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Minor League Baseball Note
Posted: Fri July 21, 2000 at 2:31 p.m. EDT INSIDER REPORT FOR FRIDAY, JULY 21
RANGERS ACQUIRE PAIR OF MINOR LEAGUERS IN EXCHANGE FOR VETERAN LOAIZA Looking at a 9 1/2 game deficit in the compact American League West race, the Texas Rangers Wednesday built for the future with the acquisition of minor leaguers Mike Young and Darwin Cubillan from Toronto in exchange for veteran righthander Esteban Loaiza. The 23-year-old Young is considered a solid defender with a good bat. The 6-foot, 185-pounder is batting .275 with six homers, 47 RBI, and 16 stolen bases for Tennessee in the Double-A Southern League this season. A 1997 fifth-round pick, Young hit .313 last year for Dunedin in the Class-A Florida State League and ranked second on the club with 83 RBI thanks to a .373 average with runners in scoring position. Young also has a keen eye at the plate, as his 61 walks last season, including five in one game, indicate. The California native has good speed and can play both middle infield positions. Though he has played second base this season, the Rangers have already decided that a position shift will be in order, with Jason Romano (.286, 3 HR, 27 RBI at Tulsa in the Double-A Texas League) already entrenched as the club's second baseman of the future. "He's a good player with sure hands and a plus arm," said Rangers Director of Player Development Reid Nichols. "We're going to move him to shortstop for the rest of the season (at Tulsa). At the plate, he's a consistent hitter with a good track record." Cubillan is not at the top of the prospect charts like Young, but he has put together an impressive run at Triple-A Syracuse this season, where he is 3-1, 0.57 ERA. In 31 2/3 innings, the 25-year-old has walked 13 and fanned 40. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder was unimpressive in six appearances with the big league club, covering 15 2/3 innings (1-0, 8.04 ERA). Originally signed by the Yankees in 1993 and drafted by the Blue Jays as a six-year free agent this past off-season, the lanky Venezuelan has a plus fastball and an above-average changeup. The Rangers feel that Cubillan's best numbers lie ahead of him. "He is just starting to come into his own, " said Nichols. "He hits 95 (mph) with the fastball, has a good change, and is working on his slider." In Loaiza, the Blue Jays add a veteran presence to what has been an inconsistent staff all year long. The 28-year-old Loaiza enjoyed his best season with the Pirates in 1997, when he went 11-11, 4.13 ERA in 33 outings. This year, he is 5-6, 5.37 ERA in 20 appearances. -------------- ORGANIZATION NOTES -------------- AMERICAN LEAGUE Angels Class-A RHP JOHN LACKEY, the club's second-round pick in the 1999 draft, was promoted from Lancaster in the advanced Class-A California League (6-6, 3.40 ERA) to Erie in the Double-A Eastern League. Angels Triple-A RHP SCOT SHIELDS allowed eight runs, six hits and four walks over 1 2/3 innings in an 11-4 Edmonton loss to Salt Lake on July 14. It was his fifth consecutive losing start in which he had allowed 30 runs, 35 hits and 18 walks in 23 1/3 innings to drop to 3-9, 5.91 ERA. A reliever in his first 102 professional appearances, Shields moved to the rotation in 1999 and led the organization in ERA (2.67) and strikeouts (194) while finishing second in wins (14). His strikeout total ranked tied for third in the minor leagues last season, and he put together a string of 23 2/3 scoreless frames from June 27-July 12...Triple-A RHP RAMON ORTIZ won four straight starts June 25-July 18 (28 IP, 20 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 6 BB, 22 SO) to improve to 6-3, 4.43 ERA. Athletics Triple-A RHP ARIEL PRIETO (6-3, 3.34 ERA) was promoted to Oakland. The 33-year-old, a 1995 first-round pick, missed all of 1999 with elbow problems. The Cuban native made five starts for the big league club this season, going 1-1, 5.21 ERA. He is 15-23, 4.88 ERA pitching in parts of five major league seasons. Blue Jays Class-A 1B JOSEPHANG BERNHARDT went 4-for-51 in 15 games June 24-July 18 for Queens in the short-season New York -- Penn League. The 19-year-old is now hitting .136 with no homers and three RBI in 17 games. He spent limited time with both Hagerstown in the Class-A South Atlantic and Dunedin in the advanced Class-A Florida State League earlier this year. Bernhardt signed with the Blue Jays back in 1996 for $1 million, a record for Dominican players at that time. He has hit just .205 with eight homers and 70 RBI in 659 career at-bats spanning four seasons. Blue Jays Triple-A RHP LEO ESTRELLA, who threw a no-hitter and a perfect game this season for Syracuse, was promoted to Toronto. He pitched three innings of relief on July 18 (1 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) but did not register a decision in the Blue Jays' 11-7 loss to the Mets. The 25-year-old went 5-5, 3.67 ERA this season for Tennessee before being promoted to Syracuse, where he went 3-1, 3.89 ERA. Estrella was originally signed by the Mets back in 1993 and was dealt to the Blue Jays in exchange for Tony Phillips on July 31, 1998. Devil Rays Double-A RHP MATT WHITE struck out 10 batters (7 IP, 7 H, 2 R) but did not get a decision for Orlando in the Double-A Southern League against Carolina on July 15. It was the second start this season in which the 1996 free agent signee fanned at least 10 batters and the fourth straight outing in which White allowed two earned runs or fewer (26.2 IP, 20 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 10 BB, 16 SO), as he went 1-1 over that span. Teammate RHP JASON STANDRIDGE, a 1997 first-rounder, went 0-6, 5.70 ERA in eight starts June 5-July 19 (42.2 IP, 39 H, 31 R, 27 ER, 30 BB, 19 SO). The 21-year-old won his first Double-A start on May 30 but has not won since. For the Rays at the plate, OF KENNY KELLY, the former University of Miami quarterback and second-round draft pick in the 1997 draft, went 2-for-27 with nine strikeouts in six games July 13-18. Two highly-regarded Oriole farmhands are on the move. OF NTEMA NDUNGIDI was promoted from Frederick in the advanced Class-A Carolina League (.284, 10 HR, 59 RBI, 16 SB) to Bowie in the Double-A Eastern League. RHP MICHAEL PARADIS, the club's first-round pick last year and 13th selection overall, moved up from Delmarva in the Class-A South Atlantic League (6-6, 3.99 ERA) to Frederick. Orioles Double-A LHP MATT RILEY pitched a three-hitter in a 2-0, complete game loss at New Haven in the second game of a a twinbill on July 16 (6 IP, 1 BB, 7 SO). A third-round pick in the 1997 draft, the highly-regarded 20-year-old posted 13 wins pitching at three level last season. He started this season with Rochester and was sent to Double-A Bowie after two starts (0-2, 14.14 ERA). Riley is 1-5, 9.19 ERA in 11 appearances with Bowie. Orioles Triple-A LHP JOHN PARRISH (6-6, 4.25 ERA) was promoted to Baltimore. The 22-year-old Parrish was selected in the 25th-round of the 1996 draft and was one of the more highly-regarded hurlers in the prospect-thin International League. "He's got a nice arm," one American League scout said. "He snaps his curveball and has nice pop on the fastball." Parrish may get a chance to make his major league debut this weekend against the Blue Jays. Red Sox RHP BRET SABERHAGEN tossed three scoreless innings in Lowell's 1-0 victory over Auburn in the New York -- Penn League on July 18. Saberhagen, on a rehab assignment after shoulder surgery, allowed just one hit and struck out five batters, including four of six to open the game. Saberhagen, who gave up three runs and five hits in just one inning on May 15 for Sarasota of the Florida State League, threw just 36 pitches and was not involved in the decision. It is unclear where his next rehab start will be, with all of the Red Sox other affiliates in the area all on the road this weekend. Royals Class-A RHP COREY THURMAN was promoted to Double-A Wichita. Thurman's 2.26 ERA led the league at the time of his promotion, and his 10 wins placed the 21-year-old second in the advanced Class-A Carolina League. Tigers Triple-A C BRANDON INGE, a member of Team USA at the Futures Game, was promoted from Double-A Jacksonville (.258, 6 HR, 53 RBI) and went 3-for-20 in his first six games with the Mud Hens. A converted shortstop, the 23-year-old Inge is now considered the best defensive backstop in the Detroit system. White Sox Triple-A RHP LORENZO BARCELO (5-6, 4.44 ERA) was promoted to Chicago to take the place of Kip Wells, who is on the disabled list with a sore right shouldler. White Sox Double-A RHP MARK BUEHRLE was promoted from Birmingham to Chicago and made his first big league start on July 19 in a 3-2 win over Minnesota. The 21-year-old went seven innings, allowing only two runs and six hits while walking one and striking out five. Yankees RHP RAMIRO MENDOZA allowed a run and took the loss in his first rehab start as Vero Beach beat the Yankees, 2-1, on July 19. Mendoza, who was sidelined by right shoulder weakness, allowed three hits and struck out two batters over a pair of innings. Yankees Class-A C DAVID PARRISH, the Yankees' first-round pick this year and son of former Tigers catcher Lance Parrish, hit .323 (20-62, 8 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI) in 17 games for Staten Island in the New York -- Penn League June 29-July 18.
NATIONAL LEAGUE Two former Braves first-rounders are headed in opposite directions for Myrtle Beach in the advanced Class-A Carolina League. 3B TROY CAMERON, the club's first-round pick in the 1997 draft. went 1-for-54 with 18 strikeouts in 16 games June 26-July 16. On the flip side, 1996 first-rounder 1B A.J. ZAPP reached base safely by hit or walk in 21 consecutive games June 5-July 18 (28-79, 4 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI). After subpar campaigns in both 1998 and 1999, Zapp is hitting .321 this season with seven homers and 37 RBI. Cameron has never hit higher than .238 in a season and has dropped to .190 this year with eight homers and 26 RBI. Brewers rookie-level OF DAVID KRYNZEL, the club's first-round pick in this year's draft, had a career-high three doubles and an RBI as the Raptors squeaked past Missoula, 1-0, on July 14. Krynzel, who was the 11th overall selection by the Brewers in June's draft, doubled home the only run of the game in the third inning and added two more two-baggers in the fifth and seventh innings. He is hitting .389 with one homer, 26 RBI, and six stolen bases in 28 games. Cubs Double-A LHP JOEY NATION tossed a two-hitter and OF COREY PATTERSON went 2-for-3 with three RBI as the Diamond Jaxx blanked Orlando, 5-0, on July 18. Nation matched his season-high in strikeouts with 11 and issued just one walk en route to his first complete game in 19 starts this year. Nation, who leads the league with 131 strikeouts, fanned at least one batter in every inning except the sixth. Cubs Triple-A RHP KYLE FARNSWORTH, converted to the bullpen, had four saves over five appearances July 5-16 (5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 7 SO). In 22 relief appearances, Farnsworth has a 3.20 ERA and nine saves. he was promoted to Chicago on July 20. Expos RHP HIDEKI IRABU, rehabbing from knee surgery, pitched opposite Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox farmhand Paxton Crawford in Crawford's no-hitter on July 18. Making his first Triple-A rehab start and third overall in coming back from knee surgery, Irabu yielded five hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. He has not pitched for Montreal since May 26 and is 2-4, 7.58 ERA in 10 starts this season. Reds Double-A 3B DREW HENSON and OF JACKSON MELIAN, who were both part of the trade that sent Denny Neagle to the Yankees, each had a hit in their first game with the Lookouts, a 6-0 loss to Mobile on July 15. Melian was disabled two days later with a right hamstring pull, while Henson went 4-for-21 with one home run and three RBI in his first five games Reds Triple-A RHP MARK WOHLERS was promoted from Louisville (1-2, 6.10). He made two appearances with Cincinnati last season. In his debut on July 20, he fanned two batters without allowing a baserunner in two innings. Rockies advanced Class-A Carolina League RHP JASON JENNINGS, the Rockies' top pick in last year's draft, pitched nine scoreless innings (5 H, 2 BB, 7 SO) in a no-decision for Salem at Myrtle Beach on July 14, an eventual 2-1, 11-inning loss. In his next start, on July 19 against Wilmington, Jennings lasted only six innings and gave up eight runs and 10 hits in Salem's 9-7 loss. The 22-year-old was leading the league in innings pitched (135.1).
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