I was out of town, and away from computer for the long weekend. A bad time to be away for my particular blog, which endeavors to talk about the pitching staffs of both the big club and the farm systems. After announcing AAA and AA rosters earlier, the high-A and low-A rosters were announced on 4/4/11.
Here’s the slate of high-A pitchers, per Byron Kerr’s masn article.
RHP Alex Caldera
LHP Mitchell Clegg
LHP Ryan Demmin
RHP Paul Demny
RHP Marcos Frias
RHP Trevor Holder
RHP Pat Lehman
RHP Carlos Martinez
RHP Kyle Morrison
RHP Adam Olbrychowski
LHP Danny Rosenbaum
LHP Josh Smoker
RHP Rob Wort
Based on these pitcher’s roles in the past, here’s my guess as to roles for this team:
starters: Caldera, Holder, Demny, Rosenbaum, Clegg
bullpen: Frias, Smoker, Wort (closer?), Morrison, Lehman, Demmin (loogy?), CMartinez, Olbrychowski
Thoughts:
- I initially predicted Frias, Rosenbaum, Bronson, Fabian, Applebee, Lehman for this rotation. Frias probably gets demoted to being a spot starter based on last year’s high ERA in the starter role. Same with Lehman to a certain extent. Clegg and Demny must have had great springs; i thought they’d be back in low-A. Holder I thought would be moved up to AA; he may be first in line to be promoted. We’ll see where Bronson, Fabian and Applebee end up once they announce the low-A roster.
- Where is Robinson Fabian? I thought he’d be in the high-A rotation after getting a handful of starts last year, but he doesn’t appear on any roster right now.
- Carlos Martinez? He’s 27 and basically has pitched at the single-A level in our system for years. Is this still a prospect? Or is his placement on the roster more of a filler/rubber arm mop up guy?
- New faces to the organization: Adam Olbrychowski is our trade bounty for Justin Maxwell. He is a converted starter who had some AA time last year but starts in high-A. Alex Caldera was purchased from Kansas City earlier this spring training. He was a Carolina league all star last year but struggled in AA, so he’s essentially repeating this level.
- I’m guessing Josh Smoker‘s days as a starter are over.
Missing from last year:
- Atwood, Pecina, JEstrada all either retired or were released mid 2010.
- Jaime was released and claimed, Morris was traded.
- Fabian, Dill, Phillibaum, Alaniz, Testa and Beno: no idea where these guys are.
Dill and Phillibaum were released last week. Beno was released during the offseason. I haven’t seen that he landed anywhere, but that doesn’t mean anything. Fabian, Alaniz and Testa are still question marks…
SpringfieldFan
5 Apr 11 at 1:00 pm
I think Smoker will be the closer in Potomac
Harper_ROY_2012
5 Apr 11 at 1:26 pm
Todd,
Fabian was released last week.
Mark L
5 Apr 11 at 2:05 pm
Wow really? I didn’t think he was in that kind of jeopardy. First really bad prediction of the squads 🙂
Todd Boss
5 Apr 11 at 2:18 pm
Any idea what happened to Evan Bronson?
Hawk
15 Apr 11 at 11:25 am
I don’t think anybody knows right now. He’s not listed in any transaction list (here’s a list of all official transactions from the Carolina league: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=122&sid=l1226). Since he ended the season last year on Potomac’s roster if he was officially transferred to another team you think he’d be there. A milb.com player search still shows him on the Potomac roster, which clearly isn’t true.
I would guess he’s down in extended spring training right now, either b/c he didn’t make the Potomac team or b/c he’s hurt. Or perhaps transitioning to a new role.
Todd Boss
15 Apr 11 at 11:31 am
Thanks
Hawk
15 Apr 11 at 12:09 pm