Down on the Farm; August Edition

Hitters

Cameron Maybin, Florida Marlins

85 Games, .264 AVG, 12 HRs, 38 RBI, 17 SB, 101 Ks, .456 SLG, .814 OPS

It is looking more and more that Maybin won't be spending any meaningful time in the major leagues with Florida this season. One, the Marlins are in the middle of a pennant race, and probably can't afford to have a guy "learning on the job" every day in centerfield. Second, Maybin just hasn't produced in AA at all like we thought he would. His average is too low, he isn't hitting for enough power or driving in runs. He is striking out at an Adam Dunn/Ryan Howard pace, but not hitting the way those guys do. His stolen base numbers are nice, but he won't be contributing in any significant way to Florida's hopes this year. In his last ten games he is hitting .243, with no homers, just two RBI, and one steal. If you are in a keeper league and have held him all year long, continue to do so. Seasonal leagues, let him go.

Matt LaPorta, Milwaukee Brewers

98 Games, .277 AVG, 21 HRs, 73 RBI, 2 SB, 63 Ks, .534 SLG, .915 OPS

LaPorta was traded out of Milwaukee, which we all thought would put him on the fast track to the major leagues. However, he is now going to play for the United States baseball team in the Olympic Games, so that kept him out of the majors for Cleveland. In two weeks, when the Olympics are over, we will see what the Indians' plans are for their new crown jewel, but it seems like he will only have a few weeks of major league experience this year, not the ten or twelve weeks we were all hoping for when he was traded for C.C. Sabathia. After being white hot for the first half of the year in the minors, LaPorta has certainly cooled off. In his last ten games he is hitting just .139, with no home runs, and just three RBI.

Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

108 Games, .287, 9 HRs, 40 RBI, 27 SB, .403 SLG, .767 OPS

After the Pirates traded away two-thirds of their starting outfield, there was some thought that perhaps McCutchen might get a chance to show his stuff in the big leagues. But Steve Pearce and newly-acquired Brandon Moss have been manning the outfield with Nate McLouth in Pittsburgh, and it appears McCutchen will just be a late season call up, unless Moss or Pearce don't hit at all. In his last ten games, he is hitting .270, with no homers, two RBI, and three steals.

Dallas McPherson, Florida Marlins

103 games, .298, 38 HRs, 82 RBI, 13 SB, 137 Ks, .690 SLG, 1.096 OPS

Once a shining star prospect for the Angels, McPherson couldn't keep his average up or his strikeouts down. After that, he couldn't stay healthy and the Angels finally decided to part company with Dallas. So McPherson went where everyone goes when no other team will give them a chance, Florida. He had a great chance to win the starting third base job out of Spring, but another injury gave it to Jorge Cantu who doesn't look like he is giving it up anytime soon. McPherson will need an injury to the big club to get a chance, but he could make the most of it, as the average is way up, and he is stealing bases as well.

Pitchers

Gio Gonzalez, Oakland Athletics

21 Starts, 7-7, 4.54 ERA, 58 ER, 115 IP, 119 Ks, 58 BB, .233 BAA

Last year's minor league leader in strikeouts, Gonzalez had been struggling for most of the season, but has since looked like he has righted the ship. He was traded to the A's in the Nick Swisher trade, and he should see some time in the majors at some point this year. Since the end of June he has allowed only eight earned runs in seven starts and has struck out 45 guys in just 41 innings. He will most likely a guy that you will want to give a look at when he comes up, but just be ready that in Oakland he won't be winning too many games, but you can't argue with the strikeout ability.

Nick Adenhart, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

19 Starts, 6-10, 6.18 ERA, 73 ER, 106.1 IP, 82 Ks, 52 BB, .305 BAA

The Angels top pitching prospect has done nothing to instill any confidence of fantasy owners if/when he gets another shot in the majors. Not only did he struggle bad when he was called to Anaheim, but now he can't even get AAA batters out. At one point in the season, he had allowed six or more runs in five straight starts, and although the strikeouts have begun to improve, it doesn't matter when the rest of the numbers are that bad. Adenhart still has talent, but his struggles have made is so that you can't pick him up when he arrives until after you see some success at the major league lever.

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

13 Starts, 10-0, 1.97 ERA, 19 ER, 86.2 IP, 85 Ks, 19 BB, .225 BAA

This is one of the most dynamic pitching prospects to come around in some time. Price has dominating stuff, and he continues to climb through the ranks of the Tampa farm system at an alarming rate. He is awesome at all things, he doesn’t walk many, his strikeout rate is just about one an inning, and he doesn't allow many runs. Now that the Rays are a team that actually scores runs and wins games, Price is probably the hottest commodity to get your hands on in those leagues that allow minor league players. He has been so good in fact, that I heard on the radio today, that the Rays are considering calling up Price in the semi-near future and putting him in a similar role that the Yankees did with Joba Chamberlain last season. Everyone will want Price when he arrives, even if he is just in a middle relief role.

Max Scherzer, Arizona Diamondbacks

6 starts, 0-0, 3.03 ERA, 11 ER, 32.2 IP, 53 Ks, 13 BB, .178 BAA

Scherzer caused quite a buzz when he was called up by the Diamondbacks earlier this season. He did well at first, but over time the league started to hit him When Doug Davis returned from cancer surgery, Scherzer was sent back down. He was pretty dominant while he was starting, but lately he had been pitching out of the bullpen. The strikeout numbers are eye popping, and his stuff is some of the best in the minors. He might not see Arizona again this season, and if he does, I would be really surprised if it was in a starting role (barring injuries, of course). He is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, and whenever he is in the majors to stay, you will want him on your team.

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