AzFL, etc

[AZZenny]

Went to the opening of the Fall League at Scottsdale last night -- not too bad attendance -- If you've never been to a Fall League game, try to catch one. It's such pleasant baseball.

Saw this article -- if anyone finds out when and where these guys will be practicing, it's an 'all-star' team I'd like to see.

MLB unveils roster for Japan tour
10/10/2006 6:21 PM ET
By Ian Browne / MLB.com

Not all Major Leaguers will have their bats and gloves packed up in November. A star-studded crew, led by Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, will go on a six-game tour of Japan.
Howard, who belted 58 homers and drove in 149 runs this season, highlighted the list of 24 players released by Major League Baseball on Tuesday. Three more players will be announced within the next week, completing the 27-man roster.

Twins ace and American League Cy Young Award favorite Johan Santana will lead the pitching staff. Santana (19-6, 2.77 ERA) will be joined by batterymate and AL batting champion Joe Mauer. Some other big names on the squad are Mets third baseman David Wright and Braves center fielder Andruw Jones.

The tour will represent a homecoming for Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima, who hails from Sasebo, and White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, the pride of Tokyo.

A's manager Ken Macha will have the honor of managing the squad. His coaches will include Mets third-base coach Manny Acta, Phillies bullpen coach Ramon Hernandez and A's pitching coach Curt Young.

After a few days of workouts in Phoenix, the Major League team will charter to Tokyo on Oct. 30. The first game will be against the Yomiuri Giants on Nov. 2, in Tokyo.

The roster is as follows:

The pitchers are Bronson Arroyo (Reds), Erik Bedard (Orioles), Brian Fuentes (Rockies), Ray King (Rockies), John Lackey (Angels), Joe Nathan (Twins), Santana, Scot Shields (Angels), Chris Capuano (Brewers), Mike Myers (Yankees) and Chris Young (Padres).

Mauer leads a catching core that also includes Johjima and Brian Schneider (Nationals).

Howard will anchor first base and be backed up by Toronto's Lyle Overbay. Chase Utley of the Phillies and Iguchi are the second basemen. Mets speedster Jose Reyes (17 triples and 64 stolen bases) will be at shortstop, joined by Rafael Furcal of the Dodgers. Wright will patrol the hot corner, and Chone Figgins, the versatile infielder/outfielder from the Angels, might see time there, as well.

Bill Hall of the Brewers and Jones are the only other outfielders currently on the roster.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

My wife and I and some friends are going to see some games in Mesa.

 

[Bada0Bing]

I would like to watch this. Do they ever play out on the west side?

 

[nathan]

I would like to watch this. Do they ever play out on the west side?

Yes. Two teams are based at the Peoria Sports Complex. One team plays in Surprise (which is where the All star game is going to be as well).

 

[Bada0Bing]

Yes. Two teams are based at the Peoria Sports Complex. One team plays in Surprise (which is where the All star game is going to be as well).

Awesome. Sounds like fun, I'll have to check this out.

 

[nathan]

BTW, Steven Jackson is supposedly starting the Friday game for the Scorpions (at Phoenix Municipal Stadium).

 

[nathan]

Steven Jackson pitched two innings. He gave up two runs in the first inning on only one hit (walked the first two batters). Hopefully that was just a fluke and he doesn't have the same disease that Vargas and Enrique Gonzalez have that cause them to give up first inning runs. He looked really sharp in the second inning. He got a couple of swings and misses with his splitter and induced an inning ending double play.

Mark Reynolds hit a monster HR to left center and laced a double up the RF line. Yesterday he hit an opposite field HR. He definitely has power but he has swung and missed at a lot of balls even though he hasn't struck out very many times.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

We went to last night's Solar Sox game. Sox lost but we saw some good baseball.

 

[FArting]

why isnt there an dbacks on the roster for the japanese tour?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Write-up on how each Dback prospect has been doing in the AFL so far:

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com...t_id=1719496&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

why isnt there an dbacks on the roster for the japanese tour?

MLB asked the Dbacks in Webb could go and they said no. Its the right move, he really needs to rest.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Richar and D'Antona make the AFL all-star game.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/news/262715.html

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

BIG JACKS: Diamondbacks righthander Steven Jackson has been scuffling for the Scorpions this fall. In two outings, Jackson is 0-1, 12.60 over just five innings of work. That's after going 8-11, 2.65 in 150 innings as a workhorse on the staff at Double-A Tennessee, where consistency every fifth day was something the Smokies came to expect out of 2004 10th-round pick. "He's still consistent day-in, day-out," said Dan Carlson, who was Jackson's pitching coach in Double-A and is again in the AFL. "He never really beats himself. He's had a little trouble here just with falling behind in counts just because he's not a sharp as he normally would be, but I expect him to finish up strong after those two starts." Jackson throws four pitches for strikes, and his splitter has emerged as a plus offering. He still needs work facing lefthanders, who ripped him at a .293 clip in Double-A. "He's made strides with his changeup, which helps him out a whole lot against lefties," Carlson said. "He's athletic, he holds runners, and he's got good action with his sinker--there's a lot of things in there that a lot of major league clubs want."

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/news/262712.html

 

[MigratingOsprey]

i'm going to the game tonight - should be fun to see a lot of this young talent go at it