by staff sport writer Salvatore “Nacho” Jimenez, Laredo Midday News
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Rotation

José Márquez – Left – 23 – Acquired in trade with Tempe Knights, 12-9-10.

This 23-year-old southpaw will start next season heading up the Sea Lions rotation.  A former 14^th round selection, Márquez shows signs of possibly turning into a serviceable pitcher someday.  He began 2010 by going posting a 3-4 record with a 3.61 ERA in 8 starts at Single-A Drumright.  He was called up to AA Monterey out of necessity and, all things considered, he pitched reasonably well.  While his W/L record was just 3-8 in 14 games (12 of them starts), he posted a 3.67 ERA and struck out 75 batters in 76 innings.  Márquez has a 4-pitch repertoire, and induces a lot of ground balls.  He has the ability to work a lot of innings.  If someone could ever light a fire under the young southpaw, there is a chance he could become a productive pitcher.  Márquez seems to have the arm for it, but the Calzones organization doubts he has the mental makeup that is needed to make it to the next level.  Over the last 5 seasons, including his time in the college ranks, he sports a 16-52 W/L record.  He gets a pass in the rotation for now thanks to his arm, but his head may be better suited for eventual duty in a bullpen.  With already a half of season’s experience at the AA level, Márquez should be primed to show considerable improvement this season.

Terry Jones – Right – 23 – Acquired in trade with Tempe Knights, 4-24-11.

Jones was another pitcher rushed prematurely to AA as the Calzones fought a losing battle to stem the hemorrhaging caused by the inordinate amount of injuries to the organizations young pitchers in 2010.  For his part, Jones held up reasonably well at AA.  He stumbled to a 2-8 W/L record in 15 starts, but managed to post a reasonable 3.90 ERA.  The big right-hander can bring heat in the low 90s and is an extreme ground ball pitcher.  Jones has five pitches, but his changeup is still in its infancy.  He has good stamina and can work a lot of innings, but much like his teammate Márquez, there are considerable questions about his mental makeup.  He remains in the Sea Lions rotation for now, and with some AA experience already under his belt, the Calzones are hoping Jones will take a big step forward this season.

Francisco Álvarez – Right – 23 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 6-21-10.

Next verse, same as the first.  Another pitcher rushed to the AA level out of pure desperation as a result of the injury bug that went mutant in 2010.  Yet despite a minimal amount of time in the low minors, Álvarez fared rather decently at AA in 2011, posting a 4-5 mark with a 3.58 ERA in 11 starts.  He also showed good command, walking just 14 while notching 45 punch-outs.  Not a hard thrower, Álvarez gets it there in the upper 80s.  He also has just three pitches, none of which impresses the scouts.  Álvarez has had some minor league success, so he continues to pitch in the Monterey rotation, but his rather modest stamina and his mental makeup suggest he might better be suited to a long role in the bullpen someday.  His experience should help him this season as he repeats the AA level, but Álvarez is really going to have to develop an out pitch if he is ever going to advance any further.

António González – Right – 23 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 1-21-10.

This big right-hander was rushed to AA after just 14 innings in the low minors back in 2010.  He has spent the last two seasons bouncing back and forth between the Sea Lions pen and rotation with mixed results, but with nearly 180 innings under his belt now at the AA level, González goes into the 2012 season with a firm rotation spot.  The Calzones clearly hope that António is ready to take another step forward.  He has great stamina and has developed a 6-pitch repertoire that can keep hitters off balance.  If nothing else, González gives the Sea Lions yet another pitcher who will be experienced at the level, and that alone should pay at least some dividend.

Dan Moss – Right – 22 – Acquired in trade with New Orleans Trendsetters, 7-5-11.

Moss was an 8^th round selection of the Trendsetters in 2010.  Acquired in a mid-season deal with the Trendsetters, Moss had a very good final two months of the season in Drumright, posting a 4-0 record in 13 games, 7 of them starts.  He posted a very good 3.23 ERA, and struck out 61 batters in 55.2 IP.  Including his time at A-ball in the New Orleans organization in 2010, he struck out 140 in 138 IP.  Unfortunately, he also walked 80 on the season.  Moss is mainly a fastball/slider pitcher who keeps batters loose in the box with his 94 MPH heat and little league control.  The Calzones considered him a high-risk/high-reward pitcher when they traded for him, but they believe he has the mental makeup to eventually harness the control.  He already has the stuff to dominate batters.  Moss has good stamina and fields his position very well.  He has been a bit rushed to this point, making it to AA with less than 210 total innings in the low minors.  Undoubtedly, Moss will be in for a full year at Monterey, and the Calzones will be hoping to see the youngster take a big step forward with the control.

Kenny Bender – Right – 22 – 2^nd round draft choice in the 2010 draft.

This second round draft choice has had a couple of very good seasons in the minors so far and is on course to be in the Calzones rotation in 2014.  Despite missing a month of the season with a hamstring injury, Bender posted an 8-4 W/L record with a 2.68 ERA.  He walked just 34 while striking out 111 in 111 IP at Drumright.  Bender can hit 93 MPH on the gun with a 4-pitch arsenal and exhibits better command than most scouts give him credit for.  He has good stamina and can work deep into games.  He has the mental makeup, as well the physical tools, to be a frontline starter in the not too distant future.  Bender will start the season as the 6^th starter in the Sea Lions’ rotation, but don’t let that fool you; he’s considered the Calzones best starting pitching prospect at the moment.

Bullpen

Miguel De Jesús – Right – 23 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 8-7-11.

Miguel has enough stamina to start a game if he had to, so he gives the Sea Lions a fallback in the event of an emergency.  Miguel has good movement on his pitches, but shows almost no ability to harness his control.  He has only rather average stuff, hitting the upper 80’s on the radar gun.  Miguel gives the Sea Lions a long man out of the pen that can soak up some innings, but he is far from a prospect.

José Aguirre – Left – 21 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 1-06-07.

José is going into his sixth season in the Calzones organization, yet just made it to AA in the middle of the most recent season.  Signed as a raw 16-year-old, he has been slowly nurtured into the very mediocre pitcher that he is today.  He has developed a 6-pitch arsenal, and from a southpaw out of the bullpen, that could be worth something.  José can hit 90 MPH on the gun, but fails to strike out many batters.  He has good mental makeup and determination, but unless he develops an out pitch, it’s hard to see him going much further in the organization.  His smallish stature (5’9”) seems to work against him as well.  The Calzones still have some hope that he can turn into a decent situational lefty, but Aguirre is running out of time if he is ever going to make it.  He will start the season in the middle of the Sea Lions bullpen.

Jorge Hernández – Left – 22 – Acquired in trade with Tempe Knights, 7-31-11.

Jorge has two rather mediocre pitches, barely brushes 90 MPH on the gun and doesn’t have the stamina to work many innings over the course of the season.  In his first two seasons in the minors, he has put up some rather okay overall numbers, but the walks are a bit concerning.  With a little work, he might find himself in a PEBA bullpen as a situational left-hander someday, but that would probably be his ceiling.  For 2012, Hernández will work in the middle innings out of the Sea Lions bullpen.

Artie Gillespie – Right – 23 – 3^rd round draft pick in 2010.

Gillespie still has a ways to go on his control, but he is steadily working his way towards an eventual spot in a PEBA bullpen.  He only hits 90 MPH on the gun with his 3-pitch arsenal, but he does a decent job of keeping the ball down.  He has good enough stamina to get an occasional start, something that will make him a valuable member of any bullpen.  For this season, Gillespie figures to be the Sea Lions primary setup man, but don’t be surprised if he gets an occasional start as well.

Willie Owens – Left – 23 – 3^rd round draft pick in 2010.

Owens is a southpaw who can hit 94 MPH on the gun, but he doesn’t dominate hitters via the strikeout.  He has a 3-pitch arsenal, but only his fastball is worth throwing.  His control to this point has been a concern, but the Calzones remain optimistic that the hard throwing southpaw will begin to put it all together soon.  Seen as a vital cog near the back of the Sea Lions bullpen, Willie should get the occasional save opportunity, but look for him primarily in the left-handed setup role.

Roberto Rosado – Right  – 21 – Acquired in trade with Florida Featherheads, 6-8-11.

Rosado was rushed to AA just a bit soon after the trade from Florida, but he did alright for himself in a less than perfect situation, saving 13 games while posting a 2.35 ERA in 22 appearances.  His walks at AA were a bit concerning, but he should show improvement this season as he matures.  A hard thrower who can bring the heat at 94 MPH, Rosado has a 4-pitch arsenal that has the potential to be deadly at the back end of a bullpen.  He struck out 58 batters in 56.1 IP at three stops in 2010.  Despite his young age, the Calzones are hoping to see enough progress from Rosado to possibly promote him to AAA by mid-season.

Position Players

C Emílio González – Left – 22 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 6-16-08.

Emílio has never been seen as a prospect to this point.  In his first four years in the Calzones organization, he has been treated as an organizational soldier, moving from level to level depending on the needs of the organization without regard for his development.  Despite being mostly an afterthought and rarely getting the playing time at any level, Emílio appears to be making some progress in the eyes of the scouts, who believe that he is developing an above average batting eye, average power, and the ability to put the ball into the gaps consistently.  Despite getting just 172 AB last season, Emílio had 16 2B among his 38 hits.  The question that remains for scouts is whether Emílio can hit for a high enough average to ever be a useful player at the next level.  His defensive skills are considered barely adequate, but he is a heady player who works hard.  The Calzones want to see Emílio get a little more steady playing time this season, and hope to keep him at one level for the entire season to see if he can begin to blossom.  He will likely split time with Oliva in a platoon situation for the entire season.

C Felipe Oliva – Right – 20 – 7^th round draft pick in 2009.

This San Antonio native has shown a decent ability to hit for a respectable average despite the fact that he is a bit young for the AA level.  Scouts think he should be a decent contact hitter with slightly better than average plate discipline.  Oliva lacks anything that even resembles power, making his worth rather limited.  He has good skills behind the dish, and the Calzones are hoping that Oliva might someday makeup a marginal backup catcher.

1B/DH Dean Tuffin – Left – 22 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 3-15-11.

Signed as a minor league free agent just before the season started, Tuffin played his first year of professional ball at Drumright (Hi-A).  He simply dominated the league in the power department, leading the NAFTA with 31 HR, a full 10 more than his nearest competitor at the level.  He showed good ability to make contact and a very good eye at the plate, posting a .301 AVG and .384 OBP.  Tuffin’s defensive skills are a bit wanting, meaning an eventual full time role as a DH is likely in order.  He has simply monstrous power potential, with some scouts saying the sky is the limit for this young Aruban-born slugger.  The Calzones brass believe Tuffin has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential.  He will be in just his second season of professional ball, so the plan is for him to get a full season at AA in 2012, but don’t be overly surprised if the young slugger moves up the ranks just a bit quicker, should he earn it.

1B/DH Stephen Longchamps – Left – 23 – Acquired in trade with Aurora Borealis, 7-17-11.

This huge left-handed batter was getting moldy at the short season level before the mid-season trade that brought him over to the Calzones organization.  The Calzones gave him a quick couple of weeks at A-ball before moving him to AA.  At AA, Longchamps really caught fire over the final month of the season, batting .402 with a .459 OBP in 27 games.  He also hit 6 2B and 6 HR and chipped in 22 RBI.  Projected to be solid hitter with good power to the gaps and at least average home run power, there are some questions about his rather average plate discipline, but the Calzones organization believes that Longchamps is another player who is just beginning to tap into his real potential.  Considering his size, there are many scouts who believe Longchamps will become a solid HR threat in the near future, and if his 6 HR in 97 AB at the end of the season were any indication, that could be happening very soon.  Longchamps also has at least average defensive ability, and moves pretty well around the bag for a man of his size.  His lack of playing time to this point above the low minors has the Calzones wanting to see him get another couple of hundred at bats at the AA level, but a mid-season promotion to AAA is very likely in 2012.  He’s on course to debut in Laredo in 2014, if not sooner.

2B Mike Briggs – Right – 22 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 7-11-11.

The Calzones were initially intrigued with the scouts’ reports that Briggs would exhibit tremendous bat control and be difficult to strike out, but he has yet to show that in his minor league at bats.  In fact, he has yet to show much of anything in his minor league at bats and, despite his limited experience and lack of success, he has been promoted to the second base job at AA for 2012, sort of by default.  Briggs has some modest speed, but he is lacking defensively.  He needs to hit to move up any further, and this is a sink or swim situation for Briggs.  He will start the season as the Sea Lions regular second baseman, but he needs to make the most of the opportunity or he will quickly be shunted aside.

SS Dae-hwan Kim – Right – 21– Acquired in trade with Aurora Borealis, 6-8-11.

Kim is the opposite of Briggs.  In limited time, Kim has really handled the bat well and put himself firmly in the Calzones future plans.  He has a very disciplined approach at the plate, posting a .317 AVG and .408 OBP in two quick stops in the low minors totaling 167 at bats.  Kim has above average defensive skills and great speed on the base paths.  He is another player that the Calzones believe has not even begun to realize his full potential.  The Calzones have a firm belief that Kim could follow a similar path as Ben McGinnity to the middle of the Calzones infield in a couple of years by combining good plate discipline, solid defense and the ability to create havoc on the bases.  Kim will start the year as the Sea Lions’ regular shortstop.  Considering his lack of experience in the low minors and his young age, he is likely to spend a full season in Monterey before an eventual promotion to AAA in 2013.

SS Malcolm Burton – Switch – 22 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 6-28-10.

Burton plays okay defense, does the little things well, and has some speed.  Unfortunately, he has the plate discipline of a starving Rottweiler, meaning he is likely never going to be much more than a minor league journeyman.  For 2012, he will have a share of the utility role on the Sea Lions bench.

3B Randy Blake – Switch – 23 – 2^nd round draft pick in the 2009 draft.

In the baseball dictionary, next to the word “bust“, there is this guy’s picture.  Plays good defense and is a good clubhouse guy.  Hits like a girl.

CF Cristián León – Right – 22 – Acquired in trade with Aurora Borealis, 6-8-11.

León was another player wallowing in the low minors of the stacked Aurora organization when a midseason trade brought him over to the Calzones.  León was quickly promoted to AA upon his acquisition, but a bum shoulder put him out of action for a month and he never quite got into a groove at AA.  He does very well at putting the bat on the ball and avoiding the strikeout.  His ability to make contact and then use his speed to create havoc on the base paths has the Calzones eagerly anticipating his arrival at the top of their lineup in a couple of seasons.  Might never draw enough walks to be an elite leadoff man, but León looks like he can do enough well that at worst he will be close to the top tier.  A smart player who uses his speed to great advantage in the outfield, León has soft hands and great instincts.  Expect another 200 or so at bats at AA, and a probable mid-season promotion to AAA.

RF Sherman Hicks – Switch – 20 – Acquired in trade with Florida Featherheads, 5-30-11.

Nicknamed “Skates” by his teammates for his ability to make base running a real adventure, this San Antonio native has made steady progress towards an eventual role on a PEBA squad.  Originally drafted by Florida in the 6^th round of the 2009 draft, Hicks finally started to show the power that scouts believed would develop, hitting 13 HR in 3 stops during the 2011 season, after hitting just 9 HR total in his first two minor league seasons.  A switch hitter who projects to have at least slightly above average power from both sides of the plate, Hicks is still very young and, much like a lot of his teammates on this team, the Calzones are expecting him to show even more potential down the line.  His defense is adequate at best and his base running is an adventure, but Hicks’s ability to hit for power from both sides of the plate make him a valuable commodity.  The Calzones envision him as part of a deadly switch-hitting combination with Rafael Guerrero in a couple of years, with the left-handed Longchamps sandwiched in between the two.  Despite his young age, Hicks is slated for about 200 more AB at the AA level before a mid-season promotion to AAA.

LF Luis Valdéz – Right – 23 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 7-25-11.

Luis was signed on the recommendation of one of our scouts who saw the youngster play in Costa Rica.  In just a few short weeks at A-ball, he proved he could handle professional pitching and was moved to AA for the final week of the season, where he held his own.  Valdéz has above average plate discipline, but only has slightly below average power and is not a skilled base runner.  He is barely adequate in the outfield, often failing to get a good read on the ball off the bat.  All in all, the Calzones like the youngster; they think he might turn into a solid hitter in the near future, and could at least snag a bench role at the PEBA level somewhere down the line.  Expect Valdéz to spend a full season starting in left field for the Sea Lions.

RF Lester Colcheeper – Left – 22 – Signed as a minor league free agent, 10-13-09.

Colcheeper has very good power, blasting 17 HR at the short season level in 2010 and adding another 21 at A-ball in 2011.  He also has great speed, having stolen 18 bases in 2010 and 28 more in 2011.  What he lacks is the ability to make consistent contact.  Colcheeper gets a good jump on the ball in the outfield, but his arm is rather average.  The Calzones are rather concerned that he will never put it all together and hit for enough average to be a PEBA-level player, and he will begin the 2012 season on the Sea Lions’ bench.  Colcheeper could see more playing time in the second half if a couple of outfielders get promoted to AAA, but there’s no guarantee.  Until he shows he can make consistent contact, Colcheeper is being relegated to a bench role in Monterey.

LF Alan Robinson – Left – 22 – Acquired in trade with New Orleans Trendsetters, 12-12-10.

The Calzones love Robinson’s power potential, as evidenced by his 20 2B and 5 HR in just 320 AB at A-ball this past season.  What the Calzones are having a problem with are his rather average plate discipline, low batting average, lackluster defense and mediocre speed.  They still have hope that Robinson will begin to put things together, and he is rather young yet.  He gets the promotion to AA more out of necessity than because he earned it, so he will start the season in a bench role and hope to get more playing time later in the season.

2012 Monterey Sea Lions outlook

After finishing the 2011 season 18 games under .500, the Sea Lions are hoping for better things in 2012.  Certainly there is more talent on this team than the team that took the field in 2011.  The rotation has several experienced pitchers who should pitch to better numbers this season, and a young gun in Kenny Bender who is looking to prove he is the real deal.  The rotation may also get an injection of even more talent by mid-season, when several young pitchers from Drumright could be looking to make the jump.  The bullpen was horrible in 2011, outside of Rosado.  Fortunately, Rosado has three credible bullpen arms to help him out this season, which should make the bullpen a whole lot better.

On the hitting side of things, several talented players open the season with the Sea Lions, but several of them – namely Longchamps, León and Hicks – are likely to be moving on to AAA by mid-season.  Whether the Sea Lions can expect any legitimate replacements from Drumright is questionable, so the offense stands a chance of suffering a second-half slump.

Overall, this will be a better team in 2012.  The pitching alone should get the team to around the .500 level.  The offense could propel the team to a good start, but there are too many question marks about the offense once the most talented offensive players make the move to AAA by mid-season.  Anything less than .500 would be a disappointment, but anything very much above a .500 finish would be a bit of a surprise.