Hyun-Jin Ryu made his Dodgers' debut on Sunday at Camelback Ranch. He threw one inning, allowed one hit and struck out Gordon Beckham on a changeup low and away -- Ryu's signature pitch.
The hit he allowed was a triple to Dewayne Wise on a hanging curveball. Sandy Koufax worked with Ryu in a bullpen session a few days ago, but apparently Ryu hasn't yet mastered the pitch (understandably so).
Don Mattingly said Ryu will likely go two or three innings in his next spring start.
So far, so good. Here's the video, courtesy of @MyKBO.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Speedsters: Examining the fastest prospects in the Dodgers' farm system
Speed, as much as it tries to make a comeback, is still a lost art in baseball. Gone are the days of Lou Brock, Vince Coleman, Rickey Henderson and Maury Wills stealing 100-plus bases in a season.
The Dodgers have one player who's come up through the system in recent years to have plus-plus speed: Dee Gordon. While fast, he hasn't been able to get on base enough to make use of said speed.
There's no Billy Hamilton in this group of speed demons, but the Dodgers have a few intriguing jackrabbits in the farm system. But, like the diminishing elite speed in baseball, the Dodgers don't have that many speedsters. They might have some in the lowest level of the minors, but there isn't a lot of information on those players.
A couple guys who looked like, at one time, might be plus-runners were Brian Cavazos-Galvez and Rafael Ynoa. Cavazos-Galvez stole 43 bases in 2010 at Great Lakes. However, he's failed to top 17 stolen bases in any other season. Ynoa stole 40 bases on the same team as Cavazos-Galvez in 2010. His highest total since is 23, which he tallied in 2012.
This list is reserved for players with at least a "60" speed rating (on the 20-80 scale), which is plus speed.
Best speed prospects
James Baldwin
- Baldwin is the fastest runner in the system, with legitimate plus-plus speed. He's shown that speed in his 219-game career, swiping 92 bases (caught just 16 times). He does it as a center fielder, where his plus-plus speed allows him to track balls down that some center fielders couldn't dream of catching.
Noel Cuevas
- Cuevas is probably the "slowest" of the five on this list, but he still managed to steal 35 bases in 42 attempts in 2012. He has the speed and range to play center field -- where his bat would play best, but he'll likely end up in a corner, likely left field. Still, a left fielder with the range of a center fielder is never a bad thing.
Malcolm Holland
- Holland was a Boise State University commit as a defensive back in football before the Dodgers signed him away as a 33rd-round draft pick. Holland showed off that defensive back speed in his second season by stealing 44 bases (caught nine times) in 60 games for Ogden in 2012. Defensively, he profiles at either second base or center field. Obviously, his speed would benefit him much better in center, but that speed also allows him to range for balls at second better than others.
Yasiel Puig
- There have been varying reports about Puig's speed. I gave him a "55" in my Top 50 rankings. This was before DeJon Watson made this claim on local Los Angeles radio:
Darnell Sweeney
- Sweeney is easily the best runner from the Dodgers' 2012 draft class, and he showed it in his debut. Built a lot like Gordon, Sweeney stole 27 bases in 33 attempts in his debut season and easily has plus speed. He's not as fast as Gordon, but Sweeney is at least a "60" runner and could be a "65" runner going forward. At shortstop, he has a good range and a quick first step. He could be a dynamic leadoff-hitting shorstop if everything falls into place.
The Dodgers have one player who's come up through the system in recent years to have plus-plus speed: Dee Gordon. While fast, he hasn't been able to get on base enough to make use of said speed.
There's no Billy Hamilton in this group of speed demons, but the Dodgers have a few intriguing jackrabbits in the farm system. But, like the diminishing elite speed in baseball, the Dodgers don't have that many speedsters. They might have some in the lowest level of the minors, but there isn't a lot of information on those players.
A couple guys who looked like, at one time, might be plus-runners were Brian Cavazos-Galvez and Rafael Ynoa. Cavazos-Galvez stole 43 bases in 2010 at Great Lakes. However, he's failed to top 17 stolen bases in any other season. Ynoa stole 40 bases on the same team as Cavazos-Galvez in 2010. His highest total since is 23, which he tallied in 2012.
This list is reserved for players with at least a "60" speed rating (on the 20-80 scale), which is plus speed.
Best speed prospects
James Baldwin
- Baldwin is the fastest runner in the system, with legitimate plus-plus speed. He's shown that speed in his 219-game career, swiping 92 bases (caught just 16 times). He does it as a center fielder, where his plus-plus speed allows him to track balls down that some center fielders couldn't dream of catching.
Noel Cuevas
- Cuevas is probably the "slowest" of the five on this list, but he still managed to steal 35 bases in 42 attempts in 2012. He has the speed and range to play center field -- where his bat would play best, but he'll likely end up in a corner, likely left field. Still, a left fielder with the range of a center fielder is never a bad thing.
Malcolm Holland
- Holland was a Boise State University commit as a defensive back in football before the Dodgers signed him away as a 33rd-round draft pick. Holland showed off that defensive back speed in his second season by stealing 44 bases (caught nine times) in 60 games for Ogden in 2012. Defensively, he profiles at either second base or center field. Obviously, his speed would benefit him much better in center, but that speed also allows him to range for balls at second better than others.
Yasiel Puig
- There have been varying reports about Puig's speed. I gave him a "55" in my Top 50 rankings. This was before DeJon Watson made this claim on local Los Angeles radio:
I'm told that DeJon Watson, on 570am tonight, said Yasiel Puig has been playing some CF in Puerto Rico and has "75 speed".Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus also heard from a non-Dodger person that Puig has "7" (70) speed. So, he's either a slightly above-average runner, or he's a plus-plus runner. I'm inclined to believe it's somewhere in the 60-65 range. That's good enough to play center field, but Puig likely ends up in right field and could develop into a top-flight defender at the position with that speed.
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) January 17, 2013
Darnell Sweeney
- Sweeney is easily the best runner from the Dodgers' 2012 draft class, and he showed it in his debut. Built a lot like Gordon, Sweeney stole 27 bases in 33 attempts in his debut season and easily has plus speed. He's not as fast as Gordon, but Sweeney is at least a "60" runner and could be a "65" runner going forward. At shortstop, he has a good range and a quick first step. He could be a dynamic leadoff-hitting shorstop if everything falls into place.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 24 - prospects galore, BA Top 100, Q&A
Massey released his Top 20 Dodger prospects list and I tell him why he's utterly and completely wrong.
We also look at a couple of surprises in the Dodgers' system from the Baseball America Prospect Handbook -- specifically, Bobby Coyle and Joey Curletta.
We talk about the two Dodgers to make BA's Top 100 prospect list -- Hyun-Jin Ryu (42) and Yasiel Puig (47).
Per usual, we close with listener questions. Why do we keep hearing Alfonso Soriano linked to the Dodgers? How much of an impact will Mark McGwire have? Will Hanley Ramirez and Luis Cruz swap positions during the season? What do we think about the World Baseball Classic? What are we going to do when Vin Scully turns off his microphone? Plus a few others.
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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.
If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@LADugout or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.
Image credit: Joe Martin
Monday, February 18, 2013
Flamethrowers: Examining the best fastballs in the Dodgers' farm system
Sticking with the power theme, I'm going to look at the best fastballs in the in the Dodgers' farm system. I'll separate the starters and relievers.
The Dodgers have a lot of power arms in the system -- something every team should want. It remains to be seen if these guys, especially the starters, make it to the majors in some capacity. One thing's for sure: arm talent cannot be taught. Every pitcher on this list has arm talent that needs to be harnessed and controlled.
Starters
Scott Barlow
- When Barlow was drafted, he wasn't much of a flamethrower. He checked in at 89-91 MPH on his fastball with a projectable frame. In the Instructional League that year, he was sitting in the low-90s consistently and even touched the mid-90s. As a starter, that qualifies as a plus fastball. The only thing when placing Barlow on this list is he's thrown just 1 2/3 innings since turning pro.
Onelki Garcia
- Garcia has one of the more interesting fastballs in the system. He's heater has natural arm-side run and he can also sink it. But when he has to, he can pump his four-seamer up to 95 MPH. It sits in the 90-93 range and he can control it pretty well.
Jarret Martin
- Martin's fastball is a lot like Garcia's, but he doesn't control or sink it as well. Like most left-handers, there is some arm-side run with his fastball. Martin's biggest determent is his inability to control his fastball. The velocity is there, but the command and control aren't. For now, he's a starter. If he can't make it as a starter, his fastball could get a 1-2 MPH bump, making it that much better.
Chris Reed
- Reed isn't one of my favorites, but his fastball is a legitimate pitch. Like Garcia and Martin before him, he can run it up to 95 MPH from the left side but works better in the low-90s. His biggest obstacle is going to be keeping his velocity up as a starter. As a reliever, he'd have little issue hitting the low-to-mid-90s consistently. As a starter, if he can work at 90-93 MPH, he should be golden.
Relievers
Pedro Baez
- A recent addition to the pitching staff, Baez was once clocked at 94 MPH across the diamond (from third to first). That's an impressive feat unto itself. Dodger minor-league pitching instructors are going to have their work cut out for them. They'll need to harness Baez's undeniable arm talent if they expect him to be a valuable reliever at any point.
Jose Dominguez
- Dominguez has the best fastball in the system that sits in the high-90s and regularly touches triple digits. He has a little trouble controlling the pitch, but the velocity cannot be denied. There was some buzz he could be popped in the Rule 5 Draft in December, mostly due to his great fastball.
Eric Eadington
- Eadington routinely works in the low-90s from the left side and even touched 95 MPH a couple times when I saw him in person in June. There isn't much else he does with it, but a consistent low-to-mid-90s fastball from a southpaw qualifies as a plus pitch.
Scott Griggs
- Griggs profiles as a power reliever out of the bullpen and boasts a consistent mid-90s fastball. He even runs it up to 98 MPH when needed. Control is a big issue for Griggs going forward as he walked 21 batters in his first 22 2/3 innings.
Juan Rodriguez
- Rodriguez is similar to Dominguez with his fastball, as it sits in the mid-to-high-90s and touches 100 MPH on occasion. But unlike Dominguez, Rodriguez has even more trouble controlling the pitch. He walked 41 batters in 38 1/3 last season. He can strike batters out, but that won't matter if he walks hitters at an historic rate.
Josh Wall
- Wall is the most accomplished of the relievers on this list, as he made his Major League debut last season while spending the rest of his time with the Isotopes. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and he can reach back for a little more if he needs it.
Chris Withrow
- Withrow routinely hit the low-to-mid-90s as a starting pitcher. Now, he profiles as a late-inning, power reliever out of the bullpen who can dial up his heater to the upper-90s. Like some of the other flamethrowers on this list, Withrow has trouble commanding the pitch, leading to an uncertain future. But his velocity isn't going anywhere.
The Dodgers have a lot of power arms in the system -- something every team should want. It remains to be seen if these guys, especially the starters, make it to the majors in some capacity. One thing's for sure: arm talent cannot be taught. Every pitcher on this list has arm talent that needs to be harnessed and controlled.
Starters
Scott Barlow
- When Barlow was drafted, he wasn't much of a flamethrower. He checked in at 89-91 MPH on his fastball with a projectable frame. In the Instructional League that year, he was sitting in the low-90s consistently and even touched the mid-90s. As a starter, that qualifies as a plus fastball. The only thing when placing Barlow on this list is he's thrown just 1 2/3 innings since turning pro.
Onelki Garcia
- Garcia has one of the more interesting fastballs in the system. He's heater has natural arm-side run and he can also sink it. But when he has to, he can pump his four-seamer up to 95 MPH. It sits in the 90-93 range and he can control it pretty well.
Jarret Martin
- Martin's fastball is a lot like Garcia's, but he doesn't control or sink it as well. Like most left-handers, there is some arm-side run with his fastball. Martin's biggest determent is his inability to control his fastball. The velocity is there, but the command and control aren't. For now, he's a starter. If he can't make it as a starter, his fastball could get a 1-2 MPH bump, making it that much better.
Chris Reed
- Reed isn't one of my favorites, but his fastball is a legitimate pitch. Like Garcia and Martin before him, he can run it up to 95 MPH from the left side but works better in the low-90s. His biggest obstacle is going to be keeping his velocity up as a starter. As a reliever, he'd have little issue hitting the low-to-mid-90s consistently. As a starter, if he can work at 90-93 MPH, he should be golden.
Relievers
Pedro Baez
- A recent addition to the pitching staff, Baez was once clocked at 94 MPH across the diamond (from third to first). That's an impressive feat unto itself. Dodger minor-league pitching instructors are going to have their work cut out for them. They'll need to harness Baez's undeniable arm talent if they expect him to be a valuable reliever at any point.
Jose Dominguez
- Dominguez has the best fastball in the system that sits in the high-90s and regularly touches triple digits. He has a little trouble controlling the pitch, but the velocity cannot be denied. There was some buzz he could be popped in the Rule 5 Draft in December, mostly due to his great fastball.
Eric Eadington
- Eadington routinely works in the low-90s from the left side and even touched 95 MPH a couple times when I saw him in person in June. There isn't much else he does with it, but a consistent low-to-mid-90s fastball from a southpaw qualifies as a plus pitch.
Scott Griggs
- Griggs profiles as a power reliever out of the bullpen and boasts a consistent mid-90s fastball. He even runs it up to 98 MPH when needed. Control is a big issue for Griggs going forward as he walked 21 batters in his first 22 2/3 innings.
Juan Rodriguez
- Rodriguez is similar to Dominguez with his fastball, as it sits in the mid-to-high-90s and touches 100 MPH on occasion. But unlike Dominguez, Rodriguez has even more trouble controlling the pitch. He walked 41 batters in 38 1/3 last season. He can strike batters out, but that won't matter if he walks hitters at an historic rate.
Josh Wall
- Wall is the most accomplished of the relievers on this list, as he made his Major League debut last season while spending the rest of his time with the Isotopes. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and he can reach back for a little more if he needs it.
Chris Withrow
- Withrow routinely hit the low-to-mid-90s as a starting pitcher. Now, he profiles as a late-inning, power reliever out of the bullpen who can dial up his heater to the upper-90s. Like some of the other flamethrowers on this list, Withrow has trouble commanding the pitch, leading to an uncertain future. But his velocity isn't going anywhere.
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