2013 AFL Thread

[Guest]

What does taxi squad mean?

[Guest]

What does taxi squad mean?

 

@BruceMiles2112 #Cubs Albert Almora is a "taxi squad" member of Arizona Fall League Mesa team, meaning he's activated on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

[Guest]

What does taxi squad mean?

 

Players only eligible to play on Wednesday and Saturday.

[jersey cubs fan]

What does taxi squad mean?

 

if you haven't heard the term before, it's another name for practice squad, or practice team.

[Guest]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

[Cubswin11]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

Gets to face some advanced competition and it's better than not playing at all?

[jersey cubs fan]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

 

Practice I assume.

[Guest]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

Gets to face some advanced competition and it's better than not playing at all?

 

Is it really, though?

 

It's like Javy last year in Daytona, except the rainouts are scheduled. Not even a hope of consistent playing time.

[Guest]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

Gets to face some advanced competition and it's better than not playing at all?

 

Is it really, though?

 

It's like Javy last year in Daytona, except the rainouts are scheduled. Not even a hope of consistent playing time.

 

He's already one of the youngest players in the league. You don't want to overwhelm him.

[apete6]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

 

Maybe he has finally found a league where he doesn't get injured...

[jersey cubs fan]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

Gets to face some advanced competition and it's better than not playing at all?

 

Is it really, though?

 

It's like Javy last year in Daytona, except the rainouts are scheduled. Not even a hope of consistent playing time.

 

Well, if you are searching for concrete proof that it would be better than not going, you probably won't find it. But it seems to make sense that it would be good.

[pitchcs]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

Gets to face some advanced competition and it's better than not playing at all?

 

Is it really, though?

 

It's like Javy last year in Daytona, except the rainouts are scheduled. Not even a hope of consistent playing time.

 

I mean, I would assume he'll be working out at the complex at least a couple other days of the week.

[Guest]

wth is the point of having him out there to only play 2 days a week?

Gets to face some advanced competition and it's better than not playing at all?

 

Is it really, though?

 

It's like Javy last year in Daytona, except the rainouts are scheduled. Not even a hope of consistent playing time.

 

I mean, I would assume he'll be working out at the complex at least a couple other days of the week.

 

Yep. Plus he'll probably be at Fall Instructs in September.

[Guest]

When do the new facilities open up? This fall, correct?

[Guest]

So would the AFL be considered a little less challenging than AA, since there are plenty of lower level players, or would it be a little more challenging since there's probably a higher concentration of real prospects, regardless of level?

 

 

Or maybe more challenging for pitchers, less challenging for hitters since teams don't really send top pitching prospects traditionally?

 

 

Basically, I'm just asking if Javy should handle this much better than last year since he's already mastered AA.

[imb]

@MLBazFallLeague appears to be a good twitter to follow during AFL season

[Guest]

Is there a schedule for the AFL games that MLBN will broadcast yet?

[Gmoney08]

Part of the reason Almora being on the taxi squad I'm thinking is because of the recovering groin injury.

 

They want to get him AB's but they also dont want him to rush into a ton of games and hurt himself again..

 

The Wednesday and Saturday schedule of games is about damn near perfect for that.

[Guest]

arodys!

[toonsterwu]

So would the AFL be considered a little less challenging than AA, since there are plenty of lower level players, or would it be a little more challenging since there's probably a higher concentration of real prospects, regardless of level?

 

 

Or maybe more challenging for pitchers, less challenging for hitters since teams don't really send top pitching prospects traditionally?

 

 

Basically, I'm just asking if Javy should handle this much better than last year since he's already mastered AA.

 

Well ... to the best of my recollection, you typically get a lot more of the top tier hitting prospects than pitching prospects, and I imagine that's the case this year as well (although I haven't perused an entire list ... the only names that stood out, pitching wise, at first glance, were guys like Hultzen (understandable, on rehab), Aaron Sanchez (a good test for him, I guess, to see how his plus stuff/iffy command holds against better hitting prospects), Alex Meyer (haven't followed him all year, but it looks, on paper, like a very good season ... could be primed for a look late in 2014), Kyle Crick, Andrew Heaney, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Marcus Stroman. Heck, on talent, Arodys Vizcaino might be the most talented arm there (assuming his stuff hasn't declined). There will probably be others, but often times, you get teams utilizing the AFL to see how role players/pen arms do to see if they can fill jobs next year. Furthermore, a lot of the top pitchers hit innings limits or are just starting their pro careers and, I'm guessing, teams are a bit more wary of putting them in the AFL now since they signed earlier and got full-season work (I'm guessing Jon Gray won't go, and Mark Appel definitely won't). It looks to be an interesting list of arms, but not exactly an overwhelming group. It wouldn't surprise anyone if Hultzen, despite positive signs, never made the high floor projections of him out of college, or if Sanchez/Crick struggled with their first shots in AA. Eduardo Rodriguez has come on strong in the 2nd half, but I still think he's a bit over-hyped, and Stroman might be better off in the pen. Actually, the most intriguing arm out of that group, to me, might be Heaney.

 

Anyhow, short of it is, the talent level in AFL is really good, and on paper, it looks as good as it has in recent years, but the pitching side is always a bit thin, so if we're judging Javier Baez's ability to adjust based on perceptions of the quality of the pitching talent, then on paper, he should do fine. That said, there's going to be some polished "veteran" arms there as well, which should challenge him. Furthermore, some lower profile arms will likely be utilized in shorter bursts than they usually are, which could lead to their stuff playing up (Esmailin Caridad in AFL looked like a stud to some). Finally, they could have Baez working on certain things.

 

Edit: Let's see, some other, at first glance, interesting pitching names might be Colby Suggs, Trevor May, Matt Purke, Sammy Solis (although both Purke and Solis would be with Baez, so they would only face in practice), Greyson Garvin, Matt Stites, Sean Nolin, and Branden Kline.

 

There's some "names" that like Mike Montgomery, Taylor Jungmann, and Tyler Matzek, although none of those three are really top level arms, IMO.

 

There's probably some interesting guys I'm not aware of, but it's really not awash with top level pitching talent.

[Guest]

BA preview:

 

MESA SOLAR SOX

 

Top Prospects: Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs; Addison Russell, ss, Athletics; Javier Baez, ss, Cubs; Albert Almora, of, Cubs.

 

Frankly this is a ridiculous assemblage of talent for Mesa, which should have some “can you top this” moments in batting practice. Baez, Bryant and Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler rank among the minors’ true elite power hitters, and Russell ranks on the short list of the game’s top middle-infield prospects.

 

Making Up For Lost Time: Arodys Vizcaino, rhp, Cubs; Sammy Solis, lhp, Nationals.

 

Vizcaino entered the the year as the Cubs’ top pitching prospect, but the oft-injured righthander is coming off Tommy John surgery. So is Solis, who at least has pitched this season on a monitored schedule with high Class A Potomac.

 

Rule 5 Watch: Dallas Beeler, rhp, Cubs.

 

Chicago’s farm system is deep, but there should be room for a righthander who has flashed plus stuff. Beeler will have to be healthy, as he’s missed most of the season with a torn finger tendon, not pitching since May. Righty Matt Loosen, his teammate this year at Double-A Tennessee, also will be watched after a disastrous stretch (15 homers, 6.53 ERA with the Smokies)

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd throw Soler into that "making up for lost time" category, considering he turns 22 this winter and has a little over half a season of professional playing time.

[Guest]

Yeah. Really sucks that that injury kept him from having about a half season at AA under his belt after this year.

[Vinestal]

Someone refresh my memory who is Addison Russell?

[bukie]

Someone refresh my memory who is Addison Russell?

A's SS prospect, 11th pick in last year's draft, out of high school. Currently in high A, similar path as Almora but without the hamate injury delay.