OC Register: Jo Adell and other top Angels prospects lead late outburst in blowout victory

[AngelsWin.com]

THE GAME: After the Angels’ starters came out of the game, a lineup including some of their top prospects scored 11 runs in the final two innings to beat the Oakland A’s 17-5 on Tuesday at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Ariz. It was the Angels’ most runs in a spring training game since 2012.

PITCHING REPORT: LHP Andrew Heaney allowed the first three hitters of the game to reach base on his way to a 26-pitch first inning. He then allowed the first two to reach in the second inning, ending his day at 38 pitches after recording just three outs. He was charged with three runs. … RHP Hansel Robles worked a perfect inning, with a strikeout. … RHP Taylor Cole pitched two scoreless innings.

HITTING REPORT: Top prospect Jo Adell had an RBI single in the eighth, snapping an 0-for-5 start to his first big league spring training. With the bases loaded, Adell pulled a ball through the hole on the left side. He also drew a walk. Adell is in his first big league camp. … In the ninth inning, Jahmai Jones, Adell, Brandon Marsh, Roberto Baldoquin and Matt Thaiss reached base consecutively. Jones, Adell, Marsh and Thaiss are four of the Angels’ best hitting prospects. Baldoquin has not lived up to his potential after signing out of Cuba for an $8 million bonus in 2015, although he’s made progress in the past year. … Thaiss, who had two doubles, leads the team with six RBIs this spring. … José Rojas, up from minor league camp, hit a towering three-run homer. Rojas, a product of Vanguard University, reached Triple-A last season. … “They hit the crap out of the ball,” Manager Brad Ausmus said of the late-game performance. … Mike Trout reached on an infield hit and drew a walk in three trips to the plate. … Albert Pujols drove a ball to the gap but it was caught at the warning track. Pujols went hitless in three at-bats. … Jarrett Parker had two hits, including a double. He has four hits in seven at-bats so far this spring. … Peter Bourjos hit a homer and drove in another run with a single. … The Angels scored four runs against Fernando Rodney, one of Oakland’s top relievers, to take the lead for good in the fourth.

DEFENSE REPORT: Shortstop David Fletcher made an accurate relay home in time to get an out, but catcher Kevan Smith dropped the ball and a run scored. … Fletcher also mishandled a ground ball for an error.

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP Trevor Cahill) vs. Rockies (RHP German Márquez), Wednesday, noon PT, Salt River Field, Scottsdale, Ariz.

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[Docwaukee]

As good as Fletcher was at 2b and 3b last year, I haven't been overly impressed with his skills at SS.  

[ten ocho recon scout]

Pujols flew out to the gap. Sounds like hes ready for the season already. And some of you guys didnt think he was working out this winter, smh.

[Second Base]

Way too early to be making any judgments, but if Matt Thaiss keeps hitting the ball like this, we may need to adjust his ETA.  He's not going to be much of a power hitter, but if you are looking for lots of doubles, a good BA/OBP, and solid defense then he's your man. Like Jose Mesa and Brad Ausmus said, all that kid does is hit, all day long. 

I mean let's say he gets a full year of at bats and hits .280/.340 with 35 DB and 10 HR. He's not going to be an all-star and he's certainly not someone your targeting in your fantasy draft. But he's better than Albert Pujols at this stage of his career, and the Angels are likely going to be confronted with that fact very early this year. 

[Second Base]

Thaiss, Ward, Fletcher, Rengifo, Hermosillo, Jones, Adell and Marsh are all going to be arriving soon, or already have arrived. Not saying all are going to work out and be good starting major leaguers, but when you have that many at once, the chances of 3-4 of them ending up being pretty good is pretty considerable. 

Some have more hype and upside than others, but all appear to be back ups at the very least. 

[angelsnationtalk]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Thaiss, Ward, Fletcher, Rengifo, Hermosillo, Jones, Adell and Marsh are all going to be arriving soon, or already have arrived. Not saying all are going to work out and be good starting major leaguers, but when you have that many at once, the chances of 3-4 of them ending up being pretty good is pretty considerable. 

Some have more hype and upside than others, but all appear to be back ups at the very least. 

Adell, Marsh, Thaiss and MAYBE Ward/Fletcher will be the ones who can become every day players. 

[angelsnationtalk]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Way too early to be making any judgments, but if Matt Thaiss keeps hitting the ball like this, we may need to adjust his ETA.  He's not going to be much of a power hitter, but if you are looking for lots of doubles, a good BA/OBP, and solid defense then he's your man. Like Jose Mesa and Brad Ausmus said, all that kid does is hit, all day long. 

I mean let's say he gets a full year of at bats and hits .280/.340 with 35 DB and 10 HR. He's not going to be an all-star and he's certainly not someone your targeting in your fantasy draft. But he's better than Albert Pujols at this stage of his career, and the Angels are likely going to be confronted with that fact very early this year. 

Yeah Matt Thaiss will be mashing in AAA and because we have Pujols and Bour kissing 1B that means we won’t see Thaiss until the end of the season. Gotta play the contracts! 

[angelsnationtalk]

Did anyone else see Billy Eppler sitting behind home plate taking notes on all our pitchers? Pretty cool.

[Second Base]

40 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Yeah Matt Thaiss will be mashing in AAA and because we have Pujols and Bour kissing 1B that means we won’t see Thaiss until the end of the season. Gotta play the contracts! 

If he keeps hitting this way, we'll probably see him in June or July.

[Lou]

3 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Pujols flew out to the gap. Sounds like hes ready for the season already. And some of you guys didnt think he was working out this winter, smh.

he's batting .400 

 

[eaterfan]

I put 0 weight on spring training stats. Didn't Ohtani suck last year? Wasn't Thaiss great in 2017?

[Lou]

55 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

I put 0 weight on spring training stats. Didn't Ohtani suck last year? Wasn't Thaiss great in 2017?

high school hitter 

[Billy_Ball]

3 hours ago, Second Base said:

Way too early to be making any judgments, but if Matt Thaiss keeps hitting the ball like this, we may need to adjust his ETA.  He's not going to be much of a power hitter, but if you are looking for lots of doubles, a good BA/OBP, and solid defense then he's your man. Like Jose Mesa and Brad Ausmus said, all that kid does is hit, all day long. 

I mean let's say he gets a full year of at bats and hits .280/.340 with 35 DB and 10 HR. He's not going to be an all-star and he's certainly not someone your targeting in your fantasy draft. But he's better than Albert Pujols at this stage of his career, and the Angels are likely going to be confronted with that fact very early this year. 

Sounds a bit like Wally Joyner, left handed bat and all.  Not bad.

[angelsnationtalk]

10 hours ago, Second Base said:

If he keeps hitting this way, we'll probably see him in June or July.

He deserves to be here earlier if he keeps hitting like that. He's in the lineup today so it already appears he's getting a longer look. 

[Stradling]

I don’t want to be that guy, because I am really looking forward to Thias getting a shot, but which major league pitchers has he hit against this off season?  Also aren’t hitters ahead of the pitchers because the pitchers are basically getting stretched out or working on things?  Him hitting like this may not be at all what it looks like.  It could be, but it probably isn’t.  

[East Coast Bias]

 

11 hours ago, Billy_Ball said:

Sounds a bit like Wally Joyner, left handed bat and all.  Not bad.

I haven't been able to see a lot of the minor league guys and was thinking Casey Kotchman when I read that take.  Not a slugger but someone with a solid average, good glove, and decent contact.  

[Dick Enberg]

Thaiss has Eppler written all over him. in 1557 Minor League plate appearances, he's only stuckout 268 times and carries a .357 OBP

[Second Base]

28 minutes ago, East Coast Bias said:

 

I haven't been able to see a lot of the minor league guys and was thinking Casey Kotchman when I read that take.  Not a slugger but someone with a solid average, good glove, and decent contact.  

Thaiss and Kotch are actually quite different.  Kotch was a big dude that was supposed to grow into considerable power, and literally had to make zero adjustments upon entering pro ball.  He skated through the minors until he was major league ready and once he was in the majors, we saw that despite his size, he really wasn't that strong of a guy.  He didn't square up and drive pitches the way someone of his stature and skill set should.  Then there was injury and getting traded....

With Thaiss, he's quite a bit smaller than Kotch was, but is more solidly built.  Kotch was agreat firelding 1B in my opinion, and Thaiss has haqd to develop into an adequate one.  Kotch already had the skill at a young age to succeed in the minors, whereas despite his collegiate success, Matt Thaiss needed to undergo some considerable adjustments to be major league ready.  Thaiss really sqaures up the ball better than Kotch ever did though. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

21 hours ago, Lou said:

he's weighing .400