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September 30, 2004
Pelicans Clean House In Carolina League Top 20
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans landed four players in Baseball America's Carolina League Top 20, led by Jeff Francoeur in the #1 spot:
“If I had to pick a five-tool guy in the league, he’d be it,” said the AL scout. “He has it all . . . and his makeup is off the charts.”Kyle Davies came in at #5, followed by Brian McCann at #8, and Anthony Lerew at #15. All four of these players are in my Top 10 in the organization, and are a big part of the future of the franchise.“What I liked most about him was his tremendous aptitude and competitiveness,” Kinston manager Torey Lovullo. “He’s an exciting and emotional team leader. You add that into all the other tools he has—especially his bat speed; he can put wood on a bullet—and you have a guy that could be an all-star caliber player in the big leagues for 10 years.”
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 29, 2004
Carl Loadenthal -- An Oriole???
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Danville Braves outfielder Carl Loadenthal was profiled a few days back on the PhillyBurbs.com website, with a interesting mention about the Baltimore Orioles checking into his availability:
The Orioles have already made inquiries about his availability, according to Loadenthal. It helped that he always seemed to hit the ball well against the Orioles' Class A minor league affiliate in Bluefield, W.Va.Now who knows when this was, and an inquiry is just an inquiry, but have we ever written a check for Napoleon Calzado? Not that I think there is even a remote chance of that happening, but I'm just asking."I'd say the odds are, if I make it to the majors, it probably wouldn't be with the Braves," he said. "You never know, (but) there are a solid three or four outfielders who put up solid numbers, and the Braves have money invested in them. I pretty much have to be an all-star every year, which is a possibility, I guess.
"It's always good to get traded, because then you get put on the 40-man roster so you get a shot, and they think you can play for them because they traded for you. But if that day ever comes, I would still be upset because the Braves are a great organization."
Loadenthal is a breath of fresh air as a hitter who will draw a walk in a swing-happy organization. He has been an All-Star in each of his first two stops in the system, and there is no reason why that trend won't continue next season in Rome. He could be on the fast track with a hot start next season, but with solid prospects blocking him in both Myrtle Beach and Pearl, I don't see that happening unless he forces the issue.
By my count from last week's Top 50 list, I have eleven outfielders in the organization ranked ahead of Loadenthal - Francoeur, Langerhans, Johnson, Stern, McCarthy, Blanco, Esquivel, Doetsch, Joseph, Jurich, and Burrus. That more than fills up the nine starting spots from Myrtle Beach on up the ladder. When you look at it from that perspective, Loadenthal may very well benefit from a trade. I, along with I'm sure many others, would hate to see him go, but such are the ways of the minor leagues.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:39 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 28, 2004
Saltalamacchia Top Braves Prospect in SAL
Baseball America ranked Jarrod Saltalamacchia #7 and Jake Stevens #12 in their end of season Top 20 South Atlantic League prospects. The is very high praise for the young catcher, since the SAL was loaded with prospects this season. The six players ranked ahead of him - Delmon Young, Ian Stewart, Lastings Milledge, Adam Miller, Yusmerio Petit, and Chuck Tiffany - all have a chance to be the number one prospect in their respective organizations going into the 2005 season. Here are the notes on Saltalamacchia and Stevens:
7. Jarrod SaltalamacchiaI'm a bit surprised Chuck James didn't sneak into the back half of the list, but it looks like BA doesn't think he is a hard enough thrower to warrant consideration at this point.
If he reaches the big leagues, Saltalamacchia will have the longest surname in major league history. Most SAL managers think it's just a matter of time, though Saltalamacchia didn't put up dominant numbers like other players on this list. An early wrist injury and a hamstring pull that ended his season two weeks early contributed to his average showing.Physical and strong, Saltalamacchia shows power from both sides of the plate and the tools to handle the demands of catching. He has a loose, natural swing from the left side with loft power potential and needs to work on his righthanded stroke. Savannah manager Bob Henley liked his work behind the plate.
"He's got a good presence back there," said Henley, a former big league catcher. "He can catch and throw, has a strong body and showed a real strong arm."
12. Jake Stevens
Stevens and fellow lefty Chuck James formed a potent 1-2 punch in Rome's rotation, putting up nearly identical numbers. Managers and scouts agreed Stevens was the better prospect because he throws harder and has a better breaking ball than James, whose fastball sits in the mid-80s at times.Epperson credited the Braves with helping Stevens make tremendous progress with his curveball. Managers liked its power and tilt, and it needs only more consistency to be a plus major league curve. Stevens also has a solid-average fastball in the 89-90 mph range with good life, and one area scout rated his command and changeup as above average. The total package helped him rank fifth in the league in strikeouts.
"He's a totally different pitcher from high school," said Epperson, who lives near Stevens in the Fort Myers, Fla., area and saw him as a prepster. "He's learned the curveball, and his body has gone in the right direction. I thought he had a soft body, but now he's in good shape and has good stamina. He's got the fastball and changeup, but that curveball is so good, that's the pitch you've got to watch for if you're the hitter."
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:09 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 27, 2004
McCann, Capellan 1st team All-Stars
There were several goings on last week while I was running the Top 50 prospects series, so let's play a little catch-up. If you have been following Baseball America's post-season coverage, or have been watching the message boards, you already know this, but Brian McCann and Jose Capellan have been named by BA to the 1st team overall minor league All-Star squad. Kyle Davies was named to the second team rotation. Congrats to these players on a great honor.
Baseball America also started their end of season reports for each league, starting with the top 20 prospects for the Gulf Coast League, where the Braves Johan Silva comes in at #17:
After spending the previous two years in the Dominican Summer League, Silva made big strides in his first season in the United States, particularly at the plate. He made progress at the plate and on the basepaths.The top 20 prospects for the Appalachian League were up next, with both Van Pope and J.C. Holt making the list:"He was feeling his way at the start of the season but really came on," Henriquez said. "He was not only the biggest surprise on the Braves but he had the best tools on the team."
A switch-hitter, Silva still has a ways to go with the bat, particularly from the right side. He has an uppercut in his swing. He has solid center-field skills and instincts to go with an above-average arm.
14. Van Pope, 3bAmazingly enough (to me anyway) Chris Vines got no love, even in the Appy League chat that followed the list:
Like Parraz, Pope displayed impressive physical skills but needs to smooth out his raw talents. He's a first-ball fastball hitter with tremendous strength and power to all fields. Overaggression can be a problem, especially with breaking balls, though he can put a charge into an offspeed pitch when he gets hold of it.Pope possesses the agility, range and arm strength for third base, along with the body type. "He's built like a brick wall," Smith said. Pope plays an adequate third base and should become more fluid with his hands and feet as he gains experience.
16 J.C. Holt, 2b
Holt's transition from college outfielder to pro second baseman wasn't completely seamless, but he showed some aptitude. Holt, who played second as a freshman at Louisiana State, makes all the routine plays and moves well to his left. He must improve on getting to balls up the middle, knowing when to charge grounders and turning double plays.Holt's offensive game has translated nicely from college. He controls the bat well, uses a short line-drive stroke and hits balls from gap to gap. His plus speed plays a grade higher because of his baserunning skills and instincts.
"He's a tough out," Odor said. "He makes a lot of contact and finds a way to get on. He has the ability to steal 30 to 40 bases in a full season."
Q: Ben from Germantown, Maryland asks:I even posed a Vines-specific question, but to no avail. The league specific top 20 lists continue this week, with the South Atlantic and Carolina League due up soon.
Does the Brave's J.C. Holt seem to possess the batting and running skills to be a MLB leadoff hitter, and do you believe that he will play an above-average defensive 2B, or would his MLB position be back in the outfield?A:Will Kimmey:
You hit it right on the head. He played some 2B I believe during high school, so the move wasn't quite the shot in the dark it might have looked like. One league manager didn't even realize Holt was a conversion guy. He should be as good defensively as Marcus Giles, which is average, but not the same kind of hitter.Q: John from Atlanta asks:
Did any other Danville players get consideration for the list? Mark Jurich, Brandon Jones, Matt Harrison, Chris Vines, Kevin Villa?A: Will Kimmey:
Danville lead the league in batting, so there were a ton of hitters considered there. I talked about Jurich already, Jones and catcher Cole Armstrong, both 21, each showed some batting skills and could be interchangable at 20 with Deacon Burns if you were so inclined. Armstrong didn't really catcher much, however, and wasn't particularly impressive when he did, so his beating out Hernandez as the league's all-star catcher is kind of funny and probably happened because he had a higher batting average than Hernandez when the ballots were sent it. Hernandez passed him late in the year. As for the pitchers, all showed some inklings of future success either in their strikeout-walk ratio or ERA. None really rose above other players in the league enough to hop high on the list however.
Over at Fox Sports, Dayn Perry posts his Minor League Awards for 2004, with a familiar name to Braves fans getting noticed:
Hitter To Watch: Jeff Francoeur, OF, Braves, Age: 20I expect to see Francoeur's name thrown about a lot this offseason as possibly a top 20 overall prospect in the minor leagues.A broken jaw caused him to miss a month of the season, but prior to that Francoeur was hitting for power at Myrtle Beach (.506 SLG), the toughest park for hitters in all of professional baseball. He was also young for the circuit. He has the defensive chops to stick in center, and his hitting skills are tremendous. He and Andy Marte will go a long way toward keeping the Braves on top in years to come.
One transaction to note, the Braves have released rhp Jonathan Schaus, who was signed as a DFE prior to the 2004 draft. He was originally selected in the 31st round in 2003, and never pitched an inning for the organization.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 06:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 24, 2004
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #1-10
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #11-20
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #21-30
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #31-40
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #41-50
1. Andy Marte, 3b
Marte was the consensus #1 Braves prospect heading into the season, and he did nothing this year to dispute that ranking. He was troubled on two separate occasions this season by a sprained ankle, but when he was in the lineup he was electric. His power numbers are on the rise over the past three seasons, improving from one homer in every 25.70 at-bats between 2002 and 2003 combined, to one homer in every 16.83 at-bats in 2004. Overall, he hit .269/.364/.525 in 387 at-bats, with 23 homers and 28 doubles in 2004. His secondary average of .406 was 55 % greater than the league, and his OPS of .889 was 22% greater. His K/BB was a respectable 105/58.
Marte may never become a .300 hitter, but peak numbers in the majors approaching .285 with between 30-40 homers don't seem to be out of the question. Chipper Jones move back to third base poses a minor problem in the near term for Marte's ascent to the bigs, but I have a feeling that the issue will be resolved sooner rather than later.
2. Jeff Francoeur, of
Francoeur was having an amazing season in Myrtle Beach before fracturing his cheekbone on a fouled off bunt attempt in early July. The original diagnosis had him out until the end of the season, but in true Francoeur style, he worked his way back in just a little over a month, showing us all exactly what this kid is made of. On the field for the Pelicans, Jeff hit .293/.346/.508 in 331 at-bats, with 15 homers and 26 doubles. His SEC of .293 was 19% higher than the Carolina league average, and his OPS of .854 was also 19% higher. He did strikeout 69 times and drew just 22 walks, so that is an area for improvement.
He was all set for a promotion to Double-A Greenville prior to breaking his cheekbone, and he finally made it there in late August. In 79 at-bats for the G-Braves, he hit just .197 and whiffed 14 times without drawing a walk. 2005 should bring a return to Greenville, with eyes on Atlanta by late 2006.
3. Jose Capellan, rhp
One of the most talked about prospects in all of the minors this season, Capellan brought his 100 mph fastball with him whenever he took the mound. His meteoric rise from High-A at the start of the season to the majors at the end was a thrill ride at each stop along the way. A quick look at his minor league numbers:
Myrtle Beach -- 5-1, 1.94 ERA, 46 1/3 IP, 27 H, 62 SO, 11 BB, 0 HR
Greenville -- 5-1, 2.50 ERA, 50 1/3 IP, 53 H, 53 SO, 19 BB, 1 HR
Richmond -- 4-2, 2.51 ERA, 43 IP, 33 H, 37 SO, 15 BB, 0 HR
Combined -- 14-4, 2.33 ERA, 139 2/3 IP, 152 SO, 45 BB, 1 HR
Most young pitchers struggle when they move up a level during the season, but Capellan never seemed to have any trouble adjusting. He sometimes relies on his fastball too much, as shown in his two major league starts, but if he can refine his breaking pitches, he could become a top starter. Otherwise, he would be excellent out of the bullpen as a setup man/future closer. Either way, Capellan has a chance to dominate, and I'm going to sit back and enjoy the ride.
4. Dan Meyer, lhp
Meyer flaunted his impressive control for both Double-A Greenville and Triple-A Richmond in 2004. Between the two stops, he was 9-6 with a 2.50 ERA, striking out 146 and walking just 37 for nearly a 4/1 K/BB ratio. The college product is best known for his poise and tenacity on the mound, bringing a low-90's fastball, an excellent slider, and an ever improving changeup. I had him ahead of Capellan in my personal rankings until the last month of the season, and he could very well have the better major league career of the two. Meyer should have every opportunity to make the big club out of spring training in 2005.
5. Kyle Davies, rhp
Lost in the spotlight of Capellan and Meyer in front of him, and Jake Stevens behind him, Kyle Davies may have had the most impressive season of them all. He started the year out strong for High-A Myrtle Beach by going 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 75 1/3 innings, striking out 95 and walking 32. That earned him a promotion to Double-A Greenville, where he was arguably better, posting a 4-0 record with a 2.32 ERA in 62 innings, fanning 72 and walking 28. He did log one nondescript start at the end of the regular season for Triple-A Richmond, but was fantastic in his one playoff start for the R-Braves, giving up just two hits in 5 1/3 innings to send them to the IL finals.
Davies just turned 21 on September 9th, making the season he had even more impressive. The 2001 4th rounder may start 2005 back in Double-A, but the Georgia product is clearly hitting his stride and could be the top pitcher on this list next year.
6. Brian McCann, c
At first glance, McCann's numbers may not be impressive as some of the other top hitting prospects in the organization, but if you look a little closer, you quickly realize we have one of the top hitting catchers in all of the minor leagues. Batting from the left side, he hit .277/.337/.487 in 382 at-bats for Myrtle Beach, with 15 homers and 35 doubles (tied for best in the system). His SEC of .291 was 18% better than the league average, and his OPS was 15% greater. Combine all of that with his age (20), position, handedness, and offense suppressing ballpark, and McCann could be the long term answer behind the plate in Atlanta in a few seasons.
7. Jake Stevens, lhp
Stevens was selected in the third round of the 2003 draft, and was impressive enough in 47 innings for Orlando that season to skip over Danville and head to Rome to begin 2004. Needless to say, the 19 year-old didn't disappoint. He was 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA in 135 innings, fanning 140 and walking 39, while giving up just 100 hits for an outstanding 6.67 H/9 ratio. The sky is the limit for this young lefty, who should start next season in the pitchers haven known as Coastal Federal Field.
8. Anthony Lerew, rhp
Through the end of June, Lerew was firing away in Myrtle Beach just as he had done in every previous stop in the system. He was 7-3 with a 2.53 ERA in 85 1/3 IP, but things turned south the rest of the way. From July to the end of the year, all of his numbers went the wrong direction - hits and walks went up, and strikeouts went down. The final line: 8-9, 3.75 ERA, 144 IP, 145 H, 125 SO, 46 BB. He did spend a very short time on the DL in August, but the reported cause of his troubles was newfound velocity that he was unable to harness. Hopefully that is the case - not injury - and he will find himself back on track in 2005.
9. Ryan Langerhans, of
Langerhans has been hovering around the top 10 or 15 Braves prospects for the past few seasons, but he really opened some eyes with this year's breakout performance. Langer hit .298/.397/.518 in 456 at-bats for Triple-A Richmond this season, cranking out 20 homers and 34 doubles in the process. He boasted a secondary average of .364, 34% higher than the league average, and an OPS of .915, 19% higher than the league. He did fan 113 times at the plate, but his 70 walks more than made up for that. He also played impeccable defense, committing just three errors in 127 games in the outfield. Ryan could be a real asset at the next level - likely as a fourth outfielder to begin with. He should get every opportunity to head north with the team next spring.
10. Chuck James, lhp
James provided a strong 1-2 punch with Stevens in the Rome rotation in 2004. In 132 IP, he allowed just 92 hits (6.27 H/9 - wow!) on his way to a 10-5 season with a 2.25 ERA. He fanned 156 (tops on the team) and walked 48 so he showed decent command as well. By the time June rolled around, the 22 year-old had clearly shown he wasn't being challenged at the Low-A level, earning him a promotion to High-A Myrtle Beach, effective after the SAL All-Star game which he was scheduled to start. There was only one problem - he never made the start, or got that promotion.
He and Matt Esquivel were involved in an undisclosed incident in Charleston prior to the All-Star game, resulting in lengthy suspensions for both of them. When James' suspension was lifted, he was reassigned to Rome, where he spent the rest of the season overmatching his opponents, eventually being named as the top pitcher in the SAL at years end. He should start next season in Myrtle Beach, with eyes on Greenville before the season is out.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:29 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
September 23, 2004
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #11-20
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #21-30
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #31-40
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #41-50
11. Kelly Johnson, of
After spending the majority of his minor league career as a shortstop, Johnson moved to the outfield full time in 2004, and was asked to repeat at Greenville to get used to the switch. He responded with one of his best offensive seasons to date, hitting .282/.350/.468 with 16 homers and tied for the franchise lead in doubles with 35. He strikes out a decent amount, but his K/BB ratio is 2.08, so I'm not too concerned. He made eleven errors in the field, which should improve with time. Johnson should move into the Richmond outfield in 2005, with an eye on making some noise in spring training.
12. Adam Stern, of
Not quite out of nowhere, but pretty darn close, Stern put up a very impressive year for Double-A Greenville. The former 3rd round pick (2001) out of the University of Nebraska battled back from an injury-plagued 2003 campaign to hit .322/.378/.480 in 394 at-bats for the G-Braves, including eight homers, 26 doubles, six triples, and 27 stolen bases (10 CS). He also spent most of August participating in the Olympics for Team Canada. At 24, he is a touch old to be considered a top prospect at Double-A, but considering this is only his second professional season with more than 150 AB's, he is moving along just fine.
13. Wilson Betemit, 3b
Betemit's back was up against the wall from the get-go this season, and he responded with the type of year that at least gives you a glimmer of hope that the former top prospect can be a contributor at the major league level in some way, shape, or form. He got off to a poor start in April - .555 OPS for the month - but had improved to a .824 OPS by the end of June, and actually joined the big club for a brief, yet unsuccessful, stint in May. He still strikes out too much (99 K/32 BB in 356 Triple-A at-bats), but his SEC of .280 was 3% greater than the IL average, and his OPS of .802 was 5% greater, all of this during his age 23 season. He may never reach the potential that many praised him with in the past, but I'd say he has a more than fair shot at earning a top reserve spot in the majors, which is ok in my book.
14. Billy McCarthy, of
When did we all of a sudden become healthy with outfield prospects? McCarthy started out strong at Greenville in 2004, hitting .300/.375/.485 in 233 at-bats before getting the call to Richmond in the second half of the season. He took no time at all to adjust, cranking out six homers and 13 doubles while hitting .354/.407/.539 in his 178 Triple-A at-bats. On top of that, he made just four errors in 108 games in the outfield between the two stops. The only drawback here is that he will be 25 when next season starts, so we are getting down to the nitty gritty in terms of productive years for McCarthy going forward.
15. Macay McBride, lhp
I liked Macay McBride a lot heading into the 2004 season. Heck, I had him as my #3 overall prospect in last years list, so of course I was disappointed to see him struggle this year. He had a tough time as a starter at the beginning of the season, but once he was moved into the bullpen, things started to click. He fanned nearly one batter per inning, so if he can cut down on the hits and walks just a bit (113 H, 46 BB in 103.1 IP), he could really entrench himself as the top lefty reliever in the organization, expediting his ascent to the majors.
16. Zach Miner, rhp
Miner got off to a hideous start in Greenville this season. In his first five games, four of which were starts, he gave up 27 runs - 22 earned - on 35 hits, 16 strikeouts, and seven walks in just 16 1/3 innings. That was good for an 0-3 record and a 12.12 ERA. Knowing that the season was still young, Zach battled the rest of the way and came away a better pitcher at the end of the season than at the beginning. He did have a bit of gopheritis - 14 HR allowed, most on the team - but the rest of the peripheral stats were ok: 2.02 K/BB, 7.74 K/9, 3.83 BB/9, 9.20 H/9. If his last start of the season is any indication (6.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 SO), Miner learned a lot this season that should carry over to 2005.
17. Scott Thorman, 1b
Thorman started out the season repeating Myrtle Beach after a poor 2003, but a hot start put him in Greenville after just 43 games with the Pelicans. He struggled with Double-A for the longest time, but things finally started coming together for him late in the season. Between the two stops, Thorman combined to hit .267/.344/.423 in 499 at-bats, with 15 homers and 25 doubles. He showed good strike zone judgment with a 1.80 K/BB ratio. Greenville looks to be his first stop next season, but he could work his way up to Richmond with another hot start.
18. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c
Jarrod did everything you could ask for from a 19 year-old in his first year of full-season ball. He battled through a wrist injury in the middle of the season, and then had to shut it down near the end of the year with a hamstring tweak, but still managed to hit .272/.348/.437 in 323 at-bats, with 10 homers and 19 doubles. His OPS of .785 was 6% greater than the league average - especially impressive given his age and experience level. All indicators point to Jarrod continuing to progress as he moves up the ladder next season.
19. Blaine Boyer, rhp
Boyer had a very good year for the Pelicans, going 10-10 with a 2.98 ERA in 154 innings, fanning 95 and walking 49. He was a bit inconsistent at times, but invariably followed any poor start with a good performance the next time out. His strikeouts are a bit low for a guy who can bring it in the mid-90's, but I think it is just the continual process of learning how to pitch. He doesn't give up a lot of hits (8.06 K/9), so if he can widen the gap between his strikeouts and walks next season, his stock should really take off.
20. Gregor Blanco, of
Repeating Myrtle Beach in 2004 turned out similar numbers for Blanco nearly across the board:
2003: .271/.357/.375, 461 AB, 19 2B, 7 3B, 5 HR, 114 SO, 54 BB, 34 SB, 16 CS
2004: .266/.339/.401, 436 AB, 17 2B, 9 3B, 8 HR, 114 SO, 47 BB, 25 SB, 9 SB
Obviously, you would like to see more improvement in the second year, but Blanco will still only be 21 next season, hopefully in Double-A Greenville, so there still may be a chance he can contribute further down the line.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:46 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 22, 2004
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #21-30
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #31-40
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #41-50
21. James Jurries, 1b
I'll go ahead and say right up front that James Jurries is a difficult one to rank. The slugger started out the season in Greenville, hitting seven homers in his first 72 at-bats, earning him an early season promotion to Richmond. He played the rest of the year for the R-Braves, finishing up the season with a combined line of .274/.343/.518 with 25 homers - tops in the system. The knock on Jurries has always been his glove, so he was moved from third to first this season with hopes of alleviating that problem. I have never seen him play in the field (second-hand reports are not exactly glowing) but he had just eight errors on the season in 84 games at first and four at third, which seems like a reasonable number to me.
I had him higher in my first run at the Top 50, up around the 15 range, but I believe the guys around him have more upside, so I dropped him down a few notches. If he was in an AL organization, he may have gotten the call already as a DH - I just don't know where he fits in the long term plans of the Braves.
22. Brayan Pena, c
Sometimes the forgotten man of the suddenly catching-deep system, Pena posted a .314/.349/.401 line in 277 at-bats for Greenville this season. None of his offensive numbers jump out at you, but he makes good contact and has a decent eye. His catching skills, which are apparently very solid, are what is going to carry him to the majors, likely in a backup capacity, and possibly in the very near future.
23. Martin Prado, 2b
Since signing with the Braves out of Venezuela in 2001, Prado has done nothing but hit. Heading into this season, he sported a .302 average in 629 at-bats between two DSL teams and the GCL. Granted, those teams aren't the best barometer, but it was good enough for him to skip over Danville and head to Rome for 2004, where he didn't disappoint. He hit .315/.363/.422 in 429 at-bats, with 25 doubles. Unlike the majority of his teammates, Prado actually has some semblance of pitch selection at the plate, walking 30 times and striking out 47. He committed just nine errors in 104 games at second base, good enough to earn him the nod as the SAL's top defensive second baseman as voted on by the coaches around the league.
24. Matt Esquivel, of
Esquivel was red-hot through June, hitting .304/.371/.540 with 22 doubles and eleven homers, but he joined Chuck James on the suspended list in July after an unspecified team violation at the SAL All-Star game. Once he returned later in the month, his season went somewhat downhill from there, finishing up at .282/.354/.489 with 31 doubles and 16 homers - both team highs. The power is clearly there, but his plate patience is downright putrid - 140 strikeouts vs. 35 walks. In honor of Matt, Steve Doetsch, and Josh Burrus, and the rest of the Rome offense, I hereby petition to have their nickname changed from the Braves to the Windmills. Something needs to change at the plate for these guys, because it only gets harder when they have to face the Coastal Federal Field monster next season.
25. Steve Doetsch, of
I like you Doetsch, I really do, but you HAVE to cut back on those strikeouts. His 152 K's led the team, but thanks to 47 walks, his ratio wasn't as bad as Esquivel or Burrus. He finished up at .284/.353/.420 with nine homers and 24 doubles on the season, and committed just five errors in 114 games in the outfield. Lower the strikeouts and raise the walks, and we may just have something here.
26. Chris Vines, rhp
Vines was drafted by the Braves in the fifth round of the 2003 draft out of Pelham HS in Birmingham, AL, but didn't see his first professional action until this season in Danville. Needless to say, the 6'5", 205 lb. righty didn't disappoint. Vines posted a 6-3 record with a 3.28 ERA in 60 1/3 innings, with a stellar 72 strikeouts (2nd in the league) against just 14 walks. That adds up to some impressive ratios: 5.14 K/BB, 10.78 K/9, and 2.10 BB/9. He could stand to miss a few more bats (8.69 H/9), but in reality that ratio is just fine. Vines is a prime candidate for a Jake Stevens type breakout next season in Rome.
27. Luis Hernandez, ss
Hernandez's offensive numbers may look similar to Tony Pena's, but Hernandez has one thing going for him that Pena doesn't - age. Luis is nearly three years younger than Tony and is playing just one level behind him. He hit .271/.306/.393 for Myrtle Beach this season, fanning 70 times and drawing just 16 walks in 402 at-bats. Not quite Pena-esque, but not good either. In the field, Hernandez made 12 errors in 116 games at shortstop. He has a fair shot to take over Pena's spot as the top SS prospect in the upper levels next season. I already think he has.
28. Pete Orr, 2b
Orr essentially came out of nowhere to lead Richmond in hitting with a .320 average, good enough for fifth best in the International League. Prior to this season, the 25 year-old lefty had a career minor league average of .244 in five seasons with the Braves organization. Who knows where the turnaround came from, but it was one of the better stories of the year, and also earned him a spot on the Canadian Olympic team. He played mostly at second base, but also logged time at third, short, and the outfield, and committed just four errors all season. That versatility could land him a utility spot in the majors down the line, but at the plate, he is no more than a singles hitter.
29. Buddy Hernandez, rhp Everybody loves Buddy, but for whatever reason, he keeps getting passed up when the opportunity arises for relief help with the big club. Some say it's the size - he's listed at 5'9" - but the numbers don't lie. Hernandez posted a 2.42 ERA with 60 strikeouts, 26 walks, and just 45 hits in 67 innings of work. The walks are a bit high for a reliever, but that hit total is impressive. He should get a shot in the majors next season - hopefully it will be with the Braves.
30. Matt Wright, rhp
Wright posted a decent season for Myrtle Beach in 2004, going 4-6 with a 3.53 ERA in 119 2/3 innings. All of his peripheral numbers were good except for his walks per nine, which was just a hair over four. other than that, he fanned more than one batter per inning, allowed less than a hit per inning, and his K/BB ratio was a solid 2.35. Matt's season ended on a sour note though, as he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right arm near the end of August. He should be fine for next season.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:24 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 21, 2004
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #31-40
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #41-50
31. Gonzalo Lopez, rhp
Gonzo battled through injury and off the field problems in 2003, but was able to bounce back with a solid campaign in 2004 to put some shine back on his star. Still just 20 this past season, Lopez was 8-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 100 2/3 innings for Rome, striking out 109 and walking just 21. His 5.19 K/BB ratio was better than every pitcher on the team - Stevens, James, all the relievers - everybody. He did miss some time in the middle part of the season with an injury to his shoulder, but bounced back strong and should be good to go next season back in Myrtle Beach.
32. Roman Colon, rhp
It's been a long time coming for Roman Colon, but he finally made it to the big club this season in his ninth year with the organization. Working exclusively out of the pen in 2004, Colon posted a 3.51 ERA in 77 innings between Richmond and Greenville, with a combined 69 strikeouts and 22 walks. He was sent down temporarily at the end of August in a paperwork move, but was recalled to Atlanta in September.
33. Kevin Barry, rhp
I tend to undervalue top relievers in the system when in comes to making out prospect lists, and Kevin Barry falls squarely in that category. It's not that I don't think that they aren't valuable pieces to the puzzle, but rather that they are the most easily replaceable, and may not carry the weight of a top starter or position player. If you think he is a top 15 or 20 talent in the organization, you won't get much of an argument from me, but I'm comfortable where he ranks on my list.
Let's look at his combined numbers between Double-A and Triple-A this season: 59.4 IP, 40 H, 35 BB, 71 SO, 1.82 ERA, 1.26 WHIP. Not much you can argue there excpet the walks, but Barry counters that with a low hit total for a decent balance. At 26, now is the time to show what he can do for the organization at the major league level. He should get that opportunity next spring.
34. Tony Pena, ss
Pena started out the season on a mission to prove all the doubters wrong - myself included - hitting like a man possessed, but by the time the season was over, he looked like the same ol' Tony Pena to me. He posted a .255/.282/.366 line in 495 at-bats with a flat-out terrible 108/16 K/BB ratio. But for some reason, the organization is in love with him. They say it is the glove that is going to carry him to the next level, but he made 25 errors in 128 games at SS this season (he played in 130 total). For comparisons sake, as I write this, Rafael Furcal has 22 errors in 111 games and people want to run him out of town. Pena still has time to make improvements, but don't worry about saving me a seat on the bandwagon.
35. Onil Joseph, of
I'll eat a little bit of crow on this one. I predicted at the beginning of the season that Joseph was headed for a Carlos Duran circa 2003 performance this year in Myrtle Beach (i.e. not good), but he turned in a very solid season for the Pelicans. Joseph hit .272/.355/.322 on the year, and posted a solid 89/48 K/BB ratio. He had 114 hits on the season, but only a total of 16 extra base hits (13 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers). He was successful in 32 of 42 stolen base attempts, which is an acceptable ratio. What does this all mean? Well, Joseph looks like a standard issue leadoff hitter as long as he keeps making contact, drawing walks, and stealing bases at a decent clip. Greenville should be his next stop in the organization.
36. Luis Atilano, rhp
Atilano built on a fine 2003 season in the GCL with another strong performance in the Appy in 2004. He nearly doubled his strikeout ratio between the two seasons (4.00 K/9 in 2003, 7.58 in 2004) while keeping his walk rate intact (1.17 BB/9 in 2003, 1.40 in 2004). His hit totals weren't out of line - 64 in 64.1 IP - but there is always room for improvement, right? The steady progression should continue on next season in Rome.
37. Mark Jurich, of
To say that Mark Jurich had a tough time adjusting to the wooden bat would be an understatement, but once he figured it out - wow! Through the end of July, Jurich was hitting a paltry .212/.307/.390 in 118 at-bats with six homers. Once August rolled around, he found his groove and went on to post final numbers on the season of .281/.363/.576 in 203 at-bats with 16 homers, breaking the all-time Danville record of 12 set by Ray McWhite in 1996. He led the team in OPS (.939), ISO (.295), and SEC (.429), and was also impressive on the league leader boards - 2nd in HR, 3rd in SLG, 3rd in XBH (27), and 4th in RBI (47).
The one caveat in all of the gaudy numbers is that Jurich is definitely old for the league at 23. Danville was the best place for him to get his feet wet as a professional, but he will be 24 by the time next season rolls around. He will need to move up the ladder quickly in 2005 to establish himself as one of the Braves top prospects.
38. Ray Aguilar, lhp
Aguliar had his ups and downs on the field this season, but that is nothing compared to what he faced off the field with the loss of his father. Aguilar spent several weeks at home during the middle of the year, but still managed to log 118 2/3 innings on the season. He managed a combined 4.19 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 26 walks between four stops in the organization, and finished the year on a high note with a nine-inning, complete game shutout in the G-Braves final game of the season. Look for Aguilar to move up the charts next season - never discount a lefty knuckler!
39. Aaron Herr, 2b
I'm not sure what to make of this season by Herr. It wasn't spectacular by any means, but his .272/.341/.431 line improved across the board on his minor league average from the last four seasons of .250/.302/.368. On top of that, there hasn't been a season where he hasn't shown some type of improvement. He has advanced one level per year since being selected in the first round of the 2000 draft, so Richmond is a likely spot for him next year, but guys like Martin Prado and J.C. Holt may push him to a reserve role sooner rather than later.
40. Wes Timmons, 3b
Wes Timmons intrigues me. Not in a high-ceiling, breakout type of way (he did turn 25 this season after all), but rather as a solid contributor off the bench. His offensive line for Myrtle Beach in 2004 wasn't very exciting except for one thing - he draws walks at an excellent rate. He posted 53 walks and 32 strikeouts in 377 at-bats on the season, hitting .279/.387/.377, including 24 doubles - third best on the team behind McCann and Francoeur. I'm not sure what the future holds for Timmons, but he might just walk his way into a more prominent role before his window of opportunity closes.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 20, 2004
The 2004 **No Pepper** Top 50: #41-50
I think it's about time we get started with the **No Pepper** Top 50 rankings, don't you? In the first entry, I will be looking at players ranked #41-50, plus an extra ten that are worth keeping an eye on. I will follow that up with another ten each day this week, until we reach the top ten on Friday.
One question to answer right out of the gate is how do I determine my prospect rankings? Well, since I do not have the opportunity to see many of these players in person, I have to rely on statistics to tell the story. Many fans accept statistical analysis as a way of analyzing player performance, while others believe that you have to see the players in person to fully grasp what they are capable of. While the obvious best answer is a combination of the above, I unfortunately don't have the freedom to get out and see these players like I wish I did, so I rely on statistics, news articles, the internet, and word of mouth from people in the know when formulating an opinion on a player.
It is a fact that past minor league performance is a good indicator of future major league success. It takes all of the stats to paint a complete picture, but some of the first ones I look at are OPS, K/BB ratio, extra base hits, and secondary average for hitters, and K/BB, K/9, and H/9 for pitchers. When looking at an individual players stats, it is crucial to place them in context of two things: age relative to league, and comparison to league averages. I place high importance on both of these things. I also want to see improvement from year to year as the player makes his way through the system.
I think you could argue players listed 1-20 within a few spots of their ranking either way, depending on what you are looking for in a prospect. From 21-50 it's a different story, and I think there could be widely varying opinions on where some of these players should rank. I welcome all of your comments and email, so please let me know your feedback on this list by either posting in the comments section below each entry, or sending an email to nopepper AT cox DOT net.
Now, on to the show.....
41. J.C. Holt, 2b
Selected in the 3rd round of the 2004 draft, Holt stepped right into the Danville lineup in July once LSU finished up it's College World Series action. Mostly a center fielder in his final season with the Tigers, Holt was taken as a second basemen by the Braves and played there nearly exclusively for Danville (51 games at 2b, 2 at SS), committing just four errors on the season. He provided a solid presence at the top of the lineup, posting a .321/.377/.407 line with 17 steals (5 CS). His .321 AVG was good for 6th best in the Appy, and tied for 4th in the league in stolen bases. Between Martin Prado and Holt, the Braves have two solid second base prospects. We'll have to wait and see who establishes themselves as the top dog over the next couple of seasons.
42. Josh Burrus, of
Finally, the former Braves number one pick has started to show some improvement, but he still has a long way to go. Burrus stroked 11 homers and 30 doubles en route to a .272/.330/.410 season, but his paltry 123/33 K/BB ratio leaves a lot to be desired. He did lead Rome in runs scored with 82, and total bases with 206, but he is going to have to become much more selective at the plate - especially if he continues to be used in the leadoff spot - to further improve his stock.
43. Carl Loadenthal, of
Loadenthal is another college product who found success at Danville in 2004. He excelled at the plate, posting a .305/.388/.439 season with an impressive 34/32 K/BB ratio. His 60 runs were good for tops in the Appy, and his 73 hits placed him third in the league. An All-Star selection in both of his first two years, Loadenthal shoots for a third next season - most likely in Rome.
44. JoJo Reyes, lhp
Reyes started his professional career with a bang for Orlando in 2003 - good enough in fact to jump him right over Danville and land him at Low-A Rome to start the 2004 season. He was inconsistent from the get go, sometimes getting knocked around, other times plowing right through the lineup. His control was solid (71/25 K/BB in 74.1 IP), but he just didn't miss enough bats (84 H, 10 HR). The season would end on a bad note for Reyes, as a DL stint in July revealed that he had a torn ligament in his elbow and would need Tommy John surgery to correct the tear. Look for Reyes to miss most, if not all of the 2005 season.
45. Carlos Duran, of
Duran had an extraordinarily poor 2003 season for Myrtle Beach, forcing him to repeat the circuit in 2004. A wrist injury sidelined him at the beginning of the year, but once he was inserted into the lineup, he played like a man possessed. By the end of the season though, the real Carlos Duran came to light. He finished up the season hitting .261/.295/.372 in 234 at-bats, with seven doubles, five triples, three homers, and a paltry 47/12 K/BB ratio. Has was effective on the base paths, swiping 13 bases in 14 attempts, so he's got that going for him, which is nice, but it's going to take more that to vault him up the prospect chart in this system. Lump him in with Josh Burrus and Onil Joseph and hope one of the three will turn into a true prospect.
46. Miguel Bernard, c
After seven years in the organization, the last five stateside, Bernard is finally starting to make some noise. He started off the season slow in Rome, but went on a mid-season tear to earn a promotion to Myrtle Beach. He struggled a bit at The Beach (.197/.288/.282 in 71 AB), but his earlier numbers at State Federal Field showed some potential (.277/.326/.471, 10 HR, 18 2B in 278 AB). That being said, Bernard will be 24 when next season rolls around, and is basically at the same level as Jarrod Saltalamacchia, so he will always be fighting for playing time.
47. Dan Smith, lhp
Used mostly as a reliever (he did start three games this season - two in Danville, one in Rome), the 6'5" lefty continued to bring the heat at a strong clip for the D-Braves in 2004. He fanned 52 in 39.2 innings of work, walking 16 in the process, and allowing just 24 hits. That was good for a 3-1 record with a 2.27 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and a ridiculous .174 opponent batting average. Not bad for an NDFA signing, huh?
48. Paul Bacot, rhp
After an impressive start to his professional career in Orlando in 2003, the second round draft pick continued his good work for Danville in 2004. Bacot posted an ERA of 4.70 in 61.1 IP for the D-Braves, which obviously leaves a bit to be desired, but the rest of his peripherals were decent - 60 hits, 38 strikeouts, and 14 walks, with a 1.21 WHIP. Look for Bacot to take the next step in his development next year in Rome.
49. Cole Armstrong, c
The 2003 16th rounder saw minimal at-bats in the GCL last season, with only a .118 average to show for it. 2004 was a different story for the Canadian backstop though, hitting .316/.411/.471 in 174 at-bats for Danville. His 46 RBI put him second on the team behind only Mark Jurich, but the most impressive part of his campaign was the great plate discipline he displayed - 17 strikeouts against 29 walks. A left handed hitting catcher with a good eye? :drool: One thing to keep in mind though - he is six months older than Brian McCann.
50. Maximiliano Ramirez, 3b
In last year's Top 50, I had six players from the Orlando roster making the cut - Stevens, Atilano, Bacot, Saltalamacchia, Doetsch, and Loadenthal. This year, only Maxi makes the list, but that is not to say there isn't some solid, projectable talent from the GCL squad, such as Eric Campbell, Jon Mark Owings, James Parr, and Glen Richards. I think it is more a testament to the depth of this organization that it is actually tough to stop this list at 50, when some organizations likely start to separate the wheat from the chaff at around 25.
Ramirez was signed out of Venezuela as an NDFA in 2002 and was on one of the organizations Dominican Summer League teams in 2003. He made his stateside debut this season in the GCL, hitting .275/.339/.480 in 204 at-bats as a 19 year-old. His eight homers were second best in the league, and he led the team in SLG, OPS, ISO, SEC, doubles, RBI, total bases, and games played. His 2.63 K/BB ratio is by no means hideous, but there is always room for improvement. He also made 10 errors in 42 games at the hot corner. Look for him to start next season in Danville.
The Next Ten
I'd love to squeeze every player I wanted to into the top 50, but the cut needed to be made at some point. Listed below are several players I have just outside the top 50, but are certainly worth watching (Listed in alphabetical order):
Ryan Basner, rhp -- Nice work out of the pen for Myrtle Beach. Needs to miss a few more bats (73 H in 58 2/3 IP), but K/BB ratio of 63/9 is borderline ridiculous.
Eric Campbell, 3b -- The 2004 second rounder performed well in his first professional action. .251/.306/.384 with seven homers and seven doubles for Orlando. Campbell also got in a few games for Rome at the end of the season.
Dan Curtis, rhp -- Curtis was a tough one to leave off the list, but I tend to undervalue relievers on the whole. He was decent for Greenville this season, but I'm not sure what the future holds.
Carlos Guzman, 1b -- Guzman did ok in his first season at first base. He started the season slow at the plate, but came around to finish at .252/.348/.468 with 13 homers and 26 RBI. He also fanned a lot, but not near as much as some of his teammates.
Matt Harrison, lhp -- Showed excellent command (49 SO, 10 BB in 66 IP) in a loaded Danville rotation.
Ardley Jansen, of
Jansen started the season out in Low-A Rome, but moved up to High-A Myrtle Beach during the season, and also spent a handful of games at Double-A Greenville as a fill-in during the latter part of the season. Known mainly for his defensive abilities, Jansen compiled a .260/.335/.381 line in 354 at-bats between the three stops. He doesn't hit for much power (9 HR), doesn't draw a ton of walks (109/35 K/BB ratio), and doesn't steal bases at an effective clip (9 SB, 6 CS), but the organization seems to like him enough. He is way down the pecking order as far as outfielders go in the system.
Charlie Morton, rhp -- Another mediocre year for Morton (4.82 ERA in 117 2/3 IP, 140 H, 102 SO, 68 IP), but I still think it is going to click for him one day.
Van Pope, 3b -- Promising start at Danville for the 2004 fifth rounder. He posted a .270/.333/.429 line in 233 at-bats, with five homers and a team leading 18 doubles.
Johan Silva, of -- Silva got his first taste of pro ball stateside this season for Orlando, and acclimated himself quite well. He led the team in walks (22) and OBP (.362) while hitting .273 with six homers in 172 at-bats. He joined Campbell in Rome for a late season taste of Low-A
Glenn Tucker, rhp -- Tucker was very impressive out of the Pelicans bullpen, posting a 1.64 ERA in 66 IP. He allowed 55 hits, fanned 56, and walked 26 in the process. He should move right up the ladder next season and be one of the top arms in the Greenville pen.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 06:30 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
September 19, 2004
Housekeeping
I finally have the **No Pepper** Top 50 where I want it, so it is a go for tomorrow. I'll post prospects #41-50 on Monday, plus another ten to keep an eye on. On each subsequent day, I'll post another ten prospects until we reach the top ten on Friday.
In other news, I am currently participating in a baseball bloggers roundtable discussion at MLBCenter.com. It's an ongoing thread which should last about two weeks, so please check it out if you have the chance.
New and/or updated links to the sidebar:
Minor Yankee Blog
Future Angels
Future Sox (CHW)
Sox Prospects (BOS)
View From The Bleachers (new address)
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
Rub Of The Green
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 18, 2004
International League Finals, Game Four
Buffalo Bisons (CLE) 6, Richmond Braves 1 (at Buffalo) -- Box Score
Mike Romano had a rough outing for Richmond, allowing five runs on six hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings as the Braves fall to the Bisons 6-1, ending their run at the International League championship.
The Braves offense had just five hits on the night. SS Jorge Velandia was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and DH Luis Lopez was 1-for-4 with a double and the lone RBI. 2B Pete Orr singled and RF Damon Hollins doubled for the only remaining hits.
Romano falls to 0-2 with a 5.11 ERA in the playoffs. Buddy Hernandez gave up one unearned run in 1 2/3 innings of work. Matt Whiteside tossed 1 2/3 hitless innings to finish it up.
It was a tough way to finish out the season, and I know many of the players are bitter with the decision to play the entire series in Buffalo. Richmond manager Pat Kelly summed it up well:
"The crowd was worth a run, and we lost two one-run games," Kelly said. "There's no doubt in my mind the home-field advantage helped them. I don't know if the result would have been different, but when you're standing out there the last four innings of the ballgame, it's pretty obvious where you are."
Regardless of how it ended, it was still a great season. Congratulations to the Richmond Braves on an excellent 2004.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 17, 2004
International League Finals, Game Three
Buffalo Bisons (CLE) 5, Richmond Braves 4 (at Buffalo) -- Box Score
Buffalo jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after the top of the fourth off of Braves starter Sam McConnell and Richmond could never fully recover, dropping game three to Buffalo 5-4.
The R-Braves offense put up a four spot in the bottom of the fourth behind a Mike Hessman sac fly, a Joe Depastino two RBI single, and a Jorge Velandia RBI single, but weren't able to push another run across the rest of the contest. CF Adam Stern was 2-for-5 with a double, and DH Luis Lopez was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
McConnell lasted 6 2/3 innings in the start, allowing five runs - two earned - on seven hits, a walk, and three strikeouts. The big blow came on a Brent Abernathy three run double following a James Jurries error in the fourth. Will Cunnane and Matt Whiteside held the Bisons scoreless over the final 2 1/3 innings.
Game four is set for tonight at 7:05, with Mike Romano set to take the mound for a tired and angry Richmond ballclub. Buffalo has a 2-1 series lead, so this is a win or go home situation for the Braves.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 01:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 16, 2004
International League Finals, Game Two
Richmond Braves 3, Buffalo Bisons (CLE) 4 -- Box Score
A Mike Hessman throwing error in the bottom of the ninth on a bunt attempt allowed Buffalo's Jason Tyner to score all the way from second, giving the Bisons a 4-3 victory over the Braves, evening up the series at 1-1.
2B Pete Orr gave Richmond an early 3-0 lead with a bases clearing triple in the top of the fourth inning, but it was short lived as starter Ray Aguilar gave them all back in the bottom half of the inning. Aguilar, called up from Greenville on Tuesday, went 3 1/3 innings in the start, allowing three runs on five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Will Cunnane, Buddy Hernandez, and Kevin Barry combined for 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief, but Macay McBride gave up a hit and a walk prior to the game ending error to take the loss.
Orr was the hero at the plate, going 2-for-5 with the aforementioned three RBI. C J.C. Boscan was 2-for-4 with a double, and CF Adam Stern was 1-for-2 with a double and three walks.
Sam McConnell takes the hill for the R-Braves in game three of the series, which will remain in Buffalo for the duration due to weather related issues in Richmond.
Notes -- Juan Velazquez was deactivated to make room for Aguilar on the roster.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 01:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 15, 2004
International League Finals, Game One
Richmond Braves 11, Buffalo Bisons (CLE) 4 -- Box Score
The Richmond offense opened up a can of you-know-what against Buffalo pitching, cranking out four home runs en route to an 11-4 victory, giving them a 1-0 lead in final series.
3B Mike Hessman hit the big blow right out of the gate, launching a grand slam in the top of the first inning. RF Damon Hollins followed with a three-run blast in the fifth inning, and LF Ryan Langerhans sealed it with a two-run shot in the top of the ninth. SS Jorge Velandia was the slacker of the bunch with his solo homer in the second inning. Langerhans was 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored, and DH Luis Lopez also went 3-for-5 and scored three times. CF Adam Stern was 2-for-5 with a run scored from the leadoff spot.
Lost in the shuffle was another solid start from Chuck Smith, who allowed one run on five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in seven innings to pick up the win. The bullpen struggled a bit in the final two innings - Isauro Pineda gave to two in the eighth, and Sean Fesh allowed one in the ninth - but the game was well in hand at that point.
Game two is set for 6:05 in Buffalo Wednesday night. Dan Meyer was the scheduled starter, but he was called up to Atlanta yesterday to help provide some depth to a suddenly struggling pitching staff. Sam McConnell was scheduled for game three on Thursday, so he might move up a day. Whoever gets the start will have a tough time against Bisons starter Fausto Carmona.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 14, 2004
International League Playoffs, Game Five
Columbus CLippers (NYY) 1, Richmond Braves 4 -- Box Score
Kyle Davies = Stopper. Making just his second start in Triple-A - in a decisive game five no less - Davies dropped the hammer on Columbus, allowing one run on just two hits, a walk, and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings as he and two relievers combine to three-hit the Clippers, winning the game 4-1, and taking the series 3-2.
CF Ryan Langerhans was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the Richmond offense. DH Luis Lopez also doubled and knocked in a run, and RF Damon Hollins added an RBI. 2B Pete Orr was 3-for-5 with a triple and a run scored.
Davies picked up the win with his clutch performance. Buddy Hernandez gave up only one hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out four, and Matt Whiteside picked up his second save of the playoffs with a perfect ninth, fanning two.
Richmond heads immediately to Buffalo to face the Bisons in the best of five International League finals starting tonight. No official word on the starter, but it is most likely going to be Chuck Smith.
Notes -- Davies impressed not only his coaches and teammates, but also a rehabbing Jason Giambi:
"I told the guys I was sorry I couldn't give them a little more help," Giambi said. "Davies has a good, young arm. He throws hard and he has a good change-up. He did a good job hitting his spots and mixing speeds."
John Sickels takes a look at top Braves prospect Andy Marte in his latest Down on the Farm, and the praise is glowing:
Andy Marte has no serious weaknesses and a lot of strengths. If he develops along a normal growth curve, he could end up as an All-Star eventually. There are no guarantees, of course; it took Beltre several years to live up to his potential. There's always the chance that injuries or other unforeseen circumstances could harry Marte on his way to the Show. But aside from the unpredictable fortunes of the game, Marte has everything you could ask for in a prospect: tool-based talent, skill-based performance, and a strong work ethic.Marte rated as the seventh overall hitting prospect in Sickels' 2004 Baseball Prospect Book, with an A- rating. If I had to guess, I think Marte will land in the top three this season on Sickels list, with a solid A rating, which is the highest he goes when dishing out letter grades.
Dan Meyer lands at #6 on Seth Trachtman's list of the Top Lefty Prospects in the minors. The Phillies Cole Hamels tops the list, followed the Rangers John Danks.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 13, 2004
International League Playoffs, Game Four
Columbus Clippers (NYY) 3, Richmond Braves 2 -- Box Score
Mike Romano went seven solid innings in the start for Richmond, allowing two runs on nine hits, a walk, and six strikeouts, but the Braves managed just two hits in seven innings off Clippers starter Eric Schmitt, eventually losing the game 3-2 and sending the series to a decisive fifth game.
1B Luis Lopez connected for the only R-Braves runs of the night with a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little, too late. CF Adam Stern, 2B Pete Orr, and C Joe Depastino had the only other hits.
Romano was on the hook for the loss, dropping him to 0-1 in the playoffs. Macay McBride gave up one run on two hits in the eighth, and Will Cunnane worked a scoreless ninth.
Game 5 is set for 7:00 Monday night in Richmond, with Kyle Davies taking the mound for the Braves against the Clippers Lance Davis.
Notes -- I was planning on starting the Top 50 list today, but I'd like to put a little more time into it before I put it out for consumption. Sorry for the delay, but it shouldn't be too much longer. I'll be wise enough this time not to put a start date on it, but rather say it will be ready soon.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 12, 2004
International League Playoffs, Game Three
Richmond Braves 7, Columbus Clippers (NYY) 3 -- Box Score
Adam Stern made his first Triple-A start count in a big way, going 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBI, and two runs scored, and 1B James Jurries popped his first homer of the playoffs on a 1-for-4, two RBI night, as the Braves handle the Clippers 7-3, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
Sam McConnell went five innings in the start, allowing three runs on eight hits, a walk, and four strikeouts to pick up the win. Buddy Hernandez tossed two perfect innings in relief, striking out one.
2B Pete Orr was 2-for-4 with two RBI, and C Joe Depastino went 2-for-3 and knocked in one. LF Ryan Langerhans was 2-for-5. Kelly Johnson was promoted from Greenville to Richmond prior to game three, but didn't see any action.
DH Jason Giambi was 1-for-2 with a double, two runs, and two walks for Columbus.
Game four is set for 2:00 this afternoon in Richmond, with Mike Romano set to take the hill for the Braves.
Notes -- The 2004 Richmond Braves team awards have been announced. From the Richmond Braves Newsletter:
Ryan Langerhans is the winner of the Tommie Aaron Memorial Award for being the most valuable player on the 2004 Richmond Braves. Langerhans, 24, hit .298-20-72 with 34 2B and 103 runs ranking among International League leaders in 2B (T8), extra-base hits (7th), on-base percentage (5th), walks (3rd), and runs (2nd).Matt Whiteside is the winner of the Most Outstanding Pitcher Award. Whiteside, 37, established an International League record with 38 saves while posting a 2-4 record and a 3.23 ERA. Selected to the International League All-Star Team last week, Whiteside is the Triple-A saves leader while his 57 appearances tied for the second-most in the International League.
Pete Orr is the winner of the Clint Courtney Memorial Award for being the most competitive player on the 2004 Richmond Braves. Orr, 25, hit .320-1-35 with 16 2B, 10 3B, 24 SB, and 69 runs. Selected to the International League All-Star Team last week, Orr missed the better part of August while playing for Canada in the Athens Olympics. Orr ranked among International League leaders in SB (T9th), hits (T6th), average (5th), and 3B (T2nd).
Buddy Hernandez is the winner of the John M. Zwack III Memorial Award for being the most community-minded player. In his second season with Richmond, Hernandez made countless appearances in the Richmond community on behalf of the R-Braves. Hernandez, 25, went 7-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 47 games this season.
Pete Orr and Charles Thomas are co-recipients of the Shirley Allday Award for being the most popular Richmond Braves.
The 2004 awards were selected by the Richmond Braves field staff and front office as well as by general feedback from fans.
This happened a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't have a link until Der Komminsk posted one for me in the comments section (thanks!), but the Braves have signed rhp Nick Tisone out of Tallahassee CC to a minor league contract with an $80,000 signing bonus. Here is his player bio page from the TCC Athletics website, where he was teammates with Derrick Arnold and Brandon Jones.
Must-See TV: Jose Capellan makes his major league debut against Tony Armas and the Montreal Expos today at 1:05.
Capellan, Jake Stevens, and Kyle Davies comprise 3/5ths of Jeremy Deloney's 2nd Team Minor League All-Star rotation.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 09:04 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 11, 2004
International League Playoffs, Game Two
Richmond Braves 1, Columbus Clippers (NYY) 4 -- Box Score
Dan Meyer was fantastic in the start, allowing one run on just two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in six innings, but reliever Will Cunnane coughed up two runs in the seventh, and Sean Fesh gave up another in the eighth, as the Braves drop game two to the Clippers 4-1.
2B Pete Orr had the only Richmond RBI on a 1-for-4 night. 1B James Jurries was 2-for-4 with a double, and C J.C. Boscan added two hits of his own in the loss.
Cunnane took the loss the fall to 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in the playoffs.
The two teams head to Richmond tied at 1-1 for game three on Saturday night, with Sam McConnell taking the hill for the Braves.
Notes -- High praise from Jim Callis in his latest chat at Baseball America:
Q: Jason from Charlotte asks:
The Braves system enjoyed a year where a number of their "top tier" prospects enjoyed good seasons. If you were to take one player from their system that you felt was a sure fire star who would it be? (Capellan, Francoeur, Marte, Meyer, Davies) Thanks.A: Jim Callis:
Jeff Francoeur, with Andy Marte and Jose Capellan right behind. And I don't think Dan Meyer or Kyle Davies get as much attention as they deserve. Pretty nice farm system, perhaps the best in the game.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 10, 2004
International League Playoffs, Game One
Richmond Braves 2, Columbus Clippers (NYY) 1, 13 Inn. -- Box Score
Chuck Smith turned in eight strong innings in the start, allowing one run on five hits, a walk, and five strikeouts, and CF Adam Stern came through with the game-winning RBI double in the top of the 13th, as the Braves take game one from the Clippers 2-1.
The only other Richmond run came in the first inning on a Ryan Langerhans RBI ground out. 2B Pete Orr was 3-for-6 with a double and scored both of the Braves runs.
The bullpen tossed five scoreless innings behind Smith, led by Kevin Barry, who fanned two in one inning, and Buddy Hernandez, who also struck out two in two scoreless frames. Macay McBride picked up the win, and Matt Whiteside earned the save.
For the Clippers, DH Jason Giambi was 0-for-3 with two walks and two strikeouts. RF Shane Spencer knocked in their only run on a solo shot in the bottom of the second.
Richmond takes a 1-0 lead in the best of five series. Game two is set for a 7:00 ET start tonight in Columbus, with lefty Dan Meyer taking the hill for the Braves.
Notes -- I'm progressing right along with my Top 50 writeups, so look for the first group to be posted sometime Monday.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 09, 2004
Richmond Postponed, Capellan Called Up
Rain washed away Game 1 of the International League playoffs between the Richmond Braves and Columbus Clippers. The new schedule is as follows:
Thursday, Sept. 9, 7:05 PM - Richmond at Columbus
Friday, Sept. 10th, 7:05 PM - Richmond at Columbus
Saturday, Sept. 11th, 7:00 PM - Columbus at Richmond
Sunday, Sept. 12th, 2:00 PM - Columbus at Richmond (if necessary)
Monday, Sept. 13th, 7:00 PM - Columbus at Richmond (if necessary)
Chuck Smith takes the hill for Richmond in tonight's contest, followed in the rotation by Dan Meyer, Sam McConnell, and Mike Romano.
There were several transactions that marked the start of the IL playoffs, none bigger than the promotion of Jose Capellan to Atlanta. Look for him to make his first big league start either Sunday at home against the Expos, or Monday in New York against the Mets.
The remainder of the transactions are as follows: Roman Colon joins Capellan in Atlanta from the Greenville roster. Bryce Terveen, Armando Almanza, and Napoleon Calzado were sent from Richmond to Greenville, with Joe DePastino, Macay McBride, and Adam Stern swapping places with them. One Columbus transaction of note - Jason Giambi will be joining the Clippers on a rehab assignment.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 08, 2004
Farm Notes
Jake Stevens lands at #15 on the final Baseball America Hot Sheet of the season. Brian McCann garnered an honorable mention with his big finish to the season. Jose Capellan fell off the charts after a poor last outing.
Jeremy Deloney takes a glance at Jeff Francoeur - Future Star:
With Andy Marte at 3B, Francoeur in the outfield, and Kyle Davies, Jose Capellan, and Dan Meyer in the rotation, the Braves can boast about 5 of the top 50 prospects in the minor leagues. They have a history of procuring raw talents into plus baseball players and Francoeur is certainly in that category. He’ll need another two years in the minor leagues before making his impact in the Braves outfield. Until then, Francoeur will continue to terrorize minor league pitching as he adds more power and baseball acumen into his already outstanding abilities. He has a chance to become one of baseball’s best players and to be an annual 30/30 player in the big leagues.
Rob Blackstien reviews the Braves organization from a fantasy perspective in his latest article at Creative Sports.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 09:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 07, 2004
Minor League Recap for 9/6
Notes -- (Sorry for the delay today, a little power outage courtesy of the remnants of Hurricane Frances had me in the dark for the past 15 hours or so.)
The regular season came to a close for all of the Braves minor league affiliates yesterday. Richmond swept a doubleheader from Norfolk to head into the playoffs on a high note. Greenville got an outstanding performance on the mound from Ray Aguilar, as did Rome from Jake Stevens. It was all good except for Myrtle Beach, who went out in embarrassing fashion.
Brian McCann was named Player of the Week in the SAL.
For those of you new to this site, or to those who may have forgotten, the off season here at **No Pepper** is almost as busy as the regular season. I'll of course have International League playoff coverage for as long as Richmond is playing, and then will bring daily Arizona Fall League highlights when the season starts up the first week of October. The Rule 5 draft and Winter Ball get cranked up in December, not to mention the always interesting transactions that can take place during the off season, so there is something to write about nearly every day until next spring rolls around and we do it all over again.
I didn't do a Hot 30 list for August knowing that I will be posting the **No Pepper** Top 50 Braves Prospects list sometime in September. The list is pretty much complete, but I am currently in the process of writing up notes for all 50 of the players as opposed to just the top ten like last season, so that will take a bit longer. I will most likely post them in groups of ten, starting with numbers 41-50 sometime next week, so stay tuned.
Transactions --The Braves have come to terms with 2004 40th rounder Jared Shaffer, a former shortstop turned RHP from Kiski Area HS, in Vandergrift, PA. Shaffer gave up his scholarship offer from Liberty University to sign with Atlanta, and was given a $75,000 bonus. Here are few notes from the American Legion tournament that swayed the Braves.
Atlanta also came to terms with University of New Mexico CF Matt Young.
Player of the day -- Ray Aguilar (Greenville) 9.0 IP, 3 H, 7 SO (W 2-3, 2.29 ERA)
Norfolk Tides (NYM) 0, Richmond Braves 3, Game 1 -- Box Score
Mike Romano allowed just three hits in six shutout innings in the start, and Kevin Barry allowed one hit in the seventh to close it out as the Braves blank the Tides 3-0 in game one of the doubleheader.
2B Pete Orr was 2-for-4 with an RBI and his 24th stolen base to lead the offense. 3B Mike Hessman and C J.C. Boscan were both 0-for-2 but each drove in a run.
Romano finishes up the regular season at 13-5 with a 3.42 ERA. Barry picked up his second save of the season.
Additional Stats:
LF Billy McCarthy 1-4
Norfolk Tides (NYM) 2, Richmond Braves 3, Game 2 -- Box Score
C Bryce Terveen laced a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the Braves ahead 3-1, and they were able to hang on despite giving one back in the top of the seventh to defeat the Tides 3-2 and sweep the doubleheader.
Sam McConnell went four innings in the regular season finale, allowing one unearned run on four hits and a walk. Armando Almanza picked up the win with two innings of relief, and Juan Velazquez (!?!) picked up the save. I guess it was time to give the pen a rest for the upcoming IL playoffs.
Additional Stats:
CF Ryan Langerhans 1-3
1B James Jurries 1-2, R, BB
Record: 79-62, 3 1/2 ahead of Durham
Streak: Won 2
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (CHC) 0, Greenville Braves 3 -- Box Score
Ray Aguilar tossed a three-hit, nine inning shutout, walking none and striking out seven in the process, as the Braves cruise to a 3-0 victory over the Diamond Jaxx.
1B Scott Thorman was 2-for-3 and drove in a run with his 11th homer of the season. C Lee Evans knocked in two on a 1-for-3 night with a double. 3B Andy Marte was 0-for-3 with a run scored, and RF Jeff Francoeur was 0-for-4.
Aguilar finishes up at 2-3 with a 2.29 ERA for the G-Braves this season.
Additional Stats:
CF Adam Stern 0-4
LF Kelly Johnson 0-3, K
SS Tony Pena 0-3
Record: 37-33, 12 GB of Chattanooga
Streak: Won 2
Kinston Indians 6, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 0 -- Box Score
This is NOT the way Myrtle Beach wanted to end the season. Kinston starter Keith Ramsey tossed a nine-inning perfect game against the Pelicans, as the Indians rolled to a 6-0 victory. If that wasn't bad enough, the Pelicans committed six errors in the process.
Anthony Lerew went five innings in the start, allowing five runs - two earned - on five hits, four walks, and three strikeouts to take the loss, dropping him to 8-9 with a 3.75 ERA on the season.
There was obviously no good hitting to talk about.
Additional Stats:
CF Gregor Blanco 0-3, 2 K
RF Carlos Duran 0-2, K
Record: 35-35, 10 GB of Winston Salem
Streak: Lost 1
Greensboro Bats (FLA) 1, Rome Braves 6 -- Box Score
Jake Stevens ended the season on a high note, allowing one run on six hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts in seven innings in the start, as the Braves beat the Bats 3-1.
Rome went into the bottom of the ninth inning tied with Greenville at 1-1, but 1B Scott Schade closed out the season with a bang, launching a two-run, walk-off homer for the 3-1 victory. What an awesome way to go out.
Stevens wasn't involved in the decision, which went to Angelo Burrows, who tossed two scoreless innings to pick up his first win for Rome.
Additional Stats:
LF Steve Doetsch 1-4, RBI, 2 K
RF Matt Esquivel 0-4, K
3B Eric Campbell 0-3, 2 K
Record: 30-40, 7 GB of Capital City
Streak: Won 2
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 02:37 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
September 06, 2004
Minor League Recap for 9/5
Notes -- Pitching was solid up and down the organization last night, with Dan Meyer, Zach Miner, and Gonzalo Lopez all turning in solid performances. Andy Marte cranked out his 23rd homer of the season.
Player of the day -- Zach Miner (Greenville) 6.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 SO (W 6-10, 5.22) At the plate: 1-2, HR (1), RBI
Richmond Braves 2, Norfolk Tides (NYM) 3, 10 Inn. -- Box Score
Dan Meyer turned in a solid performance in the start, allowing just one unearned run on seven hits, a walk and seven strikeouts in six innings, but the bullpen gave up a late run in the ninth to tie the game, and another in the tenth to give Norfolk the 3-2 victory.
C J.C. Boscan was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and 3B James Jurries was 1-for-4 and knocked in a run. 1B Luis Lopez was 4-for-5 with a double, and RF Napoleon Calzado was 2-for-5 in the loss.
Matt Whiteside gave up the tying run in the ninth to send the game into extras, where Sean Fesh allowed the game winner in the tenth to take the loss, dropping him to 1-5 with a 3.74 ERA for Richmond this season
Additional Stats:
LF Billy McCarthy 1-5
Record: 77-62, 3 ahead of Durham
Streak: Lost 2
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (CHC) 1, Greenville Braves 5 -- Box Score
Zach Miner turned in a fantastic performance in the start, allowing just one run on two hits, two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings to lead the Braves to a 5-1 victory over the Diamond Jaxx.
Miner also did some work at the plate, cranking out a solo homer to help the cause. 3B Andy Marte also added a solo shot on a 1-for-3 night, and 1B Scott Thorman was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. CF Adam Stern was 2-for-3 with a double, two stolen bases, and two runs scored.
The win improves Miner's record to 6-10 on the season with a 5.22 ERA. It has been a tough season for Zach overall, but his numbers in the last month or so have been outstanding, which is very encouraging. Macay McBride tossed two innings of scoreless relief, fanning four, and Roman Colon added a perfect ninth, striking out two.
Additional Stats:
RF Jeff Francoeur 0-4, K
LF Kelly Johnson 0-3, K
SS Tony Pena 0-3, 3 K
Record: 36-33, 12 1/2 GB of Chattanooga
Streak: Won 1
Kinston Indians 2, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 9 -- Box Score
LF Onil Joseph was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and his 32nd stolen base, and SS Luis Hernandez added three RBI on a 3-for-5 night with a double and his eighth steal as the Braves roll over the Indians 9-2 Sunday night at Coastal Federal Field.
Paul Bush got the start for the Pelicans, allowing one run on four hits, a walk and five strikeouts in five innings to pick up the win, moving him to 5-3 on the season. Jason Richardson cruised through the next four innings, allowing just one more run on two hits, a walk and two strikeouts to pick up his second save.
2B Jonathan Schuerholz was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and RF Carlos Duran was 1-for-3 with two RBI. CF Gregor Blanco was 2-for-4 with his 25th stolen base and two runs scored.
Additional Stats:
3B Wes Timmons 0-3, RBI
DH Miguel Bernard 1-3, 2 R, BB
Record: 35-34, 10 GB of Winston Salem
Streak: Won 1
Greensboro Bats (FLA) 2, Rome Braves 3 -- Box Score
Gonzalo Lopez fired six shutout innings in the start, allowing just three hits, two walks, and struck out four as the Braves hang on to beat the Bats 3-2.
Every Rome starter had one hit in the victory except for LF Steve Doetsch who was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. CF Johan Silva and RF Matt Esquivel drove in the other two runs.
Lopez improves to 8-4 with a 3.67 ERA for the season. Jeffery Long cruised through two innings of relief, but ran into trouble in the ninth and gave up two runs. Rico Rodriguez got the final to outs to bail out Long and pick up his 12th save n the process.
Additional Stats:
3B Eric Campbell 1-3
Record: 29-40, 16 1/2 GB of Capital City
Streak: Won 1
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 05, 2004
Minor League Recap for 9/4
Notes -- After running the table on Friday, the organization fell flat on Saturday, posting a record of 1-4. Jose Capellan turned in one of his worst performances of the season in Richmond. Five unearned runs cost Greenville the win. Blaine Boyer was solid in game one for the Pelicans, but they couldn't hang in there in game two. Chuck James fanned ten in his last start of the season.
Player of the day -- Blaine Boyer (Myrtle Beach) 5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 SO (W 10-10, 2.98 ERA)
Richmond Braves 2, Norfolk Tides (NYM) 8 -- Box Score
Rough night for Richmond ace Jose Capellan, who allowed seven runs - six earned - on seven hits, three walks, and four strikeouts in five innings as the Braves lose to the Tides 8-2. It was Cappy's worst start of the season, and I wonder if the workload has finally caught up with him.
LF Napoleon Calzado was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI for the only Braves runs. SS Juan Velazquez was 2-for-4, and 1B Luis Lopez was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Capellan falls to 4-2 with a 2.51 ERA after the loss. Kevin Barry tossed two innings of relief, fanning all six batters he faced.
Additional Stats:
2B Pete Orr 0-5, 2 K
RF Billy McCarthy 1-2, 2 BB
CF Ryan Langerhans 0-2, R, BB
3B James Jurries 0-4, K
Record: 77-61, 3 ahead of Durham
Streak: Lost 1
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (CHC) 6, Greenville Braves 1 -- Box Score
Brian Moehler held West Tenn to just one run on five hits, a walk, and five strikeouts in seven innings, but two Greenville errors and five unearned runs in the eighth inning gave the Diamond Jaxx the 6-1 win over the Braves.
C Lee Evans knocked in the only Braves run on a solo homer in the second inning - his fourth of the season. LF Adam Stern, 3B Andy Marte, RF Kelly Johnson, and 2B Aaron Herr each added a hit.
Jamie Emiliano was on the hook for the loss, dropping him to 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA.
Additional Stats:
CF Jeff Francoeur 0-4, 2 K
1B Scott Thorman 0-4
SS Tony Pena 0-4
Record: 35-33, 13 GB of Chattanooga
Streak: Lost 1
Kinston Indians 0, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2, Game 1 -- Box Score
Blaine Boyer allowed two hits, three walks, and struck out four in five innings in the start, and reliever Glenn Tucker added two more shutout innings behind him as the Braves defeat the Indians 2-0 in game one of last nights doubleheader.
Both of the Pelicans runs came in the first inning. CF Gregor Blanco homered to lead off the bottom half of the inning, and 1B Isaac Iorg drew a bases loaded walk later in the frame to give the Pelicans all the runs they needed. 3B Wes Timmons was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the win, and both C Brian McCann and LF Onil Joseph each went 1-for-3.
Boyer evens up his record at 10-10 with a 2.98 ERA as the season winds down. Glenn Tucker notched his 21st save.
Additional Stats:
RF Carlos Duran 0-2
SS Luis Hernandez 1-3, K, SB (7)
Kinston Indians 7, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 1 -- Box Score
The Pelicans relief corps took the hill in game two of the doubleheader and didn't fare quite as well. Scott Sturkie allowed one run in four innings in the start, but Ralph Roberts gave up five runs in the next 2 1/3 innings to put the game out of reach as the Myrtle Beach loses to Kinston 7-1 to split the doubleheader.
DH Brian McCann knocked in the only Braves run on a 1-for-1 night with a double, a steal, two walks, and a hit by pitch. C Miguel Bernard was 1-for-3 with a double, and CF Gregor Blanco was 1-for-3 with his 24th stolen base and a run scored.
Additional Stats:
3B Wes Timmons 0-4, K
LF Onil Joseph 0-3
Record: 34-34, 10 GB of Winston Salem
Streak: Lost 1
Greensboro Bats (FLA) 7, Rome Braves 2 -- Box Score
Chuck James logged a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits, two walks, and ten strikeouts in six innings, but the offense wasn't up to the task as the Braves lose to the Bats 7-2.
SS Diory Hernandez was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, and C John Shehan knocked in the other run on a 1-for-3 night. LF Steve Doetsch and RF Matt Esquivel each added a hit and stole a base. 2B Martin Prado was 1-for-3 with a double.
James wraps up the season at 10-5 with a 2.24 ERA.
Additional Stats:
CF Johan Silva 0-4, SB (2), BB, 3 K
3B Eric Campbell 0-3, BB, 2 K
Record: 28-40, 17 GB of Capital City
Streak: Lost 1
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 04, 2004
Minor League Recap for 9/3
Notes -- Baseballs were flying out of the park at a frantic pace last night, as Richmond, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach combined to outscore their opponents 44-8 in three big victories. Rome also came away with a win, but with a more realistic final score of 4-3. Andy Marte, Jeff Francoeur, and Kelly Johnson all had big nights for the G-Braves.
A few more notes I missed while I was gone: Adam Stern and Napoleon Calzado were named to end of the year Southern League All-Star team, and Martin Prado and Chuck James turn the trick in the SAL, with James taking the Most Valuable Pitcher award for the league.
John Manuel on the likelihood of