2012 Top Prospects

[filosofy29]

Usually, I'm on top of minor league happenings, but apparently Andrew Susac was suspended on Friday for jacking some asshat in the jaw during a skirmish. Four games, which means he can return to action tomorrow.

Don' fuck wit da Susac.

Sounds like he may need a lawyer.....

 

[tzill]

Sounds like he may need a lawyer.....

Already got the retainer check.

And a signed bat.

 

[calsnowskier]

Sounds like he may need a lawyer.....

But does he need a lawyer to provide the kind of services tz has in mind?

 

[dredinis21]

You can say this about any GM, and I would argue Sabes makes more good than bad, compared to his peers. I still think he's a B+ level GM.

My problem with Sabean is more then just trades. It is being a part of a regime that for years couldn't draft and overpaid for marginally average at best veterans on the wrong side of prime and cash strapping the organization for upcoming years. Deals like Alfonso, Zito (This may have been Macgowen's brain child, but we don't know that for certain so he gets "credit" for this), Rowand, Benitez, Huff (currently) to name a few.

As far as drafting, he drafted like shit until Barr came along and restocked our organizational talent instantly. It was literally a paradigm shift in organizational draft philosophy happening before our very eyes within Barr's FIRST draft. Although I suppose if I am going to give him shit for Zito as an indirect participant I would have to give him kudos for the draft. But I'm not. We had about a decade with Sabean where he didn't have ONE impact homegrown everyday player on the roster. In comes Barr...and with that, here comes an opportunity to develop a Sandoval. To look to draft a Posey instead of drafting pitcher again. To find guys with +++ categories along with some warts and look at the value of the +++ categories in comparison with organizational weaknesses (Drafting of Tommy Joseph and Chris Dominguez told us we needed power for example) as opposed to always seeking out that "five tool athlete" and attempt to develop them. Sabean prior to Barr only drafted marginal five tool athletes, guys that have all five tools average at best. Guys like EME, Torcato, Linden, Minor were the pinnacle of our offensive "success" in draft and development.

That may be a B+ for you but I don't see him as such. Maybe its the lunatic fringe in me, but I can't help but notice that when he was at his best, it was because of someone else that had a hand in influencing decisions accordingly.

 

[tzill]

Hembree now has given up earnies in four of his last five appearances. ERA in the mid 4's.

He may not be up until September.

 

[Heathbar012]

Hembree now has given up earnies in four of his last five appearances. ERA in the mid 4's.

He may not be up until September.

Right on schedule. Hopefully, that ERA will be mid-2s or lower, by then.

 

[calsnowskier]

Hembree now has given up earnies in four of his last five appearances. ERA in the mid 4's.

He may not be up until September.

He has hit a rough patch, but I am not concerned yet.

1) FYWW is still BALLZ and does not really need the reinforcements
2) KCYa is BALLZ and Weez himself may have trouble getting the job back
3) Hembree had been placed on the fast-track, so a slight delay actually puts him on a more-realistic time-frame anyway

 

[tzill]

He has hit a rough patch, but I am not concerned yet.

1) FYWW is still BALLZ and does not really need the reinforcements
2) KCYa is BALLZ and Weez himself may have trouble getting the job back
3) Hembree had been placed on the fast-track, so a slight delay actually puts him on a more-realistic time-frame anyway

Agreed, and one addition:

Weez may never come back. History is not on the side of 2x TJ surgeries.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Chris Heston

Squirrels' Heston fans career-high 11
Giants prospect allows first earned run in five starts, wins
By Andrew Pentis / Special to MLB.com
05/27/2012 6:35 PM ET

Chris Heston struck out nine batters in his last outing on Tuesday, matching his career high for the third time. Afterward, not altogether satisfied with a third straight win, he told his teammates, "I am stuck on nine. I have to get to double digits."

Five days later, the Giants prospect did just that, fanning 11 and allowing one run over six innings Sunday afternoon as the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels defeated the Trenton Thunder, 5-2.

"It's awesome," he said. "I'm finally over the hump."

A winner of four straight decisions, Heston (5-2) gave up six hits -- including Jose Gil's two-out RBI single in the second -- and four walks. Perhaps more impressive than his string of strikeouts, he had not allowed an earned run in 33 innings, a stretch that dated back to April 30.

"I was aware of it, but it's also something I didn't try to think about it," said Heston, who threw 64 of 98 pitches for strikes. "Luckily, they got it out of the away early, so it was off my mind."

Nine of the 24-year-old right-hander's final 11 outs came on strikes.

"I actually struggled a little bit," he said. "The command of the fastball wasn't there as it has been, so I had to resort to breaking balls -- my breaking ball and slider. I was able to throw it for a strike when I needed to and was able to bury it when I needed to. I think every single one of [the strikeouts] came on breaking balls."

After another strong performance, his 0.70 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 64 2/3 innings both lead the Eastern League.

The 2009 12th-round Draft pick won 12 of his 16 decisions last year at Class A Advanced San Jose, where he compiled a 3.16 ERA in 24 starts. Over 151 innings, he fanned 131.

Heston credited his success this season to his work last year with San Jose pitching coach Brian Cooper, plus his newfound ability to execute pitches even when he falls behind in the count, as was the case Sunday.

The Flying Squirrels scored their first four runs off starter Vidal Nuno. Chris Dominguez and Juan Perez contributed RBI singles in the fourth and Tommy Joseph singled home another run in the fifth.

Five in the lineup, including Dominguez, Joseph and leadoff man Gary Brown, all among the Giants' top prospects, recorded two-hit games. Brown raised his average to 255.

"He's started to figure it out," said Heston, who played alongside Brown in San Jose in 2011. "Once he figures it out, there's no stopping him."

Squirrels' Heston fans career-high 11 | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball

 

[SFGRTB]

Heston sounds like he knows how to pitch, soon we will probably see a promotion to AAA to really test the kid. Giants have to be pleased someone is stepping up out of their system with Runzler/Surkamp down and not much else out there.

Also, Brown is starting to see that average climb, when he gets hot, he goes off.

 

[tzill]

Heston sounds like he knows how to pitch, soon we will probably see a promotion to AAA to really test the kid. Giants have to be pleased someone is stepping up out of their system with Runzler/Surkamp down and not much else out there.

Also, Brown is starting to see that average climb, when he gets hot, he goes off.

Word. Check this shizzle out:

Chris Heston Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball

Dude is headed for Fresneck by July. Up in September.

 

[calsnowskier]

Word. Check this shizzle out:

Chris Heston Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball

Dude is headed for Fresneck by July. Up in September.

I disagree, but only because there is no pressing need.

I HOPE Kamp will be ready for any fill-in starts along the way, and we still have Hacker, Petit and Loux...

I am NOT pooping on the Heston parade. I just think he came enough out of the blue this year that there is no need to rush him.

 

[tzill]

I disagree, but only because there is no pressing need.

I HOPE Kamp will be ready for any fill-in starts along the way, and we still have Hacker, Petit and Loux...

I am NOT pooping on the Heston parade. I just think he came enough out of the blue this year that there is no need to rush him.

He started to really put it together last year in San Jo. He'll be up in September. He probably won't pitch but an inning or two, but he'll be up.

 

[calsnowskier]

He started to really put it together last year in San Jo. He'll be up in September. He probably won't pitch but an inning or two, but he'll be up.

Certainly possible. Just to expose him to the clubhouse, schedule, media environment, fan environment, etc...

 

[tzill]

Certainly possible. Just to expose him to the clubhouse, schedule, media environment, fan environment, etc...

'sactly.

AND I'LL MANAGE THE SHIT OUT OF HIM
--AB

 

[MarcoPolo]

He started to really put it together last year in San Jo. He'll be up in September. He probably won't pitch but an inning or two, but he'll be up.

Only if people are dropped from the 40-man between now and then. He will have to be added to the 40-man before Dec (or he'll be stolen in the rule 5 draft) but "pros" leaving in Nov (like Huff and Sanchez) will allow him to be added without drama.

 

[gp956]

Only if people are dropped from the 40-man between now and then. He will have to be added to the 40-man before Dec (or he'll be stolen in the rule 5 draft) but "pros" leaving in Nov (like Huff and Sanchez) will allow him to be added without drama.

You think huff will last out the season?

 

[calsnowskier]

Only if people are dropped from the 40-man between now and then. He will have to be added to the 40-man before Dec (or he'll be stolen in the rule 5 draft) but "pros" leaving in Nov (like Huff and Sanchez) will allow him to be added without drama.

There are currently only 39 on the 40. Then we have huff, loux, hacker, manbur...


A 40 spot is not an issue.

 

[Stokes1931]

Brett Bochy pitched another 1.2 scoreless innings tonight, lowering his ERA in Richmond to 1.42

Is he for real? Seems like he came out of nowhere (no jokes about coming from AB's loins...)

 

[mistgl]

Crick and Blackburn are putting up some nice numbers for the Green jackets.

Crick 1-3. 3.06, 35.1 IP, 24BB, 46K's

Blackburn 1-2, 3.63, 44.2 IP, 9 BB, 56 K's

God how sexy would it be if these two pan out! Fresh prep arms for the Giants to mold, un ruined by some short sighted college coach trying to get to some meaningless CWS.