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Post by widewordofsport on May 22, 2013 22:04:55 GMT -5
He ended with the 3B FYI. I've always wanted to see what a guy would do if he was a 1B short of the cycle and had a chance for extra bases.
The cycle is dumb, but so is the Triple Crown, and RBI and etc etc. They are still nice accomplishments, and very strong predictors of success.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 22, 2013 22:03:24 GMT -5
.357/.438/.619 for Vazquez in May. .412 OBP in 112 PAs in 2013. He's already moved up from 25 to 18th in the rankings, and I'm not sure he necessarily will jump much more this year, but he at least is looking like he can hit enough to get some serious run at MLB.
A few nice signs from scouting the box score...
3 of his 4 XBH came against RHPs (one 2B came against our old friend Tommy Hottovy). His splits are up to .277 vs. RHP/.345 vs. LHP (before tonight), a nice sign. None of the four pitchers for NH tonight is a prospect, however/.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 22, 2013 19:13:05 GMT -5
"Pat Light was removed after one batter (a fly out)"
Looks like iakovos11 was right... a perfect outing for Light.
Barnes 5 IP: 7H, 5K/1BB, 1 ER. A decent outing.
Salem is PPD. Greenville delayed. Quiet night for the prospects. Let's see what's going on with the big club...
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Post by widewordofsport on May 22, 2013 16:54:30 GMT -5
Anyone think Light will pitch better tonight?
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Post by widewordofsport on May 22, 2013 3:13:08 GMT -5
"Jason Varitek and Danny Watkins will represent the Red Sox at the Draft."
Just goes to show you, if you raise a kid who can signs for a used Pontiac Fiero and a stack of old Sports Illustrated so your employer can over-slot Ty Buttrey, good things happen.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 22, 2013 1:27:48 GMT -5
I should have been clearer. Let me try to make it even less clear:
Even a pretty advanced HS pitcher is 19/20 in Greenville, and a college pitcher is starting at 22 in Greenville. Everything Cody Kukuk does is at a younger age than Brian Johnson, but they both are Rule 5 eligible after 2015, and should either of them perform, they may be in direct competition for a 40 man spot. The counter is that Kukuk might not be added/taken in Rule 5, and he may still be growing etc, but I do think you need to consider a combination of both age and number of years pro.
Almanzar was really young, so it may be a confounder. I'd be more impressed with him if he was 22 right out of college and hitting like that at AA is what I'm saying. I think.
PS... Congrats on a hell of a week, Chris.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 22:38:30 GMT -5
Head actually did have decent numbers in half a season at AA after dominating the CALL. But a .530 OPS isn't what Oakland was hoping for the second season there.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 22:36:08 GMT -5
I forgot about Miles Head. Another good one, but one I never got sucked into. I can't say the same for Raul Alcantara when he was mowing down the GCL (facepalms self). I've always liked Lowrie, always thought he had an ability to have productive at bats, drive runners in (I know, RBlahI). But his value is always tied to his health. Sort of like Nava, in that a few nagging injuries have often had a really bad effect on numbers. Lars "untouchable" Anderson: .282 OBP, slugging .273 in AAA. www.examiner.com/article/no-1-red-sox-prospect-lars-anderson
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 22:30:14 GMT -5
Montas has been pretty good his last 5 starts. 0,4,1,2,1 ER and in 9 starts, has more than 2 BB just once, and usually less. 5:1 K:BB ratio is very good. 2.3 BB/9 on the year. Webster lost his command and Montas found it.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 20:00:06 GMT -5
Brentz could hit .275 sure, but I feel like he could also hit .275/.320obp, and manage to have some really bad 0-4s. I'd like to see him learn to take pitches, grind out ABs and force hits he isn't 'hot' or facing a crappy pitcher. I haven't heard enough reports to judge either way, yet.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 19:57:50 GMT -5
We all have our pet prospects, and guys we overrate and can't stand to see traded, or else underrate and go on to have success elsewhere. *Stolmy Pimentel: 6,6,5 ER his last three starts raising his ERA above 1, and 2, and 3. Shocking. *Raul Alcantara: 2.81 ERA in the midwest league, 31K/5BB in 51 IP. Averaging over a hit per inning though. *Casey Kelly: done for the year *Kyle Weiland: not pitching? injured? *Stephen Fife: 7.71 MLB ERA, 4.41 at AAA *Che Hsuan Lin: .259BA, .389OBP, .345 SLG at AAA (PCL though). The IsoD/BBs are really nice, but hard to walk at MLB level unless you hit enough to deserve pitchers' respect *Trayvon Robinson: .754 OPS in AAA this year *Tim Federowicz: hits at AAA, but a .399 OPS for the Dodgers *Jerry Sands: .571 OPS at AAA *Ivan De Jesus Jr: .327/.387/.452/.838 at AAA. Mind have been valuable to have over Ciriaco right now, hindsight, of course *Chih-Hsien Chiang: .623 OPS at AA *Reymond Fuentes: .321/.405/.455 in his second go-around at AA Not surprisingly, Mark Melancon and Jed Lowrie are both have a ton of success right now, in situations that have a bit less pressure. Now that Rizzo is hitting well enough to stay in a MLB lineup, I'm interested to see what his ceiling is.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 17:21:27 GMT -5
Michael Almanzar is insisting we take him seriously. 2R-HR
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Post by widewordofsport on May 21, 2013 16:26:06 GMT -5
Brentz has pretty much been exactly as expected in AAA this year. Strikeout rate dropping to 20% even. I wonder if he can ever walk enough to get to the .350ish OBP he'll need to stick in a lineup though.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 20, 2013 10:13:07 GMT -5
"high-A is a fine place to spend the bulk or all of this season. To use a mediocre benchmark, Brentz was a year older when he hit 30hr with a 25% K rate between Greenville & Salem."
You'll always have that comparing a HS and college draftee. A college player may be 3 years older, but only 1 or 2 "advanced". But you run into the Rule 5 draft, and start burning options. Almanzar is a good example. He's a year younger than Brentz was at AA, but they are both may have to be R5D protected, and start burning options. Being younger because of age only gets you so far. Coyle can still have a full 2014 at AA before being added to the 40 man, but in general I don't like the line of reasoning comparing age of players.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 20, 2013 10:04:26 GMT -5
Rough week for SPs.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 19, 2013 1:23:45 GMT -5
Much like with Coyle (though for different reasons) I don't buy Betts' power at the MLB level, but it's a good sign for his ability to make hard contact.
If he keeps making good contact and jumps onto the radar, maybe I'll see about hitting up their coach for an interview, if the SP guys here have any interest in it. I do some speed workouts at their (Overton, his high school) track every once in a while.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 18:03:28 GMT -5
Random aside: is Cody Koback the same player as Drew Turocy, and the Red Sox just drafted him twice in 2011 to save money? Both are atheltics OFs with plus arms, from small colleges, who are repeating Greenville this year. Both had similar stat lines last year, and have nearly exactly the same this year. (.665/.669 OPS for Koback, .697/.680 for Tuocy).
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 17:50:53 GMT -5
EDIT: Line was already updated on Barnes, so I'll just add: he's had 4 really good starts (out of 7) and looks to be cruising towards a 5th. If he can stay strong as the season goes (and dominate the A+ callups), it will be a very successful year for him.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 17:42:52 GMT -5
I'm only one more puff-piece on Vazquez ability to study hitters and call a game away from being 100% in on pushing him as a starter. I'm anticipating August, but if that OBP stays above .380 it could hit in early summer.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 17:20:12 GMT -5
Both good news re: JBJ/Stroup. Barnes with 2H/1R in the first. Vazquez gunned down a pretty good baserunner to end the inning. I hope we don't find out all the great pitching in Portland this year is all because of him and they all suck when they get to Boston.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 16:06:57 GMT -5
If the Sox can't figure out how to beat their three with our three, it'll be a painful summer.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 16:05:19 GMT -5
Two days ago was Knuckler day, yesterday was Pitching Prospect Day, and today is Question Mark day. I still believe in Aceves more than most, who may still play an important role for the Red Sox this year (sorry, Marc Normandin). Stroup is a guy who with a little bit of health, could be developed as a SP for a while, and Light (according to SP) could end up as a closer with two plus pitches; but is struggling as a 22 year old college pitcher in Greenville (who started 12 games in NYPL last year), where a 95 mph FB alone should be enough most night.
Barnes is obviously up and down this year, but he's early in career, first go-around at AA and is working on stuff, I think he'll be fine.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 17, 2013 15:54:46 GMT -5
"I'd groom him as a utility guy. 3B,2B and the OF. That's looking like his ceiling now."
I like my utility guys to be able to field. I haven't heard recent reports, but his fielding has been just as big a roadblock for him as his hitting, in the past.
EDIT: put another way, Jed Lowrie is my floor for utility guy fielding, and that's just because I irrationally love him as a hitter and a guy who can play everywhere in the IF. Too bad he had to go become a starter.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 16, 2013 18:17:15 GMT -5
2BB/H in the first .2 IP for Rubby so far... it begins.
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Post by widewordofsport on May 16, 2013 13:49:14 GMT -5
"Coyle vs. Cecchinni thread almost laughable at this point."
Was pretty laughable at the time, IIRC. Would be nice to see him bounce back.
The reason I'm not worried about Owens is the same reason I'm not/wasnt worried about Bogaerts/Barnes. Most reports seem to paint them as guys who keep things in perspective, work hard, and love baseball. At that point, they'll get everything they can out of their talent... can't worry a ton about their first few months at a new level (I know Xander had a couple at Portland last year, but he's 20 years old). But I completely agree that I run to that Salem box score.
Early in the year I'm interested in a guy like Workman, who at this age/level should be starting to show what he is (as far as pitching into games, keeping his stuff, going through lineups multiple times) if he wants to stay as a starter for a while. Someone like Hazelbaker (25 y/o, 240G at AA+AAA) is another (who I think has had a nice start to the season, and I'm interested in the reports on him)
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