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ayaghmour2 · 10-30-2023, 04:52 PM

SS Elmer Grace (#57 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 47th Round, 52nd Overall (1948)
AA: .320/.366/.399 (96 OPS+), 311 PA, 14 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 42 RBI, SB
CWL: .241/.354/.315 (73 OPS+), 127 PA, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI

It's been a slow start in the winter league for 4th Rounder Elmer Grace, who has just a 86 WRC+ in 27 games, but he's coming off the best week of his winter. Along with a walk-off double (more below) for the first place Stallions, Grace went 6-for-15 with a homer, another double, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Grace has now hit safely in five consecutive games, with three of them two-hit efforts. Despite this hot stretch, the switch hitting middle infielder is hitting just .241/.354/.315 (73 OPS+) in 127 trips to the plate. He has walked (19) a bit more then he's struck out (15), but for someone who should be big league ready, I was expecting a lot more production at the plate. What is nice though is the natural shortstop has spent all but four innings at the keystone, a position I already wanted him to get additional work at. Short is locked up with Skipper, but second could be up for the taking as early as midseason, and Grace is one of our more interesting candidates for a full-time job. The #57 prospect is an excellent defender who can hold his own at the plate. He has a good eye and can work the count to his benefit, but he's still not adept at dealing with the close pitches. I'd like to see him make a bit more contact, as .300 in FABL may be just out of reach, and without much power (2 HR in 311 AA PAs), he's either going to have play defense like Skipper or hit consistently above .300. I'm hoping he can ride this hot streak into a strong end of the season, and if he finishes on a good note, he could join the big league club in the spring for a few extra reps.

RHP Zane Kelley (#221 Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Kings (1947)
AAA: 13-8, 188.2 IP, 4.15 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, 61 BB, 61 K
CWL: 6-0, SV, 58.1 IP, 0.93 ERA (488 ERA+), 0.81 WHIP, 18 BB, 27 K

I already alluded to it earlier, but yet again, Zane Kelley showed out and dominated. He didn't get any run support in his duel against 23-year-old Ray Hatch (1-5, SV, 4.55, 57), so after nine innings the game was tied at one. Kelley came back for the 10th and again kept runs off the board, and after an easy extra frame Kelley had just 4 hits, a run, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Set to leadoff the bottom of the 10th, Stallions manager Fred Spears let Kelley hit for himself. He was 0-for-3, but managed to draw a leadoff walk, which he himself knows that those tend to bite you in the butt. This turned the order for Johnny Peters (.235, 2, 16, 2), but the former 3rd Pick could not get the job done. Lucky for Kelley, Elmer Grace (241, 2, 7) was ready to go home, and he got a hold of a Hatch pitch, sending Kelley around the bases to score the winning run on Grace's double. This kept Kelley at a perfect 6-0 with a league best 0.93 ERA (488 ERA+) and 0.81 WHIP, with the next closest at 1.71 (265 ERA+) and 1.09. His 3.7 rWAR is a full win and a half above replacement against the next highest and batters are hitting just .148 against him -- just a bit higher then his .125 average. Kelley still leads the circuit with 58.1 innings and his 3.22 FIP (71 FIP-) is third this winter. Every time I think he's done flexing his skill on unsuspecting hitters, he manages to do even more, and at this point I don't know how I can not put him on the big league roster. It may make my life more difficult, sure, but the unexpected breakout of the young righty has managed to deepen an already stellar pitching corps.

10-30-2023, 04:52 PM	#1249
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Cuban Winter League: Week 7 SS Elmer Grace (#57 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 47th Round, 52nd Overall (1948) AA: .320/.366/.399 (96 OPS+), 311 PA, 14 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 42 RBI, SB CWL: .241/.354/.315 (73 OPS+), 127 PA, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI It's been a slow start in the winter league for 4th Rounder Elmer Grace, who has just a 86 WRC+ in 27 games, but he's coming off the best week of his winter. Along with a walk-off double (more below) for the first place Stallions, Grace went 6-for-15 with a homer, another double, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Grace has now hit safely in five consecutive games, with three of them two-hit efforts. Despite this hot stretch, the switch hitting middle infielder is hitting just .241/.354/.315 (73 OPS+) in 127 trips to the plate. He has walked (19) a bit more then he's struck out (15), but for someone who should be big league ready, I was expecting a lot more production at the plate. What is nice though is the natural shortstop has spent all but four innings at the keystone, a position I already wanted him to get additional work at. Short is locked up with Skipper, but second could be up for the taking as early as midseason, and Grace is one of our more interesting candidates for a full-time job. The #57 prospect is an excellent defender who can hold his own at the plate. He has a good eye and can work the count to his benefit, but he's still not adept at dealing with the close pitches. I'd like to see him make a bit more contact, as .300 in FABL may be just out of reach, and without much power (2 HR in 311 AA PAs), he's either going to have play defense like Skipper or hit consistently above .300. I'm hoping he can ride this hot streak into a strong end of the season, and if he finishes on a good note, he could join the big league club in the spring for a few extra reps. RHP Zane Kelley (#221 Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Kings (1947) AAA: 13-8, 188.2 IP, 4.15 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, 61 BB, 61 K CWL: 6-0, SV, 58.1 IP, 0.93 ERA (488 ERA+), 0.81 WHIP, 18 BB, 27 K I already alluded to it earlier, but yet again, Zane Kelley showed out and dominated. He didn't get any run support in his duel against 23-year-old Ray Hatch (1-5, SV, 4.55, 57), so after nine innings the game was tied at one. Kelley came back for the 10th and again kept runs off the board, and after an easy extra frame Kelley had just 4 hits, a run, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Set to leadoff the bottom of the 10th, Stallions manager Fred Spears let Kelley hit for himself. He was 0-for-3, but managed to draw a leadoff walk, which he himself knows that those tend to bite you in the butt. This turned the order for Johnny Peters (.235, 2, 16, 2), but the former 3rd Pick could not get the job done. Lucky for Kelley, Elmer Grace (241, 2, 7) was ready to go home, and he got a hold of a Hatch pitch, sending Kelley around the bases to score the winning run on Grace's double. This kept Kelley at a perfect 6-0 with a league best 0.93 ERA (488 ERA+) and 0.81 WHIP, with the next closest at 1.71 (265 ERA+) and 1.09. His 3.7 rWAR is a full win and a half above replacement against the next highest and batters are hitting just .148 against him -- just a bit higher then his .125 average. Kelley still leads the circuit with 58.1 innings and his 3.22 FIP (71 FIP-) is third this winter. Every time I think he's done flexing his skill on unsuspecting hitters, he manages to do even more, and at this point I don't know how I can not put him on the big league roster. It may make my life more difficult, sure, but the unexpected breakout of the young righty has managed to deepen an already stellar pitching corps.