Scouting Notebook featuring Byron Buxton

(William DeShazer/Naples Daily News)

By Nathaniel Stoltz | @stoltz_baseball

In the September issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine, I wrote up a “scouting notebook” of sorts with my thoughts about players I had seen in person in the past month. I’ve had the opportunity to see over a dozen games involving several highly-touted prospects, encapsulating the Carolina League, the South Atlantic League, and the Appalachian League. Here are my thoughts on some of the most notable names I saw—I have more to share beyond this, but that can wait until next month!

Byron Buxton, OF, Twins (Rookie-Advanced Elizabethton)

Buxton, the second overall pick in the 2012 draft, clearly boasts all sorts of tools. He’s got wiry strength, power projection, and plenty of athleticism. However, he’s just 18 and has a lot standing between himself and the majors; at times, he looked like the rawest player on the field in the Appalachian League, taking fastballs down the middle, waving at curves in the dirt ten inches off the plate, and misplaying balls in the outfield. But for every head-scratching play he makes, he’ll wow you with something you don’t expect an 18-year-old to be able to do, like pull his hands inside a fastball on the inside corner and rip it to left field, or lay down a perfect drag bunt. He clearly has first-division upside if he can refine his game, but at this stage, any number of developmental paths are possible. Just because his issues are theoretically fixable doesn’t necessarily mean they will be fixed, after all. As with former Twins first-round outfielder Aaron Hicks, it could be years before we know quite how well Buxton’s tools will translate.

The Great Miami Marlins Mistake

(AP Photo)

 

By Devin Pangaro | @devinpangaro

The 2012 season was meant to be the start of something big in South Beach. The team formally known as the Florida Marlins abandoned their old identity and rechristened themselves the Miami Marlins, adopting a brand new look. Like a high school nerd returning from summer break with a flashy new wardrobe and a brash attitude, the Marlins set forth to abandon everything that once defined them.

Sure, maybe their uniforms were in dire need of an alteration. Teal is, after all, so 90's. However, is a grossly enlarged M on the hat truly an improvement? With the odd multi-colored scheme and futuristic design of the current uniforms bringing back memories of the ill-fated "Turn Ahead the Clock Day" from 1999, it became increasingly difficult to take this team seriously. Unfortunately for Marlins fans, the joke doesn't end there. This season has been nothing short of a disaster. Let's take a look at what went wrong.

Braves Look for 21st Win in a Row with Kris Medlen on the Mound

(Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE)

By Carlos Collazo | @CarlosCollazo__

Kris Medlen has been one of the most talked about pitchers recently, and for good reason. The Braves have won his past 20 starts (dating back to 2010), and he is going for his 21st tonight against Josh Johnson and the Miami Marlins.

I wrote an article a week or two ago on Tomahawk Take and you can check that out if you’d like, but he hasn’t done anything but get better since then so why not have a continued discussion on the reliever-turned ace pitcher?

If you check Fangraphs stats for over the past 30 days, you will find out that Medlen is putting up elite numbers with the best of ‘em.

·         He has the lowest ERA in the majors with .73. The closest to that mark is Cliff Lee with 1.29

·         He has the highest LOB%, with an absolutely ridiculous 95.6% mark. That pretty much means that even if you get on base against Medlen, you have less than a 5% chance of scoring. No biggy right?

·         Kris has the fourth best FIP at 1.75

·         His xFIP is ranked first at 2.08

·         A K/BB ratio of 11 is easily good for first, again topping that Lee fellow.

·         His WHIP is the third best at .81 behind James shields and Yu Darvish