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Diamondbacks Farm Round-Up: May 22nd

A great day in the big-leagues obviously is more important than any W-L records in the minors ever will be, so the sweep of the Twins makes today the cause of much jubilation and happiness.  Granted, it would have been nice if the D-backs affiliates could have followed suit, but only South Bend managed to pull off a win today, topping Great Lakes in a 10-7 slugfest.

Snakelet of the Day:

Marc Krauss (Double-A Mobile): 2-2, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Star-divide

Triple-A: Reno 1, Albuquerque 3.  Barry Enright had his best start as an Ace, throwing seven strong innings in which he surrendered a pair of runs on five hits - including a homer - and a walk while striking out five.  The 4:8 GO:FO ratio remains worrisome, but it's nice to see Barry keeping the walk counts low.  Even if he can't limit the balls in the air and out of the park, I think he can be successful by refusing to give out free passes.  The offense, however, was stagnant, as Albuquerque's John Ely threw a complete game, surrendering only a solo home run to Cody Ransom.  The homer was Ransom's 11th of the season.

Double-A: Mobile 2, Tennessee 4.  Krauss had a much-needed fantastic day today, reaching base four times and knocking in the team's only two runs of the game in support of starter Charles Brewer.  Brewer was also solid, giving up just one earned run in 5.1 innings of work, striking out four, walking one, and leaving the game with a shutout intact.  Unfortunately, reliever Brian Cook surrendered a three-run homer in the sixth (scoring Brewer's inherited runner), and the BayBears couldn't climb back.  Ryan Wheeler had two hits, including a double, and Taylor Harbin drew a pair of walks.  Your Daily Goldschmidt: Goldie was the only other BayBear to reach base twice, on a single and a walk.

Hi-A: Visalia 4, High Desert 9.  It almost looked like Eric Smith had figured his season-long woes out, getting through five innings and allowing just a single run.  Then the sixth inning happened, in which Smith would be tagged for six runs while recording just a single out.  Smith finished the night with 5.1 innings pitched, surrendering 7 hits, a walk, and a homer, with just two strikeouts.  Needless to say, the Rawhide didn't recover from that deficit.  No idea what to make of Smith right now.  On the offensive end, Adam Eaton, Chris Owings, and Raoul Torrez each collected doubles for the Rawhide, while Mark Reed had two hits and a solo home run.

Low-A: South Bend 10, Great Lakes 7.  The farm system's only win of the night wound up closer that one would expect after the top of the third inning, when the SilverHawks build up a 6-2 lead over Great Lakes.   The Loons would constantly chip away at the SilverHawks' lead, though, scoring their seven runs across six different innings of the game.  David Holmberg struck out six in four innings of work, but gave up four runs (three earned) on a homer, a walk, and eight hits.  Roberto Ortiz had a smashing Low-A debut, whacking two doubles (to go with two strikeouts) and driving in three runs.  Yazy Arbelo collected two hits and a walk, while Roberto Rodriguez had a double, a walk, and a HBP.  Zach Walters and Matt Helm each reached base twice and stole a base.

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Marc Krauss

is actually having a decent season all things considered. his numbers got a pretty big boost today….

but on the season he’s hitting .248/.372/.460

the scouts who thought last year’s power was a Cal League mirage have been disproven, as the ISO has remained the same from last year. and his walk rate improved from his disappointing levels from last year to be more than solid. really it comes down to two things. his lower BABIP this year is hurting him, but i’m not too worried about that because he’s hitting in pitcher’s parks where BABIP should be relatively suppressed, and he’s always had very high BABIP in his career. the more worrisome point is his K-rate, which is quite a bit higher than what he showed in the Cal League, which indicates that AA pitchers are exploiting the holes in his swing much more effectively. it’s what a lot of scouts expected to happen to Goldschmidt (but didn’t, so credit Goldy on improving his hitting approach)

Krauss still has plenty of time to lower that K-rate though. he still profiles better as a DH in my opinion, but if he can get the strikeout rate down around 25%, i’m sure he would generate plenty of interest among AL teams. we could probably package him with some young projectable arms and get a decent pitcher back in a trade during winter time. i still believe Krauss would be a top ten prospect nearly every system.

by blue bulldog on May 23, 2011 7:53 AM EDT reply actions  

Is there a fielding issue?

When you say, “He still profiles better as a DH”?

"I'm confused."
"Yeah, well. It's a big club. We should get t-shirts."

by Jim McLennan on May 23, 2011 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions  

He had a higher BABIP... in the Cal

The Cal’s thin air and power-friendliness is conducive to batted ball velocity and thus BABIP. It’s well-documented that I expected something like this. Just not sure how high of an average Krauss will hit for if he reaches the Show.

The Cal is far more hitter-friendly than the Sou is pitcher-friendly. Can’t imagine all of that loft he gets resulting in high averages. In a DH, I don’t see someone who strikes out at the rate Krauss is at Double-A having an exceptional career. Seems fringe-regular-y.

http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/

by Dan Strittmatter on May 23, 2011 5:34 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

the thing is

he’s not all that different from Brandon Allen

both have holes in their swing that get exploited at high levels. both have some power, though not the raw power to the extent of Goldy. both have very good patience (15% BB rate range in the minors)

that’s why i say he’s still a legitimate prospect, and would be a very good prospect in many systems. if you are a prospect follower, and believed in Brandon Allen as a 23-24 year old, why wouldn’t you believe in Marc Krauss?

and even though his BABIP is lower than in the past, it’s still sitting around .320, which to me shows the hit tool is above average.

by blue bulldog on May 23, 2011 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions  

Hit tool = BABIP?

Suspect connection there. Assertions from BABIP, not to mention minor-league BABIP, aren’t particularly strong.

You’re right, he isn’t all that different than Brandon Allen. He’s probably rake if he went to Reno because that’s what hitters do there. But I’d hesitate before calling Krauss a top-10 guy right now.

How’s this for an awesome idea, though: A Brandon Allen/Marc Krauss platoon in left field. ZOMGZAWESOME.

http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/

by Dan Strittmatter on May 24, 2011 1:42 AM EDT up reply actions  

A difference between the two

Is that Krauss is far less athletic than Allen, making him a bigger liability in the field.

http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/

by Dan Strittmatter on May 24, 2011 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions  

Hah!

I actually had the recap all written, but it’s still sitting here as a draft. I think I just forgot to hit ‘publish’ before falling unconscious last night. However, at least we did choose the same Snakelet of the Day!

"I'm confused."
"Yeah, well. It's a big club. We should get t-shirts."

by Jim McLennan on May 23, 2011 11:39 AM EDT reply actions  

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