3. And So Can Oscar Taveras . . .

“Two of the best batting practice sessions came from Padres outfielder Rymer Liriano and Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras. Liriano is brutally strong and his lower half looks more like a powerlifter’s than a guy who stole 66 bases last year and has 23 this year. Taveras’ power was a question mark coming into the year, but he’s answered those questions with 17 home runs in 79 games and a .322/.372/.596 batting line for Double-A Springfield at age 20.

At the Futures Game, Taveras showed plenty of pop in BP by depositing a handful of balls over the right-field fence. More impressive than the juice in Taveras’ bat is the way he’s able to manipulate the barrel. He takes an aggressive hack that can look like he’s out of control at times, but his swing path and hand-eye coordination are so good that he can punish pitchers no matter where they try to attack him. Try to pound him inside, he turns on the ball for power to his pull side. He can drive the ball to the middle of the field, which he showed on Sunday but was thwarted by a spectacular catch from Blue Jays center fielder Anthony Gose. When the pitch is away, as it was in the fifth inning, he can smack it for a line drive to the opposite field.

“Taveras has got a pretty sound approach,” said the second scout. “His bat is in the zone all day, he has strength, he has balance—it’s no wonder this guy has hit at every level. That’s a really good hitter. I’m not sure what else you’re looking for in a hitter.”"

That’s in addition to 2011 draftees like Kenny Peoples-Walls and Adam Ehrlich trying to get their footing.

FWIW, Amaury Capellan had a 2-out, 2-run, walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_11_astrok_carrok_1