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Pitching, pitching and more pitching – well, except for Diegomar Markwell – and the continuing remarkable season of Simon Pond.

Norfolk 4, Syracuse 1

Doug Linton deserved better – he scattered 7 hits over 7 innings, walking just 1 while whiffing 7, but gave up 3 runs in the 2nd to take the loss. Howie Clark had three hits for the Chiefs. Keeper-league fantasy note: remember Orber Moreno? He was a candidate for the Royals closer job many moons ago, before arm surgery, but he’s closing now for the Tides, and doing pretty nicely: 6 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 11 K. He’s struck out half the batters he’s faced. When Armando Benitez is dealt away by the rebuilding Mets, watch the waiver wire for Moreno.

New Haven 3-7 Erie 1-8

The Ravens split a doubleheader, winning the first behind another fine performance by Cam Reimers: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. He’s still not a true prospect – 15% K/BF rate at AA – but he’s nice to have around. Diegomarkwell got hammered again in the nightcap – 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. Simon Pond went 6-for-6 on the day with two walks: his season line now stands at .382/.490/.594, tops on the powerful New Haven roster. No, I can’t figure it out either.

Dunedin 3 Sarasota 2

Vince Perkins is not breaking much of a sweat at Dunedin (well, no more than any Canadian boy would in the Florida State League in late May): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, and a two-start ERA of 0.82. And how about Jordan DeJong? A scoreless ninth produced his 15th save, and his season line is now 2-1, 1.16, 22 G, 20 GF, 23 IP, 16 H, 12 BB, 25 K, 26% K/BF.

Charleston 4 Lexington 2

The intriguing Sandy Nin won again: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. The Jays’ stealth pitching prospect has accumulated these numbers: 50 IP, 42 H, 7 BB, 41 K, 21 %. The K and H numbers are only okay for the Sally League, but that really is remarkable strike-zone command for a 22-year-old.
Minor-League Update... | 11 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_R Billie - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 11:06 AM EDT (#101772) #
Methinks Markwell is not earning himself protection on the 40-man. He doesn't turn 23 until August but he's no longer young for his level...if it wasn't for him throwing with his left hand I wonder if he'd even still be in the organization.

Guys like him and Abbott and Bauer are on the bubble as multiple Dunedin pitchers could make the jump to AA by the end of the year. If Perkins dominates the FSL for three months, he could get a taste of AA just to give him a sneak peak for next year. Ditto McGowan, Pleiness, Bush, etc. DeJong could be moved up to AA after the June draft...he's quite old for the FSL at 24 and there's not much for him to learn there.

Pond should be moved up to AAA mid-season and if he keeps it up he should be called up in September to see if there's possibly a bench role for him next year. He doesn't seem very good defensively but he enjoys swinging the bat. And if he isn't a prospect at 26 then Tom Wilson wasn't at 31 last year either. Some guys just get overlooked for being one dimensional.
robertdudek - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 11:48 AM EDT (#101773) #
Here is a batting component breakdown of the most interesting position prospects in the Jays' organisation; but first, league norms from 2002:

South Atlantic League (A): Power .112; walks .087; strikeouts .195; bip avg .303
Florida State League (A+): Power .113; walks .088; strikeouts .178; bip avg .292
Eastern League ------(AA): Power .131; walks .085; strikeouts .174; bip avg .300
International League (AAA): Power .132; walks .076; strikeouts .167; bip avg .298

These numbers do not include yesterday's games.

player ---------- league -- Age - Power - Walks - K rate - BipAvg
David Corrente ---- SAL -- 19 -- .056 -- .107 -- .160 -- .283
Miguel Negron ----- SAL -- 20 -- .122 -- .010 -- .131 -- .370
Guillermo Quiroz -- EAS -- 21 -- .245 -- .074 -- .226 -- .345
Ron Davenport ----- FSL -- 21 -- .110 -- .070 -- .185 -- .360
Alexis Rios -------- EAS -- 22 -- .196 -- .101 -- .173 -- .427
Jason Perry -------- FSL -- 22 -- .188 -- .082 -- .253 -- .397
Russ Adams -------- FSL -- 22 -- .081 -- .123 -- .088 -- .302
John-Ford Griffin - EAS -- 23 -- .230 -- .085 -- .229 -- .321
Gabe Gross -------- EAS -- 23 -- .156 -- .144 -- .117 -- .336
Dominic Rich ------ EAS -- 23 -- .038 -- .098 -- .113 -- .213
Tyrel Godwin ------ FSL -- 23 -- .060 -- .074 -- .072 -- .322
Kevin Cash --------- INT -- 25 -- .118 -- .059 -- .225 -- .321
Simon Pond -------- EAS -- 26 -- .201 -- .140 -- .111 -- .383

I didn't include Jayson Werth because he hasn't had many PA at Syracuse and his Dunedin (rehab) stats are not really useful.

Thus far, Gross has inched ahead of Griffin (much better K/W ratio). I would tab Quiroz, Rios and Adams as the top three position prospects in the organisation, not necessarily in that order. Pond is interesting - a late bloomer who can hit. I think he needs to go up to Syracuse to see if he might one day be a useful major league bench player.
_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 12:37 PM EDT (#101774) #
Pond is from Vancouver, for those who are interested in that sort of thing.
_Matthew Elmslie - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 12:57 PM EDT (#101775) #
Pond belongs on an all-star team with Mickey Rivers, Steve Lake, Terry Puhl, Wade Boggs, Tom Marsh and John Wetteland.
_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 01:10 PM EDT (#101776) #
And Doug Creek.

Is Curt Flood too much of a stretch?
_Jabonoso - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 01:21 PM EDT (#101777) #
R Billie:
I agree with you. P Bauer should be given an opportunity in the pen, looks overmatched and old as starter in AA. New Haven pen is as bad as big league team's.
Robert:
Thanks for the good work. It does not look like the norm of 10% BBs is catching on with many prospects. Why Adams should be ahead of Gross, strikeouts?
Is interesting to note that Perry is not that far behind hyped John-Ford!
Matthew:
I did not get you line at all. Sorry
_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 01:29 PM EDT (#101778) #
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/draftday/index.jsp
On a mildly related topic: for some free draft day coverage from MLB, click on my name.
_Matthew Elmslie - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 01:33 PM EDT (#101779) #
How could I forget Creek? What an idiot.

And Brooks Robinson.
_Jordan - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 02:22 PM EDT (#101780) #
Maybe Steve Rain could set up Creek and Wetteland. So long as Ken Cloude was the starter, anyway.
_Ken - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 02:26 PM EDT (#101781) #
Adams and Gross are definately JP type players, both are potential stars and if they keep progressing along the same lines are sure to make the big club in the next 2 years (maybe 3 for adams).

the lower minors are loaded with talented pitching and some interesting hitting aswell, perry has caught my eye after his slow start but i'd like to see more power from a 1B prospect (hopefully it will come later). i can't wait for the draft and the beginning of the short season aswell.

mid-season will be a very busy time for coaches in the system and i hope the players all make successful transitions. De Jong def needs to be called up, he's dominating A level pitching this year.
robertdudek - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 03:12 PM EDT (#101782) #
I think it's because Adams plays shortstop and Gross is going to be a corner outfielder or first baseman. In short, positional value.
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