Jimbo
08-04-01, 03:09 AM
August 4, 2001
MINOR LEAGUE REPORT
Yankee Prospects Coveted by Other Teams
By JIM LUTTRELL
The New York Times
The Yankees' acquisition of STERLING HITCHCOCK for the minor league pitcher BRETT JODIE highlighted the organization's depth of live arms. There are more on the farm beyond the still erratic RANDY KEISLER and TED LILLY.
Three left-handers at Class AA Norwich are the best sign of that depth. RANDY FLORES had won seven straight decisions before falling to 11-4 Wednesday night with a 2-1 loss to Portland. Flores, a finesse pitcher, has not allowed more than three runs in 19 of his 20 starts and has a 2.27 earned run average.
ALEX GRAMAN has not allowed more than two runs in his last seven starts and pitched eight and a third scoreless innings last weekend in beating Reading, 5-0, allowing three hits, to improve to 9-8. After a four-game losing streak, Graman, a 1999 third-round pick, has improved his delivery and is now throwing strikes consistently.
BRANDON CLAUSSEN, a 34th-round pick in 1998, may have the best stuff of the three. He struck out 10 but did not get a decision against Reading on Saturday. It was his second consecutive start with 10 or more strikeouts, and he leads the minors with 171 strikeouts in 148 2-3 innings after starting the season in the Florida State League. He is 6-2 with a 2.14 E.R.A.
The right-hander MANUEL ACOSTA was supposed to open the season in the Gulf Coast League or at short-season Staten Island. Injuries, however, forced him to advance to Class A Greensboro. After two difficult starts, Acosta, a 20-year-old Panamanian, allowed only four earned runs in six games, going 4-1. He is throwing his breaking ball for strikes when he is behind in the count, and his fastball is hitting 93 miles an hour.
JASON ARNOLD, a right-hander drafted in the second round this year as compensation for losing DENNY NEAGLE, leads the New York-Penn League with an 0.58 E.R.A. He is 6-0 after eight scoreless innings of a 3-1 victory over Batavia on Wednesday. In his previous start, Arnold pitched the first no-hitter in Staten Island's history, striking out 15 in beating Vermont, 8-0.
Northern League
AARON FERA had a pretty decent three-day stretch. On Monday, Fera, a New Jersey Jackals outfielder, was named the East Division's player of the week after hitting .429 with 5 homers and 16 runs batted in. On Tuesday, Fera, 23, went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and three R.B.I. in the All-Star Game to help the East to a 7-4 victory over the Central. Then on Wednesday, the Jackals sold Fera's contract to the St. Louis Cardinals and he was assigned to Class A Peoria. Fera led the East Division with 18 home runs and was second with 54 R.B.I. and third in batting at .355.... New Jersey third baseman RYAN KANE was the most valuable player in the All-Star Game, hitting a homer and driving in the tying and go-ahead runs with a fourth-inning single.
New York-Penn League
The Brooklyn Cyclones had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with a 7-5 defeat at Auburn. But their home winning streak still stands at 20 games and they are 21-2 at KeySpan Park. ... FRANK CORR went 5 for 5 as the Cyclones set a team record with 18 hits in beating Vermont, 8-2, on Saturday. The Expos also set a team record, striking out 17 times. ... Staten Island first baseman AARON RIFKIN hit a home run in his third consecutive game on Saturday, a 5-3 loss to Hudson Valley.
Eastern League
Bowie's JOHN STEPHENS completed the league's third no-hitter of the season with a 2-0 victory over Harrisburg. Stephens, a right-hander, extended his scoreless streak to 32 2-3 innings, the longest in the minors this season. ... Binghamton's ROB STRATTON loves facing Trenton pitching. Stratton, a B-Mets outfielder, hit his 27th home run on Monday in a 4-3 victory. In 11 games against the Thunder, he has 5 homers and 10 R.B.I.
International League
The Mets' top prospect, JAE WONG SEO, pitched six scoreless innings in his Class AAA debut on Monday, and Norfolk went on to a 1-0 victory over Columbus. Seo, 24, allowed three hits and struck out five. ... TIMO PEREZ had a 14-game hitting streak for the Tides and is hitting .417. ... NATE CORNEJO won his 15th game of the season, tops in the minors. Cornejo, a Detroit Tigers prospect, was 12-3 with Class AA Erie before being promoted and winning all three of his starts for Toledo.... Despite a pair of homers on Saturday, DREW HENSON was struggling with the Clippers. Through 37 games, he was hitting .209 with 4 homers and 18 R.B.I., while striking out 48 times and walking just 8.
Around the Minors
WILY MO PENA, acquired by Cincinnati from the Yankees in the DREW HENSON trade this spring, has 19 homers and 24 stolen bases for Dayton. Pena, who at 19 is among the youngest players in the Class A Midwest League, is batting .265 but has struck out 133 times and walked just 28. ... MANNY AYBAR, acquired by Tampa Bay from the Cubs in the FRED McGRIFF deal, surrendered 6 runs and 10 hits in his first appearance for Class AAA Durham. Aybar, 26, has been with five organizations in three years.
Still Peppery
The Mets could always count on WALLY BACKMAN for a spark, and the former second baseman has not changed much as the manager of the Class A Winston-Salem Warthogs. In a game at Potomac this season, Backman had to be restrained by his coaches while arguing with the official scorer. ``We haven't had a tremendous amount of talent this year, but he's kept the team going with a lot of attitude,'' PETE FISCH, the general manager of the White Sox affiliate, said. ``He always went in spikes up, and that's the way he manages.''
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/04/sports/baseball/04MINORS.html
MINOR LEAGUE REPORT
Yankee Prospects Coveted by Other Teams
By JIM LUTTRELL
The New York Times
The Yankees' acquisition of STERLING HITCHCOCK for the minor league pitcher BRETT JODIE highlighted the organization's depth of live arms. There are more on the farm beyond the still erratic RANDY KEISLER and TED LILLY.
Three left-handers at Class AA Norwich are the best sign of that depth. RANDY FLORES had won seven straight decisions before falling to 11-4 Wednesday night with a 2-1 loss to Portland. Flores, a finesse pitcher, has not allowed more than three runs in 19 of his 20 starts and has a 2.27 earned run average.
ALEX GRAMAN has not allowed more than two runs in his last seven starts and pitched eight and a third scoreless innings last weekend in beating Reading, 5-0, allowing three hits, to improve to 9-8. After a four-game losing streak, Graman, a 1999 third-round pick, has improved his delivery and is now throwing strikes consistently.
BRANDON CLAUSSEN, a 34th-round pick in 1998, may have the best stuff of the three. He struck out 10 but did not get a decision against Reading on Saturday. It was his second consecutive start with 10 or more strikeouts, and he leads the minors with 171 strikeouts in 148 2-3 innings after starting the season in the Florida State League. He is 6-2 with a 2.14 E.R.A.
The right-hander MANUEL ACOSTA was supposed to open the season in the Gulf Coast League or at short-season Staten Island. Injuries, however, forced him to advance to Class A Greensboro. After two difficult starts, Acosta, a 20-year-old Panamanian, allowed only four earned runs in six games, going 4-1. He is throwing his breaking ball for strikes when he is behind in the count, and his fastball is hitting 93 miles an hour.
JASON ARNOLD, a right-hander drafted in the second round this year as compensation for losing DENNY NEAGLE, leads the New York-Penn League with an 0.58 E.R.A. He is 6-0 after eight scoreless innings of a 3-1 victory over Batavia on Wednesday. In his previous start, Arnold pitched the first no-hitter in Staten Island's history, striking out 15 in beating Vermont, 8-0.
Northern League
AARON FERA had a pretty decent three-day stretch. On Monday, Fera, a New Jersey Jackals outfielder, was named the East Division's player of the week after hitting .429 with 5 homers and 16 runs batted in. On Tuesday, Fera, 23, went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and three R.B.I. in the All-Star Game to help the East to a 7-4 victory over the Central. Then on Wednesday, the Jackals sold Fera's contract to the St. Louis Cardinals and he was assigned to Class A Peoria. Fera led the East Division with 18 home runs and was second with 54 R.B.I. and third in batting at .355.... New Jersey third baseman RYAN KANE was the most valuable player in the All-Star Game, hitting a homer and driving in the tying and go-ahead runs with a fourth-inning single.
New York-Penn League
The Brooklyn Cyclones had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with a 7-5 defeat at Auburn. But their home winning streak still stands at 20 games and they are 21-2 at KeySpan Park. ... FRANK CORR went 5 for 5 as the Cyclones set a team record with 18 hits in beating Vermont, 8-2, on Saturday. The Expos also set a team record, striking out 17 times. ... Staten Island first baseman AARON RIFKIN hit a home run in his third consecutive game on Saturday, a 5-3 loss to Hudson Valley.
Eastern League
Bowie's JOHN STEPHENS completed the league's third no-hitter of the season with a 2-0 victory over Harrisburg. Stephens, a right-hander, extended his scoreless streak to 32 2-3 innings, the longest in the minors this season. ... Binghamton's ROB STRATTON loves facing Trenton pitching. Stratton, a B-Mets outfielder, hit his 27th home run on Monday in a 4-3 victory. In 11 games against the Thunder, he has 5 homers and 10 R.B.I.
International League
The Mets' top prospect, JAE WONG SEO, pitched six scoreless innings in his Class AAA debut on Monday, and Norfolk went on to a 1-0 victory over Columbus. Seo, 24, allowed three hits and struck out five. ... TIMO PEREZ had a 14-game hitting streak for the Tides and is hitting .417. ... NATE CORNEJO won his 15th game of the season, tops in the minors. Cornejo, a Detroit Tigers prospect, was 12-3 with Class AA Erie before being promoted and winning all three of his starts for Toledo.... Despite a pair of homers on Saturday, DREW HENSON was struggling with the Clippers. Through 37 games, he was hitting .209 with 4 homers and 18 R.B.I., while striking out 48 times and walking just 8.
Around the Minors
WILY MO PENA, acquired by Cincinnati from the Yankees in the DREW HENSON trade this spring, has 19 homers and 24 stolen bases for Dayton. Pena, who at 19 is among the youngest players in the Class A Midwest League, is batting .265 but has struck out 133 times and walked just 28. ... MANNY AYBAR, acquired by Tampa Bay from the Cubs in the FRED McGRIFF deal, surrendered 6 runs and 10 hits in his first appearance for Class AAA Durham. Aybar, 26, has been with five organizations in three years.
Still Peppery
The Mets could always count on WALLY BACKMAN for a spark, and the former second baseman has not changed much as the manager of the Class A Winston-Salem Warthogs. In a game at Potomac this season, Backman had to be restrained by his coaches while arguing with the official scorer. ``We haven't had a tremendous amount of talent this year, but he's kept the team going with a lot of attitude,'' PETE FISCH, the general manager of the White Sox affiliate, said. ``He always went in spikes up, and that's the way he manages.''
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/04/sports/baseball/04MINORS.html