Nate Hall started the first 3 games of the season for Windy City, batting 8th, then 7th, then 6th, and getting a hit (single) each game. He's started with 3 hits in 10 at bats, plus 2 walks, for a .417 OBP. The fourth game, Tyler Farrar started at 3B, so there's the competition for playing time, and Farrar has started 2-for-11 (.182) with 1 walk. So far, so good, but it's so early!

Washington (PA) Wild Things outfielders have started 5-for-33 (.152), so Jason Appel is clearly being missed there.

Next!

Brad Holt is making a strong case for promotion to the next level.

Since a nightmarish first start, Brad has thrown 25-2/3 innings, allowed 19 hits, 4 earned runs, 4 walks, and struck out 29. That adds up to more than 1 strikeout per inning, a 7:1 strikeout to walk ratio, and an ERA of 1.40. That is perfectly dominant at the Advanced A level.

Next stop for Brad: the Binghampton Mets (AA), or possibly even the Buffalo Bisons (AAA), depending on the needs of the parent club. The only question is when. But he's clearly gotten comfortable at Advanced-A, and it's hard to imagine that the Mets will keep him there for a full season given his current level of dominance.

Nate Hall's Windy City ThunderBolts begin play tonight, so we'll see if Nate is in the opening day starting lineup and how he does.

The only other news I could find, from (as usual) Chuck Carree of the Wilmington Star-News: the Washington (PA) Wild Things of the independent Frontier League announced the retirement of OF Jason Appel. So, maybe he just doesn't like playing baseball all that much, or perhaps he has a better job lined up.

Advanced-A: Bradley Holt
Independent: Nate Hall
Unsigned: Mark Carver and Daniel Hargrave
Presumed Retired: Jason Appel and Jeff Hatcher

Welcome Back!

It's a couple of weeks into the baseball season, and I thought I'd check on my favorite minor leaguers, the UNCW 6.

First, our Golden Boy, Bradley Holt. The Mets moved him up to St. Lucie, into the Advanced A Florida State League, a jump of 2 levels. Holt was absolutely torched on Opening Day, in his first start against Sarasota. Alex Buchholz (a very common pro baseball name right now) ripped a home run and a double for 4 RBI, and 2 other Sarasota players homered. After 3 and 2/3, and 7 hits, 4 walks, and 9 earned runs, Holt was out. 6 days later, however, Holt dominated Charlotte for 6 innings, allowing 5 baserunners and striking out 7. So, he clearly put that rough first start behind him, and hopefully he's ready to get back to dominating as he did at the Low A level.

From Chuck Carree: “I threw real well and made a lot of progress with my changeup,’’ he said.

Mark Carver, after batting .217 at State College last season, and Daniel Hargrave, after batting .179 at Williamsport last season, were released during spring training. It's a tough racket: you either distinguish yourself real quickly, or you're replaced. Hopefully, Carver and Hargrave can catch on somewhere and continue their development. Hargrave actually showed decent power for a second baseman in the New York-Penn league, hitting 4 home runs in about 180 at bats.

In the Frontier League, Jason Appel's new team, the Washington (PA) Wild Things of the Independent Frontier League will open its season May 22 at home against Lake Erie. It's a bit odd that Appel, who quit his affiliated team after 12 games last summer, will be playing pro ball this May, and Carver and Hargrave, who played the full (short) season and both showed great improvement over that time, are looking for jobs.

Nate Hall's Ottawa Rapidz folded during the off-season, announcing in late March that they could not meet their financial obligations. Hall, with an impressive .367 OBP during his time in Canada, was assigned to the Worcester Tornadoes of the Can-Am league, from whence he was traded to the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League. Hall only posted a .316 SLG and .263 BA in Canada with 0 HR in nearly 200 AB, however he struck the ball much better in the second half of the season, and it is conceivable that he could improve his batting enough to warrant promotion in pro ball. As with Appel, Hall's season will begin in about one month.

No news still on Jeff Hatcher. At this point, I can only conclude that the business major found more gainful employment than would have been available to him in the pro ranks.

So, right now, of the UNCW 6, here's the summary.

Promoted: Bradley Holt
Released and Looking for Work: Mark Carver and Daniel Hargrave
Frontier (Independent) League: Jason Appel and Nate Hall
Never Signed: Jeff Hatcher

Appel signs with Washington Wild Things

Jason Appel is back. To some extent.

After an enigmatic stint with a mysterious ending in the New York-Penn league, Appel signed a one year contract with the Washington, Pennsylvania Wild Things, of the Frontier League.

The Frontier League is a (mostly) rookie league where 12 slots on each team's 24 man roster are reserved for rookies: players with fewer than 150 professional at bats or 50 innings pitched. There are 7 slots on each team for 1-year players, two for 2-year players, and three for "veterans". The league minimum is $600 per month, which means that most likely, Jason will be living with a host family, unless he has other money available.

It's a long way from here to the Majors. There are six Frontier League alums who played in the Majors last year, none bound for the Hall of Fame: D.J. Carrasco, Mike Cervenak, Brendan Donnelly, Josh Kinney, Scott Patterson, and Orioles closer George Sherrill. However, more than 30 recent alums have been signed to play in A or AA ball, which is about 1 player in 20 over a 3 year period.

Having been released by the Rays, Jason must be hoping to dominate the Frontier League, and then sign with another MLB organization to re-start his ascent through the low minors.

Well Done, Nate!

The season is over in Ottawa, which means Nate Hall, after a rough start, can come back to Wilmington very proudly, finishing with a .263 average in 152 at bats, an awesome .367 on base percentage (with 22 walks to only 28 strikeouts, many of which were the first few weeks after he signed), a .316 slugging percentage (6 2B, 1 3B, no HR), and 8 errors at third base (he appeared in 51 games, but I have no idea how many of those were at 3B.)

All in all, an excellent season for his first in pro ball, and with his second half surge, I'm confident that he'll have an opportunity to play professionally again in 2009.

I read that Nate, Mark Carver, Bradley Holt, and Daniel Hargrave will all share a place in Wilmington this winter, where they'll lift weights, hit balls, and work hard towards becoming better players next season.

The New York-Penn League season ends tomorrow, so early next week will be my last regular post, barring any off-the-field news, until spring 2009. Not that anyone's reading this anyways ;)

Power Surge!

Daniel Hargrave is on a tear! He's gotten a hit in 8 of his last 9 games, including his first 2 multi-hit games of the season, and is batting .313 with 3 home runs and 2 doubles in that span. Wow! Way to go, Daniel! It looks like the adjustment to the wood bats is coming, and just in time. There are only another couple weeks left in the season, and by showing such a powerful late surge, I do believe Daniel has done enough to get a look next season.

Carver got into a couple of games this week, getting 1 hit in 6 at bats but drawing 2 walks, and getting the on-base percentage above .300. Peley has been getting most of the playing time lately, as Mendez has struggled since his call-up. All 3 catchers are struggling, and it's unclear to me how the mix will look next season.

Holt pitched, and won, at Auburn on August 14, going 7 innings with 3 hits, 2 walks, and 8 strikeouts. He's now at 4-3, 1.98 ERA, and 69 K in 54 IP. Great start! Holt probably has 3 more starts left: August 22 vs. Lowell, August 27 vs. Oneonta, and September 1 at Aberdeen (and then maybe the finale September 6 vs. Aberdeen, but I'll bet they skip that).

Nate Hall continues to rake, raising his average to .252, with a .357 on base percentatge. Given his horrific start, these are very good numbers. With no home runs in 119 at bats, it's a bit hard to imagine that he'll be picked up by any Major League organization, but hopefully he will earn another year with Ottawa, and a chance to continue to improve hitting with the wood bats.

No news on Jeff Hatcher or Jason Appel.

UNCW 6 Update

After rough treatment in Vermont, Bradley Holt has come back with a couple of nice, short starts, yielding one run over six innings at State College, strking out 5, and, six days later, holding Batavia to one run in four innings at home. On the season, Holt has thrown 47-2/3 innings, with 31 hits, 25 walks, and 61 strikeouts. He is 3-3, with a 2.08 ERA. My only worry is the relatively high number of innings he's thrown already since UNCW started playing in January. The short season ends at the end of the month, so Holt has probably only 3, at most 4 more starts, and let's hope they keep the pitch count in those starts way down.

Nate Hall is really starting to play well in Ottawa. After a seriously cold start, he's at .243/.322/.262, and has added only a couple of errors to his total (although, it's hard to see how many starts at 3B that was in, as the Rapidz web site has not put up a box score since late July). The .262 slugging percentage (2 doubles, no triples or home runs in 107 AB) is a bit surprising, as I'm sure he's got more pop than that, but I think the combo of wood bats, cold weather, and better pitchers has mostly to do with it.

On August 6, he got a walk-off, game winning base hit, which must have been a great delight for him in his young career.

From the Ottawa Citizen:

Former college player Nate Hall put the wood to the ball to drive in Kyle Geiger with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning last night as the Ottawa Rapidz defeated the Sussex Skyhawks, 4-3, at Ottawa Stadium.

''It's a tough transition from metal (bats) to wood,'' Hall said. ''I call my dad every day, and he tells me to just stick with it.''

Before Hall's heroics, Jereme Milons had singled home Jabe Bergeron with the tying run.
Both runs were scored with two outs.

Good job, Nate! Way to stick with it!

Daniel Hargrave hit a game-tying solo home run a couple of hours ago in the 5th inning at Staten Island off of Yankee farmhand Hector Noesi, a Dominican right-hander just up from the Gulf Coast League. This is Daniel's second home run of the season, and puts his stats at .143/.188/.210, with an improved .188 average and .300+ Slugging for the last 10 games. So he's definitely improving, he now has a career-best 4 game hitting streak (including 2 extra base hits), and is still playing much more often than not. The Phillies are showing patience, and Daniel is starting to come around.

Mark Carver has only played in 2 games this month, but has 4 hits (including a two-bagger) in 9 at bats, bringing his line up to .212/.293/.258, which is beginning to approach respectability. In the last 10 games, he's got 4 multi-hit games, and is at .281/.361/.344 over that stretch, which is actually very good for a catcher in the New York-Penn League. Way to go, Mark!

Meanwhile Miguel Mendez, the spectacular Gulf Coast callup who has been playing nearly every day in place of Carver, is at .231/.286/.282, which is not materially different from Carver's line. Josue Peley, the third catcher, a Venezuelan who I also learned played prep ball in Montreal, played yesterday for the first time since July 16, when he suffered a wrist injury in the batting cage. With Peley's return and Mendez's massive amount of recent playing time, it's a great thing that Carver is heating up the bat.

Jason Appel has still not returned to the Renegades. It has been six weeks since he last played.

I still have no news on Jeff Hatcher.