Scottsdale Scorpions AZFL thread

[AZZenny]

Went to the first two Scorp games - ladies and gentleman, we should thank Mike Rizzo - watching Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin hitting back-to-back is just so reassuring and exciting - there is a future and its not too far off. (and ladies especially should thank him - both are GOOD-looking guys!)

After hitting a no-doubt homer tonight, in his next at bat Carlos looked like he might have tweaked something, and left the stadium at the middle of the next inning. HOPE its nothing significant, because man, it's exciting when he goes to the plate. Conor is also a treat to watch, coiled and ready to spring, but I am beginning to think Carlos Quentin might ultimately have slightly higher overall potential.

The caliber of baseball in AZFL looks far superior to anything we saw at BOB this year - truly. That really says something about how much the team needs to do in the off season.

 

[NJYAJ09]

flat out, who do you think is better?

 

[AZZenny]

Let's see... Conor has dark, brooding good looks, great physique, but he chews gum with his mouth open. Carlos has a tousled, boyish-but-serious -- Oh! You mean which is the better PLAYER! Oops. Bunny-moment! Yes, yes, even at my age.

Despite listening to dozens of their games online, I've only actually seen Carlos live twice, maybe 7 at bats, and Conor live four times, maybe 13 at bats. I think that's a rather small sample. Gimme a couple weeks. They are not so unevenly matched that it's an obvious call.

Conor's discipline at the plate and eye for the strike zone make me absolutely giddy, and he has a powerful stance and great smooth swing. He doesn't actually steal bases, but he sure seems to get into the pitcher's head when he's on base. Carlos is less dominating-looking at the plate, but also has excellent discipline, and a quick swing that actually is considerably more powerful. He's probably a hair faster (but doesn't steal well) and better defensively. Both seem to play very smart and pretty hard - man, is THAT a nice change from what we've been seeing!!

 

[Dbackmomma]

AZFL pitchers

AZZEnny ...

Have you had a chance to see any Dback pitchers? Your thoughts?

 

[AZZenny]

Saw Jason Bulger get a save Tuesday - would have liked to ask one of the guys with a radar gun what it said because when his ball hit the catcher's mitt, it had a totally different sound - KA-POW! - than any of the 5 or 6 pitchers before him. So he was throwing high and mighty cheese with very good control, and he cruised through the batters easily and calmly.

Frustrating that yesterday's results are NOWHERE to be found and here it is 12 hrs later! Lazy media bums...

 

[AZZenny]

Brief update - Conor Jackson is struggling a bit, as he seems to do for short bursts (3-5 games) here and there. I thought he looked very tense today, and his batting stance didn't have the usual springy rocking motion. He swung under some low pitches I don't think he normally would have offered at, popping out - so did some of his teammates, but it looked like he just wasn't within himself. Sure hope nobody tries to mess with his batting stance.

Carlos Quentin had back spasms Weds night when he corkscrewed through a pitch, which is why he left the game early, and reportedly will be ready to play in a couple more days. Corey Myers hit a solo homer and is playing sound defense at third base. Marland Williams is nowhere to be found. Don't know what happened with him. Carlos and Dustin Pedrioa were hanging out talking in the dugout during the game.

DREW WHO???

 

[AZZenny]

I've made it to at least 2-3 games a week, so here's my update:
Conor Jackson, man - when he's in his groove he has "a lethal combination of patience and power" to borrow a phrase. Hit two Home Runs yesterday at Peoria - which is 5 for the season and I believe tops in the AZFL.

The Scottsdale Scorpions scored seven times before the Peoria Saguaros scored a run Saturday afternoon at Peoria Sports Complex. Dustin Pedroia (BOS) was 3-for-4 and Conor Jackson (AZ) was 4-for-5 in the Saguaros' 11-3 win. Justin Wechsler (AZ) pitched two hitless innings and picked up the win.

Scorps have the best record in the league, I think 12-4 now. Pedroia is just solid, solid, solid. He may not have all-star upside - but he's playing, he hustles, and he's very good at what he does, and seems to be a good teammate. Anyone here really think we couldn't use that?

Carlos has hit once or twice in the last couple days, but I was told he still has some discomfort and there is at least some talk of shutting him down till ST. That would be too bad, because I had a theory that if he did really well in AZFL they would just pencil him in for RF next season, rather than Tucson, but if he still looked green, they'd go find another fielder and he'd go to AAA. Hmmm...I may have to rent a place in Tucson for a few months next summer.

Marland Williams somehow ended up playing for the Rafters, hitting around .300, but sloppy.

btw - Josh Kroeger is steadily hitting around .340 in Mexican League.

 

[AZZenny]

Pitcher, Player of the Week Named.

Phoenix Desert Dogs Houston Street and Scottsdale Scorpions Conor Jackson were named the Arizona Fall League's Pitcher and Player of the Week, respectively, for the week of Oct. 18-23, 2004.
Phoenix pitcher Houston Street (OAK) ranks second in the league with a .90 ERA. In eight games, Street has held hitters to one run on eight hits. He has walked only one batter and struck out 11. Street has helped the Desert Dogs to a 13-5 record and first place in the National Division. (etc)


Conor Jackson (AZ) hit .400 (10-for-25) for the Scorpions. The outfielder hit a double and four home runs. He drove in eight and scored five times. Jackson is hitting .361 overall and leads the league in home runs (6) and is third in RBI (19). His offensive performance has helped the Scorpions remain in first place for the American Division.

Jackson was the Diamondbacks' first round pick in the 2003 Amateur Draft. The 22-year-old Jackson had a good start to his professional career, winning the MVP of the Northwest League in 2003 after hitting .312 with six home runs and 55 RBIs, as well as setting the league record for doubles with 32. Jackson joins the Arizona Fall League in 2004 following his second season in the Diamondbacks' organization. Jackson was promoted to AA El Paso this year after hitting .345 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs at single-A Lancaster.

In his weekly column, Conor says Carlos Quentin is ready to play again, and also speaks highly - very highly - of Wally Backman.

 

[AZZenny]

However, Bob Miller, Ass't GM, who sat a few rows behind me today, told me Carlos is shut down till Spring. Has had a stiff back for a few months, and is too valuable to the future of the organization to take any risks at all. So Marland "Smoke" Williams is on the Scorps in the OF. Dude is indeed VERY fast.

 

[Brandon_Webb]

Thanks a ton for the updates Zen

 

[AZZenny]

In the face of all our recent misery, thought folks might like to share a little drool-puddle of anticipation.

Conor Jackson has an OPS of 1.102, third best in AZFL after Kevin Thompson and Rickie Weeks. Conor leads the league with 7 HR. He has 19 BB, plus 2 IBB - vs. 14 Ks, which I believe is far and away the best W:K ratio of anybody with ample plate appearances.
:notworthy

I understand they expect to start him in Tucson, but really, the outfield there will be very crowded - includes Kroeger, Terrero, Marland Williams, and Carlos Quentin thus far - and ours up here is seeming rather sparse at the moment. How difficult would it be to switch to RF from LF do you think? I mean, just until Carlos is ready to come up.

Gonzo WHO?

 

[AZZenny]

In the face of all our recent misery, thought folks might like to share a little drool-puddle of anticipation.

Conor Jackson has an OPS of 1.102, third best in AZFL after Kevin Thompson and Rickie Weeks. Conor leads the league with 7 HR. He has 19 BB, plus 2 IBB - vs. 14 Ks, which I believe is far and away the best W:K ratio of anybody with ample plate appearances.
:notworthy

I understand they expect to start him in Tucson, but really, the outfield there will be very crowded - includes Kroeger, Terrero, Marland Williams, and Carlos Quentin thus far - and ours up here is seeming rather sparse at the moment. How difficult would it be to switch to RF from LF do you think? I mean, just until Carlos is ready to come up.

Gonzo WHO?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

In the face of all our recent misery, thought folks might like to share a little drool-puddle of anticipation.

Conor Jackson has an OPS of 1.102, third best in AZFL after Kevin Thompson and Rickie Weeks. Conor leads the league with 7 HR. He has 19 BB, plus 2 IBB - vs. 14 Ks, which I believe is far and away the best W:K ratio of anybody with ample plate appearances.
:notworthy

I understand they expect to start him in Tucson, but really, the outfield there will be very crowded - includes Kroeger, Terrero, Marland Williams, and Carlos Quentin thus far - and ours up here is seeming rather sparse at the moment. How difficult would it be to switch to RF from LF do you think? I mean, just until Carlos is ready to come up.

Gonzo WHO?

Since we have only one outfielder under contract at the moment, I would expect Terrero to be with the big club at the beginning of next year, leaving an outfield of Kroeger, Quinten, and Jackson at AAA, with Williams being the odd man out (maybe even back to AA for him, where he played all of last year if Im not mistaken?).

 

[AZZenny]

Terrero has actually been floated as tradeable, apparently, and is NOT considered ready for prime time by the team after his 'audition'. Tell ya - Conor is head-and-shoulders more mature, advanced, and more reliable than Terrero, although now there's talk of Conor learning First (he played 3rd and some 1st in college) this year in Tucson.

Was told Carlos Quentin was finally diagnosed with a marginal stress fracture of a vertebra, and the treatment is 2-3 months of no swinging, jumping, etc. (Ummm....and milk! LOTS of milk!) Wonder if one of the 40-plus HBP had anything to do with that?

Jaime D'Antona, who sort of fell off the radar, did indeed have biceps tendinitis, but it was caught before it needed surgery, and he just very recently began a rehab program in Tucson.

Tonight Conor had his socks pulled up for a change - he was in a quasi-slump - and made a GREAT OF play, hit a HR and had a BB.

Someone asked me who I thought had more upside - obviously we have to see a really healthy Carlos - but Conor just blows me away consistently. So - he's my guy.

 

[AZZenny]

OK, ALMOST official, Scorpions vs. Desert Dogs in Saturday's Championship game. 1 PM, Scottsdale Stadium. Scorps up by two games, two to play - so it's looking good.

Last chance for truly pleasurable baseball until ST (if then).

Fall League is the best baseball experience ever, outside of your team in the playoffs and WS. More laidback than ST, better talent and caliber of play than the Minors (or than some Majors, who shall remain nameless), really cheap - just totally great.
Naturally, mlb and its satanic minions are looking at how to 'tinker' with it.

 

[AZZenny]

OK, my final 2004 AzFL tidbits -

Conor Jackson was #1 in HR (8 ), #4 in Runs and #5 in RBI. He had the most walks - 24, including the 2 intentional (and was the only guy to get 2) vs. 19 Ks. 5 doubles. Batted .324, OBP .433, SLG. 586 (in 111 ABs). 2 Errors.
As I've mentioned before, he has 3-5 game streaks where he pops very long outs instead of screaming liners, which seem to be when he is not as patient and also draws fewer walks. Unfortunately for the Scorps, he was in one of those the last few games.

He was voted to the AzFL 'all-star prospect' team for Left and Right Field positions, tied with a few others on both counts.

Corey Myers was #2 in BA, and #4 in doubles (11) and #4 SLG. He hit .400, OBP of .434, SLG .632; 8 BB and 12 K (in 95 ABs). 3 Errors. Voted to the all star prospects team for Utility player (3rd and Catcher) in a tie with several others.

Marland Williams finished with .352 BA, .395 OBP, and .563 SLG, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 HR, 9 stolen and one caught stealing, 4 BB to 14K (actually, I think that's an improvement). 3 Errors. (71 ABs) He needs another year of seasoning, but looked like more solid big league OF material than he did prior to this.

He and Conor actually showed off some genuinely OF-caliber arm the last couple games, throwing deep flies to the plate with pretty good precision - not a Repko or Kroeger jaw-dropping laser, but definitely good enough.

Jason Bulger was #2 in Saves, 3.46 ERA in 13 innings, 5 Earned runs, 5W, 16 SO. I like this kid.
Mike Schultz had 3.94 ERA in 16 IP, 7 ER, 6 W/12 SO. Justin Wechsler was looking good - 1.23 ERA in 7.1 IP, before he was shut down for a sore arm.

I can't help but notice the injury thing still bites us - Carlos Quentin, Wechsler both got nailed early. At least Conor looks pretty durable, thus far... KOW.

I will say one more time (this year) - AzFL is the best non-playoffs baseball experience a fan could ever hope to have. It beats ST by a mile. The players who have commented have pretty much all said it's one of the best baseball experiences, and most fun, they've ever had, too.

And now the last official mlb baseball game of 2004 has been played.

 

[Kolo]

BA listed top 20 prospects from the AFL--Jackson is the only one of our guys who made it:

7. Conor Jackson, of, Scottsdale Scorpions (Diamondbacks)

Few hitters this fall came with more polish than Jackson, who has a quick bat, good strike-zone management and plus raw power. His plate discipline was on display this fall, where he drew more walks (22) than strikeouts (19). But the big tool is the power potential. He shows pole-to-pole power, though he tends to get too pull-conscious.

Some scouts questioned Jackson's ability to handle inside fastballs because of his size and swing, but his plate discipline should allow his raw power to translate into game power at higher levels. While teammate Carlos Quentin is far more advanced defensively in the outfield, Jackson made strides in learning the position since the Diamondbacks converted him from a corner infielder in 2003.