4 games from Altoona

Jerseykc · Post by **Jerseykc** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:00 am

Okay, so I’m a little late with the report but have the new board set up as an excuse this time. Just some general observations from 4 games in Altoona, all vs a weak (on paper) Bowie team. Games were Thursday – Sunday, 6/30 – 7/3. It is a 3 ½ hour drive for us so I mix some work days in with some of the games and stay in Altoona.

McGuire has a very good arm, threw out 3 of 4 base stealers in 3 games. Bat seems a bit slow but if he cut down on his swing some, it might help. Loved his attitude (and was great around the kids that run out to the field prior to the anthem).

Newman – wow both in the field and at the plate. I wasn’t screaming “Nomar or Jeter” with the bat but made solid contact. His swing was flat so perhaps that will change with time to get some lift. In the field, made all the plays, both routine and difficult, several were called the “slick play of the game”. Decent arm to first; I can see him sticking in the position.

Wood – is an extremely good defender at 3B. And we got his autograph at Panera Saturday morning when 3 players are at the store. He does have 9 HR, might be a sleeper that surprises us all. When I say good defender, people were gasping at the plays he was making…yes, that good.

Ramirez and Barnes – I’ve liked both players along the way, I just think that both will top out at AAA…

They do shuffle people around a lot, Diaz played every game but at different positions

Pitching was okay…not much to say since the opposition was so weak. We did get a Lakind sighting and he was quite good (5 K’s in 6 batters).

Other notes: only HR’s in 4 games were both hit by Quincy Lattimore (yep, 6 years in AA)

Next up for me is a trip to Reading Aug 3-5 when the Curve visit.

dmetz · Post by **dmetz** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:37 am

Yeah I thought Clay Holmes looked rather pedestrian on Saturday but Lakind really showed up. He doesnt light up the gun but really seems to miss alot of bats.

Does he have a ML future as a pen lefty?

psuinpgh21 · Post by **psuinpgh21** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 4:37 am

I saw the Curve tonight in Akron. Nice park. Nobody on either team really impressed me. Harold Ramirez had a couple of hits and looked good in CF but had a TOOTBLAN- Newman bobbled a couple of balls- and for some reason Holmes changed jerseys between the 4th and 5th (52 to 31). Good velocity but iffy control from Santana in relief. And Stetson Allie looked, well, large. The Akron PA played "Baby Elephant Walk" when he went to the dugout to change bats. Tomas Morales does not deserve to be in AA. Eric Wood looked OK at 3rd. And one of the strangest things I ever saw, a Curve player (thinking Eric Weiss) bunted the ball and it died right on the plate. Fair ball!

There were two players on Akron, including top-five prospect Zimmer, who had over 100 strikeouts already.

Planning on going to Erie on Saturday.

agent00 · Post by **agent00** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 11:33 am

Thanks for the reports!

Jerseykc · Post by **Jerseykc** » Sat Jul 09, 2016 12:11 am

6E6D6B77706E79762C2F1E0 wrote: I saw the Curve tonight in Akron. Nice park. Nobody on either team really impressed me. Harold Ramirez had a couple of hits and looked good in CF but had a TOOTBLAN- Newman bobbled a couple of balls- and for some reason Holmes changed jerseys between the 4th and 5th (52 to 31). Good velocity but iffy control from Santana in relief. And Stetson Allie looked, well, large. The Akron PA played "Baby Elephant Walk" when he went to the dugout to change bats. Tomas Morales does not deserve to be in AA. Eric Wood looked OK at 3rd. And one of the strangest things I ever saw, a Curve player (thinking Eric Weiss) bunted the ball and it died right on the plate. Fair ball!

There were two players on Akron, including top-five prospect Zimmer, who had over 100 strikeouts already.

Planning on going to Erie on Saturday.

I didn't get to see Akron this year. Did see Zimmer last year and thought his swing was too long. Normally Akron is loaded, recent past had Lindor and Naquin both on the ML squad today.

Jerseykc · Post by **Jerseykc** » Sat Jul 09, 2016 12:12 am

The team to check out in Eastern League this year is Reading. Absolutely loaded with power bats.

psuinpgh21 · Post by **psuinpgh21** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 5:59 am

At Erie tonight- Harold Ramirez is a professional hitter. Brandon Waddell couldn't get ahead of a batter if his life depended on it, but didn't let up many hits and kept the ball on the ground. Espinal hit a pair of scorched doubles and picked it at first, which was good because Newman struggled at short. Eric Wood, who was a highly thought of prospect at one point, looks like he could be a hitter, hit the first homer I've seen in 3 minor league games this year. LaKind was nasty, I'd put him way ahead of Lobstein.

agent00 · Post by **agent00** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 11:40 am

7477716D6A74636C3635040 wrote: At Erie tonight- Harold Ramirez is a professional hitter. Brandon Waddell couldn't get ahead of a batter if his life depended on it, but didn't let up many hits and kept the ball on the ground. Espinal hit a pair of scorched doubles and picked it at first, which was good because Newman struggled at short. Eric Wood, who was a highly thought of prospect at one point, looks like he could be a hitter, hit the first homer I've seen in 3 minor league games this year. LaKind was nasty, I'd put him way ahead of Lobstein.

I'm hoping they'll promote LaKind soon. They need to make a decision on him after the season, I think. How fast was he throwing?

Jerseykc · Post by **Jerseykc** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 1:02 pm

3C3A3833296D6D5D0 wrote: At Erie tonight- Harold Ramirez is a professional hitter. Brandon Waddell couldn't get ahead of a batter if his life depended on it, but didn't let up many hits and kept the ball on the ground. Espinal hit a pair of scorched doubles and picked it at first, which was good because Newman struggled at short. Eric Wood, who was a highly thought of prospect at one point, looks like he could be a hitter, hit the first homer I've seen in 3 minor league games this year. LaKind was nasty, I'd put him way ahead of Lobstein.

I'm hoping they'll promote LaKind soon. They need to make a decision on him after the season, I think. How fast was he throwing?

LaKind was sitting 88-92 on the Altoona gun and has a lot of movement

Since AA hitters are basically all striking out against him, he'll need to go to Indy soon.

psuinpgh21 · Post by **psuinpgh21** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 10:38 pm

77584F4E5844565E3D0 wrote: At Erie tonight- Harold Ramirez is a professional hitter. Brandon Waddell couldn't get ahead of a batter if his life depended on it, but didn't let up many hits and kept the ball on the ground. Espinal hit a pair of scorched doubles and picked it at first, which was good because Newman struggled at short. Eric Wood, who was a highly thought of prospect at one point, looks like he could be a hitter, hit the first homer I've seen in 3 minor league games this year. LaKind was nasty, I'd put him way ahead of Lobstein.

I'm hoping they'll promote LaKind soon. They need to make a decision on him after the season, I think. How fast was he throwing?

LaKind was sitting 88-92 on the Altoona gun and has a lot of movement

Since AA hitters are basically all striking out against him, he'll need to go to Indy soon.

The scoreboard radar gun wasn't working, seemed he was throwing hard, but not as hard as Waddell