tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6403092643973900215.post4935100271407929562..comments2024-02-11T00:37:47.952-08:00Comments on Optioned to Fresno - A SF Giants Prospects Blog: Farm Watch: Belt, Gillaspie, Surkamp, Kieschnick, Noonan, Marte, Escobar, and ConcepcionKevin O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6403092643973900215.post-33809359694011659382011-05-06T10:56:55.597-07:002011-05-06T10:56:55.597-07:00Thanks OGC! I agree about Noonan. I actually wrote...Thanks OGC! I agree about Noonan. I actually wrote about him in my prospect rundown list. I think people have bailed ship on him a little too early. Do think he's going to be the next Chase Utley? No, but I still think he can break into the majors and be a solid middle infielder. He hit two home runs yesterday in a doubleheader with New Britain, so hopefully that's a sign of things to come.<br /><br />Good observations on Gillaspie. I do like his approach (you're right about him keeping his K rates low, which has produced solid BB/K ratios over his minor league career), but he never has seemed to hit with much power. I remember reading about his AFL stint this year, so you're right, hopefully that bodes well and is a sign that he is figuring it out. The only issue is position, as it'll be interesting to see if he sticks at third base (he could be a Bill Mueller-type).<br /><br />I totally agree about Augusta. A lot of Giants pitcher (Madison Bumgarner most recently) have done very well in the Sally and it does have the reputation for being a pitcher's league. The issues with a lot of our pitchers seems to be walking guys, as Concepcion and Escobar are two glaring examples.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6403092643973900215.post-39458278570710070722011-05-06T09:14:09.377-07:002011-05-06T09:14:09.377-07:00Nice rundown!
About Noonan, while worrisome, I su...Nice rundown!<br /><br />About Noonan, while worrisome, I suppose, his slow start, but remember that his injury means that other players are ahead of him right now, he's going through spring training again.<br /><br />I'm actually encouraged for Nick this season. In an article on how Belt changed his hitting mechanics using the Giants video training system, Noonan raved about the system, saying that he's now hitting line drives. Of course, he needs to translate that from practice to the game. But I expect him to break out this season, particularly if he can field SS adequately, where the Giants have moved him.<br /><br />Regarding Conor Gillaspie, I would add that he broke out last season in the AFL, hitting very well there and for power. A key metric that he has done well in his minor league career is keeping his K-rate on the low end, which shows a good eye and the ability to turn on the pitches, which is a better sign of his hitting ability than patience. <br /><br />He appears to be figuring out how to do it with power, which was his major negative at the time of the draft, he was considered to have too little power for 3B but not good enough physically to play 2B, a tweener. I am hopeful on him, though ideally if he's a good prospect, his OPS should be 900+ in AAA.<br /><br />What makes Augusta's performance even worse is that the Sally League is normally a pitcher's league.obsessivegiantscompulsivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11362706004246875823noreply@blogger.com