White Sox Minor League Update Is Stalking Its Prey
by larry on Aug 28, 2010 7:49 PM CDT
Email
PrintAndy Wilkins is a power-hitting first baseman from the University of Arkansas. Wilkins originally came to
Arkansas from Broken Arrow High School in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, a southeastern suburb of Tulsa.
He was a very good prospect in high school, but as it is now, there were too many questions about his
athleticism for him to be a premium pick, dropping to the twenty-fifth round and going unsigned by the
Rangers. He headed to Arkansas, where he was a part-time player as a freshman. He hit well enough to
get some attention, and he moved into the starting first base role as a sophomore. He proceeded to
show a big bat with a few holes, and that seems to be the case again as a junior, where some scouts say
he’s regressed a bit with the bat since last year. He still projects as a potential starting first baseman at
the Major League level, but it seems the odds of him reaching that ceiling are lower now than if I had
written this a year ago. At the plate, he’s a below-average hitter with significant holes in his swing that
are exploited for strikeouts on a regular basis. However, that’s sometimes due to the fact that he works
himself deep into counts, so the odds of him striking out go up. He has plus raw power, too, so he is a
prototypical power and patience hitter. He’s a below-average runner that borders on baseclogger, but
he’s somehow an average defender at first base with a solid-average arm that is a holdover from his
days as a third base prospect in high school. He’s expected to go somewhere in the fifth to eighth round
range, where he should be signable.
From Andy Seiler.
Interesting that a below-average runner that borders on baseclogger has six steals in eight attempts.
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de aza 2-4, BB
morel 0-5
viciedo 1-5, HR
danks 3-4, K, CS
flowers 0-2, S, BB, K
santeliz 2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Viciedo HR was a walk-off in the 11th.
Otherwise, he had a bad day at the plate. It’s not hard to see why he doesn’t walk ever.
Some other observations:
Santeliz is perhaps the fastest worker I’ve ever seen. When he receives the throw from the catcher, he’s already beginning to set his feet. He takes the first sign and immediately starts his motion. The time it takes him to catch then throw is no more than 4-5 seconds. I’m no pitching expert, but to me he doesn’t have incredible stuff, honestly. I think most of his success is a result of preventing hitters from getting comfortable.
How Danks manages to ever hit anything blows my mind. His swing is a giant uppercut loop. I don’t know if I’m more amazed that he has made it this far with that swing, or that no one has changed it by now. Still, he went 3-4 and brought that average up.
Ryan Braun has a ridiculously stupid looking ’stache. My friend threw some name jokes at him and he gave a glance and smiled.
One more thing: watching fireworks with 3D glasses makes for a completely new experience.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Aug 29, 2010 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Exactly. This needs some sugarcoating ;)
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Aug 29, 2010 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions
I'd also add that Morel passed the eye test.
He made a really great diving play to his left, nabbing a linedrive that looked sure to go through the hole. I can’t wait to see him in another week or so.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Aug 29, 2010 7:01 PM CDT up reply actions
So they faced a lousy pitcher, it seems.
"Inferstructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" by Rhubarb, Aug. 19, 2010 5:59 PM
Quit!
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Aug 29, 2010 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Donny Lucy went 1-for-3 with a strikeout for the Charlotte Knights today, and assuming it’s his last start before call-up season, he closed the book on a successful August. Lucy hit .333/.351/.444 over 10 starts (36 at-bats), and used the run to put himself in serious contention for the ceremonial third catcher spot.
Here’s how his numbers look before and after the All-Star break:
* Before: .212/.261/.318 over 132 AB
* After: .302/.339/.396 over 53 AB
Compare him to Tyler Flowers, and there might not be much competition:
* Before: .229/.324/.478 over 249 AB
* After: .194/.356/.312 over 93 AB
Flowers has some crazy splits going on all over the plate. He’s hitting much better away from Charlotte’s bandbox, and he has even splits against lefties and righties (historically speaking, he slaughters lefties).
The good news is that Flowers has reduced his strikeout rate from month to month since peaking in May at a horrendous 38.7 percent. It’s down to 21.7 in August, and he’s drawing a walk for nearly every time he’s whiffing this past month.
I have a feeling Guillen is going to go with Lucy, which will gum up what was supposed to be a relatively seamless transition from A.J. Pierzynski to Flowers. It wouldn’t be undeserved, either, but since it’s only for emergency purposes, I’m hoping he’ll go with the guy who (still) actually has a major-league future.
http://soxmachine.com/2010/08/30/minor-league-roundup-august-29/
Can't keep Donny down.
The cream rises to the top.
"Inferstructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" by Rhubarb, Aug. 19, 2010 5:59 PM
i hope you're not gonna let that little dig in the last paragraph go without response.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Aug 30, 2010 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions
it's certainly disappointing that jim no longer thinks flowers has a major-league future.
by larry on Aug 30, 2010 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
WHOOOOSHH!!!
Thome Walks-Off Sox, Twists Knife, Continues To Make Sox Brass Look REALLY Stupid - White Sox Season Recap
You are an idiot.
Donny is THE man. And you need to do your homework.
"Inferstructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" by Rhubarb, Aug. 19, 2010 5:59 PM
i read that as:
Lucy getting the third spot wouldn’t be undeserved, but since the third spot is only for emergency purposes he hopes flowers gets it as he has a major league future.
Jim, care to clear things up?
-Jeeves Life in the Cell
does this mean I get to whosh wu?
what am I waiting for?
Thome Walks-Off Sox, Twists Knife, Continues To Make Sox Brass Look REALLY Stupid - White Sox Season Recap
ah well in that case
self-whooooooooooooosh!
-Jeeves Life in the Cell
lol
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Aug 30, 2010 7:35 PM CDT up reply actions
i set 'em up. you knock 'em down.
then everybody comes around to ask why you’re knocking things down.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Aug 30, 2010 10:29 PM CDT up reply actions
de aza 4-5, 3 2B
morel 1-5, 2B
danks 0-4, 3 K, SF
viciedo 2-5
flowers 1-4, 2B, BB
nunez 2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Fucking Danks!
Everyone else hits! Danks sucks!
"Inferstructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" by Rhubarb, Aug. 19, 2010 5:59 PM
(Creeping up on us. Not on me. BOILER UP!)
"Inferstructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" by Rhubarb, Aug. 19, 2010 5:59 PM
Outfielder Brandon Short has been placed on the seven-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 25, because of an oblique strain.
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2010/aug/29/dash-romps-to-easy-victory/sports/
aha!
Thome Walks-Off Sox, Twists Knife, Continues To Make Sox Brass Look REALLY Stupid - White Sox Season Recap
by blackoutsox on Aug 30, 2010 11:57 PM CDT up reply actions
arizona fall league participants
Anthony Carter, Charlie Leesman, Henry Mabee, Jonnie Lowe, Josh Phegley, Eduardo Escobar and Jared Mitchell named to AFL’s Peoria Saguaros.
PEORIA SAGUAROS
Pitchers To Watch: The Saguaros’ top two starters are command guys with solid stuff who missed time early in the season with oblique injuries. RHP Alex Cobb has put together a fine Double-A season, averaging 9.3 K/9 IP using a plus changeup, three other average pitches and excellent control. Padres LHP Cory Luebke has a similar approach from the left side, and neither hurler surpassed more than 120 IP this season, though Luebke is set to make his big league debut this week. Reds LHP Philippe Valiquette will be fun to watch on the AFL’s Pitch f/X data, with reports of his fastball sitting in the 95-98 mph range. White Sox RHP Johnnie Lowe remains a tease with his hard, low-90s sinker, which may play better in the bullpen. The same could be said of Twins RHP Carlos Gutierrez, a 2008 first-rounder.
Hitters To Watch: The White Sox are anxious to get OF Jared Mitchell back from the ankle injury, suffered in spring training, that sidelined him all season, and the 2009 first-rounder has to be too. He’s part of a toolsy outfield that includes Twins farmhands Ben Revere, who is currently sidelined by a broken jaw, and the power-speed combo of Joe Benson. A former Coastal Carolina star, Reds OF David Sappelt is set to win a Southern League batting title despite a promotion to Triple-A. Fellow Red C Devin Mesoraco has hit 26 homers in a breakout season while reaching Triple-A, where he’s embroiled in the International League pennant race.
BA's john manuel was at the game.
some selections from his twitterings:
Jordan Danks meanwhile looks awful. Lh hitters bat .290 off Brian Baker yet Danks is 0-for-3 w/3 strikeouts, and it’s been ugly.
Brent Morel lashes a wall-ball single. Playing SS 2nite for Knights, will be interesting to see, he’s above-avg at 3b but SS may b a stretch
Morel witha Hazel Mae single in the 3rd, and he’s handled 3 chances smoothly, including a DP.
Make that five chances; ball keeps finding Morel and he keeps making routine play.
escobar 0-5
marrero 2-4
phegley 1-4
cj 1-3, S
omogrosso 1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K
bellamy 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K
Not related to this post, but I’ve been meaning to ask — has your opinion of Flowers changed appreciably since the start of the season? My guess is no — power still good, still walking with the known contact and defense issues — but i figured I’d ask anyways.
and his k rate is dropping marginally from month to month
would like larry’s take too
"I never say one bad thing about those stupid fucking Cubs fans. Not a single word about those mother-shitting pieces of fuck"
by onlysoxfaninbasel on Sep 1, 2010 6:03 AM CDT up reply actions
i'll have more thoughts on this later.
but not really. the only prospect i thought was a “sure thing” in this system was hudson. we all knew flowers’ flaws. the only thing that really is potentially different is the defense. did he really improve last season, or was it all scouts seeing the offense and concluding that it would be good enough if he hits? has he really regressed this season, or is that just scouts seeing the offense and concluding it isn’t good enough if he hits like this season? if he really didn’t improve, that would likely have changed my opinion of him prior to the season because the offensive standard for 1B is a high one.
I'm going back to see the Knights this Saturday
Will Morel be there?
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
Your FB friend.
Is he an engaging sort?
"Inferstructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" by Rhubarb, Aug. 19, 2010 5:59 PM
word. he's fun to watch in the field, at least.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Sep 1, 2010 11:18 PM CDT up reply actions
didn't pass the injury bar.
well, at least you get to see the most selfless player of our generation call a game.
john manuel back at it tonight
Clevlen Santeliz, designated for assignment earlier in day, throws a dominant, scoreless 7th, hitting 94 mph several times, no balls.
Jeffrey Marquezstrikes out the side in the first, using a lot of 82 mph curves and 86-87 mph sliders. He topped out at 91
Have you seen video of him pitch?
It’s incredible how fast he works.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Sep 1, 2010 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions
What do you think of Collop?
a 30:123 BB:K ratio in 140 or so IP is pretty good.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Sep 1, 2010 11:21 PM CDT up reply actions
he's a little old
and the Sox have been pushing the guys they really like.
but it’s nice to see a decent performance out of a Sox minor league pitcher.
Fireworks: Bang?
22 in A-ball isn't young...
but I wouldn’t say he’s… Old. He just turned 22… if he turns 23 in AA, 24 in AAA, he’ll be at a decent age for the majors. If he makes it.
But yes, this exercise is a bit like finding the tallest ear of corn in a corn field.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Sep 1, 2010 11:34 PM CDT up reply actions
gives up a lot of hits, which helps to pad the strikeout numbers.
but he’s significantly reduced the walks from last season (something like 5 per 9 down to 2 per 9, without looking it up), even while giving up more hits, so that’s a positive.
which strikeout numbers are padded by hits against?
I photoshopped a boner on the security guard but it's too dark to see --- billyok
the more hits you give up, the more batters you face
which gives you more opportunities for strikeouts in the same number of innings as a guy who gave up fewer hits. using k/batters faced to compare makes the problem go away, but typically that’s not what you get to look at.
Fireworks: Bang?
It gives the pitcher giving up the hits an opportunity to throw more pitches but he's still got an opportunity to strike out only 3 batters per inning.
just as kenwo does by blowing away the side in order. that doesn’t make any sense to me. i’d think the pitcher giving up all the hits is not very good and thus likely to strike out fewer.
I photoshopped a boner on the security guard but it's too dark to see --- billyok
there's a cap on the number of guys you can strike out
but no floor. one of the ways to help hit the cap is to have more opportunities to do so.
also, for the most part what you say is true about more hits = worse stuff. but for guys with meh fastballs or who like to nibble (carlos torres?), this is exactly what happens.
Fireworks: Bang?
uh, there's an obvious floor. 0.
but what it is true that you have more opportunities for strike outs when you give up hits.
Fireworks: Bang?
no you don't.
you have 27 opportunities per game. it doesn’t matter whether you pitch to 27 batters or 200, there are 27 outs and 27 chances to record an out by strike out.
I photoshopped a boner on the security guard but it's too dark to see --- billyok
this confuses me as well.
i figured that typically the more hits you give up, the worse stuff you have, and the less likely you are to K people. Unless you just have a really terrible defense.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Sep 5, 2010 11:03 PM CDT up reply actions
escobar 2-4, HR, BB
marrero 2-5, 2B, SB
phegley 1-2, HR, BB, IBB
greene 1-4
bellamy 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 K
Heh.
it’s a lazy comp on my part, but the hope is that Eduardo is a clone of Alcides (Escobar), right? Kind of funny that the first three great field, no hit shortstops I thought of were all Venezuelan (Vizquel and Guillen being the other two). Adam Everett broke the string.
In any case, how confident are you in assessing Escobar’s defense? From gleaning the scouting reports and various commentary (and maybe seeing him?), can you paint a clearer picture than “above average”, or is that too much to ask at this point? Obviously if he’s a leet defender, it won’t take much more than .250/.300/.375 from the bat for him to be an average player.
You think first of those 3 because you are a kid.
Dal Maxville, Mark Belanger, all the way back to Rabbit Maranville, there have always been great-field, no-hit SS’s.
I guess one man's pain in the ass is another’s perfect fit.
by mick10 on Sep 1, 2010 2:39 PM EDT
he's considered an elite defender.
i’ve seen him play four times and he is very smooth in the field. if you want to use the vizquel comp, like omar, he makes nearly every play he makes look routine. very good at turning the double play.
BA: Helium Watch
Charlie Leesman, lhp, White Sox: Leesman had a modest first half in the Carolina League, posting a 5.10 ERA and walking (44) more than he struck out (39) in 84 2/3 innings. However, one scout who saw him with high Class A Winston-Salem said he “pitched better than the numbers. He was the best prospect on that club.” Since a promotion to Double-A Birmingham, Leesman has regained his command of his 88-92 mph fastball and shown a plus slider with late, sharp bite, which he uses to both righthanded and lefthanded hitters. He threw seven shutout, one-hit innings in his last start against Carolina to improve to 5-2, 2.81 with a 45-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio for the Barons over 57 2/3 innings. With a changeup that flashes average potential, Leesman has a chance for a four-pitch mix and can be a fourth starter if his command holds up. In a White Sox system thinned by trades over the last couple of years, that’s welcome news.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2010/2610598.html
Mr. Danks, you've got a lovelly pussy.
(Think Herman’s Hermits.)
I guess one man's pain in the ass is another’s perfect fit.
by mick10 on Sep 1, 2010 2:39 PM EDT
WTF?
My computer sucks. To Danks’ futility above.
I guess one man's pain in the ass is another’s perfect fit.
by mick10 on Sep 1, 2010 2:39 PM EDT
If anyone is close to having the number of wives Henry the eighth did...
Henery the eighth you are you are.
"OzzieOzzieOzzie: eep"
by South Side Expat on Sep 5, 2010 12:29 AM CDT up reply actions
Twas a nice blowout to watch
Viciedo pulled that one barely fair down the LF line.
Everytime I watch Danks swing I cringe. He can play a decent CF though. He made a couple over the shoulder catches last night, running back to the wall. The ball was flying off the bats last night. Except Danks’.
"Brent Lillibridge - DH" - July 7th, 2010
"Good luck finding a one two punch like us in the league" - BSLillibridge, July 20, 2010
by Shoeless In SC on Sep 5, 2010 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions
(Smiles.)
I guess one man's pain in the ass is another’s perfect fit.
by mick10 on Sep 1, 2010 2:39 PM EDT
(Smile widens. 3B. Speed.)
I guess one man's pain in the ass is another’s perfect fit.
by mick10 on Sep 1, 2010 2:39 PM EDT
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