Link Report for Games of Sunday, April 17th

[squarepusher]

[ meanwhile, in AAA: has Fielder always been a streaky type hitter? (noting he's batting .175, although he does have 2 HR's) ]

 

It's kind of hard to tell what's going on with him without seeing his at-bats in person. It's happened before where he was getting pitched around, and swinging at pitches he normally shouldn't have. He's been grounding out quite a bit, so maybe he's getting fooled by some higher quality breaking pitches, and maybe he just needs to adjust.

[dadofandrew]

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Oh Brian. Who could possibly have been saying that since he was drafted? If Gwynn has a Brady Clark-like career (minus the breakout at 32), he will be in the top 10% percentile of 2nd rounders.

 

Seriously though, Gwynn was drafted less than 2 years ago (as was Weeks). The overreaction to these two fellas supposed "failings" has been a sign of not understanding many players would still be in low A ball.

 

As for Prince, he's still outperforming Hart, in a minute sample. I'm far from concerned.

[huntsvillefan]

I keep swearing I just won't read Al's minor league posts & that I definitely won't bite, but his passion for revisionist history sets me off again....................

 

Oh Brian. Who could possibly have been saying that since he was drafted?

 

Actually Al what you said was that he was a better prospect than Krynzel, I remember it well , because it was the first of many posts that led to lend & my defense of DK.

So is TGJ a better prospect than Krynzel ? are you sticking with what you actually said shortly after he was drafted at the end of his first half season in Beloit.?

 

Seriously though, Gwynn was drafted less than 2 years ago (as was Weeks). The overreaction to these two fellas supposed "failings" has been a sign of not understanding many players would still be in low A ball.

 

Now I agree with that completely, but before we get too revisionist here as well - I would remind you that you said that 'you wouldn't be surprized if Weeks was up in Milwaukee to stay in September '04'

 

Perhaps your gift for prophecy benefits from hindsight - as it does with most of us.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005041818/

 

Power gets needed blast of confidence

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

It was right there, skid marks and all, sitting on the top shelf of Carlos Corporan's corner locker.

 

It was the same red-stitched ball that, with one looping swing, one wrist-flip of the wooden bat and one trot around the bases, helped give the 6-foot-3, 210-pound, 21-year-old a smile like a school kid.

 

"It was a great, great moment," Corporan said Sunday, minutes after his three-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth bounced off the city pavement to give the West Virginia Power a 3-2, series-tying win over Hagerstown (9-2).

 

"I love it."

 

He's not the only one. Power players waited, and waited and waited for Corporan to emerge from Appalachian Power Park field and its 3,417 fans after his game-winning homer.

 

Backup catcher Nestor Corredor gave Corporan a "Where have you been?" look when the designated hitter finally walked into the clubhouse.

 

Corporan, with a smile as big as his native Puerto Rico, didn't say a word. He didn't have to. The quick flick of his wrist -- symbolizing a game-winning autograph session -- told the story.

 

"That was a big confidence builder for us," first baseman Grant Richardson said. "It might be just what we need right now."

 

Chances are, without Corporan's home run, spirits in the Power clubhouse would have been down. It had started the season 1-9, with a batting average (.206) about 30 points lower than gas prices.

 

"It showed a lot of character for our team," said Power Manager Ramon Aviles. "Pitching from both sides was great. Just one pitch decided the game."

 

Power hitters were anything but great in the game's first eight innings.

 

The Suns' combination of Gabriel Hernandez and Michael Devaney took a one-hitter into the ninth inning with one out, before an Alcides Escobar single to center and a Will Lewis infield hit put runners on first and second.

 

Hagerstown Manager and former big leaguer Gene Richards decided to turn the game over to closer Carlos Muniz, who had two saves in the seven previous meetings with the Power.

 

Muniz threw only two pitches. One was a called strike. The other became a Corporan souvenir.

 

"It was a great swing and a great moment," said Corporan, batting .206 on the season. "He threw me a fastball in. I was looking for that pitch allllll day long."

 

Now, many Power players can rest all day long. Only the pitchers will report for an off-day workout.

 

"Now, I wish we played tomorrow," Aviles said, "so we could carry this into tomorrow."

 

Truth is, they need the day off.

 

Many haven't had a true rest day since they reported to spring training in Phoenix, Ariz., in mid- to late February. Some flew to Charleston, while others logged the 2,010 miles in a car, only to head on a season-opening seven-game road trip.

 

"I'm going to relax in my apartment and watch some TV," said Corporan, who hit two of his five career minor league home runs in the four-game home series against Hagerstown.

 

"This is my first day off."

 

POWER PLUGS: Josh Wahpepah (1-1) earned the victory by pitching four scoreless innings for the Power, which struck out 11 Suns hitters ...West Virginia struck out eight times Sunday to make it 101 whiffs on the season, an average of nine per game. "We extended the strike zone to our eyes, and we can't do that," Richardson said ...Attendance for the four-game series was 17,685, for an average of 4,421. The average for the first four games last season at Watt Powell Park was 1,346 ... Corporan's home run should not be that big of a surprise, considering no one had hit a long ball Sunday. For the series, there were 10 home runs, seven by Hagerstown ... Mark Rogers' regular diary has been updated on www.minorleaguebaseball.com. The former first-round pick, who struck out six and gave up two runs and two hits in four innings Sunday, wrote about his season-opening struggles. "He was throwing too many curveballs," said Reid Nichols, director of player development for the Milwaukee Brewers. "With an arm like that, you don't have to trick them." Nichols, the Brewers' minor league chief, was in Charleston for the series ...The Power returns to action for a three-game home series with the Lexington Legends on Tuesday at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). Lefty Greg Kloosterman (0-2, 4.50 earned run average) gets the start against Lexington right-hander Juan Gutierrez (0-0, 2.00 ERA).

[dadofandrew]

I did like Gwynn better, as I doubted either would be a starting CF. Now, however, it appears Dave will at least be a platoon CF for a while. Dave has moved up, in my view.

[AJ Love]

Quote:

---

As for Prince, he's still outperforming Hart, in a minute sample. I'm far from concerned.

---

 

yeah, I'm not concerned, its a very small sample. Just wondering if so far in his pro career if he's been a streak hitter? Many power hitters are...

[SoCalBrewfan]

Seriously though, Gwynn was drafted less than 2 years ago (as was Weeks). The overreaction to these two fellas supposed "failings" has been a sign of not understanding many players would still be in low A ball.

 

Putting Weeks and Gwynn in the same category is not particularly appropriate, IMO...though of course I realize this is more about Al trying to dismiss others and at the same time pat himself on the back than it is about logic. Like huntsvillefan, I find myself too weak to ignore this...as I clearly should. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

TGJ had a track record when he was drafted...he was not an impact bat at San Diego State, with little power and nothing like the offensive performance that Weeks had (all-time NCAA batting champ, etc). On the other hand, Gwynn was an excellent basebunner and defensive player in college, while Weeks had defensive questions. Last year Weeks was challenged in AA but was pretty good given the context of his league. Gwynn was in over his head by all accounts, even after you park-adjust.

 

And it should be noted that it's possible to agree with the notion that Gwynn could be a good 5th OF and still criticize the Brewers for their choice of Gwynn and his assignment to AA in '04...and given some of the guys they passed up to take him, and Gwynn's record in AA, I think criticism in both cases is still quite valid.

 

Especially given that Gwynn's .294 average is in the same one week sample that is later characterized as 'minute.'

[DHonks]

I've been a big Gwynn supporter since draft-day, however, even my enthusiasm is tempered. I met him briefly in the Fall League and he said he thanks all of us out there who are wishing him well, wanting to do his best for them. So I guess to me, it seems he feels a need to justify things--his draft position, his fast promotion to AA, even his name.

 

Tony will be fine, probably is already better than Chad Green at his peak. But there's some simple things I want to see from Tony. I want to see his walks return to the 1:1 ratio of his rookie campaign in Beloit. I want do see the average continue to sit .280 or higher. That would give him an OBP in the .355+ range. Right now Tony has to step up. With a big first half he could shoot back up the prospect charts and go from "AA-flameout" to "AAAA star/MLB bench player." He's someone who will have to work at it at each level. Still, his tools are nearly identical to his father's, so I can't help but hold out hope that he'll be even a fraction of the player his father was.