I view this site regularly and have posted a few times in this past. I'd really appreciate your support in helping me win a spot in the 2012 MLB Fan Cave. This is what I've been sending to all of my social networks:

The support that I've received in less than 12 hours has been unbelievable, and I'm going to attribute all of that to people viewing my clip and realizing just what a huge baseball fan I am. Until the winners have been picked, there are a few things you can still do to help me.

1. View the clip on youtube if you haven't already done so. Here's the link: tinyurl.com/getcooptothecave-com"]tinyurl.com/getcooptothecave-com. Once you've viewed the clip please remember to "Like" it.

2. Spread the word among all of your friends on facebook, twitter, collecting sites, your job, etc. The more "Likes" I can get the better shot I have at winning this thing.

3. Add the "Mark Cooper fan page" as your friend on Facebook and post a positive comment.

Obviously, I think I deserve this. But even if I'm not chosen, I had fun putting everything together. At least I'm in the game, right?.

I inherited a pathetic team and am trying to rebuild. I have two offers on the table. At this point, I'm simply trying to acquire warm bodies. Do either of these deals help me? If so, which one is better?

1. I give up Ben Zobrist and Chase Headley and receive Brett Lawrie and Lonnie Chisenhall

OR

2. I give up Ben Zobrist and receive Bud Norris and Brett Lawrie

Thanks in advance for your help

The other owner wasn't content with a simple deal for a rental player in Mariano Rivera so he threw this out there. I'll admit that it intrigued me a bit. But of course I am in love with Brett Anderson so before pulling the trigger I need the collective opinion of the experts. So here goes:

I give up

1. Tex...on a decent deal for $20 and can be extended multiple years but 1B guys seem plentiful

2. Desmond Jennings.....I read that he was "Carl Crawford with plate discipline." That excites me. He's especially valuable in this league because he'll hit a few HRs, he'll drive in runs, and he steals bases.....to me, he's a big piece to the deal

3. Ricky Nolasco...i'm indifferent on him i guess.....he's due to be extended at the end of the year and i'm not really sure he's good enough for that. 

I get

1. Brett Anderson...I gave him up in a deal for Grady Sizemore a few years ago and I'd really like to get him back

2. Shelby Miller...I love the Cardinals...I love that he's from Texas....And of course I love the "could be a frontline starter" talk

3. Mariano Rivera....I never like paying a lot for closers but I really think that I could make a nice run at the playoffs this year and all I'm really giving up here for Mo is Nolasco, which in my opinion isn't much

I need to cut eight guys from this list.....Your input is appreciated

1 Jordan Zimmerman
2 Sean West
3 Casey McGahee
4 Brandon Allen
5 Marrrero: CUT 1?
6 Abner Abreu: CUT 2?
7 Josh Bell
8 Derek Norris
9 Carlos Perez: CUT 3?
10 Skipworth: CUT 4? too early to cut him?
11 Corey Brown: the strikeouts concern me
12 Desmon Jennings
13 Daryl Jones: CUT 5?...the power is not developing
14. Angel Morales
15 Jordan Schafer
16. Ryan Westmoreland
17. Bobby Bundy: CUT 6?
18. Alex Colome
19 Fautino De Los Santos: the TJ concerns me but I can't cut him
20. Danny Duffy
21. Carlos Gutierrez: CUT 7?
22. Daniel Gutierrez: CUT 8? the makeup issues concern me
23 Bradly Holt
24. J.J. Hoover
25. Jason Knapp: spoke to Bob Milacki in July and he absolutely loves this kid
26. Ethan Martin
27. Trevor May
28. Alex Perez, Indians
29. Wilking Rodriguez
30. Robbie Ross
31.  Arodys Vizcaino
32. Dee Gordon
33. Carlos Truinfel CUT 9?
34. Donovan Tate
35 Bobby Borchering
36. Jurickson Profar
37. Max Kepler
38. Rey Fuentes

if Daniel Gutierrez is my 8th cut then I can keep Skipworth. what do you guys think?

I can usually figure out my own trades but this one leaves me puzzled.....I've liked Chris Volstad for some time. Some of that might have to do with me living 25 minutes from the stadium and being a big Marlins' ever since the team began in '93. My mancrush is pretty obvious to the rest of the guys in my fantasy league....Well a few weeks ago I broached the possibility of acquiring Volstad via trade. The owner looked at my team and picked out Jordan Zimmerman as the guy he wanted in return. At first, i got excited, thinking that this was a steal for me, but after looking things up thought that Zimmerman might be the better long-term play.

my league scores strikeouts, era, whip, saves, holds, wins

Here are some things that stand out in Volstad's favor................

1. His mentor was Jim Palmer, which has to be a good thing

2. He gives up very few hits

3. He plays on a team that is more competitive than the Nationals and will probably be more competitive for years to come (though I can see the Nats getting better once Strasburg becomes polished)....

4. Landshark Stadium (just sounds awful) is more pitcher-friendly

5. Volstad is a bit farther along in his developmental arc than Zimmerman (he's already through with the struggles that a younger pitcher like Zimmerman will face)

Here are some things that stand out in Zimmerman's favor

1. His stuff is more overpowering than Volstad's, meaning that he has the ability to become an ace. And that helps me considering strikeouts are a category in my league

i'm at a loss here. would be great if you guys could help me with this decision

Was hoping someone here could tell me which Fish prospects will be assigned to the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League (class A+). I live about 45 minutes from the stadium and am trying to figure out who they'll have. I know that Mike Stanton will be there. I think A+ might be too much for Skipworth, Hand and Galloway. I know I'm overlooking someone?

And if you haven't already been to Roger Dean for a Hammerheads game or for a spring training game, check it out. The place is NICE. Thanks in advance.

I know it is incredibly too early to start projecting this guy. But when I start to hear things like "He has an electric arm" from a team's general manager I get REAL excited. My only question is his future role. If he goes to the 'pen, then he loses a lot of value. Even as a closer who is four years away, I would have no real reason to sign him (closers don't have much value in my league if they get moved to the bullpen or take a long time to develop)

So will this guy start or relieve? I'm in a 12-team league where each team has room to sign 30 minors (pitching is VERY hard to find). THanks in advance for your help.

I was reading the Red Sox top 15 prospects list that just moved this morning on www.baseballhandyman.com (kudos to my boy mike newman for putting together such a solid site). One guy, I kept coming back to was catcher Luis Exposito. He was a 20-year-old last season who had stints in Lancaster (A+), which I understand is a hitter's park, and Greenville (A-). He's big and projects to hit for power (20+ HRs a year when he reaches the majors). Because he plays good defense, he likely won't be moved off catcher. He's hit for a high BA almost everywhere he's been though his poor plate discipline (doesn't know how to take a walk) affects his OBP.

Baseball America and all of Red Sox nation say he'll be Boston's starter at catcher by 2012.

So my questions to you are:

1. Does this guy project to be an above-average MLB catcher?

2. Is he fantasy-worthy?

3. Should I sign him now or take a wait-and-see approach? I'm absolutely stacked at catcher (McCann, Salome, Skipworth, Lucroy, D'Arnaud)

Your help would be appreciated. Thanks.

I have Milwaukee catcher Jonathan Lucroy AND Philadelphia catcher Travis D'Arnaud on my fantasy team. I don't have room to keep both. Was wondering if you fine folks in prospectland can help me figure out which one to cut............

(the following is taken from the Phillies' 2008 season review that is currently on minorleaguebaseball.com)

Travis D'Arnaud, C: Another catcher on the rise is the supplemental first-round pick from 2007, who earned New York-Penn League All-Star honors this past summer, hitting a combined .305 between Williamsport and a promotion to Lakewood. He is a good defensive catcher as well.

here are D'Arnaud's stats:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Travis%20D%27Arnaud&pos=&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=518595

(the following is taken from the Brewers' 2008 season review that is currently on minorleaguebaseball.com)

Jonathan Lucroy, C: Just in case Salome doesn't continue to grow, the Brewers always have Lucroy, the 2007 third-rounder from Louisiana-Lafayette University. Lucroy split this season between the South Atlantic and Florida State Leagues, and combined to hit .301 with 20 homers and 70 RBIs. He even stole nine bases. He threw out a combined 45 percent of runners attempting to steal, and will take the arm and the bat to Double-A next season.

here are Lucroy's stats:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Jonathan%20Lucroy&pos=C&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=518960

a few observations:

1. D'Arnaud was 19 the entire season while playing in the NYP, then getting bumped up to the SAL. His BA, OBP and defense all appear to be above average. I would guess that he would return to the SAL to start the 2009 season. D'Arnaud is behind Marson, whom the Phillies' brass seem to like.

2. Lucroy was 22 while playing in the SAL and then getting bumped up to the FSL. His BA, OBP and defense all appear to be above average. He even has a tick of speed. The article I mentioned above that is currently on the minorleaguebaseball.com website says that Lucroy will start the 2009 season in Double-A Huntsville. He is, obviously, behind Angel Salome, who does nothing but rake.

3. Lucroy is a tick ahead of D'Arnaud developmentally, though he is also older. Lucroy has much more power right now than D'Arnaud but that could possibly be attributed to him simply being older.

I've read almost every article on the Internet about both of these players and I can't seem to find anything negative about either one. My question to you is this:

Which player would you rather have for a fantasy team?

I'm in a 12-team league that keeps 30 minor leaguers. I currently own a multitude of catchers, including Brian McCann, Kyle Skipworth, Angel Salome, and Tyler Flowers. I would prefer to keep Lucroy or D'Arnaud but not both. Please help me figure out which to cut.

Thanks in advance for your help.

He was a second-round pick of the Red Sox in '08. He's 6'1 and according to the limited information on the internet, he will develop average power once he fills out. And I understand he's very athletic and has the ability to steal bases. Currently he's listed as a 2B/SS but is expected to be moved to CF (one site said he has a good arm). I have a few questions for Red Sox nation.

1. What kind of player will GIbson look like in four years?

2. Will he fantasy-valuable?

THanks in advance for your help.

I'm in a 12-team mixed league with spots for 30 minors. Now that the season is over I've been able to find a few sleepers...not a lot but a few...the only problem is that my roster is already at 30. so i have to cut a few....that's where i thought you could help......i'm a bit of a homer and sometimes have trouble accurately assessing the strengths and weaknesses of my team.....could you help?

1. lars anderson (DEFINITE KEEPER)

2. villalona (DEFINITE KEEPER)

**3. gaby sanchez (started raking once he left the fsl. will most likely be the marlins' 1b in 2009 unless uggla is moved there)

what are your thoughts on keeping sanchez? i'm keeping teixeira and billy butler, who both qualify at 1b. not sure that i need to keep sanchez, too.

4. neftali soto (reds)---think he's a definite keeper

5. beau mills (indians)--haven't seen his name much....was drafted in '07 and hit well in high-a carolina league...nice power, a few too many Ks, nice OBP. thoughts? peter gammons said during the all star game that mills would become a mainstay in the HR derby for whatever that is worth

**6.  chris marrero (3b/of/1b for nationals): had a bad year in the SAL but still a decent prospect. what are you thoughts?

7. tyler flowers: definite keeper

8. jonathan lucroy (brewers): just keeps hitting but is stuck behind salome.....what are your thoughts?

9. angel salome...yeah he's small...so what? he's raked at every stop.......he's a keeper

10. travis d'arnaud: still young but raked last year. what are you thoughts?

11. kyle skipworth (marlins): first-round pick of the marlins. he's a keeper

YES I HAVE 4 CATCHERS IN THE MINORS AND HAVE MCCANN IN THE MAJORS. DO I NEED TO KEEP ALL 4 OF THOSE MINOR-LEAGUE CATCHERS?

12. corey brown (oakland): don't know much about him

13. danny murphy (2b/of, Mets): i have howie kendrick on my big league team and like having murphy as a second option in case kendrick gets hurt, which seems to be par for the course

**14. kelvin deleon (yanks): I think this guy may be too far away. should i cut him? what are your thoughts?

15. ryan westmoreland (red sox): a 5-tool guy the red sox just loved. got a huge bonus. still far away but i like him. what are you thoughts?

**16. wendell fairley (giants): i guess i could cut this guy...i had him all of last year and knew that he was going to be a project. should i hold on to him? what are you thoughts?

17. anthony hewitt (Phils): huge upside....have to keep him

18. desmond jennings: i know he got hurt but i have a mancrush...he's a keeper

19. brett anderson: one of the better sp prospects in all of the minors. a keeper

20. danny duffy (royals): another nice young SP i will keep

21. fautino de los santos....he'll be even better after his TJ

22. neftali feliz (definite keeper)

23. jeremy jeffress: could've taken travis snider but chose the arm instead. still don't regret the decision...flying under the radar right now...love the dwight gooden comps...also love it that he was called up to AA at the end of last yr. i think he's a keeper

24. michael main (rangers): don't know much about him. but it seems everything i've read has been positive....what are you thoughts?

25. ethan martin: another mancrush.....and i love how the dodgers groom their pitchers

26.neil ramirez (rangers): i think he's a keeper...........nice system the rangers are putting together, huh?

27. bradley holt: i'm partial to velo..and holt has it. i just hope he can develop something else. i hear his curve is a plus pitch but that he can't spot it....what are your thoughts?

28. chris tillman: keeper. i love this guy

29. aaron laffey: probably should cut this guy

30. carlos truinfel: i 'm not as high on him as some of the minorleagueball readers. but according to what i've read on this site, i think he's a keeper

in my opinion the league is set up in such a way that arms NEED to be stockpiled. i also think i have entirely too many catchers. i'd also like to rid my squad of guys who aren't fantasy-valuable. and as if this isn't obvious, guys who profile as relievers or back-of-the-rotation starters don't do much for me.

so there's your penn state pride................your opinion of these guys is much appreciated. i've starred the guys who are questionable keepers. i'm guessing that i need to clear 3-5 spots. thanks again

they boo santa claus, then throw snowballs at him when he walks onto the field during an eagles game...then bud selig, the commissioner of baseball, speaks and they boo him. to top it all off, they even boo charlie manuel, the phils manager, when he praises the rays for their great season. are these the worst fans in all of sports? i've been to philly before to watch baseball and i've met some great fans. but their sportsmanship is overshadowed by the majority of phils fans out there who continually show that they have NO class.

i'm not sure what it is about these people that makes them act like such asses at sporting events. if i lived in philly, i'd be embarrassed by all of it.

again, i'm in a 12-team fantasy league that emphasizes minors. finding a decent minors guy in my league is a real chore (but that's what makes it fun). in looking at baseball america's recent '08 draft report cards i've come up with a decent list of players who could have an impact fantasy-wise. my question to you is this: are of the guys listed here must-signs? obviously, i can wait on those players who are far away. but if there is a player listed here who has to be signed ASAP, please let me know.

here goes:

Burgess, Jarrett (Mariners' OF)
Carter, Dexter (White Sox SP)
Castillo, Richard (Cardinals' SP -- body might not be conducive to starting?)
Chatwood, Tyler (Angels' SP)
Correa, Manuarys (Angels' SP)
De La Rosa, Wilkins (Yankees' SP)
Giavotella, Johnny (Royals' 2B)
Gutierrez, Daniel (Royals' SP)
Hayenga, Keaton (Royals' SP)
Hoes, L.J. (Orioles' 2B)
Holguin, Christopher (Blue Jays' SP)
Hudson, Dan (White Sox SP)
Jacobo, Gabe (Angels' 1B)
Jacobson, Brett (Tigers' SP)
Joseph, Corban (Yankees' 2B)
Marshall, Brett (Yankees' SP)
Moncrief, Carlos (Indians' SP)
Murphy, Tim (Rangers' SP)
Rodriguez, Rafael (Giants' SP)
Rodriguez, Yorman (OF, Cincy)
Romine, Austin (Yanks)
Satterwhite, Cody (Tigers' SP)

Wieland, Joe (Rangers' SP)
Sulbaran, Juan Carlos (Reds' SP)
Suttle, Brad (Yanks)
Wieland, Joe (Rangers' SP)

I'm starting to read these draft report cards on Baseball America. I research those players who get positive reviews. While doing so, I came across Yankees' 08 draftee Brett Marshall. I guess the Yankees took him in the 6th round and proceeded to give him a nice contract (the equivalent of first-round supplemental money).

As if the big contract wasn't enough for me to take notice, I googled Marshall and found a few websites that said that Marshall profiles as a No. 2 (and maybe even a No. 1 now that he has gained 10 mph in velocity). One site said that at worst Marshall profiles as a power arm out of the bullpen.

I'm in a 12-team fantasy league that emphasizes minor leaguers, and I usually get excited when I hear of a guy who throws 96 and profiles as a 1 or a 2.

Is there anything else you readers out there in Yankee Land can tell me about Marshall? Does he profile as an ace? How far along is he? How many pitches does he have? Is this a guy who could shoot through the minors? Should I go ahead and sign him ASAP or can I wait? Any help would be appreciated.

I had a lot of trouble finding a decent seat to last night's game 2. i didn't want to pay a lot of money for a ticket if i couldn't sit behind home plate. everyone i spoke to before the game (craigslist, ebay) told me that there was no way in hell i would a find a ticket in 100-120 (the sections between first and third) for the $180 i was willing to spend. only a few minutes into my quest i was able to find a single ticket in 118 for $180. however, i was convinced that i could find a ticket even closer to home plate.

but things quickly soured. at 8:10 i realized that calling "bird", the scalper from cincinnati, might be the best decision. when i finally caught up with him, he regretted to inform me that he had just sold the ticket. before i really had a chance to hyperventilate i bumped into a college friend of one of the phillies' players (i'm not at liberty to tell you who it was).........section 107, row ee, seat 4, which was directly behind home plate. face value was $225 and i was able to snag it for $179. i sat next to the player's friend and the player's parents. i was three rows in front of the auxiliary press box. friends of phillies' catching prospect lou marson sat next to me. the wives of phillies' players sat a row in front of me. and i was close enough that i could make out some of the celebrities who were seated between home and the rays' dugout.

not only did i get the ticket for less than face value. but if i had tried to buy that same ticket on craigslist or ebay, i'll bet that it would have cost me at least $600. on top of all of that, i got to see my boy, 'big game' james shields, get a victory.

I'm only posting this here because I thought i might be able to find someone who doesn't want to rip me off. I'm getting nowhere on craigslist. the  only reason i didn't get a ticket from ticketmaster on monday is because i decided to see if i could get three together. i have no doubt that i could've gotten a ticket had i tried for a single.

i'm a teacher so game 2 is really the only game that fits with my schedule (i'd rather not call in sick to attend a weekday game and friday happens to be a teacher planning day). i've already been to three world series games in my life, so if i can't see the rays on thursday, then i'm not going to freak out. just thought there might be someone on this forum who might have a single for tomorrow night. i'd prefer to sit somewhere between 101-120 but at this point i just want to find something reasonable so i can get in.

as a baseball fan, there's really nowhere else i'd rather be but at a world series game.

I saw recently that tampa bay devil rays (always devil rays to me) pitcher james shields ranked fourth in the major leagues in quality starts this year. that got me to thinking........how do the rest of the pitchers in the majors rank in terms of quality starts? i did a few google searches but wasn't able to find the stat anywhere., which seemed a bit odd to me. any help that you can provide would be much appreciated.

go rays!

i noticed that juan carlos sulbaran got big-time money ($500K) to sign with the reds. also saw that a few bloggers had said that he was a first-round talent. that got me a bit intrigued. i'm in a 12-man keeper league where each owner has a roster of 30 minors.

Was wondering if someone out there could enlighten me on a few things:

1. how many different pitches does he have?

2. where in the rotation does he slot? is he an ace?

3. how long will it take him to get to the bigs?

4. is this a guy i should sign?

any information would be appreciated..........and go Reds!

Would appreciate your opinion on these six prospects. They're currently the bottom six on my 30-man minor league roster.

Wendell Fairley: Huge upside but he appears raw at this point. Should I wait for him to develop? Will he ever develop?

Jonathan Lucroy: Behind Salome. Seems to hit for high average. Had a combined 20+ HR this year between SAL and FSL.

Aaron Laffey: Was dominant the first few months of the season until struggling and then getting sent down, where he continued to struggle.

Carlos Triunfel: Very hyped prospect. According to BA, is only showing one above-average tool, that being arm strength, which doesn't help me much as a fantasy owner. Also has yet to hit for power. Still young. Should I continue to wait?

Travis D'Arnaud: I have Lucroy, Flowers, Skipworth and Salome. Do I really need D'Arnaud, too?

Daniel Murphy: Was voted the best hitter in the Eastern League this year, then was promoted to NYC, where he continued to rake. Not sure how much value he has in a LF platoon. Would seem to have tons of value if he were to move to second. Any truth to Murphy being Mets' 2B of the future? Should I keep him around?

Was wondering if you can tell me how he profiles.............a #3-#4? Back end? Just wondering whether i should sign him to my fantasy team and i can't seem to find much info. what does his fastball top out at? does he have any other pitches?

it seemed BA's jim callis really liked him but he went under the radar a bit this year. what can i expect from this guy? your help would be appreciated

Tell me about this guy. I saw a post on minorleagueball.com about him so i looked him up and saw that his numbers were absolutely sick. i guess he's an extreme flyball pitcher, which concerns me a bit. but you can't argue with those numbers. is he simply old for his league? what kind of stuff does he have? does he project to start or relieve?

is he for real? thanks for the help.

I'm in a 12-team fantasy league (OBP, BA, RBI, TB, SB, runs -- ERA, WHIP, holds, saves, wins, strikeouts). I'm trying to figure out whether Billy Butler or Howie Kendrick should be considered keepers. I have room to keep them so that's not an issue.

Do you think Billy Butler is a keeper? Do you think Howie Kendrick is a keeper? More than that, I'm also wondering what to expect from them these next few years. Seems Butler was supposed to have a monster bat. He started hitting after the All-Star break. Can he continue that? As for Kendrick, I've read so many times about how he can win multiple batting titles. But can the guy stay healthy?

Your help would be appreciated.

I'm starting to see his name in a lot of different places. And then I did some googling and found that he was over-slot guy. I guess the Pirates had to give him enough money so he'd bypass his Arizona State scholarship. So right away I look at a guy who got a lot of money to play pro ball, a guy who was set to play at one of the best baseball schools in the country..........

and then i look at his numbers and see that he plays a premium position (currently 3B until alvarez signs) and is absolutely raking.

i'm in a fantasy league that gives each owner 30 minors spots.......my question to you:

what kind of player does cunningham look like? one story i found said that he plays lots of different positions, which would imply that he projects to be a utility/bench guy, which would be of no benefit to me as a fantasy owner..........please help.....what does cunningham become? would he be an asset to my fantasy team?

thanks for your help.

Is this guy for real? Every morning I check the Reds' boxscore and he has a couple of hits. And he's fast, too. Is he the Reds' RF of the future? Are the Reds going to give him a chance. Your help would be appreciated. I'm in a keeper league and am trying to figure out whether Dickerson could have any fantasy value. My only concern is that he was a little old when he got called up (26).

I look at his stats and see Justin Maxwell. I'm guessing that he's a little bit better than that. 

Is this guy the real deal or is he just an old guy (23) raking in A-ball? I've never heard of him until now....Tell me more please. Is he really Chris Davis reincarnated? Why haven't the Rangers promoted him? Is he the kind of guy -- ala Mat Gamel et al -- who doesn't have a position? Is he part of the Rangers' future? Your help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

The only players who really jump out at me in the NYP All-Star game are Brad Holt of the Mets and Travis D'Arnaud. Are they good prospects? Are there any other players who are gonna be in this game who would be considered top prospects? Please help me. Obviously, because I'm in a keeper league that has a 30-man minors roster, I'm looking for high-upside guys with an emphasis on pitchers.

Your help would be appreciated.

The guy is raking in Double-AA Carolina, hitting .335 with 17 HRs and 84 RBI to go with a .424 OBP and a .552 slugging. He even has 17 steals. These stats aren't a fluke, as he posted .279-9-70 with a .369 OBP and a .433 slugging last year at Single-A Jupiter, which is in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League.

Considering current Marlins' 1B Mike Jacobs is arbitration-eligible after this year, could Sanchez be the guy the Marlins go to to take over the starting 1B job? I know that Logan Morrison is ultimately the 1B of the future. But plugging in Morrison at 1B next year would be a bit premature. If the Marlins move Cantu from third to first then they would seem to have a hole at 3B. I think Cantu fits nicely as their 3B. If the Marlins agree with that then who do they plug in at 1B next year? I say Sanchez fits the mold.

My only concern would be Sanchez' age. He turns 25 in a few weeks. I still don't think that is too old. Thoughts?

Friday, June 20: Ashville Tourists at Augusta GreenJackets at Lake Olmstead Stadium, Augusta, Ga.

I had been pumped about this game for a long time because I'd get to see 1B uber-prospect Angel Villalona, along with 2B Nick Noonan. An added bonus would be Jhoulys Chacin, who would be starting for Asheville. For the uninformed, Chacin started 15 games in the first half, going 10-1 with 93 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. 

First off, let me say that Villalona, who turns 18 in August, is listed as 6-3, 200. But this night he looked a lot bigger than that. I wouldn't find his weight to be such a problem if he showed the drive to stay in shape. But when I finally spotted him, the trainer had to coax him out of the dugout to begin his work (running, stretching exercises, etc). He looked like he'd rather be somewhere else. My first impression: how much bigger will this kid get?

I confirmed my suspicions with two scouts from the AL West who were sitting behind home plate. I told them my impression of Villalona -- that he seemed to be getting bigger every day and outgrowing 1B -- and the one scout said, "I'd hire this kid to scout for my team." So it seems I'm not the only one who is down on Villalona. By the way, the scouts rolled their eyes when I told them that some prospect experts had compared Villalona to Pujols.

Villalona was in the lineup that night as the team's DH, going 1-4 with a single and three strikeouts. In fact, he looked so confused after the third K that the scouts started laughing.

Chacin went six innings, giving up only four hits, walking two and striking out nine. His fastball topped out at 89 -- YES, 89 -- and his curveball hit 77, but it was his pinpoint command that confused Augusta. In and out, in and out, up and down, up and down, hitting his spots all night. The kid's 20 and seems to have come out of nowhere this year, but he sure knows how to pitch. I'm guessing he profiles as a 3 or a 4.

Noonan went 0-for-4 and didn't do enough for me to be able to assess his value as a prospect.

As for the stadium, I would call it average as far as SAL stadiums go. No Dippin' Dots, though they did have something called "Dips," which I refused to try out of principle. The brat and fries I sampled were both very fresh. This night was $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon from 6-7.

Parking was free. Gates opened an hour before the first pitch. Best seat in the house is in one of the two recliners behind home plate.

Next up: Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. That will be the last game of my road trip.

Tuesday, June 17

South Atlantic League All-Star game, NewBridge Bank Park, Greensboro, N.C. 

Arrived right at 5:15 p.m. as the home-run derby was just getting under way. Was blown away by the 'bigness' of the stadium. This may have been a South Atlantic League game but it sure didn't feel like one. You can watch the game from beyond right field  (some fans were hanging over the outfield fence) or even purchase a berm ticket beyond left field. The seats in the stands afford you a nice view of the Greensboro skyline beyond right field. As usual, I had to sit behind home plate. Michael Burgess, the 2007 first-round draft pick who plays for Hagerstown, put on an awesome power display. Some of his jacks cleared Eugene Street beyond right field. Jesus Montero looked awesome, too, but couldn't come close to matching Burgess.

All the players signed as they walked back to the clubhouse. In the span of about 15 minutes I was able to get Hall-of-Famers Tony Perez and Andre Dawson on the sweet spot of balls (both had been named honorary managers for the game). I also nabbed Burgess (he's only in Low-A and already sporting an abbreviated "MLB" signature...I guess writing Michael Burgess just takes too long), Montero, and Jason Heyward. For some reason, pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, 10-1 with Asheville in only the first half, escaped me.  

A few more observations:

*The $4 Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, relatively fresh considering they were trucked in from a few blocks away, were a nice treat. 

*Dippin' Dots? You betcha. And they weren't prepackaged. In addition to vanilla and cookies and cream, Greensboro had a "Hopper Dots" flavor that I sampled. It was a mix of yellow, pink, green, and orange. It tasted mostly orange. A nice idea, sure, but I wouldn't recommend it. It sort of tasted like chewing a bunch of different-flavored gumballs.

*I loved the Miss Baby Ruth dog who took on the role of batboy. I still can't figure out how the dog was able to grasp the entire barrel of the bat in its mouth. It even went out to home plate every few innings with water for the umpires (it reminded me of the dog for the old Pompano Beach Miracle, the team that used to be owned by Mike Veeck). Burgess was playing catch with the dog after the game when it, to the delight of the crowd, decided to take a dump between home plate and the pitcher's mound.

*I liked the post-homer fireworks. I jumped out of my seat every time even though I knew they were coming. The postgame fireworks were a nice treat, as well.

*Was not impressed with the Sumo promotion. Seems teams continue this even though I would consider it outdated by at least 10 years. Was more impressed with the cockroach promotion. A member of the Greensboro Grasshoppers staff dressed as a cockroach and had to be swatted enough times until it 'died.'

*I'm starting to like the "Everybody clap your hands" cheer. Seems to have taken the place of "Let's Get it Started."

My favorite minor league park so far. This is what watching a baseball game in heaven must be like.