Spring Training Non-Roster Invitees: Who to Watch
by danmerqury on Feb 23, 2010 7:00 AM PST
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PrintTo all of you who are making the trip down to Arizona--have fun, good luck with player sightings/autographs, and remember that those of us back home despise you thoroughly. I know most of the eyes will be on our big-ticket players, but I'm here to remind those attending Spring Training to take a look at some of the little guys, too. It's not often we get to see non-roster minor leaguers on the same field as our stars (unless you make a habit of attending rehab starts), so take some time and give some of them a good look.
Specifically, these are our NRIs this spring.
Pitchers
| RHP | Fernando Hernandez | 36 |
| RHP | Marcus McBeth | 45 |
| RHP | Matt Wright | 59 |
| RHP | Tyson Ross | 66 |
| RHP | Sam Demel | 70 |
| LHP | Lenny DiNardo | 52 |
| LHP | Cedrick Bowers | 57 |
Batters
| C | Anthony Recker | 19 |
| C | Max Stassi | 68 |
| C/3B | Josh Donaldson | 71 |
| C | Joel Galarraga | 72 |
| 2B | Eric Sogard | 16 |
| 2B/SS | Adrian Cardenas | 61 |
| 2B/SS | Corey Wimberly | 67 |
| 2B | Jemile Weeks | 73 |
| SS/2B | Gregorio Petit | 2 |
| SS | Grant Green | 76 |
| 3B | Dallas McPherson | 18 |
| 3B/1B | Matthew Whitney | 75 |
| OF | Michael Taylor | 23 |
| OF | Matt Carson | 25 |
| OF | Corey Brown | 74 |
I'd also like to encourage those of us who are able to travel to AZ to report back home to us with observations, pictures, thoughts, and stories. You guys are our AN reporters while the team is in Arizona. (Press badges are in a box around the corner.) In particular, I'd love to hear back on some things that I've been wondering about a handful of our non-roster or non-25-man players.
- How's Fautino de los Santos? After Tommy John surgery two years ago, he's had trouble getting back on the mound. Is he finally ready to go? And, more importantly, do his pitches still snap as well as they did when we acquired him from the White Sox in the Nick Swisher trade?
- Can Chris Carter and Michael Taylor show off their near-limitless potential? Will they be ready for a possible late-season callup?
- How will Max Stassi perform against this competition? After getting drafted last June as a highly-regarded high school catcher, he got a very small touch at short-season Vancouver. He's a week from turning 19. Will Stassi's young bat impress his older teammates? How about his defense behind the plate?
- Why is Corey Wimberly marked as an outfielder on the A's official website? Is it a typo, or are they trying something new? Has Bud Selig approved our petition for making a stirruped-backflip count as an automatic home run?
- We've also invited a Matthew Whitney (3B/1B) to camp. It looks like he was a first round draft pick in 2002 by the Indians. Will he flash the tools that led him to get picked so highly?
- Dallas McPherson's been the relatively forgotten member of our three-pronged (or ten) 3B monster. With Kouzmanoff, Fox, and Chavez on the 40-man roster already, how will McPherson distinguish himself from the crowd?
Feel free to add to this list with any questions of your own. We've got a veritable fleet of ANers traveling down to Spring Training that should be able to give fantastic insights about most every question posed here.
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Going to AZ...
but late in the Spring. Taking my parents and 2 of my sister’s 3 kids down. The oldest is 6 and the youngest is 3. They love baseball. Going to see 6 games – 5 A’s (4 home and 1 at Rangers) and 1 Giants. I’ll do the best I can.
According to Lockard he might have to go to Extended Spring Training
But baseball! Fuck yeah! -- lynnzgal
by WaddellCanseco on Feb 23, 2010 8:27 AM PST up reply actions
Blevins
Looks like he needs a sandwich or three and I can see your dilema in this cheerish looking first pic. Awesome pics Dan, thank you.
"-i never said half the things i said." --Yogi Berra
So are you training for the Olympics?
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
Well, not only that but..
I’d be your judge swoon
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
Now I have an outlet for my new skill! Awesome!
But by 2016 I may not be in top form anymore. :(
Bailey is ROY!
Let's find out.
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
I will NEVER borrow a pencil from you.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I'd like to know how far away the top prospects are from the majors....
What do Carter, Taylor, Green, Weeks, Cardenas and Ross have to do to get the call? Is Stassi really ready for full-season ball at 18? Is Galarraga ready to play regularly at C or, if not, can he DH?
But baseball! Fuck yeah! -- lynnzgal
Hit a home run every at bat.
No need to rush them.
Some motherfcukers are always trying to ice skate uphill - Blade.
Hey, quick question - the audio casts from mlb.com work in the UK, right?
there’s not some weird territorial issue?
I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.
The ninth fastest thirty year old in San Francisco
You don't suffer from blackouts in the UK cos it's outside everyone's territory.
I only use the video feed though, but I don’t have any problems.
Some motherfcukers are always trying to ice skate uphill - Blade.
No territorial issues that I know of....
excluding the little dust up in 1812.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
I hate to label them "late-season callups"
I want Carter and Taylor in the lineup much sooner than later. It means they’re mashing the ball and the parent club has no choice but to put them into the lineup. Wimberly might be the center fielder of the future. Out of the non-roster pitchers Marcus McBeth is probably the one most likely to make the club, if not directly out of spring training then shortly thereafter.
chronic
Faulty logic:
I want Carter and Taylor in the lineup much sooner than later. It means they’re mashing the ball and the parent club has no choice but to put them into the lineup.
Or it means they’re rushing them like they did with Cahill.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Feb 23, 2010 10:24 AM PST up reply actions
I'm excited to see what Galarraga can do
Though he’s having Visa issues…
It’ll be interesting to see what the A’s do with him, Recker, and Donaldson. There won’t be many DH at bats available in AAA, so one of them will likely be in Midland.
What's the story with Galarraga?
He’s a little old to be a serious prospect, yeah?
"Smokey, this be not the foul jungles of the darkest East Orient. This be ninepins. We are bound by laws."
Cuban defector; he's not really a prospect
But his performance in the Mexican League in 2007-2008 and brief appearance in Sacramento last year suggest he could be close to a league average catcher without any further development.
The problem is he had a pretty serious shoulder injury last year.
Thnx for the info
"Smokey, this be not the foul jungles of the darkest East Orient. This be ninepins. We are bound by laws."
I'll be headed to Arizona on the 18th
A lot of the young guys could be sent down to the minor league camp by then. Hopefully a couple have stuck and I can check them out.
"Macha hates you"- Tacoma fans heckling Kielty
with such a stacked bullpen,
I’m interested to see how things play out for the last couple of spots. I don’t want Gio to get relegated to relief pitching. Ideally he would be the fifth starter (with Cahill to AAA), but there seems to be indicators from the more-official-than-AN sources that Cahill will get that job. If that’s the case, then I would rather see Gio starting in AAA and coming up when Duchscherer/Sheets goes down instead of this idea of using him as a “long man”. So with all that said, I might be pulling for DiNardo to have a good spring, just to increase the chances of someone else taking that role (but Meloan or Mortensen would be fine too).
I’m also happy to see that McBeth is back. Mostly I like him because of his name, but I also remember reading that he has a fairly devastating changeup, which is cool. I don’t see how he could possibly make the major league bullpen, but maybe he’ll see some time with Oakland later this season.
Agree on all points, esp McBeth
Re: DiNardo – there was a tweet from Susan Slusser this morning saying he’s out with a strained left arch, and is day to day…
I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.
The ninth fastest thirty year old in San Francisco
Devastating, just devastating
"Smokey, this be not the foul jungles of the darkest East Orient. This be ninepins. We are bound by laws."
I'm cancelling my season tickets and leaving the country
I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.
The ninth fastest thirty year old in San Francisco
Also, Jane Lee has a comment about FDLS
While passing by, pitching coach Curt Young noted that both Pedro Figueroa and Fautino De Los Santos had good outings. The latter, who the A’s will be careful with because he had elbow surgery in 2008, showed off his breaking ball inbetween some hard strikes.
I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.
The ninth fastest thirty year old in San Francisco
Ah, excellent.
Remember that FDLS was really a huge part of the Swisher deal. Course, Gio was probably the most valuable piece, but during the trade, I kept hearing that Sweeney was looking like a high-talent bust.
Always the summers are slipping away.
Find me a way for making it stay.
there is still the potential for that trade
to turn out to be a Haren-like score. It’s definitely the case that Sweeney looked a little like a throw-in at the time (a nice throw-in to be sure, but still possibly quad-A material). Now Sweeney has one really good season under his belt, and the potential for many more, and while Gio has had shaky results, everyone is still excited about his potential. Plus this trade gives us an extra helping of schadenfreude due to the way that Kenny Williams gave up on Swisher after one bad season.
I still can't believe Williams traded Swisher for Betemit + a couple minor arms
They DFA’d Betemit a not six months later.
Always the summers are slipping away.
Find me a way for making it stay.
Kenny Williams' stupidity obviously doesn't affect
the judgement of whether or not this was a good trade for Oakland, but it is still pretty breathtaking.
It gave me unrealistic hope that Swish could be gotten from the Yankees for peanuts
He needs to come home. Seeing him in those pinstripes chips away at my soul a little more each day.
"Smokey, this be not the foul jungles of the darkest East Orient. This be ninepins. We are bound by laws."
Why are GMs inspired to give the Yankees
players like Swisher and Granderson in return for virtually nothing? Triple grrrrrr!!!!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I dunno
that I’d call Sweeney’s season last year “really good” – no I think for a corner OFer, I’d like to see a tad, well ideally a LOT, more production at the plate from him. He played good defense and he hit well. Not “really good”. If there’s GM’s out there that thought his season last year was “really good” I’d hope the A’s would move him. He still has a lot to prove as far as power and ability to produce at the plate go.
I think you need to adjust your definition of "really good" because that's what Sweeney was last year
Unless you don’t believe his defense was as good as the numbers say. That’s always possible, though he has a history of having fantastic defensive numbers.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Feb 23, 2010 6:48 PM PST up reply actions
+1
Human highlight reel with the glove.
When its time to shoot, shoot... don't talk
by Charlie O the Mule on Feb 23, 2010 9:15 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
This is why I like to go to Arizona as early as possible
Well, first of all, I don’t mind snow, but having been shoveling and pushing the snowblower around since Thanksgiving, the sooner I get to sit out in 75-degree sunshine, sip a beer and watch a ballgame, the better.
I know that Anderson can pitch, Suzuki can hit and Ellis can field, and I get to see plenty of that when the regular season starts. In spring games I enjoy watching the prospects, so that I know a little bit about them when they show up in Oakland during the season. In the early games, by the 6th inning there’s rarely a big leaguer on the field…perfect. Sometimes some kid who will spend most of the year in the Midland bullpen walks four or five guys, gives up a bunch of runs and A’s lose. So what? The beer is cold, the weather is nice and I’m watching baseball.
I’m stopping in Vegas on the way down, but I’ll be at my first game two weeks from today, on March 9.
One of these years I have to make it down to Arizona
of course with the winter we’ve had this year I think I’d spend most of my time just laying in the sun or playing golf.
Tyson Ross
I have high hopes that he will shine in Spring Training. He certainly could use another year, minimum, in the minors but I really like his GB:FB ratio. My bet is on him turning into a solid 4th or 5th.
by Rancho Canseco on Feb 23, 2010 12:43 PM PST reply actions
yea man im hoping he does well also
I played Babe Ruth ball with him back in the day … its crazy to see him in the A’s system right now.
This is my city Oakland, California just to be exact il tell you where its at. Pick up a globe pick up a map see San Francisco cross the water right there exact....
- Mista F.A.B.
by TheRealRocWill on Feb 23, 2010 3:42 PM PST up reply actions
Great post...very timely for people traveling!
(I will be one in three weeks!)
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
This post is a bit premature
but hey, pretending that spring training games start tomorrow isn’t a bad thing…
Taken down with hearts alive, our hearts alive.
SPIRIT FINGERS.
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
Fun fact: I often refer to spirit fingers around my girlfriend.
She does not understand the wonders that are the Bring it On movies. She calls me derogatory names. All because I know some of the cheers. Hmpf.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Feb 23, 2010 5:57 PM PST up reply actions
I might join her.
… and therein lies the tension between discouraging free rodent upgrades and relying on random walkup business. LB, you should tarp your kitchen. And move to San Jose. -mb
by Leopold Bloom on Feb 23, 2010 6:08 PM PST up reply actions
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
I LIKE cheerleaders.
I just don’t want to watch a two hour movie about them.
Put it back on.
… and therein lies the tension between discouraging free rodent upgrades and relying on random walkup business. LB, you should tarp your kitchen. And move to San Jose. -mb
by Leopold Bloom on Feb 24, 2010 10:24 PM PST up reply actions
That's Alright. That's Okay.
She’s gonna pump your gas someday.
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
Did you get another new one
Or is this the one from last year?
"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." - Satchel Paige
Suzuki really needs more work if the team's going to be ready for their production of Cabaret.
Taken down with hearts alive, our hearts alive.
It's spelled Cadaret,
and his fastball is a bit too straight.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
these are the people from that list that I have never heard of
plus my impressions of them after spending two minutes looking at their fangraphs pages. Any additional information would be appreciated…
- Matt Wright — Right handed starting pitcher who has spent the last 4(!) years in AAA, with the Braves and Royals. He seems to be awful.
- Cedrick Bowers — Left handed reliever, pitched with the Phillies AAA squad last year and with the Rockies in 2008. Somehow his entire pro career seems to be just those two years but he is 32 years old. Lots of strikeouts but an insane number of walks (averaging >6 BB/9 for 120 innings in AAA).
- Matthew Whitney — Plays 1B and 3B, bats right-handed. Played last year in AA (and a little bit of AAA) as part of the Nationals system (with the Indians before that). An OPS of .795 in AA doesn’t really impress me.
Ok, well maybe Billy has found a diamond in the rough somewhere, but I think the odds are against it. Again, if anyone has more detailed scouting reports, that would be great.
Wait the Royals let an awful pitcher leave?
I have to admit I haven’t heard of a lot more than 3 of these guys.
last offseason
I devoted a DLD to Fernando Hernandez. If people want to hear more about him, then check this out.
Bowers was drafted in the 4th round in 1996
After stagnating as a AAA reliever for the Rays, he went to pitch in Japan from 2004-2006 and in South Korea in 2007. And, yeah, he walks way too many guys.
So he served (walks) in (South) Korea?
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I think we need Hawk Harrelson to yell "STRETCH" for this one...
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Feb 23, 2010 5:58 PM PST up reply actions
If my timing works out I may be heading down to Phoenix next week,
though I don’t know anyone who is going then. Eek!
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
If a strange man offers you candy, hop in the van.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I'm so glad you interact with schoolchildren on a daily basis.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
If a strange man proposes that he can make you a published illustrator, hop in the van.
Taken down with hearts alive, our hearts alive.
Does he have candy?
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Is it a deal breaker?
Cause he can stop and get some.
… and therein lies the tension between discouraging free rodent upgrades and relying on random walkup business. LB, you should tarp your kitchen. And move to San Jose. -mb
by Leopold Bloom on Feb 23, 2010 6:10 PM PST up reply actions
I think the roster is pretty set
are any real baseball/front office people out there that take any stock in spring training stats? If so wouldn’t Luis Polonia have been on any number of opening day rosters over the last 10 years? the guy is like a career .450 hitter in spring training games!
True, but don't confuse stats with process, such as:
- Is Mazzaro throwing 92MPH or 89MPH?
- Is Cahill throwing strikes regularly or occasionally?
- How does the size of Gio’s ass compare to Rhode Island?
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
is Cahill throwing a breaking pitch?
That’s pretty much question #1 for me (though I would still pick Gio in the rotation either way).
by colin on Feb 23, 2010 5:46 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
yeah, i'd like some info on cahill's repertoire
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones."
-BB 07/27/05
Is this different than info on Gio's derriere?
There is no A in OFFENSE!!
by wacchampions on Feb 23, 2010 6:07 PM PST up reply actions
No. Cahill's main pitch is Gio's rump.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
honestly
I really don’t think any of this matters. I mean, baring injury, the roster is set. I’m not saying WE know what it is, but I bet Geren and Beane have a pretty good idea. I’m going to go out on a limb and say it would take a: 1) pretty horrible spring from Gio i.e. he can’t throw strikes at all and 2) a pretty amazing spring from Cahill, meaning he shows the ability to consistently locate his sinker down in zone and throw his change up for strikes (both scenarios somewhat unlikely) in order for Gio not to win the 5th starter spot. That is, of course, assuming that Duchscherer, Braden, and Sheets are all ready to go come April. Also, I don’t think there’s a coach on the A’s staff that really cares that much about the velocity of Mazzaro’s fastball/sinker in spring training, or the velocity of any of the pitchers for that matter.
I should follow that up by saying
I have a feeling they’d be much more interested in seeing if Mazzaro is showing a secondary offering this spring that doesn’t suck ass than seeing if he’s throwing 93mph.
Actually, the Mazzaro example comes from a quote by the A's
(which I promptly can’t find) in which they (Geren, IIRC?) point to wanting to see if Mazzaro can air it out at 92-93 again as part of evaluating him this Spring. It’s more a measure of “back to 100% health” than of ability.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I'm with you on Gio
but I’m not sure that the A’s are. Reporters like SuSlu are frequently making references to the idea that Cahill is the leading candidate for 5th starter.
For example:
Don’t assume because Cahill is starting the day before Opening Day starter Sheets that it means he’s the fifth starter. There’s little doubt that he is the front-runner, but the schedule won’t be any indication…
(emphasis mine… and link)
Nice read about Chavy
I’ll root/hope for him until the day he retires. Utility INF: From Crosby to Chavez. Talk about an upgrade!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Yes
As you say, it appears to be Cahill who will have to have a bad spring not to make the rotation. He might be capable of that, but I think he’ll pitch well enough to head north with the club—and Gio might as well if Duke or another pitcher isn’t ready at the start the season.
@worldblee on Twitter.
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