After a horrible start, Russ Adams has really turned it on in the Arizona Fall League, raising his average 150 points and drawing 9 walks against just 8 strikeouts in 79 AB (3 steals in 4 tries, too). This profile of Adams by Jonathan Mayo at the MLB Website gives some interesting insight into the organization's appraisal of Adams: among other things, JP Ricciardi is quite happy with the skill set Adams has displayed and isn't yet ready to move him off shortstop. The AFL season itself is in its final week, and early returns on Jays prospects seem to favour the hitters: Adams, Dominic Rich and Tyrell Godwin have all had fine performances in the desert. Less fortunate are the pitchers: Cam Reimers (1-1, 4.44 ERA, 9 K in 24 IP), Pete Bauer (1-1, 5.59, 24 H in 19 IP) and Jordan DeJong (1-0, 7.41, 11 BB in 17 IP) have enjoyed themselves rather less. Gabe Gross impressed in his brief sojourn with the we-hardly-knew-ye USA Olympic Squad, .343/.395/.686 in just 35 AB.
Shifting to the Venezuelan League for a second, I'm wondering whether Gustavo Chacin's stats (37 SO, 3 BB, 2.08 ERA, 26 IP, 5 starts) are catching people's eyes? The southpaw still hasn't turned 23 yet but is expected to be left exposed at the rule 5, due to the plethora of other young talented pitchers in the system. If he keeps this up, JP will have to either hold on to him (unlikely) or watch him get plucked by another organization in a month.
Gideon you could write Jays non prospects in your entrance. They must be tired but it was a truly unspectacular year for all of them.
The pitchers are relatively old and had their opportunity as starters, best scenario: groom them as relievers in Manchester or Syracuse and see.
The position players ( well, except that first rounder ) are utility guys at best, again either AA or AAA, learning to play in that role.
Of course out of the 40 men roster and probably on their way to Mil.
Saying that Adams raised his avg 150 points is a bit of a stretch: he was only .100 with horrible slugging .340s and excuse me but i do not see him batting better than o'dog nor fielding better, for that matter. May be in short but just because there is no one better not that we have a strength there and with a lot of ifs, certainly not a founding stone.
And Gross looks like our prospect closer to make an impact in the bigs, pushing Cat or Kielty to be traded for pitching.
The pitchers are relatively old and had their opportunity as starters, best scenario: groom them as relievers in Manchester or Syracuse and see.
The position players ( well, except that first rounder ) are utility guys at best, again either AA or AAA, learning to play in that role.
Of course out of the 40 men roster and probably on their way to Mil.
Saying that Adams raised his avg 150 points is a bit of a stretch: he was only .100 with horrible slugging .340s and excuse me but i do not see him batting better than o'dog nor fielding better, for that matter. May be in short but just because there is no one better not that we have a strength there and with a lot of ifs, certainly not a founding stone.
And Gross looks like our prospect closer to make an impact in the bigs, pushing Cat or Kielty to be traded for pitching.
Ash is drooling for his second lefthander V'ruler in row...
Minnesota Twins are taking their sweet time picking the Player to be named in the Stewart/Kielty trade. Ryan , make your choice !
Since Shannon was their mvp, we should be picking our ptbl.
Chacin could be an excelent pick for them, or Neomar,or
Chacin could be an excelent pick for them, or Neomar,or
Jeff, I've heard that the Twins will have their pick among all unprotected rule V-eligible players in the Jays' organization. Presumably then, the PTBN will be settled just before the draft.
Anybody heard anything else?
Anybody heard anything else?
BTW, Brian Bowles was picked up by Cleveland today.
Mike B ,
Thanks for the information, that does not sound to painful for us.
Mike B wrote,
" Jeff, I've heard that the Twins will have their pick among all unprotected rule V-eligible players in the Jays' organization. Presumably then, the PTBN will be settled just before the draft.
Anybody heard anything else? "
Thanks for the information, that does not sound to painful for us.
Mike B wrote,
" Jeff, I've heard that the Twins will have their pick among all unprotected rule V-eligible players in the Jays' organization. Presumably then, the PTBN will be settled just before the draft.
Anybody heard anything else? "
Good luck to Bowles in a new organization; he had no future in Toronto. In the unlikely event he ever learns to command the strike zone, he could be an effective reliever; personally, I wouldn't bet the mortgage payment on it.
BTW, Brian Bowles was picked up by Cleveland today.
Actually, it was the Brewers. Indianapolis is Milwaukee's AAA club. (Normally, I wouldn't have corrected somebody for this but I think this is interesting in that it's Gordo picking up his boy.)
Actually, it was the Brewers. Indianapolis is Milwaukee's AAA club. (Normally, I wouldn't have corrected somebody for this but I think this is interesting in that it's Gordo picking up his boy.)
I always thought Bowles had some potential to actually do something in the majors but I guess he was just too inconsistent with his command. He appeared to have the size and stuff.
Quiroz hit another blast yesterday, and now has 5 HR in only 52 AB in Venezuela. Here are the updated stats for his Venezuelan team. It's great that he have a rare slugging backstop on our hands, but what ever happened to the improved plate discipline that he was demonstrating this year (18 K, 2 BB)?!
Cachin's stock started to plummet yesterday after he gave up 9 hits in 5 IP (4 K, 1 BB, 4 ER) but he's still an intriguing player to keep am eye on. There's a great article on the Cardinales website, written before yesterday's game, about Chacin's new-found success (written in Spanish, but a nice translation can be obtained.
Cachin's stock started to plummet yesterday after he gave up 9 hits in 5 IP (4 K, 1 BB, 4 ER) but he's still an intriguing player to keep am eye on. There's a great article on the Cardinales website, written before yesterday's game, about Chacin's new-found success (written in Spanish, but a nice translation can be obtained.
That's a small sample for Quiroz but it sure looks like he's swinging for the ocean. 18 k in just 52 ab is crazy high and the 2 bb are crazy low. But that would explain the slugging % over .650 and isolated power over .340. Very extreme numbers; looks like Q's trying to put on a show.
It's these types of tendancies that lead me to compare him more to Benito Santiago than to Ivan Rodriguez. Or maybe he'll re-embrace patience and contact once he's playing under Marty Pevey again.
Gustavo Chacin will be interesting though I find it hard to believe he's still just 22. He's already spent a couple of years at AA and hasn't dominated but has held together. And though it's a small sample in the Mexican League, it's hard to ignore his Vermilyea like K and walk rates. Though his hit and homerun rate are still about the same.
From the Babelfish translation it looks like his straight line (fastball) is harder now and he's mixing his breaking launch (curveball) in better. He'll make it an interesting decision on whether to protect him or not; chances are someone will take a lefthander who has already spent a couple of years at AA.
It's these types of tendancies that lead me to compare him more to Benito Santiago than to Ivan Rodriguez. Or maybe he'll re-embrace patience and contact once he's playing under Marty Pevey again.
Gustavo Chacin will be interesting though I find it hard to believe he's still just 22. He's already spent a couple of years at AA and hasn't dominated but has held together. And though it's a small sample in the Mexican League, it's hard to ignore his Vermilyea like K and walk rates. Though his hit and homerun rate are still about the same.
From the Babelfish translation it looks like his straight line (fastball) is harder now and he's mixing his breaking launch (curveball) in better. He'll make it an interesting decision on whether to protect him or not; chances are someone will take a lefthander who has already spent a couple of years at AA.
There is a common thread here. Both Chacin's and Quiroz's strikeout rates are much higher in the Venezuelan league than they were in the Eastern League. I wouldn't put too much weight on the Venezuelan League results.
For what it's worth, Quiroz had an absolutely abysmal time last fall (2002) in the Venezuelan League between a very good second half in Dunedin and an excellent year in New Haven. In New Haven, his strike zone judgment started out the season as poor, but improved as the season went on. He was hit by a pitch 12 times, so I'm guessing that he's right on the plate.
I checked on Benito Santiago's history. Here's his career line: http://tsf.waymoresports.thestar.com/thestar/baseball/player.cgi?0994. As you can see, his strike zone judgment (and his power)in AA/AAA in 85-86 was much poorer than Quiroz' in double A this past year. We'll see if Quiroz can maintain or improve his strike zone judgment in Syracuse this year, but for now he's a significantly better prospect than Santiago was at the same point.
Incidentally, Pudge was not much of a hitter when he came up, but he was so young (not yet 20) that he had a lot of time to work on it. He didn't reach his peak until he was 28-29.
For what it's worth, Quiroz had an absolutely abysmal time last fall (2002) in the Venezuelan League between a very good second half in Dunedin and an excellent year in New Haven. In New Haven, his strike zone judgment started out the season as poor, but improved as the season went on. He was hit by a pitch 12 times, so I'm guessing that he's right on the plate.
I checked on Benito Santiago's history. Here's his career line: http://tsf.waymoresports.thestar.com/thestar/baseball/player.cgi?0994. As you can see, his strike zone judgment (and his power)in AA/AAA in 85-86 was much poorer than Quiroz' in double A this past year. We'll see if Quiroz can maintain or improve his strike zone judgment in Syracuse this year, but for now he's a significantly better prospect than Santiago was at the same point.
Incidentally, Pudge was not much of a hitter when he came up, but he was so young (not yet 20) that he had a lot of time to work on it. He didn't reach his peak until he was 28-29.
Well not to say that he will be Benito Santiago. Just that he's more of a mistake type hitter than a pure hitter. His power looks just awesome though and if he really is the age that he is he should still get better all around the next two or three years. Regardless of whether he eventually hits for average or not, he's a guy that looks like he could top 30 homers in 120 games which is pretty special for a catcher no matter what his peripherals end up being.
Regarding Chacin article, it is interesting to note that his manager at New Haven let him know that he was the go to guy in the pen, congratulate him for being a key element in the team and that to allow him to pitch in the winter as starter Chacin and the Jays negotiate pitching counts: 60 first month 100 the rest of the season. So it seems that there are plans for him next year as a Jay.
I rather have him in the 40 players roster than ( humm )...
And talking about his fastball, he says that it explodes and have more velocity than before, so that he can fool batters better by mixing it with his staple off speed curve.
So the pitch count thing explains why he is not giving away base on balls :)
I rather have him in the 40 players roster than ( humm )...
And talking about his fastball, he says that it explodes and have more velocity than before, so that he can fool batters better by mixing it with his staple off speed curve.
So the pitch count thing explains why he is not giving away base on balls :)
One more note about winter baseball. Seems like Quiroz is enjoying his time as almost every major leaguer playing there. In the mexican winter league you can see guys like Karim taking his at bats like if in a home run derby. Fans and managers get mad at them but a home run will make them crazy about it and be the evening heroes, and so it goes. It may be a positive sign that he is so confident in himself that can enjoy his time while in the game...
Quiroz hit his 7th home run yesterday, going 2-3 with 4 RBI (and a BB!!). It was a historic game in the Venezuelan league, as Louis Douglas Garcia produced the league's second ever inside-the-park grand slam. (BTW, does anyone know how many there have been in Majors? And is Junior Felix still the only Jay to accomplish the fete?)
And Alexis Rios hit the deck running with a couple of hits in his Puerto Rico league debut!
According to the BA boxscore, "Alexis Rios" (in his second game?) was 3-6 with 2 HR and 4 RBI yesterday in the PR league. Only one problem... Will the real Alexis Rios please stand up?!
Simond Pond (playing mostly DH and 1B) is faring well himself, with a .333/.364/.476 so far through 12 games.
Quiroz, going into yesterday's game, had 7 HR, 14 RBI, 4 BB, 23 SO, .328/.380/.703 through 64 AB in the Venezuelan League.
Chacin's still pitching well, but the SO/BB ratio is declining, as he pitched 6 innings yesterday, giving up 1 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 2 SO.
Simond Pond (playing mostly DH and 1B) is faring well himself, with a .333/.364/.476 so far through 12 games.
Quiroz, going into yesterday's game, had 7 HR, 14 RBI, 4 BB, 23 SO, .328/.380/.703 through 64 AB in the Venezuelan League.
Chacin's still pitching well, but the SO/BB ratio is declining, as he pitched 6 innings yesterday, giving up 1 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 2 SO.
I hit an inside-the-parker in 2002, when Garry Matthews Jr thought the rolling ball was foul.
One of the Alexis Rios' (the one who plays centerfield) hit another homer yesterday.
If you're stiking out 23 times in 64 AB's you'd better have hit 7 HR's.
Oops. Pond was 3-5, with a 2B and 2 HR, not 2-4 as I posted earlier. Sorry to be nitpicky!
But, while we're on the topic of Pond, the centre of a lot of controversy regarding his addition to the 40-man roster spot, what do you think of his chances of breaking camp?
But, while we're on the topic of Pond, the centre of a lot of controversy regarding his addition to the 40-man roster spot, what do you think of his chances of breaking camp?
Given his age and the fact the Jays added him to the 40 man I think the Jays are expecting Pond to head north of the border in April.
Baseball America corrected the Rios problem. Here are his updated stats.
Though Howie Clark is nominally more versatile defensively, Pond has a lot more pop, and could earn that spot if he hasn't already. I mentioned elsewhere that there are several off days in April, so there's no need to break camp with 12 pitchers. With six IF, four OF, two C and a DH, there's room for one more bench player. Tom Wilson still has the advantage of being a third catcher, so he might be Pond's main competition.