Mariner Minors: 12/19/2004

Mariner Minors

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Winter Leagues: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (12/22/04)

Good

OF Shin-Soo Choo, 23 games, 73 at-bats, 19 runs, 3 home runs, 14 walks, 7 stolen bases, .301/.422/.466
3B Greg Dobbs, 27 games, 106 at-bats, 20 runs, 4 doubles, 12 RBIs, 7 walks, .293/.346/.377
RHP Juan Done, 3.58 ERA, 27.2 IP, 28 hits, 5 home runs, 7 walks, 24 strikeouts
LHP Jose Escalona, 3.18 ERA, 5.2 IP, 11 hits, 6 walks, 5 strikeouts
RHP Emiliano Fruto, 2.70 ERA, 3.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 run
SS Juan Gonzalez, 19 games, 54 at-bats, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 10 RBIs, 7 walks, .296/.394/.444
RHP Edgar Guaramato, 3.74 ERA, 21.2 IP, 26 hits, 16 walks, 12 strikeouts
RHP Rick Guttormson, 1.15 ERA, 31.1 IP, 21 hits, 11 walks, 38 strikeouts
LHP Cesar Jimenez, 2.51 ERA, 32.1 IP, 33 hits, 14 walks, 21 strikeouts
SS Jose Lopez, 42 games, 150 at-bats, 30 runs, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 9 walks, .300/.346/.553
LHP Miguel Martinez, 3.18 ERA, 17.0 IP, 17 hits, 12 walks, 10 strikeouts
RHP Julio Mateo, 2.84 ERA, 6.1 IP, 8 hits, 2 earned run, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
LHP Melvin Rosario, 4.15 ERA, 13.0 IP, 11 hits, 7 walks, 5 strikeouts
LHP Matt Thornton, 1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP, 10 hits, 4 walks, 14 strikeouts
2B Luis Ugueto, 58 games, 245 at-bats, 41 runs, 15 doubles, 5 triples, 27 RBI, .302/.341/.453

Bad

RHP Brett Evert, 7.43 ERA, 23.0 IP, 24 hits, 6 walks, 4 home runs
RHP Jon Huber, 6.43 ERA, 28.0 IP, 35 hits, 13 walks, 27 strikeouts
IF Jesus Guzman, 3 games, 4 at-bats, 3 runs, 2 strikeouts, .000/.000/.000
3B Justin Leone, 19 games, 59 at-bats, 14 runs, 2 home runs, 10 walks, 21 strikeouts, .220/.333/.390
2B Erick Monzon, 21 games, 44 at-bats, 9 runs, 2 double, 3 home runs, 8 RBIs, .250/.298/.500
SS Michael Morse, 25 games, 93 at-bats, 5 runs, 2 doubles, 8 RBIs, 17 strikeouts, .258/.296/.301
LHP Melvin Pizarro, 5.87 ERA, 7.2 IP, 1 home run, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
C Rene Rivera, 18 games, 58 at-bats, 6 runs, 5 doubles, 2 home run, 11 RBIs, .259/.306/.448
RHP Tony Runion, 5.67 ERA, 27.0 IP, 38 hits, 16 walks, 24 strikeouts

Ugly

RHP Renee Cortez, 10.50 ERA, 12.0 IP, 21 hits, 7 home runs, 14 earned runs
C Luis Oliveros, 21 games, 62 at-bats, 2 home runs, 9 RBIs, .177/.200/.306
LHP Jared Thomas, 9.14 ERA, 21.2 IP, 30 hits, 15 walks, 15 strikeouts

The movements this week were about split even. It was a good week to be a pitcher, as Done, Escalona, and Guaramato moved to the good list. The hitters were not so lucky, as Rivera and Monzon both cooled off from their hot starts and are now in the "bad" section. Most of the other players stayed around their original numbers, but Ugueto has taken a dive of late. I'm not sure how much longer he'll be on the good list.

posted by Jay Y. @ 3:07 PM

Monday, December 20, 2004

Transaction Update (12/20/04):

According to a press release, the Mariners have traded RHP Aaron Taylor to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for RHP Sean Green. They have also designated RHP Rett Johnson for assignment, and have 10 days to trade, re-sign, or release him. Both moves are designed to clear roster space for Adrian Beltre and Ron Villone.

Taylor, 27, was noted for throwing a straight fastball around 96-97 mph fastball and a good slider. That was prior to shoulder surgery, which limitted his time this year to about 35+ IP in the minors, and an inning here and there in the majors. His fastball was closer to 93-94 this season, but he was learning how to add movement to it at last check. Taylor also has the distinction of being the only M's prospect that had the "closer of the future" label attached to him and was actually a reliever by trade (at least one of few...) With this trade, the M's have now sent two of the three dominant relievers from the 2002 San Antonio Missions staff to the Rockies (the other being RHP Allan Simpson). This leaves us with RHP Aaron Looper still hanging around. Woo.

Green, 25, will be known mostly because his name is a homophone for a more interesting player, leading many to prank their friends and claim "Dude, we got SEAN GREEN." And they'll be right too, but ah, when the truth comes out... This shade of Green was drafted by the Rockies as 12th round out of the University of Louisville. The archives I've looked through suggest that he might have been a fairly well-regarded pitcher at one point, but fell off the year he was drafted and hasn't really done anything of interest until this year, when he managed to cut his WHIP down to 1.19 (career 1.62) and post a 3.03 ERA (career 4.72). He's roster filler in the high minors and he cleared a spot on the 40-man. If he can duplicate this season/has turned a corner, then we might have something interesting, though he's only a year and a half younger than Taylor.

Johnson, 25, left camp with "personal issues" early in spring training and returned with no control whatsoever. It's unclear how, when, and if he will recover, but I've heard that those who saw him in the Cal League this year thought he was little more than a shadow of his former self. Don't ask me what's wrong with him because I don't know; all I've heard is probably one or two more rumors than the general public, and I don't care to spread them around, it's not my business. The M's have ten days to do something with him, and the clock is down to six days on Luis Ugueto.

posted by Jay Y. @ 4:50 PM

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Felix and the VWL?

Those following (or attempting to follow) the winter leagues have probably been wondering why top Mariners prospect Felix Hernandez hasn't been pitching in Venezuela, considering he's listed on the roster and the staff probably needs him.

Recently, I've come across a few things claiming that the Mariners talked to both Felix and the Lara Cardinales club about this. The way I've heard it, they reached an agreement with Felix that if he doesn't pitch this winter, he'll get an invite to spring training.

I haven't quite confirmed this yet, but considering that the M's have not reported any official invitations that I can find, this seems like a reasonable explanation.

On a completely unrelated note, Happy Birthday Rafael Soriano.

posted by Jay Y. @ 1:08 PM