Young infielders

by Fungoz on Jun 9, 2007 12:56 PM MDT Comment 18 comments

I assume based on yesterday's draft that the Rockies are sold on players like Shane Lowe and Zack Murry. They did not draft hardly any infielders let alone young infielders. That has to be a good sign and I look forward to watching how they do in Casper. I also saw the organizational depth chart on another blog. It is now not right as I heard Lowe has moved over to 3B in extended. So who will be the Casper SS? Also, is our 2nd round OF'er from last year headed back to Casper for a 2nd year? Is that a normal thing? Did he just not progress like they thought he would?

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).

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David Christensen

Don't worry about him heading back to Casper. Christensen was a very raw package coming out of high school, and the team knew it would take time for his skills to blossom. They're going to start him in Casper where he will hopefully shine, having experienced it once already. That confidence should help him with a promotion to the extreme pitcher friendly environment of the Tri-City affiliate. I think the Rockies are still very satisfied with his progress.

by Rox Girl on Jun 9, 2007 1:14 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

The outfielder Christensen

had almost no plate discipline, striking out 93 times in 207 AB's. He's got plus raw power, speed, and defensive tools, but is a very raw hitter that could use another year getting acclimated to the pro game. It isn't normal, but most expected a repeat year for him. He's still very young, so I don't think many are worried.

I'm not sure who will play short. Last year's Casper shortstop Velazquez had an up and down year at the plate, but is a very promising tall shortstop. Most here expect him to start in Tri City, though. The Rockies do very well in the international market, though, and have found several infield prospect of late, so perhaps one of the guys from Casper will repeat or a new one for the Dom. League.

As for Murry and Lowe, they are two promising young infielders we are very excited to see. With a draft low in positional upside, their signings as DFE's could be the leaders of a new wave of positional prospects at the low levels.

by David OhNo on Jun 9, 2007 1:17 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

This is all speculative....

Carlos Martinez from the DSL might get the majority of playing time at SS for Casper this season. I haven't heard anything about where players like Helder Velazquez, David Christensen and Austin Rauch will end up, but all three could conceivably head back to Casper for further refinement. I'm guessing Christensen will probably begin the season with the Dust Devils though.

Predicting the lineup arrangements.....

Tri-City
C Lars Davis
1B Jeff Cunningham
2B Jordan Pacheco
SS Helder Velazquez
3B Darin Holcomb
LF David Christensen
CF Brian Rike
RF Kevin Clark
DH Logan Wiens

Casper
C Austin Rauch
1B Bo Bowman
2B Zack Murry
SS Carlos Martinez
3B Shane Lowe
LF Mike Mitchell/James Sims?
CF Scott Robinson
RF Brian Lapin
DH Chris Vasami?

by malakian on Jun 9, 2007 1:18 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Casper's offense looks

crazy good, and that will be one of my first box scores to check every evening now. Martinez, Lowe, Murry...talk about upside in the infield.

If we could add Kentrail Davis to this group...

by David OhNo on Jun 9, 2007 1:20 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of promising arrangements....

Tri-City's rotation (at least to begin the season) is shaping up to be very intriguing.

Shane Lindsay (rehab)
Yull Silano
Connor Graham
Cory Riordan
Jeff Fischer?
Sheng-An Kuo?
Robinson Fabian?

by malakian on Jun 9, 2007 1:24 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love Scott Robinson, too

Already you've got some pretty good upside in the outfield with him and Christensen, Kentrail would be icing on the cake (an expensive, gourmet icing, to be fair) for a very decent wave that's developing there.

by Rox Girl on Jun 9, 2007 3:11 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

what happens with

some of the late round guys rnds 25+. i know its a long shot of them having any type of success.

by jaxROXdisciple on Jun 9, 2007 2:02 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

A lot of them won't sign

Most of the high school players who are drafted in the late rounds aren't going to sign. The old "draft and follow" system kills a lot of success teams would have in the later rounds. Most of the college guys picked that late are guys who might sign for $1000 and are mostly going to be used as organizational players.

It's very rare for a player drafted that late to have much success, and when that happened in the past it was normally a draft-and-follow scenario.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Jun 9, 2007 2:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Late round picks

Beyond the 20th round most of the college juniors, high school seniors and JuCo players won't even be signed. The college seniors who do sign won't likely amount to anything more than organizational depth.

by malakian on Jun 9, 2007 2:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Organizational Depth

Yes, most of the later picks that are college players will be fill-ins. It's important to note though how vital tey are to the farm system. There's noway you are going to have prospects at every position throughout the minors, however, you need that 5th starter, that extra middle reliever or the back up catcher hack. Without those guys a young prospect, who should be in extended spring training, would be thrown out into a situation that he isn't ready for. Or a young arm might start to pile up too many innings before its mature enough to handle it.

by roxhead on Jun 9, 2007 2:37 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

the Padres drafted a five tooler in

Hunter Ovens A LoI signee for Virginia Tech i somehow hope that they dont convince him to sign. part divisional Hatred and part VT fan. im also kinda wondering if Warren Schaeffer would get a chance to play somewhere in the minors.

by jaxROXdisciple on Jun 9, 2007 2:35 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Last August his father

said Hunter would sign if he was drafted in the first two rounds. I haven't heard anything since, but it seems doubtful the Padres would go to the Commissioner's Office to get the OK to give out such a large sum of money to sign him.

"Vae victis!" - Brennus the Gaul

by Russ Oates on Jun 9, 2007 2:55 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess its up to him

Hes seems like a good all around athlete. id have a hard time choosing sports if i was in this mans shoes.

http://hokiesports.com/football/2007recruits/HunterOvens.html

by jaxROXdisciple on Jun 9, 2007 3:09 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Schaeffer

He kind of reminds me of Doug Bernier. Plus defense, can play 2B/SS/3B, great work ethic and has the "sparkplug" mentality that coaches love. Like Bernier, he also lacks power.

I'm guessing Schaeffer will end up as a utility infielder with either Casper or Tri-City once he signs.

by malakian on Jun 9, 2007 3:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs