Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-22-12

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa won 2-1 Box Score

 

CF B. Jackson 0/4

RF D. Sappelt 1/4

2B A. Cardenas 2/3, 3B (3), SB (1

1B A. Rizzo 1/3, R, 2B (2), BB, K, E (3, throw)

C W. Castillo 1/4, 2B (4), RBI, K, PB (2)

3B J. Vitters 0/3, K

SP C. Rusin 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, HBP, 14-4 GO-FO, 93-62 pitches-strikes

RP B. Parker 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2-1 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 7-6 Box Score

 

2B L. Watins 2/5, 3B (1), RBI, K

CF JH Ha 0/4, K

1B J. Bour 2/5, R, RBI, 3 K

LF R. Ridling 2/4, 2 2B (4), RBI, BB, K

RF M. Burgess 1/4

PH-CF J. Adduci 2/2, R

SP R. Searle 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HBP, 5-5 GO-FO, 63-41 pitches-strikes

RP C. Weathers 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HBP, 1-0 GO-FO

RP C. Harman 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1-1 GO-FO

 

Daytona won 6-2 Box Score

 

DH M. Szczur 1/3, R, RBI, BB, 3 SB (8)

2B R. Torreyes 1/3, 3B (2), BB

3B G. Rohan 1/3, R, BB, K

CF E. Bonne 1/3, R, HR (2), RBI

LF R. Silva 2/4, R, 3B (1), 2 RBI, CS (3), OF assist at third base

SS A. Alcantara 0/2, R, BB

SP M. Loosen 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, HBP, 3-0 GO-FO

RP B. Wallach 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 4-1 GO-FO

RP T. Zych 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-1 GO-FO

 

Peoria won 2-0 Box Score

 

2B Z. DeVoss 2/2, R, BB, HBP

RF O. Zapata 1/3, R, BB, K

DH P. Hoilman 1/4, 2 K

CF T. Easterling 1/3, RBI, CS (1)

SS M. Hernandez 0/3, K

LF PC Chen 0/3

SP PJ Francescon 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 8-4 GO-FO

RP A. McKirahan 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO

 

OVERALL: 3-1

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: LHP Chris Rusin (1-2, 5.40 ERA, 13.1 IP, 5 K, 4 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Ryan Searle (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 IP, 10 K, 1 BB)

Daytona: RHP Matt Loosen (0-1, 81.00 ERA, 0.1 IP, 0 K, 4 BB)

Peoria: RHP PJ Francescon (0-1, 3.86 ERA, 14 IP, 13 K, 3 BB)

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Who is PJ Francescon and does he have a good arm?

 

What Google taught me:

 

23 years old

Short

RH

Built like a fire hydrant

Not a dominant K rate in college last year

Not a big name school (Trevecca Nazarene)

 

Anything on his stuff?

 

Oh and gooooooooooo Simpson!

[Guest]

Who is PJ Francescon and does he have a good arm?

 

What Google taught me:

 

23 years old

Short

RH

Built like a fire hydrant

Not a dominant K rate in college last year

Not a big name school (Trevecca Nazarene)

 

Anything on his stuff?

 

Oh and gooooooooooo Simpson!

 

88-91 mph FB with a good curve and a passable change per UK's report when he saw him on opening week. Projects as a reliever further up in the minors.

[toonsterwu]

I believe Francescon started at another school, quit baseball for a year, and then landed at Treveca (unless I'm thinking of another prospect that ended up going the small school route). For the most part, he's viewed as a guy with a good change that is in the low 90's with an average breaking ball (this doesn't really go against UK's report, he said PJ's curve projects as ML average, but that his change had good arm action so the report doesn't really run counter to the other reports out there, just could've been an off day on the change).

 

Ceiling isn't high, but I've heard that MWL scouts were impressed with his polish last year. Granted, he made most of his MWL outings last year out of the pen. His ultimate ceiling is probably a mid-rotation starter if the change becomes plus. Have heard that his fastball was a bit faster last year out of the pen, so he could be a fast/change guy out of the pen perhaps, but even then, hard to see it as anything more than a middle reliever.

[ctcf]

Vitters is hitting 6th today. I believe that's his first time outside of the 8-spot.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Vitters is hitting 6th today. I believe that's his first time outside of the 8-spot.

 

LORD VITTERS!

 

Yes, master?

 

Riiiiiise.

 

No seriously, Hurry up and break out.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

 

88-91 mph FB with a good curve and a passable change per UK's report when he saw him on opening week. Projects as a reliever further up in the minors.

 

Screams reliever...Can I assume someone more interesting piggy backs with him? Probably not since interesting doesn't describe most of the arms in the system, but someone younger with a tick better projection maybe even preset stuff?

Edited April 22, 2012 by PriortoTheoIhadWood

[Guest]

Oh and gooooooooooo Simpson!

 

Loosen now starting for Daytona and Simpson goes tomorrow.

[ctcf]

Vitters is hitting 6th today. I believe that's his first time outside of the 8-spot.

 

LORD VITTERS!

 

Yes, master?

 

Riiiiiise.

 

No seriously, Hurry up and break out.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about Vitters for now. Given his surprisingly large increase in walks to start the year, I get the impression they're trying to get him to change his general approach at the plate. It'll probably take a while for him to adjust.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Vitters is hitting 6th today. I believe that's his first time outside of the 8-spot.

 

LORD VITTERS!

 

Yes, master?

 

Riiiiiise.

 

No seriously, Hurry up and break out.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about Vitters for now. Given his surprisingly large increase in walks to start the year, I get the impression they're trying to get him to change his general approach at the plate. It'll probably take a while for him to adjust.

 

Not worried at all...I openly expect at least goodness from Vitters. Love that he's been working more favorable counts this year because everything else might fall into place given the rest of his skillset. He's only behind Castro and Baez in raw talent as a hitter IMO...and like both he's tough to K and has a pretty, fast swing...Just can't quit on that kind of talent.

 

I assume The weather is crappy and that's why Simpson isn't going? Something that might make it tough to get loose...hence they're using Loosen...ugh...sorry. Or maybe Simpson just can't go today.

Edited April 22, 2012 by PriortoTheoIhadWood

[Guest]

I assume The weather is crappy and that's why Simpson isn't going? Something that might make it tough to get loose...hence they're using Loosen...ugh...sorry. Or maybe Simpson just can't go today.

 

Daytona doesn't list the probable starters the night before so I was just going with the order from last time around. I wasn't aware Loosen was coming off the DL until a few minutes ago.

[toonsterwu]

Well, Loosen's been on the shelf since that first start. There wasn't any report of an injury (to my knowledge). Could be they wanted to give him another go, or could be he had a minor injury and was finally healthy. He's a mildly intriguing arm in his own right, although with no real plus pitch, more of a "4/5" deep arsenal type of guy profile. *Raisin notes he was on the DL. I haven't really been paying attention, so perhaps he just go off injury and this was the best slot for him. And I see Casey Harman got the bump to AA as a result.

 

As for Francescon, he's a "rotation" guy who isn't getting a full-workload (whereas Jensen is averaging 6). That is, he doesn't have a set piggyback partner (Wells/Burke). I mean, betting money on most of these arms is "reliever", so yeah, he might be a reliever, but if the change develops into a plus pitch, that's a mid-rotation ceiling (fastball/curve being average projections), along with his solid command.

 

The other note is that, despite my intrigue with the arms in Peoria to start the year, some of them haven't gotten off to good starts/developed. Liria occasionally comes in early (he came in for Francescon in the 4th in Francescon's first start), but he still doesn't show command, by most accounts. Cruz is still mostly in the high 80's. The one non-starter/piggyback guy throwing fairly well is Yao-lin Wang.

[MWV]

Rusin with only 1 hit and 3 K through 4 IP.

[ctcf]

Rusin with only 1 hit and 3 K through 4 IP.

 

On 33 pitches, no less.

 

The Fantastic Four are sadly a combined 0-8 so far.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Do we see Rusin this year?

[toonsterwu]

Do we see Rusin this year?

 

Rotation? Only in an emergency would be my guess. Wood is ahead of him lefty wise, and in an emergency, Coleman probably gets the nod (40 man status). But you never know.

 

In the pen? Wouldn't rule it out. Doubt it, but wouldn't rule it out.

 

My guess is that he's a slightly better JR Mathes - a guy who is in our AAA rotation for a couple years. He really needs a lot of things to happen to get a shot, IMO, as some of those AA arms might get called up ahead of him if they needed a starter, and Beliveau/Maine, and maybe Antigua, are ahead of him as lefties to throw in the pen.

[JockJones]

Oliver Zapata has been rather impressive so far at Peoria.

[ctcf]

Back to back doubles for Rizzo and Castillo

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Back to back doubles for Rizzo and Castillo

 

I keep reminding myself that Rizzo is *still* young for the league.

[CubColtPacer]

Back to back doubles for Rizzo and Castillo

 

I keep reminding myself that Rizzo is *still* young for the league.

 

Yup. Only 3 weeks older than Vitters in fact.

[Guest]

Rusin has been impressive today - 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K on 93 pitches. Parker is in so he's not going for the CG.

 

Francescon has been equally good - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K and will be going out for the 7th.

[toonsterwu]

I haven't been paying close attention to the game, but it sounded like Francescon's slider was really fooling the Lugnut batters early.

[Guest]

Peoria's offense is so depressing.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil takes a stab at Boise and Mesa's roster when their season opens:

 

Arizona Phil[/url]"]Figuring that Gerardo Concepcion, Frank del Valle, Starling Peralta, Rob Whitenack, and Pierre LePage will move up to Peoria or Daytona before the conclusion of Extended Spring Training, if you take the EXST Cubs roster as it presently stands (players on Active List plus rehab guys likely to get assigned to Boise or AZL Cubs once they are active) and divide the squad up into two teams (Boise and AZL Cubs), right now the two rosters would probably look like this:

 

* bats or throws left

# bats both

 

BOISE:

 

PITCHERS:

* Hunter Ackerman

Ian Dickson

Ramon Garcia

Ryan Hartman

Su-Min Jung

Jin-Young Kim

Pete Levitt

Carlos Martinez

* Sheldon McDonald

Roderik Pichardo

James Pugliese

* Brian Smith

Charles Thomas

 

CATCHERS:

Yaniel Cabezas

Wilson Contreras

Anthony Giansanti

 

INFIELDERS:

Gioskar Amaya

Javier Baez

Jair Bogaerts

# Jeimer Candelario

* Brian Inoa

# Rock Shoulders

* Dan Vogelbach

 

OUTFIELDERS:

Yasiel Balaguert

Xavier Batista

Dong-Yub Kim

Trey Martin

 

AZL CUBS (MESA)

 

PITCHERS:

Jose Arias

Rafael Diplan

Ethan Elias

David Henrie

Arturo Maltos-Garcia

Dillon Maples

Amaury Paulino

Felix Pena

Tayler Scott

* Matt Spencer (ex-OF)

Austin Urban

 

CATCHERS:

* Justin Marra

* Alberto Mineo

* Wilfredo Petit

Neftali Rosario

 

INFIELDERS:

Luis Acosta

* Trevor Gretzky

* Danny Lockhart

# Mark Malave

Carlos Penalver

 

OUTFIELDERS:

* Delbis Arcila

Jeffrey Baez

* Shawon Dunston Jr

# Kevin Encarnacion

* Garrett Schlecht

 

Those would be some very interesting lineups.