Surprise!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

In the opener of the Arizona Fall Season, the Met-heavy Surprise Saguaros dropped their first game today to the Peoria Javalinas, 5-2.

CF Darrell Ceciliani with an RBI sac fly in the losing effort.

Pitchers Ryan Fraser, Chase Hunchingson, Adam Kolarek, and Greg Peavy are on the squad but none saw action. OF Cesar Puello also gets a DNP.

Pictured: Saguaros.

[Edgy MD]

I think Sandy's operation is distinctly breaking with Omar's, who used the AFL as an opportunity to push high-rated offensive talent.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: I think Sandy's operation is distinctly breaking with Omar's, who used the AFL as an opportunity to push high-rated offensive talent.

do we have high-rated offensive talent?

[Edgy MD]

Relative to our lower rated offensive talent, yes.

[ashie62]

Edgy DC wrote: I think Sandy's operation is distinctly breaking with Omar's, who used the AFL as an opportunity to push high-rated offensive talent.

I thought that was the primary purpose of this league.

Flores should be here

[Edgy MD]

It's certainly one way to use it --- to further accelerate guys on an already accelerated track. Other uses have been to round out the season of a guy who has lost time to injuries, to work a guy at an alternative position, or to introduce a guy who had been a non-prospect but is coming off an eye-opening season to a higher level of talent to see if he's a fluke or not.

The Mets have almost never sent top pitching prospects to the AFL.

[Ceetar]

I wonder if the Vegas environment plays in to who they sent. what 'level' is this league considered?

[Frayed Knot]

Each team only has a limited number of slots to send to the AFL - and even that is pumped up a bit by the 'taxi squad' rule where some players are strictly part-timers.
And while this league is not designated as a specific "level", I believe there is a trend towards capping the amount of minor league experience that a player can have - so someone like Flores might already be out of the target range.

[Edgy MD]

I think it has been described as AA to AA+.

Probably the typical talent is guys on their way to AA, though some have been to AAA (and Daniel Murphy played AFL ball after reaching the majors). But unlike actual AA, virtually everybody has a ceiling that's expected to take them past there.