2020-2021 Winter League Discussion

andyb 2021-01-06 15:32:06 UTC #63

Watching some of the game and it really looks like the ABL is about low A ball quality this year. Some of the better imported prospects did not make it over and we are looking at mediocre 90 mph fastballs and hanging curves. Probably why Drew Anderson was so dominant.

Simmons is the best news for me as to our prospects playing well as he would have been at Lakewood last year. Wingrove is harder to see as a prospect. One has to think he'll basically be a DH when he is 260 pounds at age 20. He definitely has power and part of his performance is likely being comfortable playing at home.

Randolph is disappointing. Lots of bad swings for a guy that should dominate here. Luke Williams also should dominate. He has looked better even without many hits in the first few games. He is probably utility depth but he'll need to hit more to have any sort of major league career.

allentown 2021-01-06 16:13:19 UTC #64

That's ok. Hitting well in A-ball would be another big step forward for Wingrove. Two years in GCL, but far better in year 2.

andyb 2021-01-07 17:43:14 UTC #65

No matter the level of competition, if Wingrove keeps hitting a HR a game that is a good thing. 3-run HR walkoff last night.

https://theabl.com.au/news/recap-per-vs-ade-2021-01-07/

andyb 2021-01-13 19:28:07 UTC #66

Daniel Brito mentioned here in the MLB Pipeline update:

Remember also that Friday (1/15) is the start of the international signing period.

Austinfan 2021-01-13 22:33:16 UTC #67

No question about the power, what is his K rate?
Big swingers with bad K rates tend to struggle as they go up the ladder and pitchers figure out how to fool them.
Remember Cozens?

One reason I love Bohm is that low K rate, as he fills out and gets experience the power will increase, but start with contact then up the exit velocity.

andyb 2021-01-14 14:57:52 UTC #68

Small international note. Victor Arano has been pitching in Mexico the last few weeks. 0-1, 2 saves and a 6.00 ERA in 9 IP (10 H, 3 BB, 10 K). I guess seeing him out there and healthy is good news, but I wonder how much patience the team will have with his 40-man roster spot.

Back in Australia Adelaide starts a 7-day, 10 game stretch. Wingrove (.353) is the only one hitting. Randolph (.158), Williams (.118), Simmons (.125), Edwards (.125) all struggling. Taylor Lehman started and had 3 shutout innings last night (1 H, 2 BB, 4 K).

andyb 2021-01-16 14:30:21 UTC #69

Lots of stuff going on in Australia. Different kind of walk-off win here:
https://theabl.com.au/news/recap-bri-vs-ade-2021-01-14/

Randolph with a key 2B and Wingrove with the winning run. Look at the video starting at 4:09 for Randolph's double. Pitcher (Aussie Ryan Searle) is rather large. He topped out in AAA about 5 years ago. Old friend Aaron Brown actually preceded him in the game.

Melbourne back in action on Friday and a big HR by catching prospect Chris Burke (who actually may be one of the better Aussie prospects we have signed given his age (19) and position. Not his fault he did not get a GCL season this year. Adelaide also with a win to move their record to 5-2. Wingrove (1-2, .333) keeps hitting. Randolph (1-3 with a 2B but hitting only .200). Kendall Simmons (.091) and Luke Williams (.130) ice cold of late.

Adelade stats:
https://adelaidegiants.com.au/stats

Austin Ross 2 shutout innings with 4 Ks among the pitchers.

andyb 2021-01-18 14:04:21 UTC #70

Cornelius Randolph picking it up a bit:
https://twitter.com/AlexCarrMLB/status/1351034107275456514

Tyler Burch was also added to the roster. 2019 UDFA from Lewis and Clark that pitched pretty well at Williamsport after signing.

andyb 2021-01-20 18:04:17 UTC #71

Rixon Wingrove celebrating the inauguration:
https://twitter.com/AdelaideGiants/status/1351788838369206272

And once again, Ryan Searle is just a large man serving up gopher balls. Wingrove average down into the 260s, but still a bright spot this winter.

andyb 2021-01-21 05:16:15 UTC #72

More on Simmons:

allentown 2021-01-21 14:00:06 UTC #73

This is not at all an encouraging article. Simmons said his swing was unlike that of other professionals, including watching MLB players. He now has a new swing that he thinks gives better results and more carry on the ball. He says the Phillies like the new swing and how he hits with it. He spent two seasons of short season ball in the Phillies organization. Why didn't the Phillies development staff try to correct his overly long swing? From what the article says, it seems the Phillies organization never mentioned any swing problems to him. Also, this is his age 21 season coming up. He's no longer super young. I realize it takes time to adjust to and master a new approach to hitting, but in ABL he's striking out at a higher rate than he did previously and hitting only around .150, which is discouraging. I guess ABL is two levels higher than he has played before, but likely the level that normal-to-slow progression would place him at this season, at least if last season wasn't interrupted by Covid. I guess I also would have expected that the Phillies organization would have stayed more in touch with him while he was doing his summer independent work and at least given him guidance on what he needed to work on, but it sounds like he was totally on his own.

fish 2021-01-21 16:13:24 UTC #74

Sure helps explain why the Dodgers get the results they do and the Phillies get the results they do.

andyb 2021-01-21 16:55:50 UTC #75

It is not a great endorsement of how the organization kept monitoring their prospects over the pandemic break. Simmons was probably going into his most important developmental year with his first full season league that also might have settled him into a consistent defensive position (I am betting 2B since Garcia and Stott are ahead of him at SS).

On the positive side it does look like he is serious about improving his game beyond his physical skills and the new approach explains the poor ABL performance somewhat (though the K rate may be more about learning the strike zone).

Just about everyone other than Stott missed the year among lower level prospects, so that is not his fault. It does underscore 2021 as an important year for lots of prospects. There is a logjam and fewer minor league spots at the table. Extended Spring this year will be hugely important going hopefully into a May restart for the full season leagues.

Jeff05 2021-01-31 15:56:20 UTC #76

With Perth going into lockdown for the next five days (at least), we can presumably expect some disruption to the ABL season.

andyb 2021-02-02 16:43:52 UTC #77

It does look like the ABL has games scheduled through this weekend at least. I guess there is little reason to stop since there is no minor league spring training till April. Maybe Drew Anderson will need to get to major league camp but that is it.

Stats on the Phillies that I see on rosters so far:
Luke Williams - up to .292 but only a .660 OPS. No power or patience from an advanced prospect unfortunately
Rixon Wingrove - .250 average but 7 HRs for a 883 OPS. Got a little exposed as the season went on but hot played above GCL so that was expected.
Cornelius Randolph - 13-62 with 2 HRs and 5 BBs. 630 OPS. Disappointing
Kendall Simmons - 11-64 with 1 HR. 439 OPS. Reworking his swing but he should be better than this (same age as Wingrove but played well at a higher level)
Mitch Edwards - 10-54. Catcher but his offense is pretty limited. 2 HRs
Colby Fitch - 6-30. 533 OPS. More advanced catcher so he should be better
Chris Burke - 13-49, 3 HRs. C/LF. One of the better stories for Phillies prospects as he is only 19

Austin Ross - 10.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 3 BB, 17 K
Taylor Lehman - 11.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 9 H, 10 BB, 16 K
Jason Lott - 17.1 IP, 5.19 ERA, 21 H, 6 BB, 12 K
Jonathan Hennigan - 8.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 H,, 7 BB, 10 K
Tyler Burch - 3.1 IP, 16.20 ERA, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 K
Luke Leftwich - 6.2 IP, 4.05 ERA, 3 H, 6 BB, 12 K
Josh Tols - 12.2 IP, 2.13 ERA, 6 H, 9 BB, 12 K

Clear that the Aussie players tended to do better which is not surprising (Wingrove, Burke, and Tols all among the better performers). Ross and Hennigan as older relievers also did well in their small samples.

The Caribbean Series kicks off this week too.

Coverage on ESPN Desportes. Some interesting free agents like Yadi Molina have supplemented their teams. Villar too but assume with Didi we are not interested any more. Not sure if any Phillies made the final rosters.

andyb 2021-02-09 14:07:25 UTC #78

ABL playoffs upcoming:
https://adelaidegiants.com.au/news/preview-giants-finalise-abl-playoff-roster/

Hidden little news is that 2 players (Luke Williams and Jonathan Hennigan) have gone home from Adelaide because they are being invited to major league camp. Anyone remaining, like Cornelius Randolph, is not going to major league camp.

zambonir 2021-02-09 17:21:48 UTC #79

I guess this is Randolph's last season in the organization no matter how it shakes out.

andyb 2021-02-09 17:44:09 UTC #80

Not expecting that 900+ OPS season in Lehigh Valley?

zambonir 2021-02-09 18:03:51 UTC #81

Ha, I mean, I guess I'm wondering if he even makes it to Lehigh Valley? I mean, I'm sure keeping him on the roster isn't a huge issue, and I suppose you never know. But there's nobody left at the top of the organization with any stake in him and the major league team might be better served by a AAAA player getting regular LF playing time (or, ahem, Herrera). Seems like he could easily be in the released group come April.

andyb 2021-02-09 18:36:40 UTC #82

I am not sure there is anyone left from the LHV outfield in 2019 (AAAA types, Cozens, Haseley, Nick Williams). It has also been 2 years since 2019 in Reading so even if they are not great prospects, I actually think that entire OF moves up (Moniak, Randolph, Stephen). Luke Williams too.

Need to clear out Reading for everyone below that level in 2019 like Muzziotti. For someone like Randolph he probably deserves a small chance this year and that is it if he does not perform. If he gets pushed out by AAAA types he likely gets released instead of going back to Reading.