I saw something last week that I thought was quite amazing. Watching a minor league game, the home team won despite being one-hit. Thanks to an error followed by a double plus good pitching, they came out on top 1-0. A week later, the same team did the same thing, this time winning 2-1 thanks to just a double. How often do we see this at the major league level? Once a year maybe? What are the odds that it happens to the same team twice in the same week? I wonder if something like that has ever happened in professional baseball.
So the draft is coming up Tuesday. I'll level with you guys - I have no clue about any of the players. What I can tell you is that the draft is considered one of the weakest in years. There is no standout player, no consensus number one. How does that effect us? Well because of the Esteban Loaiza signing, we don't pick until the second round. 66th overall to be exact. While losing out on a first round pick isn't exactly a good thing, this may not be a bad year to have it happen in. Many people expect the A's to draft high-risk high-reward players - in other words a bunch of high schoolers again this year.
Third baseman Jeff Baisley came into the season as nothing more than another farmhand with low expectations. The 22 year-old was drafted last year out of the University of South Florida and spent the last half of the year in Vancouver, but didn't stand out. This year, after starting the season slow, he has erupted in Kane County. Over his last 10 games he has 17 hits and 21 RBI. For the season he is hitting .333 with 12 home runs and 13 doubles. 26 walks against 34 strikeouts are solid numbers as well, but it may also indicate that he needs to see more advanced competition.
I mentioned Shane Komine at the beginning of the season as interesting to watch... but I never said it would be pretty. Over 62 2/3 innings, Komine has a 5.89 ERA and has given up 8 home runs. In none of his 11 starts this season has he given up less than two runs and he has given up a home run in all but four starts. The right-hander had such a promising Arizona Fall League performance, but it is disappointing to see that it hasn't carried over to the full season.
Brant Colamarino has watched what little prospect status he had fizzle away last year and struggling in Sacramento after being hit with a demotion. He's back in Midland this year, but on Sunday the first baseman hit for the cycle, the second in the system this season. Somehow he managed to drive in just one run in all those hits, and somehow Midland managed to lose 8-7.
Keith Ginter is having a strong enough season so that a discussion about moving him up and Scutaro or Perez down is overdue. Perez has an OPS below .200 and Scoots isn't a whole lot better. Can you tell me Ginter won't AT LEAST match that? He's hitting .290 with four home runs and 12 doubles in Sacramento, with 18 walks against 32 strikeouts.
So do we make the switch to Ginter? Or do we stick it out with Scutaro and Perez?
