NEWS FROM THE ABA
NOTEWORTHY INJURIES
JACKSONVILLE - RF Michiyo Fujimoto 4 months broken elbow
SAN DIEGO – RP Blaine Boyer 5 months torn labrum
PITTSBURGH – RP Chris Mesa 5 months torn labrum
TEXAS - 35 year old SP Tim Lincecum 5-6 months undisclosed shoulder issues
PHOENIX – RP Winton Shnairson 8-12 months torn flexor tendon
OKLAHOMA – RP Gilberto Arellano 8-12 months torn UCL
NOTEWORTHY TRANSACTIONS
LAS VEGAS- SP Juan Gallegos signs 2 year 9.28 million dollar extension (70-60 4.06)
DETROIT – Extends ace Chris Mattingly 2 years 7.6 million (217-171 4.11 2936 K's)
PITTSBURGH - Signs 38 year old Korean RP Ji-Yong Kim to a 2 year 3.8 million dollar deal
Signs former Denver RP Clint Mcalhaney (20-31 3.39 159 SV) 1 year 1.94 million
OKLAHOMA – Signs former Vegas RP Luis Flores to a 1 year 1.06 million dollar deal (51-32 4.30 761 K 692 IP)
OHIO/NEW YORK – Ohio sends RP Chris Holycross (49-52 111 SV 3.98) and MiL RHP prospect Mike Sullivan (.5*/1.5*) to New York for 27 year old 3B Eric Kaelin (.242-14-61 211 games ++ Def at 2B/SS/3B)
WASHINGTON – Signed RP Shou-Feng Si-Ma 2 year 4.44 million (26-25 70 SV 4.30) I was trying to sign this guy and they went far higher than I could or was willing for a 32 year reliever with a career 1.40 WHIP
NEW ENGLAND/MEMPHIS – New England sends 28 year old SP Charlie Flaugher (20-23 5.19) to Memphis for 25 year old LF Mike McMillen (.252-3-14 2.5*/3.0*)
MEMPHIS - Signs former Husky closer Mike Chapman to an insanely cheap 2 year 3.76 million dollar deal. We had offered more money but apparently, he wanted no part of a team 'building'. He led the AL with 43 saves last year, won the award as the leagues best closer and is 28-34 2.92 with 104 Saves lifetime.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagle starter Kunji Koyanagi tossed a 12 punchout No-hitter vs Fukuoka Softbank in his 1st start of the year
SPRING TRAINING SCOUTING REPORTS ON PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
A quick peek inside our confidential scouting reports on the organization's players from the last day of camp. Very excited to see that up and down our minor league complex there was a marked improvement on most every player.
PRESEASON OWNERS MEETING
Mr Medina has been great. Considering how poorly we played last year I couldn't expect him to be pleased but he's handed me a 'to do' list.
- 1) He wants us to play “close” to .500 (Unsure how close, but closer than 48-114 I assume)
- 2) For some reason he would like us to “upgrade” our 2B situation. (Umm, ok. Jon Harris is going to break camp there, and I am unsure if he thinks, or his buddies think, this is or is not an upgrade)
- 3) Wants to increase profit to 1.7 million (Totally reasonable and lower than I would expect. Our budget right now projects a season-ending profit of 1.747 million.)
- 4) Find a “top” prospect. (I don't know what that means but I do know the new top 100 list is out (see below) and we have the 8th ranked prospect in the game in 18 year old Canadian free agent prospect Kinnon “Graveyard” Mendelson. Love the nickname)
- 5) He wants a “Top 5” farm system. (Again see below but jumping 19 spots to me says we had a fantastic winter.)
- 6) “Improve my draft record” (He would like to see more drafted talent make an impact in the big leagues. Who wouldn't? That's a longer-term goal (2009) he's put out there.
- 7) Wants a playoff contender (Of course he does. He has pushed the timetable back a year to 2010)
ABA 2006 TOP PROSPECTS
#5 Ben Chase was the guy I was leaning towards as the 1st pick last year. For what it's worth Joe Linn checks in as the 19th best prospect overall and the 9th best pitching prospect. Top prospect Sergio Marrero has been #1 for 3 straight seasons and the 22-year-old breaks camp with the Phantoms this year. His 5 years in the minors he was ranked 2, 2, 1, 1, 1 on the prospect list. 6' 165 2B has all 5 tools in abundance. Very much a triple crown threat as well as a 40+ stolen base guy who will contend for a gold glove very soon. He makes the jump from AA where he blossomed last year hitting .320-26-82 with 21 SB in just 118 games with an OPS of 985.
I think I was expecting far more excitement from ownership upon seeing this. We have 3 of the top 40 players in the minors and 9 of the top 200.
