1/29/2010
Mike Lupica, Tempe Gazette

Yesterday I looked at the Waxers’ pitching staff, which needs to have a solid year if Chandler hopes to compete for a playoff spot. Today I will focus on an area where Chandler is very strong; the offense. In 2010, Chandler was second in runs scored overall and second in homeruns within the Rocky Mountain League, and this year they should still be at the top of the league in most offensive categories. The offense is a nice mix of veterans and prospects, which hopefully will spell success for 2011.

Starters
Catcher – Jerry Miller – Miller had a fine year at AAA last year, hitting .268 with 7 homeruns. His defense is improving every season and the Knights feel that Miller could be Hull’s backup in a few years. One area he needs to improve on is throwing runners out. Last year he only threw out 28% of would-be base stealers; he will need to do a lot better then that if he wants to reach the bigs.

First Base – Dean Bailey – Bailey is the Knights first basemen of the future. There is a lot to like about Bailey, who came over in a trade for Greg Jackson. Bailey is only 21 and is improving every year. Last year he hit .291 with 8 homeruns and 71 RBI. What is more impressive is that Bailey hit 53 doubles. Van Hauter hopes that at least one-third of those doubles can be homeruns next year. On defense, Bailey was also pretty good, sporting a decent .994 fielding percentage. One area Bailey needs to work on is his eye because he only drew 19 walks while striking out 112 times. This led to Bailey having a very dismal .313 OBP. However Van Hauter feels that he can lower his strikeouts and get more walks as he matures. One thing is for certain, and that is that Bailey will soon be the everyday Knights first basemen. He is in line to be called up first if injuries arise. Van Hauter has also stated that Bailey will not be in AAA very much longer, so Chandler fans do not have long to see Bailey play.

Second Base – Nachiro Kumatami – Kumatami is insurance in case Li fails up in the majors. He is a seasoned vet from the League of the Rising Sun and would fill in nicely at the major league level. Kumatami fields his position well with a .984 fielding percentage. He also batted .270 with 18 doubles scoring 30 runs. He has a decent eye with a .339 OBP and should play an important role at either AAA or the major league level.

Shortstop – Miguel Velasco – Velasco will start the season at AAA but might be gone before the season starts because he has made it known he is not thrilled at being demoted. Last year at Tempe he was very durable, playing in 157 games. Velasco will switch to short after a fine year playing second, where he fielded .993. The Knights hope he can come close to that at Chandler. He is also one of the first in line to get the call in case injuries hit Tempe. Velasco even improved his hitting last year. On paper he hit .232, but he provided a lot of clutch hits to help Tempe win a few games. He is also a speed merchant who led the Knights with 37 SB. If he can learn to put the ball on the ground more, he can raise his average to .260.

Third Base – Lorenzo Luján – Luján replaces the Chandler’s mainstay Damon Meyers because the Knights feel Luján is too good a player to stay on the bench. The Knights are hoping to deal Meyers by Spring Training because they feel he does not have the big league makeup. Luján batted .291 with a sparkling .408 OBP. He also showed some pop with 10 homeruns while driving in 46 runs in only 289 at bats. The Knights feel that, if Michael Kelley does not sign after this year, Luján can fill in and provide the offense Kelley did. One area he needs to work on is his fielding; he kicked the ball a little bit, finishing with a .950 fielding percentage. Luján has flown under the radar like Bailey but don’t be surprised if both are starting for Tempe next year.

Left Field – Brian Patton – Patton is 26 and time is running out on him. This is his do-or-die year, and if he produces he will be on the major league squad next year. Patton is an excellent left fielder. He made only one error and looked like Willie Mays out in left. He had a good year at the plate, batting…256 with 20 homeruns and 64 RBI. He also scored 73 runs while sporting a decent .349 OBP. If Patton can hit 30 homeruns this year, then it is a no brainer that he will be part of Tempe’s 2011 roster.

Centerfield – Tim Eaton – Eaton, like Velasco, was not happy with being demoted, but he had a really subpar year at Tempe and Van Hauter feels another year under his belt in the minors will help get his stroke back. Eaton even had trouble in the field by making three errors while misplaying several more. Hitting-wise, Eaton really struggled. He struck out 127 times while drawing only 35 walks for a horrendous .299 OBP. He did steal 27 bases so he has the potential to steal 50 if he gets on more, but Eaton really needs to up his game to have any staying power.

Right Field – Pepe Marrero – Marrero provides a great eye and average defense. However, he has a lot to prove and he is on a very short leash because he is prone to long slumps. The only reason he gets the nod in right field is because he is 28 and the Knights want to see if he is at the end of the rope. Marrero can hit a little, batting .287 with 12 HR and 54 RBI. However, he will have to improve on that this year or he’ll be gone.

DH – Kunimichi Nishiyama – Nishiyama came over from the LRS, where it was feast or famine for him. He had a terrible year last year, bating only .186 with 10 homeruns. However, he does have a decent eye, drawing 75 walks. In his previous two years he has 43 homeruns, so the Knights hope that he can hit at least 25 homeruns and bat around .240.

Reserves
3B/ RF – Damon Meyers – The mascot of Tempe who seems to have been around forever. Meyers has never developed into the star the Knights thought he could be. He has been awful in every September call-up and if he is here by June it will be a miracle. Meyers never has trouble with the long ball, hitting 21 last year. However that is the extent of his offense. He batted .213, struck out 112 times and looked lost at the plate. In the field he was not much better, making 20 errors in 39 games at short and showing no range. If he is here by June then he is blackmailing Van Hauter.

2B/SS/3B – Ángel Román – Román is another seasoned vet who can step in if injuries arise in Tempe. He is 31 so Van Hauter does not expect much with his bat. However, Van Hauter failed to notice that he had a .385 OBP even though he batted only .225. He can get on base and will play a nice role with Chandler. His fielding was outstanding; Román didn’t commit an error at any of the four positions he played. He is a superior defensive replacement.

RF/LF – Jorian Von Garp – Von Garp is an enigma. Just when he gets hot, he starts getting hit with nagging injuries. Last year was no different, having hot and cold streaks and not being patient at the plate. He fields great and that will keep him in the organization for awhile.

CF/LF/ RF – Lúcio Clement – The Knights believe Clement can be a solid major league outfielder. He has hit wherever he has been in the Knights organization. Last year between Quebec City and Chandler he hit .305 with an impressive .435 OBP. He also smacked 29 doubles with 4 homeruns and 39 RBI. He plays all three outfield positions well, which guarantees he will stay in the organization for awhile.

Catcher – Nathan Clark – Clark is strictly filler and is only on the roster because he is a great defensive catcher like Carney. However, also like Carney, he cannot hit his own weight. His job is mainly to teach Miller how to be a better defensive catcher.

Overall, Chandler is very much improved from last year. In order to make the playoffs, their pitching will have to improve dramatically. If it does not, then Chandler is a .500 team at best.