Weekly Review
Las Vegas
Hot Pitcher
5 days after making his first start since 2006, RHP Jon Meloan bounced back with 6 strong innings, in which he allowed just 6 baserunners and 1 earned run while striking out 6. With Esteban Loaiza giving way in the Dodgers' rotation to Hong Chih Kuo, Meloan may be next in line if Kuo suffers yet another injury. He'd also be a prime candidate to come up if a reliever comes up lame.
Cold Pitcher
It's been a rough week for RHP Justin Orenduff, who made his first two Triple A starts of his career. Orenduff, a supplemental first round pick in 2004, had missed much of the previous two seasons due to a shoulder injury. Justin made 2 starts this week but only pitched a total of 7 innings while allowing 5 earned runs and 9 walks. While the Pacific Coast League isn't the friendliest for pitchers, Orenduff will need to throw more strikes to hope to be effective.
Hot Hitter
Since the lineup is mostly absent of any real prospects, I'll give props here to 3B Terry Tiffee. The non-roster invitee has done nothing but rake since his assignment to Vegas, and he's leading the league in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS. This week, Tiffee went 14 for 22 with 4 doubles and a pair of homeruns. The corner infielder will turn 29 a week from tomorrow and doesn't figure to see much time in the bigs this year, but it's still good to see him doing so well.
Cold Hitter
The "platinum sombrero" is a rare occurrence in Baseball, but OF Xavier Paul managed to achieve this feat on Monday. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the phrase, it means that Xavier went 0 for 5 with 5 strikeouts. On the week, he was 3 for 20 with 9 strikeouts. Hopefully Paul can work things out and get some offense going.
Jacksonville
Hot Pitcher
After giving up 6 hits in his first 3 innings of 2008, RHP James McDonald was almost untouchable in his second start. J Mac only went 4 innings (due to a strict, early-season pitch limit) but he gave up just 1 hit and walked a pair while striking out 4. The lanky righty is scheduled to take the hill again tomorrow and let's hope he can continue his recent success.
Cold Pitcher
LHP Marlon Arias' Double A debut was brilliant, in which he allowed just 1 hit over 5 scoreless innings. But his next time out, Marlon gave up 6 earned runs in just 2 innings. Arias is a fringe prospect at the moment, so getting that last start out of the way and turning things around quickly is a must.
Hot Hitter
The 20 year old SS Ivan De Jesus Jr continues to impress against much older competition. He went 7 for 20 this week with 6 walks, yielding an OBP approaching .500. Ivan has some speed but doesn't use it much on the basepaths. He's also not a power threat. But a slick fielding shortstop who can get on base will likely draw a lot of interest from numerous clubs in July.
Cold Hitter
OF Jamie Hoffman finally collected his first Double A hit on Monday, but he was still just 5 for 23 this week with 6 strikeouts and no walks. Hoffman also has just two extra basehits this year (both doubles). Still a good outfielder with good speed, Jamie will hope to improve his hitting in coming weeks.
Inland Empire
Hot Pitcher
"Wild Thing" RHP Javy Guerra continued his erratic ways this week, lasting just 4 innings while walking 3, but he didn't allow a run on 2 hits and struck out 4. He's already walked 6 batters in 8 innings this season, but he's also struck out 9 and scattered only 3 hits. Guerra may be better suited for a relief role down the road, but as long as he keeps runs off the board, I'm sure most teams would be happy to have him.
Cold Pitcher
Selected in the supplemental first round just a year ago, LHP James Adkins had an impressive debut in 2007 and a good start of the season in 2008. But his second time out wasn't so successful, as James allowed 3 earned runs in 4 innings. Adkins is scheduled to start again on Tuesday and he'll be back home facing the team he beat in his first outing: Visalia.
Hot Hitter
C Carlos Santana has had a unique career path. He found himself ending the 2006 season in Vero Beach's outfield, was converted to catcher that offseason and spent 2007 behind the plate in Low A. The position change probably affected his bat, as Carlos hit just .223 in 86 games with the Loons. But his bat has rebounded this season, and he went 9 for 23 this week with 2 doubles, a triple, a HR and 6 walks. If Santana can hit nearly this well all season, the Dodgers will have another very good catching prospect on their hands.
Cold Hitter
Another hitter who struggled in Low A last year, but found himself promoted a level this season, is OF Trayvon Robinson. The 2005 10th rounder hasn't had the same success at the plate as Santana, as Tray has just 5 hits in his last 28 at bats. The switch-hitting speed demon also has just a single stolen base in 2 attempts. Robinson is still young, at age 20, and has plenty of time left to develop into a quintessential leadoff hitter.
Great Lakes
Hot Pitcher
Coming off of a 5 inning, 1 run start, RHP Justin Miller managed 5 innings of shutout ball his second time out. The 20 year old sinkerballer has allowed a .243 opponent's batting average and a 2.43 ground to fly ratio. Left-handed hitters are batting just .083 against him and he's walked only 3 batters in his first 10 innings this season. While Miller is relatively raw, his sinker seems to be overpowering Low A hitters and he could find himself in the California League before long.
Cold Pitcher
It must be quite a trip, to be pitching in the Dominican Summer League one year and full season A ball the next. LHP Geison Aguasviva hasn't fared so well in the states, as his 9.00 ERA suggests, but the 20 year old should be given plenty of time to adjust. The good news is he has struck out 9 batters in 7 innings compared to just 1 walk. But the .355 opponent's batting average suggests that being precise may not be enough.
Hot Hitter
Everyone knows that James Loney has gotten off to a hot start with the big club, hitting in all 12 games to start the season. What people may not realize is OF Jovanny Rosario has had the same type of hot start with the Great Lakes Loons. Rosario has collected hits in all 11 games so far, and he went 9 for 23 with a double and a pair of stolen bases this week. Jovanny has 4 useable tools, lacking only power in games, and should move up the ladder quickly.
Cold Hitter
Not only is 2B Preston Mattingly trying to live up to the expectations that come with being the son of an All Star, he's also trying to live up to being a supplemental first round pick in 2006. So far, he's struggling. Mattingly was 2 for 22 this week with 7 strikeouts. Preston is long on tools but short on polish and will need to vastly improve his ability to hit pro pitching in order to be productive.
Hot Pitcher
5 days after making his first start since 2006, RHP Jon Meloan bounced back with 6 strong innings, in which he allowed just 6 baserunners and 1 earned run while striking out 6. With Esteban Loaiza giving way in the Dodgers' rotation to Hong Chih Kuo, Meloan may be next in line if Kuo suffers yet another injury. He'd also be a prime candidate to come up if a reliever comes up lame.
Cold Pitcher
It's been a rough week for RHP Justin Orenduff, who made his first two Triple A starts of his career. Orenduff, a supplemental first round pick in 2004, had missed much of the previous two seasons due to a shoulder injury. Justin made 2 starts this week but only pitched a total of 7 innings while allowing 5 earned runs and 9 walks. While the Pacific Coast League isn't the friendliest for pitchers, Orenduff will need to throw more strikes to hope to be effective.
Hot Hitter
Since the lineup is mostly absent of any real prospects, I'll give props here to 3B Terry Tiffee. The non-roster invitee has done nothing but rake since his assignment to Vegas, and he's leading the league in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS. This week, Tiffee went 14 for 22 with 4 doubles and a pair of homeruns. The corner infielder will turn 29 a week from tomorrow and doesn't figure to see much time in the bigs this year, but it's still good to see him doing so well.
Cold Hitter
The "platinum sombrero" is a rare occurrence in Baseball, but OF Xavier Paul managed to achieve this feat on Monday. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the phrase, it means that Xavier went 0 for 5 with 5 strikeouts. On the week, he was 3 for 20 with 9 strikeouts. Hopefully Paul can work things out and get some offense going.
Jacksonville
Hot Pitcher
After giving up 6 hits in his first 3 innings of 2008, RHP James McDonald was almost untouchable in his second start. J Mac only went 4 innings (due to a strict, early-season pitch limit) but he gave up just 1 hit and walked a pair while striking out 4. The lanky righty is scheduled to take the hill again tomorrow and let's hope he can continue his recent success.
Cold Pitcher
LHP Marlon Arias' Double A debut was brilliant, in which he allowed just 1 hit over 5 scoreless innings. But his next time out, Marlon gave up 6 earned runs in just 2 innings. Arias is a fringe prospect at the moment, so getting that last start out of the way and turning things around quickly is a must.
Hot Hitter
The 20 year old SS Ivan De Jesus Jr continues to impress against much older competition. He went 7 for 20 this week with 6 walks, yielding an OBP approaching .500. Ivan has some speed but doesn't use it much on the basepaths. He's also not a power threat. But a slick fielding shortstop who can get on base will likely draw a lot of interest from numerous clubs in July.
Cold Hitter
OF Jamie Hoffman finally collected his first Double A hit on Monday, but he was still just 5 for 23 this week with 6 strikeouts and no walks. Hoffman also has just two extra basehits this year (both doubles). Still a good outfielder with good speed, Jamie will hope to improve his hitting in coming weeks.
Inland Empire
Hot Pitcher
"Wild Thing" RHP Javy Guerra continued his erratic ways this week, lasting just 4 innings while walking 3, but he didn't allow a run on 2 hits and struck out 4. He's already walked 6 batters in 8 innings this season, but he's also struck out 9 and scattered only 3 hits. Guerra may be better suited for a relief role down the road, but as long as he keeps runs off the board, I'm sure most teams would be happy to have him.
Cold Pitcher
Selected in the supplemental first round just a year ago, LHP James Adkins had an impressive debut in 2007 and a good start of the season in 2008. But his second time out wasn't so successful, as James allowed 3 earned runs in 4 innings. Adkins is scheduled to start again on Tuesday and he'll be back home facing the team he beat in his first outing: Visalia.
Hot Hitter
C Carlos Santana has had a unique career path. He found himself ending the 2006 season in Vero Beach's outfield, was converted to catcher that offseason and spent 2007 behind the plate in Low A. The position change probably affected his bat, as Carlos hit just .223 in 86 games with the Loons. But his bat has rebounded this season, and he went 9 for 23 this week with 2 doubles, a triple, a HR and 6 walks. If Santana can hit nearly this well all season, the Dodgers will have another very good catching prospect on their hands.
Cold Hitter
Another hitter who struggled in Low A last year, but found himself promoted a level this season, is OF Trayvon Robinson. The 2005 10th rounder hasn't had the same success at the plate as Santana, as Tray has just 5 hits in his last 28 at bats. The switch-hitting speed demon also has just a single stolen base in 2 attempts. Robinson is still young, at age 20, and has plenty of time left to develop into a quintessential leadoff hitter.
Great Lakes
Hot Pitcher
Coming off of a 5 inning, 1 run start, RHP Justin Miller managed 5 innings of shutout ball his second time out. The 20 year old sinkerballer has allowed a .243 opponent's batting average and a 2.43 ground to fly ratio. Left-handed hitters are batting just .083 against him and he's walked only 3 batters in his first 10 innings this season. While Miller is relatively raw, his sinker seems to be overpowering Low A hitters and he could find himself in the California League before long.
Cold Pitcher
It must be quite a trip, to be pitching in the Dominican Summer League one year and full season A ball the next. LHP Geison Aguasviva hasn't fared so well in the states, as his 9.00 ERA suggests, but the 20 year old should be given plenty of time to adjust. The good news is he has struck out 9 batters in 7 innings compared to just 1 walk. But the .355 opponent's batting average suggests that being precise may not be enough.
Hot Hitter
Everyone knows that James Loney has gotten off to a hot start with the big club, hitting in all 12 games to start the season. What people may not realize is OF Jovanny Rosario has had the same type of hot start with the Great Lakes Loons. Rosario has collected hits in all 11 games so far, and he went 9 for 23 with a double and a pair of stolen bases this week. Jovanny has 4 useable tools, lacking only power in games, and should move up the ladder quickly.
Cold Hitter
Not only is 2B Preston Mattingly trying to live up to the expectations that come with being the son of an All Star, he's also trying to live up to being a supplemental first round pick in 2006. So far, he's struggling. Mattingly was 2 for 22 this week with 7 strikeouts. Preston is long on tools but short on polish and will need to vastly improve his ability to hit pro pitching in order to be productive.
posted by Jared @ 5:57 PM
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