Arizona Fall League (2016)

[Stokes1931]

Thursday, 10/27

Scottsdale hangs on to win, 9-7

Ryder Jones 1-4, run, RBI, double (.257)

Tyler Mizenko (W, 1-1) 2.0-3-1-1-1-1 (3.86)

 

[Stokes1931]

Friday, 10/28

Scottsdale won, 6-3

Hunter Cole 0-4, run (.238) 2 K's

Ryder Jones 1-1, run, RBI (.278)

Aramis Garcia 1-3, run, 4 RBI, homer (1) (.250) Leads the team with 9 RBI in only 8 games! Third in the AFL in RBI.

Tyler Rogers (S, 1) 1.0-2-0-0-0-2 (0.00)

 

[Stokes1931]

Saturday, 10/29

Scottsdale lost, 6-3

Scottsdale 1-15 with RISP, 'tis the Giants' Way!

Hunter Cole 1-5 (.234) 2 K's (14 K's in 47 AB)

 

[Stokes1931]

Monday, 10/31

Scottsdale won 5-4

Hunter Cole 0-3, RBI (.220)

Ryder Jones 2-4, run, 3 RBI, homer (1) (.300)

Aramis Garcia 0-3 (.222)

Chris Stratton (W, 2-1) 4.0-6-1-1-1-5 (3.94)

 

[Stokes1931]

Tuesday, 11/1

Scottsdale lost in the bottom of the 9th, 8-7

Scottsdale was 5-25 with RISP

Tyler Mizenko (BS, 2) 1.0-2-3-3-1-1 (6.75)

Tyler Rogers (BS, 1)(L, 0-1) 0.2-2-2-0-0-0 (0.00)

 

[Stokes1931]

Wednesday, 11/2

Scottsdale won, 8-5

Hunter Cole 1-5, run, 3 RBI (.218) (7 RBI's)

E: Cole 2 (2, fielding, throw)

Ryder Jones 0-2, run, 2 walks (.286)

Aramis Garcia 0-3, RBI (.200) (10 RBI's)

CS: Cuevas, N (2, 2nd base by Singer/Garcia); McMahon (1, 2nd base by Feyereisen/Garcia).

Cole drives in three in big Fall League performance
Giants No. 21 turns things around with impressive effort

Cole on his batting approach0:31
Giants prospect Hunter Cole talks about moving all over the diamond in his career and his approach at the plate
By William Boor / MLB.com | November 2nd, 2016
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Hunter Cole is in the middle of a tough stretch, but the Giants' No. 21 prospect was able to generate some positive momentum with a 1-for-5, three-RBI game on Wednesday afternoon in the Arizona Fall League.

Cole began the day with four RBIs in the AFL before nearly doubling that total in Scottsdale's 8-5 win over Salt River at Salt River Fields.

• Gameday

"I've been making a lot of adjustments the past couple of weeks, trying to get in a groove," Cole said. "Started off good, then hit a rough patch, but that's baseball. It was good to put some balls in play today, had one drop for me with two outs and two guys on. You take those when you can get them. Hopefully I can build off it, put some balls in play and find some holes."

The 24-year-old is hitting just .218 in the Fall League, but coming off a season in which he hit .271 in 126 games with Double-A Richmond.

"I thought it was pretty good, pretty respectable," Cole said of his season. "I can always do better. There were some bright spots and some not-so-bright spots. There's ups and downs to this game, you just have to stay even keel and grind it out."


Cole hits an RBI single
Giants prospect Hunter Cole singles to right, driving in a run in an Arizona Fall League matchup with the Salt River Rafters
That's exactly what Cole has been doing in Arizona, and it paid off with a two-out, two-run single in the fourth.

After playing a career-high 126 games during the regular season, Cole has already added another 14 AFL games to his workload.

"It's pretty tough, but it's good competition so you have to be ready to play every day," Cole said. "If you have some bumps and bruises, hopefully the trainers can work it out and you can get to the end of it."

Scottsdale jumped out to an early lead, crossing the plate four times in the first inning. Chris Ellis (Braves' No. 16) had a tough time finding the zone and issued a trio of first inning walks. Cole drove in the first run of the game and reached on an error before Champ Stuart (Mets) highlighted the inning with a two-run single.


Isan Diaz's RBI double
Brewers prospect Isan Diaz doubles deep to the gap, driving in a run for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League
Salt River responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. The first run came on an error, and the second came via a base hit up the middle from Kevin Cron (D-backs). Isan Diaz (Brewers' No. 8, No. 96 overall) singled, his first of two hits, and scored when Cron scorched a single with an exit velocity of 113.7 MPH, according to Statcast™.


Cron hits an RBI single
D-backs prospect Kevin Cron singles sharply to left in a matchup with the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League
Ellis bounced back to retire seven in a row, and it looked like Salt River may have a chance to get back in the game. However, Ellis lost command once again in the fourth and was lifted after giving up seven runs (four earned) on four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

The Scorpions took advantage and put the game away with four more runs in the fourth, including Cole's two-run single.

William Boor is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @wboor. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

[Stokes1931]

Thursday, 11/3

Scottsdale lost, 2-1

Hunter Cole 1-2 (.228), 2 walks

 

[Stokes1931]

Friday, 11/4

Scottsdale won, 8-3

Ryder Jones 2-3, run, 4 RBI, homer (2) (.311)

Aramis Garcia 0-3, RBI (.182)

Eliezer Zambrano 1-2, run (.417)

 

[SFGRTB]

Chris Stratton is starting the AFL All-Star game. It's on today at 5:00 pm on MLB Network for those who want to watch it. Tyler Rogers is the only other Giant on the roster.

 

[Stokes1931]

Chris Stratton is starting the AFL All-Star game. It's on today at 5:00 pm on MLB Network for those who want to watch it. Tyler Rogers is the only other Giant on the roster.

And Stratton gives up 4 runs in 2 innings. What is it with Giants' pitchers and All-Star games? Maybe he gets the Atlee Hammaker Award.

The West All-Stars are 5-7 with RISP, the East All-Stars have no hits and 8 K's in 4 innings.

 

[SFGRTB]

And Stratton gives up 4 runs in 2 innings. What is it with Giants' pitchers and All-Star games? Maybe he gets the Atlee Hammaker Award.

The West All-Stars are 5-7 with RISP, the East All-Stars have no hits and 8 K's in 4 innings.

Well, Tyler Rogers wen't 2/3 of an inning, getting both out.

I'm excited to see if he can steal a job in Spring Training. He'll be on the 40-man, and he just shows such a different, crazy look. I think he could be our new Romo-lite.

 

[Stokes1931]

Well, Tyler Rogers wen't 2/3 of an inning, getting both out.

I'm excited to see if he can steal a job in Spring Training. He'll be on the 40-man, and he just shows such a different, crazy look. I think he could be our new Romo-lite.

I am driving to Phoenix from Modesto tomorrow after work, and will be there most of the week. Hoping to catch at least three Scorpions games. Will post what I see.

 

[Stokes1931]

Some notes from the AFL today

Game 1: Surprise came back with 5 in the 8th to beat Salt River, 8-5

Game 2: Scottsdale came back to beat Mesa in the bottom of the 9th, 4-3.

Tim Tebow is the nicest guy (he gave me a foul ball he caught to end an inning) but does NOT look like a baseball player. He came up with the score tied, bases loaded, two outs in the bottom of the 9th, and singled to left to win the game. All 1,012 people in the park cheered as one, you'd thought he'd won the National Championship. With that single, Tebow raised his average to .146 and got his 2nd RBI of the fall.

Hunter Cole 1-3, RBI (8), 2 walks (.233)

Cole showed good plate patience and strike zone awareness by working two walks with 3-2 counts.

Ryder Jones 3-4, run (.347)

Jones was the star of the game, until Tebow. He picked three missiles out of the dirt at first base to save runs and record outs. He is a lot bigger than I had imagined, and had a nice line drive swing going.

With a man on 1st, Jones singled in the 3rd, and smartly took 2nd when the throw went to 3rd. Heads up play.

Aramis Garcia 2-4, RBI (12) (.216)

He is an RBI machine, but struck out in the 9th, allowing Tebow to be the hero. He was also HBP in the 5th.

Garcia threw out two base stealers at 2nd, and threw peas to second.

He also almost caught a runner stealing third, in spite of the runner getting a walking start versus a clueless pitcher.

Tyler Mizenko (BS, 3) 1.0-2-2-2-1-0 (8.00) He did not look good tonight.

Back at it tomorrow versus the Glendale Desert Dogs (Dodgers)

It is lovely this time of year here. The day game in Surprise was 87 degrees. Tonight was warm, and by the end of the game, it was 72 degrees.

 

[SFGRTB]

Some notes from the AFL today

Game 1: Surprise came back with 5 in the 8th to beat Salt River, 8-5

Game 2: Scottsdale came back to beat Mesa in the bottom of the 9th, 4-3.

Tim Tebow is the nicest guy (he gave me a foul ball he caught to end an inning) but does NOT look like a baseball player. He came up with the score tied, bases loaded, two outs in the bottom of the 9th, and singled to left to win the game. All 1,012 people in the park cheered as one, you'd thought he'd won the National Championship. With that single, Tebow raised his average to .146 and got his 2nd RBO of the fall.

Hunter Cole 1-3, RBI (8), 2 walks (.233)

Cole showed good plate patience and strike zone awareness by working two walks with 3-2 counts.

Ryder Jones 3-4, run (.347)

Jones was the star of the game, until Tebow. He picked three missiles out of the dirt at first base to save runs and record outs. He is a lot bigger than I had imagined, and had a nice line drive swing going.

With a man on 1st, Jones singled in the 3rd, and smartly took 2nd when the throw went to 3rd. Heads up play.

Aramis Garcia 2-4, RBI (12) (.216)

He is an RBI machine, but struck out in the 9th, allowing Tebow to be the hero. He was also HBP in the 5th.

Garcia threw out two base stealers at 2nd, and threw peas to second.

He also almost caught a runner stealing third, in spite of the runner getting a walking start versus a clueless pitcher.

Tyler Mizenko (BS, 3) 1.0-2-2-2-1-0 (8.00) He did not look good tonight.

Back at it tomorrow versus the Glendale Desert Dogs (Dodgers)

It is lovely this time of year here. The day game in Surprise was 87 degrees. Tonight was warm, and by the end of the game, it was 72 degrees.

Yeah Ryder Jones is one built young dude, and it's why he stays around prospect lists despite never putting up big numbers. People keep waiting for his power to come around.

Garcia came in as a bat-first catcher, but this season he took huge strides and looks like a defense-first guy if you didn't know otherwise.

 

[Stokes1931]

Yeah Ryder Jones is one built young dude, and it's why he stays around prospect lists despite never putting up big numbers. People keep waiting for his power to come around.

Garcia came in as a bat-first catcher, but this season he took huge strides and looks like a defense-first guy if you didn't know otherwise.

Garcia is also not a small man. either. I think he is listed at 6' 2". But Jones just looks big at 1B. I was impressed with how deft he was with the glove. He made one really nice dig, and two virtually impossible digs. Hope to see him at 3rd this week.

 

[LHG]

Yeah Ryder Jones is one built young dude, and it's why he stays around prospect lists despite never putting up big numbers. People keep waiting for his power to come around.

Garcia came in as a bat-first catcher, but this season he took huge strides and looks like a defense-first guy if you didn't know otherwise.

I still think Jones will be looked at for the 40 man roster. With a dearth of hitting prospects in the system, especially the infield (other than Shaw and Arroyo), I would think the Giants would not want to risk losing him.

 

[Stokes1931]

Scottsdale scored 10 runs in the first inning today and that was the game. No Giants played today. Though I did get Tim Tebow to sign the ball I got from him last night. Image below. When I posted it, a friend posted, "Looks like he writes in tongues."

 

[SFGRTB]

Scottsdale scored 10 runs in the first inning today and that was the game. No Giants played today. Though I did get Tim Tebow to sign the ball I got from him last night. Image below. When I posted it, a friend posted, "Looks like he writes in tongues."

Throw that garbage out

 

[Stokes1931]

Throw that garbage out

My daughter wanted a baseball signed by a player. She didn't specify the player. She's excited.

My friend, Paul, hung out at the Scottsdale Stadium after the game today, and his waiting paid off. He got autographs from Tebow, and Brian Cashman, and Reggie Jackson.

 

[LHG]

My daughter wanted a baseball signed by a player. She didn't specify the player. She's excited.

My friend, Paul, hung out at the Scottsdale Stadium after the game today, and his waiting paid off. He got autographs from Tebow, and Brian Cashman, and Reggie Jackson.

That reminds me when I was a pimply faced 13 year old, hanging out at the gate next to the clubhouse at Recreation Park in Visalia, waiting to get Rich Garces and Denny Neagle's autographs, among others. I wasn't picky really. At first, it was whomever would sign my game day magazine. Then, once I got my first set of minor league baseball cards, I was on a mission to get every card signed, even the athletic trainer.