So after today's game, the Giants have officially ended Spring Training. While there is still a multitude of moves to do, it'll be very interesting to see how things shake up, both at the Minor and Major League level.
-- After today's 7-4 loss to the Brewers, the Giants have officially ended their Spring Training game stint. Brandon Crawford assured himself of the starting position with a home run, and finished the Spring with a .340/.417/.566 slash to go along with three home runs, 11 runs scored and 13 RBI.
-- Another player who saw time in Fresno and San Jose last year who could be a candidate for the 25-man roster is Hector Sanchez. While the Giants and many experts out there feel he could use more seasoning behind the plate, Sanchez did more than hold his own at the plate this spring. His Spring slash was .390/.386/.756 in 41 at-bats, and he also showed some power for his position as evidenced by his four home runs and three doubles. While Bruce Bochy may like the veteran presence of Eli Whiteside, it's obvious that Sanchez has more upside, which could be big considering it is hard to gauge how much Posey will play behind the plate this year. I still think Bochy will eventually go with the vet for the backup position, but Sanchez could play a huge role this year, especially if he transitions his ST performance to the PCL.
-- In addition to releasing Ramon Ortiz, the Giants also released some more players during the week of March 20-26th, according to Baseball America's Minor League transaction blog. The list includes RHP Ryan Bean, RHP Brennan Flick, RHP Stephen Shackleford, RHP Adam Thomas, RHP Sundrendy Windster, LHP Chuck Lofgren, 1B Josh Mazzola, 2B Kaohi Downing, OF Leo Ochoa.
-- Some of the interesting names of this bunch are Lofgren and Windster. Lofgren was a formerly touted prospect in the Indians system who was ranked as the 54th best prospect going into 2006 and 71st best prospect going into 2007 by Baseball America. However, the Bay Area product (he went to Serra High School, the same high school that produced Barry Bonds), has struggled in the minors and didn't do enough to impress the Giants this Spring. As for Windster, he was a converted position player who started pitching last season. However, he struggled in the Arizona Rookie League and continued to show issues this Spring. At 23 and not having played much beyond Augusta, the Giants figured that there wasn't much ceiling left with Windster.
-- Could middle infielder Joaquin Arias be a sleeper this year? With Mike Fontenot being released, he not only could be a viable option in Fresno this year, but he could challenge for a spot on the active roster as well (especially with Freddy Sanchez hurt and Emmanuel Burriss projected as the starting second baseman). Arias has impressed this Spring with a .304/.353/.457 slash this Spring with two home runs and a stolen base in 46 at-bats. Arias was formerly a top prospect in the Rangers system (he was rated as the 77th prospect in baseball according to Baseball America going into 2005), so the potential is there, even if it has faded a bit since shuffling between the Rangers and Royals organizations.
Showing posts with label Spring Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring Training. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Spring Training Notes: Ortiz Released, Journeymen Re-Assigned and Belt OTF?
With Opening Day (well...the official one, unless you count today's games in Japan as Opening Day) officially begins next week, which means we're winding down in Scottsdale. So, as with anything winding down, there is some new swirling around Giants camp as the rosters start to get finalized. Safe to say, there probably is a lot more on the horizon for the Giants in the next couple of days.
Here are a few of the most recent tidbits that deal with Giants prospects/minor league players.
-- According to Hank Schulman of the SF Chronicle, the Giants released journeyman right handed pitcher Ramon Ortiz. Ortiz pitched for the Fresno Grizzlies in 2010, but didn't get a callup at any point that season. Last year, Ortiz made his return back to the big leagues, making 22 appearances for the Cubs while posting an ERA of 4.86 in 33.1 IP. Despite his experience and arm (he averaged 6.8 strikeouts per nine innings last year with the Cubs), it was a longshot that Ortiz would break camp with the Major League team, let alone see any playing time at the Major League level at any point this season. With the Giants depth in the starting rotation and bullpen, the chips were heavily stacked against Ortiz this Spring. Chances are though he will catch on with another team at some point this year, most likely with a team that is in more need of pitching or bullpen depth.
-- Also, Schulman reported that the Giants re-assigned Andrew Kown, Brian Burres, Wilmin Rodriguez, and Shane Loux to Minor League camp. All of them were non-roster invitees, so the decision on these guys doesn't really come as a surprise. Rodriguez had the most impressive Spring of the bunch, as he posted a 1.96 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in six appearances and 5.1 innings of work. He also recorded a save and struck out five batters while allowing four hits and no walks. Of all the listed guys above with an outside chance to somehow sneak on the 40-man roster this year, I think Rodriguez has the best shot, especially with Dan Runzler's health a major question mark this year.
-- Much to this writer's dismay, Brandon Belt may start the year in Fresno despite a stellar spring (he was hitting .380 with three home runs going into today's game), according to Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area (and formerly the SJ Mercury). Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens had this to say in Baggarly's piece about Belt's performance at the plate this Spring:
My big issue with this is that I understand Belt may not put up the .380 mark in the Majors this year like he has been doing this Spring. That is unrealistic of course, and I think he would probably be a .250-.270 hitter with a .340-.360 OBP and .420-.450 slugging. However, Belt really has nothing else to prove in Fresno (he mashed last year), and he offers a lot more value to the Giants other than just offense (he is a huge defensive upgrade over Aubrey Huff). It's just sad that the Giants are being so cautious with him, because I think he came on toward the end of the year after the Giants stopped sending him down to Fresno and back up to San Francisco like one of those crazy, flashing Yo-Yo's. Hopefully, Belt will get an extended shot at first for the Giants at some point this year and can prove to the Giants he's the best option for the Giants not only for the future, but for the present as well.
Here are a few of the most recent tidbits that deal with Giants prospects/minor league players.
-- According to Hank Schulman of the SF Chronicle, the Giants released journeyman right handed pitcher Ramon Ortiz. Ortiz pitched for the Fresno Grizzlies in 2010, but didn't get a callup at any point that season. Last year, Ortiz made his return back to the big leagues, making 22 appearances for the Cubs while posting an ERA of 4.86 in 33.1 IP. Despite his experience and arm (he averaged 6.8 strikeouts per nine innings last year with the Cubs), it was a longshot that Ortiz would break camp with the Major League team, let alone see any playing time at the Major League level at any point this season. With the Giants depth in the starting rotation and bullpen, the chips were heavily stacked against Ortiz this Spring. Chances are though he will catch on with another team at some point this year, most likely with a team that is in more need of pitching or bullpen depth.
-- Also, Schulman reported that the Giants re-assigned Andrew Kown, Brian Burres, Wilmin Rodriguez, and Shane Loux to Minor League camp. All of them were non-roster invitees, so the decision on these guys doesn't really come as a surprise. Rodriguez had the most impressive Spring of the bunch, as he posted a 1.96 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in six appearances and 5.1 innings of work. He also recorded a save and struck out five batters while allowing four hits and no walks. Of all the listed guys above with an outside chance to somehow sneak on the 40-man roster this year, I think Rodriguez has the best shot, especially with Dan Runzler's health a major question mark this year.
-- Much to this writer's dismay, Brandon Belt may start the year in Fresno despite a stellar spring (he was hitting .380 with three home runs going into today's game), according to Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area (and formerly the SJ Mercury). Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens had this to say in Baggarly's piece about Belt's performance at the plate this Spring:
“He’s way out in front of the batter’s box,” Meulens said. “It works for him, but want to make sure he’s getting the bat head out on those pitches middle-in and not just trying to flare it to left-center. We’re on the back field using drills so he can create that feel. When his elbow goes out, the barrel actually flattens and it takes a longer time to get the bat out in front."
My big issue with this is that I understand Belt may not put up the .380 mark in the Majors this year like he has been doing this Spring. That is unrealistic of course, and I think he would probably be a .250-.270 hitter with a .340-.360 OBP and .420-.450 slugging. However, Belt really has nothing else to prove in Fresno (he mashed last year), and he offers a lot more value to the Giants other than just offense (he is a huge defensive upgrade over Aubrey Huff). It's just sad that the Giants are being so cautious with him, because I think he came on toward the end of the year after the Giants stopped sending him down to Fresno and back up to San Francisco like one of those crazy, flashing Yo-Yo's. Hopefully, Belt will get an extended shot at first for the Giants at some point this year and can prove to the Giants he's the best option for the Giants not only for the future, but for the present as well.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Spring Training Notes: Adrianza and Peguero Optioned to Fresno, Villalona to SJ
While these aren't exactly new, I forgot to include them on the last post of Spring Training notes, so I figured it would be good to include them for those who weren't aware. I was just scanning the Minor League transactions blog of Baseball America and I uncovered these tidbits on the Giants.
-- This happened during the week of March 7-12th, but the Giants optioned shortstop Ehire Adrianza and outfielder Francisco Peguero to Triple-A Fresno to start the 2012 season.
-- The decision to have Adrianza start in Fresno is a bold maneuver by Giants management. Adrianza hasn't played above High-A ball (sans a couple game stint in Fresno his first year) in his minor league career, and it was widely assumed that the defensive-oriented shortstop would most likely begin the year in Double-A Richmond. However, the Giants must have liked his defensive abilities, because his batting stat line was anything but impressive this Spring, as he only played 5 games and had 3 at-bats. In those at-bats, he struck out twice and recorded no hits. While he may start the year with the Grizzlies, I would be mighty surprised to see Adrianza stick in the PCL the whole season.
-- Peguero hasn't seen much time with the Major League club this Spring, as it seems like he has mostly been in Minor League camp if you look at the stat line (he has no recorded offensive or defensive stats on the Giants' Spring Training site). The only note I have of Peguero is the fact that he threw out A's catcher Derek Norris in a game (most likely a Minor League one). This decision to have him begin in Triple-A is a mild surprise, since I thought the Giants might start him in Richmond after he only played half a season there. That being said, the Giants must have felt his performance in Double-A was good enough, and warranted a promotion to the PCL.
-- Lastly, the Giants optioned first base prospect Angel Villalona to High-A San Jose this week. This also doesn't come as a surprise considering Villalona has been unable to acquire a visa from the U.S. consulate this Spring. It was first reported that he was approved and that he would be able to make it for Spring Training, but due to some physical issues, it has been delayed and Villalona has been stuck in the Dominican Republic this whole Spring Training. Villalona last played in San Jose in 2009, so even if he did make it for some workouts this Spring, I think High-A ball was going to be his most likely destination anyways considering he hasn't played professionally since 2009.
-- This happened during the week of March 7-12th, but the Giants optioned shortstop Ehire Adrianza and outfielder Francisco Peguero to Triple-A Fresno to start the 2012 season.
-- The decision to have Adrianza start in Fresno is a bold maneuver by Giants management. Adrianza hasn't played above High-A ball (sans a couple game stint in Fresno his first year) in his minor league career, and it was widely assumed that the defensive-oriented shortstop would most likely begin the year in Double-A Richmond. However, the Giants must have liked his defensive abilities, because his batting stat line was anything but impressive this Spring, as he only played 5 games and had 3 at-bats. In those at-bats, he struck out twice and recorded no hits. While he may start the year with the Grizzlies, I would be mighty surprised to see Adrianza stick in the PCL the whole season.
-- Peguero hasn't seen much time with the Major League club this Spring, as it seems like he has mostly been in Minor League camp if you look at the stat line (he has no recorded offensive or defensive stats on the Giants' Spring Training site). The only note I have of Peguero is the fact that he threw out A's catcher Derek Norris in a game (most likely a Minor League one). This decision to have him begin in Triple-A is a mild surprise, since I thought the Giants might start him in Richmond after he only played half a season there. That being said, the Giants must have felt his performance in Double-A was good enough, and warranted a promotion to the PCL.
-- Lastly, the Giants optioned first base prospect Angel Villalona to High-A San Jose this week. This also doesn't come as a surprise considering Villalona has been unable to acquire a visa from the U.S. consulate this Spring. It was first reported that he was approved and that he would be able to make it for Spring Training, but due to some physical issues, it has been delayed and Villalona has been stuck in the Dominican Republic this whole Spring Training. Villalona last played in San Jose in 2009, so even if he did make it for some workouts this Spring, I think High-A ball was going to be his most likely destination anyways considering he hasn't played professionally since 2009.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Spring Training Notes: Cuts and a Look at the Giants Prospects This Spring
So, I figure with Opening Day and with final roster cuts coming up, it would be a good time to see who has done well and who has struggled this Spring out of the prospects invited to Spring Training. Here are a few points in "bullet form."
-- As noted in the title, the Giants made another round of cuts, optioning pitcher Hector Correa and outfielder Tyler Graham to Triple-A to Fresno (title of the blog alert!). The news on those two isn't too much of a surprise considering the Giants bullpen and outfield is pretty crowded as it is, and those two were long shots to make the 25-man this Spring. Correa struck out three in 2.1 innings of work, while also allowing one run on three hits and two walks. While Graham impressed with his abilities in the field, he never could get comfortable at the plate this Spring, as he only had two hits and one walk in 15 at-bats.
-- The Giants also made some assignments to Minor League camp last Sunday. On the list were infielders Chris Dominguez and Nick Noonan, catcher Jackson Williams, outfielder Juan Perez, and pitchers Matt Yourkin, Mitch Lively and Justin Fitzgerald.
-- The most impressive performer of the bunch was Perez, who posted a slash of .455/.538/.909 in nine games and 11 at-bats with the Giants Spring club. He also added a home run, a triple and a stolen base to his stat total this Spring. The Spring is a nice sign for Perez who is coming off a down year in Richmond where he posted a slash of .256/.303/.381 in 497 plate appearances. The previous season, Perez gained some steam as an under the radar prospect after hitting .298 with an .809 OPS in 596 plate appearances with the San Jose Giants. While he is a bit of an older prospect (he's going to be 25 this year), Perez has some very Andres Torres-esque qualities in the sense that he has good speed (22 stolen bases a year ago) and some pop for a guy of his diminutive stature. Whether he starts in Richmond or Fresno, I think Perez could have a bounce back year in 2012, and this Spring was certainly a good sign for such a breakout.
-- On March 16th, the Giants sent top prospect Gary Brown to Minor League camp. Though he is the consensus No. 1 Giants prospect on most experts' lists and a Top-50 prospect in baseball, the move isn't a surprise considering Brown's highest level of play is the Cal League. With Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera being acquired this off-season, and with Gregor Blanco's hot spring, Brown's shot of making the 25-man roster was very slim and unlikely to begin with. In seven games with the Big League squad this Spring, Brown had two hits in 11 at-bats, both singles. While he did have a stolen base, he was caught stealing twice on three attempts. One of the big things Brown needs to work on is being more efficient on the basepaths, as he was caught 19 times last year. With his 80 scout grade speed, that is just way too much. Hopefully the Giants worked with him on some things this Spring that will make him more efficient this upcoming season.
-- Of the non-roster invitee prospects in the Giants system, the biggest performer had to be Tommy Joseph, who had two home runs in nine at-bats with the Giants Spring club. He also showed a solid eye at the plate, walking twice and only striking out once. Considering that his biggest weakness as a hitter was the questionable plate discipline, this Spring was an encouraging sign for him this upcoming year as he makes the move from the Cal to the Eastern League.
-- In terms of pitching prospects, the results have been a little mixed. Eric Surkamp was expected to battle for the fifth spot in the Giants' rotation, but he hasn't stood out amazingly this Spring. While he has displayed flashes of the command that made him such a great prospect in the Cal and Eastern League (he has struck out 11 and only walked 3 in 11.1 innings of work), he has still proven to be too hittable when facing Major League hitters. He allowed 13 hits and six runs in four appearances and two starts this year. It is likely that he will start the year in Fresno.
-- On the other end, Heath Hembree came on with a fury this Spring, striking out seven in five innings of work while only walking one and allowing two hits and a run. With Brian Wilson showing some arm issues this Spring, Hembree made a case why he should be considered in the Giants bullpen as soon as this year. If Santiago Casilla, Jeremy Affeldt or Javier Lopez show any signs of struggle, don't be surprised to see Hembree get a call up to the big league roster sooner rather than later. He may be the third best right handed reliever on the Giants roster behind Wilson and Sergio Romo.
-- As noted in the title, the Giants made another round of cuts, optioning pitcher Hector Correa and outfielder Tyler Graham to Triple-A to Fresno (title of the blog alert!). The news on those two isn't too much of a surprise considering the Giants bullpen and outfield is pretty crowded as it is, and those two were long shots to make the 25-man this Spring. Correa struck out three in 2.1 innings of work, while also allowing one run on three hits and two walks. While Graham impressed with his abilities in the field, he never could get comfortable at the plate this Spring, as he only had two hits and one walk in 15 at-bats.
-- The Giants also made some assignments to Minor League camp last Sunday. On the list were infielders Chris Dominguez and Nick Noonan, catcher Jackson Williams, outfielder Juan Perez, and pitchers Matt Yourkin, Mitch Lively and Justin Fitzgerald.
-- The most impressive performer of the bunch was Perez, who posted a slash of .455/.538/.909 in nine games and 11 at-bats with the Giants Spring club. He also added a home run, a triple and a stolen base to his stat total this Spring. The Spring is a nice sign for Perez who is coming off a down year in Richmond where he posted a slash of .256/.303/.381 in 497 plate appearances. The previous season, Perez gained some steam as an under the radar prospect after hitting .298 with an .809 OPS in 596 plate appearances with the San Jose Giants. While he is a bit of an older prospect (he's going to be 25 this year), Perez has some very Andres Torres-esque qualities in the sense that he has good speed (22 stolen bases a year ago) and some pop for a guy of his diminutive stature. Whether he starts in Richmond or Fresno, I think Perez could have a bounce back year in 2012, and this Spring was certainly a good sign for such a breakout.
-- On March 16th, the Giants sent top prospect Gary Brown to Minor League camp. Though he is the consensus No. 1 Giants prospect on most experts' lists and a Top-50 prospect in baseball, the move isn't a surprise considering Brown's highest level of play is the Cal League. With Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera being acquired this off-season, and with Gregor Blanco's hot spring, Brown's shot of making the 25-man roster was very slim and unlikely to begin with. In seven games with the Big League squad this Spring, Brown had two hits in 11 at-bats, both singles. While he did have a stolen base, he was caught stealing twice on three attempts. One of the big things Brown needs to work on is being more efficient on the basepaths, as he was caught 19 times last year. With his 80 scout grade speed, that is just way too much. Hopefully the Giants worked with him on some things this Spring that will make him more efficient this upcoming season.
-- Of the non-roster invitee prospects in the Giants system, the biggest performer had to be Tommy Joseph, who had two home runs in nine at-bats with the Giants Spring club. He also showed a solid eye at the plate, walking twice and only striking out once. Considering that his biggest weakness as a hitter was the questionable plate discipline, this Spring was an encouraging sign for him this upcoming year as he makes the move from the Cal to the Eastern League.
-- In terms of pitching prospects, the results have been a little mixed. Eric Surkamp was expected to battle for the fifth spot in the Giants' rotation, but he hasn't stood out amazingly this Spring. While he has displayed flashes of the command that made him such a great prospect in the Cal and Eastern League (he has struck out 11 and only walked 3 in 11.1 innings of work), he has still proven to be too hittable when facing Major League hitters. He allowed 13 hits and six runs in four appearances and two starts this year. It is likely that he will start the year in Fresno.
-- On the other end, Heath Hembree came on with a fury this Spring, striking out seven in five innings of work while only walking one and allowing two hits and a run. With Brian Wilson showing some arm issues this Spring, Hembree made a case why he should be considered in the Giants bullpen as soon as this year. If Santiago Casilla, Jeremy Affeldt or Javier Lopez show any signs of struggle, don't be surprised to see Hembree get a call up to the big league roster sooner rather than later. He may be the third best right handed reliever on the Giants roster behind Wilson and Sergio Romo.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Injuries, Injuries, Injuries...And It's Only Spring Training!
The Giants are only three games into Spring Training and yet injuries are already an issues. Here's a rundown of guys who are going through some injury issues at this time:
Ishikawa I'm also concerned about, but from what it sounds like, it could be serious but it could also be minor as well. We'll need more time to determine whether or not it will truly have an effect on him in 2010 (and if it does, then...well...we might have some problems defensively at first base without our best defensive infielder in Ishikawa).
As for Derosa and Sanchez? Well...it's frustrating. $24 million for damaged goods (in the grand scheme of things it certainly could be worse). Oh well, let's hope that they can get healthy soon so they can make those contracts worth it. After all, it's only Spring Training and the Giants are 3-0 going into today (but like I said...it's only Spring Training).
- Freddy Sanchez is recovering from surgery on his knee and is expected to miss Opening Day and perhaps begin the year on the Disabled List. (Sanchez signed a two-year, $12-million dollar contract this off-season).
- Mark Derosa still hasn't played a game yet as he continues to recover from wrist surgery last October. He expects to take batting practice sometime this weekend. (Derosa signed a two-year, $12-million dollar this off-season as well).
- Travis Ishikawa is recovering from a torn ligament in his foot that has put him in a boot all week. He suffered the foot injury while slipping down some stairs, apparently. However, Ishikawa has taken grounders and hit some soft toss, but he is still day-to-day in terms of being game-ready.
- After a solid Spring Training debut where he hit two doubles, Emmanuel Burriss re-injured his foot against the Seattle Mariners. Burriss fractured his foot last season, but thankfully, there were no fractures this time around. How this affects his 2010 season and his speed (his most valuable asset) is yet to be determined. Let's hope it doesn't affect him like Fred Lewis' foot problems sapped his speed in 2009. (Update: Andrew Baggarly reports via Twitter that Burriss actually re-fractured his foot and will be in a boot for four weeks. Seriously, what is with Giants second baseman and injuries? First Frandsen in 2008, now Burriss? I would be asking for a trade if I were Matt Downs. Some bad Karma going on. Ghost of Robby Thompson, perhaps?)
Ishikawa I'm also concerned about, but from what it sounds like, it could be serious but it could also be minor as well. We'll need more time to determine whether or not it will truly have an effect on him in 2010 (and if it does, then...well...we might have some problems defensively at first base without our best defensive infielder in Ishikawa).
As for Derosa and Sanchez? Well...it's frustrating. $24 million for damaged goods (in the grand scheme of things it certainly could be worse). Oh well, let's hope that they can get healthy soon so they can make those contracts worth it. After all, it's only Spring Training and the Giants are 3-0 going into today (but like I said...it's only Spring Training).
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Under the Radar? Three Giants Prospects To Pay Attention to in 2010
Madison Bumgarner. Buster Posey. Thomas Neal. Zach Wheeler. Dan Runzler. Waldis Joaquin.
When it comes to rookies/prospects currently on the forty-man roster breaking out next season (be it at the Major League or Minor League level), those six are on every Giants fan and baseball expert's list.
However, they shouldn't be the only ones people should be looking forward to this Spring.
Conor Gillaspie, Darren Ford and Henry Sosa are three guys that could turn some heads in 2010 in the Minors.
At this moment, the three guys are still at least a year or two away from contributing at the Major League level. That being said, they are talented players that should be paid attention to should injury or mediocrity strike the current veterans on the Giants' 40-man roster. Are there red flags with Gillaspie, Ford and Sosa? Of course, but if you look at their profiles a little closer, they all have potential of being real breakout stars for the Giants in 2011 or beyond.
Here are the down-lows on the three potential "breakout" prospects:
Conor Gillaspie
2009 statistics in San Jose: 126 (G), 469 (AB), 530 (PA), 134 (H), 97 (1B), 31 (2B), 2 (3B), 4 (HR), 62 (R), 67 (RBI), 55 (BB), 2 (IBB), 68 (SO), 3 (HBP), 6 (GDP), 2 (SB), 3 (CS), .286 (AVG), .364 (OBP), .386 (OPS), .750 (OPS).
Last season, the Giants put Gillaspie on the 40-man roster even though he had only 32 games of professional experience prior to the 2009 season (he had played eight games with the Giants in 2008 and 24 games between rookie and short-season Single-A). At the time, it was deemed a questionable decision. Gillaspie certainly wasn't ready to contribute to the Major Leagues last year, and it showed in San Jose.
However, though Gillaspie didn't wow everyone in 2009 like many thought he would when he was the Giants' second pick of the 2008 MLB Draft (behind Buster Posey), he is capable of breaking out in Double-A or even Triple-A in 2010.
Why such optimistic thoughts about a guy deemed a "tumbler" by commenters on Fangraphs? Gillaspie's plate patience numbers are very promising.
Gillaspie posted a 10.4 percent walk rate in 2009 in San Jose and also sported a 0.81 BB/K ratio. Why is that such a big deal? Well, if you look at the Giants roster last year, only two guys sported BB/K ratios above 0.70 (Kevin Frandsen, who had a 0.75 ratio, and Ryan Garko, who had a 0.90).
Furthermore, Gillaspie's strikeout rate wasn't terrible at 14.5 percent last season, and it certainly was an improvement from the 18.3 percent strikeout rate he sported in Salem-Kaizer in 2008.
Now, there are still some red flags with Gillaspie's game. He doesn't hit for ANY power it seems (as evidenced by a .386 slugging and .100 ISO) and his defense at third base is very questionable. Also, he isn't exactly a burner on the basepaths either, so he doesn't maximize his ability to get on base.
That being said, if you watch Gillaspie's swing during this Minor League Spring Training game in 2009, he does have a very good looking swing. You can tell that he will have trouble getting a lot of pop behind balls (it seems very short, compact), but it isn't unfathomable to think that his batting style could mirror a Bill Mueller-esque player (whom many experts have compared him to since he was drafted). That isn't exactly a bad thing, especially considering Mueller had a career batting average of .291 and OBP of .373.
Will Gillaspie reach those heights? Maybe, maybe not. At the very least though, I think Gillaspie could put up very similar batting numbers to a guy like Nate Schierholtz (I think their swings are very similar), only with less power, but more plate patience.
Gillaspie will probably never be high ceiling guy. He just doesn't have the power to do so. At the very least though, he is capable of being a solid everyday player in the future, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If his career path was personified in a woman, it would probably not be as hot as Jessica Alba, and look more like Julia Stiles. It won't be smoking or jaw-dropping, but you won't be able to really complain with the the overall profile in the end.
Darren Ford
2009 statistics with San Jose: 101 (G), 441 (PA), 380 (AB), 81 (R), 114 (H), 17 (2B), 9 (3B), 9 (HR), 50 (RBI), 35 (SB), 12 (CS), 49 (BB), 97 (SO), .300 (AVG), .386 (OBP), .463 (SLG), .849 (OPS).
Ford was one of the centerpieces when the Giants traded Ray Durham to Milwaukee in 2008. So far, there is a lot to like about Ford. He's fast and can steal a base (he stole 69 in Single-A in 2006 and 67 in two levels of Single-A in 2007 and 62 in two levels of Single-A in 2008). Granted, his stolen base numbers went down to 35 in 2009, but still, he shows a great knack on the basepaths, something that is greatly needed on a Giants roster that just lost their leading stolen base man (Randy Winn).
However, there is one major question mark with Ford: he has spent the last three years in Single-A. That is never a good sign, especially when the guy is 24-years-old and was drafted out of high school.
Still, Ford offers a lot of potential despite a slow start breaking into professional ball. His batting approach has greatly improved since his first year in rookie ball in 2005. While not traditionally a power-hitting player, his OPS was the second-highest of his career in San Jose in 2009 (he posted a .902 OPS in West Virginia in 2007). Additionally, Ford has maintained an ability to get on base well. Since 2005, he has only had one season where his OPS was below .350 (in 2008, where in two levels of play it was .329).
If anything, if Rajai Davis and Fred Lewis were able to make a baby ("Junior"-style), the player would look a lot like Ford. He has the base-stealing ability of Davis, but has the run-scoring potential of Lewis as evidenced by Ford's OBP numbers. Granted, Ford still has to prove this at higher levels in the Minors. Single-A in all reality is just Single-A.
Nonetheless, if Ford capitalizes on the success he had in San Jose in Double-A or even Triple-A, then it wouldn't be surprising to see Ford get a call-up in August or September.
Henry Sosa:
2009 statistics with Connecticut: 6-0 (W-L), 2.36 (ERA), 14 (G), 14 (GS), 72.1 (IP), 298 (BF), 61 (H), 22 (R), 19 (ER), 4 (HR), 25 (BB), 44 (SO).
Sosa is an interesting case because his health is such an issue. He's coming off an arm injury in 2008, and had his season shortened in 2009 because of arm fatigue (e.g. his arm wasn't healthy after surgery in 2008).
So, Sosa's stats are hard to gauge because it's obvious it's not the Sosa that pitched in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium in 2008. His 5.47 strikeout rate and 1.76 BB/K ratio in Double-A last season aren't exactly numbers of a player dubbed one of the most underrated prospects in baseball by Baseball Intellect in 2008.
Then again, maybe the Sosa we saw last year should be one Giants fans should be expecting in the future. After all, arm injuries are incredibly unpredictable things, and we have seen them derail promising pitchers' career (Jesse Foppert comes to mind).
Yet, let's just say Sosa is close to be his 2008 self pre-injury. Let's just say he's recovered fully after shutting it down early in 2009. What can Giants fans expect from Sosa in 2010?
In my mind, with those factors, a lot.
Sosa not only has a good arm, but he looks to have good makeup as well. Unlike some fireballers who come into the league only able to last a few innings, Sosa is a legitimate starting pitcher with gas. He posted incredible WHIP numbers at his first two levels of play (0.99 in rookie ball and 0.89 in Single-A) and even last year, despite battling arm fatigue, his WHIP was very respectable at 1.19.
And, Sosa has also improved gradually with his command and control. Until his arm injury, Sosa was able to strike guys out with great proficiency (he had 11.41, 8.85, 11.03 and 9.27 strikeout rates in various levels from rookie to advanced Single-A from 2006 to 2007), but he still had problems walking guys.
In his first two years of professional ball, he had mediocre walk rate numbers at 3.34 and 3.63 in 2006 rookie level, 2007 Single-A respectively. Then his walk rate skyrocketed in San Jose in 2007 to 5.09, which produced a BB/K ratio of 2.17.
Since 2008, he started to clean up his command issues a little bit. His walk rate was only 2.88, and he had a 3.22 K/BB ratio in 2008. And, though his BB/K ratio was the lowest of his professional career in 2009, his walk rates weren't the problem. In 2009, he posted a 3.11 walk rate, the second-lowest of his career.
With the Giants rotation in solid shape for 2009, Sosa most likely will not be needed unless the most drastic of circumstances happen (think The Simpsons when all of Montgomery Burns' free agents for his company softball team had something happen to them prior to the championship game). However, Sosa will be very interesting to watch in the minors this season.
If he shows that his arm problems are a thing of the past this Spring, Sosa will be a very enticing pitching option for the Giants in late-2010 or 2011.
When it comes to rookies/prospects currently on the forty-man roster breaking out next season (be it at the Major League or Minor League level), those six are on every Giants fan and baseball expert's list.
However, they shouldn't be the only ones people should be looking forward to this Spring.
Conor Gillaspie, Darren Ford and Henry Sosa are three guys that could turn some heads in 2010 in the Minors.
At this moment, the three guys are still at least a year or two away from contributing at the Major League level. That being said, they are talented players that should be paid attention to should injury or mediocrity strike the current veterans on the Giants' 40-man roster. Are there red flags with Gillaspie, Ford and Sosa? Of course, but if you look at their profiles a little closer, they all have potential of being real breakout stars for the Giants in 2011 or beyond.
Here are the down-lows on the three potential "breakout" prospects:
Conor Gillaspie
2009 statistics in San Jose: 126 (G), 469 (AB), 530 (PA), 134 (H), 97 (1B), 31 (2B), 2 (3B), 4 (HR), 62 (R), 67 (RBI), 55 (BB), 2 (IBB), 68 (SO), 3 (HBP), 6 (GDP), 2 (SB), 3 (CS), .286 (AVG), .364 (OBP), .386 (OPS), .750 (OPS).
Last season, the Giants put Gillaspie on the 40-man roster even though he had only 32 games of professional experience prior to the 2009 season (he had played eight games with the Giants in 2008 and 24 games between rookie and short-season Single-A). At the time, it was deemed a questionable decision. Gillaspie certainly wasn't ready to contribute to the Major Leagues last year, and it showed in San Jose.
However, though Gillaspie didn't wow everyone in 2009 like many thought he would when he was the Giants' second pick of the 2008 MLB Draft (behind Buster Posey), he is capable of breaking out in Double-A or even Triple-A in 2010.
Why such optimistic thoughts about a guy deemed a "tumbler" by commenters on Fangraphs? Gillaspie's plate patience numbers are very promising.
Gillaspie posted a 10.4 percent walk rate in 2009 in San Jose and also sported a 0.81 BB/K ratio. Why is that such a big deal? Well, if you look at the Giants roster last year, only two guys sported BB/K ratios above 0.70 (Kevin Frandsen, who had a 0.75 ratio, and Ryan Garko, who had a 0.90).
Furthermore, Gillaspie's strikeout rate wasn't terrible at 14.5 percent last season, and it certainly was an improvement from the 18.3 percent strikeout rate he sported in Salem-Kaizer in 2008.
Now, there are still some red flags with Gillaspie's game. He doesn't hit for ANY power it seems (as evidenced by a .386 slugging and .100 ISO) and his defense at third base is very questionable. Also, he isn't exactly a burner on the basepaths either, so he doesn't maximize his ability to get on base.
That being said, if you watch Gillaspie's swing during this Minor League Spring Training game in 2009, he does have a very good looking swing. You can tell that he will have trouble getting a lot of pop behind balls (it seems very short, compact), but it isn't unfathomable to think that his batting style could mirror a Bill Mueller-esque player (whom many experts have compared him to since he was drafted). That isn't exactly a bad thing, especially considering Mueller had a career batting average of .291 and OBP of .373.
Will Gillaspie reach those heights? Maybe, maybe not. At the very least though, I think Gillaspie could put up very similar batting numbers to a guy like Nate Schierholtz (I think their swings are very similar), only with less power, but more plate patience.
Gillaspie will probably never be high ceiling guy. He just doesn't have the power to do so. At the very least though, he is capable of being a solid everyday player in the future, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If his career path was personified in a woman, it would probably not be as hot as Jessica Alba, and look more like Julia Stiles. It won't be smoking or jaw-dropping, but you won't be able to really complain with the the overall profile in the end.
Darren Ford
2009 statistics with San Jose: 101 (G), 441 (PA), 380 (AB), 81 (R), 114 (H), 17 (2B), 9 (3B), 9 (HR), 50 (RBI), 35 (SB), 12 (CS), 49 (BB), 97 (SO), .300 (AVG), .386 (OBP), .463 (SLG), .849 (OPS).
Ford was one of the centerpieces when the Giants traded Ray Durham to Milwaukee in 2008. So far, there is a lot to like about Ford. He's fast and can steal a base (he stole 69 in Single-A in 2006 and 67 in two levels of Single-A in 2007 and 62 in two levels of Single-A in 2008). Granted, his stolen base numbers went down to 35 in 2009, but still, he shows a great knack on the basepaths, something that is greatly needed on a Giants roster that just lost their leading stolen base man (Randy Winn).
However, there is one major question mark with Ford: he has spent the last three years in Single-A. That is never a good sign, especially when the guy is 24-years-old and was drafted out of high school.
Still, Ford offers a lot of potential despite a slow start breaking into professional ball. His batting approach has greatly improved since his first year in rookie ball in 2005. While not traditionally a power-hitting player, his OPS was the second-highest of his career in San Jose in 2009 (he posted a .902 OPS in West Virginia in 2007). Additionally, Ford has maintained an ability to get on base well. Since 2005, he has only had one season where his OPS was below .350 (in 2008, where in two levels of play it was .329).
If anything, if Rajai Davis and Fred Lewis were able to make a baby ("Junior"-style), the player would look a lot like Ford. He has the base-stealing ability of Davis, but has the run-scoring potential of Lewis as evidenced by Ford's OBP numbers. Granted, Ford still has to prove this at higher levels in the Minors. Single-A in all reality is just Single-A.
Nonetheless, if Ford capitalizes on the success he had in San Jose in Double-A or even Triple-A, then it wouldn't be surprising to see Ford get a call-up in August or September.
Henry Sosa:
2009 statistics with Connecticut: 6-0 (W-L), 2.36 (ERA), 14 (G), 14 (GS), 72.1 (IP), 298 (BF), 61 (H), 22 (R), 19 (ER), 4 (HR), 25 (BB), 44 (SO).
Sosa is an interesting case because his health is such an issue. He's coming off an arm injury in 2008, and had his season shortened in 2009 because of arm fatigue (e.g. his arm wasn't healthy after surgery in 2008).
So, Sosa's stats are hard to gauge because it's obvious it's not the Sosa that pitched in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium in 2008. His 5.47 strikeout rate and 1.76 BB/K ratio in Double-A last season aren't exactly numbers of a player dubbed one of the most underrated prospects in baseball by Baseball Intellect in 2008.
Then again, maybe the Sosa we saw last year should be one Giants fans should be expecting in the future. After all, arm injuries are incredibly unpredictable things, and we have seen them derail promising pitchers' career (Jesse Foppert comes to mind).
Yet, let's just say Sosa is close to be his 2008 self pre-injury. Let's just say he's recovered fully after shutting it down early in 2009. What can Giants fans expect from Sosa in 2010?
In my mind, with those factors, a lot.
Sosa not only has a good arm, but he looks to have good makeup as well. Unlike some fireballers who come into the league only able to last a few innings, Sosa is a legitimate starting pitcher with gas. He posted incredible WHIP numbers at his first two levels of play (0.99 in rookie ball and 0.89 in Single-A) and even last year, despite battling arm fatigue, his WHIP was very respectable at 1.19.
And, Sosa has also improved gradually with his command and control. Until his arm injury, Sosa was able to strike guys out with great proficiency (he had 11.41, 8.85, 11.03 and 9.27 strikeout rates in various levels from rookie to advanced Single-A from 2006 to 2007), but he still had problems walking guys.
In his first two years of professional ball, he had mediocre walk rate numbers at 3.34 and 3.63 in 2006 rookie level, 2007 Single-A respectively. Then his walk rate skyrocketed in San Jose in 2007 to 5.09, which produced a BB/K ratio of 2.17.
Since 2008, he started to clean up his command issues a little bit. His walk rate was only 2.88, and he had a 3.22 K/BB ratio in 2008. And, though his BB/K ratio was the lowest of his professional career in 2009, his walk rates weren't the problem. In 2009, he posted a 3.11 walk rate, the second-lowest of his career.
With the Giants rotation in solid shape for 2009, Sosa most likely will not be needed unless the most drastic of circumstances happen (think The Simpsons when all of Montgomery Burns' free agents for his company softball team had something happen to them prior to the championship game). However, Sosa will be very interesting to watch in the minors this season.
If he shows that his arm problems are a thing of the past this Spring, Sosa will be a very enticing pitching option for the Giants in late-2010 or 2011.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Know the Giants' Non-Roster Invitees: The "Veterans"
In lieu of Byun-Hyun Kim and Horacio Ramirez being signed by the Giants to Minor League contracts yesterday, I figured it would be interesting to analyze the Giants' players who are coming to Spring Training, but aren't "currently" on the active 40-man roster. First, I will look at "veterans" (e.g. guys looking for second and third chances) and then "prospects" (e.g. players who will be playing Spring Training games, but may be a year away from playing in a Giants uniform).
In terms of non-roster "veterans", in the past couple of years, Sabean has made a few of these signings pay off. Two years ago, they got surprise contribution from Jose Castillo and Keiichi Yabu, who reported to Arizona as non-roster invitees. Last year, they got GREAT production from Juan Uribe and Justin Miller, who both were signed to Minor League deals before Spring Training after no team deemed them worthy of a Major League contract the whole off-season.
So, who could be this year's Miller Or Uribe? Here are some candidates:
Byung-Hyun Kim:
Kim has been out of Major League Baseball since 2007, and has been in Korea trying to regroup for a comeback. Kim burst onto the scene with Diamondbacks in 2001, where he saved 19 games for the World Series-champion Arizona Diamondbacks. However, during the 2001 World Series, Kim struggled immensely, as he blew two saves to the Yankees and sported a 13.50 ERA and 2.10 WHIP during the Fall Classic.
Kim had a bit of a comeback in 2002, where he saved 36 games. But like Shannen Doherty coming back to an Aaron Spelling show like she did in "Charmed", Kim fell off the wagon again in the playoffs for a second-straight series. Against the Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLDS, Kim allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in his only appearance of the 2002 playoffs.
After that postseason flameout, Kim has bounced around between Boston (no success), Colorado (some success), Arizona again (if you consider a 23.62 ERA and a 4.875 WHIP success) and Florida (not terrible, but not great) trying to be a Major League starting pitcher instead of a reliever. Kim never really found a niche as a starter, and it's assumed that if he makes the Giants roster, it will be as a reliever.
Kim isn't exactly young (he's 31), and his layoff from Major League Baseball for two years makes one wonder if he really has what it takes to make a comeback. While Kim does have a deceptive delivery, his lack of firepower behind his fastball (he averaged 88.3 MPH on his fastball in 2007) and his lackluster K/BB ratios during the last couple of years of his career (he had a 1.57 ratio in 2007) certainly doesn't bode well for Giants fans who think that they will be the Kim who was retiring Giants hitters in 2001 and 2002.
At least though his prospects may be better than Chien Ming Wang's (but he doesn't have as great a commercial though as Wang).
Horacio Ramirez:
Ramirez has never really been a great Major League pitcher. In fact, I wonder if he ever really was a good one to be honest. He had a decent season in 2002, his rookie year, where he won 12 games and sported a 4.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. His season in 2004 was passable as well, for he won 11 games and had a 1.39 WHIP again.
However, Ramirez just fits the prototype of the pitcher who doesn't have great stuff, but has had a long career in the Major Leagues because he got lucky for a couple of years. In his "career" seasons in 2003 and 2005, Ramirez had K/BB ratios of 1.39 and 1.19 respectively. Furthermore, his FIP numbers were also high at 4.72 and 5.24, in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
The bottom line? Ramirez got awfully lucky a couple of years as a pitcher, and hitters (as well as general managers and managers) have seen through his okay Win-Loss numbers. Ramirez most likely will find a role like Ramon Ortiz had last year: he'll be in Triple-A, and may post good numbers with the Grizzlies, but won't see the MLB level in 2010.
Santiago Casilla:
Casilla in 2007 was a very good relief pitcher for the Oakland A's. He posted good strikeout numbers (9.24 K/9 rate) and a solid WHIP (1.30). Many thought that Casilla was the kind of guy who could have been a major cog in the A's bullpen for years to come.
However, after lackluster 2008 and 2009 season, Casilla finds himself across the Bay in San Francisco, just trying to make a MLB team.
As I mentioned in a Fall/Winter League Winners post, Casilla made some progress by having a solid season in the Domincan Winter League. However, in order to make the Giants roster by Opening Day, Casilla needs to continue to progress and have a strong showing in Spring Training. With a bullpen chock full of arms as it is, he won't be given much slack in Cactus League play.
Tony Pena, Jr.:
Pena is an interesting case mainly because he broke into the league as a shortstop, failed miserably, and now is trying to revive his career as a pitcher. Pena has only pitched in 10 games in his career (only one of them was at the Major League level), so he is indeed a MAJOR work-in-progress. To think that he will be a contributor to the bullpen in 2010 might be a stretch.
However, Pena does offer some upside: he has put up decent strikeout numbers over his 10 games as a pitcher. Last season, in 14.1 IP with the Royals' Single-A organization, Pena had an 8.79 K/9 ratio and a 0.91 WHIP. Granted, he stills struggles with control (he had a 3.14 BB/9 rate last year) and he has benefited from good defense and luck so far in his pitching career (his FIP in Single-A was 3.41 and he had a BABIP of .209). That being said, Pena is a very interesting player to watch for the Giants come Spring Training. If he shows some improvement, and builds on his solid (though not great) Winter League season in the DWL, Pena could be a guy pitching for the Giants in the future.
(Though that future will most likely be 2011 at the earliest.)
Denny Bautista:
Bautista is an interesting case, plain and simple. He has good velocity on his fastball (he averaged 94.1 MPH on his fastball last year with the Pirates), but he doesn't, historically, have good strikeout numbers. He only averaged a K/9 rate over six twice in his six seasons at the Major League level: in 2007 (where he had a 8.31 strikeout rate with the Rockies) and last year with the Pirates (where he had a career-high 9.88 strikeout rate).
That being said, despite his recent strikeout success, Bautista suffers from the same problem almost all hard-throwing relievers suffer from: control. Bautista had a 4.61 BB/9 rate and a 2.14 K/BB ratio in 2009, and those numbers for him were his best outputs in those categories at the Major League level.
There may be a lot to like about Bautista, and he may be on the upswing of his career in terms of finally getting it together as a pitcher. However, Bautista seems to be a Merkin Valdez 2.0, only older and without the funny first name. (Hint: Google Merkin.)
Eric Hacker:
Not much has been expected out of Hacker over his baseball-playing career. He was a 23rd round pick in 2002, and was drafted by the New York Yankees, which is the equivalent of Baseball Purgatory for any prospect because of how active the Yankees are in terms of singing free agents every year.
That being said, despite not having great stuff (his fastball averages 90.1 MPH), Hacker did show some promise after being traded to Pittsburgh last year. Hacker was named the International League Player of the Week (of the week ending August 9) and pitched a few games for the Pirates, (even though his stats during those three games were atrocious; he had a 6.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP).
Is Hacker a longshot to make the Giants active roster? Yeah, (Jennifer Love Hewitt has a better chance of winning an Academy Award in the next two years in my opinion). However, Hacker, who seems to be a career Quad-A player (Triple-A guy who can't make it to the next level, ala Todd Linden), is an interesting player to watch mainly because he has drudged in a lousy farm system (the Yankees) for so long. So, perhaps a change of scenery could turn it around for him in 2010 (though he's going to need a lot of "turning around" to be an MLB pitcher).
Steve Holm/Osiris Matos:
What? Steve Holm's not on the active roster? You're continuing to harp on Matos? What gives? They were on that roster last year! Of course they got a shot! (This is other fans saying this and not me by the way.)
Well, Matos and Holm fell so out of favor with the Giants' organization last year that they were cut loose by the Giants at some point last season. And, to make matters worse, they were so unwanted by other teams around the league that they are back with the Giants, only this time fighting to make a roster spot.
What can I say about the two? Holm's a decent defensive catcher and had an okay year at the plate in 29 games 2008. That being said, with Buster Posey on the way, Bengie Molina keeping the seat warm for Posey (supposedly) and Eli Whiteside providing "intangibles" to the pitching staff (though I don't really know what they are...I guess he has a better "catching no-hitters" ratio than Molina or Posey), Holm just seems like the odd man out and most likely will be in a different organization by the end of Spring Training.
A .242 average, .297 OBP and a .691 OPS 2009 in FRESNO will do that to you I guess.
As for Matos, well, I think he looks good when he warms up. Other than that, I just can't support him. He had decent numbers in 2009 in Fresno (1.27 WHIP, 7.95 K/9 rate) and on paper, his ERA makes him look a lot worse in 2009 than he probably was (he had a decent K/9 rate at 7.50, and he had a K/BB ratio of 5.00). However Matos just seems to give up too many runs (career 5.74 ERA at the MLB level) every game he pitches in.
I think Matos has a better chance than Holm in terms of making the team at this point, but with a lot of strong young arms like Henry Sosa, Waldis Joaquin and Dan Runzler most likely going to be in the bullpen in 2010, Matos just seems expendable at this point.
In terms of non-roster "veterans", in the past couple of years, Sabean has made a few of these signings pay off. Two years ago, they got surprise contribution from Jose Castillo and Keiichi Yabu, who reported to Arizona as non-roster invitees. Last year, they got GREAT production from Juan Uribe and Justin Miller, who both were signed to Minor League deals before Spring Training after no team deemed them worthy of a Major League contract the whole off-season.
So, who could be this year's Miller Or Uribe? Here are some candidates:
Byung-Hyun Kim:
Kim has been out of Major League Baseball since 2007, and has been in Korea trying to regroup for a comeback. Kim burst onto the scene with Diamondbacks in 2001, where he saved 19 games for the World Series-champion Arizona Diamondbacks. However, during the 2001 World Series, Kim struggled immensely, as he blew two saves to the Yankees and sported a 13.50 ERA and 2.10 WHIP during the Fall Classic.
Kim had a bit of a comeback in 2002, where he saved 36 games. But like Shannen Doherty coming back to an Aaron Spelling show like she did in "Charmed", Kim fell off the wagon again in the playoffs for a second-straight series. Against the Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLDS, Kim allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in his only appearance of the 2002 playoffs.
After that postseason flameout, Kim has bounced around between Boston (no success), Colorado (some success), Arizona again (if you consider a 23.62 ERA and a 4.875 WHIP success) and Florida (not terrible, but not great) trying to be a Major League starting pitcher instead of a reliever. Kim never really found a niche as a starter, and it's assumed that if he makes the Giants roster, it will be as a reliever.
Kim isn't exactly young (he's 31), and his layoff from Major League Baseball for two years makes one wonder if he really has what it takes to make a comeback. While Kim does have a deceptive delivery, his lack of firepower behind his fastball (he averaged 88.3 MPH on his fastball in 2007) and his lackluster K/BB ratios during the last couple of years of his career (he had a 1.57 ratio in 2007) certainly doesn't bode well for Giants fans who think that they will be the Kim who was retiring Giants hitters in 2001 and 2002.
At least though his prospects may be better than Chien Ming Wang's (but he doesn't have as great a commercial though as Wang).
Horacio Ramirez:
Ramirez has never really been a great Major League pitcher. In fact, I wonder if he ever really was a good one to be honest. He had a decent season in 2002, his rookie year, where he won 12 games and sported a 4.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. His season in 2004 was passable as well, for he won 11 games and had a 1.39 WHIP again.
However, Ramirez just fits the prototype of the pitcher who doesn't have great stuff, but has had a long career in the Major Leagues because he got lucky for a couple of years. In his "career" seasons in 2003 and 2005, Ramirez had K/BB ratios of 1.39 and 1.19 respectively. Furthermore, his FIP numbers were also high at 4.72 and 5.24, in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
The bottom line? Ramirez got awfully lucky a couple of years as a pitcher, and hitters (as well as general managers and managers) have seen through his okay Win-Loss numbers. Ramirez most likely will find a role like Ramon Ortiz had last year: he'll be in Triple-A, and may post good numbers with the Grizzlies, but won't see the MLB level in 2010.
Santiago Casilla:
Casilla in 2007 was a very good relief pitcher for the Oakland A's. He posted good strikeout numbers (9.24 K/9 rate) and a solid WHIP (1.30). Many thought that Casilla was the kind of guy who could have been a major cog in the A's bullpen for years to come.
However, after lackluster 2008 and 2009 season, Casilla finds himself across the Bay in San Francisco, just trying to make a MLB team.
As I mentioned in a Fall/Winter League Winners post, Casilla made some progress by having a solid season in the Domincan Winter League. However, in order to make the Giants roster by Opening Day, Casilla needs to continue to progress and have a strong showing in Spring Training. With a bullpen chock full of arms as it is, he won't be given much slack in Cactus League play.
Tony Pena, Jr.:
Pena is an interesting case mainly because he broke into the league as a shortstop, failed miserably, and now is trying to revive his career as a pitcher. Pena has only pitched in 10 games in his career (only one of them was at the Major League level), so he is indeed a MAJOR work-in-progress. To think that he will be a contributor to the bullpen in 2010 might be a stretch.
However, Pena does offer some upside: he has put up decent strikeout numbers over his 10 games as a pitcher. Last season, in 14.1 IP with the Royals' Single-A organization, Pena had an 8.79 K/9 ratio and a 0.91 WHIP. Granted, he stills struggles with control (he had a 3.14 BB/9 rate last year) and he has benefited from good defense and luck so far in his pitching career (his FIP in Single-A was 3.41 and he had a BABIP of .209). That being said, Pena is a very interesting player to watch for the Giants come Spring Training. If he shows some improvement, and builds on his solid (though not great) Winter League season in the DWL, Pena could be a guy pitching for the Giants in the future.
(Though that future will most likely be 2011 at the earliest.)
Denny Bautista:
Bautista is an interesting case, plain and simple. He has good velocity on his fastball (he averaged 94.1 MPH on his fastball last year with the Pirates), but he doesn't, historically, have good strikeout numbers. He only averaged a K/9 rate over six twice in his six seasons at the Major League level: in 2007 (where he had a 8.31 strikeout rate with the Rockies) and last year with the Pirates (where he had a career-high 9.88 strikeout rate).
That being said, despite his recent strikeout success, Bautista suffers from the same problem almost all hard-throwing relievers suffer from: control. Bautista had a 4.61 BB/9 rate and a 2.14 K/BB ratio in 2009, and those numbers for him were his best outputs in those categories at the Major League level.
There may be a lot to like about Bautista, and he may be on the upswing of his career in terms of finally getting it together as a pitcher. However, Bautista seems to be a Merkin Valdez 2.0, only older and without the funny first name. (Hint: Google Merkin.)
Eric Hacker:
Not much has been expected out of Hacker over his baseball-playing career. He was a 23rd round pick in 2002, and was drafted by the New York Yankees, which is the equivalent of Baseball Purgatory for any prospect because of how active the Yankees are in terms of singing free agents every year.
That being said, despite not having great stuff (his fastball averages 90.1 MPH), Hacker did show some promise after being traded to Pittsburgh last year. Hacker was named the International League Player of the Week (of the week ending August 9) and pitched a few games for the Pirates, (even though his stats during those three games were atrocious; he had a 6.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP).
Is Hacker a longshot to make the Giants active roster? Yeah, (Jennifer Love Hewitt has a better chance of winning an Academy Award in the next two years in my opinion). However, Hacker, who seems to be a career Quad-A player (Triple-A guy who can't make it to the next level, ala Todd Linden), is an interesting player to watch mainly because he has drudged in a lousy farm system (the Yankees) for so long. So, perhaps a change of scenery could turn it around for him in 2010 (though he's going to need a lot of "turning around" to be an MLB pitcher).
Steve Holm/Osiris Matos:
What? Steve Holm's not on the active roster? You're continuing to harp on Matos? What gives? They were on that roster last year! Of course they got a shot! (This is other fans saying this and not me by the way.)
Well, Matos and Holm fell so out of favor with the Giants' organization last year that they were cut loose by the Giants at some point last season. And, to make matters worse, they were so unwanted by other teams around the league that they are back with the Giants, only this time fighting to make a roster spot.
What can I say about the two? Holm's a decent defensive catcher and had an okay year at the plate in 29 games 2008. That being said, with Buster Posey on the way, Bengie Molina keeping the seat warm for Posey (supposedly) and Eli Whiteside providing "intangibles" to the pitching staff (though I don't really know what they are...I guess he has a better "catching no-hitters" ratio than Molina or Posey), Holm just seems like the odd man out and most likely will be in a different organization by the end of Spring Training.
A .242 average, .297 OBP and a .691 OPS 2009 in FRESNO will do that to you I guess.
As for Matos, well, I think he looks good when he warms up. Other than that, I just can't support him. He had decent numbers in 2009 in Fresno (1.27 WHIP, 7.95 K/9 rate) and on paper, his ERA makes him look a lot worse in 2009 than he probably was (he had a decent K/9 rate at 7.50, and he had a K/BB ratio of 5.00). However Matos just seems to give up too many runs (career 5.74 ERA at the MLB level) every game he pitches in.
I think Matos has a better chance than Holm in terms of making the team at this point, but with a lot of strong young arms like Henry Sosa, Waldis Joaquin and Dan Runzler most likely going to be in the bullpen in 2010, Matos just seems expendable at this point.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Which Giants Players were Winners from Fall and Winter League?
First off, I want to get something straight. I know Winter and Fall League performances don't mean a whole lot when it comes to how a player will perform that following Spring. A good season in the Dominican Republic certainly doesn't make a player, but a bad season in Arizona Fall League certainly doesn't break a player either.
However, it is interesting nonetheless to see which players played well and which ones didn't in the "off-season" nonetheless. Like I said before, I'm not putting too much salt into these, but I'm not completely ignoring them as well. Good or bad play should be recognized regardless of the level or season.
That being said, before I go into the "Winners and Losers of Fall and Winter League 2009" I also want to clear two things:
1.) I will not analyze Pablo Sandoval or Nate Schierholtz.
2.) I will only be referring to standard statistics.
For the first issue, we know Panda and Nate are going to be starting next season. Randy Winn looks to be joining New York next season, and unless Schierholtz gets hurt, or John Bowker looks like the second coming of a young Ryan Klesko in Spring Training, Schierholtz will be starting in Right Field come Opening Day. The same goes for Pablo. He's the third baseman, whether he hits .400 or .200 in Venezuela Winter League. What I really want to look at are guys on the cusp of making or being released from the team, for I feel Winter and Fall league play is much more important for those guys than ones who pretty much have a guaranteed position on next season's squad.
As for issues number two, that simply comes from what I have available. I wish Baseball Prospectus and Fangraphs had GB/FB rates for Dominican Winter League, but unfortunately, they have much bigger fish to fry than finding out what Geno Espineli's Pitch Value in PWL play was. So, for the most part, I'll be using standard statistics (batting average, OPS, WHIP, ERA, etc.) for this evaluation of these players in Fall and Winter League.
Okay, now that all that stuff is out of the way, onto the "Winners and Losers of Fall/Winter League 2009" for the San Francisco Giants! (I'm only doing the Giants by the way, so don't think I'm doing this for the Mariners, Rangers etc; I don't care how Justin Smoak did, even though I think Justin Smoak is a hell of player).
(Note: the post ran long, so I split it into two. Check out the "Losers" in the following post tomorrow).
Winners
Kevin Frandsen:
Frandsen is on the cusp of being jettisoned from San Francisco. All the signs point to it: the acquisition of Freddy Sanchez at the July Trade Deadline last season, the re-signing of Sanchez and Juan Uribe this off-season, Emmanuel Burriss coming back from injury. Frandsen, who had a solid campaign in 2007, hasn't seemed to recover from the 2008 Achilles injury that derailed him that season. In 2009, He was either buried in Fresno, or buried on the Giants' bench.
However, if Frandsen wanted to send a message to general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy that he can be a solid option for the Giants in 2010, then his Winter League play may have been it. In PWL (Puerto Rican Winter League) play, he posted a .337 batting average, a .396 OBP, a .907 OPS, hit two homers and drove in 14 RBI. Frandsen was a force of nature in Puerto Rico, and finally started to show some of the promise that many Giants fans saw during that stretch run in 2007.
Now, the jury is still out whether or not Frandsen will still be wanted come Opening Day. With a team chock-full of infielders, Frandsen may not have a spot on this team in general and may just be the odd-man out. However, Frandsen needed to show Giants brass this off-season that he was still worth keeping on the roster, and fortunately for Frandsen, he proved it and then some.
Brandon Crawford:
You want to know why the Giants' shortstop of the future got an invite to Spring Training this year? I guarantee you his season in Arizona Fall League play was probably the culprit. Crawford absolutely tore it up for the Scottsdale team this fall, as evidenced by his .312 batting average, two home runs, 10 RBI, 12 BB, .396 OBP and .850 OPS. Crawford proved to be a real star this Fall, and also gave comfort to Giants fans that the Giants organization doesn't just produce Brian Bococks at shortstop in the farm system.
Granted, Crawford is still young (he just turned 23) and is probably a long shot to make the roster with Edgar Renteria still under contract for this season. However, after a stellar Fall in Scottsdale, Crawford should be a guy to watch this Spring Training. It definitely isn't impossible to think that he could be competing for the Giants' shortstop position as early as 2011 if he continues the progress he made in AFL play.
Brett Pill:
Pill not only earned an invitation to Spring Training this year, but he also earned a spot on the 40-man roster this year, and seems to be in a good position to compete for the starting position with Travis Ishikawa in 2011 after Aubrey Huff is gone. While many Giants fans questioned the release of Jesus Guzman, Pill certainly makes the decision easier to swallow. Pill put up solid numbers in Venezuela Winter League as he had a .303 batting average, a .385 OBP, and a .901 OPS. He also showed some power, as evidenced by his five home runs and 19 RBI.
Is Pill ready to contribute to the Giants next year? Probably not. He only had nine walks in 89 AB in VWL play, so he could use some time in the minors to work on his plate patience. That being said, Pill proved to be a surprise this Winter League season, and should not only be carefully watched this Spring Training, but in 2010 as well. If the Huff experiment falters, don't be surprised to see Pill giving Ishikawa a spell from time to time.
Santiago Casilla:
Casilla is coming off two bad seasons in Oakland, and thankfully, his Winter campaign in the Dominican Winter League gave Giants fans a little bit of hope that his acquisition may not be a waste of money. In 14.1 IP, Casilla has 13 strikeouts, a 2.51 ERA and a WHIP of 0.98. 0.98! That's dominating, regardless of the fact it is Winter League play.
Casilla definitely has the ability to strike guys out, and he also has decent control (he only walked five guys in DWL play). That being said, Casilla has tanked in Oakland the past couple of years, and at 30-years-old, he isn't exactly on the upswing in terms of his career either. Hopefully, his solid numbers in the Dominican Republic, as well as a change of scenery (though not much of a change, for he's just coming across the Bay) will rejuvenate Casilla in 2010. With Alex Hinshaw and Kevin Pucetas on thin ice in terms of making the roster, Casilla, with a strong Spring, could definitely be a contributor to the Giants bullpen come Opening Day.
Tony Pena Jr.:
I know I made fun of him. I know that he used to be a shortstop and now converted to a pitcher. Regardless of the fact that he was once dubbed the Kansas City Royals' "Shortstop of the Future," Pena may actually have a decent career as a relief pitcher.
In 18 IP in DWL play, Pena absolutely tore it up. He allowed only 13 hits and seven walks, and he also managed to strike out 13 in addition to posting a 1.11 WHIP. Those numbers are not only surprising, but comforting, especially considering most Giants fans don't think Pena will contribute at all considering he spent most of his career as a shortstop.
To look at the situation realistically though,Pena is definitely a little raw as a pitcher, and for him to start out in the bullpen for the Giants in 2010 is also a longshot. However, if Pena can put up solid numbers in Fresno to start the year, don't be surprised to see the former "bust" infielder get a chance to show what he can do as a pitcher at the Major League level. It would be like Rick Ankiel in St. Louis, only reverse.
However, it is interesting nonetheless to see which players played well and which ones didn't in the "off-season" nonetheless. Like I said before, I'm not putting too much salt into these, but I'm not completely ignoring them as well. Good or bad play should be recognized regardless of the level or season.
That being said, before I go into the "Winners and Losers of Fall and Winter League 2009" I also want to clear two things:
1.) I will not analyze Pablo Sandoval or Nate Schierholtz.
2.) I will only be referring to standard statistics.
For the first issue, we know Panda and Nate are going to be starting next season. Randy Winn looks to be joining New York next season, and unless Schierholtz gets hurt, or John Bowker looks like the second coming of a young Ryan Klesko in Spring Training, Schierholtz will be starting in Right Field come Opening Day. The same goes for Pablo. He's the third baseman, whether he hits .400 or .200 in Venezuela Winter League. What I really want to look at are guys on the cusp of making or being released from the team, for I feel Winter and Fall league play is much more important for those guys than ones who pretty much have a guaranteed position on next season's squad.
As for issues number two, that simply comes from what I have available. I wish Baseball Prospectus and Fangraphs had GB/FB rates for Dominican Winter League, but unfortunately, they have much bigger fish to fry than finding out what Geno Espineli's Pitch Value in PWL play was. So, for the most part, I'll be using standard statistics (batting average, OPS, WHIP, ERA, etc.) for this evaluation of these players in Fall and Winter League.
Okay, now that all that stuff is out of the way, onto the "Winners and Losers of Fall/Winter League 2009" for the San Francisco Giants! (I'm only doing the Giants by the way, so don't think I'm doing this for the Mariners, Rangers etc; I don't care how Justin Smoak did, even though I think Justin Smoak is a hell of player).
(Note: the post ran long, so I split it into two. Check out the "Losers" in the following post tomorrow).
Winners
Kevin Frandsen:
Frandsen is on the cusp of being jettisoned from San Francisco. All the signs point to it: the acquisition of Freddy Sanchez at the July Trade Deadline last season, the re-signing of Sanchez and Juan Uribe this off-season, Emmanuel Burriss coming back from injury. Frandsen, who had a solid campaign in 2007, hasn't seemed to recover from the 2008 Achilles injury that derailed him that season. In 2009, He was either buried in Fresno, or buried on the Giants' bench.
However, if Frandsen wanted to send a message to general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy that he can be a solid option for the Giants in 2010, then his Winter League play may have been it. In PWL (Puerto Rican Winter League) play, he posted a .337 batting average, a .396 OBP, a .907 OPS, hit two homers and drove in 14 RBI. Frandsen was a force of nature in Puerto Rico, and finally started to show some of the promise that many Giants fans saw during that stretch run in 2007.
Now, the jury is still out whether or not Frandsen will still be wanted come Opening Day. With a team chock-full of infielders, Frandsen may not have a spot on this team in general and may just be the odd-man out. However, Frandsen needed to show Giants brass this off-season that he was still worth keeping on the roster, and fortunately for Frandsen, he proved it and then some.
Brandon Crawford:
You want to know why the Giants' shortstop of the future got an invite to Spring Training this year? I guarantee you his season in Arizona Fall League play was probably the culprit. Crawford absolutely tore it up for the Scottsdale team this fall, as evidenced by his .312 batting average, two home runs, 10 RBI, 12 BB, .396 OBP and .850 OPS. Crawford proved to be a real star this Fall, and also gave comfort to Giants fans that the Giants organization doesn't just produce Brian Bococks at shortstop in the farm system.
Granted, Crawford is still young (he just turned 23) and is probably a long shot to make the roster with Edgar Renteria still under contract for this season. However, after a stellar Fall in Scottsdale, Crawford should be a guy to watch this Spring Training. It definitely isn't impossible to think that he could be competing for the Giants' shortstop position as early as 2011 if he continues the progress he made in AFL play.
Brett Pill:
Pill not only earned an invitation to Spring Training this year, but he also earned a spot on the 40-man roster this year, and seems to be in a good position to compete for the starting position with Travis Ishikawa in 2011 after Aubrey Huff is gone. While many Giants fans questioned the release of Jesus Guzman, Pill certainly makes the decision easier to swallow. Pill put up solid numbers in Venezuela Winter League as he had a .303 batting average, a .385 OBP, and a .901 OPS. He also showed some power, as evidenced by his five home runs and 19 RBI.
Is Pill ready to contribute to the Giants next year? Probably not. He only had nine walks in 89 AB in VWL play, so he could use some time in the minors to work on his plate patience. That being said, Pill proved to be a surprise this Winter League season, and should not only be carefully watched this Spring Training, but in 2010 as well. If the Huff experiment falters, don't be surprised to see Pill giving Ishikawa a spell from time to time.
Santiago Casilla:
Casilla is coming off two bad seasons in Oakland, and thankfully, his Winter campaign in the Dominican Winter League gave Giants fans a little bit of hope that his acquisition may not be a waste of money. In 14.1 IP, Casilla has 13 strikeouts, a 2.51 ERA and a WHIP of 0.98. 0.98! That's dominating, regardless of the fact it is Winter League play.
Casilla definitely has the ability to strike guys out, and he also has decent control (he only walked five guys in DWL play). That being said, Casilla has tanked in Oakland the past couple of years, and at 30-years-old, he isn't exactly on the upswing in terms of his career either. Hopefully, his solid numbers in the Dominican Republic, as well as a change of scenery (though not much of a change, for he's just coming across the Bay) will rejuvenate Casilla in 2010. With Alex Hinshaw and Kevin Pucetas on thin ice in terms of making the roster, Casilla, with a strong Spring, could definitely be a contributor to the Giants bullpen come Opening Day.
Tony Pena Jr.:
I know I made fun of him. I know that he used to be a shortstop and now converted to a pitcher. Regardless of the fact that he was once dubbed the Kansas City Royals' "Shortstop of the Future," Pena may actually have a decent career as a relief pitcher.
In 18 IP in DWL play, Pena absolutely tore it up. He allowed only 13 hits and seven walks, and he also managed to strike out 13 in addition to posting a 1.11 WHIP. Those numbers are not only surprising, but comforting, especially considering most Giants fans don't think Pena will contribute at all considering he spent most of his career as a shortstop.
To look at the situation realistically though,Pena is definitely a little raw as a pitcher, and for him to start out in the bullpen for the Giants in 2010 is also a longshot. However, if Pena can put up solid numbers in Fresno to start the year, don't be surprised to see the former "bust" infielder get a chance to show what he can do as a pitcher at the Major League level. It would be like Rick Ankiel in St. Louis, only reverse.
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