2021-2022 Winter Ball - AFL, Instructional, Latin America

[andyb]

No idea but the thought did cross my mind. If that is true it probably would make me more willing to trade him.

On the positive side one also might say that he did get lots of AB this season and since he has played there once, it is better to expose players a level below him (i.e. Stott and Muzziotti) that have not had the experience yet. We don't NEED everyone to play over the winter. Bohm for instance needs to work on his defense and does not need the AFL. Haseley needs a tougher league like the Dominican. Someone like Rojas is probably a bit too young and maybe he even gets a couple of weeks in the Dominican league.

[andyb]

Matt's father commented in the PhuturePhillies discussion post and Mickey has been vaccinated since back in May. The injury is a lingering groin injury where rest is the main prescription with full baseball workouts hopefully by December.

Sometimes we just should not jump to conclusions even if there are some dumb tweets out there.

[andyb]

It looks like a very short instructional league is coming to an end. Some reports on the last 2 days here:

10/12/21 : Today in Fall Instructs

Big news is the return of Andrew Schultz from TJ surgery and throwing almost as hard as he did before (97-99). Cabrera also in the 93-94 range (the Paul Owens award winner from the DSL). Erik Miller 94-96 and then off to Arizona which starts tomorrow.

One interesting offensive note is that Franmil Minyety (it will take me a while to learn to consistently spell that) is playing some catcher. Hao Yu Lee also seems to get hits pretty consistently. Nicholas Torres did hit a HR yesterday too.

[andyb]

Arizona Fall League starts today. Phillies contingent is part of the Peoria Javelinas who play at 12:35 MST today (3 hours ahead of EDT, so 3:35 for most of us).

Arizona Fall League Scoreboard

Stott hitting 3rd at SS and O'Hoppe hitting 8th behind the plate. Muzziotti active among the reserves. Crouse is the scheduled starter tomorrow as well for Peoria.

Stott on base 5 times in a row. (3 BB, 2B, 1B) 97 mph exit velocity on the 2B. O'Hoppe reached on an error and then lined out (105 mph). 0-3 with a BB. Statcast below.

Baseball Savant - Statcast Game Feed & Advanced Metrics

[kmc1019]

Not a whole lot from Day 1 of Arizona yesterday, but great day for Bryson Stott, who reached base all 5 times on 2 for 2 with a double and 3 walks plus a stolen base. I'm especially eager to see Stott succeed in Arizona as - for as good a year as he had - he did look overmatched against higher caliber pitching in Spring Training, IMHO.

O'Hoppe hitless in 4 at bats, with one walk.

No other appearances that I can see.

[andyb]

More instructional league notes (I guess they are not quite done yet as they have a couple of road games in Dunedin):

10/13/21 : Today in Fall Instructs

Jhailyn Ortiz confirmed with a Dominican Winter League assignment. Season starts 10/27 there.

[bkox]

10/14/21 : RHP Mick Abel back on the hill today in Fall Instructs … threw a scoreless inning - 0 BB, 2 K’s … FB range 97-99 … game against Blue Jays in Dunedin

— PhilliesBaseballFan.com ( @s_m_potter ) October 14, 2021

[bkox]

@Phillies CF Simon Muzzotti made a fine throw from CF to nail a runner at the plate. Right on the money. I was sitting behind the plate. Runner looked safe to me, but was called out. Throw had great carry. Excellent.

— Bernie Pleskoff ( @BerniePleskoff ) October 14, 2021

[andyb]

And the throw:
https://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB/status/1448749329183764483

Stott continues to get on base. 1-3 with 2BBs.

[bkox]

Hans Crouse's AFL debut is over.

4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 61 pitches, 36 strikes.

Looked dominant at times, out of control in others. Fortunate to get away with just the one run in the top of the fourth, after working the bases loaded with 0 out. https://t.co/WLZlZQ4M66

— Sam Dykstra ( @SamDykstraMiLB ) October 16, 2021

[Austinfan]

Doesn't surprise me, didn't look ML ready in the couple cameos he had at the end of the season.
Needs that full season in AAA ball to determine if he has starter stuff or should move to the pen.

[andyb]

Stott 3-5 with 5 BBs in the first 3 games. O'Hoppe 0-8 with 1 BB and Muzziotti 0-4 with 1 BB. Crouse had the 4 innings above and Damon Jones followed with 2 scoreless.

Down in Mexico Jeff Singer has 2 scoreless outings (2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K). Venezuela starts next weekend and the Dominican starts the week after.

[bkox]

NOt sure where to put this.. so this seems to be a good enough thread:

Sources: MLB clubs to give MiLB players housing

[andyb]

Some Keith Law notes on the AFL here. Mostly about how the rule changes are not working. Too many walks because of the automated zone. Shift rules allowing too many hits. Pitch clock seems poorly implemented. I still am willing to try these things though. Most agree we should have an automated zone because we have the technology (and the strike zone box on TV really necessitates it. But we should take a few years to get it right and implement it in the minors for at least 2 seasons so pitchers are trained in it. Not a fan of the shift rules personally. Agnostic on pitch clocks as most time is spent with runners on base.

Only Phillies scouting note is on Crouse. Generally likes his stuff these days but the velocity is down a bit from a couple of years ago and the motion is high effort which suggests reliever more than starter.

BTW here is what Law refers to on Crouse and Torkelson. Crouse gets the pitch clock K when Torkelson took an extra couple of seconds getting in the box. This seems highly arbitrary to me (and would have gotten a manager tossed in MLB).
https://twitter.com/SamDykstraMiLB/status/1449190506697662490

Arizona Fall League experiments gone awry, plus notes on Spencer Torkelson,...

[andyb]

And some notes from instructional league. Big velocity numbers from Abel, Painter, Schultz, and Baker.

10/16/21 : Today in Fall Instructs

[nycphils]

Shift rules allowing hits is exactly the idea. That, the three batter rule, the pitch clock and the automated strike zones will put non HR offense back into the game.

[andyb]

Shift rules allowing hits is exactly the idea. That, the three batter rule, the pitch clock and the automated strike zones will put non HR offense back into the game.

The criticism was that the change led to longer games. I am against them because I am OK with the additional hits. I think I want a pretty large automated zone though. More strikes = more swinging = more balls in play. Deaden the baseball and the incentive drops to swing for the fences over the shifts and to use the whole field more.

I clearly don't want games with 22 walks though no matter what they do here. Stott might draw 200 walks a year when he comes up though. And he did not see the automated zones this year at all because those were in Clearwater.

[philsphan67]

I read the Athletic article and a similar result happened in low A ball with the robot umps. This is the place to start the process - the zone needs to be expanded, but eventually (2-3 years) the accuracy will surpass the human angle. I am tired of the constant questioning and arguing with the umpires - most are really trying and doing the best they can.

The pitch clock has been a big positive in the minors (and the olympics). 15 secs is way too fast, probably start at 20 or 22 with no runners on base and then add the clock with runners on base in year two. I am all about limiting pick off attempts too - Greg Maddux always said just worry about the batter. And if steals go up, walks should go down with the base stealers.

I do agree the ball needs to be deadened some more. HR's are down this year, but hitters are still trying to hit HR's vs put the ball in play. Play-off games are too long! My son and his friends barely watch - college age.

[Austinfan]

I'm all for automated strike zone, once pitchers get used to it there will be less walks because they don't have to wonder if a pitch will be called a ball or strike - but it will reduce the defensive value of catchers and put a bigger premium on catcher offense.

[Austinfan]

Baker is one to keep an eye on this year, not just the velo,
Converted SS out of JC, so probably was a bit under the radar, has two breaking balls and a changeup.
Needs a lot of work of course, but raw material to move rapidly as a RP.