Minor League Thoughts

by NovaO on May 17, 2008 4:52 PM EDT Comment 16 comments

First, let me point out this scouting report on Brandon Tripp that people should find interesting since it gives you video of his swing and the adjustments he has made since being drafted:

Brandon Tripp report

Second, and I'm not sure if anybody has noticed, but Chris Tillman has been excellent his past two starts:

12 IP, 0 Runs, 4 Hits, 15 Ks, 5 BBs

Remember, just 20 years old and close to dominating in Double-A. People don't realize he is the youngest pitcher in Double-A. The second youngest? Clayton Kershaw.

Jake Arrieta has also been dominating, striking out close to 30% of batters faced and he has had five starts in which he has gone at least five innings and allowed no more than two hits.

Matt Wieters continues to pummel Frederick, maintaining an OPS over 1.000

Billy Rowell has heated up after a slow start with an .877 OPS in May. He still is striking out way too much and hitting the ball too often on the ground, but it is still nice to see him hitting well right now.

Add in the success of David Hernandez, Brad Bergesen, and Jason Berken in Double-A plus the emergence of little talked about Zach Britton, a projectable lefty in Delmarva that has showed off plus control and a GB% of 69% and there is a lot to like in the minors.

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bergeson, berken and britton

Are any of these three actual legit prospects? Are these guys back enders or AAAA types?

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on May 17, 2008 7:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

re:

Bergesen was the #16 prospect for BA in last year’s Carolina League Top-20 prospects. Big GB guy with good control, but I would like to see him miss a few more bats. Profiles as a back of the rotation type or reliever.

Berken is a little old for his league, and also profiles as a back of the rotation/reliever type.

Both Berken and Bergensen are better than AAAA types, though they aren’t high upside guys.

Britton, however, I like over both Berken and Bergensen. He isn’t talked about much because he hasn’t pitched all that much. But he is a 20 y/o lefty with a good control, a plus fastball, good breaking stuff, and a good amount of projection left. And he generates GBs at an excellent rate.

Britton has a wide range between his upside and downside, but he could profile as a #3 starter down the road.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on May 18, 2008 5:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wieters needs to be promoted already.

Sheesh.

by pipkin on May 17, 2008 10:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Delmarva was rockin' tonight

Took the kiddies to teh game (free tix for them from school + fireworks night).

Almost 9K on hand to see the win, and Gleason (the starter) was dealing – maybe 3 hits in 6 IP, I think?

If you get the chance, go see a minor league game. It was really cool – 9,000 people, kids running all over the place, old guys watching and talking and KNOWING what they’re saying, young guys playing their hearts out, and really cool fireworks to end the night. And cheap beer on Saturdays.

You really out to try it sometime.

"We're going to play all 27 outs. If you can beat us for all 27, then we'll tip our hats. But we're going to grind out every at-bat." - Brian Roberts

by duck on May 17, 2008 10:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Amen.

Minor League Baseball is so much fun, I hit up as many Suns games as I can now that I’m back here.

by getxstoked on May 18, 2008 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone been to Bowie's park?

If so, how is it? Delmarva is a little to far out of the way for myself.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on May 19, 2008 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Driven by it

It’s 2.5 hours away from me, and Delmarva’s is 7 miles from my house. :)

"We're going to play all 27 outs. If you can beat us for all 27, then we'll tip our hats. But we're going to grind out every at-bat." - Brian Roberts

by duck on May 19, 2008 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I used to go there a ton in high school

When I lived relatively close. It was always a good time. I really want to try to get to Aberdeen one of these days. It looks quite nice when I drive by it on 95.

"We’re not concerned about what other teams think. I know teams come in here thinking we’re playing the Orioles. And then 9 innings later, they got the loss, they know what we’re about." ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on May 19, 2008 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Been there once

And it was nice. But to be honest, I haven’t really been to a bad minor league park. They are so small; seems like you always have a good seat.

Although, being small doesn’t really help Ft. Lauderdale; that place is a joke.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on May 19, 2008 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

bowie is very nice...

definitely trying to do a tour of the system this summer.

all parks are NOT awesome. i was at the potomac nationals park a few weeks back and that’s garbage. surprising, really. it’s in an affluent part of nova and the team used to be a yanks affiliate.

foghat goes with everything--birdman, 5/16/08

by j.q. higgins on May 19, 2008 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

bowie is nice

I’m not a huge fan of minor league ball, really. The family-friendly thing doesn’t appeal to me. This shouldn’t be surprising, given my age. It seems nice for families though. I’d rather just see the big boys.

Of course, I’ve never been to a mL game with the intention of getting drunk. Maybe it’s awesome too. I’m guessing its a little awkward, though.

by pipkin on May 19, 2008 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Been to a buck beer nite ONCE

in Iowa at Quad Cities. Couldn’t tell you a damn thing about the game, but my wife’s uncle and I had a blast.

"I wasn't here for the losing years. But it feels a little like the days with Earl in charge and John Lowenstein smashing birthday cakes in the middle of the clubhouse with a bat." - John "T-Bone" Shelby

by duck on May 19, 2008 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was at a minor league game this one time

And a bunch of guys who were, shall we say, well oiled, kept up a line of trash talk against the other team that lasted through the entire game. But the amazing thing is they kept it clean the whole time!

Now I don’t think too many people on this board get offended by language, but there’s a time & a place for everything – and it’s called the Yankee Stadium bleachers!

Don’t know if it was the ushers, the people sitting near them or the guys themselves who kept things in line but – nice job! – to whoever it was.

You can't fix stupid. Stupid is forever.

by sluggo 2.0 on May 20, 2008 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wieters, Tillman, & Rowell

I’ve been watching these guys from a far, checking out their box scores every few days. Wieters looks like the real deal. Give him until the all-star break & then send him up to Bowie for the rest of the year.
Tillman, what can you say, he’s is so young. Keep him in Bowie, but if he has to be moved up, let him finish the year on a possitive note.
Rowell is starting to heat up, but has to prove it thoughout the whole season.

Wieters should be an O in late 2009 & the starter in 2010.
Tillman, his age scares me, but could be a rookie with Wieters.
Rowell hopefuly will capture the ROY, the following year.

PLEASE -- JUST PLEASE THROW STRIKES.

by oriolepete on May 18, 2008 10:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

also...

arrieta has allowed ONE homer in 51.1 innings. wieters had another multi-homer game yesterday (i believe it’s at least his 3rd). reimold is on a ridiculous tear.

foghat goes with everything--birdman, 5/16/08

by j.q. higgins on May 19, 2008 9:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs