Catching Up On Winter Leagues

I've been away and/or busy with other things for most of the last couple of weeks, so it's been ten days since our last Winter League Update. As such, instead of the usual format, I've decided to expand out a bit with a better look at what the Brewers in the Caribbean have been up to over the last week and a half:

Mexico:

Luis Cruz
Since 11/19: 11-for-30, 4 2B, 4 BB, 4 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 CS
Overall: .274/.309/.425 in 78 PAs over 20 games

Cruz has bounced back nicely after a rough start, but his overall numbers still reflect the reason why he's likely to be AAA filler for most of the rest of his career: He just doesn't get on base enough.

Josh Butler and Brendan Katin

Neither Butler or Katin have played for their Mexican League teams since our last update. Katin has since moved to a Venezuelan team, but I don't have an update on Butler.

EDIT: I just found out that Butler has returned home. 

Dominican Republic:

Erick Almonte
Since 11/19: 12-for-32, 1 2B, 2 BB, 3 R, 6 RBI
Overall: .274/.381/.358 in 125 PAs over 32 games

Almonte always seems to find ways to get on base, but he's not hitting for much power this winter (five extra base hits in 125 PAs). He turns 33 in February and is a nice guy to have around in case of emergency, but will not likely be used more than that.

Carlos Gomez
Since 11/19: 4-for-4, 3B, BB, 3 R, RBI, SB
Overall: .269/.364/.388 in 74 PAs over 19 games

Gomez had his best game of the winter on November 19th, and hasn't appeared since. Not sure why.

Puerto Rico:

Martin Maldonado
Since 11/19: 4-for-10, BB, R, RBI
Overall: .179/.220/.179 in 40 PAs over 16 games

Maldonado is riding a three game hitting streak but playing sparingly, and frequently being lifted for a pinch hitter.

Sergio Miranda
Since 11/19: 11-for-22, 2B, BB, 3 R, 2 RBI
Overall: .382/.434/.438 in 97 PAs over 23 games

Miranda might be having the most surprising season by a Brewer winter leaguer. Despite never having played above high-A ball (he repeated that level twice in 2009 and 2010), he's posted a league-high .382 batting average for San Juan. He recently had a stretch where he posted six straight multi-hit games.

Hiram Burgos
Since 11/19: One start, 3 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K
Overall: 16.2 IP, 3.24 ERA, 12 H, 8 BB, 15 K

Burgos was pitching pretty well out of the bullpen for Mayaguez before moving into the rotation for his last two appearances. He posted a 0.90 ERA and allowed just five hits in ten innings as a reliever.

Darren Byrd
Since 11/19: Two starts, 10.2 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 12 H, 3 BB, 5 K
Overall: 33 IP, 3.27 ERA, 34 H, 10 BB, 21 K

Byrd earned his first PWL victory on Sunday. He's doing a nice job of scattering hits and finding ways to be effective with relatively low strikeout totals.

Venezuela:

Alcides Escobar
Since 11/19: 5-for-29, 1 2B, 0 BB, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 SB, 1 CS
Overall: .154/.175/.205 in 39 plate appearances over nine games

Escobar got a late start in Venezuela, so it'd be tough to expect him to immediately hit the cover off the ball like he did last winter. With that said, he's pretty clearly not working the count (just three strikeouts and no walks in 39 PAs), so there's some reason to be concerned about the approach he was supposed to be working to fix this winter.

Brendan Katin
Since 11/19: 3-for-12, 2 2B, HR, 0 BB, 2 R, RBI
Overall: .250/.250/.667 in 12 PAs over three games

Magallanes is Katin's second team of the winter: He left Mexicali (in Mexico) after just six games. Katin is having another all-or-nothing winter: Five of his nine hits (between two leagues) have been for extra bases, but he's also struck out in 16 of his 27 plate appearances.