Friday Pebble Report: Offense Aplenty for Affiliates
by Jeff Aberle on Aug 27, 2010 8:17 AM MDT
in Pebble Report
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PrintThe minor league season is hitting its home stretch, as fewer than 15 days remain in the regular season.
AAA: Colorado Springs 17, Salt Lake 6
The Sky Sox (59-73, 9 GB) jumped out to an early 9-1 lead thanks to an eight run third inning and extended it from there, scoring 17 runs on 19 hits against the Bees. There were plenty of offensive heroes in this one, as six Sky Sox hitters had multiple hits and five had multiple RBIs. Leading the way were #23 PuRP Cole Garner (4-6, 3B, 2B, 3 RBI) and Travis Metcalf (2-4, HR, 3 RBI). On the mound, Juan Rincon was awarded the win for a scoreless inning of relief (4-3, 7.56).
Other PuRPs in action: #16 Chris Nelson (2-3, 2 RBI), #26 Edgmer Escalona (1 IP, 1 H, 2 K)
The Drillers (33-26, 3 GB), much like their AAA brethren, were locked in offensively last night, pounding out 15 hits. Leading the offensive onslaught was #22 PuRP Jordan Pacheco (4-5, 2B, 2 RBI). Pacheco is moving up the ranks of my PuRP list with his impressive showing this year (.322 over two levels, .333 in AA). The 24 year old catching prospect might even pass Michael McKenry as the second ranked catcher on my upcoming PuRP list.
Keith Weiser got the win for Tulsa (9-8, 4.38), going 5.1 IP with 3 ER on 6 H.
Other PuRPs in action: #12 Charlie Blackmon (1-5, 2B, 2 RBI), #27 Scott Beerer (2-5)
High A: Stockton 5, Modesto 1
2009 5th rounder Joe Sanders provided the only offense for the Nuts (29-30, 5 GB) with a solo shot in the third (3) and a double. Parker Frazier started but only lasted 4 IP, allowing 1 R on 3 H, while Alan DeRatt took the loss in relief (2-1, 5.55).
Other PuRPs in action: #9 Tim Wheeler (1-4), #29 Ben Paulsen (0-4, 4 Ks)
Low A: Asheville (35-22, 1st) had their game postponed
Short Season A: Tri-City 6, Boise 3
Tri-City (11-17, 7 GB) pounded out 14 hits, with four players recording multiple hit games. The offensive star was 2009 50th rounder Nathan Hines, who went 4-4 with 3 2Bs and 2 RBI. On the mound, soon-to-be PuRP and 2010 5th round pick Joshua Slaats continued his great start with six strong innings and the win (1-2, 2.22). Slaats allowed only one unearned run on five hits, striking out two men.
Rookie: Helena 20, Casper 8
No, that's not a misprint. Helena put up a 20-spot on the Ghosts (11-13, 3.5 GB) on 28 hits. This included four innings in which Helena had three or more runs scored. Yikes. A personal pitching prospect favorite of mine, Alving Mejias got rocked for the Ghosts (1.2 IP, 9 ER, 8 H) and took the loss (5-5, 7.10).
Meanwhile, Casper had 12 hits of their own, with four players recording multiple hits. Leading the way was catcher Will Swanner, who was 2-3 with a solo shot (3). Considering that this is only Swanner's seventh game with the team out of high school, the 2010 15th round pick's performance thus far (1.094 OPS) is very impressive. He'll be on my upcoming PuRPs list and will likely be part of a loaded Asheville team next year.
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Who are you expecting to be a part of the loaded Asheville roster?
"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
I remember so many being excited about signing Swanner
Was he considered a high round talent? How is he defensively as a C? Would you have rather signed Rosado over Swanner?
"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
Yes. Solid, should stick at the position. Yes, but not by much.
The two were pretty close to equal given the premium position Swanner plays, Rosado has quite a bit more offensive upside.
Swanner was considered a second or third-round talent
Which is why he got a 2nd/3rd-round signing bonus. Most assumed he would go to Pepperdine, though. I’d personally rather have him than Rosado, largely because of Swanner’s defensive value.
I kind of suspect that Rosado was drafted largely as Parker insurance… if Parker wasn’t going to sign, I think the Rockies would have upped their offer to Rosado.
Does anyone have any thoughts on
Sitton and Jorgenson? Sitton is a lefty w/ more K’s than IP’s and is now closing. Jorgenson is currently in Tulsa and has more K’s than IP’s at each stop. I know Jorgenson is a little on the old side, but is he seen as a guy that could be in a major league BP.
"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
Definitely MLB potential on Jorgenson,
David Ohno’s been tweeting about him, says he’s got a hard but flat FB, but good breaking stuff.
Sitton’s too early to tell, but worth keeping an eye on.
I've been watching Pacheco's numbers all year
and they’ve been consistently good, with no dropoff after his promotion.
One thing that must be kept in mind about him: he has almost no power. He’s a singles/doubles hitter. But that’s OK: some good catchers have fit that description. Jason Kendall (annoying, I know, but a good catching career); Brad Ausmus; that Yorvit guy. At this point I’d probably prefer a higher-avg./OBP catcher than an “all or nothing” type like Second Half Olivo or (sigh) CDI, who seems destined to remain near the Mendoza Line.
Mediocrity sucks
The main problem with Pacheco
is that he’s largely a catcher-in-name-only, unless he’s made a ton of improvements at the position since last year. Last season he only threw out 10 of 74 attempted base-stealers and allowed eight passed balls (which isn’t a whole lot, particularly since it was a vast improvement over 2008.) Rosario’s the much, much better defensive catcher.
A .118 ISO is not “almost no power.”
Well, HR-power anyway
22 total in 4 years in the minors.
Rosario by contrast has 19 this year at Tulsa (though that is by far his best
HR year in the minors).
But as RG says, we’ll have to wait a couple of years to argue about
“who is clutchier”.
Mediocrity sucks
Pacheco threw out 36 % percent of runners in Modesto.
It’s safe to say he improved, though he hasn’t thrown anyone out in Tulsa yet, and he probably won’t be the defensive catcher Rosario, Iannetta, Olivo, or McKenry are/will be. Pacheco’s main strength is in making contact with the ball, which would be an excellent tool at the major league level, but it remains to be seen if he can keep his OBP high at higher levels and if his strikeouts don’t increase. So far, he isn’t getting walks, but he’s still putting the ball in play, so his development seems good. It stinks that it looks like it will be McKenry/Rosario at Colorado Springs next year, because he’s really the advanced type of hitter that should be tested.
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