MLB FanHouse

Ryne Sandberg Could Be Next Chicago Cubs Manager

Matt Snyder — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, Minor Leagues

Ryne Sandberg, known affectionately as "Ryno" in Wrigleyville, played 15 seasons for the Chicago Cubs in his Hall of Fame career. He went to 10 All-Star games, won nine gold gloves and brought home an MVP. At present, Sandberg manages the Tennesse Smokies -- the Cubs' Double-A affiliate. He previously managed for the Cubs in Single-A as well, so it appears the Cubs are moving him along in hopes he could one day manage the big-league club.

Current Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose contract expires at the end of 2010 -- at which point he'll likely retire from managing -- believes Ryno will be considered for the 2011 job opening.

"Ryne had a Hall of Fame career here as a player," Piniella said. "I'm not the one who's going to be hiring the next manager here, but certainly, he'll be in the mix."

Of course, Piniella won't be the one deciding upon his replacement, so it may appear this talk is conjecture, but it's likely he's been involved in internal discussions about the minor-league managing situation. Thus, he's just making an estimate based upon the feelings general manager Jim Hendry has about Sandberg's ability to manage a baseball team.

For 2010, expect Sandberg to remain in Tennessee to further evolve as a quality skipper while Piniella takes care of the Cubs, hoping to rebound from an incredibly disappointing campaign.

Ryne Sandberg Could Be Next Chicago Cubs Manager originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Helmet to Be Required in Minor Leagues in 2010

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Minor Leagues

Two weeks ago New York Mets third baseman David Wright took a fastball to the head and hasn't played since. It's a scene that was not only scary for Wright, but for anybody who saw him fall to the ground in a heap afterward. It's just one of those instances that nobody wants to see happen in a baseball game, but is bound to from time to time. Just ask Scott Rolen, Marco Scutaro and Edgar Gonzalez.

So it's no surprise that baseball is always trying to further protect its players, and their latest step in doing so involves a new helmet made by Rawlings called the S100. Every team in the majors has been sent a few for players to try out for the rest of the season, and starting in 2010 the helmet will be mandatory in the minor leagues.

Minor League Baseball and the St. Louis-based company announced Monday it will be required in the minors beginning next season. Six S100 helmets are being sent to each major league team for its players to try out for the rest of this year.

The thicker protection features a composite insert and an expanded liner made of Polypropylene, a hard, supportive material also used in some industrial and bicycle helmets. It faced extensive testing over the last two years that included an air cannon firing major league balls to ensure it would hold up.

"We're confident that it will withstand a pitch up to 100 mph," said Mike Thompson, Rawlings senior vice president for sports marketing and business development.

Wright plans on wearing one when he returns to the Mets lineup on Tuesday night, and don't be surprised if other players give the helmet a shot as well. Of course most players will probably be a bit reluctant to wearing the new helmets because they're all so resistant to change anything in their routine. Some players who have already tried the helmet claim it's too bulky, and the Cubs' Ryan Dempster said wearing it made him feel like a "human bobble-head doll."

Still, they may not have a choice if the helmet proves to be effective in the minors next season as MLB could make it mandatory for their players as well if it works.

New Helmet to Be Required in Minor Leagues in 2010 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knapp to Undergo MRI on Shoulder

Tom Fornelli — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:22:00 EST

Filed under: Indians, MLB Injuries, Minor Leagues

When the Cleveland Indians traded Cliff Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies before the deadline it was a tough pill for Indians fans to swallow. For the second straight season a team that was supposed to contend for a division title traded the ace of their rotation. The Tribe got four players in return for Lee from Philadelphia, but the key to the deal was 18-year old right-hander Jason Knapp.

Had Knapp not been included in the package, Lee would still be in Cleveland. Well, if Indians fans thought the trades of Lee and CC Sabathia were hard to accept, then they're definitely not going to be happy with the latest news. Knapp has a shoulder problem and will be undergoing an MRI.

"We're concerned," said Ross Atkins, Indians director of player development. "The shoulder has continued to bother him. We'll see what the MRI says."

Now when the Indians made the deal they knew Knapp was suffering some tendinitis in his right bicep, and he was actually on the disabled list when they made the deal. After making four starts for Cleveland's Single-A affiliate in Lake County, Knapp has an ERA of 5.40 with 12 strikouts and 8 walks in 11 2/3 innings. More importantly, he also has pain in his shoulder.

If it turns out there's something seriously wrong with Knapp's shoulder that affects what kind of pitcher he'll turn out to be, it'll be just another in a long line of blows the Indians have taken on the chin this season. Add in the fact that Indians management knew Knapp was hurt when they traded for him, and I can already hear the fans calling for Mark Shapiro's head should this MRI come back with bad news.

Knapp to Undergo MRI on Shoulder originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minor League Club Locked Out of Park for Failing to Pay Rent

Pat Lackey — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:49:00 EST

Filed under: Minor Leagues

On the surface, it would seem like an independent minor league baseball team in Nashua, N.H., that's run by former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette and managed by ex-Sox player Brian Daubach would be a pretty popular draw.

That initial impression would be wrong, though. Tuesday, the American Defenders of New Hampshire were locked out of their own stadium by the city's mayor for failing to pay rent along with police and fire bills. In order to ensure that the team wouldn't sneak into the park and try to play, Nashua mayor Donnalee Lozeau also ordered city workers to park a tractor on home plate. Seriously.

After reading the first few paragraphs of that story, I expected the team to respond by disputing the taxes or the charges levied or something like that. Instead, Duquette more or less throws up his hands and says, "Hey, it's not my fault no one came to the games and the team is broke." Daubach says that he doesn't expect to be playing any home games for the remainder of the season and that the team has cleaned their lockers out.

The Defenders play in something called the Can-Am (Canadian-American) League. I won't pretend to know a lot about the Defenders OR the Can-Am league, but I'm sure Wikipedia can tell us more. A quick glance shows us that five Can-Am teams have folded since the end of the 2005 season (including the hilariously named Ottawa Rapidz, whom I can only assume were HARDCORE XTREEEEM TO THE MAXXX) and that the Defenders' colors are navy, red, gold, white, and desert camouflage. Needing to see this in action, I clicked over to the Defenders' site and holy cow, they look like a trippy version of the Padres with presumably at least a little less talent.

Look, I know that the death of the independent leagues and small-town baseball is sad and things like this are inevitable in our current economic climate. But the team wore hideous camouflage uniforms, couldn't pay their bills and the mayor parked a tractor on home plate to ensure they wouldn't try to play a game in a stadium they were locked out of. Maybe this isn't funny, but I can't stop laughing whenever I think about it.

Pictured: a locked gate at a market in Moscow. Which isn't really applicable, except that it is a locked gate and hey, that gets us halfway there. Not pictured: a tractor on home plate.

Minor League Club Locked Out of Park for Failing to Pay Rent originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Off to the Races

Ed Price — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Mets, Padres, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, MLB Playoffs, Minor Leagues, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch, MLB Trade Deadline

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Now that the hands are dealt -- expect for one or two more this month -- we can examine the pennant races to come.

There wasn't much point in assessing the races until after Friday's non-waiver trade deadline, when we know what we're dealing with. Some important pieces will change hands after they clear waivers this month, but they probably won't be difference-makers.

Before we get to the predictions, though, let's talk about one trade that didn't happen.

Toronto held on to Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays had every right to ask for a boatload of prospects for him, as Halladay may be the most reliable pitcher in the game.

The strategy was to either use Halladay for a quick rebuild or keep him and make a run in 2010. An official from another team told FanHouse that strategy comes "right out of the Oakland playbook: load up for a year, take your shot. If it doesn't work, start over."

Remember, Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi came from the A's.

There's one problem, and that's Halladay himself. He was said to be quite motivated to move on, because his goal -- stated publicly -- is to get a chance to pitch in the playoffs.

That won't happen this year. And now that he's been teased with the proposition of moving to a contender, he may itch even more to get out of Toronto. He may be more vocal about what he really wants, which is a shot at October.

One person familiar with the situation assured FanHouse that trading Halladay will get revisited over the winter. He won't be worth quite as much then as he was last week, since the acquiring team gets him for just one season rather than one plus part of a second, but there may be more clubs involved in the bidding.

Halladay and Ricciardi have a good relationship. If Halladay makes it known he's unhappy, Ricciardi may accommodate him.

Until then, though, we have to play two months plus the postseason.

The most compelling race should be in the division that was most active in July trading. And while Cleveland was trying to re-stock its farm system, contenders Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota were all making a move for this year.

Edge to the Tigers.

At least for this year. They figure to get about 12 starts from Jarrod Washburn, which gives them the best one-through-four starting pitchers in the AL. Meanwhile, Jake Peavy figures to make seven starts max for the White Sox because he has to work back from an ankle tendon problem.

That five-start gap is enough for Detroit to hold onto its division lead.

The other three AL playoff teams should be the Red Sox, Angels and Yankees -- even though the latter two didn't make a significant move.

Boston recognized its offensive deficiencies and addressed them with the addition of Victor Martinez. The Angels should hold on because the Rangers seemed to be fading and couldn't pull off a booster deal.

The Yankees have an issue in rotation depth, and maybe some back-end starter will pass through waivers. They need to do something, because if they don't, then if Andy Pettitte, A.J. Burnett, Joba Chamberlain or Sergio Mitre has any kind of issue the rest of the way, the Yankees will have to subtract from their bullpen to fill the hole.

In the NL, the race for two spots between the Rockies, Giants, Cubs, Cardinals, Marlins, Braves and (perhaps) the Mets should be fun.

All but the Mets made some kind of move. The suspicion here is that San Francisco grabs the wild card because all it needed was a little more offense to supplement its pitching. Since the All-Star break, the Giants have lost eight games, and five of those were by the scores of 2-1, 2-0, 4-2, 4-2 and 5-1.

The Phillies will hold on in the East and the Dodgers in the West, leaving the jumbled Central. Like with San Francisco, St. Louis addressed its offensive need and seems OK in the pitching department, so that's the pick.

That gives us a postseason first round of Philadelphia vs. San Francisco and Los Angeles vs. St. Louis. We'll go with a Phils-Cards NLCS and the Phillies back in the World Series.

In the AL, the Angels would play the AL East runner-up (we'll say the Yankees) and the Tigers the AL East winners. We know the Yankees can't beat the Angels, and we'll take Boston over Detroit.

But the Angels aren't quite that good, so they fall to the Red Sox -- meaning a Boston-Philadelphia World Series.

Who wins? Get back to us in October if these predictions are correct.

Overheard and Understood

o. Lost in the shuffle after the bungled news conference to announce the decision is the impact of the Mets' firing of Tony Bernazard, who was supposedly overseeing their farm system. Bernazard had detractors inside the organization as well as in the media, but sources said he had ingratiated himself with GM Omar Minaya and COO Jeff Wilpon. One source said Bernazard ran off a number of good minor-league instructors (which has manifested itself when the players have reached the majors) and Gary LaRocque, who at one point ran the scouting and player development departments. LaRocque, the source said, brought a sense of organization to the front office, making up for one of Minaya's weakness -- and that too has been exposed in recent years. "We do a number of things by the seat of the pants," the source said. [LaRocque] was a structure guy. [Minaya] knows he needs a structure guy." Now Minaya has a chance to correct that.

Chart of the Week
It's a lofty comparison, and not a prediction, but look at Mike Schmidt's statistics from his 23rd birthday (July 27, 1972) through his 26th birthday compared to Mark Reynolds' numbers since his 23rd birthday (Reynolds turns 26 on Monday):
Stat	Schmidt	Reynolds
G	404	365
AVG	.244	.262
OBP	.362	.342
SLG	.470	.503
OPS	.832	.845
HR	74	75
RBI	227	229
SO	401	476
BB	234	153
Source: Diamondbacks, STATS LLC

o. While getting Cliff Lee, the Phillies kept most of their top young players. "They don't want to give up [lefty J.A.] Happ, and I don't blame them," one scout said. "He's come up with a really good changeup. He throws across his body but is able to get the ball back inside. If you can do that, you're going to be successful." Another scout called outfielder Michael Taylor, now in Triple-A, "the best player in the [Double-A] Eastern League. Plus, plus power. For a big kid, he doesn't strike out a lot. Good pitch recognition. He has a chance to hit for average and power. He can run and throw."

o. Four rookies have nine wins: Rick Porcello, Ricky Romero, Jeff Niemann, Matt Palmer. There haven't been four rookie 13-game winners in the same season since 2002 (Ryan Jensen, Kaz Ishii, Rodrigo Lopez, Jason Jennings).

o. Philadelphia went 20-7 in July, its most wins in any month since going 20-8 in May 2001, and its winningest July since 1963.

o. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when San Diego beat Cincinnati on Wednesday, it marked the first time since the rookie rule was established in 1957 that three rookies combined on a one-hitter (Mat Latos, Greg Burke and Mike Ekstrom).

o. Enough already of people ripping the Pirates or bemoaning the breakup of the team. This isn't the selloff of the 1997 Marlins. At least Pittsburgh is trying, by using what players had value to restock and start all over.

o. Colorado has rocketed into contention under interim manager Jim Tracy, but one NL scout said first baseman Todd Helton deserves a lot of the credit. "He's this decade's [Jeff] Bagwell," the scout said, "the star player in the clubhouse who puts the team on his back. He's part of the reason they've recovered."

o. Unless there's a rainout, Oakland will play a franchise-record 28 straight days after the All-Star break (July 16-Aug. 12). In fact, the A's have just five off days in the second half because of makeup games.

o. Toronto's Marco Scutaro is on pace to be just the fourth shortstop to field .993 or better and average more than three assists per nine innings, after Rey Sanchez in 2000, Mike Bordick in 2002 and Omar Vizquel in 1998.

o. When Kansas City got double-digit strikeouts games from starters two nights in a row last weekend (10 for Zack Greinke and 13 for Luke Hochevar) it marked the first time that happened for the Royals since Tom Gordon and Kevin Appier in 1993.

Baseball Brunch: Off to the Races originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Brooklyn Cyclones Are a Pregnant Woman's Best Friend

Tom Herrera — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mets, MLB Fans, Minor Leagues

Why do kids get to have all the fun at ballparks? Cool hats, bobbleheads, even a trip around the bases. Where's the love for pregnant women, right?

Expectant mothers, the Brooklyn Cyclones are listening to you, even if your husbands aren't.

As part of the "Bellies and Baseball: A Salute to Pregnancy" event, the Mets' minor-league affiliate offered up some very unusual activities at Sunday night's game.

Forget video games. That's kids stuff. We're talking no shoes, food and Lamaze.

"Families are at the heart of our fan base," said Cyclones general manager Steve Cohen. "And we're proud to welcome new families or new members to the family with a night of Brooklyn baseball in their honor."

Take a look at what the fun-filled festivities included:

o. Barefoot & Pregnant: Expectant moms walked the bases with no shoes on before the game
o. Lamaze on the Lawn: A free class right on the comfort of center field grass
o. Pregnancy Pitch: Any woman in her third trimester got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch
o. Trimester Tricycles: A bike race between expectant fathers between innings. Definitely upstaged the mascot.
o. 7th Inning Stretch Marks: Singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," preggo-style right on the field
o. Craving Station: A table on the concourse level offered ice cream, anchovy pizza, and of course, pickles. God, what pregnant woman wouldn't die for a Costco-sized jar of dills right now? In my opinion, the only thing that beats that is "mushy peas in lashings of tomato sauce." Yum.
o. Water Break: Two expectant fathers competed in a race with water balloons attached to their bodies. The winner was the one who lasted the longest ... or finished the race without his water breaking.

But wait, that's not all! If any woman gave birth at the ballpark before the end of the game, she would have received free Cyclones season tickets for life for each member of her new family. No births were reported, and I imagine no woman would have traded doing so in front of a Coney Island crowd. Yankees tickets next to Richard Gere, maybe.

Also, any expectant mom who agrees to name her child Brooklyn or Cy gets free season tickets for life. I'm sure David Beckham would agree Brooklyn isn't such a bad name for a kid.

Strange promotions are actually the norm in the minor leagues. Mustache growing, spam carving, tighty-whitey races and massive pillow fights are all fair game.

If you think major-league ticket prices are absurd, opting for the minors is a whole lot cheaper, and quite possibly, much more enjoyable. I highly recommend Ben's Biz Blog, written by my pal Benjamin Hill, for more wacky promotional goodies.

The Brooklyn Cyclones Are a Pregnant Woman's Best Friend originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For Love of the Game: Davey Johnson Happy to Be Managing Again

Tim Povtak — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Dodgers, Mets, Minor Leagues

DELAND, Fla. - Three hours before game time and the rain outside has sent manager Davey Johnson back to his combination office/locker room/shower stall, where he gets swallowed up by one of those itchy, polyester-covered couches that is so broken down it makes you feel like you're sitting in a big bean bag.

Half the bleachers outside have been closed for repair, but that's no problem because fewer than 100 people will come to watch later that night, mostly parents, girlfriends, and a handful of retirees with nowhere else to be.

Johnson grins because he knows what you're thinking, as he sinks deeper into the piece of furniture that could be as old as he is.

This is a long way - a long, long way - from Dodger Stadium.

"This is nice HERE,'' said Johnson, who won a World Series title both as a player in Baltimore and as a manager in New York. "Some places we play, there are no bathrooms. No nothing, This is still baseball. And I still love the game. I love being part of it.''

Johnson, 66, is managing the DeLand Suns in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a no-frills, wooden-bat collection of five area teams filled with young college players trying to improve their skills. They are lucky to have him.

His competition includes the Clermont Mavericks, the Leesburg Lightning, the Winter Park Diamond Dogs and the Sanford River Rats, all within an hour's drive.

"Shoot, I've never been one who needed a gold spoon,'' he said. "My memory is fading a little, but I still remember riding buses for 13 hours to play a game. I remember playing high school games with no fences, where you couldn't see the outfielders because the heat was so bad. I played in Japan, where you packed your own bags and carried them yourself. None of that ever bothered me. Still doesn't.''

Johnson was once considered the best manager in all of baseball, working with a swagger when he guided the New York Mets (1986) to a World Series championship. He followed it by winning divisional titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds. He left the big leagues in 2000 after his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was fired in all four cities, often clashing with ownership after running through walls to side with his players.

He still might be the best manager today who isn't coaching in the big leagues.

"I would consider it [going back to the major leagues], but I'm not reaching out. That's not who I am,'' he said. "It's like when Frank Cashen first hired me in New York. When they introduced me at a press conference for the first time, I said 'I really like working for smart people.' He was smart enough to hire me.''

Johnson finished his stint with USA Baseball when he managed in the World Baseball Classic, a follow-up to his 2008 Bejing Olympic Games in which his USA team won a bronze medal.

At the WBC, he was managing Derek Jeter, David Wright and Jimmy Rollins. They played some games at Dodger Stadium. Today he is managing Corey Waters, Eric Holmes and Justin Zinkovich at Conrad Park.

"It doesn't really matter. Baseball isn't rocket science,'' he said. "I love working with the young kids, seeing how they develop. The game is the same at any level. Guys strike out, get hits, do poorly, do well at every level. People used to always say I did best with the veteran players, but that's not what I'm enjoying now.''

Johnson, who grew up nearby and has been living in Central Florida during winter months for his entire life, decided it was time to manage the kids after serving as a league consultant the past few years. The USA Baseball experience got his baseball blood flowing again.

Life outside the game wasn't very kind to Johnson after leaving the Dodgers. He had stomach surgery three times in 2004 and nearly died on the operating table when half his intestines were taken out after a misdiagnosis. His daughter, a nationally known surfer, died in 2005 from septic shock. Johnson was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2007, although he was lucky it was caught early.

"I've been blessed to be around baseball all these years,'' he said. "It's not something I taken for granted, either. I enjoyed my career in the big leagues, but I also have done this at most every level you could imagine.''

There have been plenty of frustrating moments this season, but also moments that make him smile, too. One day he found himself carrying out a box of rubber chickens for a promotional skit between innings. Another time, he was helping pull the tarp over the home plate area because there was no grounds crew for these fields. He never did that in the big leagues.

He was promised a 25-man roster when the season started, but mostly he gets 16-17 players as they come and go throughout the summer. Because of rainouts and scheduling quirks, he had six games in five days recently, but only four starting pitchers. At one point, his two best relief pitchers were a starting outfielder and a starting infielder.

"Next year, I might be in Little League somewhere because somebody will want me to manage their team. If they ask, I'd probably say yes. It is baseball."And he has learned that coaching college players is different than coaching professionals, especially the pitchers.

"I'm learning a lot, including a new language here,'' he laughed. "I like challenges, and this certainly has been one of them.''

During the games, Johnson doesn't act much differently than he did when he coached years ago. He has mellowed but some habits are hard to break. When the Suns are at bat, he's at the top step of the dugout, giving signals to his third-base coach, spraying a steady stream of tobacco juice at the same target every time.

When the Suns are in the field, he's back in his seat, yet his eyes never leave the field, his mind never stops thinking baseball. He is content on the baseball field - any baseball field.

As a player, he was the last batter to get a hit off the great Sandy Koufax in 1966. Hitting behind Hank Aaron in Atlanta in 1973, he hit 43 home runs, the most ever for a second baseman. And as a manager, he was both loved and criticized in New York, even after winning the World Series.

The difference now is that the owner loves him, something that wasn't always the case in the major leagues, where he wore out his welcome after a few years.

"He's been great for the kids,'' said Ken Gordon, the attorney who owns the DeLand Suns. "But if a big-league team calls, maybe we'll sell them his contract, and we can fund the whole league.''

Johnson, though, doesn't have a contract here. He is paid to manage, but not much more than gas money to make the trip from his home every day.

"I'll probably do this until I die,'' he said with a laugh. "Next year, I might be in Little League somewhere because somebody will want me to manage their team. If they ask, I'd probably say yes. It is baseball."

For Love of the Game: Davey Johnson Happy to Be Managing Again originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Padres Might Promote Pitching Prospect

Matt Snyder — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, Minor Leagues

It's been quite the whirlwind season for Mat Latos, the top pitching prospect in the San Diego Padres' system. He began all the way down in low Single-A ball with the Fort Wayne Wizards -- three full levels from the major leagues. After dominating for 25 1/3 innings (3-0, 0.36 ERA, 27 strikeouts, 3 walks), he bypassed advanced Single-A and went straight to Double-A.

In San Antonio, things weren't much different for the 21-year-old right-hander, as he compiled a 5-1 record with a 1.91 ERA and 46 strikeouts to only nine walks. It now appears the spotless inning Latos threw in the Futures Game Sunday at Busch Stadium will be his last work before taking a major league mound. According to MLB.com, Latos could get the call this Sunday against Colorado.

San Diego general manager Kevin Towers said late Monday that the Padres are "having internal discussions about the possibility" of purchasing Latos' contract, adding him to the 40-man roster and sticking him in the starting rotation.

One point of caution, though, is the Padres are worried about the innings Latos stands to log this season. He's never thrown more than 56 in a professional season and he's already at 72 1/3 innings in 2009. The thinking is that he'll get his feet wet in the bigs this year and the Padres -- considering they won't be in the pennant race -- will shut him down before the season ends. Towers said he'd rather go "no more than double the innings" that a pitcher has previously thrown, but 112 is extremely low at this point.

We shall see how the Padres proceed, but the smart money is on Latos pitching for San Diego sooner rather than later. As for how he performs? He better get used to a lack of run support, but Petco Park has made Chad Gaudin look like a world-beater at times. He couldn't pitch in a park which provides a smoother transition to the majors.

Once he gets some confidence at the big-league level, he'll be ready to join the rotation full-time next season. Then, the sky is the limit.

Padres Might Promote Pitching Prospect originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boston's Kelly Is a Prospect, but Is It on Mound or in Field?

Ed Price — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, MLB All-Star Game, Prospects, Minor Leagues

ST. LOUIS - Casey Kelly pitched an inning for the U.S. team in Sunday's Futures Game, an All-Star showcase for baseball's top prospects.

And, just like that, he became a shortstop.

Kelly's unique arrangement with the Red Sox called for him to spend the first half of the minor-league season as a pitcher and then move to shortstop. Eventually, he will be one or the other, and there seems to be a slight difference of opinion between team and player.

"The determining factor is just going to be what I feel most comfortable with and whatever's going to get me to the big leagues the fastest," said Kelly, 19. "That's the main goal, is to get to the big leagues as quick and fast as possible, whatever position that might be.

"This year is kind of experimental, to see which one is going to be the best." Boston likes him better as a pitcher, perhaps to the point of pushing him for a Futures Game spot to both extend his pitching work this season by an extra week and to help convince him that his future lay on the mound.

But by letting Kelly do both, for now, the team has avoided any sort of battle.

"The Red Sox have been awesome through this whole process," he said. "I think once we get done with this season we'll kind of see what side is the best for me and the best for them."

Kelly's father, Pat, caught in three games for the 1980 Blue Jays and now is a minor-league manager wit the Reds. Coming out of high school in Sarasota, Fla., Casey had a scholarship offer from the University of Tennessee to play quarterback. But he turned that down after the Red Sox drafted him in the first round last year.

After getting a $3 million signing bonus, Kelly played only shortstop last summer. He didn't pitch between the end of his senior year at high school and this year's spring training.

Latest Baseball Images

Team USA's Eric Young holds his helmet as he rounds the bases on a solo home run during the third inning of the All-Star Futures baseball game against the World Team at Busch Stadium on Sunday, July 12, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: U.S. Futures All-Star play against the World Futures All-Star during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2009 the in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Getty Images

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: World Futures All-Star Yohan Flande of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2009 the in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Yohan Flande

Getty Images

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: U.S. Futures All-Star Eric Young of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a home run against the World Futures All-Stars during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2009 the in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Young

Getty Images

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: World Futures All-Star Tyson Gillies of the Seattle Mariners fails to chase down a foul ball during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2009 the in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyson Gillies

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A smattering of fans watch the All-Star Futures baseball game at Busch Stadium after a rain delay that lasted several hours Sunday, July 12, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

World Team right fielder Tyson Gillies reaches for a ball hit just foul down the line by Team USA's Desmond Jennings during the third inning of the All-Star Futures baseball game at Busch Stadium on Sunday, July 12, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: World Futures All-Star Wilmer Flores of the New York Mets dives to make a play during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2009 the in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wilmer Flores

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: World Futures All-Star Francisco Samuel walks off the mound during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2009 the in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Francisco Samuel

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ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 12: Pitcher John Lackey #41 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim throws a pitch against the New York Yankees on July 12, 2009 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The Angels won 5-4. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Lackey

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As a pitcher, Kelly (6-foot-3 and 194 pounds) features a fastball that isn't overpowering but with good command and movement, along with a curve and changeup. He retired all three batters he faced Sunday on nine total pitches, hitting 93-94 mph with his fastball.

After going 6-1 with a 1.12 ERA in nine starts for low Single-A Greenville (S.C.), Kelly moved up to advanced Single-A Salem (Va.) and went 1-4 with a 3.09 ERA in eight starts. Combined, he had 74 strikeouts, just 16 walks and 65 hits allowed in 95 innings.

"They let me just kind of go out there and kind of learn for myself," he said. "I made a lot of adjustments. I felt like every outing I learned something."

Meanwhile, he took batting practice at least twice a week in preparation for the second half.

"It was weird," he said. "To sit in the dugout or sit in the stands and chart [when not pitching] and watch the team play I think was the toughest thing. I'm such a competitor and stuff, and not to be in there during the game was tough for me at first."

"To sit in the dugout or sit in the stands and chart [when not pitching] and watch the team play I think was the toughest thing."
-- Red Sox prospect Casey Kelly Kelly compared the eventual choice between pitcher and position player to the one he made a year ago between baseball and football.

"I've kind of been through it before," he said. "Everybody was like, 'How are you going to deal with this?' It [the decision] was made for me. The opportunity came by [in baseball] and I don't regret it at all."

From St. Louis he will go to Boston's spring-training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., where the Red Sox will determine where to send him for the second half.

"Aw, man, I'm really excited," he said. "To kind of have two seasons in one is really unique. So I'm excited to get back and start playing shortstop."

Kelly said it was worth delaying his move to shortstop for a week to play in the Futures Game. Just one thing was missing from his experience in St. Louis: getting to hit off one of the other phenoms.

"That would be probably the best feeling in the world, to get an at-bat today." he said. "But I'm here strictly as a pitcher today."

Boston's Kelly Is a Prospect, but Is It on Mound or in Field? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jamie McOwen's Hit Streak Ends at 45

Jim Henry — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:36:00 EST

Filed under: Minor Leagues

The Modesto Nuts found a way to stop Jamie McOwen Friday night.

McOwen, an outfielder with the Seattle Mariners' Class A affiliate High Desert Mavericks, had his California League-record 45-game hitting streak snapped in the Mavericks' 2-0 defeat at Modesto. McOwen finished his two-month journey with the eighth-longest hit streak in minor league history.

The left-handed hitting McOwen went 0-for-3 with a walk against the Nuts, but it wasn't without drama.

For the eighth time during the streak, McOwen had a chance to keep his streak alive his final at-bat. But Modesto reliever Craig Baker, who is 22-for-22 in save opportunities, fanned McOwen swinging for the second out in the top of the ninth inning.

Modesto became the first team to hold McOwen hitless since he went 0-for-5 at Lake Elsinore on May 8.

McOwen, 23, a former sixth-round selection of the Seattle Mariners in the 2007 draft out of Florida International University in Miami, never got on track after taking a game off on Thursday.

He reached on a fielder's choice bunt in the top of the first, walked in the fourth and bounced into a double-play in the sixth. McOwen didn't have any better luck in the ninth and was unable to extend his march into history.

Wichita's Joe Wilhoit hit in a record 69 straight minor-league games in 1919. Joe DiMaggio, who hit in a major league-record 56 consecutive games in 1941, has the second-longest minor-league streak with 61 games for the San Francisco Seals in 1933. The previous California League hit streak record was 35 games.

McOwen's 45-game hit streak places him behind Johnny Bates, who hit safely in 46 consecutive games in 1925 for Nashville.

McOwen has a team-best .351 average for High Desert, batting .459 (17 of 37) in his last 10 games. In his three seasons at FIU, McOwen hit .372, good for third on FIU's all-time career mark. In 2007, McOwen hit .414, which is the fourth-best total in FIU history.

Jamie McOwen's Hit Streak Ends at 45 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minor Leaguer Jamie McOwen on a Wild (Hitting) Streak

Jim Henry — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mariners, Minor Leagues

Stress? What stress?

Jamie McOwen, an outfielder with the Seattle Mariners' Class A affiliate High Desert Mavericks, is having too much fun to fret over at-bats. In fact, he's on one of those amazing rides that has carried him into the California League record book -- and beyond.

McOwen extended his hitting streak to 42 games Sunday with a single in the fifth inning of a 8-0 home victory over the Visalia Rawhide. A week ago Sunday, McOwen set the new California Leauge record for the longest hit streak at 36 games. McOwen may have a ways to go to reach the minor-league mark of 69 games, set in 1919, but it's not like McOwen is counting out loud.

He has plenty of help in that department.

"It's a lot of fun," McOwen told FanHouse Sunday.

"There's really not any stress. There was a little bit of pressure around the record game, but other than that, it's something to have fun with. It has been a blast. My teammates have fun with it, too. It hasn't been off limits by any means -- they talk about it all the time, even laugh about it. If it's getting late and I don't have a hit, they will remind me that it's getting down to crunch time."

Crunch the numbers up, down and sideways, it doesn't matter. McOwen's streak has generated plenty of excitement and drama.

Last Friday night at Rancho Cucamonga, for example, the left-handed hitting McOwen needed a two-out single in the top of the ninth inning to extend his hit streak to 40 games.

Top Minor-League Hitting Streaks
Player, Year	Games
Joe Wilhoit (Wichita), 1919	69
Joe DiMaggio (San Francisco), 1933	61
Roman Mejias (Waco), 1954	55
Otto Pahlman (Danville), 1922	50
Jack Ness (Oakland), 1915	49
Harry Chozen (Mobile), 1945	49
Johnny Bates (Nashville), 1925	46
Brandon Watson (Columbus), 2007	43
Eddie Marshall (Milwaukee), 1935	43
Howie Bedell (Louisville), 1947	43
Orlando Moreno (Big Spring), 1961	43
James McOwen (Inland Empire), '09	42
Source: International League Web Site

McOwen fell behind 0-2 against hard-throwing righty Michael Kohn, who had fanned the first two High Desert hitters in the ninth. McOwen barely fouled off a high fastball on the third pitch before, bingo, he singled back up the middle on another fastball that caught too much of the plate. Not to be forgotten, High Desert had also sent five batters to the plate in the top of the eighth to help McOwen secure a last-gasp chance.

"When I knew I was going to get another at-bat it was a sigh of relief," said McOwen, who last went hitless (0-for-5) on May 8.

"He [Kohn] had struck out the two guys in front of me, so I just tried to make contact and put the ball in play hard up the middle. I didn't want to get big at all because he will blow it by you, he was throwing it so hard. I just put the barrel on it and luckily it found a hole. I got lucky on the ball that I fouled back, too. It was up around my chest and I barely nipped it. I knew he was only throwing fastballs, and I got a lucky break."

Luck aside, there's also plenty of other factors involved, too, including skill, mindset and confidence.

"He's always been able to make contact," High Desert manager Jim Horner told MLB.com.

"He doesn't seem to let things get to him. A lot of people seem to think about the pressure and all that stuff, but he's a kid that can keep it going for a while because he doesn't worry about stuff like that."

McOwen's streak is pretty neat stuff.

Wichita's Joe Wilhoit hit in a record 69 straight minor-league games in 1919. Joe DiMaggio, who hit in a major league-record 56 consecutive games in 1941, has the second-longest minor-league streak with 61 games for the San Francisco Seals in 1933. Two years ago, outfielder Brandon Watson, playing for Triple-A Columbus in the Nationals' organization, ran off a 43-game hit streak.

McOwen, a former sixth-round selection of the Seattle Mariners in the 2007 draft out of Florida International University in Miami, didn't even realize he was on a hit streak until a local reporter nearly two months ago told him it had reached 14 games. McOwen figures he's needed a hit in his final at-bat at least three other times to extend his streak, but it's not like he's getting cheated either.

McOwen, a .352 hitter on the season, is batting .500 over his last 10 games (21 of 42) with two home runs and 13 RBI.

"He's a great guy and has handled this whole thing with absolute class," Alex Freedman, director of broadcasting for High Desert, told FanHouse. "Watching the streak has been a lot of fun. I don't think I've ever been as excited over seeing-eye singles with two outs early in games."

McOwen credits Mavericks hitting coach Tommy Cruz for his success. McOwen said Cruz tweaked his stance right around the time his hit streak began, widening his feet and eliminating hand movement with the bat.

"By not striding as much and eliminating a lot of movement, I have a much better chance of being on time," said McOwen, who hit a respectable .263 last season at High Desert but had 50 strikeouts heading into the All-Star break, compared to 34 this year.

"With all that movement, the balls were on me and I was behind the pitch. I show up at the field each day and put in the work with Coach [Cruz]. I put the uniform on and go out there and play and have fun. I've been getting balls that are falling in, so it has been working out for me lately."

McOwen's hitting success isn't by accident.

In his three seasons at FIU, McOwen hit .372, good for third on FIU's all-time career mark. In 2007, McOwen hit .414, which is the fourth-best total in FIU history. McOwen's father was an All-American swimmer at Wisconsin and his grandfather played baseball at the University of Florida. It's believed the Mariners will keep McOwem in High Desert until his streak ends and then possibly promote him to Double-A West Tennessee.

McOwen, however, isn't worried about the future. He's having too much fun at the moment, one at-bat at at time.

"My teammates and the fans have been really supportive, just great," said McOwen, who will look to extend his hit streak to 43 games against Visalia on Monday night.

"I am enjoying it, too."

Latest Baseball Images

Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria hits a two-run sacrifice fly off Texas Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman in the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 5, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria throws to first after fielding a grounder hit by Texas Rangers' Ian Kinsler in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 5, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. Kinsler was out at first. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Texas Rangers center fielder Marlon Byrd catches a line drive ball hit by Tampa Bay Rays' Carl Crawford for an out in the first inning in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, July 5, 2009. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

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Texas Rangers Marlon Byrd breaks up a double play, as Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett (left) can't make the catch in the third inning in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, July 5, 2009. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Matt Garza delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, July 5, 2009. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Scott Feldman delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, July 5, 2009. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett, left, drops the ball trying to force out Texas Rangers' Marlon Byrd at second during a double play attempt in the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 5, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. Texas Rangers' Nelson Cruz was safe at first. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Houston Astros Hunter Pence, Miguel Tejada and Jason Michaels, who each hit home runs, celebrate their win against the San Francisco Giants, 7-1, in a baseball game, Sunday, July 5, 2009 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Dino Vournas)

SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 5: Lance Berkman #17 of the Houston Astros flips the ball to first base against the San Francisco Giants during the game at AT&T Park on July 5, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Berkman

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SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 5: Miguel Tejada #10 of the Houston Astros bats against the San Francisco Giants during the game at AT&T Park on July 5, 2009 in San Francisco, California. Pitching for the Giants is Randy Johnson #51, catching for the Giants is Bengie Molina #1 and umpiring behind home plate is Lance Barksdale. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Miguel Tejada;Randy Johnson;Bengie Molina;Lance Barksdale

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Minor Leaguer Jamie McOwen on a Wild (Hitting) Streak originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeff Samardzija Recalled to Join Cubs

Matt Snyder — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:35:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, MLB Transactions, Minor Leagues

The Cubs continue to make minor tweaks to their roster as they cling to relevancy in the NL Central race. After recalling Kevin Hart and Sam Fuld in the past few days, relief pitcher Jeff Samardzija was brought back to the big leagues Tuesday. He'll replace Jose Ascanio in the bullpen.

Samardzija, the highly popular pitcher who once played wide receiver for Notre Dame's football team, came onto the scene with a solid rookie season in 2008. He worked 26 times and compiled a 2.28 ERA. Earlier this year, though, Samardzija had a rough go at the major league level. In five outings, his ERA was a large 8.10.

In the minors, Samardzija was working as a starting pitcher. He's been good at times, but not consistent. He's 5-3 with a 3.72 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings. There were some real gems (like a June 20 start where he threw eight shutout innings) mixed in with sub-par outings.

The problems exhibited by the Cubs major league relievers recently, though, likely dictated the Cubs make a move. Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg threw well on Monday night, but before that a quality outing -- especially with a close lead in the seventh or eighth innings -- from the setup squad was very hard to come by. The injury to Angel Guzman (2.53 ERA in 32 innings) and Marmol's awful command problems worsened the issue. There simply hasn't been anyone, other than Guzman, reliable this season.

Thus, it's entirely possible the Cubs realized the starting rotation -- which ranks fourth in all of baseball in ERA -- wasn't going to need help for a while, and that Samardzija would best help the organization as a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, not a starter for the Iowa Cubs.

With the team as a whole trying to somehow recapture the regular season magic they had in 2008, it's only fitting they look for the same in Samardzija.

Other Cubs Movement:
Each of the past two first-round draft picks have been promoted to the next level in the minors.

Josh Vitters, the Cubs' top choice in 2007, and one of the top third base prospects in baseball, has been moved along to High Single-A ball. The 19-year-old has been raking in Low-A. In 70 games, he hit .316 with 12 doubles, 15 home runs and 46 RBI. One possible issue is plate discipline, as Vitters has struck out 42 times and walked only seven.

Andrew Cashner, the 2008 first-rounder who still has an outside shot at joining the big-league Cubs late this season, will depart the High-A club and move up to Double-A Tennessee. Cashner has been working as a starter, though his workload per start has been low because he's going to relieve in the bigs. He's not having much trouble disposing of the opposition. In 42 innings, the 6-foot-6 Cashner has allowed only 46 baserunners (1.10 WHIP) and seven earned runs (1.50 ERA). He has struck out 34 hitters. If he continues to progress and the Cubs' relievers keep struggling late in the game, expect the former collegiate closer to get a look in Chicago.

Jeff Samardzija Recalled to Join Cubs originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Stealing Home All the Rage

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Braves, Pirates, Rangers, Rays, White Sox, Minor Leagues, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Sunday was a good day to steal home in the major leagues. With an assist from Carlos Zambrano, who airmailed a pitch to the backstop as Dewayne Wise attempted to suicide squeeze, Chris Getz was credited with a steal of home in the White Sox's 6-0 victory over the crosstown rival Cubs. Zambrano followed by plunking Wise, pushing the oft-heated interleague rivalry close to fisticuffs.

Later in the afternoon, the Angels' Gary Matthews Jr. pulled off a straight steal of home in Los Angeles' 12-8 win over the Diamondbacks.

"I got a good jump and pulled it off," Matthews said. "The key was getting a big lead. They're definitely not expecting it with two strikes. If there was a right-handed hitter up there, I wouldn't have even tried."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From the Trainer's Room ...
Josh Hamilton, on the disabled list since early June after tearing a muscle in his abdomen, will start a minor-league rehab assignment Monday at Double-A Frisco. He'll play designated hitter there, work out with the Rangers on Tuesday, then join Triple-A Oklahoma City for a three-game series in which he will play the field. There's no set return date for Hamilton at this point, but he could be back with Texas by next weekend.

Numbers Game ...
From the minor leagues come two of the most bizarre lines you will ever see. Recently demoted Pirates starting pitcher Ian Snell made his first start in Triple-A since asking the team to be sent down and he was impressive. Snell fanned 17 for Indianapolis, including a stretch of 13 straight whiffs after walking the first hitter he faced in the game.

"I haven't felt like that all year. It's just amazing," Snell said. "These guys are great and these guys are a bunch of goofballs. It makes you want to be here and pitch well here."

And then there was Sunday's otherwise forgettable meeting between the Lake Elsinore Storm and the High Desert Mavericks in the California League (advanced Single-A). The Mavericks scored 18 runs on 26 hits and lost.

By 13 runs.

The Storm crossed the plate 33 times on 32 hits in a slugfest. This isn't the first time in recent history that Lake Elsinore has been involved in an otherworldly offensive display. The Storm beat the Lancaster JetHawks 30-0 in May 2007, the most lopsided victory in the history of the California League.

In Their Own Words ...
"If he was sick, I don't want to see him when he's not sick." -- Red Sox manager Terry Francona on Braves rookie pitcher Tommy Hanson, who ran his scoreless innings streak to 20 with six shutout innings against Boston in Atlanta's 2-1 win. Flu-like symptoms made it unlikely that Hanson would even start as late as Saturday, but he pitched anyway. His last 11 1/3 scoreless innings have come against the Sox and the Yankees, two of the most potent offenses in all of baseball.

Advance Scouting ...
The return of Roy Halladay from the disabled list highlights a showdown between the two "other" teams turning the American League East into a four-horse race. Coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the Phillies Sunday that dropped Toronto into fourth place in the division, the Blue Jays play host to the surging Rays (7:07 PM ET), who have won five straight.

Starting Five: Stealing Home All the Rage originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giants Super-Prospect Moving Soon

Jeff Fletcher — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:22:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, Minor Leagues, FanHouse Exclusive

SAN FRANCISCO -- Catcher Buster Posey, who signed for a record $6.2 million bonus less than a year ago, is about to be promoted from the Giants' Single-A affiliate.

"I don't know if it's going to be Double-A or Triple-A, but that discussion is ongoing," San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean told FanHouse on Monday.

Posey, the No. 4 pick in last year's draft, is one of the top hitting prospects in baseball. He is hitting .328/.425/.545 with 11 homers in 66 games at San Jose. Posey was in big league camp for most of the spring. The fact that the Giants are considering moving him as high as Triple-A less than a year into his pro career indicates that he's on the fast track.

Giants catcher Bengie Molina is signed only through the end of this season, so Posey's development will no doubt play a role in the Giants' decision-making on Molina.

Sabean also said that left-hander Madison Bumgarner, the organization's top pitching prospect, has shown he may be close to the big leagues. Bumgarner, the Giants' first-round pick in 2007, is currently at Double-A Connecticut. He's a combined 7-2 with a 1.88 ERA at San Jose and Connecticut this year.

"He's a kid that can pitch [in the majors] with his fastball right now," Sabean said. "We saw that in spring training. Having said that, there is no need to rush him. He's also a guy that may not have to pitch at every level to the get to the big leagues. The equipment is there. The size, the strength. Obviously, you look for consistent command of the secondary pitches, getting more consistent. That's what he's going through now."

Sabean also said that Bumgarner, who might be one of the Giants' top trading chips as they seek to acquire a hitter, "is not going anywhere."

Sabean said the Giants are looking for a hitter, but it's too early to tell who might be available, and at what cost.

"We'd love to add something to the group," he said. "How and when that happens remains to be seen. It's not a real interesting market."

Giants Super-Prospect Moving Soon originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Chicago Beckons Beckham

Ed Price — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:31:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Pirates, Rays, White Sox, MLB Injuries, Minor Leagues, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Gordon Beckham era has begun in Chicago.

The White Sox announced after Wednesday's loss to the Athletics that they would call up Beckham on Thursday, one day short of a year after he was their first-round draft pick.

"He's going to play," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Where, we're going to find out. Is he going to play third base every day. I don't think so. But he will get plenty of at-bats. To me, he has to be in the lineup every day and get a good percentage of at-bats."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Just two days earlier, Guillen was singing a different tune:

"If we have Beckham here, we're in trouble."

Well, the Sox need an injection of offense. They have scored three runs or fewer 26 times, more than any team except Kansas City, Seattle, Arizona and Pittsburgh.

After batting .298 in 38 games at Double-A, Beckham was promoted late last month to Triple-A, where he hit .464 in seven games (six doubles, no homers, no walks, two strikeouts). A shortstop at the University of Georgia, he has also played eight games this year at third base and four at second.

Beckham went eighth overall in the 2008 draft and is the fourth player from his class to make the majors, after San Francisco infielder Conor Gillaspie and relievers Ryan Perry (Detroit) and Daniel Schlereth (Arizona).

From the Trainer's Room ...
Kyle Lohse, who on May 23 was hit on his right (throwing) forearm by a pitch while batting, returned Wednesday but had to come out of his start for the Cardinals after just two innings because of soreness in the forearm.

St. Louis has already used eight starters, making it remarkable that it has the best team ERA in the majors at 3.64.

Numbers Game ...
Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist, who hit his fourth career grand slam in a rout of Kansas City, has 14 homers in his past 147 at-bats, dating to Sept. 25. Zobrist has started 11 straight games for the banged-up Rays -- five at second base and three each at shortstop and right field - and has reached base in 38 of his past 77 plate appearances, with five homers and 19 RBI.

In Their Own Words ...
"I've been talking to a lot of the guys, and this is not going to be viewed very highly in the clubhouse by any means. We're a team, and we were battling without our catcher, waiting for him to get back. To lose your best all-around player -- and that's what Nate was, in terms of power, speed and defense -- and to do it so early in the season ... that's going to be tough to get over." -- Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson on the team's trade of center fielder Nate McLouth to the Braves for three prospects.

Advance Scouting ...
The Phillies have not lost a series since May 12-14 against the Dodgers, and Thursday night last year's NLCS opponents begin another rematch, this time in Los Angeles (10:10 PM ET). Since that last series, Philadelphia is 15-4 and Los Angeles is 13-6. Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who held the Dodgers to one run in seven innings the last time he saw them, faces L.A. youngster and fellow lefty Clayton Kershaw.

Starting Five: Chicago Beckons Beckham originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Upon Further Review ...

Ed Price — Sun, 31 May 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers, Indians, Mariners, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox, Minor Leagues, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

When Willy Aybar's home run Thursday in Cleveland was upheld by a video review, it marked the sixth time in six days umpires made use of baseball's instant-replay rule.

So the natural question to ask Jimmie Lee Solomon, Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations, is why the flurry of trips to the secret chamber to watch replays? Are the umps more willing to consult the tape than in the past?

"These things come in bunches," Solomon told FanHouse.

He added, "I think that the umpires are becoming much more comfortable with the technology.

"It's a new process. They had to learn a new protocol and for the first times in their careers avail themselves of technology that might overturn a call made in their best judgment on the field. The umpires have embraced it and seen the big picture."

That can't be disputed. Instant replay began last Aug. 28 for home run "boundary" calls, and there were seven uses in 434 games over the rest of the 2008 season - one every 62 games

This year, there have been 13 reviews in 737 games, one every 57 games, or nine percent more often.

Crews were not instructed by MLB to take advantage of replay more often, according to one veteran umpire. Nor did they need to be.

"We're not afraid of it," the umpire told FanHouse. "I think as a group, we want to make certain we get things as right as we can get them."

Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said that both times the Marlins were involved, the process went smoothly (managers are not only not allowed to demand replay, as NFL coaches can, but they can't even request it). He agreed the umpires do seem more willing to use replay,

"Why not?" Gonzalez said. "It's about getting it right."

Two of last week's reviews took place at the Mets' new stadium, and Citi Field seems ripe for replays with its overhang in right field and changing fence heights.

Add in that both new New York ballparks, and the renovation in Kansas City, allowing fans seated in the outfield to sit close enough to the fence to reach over and there are plenty of reasons for replays.

(By the way: It's been 13 years since Jeffrey Maier and we haven't learned to set back the first row of outfield seats?)

As for how it's working, Solomon called replay "a resounding success."

Manny Acta doesn't seem to agree. He had two calls go against his Nationals team in last week's series against the Mets and he didn't agree with either even after seeing the replays.

"Something has to be done," Acta said. "Because this was supposed to be to help make the right call, help the umpires. It's supposed to be a clear-cut home run. If it is so inconclusive like the last couple of days, then the call shouldn't be changed. They either need to get more, better feeds or something."

But Solomon said the umpires have executed their mandate: keep the call on the field unless they see "clear and conclusive" evidence it was wrong.

Solomon felt Acta was speaking out of frustration.

"You're out there playing, you're competing, the team might not be doing as well as you'd like," Solomon said. "You're looking for an avenue for your frustration. Replay is always going to be there to uphold or overturn a call that's going to be in favor of one team and against another."

Mets manager Jerry Manuel, who has had replay go 5-for-5 in his favor (two Mets homers upheld, two doubles changed to a homer, one opponent foul ball upheld), has little to complain about.

Except maybe his wait.

Last Monday's review took more than six minutes, checking to see where a fan who reached over the left-field wall at CitiField touched the ball.

Solomon said some reviews have taken less than two minutes and expressed great satisfaction with the procedure, where feeds from all broadcasts are monitored at MLB.com's New York office and queued up for the umps.

"Sometimes there are tough ones to view and you've got to look at many different angles," he said. "It sometimes can take a little longer than we'd like."

Acta said he had no problem with the length of the delay as long as the right call is made, and Manuel agreed.

"I'm a fan of getting it right," Manuel said. "And if they got it right, that's what's important. Especially home runs. That's a part of the growth of baseball. Baseball kind of doesn't like to institute different things and stuff like that."

In fact, it took two blown calls in a week at Yankee Stadium last summer to convince MLB - which seems more sensitive to matters when they happen in New York - to use replay on homers.

And if it has worked so well, will it be expanded?

Solomon pointed out that commissioner Bud Selig "had to really be convinced to go this far.

"Will we go further? I dare say I don't know. The technology is so fantastic today. It just might be our technology points us in that direction. But there are no thoughts at this time to expand replay."

The umpire said the "boundary" decisions are when replay is most useful.

"That's the only call," he said, "we have like the NBA, NHL, NFL guys - the only call where you're running and you're that far away from it."

Overheard and Understood

o. Toronto's recent slide doesn't have the Blue Jays inclined to either dump players nor add. "We're two games out [in late May]," general manager J.P. Ricciardi told FanHouse. "If you had told me that in spring training, I would have taken in. Fifty games into it, we're doing OK.

"I think June is really when you get to the point where you say, 'Do we do anything?' I think the next 30 games are indicative of where we are, where we're going, what we'll try to do."

The only hitch in that plan is Toronto's strange schedule makes it tough to evaluate where they stand in the AL East until late in the season. The Jays have played just 14 intradivision games (going 6-8) and after Sunday don't play another one until June 29. Of their final 84 games, 45 are against the Red Sox, Rays or Yankees (27 of the final 51).

Chart of the Week
What if Adrian Gonzalez didn't play in the home-run graveyard known as Petco Park? Gonzalez has 14 home runs in San Diego's 26 road games, a pace for 44 road homers. Only six players have hit as many as 30 road homers in a season:
Road HR	Player, Year
32	David Ortiz, 2006
32	Babe Ruth, 1927
31	Brady Anderson, 1996
31	Roger Maris, 1961
30	Jim Gentile, 1961
30	Mickey Mantle, 1961
Source: Red Sox

o. A scouting report on Cubs infielder Jake Fox, who was called up after hitting .423 in Triple-A, 17 homers, 50 RBI, 33 extra-base hits, an .886 slugging percentage and a .503 on-base percentage: "I don't think he's all that much, to be honest with you. Defensively, he's probably below awful. You can pound him in with fastballs all day and you can throw him breaking balls and he'll chase. Throw him a fastball middle [to] away or a strike breaking ball, and he'll put a charge into it."

o. Four Orioles pitchers this year have started and won in their big-league debut, the first time any team has had four such pitchers since the 1890 Pittsburgh Alleghenies (now Pirates). And the only other team in that category was the 1888 Chicago Black Stockings (now Cubs).

o. People expect the White Sox, who were unable to land Jake Peavy, to still make a move. "Kenny [Williams, Chicago's GM] will definitely do something," one executive said. "He won't sit still."

o. Eric Milton's win Tuesday for the Dodgers was his first since Aug. 8, 2006. In between Milton's two most recent wins, 710 other pitchers recorded at least one win - and Roy Halladay had 47.

o. Rick Porcello, 20, is 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA over his past five starts. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only one younger pitcher had such a stretch (five straight wins, ERA of 1.50 or better): Dwight Gooden, in 1984.

o. The Angels' victory Wednesday against the White Sox kept alive their streak of not being swept in a home series since June 25-27, 2007 (against the Royals).

o. The Red Sox might move for a shortstop if one becomes available. "I don't think [Boston is] afraid to do it if [it has] to," said a person familiar with the organization.

o. Indians right-hander Carl Pavano won five times in May, more than his high for any season in his four years with the Yankees. The five wins also equaled his total for May 23, 2005, to April 30, 2009 - a span of 1,438 days.

o. After Stephen Strasburg goes first to Washington in next week's draft, it looks like Seattle will take with North Carolina hitter Dustin Ackley - but an executive from another team warned Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, formerly the Brewers' scouting director, is unpredictable and could change directions.

o. How good is Nationals rookie Justin Maxwell in center field? Washington reliever Ron Villone favorably compared Maxwell (who was sent back down Saturday) to "a young Junior" - meaning Ken Griffey Jr., who was a teammate of Villone's in 1995 and 2000.

o. Mets third baseman David Wright is on pace to become the first player ever with 150 strikeouts and 140 singles in the same season. Most high-strikeout batters hit for power, and most singles hitters are contact hitters.

Baseball Brunch: Upon Further Review ... originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 31 May 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Familiar Faces, Strange Places in Independent Minors

Ed Price — Sun, 24 May 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, Tigers, Yankees, NL Central, Prospects, Minor Leagues, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - The cleanup hitters in Thursday's game were Preston Wilson and Carl Everett. They have combined to play in more than 2,500 major-league games, hit 391 homers and make more than $80 million.

Wilson and Everett were on opposite sides in the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago, but this night they were far, far away from U.S. Cellular Field. They were the DHs for the Long Island Ducks and Newark Bears of the Atlantic League, respectively.

And they weren't the only former big-leaguers on the field.

Starting Five: Swarzak's Dazzling Debut

Wilson's teammates on the Ducks include Lew Ford, Brad Halsey, Dan Miceli and Bill Simas. The Bears roster has Armando Benitez, Keith Foulke, Shawn Chacon, Aaron Fultz, Rob Mackowiak and Tike Redman.

Why, oh why, are these guys riding buses around the Northeast and staying in Holiday Inns?

Well, because they want to get back to the bigs.

But also because they can't let go.

"A lot of us, this is all we know, and we love this game," Redman said. "So if we know that we've still got a shot, start out here.

"You just want to be back in the big leagues, because we're so used to the big leagues. And that's what you want, and that's what we keep thinking about and that's what keeps you going."

Redman, 35, knows you can make it back via independent leagues, such as the Atlantic or the Northern League, the Can-Am League or the American Association.

A veteran of nearly 400 games with the Pirates, he signed two years ago with the Atlantic League's York Revolution. After just seven games there, the Orioles bought his contract for depth at Triple-A, and he was back in the majors by August.

The Atlantic League has sold more than 400 players back to major league organizations in its 11-plus years of existence.

And everyone in the league now feels he can join that list.

"I feel like I can still play in the big leagues," said Ford, who spent 2003-07 with the Twins and last year in Japan. "I want to get back there, and I still enjoy going out and playing baseball every day, or I wouldn't be doing this. And I think there's a chance I can get back."

Ford said he hasn't had a hard time adjusting back to minor-league life, with the bus rides and smaller parks. And he likes the fact that with no six-, seven- or eight-figure salaries, the clubhouse has an egalitarian feel.

"I feel like everybody's on the same level," Ford said. "We have a pretty close clubhouse here and all the guys get along really well. And that makes it pretty easy to come to the field every day."

Said Newark manager Tim Raines: "I don't see any of those guys who have more time (in the big leagues) than anyone else feeling like they're better."

Yes, the managers have familiar names, too. Raines, Gary Carter (Ducks), Tommy John (Bridgeport Bluefish), Von Hayes (Lancaster Barmstormers), Sparky Lyle (Somerset Patriots), Butch Hobson (Southern Maryland Blue Crabs).

Said Carter: "I think all of these guys feel that if you can still do it ... still play, why not fulfill that [until] you believe in your heart that you can't do it any more?

"I can't think of anything else that fulfills me more than being in uniform and on the field."

Carter, who managed two years in the Mets farm system and last year in the Golden Baseball League, is in a similar situation to his players. He wants a shot to run a big-league team.

Raines, who was a coach with the 2005-06 White Sox and spent 2007 coaching in Double-A for the Nationals, isn't quite as ambitious. He said he'd go back to the majors but prefers Newark to an affiliated minor-league team.

"I tell you what, I like it here better than I like it in affiliated ball, especially in the minor leagues," Raines said. "You can't ask for anything. You just take whatever they give you. Here is a totally different story. You have an opportunity to pick and choose who comes and who goes."

But like the players, the managers in this game - one Hall of Fame player and one who soon should be - need to be around the game.

"We've been doing it all our lives," Raines said. "My first time in the big leagues I was 19 years old. I've been around baseball since then. I've pretty much grown up in baseball. There's not too much other things that I even feel comfortable doing.

"Sure, I'm not in big cities. Sure, I'm not in nice hotels. But that was when I played. I don't feel bad about it."

Overheard and Understood

o. The Phillies pooh-pooh their interest in Jake Peavy, but they could get involved. Philadelphia admittedly is looking for starting pitching, and it's known the Phillies were in the hunt for Peavy when trade talks were hot over the winter.

o. It's a strange schedule this year. The Cubs this weekend are playing their eighth road series, but they have been to just five road parks. They have already made two trips each to Houston, Milwaukee and St. Louis before getting once to division cities Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

Chart of the Week
Oakland has just eight wins by a starter this season. Fewest wins from starting pitchers in the past 50 years (not counting strike-shortened seasons):
Team	Wins	Top Pitcher
'62 Mets	23	Al Jackson (8)
'96 Tigers	29	Omar Olivares (7)
'03 Tigers	29	Mike Maroth (9)
'97 A's	29	Ariel Prieto (6)
'88 Braves	31	Three tied (7)
Source: baseball-reference.com

o. While some in the Cardinals organization are pushing to acquire Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre, general manager John Mozeliak (for now) prefers to wait for Troy Glaus to recover from right shoulder problems.

o. When the Diamondbacks were looking for a manager after the 2004 season, Mark Grace got an interview and was pushed for by some in the organization. But managing general partner Ken Kendrick blocked it because he feared Grace's lack of experience. Now Arizona has moved A.J. Hinch from farm director to manager, even though he had the same lack of managerial and coaching experience - and less of a playing career.

o. Baltimore's Nolan Reimold on Wednesday became the first player ever to hit his first big-league homer off Mariano Rivera. And before giving up a home run to Cincinnati's Ryan Hanigan on Wednesday, Phillies lefty Jamie Moyer had allowed just two homers to rookies: to Barry Bonds in 1986 and Gary Sheffield in 1989.

o. If he is "posted" by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, outfielder Norichika Aoki could be the top import from Japan next winter. A scout described Aoki - 5-foot-9, 170 pounds and 27 years old - as a "Brian Giles who can run." A lefty hitter, Aoki has a .331 career average and two batting titles.

o. Vin Mazzaro, the third member of Oakland's touted trio of young pitchers, is expected to join Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson in the majors next week. The A's will need a sixth starter because of a doubleheader May 29 at Texas. A scout who recently saw Mazzaro at Triple-A said, "He's ready now."

o. Jamie Hoffman, called up Friday by the Dodgers, was an eighth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003 and nearly went to Colorado College to play hockey before signing with the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent.

o. The Tigers signed shortstop Adam Everett for his glove. But with Everett and Ramon Santiago hitting well, Detroit leads all teams with 30 RBI from its shortstops.

o. All teams will wear red caps for Memorial Day, with a stars-and-stripes pattern inside every team's logo.

o. When the Pirates claimed right-hander Steven Jackson on waivers from the Yankees, it left the Yankees without any of the players obtained 30 months ago from the Diamondbacks for Randy Johnson. Reliever Luis Vizcaino left as a free agent, infielder Alberto Gonzalez was traded to Washington and right-hander Ross Ohlendorf went to Pittsburgh in the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte deal.

o. Ryan Theriot of the Cubs has 12 career homers, all at Wrigley Field. Only five players in history started their careers with a longer streak of home runs at the same park, and all of those were at the old Polo Grounds: Johnny Vergez (27), Burgess Whitehead (17), Bill Rigney (16), Freddie Fitzsimmons (14) and Andy Cohen (13).

o. The Giants went into the weekend nine games out in the NL West - their largest deficit after 40 games since 1991.

o. Marcus Lemon, the 20-year-old son of former All-Star outfielder Chet Lemon, is hitting .297 for Texas' Double-A club. "He's going to be OK," a scout said. "He's a good-looking ballplayer. I think he's more of a second baseman than a shortstop."

Baseball Brunch: Familiar Faces, Strange Places in Independent Minors originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 24 May 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magglio's Leave Paves Way for Prospect

Matt Snyder — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, AL Central, MLB Transactions, Minor Leagues

Tigers prospect Wilkin Ramirez has been on fire for the past week in triple-A, and -- because Magglio Ordonez has been forced to go on emergency family medical leave while his wife deals with surgery -- will now get a shot to test himself at the major league level.

Last season, Ramirez hit .303 with 19 homers, 73 RBI and 26 steals in double-A. This year, the 23-year-old has an .872 OPS with 5 home runs, 13 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 30 minor league games. And that little "on fire" part we mentioned?

(His stat line)includes a 12-for-22 tear since May 8, with four homers and six RBIs. He had a two-homer, four-hit game on Saturday at Charlotte, then went 3-for-3 with another homer and a stolen base on Sunday.

Sounds like it's perfect timing to get the kid into action. The Tigers host the Rangers this week, who have been getting good starting pitching, but not from Brandon McCarthy, who works Tuesday night for the AL West leaders.

Let's hope the Tigers give him an immediate shot at playing time, because it really seems like bad form when a team brings a huge prospect up from the minors to ride pine -- especially when he's in such a solid offensive groove.

Ordonez will be eligible to return to the team Thursday, so it's possible the stay of Ramirez is very short.

Magglio's Leave Paves Way for Prospect originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 19 May 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cubs' Zambrano Says He's Ready to Return, But Only In His Mind

Ed Price — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:43:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, MLB Injuries, Minor Leagues, MLB Inside Scoop

Carlos Zambrano claims he's ready to come off the disabled list and re-join the Cubs, but a scout who saw Zambrano pitch Sunday disputes that assertion.

"It looked like he couldn't cut loose," the scout said.

The scout did say that Zambrano was in midseason form personality-wise, getting in two disputes with the home-plate umpire over calls and being demonstrative on the mound when his Class A teammates failed to make some plays behind him.

Zambrano is on the DL because of a strained left hamstring, and in 3 2/3 innings Sunday for Daytona of the Florida State League he allowed four runs on five hits, walked three and struck out one.

''I feel 100 percent,'' Zambrano said. ''I just had a little problem with my release point. But this week, before my next outing, we'll correct it.''

Manager Lou Piniella said he and pitching coach Larry Rothschild will talk to Zambrano this week in St. Louis to determine how he feels before making a final decision.

If the minor-league reports agree with the scout, the decision could be for more time on the rehabilitation assignment.

Cubs' Zambrano Says He's Ready to Return, But Only In His Mind originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 18 May 2009 17:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: No Ordinary Joe

Ed Price — Sun, 17 May 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Indians, Marlins, Nationals, Orioles, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, NL East, Minor Leagues, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Joe Mauer has done everything he can to singlehandedly kill spring training as we know it.

Everyone else needs seven or eight weeks to get ready. But this guy gets 15 at-bats in minor-league camp, another 15 in Class A, and then shows up in the majors and hits .500 his first 10 games.

"Everyone keeps asking me what's going on," Mauer told FanHouse. "I really don't have any answer for that."

Well, it helps to be the best young pure hitter in the game.

Mauer missed all of Minnesota's spring training with an an inflamed joint in his lower back, which followed offseason surgery to remove a kidney obstruction. But all he needed was a week in extended spring training and five games in the Florida State League.

"It's tough to imagine being able to get 30 or 40 at-bats in the spring, five or six games, and just step right in and do what he's done," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I don't know how to describe it. It's uncanny."

Mauer came off the DL on May 1 and homered in his first at-bat. On Minnesota's homestand last week he was 10-for-23 (.435) with three homers and 10 RBI.

"He looked absolutely awesome, absolutely awesome," said a scout who watched those games in person.

"Mauer just stood out. He put the barrel of the bat on the ball every time. He' s never off-balance. He didn't put a bad swing on the ball."

That's not unusual. At 26, Mauer already has two batting titles, the only two by a catcher in the past 65 years. His .320 career average is highest ever for someone who has caught at least 500 games (slightly better than Mickey Cochrane).

Mike Redmond, Mauer's backup, said that Mauer's swing, built to "stay inside the ball" and go the other way, helps him be productive as a catcher.

"When he gets tired, he can still take that ball and slap it to left," Redmond said. "He can hit the ball up the middle. He can walk three times in a game if he wants to. So days when he can get tired he can go out there, and even when he's not feeling good, draw two walks. And you're going to have days where you take a ball of the wrist and can't feel the bat or take a ball off the hand or your hand is sore from catching. "

But the missed month, and some other injuries - knee in 2004, quadriceps in 2006 - might make another team consider moving a productive catcher out from behind the dish, to keep him healthy.

The Twins have no such thoughts.

"He's the best catcher in the game," Gardenhire said. "So you weaken your team when you take him out. He calls a good game, he controls the running game, he's got a cannon [arm]. If you want to put him somewhere else, it's going to weaken your team behind the plate, because you just won't find a better catcher.

"Moving him is really not an option right now. First, the player has to be willing to move, and I know he won't move."

The scout said Mauer "right now, absolutely" should remain a catcher.

"The only question I would have about moving him from behind the plate is if this back thing started to become a chronic issue," the scout said. "As far as him being able to do it - move around behind the plate, handle pitchers - yes."

Mauer points out that the kidney obstruction would have happened whether he was catching or playing left field.

"I just turned 26," he said, "so I'm still relatively young in this game, I guess. I guess that thought [of whether catching was affecting his health] had crossed my mind. But looking back on it now, I don't think catching really had anything to do with it."

Also, this isn't like thinking about changing Mike Piazza's position. Mauer is a good catcher, earning the AL Gold Glove last season.

"He's worked really hard to learn the pitching aspect and the defensive side of the game," Redmond said. "For me to watch him over the last four years, to see him win a Gold Glove maybe was the most impressive thing.

"For him to solidify himself with that Gold Glove takes him to that next level."

Mauer's height is unusual for a catcher; according to baseball-reference.com, he is just the fourth 6-foot-5 player to catch 500 games (none have been listed as taller).

"Ever since I was drafted I think everybody knew I could hit a little bit," Mauer said, modestly. "So I really wanted to work hard on the defensive side."

So for now, Gardenhire's plan is to give Mauer a little more rest. Gardenhire likes to use Mauer as the DH on the days Redmond catches - and Minnesota is carrying three catchers for now, making that more feasible - but Gardenhire also knows he will have to force himself to just sit Mauer at times to keep him healthy.

"It's really tough to take him out of the lineup," Gardenhire said, practically talking himself into it. "But he's going to miss some games. He's going to miss some games. He's going to miss more this year than he did last year. ... I think he was beat up at the end.

"We'll give him breaks. It's just hard to do, to find the right time. But we'll find them. It's tough, but you've got to do it. It's going to happen."

As far as Redmond is concerned, he has a selfish reason to keep Mauer catching.

"I want to see how many years he can go, keep up this pace," Redmond said. "Because it could be something very special. He has that ability, those tools, to be one of the best catchers to play ever."

Overheard and Understood

o. Center fielder Cameron Maybin, sent down from Florida to Triple-A with a .202 average and 31 strikeouts in 84 at-bats, would be better off working out his problems in the majors, according to a scout who saw him in the Pacific Coast League. " I think he's proven that he's better than this league. I think [the majors] is where he's got to be to figure it out."

o. How good a job has Tony La Russa done? His Cardinals are carrying seven rookies and have used four others this season. Rookies are responsible for 27 percent of St. Louis' at-bats this season.

o. When Pittsburgh visits Chicago on May 25, it will be the 400th night game in the history of Wrigley Field. The Cubs are 212-187 so far in home night games.

o. Some thought highly touted catcher Matt Wieters would come up as soon as the Orioles could be sure he wouldn't be eligible for arbitration after 2011. But a person who has worked with Andy MacPhail said Baltimore's president of baseball operations seems more likely to promote prospects who have put in time and earned it - meaning Wieters may have to wait a while. Likewise, the Red Sox seem willing to wait for an opening for Clay Buchholz (1.03 ERA at Triple-A, 16 hits allowed in 35 innings) instead of forcing someone out of the rotation to make room. Boston is encouraged because Buchholz's success is based on command, which means he can should he able to repeat it in the majors.

Meanwhile, if recently called-up Nolan Reimold can stick with Baltimore, the Orioles will have the best collection of outfield arms in the majors with him, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis.

Chart of the Week
New Arizona manager A.J. Hinch is one of 12 former catchers managing in the majors. Fredi Gonzalez (Florida), Jim Leyland (Detroit) and Joe Maddon (Tampa Bay) never played in the majors; the others:
Manager, Team	G caught in majors
Scioscia, Angels	1,395
Girardi, Yankees	1,247
Torre, Dodgers	903
Hinch, D-backs	338
Bochy, Giants	298
Geren, A's	289
Hurdle, Rockies	22
Wakamatsu, Mariners	18
Wedge, Indians	6
Note: Hurdle was primarily an outfielder but caught some in 1985-86.

o. The Yankees aren't sure their new ballpark is a launching pad. After a record 26 homers in the first seven games at the new Yankee Stadium, there were 21 in the eight games on the second homestand. Team chief operating officer Lonn Trost said meteorological studies showed that "the winds we were having [in the opening homestand] were the least likely winds to occur."

o. Texas' Matt Harrison has 13 wins in just 22 career starts. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no lefty had done that since Vean Gregg of the 1911 Indians, who had 16 wins after 22 games.

o. The White Sox have used seven different leadoff hitters.

o. The Nationals are 8-4 in games started by rookies Shairon Martis and Jordan Zimmerman and 3-20 in their other 23 games.

o. Akron, Cleveland's Double-A affiliate, is 25-8. The Aeros have done it mostly with pitching, compiling a 2.95 ERA as a team.

o. The hottest player in the minors could be Hector Noesi, a right-hander with the Yankees' Class A team in Charleston, S.C. Noesi, 22, has a 0.00 ERA through 27 1/3 innings, with 35 strikeouts, three walks and 11 hits allowed. Noesi made six relief appearances before becoming a starter.

o. The Phillies have made just 11 errors, leading to only two unearned runs all year.

o. Detroit ace Justin Verlander has three straight games with 11 or more strikeouts; that was last done by Randy Johnson in 2004 (four in a row). Verlander's next start is scheduled for Wednesday at Texas.

o. Atlanta on Friday began a stretch of 42 straight non-division games. The Braves are 12-10 against the NL East but don't play a division team again until June 30.

o. Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki and his wife, Renee, attended Cal State Fullerton with Jon Wilhite, the survivor of the car crash that killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart. To help Wilhite's rehabilitation from surgery to reattach his skull and spinal column, the Suzukis are raising funds, including an online memorabilia auction next month at oaklandathletics.com.

Baseball Brunch: No Ordinary Joe originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 17 May 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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