56.12- Digging In The Minors #4

[chicoruiz]

I don’t know about you, but my short-season A team has always been kind of an afterthought. If I draft a guy, and he has a good season in rookie ball, he goes to full-season A the next year. This leaves the SA team to be populated with older draftees, guys who have aged out of rookie ball, and whatever other Hamburger Helper I can find to stretch things out to a complete team.

This year, I got the message that maybe Bogota was tired of being the Island of Misfit Toys, and that it would be really nice if I could field a representative team this year. The last thing I want to do is have a bunch of Colombians angry at me, so I made it a point to send some actual baseball players south for the summer. So far it’s worked out well; the team is tied for first and no cartel members have threatened my life. Let’s look at the players who have helped accomplish this:

Right fielder Dennis Durham was a ninth-round pick, and not much was expected from him. So all he’s done so far is bat .362 in Albany last year, then follow it up with a .373 so far this year. Duane Sarrazin returns for a second season in Bogota; he lacks the power you want from a corner OF but he’s batting .359 and boasts a howitzer arm. Catcher Pancho Fernandez was my second-round pick in this year’s draft. Since he’s already almost 21, I started him in Bogota and he’s OPSing .982 as I write this. And recent trade acquisition Jafar Seif al Din has a chance to be that rarest of things; a good-fielding shortstop who can actually hit a little.

On the pitching side, Alonso Arroyo came over in a trade from Omaha last year, and He may have a future at the back of a rotation. Patrick Pierce has cut his ERA in half, to 2.28 in his second year in Bogota. And Marcos Lucas is actually pitching well. I always thought he was a stiff; I just kept him around because his name made me recall one of my favorite old films. The movie “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” has a character named Marcus Lycus (played by the great Phil Silvers) who runs a brothel. Every time I see Lucas’s name, I say to myself, “Yonder lies the house of Marcus Lycus”, which is a line from the film.

But I digress…. Anyway, check out the movie if you can sometime. It’s probably more entertaining than my short-A team, even though they’re winning…

[Dington]

I’m kinda same way with the short A. It’s like the spot for reserves to fill injury replacements in other minor leagues.

[JimSlade]

Funny, I never thought to use SA like that. Years ago, a player in another league told me he likes to give his prospects a year or so at each level, unless they tear up the previous league. I always hear that guy when I'm tempted to jump a kid.

[Jwalk100]

I prefer to keep minor leaguers at age appropriate levels. If an 18 yr old in Rookie ball has a good season I will move him up. If not, one more season then move him up or release.


If I draft a college player he will start in AA unless he isn't as developed as he should be, then I give him time in A ball. Playing time at the appropriate level is the way I like to go.

[Krathan]

I haven’t had this many minor leagues in a long time. My other online league only has four levels, basically eliminating the SA level. I’m finding that I like having that level here so far. It gives me more starting spots for young guys that I want to make sure get some playing time.

[Trebro]

I'm pretty rigid about giving everyone a full year at each level. Especially at Rookie and Short A. We'll see soon if that pays off.