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September 23, 2006
Minor League Review, Part 3: Bakersfield Blaze Hitters
The League: Unlike the Midwest League, the California League favors hitters. The ten-team league had 23 players with an OPS of .800 or better; the thirteen-team Midwest had only eleven. Though not a slugger’s paradise, the league did permit batters to hit .275 and reach base at a .350 clip in 2006, both above American League levels to date. In terms of runs scored and batting line (average/on-base/slugging), the league most closely resembles the American League from 1937-1940.
California League vs American League |
|
| Runs Scored | 8% higher |
| Runs Allowed | 10% higher |
| ERA | 2% higher |
| Batting Average | .001 higher |
| On-Base Percentage | .011 higher |
| Slugging Percentage | .023 lower |
| Walk Rate | 9% higher |
| Strikeout Rate | 17% higher |
The Park: Bakersfield’s Sam Lynn Ballpark is 328 down the lines and a mere 356 to center… and it’s (slightly) a pitcher’s park. The outfield fences are fifteen feet high, and the park faces the “wrong” way, with the sun setting in center field. Games often don't start until after 8:00pm, when the sun dips behind an auxiliary fence beyond center field. 
Sam Lynn Ballpark, 1-Year Park Factors |
|
| Runs | 0.99 |
| Average | 0.98 |
| On-Base Percentage | 0.99 |
| Slugging Percentage | 0.98 |
| Walks | 1.01 |
| Strikeouts | 1.06 |
The Team: All hail Emerson Frostad! The 376th pick of the 2003 draft switched from third to catcher and would have led the California League in OPS with an additional 48 quality plate appearances. Texas must now decide whether to add Frostad to the 40-man roster; if not, he’ll be exposed to the Rule 5 draft. Fellow ’03 draftees Wes Littleton, Ian Kinsler and Scott Feldman already occupy slots and John Danks will join them soon. Frostad turns 24 next January. ’04 seventh-rounder Ben Harrison also hit well, finishing fifth in the league in OPS and earning a July promotion to AA Frisco. He celebrated his 25th birthday this week, rather old for a prospect. Tim Hulett hit for average and showed ridiculous patience in both Bakersfield and Frisco. 22-year-old Steven Murphy doesn’t walk much but popped 38 doubles and 19 homers.
At the other end, Ian Gac hasn’t hit at any level, and Phillip Hawke and Justin Hatcher are out of the organization. Freddie Thon had a 101 OPS+ but stepped back from a nice 2005 in Spokane, losing his home-run stroke and walking one-third less often than Ozzie Guillen (no joke).
| Player | POS |
G |
OPS |
OPS+ |
AVG |
AVG+ |
OBP |
OBP+ |
SLG |
SLG+ |
ISO |
ISO+ |
BB% |
BB%+ |
SO% |
SO%+ |
Net Steals |
| Emerson Frostad |
C |
79 |
.942 |
149 |
.320 |
119 |
.389 |
113 |
.553 |
136 |
.233 |
170 |
11.0% |
117 |
18.9% |
100 |
-11 |
| Ben Harrison |
OF |
87 |
.917 |
143 |
.293 |
109 |
.397 |
115 |
.520 |
128 |
.227 |
166 |
12.9% |
137 |
20.4% |
93 |
3 |
| Tim Hulett, Jr. |
IF |
77 |
.840 |
125 |
.291 |
108 |
.415 |
120 |
.426 |
105 |
.135 |
99 |
17.4% |
186 |
17.4% |
109 |
5 |
| Steven Murphy |
OF |
116 |
.842 |
121 |
.283 |
105 |
.335 |
97 |
.506 |
124 |
.223 |
163 |
6.2% |
66 |
17.8% |
106 |
-6 |
| Jayce Tingler |
OF |
56 |
.807 |
117 |
.330 |
123 |
.432 |
125 |
.375 |
92 |
.045 |
33 |
13.8% |
147 |
6.7% |
284 |
-9 |
| Brandon Boggs |
OF |
78 |
.795 |
111 |
.261 |
97 |
.352 |
102 |
.444 |
109 |
.183 |
134 |
12.3% |
131 |
18.2% |
104 |
5 |
| German Duran |
SS |
114 |
.778 |
106 |
.284 |
106 |
.331 |
96 |
.446 |
110 |
.162 |
118 |
7.1% |
76 |
16.3% |
116 |
-3 |
| Freddie Thon |
1B |
53 |
.757 |
101 |
.321 |
119 |
.335 |
97 |
.422 |
104 |
.101 |
74 |
2.2% |
24 |
13.8% |
137 |
-4 |
| Adam Fox |
3B |
77 |
.732 |
94 |
.256 |
95 |
.324 |
94 |
.408 |
100 |
.152 |
111 |
8.5% |
91 |
15.0% |
126 |
-1 |
| Roberto Valiente |
OF |
57 |
.712 |
90 |
.287 |
107 |
.340 |
99 |
.372 |
91 |
.085 |
62 |
6.0% |
64 |
17.9% |
106 |
-2 |
| Micah Furtado |
2B |
103 |
.710 |
89 |
.249 |
93 |
.333 |
97 |
.377 |
93 |
.128 |
93 |
10.3% |
110 |
17.5% |
108 |
-9 |
| Luke Grayson |
OF |
51 |
.699 |
85 |
.225 |
84 |
.289 |
84 |
.410 |
101 |
.185 |
135 |
5.3% |
57 |
25.2% |
75 |
-4 |
| Mauro Gomez |
3B |
59 |
.678 |
79 |
.258 |
96 |
.279 |
81 |
.399 |
98 |
.141 |
103 |
2.7% |
29 |
25.0% |
76 |
1 |
| Juan Gonzalez |
SS |
59 |
.633 |
69 |
.237 |
88 |
.311 |
90 |
.322 |
79 |
.085 |
62 |
9.4% |
101 |
21.6% |
88 |
5 |
| Phillip Hawke |
1B |
36 |
.621 |
67 |
.220 |
82 |
.318 |
92 |
.303 |
74 |
.083 |
61 |
12.6% |
134 |
23.3% |
81 |
1 |
| Ian Gac |
1B |
55 |
.588 |
55 |
.188 |
70 |
.242 |
70 |
.346 |
85 |
.158 |
115 |
5.9% |
63 |
31.8% |
59 |
3 |
| Justin Hatcher |
C |
32 |
.553 |
50 |
.228 |
85 |
.316 |
92 |
.238 |
58 |
.010 |
7 |
10.6% |
113 |
20.5% |
92 |
0 |
| TEAM TOTALS |
140 |
.753 |
100 |
.268 |
100 |
.339 |
98 |
.413 |
101 |
.145 |
106 |
9.1% |
97 |
19.1% |
99 |
-30 |
|
| Park-Adjusted League Average | .751 |
.269 |
.345 |
.407 |
.138 |
9.4% |
18.9% |
-11 |
About the stats: See the post on Clinton’s hitters for explanations and caveats.
Posted by Lucas at September 23, 2006 02:20 AM