So tonight is the return.
It's not really my place to comment - after all, he's not our player and we have a game to win - but I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. What will the reception be? What should the reception be?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Player of the Month
At the conclusion of every month we name both a Player of the Month and a Pitcher of the Month in the minor leagues. Mike Wickham, our Director of Minor League Operations, sends out the ballots to both front office and field staff, and my guess is that it's usually a pretty lopsided vote. In fact, I'd be surprised if more than two players or two pitchers receive any votes at all in any given month.
This month, however, is different.
June was witness to a slew of remarkable offensive performances (as well as pitching performances) in our system. I think it's a tough call, as a number of players are deserving of the award. Therefore, I'm putting you to work. The stats are below (arranged by level and then alpha) and the poll is on the right.
Of course, these aren't all the relevant stats, but it gives you a quick overview. I expect you to provide some reasoning in the comments section!
This month, however, is different.
June was witness to a slew of remarkable offensive performances (as well as pitching performances) in our system. I think it's a tough call, as a number of players are deserving of the award. Therefore, I'm putting you to work. The stats are below (arranged by level and then alpha) and the poll is on the right.
- Kyle Blanks, AAA .370/.478/.630 in 66 pa's
- Craig Stansberry, AAA .330/.417/.394 in 108 pa's
- Brian Joynt, AA .358/.400/.593 in 88 pa's
- Lance Zawadzki, AA .381/.474/.567 in 114 pa's
- Logan Forsythe, A+/AA .345/.477/.540 in 109 pa's
- Danny Payne, A+ .316/.464/.605 in 97 pa's
- Beemer Weems, A+ .319/.479/.444 in 90 pa's
- Sawyer Carroll, A/A+ .344/.443/.611 in 106 pa's
- James Darnell, A/A+ .370/.452/.593 in 93 pa's
- Dan Robertson, A .358/.400/.494 in 86 pa's
- Blake Tekotte, A .348/.446/.609 in 107 pa's
Of course, these aren't all the relevant stats, but it gives you a quick overview. I expect you to provide some reasoning in the comments section!
Monday, June 29, 2009
High Desert
Lake Elsinore opened a three game series last night in High Desert, which is known for some high-scoring contests. Well, after eight innings last night Lake Elsinore was leading 28-14.
Guess how many home runs Elsinore hit in order to score 28 runs... go ahead, guess.
Exactly one. That's right - one homer, 28 runs. So how does a team score 28 runs with just one homer? 27 hits, 13 walks, and five High Desert errors. That is absolutely nuts. If you thought it wouldn't get crazier in the 9th inning, think again. How about this:
Sawyer Carroll - Home Run
James Darnell - Home Run
Matt Clark - Home Run
Felix Carrasco - 6-3
Danny Payne - Home Run
So, we score 28 runs with one homer over eight innings and then hit four homers in a span of five hitters.
I think Jayson Stark would have a field day with this one.
Guess how many home runs Elsinore hit in order to score 28 runs... go ahead, guess.
Exactly one. That's right - one homer, 28 runs. So how does a team score 28 runs with just one homer? 27 hits, 13 walks, and five High Desert errors. That is absolutely nuts. If you thought it wouldn't get crazier in the 9th inning, think again. How about this:
Sawyer Carroll - Home Run
James Darnell - Home Run
Matt Clark - Home Run
Felix Carrasco - 6-3
Danny Payne - Home Run
So, we score 28 runs with one homer over eight innings and then hit four homers in a span of five hitters.
I think Jayson Stark would have a field day with this one.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Going Too Fast?
Hector: I think that the strategy to promote too soon has backfired greatly with Antonelli, Headley and LeBlanc.
Careful with Blanks...
Hector,
It's always a tough balance.
Antonelli blitzed through HA and AA before struggling last year at AAA. In hindsight it may have made sense to leave him at AA at the beginning of 2008, but he certainly appeared ready for the PCL.
Headley was a very different case. He had a full year in HA Lake Elsinore, a full year in AA San Antonio and nearly 300 pa's in AAA Portland. That's not really an accelerated progression. In fact, what was keeping him down in AAA more than anything was the fact that he was learning a new defensive position.
Leblanc pitched about 150 innings between HA and AA and now has almost 200 in AAA. That isn't terribly unusual for an advanced college starter, and he's still in the development process now.
The other thing, and possibly more importantly, is that sometimes guys need to be pushed in order to progress. For instance, had we left Leblanc at AA he could have continued to get everyone out with his changeup without needing to locate his fastball effectively. He needed to get to a level with more advanced hitters that would force him to make an adjustment to his game. Similarly, Chase had a .939 ops in AAA after having a 1.023 in AA, so he needed to start facing ML pitching in order to keep getting better.
Remember, regardless of the preparation they receive in the minors, young players will almost always struggle early on in the Majors, often for two or three seasons, before hitting their stride. Adrian Gonzalez hit .229/.272/.401 in 2004 and 2005 combined for the Texas Rangers, and there are countless other examples. Just like any other job, there's only so much you can do to prepare before actually doing the job.
Careful with Blanks...
Hector,
It's always a tough balance.
Antonelli blitzed through HA and AA before struggling last year at AAA. In hindsight it may have made sense to leave him at AA at the beginning of 2008, but he certainly appeared ready for the PCL.
Headley was a very different case. He had a full year in HA Lake Elsinore, a full year in AA San Antonio and nearly 300 pa's in AAA Portland. That's not really an accelerated progression. In fact, what was keeping him down in AAA more than anything was the fact that he was learning a new defensive position.
Leblanc pitched about 150 innings between HA and AA and now has almost 200 in AAA. That isn't terribly unusual for an advanced college starter, and he's still in the development process now.
The other thing, and possibly more importantly, is that sometimes guys need to be pushed in order to progress. For instance, had we left Leblanc at AA he could have continued to get everyone out with his changeup without needing to locate his fastball effectively. He needed to get to a level with more advanced hitters that would force him to make an adjustment to his game. Similarly, Chase had a .939 ops in AAA after having a 1.023 in AA, so he needed to start facing ML pitching in order to keep getting better.
Remember, regardless of the preparation they receive in the minors, young players will almost always struggle early on in the Majors, often for two or three seasons, before hitting their stride. Adrian Gonzalez hit .229/.272/.401 in 2004 and 2005 combined for the Texas Rangers, and there are countless other examples. Just like any other job, there's only so much you can do to prepare before actually doing the job.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Minor League Promotions
Here are some moves effective for tonight's games:
LHP Cory Luebke from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio
Cory is leading the Cal League in ERA and innings pitched, 3rd in K's, and was the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.
3B Logan Forsythe from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio
Logan is leading the Cal League in OBP, 10th in average, and has a .976 ops with 61 walks (which I believe is the most in all of minor league baseball).
LHP Nick Schmidt from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
Nick has a 2.79 ERA in 51.2 innings with 59 k's, and has allowed just one earned run in last his 31.1 innings.
3B James Darnell from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
James is leading the Midwest League in OBP, 4th in SLG, 5th in average, and has a .329/.468/.518 line overall.
1B Matt Clark from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
Matt is 2nd in the league in RBI and doubles and 3rd in extra-base hits. He will split time at 1B/DH with Felix Carrasco.
OF Sawyer Carroll from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
Sawyer is 5th in the league in hits and 9th in average. He's turned it up since April, though, hitting .351 and slugging .524 since May 1.
OF Yefri Carvajal from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne
Yefri is just 20 years old (Carroll just turned 23), so this is more about pushing Carroll than anything else. Yefri was holding his own in the Cal League (actually hit .304/.333/.451 in May), but with Carroll coming the everyday at-bats are in Fort Wayne.
3B Justin Baum from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne
Justin only had 136 ab's in Elsinore, and with the other 3B moving, Fort Wayne offers a chance to play more regularly.
OF Chadd Hartman from Eugene to Fort Wayne
Chadd is moving up due to Carroll and Clark leaving and Decker going on the DL.
LHP Steve Garrison placed on rehab assignment with Peoria, AZ
Steve continues to progress with his rehab and should be facing hitters soon.
Sometimes it makes sense to leave a player at one level for the entire year to let them enjoy success. These players, however, were performing at such a high level that it was time to challenge them at the next level. There is a fine line between challenging players and rushing them, but we feel that all of these guys are ready.
Five posts in one week! Who's with me!
LHP Cory Luebke from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio
Cory is leading the Cal League in ERA and innings pitched, 3rd in K's, and was the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.
3B Logan Forsythe from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio
Logan is leading the Cal League in OBP, 10th in average, and has a .976 ops with 61 walks (which I believe is the most in all of minor league baseball).
LHP Nick Schmidt from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
Nick has a 2.79 ERA in 51.2 innings with 59 k's, and has allowed just one earned run in last his 31.1 innings.
3B James Darnell from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
James is leading the Midwest League in OBP, 4th in SLG, 5th in average, and has a .329/.468/.518 line overall.
1B Matt Clark from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
Matt is 2nd in the league in RBI and doubles and 3rd in extra-base hits. He will split time at 1B/DH with Felix Carrasco.
OF Sawyer Carroll from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore
Sawyer is 5th in the league in hits and 9th in average. He's turned it up since April, though, hitting .351 and slugging .524 since May 1.
OF Yefri Carvajal from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne
Yefri is just 20 years old (Carroll just turned 23), so this is more about pushing Carroll than anything else. Yefri was holding his own in the Cal League (actually hit .304/.333/.451 in May), but with Carroll coming the everyday at-bats are in Fort Wayne.
3B Justin Baum from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne
Justin only had 136 ab's in Elsinore, and with the other 3B moving, Fort Wayne offers a chance to play more regularly.
OF Chadd Hartman from Eugene to Fort Wayne
Chadd is moving up due to Carroll and Clark leaving and Decker going on the DL.
LHP Steve Garrison placed on rehab assignment with Peoria, AZ
Steve continues to progress with his rehab and should be facing hitters soon.
Sometimes it makes sense to leave a player at one level for the entire year to let them enjoy success. These players, however, were performing at such a high level that it was time to challenge them at the next level. There is a fine line between challenging players and rushing them, but we feel that all of these guys are ready.
Five posts in one week! Who's with me!
Kevin Kouzmanoff and Mark Twain
Kevin Kouzmanoff has had a good couple of weeks. Actually, his .327/.351/.636 in the last 14 games is better than "good". How did this happen? He didn't suddenly get bigger or stronger. Pitchers haven't suddenly pitched him differently. So what is it?
Back in 2007, Kouz's rookie year, he had a rough start. On May 14 he had an OPS of .424 with just one homer in 105 plate appearances. For the rest of the year he hit .308/.363/.510 for an OPS of .873 while hitting 17 homers (one every 25 pa's). Great things were on the horizon.
Then Kouz again stumbled a bit out of the gates in 2008 with an OPS of .682 on May 14 and one homer for every 59 plate appearanes. After May 14 he had an OPS of .751 with 20 homers (one every 25 pa's). That was more like it.
This year? Kouz had an OPS of .550 on May 14 with one homer in 133 plate appearances. Since that time he has an OPS of .811 with nine homers (one very 16 pa's).
So, to summarize his last three seasons:
Unfortunately, we don't have the answer (and I'd be leery of any hard causal theories), but we are happy that May 14th has passed and the post-May 14 Kouz, he of the .808 OPS, appears to be in the house.
Back in 2007, Kouz's rookie year, he had a rough start. On May 14 he had an OPS of .424 with just one homer in 105 plate appearances. For the rest of the year he hit .308/.363/.510 for an OPS of .873 while hitting 17 homers (one every 25 pa's). Great things were on the horizon.
Then Kouz again stumbled a bit out of the gates in 2008 with an OPS of .682 on May 14 and one homer for every 59 plate appearanes. After May 14 he had an OPS of .751 with 20 homers (one every 25 pa's). That was more like it.
This year? Kouz had an OPS of .550 on May 14 with one homer in 133 plate appearances. Since that time he has an OPS of .811 with nine homers (one very 16 pa's).
So, to summarize his last three seasons:
- Up to May 14: .221/.260/.316 with one homer every 83 pa's
- Post May 14: .278/.325/.483 with one homer every 23 pa's
Unfortunately, we don't have the answer (and I'd be leery of any hard causal theories), but we are happy that May 14th has passed and the post-May 14 Kouz, he of the .808 OPS, appears to be in the house.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Signing Updates
In the past few days we have come to agreements with:
- 3rd round pick - Jerry Sullivan, RHP from Oral Roberts
- 5th round pick - Jason Hagerty, C from the University of Miami
- 7th round pick - Miles Mikolas, RHP from Nova Southeastern
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