2012 Lexington Legends Update: Moving On

NOV 3rd, 2013-Baseball is a beautiful game. It's a play in nine innings on green diamonds and dirt fields, a traveling show making appearances worldwide. There's simply nothing quite like it.

But it's not all peanuts and Cracker Jack. There are parts of the game at the professional level which are hard to accept; the worst of these necessary evils is the premature end of a player's career.

Every year, dozens of players are handed their walking papers. Sometimes, they're players who have been in the game for years and never made it to the top; often, they've been pros for little more than one or two seasons. For many reasons, reasons which are moot from the player's point of view, they are sent home with the pieces of their broken dreams crammed into their equipment bags. Veteran or rookie, none are immune to the dreaded Unconditional Release.

Now that the 2013 season has drawn to a close (congratulations to the Red Sox; they certainly earned it), some of the boys who graced our field here at The Bank have suffered this very fate. The needs of the organization, and so on and so forth. Hardly matters when you're the one who's been told that your services are no longer needed. Some of this will be old news for you folks, but I like to catch up with the guys when I am able. (Note: some of these players were released before the 2013 season began.)


Batters:

Jay Austin, CF
2013 Stats: none

Drafted in 2008 by the Astros in the 2nd round, Austin was a speedy outfielder who stole 54 bases in 2010 with the Lancaster JetHawks. However, he bounced between Class A Lexington and High-A Lancaster from 2011-12 and never truly seemed to progress with the bat. While he may still catch on with another team, his chances are now limited at best. He's a 23 year-old OF with no time above High-A; he'd have a long road ahead of him, if he came back now.

James Howick, SS
2013 Stats: none

A 21st round pick in 2011, Howick had a great deal of trouble adjusting to pro pitching. At times he seemed out-matched in the field, as well. One thing I noted about him, however, is that he could do the little things very well; hitting the runner over or laying down a bunt was well within his ability. I still feel like he could have progressed into a reliable utility infielder, but without his being able to produce offensively he won't get that chance with the Astros.


Zach Johnson, 1B
2013 Stats: 62 games, 232 PA, 12 R, 16 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 27 RBI, .271/.339/.440

Now here's one that I don't understand. Johnson was a bonafide run producer (38 2B, 15 HR, 108 RBI with the 2012 Legends), and he drew a lot of walks without sacrificing ABs or becoming too passive with the bat. He handled first base adeptly and I figured he'd at least project as an above-average DH in the Majors. With Houston now in the AL, he could have been a useful bat to have in such an anemic lineup. Just can't figure that one out. (Timothy De Block and the fine, fine crew at The Crawfish Boxes have info on this move on their August 9th podcast.)

Jordan Kreke, 2B
2013 Stats: none
(Obtained via trade with Atlanta prior to the 2012 season)

A 13th round pick by the Braves in 2009, Kreke appeared to be on his way to developing into a useful and steady glove off the bench. As often happens with middle infield specialists, the glove was willing but the bat was weak (apologies, Jordan). I felt like he could have been utilized a bit more than he was, but while his 49 PA in Class AAA Oklahoma City were promising (.273 BA, .347 OBP), he was a victim of the number crunch; younger players coming up, and no real place for him on the ML roster. I would like to have seen what he could have done with even half a season at Triple-A.


Pitchers:

Tanner Bushue, RHP
2013 Stats (Low-A Tri-City ValleyCats): 3-4, 5.14 ERA, 13 G, 7 GS, 49 IP, 40 HA, 28 ER, 7 HRA, 13 BB, 40 K, 5 HBP

What The Heck, Bobby? reported on Bushue's voluntary retirement a few days ago. I know that he had struggled with injuries as far back as 2011 (strained hip, if I remember correctly), and it seems that he never was truly healthy after that. His overall numbers and peripherals weren't all that bad (7.3 HA/9, 2.4 BB/9, 7.3 K/9), but what concerned me about him was his slight build. Bushue has a smallish frame, especially for his height, but I think he'd be a great asset in the 'pen. He's still only 22, and if he chose to come back (assuming he is healthy, again) I think most any team would be lucky to have him in their system. Bushue had one of the best curves I've ever seen come through Lexington, and he could change speeds well.


Dayan Diaz, RHP
2013 Stats (AZL Cubs, Daytona Cubs, Tennessee Smokies): 3.00 ERA, 13 G, 5 GF, 21 IP, 16 HA, 7 ER, 9 BB, 29 K)

Diaz had an explosive fastball and a hard-breaking slurve, and lit up the radar gun at The Bank on a regular basis. A mid-to-high 90's heater will make you stand up and take notice. He pitched with the Cubs organization in 2013 but struggled with injuries for much of the season. If he could get his health back on track, he'd certainly be worth a second look. At 24 now, however, the numbers game is not working in his favor.


Nathan Pettus, RHP
2013 Stats: none

Another player with whom Father Time caught up, Pettus had his struggles with the 2012 Legends. While his overall numbers weren't great, I felt like he was a valuable middle reliever and occasional short man. His 37 walks in 63 innings tended to come back and bite him, but he was most certainly a fighter on the mound.

Scott Zuloaga, LHP
2013 Stats: none

Zuloaga is on the voluntarily retired list, having dealt with injuries throughout 2012. A lefty sidearmer, he pitched in only 5 games with Lexington. Personally, I'd love to have a port-side submarine slinger in my 'pen. He's only 23, so he could potentially sign on with another organization (assuming he's healthy). Again, the numbers game is against him.


This was just a tiny bit about the 2012 Legends who are no longer in the game. Some of it may come across as a little too frank for some folks, and I can understand that. I'm as big a fan of the game of baseball as anyone you're likely to meet, but sometimes the game can be cruel. There's no real way to sugarcoat a player's release or retirement. Every player who turns pro is aware of this fact, and for many of them there is a deep-seated fear that they harbor: the fear that their career will be cut far shorter than they ever imagined. That, unfortunately, is the nature of professional baseball. Some players are advanced, others are released, and sometimes there's no obvious reason for either transaction.

Whatever happens for these former pros, we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. If I could offer them any advice (if they were desperate enough to ask me), I would remind them that they are all far more than just baseball players; they all have their whole lives ahead of them, and I hope that they find success and happiness in whatever the future brings.

Lexington Legends Update: A Look At The 2012 Legends This Year, Part Three

MAY 18^th, 2013-A step up from Class A ball lies, of course, Class AA.

Double-A is the dividing line for many minor-leaguers, the level at which an organization gets a true feel for the future of any given prospect. Double-A seasons are the same length as that at the Major League level, the pitching gets exponentially tougher, the fielders are dramatically quicker and the hitters sling some heavy lumber. The jump between Class A and AA is much greater than that between AA and AAA, no matter which league you're in.

This is where many players truly stumble, experiencing their first real difficulties in pro ball. Minor-league ball is natural selection at its finest: only the strong survive.

For the Astros, AA ball resides in the Sparkling City by the Sea: Corpus Christi, Texas. The AA representative for Houston in the Texas League, a league which is slightly skewed towards hitting (compared to the Eastern and Southern Leagues), the Corpus Christi Hooks have only a few of 2012's Legends on their current roster. Since Lexington is a step below High-A, many of last year's Legends team are in Lancaster right now.

On the hitting side of things:

Zach Johnson, 1B-DH

Stats (updated):

Lancaster-20 games, 95 PA, 12 R, 25 H, 10 2B, 2 HR, 20 RBI, .298 BA, .362 OBP, .897 OPS

Corpus Christi-13 games, 42 PA, 5 R, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .162 BA, .487 OPS

Johnson, last year's RBI machine, was picking up right where he left off in 2012 with Lexington when he hit the California League. He had 20 ribbies in 20 games when he got the call to AA. Oh, and he had smacked 10 doubles in the process, as well. Now, I know the Cali is a hitter's league, and the JetHawks play in something of a launching pad, but still...ten doubles in 20 games. Because he hates pitchers, that's why.

Anyway, he's yet to have much opportunity to punish the Texas League. But it won't be long. Johnson has historically taken his fair share of walks, and he'll have to continue to do so since his BA usually hovers around .250-.260, but as long as he's a run producer like he's been the walks won't be quite as important.

Somewhat overlooked at this point, his defense is actually pretty strong now. He keeps a low center of gravity in the field, and is quick to either side for low grounders. He may even end up as one of the best defenders at his position in the league; if not this one, then in the future.

Drew Muren, OF

Stats:

Lancaster-12 games, 49 PA, 12 R, 16 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .372 BA, 1.054 OPS

Corpus Christi-17 games, 61 PA, 4 R, 10 H, 3 2B, 3 RBI, .182 BA, .474 OPS

Muren is hitting the same early speed bump that most players run into when they reach AA. He is batting .238 for this month, however, so he's making progress in that respect. Drew has a good arm and covers ample space in the outfield; I'm hoping to see him get plenty of playing time in CC, to see what he can do with it. While he carried a .321 BA in Lancaster during his 2012 call-up, then followed that up with a .291 average in 33 games in Double-A, he will likely have a tough go of it to maintain an average near those marks. He's got a very good swing with a slight uppercut to it, but being 6'6” at the plate means you've got a lot of strike zone to cover, and Muren could still stand to put on a bit more weight. I'd really like to see what he could do with another 20 pounds on him; it could mean a lot for his power development. If it's going to happen, now's the time.

On the mound, CC has a considerable amount of talent by way of Lexington:

Mike Foltynewicz, RHP

Stats:

Lancaster-7 games, 5 starts, 1 game finished, 26 IP, 31 HA, 16 R, 11 ER, 4 HRA, 14 BB, 29 K, 3.81 ERA

Corpus Christi-3 games, 2 starts, 1 game finished, 1 SV, 13 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 HRA, 4 BB, 14 K, 1.38 ERA

Folty has been used primarily as a starter this year, though he has seen action as a closer as well. Considering that in 10 total games in 2013 he's been a starter in 7 of them, you'd think that Houston is still grooming him as a starter. But then there's two appearances in which he closed out games. With the talent he has, the Astros certainly have options. As a starter with Lexington in 2012, Foltynewicz finished 14-4 with a 3.14 ERA and in the process solidified his prospect status. In thirteen innings at AA he hasn't looked all that impressed by the Texas League batters. Of course, that's 13 innings, a small sample size. But I watched him pitch last year here in Lexington, and I'm certain a lot of you would agree: this is one legit mound marksman. Barring catastrophe, you're looking at a guy who'll be taking the ball every 5^th day in Houston, come 2015. Perhaps the greatest area for improvement would be that he'll have to be careful with the walks; in Single-A, they're not such a big thing. But in AA, they can sink you.

It always seemed to me that he normally didn't walk batters because of control issues. It seemed more like he might have been too fine around the zone and the batters just didn't bite. It wasn't often that he would come out with less-than-excellent stuff.

Carlos Quevedo, RHP

Stats:

Corpus Christi- 1-3, 4.50 ERA, 10 games, 3 starts, 1 game finished, 28 IP, 32 HA, 17 R, 14 ER, 8 HRA, 9 BB, 21 K

Quevedo has, for the most part, thrived in a relief role for the Hooks. Having allowed 8 homers in 28 innings is a concern, though this is his first exposure to AA hitters. At 23, he's exactly where he should be age-wise, and it appears he may move faster if they keep him throwing out of the 'pen. Quevedo is solidly built and has very simple, easily repeatable mechanics, which also helps to keep his results fairly consistent. His fastball sits in the low-90's and he throws a solid curve (though it can get a little loopy, at times) and change, usually staying low in the zone.

Nick Tropeano, RHP

Stats:

Corpus Christi- 0-2, 2.25 ERA, 10 games, 5 starts, 4 games finished, 4 SV, 40 IP, 37 HA, 13 R, 10 ER, 4 HRA, 11 BB, 38 K

Tropeano works magic with his low-90's fastball, quality curve and outstanding changeup. It's his feel and instinct for pitching that has made him more than another face in the crowd. Tropeano always has an idea out on the mound; he never seems shaken, and I don't think I ever saw him overthrow (at least, not repeatedly). He's been able to get out of a lot of spots with just his change; it's that good. He always seems to keep it low, knows how to set the hitters up, and has a way of controlling the game that implies instinct beyond his years. I'd say he's a shoe-in to make The Show.

That's all, for now. Next up I'll be posting the first of my scouting reports for the current Legends on Kings of Kauffman. Stay tuned.

Lexington Legends Update: A Look At The 2012 Legends This Year, Part Two

MAY 10^th, 2013-Most of our players from 2012 are now in High-A Lancaster under the leadership of former Legends manager Rodney Linares, and several of them are off to hot starts:

Matt Duffy, 3B

Stats:

28 games, 122 PA, 19 R, 6 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 25 RBI, .267 BA, .364 OBP, .840 OPS

Duffman is lighting up the scoreboard in what is known as a hitter's park, but runs are runs no matter where you score them. The 24 year-old third sacker has accounted for 44 of them, thus far. While the batting average is a little lower than you'd want to see, his OBP of .364 is excellent. In a full year at Lancaster, I'd expect no less than 20+ HR, 90 RBI and 30 doubles from him. Duffy has advanced a level each year since his 2011 pro debut, and there's no reason to expect he won't continue to make steady progress.

Nolan Fontana, SS

Stats:

31 games, 151 PA, 29 R, 41 H, 7 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 6 SB, .353 BA, .487 OBP, 1.030 OPS

Fontana, last year's 2^nd round pick out of the University of Florida, is blowing up for the JetHawks. His .353 BA is first on the team among full-time players, as is his .487 OBP. He also leads the team with 30 walks; this shouldn't be surprising, as he drew an outrageous 65 in only 49 games last year here in Lexington. So far, it looks like the Astros may have hit the bulls-eye on this draft pick.

Zach Johnson, 1B

Lancaster JetHawks (20 games); Corpus Christi Hooks, Class AA, Texas League (7 games)

Stats (combined):

27 games, 116 PA, 28 H, 10 2B, 2 HR, 20 RBI,

.275 BA, .342 OBP, .813 OPS

Johnson is starting a little slower than he did last year, but he's made his AA debut and will need time to adjust like any player would. The run producer extraordinaire and All-Star from 2012's Legends, he will face much stiffer pitching in the Texas League. It will be interesting to see how he handles it.

Chris Epps, LF

Stats:

19 games, 75 PA, 3 2B, 8 RBI, .206 BA, .311 OBP

The athletic Epps has struggled in the California League in 2013, batting only .206 in his 19 games. My concern here is that his 13 homers in 82 games in 2012 may have him thinking he's a power hitter; that's not his game, or rather it shouldn't be. Epps profiles better as a gap-to-gap doubles hitter with better-than-average speed who can swipe you around 10-15 bases and hit #2 or #7 in the lineup, setting the table for the guys behind him. He did hit the High-A league with gusto in 2012, going .285-10-32 with 6 triples in 46 games after his promotion, so there's plenty of reason to think he'll heat up soon. However, as a 45^th round pick in 2011 and already 24 years old, he's behind the eight-ball as it is.

Brandon Meredith, OF

Stats:

24 games, 95 PA, 14 R, 4 2B, 3 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI,

.221 BA, .347 OBP

Meredith hasn't done a whole lot in Cali, as of yet. One thing I noticed is that he's actually hit better vs. older pitchers than younger ones. While this may not mean much, it can sometimes be an indication of how a player will do at higher levels. Also, his OBP is 126 points higher than his BA, so it's good that he's at least getting on base. That may be a stretch this early on in the season, but I know he's better than he appears right now. Give him time.

Delino Deshields, 2B

Stats:

21 games, 100 PA, 16 R, 4 2B, 4 3B, 4 RBI, 5-11 SB, .241 BA, .344 OBP

This 1^st round pick from 2010 will, no doubt, fill the statline up by the end of the year. I would expect that he'll spend most, if not all, of 2013 in Lancaster. He's only 20 now, ahead of schedule development-wise, and with his speed and (soon to develop) power he'll be one player who you'd do well not to worry too much about. A guy with this much speed always helps his case by drawing walks, especially if he might not hit for a high average. Again, Deshields will probably hit at least .270 at the higher levels, so no worries here.

Interesting that he's batting so much higher at home (.277) than on the road (.194), though many JetHawks are hitting better at Lancaster than elsewhere. Thankfully, speed doesn't slump; those numbers will pick up as the year progresses.

Luis Cruz, LHP

Stats:

1-3, 5.83 ERA, 8 games (4 starts), 1 SV, 29 1/3 IP, 19 ER, 5 HRA, 16 BB, 35 K, 2.19 SO/BB ratio

Cruz has done much better as a starter than as a reliever. He's 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 4 starts, while in 4 appearances in relief he's 0-2 with a bloated 11.32 ERA through 10 1/3 IP. Paradoxically, his ERA is 3.38 at home (in Lancaster, which is a launching pad) vs. 7.88 on the road. He's striking out a lot of batters but also walking way too many. It's notable that he's averaged way more walks in relief than as a starter, and as a lefty he shouldn't be having quite as much trouble vs. left-handed batters as he is now (.232 BAA vs. RHH; .286 BAA vs. LHH). It's pretty clear that he's being groomed to ultimately be a starter, and this is where he's shone most brightly.

Chris Devenski, RHP

Stats:

2-1, 5.28 ERA, 8 games (4 starts), 30 2/3 IP, 18 ER, 11 BB, 26 K, 2.36 SO/BB ratio

Author of “The Game” last year in the Sally League (9-1-2012: 9 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 16 K and a LOT of happy fans), Devenski has performed noticeably better as a reliever than as a starter thus far. Again, it's very early in the year, so this is based only on the numbers so far. He's allowed a .333 BAA as a starter, and only a .239 as a reliever. The problem with viewing him as a reliever is that hitters have batted .396 with runners on base in 55 PA. While many relief pitchers will allow a somewhat higher BAA with runners on, this is way higher than you'd care to see in any league. After seeing how he destroyed Kannapolis last year on Sept. 1^st, I know there's more to him than what we've seen. This month will be telling as far as how he'll adjust.

Jonas Dufek, RHP

Stats:

0-1, 4.20 ERA, 12 games (all in relief), 15 IP, 16 HA, 7 ER, 3 HRA, 6 BB, 16 K, 2.67 SO/BB ratio

Pitching out of the pen exclusively in 2013, Dufek has yet to allow a run in 7 innings this month (4 games). He's been lit up at home, allowing a .357 BAA and 1.121 OPS in Lancaster, while on the road batters have been limited to a .194 BA and

.576 OPS. My own feelings for that home park aside (not a fan), Dufek still has room to grow into his 6'5” frame, and I think he's going to be able to adjust well to the league. He turns 25 on June 30^th, however, so time is limited for him.

David Rollins, LHP

Stats:

2-3, 4.46 ERA, 8 games (4 starts), 2 SV, 34 1/3 IP, 17 ER, 7 BB, 31 K, 4.43 SO/BB ratio

Rollins is another guy who's performed noticeably better as a reliever than as a starter; .173 BAA as a reliever vs. .301 as a starter tells part of the story. The other part? .355 BAA with runners on, which is a concern. His primary stats are pretty solid, but how he handles ducks on the pond will go a long way to determine how he advances.

Tommy Shirley, LHP

Stats:

0-3, 5.25 ERA, 7 games (2 starts), 12 IP, 7 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 3.8 SO/9IP

Very small sample size here, so not a lot to draw from. After seeing him in Lexington for parts of two seasons, I have to say I like him much better as a short reliever out of the pen than as a starter. Indeed, he's allowed a .400 BAA with the bases empty this year, vs. a miniscule .167 BAA with runners on. Again: very small sample size. But this is more of a gut call on my part. I can definitely see him fitting in as a short man at the higher levels. This is a pivotal year for Shirley, as well; he's 24 now, and after spending two years in Low-A ball, he'll need to show plenty of progress in the California League in order to get that opportunity at AA and beyond.

That's it, for now. Next I'll be scanning the roster at Corpus Christi, Class AA in the Texas League.