Ian Kennedy, who flamed out with the Yanks and was farmed out, is getting another chance. He’s been recalled to start Thursday afternoon against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (how weird is it to type that?). Kennedy didn’t waste any time getting his act together in Triple-A, tossing a superb 7 1/3 innings of one-hit, shutout ball with eight strikeouts and no walks in his first start. Monday, he started the first game of the doubleheader, but threw only one shutout frame before calling it a day, in anticipation of this start Thursday. The Yankees are scuffling, but aren’t in too big a hole yet. Salvaging a split against the Rays would be a good start, so there’s a lot of pressure on Kennedy. His control is obviously back, and assuming he has regained his confidence, hell play a very large part in whether or not this team is headed back to the postseason for a 14th consecutive season.

If Kennedy flops again, one name to keep an eye on is Steven White. The Yankees’ fourth rounder in 2003, White keeps improving his Triple-A numbers to the point where he’s sneaking onto the radar as someone who can help the big league team. Ranked by Baseball America as the fourth best prospect in the system in 2004, the 26-year-old slipped from the list the past few years, but his numbers this year are screaming out for attention. Smart owners will listen, as White has won his last three starts and is 4-1, 2.66 overall, with 35 Ks in 47 1/3 IP. I think he’s ready to at least get an audition, and given the holes in the Yanks’ rotation, that may be coming soon.

Another Yankee farmhand who is showing progress this season is outfielder Brett Gardner, the team’s third round pick in 2005. Gardner had an excellent season at Double-A last year, but found the adjustment to Triple-A somewhat challenging after a mid-season promotion. This year, despite some recent struggles, he’s picked up the pace, batting .285 through 36 games and 130 at bats. Gardner has displayed nice extra-base pop, good strike zone judgment, patience and speed. The highest drafted player in the history of the College of Charleston, the 24-year-old Gardner is someone with strong top-of-the-order skills who could carve out a major league career once opportunity comes knocking.

Andrew McCutchen, who we ranked 17th among our top 35 prospects heading into the season, is having some challenges at Triple-A recently, batting just .205 over the past ten games with 14 strikeouts. Let’s bear in mind that he’s still only 21, and overall, I like the progress he’s shown this year, both in terms of on-base skills (20 walks in 39 games after walking just four times in 17 games in his first taste of Triple-A last year) and power (ten doubles, six homers and 19 RBI). This guy’s got speed, developing power and can hit for average. Expect to see McCutchen rise into the top 10 prospects for 2008, assuming he isn’t in Pittsburgh long enough this year to lose his rookie eligibility. Right now, the Buccos don’t have any room for him with all three of their starting outfielders playing well. And with the Pirates actually hanging around .500 still, there’s no reason to start the youth movement quite yet. McCutchen is definitely a name to tuck away for the second half, however.

Remember Scott Strickland? The former Expo spent six seasons in the bigs, recording a 3.34 ERA through 236 games. But he hasn’t appeared in a major league game since 2005 with Houston. Now in the Yankees’ organization, this 32-year-old reliever is pitching pretty well so far in 2008, going 2-0 with a 4.19 ERA and over a strikeout per inning. He’s held righties to a .220 BAA, so perhaps he can still help a major league bullpen.

Still with the Yankees’ Triple-A bullpen, veteran minor leaguer Scott Patterson is starting to figure out this level after some early-season struggles. The 28-year-old righty was dominant at Double-A in 2007, recording a 1.09 ERA with 91 strikeouts and just 15 walks and 45 hits allowed in 74 1/3 IP, earning his first career Triple-A appearance along the way. Well, he started sluggishly this year, but is coming around with seven straight appearances without an earned run allowed, lowering his season mark to 3.00 through 16 games. He’s got good control and is striking out one per inning, so perhaps he’ll be considered as a possible injury replacement on the Yanks should it be necessary.

Billy Traber, who made the team out of Spring Training as the Yankees’ left-handed reliever, has struggled somewhat since his demotion back to Triple-A last month. He actually wasn’t awful in New York, but wasn’t exactly dominating southpaws, so the team felt no need to keep him around. Since his return to the minors, Traber’s numbers aren’t good (4.91 ERA), but his peripherals are strong (six hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in 7 1/3 IP). This 28-year-old could get another shot in the Yankee pen later this season.

Here’s another name to track in the bullpen of the Yanks’ top affiliate – David Robertson. The team’s 17th round pick in 2006 dominated at Double-A, earning a quick promotion to Triple-A. Since taking a beating in his debut, Robertson has settled down with three straight scoreless outings, even earning his first Triple-A win in his last appearance. He’ll need to sharpen his control to get a chance in the bigs, but considering this righty is just 23, let’s cut him some slack as he adjusts to the higher level.

Finally, Steven Jackson is also pitching very well in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre bullpen. Arizona’s tenth round pick in 2004, Jackson came to the Yankee organization in the Randy Johnson trade last year. He began the year at Double-A, but has since been promoted to Triple-A, and although his overall numbers the two levels aren’t eye popping (4.50 ERA through 14 games), his peripherals suggest he’s pitching much better than that, with just 24 hits and eight walks allowed while he’s fanned 28 in 28 IP. He even chalked up his first Triple-A save earlier this week after picking up one in Double-A.

May 15th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, Minor Matters, RotoRob, Transactional analysis . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 4 Comments

Should Felix Pie continue to struggle and Reed Johnson remain, well…Reed Johnson, the Cubbies might want to explore the option of promoting Andres Torres. Torres is on a serious roll for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, running his hitting streak to 22 games Wednesday – the fourth-longest in team history. Only Roosevelt Brown (26 games, 1999), Steve Staggs (33, 1977) and Mike Squires (33, 1978) have rung up longer batting streaks as Iowa Cubs. Torres, a fourth-round pick for the Tigers back in 1997, is now in his fifth organization, having appeared in 89 MLB games with Detroit and Texas, but none since 2005. The 30-year-old outfielder was batting .263 when the streak began last month, no big surprise considering in ten minor league seasons his lifetime BA is .268. However, a 31-for-82 run since has him up to .353 for the year. He’s not a power hitter, but with a .525 SLG, Torres is showing more pop than ever before. And I’m impressed with his much improved strike zone judgment (16 BB/19 K). Torres enjoyed his finest Triple-A season in 2007, and appears to have taken the next step so far in 2008. Could we be witnessing a late bloomer?

R.A. Dickey, who was called up last month to fill in for Erik Bedard and predictably took a beating in his couple of appearances with the Mariners, has struggled since his demotion back to Triple-A. He’s lost his last three starts, surrendering 32 hits in 21 innings. Still, his season ERA of 3.25 is impressive, so Dickey could get another look as an injury-fill in, assuming he stops getting tattooed in the minors.

Another pitcher who’s doing pretty well is Iowa starter Randy Keisler. He earned the win Wednesday for his six-inning, six-hit, one-earned run effort that included four Ks against two walks. Keisler wasn’t exactly the tonic the Cardinals needed last year with Chris Carpenter out, and he wasn’t long for the job. But this season his hit rates haven’t been awful, his command has been good, and he’s averaging almost a strikeout per inning with a fine 3.50 ERA for the Cubs. Given Jon Lieber’s rather horrific debut in the rotation, perhaps Keisler, the former Yankee prospect, will get another look in a major league rotation. Of course, he’s never done much with the opportunities that have been presented to him, so maybe this isn’t as juicy a prospect as you think. Still, you never know when lightning will strike, and Keisler’s peripherals do suggest that his improvement may be real, especially given a much higher groundball rate to date.

Should the Cubbies require bullpen help, Jose Ascanio is worth a look. The former Brave farmhand just turned 23, so there’s plenty of upside here. And he’s done a superb job as the Iowa closer, with just 14 hits allowed and 16 strikeouts in 17 1/3 IP. Ascanio, with a 1-0 mark, 2.60 ERA and seven saves, will get another chance in the majors very soon, and he’s got future closer written all over him, although Carlos Marmol looks quite qualified to step up should Kerry Wood falter.

May 8th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, Minor Matters, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 3 Comments

Josh Towers wasn’t horrific with the Jays last year, but he’s been firestarter for Colorado Springs this season.

Josh Towers wasn’t awful last year in his role as a swingman for the Jays, but he sure is sucking in his current capacity as a starter for the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sox. Through five starts, he’s showing his usual good control (five walks), but has also been touched up for five long balls. Towers was in contention for the fifth starter job in Colorado this spring, but don’t expect the Rox to come calling for the 31-year-old righty any time soon with those kinds of results.

Remember when Chris George was a prospect? The Royals first rounder (31st overall) back in 1998, George last appeared in the majors in 2004, and judging by how badly his game has deteriorated, he won’t be back any time soon. Pitching out of the Sky Sox pen (he’s not even good enough to be a Triple-A starter any more), George has been torched for a .390 BAA through 14 innings. The good news? He has yet to yield a long ball after coughing up 21 last season.

Matt Daley, another Colorado Springs reliever, looks like someone who could actually help the big league club at some point this year. He had a decent year as a swingman for Double-A Tulsa last season, but stepped up this year, earning a quick promotion to Triple-A, where he’s held his own for the most part, despite a couple of rough outings recently. Daley, a 2005 Sally League All-Star, has fanned 15 in 11 2/3 IP, the kind of dominance that gets noticed.

Another reliever I expected could help the Rockies this year was Juan Morillo. He’s had unsuccessful cups of coffee with the big league team the last two seasons, and put himself on the radar with a dominant showing in Double-A last year. However, Morillo’s control has completely gone AWOL in this, his first full year of Triple-A. While opponents are only batting .241 against him, and he’s striking out better than a batter per inning, Morillo has walked an ungodly 18 in just 8 2/3 innings. Things are looking a bit better for him over the last few outings, so perhaps he’s nipping this problem in the bud. Morillo will need to if he has aspirations of seeing any significant time in the bigs this summer.

Back in Spring Training, I wrote about Padre pitching prospect Wade LeBlanc and how his changeup had put him in the picture for the San Diego fifth starter job. Uh, yeah. Well, he’s been rancid at Triple-A Portland so far, and is clearly not adjusting to life at this level. LeBlanc, the team’s second rounder in 2006, has progressed through the system very quickly and is only 23, so there’s plenty of time for him to figure things out. But through his first five starts, he’s been shelled for 35 hits, five homers and 13 walks in just 22 1/3 IP. In particular, LeBlanc’s last two starts have been horrible, so perhaps he’s battling an injury. His flyball rate is up, and that’s not helping matters. This kid has talent, his track record is strong, and he was very solid in 2007 at both High-A and Double-A, so keep an eye on him.

OF Sean Barker, who made his MLB debut last year for Colorado, continues to put up consistently strong numbers in this, his third year of Triple-A, as mostly a part-time player. A six-game hit streak has him up to .291 for the year, with 20 RBI in 24 games. More promising still, after walking 14 times in 72 games last season, Barker has already drawn 10 free passes this year, a newfound skill that should help put him in line for a call up should injury to one of the Rockies’ outfielders necessitate an extra flyhawk at Coors. Barker, the team’s sixth rounder in 2002, will be 28 next month, so the best we can probably hope for is he carves out a career as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

Remember Enrique Gonzalez? The D-Backs’ fifth starter in 2006, who got all of one start last year with the Snakes after a less than impressive year at Triple-A? Me thinks that Arizona gave up on the still-just-25-year-old too soon. He was waived, and claimed by the Nats in September, but they never brought him up, and in February, San Diego claimed him. Gonzalez made the team out of Spring Training, but was outrighted a couple of weeks ago after starting poorly. Since moving to Portland, Gonzalez was strong in a couple of relief appearances and decent in his only start. But with 13 strikeouts in just seven innings, it’s clear that Gonzalez could be an asset in the Padres’ pen at some point. I’d keep an eye on him.

Former Diamondback prospect Adam Bass is getting roughed up something fierce in the Portland Beaver bullpen. Bass, a 10th round pick by the D-Backs in 2003, was excellent at Triple-A Tucson last year, garnering attention from the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the NPB, if not Arizona. He spent the rest of the season in Japan, but was hammered for 30 hits in 15 1/3 IP. Now, he’s back in Triple-A, and appears no closer to getting to the majors. He’s pitched a bit better his last couple of times out, but has been ripped for 20 hits and six walks in just 12 2/3 IP over 10 appearances. The 26-year-old righty will need to show marked improvement if he’s hoping to make his big league debut this year.

April 30th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, Minor Matters, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment

Eric Duncan, the Yankees’ former top prospect and first round pick back in 2003, is not panning out as expected. It’s gotten bad enough that he’s pretty well behind both Juan Miranda and Shelley Duncan just on the first base depth chart at Triple-A. Duncan was the team’s top prospect in 2005, despite batting just .235 in Double-A that year. He managed to improve his numbers at Double-A in 2006 before a promotion to Triple-A, but since the end of ‘06, he’s fallen off the radar as a top prospect in the organization. There’s still time for Duncan to get his act together. He’s just 23 and has steadily improved his Triple-A numbers. Duncan’s K rate is down this year, but the key for him will be staying healthy after a thumb injury cost him about six weeks last season. If Duncan can carve out a bigger role for himself, he could get a September call, but the chances of him landing an everyday job in the bigs seem to be fading fast.

Duncan’s teammate, Jason Lane, appears to be in no rush to get back to the Show. Discussed as someone in the mix for the Yanks’ first base job this spring, Lane is scuffling badly at Triple-A. He’s stuck in a 4-for-29 skid and is not being productive, with just 10 RBI in 20 games after driving in 41 in 50 games in Triple-A last season. If Lane can’t hit Triple-A pitching, how the hell is he supposed to prove that he still can’t hit major league pitching? At the age of 31, it’s time to consider Lane an organizational player.

April 24th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, Minor Matters, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment

Don’t expect Met farmhand Mike Nickeas to overtake Russell Martin as the best Canadian-born catcher any time soon.

With Mike Mussina struggling and the Yanks forced to give prospect Ian Kennedy a trial, it will interesting to see what happens if the kid fails as well. Perhaps the Pinstripers will turn back to Chase Wright, up earlier this season when injuries were decimating the Yankee rotation. After his performance on Saturday, you’d think the kid had earned another shot. Wright’s four-hit shutout marked his fifth win with Double-A Trenton to go along with eight Triple-A wins and one with the big club. Wright’s done very well in Double-A, holding opponents to a .240 BAA in 54 2/3 innings, and avoiding the command issues he faced in Triple-A and the majors. He’s been particularly nasty against Binghamton, tossing 15 consecutive goose eggs against the Mets.

Don’t look for catcher Mike Nickeas to soon be following in fellow Canuck catcher Russell Martin’s footsteps. If he somehow makes it to the majors, it won’t be on the strength of his hitting. The 24-year-old has shown no offensive ability in recent seasons, and his .214 mark with one homer and 14 RBI in 60 games and 196 at-bats for Double-A Binghamton this season does not bode well. A former fifth round by Texas in 2004, Nickeas was dealt to the Mets for Victor Diaz last year. He’s looking like a future third-stringer at best, assuming he can find his way to Triple-A at some point.

Mets’ pitching prospect Jose Sanchez, after winning 22 games the past two years at Class-A and High-A, has endured some growing pains in his adjustment to Double-A. The 23-year-old righty has battled control issues and allowed too many baserunners to experience pronlonged success at this level, hence his lackluster 4-8, 4.23 mark through 26 starts. On the plus side, he’s enjoyed a much better second half, going 3-4, with a 3.55 ERA, and before taking a bitch-slapping on the weekend, Sanchez had rhymed off eight straight starts of three earned runs allowed or less. More of that will allow him to work his way into the picture down the road.

Jamal Strong, who we checked in on a couple of months ago, noting his fine OBP this year, has been sent back to Double-A and isn’t hitting like he’s ready to head back to Triple-A any time soon. He’s stuck in a 2-for-15 slump, batting just .212 in the last 10 games, .218 in August and .205 since the All-Star break. Overall, Strong has actually shown some modest improvements this year, with a 680 OPS through 270 combined at-bats, considering last year his OPS was just 631. But the fact that he’s had to spend more than half his season at Double-A suggests that Strong is further, not closer to getting back to the majors, where he last showed up in 2005.

August 29th, 2007
Categories: BASEBALL, Minor Matters . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments