MLBDEPTHCHARTS

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Pitching Performance of the Week (May 23 - May 29)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Thu, 31 May 2012 00:15:00 +0000

posted 5/30/12 5:15 PM PST
by Jim Brown

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
RHP Chris Heston, Double-A Richmond (SF)

season stats: 0.70 ERA, 64.2 IP, 44 H, 15 BB, 59 K in 10 starts
May 23-May 29: 6 IP, ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 11 K in 1 start

One of the goals that my UTR-mate Marc Hefferan and I try to achieve is giving fantasy owners the mention of young talent in hopes that they can possess them on their future rosters, especially those who are in leagues where minor league players hold value. We hope that the reader will continue to track the progress on these farmhands, so they can pounce on the free agent board before their fellow owners or baffle them when you call out that name during the draft. Marc and I have both done that in our keeper league ... and that look around the draft table is priceless. We both still have some of those names on our rosters. If you read my UTR Breakout picks before the 2011 season, you'd know that Heston was one of those guys that I felt could surprise. With the stats he’s putting up with Double-A Richmond, it's now time to call a “Buy” on Heston.

The 23 year-old Heston pitches to contact with a low 90’s two-seam fastball, but has shown that he can induce the swing and miss with a much-improved breaking ball. Another improvement since my 2011 Breakout article has been his maturation in regards to his starts. In the past Heston would be bothered by poor outings, but he states that he now leaves them behind and “coaches” himself to advance to his next start. The jury may still be out in 2012, as we haven’t seen that type of outing thus far, nor a home run allowed to shake-up his psyche. With the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies’ starting pitching staff currently ranked 3rd in the PCL in ERA, it will probably take a shake-up or injury in San Francisco for Heston to see an early promotion.

Relief Pitcher of the Week
LHP T.J. Chism, Lo-A Savannah (NYM): 2.18 ERA, 20.2 IP, 14 H, 7 BB, 22 K, 8 Sv in 18 appearances; 2.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 3 Sv in last week

Click HERE to follow Jim Brown on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Under the Radar NL Minor League Hitting Performance of the Week (May 23 - May 29)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 30 May 2012 23:56:00 +0000

posted 5/30/12 4:56 PM PST
by Marc Hefferan

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week

3B Matt Skole, Lo-A Hagerstown (WAS)

season stats: .306 BA, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 11 2B, 49 BB, 53 K, 4 SB in 51 games (Lo-A)
May 23-May 29: 11-for-26, 2 HR, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 7 BB

The 2011 MLB draft could go down in history as the one of the most unique based on the amount of players selected with deep rooted bloodlines in professional baseball. Several sons of former big league greats were drafted, including high school outfielder Shawon Dunston Jr., the son of one of the most beloved infielders in Chicago Cubs history. Another high school outfielder Dereck Rodriguez, son of legendary catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, was taken in the 6th round by the Minnesota Twins. Hockey genetics also produced a potential big league first baseman in Cub’s 7th rounder Trevor Gretzky, son of all-time hockey great Wayne Gretzky. Even though these are marquee names, it’s the Nationals' 5th rounder, and my UTR Hitter of the Week Matt Skole, who might have the most promising career ahead of them all. Skole’s grandfather was a former major leaguer while his father was a former star at Georgia Southern University. Skole is also the nephew of current Eastern Tennessee State coach Tony and the brother of Texas Rangers prospect Jake. Skole’s week was highlighted by a 5-for-6 performance on May 26th vs. Lakewood.

When the Nationals selected the left-handed hitter out of Georgia Tech, they drafted a bat built for power proven by his 47 career home runs in three seasons with the Yellow Jackets. His 11 home runs currently rank second overall in the South Atlantic League. The 22 year-old has developed into a refined hitter with terrific plate discipline, evident by his 89 walks in only 121 career games as a pro. With the Nationals signing All-Star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman to a $100M dollar contract extension and with top prospect Anthony Rendon now in the system, Skole’s stay at third base may be short-lived. The consensus among scouts is that Skole’s overall defensive package fits better at first base. Washington won’t rush Skole and will continue to develop him at the hot corner until the eventual log jam at the position forces his move across the diamond.

Honorable Mentions
3B Gregory Hopkins, Lo-A Wisconsin (MIL): .324 BA, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 13 2B, 4 BB, 28 K, 6 SB in 48 games; 13-for-30, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 3 2B, 3 SB in last week.
IF Tyler Rahmatulla, Lo-A Quad Cities (STL): .325 BA, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 12 2B, 9 BB, 25 K, 2 SB in 33 games; 11-for-31, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 2B in last week.

Click HERE to follow Marc Hefferan on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Knocking Down the Door' (May 29, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 30 May 2012 01:05:00 +0000

posted 5/29/12 6:05 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

Players on the verge of a big league call-up, in my opinion, are considered to be 'Knocking Down the Door'.

Anthony Gose, OF - Toronto Blue Jays: After Eric Thames was optioned to the minors today, most people were wondering whether Travis Snider would be on his way to Toronto in the near future. The answer is 'no'. He would very likely be in the majors after posting a 1.015 OPS thru his first 26 Triple-A games, but he's been out with a wrist injury since May 18th and is currently rehabbing. While Thames tries to find his swing in the minors, he may want to watch Gose closely or hope that his current hot streak is contagious.

The 21 year-old Gose, who leads all of Triple-A in stolen bases with 23, has his average up to .293 after a slow start. In the midst of a 17-game hitting streak, the left-handed hitting center fielder has reached base in 26 of his last 47 plate appearances. While he struggles against left-handed pitching (7-for-44), he could make a nice platoon partner with Rajai Davis in left field. You can be certain he's made his way onto the Blue Jays' radar with his recent performance. Now it's up to them to decide if there is a fit.

Steve Pearce, IF/OF - New York Yankees: The Yankees currently have two right-handed bats that they insert into the lineup against left-handed pitchers. One is Andruw Jones and the other is Jayson Nix. One of those obviously doesn't belong. While Nix is around to give the team a backup middle infielder, outfielder DeWayne Wise certainly seems expendable with Pearce making a case for a big league call-up and a spot in the lineup against left-handed pitching.

The former Pirates prospect, who has battled numerous injuries throughout the years and finally ran out of chances in Pittsburgh, is making quite an impression on his second organization. At 29 years of age, he's well beyond prospect status but his Triple-A stat line (.322 BA, 10 HR, 13, 2B, 25 BB, 30 K in 48 games) should get him another big league opportunity at some point. He has played primarily first base this season, but has plenty of experience at third base and the corner outfield spots.

Sean Doolittle, LHP - Oakland Athletics: The 41st pick in the 2007 draft, Doolittle was a power-hitting prospect out of the University of Virginia when he began his career with the A's. After finishing his first full professional season with a .286 BA, 22 HR, and 91 RBI between Double-A and Hi-A, Doolittle was rated by Baseball America as the best hitting prospect and best defensive first baseman in the Cal League. Injuries to his knee and wrist, however, put a halt to his future as position player. Instead of waiting around to recover, he started throwing bullpens and the A's eventually figured out that he could be pretty good. They were right.

With a mid-90's fastball to go along with a very good slider and change up, the 25 year-old lefty is working his way through the A's system at a rapid pace in his first season as a reliever. In 21.1 IP between Double-A and Hi-A, Doolittle allowed just 2 ER, 7 hits, and 6 walks while striking out an astounding 40 hitters. His next stop will be in Triple-A after he was promoted today, but it shouldn't be long before he finds his way to the Oakland bullpen.

Todd Redmond, RHP - Atlanta Braves: Five weeks ago, I chose Yohan Flande as one of my 'Knocking Down the Door' picks with Randall Delgado struggling. Two weeks ago, I chose Julio Teheran as one of my 'Knocking Down the Door' picks with Mike Minor struggling. While Flande and Teheran have had their struggles since then, the Braves are still trying to figure out how to solidify their rotation. Reliever Kris Medlen was optioned to the minors, where he'll make three starts before likely joining the rotation. The questions remain whether Medlen can be effective as a starter and whether the Braves can wait that long to replace Minor, who has a 6.98 ERA and six consecutive non-quality starts. That's where Redmond comes in.

The 27 year-old, who was a 39th Round draft pick by the Pirates in 2004 and traded to Atlanta in 2008, was added to the 40-man roster this past offseason after a solid 2011 season in Triple-A (2.92 ERA, 169.2 IP, 152 H, 47 BB, 142 K). That success has carried over to 2012 and now he's making a strong case for a rotation bid with his recent performance. In his last four starts, Redmond has allowed just 3 ER, 23 hits, and 4 BB in 26.2 IP with 23 strikeouts to lower his ERA to 2.47. Even if it's just for a couple of starts, the time might be right to see what Redmond can do.

Click HERE to see the 'Knocking Down the Door' archive for 2012.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO - May 29, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Tue, 29 May 2012 21:00:00 +0000

posted 5/22/12 1:59 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

On today's 30-minute podcast, I discussed the Pirates' call-up of Jordy Mercer, the Brewers' catching situation, Adam Jones, Freddie Freeman, Tyler Skaggs, and much more.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO podcast normally airs every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM PST.

Listen to internet radio with mlbdepthcharts on Blog Talk Radio

Intro music: Wolf Parade - "Apologies to the Queen Mary"

'The Door Is Open' (May 22nd - May 27th)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:12:00 +0000

posted 5/28/12 12:11 PM PST
by Lisa Winston

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Just under two months into the season, the Cleveland Indians called up middle infielder Juan Diaz and, in doing so, became the 30th and final organization to bring up a player to make his big league debut.

With that, Travis Fitzgerald won a six-month subscription to MLBDepthCharts Magazine by having been one of just four entries to predict the Indians would be the last team to fill out the dance card.

Two of those entries were disqualified because the players they chose (first tie-breaker) had both already made their MLB debuts. That left two candidates, including Fitzgerald.

While neither got the first tie-breaker right by picking Diaz as the first Indians debutante, the second tie-breaker went to Fitzgerald (who picked Triple-A pitcher Chen Lee) by virtue of being closest to the debut date and in doing so won the subscription. The irony here? Lee, one of the Indians’ top relief prospects, might well have been up before this had he not landed on the DL at Triple-A Columbus with right forearm tightness, and if he had, another organization might have wound up with the prize!

Known on Twitter as @BlueJaysMoves, he lives right outside Ottawa (one of my favorite unsung gems of a city and one that REALLY deserves to have Minor League baseball back!) in Carleton Place, Ontario, and has been keeping diehard Toronto Blue Jays fans happy with his Twitter feed for about 18 months.

The account details every single transaction involving ANY of the Toronto affiliates, from the Dominican Summer League all the way through the big leagues.

“The Jays are the second-youngest team in MLB, so there is a LOT of attention paid by Jays fans to the team's farm system prospects,” Fitzgerald explained. “I absolutely LOVE running this feed! I can’t imagine a more active and interesting group than the 800 Jays fans who follow my feed.”

So how did he narrow his choice down to the Indians when he first heard about the contest? By ruling out teams that had obvious big-name prospects knocking on the door, he was able to reduce his potential pool to a manageable number of teams.

He took it down to Cleveland, Minnesota and Miami then looked deeper into those teams’ respective situations and gave it more thought.

“I felt Miami would make a lot of moves to keep fans interested, so they were out,” he said. Then looking at Cleveland and Minnesota, he actually – ironically – eliminated the Twins because he thought Liam Hendriks would be getting a look soon (he did, but he also got a quick look last year, so that would have eliminated him … don’t feel bad, Travis, a LOT of people picked players who had a cup of coffee last fall!).

So, that left Cleveland. And no, Diaz NEVER occurred to him as the likely candidate. Luckily, it didn’t matter.

“I got lucky with the date tie-breaker,” he said. “I’ll take credit for picking the right team, but the date was a coin toss!”

CLEVELAND INDIANS

JUAN DIAZ, SS
B/T: B/R. H/W: 6-4/200. BORN: Dec. 12, 1988.
ACQUIRED: Via trade from Seattle with OF Ezequiel Carrera for 1B Russell Branyan June 26, 2010. Originally signed by the Mariners as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic April 20, 2006.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Double-A Akron May 25 when P Zach McAllister was optioned.
DEBUT: May 24 in a 9-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox. A late-game defensive substitution in the bottom of the seventh inning for Asdrubal Cabrera, he struck out looking in his lone at-bat in the top of the eighth.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .232 with three homers, 18 RBI and one steals in 34 games at Akron.
GETTING TO KNOW JUAN: Diaz made his big league debut without spending so much as one minute at Triple-A, having spent the first month of the 2012 season at Akron, where he hit .255 with nine homers, 60 RBI and nine steals in 2011 in his first season above Class A.

DETROIT TIGERS

QUINTIN BERRY, OF
B/T: L/L. H/W: 6-0/175. BORN: Nov. 21, 1984.

Berry has hit in each of his 1st five games
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent Nov. 9, 2011. Originally drafted by Philadelphia in the fifth round of 2006 out of San Diego State. Claimed off waivers by San Diego in July 2010. Drafted in the Double-A round of the Minor League Rule 5 draft by the Mets in December 2010 but released before the 2011 season began. Signed by Cincinnati in April 2011 and granted free agency after the season.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Toledo May 23 when P Collin Balester was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: May 23 in a 4-2 loss to Cleveland. The starting center fielder, he batted leadoff and went 1-for-5 with a run scored, turning an attempted bunt single in the sixth inning into a double with his heads-up play and speed.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .270 with 11 RBI and 19 steals in 39 games for Toledo.
GETTING TO KNOW QUINTIN: Berry, a San Diego native who was a collegiate star in his own backyard, got lost in the Phillies system which was, at the time, extremely deep in toolsy outfielders, but his speed ranks up there with anyone. In 2011, playing for the Reds’ Double-A team at Carolina, he stole 40 bases in just 93 games, the fourth time in six full seasons that he’s reached or topped the 40-steal plateau (he topped 50 twice). Before this year, though, he’d seen just four games at Triple-A. With center fielder Austin Jackson on the DL with an abdominal strain, Berry may get a chance to show what he can do.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

WILL SMITH, LHP
B/T: R/L. H/W: 6-5/240. BORN: July 10, 1989.
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Los Angeles Angels with P Sean O’Sullivan for IF Alberto Callaspo on July 22, 2010. Originally drafted by the Angels in the seventh round of 2008 out of Gulf Coast (Florida) Community College.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha May 22 when 2B Chris Getz went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 23 in an 8-3 loss to the New York Yankees. The starting pitcher, he took the loss, allowing five runs, all earned, on six hits in 3 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out one. He gave up homers to Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez in the first inning and a second homer to A-Rod in the third.
2012 STATS: Was 1-3 with a 4.01 ERA in nine starts with the Storm Chasers, striking out 37 and walking 13 in 51 2/3 innings.
GETTING TO KNOW WILL: Despite his size, the left-hander is more of a finesse pitcher than a flame thrower, mixing up an average fastball and big breaking curve with a changeup and slider. He brought a composite 3.97 ERA into his big league debut and was 13-9 with a 3.85 ERA last summer at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

KOLE CALHOUN, OF
B/T: L/L. H/W: 5-10/190. BORN: Oct. 14, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the eighth round of 2010 out of Arizona State.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Salt Lake May 21 when OFs Vernon Wells and Ryan Langerhans went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 23 in a 3-1 11-inning loss to Oakland. The starting right fielder, he batted eighth and went 1-for-5 with a double off of pitcher Jarrod Parker in the fifth inning, striking out twice.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .296 with five homers, 31 RBI and six steals for the Bees.
GETTING TO KNOW KOLE: A Tempe native who was a senior sign out of his hometown university, ASU, Calhoun zoomed through the system like a first-rounder, making the jump to Triple-A after just one full season at Advanced A, and skipping Double-A entirely. After hitting .292 with seven homers and 42 RBI in his 2010 debut at short-season Orem, he hit .324 with 22 homers, 99 RBI, 36 doubles and 20 steals at Inland Empire last summer, posting California League All-Star honors with a .547 slugging percentage. He’s a hard worker with excellent plate discipline and a strong arm who can play both outfield corner spots as well as first base.

MIAMI MARLINS

DONOVAN SOLANO, 2B
B/T: R/R. H/W: 5-9/190. BORN: Dec. 17, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent Nov. 22, 2011. Originally signed as a free agent out of Baranquilla, Colombia, by St. Louis on Jan. 14, 2005.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A New Orleans May 20 when IF/OF Emilio Bonifacio went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 21 in a 7-4 win against Colorado. A late entry into the game via double switch at second base in the top of the ninth, he did not come to bat. Defensively, he participated in one double play. 2012 STATS: Was hitting .262 with 14 RBI and four steals for the Zephyrs.
GETTING TO KNOW DONOVAN: In his eighth pro season, the deft middle infielder has no outstanding offensive tools, with just 10 career homers in seven-plus season, but provides the Marlins with a solid defensive middle infield backup off the bench. With the Cardinals’ Triple-A Memphis squad in 2011 he hit .284 with one of those homers and 23 RBI after batting .228 in a brief stint at Double-A Springfield.

MINNESOTA TWINS

COLE DE VRIES, RHP
B/T: R/R. H/W: 5-11/190. BORN: May 15, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota on Aug. 22, 2006.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Rochester May 22 when P Jason Marquis was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: May 24 in an 11-8 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The starting pitcher, he took the loss, allowing six runs, only three of them earned, on six hits over five-plus innings, walking one and fanning four. He gave up three home runs, to A.J. Pierzynski, Paul Konerko and Alex Rios, the latter two coming back-to-back to open the sixth inning and mark the end of De Vries’ day.
2012 STATS: Was 1-4 with a 4.24 ERA in eight starts for the Red Wings, having fanned 37 and walked just seven in 46 2/3 innings.
GETTING TO KNOW COLE: You don’t get much more of a “local boy makes good” story than that of De Vries. Born and raised in St. Louis Park, Minn., xxxxxxx, he attended the University of Minnesota and went undrafted, inking with the Twins in the late summer of 2006. He brought a 4.01 career ERA in 178 games into his big league debut, spending the last two summers of 2010 and 2011 as a reliever before returning to a starting role in 2012, a role in which he’d served from 2007-2009. His best season came in ’08 at Advanced A Fort Myers, when he posted a 2.93 ERA in 24 starts. How excited was he about the promotion? As reported by Cash Kruth for MLB.com: "So I'm sitting there just about having a heart attack because I'm so excited and (Rochester manager Gene Glynn) tells me that. I'm like, 'What? What am I supposed to do?'. He's like, 'I don't care, you just have to sit here for a few minutes, calm down and go back out there and try to go through everything like it's normal.'"

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

GORKYS HERNANDEZ, OF
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-0/190. BORN: Sept. 7, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Acquired via trade from the Atlanta Braves with Ps Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton for OF Nate McLouth on June 3, 2009. Had originally been signed by the Detroit Tigers on April 20, 2005, out of Venezuela. Was traded to Atlanta with P Jair Jurrjens for SS Edgar Renteria on Oct. 29, 2007.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis May 18 when P Evan Meek was sent down.
DEBUT: May 21 in a 5-4 win against the New York Mets. Pinch-hitting for P Erik Bedard in the fifth inning, he struck out.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .266 with two homers, 14 RBI and seven steals in 38 games for Indy.
GETTING TO KNOW GORKYS: A perennial prospect, Hernandez was the Gulf Coast League batting champion in the Tigers system in 2006 when he hit .327 and the Class A Midwest League MVP in his first full season, 2007, when he hit .293 with 54 steals at West Michigan. His bat, however, has never quite kept pace with his prodigious speed and terrific defense enough to keep him among the true crème de la crème. A .282 hitter over seven-plus pro seasons, he is a true center fielder with range and arm along with that speed but probably profiles best as a solid fourth outfielder. The Pirates’ top Triple-A outfield prospect, Starling Marte, is not quite ready for prime time so in the meantime, with Alex Presley struggling and sent down to regroup, Hernandez will get his chance to show what he can do.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

CHUCKIE FICK, RHP
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-5/190. BORN: Nov. 20, 1985.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 15th round of 2007 out of Cal State Northridge.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Memphis May 25 when reliever Fernando Salas was optioned.
DEBUT: May 26 in a 4-0 loss to Philadelphia. The last of three pitchers, he allowed a one-out single to Brian Schneider in an otherwise perfect ninth inning.
2012 STATS: Was 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA and two saves in 21 games for the Redbirds.
GETTING TO KNOW CHUCKIE: There were a lot of smiles this weekend in the close-knit pro scouting fraternity when Fick got his call-up. The son of long-time Cardinals scout Chuck Fick has been a stalwart as a set-up man in the minors on his climb through the Cards system, with a 3.20 ERA primarily in relief over five seasons. In 2011 at Memphis he posted a 2.30 ERA in 54 games, limiting Pacific Coast League hitters to a .180 average and ranked among the minor league leaders in holds. Along with the connection to his dad, he is also the nephew of former big league slugger Robert Fick.

Click HERE to see the 'The Door Is Open' archive.

Lisa Winston is a veteran baseball writer who specializes in writing about the guys who usually don't get written about very much (the minor leaguers). A former senior writer/minor league editor for (dearly departed) USA Today/Baseball Weekly and minor league correspondent for MLB.com, she received her very relevant college degree in Dramatic Arts from Amherst College much longer ago than anyone needs to know. You can read her blog, Queen of Diamonds, (which sometimes but not always discusses baseball) at http://www.lisawinston.com.

Patience Formula

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:12:00 +0000

posted 5/25/12 1:12 PM PST
by Joe Giglio

Despite the supporters of WAR or RBIs or UZR, there are many ways to evaluate baseball players. While production comes in many shapes, sizes and formulas, each at-bat boils down to only two potential outcomes: Hitters either reach base or make an out. Obviously, defense plays a major role in this, thus Ultimate Zone Rating for fielders, xFIP for pitchers, and BABIP for hitters. Metrics are being designed by the day to determine what happened, why it occurred, and if it is sustainable over a long period of time.

Over the last few decades, fans have begun to understand the value of patience and getting on base as much as possible. Part of that formula includes taking walks and battling deep into the count to force starting pitchers out of the game as early as possible. In a league where young pitchers are protected, games are often won and lost by a relentless offense smashing poor middle relievers.

So, which players are the best at taking walks, battling deep into counts, but also avoiding high strikeout rates? It’s understandable that hitters who walk often will also strikeout because 2-2 and 3-2 counts are their norm.

The following stat is what I call the Patience Formula. Simply put, it takes walk rate and subtracts strikeout rate. For example, a hitter that walks 20% of plate appearances and strikes out only 15% would have a +5. The higher the number, the better the ratio of patience to contact.

Here’s how the 2012 leader board looks:

*All stats through May 24th

Mauer is among the most patient hitters in the game
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

Top 10
Joe Mauer: +5.9
Jose Reyes: +.4.9
Carlos Lee: +3.5
Asdrubal Cabrera: +2.3
Joey Votto: +2.1
Brian McCann: +2.1
Marco Scutaro: +1.2
David Wright: +0.8
Ben Zobrist: +0.6
Travis Hafner: +0.6

Bottom 10
Pedro Alvarez: -27.4
Clint Barmes: -25.2
Mike Napoli: -22.8
J.P. Arencibia: -22.6
Chris Johnson: -22.5
Dayan Viciedo: -22.1
Ike Davis: -21.8
Corey Hart: -21.5
Chris Davis: -21.5
Drew Stubbs: -20.2

This list turned out more revealing than originally thought. With the exception of the older, contact hitter Marco Scutaro in the Top 10 and Mike Napoli in the Bottom 10, there might not be a player swap a GM would make in order to build a team.

Striking out does not kill a player’s value – most excellent hitters have a negative ratio – but their walks counteract the K’s. While Adam Dunn leads the world in K% (over 35), he walks so much that his name doesn’t appear on the Bottom 10 list. Hitters that walk a ton have value, while those who strike out very often lessen the value of their game. It’s the hitters that can walk more often than they strikeout that are rare commodities. This stat highlights their abilities.

Joe Giglio is a sports talk host at WNST in Baltimore, co-host of the Just a Bit Outside podcast on iTUNES, former intramural coordinator at DeSales University, husband, and baseball fanatic willing to argue Jeff Bagwell's Hall of Fame candidacy at a moment's notice. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports and check out his blog at joegiglio.blogspot.com.

TheFantasyFix.com Podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:53:00 +0000

posted 5/24/12 9:52 AM PST
by Jason Martinez

I discussed MLBDepthCharts, potential call-ups, playing time scenarios, underrated pitchers, and much more with Brett Talley of TheFantasyFix.com on the Fantasy Fix Podcast, which is now available at your convenience.

You can listen HERE.

Follow TheFantasyFix.com on Twitter @theFantasyFix

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Pitching Performance of the Week (May 16 - May 22)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:12:00 +0000

posted 5/23/12 4:11 PM PST
by Jim Brown

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
RHP Gus Schlosser, Hi-A Lynchburg (ATL)

season stats: 3.95 ERA, 57 IP, 62 H, 10 BB, 44 K in 9 starts
May 16-May 22: 7 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 10 K in 1 start

One of the pleasant surprises in the area of under the radar prospects this season has been Schlosser. After a very impressive pro debut in 2011 with Rookie League Danville and Lo-A Rome, I tagged the 17th round pick out of Florida Southern College as one of my pre-season breakout picks as a relief pitcher. He started the 2012 season, not in the Lynchburg bullpen, but as the Opening Day starter for Lynchburg, throwing a career-high eight innings to earn a win. The 6'4" 220 lb right-hander trimmed a full run off his ERA this week with two stellar starts, including one where he pitched five plus innings of no-hit ball that ended with a career-high ten strikeouts over seven innings.

Schlosser has been rocked in earlier starts by surrendering too many hits (9.8 H/9), but has shown excellent control by a 6.9 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 ratios. The 10 strikeouts from his May 20th start is an encouraging sign from the polished finesse-type pitcher. Its evident that he wont be overpowering hitters with his upper 80’s fastball, but the 23 year-old does has a funky ¾ arm slot that offers some deception. Lacking a plus-pitch, the Florida native also highlights a slider and an improved change-up. His continued success this season as a starter will be worth watching, as it will only add to his stock by showing his versatility that accompanies his 2011 success as a reliever.

Relief Pitcher of the Week
RHP John Cornely, Lo-A Rome (ATL): 3.63 ERA, 17.1 IP, 17 H, 14 BB, 28 K, Sv in 15 appearances; 3.1 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 10 K in last week

Click HERE to follow Jim Brown on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Hitting Performance of the Week (May 16 - May 22)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:42:00 +0000

posted 5/23/12 1:42 PM PST
by Marc Hefferan

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week

SS Sam Mende, Lo-A Asheville (COL)

season stats: .310 BA, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 16 2B, 8 BB, 35 K, 7 SB in 37 games (Lo-A)
May 16-May 22: 12-for-24, 2 HR, 5 2B, 6 RBI, 3 SB

After starting the season 8-for-18 (.444) with two home runs and two doubles in his first four games, Mende went on to strikeout 21 times and collect only 16 hits his next 80 at-bats. However, the current South Atlantic Player of the Week has turned things around in the month of May and is this week’s Under Radar Hitter of the Week. The 22 year-old rapped out 12 hits, including five doubles, while scoring eight runs and homering in consecutive contests.

The 6'3" Mende was a 40th round draft choice in 2008 by the New York Yankees out of Clearwater Central Catholic HS (FLA), but a commitment to the University of South Florida kept him from signing. Mende earned 2009 Freshman All-American honors for the Bulls and was drafted by the Rockies in the 31st round of the 2011 draft. With a .282 career batting average in college, the middle infielder didn’t miss a beat. He hit.281 with 39 RBI’s and 14 home runs in 46 games in his debut with Pioneer League Casper. Mendes’ defensive versatility allowed action at 2B and shortstop, but played mostly third base and committed only two errors in 89 chances. The organization was impressed and aggressively pushed the righty to Lo-A Asheville to start 2012.

The Rockies love Mendes' size and power potential and see him more as a third baseman. When looking at his numbers, size and position versatility, I cannot help but compare him to former Cubs first round draft pick and current Orioles utilityman Ryan Flaherty. With plenty of prospects ahead of him on the depth chart, Mende will have to fight for everything he can, but if the month of May is an indication, a deserved promotion to Hi-A Modesto is almost a certainty in the near future.

Honorable Mentions
2B Luis Mateo, Lo-A Quad Cities (STL): .303 BA, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 11 2B, 8 BB, 28 K, 8 SB in 40 games; 9-for-19, 3 HR, 7 RBI in last week.
3B Adam Duvall, Hi-A San Jose (SF): .252 BA, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 9 2B, 15 BB, 39 K, 3 SB in 44 games; 11-for-29, 3 HR, 7 RBI in last week.

Click HERE to follow Marc Hefferan on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Knocking Down the Door' (May 22, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:59:00 +0000

posted 5/22/12 5:59 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

Players on the verge of a big league call-up, in my opinion, are considered to be 'Knocking Down the Door'.

Corey Brown, OF - Washington Nationals: Not only are the Nationals getting an MLB-low .488 OPS out of their left fielders, center fielder Rick Ankiel's struggles (.606 OPS, 22 K in May before a home run in today's game) have gone relatively unnoticed because of the revolving door of left field candidates. While Michael Morse should be able to solve the left field problem when he returns from the DL sometime in June, Brown may be able to help in the short-term while also auditioning to take over as the team's starting center fielder later in the season.

The 26 year-old, who was outrighted off the 40-man roster after the 2011 season, is making the other 29 teams regret not claiming him off waivers when they had the chance. Through 46 games with Triple-A Syracuse, Brown is hitting .286 with 10 HR, 9 2B, 31 BB, and 6 SB. Five of those homers have come in his last nine games and he has a 1.127 OPS in the month of May. A terrific athlete, Brown is the organization's best option to handle center field if they choose to replace Ankiel.

Trevor Bauer, RHP - Arizona Diamondbacks: An impressive Triple-A debut (8 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 11 K) following eight dominant Double-A starts (1.68 ERA, 60 K in 48.1 IP) is enough to convince me that Bauer is ready for the big leagues. All he needs now is a rotation spot. The problem is that Daniel Hudson is returning from the DL on Sunday and 5th starter Wade Miley (5-1, 2.14 ERA) has been one of the team's best stories of 2012. Nowhere to put Bauer.

Slama has an 0.45 ERA with 32 K in 20 IP
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

But Considering that there are over 170 major leaguers on the DL at the moment, I'd say that his path to the big leagues isn't as tough as it looks. Five starting pitchers all staying healthy for more than a few weeks at a time is a rarity these days. I expect to see the 21 year-old Bauer in the big leagues before the All-Star break.

Anthony Slama, RHP - Minnesota Twins: Like Brown, Slama is a former prospect who was removed from the 40-man roster at the end of last season. He went unclaimed, not surprisingly, after being shut down late in the season with elbow problems. As the Twins are looking for any bright spots in a thus far dismal season, they can look to Slama's apparent good health and success down in Triple-A. The 28 year-old has allowed 1 ER, 11 hits, and 12 walks in 20 innings while striking out 32 hitters.

With relievers Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak candidates to move to the depleted rotation, Slama could find himself back in the Twins' bullpen any day now. A solid month or two might even put him back in the mix to be the team's 'closer of the future', a title he once claimed after saving 88 games in his first four pro seasons from 2007-10.

Click HERE to see the 'Knocking Down the Door' archive for 2012.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO - May 22nd, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:09:00 +0000

posted 5/22/12 1:09 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

On today's 30-minute podcast, I discussed the Nationals' closing plans, Anthony Rizzo, Brett Jackson, Trevor Bauer, Corey Brown, Jordan Walden, and much more.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO podcast normally airs every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM PST.

Listen to internet radio with mlbdepthcharts on Blog Talk Radio

Intro music: Wolf Parade - "Apologies to the Queen Mary"

'The Door Is Open' (MAY 21, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:06:00 +0000

posted 5/21/12 11:07 AM PST
by Lisa Winston

There are two things which are HUGE in my household. Baseball and Brazil (or Brasil, as the Brasilians spell it). But this is the first time the two have overlapped on a big league field.

There was definitely some palpable excitement (okay, maybe just at my desk here, whatever) when Yan Gomes made his big-league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays against the New York Yankees May 17, going 2-for-3 in a 4-1 win against the Bronx Bombers.

That debut made Gomes the first-ever Brazilian-born player to make the big leagues.

The son of a tennis pro in Miami, Gomes moved to Florida at age 9 from Sao Paulo and pursued baseball instead of futbol, earning raves as a high school star and starting his college career at the University of Tennessee before transferring closer to home to Barry University.

In fact, the converted catcher – now a third baseman – shared a spot in the Jays lineup with his former Tennessee teammate and star catcher (not to mention fellow Miami native) J.P. Arencibia in his debut.

It’s not that surprising that the Jays would be the first to have a Brazilian make it to the bigs. They’ve dabbled in scouting that country since signing 6-foot-6 pitching prospect Jose Pett, the first-ever Brazilian player to be signed to a minor league contract, in 1992.

So why, do you ask, is Brazil so big in my household? (Maybe you didn’t ask but it gives me the opportunity to insert gratuitous plug for my husband here: check out http://www.waynewilentz.com/ to find out).

And yeah, Blue Jays folks? If you’re looking for some good walk-up music for Gomes, we have a ton of awesome Brazilian jazz and samba here that he’d probably feel right at home with and would certainly be unique to him!

Meanwhile, felicitações, Yan!

CHICAGO CUBS

BLAKE LALLI, C
B/T: L/R. H/W: 6-1/205. BORN: May 21, 1983.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina on May 22, 2006
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Iowa on May 18 when P Chris Volstad was sent down.
DEBUT: May 18 in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. A late-game replacement for starting catcher Wellington Castillo, he went 0-for-1, grounding out to the mound with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .178 with three homers and 11 RBI in 20 games at Iowa.
GETTING TO KNOW BLAKE: The second player named Blake to be called up by the Cubs in as many days (probably made even less confusing by the outright of infielder Blake DeWitt a few days earlier), his stats would not indicate an imminent call-up but injuries to three catchers – Geovany Soto, Steve Clevenger and Wellington Castillo – meant the Cubs couldn’t be too choosy when it came to bringing up a solid defensive backup. After spending his last three seasons at Double-A Tennessee where he’d proven to be a reliable hitter, he brought a career .303 average into 2012 over six years, including hitting .314 in 2009, .311 in 2010 and .287 with nine homers and 52 RBI for the Smokies in 2011. He has no speed and minimal power but can catch and put the bat on the ball.

BLAKE PARKER, RHP
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-3/225. BORN: June 19, 1985.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 16th round of 2006 out of Arkansas
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Iowa May 17 when P Scott Maine was sent down.
DEBUT: May 17 in an 8-7 loss to Philadelphia. The third of four pitchers, he tossed 1 2/3 innings and allowed three runs, none of them earned, on two hits, walking one and striking out two. After throwing a perfect inning in the seventh, he gave up a single to opposing pitcher Roy Halladay to open the eighth, walking Jimmy Rollins and with two outs allowed Hunter Pence to reach on his own throwing error which scored both Halladay and Rollins. Pence came around on an RBI double by Carlos Ruiz off reliever Michael Bowden.
2012 STATS: Was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 games in relief at Iowa, going 5-for-5 in save opportunities and striking out nine in 13 innings.
GETTING TO KNOW BLAKE: Coming into the 2012 season with a combined 2.96 ERA, the converted third baseman had made his debut in 2006 hitting .262 with two homers and 18 RBI in the rookie-level Arizona League before moving to the mound in 2007. There he posted a combined 3.00 ERA before his big league debut, all in relief, limiting opposing hitters to a .218 average. He throws a fastball in the low 90s, a slider and a changeup.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

ELIAN HERRERA, IF/OF
B/T: B/R. H/W: 5-10/190. BORN: Feb. 1, 1985.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent out of San Pedro de Macoris, D.R., on May 14, 2003.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque May 14 when 3B Juan Uribe went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 15 in a 5-1 loss to Arizona. Pinch-hitting for reliever Javy Guerra in the fifth, popped out.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .358 with two homers, 14 RBI and nine steals for the Isotopes.
GETTING TO KNOW ELIAN: Beckoned from Albuquerque with All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp hobbled by a sore hamstring, Herrera was actually activated a day before Kemp went on the DL, replacing Uribe on the roster instead. After spending his first three pro seasons in the Dodgers’ Dominican academy, he became a Gulf Coast League All-Star in his stateside debut in 2006, hitting .327 that summer. With a .271 composite average in his first nine seasons, he brings defensively flexibility to the Dodgers’ bench with the ability to play all three outfield positions as well as shortstop, second and third base though middle infield is his strength.

NEW YORK METS

ROBERT CARSON, LHP
B/T: L/L. H/W: 6-4/240. BORN: Jan. 23, 1989.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 14th round of 2007 out of high school in Hattiesburg, Miss.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Double-A Binghamton May 17 when P D.J. Carrasco was released.
DEBUT: May 18 in a 14-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. The fourth of five pitchers, he tossed one scoreless hitless inning, walking one batter.
2012 STATS: Had a 1.84 ERA in 12 games in relief for the B-Mets, striking out 13 while walking four in 14 2/3 innings.
GETTING TO KNOW ROBERT: This was not Carson’s first trip to the big leagues this season, though it did mark his debut. He had already been recalled back on April 24 when P Mike Pelfrey went on the DL but did not see any action over two days in the bullpen before being dispatched back to Binghamton to make room for P Chris Schwinden. Possessing a fastball in the mid 90s, a cutter in the high 80s and a plus slider, Carson has a strong arm and continues to refine his stuff in his first year coming out of the pen. At Binghamton in 2011, as a starter, he was 4-11 with a 5.05 ERA.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

JAKE DIEKMAN, LHP
B/T: L/L. H/W: 6-4/190. BORN: Jan. 21, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 30th round of 2007 by the Phillies out of Cloud County (Kansas) Community College.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Lehigh Valley May 10 when P Brian Sanches was outrights.
DEBUT: May 15 in a 4-3 win against Houston. The last of three pitchers, he got the win with 1 1/3 innings of perfect ball, striking out three. Coming on in the top of the ninth with two out and two runs in to tie the game at 3-3, he fanned Marwin Gonzalez to end the threat and then, in the 10th, struck out both Jose Altuve and Jordan Schafer, making him pitcher of record when Hunter Pence hit a walk-off homer.
2012 STATS: At Lehigh Valley he had been 1-0 with an 0.59 ERA and five saves over 13 games, limiting hitters to a .228 average and striking out 22 in 15 1/3 innings while walking just three.
GETTING TO KNOW JAKE: The native of tiny Wymore, Nebraska, population 1,656, was called up as part of a shuffle in the bullpen to bolster the corps and his arrival was heralded, in this internet age, by his teammate and fellow reliever Michael Schwimer before it even got onto the transaction wire. In his sixth pro season, he brought in a career 3.91 ERA and had converted from starting to relief in 2009.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

MATT ADAMS, 1B
B/T: L/R. H/W: 6-3/230. BORN: Aug. 31, 1988.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 23rd round of 2009 out of Slipper Rock University in Pennsylvania.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Memphis May 20 when 1B Lance Berkman went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 20 in a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The starting first baseman, he batted seventh and went 2-for-4 with two singles and a run scored.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .340 with nine homers, 10 doubles and 27 RBI at Memphis with a .603 slugging percentage.
GETTING TO KNOW MATT: Albert who? Okay, just kidding. Sort of. Just a fraction of the way into his fourth pro season, Adams was hitting .319 with a .558 slugging percentage yet was not even on the “prospect” radar screen at this time last year. A Division II batting champion at Slippery Rock, where he hit .495 prior to being drafted, he is the power-hitting first baseman of the near future, and with Berkman on the DL for the second time this season, that future may come earlier than had been expected. A converted catcher with a short, compact swing, Adams skipped Advanced A and went right to Double-A Springfield in 2011, where he hit .300 with a club record 32 homers and 101 RBI.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Gomes is 4-for-10 with a HR in his first 4 big league games

Picture courtesy of US Presswire

YAN GOMES, 3B
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-2/215. BORN: July 19, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 10th round of 2009 out of Barry University.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas May 17 when 1B Adam Lind was sent down.
DEBUT: May 17 in a 4-1 win against the New York Yankees. The starting third baseman, he batted eighth and went 2-for-3 with a strikeout, singling in the fourth for his first big league hit off Phil Hughes.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .359 with five homers and 22 RBI and 12 doubles in 33 games for the 51s, with a .565 slugging percentage.

GETTING TO KNOW YAN: The first Brazilian-born player to make it to the big leagues, Gomes can also catch and play first base. He’d never played more than 83 games in a season but brought a .284 career average into his debut, dating back to his 2009 pro debut. He started his college career at the University of Tennessee, the same alma mater as Jays catcher (and fellow Miami resident) J.P. Arencibia before transferring closer to his newly-minted Miami home. Gomes moved to the U.S. with his parents at age 9 from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

SANDY LEON, C
B/T: B/R. H/W: 5-11/175. BORN: March 13, 1989.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent Jan. 21, 2007 out of Caracas, Venezuela
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A Harrisburg May 13 when C Wilson Ramos went on the DL with a torn ACL.
DEBUT: May 14 in an 8-5 win against San Diego. The starting catcher, he batted eighth and went 0-for-1, caught looking at a strikeout in the second inning, before he was injured in a play at the plate in the top of the fourth and left the game, ending on the DL by day’s end.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .319 with one homer and 12 RBI along with 10 doubles in 27 games for the Senators.
GETTING TO KNOW SANDY: This is the kind of debut I really hate to write up and just hope that it will have a happy ending sooner rather than later. It was bad enough when Ramos, who endured the unimaginable during the off-season, had a wonderful start to his 2012 campaign end with a torn ACL which will cost him the season. His injury opened the door for his countryman, Leon, an outstanding defensive catcher and, by all accounts, great young man. A .239 hitter over five pro seasons, his bat had caught up to his cannon of an arm this year (53 percent runners caught stealing at Advanced A Potomac in 2011!). Leon, who hit .251 with six homers and 43 RBI for the P-Nats last summer, was signed by current GM Mike Rizzo himself. An unexpected entry into the starting lineup in his first full day with the team (he would have been backing up Jesus Flores for the most part), there was enough time for his family back home in Venezuela to learn about the starting assignment and watch on TV. What they saw was his usual hustling defense as he guarded the plate in the top of the fourth inning with Padres baserunner Chase Headley bearing down on him and braced for the collision which resulted in a high right ankle sprain and his being carried off the field. He went on the DL that night.

Click HERE to see the 'The Door Is Open' archive.

Lisa Winston is a veteran baseball writer who specializes in writing about the guys who usually don't get written about very much (the minor leaguers). A former senior writer/minor league editor for (dearly departed) USA Today/Baseball Weekly and minor league correspondent for MLB.com, she received her very relevant college degree in Dramatic Arts from Amherst College much longer ago than anyone needs to know. You can read her blog, Queen of Diamonds, (which sometimes but not always discusses baseball) at http://www.lisawinston.com.

Kerry Wood’s Career: Disappointing, Amazing, and Remarkable

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:22:00 +0000

posted 5/18/12 4:21 PM PST
by Joe Giglio

Cubs right-hander Kerry Wood called it a career on Friday after one last strikeout. As he walked off the mound to a standing ovation, the game said goodbye to one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers in the history of the game.

As a baseball fan born in 1986, I missed the young, flame-throwing Nolan Ryan, appreciated only the second act of Dwight Gooden’s career, and agreed with Dan Duquette about Roger Clemens being done in the mid-90’s. For my generation, Kerry Wood was Mr. K. He was going to be everything we are watching Stephen Strasburg morph into now. Of course, that never happened.

Still, the 14 years Wood gave were memorable. Here are my Top 10 Kerry Wood memories.

1. 20 years, 20 Ks. It’s hard to imagine ever seeing a better game than the one Wood pitched against the Houston Astros in May of 1998. In fact, it’s the highest rated game ever according to the Bill James Games Score method. 20 Ks, one infield single, one hit batsmen. Houston – a 1998 playoff team – didn’t have a chance against the 20-year-old phenom.

2. 2003 NLDS, Game 5. While it’s hard to think of anything but Steve Bartman when it comes to the ’03 Cubs, their NLCS upset over Atlanta was special. Between Wood and Mark Prior, the young Cubs rotation made the Braves staff look old and worn out. Wood, following up a 7.1 IP, 11 K, 124-pitch effort in Game 1, dominated Atlanta in Turner Field to decide the series. An RBI groundout by Gary Sheffield is all the Braves mustered off him in eight dominant innings.

Wood retires with 86 career wins, 63 saves, 1582 K
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

3. 10.31. Wood’s career K/9 mark, bested only by Randy Johnson (10.60). That makes Wood the most prolific right-handed strikeout artist in baseball history. Right-handers behind him on the list: Pedro, Ryan, Schilling, Clemens.

4. Starter-to-reliever: Arm trouble limited not only his career, but also his role. Wood never started more than four games in a season after 2005, becoming a full-time relief man. He recorded 34 saves in 2008.

5. Taking Riggleman off the hook: Many people point to former Cubs manager Jim Riggleman as who to blame for Wood’s arm trouble. He often left him on the mound for 120+ pitches as a kid and brought him back to pitch high pressure games on extended rest. Wood rejected the notion in a 2010 interview. "My elbow was going to go," Wood told the Washington Post. "If it didn't go with [Riggleman] it would've gone with someone else. It was the way I was throwing, the stuff I had, the torque I was generating. It was a matter of time."

6. Fighting back. Considering the injury issues, Wood ending his career five or eight years ago would have surprised few. Instead, he fought on for 14 years.

7. 2003 NLCS, Game 7. Although he didn’t have his best stuff that night, he did bring the bat. Wood’s two-run homer in the second gave Chicago a 5-3 lead.

8. 94.7. His Pitchf/x velocity since 2007. The pitch tracking system wasn’t around when he debuted in 1998, but it’s a good bet that his average fastball speed rivaled what we have seen guys like Strasburg and Chapman dial up in recent years.

9. 1998 NL Rookie of the Year voting. Wood 1, Todd Helton 2. Wood won the award on the strength of one more first-place vote. 14 years later, both took the field this week.

10. The farewell at Wrigley Field. A strike out of Dayan Viciedo, followed by walking off to the cheers of fans, and his young son Justin greeting him at the steps of the dugout as he waved goodbye.

Joe Giglio is a sports talk host at WNST in Baltimore, co-host of the Just a Bit Outside podcast on iTUNES, former intramural coordinator at DeSales University, husband, and baseball fanatic willing to argue Jeff Bagwell's Hall of Fame candidacy at a moment's notice. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports and check out his blog at joegiglio.blogspot.com.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO - May 17th, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:02:00 +0000

posted 5/17/12 4:02 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

On today's 30-minute podcast, I discussed the Padres' new double-play combo, Yan Gomes, Mike Trout, Josh Reddick, and much more.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO podcast normally airs every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM PST.

Listen to internet radio with mlbdepthcharts on Blog Talk Radio

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Pitching Performance of the Week (May 9 - May 15)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:11:00 +0000

posted 5/16/12 1:10 PM PST
by Jim Brown

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
RHP Justice French, Hi-A Bakersfield (CIN)

season stats: 2.47 ERA, 43.2 IP, 37 H, 13 BB, 40 K in 8 starts (2 in Hi-A, 6 in Lo-A)
May 9-May 15: 5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K in 1 start

It was a strange week in tracking the minor league pitchers, as there were many weird stat lines amongst the starters. Though it was pleasing to see a few pitchers achieving double digits in strikeouts, it was peculiar in that numerous lines had four or more walks issued to go along with quality starts. Finishing with lines like those will never earn a pitcher the opportunity to climb from under the radar. But no matter that Justice French has 11 scoreless innings since a promotion to the Cal League, coming from beneath the radar wont be the most important accomplishment for the 22 year-old. After losing his best friend and high school teammate to skin cancer, the right-hander fell victim to the same form of melanoma at the age of 20. French underwent surgery and aggressive treatments to beat the disease and returned to the mound to have a successful final year at Mercer College (GA).

The 25th round selection in 2011 continued his success with the AZL Reds by going 3-3 with a 3.99 ERA in 8 starts, striking out 31 batters over 32.2 innings. Baseball America took notice of the 6’4’ 215 lb French by naming him the pitcher with the best control in the Reds system. After starting the 2012 season with Lo-A Dayton (3-2, 3.31 ERA, 33 H, 12 ER, 9 BB, 31 K), he earned an early season promotion to Hi-A Bakersfield and showed continued success with his two starts this past week. French, who received comps to Jake Peavy coming out of the showcase circuit because of his high ¾ slot and live loose arm action, likes to work fast on the mound and gets ahead of hitters with his lively sinker. While he has mentioned the concern that his fight with cancer would define his career, what he has done since his diagnoses has been an incredible story.

Relief Pitcher of the Week
LHP Donnie Joseph, Double-A Pensacola (CIN): 0.45 ERA, 20 IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 30 K, 7 Sv in 17 appearances (AA); 4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 7 K, 2 Sv in last week

Click HERE to follow Jim Brown on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Hitting Performance of the Week (May 9 - May 15)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:19:00 +0000

posted 5/16/12 12:19 PM PST
by Marc Hefferan

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week

OF Rafael Ortega, Hi-A Modesto (COL)

season stats: .355 BA, HR, 12 RBI, 4 2B, 4 3B, 8 BB, 19 K, 7 SB in 25 games (HiA)
May 9-May 15: 14-for-29, HR, 2 2B, 3 3B, 4 RBI

My Colorado Rockies “Breakout Player of the Year” for 2011, Ortega has taken his extreme focus, high octane game motor, superior speed and gutsy defense all the way to the top of the Rockies' minor league outfield heap as my choice for UTR Hitter of the Week. The 21 year-old had 14 hits in the last week, highlighted by three consecutive three-hit games. He also tripled in each of those three games. Currently the 3rd in the Cal League, Ortega has gone hitless in only 4 games this season. He also collected 19 hits during a 10-game hit streak that spanned from April 22nd to May 3rd.

After being signed out of El Tigre, Venezuela as a 16 year old in 2008, Ortega’s first three seasons with the Dominican Summer League and Pioneer League’s Casper saw a combined slash line of .320/.387/.420; yet questions began to mount whether the 160 pounder could sustain this level of performance in his first taste of full-season ball. With a promotion to Lo-A Asheville in 2011, he silenced his critics batting .294 with nine home runs, 66 RBI and 32 stolen bases in 113 games while playing above average defense. Ortega is a work-in-progress but scouts say that Ortega displays the developing bat, blazing speed, defense and above average arm to become the prototypical lead-off hitter the Rockies may soon need. Sure, the Cal League may inflate statistics to a certain level, but Ortega has made a career of playing with massive authority and so far has proven worthy of consideration for a promotion to Double-A Tulsa before 2012 comes to a close.

Honorable Mentions
1B Darin Ruf, Double-A Reading (PHI): .370 BA, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 9 2B, 14 BB, 24 K, 2 SB in 37 games; 9-for-25, 2 HR, 2 2B, 11 RBI in last week.
OF Corey Dickerson, Hi-A Modesto (COL): .363 BA, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 16 2B, 4 3 3B, 16 BB, 25 K, 4 SB in 39 games; 10-for-26, 3 HR, 3 2B, 7 RBI in last week.

Click HERE to follow Marc Hefferan on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Knocking Down the Door' (MAY 15, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:24:00 +0000

posted 5/15/12 8:24 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

Players on the verge of a big league call-up, in my opinion, are considered to be 'Knocking Down the Door'.

Jordan Danks - Chicago White Sox: With starting left fielder Dayan Viciedo (.246 OBP) struggling at the plate, the Sox could soon turn to John Danks' little bro' Jordan, who is off to a strong start with Triple-A Charlotte. Fourth outfielder Kosuke Fukudome has a .483 OPS in limited action so it's unlikely he gets much of a shot to supplant Viciedo. The 25 year-old Danks, however, would would not only give the team a defensive upgrade, but a potential boost on offense, as well.

The left-handed batter is showing some much-improved plate discipline (27 BB/37K) after combining for 98 BB and 306 K in his first two Triple-A seasons. While he struggled earlier in the month, his OBP is still at .389 and he's on pace for 15-20 HR and 15-20 SB. The Sox will soon need to consider giving away a good share of Viciedo's at-bats (.501 OPS vs RHP) and Danks is putting himself in position to take them.

Rizzo is a man among boys in Triple-A
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

Anthony Rizzo, 1B - Chicago Cubs: Knowing that the Cubs wanted to avoid rushing Rizzo, as the Padres did in 2011, I've paid little attention to the 22 year-old's early-season performance. There wasn't much Rizzo could do to change the organization's plan, in my opinion. My ETA for Rizzo since the offseason has been mid-to-late June. So we're still another month away from that, and Bryan LaHair's MVP-like performance might actually push that back even more. Still, Rizzo continues to make mince meat of Triple-A pitching (.359-13-37) and something has to give eventually.

Barring injury, the Cubs will have to make a choice in the near future. Sell high on LaHair, trading him to a team in need of a first baseman, or they can move him to the outfield. Alfonso Soriano would be out of a starting job but the Cubs would likely have a much better hitter in the middle of their lineup. Ideally, the 36 year-old Soriano can continue his hot streak (20 hits in last 65 at-bats) and the Cubs can trade him.

Andrew Carraway, RHP - Seattle Mariners: As was the case with the Diamondbacks and their top pitching prospects where the more polished and less talented duo (Wade Miley and Pat Corbin) made it to the big leagues before their future top of the rotation duo (Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs), the Mariners next starting pitcher to reach the big leagues might not be the one that baseball fans have heard anything about. The 25 year-old Carraway could be the guy that disappoints Mariners' fans by getting the call to the majors before top pitching prospects Danny Hultzen, James Paxton, and Taijuan Walker.

The team's 12th Round pick in 2009, Carraway had a 5.33 ERA in 2010, but that was in the hitter-friendly California League. His numbers were terrific before (2.09 ERA between LoA/Short-Season) and after (3.66 ERA in Double-A). A repeat of the Southern League to start the season posed no real challenge as Carraway was 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA, 7 BB, and 32 K in 38 IP over 7 starts. Promoted to Triple-A Tacoma, he was perfect for six innings before finishing his debut with one-hit ball over 7.1 scoreless innings.

Julio Teheran, RHP - Atlanta Braves: Considered the top pitching prospect in baseball going into the 2011 season, Teheran proved that he wasn't quite ready for the big leagues. In five games, including three starts, the 20 year-old rookie allowed 11 ER in 19.2 IP with 8 BB and 10 K. Still ranked amongst the best pitching prospects in baseball this year, he seems to be a bit of a forgotten man.

Only 21 years old, the Braves are determined not to rush him again and can probably afford to be patient since they are in 1st place and probably the hottest team in baseball. But like Rizzo, Teheran is doing what he can to expedite his next opportunity to play at the big league level. In 7 starts, he has a 2.47 ERA with 12 BB and 27 K in 32.2 IP. Over his last three starts, he's allowed just 2 ER in 16 IP. If he's ready this time around, it's hard to see the Braves falling apart at the end of the season as they did in 2011.

Click HERE to see the 'Knocking Down the Door' archive for 2012.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO - May 15, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:05:00 +0000

posted 5/15/12 1:04 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

On today's 30-minute podcast, I discussed Stephen Strasburg, Will Venable, Kevin Youkilis, Paul Goldschmidt, and much more. There is an awkward two minutes half-way through the show where I think I'm having technical difficulties but I'm really not. Yes, I'm still a rookie.

MLBDepthCharts RADIO podcast normally airs every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM PST.

Listen to internet radio with mlbdepthcharts on Blog Talk Radio

'The Door Is Open' (May 14, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:57:00 +0000

posted 5/14/12 1:57 PM PST
by Lisa Winston

A busy week at “the office” with all of the debuts, but I can’t complain when I think of how busy it’s been for Jason! I hope everyone reading this is as much in awe of what he does here as I am … (big round of applause, please).

I am not sure which two readers are still in the hunt for the big prize, a six-month subscription to MLBDC Magazine, but as you may know, our MLB Debut contest is down to the final stages as the Colorado Rockies (with southpaw Christian Friedrich), the Los Angeles Dodgers (with outfielder Scott Van Slyke) and the Minnesota Twins (with shortstop Brian Dozier) all saw their first debut performances this week.

That leaves just the Cleveland Indians. Four of you predicted they’d be the last organization to have a debut, but two of those entries apparently chose players who had already debuted previously as their tie-breakers. So I know we’re all keeping an eye on their moves!

But for now, here is a look at the 11 players who DID debut this week, with a few more on tap as they’re up and waiting now.

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day. Thanks for the flowers!

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

XAVIER AVERY, OF
B/T: L/L. H/W: 5-11/180. BORN: Jan. 1, 1990.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the second round of 2008 out of high school in Ellenwood, Ga.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Norfolk when P Stu Pomeranz was sent down.
DEBUT: May 13 in a 9-8 loss to Tampa Bay. The starting left fielder, he batted leadoff and went 0-for-4 with one strikeout.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .273 at Norfolk with five homers, 16 RBI and 8 steals and had yet to be caught stealing. He had six doubles as well in 33 games with a .469 slugging percentage.
GETTING TO KNOW XAVIER: A true “child of the 90’s,” born on the first day of that decade, Avery is one of the top athletes in the Orioles system with solid tools across the board, especially when it comes to defense and speed. Also a high school football star, the specifics of his game are still being refined but between his tools and his great work ethic, the upside is high indeed. In 2011 he hit .259 with four homers, 26 RBI and 36 steals at Double-A Bowie, to go with 31 doubles. A center fielder and leadoff hitter, he’s stolen 30 or more bases each of his three full seasons coming into 2012 and had yet to be caught in eight attempts before his promotion.

STU POMERANZ, RHP
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-7/220. BORN: Dec. 17, 1984.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent Feb. 3, 2012. Originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round of 2003 out of high school in Germantown, Tenn., he was released by the club in May 2008. Worked through the White Sox, Colorado and Dodgers organizations before signing this winter with the Orioles.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Norfolk May 7 when P Tommy Hunter was sent down.
DEBUT: May 7 in a 14-3 loss to Texas. The second of three pitchers, he tossed three shutout innings allowing three hits, walking one and striking out two.
2012 STATS: Between Double-A Bowie and Norfolk, had yet to allow a run in eight combined games, scattering seven hits over 19 innings and striking out 32, limiting opposing hitters to a .109 average.
GETTING TO KNOW STU: With one more scoreless outing before being sent down on May 13 due to less need for extra arms out of the pen, Pomeranz has run his scoreless innings streak over 2012 to 23 innings so far. The big, strong right-hander with a fastball in the mid 90s is the older brother of Colorado Rockies prospect Drew Pomeranz, who was also optioned to the minors two days earlier. The two won’t face off, though, since Stu pitches in the International League and Drew in the Pacific Coast League. Plagued with injury issues during his career, at Double-A Chattanooga for the Dodgers in 2011 he pitched just one inning. In his last full season at Double-A Tulsa in the Rockies organization, he posted a 3.67 ERA in 51 games in relief, collecting 18 saves in his first season in that relief role.

BOSTON RED SOX

MAURO GOMEZ, 1B
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-2/230. BORN: Sept. 7, 1984.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent Feb. 2, 2012. Originally signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic by Texas in March 2003, he became a minor league free agent in 2009 and signed with Atlanta that November. He remained in the Braves organization for two seasons before signing with the Red Sox.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Pawtucket May 13 when OF Darnell McDonald went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 13 in a 12-1 win against Cleveland. A late-game replacement for Adrian Gonzalez at first base, he went 0-for-1 with a strikeout.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .294 with 10 homers and 33 RBI and 11 doubles in 34 games for the PawSox with a .610 slugging percentage.
GETTING TO KNOW MAURO: A power-hitting first baseman who brought a career .274 average over nine seasons into the 2012 campaign, Gomez spent his first five summers in short-season ball and didn’t make it to Triple-A until 2011, when he enjoyed his best season to date, hitting .304 with 24 homers and 90 RBI at Triple-A Gwinnett. In 2010 at Double-A Mississippi, his first time above Class A, he batted .281 with 16 homers and 80 RBI.

CHICAGO CUBS

ADRIAN CARDENAS, IF/OF
B/T: L/R. H/W: 6-0/205. BORN: Oct. 10, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Claimed on waivers from the Oakland Athletics Feb. 6, 2012. Originally drafted by Philadelphia in the supplemental first round of 2006 (37th overall) out of Monsignor Pace High School in Miami, Fla. Traded to Oakland with two other players on July 17, 2008, for P Joe Blanton. PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Iowa on May 7 when P Travis Wood was sent down.
DEBUT: May 7 in a 5-1 win against Atlanta. Pinch-hitting for P Carlos Marmol, he lined out in the eighth inning.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .319 with two homers, seven doubles and 18 RBI in 26 games with a .521 slugging percentage.
GETTING TO KNOW ADRIAN: It would take more than a paragraph to get to know Cardenas (pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable). Discovered by scouts who had gone out to watch Monsignor Pace to see his teammate, Nationals first-rounder Chris Marrero, the shortstop impressed with his bat and his hustle. He also plays with some serious smarts, not surprising since he is as accomplished off the field as he is on it. A talented musician who studied classical piano from the age of 3, and whose parents had hoped he’d go on to Juilliard rather than pro baseball, he is currently spending his off-seasons getting his degree in literature at NYU. Oh, baseball? Okay. A Futures Game selection while still playing in low A ball at Lakewood in his first pro season, Cardenas brought a career .303 average into the 2012 season over six campaigns, including hitting .314 with five homers, 51 RBI and 13 steals at Triple-A Sacramento in 2011. He can play second base, shortstop, third base and left field so he gives the Cubs a flexible left-handed hitter off the bench as well as a solid spot starter when needed at several positions.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

JOSE QUINTANA, LHP
B/T: R/L. H/W: 6-0/215. BORN:: Jan. 24, 1989.
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent and added to the 40-man roster in November 2011. Originally signed by the New York Mets out of Colombia April 26, 2006 but only appeared in three games for them in the VSL and was released the next summer. Signed by the New York Yankees in March 2008, he remained with them until November 2011 before being granted free agency and signing with the White Sox.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Double-A Birmingham May 7 when P Dylan Axelrod was sent down. Up just for a doubleheader, he was sent right back after the game.
DEBUT: May 7 in an 8-6 loss to Cleveland in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The second of two pitchers, he allowed one hit over 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball, walking two and striking out three. 2012 STATS: Was 1-2 with a 3.02 ERA in six starts for the Barons, striking out 26 while walking 11 in 35 1/3 innings.
GETTING TO KNOW JOSE: Though the Sox only brought him up for a one-and-done, he certainly impressed in that stint, despite having yet to pitch more than six games above Class A. With Tampa in the Yankees organization in 2011, he was 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 30 games, 12 of them starts, and fanned 88 in 102 innings, walking 28. He throws strikes and has good control and may have earned a trip back to the bigs when the time is right.

CINCINNATI REDS

MIKE COSTANZO, 3B
B/T: L/R. H/W: 6-3/215. BORN: Sept. 9, 1983
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent in May 2010. Originally drafted by Philadelphia in the second round of 2005 out of Coastal Carolina University. Traded to Houston with OF Michael Bourn for P Brad Lidge in November 2007 and traded again a month later to Baltimore with several players for SS Miguel Tejada. Released by Baltimore, he played in the independent leagues for a month before Cincinnati signed him as a minor league free agent.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Louisville May 12 when 3B Scott Rolen went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 13 in a 9-6 win against Washington. Pinch-hitting for P Bronson Arroyo, he hit a sac fly in the fifth to finish with an 0-for-0 with one RBI line.
2012 STATS: Was hitting a combined .303 with six homers and 24 RBI between Double-A Peninsula (.333-3-13) and Louisville (.291-3-11) over 34 games.
GETTING TO KNOW MIKE: Born and raised in Springfield, Pa., outside Philadelphia, Costanzo’s parents were such huge Phillies fans that he was brought home from the hospital where he was born wrapped in a Phillies jacket. He grew up with dreams of following in the footsteps of Mike Schmidt and for a little while, after being drafted by his hometown team out of Coastal Carolina, it looked like dreams might come true. In fact, his best season of seven came in 2007 when he hit .270 with 27 homers and 86 RBI at Double-A Reading, the Phillies’ Eastern League affiliate, as he commuted every day from his home right down the street from his parents. A .257 hitter over those seven seasons with some power, he jumped around to a few organizations before landing with the Reds, with whom he hit 13 homers and 62 RBI in 2011 between Double-A Carolina (their affiliate in 2011) and Louisville.

COLORADO ROCKIES

CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH, LHP
B/T: R/L. H/W: 6-4/215. BORN: July 8, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the first round (25th overall) of 2008 out of Eastern Kentucky University
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs May 9 when P Adam Ottavino was sent down.
DEBUT: May 9 in a 6-2 win against San Diego. The starting pitcher, he earned the win with six innings of five-hit ball, allowing two runs, one earned, and walking one while striking out seven. 2012 STATS: Was 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA for the SkySox, striking out 27 in 30 innings over five starts and walking four while limiting hitters to a .213 average.
GETTING TO KNOW CHRISTIAN: The first Rockies player to make his debut in 2012, he seems to have gotten past the stumbling block that slowed his ascent in 2010-2011, when he posted ERAs over 5.00 at Double-A Tulsa, With a fastball in the low-mid 90s and a curveball, he rolled through Class A ball in 2009 with a 2.18 ERA in eight starts at Class A Asheville and a 2.54 in 14 starts at Advanced A Modesto before his 3-6 record and 5.05 ERA in 18 starts at Tulsa in 2010 and his 6-10 with a 5.00 mark in 2011.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Van Slyke singled as a pinch-hitter in his MLB debut
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

SCOTT VAN SLYKE, OF
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-5/250. BORN: July 24, 1986.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 14th round of 2005 out of high school in Ladue, Mo.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque May 9 when OF Juan Rivera went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 9 in a 6-2 win against San Francisco. Pinch-hitting for pitcher Jamey Wright, he singled in the sixth inning in his lone at-bat.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .336 with eight homers and 25 RBI in 32 games, with a .623 slugging percentage.
GETTING TO KNOW SCOTT: The younger son of five-time Gold Glove winner Andy Van Slyke became the first Dodgers player to make his debut in 2012, in his eighth season with the organization. He brought a .284 career average into 2012 but had really blossomed in the last few years and was continuing to rake for the Isotopes. The 2011 Southern League MVP, he hit .348 with 20 homers, 92 RBI and 45 doubles with a .595 slugging percentage and .427 on-base average at Double-A Chattanooga in 2011. In 2009, he hit the 100 RBI plateau with a .294 average, 23 homers and 42 doubles at Advanced A Inland Empire.

MIAMI MARLINS

KEVIN MATTISON, OF
B/T: L/L. H/W: 6-0/180. BORN: Sept. 20, 1985.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 28th round of 2008 out of UNC Asheville.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A New Orleans May 11 when Ps Chris Hatcher and Sandy Rosario were sent down.
DEBUT: May 12 in a 9-3 loss to the New York Mets. Pinch-hitting for C Brett Hayes, he grounded out in the ninth inning.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .250 with three homers, 13 RBI and 5 steals (with 6 caught stealing) in 31 games for the Zephyrs.
GETTING TO KNOW KEVIN: The fastest baserunner and best defensive outfielder in the organization, Mattison would doubtless be an even more highly-regarded prospect once he gets his bat going. Despite hitting just .244 over four pro seasons coming into 2012, he’s still topped the 40-steal plateau twice in that span, including 2010 when he swiped 49 bases between New Orleans, Double-A Jacksonville and Advanced A Jupiter despite hitting just a combined .218. In 2011 he started turning things around with a .260 average at Jacksonville, hitting eight homers with 49 RBI and 38 steals and he had a standout Arizona Fall League campaign, hitting .349 and earning the coveted Stenson Award for character and leadership last fall.

MINNESOTA TWINS

BRIAN DOZIER, SS
B/T: R/R. H/W: 5-11/190. BORN: May 15, 1987.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the eighth round of 2009 out of Southern Mississippi
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Rochester May 7 when 1B Justin Morneau went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 7 in an 8-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The starting shortstop, he batted second and went 1-for-4 with a run scored, coming home on a sac fly after collecting his first hit, a line drive single to center field in the eighth inning.
2012 STATS: Hitting .276 with one homer, 12 RBI and two steals at Rochester when promoted.
GETTING TO KNOW BRIAN: The Twins’ 2011 Minor League Player of the Year, Dozier hit .322 at Advanced A Fort Myers and .318 at Double-A New Britain, combining for nine homers, 56 RBI and 24 steals to continue to rake and put his three-year average at .307. A senior sign out of Southern Miss, he ranks as the No. 10 prospect in the system according to Baseball America, with excellent strike-zone discipline and defense among his calling cards. He came very close to making the club out of spring training, where he hit .277 with three homers and nine RBI in 22 games before starting the season at Rochester. He adds a great attitude and workhorse mentality to a plate that already includes some fine physical tools. He becomes the first player from the Twins to make his debut in 2012.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

CHARLIE CULBERSON, 2B
B/T: R/R. H/W: 6-1/200. BORN: April 10, 1989.
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the supplemental first round (51st overall) of 2007 out of high school in Calhoun, Ga.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Fresno May 13 when IF Conor Gillaspie was sent down.
DEBUT: May 13 in a 7-3 win against Arizona. The starting second baseman, he batted seventh and went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
2012 STATS: Was hitting .284 with five homers and 24 RBI along with 11 doubles in 36 games for the Grizzlies.
GETTING TO KNOW CHARLIE: The son of a former Giants draft pick from 1984 and minor league coach, Culberson has grown up with that innate baseball knowledge and work ethic that makes him a favorite among teammates and the brass. In 2011, he hit .259 with 10 homers, 56 RBI and 14 steals for Double-A Richmond, after batting .290 with 16 homers, 71 RBI and 25 steals at Advanced A San Jose in 2010. He’s moved slowly but steadily up the Giants ladder.

Click HERE to see the 'The Door Is Open' archive.

Lisa Winston is a veteran baseball writer who specializes in writing about the guys who usually don't get written about very much (the minor leaguers). A former senior writer/minor league editor for (dearly departed) USA Today/Baseball Weekly and minor league correspondent for MLB.com, she received her very relevant college degree in Dramatic Arts from Amherst College much longer ago than anyone needs to know. You can read her blog, Queen of Diamonds, (which sometimes but not always discusses baseball) at http://www.lisawinston.com.

DRAFT DAY ONLINE CHAMPIONSHIP OF FANTASY SPORTS

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:47:00 +0000

We're proud to announce the first online fantasy sports championship of its kind: The DraftDay Online Championship of Fantasy Sports.

This 5-day fantasy baseball event will showcase DraftDay’s best, culminating in a $20,000 Main Event on Friday May 25.

With over $40,000 in guaranteed prizes, players will compete in a variety of game formats, while battling for position on our Player of the Series leaderboard.

Player of the Series Point Structure

In addition to big guarantees, DraftDay will also be running daily satellites, offering players a chance to win a seat in the Main Event for as little as $1.

Player of the Series – Each time you cash in one of the DOCOFS Events, you’ll earn Player of the Series points (see point structure). The top point-earners at the end of the series will be eligible for additional prizes. Here are the top awards:

1st – Heads-Up game vs DraftDay Endorser and Sirius XM Radio Host, Kay Adams, winner wins $2,000
2nd – 11th – Private 10-man game with $1,000 in cash prizes

So circle your calendars for the week of May 21 – May 25 and get ready for the inaugural DOCOFS schedule (Guarantees in BOLD):

May 21 (7:05p) – Event 1 - $10 Warm-Up $10,000
May 22 (7:05p) – Event 2 - $10 Hit It & Split It, NL-Only $2,000
May 22 (7:05p) – Event 3 - $10 Hit It & Split It, AL-Only $2,000
May 23 (12:35p) – Event 4 - $50 Turbo, $4,000
May 23 (7:05p) – Event 5 - $10 90k Salary Cap, $2,000
May 24 (7:10p) - $10 4 Main Event Seat Guarantee
May 24 (7:10p) - $50 5 Main Event Seat Guarantee
May 24 (7:10p) – Event 6 - $25 Double Up, $2,000
May 25 (7:05p) – Event 7 - $200 Main Event, $20,000

Winners of Event 1, 4, & 5 will receive a Main Event Entry and custom avatar.

Click HERE to learn more about this series. Each new DraftDay customer receives a free $5 game.

All-Surprise Team

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:51:00 +0000

posted 5/10/12 10:51 AM PST
by Joe Giglio

With a little more than a sixth of the Major League Baseball season in the books, it’s time to start recognizing that many of us were wrong about many players. Advanced stats and metrics can help predict performance to a certain degree, but the following “team” has bucked all the trends and predictions thrust upon them. Here is the All-Surprise Team for the early season. While the names might not jump off the page, this collection would probably rival Texas and St. Louis for the best mark in baseball.

All stats through May 9th

C: A.J. Ellis, Dodgers (.303/.454/.474) – All he does is reach base. In a game that can become increasingly complicated, it’s easy to understand the value Ellis brings. He walks a ton. Considering that he only has 2 HR in 93 PA, it’s a safe bet that his eye – not fear from the mound – is sustaining this. In fact, he only trails Joey Votto in walk percentage among all hitters in baseball.

1B: Bryan LaHair, Cubs (.384/.476/.767) – Thought of as nothing more than a 4A player, LaHair has been the most productive first baseman in baseball. While it’s impossible to imagine him sustaining a .510 BABIP, his confidence can be traced back to a breakout Triple-A campaign in 2011 that saw him smash 38 homers.

2B: Jose Altuve, Astros (.333/.377/.492) – FanGraphs has compared him to Starlin Castro. ESPN has talked him up as a Dustin Pedroia type that can win a batting title…this year. So, who is Jose Altuve? He’s a 22-year-old second baseman that flew under-the-radar despite hitting .361 in Double-A last season. If his walk rate (6.1%) continues to climb, Houston might have themselves a big-time hitter to build around.

3B: Kyle Seager, Mariners (.298/.318/.510) – Considering the state of the Mariners offense, a third baseman that can post a slugging percentage over .500 is a dream come true. Along with Jesus Montero and Dustin Ackley, there just might be a future that includes run scoring in Safeco.

SS: Rafael Furcal, Cardinals (.361/.423/.508) – Our first former All-Star! While everyone was obsessed with big-ticket free agents this winter, St. Louis shrewdly brought back the 34-year-old that helped them win the World Series. He’s rewarded them by setting the table for their league leading offense. Derek Jeter is the only shortstop in baseball having a better year, but Furcal fits the surprise bill more due to a .231 average last season.

LF: Josh Willingham, Twins (.312/.418/.624) – Minnesota’s front office has done plenty of things wrong over the last few years. Signing Willingham isn’t one of them. If it feels like he gets a hit every night, it’s because he almost did in April. Back-to-back games on 4/22 and 4/23 were the only hitless games he had all month.

CF: Jon Jay, Cardinals (.379/.432./494) – If there was a “How To Score More Runs Without Albert Pujols Handbook,” having Jon Jay hit .379 would be listed on the first few pages. St. Louis is ridiculously good because of offensive depth like Jon Jay.

RF: Ryan Sweeney, Red Sox (.355/.384/.516) – So much has gone wrong for first year general manager Ben Cherington that it’s easy to forget he did something right: Acquiring Sweeney in the Andrew Bailey deal. Boston’s offense has missed Youkilis, Crawford, and Ellsbury, but the energetic Sweeney has done more than his part to fill the void.

DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays (.269/.323/.588) – Toronto couldn’t have found another Jose Bautista, right? That’s not to say Encarnacion will become the best offensive player on the planet for two years, but with 10 early season home runs and a declining strikeout rate, it’s not crazy to imagine him blowing his career high in long balls (26) out of the water … by August.

Hammel is 5th in the AL with a 2.09 ERA
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

SP: Jake Peavy, White Sox (52.1 IP, 44 K, 1.89 ERA) – Our poster child. Peavy isn’t surprising because of a perceived lack of talent, but rather for resurrecting a career that once saw him pitch this well. It was almost five full years ago when Jake Peavy was on top of the pitching world, leading the NL in wins, ERA, strikeouts, fewest baserunners allowed per nine innings and most K’s per nine. Now – after an endless string of injuries – he’s back.

SP: Jason Hammel, Orioles (38. 2 IP, 38 K, 2.09 ERA) – Baltimore sat back and yawned when new general manager Dan Duquette flipped innings-eater Jeremy Guthrie to Colorado for Matt Lindstrom and some former Devil Rays cast-off named Jason Hammel. If his 61.1% ground ball rate and 8.84 K/9 continues, he’ll be making a real All-Star team for the first time this summer.

SP: Joe Blanton, Phillies (41.2 IP, 28 K, 3.24 ERA) – Things you may not have known: There was a pitcher named Cy Blanton that played in the 30’s and 40’s and Joe’s 2.49 FIP is better than Roy Halladay (2.54) and Cliff Lee (2.77).

SP: Chris Capuano, Dodgers (36.2 IP, 36 K, 2.21 ERA) – Not bad for a guy who hasn’t tossed more than 186 innings or provided a WAR over 1.7 since 2006.

SP: Kyle Loshe, Cardinals (38.1, 24 K, 2.11 ERA) - Remember when Kyle Loshe stunk? It’s been quite the transformation for a guy that routinely posted ERA’s in the 4’s, 5’s, and even 6’s. While his groundball and strikeout rate haven’t changed much, it’s the type of contact induced that has. Over 10% of fly balls would leave the yard during his youth. Now? Only 6.5% go over the wall. Pop up’s and lazy fly balls have become the norm during Loshe outings.

CP: Fernando Rodney, Rays (15.2 IP, 14 K, 0.57 ERA, 9 SV) – Does anyone have an explanation for this one? While the narrative says that the Rays saw an undervalued talent and coached him up, it’s simply not true. They didn’t change much when he got to Spring Training with Tampa, instead just telling him to throw. Along the way, the flame-thrower figured it out.

Joe Giglio is a sports talk host at WNST in Baltimore, co-host of the Just a Bit Outside podcast on iTUNES, former intramural coordinator at DeSales University, husband, and baseball fanatic willing to argue Jeff Bagwell's Hall of Fame candidacy at a moment's notice. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports and check out his blog at joegiglio.blogspot.com.

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Pitching Performance of the Week (May 2 - May 8)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:33:00 +0000

posted 5/9/12 10:33 PM PST
by Jim Brown

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
LHP Tyler Lyons, Double-A Springfield (STL)

season stats: 3.34 ERA, 29.2 IP, 31 H, 13 BB, 25 K in 6 starts
May 2-May 8: 6 IP, ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K in 1 start

Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez, Tyrell Jenkins, Tyler Lyons, Jordan Swagerty. If you follow minor league prospects, you would know to find these pitchers within the top ten of the Cardinals' system. But wait … Lyons shouldn’t be in that list. In fact, he’s not even in the top 30. Fact of the matter is that Lyons has been overshadowed by those top prospects, but has quietly become an effective member of the Double-A rotation in Springfield. He's had back-to-back strong outings with just 2 ER allowed in his last 12 innings.

A 9th Round draft pick in 2010, Lyons was a glimpse on the radar when he threw a no-hitter late last season with the Hi-A Palm Beach Cardinals. After starting his first pro season in the bullpen, he was moved to the rotation in late June where he posted a 7-2 record with a 4.41 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 65.1 innings. The 24 year-old has the stuff to project as mid-rotation starter. With solid command of a two-seam fastball with good run that can hit 94 mph, a decent late-breaking curveball, and a change-up that is becoming his out pitch, look for him to make it to Triple-A Memphis later in the year.

Relief Pitcher of the Week
RHP Rob Wort, Hi-A Potomac (WAS): 1.26 ERA, 14.1 IP, 14 H, 4 BB, 24 K, 2 Sv in 10 appearances; 2.2 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 7 K, Sv in 2 appearances last week.

Click HERE to follow Jim Brown on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Under the Radar' NL Minor League Hitting Performance of the Week (May 2 - May 8)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:24:00 +0000

posted 5/9/12 9:23 PM PST
by Marc Hefferan

*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2012 season as an 'under the radar' player.

Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week

C/1B/OF Evan Gattis, Double-A Mississippi (ATL)

season stats: .363 BA, 13 HR, 39 RBI, 10 2B, 14 BB, 16 K in 30 games (AA/HiA)
May 2-May 8: 9-for-27, 4 HR, 8 RBI

After bashing 9 home runs, 29 RBI’s and collecting 30 hits in 21 games for Hi-A Lynchburg, the Braves decided it was time to promote this week’s UTR Hitter of the Week Evan Gattis to Double-A Mississippi. Gattis has continued his red-hot pace, batting .321 with four home runs and nine RBI’s in only seven games including a single, a walk and two RBI’s in his May 1st Southern League debut vs. Mobile ace and Diamondbacks top prospect Trevor Bauer. The Forney, TX native has collected hits in 24 of his first 30 games and 11 hits in his last 10 games. The 25 year-old is catching in place of injured teammate Christian Bethancourt, but has also seen time at 1B and left field as the Braves do all they can to keep his bat in the lineup. Gattis’ performance may be the talk of the organization, but it’s his past that helps put his numbers into a more impressive perspective.

A highly-touted catcher out of Bishop Lynch HS (Dallas, TX), Gattis was on his way to play for Texas A&M University but the weight and stress of playing for the Aggies took hold. Gattis never reported and turned to drugs and alcohol. After a rehab stint, he found his way to Seminole State Junior College (OK), but his lack of contentment with life and a left knee injury led him to completely walk away from the game. Gattis spent the next three years traveling the western U.S. living out of his vehicle and working several odd jobs. Then on a whim, a phone call and advice from his step-brother, Gattis enrolled at Div. II Texas-Permian Basin College and solidified a spot on the team. He earned All-Heartland Conference and Regional 2nd Team honors in 2010. The Braves took notice, drafting Gattis in the 23rd round of the 2010 draft. He needs to polish his overall skill-set behind the plate and in the outfield but it’s not out of the question to see Gattis with Triple-A Gwinnett or even in Turner Field by year’s end.

Honorable Mentions
OF Nelson Perez, Hi-A Daytona (CHC): .320 BA, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 4 2B, 4 3B, 21 BB, 32 K, 3 SB in 29 games; 13-for-27, 2 HR, 8 RBI in last week.
OF Willy Garcia, Lo-A Bradenton (PIT): .248 BA, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 5 2B, 4 BB, 30 K, 3 SB in 30 games; 11-for-33, 4 HR, 10 RBI in last week.

Click HERE to follow Marc Hefferan on Twitter.

UTR Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2012 Archive

'Fantasy Baseball Outsider' Mailbag: Should Giavotella play everyday?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:56:00 +0000

posted 5/9/12 12:56 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

In today's 'Fantasy Baseball Outsider' Mailbag, I try and make sense of the Royals' decision to bring him up Johnny Giavotella to fill a part-time role.

This feature is sponsored by the 'Daily Joust', a community of fantasy sports fanatics playing against each other in free and real money contests that run daily. They're currently offering a $50 Free MLB Daily Fantasy Contest. Click HERE to sign up now!

After I reported that the Royals will recall Johnny Giavotella to fill a part-time role, @Alex_Hoefer asked via Twitter: Isn't this a really bad move if he doesn't play? Why not let him play everyday? It seems like it is to time to give him the majority of AB's and see if he's the 2B of the future.

After being penciled into the starting lineup early in Spring Training by manager Ned Yost, Giavotella was outplayed by Chris Getz and Yuniesky Betancourt, a second base platoon that the team felt more comfortable with going into the season. Giavotella had a .585 OPS in 19 spring games and the team felt he was also behind his competitors on defense. While it hasn't been a terrible decision, considering Getz and Betancourt both have an OPS in the mid-.700's, many Royals fans would like to see the younger prospect on a regular basis. With Betancourt on the DL (retroactive to May 2nd) due to a sprained ankle, they'll get to see Giavotella now but the left-handed hitting Getz is expected to draw the majority of starts in the likely lefty-righty platoon.

Giavotella is hitting .331 in Triple-A
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

When it comes down to it, in the short-term, the Royals just need a second baseman who can play against left-handed pitching until Betancourt returns. The 24 year-old Giavotella happens to be the best fit for this role at this particular time, so playing time for their young prospect is not the priority. It's early enough in the season that a 10-19 record, 7-game deficit in the AL Central, and an overall disappointing performance does not change the mindset of the organization. Try to win now at all costs and look to the future if things don't improve by July or August.

Just because the plan is to play Giavotella a couple games each week, and most likely send him back to the minors once Betancourt returns, it doesn't mean that's what will happen. He lost a job that was his to lose in the spring, now he can seize the opportunity to take it back. First, he'll have to get a hit or two in the games he does start, which would likely earn him an extra start or two at Getz's expense. If he outplays Getz and is playing more often than not when Betancourt returns, he'll give the Royals a tough decision to make. Either way, I'd expect Giavotella to be the everyday second baseman by the 2nd half of the season. By the way, I've been thinking of the projected lineup once top hitting prospect Wil Myers (.339 BA, 11 HR in 29 Double-A games) arrives in the big leagues sometime in the next season or two. How does this look:

1 LF Alex Gordon*
2 CF Lorenzo Cain
3 1B Eric Hosmer*
4 DH Billy Butler
5 3B Mike Moustakas*
6 RF Wil Myers
7 C Sal Perez
8 2B Johnny Giavotella
9 SS Alcides Escobar

Now they'll just need to work on that pitching staff.

Please submit roster-related fantasy questions via Twitter @mlbdepthcharts or via email mlbdepthcharts@gmail.com.

'Knocking Down the Door' (MAY 8, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason - MLBDepthCharts.com) — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:18:00 +0000

posted 5/8/12 7:16 PM PST
by Jason Martinez

Two more 'Knocking Down the Door' picks, both from last week's selections, have officially knocked down the door this week. Here's a look at the archive, which goes back to April 17th. Who's next? These four have a pretty good shot, if you ask me:

Players on the verge of a big league call-up, in my opinion, are considered to be 'Knocking Down the Door'.

Matt LaPorta, 1B - Cleveland Indians: When Brewers first baseman Mat Gamel went down with a torn ACL last week, I couldn't help but think of LaPorta as an intriguing candidate for the team that once took him with the seventh pick in the 2007 draft. Of course, that thought crossed my mind because I knew LaPorta was off to a great start and I figured he was blocked in Cleveland by Casey Kotchman. That was until I realized that Kotchman was not even hitting his weight and LaPorta's next chance would most likely come with his current organization.

Considered one of the top power-hitting prospects in the game just a few years ago, the 27 year-old LaPorta has a career .238 batting average with 30 HR, 51 2B, 81 BB, and 206 K in 269 games. At no point of this past offseason did it appear that the Indians would be willing to give him another shot to win the first base job. Kotchman was signed to a one-year, $3M deal in February, all but ensuring that LaPorta would start the year in the minors. Just over a month into the season, however, Kotchman is hitting .163 in 80 at-bats while LaPorta has hit .361 with 9 HR and 20 RBI thru his first 26 Triple-A games. The 1st Place Indians can afford to be patient with Kotchman, but they won't be able to resist the temptation of adding a right-handed power bat to their left-handed heavy lineup much longer.

Wil Myers, OF - Kansas City Royals: Now that top prospects Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are in the big leagues, probably for good, Myers is one of several good young players vying for the title of 'Top Hitting Prospect in Baseball'. He's making a strong case in his second Double-A season. The 21 year-old right fielder is hitting .339 with 11 HR (5 in his last 6 games) and 24 RBI in 29 games.

On May 6th of last season, the team called up top prospect Eric Hosmer, also 21 at the time, after a combined 76 games between Triple-A and Double-A. So they're not afraid to push their young future stars. Sure, it would be nice for Myers to make a stop in Triple-A on the way to the majors, but the Royals are playing terrible (9-19) and might want to fast track him so he can join Hosmer, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas in the middle of the order to give the fan base another glimpse of the future before they can contend in 2013. Add injured rookies Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain to the mix in the 2nd half and that's a lineup I'd sure as heck pay to see.

Alex Sanabia, RHP - Miami Marlins: If the Marlins want to compete in the NL East, there is no doubt that ace Josh Johnson needs to return to his pre-injury form, when he was considered to be one of the best young pitchers in baseball. But there are questions surrounding the health of his right shoulder, which caused him to miss most of the 2011 season. He avoided surgery, opting for rest and rehab instead. Now he has a 6.61 ERA thru six starts. If he's not completely healthy, he could eventually end up on the disabled list and the Marlins would go to their #6 starter, who might be a different choice now than would've been a few weeks ago.

After an impressive spring, it was clear that lefty Wade LeBlanc was the #6 starter going into the regular season. He continues to pitch well (3.65 ERA thru six Triple-A starts) but it's hard to argue against Sanabia being the next starter in line for a big league call-up. After a brilliant performance yesterday (8 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 7 K), the 23 year-old lowered his ERA to 2.17. The right-hander has just 3 BB and 34 K in 45.2 IP over his seven Triple-A starts. Ideally, Johnson can turn things around and lead the Marlins rotation the rest of the way. In all likelihood, they'll need a sixth and probably seventh starter at some point. Sanabia appears ready for the call.

Scheppers has a 2.57 ERA, 3 BB and 15 K in 14 IP in AAA
Picture courtesy of US Presswire

Tanner Scheppers, RHP - Texas Rangers: Remember him? Scheppers was the 44th pick in the 2010 draft. Armed with a high-90's fastball and plus curveball, he went straight to Double-A for his pro debut in 2010 and ended up making 30 appearances in Triple-A, all but seven out of the bullpen. He appeared to be on the fast track to Texas as a late-inning reliever but injuries knocked him off track.

The 25 year-old is now back in Triple-A for the third consecutive season. The way he's pitching, it should be his last. And not just his last year. He might be down to his last couple weeks, or days in the minors. Scheppers recently touched 100 mph and his curveball is as filthy as ever. In his last 10 appearances, he's allowed just 1 ER in 10 IP with one walk and 11 strikeouts. It's doubtful the Rangers will be shopping for bullpen help again this trade deadline. Help is already on the way.

Click HERE to see the 'Knocking Down the Door' archive for 2012.