Link Report for Tue. 5/8 -- Wooten Saves Another as Stars Move to One Game Out of First

[TheCrew07]

Cardinals’ Tyrell Jenkins Fans Career-High 10

 

Current scouting report and blog post linked above, here's the BA scouting report from the 2010 draft:

Jenkins may be the most athletic pitcher in the draft. Baylor's top quarterback recruit, he also lettered in basketball and ran a 49-second quarter-mile in a relay race this spring—without any training. The next day, he was throwing 92-93 mph fastballs in the seventh inning. Jenkins has a loose, quick, whippy arm that can deliver fastballs up to 95 mph. There's a lot of projection remaining in his 6-foot-4, 180-pound frame, and lots of room for improvement with his secondary pitches. He can spin a curveball and also throws a slider and changeup. He should develop more consistency once he focuses on baseball and does a better job of repeating his delivery. He's raw but has tremendous upside, making him a perfect fit in the sandwich round for teams with multiple picks. Jenkins is considered much more signable than fellow Texas high school pitcher/quarterback Zach Lee.

[TheCrew07]

This post covers the Pirates A+ team and contains good information about some of the better prospects on that team.

 

Extra Time Pays Off For Bradenton

[TheCrew07]

Rizzo goes deep twice, plates six

Top Cubs prospect records fourth multi-homer game of season

By David Heck / Special to MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/05/09/7SVdE2Qd.jpg

Anthony Rizzo is batting .357 with nine homers and 31 RBIs through 30 games. (Iowa Cubs)

 

Anthony Rizzo doesn't know why exactly his home runs have generally come in pairs this year, but he's certainly not complaining.

 

The Cubs' top prospect left the park twice and drove in six runs on Tuesday, helping Triple-A Iowa Cubs blow out the Fresno Grizzlies, 13-2.

 

Rizzo has now recorded four multi-homer performances this year. The only time he hit just one longball in a game came on April 8, the fourth day of the season.

 

"I try not to waste at-bats," Rizzo said. "When I do have a game where I have hit a homer, I'm not necessarily trying to hit another. But the main thing for me is not wasting at-bats and taking advantage of the opportunities provided to me. I wish there was some secret, but there's really not."

 

The 22-year-old first baseman wasted little time making an impact on the game, taking a 1-1 pitch from Grizzlies starter Eric Hacker over the center-field wall for a three-run homer.

 

"Both [homers] were in RBI situations," Rizzo said. "I was up there looking for a good pitch up. I got a breaking ball up and was able to take advantage of that for the first homer."

 

After a pair of groundouts -- one of which resulted in a double play -- Rizzo stepped to the plate in the sixth with one out and two men on. He went deep again, this time sending a 1-1 pitch from lefty reliever Wilmin Rodriguez over the right-field fence.

 

"Once again in that situation, we had runners on base and I was looking for something up to drive," Rizzo said. "I got it up in the air and it flew out for me."

 

Originally selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2007 Draft, Rizzo has been traded twice in his career -- once to the Padres and again to the Cubs. He performed well for Triple-A Tucson last year, batting .331 with 26 roundtrippers and 101 RBIs in 93 contests, but struggled following a promotion to the Majors. In 49 games with the Padres, he hit just .141 with one homer and nine RBIs.

 

But Rizzo is building a good case to get back to the big leagues. Through 30 games, he is batting .357 with nine homers and 31 RBIs.

 

"Guys in front of me have put me in good situations to succeed," Rizzo said. "I don't really have to do too much to get a base hit and drive some guys in. The lineup has really contributed to a lot of hits that I've gotten. The team's just a lot of fun to be around, and I think it makes it easier to play when you have a team that likes to go out and have fun."

 

Despite his success, Rizzo is not hung up on when he will get his next chance to play at the highest level.

 

"One day, that's going to be exciting to be able to experience going up to Chicago and playing with those guys," Rizzo said. "I'm just taking it day by day, trying to help Iowa win games and get back into the divisional race. I'm working on the things that I have to work on that are going to get me to Chicago and [help me] stay for there for years and years."

 

No. 11 Cubs prospect Josh Vitters also enjoyed a strong game Tuesday, going 3-for-5 with a homer, a double and four RBIs.

 

Iowa starter Chris Rusin (3-2) earned the win after yielding one run on three hits over six innings.

[TheCrew07]

Well Oscar Taveras wasn't seriously hurt the other day...

 

Gast continues hot start for Cardinals

Springfield's Taveras homers to support lefty's fourth win

By Danny Wild / MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/05/08/oQhuouJm.jpg

John Gast has allowed three runs or fewer in all seven starts.

 

John Gast has allowed three runs or fewer in all seven starts. (Mark Harrell/Springfield Cardinals)

A third season in the Minors meant a new third pitch for John Gast, and on Tuesday it all added up to his fourth win.

 

Gast posted his best line of the season and Oscar Taveras hit his ninth homer as Double-A Springfield shut out Arkansas, 4-0, on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Gast, who added a curveball to his fastball-changeup combo this winter, lowered his ERA to 2.03 after holding the Travelers to five hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings. He struck out five, throwing 60 of his 93 pitches for strikes in his seventh start this season.

 

"It was just getting ahead of hitters, getting strikeouts down, and my fastball command was right there," he said. "I was able to get a bunch of ground balls."

 

The left-hander out of Florida State entered the season ranked as the Cardinals' top southpaw in the Minors after reaching Double-A in his first full season in 2011. With Springfield last season, he went 4-4 with a 4.08 ERA in 13 starts after a promotion from Class A Advanced Palm Beach.

 

St. Louis' sixth-round pick from 2010 did all that with just a pair of pitches. This year, he's cut his Double-A ERA in half.

 

"I think last year I was relying a little more on two pitches, and this year I've worked on my curveball a lot in the offseason," he said. "When you're just throwing two pitches, they can eliminate one of them -- 'I won't swing at a changeup' -- so being able to offer three pitches that are all pretty decent, it's been a real big help."

 

Gast also got help from his bullpen and the system's top hitting prospect.

 

Sam Freeman struck out the side in the eighth and Eric Fornataro added another strikeout in a perfect ninth to seal the five-hitter for Springfield.

 

Taveras, Springfield's center fielder, slugged his ninth homer in the eighth inning, a three-run shot off Travs reliever Chris Scholl that moved him into a tie for second place in the Texas League in home runs.

 

For Gast, consistency this season has been a big different, and the stats back that up -- he's held opponents to three runs or fewer in all seven starts.

 

"It's just being able to throw a lot of strikes down in the zone and being consistent with that," he said. "That's been the biggest key. Last year I was a little more spotty -- I had a few good starts and then a bad one. So now I'm just focusing on being more consistent."

 

Gast worked without a lead for the first four innings before Kyle Conley delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the fourth. Gast said the low scoring affair worked to his advantage in a way.

 

"I hate to say it, but keeping the game rolling helps a lot instead of sitting for 20 minutes while they score some runs," he said. "But the pace of the game helps to get you into a rhythm. You just try to go out and get three quick outs."

 

Giving up the ball after seven innings wasn't easy, but Gast knew his pitch count had started closing in on triple digits.

 

"Obviously I want to go out and throw as many innings as I can," he said. "I noticed they were getting someone warm, after I worked that inning. I kind of understood the inning was a little longer with the walk -- I threw about 10 pitches to [Jeremy] Cruz -- so I knew I maybe threw 22 pitches in my last inning."

 

Taveras' homer in the eighth was the fourth long ball for the Dominican prospect in his last 10 games. Gast said it's been a treat to watch the 19-year-old.

 

"He's awesome. I haven't gotten to play with him until now, but you hear people talk about guys in the offseason, during Spring Training," Gast said. "You get to watch him play, it's awesome, he's outstanding."

 

As for Gast's future with the reigning World Series champs, he knows the path will only get easier if he can post more outings like Tuesday's.

 

"I think you can look and see I get hurt by giving up home runs, and that's one aspect I can improve on," said Gast, who's allowed five roundtrippers this season. "Not making those mistakes over the plate with runners on and cutting down on walks, I think that'll help anybody. You can never have too few walks."

 

Gast overshadowed a fine outing by Arkansas starter A.J. Schugel (1-4), who allowed one run on three hits and three walks over six innings.

 

BA's Scouting Report from the 2010 Draft:

Florida State doesn't have the power arms the program used to produce in the early 1990s. Its top arm this year was supposed to be Gast, whose career never quite got going in the right direction. He had Tommy John surgery after his senior season in high school and came back quickly, pitching in mid-April of his freshman year. His relief worked helped the Seminoles get back to the College World Series for the first time in eight years, and he stayed in a relief role as a sophomore. Early in his junior season, Gast was flashing his high school form, reaching 92-93 mph with his fastball and working with an upper-70s power curveball. However, as the season wore on, he no longer was showing the kind of stuff to go in the first three rounds. His ERA had soared to 6.33, mostly because of his lack of command. When he gets ahead of hitters, he still can finish them off with his curve.

[Mass Haas]

Video interview with Wisconsin INF Brandon Macias, cortesy of the Post-Crescent

[Mass Haas]

STARS OUT SHINE GENERALS

 

JACKSON, Tenn.- A two-run double off the bat of Josh Prince gave the Huntsville Stars (19-14) their second victory in as many games against the Jackson Generals (20-13) in a 2-1 victory Tuesday night at Pringles Park.

 

Bats were quiet on both sides until the top of the fifth. Left fielder Lee Haydel drew a walk to lead off the inning. Third baseman Matt Cline singled to advance Haydel before Prince hit a double through the hole at short to score both Cline and Haydel.

 

The only other time the Stars had a runner in scoring position was thanks to a wild pitch and throwing error by Generals’ starting pitcher James Paxton in the second and third innings.

 

Jackson didn’t have a runner advance past first until the bottom of the sixth. Third baseman Francisco Martinez doubled to right-center followed immediately by a two-bagger off the bat of second baseman Eric Campbell. Martinez scored to chase Stars starter Evan Anundsen from the game. Anundsen had a solid outing for his second win of the season, giving up just one run on four hits over 5.1 innings. He allowed just one walk and struck out five batters.

 

The Generals managed to just get one more hit on the Stars pitching staff before reliever Rob Wooten notched his eighth save of the season, pitching 0.2 innings.

 

Jackson starter Paxton went six innings, giving up two runs on four hits. He struck out seven and walked three en route to his third loss of the season.

 

The Stars look to take their four series in five attempts tomorrow with RHP Kyle Heckathorn (1-1, 3.86 ERA) on the mound against Generals RHP Tijuan Walker (3-1, 1.30 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 a.m.

[Mass Haas]

Brad Krause adds insight well beyond the box score lines within his own very nice blog; a player such as LHP Mike Strong gets a nice gift in photos from his first game above the rookie ball level within Brad's gallery.

[Mass Haas]

[Outlander]

I don't know much about Bianchi but it makes me feel a little better that we might have a better option at shortstop and he is only 25. Also looking at the box score nice to see the Hurricane try to make it back to the big leagues.

[markedman5]

How is Bianchi's D?