Memphis won tonight, while Springfield split a doubleheader against NW Arkansas. Quad Cities was rained out for the sixth time this season and must be approaching some sort of record for rainouts in April. I’m not sure who keeps track of records like that, so I’ll leave it up to our faithful readers. I’ll make whoever comes up with that bit of info poster of the day!*
*not responsible for actual poster-of-the-day award or any benefits one may seek for such an award.
- Pete Kozma went 0-4 with a BB. He continues to struggle mightily against PCL pitching early this season
- James Rapoport and Adron Chambers both went 2-4 w/ 1 RBI. Rapoport added a BB
- Ramon Vazquez hit 2-3 w/ a BB
- Matt Carpenter went hitless in 3 AB
- The Redbirds scored 3 in the 9th on a walk-off win. The winning run came off of a single up the middle by Nick Stavinoha
- All of the 11 hits from the Redbirds were singles
- Lance Lynn had a line of 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K. He’s off to a good start this year and is showing good control (6 walks in 26.1 IP)
Baseball America Top 15 – Chicago Cubs
14. Scott Maine (LHP, 2/2/1985) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings today. He gave up 3 hits, 0 runs, and struck out 1. After a very interesting path through the minors, Maine has elevated his fastball to 93-95 mph that occasionally touches 97. He has a good slider that he has a hard time controlling based upon his odd delivery and also has a changeup that he rarely uses. He flies open in his delivery from a three-quarters arm slot, and while being deceptive, it has led to his inconsistent command.
15. Jay Jackson (RHP, 10/27/1987) started and threw 6.2 innings. He gave up 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, and K’d 1. A 9th-round pick in 2008, Jackson is starting his 2nd full season at Iowa. He has a straight 4-seam fastball that sits in the low-90’s, a low 80’s slurve, and a changeup that became ineffective last year. He gives up too many fly balls as the result of his straight fastball and has inconsistent command. If he can improve his command and regain an effect slider/curve that he used to throw, he has the ceiling of a #3 or 4 starter. Right now, it looks like any future he has in the majors is in the bullpen.
Game 1: NW Arkansas 4, Springfield 3 in 7 innings
- Ryan Jackson belted his first HR of the year and finished 1-3 with 2 RBI
- Tommy Pham also added a HR and went 1-3 w/ a BB
- Jose Garcia hit 2-3, both singles
- Kevin Thomas went 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 earned), 1 BB, 2 K, and a wild pitch. All 11 outs recorded in the field were groundballs
Baseball America Top 15 – Kansas City Royals
6. Christian Colon (SS, 5/15/1989) went 1-4 with 1 RBI. Colon was the Royals 1st pick (4th overall) in the 2010 draft. He doesn’t have an above average tool outside of his bat, but his bat grades very well at a middle-infield position. He may have to move to 2nd base due to his lack of range and quickness, but the Royals plan to keep him at SS until Colon proves he can’t handle it. He has a quick bat that will lead to a high average, hits well to the opposite field, and projects as a number 2 hitter. He only walked 13 times in 245 at bats last year, but has already shown a big improvement this year by walking 9 times in 50 AB.
Game 2: Springfield 3, NW Arkansas 2 in 7 innings
- Tommy Pham and Matt Adams were both 1-3 w/ a double
- Alex Castellanos provided the only other hit for Springfield. He was 1-3 with a triple and had all 3 RBI’s
- Richard Castillo threw 3.1 innings and gave up 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, and 5 K
- Nick Greenwood pitched 2.1 shutout innings, while striking out 2 and giving up 1 hit
Baseball America Top 15 – Kansas City Royals
6. Christian Colon was 0-3 w/ 2 K (see scouting report above)
8. Chris Dwyer (LHP, 4/10/1988) had a line of 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R (1 ER), 1 BB, and 4 K . A 4th-round pick in the 2009 draft, Dwyer has a 12-6 curveball that ranks as the best in the Royals’ system and has very good command of it. He has a fastball that sits 91-92 (can reach up to 95 mph) and a fringe changeup. He leaves his fastball up in the zone when he doesn’t have command of the pitch, which has led to high flyball tendencies. Dwyer is starting his first full season in AA.
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Castellanos has to be the most underrated plalyer in our system, he’s hitting well this year, last year at Palm Beach he was the best hitter on that team also.
Good point. I’m not sure why there’s been so little talk about him. I think I was skeptical of his production because of his age (turns 25 in August), high K rates (over 20%), and relatively low OBP (.339 last year; at the same level, Matt Carpenter’s was .441).
But he’s produced a ton of offense at every level.
I assume he’s fast — he hits triples and steals bases — and I’m going to assume he has a decent arm, w. 12 OF assists last year in PB.
You’ll see more talk about him today! :)
IF he can cut down on his K’s he might have a chance. A K rate of 30% won’t hack it.
Castellanos had a lousy first half last year and a .900 OPS secondhalf.
To wet people’s appetites even more, he was drafted as a 2B and played there mostly for his first 2 years in the system.
Kozma made another error, this one on a very routine grounder that took a bad hop. I know we have heard possible concentration issue for Koz before, but I definitely chalked this one up to that.
I dont know whether Richard Castillo has a future but I’m impressed at his come back this year. His low K rates and dropping control had led me to all but write him off after 2010. Still just 21 y.o and in AA.
Nick Greenwood might be the most advanced LOOGY candidate in our system. I dont whether that says more about him or about our system :)
Do you think that Addition has the “stuff” to eventually be converted into a Loogy, or even the second lefthanded reliever?
I’d imagine Additon’s K rates go down has he moves up. In which case he’ll need to start getting more ground balls. So I’d say he’s a long shot at this point.
What about Sam Freeman?
Freeman might have more potential if he makes it back 100% but as far as where they are now in terms of their pitching (i.e. the use of the term “most advanced”) I’d give the edge to Greenwood.
Not use what is going on with Freeman. He is being used sparingly. He doesn’t seem to be inducing many ground balls right – but it’s early.
Maine must have really improved his velocity. He was 89-91 at Miami. Had some shoulder woes. Inconsistent command and control. Was a great pitcher his soph. year (I believe), and then so-so his next year.
I never really thought of him as a great pro prospect when I watched him in college, and that tells you quite a bit about the Cubs system that he’s a top-15 prospect for them.
Love the extra info regarding the opposition’s best players. That’s piercing analysis!
Maybe if Castellanos keeps progressing, they will try him at 2nd again but the only reason he was player of the year at palm beach was everyone else was promoted, (Carpenter, Cruz, Scruggs, Garcia, Pham, Curtis, and Swauger).
Wow RJ give the kid credit. Castellanos is playing with some of those players you mention now and he’s batting well. The kid can hit, his k’s are high but he has potential. I saw him in Palm beach, don’t know if you did and he has a shot gun arm to get players out at home, and other bases. He’s got speed, is a toolsy player. I hear he’s doing well in AA. Reading about him he hardly played 2nd. They had him playing 3rd but he’s doing great OF. Carpenter and chambers was not originally on our radar and has proven they deserve to be there. I like Scruggs as well.