PHOENIX -- Carlos Rosa has had a rapid rise this season. In 10 weeks, he's gone from Double-A to Triple-A to the Major Leagues.
No real surprise there. Rosa has been one of the Royals' top pitching prospects for the last three years, or since he bounced back from reconstructive surgery on his right elbow.
This year, he opened the season with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and did so well (4-2, 1.20 ERA) that he was promoted to Omaha.
In his first Triple-A outing, Rosa gave up five runs in three innings of a loss.
"It was a different level, and the first time I got in trouble by keeping the ball up," Rosa said. "Nothing's changed, the game is the same everywhere. You've got to keep the ball down."
That lesson reinforced, he got better in each subsequent game. In fact, in his last outing on Saturday, he had four perfect innings against Iowa before rain washed out the game. He went 2-1 with a 3.96 ERA at Omaha, with an impressive 20 strikeouts and just four walks in 25 innings.
His best pitch is his fastball, but he just smiled when asked if it had much sink or movement.
"I don't know. I haven't tried to hit it, so I've never seen my fastball move," he said with a chuckle. "But I try to get the ball down and see how it works."
Rosa also throws a slider and a changeup.
"I have a better changeup than last year. I've been working on that since Spring Training, especially against the lefty. That's my second pitch against lefties," he said.
Rosa, who replaced Brett Tomko on the roster, will be working out of the bullpen for the Royals after being strictly a starter in the Minors.
Manager Trey Hillman was impressed with the way the ball seemed to explode out of Rosa's hand during Spring Training. His low walk totals are a big plus, too.
"The command and the control are there, and we'll see if he can continue to do that at the Major League level," Hillman said.
"I'm sure he's going to be a little bit nervous -- that's why I want to monitor exactly how we use him, especially his first time out."
Pimp Your Pirates!
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Time to talk about Glenn Austin Gallagher who has replaced the injured Josh Bell at 3rd base. The LH hitting Gallagher is only 19 years and is doing more then holding his own in the high A league. He's another one of those 6'5 LH hitters that Logan White keeps drafting. I have no idea how his defense is at 3rd base, but at 6'5 we don't have many comp's for someone able to handle the hot corner at that size. Troy Glaus has done it and Rolen is a big boy but not 6'5.
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Fowler had already been having a breakout season at Double-A, but now the breakout is turning into a monster season, because after a 7-for-12 weekend, Fowler has had seven straight multi-hit games, and is batting .438 in his last 25 (.330/.407/.518 overall). FowlerÃs power potential remains the subject of debate, but nobody was arguing about it on Sunday while he walloped his eighth and ninth home runs of the year. Unlike many toolsy players, Fowler has a patient approach, although he is prone to strikeouts and needs to improve his base-stealing prowess. Other than one good year by Preston Wilson in 2003, the Rockies have never had a dynamic power/speed combo player in center field, but it appears that Fowler will likely hold the position a good bit longer than Wilson did.
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Consistency.
It's the single word that comes up most frequently when managers, coaches and front-office executives are asked what they're looking for in a Minor League prospect who appears ready to move up to the big leagues.
Not power. Not speed. Not a blazing fastball or knee-buckling curve (though none of these things hurt, of course).
Pittsburgh Pirates center-field prospect Andrew McCutchen has the power, speed and dazzling defensive capabilities. And this year, at just age 21 at Triple-A Indianapolis, he has been showing that essential consistency, as well.
It's been an emphatic answer to the "lesson plan" that had been drawn up back in Spring Training by Pirates farm director Kyle Stark.
"He'll flash some very impressive tools at any given point," Stark said in March, "but the thing now is for him to try to be more consistent with that, both offensively and defensively."
It certainly wasn't the first time McCutchen had been advised to focus on consistency, and it wouldn't be the last time.
"Just being consistent," said McCutchen, when asked what he's been working on to make that last step from Triple-A to the big leagues. "And I believe I've done that throughout this season so far. I don't think there's any big adjustment I've had to make."
The result has been a strong first half in which he's displayed both the tools and, more importantly, the consistency to earn not just a slot on the International League squad for the upcoming Triple-A All-Star Game, but a coveted spot on the U.S. Team that will take the field at the XM All-Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, July 13.
At this point, the Futures Game is also serving as a partial sampling of the "short list" for the U.S. Olympic team, a 24-man squad that is expected to be officially introduced on July 16 (the same day as the Triple-A All-Star Game in Louisville).
Right now, the list of candidates is estimated to be at 60 players, a mix of top prospects and veterans. You can probably guess which category McCutchen falls into.
A five-year varsity baseball star at Fort Meade (Fla.) High School -- yes, five years, he hit .507 to lead the league as an eighth grader -- McCutchen batted .709 with 16 homers and 42 RBIs as a senior before the Pirates made him the No. 11 overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.
The next summer he earned the organization's Minor League Player of the Year honors as he batted .291 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs at Class A Hickory before moving up two levels to hit .308 in 20 games down the stretch at Double-A Altoona.
He returned to Altoona to open the 2007 season and, not surprisingly, expectations were high. But for perhaps the first time in his baseball life, McCutchen struggled out of the gate.
He opened the season with an 0-for-15 streak, batted .189 in April and did not raise his average above .200 until May 26. Then, slowly but steadily, he pulled it together. He hit .230 in May, .266 in June, .309 in July and .304 in August.
And through it all, observed Tim Leiper, his manager at Altoona, he maintained an even-keel attitude, even more impressive given his age.
"My biggest concerns with him were that he'd feel he have to try to 'play catch-up,' try to get three hits in one at-bat. But he's remarkable in that he never let it get to him like some guys would, out of frustration," Leiper said. "Maturity-wise, for a kid his age to have gone through what he has and handled it like he has is remarkable."
Once again, the Pirates promoted McCutchen to the next level to finish the season, and he batted .313 in 17 games to finish out the 2007 campaign at Indianapolis, going hitless in just two games and winding up the year with an eight-game hitting streak.
McCutchen embraced the opportunity to keep it going a few weeks later in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, where he hit .286 for league champion Phoenix, and didn't go without a hit more than two games in a row.
"I had trouble at the beginning of the season and turned it around the second half, so when I got to the fall league, it was reassuring," McCutchen said. "It was telling myself that this was where I needed to be, and this was what I needed to remember."
While playing for Phoenix, the team got to face the 2007 version of Team USA, a squad comprised of prospects and veterans who headed over to Taiwan for the International World Cup, where they upset favored Cuba in, perhaps, a preview of an upcoming Olympic rematch in Beijing next month.
McCutchen, who had played internationally in Taiwan as a high school member of the Junior Olympic team, had no hard feelings about not being on that club.
"It didn't even cross my mind," he said. "It was cool that they were going to Taiwan, and though it would have been cool to go, at the same time I think it would be even better to be on the team this year."
He has certainly been doing all he can to be considered seriously for one of those slots.
Through July 6, McCutchen was hitting a solid .282 for the Indians with eight homers, 33 RBIs and 24 steals, which already surpasses his career best coming into 2008. Though the club's youngest player by more than a year, he was also the team's Player of the Month for May, when he hit .304 with 12 steals.
His hitting coach at Indianapolis, veteran outfielder Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens, has been extremely impressed with his top pupil, and remembered his first impression of McCutchen at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla.
"We weren't even on the same field where he was hitting, but you could hear the sound coming off his bat from the other field," recalled Meulens, who got his first "hands-on" experience with McCutchen down the stretch in 2007. "When you first get young players, our style here is to just let them play, let them figure things out on their own at first, until you have to make adjustments. But we didn't have to make any adjustments last year."
That actually didn't surprise Meulens, who had been in close contact with Altoona hitting coach Brandon Moore and Pirates roving hitting instructor Gregg Ritchie before he even started working with McCutchen.
"It was just a continuation of what he'd started doing so much better after his first couple of months at Double-A," Meulens said. "He's a very exciting player. His speed plays, he's fast on the bases. He's doing a fabulous job."
McCutchen also does his homework, maybe because he's not so far removed from high school not to remember the importance of getting an education.
"Older pitchers will get to know you. They'll study you, and they won't just come right after you like younger pitchers do," he observed, regarding the difference between the lower levels and higher levels. "They'll find the spots you can't handle. So at the same time, you have to have a plan just like they have a plan against you."
McCutchen is certainly hoping that he'll make the cut to the squad that will head to Beijing in early August.
"My goal is to get to the big leagues, but this would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance," said McCutchen. "It's something I really want to do, and the people in the Pirates system want me to do it, as well. And it wouldn't even be throwing away a chance of being a September callup, because we'd be back by then."
And if he does go, he'll have his hitting coach rooting for him all the way.
OK, most of the way.
Meulens, who holds the distinction of being the first Major Leaguer to hail from the Dutch island of Curacao, played in the 2000 Olympics for the Netherlands and returned to the Olympics in Athens in 2004 as that team's coach. He isn't heading to Beijing this year as they have scaled down their coaching staff, so he'll have some mixed emotions if his star pupil is playing against his own country.
"Reaching the Major Leagues is probably the biggest thrill you're ever going to have in your career, but it's a whole different dynamic to represent your country in the Olympics, the biggest sporting event in the world," Meulens said. "We'd be so proud of him if he's chosen, so I would root for him individually, but I would still want my country to win."
For now, though, McCutchen isn't looking that far into the future.
He's just looking forward to the Futures.
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Team: low Class A Beloit (Midwest)
Age: 20
Why He's Here: .480/.500/.640 (12-for-25), 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBIs, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: Revere's been absent from the Hot Sheet for a few weeks, but that doesn't mean he's stopped hitting. He's picked up base hits in 16 of his last 17 games, and his average is still above the .400 level after 280 at-bats, as it currently stands at .404/.456/.539. His best game of the week came on Monday, when he went 4-for-4 with a double and two steals against Wisconsin.
Team: Double-A Tulsa (Texas)
Age: 22
Why he's here: .440/.611/.480 (11-for-25), 1 2B, 4 RBIs, 11 BB, 5 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: "You don't walk your way on to the Hot Sheet" was a phrase used in this week's meeting, but Fowler's back yet again with another big week. He had only one extra-base hit this weekóand scouts still have concerns about whether the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Fowler will ever develop legitimate popóbut he continued to show an excellent knowledge of the strike zone. In 382 at-bats, Fowler's slash stats are at .332/.429/.505 with 61 walks and 79 strikeouts. But with his plus defense in center field and his ability to hit for average and get on base, even moderate power would make Fowler an above-average big leaguer.
Team: high Class A Inland Empire (California)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: .444/.515/.815 (12-for-27), 6 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 5 BB, 4 SO
The Scoop: Gallagher ranked seventh in the Rookie-level Pioneer League last year, but he was still considered raw. That's what makes Gallagher's season even more impressive. Since joining Inland Empire in late May, Gallagher is batting .326/.372/.522 in 230 at-bats at just 19 years old. Gallagher is a power-hitting third baseman, though he isn't flexible and may end up moving to first base. Gallagher, who is 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, also played basketball and football in high school before the Dodgers made him a third-round pick last season. Now that he's focused on baseball full time, Gallagher has raised his prospect status by moving surprisingly quickly.
Age: 20
Why He's Here: .480/.500/.640 (12-for-25), 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBIs, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: Revere's been absent from the Hot Sheet for a few weeks, but that doesn't mean he's stopped hitting. He's picked up base hits in 16 of his last 17 games, and his average is still above the .400 level after 280 at-bats, as it currently stands at .404/.456/.539. His best game of the week came on Monday, when he went 4-for-4 with a double and two steals against Wisconsin.
Team: Double-A Tulsa (Texas)
Age: 22
Why he's here: .440/.611/.480 (11-for-25), 1 2B, 4 RBIs, 11 BB, 5 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: "You don't walk your way on to the Hot Sheet" was a phrase used in this week's meeting, but Fowler's back yet again with another big week. He had only one extra-base hit this weekóand scouts still have concerns about whether the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Fowler will ever develop legitimate popóbut he continued to show an excellent knowledge of the strike zone. In 382 at-bats, Fowler's slash stats are at .332/.429/.505 with 61 walks and 79 strikeouts. But with his plus defense in center field and his ability to hit for average and get on base, even moderate power would make Fowler an above-average big leaguer.
Team: high Class A Inland Empire (California)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: .444/.515/.815 (12-for-27), 6 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 5 BB, 4 SO
The Scoop: Gallagher ranked seventh in the Rookie-level Pioneer League last year, but he was still considered raw. That's what makes Gallagher's season even more impressive. Since joining Inland Empire in late May, Gallagher is batting .326/.372/.522 in 230 at-bats at just 19 years old. Gallagher is a power-hitting third baseman, though he isn't flexible and may end up moving to first base. Gallagher, who is 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, also played basketball and football in high school before the Dodgers made him a third-round pick last season. Now that he's focused on baseball full time, Gallagher has raised his prospect status by moving surprisingly quickly.
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After a disturbingly slow start, Moustakas is continuing to show why he was the second overall pick in last year's draft. After going 5-for-12 over the weekend with a pair of home runs, Moustakas' averages are now up to a far more respectable .255/.318/.425, and he's tied for fourth in the Midwest League with 14 homers. Moved to third base in early June, he seems far more comfortable at the hot corner than he did at shortstop. While there is some work to do fundamentally on defense, he's made just one error in his last 23 games and has soft hands and a plus-plus arm. Early in the year, people were wondering who the Royals' top prospect would be if Moustakas didn't work out. With a .321/.397/.519 line since the All-Star break, nobody is wondering anymore.
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No. 7 MIKE MOUSTAKAS, 3B
ROYALS
Team: low Class A Burlington Bees (Royals)
Age: 19
Why he's here: .333/.438/.704 (9-for-27), 9 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 BB, 8 SO
The Scoop: Kansas City's first-round pick in 2007, Moustakas blitzed through July hitting at a .303 clip, his best month of the season, and it might have been more impressive had he not missed more than a week because of a strained oblique. Even better for the Royals, the lefthanded hitter has seen his on-base percentage tick upward (it was a season-best .376 in July) as Moustakas eases in to the Midwest League and third base, where he has played almost every day since June 8.
No. 9 ELVIS ANDRUS, SS
RANGERS
Team: Double-A Frisco (Texas)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: .360/.433/.600 (9-for-25), 4 R, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 6 SO, 5-for-7 SB
The Scoop: The beginning of the season was not too kind to Andrus, who headed into the Texas League all-star break hitting .277/.335/.335 in 242 at-bats. Since the break, however, Andrus hasn't just been good for his age, he's been flat-out one of the best players in the league, batting .327/.385/.416 in 113 at-bats. Andrus hit two of his three home runs this week, but he is more notable for his short stroke to the ball and what scouts project as his future ability to hit for a high batting average. His season line now sits at .293/.351/.361, and those first two averages are promising signs for his future.
ROYALS
Team: low Class A Burlington Bees (Royals)
Age: 19
Why he's here: .333/.438/.704 (9-for-27), 9 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 BB, 8 SO
The Scoop: Kansas City's first-round pick in 2007, Moustakas blitzed through July hitting at a .303 clip, his best month of the season, and it might have been more impressive had he not missed more than a week because of a strained oblique. Even better for the Royals, the lefthanded hitter has seen his on-base percentage tick upward (it was a season-best .376 in July) as Moustakas eases in to the Midwest League and third base, where he has played almost every day since June 8.
No. 9 ELVIS ANDRUS, SS
RANGERS
Team: Double-A Frisco (Texas)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: .360/.433/.600 (9-for-25), 4 R, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 6 SO, 5-for-7 SB
The Scoop: The beginning of the season was not too kind to Andrus, who headed into the Texas League all-star break hitting .277/.335/.335 in 242 at-bats. Since the break, however, Andrus hasn't just been good for his age, he's been flat-out one of the best players in the league, batting .327/.385/.416 in 113 at-bats. Andrus hit two of his three home runs this week, but he is more notable for his short stroke to the ball and what scouts project as his future ability to hit for a high batting average. His season line now sits at .293/.351/.361, and those first two averages are promising signs for his future.
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"I hope somebody hits .400 soon. Then people can start pestering that guy with questions about the last guy to hit .400." --Ted Williams
Ben Revere wasn't supposed to begin the season in Beloit.
The Minnesota Twins organization had hoped to have their first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2007 Draft start the year with Elizabethton of the Appalachian League. Revere, now 20, was selected out of Lexington Catholic High School in Kentucky and before making his pro debut with the GCL Twins last year.
Due to a number of untimely injuries -- including a hamstring ailment of his own which didn't allow him to begin playing until April 28 -- the Twins awarded Revere a shot with the Class A Snappers in 2008.
Revere went 0-for-3 in his debut, batting second against South Bend on the 28th. Then it began.
Two hits the next day. Two the evening after that. One the following night. And so on.
Just like that, the speedy outfielder who many thought wouldn't immediately succeed in the Midwest League compiled an 11-game hitting streak. He was transferred to the leadoff slot on May 6 and raised his average as high as .439 before going 0-for-3 on May 12 to end the streak.
Still, what Revere did in the first two weeks isn't uncommon. Players get off to hot starts all the time. Then the brunt of the season comes and they settle in, raising and lowering their average a bit, but usually maintaining a type of consistency that allows scouts to analyze their potential.
What Revere's doing four months later, however, is uncommon.
Now 73 games into the season, the 5-foot-9, 166-pound outfielder is hitting an eye-popping .388, most in the full-season Minor Leagues. (Terry Tiffee of the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s is second at .375 in 87 games.)
Revere was at .404 as recently as July 24 before his first 0-for-5 game of the season Tuesday. Only nine times this season has Revere not recorded at least one base hit, and he's gone hitless in back-to-back games once.
Budding from that 11-game hitting streak, which started to garner Revere some attention, the Lexington, Ky., native hasn't let up, forcing teammates, managers, reporters and fans to intently observe Revere's progress and see if he can become the next professional baseball player to hit .400.
Major League Baseball hasn't seen a .400 hitter since Ted Williams accomplished the feat in 1941 as a member of the Boston Red Sox, but the Minor Leagues have.
Jason Ellison of the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies hit .406 in 2006 at the age of 28, recording 78 hits in 192 at-bats. Rene Aqueron, then 23, did so for the Rookie-league Bluefield Orioles (.405, 66 hits, 163 at-bats) in 2005, and Hernan Iribarren, then 20, reached well above the .400 plateau in 2004 when he hit a combined .422 between Beloit and the AZL Brewers, accumulating 108 hits in 256 at-bats.
Naturally, their accomplishments are worthy of praise, but as of Aug. 7, with 24 games remaining on the schedule, Revere has more at-bats (299) and hits (116) than any of the aforementioned trio.
"I try to go out there and just play my game. Everybody keeps talking about the .400 thing, but I just want to go out there and have fun every day because that's what I'm supposed to do," Revere said. "It's a big deal in baseball. Everybody knows that and everybody wants to see if I can keep my composure and go out there and try to do it. If I can do it, I'll be happy. If I can't, I tried my best."
Since 1998, six players in the Minor Leagues have finished the season with an average above .400. Erubiel Durazo, who hit .404 in 1999 with 344 at-bats, did so with the most plate appearances, and Revere should easily exceed that over the final month of the season.
While it may not be at the Major League level, there's still a significant amount of pressure being placed on Revere to become baseball's next prolific hitter. When George Brett and Tony Gwynn made runs at the hallowed mark, they expressed a slight disdain for the amount of attention they were getting.
Not only does someone in Revere's situation have to deal with late-breaking sliders and tailing fastballs, but also the constant reminder that they're teetering on the edge of history.
"There may be a little bit of pressure, but I won't put that pressure on me," he said. "I don't like to look at my stats. If I go 0-for-4, people will be like, 'C'mon man, you'll lose the .400.' But I don't really care as long as we hopefully we win the game. Then I'll be happy. If we don't, I'll be upset."
It's that mentality -- one which permits him to focus on his progression as a player, on making the Majors and on winning the upcoming game -- that may actually allow him to do it.
"Really, I'm just being smarter with my pitch selection, getting enough sleep and all that stuff and hopefully I can keep that up and it'll help me play a lot better the next day as well as the rest of the season," said Revere, who has compiled 14 three-hit games this season.
Part of the reason he's been able to solve opposing pitching with such frequency is because of his approach at the plate. Revere said he almost always makes an effort to stay inside the ball and hit it hard on the ground, using his superior swiftness to reach base. That approach has swelled into a remarkable plate discipline that's made the job of Beloit hitting coach Rudy Hernandez quite easy.
"He never talks to me at all, really," Revere said of his interaction with Hernandez. "He'll say one day that you're around [the ball] a lot and the next day, I'll stay inside of it and hit it up the middle, so he'll say, 'Good job.' But he usually kind of leaves my swing alone."
While Hernandez's job has been a cakewalk regarding Revere, the experience hasn't been mutual for opposing pitching coaches.
"I know teams are looking at how many at-bats I've got and say, 'Wow this guy can really get on base,' so I won't see that many fastballs. I'll see a bunch of changeups and curveballs," added Revere, who struggled hitting changeups in the GCL (where he batted .325). "After a while, you start seeing guys in the field play me in a lot of different positions when I come up.
"Sometimes I have games where I'll hit four balls hard, but right at them and go 0-for-4, and other times I may have a couple cheap base hits."
Thus is baseball. But it's not all dumb luck for Revere, whose longest hitting streak of the season spanned 22 games (May 30 to July 1). Dry spells (relatively speaking in his case) can occur as well, and Revere's in the midst of one now. After hitting no lower than .354 in any month this season, Revere's started August 2-for-12 (.167) and is batting .348 post-All Star break compared to .413 prior.
Yet another aspect of the complex quest to hit .400 is the length of the season, especially given that this is Revere's first full one at the professional level. He's already played 23 more games than he did in 2007.
"My body's kind of getting tired a little bit. It's not really wearing down, just tired," he said. "I think everybody is, but I won't complain."
But some people will.
"There's still a bunch of doubters out there who say, 'Yeah, he can hit, but he's still not one of the best,' so I just have to go out there and prove that I am the best," Revere said.
"They thought I wasn't going to be this good. They thought I'd come up here and struggle a little bit because we've had a couple young first-rounders come up here and struggle in this league. I wouldn't say they doubted me. They knew I was a good hitter, but they were just surprised how well I handled myself up here."
Ultimately, Revere's goal is more poignant than staking claim to a rare numerical achievement. It's to make the Majors. And that means working more on improving his arm strength than focusing on .400. It means continuing to prove to the Twins that he's mature beyond his age.
After all, everyone already knows the guy can hit.
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No. 1 MIKE MOUSTAKAS, 3B
ROYALS
Team: low Class A Burlington (Midwest)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: .440/.481/1.120 (11-for-25), 5 HR, 2 2B, 11 RBIs, 8 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
The Scoop: For a while, it looked like the pitching-oriented Midwest League might get the better of Mike Moustakas. But not anymore. The second overall pick in last year's draft got off to a slow start in his first full season, hitting just .190/.253/.226 in April, but as the weather's warmed up, so has his bat.
Moustakas began showing signs of life during May and June, hitting 11 home runs over those two months, and his offense has exploded since the MWL's all-star break in mid-June. The 19-year-old is hitting a whopping .336/.406/.623 in 146 at-bats since the break, numbers that are impressive anywhere, but especially in the context of the MWL.
His five home runs this week allowed Moustakas to vault to the top of the MWL's home run race with 20 on the year. He's had hits in 12 of his last 13 games, and he homered in three straight games Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, including a three-run shot off rehabbing big leaguer Jon Lieber on Tuesday. In all, he turned in four multi-hit games this week, and he's upped his line to .267/.330/.472 in 405
ROYALS
Team: low Class A Burlington (Midwest)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: .440/.481/1.120 (11-for-25), 5 HR, 2 2B, 11 RBIs, 8 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
The Scoop: For a while, it looked like the pitching-oriented Midwest League might get the better of Mike Moustakas. But not anymore. The second overall pick in last year's draft got off to a slow start in his first full season, hitting just .190/.253/.226 in April, but as the weather's warmed up, so has his bat.
Moustakas began showing signs of life during May and June, hitting 11 home runs over those two months, and his offense has exploded since the MWL's all-star break in mid-June. The 19-year-old is hitting a whopping .336/.406/.623 in 146 at-bats since the break, numbers that are impressive anywhere, but especially in the context of the MWL.
His five home runs this week allowed Moustakas to vault to the top of the MWL's home run race with 20 on the year. He's had hits in 12 of his last 13 games, and he homered in three straight games Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, including a three-run shot off rehabbing big leaguer Jon Lieber on Tuesday. In all, he turned in four multi-hit games this week, and he's upped his line to .267/.330/.472 in 405
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Hanson got off to a ridiculous start at High-A Myrtle Beach this year, then hit a few bumps following a mid-May promotion to Double-A. Those bumps are now well behind him, and on Sunday Hanson struck out 10 over six shutout innings, his third straight double-digit strikeout performance. Since giving up six runs over five innings on June 18, he has a 1.52 ERA in seven starts, allowing just 22 hits in 41 1/3 frames and punching out 58. As if Hanson's three-pitch combination of a 90-95 mph fastball, a well above-average curve, and plus changeup wasn't terrifying enough, he's now added a slider under the tutelage of pitching coach Derek Botelho, and that is flashing as a plus pitch as well. He projects as a number-two starter at this point, and should see the big leagues sometime in 2009.
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The state of pitching prospectdom in the Rangers system is truly impressive, both in terms of depth and talent. In the wake of the great leaps forward taken by guys like Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland [Fellow IBC Pirate], some of the others have been lost in the shuffle, including 2007 first-round pick Michael Main. Main missed the first half of the season recovering from a rib-cage injury, but he's been impressive since his return, with a 2.25 ERA in six starts for Low-A Clinton while recording 28 strikeouts in 28 innings and limiting opposing batters to a .221 average. A scout who recently saw Main noted plenty of good in the here and now, combined with a good amount of room for future improvement. "The stuff is there, but it needs to be refined," explained the scout. "I saw him up to 94 mph on the fastball with good life, and his curveball is a real downer with a pretty sharp break. His delivery is solid and he's aggressive, and really he's got everything you want to see in a kid his age." As for the improvements Main needs to make, the scout felt that Main would perfectly capable of reaching them. "He's so athletic and thin and leanóthere's not a lot of pitchability right now, but I can see it coming. You add the physical maturing that's clearly still to come, and he could really turn into something."
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Rangers fans are getting really excited about this guy. He hasn't received much national attention yet, but that will be changing soon, so here is the heads up.
Derek Holland was drafted in the 25th round in 2006, from Wallace State Community College in Alabama. He was a draft-and-follow pick, signing in May 2007 for $200,000. His pro debut was very successful: 3.22 ERA with an 83/21 K/BB in 67 innings for Spokane in the Northwest League, with 57 hits allowed. I did not put him in the 2008 book. I can't remember why, it may just have been an oversight. I should have: his K/IP was excellent. He should have been at least a Grade C+ prospect.
Holland opened 2008 with Clinton in the Midwest League, going 7-0, 2.40 in 17 starts with a 91/29 K/BB in 94 innings, just 77 hits and two homers allowed. Promoted to Bakersfield in the Cal League, he went 3-1, 3.19 with a 37/5 K/BB in 31 innings and 20 hits allowed. Promoted then to Frisco in the Texas League, hes' 3-0, 0.90 in his first three outings with a 22/4 K/BB in 20 innings. His combined line on the year: 13-1, 2.36, 150/38 K/BB in 145 innings, 107 hits allowed, just 3 homers.
Obviously, his statistics are excellent. I don't see anything to nitpick. Everything is above average or better, and he's maintained his ratios as he has moved up. The scouting reports are terrific. Holland was throwing 90-92 early in the year at Clinton, but over the last couple of months that has increased well into the mid-90s. Check out this report from Jamey Newberg for example. Holland's secondary pitches still need a bit of polish, but everything I have read and heard indicates that the combination of plus stuff and sharp command is special.
Holland is a Grade B+ prospect at a minimum right now and perhaps an A-. If he stays healthy, he could be an excellent pitcher.
Derek Holland was drafted in the 25th round in 2006, from Wallace State Community College in Alabama. He was a draft-and-follow pick, signing in May 2007 for $200,000. His pro debut was very successful: 3.22 ERA with an 83/21 K/BB in 67 innings for Spokane in the Northwest League, with 57 hits allowed. I did not put him in the 2008 book. I can't remember why, it may just have been an oversight. I should have: his K/IP was excellent. He should have been at least a Grade C+ prospect.
Holland opened 2008 with Clinton in the Midwest League, going 7-0, 2.40 in 17 starts with a 91/29 K/BB in 94 innings, just 77 hits and two homers allowed. Promoted to Bakersfield in the Cal League, he went 3-1, 3.19 with a 37/5 K/BB in 31 innings and 20 hits allowed. Promoted then to Frisco in the Texas League, hes' 3-0, 0.90 in his first three outings with a 22/4 K/BB in 20 innings. His combined line on the year: 13-1, 2.36, 150/38 K/BB in 145 innings, 107 hits allowed, just 3 homers.
Obviously, his statistics are excellent. I don't see anything to nitpick. Everything is above average or better, and he's maintained his ratios as he has moved up. The scouting reports are terrific. Holland was throwing 90-92 early in the year at Clinton, but over the last couple of months that has increased well into the mid-90s. Check out this report from Jamey Newberg for example. Holland's secondary pitches still need a bit of polish, but everything I have read and heard indicates that the combination of plus stuff and sharp command is special.
Holland is a Grade B+ prospect at a minimum right now and perhaps an A-. If he stays healthy, he could be an excellent pitcher.
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Boy what a great time to be in the IBC Pirates Farm System. Somebody who I considered a fringe top 100 prospect is looking like a legit Top 100 with a real nice comp:
Q: Main continues to pitch very well. Where do you see him ranking in the top 100 prospects, and how do you think he will do in the future in the MLB?
A: John Manuel: Very possible top 100, great athlete, great arm, would like to see more IP before ranking him super high. Hard to say what he'll be -- Roy Oswalt? Jake Peavy? He's slight, throws the hell out of it and is a freaky athlete, those guys seem to be his high-end comps.
Quite the nice comp on Main. The Pirates look forward to filling out Lincecum and Lackey with Holland, Hanson and Main in the future, as well as many of the other possible Bucs starters Carlos Rosa, Nick Schmidt, Luis Marte, Rich Hill, Braden Looper et al.
To boast overall system depth right before the deadline, Pittsburgh believes that the following players will be on the BA/BP top 100 in some capacity:
Mike Moustakas
Dexter Fowler
Elvis Andrus
Fernando Martinez
Tommy Hanson
Derek Holland
Ben Revere
Wes Hodges
Scott Elbert
Michael Main
We also believe that Carlos Rosa has an outside chance at sneaking in the back end of the Top 100. Also, with two top 5 draft picks, you can go ahead and pencil them into being in the Top 100 as well. That will be 12-13% of the Top 100 prospects held in Pittsburgh where we already are home to MLB Superstars Tim Lincecum, John Lackey, Brian McCann and Ryan Braun. Filling in the rest with players like Matt Joyce who has been perhaps our best Free Agent pick up this season, Jeff Baker, Daric Barton, Sean Casey and others.
The farm system is rounded out by first round picks who have had poor years this year, or who have been hurt, but still have potential to succeed in roles. Kevin Ahrens has struggled mightily but has a great arm and we still believe he will bounce back in his second year out of High School. Lefty Dan Moskos has been struggling with fatigue in an extremely up and down year which is ending with a pretty big down, but we've seen flashes of what he can do and think he can succeed in either role - out of the pen or as a mid level SP. Nick Schmidt has missed this year due to TJ Surgery but shouldn't require too much time toiling in the minors and in a depleted Padres system and being a college product, he should shoot up the ranks pretty quickly in 2009.
The future has never been brighter for the Pirates.
Q: Main continues to pitch very well. Where do you see him ranking in the top 100 prospects, and how do you think he will do in the future in the MLB?
A: John Manuel: Very possible top 100, great athlete, great arm, would like to see more IP before ranking him super high. Hard to say what he'll be -- Roy Oswalt? Jake Peavy? He's slight, throws the hell out of it and is a freaky athlete, those guys seem to be his high-end comps.
Quite the nice comp on Main. The Pirates look forward to filling out Lincecum and Lackey with Holland, Hanson and Main in the future, as well as many of the other possible Bucs starters Carlos Rosa, Nick Schmidt, Luis Marte, Rich Hill, Braden Looper et al.
To boast overall system depth right before the deadline, Pittsburgh believes that the following players will be on the BA/BP top 100 in some capacity:
Mike Moustakas
Dexter Fowler
Elvis Andrus
Fernando Martinez
Tommy Hanson
Derek Holland
Ben Revere
Wes Hodges
Scott Elbert
Michael Main
We also believe that Carlos Rosa has an outside chance at sneaking in the back end of the Top 100. Also, with two top 5 draft picks, you can go ahead and pencil them into being in the Top 100 as well. That will be 12-13% of the Top 100 prospects held in Pittsburgh where we already are home to MLB Superstars Tim Lincecum, John Lackey, Brian McCann and Ryan Braun. Filling in the rest with players like Matt Joyce who has been perhaps our best Free Agent pick up this season, Jeff Baker, Daric Barton, Sean Casey and others.
The farm system is rounded out by first round picks who have had poor years this year, or who have been hurt, but still have potential to succeed in roles. Kevin Ahrens has struggled mightily but has a great arm and we still believe he will bounce back in his second year out of High School. Lefty Dan Moskos has been struggling with fatigue in an extremely up and down year which is ending with a pretty big down, but we've seen flashes of what he can do and think he can succeed in either role - out of the pen or as a mid level SP. Nick Schmidt has missed this year due to TJ Surgery but shouldn't require too much time toiling in the minors and in a depleted Padres system and being a college product, he should shoot up the ranks pretty quickly in 2009.
The future has never been brighter for the Pirates.
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Base (Burque): Is this the type of season Royals' fans should expect from Moustakas? Medium-well avg w/ well-done power numbers? ( why don't scouts use steak temperatures as adjectives? Seems natural)
Kevin Goldstein: No. He's better than the whole of his season. He really took a while to get going, and that's totally understandable. I think he's a monster and that the .321/.392/.557 line he put up after the all-star break is more indicative of his true talent.
Kevin Goldstein: No. He's better than the whole of his season. He really took a while to get going, and that's totally understandable. I think he's a monster and that the .321/.392/.557 line he put up after the all-star break is more indicative of his true talent.
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2008 Baseball America Minor League All Star Teams
First team Pirate selections:
SP Tommy Hanson ï Braves
Double-A Southern League batters had the unenviable task of trying to hit the 6-foot-6 Hanson this season. Not only did the 22-year-old righthander fire a no-hitter against Birmingham on June 25, but he also held opposing batters to a .175 average, lowest in the minors. Couple that with Hanson's 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings, the second-highest rate in the minors, and you have the recipe for a future frontline starter. Oh yeah, he also posted a 2.41 ERA (12th-best in the minors) and 163 strikeouts (fourth-best).
SP Derek Holland ï Rangers
Righthanders Jordan Walden (Angels) and Mat Latos (Padres) got the attention as being the top arms from the final draft-and-follow class of 2006, but Holland may turn out to be the best. The little-known 25th-round lefthander from Wallace State (Ala.) CC-Hanceville rocketed from low Class A Clinton to Double-A Frisco this summer, seemingly getting better at each stop. With command of easy mid-90s velocity and a killer changeup, the 21-year-old Holland ranked 10th in the minors with 157 strikeouts, a 2.27 ERA and a .209 opponent average.
Second teamers:
Mike Moustakas (3B)
Dexter Fowler (OF)
First team Pirate selections:
SP Tommy Hanson ï Braves
Double-A Southern League batters had the unenviable task of trying to hit the 6-foot-6 Hanson this season. Not only did the 22-year-old righthander fire a no-hitter against Birmingham on June 25, but he also held opposing batters to a .175 average, lowest in the minors. Couple that with Hanson's 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings, the second-highest rate in the minors, and you have the recipe for a future frontline starter. Oh yeah, he also posted a 2.41 ERA (12th-best in the minors) and 163 strikeouts (fourth-best).
SP Derek Holland ï Rangers
Righthanders Jordan Walden (Angels) and Mat Latos (Padres) got the attention as being the top arms from the final draft-and-follow class of 2006, but Holland may turn out to be the best. The little-known 25th-round lefthander from Wallace State (Ala.) CC-Hanceville rocketed from low Class A Clinton to Double-A Frisco this summer, seemingly getting better at each stop. With command of easy mid-90s velocity and a killer changeup, the 21-year-old Holland ranked 10th in the minors with 157 strikeouts, a 2.27 ERA and a .209 opponent average.
Second teamers:
Mike Moustakas (3B)
Dexter Fowler (OF)
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Pirates Prospects on League Top 20's:
Midwest League:
#1 Mike Moustakas-
His 22 homers were the most by a MWL teenager since Prince Fielder hit 27 in 2003, and Moustakas has similar offensive upside. He has so much bat speed and strength that he can wait longer than most hitters to start his swing without compromising his power. He's at his best when he stays balanced at the plate and uses the whole field, though he tries to do too much and gets pull-happy at times.
"I saw Moustakas the first week in the season when he was the worst player in the league," one scout said. "Of course, it snowed for three of the five games. I came back later and he was a completely different guy. He's going to hit, no question, for both power and average."
Moustakas is a decent athlete with a cannon arm, but he never projected as more than an adequate shortstop and would have outgrown the position anyway. The consensus is that he can become a plus defender at third base, though one scout thought he would need quicker hands and feet there.
#4 Ben Revere
Revere went from the surprise of the draft's first round in 2007 to the MWL's most decorated player in 2008. He led the minors in hitting (.379) and also topped the league in on-base percentage (.433) while winning its MVP and prospect-of-the-year awards. Managers rated him the top hitting prospect and the most exciting player in the circuit, as well as the owner of its best strike-zone discipline and best speed. The only negative was a minor knee injury that limited him at times and required arthroscopic surgery in August.
Though he's a mere 5-foot-9, 166 pounds, Revere isn't a slap hitter. He has excellent bat control, strokes line drives to all fields and could develop double-digit home run power.
"He never swings and missesóeveróand I've seen him hit the ball 400 feet in batting practice," an American League scout said. "He has some strength and squares every ball up."
Revere made progress as a basestealer, succeeding on 29 of his final 32 attempts after getting caught 10 times in the first two months. He could further utilize his speed by improving the frequency and quality of his bunting. He also can get better jumps in center field, where he projects as a solid defender, albeit with a below-average arm.
#9 Derek Holland
A 25th-rounder signed as a draft-and-follow in May 2007, Holland made one of the biggest breakthroughs in the minors this year. He didn't arrive in Clinton with the notoriety of Feliz or first-round pick Blake Beavan, but he had a better mix of pitches than either. Holland's 7-0, 2.40 performance with the LumberKings was impressive enough, but he really opened eyes when he was worked at 94-98 mph deep into games in Double-A.
In the MWL, Holland's fastball typically ranged from 91-94 mph. Though his arm action and delivery aren't the smoothest, he achieved nice sink on his heater and commanded it to both sides of the plate. He also showed a slightly above-average changeup and a sweeping 78-80 mph slider.
#19 Kevin Ahrens
Scouts generally liked Ahrens' easy, fluid swing and his patient, all-fields approach from both sides of the plate, but at the same time they wondered why the 2007 first-rounder hit just .259 with 135 strikeouts in 122 games. One scout said it bothered him that there was no obvious flaw to fix, another thought he took too many first-pitch strikes and a third thought his bat speed was a tick too slow. He projects as a possible 20-homer threat, though he went deep just five times this year.
A shortstop in high school, Ahrens played some third base in his pro debut last summer and moved full-time to the hot corner in 2008. He showcased the MWL's best infield arm, soft hands and good range to both sides. He's a below-average runner but not a bad athlete.
Gulf Coast League
#10 Abner Abreu
The Indians noticed Abreu and his power potential during a workout in the Domincan Republic in the summer of 2006. They signed him shortly afterward for $75,000, then sent him to the Dominican Summer League in 2007 and the GCL this year. He wasted no time getting acclimated to the United States, topping the GCL in doubles (16), homers (11), total bases (107) and slugging percentage (.538).
A high-waisted athlete with long limbs and wiry strength, Abreu has plus bat speed and power to all fields. He'll have to improve his strike-zone discipline without losing his aggressiveness at the plate. He struck out 52 times and drew just nine walks.
Abreu is a fringe-average runner. He currently plays third base but made 18 errors this season, mostly on throws. The Indians plan on keeping him at the hot corner, but with his athleticism and arm strength, he may fit better as a corner outfielder as he progresses.
#12 Cesar Puello
Puello signed out of the Dominican Republican for $400,000 in 2007 and started his pro career in the GCL this June, recording three hits in his first game. He finished the season batting .305 but his most impressive accomplishment was overcoming a tendency to chase breaking balls out of the zone. He struck out 20 times in his first 13 games but punched out just 12 times in the final 27 contents.
Puello is a physical prospect who projects to have average tools across the board. He's an instinctive player who learns quickly. He fits best as a right fielder with a strong arm and the requisite power for the position.
Appalachain League
#20 Fernando Cruz
A seventh-round pick in 2007, Cruz entered the draft a year early after meeting high school diploma requirements as a 17-year-old home-schooled student in Puerto Rico. Exceedingly raw and coming off a tough year at the plate, he's all projection at this point. He edged out a pair of righthanders from East Los Angeles Junior College for the final spot, Burlington's Jacob Rodriguez and Princeton's Joe Cruz.
A wiry strong, live-bodied athlete, Cruz could develop average to plus power as he fills out. He has above-average bat speed from both sides of the plate, but his hitting approach and pitch selection are extremely raw.
The Royals will develop Cruz as a third baseman after moving him off shortstop, his position as an amateur. His well above-average arm, first-step reactions and solid range will serve him well at the position.
Pioneer League
#5 Luis Jimenez
After leading the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League with 11 homers in 2007, Jimenez added his second straight home run crown by hitting 15 with Orem in his U.S. debut. He also led the league in doubles (28) and extra-base hits (49) and was part of a core of Latin Americans who propelled the Owlz to the Pioneer League finals.
Jimenez has a good body with present strength, though he still has room to fill out some more. He has a quick bat that generates plus power. Though he's quiet and balanced at the plate, he also has an aggressive approach that leads him to chase too many pitches out of the strike zone. When he swings at strikes, he squares up balls and uses the middle of the field well.
"He seems to square everything up," Diaz said. "Even when he makes outs, he's hitting the ball hard."
Jimenez is an asset at third base, where he has a strong arm. He spent August at DH while nursing a tender shoulder.
Midwest League:
#1 Mike Moustakas-
His 22 homers were the most by a MWL teenager since Prince Fielder hit 27 in 2003, and Moustakas has similar offensive upside. He has so much bat speed and strength that he can wait longer than most hitters to start his swing without compromising his power. He's at his best when he stays balanced at the plate and uses the whole field, though he tries to do too much and gets pull-happy at times.
"I saw Moustakas the first week in the season when he was the worst player in the league," one scout said. "Of course, it snowed for three of the five games. I came back later and he was a completely different guy. He's going to hit, no question, for both power and average."
Moustakas is a decent athlete with a cannon arm, but he never projected as more than an adequate shortstop and would have outgrown the position anyway. The consensus is that he can become a plus defender at third base, though one scout thought he would need quicker hands and feet there.
#4 Ben Revere
Revere went from the surprise of the draft's first round in 2007 to the MWL's most decorated player in 2008. He led the minors in hitting (.379) and also topped the league in on-base percentage (.433) while winning its MVP and prospect-of-the-year awards. Managers rated him the top hitting prospect and the most exciting player in the circuit, as well as the owner of its best strike-zone discipline and best speed. The only negative was a minor knee injury that limited him at times and required arthroscopic surgery in August.
Though he's a mere 5-foot-9, 166 pounds, Revere isn't a slap hitter. He has excellent bat control, strokes line drives to all fields and could develop double-digit home run power.
"He never swings and missesóeveróand I've seen him hit the ball 400 feet in batting practice," an American League scout said. "He has some strength and squares every ball up."
Revere made progress as a basestealer, succeeding on 29 of his final 32 attempts after getting caught 10 times in the first two months. He could further utilize his speed by improving the frequency and quality of his bunting. He also can get better jumps in center field, where he projects as a solid defender, albeit with a below-average arm.
#9 Derek Holland
A 25th-rounder signed as a draft-and-follow in May 2007, Holland made one of the biggest breakthroughs in the minors this year. He didn't arrive in Clinton with the notoriety of Feliz or first-round pick Blake Beavan, but he had a better mix of pitches than either. Holland's 7-0, 2.40 performance with the LumberKings was impressive enough, but he really opened eyes when he was worked at 94-98 mph deep into games in Double-A.
In the MWL, Holland's fastball typically ranged from 91-94 mph. Though his arm action and delivery aren't the smoothest, he achieved nice sink on his heater and commanded it to both sides of the plate. He also showed a slightly above-average changeup and a sweeping 78-80 mph slider.
#19 Kevin Ahrens
Scouts generally liked Ahrens' easy, fluid swing and his patient, all-fields approach from both sides of the plate, but at the same time they wondered why the 2007 first-rounder hit just .259 with 135 strikeouts in 122 games. One scout said it bothered him that there was no obvious flaw to fix, another thought he took too many first-pitch strikes and a third thought his bat speed was a tick too slow. He projects as a possible 20-homer threat, though he went deep just five times this year.
A shortstop in high school, Ahrens played some third base in his pro debut last summer and moved full-time to the hot corner in 2008. He showcased the MWL's best infield arm, soft hands and good range to both sides. He's a below-average runner but not a bad athlete.
Gulf Coast League
#10 Abner Abreu
The Indians noticed Abreu and his power potential during a workout in the Domincan Republic in the summer of 2006. They signed him shortly afterward for $75,000, then sent him to the Dominican Summer League in 2007 and the GCL this year. He wasted no time getting acclimated to the United States, topping the GCL in doubles (16), homers (11), total bases (107) and slugging percentage (.538).
A high-waisted athlete with long limbs and wiry strength, Abreu has plus bat speed and power to all fields. He'll have to improve his strike-zone discipline without losing his aggressiveness at the plate. He struck out 52 times and drew just nine walks.
Abreu is a fringe-average runner. He currently plays third base but made 18 errors this season, mostly on throws. The Indians plan on keeping him at the hot corner, but with his athleticism and arm strength, he may fit better as a corner outfielder as he progresses.
#12 Cesar Puello
Puello signed out of the Dominican Republican for $400,000 in 2007 and started his pro career in the GCL this June, recording three hits in his first game. He finished the season batting .305 but his most impressive accomplishment was overcoming a tendency to chase breaking balls out of the zone. He struck out 20 times in his first 13 games but punched out just 12 times in the final 27 contents.
Puello is a physical prospect who projects to have average tools across the board. He's an instinctive player who learns quickly. He fits best as a right fielder with a strong arm and the requisite power for the position.
Appalachain League
#20 Fernando Cruz
A seventh-round pick in 2007, Cruz entered the draft a year early after meeting high school diploma requirements as a 17-year-old home-schooled student in Puerto Rico. Exceedingly raw and coming off a tough year at the plate, he's all projection at this point. He edged out a pair of righthanders from East Los Angeles Junior College for the final spot, Burlington's Jacob Rodriguez and Princeton's Joe Cruz.
A wiry strong, live-bodied athlete, Cruz could develop average to plus power as he fills out. He has above-average bat speed from both sides of the plate, but his hitting approach and pitch selection are extremely raw.
The Royals will develop Cruz as a third baseman after moving him off shortstop, his position as an amateur. His well above-average arm, first-step reactions and solid range will serve him well at the position.
Pioneer League
#5 Luis Jimenez
After leading the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League with 11 homers in 2007, Jimenez added his second straight home run crown by hitting 15 with Orem in his U.S. debut. He also led the league in doubles (28) and extra-base hits (49) and was part of a core of Latin Americans who propelled the Owlz to the Pioneer League finals.
Jimenez has a good body with present strength, though he still has room to fill out some more. He has a quick bat that generates plus power. Though he's quiet and balanced at the plate, he also has an aggressive approach that leads him to chase too many pitches out of the strike zone. When he swings at strikes, he squares up balls and uses the middle of the field well.
"He seems to square everything up," Diaz said. "Even when he makes outs, he's hitting the ball hard."
Jimenez is an asset at third base, where he has a strong arm. He spent August at DH while nursing a tender shoulder.
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To go along with those scouting reports of the Pirates league Top 20's, here's just a basic list. Some scouting reports have yet to be released, at least for copy/paste purposes.
Mike Moustakas MWL #1
Dexter Fowler TL #1
Ben Revere MWL #4
Elvis Andrus TL #5
Luis Jimenez PIO #5
Fernando Martinez EL #7
Tommy Hanson SL #9
Derek Holland MWL #9
Abner Abreu GCL #10
Cesar Puello GCL #12
Matt Joyce IL #13
Juan Francisco FSL #15
Wes Hodges EL #16
Carlos Rosa PCL #18
Francisco Samuel FSL #18
Kevin Ahrens MWL #19
Fernando Cruz APP #20
Mike Moustakas MWL #1
Dexter Fowler TL #1
Ben Revere MWL #4
Elvis Andrus TL #5
Luis Jimenez PIO #5
Fernando Martinez EL #7
Tommy Hanson SL #9
Derek Holland MWL #9
Abner Abreu GCL #10
Cesar Puello GCL #12
Matt Joyce IL #13
Juan Francisco FSL #15
Wes Hodges EL #16
Carlos Rosa PCL #18
Francisco Samuel FSL #18
Kevin Ahrens MWL #19
Fernando Cruz APP #20
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How can I pimp my prospects and not the best?
- Tim Lincecum finished the season 18-5 for the 72-90 Giants.
- Lincecum became the fourth hurler to finish a year with a record 13 games above .500 while pitching on a team that was at least 13 games below.
- Lincecum finished the season with a majors-best 265 strikeouts.
Lincecum (18-5), who also struck out 13 on July 26 against Arizona, recorded strikeouts for the first nine outs of the game -- the first time that's happened since the Cubs' Sid Fernandez did so on July 30, 1986, at the New York Mets, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Lincecum became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead the majors in strikeouts for a single season, saying: "Ahh, really? That's cool." The All-Star fanned 10 or more batters for the 11th time in his career and ninth time this year. That tied the San Francisco record he now shares with Jason Schmidt, who had nine games with 10 or more Ks in 2004.
Also:
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum
I know there are voters who don't think they can vote for a pitcher who's 17-5, when Brandon Webb has spun a terrific 22-7, 3.24 season off his acehood assembly line. But I'd like all those voters to do me a favor: Ignore the wins column.
Consider this: Tim Lincecum has cranked out a stat line of his own that is not only more spectacular than Webb's (wins notwithstanding), but is historic: a 2.66 ERA (barely second to Johan Santana), 252 strikeouts (most in the NL), a .223 opponent batting average (first in the league) and 10.31 strikeouts per 9 innings (also first). So how many right-handed pitchers can match Lincecum's wins, winning percentage and all those other numbers in any season in history? How about one: Pedro Martinez, in 1999. So forget that win gap.
Lincecum has had five saves blown for him. Webb has had one.
Lincecum has had five starts in which he gave up no more than one earned run and didn't win. Webb has had one.
Lincecum pitched for a team that was 28 games under .500 when he didn't pitch. Webb pitched for a team that led its division most of the year.
We live in an age in which we ought to be able to use tools more incisive than "wins" to evaluate who has pitched the best. Don't you think? Well, let's use those tools. "Best stuff in baseball," says Braves outfielder Jeff Francoeur. And best year in the National League. Which is what Cy Youngs are made of.
That last blurb is a bit out of date, Lincecum ended up with a nice 265 Strike outs which is the most since 2004 in the MLB.
Oh yeah, it was only his first full MLB season. Decent.
- Tim Lincecum finished the season 18-5 for the 72-90 Giants.
- Lincecum became the fourth hurler to finish a year with a record 13 games above .500 while pitching on a team that was at least 13 games below.
- Lincecum finished the season with a majors-best 265 strikeouts.
Lincecum (18-5), who also struck out 13 on July 26 against Arizona, recorded strikeouts for the first nine outs of the game -- the first time that's happened since the Cubs' Sid Fernandez did so on July 30, 1986, at the New York Mets, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Lincecum became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead the majors in strikeouts for a single season, saying: "Ahh, really? That's cool." The All-Star fanned 10 or more batters for the 11th time in his career and ninth time this year. That tied the San Francisco record he now shares with Jason Schmidt, who had nine games with 10 or more Ks in 2004.
Also:
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum
I know there are voters who don't think they can vote for a pitcher who's 17-5, when Brandon Webb has spun a terrific 22-7, 3.24 season off his acehood assembly line. But I'd like all those voters to do me a favor: Ignore the wins column.
Consider this: Tim Lincecum has cranked out a stat line of his own that is not only more spectacular than Webb's (wins notwithstanding), but is historic: a 2.66 ERA (barely second to Johan Santana), 252 strikeouts (most in the NL), a .223 opponent batting average (first in the league) and 10.31 strikeouts per 9 innings (also first). So how many right-handed pitchers can match Lincecum's wins, winning percentage and all those other numbers in any season in history? How about one: Pedro Martinez, in 1999. So forget that win gap.
Lincecum has had five saves blown for him. Webb has had one.
Lincecum has had five starts in which he gave up no more than one earned run and didn't win. Webb has had one.
Lincecum pitched for a team that was 28 games under .500 when he didn't pitch. Webb pitched for a team that led its division most of the year.
We live in an age in which we ought to be able to use tools more incisive than "wins" to evaluate who has pitched the best. Don't you think? Well, let's use those tools. "Best stuff in baseball," says Braves outfielder Jeff Francoeur. And best year in the National League. Which is what Cy Youngs are made of.
That last blurb is a bit out of date, Lincecum ended up with a nice 265 Strike outs which is the most since 2004 in the MLB.
Oh yeah, it was only his first full MLB season. Decent.
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Cardinals
- Posts: 7721
- Joined: Sat May 18, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: Manch Vegas, CT
- Name: John Paul Starkey
Per BA's Rangers Review:
Best Pitcher: The Rangers believe they have a formidable future 1-2 punch for their rotation in lefthander Derek Holland and righty Neftali Feliz. Though Feliz (20) is younger and reached Double-A first, Holland, 22, got more dominant as the season wore on. After stops at Clinton, Bakersfield and Double-A Frisco, Holland finished the regular season with a composite 13-1, 2.27 line. He held opponents to a .209 average and allowed just three home runs in 150 innings while striking out 157. Holland gets a slim nod for the honor over Feliz, the tiebreaker being that he's that rarest of creatures: a power lefthander.
Best Pitcher: The Rangers believe they have a formidable future 1-2 punch for their rotation in lefthander Derek Holland and righty Neftali Feliz. Though Feliz (20) is younger and reached Double-A first, Holland, 22, got more dominant as the season wore on. After stops at Clinton, Bakersfield and Double-A Frisco, Holland finished the regular season with a composite 13-1, 2.27 line. He held opponents to a .209 average and allowed just three home runs in 150 innings while striking out 157. Holland gets a slim nod for the honor over Feliz, the tiebreaker being that he's that rarest of creatures: a power lefthander.
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Cardinals
- Posts: 7721
- Joined: Sat May 18, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: Manch Vegas, CT
- Name: John Paul Starkey
Juan Francisco #15 FSL
Francisco was one of the few players who could induce opponents to wander out into the muggy Florida afternoon heat just to see him take batting practice. With some of the best raw power in the minors, he was capable of making baseballs disappear. He's also owner of one of the least discerning batting eyes in the minors–he has walked just 62 times in 1,426 minor league at-bats.
While Francisco will have to learn to lay off more pitches as he climbs the ladder, pitchers haven't been able to take advantage of his free-swinging ways. He actually cut his strikeout rate this year by working more counts. He's a nightmare for pitchers because he'll make contact even when they're trying to pitch around him, and his strength allows him to turn checked swings and mis-hits into balls that bounce off the wall.
Francisco is already a big man and he's likely to keep getting bigger, so he projects to move off the hot corner as he adds weight. The Reds put him in left field for three games late in the season, and he showed some aptitude for the position. He had a plus-plus arm and runs pretty well for his size, so he could end up in right field.
Francisco was one of the few players who could induce opponents to wander out into the muggy Florida afternoon heat just to see him take batting practice. With some of the best raw power in the minors, he was capable of making baseballs disappear. He's also owner of one of the least discerning batting eyes in the minors–he has walked just 62 times in 1,426 minor league at-bats.
While Francisco will have to learn to lay off more pitches as he climbs the ladder, pitchers haven't been able to take advantage of his free-swinging ways. He actually cut his strikeout rate this year by working more counts. He's a nightmare for pitchers because he'll make contact even when they're trying to pitch around him, and his strength allows him to turn checked swings and mis-hits into balls that bounce off the wall.
Francisco is already a big man and he's likely to keep getting bigger, so he projects to move off the hot corner as he adds weight. The Reds put him in left field for three games late in the season, and he showed some aptitude for the position. He had a plus-plus arm and runs pretty well for his size, so he could end up in right field.
12, 14, 15, 17, 22
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Cardinals
- Posts: 7721
- Joined: Sat May 18, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: Manch Vegas, CT
- Name: John Paul Starkey
Francisco Samuel #18 FSL
In a league with several dominant relievers, Ceda and Samuel stood out because of their power stuff. Like Ceda, Samuel worked in the high 90s with his fastball, sitting between 94-96 mph and touching 98. He complemented his heater with a 85-90 mph slider with excellent tilt.
Samuel throws from a lower arm angle than Ceda, generating life on his fastball from a three-quarters delivery. He also leaves balls up in the zone when he loses his release point and starts dropping down lower. He kept hitters off balance with his power stuff, and also because his control wasn't refined enough for them to be sure the next pitch wouldn't be coming at their head.
Control is the only thing keeping Samuel from rocketing through the Cardinals system. His stuff was generally unhittable–Vero Beach pitching coach R.C. Lichtenstein likened it to Jose Valverde's–but patient hitters found they could work him for walks.
In a league with several dominant relievers, Ceda and Samuel stood out because of their power stuff. Like Ceda, Samuel worked in the high 90s with his fastball, sitting between 94-96 mph and touching 98. He complemented his heater with a 85-90 mph slider with excellent tilt.
Samuel throws from a lower arm angle than Ceda, generating life on his fastball from a three-quarters delivery. He also leaves balls up in the zone when he loses his release point and starts dropping down lower. He kept hitters off balance with his power stuff, and also because his control wasn't refined enough for them to be sure the next pitch wouldn't be coming at their head.
Control is the only thing keeping Samuel from rocketing through the Cardinals system. His stuff was generally unhittable–Vero Beach pitching coach R.C. Lichtenstein likened it to Jose Valverde's–but patient hitters found they could work him for walks.
12, 14, 15, 17, 22
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Cardinals
- Posts: 7721
- Joined: Sat May 18, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: Manch Vegas, CT
- Name: John Paul Starkey
Matt Joyce #13 IL
Joyce carved out a big league role with the Tigers with a huge month of July, batting .321/.384/.654 in 24 games. In the process, he separated himself from a pack of power-hitting Mud Hens that included first baseman Jeff Larish, second baseman Michael Hollimon and center fielder Clete Thomas.
Joyce has a smooth lefthanded stroke and the power to hit 20-25 homers annually. He takes an aggressive hack, and while he can be prone to strikeouts, he's a good situational hitter. He hasn't handled southpaws well in his career, and the Tigers often platooned him in the big leagues.
An average runner and a well above-average defender in right field, Joyce tracks balls well and has enough range to fill in in center. He has a strong, accurate arm.
Joyce carved out a big league role with the Tigers with a huge month of July, batting .321/.384/.654 in 24 games. In the process, he separated himself from a pack of power-hitting Mud Hens that included first baseman Jeff Larish, second baseman Michael Hollimon and center fielder Clete Thomas.
Joyce has a smooth lefthanded stroke and the power to hit 20-25 homers annually. He takes an aggressive hack, and while he can be prone to strikeouts, he's a good situational hitter. He hasn't handled southpaws well in his career, and the Tigers often platooned him in the big leagues.
An average runner and a well above-average defender in right field, Joyce tracks balls well and has enough range to fill in in center. He has a strong, accurate arm.
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