Minor League Discussion & Boxes 6-3-12

[Rizzo Smash]

From @NBALiva

its 400 feet to center, then a 20 foot batters eye. That one from Baez cleared it all. 450 at least. Farther than last nights.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Kevin Goldstein @Kevin_Goldstein

 

RT @15daysinmay: @Kevin_Goldstein Baez just hit a bomb over the batter's eye. 430-plus is a good estimate.

 

As long as that's what he wants to keep doing, I'm perfectly fine with him doing WTF he wants.

[Named After Maddux]

Great play to his left and off balance throw by Baez to get Jorge Bonifacio by a step.

[Tryptamine]

It's way to early for the comparison, but Baez is showing Stanton type power. I can't even fathom what it would be like to have a player like him that could play 3B.

[Named After Maddux]

Actually I'll add another one by Baez!! Deep throw from grass! He is having a great game!

[Guest]

Wow, his first name is Ednel? No wonder he goes by Javier.

[Guest]

It's way to early for the comparison, but Baez is showing Stanton type power. I can't even fathom what it would be like to have a player like him that could play 3B.

How about SS?

[Guest]

It would be awesome to have a legit uber-prospect just tearing up the minors.

[Tryptamine]

It's way to early for the comparison, but Baez is showing Stanton type power. I can't even fathom what it would be like to have a player like him that could play 3B.

How about SS?

 

I'm trying to keep myself from lethal levels of excitement.

[Guest]

It would be awesome to have a legit uber-prospect just tearing up the minors.

I wish we had a top prospect putting up a line like this one right now: .357/.420/.714/1.133 ;)

[Guest]

It would be awesome to have a legit uber-prospect just tearing up the minors.

I wish we had a top prospect putting up a line like this one right now: .357/.420/.714/1.133 ;)

 

I knew that was gonna come up. Rizzo is a really nice prospect, but not uber, IMO. Yay for subjective labels. :)

Edited June 3, 2012 by David

[Guest]

Giansanti is down after getting hit at third making the play. Called ambulance and will be going to the hospital. Baez in at SS.

 

Yikes. Hope it's not serious.

 

And holy crap, Baez.

[Tryptamine]

It would be awesome to have a legit uber-prospect just tearing up the minors.

I wish we had a top prospect putting up a line like this one right now: .357/.420/.714/1.133 ;)

 

I knew that was gonna come up. Rizzo is a really nice prospect, but not uber, IMO. Yay for subjective labels.

 

Agreed. Rizzo is a great prospect, but he's not elite. Baez is showing the potential to be mentioned in the same breath as guys like Profar/Machado etc.

[Guest]

It would be awesome to have a legit uber-prospect just tearing up the minors.

I wish we had a top prospect putting up a line like this one right now: .357/.420/.714/1.133 ;)

 

I knew that was gonna come up. Rizzo is a really nice prospect, but not uber, IMO. Yay for subjective labels. :)

Understood.

 

Mark Prior's rush through the minors was short, but awesome. 34.2 IP, 55K/10BB in his professional debut. In AA.

 

Starlin Castro in AA: .376/.421/.569/.990

 

Good times.

[Guest]

@Kevin_Goldstein That, and ignoring take sign. RT @MikeyLo34 @Kevin_Goldstein What was in trouble for? Swinging 3-0 with a big lead?

 

@Kevin_Goldstein As high as 70 potential. RT @TrentRyan99: @Kevin_Goldstein Where would you put Baez's power on the 20-80 scale?

[El Duderino]

70 power?

 

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070322131233/uncyclopedia/images/4/4b/Overvegeta.jpg

[Guest]

Starling Peralta is now pitching for Peoria. Hope this is only because it's an extra inning game and not a sign that he is no longer piggybacking/splitting starts.

 

And Peralta faces 3 batters and the Chiefs promptly lose.

[TruffleShuffle]

Ryan Harvey had 70 power too. It's fun to see Baez hitting balls far, but I think everyone knew he could do that. I'll be more interested in how he hits breaking pitches and whether he can develop some patience at the plate.

[Magnetic Curses]

Ryan Harvey had 70 power too. It's fun to see Baez hitting balls far, but I think everyone knew he could do that. I'll be more interested in how he hits breaking pitches and whether he can develop some patience at the plate.

 

i don't think harvey ever had that kind of power, though. he was just a kid that was a really really good high school hitter.

[BeerHere]

Ryan Harvey had 70 power too. It's fun to see Baez hitting balls far, but I think everyone knew he could do that. I'll be more interested in how he hits breaking pitches and whether he can develop some patience at the plate.

This. I like a player with some attitude but if he's getting in trouble with his coaches in his first week of pro ball he going to need to tone it down a little.

[KingCubsFan]

Ryan Harvey had 70 power too. It's fun to see Baez hitting balls far, but I think everyone knew he could do that. I'll be more interested in how he hits breaking pitches and whether he can develop some patience at the plate.

 

i don't think harvey ever had that kind of power, though. he was just a kid that was a really really good high school hitter.

No, he definitely had that kind of power. I think some people said he had 80 power when he was drafted. He just had no pitch recognition skills.

[Guest]

Ryan Harvey had 70 power too. It's fun to see Baez hitting balls far, but I think everyone knew he could do that. I'll be more interested in how he hits breaking pitches and whether he can develop some patience at the plate.

 

i don't think harvey ever had that kind of power, though. he was just a kid that was a really really good high school hitter.

No, he definitely had that kind of power. I think some people said he had 80 power when he was drafted. He just had no pitch recognition skills.

I remember being a spring training way back in the day and being thrilled at the display of power between Harvey and Dope.

 

Unfortunately, that was batting practice. Games...not so much.

[KingCubsFan]

Ryan Harvey had 70 power too. It's fun to see Baez hitting balls far, but I think everyone knew he could do that. I'll be more interested in how he hits breaking pitches and whether he can develop some patience at the plate.

 

i don't think harvey ever had that kind of power, though. he was just a kid that was a really really good high school hitter.

No, he definitely had that kind of power. I think some people said he had 80 power when he was drafted. He just had no pitch recognition skills.

I remember being a spring training way back in the day and being thrilled at the display of power between Harvey and Dope.

 

Unfortunately, that was batting practice. Games...not so much.

That Lansing season by Dopirak was amazing.

[Guest]

When did Kane County start charging for parking? That was an embarrassing and annoying side trip to the ATM.

 

Anyway, thoughts from the game

 

DeVoss - Squared up a single and looked quick running the bases, made a couple plays moving to his right on slow choppers

 

Easterling - Hit a sharp line drive for a double in the first and hit a tailing liner to right later in the game. Looked handsome throughout.

 

Giansanti - Well built guy, didn't remember his hit going for a double, but it was struck well. Looked really rigid in the field, surprising he only had one error. Injury was kinda scary. Took a hard ground ball off the chest, regrouped and threw the guy out. Then had hands on knees until the training staff came out, and slowly fell to the ground like he was getting dizzy. Eventually got to his feet and walked off.

 

Hoilman - Looks the part physically, but his swing looked long and slow to my amateur eye.

 

Darvill - Rail thin, quick and compact stroke. Hit a bloop single and 4 other sharply hit line drives, deserved better than 2/4 w/ no XBH. Defensively made 2 errors at SS, the first he kicked a ball trying to start a DP before he had it, the other he just kicked a routine ground ball. Made another play in that inning to at least get through the rough day on a high note.

 

Balaguert - Looked bad on a breaking ball in his 1st AB, but he hit a sharp line drive on a fastball, and then singled the other way on a breaking pitch for his hit. Started a relay with Darvill that cut down a runner at the plate, and then threw out another runner at the plate by himself after the Giansanti error. Both throws were right on the money.

 

Zapata - Surprised at his body type, shorter and decently filled out. Tried a half hearted drag bunt in more than one at bat without any success, and his HR was a line drive that hooked into the first row.

 

Burruel - Built like a fire hydrant, had some issues blocking pitches, and didn't look good at the plate

 

Chen - Somehow thinner than Darvill. His 3B was a line drive the CF dove and missed, he could've tried for the HR but got held up. Hit at least one more ball sharply, although at this point his ABs might be bleeding into Darvill's in my mind.

 

Baez - Was really disappointed he didn't start(especially given the likely reason), but he made himself known as the best player on the field for the 3+ innings he was out there. Crushed the first pitch he saw out to CF over the batter's eye. Circled around a roller to his right and quick release to get Bonifacio. Dove to his right and got up with a line drive throw to get another runner. Ranged to the 2B bag to field another ground ball and make routine. Second AB was pitched away, away, away, then he foul tipped a hanging slider for the K. Not all that tall, and very fluid movements. He's looking to yank everything out of the park, so he'll have to work on approach, although from the small sample he was discerning in his at bats.

 

Burke - Really disappointed, and not just with the results. Struggled to hit 90(assuming the Kane County gun is 3-5 mph slow), off speed stuff didn't seem very sharp, pickoff move was obvious. The HR to Trapp was a bomb on par with Baez's last night, and he gave up several very loud line drives. Seemed to have okay deception in the delivery though.

 

Pena - Best velocity of any pitcher for either side today. Got out of trouble with a K on a gift call, and was otherwise unremarkable

 

Cervenka - Big, thick dude with no velocity. Looked like was struggling to spin his slider like he'd like to.

 

Peralta - Didn't pick up anything of note on his stuff. The triple was a tailing liner to right that bounced strangely in the corner, then he pitched around Bonifacio before the GW hit.

 

Other things of note:

- I sat near the two Cubs pitch charters, which after checking the roster appears to be Concepcion and either Austin Reed or Ben Wells. Fleita came down to talk to them after the 4th inning and asked some questions about Burke's performance judging by how they were looking at charts. I was a bit surprised Fleita would be there given that the draft is in 24 hours, but if any exec would be there it would be him.

- The Cougars field staff were throwing water baloons and bean bag baseballs into the crowd between innings, and in an attempt to refresh the fans behind the plate, they threw a water balloon that hit the netting behind the plate, spraying water all over Reed/Wells and his scorebook. He was not pleased.

- Peoria's coaching staff seemed to be communicating with Reed/Wells with some regularity. I think he was communicating pitch counts back to the bench.

- With another Baez at bat looking like a long shot, I was ready to get out of there and was pretty happy the game was over in 10 innings. Some White Sox fan apparently took my immediate exit after the GW hit to be anger at the Chiefs loss(given my Cubs shirt), and called out "Cubs lose, Cubs lose" to me and other Cubs fans in earshot. White Sox fans are weird.

 

 

 

tl;dr Baez is awesome, Burke bummed me out, Fleita isn't allowed at the cool kids table, and White Sox fans are weird

[Guest]

Thanks, TT!