Arizona Fall League Thread

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Box Score

Scottsdale wins, 4-3, now 2-1-1 on the season

Pregame mini-thread:

Within that box score link, you'll see it was a quiet day for the trio, 1-for-11 with a walk, four K's (Payne single, Bitonti base on balls). Bitonti stole a base and scored a run.

No Brewers pitched.

Should you wish to go hunting at-bats, game archive is here.

***

8:30 Central Thursday for Scottsdale's next game, again available via MLB video.

Box score will be here, and it'll also be available for live viewing via MLB.com.

Late Thursday night / early Friday AM, you'll find highlights and the game archive here.

[Jim Goulart]

Box Score

Scottsdale wins, 4-1, now 3-1-1 on the season

Payne, batting cleanup and playing center field (had been in corner spots), also singled, walked, and stole a base.

Eric Bitonti, playing first base, was 0-for-4 (two K's).

Matthew Wood was 1-for-3 as the designated hitter.

RHP Joshua Quezada pitched a scoreless, hitless 9th for the save, pitching around a two-out error by his third baseman.

Should you wish to go hunting at-bats or Quezada's inning, game archive is here.

3:30 Central Friday for Scottsdale's next game, again available via MLB video.

Box score will be here, and it'll also be available for live viewing via MLB.com.

Late Friday night / early Saturday AM, you'll find highlights and the game archive here.

[biedergb]

I know it's still early but the AFL doesn't seem to have the same crazy offense as the past couple of years, or maybe the pitching quality is better?  Again it's only 5 games, so that can change.

[sveumrules]

Little blurb on Braylon Payne from the Arizona Fall League Position Players Scouting Notebook over at FanGraphs today...

Payne is the best athlete in the AFL. He’s twitchy, he’s an 80 runner underway, and he’s a short-levered kid with strong wrists. He gets his bat into the zone fast and already has plus power. Still, the swing itself isn’t pretty. From an upright and slightly closed start, his front hip swivels open, and he has a funky, at times downhill swing path. It’s not how you’d normally draw it up, but I’m encouraged that Payne hasn’t made any less contact as he’s sprinted through Milwaukee’s system. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are speed bumps ahead, and it’s worth staying patient as he tries to harness his unusual swing.

Defensively, Payne’s speed is playing down a little in center right now. On one play over his head, he turned the wrong way and tried to track the ball the whole time instead of running toward the spot and adjusting, which ultimately cost him. In the long run, he’s so fast that even if his reads and routes are just fair, he’ll get to enough balls to stick up the middle, and there’s obviously upside from there. Ultimately, he’s raw, but if there was ever a guy to stay patient with, it’s Payne.

[wiguy94]

Matthew Wood has a .692 OBP with 6 BB to 0 SO through his first 3 games in Arizona. I was a bit surprised to see him sent to Arizona in part because I thought he was too advanced of a prospect to be there. Part of me wonders if it's intended to try and stir up some trade interest in him.

[Jim Goulart]

Box Score

Scottsdale wins, 11-10 in walkoff fashion, now 4-1-1 on the season

Matthew Wood scored the winning run (his second run scored in the contest) on his teammate's (Kaeden Kent, Giants) one-out double. Wood had reached earlier in the frame on a walk, one of four walks he drew in the game. Wood was behind the plate for the entirety Friday and was charged with catcher's interference on one pitch.

Jett Williams led off and played center field, 1-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, one K.

As the linescores will show, Wood caught three of his Brewers organization pitchers, but they fared poorly. RHP's Miqueas Mercedes and Ryan Birchard, along with LHP Jose Meneses, toiled for 3.1 innings in total, combining for eight walks and seven runs (five earned). 

Birchard was a victim of inherited runner syndrome, as he nicely stranded two of Meneses' runners but could only watch as three of his own baserunners crossed the plate on this grand slam surrendered by Rays' RHP Andy Rodriguez immediately after Birchard's exit.

The Scorpions next play today (Saturday), as part of a doubleheader in Tucson, which is no longer an MLB spring training park, as such, there is no video stream planned for this game.

The box score will go live at 4:30 Central and will be found here. Scottsdale is due to face 104 MPH fireballer Jarlin Susana, who was the youngest piece at the time in the Juan Soto WAS-to-SD trade. Miqueas Mercedes is currently listed as the Scorpions starter, but clearly, he won't be pitching again today.

 

[Playing Catch]

Watching Payne run the bases is so satisfying.

[Jim Goulart]

9 hours ago, Jim Goulart said:

The box score will go live at 4:30 Central and will be found here. Scottsdale is due to face 104 MPH fireballer Jarlin Susana, who was the youngest piece at the time in the Juan Soto WAS-to-SD trade. 

Game underway, Jett Williams and Eric Bitonti in the starting lineup, shortstop and first base respectively.

RHP Peyton Niksch got the start and retired all six men he faced, two K's, nice.

We'll update during the overnight.

[Jim Goulart]

Box Score

Scottsdale wins, 10-2 (seven-inning game), now 5-1-1 on the season

Game underway, Jett Williams and Eric Bitonti in the starting lineup, shortstop and first base respectively.

RHP Peyton Niksch got the start and retired all six men he faced, two K's, nice.

We'll update during the overnight.

UPDATE: Both Williams and Bitonti finished 0-for-4 despite their team's double-digit run total, with Bitonti striking out twice. Williams did steal a base after reaching on a fielder's choice. 

Niksch was the sole Brewers pitcher and was credited with the win.

***

Scottsdale next plays Monday afternoon at 3:30 Central, so the later innings will be opposite Game Two at Am-Fam, available via MLB video.

Box score will be here.

Late Monday night / early Tuesday AM, you'll find highlights and the game archive here.

[Jim Goulart]

Box Score

Scottsdale wins, 6-2 (seven-inning game, shortened by rain), now 6-1-1 on the season

That single was Payne's lone knock in a 1-for-4 day (one K). Payne plated left field in this game.

It's been an early struggle for Eric Bitonti, playing first base, 0-for-3 with a K, and now just 1-for-21, three walks, eight K's. 

No Brewers pitchers threw Monday.

Not much to hunt, but the full game archive is here.

The Scorpions next play Tuesday night at 8:30 Central, look for the "SCO" box score here.

[Joseph Zarr]

Bitonti, if we go back to his promotion to Biloxi? 

If we include current AFL and Biloxi post-season? We are looking at a 8-for-64...34 K, 6 BB, 1 HR, 3 2B, 6 R, 9 RBI...SO, 0.125 BA. 48.5% K rate. 

I MEAN...

 

[Tedaldtada]

7 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Bitonti, if we go back to his promotion to Biloxi? 

If we include current AFL and Biloxi post-season? We are looking at a 8-for-64...34 K, 6 BB, 1 HR, 3 2B, 6 R, 9 RBI...SO, 0.125 BA. 48.5% K rate. 

I MEAN...

 

Great motivation as he heads into the offseason? If I’ve learned anything from the current era of Brewers baseball, it’s that they thrive off of failure. 

[Joseph Zarr]

1 hour ago, Tedaldtada said:

Great motivation as he heads into the offseason? If I’ve learned anything from the current era of Brewers baseball, it’s that they thrive off of failure. 

I think he  has been faring much better overall (relative to where he's been of late) in AZ in terms of quality of contact and the K rate is down to acceptable Bitonti levels there. Double-A was a rude awakening but also I'm not overly concerned about any of this to be clear. Unlike the Adamczewski's and Made's and Pena's of the Brewers world, Eric has faced numerous slump challenges at almost every level. He studies the game. He truly cares. He may even press too much. He'll have lots to work through this off-season. I was mainly just showing the breadth of slump he's hit since the promotion. Certainly isn't on a heater 🤣.

[Jim Goulart]

Tuesday Box Score

Scottsdale loses 13-5, now 6-2-1 on the season

No mound fears despite the score, as RHP Joshua Quezada and LHP Jose Meneses combined for three scoreless one-hit innings with four K's. Meneses also stranded all three runners he inherited in the top of the 8th with a double play as soon as he entered.

Production from Jett Williams, Eric Bitonti (his best day of the AFL campaign thus far. scorched lined single here) and Matthew Wood (on base thrice more!). Includes doubles for Bitonti and Wood, check the box link above for those details.

Here's the Substack link referred to below:

Full game video archive here.

Scottsdale was idle on Wednesday.

[Jim Goulart]

On Thursday, Scottsdale plays in Peoria at 8:30 PM Central, video via MLB. Opposite the big-league Crew, so multi-task :). 

You'll find the box score here.

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday Box Score

Scottsdale wins 8-5, scoring four runs in the top of the 9th to grab the lead, now 7-2-1 on the season

Jett Williams, playing center field, was 0-for-3 with one K but walked twice and stole his 3rd base in three attempts. Williams is 3-for-24 (one triple) in six games.

Braylon Payne slid over to right field for this one, 1-for-5, one RBI, one K. 

23-year-old RHP Ryan Birchard only entered because his teammates grabbed that lead. Birchard was dynamic for the save as seen here.

Should you wish to peck and hunt plate appearances, the full video archive is here.

On Friday night at 8:30 Central, Scottsdale faces a 1-9 Glendale team. You'll find that box score here.  Watch live via the MLB app.

[Jim Goulart]

20 hours ago, Jim Goulart said:

On Friday night at 8:30 Central, Scottsdale faces a 1-9 Glendale team. You'll find that box score here.  Watch live via the MLB app.

Never underestimate an opponent.

Friday Box Score

Scottsdale falls 3-1, now 7-3-1 on the season

Braylon Payne, leading off and playing center field, drove in the lone Scorpions run with a sacrifice fly, 0-for-3 with two K's. Payne is 6-for-27 (three walks, ten strikeouts).

Eric Bitonti, playing first base and batting 5th, had Scottsdale's lone hit, a single, and fanned in his other three plate appearances. He's now 4-for-28, four walks, 12 K's. Only this avoided the no-hitter, bottom of the 6th:

Matthew Wood was the DH, and remains an on-base machine, walking twice more. He has nearly as many bases on balls (ten) as he does formal at-bats (11). Wood's line is a shiny .364/.667/.455 (1.122 OPS). 40-man roster add?

Between them, 20-year-old Miqueas Mercedes and Peyton Niksch, 22, covered the first five innings of the game. Each allowed a solo home run. It's a bit unfair to the Brewers arms, because otherwise they limited the damage, striking out seven (three walks, one HBP). But no shame in Mercedes allowing a bomb to this White Sox stud:

From behind the mound:

The only view of the home run Niksch surrendered:

This link will make it easy enough to watch the two Brewers arms, just take in the top half of each of the first five innings.

Full game video archive

Scottsdale's Saturday game is the middle affair of a triple-header in Scottsdale, 5:30 Central. There doesn't appear to be a streaming option for this one, but you will find the box score / gameday here.

[Jim Goulart]

Saturday Box Score

Scottsdale wins 2-1 in eight innings (scheduled for seven), now 8-3-1 on the season

The Scorpions won despite having only two hits, one of which was an Eric Bitonti ground ball single pulled to right field leading off the 5th. Bitonti would score on a sacrifice fly. Bitonti played first base (1-for-2, BB, K).

Jett Williams led off, was 0-for-3 with two K's, though he also walked.

Catcher Matthew Wood was a late game defensive replacement.

No Brewers pitched.

Next up is a game on Monday, 8:30 Central, available via the MLB app, and that box score will be found here.

 

[Jim Goulart]

Monday Box Score

Scottsdale loses 5-0, now 8-4-1 on the season

Brewers position players tried to assist.

Braylon Payne, playing right field and batting cleanup, had one of the seven Scorpions hits (all were singles). He also walked, striking out in his other two AB's.

Eric Bitonti, playing first base and batting 8th, singled twice, walked, and stole a base, his one out via strikeout.

Southpaw Jose Meneses gave up a run in the 9th, when a leadoff ground-rule double came around to score on a one-out single. The inning also included a walk but ended with two strikeouts.

Should you wish to hunt for at-bats based on the linked game log, the full game video archive is here.

It's an 8:30 Central home game for Scottsdale on Tuesday night, available for viewing via MLB's app, and you can follow the Gameday / Box here.

[nate82]

From the scouts I have talked to they really like Payne but it comes with a caveat.  He has to cut down on the strikeouts.  They said he is an everyday CF and should produce 25 HR’s a season but with low average.  If he can cut his K% to around 25% that would be ideal.

They think he added about 20 pounds since he was drafted and it shows in his power numbers.  One scout graded him as a 60 defensively in CF and 70 in power.  Hitting wise they have him at a 50 because of the strikeouts.  This is all at a 50-80 rating scale.  Other scouts I talked to didn’t want to give out rating scales as they have only seen him in the AFL.  The one scout has seen him a lot in the minors. 

[Jim Goulart]

Tuesday Box Score

Scottsdale wins 9-6, led 9-1 after seven innings before hanging on, now 9-4-1 on the season

Be sure to catch the Baseball America Jett Williams interview (video and audio options) we linked to.

The interview did Williams good, as he had by far his best game of the fall season - double, two singles, two RBI and a run scored in a 3-for-5 effort. Williams played shortstop and batted leadoff. He also stole two bases, giving him five on the season (yet to be caught).

Here's all three hits:

Eric Bitonti batted cleanup and had a 2-for-5 night, including this knock:

Bitonti did have a throwing error that did not factor in the scoring.

Catcher Matthew Wood, batting 7th, reached base twice more (single, walk), because he's, well, Matther Wood (OBP now a league-leading .640!). Wood is 5-for-16 with 11 walks and only one strikeout (the K finally happened in this game). He also stole his second base of the season.

RHP Joshua Quezada netted the win with two perfect innings of relief, including three K's.

Here's the full-game video archive.

On Wednesday, Scottsdale plays a home game at 3:30 Central. It'll be available to view via MLB's app and MiLB's streaming AFL page.

You can follow that Gameday / Box here.

[Joseph Zarr]

In a game Scottsdale lost 7-5, we see a vintage RHP Ryan Birchard blow-up inning of 1 H, 4 BB, and 4 ER. Sad face. 

[Jim Goulart]

Wednesday Box Score

Scottsdale falls 7-5 in a seven-inning contest, now 9-5-1 on the season

Jett Williams was the lone position player to see action, 0-for-2 with a walk, run scored, and an RBI groundout.

RHP Ryan Birchard's day started off great. He inherited two runners with just one out in the top of the 5th and immediately coaxed a 5-4-3 double play.

Returning for the 6th inning:

Rodriguez would strand Birchard's final remaining baserunner. The key double Birchard allowed is the second of the two base hits in this video.

The full game archive is here.

***

On Thursday, Scottsdale plays a road game at 3:30 Central. It'll be available to view via MLB's app and MiLB's streaming AFL page.

You can follow that Gameday / Box here.

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday Box Score

Attendance: 408. - Not bad.

Scottsdale romps 15-8, as we finally get a "typical" AFL score, Scorpions now 9-5-1 on the season

Braylon Payne is idle for a third straight game.

Eric Bitonti, playing first base and batting 6th, homered, doubled, walked and stole a base. Bitonti scored twice and knocked in two runs.

From before Thursday's game - as you'll see, this number will increase:

Bitonti's Home Run Video - well, at least the video is clear once the camera moves behind the plate.

OK, RHP Peyton Niksch, you're getting the league's attention - three scoreless, hitless innings (two walks, two K's).

Niksch in four appearances: 9.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (two solo home runs), 1 HBP, 3 BB, 10 K. WHIP of 0.62 is 4th in the league, .097 batting average against is 2nd in the league.

Full Game Video Archive

***

Next game is Saturday; Scottsdale plays a road game at 8:30 Central. It'll be available to view via MLB's app and MiLB's streaming AFL page.

Of course, there's another baseball game involving Brewers players that will be going on at the same time.

You can follow the AFL Gameday / Box here.