The Arizona Fall League...

[EricG]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/ejg29/HPIM0457.jpg

I didn't take many pictures but here is one.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

MiLB.com[/url]"]Matt Albers and three relievers combined on a two-hitter as Mesa routed visiting Scottsdale, 9-1, on Thursday.

 

The Solar Sox (3-5) carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. Albers struck out two over four perfect frames, throwing 32 of 52 pitches for strikes.

 

Lincoln Holdzkom (1-0) retired the first six batters he faced before surrendering Steve Moss' leadoff single in the seventh. The 24-year-old right-hander allowed an unearned run on one hit while striking out two over three innings.

 

Carmen Pignatiello yielded a single to Travis Ishikawa in the eighth and Clay Rapada fanned two in a perfect ninth.

 

Mesa slugged three homers, including a pair of solo shots by Anthony Raglani. Michel Abreu belted a two-run homer in the eighth, while Hunter Pence went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

 

Moss came home on Ryan Braun's sacrifice fly in the seventh for the Scorpions (4-5), who fell into second place in the East Division.

 

Scottsdale starter Steven Jackson (0-1) took the loss after giving up six runs -- five earned -- on seven hits over three innings.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mesa wins 6-3, box:

 

1B S. Moore 1/4, BB (8), 2 K (10)

 

Overall:

 

Scott Moore 6/29, .207/.378/.379/.757, 8 BB, 10 K, 3/3 SBs

 

MiLB.com[/url]"]Fernando Martinez homered and knocked in three runs as the visiting Mesa Solar Sox doubled up the Peoria Saguaros, 6-3, on Friday.

 

After A.J. Ellis led off the sixth inning with a single, Martinez launched his first AFL homer, a two-run blast off reliever Gabe Parisi that got Mesa on the board. An inning later, the 18-year-old Mets outfield prospect singled home Michel Abreu to lift the Solar Sox (4-5) into a 3-3 tie.

 

Mesa took the lead in the eighth, loading the bases with none out on walks to Chin Lung Hu and Scott Moore around a single by Hunter Pence. Abreu broke the deadlock with an RBI single and Anthony Raglani added a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

 

Martinez scored an insurance run in the ninth on Pence's forceout.

 

Mesa starter Mike Pelfrey tossed three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one. Danny Muegge gave up three runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings. Jonathan Meloan (1-0) tossed two scoreless frames for the win, working around a hit and two walks.

 

Saguaros starter Gio Gonzalez struck out three in three scoreless innings. Jeff Kennard (0-1) was tagged with the loss after yielding two runs in the eighth.

[craig]

I agree, it would seem Holdzkom is pitching his way onto the 40-man. Nice.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Rapada >> Ohman.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mesa ties Grand Canyon in a suspended 11-inning game, 7-7: box.

 

3B S. Moore 1/4, 2B (2), R, 2 RBI (3), SB (1), 2 BB, 2 K, E (1, fielding)

C J. Fox 1/3, RBI (1)

2B E. Patterson 0/5, RBI (1)

RP C. Pignatiello 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K/0 BB, 0 GO-0 FO, 14 pitches (10 strikes), 2-1 inherited runners-scored

 

This suspended game resumed today.

 

Mesa won 8-7 in 17 innings (longest AFL game ever), box:

 

The final stat lines for this game are:

 

3B S. Moore 1/6, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB, E (fielding)

C J. Fox 1/3, RBI

2B E. Patterson 0/8, RBI - ouch

RP C. Pignatiello 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K/0 BB, 0 GO-0 FO, 2-1 inherited runners-scored

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mesa then won the second game of the doubleheader 7-2 in 7 innings, box:

 

2B E. Patterson 2/4, R, 2 RBI (4), K (4), 2 SB (4)

1B S. Moore 2/4, RBI (6), K (11), SB (4)

C J. Fox 0/4, 2 K (5), successful pickoff throw from C to first base (2nd of AFL season)

SP A. Harben 3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 K/3 BB, 2 GO-3 FO

RP C. Pignatiello 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 K/0 BB, 2 GO-1 FO, 1-0 inherited runners-scored

RP C. Rapada 0.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 K/0 BB, 0 GO-1 FO, 1-0 inherited runners-scored

 

Overall:

 

Eric Patterson: 11/36, .306/.359/.361/.720, 3 BB, 4 K, 4/4 SB

Scott Moore: 8/35, .229/.372/.371/.743, 8 BB, 11 K, 4/4 SB

Jake Fox: 6/22, .273/.273/.409/.682, 0 BB, 5 K, 1/1 SB

Adam Harben: 7 IP, 5 ER, 10 H, 7 K/4 BB, 6.43 ERA, 2.00 WHIP

Carmen Pignatiello 3.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 K/1 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0.82 WHIP

Clay Rapada: 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 7 K/2 BB, 2.08 ERA, 0.69 WHIP

[Balsa]

Would like to see some more power out of Patterson and Moore....

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Day off in the Valley of the Sun.

[CuseCubFan69]

Jake Fox: 5/14, .357/.357/.571/.928

Jake. Fox.

 

Gotta work on that IsoD, though. :)

 

That's why I like Moore, even when he is struggling his IsoD is pretty darn good.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mesa loses 3-2, box:

 

2B E. Patterson 1/3, BB (4), K (5), SB (5), CS (1)

DH S. Moore 1/4, 2B (3)

RP L. Holdzkom 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 K/0 BB, 1 GO- 20 FO, 16 pitches (9 strikes)

 

Overall:

 

Eric Patterson: 12/39, .308/.372/.359/.731, 4 BB, 5 K, 5/6 SB

Scott Moore: 9/39, .230/.362/.385/.747, 8 BB, 11 K, 4/4 SB

Lincoln Holdzkom: 8 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 8 K/0 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0.25 WHIP

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Patterson is continuing to look like he'll be a decent player.

 

Moore's numbers are lower than what I had hoped, but his OBP is still respectable despite the low average.

 

I'd almost consider using Moore as a player on the bench in 2007.

[craig]

Has Eric made a batch of errors in front of the AFL scouts? That's probably not a great thing for boosting trade value.

 

I see Moore and Eric as similar type players. Decent prospects, have a chance to be decent major league players if they improve. But both will need to improve more than is typical for guys their age for that to happen.

 

I'd definitely not like for Moore to be on the big-league bench. He's got a chance to be a useful player, but he's not going to have a chance to improve as needed while sitting on the bench. He needs to see lots of AAA brreaking balls. Plus, not only would a big-league season stifle his possible development, but it would also stifle his possible trade value. If he goes to Iowa, hits .290 with 28 HR's and a .375 OBP and a .915 OPS and solid defense, you've got a guy who might make a very substantial trade chip. But if he gets 60 spotty big-league AB's, and probably struggles in them besides, I don't think a GM could convince himself, his ownership, his manager, or his fans that trading for Moore was a serious pickup for his team.

 

Plus, if Moore goes to Iowa and fails, we'll know he's not good. If he goes to Iowa and excells, we'll know he's got value. But if he goes to Cubs and fails, we won't know much of anything. A year at Iowa would have more diagnostic value as well as developmental value.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

No way I'd waste Moore on the big league bench next year for all the reasons craig stated.

 

Has Eric made a batch of errors in front of the AFL scouts? That's probably not a great thing for boosting trade value.

 

EPatt has committed 3 errors (2 throwing, 1 fielding).

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scott Moore and Eric Patterson have made the first ever AFL Rising Stars Showcase (the AFL all-star game). The game will take place on Friday in Surprise.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mesa wins 12-7, box:

 

2B E. Patterson 3/6, 4 R, 2B (3), 3 RBI (7), SB (6)

DH J. Fox 0/4, RBI (7), BB (1!)

RP C. Rapada 1.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 K/0 BB, 1 GO-1 FO

 

Overall:

 

Eric Patterson: 15/45, .333/.388/.400/.788, 4 BB, 5 K, 6/7 SB

Jake Fox: 6/26, .231/.259/.308/.567, 1 BB, 5 K, 1/1 SB

Clay Rapada: 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 9 K/2 BB, 1.59 ERA, 0.53 WHIP

 

MiLB.com[/url]"]Hunter Pence went 4-for-5 and blasted a pair of two-run homers as Mesa defeated Peoria, 12-7, on Tuesday.

 

Pence's liner over the right-field wall gave the Solar Sox (7-6) a 7-0 lead in the second inning. His third roundtripper of the Arizona Fall League came in the eighth, also driving in Eric Patterson to give Mesa a four-run lead.

 

The 23-year-old Houston Astros outfield prospect is 13-for-25 with eight RBIs over his last six games, improving his batting average to .367.

 

Patterson went 3-for-6 with four runs and three RBIs, and David Winfree smacked a solo homer in the ninth.

 

Solar Sox reliever Troy Patton (1-0) notched the win despite surrendering three runs on five hits without a walk in three innings. He struck out one.

 

Saguaros starter Stuart Pomeranz (0-1) was roughed up for seven runs on eight hits and one walk without fanning a batter in 1 2/3 frames.

 

New York Yankees prospect Eric Duncan led Peoria (7-6), going 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in the third. Josh Whitesell lashed two doubles as his batting average inched up to .414.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scout.com with a little story about Adam Harben and a brief mention of Fox, Moore and Patterson.

[mg420]

i have a wonder if the cubs will trade eyre or ohman and put rapada & pignatello in the pen in 2007? perhaps the dodgers would be interested in them for drew.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

i have a wonder if the cubs will trade eyre or ohman and put rapada & pignatello in the pen in 2007? perhaps the dodgers would be interested in them for drew.

 

Not so much Piggy, but Rapada certainly deserves a long look on making the big league team this coming spring (and the 40-man this December).

[mg420]

i have a wonder if the cubs will trade eyre or ohman and put rapada & pignatello in the pen in 2007? perhaps the dodgers would be interested in them for drew.

 

Not so much Piggy, but Rapada certainly deserves a long look on making the big league team this coming spring (and the 40-man this December).

 

pignatello had a very good year at aa and started out well in iowa too. he might be an option becasue as a former starter he would make a good long man out of the pen. they also have campusano from the left side and holdzkom & harben from the right as possibilities for 2007.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I don't think Harben, Holdzkom or Campusano are really a possiblity for the 2007 Cubs pen. All three of them are too far back in the depth chart with too little experience in the high minors (and Harben will probably be used as a starter too) to be viable options before September.

[mg420]

I don't think Harben, Holdzkom or Campusano are really a possiblity for the 2007 Cubs pen. All three of them are too far back in the depth chart with too little experience in the high minors (and Harben will probably be used as a starter too) to be viable options before September.

 

they are probably not options coming out of spring training but if guys like aardsma & dempster falter or in case of injuries, they might not be too far back on the depth chart to get a shot. assuming wood will be signed and one or both of howry & eyre are traded, that still leaves a few spots open. guzman, mateo & marshall need to be starting and marmol should be switched to closing at iowa imo.

[Balsa]

I like that IsoD from Patterson. And that power seems to be coming along...this kid could be really exciting. And it seems he's good at stealing bases too.

[craig]

Nice to see Patterson hitting well, and getting some doubles.

 

I've never been on the Eric Patterson bandwagon. At Peoria I thought he struck out too much without enough HR's to sustain his average at higher levels. And in my experience often guys walk less when they are facing better pitchers or are struggling with K's or batting average, so I feared that his walk rate as well as his average would slip. I also feared that his SB--virtue at Peoria would not be sustainable at higher levels. Some of those fears were realized at WTenn: his average slipped as expected, and his K-rate remained high.

 

But late in the season, his K-rate really dropped. And did so without coming at the expense of either walks or power. Now he's sustaining that reduced K-rate thus far in AFL, small sample size and tough-on-breaking-balls as it may be.

 

His walk rate has held up well. His SB-success has actually improved, at least in terms of efficiency.

 

If in fact he's able to sustain a drastically reduced K rate, without in any way compromising his power or BABIP or IsoD in the process, then he's got a chance to be a pretty good offensive player.

 

With a 13% K-rate, 10HR/500 AB, and a .310 BABIP, I'd be looking at a .284/.349-OBP guy. With a .150 IsoP, we're up around .780 in OPS. If he was a good basestealer and went 35SB/13CS, his SB/CS adjusted OPS could be around .800. That could be pretty good for a 2B.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scott Moore starting in LF for Mesa today. :shock: