Minor League Notes - 06/18/2009

by Jeff Sackmann on Jun 19, 2009 6:00 AM CDT in Minor League Coverage

Top Prospects:

Batter	Team	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	AVG	Notes
Escobar, Alcides	Nashville	SS	5	1	0	0	1	1	.292
Salome, Angel	Nashville	DH	5	2	2	2	0	0	.258	HR
Lucroy, Jonathan	Huntsville	C	4	1	0	0	0	1	.265
Green, Taylor	Huntsville	3B	3	1	1	3	1	0	.287	HR
Gillespie, Cole	Nashville	LF	3	1	1	0	1	0	.209	3B

Pitcher	Team	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Dillard, Tim	Nashville	5.0	11	6	5	1	2	1	4.31		Game Score: 24
Bowman, Michael	Brevard	6.0	4	1	1	2	4	0	2.84	(L, 2-1)	Game Score: 62

Top Performers:

Batter	Team	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	AVG	Notes
Vass, Michael	Wisconsin	RF	2	2	2	0	3	0	.264	2B
Sanchez, Juan	Wisconsin	CF	5	0	3	2	1	0	.266	2B
Braun, Steven	Wisconsin	2B	4	1	2	2	0	0	.250	2B
Heether, Adam	Nashville	3B	3	2	1	0	3	2	.341
Kjeldgaard, Brock	Wisconsin	1B	4	2	1	1	1	2	.223	2B

Pitcher	Team	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	ERA	Dec	Notes
Axford, John	Huntsville	2.3	0	0	0	1	2	5.79
Tyson, Nicholas	Wisconsin	3.0	1	0	0	1	1	0.00	(S, 2)
Littleton, Wes	Nashville	3.0	1	0	0	5	3	6.63
Watten, Trey	Wisconsin	6.0	7	1	1	3	1	3.78	(W, 3-6)	Game Score: 52
Mercedes, Roque	Brevard	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0.95

Follow the jump for full results!

Nashville Sounds (Triple-A) - 40-28
Lost 8-7 (11 innings) at Oklahoma City RedHawks (TEX) (box / pbp)

Batter	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	E	AVG	Notes
Bourgeois, Jason	CF	5	0	1	1	0	0	1	.319
Escobar, Alcides	SS	5	1	0	0	1	1	0	.292
Iribarren, Hernan	2B	6	1	1	0	0	1	0	.309
Katin, Brendan	RF	5	0	1	1	1	2	0	.270	3B
Koshansky, Joseph	1B	6	0	2	1	0	4	0	.226	2B
Heether, Adam	3B	3	2	1	0	3	2	0	.341
Salome, Angel	DH	5	2	2	2	0	0	0	.258	HR
Gillespie, Cole	LF	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	.209	3B
Corporan, Carlos	C	5	0	0	0	0	2	0	.210

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Dillard, Tim	5.0	11	6	5	1	2	1	4.31		Game Score: 24
Swindle, Robert	1.0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0.30	(BS, 1)
Littleton, Wes	3.0	1	0	0	5	3	0	6.63
Narron, Sam	1.0	4	2	2	1	1	0	7.23	(L, 0-2)

Huntsville Stars (Double-A) - 37-28
Lost 5-4 at Birmingham Barons (CHW) (box / pbp)

Batter	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	E	AVG	Notes
Stern, Adam	RF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.296
Justis, Shane	DH	4	0	2	0	0	1	0	.318
Lucroy, Jonathan	C	4	1	0	0	0	1	0	.265
Anderson, Drew	LF	4	1	2	0	0	0	0	.305	2B
Rottino, Vinny	1B	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	.255
Green, Taylor	3B	3	1	1	3	1	0	0	.287	HR
Melillo, Kevin	2B	4	1	1	0	0	2	1	.276	2B
Parejo, Freddy	CF	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.237
Raburn, John	SS	3	0	0	1	0	1	1	.194

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Hand, Donovan	5.7	7	3	3	1	1	2	2.47		Game Score: 43
Axford, John	2.3	0	0	0	1	2	0	5.79
Hinton, Robert	0.7	2	2	0	1	2	0	3.49	(BS, 3)(L, 0-4)

Brevard County Manatees (High-A) - 40-21
Lost 2-0 at Jupiter Hammerheads (FLO) (box / pbp)

Batter	Pos	AB	H	W	K	E	AVG
Haydel, Lee	LF	4	0	0	1	0	.275
Farris, Eric	2B	4	0	0	0	0	.252
Schafer, Logan	CF	4	1	0	0	0	.291
Wilson, Steffan	1B	4	0	0	1	0	.300
Miranda, Sergio	DH	3	1	0	1	0	.281
Wheeler, Zelous	3B	3	1	0	1	0	.234
Brewer, Brent	SS	2	0	1	1	0	.240
Maldonado, Martin	C	3	0	0	0	1	.245
Roberts, Michael	RF	3	0	0	0	0	.167

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	ERA	Dec	Notes
Bowman, Michael	6.0	4	1	1	2	4	2.84	(L, 2-1)	Game Score: 62
Mercedes, Roque	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0.95
Wooten, Robert	1.0	2	1	1	1	2	1.24

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Low-A) - 33-34
Won 6-1 at Kane County Cougars (OAK) (box / pbp)

Batter	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	AVG	Notes
Sanchez, Juan	CF	5	0	3	2	1	0	.266	2B
Marseco, Michael	SS	3	0	0	1	1	1	.193
Kemp, Corey	C	3	0	0	0	2	0	.294
Delaney, John	DH	4	0	0	0	1	4	.232
Dennis, Christopher	LF	5	1	1	0	0	2	.325	2B
Kjeldgaard, Brock	1B	4	2	1	1	1	2	.223	2B
Duran, Jose	3B	5	0	0	0	0	2	.264
Vass, Michael	RF	2	2	2	0	3	0	.264	2B
Braun, Steven	2B	4	1	2	2	0	0	.250	2B

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Watten, Trey	6.0	7	1	1	3	1	0	3.78	(W, 3-6)	Game Score: 52
Tyson, Nicholas	3.0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0.00	(S, 2)

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Comments

Eesh

Escobar’s in quite the slump.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 19, 2009 6:44 AM CDT reply actions

I had to double check that this was from today, and not yesterday

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jun 19, 2009 8:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Looking over yesterday's Heether discussion

I know that Jeff mentioned that he wasn’t much of a prospect, being kind of old for AAA. Do we know why he’s not much of a prospect? I mean, he has a MLE OBP of .372, plus a respectable .799 OPS. It’s a little hard to tell, but I’m guessing he’s not a slugger like Braun or Gamel - in 500 ABs in AAA, he might reach as many as 20 HRs - but I’m guessing he has some speed, if he’s grounded into only 5 double plays.

On defense, it’s a little tough to wade through the stats, but it looks like in 2007 he’d be rated as a “very good fielder” at third; in 2008 they started moving him around at different positions, and even at short he might be OK.

So what am I missing? Granted, he’s old for AAA, though based on his MLE numbers, it doesn’t sound like he’s going to totally suck at the big leagues. His lack of power means he probably won’t be a superstar, but the Brewers have plenty of power - what we need are guys to get on base, which he can do. Plus, for the first time in long time, we’d have a third baseman who can play third base, unlike Hart, Braun, and Gamel, and I’d be willing to sacrifice some power at third for a plus defender who can get on base. (Especially after Gamel was quoted by [I believe] BA as saying how he’s really looking forward to playing DH; I’m under the impression he’s not a fan of playing 3rd base.)

Besides, we love us our .300-hitting, good glove, no-power third basemen.

I don’t doubt that there’s a reason why he’s not well-regarded as a prospect - I’m just hoping that one of our minor-league smarties can tell me what I’m missing. My only guess is that sparkling OBP is going to sink against major-league pitching. Is that it?

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 19, 2009 7:26 AM CDT reply actions

He's not much of a prospect because he's OLD

At the same age Bill Hall was having his career year in the bigs, Heether was having a decent-but-not-great year in Huntsville.

He’s almost as old as TGJr, almost a full year older than Brad Nelson and Casey McGehee.

Basically, given what we know about aging patterns, he’s probably at his peak right now. I’ve never seen him play, and I haven’t read any opinions of him from the front office, so I have no idea whether his skills would be expected to translate. Given the way the org has treated him, I have to guess they don’t think he’d be worth much in MLB.

All that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be striking while the iron’s hot, but that’s an argument for giving him a bench spot, a la McGehee, and letting him compete for that same bench spot next year, not for expecting anything more than that.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jun 19, 2009 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions

Hallmark says age is just a number

At least, that’s what my birthday cards say.

Maybe I don’t understand MLE as much as I think I do. I assumed that MLE is a projection of his AAA performance in big-league terms. If his MLE OPS is .800, does age matter if he’s 87 years old? Or by saying he’s old, is it he’s been in the minors so long that he’s learned how to hit AAA pitching, and he’s more a AAAA guy? Does age matter if you’re not much of a slugger in the first place?

I guess, the only thing holding me back from more-or-less dismissing him is his OBP and BA. I could be wrong, but I don’t think Brad Nelson put up numbers like that in AAA. I wonder if it’s just because he pales in comparison to would-be 3B of the recent past, like Braun and Gamel and Hart.

Hmph. I wish I know what the organization thought of him. It has to be something, if his numbers say he can get on base and play a solid third base. Maybe he’s not gritty. Or eye-juicing.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 19, 2009 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions

Hugh Hefner is still hitting it pretty good in his old age

OOOOOOHH!

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jun 19, 2009 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions

There’s a difference between ‘projection of big league performance’ and ‘how he would have performed in the big leagues in that same time period’. If we feel he’s overperforming now, we wouldn’t project his MLE in the majors.

I last May, still no more than Nick Neugebauer not.

by Jordan M on Jun 19, 2009 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions

Well that's something

Is he overperforming now? That certainly could be, though with the exception of 2006, he’s posted an OBP of at least .371 every year. I’d think if your value comes from defense and getting on base, age might not be as big a hindrance.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 19, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Or to pull it all together...

In order to project something near his MLE numbers (as Jordan says, technically just a same-period equivalency for a different level of play) into the future, you have to make at least two assumptions – one being that he’s this is actually his true skill level, and another being that he’s still got room for improvement, i.e. as Jeff says, he must not currently be at his career peak.

Getting a strong MLE out of, say, a 22-year-old prospect is encouraging because the implicit assumption is that he’s still got room for growth beyond his current performance, not just because of the good MLE per se. After all, even under perfect circumstances (performance = true skill) the MLE is just a mean expectation – if you get a guy who MLE’s something like big-league replacement level, there’d still be a 50% probability that he’ll be below RL after getting called up just due to luck, so ideally you want somebody who MLE’s significantly above RL or whose age allows him to be projected for further improvements.

All in all, I think I agree with Jeff…striking while the iron is hot would be just fine with me, so if one of our utility guys gets injured this season I’d be all for calling up Heether if he’s still doing well and start seeing whether he might be one of those guys who beat the general aging patterns.

by Zeyes on Jun 19, 2009 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions

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NL Central Standings

	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
St. Louis Viva El Birdos	23	19	.547	0	Won 1
Cincinnati Red Reporter	22	19	.536	0.5	Won 3
Pittsburgh Bucs Dugout	20	22	.476	3	Won 1
Houston The Crawfish Boxes	19	23	.452	4	Won 1
Milwaukee Brew Crew Ball	17	25	.404	6	Lost 1
Chicago Bleed Cubbie Blue	15	27	.357	8	Lost 7