The Official 2018 Minor League Statline and Prospect Discussion Thread

[Inside Pitch]

15 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

All joking aside, people completely missed the point of my Trout comment, even though I explained it. I am NOT saying the Angels shouldn't extend Trout, or that I don't hope that they do. I'm saying that they don't absolutely NEED to to remain a very good franchise. I am complimenting Eppler on a job well done.

I'm sure everyone understood.... Was just an easy opportunity to be assholes....  It's how we roll.

[Dave Saltzer]

8 hours ago, Warfarin said:

I'd say AAA has good depth pieces for us to help support our major league team, which is refreshing as compared to years past.  Outside of Barria, I don't see any significant prospects there, but again, it's important to have guys in AAA who we can call upon as needed due to injury/poor performance, and we certainly do have that.

That's what AAA is for--guys who can immediately come up and support the parent club. The top prospects tend to stay longer in AA and then get a little refining in AAA before coming up to the Majors. But long term, the guys in AAA should be role players for the Majors and just keeping their skills fresh playing everyday. It's good that we actually have guys with experience and are quality who can come fill in as needed, especially with the pitchers. We will need the depth. 

[Angelsjunky]

^Exactly. I kind of see AAA as part final stop for most prospects before graduation and part "extended bench and bullpen" for the big league club. I'm guessing that almost every player who plays in AAA ends up at least getting a cup o' coffee. That would really suck to make it to AAA and never at least get called up.

[Docwaukee]

15 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

All joking aside, people completely missed the point of my Trout comment, even though I explained it. I am NOT saying the Angels shouldn't extend Trout, or that I don't hope that they do. I'm saying that they don't absolutely NEED to to remain a very good franchise. I am complimenting Eppler on a job well done.

 

no we didn't.  we knew what you meant.  

do I look like a clown to you?

[Warfarin]

1 hour ago, Dave Saltzer said:

That's what AAA is for--guys who can immediately come up and support the parent club. The top prospects tend to stay longer in AA and then get a little refining in AAA before coming up to the Majors. But long term, the guys in AAA should be role players for the Majors and just keeping their skills fresh playing everyday. It's good that we actually have guys with experience and are quality who can come fill in as needed, especially with the pitchers. We will need the depth. 

Yeah, I agree with this.  AAA should be essentially like our extended bench, as you said.  Getting through a monster 162 game marathon season is all about having significant depth, and a team's AAA roster is a very big part of that process.  Then, the postseason becomes more about riding your top horses heavily for a one month sprint.  This is why it's so important to rest your star players and ensure they are healthy for the stretch drive.

[Warfarin]

It's only a few games into the minor league season, but beleaguered prospect Taylor Ward has started off hitting pretty well.  Perhaps "focusing on only himself" will help him hone his offense and become a better utility player.  Maybe we can have him ultimately become a backup C/3B type player, thus improving his versatility and utility to the team.  

[Tank]

We really have a kid named Ralston? That's awesome. 

I can hardly wait to have him sign my FRod picture. 

[101halo]

37 minutes ago, Tank said:

We really have a kid named Ralston? That's awesome. 

I can hardly wait to have him sign my FRod picture. 

Yup, Ralston Schimpf. 

[Angel Oracle]

On ‎4‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 9:24 AM, Scotty@AW said:

The radar gun was likely hot and Suarez was pretty amped for his first start. He doesn't throw mid-90's, and it is highly unlikely he will reach that velocity. Last season he worked 90-91, and last night he worked 92-ish.

His curve, for now does not profile as a "plus" offering as much as he spots it well, which is exactly what my report read. But the change up is everything advertised and more.

Bugs Bunny like?

[Tank]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

Bugs Bunny like?

1-2-3 strikes YER OUT!

[Second Base]

5 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Bugs Bunny like?

Tropeano-like.

[John Smith]

Bill Mitchell‏ @billazbbphotog 13m13 minutes ago

 

 

2 scoreless innings in extended spring opener for #Angels RHP Jose Soriano. FB up to 95. Turning into one of the better lower level arms on the AZ backfields.

[Chuck]

I know it's early on and it's a small sample size, but it's good to see Taylor Ward get out of the gate with a hot start. If his defense plays out at the hot corner (he's got the arm and quickness to his left and right), we may have salvaged that first round selection.

.600/.625/.733 with a 1.358 OPS through 4 games. He's only hit 10 HR and 9 HR over the past two seasons, but like catcher turned 3B Josh Donaldson, he too had two minor league seasons in which he clubbed just 9 HR, then hit 15 one year in between before clubbing 18 in the PCL. 

[Chuck]

Roberto Baldoquin looking much improved in 2018. Even after an 0-3 today, he hit .429 in the opening series vs San Jose. Bigger, stronger, more confident, looking good. pic.twitter.com/OZjnfHKy3a

— TheJerryEspinoza ™ (@JEspinoza1634) April 9, 2018

[Chuck]

Congratulations to Jaime Barria on his MLB call up to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/y1PIRM01Pp

— TheJerryEspinoza ™ (@JEspinoza1634) April 9, 2018

[red321]

Isn't this is 10th go round with the Bees?

[Second Base]

6 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Baldoquin did get a lot bigger over the offseason. I remain extremely cautiously optimistic though.

[Second Base]

13 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I know it's early on and it's a small sample size, but it's good to see Taylor Ward get out of the gate with a hot start. If his defense plays out at the hot corner (he's got the arm and quickness to his left and right), we may have salvaged that first round selection.

.600/.625/.733 with a 1.358 OPS through 4 games. He's only hit 10 HR and 9 HR over the past two seasons, but like catcher turned 3B Josh Donaldson, he too had two minor league seasons in which he clubbed just 9 HR, then hit 15 one year in between before clubbing 18 in the PCL. 

If that happened.....let's just say I'd need to borrow tdawg's dojo.

[Chuck]

8 minutes ago, red321 said:

Isn't this is 10th go round with the Bees?

Who?

[red321]

6 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Who?

my bad....66'ers...geez...4th year in A ball.

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, red321 said:

my bad....66'ers...geez...4th year in A ball.

Yep. Some guys just take a bit to figure it out, if they do at all. 

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

Yep. Some guys just take a bit to figure it out, if they do at all. 

But I thought Dipoto said he's basically ready.

[Vlad27Trout27]

Barria is starting on Weds.

[Chuck]

Man if somehow our rotation could look like this all season..

Richards, Ohtani, Heaney, Skaggs,  Barria & Tropeano... With Bridwell and others as fill-in starters. Damn

If Shoemaker and Ramirez come back from injury, I'd work them both  back slowly out of the pen. Both could be pretty good options in short term situations or long relief IMO. 

[Vlad27Trout27]

Ward with another multiple hit game today (3/4).

One guy that I'm keeping an eye on this season is Gatto, I still believe that he's young enough to figure some stuff out and to continue to improve from next season.