Updates coming soon

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, but i plan on getting back to posting regularly again.

Not sure what I have in mind, other than a bare bones top prospect list, a few prospect spotlights, and that sort of thing.

hit list 9/2/2010

9/1

TEAM CLASS PLAYER, POS AB R H BI AVG
ARI AA Wheeler, Ryan 3B 5 0 2 3 .256 2B (2)
ARI AAA Gillespie, Cole RF 4 1 1 0 .286 3B (6)
ARI HiA Davidson, Matt 3B 4 1 1 2 .185 HR (2)
ARI HiA Goldschmidt, Paul 1B 4 1 2 1 .312 2B (40)
ARI LoA Borchering, Bobby 3B 5 1 3 2 .268 2B (31)
ARI LoA Nick, David DH 5 3 2 1 .257 3B (6)
ARI MAJ Allen, Brandon LF 3 1 2 4 .667 HR (1)

TEAM CLASS PITCHER IP H R ER BB K ERA
ARI AAA Septimo, Leyson 1.2 3 1 1 2 0 12.89
ARI HiA Corbin, Pat 3 1 0 0 1 1 3.13
ARI LoA Belfiore, Mike 7 9 4 4 0 7 3.93 W (3-10)
ARI MAJ Norberto, Jordan 0 0 0 0 1 0 6.00

Chris Jarrett hit 3 extra-base hits
Bobby Borchering was 3-for-5
Ender Inciarte hit 2 extra-base hits
David Narodowski was 3-for-5

The hit list 8/26/2010

8/25

TEAM CLASS PLAYER, POS AB R H BI AVG
ARI AAA Gillespie, Cole DH 4 1 1 2 .278 HR (8 ), SB (8 )
ARI LoA Nick, David 2B 5 2 2 1 .255 HR (7), 3B (5)

TEAM CLASS PITCHER IP H R ER BB K ERA
ARI AAA Augenstein, Bryan 6 1 0 0 0 5 6.40 W (6-8 ); MiLB Prospect Pitcher of the Day
ARI AAA Rodriguez, Rafael 1.1 0 0 0 1 0 3.30 Sv (11)
ARI R Schuster, Patrick 6 3 3 1 1 6 3.97 W (4-4)

Stephen Drew hit 2 home runs
Bryan Augenstein pitched 6.0 scoreless innings
Kyler Newby only allowed one run in 6.2 innings pitched
Charles Brewer pitched 6.0 scoreless innings
Patrick Schuster only allowed 3 runs and 3 hits over 6.0 innings pitched

Kyler Newby is 2-1 with a 2.36 ERA since moving into the starting rotation

Kyler Newby allowed one run on one hit while striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings Wednesday, but Mobile dropped a 3-2 decision at Chattanooga. Chris Rahl went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

the Hit list 8/25/10

8/24

TEAM CLASS PLAYER, POS AB R H BI AVG
ARI AAA Allen, Brandon 1B 4 1 1 3 .264 HR (25)
ARI AAA Gillespie, Cole CF 4 2 2 3 .279 HR (7)
ARI LoA Borchering, Bobby 3B 4 1 1 1 .269 HR (13)

TEAM CLASS PITCHER IP H R ER BB K ERA
ARI AA Mercedes, Roque 2.2 3 0 0 1 0 4.91
ARI AA Miley, Wade 2.1 4 8 1 6 2 2.30 L (4-2)
ARI AAA Rosa, Carlos 1.1 1 0 0 0 1 2.43
ARI LoA Skaggs, Tyler 4 4 1 1 1 3 3.57
ARI MAJ Norberto, Jordan 1 0 0 0 2 1 6.43

Brandon Allen has 13 homers in 38 games since the All-Star break

Brandon Allen slugged a three-run homer and Cole Gillespie was 2-for-4 with a two-run blast and three RBIs as Reno triumphed over Tacoma, 7-6, on Tuesday. Doug Deeds had three hits

the hit list 7/28/2010

Paul Goldschmidt went 1-4 with his 28th homer of the year.

Brandon Allen went 2-4 with his 18th homer of the year. He has 7 homers and 13 RBIs in his last seven games.

Rossmel Perez went 1-3 with his fourth homer of the year.

Patrick Schuster went 5 innings and struck out 4 and walked 2, while letting 3 runs score.

The Hot List 7/26/2010

Getting Emily's computer fixed (hopefully), so I won't be able to go online for a couple days, unless I use my roommate's computer.

Brandon Allen went 2-4 with his 15th homer of the year. He's batting 242/409/636 over the last 10 games with a double, 4 homers, and a 10:10 K:BB ratio.

Marc Krauss went 1-4 with his 19th homer of the year. In his last 10 games he's batting 359/444/641 with 2 doubles, 3 homers, and a 11:6 K:BB ratio.

Keon Broxton hit his 16th triple of the year. Over the last 10 games he's batting 286/348/500 with 3 triples, a homer, and a 4:13 K:BB ratio.

Patrick McAnaney struck out 5 batters and only allowed 2 earned runs over 5.0 innings pitched yesterday

South Bend's Prospects

The Class A South Bend silverhawks is a team loaded with prospects, most of whom were drafted in '09. Today I thought I'd look at 6 of the teams prospects: Matthew Davidson, Chris Owings, Bobby Borchering, Keon Broxton, David Nick, Eric Smith, and Michael Belfiore, and Scottie Allen.

Before looking at the offensive prospects, let's look at what is league average for the midwest league. The average line for a Midwest league batter is 254/328/378 or a 707 OPS. The average age for a player in the Midwest League is 21.

To start things off, let's look at nineteen year old third basemen Matthew Davidson, who's having an excellent season after a poor debut last year where he hit 241/312/319. He's hitting 290/373/480 with 24 doubles, two triples, and 11 homers. His K:BB ratio is 85:33, but those numbers are brought down by an April where he only took one free pass.

Shortstop Chris Owings is hitting 298/323/447 with 19 doubles, two triples, and 5 homers. Solid numbers for an 18 year old shortstop, but his plate discipline is one area of concern. He's drawn only 9 walks, but has struck out 50 times. Unfortunately, Owings has been out for nearly a month with plantar fascilitis.

Switch hitting third basemen Bobby Borchering, our number one pick and 16th overall in last years draft is having an OK season. He's hitting 261/329/394 with 19 doubles, 9 homers, and a 34:79 BB:K ratio. Not the best numbers in the world for the 19 year old, but his OPS is above league average.

20 year old center fielder Keon Broxton is having an interesting season, albeit a slightly disappointing one. He's hitting 233/314/351 with 10 doubles, 14 triples(which leads the minors), and 1 homer. He leads the team in walks with 39, but he also leads the team in strikeouts by a mile with 109. Another area that's rather disappointing is his base stealing. He's stolen 8 bases, but has also been caught 8 times. He's already a plus defender in center field, so if he can figure out the bat, he could be a very valuable player there.

Second basemen David Nick is another player having a rather disappointing season after succesful debut season last year, where he hit 286/351/440. This season he's hitting 255/333/342 with 17 doubles, three triples, two homers, and a 28:61 BB:K ratio.

On the pitching side, the conversation starts with 21 year old Eric Smith, who has a 3.53 ERA in 86.2 IP with 78 strikeouts, 20 walks, and 4 HRS allowed. Smith throws an 89-90 mph sinker along with a solid changeup and an mid-80s slider that's getting better. He has the build to work deep into ballgames, assuming, of course, that he can throw enough strikes to keep his pitch count down. If Smith can learn to command his three-pitch arsenal consistently, his perfect world scenario would be as a #3 or #4 starter in the big leagues.

Then there's Michael Belfiore, who owns a 4.03 ERA in 67.0 innings pitched, with 61 strikeouts, 27 walks, and 3 home runs allowed. At 6-foot-3, Belfiore has the size to handle the large workload of a starter. Belfiore's repertoire consists of a 93 mph fastball, 84 mph slider, low-80s changeup, and an upper-70s curveball.

18 year old Scottie Allen hasn't had the best results, but for his age, he's certainly held his own. He's got a 5.02 ERA in 52.0 innings pitched with 52 strikeouts, 17 walks, and 3 homers allowed. Excellent numbers for a kid who's three years younger than league average.

I'll probably look at Missoula's prospects next.

International free agent signings

Probably should have made a post about this sooner, but the Diamondbacks signed 16 year old venezuelan shortstop Ronny Miajas for $300,000. Earlier this year they signed wagner mateo, and couple weeks ago they signed Yorman Garcia. I presume he will be assigned to the DSL diamondbacks. Also, apparently we're on the verge of signing two more international free agents. Might want to keep an eye out for those signings.

Paul goldschmidt's plate discipline

Someone on the DBBP pointed this out, but in april/may, paul goldschmidt had a 62:11 K:BB ratio. Since then, his K:BB ratio is 37:24, a big improvement. Perhaps Goldschmidt really is ready for a promotion? After all, the first basemen is tied for first in the minors in homeruns.

Visalia Rawhide prospects

After looking at the DSL Diamondbacks, I thought it'd be fun to take a look at the Visalia Rawhide's offensive prospects. They have a quartet of solid prospects in Paul Goldschmidt, Marc Krauss, Ryan Wheeler, and Rossmel Perez. On the pitching side, the Rawhide also have some solid prospects in Chase Anderson, Taylor Sinclair, and Charles Brewer. They also had Wade Miley, Josh Collmenter, and Bryan Woodall, who have since been promoted to Mobile.

First off, there's first basemen Paul Goldschmidt. He's hitting 316/374/613 with 28 doubles, a triple, and a league leading 25 homers (2nd overall in the entire MLB minor leagues). His 297 isolated slugging percentage is more than double the league average of 146. His plate discipline may be a sign of concern, as he has drawn 35 walks, while striking out 99 times already. This is the second straight year of Goldschmidt putting up some crooked numbers. Last year in 287 abs at Missoula, Goldschmidt hit 334/408/638 with 27 doubles, 3 triples, and 18 HRs. His walk to strikeout ratio was a solid 36:74.

Then there's Marc Krauss, who I'm pretty sure at this point is the left fielder of the future. He's hitting 322/379/538 with 22 doubles, three triples, and 16 homers. His isolated slugging percentage of 216 is quite good. His plate discipline, like Goldschmidt, may be a sign of concern, as he's walked 32 times, while striking out 82 times. Also like Goldschmidt, this is the second straight year Krauss has put up excellent numbers. Last year, in 115 ABS for South Bend, Krauss hit 304/377/478 with 12 doubles, a triple, and a homer. He had a very solid 14:21 BB:K ratio.

Third baseman Ryan Wheeler had an insanely good year last year, where he hit 361/462/540 across two levels, with 21 doubles, 4 triples, and 6 hrs. He had a very impressive 42:32 BB:K ratio. This year, his numbers are a down a bit, as he's hitting 290/345/414 with 22 doubles, two triples, and seven homers. His BB:K ratio has taken a hit as well, as he's walked 29 times, but struck out 71 times. I think Wheeler's positional change from first base to third base may be having some affect his hitting numbers. Wheeler is still a very solid prospect, who has been compared to Joey Votto. I'd take that any day of the week.

(on a side note, looking at these guys K:BB ratios leads me to believe that the Cal league may inflate strikeout numbers. This area needs more research)

Rossmel Perez is a very interesting prospect. At 20 years old until late August, Rossmel is quite young for a catcher in the California league. He's got a short(5'10) and squat body type, which hasn't exactly enamored him to scouts. In addition, he has an unusual flat footed swing with almost no stride, which leads to a solid average, but very little power. Perez is praised as an excellent defensive catcher, but he's really only just now learning to hit, although he does have good plate discipline. This year Perez is hitting 263/331/350 with 10 doubles and three home runs. He has a very solid 24:32 BB:K ratio. He's thrown out 37% of base runners this year.

Chase Anderson, a ninth round pick in last years draft, started the year in South Bend, and excelled with a 2.82 ERA with 31 strikeouts, 9 walks, and one homerun allowed in 38.1 IP. Promoted to Visalia, Anderson has posted a 3.52 ERA with 50 strikeouts, 12 walks, and 3 homers in 46 innings pitched. Anderson was considered a "safe" pick when he was drafted, and he's not likely to be a star, but he does have the upside to be a solid number 2 or 3. Anderson has four solid pitches, including a deceptive change-up.

Taylor Sinclair is a left handed pitcher with a deceptive delivery, but rather mediocre stuff. He might not stick as a starter, but at the very least, he could be a useful left handed specialist. He has a 3.90 ERA with 65 strikeouts, 39 walks, and five homeruns allowed in 92.1 IP. He's been much better against lefties, with a 3.00 ERA and a .232 BAA against LHB.

Charles Brewer was one of my dark horse pitching prospects going into this year. Drafted in the 12th round out of UCLA, Brewer is a native Arizonan from Scottsdale. His career at UCLA was inconsistent, showing signs of excellence with random struggles thrown in. I've heard it suggested that he wasn't exactly a fit in the clubhouse there. Brewer began this year in South Bend, and excelled with a 1.83 ERA, 78 strikeouts, 20 walks, and 3 hrs allowed in 69 innings pitched. Promoted to Visalia, Brewer has continued to excel with a 3.16 ERA, 22 strikeouts, 4 walks, and 2 HRS allowed in 25.2 IP. His ERA would be even lower if it weren't for his poor first start with Visalia, where he allowed 6 earned runs in 3.1 IP. Take out that start, and he has a 1.22 ERA in Visalia. His numbers combined between South Bend and Visalia: 2.19 ERA, 100 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 5 HRS allowed in 94.2 innings pitched. Opponents are batting .226 off of him.

So Visalia has some very, very, solid prospects, and hopefully some future regulars. Krauss could be the left fielder of the future, Goldschmidt could be the future first basemen if Allen doesn't succeed, and Wheeler could have a future at first, third, or left field. Rossmel Perez could at the very least be a defense minded backup catcher, if he ever hits for power, he could be a lot more. Anderson and Brewer could be fixtures in the starting rotation, and Sinclair could be a future left handed specialist.

Next time, I'll take a look at the loaded team in South Bend.

The Hit List 7/16/2010

Paul Goldschmidt went 2-4 with his 25th homer of the year.
Marc Krauss went 3-5 with his 16th homer of the year.
Ryan Wheeler went 3-5 with his 22nd double of the year.
Michael Belfiore, in his first action since June 19th, went only two innings, and gave up 2 ERs, while striking out 2.
Bryan Henry went 6.0 innings and allowed only one run.
Joshua Ford was 3-4.

Leaderboard

A leaderboard for the affliates courtesy of ohdbacks of the dbbp:

Some midseason affiliate leaders for ya on this slow day

AVG
1 Rowland MIS .389
2 Ortiz YAK .379
3 Eaton MIS .351
4 Rodriguez MIS .342
5 Krauss VIS .322

HITS
1 Goldschmidt VIS 110 (.316)
2 Krauss VIS 110 (.322)
3 Wheeler VIS 107 (.289)
4 Frey MOB 100 (.300)
5 Cowgill MOB 97 (.290)

HR
1 Goldschmidt VIS 24
2 Krauss VIS 15
3 Allen REN 11
4 Davidson SB 11
5 Cowgill MOB 10

RBI
1 Goldschmidt VIS 68
2 Krauss VIS 62
3 Davidson SB 61
4 Cowgill MOB 59
5 Bailey REN 50

OBP
1 Eaton MIS .505
2 Ortiz YAK .471
3 Jarrett MIS .424
4 Linton MOB .424
5 Rowland MIS .423

SLG
1 Goldschmidt VIS .609
2 Rodriguez MIS .575
3 Rowland MIS .569
4 Eaton MIS .541
5 Krauss VIS .535

--------------------------------------

ERA
1 Brewer VIS 2.19
2 Collmenter MOB 2.42
3 Anderson VIS 2.77
4 Miley MOB 2.84
5 Enright MOB 2.88

W
1 Collmenter MOB 9
2 Layne MOB 9
3 Brewer VIS 7
4 Anderson VIS 6
5 Sinclair VIS 6

SO
1 Brewer VIS 100
2 Collmenter MOB 95
3 Roemer REN 87
4 Taylor VIS 85
5 Enright MOB 83

Saves
1 Ortega SB 18
2 Woodall VIS 9
3 Hose VIS 8
4 Beam REN 5
5 Woody MOB 5

WHIP
1 Enright MOB 1.02
2 Collmenter MOB 1.06
3 Anderson VIS 1.07
4 Brewer VIS 1.09
5 Eichhorn MIS 1.24

OPP AVG
1 Collmenter MOB .209
2 Anderson VIS .220
3 Brewer VIS .226
4 Enright MOB .238
5 Layne MOB .238

DSL Diamondbacks

The Dominican Summer League affiliate for the Diamondbacks has some interesting young prospects, and I thought it'd be interesting if I took a look at a few of them today. These guys are all young(21 years old or younger), and in the lowest level of the minors, so these guys are all a ways off from really establishing themselves as prospects. They're more what-ifs than anything.

Yesterday, 20 year old Johan Jaime only allowed one run in 6.2 innings pitched for the DSL Diamondbacks, with seven strikeouts and three walks. A left handed start, Jaime has good numbers this year(4.37 ERA, no homeruns allowed, with 20 walks and a team leading 39 strikeouts in 35 IP), but at 5'11 and 185 LB he's a bit undersized for a starter.

Besides Johan Jamie, the DSL Diamondbacks have some intriguing pitchers having decent years. There's 20 year old right hander Yiomar Camacho, who's averaged 6.1 innings in his 7 starts, with a 3.48 ERA with 10 walks and 31 strikeouts, with one homerun allowed in 44IP. at 6'1 and 172 pounds(according to B-REF) he's got a little bit more of a projection-able build for a starter.

Then there's 21 year old lefty Francisco Guzman, who at 6'5 190 pounds, has an even better build than Jamie and Camacho. He's has a 3.76 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched, but he has a dreadful 22:24 BB:K ratio. If he could improve his control, he could end up being an interesting player to watch.

Oh, and of course, how could I not mention lefty reliever Jose Jose? He's got a solid 3.54 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched, and he's only just turning 20 next week, but he's got a 15:20 BB:K ratio.

On the hitting side of things, the conversation starts with 17 year old Wagner Mateo. Already 6'2 and 190 LBs, you have to imagine that Wagner has a lot of room to mature physically. A left handed outfielder, Wagner is already putting up extremely solid numbers for a player his age. In 133 ABs, he's hitting 241/353/398 with with 9 doubles, 3 triples, and 2 HRs, to go along with a 22:42 BB:K ratio. He's also stolen 11 bases in 15 chances. He's played center field, right field, and a couple games at DH. As I can't exactly watch Mateo play, I can't really say how his defense is, but the numbers suggest he's better in right field than in center. There were some questions about his vision, but I don't really see anything in his numbers that suggests that has been a problem for the young Dominican

Besides Mateo, the only offensive prospect i find interesting is 18 year old outfielder Michael Gonzales, who in 72 PA is hitting 259/403/414 with two doubles, two triples, and a homer, with 14:13 BB:K ratio.

So the DSL Diamondbacks have some interesting prospects, and a few names to keep an eye on, especially Wagner Mateo. Mateo is the most likely of these players to be in the states next season, and has the highest ceiling of all these players.

I'm not sure what I should look at next, so if you have any suggestions, send me an email or leave a comment.

Paul goldschmidt

Paul Goldschmidt has been absolutely on fire his last ten games. in those ten games, he's hitting 462/533/1.026 with 4 doubles and 6 hrs. His BB:K ratio has been a decent 6:13. On the season, goldschmidt is hitting 313/366/609 with 28 doubles, a triple, and 24 homers. His 31:99 BB:K ratio is really the only concerning thing about his numbers this year. He leads the california league in hrs, and he's second in the minors in HRS.

Who's our top offensive prospect?

With the way four of our offensive prospects are doing, it got me thinking. Who is the best offensive prospect in the Dbacks' farm system? Is it Marc Krauss? Paul Goldschmidt? Brandon Allen? Or Matt Davidson?

Going into today, Mark Krauss sports a BA/OBP/SLG of 332/392/551, with 21 doubles, 3 triples, and 14 home runs. He has a 31:72 walk to strike out ratio. He's in the middle of 16 game hitting streak, and in the last 10 games he's batting 535/545/953 with 6 doubles and 4 HRs. Yeah, he's only drawn one walk in those 10 games, but that doesn't really matter when you've been hitting like Krauss. If he continues hitting like he has, he could finish the year in Mobile, and could be in the Majors some time next year, with no one really in his way in left field besides Gerardo Parra, Cole Gillespie, and Rusty Ryal. Not to mention there's no one in the minors ahead of him on the depth chart.

Matt Davidson is probably the furthest from the majors of the four players in this discussion, but he is batting 288/371/486 with 23 doubles, a triple, and 10 hrs. He has a 28:75 walk to strike out ratio, that was brought down by a month where he only drew one walk. Davidson has argueably been the best player on a loaded South Bend roster.

Brandon Allen is the closest of the players in the discussion, and should be the starting first basemen for the Dbacks next season, or as soon as Adam LaRoche is traded. In addition to being the closest to the majors, he also has the best strike out to walk ratio out at 42:49. Brandon Allen's season really only started in June, as he was suffering with a shoulder injury in April and May. He had an awesome June where he batted 329/487/659 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, and 6 home runs. In the last 10 games, he's batting 286/340/595 with 4 doubles and 3 homers. On the season he's batting 260/399/495 with 12 doubles, two triples, and 10 HRs.

Paul Goldschmidt has clearly the most power out of all the players in this group, but also has the most strikeouts. Goldschmidt is batting 298/351/582 with 24 doubles, a triple, and 22 homers, which is tied for the most in all of the minors. His power is no mirage, as he hit 334/408/638 last season with 27 doubles, 3 triples, and 18 homers in 287 at bats. The one area of concern for Goldschmidt is his 28:94 walk to strike out ratio, which is worse than his 36:74 mark from last season. If Brandon Allen doesn't pan out, Goldschmidt is the next in line to get a stab at first base.

So who do you think is the best offensive prospect in the Dbacks Minors?

Krauss, Rowland named offensive players of the week in california league, pioneer league.

Link

Offensive Players of the Week
For the week ending July 4

California League

Marc Krauss, Visalia

.581/.594/.968, 18-for-31, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 5 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 SB
Marc Krauss plated five runs in his second game of the week, but he was still just getting warmed up. He collected at least one RBI in each of the week's next five games, and he scored in every game but one. The D-backs prospect was especially hot from Tuesday to Thursday, going 11-for-14 with two homers, two doubles, three runs scored and seven RBIs over those three games. When the 2009 second-rounder "cooled off" on Friday, he still had a four-RBI game and swatted a two-run homer.

Pioneer League

Richie Rowland, Missoula

.462/.500/.769, 12-for-26, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 SB
Richie Rowland, teammate and brother to 2010 third-round pick Robby Rowland, has made the Diamondbacks front office look very wise for grabbing the duo. After going 0-for-1 in his first pro game, Rowland has hit in each of his following contests, and he's hit especially well this week. He was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs on Monday, doubled again in another two-hit game Wednesday and slapped out three hits on Thursday. He finished the week by homering on Saturday and then again on Sunday. Rowland's .488 batting average leads the Pioneer League.

The hit list 7/7/10

I'm going to try and do a daily report on various happenings around the leagues. Not sure what I'm going to call them, except for maybe "the hit list"

Paul Goldschmidt hit his 21st and 22nd home runs of the year.

David Nick was 3-3 with a triple.

Joshua Collmenter only allowed one run in 7.0 innings pitched

Taylor Sinclair only allowed 4 runs and 3 hits over 6.0 innings pitched

Patrick Schuster was a roughed up a little, giving up 4 ERs in 5.00 innings. He struck out 4, but walked 5, and gave up his first homerun of the year.

Evan Frey was 3-5.

Marc Krauss extended his hitting streak to 16 games, as he went 1-4 with a double.

DSL Pitcher Joel Matos Suspended for violating league's drug policy.

Bailey Stephens / MLB.com today wrote:

Five Minor League players were suspended by Major League Baseball on Wednesday for violating the league's drug policy.

All of the prospects, currently playing in the Dominican Summer League, recieved 50-game suspensions for the offense that are effective immediately.

Four of the players were pitchers, including two Yankees' prospects, Daury Aquino and Alexander de los Santos. D-backs pitcher Joel Matos and Royals hurler Freddy Rodriguez were also found in violation of the policy. All four tested positive for metabolites of the drug Stanozolol.

Catcher Jhancarlos Infante, of the Rays organization, also was suspended. Infante tested positive for metabolites of the drug Boldenone.

Marc Krauss extends his hitting streak to 15

Krauss doubled twice, singled, and drove in three runs in Visalia's 12-6 loss to lake elsinore. The outfielder is batting .537 (36-for-57) during his 15-game hitting streak.

Random Updates

Paul Goldschmidt went 3-5 with his 19th homer of the year.

Marc Krauss went 2-5 with his 18th double of the year. He's raised his average to .328

Wade Miley went 7.1 innings, giving up one run, and striking out three. He walked three as well. He has a 4.22 GO/AO in his three starts in Mobile.

Matthew Davidson went 2-5 with a walk.

Bobby Borchering went 1-4 with a double.

And a few updates that i missed over the last couple days:

Charles Brewer went 8.1 innings on the second, giving up 2 ERs, striking out 8 and walking one.

On the first, Scottie allen went 6 innings and struck out 9.

Seven baybears selected to all star game

Catcher Konrad Schmidt, first baseman Bryan Byrne, shortstop Jake Elmore, outfielders Evan Frey and Ollie Linton and pitchers Josh Collmenter and Barry Enright were chosen to represent Mobile in this year's Southern League All-Star Game.

Paul Goldschmidt, Marc Krauss continue hot hitting ways.

Goldschmidt went 3-5 with a double(24) and two home runs(18). He's raised his average to .299. In only 13 more at bats, Goldschmidt has already matched his homerun total from last year, and is on pace to hit almost 30. The first baseman ranks fifth in the Minor Leagues with 18 hrs.

Krauss went 3-5 with a double. He's raised his average to .317.

Update on Allen, Krauss, Miley, Smith

Brandon Allen continues his hot hitting, going 2-4 with a double and his 9th homer of the year. On the week he's hitting .324/.425/.765 with 3 doubles, 4 homers, and a 4:7 K:BB ratio.

Marc Krauss continued his hot hitting as well, going 4-4 with a double and his 12th homer. He raised his batting average 12 points from 300 to 312. He also had his first stolen base of the year. On the week, he's hitting .500/512/952.

Wade Miley threw 7 innings, allowing only one run, and striking out 5. He did allow 4 hits and 5 walks though. One thing worth noting is his 2.85 groundball to fly ball ratio between Visalia and Mobile. What's even more amazing is his 8.67 groundball to fly ball ratio in Mobile. I'll probably end up taking a look at Miley sometime in the near future. On the season, Miley has a 2.86 ERA with 63:43 K:BB ratio. He's allowed a total of one HR in 94.1 innings.

Eric Smith went 6 innings, giving up one run, and striking out 9. He didn't walk any batters, and only gave up 4 hits. On the season, Smith is 5-3 with a 2.64 ERA and a 61:23 K:BB ratio. He's allowed 3 HRS in 75 IP.

Barry Enright Primer

Barry Enright (born March 30th, 1986) was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft. He signed quickly, and played for three teams in 2007 (Yakima, South Bend, Visalia) where he threw 15 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts and 5 walks.

In 2008, Enright was assigned to HI-A Visalia, where he threw 164.1 innings. He posted a 4.44 ERA (3.52 FIP) with 143 strikeouts and 35 walks. In 2009, Enright was assigned to AA Mobile, where he threw 156 innings and posted a 3.98 ERA with 103 strikeouts and 37 walks. He also had a 930 OPS(14 for 34 with 2 doubles and 2 walks).

Assigned to Mobile again, Enright has an excellent season, posting a 2.88 ERA with 83 strikeouts against just 15 walks in 93.2 innings. At 5.53, Enright has the best K:BB ratio of any pitcher in our organization. He's continued his hitting as well, with a .973 OPS(7 for 25, but 6 of his hits were doubles, and the other one was a homer)

Enright is typical of the class of pitchers the Diamondbacks like to draft. He's a college-trained innings eater. He has an average but workable fastball that sits in around 89-92 and mixes in a slider, curveball, and changeup. He throws strikes, but relies on his defense to support him.

Brandon Allen

As I mentioned earlier today, Brandon Allen is hitting .321/.468/617 with five doubles, two triples, five home runs, and a 25:21 BB:K ratio in June. On the year he's hitting 259/411/488 with 10 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and a 41:43 K:BB ratio in year where he's missed time due to a shoulder injury.

What's amazing about Allen's year is the improved plate discipline. His batting average is 65 points lower than it was in his stint in Reno last year, but his on base percentage is only two points lower than last year. That's a direct result of his increased walk rate. He's walked 41 times this year in 166 at bats. Last year in Reno, he walked 20 times in 145 at bats. His strike-outs are up a bit though, with 43, compared to 25 last year.

Another amazing thing is how much Allen's numbers are brought down by his poor April and May. He had only 85 at bats in April and May, and they were pretty piss poor with a 757 OPS in April, and a .305 OPS in May, although he only had 11 at bats in May.

I think it's safe to trade LaRoche if Allen continues to hit well in Reno. I think he might even be worth calling up before that happens so he can play left field as well as spell Laroche at first on occasion. He's played 13 games in left field this season and 36 at first.

15th and 21st round picks, Mike Bolsinger and Raoul Torrez sign, will report to Yakima

source: http://arkansasnews.com/2010/06/28/bolsinger-signs-with-arizona-diamondbacks/
source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2010/06/28/20100628asu-sun-devils-baseball-2-players-sign-pro-deals.html

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas right-handed pitcher Mike Bolsinger has agreed to terms with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will begin his pro career in Yakima, Wash.

“They asked me what I want to do and I told them I’d like to start out relieving right now,” said Bolsinger, who was selected in the 15th round. “Just so I can fit comfortably here.”

ASU senior third baseman Raoul Torrez signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will start his pro career with the Class A Yakima Bears (Wash.)

Random Updates

Diogenes Rosario pitched 5 scoreless innings for South Bend, striking out 3, while walking four.

Kevin Eichhorn went 6.0 innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 3. He earned his first win of the year. He lowered his ERA down to

Wagner Mateo hit his second home run of the year. He's hitting 250/351/464 with eight doubles, two triples, and two home runs. He's got seven stolen bases in eight attempts. He's got a solid 13:22 BB:K ratio.

Brandon Allen is hitting .321/.468/617 with five doubles, two triples, five home runs, and a 25:21 BB:K ratio in June. On the year he's hitting 259/411/488 with 10 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and a 41:43 K:BB ratio in an injury shortened year. I'll probably do a post about Brandon Allen soon.

Collin Cowgill hit his 7th home run of the year. On the year he's hitting 288/360/452 with 23 doubles, two triples, and seven home runs. He's got 14 stolen bases, but he's been caught stealing 8 times. His walk to strike out ratio is 29:43.

Barry Enright to get the call.

Right-hander Barry Enright will get the call from Double-A Mobile to start against the Cardinals on Wednesday.

Enright has gained a reputation in the organization as much for his ability to swing the bat as for his tendency to pound the strike zone.

Let’s start with his pitching. He’s not a big stuff guy – he throws his fastball in the 88-92 range – and also features a slider, curve and change-up. But he’s aggressive with it, pounding the strike zone and hitting his spots.

Think of him in the Jon Garland/Jeff Suppan mold, with a ceiling as a solid, back-of-the-rotation type.

He’s having a strong year in his second stint with Double-A Mobile, where he has a 2.88 ERA with 83 strikeouts (and only 15 walks) in 93 2/3 innings.

Credit to Nick Piecoro for the news. One thing worth noting is Enright has the best K:BB ratio(5.53) in the Dbacks organization, slightly edging out Dan Haren's 5.23 K:BB ratio.

Paul Goldschmidt

Like his teammate Marc Krauss, Paul Goldschmidt has been on fire the last ten games. He's hitting 289/370/684 with 5 homers. Last night he went 2-3 with two homers. On the season he's hitting 293/340/541 with 23 doubles, a triple, 16 homers, and a 23;83 BB;K ratio.

Marc Krauss on fire.

Marc Krauss has been on fire as of late. In his last 10 games, he's got a 1.240 OPS. In that ten game stretch he's 17 for 41 with four doubles, four home runs, 3 walks, and 11 strikeouts. On the season, Krauss is hitting .300/.369/.495 with 15 doubles, 3 triples, and 11 home runs. He has a 30:67 walk to strike-out ratio.

If Krauss keeps hitting, he should see himself in Mobile before the end of the year. If that's the case, we could see him in the majors by next summer. I really like Marc Krauss. The dude has been compared to a young Adam Dunn(both the good and the bad). I think he may end up being the solution to left field for a long time to come, and I'm hoping he's ready for the big leagues sometime next year.

Starting Pitchers

Taking a look at the starting pitchers in the Diamondbacks farm system.

Jarrod Parker

Despite having to take a year off from pitching due to Tommy John surgery, Parker remains our top pitching prospect, and top prospect overall. Jarrod's recovery is actually going (from what I can tell) faster than most had expected. He's at 75-80 percent and he's been throwing off the mound twice a week for the last month (As mentioned in yesterday's SnakeBytes). I wouldn't hold my breath on him getting on the mound this summer, but he'll more than likely see some action in the Arizona Fall League. Even if (and that's a big IF) he throws well, and gets control back fairly quickly, and has a ridiculous spring training, I don't think he's very likely to make the big league rotation out of the gate next year. I think the most likely scenario is that he starts next year in Reno, and then gets called up in June if he's dominating the minors. I think the Diamondbacks should be conservative with Parker, and not call him up until he's shown that he has nothing left to prove in the minors.

Chase Anderson

Chase Anderson (born 11/30/1987) has absolutely rocketed up the Dbacks top prospect list since being drafted in the ninth round of last years draft. At this point, I consider him to be our best pitching prospect not named Jarrod Parker. According to Anderson himself, he patterns his game after Timmeh Lincecum. I don't think his upside is as high as Timmeh, but he could probably end up being a solid two or three starter. In 38.1 Innings pitched at South Bend, Anderson posted a 2.82 ERA, a 31:9 strike-out to walk ratio, and a complete game shutout. In the 34 innings he's pitched since being promoted to Hi-A Visalia , he's had a 2.65 ERA, with a 39:8 strike-out to walkratio, with a ridiculous 1.16 FIP. Combined across two levels, his FIP is 2.03. He's given up a total of two homers in 72 innings pitched.

Eric Smith

Drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft, Eric Smith (born 10/15/1988) is 5-3 in 69.0 innings pitched for Class A South Bend, with a 2.74 ERA(3.21 FIP), 52:23 strike-out to walk ratio, and only 3 HRs allowed, along with a complete game. In addition he's got a solid 1.83 GO/AO ratio. He has a heavy sinker that's got some serious drop to it. For a great article on Eric Smith, I'd suggest you read this article (which was written by Snakepit expat IHSB). You'll find a great write up, along with some video of Smith pitching.


Wade Miley

Drafted in the 1st round of the 2008 draft with the 43rd overall pick, Wade Miley is a left handed pitcher who was supposed to move quickly through the farm system. Instead, his ascension has been slow and steady. In 80.1 innings pitched in Visalia, Miley posted a 3.25 ERA(3.49 FIP) with a 50:37 strike-out to walk ratio, and only one home run allowed. In his first start since being promoted to AA Mobile, Miley threw seven innings, giving up no runs, and striking out eight, while walking one. Miley's ceiling is probably that of a number three starter, but he's most likely to end up being a 4th/5th starter.

Michael Belfiore

Drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft with the 43rd overall pick, the 21 year old lefty began his professional career by dominating the pioneer league to the tune of a 2.17 ERA to go along with a 55:13 strike-out to walk ratio. This year he's been slightly less dominating, with a 3.88 ERA with a 59:27 strikeout-walk ratio. His 3.18 FIP suggests he's been a tad unlucky this year. Belfiore was a closer in college, but was converted to starting after being drafted. His ceiling is probably that of a middle of the rotation starter.

Charles Brewer

Drafted in the 12th round of the 2009 draft, Brewer(born 4-7-1988) has dominated the Midwest League in his 69.0 innings pitched with a 1.83 ERA(2.33 FIP) and a 78:20 strike-out to walk ratio. He's was my sleeper pick going into this year, and I think he could be a solid second or third starter.

Bryan Augenstein

Don't think you've heard the last from Bryan Augenstein, who has been royally screwed by bad luck this year. He's got a 5.89 ERA even though he has a 3.38 FIP and a 71:28 Strike out to walk ratio. Once his ridiculous .537 BABIP falls back down to earth, he'll look a lot better.


Josh Collmenter

Collmenter (born 2-7-1986) has had a crazy season. He started out the year in Hi-A Visalia, where he went 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA with a 21:3 strike-out to walk ratio in 15IP.. Promoted to AAA Reno, he posted a 4.70 ERA in 4 starts with a 18:9 strike out to walk ratio. Then he was demoted to Mobile, where he's had a 1.68 ERA with a 41:15 strikeout to walk ratio in 48.1 innings pitched. He's been named minor league pitcher of the week two weeks in a row this year, back in May. His FIP combined across all three levels is 2.98.

Scottie Allen

One of two high school pitchers the Diamondbacks drafted in the 2009 draft(the other being Patrick Schuster) , The eighteen year old(until July 3rd) Scottie Allen has more then held his own in the Midwest league, with a 5.25 ERA and a 32:13 strike out to walk ratio. His 3.17 FIP suggests he's pitched better than his ERA suggests.

Kevin Eichhorn

The son of former major leaguer Mark Eichhorn, Kevin Eichhorn was drafted in the third round of the 2008 draft. The Diamondbacks have limited the 20 year old's innings since he's been drafted. Kevin's era across two levels is a lackluster 8.03 in his 12.1 innings, but he's go a 1.53 combined FIP to go along with a 10:0 strike-out to walk ratio. Has a relatively high ceiling, but he needs more innings before we can really pass judgement. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on.

Patrick Schuster

One of two high school pitchers drafted in the 2009 draft, the left handed Patrick Schuster (born 10/30/1990) is famous for having thrown four consecutive no-hitters in high school. Assigned to rookie-level Missoula, Schuster's season has just started, as the Pioneer league is a short season league. In 10 innings pitched he has a 2.70 ERA with a rather lackluster 4:6 strike-out to walk ratio. Keep an eye on this guy.

Barry Enright

Barry Enright (born March 30th, 1986) was drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft. Assigned to Mobile this year, Enright has dominated the Southern league in 93.2 innings with a 2.88 ERA(3.02 FIP) and a 83:15 strike-out to walk ratio. He doesn't have the highest of ceilings, probably no better than a third or fourth starter.

And two other guys worth mentioning:

Diogenes Rosario, a 21 year old pitcher of the Dominican Republic who's posted a 2.58 ERA with 40:12 strike-out to walk ratio. Rosario has been in South Bend's bullpen, but has recently been given a spot in South Bend's rotation.

Matt Torra has a 3.96 ERA with a 45:15 strike-out to walk ratio in 91.0 IP for AAA Reno.

Nine Offensive Prospects

Matthew Davidson, Third Base/DH, Mid-A South Bend
Currently hitting 294/373/494 with 20 doubles, a triple, and 9 homers to go along with a 23/65 BB:K ratio. The walk to strikeout ratio is actually better than it looks, considering how few walks Davidson drew in the beginning of the season. His OPS is 169 points better than the midwest league's average of .698. In addition, at 19 years old, he's 2 years younger than Midwest League's average age of 21. Could he be the third basemen of the future? He's looking like a better hitter than Bobby Borchering right now, although if Borchering develops more as a hitter, Davidsoncan always end up at first or in left field.


Ollie Linton, Center Field, AA Mobile
Hitting 311/425/358 with 5 doubles, two triples, and a much improved 30:45 BB:K ratio. The power isn't there, but the improved on base percentage and plate discipline is a breath of fresh air. His OPS 783 OPS is slightly better than the .722 league average. Linton could be the center fielder of the future. Could be ready to be in the majors as soon as next year.

Paul Goldschmidt, First Base, Hi-A Visalia
Currently hitting 299/347/533 with 23 doubles, a triple, 13 homer and a BB:K ratio of 21:76 in 274 ABS. Last year in 287 ABS he had a 334/408/638 with 27 doubles, 3 triples, 18 homers, and a 36:74 BB:K ratio. His 879 OPS is 123 points better than league average. Great power numbers, but he does need to work on his plate discipline. He could make Brandon Allen just a stopgap solution at first base, especially if he continues hitting like he has. At 22, he's at the right age to be in the Cal league. Could be ready for the major leagues by 2011/2012


Marc Krauss, Left Field, Hi-A Visalia
Hitting 287/362/446 with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 7 homeruns, 30:63 BB:K ratio and has an OPS 66 points better than league average. Like Goldschmidt, he's the right age to be in the Cal league. I invision Krauss as the left fielder of the future. If he doesn't have any struggles, he could be ready for cup of coffee in the major leagues next September.


Konrad Schmidt, Catcher, AA Mobile
The 25 year old(26 in August) is leading the mobile baybears in hitting with an overall line of 314/346/484 with 12 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and a 7:26 BB:K ratio. Schmidt has a reputation as being solid defensively as catcher, and he could end up being the backup catcher of the future if John Hester and Sean Coughlin don't pan out. He's a little old, but catchers tend to take a little longer to develop, so i'll give him a pass on that.

Chris Owings. Shortstop, Mid-A South Bend

Hitting 298/323/447 with 19 doubles, 2 triples, and 5 home runs. Owings' 770 OPS doesn't look that impressive at first, but once you consider his age(18 until August), his position(Shortstop), and that the league average OPS is only 698, it becomes quite apparent. The only area that Owings has really dissappointed is with his plate disciple: he's struck out 50 times, while walking only 9 times. Could be the shortstop of the future, but he won't be ready for a couple years.

Bobby Borchering, Third Base, Mid-A South Bend
He hasn't exactly lit the world on fire, but the Dbacks' 19 year old number one pick of last years draft has been slightly above average this year, hitting 252/327/400 with 13 doubles, 8 homeruns, and a solid 27/58 BB:K ratio. His 727 OPS is 29 points better than league average. Could be the third basemen of the future, but he's going to have to outplay Davidson and Ryan Wheeler.

Wagner Mateo, Center/Right Field, DSL Diamondbacks
Currently hitting 234/347/422 with 9(7 doubles, triple, homer) of his 15 hits going for extra bases. In addition he has been successful 5 out of 6 times on the base paths and he has a 11:17 BB:K ratio. Although his .769 OPS doesn't seem that impressive at first glance, it is once you consider the fact that the league average OPS for the Dominican Summer League is .651 and that Mateo is only 17.

Brandon Allen, First Base/Left field, AAA Reno
Currently hitting 245/403/449 with 8 doubles, 2 triples, and 6 homers in 147 ABS. His plate discipline has been impressive, as he's walked almost as much as he's struck out (37:40 BB:K ratio). His season has been shortened by injury, but it's good seeing him play well after coming back. His presence should make trading Adam LaRoche less painful.