Organization Leaders as of 6/3

Here are the minor league leaders heading into June and how they compare to the Rays MLB leaders in the same category:

Batting Average 
Rays MLB Leader: Matt Joyce (.295)

1. Ryan Brett (.320)
2. Leslie Anderson (.316)
3. Omar Luna (.311)
4. Jeff Malm (.297)
5. Mikie Mahtook (.291)
6. Drew Vettleson (.283)
7. Jesus Feliciano (.282)
8. Hector Guevara (.275)
9. Cameron Seitzer (.269)
10. Cole Figeroa (.268)

Home Runs
Rays MLB Leader: Matt Joyce and Luke Scott (9)

1. Henry Wrigley (10)
2. Kyeong Kang (9)
3. Josh Sale (7)

RBI's 
Rays MLB Leader: Luke Scott (35)

1. Henry Wrigley (39)
2. Tyler Bortnick (30)
2. Todd Glaesmann (30)
4. Kyeong Kang (29)
5. Jeff Malm (28)

Stolen Bases
Rays MLB Leader: BJ Upton (11) 

1. Ty Morrison (17)
2. Tyler Bortnick (15)
3. Ryan Brett (15)
3. Omar Luna (15)
5. Hak-Ju Lee (14)

ERA 
Rays MLB Leader: David Price (2.44)

1. Felipe Rivero (1.89)
2. CJ Riefenhauser (2.30)
3. Roberto Gomez (3.09)
4. Jake Floethe (3.27)
5. Shane Dyer (3.27)
6. Ryan Carpenter (3.59)
7. Enny Romero (3.62)
8. Jim Paduch (3.88)
9. Albert Suarez (3.95)
10. Matt Buschmann (4.30)

Wins 
Rays MLB Leader: David Price (7)

1. CJ Riefenhauser (6)
2. Ryan Carpenter (5)
2. Jake Floethe (5)
2. Felipe Rivero (5)

Saves
Rays MLB Leader: Fernando Rodney (17)

1. Chris Rearick (10)
2. Dane De La Rosa (6)
2. Austin Hubbard (6)
4. Adam Liberatore (5)
5. Brandon Gomes (4)

Strikeouts
Rays MLB Leader: James Shields (74)

1. Chris Archer (69)
2. CJ Riefenhauser (60)
3. Felipe Rivero (55)
4. Ryan Carpenter (52)
5. Kyle Lobstein (49)

Future Considerations Podcast (Episode 24: Draft Special: Potential Picks For The Rays, Collaborative Mock Draft)

Kevin and Scott break down 12 players who could be in the mix for the Rays first- and second-round picks, and then run down part one of the DRaysBay collaborative mock draft.

Questions or comments? E-mail podcast@raysprospects.com

Music is from Isle of Q

mp3 Download (51.9 MB; 0h56m47s)
RSS Feed
iTunes Feed - If you subscribe through iTunes, please rate and review!
(This episode will not show up in the preview link right away, but if you subscribe it will download automatically)

Scores and Highlights from 6/2

Durham Bulls 8, Louisville Bats 3 The Bulls offense came to life on Saturday night, pushing across six runs in the fifth inning to give them a win over the Bats. Both clubs exchanged runs throughout the first few innings, heading into the big fifth tied 2-2. But that's where the close game ended as the Bulls offense blew the game away, scoring six runs to earn their second straight win over the Bats. The offense compiled four double and two homers as part of their thirteen hits on the night. Romulo Sanchez pitched 2 no-hit innings to earn the win.


Montgomery Biscuits 4, Tennessee Smokies 3 (10 innings)
The Biscuits battled back from a 3-0 hole to earn a walk-off win in extra innings. The Biscuits found themselves trailing 3-0 by the end of the fifth inning. But they made a charge at the lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs to tie the game. Ryan Garko drove home the first run followed by a two run homer by Kyeong Kang to tie things up at 3-3. It would remain tied until the bottom of the tenth. Brett Nommensen double to left followed by back to back intentional walks to Kang and Tyler Bortnick to load the. Mike Sheridan then drew a bases loaded walk to score the winning run. The bullpen provided 5 2/3 scoreless innings with Neil Schenk picking up the win.


Charlotte Stone Crabs 6, Dunedin Blue Jays 0 (Game One) 
The Stone Crabs blanked the Blue Jays in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. The Stone Crabs broke the scoreless tie with a four run fifth inning. which was highlighted by three extra base hits in the inning. The Stone Crabs came back and scored two more runs in the sixth to ensure the win. Hector Guevara led the offense by going 3 for 4 with a triple and 3 RBI's. The offense supported a commanding performance by Albert Suarez who pitched a complete game shut-out only allowing two while striking out five.


Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Charlotte Stone Crabs 3 (Game Two)
The Stone Crabs dropped game two of Sunday's doubleheader to earn a split of the twin bill. The Stone Crabs had to work out of a hole as they surrendered three runs to the Blue Jays in the third inning. But the Stone Crabs offense did just that, pushing across a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to tie the game. The game would remain tied until the Blue Jays delivered the fatal blow in the way of a solo run in the top of the seventh. They Stone Crabs could not counter in the home half of the seventh and took the loss. Robi Estrada, Derek Dietrich and Riccio Torrez each enjoyed a multi-hit night. Jimmy Patterson was charged with the loss.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 3, Dayton Dragons 2
The Hot Rods dominance at home continues to show as they beat the Dragons on Saturday night. The Hot Rods spotted themselves an early lead with a solo home run by Ryan Brett in the first. They scored again in the third on an RBI single by Jeff Malm to score Drew Vettleson. But the Dragons made thing interesting as they scored a run in the fifth and another in the seventh to tie the game 2-2. The Hot Rods were able to capitalize on errors in the bottom of the seventh to score Joel Caminero which would prove to be the game winner as they held on for the narrow 3-2 victory. Andrew Bellatti picked up the win and Austin Hubbard earned the save.


VSL Rays 6, VSL Phillies 4
The VSL Rays picked up their fourth win of the season as they defeated the VSL Phillies on Saturday. The Rays scored two in the first, one in the third and another in the seventh to hold a 4-0 lead. But the Phillies battled back to score four in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. The Rays answered by scoring two runs in the eight to regain the lead for good as they held on for the 6-4 win. Gianfranco Aldazoro was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's to lead the offense. Freddy Alvarez picked up the win and Gregory Rosal the save.


DSL Cardinals 3, DSL Rays 1
The DSL Rays dropped their 2012 season opener 3-1 on Saturday. The Rays got on the board first, breaking the scoreless tie in the sixth inning. They held onto the slim one run lead until the top of the ninth when the Cardinals struck for three runs. The Rays could not recover in the bottom of the ninth and took the opening day loss. The Rays six hits were evenly distributed amongst the lineup. Geisel De La Cruiz tossed five scoreless innings allowing just one hit while striking out 4. Joelito Cano was charged with the blown save and the loss.

Minor Moves: Nommensen, Salem

The Biscuits are reporting that OF Brett Nommensen has been promoted to the Biscuits. To make room for Nommensen, OF Emeel Salem has been released by the Rays organization.

Nommensen is making his second appearance with the Biscuits after playing with them briefly last season. He is hitting .216 with a double and 3 RBI's in 13 games with the Stone Crabs after starting the season on the DL. Nommensen was the Rays 8th round pick in the 2009 draft out of Eastern Illinois University. He was an all-star last season as a member of the Stone Crabs.

Departing the organization is OF Salem. Salem joined the organization after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2007 draft out of the University of Alabama. Salem was a three time all-star and two time player of the week in his time with the Rays organization. He reached as high as Triple-A Durham prior to his released.

Score and Highlights from 6/1

Durham Bulls 3, Louisville Bat 1
A strong outing by starter Lance Pendleton helped the Bulls open up the series against the Bats with a 3-1 victory. The Bulls scored two runs in the first inning on a two run double by Henry Wrigley to give them a lead which they would not relinquish. They added to their tally in the sixth on an RBI triple by Cole Figueroa. Stephen Vogt, Jesus Feliciano and Figueroa each enjoyed multi-hit nights to help power the offense. Pendleton earned the win by throwing six strong innings, striking out 7 in the process. Brandon Gomes notched the save.


Montgomery Biscuits 9, Mississippi Braves 1
The Biscuits sent thirteen hitters to the plate in a massive eight run fourth inning to propel them to victory over the Braves. All but one Biscuit reached base in the Friday night slugfest. Tyler Bortnick was 3 for 4. Omar Luna and Kyeong Kang had two hits a piece while Ryan Garko and Greg Sexton each had a double to lead the offensive charge. This backed a stellar performance by Alex Colome on the mound who struck out a season high ten hitter enroute to the victory. Marquis Fleming and Alex Koronis each chipped in with two shut-out innings each.


Charlotte Stone Crabs, Dunedin Blue Jays (Postponed)
Friday night's game between the Stone Crabs and Blue Jays was postponed due to heavy rains over Charlotte Sports Park resulting in unplayable field conditions. It will be played as part of a doubleheader on Saturday night.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 1, Lansing Lugnuts 0 (Game One) 
The Hot Rods and Lugnuts kicked off Friday night's games with the suspended game from Thursday. The game resumed with the Lugnuts hitting in the top of the fifth in a no score contest. Both clubs continued to post zeros on the scoreboard, sending the game into extra innings tied 0-0. It wasn't until the bottom of the tenth when a run would finally cross the plate. That's when the Hot Rods capitalized on errors by the opponent that allowed the winning run to score. Trevor Shull was holding the ball when the run scored, giving him the win. Ryan Carpenter and Jason McEachern each put up 4 shut-out innings in the game.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 5, Lansing Lugnuts 1 (Game Two) 
The Hot Rods carried the momentum of the extra innings walk-off win into the second game as they jumped out to a three run lead right out of the gate. Once spotted the lead, the Hot Rods never looked back. They cruised to a victory and ensured a series victory over the Lugnuts. Josh Sale was 2 for 3 with a home run. Drew Vettleson was 2 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI's. Jake Hager and Tyler Goeddel each had two hits a piece. Roberto Gomez picked up the win, improving to 4-2. Justin Woodall pitched 2 no-hit innings to record the save.


VSL Phillies 8, VSL Rays 1
The VSL Rays continue to struggle as they fell to the Phillies 8-1 on Friday. Their lone run came in the seventh inning on an RBI double by David Colina to score Erick Vasquez. Jhefferson Hurtado was charged with the loss.

Four Stone Crabs Named To All-Star Squad

The 2012 Florida State League All-Star lineups were announced today and four Stone Crabs will be representing the South Division this season. Derek Dietrich, Mikie Mahtook, Chris Rearick and CJ Riefenhauser were named to the team.

Dietrich is hitting .262 with 12 doubles, 6 triples, 5 home runs and 25 RBI's in 49 games this season for the Stone Crabs. He is third in the league in extra base hits. Dietrich was drafted by the Rays in second round of the 2010 draft and has been an all-star in each of his professional seasons.

Mahtook made the all-star squad in just his first season of professional baseball. The outfielder is hitting .287 with 9 doubles, 2 triples and 2 homers in 50 games this season. Mahtook was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft out of LSU.

Rearick has dominated out of the bullpen this season, converting 10 of 11 saves this season. The closer is 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA earning his second career all-star nomination. Rearick was drafted by the Rays in the 41st round of the 2010 draft.

Rounding out the Stone Crabs nominees is pitcher CJ Riefenhauser. Last week's FSL pitcher of the week is 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 47 innings pitched this season. He is second in the organization in strikeouts with 60. Riefenhauser was drafted by the Rays in 2010 and this is his second career all-star nomination.

The Stone Crabs will be hosting the 2012 Florida State League All-Star Game on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at Charlotte Sports Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 with the Home Run Derby kicking off at 5:30.

Scores and Highlights from 5/31

Indianapolis Indians 4, Durham Bulls 0 
The Bulls dropped the series against the Indians following a 4-0 loss on Thursday night. The game was delayed over two hours before the first pitch was thrown. The Bulls managed just four hits in the game and six baserunners overall. Matt Torra suffered the loss for the Bulls.


Montgomery Biscuits 7, Mississippi Braves 3 (Game One)
The Biscuits took game one of the doubleheader 7-3 on Thursday night. They scored three runs in the first inning to take the lead and never look back. Hak-Ju Lee, Ty Morrison and Ryan Garko were each 2 for 4 in the game. Tyler Bortnick drove home two runs and Omar Luna had his first homer of the season. Jake Thompson picked up the win.


Mississippi Braves 3, Montgomery Biscuits 2 (Game Two) 
The Biscuits dropped game two of the doubleheader 3-2 to earn a split of the twin bill. The Braves scored three runs in the second inning to take the lead. The Biscuits pulled to within a run of the lead with back to back one run innings in fourth and fifth. But the Biscuits could not find the tying run as the suffered the loss. Omar Luna was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Merrill Kelly suffered the loss, his first of the season.


Jupiter Hammerheads 11, Charlotte Stone Crabs 3
Despite taking an early lead, the Stone Crabs gave up ten runs in two innings to drop the series finale against the Hammerheads. The Stone Crabs scored two runs in the first inning to take the lead. The held the lead until the top of the sixth when the surrendered six runs in the inning. The Hammerheads followed with an addition four runs in the seventh. When it was all said and done, the Stone Crabs found themselves in the loss column by the score of 11-3. Kevin Kiermaier was the only Stone Crabs with multiple hits going 2 for 3. Desmond Jennings was 1 for 3 with a double and a run scored in his MLB rehab start. Derek Dietrich had an RBI triple for the only other extra base hit by the Stone Crabs. Eliazer Sureo surrendered nine runs in 2/3 of an inning to suffered the loss.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 0 , Lansing Lugnuts 0 (Suspended, Fifth Inning)
Thursday night's game between the Hot Rods and Lugnuts was suspended heading into the fifth inning due to weather. The game will resume tomorrow as part of a doubleheader. They will pick up where they left off with a 0-0 score and the Lugnuts batting in the top of the fifth. The regularly scheduled game will follow.


VSL Mariners 2, VSL Ray 1 (8 innings)
The VSL Rays found themselves on the losing side of a tight game that was cut short by rain. Both teams battled through four scoreless innings before the Mariners scored in the bottom of the fifth. The Rays bounced back to tie the game by scoring in the top of the seventh. But the tie didn't last long as the Mariners answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Shortly afterwards, the skies opened and the came was cut short due to weather. The Rays hits were spread evenly with six hits coming from six hitters. Abraham Rodriguez was charged with the loss.

Scores and Highlights from 5/30

Durham Bulls 5, Indianapolis Indians 4 (10 innings) 
A huge hit by Jeff Salazar in the top of the tenth helped the Bulls squeeze out an extra inning win over the Indians. The Indians jumped out to a four run lead in the first inning. The Bulls were held off the scoreboard until the sixth when they produced a four run inning of their own to tie the game. The big inning was highlighted by a two run blast by Juan Miranda. The game was tied until the top of the tenth when Salazar delivered an inside the park homer to win the game. In addition to the homers by Salazar and Miranda, Shawn O'Malley was 3 for 5 on the afternoon to round out the offensive highlights. Brandon Gomes picked up the win and is now 4-0. Dane De La Rosa earned the save.


Montgomery Biscuits, Mississippi Braves (Postponed-Rain)
Wednesday's game between the Biscuits and the Braves was postponed due to rain. They will play a doubleheader on Thursday.


Jupiter Hammerheads 6, Charlotte Stone Crabs 5 
The Stone Crabs late game rally fell short as they lost to the Hammerheads 6-5 on Wednesday. Both clubs exchanged runs in the second inning of the game. But then the Hammerheads put a run in third and three in the fifth to take the lead for good. The Stone Crabs tried to work their way back but ended up being one run short. Phil Wunderlich was 3 for 5 with a three run homer in the ninth. Mikie Mahtook was 3 for 5 with a triple. Brett Nommensen was 2 for 5 with a double. Grayson Garvin was charged with the loss.


  Lansing Lugnuts 6, Bowling Green Hot Rods 4 (10 innings) 
The Hot Rods dropped a close game to the Lugnuts in the series opener. The runs came in pairs all night with the Hot Rods scoring the first pair in the first inning to take the lead. Lansing scored two in the third to tie the game. Then Lansing took their first lead in the ninth by scoring two only to have the Hot Rods tie things up with a pair of runs of their own in the home half of the ninth to force extra innings. Lansing scored twice in the tenth which the Hot Rods could not match, handing the Hot Rods the extra innings loss. Todd Glaesmann was 3 for 4 with 3 homers and 3 RBI's. Jeff Malm was 2 for 5 with 2 doubles. Josh Sale had a solo homer. Hot Rods pitcher struck out 15 hitters on the night. Trevor Shull was charged with the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season. Jake Partridge pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief with 6 strikeouts.


VSL Rays 12, VSL Mariners 9
The VSL Rays held of a late game rally by the Mariners to win 12-9 and snap their seven game losing streak. Both clubs came hard out of the gate, exchange four runs each in the first inning. Things settled down until the fourth when the Rays tacked on three runs to take the lead. The Rays added five more in the sixth to take a commanding 12-4 lead. They dodged a bullet in the late innings as the Mariners scored 5 runs to pull within three, but the Rays held on for the win. David Colina was 3 for 5 with a triple and 3 RBI's. Cesar Hernandez had a two run homer. Johan Marval picked up the win, his first of the season.

Minor Moves: Acosta

Catcher Mayo Acosta was sent to the Montgomery Biscuits from the Durham Bulls. The move was a result of Stephen Vogt being optioned from the Rays yesterday. Acosta is hitting .258 with 8 doubles, 4 home runs and 17 RBI's in 31 games split between Charlotte and Durham this season. Acosta is in his sixth season with the Rays organization after being signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2006.

Scores and Highlights from 5/29

Indianapolis Indians 3, Durham Bulls 1
The Bulls could not overcome an early deficit as they fell to the Indians for the second straight night. The Bulls outhit the Indians but failed to turn those hits into runs as they were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring positions. The lone run for the Bulls came on a solo homer by Jeff Salazar in the fifth inning. Reid Brignac was 3 for 4 with 2 doubles to lead the offense. Chris Archer was charged with the loss. Alex Torres and Josh Lueke chipped in with a no-hit inning each.


Montgomery Biscuits 4, Mississippi Braves 1
The Biscuits used a big fourth inning to back a dazzling performance from starter Matt Buschmann to beat the Braves and even the series. Trailing by a run, the Biscuits offense struck for four runs in the fourth to take the lead for good. Greg Sexton was 2 for 4 on the night with a double and an RBI. Tyler Bortnick was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Ty Morrison picked up three stolen bases. Buschmann pitched 7 innings, recording 6 strikeouts to earn the win. Frank De Los Santos came on in the end, throwing 2 no-hit innings to notch the save.


Charlotte Stone Crabs 4, Jupiter Hammerheads 2
Despite watching an early lead disappear, the Stone Crabs rallied in the eighth to beat the Hammerheads and put a stop to the 5 game skid. The Stone Crabs broke the scoreless tie by scoring two runs in the fourth inning. They clinged to the lead until the top of the sixth when the Hammerheads struck with two runs of their own to tie the game. The game remained tied until the eighth inning when Mikie Mahtook delivered a two run blast to give the Stone Crabs the win. CJ Riefenhauser was strong in the start, striking out 7 in five inning on the mound but departed with a no-decision. Jimmy Patterson was the winner for the Stone Crabs and Chris Rearick picked up the save.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 8, Fort Wayne Tin Caps 2
 The Hot Rods offense continues to roll as delivered eight extra base hits to defeat the Tin Caps 8-2 on Tuesday night. The Hot Rods took the lead in the second and never looked back as they took 3 of 4 in the series against Fort Wayne. Juniel Querecuto led the way by going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's. Jeff Malm was 2 for 5 with 2 doubles. Ryan Brett was 2 for 5 with a triple and an RBI. Jake Hager and Matt Rice each went deep for the Hot Rods. Felipe Rivero picked up the win, striking out 7 in the process. Andre Bellatti earned the save.


VSL Tigers 5, VSL Rays 3
The VSL Rays gave up an early lead to suffer their seventh loss in a row. The Rays jumped out to a two run lead in the second inning but it didn't last long as they gave up five runs in the middle innings to take the loss. The Rays offense managed just two hits on the afternoon but managed five stolen bases once aboard. Carlos Vaamonde drove home two runs in the game. Kevin Cazorla suffered the loss.

Scores and Highlights from 5/28

Indianapolis Indians 7, Durham Bulls 4 
The Bulls rallied back from an early deficit to take the lead with a four run third inning. But they couldn't hold on to the lead as they fell to the Indians 7-4 on Monday evening. Leslie Anderson was a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate with a double and an RBI. Henry Wrigley had a double and 3 RBI's. Jesus Feliciano was 2 for 4. Jim Paduch suffered the loss for the Bulls.


Mississippi Braves 6, Montgomery Biscuits 0
The Biscuits were shut-out by the Braves in the series opener on Monday night. The Biscuits offense could only manage three hits on the night. Joe Cruz suffered the loss and is now 2-6 on the season.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 14, Fort Wayne Tin Caps 7
The Hot Rods offense provided a great show on Memorial Day as they struck for fourteen runs on sixteen hits in the matinee against the Tin Caps. Of the sixteen hits, seven of them were of the extra base variety. Every Hot Rod in the lineup joined in on the hit parade. Alejandro Segovia led the offense by going 3 for 5 with a double, two homers and 3 RBI's. Jake Hager drove home 5 runs by going 2 for 5 with a double and a triple. Drew Vettleson had a triple while Cameron Seitzer had a double to round out the extra base hits. In addition to getting it done at the plate, the Hot Rods were getting it done on the bases by stealing five bags on the afternoon. Justin Woodall threw three scoreless innings to pick up the win for the Hot Rods.


VSL Tigers 18, VSL Rays 6
 The VSL Rays dropped their sixth game in a row following a big loss to the Tigers. The Rays found themselves in a 6 run deficit by the end of the second inning and never recovered. Erick Vasquez went 3 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI's. Roni Maestre was 2 for 2 with 2 runs scored. Cesar Hernandez was 3 for 4 with a run scored. Mario Fernandez suffered the loss.

Minor League Breakdown: The Pitching Prospects

Overall state of the farm

The positive trend of the last weeks couldn't be continued by the minor league affiliates in the last week. Combined, the full-season ball affiliates had a record of only 9 wins opposing 14 losses. Especially the Stone Crabs with 5 consecutive losses haven't helped their playoff chances last week. Sad stat of the day: Since this week, the Durham Bulls are LAST in pitching (according to ERA) AND in offensive production (according to OPS) in the International League!


OPS-CH and ERA-CH stands for the OPS and ERA change since the last minor league breakdown.

Nevertheless, I want to focus on the positive pitching trend since the start of the season, by pointing out two facts:

1. As can be seen in the graph below, the ERA decreased since the start of the season. Especially Durham and Montgomery have improved their pitching outcome in the last month. 
2. The FIP over all Rays minor league pitchers is 3.53 on the season. This means, that the FIP is 0.63 lower than the ERA, which suggests that the pitchers as a whole are better than their ERA suggests. The reasons can be simple bad luck or below average performances by the defense. The FIP over the last week was even lower than 3.53, with 3.34.

ERA change since the start of the season

Prospects stats overview
 

(click on the image for a better view)

Prospects on the rise

1. Brandon Gomes ... While having only 16 IP (in the minors), he looks very dominant. Nearly 15 K/9 (which is a ridiculous 41.9 K%) and a 4.33 K/BB-ratio over the season (16.2 K/9, 6 K/BB ratio and 0.50 FIP over his last 10 IP) are excellent. Also considering his MLB success last year, he definitely should be the 1st reliever being called up in case of an injury.
2. Chris Rearick ... The 2nd reliever on the list of rising prospects continuous to shine like last year. 12.91 K/9 and a 1.50 FIP are not bad at all. In comparison to Brandon Gomes, his BABIP does even suggest that he was a tad unlucky so far (the FIP is also lower than the ERA). 
3. Grayson Garvin ... With C.J. Riefenhauser having been on every "prospects on the rise-list" so far, Grayson Garvin is the only starter on this one. Garvin quietly puts up one solid start after another. A FIP of 2.22 over his last 23.2 IP with 8.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 are excellent.
4. Romulo Sanchez ... The reliever nr. 3 on this list could be a dark horse for the big league club later this year. After some struggles at the beginning of the season, he hasn't been anything than dominant since - and that with pinpoint control!. 9.9 K/9, 0.7 BB/9 over the last 13.2 IP are mind-blowing.
5. Wilking Rodriguez and Alex Torres ... It probably is too early to put them here, but it's nice to see some progress as of late.

Prospects to be falling

1. Johnny Nunez ... While Brandon Gomes and Romulo Sanchez are pushing for the show, I'd be surprised to see Johnny Nunez being called up this season. No control (9.6 BB/9 in last 10.1 IP and 6.56 BB/9 over the season) and a FIP of 5.64 (7.16 over last 10.1 IP) are neither helping his cause nor the Durham Bulls.  
2. Braulio Lara ... Entering full-season ball with lots of fanfare and hype, his results give us a hint that he hasn't progressed very much over the last 2 years. A K/BB ratio of only 1.37 (5.9 K/9, 4.3 BB/9) over his last 16.2 IP are not helping either.

Glossary

All of the stats provided above are excluding the stats from the previous day. I preferrably use FanGraphs as source for the stats. Click on each stat for its explanation:

• Traditional stats: AVG, BB%, K%, K/BB-ratio, HR/9, WHIP and ERA.
• Newer stats: FIP, BABIP and LOB%.

Scores and Highlights from 5/27

Durham Bulls 3, Norfolk Tides 1 (10 innings) 
The Bulls won their fourth straight road game with a 3-1 extra innings win over the Tides. Both clubs dueled through six scoreless innings before the Tides reached the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh. The Bulls answered with a run of their own in the top of the eighth to tie the game and force extra innings. The Bulls capitalized on an error in the tenth to put the go ahead run on base. It was Reid Brignac who drove home the winning run and scored the insurance run to give the Bulls a 3-1 win. Brignac finished the day 2 for 4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Jeff Salazar was also 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Bryan Augenstein pitched 2 no-hit innings for the win.


Jackson Generals 4, Montgomery Biscuits 2 
The Biscuits rallied in the ninth to put the tying run on the bases, but they couldn't get the runs across the plate as they fell to the Generals 4-2. The Biscuits found themselves trailing right out of the gate, giving up a run to the Generals in the first inning. The Biscuits battled back to tie the game 2-2 in the fifth inning. But they immediately surrendered the lead in the next inning. The Biscuits rallied in the ninth by loading the bases, but they failed to turn the baserunners into runs on the scoreboard as they suffered the loss. Omar Luna was a perfect 4 for 4 with 2 RBI's. Marquis Fleming suffered the loss.


St. Lucie Mets 2, Charlotte Stone Crabs 1
The Stone Crabs continue to struggle against the Mets, losing 2-1 in the series finale on Sunday. The Stone Crabs have yet to win a game against the Mets this season as they are now 0-9 against the division leading Mets. The Stone Crabs scored first in Sunday's game as Mikie Mahtook drove home Robby Price. They held the slim 1-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth when the Mets pushed across two runs. The Stone Crabs did not recover as they lost their ninth straight to the Mets. Steven Tinoco was 3 for 4 on the afternoon. MLB rehabber Brandon Allen was 2 for 4 with a double. Eliazer Suero was charged with a blown save and the loss.


Fort Wayne Tin Caps 3, Bowling Green Hot Rods 2
Despite taking an early lead, the Hot Rods could not hold on for a win against the Tin Caps on Sunday. The Hot Rods held a slim one run lead until the fifth when the Tin Caps tied the game. The game stayed tied until the Tin Caps pushed across two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Hot Rods got a run back in the ninth but they fell a run short and suffered the loss. Jeff Malm was responsible for both Hot Rods runs, driving home Ryan Brett in the first and then striking a solo homer in the ninth. Brett had the only other extra base hit for the Hot Rods, a triple in the first. Charlie Cononie was charged with the loss.

Future Considerations Podcast (Episode 23: Draft Talk with Matt Garrioch)

Matt Garrioch (@mattgarrioch) of Minor League Ball and MLB Prospect Guide join Scott and Kevin to break down this year's draft.

Questions or comments? E-mail podcast@raysprospects.com

Music is from Isle of Q

mp3 Download (26.1 MB; 0h28m36s)
RSS Feed
iTunes Feed - If you subscribe through iTunes, please rate and review!
(This episode will not show up in the preview link right away, but if you subscribe it will download automatically)

Rays Organizational Needs

Unlike last year, when the Rays had 12 picks within the first two rounds, this year's draft provides them with less opportunities to acquire elite talent. The Rays have one pick per round (the 25th) and no supplemental picks in 2012. Nevertheless, there are some organizational needs that can be filled by drafting and developing the right players. I'm going to take a short look at the organizational strength, pointing out the positions I see the Rays with the most of lack in talent.

Starting Pitching

While Starting Pitching has been THE organizational strength for years now, the minor league depth regarding top starting pitching prospects took a considerable hit over the last year. Top SP prospects like Chris Archer, Alex Torres, Alex Colome and Enny Romero have not (yet) developed the way we all hoped for and a new Matt Moore or Jeremy Hellickson (at least in full-season ball) is nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, I do see the starting pitching depth as clearly above average, comparing it to other MLB teams. Here is my explanation why:

1. Despite Alex Torres' struggles and Jeff Niemann's injury, the MLB depth is still solid. Alex Cobb should fill in nicely for Niemann. Wade Davis is always there for insurance. And Chris Archer seems to recover a bit from a slow start to the season.
2. While the pitchers in A+ and AA are mostly not playing up to their potential (with the exception of Mr. Riefenhauser), there is at least some MLB-SP potential in there with Alex Colome and Enny Romero. 
3. Bowling Green has some very intriguing starting pitching prospects with Ryan Carpenter, Parker Markel (both have to improve their K-rates, though) and especially Felipe Rivero.
4. The overall organizational pitching, and so also its starters, has been improving since a horrid start of the season.
5. There are some very interesting, mostly raw but high potential pitchers parked in extended spring training. Taylor Guerrieri, Jacob Faria or Blake Snell could develop into high-end starting pitching prospects.

That said, the high-end depth in SP has definitely taken a hit and could use some reinforcements through the draft.

Relief Pitching

Year in, year out, Andrew Friedman and Joe Maddon build an above average major league bullpen by identifying potential where nobody else sees potential. Therefore, I'm less concerned about a possible lack of minor league depth in the relief pitching department, then in other areas. Nevertheless, the Rays have traded for cheap and controllable bullpen talent by acquiring young and nearly major league ready pitchers like Josh Lueke or Brandon Gomes and signed power pitchers who highest likely (or at least as a suitable fallback option) project as relief pitchers due the draft (Ian Kendall, Jeff Ames, Jake Thompson, Lenny Linsky, Blake Snell, Jesse Hahn, ...).
With the contracts of most of the Rays late inning saviors (Rodney, Peralta and Farnsworth) being up after this season, the front office will have its work laid out in front of them for the upcoming offseason. But, I'm confident that they find the missing pieces in order to complement the above mentioned pitchers, as well as converted starting pitchers like Jake McGee, Wade Davis (for the long run?) and Alex Torres.
Despite the new CBA being a pain in the ass for the Rays, when it comes to bonus amounts for highschoolers, they should again try to find raw highschool pitchers with starting pitching potential, who could be converted into relievers if not panning out in a starting role. Relief pitching, though, should not be a premiere priority for the franchise entering the 2012 draft (or any draft).

Catching

Jose Molina - MLB - .551 OPS
Chris Gimenez - MLB - .491
Jose Lobaton - DL
Robinson Chirinos - DL
Nevin Ashley - DL
Mark Thomas - AA - .542 OPS
Luke Bailey - DL

With the exception of Mayobanex Acosta, no minor or major league catcher stands out for his (offensive) play this year. The already barren prospect pool (with Justin O'Conner struggling heavily in his 1st two MiL seasons and Luke Bailey not fulfilling his potential by draft day) has taken a big hit due to injuries and bad performances.  Unfortunately, the Rays don't draft at the top of the draft (in order to land Mike Zunino), nor have they acquired a player like him (still sad about that) during the offseason. Bottom line: What the Rays need most is a FRANCHISE CATCHER. This draft has some highly ranked catching prospects behind Mike Zunino,  with Stryker Trahan, Peter O'Brien or Josh Elander. Will the Rays draft a catcher early on, once again, despite having very limited success with the drafting of catchers in the past? Or will they sign someone from outside? Something has to be done.

Middle Infield

Much was said about the Rays drafting - what feels like - 10 shortstop prospects every year. The prospect pool should be laden, you might think? Fact is, the Rays don't look very well at short in 2012. While Elliot Johnson and Sean Rodriguez hold the fort with some respectable play in the majors, Reid Brignac looks like he won't make it, Tim Beckham is suspended and Hak-Yu Lee seemengly can't (yet) adjust to AA ball. Derek Dietrich is hitting well, but might have to move off from short and Jake Hager (why no Trevor Story???) is being outperformed in full-season ball.
Summarizing, the Rays do have talent at short in the minors. The talent is mostly not playing up to its potential, though.
With Tyler Bortnick and Cole Figueroa, who both could turn out to be useful utility infielders a la Elliot Johnson, the Rays don't have All-Star caliber, but solid upper minor league depth at 2B. With Ben Zobrist, Jeff Keppinger and Sean Rodriguez already at the major league level, All-Star depth is not necessarily needed either. Therefore, 2B should be okay for the upcoming years, also with players like Derek Dietrich or Tim Beckham possibly moving over and Ryan Brett or Hector Guevara emerging.


Corner Infield


The Bowling Green Hot Rods give hope to the - what seems to be for years - weakest point of the Rays' minor league system. Both, Jeff Malm and Tyler Goeddel have the potential to emerge as above average major leaguers. Until they are ready for the majors, the Rays have to continue to look for stopgap options across Evan Longoria, though, as the upper minors only have - a much improved - Henry Wrigley to count for. Therefore, and even despite the 2012 draft looking to be thin at first, the Rays should add one or two potential power bats to Malm, Goeddel and John Alexander in the lower minors.


Outfield

The best for the end! With Matt Joyce, B.J. Upton, Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist forming one of the best outfields in the majors, the Rays look good for 2012. Brandon Guyer could/should take the first spot that opens up in the majors (due to Upton leaving after the season or Zobrist moving back to 2nd) and contribute regularly in 2013. Sam Fuld, Rich Thompson or Stephen Vogt then could compete for a possible last spot in the outfield. Behind them, Kyeong Kang (for a COF spot) and Ty Morrison (for CF) should be in AAA full time next year and provide solid depth, while with Mikie Mahtook, Josh Sale, Drew Vettleson, Kes Carter (if healthy), Grandon Goetzman and Johnny Eierman lots of potential gems have time to grow into future big league roles. Therefore, and while I definitely expect the Rays to select at least one or two athletic SS/CF guys in the draft, outfield is THE NEW STRENGTH of the system and less of a need in this year's draft.

Minor League Breakdown: The Hitting Prospects

Overall state of the farm

The third minor league hitting prospects breakdown is up and recently things have been looking well in the minors. The four full-season ball teams have gone a combined 15:8 over the last 6 and 30:19 over the last 13 days. Especially the strong pitching over the last 6 days can be credited for this excellent spurt. The overall ERA decreased from a weak 4.37 to a better (while still not good) 4.14. The hitting prospects as a group have improved as well. They - led by Josh Sale and the Bowling Green Hot Rods - increased their OPS to .698.
 

OPS-CH and ERA-CH stands for the OPS and ERA change since the last minor league breakdown.

Prospects stats overview

All of a sudden, the rightfully criticized last three draft years are looking better. Just take a look at the prospects on the rise-section below. Keep in mind that I use FanGraphs as source and therefore all of yesterday's (in a lot of cases excellent) performances are not taken into account yet (e.g.: Ryan Brett going 5 for 5, Drew Vettleson 2 of 3 with 2 walks, Mahtook, Dietrich, Allen, Nommensen and Rogers rocking in Port Charlotte's victory, ...). Here is the data:

 

(click on the image for a better view)

Prospects on the rise

1. Joshua Sale ... Who really expected such a jump?  And according to Sale himself, "only" some simple mind-approach changes have been the trigger for the jump in quality. See the result: 18.9 BB%, 15.1 K%, .536 wOBA, 1.266 OPS, .425 ISO and not even a really high BABIP (.321) are mind-blowing. Despite the small sample size, the improvement in his approach seems to be legit.
2. Jeff Malm ... He continues to produce. He hits for some power and for a solid average, has an okay approach at the plate and is trending upwards. A 1.002 OPS and .427 wOBA over the last 50 PA's are very good. The BABIP is high, though.
3. Mayobanex Acosta ... With an OPS of nearly .900 (.391 wOBA) between Port Charlotte and Durham on the season, he is one of the bright spots behind the plate in-between all those injuries.
4. Mikie Mahtook ... Even without yesterday's performance (5 PA, 2H, 1st HR of the season, 1BB, 0K), things are trending upwards. A .411 wOBA and .911 OPS over his last 44 PA's are excellent.
5. Derek Dietrich ... Dietrich is another of yesterday's top performers with 1 HR and 2 Doubles. But, even without yesterday, he consistently improves (.752 OPS after 59 PA's, .780 OPS after 128 PA's and .804 OPS after 173 PA's) during the season.

Prospects to be falling

1. Reid Brignac ... Have we already seen the last AB of Reid Brignac in the majors? While his defense is good, he needs to not just tinker or adjust, but fully rearrange his approach.
2. Taylor Motter ...  While his plate discipline is okay, much more was expected out of Motter after an exceptional '11 season in short season ball.
3. Hak-Yu Lee ... While his MIF-partner Tyler Bortnick is slowly turning it around (.389 wOBA in his last 53 PA's), the consensus pre-season Top 100 MiL-Prospect Hak-Yu Lee doesn't get going. A wOBA below .300 is not what we expected out of him.
4. Tyler Goeddel ... While still having solid numbers overall, he couldn't sustain his early season success streak. A .541 OPS and .281 wOBA since the last MiL-Hitting Breakdown are not good. Nevertheless, with such a young prospect, struggles are to be expected. His BB/K ratio - at least - is slowly but steadily improving.

Glossary

All of the stats provided above are excluding the stats from the previous day. I preferrably use FanGraphs as source for the stats. Click on each stat for its explanation:

• Traditional stats: AVG, OBP, OPS, BB% and K%.
• Newer stats: ISO, wOBA, wRAA, BABIP and Spd.

Future Considerations Podcast (Episode 22: Josh Sale, Midseason Promotions, Matt Moore)

Scott and Kevin take a look at Josh Sale's superhot start with Bowling Green, analyze some candidates in line for a midseason promotion, and break down Matt Moore's early struggles.


Questions or comments? E-mail podcast@raysprospects.com

Music is from Isle of Q

mp3 Download (27.1 MB; 0h29m38s)
RSS Feed
iTunes Feed - If you subscribe through iTunes, please rate and review!
(This episode will not show up in the preview link right away, but if you subscribe it will download automatically)

Rays All-DL Team

The Rays and their four full-season affiliates now have 25 players on the DL, rehab assignment, or restricted list. That's an entire team roster. For fun I thought I'd see what that team would look like.

Catchers:
Robinson Chirinos
Jose Lobaton
Nevin Ashley
Luke Bailey

1B:
Brandon Allen

2B:
Isaias Velasquez (a reach, he hasn't played there since 2009)

SS:
Tim Beckham

3B:
Evan Longoria

LF:
Sam Fuld

CF:
Desmond Jennings

RF:
Brandon Guyer

Extra OFs:
Kevin Kiermaier
Kes Carter

Starters:
Jeff Niemann
Alex Colome
Nick Barnese
Parker Markel
Bryan Augenstein

Relievers:
Jairo De La Rosa (backup middle infielder)
Matt Bush (backup middle infielder)
Jay Buente
Chris Andujar
Zach Quate
Lenny Linsky

Closer:
Kyle Farnsworth


One of the catchers can be DH. Other than too many catchers (depth!) and a sort-of second baseman, not a bad team. The rotation is a little young, but overall probably a better team than the Bulls this year.

Scores and Highlights from 5/16

Pawtucket Red Sox 5, Durham Bulls 4 
The Bulls suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the Red Sox on Wednesday night. The Bulls came out swinging, taking an early lead. But they were unable to hold onto the lead as the fell for the second straight night to the Red Sox. Leslie Anderson was 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored. Hideki Matsui got his first hit as a Bull, going 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Craig Albernaz was 2 for 3 with a double. John Gaub was charged with the loss.


Montgomery Biscuits 8, Birmingham Barons 5
The Biscuits moved into second place in the division following an 8-5 win over the Barons. The Biscuits held on to a tie into the top of the tenth where they rallied to push three runs across the plate to notch an extra inning win. Kyeong Kang powered the offense by going 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, a triple and 2 RBI's. Mark Thomas was 3 for 5 with a double and 2 RBI's. Tyler Bortnick was 2 for 5 with a double, 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Brad Coon was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Marquis Fleming pitched 2 scoreless innings for the win while Frank De Los Santos threw a no-hit tenth for the save.


Charlotte Stone Crabs 3, Fort Myers Miracle 1
The Stone Crabs evened their record to .500 on the season with a 3-1 win over the Miracle. The Stone Crabs struck early and never looked back. They scored one in the first and two in the second and that was all that was needed as the pitching staff did their part in keeping runs of the scoreboard. Robi Estrada was 2 for 3 with a double and a two run homer. Alejandro Torres was 2 for 4. Mikie Mahtook had a double. Albert Suarez picked up the win. Jimmy Patterson pitched 2 shut-out innings and Chris Rearick picked up his eighth save of the season.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 4, Dayton Dragons 1
The Hot Rods extended their winning streak to three games by defeating the Dragons 4-1. The Hot Rods and Dragons dueled through 5 scoreless frames before pushing across a run. Once they did, the Hot Rods put together a three run sixth to put them out in front for good. Cameron Seitzer was 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Ryan Brett and Jeff Malm were each 2 for 4. Josh Sale plated a run and had a stolen base. Roberto Gomez won his third straight game while Andrew Bellatti pitched 3 shut-out innings with 5 strikeouts to get the save.


VSL Phillies 4, VSL Rays 3 
The VSL Rays put together a late rally but fell short as they lost to the VSL Phillies. For the second consecutive afternoon, the Rays outhit their opponent but failed to come up with that first win of the season. Iago Januario was 2 for 4 with a 2 run homer. Jhonnathan Teran was 2 for 3. Jose Paez had a triple and an RBI. German Marquez suffered the loss for the Rays.