The South Atlantic League, which is affectionately known as the “Sally League” by most fans of minor league baseball, is a Single-A league with 16 teams split into two divisions – Northern and Southern.

The teams are located in Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia. The Delmarva Shorebirds represent the Orioles in the league, but they’re not the only team from Maryland. The Hagerstown Suns are also a member of the league and they are an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

The Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers also have affiliates in the league.

Delmarva finished in second place in the Northern Division during the first half (38-31). The Shorebirds were 40-30 in the second half, which was good enough for third place. Overall, their 78-61 record was the second-best finish in the division.

The Lake County Captains, who represent the Indians in the league, won the first half in the division with a 41-29 record. The West Virginia Power, an affiliate of the Pirates, finished in first place in the division during the second half (45-25).

In the Southern Division, the Asheville Tourists, who represent the Rockies, finished 46-24 and won the first half. The Augusta GreenJackets, an affiliate of the Giants, captured the second-half title with a 47-22 record.

The Power beat the Captains in three games to earn their second consecutive berth in the championship series. The GreenJackets, who are owned by Ripken Baseball, swept Asheville to advance to the championship as a representative of the Southern Division.

Offensively, Ryan Adams was a big part of the Shorebirds’ success. He hit .308 with 11 home runs, 57 RBIs and 68 runs scored in 119 games. However, the 21-year-old second baseman also hurt the team with his defense. Adams had 52 errors, which was the most by a second baseman in the history of the league.

Although he is considered old for the league, Joe Nowicki led the Shorebirds in most offensive categories. The 26-year-old right fielder was first on the team in home runs (19), RBIs (78), doubles (36), triples (six) and total bases (241). Nowicki also had 14 stolen bases and 74 runs scored, but he struck out 142 times in 130 games.

Matt Angle, who was selected by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 2007 draft, batted .287 with 37 stolen bases and 82 runs scored. Tyler Henson hit .265 with 11 home runs, 62 RBIs and 20 stolen bases for Delmarva. The 20-year-old infielder needs to work on his defense and plate discipline. Henson had 29 errors and only 25 walks in 127 games.

Three starting pitchers for Delmarva won at least 10 games in 2008. Sean Gleason, who started the year as a reliever, was 12-2 with a 2.63 ERA. The 23-year-old right-hander had two complete games this season. He only gave up three home runs in 150 2/3 innings for the Shorebirds. Zach Britton, who was the Orioles’ third-round draft pick in 2006, was 12-7 with a 3.12 ERA in 27 starts. The 20-year-old left-hander had 114 strikeouts in 147 1/3 innings for Delmarva. Luis Noel was 10-8 with a 3.96 ERA. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed 13 home runs, however, in 138 2/3 innings.

Championship

Augusta swept the first three games of the best-of-five series to win the league championship, which was the team’s first title since 1999.

Shortstop Juan Ciriaco was 3-for-5 with a three-run home run in the first inning to power the GreenJackets over West Virginia, 9-3, in Game 1. Second baseman Nick Noonan was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and right fielder James Simmons had three RBIs for Augusta.

Augusta starting pitcher Craig Clark picked up the victory in the first game. The 24-year-old left-hander allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits in six innings. He had eight strikeouts in the game. West Virginia’s R.J. Seidel suffered the loss after giving up nine runs (seven earned) and seven hits in one inning.

In the second game, Augusta’s Madison Bumgarner allowed an unearned run and four hits in six innings to carry the GreenJackets to a 5-1 victory over the Power. The 19-year-old left-hander had six strikeouts and walked two hitters in the game. First baseman Angel Villalona led the GreenJackets with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Catcher Dayton Buller was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The GreenJackets completed the sweep by defeating West Virginia, 4-3, in the third game. Noonan was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Starting pitcher Scott Barnes gave up two runs and five hits in six innings to earn the victory. Despite allowing one run in two innings, reliever Andrew de la Garza collected his third save of the postseason.

Top players

Michael Stanton, Greensboro Grasshoppers – Stanton, who was picked by the Florida Marlins in the second round of the 2007 draft, led the league with 39 home runs in 125 games for Greensboro. The 18-year-old outfielder finished third in the league in RBIs (97) and tied for third with 89 runs scored. He hit .293 with 26 doubles and three triples. Stanton struck out 153 times, however, which was the third-highest total in the league.

Angel Villalona, Augusta GreenJackets – Villalona hit .263 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs in 123 games for Augusta. He also had 29 doubles. While the numbers aren’t overwhelming, Villalona should receive recognition because he didn’t turn 18 until August. The first baseman had 118 strikeouts and only walked 18 times this season, but he has a bright future in the Giants’ minor league system.

Jesus Montero, Charleston RiverDogs – The 18-year-old catcher batted .326 in 132 games for the RiverDogs, which was the second-best batting average in the league. Montero led the league with 171 hits. He was second in total bases (258), fourth in doubles (34) and tied for sixth in runs scored (86). Look for Montero to continue to move up in the Yankees’ minor league system. He could be a long-term replacement for Jorge Posada if he’s able to keep playing well.

Freddie Freeman, Rome Braves – Freeman hit .316 with 18 home runs and 95 RBIs in 130 games for Rome. The 19-year-old first baseman had 33 doubles, seven triples and 70 run scored. He was third in the league in total bases (256) and fourth in hits (155). The Braves selected Freeman in the second round of the 2007 draft.

Madison Bumgarner, Augusta GreenJackets – The 19-year-old left-hander was 15-3 with a 1.46 ERA in 24 starts for Augusta. Bumgarner led the league with 164 strikeouts and he only walked 21 hitters in 141 2/3 innings. He gave up 10 runs in his first three starts of the season, but only surrendered 18 in his final 21 games. The Giants selected the 6-foot-4, 215-pound starting pitcher with the 10th overall pick in the 2007 draft.

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Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The Midwest League is a Single-A league with 14 teams located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. The Orioles don’t have an affiliate in the league, so I’ll just take a look at the championship and the top players.

The Lansing Lugnuts, an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, finished 39-31 in the Eastern Division during the first half and the West Michigan Whitecaps, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, were one game behind them (37-31). The two teams earned berths to represent the division in the playoffs for the first half.

The South Bend Silver Hawks, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, won the second-half title in the Eastern Division after finishing 43-27. The Dayton Dragons, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, earned the final playoff spot from the division with a 38-32 record in the second half.

In the Western Division, the Clinton LumberKings (41-26) and the Kane County Cougars (39-29) clinched spots in the playoffs for the first half. The LumberKings represented the Texas Rangers in 2008 – they will be a part of the Seattle Mariners’ minor league system beginning next season – and Kane County is an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

The Burlington Bees, who represented the Kansas City Royals in the league, finished 43-26 and won the Western Division title for the second half by 3 1/2 games. The Cedar Rapids Kernels, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, picked up the final playoff spot by finishing 40-30 in the second half.

The Chicago Cubs (Peoria Chiefs), Los Angeles Dodgers (Great Lakes Loons), Minnesota Twins (Beloit Snappers), San Diego Padres (Fort Wayne Wizards) and St. Louis Cardinals (Quad Cities River Bandits) are also represented in the league. The Fort Wayne Wizards will be called the TinCaps beginning next season. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were an affiliate of the Mariners this season, but they’ll represent the Milwaukee Brewers beginning in 2009.

Dayton beat Lansing in the first two games of the best-of-three semifinal series to advance to the Eastern Division championship. South Bend knocked off West Michigan, who had won the past two league titles, in the other Eastern Division semifinal series. Burlington swept Kane County and Cedar Rapids took the first two games from Clinton in the Western Division semifinals.

Burlington beat Cedar Rapids in the Western Division finals to earn a spot in the championship game. South Bend completed a two-game sweep over Dayton to capture the Eastern Division title.

Championship

The champion of the Midwest League was supposed to be decided by a best-of-five series, but Burlington was declared the champion after winning the first two games by a combined score of 18-0. Rain forced the third game to be postponed twice and the decision was made by the league president to declare the Bees as champions because of the beginning of the various fall and instructional leagues.

In the first game, Bees starting pitcher Danny Gutierrez struck out 11 hitters and allowed only two hits in six innings as Burlington defeated South Bend, 6-0. The Bees hit three home runs in the game. Third baseman Mike Moustakas connected on a three-run shot in the third inning. Left fielder Jamar Walton and second baseman Johnny Giavotella both hit solo home runs.

Giavotella was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored in Burlington’s 12-0 win over South Bend in the second game. The Bees had 16 hits in the game and scored all 12 runs in the first three innings. Walton also hit his second home run of the championship series and center fielder David Lough had a solo shot.

Burlington didn’t lose a game in the playoffs (6-0) and won its first league championship since 1999.

Top players

Mike Moustakas, Burlington Bees – Moustakas, who was selected by the Royals with the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, hit .272 with 22 home runs and 71 RBIs in 126 games. The 20-year-old infielder led the league in home runs, finished second in total bases (232) and tied for third in runs scored (77). Moustakas also had 25 doubles this season and he batted .321 after the All-Star break.

Engel Beltre, Clinton LumberKings – Beltre batted .283 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 130 games. The 18-year-old center fielder led the league with 87 runs scored and he finished third with 228 total bases. Beltre had 26 doubles, nine triples and 31 stolen bases this season. The 6-foot-1, 169-pound outfielder hit .295 with 22 stolen bases after the All-Star break.

Ben Revere, Beloit Snappers – The 20-year-old center fielder hit .379 with 17 doubles, 10 triples and 43 RBIs in 83 games for Beloit. Revere, who was drafted by the Twins with the 28th overall pick in the 2007 draft, was second in the league with 44 stolen bases. The 5-foot-9, 166-pound outfielder batted .325 with 10 triples, 29 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 50 games for the Gulf Coast League Twins in 2007.

Jarrod Parker, South Bend Silver Hawks – Parker, who was selected by the Diamondbacks with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft, had a 12-5 record with a 3.44 ERA in 24 starts for South Bend this season. The 19-year-old right-hander had 117 strikeouts and walked 33 hitters in 117 2/3 innings. Parker was 7-2 with a 3.26 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 13 starts for the Silver Hawks following the All-Star break.

Danny Duffy, Burlington Bees – The 19-year-old left-hander was 8-4 with a 2.20 ERA in 17 starts for Burlington this season. Duffy, who was picked by the Royals in the third round of the 2007 draft, had 102 strikeouts and walked 25 hitters in 81 2/3 innings. In his last six starts, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound starting pitcher allowed only one earned run in 29 1/3 innings.

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Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The New York-Penn League is a short-season Single-A league with 14 teams split into three different divisions – McNamara, Pinckney and Stedler.

Despite the name of the league, the teams aren’t exclusively located in New York and Pennsylvania. As many Orioles fans are aware, the Aberdeen IronBirds represent the organization in the league. There are also teams in Massachusetts, Ohio and Vermont.

The Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals also have affiliates in the league.

The IronBirds finished in last place in the McNamara Division with a 36-39 record. They were 13 games behind the Staten Island Yankees, who finished 49-26 and won the division.

The Batavia Muckdogs, who are an affiliate of the Cardinals, won the Pinckney Division with a 46-28 record and the Lowell Spinners, who represent the Red Sox in the league, finished in first place in the Stedler Division with a 40-33 record. The Jamestown Jammers, who represent the Marlins, finished 47-29 and earned the final berth in the playoffs as the wild-card team.

Jamestown swept the first two games against Staten Island to pick up the first spot in the championship series and Batavia beat Lowell in three games in the other semifinal.

Caleb Joseph led the IronBirds by hitting .261 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 63 games. The 22-year-old catcher finished tied for fifth in the league with 19 doubles and he was first on the team with 62 hits. Tyler Kolodny established a team record with 10 home runs in 72 games. The 20-year-old third baseman also led the team in RBIs (38), runs scored (38), triples (four) and total bases (107).

Shortstop Jedidiah Stephen had eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 46 games before being promoted to the Delmarva Shorebirds. His replacement, Greg Miclat, hit .291 with nine runs scored in 16 games.

Three starting pitchers each had over 70 strikeouts for Aberdeen this season. Rick Zagone, a 22-year-old left-hander, led the charge with 79 in 65 1/3 innings. Cole McCurry had 75 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings and Pat Egan struck out 72 hitters in 77 2/3 innings. Zagone was 7-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 15 games (11 starts), while McCurry was 8-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 15 starts. Egan was 5-6 with a 3.24 ERA in 14 starts.

Championship

Third baseman Jermaine Curtis hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to help Batavia beat Jamestown, 4-3, in the first game of the championship series. The Jammers had taken the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a three-run home run by first baseman Ben Lasater before the Muckdogs pulled out the victory.

Curtis was 2-for-5 and designated hitter Edwin Gomez was 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the game. Catcher Charles Cutler and second baseman Colt Sedbrook each had two hits for the Muckdogs.

In the second game, Batavia scored four runs in the third inning and five in the eighth to capture the league championship with a 9-3 victory over Jamestown. Right fielder Shane Peterson was 3-for-5 with two RBIs to power the Muckdogs. Gomez had two RBIs and center fielder Frederick Parejo was 4-for-4 in the game.

Top players

Jason Castro, Tri-City ValleyCats – The 21-year-old catcher, who was selected by the Astros with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, batted .275 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 39 games for Tri-City. Castro is 3-for-11 in five games for the North Shore Honu in Hawaii Winter Baseball.

Lonnie Chisenhall, Mahoning Valley Scrappers – The Indians selected the 20-year-old infielder with the 29th overall pick in this year’s draft. Chisenhall has had some off-the-field issues in the past – he pleaded guilty to burglary and grand larceny for taking electronics from a dorm room in college – but he hit .290 with 20 doubles, five home runs and 45 RBIs in 68 games for Mahoning Valley.

Jason Tweedy, Hudson Valley Renegades – The Rays didn’t select the 22-year-old infielder until the 20th round of this year’s draft, but he was one of the primary offensive catalysts for Hudson Valley in 2008. Tweedy batted .273 with 15 doubles, 37 runs scored and 24 RBIs in 68 games. He also had 24 stolen bases this season.

Brad Holt, Brooklyn Cyclones – Holt was 5-3 with a 1.87 ERA in 14 starts for Brooklyn. The 21-year-old right-hander led the league with 96 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings. He struck out 14 hitters in six innings against the Vermont Lake Monsters on July 24. Holt, who was selected by the Mets in the first round of this year’s draft, had 12 strikeouts in his final start of the season against Aberdeen on Sept. 1.

Kyle Weiland, Lowell Spinners – The 22-year-old right-hander was only 3-3 in 15 games (10 starts) for Lowell, but he led the league with a 1.50 ERA. Weiland, who was picked by the Red Sox in the third round of this year’s draft, had 68 strikeouts and only walked 10 hitters in 60 innings.

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Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The Northwest League is a short-season Single-A league with eight teams located in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The Orioles aren’t represented in the league, so I’ll just examine the championship and top players.

The Spokane Indians, an affiliate of the Texas Rangers, finished 51-25 and won the East Division by eight games over the Boise Hawks. The Hawks are an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and the Eugene Emeralds both ended the season at 40-36, but the Volcanoes earned the right to represent the West Division in the championship. Salem-Keizer is an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants and Eugene represents the San Diego Padres.

The Arizona Diamondbacks (Yakima Bears), Colorado Rockies (Tri-City Dust Devils), Oakland Athletics (Vancouver Canadians) and Seattle Mariners (Everett AquaSox) also have affiliates in the league.

Championship

Volcanoes starting pitcher Andy Reichard pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the first game and Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane, 5-3, to take a one-game lead in the best-of-five series. Designated hitter Jose Flores was 2-for-5 with two RBIs to lead the Volcanoes.

Catcher Doug Hogan hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of the second game and the Indians evened the series with an 11-10 victory. Designated hitter Eric Fry had a home run and three RBIs for Spokane.

Spokane defeated Salem-Keizer, 11-10, in the third game to take a 2-1 series lead. Spokane scored 11 runs on only five hits in the game, but 14 walks and four errors by the Volcanoes helped the Indians to come back from a 10-2 deficit. Fry had another home run and three RBIs in the game for the Indians.

In the fourth game, the Indians clinched the championship by collecting their third straight one-run victory, 6-5, over Salem-Keizer. The Volcanoes had won the title in the past two seasons, but they couldn’t overcome Spokane’s clutch performance in the playoffs. Hogan picked up his second game-winning hit of the championship when he hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th inning.

Top players

Josh Vitters, Boise Hawks – Vitters, who was selected by the Cubs with the third overall pick in the 2007 draft, batted .328 with five home runs and 37 RBIs in 61 games for Boise. He led the league in doubles (25) and finished third in hits (85). The 19-year-old third baseman was 3-for-14 (.214) with three doubles in four games for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League in April before being sidelined with tendinitis in his left hand.

Dan Robertson, Eugene Emeralds – Robertson dominated the league in most of the hitting categories. The 23-year-old center fielder led the league in batting average (.377), hits (114), total bases (150) and runs scored (59). Robertson also had 45 RBIs, which was second in the league, and he finished third in the league with 20 stolen bases and tied for third with 21 doubles.

Tyson Gillies, Everett AquaSox – Gillies batted .313 with six doubles, five triples and 22 RBIs in 61 games for Everett. The 19-year-old center fielder, who was selected by the Mariners in the 25th round of the 2006 draft, finished second in the league with 22 stolen bases.

Mike Loree, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes – Loree was the best pitcher for Salem-Keizer in their march to the championship series. The 22-year-old right-hander was only 4-3 in 15 starts, but he had a 2.44 ERA in 81 innings. Loree, who was drafted in the 50th round of the 2007 draft by the Giants, finished third in the league with 75 strikeouts and he only walked seven hitters.

Wilfredo Boscan, Spokane Indians – Boscan finished with a 9-1 record and 3.12 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) for Spokane. The 18-year-old right-hander finished fourth in the league with 70 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings. Boscan was 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 13 games (eight starts) for the Rangers’ affiliate in the Dominican Summer League in 2007.

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Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The Appalachian League is a rookie-level league with 10 teams located in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The Orioles are represented in the league by the Bluefield Orioles.

Bluefield has been an affiliate of the Orioles since 1958, which is the longest current connection in professional baseball. The most notable player for Bluefield, as many Orioles fans know, was Cal Ripken Jr. in 1978. Former Orioles first baseman Eddie Murray played for the Baby Birds, as they are often called, in 1973. Orioles starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera played there in 2002.

The Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays are also represented in the league.

The Baby Birds finished in third place in the East Division with a 29-36 record. They were 10 games behind the Pulaski Mariners, who finished 40-27 and won the division. The Elizabethton Twins won the West Division with a 41-25 record.

Elvin Polanco led the Orioles by hitting .311 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in 62 games. The 21-year-old switch-hitting first baseman had 16 doubles and 36 runs scored. Ronnie Welty hit .314 with three home runs and 34 RBIs in 55 games for Bluefield. The 20-year-old outfielder, who was selected by the Orioles in the 20th round of this year’s draft, had 13 doubles and 26 runs scored.

Levi Carolus hit .275 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. The 21-year-old third baseman committed 20 errors in 49 games for Bluefield. Brian Conley, who played for Towson University, batted .248 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 38 games. The Orioles drafted Conley in the 17th round of this year’s draft.

Starting pitcher Kenny Moreland was 6-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 13 starts for Bluefield. The 22-year-old right-hander had 65 strikeouts and only walked six hitters in 67 2/3 innings. Relief pitcher Jose Barajas was 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA and seven saves in 17 appearances. The 20-year-old right-hander had 26 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings.

Moreland allowed two runs in two innings and Barajas gave up three runs and four hits in four innings for the Frederick Keys after Bluefield’s season ended.

Championship

Elizabethton swept Pulaski in two games to repeat as champions of the Appalachian League. The Twins also won the title in 2005, so they’ve won three of the past four championships.

Left fielder Evan Bigley was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs to lead Elizabethton to a 7-4 victory in the first game. Third baseman Nick Romero had three RBIs and shortstop James Beresford had two hits for the Twins.

In the second game, starting pitcher Dan Osterbrock struck out 11 hitters in seven scoreless innings to lead the Twins over the Mariners, 7-0. First baseman Jonathan Waltenbury was 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs for Elizabethton. Second baseman Dominic de la Osa had two RBIs and Romero was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Elizabethton became the first team to win two consecutive championships since Bluefield won in 1996 and 1997. The Twins have won five titles since 2000.

Top players

Jonathan Waltenbury, Elizabethton Twins – The 20-year-old first baseman batted .319 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 63 games for Elizabethton. Waltenbury finished second in the league in doubles (22), hits (84) and runs scored (49). He led the league with 142 total bases.

Curt Smith, Johnson City Cardinals – Smith led the league with a .378 batting average. The 22-year-old first baseman had eight home runs, 14 doubles and 49 RBIs in 47 games for the Cardinals. He hit .244 with 10 RBIs in 11 games for the Quad Cities River Bandits after being promoted to the Single-A Midwest League.

Jon Gilmore, Danville Braves – Gilmore had the most hits in the league (87). The 20-year-old third baseman also led the league with 23 doubles. He batted .337 with four home runs and 31 RBIs. After being promoted to the Rome Braves of the Single-A South Atlantic League, Gilmore only hit .186 in 27 games.

Dan Osterbrock, Elizabethton Twins – Osterbrock dominated the Appalachian League while leading Elizabethton to the championship. He pitched the most innings in the league (75) and finished 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 13 starts. Osterbrock, who was the Twins’ seventh-round draft pick in this year’s draft, had a league-leading 104 strikeouts with only eight walks.

Matthew Moore, Princeton Devil Rays – Moore was only 2-2 in 12 starts, but he led the league with a 1.66 ERA. The Tampa Bay Rays selected the 19-year-old left-hander in the eighth round of the 2007 draft. He had 77 strikeouts and didn’t allow a home run in 54 1/3 innings.

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Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The Arizona League, which shouldn’t be confused with the Arizona Fall League, is a rookie-level league with teams located in -- you guessed it -- Arizona.

The Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers are all represented in the league.

The nine teams play at the spring training complexes in the state. The Orioles don’t have a team in the league because they don’t train in Arizona.

The Angels went 21-7 and won the first-half title by three games over the Cubs. The Giants were 21-7 in the second half and clinched a spot in the championship.

Championship

The Angels and Giants met on Aug. 31 to decide the overall champion of the Arizona League. The Giants won, 4-2, to capture their second league championship in the past four years. They won the title in 2005 by finishing with the best record in both halves of the regular season.

Giants starting pitcher Javier Hernandez allowed one run and five hits in eight innings to earn the victory. The 20-year-old right-hander had five strikeouts and walked two in the game. Reliever Chris Wilson gave up an unearned run in the ninth inning before picking up the save.

First baseman C.J. Ziegler was 2-for-4 with a solo home run to lead the Giants and designated hitter Brooks Lindsley was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Giants left fielder Jose Medina was 2-for-4 with an RBI triple.

Buster Posey, the Giants’ first-round selection in this year’s draft, was 0-for-3 with a strikeout. The 21-year-old catcher was 10-for-26 with one home run, four RBIs and eight runs scored in seven games during the regular season.

Following the championship game, Posey was promoted to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League. He went 3-for-11 with two doubles and two RBIs in three games. Posey will play in the Hawaii Winter League for the Waikiki BeachBoys.

Top players

Nelson Perez, AZL Cubs -- Perez finished tied for the league lead in home runs (nine) and triples (10). The 20-year-old right fielder was second in the league in total bases (101), but he only appeared in 39 games. He also had seven doubles and 37 RBIs. Perez would have had better statistics, but he only batted .207 in nine games in August.

Alexia Amarista, AZL Angels -- Amarista batted .332 with two home runs, six doubles, four triples and 21 RBIs in 51 games for the Angels. The 19-year-old outfielder finished second in the league in runs scored (46) and tied for first in stolen bases (22). It should be noted that he was caught stealing 14 times, which was also the most in the league.

C.J. Ziegler, AZL Giants -- It wasn’t a fluke that the 22-year-old first baseman hit a home run to lead the Giants in the championship game. Ziegler led the league in RBIs (43) and finished tied for the league lead with 17 doubles. He batted .262 with seven home runs and 26 runs scored in 53 games. The Giants selected Ziegler in the 16th round of this year’s draft.

Kyle Nicholson, AZL Giants -- Nicholson dominated the Arizona League for the Giants in 2008. The 23-year-old starting pitcher was 6-1 with a 1.15 ERA in 11 starts. He had 54 strikeouts and only walked three hitters in 62 2/3 innings. Nicholson, who was the Giants’ seventh-round draft pick in 2007, only allowed eight earned runs and 34 hits this season.

Manuarys Correa, AZL Angels -- Correa was 5-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 10 games (eight starts) for the Angels before being promoted to the Orem Owlz in August. Despite only pitching in 57 2/3 innings, the 19-year-old right-hander finished with the most strikeouts in the Arizona League (67). Following his move to the Owlz, Correa was 2-0 with a 6.20 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings.

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Categories: 2008 season recap
        

The Pioneer League is a rookie-level league with teams located in the Pacific Northwest. The Orioles don’t have an affiliate in the league, so I’ll just review the championship and select some of the top players.

The Billings Mustangs, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, were 23-15 and won the first-half championship in the North Division. The Great Falls Voyagers, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, finished 20-17 in the second half to earn the second berth in the playoffs from the division.

The Orem Owlz, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, finished 25-13 in the first half to secure a berth in the playoffs from the South Division. Orem was 27-10 in the second half and ran away with the division title, so the Ogden Raptors earned the second spot. Ogden is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Great Falls beat Billings in the first two games of their playoff series to capture the North Division title. Orem defeated Ogden in the deciding game of the best-of-three series to advance to the championship as the representative from the South Division.

Championship

The Voyagers were able to get some revenge in the championship series against the Owlz, who defeated Great Falls for the 2007 title in the Pioneer League.

Starting pitcher Dan Hudson had 12 strikeouts in six innings during the third game to lead Great Falls over Orem, 8-5, for the 2008 championship. The Chicago White Sox selected the 21-year-old right-hander in the fifth round of this year’s MLB draft. He was 5-4 with a 3.36 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings during the regular season.

Mike Grace had two home runs and five RBIs in five games during the playoffs to lead the Voyagers and infielder Lee Fischer was 7-for-18 with four RBIs in four playoff games. Starting pitcher Kevin Skogley only allowed two earned runs in 15 innings during two playoff starts for Great Falls.

Top players

Roberto Lopez, Orem Owlz – Lopez excelled for the Angels’ rookie-level affiliate in 2008. The 22-year-old utility player was named as the league’s Most Valuable Player after being among the leaders in several offensive categories. Lopez hit .400 in 67 games to lead the Pioneer League. He also led the league in hits (108), runs scored (68), RBIs (72) and total bases (180), while finishing tied for first in doubles (28) and tied for second in home runs (14).

Luis Jimenez, Orem Owlz – The 20-year-old third baseman had a tremendous season, but Lopez often overshadowed him in the final offensive statistics. Jimenez led the league in home runs (15), shared the league lead with 28 doubles and finished tied for second in RBIs (65). He was also tied for third in the league in batting average (.331).

Brock Kjeldgaard, Helena Brewers – Kjeldgaard deserves recognition for the remarkable his remarkable transition this season. Perhaps Adam Loewen should get in contact with Kjeldgaard because the 22-year-old first baseman was 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in 17 appearances (one start) for Helena as a pitcher in 2007. After two seasons as a pitcher with the Brewers, he became the team’s regular first baseman in 2008 and hit .278 with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs in 75 games.

Jayson Miller, Orem Owlz – Miller helped show that the Owlz were as good at pitching as they were at hitting. The 22-year-old left-hander, who was selected by the Angels in the 30th round of this year’s draft, was chosen as the league’s Pitcher of the Year after going 8-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 15 games (13 starts). He had 68 strikeouts in 81 innings.

Dexter Carter, Great Falls Voyagers – Hudson was the star of the championship series for Great Falls, but Carter played a big part in getting the Voyagers into the playoffs. Hudson led the league in strikeouts and Carter finished second with 89 in 68 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old right-hander, who was drafted by the White Sox in the 13th round of this year’s draft, was 6-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 15 games (12 starts).

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: 2008 season recap
        

For the most part, the 2008 minor league baseball season has finished.

The Bricktown Showdown, which features the Triple-A champions from the International League and the Pacific Coast League, will be played tonight in Oklahoma City. This year’s game will be televised on ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. and will include the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League champions) and the Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League champions).

The 2008 minor league baseball season will be in the books following the conclusion of the one-game playoff for the honor of being the top team in Triple-A.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll give a summary of each league and discuss the champions, as well as players who made a significant impact. Like a traditional minor leaguer, I’ll start with the rookie leagues and finish with Triple-A.

Let’s begin with the Gulf Coast League because it’s one of the two rookie-level leagues with an Orioles affiliate.

The GCL Orioles finished 14-41, which was the worst record in the league. The team started the season with a 1-13 record, lost its final six games and 15 of the last 16.

The team was led by 18-year-old shortstop Garabez Rosa, who hit .330 with four home runs, 29 RBIs and 24 runs scored in 49 games. Rosa was 5-for-20 in six games with the Aberdeen IronBirds after the Gulf Coast League ended. Edinho Meyer, a 20-year-old first baseman, hit .317 with three home runs and 17 RBIs in 42 games for the Orioles.

The Orioles’ second-round draft pick in 2008, Xavier Avery, hit .280 with 27 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. The 18-year-old center fielder struck out 51 times in 175 at-bats. L.J. Hoes, the team’s third-round draft pick in this year’s draft, hit .308 with 18 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 48 games. The 18-year-old second baseman finished tied for third in the league with 36 runs scored.

Right-handed pitcher Justin Moore, the Orioles’ 26th-round draft pick in 2007, was 1-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 12 games (11 starts). He finished with 51 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings, which was tied for sixth in the league.

Championship

The GCL Phillies defeated the GCL Nationals in both games of a doubleheader on Aug. 31 to win the championship. The Nationals won the first game of the best-of-three series on Aug. 29, so the Phillies needed to win both games in order to become champions.

Catcher Sebastian Valle led the Phillies with two RBIs in the first game of the doubleheader and a two-run home run in the first inning of the second game. Starting pitcher Reginal Simon pitched six scoreless innings in the second game to capture the championship for the Phillies. The 18-year-old pitcher was 4-4 with a 5.07 ERA in 11 starts during the regular season.

The Phillies won the GCL North Division with a 33-25 record and the Nationals were the champions of the GCL East Division with a 33-22 record. The GCL Pirates had the league’s best record (37-19) and won the GCL South Division, but the Phillies knocked them out in the semifinals.

Top players

Esmailyn Gonzalez, GCL Nationals – Gonzalez led the Gulf Coast League with a .343 batting average in 51 games. The 18-year-old shortstop finished second in the league with 42 runs scored, tied for third in the league with 33 RBIs and tied for 10th in the league with 12 doubles.

Wilfred Pichardo, GCL Red Sox – The 18-year-old center fielder hit .297 with 36 runs scored in 52 games. Pichardo led the Gulf Coast League with 42 stolen bases and he was only caught stealing nine times. Adenson Chourio of the GCL Pirates finished in second place in stolen bases with 30. Only four players had more than 20 stolen bases in the league, so it was quite an accomplishment for Pichardo to have 42.

Chris Curran, GCL Nationals – The 20-year-old center fielder led the Gulf Coast League with 55 runs scored in 55 games, which was 13 runs better than any other player in the league. Curran also led the league with 65 hits. He hit .311 with 22 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

Nelson Pereira, GCL Pirates – The 19-year-old pitcher was 6-2 with a 1.62 ERA in 13 games (six starts) this season. He had 46 strikeouts and allowed only nine earned runs in 50 innings. In his final six appearances of the regular season, Pereira was 5-0 and gave up five earned runs in 26 innings.

Jack McGeary, GCL Nationals – McGeary was 2-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 12 starts for the Nationals. That’s not spectacular, but the 19-year-old left-hander led the league with 64 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. After the Gulf Coast League ended, he made one start for the Vermont Lake Monsters in the New York-Penn League. McGeary allowed two runs and had five strikeouts in four innings during the start.

Posted by Dean Jones Jr. at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: 2008 season recap