2010 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread

[Avenger]

I was just about to post that this guy is got closer stuff if he can stay healthy and keep up this performance.

Tiny Tim will likely never be a closer, as he's a flyball pitcher with a fairly high walk rate. He's making the case that he could be a full-inning pitcher rather than a LOOGY, though...SSW and all that, but righties are 1-13 against him thus far.

I'm not sure you can conclude that he's a flyball pitcher though, his GB% numbers are really borderline to say one way or the other.One season he has a high groundball rate, the next he has a borderline flyball pitcher GB%. He's also only given up 6 homeruns in 156.1 innings in his professional career( 1 per 26 innings,0.3/9), i don't think he has any flyball problems at all.
http://firstinning.com/players/Tim-Collins-a/

[-MetA4-]

I was just about to post that this guy is got closer stuff if he can stay healthy and keep up this performance.

Collins isn't even the closer in NH, that would be Danny Farquhar who just got his 3rd save today. So far on the season:

4 IP
0 H
0 R
3 BB
4 K

[Schad]

I was just about to post that this guy is got closer stuff if he can stay healthy and keep up this performance.

Collins isn't even the closer in NH, that would be Danny Farquhar who just got his 3rd save today. So far on the season:

4 IP
0 H
0 R
3 BB
4 K

What do you think the odds are that Farquhar makes the bigs by mid-season if one of our relievers gets dealt? Bad walk rate and all, the kid just doesn't give up hits.

[-MetA4-]

What do you think the odds are that Farquhar makes the bigs by mid-season if one of our relievers gets dealt? Bad walk rate and all, the kid just doesn't give up hits.

Not sure how hard they'd want to push him, as he is a lot like a Brandon League right now. I mean realistically Purcey would be the guy getting a call-up, or Roenicke. Las Vegas has too many arms for me to see them rushing Farquhar.

[Schad]

Not sure how hard they'd want to push him, as he is a lot like a Brandon League right now. I mean realistically Purcey would be the guy getting a call-up, or Roenicke. Las Vegas has too many arms for me to see them rushing Farquhar.

Likely; I'm just antsy to see some kids, and Farquhar would seem to have the swiftest route and the least downside from a service time standpoint.

[There There]

Luis Perez with back to back starts allowing one hit.

I know he's repeating AA, but his line so far is pretty impressive: 17 IP, 2 H, 6 BB, 11 K and about a 2:1 GB:FB ratio.

Bradley Glenn with his third homer for Lansing.

[Schad]

Kyle Drabek with an underwhelming start...5 IP, 5 hits, 5 walks, 3 ER, 3 Ks. Nothing to get particularly worried about yet, but he's putting guys on at a pretty high rate.

[-MetA4-]

Brett Wallace 2 for 4 and just hit another opposite field HR (now has 5 HR on season).

[Randle McMurphy]

Mills had another good start in terms of K/BB and GB%.

[Michael Bradley]

Wallace is tearing it up. Of course it is the PCL so can't take the stats at face value, but if he can continue to show home run power in addition to his other offensive skills, then that is a very good sign moving forward. Just wish he was a capable 3B instead of 1B.

I wouldn't worry about Drabek. He just turned 22. Just keep him healthy and don't rush him. Mills on the other hand is someone I would consider putting in the MLB rotation very soon while moving Tallet back to the pen.

[Hoopstarr]

Very early, but this guy isn't high on Drabek:

As part of the Cliff Lee/Roy Halladay maneuverings last winter, the Phillies traded pitching prospect Kyle Drabek to Toronto and got pitcher Phillippe Aumont from Seattle. According to a scout who has seen both in this year, "More and more, [Drabek] looks like a reliever [in the majors] every time I see him. I like [Aumont] a lot better than I do Drabek right now." The Mariners tried Aumont as a reliever, partly because taller pitchers -- he's 6-foot-7 -- have trouble sustaining their delivery for long outings. "He's going to be fine," the scout said. "Those big guys, it takes them a while to figure it out.

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/04/20/over ... ing-early/

And this guy thinks he has a No. 3 ceiling: http://projectprospect.com/article/2010 ... ing-report

Keith Law hasn't been particularly high on him either.

[Avenger]

Tim Collins got his first save today, struck out 1, 1-1GB/FB, no baserunners. Righties are now 1 for 15 on the year with no other baserunners and 8 strikeouts, yeah, his ceiling is definitely a LOOGY.

others
Travis D'Arnaud went 1-4 with a double, Pastornicky was 2-5, Kenny Wilson 1-4 and BB, Ochinko 3-4

[Hendrix]

Looks like they're seeing if he has what it takes to be a closer?

You think there's any chance he makes it to AAA this year, or do you think they'll keep bringing him along slowly?

[Avenger]

Looks like they're seeing if he has what it takes to be a closer?

You think there's any chance he makes it to AAA this year, or do you think they'll keep bringing him along slowly?

I don't think that's their intention, Farquar was probably just not available today, Collins did save quite a few games last year though so its not something entirely new for him. I think they're gonna let him develop in AA this entire season, let him work on his changeup and cut down his walks a little bit. Vegas is also a terrible place to develop a young pitcher and the bullpen down there is pretty crowded with Carlson, Purcey and Roenicke. I would let him and Farquar share these high leverage innings in New Hampshire the whole year and give them a chance to earn a spot in the Bull Pen in spring training next year.

[-MetA4-]

Looks like they're seeing if he has what it takes to be a closer?

Farquhar had the save the night before. He was probably just unavailable.

[Schad]

Chad Jenkins had another less-than-stellar outing, giving up 4 ER over 5 IP, and seeing his ERA balloon up to 5.63.

However, if you look at his peripherals, he isn't doing too badly: he has a K:BB ratio of more than 3:1, is inducing plenty of grounders (1.75:1), and has given up only one HR. He has, however, given up his fair share of hits, as opponents are hitting .313 against him.

What's the problem, then? Well, he's getting a bit unlucky...on balls in play, batters are hitting over .400, and that's bound to change. It could also be indicative of poor infield defense in Lansing, and as they started Fuenmayor at first (converted 3B) and Ochinko at third (usually a C/1B) with a middle infield that isn't -- from what I understand -- considered that rangy, I wouldn't be surprised if a few balls were sneaking through.

Further, most of those hits have come at inopportune times, as he's getting hit at a .421 clip with RISP. As his batting average looks pretty stable with runners on vs. the bases empty, superficially it doesn't look like it's a problem pitching from the stretch...rather, people are just making contact when you'd rather they didn't.

Long story short, Jenkins isn't doing particularly badly; he probably pitches to contact a little too much to be one of those "whoa!" guys in the minors, but if his peripherals hold up, he might also be the type to sustain his performance as he ascends the ranks.

[Avenger]

Baseball America wrote on what could be our highest ceiling players in the entire system, Travis D'Arnaud and Henderson Alvarez

D’Arnaud’s plus bat speed helps him hit for power, while his low-maintenance swing allows him to stay short to the ball, so the power doesn’t come at the expense of making contact. That skill set has shown up in d’Arnaud’s early numbers. After going 2-for-4 with a walk yesterday, d’Arnaud is hitting .396/.431/.660 in 63 plate appearances with just five strikeouts.

“There’s not a whole lot going on (with his swing),” Dunedin manager Clayton McCullough said. “It’s pretty simple and compact. When he walks up to the plate, he's got a plan in mind, how he thinks the pitchers are going to attack him. He trusts it and he sticks to it.”

What stands out to McCullough about d’Arnaud is his confidence in his ability to hit, an attitude that’s certainly merited.

Blue Jays righthander Henderson Alvarez threw his fastball anywhere from 86-92 mph last year in the Midwest League, finishing the season with a 3.47 ERA in 23 starts for low Class A Lansing thanks largely to his advanced control and an above-average changeup.

This year Alvarez, who turned 20 on Sunday, is throwing in the low-90s and has touched 96 mph, according to McCullough. Through two starts with Dunedin, Alvarez has allowed one run in 14 innings for a 0.64 ERA, with two walks and seven hits allowed. The extra velocity hasn’t led to more strikeouts (six), but he’s pounded the strike zone and kept the ball down, leading to three groundouts for every fly out early in the season.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=8377

[Avenger]

Baseball America wrote on what could be our highest ceiling players in the entire system, Travis D'Arnaud and Henderson Alvarez

D’Arnaud’s plus bat speed helps him hit for power, while his low-maintenance swing allows him to stay short to the ball, so the power doesn’t come at the expense of making contact. That skill set has shown up in d’Arnaud’s early numbers. After going 2-for-4 with a walk yesterday, d’Arnaud is hitting .396/.431/.660 in 63 plate appearances with just five strikeouts.

“There’s not a whole lot going on (with his swing),” Dunedin manager Clayton McCullough said. “It’s pretty simple and compact. When he walks up to the plate, he's got a plan in mind, how he thinks the pitchers are going to attack him. He trusts it and he sticks to it.”

What stands out to McCullough about d’Arnaud is his confidence in his ability to hit, an attitude that’s certainly merited.

Blue Jays righthander Henderson Alvarez threw his fastball anywhere from 86-92 mph last year in the Midwest League, finishing the season with a 3.47 ERA in 23 starts for low Class A Lansing thanks largely to his advanced control and an above-average changeup.

This year Alvarez, who turned 20 on Sunday, is throwing in the low-90s and has touched 96 mph, according to McCullough. Through two starts with Dunedin, Alvarez has allowed one run in 14 innings for a 0.64 ERA, with two walks and seven hits allowed. The extra velocity hasn’t led to more strikeouts (six), but he’s pounded the strike zone and kept the ball down, leading to three groundouts for every fly out early in the season.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=8377

[Schad]

Wow...I'd thought that Alvarez might pick up a little velocity given his age, but didn't expect him to be throwing 92-93 and touching 96. Ever. And 5.5 to 7 K/9 range is perfectly acceptable if he keeps the ball on the ground and rarely surrenders walks...that was Halladay's formula for years.

[Randle McMurphy]

Halladay's K/9 in the minors was only 5.9. Surprising...with his stuff, I would have thought it was in the 7's at least.

Shows how much keeping the ball on the ground matters...