Thursday, August 20, 2009

It’s getting harder and harder to ignore Sixto Núñez’s work this season and not marvel at the consistency. After a pissy attitude and poor start at AA, he was promoted to AAA out of sheer necessity and told to sink or swim. Remarkably, he swam. 12 of his last 13 starts have been quality starts, and he has posted a 2.36 ERA over that span. Just 19 years old.

Barney Sharp has posted very good results despite his frustrating control issues. Missed 7 weeks of the season, but has posted a 7-2, 2.96 mark in 11 starts at AAA.

Armando Pérez, the Calzones prized pitching prospect, has been tagged pretty hard in his last 3 outings, but the Calzones attribute it to his heavy workload and the natural adjustment of the promotion to AAA.

Tu-an Sima has returned to AAA Joplin, with the Calzones no longer wishing to expose their young pitcher in what is a lost season at the PEBA level. A full season at AAA is likely next year before maybe a return to San Antonio in 2011.

The quartet of Pérez, Sima, Sharp and Núñez gives the Joplin Red Racers a fairly strong core rotation going into 2010. Look for Santo Rentería to claim the 5^th starter spot if he is fully healthy next year. Carlos Feliciano and Hideki Takahashi have been promoted to San Antonio to finish out the season, not so much for their ability but in order to protect the younger pitchers. Look for both to be released at the end of the season and for the Calzones to fill their rotation needs for next season through free agency. Esteban Romero, Doug Stanley and Cristo Román could all hang around at the AAA level in middle relief and spot starter duty.

The bullpen of Ricardo Colón, Ron Coture, Oscar Kennedy, Tomás López and Marcos Torres should return virtually intact. José Paz is likely to depart, as he is well past prospect status and was merely brought in to help out during a rash of injuries.

The catching tandem of Chad Hull and Brock Brett is likely to return intact for 2010. Brett may get a September call-up to the big club, but he and Hull should split the catching duties and get some DH time in Joplin in 2010. With Luis Navarro under contract for one more season and a return to contention unlikely before 2011, the Calzones see no need to rush the two catchers.

At first base, Carlos Aquino is being actively shopped, while it remains to be seen if the 36-year-old Kazu Inoue will retire. The Calzones are attempting to create some playing time in the lower level of their minor leagues for their glut of infielders, and moving some of the first basemen at AAA and AA could help achieve that goal.

At second base, look for Gus Wilson to get the promotion from AA, with Spencer Jennings either being demoted or dealt. Jennings has been bounced all over the organization this season without complaining while the Calzones tried to protect their more promising prospects. Jennings still has some decent upside and is young, but doesn’t fit into the Calzones plans.

Look for Shane Bannon to be released after the season, with the Calzones likely promoting Lorenzo Luján from AA to take over at 3B next season.

Silas Boone will remain at shortstop, though he will still see some occasional playing time at 3B as the Calzones toy with the idea of moving Boone to 3B at some point.

Juan Ortega will continue in the utility infield role next season, expect him to see some more time at second and third as the Calzones continue to groom him for an eventual utility role at the PEBA level.

As much as the fan base may be clamoring for a promotion of Scott Moss and his big time power potential, don’t expect it next season. He will be just 22 years old next season and the Calzones are not ready to rush the promising youngster. They would also like to see him really breakout next year before promoting him in 2011. Promising prospect António Chávez will repeat the AAA level as well, with Chávez concentrating most of his efforts on centerfield. Look for Miguel Dueñas to again man right field. Dueñas really took off after his promotion to AAA and the Calzones would love to see him duplicate those numbers over a full season at the level to determine if he is for real or not. Garland Evans should return as the team’s 4^th outfielder and faithful organizational soldier, while recently signed veteran journeyman outfielder Tony Pearson provides some veteran insurance. In other words, the entire outfield should return intact.

The Red Racers in 2010 should be a more veteran bunch in terms of experience, but may well remain one of the youngest teams at the AAA level. The added experience and keeping the core group together, plus the addition of 2 or 3 key veterans to provide leadership, should lead to much improved production both offensively and defensively. The pitching could be some of the best at the AAA level despite the fact that there are very few outstanding prospects in the bunch. The bullpen is still quite young and productive, even if most may fail to ever reach the PEBA level. The rotation has several interesting pitchers and could be one of the more solid at the AAA level, with 4 pitchers who have decent chances to pitch at the PEBA level in the next 2 to 3 seasons. On the offensive side of thing, solid prospects will litter this lineup from top to bottom. Questions may surround González and Luján making the jump from AA and whether the veterans Aquino and Inoue return at 1B or if the Calzones go another route there.

Consider that the Red Racers were 11-25 on May 13^th and have played just two games under .500 since that time. A really bad plan at the AAA level to start the season was scrapped and the entire organization was infused with more talent, most notably SP Pérez, SS Boone, CF Chávez and LF Moss at the AAA level. With almost every player repeating the level and stability throughout the season expected next year, a real climb in the standings is expected.

Projected lineup:
CF Chávez
SS Boone
RF Dueñas
LF Moss
C/DH Hull
C/DH Brett
1B Aquino/Inoue or TBD
3B Luján
2B Wilson

Projected Rotation:
LHP Pérez
RHP Sima
LHP Sharp
RHP Núñez
RHP Rentería

Bullpen:
Román (swing)
Romero (swing)
Stanley (swing or back to AA?)
Colón
Coture
Kennedy
López
Torres