What To Expect When You're Expecting...Part Deux

MARCH 12^th, 2013-There's one thing for Legends fans to keep in mind as Opening Day creeps ever closer. In terms of judging the sort of talent we can expect to see here in Class A, it's the most important detail to consider.

Over the past 7 years, few teams have had a deeper or more talented minor league system than the KC Royals. The latest pool of players is certainly no exception; they only serve to reinforce this growing reputation.

As I mentioned in the last post, the Legends faithful can safely anticipate seeing a talented lineup from top to bottom hitting the field at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, this year and the next. In addition to the aforementioned players, there are still more who will either join them immediately or follow close behind. In this post, I take a quick look at more position players we can expect to see at The Bank:

Hitters

Humberto Arteaga, SS, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 1/23/1994 in Caracas, Venezuela

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'1” Wt: 160

Drafted: Signed as Free Agent

2012:

58 games, 262 PA, 40 runs, 64 hits, 13 doubles, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 7 SB, .274 BA, .694 OPS

Arteaga more than held his own in the Appy League last year as an 18 year old, batting .274 against talent slightly older than he. He's rail-thin but highly projectable, and his wiry strentgh and above-average speed allowed him to score 40 runs and even steal a few bags. He couldn't buy a walk, but that's likely due more to youthful impatience than poor pitch selection. He plays within himself and doesn't try to do more with the ball than he's able, and he will probably steal a few more bases as he learns to be a better baserunner. The glove was greatly improved from 2011; where he had made 15 errors at short in 47 games, he cut that number by 6 in 11 more games in a slightly more advanced rookie-level league.

Kenny Diekroger, 2B-SS, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 11/5/1990 in Woodside, California

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 190

Drafted: 4^th round, 2012 MLB Draft, from Stanford University

2012:

52 games, 222 PA, 21 runs, 42 hits, 6 doubles, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 5 SB, 18 BB, 60 SO, .208 BA, .641 OPS

Previously drafted in the 2^nd round by Tampa Bay out of Menlo HS in Atherton, CA, Diekroger struggled mightily in his first year of pro ball. His BA actually climbed from .222 in 36 June AB, as he hit .253 in July. The wheels fell off in August, however, as he hit an anemic .152 for the month. He did bat .258 with RISP, and strangely his average was far higher in road games (.266 on the road vs. .171 at home). He led Stanford in BA as a freshman with a .356 mark and tied for the team lead in RBI with 41, becoming the first freshman to do so. In that season he was named PAC 10 Freshman of the Year and made First Team All-PAC 10, as well. The promise is there, certainly. He appears to have little projectability remaining, physically. He plays a steady second base, and can switch over to the other side of the bag at short, if needed. Will likely stay at second but could move to third in the future. At this early stage, he could prove to be a valuable role-player for Lexington. If he can cut down significantly on the strikeouts he will probably pay bigger dividends in the power department, but this may take some time. David Coleman over at The Crawfish Boxes did a good article on Diekroger which will tell you a lot more about him.

Fred Ford, RF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 4/10/1992 in St. Peters, Missouri

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'5” Wt: 200

Drafted: KC Royals, 7^th Round, 2012 MLB Draft from Jefferson College (Hillsboro, MO)

2012:

62 games, 254 PA, 38 runs, 53 hits, 11 doubles, 13 HR, 35 RBI, 5 SB, 36 BB, 83 SO, .248 BA, .362 OBP, .853 OPS

This is one big dude. The thought with hitters who are as big as Ford is that there's too big a strike zone for them to cover without always racking up a lot of strikeouts, and that may ultimately be the case with Ford. The reason I would argue against that is that, along with the strikeouts (in August he went down on Ks in nearly HALF his ABs), he has shown a great deal of patience and drawn more than enough walks to make you think he can force the pitchers to throw him strikes. With 13 homers and 35 RBI in 62 games, you can see what often happens when they do pitch to him. He is noticeably more athletic, fast and agile than one might first think for a player his size. I'm not so worried about the BA, but Class A pitchers are a bit tougher than Rookie League hurlers, so he may need to adjust on the fly. He may even end up starting the year back in Burlington to work out the kinks, hanging back in extended spring training until the Appy League starts, but I think he'd be better off coming to Lexington to start the year. He's plenty young enough to step back to the Appy, if necessary, and not lose any time development-wise. Either way, Ford draws high marks for his athleticism, strong work ethic and coachability, and by most accounts Kansas City is fortunate to have grabbed him up before he went to another team. Watch this kid.

Cameron Gallagher, C, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 12/6/1992 in Lancaster, PA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'3” Wt: 210

Drafted: KC Royals, 2^nd Round, 2011 MLB Draft from Manheim Township HS (Lancaster, PA)

2012:

36 games, 139 PA, 13 runs, 35 hits, 10 doubles, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 10 BB, 16 SO, .276 BA, .331 OBP, .756 OPS

Defense:

212 total chances, 191 PO, 19 assists, 2 errors, 26% caught stealing rate

Here's another intriguing player to add to the mix. The son of former pro pitcher Glenn Gallagher and brother to current Dodgers prospect Austin Gallagher, Cameron has spent time at all three of KC's rookie-level teams and there seems to be little reason to send him back to Burlington this year. The one exception could be his trouble throwing out baserunners. This will improve with time, and he should also develop at least average power for his position. He actually has a good arm; it's more a matter of getting accustomed to the pro game. I wouldn't expect that he'll struggle too mightily with that.

Terrance Gore, OF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 6/8/1991 in Macon, GA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 5'7” Wt: 165

Drafted: KC Royals, 20^th Round, 2011 MLB Draft from Gulf Coast Comm. College (Panama City, FL)

2012:

61 games, 276 PA, 50 runs, 58 hits, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 13 RBI, 36 SB, 36 BB, 52 SO, .256 BA, .379 OBP

Speed is Gore's game, most definitely. Problem is, it doesn't yet seem that there's a whole lot more to his offense than that. Four doubles and 0 homers as a 21 year-old hitter in the Appy League is cause for concern, especially as he advances to face stronger pitching. At his size, his role is as a slap-hitting leadoff type, but if he struggles against better pitching he could likely find himself batting at the bottom of the order, limiting his chances to steal. He already draws a lot of walks and makes the very most of his run-scoring opportunities, and should continue to do so as he climbs the ladder. I'm thinking that, at worst, Gore could be a great bench hitter and late-inning pinch-runner. If he can manage to add a little weight to his 5'7” frame, he could end up being a doubles machine with 25-30 SB annually. That's a good player to have on any team.

Alex Hudak, OF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 4/7/1990 in Mansfield, OH

Bats: Left Throws: Right

Ht: 5'11” Wt: 210

Drafted:

2012:

33 games, 123 PA, 13 runs, 30 hits, 13 doubles, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 1 SB, 11 BB, 39 SO, .275 BA, .350 OBP, .722 OPS

I barely know anything about this kid, and I already like him. An excellent student (summa cum laude at Mount Dora HS, 3.3 GPA at FAU as a public communications major), a locker room jokester (quote machine for such movies as Step Brothers and a huge Family Guy fan), and an accomplished amateur player (2^nd Team All-Conference), Hudak is a solid physical specimen with a lightning-quick bat and a hustler's approach on the field. Last season was a fair indication of his potential, as he racked up 13 doubles and reached base at a .350 clip. If he doesn't start the year at Lexington, I can't imagine any reason why he'd be away for long. He strikes me as the kind of player who will do whatever is asked him to put his team in the win column, though his burgeoning power and bat speed will likely put him in a lot of RISP situations. I don't see him being asked to bunt an awful lot, is what I'm saying here.

Mark Threlkeld, 1B, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 5/2/1990 in Riverside, CA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'3” Wt: 205

Drafted: KC Royals, 25^th Round, 2011 MLB Draft from Louisiana Tech University (Ruston, LA)

2012:

62 games, 240 PA, 37 runs, 62 hits, 18 doubles, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 15 BB, 40 SO, .283 BA, .333 OBP, .863 OPS

Threlkeld hit .335 with 14 homers and 62 RBI (team-best) as a sophomore in 2010 and made First-Team All-Western Athletic Conference as a result. He made 2^nd-team the next year, leading La. Tech with 71 hits and 45 runs. He graduated from HS as class valedictorian and 1^st-Team All-State, as yet another excellent student-athlete targeted by KC's astute scouting department. Threlkeld projects to have avg-plus power at the higher levels, and while he has already demonstrated solid power numbers he has also managed to keep the strikeouts to a reasonable level. His defense at first base is already strong, and should continue to remain so. The Royals may have found a diamond in the rough in Threlkeld, considering he was a 25^th round pick. 

Astros Send ST Invites To 65 Players

JAN 16th, 2013-The Houston Astros have sent out Spring Training invitations to 65 players this week, according to a source within the organization.

With report dates just around the corner, the following players have received confirmed invites to join the team in Kissimmee, Florida, when the Astros hit camp. I've added links for the less-familiar names and newly-acquired players:

Alan Abreu
Luis Alvarez
Travis Ballew
Joseph Bircher
Jake Buchanan
Tanner Bushue
Colton Cain
Jon Carnahan
M.P. Cokinos
Kevin Comer
Jamaine Cotton
Luis Cruz
Brandon Culbreth
Zachary Dando
Lance Day
Chris Devinski
Michael Dimock
Bobby Doran
Jonas Dufek
Michael Feliz
Christian Garcia
Theron Geith (drafted by TB Rays in 2011; reached Class A+ FSL in 2012)
Ernesto Genoves
Alex Gillingham (drafted by Rockies in 2011; 3.66 ERA in 123 IP with Asheville in 2012)
Ricky Gingras
Alfredo Gonzalez
Erick Gonzalez
Murilo Gouvea
Evan Grills
Zach Grimmett
Kyle Hallock
Miles Hamblin
Mark Hamburger (played in 3 different organizations in 2012-Texas, SD, Houston; ML debut in 2011)
Michael Hauschild
Ben Heath
Matt Heidenreich (drafted 4th round in 2009 by White Sox)
Krishawn Holley
Adrian Houser
Jordan Jankowski
Cameron Lamb
Mitchell Lambson
Christopher Lee
Kenny Long
Ricky Martinez (in Cardinals organization during 2012)
Ryan McCurdy
Jeremiah Meiners
Daniel Meszaros
Juan Minaya
Daniel Minor
Christian Moronta
Joe Musgrove (acquired via trade with Toronto; drafted in 1st round, 2011)
Wes Musick
John Neely
Juri Perez
Tyson Perez
Carlos Quevedo
Francis Ramirez
Raul Rivera
Andrew Robinson
Richard Rodriguez
David Rollins
Gera Sanchez (drafted 42nd round by Boston, 2009; failed to sign, but joined Houston after college career in 2012)
Tommy Shirley
Alex Sogard
Jason Stoffel (2.33 ERA, 27 saves in 58 IP with Class AA Corpus Christi in 2012)

Of course, we're no longer in the Houston system, but I know some of you still follow the Baby 'Stros and will be continuing to watch their progress. There are quite a number of players in this list that I'll be watching, myself, and hopefully I can add to this list soon.

More updates to come in the near future regarding both the fellas with Houston and Kansas City, the ones we've known and the ones yet to come. Stay tuned. 

Movin' On Up

If you're looking for new posts from TGOG, you'll find most of them on The Crawfish Boxes. TCB is one of the biggest sites on the 'Net devoted to the Houston Astros, and I was recently asked to join them as a writer. Lots of good writers on TCB, and tons of info you might not otherwise hear about the Astros and their affiliates. Check 'em out. 

Player Interview: Ian Kadish, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (MiLB)

MAY 17th, 2012-It was an honor for me to spend a little time today with a pitcher I've been following closely since his professional debut last year at Bluefield (Rookie Class, Appalachian League): Blue Jays prospect and Cincinnati native RHP Ian Kadish. Ian was more than willing to devote a bit of his time to answering a few questions I had for him about his time in pro ball, both on and off the field, and I thank him for that. 


You had a great year at Bluefield in 2011. What one thing would you say was the greatest reason for your success?


If I had to pick one thing for the reason for my success in Bluefield in 2011, it would have to be my competitive nature.  I compete at everything I do, no matter what the scenario.  I hate losing and will go to great lengths to win.  Along with that is my work ethic...I even compete to out work everybody else. 

Tell me about your pitching repetoire. Is there one pitch you feel most confident in throwing? How do you approach pressure situations (runners on, small lead, etc)?

The fastball is obviously my go to pitch, but if I am in a pressure situation, I like to go to the slider.  I have great confidence with all of my pitches and feel I can throw them at any time.

During this year's Spring Training, what have you tried to concentrate on the most? How would you say the Blue Jays coaches handle their young pitching prospects?

This Spring I have tried to concentrate the most on fastball command down in the zone.  The Blue Jay coaches preach that and it is a huge emphasis in our program.  I think they do a wonderful job with the young prospects by pushing them, but not too much.  They really develop some great prospects down here.

What does it mean to you to be Jewish in a sport in which there haven't been a lot of Jewish stars in recent years? Do you feel that baseball is a thriving sport among Jewish athletes? 

It means a lot to me to be Jewish in baseball.  There have been some amazing Jewish players such as Sandy Koufax and Shawn Green...hopefully I can add my name to the list as well!

Have you had a moment in any level of baseball when you were ready to quit the game, altogether? What was it that changed your mind?

There was a time I will never forget where I had a breakdown because I was so frustrated with the game.  I was ready to quit all together and move on with my life.  The person that was there with me was my mom.  I broke down and let all my frustration out and only my mom knows exactly how frustrated I really was.  She got me through it though and I can't thank her enough!

Concerning the fans, has there ever been a moment when you were put in a situation that made you uncomfortable? Any fans that have been a little too aggressive?

Hahaha! There has not been a moment yet where I was uncomfortable...It takes a lot to make me uncomfortable, but I love my fans and I love interacting with them!

How do you keep yourself occupied on those long bus trips?

The long bus trips are filled with a great amount of movies, music, sleep, and more music!  Anything to pass the time!

Is there one player in the Jays organization who's made an impression on you? How about the best player no one knows about?

I can't pick one player in the organization that has made an impression on me because there are so many great players here.  I could go on for days about different players and it wouldn't be fair to pick just one.  

If you weren't playing baseball, what would you most want to do with your life?

If I wasn't playing baseball, I would probably be in Grad School for Exercise Science.  I love the way the body works and I love working out.  My strength coach in college made a huge impact on me and I love what he does.

What advice would you offer to young players looking to make it in the pros?

The advice I would offer was given to me by my manager in Bluefield, Dennis Holmberg.  He told me to keep chasing your dream and never give up.  Work hard and sometime down the road either in the near future or far it will pay off.

Follow Ian on Twitter (@TheBearJew36) and on his personal blog page (One Love...Baseball) for some serious insight on the man, the player, and the dream chaser. You'll be glad you did. 

Player Interview: Mitchell Lambson, LHP, Houston Astros (MiLB)

Lambson in a bullpen session (Houston Astros
Spring Training, 3-4-2012)

MAY 4th, 2012-I recently had the opportunity to speak with a young man who is as enthusiastic about the game of baseball as any player I've ever known (and definitely more so that some). That player is former ASU standout and 2011 Houston draftee LHP Mitchell Lambson, who made his debut with the New York-Penn League's Tri-City ValleyCats, last year (stats).

Let's get right to it, shall we?



1. During your time in this year's Spring Training, what would you say has been your greatest challenge?

Spring training was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.  It was my first spring training this year so I'd say the biggest challenge was being in a new place and figuring out what spring training is about.  I had plenty of help from my Tri-City teammates as well as help from new teammates I met at spring training to get the hang of things, and I had a great time meeting all the staff and players.

2. When you were drafted by Houston in the 19th round of last year's draft, what was the first thought that went through your mind? Did you have a notion as to where you might be drafted?

Lambson in pitcher's fielding practice (Houston Astros
Spring Training, 3-4-2012)

I immediately felt honored and pretty excited when I got drafted last spring.  It was my dream since I first started playing t-ball when I was 4 years old and to be a professional baseball player.  Getting drafted was a special moment for myself, my family, and all of my coaches, friends, and teammates who helped me to get drafted.

3. You've garnered quite a few honors in your time in amateur baseball. Is there one in particular of which you are the proudest, and why? 

I would say playing in the College World Series was the biggest honor in my amateur baseball career.  For one, it was such an awesome team achievement to reach the CWS.  I feel blessed and very grateful I got to be on two teams that made it to Omaha, as well as another team that was one win away.  Playing in the CWS was also a dream of mine since I first watched games at Rosenblatt on ESPN.  One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Arizona State was because I knew I would have a great shot at making it to the CWS.

4. You were able to play on the same Arizona State team with your brother, Mark, who had a strong showing in 10 games (23 2/3 IP) in 2011. How do you feel you compare with him, both ability-wise and in terms of personality?

Houston wasn't digging the long hair look.
Lambson reacted accordingly.
(Houston Astros Spring Training, 3-7-2012)

Playing with my brother Mark at ASU was awesome and something we will both be able to look back on and cherish forever.  My brother and I are very competitive and we have been pushing each other to be better as long as I can remember.  I try and set the bar as high as I can to push him and more times than not he beats me, (although I'll never admit that to him).  I think we are similar in our ability and we both have similar pitching styles.  The only difference really is I'm a lefty and he's a righty.

5. While in Spring Training this year, what would you say has been your favorite part of your time in practice? 

I haven't been a hitter since back in my high school days, so when they let the pitchers bunt or take a few swings in the cage during spring training practice I really enjoyed the chance to swing the bat again.  Hitting is much harder than I remembered though.  I really enjoyed all aspects of practicing during spring training and I enjoy the opportunity to get out on the ball field and play everyday.


6. While pitching for Tri-City in 2011, what was the hardest part or the most difficult adjustment you had to make in your first year in pro ball?

The biggest adjustment for me when I got to Tri-City was learning to play everyday.  The pro ball schedule is a grind and it took me some adjustments to keep my body and arm in shape to play everyday.  I love playing the game though so while playing everyday was a tough adjustment at times, it was also a fun process.

7. What would you say has been your most memorable moment in pro ball, thus far?

There have been a lot of fun moments so far in pro ball and I've met a lot of great friends and teammates, as well as getting the chance to learn from some of the best baseball coaches around.  I would say just having the opportunity to pursue my dream of playing professional baseball is the best part though, I wouldn't trade it.

8. Among the players you've met thus far, who has made the greatest impression on you, both in the Astros organization and on opposing teams?

I've learned from a lot of different players, getting to play pro baseball has given me the opportunity to play with some of the best players in the game.  I try and take something from everyone I play with to adapt to my own game so that I can try and get a little bit better everyday.

9. Have you set any specific goals for yourself going into the 2012 season?

Going into the 2012 season I want to establish myself in the Astros organization as a potential MLB prospect.  My way of achieving this is more about fine tuning my own game and getting better everyday than anything else.  I can't control where I play necessarily, but I can work hard to be a better pitcher everyday and I believe that if I do that then I will continue to move up through the minor league ranks and eventually make it to the big league club.  It is a process though and I know it isn't going to happen overnight, so committing myself to get better each and everyday is my goal.

10. How do you deal with the long bus rides on road trips? 

 I enjoy listening to music and watching movies on long road trips to help pass the time.  But I would say that getting to hang out with my teammates and getting to know them better is one of the best parts about long trips in the minors.

11. Do you do anything special to prep for a game? So many baseball players are superstitious; would you consider yourself part of that group?

I don't do anything too crazy before games, I just like to get into a good routine that prepares my body and mind to pitch in the game.  I would say my biggest superstition is to not step on the chalk, one of the golden rules of baseball.  

12. Can you give us a quick rundown of your pitches? Are there specific situations in which you might drastically change the way you pitch to a batter?

I throw a four-seam fastball, change-up, curveball, and slider.  I don't change the way I pitch to any hitter, I just try and stick to my strengths of locating pitches and changing speeds to get hitters out.  I try to have the ability to throw any pitch at any time in the count in order to keep the hitters off balance and guessing.

13. If you weren't a professional baseball player, what would you most like to be? 

My passion is baseball and I love the game, so if I wasn't a professional I would most likely find a job that keeps me around baseball and connected to the game.  I would love being a pitching coach later on in life if I got the opportunity.