Arizona Action

[MFS62]

That wasn't cute.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: Watching Javier Baez play 2B the last couple of weeks, for example, and you see stuff that a Murphy or say Flores just couldn't do because they'll probably have the correct first instinct on a non-routine play 60% of the time instead of 90% which in turn makes them less likely to get an out on the play both because the choice they made in that first half-second put them in a position where they got to the ball a shade later, or on an awkward bounce, or in a position where they have to make the tougher throw, and then because they also lack the raw athleticism to pull it off. It's that kind of tiny stuff that matters less in A-Ball than at the majors and also less just about anywhere other than at SS. It's what separates the almost good from the really good in the same way that most can't play CF the way Lagares does even though he's neither the fastest CF in the league nor has the strongest arm.

I don't think there's anything particular wanting about Wilmer Flores' instincts. I just think his feet aren't anywhere as nimble as his hands.

[Frayed Knot]

Well yeah, there's that too.

[Edgy MD]

The 'Bow went 1-4 with a double (!!) today, getting back on the interstate with a .107 average. Scorps lose 6-1.

Scottsdale taking it from every angle so far, their record holding at 3-11, easily the worst in the AFL. Their losing streak sits at 5.

[Edgy MD]

Tim Tebow and his impressively wanting .125 / .176 / .156 // .332 line have provided great cover in Arizona for Matt Oberste. The oberstwhile Binghamton corner infielder is wham-POW! 0-for-23 so far this fall, with no walks and seven strikeouts. He has managed to drive in a run with a sacrifice fly, but he has some climbing to do to overtake Tee' and escape the mantle of the Least Successful AFL-er of 2016.

[MFS62]

Tebow hurt his leg, taken out of a game.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/tebow-leaves-arizona-fall-league-game-with-right-leg-injury/ar-AAjEYGD?ocid=HPCDHP

Later

[Guest d'Kong76]

I just got a phone msg, he's day to day. How am I going to sleep?

[MFS62]

d'Kong76 wrote: I just got a phone msg, he's day to day. How am I going to sleep?

Soundly.
(If I said Tossing and Turning someone might think this is another rock and roll thread.)

Later

[Lefty Specialist]

d'Kong76 wrote: I just got a phone msg, he's day to day. How am I going to sleep?

Could be worse, he could be on the sidelines for the Jets.

[Edgy MD]

Gavin Cecchini and Champ Stuart both 1-2 with a run so far today. Stuart, who has surprisingly been hitting every time they run him out there, has a double.

[Edgy MD]

Matt Oberste up to 0-for-25.

I'm wondering if the presence of Tim Tebow tends to get Scottsdale assigned the evening slot in most days' three-game schedule.

[Edgy MD]

Oberste got his run up to 0-for-28 before singling in the seventh tonight.

That Oberste outburst gets his average up to .034.

[Edgy MD]

Scorps down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth last night, but ended up rallying for the 4-3 victory.

Guess who got the two-out walkoff RBI hit?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The guy who's gonna lose a chance to start on the '17 Mets because Neil Walker can't turn down $17 million smackeroos?

[Edgy MD]

The guy who missed out on a chance to start for the 2016 Patriots because he couldn't turn down 100 thousand smackeroos.

Something less than a frozen rope, but a game winner it was.

[Centerfield]

How generous was this description?

He sliced a first-pitch fastball down the third base line, lifting the Scottsdale Scorpions to a 4-3 victory over the Mesa Solar Sox.

That hit couldn't slice butter left out all day in an Arizona desert.

[MFS62]

He should cut out that article and have it framed.
He could then hang it on that wall near his Heisman Trophy as a memory of his baseball career.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Big blowout yesterday as the streaking second-half Scorps rode a 10-run first to a 13-3 victory. Marcos Molina threw three scoreless innings (no small feat in desert ball); Matt Oberste showed signs of breaking free from his malaise, going 2-5 with a double, and RBI, and a run scored (his average is up to .088!); the All-American went 1-4 with a walk and a run; and Champ Stuart went 1-5 with an RBI and 3 Ks.

[Edgy MD]

And Scotty took home their fourth straight win today, surprising Surprise with a 5-4 edge. Gavin Cecchini went 2-4, scored twice and started a double play at shortstop. Corey Oswalt got the win despite giving up three runs in his four innings. Life is good for Corey.

David RoseBOOM! threw an immaculate eighth inning, striking out the side in order. He's now sporting a 0.93 ERA, having walked eight and struck out 15 in 9 2/3 innings. If he can scrape away some of those walks in the time he has left, he may earn himself a spring training invite.

Tim Tebow took his first collar in a few days, dribbling out to the catcher, reaching on a second baseman's error, and lining out to left. His spray chart all seems to go the left side. That may mean he's developing opposite field discipline or it may mean his bat is too slow to catch up to what they dish out at this level.

[MFS62]

IIRC, one of the mavens at a Mets blog wrote when he was drafted that Oberste could be the steal of his years' draft because of his sweet swing. He has had a steady rise through the system and played at Binghamton this year. Let's see how he develops.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

The drawback on him [Oberste] is not just that he's already 25 y/o but that he's listed as a 6' 2"/[u:54m9nmaw]240 pound[/u:54m9nmaw] 1B/DH (plus a little 3B) meaning that he really needs to hit and hit a lot if he's going to have a big league future in front of him.

[Edgy MD]

Tim Tebow is 1-2 this afternoon with a walk, double, an RBI, and a strikeout. The double was pulled this time.

[tweet:2llvedef]

[/tweet:2llvedef]

Champ Stuart 1-2 with a bunt single and a walk. Corey Taylor threw an inning and two-thirds of shutout ball, yielding two hits and striking out three.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Geez Ryan Divish. I don;t have 20 second to watch a foul ball. Edit, man!

[Edgy MD]

After a 2-for-3 yesterday (his first two-hit game, by my reckoning), Tebow threw up a 1-for-4 with a double today, upping him to .190 / .266 / .241 // .507 which, sure, is a Doug Flynn line, but it's trending toward something redeemable.

There are a handful of qualifying ballplayers — actual veteran ballplayers — with worse lines.

The Coreys combined today for seven innings of one-run ball, with Corey Oswalt taking the win (4-1!!) with 5 innings of 3-hit ball, giving up 1 earned run, while walking 2 and striking out 3, followed by Corey Taylor throwing 2 perfect innings and striking out 4.

Tom Goodwin's Scorpions have nonetheless become the first of the six 2016 AFL teams to be eliminated.

[A Boy Named Seo]

OK, Tebow, fine. Credit where due. That batting line is garbage, but going from high school to the Arizona Fall League (via 11-year hiatus) is no easy leap.

[Frayed Knot]

I read that something like 20-30 of the top 100 prospects are in the AFL this season - so it's not surprising that a neophyte like Tebow isn't exactly shining in that sort of company. That he's starting to look like he's at least making some progress is a decent sign.

Still a long road ahead of him obviously, but he's maybe shown enough to have earned a shot at A-ball next year which may be more at his grade level even if he's going to be considerably older than the other kids in the class.

[Edgy MD]

Gavin Cecchini, 2-4, 2B, RS
.295 / .357 / .459 // .816 in 69 PA

Tim Tebow, 0-2, BB, CS
.183 / .269 / .233 // .502 in 67 PA

Champ Stuart, 1-3, SB, RS
.288 / .319 / .394 // .713 in 69 PA