2006 Peoria Chiefs Q&A with Nathan Baliva

[Outshined_One]

So now that we're over a month into the season, what have you noticed/thought about...

 

-Scott Taylor

-Donald Veal

-Jonathan Mota

-Dylan Johnston

-Jesus Valdez

-Mark Reed

-Ryan Norwood

 

And any other guys I may have missed? :D

[ChiefsVoice]

So now that we're over a month into the season, what have you noticed/thought about...

 

-Scott Taylor

-Donald Veal

-Jonathan Mota

-Dylan Johnston

-Jesus Valdez

-Mark Reed

-Ryan Norwood

 

And any other guys I may have missed? :D

 

Veal- Great when his control is good. Walks are his undoing. He just needs to trust his stuff and pitch cause the fastball is good and the curve is good. Right now just throwing too many pitches. I like his prospects remember he is only 21.

 

Johnston- I just wish he'd get healthy cause this kid can be special. He can hit to all fields, has good speed, a great glove, good range and an outstanding arm. He just has to get the thumb healthy and get back in the lineup.

 

Valdez- good bat. Needs work in the outfield. Already has five errors and probably should have anywhere from 6-8.

 

Reed- Came back to Peoria more mature. Has a great attitude which he also had last year. Just 20. can hit, can play defense can throw. Hits lefties well and has better speed than I expected. Has also looked good now at 1st and 3rd in emergency situations which speaks volumes for his athleticism. He can play.

 

Norwood - best hitter on this team. takes care of RBI situations. Very underrated defensively. has saved quite a few plays at 1st and you can tell a difference when he isnt out there. can hit to all fields as well. not much speed but thats expected after the ankle injury.

 

Mota - Only 35 at-bats so I'd like to reserve judgement on him but he is a good singles hitter and has mixed in a few extra base hits.

 

Taylor - Let's see how he throws tonight at SB. All of his starts so far have been at home which is obviously more comfortable. He is young and I like what I've seen so far. Keeps his pitch count low.

 

Ones you left out?

 

Atkins has been our best starter. Campusano is lights out. pretty unhittable so far. Teasley has been great out of the pen with maybe two exceptions. Avery looks good as well.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Atkins has been our best starter.

 

Any other thoughts on Atkins? And has Veal thrown anything outside of the FB and curve? How hard have both of these guys been throwing this year?

[ChiefsVoice]

Atkins has been our best starter.

 

Any other thoughts on Atkins? And has Veal thrown anything outside of the FB and curve? How hard have both of these guys been throwing this year?

 

Atkins changes speed nicely. Keeps the walks down. hasnt been hit hard at all. I really like watching him pitch.

 

Veal has a Fastball, Curve and change. Veal has been 90-92 and i honestly can't remember on Atkins. The radar was down when he threw at home last. I'll look Thursday on the sheet in Clinton.

[Outshined_One]

Ryne Malone's really been hitting the ball down there lately, from what I can tell. What's your take on him?

[ChiefsVoice]

I like Malone's swing and approach. He covers the entire plate from the left side. He has a short swing and puts the ball in play. he isnt afraid to walk 10 bb/14 K and 4 of those K have been the last two games. So far he has been a doubles machine. most of his doubles have been pulled down the right field line.

 

Defensively he seems to get a good read on balls at 3rd base. his arm isnt as strong as Reynolds or Johnston but he is in no way a liability in the field.

 

He is a lot better than other guys I've seen over the years taken in the 40th-50th rounds. I'll be interested to see how he handles the FSL next season. That level has not been kind to some guys who have hit well here in the MWL the last few years, but that has been mostly power guys.

[Laura]

Impressions of Cameron Maybin?

[ChiefsVoice]

Impressions of Cameron Maybin?

 

WOW!

 

Would have like to have seen more defesively but we didnt really hit the ball to center or run on his arm so I can't compare him to Upton who is the best outfielder I've seen this year.

 

But at the plate, Maybin may not have an equal in the MWL. Jeff Baisley is close for Kane County. He hit with power to all fields, slammed one off the scoreboard. Has great speed, hustles at all times, gets down the line very quick. line drive hitter mostly. good approach. keeps his hands back and trusts his hands. He hit curveballs, sliders, fastballs, you name it he hit it against us.

 

I can see why Detroit laughed at Washington when the Nats wanted this kid for Soriano...

[Outshined_One]

But at the plate, Maybin may not have an equal in the MWL. Jeff Baisley is close for Kane County. He hit with power to all fields, slammed one off the scoreboard. Has great speed, hustles at all times, gets down the line very quick. line drive hitter mostly. good approach. keeps his hands back and trusts his hands. He hit curveballs, sliders, fastballs, you name it he hit it against us.

 

Even better than Jay Bruce?

 

Yikes!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Thoughts on Jay Bruce and Justin Upton? Quite the OF talent from the high schools in last year's draft... Edited July 30, 2006 by CaliforniaRaisin

[Laura]

Thanks, Nathan. Everything I've heard about him has been tremendous.

[Brian]

Do you think Pawelek will get a couple of starts at Peoria sometime this year?

[ChiefsVoice]

Do you think Pawelek will get a couple of starts at Peoria sometime this year?

 

Not as long as Boise is in the race out there. And not from what I'm hearing, but it would be nice for an attendance boost on a Mon/Tue/Wed here in 100 degree August!

 

I think there's a much better chance we get Colvin and/or Lansford down the stretch.

[ChiefsVoice]

Thoughts on Jay Bruce and Justin Upton? Quite the OF talent from the high schools in last year's draft...

 

Well if Cameron Maybin is #1 in this league as a hitter (and he is) then Bruce is #2 or maybe even 1A with Colby Rasmus in the mix as well from Quad Cities (now in the FSL). He was hurt and had an average series against us but he crushed a long homer Saturday and had RBI in every game but one. He also looks good in the OF and runs well. Maybe not as 5-toolsy as Maybin, but close.

 

Upton is the best defender I've seen all season. He glides to the ball. reminds me of Andruw Jones with his speed and range. Reads the ball well off the bat. Made diving catch after diving catch and some nice running catches against us in 4 straight games. The bat just isnt where Colby Rasmus, Bruce and Maybin are yet. Id rank the top 5 opponent position players like this:

 

Maybin

Bruce

Upton

Rasmus

Baisley

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Upton is the best defender I've seen all season. He glides to the ball. reminds me of Andruw Jones with his speed and range. Reads the ball well off the bat. Made diving catch after diving catch and some nice running catches against us in 4 straight games. The bat just isnt where Colby Rasmus, Bruce and Maybin are yet. Id rank the top 5 opponent position players like this:

 

Maybin

Bruce

Upton

Rasmus

Baisley

 

I'm shocked that he's so advanced defensively, seeing as he converted from SS. I figured eventually he'd be a good to great defender, but not this early.

 

Thanks for the reply.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Nathan,

 

Could you please tell us what Marco Carrillo looks like? He had great stats at Mesa, but we didn't know what type of pitches he threw, how hard he threw, what stuff he had, etc. Thanks.

 

Also, is Santo going to miss the playoffs?

[ChiefsVoice]

Nathan,

 

Could you please tell us what Marco Carrillo looks like? He had great stats at Mesa, but we didn't know what type of pitches he threw, how hard he threw, what stuff he had, etc. Thanks.

 

Also, is Santo going to miss the playoffs?

 

Yikes, Not good at all. he got hit often and hard. Fastball, slider, change, occasional overhand 12-6 curve that was not on the other night. he was 88-89 for the most part on the FB. looked nervous. Also looks very small. One of our front office employees confused him with our 15 year old bat boy and thought i was joking when i said #9 was the starting pitcher!

 

Santo is still an official "Maybe" until at least Saturday.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Thanks, Nathan. That's disappointing, given how well he did in Mesa.

 

You said he's small...how small? His height/weight isn't listed on MiLB.com.

 

If Santo isn't ready for Game 4, who would go instead? Jiminez?

[ChiefsVoice]

Thanks, Nathan. That's disappointing, given how well he did in Mesa.

 

You said he's small...how small? His height/weight isn't listed on MiLB.com.

 

If Santo isn't ready for Game 4, who would go instead? Jiminez?

 

Rich told me to be ready for game 4! ha! Probably Carrillo or Jimenez.

 

He claims 6'1 195. thats generous.

[karenmac]

wow, there's definitely no way he's 6'1". Wisconsin's not that great a team, but Carillo didn't fool them at all. They were hitting at will...I'm glad they didn't keep him in there for long.