Mobile BayBears
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Farm Bureau: April 10, 2009
* CLASS A+: VISALIA RAWHIDE - In the California League, the Rawhide (formerly known as the Oaks) got off to a good start with a 6-5 road win over the Padres' affiliate, the Lake Elsinore Storm.
Although top prospect Jarrod Parker is expected to headline the Visalia rotation, his 2009 debut was deferred until Saturday so that Max Scherzer could make a rehab start in the opener. Scherzer went 4.2 IP, H, ER, 4 BB, 5 K as he continues his recovery from shoulder soreness that landed him on the DL. The walks suggest he's not yet in top form, but Scherzer finished the Cactus League strong and should be on track to join the Diamondbacks rotation next week.
Batting third and playing right field was mighty-mite Collin Gowgill; he powered the Visalia offense with a 2/2, 3 R, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI performance. A 5'9", 195 lbs product of the University of Kentucky (the alma mater of Brandon Webb), Cowgill was rated by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization. With a...
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Major Chords: Bonifacio has Speed to Burn
One-time Diamondbacks prospect Emilio Bonifacio has always had wheels. In a minor league career spanning 656 games (2841 plate appearances), Bonifacio swiped a total of 233 bags. On a per-game basis, that would translate to more than 50 SB over a full ML season. His 77.7% success rate suggests Bonifacio was picking his spots well, too.
But speed on the base paths is only valuable if a runner can in fact get on base. And in that department, Bonifacio was found lacking. As a farmhand, he posted a combined line of .285 / .341 / .362 with 212 BB against 532 K. Considering that much of Bonifacio's time was spent in the hitter-happy environments at A+ Lancaster and AAA Tucson, the numbers are pretty underwhelming.
Here are the raw and adjusted statistics (source: Baseball Prospectus) from his last three stops in the Arizona system.
| YEAR | LVL | TEAM | PA | BA | OBP | SLG | ...
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Diamondbacks Notes: April 3, 2009
* BONES BRIGADE - Diamondbacks Nation was introduced to James Skelton when Arizona snagged him from the Tigers in the Rule 5 draft. He got a fair bit of play in the Cactus League, showing the defensive versatility to man multiple positions. Unfortunately for Skelton, his bat didn't come to play this spring: he finished just .150 / .244 / .175 in 40 AB. That was not nearly good enough to earn Skelton a roster spot, but the spike in the middle of that line highlights part of what the Diamondbacks saw in Skelton in the first place. The young man draws a mean walk. He had 5 BB in 45 PA this spring, despite failing to demonstrate enough power in his skinny 165 lbs frame to scare opposing pitchers. (With his distinctive surname and slight build, Diamondbacks Nation proposes that "Bones" is an ideal nickname.)
Skelton possesses a keen plate discipline that belies his age. The 23-year old has advanced no higher than AA, where he has appeared in just 24 games, but he commands the strike...
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Farm Bureau: Upton, Wieters, Strasburg and Hype
Matt Wieters, b. 05.21.86.
Justin Upton, b. 08.25.87.
Stephen Strasburg, b. 07.20.88.
The dates of birth for these three players are provided to offer some context for evaluation of the HYPE! that each has engendered. At the risk of selling short their talents, which are in each case prodigious, each of these players is, has been, or is soon to be the "Flavor of the Month" among those who follow baseball futures.
This month's flavor is most certainly Wieters, since David Price had his coming out party late last season. The Orioles assigned Wieters to AAA this week for no good reason except that, by demoting him, Baltimore is likely to keep the young backstop under its control for an extra year. No one seriously believes that crusty Gregg Zaun is a better option than Wieters to serve as the O's No. 1 catcher. Almost everyone who expresses an opinion on the subject unabashedly lauds Wieters as a player ready to make a huge impact, both at the plate and behind it....
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Diamondbacks Notes: August 14, 2008 (Late Edition)
* WASHED OUT -- Batting third and playing RF for the Sidewinders on Thursday evening, Justin Upton went 1-for-2 with a two-run, two-out single. Tucson had jumped to a 5-3 lead through three innings, but Mother Nature intervened and the game was suspended due to rain. The game will be made up on August 27, by which point Upton should be back with Diamondbacks. Officially, Upton is 5-for-12 with a double, an RBI and two strikeouts on his rehab assignment, although we at DBN will always wonder what might have been but for the stormy skies in Colorado Springs. Upton may have scuffled in May and June with the parent club, but AAA pitching has so far been no match for his powers. Weather permitting, the Sidewinders and Sky Sox will start fresh on Friday before our farmhands head back to the Old Pueblo.
* NICE SOUVENIR -- If anyone is curious, JUp is sporting No. 24 on his Sidewinders jersey. Since Justin will not be long for the minors and the AAA franchise plans to leave Tucson...
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