Arizona Fall League

[Jose Cardenal1]

Maybe it is just me but I feel like in the past we already would have started a topic on this. i.e possible participants.

 

Some potential participants in my eye would be:

 

Coulter - especially if he hits well the last few weeks. A good AFL could reestablish him as a real prospect

Phillips & Nottingham - A good showing in the AFL can let them forget about dreadful seasons at AA

Bentacourt - see Phillips and Nottingham

Roache - if he is healthy

Wang - Had 145IP in '15 will come in around 135IP in '16 so he could safely add a few more innings in the fall

Lopez - going to come in way under IP in '16 vs. '15 Regaining confidence could do wonders

T.Archer & P.Gainey - because we always send a couple relievers

[MadThinker88]

I believe there are some rules governing the Fall league on how many players can be sent and how far they can have advanced already.

 

Think Lopez is not eligible due to his pitching in the majors last season and I think the organization can only send 1 player that reached AA level...

 

Otherwise clubs would use this as a substitute for some players going out to winter ball...

[ZBTMP]

I believe there are some rules governing the Fall league on how many players can be sent and how far they can have advanced already.

 

Think Lopez is not eligible due to his pitching in the majors last season and I think the organization can only send 1 player that reached AA level...

 

Otherwise clubs would use this as a substitute for some players going out to winter ball...

 

Eligibility Rules

 

Jorge Lopez is ineligible being from Puerto Rico. Not sure on Wang's eligibility since he only has 1 year not "more than 1 year". I'd bet Ray goes just to get him more professional experience.

[Jose Cardenal1]

The AA rule is that you can only send one player who hadn't reached AA by Aug. 1st.

 

I thought about Ray but was thinking besides the rule above, that it would be awful aggressive to have tack that onto this season.

 

Forgot about the Winter Ball rule, which makes Lopez ineligible (not because he played in the Majors - would need 1 yr. service time to be ineligible)

[Austin Tatious]

Thanks for posting the rules. So, we get (1) six players, and (2) only one below double A as of August 1.

 

I didn't pay attention to the date Coulter moved up. Anyone know if it was after Aug 1?

 

It'd be interesting to see if they focus on guys on an upswing (e.g., Woodruff) and/or guys who need a boost (Phillips, Nottingham). Hader went last year, and Woodruff is kind of this year's Hader, so he would not surprise me unless there is a concern about his load.

 

Below AA, I'd imagine that there would be a concern about guys being overmatched and not messing with their confidence. You could consider Ray but he's had a ton of pressure this year and may just need to re-charge. Maybe Ponce if he is healthy, since he missed time earlier (unless they think rest is important). I could see Isan Diaz because he's on an upswing and the challenge may be interesting to watch. Unlike Ray, Erceg could probably use more work as he has not had nearly the burdens Ray has. I can't see the likes of Medeiros, Devin Williams, Gatewood or Monte. Overmatched.

 

Shot in the dark, but I am going to guess Woodruff, Ponce, Phillips, and some relievers.

[clancyphile]

My six?

 

RHP Woodruff

LHP Suter

LHP Wang

OF Phillips

3B Erceg

OF Brinson

[dacbrewers]

My six?

 

RHP Woodruff

LHP Suter

LHP Wang

OF Phillips

3B Erceg

OF Brinson

 

I like the picks. Not sure about Erceg.

[LouisEly]

Doubt Woodruff - he is already 17 innings over last year, and considering he already has 66 more K's than last year they are probably heavier innings with more pitches than last year. And we still have almost 3 weeks left. Assuming three more starts, that's around 18 more innings, putting him around 35 more innings (and a lot more strikeouts) than last season. They likely will shut him down.

 

Ray should get some time off - full college season plus pro season.

 

The Brewers almost always send pitchers who missed time with injury and need to get caught up. Not sure where T. Williams will be in terms of rehab but if ready he is a candidate. Angel Ventura is 25 innings short of last year's total, and they need to figure out if they want to add him; sending him to the AFL will give other teams more scouting on him though, but given he has fewer innings I think that is a good bet. If Barnes is healthy he is a good bet.

 

Not a sexy pick but I'm going with Stephen Kolscheen, ~30 fewer IP than last year, fringe guy who the Brewers need to figure out if can compete for the last bullpen spot. Austin Ross is another guy who they need to make a decision on.

 

That whole Biloxi lineup - Taylor, Phillips, Nottingham, Betancourt, Coulter, DeMuth, even Cooper could all go. If Guzman is on the table as the PTBNL then the Brewers may want to see more of Cooper or DeMuth before making a decision on Guzman. They will need to make a decision on Taylor so he might get the nod over Phillips or Brinson

 

I'll go with BrinsonTaylor, Nottingham, one of Cooper/DeMuth, Kolscheen, VenturaLambson, and Ross with Barnes and Williams as higher pitching priorities if they are healthy.

[Mass Haas]

Angel Ventura is 25 innings short of last year's total, and they need to figure out if they want to add him; sending him to the AFL will give other teams more scouting on him though, but given he has fewer innings I think that is a good bet. Betancourt could go.

 

Reminder about the ineligibility of Latin-based players.

[igor67]

According to his player page Coulter was moved up to AA on Aug 1st, so if he goes he'd be the 1 lower level player your allowed. I can talk myself into him going and not going. If he has a strong August, you'd really love to see him get a chance for more ABs and help him keep going. On the other hand if he does well you might be thinking of letting him rest mentally on a successful end to the season. That said I'll give him the nod.

Brinson looks to have had a pretty successful season so far, and is already at AAA. Consequently I'd think Phillips might make more sense to give a shot. And then Demuth, Orf, and/or Johnny Davis in some combination as older guys with some positional flexibility they would make some sense as the non-priority players who get shuffled around. That would leave 1 or 2 spots for pitchers which sounds right I'm just not sure who would be a good choice.

[BrewersAA]

I am not sure about the recovery time tables, but i would see one or both of taylor williams and nathan kirby going. I remember thinking that they could still pitch toward the end of this season. Especially with williams, if hes recovered, i could see him being a guy they would like a look at.

[jvrocksaz]

Angel Ventura is 25 innings short of last year's total, and they need to figure out if they want to add him; sending him to the AFL will give other teams more scouting on him though, but given he has fewer innings I think that is a good bet. Betancourt could go.

 

Reminder about the ineligibility of Latin-based players.

 

Interesting about the rules. Yadiel Rivera (PR) went last year. He played on the same team as Ronald Guzman (DR)...

[LouisEly]

Angel Ventura is 25 innings short of last year's total, and they need to figure out if they want to add him; sending him to the AFL will give other teams more scouting on him though, but given he has fewer innings I think that is a good bet. Betancourt could go.

 

Reminder about the ineligibility of Latin-based players.

Ventura is from the Dominican Republic, as is Guzman who played in the AFL last year. Why would Guzman be eligible and Ventura not?

[Mass Haas]

"9. Internatiional players from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and/or Australia are eligible only if the player is not on the reserve list of a Winter League club from the player's home country. Otherwise, there is no maximum limit on the number of international players an MLB organization can assign to its AFL team."

 

OK, so that would help clarify, I was much too generic in my reference.

 

Thanks to the always helpful "TheCubReporter", this detailed eligibility link.

[CheeseheadInQC]

If Ventura is eligible he's probably the most likely pitcher, in my opinion, for the reasons others have posted. The Brewers usually seem to send one or two "prove it" guys before the 40-man decisions. And while I doubt that he manages to work his way onto the 40-man, Preston Gainey makes a lot of sense for one of the relief spots as well if the Brewers are at all high on him.

 

I also wouldn't be shocked if the Brewers use one of the relief spots as an incentive to re-sign for one of the minor league free agent pitchers they want to keep around. Austin Ross seems like a good candidate for that.

[Roderick]

Liriano.

 

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/nl-central-notes-bell-peraza-senzel-capuano-nolin.html?fv-home=0&post-id=71006

 

Milwaukee outfielder Rymer Liriano, meanwhile, has faced slow going after being struck by a pitch in the face this spring. Though he has now begun baseball activities, Liriano won’t be able to make it to the majors this year. Instead, says Stearns, he may be able to participate in fall instructional league action.

[jerichoholicninja]

Liriano.

 

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/nl-central-notes-bell-peraza-senzel-capuano-nolin.html?fv-home=0&post-id=71006

 

Milwaukee outfielder Rymer Liriano, meanwhile, has faced slow going after being struck by a pitch in the face this spring. Though he has now begun baseball activities, Liriano won’t be able to make it to the majors this year. Instead, says Stearns, he may be able to participate in fall instructional league action.

 

I don't think fall instructional league means Arizona Fall League. Is he even eligible?

[Roderick]

Liriano.

 

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/nl-central-notes-bell-peraza-senzel-capuano-nolin.html?fv-home=0&post-id=71006

 

Milwaukee outfielder Rymer Liriano, meanwhile, has faced slow going after being struck by a pitch in the face this spring. Though he has now begun baseball activities, Liriano won’t be able to make it to the majors this year. Instead, says Stearns, he may be able to participate in fall instructional league action.

 

I don't think fall instructional league means Arizona Fall League. Is he even eligible?

 

I don't know the rules on eligibility. But I figured if they went out of there way to mention it, that it was the Arizona Fall League. If it wasn't that, and it was just hitting balls off whatever pitchers are around, why bother mentioning it?

[TheCrew07]

Instructs are different from the Fall League, many of the team's top prospects end up there for extra fundamental work on their game.

[1992casey]

Winter Leagues: About the Arizona Fall League | MLB.com

 

The page above is no more than two years old, so I'd assume that we can call it current. There are six clubs in the league, with each club representing five Major League teams. Most participants Double-A and Triple-A players, but each club can opt to send one player considered a Class A player. A positional draft is held in August. I suppose that's to ensure that teams don't have an overabundance of players at a single position.

 

I'm not finding much on the Instructional League, but here's its Wikipedia page:

 

Arizona Instructional League (Wikipedia)

 

It sounds like there are few restrictions and that just about anyone is eligible to go there. The general focus is younger guys, but an older player may go there to "rehabilitate from an injury, to learn a new position or to refine a particular skill."

[MadThinker88]

I thought I heard/ read something on a Tribe site that after last year, the Arizona Instructional league was folding up.

 

Perhaps someone with Brewer contacts can confirm or refute that...

[Mass Haas]

I thought I heard / read something on a Tribe site that after last year, the Arizona Instructional league was folding up...

 

Definitely not, although the Mariners are the first organization to change things up --

 

Baseball America: Mariners Won’t Have Traditional Instructional League

[MadThinker88]

Appreciate that MH.. Thanks..