I am going to take an in depth look at how the top minor league prospects as indicated in Sim #1 of our 1st season are fairing nearly 3+ seasons ago. I am going to put my opinion on whether the player is the REAL DEAL (have a good career at the ABL level), a MAYBE (still early to tell), or a BUST (no chance at making the ABL or having a good career at the ABL level) and will also list their current team and position.
NOTE:
Greenville is now Washington
Montgomery is now Texas
San Diego remained as San Diego
Los Angeles is now The Georgia
REAL DEAL
So Cal - SP Reynoso (AAA)
So Cal - SP Lopez (ABL)
So Cal - SP McNuir (ABL)
So Cal - SP Martin (ABL) traded to South Carolina
So Cal - MR Huff (ABL)
Eureka - SP Atkinson (ABL)
Eureka - SP Butterfield (ABL)
Eureka - CL Howard (ABL)
Eureka - RF Bergeron (ABL)
South Carolina - SS Frost (ABL) traded to So Cal
South Carolina - MR Turner (ABL) traded to So Cal
Jacksonville - 2B Cain (AAA)
Jacksonville - SP Callahan (AAA)
Jacksonville - SP Snyder (AA)
Jacksonville - CL Gonzalez (ABL)
Maple - MR Pena (ABL) traded to Nottinghamshire
Ann Arbor - RF Rodriguez (ABL)
Ann Arbor - CL Woods (ABL)
Ann Arbor - C Frost (ABL)
Seattle - RF Frend (ABL)
San Francisco - RF Klein (ABL)
San Francisco - SP Inman (ABL)
Nottinghamshire - CF Whitney (ABL)
Nottinghamshire - SS Crawford (ABL)
Carolina - SP Garcia (ABL)
Carolina - SP Galindo (ABL)
Carolina - SP Ramirez (ABL)
New York - SP Serrano (ABL)
New York - CF Herman (ABL)
Jersey - RF Cheslin (ABL)
Las Vegas - C Smith (ABL)
Las Vegas - MR Fox (ABL)
Cabo San Lucas - SP Griffith (ABL)
Cabo San Lucas - SP Lawrence (ABL)
Mile High - CL Henry (ABL) traded to South Carolina
Montreal - SP Brown (ABL)
Dallas - 2B Clark (ABL)
Minnesota - SP Wine (ABL)
San Diego - 3B McKenzie (ABL) Rule V acquired by Nottinghamshire
MAYBE
Eureka - MR Blake (ABL) traded to Maple
South Carolina - LF Patton (ABL) traded to Seattle
South Carolina - SP Rogers (ABL) traded to Texas
South Carolina - CL Mitchell (A)
Maple - 1B McCoy (ABL) traded to SF, released/claimed by Texas released/claimed by The Georgia
Seattle - LF Parra (AAA)
San Francisco - SS Gonzales (ABL) traded to Washington
Carolina - CF James (ABL)
Jersey - SP Owens (ABL)
Las Vegas - SP Magee (ABL)
Las Vegas - SP Gonzales (ABL) traded to Seattle
Washington - SS Gomez (AAA) traded to The Georgia
Washington - RF McKee (AAA) traded to The Georgia
Montreal - C Villalobos (AA) traded to Las Vegas, traded to Texas
Montreal - SP Cuevas (AAA) traded to Nottinghamshire
Montreal - SP Merritt (ABL) traded to Kansas City
Dallas - SP McDowell (ABL)
Minnesota - CF Williams (ABL) traded to Carolina
Kansas City - CF Thompson (ABL)
San Diego - SP Mills (ABL)
BUST
Maple - SP Moreau (A)
Maple - RF Picot (?) traded to Eureka (Can't find him! so I am putting him here for now)
Maple - CF Lemarchand (A)
Ann Arbor - SP Connolly (ABL) - playing but not very good results
Ann Arbor - C Christopher (ABL) - playing but not very good results
Seattle - SP Stone (AA)
Nottinghamshire - CF Schwartz (ABL) - defensive specialist only
Nottinghamshire - C Dixon (ABL) - playing but not very good results
Nottinghamshire - SP Guibert (A) - released/claimed by Carolina
Carolina - SP Bray (ABL) - playing but not very good results
Jersey - SP Moore (AAA)
Jersey - SP Smith (AAA) - playing at ABL level but not very good results
Washington - CF Davis (ABL) - good defense only
Washington - SP Floyd (ABL) - playing at ABL level but not very good results
Cabo San Lucas - SP Hernandez (ABL) - traded to So Cal, traded to Minnesota, traded to Montreal
Mile High - 2B Mendes (ABL) - traded to Washington
Boston - C Sanford (ABL) - good defense, one great season but overall results not very good
Boston - 2B Lane (ABL)
Kansas City - SP Webb (ABL) traded to Nottinghamshire
Kansasy City - SP Carter (ABL) playing at ABL level but not very good results
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Single A Basher - Mike Pittman
However, this outstanding defensive outfielder seems to be finding a rhythm this year as his 2015 line is .314/.415/.566. With 15 long flies he's one short of doubling last years output and his walks to strikeouts are 56/45. And, the kid has speed, too, as he's swiped 18 bags for the Pioneers.
So, here's a kid that was drafted in Round 107 in 2012 and the 2548th pick overall that is finally catching up with the rest of the league and proving that his promotion to AA is just around the corner. Mike Pittman is part of the Ann Arbor Barn Owl system and just maybe on his way to the ABL in the not too distant future.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Weekly Top Five: June 22-June 28
#5: Smith Shines
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| Doug Smith |
This afternoon, he goes 3-for-4 with two home runs. The latter home run is a three-run shot that ties the game, 4-4. In the ninth, with two runners on, Smith singles to right, driving home what proves to be the game-winning run.
Weekly Top Five: June 15-June 21
The second round of interleague play wrapped up this week, and the Clemente League came out on top as the Bobby Cox Division outclassed the Billy Martin Division.
Tommy Lasorda 24 vs. 24 Sparky Anderson
Tony La Russa 22 vs. 26 Earl Weaver
Bobby Cox 29 vs. 19 Billy Martin
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Clemente League 75 vs. 69 Munson League
With two-thirds of this season's interleague games in the books, the Clemente League leads by just four games, 146 to 142. The final round of interleague will begin in late August.
As I'm rather busy this week, I'm just going to post a top four. Here you go!
Tommy Lasorda 24 vs. 24 Sparky Anderson
Tony La Russa 22 vs. 26 Earl Weaver
Bobby Cox 29 vs. 19 Billy Martin
-------------------------------------------------------
Clemente League 75 vs. 69 Munson League
With two-thirds of this season's interleague games in the books, the Clemente League leads by just four games, 146 to 142. The final round of interleague will begin in late August.
As I'm rather busy this week, I'm just going to post a top four. Here you go!
Friday, June 14, 2013
Weekly Top Five: June 8-June 14
#5: Concepción Gets Five Hits
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| Francisco Concepción |
Concepción doubles in a run in the second, singles in the fourth, and doubles again in the sixth, scoring on a sac fly. In the eighth, with the game tied, 4-4, he hits a solo home run. In the ninth, he adds an exclamation point to the proceedings by homering again. All in all, he goes 5-for-5 with three runs scored and three runs driven in.
Weekly Top Five: June 1-June 7
#5: Crush Beat the Hops
June 3: Carolina 8, San Diego 3. The Crush are dealt a severe blow when starter Ángel Galindo, winner of 14 games a year ago, has to leave the game in the first inning. Shoulder inflammation will keep him out for three to four months. However, six Crush relievers combine to shutout the Hops for eight innings.Carolina takes a lead, 3-0, into the bottom of the ninth, but San Diego comes back. With two outs and two on, pinch-hitter Dwayne Sparks doubles in a run. The next batter, Mike Johnson, singles in two to tie the game.
The Crush strike back with five runs in the 10th. Joe Cote doubles in two runs, Scott Andrews singles in two more, and George Gilliam singles in a fifth.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Weekly Top Five: May 25-May 31
This week featured many exciting games and series. Mile High snaps the Cabo San Lucas 12-game winning streak by blowing them out, 12-2: Fernando Garza goes 4-for-5 with four runs and three ribbies. On Wednesday, San Diego's Dave Lee pitches a three-hit shutout against Minnesota. The next day, San Diego's Mike Johnson hammers Minnesota for five hits in five at-bats. Montreal rookie Dean Graham hits a pair of home runs against Washington, and one day later Montreal's Lou Smith comes one out from pitching a shutout against San Diego. So Cal's Luis López pitches eight shutout innings against New York.
This week's Top Five were even more exciting. Let's get to it!
This week's Top Five were even more exciting. Let's get to it!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Weekly Top Five: May 18-May 24
No time for introductions this week, let's get straight to the Top Five!
In the top of the 11th inning, with the game tied, 2-2, Montreal rookie Masaki Baba hits a solo home run. Baba, only 21 years old, is an early front-runner for Rookie of the Year: he is hitting .364 with seven home runs and 30 runs batted in.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Bryan Gardner hits a solo home run, his 12th home run of the season. Tied once again, the game continues.
In the bottom of the 12th, veteran Zach Milford comes to the plate with two aboard. Allen Marshall hangs a curve ball, and Milford swats the ball over the left field fence. The remaining Minnesota fans, chilly and damp, warm themselves up by celebrating a walk-off win!
#5: It's Heating Up in the Frozen North
May 22: Montreal 3, Minnesota 6. Minnesota swept Montreal in the teams' first meeting back in April, but Montreal comes into tonight with a 1 1/2 game lead in the Tony La Russa Division. The two northern teams play on a cold and raining evening in Minneapolis. In fact, they love the weather so much that they decide to take things to extra innings. |
| Masaki Baba |
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Bryan Gardner hits a solo home run, his 12th home run of the season. Tied once again, the game continues.
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| Zach Milford |
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Milestone Watch! & Other Random Stat Facts!
As we enter our 3rd month of our 4th season in the ABL, I thought we would take a look at the those players that are within reach of some important milestones.
Hitters:
Steve Frend - Seattle: within 20 RUNS of 500!
Z-Rod - Ann Arbor: within 83 RUNS of 500!
Peter Blanchard - Minnesota: within 23 RBI of 500!
Juan Ramírez - Las Vegas: within 51 RBI of 500!
Dan Smith - Cabo San Lucas: within 64 RBI of 500!
Steve Frend - Seattle: within 90 RBI of 500!
Did you know?
The retired hitter with the best OPS was in a Seattle uniform: Will Leach OF @ 1.053 OPS. He only played 61 games though.
The retired pitcher with the most WINS was in a Minnesota uniform: Guillermo Martinez had 27 victories. He pitched in 83 Games and went 27-23 during that span.
Year IV - 2015 season has some interesting records that might be broken including:
Team wins 105 - Montreal (2013) & Cabo San Lucas (2014)
Cabo San Lucas has a shot at this record this year (38-13)
Tim "Hitting Machine" Shields, catcher for Montreal, also sits above .400 at .402 so far this season. Tom Becker holds the ABL regular season record with a .412 average.
Hitters:
Steve Frend - Seattle: within 20 RUNS of 500!
Z-Rod - Ann Arbor: within 83 RUNS of 500!
Peter Blanchard - Minnesota: within 23 RBI of 500!
Juan Ramírez - Las Vegas: within 51 RBI of 500!
Dan Smith - Cabo San Lucas: within 64 RBI of 500!
Steve Frend - Seattle: within 90 RBI of 500!
Did you know?
The retired hitter with the best OPS was in a Seattle uniform: Will Leach OF @ 1.053 OPS. He only played 61 games though.
The retired pitcher with the most WINS was in a Minnesota uniform: Guillermo Martinez had 27 victories. He pitched in 83 Games and went 27-23 during that span.
Year IV - 2015 season has some interesting records that might be broken including:
Team wins 105 - Montreal (2013) & Cabo San Lucas (2014)
Cabo San Lucas has a shot at this record this year (38-13)
Tim "Hitting Machine" Shields, catcher for Montreal, also sits above .400 at .402 so far this season. Tom Becker holds the ABL regular season record with a .412 average.
New Era MVP
Martín posted this in one of the weekly summaries, but we have a Pete Rose, Ty Cobb type of MVP candidate. Most people like the 300+/30+/100+ guy. Byron Bryant is having an off season from last year's numbers, which still didn't get him MVP. Right now he is on pace for 309/25/172, which would probably and rightly garner some votes.
But a better view is to look beyond AVG/HR/RBI. Outlaw Leslie Whitney has the current projections of 387/13/156, but that is only part of the story. His OBP projects to .502. In addition to 156 RBI he will have 152 runs scored. He is also third in stolen bases in the ABL.
And he is one of the best defenders in left field.
Mister do-it-all. As Nottinghamshire has demonstrated, home runs are overrated. It's time to re-consider our MVP candidates as well.
It's nice that he is only 23 years old too!
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| Leslie Whitney |
And he is one of the best defenders in left field.
Mister do-it-all. As Nottinghamshire has demonstrated, home runs are overrated. It's time to re-consider our MVP candidates as well.
It's nice that he is only 23 years old too!
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