Early standouts in the AFL

[Mitchrapp]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog...lanos-early-standouts-arizona-fall-league-mlb

Snippet on Nick C.

Nick Castellanos (Detroit Tigers) has been the best pure hitter so far, showing no difficulty hitting better velocity or adjusting to off-speed stuff, making hard contact to all fields. He's played two games in right field with no obvious trouble so far, and he's a good enough athlete that he should be able to learn the position quickly. I still think the Tigers would be better off leaving him at third and putting Miguel Cabrera at DH, or at first base with Prince Fielder at DH.

 

[@Stakesarehigh]

like to hear that...he killed high a pitching and that had some adjustments in AA to figure out.

You have to think he's a tiger in 2014 and the author of that snippet is ignoring the whole VMart issue.

 

[tomdalton22]

like to hear that...he killed high a pitching and that had some adjustments in AA to figure out.

You have to think he's a tiger in 2014 and the author of that snippet is ignoring the whole VMart issue.

I would love to see him win a corner OF spot in spring training.

 

[@Stakesarehigh]

I would love to see him win a corner OF spot in spring training.

i would think he'd get a shot out of spring training next year. one of the corner OF spots is going to be dirks/garcia/berry platoon in all likelihood as it stands.

 

[tomdalton22]

i would think he'd get a shot out of spring training next year. one of the corner OF spots is going to be dirks/garcia/berry platoon in all likelihood as it stands.

If the organization feels that Nick C and those 4 can cover the corner OF spots AND be more productive offensively than what we had last year I would be all for it. We all know that having those 4 platooning would make the OF defense better than last year! That would also free up money to either upgrade SS or add some BP arms.

 

[pr0tege]

I would love to see him win a corner OF spot in spring training.

Shouldn't be to hard considering who we have out there lol.

Dirks - L
Berry - L
Garcia - R
Castellanos - R

More then likely were looking at Dirks in LF and Castellanos in RF next season unless he has a bad spring in which case he would probably be in AAA and Garcia in RF.

I doubt Boesch and Raburn will be back with team next season.

 

[kalinecountry]

I wanted to check with one of the Tigers minor league gurus before commenting.
With the Tigers, they don't, or at least this year, send their top pitching prospects to the AFL.
Some teams do and some don't. So what I am getting at is that even with Castellanos' good start this first week, it is difficult to tell if his hitting was against top prospects or more of the organizational depth type pitchers. Remember, his hitting started to drop as the season went further in his AA time. Could be one or a combination of getting tired, longer season, better pitching, and learning the new right field position.
I think he still has alot to learn in playing a corner outfield spot. foot work, glove, throwing more over top than with an infielder throw, going back, coming in, still lots to learn as he really has about 3 months? out there.

 

[pr0tege]

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=OF&sid=l119&t=p_pbp&pid=592206

Castellanos numbers through 4 games:

8 for 18, .444 AVG, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2BB, 5K, 2 SB, .500 OBP, .722 SLG, 1.222 OPS

 

[mjsb2]

Shouldn't be to hard considering who we have out there lol.

Dirks - L
Berry - L
Garcia - R
Castellanos - R

More then likely were looking at Dirks in LF and Castellanos in RF next season unless he has a bad spring in which case he would probably be in AAA and Garcia in RF.

I doubt Boesch and Raburn will be back with team next season.

There's pretty much no way the Tigers don't add an OFer during the offseason.

Giving Dirks a starting spot and hoping that one of Berry/Garcia/Castellanos will be able to hold down a spot (they won't) would be horrible.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Smokes said it "Andy Dirks is not a starter" so no way they use him as a starter, FT.

As far as BB goes, he makes nothing and has options. Put him on AAA for awhile. But I doubt they just release him outright. That would be dumb.

 

[mjsb2]

Smokes said it "Andy Dirks is not a starter" so no way they use him as a starter, FT.

Yup, and he's the best internal option they have to fill a corner OF spot.

Gonna have to add at least corner OFer during the offseason.

 

[pr0tege]

Yup, and he's the best internal option they have to fill a corner OF spot.

Gonna have to add at least corner OFer during the offseason.

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing them add someone like a Shane Victorino type player. Obviously there isn't much room on the crowded Dodger OF with Crawford coming back next season. He is looking for a 3 year deal in the 25M range. He could shore up one of the corner OF slots and give extra time for Tigers to develop Castellanos and Garcia. Would also add some nice speed to the lineup.

 

[@Stakesarehigh]

there's no way the dodgers resign victorino.

they already have 200 million in committed contracts for next season.

 

[tigersofjustice]

like to hear that...he killed high a pitching and that had some adjustments in AA to figure out.

You have to think he's a tiger in 2014 and the author of that snippet is ignoring the whole VMart issue.

VMart is only under contract until 2014. Better off leaving Castellanos at third and prepare for when VMart is off the team and one of Miggy and Prince is the DH. Now we are just going to have him with a bunch of lost time on D at 3b and a gaping hole there in a couple years anyway.

 

[Mitchrapp]

VMart is only under contract until 2014. Better off leaving Castellanos at third and prepare for when VMart is off the team and one of Miggy and Prince is the DH. Now we are just going to have him with a bunch of lost time on D at 3b and a gaping hole there in a couple years anyway.

I'm not even sure if Canstellanos is even a good 3B.

 

[Me]

Didnt Castellanos play much better in the OF than 3B?

 

[tigersofjustice]

I'm not even sure if Canstellanos is even a good 3B.

He's not, he's also very young and pretty far from the majors at this point with plenty of time to get better at the position. Nobody just shows up at 19 years old and is instantly a stud on defense. You work and get better, that's what everybody in the minors is doing. If he's not playing 3b, he's definitely never going to be even tolerable at the position.