My MiL Observations

by sonic barracuda on Jul 3, 2011 3:13 PM EDT

Nothing earth-shattering, but as a daily MiL stat and box score scourer, here's some observations I thought worth sharing.

1. Don't look now, but the light bulb may be coming on a little for Keon Broxton. He has his BA up to .254 after hitting .417 in his last 10 games. His OBP has been climbing steadily and his K rate is declining. The K rate is still alarmingly high, but it's been 25% in the last 10 instead of the mid-30s where he's been for 3 years. He was promoted in May to Visalia from SB for no apparent reason but after missing a few games in mid-June has been on a tear. Let's hope the progression continues.

2. The whole world has been on the Goldie watch, but his sudden increase in Ks has to be a concern. Perhaps we chalk it up to a mini-slump and the league learning the holes in his swing. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the slump and how he fights his way out of it. Maybe teams are just semi-pitching around him and he's getting impatient? We know he's got power. The first stat I look for in his box score every night is his BB/K. I am not liking what I've been seeing there. Month to month BB/K rates. April - 20/13. May - 20/23. June - 18/29. It's surely delaying his call-up date.

3. Is the organization loaded at CF or what? Cowgill, Pollock, Eaton, Broxton. There's got to be a trade opportunity there to pick up a quality bullpen arm.

4. Mobile's Ryan Cook seems to have found himself since being converted from a starter to a closer this year. His K rate is way up and his WHIP is way down. He may be a candidate for a September call up to take on a few innings down the stretch. There is a downside as his numbers with with Runners On are not so hot.

5. What else to say about Holmberg than Wow! He just makes the Edwin Jackson trade that much more lopsided. If he keeps this up he'll be in Mobile next year and a 2013 rotation candidate. He's threatening to approach Parker/Skaggs status.

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Comments

Broxton

wasn’t he promoted to take Eaton’s spot when he suffered a concussion?

I survived the 2004 & 2010 seasons.
Goldschmidt is AWESOME

by dbacks25 on Jul 3, 2011 3:29 PM EDT reply actions

Could be..

I don’t recall the details of his promotion.

by sonic barracuda on Jul 3, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

That's when he was promoted

He stayed there even when Eaton came back.

Founder and Chairman of the Hire A Manager's Assistant For Kirk Gibson Commission. A non-profit organization.
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by Dan Strittmatter on Jul 3, 2011 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Goldschmidt

It’s time for him Goldschmidt to be called up. While the bb/k numbers are slumping a bit, the April and May numbers were ridiculous, and 18bb/29k for June is still decent. His recent increase in K’s is more of a regression to the mean. He still has 3 HR and 14 rbi in the past 10 games. More importantly, the Nady – Miranda platoon has 1 hit combined the past 7 games and no runs, HR, or rbi’s, etc. So where is the harm in replacing this waste of a lineup spot with Goldschmidt? Its not like Goldschmidt is too young, since he played college ball in a top conference.

by arch9876 on Jul 3, 2011 4:18 PM EDT reply actions

The Southland Conference

is a “top conference”?

HEY, FRENCHY! STAR TREK OR STAR WARS?

by DbacksSkins on Jul 4, 2011 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

No...

It is certainly not.

by Dan Strittmatter on Jul 4, 2011 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I think

that Goldschmidt needs a little time in Triple-A before he gets called up. There are obviously a few things he needs to learn, but he probably can’t learn them all in AA. I think Arizona should call up Allen to the majors and Goldschmidt to AA, especially since Nady and Miranda is probably the least inspiring platoon ever. But that’s just my opinion.

by applesareyummy147 on Jul 5, 2011 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions

No,

that’s also the opinion of many others, methinks.

Also, welcome to the Snakepit!!

HEY, FRENCHY! STAR TREK OR STAR WARS?

by DbacksSkins on Jul 6, 2011 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Goldie and Allen

I suggest calling up Goldschmidt and Allen to replace both Miranda and Nady.

by sonic barracuda on Jul 6, 2011 4:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Holmberg

I like Holmberg somewhat, but I don’t think he’s quite approaching Parker/Skaggs status. There are plenty of people at his level who miss more bats than he does.

Then again, there’s something to be said about lefties who don’t strikeout hitters all that much, but have great control/command and can generate some groundballs. I definitely thought very poorly of Madison Bumgarner when I was looking at his minor-league stats, because of the lack of strikeouts at higher levels, but he ended up alright.

We need to trade some of our CF prospects. Way too deep there, and there’s no substantive difference in playing style between Cowgill, Eaton, and Pollock.

The K-rate is a little unnerving. Some of it is regression to his normal ability. Some of it is probably over-agression. Some of it is probably the league adjusting. At the end of the day though, if Goldschmidt manages to only strikeout 25% in the majors (the walks and power are not going to be a problem for him), he will be a pretty damn good 1B.

by blue bulldog on Jul 3, 2011 10:34 PM EDT reply actions

Holmberg

Holmberg’s pitching line in his first start at Visalia wasn’t too pretty. But his outing wasn’t nearly as bad as the numbers suggest. He was dealing through the first 5 innings with 9 Ks and 2 earned runs. It got ugly in the 6th when he gave up three straight singles after getting the leadoff batter. And the bullpen proceeded to give up a grand slam to ruin a respectable debut outing.

by sonic barracuda on Jul 4, 2011 3:10 AM EDT up reply actions