AFL 2019

RoDaddy

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jun 19, 2002
3,247
Albany area, NY
Six Sox prospects named to play for Peoria this year: Mata, Duran, Houck, Chatham, Marcus Wilson and Yoan Aybar. We pretty much know about the other guys but Aybar and his golden left arm will be interesting to follow.

Games start Sept 18
 

mwonow

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 4, 2005
7,095
I was hoping to see Jay Groome on the list. Any chance he gets added later?
 

stepson_and_toe

New Member
Aug 11, 2019
386
They need to provide seven players, so there is one opening left, and I think they can still add taxi squad players who may only play on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
 

stepson_and_toe

New Member
Aug 11, 2019
386
Peoria Javelinas appear to be well-named. For instance, the starting nine for October 2nd's game had the following first names:
Jarren
Jarred
Jared
Julio
Owen
J.J.
Joe
Jeremy
Jason
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,745
Houck was pretty good yesterday, anyway.

4.0 ip, 3 hits, 0r, 2bb/8k.
"Before you ask, yes, the Red Sox do have a few good prospects left in their system despite what you may have heard and Tanner Houck is one of them. Tanner was magnificent this past week, striking out 8 in 4 innings and allowing 3 hits and 2 free passes, tallying his second scoreless appearance in the AFL, so far. While Houck didn’t dazzle in AA, he was effective enough to earn a promotion to AAA. He was impressive in his short stint in Pawtucket and has carried that success with him out west. With the Boston rotation in flux going into 2020, Houck could very well parlay a good AFL season into a potential rotation spot for the Red Sox."

https://www.prospects1500.com/milb/arizona-fall-league-prospects-of-the-week-september-29-october-5/
 

RoDaddy

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jun 19, 2002
3,247
Albany area, NY
Half way through the fall season and most of the Sox prospects are doing pretty well. Offensively, Duran’s .283 average and .356 OBP are a good look for someone who struggled some in AA, and so far so good for Wilson as well with a .333 ave and .878 OPS. Chatham not so much. Pitching wise, Yoan Aybar (only 1 hit in 6 IP) and Jhonathan Diaz (12 punchouts in 6.2 IP) lead the way, with Houck solid and Mata so-so. Of course, it’s a very short season so hard to read too much into these numbers but still, all things considered, a good half season so far.
 

stepson_and_toe

New Member
Aug 11, 2019
386
I have a friend who knows a lot about baseball. He sees 70-80 games a year: Chicago, where he lives: St. Louis where his family still lives; spring training in Florida and Arizona; the AFL; games at SABR conventions and also at our annual minor league weekend; and sometimes just trips. He is someone with whom I've seen games in around 90 ballparks over the years.

Anyway, he just finished a week viewing AFL games and told me, "I saw 11 AFL games. Chatham was the best Red Sox position player I saw. Consistent contact with gap power. Solid but not spectacular on field at SS. Unfortunately did not see Houck."
 

Savin Hillbilly

loves the secret sauce
SoSH Member
Jul 10, 2007
18,783
The wrong side of the bridge....
I have a friend who knows a lot about baseball. He sees 70-80 games a year: Chicago, where he lives: St. Louis where his family still lives; spring training in Florida and Arizona; the AFL; games at SABR conventions and also at our annual minor league weekend; and sometimes just trips. He is someone with whom I've seen games in around 90 ballparks over the years.

Anyway, he just finished a week viewing AFL games and told me, "I saw 11 AFL games. Chatham was the best Red Sox position player I saw. Consistent contact with gap power. Solid but not spectacular on field at SS. Unfortunately did not see Houck."
"Consistent contact" seems like an awfully generous description of a 26.9% K rate (according to BBref: 14 K in 52 PA). I mean, it's not horrific, but it doesn't seem like something one would call out as a plus.
 

Plympton91

bubble burster
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2008
12,408
In his last 2 outings, Bryan Mata has walked 5 and struck out 2 in 2 innings.

One of Chaim Bloom’s first tasks is going to have to be teach our minor league pitchers a new pitch the winter. It’s called, a strike.
 

The Gray Eagle

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2001
16,725
I would really love it if we could somehow get Bannister's Nibblers to throw more strikes, be more aggressive, cut down on all the walks, and stop nibbling so much.
Seems like an issue for the whole organization, from the majors on down.
 

Plympton91

bubble burster
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2008
12,408
I’m actually reading The MVP Machine right now, very good book. Bannister is one of the ones featured. It doesn’t seem like this methodology requires you to work out of the strike zone. But it sure seems like that’s the message our pitchers are getting. Even though Workman put up a great ERA and good WHIP following this nibbling approach, It has really made a lot of games unwatchable.

Plus if you look at the Astros pitchers on the same team, they’re not walking the ballpark. Could just reflect a gaping difference in talent I guess.
 

The Gray Eagle

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2001
16,725
AFL BB/K for our pitchers:
Houck: 23.3 IP, 12 BB, 26 K
Mata: 10.3 IP, 11 BB, 10 K
Diaz: 10.3 IP, 6 BB, 16 K
Aybar: 8 IP, 6 BB, 9 K

The good news: 61 K in 52 IP

The bad news: 35 BB in 52 IP.
6.1 BB/9.
1.46 K/BB