2009 Rookie Debut News

[Matt]

SS Sullivan Smart

The 23 year old was the Muckdogs 1st round pick back in 2004. He has been groomed at both SS and 2B and excels at both, as well is very quick on the base paths. He will start this week vs RHP and be first off the bench at several positions vs LHP.

[Z]

<img style="float:right; padding:0px 40px;" src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_3983.png">Acquired from Philadelphia in Maine in a swap of minor league players, William Kroll will make his BLB debut this week.

The 23 year old middle infielder is expected to start a few games in the absence of the injured Tristan Romarigues.

[Delandis]

Joham Baiano (C)

Picked up Joham in the 2005 draft and it seems that I was happy to pick him up then.

Draft Recap:

3.10 Joham Baiano (C), Long Beach State

-Glad to pick up Joham here. Originally from Venezuela, Baino has spent the last 4 years of his life on the beaches of SoCal. Baiano spent his sophmore and freshman years on the bench but as a junior got his chance and played well. In his senior year, Baino exploded with 15 homeruns and 13 doubles while OPS'ing 1.048. Widely considered one of the 3 top catchers in college baseball, Baiano's coaches also raved about his on-the-field leadership, desire to win, and high work ethic.

He's hitting .373 as a starter and just .200 as pinch hitter. 4 HR in 67 AB with 24 RBI. Impressive.

I noted this kid earlier in the season and he's just such an interesting case. He's was pretty good his junior year and amazing his senior year at Long Beach State. He continued to hit pretty well in the minors and is still hitting well in the BLB (although it has been a pretty small sample size). The kid looks DAMN good so far despite his bars.

Our scout doesn't think he is anywhere near capable of keeping up this type of performance, but it sure is nice to be able to sit Alvarez down for a few days a month and still get a kid who can hit 3-run home runs in back to back games (@PIT and vs. CAL) and then go 3/5 in a 9-4 win vs. Batavia.

[Matt]

I enjoyed his bases loaded strikeout the day before in the bottom of the 9th that we won.

[Delandis]

I enjoyed his bases loaded strikeout the day before in the bottom of the 9th that we won.

He wants to be the man, not the man off the bench.

[Pat]

<img style="float:right; padding:0px 40px;"src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_8337.png">Acquired from Carolina in the Lorenzo Campos deal, Jamie Urmson will make his BLB debut this week against the Morgantown Mohawks. At the time of the trade Urmson was a Top 30 Hitter who had just finished his second Double-A season at a .741 OPS. In the two seasons since, in Triple-A for the Washington organization, he hit .807 last year and .966 this year, including 21 HRs in just 70 games. He is now rated as the #6 prospect in all of the BLB.

Due to the season ending injury to DJ Nelson, Urmson will join a still crowded outfield and will likely start vs. LHSP. This week he is projected to get three starts.

Urmson is a great fielder (+3.9 ZR and 1.065 EFF in 31 CF games), great runner (18:2 SB:CS this year) and he currently leads Triple-A in homeruns.

[Pat]

<img style="float:right; padding:0px 40px;"src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_6576.png">While still recovering from a 13-month long injury in 2008, Stuart Guin, formerly of the Los Angeles Dinos organization, signed to a minor league contract with Washington in 2008. He made his BLB debut this week. He lasted 5.2 innings, giving up four earned in a 1-6 Loss @ Windy City. OSA gave him a potential ratings bump to 5-6-5 this off-season and while he's not quite there yet, I think he can be serviceable with a 72% groundball.

<img style="float:right; padding:0px 40px;"src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_4486.png">After being drafted 4.20 in 2004, Dusty Riddleberger has developed into a flame-throwing pitchers with little control. The 23-year-old can hit triple digits on the gun, double digits in single game strikeouts but he can also walk more than a batter an inning on some nights.

Both rookie right-handers will compete with 26-year-old <img style="float:right; padding:0px 40px;"src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_5788.png">Todd Romans over the next few weeks to decide who will be the #5 SP for the home stretch. The Bats 4.21 Starters' ERA is 9th best in the IL. They will be lucky if one of these three can lower that number.

[Z]

<img style="float:right; padding:0px 40px;" src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_4444.png">Nelson Herrera will make his BLB debut this week.

The 22 year old outfielder will get some starts in left field against right-handers, given B.J. Mulcahy's ongoing struggles against right-handed pitching this year.

[Pat]

Another debut in Washington...

OF Al "Refund" Anguiano - The #40 prospect in the BLB spent the last two weeks with the BLB club in replacement for other top prospect OF Jamie Urmson who spent three weeks on the disabled list. "Refund" is a very interesting player, unlike any other I have had in my franchise history. My scout has his potential at 7-4-2-4-7, with 7-8-8 speed, 8-7-7 at LF-CF-RF but also a "5" at SS with 7-5-4-5 infield ratings. He's also an 8 on bunt for a hit. He is just getting a taste this month, probably unlikely to make the post-season roster but will provide a decent bat off the bench, pinch runner and defensive replacement during the final stretch of the season.

[Carlos]

Another debut in Washington...

OF Al "Refund" Anguiano - The #40 prospect in the BLB spent the last two weeks with the BLB club in replacement for other top prospect OF Jamie Urmson who spent three weeks on the disabled list. "Refund" is a very interesting player, unlike any other I have had in my franchise history. My scout has his potential at 7-4-2-4-7, with 7-8-8 speed, 8-7-7 at LF-CF-RF but also a "5" at SS with 7-5-4-5 infield ratings. He's also an 8 on bunt for a hit. He is just getting a taste this month, probably unlikely to make the post-season roster but will provide a decent bat off the bench, pinch runner and defensive replacement during the final stretch of the season.

OOTP makes less of the Anguiano types in the game now. Used to see too many of those 7 contact, 7 K guys with little anything else. How does a guy with 7's in that not have a good eye? It just seems impossible.

If he's a free swinger, then he's likely going to have power like Vlad Guerrero. If he's not a free swinger, then obviously he has a good eye to avoid striking out and making good contact. The only MLB player I can think of that fits this description is Alex Rios and he's nowhere close to a 7 contact.

Anyway, I'm intrigued with this guy just to see what he does in this engine. I have a similar hitter in another league using OOTP 15 and he won the batting title at age 29 after years as a platoon infielder. So maybe there's some return on this...uh, refund.

[Pat]

OOTP makes less of the Anguiano types in the game now. Used to see too many of those 7 contact, 7 K guys with little anything else. How does a guy with 7's in that not have a good eye? It just seems impossible.

If he's a free swinger, then he's likely going to have power like Vlad Guerrero. If he's not a free swinger, then obviously he has a good eye to avoid striking out and making good contact. The only MLB player I can think of that fits this description is Alex Rios and he's nowhere close to a 7 contact.

Anyway, I'm intrigued with this guy just to see what he does in this engine. I have a similar hitter in another league using OOTP 15 and he won the batting title at age 29 after years as a platoon infielder. So maybe there's some return on this...uh, refund.

His ratings makeup reminds me of Ichiro.

His career MLB season averages: .317 AVG, .360 OBP, 203 hits, 24 doubles, 6 triples, 8 homeruns, 40 walks, 67 K, 35 SB

I don't think "Refund" will hit that many homeruns and he might strikeout a little less, but I think it's pretty similar. Especially when you consider his speed and defense.

[Carlos]

How could I forget Ichiro?!

[Z]

OOTP makes less of the Anguiano types in the game now. Used to see too many of those 7 contact, 7 K guys with little anything else. How does a guy with 7's in that not have a good eye? It just seems impossible.

If he's a free swinger, then he's likely going to have power like Vlad Guerrero. If he's not a free swinger, then obviously he has a good eye to avoid striking out and making good contact. The only MLB player I can think of that fits this description is Alex Rios and he's nowhere close to a 7 contact.

Anyway, I'm intrigued with this guy just to see what he does in this engine. I have a similar hitter in another league using OOTP 15 and he won the batting title at age 29 after years as a platoon infielder. So maybe there's some return on this...uh, refund.

Ichiro?

[funclown]

I'll post the guys who have been called up already then post the new kids Saturday

LF Ron Haward 2008 Rnd 1 Pk 14

Probably the overall 2nd best hitter behind Leger in the draft, seemed to have some advanced development and just like 1B Tom Smith flew thru the minors hitting for average and power. Since his call up over a month ago Ron has hit 12 home runs including 5 at home. Splits show Home can be a bit cruel to him, but that will change a bit next season. Power pot of 7 and only 22 , we expect a long career roaming left filed possibly sharing time with fellow prospect Tommy Van Leer?

[

SP 2005 Rnd 3 Pk 22.

Never a top 100, Tom always roamed the organizations top list. Scrappy pitcher with sub-starter velocity , but the kid keeps the ball in the park (scout at times flashes a 7 for movement) and starting to pick up some control. Pot of 5-6-5 always going to be a 4-6 starter but if we can get a good defense behind him might be ok. 17 starts, a respectable 3.53 era and 116 era +.

Note: why is he black with a Liberty jersey? Help!!!



2B Danny Cruz 2002 Rnd 9 Pk 17 (Los Lunas)

I'm not sure how many LOS prospects are around, but had to give Dann a shout out. Left for dead in 03 by Spear(one mans trash), Danny kept plugging thru our system finally getting on our radar second half of 2008 in AAA Lynn. This season in AAA he basically willed his way to the big show hitting .311 OPSd well above .800 and even did a decent job at 2B fielding. Since arriving he's batted in more a platoon role hitting .250 with an .700 ops. Expectations: TBD. Scout thanks his gap is a 7 and has shown least some speed in the minors. Going to keep him at 2B primarily to see if our coaches can work with him a bit.