2007 AzFL rosters announced

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From the 'Captain Obvious' department
Astros GM, manager fired

The highest profile winter league out there, the Arizona Fall League, has released it’s 2007 rosters. Each club sends 7 players to the hitter’s haven, a league were small ballparks, favorable weather and inexperienced pitchers leads to lots and lots of offense. Heck, Eric Duncan won the AzFL MVP 2 years ago, and Brett Gardner hit a homer there last year, so that should tell you just how offensive the league is.

Gardner will be making return trip this year, and joins Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf, Kevin Whelan, Steven White, Reegie Corona & some guy named Juan Miranca on the Peoria Javelinas. Double-A Trenton manager Tony Franklin will also make the trip and call the shots for the Javelinas. Here’s a rundown on some of other top prospects heading to the Desert.

I originally thought that the Yanks would send the biggest bust in team history, aka Phil Hughes, to the AzFL to catch up on some innings, but it doesn’t look like it’ll happen. Hawaii is still a possibility; I just hope they send him somewhere to pitch this winter after missing so much time.

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From the 'Captain Obvious' department
Astros GM, manager fired
  • dan

    isnt hawaii less competitive than arizona? pitching in hawaii is gonna be like throwing against little leaguers for hughes. at least in arizona he’ll be in a hitters environment, and possibly even break a sweat doing it.

  • Zack

    The point is less to get him facing top notch talent and more to get him innings and thus build strength. Hughes still won’t be ready for 200 innings next year if he doesn’t do either league. But with the Yankees being the super cautious club they are in terms of development and the minors, but the “F all that its the Majors” approach they seem to take (at least in the past) in the show, Hughes will probably just be stuck exceeding his previous IP total by an ungodly amount after not throwing this coming off season.

  • http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

    Zack’s got it; the point of sending Hughes to Hawaii isn’t to have him learn by facing tough competition, it’s just to have him get some reps and get his arm moving.

  • John C.

    I’m new to this blog … great stuff … however, and please forgive me if I should like an idiot, are you serious about Phil Hughes being a bust? I’ve seen this all over Yankee blogs and I just have to disagree.

    • Mike R.

      Hello John. Welcome to the best Yankee blog from top to bottom. The guys here LOVE good pitching prospects and are really on the ball. You won’t here that knee jerk reaction that you get from other sources here.

      BTW The new guy always brings the cookies. Just so you know for next time.

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph P.

      The Hughes comment was sarcasm at its finest. If you want a realistic look at what’s happening with Hughes, go to baseball-reference.com and look at the first seasons from John Smoltz and Greg Maddux. Then get back to me.

  • DKA

    I’m pretty sure the Hughes comment was sarcastic.

    There has to be some sort of plan somewhere, though, to have him last into the 7th inning without gasping for air by the time he’s old enough to grow facial hair.

  • steve (different one)

    the only place i have seen people seriously suggest that Hughes is a bust is from commenters on Abrahams blog.

    and that should make you feel pretty good that he won’t be a bust, b/c 90% of those people don’t have a clue what they are talking about.

  • Marc

    Mike A. just made me cry/pee mah pants witht he Hughes comment. Tushay salesman.

  • John C.

    Whew … good to know. I follow the minor leagues as much as the majors … I don’t think Phil is a bust … it’s unfortunate that I’ve seen some people say he is already. It’s that kind of pressure that makes some kids blow up playing for the Yankees. I think Phil and Joba are going to be something special at the front of the rotation for years to come.

  • dan

    i realize the competition doesnt really matter, but is sending him to hawaii going to feel any different than a simulated game to him? if you thought joba’s k/bb ratio was good in hawaii, wait till hughes gets there after facing ML hitters for 3 months

  • zack

    The advantage of going to Hawaii (not that it will happen, but in theory) over simulated games is that, in theory, there is the possibility of facing different game situations, of pitching with something on the line, and it gives a more diverse assortment of batters and umps to work on his changeup and control…

    But, I would imagine that Hughes is going to spend the off season under strict orders not to do anything, knowing the way this team treats its prospects…

    And as for the question of Hughes as a bust, just check out Mike A.’s former haunting grounds at MVN…

  • JP

    That sucks… I really thought A-Jax was ready for the AFL. Should be cool to see what Miranda and Corona can do though. The ball flies out here but they have a green monster type thing in dead center… it’s 410ft with about a 40ft wall.

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