Yesterday's 7-2 win by the World Team over the US one in the 2007 XM Satellite Futures Games offered some glimpses into players who will begin to becom household names amongst baseball fanatics. Here are some quick thoughts I had while watching the game.
- Rockies' lefty pitcher Franklin Morales was consistently 95+ on the radar gone, and he looked it. When he threw a 75 MPH pitch, it was unfair.
- Dodgers' lefty Clayton Kershaw was also consistently in the 95 MPH area but did not look as fast. He also appeared more physically mature than the vast majority of players who appeared to be wearing uniforms a size, or two, too big.
- The Mariners' Michael Saunders looked good stealing a couple of bases. While I hold reservations about numbers put up in the California leagie, he looks like his skills may be more than Cal League inflation.
- Reds' OF Jay Bruce hit a BOMB! And just got a triple to show for it while late edition James Von Ostrand barely got his HR over the left-left center wall.
- Blue Jays' catcher Robinson Diaz hit a flare single on a pitch no one should have swung at. That's how a player strikes out just 15 times in 276 ABs.
- Rangers' farmhand John Whittleman hit a home run and drew a walk. That .900+ OPS is going to draw a lot more attention now.
- Angels reliever Rich Thompson was consistently at 95 MPH. Just what the Angels need, another hard throwing reliever.
- Indians catcher Max Ramirez hit a laser to left center. With his .400+ OBP, he is going to make Indians' GM Mark Shapiro look very wise in acquiring him for Bob Wickman.
- Wladimir Balentien looked good. Or at least, he didn't look like the player who couldn't hit for AVG in every previous season.
- Marlins 2B Chris Coughlan looked good at the plate and awful in the field. In addition to the booted ball on Mike Saunders opening AB, he would have dropped a flare down the right field line if not for Jay Bruce being right there to catch the ball as it bounced off of Coughlan.
- Joba Chamberlain looked OK if a little out of control.
- Chin-lung Hu won the MVP, but both his hits were hit the opposite way. Neither looked solidly hit. He's a smaller guy who is likely to be dubbed the next Dustin Pedroia.