MINORS FINAL 7/1: Kubitza hottest farmhand?

[rico43]

We've taken our lumps here this season by not loving Kyle Kutiza's status as a prospect as much as others, but the stats are hard to ignore. So we're through ignoring them -- the guy deserves the Triple-A third base job like, right now.

Kubitza just finished the month of June hitting .341 for the month, with 30 hits that produce 2 homers and 10 RBIs (I almost wrote "only 10 RBIs" there, but I keep hearing that clutch hitting is no indicator of anything).
He had 30 hits for the month, 10 XBH and 15 runs scored.
That followed a near-identical May: .341-0-4. Nine EXH, 18 runs scored. He was also an identical 6-for-6 in stolen bases each month and is 15-16 for the year.
If any agree that clutch hitting matters, he's batting only .250 with RISP and has struck out 68 times.
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Tuesday's winning pitcher for Charlotte was a right-hander named Deunte Heath. You might recall that the Braves released him a few years ago for soliciting a prostitute. I personally feel that this particular encounter was a victimless crime, for which Shanks called me stupid and ignorant, and that was in his first paragraph.

The White Sox felt Heath was worth saving, and last night he smoked Gwinnett on one hit over six innings with 10 strikeouts. He's 5-1 for Charlotte with a 2.38 ERA and seemingly ready for the big time -- where you can use escort services instead.

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TUESDAY BOXSCORES

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CLASS AAA

Gwinnett 3, Charlotte 1

LP: Rodriguez (4-10) 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K.
E. Reyes 2-4.
Boggs 1-2, R.

CLASS AA

Mississippi 3, Huntsville 1

SP: W. Perez 4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K.
WP: Harper (5-3) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Shreve (Save, 5) 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.
Hunter 2-4, RBI, SB. (.323)
Kleinknecht 2-4, 3B, R, RBI.
Wren 1-2, SB.
Kubitza 0-4, 4 K.

ADVANCED CLASS A

Carolina 8, Lynchburg 3

LP: Sims (6-6) 4 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 5 K.
Moore 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.
Hyams 2-4, R.
Nick 1-4, RBI.
Odom 1-2, HR (4th), 2 RBIs.

CLASS A

Augusta 3, Rome 1

Rome: 2 hits.
LP: Marksberry (0-5) 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K.
Caratini 1-3, 2B, R, BB.

SHORT-SEASON

Danville 10, Burlington 5

Burlingtron: 5 errors.
WP: Cordero (1-1) 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.
Edgerton 0-2, R, 2 BB.
Piloto 4-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 3 RBIs.
Godfrey 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBIs.

GCL Suspended Game
GCL Yankees 7, GCL Braves 1

SP: Cabrera 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.
LP: Caicedo (0-1) 4 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.
Reed Harper 3-5, R. (rehab)
John ("J.J.") Franco 1-4, RBI. (debut, PH for Dykstra)

Scheduled Game
GCL Braves 3,@ GCL Yankees 1 (1ST LOSS OF YEAR FOR YANKEES AFTER 9 WINS!)

SP: Martinez 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K.
WP: Sechler (1-0) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, o K.
Zavala (Save, 1) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K.
Flores 1-3, 2 RBIs.
Manwaring 1-3, RBI.

DSL Marlins 6, DSL Braves 3

SP: Mejia 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. (0.60 ERA)
LP Torres (0-1) 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.
Salazar 2-4, R.
Todd 2-4, 2B, R, RBI.
Cabrera 1-3, HR (1st), RBI.

 

[BremanFan88]

If any agree that clutch hitting matters, he's batting only .250 with RISP and has struck out 68 times.

It's unfair to point out just his average and then use his season total of strikeouts to somehow make people think he isn't "clutch". That's incredibly misleading. His OPS with RISP this year is .846. That is fantastic. You seem to really be hung up on the RBI totals but that's up to his teammates actually getting on base in front of him and his position in the lineup gives him even less chances to drive in runs as well. Here and in your prospects rankings you've implied that somehow his RBI totals are an indication of not being a "clutch hitter". How about his .400 OBP with RISP? Again very impressive. Last year with 2 outs and RISP he hit .320 with a .907 OPS. This "clutch hitting matters" is just silly.

 

[CyYoung31]

I've been wanting a platoon partner for Lord GIDP since day one. Unfortunately, CJ might wreck the locker room if he was demoted.

 

[Braves1976]

The Braves have some solid position prospects at AA now. I like Kubitza's bat, but I also like others not talked about as much. Cedric Hunter is someone that could help us right now. He already has a little Major league experience (formerly with the Padres). But he's shown more power of late and has always had a good eye, good contact hitter. I have no doubt that he's better than a number of players on our bench now (namely Schafer and Uggla). But I wouldn't rule out him proving to be starting material either with his improvements. Further, I am as high on Peraza as anyone and I believe he could help us this year too. Wren is another I like that should be able to help us within a year or two.