Blue Jays Minor League Highlights Thread

[max silver]

Just now, Eat My Shatkins said:

Definitely not writing him off, it's a fairly small sample size. I was just legitimately shocked, the guy destroyed rookie ball last season.

I'm cutting the guy some slack as it's his first season in the US and he's likely experiencing a bit of culture shock.

[Brownie19]

23 minutes ago, max silver said:

I'm cutting the guy some slack as it's his first season in the US and he's likely experiencing a bit of culture shock.

Living in Florida would be a challenging culture shock for most.  Surrounded by people who are nearly dead and/or inbred rednecks ain't easy.

[Orgfiller]

26 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Definitely not writing him off, it's a fairly small sample size. I was just legitimately shocked, the guy destroyed rookie ball last season.

The biggest gap in North American professional sports is probably the DSL to full season transition. Literal Latin American teenagers that became professional baseball players at 16/17 now experiencing an insane culture and language barrier shock, with a much higher level of competition.

[Olerud363.354]

3 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

Living in Florida would be a challenging culture shock for most.  Surrounded by people who are nearly dead and/or inbred rednecks ain't easy.

They probably don't ever leave the complex and have an apartment with their team mates right by the complex.  They get sent down to the rookie league they don't go anywhere but play at 10:00 am instead of 7:00 pm.    Get called back up from Rookie league they don't go anywhere either, just play at 7:00 instead of 10:00. Doubt it is much of a culture shock and they probably have nothing to worry about other than the fact they are 3 for their last 30 with 17 ks and a walk. 

Used to be they'd send them to Bluefield or Lansing.  That's culture shock.  Nice people but all of a sudden in rural Michigan or West Virginia riding buses all night.  No clue where the hell you are, no one speaks spanish or even close to it.   You have a lot to worry about, and gets mind off a little slump.

Come to think of it no young Jays teenage hitting prospect has worked out since they moved A and Rookie to the Florida complex, probably not a healthy vibe there.  Need some fresh air.  Mountain air.  Michigan air. 

[Olerud363.354]

Before they ruined the minor leagues

Kirk (19) .354 .450 .600 Blue Field West Virginia

Vlad (17) .275 .350 .450 Blue Field, (18) .330 .430 .480 Lansing Michigan

Bo (19) .380 .450 .650 Lansing Michigan

After they runied the minor leagues

Bonilla (18) - .180 .260 .260 - Florida Complex 11:00 AM league

Sanchez (18) - .140 .160 .140 - Florida Complex 7:00 PM league

Jo Jo Parker(19)  - .200 .360 .340 - Florida Complex 7:00 PM league

Not good down there.  Need to re-establish normal minor league baseball and get the boys fresh air and see the land, real land. 

[John_Havok]

2 hours ago, Olerud363.354 said:

They probably don't ever leave the complex and have an apartment with their team mates right by the complex.  They get sent down to the rookie league they don't go anywhere but play at 10:00 am instead of 7:00 pm.    Get called back up from Rookie league they don't go anywhere either, just play at 7:00 instead of 10:00. Doubt it is much of a culture shock and they probably have nothing to worry about other than the fact they are 3 for their last 30 with 17 ks and a walk. 

Used to be they'd send them to Bluefield or Lansing.  That's culture shock.  Nice people but all of a sudden in rural Michigan or West Virginia riding buses all night.  No clue where the hell you are, no one speaks spanish or even close to it.   You have a lot to worry about, and gets mind off a little slump.

Come to think of it no young Jays teenage hitting prospect has worked out since they moved A and Rookie to the Florida complex, probably not a healthy vibe there.  Need some fresh air.  Mountain air.  Michigan air. 

You don't think living in the DR your entire life, then moving to Dunedin at 18 or 19 isnt much of a culture shock? 

Good god man...

Whether it's the reason for his struggles or just a part of it is debateable, but the fact there is absolutely a culture shock is not

[Olerud363.354]

17 minutes ago, John_Havok said:

You don't think living in the DR your entire life, then moving to Dunedin at 18 or 19 isnt much of a culture shock? 

Good god man...

[Olerud363.354]

According to AI the culture shock would have been way more for Kirk and Vlad in West Virginia/Northern Michigan.  Florida culture shock for Dominicans is minimal.  Vlad of course had lots of experience in big MLB cities but maybe butt-f*** West Virginia and Lansing was a shock I don't know.  More than Florida you have to think. 

[Olerud363.354]

I think most people on this board, with some exceptions of course have little experience in the US. 

Boston - BJMB view filthy s***-hole with mass-holes and crime (actually quite nice and intellectual hub of the East with Havard and MIT)

Florida - BJMB view old fox news watching Rudy Giuliani like oldsters living in the VIllage and call the Police if they see a kid from Mexico or Cuba or worse Haiti.  Reality - pretty diverse, though lots of STDs in the Village.  

[Stangstag]

6 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

Living in Florida would be a challenging culture shock for most.  Surrounded by people who are nearly dead and/or inbred rednecks ain't easy.

I choked on my dinner lol

[Spanky__99]

[Brownie19]

2 hours ago, John_Havok said:

You don't think living in the DR your entire life, then moving to Dunedin at 18 or 19 isnt much of a culture shock? 

Good god man...

Whether it's the reason for his struggles or just a part of it is debateable, but the fact there is absolutely a culture shock is not

Where there not stories about ball players who moved from the DR or Venezuela who ate pizza every day for like 2 years because they had no idea how to get any other food?

I think that was old and they have improved how much they pay minor league players and I think they've implemented food programs to improve nutrition for them - but it's a good reminder of how difficult the culture change can be on them.

It's like Olerud is possessed these days. 

[Olerud363.354]

7 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

Where there not stories about ball players who moved from the DR or Venezuela who ate pizza every day for like 2 years because they had no idea how to get any other food?

I think that was old and they have improved how much they pay minor league players and I think they've implemented food programs to improve nutrition for them - but it's a good reminder of how difficult the culture change can be on them.

It's like Olerud is possessed these days. 

It just doesn't seem like that effected their performance.  You go back real old school Tony Fernandez, George Bell, Vlad Sr. got off the island so to say and hit the s*** out of pitching as teenagers in rural U.S.A.   You go back to Vlad Jr. and Kirk same, and now you can argue both of those ate a lot of pizza.   All of them put up solid to video game numbers as teenagers.    

Now they live in these Florida Complexes with perfect conditions and perfect nutrition and hit .180 with 30ks and 3 walks.

Two things probably

1.  These high performances complex are maybe helping the pitchers more than the hitters.  I hear the Jays have like the greatest collection of young pitchers in generations... maybe just an illusion because pitching at all levels, but even more at the low levels is way ahead?   Be interesting to dive into the average slash line in the old Appy and Midwest league vs the Florida Complex League and low A Florida State League. 

2.  Harsh reality is out of 10 of these international prospects or high school draftees 9 will fail when they first see good secondary pitches and you see it 2 months into A ball.  No one can tell which ones so every year we get excited about 1teenagers and by June their done.   Kevin Ahrens, Manuel Beltre were high profile ones, who never made it anywhere, hit .230 at every level.  And .230 isn't bad compared to some of these guys who can't break .200.   I am sure it is awful for them too.   It's not the pizza.  Just can't hit better pitching and for some reason College or Dominican ball won't tell you that. 

[jmomcc]

Looks like Victor Arias is off rehab and back in double A. That is such an interesting level now. 

If Arias can show that he can play CF at an acceptable level, he could be a real guy. Ditto, Pinto can stay healthy I think he can be a real guy as well. Also realistically next year at the big league level, there could be opportunities at CF and 2B/Utility. There has never been a better time to mash. 

Of course they probably could also just be trade bait or eventually bench bats or nothing. 

You also have Nimmala, Keys, Cates and a collection of other interesting guys. 

[Brownie19]

25 minutes ago, jmomcc said:

Looks like Victor Arias is off rehab and back in double A. That is such an interesting level now. 

If Arias can show that he can play CF at an acceptable level, he could be a real guy. Ditto, Pinto can stay healthy I think he can be a real guy as well. Also realistically next year at the big league level, there could be opportunities at CF and 2B/Utility. There has never been a better time to mash. 

Of course they probably could also just be trade bait or eventually bench bats or nothing. 

You also have Nimmala, Keys, Cates and a collection of other interesting guys. 

Pinto has raked everywhere he's played.  If only he could stay healthy!

[Olerud363.354]

Pinto is the opposite of these teenage hotshots guys who show up to the states and go 3 for 35 with 18 ks and a walk....

He'll show up somewhere go 14 for 35 with 10 walks and a couple of homers then injure himself for a year.

He has all these little 30-100 at bat seasons, and it adds up to .292 .411 .463 in just over a season's worth of plate appearances spread across 6 seasons and 5 teams. 

[jmomcc]

Our boy Sanchez shows signs of life! Got a homer today. 

Also Nimmala got three singles and a double in what looks like a crazy win for NH. 

[Laika]

Nolan Perry shoved in his first Vancouver game 

5 IP     1 BB   8 K

 

Nimmala is off to a good AA start! 

[jmomcc]

I think I'll try to catch King and Perry next home stand.