55 thoughts on “Clearwater Threshers Recap – 6/13/2018”

1. Can anyone give scouting reports on the following guys: Llovera, Stewart and De Los Santos. I feel like Llovera has always put up decent numbers. Stewart I don’t know much about. And DLS is killing it in AAA, could San Diego have flat out missed w him, value Galvis that much or is he doing it w smoke and mirrors?

   1. San diego is incompetent so probably just missed it

   2. Llovera, apparently, has a big arm – mid to high 90s is what I’ve heard. They hope he can stick in the rotation but he has a future as a high leverage reliever if he can’t. The pitching quality and depth is staggering.

      The system and the big league team are awash in talented young pitching and search desperately for dudes who can hit. What they shouldn’t do is be so desperate that they make trades where they give up way more than they get. It’s tempting, but they should really try to avoid that as it will catch up with them.

      My man Valentin is stepping it up at the big league level. Don’t discount him. He can play and it’s been a crime that’s sat for like a month waiting to get into games and not getting experience. He is so much better than that.

      1. lmao you man valentin????

         1. Check out my spring training comments on Valentin. I am not jumping on the band wagon. I was on the train before it left the station.

            1. From March 26 “And by the way, I’ve become very interested in Valentin – his breakout is a bit below the radar but it could be almost as significant as Kingery’s, but we need him to get 200 ABs in the minors to see how much of the ST showing was real and how much was imaginary. But he looked great this spring.”

            2. From March 20 – he’s been impressive since the spring

               “I’ll tell you what. I went back and watched some of Valentin’s at bats this spring and I am REALLY excited. He is now much stronger and has developed a true power swing, complete with full load and release. I mean he is crushing the baseball like a power hitter. When he hits the ball now, he looks more like Josh Donaldson than a weak-hitting utility infielder. I cannot wait to see what he does in AAA.”

            3. He wasn’t a Dodger supp. first round pick for nothing.
               But after the CLW domestic incident three years ago everyone kind of dumped on him for awhile, and then he was put on the back burner.
               He is PR youth- trained with a major league father, and the PR kids tend to know all the nuances of baseball

            4. Me and romus were on this kid last year. Romus told me his father played, I didn’t know that.

               1. Yeah, I was watching him last spring and liked him – but he really jumped off the page this spring. And, oh yeah, he was a higher draft pick than Kingery was and is the same age. I’m not saying that to be negative to Scotty just to talk up Jesse.

   3. Eric D….Will Stewart’s calling card, ground balls….one of the best in all the minor leagues in that category…close to 65% average over the last two seasons.
      Damon Jones on charting Stewart:
      ” Stewart’s a ground ball machine, doesn’t give ’em up and if he does they’re ground balls through the hole, but I’ve been charting when he pitches sometimes and he gets 15 ground ball outs in a game, it’s nuts! “

   4. Delos Santos – mostly a FB-CU that showed potential plus with FB can sit in mid-90s and CU is only behind Taveras and Ranger. His breaking balls need consistency otherwise he will end up in the pen.

      Llovera – mostly a FB guy that can hit triple digits and sits mid to high 90s on relief and mostly mid-90s when starting. Control and command is ok but breaking balls are still average. Most likely a pen arm.

      Stewart – displayed improved stuff this year. FB in 90-93 range with tight CB that can be at least above average. Command and control has been spotty in the past but showed tremendous improvement this year hitting his spots very well.

      1. On Stewart above avg CU I’m pretty sure I read.

         1. @Tim – Jeff Israel reported before that it is a “good looking” CU, but not sure if Stewart is using the pitch regularly although one guy (forgot his name) saw that the CU used to K the batter out.

            1. I saw where he uses the CU as his out pitch. Phoul balls had an interview with him.

2. LKW continues to be a great pitching team and a bad hitting team. They are #1 in most pitching categories including 14 shut outs, where #2 is 9, and saves. ERA is much better than #2 and they lead the league in SOs and are stingy giving up HRs. Solid starters and some very good relievers. Although Howard has given up 16 ERs in his last 15 IP and 21 ERs in his last 24 games, Rosso and Stewart have continued to impress. Russ and Dohy are getting it done in relief.

   On the hitting side, it isn’t very good. Last in OBP and OPS. Very near the bottom in just about every other offensive category. Getting Ortiz back and having Brito pick it up a bit has helped but a team with a .290 OBP is not good or let’s call it very bad.

   1. When I saw LKW last week it was obvious that the bats are weak. Not to beat a dead horse but they all struggle with off speed stuff. Too many third strike looking. Ortiz is the best of the lot. I would not rush him at this point. I was a little disappointed in Brito but it was one time I saw him.

      1. Maton could be good along with Oritz .

         1. come on tim Maton is a old college player in low a .

            1. rocco … wrong on Maton. He was drafted last season as a JUCO. I think he’s just 21 YO. IMO … he might be the most under the radar prospect in the organization.

               1. That’s Hinkie yea Maton is from juco . He’s 21 SS that showing power with a hit tool. His bother pitches for San Diego.

3. I enjoyed and appreciated when you included the top 30 prospects and their performance at the bottom of each team write-up, with current performance highlighted. Please bring back. Thanks.

   1. A few days ago Jim noted that he had a back injury, so recaps would be truncated for now. I imagine they’ll be back to normal in time.

      1. Handzus. Yes jim went to a Japanese massage parlor and he is doing great.

         1. Jim’s married he might doing good by your deep 💩Roccum.lol

4. Its amazing how many pitchers are in the system that will ultimately help at major league level and how few bats.
   you could argue, the only impact bat in the system right now ( not counting the recent draft) is Ortiz
   Hopefully Hall adjusts to AA. if nothing else, atleast we’ll find out if he really is a prospect

   1. Hall is really slumping right now trying to adjust to AA pitching.
      Thjugh a SSS…his K rate at 23% is around the same range as it was normally at LKW last year and earlier this year at CLW..
      Still only 50 PAs, so have to see what he does for the next two months plus.

      1. Was an overage college player raking in High A. Back to reality in AA.

         1. “overage college player”..huh???????
            …..as a comparison, same age as Hoskins and Howard at CLW…actually younger than Howard….and now younger than both of Hoskins and Howard them at Reading.
            So he is on schedule and to some in the org…..he is ahead of schedule.

         2. He was a former college player, but he was drafted as a junior and was entirely age appropriate for A+ ball. To give you a comparison, he is now playing AA ball in his age 22 season. Ryan Howard didn’t make AA ball until his age 24 season. Hall is not old and he has time. I think he’s a real prospect but we shall see.

            1. He’s 23 in a month. At 23 in AA Hoskins was: .281/ .377/ .566.
               In AA Hall is: .163/ .212/ .286.

               Not such a great comp and saying “ahead of schedule” is laughable. Howard was a late bloomer in the minors and clearly is an outlier, not a common measuring stick.

               1. Rick…..hey…if you do not like Hall as a Phillies prospect…so be it.
                  I like his potential.
                  Can we agree to disagree….or do you find that laughable also?

5. The Lwood pitching is beyond good. Their stats are simply mind boggling with many starters and two closers all under 2.00. They’re having a heck of a competition for lowest era. They’re 1.5 games out with around 4 or 5 to play and they’re winning every day but not gaining much ground. The 2nd half could see a very different team after promotions and draft placements. Keep an eye on that pitching coach! Keep him in the system and promote him too next year.

6. Because the pitching in the big leagues has been very good and because of Sixto and because there have been great pitching performance up and down the system – we have not paid sufficient attention to De Los Santos and I don’t think the baseball world has either. He’s a big time talent and he should be in the top 5 in our system – in my mind he’s 4 or 5 after Sixto, Medina, Bohm and maybe Ortiz. He has upper rotation potential and when he arrives, he will probably no worse than a 3/4 immediately and could ascend quickly from there. He’s really good. That was a freaking phenomenal trade – well conceived (flip Freddy for a good young arm) and well executed (get the guy who is already a little ahead of schedule, has a great arm and has struggled a little – perfect breakout candidate).

   1. Eh. The trade is a big win and he could have mid-rotation potential. Counting on him to be a 3/4 immediately is probably expecting too much. So is TOR potential since he might only have one true plus pitch in the fastball. Hopefully his breaking ball progresses over the rest of the season.

7. Haseley right on the verge of hitting .300 and some terrific pitching. When do promotions generally take place? After the respective league All Star games?

   1. I don’t think he’s ready for a promotion. He’s still making progress in A+ ball and he needs work on plate discipline and on driving the ball. But he’s doing well now, which is great.

   2. Promotions take place when the development staff thinks they are warranted. They do not make these decision based on a calendar date or all star games.

      1. Hey jim hope you feel better? Jim do most or all the new sign kids go to clearwater first to work out?

   3. BTW … two (both line drive singles) of Haseley’s three hits came off Albert Abreau (#65 prospect in MiLB).

8. Clearwater the Flordia leagues are known to be power Buster’s . Reading at the end of the year. Haseley just needs a little more seasoning he was a pitcher in college. He could be in the majors by the end of next yr.

9. I’ve been trying to tell y’all since ST that Enyel was the real deal. I’d easily trade Medina before I trade DLS.

   1. DMAR…agree. He could be a solid rotation piece.
      His WHIPs, FIPs and BABIPs are all plus…..along with his FB and CU
      Only cautionary flag is his moderate-to- low GB% over the last three years…around the 40% range
      I think Joe Jordan said he is working his breaking balls this year to get them MLB ready.

      1. @romus – i agree. the breaking ball has been the knack against delos Santos. he might end up like Eflin without a dependable breaking ball. According to my buddy that watched delos Santos in Allentown, the FB is fast but not a lot of movement that I can sound trouble if the CU is not playing. So far the CU is doing what it does (but Taveras CU is much better).

   2. @DMAR – i can’t remember if you’re the other one who’s lobbying with me for delos Santos during the draft prospect ranking. While I agree with you that delos Santos can be legit, Medina is still the better prospect since Medina’s overall stuff is better.

      Medina’s FB-CU can be at par with delos Santos, but Medina’s SL is showing plus potential, thus, Medina can be a legit #3. delos Santos need to have a dependable breaking ball to profile as #3, otherwise, he will be a back end starter or end up in the pen.

      1. Ok Kuko we will wait and see what happens 🙂

      2. De los Santos IS only 22 so there’s time .

      3. the brightline about delos Santos is that he is not a pitch to contact guy and both of his 2 best pitches (FB and CU) can K anybody out. So at the least, he might be better than what we’ve seen from Jake Thompson and Zac Eflin, both showed some success pitching in the high minors.

         But the breaking ball needs to come since delos Santos’ command can leave him at times. delos Santos can be an appealing trade asset, if not, we will see him in the red pin stripes soon.

      4. De Los Santos = Zac Efflin. Not saying that is bad. I like Efflin … but … Medina can be much better than that. I’ve read some scouts like Medina better than Sixto.

10. I agree pitching surplus = missing bats at the top.

11. Glad to see Moniak iis back playing and with a hit.
    Haseley again hitting.

    1. Mickey Mo now 2 for 3 a double 3 rbi’s plus he gun down a runner at first.

12. Fanti mowing done hitters glad to see he’s back to normal. Clearwater all over Whitlock who was outstanding so far . MM hitting and Haseley are hitting against good pitchers .

13. Moniak 3-4. Double 3 rbi..team can hit

    1. Ty a Gabe nice report.

Comments are closed.