We’ve looked at Augusta (A) San Jose (A+) and Connecticut (AA) so far in our farm review. The earlier levels are filled with prospects who could one day reach the Giants and make an impact. Does Fresno have the same kind of prospects? Not so much. Most AAA teams these days are filled with journeymen and other players who are hoping to make it back to the big leagues. Failed prospects, flameouts, guys who got injured, etc. Teams rarely keep their legitimate prospects in AAA for any extended period of time. In ’07 the average age of a player in the PCL was 27-years-old. If you checked the top 10 hitters in the PCL this year — when ranking by OPS — you would find names like Dallas McPherson, Val Pascucci, Nelson Cruz, and Terry Tiffee. All of these players are in their mid-to-late 20′s and aren’t really considered prospects anymore.
So, don’t expect to find prospects that will anchor your team for the next decade but you might find some pieces that can fill gaps. Let’s check out what the Giants have going on in Fresno.
RF Nate Schierholtz – Nate is one of the most dividing Giants prospects. We can call him a prospect because despite playing in AAA, he’s only 24-years-old. Nate tends to divide people because of his plate approach. He gets good plate coverage and has the ability to make contact all over the zone but his lack of discipline could be a problem. In ’07 he walked just 17 times in 441 PA’s in Fresno. That’s a BB% of 4.5%, which is quite low. He grabbed 117 major league PA’s with the Giants in ’07 and he only walked twice. That’s a BB% of 1.7% which is really, really low. For example, Bengie Molina has a career BB% of 4.1% and he never walks. He’s physically strong but during game time, his power seems to border on a tick above average. He’s never hit more than 16 HR’s at any level. You usually want more firepower from your RF. During his time in the majors in ’07 he hit for high average (.304) but not much else. He was essentially a singles hitter with a double or triple occasionally sprinkled in.
On the other hand, Nate has raised his BB% to 6.3% — a career high — this year in AAA. He’ll never walk 50 times in a season but if he could be more selective at the plate his power might play better. Most scouting reports have Schierholtz as a solid defender in RF with a strong throwing arm. Schierholtz is also a good runner for his size and will surprise you with the occasional triple. He’s done a good job of reducing his strikeouts at each level that he’s played. I think the best case scenario for Nate is a Garret Anderson player type. A hitter that walks at most around 30 times a year but makes good contact, hits 30 doubles, and 15-20 HR’s all while playing a solid RF. Even though I’ve got some questions about Nate I’d love to see him play RF if Randy Winn is traded. The Giants need to find out what Nate can do at the MLB level and if they can move Randy Winn at the deadline, I think they’ll find out.
1B Scott McClain – Yeah, he’s old. But he hits laser-rocket-bombs! Even if you don’t like Scott McClain, you’ve got to admire him just a little bit. He’s a 13-year career (mostly) minorleaguer. Over those 13 years he’s hit (.270/.355/.478) with 270 home runs. He even played four seasons for the Seibu Lions in Japan. In ’07 he hit (.267/.349/.517) in Fresno with 31 home runs. This year he’s hit (.286/.362/.487) with 12 home runs. Because he’s 36-years-old he has no room left to grow, but man, was I on the McClain bandwagon last year. After watching Aurilia and Klesko struggle to produce from the 1B position, I was ready for some McClain. He did get called up but barely played and only got 11 AB’s. I’d love to see McClain get 500 AB’s in the majors to see what he could do. He might kill some German terrorists and that’s always awesome.
IF/OF Eugenio Velez – It’s everyone’s favorite speedster with bad defense and mental lapses, Eugenio Velez! The only thing more painful than watching the 2008 Giants was watching Eugenio get picked off, drop pop-ups, and perform a variety of other bonehead plays that would make Tom Emanski spin in his grave. He’s very fast but he looked overmatched at the major league level during his brief trail run earlier this year. The Giants mercifully sent him back to AAA and he’s done well. Since his demotion, Velez has hit (.312/.363/.488) in 125 AB’s. The first thing that jumps out at me about Velez’s slash-stats is that he’s slugging .488 in the PCL. If you ever needed proof that hitting in AAA isn’t the same as hitting in the majors, that might be it. He’s already 26-years-old and we might not ever see Velez in the majors for an extended period again. I think he’ll get a callup when rosters expand but barring an injury, I’m not expecting him to get major playing time with the Giants anytime soon. Godspeed Eugenio, godspeed. Those 121 AB’s you got with the Giants were thrilling.
SS Brian Bocock – Our sacrificial lamb. Bocock was called to the majors this year after barely hitting in the California League in ’07. He struggled to hit in the majors, which was expected, but it was really ugly. He hit just (.143/.258/.156) in 73 AB’s with the Giants. You rarely see a guys batting average almost as high as his slugging percentage. Instead of sending Bocock back to San Jose, or even Connecticut, the Giants sent him to AAA Fresno. He’s failed to hit in AAA as well, hitting just (.163/.254/.187) in a line that’s eerily similar to what he did in the majors. His glove is still top-notch but he’s hitting like a deadball shortstop and that’s not so good in the year twenty aught eight.
Maybe Bocock should dress like this?
LHP Eugene Espineli – Careful with that axe, Eugene. Espineli has the coolest name on the Fresno roster, hands down. I have no idea what Espineli throws but he’s been having a decent year in AAA and at 25-years-old, he’s not ancient. He’s also a lefty and these guys always seem to be able to get work somewhere. He was drafted in the 14th round of the 2004 draft out of the Texas Christian University. This year in AAA he’s posting a K% of 21.8%, a BB% of 3.5%, and a modest GB% of 56%. He’s been tough on LHB’s who are OPS’ing just .396 against him. He could profile as a LOOGY-type reliever but with Taschner and Hinshaw, both lefties, already with the Giants, Eugene might stay in AAA for awhile. Still, not a bad backup option for some left-handed relief.
LHP Patrick Misch – I still like Misch even if he hit some speed bumps in the majors. He was super unlucky, giving up 10 HR’s in just 47 innings pitched. That’s a HR/F percentage of 23%. League average tends to be between 10-12%. In fact, most of Misch’s underlying peripherals were OK. Struck out 6.5 per game and walked 2.88 per game. Those aren’t bad stats at all from your 5th rotation spot and still better than what Zito has been giving us. He’s thrown just 34.1 innings in AAA since he went back down to the minors and he’s gotten knocked around a little, but I still like his arm. Either in a 5th starter role or a reliever.
—
Fresno isn’t stocked with talent but they do have some players that you might see on the Giants at some point in this year. Hopefully we’ll see Nate in the 2nd half of the season after Randy Winn is shipped off to the Braves from a prospect or two (oh-please-oh-please-oh-please). I doubt we’ll ever see McClain in a Giants uniform at the big league level. Possibly when rosters expand.
Velez and Bocock? Meh. I’m not really banking on either at this point. Velez is getting old and still really doesn’t have a position to play. Bocock has a position to play but he’s hitting terribly. If I had to choose between the two, I’ll take Bocock for now. He’s younger and might eventually figure out how to scrap by as a defensive specialist with a .250 batting average.
Our two lefties of Misch and Geno could get into the bullpen at some point in this season if we trade away any of the following: Taschner, Chulk, or Walker.
Comment Starter: Have a favorite Grizzly?
—
I’m adding a new weekly section to this site that I’ll randomly add to posts called “The Worst Bochy Quote of the Week” in which I’ll post the most absurd Bruce Bochy Quote I can find. This weeks’ WBQOTW is:
“He’s got power. He’s an intriguing player,” Bochy said. “He runs fairly well. I think he has the tools to be an everyday player. Now, that’s up to him. I think he’s improved his work ethic since he’s been here. I think he sees this as a great opportunity.”
Could Castillo be a long-term solution at third base?
“He has shown how talented he could be if he plays every day,” Bochy said. “I’d like to see what he’s done at the end of the year.”
My god. Bruce Bochy thinks Jose Castillo is “intriguing”.
And the “he’s got power” quote from Bochy is really kind of mind shattering as well.
Castillo career SLG – .386
Deivi Cruz career SLG – .388
Did anyone really ever think Deivi Cruz had power™? I mean, his 2000 season was pretty decent. He hit a shit load of doubles but did his manager ever think “He’s got power!”?
Oh, Bochy. You scamp.
And here’s a bonus grizzy video. I had it on the main page but decided to move it here to the comments section because I think it was slowing down load times.
—
Bonus Grizzly Video!
For your viewing pleasure, here’s a video of a Grizzly taking on a caribou. I love the music in this video, it reminds me of Final Fantasy battle music.
I wonder how many hit points the Grizzy has?
Pink Flyod Reference for the win and a Hunt clip that would make Nuggant proud. Alex “ What are Rock Gawds of the 60’s & 70’s ? For $1000
If I had to guess I’d be surprised we will see Bocock in any role other then call up filler or emergency band aid. The Giants did not have much going in Connecticut at SS ( almost 300 innings of field play for the 27 year old Wald and another 212 innings for Rosario who also 27) this season so far. Leads me to think the Organization currently views Bocock as “maxxed out”. I would think a ball yard like Dodd would be tailor made for Bocock to learn hitting in. It punishes fly ball/power type hitting and thus encourages contact & strike zone discipline. But then the Giants do a lot of things on the farm I don’t understand. And given my level of ignorance that befuddlement is not always a bad thing
Favorite Grizzly? Probably Nate. Though Ochoa intrigues me. I’ve not seen much of his play but I have to wonder if he would not be considered part of Blue Light Special bin for “ he might not embarrass us too much at second” next year.
With the benefit of this morning’s minor lines, I’m taking MATT DOWNS as my favorite Grizzlebee!
Dave,
I like Nate, good choice. I’m still a card carrying member of the Scott McClain club. I also like Justin Leono, whom I skipped in this writeup because he’s hurt right now. Misch is also a guy I kinda-sorta like.
Delorean,
I wrote about Downs in an earlier recap. He’s definitely an interesting player and hopefully he does well in Fresno. Everytime I read his name I want to do a WHO IS MATT DOWNS, I don’t know why.
281-330-8004, holla at me!
+1 to you, sir.
The key to understanding Nate’s minor league stats is to observe his in-season performance, which means you can’t just look at the back of his baseball card and opine on his abilities and future.
Since joining San Jose, he has had a pattern, a definite pattern, of spending about 100-200 AB in his new league figuring out how the pitchers in that league work. While doing that, his BA is high as usual, but he’s hitting for very little power. It is almost like he is working strictly on learning how to hit at that new level against the new level of pitching/competition.
Once these lessons are absorbed, then he starts hitting for greater power afterward. Much greater power. For a sign of his power potential, see his performance in Augusta in 2004 and this season, his repeat season, in 2008. The dude knows to hit.
And as DrB often likes to say about Nate, why take a walk when you can hit the ball so well?
Also, you forget that he has been among the youngest hitters in each league he has been in, so that will affect his performance negatively as well, on a per season basis.
I think a better comparision would be the RF for Atlanta, Jeff Francoeur: low BB, higher SO, decent BA, 20-30 HR, good arm in RF, high assists. However, Nate has made great progress on his K-rate in 2007-2008, so I’m hoping that translate into a good BA when he makes the majors.
I think the Giants have handled Nate right, except for maybe not keeping him at 3B for another season to see if he could play there for sure or not, and he has shown that he deserves to play up here with his play this season, showing that the surge last season’s end was not a fluke, as you need to see about a year’s worth of good performance to be sure if his good play is real or just a lucky half a season.
I assume Sabean is working on trading Winn right now but unfortunately it takes two to tango, and you don’t want to just trade Winn, just to trade him, he should return a good prospect in trade.
Gino Espinelli hasn’t gotten much prospect love coming up the system but for some reason I like him and have been rooting for him. He has done well everywhere he has gone, so I hope he gets a chance at some point. But Hinshaw leapfrogged him so now it would take either a trade or injury for Gino to get a chance with us.
Sorry, the reason McClain is doing well in AAA is because he is much more experienced than anyone there. If you want an example, look at what Brian Dallimore did in the minors then in the majors when giving some chances.
I like Misch. He is fine as a #5 and I think he can pitch like a #3 if given an extended chance, there is something about starting in the majors that spooks him, he might have to pitch in relief first but now there is no space…
About Castillo, I don’t see what is so wrong with Bochy’s statement. Castillo is only 27 years old and his regular position is 2B; they only put him at 3B because we had no one else. Meanwhile, he put up awesome numbers in May, hitting .293/.343/.511/.854 with 3 HR, 7 doubles, and 2 triples, roughly a 18 HR, 42 doubles, and 12 triples full season at 2B.
I find that intriguing too given that Durham is gone after this season, who knows if Frandsen can come back from his injury and then if he can really hit in the majors (I think he can but he still haven’t done it yet), Velez, as you aptly noted, doesn’t look like a future starting anything, maybe Denker works, but most teams are not in the habit of throwing away in a rental trade a prospect who is a future starter, and while Downs has done nicely, he also didn’t have the talent coming up that prospect analysts drool over as a starter. And Castillo is only 27, Frandsen will be 27 himself next season, and so will Velez, only Denker is young at 23 next season and, again, there is the talent issue.
Going with current Grizzlies, Schierholtz and Ishikawa would be my co-favorites. Until last season, they had been lock-stepped in rising through the system.
OGC,
>> The key to understanding Nate’s minor league stats is to observe his in-season performance, which means you can’t just look at the back of his baseball card and opine on his abilities and future.
I’ve opined about stuff that’s always been true with Nate. Good contact, bad plate discipline. He’s cut his K’s and his walks are up a little this year, so I’ve got some hope. But I’d feel better if he had better discipline, which might aid his transition to the majors.
>> And as DrB often likes to say about Nate, why take a walk when you can hit the ball so well?
Because he might not be able to hit as well against tougher competition? Maybe having good plate discipline will be an asset for him in the majors?
>> Sorry, the reason McClain is doing well in AAA is because he is much more experienced than anyone there. If you want an example, look at what Brian Dallimore did in the minors then in the majors when giving some chances.
Dalimore never hit 270 taters in the minors! I’d definitely say that McClain is more talented as a hitter. But that’s really neither here nor there, I like McClain on a basic level, so no need to worry about it.
>> About Castillo, I don’t see what is so wrong with Bochy’s statement. Castillo is only 27 years old and his regular position is 2B; they only put him at 3B because we had no one else. Meanwhile, he put up awesome numbers in May, hitting .293/.343/.511/.854 with 3 HR, 7 doubles, and 2 triples, roughly a 18 HR, 42 doubles, and 12 triples full season at 2B.
Well, Castillo really doesn’t have much “power”. He has some…I guess, but a career SLG of .386 isn’t what I’d call power.
Taking one hot month and extrapolating it to a full season isn’t a good idea. You’re taking maybe a little over 100 AB’s and giving them significant value. Castillo has 1492 AB’s over 4-years previously to this season that I’ll trust more than just 100 AB’s in May.
In July of 2006 Juan Pierre hit (.345/.380/.496) Oh boy!
I’d much rather start Denker at 2B over Castillo right now. The fact that Bochy see’s Castillo as something of value, is an error in his judgment. Denker might be able to hit a little, Castillo probably will never hit and because of his age, is either at his peak, or he’s crossed it and going down the other side.
Misch…was super unlucky, giving up 10 HR’s in just 47 innings pitched.
It’s been bad luck that I’ve been one of the people involved in all my failed relationships.