Request help -- Notes from Portland (Fresno series)

[TooLiveBrew]

If anyone can point me to some of the top players on the Fresno Grizzlies (San Fran.'s AAA club; plays in the PCL), I'd appreciate it a TON. The roster page for their official website just displays a blank page (hilarious coincidence, imo, considering the current lack of talent at the MLB level). Thanks in advance!

Oh - I wouldn't need much more than to get some names, but if anyone feels like providing any more additional help/info, I'd gladly accept!

EDIT: Subject clarity

[splitterpfj]

I'm not sure if this has been updated, or if its 2007. When in doubt -MiLB.com.

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ros&cid=259

[TooLiveBrew]

Thanks for the tip, splitter.

 

I'm getting the feeling that I don't need to worry about covering what young 'prospects' might be coming to Portland for the opening series this weekend... it looks like San Fran. really doesn't have any.

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

[splitterpfj]

You could say "Hi" to Mike Caldwell, he's the pitching coach.

[colbyjack]

I'm getting the feeling that I don't need to worry about covering what young 'prospects' might be coming to Portland for the opening series this weekend... it looks like San Fran. really doesn't have any.

 

I'm not sure what names you're looking for on Fresno's roster, but you may want to re-do your homework.

 

The Giants may not have the best system in baseball, but their #4 (Nate Schierholtz), #9 (John Bowker) and #10 (Emmanuel Burriss) prospects are on the roster as linked. Throw in a few pitchers with big-league experience (Jesse Foppert, Pat Misch, Billy Sadler), and a former Brewers catching prospect (Eliezer Alfonzo) and you have a team that has a half dozen players worth watching, which is more than enough reason to go out and see a team.

 

I hope you realize that Portland is expected to be loaded with talent.

[TooLiveBrew]

I hope you realize that Portland is expected to be loaded with talent.

 

Oh don't worry - I'm very aware of this. And replace "expected" with " ". This team is flat-out stacked as of right now! I'm blogging the blue Beavers for OregonLive.com (The Oregonian's online format) this season, and am in awe of the amount of talent that happens to be passing through Portland this year.

I'm not sure what names you're looking for on Fresno's roster, but you may want to re-do your homework.

The Giants may not have the best system in baseball, but their #4 (Nate Schierholtz), #9 (John Bowker) and #10 (Emmanuel Burriss) prospects are on the roster as linked. Throw in a few pitchers with big-league experience (Jesse Foppert, Pat Misch, Billy Sadler), and a former Brewers catching prospect (Eliezer Alfonzo) and you have a team that has a half dozen players worth watching, which is more than enough reason to go out and see a team.

 

I guess it'd be more "do your homework", since I clearly know nothing about the Gigantes' AAA squad. I recognized Foppert, Messenger, Fortunato, Grybowski, Mateo, VICTOR SANTOS (!!WOO!@!OT!@!!), & E. Alfonzo... but no one else. ---- Pretty much why I posted this thread. So thanks for pitching in, cj. I'm sorry to so frequently leave things to asking you for help... you're just a very reliable & access-friendly source.

 

 

Btw, the talent on the blue Beavers alone is reason enough to head out to PGE Park, imo!

[TooLiveBrew]

Hey guys, one very interesting Brewers-related note from opening night tonight in Portland:

 

RHP Victor Santos, listed on the active roster for the Fresno Grizzlies, spent the entire night sitting in the front row behind home plate... working a radar gun & scouting sheet.

 

Is this a common thing? Victor seemed to be learning as he went, sitting next to what looked to be another, more experienced scout.

 

And btw, no, there is no way this wasn't Victor. I know that greasy hair & lazy eye when I see 'em! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[logan82]

I know pitchers in the majors chart the day before they pitch. Maybe this is common in the minors as they might not have complex TV's and stuff that MLB teams have in the clubhouse. Or maybe they are just training him to be a scout somewhere in South America.

[TooLiveBrew]

For whatever it's worth, Santos is scheduled to pitch the 4th game of this series, which falls on Sunday.

[TooLiveBrew]

Not much success for Schierholtz, Bowker, & Burriss last night, but that's mostly due to Portland's Josh Geer (2007 Texas League Pitcher of the Year). Geer was very impressive -- 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB / 4 K -- on just 80 pitches (53 strikes). He works/ed very quickly, and was dialed in for most of the evening. Geer was perfect through 3 IP, then walked the second batter in the 4th. In the 5th, he gave up a solo HR to former Beaver Justin Leone with two outs to lose the no-no.

 

Geer operated mostly with a sinker in the 82-86 range, but as he tired it slipped to around 80-84. However, he didn't lose any of its great bite, so perhaps he was intentionally sacrificing velocity to retain movement. Geer mixed in a CH in the 70-74 range, and it was devastating when he threw it 'right'. Oftentimes he'd lose control of the pitch, and I wondered if it was due to him trying to throw it too perfectly. The reason I guessed that was that he missed quite a bit with the CH when he tried to use it as his strikeout pitch. When Josh would just mix the pitch in naturally (not 'save' it to try for punchouts), it was most effective -- made several Grizzlies hitters look like fools.

 

Chase Headley was not very impressive, which is funny because he finished the night 1-3 with a BB & an RBI single. Isn't that the sign of a special player? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif He grounded into a 5-4-3 DP in the 5th, and took a flat fastball for a called strike 3 on a full count in the 7th. That strikeout looking was not good; he looked like he got caught guessing on another pitch, bc the FB was right over the plate, and Chase immediately bent down to start taking off his shin-guard -- no argument whatsoever with the call. Chase made several putouts in LF, but was not tested in any way.

 

Matt Antonelli had an interesting night, which was made to look much more impressive by some home-town scorekeeping. After pinch-hitter Marshall McDougall cleared the loaded bases with a double to the LC gap, Antonelli drove a high, slicing fly ball to RF (ball moved toward the foul pole as Matt is a RHB). Schierholtz looked totally lost in RF, and completely misjudged the ball, allowing it to drop & bounce to the wall (it bounced just short of the warning track). This ball should have been the 3rd out of the inning without question -- a tall, lazy flyball. In any event, McDougall came in to score, and Antonelli hustled his way towards third. The relay throw was almost as bad as the non-catch, barely eluding C Elezier Alfonzo backing up the throw, and Antonelli came in to score. I have no idea how, but the ball was scored a triple with Antonelli scoring on a throwing error. Matt finished (officially) 2-3 with a BB, a single + stolen base (2B) in the third, HBP in the 5th, and reached on a fielder's choice in the 7th, in addition to his "triple."

 

In the field, Antonelli had mixed results. In the first, he barehanded a drag bunt from Emmanuel Burriss that barely eluded Geer's lunge off the mound. He made a nice charging play & running sidearm throw for the out. However, in the 6th, he tried to backhand a line drive that was scorched right at his feet, and it ended up smacking him on the right shin or calf. This was appropriately scored an E4 - but not an easy play. The next batter grounded to short, and Antonelli turned in a strong throw to complete the inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. His mechanics on the throw, though, were terrible -- he leaned in toward the mound off of 2B, and the delivery was almost submarine-sidearm. In all, Antonelli looked very raw at 2B (at times uncomfortable), and I can see why many feel he'd be best utilized in CF/OF.

 

Beavers' C Nick Hundley smacked a laser-beam of a HR to straightaway LF in his first ever AAA AB, which was very cool to see, and finished the game 1-3 with a SO & GDP in the 3rd. He was in synch with Geer all night behind the plate, but the Grizzlies' lack of baserunners didn't allow me to get a look at his arm. He didn't have to block much, as Geer was dialed-in, but Hundley also didn't let anything get by or away from him.

[TooLiveBrew]

Ok, I promise I won't be a super-bum & paste stuff all the time, but as far as I can tell, Will Inman is quite close to heading to AAA Portland. Once he's here, I promise to bring reports of his performances... and I can't wait to see him pitch!