Category: MLB
3 reasons why: Dodgers will win the World Series
As the 2016 season approaches, I will be taking a look at the 10 teams with the best odds of winning the World Series and examining three reasons why each team may ultimately hoist the trophy. Today’s team:
Dodgers (14/1 odds to win World Series): The Dodgers have won the National League West each of the past three seasons. It’s not getting to the playoffs that’s the problem – it’s winning once October comes around. The Dodgers did not have the best off-season and fans in Los Angeles are certainly frustrated, but all hope is not lost. The club didn’t make big splashes – the type of moves fans loves, even though they don’t always work out – but the Dodgers are still very solid and a projection of 91 wins, per FanGraphs, is nothing to scoff at.
Clayton Kershaw: Clayton Kershaw’s postseason struggles have been well documented, but in the regular season, there is no one better. Over the last five seasons, Kershaw has thrown 198 or more innings with an ERA of 2.53 or better. Of course, Kershaw is probably the only part of the rotation Dodgers fans aren’t worried about. The loss of Zack Greinke hurts, but if everyone stays fairly healthy, the Dodgers should have enough pitching to be playing meaningful games late in the season.
Young talent up the middle: After hitting .337 in 27 games for the Dodgers last season, 21-year old Corey Seager was recently named the top prospect in all of baseball. Although it’s unlikely he hits that well again, he’s certainly proven that he belongs in the Major Leagues. Seager has immense talent and a full season of him in the lineup could do wonders to the Dodgers offense. Of course, Seager isn’t alone. Joc Pederson exploded in the first half last season before struggling in the second half. The 23-year old hit .230 with 20 homers prior to the All-Star break, then hit just .178 with six blasts in the second half. However growing pains are part of the process and likely taught Pederson a bit about what it takes to persevere through a grueling 162-game schedule. With the youth of Seager and Pederson, couple with the veteran leadership of Chase Utley and Howie Kendrick, the middle of the Dodgers defense is in pretty good shape.
Veteran leadership: Players like Seager and Pederson can provide youthful energy, but veteran leadership is important to any postseason run. Chase Utley knows what it takes to win a ring and both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez have plenty of experience as well. Resigning Howie Kendrick was also a big move for this category as Kendrick will undoubtedly help out the clubhouse.
3 reasons why: Red Sox will win the World Series
As the 2016 season approaches, I will be taking a look at the 10 teams with the best odds of winning the World Series and examining three reasons why each team may ultimately hoist the trophy. Today’s team:
Red Sox (12/1 odds to win World Series): The Red Sox haven’t reached the postseason since they won the World Series in 2013. They are coming off a year in which they won 78 games and finished 15 games back in the AL East, but despite all that, there’s plenty of excitement in Boston.
David Price: David Price’s postseason resume (1-2, 5.12 ERA) leaves a lot to be desired, but he’s still an elite pitcher. Price went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA in 2015 and tallied 220 1/3 innings. The 30-year old left-hander has logged more than 200 innings in five of the last six seasons and is projected (3.09 ERA, 195 innings, 1.128 WHIP) for another big year in 2016. The deal also allows Price to pitch in Fenway Park, a place he has been comfortable throughout his career, as evidenced by his 1.95 ERA across 11 starts.
Dave Dombrowski: Boston biggest move to prep for 2016 may have occurred late in the 2015 season. In August, the Red Sox hired Dave Dombrowski to be the President of Baseball Operations – a move that is already paying off. Not only did Dombrowski go out acquire a frontline starter in Price, but he also acquired an elite closer in Craig Kimbrel.
Outfield: Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo certainly make for an outfield with tons of potential. Betts had a bit of a coming out party in 2015 – hitting .291with 77 RBIs and 21 stolen bases – and if he can produce similar numbers in 2016, the Red Sox will be in good shape. Bradley Jr. and Castillo have yet to produce over the entirety of a complete season, but the tools are there and if everything comes together, it could go a long way toward Boston’s success.
Bonus: David Ortiz has already announced that the 2016 season will be his last. What better way for the 19-year veteran to go out than with one more parade?
3 reasons why: San Francisco Giants will win the World Series
As the 2016 season approaches, I will be taking a look at the 10 teams with the best odds of winning the World Series and examining three reasons why each team may ultimately hoist the trophy. Today’s team:
Giants (+750 odds to win World Series): 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016? Simple math dictates the Giants will win the World Series this year. But in case it’s not that easy (and of course it won’t be), here’s some additional reasons why the Giants may be making another deep October run:
History of bouncing back: The 2015 Giants won just 84 games and finished eight games out in the National League West, but history suggests that may be a reason for optimism. Of course the Giants and their fans – as well as every other fanbase – would prefer their team never have a down year, but that’s obviously not the case. However, when the Giants have had a down year recently, they’ve done a good job of making sure it’s just one year and nothing more. San Francisco won 86 games in 2011, then won 94 games and a World Series in 2012. In 2013, the team won just 76 games, but in 2014 a World Series parade followed an 88 win campaign.
Revamped rotation: Madison Bumgarner, who went 18-9 with a 2.93 ERA a season ago, is still the ace of the staff, but his supporting cast is vastly improved with free agent acquisitions Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto. The additions of Cueto (4.76 ERA in second half) and Samardzija (his 4.96 ERA was the highest in his career since he became a full-time starter) certainly come with question marks, but if the two are able to get back on track – making half of their starts in AT&T Park will help – then it’s hard to discount the Giants’ rotation.
Postseason experience: Once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen. Perhaps there’s no team that better exemplifies this than the Giants. The 2014 Giants won it all after sneaking into the playoffs as a Wild Card. The 2012 club trailed 2-0 in the NLDS and 3-1 in the NLCS. While that’s probably not the best way to navigate the postseason waters, the Giants have shown anything can happen in October. If the 2016 club is able to get into the playoffs – either by winning the NL West or as a Wild Card – they’ve already proven they’re capable of getting hot at just the right time.
3 reasons why: Chicago Cubs will win the World Series
As the 2016 season approaches, I will be taking a look at the 10 teams with the best odds of winning the World Series and examining three reasons why each may ultimately hoist the trophy. Today’s team:
Chicago Cubs (4/1 odds to win World Series): It has to happen eventually, right? Although the Cubs haven’t won the World Series since 1908, there’s no way that streak can live on forever. The folks in and around Wrigleyville thought they had a chance to host a parade in 2015, but perhaps 2016 will be the year. There’s plenty of reason for optimism.
Young, talented roster: The Cubs have built from the ground up. The front office did a good job bolstering the Minor League system and all that patience and acquired talent is paying dividends. The Cubs are not only loaded with talent, but they’re loaded with young talent. Six of the club’s eight projected positional starters are 26 years old or younger. And if that’s not enough youth, the organization showed off its depth as it placed six prospects on MLBpipeline.com’s Top 100 list.
Strong off-season: Winning 97 games is a major accomplishment, but the Cubs 2015 season ended in disappointment. Looking ahead to 2016, that’s a good thing. Not only do the Cubs have new motivation, but they also went out and got some key players. Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist are the two headliners, but don’t discount the addition of John Lackey either. Heyward gives the Cubs a Gold Glove outfielder, Zobrist gives manager Joe Maddon a versatile player that can be utilized in numerous roles and Lackey provides the team and rotation with another strong veteran presence.
Jed Hoyer, Theo Epstein, Joe Maddon: Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have reversed a curse before (2004 Red Sox) and have shown a desire to do the same in Chicago. The Cubs built their core through the draft and have made big free agent splashes each of the last two years – Jon Lester and Jason Heyward – to fill in the gaps. Hoyer and Epstein certainly know how to build a team and although the Cubs look solid right now, it’s hard to predict what the team may need in the middle of the season. No need to worry though, Hoyer and Epstein and clearly willing to be aggressive and have a strong desire to win. So if it becomes apparent the Cubs need to acquire a player, it’s a safe bet the front office will certainly try. If having a strong front office wasn’t enough, the Cubs also have one of the best managers in the game in Joe Maddon. The three Manager of the Year Awards serve as validation, but Maddon’s numbers speak for themselves. Maddon has managed 10 full Major League seasons and has a winning record in seven of them.
Cubs still favorite, D-backs make huge jump in 2016 World Series odds
A trio of teams – the Cubs, Red Sox and D-backs – have garnered the bulk of the offseason headlines thus far.
Yes, plenty of teams have made moves to put themselves in a better position going forward, but the three teams mentioned above have made the biggest, most significant moves and the betting lines reflect that.
On November 2, the day after the World Series concluded, Bovada, an online casino and sportsbook, posted odds for the 2016 World Series. The Cubs (11/1) were the odds-on favorite while the Red Sox (20/1) were in the middle of the pack and the D-backs (50/1) seemed like a long shot.
Fast forward through the Winter Meetings, into the middle of December, and plenty of things have changed.
The Cubs are still the favorites, but the odds are now 8/1 after the club strengthened the rotation and signed John Lackey, in addition to bolstering an already potent lineup with the additions of Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward.
Boston got a head start on the off-season wheeling and dealing when it traded four prospects to San Diego in exchange for Craig Kimbrel. The Kimbrel trade was a big move that strengthened a ‘pen that finished the season with a 4.24 ERA, 26th in all of baseball. However, it turns out it was just a precursor as Dave Dombrowski still had some tricks up his sleeve.
The Red Sox made another big splash when they inked David Price to a monster contract and as a result, their World Series odds jumped from 20/1 to 9/1.
But perhaps the biggest off-season shocker took place just before the Winter Meetings when Arizona landed Zack Greinke. Not only did the Greinke signing give a tremendous boost to Arizona’s starting rotation, but it also subtraced an ace from the Dodgers’ staff and kept the Giants, a division rival and the other finalist in the Greinke sweepstakes, from acquiring the superstar.
Of course, once the D-backs added Greinke it was a clear sign that the team was in “win now” mode, so Dave Stewart and Tony La Russa went out and made another bold move, trading for Shelby Miller.
The D-backs finished second in the National League in runs scored a season ago and added two quality arms to the rotation which is why the odds went all the way from 50/1 to 20/1.
Although the Giants missed on Greinke, the club added Jeff Samardzija and saw odds swing from 20/1 to 8/1.
While all those changes were significant and interesting, there is still plenty of offseason left, which means time for more deals (what happens if the Cubs get another pitcher?).
All-AFL Team
After six busy weeks, the Arizona Fall League has come to a conclusion. However, just because the games are done, that doesn’t mean the work is.
After watching several games over the past few weeks, I’ve put together an “All-AFL” team consisting of players that stood out at each position (MLBpipeline.com put out its own version here). Keep in mind, there were several more names that came to mind when putting together this list, but I wanted to limit each position to just two guys (six in the outfield) so several worthy players were left off my list.
Catcher:
New York’s (Yankees) Gary Sanchez: The Yankees may have expedited Gary Sanchez’s path to the Majors when they traded John Ryan Murphy to the Twins. Sanchez hit 18 homers during the regular season and continued to dip into the power as he led the AFL with seven homers and 55 total bases.
In addition to his prowess at the plate, Sanchez showed off a strong arm, nabbing some would-be base stealers, and a quick pop time.
Chicago’s (Cubs) Willson Contreras: It’s unfortunate that Contreras’ stint in Arizona was cut short because of a hamstring injury as he was a very intriguing player. The catcher has only been behind the plate for a couple years, but may be in Chicago sooner rather than later if Schwarber remains in the outfield.
Contreras had a big year offensively as he hit .333 in 126 games with AA-Tennessee and continued to produce at the plate in Arizona, hitting .283 with three homers and eight RBIs in 14 games.
First base:
New York’s (Mets) Dominic Smith: The Mets’ No. 5 prospect may have been one of the most impressive prospects in the AFL this season. Smith hit a career-high .305 with Class-A Advanced St. Lucie this season and then hit .362 with one of the smoothest swings in the AFL.
In addition to Smith’s ability to swing the bat, the first baseman is also a really good defense and was a defensive mentor of sorts to fellow teammate Rowdy Tellez.
Boston’s Sam Travis: Perhaps it should be no surprise that the 2013 University of Indiana baseball team made it to the College World Series riding the bats of Kyle Schwarber and Sam Travis. While Schwarber was putting up monster numbers for the Cubs this year, Travis was also having a productive year at the plate. Travis hit .307 in 131 games between Class-A Advanced Salem and AA Portland.
In the AFL Travis continued to swing a hot bat, hitting .344 in 23 games.
Second base:
San Diego’s Carlos Asuaje: The infielder impressed throughout the AFL and then, prior to the final week, was traded from the Red Sox to the Padres. Asuaje hit .329 and finished the season in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak.
Asuaje has played second base, third base and left field since being drafted, but primarily played second in Arizona and looked really comfortable there, making several nice plays.
Oakland’s Chad Pinder: Pinder wasn’t an everyday player in the AFL, but when he was on the field he made it hard to ignore him. The middle infielder had a productive season at AA Midland as he hit .317 with 15 homers and continued to show some of the pop once he got to Arizona.
Pinder hit four homers in the Fall League and seven of his 12 hits went for extra-bases. He also spent time in Arizona working on his degree.
Third base:
Chicago’s (Cubs) Jeimer Candelario: The Cubs prospect has been known for his bat for a while now and didn’t disappoint in Arizona. Candelario got off to a hot start offensively and swung the bat well through the AFL, hitting 349.
Defensively, Candelario showed off a strong arm and made several noteworthy plays. The third baseman made a trio of errors, but they all came in one game so chalk that up to a bad day at the office.
Oakland’s Renato Nunez: After hitting 18 homers with AA Midland this season, Nunez’s bat continued to shine in Arizona. The third baseman hit .296 with 10 RBIs in 17 games.
Shortstop:
San Francisco’s Christian Arroyo: At just 20 years old, Arroyo was one of the youngest players in the AFL, but you wouldn’t know it from simply watching him play. Arroyo was one of many talented prospects the Giants sent the Fall League and he was very impressive both offensively and defensively.
In 19 games, the former first-round selection hit .308
Tampa Bay’s Daniel Robertson: Roberston found himself in the AFL for the second straight season, but this time with a different organization. Robertson was shipped from Oakland to Tampa Bay prior to the 2015 season and immediately became one of Tampa’s top prospects.
Although Roberston didn’t excel in the Fall League, hitting just .228, he has shown promise both offensively and defensively.
Outfield:
Miami’s Austin Dean: After playing in a career-high 136 games during the regular season it would have made sense if Dean started to show fatigue and watched his numbers slip. However, that was not the case. Dean, acknowledged that the games took a tool on his body, was able to fight through that and had a productive Fall.
The outfielder hit .323 in the AFL.
Cleveland’s Clint Frazier: Frazier entered the AFL as one of the league’s most hyped prospects. Frazier has been highly regarded since high school and has lived up to the expectations so far.
The Indians’ No. 2 prospect has incredibly strong hands and hit .281 in Arizona. He also had hits in eight of his final 10 games.
Colorado’s Raimel Tapia: There were plenty of players putting their best feet forward in the AFL, Tapia just happens to do it faster. The Rockies prospect can absolutely fly and he put that speed on display when he hit an inside-the-park homer. The outfielder stole five bases in the AFL, but he was also caught stealing five times.
Tapia also used his speed to make several nice plays roaming the outfield.
Kansas City’s Bubba Starling: After a disappointing 2014 campaign, Starling bounced back in the 2015 season. Starling hit .269 during the regular season and parlayed that into a nice Fall as he hit .274 with four homers in 22 games.
Chicago’s (White Sox) Adam Engel: Engel wasn’t on very many – if any – top prospect lists entering the AFL, but he sure managed to turn a lot of heads in Arizona. It seemed like every time Engel came to bat, he found a way to get on base as he hit .403 and had a .523 on-base percentage.
And once he got on base, he was off to the races. Engel stole 65 bases in 2015 and swiped another 10 bags in the AFL.
Los Angeles’ (Angels) Chad Hinshaw: Angels’ prospect Chad Hinshaw followed up a strong 2015 season with an equally strong Fall League performance. Hinshaw hit a career-high .291 this season and followed that up by hitting .349 in the Fall League.
Hinshaw was sent to the Fall League after losing some time during the regular season because of a thumb injury and the outfielder certainly took advantage of the opportunity. The Fall League also gave Hinshaw the chance to work with hitting coach Brenton Del Chiaro – who coached Hinshaw in the Angels organization and was also a part of the Mesa staff.
Designated hitter:
Minnesota’s Adam Brett Walker II: If you ever have a chance to watch Brett Walker II take batting practice, do it. The outfielder has immense power – as evidenced by the 31 homers he hit with AA-Chattanooga this season and the five he hit in the AFL.
However, with all those home runs, came plenty of strikeouts. Brett Walker II struck out 195 times this season and has a below-average arm in the outfield, but if he continues to hit for power, there will likely be a spot for him on a roster in the near future.
Texas’ Jurickson Profar: Profar’s road to back to health has been a long one as he’s played in just 12 games over the past two seasons. Although he strictly served as a designated hitter and didn’t get a chance to play in the field, Profar showed why he used to be regarded as the top prospect in baseball as he had several quality at-bats and showed a good approach at the plate.
Pitchers:
San Francisco’s Ray Black: Anytime a player routinely reaches triple-digits with his fastball, people take notice. Easily one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the AFL, Black showed why the Giants haven’t given up on him despite his extensive injury history.
Black’s stuff certainly plays, but the right-hander still needs to harness his command a bit and work on mixing stuff up. At times Black, by his own admission, relied too heavily on his fastball and threw it over and over again. Black is at his best when he is mixing in his slider and keeping hitters off balance.
Los Angeles’ (Dodgers) Jharel Cotton: The right-hander missed the beginning of the season rehabbing a broken wrist, but once he got back out on the mound, he delivered. Cotton went 6-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 21 games (11 starts) this season and continued to develop with a strong showing in the AFL.
While Cotton showed potential in the AFL, it’s clear there’s still some room to grow. As for how much growth is needed? Well that could depend on whether the Dodgers want him to be a starter or a reliever – he was used in both roles during the regular season, but was a starter in Arizona.
Houston’s Brian Holmes: It was hard not to notice Holmes every time he took the mound because all he did, was put zeros on the scoreboard. The left-hander posted a 1.13 ERA across six starts (16 innings).
Oakland’s Sean Manaea: After the A’s acquired Manaea in a mid-season trade, he went 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA in seven starts with AA-Midland. The left-hander wasn’t quite as dominant in Arizona, but it was still easy to see why he was so coveted.
In six AFL starts, Manaea led the league with 33 strikeouts. Manaea’s command got away from him at times, but when he was commanding all his pitches, he was really good. If the Athletics’ No. 3 prospect is able to really hone in on his command, there’s no reason he can’t have a successful career.
Atlanta’s Lucas Sims: Sims is one of many quality arms in the Atlanta farm system and the right-hander did nothing, but help his stock in the AFL.
In 17 innings, Sims gave up four earned runs and struck out 17.
Cincinnati’s Nick Travieso: Once he finally got on the mound it was easy to see why the Reds selected Travieso in the first round of the 2012 Draft. The right-hander had his first two starts of the AFL rained out, but when he did get a chance to take the mound, he was impressive. Travieso struck out four in three no-hit innings in his AFL debut.
Turns out that was a sign of things to come as Travieso posted a 2.05 ERA.
Colorado’s Kyle Freeland: The Rockies prospect got off to a rough start in the AFL, but bounced back and looked really good in the rest of his outings. Freeland threw five shutout innings in his final start and allowed just two runs over his final 24 2/3 innings – a span of five starts.
Minnesota’s Jake Reed: What’s not to like about a 0.00 ERA? Reed, a fifth-round selection in 2014, burst onto the scene with a huge season last year, but struggled a bit in 2015 as he had a 5.01 ERA in 44 appearances.
However, once he arrived in the hitter-friendly AFL, Reed seemed to get back on track. The right-hander threw 10 2/3 scoreless frames.
Minnesota’s Taylor Rogers: It’s no accident that the Scottsdale team chose Rogers to start the championship game. The Twins prospect – except for one outing – stood out all Fall to the tune of a 2.88 ERA in six starts.
Rogers typically has good command of the zone and said he was using his time in Arizona to develop his change-up.
San Francisco’s Adalberto Mejia: The left-hander had a rough 2014 season, but bounced back well in 2015 as he posted a 2.45 ERA in 12 games (nine starts) and carried that success into the AFL where he had a 3.48 ERA, but gave up just three earned runs over his final three starts.
Milwaukee’s Josh Hader: If the AFL is any indication, the Brewers have to be happy with what they have in Hader. The left-hander, who was acquired at the Trade Deadline in the deal that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to the Astros, posted a 3.03 ERA in 24 games (17 starts) this season and was lights out throughout the Fall League.
Hader appeared in seven game for the Surprise Saguaros and measly 0.56 ERA.
Milwaukee’s Adrian Houser: The Brewers acquired Houser midseason from the Astros in the trade that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Houston and shortly thereafter they got a look at the right-hander as he was called up late in the season and threw two scoreless innings.
Houser was then sent to Arizona and used his stint there to work on some of the stuff he learned during his brief stint in the Majors.
St. Louis’ Alex Reyes: The Cardinals top prospect left the AFL early after he failed a drug test and was hit with a 50-game suspension, but when he was on the mound, Reyes lived up the hype.
The right-hander gave up six runs while striking out 15 during his 15 innings in Arizona and posted a 3.60 ERA across his four starts. While the numbers may be a bit pedestrian, the AFL is a hitter-friendly league and in the two starts I saw, Reyes stuff was very good and his fastball sat around 97-98 MPH.
AFL 11.18.15 Peoria-Scottsdale
Notable Performances:
— Boston’s Justin Haley turned in a very nice start, throwing 40 of his 52 pitches for strikes. The right-hander also struck out six in four shutout innings. While the outing was impressive, it was simply par for the course for Haley, who has given up just one earned run in a total of 14 innings across his four AFL starts.
— Red Sox prospect Sam Travis has hit well throughout the AFL and Wednesday night was more of the same. The first baseman doubled into the left-centerfield gap in his first at-bat, extending his hitting streak to four games. Travis finished 2-for-3 on the evening with a pair of RBIs.
Read about Travis and Haley on MLBpipeline.com.
Best Plays:
— Clint Frazier, once again, made a nice play. The center fielder had to turn on the jets in the top of the second as a ball was hit deep into the right-center field gap, but Frazier got a good jump off the bat and was able to track the ball down, making a nice over-the-shoulder grab.
— Cincinnati’s Phillip Ervin notched an outfield assist in the third inning, throwing out a runner at home that was trying to score from second on a base hit.
Worth Mentioning:
— I’ve seen Seattle’s James Paxton a couple of times in the AFL, but Wednesday was the best I’ve seen him throw so far. The left-hander gave up three runs in five innings, but threw 60 of his 82 pitches for strikes and struck out seven.
— Entering Wednesday, Twins prospect Mitch Garver had one hit in his past four games, but was still hitting .316, a sign of just how hot he had previously been at the plate. Well another day at the ballpark means another opportunity to get back on track and Garver took advantage of the opportunity almost immediately as he doubled home a run in his first at-bat and finished 1-for-3, bringing his average to .317.
— Carlos Asuaje is adjusting to life in a Padres uniform. On Tuesday, the recently-traded prospect hit his first homer of the AFL and tonight he went 3-for-4.
AFL 11.18.15 Salt River-Mesa
Notable Performance:
— Cubs No. 7 prospect Pierce Johnson put together another strong outing. Chicago’s seventh-ranked prospect threw five shutout innings in his last start and followed that up with four innings of one run ball Wednesday.
Johnson threw 47 of his 65 pitches for strikes and struck out six. Read more about him on MLBpipeline.com.
Best Play:
— Nationals prospect Chris Bostick has made some nice plays throughout the Fall and made another Wednesday as he fielded a ball in shallow right, did a 360, and forced out a runner at second.
Best At-Bat:
— D-backs prospect Gabby Guerrero, Vladimir’s nephew, hit a solo home run out to right. The home run was Guerrero’s second of the AFL and extended his hitting streak to five games. Guerrero has hit in spurts during the AFL and will remind several fans of Vladimir Guerrero as he has a free swinging approach at the plate and hits without batting gloves.
Worth Mentioning:
— Marlins prospect Austin Dean had a nice day at the plate. The outfielder singled, stole a base and scored in his first at-bat and then drove in a run with a base hit in his second at-bat. Dean finished 2-for-4.
— Fellow Miami farmhand J.T. Riddle also had a good day at the plate. Riddle showed off a good approach and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third and then went to the opposite field for a two-RBI ground-rule doubt in the sixth.
— D-backs No. 5 prospect Yoan Lopez has been up and down in the Fall League and Wednesday was the latest example. The right-hander retired the side in order in the first, but allowed at least two baserunners in each of the next three frames.
Lopez threw 38 of his 75 pitches for strikes and was lifted after 4 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits.
AFL 11.17.15 Scottsdale at Peoria
Notable Performance:
— Carlos Asuaje, who was traded from the Red Sox to the Padres on Friday, showed his new teammates just what he’s capable of with a solo homer out to right field in the fourth inning. The homer was Asuaje’s first of the AFL, but it extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Read more about Asuaje on MLBpipeline.com.
Best Play:
— Padres prospect Nick Torres came through with an assist as he fielded a base hit in right and fired a strike to the plate that arrived in plenty of time to nab the runner who was trying to score from second.
Best At-Bat(s):
— Mac Williamson continues to have a strong Fall. The 13th-ranked prospect in the Giants organization seems to put together a quality at-bat every time he steps to the plate and Tuesday’s game was no different.
Williamson leads his team with a .377 batting average and went 2-for-4 with three RBIs on Tuesday.
Worth Mentioning:
— D.J. Peterson, the Mariners No. 3 prospect, had been scuffling a bit at the plate recently, but came through with an RBI double in the first that drove in the game’s first run.
— Chance Sisco extended his hitting streak to four games, three of which are multi-hit games, with an RBI single in the first. Sisco, the Orioles No. 8 prospect, finished the game 2-for-3.
— Giants prospect Christian Arroyo struck out chasing a pitch way out of the zone in his first at-bat, but bounced back in his next trip to the plate. In his second at-bat of the afternoon, Arroyo tied the game with a two-run double to left field.
— Ryan Butler simply couldn’t find the strike zone Tuesday. The No. 13 prospect in the San Diego organization had been having a decent stint in the Fall League, but struggled with command Tuesday as lasted just 2 2/3 innings, walking three and giving up four hits.
— Austin Kubitza, the Tigers No. 8 prospect, had a decent showing on the mound. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits in four innings.
AFL 11.11.15 Surprise-Mesa
Notable Performance:
— Marlins No. 6 prospect Austin Dean flashed some power and speed with an RBI triple to center field in the third inning. Dean has a hit in four of his last five games and the triple was his second of the AFL. Dean reached base after all four of his plate appearances and had a solid all-around game.
Read more about Dean on MLBpipeline.com.
Best Play:
— Athletics prospect Chad Pinder roped a ball down the left field line and tried to stretch a single into a double, challenging the arm of Yankees prospect Tyler Austin. Turns out it was a bad idea. Austin fired a one hopper from left field to the bag at second base and easily retired Pinder.
— However, Pinder showed off his own defensive skills in the fourth. The second baseman fielded a ball the middle and, with momentum carrying him into shallow left, made a leaping throw to first for the out.
Best At-Bat:
— Yankees No. 5 prospect Gary Sanchez continues to impress at the plate. The catcher hit his seventh homer of the AFL in his first at-bat Wednesday afternoon as he blasted a two run homer out to left.
Sanchez hit 18 homers in 93 games this season.
Worth Mentioning:
— Cardinals middle infield prospect Aledmys Diaz hit his third homer of the Fall, a solo shot to left.
— Brewers prospect Adrian Houser threw five shutout innings in his last AFL start and early Wednesday it looked like he was poised for another strong outing.
Houser faced the minimum through two innings, but lost control in the third. Five of the first six batters reached base in the third inning and Houser eventually left the game after allowing three runs on seven hits in three innings of work. The right-hander threw 32 of 54 pitches for strikes.
— Cubs No. 25 LHP, Rob Zastryzny had a strong outing Wednesday. The left-hander made an early mistake – which Sanchez crushed for a homer – but otherwise he was solid. Zastryzny threw four innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He threw 42 of 68 pitches for strikes, walking one and striking out four.
— Angels catching prospect Stephen McGee put together a nice game at the plate on Wednesday. McGee had a four-RBI day as he went 3-for-4 at the plate.