That season opened yesterday. The Braves prospects are playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Here is how they fared:
Juan Jamie: 1IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K
Tommy La Stella: 2-4, RBI, BB
Robby Hefflinger: 0-5, 4K, 5LOB
Kyle Kubitza: 3-4, RBI, R, K
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That season opened yesterday. The Braves prospects are playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Here is how they fared:
Juan Jamie: 1IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K
Tommy La Stella: 2-4, RBI, BB
Robby Hefflinger: 0-5, 4K, 5LOB
Kyle Kubitza: 3-4, RBI, R, K
I like the group we have playing in the AFL. No elite prospects but most of them have a better than even chance of playing in the majors. I'd rank their prospect status as follows:
1. La Stella
2. Kubitza
3. Northcraft
4. Jaime
5. Cornely
6. Reyes
7. Hefflinger
I thought Shae Simmons is there as well. Is that not accurate?
Not surprised to see LaStella start out right. Hope he gets every chance to be our everyday second baseman next year
I like him a bit more than northcraft but I think the difference is negligible.
I'm not as high on Northcraft as you, but if I think the difference between 3 and 5 are very slim here.
Not sure on Kubitza. Had a nice rebound year. Ks a ton with marginal power, so that will have to improve. Good walk rate and supposedly a better fielder than his stats indicate.
Everyone knows I like Reyes, but I think all-glove back-up IF is his ceiling.
Hefflinger has supposedly has all-world power, but he really scuffled in Mississippi.
Oh Tommy La Stella. Just another 2-4 with a walk and no strikeouts....what a breath of fresh air he would be to this line-up.
Tough night for our prospects. Reyes took a size 4 collar and Northcraft, Simmons, and Cornely all got lit up.
For the hardcore, here's how that translates:
That Elmer Reyes, FYI 0-4, 2 K
Northcraft (SP, LP) 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, WP
Cornely (7th pitcher used) 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, K, HR, WP
Simmons (8th) 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
The AFL is a tough league for pitchers. I can only recall Tommy Hanson and Kris Medlen doing well there among Braves prospects. We have also shied away from sending our top pitching prospects there. None of Minor, Wood, Kimbrel, Beachy, Teheran pitched there.
I think bringing in Infante and letting La Stella battle it out is the way to go unless there's some top of the order long term 2b that becomes available. I love La Stella and he projects as the type of player this lineup needs but we can't go into the season with him starting.
I get the approach you advocate but I disagree. If a player is ready he is ready. Now maybe LaStella isn't ready but I would roll the dice with him out of ST. If we have extra money then hell yeah bring in INfante but I wouldn't worry if he was the starting second baseman next year. We wouldn't be relying on him to be anything special.
..but apparently gosselin/elliot were better options....
La Stella went 1-3, with 2 RBI's and 2 walks tonight. Both Kubitza and Hefflinger went 0-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
Tommy La Stella is hitting .429 (3-for-7) with 2 doubles, 3 RBI, 3 walks & 0 strikeouts in two games.
I fail to see how LaStella's OBP skills won't translate. He may lack power, but damn, he's just hit everywhere.