Live-Blogging the Triple-A All Star Game
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 10:32 PM EDT
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PrintThe kids are finally in bed. I'm again too tired to do anything analytical, but the Triple-A All Star Game is on, so I'll do some liveblogging. I have been up since 6:00 AM and don't know how long I'll last here, but we'll see if anything interesting happens. Blogging in the comments.
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bazardo
Bazardo is interesting,he was awful last year, but hurt….much better this year at least statwise
brignac
nice bit of hitting there by brignac. …didn’t try to pull the sinker, just drove it to the gaps.
drew stubbs
stubbs kills bazardo for a home run….pitched looked like a sinker that hung up, waiting for replay…..yeah, fastball inside that didn’t sink. he nailed it.
Stubbs
Looked like a nice relatively compact swing for what I was expecting. . .you saw him in college John, what do you think of his development?
stubbs
i thought he’d show more power by now.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
stubb
they’ve clearly cut back his swing …..
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
yes
He still strikes out quite a bit though . . .think he could struggle initially, but once he hits his peak power years might be better than anyone thinks at this point.
stubbs
could be…..his glove means they will be patient with him.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
possible outcome
Splits 2010 between majors and AAA, 2011 is a tough year but has a nice September, putting him in line for a breakout at age 27.
Really like him still.
He should be their CFer right now. His glove is nothing short of spectacular.
I think he could be a 2 WAR player at worst right now.
Tools Whore
hughes
hughes….in to face andy tracy. Hughes…when i’ve seen him he’s been 85-88 with a slider and changeup.
katin
minor league slugger type….he nailed that one. Could see him having a shane spencer type role maybe.
fun defensive note
Stubbs is in right, Jackson in center
Found it entertaining in the MLB ASG
when the outfield defensive alignment went LF Crawford – CF Hamilton – RF Adam Jones.
Not that Hamilton is all that bad… but still…
norris
well i didn’t get to see him pitch in this game, not being able to tune in until the bottom of the 2nd. I saw him once last year and wasn’t that impressed, looked more like a RP to me.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions
I was about to say the same
The numbers are solid except for the Ks . . .I think there’s enough for a consistent role in the majors, but your projection sounds right.
more Pucetas
Looks like his breaking stuff is decent enough to get by, but frankly I’m a little disappointed by his command, I thought it’d be much better.
one inning
One inning. Don’t read too much into it. :)
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions
oh, but of course
The usual caveats re: command and pitcher velocity in one inning shots apply here.
I think Pucetas is interesting as a swingman.
yah
yeah, agree. Also agree about the questionable strikeout rate.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
german
german botches the grounder!
I’ve always kind of liked German. He’s better than some guys who have had long careers.
sleepers?
Any sleepers in this game? Maybe guys that aren’t especially heralded but could be surprise contributors at the big league level?
any of them? lol
Most of the Triple-A journeyman could contribute under the right circumstnaces.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions
miller
matt miller would be a good example
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions
good question
Good question. He’s extremley knowledgable.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Murton
Still kinda surprised he never really became a regular, I thought he had enough as a BA/OBP guy to be a passable starter for somebody.
yeah
yeah. don’t get that either, he hit pretty well in the majors.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions
jackson
impressive polish at the plate.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
amazing to consider
In 2006, he put up a .682 OPS in the Sally League. That is a TREMENDOUS rate of development right there.
AJackson
I think he might need the rest of this year and most of next year in AAA to consolidate, but hard not to like him. Doesn’t seem to try to do too much at the plate, great blend of tools and skills.
jackson
also, there might be a little Curtis Granderson in Jackson. Scouts keep saying jackson’s tools are only a tick above average, but he looks pretty damn athletic to me. reminds me of what they said about Granderson too. Jackson’s makeup is supposed to be good, and I think he’s got untapped power.
by John Sickels on Jul 15, 2009 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
more Jackson
Agreed on the power . . .that’s the big reason why I’d want to hold him back a bit, let that develop a bit more. Strikeouts also a bit high for a guy who isn’t showing big power.
I think the only way he doesn’t become at least a solid regular is if he gets pushed too quickly. And as you said, there’s enough here to be more than that.
He looks like an impact guy with legs...
but that swing doesnt really impress me. Kind of long and slow for a speedy CFer without much natural power. Unimpressive bat speed – noticed it every time Ive seen him… which is only like four or five times, but still…
He’s definitely a major leaguer, IMO, but I dont see much Granderson in his bat. I really question his power ceiling. Definitely enough to be a good CFer… but I dont think there’s “star” hidden in there.
http://www.prospecttube.com/video/austin-jackson-arizona-fall
we'll see
I think he might add a little bat speed as he gets older and matures physically . . .he does need to get stronger.
I could see him being a guy who needs 1000-1500 ABs in the majors before his power gets into an acceptable range. Will the Yanks be that patient?
He's gonna hit for enough power
Im saying I just dont see him ever developing the bat to be a star. I like his approach, tools and glove plenty.
Robinson
Interesting guy as a draft prospect a few years ago, has basically been an utter failure with the bat before this year . . .doesn’t strikeout too much, but doesn’t draw any walks at all. AAAA guy who might make a few appearances in the majors, maybe gets lucky enough to be somebody’s backup?
sleep
ok guys i can’t keep my eyes open. I have to get up early again, so please take the thread from here and have fun.
Haeger
Knuckleballer! Has really stagnated over the last couple of years after a quick rise . . .think he could be a back of the rotation guy for somebody, though. I just don’t think anybody has enough faith to give him a chance to get established.
Haeger
Knuckleballer! Has really stagnated over the last couple of years after a quick rise . . .think he lost a bit of confidence along the way and hasn’t been the same command-wise.
If somebody can get his head back on straight and give him a legitimate chance, I think he could surprise as a cheap back of the rotation filler arm. But those are very big ifs.
Huffman
Doesn’t really impress . . .as you’d expect from his numbers. Decent batting eye, but doesn’t offer anything else that you couldn’t find elsewhere.
Just a guess: not his last AAA All Star game.
Swindle
Awesome AAA numbers, but fringy. Tough arm angle on lefties, but lives off of off-speed stuff . . .just threw a 50 MPH curve!
Topping out in the low 80s . . .would anybody give him a real shot?
LOL i went to College with Swindle. He had one season where he posted a 1 something ERA but it was hilarious watching the dude jus screw people up with that offspeed stuff.
He's certainly unique
Tough to see a major league team giving a guy who tops out at 82 MPH a real shot, but he throws strikes and mixes pitches well to go along with a delivery that provides deception against lefties. I’m sure you could do worse than that combination.
EPatt
Playing in center field for the PCL All Stars . . .has looked terrible in his major league stints, but having a good year. Seems to be working more for gap power rather than home runs this year, which was a big strike against him previously and sapped his production at higher levels.
In the right situation, I think I’d like him as a guy with a passable bat who isn’t quite good enough to profile as a regular, but fills in a team’s position of greatest need . . .kind of like a lefty version of Mark DeRosa.
Kroenke
High 80s fastball . . .command is okay, good enough to live against lefties, wouldn’t want him against major league righties. Typical possible LOOGY if he can throw strikes . . .raw stuff isn’t good enough to compensate for less.
Note that he pitched backwards to the righty Katin, going breaking ball first.
more Kroenke
The righty German had a nice AB against him and blasted a double.
He starts EY Jr. (now batting righty) off backwards as well, uses it to get ahead and then strikes him out. This is one of the things that separates the majors from the minors . . .major league righties would probably destroy him if he tried to pitch like that.
Jay Marshall now in
Submarine LOOGY candidate, not overpowering (note his low K/IP) but works the plate reasonably well. Interesting comparison with what we just saw out of Kroenke, whose raw stuff is better but didn’t throw as many strikes.
more Marshall/Kroenke
Tough to see these guys against righties, as I can’t see either facing them regularly at the major league level . . .as for lefties, I have a bit more faith that Marshall would throw enough strikes to get the job done against them.
We're starting to get into older guys here
More of the AAAA guys now . . .which is not a good omen for Bryan LaHair now stepping to the plate, lol.
He strikes out, but I think he still could contribute for somebody in stint duty. He doesn’t offer anything really exceptional, but as a lefty power bat entering his peak years I wouldn’t mind giving him a look as a bench player.
More EPatterson
Swing still looks a bit long, to be honest. I just don’t think he can hit enough to be an everyday player, but he does have decent tools from the left side of the plate and is capable of at least fill-in duty at almost every position . . .if he got 350 ABs playing 4 days a week, I could live with that.
Jeremy Hill
Interesting story . . .the guy has played pretty much everywhere. Not much to say about him in his stint, but has major league velocity.
Jess Todd coming in now to Sweet Caroline.
Todd
Rumor has it that he is on the list of players (along with Futures Gamer Francisco Samuel) the Indians can take as the PTBNL in the Mark DeRosa trade.
He has a effort-heavy delivery and isn’t very big, I can see why he’s a reliever. Fastball is 89-91, but VERY nice slider.
AAAA reliever Fernando Cabrera closes out the game
Always had good to great stuff but command sucked every time he was in the majors. Should have been at least a decent major league reliever. Still has a nice arm, still lacks the command. Got hit around a bit, but he got ahead of EY Jr. and was able to put him away with a good slider to end the game.
Well folks, that’s it for the AAA All Star game . . .I may not be John, but hopefully you enjoyed my contributions.
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