Toledo 0, Louisville 9 (Reds)

Andy Oliver (LHP) gave up 5 ER in 4 2/3 IP to take the loss. Fu Te Ni (LHP) continued the poor Mud Hens’ pitching performance after giving up 4 ER in 1 2/3 IP. For anyone looking for a pitching
“silver lining” from this one, Matt Hoffman (LHP) threw 2 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, didn’t walk a batter, and K’ed 2.

Scott Sizemore (2B) went 1-2 with 2 BB. Ryan Strieby (1B) went 1 for 3.

Since Erie, Lakeland, and West Michigan were all off on 4/24, I’ll catch everyone up on some prospects enjoying a solid 2011.

Erie

Ben Guez (OF) – In 42 ABs, Guez is hitting .381 with a .440 OBP. He’s also hit 2 homers and driven in 9. 

Bryan Pounds (3B) – Pounds is hitting .314 in 51 Abs. He’s also getting on base at a .386 clip. If he can reduce his strike outs he’ll be in good shape (he’s been K’ed 14 times).

Jacob Turner (RHP) – In 3 starts, Turner has posted an ERA of 1.83 with 20 strikeouts and 3 walks. His WHIP is sub-1 at .081. This guy is going to be great.

Chance Ruffin (RHP) – In 5 appearances, Ruffin has pitched 3 1/3 innings. He has a 2.70 ERA and has K’ed 2 while walking 3.

Lakeland

Tony Plagman (1B) – .364/.425/.561 in 66 ABs over 17 games. He’s driven in 18 and hit 3 homers.

Gustavo Nunez (SS) – .338/.411/.569 in 65 ABs over 16 games. Nunez has only 2 RBIs from solo shot home runs. Notably, he has struck out as many times as he has walked (7 apiece).

Kenny Faulk (LHP) – Faulk has appeared in 8 games and thrown 8 2/3 innings. In less than 9 innings of work, he has struck out 15 and walked 1. His ERA through 2011 is 1.04.

West Michigan

Hernan Perez (SS) – .391/.481/.500 over 46 ABs and 13 games. Impressively, he’s walked 6 times and only struck out twice.

James Robbins (1B) – Hitting .333 and leading the team with 11 RBIs in 51 plate appearances. Strikeouts are a problem, 22 to 2 walks.

Robert Brantly (C) – .378/.452/.541 in 37 ABs over 10 games. He’s 2 RBI behind Robbins for the team lead.

Kevin Eichhorn (RHP) – Leads the team in strikeouts with 14 over 13 1/3 IP. Needs to lower his WHIP (1.75) and ERA (4.73).

Richard Zumaya (RHP) – Has not allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings of work over 3 games. Has K’ed 6 while walking 5.

Toledo 7, Indianapolis 1 (Pirates)

Timo Perez (LF) led the way for the Mud Hens going 3-4 with a double and 2 runs scored. Other notable offensive performers were Ryan Strieby (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB) and Danny Worth (2-3, 2 R, 1 BB). Although Sizemore only went 1-5 on the night, he picked up 2 RBI.

Duane Below (LHP) went 6 1/3 and allowed 1 ER on 6 hits and 2 walks. Below also  K’ed 6. Below has made improvements after each start so far this season. On 4/10 he gave up 4 ER over 4 IP, 4/16 – 3 ER in 5 IP, and last night only 1 ER on a solo shot. His ERA is down to 4.70 on the season and seems to be on a drastically downward spiral.

Erie, Bowie PPD: rain

Lakeland 1, Daytona 3 (Cubs)

Trevor Feeney (RHP) produced a quality start (6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) but still took the loss on a night where the Flying Tigers could only muster one run from a Julio Rodriguez double in the 6^th inning. Ryan Robowski (LHP) threw an inning and two-thirds and gave up one ER on 2 hits and a walk. Kenny Faulk (LHP struck out the side in the 9th.

Only three Flying Tigers were able to get hits (Nunez, Wyatt, and Rodriguez).

West Michigan 1, Lansing 4 (Blue Jays)

Kyle Ryan (LHP) gave up 12 hits, 4 runs (3 ER) over 6 innings to take the loss. Steve Crnkovich (RHP) pitched a scoreless 7^th.

Dixon Machado (SS) went 2-4 with a run scored. Castillo, Castellanos, Enos, and Gulliver each recorded a hit apiece for the Whitecaps. The only Whitecaps run came in the bottom of the 1^st when Dixon Machado scored on a double-play ball hit by Robert Brantly.

West Michigan 1, Lansing 5 (Blue Jays)

Kevin “Finkle is Eichhorn, Eichhorn is Finkle” Eichhorn (RHP) took the loss after pitching 4 2/3 innings and allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits. What impressed me about his start is that, although he did get hit, he didn’t walk a batter and struck out 6. Command of the strike zone is an integral, and difficult, part of a successful big league pitchers skill set. Nonetheless, Mr. Eichhorn has some work to do regarding the elusiveness of his stuff.

Richard Zumaya came on in relief and did not allow a run in 1.1 innings. Zumaya has not yet allowed an earned run this season while tallying 6 K’s. Zumaya 2.0 has walked 5, however, and it appears he’ll be in Lakeland until he can figure out his control.

Hernan Perez (SS normally, 2B for this game) went 2-2 with a run scored and a walk. The only RBI of the day for the Whitecaps belonged to Nick Castellanos (3B) who hit a bases-loaded ground out that scored Perez from 3^rd.

Toledo 2, Indianapolis 4 (Pirates)

The Mud Hens were blanked through 7 before scoring 2 in the bottom of the 8^th. Timo Perez (CF) and Scott Thorman (1B) picked up 1 RBI each on the night. Andy Dirks (RF) and Scott Sizemore (2B) each had 2 hits and scored 1 run on the night. Sizemore continued his torrid start to 2011 – he’s hitting .389 with an OBP of .463.

Thad Weber (RHP) took the loss after producing the following stat line: 7IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4K. Fu Te Ni (LHP) came on in relief and allowed 1 unearned run over two innings while striking out 4.

Lakeland 2, Daytona 5 (Cubs)

Jared Wesson (LHP) had a rough outing for the Flying Tigers. He started and allowed 4 runs in the Daytona 1^st. he went on to allow an additional earned run (5 total on the night) on 10 hits and 2 walks over 4 1/3.  Jay Voss( LHP) looked good in relief (3IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K).

Lakeland made it interesting in the 4^th with 2 runs, but never got closer than a 2-run deficit.

Brent Wyatt (OF) went 2-4 with 2RBI to lead the way for Lakeland.

West Michigan 5, Fort Wayne 1 (Padres)

Richard Zumaya made a spot start for West Michigan and went 2 2/3, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks with a strikeout. Michael Torrealba (RHP) got the win after relieving Zumaya and throwing 3 1/3 and giving up an earned run.

The Whitecaps spread the RBIs thin (1 each for Polk, Nowlin, Robbins, Castellanos, and Gomez).

Hernan Perez (SS) gets the golden bat of the night (1-2, 2 BB, 2 R). Perez is hitting .343 on the year with an OBP well over .400.

Toledo 13, Columbus 5 (Indians)

The Mud Hens exploded for 16 hits and 13 runs; they lead this one wire to wire to win easily. Only three Mud Hens did NOT have multiple hit nights (Timpner, Diaz, and Sizemore). The golden bat of the night was shared between Clete Thomas (CF) (2-4, 1 HR, 6RBI) and Andy Dirks (LF) (3-5, 2HR, 3RBI). Worth, Thorman, Strieby, Iorg, and Santos all picked up 2 hits each. The other homer of the night came off the bat of Ryan Strieby.

Andy Oliver started and got the win after pitching 6 innings and allowing 4 ER on 6 hits. Ryan Perry made a rehab appearance and threw a 1-2-3 7^th with one strikeout. Oxspring closed out the 8^th and 9^th but had control problems as he walked 3.

Erie 5, Reading 1 (Phillies)

This game was a pitcher’s duel throughout and went into the 9^th inning tied at 1. Then, in the top of the 9^th, the Sea Wolves scored 4 after an absolute meltdown from Reading including an RBI walk, three errors, and an ejection.

Audy Ciriaco (SS) went 2-4 with a run scored. 4 total Reading errors meant only 2 of the 5 Erie runs came from RBI (1 each for Martinez and Scram).

Jacob Turner started for Erie: 6.2IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (ERA for the year 1.83). Jared Gayhart (RHP) came on in relief and pitched 1.1 innings without giving up a run to record the win. Chance Ruffin allowed only 1 hit in his one inning of relief to close this one out.

Lakeland 0, Dunedin 4 (Blue Jays)

Lakeland couldn’t get anything going all night and were behind from the 1^st through the 9^th.

Gustavo Nunez (SS) did manage to put together a good night with the bat: 3-4, 2 2B. The 23 year-old Nunez is hitting .370 on the year with an OBP of .442, 2 HR, 2 RBI, and a SLG % of .630. Erie should be calling his name sometime in May or June.

Drew Smyly (LHP) lost the decision but looked alright in 5 2/3. He allowed 4 runs (3 earned), K’ed 4, walked 2, and allowed 3 hits. Stohr and Samuels combined for a scoreless 3 1/3 innings of relief.

West Michigan 7, Fort Wayne 3 (Padres)

The closest the TinCaps from Fort Wayne got was 3-4 in the top of the 5^th before the Whitecaps added one more in the bottom half and 2 more in the 7^th. Hernan Perez (SS) and Billy Nowlin (1B) each went   3-4. Nowlin also homered and tallied 4 RBI.

 Robert Brantly (C) went 2-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. On the season, Brantly is hitting .435/.519/.696 and he’s walked more than he’s struck out (4 BB, 3 K). Brantly is only 22 and has huge upside. I like him to continue his torrid start through the foreseeable future.

Jeff Ferrell (RHP) lasted 5 innings and got the hook after allowing 3 earned on 6 hits. Patrick Cooper (RHP) and Clemente Mendoza (RHP) combined to pitch 4 innings of shutout baseball. Patrick Cooper had an especially good night: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K.

 

Toledo 4, Columbus 10 (Indians)

4 Mud Hens had two-hit nights (Perez, Thorman, Strieby, and Worth). Thorman lead the Mud Hens with 2 RBI on the night. Strieby and Santos added 1 RBI each to complete the scoring for the Hens.

Ramon Garcia (LHP) had a really, really bad night on the mount. He threw 2 innings, gave up 7 hits, 5 runs (all earned) walked a batter while taking the loss.

Erie, Bowie: PPD

Lakeland 9, Daytona 6 (Cubs)

Victor Larez (RHP) started and went 6 innings. He gave up 6 hits and 3 ER while striking out 3. His ERA for the year is an impressive 2.08 with a 2-0 record in two starts. Pratt and Faulk combined to close this one out. Faulk got the save, his third of the year, but allowed an earned run in 1.1 innings.

The Flying Tigers put up 5 runs in the bottom of the second to account for most of their scoring. Tony Plagman (1B) added a 2 RBI single in that inning and then had a huge night: 4-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI. Plagman has been absolutely dominant so far this year. He’s hitting .450 and has 15 RBI on the year.

Wade Gaynor (3B) also hit 2 doubles in the game and finished 3-4 on the night.

West Michigan, South Bend PPD (both games)

Toledo 5, Columbus 4 (Indians)

The Mud Hens lead 2-1 going into the 7^th before Columbus put up 3 runs in the top ½. The Mud Hens countered with a 2 RBI double from Sizemore and a RBI single from Ryan Strieby and held on for the win.

Charlie Furbush (LHP) started and went 4 1/3 for the Hens. He only gave up 2 hits but walked 4. Furbush also struck out 6.  Through two starts Furbush is sporting an ERA of 2.79 with 12K and 4 BB. Robbie Weinhardt picked up the save after perfect pitching through an inning and a third with two strikeouts.

Ryan Perry made a rehab appearance. In 1.3 IP he gave up 3 hits and 2 runs (1 earned) while striking out 1.

Sizemore and Strieby both went 2-4 on the night with 2RBI and 1RBI respectively. Scott Thorman (1B) and Omir Santos (C) had one RBI apiece.

Erie 8, Bowie 9 (Orioles)

This game went back and forth throughout until a walk off wild pitch from Chance Ruffin (RHP) scored Ronnie Welty for the Baysox. Luke Putkonen (RHP) started for Erie and made it through 5IP. He gave up 6 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) while striking out 3. On the bright side, he did not have a walk.

Austin Wood (LHP) had the best night on the slab for the Seal Wolves. He came on in the 9^th and pitched 3.0 innings in relief. He allowed two hits with 1 walk but K’ed 3 and did not allow a run.

Audy Ciriaco (SS) led the team with 3 RBI after he sent a long fly to left in the 3^rd inning. Brandon Douglas (2B) added an RBI single to complete a 4-run 3^rd. Pounds (1B) and Johnson, J (CF) each added 2 RBI.

The Sea Wolves did, however, manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as they compiled 4 errors (Holaday, Martinez, Pounds, and Ciriaco) and a wild pitch on the night.

Lakeland 4, Daytona 3 (Cubs)

Lakeland jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the 1^st from a solo shot off the bat of Daniel Fields (CF) and an RBI single from Tony Plagman (1B). Daytona rallied in the top of the 3^rd to lead 3-2. Lakeland put the game permanently out of reach in the 5^th on a 2 RBI single from Tony Plagman.

Jared Wesson (LHP) recorded the win after pitching 5 2/3 innings and giving up 3 ER’s. Stohr, Robowski, and Gentzler combined to finish out the game without allowing a run. Don Gentzler (RHP) came on with one out in the 9^th and the bases loaded but induced two infield grounders and prevented the tying run from crossing to pick up the save, his second of the year.

Plagman (1B) had a great night with the stick, going 2-3 with 3 RBI and a walk. He’s hitting .400 on the year.  Gustavo Nunez (SS) went 2-5 with a run scored.

West Michigan vs. South Bend – PPD: rain

 

Toledo 0, Columbus 1 (Indians)

In the first game of a double header, Columbus somehow managed to beat the Hens with a solo shot from Grady Sizemore in the top of the third. Toledo couldn’t turn 8 hits into a single run and Thad Weber (RHP) took the loss. Although he lost, Weber had a solid night with 6k over 6 IP and a sub-1 WHIP on the night.

Three Mud Hens had a two-hit game (Sizemore, Thorman, and Santos).

Toledo 3, Columbus 7 (Indians)

Although the Mud Hens took a 3-1 lead into the 4^th inning, they gave up 6 runs in 4 innings to complete the sweep of the day.  Scott Sizemore added another hit and a run in the 2^nd game of the day. Sizemore is hitting .421 at AAA. Although we all know that doesn’t necessarily translate to MLB success with him, it’s still good to see him producing at a high level.

Clay Timpner (CF) and John Murrian (C) both went 2-3. 1 RBI each on the night for Perez, Dirks, and Murrian.

Robbie Weinhardt didn’t waste any time on the bench and pitched an inning in relief. He gave up 3 runs (only 1 earned). Chris Oxspring (RHP) takes the loss after going 3 innings and giving up 3 ER on 2 hits and 3 BBs.

Erie 1, Bowie 2 (Orioles)

L.J. Gagnier (RHP) started and lasted 6 IP while giving up 3 H, 2 ER. He managed to K 8 while only walking 2. Jared Gayhart (RHP) came on in relief and looked good striking out 2 and allowing only one base runner by way of a single.

The Sea Wolves’ hitters were stymied by a platoon of pitchers trotted out by Bowie. No notable offensive production (5 o-fer’s Bertram, Pounds, Holaday, Martinez, and Scram). The lone RBI went to Francisco Martinez (3B) on a sac fly.

Lakeland 4, Daytona 3 (Cubs)

Lakeland had a 3-0 lead going into the 4^th before a 3-run Daytona rally tied the ball game. The game remained deadlocked at 3 until a 9^th inning walk-off walk! The most exciting play in baseball….

Lakeland’s starter, Cole Nelson (LHP) went 4 innings giving up 5 hits, 3 ER, and walking 1. Teufel, Morrsion, and Faulk combined to pitch 5 innings of scoreless relief. Faulk picked up the win.

With the exception of Jones (2B), every Flying Tiger picked up at least one hit. Tony Plagman (1B) had the most notable night, going 3-4 with an RBI and a walk. His average for the year is now at .375.

West Michigan 1, Great Lakes 3 (Dodgers)

Great Lakes scored one run in the 5^th, 6^th, and 8^th before the Whitecaps scored one in the bottom of the 8^th.  For West Michigan, mediocrity ruled the day from the pitching slab. Each Whitecaps pitcher (Carreno, Torrealba, and Rondon) was on pace for 9BB/9IP.

Brace yourselves Tiger fans…. a catcher had a great night swinging the bat! Robert Brantly went 2-4 with a 2B and had the only RBI of the night for West Michigan. He’s hitting .438 through 2011. Keep an eye on this guy, he’s in his 2^nd year at West Michigan but only played in 52 games last season. Through the first 4 games this year, he had a hit in every game (including hitting .500 in 3 of 4) and has picked up 4 RBI with an OBP of .526.

West Michigan 3, Great Lakes 2 (Dodgers)

West Michigan trailed 0-2 throughout most of the game before West Michigan scored 3 runs on a 2RBI single from Ryan Enos (RF) and a RBI single from James Robbins (1B).

Jeff Ferrell (RHP) started for the White Caps and gave up 2 runs (0 earned) on 4 hits. He also added 6 K’s and did not walk a batter. Joel Zumaya’s younger brother, Richard made a relief appearance for the Caps and went 2 2/3 with 2K’s. Bruce Rondon (RHP) finished the night and picked up with win after going 1 1/3 and striking out 3 batters.

No big stars offensively. Castillo, Perez, Enos, Polk, and Castellanos all tallied one hit apiece. Robbins went 2-4 with an RBI. Robbins .417 average is leading the White Caps so far this season.

Lakeland 5, Dunedin 3 (Blue Jays)

Lakeland jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and withstood a 2-run Dunedin 6^th inning rally with single runs of their own in the 7^th and 8^th to hold on for the win.

Gustavo Nunez, the switch hitting shortstop, had a terrific night from the leadoff spot. He went 3-4 with a walk and fell a triple short of the cycle.

Corey Jones (2B) and Wade Gaynor (3B) each went 2-5.

Trevor Feeney (RHP) started for the Flying Tigers and had a mediocre night (5.1 IP/ 7H/ 3ER/ 3K). Jordan Pratt (RHP) picked up the win after throwing 2 2/3 innings in relief with 3 K’s. Kenny Faulk (LHP) picked up the save.

Erie 7, Binghamton 6 (Mets)

Jacob Turner started for the Sea Wolves and posted the following stat line: 7IP, 7H, 3ER, 1BB, 4K. His ERA for the year is a respectable 2.08. Hamilton came on in relief and gave up 3 more earned runs. Hamilton’s ERA for the year is a bloated 9.64.

Jamie Johnson (CF) had a huge night swinging the bat: 4-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI. The Sea Wolves scattered 4 more RBI between Bertram, Ciriaco, Scram, and Henry.

Toledo 4, Indianapolis 2 (Indians)

In a sloppy game (each team committed 2 errors resulting in unearned runs) the Mud Hens held on to an early lead throughout the night to complete the daily sweep for the Tigers.

Andy Oliver (LHP) started and pitched 6 innings. He only gave up 3 hits and 1 ER while striking out 8. His ERA for the year is 2.25. Fu Te Ni (LHP) pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief and gave up only 2 hits and 1 unearned run.  Zach Simons (RHP) notched the save after getting the final out.

Scott Thorman (1B) had a nice night going 2-4 with a homer. Worth, Strieby, and Thomas each picked up single hits.

West Michigan 13, Lansing 12 (Blue Jays)

No pitcher had a good afternoon on Sunday; however, Bruce Rondon (RHP) picked up the win after pitching a scoreless 9th inning and striking out 2. The West Michigan SP, Kyle Ryan (LHP) gave up 5 ER on 6 hits in just 3 2/3 IP.

Offensively, Dixon Machado (SS) led the way going 4-5 with a walk and scoring 3 runs.

Lakeland 5, Tampa 2 (Yankees)

 Lakeland’s SP, Jared Wesson (LHP) went only 3 innings before being replaced by Shawn Teufel (LHP). Teufel went 4 innings, K’ed 3 and only gave up 2 hits while picking up the win for Lakeland.

Anthony Plagman (1B) went 2-4 with a homer and 2 RBI. William Bergolla (2B) had an especially anemic afternoon, going 0 – 5 in the leadoff spot.

Erie 7, Altoona 10 (Pirates)

Altoona grabbed an early 5-0 lead and did not relent despite an eighth inning rally from Erie. Casey Crosby (LHP) only lasted 2 2/3 innings while allowing 5 ER before getting the hook and taking the loss. The Seal Wolves homered twice in the eighth (Holaday (1RBI), Johnson (2RBI)) for 3 runs making it 7-9 before Altoona added one more in the top half of the 9th and then closed out the Wolves in the bottom half.

Despite mediocre pitching throughout the night, the Sea Wolves had some solid offensive production led by Michael Bertram (1B) who went 4 – 5 on the night.

Toledo 1, Louisville 5 (Reds)

The outcome was never in doubt as Louisville took a 4-0 lead after 4 innings and never looked back. Below (LHP) took the loss for the Mud Hens after allowing 4 ER in 4IP. Garcia and Simons came on in relief and combined to go 4 innings with no ER and 4 K’s.

The Mud Hens had 5 o-fors (Sizemore, Perez, Strieby, Timpner, and Murrian). Argenis Diaz (SS) picked up the lone RBI for the Mud Hens in the 7th, scoring Ryan Strieby on a single.

Happy Sunday to everyone! As mentioned earlier this year, my name is Nick D and I will be covering the minor leagues for DTW. I’m going to try to post updates daily including noteworty performers from the previous games. If there’s anything you’d like to have researched or written about, please let me know and I will oblige. One formatting note -I am going to include, parenthetically, the MLB club associated with Tigers minor league opponents so you, the reader, can see how our propsects are stacking up against other farm systems.

West Michigan was postponed by rain

(A) Lakeland 1, Tampa 2 (Yankees)

Lakeland looked offensively sluggish. The only run came off a 4th inning HR by Brent Wyatt (LF). Also encouraging was a 2-4 performance by Julio Rodriguez (C). Impressively, Rodriguez is hitting .400 through the young season. 21 year-old Cole Nelson took the loss for Lakeland, although he went 6 innings giving up 2 ER on 7 hits. I did like that he K’ed 6 while only walking 1.

(AA) Erie 2, Altoona 6 (Pirates)

The starter, Luke Putkonen, went 5 decent innings allowing 1 ER on 3 hits. He only struck out 2 while walking the same. After he handed the ball to the bullpen (Waite and Little on this night) the SeaWolves gave up 11 more hits and 5 ER.

Brandon Douglas (2B) and Rawley Bishop (1B) collected 1 RBI each.

(AAA) Toledo 1, Louisville 2 (Reds)

Charlie Furbush (LHP) went 5 1/3 for the Mud Hens giving up 2 ER on 5 hits. He struck out 6 and didn’t walk a batter. Furbush allowed the two runs on a Lemony Snickets series of unfortunate events in the bottom first. A single turned into a runner on third after a SB and a throw to first to complete a K. That runner then scored on a WP. Next, a single again turned into a RISP after a steal. That man was then scored. After the 1st, Furbush didn’t allow a runner to get to 2nd base.

No one from the Mud Hens had a noteworty night – scattering 6 hits across  6 different players. I will point out, however, that Andy Dirks (LF) is hitting .462/.769/1.231 through the season so far.

This is the second of a two part series composed by DTW member Nick D.  Look for Nick to cover the minors in detail in the upcoming season(s).

What follows is part 2 of 2 recapping the 2010 minor league season. I’ve ranked the following prospects based on scouting predictions and past performance in addition to the improvement shown over the course of last season. Please note that I no longer include Austin Jackson as a prospect for purposes of the minor league recap.

And now…. the hitting prospects 2010 recap:

1. Brennan Boesch, OF

(Understatement Alert) Brennan Boesch did not have a consistent 2010. His tremendous 1^st half, and implosion after the all-star break, have been well documented. However, when taken as a whole, he had a pretty solid rookie campaign. His.256/.320/.416 numbers were adequate. He also produced some power; hitting 14 home runs and producing 67 RBI. Frustratingly, 12 of those 14 homers, and 45 out of 67 RBI, came before July 1. Boesch has to work on his approach to hitting and find the mojo he had through June. As Jim Price frequently lamented, Boesch had too much working in the 1^st half to never find it again. If he finds a happy middle ground between his Jekyll and Hyde, we’ll have a quality, every day, outfielder.

2. Casper Wells, OF

Wells was one of several minor leaguers who got a shot in the Show during 2010. With the Tigers he hit .323/.364/.538 in 36 games. He also went deep 4 times with 17 RBI. At that pace, over 162 games he would have hit 18 home runs with 76 RBI. Surprisingly, his AAA numbers were actually worse than his 2010 big league numbers. In 103 games for Toledo he hit .233 and slugged .483. Notably, however, he belted 21 home runs. Wells seems to be capable of producing at any level. Fans should keep a close eye on Toledo to see if he maintains consistency in the average and power departments.

3. Will Rhymes, 2B

Rhymes played 95 games for Toledo and 54 for the Tigers. At Toledo, he hit .305 with 35 RBI. He stole 22 bases and posted a respectable OBP of .370. Rhymes was promoted and then sent back to AAA following a brief stint in the bigs. He then returned to the Tigers following injury problems. Rhymes is a competitive man who loved the big leagues. I think he’s got the work ethic and fiery spirit to be a big leaguer soon. If you want see what Rhymes thinks about Rhymes, check out his web site: (http://www.willrhymes.com/).

4. Scott Sizemore, 2B

In 48 games with the Tigers Sizemore hit .224/.296/.336 with 3 homers and 14 RBI. Clearly, he was not quite ready for the bigs. His minor league numbers were better: .298/.378/.472 over 76 games for the Toledo Mud Hens. Sizemore is probably never going to be a Robinson Cano type player, but he has the skill set to be a productive in-fielder at the major league level. He should figure into the discussion for the 2011 second base job opening.

5. Alex Avila, C

Avila played quality baseball behind the plate. At the plate, however, he lacked the same consistency in his game. He hit .228 over 104 games with 7 HR and 31 RBI. I, as a fan of the Tigers, would also like to offer this mostly subjective nugget of analysis: Over the year, in my opinion, it seemed like Avila produced hits or walks in crucial situations more often than Laird did. The numbers sort of back up my opinion: Avila – .344 OBP w/RISP, Laird – .275 OBP w/RISP. Although Laird did hit .222 w/RISP compared to Avila’s average of .203 w/ RISP. Avila is not going to win a silver slugger award at catcher, but I feel he has a higher ceiling than his 2010 performance. Watch for him to improve next year.

6. Ryan Strieby, 1B, 2B, OF

If I was a manger, I would have Strieby be the first player off the bus at every game. I’d then have him sneak back onto the bus and walk off again, somewhere in the middle of the team. He stands 6’5’’ and weighs in at 235 lbs. This behemoth appeared in 76 games for the Mud Hens. Strieby spent 2010 adjusting to higher-level pitching. In 2009 he hit .303/.427/.565 for AA Erie with 19 homers and 58 RBI in 86 games. In 2010, he was promoted to AAA Toledo where his numbers dipped (.245/.323/.400). His power numbers also fell as he only went yard 10 times. The troubling part about 2010 is that Strieby showed improvement in the average and slugging departments after every promotion prior to last year:

2006 at A- Oneonta, .241 BA/.335 SLG

2007 at A West Michigan, .253 BA/.422 SLG

2008 at A+ Lakeland, .278 BA/.563 SLG

2009 at AA Erie, .303 BA/.565 SLG

2010 at AAA Toledo, .245 BA/.400 SLG

If Strieby can continue to improve, he’ll be a solid, every day, power bat. If he does not show significant improvement at Toledo he may be an ideal player to look at trading to bolster a mid-season deal.

7. Daniel Fields, OF

Fields is the son of former Tigers hitting Coach Bruce Fields. He was also ranked in the top 50 prospects in 2009 and is from Detroit. It seems as though destiny will place Fields into the outfield at Comerica Park in the future. In 2010, his first professional season, Fields didn’t do much with the bat (.240/.343/.371). Fields did manage to play pretty solid defense, committing only one error in 102 games for Lakeland. Watch for Fields to develop as a hitter and probably end up in Erie.

8. Gustavo Nunez, SS

Nunez is a small kid, standing only 5’10’’, but his compact frame packs some explosive quickness. Nunez stole 33 bases in 2010 for Lakeland after being promoted from West Michigan. His batting numbers fell off in Lakeland as he hit just .222 with an OBP of .263. Nunez needs to improve his patience and his decision making while swinging the bat. He’s got plenty of raw talent which needs to be refined. If the Tigers hitting instructors can get the average up, he’ll be a dangerous player on the base paths. Nunez will benefit from some more time on the farm.

9. Alden Carrithers, 2B

Carrithers hit .359 before being promoted from Lakeland to Erie. At Erie, he hit significantly worse at .262. Carrithers didn’t hit for power at all during 2010, but, I think he has serious Moneyball upside. His OBP in 2010 was .422. Needs to improve against high level pitching but he has plate awareness and patience to get on base.

10. Wade Gaynor, 3B

In 131 games for West Michigan, Gaynor hit .286/.354/.436. His 147 hits led the Tigers’ farm system. Gaynor is a young guy, at 22, and has a high ceiling. In his last 10 games he had 10 RBI and only went hitless twice. He won’t be in Detroit in 2011 but look for Gaynor to see a promotion within the farm.

11. Andy Dirks, LF

The 6’, 195 lb lefty played at Erie and Toledo in 2010. In Only 22 games for Toledo he shredded opposing pitching. At Toledo, he hit .375/.398/.648 with 4 HR and 17 RBI. Those numbers were up significantly from his Erie totals, but are quite impressive. Dirks is continuing to tweak his game in the offseason and is currently assigned to the Toros del Este in a Dominican winter league.

12. Jordan Lennerton, 1B

Lennerton hit .295 cumulatively between stops at West Michigan and Lakeland. After being sent to Lakeland, his HRs went from 3 to 9 and he increased his RBI output from 23 to 33.  I think he’ll start 2011 with Lakeland and be in Erie before August. Lennerton is a lefty who has exhibited some power. If he continues to spend time in the weight room, and display a continued increase in performance, he’ll be a hot commodity in the near future.

13. Kody Kaiser, RF

Kaiser hit .293/.346/.445 over 112 games at Lakeland and Erie. He was 20 for 26 when attempting to steal. Kaiser is a decent prospect but needs to improve the frequency with which he strikes out as he was K’d 109 times in 434 AB’s.

14. Rawley Bishop, 1B

Bishop hit .276 over 133 games at Lakeland and then Erie. He hit 15 HR and drove in 87. He has displayed decent power but his average fell 50 points between Lakeland and Erie. Bishop needs to show that he can hit superior pitching before advancing any further in the farm system.

15. Avisail Garcia, OF

Garcia is a pretty raw prospect. He is only 19 years old with one professional season under his belt. In 125 games with West Michigan he hit .281 with 4 HR and 63 RBI. He stole 20 bases in 24 attempts. Garcia is spending the off season back home in Venezuela with the Caribes de Anzoategui. He will need to spend a few seasons working on his game, but he’s an athletic youngster with room to grow.

16. Billy Nowlin, DH

Nowlin spent 83 games with Lakeland before being sent to Erie for 40 games. Cumulatively, he hit .265 with 14 HR and 71 RBI. Nowlin started his Tigers career in 2008 with the GCL Tigers and has been continuously promoted every year. His 2010 numbers fell off slightly from 2009, but not substantially. If he can put together a decent year at Erie, Nowlin may end up in Toledo in 2011 or 2012.

This is the first of a two part series composed by DTW member Nick D.  Look for Nick to cover the minors in detail in the upcoming season(s).

As any Detroit Tigers fan knows, most of the organization’s top prospects spent a significant amount of 2010 wearing the Old-English “D”. Names like “Rhymes”, “Boesch”, “Jackson”, and “Sizemore” surely bring back memories of summer.

While the top prospects made more news than usual this year, the rest of the farm system shied from the limelight. In fact, according to MLB fanhouse, it was in the stale, dark, depths of a cellar. http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/01/26/2010-farm-system-rankings/. It should be noted, however, that Detroit’s pitching prospects, headlined by Turner and Crosby, should give Tiger fans something to look forward to in the coming years.

What follows is part 1 (pitching), of a 2 part series, examining the year that was. It should be noted that the rankings below are based on scouting predictions and historical performance as well as 2010 stats. Without further ado the pitching prospects:

1. Jacob Turner, RHP

At 6’5’’ and 210 lbs. he’s got the frame of a big-time hurler. Turner pitched in 24 games for West Michigan and Lakeland with an ERA of 3.28. He logged 115.1 innings while striking out 102 and only walking 23. Turner featured a 90-94 MPH fast ball last year but has reached as high as 97-98 MPH. He’s also got a quality curveball and a plus changeup. At only 19, and just one season with professional pitching instruction, Turner’s upside is enormous. Look for him to impress during spring training and start the season with Lakeland and probably end up in Erie.

2. Casey Crosby, LHP

Crosby’s season was almost entirely lost to injury. He opened the season at West Michigan with pain in his forearm and elbow. This is especially troubling because Crosby underwent Tommy John surgery in 2007. After recovering, he was given a rehab assignment in the Gulf Coast League where he went 0-1 with an ERA of 8.76 over 3 starts. He was shut down for the season in July. Crosby still has tremendous upside. He features a fastball between 94-97 MPH, a changeup, slider, and curveball. If he can avoid the injury bug, 2011 should be a great year for the young lefty.

3. Adam Wilk, LHP

Wilk started the season in Lakeland and ended by pitching 3 quality games in Erie. He posted a cumulative record of 11-5 with an ERA of 2.74. Wilk struck out 114 batters and only walked 24. In his last three starts he pitched at least 7 2/3 innings and allowed a total of 3 earned runs on 6 hits. Wilk features a 4-seam and 2-seam fastball, a curveball, changeup, and cutter. He’s shown continuous improvement throughout his tenure on the farm and looks to continue the trend in 2011. Wilk is set to begin the next campaign in Erie, but, if Tiger injuries require a lefty at some point this season, look for Wilk to get a surprise call to the bigs. Otherwise, I imagine he’ll continue to get better and move up the ranks of Tigers pitching prospects.

4. Cody Satterwhite, RHP

Another pitcher ravaged by injury during 2010, Satterwhite sat out the entire year after undergoing shoulder surgery in May. In 34 appearances in 2009 Satterwhite averaged an impressive 9.49 K/9; however, he’s had problems with the command on his fastball giving up 4.93 BB/9 through 2009. Fans interested in the Tigers farm system should keep an eye on Erie to see how Satterwhite’s rehabbed shoulder fares this season.

5. Andy Oliver, LHP

Last year Oliver spent time between Erie, Toledo, and the Tigers. He wasn’t quite ready for the show, going 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA in the majors. Oliver features a mid to high 90’s fastball with life, a slider, changeup, and splitter. His arsenal proved effective at the AAA level as Oliver struck out 49 in 53 innings of work while maintaining a 3.23 ERA. Dave Dombrowski seems to be a fan despite Oliver’s rough trip to the majors and I look to see Oliver tested again at the Major League level at some point in 2011.

6. Daniel Schlereth, LHP

After coming over from Arizona last year, Schlereth got to work at AAA Toledo. In 38 relief appearances, he maintained an ERA of 2.37. At the big league level, Schlereth continued to have some success. He recorded 1 save and went 2-0 while posting an ERA of 2.89 over 18 2/3 innings. Schlereth needs to improve his BB rate – it’s hung around 4.5 per 9 throughout his time in Toledo and Detroit. If he can improve the command on his fastball, Schlereth will be a big-league ready middle relief pitcher.

7. Robbie Weinhardt, RHP

Weinhardt was one prospect who benefited from Tigers injuries during 2010. He spent time between Connecticut, Toledo, and Detroit. He impressed while in the minors, posting an ERA of 1.64 over 38 1/3 IP. His minor league WHIP of .95 surely impressed Tiger brass. Weinhardt struggled in Detroit going 2-2 with 2 blown saves and posting a bloated ERA of 6.14 over 29 1/3 IP. It will be interesting to see if Weinhardt can take the lessons learned in the big leagues into the off season and show quality improvement in spring training.

8. Alfredo Figaro, RHP

Baseball Prospectus believes that Figaro’s ceiling is an average middle-relief pitcher.
His 2010 numbers seem to support this conclusion and were somewhat pedestrian. In 23 minor league starts he went 10-6 with a 4.14 ERA. However, Figaro did manage to strike out 112 batters in 124 innings. Figaro spent some time with the Tigers last year and did not fare well: in 14 2/3 innings he struck out 5, walked 8, allowed 8 earned runs, and lost 2 decisions. Figaro’s problems with control have followed him into the winter leagues where he’s walked 5 in 12 2/3 innings of work. Figaro has the arm to be a successful big league reliever but needs to master his control issues in 2011.

9. Wilsen Palacios, RHP

Palacios posted great numbers in 2010: a 2.43 ERA over 74 innings of mostly relief work. He also struck out 67 while only walking 13. Opposing hitters only hit .206 against him, which led the Tigers’ minor league system. Palacios also led the Tigers minor league with an impressive .95 WHIP. He features a good fastball and slider and will make a quality big league reliever at some point in the future. He’s shown improvement from 2007 with his control and has also improved his strikeout total. He’s starting 2010 assigned to Connecticut.

10. Miguel Mejia, RHP

Mejia split time between Lakeland, West Michigan, and Connecticut during 2010. He posted a cumulative ERA of 2.80 over 70 2/3 innings. Mejia really showed improvement in Connecticut, his last stop of the season, where he pitched in 13 games with 2 spot starts. During this time his ERA was an impressive 1.02. Like many young players, Mejia needs to improve his control before he will really excel.

11. Charles Furbush, LHP

Furbush sat out 2008 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. His 2009 numbers were pretty solid (111 1/3 IP, 93K, 3.96 ERA for Lakeland). However, 2010 showed that Furbush has the work ethic and upside to become a pretty decent big league starter. Over 159 innings and 27 starts for Lakeland, Erie, and Toledo, Furbush struck out an impressive 183 batters while only walking 40. His cumulative 183 strikeouts led the Tigers’ minor league system. He also posted ERAs of 3.39 and 3.24 at Lakeland and Erie, respectively. Furbush faltered somewhat at Toledo, giving up 34 earned runs in just 9 starts. Furbush features a low 90’s fastball, change up, and curve. He’ll need to refine those pitches against AAA level competition before getting a crack in the big leagues.

12. Brayan Villarreal, RHP

The 6’0’’ righty pitched 129 1/3 innings between Lakeland and Erie. In 24 starts he posted an ERA of 3.55 while striking out 136 and walking 39. In the winter leagues, he’s off to a hot start with a 1-0 record, .95 ERA and 1 save over 19 innings of work. Villarreal is still a prospect with room to grow but is worth keeping an eye on in 2011.

13. Ramon Lebron, RHP

Lebron split time between West Michigan, GCL Tigers, and Connecticut. He improved somewhat from his 2009 totals, although his ERA was substantially higher in 2010 (5.57 up from 3.73). He did manage to improve his strike out to walk ratio from 1.48 in 2009 to 2.03. Lebron has got a high-ceiling and a live arm but will need to continue to work on his control issues in 2011.

14. Melvin Mercedes, RHP

He has a quality reliever’s arsenal with a power fast ball; however, the 19 year-old righty needs to demonstrate he can consistently throw strikes. In 2010 he improved his BB/9 to 8.69 from 11.57 in 2009. He also K’ed more batters, at a rate of 5.49 per nine up from 3.86 the year before. Mercedes is still young and could be a decent big league set-up man if he can get his control issues down.

15. Luke Putkonen, RHP

In 27 games for Lakeland, Putkonen threw 152 2/3 innings with an ERA of 3.18. He struck out 87 and walked 44. His ERA ranked 4^th best among Tigers prospects in 2010. He finished 2010 strong, going 6 or more innings in 8 of his last 10 starts and only allowing more than 3 runs once during the same period.

16. Luis Marte, RHP

Marte spent most of 2010 in Erie but made one appearance in Toledo. For the season, he threw 49 innings of relief with an ERA of 4.96. He struck out 53 batters and walked 27. Again, control seems to be his biggest problem.

17. Jay Sborz, RHP

Sborz made his major league debut in New York last season. It went about as well as Custer’s last stand – Sborz is the proud owner of a big league ERA of 67.50 after getting two outs and allowing 5 runs in a June game against the Mets. Notwithstanding, Sborz has “good stuff” according to Ol’ Smoky and was rewarded for his work in Toledo. In Toledo, Sborz produced better results, although nothing brilliant, with an ERA of 4.74 over 43 2/3 innings pitched. However, he did manage to save 19 games for the Mud Hens. He’s had problems locating the strike zone and needs to improve his control before attempting to pitch at the next level.

18. Austin Wood, LHP

Drafted in 2009 in the 5^th round from the University of Texas, Wood has had high expectation since joining the organization. In his debut in April, Wood struck out the side in one inning of work. Wood only pitched in 2 games for Lakeland and did not allow an earned run or walk.

19. Jeff Ferrell, RHP

Ferrell split time between GCL Tigers and Connecticut, although he only threw 6 1/3 innings at the latter. His cumulative ERA was 3.25 with 64 K’s and 15 BB’s. In 11 starts he also managed to throw 2 CG shut outs. At only 20 years old, Ferrell is still young and has shown that he has great potential. Watch for him to rise quickly through the system.

20. L.J. Gagnier, RHP

The 6’2’’, 210 lbs. right-hander spent most of 2010 in Toledo where he went 7-7 and posted a 3.51 ERA. Over 120 2/3 IP while in Toledo, he struck out 94 while walking 44. That ratio was off his pace from Erie where he struck out 28 and walked 8 over 35 IP. He’ll need to find his command while pitching against higher quality hitters, but could improve this year as he benefits from the Toledo coaching magic.

21. Trevor Feeney, RHP

Feeney threw 184 2/3 innings for West Michigan. His strike out to walk ratio was other-worldly as he K’ed 123 and only walked 22. His ERA of 3.46 was pretty solid. Feeney will have to test his stuff against higher level hitting competition but has obviously shown good results thus far.

Other Notable Pitching Prospects:

Jared Gayhart, RHP – Got roughed up in Erie and showed improvement after being sent to Lakeland.

Brooks Brown, RHP – Went 12-9 with a 4.15 ERA for Erie. In 18 starts he threw 4 complete games, 2 of which were shut outs.

Lester Oliveros, RHP – Saved 23 games for Lakeland and Erie. His ERA and BB’s inflated after being promoted to Erie. Watch to see if he can continue to improve against better hitting this year.

Kenny Faulk, LHP – Saved 12 games and went 5-4 for West Michigan while producing an impressive 2.16 ERA over 58 1/3 innings. He also struck out 78. Another live arm with control issues.

Mark Sorensen, RHP
In 147 1/3 IP for Lakeland, Sorenson struck out 113 while only walking 29. His ERA was slightly high at 4.03, but he clearly demonstrated an ability to generate swings and misses. Watch for continued improvement in his second year of professional baseball.