Pimp your players

[Giants]

I'm thinking about changing my team name to the Oakland Cycles after Mark Ellis became the second IBC A to hit a cycle in real life, and I was there for this one. It was sweet.

[Cardinals]

t


Brandon Moss hit his 11th homer and doubled twice Friday for Triple-A Pawtucket.
Moss has three hits in three of the last four games and is hitting .299/.400/.542 on the season. If he keeps this up, he could open 2008 as another team's right fielder.

[Pirates]

After not pitching for 10 days, Johnny Cueto took advantage of the extra rest. Cueto pitched six innings of shutout ball, striking out 10 Vero Beach batters as Sarasota defeated the Rays, 16-0. Cueto has put together a solid season, pitching 60 1/3 innings while only allowing 22 earned runs. The Dominican has also struck out 52 and only walked 19 batters.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Chris Pettit was named as the Topps Midwest League Player of the Month for May. The Topps Company of New York, in conjunction with Minor League Baseball, announces the winners.

Pettit posted a .348 average in April and a .373 average in May. His 15-game hitting streak was also the longest in the Midwest League for the month. He had 14 doubles, scored 20 runs and had a 1.012 OPS.

[DBacks]

I haven't pimped a player yet this season. So here's the first from the Cubbies.

SP Jeremy Guthrie

28 year old Jeremy Guthrie has been absolutely dominant since moving into the Baltimore Orioles' rotation. A lack of run support has left him at 3-1 for the year, but the rest of his numbers are absolutely stellar. After eight starts, his ERA stands at (2.70), 1.75 after moving into the rotation. His WHIP is under 1, at 0.93.

He's just another of the many talented young arms for sale in Chicago.

[Rangers]

As the new faced talent this season has settled down, the IBC Tigers are seeing our new guys show up on the Hot Sheet more frequently. This week:

1. Henry Sosa, rhp, low Class A Augusta (Giants)

For most pitchers Henry Sosa's last three starts would be outstanding: 3-0, 1.12 with 20 strikeouts in 16 innings piched. But for Sosa they're actually below average. Sosa saw his ERA climb to a still microscopic 0.76 easily the best in the minors.

Sosa's season is nearly incomprehensible. He's not allowed two earned runs in any of his 12 outings and he's not allowed any earned run in seven outings. Righthanders are hitting .109 against him this year. And his stuff is legit: he has a 94-95 mph fastball that has touched 98 this season to go with an improving curveball.

Add it all up, and you've got an easy choice for the pole position on this week's Hot Sheet.

7. Jordan Schafer, of, high Class A Myrtle Beach (Braves)

OK, so Schafer is leading the minors in hits (87), is tied for first in triples (8), ranks fourth in doubles (23) and second in extra-base hits (39). That's enough to get him in the top 10. But Schafer also has handled the jump from low Class A Rome to the Carolina League with aplomb, and batted .379 last week.

20. Matt Tolbert, 2b, Triple-A Rochester (Twins)

Matt who? Tolbert only seems like he came out of nowhere, and as a 16th-round pick out of Mississippi in 2004, he's had to use every ounce of his ability to make it to Triple-A in less than three years. While he's no longer leading the IL in hitting, he did go 14-for-28 (.500) last week with four doubles and a homer. Dig this: He's now hitting .386/.454/.583 on the year with nearly as many walks (14) as strikeouts (18).

Tolbert is now hitting .393, just keeps getting better.

HELIUM WATCH
Gerardo Parra, of, low Class A South Bend (Diamondbacks)

Signed out of Venezuela in 2004, Parra is playing his first full season in the States . . . and hitting. The 20-year-old is batting .323/.361/.425 in 284 at-bats.

[Rays]

A couple of interesting Padres on this week's hot list:

4. Bill Rowell, 3b, low Class A Delmarva (Orioles)

The strained oblique that kept Rowell in extended for nearly two months seems to have left the building as he hit .455 in 22 at-bats last week. Rowell homered and drove in 12 runs in seven games. The Orioles' No. 1 prospect didn't get an invite to the South Atlantic League All-Star game, but don't be misled. His season line is now .305/.391/.883.

11. Jacob McGee, lhp, high Class A Vero Beach (Devil Rays)

Question posed to an American League scout: "Do you like McGee?" His answer: "How can you not? You'd have to be stupid not to with the stupid numbers he's been putting up, the stupid 95 mile-an-hour fastball from the left side . . . It's stupid. He's a monster. You get chills just watching him." We'll leave it at that. Oh, and McGee struck out 11 in just six innings last week.

[Rangers]

As the Tigers look to try to turn the corner over the next year, the effort to do so will be led by starting pitching. We do have some good starts, with Bannister, Shields and Kazmir 8th, 9th and 27th in the AL in ERA at 2.91, 3.04 and 4.07 respectively and Hamels 19th in the NL at 3.47.

At the moment, Philip Hughes and Jon Lester will have to battle it out for the 5th starter spot.

[Orioles]

I'm loving how the O's SP depth chart looks for '08 at this point, even before Zach Duke rebounds from his shaky beginning (and not one of these 10 has cracked 30 y/o yet).

1. Ben Sheets, RH SP, 28: 6-3, 3.34 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 86.1 IP, 59 K, 18 BB

2. Justin Verlander, RH SP, 24: 7-2, 2.79 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 84 IP, 65 H, 68 K, 30 BB, 1 no-hitter

3. Micah Owings, RH SP, 24: 4-1, 3.76 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 52.2 IP, 38 K, 21 BB

4. Adam Miller, RH SP, 22: 4-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 44 IP, 39 K, 14 BB (AAA)

5. Gio Gonzalez, LH SP, 21: 4-3, 2.87 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 69 IP, 88 K (!), 23 BB (AA)

6. Boof Bonser, RH SP, 25: 5-2, 4.21 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 72.2 IP, 74 K, 32 BB

7. Zach Duke, LH SP, 24

8. John Patterson, RH SP, 29

9. Horacio Ramirez, LH SP, 27

10. Scott Lewis, LH SP, 23

[WhiteSox]

For some athletes, there is a swagger that comes along with playing that seems almost essential to what they are about. LeBron James is learning how to get that in the NBA (he had it during his last-25-points-of-the-game performance in the Eastern Conference finals). Michael Jordan had it. Muhammad Ali had it. Mark Messier had it.

This season, I think for the first time as a Yankee, Alex Rodriguez has it.

What is “it”? It’s hard to say, but it can be summed up like this. When he’s up at the plate, A-Rod just looks like he’s thinking to himself while looking at the pitcher, “I’m Alex Rodriguez and you’re not.” He’s certainly performing that way this year. Take Rodriguez’s name out of that thought and put in the other athletes I mentioned above and it fits perfectly. You think Muhammad Ali didn’t go into his great bouts with Frazier and Foreman thinking “I’m Muhammad Ali and you’re not”? When Michael Jordan had the ball in crunch time, he absolutely stared down his defender and thought, “I’m Michael Jordan and you’re not.”

After a slump in May (which was not a fall-off-the-cliff drop, but wasn’t up to his usual standards), A-Rod’s back to his April ways again. He’s now at 25 home runs and 66 RBI. He’s on pace for 64 dingers and 170 RBI while batting over .300. At this point, that swagger looks like it could carry A-Rod to his third MVP award in five years.

[Orioles]

A-Rod has purple lips

[RedSox]

Updated season results from the TB farm system:

6/17 edition

AAA

Dustin Nippert 5.34 ERA, 32.0IP 21H 44K .188 BAA
Jason Bulger _2.06 ERA, 27.1IP 25H 44K .243 BAA, 1.24 GO/AO
Billy Sadler __________ 25IP 24H 41K .245 BAA, 1.20 GO/AO
Dan Smith __ 2.86 ERA, 72.1IP 61H 48K .233 BAA, 2 HR allowed
Chris Begg __2.84 ERA, 79.1IP 84H 45K 1.79 GO/AO
Aaron Laffey_3.44 ERA, 70.2IP 69H 47K .255 BAA, 2.93 GO/AO

AA

Jeff Marquez ___2.64 ERA, 78.1IP 74H 48K .246 BAA, 1.39 GO/AO
Jamie Garcia __ 3.80 ERA, 73.1IP 64H 66K .240 BAA, 2.17 GO/AO
Jack Egbert ___ 3.21 ERA, 84.0IP 71H 70K .230 BAA, 2.02 GO/AO, 1HR allowed
Michael Bowden 2.62 ERA, 75.2IP 65H 72K .229 BAA, 2HR allowed
Andrew Miller _ 2.25 ERA, 72.0IP 65H 52K .242 BAA, 4.55 GO/AO
Oneli Perez ___ 2.61 ERA, 38.0IP 35H 36K .252 BAA
Garrett Mock __ 0.00 ERA, 6IP 3H 5K .143 BAA, 5.50 GO/AO

HA

Brad James __1.82 ERA, 74.1IP 53H 42K .199 BAA, 2.76 GO/AO
Brok Butcher_1.81 ERA, 89.1IP 76H 52K .229 BAA, 1.79 GO/AO

A

Dustin Richardson 4.14 ERA, 58.2IP 50H 60K .237 BAA, 1 HR allowed
Jhonny Nunez ___ 4.20 ERA, 60.0IP 54H 50K .240 BAA

[Cardinals]

Wade Leblanc, lhp, high Class A Lake Elsinore (Padres)

The Padres 2006 second-rounder has been touched for a few runs of late--five over his last three outings--but his walks-to-strikeout ratio has been impressive: 33-to-1 over his last 27 innings.

His numbers on the year? 2.12 ERA, 80.2 IP, 83 K, 14 BB, 57 hits, .195 BAA

[Pirates]

Despite splitting time between his natural position of first base and the new-this-year third base, Barton has flat-out hit this season, his second with the River Cats. The 21-year-old Barton led all PCL batters in average (.680), hits (17) and runs (nine), while finishing second in doubles (five) and on-base percentage (.667).

If those credentials don't impress you, check out Barton's June numbers: .512/.549/.732 with 13 doubles.

Drafted as a catcher by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2003 draft--and subsequently traded to the A's for Mark Mulder--Barton has had his growing pains at the hot corner. An average defender at first base, Barton has committed nine errors in 17 games (.816) at third base.

[Yankees]

We all know that most Royals are tearing shit up at the upper levels - it's time to see what's going down on the farm:

Troy Cate-MLB- 1.29 era w/ Cardinals, 0.29 whip
Edwar Ramirez-AA/AAA- 3-0, 0.67 era, 0.89 whip, AND 16.57 K/9 - NOT A MISPRINT!!!
Brian Duensing-AA/AAA- 7-2, 2.45 era, 1.17 whip
*Colin Curtis-HA- .298 ba, .378 obp - promoted to AA
*Danny Ray Herrera-HA/AA- 5-0, 2.70 era, 10.50 k/9
*Desmond Jennings-LA- .304, .838 ops, 32 sb, only 35 k in 250 ab's
*George Kontos-HA- 0-2, 2.35 era, 1.11 whip, 11.45 k/9
*Chris Valaika-LA- .318, .509 slg, .871 ops
Craig Brazell-AA/AAA- .337, 28 hr, 55 rbi, 1.056 ops
Bryan Bullington-AAA- 9-4, 3.43 era, 1.28 whip
Eugenio Velez-AA- .310, .798 ops, 23 sb's in 34 games - only 3 cs'

*= '06 draft pick (yes, another huge year in the draft for Zalaski)

Lacking some of the big name power, this is still rounding into quite a solid group nonetheless.

[Pirates]

A little Farm action for the already minor league brewcrew

Joba Chamberlain-AA-6-0, 2.38era 0.94 whip, 12.23 k\9
Joey Devine-AA-2-4 2.25 era, 1.13 Whip, 16 saves 48 k's in 32 IP
Wade Davis A\AA- 4-0 1.90 era, 0.99 Whip 10.40 k\9
Dallas Trahern AA\AAA 10-3 3.25 era, 1.38 whip
Eduardo Morlan HA-4-2 2.38, 0.84 whip, 12.96 k\9
Neil Walker AA-.310 10hr .530slg .908ops
Evan Longoria AA-.292 17hr .535slg .929ops
Lars Anderson LA- .326 .510slg .921ops
Daric Barton AAA-.333 .922 ops and hitting over .500 in the month of June!

highlights some of the brewcrew future 2009 team

[Phillies]

Not only is Manny Parra tearing it up in IBC, he threw an 11K perfect game in only his second game since being called up to AAA. Pimp.

[Orioles]

Papi Update:

.289/.394/.701, 74 R, 37 HR, 92 RBI

...through 82 games, so he's basically on pace for 73 HR and 181 RBI.

Leads the AL in HR by 12 over the next guy. Que ridiculo.

[Rangers]

MaxRam now = stud

Scout's View: Max Ramirez

By Chris Kline

As we continue to break down players in this year’s Futures Game, we stay on the World side again this week to take a look at Indians catcher Max Ramirez.

Dealt straight up from Atlanta to Cleveland for closer Bob Wickman last June, the 22-year-old is better known for his bat than his defensive skills, though he’s getting better behind the dish this season at high Class A Kinston.

Scouts in the low Class A South Atlantic League killed Ramirez’s defense last season, grading him as well below-average in game-calling, receiving and handling a staff. One American League scout said, “pitchers just look uncomfortable throwing to him.”

But the Carolina League has been a different story for Ramirez, who has handled one of the top lefthanders in the Indians’ system, David Huff, and the rest of the Kinston staff--which ranks No. 1 in the CL in ERA (3.23)--with aplomb.

Ramirez’s bat remains what will get him to the big leagues, however.

Signed by the Braves in 2002 out of Venezuela, Ramirez is hitting .305/.424/.538 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs in 210 at-bats.

Though Ramirez caught just 57 out of 117 games last year, the Indians have pushed their new prospect behind the plate more often to get more experience and to get a better look at what they have. So far this season, Ramirez has served as Kinston’s DH in just 10 of 59 games.

He’s caught 29 percent of would-be basestealers this season, which is up slightly from his limited time behind the plate last year.

We caught up with an American League scout who followed Ramirez for the last two weeks to find out where he stands, both offensively and defensively:

“You have to love the bat, but you somewhat question his overall tools defensively,” the scout said. “Still, if he can catch a little bit I don’t think you can ignore the offensive potential. This is definitely a guy who will hit for high average and I think he’ll be a guy who has the ceiling to hit 20 homers a year in the big leagues.

“He smokes balls to right-center (as a righthanded hitter). I mean, he just wears out that gap. But there’s also big power to that side of the field, which is impressive. He hits to all fields, he’s not afraid to shorten up his stroke when he has to . . . he’s just the complete package as a hitter. He turns on inside fastballs like nobody’s business and handles offspeed pitches well. Great pitch recognition.

“The only things Victor Martinez had on him at this stage is his ability to hit from both sides of the plate with a little more raw power. They’re both even in terms of their defensive ability at the same level.

“Ramirez is a guy you have to follow for a series or two to get a real feel for how much better he’s gotten back there, though he’s not a frontline catcher. He stands up when he throws, so there’s a delay in his transfer and his feet aren’t what I would call an asset.

“His arm strength and accuracy are both average, but his game-calling, his receiving have improved. He sets up pretty good and you can tell he’s working to study hitters. This league has been extremely beneficial for him; seeing the same guys in an eight-team league. It’s been huge for him.

“With as offensive as the game is now, there’s going to be a spot for him behind the plate somewhere. He’ll get by back there, but the place where he’ll make his living is with the bat.”

[Yankees]

Royals are proud to pimp their 5 All-Stars:
John Lackey - 11-5, 2.91 era, 1.15 whip - 3rd in W, 10th in K, 5th in ERA
Gil Meche - 5-6, 3.54 era, 1.30 whip
Torii Hunter - .301, 19 hr, 69 rbi, .900 ops - 5th in HR, 7th in SLG, 5th in RBI
Billy Wagner - 1-0, 1.64 era, 0.91 whip, 17 SV
Matt Holliday - .341, 15 hr, 69 rbi, .964 ops - 2nd in BA, 3rd in RBI, 10th in OBP, 6th in OPS, 16th in HR, 9th in R, 6th in SLG

Also, meet some of the new Royals:
Jeremy Guthrie - 4-2, 2.74 era, 0.91 whip - 2nd in ERA, 1st in WHIP
Wandy Rodriguez - 6-7, 3.87 era, 1.18 whip - 10th in WHIP
Ryan Franklin - 1-0, 1.23 era, .82 whip, 13 holds - 10th in Hlds
Edwar Ramirez - 3-0, 0.62 era in AA/AAA, 16.62 k/9, 1-0, 3.86 era in MLB, 15.43 k/9

[Padres]

The pitcher who should be climbing up prospect lists is Tyler Herron. The St. Louis Cardinals farmhand is striking out a batter per inning while walking just 1.59 per nine The righthander turns 21 next Sunday. Herron was drafted in the first round of the supplemental draft in 2005 and pitched two seasons at Johnson City of the Appalachian League (Rookie) before getting one start at State College of the New York Penn (Short Season A).

Ranked as the 18th best prospect in the STL system by Baseball America, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound RHP was assigned to Quad Cities of the Midwest League (Class A) where he dominated in relief in the early going this season (3-0, 1.75, .187 BAA with 0 HR in 25.2 IP). The sinkerballer was given another shot at starting, and he has performed admirably, chalking up a superb 6:1 K/BB ratio and HR/9 (0.44). He threw six scoreless innings on Sunday and has now walked only six batters in his last 10 outings. Throwing strikes and keeping the ball in the park is a formula for success at any level ...

Although Clayton Kershaw didn't technically qualify, the lefthander is leading all minor league starters in K/9. The 2006 first-round draft pick is averaging 12.51 strikeouts per nine innings while pitching for the Dodgers Class A affiliate in the Midwest League. The downside is that he is also tops in the league in BB/9 (4.43). The 19-year-old has now struck out 181 batters in his first 128.1 MiLB IP while allowing only 3 HR. Kershaw is one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball but is still four levels away from the big leagues.

Rich Lederer: http://baseballanalysts.com/

[Cardinals]

tim lincecum is the baseball Jesus.

enough pimping.

[Cardinals]

Another Sun to keep an eye on has less prospect recognition in his past. Righthander James McDonald, a 2002 11th-round draft-and-follow, went a respectable 6-7, 3.95 at Inland Empire this season and missed a ton of bats, striking out 104 in 82 innings. Since the 22-year-old was promoted to Jacksonville he’s been even better, going 3-1, 1.19 with a 28-7 strikeout-walk ratio in 23 innings.

“He’s got a three-pitch mix and he adds and subtracts with the fastball,” Watson said. “He competes and repeats his delivery well. He’s got a solid-average changeup at times, his breaking ball has been very good and he pitches at 90-93 (mph) with the fastball.

“If he continues to command the baseball like he has, I really don’t think you can put a limit on his ceiling.”

McDonald has followed a bit of the Edwin Jackson blueprint for the Dodgers, as he has both pitched and hit in his career. He pitched in his first pro season (2003), then was a hitter for the better part of the next two years, playing outfield in Rookie ball. He moved back to the mound at the end of 2005 at Rookie-level Ogden, then established himself as a pitcher with low Class A Columbus last year, going 5-10, 3.98 with 146 strikeouts in 142 innings.

[Mariners]

Well, he's not one of my players, (don't have a spot for him), but local boy Mike McCormick was a B.A.'s "Helium" on the Hot sheet.

Hitting hasn't been a problem for McCormick, who batted .267/.356/.474 in two seasons in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, but his defense at the hot corner was a huge problem. A fifth-round pick from an Oregon high school in 2005, McCormick compiled .864 and .851 fielding percentages in his first two seasons--that's 42 errors in 90 games total--prompting the Rays to move his strong, but erratic, arm behind the plate. McCormick, 20, has continued to hit this season (.281/.386/.496) in the New York-Penn League, and his work behind the plate has been better than expected. He's nabbed 27 percent of basestealers in 34 games behind the plate, a figure that ranks fifth in the league.

[Marlins]

Nils (Stamford): Important keeper league question: does Josh Hamilton still have the same tools that made him a top prospect a few years ago? Does he still have all-star potential in him?

Nate Ravitz: (11:06 AM ET ) I think he definitely still has the tools. I can't think of too many guys who could take three years off of baseball, then step up to the major leagues and hit .270 with power. Even with the lost development time, I think he's a future All-Star as long as he stays clean.

[Yankees]

that's hilarious - we have a Nils in our league who has Josh Hamilton on his team...what a crazy coincidence...