prospects Performing Well

Edwar Ramirez (26, RHP) – Relieving in Trenton, Ramirez has 6.2 IP in 4 appearances this season, giving up only 1 hit while striking out 12.

Gabe Lopez (27, RHB ) – The diminutive Trenton second baseman went 2-4 on Saturday, keeping his season average at the .500 mark. In 24 ABs this year Lopez is .500 / .536 / .792 / 1.327

Shelley Duncan (27, RHB ) – The monster first baseman is hitting .326 / .431 / .721 / 1.152 on the season.


this looks to be a new segment on nomaas. Weekly I think.

26 Reasons to Hate Us
04-30-2007, 06:53 AM
Meyer's Minors #2, nomaas.org



Tabata Watch
Jose (18, RHB ) went 7 for 25 this past week, with no extrabase hits. He walked 6 times and struck out 4. On the basepaths he stole his second base of the season, but was caught 3 times.

For the year so far, Tabata is .294 / .384 / .388 / .772


Hughes Watch

Phil (20, RHP) is still with the big club, scheduled to make his next start against the Rangers in Arlington on Tuesday. He has struggled just a bit when moving up a level in the past, so he might take a start or two to settle in. We expect him to stick with the Yanks though, so there may not be many updates on Hughes going forward.


Catcher Watch

Charleston: Jose Gil (20, RHB ) .222 / .250 / .333 / .583
Tampa: Francisco Cervelli (SHB, 21) .290 / .371 / .371 / .742


Batter’s Game of the Week

Tampa shortstop Reegie Corona (20, SHB ) went 2-3 with 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, and 2 SB on Thursday. Corona really turned it up a notch this week, going 11-28 and raising his season line to .286 / .347 / .363 / .709.


Start of the week contenders:

Michael Dunn (21, LHP) the converted first baseman went 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, and 6 K for Charleston on Monday night, and then came back strong again on Sunday with a 6 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K line.

Daniel McCutchen (24, RHP) returned to Tampa from his 50 game suspension on Tuesday, and went 6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. McCutchen has the makeup and stuff to move through the system quickly.

First round draft pick and Tampa Yankee, Ian Kennedy (22, RHP) went 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 9 K against Sarasota on Friday. Kennedy is averaging over a strikeout per IP, but his GO/AO ratio of 0.60 is a bit troubling.

Alan Horne (24, RHP) threw a gem for Trenton on Thursday: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

Rising from the ashes like a phoenix, Matt DeSalvo (26, RHP) has looked good thus far. On Thursday in Scranton he went 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.

Jeff Marquez (22, RHP) was dealing on for Trenton on Sunday, going 7 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K.


Relief appearance of the week contenders

Josh Schmidt (24, RHP) got knocked around pretty good on Friday night, giving up 3 ER in on 0.2 IP, but he came back strong for Tampa on Saturday to post a line of 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K.

David Robertson (22, RHP) continued his complete and total dominance of the Sally League on Friday, going 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. He still has not allowed a run on the year, has a H/9 of 2.93, and a K/9 of 12.91.


What’s going on?

Anthony Claggett (22, RHP), the third piece of the Sheffield trade, had a rough week. He took 2 losses in 3 days, going a combined 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K in both appearances. He did right the ship in his third appearance of the week, going 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K on Thursday, and earning his second save of the year.

Brett Gardner (23, LHB ) went 7-24 this past week and actually dramatically improved his season line. He did manage to steal 5 bases in the times that he actually made it safely out of the batter’s box.

Randy Johnson trade centerpiece, Ross Ohlendorf (24, RHP) has not looked good recently. His stuff is there, but the results are not. On Tuesday he went 5 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. For the season he has given up more hits than innings and has a 12:14 K:BB ratio.

Steven Jackson (25, RHP), another piece to the RJ deal, got rocked this week again. At former Yankees’ affiliate Columbus he went 3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. If there is a silver lining in Jackson’s 7.27 ERA this season, it is that he is getting groundballs. Currently his GO/AO rate is 2.55.


Keep an Eye On Me

Zach Kroenke (23, LHP) has yet to allow a run this season in 11.1 IP. Although his K:BB of 11:6 leaves a bit to be desired, he has only allowed 6 hits on the season.

Gabriel Medina (23, RHP) has thrown 9 IP this season and has an awful 7.00 ERA, but he does have an intriguing K:BB ratio of 15:2.


Injury Dossier

Eric Duncan (22, LHB ) returned on Sunday and went 2-4 with his third homerun of the season.

Austin Jackson (20, RHB ) returned to Charleston on Saturday and went 0-4.


Non-Prospects Performing Well

Shelley Duncan (27, RHB ) – He’s still killing the ball for Scranton to the tune of .339 / .418 / .695 / 1.113 on the season.

Shawn Garrett (28, RHB ) – He had a great week, going 10-19, with 6 XBH. On Saturday he hit for the cycle in Trenton’s 8-2 victory over Harrisburg.

26 Reasons to Hate Us
05-08-2007, 08:16 AM
Meyers minors #3



Tabata Watch
Jose (18, RHB ) was limited by injury this past week, playing in only 3 games. He was only 2 for 13, with a BB and 2 K. He has shown an alarming lack of power thus far in 2007.

For the year Tabata is .276 / .363 / .367 / .730


Hughes Watch

Phil (20, RHP) got good news on his MRI, which revealed a grade 1 strain of his hamstring and encouraged Yankee fans everywhere that he could be getting back on the mound a bit sooner than expected.


Catcher Watch

Charleston: Jose Gil (20, RHB ) .185 / .221 / .277 / .498
Tampa: Francisco Cervelli (SHB, 21) .358 / .429 / .444 / .873 (went 11-19 this past week)


Batter’s Game of the Week Contenders

Austin Jackson (20, RHB ) had quite a night on Tuesday, going 2-3 with a HR, 2 BB, and 3 SB. In the 7 games Charleston played last week, Jackson had a hit in each one, going 10-26 (.385). He also walked 7 times, while only striking out 3.

Reegie Corona (20, SHB ) led the way for Tampa on Wednesday, going 3-3 with 2 BB and a SB.


Start of the week contenders:

Grant Duff (24, RHP) had a nice outing for Charleston on Thursday, going 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K. For the season he has given up only 24 H in 33 IP, but he has a troubling 14:16 BB:K ratio.

Daniel McCutchen (24, RHP) had his second strong outing of the season on Thursday by posting 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K.

Michael Dunn (21, LHP) again appears in an edition of Meyer’s Minors with his outstanding Friday night start of 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, and 7 K. For the year Dunn now has a K/9 of 10.38, while yielding less hits than IP, and posting a K:BB ratio of 5.0. He could be a diamond in the rough, especially given that he’s a lefty.

Ian Kennedy (22, RHP) had another great start this week, going 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K in a 4-0 shutout for Tampa on Wednesday night.

Tyler Clippard shut Toledo down on Wednesday, only to see his bullpen blow the game for him. He went 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, and 11 K.


Relief appearance of the week contenders

Free agent, scrap-heap pickup John Axford (24, RHP) had a outing for Charleston, going 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.

David Robertson (22, RHP) actually let his first run of the year up this past week, but that was before he threw 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K for Charleston on Monday night. For the week he made 3 appearances posting 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

Zach Kroenke (23, LHP) has graduated off the Keep an Eye On Me list. Tuesday night in Tampa he went 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Despite giving up 4 runs on the year, none of them have been earned, and Zach is still sporting a 0.00 ERA in 16 IP.


Most Bizarre Line of the Week

Former Yankee, Chase Wright (24, LHP) made his AAA debut Thursday night for SWB. He worked into the 7th inning and gave up only 1 hit, but took the loss as he gave up FIVE ER as well. His final line looked like this:

6.2 IP, 1 H, 5 ER, 6 BB, 3 K.


What’s going on?

Anthony Claggett (22, RHP) remains in this section again this week after having another rough outing on Tuesday for the TY. He took the loss in going 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, and 1 K.

Cuban free agent signee Juan Miranda (24, LHB ) has been pedestrian at the very best for high-A Tampa. In his 110 ABs this season he is .245 / .298 / .391 / .689 with 9 BB and 34 K.


Keep an Eye On Me

Jose Valdez (24, RHP) made three scoreless appearances for Tampa this past week, totaling 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, and 6 K. In his 16 IP this year Valdez has struck out 17 while walking only 3.

Brett Smith (23, RHP) has had a stellar season for the Trenton Thunder thus far. In 5 starts he has thrown 29.1 IP, 17 H, 12 BB, and 29 K, with a 0.92 ERA.


Non-Prospects Perfoming Well

Jason Jones (24, RHP) is throwing really well in Trenton. On Thursday night he made his best start of the season going 8 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. He currently has a 1.37 ERA.

26 Reasons to Hate Us
05-11-2007, 08:01 AM
http://www.nj.com/yankees/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1178865573289360.xml&coll=1

26 Reasons to Hate Us
05-14-2007, 08:01 AM
Meyer's Minors, special edition:


If there's one word that comes to mind when you hear the name "Red Sox," it is most certainly GENIUS. From the financial acumen of their Other Department, all the way down to the artful squatting of Jason Varitek, the organization is thoroughly awash in eruditeness. Nowhere has this advantage been more heavily impressed upon the subconscious of the baseball world than in the Boston team's selections in the annual Rule IV draft, otherwise known as the amateur draft.
In last year's draft the Red Sox turned a lot of heads when they selected Bryce Cox, a RHP from Rice University, with a 3rd round selection. While there was a bit of confusion over the pick itself seeing as Cox had actually seen his usage decline greatly due to wildness and a climbing ERA, we all knew better. There was more behind this pick than could be seen on the surface; there always is when you're dealing with an entity as formidably cerebral as the Boston Red Sox.

When the smoke cleared, it was obvious to everyone with a modicum of intelligence that Bryce Cox was the best pick of the entire 2006 draft. It turns out that the Red Sox had really done their due diligence on the fireballer from Rice, finding out that he had refined his mechanics in the period that he was not being used out of the bullpen, and subsequently had turned into a veritable force of nature. No longer was he wild and hittable, instead now becoming a hurler of precision and power – he walked almost no one and struck out almost everyone in the last few weeks of Rice's season. Of course, the Red Sox were the only team to really pick up on this .

The draft experts soon were showering well-earned praise upon the pick. Baseball America's Jim Callis said that when he watched Cox pitch at the College World Series, "his slider moved more than any slider I have ever seen." It doesn't really matter that it wasn't actually a slider that Cox was throwing (it was a slurvy variation of a knuckle curve), the point is that the pitch breaks a lot! ESPN's resident baseball draft expert, Keith Law, a man who has unparalleled wisdom regarding the assessment of command issues that may plague pitching prospects, said that because of his mechanical corrections, Cox was a "strike-throwing groundball machine," and that he was "a good bet to be the first pitcher from the draft to show up in the majors."

Bryce Cox was such an impressive pick by the Sox FO, that even the bloodthirsty Boston media was persuaded to write glowing articles about the kid. The Providence Journal reported of his mechanical fixes that he "has changed arm action without much difficulty," and The Boston Herald said that " the 22-year-old right-hander has skyrocketed to the upper echelon of Sox pitching prospects and has been tabbed by many in the organization as the team's likely closer of the future."

After throwing 30 innings of dominance in his professional debut at the A and A+ level last season, 2007 was Cox's time to shine. It was also time for the genius that flows through the Red Sox organization to reach even more revered status. In his first appearance of 2007, pitching in AA for Portland, the draft moxie was on full display as Bryce served notice of his employer's prowess:

2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K.

He was on his way. The Red Sox fans rejoiced at having one of the best relief prospects in all of baseball. The Craig Hansen Debacle™ was a distant speck in the rearview mirror now that Theo & Company had excecuted such a calculated maneuver by selecting Cox in the 3 rd round.

A month later, it doesn't matter that his ERA is currently 5.14, or that he has let up more hits than innings pitched since that first appearance. It doesn't matter that he hasn't struck anyone out in 4 weeks, a span of 7 appearances and 12 innings. Nor does it matter that he sports a K:BB ratio of 3:11 on the year, and a BB/9 of 7.07. What matters is that Bryce Cox will be good because of the GENIUS that permeates the ebb and flow of all decisions crafted by the Boston Red Sox. Logically, how could the Sox seemingly reach for a pick and be wrong? The Boston FO put too much time into finding a sleeper, the experts think too highly of the heist itself, and the fanbase knows in their tiny, Irish hearts that there is no way Theo & Co.'s brilliance can fail. It has become very clear that both corrupt umpires and HGH fueled hitters in the Eastern League are feebly attempting to make a mockery of the cunning and vim that the Sox personify. It will not matter in the end though. Genius is omnipotent.

See you in The Hall, Bryce. Godspeed!

ORS
05-14-2007, 08:27 AM
The grapes must be awful sour there 8 games back. Interesting choice of forums to post it in too. Keep up the good work.

TheKilo
05-14-2007, 09:58 AM
Hahaha what the fuck was the point of that?

Rdsxmbnt
05-14-2007, 02:08 PM
ya lets dump this scrub for a real baseball player like Kei Igawa

26 Reasons to Hate Us
05-16-2007, 06:42 AM
The grapes must be awful sour there 8 games back. Interesting choice of forums to post it in too. Keep up the good work.

Honestly, I didn't even get a chance to read it before I posted it. I figured it was just another Yankee report. But whatever, it was mildly entertaining i guess.

jacksonianmarch
05-16-2007, 07:00 AM
Ian Kennedy is a beast. 6.2IP 0ER 2H 11K 3BB

On the season, he is

4-1 1.43ERA 44IP 27H 18BB 47K in A+ ball. May be time for a callup.

Also, Joba Chamberlain has made 2 starts since recovering from, you guessed it, a hammy pull. He has thrown 9IP allowed only 3 hits, 4 walks and 11K's. Both of these guys are throwing really well in A+ ball in their first season.

jacksonianmarch
05-20-2007, 10:04 PM
Kennedy dominating again

7IP 5H 2BB 9K 0ER. His era is down to 1.24.

AlexanderTheGreat13
05-20-2007, 10:14 PM
Call that man up to AA.

jacksonianmarch
05-20-2007, 10:16 PM
Call that man up to AA.

Even though Marquez had a rough start today, he should be brought up to AAA and Kennedy should be brought up to AA. Kennedy isnt even being tested. Scout.com is saying that Kennedy's 4 seamer is back up into the low 90s and he is incorportating a high 80s 2 seamer into his arsenal. A big issue with his dropoff in his final collegiate yr was a drop in velocity into the mid to high 80s. Seems like they figured it out.

AlexanderTheGreat13
05-20-2007, 10:22 PM
Even though Marquez had a rough start today, he should be brought up to AAA and Kennedy should be brought up to AA. Kennedy isnt even being tested. Scout.com is saying that Kennedy's 4 seamer is back up into the low 90s and he is incorportating a high 80s 2 seamer into his arsenal. A big issue with his dropoff in his final collegiate yr was a drop in velocity into the mid to high 80s. Seems like they figured it out.
Thats great news about his velocity. I remember wondering why they drafted a guy who suddenly lost velocity. He was quite good I college the year before his last year. Joba is the guy I really like. You gotta love the pitching depth in the minors.

jacksonianmarch
05-20-2007, 10:30 PM
The pitching depth has been very impressive. Hughes and Clippard are the last of the big minor league cannons to fire, though, in terms of depth for this yr. If anyone else goes down before Roger and Hughes return, it would likely be between Horne, Wright, White, or Marquez for the start. I still cannot believe the storm we are weathering.

#1- Wang - missed a month
#2- Mussina - missed 2 weeks
#3- Pettitte- effective and healthy
#4- Pavano - out for season
#5- Igawa - in Tampa, very ineffective
#6- Karstens - missed 3 weeks, returned and now will miss 3 months
#7- Rasner - Will miss 3 months
#8- Wright- one shaky start, one awful start, in AAA right now
#9- Hughes - has missed 2 weeks, likely will miss 2-3 more
#10- DeSalvo- 2 effective starts, one poor one
#11- Clippard- One Effective, dominating performance in Shea.

That is ridiculous to have used 11 different pitchers in the first 6 weeks of the season.

Our #3 pitcher has stayed healthy and effective all season. Our #1 and #2 have returned. DeSalvo,

26 Reasons to Hate Us
05-22-2007, 09:04 AM
Meyer's Minors #4



Tabata Watch
Jose (18, RHB ) has brought his average back up to the .300 level, but his lack of power is a bit concerning. He has 1 extra-base hit in his last 45 PA. For the season Tabata's line is now: .300 / .369 / .373 / .742


Hughes Watch

Phil (20, RHP) is currently rehabbing down in Tampa.


Catcher Watch

Charleston: Jose Gil (20, RHB ) .214 / .256 / .333 / .589
Tampa: Francisco Cervelli (21, SHB ) .333 / .432 / .448 / .880


Batter's Game of the Week Contenders

Kevin Thompson (26, RHB ) went 4 for 6 on Sunday, with a double, a triple, 3 runs scored, and 2 SB. Thompson now has 13 RBI in his last 10 games.

.Ramiro Pena (21, SHB ) hasn't had a great year for Trenton, but on Tuesday he had a perfect day, going 2 for 2 with a double and 2 BB.

Shawn Hilligoss (21, LHB ) Went 3 for 4 on last Monday, and is currently riding a 26 game hit-streak going into this Monday night's game.

Austin Jackson (20, RHB ) is slowly piecing things together. He went 2 for 5 with2 doubles on Tuesday, and has a seasonal line of .275 / .351 /.405 / .756.


Start of the Week Contenders

Brett Smith (23, RHP) continued his dominance for the Thunder on Wednesday night, going 8 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. He currently has given up only 23 hits in his 44.1 IP this year, and maintains a 1.22 ERA
in his 7 starts.

Alan Horne (24, RHP) turned in another solid performance for Trenton on Thursday, throwing 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K at Erie. For the year Horne has a K/BB rate of 5.9 .

Ian Kennedy (22, RHP) has been absolutely rolling this week. In his 2 starts he went a combined 13.2 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 20 K. Despite his selection being roundly criticized by a lot of people, he has looked fantastic in this short period at the start of his career.

Daniel McCutchen (24, RHP) looked good once again, throwing 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K on Wednesday.

Joba Chamberlain (21, RHP) hit his first "rough patch" in his 3rd start of the season. He went 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. On the season thus far, Joba has 14 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 16 K, and a 1.93 ERA.

Ivan Nova (20, RHP) returned to action last week, and on Saturday in his second start for Charleston he threw 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K against Rome. Nova could be a big time prospect by year's end.

Michael Dunn (21, LHP) resumed dominance on Wednesday after his only rough outing of the year on 5/10. In his bounce-back performance, he went 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.


Relief Appearance of the Week

Jonathan Ortiz (21, RHP) made his professional debut with Tampa on Friday, and pitched 3 scoreless and hitless innings, while walking none and striking out 7.

Kevin Whelan (23, RHP) is really starting to settle in down in Trenton. On Saturday he threw 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K against Harrisburg. For the year he has a 6.23 H/9, and an 11.22 K/9.

Josh Schmidt (24, RHP) is back on track for Tampa. On Monday he went 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Since giving up 3 ER in 0.2 IP on 4/27, Josh has thrown 7.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 15 K.

Zach Kroenke (23, LHP) finally gave up his first ER of the year on Monday. The lefty did have 3 Ks in his 1.2 IP, though.For the week he threw 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K.

David Robertson (22, RHP) got his second win of the year on Friday, going 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.


Worst Line of the Week

Steven Jackson (25, RHP) continued the general awfulness of his season, going 5.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, and 3 K on Friday against Norfolk. On the season Jackson currently sports a 5.53 ERA, with 55 H in 40.2 IP, and a 29:17 K:BB ratio.


Keep an Eye On Me

Chris Britton (25, RHP) continues to look great in relief for SWB. Despite giving up an ER in his last appearance, his YTD ERA is 1.08, and he has struck out 20 in his 16.2 IP.


Non-Prospects Performing Well

Edwar Ramirez (26, RHP) shows up here again, doing well in his AAA debut by going 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. He was shuttled back to Trenton on Sunday, and picked up right where he left off with an outing of 1 IP, 1H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. For the season Ramirez has a K/9 of 17.84 in 18.2 IP. No, that is not a typo.

Andy Phillips (30, RHB ) has been playing some second base in Scranton,which makes his .329 / .405 / .546 / .951 offense much more attractive.

jacksonianmarch
05-28-2007, 01:36 PM
Joba Chamberlain, 8IP 2H 2BB 0ER 9K yesterday. His ERA is slightly higher than Kennedy's, lol.

The yankees draft last yr was ridiculous. Their top 4 picks were all pitchers, Kennedy, Chamberlain, McCallister, and Kontos. Throw in their signing of Robertson and Betances later in the draft for way over slot and they had one hell of a pitching draft. Looking at the top 4 pitchers selected, only one is in Extended ST (McCallister) as he came right out of HS. But the other 3 are in Tampa and wow, are they dominating.

Kennedy 5-1 1.45ERA 1.02WHIP 56IP 37H 9ER 21BB 64K .191BAA
Chamberlain 2-0 1.61ERA 0.80WHIP 28IP 14H 5ER 9BB 32K .149BAA (missed time with hammy)
Kontos 0-2 3.12ERA 1.07WHIP 17.1IP 14H 6ER 22K 5BB .215BAA (currently on MiLB DL)

Not a bad start in high A for these guys.

jacksonianmarch
05-30-2007, 06:28 AM
ORS, here is the prospect HOT sheet. Not exactly a ratings list now that I look at it. But he has been nothing short of ridiculous in A+ ball this yr.


As the draft clock continues to tick down and the international signing period set to begin in just five weeks, we happily bring you another version of the Prospect Hot Sheet.

This time around, the Sheet is dominated by arms, with Brewers righthander Yovani Gallardo leading the way.

We'd like to throw out props to a couple of Red Sox this week, as Brandon Moss tore up the International League, hitting .444 with a pair of home runs, while high Class A Lancaster outfielder Bubba Bell refused to slow down.

Through 204 at-bats, Bell is hitting .368/.465/.657 with 14 homers and 53 RBIs.

It'll take a promotion to Double-A to get a full read on the 24-year-old outfielder, as is the case with just about everyone on the Jet Hawks roster. Boston's player-development staff likely feels the same way.
Anyway, so enough hullabaloo about the Sox, who only have one player ranking on this week's Sheet: low Class A Greenville first baseman Lars Anderson.

Remember, this is not a rewrite of our Top 100 prospects list. This is simply a snapshot of which prospects are currently riding the biggest hot streaks.

If you have comments, email chriskline@baseballamerica.com.

1. Yovani Gallardo, rhp, Triple-A Nashville (Brewers)

Gallardo has been so good this season that it's hard not to see him pitching for the NL Central-leading Brewers at some point this year. The 21-year-old leads the PCL in wins (7), strikeouts (84 in 60 innings) and ranks third with a 2.39 ERA. Oh, and he's surrendered just one home run all year.

Gallardo gave up four runs in his first start of the season, but has given up three or fewer every time out since then. Granted, one of those three-run starts came last week, but Gallardo still managed to go 2-0, 3.09 while allowing seven hits, striking out 18 and walking five in 11 2/3 innings.

2. Joba Chamberlain, rhp, high Class A Tampa (Yankees)

Chamberlain has been dominant in the FSL since a hamstring injury delayed his start this season and he continued the trend last week. He yielded just six hits over 14 innings while striking out 16 and walking four.

3. Kasey Kiker, lhp, low Class A Clinton (Rangers)

After joining the Lumber Kings from extended spring training last week, the 2006 first-rounder tossed 10 shutout innings over his first two starts and struck out 17.

4. Josh Fields, 3b, Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox)

Hitting .220 for April is a good way to fall off the radar, but Fields' big week has re-established him as one of the hottest prospects around. He went 11-for-22 last week to bat .500/.586/.909 with a pair of homers, seven runs batted in and eight runs scored. Even when the hits weren't falling for Fields in April, he still managed to reach base (.350 OBP), and his season line now stands at .283/.398/.500.

5. Joey Votto, 1b, Triple-A Louisville (Reds)

Like Fields, Votto slumped in April, though also like Fields, he still managed to reach base (.192/.347/.346). Things have evened out for Votto in a big way since then, and his 17-game hitting streak concluded just Saturday. He went 10-for-20 (.500) last week with two home runs, eight RBIs and seven runs scored.

6. Gio Gonzalez, lhp, Double-A Birmingham (White Sox)

Gio was virtually untouchable in his last start, whiffing 12 over six innings. Though he's 10 off the pace of minor league strikeout leader Gallardo, Gonzalez has fanned 74 in just 53 innings.

7. Will Inman, rhp, high Class A Brevard County (Brewers)

The Brewers' third-ranked pitching prospect's rising strikeout totals reached a crescendo on Friday when he fanned 12 Sarasota hitters in just six innings while yielding three hits and one earned run. Inman finished the week with 19 strikeouts in 11 innings with two earned runs and four walks.

8. Aaron Thompson, lhp, high Class A Jupiter (Marlins)

The 20-year-old lefty has emerged as the ace of a talented Hammerheads rotation, which includes the organization's top-ranked prospect Chris Volstad, and further cemented his status with 17 strikeouts over 14 innings while yielding just one earned run in two starts last week.

9. David Huff, lhp, high Class A Kinston (Indians)

Huff made one mistake in his last start, leaving one up in the zone to Winston-Salem first baseman Micah Schnurstein. Other than that, Huff's been very good over his last two outings, allowing a pair of runs and striking out 12 over 12 innings of work.

10. Carlos Triunfel, ss, low Class A Wisconsin (Mariners)

After struggling early, the 17-year-old is more than holding his own in the Midwest League. In 152 at-bats, Triunfel is hitting .309 with a .730 OPS--impressive numbers for a teenager in that circuit.

11. Heath Rollins, rhp, low Class A Columbus

Rollins kept rolling through the South Atlantic League again last week, collecting a pair of wins and striking out 12 over 11 innings for the Catfish.

12. Matt Garza, rhp, Triple-A Rochester (Twins)

Don’t get us wrong: We like Kevin Slowey as much as anybody, but have you seen how well Garza has been pitching? Despite his bizarrely candid blow up Saturday, Garza might be the Twins best internal option to replace Ramon Ortiz in the rotation. He went 0-2, 0.64 with 11-6 strikeouts-walks in 14 innings last week.

13. Mitch Talbot, rhp, Triple-A Durham (Devil Rays)

The Bulls' pitching staff, which also includes prospects Jeff Niemann, Jason Hammel, Andy Sonnanstine and J.P. Howell, has functioned smoothly all season long, and now Talbot has gotten into the act. Though two disastrous starts (18 runs in four innings) have deflated his season numbers, Talbot has rattled off four good efforts in a row. Last week, he went 2-0, 0.64 with 10-5 strikeouts-walks in 14 innings.

14. Andrew McCutchen, of, Double-A Altoona (Pirates)

Finally. McCutchen batted .400 last week to raise his overall average past the Mendoza Line. First Hot Sheet appearance (in a good way) this season.

15. Josh Bell, 3b, low Class A Great Lakes (Dodgers)

Finally, Part Two. Like McCutchen, Bell struggled in the cold weather, hitting just .216 in April. But he turned it around full-force last week, hitting .476 with three homers.

16. Lars Anderson, 1b, low Class A Greenville (Red Sox)

The Sure Thing. Anderson has been steady all season long for the Drive, and batted .407 last week to improve his overall numbers to .324/.411/.500 in 176 at-bats.

17. Wade Davis, rhp, high Class A Vero Beach (Devil Rays)

The hard-throwing 21-year-old is making his third Hot Sheet appearance this spring, and because of his consistency one could argue that Davis should have never been left off--he hasn't yielded more than one earned in a start since April 18. Last week was a typical one for Davis: 11 innings, 13 strikeouts, two earned runs.

18. Mitchell Hilligoss, 3b, low Class A Charleston (Yankees)

Though Hilligoss appeared in the RiverDogs' May 1 game, he did not recprd an official plate appearance, so his 34-game hit streak lives on. The 2006 sixth-round pick out of Purdue is hitting .330 overall, but has shown little, if any power--12 doubles, zero homers.

19. Eric Hurley, rhp, Double-A Frisco (Rangers)

Steady as she goes. Hurley just keeps getting consistent outs in the Texas League, improving his numbers to 6-0, 1.83 in 64 innings.

20. Blake DeWitt, 3b, high Class A Inland Empire (Dodgers)

It had been a rough spring for the highly-regarded Dodgers prospect before last week. He entered with a mere .219 batting average but finished hitting safely in five of six games to bump his average to .260. Dewitt had four multi-hit games and enjoyed an 11-for-15 stretch over three games at Lancaster (the slump-buster of all ballparks this season).

ORS
05-30-2007, 06:43 AM
Exactly, it's a hot sheet. They put one out every week. Buchholz has been on it twice, at the top once. Like I said, he's a good looking prospect, but as a college draftee just starting out in A+ ball, he has a ways to go before he's the #2 pitching prospect in the minors.

BSN07
05-30-2007, 06:48 AM
A ball? A ball? Jacko after all that droing all winter long about A ball and how you can't judge guys from there, you bring this crap to the table? All winter you crushed the 3 B's about not being above A ball, and now a Yankee prospect comes along and you throw it all out the window? What happened to you not getting excited or paying attention unless the guys were AA ball in above? Come on man lets see some consistancy. Just because your team is in the crapper doesn't mean you get to change your philosophy and re-nig on everything you spewed over the long winter months:)

jacksonianmarch
05-31-2007, 07:43 PM
A ball? A ball? Jacko after all that droing all winter long about A ball and how you can't judge guys from there, you bring this crap to the table? All winter you crushed the 3 B's about not being above A ball, and now a Yankee prospect comes along and you throw it all out the window? What happened to you not getting excited or paying attention unless the guys were AA ball in above? Come on man lets see some consistancy. Just because your team is in the crapper doesn't mean you get to change your philosophy and re-nig on everything you spewed over the long winter months:)

I crushed them for not being above A ball. Chamberlain and Kennedy are at A+ ball. Big difference.

Speaking of Kennedy

6IP 1H 0ER 1BB 8K, lowering his ERA to 1.31. Sheerly ridiculous.

TheKilo
05-31-2007, 07:51 PM
I crushed them for not being above A ball. Chamberlain and Kennedy are at A+ ball. Big difference.

Speaking of Kennedy

6IP 1H 0ER 1BB 8K, lowering his ERA to 1.31. Sheerly ridiculous.

Mmmhmmm can't wait to see him in 4 years.

jacksonianmarch
05-31-2007, 09:33 PM
Mmmhmmm can't wait to see him in 4 years.

Kennedy has been pegged as a fast mover Kilo. He was a very safe draft pick, one whose ceiling isnt off the charts, but his ceiling is far more reachable than some of the better arms in the draft. He'll finish the yr in AA and start next yr in AAA for the most part. If we continue to have mound issues, I wouldnt be surprised to see him up midseason, next yr.

riverside sluggers
05-31-2007, 09:55 PM
Kennedy has been pegged as a fast mover Kilo. He was a very safe draft pick, one whose ceiling isnt off the charts, but his ceiling is far more reachable than some of the better arms in the draft. He'll finish the yr in AA and start next yr in AAA for the most part. If we continue to have mound issues, I wouldnt be surprised to see him up midseason, next yr.

You criticize us for wanting to see Bucholz up with the Red Sox very soon. But yet you tout this lesser pitching prospect (still in Single A) to make his debut next year?

TheKilo
05-31-2007, 09:55 PM
Kennedy has been pegged as a fast mover Kilo. He was a very safe draft pick, one whose ceiling isnt off the charts, but his ceiling is far more reachable than some of the better arms in the draft. He'll finish the yr in AA and start next yr in AAA for the most part. If we continue to have mound issues, I wouldnt be surprised to see him up midseason, next yr.

Did I say I look forward to seeing him on another team? because that's what I meant.

jacksonianmarch
06-02-2007, 07:27 PM
You criticize us for wanting to see Bucholz up with the Red Sox very soon. But yet you tout this lesser pitching prospect (still in Single A) to make his debut next year?

Kennedy is Buchholz's age first of all. Second of all, both should have started at the same level this yr in terms of development as Buchholz really had 3 A+ ball starts under his belt coming in. At the same time, people here have been advocating for Buchholz to come up this season. That is ludicrous. That would mean Buchholz would go from essentially A ball all the way to the majors in one season. For a big shot SP, that is crazy. You start him in A+ ball, promote him to AA mid season. Start him in AAA next yr and he'll be a midseason MLB option. If the sox play this right, Buchholz could be in AAA by the end of the yr and could be a rotation option come Mid season next yr. At that point, it wont be rushing.

Another thing to consider. Kennedy does not have Buchholz's ceiling. So that means, Kennedy isnt a can't miss pitcher. He's a guy we can move up the ranks and include in a trade if the right team is offering the right price. We'll see how we are playing the Kennedy line. If Kennedy gets up to AA this yr and dominates, I wouldnt be surprised to see him dealt if the right price came along. Buchholz on the other hand, may have started the season as potential trade bait, but his unreal performance has rocketed him up to future rotation cog. Hence, you have to see that you arent showcasing him and be careful with him a little more.

jacksonianmarch
06-02-2007, 07:27 PM
Did I say I look forward to seeing him on another team? because that's what I meant.

I honestly think you will get your wish. I see Kennedy and a few others being dangled this offseason for a certain lefty in Minnesota.

jacksonianmarch
06-02-2007, 07:29 PM
BTW, another yankee 1st rounder (okay supplemental) is absolutely dominating again. Chamberlain's line so far.

4IP 1H 1ER 0BB 7K. That line has RAISED his season ERA to 1.69. It isnt even fair with him and Kennedy.

TheKilo
06-02-2007, 07:41 PM
I honestly think you will get your wish. I see Kennedy and a few others being dangled this offseason for a certain lefty in Minnesota.

Hughes? What?

jacksonianmarch
06-02-2007, 07:47 PM
Hughes? What?

Hughes is untouchable. But I think Horne, Marquez, and a few others may be on that list. A I have a bad feeling that Cashman may decide to offer them Kennedy, Horne and Tabata. Tabata right now doesnt have much power, but he is 18 in A+ ball and hitting well. Give him time.

BTW, Why the FUCK is Igawa pitching tomorrow? We have Horne who is absolutely dominating AA right now who is better equipped than Homerun Igawa. Jesus. Are we trying to lose now.

WAIT! THEY'RE GOING FOR THE LOTTERY PICK!!! IGAWA FOR STAFF ACE!

Coco's Disciples
06-02-2007, 07:48 PM
You won't get the best pitcher in baseball without Hughes. Guaranteed.

jacksonianmarch
06-02-2007, 07:52 PM
You won't get the best pitcher in baseball without Hughes. Guaranteed.

I disagree wholeheartedly. Our minor league pitching is so deep that bundling a few together can out-shine any other offer out there. And we have the wildcard in Tabata who I would assume would be a part of any Santana deal.

schillingouttheks
06-02-2007, 07:56 PM
Just remember that if Steiny takes control from Cashman...he'll do whatever it takes to get the best pitcher in baseball. Just remember that other teams don't need to settle for anything less than what they want. I'm sure they wouldn't be bothered if they had to keep the best pitcher in baseball because they didn't like an offer.

jacksonianmarch
06-02-2007, 08:02 PM
Just remember that if Steiny takes control from Cashman...he'll do whatever it takes to get the best pitcher in baseball. Just remember that other teams don't need to settle for anything less than what they want. I'm sure they wouldn't be bothered if they had to keep the best pitcher in baseball because they didn't like an offer.

and by whatever it takes, it doesnt mean letting a major league player go. You have to remember that Hughes is a major leaguer now. Steinny hasnt always been huge on dealing his major leaguers. His minor leaguers? He'd deal the whole lot for Santana. And to be honest with you, if he dealt Betances, Tabata, Kennedy and Chamberlain for Santana, I'd be more pissed than if he got rid of Hughes.

jacksonianmarch
06-07-2007, 08:07 PM
Joba 5IP 6H 9K 0BB 1ER This guy is something else.

26 Reasons to Hate Us
06-12-2007, 06:57 AM
by NoMaas' Lane Meyer
Minor League Correspondent
The Yankees made a stunning group of selections in the 2007 amateur draft. Once Austin Romine was selected in the 2nd round, it was clear that the organization had taken a different tact this year. Romine was not a sexy name, nor was he well known in scouting circles. What he was, however, was relatively undervalued. Having broken his receiving hand earlier in the year, he was unable to play catcher, and converted himself to the team’s closer. The Yankees did their scouting and concluded that his rocket arm and quick release were worth the pick. They didn’t adhere to this notion of undervalue throughout, though. In fact, they managed to select a player that was valued at more than slot in almost every round after the 3rd up through the 18th. Because of this, there will be a lot of debating as to which guys are actually worth signing and which guys aren’t. At NoMaas we have counted 14 draft picks that will require more than slot money to sign, and we have ranked them according to our desire to see them signed. We will track the Fourteen of the Future on the front page right up until the August 15th signing deadline. If the Yankees can sign 10 of these guys (in addition to their at slot selections in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th) it will have been an absolutely incredible draft..


Fourteen of the Future

1) 1st round pick, Andrew Brackman. The nearly 7 foot righthander has shown the makings of an ace. However, he has also shown the makings of a bust. An important point here is that the Yankees already have one legitimate, ace-potential arm on the cusp of establishing himself in the majors in Phil Hughes, and another one quickly working his way up in the recently promoted Joba Chamberlain. Thus, Brackman is not a necessary compnent to validating the Yankees farm system, but instead a luxury. The track record of pitching development under Nardi Contreras has enough positive results to make us think Brackman has a very good chance to develop. He isn’t a project as much as many detractors would have you believe. His fastball can’t be tought, and he already has a filthy breaking pitch, so there is no pressing need to develop his natural stuff. It is more an issue of conditioning, helath, and mechanical repetition, and those are the things that can be worked on and permanantly corrected. Brackman is by no means a sure thing, but given the current state of the Yankees minor league pitching, he is a risk well worth taking. Additionally, if the Yankees were willing to actually select him in the draft, the conclusion has to be drawn that they are either confident in his health and/or feel that even if he needs Tommy John Surgery his talent is still too good to pass up.

2) 4th round pick, Brad Suttle. The Texas third baseman’s last name is incredibly appropriate for this selection, as it was the subtle hint that the Yankees were about to start selecting players that were asking for more money than the slot they would be chosen in suggested. Suttle is a switch hitter with decent-at-best defense and a very nice arm. The biggest qualm with him is that he doesn’t run well, but he’s a switch-hitter with a pure hitting tool that Baseball America rated as the best of all the college bats in the draft. He also has shown success with wood, making his projection into the professional ranks much more clear. Suttle is the kind of player that is fairly well along in his development as a hitter, showing great patience and an inate ability to make contact. If everything goes smoothly, he is the type of prospect with .300 / .400 / .475 potential within the next two years. Suttle scared off a lot teams by asking for more money than his 2007 season dictated, and since he had two more years of eligibility left, he didn’t stand to lose much if his demands weren’t met. Couple the demands with a lack of eye-popping power, and teams passed. The Yankees have a chance to bring a potential All-Star level hitter into the system, and to do so at the price of $1 million or less. This is a move that would really galvanize the 2007 draft for the organization, and because of this it is the second most important signing of the draft.

3) 18th round pick, Chris Carpenter. Sure, he was selected in the 18th round, but his drop was purely a factor of money, injuries, and remaining eligibility. Carpenter had Tommy John surgery in 2005 and related setbacks in 2006. He returned to the mound fully in 2007, showing mid 90s sitting velocity and average secondary pitches. However, the big knock on him has been terrible command, which is funny because anyone who knows baseball will tell you that this is what elbow problems in general, and specfically TJ, rob a pitcher of. Carpenter didn’t fully return to the mound until this spring, and even then only made six starts and threw less than 50 innings. Carpenter has the build, the velocity, and the drive to become a successful Major League pitcher. He is a chance for the Yankees to get another early round arm without having to actually use an early round pick, and an opportunity to possibly buy low on a guy that has two years of eligibility left to improve his stock and re-enter the draft. Talking him out of returning to Kent State would be a coup for the Bombers, and even if it took supplemental money, a potential bargain in the long run.

4) 10th round pick, Carmen Angelini. A strong commitment to college powerhouse Rice, a large pricetag, and debate about his true upside caused Angelini’s slide in the draft. The universal negative seen in Angelini is his potential to develop, not his current skills. Almost everyone agrees that the kid is smooth defensively, has range and a great arm, and can hit, with power evident. He also has speed to go along with the rest of his positive attributes, making him relatively free of weaknesses, which Carmen himself agreed on in a recent interview at Pinstripes Plus. He is very confident and is the type of kid who just loves to play baseball. Supposedly he is asking for $1 million to break his commtiment to Rice, and the Yankees would be best served to pony up the cash. Angelini is one, if not the most intriguing prospects that the Yankees selected, and his positioning as the 4th most important signing is the absolute lowest he could have been – he easily could be in the top three.

5) 8th round pick, Taylor Grote. Grote is a product of The Woodlands High School in Texas, the largest high school in the United States. Texas is a hotbed for football, and Grote was a two-sport star, getting recruited for football as well as baseball. Coming into the 2007 season, he was listed on most services’ top 100 prospects lists, however a relatively down year, and a dual commitment to both a JC and the University of Texas caused him to fall out of favor. Grote is a lefty batter who plays CF and has all the skills needed to be a succesful baseball player: solid size, power, speed, and instincts. The question is, do the Yankees have the ability to develop him? He’s the first truly raw player on this list, but the Yankees need a few high-ceiling, raw bats in their system. They can afford to take the chance with Grote, who would be another potential buy-low option due to a lack of performance. Our opinion at NoMaas, and it seems the Yankees share it as well, is that the talent doesn’t disapear. If it was on display once, it can be coaxed again. Grote has shown the talent, and the Yankees need to wrap him up.

6) 35th round pick, Greg Holle. From the Yankees own backyard, Holle was a two-sport standout at Christian Brothers High School in New York. Standing 6’8” and weighing 210 lbs, Holle throws a fastball that tops out at 92-93 mph. He also has shown immense power at the plate, but wasn’t able to perform to the level many hoped this year after injuring his back swinging a weighted bat in the on-deck circle. There is so much projection in this kid as a RHP that it would be crazy to let him honor his commitment to TCU. This is exactly the kind of guy the Yankees need to snap up before he has a chance to put himself out of their reach in the 2010 draft. Signing him would show a willingness to start picking off potential studs before anyone else is able to. To the Yankees, spending a couple hundred thousand dollars on a prospect with Holle’s potential should be worth it.

7) 24th round pick, Greg Peavey. Peavey has been known by scouts since he was a freshman in high school. From Vancouver, Washington, he has excellent command of his pitches, and scouts describe him as being relatively polished. The problem is that he has been so good since his freshman year in high school that peple expected him to become transcendent by the time he graduated. As it stands, Peavey has Scott Boras as his advisor in addition to a commitment to nearby powerhouse, Oregon State. You can never have too many well-regarded arms in the pipelines. If Peavey is at instructs this offseason, Yankee fans should consider themselves very lucky.

8) 34th round pick, Drew Storen. Storen is out of Brownsurg High Scool in Idiana, just outside of Indianapolis. He has a commitment to Stanford, a place PGCrosschecker.com’s Patrick Ebert called one of the toughest schools to break a high school kid from. Storen has shown good control and polish to all of his offerings (90ish fastball, slider, changeup) and there is certainly room to improve his velocity. He has the potential to be a Tyler Clippard type, and possibly more if he can add a few MPH onto his fastball. The Yankees need to offer Storen enough money to break him from going to Palo Alto, although it shouldn’t be as much as many think necessary seeing as he is almost two years older than other HS seniors. At nearly 20 years old and with a chance to go to a premiere organization, he should be able to be talked out of his commitment, and the Yankees could end up with a fairly refined RHP.

9) 6th round pick, Richard Weems. Another athletic, strong-armed, lefthanded bat on whom the Yankees very clearly did their due diligence, Weems made it clear that he was seeking early-round money in order to break his commitment to Alabama. Currently a catcher with a arm that grades a 65 on the 20-80 scale according to Baseball America, Weems may not be able to stick at the position. This may not be bad, however, considering he is seen as being a sound athlete. As mentioned earlier, the weakness of developing bats in the farm system will start affecting the Yankees shortly, and signing a talent like Weems would be a solid way to start addressing that. His father told reporters that the Yankees had already been in contact and given the family a plan for his son, so it is pretty obvious that they are being aggressive. Hopefully it is enough to lure him to the GCL.

10) 9th round pick, Austin Krum. Krum was presumed by many to have gone in the first 5 or so rounds, but when he didn’t the Yankees took the Dallas Baptist CF despite knowing his bonus demands exceeded slot at that point. Krum is another all around athlete who wasn’t more highly regarded because he didn’t show a single, dominant offensive skill. This seems to be a running theme with the hitters the Yankees selected this year, and could suggest a movement to get true, patient hitters, who are still athletic, into the system rather than raw “run and jumpers.” That he fell to the 9th round was fortunate. Now it’s a matter of getting him to Staten Island.

11) 17th round pick, Ryan Wehrle. From a sheer human interest standpoint, this is the most intriguing pick the Yankees made. Wherle was a stud shortstop at Nebraska just two years ago, hitting .367 while showing great gap power, good speed, and terrific instincts (14 SB, 0 CS). Being a draft-eligible soph, there were major questions about his signability, so he dropped in the 2006 draft to the 18th round and went back to Nebraska for his junior year. It turns out to have been an awful decision. Early in the Cornhuskers’ season, Wehrle was dismissed from the team for what amounted to being a complete jerk. Being overweight, lollygagging, and general indifference led to his demise. A DUI his freshman season didn’t do him any favors, either. Supposedly he is going to head to Cal State Fullerton and their bigtime baseball program if he doesn’t get the money he wants, but we think he will be fairly easily pursuaded to sign with an organization like the Yankees. Wehrle has all the talent, but all the baggage, too. Taking a shot on a guy with talent like this would only cost a couple of hundred thousand dollars at most, I mean it’s not $39.95 million or anything…

12) 7th round pick, Damon Sublett. A junior from perennial powerhouse Wichita State, Sublett was another pick that the Yankees scouted heavily and potentially picked up on the cheap. They drafted him as a second baseman, but he also was a pitcher for the Shockers, dominating at times with low 90’s heat and a fantastic, hard curveball. The problem for Sublett was the injury bug, though. Injuries to his back, shoulder, knee, hamstring, wrist, and a bout with mono robbed Sublett of his chance to pitch, and certainly hindered his ability to perform at his peak as a hitter. Had he been healthy, he probably would have gone in the first three rounds as he had shown good power and plate discipline. If the Yankees pay him above slot and prevent him from going back for his senior season, Sublett should be a nice player to develop.

13) 12th round pick, Manuul Barreda. Barreda is our favorite pick of the draft from a physical appearance standpoint. Standing no taller than 5’11” on a good day, he throws gas from the righthand side, maxing out at 96 MPH. Barreda was commited to Arizona, but the Yankees have already broken his commitment, signing Barreda this past weekend. From here on out, Barreda will be known as DF, short for Diminutive Fireballer. Who doesn’t love a smallish guy who throws mid-90s getting passed over because of his size, and eventually signing with your organization? We’re very excited about Barreda and look forward to following him in the future.

14) 17th round pick, Ryan Zink. A great, later round selection by Oppenheimmer. Like Chris Carpenter, Zink was another guy who had his draft stock drop because of Tommy John surgery, and he is still working his way back to total health. If he can regain the pre-surgery stuff and velocity that made him the #1 rated HS prospect coming out of Wisconsin in 2003 and a very good starter his freshman year at UIC, he could be a solid starter in the Major Leagues in a few years. At the worst he should make it to the bigs as a longman.


http://www.nomaas.org/14.html

jacksonianmarch
06-12-2007, 07:46 AM
the Barreda pick is very interesting.