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Around SBN: Ohio State And Florida Target 2013 Receiver Recruits

impressions from seeing the Stockton Ports

I posted this in the comments at athleticsminors.com and wanted to subsequently offer it here to anyone interested in some of my (not professional scout worthy) impressions of some of the A's best prospects at play in Visalia last night.

Star-divide

I went to the Stockton-Visalia game last night and came away with some impressions.

Daric Barton, despite his 0 for 5, still looked like the best hitter up there. His K in the first inning was on two questionable calls 3-1 and 3-2, he hit a 380 ft out, and hit two hard ground balls at second.

He looks like he doesn't know what to do with himself when he is DHing, he kept on sneaking looks to the pen when there was warming up going on in the middle innings. During warmups when the rest of his team was playing catch, he was holding his glove and half-heartedly stretching.  He looked like a guy who couldn't find any friend to play with and always seems to be checking out our pitcher warm-ups.
He has huge thighs and a wicked swing, he'll be fine.

Suzuki is tiny. He hit his homer on a 2 strike off speed pitch, adjusting well. He fouled off a ton of nasty 2 strike pitches during the night. At least several times during the game and warm-ups he brushed off the coaching staff, wanting to be the one to be in control of communication with the pitchers. He got dinged up a couple of times and one hopes that his body wil hold up to the rigors of catching. He has great flexibility in his crouch and has great mechanics getting his throw off. he hurried it a couple of times during this game and gave up some accuracy.

Putnam can clearly hit, the ball jumped off his bat. His arm is playable but no better than that. His instincts in OF are very good, he caught some line drives at tough angles by getting good breaks. He and Robnett were inseperable the whole day and game (they have the same birthday even). He has that special swagger.

Robnett was hardest to get a read on. He loves to show off his arm. His swing looked like a work in progress, sometimes short, sometimes long. He laughs a lot, and is short but ripped out. I'll have to watch him more to have more of an impression.

other short takes:
Vasili Spanos can hit. He is huge and looks more like a mafioso than a ballplayer, but he has control of his swing. he runs the bases well enough, though he looks more like a 1B than a 3B.

Francis Gomez has a great arm, swagger (from displacing McCurdy?), and some hitting skills. Was hard to get much of a swing sense form him.

Majewski is stressed about his hitting clearly. He was practicing his swing in the outfield during warm-ups and was seemingly taking his outs harder than the other players.

McCurdy has the look of a baseball player, commanding presence with his team-mates and all, but I saw nothing in his swing to make me think he might someday turn it around.

Appert is a scrappy 2B who plays well but is instantly forgettable, even after he just scores.

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Thanks for the report
I hope to sneak down there sometime and watch a game.
"Put a Milo on him."
-Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Apr 20, 2005 2:07 PM PDT reply actions  

Great Job
I even got a laught out of a few comments. Not only does Spanos look like a mafioso, he's got the name to match!
Kielty, rejuvenated by his new genetically created St.Pats Day/Oktoberfest, shows us why Billy and Ohad are geniuses.

by ohad on Apr 20, 2005 2:10 PM PDT reply actions  

Spanos is Greek

We were in Kane County last summer.  Spanos was on the Greek Olympic team. At least that is what the locals told us he was going to do. That night he played third base.

My son and I will be in Stocton to see the Port on Father's Day.  The night before we will be at the Rivercats game.  Thanks for the report.

by RexH on Apr 20, 2005 2:20 PM PDT reply actions  

What did you think about the new stadium?
I'm hoping to catch a game there later this season.  Where did you sit?   Are there any places in the stadium that are better to see the game over others?

by Mike Heath on Apr 20, 2005 2:35 PM PDT reply actions  

the game was in Visalia
Which is where I live (or close to it at least).  I'd love to see some games in Stockton later this year, but wanted to see the guys come into a stadium they'd never seen... try and figure out their rhythms, deal with the BBQ smoke wafting into the field.  Also gave me an easier chance to joke with the players because as visitors (and with no names on their backs), only the scouts and org people knew who they were.  

by jakarta on Apr 20, 2005 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions  

Putnam
So does he have Swisher Swagger or just swagger?

There's a difference, ya know?

j/k :)

by Sharon on Apr 20, 2005 4:12 PM PDT reply actions  

Putnam's got So-Cal swagger
can you classify swagger by geography and culture?

Swisher has that Southern Politician thing going. Whereas Putnam reminds me of Kotsay in his bearing (though not in his wheels).  Putnam is a California boy through and through, and has that San Diego Beane, Chavez, Kendall, Kotsay way about him.  

by jakarta on Apr 20, 2005 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions  

Kotsay Swagger?
omg.

That's too cool. Putnam is my hero.

by Sharon on Apr 20, 2005 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions  

ooo....
Kotsay Swagger. I love that. It's too cool. Anyone who is like Kotsay is cool.

Kotsay swagger... I'm going to be saying that the rest of the day. :)

"The director asks Swisher if he would wave for help if he saw Kotsay out cold... Swisher says 'Naw, I'd probably smack him and try to wake him up.'"

by GreenNGoldGirl on Apr 20, 2005 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions  

My favorite kind of sig
is the one that makes you laugh.
Kielty, rejuvenated by his new genetically created St.Pats Day/Oktoberfest, shows us why Billy and Ohad are geniuses.

by ohad on Apr 20, 2005 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions  

It's from "Athletics" Magazine...
The one that you buy at the stadium. the April/May issue has Barry Zito on it. ;) Inside, there's an article about the A's Brand commercials like going behind the scenes. It's really cool. Lots of funny stuff. And the Zito article is amazing with incredible pictures.... :D
"The director asks Swisher if he would wave for help if he saw Kotsay out cold... Swisher says 'Naw, I'd probably smack him and try to wake him up.'"

by GreenNGoldGirl on Apr 20, 2005 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions  

cool
That sig is awesome.

Typical Swisher humor.

by Sharon on Apr 20, 2005 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions  

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