Royals on the Farm 9/7

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: done at 75-62

RF Brian McFall .286 BA/.358 OBP/.841 OPS, 31 2B (led team), 5 3B, 13 HR (led team), 72 RBI (led team), 40 BB/98 K, 10/16 SB, 7 E in 111 games and 406 AB -- led team in 4 offensive categories, and was second in BA and 3B; says something about power at that level in organization that only 13 homers led team; drawback was too many Ks but should get to OF in Northwest Arkansas in '08.

1B/3B/DH Brad McCann .277/.347/.788, 18 2B, 6 HR, 19 BB/55 K, 4 E in 58 games and 220 AB -- one-time hotter prospect had peaks and valleys in 2007, finished up well; he should get a shot at AA in 2008 and could be one of Moore's better under-the-radar pickups, also could use decrease in Ks.

3B Mario Lisson .285/.348/.756, 27 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 72 RS, 41 BB/93 K, 23/32 SB, 17 E (led team) in 126 games and 463 AB -- offensive standout in '06 at Burlington had decent '07 but was overshadowed by McFall; decent combo of speed and power but Ks a lot and isn't great with the glove. Deserves shot at AA in '08.

UT Wilver Perez .302 BA/.843 OPS, 18 XBH, 20 BB/40 K, 13/17 SB, 4 E in 54 games and 162 AB -- injury derailed solid season; if healthy, will see AA in '08
OF Jeremy Cleveland .274/.752, 12 XBH, 22 BB/30 K, 1 E in 43 games and 146 AB -- another midseason pickup that paid off more as the season progressed; if still with organization will either start '08 at Wilmington or NWA
CF Jose Duarte .290 (led team)/.725, 26 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR, 82 RS (led team), 42 RBI, 48 BB/77 K, 34/47 SB, 1 E in 128 games and 493 AB (led team) -- durable OF may be one of best at position in organization, solid contact hitter with developing discipline; uses speed to advantage. He's a definite to start '08 in AA.
OF Brett Bigler .259/.710 (led team with .399 OBP), 15 XBH, 74 BB/68 K, 15/26 SB, 5 E in 109 games and 328 AB -- best plate discipline on team, only regular with more BB than strikeouts, needs to develop little more pop in bat; hard to say where they'll start him in '08.
2B Josh Johnson .252/.675, 14 XBH, 41 BB/49 K, 4/11 SB, 13 E in 83 games and 262 AB -- disappointed in '08, showed good discipline but that's about it, wonder if he'll redo level to start '08.
2B/3B Marc Maddox .259/.648, 17 2B, 6 3B (led team), 44 RBI, 28 BB/62 K, 12/15 SB, 6 E in 101 games and 405 AB -- hot start at Burlington earned call to Wilmington, where he had middling season; like others, K'd too much but showed good speed and decent defense.
SS Chris McConnell .236/.644, 14 XBH, 16 BB/43 K, 6/10 SB, 5 E in 66 games and 208 AB -- prospect has to hit at some point if he wants to keep moving up; he hasn't gotten it done for the most part
1B/DH Miguel Vega .233/.602, 23 2B, 19 BB/137 K, 6 E in 120 games and 468 AB -- big whiffer

SP Rowdy Hardy 15-5, 2.48 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 3 CG, 16 BB/91 K, 6 HRA in 26 games (22 starts) and 167 IP -- bad playoff start left bad taste from great season, stood out in every category, best organizational pitching prospect under AAA, even if he's a soft tosser.

SP Blake Johnson 9-6, 3.28 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 1 CG, 33 BB/80 K, 7 HRA in 26 games (22 starts) and 131 2/3 IP -- another guy who should be part of AA rotation in '08, a step behind Hardy in the stat categories but still posted great numbers.

SP Dan Cortes 8-8, 3.07 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 45 BB/120 K, 7 HRA in 24 starts and 123 IP -- got out to 0-5 start but rebounded to post best K rate and improved command. Finished off season with 2 straight league pitcher of week awards. Another one to watch in '08 at AA, plus he's only 20.

SP Julio Pimentel 12-4, 2.65 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 43 BB/73 K, 8 HRA in 27 games (22 starts) and 152 2/3 IP -- second on team in IP but maybe rawest of four starter prospects, will also be part of potentially lethal AA rotation in '08
P Yovany D'Amico 5-2, 4.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 14 BB/31 K, 7 HRA in 27 games and 49 2/3 IP -- split time between high and low A-ball, one of more solid parts of sometimes shaky Wilmington pen
P Rayner Oliveros 2-3, 4.22 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 17 BB/53 K, 10 HRA in 37 games (1 start) and 70 1/3 IP -- led pen in IP but also tied for team lead in HR allowed, disappointed from '06 performance; poor outings late in season drove numbers up.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=426

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Chukars 7, Casper 1 (12)

SS Moustakas 1-6, 2B (4), RBI (10), K, RS -- .293
PH-DH Martin 1-2, BB, S, HR (1), 2 RBI (3), RS -- .583
LF Seratelli 2-4, 2 BB, RBI (46), RS, SB (29), CS (6) -- .327
2B Bionde 2-5, 3B (1), RBI (12), K, RS -- .228
C Billick 1-4, S, RBI (11), K, RS, picked off runner -- .186
1B Balduf 2-2, BB -- .308
3B Juan 2-5, HBP, K, RS -- .182
CF Ortiz 1-2 -- .326
CF Norris 1-4, K -- .091
DH Robinson 0-2 -- .336

Peterson 2 IP, H, 5 K -- 2.89 ERA, conserving for playoffs may be wise move
Leonard 4 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K -- 4.68 ERA
Norton and Swaggerty 4 IP scoreless relief
Roach 2 IP, 2 H, 4 K -- W, 4-1, 3.26 ERA

The Chukars ended the regular season with a 6-run 12th to break a 1-1 tie. Joe Billick hit an RBI ground out in the 2nd to make it 1-0 Chukars but the Rockies tied it in the 4th on a walk and double off John Leonard. IF stranded 2 in the 9th as neither team could piece together a rally. In the 11th, Jason Roach put 2 on with 1 out but Billick picked off the runner at third and a K ended the rally. An error broke the stalemate in the 12th as IF scored a run and then added 5 more on a Mike Bionde RBI triple, RBI double by Mike Moustakas, Anthony Seratelli RBI single and a 2-run homer by Kyle Martin for his first with Idaho Falls. Roach pitched a perfect 12th to get his 4th win. Casper LF Chad Lembeck was 3-5 to finish at .234 and P Juan Nicasio took the loss with 2/3 IP of 5 runs (1 ER) on 4 hits and a K to fall to 0-3 with a 4.36 ERA.

IF finished the second half 23-15 and atop the Pioneer League South. The Chukars were 46-30 on the season, so had identical first and second half records. The playoffs start tonight with game 1 of the best-of-3 in Orem. No announced starters on the team site.