2006 Peoria Chiefs roster

[Wrigley Rat]

http://www.peoriachiefs.com/team has posted a new roster online.

 

Catchers

Jake Muyco

Justin Morgan

Mark Reed

 

Infielders

Ryan Norwood

Robinson Chirinos

Brandon Taylor

Luis Rivera

Dylan Johnston

 

Outfielders

Davy Gregg

Jesus Valdez

Jonathan Defendis

Matt Ciamarella

 

Pitchers

Donald Veal

Ed Campusano

Jesus Yepez

Tim Layden

Jeffrey Teasley

Jesse Estrada

Matt Avery

Mike Billek

Mike Phelps

Mitch Atkins

Roberto Sotolongo

Todd Blackford

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Chirinos gets demoted?

[karenmac]

Here's Nate's full article...

 

http://www.peoriachiefs.com/news/?id=5392

 

Do you suppose Norwood will be playing the Bradley exhibition game this year?!?

[Outshined_One]

Ciaramella in the OF? Hm, thought he'd be starting up at Daytona.

 

Also, who is Sotolongo?

[Wrigley Rat]

Ciaramella in the OF? Hm, thought he'd be starting up at Daytona.

 

Also, who is Sotolongo?

 

Roberto Sotolongo is a Cuban National who we signed last year. He throws in the upper 90's and profiles as a closer. I'm glad he's healthy enough to start in the full-season league. He's 23 years old.

[craig]

Notes:

-Sotolongo triple skipping up.

-Dylan Johnston double skipping up (after being so awful in Rookie league last summer).

-Pawelek not making it.

-Monster man Jeff Teasley?

-BA had Berg in top-25. But he's not at Peoria... Hurt? No good? At Daytona?

-Stick a fork in Elvin Puello.

-stick a fork in Alfredo francisco

 

My Questions:

-Veal and Billek start, that looks pretty easy to guess.

-But who else?

-Blackford, Avery, Atkins, Yepez, Estrada, Sotolongo, .... Who knows who'll be starting and who'll be relieving?

[craig]

My Questions:

-Veal and Billek start, that looks pretty easy to guess.

-But who else?

-Blackford, Avery, Atkins, Yepez, Estrada, Sotolongo, .... Who knows who'll be starting and who'll be relieving?

 

OK, sounds like it's Veal, Billek, Estrada, and Yepez. With the 5th to be determined later on.

 

Sounds like Phelps and Sotolongo are strictly relievers.

[Laura]

Here's Nate's full article...

 

http://www.peoriachiefs.com/news/?id=5392

 

Do you suppose Norwood will be playing the Bradley exhibition game this year?!?

 

=; Let's hope not!

[Bear Cub]

InsideTheIvy says that Olin Wick made the team and not Justin Morgan.

[B]

I've heard of angels in the outfield, but they have Jesus in the outfield.

[ChiefsVoice]

Norwood will play vs. Bradley. Wick was supposed to be here when we sent that out, but Morgan came instead.

 

Starters are (in this order): Veal, Blackford, Billek, Yepez and Atkins.

 

Yepez and Atkins will both throw 3 innings vs. Bradley.

 

Estrada is in the bullpen. I believe Phelps and Teasley are both in contention to close....those are from preliminary conversations this evening with players and coaches as they got their first looks at the ballpark....

[craig]

Norwood will play vs. Bradley. Wick was supposed to be here when we sent that out, but Morgan came instead.

 

Starters are (in this order): Veal, Blackford, Billek, Yepez and Atkins.

 

Yepez and Atkins will both throw 3 innings vs. Bradley.

 

Estrada is in the bullpen. I believe Phelps and Teasley are both in contention to close....those are from preliminary conversations this evening with players and coaches as they got their first looks at the ballpark....

 

Thanks much, Nathan. Knowing the rotation helps, and all of those guys seem interesting. By the way, I'm pretty sure Yepez is from Venezuela, not Dominican. He was signed in Venezuela and played his first season back when the Cubs had an entry in the Venezuelan summer league. We'll be curious to here if he projects to have a big-league arm, or if he's a soft-tossing lefty prospect more in the Moyer/Rusch mode who'll need Maddux-esque control/movement to be good. The Cubs have sometimes been pretty good about projecting guys. Back in his short-season/A- days, Guzman was often written up as a "doesn't overpower" guy, with decent but nothing special velocity. The Cubs always seemed to project that he'd throw very hard in time. Hopefully Yepez the same.

 

Teasley is a big dude. And an interesting guy. Went to a small Christian college; if they had a baseball team, I'm sure it must have competed in a very low-level college league, at best Division III or NAIA. Posters sometimes say that the cubs aren't fair to guys, the money signs and higher drafts get special treatment. But looking at opening rosters, we see Teasley (perhaps being considered for a significant role), Rapada, Shappert all as non-drafted guys who have gotten chances.

[ChiefsVoice]

Thanks for the catch on Yepez, you are correct.

 

Teasley finished the year here last season picking up 3 saves in 4 games. I agree he has a lot of potential. Started at San Diego State and then went to Point Loma Nazarene. I think he and Phelps will be our two end of the game guys and both have the chance to be highly successful in that role...

[craig]

Thanks for the catch on Yepez, you are correct.

 

Teasley finished the year here last season picking up 3 saves in 4 games. I agree he has a lot of potential. Started at San Diego State and then went to Point Loma Nazarene. I think he and Phelps will be our two end of the game guys and both have the chance to be highly successful in that role...

 

What kind of stuff does Teasley have? If he a big fastball type wildman, or what?

 

Thanks much for your input.

[Wrigley Rat]

Alberto Garcia also made the Peoria team, according to this article. He is not listed on the roster, though.

 

Here's Nate's full article...

 

http://www.peoriachiefs.com/news/?id=5392

 

=; Let's hope not!

[Keener98]

So are any of these guys very promising prospects in Peoria? Veal and Billek are pretty much the only 2 names Ive heard. Anybody else I should look for while Im at some games this year?

[Wrigley Rat]

I'd say the upper tier of prospects at Peoria are:

- Reed (has struggled so far - position change likely)

- Johnston (may not have a great season though - very young)

- Defendis (sleeper favorite of mine)

- Veal (probably best prospect on team)

- Yepez (the next Carlos Zambrano???)

- Phelps (closer potential)

 

The next tier would probably include:

- Muyco (defensively ready for the majors - no offense yet)

- Ciaramella (some similarities to Matt Murton - may fizzle)

- Billek (not sure what to expect with him yet)

- Sotolongo (98 mph fastball and old for level - should impress)

- Blackford (needs time, but looks good)

 

If you see these guys play this year - please post your thoughts!

[Joe_Cub]

I want to see defendis play, too.

[rawaction]

I'd say the upper tier of prospects at Peoria are:

- Reed (has struggled so far - position change likely)

- Johnston (may not have a great season though - very young)

- Defendis (sleeper favorite of mine)

- Veal (probably best prospect on team)

- Yepez (the next Carlos Zambrano???)

- Phelps (closer potential)

 

The next tier would probably include:

- Muyco (defensively ready for the majors - no offense yet)

- Ciaramella (some similarities to Matt Murton - may fizzle)

- Billek (not sure what to expect with him yet)

- Sotolongo (98 mph fastball and old for level - should impress)

- Blackford (needs time, but looks good)

 

If you see these guys play this year - please post your thoughts!

 

Veal is my favorite prospect coming into this year. I'm looking for a big year out of him. Ciaramella is very interesting to me. I think Phelps will fly thru the system. He has great size and is going to be 22 this year. Johnston could surprise and develop sooner than expected.

 

Probably the rawest team Peoria has had in a while.

[treebird]

do people still like ryan norwood, or do we assume he's dead since he missed all of last year?

[rawaction]

do people still like ryan norwood, or do we assume he's dead since he missed all of last year?

 

I like Norwood. Gotta wait and see on him if he's gonna be a legit prospect.