tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22393284554030448492024-02-02T18:37:54.267-05:00Clutchlings A detailed look at the Toronto Blue Jays farm system.Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.comBlogger383125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-75782637317560409712017-12-08T10:38:00.000-05:002017-12-08T10:38:10.809-05:00Blue Jays 2011 Draft Report Card<br />
When Alex Anthopolous took over as GM of the Blue Jays, one of his first priorities was to return the club to its scouting roots. Under the previous regime of J.P. Ricciardi, the scouting department was cut back considerably, and Toronto was no longer considered to be a standard bearer of acquiring and developing prospects. The 2009 Jays media guide listed 13 area scouts and 4 national cross checkers to take care of evaluating amateur players, and nine pro and major league scouts. A year later, Anthopoulos had put together a scouting staff of 21 pro and MLB scouts, and 24 area scouts and 8 cross checkers. It was the biggest scouting department in the game.<br />
The benefit of this increase was to make each area scout's geographical area smaller, which allowed them to get more looks at players, and get to know them better. By 2011, the second draft under Scouting Director Blake Parker, the Blue Jays were at the top of their scouting game.<br />
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The Blue Jays had taken advantage of old draft rules to hoard picks: in 2010, they had 8 of the first 93 (taking, among others, Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard, and Justin Nicolino). In 2011, they had 7 of the first 78, landing Joe Musgrove, Daniel Norris, and later, Anthony DeSclafani. Interestingly, top pick Massachusetts prep righty Tyler Beede, who had told all MLB teams a month earlier that he had committed to Vanderbilt and therefore not to select him, failed to sign after the Jays chose him 21st overall. The compensation pick they received next year, of course, was Duke RHP Marcus Stroman.<br />
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<b>The Top Arms</b><br />
Norris (taken in the 2nd round), considered by many the top high school southpaw in the draft, struggled with his command and overhauled mechanics in his first pro season, but had a breakout 2014, pitching at four levels, and finishing the year with Toronto. Dealt to the Tigers as the centrepiece of the David Price deal last year, Norris has battled some adversity, including a cancerous growth on his thyroid (first detected when he was pitching for Buffalo last summer) which was removed in the off season, and some inconsistency early this year. Norris pitched well in Detroit's rotation for the final two months of 2016, and should be a lock to be stay in it next season.<br />
Musgrove was dealt to the Astros in 2012 in the J.A. Happ deal, and made his big league debut against the Blue Jays in August. He set a major league record by fanning 8 in that game, the most ever for a pitcher making his first big league appearance in relief. Musgrove allowed only 1 hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings, retiring the last 10 hitters in a row. From there, Musgrove moved into the Astros rotation, starting 10 games over the rest of the season. He has to be considered a favourite to land a spot as a starter with Houston next year.<br />
DeSclafani was part of the blockbuster deal with Florida that brought Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle to Toronto 2012, and after making his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2014, he was later traded to the Reds in the Matt Latos deal. Despite missing two months with a strained oblique, he made 20 starts for Cincinnati this year, and also has to be considered to have locked down a rotation spot for next year.<br />
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<b>The Top Bats</b><br />
<b> </b>They had not yet developed an overwhelming preference for projectable high school arms that would mark later drafts, but Toronto did take high school pitchers with 5 of their first 7 picks.<br />
The two bats they had hope for were California HS OF Jake Anderson, who they chose in the 1st supplemental round, and a Georgia HS OF with MLB bloodlines in Dwight Smith, Jr. Anderson's career has been significantly derailed by injuries, and after reaching full season ball with Lansing this year, finished the year with short season Vancouver. Smith has reached AA, and might profile one day as a fourth outfielder, but spent his second season with New Hampshire this year.<br />
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<b>The Sleeper</b><br />
Few scouts kicked the tires on a kid from suburban Los Angeles when he was a high school senior. Neither did recruiters from Division 1 schools. So, Kevin Pillar<b> </b>headed off to nearby D2 Cal State Dominguez Hills, a school that produced utility infieder Craig Grebeck, who spent three seasons with the Blue Jays in the later 90s.<br />
All Pillar did at Cal State Dominguez was hit - he was second in his conference in hitting his freshman season, and set an NCAA record with a 54-game hitting streak in his junior year. But still the scouts tended to give Pillar's game a miss, and 978 players were selected before him when he finished his senior year. The Blue Jays took a chance, taking him in the 32nd round in 2011.<br />
Two years later, Pillar was in the big leagues.<br />
The son of a former motorcross racer has shown little regard for his health as he made a series of highlight reel catches since establishing himself as a regular last season - he played the last half of 2015 with a broken hand, and he recently had surgery to repair thumb ligaments he injured sliding into 2nd in early August.<br />
Pillar provides elite-level defence, and when the team was on its way to scoring runs at a near-historic level in 2015, the offence could carry his .314 OBP. This year, with production down, so was Pillar's walk rate and hard contact rates. His dip in offensive production was not the sole reason the team had trouble scoring runs down the stretch, but it didn't help. <br />
Still, Pillar has generated 9.3 of the 15.9 WAR the 2011 draft has produced, and considering how far he has come since his D2 days (no one taken below Pillar has cracked MLB), the Blue Jays amateur scouting staff deserves top marks for this pick. Projected to be an overachieving, fourth outfielder type, Pillar has more than surpassed expectations.<br />
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<b>The Ones That Got Away</b><br />
Louisiana HS LHP Aaron Nola was taken in the 22nd round, but opted to attend LSU (his brother Austin, a junior infielder was taken in the 31st round, but didn't sign, and returned to LSU for his senior year). <br />
The Phillies took Nola with the 7th pick in 2014, and he was in the majors a little over a year later. After a good start with the Phillies (2.65 ERA on June 5th), but was hit hard over his next 8 starts, and was placed on the DL in August with strained elbow ligaments and tendons). <br />
RHP Luke Weaver was taken a few picks earlier in the 19th round, but the Florida high schooler opted to attend Florida State. Selected by the Cardinals in the 1st round (27th overall) in 2014, Weaver averaged almost a K per inning before debuting with St Louis this year. He gave up some contact in his first MLB season (46 hits in 36 innings), but he also struck out 45. <br />
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<b>Future Super Utility Guy?</b><br />
<b> </b>Andy Burns was one of the top Colorado high school prospects in 2008, but fell to the 25th round to the Rockies due to his commitment to Kentucky. After this sophomore season with the Wildcats, he transferred to Arizona, meaning that he had to sit out his junior year. The Blue Jays had kept tabs on Burns, and even though he didn't play in 2011, took him in the 11th round. Primarily a short stop, the Blue Jays began to groom him in a variety of positions in 2014. He played mostly 2B for Buffalo this year, but can play all four infield and the corner outfield positions. Burns made his MLB debut with Toronto in May, and appeared in 10 games in three separate stints with the team. With his versatility, above average speed, and bat, Burns is all but ready to fill a valuable reserve role with a big league team.<br />
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<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-82842860432078944592017-11-01T16:08:00.000-04:002017-11-01T16:08:05.884-04:00We've Moved! <br />
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Blogger has been very consistent and reliable over the past five years, but it was time to move on to something a little more recognizable. You can get the same Blue Jays prospect content now at <a href="http://www.futurebluejays.com/" target="_blank">www.futurebluejays.com. </a> We will still to strive to bring you news, insight, and analysis that you can't find anywhere else - or at least you would have to look very hard for it.</div>
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-1064600300664701512017-10-13T10:17:00.000-04:002017-10-13T16:26:41.198-04:00Could Otani Sign with the Blue Jays?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ694neS5O-CGyA2gduxtwJqsfQK8fPg5y8_FhZciItbo6jVHKOWjq0T7vBs8TYAiHRBF8zYHIUooXosEZR6CQZEJhrVOWVkijQqyJHUa8VCtn6G7hEHKn9DpvvJ4O-NrZKqJAuwLxO32b/s1600/Otani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="775" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ694neS5O-CGyA2gduxtwJqsfQK8fPg5y8_FhZciItbo6jVHKOWjq0T7vBs8TYAiHRBF8zYHIUooXosEZR6CQZEJhrVOWVkijQqyJHUa8VCtn6G7hEHKn9DpvvJ4O-NrZKqJAuwLxO32b/s400/Otani.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getty images</td></tr>
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He's been called Japan's Babe Ruth, and for good reason.<br />
23 year old Shohei Otani of the Nippon Ham Fighters is easily the best player in the world not currently under contract to an MLB team. That appears about to end, however, as multiple reports from the Far East suggest that he's ready to come stateside next season, foregoing millions of dollars in the process.<br />
Otani had an inury-plagued 2017, as thigh and ankle issues limited him to 63 games and 4 starts. The left handed hitter/right handed pitcher was the JPPL's MVP in 2016, hitting .322/.416/.588, and going 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA, fanning 174 in 140 innings. He underwent surgery on the ankle this week, but all indications are that he'll be ready for spring training.<br />
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Otani is a true generational talent - he can dial his fastball up to 100, and is a dangerous LHH. His desire is to continue to be a two-way player in North America, although most teams pursuing him appear to be content to let him DH a few times per week between starts. Otani reportedly would like to play the outfield on occasion as well. While it's understandable that teams might not want the ace of their staff taking a position on the field in between starts, the Blue Jays happen to have an opening in Right Field, of course, and Otani would fit incredibly well with Marcus Stroman at the top of the rotation.<br />
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Under the terms of a new MLB collective agreement, players under 25 (who have less than six years' experience in a foreign pro league) can't sign for bonuses of more than about $10 million. Teams are limited to a hard cap of between $4.75 to $5.75 million in bonus money during the IFA signing period, although teams can trade for up to 75% of their bonus pool money - the Yankees received $1.5 million in pool money from Oakland in the Sonny Gray deal, and have quietly upped their total to just over $8 million, the same amount that the Red Sox have to spend. Would they be willing to blow the bank on one player? With a player of Otani's status, that seems likely.<br />
Unlike the bidding for previous Japanese players, the playing field is fairly level. Some of the bigger players, like the Cubs and Dodgers (who Otani almost signed with out of high school), can't sign an IFA for more than a $300K bonus because they exceeded their pool limits in the past. There currently are as many as 8 teams that theorectically could offer him the max bonus of $10.1 million, but 3 of them (Royals, Padres, and Cardinals) also are limited to $300K. <br />
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If he was to wait two more years, Otani would likely command a deal in the $150-200 million range. Even though the new CBA dictates that he has to sign a minor league contract, and would be limited to the MLB minimum of $545 000 (and would be subject to MLB's service time rules, which would mean that he wouldn't be eligible for free agency for six years), there are some who suggest that Otani's reps will be sure to include some sort of under-the-table extension agreement. While that may be the case, if such an agreement were discovered by MLB, the penalties would be harsh. The scrutiny the Braves are currently undergoing as a result of past transgressions in the international market (which has already cost GM John Coppolella his job) might cause a team to think twice about such an arrangement. <br />
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Where do the Blue Jays fit in the Otani scenario? They have quietly been building a relationship with both Otani and the Fighters. Dan Evans, the Blue Jays Director of Pacific Rim Operations, has a lengthy relationship with teams and player across the ocean dating back to his days as the Dodgers GM. One of the most respected MLB scouts in Asia, Evans has been following Otani since his days as a storied high school player, and has spent a fair amount of time in Japan following him since he turned pro. Evans has also built strong ties with the Fighters' front office. When Otani returned to action this fall, a number of Jays personnel joined Evans in Japan scouting him, including Assistant GM Andrew Tinnish, director of pro scouting Ryan Mittleman, and several west coast scouts. Teams simply don't make this type of investment in a player (sending a sizeable contigent to Japan for several weeks is a huge expense) if they're not all in on him. Many teams have sent multiple front office types, of course, but few have had as sustained (or as prominent) a presence as the Blue Jays. <br />
In order to go on the international market, the Fighters will have to post him. The posting fee this time around is said to be in the $20 million range - a far cry from past posting fees.<br />
Despite leaving all that money on the table, stories from Japan state that Otani lives very frugally. His parents give him a stipend of $1000 US per month from his earnings, most of which he spends on fitness books and workout equipment. This is a player who appears very much to want to prove himself in MLB, and the money - at this point - seems to be secondary. The Rangers appear to be very much in the running, along with the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Yankees. Perhaps the Cubs and Dodgers, who covet Otani, could still be in the running despite their bonus limitations, with the promise of future earnings. The Padres and Mariners also reportedly have been in the mix. One thing is for certain - the team that does sign him will win the lottery, getting an MLB-ready impact player for half the cost of Lourdes Gurriel Jr, who the Blue Jays gave a 7 year/$21 million deal to last year. Are the Blue Jays a player for his services? No one knows for sure, but if the Blue Jays fail to sign Otani, it won't be for a lack of effort. Unlike past IFAs like Aroldis Chapman, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Yu Darvish, all of whom the Jays were reported to be "in" on, there's at least a feeling that the Blue Jays at least have a chance this time. <br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-66303787193346272292017-10-10T16:37:00.002-04:002017-10-10T16:37:25.955-04:00Blue Jays Send Large Contingent to Arizona<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20nDCxBpJZkDVRSiRzQbiCwwDdAWIC2hyphenhyphenqkBVHXv9x3p9IU7rF7onn8SG39z2uSxswxAyaDWkM-6MPifUKncqACshtt33gnircEqOtJSPdwzgQzfjQ4ZLk6kC0VIHdUZ61d44pUcKYakU/s1600/McClelland.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="1600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20nDCxBpJZkDVRSiRzQbiCwwDdAWIC2hyphenhyphenqkBVHXv9x3p9IU7rF7onn8SG39z2uSxswxAyaDWkM-6MPifUKncqACshtt33gnircEqOtJSPdwzgQzfjQ4ZLk6kC0VIHdUZ61d44pUcKYakU/s400/McClelland.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackson McClelland - Clutchlings photo</td></tr>
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The Blue Jays will be sending one of the largest groups of players to the Arizona Fall League in recent memory. 8 players and one coach will suit up for the Peoria Javelinas when play begins later today.<br />
The AFL serves as a finishing school for the top prospects in most organizations. Teams use the experience to see how their players stack up against elite competition. The time in Arizona is also used by teams to give their players some added reps if they had missed some time due to injury during the regular minor league season.<br />
Four pitchers will be playing for Peoria on behalf of the Blue Jays, including relievers Andrew Case, Jackson McClelland, and Danny Young. New Brunswicker Case does not blow hitters away, but with his command and ability to set up batters allowed him to limit hitters to a .230 average at 3 levels this year after beginnning the year in High A. McClelland, like Case a RHP, saved 15 games in 16 opportunities between Lansing and Dunedin this year, with a tidy 1.08 WHIP. Young is a sidewiding lefty who changed his arm slot last season. After starting the season at Dunedin, left handed hitters managed only to hit .154 against him in AA. The Blue Jays are building some impressive bullpen depth in their system, and it won't be a surprise to see this trio fare well in Arizona. Starting Pitcher TJ Zeuch, the club's first round pick last year, seemed primed to take off this season. A lower back strain landed him on the DL in June, and his rehab was set back by a hamstring strain. Zeuch returned in August, but on a strict innings/pitch limit. He's in Arizona to make up for lost development time, having only pitched 11 innings since the end of May.<br />
The Blue Jays will be sending a pair of Catchers to the Southwest. Max Pentecost has missed considerable time since being drafted in the first round in 2014. After a successful return in a role limited to DHing last year at Lansing and Dunedin, Pentecost returned to Catching with the D-Jays, also spending time at 1st and DH. Injuries forced him to be shut down for much of June and again for most of August. A premium talent who likely would be a big leaguer by now if not for the time lost to injury, it will be interesting not only to see how Pentecost fares against the advanced competition in the the AFL, but what position he will take on the field. Many have wondered if he can stand up to the rigors of Catching every day, and with the development of Danny Jansen and the acquisition last year of Reese McGuire, the Blue Jays may be contemplating moving him out from behind the plate.<br />
Javier Hernandez, who may be the best defensive Catcher in the system, will join Pentecost on the Peoria roster. Injuries limited his season debut until late June, and he's in Arizona for some added reps.<br />
The verstaile Lourdes Gurriel Jr will also suit up for Peoria. The much-heralded off season free agent signing from Cuba had his own injury struggles this season. Splitting his season between Dunedin (18 games) and New Hampshire (46), Gurriel showed plenty of promise on both sides of the ball. Gurriel split time between SS and 2B this year, but showed MLB-ready skills in terms of his reactions to ground balls, as well as his footwork, hands, and arm. His bat was a different story, which can be at least in part attributed to two seasons of inactivity prior to this one, and some time on the DL earlier this year. He's in Arizona to help accelerate his development.<br />
OF Jonathan Davis, who has shown an ability to get on base throughout his minor league career, and can play all three Outfield positions, is the 8th Toronto prospect assigned to Peoria.<br />
Rounding out the Toronto contingent is former MLBer Corey Hart, who drew raves for his work as Dunedin's hitting coach this year.<br />
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The AFL serves as a lab for the latest MLB pace of play experiments. The pitch clock will be tinkered with this year - with no runners on, a Pitcher must come set before the 12 second clock runs out. With runners aboard, he'll have 15 seconds once he receives the ball back from the Catcher. In addtion, mound visits by Managers or Pitching Coaches will be limited to 30 seconds. The extra-inning runner replacement rule will also be implemented this fall. Long used in international play, and adopted by the complex leagues this year, the main purposed of the rule at the lower levels is to help preserve pitching staffs. Starting with the 10th inning, the player who made the final out in the top of the 9th (or a pinch runner), will be placed on 2nd. The same will happen in the bottom of the inning. If no winner is declared after 11 innings of play this fall in the AFL, games will end in a tie. <br />
In addition to the Blue Jays prospects, the Peoria lineup features players from the Braves, Mariners, Padres, and Red Sox. Atlanta hopeful Ronald Acuña, <i>Baseball America</i>'s Minor League Player of the Year, joins Padres slugging 1B Josh Naylor (a Greater Toronto Area product), and Michael Chavis, Boston's 2nd ranked prospect will don the Javelinas uniform.<br />
The AFL plays a compressed six-week schedule, with a winner take all championship game November 18th. The Fall Stars Game on November 4th is usually streamed live, as is the league final. There is a huge assortment of prospect evaluators on Twitter who often live tweet the action.<br />
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<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-65274680718991195282017-09-20T13:30:00.000-04:002017-09-20T13:30:26.940-04:00Clutchlings Minor League Award Winners<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7hRxzhshADtL-COM29CWycio_lOGT-H3vqG5mTw6mMHVX_c-vvTOM_5e9zoTXKjkCRzq3O01AbBA0Jl9f7dWHVYDFOTLToceLEE0a0VmFTFXciqao00UE3FkB5YRW4vLur0GucP9M7-J/s1600/miller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="840" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7hRxzhshADtL-COM29CWycio_lOGT-H3vqG5mTw6mMHVX_c-vvTOM_5e9zoTXKjkCRzq3O01AbBA0Jl9f7dWHVYDFOTLToceLEE0a0VmFTFXciqao00UE3FkB5YRW4vLur0GucP9M7-J/s400/miller.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich Miller - Vancouver <i>Province </i>photo</td></tr>
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The Blue Jays farm system ended the season on a positive note. As President Mark Shapiro had noted in late August, much of the depth in the organization is still working its way up the ladder, and as if to reinforce that point, 4 of the team's 5 short season clubs made their respective league's post seasons, while three of the four full season teams fell short of .500.<br />
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In the minors, development supersedes winning. Teams do like their top prospects to move up and learn to win together, so making the playoffs is viewed as a positive thing. It can be also be a chance for tired players to injure themselves. The Blue Jays executives I have spoken to over the years don't necessarily see the minor league post season as a bad thing, but their lack of enthusiasm in noticeable.<br />
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At the bottom of the ladder, the Dominican Summer League's DSL Blue Jays won their division, only to be beaten in the first round by the Dodgers. Top IFAs from 2016 like Hugo Cardona, Naswell Paulino, Elixon Caballero, and Kenny Mauricio played for the club, which was piloted by veteran Blue Jays minor league Manager John Tamargo. <br />
One of the realities of minor league ball is that many of the players plying their trade for an organization are roster fillers. Teams will tell you that they believe that every player they sign has a chance, and while I think the Blue Jays sincerely believe that, the truth is that since only a handful of minor leaguers even get a cup of coffee in the bigs, roster turnover is a fairly frequent thing. Case in point: DSL Jays OF Andres Martinez, a late 2016 signing who was the club's best hitter, and our pick for Player of the Year. Martinez was among the team leaders in Average and OBP, but at 19 (he just turned 20), he was a little old for this level. IF Rafael Lantigua had comparable numbers, and a higher Slugging %, thanks to 6 Triples. He was also 11-23 in Stolen Bases, negating much of the value he created by getting on base. Martinez provided little pop (only 7 extra base hits, all Doubles), and that plus his age probably made the Jays feel he wasn't a candidate to move stateside next year.<br />
The DSL Jays Pitcher of the Year race was a tight one. LHP Paulino, a converted OF who can dial it up to 96, fanned 52 in 55 innings, and had a couple of outings where he was all but unhittable. Caballero, a Marcus Stroman-sized righty with an advanced feel for pitching, worked mostly out of the bullpen, striking out 36 in 32 frames. But the award goes to Righty Nathanael Perez, who K'd 55 and walked only 7 in 57 IP. Paulino and Caballero are only 17, while Perez is 19. All 3 will start in the GCL next year. The former two may move fast at some point.<br />
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The next rung on the ladder would be the Gulf Coast Jays, who were tied with the Phillies entry for first in their division with 10 games left in the schedule. The GCL Jays stumbled to a 4-6 finish, ending up two games behind the Phils and out of the playoffs. <br />
The GCL is where high schoolers and lower round college players from the June draft begin their careers. Rehabbing minor leaguers from upper levels also return to action via the GCL. CF Dominic Abbadessa, a 2016 23rd rounder whose debut season was limited to 15 games, was the team's top player (.340/.402/.408), and our Player of the Year.<br />
The GCL Jays Pitcher of the Year choice was fairly obvious. Even on a fairly deep pitching staff, Maverik Buffo stood out. A 34th round choice out of BYU, Buffo's elbow issues of last year likely caused teams to pass on him, and even the Blue Jays seemed reluctant to let him leave the confines on the minor league complex, where the team's medical staff is located. Buffo dominated GCL hitters, allowing only 28 hits and all of 2 walks in 34 innings, striking out 36. His performance earned him a selection to the All Rookie-Level team by <i>Baseball America</i>. The wraps should come off Buffo next year, and he should be headed to full season ball.<br />
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Another BA All-Rookie Choice, 1B Ryan Noda, gets the nod as Bluefield's Player of the Year. Noda was an Advanced Triple Crown winner - Average, OBP, Slugging - in the Appy League. The 15th round pick from Cincinnati flirted with .400 for much of the summer, before finally finishing with a line of .364/.507/.575. Described by a source who saw him with Bluefield as, "very patient, bordering on passive," at the plate, he will see more advanced pitching in full season ball next year. <br />
Southpaw Randy Pondler is our Pitcher of the Year for Bluefield. The Nicaraguan formed an effective 1-2 punch with 18 year old Venezuelan Maximo Castillo, and both (along with Buffo and several Vancouver arms) should lead an upgraded pitching staff at Lansing next year. Pondler is a long and lean lefty with a live arm who throws low 90's heat, and his best secondary is an 11/5 curve that flashed solid depth and bite, according to reports.<br />
Appy League voters obviously felt the same way about the pair; Noda was named Player of the Year, while Pondler took hom Pitcher honours.<br />
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Vancouver returned to the Northwest League finals for the first time since 2014, and didn't disappoint, defeating the Cubs' Eugene affliate 3-1, and capturing their 4th NWL crown in 7 years as a Blue Jays farm club. SS Logan Warmoth (1st), and C Riley Adams (3rd) were two June picks who stood out in leading the C's to victory. There was not a lot to choose between the two offensively, but Adams played 52 games at a demanding position, and helped guide a pitching staff that got better as the season progressed, and takes the award as a result.<br />
The C's Pitcher of the Year was an easy selection: RHP Nate Pearson, the team's 2nd first round pick (28th overall). Pearson tired a little at the end of the season, but he consistently sat 96-98 with his fastball, hitting 100 a number of times, and NWL hitters were no match for his heat. Through his first five innings-limited starts with the C's, Pearson did not allow a runner past 2nd. In the playoffs, he dialed his fastball up, fanning 10 in 4 innings vs Spokane in the division final.<br />
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SS Bo Bichette and 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr entered the 2017 season as teenagers with considerable promise. They ended it as two of the top prospects in the game. Bichette was above .400 as late as June 28th, and finished his time in the Midwest League a week later with a .384/.448/.623 line before joining Guerrero in a promotion to Dunedin. Vladdy Jr may be garnering more prospect acclaim, but there is everything to suggest that Bichette profiles as an impact MLB bat as well, with above average base running skills and Baseball IQ to go with it. The numbers he posted in Lansing earned him league MVP honours, as well as our POY. <br />
Lansing's Pitching staff caused some long nights for its fans, finishing at the bottom of the MWL in most stats. There was promise at the beginning of the season, with Justin Maese and Patrick Murphy fronting the starting rotation, and Zach Jackson and Jackson McClelland anchoring the back of the bullpen. With the former pair injured for a good chunk of the season, and the latter two promoted to Dunedin, the Lugnuts allowed a considerable number (1.56 WHIP) of base runners. Maese missed all of June and half of July before returning from a shoulder fatigue shutdown. Murphy missed a similar amount of time, but was much more effective than his rotation partner upon his return, earning a late-season promotion to the D-Jays. His tidy 2.94 ERA over 15 starts, 48.7% groundball rate, and 35.5% opposite field rate speak to a lot of weak contact. And that earns the Arizonan, who returned last year after missing almost two years due to injury, our Pitcher of the Year nomination for Lansing.<br />
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In the shadow of some more illustrious teammates at Dunedin like the Lansing Bash Twins and Max Pentecost, was Toronto native Connor Panas. The 1B/DH/OF started slowly, but was one of the Florida State League's most dangerous hitters in the second half. Panas led the FSL in Home Runs and Fly Ball%, no mean feat in a well-known Pitcher's league, and earns the Player of the Year title.<br />
Dunedin's opening day rotation was one of the best 1-4 in the minors. Ryan Borucki, Angel Perdomo, TJ Zeuch, and Markham's Jordan Romano formed a rotation that promised to lead the D-Jays to the post-season. And while Zeuch and Perdomo missed most of the second half of the season, and Borucki was promoted to AA in August, Dunedin did indeed make it to the playoffs, and captured league co-champion honours in an Irma-shortened playoff format. Last man standing Romano was a large part of that. His 138 K's in as many innings were second-best (behind Borucki) in the system. His 10.1% swinging strike rate indicates that he missed a lot of bats. Romano did not miss a start this season, and with Panas forms an all Greater Toronto Area Player and Pitcher of the Year combo for Dunedin.<br />
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It was a long season for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. In a sign of things to come, their first two games were postponed due to the wet Northeastern spring, and after losing 4 of their first 5, the weather continued to play havoc with the Fisher Cats' schedule. They finished 21 games under 500, losing 14 in a row to the Yankees Trenton affiliate over several series.<br />
The shining light of the New Hampshire season had to be the play of OF Anthony Alford, who regained his top prospect status after a sideways 2016. Called up to the big club, he broke his hamate bone, forcing another long stay on the DL. When Alford came back, he was sent to New Hampshire until the final weekend of the season. His final line of .310/.406/.429 for the Cats more than proved he will be in contention for a big league job next spring.<br />
New Hampshire's Pitcher of the Year was a difficult selection. At the season's outset, the Fisher Cats had three top prospects fronting their rotation in Sean Reid-Foley, Conner Greene, and Jon Harris. All three had their struggles, even with Greene hitting 100 numerous times this season. New Hampshire's bullpen likely kept their season from being a complete write off, and it's from the pen that we bring up Chris Rowley. The RHP spent all of last year pitching in relief for Dunedin after receiving an exemption from his military commitment, but was pressed into starting duty this year when fatigue and inconsistency hit the rotation. Rowley did not miss a beat, and used his success in a starting role into an eventual start for the Blue Jays. Although he threw only 52 innings before being promoted to Buffalo, Rowley allowed only 33 hits and 9 walks, pounding the bottom half of the strike zone. Rowley is our New Hampshire Pitcher of the Year.<br />
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AAA rosters have become more like temporary holding pens full of major league insurance. Rosters at this level are often in flux, depending on the state of affairs with the big league club. 69 players suited up for the Buffalo Bisons this year, 37 of them pitchers.<br />
On the player side, one would have thought entering this season that 1B Rowdy Tellez would be a safe bet to be the team's MVP. Tellez suffered through the worst season of his pro career in 2017, held to a .222/.295/.333 line, with only 6 Home Runs. OF Roemon Fields was a revelation in his fourth pro season, however, setting career highs en route to a .291/.355/.352 season. Fields is all about putting the ball in play and getting on base, which he did at a decent rate this season. His career-best 21.8% line drive rate also suggests that he's making better and more consistent contact. On the bases, he swiped 43 while being caught 12 times (a 78% success rate). His defence is without question, and he was a fixture in CF and at the bottom of the lineup. Fields is a fringe major leaguer at this point, with 4th OF potential, but he raised his offensive game this year.<br />
Buffalo's Pitcher of the Year was a difficult choice. TJ House, Brett Oberholtzer, and Jarret Grube all logged about 130 innings as starters, but their numbers were fairly mediocre. Murphy Smith gave the team a lot of valuable 7th and 8th innings, and made 8 starts when the rotation was thin. That versatility was important for Buffalo, and gives him the nod. <br />
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Since the most successful players in any organization tend to be the ones who play at several levels, they don't necessarily get to stick around to post huge numbers at any one stop. In recognition of this, it's worth choosing an over all Player and Pitcher of the Year for the Blue Jays organization.<br />
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For Player of the Year, two players share the award. C Danny Jansen was healthy for the first time since his debut in 2013, and the results were very impressive. Jansen started wearing sport glasses last fall in the Arizona Fall League in order to help him pick up the spin on his Pitcher's pitches better, with an added bonus that it helped him tremendously with pitch recognition at the plate. Jansen started the season at Dunedin and ended it at Buffalo, with the Blue Jays wisely opting to shut him down at the end of the season rather then place him on the 40-man and promoting him on September 1st. His .323/.400/.484 line for the season was one of the best in recent memory for a Blue Jays minor league Catcher, in addition to his prodigious receiving and Pitcher-handling skills.<br />
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Vladdy Jr more than held his own as an 18 year old at Lansing. While other players his age were preparing for the draft or college last spring, Guerrero was adding to his growing reputation in full season ball. He put together a line of .316/.409/.480 and played solid if not spectacular defence before being promoted to Dunedin. Against more advanced Florida State League Pitching, Guerrero built on those stats, hitting .323/.25/.485, earning Player of the Month laurels. Vladdy Jr now has to be considered the top prospect in the game.<br />
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Borucki's performance at three levels this year earns him the Pitcher of the Year award. After fanning 109 in 98 innings for Dunedin, the possessor of the best Change Up in the organization tossed 7 shutout innings in his Eastern League debut. His August work for New Hampshire (limiting hitters to a .187 BA) earned him a promotion to Buffalo for his final start of the season, where he tossed another six scoreless frames. Borucki's 157 Ks led the system and he was among the FSL leaders in Swinging Strike% and GB rate. The tall southpaw, who is one of the grittiest players in the system after losing two seasons to injury since being drafted in 2012, is on the verge of competing for a Major League job next spring.<br />
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If there was a Manager of the Year award, Vancouver's Rich Miller would be a cinch to win it. After taking over from John Schneider in 2011 part way through the season to lead the C's to an NWL title, the baseball lifer (Miller has been in the game for 44 years as a player, instructor, scout, and Manager - John Gibbons played for him) had served as a consultant to the Blue Jays for the past several years. Miller returned to helm the C's this year, and led them back to the league championship. Managing a short season team is a unique challenge. Skippers have to blend players who have been at Extended, chomping at the bit for three months for an opportunity to play real games, and recent draftees who have had a whirlwind experience after their collegiate seasons (there was a shorter than usual gap between the MLB draft and the start of the NWL season this year). Throw in playing in a new country, often far from home, and Miller had a huge challenge in harmonizing his roster and coming up with a winner, coaxing the best from his players, many of whom had never experienced large doses of failure in the game before experiencing it in the Pacific Northwest. One can only imagine the amount of patience it took. So now maybe we have a MOY award as well. Northwest League voters agreed with this choice in naming Miller the league's Manager of the Year.<br />
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"You're hired to be fired," is another baseball truism. Baseball is above all else a business. Clubs make personnel and roster moves that are in what they believe are the long term best interests of the organization. I was stunned to learn from Miller yesterday that he had been let go by the Blue Jays after bringing a title back to the Lower Mainland. To his credit, he was still willing to grant the interview request I had made despite this. I suspect he will be philosophical about his departure, and I'll reserve judgement about it until I speak with him. He's a good baseball man, and if he chooses to stay in the game I have no doubt he'll find another job quickly.Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-86780448037938183472017-09-09T07:37:00.000-04:002017-09-14T21:23:25.965-04:00A Look at the Van Cs<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Logan Warmoth - Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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People in the eastern half of the country may not know it, but the country's most successful baseball franchise of the decade has been based on the West Coast.<br />
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The Short Season Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League captured three consecutive league championships (and just missed on a 4th) from 2011-13, and have consistently been among the leaders in attendance, leading the loop for the third season in a row in setting a NWL record by attracting over 239 000 fans this year (an average of 6 303 per game). And after capturing the first half division title, they are off to the playoffs again this week.<br />
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A fan who was visiting the Lower Mainland and area last week stopped by to catch a couple of games, and came away impressed, which had been the case on his previous visits. The C's home of Nat Bailey Stadium is located minutes away from downtown Vancouver in an otherwise quiet mid-town neighbourhood. The Nat, which hosts the University of British Columbia Thnuderbirds in the spring, was built in 1951, and the stadium does show its age. The Canadians have made a number of improvements and upgrades to the stadium, but the concrete grandstand from 1st to 3rd is still the hub of the park. Comfortable field level chairs grace the lower half of the stadium, but good old fashioned hard-backed benches are found in the upper level. Several pillars make for partially obstructed views, and the setting sun down the 1st Base line can make for steamy conditions in the upper reaches along the 3rd Base line in the early innings. Family friendly entertainment can be found down the LF line, and a new seating area just beyond the LF wall opened last year. If you're booking more than two tickets, be sure to do so months in advance. The Nat is also only a short walk away from Vancouver's Sky Train, which may pale a bit in comparison to Toronto's subway system, but is a quick way to get around the city.<br />
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Northwest League rosters are populated by college players taken in the recent June draft, as well as a sprinkling of players who have worked their way up from the lower levels. The Blue Jays like to have Vancouver as a stop along the way to a major league career for their top prospects - players have an incredible home atmosphere to play in, plus it gives them a taste of living in Canada, learning to deal with issues such as the currency, and going through Customs on road trips. Several high draft picks from this past June, including SS Logan Warmoth, P Nate Pearson, and C Riley Adams were sent to the Pacific Northwest this year.<br />
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Warmoth is a player the Blue Jays have been following for several years, and Amateur Scouting Director Steve Sanders said the club was thrilled that he was still available when their turn to pick in the 1st round came up. Unlike many drafted Short Stops, Warmoth is projected to stay at the position. While he didn't have a whole lot of balls hit to him in the games I saw him in, he shows good footwork and reactions to the ball. He did skip a throw to 1st that bounced down the RF line on a throw from the hole that he may have been better advised to have eaten the ball on. At the plate, Warmoth has a balanced set up, and an excellent approach. He barreled up several balls over the series I took in. Smart on the bases, and the possessor of high make up and baseball IQ, he looks every bit an MLBer in the making.fpdde<br />
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Adams, Toronto's 3rd round choice, had a reputation as a bat-first Catcher coming out of San Diego U. At 6'4", he's somewhat big for the position, but he is athletic (Adams has a Black Belt in Karate), and presents a low target. His work last week in terms of blocking and handling Pitchers appears to be at least adequate, but his framing needs a bit of work. He showed a rifle arm in cutting down a runner, but his arm has been described as inconsistent. He will no doubt be going to Catching Finishing School with Roving Catching Instructor Ken Huckaby at Instructs later this month. At the plate, Adams shows a good approach, and uses the whole field. He posted a good .305/.374/.438 line in the Northwest League this summer. Although he needs some work with his receiving skills, Adams too profiles as a major leaguer one day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley Adams - Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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We detailed Pearson in a previous post. After fanning 10 over 4 innings in the C's first playoff game against Spokane, he further cemented his status as a rising Pitching prospect.<br />
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The C's had a solid group of next level prospects as well - guys who may not profile as Major Leaguers just yet, but are worth following. 9th rounder LHP Zach Logue and 10th round RHP Justin Dillon formed an effective piggyback duo over the last half of the season. White Rock, BC native Brayden Bouchey was very strong out of the C's pen. He topped out at 90-91, but the 6"6" righty has a funky, over-the-top delivery that can be tough on right handed hitters. LHP Travis Bergen, who has missed considerable time since being drafted in the 7th round in 2015, was lights out in relief, sitting 92, but with excellent fastball command and secondaries. If he were to stay healthy and perhaps add a tick or two of velo, he could move quickly next year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brayden Bouchey - Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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1B Kacy Clemens, son of Hall of Famer Roger, showed good defensive skills at 1st, but his bat speed seem to be wanting. Vancouver press box regulars suggested that he's worn out after his first pro season, which is not unusual for a college player; between college and the pros, he's played over 120 games this year.<br />
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CF Reggie Pruitt is among the fastest players in the system, and covers a tremendous amount of ground in the outfield. He's progressed at the plate, but his strike zone judgement is still in need of further development - a 26% K rate won't cut it for a player with his game-changing speed. His offensive numbers were better in the second half, so maybe he's on an upward trajectory.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reggie Pruitt - Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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The C's swept Spokane, and face the Cubs' Eugene affiliate in the Best of Five League finals. The series starts in Eugene this weekend, then shifts to Vancouver for the remainder of the series.<br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-10564209738927585822017-09-06T06:46:00.001-04:002017-09-07T15:14:52.331-04:00A Look at Nate Pearson<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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The first thing you notice about Nate Pearson when he's on the mound is his size. At 6'6"/245, he looks more like a Tight End than a Pitcher. When hitters come to the plate to face him, they know that triple digit heat is on its way.<br />
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Pearson faced the Rockies' Northwest League affiliate Boise Hawks in Vancouver's last home game of the regular season on August 30th. Coming into the game, NWL hitters had been entirely at Pearson's mercy over his previous six starts since coming north in late July. In 16 innings, the righthander had allowed only 5 baserunners, with none advancing past 2nd Base. <br />
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Pearson was not highly scouted as a high school senior, with his fastball sitting in the 92-93 range. He enrolled at Florida International, and pitched 30 innings as a freshman. Pearson weighed 225 entering college, but it was at FIU that he became serious about adding some bulk to his frame. He transferred to Central Florida JC in order to be closer to home, but he continued to commit to getting stronger. He used a long toss program, weighted balls, and the teachings of Kyle Boddy of Driveline Baseball, a Washington-based training program to add velocity. While at Central Florida, he also worked on his secondaries.<br />
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Things began to come together in a big way for Pearson last fall, when he hit 100 in a Florida college showcase. Scouts began to follow him closely this past spring, and he didn't disappoint. While he seldom approached triple digits, he did consistently sit 93-94, touching 97. The biggest difference was the quality of his secondary pitches: his changeup began to grade as a plus pitch, and he showed a slurvy slider with good shape. His fastball itself was noted for its late run, as well as his command of it. As the spring progressed, his change and slider developed from "show me" pitches to legitimate strike-inducing complements to his heat. Pearson had a screw inserted into his pitching elbow in high school, but all reports the Blue Jays had received said that he was healthy, and after taking North Carolina SS Logan Warmoth with the first of their two 1st round selections, the Blue Jays selected Pearson with their second, 28th overall.<br />
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There were suggestions among some scouts that Pearson could move quickly through the minors as a reliever. In short stints, he certainly can dial his fastball up. But the Blue Jays felt he had the build, mindset, and repertoire to turn a lineup over, and sent him to Vancouver after one start in the GCL. His pitch count and innings have been closely monitored since then. Against Boise on a hot late August afternoon at charming Nat Bailey stadium in the shadow of the Coast Mountains, the shackles were likely going to be loosened a bit more on Pearson after throwing 60 pitches in his last start.<br />
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In his first inning, Pearson came out firing, hitting 100 with his third pitch. In a sign of things to come, however, he walked that first batter on 7 pitches. Pearson was squeezed a bit, but he also struggled to command his fastball to both sides of the plate. He settled down after that leadoff walk, getting the next hitter on a called 97 third strike fastball, and getting the third hitter on a weak flyball to CF. On his next pitch, a 97 called strike to Boise's clean up hitter, C Riley Adams fired a cannon to 2nd to cut down an attempted steal, ending the inning.<br />
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Pearson's 2nd inning was his longest of the afternoon. A 9-pitch AB by the leadoff hitter resulted in a weak groundout to 1B Kacy Clemens, but it was a sign of things to come. Pearson was still sitting 96-98, and tried to get swings off of a pair of off-the-plate curves, but Boise hitters didn't bite. With two out and ahead in the count to the third batter of the inning, Pearson tried to sneak a change up past the Boise hitter, who drove it down the 3rd Base line for a double. The next hitter grounded a single up the middle, and CF Reggie Pruitt charged hard and came up throwing. His throw appeared to arrive in plenty of time to C Riley Adams at the plate, but Adams bobbled it, and Pearson had given up his first run in pro ball. He struck out the next batter looking to end the inning after having thrown 28 pitches.<br />
Pearson was back to his more dominant former self in the 3rd inning, striking out the side swinging, using his change and curve more effectively. He was touched 98 with several pitches, and topped out at 99.<br />
By the fourth, though, Pearson's velo and command started to flag. He was now sitting 94-96, and while his offspeed pitches were sharper, his overall command wasn't. Pearson loaded the bases on a base hit sandwiched by a pair of walks, and his afternoon was over. Great relief work by local product Brayden Bouchey limited the damage to a single run on the inning.<br />
For the game, Pearson threw 73 pitches, 40 for strikes. He fanned 5 and walked three, and had a pair of ground ball outs. Truth be told, Pearson was probably the least effective Vancouver pitched on the day; Bouchey pitched a pair of scoreless innings, while lefty Travis Bergen, making his way back from over a year of inactivity due to injury, tossed three scoreless frames, striking out 6. Just the same, there was much to take away that was positive from Pearson's outing. His fastball was no match for Boise hitters, but his secondaries were not effective offerings on this occasion. He consistently repeats his drop-and-drive delivery, and throws his offspeed pitches from the same arm slot as his fastball. Standing in a modifed stretch on the rubber, there are not a lot of moving parts to his mechanics. And while Adams has been the Canadians' best player, and comes to pro ball with a reputation as a solid defensive Catcher, he has some work to do in terms of framing pitches. On some of the borderline pitches, Adams appeared to reach rather than coax the ball into the strike zone, and this may be an area he works on at Instructional League. <br />
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There is a great deal about Pearson that can lead one to profile him as a top of the rotation starter. The fastball velocity gives him a greater margin for error on his secondaries, which by many reports have come a long way over the past year. Baseball wisdom suggests that a true measure of a Pitcher is how he performs when he doesn't have his best stuff. If that is true, at 20, Pearson still has some maturing to do. Perhaps knowing that his outings would be limited to 3-4 innings, and given the huge home crowd, Pearson may have been a little too pumped up, and we're willing to give him plenty of further opportunities to prove himself. The Blue Jays prefer to let their new draftees play, and worry about making refinements after their first pro season. Pearson will likely be headed to Florida to continue to develop his fastball command, as well as the consistency of his secondary pitches. It's still early in his career, but there's every reason to believe that the Blue Jays have a front end starter in the making.<br />
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According to our good friend Charlie Caskey (@CharlieCaskey on Twitter), who we sat with in the Vancouver press box for Pearson's start, C's Pitching Coach Jim Czajkowski, who has served in that capacity with team for 6 of their 7 seasons as a Blue Jays affiliate, Pearson is the best arm he's ever had. That would put Pearson ahead of such major leaguers as Roberto Osuna, Aaron Sanchez, Marcus Stroman, and Noah Syndergaard. After fanning 10 hitters over 4 innings in Vancouver's first playoff game, Pearson appears to have backed that claim up.<br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-82625603531226077512017-09-02T08:25:00.003-04:002017-09-02T08:40:46.384-04:00Panas Slugging His Way into Prospect Picture<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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The Blue Jays' Low A affiliate, the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League, host an annual exhibition game with the Michigan State Spartans - the "Crosstown Showdown" of the state capital's two ball teams.<br />
Last year, a Home Run derby took place before the game, which was held after the Lugs' regular season ended. A pair of prospects from lower levels by the name of Guerrero and Bichette were invited to take part in the derby. Each side entered three players. The contest was won not by one of the prized youngsters, but by Toronto's own Connor Panas, who played for Lansing.<br />
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A 9th round pick out of Canisius in 2015, Panas' scouting report from <i>Baseball America </i>was hardly glowing:<br />
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Panas makes up for his lack of plus tools with a lack of weaknesses. A graduate of the Toronto Mets club program, Panas is as polished as college players come. He's a lefthanded hitter with fringe-average bat speed and a good understanding of what he's able to do, though he can sometimes expand the strike zone. He is able to drive mistakes a long way, though his power is closer to fringe than it is average. Panas is 6-foot, 215 pounds and plays passable defense at third base, showing quick feet and an average arm. He is a slightly below-average runner out of the box. Overall, Panas' lack of major weaknesses will entice a team to give him a chance, especially as a senior who has four years of performance under his belt.</blockquote>
And to be honest, through his first two pro seasons, while he did show some pop at Lansing (16 Homers in a difficult HR league), there was not a lot to suggest that he would be a breakout candidate in 2017. But after posting a line of .231/.343/430 at Lansing last year, Panas has become one of the Florida State League's most dangerous hitters this season. The pair of Homers he hit on Thursday night gave him the FSL lead with 18, and he leads the league in flyball rate, is second in Slugging, and sits 5th in OBP. His performance has led to a league post-season all start selection. <br />
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Panas says the key for him this year has been a change in his mechanics to keep his head still while he tracks pitches, with has boosted his pitch recognition skills tremendously:<br />
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When I have the least amount of head movement that's when I'm at my best because I recognize pitches early and I'm able to square them up more often. Limiting my movement and simplifying everything has been what stands out the most. </blockquote>
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With the change in mechanics comes something of an adjustment in terms of his approach. Like all Blue Jays prospects, he's taught to hunt the fastball, but he's now started to be more selective at the plate. "This year has been very beneficial to me," he responded when asked what has been the difference this year. "Not just in production numbers, but now I have come to realize and process what works well for me at the plate."<br />
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The Blue Jays new High Performance Department has had an impact on Panas. In addition to staff who tailor strength/cardio/flexibility and nutrition plans for each player, the Department helps players deal with the mental aspect of the game. And that is the area in which Panas feels he's benefitted the most:<br />
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One thing that stands out the most when it comes to helping me develop as a player (is) the mental side of baseball is a tricky thing to overcome especially when you are playing 140 games. You'll have your ups and downs but it's crucial to stay level minded. Don't get to high or too low. We have several psychological strength coaches that are always there for you.</blockquote>
Panas has gotten stronger both physically and mentally as the season has progressed. Through July 1st, he had hit all of 4 Home Runs, and was hitting a paltry .223. Since that time, he's been one of the hottest hitters in the organization, slashing .332/.403/.621. There is not a lot of video to dissect as only one FSL team (Bradenton) has a stream on milb.com, but the few games that are available back up Panas' claim about keeping his head still. The left handed hitter sits deep in the box, and has an upright, slightly open stance. He has only a slight leg kick that likely assists in minimizing movement in all parts of his swing. His bat speed, combined with this stance, allow him to maximize plate coverage. <br />
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A decent defender, Panas has played mostly in the OF for Dunedin this year, with over half of his games coming in RF. He can also play 1B, and he DHs on occasion. With his performance over the second half of the season, he's starting to profile as a versatile, corner OF/1B type of bat-first player. Playing in a Blue Jays system that is vastly upgraded from what it was two years ago, he may not be a Top 10 player, but he's certainly working his way into the conversation. <br />
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<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-91891016685824906492017-09-01T13:55:00.000-04:002017-09-01T13:55:10.948-04:00A Look at the First Wave of September Call Ups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Ureña Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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The Blue Jays called up 5 players in preparation for Major Legue Rosters expanding to 40 players today.<br />
OFs Michael Saunders, Teoscar Hernandez, C Luke Maille, SS Richard Ureña, and P Carlos Ramirez will join the team in Baltimore.<br />
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Former Jay Saunders has come full circle since being released earlier in the season by the Phillies, and gives the team some much needed OF depth for September. Maille solidifies the team behind the plate in the wake of the struggles of Raffy Lopez.<br />
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Hernandez, Ureña, and Ramirez are all worth a longer look.<br />
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Hernandez came to the Jays from the Astros in the Francisco Liriano deal, and was the Astros 5th-ranked prospect at the time of the deal. After a slow start in Buffalo, the five-tool Hernandez finished with a flurry, cracking 5 Home Runs in his last 10 AAA games. With the Blue Jays OF likely to sport a much different look next year, the Blue Jays are kicking the tires on the 24-year old Dominican.<br />
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We have followed Ureña since 2014, when he started the year at Bluefield, and finished it with playoff bound Vancouver. Signed in the same IFA class as SS Frankie Barreto, the Jays decided that Ureña was the better long-term prospect at the position when they dealt Barreto to Oakland in the Josh Donaldson deal. Noted more as a glove first player, Ureña had a breakout year at the plate at Lansing and Dunedin in 2015, cracking 15 Home Runs. This year, at New Hampshire, his numbers at the plate (.247/.286/.359) were a bit more pedestrian, but a slow start was at least partly to blame. In the field, Ureña may be remembered by some fans more for his struggles with the big club in spring training this year, but he is a solid defender with a plus arm. He has shown a tendency in the past to flub the routine plays, but he has the fast twitch reflexes to cover a lot of ground at short. Troy Tulowitzki has made all the right noises about wanting to stay at SS, but Ureña will be his eventual successor. With the Blue Jays strongly considering a different make up for the middle of their infield next year, having a look at Ureña this fall makes sense. Added to the 40 man roster last fall, it seems like the Dominican has been around forever, but he's only 21, and is still probably a year or two away. He may not profile as a top of the order bat, but he should provide steady up the middle defence eventually.<br />
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RHP Ramirez is one of 2017's feel-good stories. Signed as an OF in 2009, Ramirez put up a line of .225/.292/.347 through his first five minor league seasons, and was on the verge of being released in the spring of 2014. The Blue Jays converted him to Pitching, and sent him back to short season ball to essentially start all over again. By 2016, he had become part of a lights out bullpen in Dunedin. Sent to AA, he spent all of May and June on the DL, but became dominant in the back end of New Hampshire's pen upon his return. Promoted to Buffalo in mid-August, Ramirez didn't allow a run in 7 outings, 6 of them 2+ inning stints. In 39 innings between the two levels, Ramirez fanned 45. At 6'5", Ramirez is an imposing presence on the mound, and gets good extension on his mid-90s fastball, which is paired up with a wipeout slider. Minor league hitters have been overmatched against him this season. With the beleagured Blue Jays bullpen in need of reinforcements, Ramirez more than fits the bill.<br />
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There will likely be a second wave of minor league call-ups once their season ends on Labour Day. Vancouver and Dunedin are headed to the post-season, but their rosters will not be impacted. It's reasonable to expect that OF Anthony Alford returns. LF Dwight Smith Jr might also return. RHP Chris Rowley was promoted last month, and might return to provide some bullpen help. LHP Ryan Borucki, who had a scintillating AAA last night might be a candidate, but he's also blown past his career high in Innings Pitched, and the team may opt either for a shut down, or a late-September call up. IF Lourdes Gurriel Jr, a prized free agent signing last off season, is heading to the Arizona Fall League in October to make up for some missed development time.<br />
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Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro has said that when it comes to building a winner, there are no shortcuts. He also said earlier this week that he doesn't think the system has enough upper level depth - there are no "waves" of prospects on the immediate horizon just yet. So, while a re-tooling of the team would to appear to be in the works unless they can pull off a miracle this month, it's apparent that an influx of prospects won't be part of the rebuild at least for a few seasons. <br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-3078205184372136212017-08-17T07:54:00.000-04:002017-08-17T07:54:12.662-04:00Maverik Aims to be Blue Jays Top Gun<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Provo <i>Daily Herald </i>photo</td></tr>
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<i>“Time to get to work and prove some people wrong,” Buffo said. “The biggest thing I’ve been looking for more than the money is to be with a team that makes an investment in me and will give me the chance to prove myself.” </i> </blockquote>
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One of the first things we should get out of the way in regards to Toronto Blue Jays prospect Maverik Buffo is that yes, he was named after Tom Cruise's character from the movie <i>Top Gun</i>. The 34th round pick from Brigham Young, who is currently dominating the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, says he has been heckled many times over the course of his baseball life with plenty of lines from the movie. "People ask me all the time, 'Hey Maverik, where's Goose?'"<br />
Buffo adds that he will be getting a dog this offseason, and (you guessed it) will name it after Cruise's sidekick.<br />
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Utah native Buffo had become BYU's 2nd starter in his sophomore year, and seemed primed to go in the top 10 rounds of the draft following his junior year until he suffered a torn UCL. Rest and rehab is the usual route for UCL tears, often followed by Tommy John surgery if the regimen was not successful. Buffo opted to try a relatively new therapy:<br />
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For my rehab, I got a stem cell injection as well as a PRP injection and then I began rehabbing with my trainer at BYU throughout the rest of that season and then all through off season and then I was cleared 100% before fall had started. That's when I started throwing in scrimmages and in fall games and then I have felt great ever since. </blockquote>
The PRP (Platelet-Rich Therapy) treatment was the course of action the Blue Jays went with Roberto Osuna when he tore his UCL in 2014, but it was ultimately unsuccessful, and its results across baseball have been mixed at best. Stem cell treatment is used in more severe tears. <br />
Buffo returned to BYU's rotation this year, but his numbers were less than spectacular. Still, his velocity had returned to the 92-93 range, hitting 95 on occasion. But those stats, along with some concerns about his elbow, caused his draft stock to tumble. According to the Provo (UT) <i>Daily Herald</i>, Buffo thought at one point during the draft that he might be going to the Yankees in the 18th or 19th round, or to the Diamondbacks later, but by Day Three he was still waiting for his name to be called, until the Blue Jays finally selected him:<br />
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“It’s hard to sit there and watch and get calls from different teams who tell you that they want to draft you and when your name doesn’t get called ... it’s pretty stressful. But then when I heard my name called, I felt a pit in my stomach and thought, ‘You just got drafted.’”</blockquote>
Buffo could have gone back to Brigham Young for his senior year in order to improve his draft stock, but he was ready to turn pro:<br />
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Playing professional baseball has been my dream for as long as I can remember. And it is something that I have worked so hard for. To me I felt that I was ready for the next chapter in my life and that I was ready to pursue my dream. I loved everything about BYU they played a major role in getting me where I am today but I just felt the time was right for me to continue to chase that dream. I felt I got everything i could possibly learn and wanted to continue to get better at the next level. </blockquote>
After the post-draft orientation in Florida, Buffo remained at the minor league complex to pitch for the GCL Jays, likely because the team wanted to keep an eye on him for medical reasons, and possibly because the team has a good stockpile of Pitchers at Bluefield and Vancouver, the other two short season clubs in the system. He has dominated GCL hitters through 24 innings, including 4 starts. He's a few innings short of qualifying for the league's lead with his microscopic 0.37 ERA, but his 43.1% swinging strike rate is second only to teammate Justin Watts'. <br />
Buffo's arsenal has been described as a five-pitch mix, but like so many successful Pitchers, everything is dictated by the Fastball:<br />
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I go after hitters very aggressively. I want to attack them with my fastball. I want to challenge them, my best vs their best. That's what is so fun about this game. I look at the way these hitters react to the previous pitch whether it may be how their body reacted or how their swing was to determine what I am gonna throw next. But for the most part I love to challenge them with my fastball and make them get themselves out. With my breaking ball, it depends on the count but I try to think fastball with it. I try to think fastball with all my off speed pitches because I want everything to look the same. </blockquote>
Florida-based Pro and Amateur Scout (and good friend of this blog) Chris King has seen Buffo in action several times in the GCL and has come away impressed:<br />
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He's been 92-95 with good movement. Throws strikes and likes to work down in the zone. Has a sharp breaking ball that has tight shape and horizontal break. Very durable frame as well. Mechanics are simple and repeatable.</blockquote>
A 34th round pick could largely be seen as a roster filler. Many MLB teams, however, are taking chances on Pitchers on Day 3. Sometimes there is something in their profile that stands out (like spin rates) that makes a team take a gamble on them - get them in the system, and put them on a weighted ball or some other program to increase velocity, and see what happens. At $50 000, Buffo's signing bonus was higher than that of most players in his draft neighbourhood, but in the larger scheme of things is pretty minimal to an MLB team. In Buffo's case, Blue Jays Area Scout Pete Holmes went on his past performance and his make up to convince the club to take him. <br />
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With Vancouver and Bluefield both gearing up for playoff runs (the former has already clinched a post-season berth; the latter is tied for their division lead), there might be a promotion in the offing for Buffo. Or they might opt to limit his innings (he threw 88 in college, in addition to the two dozen he's thrown as a pro) as the season winds down. Either way, there's an excellent chance he skips a couple of levels and lands in Lansing next year. <br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-44144905037458129002017-08-10T15:31:00.000-04:002017-08-10T15:31:26.690-04:00Blue Jays Scouting Director Weighs in on MLB Draft<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Blue Jays Director of Amateur Scouting Steve Sanders moved to Toronto last fall after being named to the job following six years with the Red Sox, but with the duties that come with running the department charged with selecting players in the annual June draft, he admits that he hasn't seen a lot of the city just yet.<br />
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We caught up with Sanders in Chicago, where he was waiting on a flight to Tampa. The Under Armour Showcase, an annual gathering of the top draft-eligible high school players that takes place at Wrigley Field, had just wrapped up. The East Coast Pro Showcase was on tap next for Florida, followed by the Area Code Games in California the week after.<br />
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The Blue Jays' drafting philosophy had undergone a change under the leadership of President Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins from the days of Alex Anthopolous, which was evident last year. Up to 2015, the Blue Jays had been willing to roll the dice on draft day, selecting players with high upside, but often with accompanying high risk. The high school pitcher, perhaps the riskiest commodity in the market, was the Blue Jays preference, as well as athletes in non-traditional baseball places. In 2016, the club went with a more conservative approach, selecting college players with five of their first six picks, which may have been an effort to re-stock the system in response to the prospect dealing Anthopoulos did in his final year at the Blue Jays helm.<br />
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Approaching the draft, the goal for Blue Jays scouts, says Sanders, is "a complete understanding of the player on and off the field....his strengths, weaknesses, and make-up." Players are evaluated not just for their tools, but for their aptitutde, and coachability, and as Sanders says, "how their values align with our organization's."<br />
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Working with the Blue Jays High Performance Department on evaluating players, Sanders says the club is always, "working to find new ways to gather and evaluate information more efficiently." For obvious reasons, he wouldn't divulge what some of the team's methods were, but it was well known that the Red Sox, his former employer, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/02/18/neuroscouting-may-give-red-sox-heads-prospects-potential/EFBHR3zNdThk1NboRpNMHL/story.html" target="_blank">used neuroscience to help evaluate potential draftees. </a> Angus Mugford, who heads up the High Performance group, said just before the draft that his role was to create "a good physical and mental fundamental makeup of as many players as possible," with the mental component being a huge factor. Make up has become a huge focus of the Blue Jays' evaluaton of prospects - Director of Player Development Gil Kim calls it "the sixth tool." With talent levels being so even across a wide spectrum of players, it's often traits like grit and resilience that separate the prospects from the suspects. Sanders added that the Blue Jays' Area Scouts take pride in getting to know players - "the more we know (about a player), the better draft day decisions we can make."<br />
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After taking over from former Scouting Director Blake Parker last fall, Sanders made few changes to the scouting staff. In the early years of the Anthopoulos era, the Blue Jays had one of the largest amateur scouting staffs in baseball, but the numbers have been cut back over the past few years. Sanders felt that wholesale change wasn't necessary when he took over: "this is a group that had a lot of success before I got here." As for his philosophy on draft day, he says because each draft is unique in terms of the composition of its top players, and the important thing is to "attack the draft, adding as much impact talent as we can." More often that not, this translates to the "best player available," when the Blue Jays' turn to select comes up each round. Sanders says it's best to be "open-minded" when it comes to the draft - some years college players dominate, and sometimes there are more arms than bats, as well as the reverse. In preparing for next year's draft, Sanders already suggests that it will be different in terms of its composition of top propsects than this year's was.<br />
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Sanders was asked for some capsule comments on the team's top draft picks:<br />
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On North Carolina SS Logan Warmoth, taken 22nd overall:<br />
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He's a player we've scouted for a long time....he wasn't a propsect out of High School, but he steadily improved at North Carolina, and that really showed this year. He's very steady and a well-rounded player, with a chance to stay at SS and hit for power. His make up is off the charts, and he has the intangibles to be a top of the lineup hitter.</blockquote>
The second Blue Jays 1st rounder was Florida Juco RHP Nate Pearson:<br />
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His stuff in undeniable. He's shown steady improvement, and (Area Scout) Matt Bishoff has known him for a long time. It's not just his velocity, his secondaries are good pitches as well. He's a good athlete, repeats his delivery well, and has the ingredients to be a top of the rotation arm.</blockquote>
2nd round pick C Hagen Danner:<br />
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Very athletic player who we scouted as both a catcher and a pitcher. Strong with projectable power, has a chance to be a run producer with the bat to go along with good hands and plus arm behind the plate. Was up to 95 with quality 3 pitch mix off the mound. Great competitor & teammate who bring a lot of winning attributes.</blockquote>
3rd rounder C Riley Adams:<br />
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Strong performer in his 3 years at USD and in the Cape league, has power to all fields and shown ability to hit for average and get on base. Easy arm strength and another very good athlete which we feel will help him stay behind the plate despite his larger frame. Works hard on both sides of the ball and continued to get better defensively throughout our looks this season.</blockquote>
4th round pick SS Kevin Smith:<br />
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Quality defender with hands and instincts to stick at SS. Has some pullside power at the plate and showed off what he can do with the bat in the Cape league last summer. Student of the game that's remade parts of his swing over the last few years, did a nice job of making some adjustments this spring to bounce back from a slow start. As he continues to develop, we feel he has the tools to bring value on both sides of the ball as an everyday SS.</blockquote>
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5th round pick 2B Cullen Large:</div>
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Offensive switch hitting infielder with feel for the bat from both sides. Quality performer for three years at William & Mary. Has played mostly 2B but may be able to move around some for added versatility.</blockquote>
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6th rounder OF Brock Lundquist:<br />
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LHH college OF with feel to hit & track record of performance at Long Beach State. Can play both corners.</blockquote>
7th round pick RHP Colton Laws:<br />
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Big 6'7 RHP with three pitch mix, gets downhill and throws a lot of strikes. Has impressive feel to pitch, size and angle add deception and can make him a tough look for hitters. Good athlete who was a basketball player in HS, feel he's going to continue to get better as he continues to log innings.</blockquote>
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Canadian OF Tanner Kirwer, taken in the 20th round:</div>
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CF with plus speed to impact the game in the outfield and on the bases. Was starting to hit his stride offensively before being hit by pitch at the end of July (<i>he was recently placed on the 60-day DL)</i>. Great makeup and energy, originally from Alberta, Canada before heading to Niagara U.</blockquote>
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As the draft heads into Day 2, the knowledge of the Area Scouts is "the locomotive that drives the process," according to Sanders, and is a good example of why these individuals are among the most important in the organization. They know the players better than anyone, having seen them play over the course of several years. The intuition of Area Scouts becomes even more important on Day 3, when there is little information available about players who have yet to be drafted. Many selected at this point become what is known in the trade as "organization guys" - players drafted in order to fill rosters at the lower levels of the farm system. But, as Sanders says, "for every guy we drafted, there was someone on the staff who believed in them." <br />
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At 29, Sanders is one of the youngest Scouting Directors in baseball. He is, in baseball terms, "a gamer." Sanders attended Northwestern, but tore his labrum before attending the school, and redshirted his first three years. After graduation, he interned with Dodgers in his hometown before moving across the country to become the Red Sox Amateur Scouting Coordinator in 2012, moving up to Assistant Director in 2015. He has as reputation as having strong people and analytical skills. When asked what allowed Sanders to stand out among the candidates the Blue Jays were considering for the job, Shapiro responded:<br />
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It was helpful that Steve had worked with people that we knew well and aligned with like Ben Cherington, Mike Hazen and Mike Murov. Throughout our time with him, he was thoughtful, intelligent, passionate and humble. Steve impressed upon us that he was driven to learn and improve – and more importantly help others do the same. He also exuded many of the leadership traits that I think separate great leaders. Even better, he has over delivered on those interview attributes in his everyday leadership. He works to build strong, respectful relationships throughout our organization and to utilize every person and source of information to help us make better scouting decisions. We are fortunate to have Steve leading our Amateur Scouting staff.</blockquote>
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Once things settle down at the end of the summer, Sanders admits that he's looking forward to getting to know Toronto better before planning and scouting for next year's draft begins. <br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-72333104236393077652017-08-03T08:18:00.002-04:002017-08-03T08:28:57.218-04:00A Look at Samad Taylor<br />
IF Samad Taylor was acquired by the Blue Jays in the Joe Smith deadline deal, along with LHP Thomas Pannone. Taylor was a 10th round pick of Cleveland in 2016. In the aftermath of the deal, the term that seemed to be applied to the athletic Californian is intriguing.<br />
Viewed as undersized, he put on quite a performance in front of an armada of scouts at the 2015 Area Code Games tryouts that changed a number of teams' minds. A draft report from <i>Baseball America </i>suggests he was a Best Player Available pick:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">He's athletic and has some quick hands that give him surprising power at his size. He's a plus runner who could wind up as a utility player and has a good chance to stay in the infield. He's undersized at 5-foot-9, 159 pounds and may not have the arm strength to stick at shortstop.</span></blockquote>
As is the case with most high school picks, Taylor spent his first year in pro ball in a complex league, putting up a respectable .293/.359/.397 line for Cleveland's Arizona League entry. Sent to short season Mahoning Valley of the New York-Penn League, he's put up decent numbers again, showing a little more pop, but getting on base less often.<br />
Taylor is one of those fast-twitch, athletic guys that teams covet. He was a switch-hitter in high school, but the Indians had him hitting only from the right side when he turned pro. Hitting from a tall stance with a very simple set of mechanics, Taylor uses his lower half and quick hands to produce a line-drive swing. He makes consistent hard contact, although his BB-K ratio this year suggests that his pitch recognition skills are being put to the test by the more advanced NY-Penn pitchers.<br />
In the field, Taylor has quick reactions to the ball, including a swift first step. His actions are smooth, fundamentals are sound, moves well laterally, and he covers a lot of ground and gets to a lot of balls as a result. He does not have the strongest or most graceful arm action, however, which is why he's projected to be a 2B as he advances. He doesn't appear to have the arm for SS.<br />
On the bases, Taylor's speed gets a 70 (out of 80) grade, and most reports make reference to this tool. That raw speed has not translated into stolen bases just yet, but if he continues to develop as a hitter with power to the gaps, it could result in higher double and triples totals.<br />
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Video of Taylor from his draft year.....<br />
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Taylor is listed at 5'10"/160, and both figures are probably on the generous side. He's no doubt added some weight to his medium frame, which should add some power. He turned 19 in July, so there is still some room for projection.</div>
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Taylor was not listed among Cleveland's Top 30 pre-season prospects, which is not a surprise given his inexperience and the depth of their system. He been a fixture at the top of Mahoning Valley's order this season, and he profiles as a top of the order hitter if he can continue to get on base. His likely destination in Vancouver, but he probably has to get a passport before that can happen. The Northwest League is on their all-star break, and the C's resume play at Hillsboro on Friday - which is good news, because if Taylor is somehow in the lineup, the Hops' home games are broadcast on milb.com.</div>
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Does the athletic Taylor have an MLB future? That is incredibly difficult to say at this point. Given his tools and skills, he could profile as an MLB utility player if he doesn't pan out as a full-time Second Baseman. His acquisition does add to the growing stable of athletes in the Blue Jays system.</div>
<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-69665560922498680432017-08-01T10:34:00.000-04:002017-08-01T10:34:35.001-04:00Scouting Thomas Pannone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0eAILuGjK4JvNuuZnfS11uO4OMiroY0OUQ112oov2_9oHvZAWkGQwknMcHYKUurxTmc79Bt6DLWfLS-ET6O5bfNOOImunRYJUkzPi8uyqCa6RO-EMZgRbs4OFCvt8Wz7ltiY__W9avY0/s1600/170604_Game_Photos_18_Thomas_Pannone_pmsvtmlh_7e393pcn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="222" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0eAILuGjK4JvNuuZnfS11uO4OMiroY0OUQ112oov2_9oHvZAWkGQwknMcHYKUurxTmc79Bt6DLWfLS-ET6O5bfNOOImunRYJUkzPi8uyqCa6RO-EMZgRbs4OFCvt8Wz7ltiY__W9avY0/s400/170604_Game_Photos_18_Thomas_Pannone_pmsvtmlh_7e393pcn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">milb.com photo</td></tr>
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The Blue Jays acquired LHP Thomas Pannone, along with IF Samad Taylor, from Cleveland in the trade for Joe Smith at the trade deadline. Here's a look at his minor league career so far, with a focus on his most recent start on July 29th.<br />
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First, some background: A Rhode Island native, Pannone was taken in the 33rd round by the Cubs. He opted to attend the Community College of Southern Nevada, a junior college which has sent several players to MLB, most noticeably Bryce Harper. He was a high makeup, athletic prospect, according to <i>Baseball America</i>'s draft report:<br />
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Pannone was a 33rd-round pick of the Cubs out Bishop Hendricken High (Warwick, R.I.) last year, but he didn't sign and made the cross-country trek to JC of Southern Nevada after initially committing to Miami. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he's a tightly wound athlete who was a two-way player in high school. He played more in the outfield for the Coyotes early in the year, and scouts said watching his pregame throws was a treat. He started getting more time on the mound midway through the season, and scouts see him in that role as a pro. Pannone was on the mound for Bishop Hendricken's state championship game last year, but as a two-way player from the Northeast he is still raw as a pitcher. His fastball sits in the 91-93 mph range, and he can spot it, but his secondary stuff is below-average. His curveball is ahead of his changeup. Scouts like his athleticism and bulldog mentality. </blockquote>
As a converted pitcher with average velocity, Pannone has had to prove himself at every level. He's made a steady rise through Cleveland's system, although he repeated Low A in 2016. This year, he began the season at High A, was was unhittable in 5 starts, allowing only 10 hits in 27 innings, while fanning 39 and not allowing an earned run before a promotion to AA. According to my good internet friend Justin L, (@JL_Baseball on Twitter), who follows the Cleveland system extensively from top to bottom, some mechanical changes this year have resulted in a breakthrough for the southpaw:<br />
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(He has a) 89-92 fastball that he can spot pretty well. Fixed his mechanics this year a bit to stop from being so closed off. Helped him maintain some consistency in his velocity (was down to low 80s for a period last year). Breaking ball has come a long way this year and so has changeup. I think the curve is better than the change but some think the opposite. Change is 79-81. Good arm speed on change command just needs to improve. Over all he's a strike thrower who sits 89-92. If command keeps coming I think he could be a #4/5 guy consistently, at worst he's a depth starter/swingman with that potential.</blockquote>
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Jim Callis of mlb.com, when asked about why Pannone, who wasn't listed among Cleveland's Top 30 prospects on MLB Pipeline before the season, was at a bit of a loss to explain his ascension this year:<br />
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He took off after making some delivery adjustments last year, though his dominance is hard to explain. Pannone works with a 90-92 mph and can throw strikes with a decent curveball and changeup, and while his stuff isn't overwhelming, hitters just don't seem to see his fastball.</blockquote>
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Pannone started the second half of a doubleheader against the Orioles' AA affiliate on July 29th. He was a model of efficiency in a 13-pitch first inning, retiring the side in order with a swinging strike on an outside curve. In the 2nd, he was squared up twice with two outs, but retired the side. Throwing first pitch strikes, then using his change and curve to put hitters away or induce weak contact (Pannone also threw a four-seamer that was a tick or two higher than his usual low 90s velo to try to get swings and misses), he retired the side in order in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. Into the 7th, Pannone had set down 14 hitters in a row before surrendering a one out single. The next hitter launched one over the centrefield wall to break the shutout, and bring an end to Pannone's night.<br />
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How does Pannone get hitters out? By a solid combination of command of all three of his pitches (fastball, curve, change), and by sequencing. A tall-and-fall pitcher, Pannone has a bit of deception to his delivery, throws all three of his pitches from the same three-quarters arm slot, and consistently gets ahead of hitters, where his secondaries become more of a weapon. He can back door his curve to right-handed hitters, and throws his change in any count. He threw first pitch strikes to 16 of the 23 hitters he faced, opening each inning from the 3rd through to the 7th with a strike.<br />
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MLB.com grades his fastball and curve as average, and his change as a slight bit above average:<br />
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Pannone can run his fastball up to 92-93 mph but usually sits more in the 88-91 mph range. Though not overpowering, Pannone's heater plays above its velocity on account of his deception, allowing him to induce whiffs inside the zone. He has good feel for his curveball, showing the ability to throw it for a strike and also bury it in the dirt when vying for whiffs, and he's adept at adding and subtracting with the pitch as needed. His changeup gives him a third average-or-better offering, albeit one he uses sparingly, and he has good command of all three pitches.</blockquote>
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Here is the thing about Pannone: despite the fact that he lacks a plus pitch in his arsenal, he gets hitters out. Will that translate to success in the major leagues? It's very hard to say - the relative lack of velo gives him less margin for error with his command and secondaries. But the guy appears to be pitching above his grades. Pannone is a competitor, who seems to have made the necessary adjustments to miss barrels and climb the minor league ladder. That may not translate to a top-of-the-rotation arm, but given his pitch economy, he could profile as a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater pitcher at the major league level.<br />
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A mid-season Eastern League All Star, Pannone is among the league leaders in several pitching categories. He lacks the innings to qualify, but his 2.62 ERA is the second lowest in the league. His K% (24.5) is the highest, and his 11.8% swinging strike rate is the second highest. To this point, this is a guy who has pitched above his scouting grades. <br />
Pannone should report to New Hampshire and join their rotation, where he will join prospects Conner Greene, Sean Reid-Foley, and Jon Harris.<br />
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Some Pannone video for your viewing pleasure....<br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-53057360276717839782017-07-31T09:00:00.000-04:002017-07-31T09:05:34.502-04:00Do Trades for Prospects Really Work?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-5DbExm9nhhXrdzxEZCDN0mm59d9XDZAa9aVai0e_T-W2oo7aVqVcUN2LZoTRKEnB_6cK7SeK0v3kll9SrUvXZImH2o8WX16mIxrrbaxmG6PfWvQINoVSpsb1H_3sJdnYGmEQ-lIHLFd/s1600/Franklin_Barreto_nw8erzy3_93tlttkv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-5DbExm9nhhXrdzxEZCDN0mm59d9XDZAa9aVai0e_T-W2oo7aVqVcUN2LZoTRKEnB_6cK7SeK0v3kll9SrUvXZImH2o8WX16mIxrrbaxmG6PfWvQINoVSpsb1H_3sJdnYGmEQ-lIHLFd/s400/Franklin_Barreto_nw8erzy3_93tlttkv.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Franklin Barreto - milb.com photo</td></tr>
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On November 28th, 2014, then-Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos dealt 3rd Baseman Brett Lawrie and three prospects for Oakland 3B Josh Donaldson. It was not the first time Anthopoulos had dealt prospects in an attempt to bolster the major league roster, of course, and the November deal did not bring about an end to his prospect dealing. In 4 separate deadline deals in 2015, Anthopoulos dealt a total of 10 prospects at the July trade deadline.<br />
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At that time, many hard core Blue Jays fans had mixed feelings. On the one hand, the club was able to pick up key pieces like Troy Tulowitzki and David Price without sacrificing a player from the 25-man roster. On the other, the club parted with some top prospects like Jeff Hoffman and Daniel Norris, and dealt some of its prospect depth.<br />
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By September, of 2015, however, most of that concern had long since faded away. The Blue Jays turned their season around, playing scorching baseball down the stretch to break a two decades long playoff drought. As the 2017 season progresses, the team's aging core is showing signs of wear and tear, and while the farm system is producing talent in abundance, in the words of President Mark Shaprio, "Most of it is at the lower levels." The club looks to be at the fringes of a post-season berth, at best.<br />
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Will Shapiro and his front office colleagues be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Will they look to shed some contractual obligations, or will they try to once again upgrade the major league roster by dealing some of that far-off prospect depth? <br />
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History suggests that dealing for prospects doesn't always work. Here's a look at the deals Anthopoulos made to give us much of the current big league roster, and an analysis of the benefits they brought to the club:<br />
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<i>November 28, 2014</i><br />
<i> Josh Donaldson for Franklin Barreto, Kendall Graveman, Sean Nolin, and Brett Lawrie.</i><br />
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<i> </i>Donaldson has provided 17.7 WAR (BR's version) of value, an MVP award, and led the team to a pair of post-season appearances since his acquisiton. Barreto won the Northwest League's MVP award that year at the tender age of 18, and was the centrepiece of that deal. He made his MLB debut in June, and was returned to AAA after hitting .190/.262/.381. Graveman did a decent job in the back of the Athletics' rotation last year, but injuries have limited him to 8 starts this year, and he's currently on a rehab assignment. The oft-injured Noin made 6 starts for Oakland in 2015, spent all of last year on the DL, and was picked up by Milwaukee on waivers last fall. He's been on the DL again since Opening Day. Lawrie was dealt to the White Sox after one season, and was released early in spring training this year, and has yet to catch on with an MLB organization.<br />
It was sad to see Barreto go, but he was so far away (and there was considerable doubt about his eventual position), so the victors in this deal were clearly the Blue Jays.<br />
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<i>July 28, 2015</i><br />
<i> Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins for Jose Reyes, Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro, and Jesus Tinoco.</i><br />
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Tulo plugged the gaping hole at SS that was Reyes, and Hawkins stablilized the 7th inning for the club, and both were integral parts of the run to the pennant that year. Hoffman was a 1st round pick in 2014, but was coming off Tommy John surgery. He made 4 starts for Colorado in 2016, and now has become a mainstay of their rotation, but like many pitchers who ply their trade in Coors Field, his numbers are a bit unsightly. Castro was an electric-armed reliever who rocketed through the Blue Jays farm system in 2014, and broke camp with the club the following year, even though he had never pitched about High A. MLB hitters teed off on his fastball, which consistently caught too much of the plate, and he was back in the minors after a month. Traded to Baltimore at the start of this season, Castro has been on the MLB/AAA shuffle, but appears to be sticking with the O's this time around, and has posted a 2.70 ERA in 26 innings. Tinoco made great progress in Low A in 2015, but has struggled since then, and has yet to pitch above High A.<br />
Hawkins retired after 2015, and while Tulo has had his struggles with the bat this year, and is possibly out for the season after injuring his ankle this weekend, the Blue Jays are once again clearly the hands-down winners of this deal. His contributions on and off the field have been numerous.<br />
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<i>July 30, 2015</i><br />
<i> David Price for Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd</i><br />
<i> </i>On paper, this deal had the greatest potential to be win-win for both sides. Price gave the Blue Jays a legitimate ace, and Norris and Boyd promised to give the Tigers some long-term rotation depth.<br />
Price, of course, moved on to the Red Sox as a free agent at the end of the season. Norris had some health issues, but over the last month of 2016 appeared to be on the verge of becoming a front-of-the-rotation arm. Boyd was never a highly-heralded prospect, but all he did as a minor leaguer was get hitters out. He made 18 starts for the Tigers in 2016, and it was easy to pencil him in as a back-of-the-rotation guy for 2017. Both have had their struggles this year: Norris posted a 5.29 ERA in 16 starts before going on the DL in early July, and is rehabbing in AAA; Boyd has been on the Detroit-Toledo shuffle after making the club out of spring training, and is currently with the Tigers.<br />
Price led the Blue Jays to the post-season. Norris and Boyd have not put the Tigers over the top. If there was a winner in this deal, a slight edge would go to the Blue Jays, although they have proved they could have used some starting pitching depth this year.<br />
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<i>July 31st, 2015</i><br />
<i> Mark Lowe for Jake Brentz and Nick Wells.</i><br />
<i> </i>Lowe, along with Hawkins, helped bolster the Blue Jays pennant run in 2015. He left for the Tigers as a free agent after the season, and has bounced to the Mariners and the White Sox, for whom he's pitching in AAA at the moment.<br />
Brentz was a project - a guy who hadn't pitched a whole lot before being drafted, and was still learning the craft in 2015. Dealt to the Pirates last year, he was moved to the bullpen full time this year, and was recently promoted to AA. In four pro seasons, Wells has not pitched above Low A.<br />
This is a deal that is almost a wash, except for the fact that Lowe played some post-season ball in 2015. <br />
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<i>July 31, 2015</i><br />
<i> Ben Revere for Jimmy Cordero and Alberto Tirado.</i><br />
<i> </i>Revere played very well for the Blue Jays for two months in 2015, and was a fixture at the top of the order, getting on base at a rate well above his career average. Things have been pretty much downhill for him since then.<br />
Cordero had a fastball that could reach triple digits, but he didn't always know where it was going, and he's walked as many (32) as he has struck out in 42 innings at AA this year. Tirado seems to have been around forever, but is only 22. He had been moved to the bullpen that year after having difficulties as a starter, but the Phillies sent him from High to Low A last year in an attempt to move him back into the rotation. It seems to have succeeded, as Tirado was promoted to AA recently.<br />
Slight edge to the Blue Jays. Revere is long gone, but he gave the club two months of value and contributed to a pennant winner.<br />
<br />
There was some wringing of hands among Blue Jays fans about the number of prospects that were given up, but the truth of the matter is that the only quality players the team gave up were Barreto, Norris, and Hoffman, and all three have yet to make a big impact at the major league level. The Blue Jays in 2015 were still able to hang onto the prospects they were least willing to part with (Anthony Alford, Rowdy Tellez, Richard Ureña, Conner Greene, Sean Reid-Foley), and yet they acquired key pieces to their pennant drive.<br />
<a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospects-in-deadline-trades-face-long-odds/#HEU48XWhkMdWmplQ.97" target="_blank">Recent research by </a><i><a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospects-in-deadline-trades-face-long-odds/#HEU48XWhkMdWmplQ.97" target="_blank">Baseball America</a> </i>suggests that prospect deals made at the trade deadline don't work out for the team acquiring prospects more often than they do. Most teams now are very reluctant to give up young, controllable players whom they've already invested a great deal of time and money in. And the Blue Jays' experience in 2015 seems to point in that direction. The short-term gain the team experienced more than cancelled out any long term consequences of the deal, and they still were able to hold on to the prospects the prized the most.<br />
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<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-40802760907477862582017-07-23T21:11:00.000-04:002017-07-23T21:11:10.637-04:00What To Expect From Chris Rowley<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmnl5XaGsuKfPnnqXB2X87yQ4MiuiQ19IenWWDmiE3Mt3JVZ7s6umprLod4MssjXvvUWCyJ4utAw22dpbxGgYDo2Q6hM9KJck0FPanBEU2tkYLWRrbUDJghKYR5WCgNc7XduyUpUgakz5/s1600/9-28-15-Chris-Rowley-birdjays1725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmnl5XaGsuKfPnnqXB2X87yQ4MiuiQ19IenWWDmiE3Mt3JVZ7s6umprLod4MssjXvvUWCyJ4utAw22dpbxGgYDo2Q6hM9KJck0FPanBEU2tkYLWRrbUDJghKYR5WCgNc7XduyUpUgakz5/s400/9-28-15-Chris-Rowley-birdjays1725.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eddie Michels/rocketsports-ent.com photo</td></tr>
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One early sweltering early August Florida afternoon in 2013, RHP Chris Rowley took the mound for the Blue Jays Gulf Coast League entry. After limiting the Pirates' GCL team to one run on four hits over six innings, Rowley jumped into the team traniner's car the following morning (his 23rd birthday) for the airport. His destination: New York, from where he would travel to West Point to begin fulfilling his service commitment after graduating from the US Military Academy that spring. <br />
Four years later, after serving his two-year hitch, which included a deployment to Eastern Europe (where he threw to the company medic to keep up his arm strength), Rowley is on the cusp of a big league job, having faced down incredibly long odds just to make it to pro ball.<br />
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Rowley was lightly scouted even though he was the ace of the Black Knights' staff in his senior year at West Point; his military commitment no doubt dissuaded most teams. He quickly signed with the Jays, who needed pitching for their GCL club after the 2013 draft. He was one of the team's most effective starters (1.09 ERA, 10.6 K/9) for the GCL Jays, but while other pitchers on the club received promotions to Bluefield or Vancouver as the summer progressed, Rowley remained in Dunedin, with the 60 days he had to report after graduating quickly counting down.<br />
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After two years of service, Rowley was released from further commitment by the Army under a new program that allowed elite athletes in the military to pursue their sports. Rowley reported to Florida for Instructs in the fall of 2015, and has quickly made up for lost time. He was a mainstay in High A Dunedin's bullpen in 2016, and moved up the ladder to New Hampshire this year, where he continued his strong relief work until injuries in the Fisher Cats' rotation forced Manager Gary Allenson to press Rowley into starting duties. Rowley did not miss a beat, and after taking a shutout into the 6th inning in his first start, he didn't allow more than one run in his next three. That helped earn Rowley a promotion to Buffalo, where he returned to the bullpen. Injuries and call ups forced him back into the starting rotation, and Rowley has not allowed a run over his last two starts. <br />
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Chris Rowley does not blow hitters away. He relies on his command, and a sinker that he says, "I couldn't throw straight even if I tried." He mixes in a rapdily improving change up and a late-breaking slider with good depth. He throws all 3 pitches from the same arm slot, making it very hard for hitters to pick up spin/rotation. Rowley works quickly, standing on the rubber and peering in for the sign from his Catcher as soon as he gets the ball back. His delivery has a slight pause, which can disrupt hitters' ability to time him. Rowley is a good athlete who lands in a good fielding position, and is quick off the mound. Most important of all, he pounds the lower part of the strike zone, walking only 20 over close to 90 innings. Hitters at two levels have found him extremely tought to square up. <br />
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Blue Jays Director of Player Development Gil Kim calls Rowley, "A solid make up guy, (and) a true professional." He is respectful to all throughout the game, and faithfully answers questions from a writer who's followed him for several years. The Toronto media will no doubt quickly latch onto his Cinderella story - in a little under two years, he's gone from the US Army to the brink of the major leagues.Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-52164930703663683932017-07-22T09:38:00.002-04:002017-07-22T12:55:06.141-04:00A Look at What's In the System<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONJyTHE-3MIy7HVl7K3-XlKbAEazOjeAedXuY80v-W1ocC6wo28iCu873GlotFtxRrZ74lofkulFIBDsHOtctLjBj5AInupJDLrb6l9bRm9Fb9mJYAOZODfqw8oFJb_OI0fqb4LotICL3/s1600/mayza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONJyTHE-3MIy7HVl7K3-XlKbAEazOjeAedXuY80v-W1ocC6wo28iCu873GlotFtxRrZ74lofkulFIBDsHOtctLjBj5AInupJDLrb6l9bRm9Fb9mJYAOZODfqw8oFJb_OI0fqb4LotICL3/s400/mayza.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Mayza - Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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<br />
With the Toronto Blue Jays struggling to score runs, and a <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sprint_speed_leaderboard?year=2017&position=&team=TOR" target="_blank">recent Statscast release demonstrating that in terms of baserunning speed, they have one of the slowest lineups in baseball</a>, thoughts of many fans are turning into what volume of selling the club will be doing at the trade deadline.<br />
It's hard to predict either way what the team will do at the end of this month. A decent winning streak could put them right back into the thick of things. But with Troy Tulowitzki struggling, Kevin Pillar reverting to career norms, and minus the spark that Devon Travis provided, it's hard to see this team playing meaningful September baseball. The question for Blue Jays management is whether or not a quick fix, in the form of trades to shore up weak spots in the lineup is the answer, or if a complete tear-down is more in order.<br />
Before a team decides to blow it up and start from scratch, they have to take stock of their minor league systems. Are there players who are close enough that their development as every day major leaguers won't be impaired by rushing them? Are there enough players at key positions? Will rebuilding be a long, painful, and attendance-costing process, or is there enough talent at the upper levels of the system to keep the team competitive?<br />
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<br />
Here's a look, position-by-position, at what's in the system, and how close those players might be.<br />
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<b>Catcher</b><br />
<b> </b>This is possibly the deepest position in the system - quite a turnaround from even a year ago.<br />
Danny Jansen has gone fron oft-injured to AA All Star in the course of a year. Reese McGuire underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in May and is out until at least August, and was replaced by Jansen. Max Pentecost returned to Catching duties this year after two Going deeper into the system, recent draftees Riley Adams and Hagen Danner show tremendous promise.<br />
Jansen and McGuire (that's the order I see them in - Jansen should become the everyday receiver, with McGuire a more than competent back up who can allow the Blue Jays to keep Jansen's bat in the lineup once in a while as a DH) are both at least a year away, while the newbies in the system are several. <br />
With Russ Martin under contract for two more years, and Miguel Montero just picked up from the Cubs, this position does not seem to be a priority for the Jays to re-tool. With 3 decent prospects in full season ball, and a pair in short season, this is a position of strength for the organzation, and if the club was looking to upgrade the major league roster, this might be an area to deal from.<br />
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<b>Corner Infielders</b><br />
<b> </b>This was the year that Rowdy Tellez was going to challenge Justin Smoak for a job by mid-season.<br />
So much for that.<br />
Tellez faced on and <a href="https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/alexis-on-the-road-tellez-playing-through-mothers-cancer-battle" target="_blank">off-field struggles this half </a> His bat has started to show signs of life, but he's hovered around the Mendoza Line for much of the season to date. Tellez was one of the youngest players in AA last year, and at 22, he's one of the youngest again at AAA. There's not much to be gained by rushing him at this point.<br />
Vladimir Guerrero Jr may be on his way to best-prospect-in-baseball status, but he's still only 18, and several years away.<br />
There isn't much else at these positions.<br />
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<b>Middle Infielders</b><br />
<b> </b>There is truly a glut of players in the system who can play 2nd and SS. The most promising, of course, is Guerrero's bashing Lansing brother Bo Bichette, who is still a few years away as well.<br />
Richard Ureña was one of the youngest players in AA at the start of the season. After settling many questions about his bat the past two years, he's struggled at the plate this year. There is no doubt about his defensive skills. He is the eventual successor to Troy Tulowitzki, but he likely is destined to be a bottom third of the order hitter. <br />
Jason Leblebijian has had the most successful season of any Blue Jays middle infielder. Once viewed as an org guy, he went to Australia a couple of seasons ago, mashed his way to an MVP award, and seemingly hasn't stopped hitting. At 26, his prospect status is starting to wane, however, and he can't really be viewed as a long-term answer.<br />
Top draft pick Logan Warmoth made his pro debut in the GCL, and now is a fixture in Vancouver's lineup. He may even make it to Lansing by the end of the summer. He's not likely to make his MLB debut this decade, though.<br />
Lourdes Gurriel is something of a wild card here. He could profile as a SS, 2B, or a LF. After not playing for almost two years following his defection from Cuba, the Blue Jays expected some rust, but injuries have slowed his development this year. A recent series against Bradenton showed some issues with bat speed and timing, but that apepars to be coming around now that he's healthy and in the lineup of AA New Hampshire every day.<br />
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<b>Outfielders</b><br />
<b> </b>Blue Jays fans got a glimpse of the future when toolsy Anthony Alford made his MLB debut this year. It was a brief one, of course, but if his recovery from wrist surgery goes well, (he's been back for about a week), there's every chance we see him in a Blue Jays uniform this summer.<br />
And the stock of good players at this position who are close begins and ends with Alford. Roemon Fields has put together a surprising .298/.348/.385 line at Buffalo, but has struggled throughout much of his full-season minor league career to get on base enough to take advantage of his speed. Dwight Smith Jr likewise has put up decent numbers at AAA, and even hit well in a brief audition with the big club, but he and Fields really should be considered to be no more than fourth outfielders at best.<br />
Edward Olivares has opened at lot of eyes at Lansing this year, but has to prove that he can maintain that kind of contact at the higher levels. An aside: watching Olivares take BP earlier this year, it was kind of mystifying to watch him drive so many pitches into the top of the cage in an obvious attempt to put some loft on the ball. Given his build and speed, an observer might have been tempted to think that a line drive, on-base approach might be better. During the game that followed, Olivares lofted a HR over the wall in Left-Centre, a noteworthy blast in April at Cooley Law School Stadium. He is a five-tool player (leads all Midwest League OFs in Assists) and a premium athlete who is still several years away.<br />
2016 2nd rounder J.B. Woodman has swung and missed at a lot of pitches so far this year in the Midwest League.<br />
Dalton Pompey continues to try to stay healthy and see his name on the lineup card every day.<br />
This is not a positon of depth in the system, however.<br />
<br />
<b>Starting Pitchers</b><br />
<b> </b>Sean Reid-Foley would have been considered the top starting prospect in the system this year. In his first try at AA, he's been too fine with his pitches, and has had his ups and downs, <a href="https://www.milb.com/milb/news/toronto-blue-jays-righty-sean-reid-foley-racks-up-12-punchouts/c-243626566" target="_blank">athough his most recent outing was a gem.</a> He's also only 21, and obviously needs more time.<br />
The same could be said of Conner Greene, who's walking hitters at a career-high rate (5.5/9) as SRF's rotation-mate. Greene has shown flashes of brilliance, but has yet to put a solid stretch together - he walked 8 and fanned only 2 over only 4 innings in his last start.<br />
TJ Zeuch, the club's 1st round pick last year, showed promise in High A, but struggled to stay healthy as many pitchers do in his first full season, and is on the DL. He's resumed baseball activities since being shut down a month ago, but there is not date for his return.<br />
Ryan Borucki was added to the 40-man last August, but his lengthy injury history prompted the team to shut him down briefly early in the season, and he was on a pitch-count limit until June. Teammate and GTA product Jordan Romano has probably been the best starter in the Blue Jays system this year, <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=519" target="_blank">although he may profile more as an MLB reliever</a>. Both have to be considered two-three years away. <br />
Justin Maese reached Lansing in only his second pro season (quite a feat for a high school P) last August, but he too has been shut down with shoulder issues. He returned to action in a GCL rehab stint this week, but the club is likely understandably reluctant to rush things. Both Maese and Zeuch are several years away. <br />
Southpaw Angel Perdomo has been brought slowly through the system, and has pitched well at High A this year. Most scouts are of the belief that his lights-out fastball will play better in a bullpen one day, but the Blue Jays are content for now to allow him to continue to develop as a starter.<br />
2015 1st rounder Jon Harris has had his struggles at AA this year, but seems to be turning things around.<br />
Yennsy Diaz has dazzled Midwest League hitters with his electric fastball since making his full season debut last month. If his secondaries continue to develop, he will be an arm worth watching.<br />
<br />
<b>Relief Pitchers</b><br />
<b> </b>If there is one area that has consistently been one of the deepest pools of talent in the system.<br />
Which is a good thing, considering the short shelf life of the modern day MLB reliever.<br />
Chris Rowley has rocketed through the system after being released from his military commitment last February. He does not blow hitters away, but uses a combination of location and movement to keep hitters off balance. He pitched in relief last year and for the first two months of this year, but injuries in New Hampshire's rotation forced him into a starting role. He has been lights out in either capacity, earning a promotion to Buffalo. The Blue Jays would have preferred to keep him in relief, according to a team official, but he's proven valuable in the swing man role. He's knocking on the door of a major league job.<br />
Southpaw Matt Dermody has made tremendous strides since being switched to full-time bullpen duties two years ago, and even made a few appearances with the big club last fall. He was hit hard in his only MLB outing this year, and has given up some contact with Buffalo, but is still striking out a batter per inning. Fellow lefty Tim Mayza turned some heads in spring training, and after dazzling with an electric fastball that hits 97. RHP John Stilson and his 96 mph fastball have been knocking on the major league door for some time, but injuries seem to keep getting in the way.<br />
At AA, Dusty Isaacs and New Brunswick's Andrew Case (recetnly promoted to Buffalo) haven't had a lot of opportunities to close the door on opponents for the last-place Fisher Cats, but have been very effective in late inning situations. And while we usually don't go below that level to look for potential bullpen arms, Kirby Snead, Zach Jackson and Jackson McClelland have put together impressive seasons first at Lansing and now Dunedin. <br />
This is another position of strength for the organization in terms of depth. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhq8cTHvrRSJ4QT-eCCUgMcsOh5yiyl_jmsJ5WZXVYBN4zuLo8bJIhOnRfxY9kbpkk5qNQm8Dq8elnlOy2t2RaVQl3KVL7gbfpyjLfZt3SD1u2KnSJAzdn4Gb65J4R-rJkD2s3waEamrFg/s1600/IMG_9925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhq8cTHvrRSJ4QT-eCCUgMcsOh5yiyl_jmsJ5WZXVYBN4zuLo8bJIhOnRfxY9kbpkk5qNQm8Dq8elnlOy2t2RaVQl3KVL7gbfpyjLfZt3SD1u2KnSJAzdn4Gb65J4R-rJkD2s3waEamrFg/s400/IMG_9925.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach Jackson - Clutchlings photo</td></tr>
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<br />
In short, this is a system with a growing stockpile of talent, but there is little of it that's ready to step into an everyday role with the big league club. Alford is the most obvious candidate, but the struggles of Tellez, Reid-Foley, and Greene indicate that they're still at least a year away. Bichette and Guerrero are clearly the jewels of the system, but 2019 would have to be the earliest we would see them, and that date is probably a bit on the optimistic side. <br />
There is some trade depth if the Blue Jays were looking to upgrade the major league roster. If Pentecost does not pan out behind the plate, his athleticism would be a fit for many teams. Olivares offers a toolkit that might be very tempting. And despite not being able to offer more than a $300K bonus to any of their international signings last year in the hangover that was the 2015 Vladdy Jr signing, there are some intriguing arms in that group. <br />
It's hard to say which way the Blue Jays management group is leaning, but if past performance is any indication, this is an administration which prefers to build from within, using young controllable players. We're not apt to see the likes of Alex Anthopoulos' dealing two years ago (he traded 18 prospects in the span of eight months). Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro is well aware of the risks of doing a full-on tear down, and is not likely to make a wholesale overhaul of the major league roster. The deals that he and GM Ross Atkins would make, if any, would probably involve the return of upper-level prospects for players on the 25-man with soon to be expiring contracts. With a stable of prospects reaching the middle levels of the system this year, and a likely Top 10 draft pick next year barring a remarkable second half turnaround, it seems more likely that the Blue Jays will not be holding a fire sale later this month, but may look to move one or two contracts, with an eye to the club becoming more competitive in the next two years.<br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-22058101576711951722017-06-26T18:45:00.000-04:002017-06-26T18:45:01.915-04:00Mid-Season Prospect Update with Gil Kim<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznOKV55NCk2pPam3_GvtX-iY8Tgjse9us2Wi6FxuBBvzZwM9ipOJRUv5yXR68W4a_Zi48F_3-j3yCDYdITxL871cwsTpJ3dt3IEJ78fCmz1ZaNJT5UFOPN6YgDqzSHve4zpnVlcnlVaEH/s1600/Bo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznOKV55NCk2pPam3_GvtX-iY8Tgjse9us2Wi6FxuBBvzZwM9ipOJRUv5yXR68W4a_Zi48F_3-j3yCDYdITxL871cwsTpJ3dt3IEJ78fCmz1ZaNJT5UFOPN6YgDqzSHve4zpnVlcnlVaEH/s640/Bo2.JPG" width="394" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutchlings photo</td></tr>
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<br />
Blue Jays Director of Player Development Gil Kim is a busy, busy man.<br />
Between overseeing players and staff among the Blue Jays 8 minor league affiliates, co-ordinating with the High Performance division, and meeting recently drafted players at the Bobby Mattick Minor League complex in Dunedin at a four-day mini-camp, he can be a hard man to pin down.<br />
<br />
Kim did agree to take some time out to discuss the progress of several prospects throughout the system.<br />
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<br />
<b>Injury Update</b><br />
<b> </b>The Blue Jays opt to err on the side of caution with their younger prospects, particularly those who are relatively new to full season ball. As a result, placing players on the DL and sending them to Dunedin for rest and rehab is a common precautionary practice. That seems to be the case with Max Pentecost, who hasn't played since June 9th. Slowed by a back strain in his return to full-time Catching duty after Danny Jansen was promoted to New Hampshire to replace the injured Reese McGuire, the Jays opted to shut the 2014 1st round draft choice down for a few weeks. According to Kim, all indications are that he's doing well in rehab, and should be back in action shortly.<br />
Speaking of McGuire, who underwent arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus in late May, Kim reports that he is rehabbing well, but there is no timetable for his return, although it's expected to be before the end of the season.<br />
2016 1st rounder T.J. Zeuch has been on the DL since the beginning of June. Kim wouldn't disclose what the injury was (it has to be shoulder related), but Zeuch is on a throwing program and is expected back soon.<br />
Lansing starting pitching stalwarts Justin Maese and Patrick Murphy have both been shut down. Maese has been rehabbing a sore shoulder, and hasn't started in a month. A hamstring slowed Murphy down, and he hasn't pitched in three weeks. Kim says both are on the mend, and should return to action shortly.<br />
Anthony Alford, as has been well documented, had surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his wrist. He too is doing well in Dunedin, and is expected back for the second half of the season, but there is no timetable yet.<br />
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<b>Bo and Vladdy Jr</b><br />
<b> </b>As fans, we check out the MiLB box scores every morning to see how our favourite prospects fared. Each promotion up the ladder brings them one step closer to the Major Leagues, where we can see them live and in person. If there's one question I've been asked most often lateley, it has to be, "when are Bo and/or Vladdy Jr getting promoted?"<br />
It's understandable that we want to catch a glimpse of players who for the most part have been only names on a webpage. It's just as understandable that MLB teams want to stick to the plan for their top prospects.<br />
Kim was non-commital about when (or if) the two Lansing sluggers will get promoted. All minor league prospects have a skill set that they're working on, and it's no big secret that the High Performance department has been working on agility and strength on the defensive side of the ball with both prospects. Bichette, in particular, has been working on first-step quickness, working with Lansing Manager Cesar Martin and Hitting Coach Donnie Murphy on fielding countless groundballs. Guerrero, for his part, is working on his defensive game, too, trying to become quicker at fielding slow rollers, and improving his overall range at 3rd. Both are learning how to play every day, to prepare for games, and how to recover from them afterwards. As much as we want this to be a fast process, sometimes it isn't. Both players are very age-appropriate for Low A ball, and Kim's philosophy could be summed up as, "why rush things?"<br />
Certainly, both have laid waste to Midwest League pitching. After hitting the .400 mark a week ago, Bichette is hitting .394/.457/.627, and leads the league in several offensive categories. He's hit in 51 of the 59 games he's played in, and has gone hitless in consecutive games only once. Guerrero's numbers (.313/.406/.457) are not as gaudy, but no less impressive. He's hit only .158 over his last 10, perhaps showing some signs of fatigue.<br />
The most likely path for Bichette is to spend at least the next few weeks with Lansing. He has a decent chance of being named to July 9th's Futures Game roster, so a promotion after that may be in the offing. Or, the team may decide to wait a few weeks and see what Lansing's post-season chances look like. Development does trump winning at the minor league level, but teams do like their top prospects to play together on teams that are making a playoff run. Whatever the case, a promotion for either Bichette or Guerrero will not happen until there's a consensus among the Lansing and minor league staff that one or both are ready. <br />
A cautionary tale: there's not a huge jump in terms of the quality of pitching between Low and High A, but the experience of Bradley Jones is one worth considering. A more seasoned (22 years of age) college grad, Jones was promoted to Dunedin in early June after posting a line of .326/.394/.560 at Lansing. Facing pitchers with better command of their fastball and secondaries, Jones has scuffled with the D-Jays, hitting only .156 and striking out in almost half of his 68 PAs. Is the risk of Bichette having a similar experience (perhaps not to the same extent) worth the challenge of moving him to the next level? Particularly as the season winds down, and his fatigue likely increases? The Blue Jays will have those and other factors to consider very shortly.<br />
<br />
<b>The Importance of Make Up</b><br />
<b> </b>Kim stressed the importance of this aspect, which he called "the sixth tool," in evaluating and recruiting players for the organization. It was a phrase which came up several times in discussions about prospects. When I spoke to Angus Mugford a few weeks ago, it also was something we talked about at length. The thinking is that there is so little difference among just about all players in terms of their physical abilities, but when push comes to shove, make up can be the difference. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Talking Prospects</b><br />
<b> </b>On Rowdy Tellez, who has scuffled mightily (.197/.273/.321 to this point):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Rowdy we remember last year numbers-wise didn't get off to the start that we had wanted, then rebounded. He kept working hard and finished the year off very well, and then he went to the Dominican Winter League and had a good season there. I think right now with Rowdy - he's a young player in Triple A, and he's going through some experiences that are teaching him a lot about who he is, and we fully support him. He's working hard in Buffalo with Devo (hitting coach Devon White), Meach (manager Bobby Meacham), and (Field Co-ordinator) Eric Wedge. We're confident that he's going to be fine, and this experience will be one that we're going to look back on when he's in the big league as one that helped him.</i></blockquote>
<br />
On Max Pentecost, who returned to Catching duties for the first time since August, 2015:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We really can't say enough about his perserverance through the whole process, and his positivity....being able to channel that positive outlook into his daily routine. He has done well on the offensive side, which was no surprise, but we were definitely surprised with the strides he's been able to make with his blocking, receiving, and game-calling - despite not having been back there a whole lot in the last couple of years. It just helps so much when you have a former Catcher like John Schneider </i>(Dunedin's Manager) <i>back there who's passionate about teaching Catching, and has been a great help.</i></blockquote>
<br />
On Anthony Alford:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Anthony probably along with Danny Jansen are the two most improved players we have, which in Anthony's case is no surprise, given his work ethic and positive attitude. He became more consistent with his timing, and put in a lot of reps in the Outfield in Spring Training, and he's improved all around in terms of approach and consistent hard contact, and his OF/CF defence. It's been a pleasure to see the type of player he's made himself into....this is all on him.</i></blockquote>
<br />
On Danny Jansen, who was leading the Florida State League in hitting before being promoted to New Hampshire to replace McGuire:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Jano's a leader.....one of our strongest make up guys in the organization. And what he's doing is not surprising, because he's one of those players who make adjustments and improve. Coming into it, he was a late invite to big league camp, and his game has just taken off since the Arizona Fall League. He's concentrating on using more of the field offensively, and has been improving his game-calling. Schneider and (New Hampshire Manager and former MLB Catcher) Gary Allenson have been a big help there.</i></blockquote>
<br />
Sean Reid-Foley, who has struggled this year (4.25 BB/9 rate, lowest - 40.7% GB rate of his career), but has started to turn things around in his last few starts:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Sean maybe didn't have the start that he had envisioned, but he has bounced back, and is getting back to his dominant self. He maybe was pressing a bit early, but he's been doing very well working on maintaining that power delivery, while trying to incorporate his change up more.</i></blockquote>
<br />
Conner Greene, who has not dominated in his second go-round of AA as some thought he might, although his 59% GB rate is second-best in the Eastern League:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Conner has improved....that's all we can ask. He's taking all those steps every day to get better - consistency of delivery, fastball command.....hitters aren't necessarily as comfortable against his fastball as they were earlier in Spring Training or last year. His curve has come a very long way - tighter spin on it, with harder action and depth.</i></blockquote>
<br />
Chris Rowley, who has been something of a revelation this year, starting in New Hampshire's bullpen before being called upon to fill in for injured starter Francisco Rios. Rowley is now pitching out of Buffalo's pen:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Chris just knows how to pitch. He keeps hitters off balance, throws strikes, and competes. He's another solid make up guy, a true professional, and we're not surprised by the strides that he's made. We have no plans at the moment to move him out of the pen in Buffalo.</i></blockquote>
2nd round draft pick Hagen Danner:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Hagen is going to Catch. He'll start in the Gulf Coast League, like many of our high school players do.</i></blockquote>
<br />
<b>Players Who Have Surprised</b><br />
<b> </b>When asked who has made some giant leaps forward in terms of their development so far this year, Kim offers two names:<br />
<br />
Yennsy Diaz, RHP, who started the year in Extended, and has struck out 18 in 11 innings over 3 starts since being promoted to Lansing earlier this month:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Yennsy really has some of the best stuff in the organization. He's worked hard at getting more consistent, and getting over top of the baseball on his pitches. He's had a pretty solid start at Lansing.</i></blockquote>
OF Edward Olivares, who has quietly put together a .279/.315/.513 mark with 14 steals for Lansing:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Edward was injured last year, skipped a level this year. He has some of the best tools in the organization, and is working hard at dialing it in and refining his game.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-90175744270525141112017-06-25T11:08:00.000-04:002017-06-25T11:12:35.667-04:00A Look at Yennsy Diaz<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1bi26Guj_9KFJAhzBVUGi9A4UrEiOelt7EpXgFyBSweuC9FxHLsaQ3KjzO9CJ7q7bhi4G6jccWD4F8KN1__YR0eDuQOvvyAwzWw3z7PToQkOJSMaIIfPVyAAMrgbgbGNSIkvSI_5fpcM/s1600/YennsyDiaz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="181" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1bi26Guj_9KFJAhzBVUGi9A4UrEiOelt7EpXgFyBSweuC9FxHLsaQ3KjzO9CJ7q7bhi4G6jccWD4F8KN1__YR0eDuQOvvyAwzWw3z7PToQkOJSMaIIfPVyAAMrgbgbGNSIkvSI_5fpcM/s400/YennsyDiaz.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rocketsports.com photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When spring training camp breaks each April, major league teams give prospects a laundry list of things to work on. Some are assigned to full season affiliates, while others remain behind for an extended spring training season in Florida. All have various facets of their games to work on: pitchers have to sharpen their command, continue to develop their velocity, and work on their between-outings routines. Hitters have to work on pitch recognition, get stronger, and hone their defensive skills. All players have to work on how they prepare and recover from competition. Every player in the Blue Jays system has a personal workout plan to improve upon some or all of strength, agility, and endurance.<br />
<br />
It's not until all the boxes on their lists are checked that teams will consider moving players up to the next level. And as fans, we can all get a little impatient. But teams stick to the script, and we have to bide our time to wait for a player we really want to see.<br />
<br />
Like Blue Jays RHP Yennsy (pronounced 'Jennsy') Diaz. With Lansing's starting pitching staff mostly a shambles beyond stalwarts Justin Maese and Patrick Murphy, Diaz' name was one I was continually looking for in the minor league transactions page each day. But even though the Lugnuts needed starting help, Toronto was not going to be deterred from following the process. As June approached (and both Maese and Murphy landed on the DL), the 2014 IFA, who has averaged a strikeout per inning through three minor league short seasons, was finally promoted from Extended to Lansing. And in three pitch-count limited starts, he has been nothing short of electric.<br />
<br />
In his first start, Diaz fanned four in two innings, following that up with 8Ks over 4.2 innings in his second one. Diaz' third start was a thing of beauty: facing a tough West Michigan lineup, Diaz set down the first 9 Whitecaps' hitters to come to the plate, striking out 5. Returning after a half hour rain delay, Diaz was not quite as sharp over the next two innings, but the 20 year-old Dominican offered a glimpse of what is to come.<br />
<br />
Diaz' main weapon is a 97 mph fastball with excellent movement and some arm-side run. Pitching from a drop-and-drive delivery, Diaz' mechanics are clean. He can pound the bottom of the strike zone for weak contact, run the ball in on right-handed hitters, or elevate it when he has two strikes on a hitter. West Michigan batters were simply overmatched through the first three frames, where Diaz sat 96-97, and touched 98. He showed that his secondaries are still a work in progress, however, and he generated few whiffs on off speed pitches. That fastball gives him a wider margin for error with them, however, and will buy those secondary pitches some time as he develops.<br />
<br />
Diaz' to-do list for April and May included continuing to work on his mechanics. Diaz can overthrow at times, and that has limited his ability to get behind the ball and impart sufficient movement-inducing spin on his fastball. For the most part, he stayed with his delivery in his most recent start, but did show a tendency sometimes to come out of it as he tried to keep the ball down in the zone. He finished out front on the majority of his pitches, however, and mastered hitters through the first three innings. When he came back after the rain delay, Diaz caught too much of the strike zone, and gave up contact. <br />
<br />
Given that dominant fastball, the previous management regime might have been tempted to acclerate Diaz' development and turn him into a reliever in the hopes of uncovering a back of the bullpen power arm. With the current administration, Diaz will likely get plenty of time to continue to develop as a starter. <br />
<br />
Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-9800942948701511632017-06-23T13:50:00.001-04:002017-08-03T10:38:11.352-04:00Blue Jays Draft Tracker<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EP_8B03zRXAOfcMDPKy7_YlTWCo9KqDng8GwDuCgqwUyr81DoAmmV_FdAR2yia-iosHOccjaj6MzHGkjxHzA39EmxswMpAOebMQWvyb7aoB1mrqdq_GAd1s1ujZqs-RgD4c0xUNU2l2P/s1600/logan_warmoth_glove_pregame1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EP_8B03zRXAOfcMDPKy7_YlTWCo9KqDng8GwDuCgqwUyr81DoAmmV_FdAR2yia-iosHOccjaj6MzHGkjxHzA39EmxswMpAOebMQWvyb7aoB1mrqdq_GAd1s1ujZqs-RgD4c0xUNU2l2P/s400/logan_warmoth_glove_pregame1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Logan Warmoth/Niall O'Donohoe/csplusbaseball.com photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With the signing deadline having passed for the 2017 MLB draft, here is a list of the players the Blue Jays drafted and signed. The Area Scouts for each player involved are listed too. Thanks to Mal Romanin, the Blue Jays Manager of Baseball Information for the update. Bonuses, to the best of my knowledge, are up-to-date....some were easier to find than others. Fellow interpid Blue Jays bloggers, please let me know about any corrections.<br />
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; table-layout: fixed;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><colgroup><col width="125"></col><col width="59"></col><col width="71"></col><col width="59"></col><col width="168"></col><col width="100"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Player"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">Player</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Round"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">Round</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Slot"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">Slot</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Bonus"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">Bonus</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"School "}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">School </td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Area Scout"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">Area Scout</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Logan Warmoth"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Logan Warmoth</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2795}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2795</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2820}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2820</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"UNC Chapel Hill"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">UNC Chapel Hill</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Chris Kline"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chris Kline</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Nate Pearson"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nate Pearson</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2302}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2302</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2453}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2453</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"College of Central Florida"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">College of Central Florida</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Matt Bishoff"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matt Bishoff</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Hagen Danner"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hagen Danner</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1043}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1043</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1500}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1500</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Huntington Beach HS"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Huntington Beach HS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Joey Aversa"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Joey Aversa</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Riley Adams"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Riley Adams</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":3}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":542}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">542</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":542}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">542</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"U San Diego"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">U San Diego</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jim Lentine"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jim Lentine</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Kevin Smith"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Kevin Smith</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":4}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":405}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">405</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":505}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">505</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"U Maryland College Park"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">U Maryland College Park</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Doug Witt"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Doug Witt</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Cullen Large"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cullen Large</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":5}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":302}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">302</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":302}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">302</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"College of William and Mary"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">College of William and Mary</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Doug Witt"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Doug Witt</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Brock Lundquist"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brock Lundquist</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":6}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":234}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">234</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":175}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">175</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Cal St Long Beach"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cal St Long Beach</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Joey Aversa"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Joey Aversa</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Colton Laws"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Colton Laws</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":7}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">7</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":183}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">183</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":183}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">183</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"UNC Charlotte"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">UNC Charlotte</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Chris Kline"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chris Kline</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Kacy Clemens"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Kacy Clemens</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":8}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":152}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">152</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":50}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">50</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"University of Texas"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">University of Texas</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Brian Johnston"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brian Johnston</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Zach Logue"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Zach Logue</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":9}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":139}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">139</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":125}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"University of Kentucky"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">University of Kentucky</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Nate Murrie"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nate Murrie</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Justin Dillon"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Justin Dillon</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":10}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":132}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">132</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":5}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Cal State Sacramento"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cal State Sacramento</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Darold Brown"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Darold Brown</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Donnie Sellers"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Donnie Sellers</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":11}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":125}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Wake Forest University"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Wake Forest University</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Chris Kline"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chris Kline</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Matt Shannon"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matt Shannon</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":12}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":80}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">80</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Angelo State U"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Angelo State U</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Gerald Turner"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Gerald Turner</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Brody Rodning"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brody Rodning</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":13}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">13</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":100}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">100</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Minnesota St Mankato"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Minnesota St Mankato</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Wes Penick"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Wes Penick</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"P.K. Morris"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">P.K. Morris</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":14}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">14</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":206.5}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">206.5</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Steinbrenner HS"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Steinbrenner HS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Matt Bishoff"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matt Bishoff</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Ryan Noda"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ryan Noda</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":15}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">15</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":125}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"University of Cincinnati"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">University of Cincinnati</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Coulson Barbiche"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Coulson Barbiche</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Ty Tice"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ty Tice</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":16}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">16</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":90}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">90</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"U Central Arkansas"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">U Central Arkansas</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Dallas Black"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dallas Black</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jordan Barrett"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jordan Barrett</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":18}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">18</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Elon University"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Elon University</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Chris Kline"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chris Kline</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Tanner Kiwaner"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Tanner Kiwaner</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":20}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">20</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":40}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">40</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Niagara U"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Niagara U</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jamie Lehman"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jamie Lehman</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Turner Larkins"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Turner Larkins</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":21}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">21</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":125}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Texas A&M U"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Texas A&M U</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Brian Johnston"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brian Johnston</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"D.J. Neal"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">D.J. Neal</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":26}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">26</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":100}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">100</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"University of South Carolina"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">University of South Carolina</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Chris Kline"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chris Kline</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Davis Schneider"}" style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Davis Schneider</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":28}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">28</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":50}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">50</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Eastern HS"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Eastern HS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Mike Alberts"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mike Alberts</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Joe DiBenedetto"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Joe DiBenedetto</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":29}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">29</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Nova Southeastern University"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nova Southeastern University</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Matt O'Brien"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matt O'Brien</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Reilly Johnson"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Reilly Johnson</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":30}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">30</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":100}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">100</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Matt Bishoff"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matt Bishoff</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Graham Spraker"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Graham Spraker</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":31}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">31</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Quincy University"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Quincy University</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jeff Johnson"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jeff Johnson</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Matthew Gunter"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Matthew Gunter</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":33}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">33</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Hawaii Pacific U"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Hawaii Pacific U</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jim Lentine"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jim Lentine</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Maverik Buffo"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maverik Buffo</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":34}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">34</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":50}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">50</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Brigham Young University"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brigham Young University</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Pete Holmes"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Pete Holmes</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Brandon Polizzi"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brandon Polizzi</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":35}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">35</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":20}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">20</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Cal State Dominguez Hills"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cal State Dominguez Hills</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Bud Smith"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bud Smith</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jonathan Cheshire"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jonathan Cheshire</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":36}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">36</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Davenport U"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Davenport U</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Coulson Barbiche"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Coulson Barbiche</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Justin Watts"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Justin Watts</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":37}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">37</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"U Southern Indiana"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">U Southern Indiana</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jeff Johnson"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jeff Johnson</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Marcus Reyes"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Marcus Reyes</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":38}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">38</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"San Diego State U"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">San Diego State U</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Jim Lentine"}" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Jim Lentine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style>Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-34994885757183362092017-06-16T20:17:00.000-04:002017-06-16T20:22:51.015-04:00Bo Bichette Pursues .400<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuU110hCtq-NeosaU59Um6fBafPGx2DIT2laDrreW_JVQ16uRODGPwuNa53CkMmuT0VgzOdDz90ppn4J7cmQxamk2A14oZeUjD-rphhC-zELuJGcQxF_ukhbMvYmroicLKLdoC4ui05lm/s1600/Bo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="947" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuU110hCtq-NeosaU59Um6fBafPGx2DIT2laDrreW_JVQ16uRODGPwuNa53CkMmuT0VgzOdDz90ppn4J7cmQxamk2A14oZeUjD-rphhC-zELuJGcQxF_ukhbMvYmroicLKLdoC4ui05lm/s400/Bo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's a magical number - .400. Ted Williams was the last to reach it 66 years ago. Rod Carew flirted with it in the late 70s, as did George Brett in 1980. Tony Gwynn was the last to approach that plateau when the labour disruption of 1994 ended his season in early August with a .394 average. Blue Jays prospect Bo Bichette reached that number with an incredibe 7-8 performance against the Cubs' Midwest League affiliate South Bend in a double header last night.<br />
<br />
Here's a breakdown of Bichette's incredible night:<br />
<br />
<b>At Bat #1</b><br />
<b> </b>Facing Cubs' RHP Duncan Robinson, who stood 3rd in the MWL in ERA entering the night, he took an 0-1 fastball on the outer edge of the plate to right field for his first hit of the night in Lansing's top of the 1st.<br />
<br />
<b>At Bat #2</b><br />
<b> </b>Robinson clearly wanted no part of Bichette, offering up a steady diet of breaking balls in the top of the 3rd. With the count 2-1, Robinson tried to get a fastball in on Bichette, but missed badly. Bichette hammered it into the gap in Left Centre, driving in a run.<br />
<br />
<b>At Bat #3</b><br />
<b> </b>Bichette led off the top of the sixth, and Robinson continued to avoid giving him fastballs anywhere near the plate. He hung a 2-2 change, and Bichette hammered it into the LF bleachers for his 7th Home Run, touching off a 5-run frame for Lansing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwcCxMaigiS-LLNN7VzU4YTlTYn8zmNW83zsD47vx_jhcPFgtsDENatOtLFSSgNoFbTqkkF0E4rlkvUnB_QuA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b>At Bat #4</b><br />
After sending 9 men to the plate the previous inning, Bichette led off the top of the 7th, the final frame of Game 1 against reliever Jared Cheek.<br />
This 9 pitch AB may have been his best of the night.<br />
Down 0-2, Bichette fouled off a number of borderline pitches, before Cheek caught too much of the plate with a breaking ball, which Bichette lined into CF for a base hit. His average now stood at .394.<br />
<br />
Game 2<br />
<b>At Bat #1</b><br />
<b> </b>Facing Cubs RHP Erling Moreno, Bichette hit a 2-1 pitch into the hole at short, and beat the off-line throw to first for an infield single.<br />
<br />
<b>At Bat #2</b><br />
<b> </b>Moreno continued the breaking ball regimen. Bichette hammered a mistake fastball all the way to the wall in Right Centre field, raising his average to .399.<br />
<br />
<b>At Bat #3</b><br />
<b> </b>Facing soft-tossing reliever Tyson Miller, Bichette showed some rare impatience, chasing a breaking ball out of the zone, and fout-tipping a low fastball into the Catcher's mitt for a swinging strikeout. .400 would have to wait.<br />
<br />
<b>At Bat #4</b><br />
<b> </b>In his final at bat of the night, Bichette looped a fastball on the outer half to right field for a base hit, and his average finally reached .400.<br />
<br />
Of his 7 hits on the night, at least 5 of them were of the hard-hit variety.<br />
<br />
Coming into the season, teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr received all the attention, but Bichette, who hit .427/.451/.732 in a rookie season shortened by appendicitis in the GCL, has taken over the spotlight.<br />
And rightly so. Bichette leads the MWL in batting average, hits, doubles, OBP, Slugging, wRC+, and Line Drive rate. He has hit safely in 46 of his first 52 games. And he's not just feasting on mediocre pitching - Bichette has hit .361 against Top 20 prospects in his brief career.<br />
<br />
Blue Jays director of minor league operations Gil Kim had indicated earlier this year that the plan for the teenaged Lansing sluggers (Guerrero is 18, Bichette 19) was to stay in Michigan for the whole season, their first year of full season ball - the Blue Jays stated preference is to have their prospects spend a whole year at one level. Kim, of course, is not tipping his hand, but you have to wonder if there is intense debate within the organization to up that timetable as the calendar flips from June to July. <br />
<br />
When Bichette reaches Advanced A, he will have adjustments to make. The Pitchers there can locate their fastballs better, so he will likely see fewer mistakes to jump on. Their secondary pitches will be better in terms of deception and location, so his pitch recognition skills will be tested. Still, he has literally torn the cover off the ball, hitting .407/.463/.669 in 331 PAs over 72 games in his first two pro seasons. Bichette is patient, does not expand his strike zone when down in the count, and hits the ball to all fields. Quite simply, he's the most promising bat in the system right now. Guerrero may catch up to him, but Bichette has raked.. Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-15690980353101144232017-06-14T11:13:00.001-04:002017-06-14T11:49:22.444-04:00Blue Jays Draft Recap: The Top Guys<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZr7cFU022u1j20K2T8PTVedHCk0EmPJAK5S12cclPpUu_nIE94zkO3TMswkCvPwf_u2l9mk-l5nwe1icn3ddb-4whuMBPRoVVSMZgCN8j1JZZ8w1sbCUcFGcopUpZJfQX5fgQIcLNrQ6/s1600/Warmoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="640" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZr7cFU022u1j20K2T8PTVedHCk0EmPJAK5S12cclPpUu_nIE94zkO3TMswkCvPwf_u2l9mk-l5nwe1icn3ddb-4whuMBPRoVVSMZgCN8j1JZZ8w1sbCUcFGcopUpZJfQX5fgQIcLNrQ6/s400/Warmoth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte <i>Observer </i>Photo</td></tr>
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<br />
The internet is full of evaluations from a variety of sources about the Blue Jays draft.<br />
I don't pretend for a moment to know all that much about any of the prospects, and much of what follows is a summary of online reports and my own observations from watching video. Just the same, here's a look at the Blue Jays top draft picks:<br />
<br />
<b>Logan Warmoth</b> SS North Carolina<br />
Described by many as a "safe pick", Warmoth has been comped with long-time MLB SS J.J. Hardy, and that's a reasonable projection.<br />
In the field, Warmoth has fluid movements, combining agility with good hands and footwork. When he has time, he sets and makes strong, accurate throws. He can also make that crossfire, on-the-run throw to first. His arm is currently ranked as the strongest tool in his kit. He's projected to stay at SS, and the Blue Jays will likely give him every opportunity to do so, although some reports suggest he's better off as a 2B long term.<br />
He has what is described as a solid approach at the plate, but it appears that he makes a lot of groundball contact and may have to work at adding some loft to his swing. He has a simple, quiet set up, using a toe tap to start his load. There's not a lot of movement in his short, compact swing. He should put a lot of balls in play, and because of his ability to work a count, he should see a fair number of balls to barrel.<br />
Warmoth has been lauded for his baseball IQ, and in a trend that the Blue Jays are for the moment at the leading edge of, makeup. <br />
Warmoth should start the season at Vancouver, but could easily finish up at Lansing, depending on the playoff hunts of both teams. He may move quickly through the system, and in most cases might be among the first of his draft class to make it to MLB. <br />
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<b>Nate Pearson </b>RHP College of Central Florida (JC)<br />
With their second first round pick, the Blue Jays opted to go for upside and chose Pearson, who has topped 100 several times this season, and usually sits 96-98.<br />
Unlike a lot of fireballers, Pearson works mostly down in the zone, getting good eye plane-changing downward movement. <br />
Pitching from a 3/4, semi-stretch delivery, there are not a lot of moving parts to his motion. Pearson uses his lower half very well, and throws with intent. At 6'6"/240, he is an imposing presence on the mound, and with his size and a glove flip during his delivery, can be very hard on right hand hitters.<br />
He does not land in a good fielding position, however, and that part of his mechanics will need some refining.<br />
Pearson relies on his fastball, and has a slider that shows some promise with some late break. His curve is not a well developed pitch - he often gets on top of it, and does not disguise it well. It's highly likely that he will shelve that pitch once he turns pro. His change is described as a work in progress. There's a lot to like with that fastball, however, which should buy his secondaries time to develop.<br />
Scouts were encouraged that Pearson was able to maintain his velocity late into games. He has a commitment to LSU, so there is no guarantee that he will sign. The pick is protected, so the Blue Jays are covered if Pearson decides to return to school. Drafting Warmoth with the first pick was a safe bet in the event that Pearson does not sign.<br />
There has been speculation that he could be moved to the bullpen full time, in which case he projects to possibly breeze through the minors and find himself in the back end of a major league pen with that velo in short order. The more likely scenario is that the Blue Jays audition him as a starter, in which case he likely starts his season in Bluefield. There is a considerable high risk/high reward element to this pick: Pearson could develop into a solid starter if he can harness his secondaries, or he could become a lights out bullpen arm. There is also a chance that he returns to school if the Blue Jays are unwilling to go much over slot for him.<br />
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<b>Hagen Danner </b>P/C California HS<br />
Selected with the 61st pick overall, Danner was one of the most intriguing players in the draft due to his two-way abilities, but scouts appear divided on where his prospects are best in the long term.<br />
He throws a three-pitch mix which includes a fastball that can touch 95, and will almost certainly add a tick or two to that as a pro. Behind the plate, he has been termed a solid defensive Catcher who lacks elite bat speed.<br />
It will be interesting to see which direction the Blue Jays go with Danner. Will they move him to one position or the other, or given the need for versatility on a 25-man roster in this day and age of multi-arm bullpens, will they allow him to play both?<br />
On the showcase circuit, Danner spent more time pitching than he did behind the plate, and that may be a clue as to where his future lies. The GCL appears to be a logical starting point for Danner, but he probably won't finish the season there.<br />
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<b>Riley Adams </b>C San Diego<br />
Adams is a bat-first Catcher who improved his stock considerably this spring. <br />
At 6'4", he's a bit big for the position, and scouts have noted inconsistencies with this throwing and receiving skills. More than one report indicated that his makeup is considered plus, which was no doubt a factor in the Blue Jays selecting him.<br />
Adams hit well in the wood bat Cape Cod League last summer, adding legitimacy to his hit tool, but his swing is long, and there is a swing-and-miss element to his game, although he does see a lot of pitches. <br />
Adams should start the season at Vancouver.<br />
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A few final thoughts:<br />
-it's worth remembering that as much as we cram in the days leading up to the draft, we don't really know these players. Scouts do. They've been following most of the players in their areas since their sophomore years of high school. They've talked to the players, their parents, and their coaches. Scouts have a much better of the make up of a player than the rest of us do. And with the physical talents between many draftees being only slight in terms of their differences, it's make up that often separates the prospects from the suspects.<br />
<br />
-not that they have no value, but I don't tend to obsess much over guys picked later than the third round. These are the players that statistically speaking have the highest chance of reaching the majors. The upper minors, of course, are littered with guys selected in lower rounds than that, but rather than take a shot-gun approach, I try to focus on the top selections. Historically, they have the better chance of advancing. After Round Three, the scouting staff typically takes over selecting players, and while they're always looking for that "arm behind the barn," to borrow a phrase from another era, the main purpose of picking players beyond that point is to stock rosters of the lower level affiliates.<br />
<br />
-while there are almost a limitless supply of scouting reports and video online, most of it is in isolation - there's very little game action video, so you don't get a true sense of how a player responds in game situations. And this is why that even though I read through all that material to get a sense of a player's profile, they're pretty much a blank slate to me, and I look forward to seeing them live (yours truly has not one, but two trips to Vancouver planned for this summer - helps to have family out there) or online. I promise to have plenty of photos, video, and reports.<br />
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-speaking of the latter, if you can't make it out to the Left Coast this summer to watch the C's, broadcaster Rob Fai has confirmed that the Saturday night televised Canadians games will continue this summer. Shaw TV televised the games last year, and while the games were not shown live east of Sault Ste Marie, they were available on YouTube. Shaw sold its media division in order to get into the wireless market, and there were concerns that the new owners of Shaw TV properties, Corus Entertainment, would not be interested in showing the games. It's only a half dozen games, but viewers get an excellent chance to watch some of the Jays prospects sent to Vancouver in action.<br />
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<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-78630857542520512742017-06-05T07:14:00.000-04:002017-06-05T21:24:07.365-04:00DSL Blue Jays Season Underway<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0hnZAoavb_0Rfk7WKgf91zkHFiq_QUBU1C09FVY9jTIjrY3SbLrC1BjXw1RAG9eYT6VDuF4dp7pmJafWFEYIbnkJ9RezlExFOIwn2kHJvmwKXMMgK0jP0w87vTSbYu2LxZwkH04rFajI/s1600/Paulino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="425" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0hnZAoavb_0Rfk7WKgf91zkHFiq_QUBU1C09FVY9jTIjrY3SbLrC1BjXw1RAG9eYT6VDuF4dp7pmJafWFEYIbnkJ9RezlExFOIwn2kHJvmwKXMMgK0jP0w87vTSbYu2LxZwkH04rFajI/s400/Paulino.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naswell Paulino - Twitter photo</td></tr>
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Play in the Dominican Summer League opened this past weekend, with the DSL Red Sox paying tribute to native son David Ortiz at their home opener against the DSL Royals. The DSL Blue Jays topped the Orioles' entry 2-0 in their opener.<br />
The 40-team league (several MLB teams have more than one entry) play a 72 game schedule, which translates to 6 games per week, wrapping up with a brief playoff among the division winners in late August. Games start at 10:30 in the morning to avoid the worst of the afternoon Caribbean heat.<br />
The Blue Jays entry plays out of their Boca Chica complex, just outside of Santo Domingo. The majority of the players in this league are between the ages of 16 and 18 - most were signed sometime on or after July 2nd of last year. Of the 40 or so players the team will likely use this year, only about a quarter will go on to stateside play in the Gulf Coast League. High profile international signings usually skip the DSL for the more advanced competition in the U.S. - Roberto Osuna, Franklin Barreto, and Vladimir Guerrero all started their pro careers stateside. Still, it's an important step in the development of international prospects. Learning about proper nutrition and training, as well as English classes, are part of each player's baseball education.<br />
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Due to bonus pool limits imposed as a result of the over-slot signing of Guerrero in 2015, the Blue Jays do not have a lot of highly regarded IFAs making their debuts in the DSL this year. Top 2016 signing Joseph Reyes will begin his career in the GCL, as will RHP Rothier Hernandez. But there will be some talent on the Blue Jays' DSL entry: players that had flown under the prospect radar due to age, poor workouts, etc., and there are the usual high-tools but (so far) under-performing prospects. Among the players to watch if you're a daily box score puruser are:<br />
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1. Venezuelan SS Hugo Cardona. Blue Jays Assistant GM Andrew Tinnish, whose portfolio includes overseeing international scouting and development, labels Cardona's speed "plus," and his arm "plus-plus." His glove is well ahead of his bat at this point, but if his bat does develop, he could profile as a to of the order hitter.<br />
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2. Venezuelan RHP Elixon Caballero, a Marcus Stroman-sized Pitcher who added 4-5 mph to his fastball after signing, and now sits in the mid-90s. Tinnish is impressed by his athleticsm and smooth delivery.<br />
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3. LHP Naswell Paulino, a converted OF, who has made great progress is a short period of time.<br />
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Two players not currently on the DSL Jays roster who Tinnish also mentioned last fall include Mexican RHP Felix Castaneda, who has an advanced feel for pitching and an effective change-up, and RHP Eliezer Medrano, who like Caballero experience a bump in velo after signing.<br />
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Given the lengthy developmental timetable and the distance of the DSL from MLB, what are the chances we see any of these names on our TVs or devices anytime soon? The range is from slim to none, with a heavy leaning toward the latter. A study of the 2012 DSL Jays roster notes that only one player from that roster (Miguel Castro) has reached the majors, one is at AA (Jose Fernandez), with the rest who have moved on (such as Juan Kelly, Angel Perdomo, Osman Gutierrez, Jesus Tinoco) still in A ball. <br />
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As if on cue, Paulino was dazzling in his DSL debut today, striking out 5 in 2 and a third innings, as the DSL Jays shut out the Orioles for the second game in a row. Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-41476481847485087522017-06-01T10:50:00.004-04:002017-06-01T10:56:04.798-04:00Who Gets a Promotion?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeFk1lFbWqv53tfRjRc6MitKMR-FB4zI5hI83_tC-pICMxLuRoXejkWQRSr-M9HXfngw0YzPawUXOkXdGxxz1ZSXjKeyWTAXNPLSyI9rpMdd8iG_P0ZkWUZC4ASP3Sil8aWVsNculSNhh/s1600/Bo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="947" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeFk1lFbWqv53tfRjRc6MitKMR-FB4zI5hI83_tC-pICMxLuRoXejkWQRSr-M9HXfngw0YzPawUXOkXdGxxz1ZSXjKeyWTAXNPLSyI9rpMdd8iG_P0ZkWUZC4ASP3Sil8aWVsNculSNhh/s400/Bo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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Moving Week in minor league baseball is inching closer.<br />
Sometime in the first two weeks of June, as the minor league baseball season reaches its halfway point, teams begin the process of moving their deserving prospects up to the next level for a greater challenge.<br />
There must be a consensus among the minor league staff involved - from minor league managers and coaches, through to roving instructors, to front office personnel - that the player is ready for the physical and mental challenges that will come with moving up.<br />
Generally speaking, the Blue Jays have demonstrated under the Shapiro/Atkins regime a preference for moving a player up the ladder one step at a time, and having them spend at least a full season (whether that happen over the course of one calendar year or two) at each full season level. There are exceptions, of course, but this is a leadership group that prefers the slow and steady path of development for their top prospects.<br />
And there are other factors that determine whether or not a player gets moved. Having an open roster spot is an issue - sometimes, there just isn't room for a player at the next level. <br />
Having said all of that, it just doesn't look like there will be a lot of movement in the system this season. The injury to Reese McGuire of New Hampshire created an opening for the most likely promotional candidate, Danny Jansen, just over a week ago. Other than that, it's hard to see many other players making a move. The strength of this system lies in its players at the lower levels, and while teams want to make sure their players are challenged, there's no need to rush many of them just yet.<br />
Still, that won't stop us from making a few educated guesses.....<br />
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<b>Conner Greene</b><br />
<b> </b>When spring training breaks and players are assigned to minor league teams, they're given a list of things to work on during the season. Greene's list no doubt included continuing to harness that electric fastball, which has topped 100 mph several times this spring. And on that count, he's been inconsistent so far this season, walking 25 in 52 IP at New Hampshire. <br />
Still, the time may be coming for the 2013 draftee (and made 12 starts for the Fisher Cats last year), who must be placed on the 40-man roster this November, to move up. When he's at his best, Greene commands the lower part of the strike zone with his moving two-seamer, and uses the four-seamer up in the zone to finish hitters off late in the count. His 64.5% ground ball rate leads the Eastern League, demonstrating that while that latter gets the acclaim, it's the former that gets most of his outs.<br />
Greene's next-to-last start against Portland was a microcosm of his season so far. His command was spotty, walking the lead off hitter, who scored two batters later. In the third, he retired the side in quick fashion with a pair of gb outs and a swinging K. After receiving the toss from 1B Ryan McBroom to retire the hitter at 1st in one inning, he slammed the ball to the ground in obvious frustration after recording the out - something that may have made it into Manager Gary Allenson's post-game report. <br />
With the shuffling in Buffalo's rotation, there may be room for Greene on the Niagara Frontier just the same, and the Blue Jays may decide to challenge him with a promotion there.<br />
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<b>Bo Bichette</b><br />
<b> </b>The initial campaign of full season ball is a huge adjustment for most players. Not only must they deal with the physical and emotional challenges of playing every day, they need to learn to take care of their bodies and personal affairs off the field. Add in experiencing failure for perhaps the first time in their baseball lives, 8-hour bus rides, and doing it all far from home and family, and it can be a difficult time for some players, which is why many organizations are content to let their top prospects ride things out and spend a full season in Low A.<br />
But it's becoming harder to see the 2016 2nd rounder spending a whole season at Lansing.<br />
After an April in which he hit .371, Bichette has not cooled off in May, hitting .383. He leads the Midwest League in Average, Runs, and Slugging and is 2nd in Doubles and OBP. His 31.6% Line Drive rate leads the loop as well. Heady stuff for a player in just his second year of pro ball.<br />
Among the list of things Bichette has had to work on, of course, is his defence. He has split time between SS and 2B, with the organization no doubt wanting to improve his range (which is at least adequate) and his arm strength (which is accurate, but still fringy). Bichette has good reactions to batted balls, but we're going to have to give him some time to see if he can consistently make that throw from the hole at SS. Cavan Biggio is the incumbent 2B at Dunedin, so Bichette might not be able to split time between the two up-the-middle positions, and he may stay at Lansing as a result.<br />
At 19, while he's still one of the youngest players in the MWL, his mastery of Low A pitching may prompt the Blue Jays to send him to Dunedin for a greater challenge. <br />
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An AB from Opening Weekend.....<br />
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<b>Justin Maese</b><br />
<b> </b>Without as much fanfare as a couple of his higher profile teammates, Maese is putting together a solid season at Lansing. A May 24th 7-inning complete game in which he fanned 12 and walked none, might be the most compelling demonstration of his growing domination of MWL hitters.<br />
Maese quite simply fills the strike zone, using his two-seamer to induce a great deal of weak contact. In his late May start, 71 of his 97 pitches were thrown for strikes. He does give up some contact, but as he refines his command, he is becoming tougher to barrel up. <br />
Last year, in only his second pro season, Maese skipped a level to play in Vancouver, and finished the season with Lansing. He is approaching a full calendar year with the Lugnuts, and the organization may want to move him on to the next level. <br />
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<b>Bradley Jones</b><br />
<b> </b>Like Maese, Jones has not received the acclaim his teenaged fellow infielders have received, but he has popped up on the prospect radar as a legitimate bat.<br />
Jones is among the MWL leaders in Slugging and Total Bases, slashing .324/.389/.568 so far this season, demonstrating an advanced approach at the plate. If there was a concern about his production at the plate prior to this season, it would have to have been pitch recognition and working counts better. He has done an outstanding job of that, and it wouldn't be going too far out on a limb to suggest that he has the best approach in the Lansing lineup.<br />
A 1st Baseman last year, Jones was told to pack a collection of gloves for the move to Michigan, and he's split time between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd this year. His reactions on groundballs are better than had been anticpated, but his arm still is somehere in the fringy range. But that almost doesn't matter - the bat will play.<br />
Turning 22 next month, it may be time to move Jones up to Dunedin. <br />
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Jones at the plate in early April:<br />
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Beyond that, it's hard to see much movement next month. Fans have been clamoring to see top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr moved to the next level, but there is absolutely no need to rush him. Had he been born stateside, he would be preparing for next month's draft. Rapid ascension is likely in his future, but not this year. Anthony Alford would have been a good candidate to move to Buffalo next month, but his wrist injury has taken care of that. Upon his return from a successful rehab, it's possible we see him with the Bisons in August if they're in a playoff hunt.<br />
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Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-20087345890492221882017-05-22T10:52:00.001-04:002017-06-10T10:57:01.688-04:00Chris Rowley Scouting Report<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1KO0_nK6Ghhqafzt-kIdy5Bt6bE3d3BoCnrxAmj2jQIpm_L0Bs0ncn6PNDS7Oz1-VmyMeqH5pZeVx0JcEt_gWeKDdYyTTNSEuP3VYTnIV8o6oQxY2X7DQ3nFGfiPPmKgP2VljGZXzT9X/s1600/ChrisRowley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1KO0_nK6Ghhqafzt-kIdy5Bt6bE3d3BoCnrxAmj2jQIpm_L0Bs0ncn6PNDS7Oz1-VmyMeqH5pZeVx0JcEt_gWeKDdYyTTNSEuP3VYTnIV8o6oQxY2X7DQ3nFGfiPPmKgP2VljGZXzT9X/s400/ChrisRowley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">milb.com photo</td></tr>
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Blue Jays right handed pitching prospect Chris Rowley pitched 6 innings against the GCL Pirates on August 13th, 2013, allowing only 1 unearned run on 4 hits. The following morning, his 23rd birthday, he was on a flight to New York, headed to West Point to fulfill his military commitment after graduating from the United States Military Academy six weeks before. He would not pitch in a game for over two years while he served his country, which included a deployment to Eastern Europe. Despite huge odds, he's pitching himself in the picture at New Hampshire this season as a potential bullpem arm.<br />
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Even though he was the ace of the Black Knights' staff in a very competitive Division One League, Rowley's looming five-year service deterred all 30 MLB teams from drafting him in 2013 (he likely would have been a mid-round pick otherwise). The Blue Jays, who had been following him throughout his collegiate career, asked if he would be available to pitch in their minor league system that summer. Rowley, who had six weeks' leave before his committment began, jumped at the chance, and reported to the team's minor league complex in Dunedin immediately after the draft.<br />
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While the Blue Jays were well known for seeking out overlooked players at that time, Rowley was beyond a longshot, and the main reason for inviting him to pitch for their GCL team was to protect some of the higher-profile arms from having to pitch too many innings. Were he any other prospect, Rowley's 1.10 ERA and 10.7K/9 would have earned him a mid-season promotion to Bluefield or even Vancouver. Instead, he pitched every fifth day in Dunedin as his leave came to a end, waiting to fulfill his obligation.<br />
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It's rare for a student-athlete from one of the USA's service acadamies to be granted a service deferrment, but in the fall of 2015, after serving two years, Rowley received one, and headed to Instructs to resume his pro career. By the following spring, he had jumped two levels, and became a mainstay of the Dunedin Blue Jays' staff, appearing in 31 games, including 14 starts. Promoted to New Hampshire this year, he's picked up where he left off, pitching out of the bullpen until an injury to Francisco Rios prompted Manager Gary Allenson to give him a start on Saturday against a very tough lineup in the Phillies' Reading affiliate.<br />
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Rowley needed only 9 pitches to get through the first inning, and didn't give up a hit until the 3rd. Pounding the bottom of the strike zone with his downward-moving sinker, and using his slider and change effectively to keep hitters off balance, Rowley breezed through the 4th and 5th, surrendering only one hit, and needing only 19 pitches to retire six of seven. After getting the first out on a grounder to 1st Baseman Ryan McBroom to lead off the 6th, SS Richie Ureña, who had made a dazzling leaping grab of a line drive to end the 1st inning, skipped a throw to McBroom to allow the batter to reach safely. At 66 pitches, Rowley's night was over.<br />
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For the outing, Rowley threw 5.1 innings, blanking Reading on 3 hits. He walked one and fanned one. Rowley threw 44 of his 66 pitches for strikes, and induced 12 ground ball outs. He did not throw a great deal of first-pitch strikes, possibly because he wasn't afraid to use his secondaries early in the count. Rowley attacks hitters, and with that movement on his sinker, he can be very difficult to square up - "The sink is natural, I couldn't throw it straight even if I tried," Rowley said after the game. His change up is emerging as a solid secondary, with good movement, as is his slider, which has late break and good depth to it. All three pitches come from a conistent arm slot, which makes picking them up difficult for hitters. Rowley has a clean delivery with a slight pause in it, which can disrupt hitters' timing. He is a good athlete who fields his positon well.<br />
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Rowley will not blow the ball by hitters. Topping out at 91-92, he relies on command and his secondaries to keep hitters off balance:<br />
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My game is based on throwing three pitches, all at different speeds, all in the strike zone and all moving differently, and the idea is for them to look the same until they get to the plate.</blockquote>
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Still, he has managed to strike out almost a batter per inning at AA. Rowley's 47% ground ball rate shows that he excels at keeping the ball down in the zone, and his 15.8% line drive rate is proof that while he pitches to contact, it's not often of the hard variey. The knock against him may be that he doesn't miss a lot of bats, but the other side of that coin is that his sinker is very tough to square up, and his change and slider keep hitters off balance.<br />
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Is there a spot for a finesse pitcher in a bullpen in these days of flame-throwing relievers? One need look no further than Danny Barnes, who tops out at 92, for proof of that. Granted, higher velocity gives a pitcher more margin for error, but there seems to be a growing place for relievers who can change speeds, create some deception, and throw strikes. In an outing on May 10th at Hartford, Rowley allowed only one hit in three innings of relief work, walking none, and striking out 7, in a performance that surely put him on the radar. At 26, Rowley might be old to be considered a prospect, but he's reached AA in his second year of full-seaon ball, and while there may be a few arms ahead of him, he's clearly pitching himself into long or middle relief consideration.<br />
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For more: I wrote about Rowley's return to baseball <a href="https://clutchlings.blogspot.ca/2016/02/chris-rowley-released-from-army.html" target="_blank">here </a>last year.<br />
<br />Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239328455403044849.post-46178741529452148282017-05-19T17:28:00.002-04:002017-05-19T17:28:58.155-04:00What to Expect From Anthony Alford<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutchlings Photo</td></tr>
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It woud be quite understandable if Toronto Blue Jays OF prospect Anthony Alford was, to put it midlly, a prickly sort.<br />
He had a difficult upbringing (Mom and Dad have had legal problems involving drug trafficking), and he it would have been easy for the Mississippi two time top high school football and baseball player of the year to have a massive ego.<br />
But he doesn't. And he's not prickly. Just the opposite, in fact.<br />
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The Blue Jays made Alford their 3rd round choice in 2012. His draft stock had fallen because he had committed to Southern Miss to play Quarterback. Toronto was content to allow Alford to chase his gridiron dream, and play an abbreviated baseball schedule sandwiched in between college football seasons. <br />
After some off field problems his freshman year, Alford transferred to Ole Miss, and switched to defense. Still, he continued to wow scouts in his month-long forays into the Gulf Coast League, and the Blue Jays promoted him to Lansing in 2014, most likely so that senior execs could make the drive to Michigan and wave a bundle of cash at Alford to change his sporting mind.<br />
Alford returned to Ole Miss that fall (after sitting out a season due to NCAA transfer rules), and newly married, picked up his football career. For several reasons, it lasted less than two months, as Alford had a change of heart, and decided to focus on baseball. <br />
In a relatively short time, he's made tremendous progress. Sent to the Australian Winter League that fall for a crash course in pitch recognition (Alford had just over 100 plate appearances in his first shortened three pro seasons), he had a breakout season in 2015, and made many Top 100 prospects lists after just one campaign of full season ball.<br />
2016 was a sideways year for Alford at Dunedin, as injuries kept him out of the lineup for a good chunk of the first half, but he regained his form in the second. Sent to the Arizona Fall League, a finishing school for top prospects in October, he more than held his own against elite competition.<br />
Promoted to New Hampshire this year, Alford did not miss a beat with the promotion from High A to AA - the biggest leap, development wise, in the minors. Before missing a few days with an injury, Alford was hitting as high as .469/.544/.653. <br />
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What should we expect from Alford? Game-changing speed on both sides of the ball, as well as an advanced approach at the plate. Alford works deep into counts, and uses the whole field. While he draws more than his fair share of walks, there is a swing-and-miss element to his game, although he has cut down on the K's over the past season. Alford used to have quite a bit of movement in his set up, but has quieted that down over the last year. His power has just started to develop, and it's easy to see him hitting double-digit home runs in the Rogers Centre. He has stong arms and wrists (his time in the weight room as a football player have left him with quite the physique), and generates plenty of bat speed.<br />
On the bases, he may not challenge for stolen base titles due to past injury concerns, but he is definitely a distraction for oppostion pitchers. In the field, there is still some question as the the quality of reads he gets on balls, but he has excellent reactions to the ball, has an explosive first step, and gets to the ball quickly. It's surprising that the former QB has an arm that's been described as fringy, and while he's not Amos Otis, he unloads strong and accurate throws to the infield. He will not supplant incumbent CF Kevin Pillar just yet, but that day is fast approaching.<br />
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Off the field, Alford is friendly and engaging, and he always seems to have huge smile. He runs a mentoring program for troubled kids back home, and he finds the time to correspond with a humble prospect blogger on a regular basis. When you write about these kids, it's always a kick to see one of them make the big time, even if it's only for a cup of coffee. Anthony Alford may only be up for a brief period this time around, but he's destined to have a long and successful major league career. Clutchlingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09852802415556322984noreply@blogger.com0