Friday Pebble Report: Affiliates Split Games 2-2

by Jeff Aberle on Apr 23, 2010 8:15 AM MDT in Pebble Report

The Sky Sox (9-6, division leaders) pulled out a win in a rain-shortened game. In six innings, Colorado Springs managed 11 hits, with Eric Young Jr (2003 30th round), Cole Garner (2003 26th round), Jay Payton (MiLB FA), Michael McKenry (2006 7th round), and Travis Metcalf (MiLB FA) each contributing two hits. The Sky Sox did most of their damage in a four run fifth inning highlighted by Payton's bases-clearing double.

2005 supplemental first rounder Chaz Roe (1-2) went all six innings to get the win, giving up four runs on six hits and three walks while maintaining a 2:1 GB/FB ratio.

Springfield 5, Tulsa 4

The Drillers (5-8, 4 GB), fell behind early and couldn't quite complete the comeback. Jason Van Kooten (2003 46th round) hit his first home run of the year while Willin Rosario (2006 DR FA) and Kenny Perez (2005 trade with Red Sox) adding two hits each. Brandon Durden (2005 4th round) took the loss (0-2), giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings pitched, including the embarrassment of giving up a home run to Springfield's pitcher, Gary Daley.

Modesto 7, Stockton 0

Behind a strong pitching performance from 2009 8th rounder Rob Scahill (1-1), the Nuts (8-4, 0.5 GB) won in convincing fashion. Scahill went six innings, giving up three hits, and the bullpen preserved the shutout. Offensively for the Nuts, Brian Rike (2007 2nd round) homered (3) and went 2-3 while Thomas Field (2008 24th round) added two hits.

Lexington 8, Asheville 7 (F-15)

The Tourists (6-8, 3.5 GB) lost a wild one, a fifteen inning game that saw the use of seven Asheville pitchers. Asheville took an early lead and had a strong pitching performance from 20 year old Juan Gonzalez (Venezuala FA)--five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts, but the bullpen lost it, giving up three runs over a two inning span.

In extras, the teams traded punches, with both clubs getting three runs in the 11th inning. The Tourists' extra inning offense came courtesy of back-to-back home runs by Joe Sanders (2009 5th round) and Tyler Massey (2008 14th round) and an Avery Barnes (2009 11th round) double, but it was not enough as Lexington got three in the bottom half and then scratched out a run in the 15th off of 2009 13th rounder Paul Bargas (0-1). Barnes went 3-6 while Sanders and Massey both had multi-hit games for Asheville.

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Comments

We signed Travis Metcalf to a minor league deal in early March,

same day as Brad Eldred. He was drafted by Texas

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 23, 2010 8:49 AM MDT reply actions

Michael McKenry

was drafted in 2006 I believe

by Bazeball on Apr 23, 2010 9:32 AM MDT reply actions

EY2 seems to be emerging from his ST/early season slump

That would be a good thing. I’d like to seem him put some pressure
on a certain Rockies 2B whose line is currently .205/.271/.386.
But as long as EY’s AAA numbers aren’t much better, there’s not much pressure.

New decade, new result: time for a Rockies' division championship.

by Maris6161 on Apr 23, 2010 9:38 AM MDT reply actions

Asheville rotation

Is there even a decent prospect in the bunch?

by roxhead on Apr 23, 2010 12:15 PM MDT reply actions

I like Vargas and Ruiz as 2 guys to keep an eye on

but there is nothing eye popping w/ the Asheville pitching right now.

"Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny."
Jack Handy quote

by smokinRox on Apr 23, 2010 1:22 PM MDT up reply actions

what's your definition of decent?

If you’re looking for a #1 or #2 starter, you’ll have to wait for Matzek. Maybe #3’s too, but there’s at least a possibility that one may materialize from that staff, even if it’s unlikely. If you think a decent prospect includes arms that could become quality relievers, than there are quite a few.

I think the question implies that you may be underestimating the ceilings Gonzalez, Musick and Schnaitmann, they’re all to varying degrees works in progress, but could be mid-rotation quality if they develop well. It’s sort of similar to where Nicasio was at last year at this time.

by Rox Girl on Apr 23, 2010 1:48 PM MDT up reply actions

Going back a bit to points you made before...

I think Gonzalez is potentially underrated as a pitching prospect. He’s 20 years old, and he’s off to a nice start at Asheville (ignore the ugly ERA and look at the peripherals, which are solid.) And despite the fact that he struggled considerably at Casper last season, the Rockies went ahead and moved him up to Asheville to start this season, which implies that Rockies brass is seeing something in him that didn’t show up in the numbers last year. Now, without seeing him pitch, I can’t really confirm any of this. But it should be pointed out that he’s a pretty heavy groundball pitcher (51.1% this season) and the infield defense behind him may not be that great. You’ve got Angelys Nina, who was a slightly below average fielder at 2B last year per TotalZone, playing a lot of SS, and Avery Barnes, who played in the outfield last year, at 2B.

The Coors Effect

by Tom (RFTN) on Apr 23, 2010 5:53 PM MDT up reply actions

Gonzalez does seem the most likely to succeed out of that current rotation

And I would posit the most likely to remain a starter as he climbs the ladder, he has a 3.28 FIP so far, which as you indicate is much nicer than his current ERA implies, and his age is similar to that of Parker Frazier last year (Frazier was just outside the top 20 in our PuRPs poll at that point, IIRC) and Gonzalez’s start last night suggests he may be adjusting to the league faster than Frazier did.

by Rox Girl on Apr 23, 2010 6:04 PM MDT up reply actions

Rotation

I posted the question because I haven’t seen any of them pitch yet and knew that some of you probably had. If you look at their stats, you have to scratch your head and wonder if the Rockies pitching depth in the lower levels is starting to thin because none of the guys have done much of anything in pro ball. The only stat Gonzalez looks good in is his age because he has struggled while in the states… and thats being very kind because realistically, he has stunk up the joint both last year in Casper and the first few starts this season.

Its true the rotation would look much better if Matzek and Balcom-Miller were there but they aren’t.

by roxhead on Apr 23, 2010 11:44 PM MDT up reply actions

As Tom mentions, he's had a better than 50% GB rate

for most of his career, that’s a pretty nice stat to start with. The second one would be a 10.3 K/9 rate with only a 2.6 BB rate, that’s four strikeouts to every walk he’s given up, there are very few starters in the system who can say that while still striking out more than one man per inning. He’s giving up only 0.6 HR’s/9 IP too, so it’s not like he’s been dinger prone. Again, not stinking up the joint.

In short, he’s been very unlucky in his Asheville stint so far, and it would probably be safe to assume defensive issues have allowed some of those eight runs. The problem is that this is just a tiny sample that he’s been pitching this well, but the Rockies trusted him enough to put him in the Tourists rotation despite his rough season in Casper, so I personally am chalking that 2009 tour up to culture shock, homesickness and altitude, which is common for Latin American prospects with their first seasons with the Gosts,

by Rox Girl on Apr 24, 2010 8:08 AM MDT up reply actions