2019 Arizona Fall League Thread

[sportsfan8703]

I forgot that Kremer made 4 starts in AAA at the end of the year. Good to have that experience under his belt and he obviously took something out of that to the AFL. 

Wells is just a machine. My favorite thing about him as a prospect is that he’s never had to have an excuse made for him. Never a pitching in a hitter’s league, or RH lineups, or injury, or relieving vs starting. He just gets results. 

 

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I forgot that Kremer made 4 starts in AAA at the end of the year. Good to have that experience under his belt and he obviously took something out of that to the AFL. 

Wells is just a machine. My favorite thing about him as a prospect is that he’s never had to have an excuse made for him. Never a pitching in a hitter’s league, or RH lineups, or injury, or relieving vs starting. He just gets results. 

 

I think the real challenge comes for Wells next year in AAA when he has to use the juiced MLB ball. Though, I have enjoyed watching him beat expectations every level he has been at but AAA is going to be the real challenge in my eyes.

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, IronMan6981 said:

I think the real challenge comes for Wells next year in AAA when he has to use the juiced MLB ball. Though, I have enjoyed watching him beat expectations every level he has been at but AAA is going to be the real challenge in my eyes.

It’s a challenge for everyone.   But we also don’t know if the ball will be as juiced next year.   

[Frobby]

Wells threw 2 more clean innings yesterday, striking out one.   His ERA is now 0.66 in 13.2 IP, with a 1.02 WHIP.

[Balt-transplant]

 

39 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Wells threw 2 more clean innings yesterday, striking out one.   His ERA is now 0.66 in 13.2 IP, with a 1.02 WHIP.

Wells has mostly pitched in relief in the AFL, which makes one wonder if he is auditioning for the bullpen in 2020 or 2021

[Luke-OH]

1 hour ago, Balt-transplant said:

 

Wells has mostly pitched in relief in the AFL, which makes one wonder if he is auditioning for the bullpen in 2020 or 2021

Maybe, but I think it's more that Surprise has a number of well-regarded starting pitchers, pushing Wells to the pen. Wells doesn't really throw harder in relief, probably because he throws so low effort. So he'd probably fit more as long relief kind of guy if he ends up in the pen. Like a Wade LeBlanc, Jalen Beeks type. 

[Frobby]

13 hours ago, Balt-transplant said:

 

Wells has mostly pitched in relief in the AFL, which makes one wonder if he is auditioning for the bullpen in 2020 or 2021

 

12 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

Maybe, but I think it's more that Surprise has a number of well-regarded starting pitchers, pushing Wells to the pen. Wells doesn't really throw harder in relief, probably because he throws so low effort. So he'd probably fit more as long relief kind of guy if he ends up in the pen. Like a Wade LeBlanc, Jalen Beeks type. 

Also, keep in mind that Wells threw  137.1 innings before the AFL started.    Kremer by contrast had thrown 113.2.     I doubt they wanted Wells to log a ton of innings this fall.    

[sportsfan8703]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

Also, keep in mind that Wells threw  137.1 innings before the AFL started.    Kremer by contrast had thrown 113.2.     I doubt they wanted Wells to log a ton of innings this fall.    

Good point. Plus it’s basically ST style anyways in the AFL. I’m not too worried about who is the starting pitcher. In fact, not too worried about Wells in general. I’m waiting to see what the new OH prospect list will have him at. Our buddies at mlbpipeline have him as #20 in the .org. If we have 19 better than him we must have a great system. He’s got a pretty straightforward statline as well,

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wells-000ale

Success at one level each year. Climbing the ladder. 

[Frobby]

The Surprise Saguaros clinched the AFL West title over the weekend.    It appears likely they’ll face the Salt River Rafters on Saturday for the League title.    If Kremer pitches today, he’ll be available to start the championship game, though I’m not sure he’d be chosen.    

[LookinUp]

5 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

If we have 19 better than him we must have a great system.

I want to believe this is true, but I can't get over the fact that Jaime Moyers come along very infrequently, and most often as guys who used to throw harder but have transitioned to pitchability types at the end of their careers. He's not very high on my personal list even though he's clearly an exceptional MiL pitcher. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Frobby]

4 hours ago, LookinUp said:

I want to believe this is true, but I can't get over the fact that Jaime Moyers come along very infrequently, and most often as guys who used to throw harder but have transitioned to pitchability types at the end of their careers. He's not very high on my personal list even though he's clearly an exceptional MiL pitcher. Hopefully I'm wrong.

There’s no question Wells is going to have to prove himself every step of the way.   Honestly, even though I’m a huge fan of pitchers like him, I was surprised how well he did in AA.   We’ll see if he can keep it up in AAA.   Certainly he’s done nothing this Fall to indicate he can’t, but we’ll see.

[Guest]

On 10/19/2019 at 5:21 PM, Frobby said:

It’s a challenge for everyone.   But we also don’t know if the ball will be as juiced next year.   

Not saying it isn't, but AAA will be the first year we assume he will be using the MLB ball if AAA in 2020 will still be using the same balls. I'm glad Wells continues to beat expectations at every level but being a soft tosser still concerns me and probably always will. Wonder how many innings they give him with the big league club next year in spring training before they option him out to minor league camp?

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, IronMan6981 said:

Not saying it isn't, but AAA will be the first year we assume he will be using the MLB ball if AAA in 2020 will still be using the same balls. I'm glad Wells continues to beat expectations at every level but being a soft tosser still concerns me and probably always will. Wonder how many innings they give him with the big league club next year in spring training before they option him out to minor league camp?

Probably not too many.    It’s a given that he’ll spend at least half a season, and maybe all year, in AAA.    They’ll be giving the innings to those who have a shot at the OD roster, or guys who’ve spent some time in AAA already and could be early call-ups.    
 

Zach Davies is averaging under 89 mph in the majors, and yet is a successful big league pitcher.   I see Wells as somewhat comparable, though a lefty.     

[LookinUp]

12 hours ago, Frobby said:

Probably not too many.    It’s a given that he’ll spend at least half a season, and maybe all year, in AAA.    They’ll be giving the innings to those who have a shot at the OD roster, or guys who’ve spent some time in AAA already and could be early call-ups.    
 

Zach Davies is averaging under 89 mph in the majors, and yet is a successful big league pitcher.   I see Wells as somewhat comparable, though a lefty.     

National League. I'm not sure if the data supports it, but I think success in that league for pitchers is easier than the AL, particularly the AL East.

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

National League. I'm not sure if the data supports it, but I think success in that league for pitchers is easier than the AL, particularly the AL East.

Not a huge sample, but Davies has a 3.74 ERA in 8 intraleague starts.   Only one was against an AL East opponent — he threw a 7 inning one hit shutout against Tampa in 2017.

The NL has beaten the AL in intraleague play two years in a row, after the AL had dominated for a long time.     So, I don’t know that the assumptions about the NL being the easier league in which to pitch hold up anymore.    Of course, the pitchers bat in the NL, so that’s always going to make it a little easier to pitch there.    But IMO Davies would be successful in the AL.