Organizational Reports: NL West

Arizona

There aren’t any real surprises here, with one or two exceptions.

AAA Tucson (PCL)

Record: 15-16, 3rd in PCL Pacific South

Roster moves: P Eric Butler (from extended spring/to South Bend), P Randy Choate (signed as free agent), P Dustin Nippert (from Diamondbacks/to Diamondbacks), OF Rich Thompson (from extended spring), 3B Brian Barden (to Diamondbacks/from Diamondbacks), P Dana Eveland (to Diamondbacks/from Diamondbacks), P Randy Johnson (to Diamondbacks following minor league rehab), OF Dave Krynzel (to temp inactive list), INF Augie Ojeda (to DL), P Micah Owings (to Diamondbacks following minor league rehab), P Yusmeiro Petit (to Diamondbacks/from Diamondbacks), OF Carlos Quentin (to Diamondbacks following minor league rehab), P Mike Schultz (to Diamondbacks/from Diamondbacks)

Moving up the charts: 1B/3B Jamie D’Antona (.333/.423/.532), RP Jailen Peguero (1.59 ERA, 23/10 K/BB in 17 IP)

Struggling: 2B Danny Richar (.246/.295/.333), Barden (.206/.280/.250)

Comments:
Looks like the D’Antona catching experiment is over for the time being. Peguero, picked up from Houston in the offseason, might be this year’s version of Tony Pena (the D’backs pitcher, not the former catcher/manager or his son the SS) - someone who comes out of near-anonymity to pitch his way to the major league bullpen. I don’t think Barden’s that much of a prospect, actually (nor do too many other people); he’s always played in hitting-friendly environments and he’s just been OK there. Krynzel left the team for unspecified personal reasons; he was supposed to be gone for about 10 days, but it’s been nearly three weeks now.

AA Mobile (SL)

Record: 15-17, 5th in SL South

Roster moves: P Greg Smith (from DL), P Matt Wilkinson (to temp inactive list)

Moving up the charts: C Josh Ford (.404/.475/.500), 1B Javier Brito (.342/.436/.456), SP Matt Green (2.65 ERA, 37/8 K/BB ratio in 34 IP)

Struggling: OF Carlos Gonzalez (.209/.236/.313), OF Jon Zeringue (.145/.246/.291)

Comments:
I saw the BayBears in Zebulon early this season. Gonzalez has a gun - he caught a fly ball at the base of the wall in straightaway right field, and nearly nailed a runner tagging going from second to third, a play which I haven’t seen anyone make since Jesse Barfield was active. His swing looked a tad long to me, although he did have a couple of ringing doubles during that series. Mark Reynolds is playing 3B for Mobile, and while he’s not hitting for average, he is driving the ball pretty well. Brito is more of a line drive hitter; he doesn’t have the power stroke typical of a 1B.

Advanced A Visalia (CalL)

Record: 19-13, 2nd in CalL North

Roster moves: P Adam Howard (from South Bend), UTIL Mayo Santana (from extended spring), P Ryan Doherty (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: OF Justin Upton (.349/.438/.550), SP Brooks Brown (2.25 ERA, 29/13 K/BB in 32 IP)

Struggling: OF Cyle Hankerd (.248/.371/.339), SP Matt Torra (11.79 ERA, 56 hits and 6 HR allowed in 29 IP)

Comments:
Upton struggled out of the gate with the Oaks, as he did in South Bend, but he’s made a quicker adjustment to the Cal League than he did to the Midwest; he homered in five straight games a week ago. The other good news is that Brown, last year’s #1 pick for Arizona out of Georgia, has also adjusted to the Cal League after skipping over South Bend. The not-so-good news is that Hankerd, who looked like he was going to make a quick rise through the system after an outstanding debut at Yakima and a late-season burst through the Cal League, has been finding the sledding a bit tougher this year.

Low A South Bend (ML)

Record: 12-17, 6th in ML Eastern Division

Roster moves: P Chad Beck (from extended spring), INF Manny Ferrer (from extended spring), OF Shane Byrne (to extended spring), P Shane Dove (released), P Jason Neighborgall (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: SP Brett Anderson (2.10 ERA, 40/5 K/BB in 34 1/3 IP)

Struggling: Neighborgall (see below)

Comments:
Neighborgall’s pitching line: 1 IP, 3 H, 12 ER, 12 BB, 2 K, 108.00 ERA in five games. At some point one would think the Diamondbacks have to pull the plug. ‘06 #2 pick Anderson, who just turned 19 in February, has been nothing short of brilliant in six starts. Joey Side, also drafted a year ago, has been hitting well (.327/.400/.429), but as a relatively old player (he’s 23) he really is expected to do well in low A.

Colorado

The hitting environments in this organization (as with the Angels) make it hard to evaluate the extent to which prospects are actually developing. Superficially good numbers, like those of Joe Koshansky and Ian Stewart, could indicate real progress - or could indicate a hitter taking advantage of an environment that is tailor-made for hitters. So while I think some guys - Herrera in particular - are progressing, it’s still a bit of a guessing game.

AAA Colorado Springs (PCL)

Record: 12-17, 4th in PCL Pacific North

Roster moves: P Jentry Beckstead (from Tulsa), P Jorge De Paula (from DL), P Mike Esposito (from DL), P Byung-Hyun Kim (from Rockies on minor league rehab), INF Frank Menechino (from DL/to DL), INF Tim Olson (from Tulsa), P Alberto Arias (to Rockies), P Denny Bautista (to Rockies), P Matt Herges (to Rockies/from Rockies), P Bobby Keppel (to Rockies/from Rockies), P Brian Lawrence (released), P Tom Martin (to Rockies following minor league rehab), P Zach McClellan (to Rockies), INF Omar Quintanilla (to Rockies), P Ryan Speier (to Rockies/from Rockies)

Moving up the charts: RP Josh Newman (2.93 ERA, 17/6 K/BB in 15 1/3 IP)

Struggling: OF Seth Smith (.256/.330/.423), SP Ubaldo Jimenez (7.20 ERA, 24/22 K/BB in 30 IP)

Comments:
Man, have the Rox churned pitchers through Colorado Springs! Seems like every guy who pitches well for a week or so (except Newman) gets a shot at the major league pen. Newman’s flown beneath the radar since he was drafted in 2004 out of Ohio State, pitching as a setup man, but all he does is keep getting hitters out in high octane environments. Yes, I saw Sean Barker’s numbers. No, he’s not a real prospect.

AA Tulsa (TL)

Record: 16-15, 1st in TL North

Roster moves: P Darren Clarke (from DL), P Sam Deduno (from Modesto following rehab assignment), INF Matt Macri (from extended spring), P Judd Songster (from DL/to DL), C Tino Sanchez (from extended spring/to DL), INF/OF Corey Wimberly (from DL)

Moving up the charts: SS Jonathan Herrera (.345/.395/.412), SP Greg Reynolds (1.91 ERA, 26/6 K/BB in 33 IP), RP Steven Register (11 saves, 18/1 K/BB in 14 1/3 IP)

Struggling: OF Matt Miller (.245/.325/.363), SP Ching-Lung Lo (6.67 ERA, 14/14 K/BB in 27 IP)

Comments:
Register was moved back to relief (his role in college) this year after so-so efforts as a starter at Modesto and Tulsa the past two seasons. As a reliever, his two-pitch repertoire (low-90s four-seamer, slider) is likely to play our better in the long run. Herrera, who’s from Venezuela, had a breakthrough at Modesto a year ago after progressing slowly through the system following his signing in 2003, and impressed the brass during major league spring training. He’s not going to beat out Tulowitzki but has a shot at 2B in a year or so. I’d be tempted, if I were the Rox, to leave Reynolds at Tulsa all year rather than subjecting him to the Colorado Springs meat grinder.

Advanced A Modesto (CalL)

Record: 16-16, 3rd in CalL North

Roster moves: P David Arnold (from extended spring), 1B Chris Cook (from extended spring), C Nelson Robledo (from extended spring), P Xavier Cedeno (to DL), SS Jason Van Kooten (to DL), C Neil Wilson (to DL)

Moving up the charts: SP Brandon Hynick (0.23 ERA, 28/3 K/BB in 40 IP), RP Pedro Strop (25/6 K/BB in 17 2/3 IP)

Struggling: 2B Eric Young Jr. (.252/.309/.276)

Comments:
Chris Nelson, who was the shortstop of the future before Tulowitzki and who has been a huge disappointment through his minor league career, is hitting .256/.301/.413. OF Dexter Fowler got off to a slow start, but has been hitting better of late, lifting his numbers to .270/.411/.340. Hynick doesn’t have great stuff; what he has in pinpoint command of four pitches. He’s already thrown a 90-pitch complete game. Strop was a light-hitting shortstop who converted to pitching a year ago. He can hit the mid-90s with his fastball but has a tendency to overthrow, and needs some work on his mechanics.

Low A Asheville (SAL)

Record: 22-9, 2nd in SAL Southern Division

Roster moves: P David Parker (from extended spring)

Moving up the charts: INF Daniel Mayora (.330/.366/.513), SP Keith Weiser (2.65 ERA, 27/2 K/BB ratio in 37 1/3 IP)

Struggling: OF Jay Cox (.235/.297/.353), RP Craig Baker (6.00 ERA, 9/5 K/BB in 12 IP).

Comments:
Cox, a UNC/CH product, has struggled with the wood bat conversion. Baker, a 4th-rounder a year ago, is being used in relief - there have been a ton questions about his durability. The Tourists, like the other Colorado farm clubs, play in a strong hitters’ environment, so you have to be a bit cautious assessing the numbers of players like Mayora, especially when the bulk of that production has come at home. Weiser has been lights-out away from McCormick Field (4-0, 1.52 ERA, 23/1 K/BB in 23 2/3 IP).

Los Angeles Dodgers

For the most part, the guys on whom the organization has staked the future are not progressing as well as the Dodgers might like, although the effects of the new park in Midland on the prospects have yet to be determined.

AAA Las Vegas (PCL)

Record: 13-18, 4th in PCL Pacific South

Roster moves: P Yhency Brazoban (from Dodgers on minor league rehab/recalled after rehab assignment), OF Matt Kemp (from Dodgers), P Hong-Chih Kuo (from Dodgers), P BJ LaMura (from Jacksonville), P Spike Lundberg (from DL), INF Luis Maza (from Jacksonville), 1B Larry Barnes (to temp inactive list), P Harold Eckert (to DL), P Luis Gonzalez (to Jacksonville), INF Andy LaRoche (to Dodgers), P Travis Smith (to temp inactive list), P Chin-Hui Tsao (to Dodgers)

Moving up the charts: INF Tony Abreu (.354/.401/.485), Kemp (.327/.387/.600)

Struggling: 1B James Loney (.250/.326/.347), SP Greg Miller (28/27 BB/K in 23 1/3 IP).

Comments:
Miller really needs to be back in the bullpen; it’s not especially clear to me why the Dodgers are starting him. He also, like Edwin Jackson a couple of years ago, might be better served by a return trip to Jacksonville rather than having to deal with the PCL. Abreu’s actually been a terror on the road, less so at the friendly confines of Cashman. He’s not a big guy, but can turn on a pitch and drive it, especially from the right side of the plate. He’d be a better option off the bench than Wilson Valdez, that’s for sure.

AA Jacksonville (SL)

Record: 18-14, 2nd in SL South

Roster moves: P Zach Hammes (from DL/to DL), P Joey Norrito (from extended spring), INF Jimmy Rohan (from DL/to DL), P Scott Elbert (to DL?)

Moving up the charts: SS Chin-Lung Hu (.371/.395/.532), OF Anthony Raglani (.260/.398/.600), RP Jonathan Meloan (22/5 K/BB in 15 1/3 IP), SP Michael Megrew (2.97 ERA, 35/10 K/BB in 33 1/3 IP)

Struggling: 1B Cory Dunlap (.244/.330/.333)

Comments:
Meloan just keeps dialing up the gas and blowing people away; the question with him is whether he’ll be Gagne or Brazoban. Dunlap definitely has Dunlap’s disease (as in “his belly dun lapped over his belt"). BA has him at 6’1”, 205; he’s closer to 305 than 205, and the excess poundage does seem to be holding him back. Elbert is still listed as being on the active roster, but he hasn’t pitched in three weeks.

Advanced A Inland Empire (CalL)

Record: 16-16, 3rd in CalL South

Roster moves: INF Travis Denker (from DL), P David Pfeiffer (from extended spring/to extended spring), P Miguel Pinango (signed as free agent), OF James Tomlin (signed as free agent), P Alberto Bastardo (to DL), INF Elian Herrera (to Great Lakes), OF Drew Locke (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: SP James McDonald (4.30 ERA, 36/10 K/BB in 29 1/3 IP), RP Ramon Troncoso (22/3 K/BB in 20 1/3 IP)

Struggling: SS Ivan DeJesus (.242/.319/.331), INF Blake DeWitt (.211/.258/.333)

Comments:
Troncoso is a sinker/slider pitcher who’s been groomed as a reliever all along, although his stuff isn’t quite good enough for a prime late-inning role. McDonald’s numbers are deceiving; he was bombed his first two times out, then has allowed just 5 ER over his last 4 starts covering 22 innings, with 26 Ks and 6 BB. Every time I’ve seen DeWitt, I wonder what the scouts saw in him. To me, it looks like he has a slider-speed bat.

Low A Great Lakes (ML)

Record: 13-18, 5th in ML Eastern Division

Roster moves: P Arismendy Castillo (from extended spring), INF Adolfo Gonzalez (from extended spring), INF Michael Rivera (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: SP Clayton Kershaw (1.47 ERA, 43/17 K/BB in 30 2/3 IP)

Struggling: SP Josh Wall (5.04 ERA), SS Preston Mattingly (.188/.228/.282, 28 K in ~95 PA), 3B Josh Bell (.207/.291/.250)

Comments:
The Loons are averaging 4243 fans for 14 home dates, which is 3rd in the ML behind Dayton and Kane County; one would have to rate the first month of the season as a success off the field, at any rate. The early indications are that the Dow Diamond is going to play as a pitchers’ park, although I’m inclined to wait until the weather warms up before drawing any conclusions. That said, the early-season struggles for Mattingly and Bell go beyond the ballpark; neither is doing much away from Dow, and both are having problems in the field as well as at the plate. Kershaw’s had occasional flareups of wildness here and there, but he’s got an ERA under 1 away from home and has made it into the sixth in each of his last four starts despite being held under tight pitch count restrictions. He walked six in his first start at South Bend, just 11 since.

San Diego

The Padres don’t have much in the upper levels of the minors, and what they do have there (Headley tentatively excepted) are mostly low-impact, low-ceiling types of guys. Most of the interesting players in this organization are at Lake Elsinore, and there are a lot of good signs of progress there.

AAA Portland (PCL)

Record: 14-16, 2nd in PCL Pacific North

Roster moves: C Brandon Gottier (from extended spring), OF Paul McAnulty (from Padres), 1B Brian Myrow (signed as free agent), P Kyle Stutes (from Lake Elsinore), P Aaron Rakers (to Padres/from Padres), P Mike Thompson (from Padres), P Steve Watkins (signed as free agent), INF Manny Alexander (released), OF Jack Cust (to A’s/trade), P Cesar Carrillo (to DL/TJ surgery), P Justin Germano (to Padres), P Justin Hampson (to Padres), C Pete Laforest (to Padres/from Padres), P Royce Ring (to Padres/from Padres), UTIL Oscar Robles (to Padres)

Moving up the charts: 2B Craig Stansberry (.354/.420/.531, 15 doubles), Germano (1.69 ERA), RP Andrew Brown (0.52 ERA, 23/7 K/BB in 17 1/3 IP), OF Vince Sinisi (.351/.390/.577)

Struggling: Carrillo (8.62 ERA before blowing out his elbow), Thompson (19.64 ERA, 23 hits allowed in 8 1/3 IP since being demoted), OF Adam Shabala (.141/.284/.200)

Comments:
Brown could probably help someone in the bullpen. Stansberry isn’t anyone’s idea of a top prospect, but he’d likely deliver doubles and walks and acceptable defense at 2B, given a chance. Sinisi’s hit all six of his home runs at home; on the road he has a .794 OPS.

AA San Antonio (TL)

Record: 18-14, 3rd in TL South

Roster moves: C/1B Shawn Wooten (signed as free agent), C Justin Hatcher (to DL), C Kody Valverde (from extended spring/to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: 3B Chase Headley (.366/.446/.607)

Struggling: C Nick Hundley (.205/.272/.361)

Comments:
Hundley probably would have returned to Lake Elsinore if Colt Morton (labrum tear) hadn’t been hurt, and that’s probably where he should be now. Headley’s numbers from the right side of the plate have improved substantially, which the Padres have to like after he struggled against LHP a year ago. He’s also posted a 1.160 OPS on the road. Will Venable bypassed Lake Elsinore - probably a good thing given his age - and is hitting for average but without any power (29 singles and five doubles). Paul Abraham doesn’t throw hard, but has a good sinking fastball with movement, and all he does is continue to get guys out in middle relief.

Advanced A Lake Elsinore (CalL)

Record: 15-17, 4th in CalL South

Roster moves: P Matt Handley (from extended spring), P Mike DeMark (from extended spring), OF Michael Wagner (trade w/ Giants), OF Nic Crosta (to DL/chronic fatigue syndrome), P John Madden (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: 3B Matt Antonelli (.307/.423/.456), SP Wade LeBlanc (2.35 ERA, 30/10 K/BB in 30 2/3 IP), INF David Freese (.296/.381/.478), 1B Kyle Blanks (.312/.377/.505)

Struggling: SS Matt Bush (.205/.306/.289)

Comments:
In LeBlanc’s last two starts, both against Stockton, he’s pitched 12 innings, fanned 14, walked 2, and allowed 3 hits and no earned runs. Now Stockton’s roster isn’t exactly chock-full of exciting hitting prospects (is anyone’s these days?), but that’s still pretty impressive pitching. Speaking of pulling the plug on someone - Bush’s minor league career numbers entering 2007, .221/.291/.276, would probably have gotten somewhere around 99% of other prospects released by now. Cut bait, move on.

Low A Fort Wayne (ML)

Record: 14-13, 4th in ML Eastern Division

Roster moves: P Stephen Faris (from extended spring), P Wilton Lopez (from extended spring), INF Jon Schemmel (from extended spring), INF Tom King (to DL/shoulder), P Drew Miller (to DL/shoulder), P Grant Varnell (to DL/oblique strain)

Moving up the charts: SP Nate Culp (1.45 ERA, 31/4 K/BB in 37 1/3 IP), RP Rolando Valdez (14 K, 2 BB, 9 hits allowed in 14 IP)

Struggling: SP Aaron Breit (7.96 ERA)

Comments:
Miller threw seven innings of no-hit, one-walk, 11-K ball against Quad Cities in his next-to-last start prior to being hurt. Valdez is another converted position player with two quality pitches (fastball and change, in his case) who needs a third halfway decent pitch to carry a bigger load. Culp threw six perfect innings against Great Lakes earlier in the season; he’s a command/control lefty. I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention RP Brooks Dunn, who is not, as far as I can tell, blessed with a lot of talent, either musically or baseball-wise.

San Francisco

Now that Lincecum is in the majors, there’s not a lot for Giant fans to see here (some good arms at Augusta and San Jose, basically). But wait until the draft…

AAA Fresno (PCL)

Record: 18-15, 2nd in PCL Pacific South

Roster moves: P Chris Begg (from Connecticut), INF Kevin Frandsen (from Giants/to Giants), P Sun-Woo Kim (from DL), P Ricardo Rincon (from extended spring), P Tim Lincecum (to Giants), P Ryan Meaux (released), P Scott Munter (to Giants/from Giants), P Erick Threets (to DL), 1B Tyler Von Schell (to San Jose)

Moving up the charts: Lincecum (0.29 ERA in five starts, 46/11 K/BB ratio in 31 IP), OF Nate Schierholtz (.350/.370/.577), RP Pat Misch (1.82 ERA, 28/6 K/BB in 24 2/3 IP)

Struggling: no one of note

Comments:
Misch has thrived since being moved to the bullpen this season, which allows him to work his fastball/slider combo more often. He doesn’t have a lot of upside, though; he’s a junior-grade version of Noah Lowry at best. Schierholtz had a pretty good year in Connecticut a year ago (don’t let the numbers fool you - that’s a tough park for power hitters) and could be of use to the Giants before the end of the season.

AA Connecticut (EL)

Record: 11-15, 5th in EL Northern Division

Roster moves: INF Mark Minicozzi (from DL), P Brooks McNiven (from temp inactive list), P Darren Sack (from DL), INF Trey Webb (from Augusta), INF Derek McMains (to DL), OF Alex Requena (to San Jose)

Moving up the charts: OF John Bowker (.333/.367/.578), OF Brian Horwitz (.327/.377/.388)

Struggling: OF Eddy Martinez-Esteve (.250/.315/.333), 1B Travis Ishikawa (.147/.275/.250)

Comments:
Martinez-Esteve’s stock has really fallen the past two years, as he missed most of ‘06 with an injury and has struggled to regain his hitting form. Horwitz is never going to be a home-run hitter, but he isn’t even developing gap power. Bowker’s holding his own against LHP, and at his graveyard of a home ballpark.

Advanced A San Jose (CalL)

Record: 22-10, 1st in CalL North

Roster moves: OF Joey Dyche (from Augusta/to DL), OF James Simmons (from Augusta/to Augusta), OF Ben Copeland (to DL), OF Ariel Nunez (to extended spring)

Moving up the charts: SP Joseph Martinez (2.66 ERA 41/14 K/BB in 40 2/3 IP), RP Taylor Wilding (0.68 ERA, 32/5 K/BB in 26 1/3 IP), SP Dave McKae (1.82 ERA, 37/13 K/BB in 39 2/3 IP), OF Antoan Richardson (.317/.471/.394)

Struggling: SS Emmanuel Burriss (.191/.270/.209), SP Yobandy Ibanez (5.09 ERA, 20/15 K/BB in 17 2/3 IP)

Comments:
San Jose has been carrying extra pitchers all season. Normally, two or three of the rotation starters are inactive for a given game. I haven’t bothered to track all of those moves. Ibanez, a 25-YO Cuban defector signed by the Giants in the offseason, was expected to be closer to the majors than he’s shown so far in San Jose. The rest of the pitching staff, which was expected to be this team’s strength coming into the season, has performed as advertised.

Low A Augusta (SAL)

Record: 26-6, 1st in SAL Southern Division

Roster moves: OF Tyler Graham (to DL)

Moving up the charts:  SP/RP Henry Sosa (0.35 ERA, 27/10 K/BB in 25 2/3 IP), SP/RP Clayton Tanner (1.50 ERA, 20/9 K/BB in 24 IP)

Struggling: no one of note

Comments:
The Greenjackets have an older roster, with only one teenager and one 20-YO on the squad, and one might have expected them to do well - although perhaps not this well. Augusta has used a partial tandem starter system - Adam Cowart and Paul Calicutt have started regularly, with the other three spots being done in tandem. Tanner, the lone 19-YO on the team, is a fastball/slider pitcher who is fairly polished for his age but will need to develop better offspeed pitches to survive at higher levels. Sosa, Tanner’s tandem mate, is a hard-thrower (95-97 fastball). Dan Griffin, who was the most publicized of the prospects sent here by the Giants, has been OK, but nothing special. None of the hitters are guys that I would consider prospects at this point, although Marcus Sanders could resurrect his career with a good showing after bombing at San Jose a year ago.