Monday Pebble Report: Carlos Gonzalez hits sixth triple

Colorado Springs: L 7-9

After hitting his sixth triple yesterday, one of his four hits on the afternoon, Carlos Gonzalez now once again leads the PCL in three-baggers, but perhaps his most impressive stat of 2009 to me is one that he's in a four way tie for thirteenth with. Thus far in 124 plate appearances, Gonzalez has collected 16 walks. Gonzalez's best season in the minors was in 2007 with Arizona's Tucson Sidewinders affiliate, a season which he had a .310/.396/.500 line as a 21 year old, but in which he also had a 1:1 K/BB ratio. It was that season that made him a desirable enough prospect for the A's to headline the return package in the Dan Haren deal. Right now, with a 16/19 K/BB split he's just slightly below that rate, but he's a far cry ahead of where he was in a setback year last season with Oakland and their Sacramento PCL affiliate. What's more, his power, long seen in potential but seldom seen in results outside of the VWL and the launchpad at Lancaster, is showing right along side the improved discipline. It is the PCL and his home park at Colorado Springs does inflate things significantly, but nonetheless Gonzalez appears to finally becoming the complete offensive package that he was supposed to be. Now if the outfield saturated Rockies could only figure out how to utilize that.

Josh Fogg pitched poorly in the loss. Matt Miller, Christian Colonel and Mike McCoy each had two hits, with Miller hitting his second HR and McCoy his eighth double on the season. McCoy also stole a pair of bases. I think he'd be the best stop gap utility solution for the Rockies if they send Ian Stewart down to work out his issues.

Tulsa: L 5-1

Keith Weiser allowed five runs and ten hits in five innings, and outside of Daniel Mayora, who had three hits on the day, the Drillers offense didn't show up.

Modesto: L 8-5

After looking impressive against San Jose at the Giants stadium last week, the Nuts pitchers have shown themselves to be mortal in the series at their home this weekend. Brandon Durden gave up six runs off of seven hits and a walk in just three innings in what was easily his worst start of the season. If it weren't for a three run homer by Rhadames Nazario, the Nuts offense wouldn't have made this look so close. Maikol Gonzalez was the only Modesto player with a multi-hit game with a single and a triple. Gonzalez was only meant to be an injury fill for Matt Repec, but he continues to show that he more than belongs at this level.

This was his fifth multi-hit game since joining the Nuts. The five opposing starters he's had these games against, Scott Barnes, Alex Torres, Madison Bumgarner, Bryan Shaw and Pat McAnaney, include four of the California League's best left handed pitchers, including the best one in the minors anywhere in Bumgarner, and Shaw, who is the D-backs equivalent of Connor Graham, a hard throwing sinker/slider RHP. Before the season I was overlooking M. Gonzalez as organizational filler, but I'm really starting to think there's more to him than that. Anyway, he has become a real sleeper in my mind.

PuRPs Poll:

I've hidden the post and closed the comments, but I'll have the results this afternoon/evening sometime depending on when I get some chores completed. My own ballot missed the deadline as unexpected but welcome company showed up last night, but the privilege of being the administrator is that I get to include it anyway. I'll put that in the comments of the result thread.