AFL thread

[NorthSideSox72]

Another periodic update. Here are the current stats for the Sox players in the AFL...

 

PITCHERS

Terry Doyle: 6 G, 21.1 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 HR, 4 BB, 16 K... 2.11 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, .141 AvgA, 1.50 GO/AO (that's including yesterday's bad game)

Nevin Griffith: 9 G, 10.2 IP, 12 H, 8 ER, 3 HR, 7 BB, 4 K... 6.75 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, .279 AvgA, 4.60 GO/AO (ground outs are nice, otherwise, blech)

Brandon Kloess: 10 G, 9.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 14 K... 4.82 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, .143 AvgA, 1.67 GO/AO (ERA inflated by one very bad game, peripherals look good)

 

POSITION PLAYERS

Brandon Short: 80 AB... .275/.370/.488/.857, 11 BB vs 24 K, 1 SB + 2 CS (striking out a lot, but putting up good results anyway)

Tyler Saladino: 55 AB... .309/.339/.382/.721, 3 BB vs 12 K, 2 SB + 1 CS (Looking OK, no power or walks though)

Michael Blanke: 34 AB... .206/.270/.471/.741, 2 BB vs 6 K, no attempts (5 of 7 hits are XBH)

 

[[email protected]]

Another periodic update. Here are the current stats for the Sox players in the AFL...

 

PITCHERS

Terry Doyle: 6 G, 21.1 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 HR, 4 BB, 16 K... 2.11 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, .141 AvgA, 1.50 GO/AO (that's including yesterday's bad game)

Nevin Griffith: 9 G, 10.2 IP, 12 H, 8 ER, 3 HR, 7 BB, 4 K... 6.75 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, .279 AvgA, 4.60 GO/AO (ground outs are nice, otherwise, blech)

Brandon Kloess: 10 G, 9.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 14 K... 4.82 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, .143 AvgA, 1.67 GO/AO (ERA inflated by one very bad game, peripherals look good)

 

POSITION PLAYERS

Brandon Short: 80 AB... .275/.370/.488/.857, 11 BB vs 24 K, 1 SB + 2 CS (striking out a lot, but putting up good results anyway)

Tyler Saladino: 55 AB... .309/.339/.382/.721, 3 BB vs 12 K, 2 SB + 1 CS (Looking OK, no power or walks though)

Michael Blanke: 34 AB... .206/.270/.471/.741, 2 BB vs 6 K, no attempts (5 of 7 hits are XBH)

 

And don't forget

 

Jake Petricka: 9 G, 11 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 11 K, 5.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .227 AvgA, 1.30 GO/AO

[NorthSideSox72]

And don't forget

 

Jake Petricka: 9 G, 11 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 11 K, 5.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .227 AvgA, 1.30 GO/AO

I had forgotten, thanks for adding!

 

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Mesa won 8-7. Short 0-4, K. Saladino 2-4, 2B, K. Saladino at .322/.349/.407 in 59 AB

 

[flavum]

MLBN -7pm

 

Cole vs Hultzen

 

Rising Stars East lineup: RF – Robbie Grossman (Pirates), CF – Mike Trout (Angels), SS – Junior Lake (Cubs), 3B – Nolan Arenado (Rockies), DH – Bruce Harper (Nationals), C – Derek Norris (Nationals), 1B – Ben Paulsen (Rockies), 2B – Brian Dozier (Twins), LF – Tim Wheeler (Rockies)

 

Rising Stars West lineup: CF – Kevin Mattison (Marlins), SS – Nick Franklin (Mariners), RF – Wil Myers (Royals), 3B – Mike Olt (Rangers) , DH – Michael Choice (Athletics), 1B – Joey Terdoslavich, LF (Braves) – Jaff Decker (Padres), C – Christian Bethancourt (Braves), 2B – Christian Colon (Royals)

 

 

[fathom]

Hultzen is very impressive

[Jordan4life_2007]

Hultzen is very impressive

 

How did Cole look?

[fathom]

How did Cole look?

 

DVR'd it, but gave up a single and homer to first two batters. 99 mph fastball

[southsider2k5]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-sp...,0,411518.story

 

MESA, Ariz. — Searching for talent in the independent leagues may be equated to shopping at a flea market.

 

But for the White Sox, places such as Crestwood and Chico, Calif., have provided some help for the future.

 

Their latest discovery is right-handed reliever Brandon Kloess, who allowed only one earned run in his first nine Arizona Fall League appearances for Mesa before allowing four runs Wednesday.

 

Kloess, 26, hopes to follow Dylan Axelrod as Windy City ThunderBolts alums who resurrected their professional careers after being shunned by major league teams.

 

"I'm just living the dream," said Kloess, who was a combined 7-4 with a 1.92 ERA in 39 appearances at the Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels in 2011 after going undrafted in 2008 following his senior year at Florida Atlantic. "I never really wanted to stop. I had an injury in college that slowed me down, but I kept going out there wanting to play.

 

"I still love the game and didn't want to stop at that point."

 

The incentive is even greater for Kloess, who has impressed scouts with a deceptive fastball that has helped him strike out 13 in his first 81/3 innings in the AFL, including four strikeouts in 11/3 innings against Surprise on Oct. 24.

 

"We were given the same opportunity as the big-name guys," Kloess said of his three minor league seasons with the Sox. "We maybe don't get as many chances as they do, but it's nice to know we're treated like a high draft pick, and it showed with Axelrod making the majors."

 

After learning that Axelrod was promoted to the Sox, Kloess said he sent a text message to Axelrod and tracked how many of his former Windy City teammates attended Axelrod's second major league start at U.S. Cellular Field against the Tigers.

 

That support was important to Kloess, who pitched for and was signed by Tommy Thompson, the Sox's manager at Class A Kannapolis.

 

Thompson and Mark Parent — now the Sox's bench coach — are former independent league managers who later joined major league organizations.

 

During a conference call to announce his hiring, Parent said that independent ball almost took him back to T-ball, and then clarified his comments to say he got involved because he was part of the new Golden Baseball League and got to be close to home and watch his kids grow up.

 

"It brought back the feelings for me and the passion that I had for the game when I was first starting out, and it was a great thing to see," Parent said.

 

One of Parent's players was outfielder Daniel Nava, who advanced from Chico in 2007 to the Red Sox, with whom in 2010 he became the second player in major league history to hit a grand slam on his first pitch.

 

"Mark understood the situation and did his best to give us the best opportunity to get us to the next level — which was to get signed (by a major league team) and play the game right," said Nava, currently under contract with Triple-A Pawtucket. "It's a very touch-and-go situation, and Mark didn't cut anyone short. In independent ball, you're conducting tryouts for guys, releasing players and running a team. It's all done on the fly.

 

"It's wild — put it that way."

 

Kloess, meanwhile, was grateful for the AFL invitation but isn't taking his recent success for granted.

 

"It's still a long road ahead, and I'm learning a lot of stuff out here," he said.

 

[email protected]

[NorthSideSox72]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-sp...,0,411518.story

Always fun to see NDFA's and other independent league pickups actually do well. Axelrod to the majors, Kloess and Remenowsky making their way up. Axelrod not technically NDFA though, he was drafted then let go. Last true NDFA to make the team, I think, was Ehren Wassermann. Remenowsky may be next.

 

[southsider2k5]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,1411239.story

 

MESA, Ariz. — Same team, different organizations.

 

Same position, different countries.

 

The Cubs' Junior Lake and the White Sox's Tyler Saladino commute to work as members of the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. They are shortstops by trade but find themselves helping each other when they're not trying to raise their stock as major league prospects.

 

Lake, 21, a native of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, was selected for the AFL's Rising Stars game Saturday night in Surprise, Ariz. He went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored and also had a throwing error in an 11-2 East loss.

 

Lake is one of seven Dominican-born players in the AFL. Oneri Fleita, the Cubs' vice president of player personnel, thought it would be a great opportunity for Lake to play at a higher level while surrounded by English-speaking people, as opposed to playing winter ball in his native country.

 

Saladino said he has learned some Spanish while helping Lake learn English. That they each play the infield has enabled them to spend more time together commuting to and from the ballpark.

 

"(Saladino) is a good friend and a good teammate," Lake said. "I didn't know him when I first got here, but … he has become a good friend."

 

Fleita hopes Lake, who batted .279 with 12 home runs and 38 stolen bases at the Class-A and Double-A levels, will benefit from playing in the AFL as much as Starlin Castro, the Cubs' 21-year-old All-Star shortstop, did in 2009.

 

Saladino, a 22-year-old from San Diego, also has benefited from playing in the AFL despite not having played above Class A. While playing third base, Saladino made a leaping catch to rob Scottsdale's Juan Carlos Linares of a hit two innings after snagging a line drive hit by Bryce Harper in an Oct. 26 game at Mesa.

 

"I just play wherever they need me," said Saladino, who hit 16 home runs in 102 games for Winston-Salem this summer and is batting .306 with 10 RBIs in the AFL. "I'm not worried about the future. I'm just glad to keep playing."

 

It's not uncommon for players to switch positions. Lake, for instance, showed off his powerful arm to nail speedy Mike Trout at Scottsdale on Oct. 27.

 

"He will stay at shortstop and learn third base and second base," Fleita said.

 

Lake's 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame hasn't slowed him down, as evidenced by his 16 stolen bases in addition to five home runs and 16 RBIs in the AFL.

 

Saladino, meanwhile, has drawn comparisons to Tony Graffanino because of his dependable play.

 

"He has a chance to get to big leagues quicker than anyone thinks because of his versatility," said Buddy Bell, the Sox's director of player development. "Ultimately, he will play every day in the major leagues."

 

[email protected]

[[email protected]]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...lb&c_id=mlb

 

"Pitching stats not as important in AFL

Mechanics, repertoire key for scouting in hitter-friendly league

 

By Bernie Pleskoff | MLB.com Columnist | Archive

11/07/11 1:20 PM EST

It's very difficult to evaluate pitching in the Arizona Fall League. In general, pitchers are tired in October.

 

Unless the pitcher suffered an injury, most pitchers have logged a full workload of innings either in college or professional baseball during the season. Fatigue and soreness must be considered when evaluating Fall League pitchers.

 

Many scouts assigned to the AFL concentrate on pitching mechanics, as opposed to results. Pitchers capable of throwing strikes and repeating a clean delivery are highly prized. Command, control and the depth of the pitcher's repertoire are all factors to be evaluated as a pitcher works from outing to outing.

With the first overall selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected flamethrowing right-hander Gerrit Cole.

 

Following his brief instructional league introduction to professional baseball, Cole has been pitching in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox. Cole has turned heads with his high-velocity fastball, solid secondary pitches and his ability to miss bats and strike out hitters.

 

Cole started the AFL's Rising Stars Game for the West. While it wasn't a particularly great game statistically for the California native, Cole did show the arm strength and high-quality pitches that should someday catapult him to the top of the Pirates' rotation.

 

Cole has been known to throw his fastball at least 100 mph, but it's his slider and outstanding changeup that will cause hitters some anxious moments. When he tries to throw too hard, Cole's fastball straightens out a bit. If he misses location and elevates that pitch, as was the case in the Rising Stars Game, he will get hit. However, when he mixes the changeup and a solid slider with the fastball, Cole is a much more difficult pitcher to solve.

 

He'll miss bats and rack up the strikeouts. It will take some time to learn pitch sequencing and when to add and subtract from his repertoire. For now, however, Cole has shown the arm strength and potential that justifies his lofty selection in the Draft. Better pitch location and command will come in time.

 

Cole's mound opponent at the Rising Stars Game was the second overall pick in the Draft, University of Virginia's Danny Hultzen. In fact, when the Seattle Mariners selected him, Hultzen was in the Virginia locker room, sharing and celebrating the moment with his teammates.

 

The warm and engaging Hultzen is looking forward to pitching in spacious, pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. His style of pitching seems very well suited for his potential home park.

 

Hultzen is rather advanced in developing his repertoire. He has the capability of using an above-average mid-90s fastball or low-80s slider on any count. Add to that his Major League-average changeup, and Hultzen has the arsenal to attack hitters by changing speeds and eye levels with smart, advanced pitch sequencing. He knows his velocity limitations and he doesn't overthrow the fastball.

 

Hultzen has a slight dip in his delivery that serves as a trigger to solid mechanics. He uses his entire defense without constantly looking to strike out hitters. That's an extremely mature approach for a young pitcher new to professional baseball.

 

Hultzen appears to be a perfect fit as a mid-rotation starter for the Mariners, slotting behind Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda. He will need some time in the Minors to gain confidence and refine his approach. For now, Hultzen looks to be capable of pitching in the big leagues in the very near future.

 

Terry Doyle is a righty in the Chicago White Sox organization.

 

Doyle presents an interesting starting pitching option for the White Sox. He is a control pitcher with a quick-paced, solid delivery and an ability to manage his game very well. Doyle pitched over two classifications in 2011. He started 11 games at Class A Winston-Salem, where he compiled a 2.84 ERA. Moving to the Double-A Birmingham club in the Southern League, Doyle threw 100 innings over 15 starts. He walked only 22 and struck out 73. His command and control will advance his career. He is the type of pitcher who can be trusted to take his starts at least three times through the lineup.

 

Doyle throws a low-90s fastball, but his bread and butter appears to be a full repertoire including a very solid slider, a low-80s curve and an effective changeup.

 

Doyle projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter who can work following a higher-velocity power pitcher. He has the type of delivery and mechanics that could cause the opposition frustration working quickly and changing speeds consistently.

 

Anthony Bass pitched for the San Diego Padres this past season. He started one game, but worked 33 total innings late in the season.

 

Bass is a power pitcher. From the stuff he has shown in the AFL so far, Bass appears to have the ability to close out games. He can throw his fastball consistently in the high 90s with movement. In addition, he has a very serviceable changeup that alters the bat speed of hitters. If he spots the changeup properly, it is a very effective pitch for Bass.

 

Best suited at the back end of the bullpen, Bass appears to pitch best when he collects his thoughts and doesn't try to get too much steam on the fastball. When he overthrows, he loses command easily. Keeping his velocity in check and within his capabilities will be crucial to his future success.

 

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Jeremy Jeffress threw a pitch at 101 mph in the 2010 Rising Stars Game. He appeared again in this year's game, touching 99 on the radar gun.

 

Jeffress seems to be making some improvement and adjustments in his command. That will be the crucial aspect of his future. If he locates pitches and throws strikes, with his arm strength, he should be able to close games for the Kansas City Royals or another interested club.

 

Jeffress has begun throwing an effective 81-mph curveball much more frequently. Rather than relying solely on his high-velocity fastball, Jeffress is mixing in that knee-buckling curve that makes the fastball even more effective. He is keeping hitters off balance pitch to pitch.

 

Cincinnati Reds prospect Brad Boxberger is a righty reliever with outstanding potential. He can work late in games, showing the ability to close.

 

Boxberger is a power pitcher with the control to throw strikes. At times when he doesn't properly finish his delivery, his pitches straighten out. Most of the time, however, Boxberger can command his mix of mid-90s fastball, high-80s slider and wicked low-80s changeup on any count. That flexible and fairly deep repertoire is a plus component for a relief pitcher. Rather than relying upon raring back and throwing heat every pitch, Boxberger is using finesse as well as power to change hitters' eye levels. It's working.

 

Even though the AFL is a hitter's league, it includes pitchers with the ability and potential to succeed in the big leagues. Once they are fresh and rested, those pitchers noted above, and others like them, will make an impact for their respective organizations.

 

Bernie Pleskoff has served as a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs."

Edited November 8, 2011 by NHDadUmp-RI

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Brandon Short 0-4, 3 K in Mesa's 13-3 loss today. He was the only Sox prospect to play

 

[[email protected]]

Blanke removed from Mesa roster.

[flavum]

Lots o' Sox today...

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?si...srrwin_msswin_1

[southsider2k5]

Blanke removed from Mesa roster.

 

Any idea why?

[[email protected]]

Any idea why?

 

No reason why, it appeared in the Transaction list.

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Mesa won 8-4. Short 3-4, 2B. Saladino 0-4, BB. Griffith IP, R, BB, 3 H. Petricka IP, 2 R, 2 K, BB, 2 H. Kloess IP, K, H #whitesox

 

[flavum]

3 shutout innings for Doyle.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?si...pddwin_msswin_1

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Mesa won 10-8. Doyle 3 IP, 0 R, 2 K, H. That drops his ERA below 2 again. 18 K to 4 BB in 24.1 IP. Short 2-4, 2B, 2 K #whitesox

 

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Saturday AFL update: Mesa lost 8-2. Saladino 1-3, 2 BB, K. Griffith 0.2 IP, 4 R, K, 2 BB, 2 H. Petricka 1.1 IP, K, 3 BB, H. Kloess IP

 

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Brandon Short 1-4, K in Mesa's 4-2 loss. Just 3 games left in regular season. At 16-18, Mesa is eliminated

 

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Mesa lost 11-9 despite scoring 8 in the 9th. Short 1-4, BB, 2 K

 

[flavum]

Doyle has completed a very successful AFL.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?si...msswin_surwin_1

[southsider2k5]

FutureSox FutureSox.com

Mesa lost 3-2. Doyle 3 IP, R, 4 K, BB, H. Saladino 1-4, K. Short 0-4, 2 K. Griffith IP, 2 R, K, BB, 3 H. Petricka IP, 3 K, BB. Kloess IP, 2K

 

Terry Doyle finishes a fine AFL: 1.98 ERA, 22 K, 5 BB, in 27.1 IP. Yeah, that'll work. Hopefully he makes it interesting in spring camp