Royals on the Farm 9/14 -- Bees on to MWL finals to defend title

AA - NW Arkansas: game 1 in TLCS tonight at Midland

The Naturals will send Anthony Lerew (10-6, 4.09) to the mound versus RockHounds righty Arnold Leon (2-3, 3.51).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: done at 84-55

OPS check (* - led team)

>OF David Lough .843 OPS -- .320*/.370/.473*, 28 RS, 15 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 12 BB/34 K, 6/10 SB, 1 E in 65 G/222 ABs -- hit even better in AA, likely Royals Minors Player of the Year?
>1B Clint Robinson .819 OPS -- .298/.356/.463, 65 RS, 31 2B, 3B, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 35 BB/79 K, 4/7 SB, 8 E in 124 G/436 ABs -- have to remember Wilmington's park is very pitcher friendly, explains in part some lower OPS numbers, Clint was hanging with Moustakas in RBI for a while, then Mike left him in the dust...only June had under .700 OPS, best OPS was in April but had good August, too...will be interesting to see how he does in Texas League next year
>SS Jeff Bianchi .787 OPS -- .300/.360/.427, 32 RS, 12 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 20 BB/47 K, 12/14 SB, 6 E in 60 G/220 ABs -- hit for 10 points better OPS in AA, he and Lough might get a shot at the big team coming out of 2010 ST....but knowing this organization, they probably won't.
>OF Nick Van Stratten .774 OPS -- .288/.371*/.403, 18 RS, 7 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 13 BB/19 K, 5/7 SB, 4 E in 42 G/139 ABs -- hit for .437 OPS in first 11 games, then hit for .868 OPS in August, so made the necessary adjustments...actually hit better at home with Wilmington than away, hit for .852 OPS with RISP...hopefully gets shot at AA to start 2010
>IF Chase Fontaine .767 OPS -- .288/.404/.363, 8 RS, 3 2B, HR, 16 RBI, 16 BB/22 K, 3/6 SB, 6 E in 29 G/80 ABs -- another of Dayton's ex-Braves, got on base, at least, cooled after hot July, hit for .854 OPS with RISP, like Van Stratten and Robinson, not exactly a spring chick at 24 (next month) in A-ball...

others...

>I left out IF Josh Johnson at .847 as he only played 12 games, and struggled at AA for a good part of the season...
>2B Johnny Giavotella .731 OPS -- .258/.351/.380, 84 RS*, 24 2B, 8 3B*, 6 HR, 52 RBI, 66 BB*/54 K, 26/35 SB, 21 E in 133 G*/476 ABs -- only 22, vs. L/R OPS split was .813/.683, hit for 110 points better OPS on road, .648 May OPS dragged down numbers, fairly consistent otherwise, August wasn't great...another one to watch at AA next year...
>3B Mike Moustakas .718 OPS -- .250/.297/.421, 66 RS, 32 2B*, 2 3B, 16 HR*, 86 RBI*, 32 BB/90 K, 10/16 SB, 24 E* in 129 G/492 ABs -- sub-.300 OBP is disappointing for prospect of his hype, just turned 21, only Ryan Eigsti kept him from leading team in Ks, hit for .640 OPS versus lefties, hit 144 points better in OPS on road, hit for .827 OPS in April, then didn't top .700 OPS in month again until .819 August...hit .196 with .628 OPS in July...did hit for .965 OPS with RISP, so he produced when needed...hit 25 points worse in OPS after all-star break...defense was no great shakes, we'll see if he can rebound, and if he plays third at NWA
>IF Anthony Seratelli .696 OPS -- 21 E, 21/29 SB -- already 26, so really, unfortunately, a non-prospect
>OF Paulo Orlando .655 OPS -- 20 2B, but 15 BB/80 K -- Brazilian turns 24 in Nov., hit for ugly .556 OPS versus LH, and he hits righty, had decent June and July and every other month was poor...
>OF Jamar Walton .648 OPS -- 26 BB/76 K, 7/15 SB -- turns 24 in January, mediocre versus RH, bad versus LH, couldn't follow up .906 OPS in 9 April games...
>OF Derrick Robinson .614 OPS -- .239/.290/.324, 72 RS, 19 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 47 RBI, 35 BB/90 K, 69/92 SB, 5 E in 128 G/522 ABs* -- and they hit him leadoff ALL season, it's a miracle they had the record they did (shows you how good the pitching was), hit for .874 OPS in August or numbers would be way worse, didn't hit for better than .622 OPS in any other month...actually worse than subpar '08 line of .245/.316/.322, SB % went down too...only 22 this month
>C Ryan Eigsti .584 OPS -- .201, but .306 OBP, 42 BB/95 K* -- and he was their best hitting catcher...here's a crazy idea, let him back up Myers at AA next year, give the younger kid a chance to sink or swim, if Myers struggles in April, move him back to Wilmington...
>1B Eric Hosmer .579 OPS -- .206/.280/.299, 9 RS, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 10 RBI, 9 BB/22 K, 1 E in 27 G/97 ABs -- and a notable prescription glasses episode...only 20 in October, hit OK but nothing special in Burlington, then got odd callup to high-A and couldn't even slug .300. Maybe his eyesight issues are behind him.
>OF Adrian Ortiz .556 OPS -- 9 BB/47 K, 12/18 SB, hit a whopping 24 points better in OPS at a lower level after demotion...turns 23 in January
>C Matt Morizio .418 OPS -- made Eigsti look like a slugger...interestingly enough, is being moved to pitcher this offseason...

WHIP check

>P Louis Coleman 0.77 WHIP -- 3-1, 1.26, 1 SV, 3 BB/16 K in 10 G/14 1/3 IP -- .157 OAV, between this and Burlington's even better performance, did very well in pro debut...should be in AA to start 2010...
>P Brandon Sisk 0.79 WHIP -- 2-3, 1.92*, 21 SV*, 2 HRA, 18 BB/78 K in 45 G*/61 IP -- already 24, .151 OAV, only down month was May and he had a .220 OAV that month, should be closing in NWA next season...damn, that's a nice K rate and BB/K, I'll give him ERA title too, as others didn't pitch as much
>P Aaron Hartsock 0.86 WHIP -- 1-0, 0.48, 11 SV, HRA, 3 BB/17 K in 15 G/18 2/3 IP -- those are the kind of numbers that help you end the season a level higher, .197 OAV....too bad Sisk didn't join him...he is a year older, tho, than Sisk.
>P Mike Montgomery 0.96 WHIP -- 4-1, 2.25, 12 BB/46 K in 9 starts/52 IP -- how many top Royals prospects lists will he be #1 on? only 20 years old, .196 OAV (10 points better than what he did with the Bees), had it all working this season, hopefully stays on track next season...
>P Everett Teaford 0.98 WHIP -- 7-1, 2.39, 7 HRA, 12 BB/49 K in 11 starts/64 IP -- earned call to AA, where hasn't done as well, .219 OAV with Wilmington, 50 points higher in AA...

others...

>I left out Patrick Keating, who only put in 2 2/3 IP in his level debut, and had a 0.37 WHIP, and Danny Gutierrez, who got traded with a 0.88 WHIP...
>P Barry Bowden 1.00 WHIP -- only 10 IP, HRA, 2 BB/14 K, should be back in 2010, at least to start season...turns 25 in Nov., tho...
>P Juan Abreu 1.03 WHIP -- 1.69 ERA, 12 SV, HRA, 14 BB/28 K in 20 G/21 1/3 IP -- earned trip to AA where his .114 OAV has jumped to .247, which still isn't horrible. Will probably start 2010 in AA.
>P Zach Peterson 1.06 WHIP -- 2.15 ERA, 3 SV, 2 HRA, 9 BB/15 K in 37 2/3 IP -- K rate has gone south...turns 25 in Nov., .223 OAV was better than what he was doing in Burlington, had 20 BB/82 K in 77 2/3 IP in Burlington in 2008. Overall was 19/36 BB/K in 77 1/3 this season, troubling...still got guys out, tho...
>P Danny Duffy 1.18 WHIP -- 9-3, 2.98, 1 CG, 6 HRA, 41 BB/125 K* in 24 starts/126 2/3 IP -- .230 OAV, battled some back problems that hopefully aren't chronic, had 6.00 ERA in 12 daytime IP, June was kinda rough but every other month was good...should be top 5 organizational prospect...not 21 until December...
>P Eduardo Paulino 1.21 WHIP -- 10*-6, 3.63, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 15 HRA*, 39 BB/84 K in 26 G (22 starts)/138 2/3 IP* -- turns 24 this month, .246 OAV, pitched way better as starter than out of pen, also took advantage of friendly confines, was good after May as got off to a tough start to season, 17 BB/67 K from June on...was 7-1 in last 10 starts...
>P Jason Godin 1.22 WHIP -- 1.63 ERA, 13 BB/32 K in 15 G (3 starts)/38 2/3 IP -- recovered all right from facial fracture that ended his 2008....245 OAV, has struggled in first taste of AA
>I'm leaving out Rowdy Hardy and Ben Swaggerty, Ray Liotta, too, as I'll cover them in AA anyway...
>P Alex Caldera 1.41 WHIP -- 5-10, 4.77, 12 HRA, 53 BB/105 K in 27 starts*/137 2/3 IP -- .268 OAV, didn't follow up his '08 success in Burlington, was 0-5 with 7.77 ERA in June, turns 24 in October, don't know what they'll do with him in 2010
>P Mario Santiago 1.42 WHIP -- 6-13*, 4.30, 1 CG, 8 HRA, 34 BB/97 K in 25 G (24 starts)/136 IP -- turns 25 in December, .298 OAV, lefties hit .347 off him...June was his best month, but not much else good to note...
>P Kelvin Villa 1.46 WHIP -- 6-8, 3.38, 2 SV, 3 HRA, 22 BB/67 K in 35 games (1 start)/77 1/3 IP -- and they start him in the biggest game of the season? .294 OAV, turns 24 in December...
>P Chris Chavez 1.50 WHIP -- 6-1, 1.95, 4 SV, 24 BB/41 K in 25 G/50 2/3 IP -- odd that sub-2.00 ERA goes with that WHIP, .272 OAV, awesome 'stache on his MiLB profile, ended up not in AA but AAA, this organization works funny...just turned 25 on Friday, shoulda wished him a happy birthday along with Moose Tacos...

A - Burlington: Bees 2, Cedar Rapids 1 (Bees win series, 2-1)

1B Taylor 1-2, 2 BB, HR (2), 2 RBI (6), RS, CS -- .563, put the O on his shoulders this postseason
CF Norris 1-3, S, K -- .222
LF Ortiz 0-2, HBP, S -- .474
C Bonilla 0-4, K -- .118

Hodgson 5 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 3 K, WP -- W, 2-0, 0.77 ERA, not pretty, but effective
Lafferty 2 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- 0.00 ERA
B. Hardy 1 1/3 IP, H, K -- SV, 2, 0.00 ERA

*** Jason Taylor provided the offense with a 1st inning 2-run shot and the Bees rode good pitching to defend their title in the Midwest League Championship Series. Taylor's homer came with 2 outs. Cedar Rapids got a run after a leadoff triple in the 3rd but Ivor Hodgson stranded 2 in the 4th and Brendan Lafferty came in to leave 'em loaded in the 6th. The Bees left the bases full in the 8th and Blaine Hardy left the tying run on base in the 9th to pick up his 2nd postseason save. Kernels SP Will Smith allowed only 2 ER over 8 IP to take the loss. Cedar Rapids was 1-14 with RISP.

The Bees get no rest as they face Goliath in the Fort Wayne TinCaps (A Padres), who were 49-21 in the second half and 94-46 overall, which was the best record in the league by 13 wins. Game 1 of the best-of-5 is tonight as Tim Melville (7-7, 3.79) faces TinCaps righty Erik Davis (16-6, 3.64). I think we need to invoke "Hoosiers" here...cue up the 1:55 mark...after all, the Bees were 3-3 versus the TinCaps this year...