The Atlantic League vs. AAA

So the title might be a bit deceiving, but I am asking this question based on the fact that poor Mike Loree still hasn't been picked up by anyone. Before we get there though, let's see how three of the other recently featured players have been fairing since I covered them.

Brian Barden
Mere days after I wrote about him, he asked for his release from the Rangers organization so that he could sign with Hiroshima in the NPB. Since joining Hiroshima in Mid-July, Barden has appeared in 13 games for the big club and hit only .209/.292/.302 1 HR 1 2B and 7 1B... Not exactly pretty, but it is still early in his tenure there, and it does take some players awhile to get acclimated with the Japanese style of play.

Jose Constanza
A month after the article the Braves made a trade to acquire Michael Bourn and also decided that they would add Constanza to both the 40-Man Roster and the MLB Roster. Since joining the Braves, Constanza has been nothing but a big-time force. He and Bourn both have legitimate 80 Speed and make up, in my mind, the fastest OF in the MLB. Oh ya, he has continued to hit since joining the Braves as well. In his first 18 games he is hitting .385/.420/.523 with 2 HR and 5 SB. He has allowed the Braves to shuffle the lineups and allows the team to occasionally rest the slumping Jason Heyward. If Hayward can find his 2010 form, and Constanza can keep reaching base, the Braves will have a pretty prolific outfield for the next couple seasons.

Jimmy Swift
Not much to say here, the Rangers listened (haha), and moved Roof back to Hickory and promoted Swift to Myrtle Beach when Garcia went down with an injury. So far it hasn't gone well...but it's only been three games.

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Now the fun part, the Mike Loree conundrum.

Mike Loree turns 27 in a month (Oh and his age is confusing me PointStreak and Newsday both say 1984, MiLB and all other sources say 1986, but alas Villanova says 1984) , so yes that is a downside. He has no Major League experience, he has never pitched above Low-A in the minors, and he got rocked last year in his first season in the Atlantic League. Those are the negatives. But lets look at this from a future value perspective, with a month left in the season and the Angels AAA affiliate Salt Lake Bees pitching staff depleted, why not dip back into the Atlantic League and pick up Loree. Instead, the Bees tonight will send Matt Oye to the mound. Now, Matt Oye isn't bad, but he is 25 and spent the entire season in High-A. He just recently became a starter and his near 5 ERA in High-A isn't exactly inspiring. Now I realize the goal is to develop players, but why call-up Oye from High-A, where he has been average (5.32 ERA as a starter, 6 starts 23.2 IP) when Mike Loree is dominating in the Atlantic League. A league widely considered to have AAA-level hitting.

It is not like the Angels don't know the Atlantic League, in fact in June they signed both Jerome Williams and Matt Cusick. So now let's compare Matt Oye and for that matter another member of the Bees staff, Bear Bay, to one Mike Loree.

Loree this season for Long Island has gone 14-3 with a 1.79 ERA in 17 starts and 5 relief appearances. In 110.2 IP he has struck out 115 batters and walked only 27. For the that matter he has only allowed 92 hits, a 1.08 WHIP.

Matt Oye, pitching in the hitter-friendly California League, 4.87 ERA, 68.1 IP, 68 H, 25 BB, 54 K. Not exactly awe-inspiring. And as a starter, 5.32 ERA, 23.2 IP, 26 H, 7 BB, 19 K. Again not exactly pretty. And that was in High-A.

How about Bear Bay? Prior to getting a minor league deal with the Angels this offseason Bear Bay had spent the past three years in the Northern League (Low to High-A level Independent League) where he had an awful first season, but then two straight excellent seasons. Still his numbers, in a worse league, were never close to what Loree is putting up. Bear Bay in the indy's average 6.88 K/9 2.18 BB/9 and 1.27 WHIP. This season for the Bees, Bay has made 22 starts and 3 relief appearances, posting a 4.70 ERA in 143.2 IP. He has struck out only 86 and walked 32. Opponents are hitting .310 off of him. And he is starting every five days for the Bees.

So Mike Loree, pitching at a level that many consider comparable to AAA, is holding opponents to a .222 average, is averaging 9.35 K/9, and has been overmatching all of his opposition, and yet he is still on Long Island, pitching every fifth day for the Ducks, while Bear Bay and now Mike Oye make starts for the Salt Lake Bees in the AAA Pacific Coast League.

This is just one team out of 30 at the Triple-A level, I guarantee that there are others who could use a starter like Loree. You could get four maybe five starts out of him if you signed him now and get an accurate idea of if you'd want him back for next season. Meanwhile Matt Oye, who is still under control for three more minor league seasons could continue to build his arm strength in High-A with the hopes of him potentially becoming a valuable contributor down the road.

I'm never out to push one player being signed at the expense of another's career but I believe that many of the Atlantic League's players deserve more of a look than that get.

Comments?

Feast or Famine: Jai Miller

While working on the next major piece, "Speed Kills" I came upon one of my favorite Minor Leaguers, Jai Miller. Jai is one of those freak athletes, he had committed to Stanford to play Wide Receiver and Point Guard (not baseball) before signing with the Marlins after being drafted in the fourth round in 2003. Jai has made the Majors twice, and struggled, but he is what I like to call the perfect bipolar statistical star. Especially here in 2011 where he is playing with the Sacramento River Cats.

On the surface his slashline .291/.396/.672 looks quite impressive. The issue is the 105 strikeouts in 247 ABs (42.5%). Contrast though to the fact that when he puts the ball in play he is (72/142) batting .507. YES, a BABIP of .507. And how about this fact, 44 of his 72 hits are for extra bases, a whopping 61.1%. Oh ya, he is also 11 for 11 at steal attempts.

Just a quick post, but I hope you enjoy these freakish numbers.

Give 'Em A Shot: AAAA Players

So most die-hard fans know their team's top prospects, but what about the forgotten guys, the guys who are role-players, fillers, the like. Fact of the matter is some of these role-players for one team, could be a true contributer to a different major league club. In this weekly feature we will look at two "AAAA" players who could be a help to your big-league club.

Brian Barden
Age: 30
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200
Organization: Rangers
Bats/Throws: R/R
Position: 3B/INF

Barden was drafted in the 6th round in 2002, and while he does have 119 games of MLB Experience, the guy has spent parts of the last EIGHT years at the AAA-level. He has played over 100 games at 2B, SS, and 3B. Barden is a reliable fielder, and is a career .300 hitter in the minors. He isn't a huge power-threat but he has a career .805 OPS in the minors, and can hit a bit. His time in the majors hasn't been great, .211 in 175 ABs. But he has also shown that he can have a role. I think of Andres Blanco when I see Barden, they are about the same build, and I think he could fit a Blanco-esque role quite nicely with the right-team. In fact they have nearly identical fielding percentages in the minors, with Barden holding a slight edge. Barden is a better hitter, and while he may not have the range of Blanco, I think he has greater value than Blanco. He does swing and miss more frequently than the average Major Leaguer, and this could be a hinderance, his career (combined MLB/MiLB) K rate is 20.8%.

Barden is the perfect utility infielder for a team that could use an above average fielder, and a decent hitter. He is tearing up AAA at the moment, (as of 6/28/11: .360/.405/.557) and really deserves a full-time MLB Bench gig. Surely there is some-team willing to flip a AAA-Reliever or low-level prospect for some quick and easy bench help.

Jose Constanza

Age: 27

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 150

Organization: Braves

Bats/Throws: L/L

Position: CF/OF

Ok, so looking at him, Constanza doesn't look like a ballplayer. But all he has done so far in 2011 is PRODUCE. He started 2011 as a Caribbean World Series All-Star, and has kept it rolling. Even historically Constanza produces, he was the DSL MVP in 2004, was an NYPL All-Star in 2005, and was an International League all-star in 2010, and repeating in 2011. His game is built around speed, in fact he was named the International League's fastest player last season. He made his AAA debut last season with Columbus (Indians AAA) and raked at a .319 clip. This season he isn't slowing down, through June 28th he is hitting .339/.386/.392. He has no power to speak of (his OBP is actually HIGHER than his slugging for his career, .367 vs. .360), so far he has a TOTAL of 7 extra base hits...and 76 singles. But he hits for average no denying that and can make things happen with his speed, 224 SB in 6+ professional seasons and an 80% success rate. His success rate has been 81.5% in AAA, and overall he has the potential to swipe one at anytime.  He is a good OF, with good instincts, and great closing speed. He has a decent arm, recording 7 assists in 110 games last season, and doesn't make many mistakes (2 errors in 110 games). 

He could be a valuable late season add for a team looking for a speed-boost and a good defensive replacement. That likely won't happen with the Braves, though I wouldn't count it out as they only have 5 OF on the 40-man roster and only Matt Young isn't with the MLB-team now. Instead Young is teaming with Constanza in Gwinnett and is hitting .310. Both Young and Constanza are similar players, but Constanza has the speed advantage and in my mind that makes him more valuable. Young being on the 40-man though will likely keep him with the Braves.