| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Hot
Joe Wieland, BAK: The Cal League has been a challenge for Joe Wieland so far, but about half of his outings have been very good. That includes his most recent start which was one of the best, if not the best, in the Cal League so far this year. Wieland struck out 14 Visalia batters in seven scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and not walking any. It was Wieland's second start in the Cal League with double digit strikeouts, and he has 48 strikeouts to just six walks since being added to Bakersfield's deep rotation at the beginning of July.
Pat Corbin, RC/VIS: It's not often that a minor leaguer gets traded and remains in the same league, but Pat Corbin was involved in the Dan Haren deal and simply changed affiliates in the Cal League. Unless the two teams meet in the championship, Corbin won't have a chance to pitch against his old team, and it seems like an innings limit could stop Diamondbacks fans from seeing much of Corbin the rest of the year period. Corbin has 12 strikeouts and just two walks in eight innings since joining Visalia.
Andrew Carraway, HD: Andrew Carraway might be one of the streakiest pitchers in the league, and right now he's hot. His strikeout rate has dipped a bit, and aside from his last start with three walks in seven innings, his walk rate is still great. Over his last five starts, Carraway hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of them, and his shortest outing is six innings. Maybe the most impressive thing about that stretch is only allowing one home run, and that was on the road.
Fabian Williamson, STO: Fabian Williamson will be the third pitcher I listed as not hot the last time I did a pitcher tracker to reverse his fortune this time. In his first three Cal League starts, Williamson averaged just over three innings pitched. His last four have been over five innings per start, and his walk rate is getting more manageable, walking just six batters in 21 innings. He's still striking batters out, and the only surprising thing might be that Cal League batters are hitting .288 against him so far.
Parker Frazier, MOD: Parker Frazier, son of Rockies' TV commentator George, was progressing steadily through the Colorado organization until he hit a roadblock in 2009. Frazier underwent Tommy John Surgery to fix an elbow injury. He made it back to the mound with Tri-City in June, and after struggling in five starts there, got promoted to Modesto to fill a hole in the Nuts' rotation. He has settled in nicely through three starts, striking out more batters than he has at previous stops and still showing good control.
Not hot
Ethan Martin, IE: Ethan Martin has had some peaks and valleys this year, which is to be expected for young pitchers, especially in a league as unforgiving as the Cal League. As he approaches a likely innings limit in 2010, perhaps Martin is tiring. He's been striking out fewer batters lately and getting hit hard, and that's not a good sign for someone that has the kind of stuff Martin has. Another unusual note in the last four games: Martin has given up six home runs after only allowing one in his previous 17 appearances.
Aaron Miller, IE: It's probably unfair to include Aaron Miller here because his struggles have been at another level, but no one expected to see him back with Inland Empire after his promotion at midseason. Miller had a difficult time retiring batters with AA Chattanooga, posting a .304 BAA and walking 18 batters in 23 innings. This is his first year only focusing on pitching, so maybe the promotion was a bit aggressive. I'm sure he'll prove to be a very good prospect with the 66ers again.
Leandro Cespedes, LAN: Leandro Cespedes was called up to AAA Round Rock to make a spot start and got a taste of what it'll take to advance through the system. He came back from that start and had one of the worst outings for a pitcher all year, being charged with nine runs and only lasting 1.1 IP against Bakersfield. Prior to that start, his return to the rotation actually had been better than some of his results earlier this season, but that was just an incredibly difficult outing.
Juan Nicasio, MOD: If Andrew Carraway isn't the most streaky starter, it might be Juan Nicasio. Nicasio has lost five straight starts, and it wouldn't be easy to say he's just been a little unlucky. His K:BB ratio has still been great, 29 strikeouts to three walks, in that span. The problem is the hits: 47 hits allowed in 30 innings. Nicasio turns 24 in a few weeks, and at that age he should be performing more consistently. He's already on Colorado's 40 man roster, and he may just be a late bloomer.
Eric Smith, VIS: Visalia's rotation has seen a number of new faces throughout the year, and Eric Smith has been a recent callup after half a season with A South Bend. Smith was a Midwest League All Star at the previous level, but so far the Cal League has proved to be a major challenge. Opponents are batting .346 off him through four starts, almost a 100 point jump from the Midwest League. Smith is going to have to cut down on his walks too. 16 in 17.2 IP is obviously way too many.
Injured
Nate Eovaldi, IE: Placed on DL on 7/21 with an oblique strain...
Eric Surkamp, SJ: Surkamp left his last start on 7/18 with a hip injury...
Moving on
Dallas Keuchel, LAN: Keuchel emerged as Lancaster's ace and received a well deserved promotion to AA Corpus Christi...
On the radar
Stephen Penney, HD
Anthony Bass, LE
Juan Oramas, LE
Brad Brach, LE
David Berner, LAN
Ethan Hollingsworth, MOD
Kurt Yacko, MOD
Justin Fitzgerald, SJ
Shawn Haviland, STO
Chase Anderson, VIS
No comments:
Post a Comment