Padres Farm Report (4 Jun 08)
Wed, Jun 4, 2008
by Geoff Young
Triple-A — Las Vegas 6, Portland 1
Peter Ciofrone (LF): 1-for-4
Vince Sinisi (1B): 0-for-4
Chip Ambres: 1-for-3, HR, BB
Will Venable (CF): 0-for-4
Craig Stansberry: 1-for-3, BB
Matt Antonelli (PH): 0-for-1
Chase Headley (PH): 0-for-1
Justin Germano: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 8 SO (7 GO)
Mauro Zarate: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 2 BB, 2 SO
Antonelli is pushing the Padres toward a decision they’d probably rather not make… Germano cleared waivers and had a decent debut at Portland.
More coverage at the Portland Oregonian.
Double-A
No games scheduled in the Texas League.
High-A — Lake Elsinore 7, Inland Empire 4
Javis Diaz: 1-for-2, E
Cedric Hunter: 2-for-4, 2B, BB, SB
Eric Sogard: 2-for-5
Mitch Canham: 1-for-3, 2 BB, SB
Rayner Contreras: 3-for-4, 2B, 3B, BB, SB
Kellen Kulbacki: 1-for-4, HR, BB
Corey Kluber: 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 3 SO
Elsinore came storming back (get it? yuk, yuk) with four in the seventh and two in the eighth to win this one. Kulbacki’s two-run homer in the seventh tied it… Canham stole home the next inning on the front end of a double steal… There’s a kid on the Inland Empire squad named Scott Van Slyke; yes, he’s Andy’s kid and yes, I feel old.
Low-A — Great Lakes 9, Fort Wayne 4
Luis Durango (LF): 2-for-5, 2 E
Lance Zawadzki (SS): 1-for-4
Justin Baum: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, E
Felix Carrasco: 2-for-4, HR
Yefri Carvajal: 1-for-4
Matt Teague: 4 IP, 13 H, 9 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 1 SO
Carrasco is becoming one of my favorite players in the system — not in terms of his status as a prospect but because I love it when a guy just goes for it every at-bat regardless of consequences. I like to think there’s a place in baseball for the Rob Strattons of the world… Miserable outing for Teague; talk about taking one for the team…
Draft Watch: Ryan Perry
pre-draft rankings:
- Baseball America (sub), 26
- Brewerfan.net, n/a
- PG Crosschecker, 21
- John Sickels, 28
I’m not crazy about the idea of taking a college reliever with the first pick, but that is an area of strength in this year’s draft. Perry’s fastball runs mid-90s, and depending on who you ask, it either lacks movement or has decent sinking action. He complements the #1 with a slider that has been compared to that of Brad Lidge. Perry draws praise for his aggressiveness on the mound, but his mechanics sometimes cause him to leave pitches up in the zone. He didn’t pitch in high school and is still learning his craft. Some scouts think he could be a starter.
- Bio (U. of Arizona web site)
- Scouting report with video (MiLB.com)
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
June 4, 2008 at 1:47 am
Interesting article in the U-T about the draft. Reese Havens is mentioned by name as someone they’ve been scouting. Towers says the Padres are interested in two high school arms that could go in the top 10, which is really bizarre because: 1) I haven’t seen any mock drafts with a high school pitcher going in the top 10, and 2) it’s the Padres interested in a prep pitcher. So who are these guys? Ethan Martin? Jake Odorizzi? Aaron Hicks? Tim Melville? Gerrit Cole (no way - Boras client, right?)
Other things: they like Wallace but expect him to be gone, they’re not going to pay above slot, and Zach Collier got help from Chris Gwynn with his hitting.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com.....tor-draft/
June 4, 2008 at 2:34 am
Just a heads up, you have the Portland score backwards.
June 4, 2008 at 5:06 am
“Antonelli is pushing the Padres toward a decision they’d probably rather not make…”
Geoff…Are you implying a demotion to AA?
June 4, 2008 at 5:31 am
#1@Ben B.:
Makes me wonder if that quote is exactly accurate, or if Towers was sufficiently clear. Hicks, Melville, Martin, Casey Kelly may all be gone when we pick, but like you, I haven’t seen anyone predict multiple HS pitchers in the top 10. John Sickels has Hicks going to the Nationals at 9, with Melville, Martin, and Kelly going between 13 and 19.
June 4, 2008 at 6:42 am
It’s too bad that Antonelli is struggling so bad because he would probably be up here in a month or so as Iguchi offensive performance has been sub par to say the least.
What will the Pads do at second base this season, lets say in July, August or September ?
June 4, 2008 at 6:48 am
#5@JP: Maybe we just give someone Brett Dowdy or Stansberry a look…one thing is for sure, I don’t want Iguchi taking up space @ second base when he has no future here. I wonder if we will have to just DFA Iguchi as I don’t think they could garner an old glove and bat for him in a trade.
June 4, 2008 at 7:03 am
#1@Ben B.: I would be good with Havens, especially as opposed to one of the relievers.
#2@Zagz: D’oh! Thanks…
#3@Coronado Mike: He’s hitting .176/.310/.277; in May his line was .170/.300/.210. He was driving the ball earlier this season but now all he’s doing is drawing walks. I still like Antonelli a lot, but I wonder if a change of scenery might do him good? I don’t know him like the Padres know him, of course, just thinking out loud here.
#5@JP: Not a slam dunk. Iguchi has played very well in the field. I expect there’s little chance he’ll be DFAd, especially to make room for guys like Dowdy and Stansberry, who aren’t prospects.
June 4, 2008 at 7:21 am
#7@Geoff Young: I wonder if Padre (and other) scouts worry about Havens’ unusual swing, like maybe it won’t work with wood. He did hit on the Cape with wood, but that was before he changed his hand position.
I agree that I’d rather have Havens than the college relievers.
June 4, 2008 at 7:46 am
Will Carroll is reporting that John Smoltz is done for the season.
Kevin Goldstein of BP has a Mock Draft up (unlike Baseball America, which has only had 1 in the last few weeks). His comment on the Padres is very interesting; the team seems to be unpredictable. Right now the strongest rumors are Havens and Hewitt, who represent opposite ends of the spectrum. They’re also linked to Shooter Hunt, who is Goldstein’s pick for us.
June 4, 2008 at 7:49 am
#9@Tom Waits: Here is the report on Smoltz having season ending shoulder surgery…
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=3425461
June 4, 2008 at 7:52 am
Hewitt? Now, that is shocking.
June 4, 2008 at 8:16 am
I’m behind in the comments … this is likely already posted … in case not … a few more thoughts from DePo …
http://itmightbedangerous.blog.....ategy.html
… with 2nd Bill Murray reference in as many days
Sounds like he’s hinting at “college reliever” to me … and I’m OK with that …
June 4, 2008 at 8:36 am
Antonelli going back to AA or being traded, if such is the case then
1. Could Iguchi still get traded?
2. What other 2Bs are close that we could consider giving them a shot?
June 4, 2008 at 9:20 am
#11@Geoff Young: Doesn’t Hewitt have Pedro Cerano syndrome like Greenie?
June 4, 2008 at 9:23 am
Not that it really matters that much, but the Padres released INF Ray Chang. He had been on the Beavers roster, after getting moved up from Double A (I guess).
June 4, 2008 at 9:25 am
Hewitt would be a pretty exciting change of pace for the Pads. Getting a chance to draft a guy who has been frequently described as the best athlete in the last several drafts and who some scouts compare to Bo Jackson…wow. It does make me nervous that Goldstein describes him as “not a baseball player,” but I think that if he’s available, the Padres should give it a shot. It would be great to see a top athlete wind up in a system that emphasizes strike zone judgment and see what happens.
If Hewitt’s not available, or the Padres don’t actually have interest, I’d prefer a high school arm over Havens or a college reliever. Moneyball is about finding undervalued commodities, and the pendulum may have swung to the point where what’s undervalued is high upside high school arms.
June 4, 2008 at 9:26 am
#14@Steve C: Yeah, that whole “great athlete” thing only gets you so far in life. Ask Reggie Abercrombie… No doubt, Hewitt comes with tremendous risk…
June 4, 2008 at 9:36 am
#15@Rain Delay: Bummer I always liked Chang, I knew he would never make the big league club but he was still a great story.
June 4, 2008 at 10:31 am
I’m a big fan of Goldstein’s mock draft (which doesn’t require a subscription). No college relievers rumored, a willingness to draft any kind of player, and ultimately ending up with Shooter Hunt, who at the minimum has a cool name. Here’s the direct link.
http://www.baseballprospectus......cleid=7615
June 4, 2008 at 10:53 am
#19 Ben
Hunt’s an interesting choice and sure fell along way down. Would he project more as a starter (and if so where in the rotation) or a relief guy? And I’m a little concerned about a guy who sorta ran out of gas at the end of the year like that.
I know its a big ass risk and I know he could turn into a cataclysmic bust, but I’m really jonesing hard for Anthony Hewitt - I just think he’d be huge here.
June 4, 2008 at 2:09 pm
#20@Loren: IMO, Hewitt’s gotta go to Vanderbilt … then everyone will know if he can learn to play baseball. OTOH, I have no idea how/why he’d pass up even 1st round slot money if he really is a baseball-only guy … it sure seems likely that right now is his peak value.
I like Ike …
June 4, 2008 at 2:12 pm
#21@LynchMob: Oops, based on KG’s answer to my question in his now-going chat at BP … I think I’ll back off my “I like Ike” mantra …
LynchMob (Corvallis, OR): If Ike Davis can play OF, why didn’t he play more OF this season?
Kevin Goldstein: The only real outfield tool he has is a nice arm, but he’s pretty unathletic and Arizona State didn’t want to tax him too much with the muscle strain. Few think he could or should play there as a pro.
http://www.baseballprospectus......chatId=473
June 4, 2008 at 2:35 pm
#22@LynchMob: Here’s a fun Q&A from KG’s chat …
jimbeau (Left Coast): Kevin, what are the odds that Gillaspie could become Wade Boggs II? Or more Bill Mueller II?
Kevin Goldstein: I like the Mueller comp way more. Just so you know Jay Jaffe saw Gillaspie’s dad play at Walla Walla in an outfield flanked by Tony Gwynn and John Kruk — how cool is that?
June 4, 2008 at 2:38 pm
And then there’s the look-ahead to the ‘09 draft …
rich-0 (baltimore): What is a reasonable major league comp for Steven Strasburg, the presumptive #1 pick next year? Is he potentially a once in a decade pitching talent for the draft?
Kevin Goldstein: Once a decade? That might be pushing it, but certainly a once-every-few-years kind of guy.