Posts Tagged ‘Minor League Report’

The Minor League Report – Week 14

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 6th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 14 minor league report.

Kyle Drabek had been somewhat of a forgotten man down in Double-A for the Toronto Blue Jays until he threw a no-hitter the Fourth of July. With a 3.20 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 107 innings, it was thought he would have been moved up to Triple-A already this year. He has held opposing hitters to a .219 average but still has some work to do on his control with 45 walks on the season.

Making the move up to Triple-A last week was outfielder Lorenzo Cain of the Milwaukee Brewers. He was supposed to be reach this level in 2009 but suffered a hamstring injury along with torn knee ligaments that forced him to miss a good portion of the season. Instead of contending for a starting job this season for Milwaukee, he will have to wait until 2011 for his shot in center field. Cain is hitting .320 on the season with three home runs and 21 stolen bases in 253 at bats.

Desmond Jennings has been making up for lost time in Triple-A, hitting .353 for the month of June with 28 runs scored, 15 RBI and eight stolen bases. He is someone worth stashing for the second half of the season in a one-year league if your team is in need of stolen bases. Tampa Bay should be able to fond a place for him in the line up the second half of the year.

Freddie Freeman continues to plug away in Triple-A for the Atlanta Braves as he works toward getting ready to claim the first base job in 2011. Freeman is currently hitting .288 on the season with 10 home runs and 47 RBI. He has hit .375 over his last 10 games with four home runs and two stolen bases.

If there was ever someone in need of a promotion, look no further than third basemen Mike Moustakas down in Double-A for the Kansas City Royals. Moustakas is hitting .358 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI in only 63 games. With solid plate discipline as evidenced by his 15 walks and 39 strikeouts, there is nothing left for him to show at that level.

Outfielder Jerry Sands of the Los Angeles Dodgers was promoted to Double-A this past week after feasting on Single-A pitching. Sands hit .333 in 243 at bats with 18 home runs and 46 RBI to go with 14 stolen bases. A 25th round pick in the 2008 draft, Sands has started to come on strong after struggling in his first season when he hit just .205 in 46 games.

Also seeing a move up to Double-A was outfielder Brett Jackson of the Chicago Cubs. Jackson hit .316 in 263 at bats with six home runs and 38 RBI coupled with 12 stolen bases. A first round pick in the 2009 draft, Jackson will be appearing in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 11.

Speaking of the Futures Game, a couple of changes to the rosters based on promotions and injuries, for the US Team, catcher Hank Conger will replace Tony Sanchez (injury) and pitcher Zack Wheeler will replace Andy Oliver who was recently promoted by the Detroit Tigers.

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The Minor League Report – Week 13

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 1st, 2010

With all of the promotions so far this season, arguably the current number one prospect in the minor leagues, Domonic Brown of the Philadelphia Phillies was promoted to Triple-A this past week. Brown hit .318 in 236 at bats with 15 home runs, 47 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He is definitely a top target for 2011 with Jason Werth a free agent.

Zachary Britton of the Baltimore Orioles in on his way up to Triple-A. Britton was 7-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 87 innings with 68 strikeouts. A third round pick in the 2006 draft, Britton has allowed only four home runs this year while holding opposing hitters to a .231 batting average.

Also moving up to Triple-A this week was Mike Minor of the Atlanta Braves. Minor finished Double-A with a 4.03 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 87 innings. With the depth of the Braves rotation, it looks like he might not have a chance this year but is a good candidate for the 2011 rotation.

Dynasty owners should be watching the transaction wire over the next month for the name Jarred Cosart. If the Philadelphia Phillies make a trade for a front line pitcher, Cosart figures to be at the center piece of a deal and could move quickly depending on what organization he goes to. Currently in Single-A, Cosart is 7-3 with a 3.79 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings.

Jordan Lyles continues to hold his own as a teenager in Double-A for the Houston Astros, posting a 6-5 mark with a 2.60 ERA to go along with 85 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings. He has surrendered seven home runs while opposing hitters are batting .246 against him.

Simon Castro continues to thrive in Double-A for the San Diego Padres, sitting with a 2.69 ERA in 80 1/3 innings with 71 strikeouts. He has allowed only 59 hits with four home runs and should be looking at a promotion in the near future.

Carlos Peguero of the Seattle Mariners might offer the team a power hitting outfielder solution in the near future assuming he can improve his plate discipline. Peguero is hitting .293 in Double-A with 15 home runs and 46 RBI with five stolen bases.

Trystan Magnuson could provide the Toronto Blue Jays with a closer option in the near future. A first round pick in the 2007 draft, Magnsuon was moved to the bullpen after struggling as a starter in his first season. Since then, he has been a much better pitcher in relief and currently has a 2.30 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 43 innings in Double-A.

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The Minor League Report – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 9th, 2010

For fantasy baseball owners that have been holding onto minor league players on their reserve in order to get a mid-season boost to their teams, their patience is about to pay off. This week marked the debut of Stephen Strasburg and Mike Stanton on Tuesday with Brad Lincoln and Jose Tabata getting called up today by Pittsburgh and pitcher Jake Arrieta expected to arrive tomorrow to start against the New York Yankees.

Lincoln was 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 68 1/3 innings with 55 strikeouts. It has been a long journey to the major leagues for Lincoln who was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 draft and then missed the entire 2007 season following Tommy John surgery in April of that year. Lincoln got the start against Cincinnati on Wednesday night and allowed five runs on six innings with three strikeouts.

Jose Tabata was also promoted today and started in left field and hit lead off for Pittsburgh, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Tabata was hitting .308 in 224 at bats with three home runs, 19 RBI and 25 stolen bases. He has already stolen more bases so far this year than in any other season in the minor leagues with a high of 22 occurring back in 2005. He show far has not shown the ability to hit for power, but if your team is in need of stolen bases, he could be a good addition to your fantasy baseball team.

The one name missing from the list of Pittsburgh promotions was third basemen Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez started off slow in April and has been working to improve his plate discipline and performance against left-handed pitching. He was much better in May with a .294 batting average and six home runs and 30 RBI in 102 at bats. He is hitting .417 over his last 10 games and I would expect to see him promoted by the end of the month.

It looks like the Minnesota Twins might have a Denard Span clone in Double-A in the form of Ben Revere. Revere is hitting .303 with one home run, 16 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 208 at bats. A first round pick in 2007, Revere has hit over .300 at four different levels while stealing over 40 bases in both 2008 and 2009.

Outfielder Ryan Kalish was promoted to Triple-A by the Boston Red Sox after hitting .293 with eight home runs, 29 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 150 at bats. Even more impressive was his plate discipline with 28 walks against only 21 strikeouts at the age of 22.

Pitcher Michael Pineda of the Seattle Mariners is off to a great start in Double-A with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 64 1/3 innings with 70 strikeouts. He still has some work to do against left-handed hitters who are hitting .286 against him compared to right-handed batters hitting only .161 before he moves up to the next level.

Second basemen Reese Havens has New York Met fans dreaming about about an infield of David Wright, Jose Reyes, Havens and Ike Davis around the diamond in 2011. Havens, a first-round pick in the 2008 draft is hitting .344 since being promoted to Double-A with six home runs and 12 RBI in 61 at bats.

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The Minor League Report – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 25th, 2010

Baltimore announced that starting pitcher Chris Tillman will replace David Hernandez in the bullpen starting on Saturday against Toronto. I was hoping to see Jake Arrieta get a shot at the spot, but it looks like Tillman will have the first crack at it. Tillman had a 3.12 ERA in Triple-A with a 1.16 WHIP ratio and 47 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings. His batting average against was higher tan what you would like to see for a Triple-A starter at .250.

Arrieta on the other hand at the same level has a 1.86 ERA to go along with a 1.14 WHIP ratio and 55 strikeouts in 63 innings. He is holding hitters to a measly .181 batting average which is almost 70 points lower than that of Tillman. He still needs to harness his control as evidenced by his 4.6 walks per nine innings. He has worked scoreless outings in four of his 10 starts so far this season.

Jeremy Hellickson continues to carve up Triple-A hitters and sits ready for a call up to Tampa Bay. Hellickson tossed a one-hit gem on Monday with eight shutout innings and five strikeouts. He has a 2.79 ERA after 10 starts with a 1.22 WHIP ratio and 60 strikeouts in 58 innings. He has allowed more than three runs in only one start so far this year.

If you break down the numbers of Daniel Hudson in Triple-A it has been really a tale of two different months. He was bombed in April to the tune of a 9.37 ERA with six home runs allowed in 16 1/3 innings. He has completely righted the ship in May and gotten back on track with a 1.97 ERA in five starts with 41 strikeouts in 32 innings. The man ahead of him in the major leagues, Freddy Garcia has been inconsistent with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. With the Chicago White Sox struggling and possible changes around the corner, Hudson should be seeing his ticket punched to the majors early this summer.

Desmond Jennings has returned to action in Triple-A after missing time the first part of the season with various injuries. He has not shown much power in three weeks of at bats, but his speed has been on display. Jennings is hitting .260 with no home runs, five RBI and 11 stolen bases.

Mike Moustakas is punishing Double-A pitching and could be looking at a bump up to Triple-A very shortly. Moustakas is hitting .390 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI with 17 walks against only 18 strikeouts in 118 at bats. He could finally be the long term solution the Kansas City Royals are looking for at third base.

Lars Anderson was promoted to Triple-A several weeks ago by the Boston Red Sox and has slowed down at the plate after a scorching start at Double-A. Anderson is hitting .243 in 70 at bats in Triple-A with two home runs and nine RBI. His overall numbers have him with a .295 average, seven home runs and 25 RBI on the season.

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The Minor League Report – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 18th, 2010

There is good news for San Francisco Giants fans as Madison Bumgarner seems to have right his ship in Triple-A. After reports of a drop in velocity in spring training and in the regular season, it was determined that the loss of speed was not an injury but mechanical issues with his delivery. With the appropriate changes made and the addition of a cutter, Bumgarner has been back on track. His overall numbers have rebounded from his first two Triple-A starts in which he allowed 11 runs in seven innings. After eight starts, Bumgarner now has a 3.64 ERA and has racked up 32 strikeouts in 42 innings, including eight in his last start. With 5th starter Todd Wellemeyer sporting a 5.25 ERA and 1,42 WHIP, it is only a matter of time before Bumgarner is in the major leagues if can string together another few successful starts in the minors.

If you are in a one year league and you still are carrying Aroldis Chapman on reserve, it is getting toward crunch time for how much longer you can carry him. I dropped him in my 15-team mixed league this past weekend in order to grab another starter. Chapman has been hit hard in two of his last three starts, allowing 15 runs in 14 innings. Yes, he does throw hard and can rack up strikeouts, but his lack of control (21 walks in 35 innings) means he won’t be lasting too long in games if he was called up to the major leagues.

Jay Jackson looked like he was going to be first in line in Triple-A to fill a spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation. Instead, with relief pitching hard to come by and the failure of the Carlos Zambrano experiment, Jackson has been shifted to the bullpen which kills his value for 2010 if he remains in that role.

Kyle Gibson of the Minnesota Twins was promoted to Double-A last week and sparkled in his debut, tossing 7 1/3 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. Gibson was the Twins first round pick in 2009 and has a 1.60 ERA through eight starts with 50 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

Yonder Alonso was promoted to Triple-A by the Cincinnati Reds despite having less than stellar stats in AA. Alonso was hitting .267 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 101 at bats. Alonso has seen time at first base and in the outfield since he is blocked in the major leagues by Joey Votto.

Kyle Drabek continues to chug along in Double-A with five wins and a 3.06 ERA after eight starts. Drabek has struck out 45 in 47 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .236 batting average.

For those of you in deep dynasty leagues, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels has lived up to his top prospect billing after being a first round pick in 2009. In Single-A, Trout is hitting .372 with five home runs, 15 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

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The Minor League Report – week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 11th, 2010

In week 5, there were several more prospects recalled from the minor leagues, including Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs and Michael Saunders by the Seattle Mariners. Some of the promotions from Double-A to Triple-A included Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen (WAS) as well as Andrew Cashner (CHC).

Cashner, with a 2.75 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 36 innings could be facing a similar fate as Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays. Each pitcher has been dominating in the minor leagues, but with no spots currently open in the major league rotation, there is a very good chance that when they are recalled to the big leagues, they will each be working in relief roles.

I have created a Minor League Tracker spreadsheet that shows all of the year-to-date stats for players that I highlighted in my team-by-team Triple-A minor league reports so you can easily keep an eye on possible players to target on the waiver wire in future weeks.

I have added additional columns that list the rank of the player in the overall top 100 by Baseball America and by Keith Law of ESPN as well as added the major league team names, plus included all Triple-A and Double-A hitters and pitchers that qualify to be among the league leaders so there is a ton of information you can now filter through.

Hitters:

Outfielder Michael Stanton (FLA) continues to lead the way with 15 home runs and 33 RBI through 28 games, although he is striking out in 31% of his at bats. Management is on record that Stanton will be up some time this summer, but if he jumps past Triple-A right to the major leagues, I think he is going to struggle to hit for average with his high ratio of strikeouts.

Third basemen Mike Moustakas (KC) is off to a great start in Double-A, hitting .392 with six home runs and 21 RBI, with only nine strikeouts in 74 at bats.

For all the hype that Carlos Santana (CLE) gets and rightfully so, Buster Posey (SF) is matching him stat for stat in Triple-A. Santana is hitting .314 with five home runs and 25 RBI compared to Posey at .345 with five home runs and 21 RBI.

Pitchers:

Martin Perez (TEX) has a 2.45 ERA in six starts with 29 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings to go along with a 1.44 ERA.

Simon Castro of the San Diego Padres has been holding his own on Double-A with a 2.10 ERA and 1.02 WHIP ratio. Castro has struck out 26 in 34 1/3 innings.

Jordan Lyles (HOU) has been superb in Double-A with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 35 innings with 31 strikeouts. I would expect to see him promoted to Triple-A by the middle of this summer.

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The Minor League Report – week 3

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 26th, 2010

We saw two players get promoted that were part of the minor league report in week 2 with Justin Smoak getting recalled by the Texas Rangers and most recently Eric Young Jr. getting promoted by the Colorado Rockies.

2010 looks like it might be turning into the year of the first basemen with Ike Davis and Justin Smoak already promoted and Brett Wallace, Freddie Freeman and Chris Carter (Oak.) looming as potential call ups later this season.

I have created a Minor League Tracker spreadsheet that shows all of the year-to-date stats for players that I highlighted in my team-by-team Triple-A minor league reports so you can easily keep an eye on possible players to target on the waiver wire in future weeks.

Since we took a look at some of the top players from Triple-A last week, here is a view of some of the top prospects in Double-A.

Hitters:

Shortstop Starlin Castro (Cubs) is making it look easy at the plate in Double-A, hitting .382 with one home run, 15 RBI and four stolen bases. With as well as he played in spring training, it will only be a matter of time until he is up in Triple-A.

Outfielder Domonic Brown (Phi.) is hitting .325 with a home run and five RBI with one stolen base for the Reading Phillies. There is not much chance he sees time with the Phillies this season barring injury, but he should have a shot to open 2011 in the outfield with Jason Werth a free agent after this season.

Outfielder Mike Stanton (Fla.) is hitting .311 for the Jacksonville Suns with six home runs and 13 RBI. While he is still striking out a fair amount with 17 whiffs in 61 at bats, his plate discipline has come a long way in the last two years. Stanton has 16 walks through 16 games and an on base percentage of .462.

First basemen Lars Anderson (Bos.) is trying to regain his top prospect status, after a disappointing season at Double-A last year, a level he is now repeating. Anderson is hitting .328 with five home runs and 16 RBI through 58 at bats.

Shortstop Dee Gordon (LAD) of the Chattanooga Lookouts is hitting .354 with one home run and four RBI to go along with four stolen bases.

Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall (Clev.) of the Akron Aeros is off to a good start average wise, hitting .358, but with no home runs and five RBI.

It has been a slow go so far for Dustin Ackley (Sea.), the second pick of the 2009 draft. Ackley is hitting just .153 in 59 at bats with two RBI and stolen bases. The only bright spot has been his plate discipline with nine walks against 10 strikeouts.

Pitchers:

Kyle Drabek (Tor.) has a 3.80 ERA through four starts with 20 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. Drabek has allowed two home runs and is holding hitters to a .228 average.

Jordan Lyles (Hous.) of the Corpus Christi Hooks has a 2.30 ERA after three starts with 16 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings. I expect the Houston Astros to be aggressive in promoting him so he should see Triple-A by the second half of the season.

Andrew Cashner (Cubs) has struck out 29 hitters in 24 1/3 innings and has an ERA of 3.33 after four starts, while holding opposing batters to a .188 average. After striking out 10 in each of his first two starts, Cashner has come back to earth a little bit.

Chris Withrow (LAD) has gotten off to a slow start, with a 9.00 ERA after four starts with hitters knocking him around at a .303 clip and three home runs allowed.

Christian Friedrich (Col.) has struck out 16 in 16 1/3 innings with an ERA of 2.81 after three starts. Friedrich has found the going a little tougher in Double-A after striking out 159 in 119 2/3 innings.

Future closer Drew Storen (Was.) has three saves and a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts. Despite being overshadowed by teammate Stephen Strasburg, Storen could have some value as well later this year if the Nationals deal Matt Capps

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Fantasy Baseball Minor League Report – week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 30th, 2009

by Todd Lammi

With Brett Myers of the Philadelphia Phillies scheduled to have surgery on his right hip that will likely end his season, let’s take a look at some the internal options the Phillies have to fill that void either by call up or via trade.

Carlos Carrasco was the minor league pitcher closest to the majors when the season started, beginning the year in Triple-A. He has been off to a disappointing start so far this season at 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA. In 55 innings, he has allowed 63 hits with 58 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting .281 against him. He has been better in his last three starts with 7 runs allowed in 19 2/3 innings with 21 strikeouts that the Phillies might be willing to give him a shot while he has momentum.

Antonio Bastardo was recently promoted to Triple-A where he has made two starts, allowing three runs in 13 innings with 12 strikeouts. In 34 2/3 innings at AA, he had a 1.82 with 39 strikeouts while holding batters to a .178 average.

Kyle Kendrick has done nothing to distinguish himself in Triple-A, with a 4.25 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 53 innings, but he could be an option because of his past big league experience.

The longest of long shots is Kyle Drabek in Advanced A ball. Drabek currently holds a 2.48 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. If nothing else, the injury to Myers should have him bumped up to AA very shortly.

If the Phillies look to trade for a starter, they might move shortstop Jason Donald who is currently in AAA blocked by Jimmy Rollins. Donald has been off to a slow start with a .234 average with one home run and four steals. In AA in 2008, Donald hit .307 with 14 home runs and 11 stolen bases.

Outfielder Michael Taylor in AA could also be a trade target of other teams. Taylor is hitting .342 with 9 home runs, 37 RBI and 8 stolen bases with a low 19 strikeouts in 152 at bats.

In other minor league news from week 8…

Tommy Hanson continues to dominate in Triple-A, allowing one run in seven innings with nine strikeouts. Opposing hitters are batting a paltry .164 on the season against him.

Gordon Beckham was promoted to Triple-A and is seeing time at third base. It looks like the White Sox are intent to get his bat into the line up at any position they can. Beckham hit .299 with 4 home runs and 22 RBI in 38 games in AA before the promotion. He has gone 3 for 7 in two games with the Charlotte Knights.

Wade Davis should be next in line the next time the Tampa Bay Rays need a starting pitcher from the minors. Davis in Triple-A currently has a 3.40 ERA in 53 innings with 32 strikeouts. His AAA numbers were actually better in 2008 following his promotion from AA.

2008 ERA – 2.72 Innings – 53 Hits – 39 Strikeouts – 55
2009 ERA – 3.40 Innings – 53 Hits – 44 Strikeouts – 32

The Cleveland Indians have several promising arms they could turn to in AA in the second half of the season. Jeanmar Gomez has a 1.29 ERA in five starts with 0.57 whip ratio and 3o strikeouts in 35 innings.
Teammate Chuck Lofgren was just promoted to Triple-A after posting a 1.42 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.

Mat Latos (Padres) tossed seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts and could see a promotion to Triple-A in another month or two. Latos has a 0.50 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings on the season.

Madison Bumgarner (Giants) is heating up in AA, running off four straight wins since his promotion. Between his two minor league stops, Bumgarner is 7-1 with a 1.14 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings with zero home runs allowed.

Brad Lincoln (Pirates) should be ready for a move up to Triple-A in the near future. Lincoln has a 2.05 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings of work. He has allowed only two home runs and 12 walks on the season.

Alcides Escobar (Brewers) has been working at second base since the injury to Rickie Weeks and his hitting has taken off. He has boosted his average to .290 with two home runs and 21 steals. It remains to be seen whether the Milwaukee Brewers promote him the second half of the season or use him as the main trade bait to try to get Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres.

Catcher Carlos Santana is hitting .292 with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in AA. He also has a 31 to 22 walk to strikeout ratio. If the Cleveland Indians go into fire sale mode and trade Victor Martinez or Kelly Shoppach, Santana could see time in the second half of the season.

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Fantasy Baseball Minor League Report – week 5

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 9th, 2009

by Todd Lammi

Although he is not yet in the minor leagues, in fact, he may never spend a day there, keeper league owners should be tracking Stephen Strasburg, the pitcher from San Diego State who should be the first pick by the Washington Nationals in the  June draft. Strasburg threw a no-hitter on Friday night against Air Force with 17 strikeouts in a 5-0 victory. On the year, Strasburg’s record stands at 11-0 with 164 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings. There is a good chance, depending on when he signs his contract after being drafted, that he could head right into a major league rotation. In other fantasy baseball news from the minor leagues…

Chris Coghlan was recalled from Triple-A by the Florida Marlins and will have a chance to earn a starting role while playing a variety of positions. Coghlan was hitting .344 with three home runs, 22 RBI and nine stolen bases in 96 at bats. He showed a good eye at the plate, with 12 walks and only 10 strikeouts. He started at second base on Friday, going 2 for 4, but should see the majority of time in left field initially.

Xavier Paul was recalled by the Los Angeles Dodgers to fill the roster spot for the suspended Manny Ramirez. Paul was hitting .344 with two home runs and eight stolen bases and will serve as the fourth outfielder for the next fifty games until Ramirez returns.

Nolan Reimold could be one of the next call ups from the minor leagues if the Baltimore Orioles ever get serious about improving their outfield. Although a bit older at 25, Reimold has been hitting non-stop since the season started. He currently holds a batting average of .387 with eight home runs, 25 RBI and five stolen bases.

Tommy Hanson struck out 10 in six innings while allowing one run in his last start. With David Price struggling with his command in Triple-A, Hanson seems to have taken over the spot as top pitching prospect currently in the minors. I liked the comparison Baseball America had on their weekly Hot Sheet from a statistics standpoint between Hanson and Tim Lincecum from his time in Triple-A.

Hanson       IP: 32 2/3      Walks: 11     Strikeouts: 48

Lincecum  IP: 31               Walks: 11     Strikeouts: 46

Kris Medlen (Braves) is still managing to keep pace with his teammate Hanson in Triple-A, striking out 10 in seven innings in his last start. Medlen now has a 1.17 ERA and 0.78 whip ratio, while holding batters to .167 average. In 30 2/3 innings, he has struck out 38 hitters.

Could he be hiding an injury? David Price (Rays) has run into command problems in his last three starts, walking 12 in 11 innings. His whip ratio has climbed to 1.62 on the year and he has struck out only two batters in his last two starts.

Luke Hochevar is patiently waiting for a call up from the Kansas City Royals as he continues to dominate in Triple-A. Hochevar struck out nine in eight shutout innings on Thursday, and is now 5-0 on the season. Hochevar’s ERA is now a sparkling 0.90, with 30 strikeouts in 40 innings of work.

Also biding his time in Triple-A is Clay Buchholz (Red Sox). Buchholz hurled seven shutout innings on Friday in a 4-0 win. Buchholz allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. On the season, his ERA is now 1.33 with 26 strikeouts in 27 innings.

Desmond Jennings (Rays) continues to rake in AA, at one point putting together six consecutive multi-hit games, raising his batting average to .400 on the season. Jennings has three home runs with 22 RBI and nine stolen bases.

Aaron Poreda (White Sox) currently carries an 1.65 ERA in AA with 28 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings. With Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon in the major league rotation, Poreda will see starts in the major leagues at some point this season.

Jarrod Parker (Diamondbacks) who jumped to AA at the beginning of May has found the hitters a little tougher in his two starts there. In 10 1/3 innings, he has allowed 16 hits with 11 strikeouts.

Ian Kennedy (Yankees) will undergo surgery on Tuesday, after being diagnosed with an aneurysm under his right armpit. Kennedy, 24, will have the surgery performed by the same doctor who did David Cone’s procedure for an aneurysm back in 1996.

Neftali Feliz (Rangers) missed his start on Friday after complaining of shoulder soreness. Feliz has struggled with his control this year, allowing 16 walking and 23 hits in 19 2/3 innings.

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Fantasy Baseball Minor League Report – week 4

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 1st, 2009

by Todd Lammi

Tommy Hanson picked up his first win of the season Thursday, tossing six shutout innings with nine strikeouts. Hanson threw 92 pitches, 58 for strikes, and allowed an even split of four ground ball and four fly outs. He is just waiting for the Atlanta Braves to make the call as he is major league ready right now. Other top prospects making a mark in minor league baseball in week 4…

Gordon Beckham has been in the news quite a bit recently with questions being asked of Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen about the potential for a Beckham call up. Beckham is hitting .300 in AA with two home runs and 10 doubles, plus a stolen base. He still has some work to do defensively before he is promoted to the major leagues.

Justin Smoak – the way he has been hitting, you might as well change his last name to Smoke. Currently in AA for the Texas Rangers, Smoak is hitting .351 with four home runs in 76 at bats. More importantly, check out the walk to strikeout ratio. With 16 walks against only 10 strikeouts, Smoak is displaying a great eye at the plate.

Jake Arrieta - in AA for the Baltimore Orioles, Arrieta struck out six in six innings for his last start. On the season, Arrieta has a 2.00 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Madison Bumgarner – Bumgarner, part of the loaded team that is the San Jose Giants is off to a good start in 2009 with a 1.40 ERA, with 19 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings. His last start was the first time he allowed more than one run.

Buster Posey – Bumgarner’s teammate in San Jose, the catcher is hitting .366 with five home runs and an 11 to 13 walk to strikeout ratio.

Jarrod Parker – Parker made a quick move this season, blazing through high Class A up to Double-A for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Parker in his four starts in A ball, had a 0.95 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 19 innings.

Gerardo Parra – among the leaders in batting average in AA for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Parra is hitting .342 with a home run and five stolen bases. He has shown good plate discipline with 15 walks versus nine strikeouts.

Bud Norris - could be next in line when the Houston Astros need a starting pitcher. Norris has a 2.28 ERA in AAA with 25 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. He still needs some work on his control, with 15 walks on the season, including six in his last start.

Dayan Viciedo – Viciedo was hot in spring training and there was some that thought he was close to the major leagues for the Chicago White Sox. The team sent him to AA and he has struggled there so far in the first month of the season, batting .221 with 20 strikeouts in 77 at bats.

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Fantasy Baseball Minor League Report – week 3

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 22nd, 2009

by Todd Lammi

With all of the hype surrounding up and coming fantasy baseball players in the minor leagues, it is easy to forget about the once hot prospects that fizzled in their first go round in the major leagues.

Such is the case for a guy like Phil Hughes, now pitching for the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees in Triple-A. Hughes picked up his third win of the season Wednesday night and his ERA now stands at 1.86. In 19 1/3 innings of work, he has walked only three and struck out 19. Also in the same boat as Hughes, Ian Kennedy has a 2.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 18 innings. Another player to watch on that same team is 22-year-old outfielder Austin Jackson. Jackson is off to an early hot start, batting .424 with four stolen bases.

Besides Tommy Hanson, the Gwinnett Braves (AAA) have another starting pitcher to keep an eye on, Kris Medlen. Medlen, 22, started his career as a relief pitcher before moving into the rotation for part of the season in Double-A last year. So far in Triple-A, he has a 1.32 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings with only one walk allowed.

Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Rockies), has not displayed much power yet with only one home run in 52 at bats, but he does lead the team with 16 RBI. Teammate Eric Young (2B) has nine stolen bases on the early season.

First basemen Gaby Sanchez is hitting .327 for the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins) with one home run and nine RBI.

Mat Gamel has been on fire for the Nashville Sounds (Brewers), with five home runs and 19 RBI in only 48 at bats. The downside is that he is still struggling defensively with five errors on the season. Teammate Alcides Escobar (SS) is hitting .271 with six stolen bases. Catcher Angel Salome is off to a slow start batting .188 with four RBI.

Fernando Martinez of the Buffalo Bisons (Mets) is hitting .291 with one home run and seven RBI. Even though it seems like he has been around for a few years, he is still only 20 years old.

Kyle Blanks of the Portland Beavers (Padres) is batting .340 with two home runs and 11 RBI.

The Pawtucket Paw Sox (Red Sox) have several pitchers of note in Triple-A. Michael Bowden is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA. Bowden has struck out 15 in 14 innings on the season. Teammate Clay Bucholz has a 3.12 ERA after two starts. Relief pitcher Daniel Bard has 16 strikeouts in nine innings.

Anthony Swarzak of the Rochester Red Wings (Twins) has a 0.82 ERA after two starts with nine strikeouts in 11 innings.

Mike Carp of the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) is hitting .304 with three home runs and nine RBI. Teammate Jeff Clement (C) has gotten off to a slow start, batting .175 on the season.

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Fantasy Baseball – Minor League Report

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 12th, 2009

by Todd Lammi

Each week we will take a look at the top happenings in minor league baseball from a fantasy baseball perspective. Here is a recap of some of the top minor league players in action in week one.

David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays made his minor league debut Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits in 3 2/3 innings, while limited to a 75 pitch count.

Jordan Zimmermann of the Washington Nationals in his first AAA start gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves struck out 10 in 4 1/3 shutout innings on Thursday. Hanson allowed three hits and two walks will throwing 84 pitches.

Neftali Feliz made his AAA debut for the Texas Rangers and overcame some wildness to pitch four shutout innings, allowing four hits and six walks.

Third basemen Brett Wallace (AA) of the St. Louis Cardinals hit two home runs and drove in six runs on Thursday.

Catcher Carlos Santana (AA) of the Cleveland Indians homered and drove in four runs on Thursday.

Seattle Mariners prospect Carlos Triunfel in AA suffered a broken left fibula while sliding into second base on Friday. Preliminary estimates are that he could miss six to eight weeks of action.

Florida Marlins first baseman Logan Morrison (AA) suffered a small fracture at the base of his right thumb and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

For those of you looking at long term minor league keepers, check out the article at Baseball America that talks about two of the top young outfielders in the game in Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves and Mike Stanton of the Florida Marlins.

Baseball America also has their list of where the top 100 prospects are starting out in 2009. You can access the list here. If you live in the San Jose, CA area, be sure to swing by one of the San Jose Giants games. That team boasts several of the top prospects in all of minor league baseball in pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson,  catcher Buster Posey and first basemen Angel Villalona. Also keep an eye on third basemen Conor Gillaspie who saw time in the major leagues last year, and second basemen Nick Noonan.

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