Final AFL Stats & Thoughts

 News and Notes  15 Responses »
Nov 192012
 

First, the stats…
BATTERS

PITCHERS
Now, the thoughts

  • Goodwin’s alleged baserunning gaffe not withstanding, the youngest of the AFL entrants acquitted himself just fine overall. He showed a lot more power than anyone might have expected — hitter-friendly environment or not. I still expect him to return to Harrisburg next year to work on his defense and refine his game.
  • Rendon fulfilled the lofty expectations placed upon him by both the prospect cheerleaders gurus and the casual Nats fans, who are already converting Ryan Zimmerman to first base before he turns 30 to make room for 2011 first-round pick. My inclination is to predict Harrisburg as his 2013 starting point, but can see him in Syracuse next April with a strong spring.
  • The party line is that Skole played first base merely to accommodate Rendon in the AFL, but that seems hard to believe that he’ll go back, given how well he played there and who’s ahead of him on the first-base path to DC (just Bloxom and Marrero). If the knock on his gaudy offensive numbers was that he was playing a level too low, then making him the Senators first baseman can kill two birds with one stone.
  • Martinson started horribly and finished strong. Will it be enough for him to not repeat Potomac? The Zach Walters experience suggests that he’ll sent back but Martinson is much older and played much more High-A ball. Keeping him at Potomac means keeping someone else at Hagerstown, much the way he was made to repeat to make room for Ricky Hague and Walters.
  • Options or not, Perry did not make a strong case to account the hype that he can be the #5 starter for the parent club. He’s likely to stay on the 40-man for now, but don’t be surprised if he’s returned to the bullpen next spring.
  • Demny is a Rule 5 possibility and as much as Rizzo covets hard-throwing righties, the bet here is that he won’t be protected. Demny’s future is in the bullpen and the whispers that the velocity has slipped are other reasons to believe he’ll be exposed.
  • Kimball may still be recovering from injuries, but it’s hard not to see him getting dropped from the 40-man today or tomorrow (if he hasn’t already) in the hopes that he’ll pass through waivers. What we’ll never know is whether that was the plan all along.
  • Barrett came into the AFL with a built-in excuse of inexperience (17 innings of High-A) but instead was used in the 7th and 8th innings and had seven scoreless outings out of ten. Alas, it probably won’t be enough for him to not repeat Potomac in ’13.

    • Next up: A look at the Nationals Rule 5 eligibles.

Scenes From Scottsdale

 News and Notes  5 Responses »
Nov 182012
 

A little bonus coverage, courtesy of Lee Magenheim, who’s been supplying us with this year’s photos.

And then I told the bartender: Shaken, not stirred…


First pitch from Ryan Perry.


Finishing up the fifth, Matt Skole makes the second out on the second pitch Aaron Barrett threw.

Cole Kimball, winner of the
2012 Dernell Stenson Award.

Before the fateful appeal play in the 7th.


Out at the plate in the 8th.

Presumably, awaiting the protest decision.

Salt River Loses AFL Championship, 4-3

 News and Notes  1 Response »
Nov 172012
 

With a controversial appeal play in the 7th, the Salt River Rafters were unable to catch the Peoria Javelinas, losing the AFL Championship Game by a score of 4-3.

As the picture above shows, it was a very close call. Brian Goodwin was ruled to have left early on a would-be sacrifice fly. Equally unclear: Whether or not the umpires erred in the appeal play itself when it appeared that Peoria was allowed to appeal twice with the Javelinas tagging both home plate and third base. As of this writing, the game is under appeal, but chances are it will be denied.

Goodwin had tripled to lead off the inning and went 2-for-3 with a walk overall as the Rafters’ designated hitter. The next inning, Anthony Rendon also smacked a leadoff three-bagger, with speedster Billy Hamilton slamming into the outfield wall trying to track the ball down. Hamilton would leave the game with an injury but was spotted on the field during the postgame celebration, so it’s likely the injury is not as serious as it initially appeared.

Rendon’s hit was his only one in four at-bats. Defensively, the 22-year-old caught a foul pop and started a 5-4-3 DP in the 9th.

Matt Skole was third Nats position player to make it into the game, but was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts (both swinging). The 23-year-old was busy at first base with 11 putouts and two assists, including a 3-6-1 double play, but did show his inexperience on a bunt by Hamilton in which Ryan Perry pounced but had to eat it because Skole had strayed too far from the bag.

Perry got the start but was as sharp as a knife. A butter knife. The 25-year-old labored through three innings and gave up all four Peoria runs on eight hits and two walks to suffer the loss. He had zero (0) strikeouts and just 34 of 57 pitches went for strikes.

Aaron Barrett appeared for two batters and was 25 pitches short of a Bill Lee perfect game with two outs on two strikes thrown.

With the loss, Salt River finishes the 2012 AFL campaign with 17 wins 14 losses and two ties.

AFL Update: Nov. 13, 2012

 News and Notes  7 Responses »
Nov 132012
 

A pair of crooked numbers in the 5th and 6th innings broke open a 2-1 game as the Salt River Rafters doubled up the Mesa Solar Sox, 8-4.

Ryan Perry got the win with a run (solo HR) on three hits given up over four innings, along with three walks and two strikeouts. Perry struggled to find the plate with just 35 of 67 pitches going for strikes.

Matt Skole once again batted third and played first, stroking two singles, drawing two walks, driving in two (including a sac fly) and scoring twice to push his numbers to .321/.429/.554. Defensively, the Georgian racked up eight putouts without an error.

Anthony Rendon shook off Saturday’s oh-fer with a pair of doubles and a walk to improve his line to .319/.488/.686. Rendon played third but had no assists or putouts.

Cole Kimball was scorched for the second time in three outings, surrendering three runs on two hits two walks over an inning and 2/3rds. He did strikeout three, but his ERA ballooned to 4.85 and the 27-year-old has as many walks (8) as strikeouts (8) in 13 innings this fall.

The win puts Salt River in the driver’s seat for a spot in the AFL Championship game on Saturday, as the Rafters lead the AFL East by 2½ games with three to play. They can eliminate second-place Scottsdale with a win today as the two teams meet at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick this afternoon.

AFL Update: Nov. 7, 2012

 News and Notes  1 Response »
Nov 072012
 

Powered by Anthony Rendon’s 3-for-3 evening, the Salt River Rafters reclaimed first place in the AFL East with a 14-12 win over the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Rendon singled, doubled twice, scored twice, stole a base, drew a walk, delivered a baby between innings and drove in four while batting seventh and playing third base. The outburst improved the 2011 first-rounder’s line to .317/.411/.467. Defensively, the 22-year-old snagged another foul pop for his only putout.

The other Nats were not so fortunate…
• Brian Goodwin led off and was the Rafters DH, but went 0-for-3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch.
• Ryan Perry got the start and was stung for four runs on five hits and a walk over three and 2/3rds innings, giving up two home runs.
• Cole Kimball gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and no walks, and struck out one over two innings. He was charged with a blown save.

Salt River and Scottsdale rematch next Tuesday, still separated by a ½ game in the AFL East with eight games left in the season.

AFL Update: Oct. 30, 2012

 News and Notes  9 Responses »
Oct 302012
 

Ryan Perry tossed another five scoreless innings as the Salt River Rafters paddled the Phoenix Desert Dogs, 9-2 for their fourth straight win.

Perry allowed just one hit and no walks while striking out three. He needed just 42 pitches, 30 of which went for strikes, to get through the outing.

Former pro scout Bernie Pleskoff (@BerniePleskoff) had this to say, however, on Twitter:

Slow, over the head windup for Perry results in quick rush at finish. Breezes through first inning in order. Won’t miss many bats.

Brian Goodwin and Anthony Rendon also appeared in the game. Matt Skole did not, which appears to confirm an eyewitness account that he had tweaked something in his leg prior to being lifted for a pinch-hitter on Saturday.

Goodwin had a tough game, going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts and was picked off first after reaching on an error in the 7th. Pleskoff on Goodwin when I asked about him via Twitter:

Like him. Hits ball hard. Makes good contact. Solid accurate arm from LF. Have to see how he hits vs. better pitching in AA.

The 21-year-old North Carolina native had four putouts in left, and as Pleskoff alluded, gunned down a runner trying to stretch a single into a double.

Rendon went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. He made a single assist while playing third base. Pleskoff on Rendon:

Rendon loves fastballs. Seeing more off-speed pitches now. Timing them much better. Especially those that get too much plate.

Defense was broached in the second part of Byron Kerr’s two-part feature on Rendon, but Pleskoff noted that Rendon is moving well and appears motivated. I saw no such “lollygagging” in Rendon’s brief time in Woodbridge, just a bit of rust on a throw to first that went “unscooped” by defensive convert to the position (Stephen King).

With the win, Salt River improves to 10-7 in the AFL East, a full game in front of the Scottsdale Scorpions. The Rafters play host to the Saguaros tonight, their first evening game in nearly a week.

AFL Update: Oct. 24, 2012

 News and Notes  3 Responses »
Oct 242012
 

Brian Goodwin and Matt Skole both homered but a bases-loaded walk in the 10th — the third in a row with two outs — upended Salt River as the Rafters fell in extras, 5-4.

Three position players and Washington’s sole starting pitcher appeared in the game.

• Ryan Perry threw four perfect innings in his third fall start, striking out four. He needed just 42 pitches to retire the 12 batters he faced.

• Goodwin led off and played centerfield, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, a stolen base, and his third home run for the Rafters. He made one putout on defense.

• Skole drove in two from the three-hole and drew a walk but went 1-for-4 to lower his AFL batting average to .400. He played error-free ball at first base, with 10 putouts and an assist to the pitcher covering in the 8th.

• Anthony Rendon drew a walk but went 0-for-3 for the game batting sixth. He handled both defensive chances at third base, combing with Skole for a pair of 5-3 groundouts.

The loss drops Salt River to .500 at 6-6 but the Rafters remain atop the AFL East by a ½ game over Scottsdale. They travel to the AFL-West leading Peoria Javelinas this afternoon for the first of five straight day games on the schedule.

AFL Update: Oct. 18, 2012

 News and Notes  9 Responses »
Oct 182012
 

Salt River rallied from a 7-1 deficit, scoring 11 unanswered runs before holding off a late charge from Peoria in a 12-9 victory yesterday.

Anthony Rendon, serving as the Rafters DH in the cleanup spot, doubled in two during a four-run rally in the top of the 9th. He finished the afternoon with a mark of 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI.

Jason Martinson batted eighth and played third base but remains hitless this fall after an 0-for-4 game. He drove in a run with an RBI groundout in the 5th and laid down a sacrifice in the 6th. Defensively, he had an error and two assists.

Ryan Perry got the start, but was knocked around for five runs over the first two innings on four hits and two walks, including a three-run shot in the 1st. Paul Demny was the first man out of the ‘pen but was also ineffective, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over the next two frames. Both Perry and Demny struck out two.

The win improves Salt River to 5-2 for the season, 2½ games up in the AFL East. The two teams rematch at Talking Stick tonight.

AFL Update: Oct. 12, 2012

 News and Notes  7 Responses »
Oct 122012
 

The Salt River Rafters walked off with a two-run rally in the 9th for their third straight win on Thursday night, 6-5.

Brian Goodwin led off the the final frame with a solo shot to tie it at 5-5. Two batters later, Anthony Rendon drew a walk to load the the bases and set up the game-winning single by White Sox first baseman Andy Wilkins.

Goodwin would finish the night at 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI while batting out of the #9 spot in the lineup. Rendon walked twice, scored once, and went 1-for-3 with an RBI double. He was #3 in the lineup and #5 on the defensive chart, taking a grounder to third in the 9th for his only defensive chance.

Ryan Perry got the start for the Rafters, but was touched for two runs on four hits and two walks over three innings. He threw 55 pitches, 31 for strikes and faced 14 batters with three strikeouts, three groundouts, a lineout and two flyballs.

Salt River and Scottsdale rematch tonight in the Scorpions’ home field at Scottsdale Stadium.

Arizona Fall League Assignments Now Official

 News and Notes  13 Responses »
Sep 282012
 

Not much in the way of news this week, but in yesterday’s transactions post from Baseball America, the Arizona Fall League assignments were made official:
• RHP Aaron Barrett
• RHP Paul Demny
• CF Brian Goodwin
• RHP Cole Kimball
• SS/3B Jason Martinson (taxi)
• RHP Ryan Perry
• 3B/SS Anthony Rendon
• 3B Matt Skole

The biggest change, of course, is the swapping of Christian Garcia and Cole Kimball, who has apparently healed enough from the injury that cut short his rehab tour in early to start throwing again. The 27-year-old is attempting to come back from rotator cuff surgery and could be potentially pitching to keep his spot on the 40-man roster.

When I last saw him, he looked like a shell of his previous self: his fastball like your weird uncle’s wardrobe (stuck in the 80s) and his command, which has never been mistaken for Jordan Zimmermann’s (subject of a prospect retro by John Sickels), even worse. Taking chances on hurt pitchers is what has netted the Nats pitchers like Garcia and Ryan Mattheus, though you could make the argument that Kimball was hurt in the first place when the Nats pushed him (and Adam Carr) in the AFL in the fall of 2010.

Most folks, of course, are curious regarding a rumored position switch of Anthony Rendon to second base. There are two other 2Bs on the roster of the Salt River Rafters (Tyler Bortnick, Diamondbacks; Carlos Sanchez, White Sox) and while one of them is a 25-year-old that appears to be a Rule 5 tryout (Bortnick), it’s only speculation at this point.

Matt Skole and Brian Goodwin will join Rendon as the position players assigned by Washington, with Jason Martinson serving as this year’s taxi squad player, eligible to play twice a week. Bryce Harper (2010) and Zach Walters (2011) served in this capacity over the past two fall campaigns.

Ryan Perry presumably will continue his transition to starting from relief while it appears that Paul Demny is doing the opposite, based on his removal from the Harrisburg Senators rotation in August as well as his struggles all year long (insert obligatory reference to youth and hard-throwing here). Aaron Barrett, who is not Rule 5-eligible, will continue to refine his stuff after posting a 3-2/2.09/0.92 pitcher’s line (if it doesn’t exist, then I’m coining it) with 17 saves in 2012.

The 2012 season begins on Tuesday, October 9th with Salt River hosting the Mesa Solar Sox.

 Older Entries