2023 AFL

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA’s AFL Hot Sheet: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/arizona-fall-league-hot-sheet-marsee-triantos-stay-hot/

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7. James Triantos, 2B, Cubs
Team: Mesa
Age: 20

Why He’s Here: .438/.474/.750 (7-for-16), 5 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 2 BB, 0 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Triantos is neck and neck and neck with Jakob Marsee and Liam Hicks for the hottest hitter in the desert. He reached five triples for the season, becoming the first player to reach that plateau in the AFL since Stevie Wilkerson did so in 2017. He’s all over the league’s leaderboards, where he’s second in average (.433), third in OBP (.513) and first in slugging percentage (.761).  

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8. Kevin Alcantara, OF, Cubs
Team: Mesa
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .353/.353/.588 (6-for-17), 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 0 BB, 6 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: When Alcantara connects, it’s electric. He collected six more hits this week, including his fourth home run and third double of the season. Seven of his 15 AFL hits have gone for extra bases, but he’s also struck out at a clip of 30.6% (23 Ks in 75 PAs) which has kept him from showing his potential more often. 

 

[Jason Ross]

For all of the questions surrounding Triantos. despite the obvious "small sample caveat" it's nice to hear a solid report on Triantos' defense for once.

Edited October 31, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Tryptamine]

I'm still excited about that kind of offensive potential out of a guy who sounds like a safe bet to stick in CF. The K rate is the only thing holding him back from being amongst the elite prospects. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

He should shorten that load, right?

[Jason Ross]

10 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

He should shorten that load, right?

Maybe? But I'm not entirely worried about it yet. I think a lot of Alcantara's thing just comes with approach. Could see it early last year; no walks, but a healthy amount of K's. Right before the leg injury he seemed to fall back into a good approach, and both his walks climbed and his K's declined. I wouldn't be shocked to know he fell back into some bad habits in the AFL. Probably a pitch recognition thing as it comes with experience. He's done this a bit, where he'll struggle a bit early in a level with this, then settle in.

As he moves up, maybe a situational load change would help him get around on high-inside-fastballs. Tall, lanky cats like El Jaguar get beat up there often, usually around the AAA level as pitchers' command begins to match their stuff more often. For example, shortening that load up a bit with 2 strikes when you're more likely to see that high-inside-pitch so you can get those hands around on it a bit quicker.

Really I'd like to see his hands move a bit less (but maybe that's what you're looking at when you're talking load. Usually load, I'm thinking the leg load but you could be talking hand load). Keep the movement leg-and weight-transfer only.

Edited November 1, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kevin Alcántara will take part in the AFL HR Derby:

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

6 hours ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Maybe? But I'm not entirely worried about it yet. I think a lot of Alcantara's thing just comes with approach. Could see it early last year; no walks, but a healthy amount of K's. Right before the leg injury he seemed to fall back into a good approach, and both his walks climbed and his K's declined. I wouldn't be shocked to know he fell back into some bad habits in the AFL. Probably a pitch recognition thing as it comes with experience. He's done this a bit, where he'll struggle a bit early in a level with this, then settle in.

As he moves up, maybe a situational load change would help him get around on high-inside-fastballs. Tall, lanky cats like El Jaguar get beat up there often, usually around the AAA level as pitchers' command begins to match their stuff more often. For example, shortening that load up a bit with 2 strikes when you're more likely to see that high-inside-pitch so you can get those hands around on it a bit quicker.

Really I'd like to see his hands move a bit less (but maybe that's what you're looking at when you're talking load. Usually load, I'm thinking the leg load but you could be talking hand load). Keep the movement leg-and weight-transfer only.

I'm kinda lumping them together, I guess? But just cut the hand load down.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I'm kinda lumping them together, I guess? But just cut the hand load down.

We are speaking the same language then!  Yeah, the hands could use less movement.  Might even unlock more power, frankly, and should create less movement overall.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

10/31 box score:

CF J, Triantos 2/4, 3 R, BB, K
RF K. Alcántara 3/5, R, 5 RBI, 2 2B (5), HR (5)

[craig]

Alcantara up to .257.  

[CaliforniaRaisin]

11/1 box score:

CF J, Triantos 1/4, BB, 2 K, SB (8)
SP T. Santana 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 10-0 GO-FO, 55-37 pitches-strikes

11/2 box score:

RF K. Alcántara 0/4, 3 K
RP C. Kachmar 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 0-1 GO-FO
RP Jo. Romero 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1-2 GO-FO
RP A. Laskey 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0-1 GO-FO

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kevin Alcántara and James Triantos were named to the AFL Rising Stars all-star game. The game is Sunday at 7 pm CT and will air on MLB Network.

(DJ Herz also made the all-star game.)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

11/3 box score:

3B J. Triantos 2/5, SB (9), 3 E (9, throw, fielding, throw)
RF K. Alcántara 2/5, 2 RBI, 3B (1), 2 K, E (2, fielding)
SP N. Hull 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 2-3 GO-FO, 59-36 pitches-strikes

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 hour ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

3B J. Triantos 2/5, SB (9), 3 E (9, throw, fielding, throw)

3 errors??? Yikes.  I haven't actually watched him play in the AFL, but are we talking "yips" bad, "normal" bad, or "not as bad as it looks on the stat sheet"?

[Irrelevant Dude]

On 11/3/2023 at 5:07 PM, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Kevin Alcántara and James Triantos were named to the AFL Rising Stars all-star game. The game is Sunday at 7 pm CT and will air on MLB Network.

(DJ Herz also made the all-star game.)

Watching the game, tonight I learned that Chip Carey has twin sons who are a minor league broadcast team. 

[CubinNY]

10 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Watching the game, tonight I learned that Chip Carey has twin sons who are a minor league broadcast team. 

that is way fucked up.

[Irrelevant Dude]

2 hours ago, CubinNY said:

that is way fucked up.

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by Irrelevant Dude

[CaliforniaRaisin]

11/5 AFL All-Star Game box score:

RF K. Alcántara 0/2, K
PH-2B J. Triantos 0/2

11/7 box score:

DH J. Triantos 1/4, K
CF K. Alcántara 1/3, R, BB, 2 K, HR (6), SB (3)
RP A. Laskey 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO

11/8 box score:

RP T. Santana 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 4-1 GO-FO
RP Jo. Romero 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0-2 GO-FO

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]