2022 Minor League Thread

[Gson]

Good info, thanks. Makes sense, especially after contraction and so many DSL guys coming over needing reps, so there's isn't enough roster spots available for the new draftees. Speaking of DSL specs, you owe us your take on this year's group or have I missed it?

Loved the college pitching heavy 21 class. Can you give us anything on how Ventimiglia looks in EST or what he's working on? He was a pre draft target of mine simply because of age/northern background. I was happy they got him signed and surprised about the low bonus.

Oh, and as a draft nut: any hints/thoughts on their upcoming draft targets? Kinda like college bats (Collier, Delauter, Neto), but they haven't had much success with that demographic early (though lately with Kwan, Brennan, Palacios, Lavastida etc)

... would love to see Cam Collier drop to the Guards.... would be very nice, indeed..

 

[Gson]

I see a guy that is 2+ yrs younger than each level he's pitched at. I see a kid that in 117 IP last season between AA and AAA as a 22 yr old had a combined 7.7 H9 2.1 BB9 11.2 SO9 and a WHIP of 1.096. I also saw an organization renowned for getting pitchers and tuning them up to be better than anyone expected acquire him. I guess it's all in how we choose to view things.

Myers may be this... he may be that... or he may be like most of the dirt in the gold fields in the Yukon.. if it's not in the dirt.. it doesn't matter how good you can capture what's not there..

 

[DickyLeftridge]

I see a guy that is 2+ yrs younger than each level he's pitched at. I see a kid that in 117 IP last season between AA and AAA as a 22 yr old had a combined 7.7 H9 2.1 BB9 11.2 SO9 and a WHIP of 1.096. I also saw an organization renowned for getting pitchers and tuning them up to be better than anyone expected acquire him. I guess it's all in how we choose to view things.

You mean there isn't one right answer to how you view prospects and there is, in fact, more numbers and more data for fans to pick and choose over than ever before to support their own personal favorite players? And the arguments fans choose to make with those numbers (or not make, as it were) tells you more about the fans' views than it tells you about the players themselves? Very interesting information.

The differing views of this board regarding Myers--a guy we scraped off the Rays dust bin a few months ago--and OGOATz Gonzalez--a guy who has raked at every level of this org for half a decade now do provide an excellent case study.

 

[CDAV45]

You mean there isn't one right answer to how you view prospects and there is, in fact, more numbers and more data for fans to pick and choose over than ever before to support their own personal favorite players? And the arguments fans choose to make with those numbers (or not make, as it were) tells you more about the fans' views than it tells you about the players themselves? Very interesting information.

The differing views of this board regarding Myers--a guy we scraped off the Rays dust bin a few months ago--and OGOATz Gonzalez--a guy who has raked at every level of this org for half a decade now do provide an excellent case study.

No, there isn't one right answer IMO.

I don't think any "case study" is going to guide you to a right answer. There may be some hard lessons learned, but I doubt there's any predictability packaged in it.

 

[Gson]

No, there isn't one right answer IMO.

I don't think any "case study" is going to guide you to a right answer. There may be some hard lessons learned, but I doubt there's any predictability packaged in it.

There may not be any one right answer.. but yours is wrong !!

or it might not be..

 

[sportscoach]

There may not be any one right answer.. but yours is wrong !!

or it might not be..

Or you are all just wrong and my delusions are all right... We never know...

 

[CATS44]

Tobias Myers was acquired eleven days before the lockout.

The developmental folks didn't get to work with him until spring training. I think its safe to say that very probably he would be farther along the organizational development path if he had gotten to begin three months earlier.

*******

Because of the unusual way that Tampa uses its 40 man as a temporary repository for young pitchers, its inevitable that they are gonna lose good pitching prospects. Its the downside of the way they use their pitchers. Last season they used 41 pitchers, which means they had at least twenty exposed to being lost, in addition to any prospects that needed to be protected.

Instead of looking at every pitcher they are forced to cut or trade away as lost causes or damaged goods, it might be better to look at the Rays situation as a good opportunity for a pitching factory to pick up gems.

 

[sportscoach]

@CATS44 @petes999 @CDAV45 @Tondo @Gson

Let's get the longer convo over here... lol

My biggest question, is Benson as a 4th OF better than Mercado? If you think he is, then that's not a bad flip because of options and years of control. I don't mind making a move like that at the end of the season since Benson will likely be a minor league free agent. If we are out I'd rather keep Benson (maybe Call) over the older Mercado ya know?

Benson was the type of hitting prospect like a Zimmer, whose upside was amazing, but almost no floor... He is starting to finally show improvement and he is having his best season honestly of his career at AAA... He has no qualms playing a solid defense as well and stealing bases for as big as he is. (Browns would try to bring him in as a TE if they could).

We also have a bottleneck of prospects as well to add for next season. Since this is a tryout year, why not keep him over Mercado and see what happens?

 

[CDAV45]

@CATS44 @petes999 @CDAV45 @Tondo @Gson

Let's get the longer convo over here... lol

My biggest question, is Benson as a 4th OF better than Mercado? If you think he is, then that's not a bad flip because of options and years of control. I don't mind making a move like that at the end of the season since Benson will likely be a minor league free agent. If we are out I'd rather keep Benson (maybe Call) over the older Mercado ya know?

Benson was the type of hitting prospect like a Zimmer, whose upside was amazing, but almost no floor... He is starting to finally show improvement and he is having his best season honestly of his career at AAA... He has no qualms playing a solid defense as well and stealing bases for as big as he is. (Browns would try to bring him in as a TE if they could).

We also have a bottleneck of prospects as well to add for next season. Since this is a tryout year, why not keep him over Mercado and see what happens?

How do we know until we know, ya know?

One could argue that Call deserves an opportunity first. His walk rate is a robust 16% while his SO rate is a modest 23%. He's getting on base at a .386 clip, carrying a .486 SLG with an .864 OPS. He too can play all 3 OF positions pretty well. He's also a RHH which is what he would be replacing and that fits in with Kwan or Palacios. He might be our very own Austin Hays type of player that does nothing great and everything well. He would be who I called up to replace Mercado first, but that's just my take. I'd guess those that value hitters that are patient and don't K at an alarming rate might agree with me.

 

[sportscoach]

How do we know until we know, ya know?

One could argue that Call deserves an opportunity first. His walk rate is a robust 16% while his SO rate is a modest 23%. He's getting on base at a .386 clip, carrying a .486 SLG with an .864 OPS. He too can play all 3 OF positions pretty well. He's also a RHH which is what he would be replacing and that fits in with Kwan or Palacios. He might be our very own Austin Hays type of player that does nothing great and everything well. He would be who I called up to replace Mercado first, but that's just my take. I'd guess those that value hitters that are patient and don't K at an alarming rate might agree with me.

Benson career wise has always been good at taking walks and does so at a better clip than Call does, plus Benson is turning 24 this season while Call is 27 going on 28... Stats say Benson is going into his strongest seasons while Call isnt likely to improve any. Not always true, but id rather have the younger player for the long term if I had a choice...

 

[CDAV45]

Benson career wise has always been good at taking walks and does so at a better clip than Call does, plus Benson is turning 24 this season while Call is 27 going on 28... Stats say Benson is going into his strongest seasons while Call isnt likely to improve any. Not always true, but id rather have the younger player for the long term if I had a choice...

I'd rather have the better player regardless of age. Benson is interesting, but his strikeouts have been a major concern. Even this season he is striking out at a 33% clip. I think he could still be productive, but he'll have to display a ton of power, good base running, and excellent defense.

 

[sportscoach]

I'd rather have the better player regardless of age. Benson is interesting, but his strikeouts have been a major concern. Even this season he is striking out at a 33% clip. I think he could still be productive, but he'll have to display a ton of power, good base running, and excellent defense.

Double check your numbers... Benson is at 26.5 this season, the projected was at 33%. Benson is also at a 16% BB Rate... My hunch is Benson is finally becoming good, while Call has no room left to improve. You should know I go with my hunches a lot and its telling me, Call will be fine as a 4th OF, but Benson could still become a starter while Call will never reach that level. Both guys can leave when the season ends and with us having to protect Brennan, we can only keep one so I am leaning towards Benson...

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Tolentino is now leading the Carolina League in batting average at .356. The next closest is .328 now that Crow-Armstrong has been promoted. He is also leading in OBP (.460) and is third in OPS.

 

[CDAV45]

Double check your numbers... Benson is at 26.5 this season, the projected was at 33%. Benson is also at a 16% BB Rate... My hunch is Benson is finally becoming good, while Call has no room left to improve. You should know I go with my hunches a lot and its telling me, Call will be fine as a 4th OF, but Benson could still become a starter while Call will never reach that level. Both guys can leave when the season ends and with us having to protect Brennan, we can only keep one so I am leaning towards Benson...

He's K'd 49 times in 149 AB. That's .328.

Saying Call has no room left to improve is a lame duck. Are you saying that most players don't improve in their late 20's? We don't even know how good or bad he is as a MLer.

Look, I don't want to get into a back and forth about which one is a better ML player because we don't know. If you go by the numbers then Call deserves the opportunity first. There really isn't an argument against that.

 

[BimboColesHair]

He's K'd 49 times in 149 AB. That's .328.

That's great.

He has 185 PAs this season though. Not sure why you are using ABs to calculate K%, that's not how that stat is calculated.