2019 Arizona Fall League Thread

[weams]

 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

On 9/30/2019 at 1:03 PM, Frobby said:

Alex Wells pitched a scoreless inning on Saturday night.   In three appearances totaling 5 innings, he’s allowed one run on 5 hits, walking nobody and striking out 6.

So, Wells is being Wells.

[AZRon]

Brad Bergesen is the pitching coach for the Scottsdale Scorpions.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=berges001bra

He just turned 34 years old and joined the Phillies organization as Lakewood's (Sally League) pitching coach last year. He moved up to Clearwater's pitching coach (A+) in 2019.

[NCRaven]

27 minutes ago, AZRon said:

Brad Bergesen is the pitching coach for the Scottsdale Scorpions.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=berges001bra

He just turned 34 years old and joined the Phillies organization as Lakewood's (Sally League) pitching coach last year. He moved up to Clearwater's pitching coach (A+) in 2019.

Good for him.  Glad to see he’s still in the game.

[Frobby]

Brief update:

Alex Wells has been pitching 1-2 inning relief stints once every four days, most recently on Sunday.   He's carrying a 1.17 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 7.2 IP.

Dean Kremer has started once per week and has gone from 2 to 3 to 4 IP.    He's carrying a 2.00 ERA and 0.78 WHIP.

Cody Carroll has pitched 5.2 IP over 6 outings, to a 3.18 ERA and 1.76 WHIP.

David Lebron has pitched 7.2 innings to a 4.70 ERA and 1.43 WHIP.

Mason McCoy is batting .300/.417/.400 in 36 PA.

Rylan Bannon is batting .205/.234/.205 in 46 PA.

TJ Nichting (who recently went to the AFL instead of Austin Hays) has played one game and went 0 for 4.

For context, the AFL has been much more of a pitcher's league this year.   The average OPS is about .705 and ERA is about 3.75.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

On 10/7/2019 at 4:52 PM, Frobby said:

For context, the AFL has been much more of a pitcher's league this year.   The average OPS is about .705 and ERA is about 3.75.

I wonder if this is a correlation to them starting almost immediately after the MiLB season ended instead of having to ramp these guys back up.

[AZRon]

I attended today's game at the Peoria Sports Complex, the home field for the Surprise Saguaros who easily topped the Mesa Solar Sox 6 to 1.

The scouts there confirmed that the AFL is not using the MLB baseball. That is, the baseball is the one that was used at all levels below AAA in 2019.

The game was completed in just over 2 1/2 hours.

Two (2) different pitchers were penalized once each with a called ball for exceeding the time limit (15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with any runner on base) to start their windup motion or to come set. No batters were penalized with a strike call for exceeding the the various time limits to be in the batter's box (30 second timer between batters, batter must be in the box at the 15 second mark and ready to hit at the 5 second mark; 2 minute 15 second timer between innings, the batter must be in the box by the timer's expiration; once an at-bat commences, the batter may only exit the box after a foul ball or a way-inside pitch).

I noted that, after the "ball" penalties were called on the pitchers, the timer was not reset -- I'm assuming that this was an administrative error.

As to the Orioles' farmhands:

Rylan Bannon played the entire game at 3rd and batted 3rd in the lineup. At 5 feet, 10 inches, he is one of the significant minority of players in the AFL who is listed below 6 feet in height.

He had 2 fielding plays -- one was a parallel to the ground dive to his left (ala Brooksie) to spear a line drive on 1 hop with short-hop throw to first to nail the out; and a major league play on hard-hit bouncer to deep 3rd with a long short-hop throw to first to gain the out.

At bat, there were no whiffs and he exhibited some patience, but had only 1 hard hit ball -- a low line drive single to the left of 2nd base; he advanced a base on a wild pitch and scored from 2nd on a single to short left-field.

David Lebron pitched 1 relief inning. The smallish right-hander (listed at 6 feet, 190 pounds) worked from a windup with the bases empty and throws full overhand. He was consistently around the plate, gave up 1 hard-hit ground ball single, and retired the other 3 batters on 2 softly hit infield liners and a ground ball.

[AZRon]

I neglected to mention that I observed Rylan Bannon's practice swing technique as he was waiting in the on deck area. He takes several swings at a simulated waist-high pitch with the currently popular  upward launch angle and releasing his upper hand at the practice contact point (ala Charlie Lau/Walt Hriniak) and completing a full follow through with his left arm.

[weams]

10 hours ago, AZRon said:

I attended today's game at the Peoria Sports Complex, the home field for the Surprise Saguaros who easily topped the Mesa Solar Sox 6 to 1.

The scouts there confirmed that the AFL is not using the MLB baseball. That is, the baseball is the one that was used at all levels below AAA in 2019.

The game was completed in just over 2 1/2 hours.

Two (2) different pitchers were penalized once each with a called ball for exceeding the time limit (15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with any runner on base) to start their windup motion or to come set. No batters were penalized with a strike call for exceeding the the various time limits to be in the batter's box (30 second timer between batters, batter must be in the box at the 15 second mark and ready to hit at the 5 second mark; 2 minute 15 second timer between innings, the batter must be in the box by the timer's expiration; once an at-bat commences, the batter may only exit the box after a foul ball or a way-inside pitch).

I noted that, after the "ball" penalties were called on the pitchers, the timer was not reset -- I'm assuming that this was an administrative error.

As to the Orioles' farmhands:

Rylan Bannon played the entire game at 3rd and batted 3rd in the lineup. At 5 feet, 10 inches, he is one of the significant minority of players in the AFL who is listed below 6 feet in height.

He had 2 fielding plays -- one was a parallel to the ground dive to his left (ala Brooksie) to spear a line drive on 1 hop with short-hop throw to first to nail the out; and a major league play on hard-hit bouncer to deep 3rd with a long short-hop throw to first to gain the out.

At bat, there were no whiffs and he exhibited some patience, but had only 1 hard hit ball -- a low line drive single to the left of 2nd base; he advanced a base on a wild pitch and scored from 2nd on a single to short left-field.

David Lebron pitched 1 relief inning. The smallish right-hander (listed at 6 feet, 190 pounds) worked from a windup with the bases empty and throws full overhand. He was consistently around the plate, gave up 1 hard-hit ground ball single, and retired the other 3 batters on 2 softly hit infield liners and a ground ball.

Front Page HHP

[MurphDogg]

Bannon and McCoy each got three hits yesterday, including a home run for Bannon and a double for McCoy.

McCoy's line is now .343/.452/.457.

Bannon's is .236/.259/.309.

McCoy and Kremer will represent the O's at the Fall Stars game on Saturday.

 

[AZRon]

Yesterday, I attended the Surprise Saguaros vs. Scottsdale Scorpions game at the Scorpions home base , Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

Four Orioles started for the Saguaros -- Rylan Bannon at 3rd, Mason McCoy at 2nd, T.J. Nichting at DH and Alex Wells pitching. Dean Kremer relieved Wells to start the 4th inning.

Overall, the game featured strong pitching and some of the worst fielding gaffs that I've witnessed at an AFL game -- including a run scoring from second base while the Scorpions' pitcher, catcher and first baseman surrounded a pop fly and watched it plop safely fair about 20 feet up the first base line.

Bannon -- hitless in 4 at-bats; one hard hit ball, liner to medium center field; weak grounder to 3rd for a force out; pop fly to second baseman; struck out missing a low outside fastball strike; my impression remains that he is a patient hitter with good plate awareness and coverage

McCoy -- notable batting stance, sort of leans back with knees strongly bent forward; no hard hit balls, a couple of infield grounders, foul tip fastball 3rd strike, and a walk on a 3-2 fastball well outside; started a 4-6-3 double play.

Nichting -- switch hitter, batted left 4 times; looked a bit overmatched; a couple of weak grounders to first, late on a 3rd strike fast ball, drew an easy walk.

Wells -- impressive; simple windup, rocks from the waist; pitched ahead; 3 pitches for strikes; fastball - 89 and 90, breaking ball 72 - 74, change (excellent) 83-85; a few hard hit balls, line drives for hits; 4 strikeouts no walks; 2 swinging K's 2 looking (completely fooled on fastballs); struck out the side in the 2nd; multiple moves to hold runners at first; step off throw and picked off runner at first who had taken an average lead.

Kremer -- looked good; pitched 1 inning; basic windup, rocks from the waist; 3 pitches around the plate - fastball 91-92, breaking pitch 74, change 84; 3 up and down; struck out 2, 1 swinging and a weak fly to center.

So that's 2 AFL games that I have attended so far; each breezed along:
Time of games -- 8 1/2 innings 2:34; 9 innings 2:21
 

Edited October 11, 2019 by AZRon
Swapped speeds for breaking balls and change ups per Luke-OH

[Luke-OH]

@AZRon thank you for the report, just a clarification, the pitches in the 70s were curveballs for both Wells and Kremer. Both guys throw their changeup in the mid 80s, they both have a less frequently used slider as well, Wells’s is in the low 80s and Kremer’s is in the mid 80s

[AZRon]

20 minutes ago, Luke-OH said:

@AZRon thank you for the report, just a clarification, the pitches in the 70s were curveballs for both Wells and Kremer. Both guys throw their changeup in the mid 80s, they both have a less frequently used slider as well, Wells’s is in the low 80s and Kremer’s is in the mid 80s

Thanks for the corrections -- I'll have to start sitting in the sun and closer to the plate.

[Frobby]

Nice report!     The AFL regular season ends two weeks from today, and presently the Saguaros lead their division at 12-6.   I’d guess Kremer and Wells will each get 2-3 more outings.     

[Spl51]

5 hours ago, AZRon said:

Kremer -- looked good; pitched 1 inning; basic windup, rocks from the waist; 3 pitches around the plate - fastball 91-92, breaking pitch 74, change 84; 3 up and down; struck out 2, 1 swinging and a weak fly to center.
 

I was really hoping Kremer's fastball would be ticking up by now. Maybe he's just at the end of a long season. I just hope next year he takes a step forward.