Quick MInor League In Person Report

[JaxRed]

Visited Sarasota for minor league games today. Couple quick hits and will follow up later. Start with the bad news.

Last year's #12 Scott Gaffney had TJ surgery last week and is out for year.

Saw Travis Wood pitch a little and he looked good. Viola followed and he looked good. They were pitching for AA. They had 35 MPH cross wind. The AAA guys had 35 MPH wind heading out, and all the pitchers were getting hurt, especially Gardner.

then shot over to other side of town to Watch both A teams. Saw Mersaraco hit once. He's not stocky as I thought. He was with Sarasota, went over to Dayton field and Lotzkar was pitching. (I'm hoping you're jealous by now)

He loooked good !! Talked to Scott Carroll who introduced himself and seemed like good guy

More info later

[chicoruiz]

Thanks, Jax...I love this stuff and eagerly devour anything in this vein by you or anyone else lucky enough to be down there...

[dougdirt]

I heard that Travis Wood's outing was pretty strong.

Sucks to hear about Gaffney.

How did Lotzkar look?

And yes, I am jealous.

[lollipopcurve]

excellent Jax, thanks -- looking forward to more...

real glad to hear about Wood

[Ben]

Who is Scott Gaffney? I take it he was a 12th round pick, but was he a HS or College pitcher?

Thanks JaxRed for the Report though! I would love to see Travis Wood put it together this year and become a Top 50 BA prospect next year

[dougdirt]

Gaffney was out of Penn State

[JaxRed]

Sorry to take so long to update. I did see Stubbs hit the triple that was mentioned in the other thread. He smoked it to straight center and he was FAST.

The AA lineup was Guttierrez 1b, Turner 2b, castro ss, Fransciso 3b. Franciso hit HR. Heisey and Strait were in OF. Syzmanski was hitting so he was either the other OF or DH. Tordi was catching

Over in AAA Rios was at First, Tatum catching Griffin at 2b. Didn't catch most of other positions.

Other Guys I saw on AAA side:
Rosales
Dorn
Frazier
Gardner
Kroski
Barker? (can't read my writing)
Bolivar
2b Drew Anderson

Some guys on AA side not mentioned
Holden
DeJesus
Herrera
Eymam
Lutz
Soto (was hitting on another field)
Valakia
Kainer
Fisher
R. Ramirez
Jones?

[JaxRed]

On the Dayton side of things, when I walkd over from the Sarasota field, and I watched Mesaraco ground out, I saw a big guy pitching for Dragons, and he was throwing hard. I hoped it was Lotkzar and it was. I only saw him pitch one inning, but it was nice. Pitching, fast and getting guys to chase breaking balls in the dirt.

Some guy named Sosa was catching. He seemed to sting the ball twice hitting. Have no idea if he is prospect.

Talked to Kahaulelio who was drafted last year and tore his ACL on third day of practice. He was listed as SS on draft but was playing 2b during practice.

Terrell Young indicated he was going to be a closer and he hoped it was for Sarasota. He looked sharp closing the Dayton game.

[Triples]

Sorry to take so long to update. I did see Stubbs hit the triple that was mentioned in the other thread. He smoked it to straight center and he was FAST.

The AA lineup was Guttierrez 1b, Turner 2b, castro ss, Fransciso 3b. Franciso hit HR. Heisey and Strait were in OF. Syzmanski was hitting so he was either the other OF or DH. Tordi was catching

Over in AAA Rios was at First, Tatum catching Griffin at 2b. Didn't catch most of other positions.

Other Guys I saw on AAA side:
Rosales
Dorn
Frazier
Gardner
Kroski
Barker? (can't read my writing)
Bolivar
2b Drew Anderson

Some guys on AA side not mentioned
Holden
DeJesus
Herrera
Eymam
Lutz
Soto (was hitting on another field)
Valakia
Kainer
Fisher
R. Ramirez
Jones?

Now if you could just get a score book and a scanner everything would be right in the world!!

Kidding aside, I'm a bit jealous of you being there

[dougdirt]

Thanks for the updates Jax

[icehole3]

that was like sipping a cold beer on a very hot day, thx jax

[lollipopcurve]

thanks jax -- great stuff -- you're our eyes and ears!

[JaxRed]

Remembered one last thing. I know at least one guy was really talking up Hillenbrant even though he didn't pitch last year. I saw him (but not playing), he certainly didn't appear to be 6'2" to me. He looked about 5'9".

Anyone else see him?

[OesterPoster]

Remembered one last thing. I know at least one guy was really talking up Hillenbrant even though he didn't pitch last year. I saw him (but not playing), he certainly didn't appear to be 6'2" to me. He looked about 5'9".

Anyone else see him?

Must be the metric conversion.

Seriously though, you mentioned BJ Syzmanski. How much longer before the Reds just cut him loose? Is there really any hope that he'll eventually figure out his swing?

[tbball10]

Remembered one last thing. I know at least one guy was really talking up Hillenbrant even though he didn't pitch last year. I saw him (but not playing), he certainly didn't appear to be 6'2" to me. He looked about 5'9".

Anyone else see him?

i saw him throw an inning when i was there. he allowed only one base runner, and it was because of a wild pitch on a strikeout. nobody hit him hard.