Results tagged ‘ Ryan Brasier ’
Getting ready for the Rule 5 Draft …
By 8:59 p.m. PT today, teams must set their 40-man rosters in anticipation for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. This is when teams choose whether or not to “protect” their eligible players from being taken in that Draft, which takes place at the end of each year’s Winter Meetings (this one being Dec. 6, in Nashville, Tenn.).
For those unfamiliar with the process, here’s a quick primer …
Players who signed after age 18 and have been in the Minors for four years, or players who signed at 18 or younger and have been in the Minors for five years, are eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft if not on the 40-man roster. Now, it’s very rare that teams will find success through the Rule 5 Draft (Josh Hamilton, Johan Santana and Dan Uggla are among very few success stories) because, frankly, there’s a reason players are left exposed despite being in a system so long. Any player taken in the Rule 5 Draft costs $50,000. That player, then, must remain on the drafting team’s active Major League roster during the following season or be offered back to the original club for $25,000.
The Angels’ 40-man roster is currently at 31, so there’s some wiggle room (though the Angels must keep space for all the pitching they want to acquire this offseason). Also, an important side note: Any player who signs a Minor League deal before the Rule 5 Draft can be taken, regardless of his service time. That means each of the players the Angels signed this offseason are eligible if left off. As for guys who have been in their system for a while? Here are some names to watch …
* Travis Witherspoon, a 23-year-old center fielder who hit .268 with a .350 on-base percentage, 13 homers and 34 RBIs in high A and Double-A this season.
* Carlos Ramirez, 24, who posted a .205/.312/.276 slash line in 85 Double-A games. Ramirez, like Witherspoon, played in the Arizona Fall League.
* Orangel Arenas, a 23-year-old right-hander who went 5-11 with a 5.26 ERA in 27 games (24 starts) in Double-A.
* Matt Shoemaker, who’s 26 and went 11-10 with a 5.65 ERA in 29 Triple-A starts.
* Ryan Brasier, a 25-year-old right-handed reliever who posted a 4.37 ERA and 13 saves in 59 2/3 Triple-A innings.
* Efren Navarro, a 26-year-old lefty-hitting first baseman who won a Minor League Gold Glove in 2011 and posted a .294/.336/.403 slash line in Triple-A.
* Matt Long, a 25-year-old lefty-hitting outfielder who posted a .282/.350/.462 slash line with 23 steals in Double-A and Triple-A.
* Jeremy Berg, 26, posted a 3.75 ERA in 74 1/3 innings at Double-A and Triple-A.
– Alden
Angels in Winter Ball …
For now, center fielder Peter Bourjos will not be playing Winter Ball. He was planning on getting some reps for a Dominican team in December, but that fell through. Below are those in the Angels organization who currently are playing. The league in the Dominican Republic runs until Dec. 21, while the ones in Venezuela and Mexico go until Dec. 30. The Caribbean Series — pinning the league champs in the Dominican, Mexico, Venezuela and Puerto Rico — gets going in early February …
AAA RP Ryan Brasier (Mexico)
AAA OF Kole Calhoun (Dominican Republic)
AAA 1B Efren Navarrro (Dominican Republic)
AAA SP Matt Shoemaker (Venezuela)
A+ RP Baudilio Lopez (Venezuela)
RK SP Jairo Diaz (Venezuela)
DOSL RP Alexis Campos (Venezuela)
DOSL C Gabriel Santana (Venezuela)
DOSL OF Luis Tovar (Venezuela)
For updates on the Arizona Fall League and Caribbean Leagues, click here.
– Alden
Game 19: Royals-Angels (and Kendrys) …
Yeah, it’s only Spring Training, but make no mistake — today is a big day for recovering slugger Kendrys Morales, as Thursday’s lineups show …
Royals (11-7)
Alex Gordon, LF
Johnny Giavotella, 2B
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Max Ramirez, DH
Mitch Maier, RF
Yuniesky Betancourt, 3B
Lorenzo Cain, CF
Brayan Pena, C
Alcides Escobar, SS
SP: LH Danny Duffy
Also pitching: Blaine Hardy, Ethan Hollingsworth, Tommy Hottovy, Zach Miner, Sean O’Sullivan
Angels (9-8-1)
Erick Aybar, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Albert Pujols, 1B
Torii Hunter, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Morales, DH
Bobby Abreu, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Chris Iannetta, C
SP: RH Jered Weaver
Also pitching: Scott Downs, Hisanori Takahashi, Jason Isringhausen
Some notes from this morning …
- While manager Mike Scioscia admitted it’s “nice” to finally be able to write Morales’ name in a lineup again, he was quick to point out that he still has some hurdles to clear. Such as … “It’s not going to help us doing it twice a week, it’s going to help us doing it six days a week. So there’s some hurdles that he needs to clear. As far as getting to this point, where we can see him again and be able to evaluate him, I think we’ were very, very confident it was going to happen at some point. Now, how the stamina aspect and how he responds after – he responded well going first-to-home the other day. How he responds to that is going to be something we’re going to have to feel for.”
- Jerome Williams (left hamstring) has enough time to make it back to be the fifth starter by April 15, but he can’t have a single hiccup. He’s going to get the start on Monday — yes, the start, not come in relief behind Garrett Richards — and that would line him up to have exactly four spring starts before the game at Yankee Stadium, which is what Scioscia previously said is the minimum he needs this spring.
- The Angels, don’t forget, have a doubleheader tomorrow, with a day game at the Brewers’ facility and a night game at the Indians’ complex. Dan Haren will pitch the day game vs Zack Greinke.
- Scioscia hasn’t made a final decision yet, but it looks very likely that C.J. Wilson will not start against the Rangers on Sunday, instead pitching in a Minor League game to get his innings in. Yu Darvish will also not pitch against the Angels this weekend. A little gamesmanship? Scioscia downplayed that. “It’s not who we play. We’re getting our own team ready, and if it’s going to help our pitcher get ready to pitch in a Major League game because of things he needs to do with the infield or the catcher or the pitcher-catcher relationship. There’s a lot that goes into where a guy pitches.”
- No final decision yet from Jeremy Moore, but hip surgery still seems likely.
Some links from Wednesday …
- The first Spring Training version of the Inbox, on Mark Trumbo, Bobby Abreu, Aybar, etc.
- Richards continues to make case for rotation
- Mike Trout, Iannetta see action in Minors game
- Angels reassign Kole Calhoun, Ryan Brasier and Efren Navarro
- Arte Moreno interviewed by GQ
Some AL West links …
- Neftali Feliz isn’t concerned about his shoulder
- Yes, the A’s have already departed to Japan to start their season
- The Mariners have set their rotation, and Hisashi Iwakuma won’t be part of it
And the Miami Heat added some much-needed size and toughness with the signing of Ronny Turiaf.
– Alden
Royals 6, Angels 4 …
Recap
C.J. Wilson breezed through five, but Jordan Walden struggled in the sixth and the Royals pulled away late to hand the Angels their second straight loss (whatever that means).
The good
Wilson continued his dominant spring with five scoreless innings — scattering three hits, walking none and striking out five — to bring his Cactus League ERA to 0.64 through four starts.
Mark Trumbo went 2-for-4 with a double while hitting in the No. 5 spot.
Vernon Wells hit a solo homer in the eighth, his second of the spring.
Mike Trout, appearing in his first Cactus League game after nursing a viral infection, finished 0-for-3 with a strikeout and was caught stealing, but also drew a walk, legged out an eventual error on a comebacker and ran the bases with no problems.
The bad
Walden gave up four singles, one double, one wild pitch and was charged with four runs after recording just one out.
Bobby Abreu went 0-for-4 with a strikeout — though he did line out really hard to center field — and is now batting .115 this spring.
Trumbo committed his third error of the spring at third base, fielding a chopper, then sailing a throw way high of first base and into the camera well.
Right-hander Ryan Brasier, who had a 2.92 through 50 relief appearances in Double-A and Triple-A last year, twisted his left ankle in the eighth inning on Wednesday. Brasier threw a wild pitch and pulled up lame after landing. Then, after being checked on by the Angels’ medical staff, the 24-year-old was pulled with one out. He’s currently day-to-day.
Daily Albert Pujols update: 0-for-4 with three strikeouts while playing in his third straight road game; now batting .367.
Best quote
Royals manager Ned Yost on Wilson: “He was really, really sharp. The ball was exploding out of his hand. I kept looking up there at the radar gun and I thought, ‘Gee, that looks 95, 96 [mph]’ and it was 92. But it had tons of life on it. He kept the ball down and worked both sides of the plate extremely well. He was tough – they’ve got some starting pitching over there for sure.”
Best play (that I saw)
Hank Conger threw out Brayan Pena trying to steal second base early in the game. Sure, Pena, also a catcher, doesn’t run very fast. But throwing ability is a big deal for Conger this spring, and that was a good sign.
– Alden
Angels 6, Indians 5 …
Recap
Another day, another Angels starter with a scoreless spring debut. This time it was Dan Haren, who joined Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson by throwing two shutout innings. Sparked mainly by Alexi Amarista and Bobby Wilson, the Angels scored two in the first, three in the fourth and one in the fifth. In the last three frames, Ariel Pena (two innings) and Ryan Brasier preserved a one-run game.
The good
Haren looked good, giving up no hits, walking just one batter and striking out three while throwing only fastballs and cutters. He’ll work his splitter and curveball in later.
Lefty reliever Hisanori Takahashi looked sharp in his spring debut, working two perfect innings and striking out two. With lefty Scott Downs higher on the depth chart, look for Takahashi to be more than a one-inning guy this year.
Wilson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double.
Amarista had two hits, including a triple.
The bad
Bobby Abreu went 0-for-3 and is 0-for-4 with a walk so far this spring. #SmallSampleSize
Bullpen hopeful Rich Thompson surrendered a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
Daily Albert Pujols update: 0-for-2 with a walk, bringing his Cactus League batting average to .429 through three games.
Best quote
Scioscia, on whether it means anything that his front three starters have thrown two scoreless innings: “It means something when they’re making pitches like they were, and I think that’s what’s exciting. Sometimes these games are making pitches. You can never tell in Arizona what balls are going to find holes and sun and things like that, but Dan Haren had the ball down all day.”
Best play (that I saw)
Young shortstop Jean Segura made another nifty play, picking a ball to his right-hand side in the outfield grass and getting the out at first base.
– Alden
Game 4: Angels-Indians …
Angels (2-1)
Alexi Amarista, 2B
Bobby Abreu, DH
Albert Pujols, 1B
Vernon Wells ,CF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Kole Calhoun, RF
Bobby Wilson C
Andrew Romine, SS
Doug Deeds, LF
SP: Dan Haren (others: Hisanori Takahashi, Rich Thompson, Matt Meyer, Ryan Brasier, Ariel Pena)
Indians (2-3)
Ezequiel Carrera, CF
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Travis Hafner, DH
Shelley Duncan, LF
Russ Canzler, 1B
Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B
Aaron Cunningham, RF
Cord Phelps, 2B
Lou Marson, C
SP: Ubaldo Jimenez
Some notes from this morning …
- Kendrys Morales (broken left ankle) will be running on a de-weighted treadmill today, then will run the bases — without bases — on Friday and Sunday.
- Mike Scioscia, on the impact of C.J. Wilson: “He gives our rotation balance, gives us a guy that has pitched in big games over the last couple of years, pitched very well in a championship-caliber environment, and I think that’s first and foremost the most important thing for us. Secondary, when guys see he’s got an incredible work ethic, guys see how hard he studies the game, I think that works well in any clubhouse, and I think our guys will gravitate towards that.”
- Jerome Williams (hamstring strain) said once again he’s “feeling good.” He’s been throwing off one knee.
Some Angels links from Wednesday …
- Work doesn’t stop for Jerry Dipoto
- A recap of the 6-4 loss to the Mariners
- Slow going for Mark Trumbo in first action at third
- Maintaining edge is next challenge for Jered Weaver
- Flu bug keeping Mike Trout out of action, and an Angels scout was kicked out of Giants camp
Links from around the AL West …
- Yu Darvish had a solid debut for the Rangers
- A’s are hopeful territorial rights issue will be resolved
- Mariners see value in Kevin Millwood‘s experience
– Alden
Alden Gonzalez
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