Life On The Farm: Toronto Blue Jays (# 19)

Sorry for the delays, but we should be back to a daily (or close to it) schedule from here on out...

Graduated To Majors: Travis Snider (OF, # 1), Robert Ray (SP, # 15), Scott Richmond (SP, # 20), Dirk Hayhurst (RP, UR), Brett Cecil (SP, # 3), Brad Mills (SP, # 7), Ricky Romero (SP, # 8), Marc Rzepczynski (SP, # 9).

The Rest Of The Top 10 (with quick commentary)
Hitters: BA-OBP-SLG, AB, HR-RBI, BB-K, SB-CS
Pitchers: G-GS, W-L, ERA, IP-H-HR-BB-K

2 - J.P. Arencibia: C
AAA: .236-.284-.444, 466, 21-75, 26-114, 0-1
Quick Take: His lack of plate discipline finally caught up to him in AAA. Can he get better pitch recognition and maintain his power?

4 - Justin Jackson: SS
Hi A: .213-.321-.269, 249, 0-17, 39-87, 17-4
Quick Take: Toolsy SS needs to start showing signs of puttig it together, hitting .240 at Lo A last year and then still receiving a promotion to High A, with expected results.

5 - David Cooper: 1B
AA: .258-.340-.389, 473, 10-66, 59-92, 0-0
Quick Take: Thought to have been a reach as a 1st rounder, he dispelled those notions with a strong debut only to bring them up again.

6 - Kevin Ahrens: 3B
Hi A: .215-.282-.302, 377, 4-36, 37-76, 1-1
Quick Take: Another accelereated promotion guy, he atleast had a little more reason then Jackson to get promoted (.259 at Lo A), but the results were the same.

10 - Brad Emaus: 2B
AA: .253-.336-.376, 505, 10-67, 59-69, 10-3
Quick Take: Another bad season for a guy the team loved. Boy, this keeps looking worse...

AAA: Las Vegas 51's (PCL)
Breakout Hitter: Randy Ruiz (UL): .320-.392-.584, 462, 25-106, 47-99, 0-0
Disappointing Hitter: J.P. Arencibia (# 2): Line above.
Breakout Pitcher: Brad Mills (# 7): 14-14, 2-8, 4.06, 84.1-83-6-35-72
Disappointing Pitcher: David Purcey (UL): 24-24, 9-6, 4.46, 139.1-132-7-78-109
Quick Take: Ruiz catapulted himself into a possible favorite to start next year. Mills received his 1st big league promotion. Arencibia failed to seize a catching job that the Jays really wanted him to take. Purcey was supposed to be a rock in their rotation and instead was just average in AAA.

AA: New Hampshire Fisher Cats (EL)
Breakout Hitter: Brian Dopirak (UL): .308-.374-.576, 328, 19-68, 35-75, 1-3
Disappointing Hitter: Brian Jeroloman (# 12): .217-.330-.316, 364, 6-32, 62-120, 1-0
Breakout Pitcher: Marc Rzepczynski (# 9): 14-14, 7-5, 2.93, 76.2-80-1-36-88
Disappointing Pitcher: Brandon Magee (UR): 12-10, 4-5, 5.16, 52.1-55-3-21-22
Quick Take: Dopirak had a huge season as he worked his way into a promotion to AAA. It wasn't enough that Arencibia struggled, but Jeroloman, their other top catcher, struggled to do much at AA. Rzepczynski took his sinker from the left side to Toronto while Magee really battled to do much of anything at New Hampshire.

Hi A: Dunedin Blue Jays (FSL)
Breakout Hitter: Eric Thames (UR): .313-.386-.487, 195, 3-38, 21-40, 1-1
Disappointing Hitter: Justin Jackson (# 4): Line above.
Breakout Pitcher: Tim Collins (# 30): 40-0, 7-4, 2.37, 64.2-47-2-28-99
Disappointing Pitcher: Alan Farina (# 14): 27-2, 1-3, 6.51, 37.1-47-4-24-34
Quick Take: Thames showed well in trying to get back on the map after tearing his quad at Pepperdine and falling to the 7th round in 2008 and this was his pro (and full season) debut. Jackson really battled, just like every other touted prospect. Collins is making people look past his diminuitive size (5-7, 155) and to look at his numbers. Farina really battled.

Lo A: Lansing Lugnuts (ML)
Breakout Hitter: Johermyn Chavez (UR): .283-.346-.473, 509, 21-88, 40-137, 10-6
Disappointing Hitter: Kenny Wilson (# 21): .212-.306-.305, 321, 4-27, 35-99, 37-12
Breakout Pitcher: Frank Gailey (UL): 44-0, 3-2, 1.93, 65.1-48-2-23-60
Disappointing Pitcher: Chad Beck (UR): 20-20, 6-8, 5.94, 110.2-135-10-29-85
Quick Take: Chavez showed the most tools and some rawness of most hitters in the system. Gailey was a solid reliever this past season. Wilson struggled to put his tools into production. Beck really struggled in his first full-season.

TK's Early 2010 Top 10 Prospects:
1) Luis Perez: LHP
Lefty starter struck out 112 in 162.1 innings at AA at the age of 24 and he is the best available of their remaining prospects.
2) Chad Jenkins: RHP
Pitcher from Kennesaw is lone 2009 signee of their 4 Top 100 picks.
3) J.P Arencibia: C
Will try to prove '09 was a fluke.
4) Eric Thames: LF
True sleeper looks to continue his rapid ascent through the system.
5) Justin Jackson: SS
Will try to prove '09 was a fluke.
6) Scott Campbell: 2B
Bat control 2Bmen hit .269-.373-.374 with 28 walks and 26 strikeout in 182 at bats and got a promotion to AAA...
7) Kevin Ahrens: 3B
Will try to prove '09 was a fluke.
8) Tyler Pastornicky: SS
Had a solid '09 season at 2 levels (.267-.330-.340, 57 stolen bases) at Lo and Hi A.
9) David Cooper: 1B
Will try to prove '09 was a fluke.
10) Brian Jeroloman: C
Will try to prove '09 was a fluke.

Dropped From Top 10: Emaus (# 10)

Final Overview: This couldn't have been a worse season for Toronto. Incredible. Ricciardi probably went in to ownership's office and was asked if the system was ready to provide something soon. And he couldn't answer them. This is a tough job that is tougher due to the lack of talent in the system. A late 20's system.

Padres Extras

1) Walter Silva: FB, SL, CB, CU.
4/8: 95 pitches. 7 strikes swinging. 4 Sliders, 2 Fastballs, Changeup.

• Silva is a 6-1, 190 pound righty. The 32 year old has a medium frame that appears to be maxed out. He has a thick lower half that is almost too thick. He came from an over the top release with clean, quiet mechanics. His fastball has some run in on righties and a little sink. His change is a straight change with not much movement in either way, though it does look like a fastball out of his hand. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with average depth. His slider is a 2-7 offering with some bite. 4-A pitcher at best.

1st: FB (89-91), SL (82-85), CU (81-83), CB (77-78)

2nd: FB (89-91), SL (82-87), CU (81-82), CB (74-77) - FB (Billingsley), 2 SL (Kemp, Billingsley)

3rd: FB (88-91), SL (84), CU (80-81), CB (72-77) - SL (Martin), CU (Ramirez)

4th: FB (88-91), SL (82-86), CU (81), CB (73-76) - SL (Furcal)

5th: FB (88-89), SL (81-85), CU (79) - FB (Ramirez)

2) Eulogio De La Cruz: FB, SL, CU.
4/8: 14 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Cruz is a 5-10, 215 pound righty. The 25 year old has a small frame that is maxed out with a thick, muscular lower half. He came from an over the top release in a max effort delivery that includes his shoulder flying open. His fastball is a straight 4-seamer. His change is a straight change with a little late fade from lefties and a little late sink that he will throw to righties and as his out pitch. Has a plus fastball, but it is so straight and he really needs to gain some command of it to have a chance to be a middle reliever.

9th: FB (92-96), CU (86) - CU (Martin)

3) Shawn Hill: FB, CU, SL, CB.
4/10: 69 pitches. FB (86-91), SL (75-77), CU (79-82), CB (74-79)

• Hill is a 6-2, 225 pound righty. The 28 year old has a medium frame that appears to be maxed out. He has a strong athletic build with a strongly built lower half. He came from a 3/4 release with a little cocking action in his arm. His motion is a little high effort, but shouldn't be too terrible. He breaks his hands a little high, adding some more stress to his shoulder. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink. His slider is a sweeping 2-7 offering with good bite. His change has some fade from lefties and some sink that looks like a fastball out of his hand.

1st: FB (89-91), SL (78), CU (80-82) - FB (Renteria), CU (Lewis)

2nd: FB (86-90), SL (75-77), CU (80-82)

3rd: FB (87-90), SL (76), CU (80) - CU (Lewis)

4th: FB (88-89), SL (76-79), CU (79) - SL (Sandoval)

5th: FB (86-89), SL (74-77), CU (80) - FB (Schierholtz), CU (Schierholtz)

6th: FB (86-88), SL (75), CU (79-80)

4) Duaner Sanchez: FB, CU, SL, CB.
4/10: 15 pitches. 1 strikes swinging. Fastball.

• Sanchez is a 6-2, 210 pound righty. The 29 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He came from a high 3/4 release in a max effort delivery and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink. His change has good fade from lefties and some sink. His curve is a 12-6 with slightly above average depth. Seems like he still has the stuff to be a solid middle reliever.

8th: FB (88-92), CU (78-81), CB (78) - FB (Sandoval)

5) Arturo Lopez: FB, SL, CU.
5/4: 11 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Lopez is a 5-10, 165 pound lefty. The 26 year old has a small frame that can add a little more muscle. Strongly built with a solid lower half. He came from a high 3/4 release in a max effort delivery with limbs flying everywhere. His fastball has some run in on lefties. His change has some fade from righties and a little sink. Has a chance to be a LOOGY, but needs to continue to develop his command.

9th: FB (90-91), CU (82)