The 2007 Arizona Fall League Thread -- LaPorta # 4 AFL propect

[Mass Haas]

Mitch Stetter strikes out a lefty with the bases loaded as he strands three inherited runners in the 6th.

In the 7th, he strikes out a lefty and righty to open the inning before an error, double (unearned run) and groundout.

Lefty hitters are 0-for-14 against Stetter this fall with one walk and 11K's. He's setting himself up for a nice 12-year big league career as a LOOGY.

Tim Dillard pitches a scoreless 9th for the save in Mesa's 5-3 win. Two singles to open the frame, but a GIDP always helps.

Matt LaPorta walks two more times, Lou Palmisano (DH today) 0-for-3 with a walk.

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_01_perwin_msswin_1

[Mass Haas]

Steve Hammond's latest journal:

Steve is in the midst of buying a house, definitely keeping busy, remember to drop him an email via the link --

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071102&content_id=319551&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

 

Speaking of Steve, his outing on Friday (the game is still in progress, we'll update the bats later on):

 

3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR -- the two scoreless innings included walks, so a ragged day overall for Steve --

 

Surprise Top 1st

• - Chris Dickerson pops out to third baseman Adam Heether.
• - Marc Maddox walks.
• - German Duran walks. Marc Maddox to 2nd.
• - Kila Kaaihue pops out to third baseman Adam Heether in foul territory.
• - Coaching visit to mound.
• - John Mayberry flies out to center fielder Sam Fuld.

Surprise Top 2nd

• - Michael Aubrey walks.
• - Ben Johnson grounds out, shortstop Tommy Manzella to first baseman Mark Hamilton. Michael Aubrey to 2nd.
• - Chris Lubanski lines out to first baseman Mark Hamilton.
• - Sean Rodriguez lines out to right fielder Amaury Marti.

Surprise Top 3rd

• - Chris Dickerson singles on a soft line drive to right fielder Amaury Marti.
• - Marc Maddox singles on a line drive to right fielder Amaury Marti. Chris Dickerson to 3rd.
• - German Duran out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Amaury Marti. Chris Dickerson scores.
• - Kila Kaaihue flies out to center fielder Sam Fuld.
• - John Mayberry homers (4) on a fly ball to left field. Marc Maddox scores.
• - Michael Aubrey singles on a line drive to right fielder Amaury Marti.
• - Ben Johnson strikes out swinging.

[Mass Haas]

Mesa loses on Friday afternoon, 10-3:

Matt LaPorta 1-for-4 with an RBI (two K's); Lou Palmisano 0-for-4; Adam Heether 0-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

 

Click on their names in the box score for season-to-date numbers, with the adjustment to include today's game to be made early evening:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2007_11_02_surwin_msswin_1

[Mass Haas]

Mesa loses 7-1

Matt LaPorta with a game to forget (0-for-5, four K's), as he has now struck out in seven of his last 11 AB's.

Tim Dillard with a two-run inning, and has allowed seven hits in his last three innings.

Steve Sollmann had been only 3-for-23 in seven games with Mesa, but has been transferred to the Scottsdale squad, where he promptly went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and a stolen base against his old mates.

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_03_msswin_scowin_1

[Mass Haas]

Go to the 7:00 minute mark for the Matt LaPorta audio interview:

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/baseballdigestdaily/blog/2007/11/04/BDD-Talk-Radio

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com:

Continuing to learn how to play a new position hasn't affected Matt LaPorta's performance at the plate too much. The Brewers' top pick (seventh overall) in this year's draft continues to produce, leading the Arizona Fall League with 16 RBIs while tying for the top spot with four homers.

LaPorta is batting only .247, though, after combining to hit .304 at Helena of the Pioneer League and West Virginia of the South Atlantic League during the regular season. In addition, he's struck out 24 times in 77 at-bats after whiffing 30 times in 115 at-bats during the season.

Still, what's of most concern to the front office folks in Milwaukee is his continued development in the outfield. He's had a strong showing thus far, committing one error in 48 chances in left field.

[Mass Haas]

Mesa falls, 7-3

 

Matt LaPorta with a second consecutive 0-for-5 game, now at .232 (19-for-82, 14 BB's, 25 K's, .814 OPS); Lou Palmisano walked in his only at-bat; Mitch Stetter's inning went single, double-play ball, pop out. His ERA is 0.00 after nine innnings, with three BB's and 15 K's.

 

For Scottsdale, Steve Sollmann singled in four AB's and committed a fielding error at third base, a position Steve hadn't played much, if at all, with Huntsville in '07.

 

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_05_scowin_msswin_1

[Mass Haas]

Mesa loses, 5-2, Tuesday afternoon, and falls below .500 at 11-12.

 

Matt LaPorta (.224) 0-for-3 with a walk (he's 1-for-his-last-19 with three walks), Lou Palmisano 0-for-3 with a walk, Adam Heether singled in four AB's

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_06_msswin_surwin_1

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers' home page includes a link to a three-minute AFL video on the club that includes comments from Matt LaPorta and Steve Hammond. The video overlooks Steve Sollmann, who was shifted to the Scottsdale roster from Mesa.

 

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=mil

[soundsfan]

I have been enjoying my time watching the Brewer farmhands in the Fall League. Another quality 3 strikeout performance from Stetter today. 18 strikeouts and lefties yet to get on base. Was suprised he wasn't up for Pitcher of the Year in the Fall league. Flat out weird.

[Mass Haas]

Mesa blew a 4-2 9th inning lead and lost in ten, 7-4

 

Wow, does Matt LaPorta need a day off. Three fly outs, two ground outs, 1-for 24 in his last six games, now 19-for-90 (.211).

 

As noted from our on-site fan in the prior post, Mitch Stetter is just ridiculous. Retires all four men he faces -- he has faced 19 LH bats this season, they're 0-for-18 against him with 13 K's and one walk. Stetter's going to be oozing with confidence in spring training.

 

Tim Dillard relieved Stetter and was greeted with back-to-back home runs, blowing the save -- ugh. Dillard's getting plenty of ground ball outs in his ten relief stints, but he's still allowed 15 hits and four walks while striking out only four in his nine-inning sample. He's been mis-cast as a closer on this Mesa squad.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_07_surwin_msswin_1

[Mass Haas]

Mesa snaps out of it, wins 5-3

 

Who said Matt LaPorta needed a day off? On base three times (HR # 5, double, and walk).

 

Lou Palmisano 0-for-3 with a walk.

 

Steve Sollmann played second base and was 1-for-2 with a walk for his Scottsdale squad.

 

On the mound, Steve Hammond got the start and turned in a third consecutive middling pitching line, allowing three first-inning runs, but he did retire the last eight men he faced in a four-inning effort.

 

Unheralded Dave Johnson followed Hammond on the mound and worked two scoreless innings, aided by a double play grounder with two men on in the 5th.

 

Box Score

[Mass Haas]

Steve Hammond's Final AFL Journal

 

Thanks for writing this fall, Steve -- enjoy the brief offseason.

[Mass Haas]

We learn about Matt LaPorta's long-term business plans, that he's a devout Christian, his girlfriend (an All-American pole vaulter), and oh yeah, baseball:

 

Matt LaPorta profile article from MiLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Mesa loses another late lead and falls, 6-5, in ten innings

 

Matt LaPorta smacks two doubles and drives in two. Fourteen of his 23 hits have been for extra-bases, nice. Adam Heether was also 2-for-4 with a double, and while he's only 9-for-44 (.205), five of his nine hits are for extra bases.

 

Matt LaPorta (Brewers) went 2-for-4, doubled and scored in the second, and stroked a two-run two-bagger in the third for the Solar Sox (12-14). The 22-year-old Brewers prospect leads the Arizona Fall League with 20 RBIs and shares the home run lead at five.

 

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_09_msswin_pddwin_1

 

For Scottsadale, Steve Sollmann played second base, went 1-for-4, scored and drove in a run in a 10-3 win:

 

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_09_peswin_scowin_1

[colbyjack]

Final: Mesa 2, Peoria 5

 

Mesa takes an early 2-0 lead, but that's all they can muster in this one. Matt LaPorta goes 0-4 with two Ks. Lou Palmisano goes 0-3 with a walk. Adam Heether goes 1-3 (one of Mesa's seven hits) with a walk and commits his third error.

 

Palmisano had a tough day behind the plate, as Peoria conducted a track meet on the basepaths by swiping six bases in eight attempts. Peoria seemed to be picking on Mesa's starter Brad James (an Astros farmhand) in particular.

 

Tim Dillard and Mitch Stetter combine to go the last two innings in this one for Mesa without giving up a run. Dilard walks three in two-thirds of an inning, while Stetter gives up a hit and strikes out a batter (another left-handed hitter) over the final 1.1 innings of the game. He helps Dillard by getting him out of a bases loaded situation in the seventh and avoids giving up in a run in the eighth by working around a leadoff triple by the Braves top prospect, left-handed hitting outfielder Jordan Schafer (which I believe reading Mass' reports above the first base hit a left-handed hitter has recorded against Stetter this fall).

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_10_msswin_perwin_1

[Mass Haas]

Steve Sollmann is batting second and playing second base for Scottsdale in an MLB.TV game airing live Monday afternoon, 1:35 Central:

 

http://www.mlb.com/mlb/events/winterleagues/?league=afl

[Mass Haas]

On Monday afternoon, Matt LaPorta's solo home run accounted for Mesa's only run in an 8-1 loss. It was LaPorta's league-leading 6th of the AFL season, and his also league-leading 21st RBI. LaPorta also walked.

 

Dave Johnson's own error led to an unearned run in his one inning of work.

 

Elsewhere, Steve Sollmann doubled, singled and walked in Scottsdale's 11-7 win. He committed two errors at second base.

[Mass Haas]

On Tuesday, Matt LaPorta went 3-for-5 including a double; his average is back up to .248 (.868 OPS), and his 22 RBI leads the league by six RBI.

 

Lou Palmisano and Adam Heether also saw action -- Lou walked and threw out one of three base stealers, Adam walked and stole a base on otherwise quiet days.

 

http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=g_box&gid=2007_11_13_msswin_surwin_1

 

On Wednesday night, MLB.TV's Offseason Package includes live airing of Mesa's game against Steve Sollmann's Scottsdale club, 8:15 Central.

 

http://www.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/index.jsp

[soundsfan]

I'm sure this was Stetter's last appearance of the season in the fall league, had a 3 up 3 down inning that ended on another left-hander strikeout. Great Fall League season for Stetter. 20 Strikeouts. and a 0.00 era in over 12 innings pitched, unfortunatly the mishap of the AFL didnt have him as one of the 10 nominations for Fall League Pitcher of the Year.

[Mass Haas]

Mesa loses, 1-0, but Steve Hammond and Mitch Stetter both pitch well to end their seasons

 

Matt LaPorta was HBP in four plate appearances (0-for-3), Steve Sollmann was 0-for-3 for Scottsdale and committed an error.

 

Box Score

 

This game hasn't archived yet, but will at the link below. So, like the Hawaii League game Wednesday, a chance to watch future big-league Brewers this offseason.

 

AFL Video Archives

[Mass Haas]

Steve Sollmann suited up for three different AFL teams this fall, and he was idle as the AFL regular season wrapped up Thursday. Sollmann finished 12-for-52 with four doubles, only two walks (there were a few HBP's) and eight K's.

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Steve%20Sollmann&pos=1B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=446538

[Mass Haas]

Mesa wins, 6-5 to end the AFL season

 

Dave Johnson got the win with a 1-2-3 top of the 9th (three ground balls). In his 11-inning AFL sample, Johnson had a 4.25 ground ball / fly ball ratio.

 

Adam Heether reached base all five times today (four singles and a walk). That brought Heether's OPS to a respectable .772 in his 54 AB's this fall.

 

If you've been reading all along, you pretty much know how everyone's been doing, but here are final numbers:

 

Tim Dillard

Mitch Stetter

Steve Hammond

Matt LaPorta

Lou Palmisano

[Mass Haas]

Matt LaPorta came in at # 4 among Baseball America's Top 20 AFL prospects., impressive.

 

RHP Jake Arrieta of the Orioles chain (a former unsigned Brewer draft pick) was at # 14.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/265219.html

[sbrylski]

Ya, #4 is pretty good - there are some impressive prospects on that list. Adam Miller, Teagarden, Swarzak, Clement...

 

I've only been following loosely, can someone sum up a report on his defensive performance this fall?