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2005 season Final Report For our final wrap-up of the 2005 Arizona Fall League season, we look at the top achievers for the season. Most of the premier performers were hitters, as the 2005 season featured one of the strongest crops of batters and one of the weakest group of pitchers in the 14-year history of the league. American League East
Eric Duncan (Yankees - 3B / 1B) was named the league MVP after hitting .362/.423/.734, 8 HRs. But many knowledgeable observers believe that the left-hander hitter's swing has holes; Duncan will need to prove himself at AAA in '06 ... The Yankees picked up the AFL's leading hitter, Kevin Howard (Reds/Yankees 3B) for next to nothing. Howard hit .409/.475/.557 in his second AFL season and showed surprising power and a solid 9/10 K/BB rate in 88 ABs ... Tripper Johnson (Orioles - 3B) opened eyes with his .338/.460/.529 performance in the AFL ... Adam Loewen (Orioles - P) had a strong season (1.67 ERA, .207 OBA), capping it with a good performance for Team Canada in the Olympic qualifying tourney. It will be interesting to see what effect new pitching coach Leo Mazzone has on Loewen and other O's hurlers this spring ... Nick Markakis (OF) served notice that he's one of the better outfield prospects in the game by batting .326/.408/.453 in the AFL ... David Murphy (Red Sox - OF) put together a nice season (.319/.354/.527), surpassing teammate Brandon Moss (Red Sox - OF), who struggled in the AFL (.236/.291/.389) ... Ryan Roberts (Blue Jays - 2B) surprised with his power, hitting five homeruns in 100 ABs, but didn't get on base enough (.260/.292/.460). Now 25, he has an outside chance of a role as a utility guy ... Guillermo Quiroz (Blue Jays - C) came to Arizona to make up for time lost to injury, and batted .294/.333/.412 ... Steve Andrade (Blue Jays/Devil Rays - P) played as a member of the Blue Jays organization before being taken in the December Rule 5 draft. The veteran right-hander fanned 23 in 13 IPs and opposing batters hit only .170 against him. He stands a good chance at sticking with the D-Rays in '06 ... Jamie Shields (Devil Rays - P) was a real surprise as one of the most effective AFL hurlers. The right-hander posted a 1.74 ERA with an astounding 29/2 K/BB rate. He was also the winning pitcher in the championship game. American League Central
Denard Span (OF - Twins) had a nice stint in Arizona, batting .294/.339/.353 with seven stolen bases. He's a good contact hitter with the potential to be a decent lead-off hitter in the big leagues ... Garrett Jones (Twins - 1B) showed his enormous power, smacking nine HRs in 97 ABs while hitting .289/.336/.680. Making contact is a problem, as he fanned 27 times. His game was reminiscent to the Mets' Craig Brazell, who has struggled in making the jump to the big leagues ... Southpaw Glen Perkins (Twins - P) was one of the more effective pitchers, with a nice 39/6 K/BB rate and 2.53 ERA. He's got less than two pro seasons under his belt, so Perkins is one to watch as he likely moves to AAA in '06 ... Brad Snyder (Indians - OF) looks to be the complete package. The left-handed hitter batted .367/.438/.582 and played strong defense ... Ryan Garko's (Indians - 1B) catching days are likely behind him, so it'll have to be his bat that carries him. He hit well in AZ, .314/.376/.593 with five HRs in 86 ABs ... Humberto Sanchez (Tigers - P) took a big jump forward with his performance in the AFL. The big right-hander finished with a 2.15 ERA and struck out 29 in 29.1 IPs. His conditioning will always be an issue; he's got to watch his weight ... As a taxi squad player, Kody Kirkland (Tigers - 3B) didn't get a lot of playing time, but made the most of his 41 ABs, hitting .293/.383/.463 ... Josh Fields (White Sox - 3B) showed good raw power and improving defense at the hot corner. He hit five HRs in 90 ABs, batting .256/.317/.489 ... Billy Butler (Royals - OF) is one of the best pure hitters in the minor leagues and also one of the worst defensive players; he showed both sides of this game in AZ. The 19-year-old right-handed hitter batted .252/.330/.476 with five HRs in 103 ABs ... Alex Gordon (Royals - 3B), who signed too late to play in the '05 season, came over from Instructional League a few weeks into the season and showed why he was the 2nd overall player selected in the 2005 draft. The Nebraska product hit .260/.403/.460 in 50 ABs, with a nice 12/12 K/BB rate ... Matt Tupman (Royals - C) is best known for his defense behind the plate, but also showed good hitting skills in the AFL (.279/.354/.442). American League West
What else can be said about Brandon Wood (Angels - SS)? Coming off a 43 homerun season at the Class A level, Wood had a four homer game en route to setting a new AFL record with 14 homeruns. He also showed better than average defense. The only negative is that he struck out 31 times in 114 ABs ... Howie Kendrick (Angels - 2B) hits better at each higher level of competition. He hit .380/.405/.603 with five HRs and struck out only 12 times in 121 ABs ... Kendry Morales (Angels - 1B) hit well (.380/.444/.598, 13/12 K/BB rate), yet questions have been raised as to how he'll adapt to higher levels of competition. It will be interesting to see how the Cuban expatriate does against big league pitching in his first spring training ... The highest profile pitcher in the AFL was Jered Weaver (Angels - P) and the big right-hander showed his enormous potential at times, posting a sharp 35/5 K/BB rate in 24.2 IPs ... Kurt Suzuki (Athletics - C) is a good all-around ballplayer, with strong defense behind the plate and solid hitting skills (.342/.447/.447, eight BBs, 38 ABs) ... Shane Komine (Athletics - P) made up for lost time after two injury-plagued years with a strong AFL season (1.14 ERA, 18/3 K/BB, 23.2 IPs) ... Daric Barton (Athletics - 1B) looks like he's adapted well to his new organization's style, tying for the league lead with 21 walks. His power numbers (.400 SLG) aren't quite what is desired from a first baseman ... Jeff Clement (Mariners - C) already looks to be a potential all-star catcher less than a year after being drafted. The left-handed hitter batted .269/.347/.478, 3 HRs, 67 ABs in the AFL ... Clint Nageotte (Mariners - P) may be ready for a key big league role in '06. He showed good velocity in the AFL with solid numbers (2.33 ERA, 24/4 K/BB, .212 OBA) ... Adam Jones (Mariners - OF) was primarily focusing on learning a new position and looked decent in centerfield. While his offensive numbers weren't great (.238/.282/.450), he showed good gap power and speed ... Mike Nickeas (Rangers - C) didn't get a lot of playing time as one of three catchers on his team, but hit well (.425/.468/.675, 40 ABs) ... Sidearm hurler Wes Littleton put up nice numbers in his second AFL stint, striking out 19 and walking only four in 18.2 IPs. National League East
Lastings Milledge (Mets - OF) is the real deal, which explains why his name keeps coming up in off-season trade rumors. He showed his five tool talents in AZ, hitting .330/.402/.574, 5 HRs, 7 SBs ... Josh Wilson (Marlins - 2B/SS) may be ready for a big league utility job after hitting .301/.361/.535, 4 HRs in 73 ABs. He likely has surpassed Robert Andino (Marlins - SS) on the Florida depth chart, as the latter hit only .263/.309/.303 and didn't show enough effort. If the Marlins determine that Hanley Ramirez isn't ready for a starting job, Wilson could get the shortstop job in '06 ... The Marlins picked up Dan Uggla (Diamondbacks/Marlins - 2B) from the Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft. He was very impressive in the AFL, hitting .304/.390/.598, 7 HRs. The second base job in Florida is wide open, so Uggla will likely be kept on the Marlins roster all season ... Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals - 3B) showed that he's one of the best defensive third basemen to come along in years and should also hit well enough to be a regular for the next 10-15 years. After a late start, he hit .263/.317/.368 in the AFL ... Larry Broadway (Nationals - 1B) missed part of the '05 season to injury, but hit very well in the AFL (.339/.446/.525, 11/13 K/BB). AAA will be a good test for the left-handed hitter in 2006 ... Brendan Harris (Nationals - INF) played very well in Arizona, putting himself in a good position for a job with the Nats in '06. He played three infield positions and batted .376/.417/.518, striking out only eight times in 85 ABs. The left side of the infield in Washington should be up for grabs, especially if Zimmerman isn't ready to take over third base ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Braves - C) looks like a keeper. He spent all season in High A, but wasn't intimidated by AFL competition, batting .288/.386/.438 and showing good defensive skills. The switch-hitter also was a standout for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament. Saltalamacchia's upside is huge ... Josh Burrus (Braves - OF) wasn't healthy for the AFL season, but still hit .313/.353/.563 in 32 ABs ... Michael Bourn (Phillies - OF) has good leadoff skills. The left-handed hitter batted .300/.394/.413, 10/13 K/BB, 3 SBs ... Scott Mathieson (Phillies - P) was one of the more impressive pitchers in the AFL, ranking second in the league in strikeouts with 36 in 26 IPs. National League Central
Chris Denorfia (Reds - OF) had a good AFL season, with the hard-nosed grinder putting himself in line for a fourth outfielder job with Cincinnati by hitting .333/.421/.570, 15/13 K/BB ... Allan Simpson (Reds - P) was effective out of the bullpen and may have a step up on a big league job by posting an 0.63 ERA ... Matt Murton (Cubs - OF) was sent to the AFL to prove that he could play defense well enough to compete for a big league job. He hit a solid .337/.396/.511, but struggled in the outfield ... Eric Patterson (Cubs - 2B) has limited time above Low A, but proved he's ready for a move to AA by hitting .301/.344/.373 in the AFL ... Angel Guzman's (Cubs - P) most important accomplishment in AZ was staying healthy. He posted good numbers, with a 3.82 ERA and 28/12 K/BB rate while throwing around 96 MPH ... A sleeper in '06 may be lefty John Koronka (Cubs - P), who pitched 13 scoreless innings while holding batters to a .178 average ... Prince Fielder (Brewers - 1B) didn't really want to come to Arizona for the Fall season and stayed only a couple of weeks. He hit two homeruns in 21 ABs ... If Fielder isn't ready for the regular first base job in Milwaukee, then Corey Hart (Brewers - 1B/3B/OF) may step in. The big right-hander hitter batted .353/.405/.647 with five HRs in 68 ABs ... Alcides Escobar (Brewers - SS), a late replacement for J.J. Hardy. At 18, he was way too young to be in the AFL, but certainly held his own (.333/.341/.378, 5 SBs). He was one of the better fielding shortstops and showed that he can drive the ball, although he went all season (90 ABs) without drawing a single walk ... Brad Eldred (Pirates - 1B) lived up to the nickname "Big Country" by hitting the ball as far and as hard as anyone in the league, slamming seven HRs in 97 ABs. Eldred batted .289/.330/.588 ... Neil Walker (Pirates - C) was one of the younger and less experienced players. He's a decent catcher with good hitting skills (.265/.315/.388) ... Josh Anderson (Astros - OF) lived up to his reputation as an exciting ballplayer, playing solid centerfield defense and leading the league in stolen bases with 10. The left-handed hitter batted .360/.393/.430 ... Taylor Buccholz (Astros - P) was sharp in his 23 innings of work in the AFL, finishing with a 1.57 ERA and 17/4K/BB rate. The former Phillie farmhand may be ready to contend for a starting job in Houston next year ... Charlton Jimerson (Astros - OF) hit with pop this year, batting .293/.329/.520, 5 HRs in 75 ABs. On the down side, he struck out 21 times and drew only one walk ... Travis Hanson (Cardinals - 3B) showed signs of offensive potential in AA this year. His numbers (261/.306/.359) in the AFL weren't as good, but he has potential to improve in AAA. National League West
Stephen Drew (Diamondbacks - SS) put on a good show for the home fans, playing solid defense and hitting .337/.439/.708, 6 HRs, 4 triples, 20/17 K/BB in 89 ABs. He has a shot at the starting job in '06, although would do well to first get a little AAA time ... Chris Young (White Sox/Diamondbacks) came over to the D'backs in a December trade after representing the White Sox in the AFL, where he hit .253/.326/.410 and played a good centerfield ... Jarred Ball (Diamondbacks - OF) showed potential as a future big league reserve. The switch-hitter batted .321/.406/.452 and drew 11 walks in 84 ABs ... Lefty Bill Murphy (Diamondbacks - P) had some excellent outings but also struggled in other starts. His K/BB rate of 36/4 was excellent, but opposing batters hit .313 off him. He's no longer on Arizona's 40-man roster, but wasn't claimed in the Rule 5 draft ... Casey Daigle (Diamondbacks - P) is re-inventing himself as a closer after failing as a starter at the big league level. The big right-hander finished with a 3.45 ERA and walked only two batters in 13 IPs ... Dan Ortmeier (Giants - OF) didn't play a lot before getting hurt, but hit well (.385/.414/.654, 2 HRs, 26 ABs). Considering the age of the Giants outfielders, he may get a decent amount of playing time if making the team out of spring training ... The Giants really like the progress made by hard-nosed Kevin Frandsen (Giants - 2B), who hit .266/.326/.367 in the AFL. He really needs to draw more walks, but the rest of his game is on target ... Ian Stewart (Rockies - 3B) impressed with both his bat and glove before getting hurt partway through the Fall season. He hit .333/.435/.615, 3 HRs, 39 ABs. He's one of the game's premier offensive prospects ... After a good season at AA and AAA, it just didn't happen in the Fall for Jeff Salazar (Rockies - OF), who hit just .137/.179/.178 ... Chris Iannetta (Rockies - C) is quickly becoming one of the better catching prospects in baseball. His AFL performance (.206/.400/.412, 34 ABs) was solid ... At 25, Michael Johnson (Padres - 1B) REALLY needs to get out of Class A ball in '06. His AFL performance (.272/.339/.515, 6 HRs, 20/11 K/BB, 103 ABs) should pave the way for a jump at least to AA ... The Dodgers have one of the deeper farm systems in baseball, and it showed in the caliber of talent they sent to the AFL. Matt Kemp (Dodgers - OF) capped off a fine season (.383/.416/.606) by going 4-4 with two HRs in the championship game. At 21, he's only going to get better ... After hitting 30 homeruns during the regular season, Andy LaRoche (Dodgers - 3B) didn't go deep in the Fall League until the championship game, but his overall offensive numbers were good (.352/.394/.451, 9 doubles, 91 ABs). There's no one in the way at his position at the big league level, so a strong spring could give him a shot at jumping from AA right to the majors ... James Loney (Dodgers - 1B) didn't get as much playing time, but he started to show the power that's been lacking from his arsenal. The left-handed hitter smacked five bombs in 59 ABs to go with good overall numbers (.322/.354/.610) ... Tony Abreu (Dodgers - SS/2B) is a nice ballplayer --- good with the glove and decent at the plate (.305/.322/.439) ... Andre Ethier (Athletics/Dodgers) was on the same AFL championship team with the other Dodgers guys while representing the Oakland Athletics, but has since been traded to the Dodgers. Ethier was one of the better hitters in the AFL, batting .366/.495/.598 in 82 ABs. He drew 21 walks while striking out only 10 times. He's got a shot to make the big club in spring training. --- Bill Mitchell
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