|  | | The Farm Report -- 10/20/2008 | | By Scott Lucas October 20, 2008 | Prospects
John Manuel, editor in chief of Baseball America, participated in a lengthy interview regarding the state of Texas’s minor-league system, cultivating that system to Major League success, the influence of Nolan Ryan, and BA’s prospect-ranking process: http://tinyurl.com/6z6yvn (print), http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200809293571342&c_id=tex (video). The video includes snippets of Holland, Feliz, Smoak, Robbie Ross and others in action, plus riveting footage of Jon Daniels standing and chewing gum. Manuel indicated that either Texas or Oakland will earn BA’s top ranking this winter.
BA’s Ben Badler summarized Texas’s international signings favorably despite losing uber-prospect Michel Inoa (subscriber-only: http://tinyurl.com/69p6cr). Texas dropped $550,000 on 16-year-old outfielder Esdras Abreu, who has displayed above-average power on a 6-3, 170-pound frame. Another signing of note is LHP Edwin Escobar, a 16-year-old who has touched the low 90s and has “feel for the breaking ball.” Per Badler, Korean signing Tae Kyung Ahn has an 88-89 mph fastball and a good slider.
Baseball Prospectus’s David Laurila interviewed Jim Colborn, Texas’s Director of Pacific Rim Operations, about his career, coaching, and differences between East and West on the mound. You needn’t be a subscriber to read it: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8226.
Affiliates
Spokane won the Northwest League’s Larry MacPhail Promotional Award (for best promotions), the John H. Johnson President’s Trophy for best exemplifying the “complete baseball franchise,” and Field of the Year. No, Spokane isn’t the only team in the league.
Arizona Fall League
Julio Borbon went 3-5 with a triple on Friday to boost his line to .286/.412/.357. Borbon has six walks in 35 plate appearances. Chad Tracy (.067/.067/.067) went zip-for-seven in two games last week. John Whittleman (.111/.200/.278) tallied a single and walk in three games. Justin Smoak hasn’t played since the 11th.
John Bannister (3.18 ERA, 1.59 WHIP) took a loss on Friday by allowing two runs, four hits and three walks in 1.1 innings. Willie Eyre (8.00 ERA, 1.60 WHIP) had a solid outing (3 IP, 1 R, 5 SO) and a forgettable one (3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R). Andrew Laughter (1.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) yielded a run in two frames last Monday and worked 1.2 scoreless innings on Thursday.
Beau Jones (1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP) gave up a run on three hits in two frames last Thursday. Jones’s control suffered during his introductions to high-A and AA, but he’s yet to walk a batter in five AFL innings. He does have two wild pitches.
The league is batting .285/.356/.425 and scoring 5.9 runs per team per game.
Liga Dominicana
Dustin Nippert pitched four scoreless innings with five hits, two walks and a strikeout for 2008 Caribbean World Series victors Tigres del Licey.
Jose Vallejo struck out in his lone appearance for Azucareros del Este (“Bulls of the East”).
Liga Venezolana
La Guaira commenced play last week with four Rangers plus free agents Brian Gordon and Kendy Batista. The hitters have requested that the first week be stricken from the record. Renny Osuna (.059/.150/.235), Ben Harrison (.136/.296/.227) and Miguel Alfonzo (.143/.400/.286) have five hits between them in a combined 15 games. Osuna’s highlight was a pinch-hit, three-run homer on Saturday. Reliever Joseph Ortiz retired one batter and hit another in his only appearance. Catchers Max Ramirez and Manny Pina and OF David Paisano also populate the La Guaira roster but have yet to appear.
Elvis Andrus is batting .333/.385/.500 in five games for Navegantes del Magallanes (“Magellan’s Navigators”).
2008 in Review
Isolated Power (slugging pct. minus batting average) relative to league:
Full-Season Leagues
1. Nelson Cruz -- .353 (120% above league average)
2. Chris Davis -- .310 (+109%)
3. Max Ramirez -- .278 (+95%)
4. Ian Gac -- .238 (+83%)
5. Mitch Moreland -- .212 (+74%)
6. Jonathan Greene -- .204 (+67%)
7. Steven Murphy -- .222 (+57%)
8. Chris Shelton -- .230 (+44%)
9. John Mayberry -- .216 (+38%)
10. Nate Gold -- .219 (+37%)
Short-Season Leagues
1. Mike Bianucci -- .219 (+91%)
2. Doug Hogan -- .181 (+58%)
3. Dennis Guinn -- .181 (+58%)
4. Lejuan Hill -- .187 (+45%)
5. Aja Barto -- .182 (+41%)
And Finally
In T.R. Sullivan’s latest mailbag column (http://tinyurl.com/5l6mq5), Edward L. of Denton asks if “there a centralized location where we can find out which Rangers' youngsters are assigned to which Winter League and how they are doing?”
I can think of one. Edward should supplement his essential reading of T.R. and MLB.com with a free subscription to the Newberg Report. If you know Edward or someone like him, please forward this email. Subscription link: http://www.newbergreport.com/nrUser.asp. |
| NEWS FLASH! 9/2/2010 3:28:17 PM- Magic number drops to 20, and we pass the savings on to you.
Read | NEWS FLASH! 9/2/2010 7:10:21 AM- Column on TexasRangers.com and footage from the Game-Watching Party.
Read | |
|
 Scott Lucas Scott Lucas was born in Arlington, Texas, to Richard and Becky Lucas. He lived mostly in Arlington before moving to Austin, where he graduated from The University of Texas. Scott works for Austin Valuation Consultants, Ltd., and has published several boring articles about real estate appraisal and environmental contamination. He makes a swell margarita and refuses to run longer than ten kilometres. |
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