Royals on the Farm 9/8 -- Three teams start playoffs tonite

AAA - Omaha: done at 64-80

OPS check (* - led team)

>OF Cory Aldridge .943 OPS -- .316*/.361/.582*, 48 RS, 20 2B, 4 3B, 22 HR*, 71 RBI*, 24 BB/86 K, 0/1 SB, 3 E in 98 G/354 ABs -- won team triple crown, turned 30 in June, lowest monthly OPS this season was .735, hit for 1.199 OPS in August, Royals could do worse than to give him a Sept. callup, I'd give him Mario Lisson's 40-man spot for the rest of this season...
>3B Alex Gordon .928 OPS (doesn't quite qualify from a season standpoint as he only played 18 games) -- .313/.435/.493, 17 RS, 4 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 13 BB/16 K, 4 E in 18 G/67 ABs -- you'd hope he could hit for a .900 OPS at AAA, not much else to say, reasons for his demotion have been covered
>2B Tug Hulett .858 OPS (Maier, Brayan Pena and Shealy were all inbetween Gordon and Hulett, but the most games any of them played was 25 by Shealy, has it been pointed out anywhere where Shealy and Shane Costa are???) -- .291/.384/.473, 62 RS, 27 2B*, 4 3B, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 58 BB/79 K, 9/11 SB, 3 E in 99 G/374 ABs -- turns 27 next Feb., had down May and August but otherwise hit for an OPS over .950 in the other 3 months, hit for .559 OPS when got behind in count, really the kind of AAA pickup the organization needs to make, not old, can hit some...
>OF Scott Thorman .830 OPS -- .288/.342/.489, 49 RS, 16 2B, 2 3B, 20 HR, 67 RBI, 24 BB/75 K, 7/10 SB, 6 E in 108 G/399 ABs -- turns 28 in January, actually hit for .842 OPS with Omaha, .688 OPS in August skewed numbers down some, hit 238 points lower in OPS after all-star break, hit for .954 OPS with runners in scoring position, tho, one Braves salvage project that has yet to blow up in Dayton Moore's face
>1B Kila Ka'aihue .825 OPS -- .252/.392*/.433, 83 RS*, 27 2B*, 3B, 17 HR, 57 RBI, 102 BB*/85 K, 0/1 SB, 4 E in 131 G*/441 ABs -- numbers aren't as gaudy as '08's were, but he produced in a different way, only 25 at this point, so hopefully he gets a chance in KC in 2010, worst month was .717 OPS in July, altho he only hit for a .575 OPS in 7 Sept. games, only .746 OPS after all-star break, production suffered in part because he only hit for a .688 OPS with RISP...

others....

>OF Jordan Parraz .784 OPS -- only got in 13 games before season ended with injury, turns 25 in October, should be in Omaha starting OF mix in 2010, was hitting for .924 OPS in 9 August games before shut down
>IF Luis Hernandez .725 OPS -- pretty good for someone who hit for a .435 OPS in AAA in 2008, .303/.356/.369, 10 2B, 16 BB/17 K, hit for .807 OPS in August, may not do much in MLB but earned his keep at Omaha
>SS Mario Lisson .692 OPS -- .236/.282/.410, 34 RS, 23 2B, 12 HR, 43 RBI, 19 BB/89 K, 7/11 SB, 17 E* in 95 G/339 ABs -- almost led team in Ks despite playing only about 2/3 of the season in Omaha, hit for 126 points higher OPS in AAA than AA, overall OPS was .656, hit .187 with .586 OPS in 27 August games, turned 25 in May, don't see his value on the 40-man, but I've been beating that like a dead horse
>UT Irving Falu .686 OPS -- .269/.342/.344, 64 RS, 19 2B, 5 3B*, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 52 BB/35 K, 12/17 SB, 11 E in 122 G/465 ABs -- turned 26 in June, had bad April and July, otherwise hit for over .700 OPS, hit for .834 OPS with RISP, hard to look at a .686 OPS and feel that the guy did his part, but I do, doesn't do anything great but can hit for contact
>OF Chris Lubanski .654 OPS -- .227/.313/.341, 20 RS, 7 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB/27 K, 7/8 SB in 36 G/132 ABs -- had cut down on Ks prior to injury that cost him most of the season, hit for .240 OPS in 10 August games before getting shut down, had 4 BB/11 K in August to revert to old hacking ways, too bad because he got off to great April start, only 24 years old, though...
>C J.R. House .650 OPS -- .251/.297/.352, 58 RS, 24 2B, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 33 BB/57 K, 5 E in 127 G/505 ABs* -- expected more power production from J.R., turns 30 in November, hit for .425 OPS in day games, .717 OPS In August salvaged numbers a little bit, only hit for .550 OPS with RISP, no dark horse MLB season for J.R. in '09
>OF Tim Raines Jr. .637 OPS -- was 15/15 SB, scored 35 runs in 82 G, but also hit only .234 with .278 OBP, 18 BB/52 K
>OF Tommy Murphy led the team in the end with 16 SB and IF Travis Metcalf led the team in Ks with 93, but neither was on the roster at year's end...C John Suomi ended up with a .401 OPS in 23 games after hitting for a .949 OPS in 37 games at AA

WHIP check

>P Bruce Chen 0.98 WHIP -- 4-2, 3.40, 3 CG, 3 SHO, 8 HRA, 23 BB/69 K in 14 G (13 starts)/82 IP -- .196 OAV, spent most of season in KC where he's been cannon fodder for the most part, did earn his shot at the majors again, don't think he deserved to stay there and post the numbers he has...
>P Chris Chavez 1.06 WHIP -- 0-1, 3.46, HRA, 4 BB/15 K in 5 games (1 start)/18 IP -- Brian Bannister was between Chen and Chavez but spent even more of the season in KC than Chen, so I left him out, Chavez did OK in his first shot at AAA, turns 25 Friday, posted .221 OAV, have to wait and see where they start him out in 2010
>P Luke Hochevar 1.10 WHIP -- 5-1, 1.50*, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 2 HRA, 12 BB/36 K in 8 starts/48 IP -- went ahead and gave him season ERA title for Omaha, turns 26 next Tuesday, .238 OAV in AAA, hasn't been able to make the statistical jump to MLB competence other than a couple starts...Dayton Moore will probably continue to alternate taking credit and shunning blame for Hochevar, shunning blame seems to be what Moore does best, other than spend in the draft
>P Lenny DiNardo 1.17 WHIP -- 10*-5, 3.32, 2 SV, 5 HRA, 38 BB/127 K* in 29 G (23 starts)/151 2/3 IP* -- would say he's Omaha's MVP for 2009, turns 30 Sept. 19, .246 OAV, only .240 OAV as starter, earned a start Thursday for KC, June was his worst month, July was his best, other than that was solid throughout
>P Yasuhiko Yabuta 1.23 WHIP -- 2-1, 3.55, 5 HRA, 17 BB/53 K in 26 G/45 2/3 IP -- left out Sidney Ponson purposefully, .228 OAV, turned 36 in June, early on in second chance at KC has proven unworthy, May was his only bad month in Omaha...

others

>P Victor Marte 1.30 WHIP -- 1-4, 2.13, 4 SV, 20 BB/36 K in 26 G/42 1/3 IP -- turns 29 in November, .224 OAV, had rough June but held opponents under .200 BA in July and August, probably one of those guys that could have gotten a bullpen chance in KC in July or August but didn't
>P Kyle Davies 1.32 WHIP -- 4-2, 2.14, 3 HRA, 14 BB/44 K in 8 starts/46 1/3 IP -- .264 OAV, has again mostly disappointed at KC, but has had good starts here and there..
>P Brandon Duckworth 1.35 WHIP -- 3-6, 5.31, 12 HRA*, 37 BB/67 K in 20 G (19 starts)/105 IP -- .261 OAV, turns 34 in January, had good June but was otherwise mediocre as usual
>P Dusty Hughes 1.37 WHIP -- 3-3, 3.50, 1 SV, 6 HRA, 41 BB/76 K in 34 G (11 starts)/87 1/3 IP -- .248 OAV overall, .234 as starter, struggled through May, June and July but put it together as starter in August to go 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA and .168 OAV in 36 1/3 IP, nice to see him have a good MLB debut...turned 27 in June, typical Royals to have a good starter prospect who was good enough to win Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year and then turn him into a mediocre bullpen guy rather than give him a chance to start...guess that's mostly saved for high draft failures (to this point) and Braves retreads...not to say Hughes deserved a shot most of this season
>P Carlos Rosa 1.42 WHIP -- 2-8*, 7 SV*, 6 HRA, 32 BB/80 K in 43 G*/71 IP -- also ignoring Roman Colon, who has no business being in KC as long as he has, .258 OAV, had horrible May and bad August, but was good in June and July, I can't say his first year as a reliever was a success....turns 25 Sept. 21...
>P Chris Nicoll 1.44 WHIP -- 2-2, 6.67, 4 HRA, 9 BB/18 K in 6 G (5 starts)/27 IP -- rough way to make AAA debut, I woulda started Rosa before Nicoll, he put up decent numbers in AA before getting the call and posting a .280 OAV in AAA, we'll see what they do with him to start 2010
>P Heath Phillips 1.50 WHIP -- 8-7, 4.99, 2 CG, 12 HRA*, 50 BB/111 K in 27 G (25 starts)/149 2/3 IP -- had good starts and horrible starts, .301 OAV, he's a lefty but lefties hit .347 off him, .343 OAV in 14 road appearances, May and June were bad, his July and August were good, turned 27 in March, we'll see if he's back in 2010
>P Chris Hayes 1.51 WHIP -- 1-6, 3 SV (and, what, 7 blown saves?), 2 HRA, 7 BB/24 K in 26 G/49 IP -- .328 OAV, .376 OAV in night games, Disco got knocked around in his first taste of AAA, turns 27 in Feb., got out to solid start in June at Omaha but things went south starting in July...OAV was .408 with RISP, so wasn't putting out many fires
>P Tim Hamulack 1.59 WHIP -- turns 33 in November, best month was July and he had a middling August but otherwise stunk
>P Mike O'Connor 1.69 WHIP -- Royals got what they paid for with O'Connor, who had a good first start but went downhill from there...he pitched for 4 AA/AAA teams this year, plus an Atlantic League team....put up his worst stats with Omaha
>P Gilbert de la Vara 1.86 WHIP -- only 1.29 ERA, .250 OAV, walks were the problem as his BB/K was 7/3...didn't really pitch that great at AA prior to the call
>P Greg Holland 1.89 WHIP -- 2 SV, .343 OAV, got roughed up in his first shot at AAA, only 24 in November

AA - NW Arkansas: TL Division Series game 1 tonight

The Naturals finished 73-67 overall. Game 1 of the best-of-5 with the Springfield Cardinals (71-69 overall) is in Springfield tonight as Anthony Lerew (10-6, 4.09 reg. season) faces Cards righty Trey Hearne (12-3, 2.82). NWA was 18-14 versus the Cardinals this season.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Carolina League Division Series game 1 tonight

The Blue Rocks finished 84-55 overall. Game 1 of the best-of-5 with the Lynchburg Hillcats (73-66 overall, A-Adv. Pirates) is tonight in Lynchburg as Eduardo Paulino (10-6, 3.63) faces Hillcats lefty Justin Wilson (6-8, 4.50). The Rocks were 15-5 against Lynchburg this season, including 7-0 in the second half. They've won the last 9 versus the 'Cats, not to jinx anything...

A - Burlington: Midwest League first round game 1 tonight

The Bees finished 64-75 overall. Game 1 of the best-of-3 with the Kane County Cougars (76-64, A A's) is tonight in Burlington with Ivor Hodgson (3-1, 3.98) facing Cougs righty Kenny Smalley (9-8, 2.73). The Bees were 7-11 versus KC this year, but did take 3 of 4 in the last set.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 4, Casper 2

2B Franco 3-4, BB, RBI (28), K -- .302
C S. Perez 3-5, K -- .314
CF Llanos 2-5, 2B (5), RBI (14), 2 K, RS -- .223, has hit recently
RF D. Rodriguez 2-4, K, RS -- .455
SS D. Batista 1-5, HR (13), RBI (55), RS, E (17) -- .270
DH Myers 0-4, 3 K -- .407
1B Lewis 0-3, BB, 2 K, RS -- .311
3B Culver 1-4 -- .125

Paukovits 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 6 K -- W, 4-3, 4.34 ERA, nice
Shimek 3 IP, ER, 4 H, 3 K -- 8.84 ERA
Folmer IP, UER, H, 2 BB, 2 K, E -- SV, 7, 4.80 ERA

*** The Chukars started their final series of the season on a good note by supporting Bryan Paukovits in a good outing. IF stranded 2 in the 1st but scored a run in the 2nd on a Malcom Culver single aided by a Casper error. Deivy Batista clubbed his 13th homer of the season in the 3rd to make it 2-0 and Paukovits handed a shutout to the pen in the 6th. Three singles scored a Ghosts run off Scott Shimek in the 6th but Alex Llanos hit an RBI double in the 7th and scored on an Angel Franco single to make it 4-1 Idaho Falls. Richard Folmer allowed a run in the 9th but left the tying run at first to pick up his 7th save.

The Chukars are 22-13. Game 2 is tonight as Santiago Garrido (2-3, 5.06) faces an unnamed Ghosts SP.