Where do guys start the season? Hitters Edition

[UK1679666180]

If the weather allows, I'll be there for at least Thurs and Fri.

[Guest]

@BoiseHawksRadio: 17 Former Boise Hawks on AA Tennessee Smokies roster - Pos. Players include Brenly, Flores, Bour, Cerda, Mota, Ridling, Soto, Watkins, & Ha

 

@BoiseHawksRadio: Former Boise Pitchers at AA Tennessee include Antigua, Beeler, Cabrera, Hatley, McNutt, Raley, Rhee, and Searle

[craig]

.@peoriachiefs: The Chiefs Opening Day starter Thursday night in Beloit will be RHP Michael Jensen. RH PJ Francescon starts Friday and RH Jose Rosario Sat.

 

I read that it's Wells-Burke game 4.

 

That would leave Cruz for game 5, presumably, with Wang/Liria/whomever as other piggy-back types.

 

I'm glad that Jensen is starting. Not big, he had good velocity but not overwhelming and I'm not sure how fast he'll really be when he's grinding out a start every 5 days, his breaking stuff hadn't scouted as being super exciting, and his signing bonus wasn't extraordinarily large. But I'm a big believe in control, and I thought he had that, and whatever his stuff it seemed to do very well in a very competitive California JC league. So I'm optimistic that he might emerge as a good prospect.

 

Perhaps a flip is that perhaps having Jensen and francescon starting doesn't reflect super well on the international prospects. If Liria/Wang/Cruz were looking like big-time arms with big-time major-league rotation potential, they'd probably get rotation spots even if you did have a little 23-year-old changeup guy like Francescon.

[Named After Maddux]

.@peoriachiefs: The Chiefs Opening Day starter Thursday night in Beloit will be RHP Michael Jensen. RH PJ Francescon starts Friday and RH Jose Rosario Sat.

 

I read that it's Wells-Burke game 4.

 

That would leave Cruz for game 5, presumably, with Wang/Liria/whomever as other piggy-back types.

 

I'm glad that Jensen is starting. Not big, he had good velocity but not overwhelming and I'm not sure how fast he'll really be when he's grinding out a start every 5 days, his breaking stuff hadn't scouted as being super exciting, and his signing bonus wasn't extraordinarily large. But I'm a big believe in control, and I thought he had that, and whatever his stuff it seemed to do very well in a very competitive California JC league. So I'm optimistic that he might emerge as a good prospect.

 

Perhaps a flip is that perhaps having Jensen and francescon starting doesn't reflect super well on the international prospects. If Liria/Wang/Cruz were looking like big-time arms with big-time major-league rotation potential, they'd probably get rotation spots even if you did have a little 23-year-old changeup guy like Francescon.

 

Ok I'm feeling pretty good about that game 4 pitching set-up. I am quite surprised at the international prospects: Liria, Wang, Cruz, (and I'd add in Starling Peralta, who's in EXST). Obviously one or two will be still in line for game 5 work, but I'm still mildly surprised this is the current Rotation. That being said, I find it encouraging that Jensen is in the Rotation. He obviously showed something this spring or in Instructs to warrent a rotation spot. After last summer, Rosario in the rotation makes perfect sense. He was really impressive down the stretch for Boise. Overall this is a rotation that is intriguing on most days. I'll be following Jensen, Wells, Burke and maybe whoever is set for game 5 pretty closely.

[Guest]

.@peoriachiefs: The Chiefs Opening Day starter Thursday night in Beloit will be RHP Michael Jensen. RH PJ Francescon starts Friday and RH Jose Rosario Sat.

 

I read that it's Wells-Burke game 4.

 

That would leave Cruz for game 5, presumably, with Wang/Liria/whomever as other piggy-back types.

 

I'm glad that Jensen is starting. Not big, he had good velocity but not overwhelming and I'm not sure how fast he'll really be when he's grinding out a start every 5 days, his breaking stuff hadn't scouted as being super exciting, and his signing bonus wasn't extraordinarily large. But I'm a big believe in control, and I thought he had that, and whatever his stuff it seemed to do very well in a very competitive California JC league. So I'm optimistic that he might emerge as a good prospect.

 

Perhaps a flip is that perhaps having Jensen and francescon starting doesn't reflect super well on the international prospects. If Liria/Wang/Cruz were looking like big-time arms with big-time major-league rotation potential, they'd probably get rotation spots even if you did have a little 23-year-old changeup guy like Francescon.

 

Ok I'm feeling pretty good about that game 4 pitching set-up. I am quite surprised at the international prospects: Liria, Wang, Cruz, (and I'd add in Starling Peralta, who's in EXST). Obviously one or two will be still in line for game 5 work, but I'm still mildly surprised this is the current Rotation. That being said, I find it encouraging that Jensen is in the Rotation. He obviously showed something this spring or in Instructs to warrent a rotation spot. After last summer, Rosario in the rotation makes perfect sense. He was really impressive down the stretch for Boise. Overall this is a rotation that is intriguing on most days. I'll be following Jensen, Wells, Burke and maybe whoever is set for game 5 pretty closely.

 

I assume most of those int'l guys are piggy-backing. It doesn't matter too much at the start of the season as the piggy backer will wind up with a few starts and we've seen pitchers who've pitched well in the second end of the piggyback become full-time starters once they're stretched out.

 

Peralta is hurt which is why he's still in Mesa.

[Guest]

Smokies roster: http://smokiesonradio.com/2012/04/04/smokies-2012-opening-day-roster-announced/

[toonsterwu]

As raisin notes, it really isn't a big deal at the start who starts for peoria. One thing I will say is that wang, while I have personal bias and hope he succeeds, seems to get a bit overhyped. Nice arm, but ceiling isnt huge. Cruz is more wishful thinking - its no guarantee that physcial maturation will lead to better stuff. In liria's case, a guy I like, his command is a big issue.

 

As a side note, asked azphil about paulino, and he said amaury (and someone else) had not shown up yet.

[davell]

By the way, since this thread has kind of taken over, anyone else find it mysterious as to how Hayden Simpson, who I haven't read anything positive about all offseason, has wound up in Daytona? Last I heard, he was struggling to hit 90.....

[toonsterwu]

Yeah, I was a bit surprised. I half wonder if this is make or break for him in that, I wonder if they might ponder a pen move with him. Seems odd to send him to Daytona, although the warmer weather may be a factor.

[UK1679666180]

If the weather allows, I'll be there for at least Thurs and Fri.

 

I have some volunteer work with an animal rescue group on Thurs. so I'll be there on Fri and Sat.

[craig]

As raisin notes, it really isn't a big deal at the start who starts for peoria. One thing I will say is that wang, while I have personal bias and hope he succeeds, seems to get a bit overhyped. Nice arm, but ceiling isnt huge. Cruz is more wishful thinking - its no guarantee that physcial maturation will lead to better stuff. In liria's case, a guy I like, his command is a big issue.

 

You never know with projection, of course. Will the projectible guy ever get faster, refine his promising slider, improve his promising control, or upgrade his promising changeup?

 

But my understanding is that the Cubs scouts are pretty interested in Cruz. They think he has a wicked slider and a decent fastball. Control is a problem, of course, and a wicked slider can serve very well in relief. So maybe they'll just Loogy-track him. But I think they see his stuff/slider/potential as being at a different level than guys like Wang or Antigua.

[toonsterwu]

Honestly, my guess is that of the three remaining candidates that we don't know about yet, two of them will share a date, with the third guy likely acting as a floater for the first three starters.

 

As for Cruz, I was speaking more to his fastball. There are some that hope that, as he physically matures, that he might be able to hit 92/93 on a consistent basis.

[craig]

..

As for Cruz, I was speaking more to his fastball. There are some that hope that, as he physically matures, that he might be able to hit 92/93 on a consistent basis.

 

A consistent 92/93 lefty with a wicked slider could be pretty good.... if he had good control.

 

Or Felix Heredia if he doesn't have much control....

[toonsterwu]

He's not there yet, though. Depending on the gun, he occasionally hit 92/93 last year, but he sat mostly high 80's/low 90's.

 

Don't get me wrong, I want him in the rotation. I was simply noting reasons why certain guys might not end up there. Heck, I'd love to keep Reed in a piggybacking/rotation type gig as well (but Reed does make sense for pen work because of his mechanical inconsistency).

[Guest]

@Kevin_Goldstein Since many have asked, I've been informed by #Cubs officials that while things could change, the plan is for Javier Baez to play in Boise.

[toonsterwu]

Interesting. For all the talk about learning the "cubs way", i wonder if the baez decision had as much to do with his "readiness" level as it had to do with another young talent, someone more likely to stick at short, perhaps looking better than him (Marco Hernandez.)

[Little Slide Rooter]

A couple of names that arent coming up on any roster are Dunston and Gretzky. I'll assume that they're ticketed for AZL?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Whoa ... AzPhil notes Marquez Smith got released. Not shocking, but a bit surprising. That said, there was going to be some surprise releases in the upper levels. I had simply thought it would be a guy like Jim Adducci (who AzPhil notes was demoted to AA), or someone of that ilk.

With Rizzo + Vitters, there wasn't going to much corner IF playing time available for Smith.

 

Not bothered by it, but not sure the point of getting rid of him over some of the 30 somethings.