Minor League Discussion & Boxes 8-12-12

[Guest]

Logan Watkins is having quite an impressive season, as a soon to be 23 year old w/the Smokies. He's walking a lot, and hitting pretty decently also (.282/.381/.405). How's his glove? Chance he has an impact with the big league club?

 

Good defense at 2B (obviously not Darwin Barney) and can play at SS.

 

He could be a utility guy or a 2nd team starter.

[rawaction]

Logan Watkins is having quite an impressive season, as a soon to be 23 year old w/the Smokies. He's walking a lot, and hitting pretty decently also (.282/.381/.405). How's his glove? Chance he has an impact with the big league club?

 

Watkins kinda reminds me of Ryan Theriot. I think Watkins is actually a much better talent/player at this stage. At 23 in AA, Theriot hit .236/.351/.270, and repeated low A and AA the next 2 years at 24 and 25, respectively. Watkins won't be miscast as a ML SS, is better defensively than Theriot at 2B, I think his BB rate is more sustainable, he has significantly more power (despite not having much power), and he is a better baserunner. But the comparison I made is in the sense that I can see Watkins having a similar ML impact. Watkins is a 25-30 type prospect in the organization, who I'd imagine most fans or even the FO don't have very high hopes for. But I can see him hanging around the minors for another year or two, getting a late call-up and forcing himself to get some ABs in the following season, with the potential for some cheap average production for a couple years. Of course, unlike Theriot, he won't be coming up on a team devoid of middle IF prospects, so he may have to get his shot in another organization.

[craig]

Good points.

 

One difference for Watkins versus Theriot and Barney is that they were contact hitters. He whiffs quite a lot. Sometimes guys who are K'ing that often in AA have more issues stepping up to better breaking balls. But it's possible that he'll adapt well.

 

I don't view Watkins as anything comparable to Szczur as a prospect. But they are basically the same age and have almost interchangeable stats (BA, OBP, slugging, OPS, are almost the same.) With Watkins having played at a higher league most of the year. And with middle infield being as or perhaps more valuable defensively.

 

Obviously Szczur is perceived as having more improvement potential, given his smaller volume of pro AB's.

[El Duderino]

Pics from yesterday's Chiefs game (some good ones of Soler): http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.156257174498557.5086.101307466660195&type=1

[Little Slide Rooter]

Nice start by Smokies starter Yoannis Negrin. 5IP 1 H 0 R 1/4 BB/K. Now who the hell is Yoannis Negrin?

[jumbo]

I usually wait for the next day to read each day's results, but I went to first inning to check out my list of prospects and saw that Watkins had 3 BB today. My reaction was that he should be promoted. When I looked up his BB rate by month I wasn't really surprised, but, I kind of was:

April 10.1%

May 8.1

June 14.3

July 13.3

August 19.2

 

Of course, his 16.7% K-rate may not indicate mastery of the strike zone, but I'm impressed.

[Guest]

Marco Hernandez ups his hitting streak to 17 games.

[Vinestal]

Nice start by Smokies starter Yoannis Negrin. 5IP 1 H 0 R 1/4 BB/K. Now who the hell is Yoannis Negrin?

A 28 year old recently added from a Mexican league team.

[Guest]

Nice start by Smokies starter Yoannis Negrin. 5IP 1 H 0 R 1/4 BB/K. Now who the hell is Yoannis Negrin?

A 28 year old recently added from a Mexican league team.

 

He's a Cuban defector signed by the Cubs in 2011. Since the Cubs loaned him to the Mexican League this year, it's safe to assume he's not too interesting a guy.

[ctcf]

Nice start by Smokies starter Yoannis Negrin. 5IP 1 H 0 R 1/4 BB/K. Now who the hell is Yoannis Negrin?

A 28 year old recently added from a Mexican league team.

 

He's a Cuban defector signed by the Cubs in 2011. Since the Cubs loaned him to the Mexican League this year, it's safe to assume he's not too interesting a guy.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we have WSR's new favorite prospect.

[Guest]

Poor Austin Fairchild had a tough time with the AZL Cubs today.

 

AZL Cubs Top of the 1st

Shawon Dunston walks.

Daniel Lockhart walks. Shawon Dunston to 2nd.

With Albert Almora batting, Shawon Dunston steals (2) 3rd base. Daniel Lockhart steals (7) 2nd base.

Albert Almora walks.

Jacob Rogers hit by pitch. Shawon Dunston scores. Daniel Lockhart to 3rd. Albert Almora to 2nd.

Yasiel Balaguert walks. Daniel Lockhart scores. Albert Almora to 3rd. Jacob Rogers to 2nd.

Pitching Change: Matt Tenuta replaces Austin Fairchild.

[Guest]

Nice start by Smokies starter Yoannis Negrin. 5IP 1 H 0 R 1/4 BB/K. Now who the hell is Yoannis Negrin?

A 28 year old recently added from a Mexican league team.

 

He's a Cuban defector signed by the Cubs in 2011. Since the Cubs loaned him to the Mexican League this year, it's safe to assume he's not too interesting a guy.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we have WSR's new favorite prospect.

 

I don't get it

[davell]

He's been big on a 20 or 21 year old in the DSL all year.

[davell]

4 6 3 2 1 4 line for McNeil tonight. Cool to see the extra work, maybe we'll get a few 4-5 inning starts out of Johnson and Blackburn by the end of the season. Doubt Underwood and Maples have enough time to get there.

[wvcbxl]

... I went to first inning to check out my list of prospects and saw that Watkins had 3 BB today. My reaction was that he should be promoted. When I looked up his BB rate by month I wasn't really surprised, but, I kind of was:

April 10.1%

May 8.1

June 14.3

July 13.3

August 19.2

 

Of course, his 16.7% K-rate may not indicate mastery of the strike zone, but I'm impressed.

 

:wink:

[Guest]

4 6 3 2 1 4 line for McNeil tonight. Cool to see the extra work, maybe we'll get a few 4-5 inning starts out of Johnson and Blackburn by the end of the season. Doubt Underwood and Maples have enough time to get there.

 

Never trust those AZL box scores. McNeil's line was revised to this: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, WP, 3-0 GO-FO.

[craig]

4 6 3 2 1 4 line for McNeil tonight. Cool to see the extra work, maybe we'll get a few 4-5 inning starts out of Johnson and Blackburn by the end of the season. Doubt Underwood and Maples have enough time to get there.

 

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_08_12_cubrok_royrok_1

 

Now lists McNeil with 2 innings, 2-2-1-1-2 line.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Daytona (game one) cancelled - Rain

 

Daytona (game two) cancelled - Rain

 

Not sure if I love the idea of sticking our top prospect in a place where every other game seems to be rained out, especially when he's struggeled there early on.

[iowahawkeyes89]

Daytona (game one) cancelled - Rain

 

Daytona (game two) cancelled - Rain

 

Not sure if I love the idea of sticking our top prospect in a place where every other game seems to be rained out, especially when he's struggeled there early on.

 

Agreed, but whats the alternative at this point? Tennessee? Thats way too big of a jump.

 

I agree it does suck though.