Spokane opening day
by mchang4 on Jun 17, 2008 1:03 PM CDT
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PrintNeil Ramirez, RHP Spokane Indians (Texas Rangers) One of the premier prospects in the Rangers organization, the right-handed hurler will make his professional debut with the Indians. Ramirez was chosen in the first round (No. 44 overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, and brings a fastball that can reach the velocity of 96 mph, which he backs up with an attractive curveball and changeup that keep hitters off balance. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder out of Kempsville High School in Virginia was named the Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, after he posted a 6-2 record with a 1.46 ERA and 74 strikeouts in just 52 2/3 innings. The Virginia Beach native is just 19 years old, but is hoping to play a large part in the Rangers' plans sooner rather than later.
Spokane Indians 2007 Results: 33-42 2008 Manager: Time Hulett Things to look forward to: Over the past two seasons, the Indians' Avista Stadium home has been upgraded to the tune of approximately four million dollars in renovations. Last season, the Indians drew more than 190,000 fans, and the further facility improvements should help them keep fan flow going this year. ... The Texas Rangers have assigned the Indians two new prospects out of the June Draft: Richard Bleier, who was drafted in the sixth round out of Florida Gulf Coast University, and ninth-round selection Jared Bolden, an outfielder taken as a junior out of Virginia Commonwealth. The Indians are looking forward to getting young stars into the professional fray.And Matt West should be in the line up today.
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Along those lines
Check out Jason Parks’s “Barton Fink”-inspired Spokane extravaganza: http://mvn.com/mlb-rangers/2008/06/17/barton-fink-and-the-spokane-indians/
You're a sick phuch fink.
The pitching talent in Spokane is sick.
I’m a bit interested in Eric Fry, since JD pointed him out in an interview last spring. Overally, though, it’s all about pitching in Spokane. Just two weeks till my trip there.
Matt West
Am I the only one who is excited to see what he can do? The kid made a big mistake, and maybe his PED boosted his performance such that he shouldn’t have really been a 2nd round pick. But maybe they didn’t, and maybe the kid has learned a big lesson.
Lots of maybe’s and “I don’t know’s” about West, but he’s still a 2nd round pick who has potential. I’m cheering for him.
count me in...
i’m excited as well. I’m not sure if it ever came out exactly what he used, but hopefully it was some banned supplement with little to no effect on his performance.
like.... "winstrol"... i mean, what could it really do?
To be fair... You are a fan of School of Rock so your ability to judge anything is VASTLY overrated!!!!
~King Billy Royal, Minor League Ball
sure?
I hadn’t read anything but i was assuming he would just join Clinton for their 2nd half when it starts later this week.
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
Per this, yes
Main to Spokane after he’s recovered from his rib injury.
http://mvn.com/mlb-rangers/2008/06/17/barton-fink-and-the-spokane-indians/
That’s from jamcadbury’s original post.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Jun 17, 2008 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions
that sucks
He better not stay there very long. I don’t see why, unless there wasn’t any room on the roster, he couldn’t start out at Clinton. Beavan didn’t pitch at all last year and started there and with Main having pitched in both the AZFL and Spokane last year I would have thought he could go straight to Clinton.
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
where do our friends
at BTiA get their info? Has the club issued a statement saying that Main would start in Spokane? I just don’t see it with Beavan in Clinton.
Main
I talked to three separate sources and received three different answers regarding his assignment. Looks like his rib injury really pushed the original timetable back.
this rib injury...
is there a chance this will be a lingering thing? is he supposed to be fully healthy now? I hate when there is not a lot of information about an injury, because it seems, at least from past experience, that it means the injury is worse than originally thought.
He's apparently feeling 100 percent, per the Orlando Sentinel
Though I’ll have to defer to Jason on whether it could be a lingering issue going forward.
I think he is fine
It was a very freak injury. If he develops carpel tunnel we should start to worry.
main
He was supposed to receive his assignment last week along with Ramirez, but I imagine he’ll be in the rotation for Spokane. So far, their website doesn’t list him on the roster, but Pimentel is!!!
A little information on Ryan Schlecht
Player profile at D2 champ Mount Olive webpage.
Favorite book: Nolan Ryans Pitching Bible.
martin perez
his name hadn’t been said yet in a spokane thread and that just ain’t right.
but, any information on pitching rotations? is he going to start out pitching 1-2 innings every few days?
Rare Gnats Sex
Perez + Font
man those two guys get me excited.
So good, so young.
They’re the next next-wave.
I honestly don’t know what to say about our farm system right now. The Spokane rotation is just freaking silly.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Jun 17, 2008 4:17 PM CDT up reply actions
You're sick
Perez + Fontman those two guys get me excited.
So good, so young.
by Brett Perryman on Jun 17, 2008 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions
lol
Don’t get mad cause I’m trying to steal your young Latin boy loving-thunder, Z :)
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Jun 17, 2008 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions
Ditto
Those two are going to be fun to follow over the next couple years. I expect they’ll have some rough outings, considering how raw they are and facing older players, but I can deal with that.
...and curse Sir Sidney Ponson, he was such a stupid git.
In all honesty
I have no idea what to expect from Perez. We know very little about him. Some I’m somewhat excited, but very much in wait and see mode, sort of like I am when they draft a HS bat high in the draft.
With Font, we know that he’s raw, but we also know a good deal about his pitches, how he throws very hard, etc., and we know how he handled rookie ball at 17. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m genuinely excited about him, moreso than what I can say that I am with Perez just yet.
by Brett Perryman on Jun 17, 2008 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions
If they think enough about Perez
that they’re putting him in Spokane now, I’m excited, or at least highly intrigued. Maybe he’s only there until they get some more picks signed and will then go to AZL?
...and curse Sir Sidney Ponson, he was such a stupid git.
I’m definitely excited or intrigued or whatever to see how Perez performs.
I guess I’m just having a bit of a hard time containing my enthusiasm for Font again now that his season has begun.
by Brett Perryman on Jun 17, 2008 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Perez
I know what you’re saying, but the combo of the huge bonus and the Spokane assigment as a 17 year-old get me so excited. The second I heard he was getting sent to Spokane this year he went up about 15 to 20 spots on my personal rankings.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Jun 17, 2008 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions
MWL All Star Game ... and stuff
Started at 6:00. Nine L-Kings are involved – 5 as starters.
Wanna watch? Here’s the LIVE VIDEO. Click “play” to the right.
Hank Batlak is supposed to play for OKC at Nashville tonight. We’ll see. Drew Meyer is ready to fill in if Batlak isn’t ready yet.
Some guy put up a long post at Sickel’s site about Chris Davis being THE HR-hitting prospect currently in the minors.
MiLB.com finally filled out the Spokane roster. Who’s Ti Murphy?
Folks are curious about Martin Perez. In his own words, from Nov. 3rd – via Jason Cole:
Perez appeared in the Rangers’ last instructionals game of the season – playing against prospects up to eight years his elder – and tossed two scoreless innings. Lone Star Dugout was able to catch up with the newest Rangers pitching prospect shortly after his outing.
.
Perez: I throw a fastball, a curveball, and a changeup. My fastball is usually 88-91 miles per hour.
.
Cole: What have you been working on with the coaching staff out here?
Perez: Command of my changeup and my fastball.
Cole: Have you always thrown your changeup, or is that a new pitch for you?
Perez: I’ve always thrown it, but not as effective as I do now.
.
Cole: What do you feel you must work on over the offseason to get ready for next year?
Perez: I have to work on my command of all three pitches so I can be able to move up into another league next year.
Cole: Do you have any idea where you will start next season?
Perez: No, but I think I’ll start here [in Arizona]. Probably here.
I don’t think we’ll get to hear the great Bob Roberts call the Spokane game online tonight. The Indians’ new radio station hasn’t acquired streaming capability yet – nitwitz. The Spokane PR guy sez they’re working on it. So, have to listen to the away broadcast if you wanna tune in. Bummer, because the 30-minute pregame show woulda been interesting to hear.
Don't even joke about Meyer
If I had to compound the frustration of that pick with watching Washington figure out a way to get him in the lineup four times a week, I would have to figure out a way to find Grady Fuson and punch him in the midsection twice.
by Brett Perryman on Jun 17, 2008 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions
Yah
Enjoyed that Sickels comment. Eerily convincing…he defines his scope of evaluating current minor leaguers well. Saves the rest of us trouble.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Jun 17, 2008 7:32 PM CDT up reply actions
Live Feed
Takin forever and Feliz is about to pitch, is someone gonna be able to link this vid later?
by groundingout on Jun 17, 2008 7:48 PM CDT up reply actions
MiLB.com
might archive the game and have it for free later. Feliz got a comebacker. Holland gave up a ground single. Both looked great. Man, I’m glad we got Derek Holland – great arm, fine athlete. The game is under rain delay now. I hoped to see Gomez in the latter innings, but I think I’m gonna go listen to Spokane now instead.
Count me in the group thats mad
Feliz gets to face one batter? And my video works right after he’s done? Anyone have that clip?
Feliz
didn’t he pitch a couple days ago? I would much rather have him healthy for Bakersfield than some Low A All Star game
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
wow
The PA announcer for Spokane is foaming at the mouth, I think. There’s enthusiasm, and then there’s lunacy. But now he’s soft-spoken…which is creepier.
Just had to get that off my chest.
Man
Ramirez followed by Boscan followed by Pimentel. That’s pretty cool.
And I’m sure that this was mentioned in a game thread or something, but anyone notice Ramirez had four balks?
That would be the 9th youngest in the league followed by the 4th youngest, followed by the second youngest.
With a trend like that, why’d they hold off on sending Perez out there? (The youngest by 17 months).
Here's the note by Scott Lucas in his 6/18 farm report on the youth of the Spokane Indians.
Take a wild guess at which team has the league’s youngest player? Martin Perez is 17 months younger than anyone else.1. P Martin Perez (17 years / 2 months)
2. P Carlos Pimentel (18 / 7)
4. P Wilfredo Boscan (18 / 8)
9. P Neil Ramirez (19 / 1)
12. 1B Michael Ortiz (19 / 1)
16. 3B Matt West (19 / 1)
23. SS Edward Koncel (19 / 11)Spokane has seven of the league’s 25 teenagers. Average age of roster: 21 years, 2 months, also the league’s lowest.
There are definitely some
intriguing guys down there. Miguel Munoz has a 21-3 K/BB ratio in 15.1 IP, and struck out 12 in 6 innings in his last start. Also, a 1.88 GB/FB ratio…and Guillermo Pimentel, OF has 15 BB vs. 8 K’s and a 1.019 OPS. Sample size screams here, but nice starts.
...and curse Sir Sidney Ponson, he was such a stupid git.
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