Future Redbirds

The Ballpark: Dwyer Stadium II. Review and photos of the park here, if you are interested. Park factors are: Run factor 1.04, Hit 1.03, 2B 1.04, HR, 0.86, BB 1.05, K 0.97 for 2007, three year combined is: 1.03, 1.07, 1.16, 0.88, 1.08, 1.08. So it does play as a slight hitters park, but is suppressive of home runs.

Team stats-
Record Overall: 31-43, Finished 5th in Pinckney Division.
Runs Scored: 288.
Runs Allowed 324.
Pythagorean Record 33-41.
Runs per game: 3.89, 13th out of 14th in league.
Runs allowed per game: 4.38, 7th.
Team ISO: .093, -.019 league average.
Team OBP: .312, -.020 lg avg.
Team FIP: 3.33, -.004 lg avg.
DER .631, -.015 lg avg.
Average player age: 21.0.

Pretty bad squad overall, quite the offensive offense. Other then Andrew Brown, this was a pretty wimpy bunch, and I wouldn’t say Brown is much of a prospect, at least not now.

The hitters-
Top batting avg: Ross Oeder, .270.
OBP: Daniel Descalso, .346.
SLG: Andrew Brown, .444.
HR: Brown, 7.
Runs Created: Brown, 35.
RC/G: Brown, 4.81.
ISO: Brown, .206.
Nancy Limpwrist (lowest ISO): Oeder, .034.
Steals: Tommy Pham, 14
Best batting eye (BB/K ratio) Descalso .70.
BB%: Brown, 11.6%
David Eckstein Scrappy Pest Award (lowest K%): Descalso 13.1%
Hackmaster (highest K%): Pham, 24.3%
LD%: Tie-Charlie Pelt and Justin Roberson w/16%
wOBA: Brown, .332.
Secondary Average: Brown, .339.
OPS versus lefties: Brown, 1.001.
OPS versus RHP: Roberson, .778.

Starting pitchers-
Innings: Jonathan Stambaugh 65.2.
ERA: Jesse Todd 2.78.
FIP, or why your defense or lack thereof isn’t my flippin’ problem: Todd, 2.33.
Most dominant, or highest K%: Todd, 29.9%.
Best command, or K/BB: Jonathan Stambaugh, 6.625.
Best control (BB/PA %): Stambaugh, 2.9%.
Worst control: Blake King, 14.2%.
Wormburner: Todd, 59% ground ball rate. In 20 IP, Clay Mortensen had a 72% gb rate.
WHIP: Todd, 1.06.
Fewest BIP%: King, 57.9%.

As far as relievers go, Justin Fiske, Wayne Daman and Josh Dew all had notably good seasons, with Dew in particular. Dew’s 15 saves were good for 2nd in the league. He struck out 33% of the batters he faced, and when players did put the balls in play against him, 59% of the time they were grounders.

All Stars-Jesse Todd, Josh Dew, Andrew Brown.

Best prospects, in my opinion: My favorite of the bunch is Todd, who proved worthy of his high draft pick status, and ranked 4th in the league in K/9 (behind King). I think he could make the jump to Palm Beach next year. I already talked briefly about Josh Dew, I’d have to put him 2nd. Blake King was mostly crap in his follow up campaign, too wild. He did better after being demoted to Batavia, but still is issuing way too many walks. Thomas Eager posted a decent K/PA rate of 20%, but walks a few too many batters and was very hittable. Some of that may be in part of the paltry defense that played behind him. I have to say I’m intrigued by lefty J.D. Stambaugh.

The hitters are a sorry lot. I’m most disappointed by Tommy Pham. The guy was picked in last year’s draft, was given 3rd round money and has produced nothing. In 453 at bats between Johnson City, the Quad Cities, and Batavia the past 2 years he has hit .205/.300/.296. Sure, he has a decent enough walk rate and steals some bases, but you have to call him a pretty big disappointment so far. I’ve read scouting reports where in high school he threw 92 off the mound and showed a decent slider, perhaps a reverse Ankiel is in order. Andrew Brown led the team in several offensive categories, he’s another Nebraska product like Brandon Buckman and Luke Gorsett. Buckman was a suprise the way he dominated the MWL this year, perhaps Brown can follow in his footsteps. Daniel Descalso still doesn’t strike me as anything to get too worked up about, but he really came on in August by hitting .333/.379/.463. Carlos Gomez liked his swing. If you look at the roster, it’s mostly populated with late round draft picks and NDFAs, so I’m not overly surprised or concerned that they were this bad. Most of the players worth a holler, like Arni Cruz, Steve Hill, Tyler Henley or Descalso were called up to the QC after a short time there.

One player that is worth a holler about is Jonathan Edwards. He spent most of the season with Johnson City, but when their season ended he was called up and hit .394/.429/.606 in 35 plate appearances.