2 Giants' prospects named MVPs of their leagues!
All-star selections are out for most of the ss-A and Rookie Leagues.
For the Northwest League, recently signed 2009 draft pick Drew Biery was named MVP of the league . He was also named to the All-Star team at 3B and DH (hard to do), and Jorge Bucardo was named the league's top RH starting pitcher. Here's the link:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090827&content_id=6648260&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
In the Dominican Summer League, Giants' 2B Carlos Willoughby was named Player of the Year. He was their only rep on the team. Here's the link to that story:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090826&content_id=6630570&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
Finally, for the AZL, the Giants had only 1 representattive on the All-Star team - starting pitcher Cameron Lamb. Here's the link to that story:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090827&content_id=6646206&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
Please note that the 3rd paragraph in this story contains an error:
"Andy Bottin was named the Manager of the Year after leading the Mariners to a league-leading 32-21 record this year."
In fact, the Giants have the best record in the league at 36-18 (5.5 games better than the Mariniers). The Angels are 2nd best, and the Mariners are 3rd best. Even though the Giants have the top record in the league (overall and in both havles), only Lamb was selected as an AS, although they had a couple other deserving candidates. The Mariners, Angels, and Fodgers all had 3 AS selections apiece. So it seems that the Giants' manager, Mike Goff, had the best claim to the Manager of the Year award since he led his team to the best record, but with 2 fewer All-Stars than the Mariners had. Apparently Charlie Manuel had input into choosing the team.
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Somehow the link to the NWL / Drew Biery story didn’t make it through. It would be nice if they had a way to preview the FanShots. Here’s the missing link:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090827&content_id=6648260&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner
Willoughby
Willoughby is having a seriously great year but at almost 21 he’s very old for the DSL. Is he any kind of prospect?
I seem to remember him being an outfielder last year, is my memory right? If his move to 2B is new it seems possible the Giants could push him next year.
It’s really pretty much impossible to discern anything overly meaningful from DSL stat lines. You just have to wait on scouting reports. But yes, 21 is exceptionally old for the DSL.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
A few points
1. He’s only 20 – won’t be 21 until almost December.
2. Yes, he’s old for the DSL, but not exceptionally old. If he were to start next year at A ball in S-K or Augusta, he would be around league average at 21. In fact, there are only 5 players that played for Augusta this year that were younger than Willoughby will be next summer. Next summer would be equivalent to signing after his sophomore season if he had gone to college.
3. Yeah, DSL stats are impossible to project. One thing that isn’t, though, is speed and base-stealing. Willoughby has shown that he is a ++ stealer and base runner in his 2 seasons in the DSL. This year he stole 46 bases in 58 attemtpts (79.3%) in only 68 games – that would be 109 in a 162 game season. Another thing that is projectable is plate discipline and bat control. Carlos had an 18% walk rate and only a 10.7% K rate. Finally, it’s a very good sign that he improved drastically from one year to the next in the same league – .284 vs. .327
4. The fact that he was named the Player of the Year for the league is in itself a pretty good scouting report. It’s not like those awards are voted on by the fans or writers.
"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner
Sorry, didn’t actually check his DOB, just responded to the previous post on faith. My mistake. That said,
2) 20 is exceptionally old in a league that also contains probably a majority of teens and a good number of 16 and 17 year olds. 20 is old in the American complex leagues which are a step up from the DSL. And certainly, while 21 wouldn’t be too old for the Sally (it would also not be young — in 2008 virtually all the top prospects in the Sally were teenagers), that’s a bit of a straw argument as a leap from DSL to full season ball is virtually unprecedented. I mean it’s pretty difficult to find historic rosters or stats from the DSL on the internet, but I can’t think of any Giants players who have made that jump, and I doubt other organizations are different. Can you think of one player who made that jump in the last decade or two? The two who would seem most likely are Pedro Martinez and Felix Hernandez. Pedro definitely didn’t, and Felix seems to have done the XST to Short Season A ball in his first year stateside.
And, 4) MVPs have little to nothing to do with prospecty-ness, they’re a reflection of performance only, and in this case the best stats line on the (far and away) best team. Lots and lots of non-prospects win post-season awards in the minors.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
Off the top of my head - Francisco Peguero
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=peguer001fra
And we only have to go in the "way-back machine " a mere 16 months for the answer to your question. After playing in the DSL for 2 seasons, Peguero jumped from the DSL to start the season in Augusta in April of 2008. In fact, his profile is similar to Willoughby’s, so it makes sense that the Giants would choose the same path. They both were late-signees at the age of 18, and got a comparably late start in pro ball for the DR. Each spent at least 2 seasons in the DSL. I think the point you’re missing is that the fact that they are older than normal for the DSL, makes a jump to A ball much more easier for them, and easier to justify for the Giants.
"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner
Wow. I totally forgot that jump from Peguero. The Giants did demote him later in the season to SS ball, but you are quite right that they started him in Augusta. That said its still a pretty rare promotion.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
I like CamLamb a lot. As well as the Bucardos.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Aug 27, 2009 11:26 PM PDT reply actions
+1
They should do a Posey with him and ship him to SJ after S-K finishes winning their league playoffs. SJ could certainly use a DH/1B with his ability to hit for average and power. Although, I think that he’s been hurt recently, because he’s only played sparingly the last 3 weeks – and then mostly at DH.
"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner
He took 5 days off to get married. Currently playing 1st base, apparently Dominguez and Anders are hurt.
Adopted father of Brian Bocock, Brad Boyer, Sharlon Schoop, Shane Jordan and Jeremiah Luster,Trey Webb and David Quinowski.
LOL
He loses points in Sabean/Bochy’s books – not a gamer, what’s with this getting married during the season crap. He better be careful or he’ll be the next Frandsen minor league kick-toy once Sabean gets rid of Kevin in the offseason.
"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner
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