Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Average League Lines & Ages

Matt Eddy at BaseballAmerica published a very informative piece today dealing with the average slash lines, stats, and ages of each league in 2009. This stuff is very helpful when comparing players across leagues, so I really encourage you to read the whole piece, but here are the slash lines for each Rays-relevent league, along with the average age for each level:
Level - League                  BA    OBP   SLG   OPS     Age
AAA - International League .262 .328 .395 .723 26.9
AA - Southern League .255 .332 .380 .712 24.3
High-A - Florida State League .252 .322 .363 .685 22.8
Low-A - South Atlantic League .254 .324 .368 .692 21.6
SS-A - New York-Penn League .245 .320 .351 .671 20.8
Rk - Appalachian League .257 .328 .384 .712 20.8
Rk - Gulf Coast League .238 .316 .335 .651 20.5
A few quick observations: In regards to the Gulf Coast League, the average GCL/AZL pitcher was more than a year older than the average hitter(weighted for playing time). The FSL's average OBP was the lowest of any full-season league at .322, and the Stone Crabs had the league leader in Shawn O'Malley, who got on base at a .388 clip. He also played the season roughly a year younger than the average hitter's age. He hit for virtually no power at all -- a well-below average .311 SLG -- but he's really worth keeping an eye on in the Arizona Fall League in a few weeks.

This information is really nice to have, and I hope I can play around with it some more. If you click the link to the actual BaseballAmerica piece, there's also information like walk and strikeout rates, so it's worth checking out.

2009 Year in Review: Bowling Green Hot Rods (Hitting)

Bowling Green Hot RodsThis week we will continue our look back at the 2009 season by taking a look at the offensive leaders of each affiliate. Today we will focus on the offensive stats of the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Batting Average:
1. Kyeong Kang (.307)*
2. Isaias Velasquez (.278)
3. Tim Beckham (.275)*
4. Jake Jeffries (.261)*
5. Anthony Scelfo (.244)
6. Michael Sheridan (.238)*
7. Jason Corder (.229)
8. Justin Reynolds (.228)
9. Jeremy Beckham (.226)
10. Robi Estrada (.225)

Slugging:
1. Kyeong Kang (.491)*
2. Michael Sheridan (.391)*
3. Isaias Velasquez (.390)
3. Henry Wrigley (.390)
5. Tim Beckham (.389)*
6. Jason Corder (.378)
7. Tim Beckham (.389)*
8. Jason Corder (.378)
9. Jake Jefferies (.359)*
10. John Mollicone (.355)

On Base Pct:
1. Kyeong Kang (.390)*
2. Jeremy Beckham (.348)
3. Isaias Velasquez (.342)
4. Tim Beckham (.328)*
5. Jake Jefferies (.326)*
6. Anthony Scelfo (.307)
7. John Mollicone (.305)
8. Justin Reynolds (.299)
9. Jason Corder (.295)
10. Michael Sheridan (.278)*

Hits:
1. Tim Beckham (135, ninth in SAL)*
2. Isaias Velasquez (119)
3. Anthony Scelfo (118)
4. Jake Jefferies (115)*
5. Michael Sheridan (105)*
6. Kyeong Kang (97)*
7. Robi Estrada (65)
8. Justin Reynolds (62)
9. Jason Tweedy (56)
10. Jason Corder (46)

Doubles:
1. Tim Beckham (33, sixth in SAL)*
2. Isaias Velasquez (30, tied ninth in SAL)
3. Kyeong Kang (29)*
4. Jason Corder (19)
5. Anthony Scelfo (18)
6. Jake Jefferies (17)*
7. Michael Sheridan (16)*
7. Henry Wrigley (16)
9. Jason Tweedy (14)
10. Justin Reynolds (11)

Triples:
1. Kyeong Kang (7, tied eighth in SAL)*
2. Isaias Velasquez (6)
3. Anthony Scelfo (5)
3. Michael Sheridan (5)*
5. Tim Beckham (4)*
5. Jason Tweedy (4)
7. Robi Estrada (3)
8. Jeremy Beckham (2)
9. Jason Corder (1)
9. Jake Jefferies (1)*
9. Henry Wrigley (1)
9. Justin Reynolds (1)

Home Runs:
1. Michael Sheridan (14)*
2. Anthony Scelfo (8)
2. Jake Jefferies (8)*
4. Kyeong Kang (5)*
4. Tim Beckham (5)*
4. John Mollicone (5)
7. Henry Wrigley (4)
7. Justin Reynolds (4)
7. Michael McCormick (4)
10. Jason Corder (3)

RBI’s:
1. Tim Beckham (63)*
2. Michael Sheridan (57)*
3. Anthony Scelfo (52)
4. Jake Jefferies (50)*
5. Kyeong Kang (42)*
6. Isaias Velasquez (40)
7. Justin Reynolds (35)
8. Jason Corder (30)
9. Robi Estrada (27)
10. John Mollicone (25)

Stolen Bases:
1. Isaias Velasquez (14)
2. Tim Beckham (13)*
2. Justin Reynolds (13)
4. Anthony Scelfo (12)
5. Kyeong Kang (10)*
6. Jeremy Beckham (9)
7. Jake Jefferies (7)*
7. Jason Tweedy (7)
9. Robi Estrada (5)
10. Michael Sheridan (4)*

* denotes 2009 Rays Prospect Top Prospect

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Colome, Lobstein Make New York-Penn Top 20

BaseballAmerica's New-York Penn League top 20 prospects list is out, and two Rays made the cut: Righty Alex Colome at #2, and left-hander Kyle Lobstein at #10. The list and a small write-up is free, but the scouting reports are insider-only. Here's a little taste:

#2 RHP Alex Colome
[He] attacks hitters with a lively 92-94 mph fastball that touches 95-96, even deep into outings. He complements it with a 78-80 mph curveball with sharp, late 11-to-5 break. He's working on a changeup to use against lefthanders, and it has excellent movement at times, but he has a tendency to throw it too hard and still is developing feel for the pitch.

#10 LHP Kyle Lobstein
Lobstein's size, clean arm action and textbook delivery suggest projection, but some scouts think his mechanics are too manufactured and that he'll never have better than an average fastball. He's always around the plate with three pitches, and his 78-79 mph downer curveball is a solid-average offering. His changeup could develop into an average pitch.

The only other Renegade who really had a chance to make the list was Jason McEachern, who might've had a better shot had he not started in Princeton.

2009 Year In Review: Hudson Valley Renegades (Hitting)

Hudson Valley RenegadesThis week we will continue our look back at the 2009 season by taking a look at the offensive leaders of each affiliate. Today we will focus on the offensive stats of the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Batting Average:
1. Chris Murrill (.306, seventh in NYP)
2. Tyler Bortnick (.300, tenth in NYP)
3. Dustin Biell (.277)
4. Eli Sonoqui (.269)
5. Mark Thomas (.268)
6. Brett Nommensen (.258)
7. Mayobanex Acosta (.255)
8. Diogenes Luis (.239)
9. Burt Reynolds (.230)
10. DJ Jones (.215)

Slugging:
1. Tyler Bortnick (.470, tenth in NYP)
2. Mark Thomas (.385)
3. Eli Sonoqui (.375)
4. Dustin Biell (.366)
5. Chris Murrill (.363)
6. Burt Reynolds (.351)
7. Mayobanex Acosta (.346)
8. Brett Nommensen (.339)
9. Gabe Cohen (.321)
10. DJ Jones (.311)

On Base Pct:
1. Tyler Bortnick (.386, eighth in NYP)
2. Dustin Biell (.362)
3. Chris Murrill (.360)
4. Mark Thomas (.355)
5. Brett Nommensen (.347)
6. Mayobanex Acosta (.316)
7. David Genao (.311)
8. Eli Sonoqui (.303)
9. Diogenes Luis (.300)
10. Bennett Davis (.290)

Hits:
1. Tyler Bortnick (65)
2. Chris Murrill (59)
3. Eli Sonoqui (58)
4. Mark Thomas (55)
5. Dustin Biell (53)
6. Brett Nommensen (48)
6. Mayobanex Acosta (48)
8. Elias Otero (43)*
9. Burt Reynolds (34)
10. Diogenes Luis (33)

Doubles:
1. Tyler Bortnick (17)
2. Eli Sonoqui (11)
3. Mark Thomas (10)
4. Mayobanex Acosta (9)
5. Chris Murrill (7)
5. Burt Reynolds (7)
7. Bennett Davis (6)
7. DJ Jones (6)
7. Gabe Cohen (6)
10. Dustin Biell (5)
10. Elias Otero (5)*

Triples:
1. Tyler Bortnick (4)
1. Burt Reynolds (4)
1. Brett Nommensen (4)
4. Dustin Biell (3)
5. Chris Murrill (2)
5. Bennett Davis (2)
5. DJ Jones (2)
5. Elias Otero (2)*
5. Diogenes Luis (2)
10. Mark Thomas (1)
10. Mayobanex Acosta (1)

Home Runs:
1. Tyler Bortnick (4)
1. Mark Thomas (4)
1. Eli Sonoqui (4)
4. Gabe Cohen (3)
5. Dustin Biell (2)
5. Mayobanex Acosta (2)
7. Burt Reynolds (1)
7. Brett Nommensen (1)
7. DJ Jones (1)

RBI’s:
1. Eli Sonoqui (30)
2. Mark Thomas (29)
3. Tyler Bortnick (26)
3. Brett Nommensen (26)
5. Mayobanex Acosta (20)
6. Chris Murrill (18)
7. Dustin Biell (17)
7. Bennett Davis (17)
9. Elias Otero (13)*
9. David Genao (13)

Stolen Bases:
1. Chris Murrill (29, second in NYP)
2. Tyler Bortnick (24, fourth in NYP)
3. Brett Nommensen (15)
4. Dustin Biell (12)
5. Burt Reynolds (9)
6. Mayobanex Acosta (8)
7. DJ Jones (7)
8. Diogenes Luis (6)
9. David Genao (5)
9. Gabe Cohen (5)

* denotes 2009 Rays Prospect Top Prospect

Monday, September 28, 2009

2009 Year in Review: Princeton Rays (Hitting)

Princeton RaysThis week we will continue our look back at the 2009 season by taking a look at the offensive leaders of each affiliate. Today we will focus on the offensive stats of the Princeton Rays.

Batting Average:
1. Ryan Wiegand (.324, eighth in APP)
2. Cody Rogers (.303)
3. David Wendt (.298)
4. Jason Patton (.278)
5. Julio Cedeno (.272)
6. Ty Morrison (.271)*
7. Geno Glynn (.253)
8. Kyle Spraker (.244)
9. Tomas Francisco (.224)
10. Alejandro Torres (.222)

Slugging:
1. Cody Rogers (.490, eighth in APP)
2. Ryan Wiegand (.477, tenth in APP)
3. Jason Patton (.426)
4. David Wendt (.404)
5. Julio Cedeno (.401)
6. Geno Glynn (.400)
7. Ty Morrison (.369)*
8. Kyle Spraker (.326)
9. Seth Henry (.316)
10. Ramon Novas (.296)

On Base Pct:
1. Ryan Wiegand (.389, eighth in APP)
2. Seth Henry (.373)
3. Ty Morrison (.365)*
4. Cody Rogers (.364)
5. David Wendt (.355)
6. Julio Cedeno (.339)
7. Geno Glynn (.337)
8. Jason Patton (.332)
9. Kyle Spraker (.323)
10. Daniel Rhault (.294)

Hits:
1. Ryan Wiegand (72, sixth in APP)
2. Ty Morrison (61)*
3. Cody Rogers (60)
4. Julio Cedeno (55)
5. Jason Patton (47)
6. Kyle Spraker (42)
7. Brian Bryles (41)*
8. Daniel Rhault (31)
9. Tomas Francisco (28)
10. Ramon Novas (26)
10. Alejandro Torres (26)

Doubles:
1. Ryan Wiegand (19, tied third in APP)
2. Julio Cedeno (11)
3. Ty Morrison (9)*
3. Kyle Spraker (9)
4. Jason Patton (8)
4. Brian Bryles (8)*
4. Seth Henry (8)
7. Cody Rogers (7)
7. Ramon Novas (7)
10. Tomas Francisco (6)
10. Geno Glynn (6)
10. David Wendt (6)

Triples:
1. Cody Rogers (6, tied first in APP)
2. Jason Patton (4, tied ninth in APP)
2. Brian Bryles (4, tied ninth in APP)*
4. Ty Morrison (2)*
4. Ramon Novas (2)
6. Kyle Spraker (1)
6. Seth Henry (1)
6. Tomas Francisco (1)
6. Geno Glynn (1)

Home Runs:
1. Cody Rogers (6)
2. Ryan Wiegand (5)
2. Julio Cedeno (5)
4. Jason Patton (3)
4. Ty Morrison (3)*
6. Brian Bryles (1)*
6. Kyle Spraker (1)
6. Seth Henry (1)
6. Geno Glynn (1)
6. Alejandro Torres (1)

RBI’s:
1. Cody Rogers (37, tied ninth in APP)
2. Ryan Wiegand (35)
3. Julio Cedeno (34)
4. Jason Patton (24)
4. Kyle Spraker (24)
6. Tomas Francisco (20)
7. Ty Morrison (18)*
8. Brian Bryles (12)*
8. Seth Henry (12)
8. David Wendt (12)

Stolen Bases:
1. Ty Morrison (20, tied fourth in APP)*
2. Cody Rogers (14)
3. Jason Patton (7)
3. Kyle Spraker (7)
5. Brian Bryles (6)*
5. Seth Henry (6)
7. Julio Cedeno (4)
8. Ryan Wiegand (2)
8. Geno Glynn (2)
8. Daniel Rhault (2)
8. Ramon Novas (2)

* denotes 2009 Rays Prospect Top Prospect

Sunday, September 27, 2009

2009 Year In Review: GCL Rays (Hitting)

GCL RaysThis week we will continue our look back at the 2009 season by taking a look at the offensive leaders of each affiliate. Today we will focus on the offensive stats of the GCL Rays.

Batting Average:
1. Jason Perry (.333)
2. Elliot Johnson (.313)*
3. Todd Glaesmann (.278)
4. Luis Marchena (.265)
5. Gerardo Olivares (.257)
6. Jeff Malm (.240)
7. Juan Cuello (.239)
8. Ruben Contreras (.226)
8. Felix Gonzalez (.226)
10. Hunter Pace (.204)

Slugging:
1. Elliot Johnson (.438)*
2. Ruben Contreras (.358)
3. Hector Gomez (.338)
4. Gerardo Olivares (.335)
5. Jason Perry (.333)
5. Todd Glaesmann (.333)
7. Juan Cuello (.304)
7. Felix Gonzalez (.304)
9. Luis Marchena (.279)
10. Alejandro Segovia (.261)

On Base Pct:
1. Jason Perry (.444)
2. Elliot Johnson (.389)*
3. Luis Marchena (.367)
4. Travis Simas (.318)
5. Gerardo Olivares (.311)
6. Jeff Malm (.296)
7. Hunter Pace (.295)
8. Juan Cuello (.293)
8. Alejandro Segovia (.293)
10. Ruben Contreras (.283)

Hits:
1. Gerardo Olivares (46)
2. Felix Gonzalez (38)
3. Ruben Contreras (36)
4. Hunter Pace (35)
5. Juan Cuello (33)
6. Hector Gomez (29)
7. Alexander Diaz (26)
8. Cristian Vasquez (25)
9. Luis Marchena (18)
10. Travis Simas (17)

Doubles:
1. Gerardo Olivares (12, tied eighth in GCL)
2. Hector Gomez (10)
3. Felix Gonzalez (7)
4. Ruben Contreras (6)
4. Juan Cuello (6)
6. Alexander Diaz (5)
6. Travis Simas (5)
6. Alejandro Segovia (5)
9. Cristian Vasquez (4)
10. Hunter Pace (3)

Triples:
1. Hector Gomez (3)
1. Felix Gonzalez (3)
1. Ruben Contreras (3)
4. Gerardo Olivares (1)
4. Hunter Pace (1)
4. Astin Jacobo (1)

Home Runs:
1. Ruben Contreras (3)
2. Hector Gomez (1)
2. Juan Cuello (1)
2. Christian Vasquez (1)

RBI’s:
1. Gerardo Olivares (21)
2. Hector Gomez (16)
3. Ruben Contreras (15)
3. Felix Gonzalez (15)
5. Juan Cuello (12)
5. Hunter Pace (12)
7. Alejandro Segovia (9)
8. Alexander Diaz (8)
9. Lucas Nakandakare (7)
10. Cristian Vasquez (6)

Stolen Bases:
1. Ruben Contreras (11)
1. Hunter Pace (11)
3. Christian Vasquez (10)
4. Felix Gonzalez (8)
5. Juan Cuello (4)
6. Alexander Diaz (2)
7. Hector Gomez (1)
7. Luis Marchena (1)
7. Claudio Fukunaga (1)
7. Astin Jacobo (1)
7. Todd Glaesmann (1)
7. Jeff Malm (1)

* denotes 2009 Rays Prospect Top Prospect

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Discussion: Top Pitchers List

RaysProspectsWhen we put together our RaysProspects Top 15's we each make our individual lists and then combine them and hash out the differences to create the final lists. Here is my preliminary Top Pitchers list, feel free to comment/criticize. This is just a simple list of the names, the real list will include player backgrounds, career stats, scouting reports, reason for ranking, outlook for next year, etc. Remember, this is just my list, the final list will be different, and it's only preliminary, I'm still open to changes. So without further ado, my Top 25 pitchers:

1. Wade Davis - Very close, but by a hair over Hellboy.
2. Jeremy Hellickson - Continues to dominate at every level of the minors.
3. Matt Moore - Only concern is the walk rate.
4. Kyle Lobstein - Great first pro season, enough to pass Barnese for me.
5. Nick Barnese - Injury shortened season, drop in strikeout rate worries me.
6. Alex Cobb - Won me over this year, improved K rate, kept BB rate low, but is hittable.
7. Jason McEachern - Can't wait to see where Kevin ranks him.
8. Alexander Torres - Top 7 were pretty easy, now it gets harder. Listed at 5'10". Too high?
9. Alexander Colome - Might have had the best statistical season in the organization.
10. Matt Gorgen - Tremendous stats, ranking depends on how you value starters vs. relievers.
11. Mitch Talbot - Hard to place, turns 26 in October, is he MLB ready? Lower?
12. Aneury Rodriguez - Only 21 in AA, improved as the season went on. Higher?
13. Wilking Rodriguez - See yesterday's BA scouting report, could be the next big thing.
14. Joseph Cruz - First year in full-season ball was mixed, high hit rate (and BABIP).
15. Jake McGee - Came back healthy, next year is key, can he still be a starter?
16. David Newmann - Good year, but old for FSL.
17. Frank De Los Santos - Like Cruz, mixed results in full-season ball. Low K rate.
18. Jacob Partridge - Limited action, but great start for 18th rounder.
19. Victor Mateo - Strong season transitioning to the states from DSL.
20. Chris Andujar - Gets no fanfare, K rate is low, sleeper pick.
21. Darin Downs - Breakout stat season, but old for level (mostly A+) and skull fracture.
22. Josh Satow - Age/level and being a reliever are only knocks.
23. Julius Dettrich - Low K rate is a worry.
24. Zach Quate - 14th round pick dominated the New York-Penn out of the pen.
25. Heath Rollins - Personal favorite, but permanent transition to the pen hurts.

Just missed:
Albert Suarez - Coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Justin Garcia - Still a personal favorite.
Devin Fuller - 6th rounder had a low K rate and high BB rate, but a good ERA in debut.
Others: Andrew Bellatti, Omar Bencomo, Alex Koronis, Scott Shuman, Zach Rosscup, Brad Furdal, Marquis Fleming.

[Edit by Kevin 4:38 p.m.]
Here's my rough top 25(originally posted in the comments) for means of comparison. Comments added, too.

1. Wade Davis - MLB success gives him the slight edge over Hellickson.
2. Jeremy Hellickson - Statistically dominant, but has missed some time due to injury in multiple seasons.
3. Matt Moore - Overpowered the SAL, starting to shore up control.
4. Alex Cobb - Cobb doesn't really do anything poorly, and shows plus control.
5. Kyle Lobstein - Was dominant in his last 7 starts of the season.
6. Nick Barnese - Strikeout drop is worrying, but perhaps his arm wasn't full strength with the early injury.
7. Alex Colome - Not a bad stat to be found
8. Jason McEachern -I still love him but I can't justify him over Lobstein/Colome because of the strikeout difference in HV... even though McEachern is younger.
9. Alex Torres - Don't have a real good read on him yet.
10. Matt Gorgen - Here's hoping he isn't the next Ryan Reid.
11. David Newmann - Great season, but at 24 years old his ceiling is probably limited.
12. Mitch Talbot - And hey, here's a guy older than Newmann. Could get a crack at the Rays bullpen in 2010.
13. Jake McGee - Came back healthy, will the dominant fastball return next year?
14. Heath Rollins - His pedestrian stuff may not play at the higher levels.
15. Wilking Rodriguez - He's on helium watch.
16. Aneury Rodriguez - Shrugged off an awful start to finish with a 4.50 ERA. He's young, but the flyball rate is a big worry.
17. Darin Downs - You just hope he doesn't show any ill effects of the skull fracture.
18. Joseph Cruz - Doesn't totally thrill me. Future Alex Cobb type?
19. Kevin James - 9th rounder supposedly has electric stuff.
20. Scott Shuman - Came out throwing in the mid-high 90's in Princeton's pen.
21. Jacob Partridge - The best of the GCL Rays pitchers.
22. Zach Quate - Stats looked great, we'll see how it plays as he moves up.
23. Trevor Shull - He's a sleeper candidate for 2010 for me.
24. Shane Dyer - I smell a bounceback. Just a feeling.
25. Marquis Fleming - Intriguing reliever, but he's been old for his level.

2009 Year in Review: Durham Bulls (Overall)

Durham BullsOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the Durham Bulls.

The Durham Bulls were the 2009 AAA Champions. The path to the championship began with the Bulls finishing 83-61 and winning the International League Championship earning them a trip to Oklahoma City to play the Pacifica Coast League Champions. The Bulls defeated the Memphis Redbirds in the AAA Championship game and were crowned the 2009 AAA Champions. The 09 Bulls also put two players on the International League All-Star team with Reid Brignac and Dale Thayer representing the Bulls. Jon Weber was named the Durham Bulls MVP for 2009 by the Tampa Bay Rays with Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson also taking awards for best minor league hitter and pitcher respectively.

Final Standings:
International League South Division
1. Durham Bulls (83-61)
2. Gwinnett Braves (81-63)
3. Norfolk Tide (71-71)
4. Charlotte Knights (67-76)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .264 (5 of 14)
Slugging: .414 (3 of 14)
On Base Pct: .340 (2 of 14)
Hits: 1315 (2 of 14)
Doubles: 295 (tied 1 of 14)
Triples: 2 (10 of 14)
Home Runs: 137 (1 of 14)
Runs Scored: 683 (1 of 14)
Stolen Bases: 118 (6 of 14)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 3.75 (4 of 14)
Runs Allowed: 616 (10 of 14)
Strikeouts: 1050 (1 of 14)
Walks: 522 (13 of 14)

Attendance:
8th best in International League
448,385 total in 72 games for 6,783 average per game (68% capacity)
Durham Bulls Athletic Park Total Seating: 10,000

2009 Durham Bulls Roster:
Pitchers
Winston Abreu
Bateman, Joe
Jeff Bennett
Chad Bradford
Jason Childers
Randy Choate
Jason Cromer
Wade Davis*
Dewon Day
Julio DePaula
Matt DeSalvo
Jeremy Hellickson*
Carlos Hernandez
James Houser*
Jason Isringhausen
Jorge Julio
Scott Kazmir
Chris Medlock
Jon Meloan
Joe Nelson
Rayner Oliveros
Chad Orvella
Paul Phillips
David Price*
Heath Rollins*
Andy Sonnanstine
Mitch Talbot*
Dale Thayer
Michael Wlodarczyk

Catchers
Craig Albernaz
Michel Hernandez
Alex Jamieson
John Jaso*
Shawn Riggans

Infielders
Reid Brignac*
Brandon Chaves
Joe Dillon
Matt Hall
Rhyne Hughes
Akinori Iwamura
Elliott Johnson*
Adam Kennedy
Henry Mateo
Chris Nowak
Ray Olmedo
Chris Richard
Sean Rodriguez

Outfielders
Rashad Eldridge
Desmond Jennings*
Matt Joyce
Fernando Perez*
Justin Ruggiano*
Ray Sadler
Jon Weber

Coaching Staff
Manager: Charlie Montoyo
Hitting Coach: Dave Myers
Pitching Coach: Xavier Hernandez

*denotes 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Friday, September 25, 2009

2009 Year in Review: Montgomery Biscuits (Overall)

Montgomery BiscuitsOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the Montgomery Biscuits.

The Montgomery Biscuits struggled during the 2009 season despite having the Rays Minor League Player of the Year and the Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Year on the roster. The Biscuits finished 65-74 on the season, last place in the Southern League. Four Montgomery players were selected for the All-Star team; Jeremy Hellickson, Eddie Morlan, Rhyne Hughes and Desmond Jennings. Several members of the Biscuits were also award winners in the Rays organization; Desmond Jennings (Minor League Player of the Year and Biscuits MVP), Jeremy Hellickson (Minor League Pitcher of the Year), Nevin Ashley (Defensive Player of the Year) and Matt Gorgen (Relief Pitcher of the Year).

Final Standings:
Southern League South Division (Overall)
1. Birmingham Barons (92-47)
2. Jacksonville Suns (82-58)
3. Mobile Bay Bears (66-74)
4. Mississippi Braves (65-73)
5. Montgomery Biscuits (65-74)

Southern League South Division (First Half)
1. Birmingham Barons (48-21)
2. Mobile Bay Bears (37-33)
3. Jacksonville Suns (35-35)
4. Montgomery Biscuits (33-37)
5. Mississippi Braves (31-39)

Southern League South Division (Second Half)
1. Jacksonville Suns (47-23)
2. Birmingham Barons (44-26)
3. Mississippi Braves (34-34)
4. Montgomery Biscuits (32-37)
5. Mobile Bay Bears (29-41)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .238 (10 of 10)
Slugging: .356 (9 of 10)
On Base Pct: .317 (10 of 10)
Hits: 1080 (10 of 10)
Doubles: 209 (9 of 10)
Triples: 40 (2 of 10)
Home Runs: 82 (7 of 10)
Runs Scored: 565 (9 of 10)
Stolen Bases: 130 (3 of 10)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 4.25 (9 of 10)
Runs Allowed: 627 (7 of 10)
Strikeouts: 894 (9 of 10)
Walks: 442 (3 of 10)

Attendance:
3rd best in Southern League
266,818 total in 66 games for 4,042 average per game (90% capacity)
Riverwalk Stadium Total Seating: 4,500

2009 Montgomery Biscuits Roster :
Pitchers
Brian Baker
Chad Bradford
Angel Castro
Jason Cromer
Darin Downs
Neal Frontz
Matt Gorgen
Jeremy Hellickson*
Jason Isringhausen
Brandon Mann
Chris Mason
Calvin Medlock
Jose Angel Mejias
Eduardo Morlan
Ryan Morse
Rayner Oliveros
Paul Phillips
Ryan Reid*
Aneury Rodriguez
Heath Rollins*
Alexander Torres
Mike Wlodarczyk

Catchers
Craig Albernaz
Nevin Ashley
Jose Lobaton
Ian Paxton
Shawn Riggans
Matt Spring

Infielders
Drew Anderson
Jason Bowers
Chip Cannon
Brandon Chavez
Cody Cipriano
Fernando Cortez
Matt Fields
Matt Hall
Rhyne Hughes
Chris Nowak
Cesar Suarez

Outfielders
Pat Burrell
Rashad Eldridge
Joe Gaetti
JT Hall
Desmond Jennings*
John Matulia
Jason Perry
Pedro Powell
Cody Strait

Coaching Staff
Manager: Billy Gardner
Hitting Coach: Ozzie Timmons
Pitching Coach: Neil Allen

*denotes 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Three Rays In Appalachian League Top 20

It's that time again. BaseballAmerica is rolling out their league top 20 prospect reports, and the Princeton Rays had three players rank in the Appalachian League Top 20. The rankings are free to everyone, and as a "sneak-peek," the full scouting reports are free as well, but here's a snippet from each of the three:

#3 RHP Wilking Rodriguez
Rodriguez has the arsenal to pitch near the front of a big league rotation. His quick arm generates fastballs that sit at 92-93 mph and routinely reach 95-96. He imparts good spin on the ball too, allowing him to work down in the zone with a plus 78-82 mph curveball that features late bite and tilt.

#14 OF Ty Morrison
Morrison's bat slowed as the season progressed into the long summer months, but at his best he flashes pull power from the left side. He profiles as a top-of-the-order hitter, so continued refinement of his already strong batting eye and bunting ability will be a priority. With broad shoulders and a 6-foot-2 frame, he has room to fill out and add strength, which he began to do this spring.

#19 OF Cody Rogers
Though skinny at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, the lefthanded-hitting Rogers has strong hands and wrists that generate average power to his pull side. He has a natural feel for hitting and knows the strike zone. He bats from an open stance, which can leave him susceptible to pitches away.

I was very surprised to see Rodriguez ranked that high. There were positive reports on him throughout the year, but I didn't think he'd rank above Matt Hobgood, who was the #5 overall pick in the 2009 draft. It really is remarkable how much pitching depth there is in the system.

Morrison and Rogers are both similar players: athletic, rangy outfielders with average-at-best arms who know how to use their speed. Rogers has more current power, but if Morrison continues to fill out his lanky frame, he could generate average(or a tick above) power. Both are worth keeping an eye on as they figure to form two-thirds of Hudson Valley's outfield next year.

[Doug:] Just adding in career stats FYI.

Rodriguez:
Year Age      Team W L  ERA  G GS    IP  WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
2007 17 VSL Rays 3 2 1.95 17 0 32.1 1.144 6.4 0.3 3.9 7.8
2008 18 VSL Rays 0 1 3.71 10 8 26.2 1.200 8.8 1.0 2.0 9.8
2009 19 Princeton 1 6 3.21 13 13 56.0 1.000 7.1 0.8 1.9 8.4
3 Seasons 4 9 2.97 40 21 115.0 1.087 7.3 0.7 2.5 8.5
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/25/2009.

Morrison:
Year Age      Team  AB  H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS
2008 17 Princeton 34 9 0 0 0 3 1 2 12 .265 .297 .265 .562
2009 18 Princeton 225 61 9 2 3 20 5 27 61 .271 .365 .369 .734
2 Seasons 259 70 9 2 3 23 6 29 73 .270 .357 .355 .712
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/25/2009.

Rogers:
Year Age      Team  AB  H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS
2009 20 Princeton 198 60 7 6 6 14 1 20 54 .303 .364 .490 .854

Thursday, September 24, 2009

2009 Year In Review: Charlotte Stone Crabs (Overall)

Charlotte Stone CrabsOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

The Charlotte Stone Crabs set the bar high for their inaugural season in 2009 by winning the division and leading the league in attendance. The Stone Crabs were 70-67 on the season, earning them a wild card berth into the FSL Playoffs in which they defeated Fort Myers in the divisional series and fell to the Yankees in game five of the championship series. Five Stone Crabs were nominated to the league all-star team; Darin Downs, Matt Gorgen, Cody Cipriano, Greg Sexton and Nevin Ashley. Four members of the team were also awarded team awards by the Rays organization; Darin Down as team MVP, Shawn O’Malley as best baserunner, Nevin Ashley as Best Defensive Player and Matt Gorgen as best Relief Pitcher.

Final Standings:
Florida State League South Division (Overall)
1. Fort Myers Miracle (80-58)
2. Charlotte Stone Crabs (70-67)
3. St. Lucie Mets (66-68)
4. Jupiter Hammerheads (67-70)
5. Palm Beach Cardinals (61-77)
6. Sarasota Reds (55-82)

Florida State League South Division (First Half)
1. Fort Myers Miracle (43-26)
2. Charlotte Stone Crabs (37-31)
3. Jupiter Hammerheads (34-33)
4. St. Lucie Mets (34-34)
5. Palm Beach Cardinals (29-41)
6. Sarasota Reds (28-40)

Florida State League South Division (Second Half)
1. Fort Myers Miracle (37-32)
2. St. Lucie Mets (32-34)
3. Charlotte Stone Crabs (33-36)
4. Jupiter Hammerheads (33-37)
5. Palm Beach Cardinals (32-36)
6. Sarasota Reds (27-42)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .242 (11 of 12)
Slugging: .339 (10 of 12)
On Base Pct: .315 (tied 8 of 12)
Hits: 1062 (10 of 12)
Doubles: 197 (8 of 12)
Triples: 35 (5 of 12)
Home Runs: 53 (11 of 12)
Runs Scored: 526 (10 of 12)
Stolen Bases: 146 (3 of 12)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 3.65 (8 of 12)
Runs Allowed: 552 (7 of 12)
Strikeouts: 1004 (2 of 12)
Walks: 353 (3 of 12)

Attendance:
Best in Florida State League
171,314 total in 60 games for 2,855 average per game (57% capacity)
Charlotte Sports Park Total Seating: 5,028

2009 Charlotte Stone Crabs Roster:
Pitchers
Kevin Boggan
Chad Bradford
Joey Callender
Angel Castro
Alex Cobb*
Jesse Darcy
Richard De Los Santos
Darin Downs
Marquis Fleming
Brian Flores
Justin Garcia
Matt Gorgen
Jeremy Hall
Austin Hinkle
Craig James
Scott Kazmir
Deivis Mavares
Jake McGee*
Jose Angel Mejias
Ryan Morse
David Newmann
Rayner Oliveros
Paul Phillips
Tommy Rafferty
Josh Satow
Brian Shouse
Mitch Talbot*

Catchers
Nevin Ashley
Christian Lopez
Mike McCormick
Ian Paxton
Shawn Riggans
Mark Thomas
Stephen Vogt

Infielders
Drew Anderson
Jason Bartlett
Cody Cipriano
Matt Fields
Matt Hall
Diogenes Luis
Omar Luna
Shawn O’Malley
Greg Sexton
Matt Sweeney
Shawn Williams
Henry Wrigley

Outfielders
Pat Burrell
Reid Fronk*
John Matulia
Fernando Perez*
Pedro Powell
Ryan Royster*
Emeel Salem
BJ Upton

Coaching Staff
Manager: Jim Morrison
Hitting Coach: Joe Szekely
Pitching Coach: Bill Moloney

*denotes 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

2009 Year In Review: Bowling Green Hot Rods (Overall)

Bowling Green Hot RodsOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods completed their inaugural season in 2009 with a 64-74 overall record which left them in the basement of the South Atlantic League. The Hot Rods were represented by Chris Andujar and Tim Beckham in the All-Star Game. This season was the Hots Rods first and last season in the South Atlantic League as they move to the Midwest League in 2010.

Final Standings:
South Atlantic League Southern Division (Overall)
1. Augusta Green Jackets (76-63)
2. Charleston River Dogs (74-65)
3. Greeneville Drive (73-65)
4. Asheville Tourists (68-70)
5. Lexington Legends (68-72)
6. Rome Braves (66-73)
7. Savannah Sand Gnats (65-72)
8. Bowling Green Hot Rods (64-74)

South Atlantic League Southern Division (First Half)
1. Greenville Drive (39-29)
2. Charleston River Dogs (39-31)
3. Lexington Legends (36-34)
4. Augusta Green Jackets (35-34)
5. Rome Braves (35-35)
Savannah Sand Gnats (35-35)
7. Bowling Green Hot Rods (34-36)
8. Asheville Tourists (26-43)

South Atlantic League Southern Division (Second Half)
1. Asheville Tourists (42-27)
2. Augusta Green Jackets (41-29)
3. Charleston River Dogs (35-34)
4. Greenville Drive (34-36)
5. Lexington Legends (32-38)
6. Rome Braves (31-38)
7. Savannah Sand Gnats (30-37)
8. Bowling Green Hot Rods (30-38)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .243 (15 of 16)
Slugging: .357 (12 of 16)
On Base Pct: .308 (14 of 16)
Hits: 1088 (15 of 16)
Doubles: 234 (7 of 16)
Triples: 40 (4 of 16)
Home Runs: 65 (10 of 16)
Runs Scored: 538 (14 of 16)
Stolen Bases: 99 (14 of 16)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 4.05 (13 of 16)
Runs Allowed: 639 (13 of 16)
Strikeouts: 1039 (13 of 16)
Walks: 446 (13 of 16)

Attendance:
8th best in South Atlantic League
232,987 total in 66 games for 3,530 average per game (78% capacity)
Bowling Green Ballpark Total Seating: 4,500

2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods Roster:
Pitchers
Chris Andujar
Jamie Bagley
Nick Barnese*
Joey Callender
Joseph Cruz*
Jairo De La Rosa
Frank De Los Rosa
Shawn Dyer
Diego Echeverria
Marquis Fleming
Tyree Hayes
Michael Jarman
Deivis Mavares
Matt Moore*
Tommy Rafferty
Juan Santana
Josh Satow
Neil Schenk

Catchers
Tyler Hauschild
Jake Jefferies*

Infielders
Jeremy Beckham
Tim Beckham*
Robi Estrada
John Mollicone
Michael Sheridan*
Isaias Velasquez
Henry Wrigley

Outfielders
Jason Corder
Kyeong Kang*
Justin Reynolds
Anthony Scelfo
Jason Tweedy

Coaching Staff
Manager: Matt Quatraro
Hitting Coach: Hector Torres
Pitching Coach: RC Lichtenstein

*denotes 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Durham Bulls Win Triple-A National Championship

Durham Bulls[Via email from the Durham Bulls Director of Media Relations Matt DeMargel.]

Oneli Perez threw one pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning for the Memphis Redbirds, and it skipped to the backstop allowing Rashad Eldridge to score with the winning run as the Durham Bulls defeated the Memphis Redbirds, 5-4 to win their first Triple-A National Championship.

Tied at four runs apiece heading into the 11th inning, Michel Hernandez led off with a double against Memphis lefty Royce Ring. Eldridge was called in to pinch run for Hernandez and got to work quickly as Ring uncorked a wild pitch allowing Eldridge to advance to third. Ring intentionally walked Ray Olmedo before being pulled for Perez. With Desmond Jennings at the plate, Perez skipped a breaking ball past Brandon Yarbrough and Eldridge came home with the winning run.

RHP Mitch Talbot picked up the victory pitching one inning allowing no runs or hits. Ring took the loss allowing a run on two hits and two walks.

Durham's 12-year, Triple-A resume now includes nine post-season appearances, eight division titles, seven appearances in the Governors' Cup Finals, three Governors' Cups and one National Championship.

Durham took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on back-to-back doubles by Olmedo and Jennings. They grew the lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning beginning with Sean Rodriguez's homer to left field to give the Bulls a two-run advantage.

Justin Ruggiano and Elliot Johnson followed with singles to put runners at first and second before Michel Hernandez grounded into a 5-3 double play. Olmedo kept the inning alive with an RBI-double to left field plating Johnson to make it 3-0.

Jennings then hit a ground ball to first fielded by 1B Mark Hamilton, but pitcher P.J. Walters was late covering the bag and Jennings was ruled safe as Olmedo advanced to third. As Walters argued the call to the first base umpire, Olmedo darted for home, beating the throw by inches to put the Buls on top 4-0.

Durham starter Jeremy Hellickson left the game after five innings with the lead in tact, allowing no runs on only two hits on 73 pitches.

LHP Jason Cromer, a starter all season for Bulls, relieved Hellickson in the sixth inning and immediately gave three runs back. Jon Jay led off the inning with a home run to left field. Tyler Greene singled, then Allen Craig hit an opposite-field home run to make it 4-3 in favor of the Bulls. Cromer then walked Mark Hamilton before being pulled for righty Joe Bateman, who got the Bulls out of the inning with a one-run lead in tact.

Bateman got into trouble of his own in the seventh inning. With one out, Bateman beaned Jay then walked Greene and Craig to load the bases. RHP Calvin Medlock relieved Bateman, but couldn't get out of the jam unscathed as David Friese hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Jay with the tying run.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

2009 Year In Review: Hudson Valley Renegades (Overall)

Hudson Valley RenegadesOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the Hudson Valley Renegades.

The Hudson Valley Renegades finished the 2009 season one game above .500 with a 38-37 record on the year. Despite an average season on the field, the Renegades still drove fans to the ballpark leading to the Renegades setting the attendance record for Dutchess Stadium with 165,601 fans entering the park, beating the record set in 2006. The Renegades sent three players to the 2009 NYP All-Star Game in State College as Mark Thomas, Tyler Bortnick and Alexander Colome represented the American League club.

Final Standings:
New York-Penn League McNamara Division
1. Staten Island Yankees (47-29)
2. Brooklyn Cyclones (45-30)
3. Hudson Valley Renegades (38-37)
4. Aberdeen Ironbirds (30-44)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .250 (4 of 14)
Slugging: .341 (9 of 14)
On Base Pct: .314 (8 of 14)
Hits: 608 (8 of 14)
Doubles: 100 (13 of 14)
Triples: 27 (5 of 14)
Home Runs: 22 (13 of 14)
Runs Scored: 283 (12 of 14)
Stolen Bases: 134 (1 of 14)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 3.49 (8 of 14)
Runs Allowed: 305 (6 of 14)
Strikeouts: 534 (10 of 14)
Walks: 236 (7 of 14)

Attendance:
5th best in New York-Penn League
161,332 total in 35 games for 4,609 average per game (103% capacity)
Dutchess Stadium Total Seating: 4,494

2009 Hudson Valley Renegades Roster:
Pitchers
Jordi Amargos
Daniel April
Kyle Ayers
Angel Chapa
Kevin Chavez
Jeff Cinadr
Alexander Colome
Richard De Los Santos
Aaron Dott
Bladimir Florentino
Devin Fuller
Glenn Gibson
James Hill
Kyle Lobstein*
Jason McEachern
Zach Quate
Doug Salinas
Juan Santana
Albert Suarez*

Catchers
Mayobanex Acosta
Mark Thomas

Infielders
Tyler Bortnick
Bennett Davis
David Genao
Diogenes Luis
Elias Otero*
Burt Reynolds
Eli Sonoqui

Outfielders
Dustin Biell
David Cohen
DJ Jones
Chris Murrill
Brett Nommensen

Coaching Staff
Manager: Brady Williams
Hitting Coach: Manny Castillo
Pitching Coach: Rafael Montalvo
Coach: Mike Johns

*denotes 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Monday, September 21, 2009

2009 Year In Review: Princeton Rays (Overall)

Princeton RaysOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the Princeton Rays.

The Princeton Rays completed the 2009 season in second place of the Appalachian League East Division with an overall record of 36-31. The P-Rays captured the 2009 Mercer Cup, an annual competition between the Bluefield Orioles and the Rays. Cory Rogers was also named to the Appalachian League Post Season All-Star team

Final Standings:
Appalachian League East Division
1. Danville Braves (47-21)
2. Princeton Rays (36-31)
3. Bluefield Orioles (33-35)
4. Pulaski Mariners (28-36)
5. Burlington Royals (24-44)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .251 (6 of 10)
Slugging: .260 (7 of 10)
On Base Pct: .324 (7 of 10)
Hits: 549 (6 of 10)
Doubles: 114 (5 of 10)
Triples: 22 (5 of 10)
Home Runs: 27 (10 of 10)
Runs Scored: 305 (6 of 10)
Stolen Bases: 74 (5 of 10)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 3.17 (2 of 10)
Runs Allowed: 259 (2 of 10)
Strikeouts: 505 (7 of 10)
Walks: 156 (1 of 10)

Attendance:
7th best in Appalachian League
25,944 total in 28 games for 926 average per game (31% capacity)
Hunnicutt Field Total Seating: 3,000

2009 Princeton Rays Roster :
Pitchers
Omar Bencomo
Joey Callender
Jeff Cinadr
Jairo De La Rosa
Julius Dettrich
James Hill
Alex Koronis
Deivis Mavares
Jason McEachern
Tyler Oakes
Wilking Rodriguez
Zach Rosscup
Trevor Shull
Scott Shuman
Matt Stabelfeld
Jake Sullivan
Kirby Yates

Catchers
Tomas Francisco
Alejandro Torres
David Wendt

Infielders
Julio Cedeno
Geno Glynn
Seth Henry
Daniel Rhault
Kyle Spraker
Ryan Wiegand

Outfielders
Brian Bryles*
Ty Morrison*
Ramon Novas
Jason Patton
Cody Rogers

Coaching Staff
Manager: Jared Sandberg
Hitting Coach: Rafael Deleon
Pitching Coach: Marty DeMerritt
Coach: Dan DeMent

*denotes 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Sunday, September 20, 2009

2009 Year In Review: GCL Rays (Overall)

GCL RaysOver the next few weeks I will recap the 2009 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the GCL Rays.

The GCL Rays finished the 2009 season with an overall record of 19-36 which placed them in last place of the Gulf Coast League South Division. There was only one team in the league that finished with a worst record (GCL Astros at 18-38).

Final Standings:
GCL South Division
1. GCL Twins (34-21)
2. GCL Orioles (30-26)
3. GCL Reds (28-27)
4. GCL Red Sox (26-27)
5. GCL Rays (19-36)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .211 (16 of 16)
Slugging: .275 (16 of 16)
On Base Pct: .274 (16 of 16)
Hits: 363 (16 of 16)
Doubles: 69 (tied 15 of 16)
Triples: 12 (tied 12 of 16)
Home Runs: 6 (16 of 16)
Runs Scored: 165 (16 of 16)
Stolen Bases: 52 (11 of 16)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 3.90 (14 of 16)
Runs Allowed: 247 (11 of 16)
Strikeouts: 390 (11 of 16)
Walks: 174 (8 of 16)

2009 GCL Rays Roster :
Pitchers
Wilmer Almonte
Andrew Bellatti
Joseph De La Cruz
Brad Furdal
Hector Gomez
Kevin James
Victor Mateo
Jake McGee
Aneuris Mercedes
Jose Molina
Jose Monegro
Jacob Partridge
Elvin Perez
Marcus Proctor
Enny Romero
Shawn Smith
Eliazer Suero
Matt Swilley
Mitch Talbot
Wade Townsend
Luis Yendis

Catchers
Gerardo Olivares
Alejandro Segovia
Travis Simas

Infielders
Juan Cuello
Claudio Fukunaga
Hector Gomez
Felix Gonzalez
Elliot Johnson
Jeff Malm
Luis Marchena
Lucas Nakandakare
Christian Vasquez

Outfielders
Jacinto Cipriota
Ruben Contreras
Alexander Diaz
Todd Glaesmann
Astin Jacobo
Hunter Pace
Fernando Perez
Jason Perry

Coaching Staff
Manager: Joe Alvarez
Hitting Coach: Ben Oglivie
Pitching Coach: Darwin Peguero
Coach: Reinaldo Ruiz

Game Pictures from 9/16: Game Five of FSL Championship Series-Stone Crabs vs Yankees

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Hellickson To Start Triple-A Championship Game

Stacy Long notes that Jeremy Hellickson will be the Durham Bulls starter on Tuesday night when they play the PCL champion Memphis Redbirds in a 1-game playoff. The game will be seen on ESPN2 at 7:00 eastern. The International League won the PCL-IL all-star game, so the Bulls will be considered the home team for the game held in Oklahoma City.

Friday, September 18, 2009

2009 Fall Instructional League

Tampa Bay RaysHere is the roster and schedule for the 2009 Fall Instructional League to be held in Florida. Practices have already begun and games begin on September 21 against the Phillies at Tropicana Field. All other home games will be played at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte.

Schedule
9/21: vs Phillies
9/22: at Twins
9/23: vs Twins
9/25: at Orioles
9/26: vs Orioles
9/28: at Red Sox
9/29: vs Orioles
10/1: vs Orioles
10/2: at Twins
10/3: at Orioles
10/5: at Red Sox
10/6: vs Orioles
10/8: vs Red Sox
10/9: vs Twins

Roster
Pitchers:
Chris Andujar (Bowling Green)
Nick Barnese (Hudson Valley)*
Andrew Bellatti (GCL Rays)
Alexander Colome (Hudson Valley)
Joseph Cruz (Hudson Valley)*
Frank De Los Santos (Bowling Green)
Devin Fuller (Hudson Valley)
James Hill (Hudson Valley)
Kevin James (GCL Rays)
Alex Koronis (Princeton)
Victor Mateo (GCL Rays)
Jason McEachern (Hudson Valley)
Matt Moore (Bowling Green)*
David Newmann (Charlotte)
Jacob Partridge (GCL Rays)
Marcus Proctor (GCL Rays)
Wilking Rodriguez (Princeton)
Enny Romero (GCL Rays)
Zach Rosscup (Princeton)
Trevor Shull (Princeton)
Scott Shuman (Princeton)
Matt Swilley (GCL Rays)

Catchers:
Mayobanex Acosta (Hudson Valley)
Jacob Jefferies (Bowling Green)*
Geraldo Olivares (GCL Rays)
Alejandro Segovia (GCL Rays)
Mark Thomas (Hudson Valley)
Alejandro Torres (Princeton)

Infielders:
Tim Beckham (Bowling Green)*
Julio Cedeno (Princeton)
Hector Guevara (VSL Rays)
Jeff Malm (GCL Rays)
Elias Otero (Hudson Valley)*
Cesar Perez
Juniel Querecuto
Leonardo Reginatto (VSL Rays)
Michael Sheridan (Bowling Green)*
Matt Sweeney (Charlotte)

Outfielders:
Brian Bryles (Princeton)*
Todd Glaesmann (GCL Rays)
Ty Morrison (Princeton)*
Chris Murrill (Hudson Valley)
Brett Nommensen (Hudson Valley)
Cody Rodgers (Princeton)

* denotes a 2009 Rays Prospects Top Prospect

Game Pictures from 9/15: Game Four of FSL Championship Series-Stone Crabs vs Yankees

Jennings, Hellickson Win Awards

Durham Bulls[Via email from the Durham Bulls Director of Media Relations Matt DeMargel.]

The Tampa Bay Rays today named Bulls outfielder Desmond Jennings their Minor League Player of the Year and Bulls RHP Jeremy Hellickson Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The Rays also announced that Jon Weber was named MVP for the Durham Bulls.

This year’s winners will be honored during an awards ceremony prior to tonight’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. A pregame autograph session will be held on the right field line from 6:30–7:00 p.m. on Friday featuring many of the organization’s award winners.

The following players were named Most Valuable Player for their respective minor league team: Durham Bulls (AAA) – OF Jon Weber; Montgomery Biscuits (AA) – OF Desmond Jennings; Charlotte Stone Crabs (A) – LHP Darin Downs; Bowling Green Hot Rods (A) – LHP Matt Moore; Hudson Valley Renegades (SS-A) – RHP Alexander Colome; Princeton Rays (R) – OF Cody Rogers; Gulf Coast League Rays – RHP Wilmer Almonte; Dominican Summer League Rays – OF Edward Dorville; and Venezuelan Summer League Rays – INF Hector Guevara.

Jennings, 22, was promoted from Montgomery to Durham in late July. Overall, he hit .318 (158-for-497) with 11 home runs, 52 stolen bases (in 59 attempts), 62 RBI, 92 runs scored, 31 doubles, 10 triples, 67 walks, 67 strikeouts, a .401 on-base percentage and .487 slugging percentage. Jennings was also named MVP of the Southern League (AA) despite the promotion to Durham, and finished the season ranking second in the SL with a .316 batting avg., third with 37 steals (a club record), fourth with a .395 on-base pct., fifth with a .486 slugging pct. and tied for fourth with eight triples. Upon joining Durham he raised his batting avg., on-base pct. and slugging pct. After missing most of the 2008 season due to injury, Jennings entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 80 prospect in baseball and moved up to No. 18 in the publication’s midseason update.

Hellickson, 22, earned a late-July promotion from Montgomery to Durham, going a combined 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA (114.0-IP, 72-H, 35-R, 31-ER, 29-BB, 132-SO). His .178 opponents’ batting avg. would have led all full-season minor leaguers if he had enough innings to qualify – and his 10.42 strikeouts per nine innings would have ranked fifth – but a right shoulder strain sidelined him for most of May and June. Hellickson led the SL in strikeouts in April (33) and the International League in strikeouts in August (51), and his 132 strikeouts overall ranked third among Rays minor leaguers. After joining the Bulls, he went 6-1 in nine starts, held opponents to a .157 batting avg., and had more than twice as many strikeouts (70) as hits allowed (31). He was named a SL midseason All-Star.

Weber, 31, spent the entire season with Durham and was named an IL postseason All-Star, his first All-Star honor since 2005. He tied for the overall minor league lead with 46 doubles and hit .302 (136-for-451) with 14 homers, 69 RBI, 63 runs, 56 walks, a .387 on-base pct. and .497 slugging pct. He ranked 10th in the IL in batting and tied for second in extra-base hits (60), one shy of the IL lead. Weber ranked fifth in the Rays organization in batting and RBI, despite missing the final week of the season to play for Team USA in the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Cup held in Europe.

Four Charlotte Stone Crabs Win Awards

Charlotte Stone Crabs[Via email from the Charlotte Stone Crabs' Marketing Manager Jonathan Gantt.]

The Tampa Bay Rays released their annual Minor League Awards for the 2009 season today, and four Charlotte Stone Crabs players received awards: LHP Darin Downs for Team MVP, INF Shawn O’Malley for Best Baserunner, C Nevin Ashley for Best Defensive Player and RHP Matt Gorgen for Best Relief Pitcher.

The Rays reformatted their minor league awards, announcing one Most Valuable Player for each of their nine minor league affiliates, as well as organization-wide awards for Best Baserunner, Best Defensive Player and Best Relief Pitcher.

This year’s winners will be honored during an awards ceremony prior to tonight’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. A pregame autograph session will be held on the right field line from 6:30–7:00 p.m. on Friday featuring many of the organization’s award winners.

Downs earned the MVP award for the Stone Crabs while O’Malley, Ashley and Gorgen earned awards for being the best in the entire Rays organization for their respective categories.

Downs, 24, spent most of the season with Charlotte and made two starts for Montgomery in August. In addition, he was Charlotte’s finalist for the Erik Walker Community Champion Award. In 20 games (19 starts) for the Stone Crabs, he went 12-4 with a 2.00 ERA (121.2-IP, 117-H, 35-R, 27-ER, 23-BB, 111-SO) earning Florida State League All-Star honors. He led all Class-A pitchers in ERA and ranked fourth in the FSL in victories. His combined 2.23 ERA ranked eighth among minor league full-season pitchers. His 12 wins placed second among Rays minor leaguers and 120 strikeouts ranked fifth. Downs’ season ended on August 17, when he was struck in the head by a line drive in Birmingham, Ala., while pitching for the Biscuits. He is expected to make a full recovery for the 2010 season.

O’Malley, 21, was the starting shortstop for Charlotte this season. He stole 40 bases (second in the Rays organization and fourth in the FSL) in 54 attempts. He drew 58 walks, led the FSL with a .388 on-base pct., and ranked fourth in the FSL with 73 runs scored.

Ashley, 25, split the season between Charlotte and Montgomery. Overall, the catcher threw out 48 of 101 (47.5 percent) attempted base stealers and compiled a .993 fielding pct. The FSL midseason All-Star gunned down 55.2 percent (32 of 58) of attempted base stealers as a Stone Crab, which would have led the FSL if he had enough games to qualify.

Gorgen, 22, earned a mid-July promotion from Charlotte to Montgomery. Overall, he went 7-1 with 19 saves and a 1.15 ERA (70.1-IP, 42-H, 11-R, 9-ER, 29-BB, 77-SO). The FSL midseason and postseason All-Star held opponents to a .173 batting avg. and finished second in the Rays organization in saves. With the Stone Crabs, he went 4-0 with 15 saves, a 0.57 ERA (47.2-IP, 3-ER) and a .151 opponents’ avg. in 28 appearances.

The Stone Crabs ended their Inaugural Season on Wednesday after losing to the Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League Championship Series. The team went 71-66 in the regular season and earned a wild card playoff berth in the FSL South Division.

Season Seat packages for the 2010 season are currently on sale and start at just $60 for the popular 10-Game Mini Plan. For more information, please call 941-206-HITS (4487) or visit www.stonecrabsbasball.com.

Durham Bulls Sweep Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees 3-2 In 12

Durham Bulls[Via email from the Durham Bulls Director of Media Relations Matt DeMargel.]

For the third time in eight years, the Durham Bulls are champions of the International League. Durham completed a three-game sweep of the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees with a 3-2 win in 12 innings on Thursday night. The Bulls are 9-0 in their three victorious Governors’ Cup Finals appearances.

John Jaso smacked a double off the right field wall scoring Elliot Johnson all the way from first base in the top of the 12th inning to break a 2-2 deadlock. Winston Abreu came in to pitch the bottom of the 12th but left after walking Juan Miranda as he ruptured a blister on his pitching hand.

Julio DePaula came in and got Cody Ransom to fly out before walking John Rodriguez to put runners on first and second with one out. Reegie Corona lofted a fly ball down the left field line that undoubtedly would have scored the tying run, but Justin Ruggiano made a diving catch for the second out. Ruggiano attempted to double up Miranda at second unsuccessfully, then Olmedo threw wild to first trying to double up Rodriguez allowing both runners to advance.

With runners on second and third and two out, Doug Bernier grounded out to DePaula as he ran it all the way to first base for the final putout giving the Bulls the victory.

Durham trailed 2-0 until the eighth inning when Ruggiano walked and Johnson singled to start the inning. Two outs and a double steal later, Desmond Jennings singled to left scoring both runners to tie the game.

Calvin Medlock picked up the win for the Bulls pitching a scoreless 10th and 11th innings allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four. Julio DePaula picked up his first save of the post-season.

The Bulls will travel to Oklahoma to play either the Memphis Redbirds or Sacramento River Cats for the 2009 Triple-A National Championship in Oklahoma City, OK on Tuesday night.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Charlotte Stone Crabs lose game five of FSL Championship Series to Tampa Yankees

Charlotte Stone CrabsThe Game: The Charlotte Stone Crabs inaugural season came to an end on Wednesday night as the Stone Crabs fell to the Tampa Yankees in game five of the Florida State League Championship Season. The Yankees took the series 3-2, winning the 2009 Florida State League Championship.

The game got underway after a two and a half hour rain delay. As with the previous two games, both pitchers dueled through a scoreless tie for the first few innings of the game. Tampa broke the tie in the fourth inning. David Adams led off the inning with a double to the left field corner. Brian Flores then threw away the ball on a pick-off attempt, allowing Adams to move to third. Austin Romine followed with a ground ball that scored Adams and gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Tampa struck for three more runs in the fifth inning. Luis Nunez and Jack Rye got things started with back to back singles. Then Walter Ibarra struck a double to right to score Nunez and move Rye to third. David Adams later followed with an two run single to right field that put the Yankees ahead 4-0.

The Stone Crabs reached the scoreboard in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Matt Hall doubled to left field to put a runner on the bases. Then Drew Anderson drove him home with a single to left that pulled the Stone Crabs to within three.

Tampa picked up an insurance run in the eighth inning. Daniel Brewer drew a walk to lead off the inning. David Adams followed with a single to right that advanced Brewer to third. Brewer later scored on a wild pitch by Josh Satow to increase their lead to 5-1.

Charlotte tried to mount a comeback in the eighth inning. John Matulia singled to center to get things started. Matt Hall followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. Drew Anderson the hit a single to short that scored Matulia and moved Hall to second. The Stone Crabs then pulled the double steal to move both runners into scoring position. But Greg Sexton popped out for the third run of the inning stranding the runners and the Yankees held on to win game five by the score of 5-2 and take the title.

Brian Flores suffered the loss, pitching 3 innings and allowing 1 run on 2 hits with 2 strikeouts and a walk. Tommy Rafferty followed and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in 2 innings while striking out 1. Marquis Fleming pitched 2 innings and allowed 1 run on 1 hit with 2 strikeouts and a walk. Josh Satow pitched the final 2 innings, allowing no hits and striking out 2 with 1 walk. Trent Lare was the winning pitcher for Tampa.

What Went Right: Drew Anderson; 2 for 4 and drove in both of the Stone Crabs runs.

What Went Wrong: Tommy Rafferty; allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in 2 innings of work.

A Look Ahead: The Stone Crabs have completed the 2009 inaugural season as the FSL South Division Champs. They were 70-67 overall on the season, including a 4-4 record in the franchise first ever playoff appearance. The Stone Crabs look to defend their South Division title in April 2010 with a schedule to be announce later.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Durham Bulls Beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees 4-1, Up 2-0 In Series

Durham Bulls[Via email from the Durham Bulls Director of Media Relations Matt DeMargel.]

A home run from Rashad Eldridge gave the Bulls the go ahead run as they clinched Game 2 of the Governors’ Cup Finals, 4-1 over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Wednesday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Tied at one in the sixth inning, Eldridge connected on Kei Igawa’s 3-1 pitch, depositing the ball over the wall in left to put Durham up 2-1. Eldridge finished the night 3-4 with a homer, a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored.

The Yankees got on the board first in the second inning off Bulls starting pitcher Mitch Talbot. With a runner on second, Doug Bernier hit a grounder to right-center to score the first run of the game.

Talbot, who was on a pitch count, lasted three and one-third innings, giving up Scranton’s only run. He was followed up by Joe Bateman who tossed three and two-thirds scoreless innings allowing only one hit with three strikeouts as he picked up his second win of the postseason.

The Bulls tied it up in the fourth when Eldridge hit a double to left scoring Rashad Eldridge from first.

Durham’s offense put the game out of reach in the eighth as they added two more runs to take a 4-1 lead which would be the eventual final score.

Julio DePaula and Winston Abreu came in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and closed the game out with Abreu picking up his fourth save of the postseason.

With the win, the Bulls are now up 2-0 in the series and are one win away from clinching the Governors’ Cup Championship as they head to Scranton for Game 3 against the Yankees on Thursday. Lefty Jason Cromer takes the mound for Durham against right-hander Ivan Nova with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Minor League Baseball Attendance Tops 41.6-Million

Minor League BaseballST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Despite tough economic times, Minor League Baseball attendance remained strong in 2009. The 15 leagues and 176 clubs drew 41,644,518 patrons in 10,269 openings. The average crowd of 4,055 is only 2.9%, or 119 fans a game, less than last year when the industry established its attendance record of over 43.2 million fans.

"Given the economic conditions in most of our cities, we look at the 2009 season as a solid season with many positives to point out," said Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner. "New ballparks, individual club and league attendance records, great pennant races and outstanding player performances all make 2009 a season to remember.

"I am most proud of the way our clubs turned to their communities in ways to ease the pressures of the day and provide affordable family entertainment like never before. We feel like we have some of the best and most loyal fans in sports. 2009 shows why we can proudly say that," added O’Conner.

The Midwest League established a new record for the third straight year. The California and Florida State Leagues also saw an overall increase in attendance this season. The FSL led the leagues that experienced larger crowds on average at 12.2% per opening, followed by the California (5.2%) and the International and Midwest at 0.4%. The New-York Penn League averaged 3,595 a game this year, the same as it did in 2008. Sixteen clubs set new season attendance marks.

Attendance by Leagues:

Pacific Coast - 7,133,386
International - 7,017,469
Eastern - 3,694,397
South Atlantic - 3,690,958
Midwest - 3,629,038
Mexican - 3,079,774
Texas - 2,964,170
Southern - 2,284,201
New York-Penn - 1,786,735
California - 1,721,279
Carolina - 1,586,588
Florida State - 1,117,363
Northwest - 907,094
Pioneer - 721,942
Appalachian - 310,124

Total - 41,644,518

[H/t: Matt DeMargel of the Durham Bulls.]

Charlotte Stone Crabs beat Tampa Yankees 3-1 in game four of FSL Championship

Charlotte Stone CrabsThe Game: The Charlotte Stone Crabs battled back to tie the FSL Championship Series by defeating the Tampa Yankees 3-1 on Tuesday night at Charlotte Sports Park. With the win, the series is now tied 2-2.

The Stone Crabs were led by a dominating performance on the mound by David Newmann. Newmann pitched a no-hitter through seven innings and held the shut-out into the ninth.

Charlotte broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning. Nevin Ashley singled to right to lead off the inning. Drew Anderson drew a walk later in the inning. Greg Sexton followed with a home run to left field, giving the Stone Crabs a 3-0 lead.

The Yankees tried to mount a comeback in the ninth inning. Daniel Brewer got thing started with a single to left. David Adams followed with a double to center, advancing Brewer to third. Then Damon Sublett followed with a ground ball to first that scored Brewer and moved Adams to third. Richard De Los Santos came into the game and recorded the final out to give the Stone Crabs the 3-1 win.

David Newman earned the victory, pitching 8 2/3 innings and allowed 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 4 and walking 1. Richard De Los Santos recoded the save by getting the third out in the ninth inning to nail down the Stone Crabs win. Ryan Zink was the losing pitcher for Tampa.

What Went Right: David Newmann; 6 no-hit innings before giving up a hit in the seventh enroute to his second post season win.

What Went Wrong: Mat Hall; continues to struggle at the plate in the post season, 0-2 on the night and now hitting .087 in the playoffs.

A Look Ahead: The Stone Crabs win forces the championship into crucial game five where the winner will be named the 2009 Florida State League Champions. The Stone Crab and Yankees will take the field for game five on Wednesday night at Charlotte Sports Park.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Durham Bulls Win Game One 4-1 Over Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees

Durham Bulls[Via email from the Durham Bulls Director of Media Relations Matt DeMargel.]

Behind six and two-thirds innings of one run ball from starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, the Bulls won Game One of the Governors’ Cup Finals, 4-1 over Scranton Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Hellickson kept the Yankees scoreless until the seventh inning when he gave up a home run to former Bull John Rodriguez before getting pulled. Hellickson ended the night allowing five hits, including the homer, a walk and six strikeouts to pick up the win.

Durham took the lead in the first inning after Sean Rodriguez singled up the middle, scoring Henry Mateo from third.

The Bulls added three more runs in the sixth inning which was started off with Henry Mateo reaching third after a bunt single and two Scranton errors. The next batter, Joe Dillon, singled to right scoring Mateo. Three batters later and with the bases loaded, Michel Hernandez singled up the middle to drive in two runs giving the Bulls the 4-0 lead.

Hellickson was replaced by Julio DePaula after Rodriguez homer in the seventh, and he and Winston Abreu combined to keep the Yankees hitless for the rest of the night with Abreu picking up his third save of the postseason.

The Bulls and Yankees will play Game Two of the Governors’ Cup Finals against Scranton/W-B Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Mitch Talbot takes the mound for Durham against Yankees’ righty Ian Kennedy.

Game Pictures from 9/14: Game Three of FSL Championship Series-Stone Crabs vs Yankees

Final Affiliate Attendance

Team, league, number of home games, average attendance, rank in league.

Team           League           G     Avg    LgRank
Durham International 72 6,783 8th/14
Montgomery Southern 66 4,042 3rd/10
Charlotte Florida State 60 2,855 1st/12
Bowling Green South Atlantic 66 3,530 8th/16
Hudson Valley New York-Penn 35 4,609 5th/14
Princeton Appalachian 28 926 7th/10
The Charlotte Stone Crabs and the Bowling Green Hot Rods deserve special recognition. The two first-year affiliates had huge gains in attendance over the teams they replaced from 2008.

The Stone Crabs had a total attendance of 171,314 this season, a 357% increase over the 47,944 the Vero Beach Devil Rays drew in 2008. The Hot Rods total attendance was 232,987 this year, a 380% increase over the 61,290 fans who saw the Columbus Catfish last year.

Congratulations to both teams and their fans on great inaugural seasons!

[Updated to add the rest of the teams season attendance vs. 2008:]

Durham Bulls: down 3.1%, same number of home games.
Montgomery Biscuits: down 9.5%, with one more home game in 2009.
Hudson Valley Renegades: up 7.2%, with one less home game in 2009.
Princeton Rays: up 7.1%, with two more home games in 2009.

Charlotte Stone Crabs lose game three of FSL Championship Series

Charlotte Stone CrabsThe Game: The Charlotte Stone Crabs lost to the Tampa Yankees 3-1 on Monday night in game three of the FSL Championship Series. The lost put the Stone Crabs one game behind the Yankees 2-1 in the best of five series.

Alex Cobb and DJ Mitchell dueled through five full scoreless innings. But the Yankees took the zero of the board in the top of the sixth inning. Damon Sublett reached base on a walk. Austin Romine followed with an RBI double to center that scored Sublett and gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Tampa added some insurance to their lead in the ninth inning, posting two more runs to the scoreboard. Once again it was Damon Sublett getting things started, this time with a single to center. Sublett then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by Nevin Ashley. Austin Romine followed with an RBI double to right to score Sublett and Romine came in to score on a throwing error by John Matulia, increasing the Yankee lead to 3-0.

The Stone Crabs threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning. Matt Sweeney drew a walk to lead off the inning followed by a single by Shawn Williams. Ryan Royster then delivered a pinch hit single to left that score Sweeney and advanced Williams to second. Nevin Ashley delivered a sac bunt to move both runners into scoring position. But the Stone Crabs stranded the tying runs and fell to the Yankees 3-1.

Alex Cobb started and pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks while being charged with the loss. Austin Hinkle followed with 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts. Josh Satow completed the game with 1 no hit inning and striking out 1. DJ Mitchell was the winning pitcher for Tampa.

What Went Right: Matt Sweeney; 2 for 3 with a run scored and a walk, increasing his playoff batting average to .455

What Went Wrong: Stranding Runners; Stone Crabs were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left a total of 9 runners stranded on the night.

A Look Ahead: The Stone Crabs try to avoid elimination in game four of the FSL Championship Series on Tuesday night at Charlotte Sports Park. David Newmann (1-0) will be on the mound for the Stone Crabs facing Ryan Zink (0-0) for the Yankees.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The 2009 Arpy Awards

Welcome to the Arpy Awards, our look back at the season through this fun little awards gimmick. If you're wondering about the name, shorten RaysProspects to RP and then pronounce it. We're not creative people. Anyway, we'll be handing out seven awards:

*Best Affiliate
*Best Season(Hitter)
*Best Season(Pitcher)
*Most Surprising
*Most Disappointing
*Best 2009 Draftee Debut
*Best Under-The-Radar Season

We'll kick the ceremonies off with our Best Affiliate award, given to the, uh, best affiliate. It's pretty clearly a two-horse race in the Rays organization between the two playoff-bound teams, the Durham Bulls and Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Durham edged out Gwinnett at the end of the season to take the South division title and qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season. Bulls pitchers have struck out the most in the IL and are 4th in the league in ERA. The hitters pace the league in scoring, and are 2nd in the league in OPS. They also lead the league in homeruns, edging out Toledo on the final day of the season. The Bulls have lost Wade Davis and Reid Brignac to the major-league team after enjoying their services for the majority of the year, but have also added Jeremy Hellickson and Desmond Jennings.

The Charlotte Stone Crabs, in their inaugural season, qualified for the playoffs because they finished in 2nd place behind Fort Myers in both the first- and second-half seasons. Their offense ranks toward the bottom of the league in many categories, and their pitching ranks in the middle of the pack, but they've scratched out enough wins to advance to the playoffs. The Crabs pitching staff was anchored by Darin Downs, who posted an incredible 2.00 ERA before being promoted to Montgomery. They also lost star closer Matt Gorgen to promotion, but with Alex Cobb, David Newmann, and Jeremy Hall, their pitching staff remains strong.

And the Arpy goes to.... the Charlotte Stone Crabs! They weren't as statistically successful as Durham, but the Bulls also faced much higher expectations entering the season. The Stone Crabs get extra credit for leading the Florida State League in attendance.


For the second award we'll take a look at the newest additions to the system, and hand out the Best 2009 Draftee Debut award. This award is heavily performanced-based, but it also takes into account prospect status, so a late-round college senior performing well at Princeton isn't going to get much consideration. The nominees are...

Shortstop Tyler Bortnick, the Rays 16th-round pick out of Coastal Carolina University. Bortnick was rated one of the nation's top defensive shortstops in the 2008 season, but was moved to 2nd base for 2009. He returned to SS as a professional, playing in 65 games with Hudson Valley. Bortnick's hit for average(.300 BA), shown some power(25 extra-base hits), showed promising plate coverage/discipline(27 walks/38 strikeouts), and even flashed some speed(24 steals). He plated the season as a 21/22 year old, obviously old for the level, but not out of the ordinary for a college draftee.

Right-handed relief pitcher Zach Quate. Another college draftee, Quate was taken in the 14th round out of Appalachian State. Quate was also assigned to Hudson Valley, where he went nearly the entire season without allowing an earned run. In 26 innings spanning 18 games, he struck out 34 batters and walked just 4, allowing just a single earned run. He induced a good number of groundballs(1.21 GO/AO) while opponents hit just .170 off him.

Outfielder Cody Rogers. Drafted in the 7th round out of a Texas junior college, Rogers was assigned to Princeton where he showed off an impressive set of tools. In just under 200 at-bats, Rogers hit .303 while launching 6 homeruns and triples. He drew 20 walks, although he did strike out more than once per game. He stole 14 bases and was only caught once. Rogers, a lefty, actually hit left-handed pitching better(a .344 batting average against them, in fact) and was named an Appy League post-season All-Star.

Left-handed pitcher Jacob Partridge. It's tough to get a really good read on his season since the GCL was very much a pitcher's league. The 18th-round pick out of a Washington state high school signed in time to log 36 innings for the GCL Rays. He struck out over a batter per inning(39), kept the walks under control(13), and held opponents to a .202 batting average. He was also able to generate a decent number of groundballs. The 6'3" lefty didn't allow a homerun on the year.

And the Arpy goes to... Tyler Bortnick! This one was extremely close, but Bortnick showed everything: Hitting, power, speed, defense. He may not be the best prospect of the four, but his debut was certainly impressive.


For the next award, we'll look at those who kind of came from off the radar to have a really strong season. The nominees for Most Surprising Season are...

Left-handed pitcher David Newmann. Drafted in the 4th round back in 2007, Newmann had to wait until 2009 to throw his first professional pitch. As a 23/24 year old with the Charlotte Stone Crabs, Newmann was good for most of the season and occasionally dominant; he had an ERA under 1.00 in two separate months. Lefties hit just .194 off him as he was able to get a ton of groundballs from them(3.47 GO/AO vs. lefties). Overall, he finished with a 3.44 ERA and just under a strikeout per inning. He allowed just 6 homeruns over 131 innings of work.

Right-hander Matt Gorgen. He was an honorable mention on our top 15 pitching prospect list entering the season, but I don't think anyone saw the Bugs Bunny stats he posted coming. In 47.2 innings for Charlotte, he allowed just 3 earned runs while striking out 59 and walking 16. He struggled a bit upon being promoted to Montgomery(18-13 strikeout-walk) but still finished the year with a 1.15 combined ERA.

Right-hander Alex Colome. Like Gorgen and Newmann both, he was listed as an honorable mention before the season. After a 5.68 ERA with Princeton in 2008, the Rays trusted his stuff enough to promote him to Hudson Valley, where he flat dominated. His ERA was a scant 1.66 in 76 innings, backed up by 94 strikeouts and 32 walks. He didn't allow a single homerun all season and held opponents to a .174 batting average.

And the Arpy goes to... Matt Gorgen! He made a complete mockery of the Florida State before finally being promoted. Gorgen is heading to the Arizona Fall League in October for some more work. He'll try to avoid hitting the wall that Ryan Reid(who posted similar FSL numbers in 2007) did in AA.


Now to slow things down a bit, we'll hand out the Arpy that no one wants: Most Disappointing Season. These are the guys who didn't exactly live up to expectations this season. Players whose seasons were affected majorly by injuries(Fernando Perez and Mitch Talbot for example) are ineligible. Our nominees are...

Left-hander James Houser. He went from potential sleeper(he ranked #11 on our top 15 pitcher list, just ahead of Kyle Lobstein) to released from the organization in four months. He was walking way too many guys(50 in 82 innings), not striking out nearly enough(44) and just got hit around in general(finished with a 5.16 ERA). To make matters worse for Houser, he'll have to serve out the rest of a 50-game suspension when/if he signs with another team, because his suspension was put on hold when he was added to the 40-man roster.

Outfielder Reid Fronk. He ranked as our #7 hitting prospect entering the year. Oops. He barely finished the season batting over .200, while his power never bothered to show up this season. His final line, .201/.321/.286, tells the story. The isolated discipline is nice, but when so much else is that bad it's little consolation. After hitting 17 homeruns with Columbus a season ago, he managed just 4 in 2009. Fronk hit just .176 in the second half.

First baseman Mike Sheridan. He was drafted as a high-contact 1st baseman who needed to develop some power to become a real prospect. Well, he did have 14 homeruns, but he really had trouble buying a hit this year. Despite only 38 strikeouts, Sheridan hit .238 thanks to a .233 BABIP. Combine that with an inability to draw walks(just 26) and you get an OBP that doesn't even scrape .300. He hit .182 off left-handed pitching.

And the Arpy goes to... James Houser! Fronk and Sheridan disappointing, Ryan Reid took a step back, and John Jaso failed to emerge, but the Rays released Houser to clear a 40-man spot and didn't even bring him back on a minor-league deal, indicating they truly believe him to be a lost cause.


Now we'll switch to those who DID have good season, it's just that, well, nobody seemed to notice. The nominees for Best Under-The-Radar Season are...

Right-hander Marquis Fleming. Drafted out of small Cal State-Stanislaus in 2008, Fleming was one of the rocks of Bowling Green's bullpen along with Josh Satow. In 63 innings, Fleming struck out 68, walked 30, and pitched to the tune of a 2.86 ERA. He earned a very late-season promotion to Charlotte, where in three games(including playoffs) he's struck out 11 over 4.4 innings.

Right-hander Alex Koronis. Zach Quate was the collge reliever who people noticed, and considering he did it at a higher level, I think it's fair. But Koronis, a University of Tampa product, was really good with Princeton: a 1.95 ERA and 34 strikeouts/8 walks in 27.2 innings. Koronis gets the nod here over Kirby Yates although Yates struck out 49 batters in 26.1 innings.

Shortstop Shawn O'Malley. He suffered an injury toward the end of the season and is inactive for the playoffs, but the Rays are sending him to the Arizona Fall League, so it doesn't seem like his injury is too bad. O'Malley actually led the FSL in on-base percentage. That seriously blew my mind when I saw it. Now, he hit for absolutely no power, so despite his .388 OBP, he finished with an OPS just under .700. I can't find his BABIP data, but I'm sure he was at least a little bit lucky in that department. But he's 21, a shortstop, and he led the league in on-base percentage.

And the Arpy goes to... Shawn O'Malley! Seriously, his OBP was .070 points lower last season in Columbus. He got promoted and started getting on base more. The lack of power is clearly a problem, but still: did anyone have O'Malley on their radar entering the season?


We're going to do the last two really quick, no nominees, just a winner, since there's not really any debate on these...

First, Desmond Jennings wins the Arpy for Best Season(Hitter). There's not a lot to say here, particularly since the hitting depth in the system is lacking. Between Montgomery and Durham, Jennings posted a line of .318/.401/.487. Oh, and he stole 52 bases while only being caught 7 times. He walked exactly as many times as he struck out. And he did all while playing a reportedly-very-good premium defensive position, centerfield. He's a supreme athlete with a feel for the game, a lethal combination.

The winner of the Best Season(Pitcher) Arpy also split the season between Montgomery and Durham: Jeremy Hellickson. Not only did he prove he could continue getting batters out at higher levels, he showed he could dominate. All told, he struck out 132 batters in 114 inning while only issuing 29 walks. Opponents hit .178 off him. He struck out 10 or more three times in the regular season and then did it again in his first playoff start. The only two problems you could possibly find are that he's a flyball pitcher(which in and of itself is not a problem. Hellickson allowed 15 homeruns in AA last season. He allowed 8 all of this season.) and that he missed a few starts with an injury. Other than that, it was practically a picture-perfect season.

That wraps up this year's ceremonies. Congrats to all the winners/nominees and apologies to anyone obvious that was overlooked.