Saturday 9/12/09 Minor League Updates

[lollipopcurve]

Appreciate the game thread, GOYA.

Dorn and Denove coming up big.

I'm curious about how Bruce and Alonso look -- any impressions?

[Scrap Irony]

Alonso's Jeckyll and Hyde. One at-bat, he's got a plan and a really quick bat. The next, he appears completey lost. Breaking balls (good ones) that bite outside or under his hands are the best way to get him out. Both are holes he needs to address.

Bruce's bat looks much slower and his swing much more of an uppercut than last season. I was going over some of his AB's during his hot streak when he first came up and that swing was short, violent, and straight to the ball. This one is long and loopy and, while he still hits the ball hard when he hits it, good fastballs and good, hard breaking stuff outside the zone give him fits.

Dorn's swing, OTOH, is gorgeous. He's not a big guy at all-- smaller, IMO, than Heisey. But his swing generates some serious torque and power.

[lollipopcurve]

Alonso's Jeckyll and Hyde. One at-bat, he's got a plan and a really quick bat. The next, he appears completey lost. Breaking balls (good ones) that bite outside or under his hands are the best way to get him out. Both are holes he needs to address.

Bruce's bat looks much slower and his swing much more of an uppercut than last season. I was going over some of his AB's during his hot streak when he first came up and that swing was short, violent, and straight to the ball. This one is long and loopy and, while he still hits the ball hard when he hits it, good fastballs and good, hard breaking stuff outside the zone give him fits.

Dorn's swing, OTOH, is gorgeous. He's not a big guy at all-- smaller, IMO, than Heisey. But his swing generates some serious torque and power.

Thanks Scrap. Sounds like Bruce is still swinging the way he was in Cincy this year.

Interesting re: Dorn. I haven't been much of a Dorn believer, but his bat continues to play (even if other parts of his game will always be suspect, IMO).

How about Heisey? I've seen him a couple times, once in person and once on TV, and he looks a little stiff and prone to pull the ball. But this is a limited impression. Hard to argue with the numbers he's put up.

[Scrap Irony]

I loved Heisey's numbers and think he's a decent CF as well, with good range, a solid to above average arm, and good speed. But his bat, IMO, is pretty questionable. He's really far in front of good breaking pitches and hits often out of balance. (Off his front foot.)

The plus is that he has some speed and a good idea how to use it. If he's struggling, Heisey's perfectly willing to lay down a bunt or two. Problem is, that I've seen, he's not yet a great bunter. (Would love to see him drag bunt next season, as that's a weapon no many use and difficult to defend.)

He has some pop when he balanced and a short line drive stroke. Good speed. (Though not nearly as good as Stubbs, who may be among the five or six fastest players in MLB.)

He's polished with a low ceiling, but a high floor. At this point, I like his bat better than Stubbs. (Much better, actually.) In the GABP, he could be a 775-800 OPS bat. Actually, he reminds me a bit of Brady Clark and a bit of Chris Denorfia. (Their bios are really close to each other-- small colleges, late bloomers, power late in the minors, etc.)

At this point, a good option as a CFer for cheap, assuming LF and RF can hit and have some range.