Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 3 - Nick Hagadone

Bio: Hagadone was one of the pieces the Red Sox sent to the Indians in the trade for Victor Martinez. He's an imposing, hard-throwing left-hander who could be top shelf either as a starter or a closer. With his injury history though, the latter role seems more likely.

2010: Between Kinston and Akron, Hagadone went 3-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 29 appearances -- 17 starts -- spanning 85 2/3 innings. He allowed 72 hits, held opponents to a .226 batting average, but issued 63 walks against 89 strikeouts.

What People Are Saying:

"The big question for Hagadone is not about his talent. He absolutely has the stuff to succeed at the big-league level. The question is about his role. I'm believe that organizations should attempt to develop their best arms as starters because they can be moved to the bullpen at a later time if necessary. But in this case, Hagadone has the look of a potentially dominant reliever at the back of a bullpen."-- Frankie Piliere, AOL Fanhouse

"If he stays healthy, Hagadone has closer potential, with one scout calling him "Billy Wagner but with the body you'd expect from a guy with that kind of stuff."
-- Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus

When You Can See Him: Hagadone and the Aeros come in just once, from August 2nd-4th.

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 3 - Melky Mesa

Bio: Signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Yankees seven seasons ago as a 16-year-old, Mesa started his career in 2006, and didn't move stateside until 2008, when he excelled with the Staten Island Yankees.

2010 season: He hit .260/.338/.813 with Tampa, including 19 home runs, 74 RBIs and 31 stolen bases against just nine times caught. That the 23-year-old Mesa fanned 129 times against just 44 walks, however, doesn't portend well for his future at the upper levels. He also doubled 21 times and legged out nine triples.

What's Next: Mesa's future lies in the Thunder outfield for 2011, most likely in center field. If he is able to build on his exceptional tool set, he could be a dynamic and exciting force in the upper third of the Trenton lineup.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 3 - Adam Warren strikes out 15




















RECAP: After joining the Thunder on July 16, Adam Warren made his signature start in a Thunder uniform. He fanned 15 members of the Bowie Baysox that night, breaking Shannon Withem's 16-year-old team mark.

He fanned one in the first inning, three in the second, two in the third, three in the fourth, none in the fifth, three in the sixth and three in the seventh.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “Outstanding performance. I have not seen a pitching performance like that in a long time. … That’s pretty good stuff. That’s major league-type stuff, front-line, major league, first-division, pennant contending team-type stuff.” -- Tony Franklin

“I had no idea about the record. I think I struck out the side one inning and started to think about it. When I came out after the seventh inning, someone came up and told me. It’s neat to be in the history books.” -- Adam Warren

AFTERWARD: Warren didn't come close to topping that record in his final three regular-season starts, but he did fan 10 in just six innings in relief of Andy Pettitte in Game 2 of the Eastern League Division Series.

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn
and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 3a Adam Warren
No. 3b D.J. Mitchell





Why they're here: Simply, they were two of the team's most reliable starters. Mitchell, who was part of the team's opening day rotation, settled down after a nasty start to the year.

Mitchell, promoted to Scranton when Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos were bumped up from Tampa, finished with a team-high 11 wins, a 4.06 ERA, 96 strikeouts and a better than 2-to-1 groundout-to-flyout ratio.

In fact, in his 19 appearances with the Thunder after April 29, Mitchell allowed more than three earned runs just twice. His 3.63 ERA during that span was 11th best in the Eastern League.

Warren didn't arrive until July 16, but he made quite an impact in his 10 regular-season starts. Most memorably, he broke a team record when fanned 15 Bowie Baysox hitters on August 18 at Waterfront Park.

Overall, Warren finished 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings. During his tenure with the team, he established himself as its likely ace.

Outlook for 2011: Mitchell will likely begin 2011 in the Triple-A Scranton rotation. If Lance Pendleton stays with Houston, which selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in December, Warren will probably join Mitchell in Pennsylvania.

If Pendleton comes back, Warren may return to Double-A for a short while.

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 4 ...

What it means: The number of stolen bases from dual-threat outfielder Dan Brewer, tops on the team. He also had 10 longballs, making him the only player on the team last season to post double-digit totals in both categories.

Why it's significant: The stolen base total made him the first player since Kevin Thompson in 2005 to post double-digit home runs and swipes. Thunder fans probably won't have to wait long to see that feat accomplished again, however: Melky Mesa, a likely member of next year's squad, hit 19 HRs and stole 31 bases with Tampa.

What Else It Could Mean: Twenty-nine was also the number of games played by famously tight-lipped outfielder Reid Gorecki.

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 4 - Jacob Turner

Bio: At 19, Turner is the Tigers' best pitching prospect by far. Frankly, I expected him to work his way to the Eastern League last year, but between injuries and good sense, Detroit took it a bit slower on the young man's arm. He was the organization's top pick in the 2009 draft, out of high school in St. Louis.

2010: Turner had stiffness in both his shoulder and elbow at times in 2010, but he did manage to put up some fine numbers. He finished with a 3.28 ERA (just 2.93 at High-A Lakeland), 102 strikeouts against just 23 walks, and a stellar .238 batting average against. The ERA was sixth-best among qualifiers in the system.

What People Are Saying:

"Turner has the ideal frame for a power pitcher. He throws both two- and four-seam fastballs, sitting at 92-94 mph while peaking at 96. In addition to its easily above-average velocity, Turner's fastball also has heavy sink. ... He throws a 12-6 curve that can get a little short, but also shows glimpses of being an upper-70s hammer." -- Conor Glassey, Baseball America

"With his size, stuff and mechanics, Turner is almost a blueprint for what scouts look for in a high school arm. ... Turner certainly has ace-level ceiling, to some comparing him quite favorably to current Tigers ace Justin Verlander." -- Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus

When You Can See Him: Turner and the Seawolves come to Waterfront Park on July 18-20, and Turner should have earned his promotion from Lakeland.

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 4 - Graham Stoneburner

Bio: A 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-hander, Stoneburner was the Yankees' 14th-round choice in the 2009 draft. That was the same draft with Sequoyah Stonecipher, awesomely. Also, the Dodgers took a kid named Casio Grider in that round of the draft. Stoneburner pitched collegiately at Clemson, on the same staff as D.J. Mitchell, a big part of the Thunder's staff last year.

2010 season: Stoneburner, whose injury history is extensive, succeeded at both Low-A and High-A this season. He finished with a 9-8 record, a 2.41 ERA, allowed a scant 107 hits over 142 innings, including just six longballs. He struck out 137 against 34 walks.

What's Next: Almost certainly, Stoneburner will begin (and probably finish) the season in Trenton, where his long-term future more than likely be determined.

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 4 Austin Romine

Why he's here: More than his numbers, which were solid at the very least, Romine was important for the way he handled the staff. Throughout the season, while a plethora of talented, high-ceiling arms marched through Waterfront Park, Romine was a rock behind the dish.

In the final game of the Eastern League Division Series, he guided Manny Banuelos, whom he had caught just three times in 2010, to easily the best start of the career. To a man, each and every Thunder hurler credited Romine, in part, for their success.

As for the individual numbers, they weren't bad, especially for a guy who -- although he won't admit it -- was gassed after catching his first full load as a professional.

He put up a .268/.324/.726 slash line, with 31 doubles, 10 longballs and 69 RBIs. He even swiped a pair of bases in as many tries.

He did show weaknesses behind the dish, but they weren't close to fatal flaws. He caught just 23 percent of runners and permitted six passed balls. Every scout I've spoken to loves him defensively -- one threw out a Brad Ausmus (with a better bat) comp -- and sees him as a major league regular.

Outlook for 2011: This is where it gets tricky. With the Yankees signing Russell Martin to be the starting catcher, Jesus Montero, who was presumed to get a good chunk of the reps this year, may get pushed back to Scranton for more seasoning, especially with the glove.

If that happens, expect Romine to begin the year back in Trenton, where he belongs. He should see Triple-A at some point in 2011, though.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 4 - Andy Pettitte takes the ball in the ELDS




















RECAP: Entering the Eastern League Division Series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, against whom they were 6-17 during the year, the Thunder needed a big boost. In Andy Pettitte, the 15-year major league veteran and Yankees legend, that's exactly what they got.

The lefty was assigned to Trenton for the first of what would become two starts to rehab a strained left groin (the second start was also with the Thunder), creating much fanfare and controversy in the Central Jersey area.

More than anything, however, it brought the fans to the yard. Eight thousand and seventy-two people came through the turnstiles, one of the largest crowds in the team's history.

Pettitte went four shutout innings with two hits and four punchouts before handing the ball to Adam Warren for the next six frames.

Scoreless through 11 tense innings, the Thunder got a walk-off bomb from designated hitter Rene Rivera to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I wanted to try to try to come here and I didn’t want to lose this game for the guys. I wanted to do exactly what I did and give them a chance to win because it starts down here.” -- Andy Pettitte

“I talked to Austin (Romine) before the game and he said they played these guys a ton. So he had a great idea of what these guys like and what they don’t like and what balls they can handle and what balls they can’t handle.” -- Andy Pettitte

AFTERWARD: After Pettitte helped give them a 2-0 lead, the Thunder finished off the Fisher Cats at Merchantsauto.com Stadium. They allowed one run all series to New Hampshire's vaunted lineup, which was quite the feat. Pettitte pitched one more time for the Thunder, against the Altoona Curve in the opening game of the Eastern League Championship Series.

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 5 ...

What it means: The number of pitches Christian Garcia threw on Opening Day before injuring his elbow, leading to his second Tommy John surgery and, ultimately, his release from the organization.

Why it's significant: Not only was it Opening Day, but it was the first action Garcia had seen since his last Tommy John surgery, which made the sight of trainer Tim Lentych coming to the mound all the more disturbing. He hung around the clubhouse for a few more days, but when the MRI came back with a tear, the jig was up. David Altchek performed his surgery a few days later, and he was eventually released to make room for Shane Lindsay on the Yanks' 40-man roster. Lindsay didn't last long before also being released.

What Else It Could Mean: Sixty-nine was also Austin Romine's RBI total, Matt Cusick's total bases or D.J. Mitchell's runs allowed.

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 5 - Anthony Gose

Bio: A former Phillies prospect, he was dealt to the Astros in the Roy Oswalt deal, then subsequently flipped to Toronto for Brett Wallace. He's a speedy ballplayer who has potential as a Michael Bourn type (lazy comp, I know). He needs to make contact a little bit more, and work on picking better opportunities to steal.

2010: He entered the season at just 19 years old, and hit .262/.332/.724 combined between two High-A teams (Clearwater and Dunedin). He doubled 20 times, smacked 13 triple and seven homers, and swiped 45 bases in 79 tries. He was also a part of the Florida State League All-Star squad.

What People Are Saying:

One of the fastest prospects in baseball, Gose led the minors with 76 steals in 2009 but wasn't as successful in high Class A. He's still working on reading pitchers and getting good jumps, and he got caught a minor league-high 32 times in 77 attempts. His center-field defense and arm strength give him two more plus tools, but his bat still needs to come around. He needs to cut down on his strikeouts and put the ball in play more consistently. He could develop average power, though he'll be better off putting the ball in the gaps and wreaking havoc on the bases. -- Nathan Rode, Baseball America

While Gose isn't as fast a Gillies, he's only a step behind, and he's ahead of Gillies in terms of converting his speed into baseball value. He's an excellent base stealer with good instincts in the outfield, allowing him to cover a considerable amount of ground. Scouts saw a rapidly improving approach, as he learned how to force pitchers to give him better pitches by working the count more effectively. He had early-round possibilities as a pitcher out of high school, and his arm is a cannon. -- Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus

When You Can See Him: Gose and the Fisher Cats come in to Waterfront Park from April 29-May 1, June 3-5, June 27-29 and August 29-Sept. 1.

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 5 - Shaeffer Hall

Bio: The Yankees' 25th-round selection in 2009, Hall starred as a Kansas Jayhawk. He, along with Stephen Strasburg (remember him?), is one of two pitchers to throw a no-hitter against Air Force. He's an affable left-hander who was also drafted in 2006 (Rangers) and 2008 (Indians).

2010 season: Hall started his first full year with the Charleston RiverDogs, with whom he excelled over the first half. In 68 innings before his promotion, he posted a 1.85 ERA, a WHIP of 0.93, and just one home run. With Tampa, he went 9-5 with a 3.91 ERA over 69 innings. He also threw five shutout innings in the T-Yanks' first playoff game.

What's Next: If Lance Pendleton gets kept by Houston (likely, I think), there's a pretty good chance he starts the season in Trenton's rotation, along with Graham Stoneburner, Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos and Cory Arbiso.

The Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, announced on Wednesday that Tony Franklin will be back as Manager for his fifth consecutive season in Trenton.

Franklin will be joined in the dugout once again by pitching coach and former Major Leaguer Tommy Phelps. Julius Matos and Justin Pope will both make a return to Trenton in different organizational roles. Matos, who was a coach for Trenton in 2008 will serve as the Thunder Hitting Coach while former Trenton pitcher Pope will make his Double-A coaching debut. Athletic Trainer Tim Lentych will return for his fourth season and strength coach Kaz Manabe joins the Thunder after spending 2010 with Charleston (Low-A affiliate of the New York Yankees).

“We are thrilled to welcome Tony and his staff back to Trenton,” Thunder General Manager Will Smith said. “Since Tony arrived in Trenton four years ago, he has made many positive contributions on the field and in the community.”

Franklin guided the Thunder to back-to-back Eastern League Championships in 2007 and 2008. Last season under Franklin the Thunder finished with the the best record in the Eastern League (83-59) and another Eastern League Championship Series appearance.

The 2008 Eastern League Championship was Franklin’s third title as manager. In 1993, he led South Bend (Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) to the Midwest League Championship. Prior to his time in Trenton, Franklin spent most of the last 11 years as the Minor League Infield Instructor for the San Diego Padres. His managerial career began with the White Sox organization as the manager for Geneva (NY) of the New York-Penn League in 1982.

Franklin spent four seasons in Geneva, making the playoffs in 1985. After one season with Wytheville (Appalachian League), he guided the White Sox affiliate in the Florida State League, the Sarasota White Sox, to a playoff appearance in 1989. Franklin spent two years as the skipper of the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League, including 81 wins in 1991 and a berth in the Championship Series.

While in Birmingham, Franklin was the manager of former Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson. Before Trenton, his last managerial stint came with Las Vegas in 2000. Franklin filled in for Duane Espy and guided the Stars to a 43-50 mark.

Franklin was honored by San Diego in 1997 with the Jack Krol Award for Outstanding Minor League Instruction in the Padres’ organization. He and his wife, Haiba, have three children Derrick, Wayne and Shelby.

Tommy Phelps will embark on his third season as the pitching coach for the Thunder. Phelps pitched for the Florida Marlins in 2003 and 2004. During 2003, he went 3-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 27 games (seven starts) for Florida. He was part of a Marlins team that won the World Series over the Yankees. He pitched in 29 games for Milwaukee in 2005. He went 7-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 2006 with Columbus (Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees). Phelps was originally an 8^th round pick by Montreal in the 1992 draft.

Julius Matos makes a return to Trenton as the 2011 Thunder hitting coach, replacing Frank Menechino. Matos made his coaching debut in 2008 with the Thunder and has spent the past two seasons as the hitting coach for the Tampa Yankees (Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees). Originally selected by the Indians in the 16th round of the 1994 draft, Matos played parts of 13 seasons for the Cleveland, Arizona, San Diego, Kansas City, Toronto and Montreral organizations. Matos played 104 games at the major league level with the Padres (2002) and Royals (2003) and batted a combined .244 with four home runs and four doubles.

Justin Pope begins his first season as a coach with Trenton after spending 2010 in the same capacity with the Staten Island Yankees (Short Season-A affiliate of the New York Yankees). Pope played parts of three seasons with Trenton ('05-'07) and currently holds the franchise record in career saves (58). A first-round draft pick by St. Louis in 2001, Pope played for eight seasons in the minor leagues and was acquired by the Yankees in 2003 as part of a trade that sent Sterling Hitchcock to St. Louis.

Tim Lentych returns to Trenton for his fourth season as the Athletic Trainer. The 2009 Eastern League Athletic Trainer of the Year spent the prior three seasons as the trainer for the Charleston RiverDogs (Low-A affiliate of the New York Yankees). In 2004, he began his stint with the Yankees organization as the trainer for the Staten Island Yankees. Lentych received his B.S. from Ball State University in 2002, and his M.S. from the University of Tennessee in 2004. He has completed internships in athletic training with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001, and the Tennessee Smokies (former Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) in 2003.

Kaz Manabe joins the Thunder as the Strength and Conditioning Coach, after spending the previous two season with Charleston. A native of Japan, Manabe graduated from Hiroshima University and earned his Master degree in Kinesiology from California State University, Northridge.

TRENTON — For the fifth season in a row, Tony Franklin will manage the Thunder.
Reached at his home in Los Angeles, Calif., the manager was happy to remain in the Yankees’ organization, even if it meant not moving upward, something he has repeatedly expressed his desire to do.

“I’m happy to be coming back,” he said. “I really enjoy being there. I’ve said it before: Working in Trenton and living there for four years, this being my fifth, it’s not a bad deal. It’s not bad.
“Some people may look at it as being stagnant and whatnot, but I don’t look at it that way.”

Just because he’s happy to be coming back, however, doesn’t mean he didn’t look elsewhere.
After the season ended, he told Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations Mark Newman and farm director Pat Roessler that he was continuing to try to find an open job in the big leagues, and that he would be sending his resume to clubs with vacancies.

“I sent out some resumes and made some contacts, and nothing happened,” he explained. “That’s baseball, and I understand that’s how baseball goes. I’m just fortunate enough that I’ve got a place to come back to. Some guys may not have a place to come back to.”

Also returning to the Thunder for 2011 is Tommy Phelps, the team’s pitching coach for the last two seasons.

When it came to his pitching coach, Franklin couldn’t lavish enough praise.

“I cannot tell you and say enough good adjectives about Tommy Phelps,” he said. “What a guy. One of the nicest men I’ve known in baseball, one of the nicest men I’ve known, period.”

Oh, and he can coach a little, too.

Under Phelps, Trenton pitchers have fanned 2,235 hitters over two seasons and have accrued a combined ERA of 3.60.

“Very knowledgeable. Does everything he can to get the pitchers to be better pitchers, and gets the most out of them,” Franklin continued.

Taking the place of hitting coach Frank Menechino, who has taken a role with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, is Julius Matos, who filled the same role with the club in 2008.

He was High-A Tampa’s hitting coach for the last two seasons, and has a history with Franklin that dates back to when both were members of the Padres organization.

“Julius has been there before with me. He’s been on a championship team, so he certainly knows what it takes to, on a daily basis, prepare to play the game.”

Rounding out the 2011 field staff is Justin Pope, who pitched for the Thunder in parts of four seasons. He spent last season getting his feet wet as a coach with the Staten Island Yankees, the organization’s Short-Season affiliate.

“He’s out there trying to earn his spurs, like the majority of us have done who have been in this industry and coaching for a while,” Franklin said, referring to Pope.

“What I think he’s going to bring, and what I think the most important element of any coach, is character. ... I’m very excited about him being on our staff.”

Tim Lentych returns for his third season as the team’s trainer, and Kaz Manabe joins the staff as the strength and conditioning coach.

Manabe spent the last two seasons in the same role with the Charleston RiverDogs, the Yankees’ Low-A affiliate.

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 5a - David Phelps
No. 5b - Lance Pendleton



















Why they're here: The two pitchers took shifts as the staff's workhorse, with Phelps handling the first half of the season, and Pendleton taking over the role until early August, when he was promoted to Triple-A Scranton.

Phelps was a perfect 6-0 with the Thunder, and, with the exception of a blow-up in New Hampshire, was solid to excellent in every start he made. Overall, he accrued a 2.o4 ERA in over 88 1/3 innings, fanning 84 against 23 walks.

Speaking of walks, I don't think I've met a pitcher who more despised issuing free passes. If he were to turn in this start, he would more than likely be beside himself.

As for Pendleton, who was expected to spend the year in the bullpen before Christian Garcia's elbow broke down, he turned into the rock-solid arm the Yankees expected when they plucked him out of Rice University.

He strung together a 10-4 mark, a 3.43 ERA, 111 strikeouts in 120 1/3 innings, and a stellar .215 batting average against before getting the call to Triple-A.

While those numbers are impressive, consider this: Pendleton allowed just six earned runs over his final 31 1/3 innings with the Thunder, and struck out 30 hitters in that span.

Outlook for 2011: For Phelps, barring a trade, he seems likely to spend most, if not all of, 2011 in Scranton. He could get a shot toward the end of the year, especially if the Yankees fail to find a long-term solution for the holes in the rotation.

For Pendleton, his career may have just gotten a second life. Stuck behind a cadre of other, more valued prospects, he was selected by Houston in the recent Rule 5 Draft. If he sticks, he'll could be the Astros' fifth starter. If not, the Yankees may let him stay.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 5 - Brandon Laird's walkoff cycle




















RECAP: Question: What does Brandon Laird have in common with Cubs prospect Brett Jackson and Rockies dynamo Carlos Gonzalez? All three men completed the cycle this past season with a walk-off longball.

Laird turned his trick on May 26, when the Thunder needed all the help they could get against the Erie Seawolves, who got three home runs from Wilkin Ramirez, the powerful outfielder who just doesn't seem to make enough contact.

The Thunder's third baseman collected the single in the second inning, his triple in the fifth, and his double in seventh inning, setting the table for ninth-inning drama against Erie closer Luis Marte.

Down 6-5 in the final frame, and with Austin Krum on first after a one-out single, Laird sent Marte's offering up and over the left-field wall, giving his team a dramatic 7-6 win. The blast was his ninth, and the RBIs were the 42nd and 43rd of the young year.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I wasn’t going up there looking for a homer, just trying to get something in the gap so Austin (Krum) could score and tie it because he has good speed. The cycle was on my mind, but believe me, I wasn’t going up there looking for a homer to get it.”
-- Brandon Laird

“I was going up there looking for my pitch and he threw me two curves to start me off,” Laird said. “Then he threw me a fastball and I just kept my approach and got the barrel on it."
-- Brandon Laird

AFTERWARD: Laird was easily the team's most valuable position player all year, and was named the league's MVP after the season. He started hot after a promotion to Triple in August, but fizzled the rest of the way. He showed power in the Arizona Fall League, but compiled a lousy .236/.282/.718 slash line. He struck out 27 times and drew just six walks.

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 6 ...

What it means: The number of games of David Adams played before breaking his foot and spraining his ankle, costing him the rest of the season, and possibly keeping Cliff Lee from the Yankees.

Why it's significant: Before the injury, Adams, a second baseman, was easily the team's MVP. Even when Austin Romine and Brandon Laird hadn't started cooking yet, Adams was scalding the ball. He was hitting .309/.393/.900 before he got hurt, including three longballs and 31 RBIs. He also had 15 doubles and three triples. In short, he was carrying the team's offense through the season's cold months.

What Else It Could Mean: Thirty-nine just doesn't appear that much in this season's stats. In addition Adams' games played, it is also: Adam Olbrychowski's jersey number, and the amount of triples the team legged out in 2010.

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 6 - Aaron Hicks

Bio: Taken in the first round of the 2008 draft, Hicks is a true five-tool talent, but he appears to still be a little rough around the edges. He's yet to advance past the Midwest League, but he could see Double-A this season with a good first half in Fort Myers.

2010: Just 20 entering the season, Hicks returned to Beloit after an underwhelming campaign in 2009. He hit .279/.401/.828 with the Snappers, and clubbed eight home runs and 49 RBIs in the process. He hit 27 doubles, a half dozen triples and stole 21 bases in 32 attempts. He also had three assists in the outfield.

What People Are Saying:

"Hicks remains all tooled up. As a hitter, his best asset is his patience, though at times he's too passive. He has above-average raw power from his natural right side but still has work to do from the left side, where he has more of a slap approach. His above-average speed plays better in center field than it does on the bases." -- John Manuel

"Hicks has the potential to be a five-tool monster. His athletic build shows plenty of raw power, he's a plus runner who covers a ton of ground in center field, and he features one of the minor leagues' best arms. Unlike many raw toolsy players, he has a keen understanding of the strike zone and knows how to get himself into hitter's counts." -- Kevin Goldstein

When You Can See Him: Hicks and the Rock Cats come in just once, shockingly, from August 25-28, by which time Hicks may have earned a promotion.

This morning, Major League Baseball held its annual Rule Five Draft. In the major league phase, a club can select any eligible player from the rosters of the other 29 clubs. The club pays a fee for this selection, and must keep the player on its 40-man roster all season, or return him to his original team.

The Yankees saw two players taken in the major league portion, right-handed pitchers George Kontos (San Diego) and Lance Pendleton (Houston), both of whom spent time with the Thunder last year.

Here are quick rundowns on each player:

Kontos: A 25-year-old Northwestern grad and the organization's strikeout leader in 2008, missed most of last year after recovering from Tommy John surgery. When he returned he was gone from the starter's role, converted into a hard-throwing late-inning guy.

Kontos experienced some serious peaks and valleys both during the regular season and in the Arizona Fall League, where he accrued a 12.08 ERA in 10 appearances this autumn.

If he can prove that his stuff is fully back to where it was in 2008, then he has a small chance to stick with San Diego, where building a team on the cheap is paramount.

Pendleton: Most known in Trenton for being the guy whose pitch broke Jesus Montero's finger in 2009, Pendleton started the season in the bullpen -- but didn't stay there for long. Once Christian Garcia re-injured his elbow on Opening Day, Pendleton took his spot.

The staff's ace after David Phelps departed for Scranton, Pendleton was 12-4 between Double-A and Triple-A, with 124 hits in 154 2/3 innings, with 133 strikeouts and a .218 average against.

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 6 - Jose Gil

Bio: Gil has seen Trenton twice, playing a combined 43 games in 2009 and 2010. In that time, he's homered seven times and driven in 29 runs. He was signed by the Yankees in 2005, and recently was re-signed by the club after a brief dabble into free agency. Back in the fold, he's a good bet to be the Thunder's starting catcher in 2011.

2010 season: Gil began the year as Austin Romine's backup, and was doing a fine job before being sent to Tampa when the Yankees plucked Rene Rivera from the Atlantic League. He wasn't much to write home about at the plate (.236/.305/.758), but threw out 11 of 24 potential base-stealers in just 26 games.

What's Next: As I mentioned earlier, Gil is a good bet to be Trenton's primary backstop in 2011, especially with Myron Leslie and Rene Rivera also on the market as minor league free agents. He also may split time with Mitch Abeita, who manned part of the duties at High-A before Gil's demotion.

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 6b - Manny Banuelos

Why he's here: One of the most hyped prospects in the organization, Banuelos, who missed a good chunk of the early season after an emergency appendectomy, debut along with Dellin Betances toward the end of August. He made three starts before the postseason, none particularly overwhelming.

Biggest moment of the season: In his first playoff start, and arguably the biggest game of his career, Banuelos absolutely blew away the New Hampshire Fisher Cats for seven strong innings. He blanked New Hampshire on five hits -- only one of which went for extra bases -- and three walks.

Here's what he had to say afterward: “At the beginning of the game, it was a little tense. I was a little bit nervous about it. Once I started throwing my stuff, I knew my stuff was good and I kind of relaxed and just let it go.”

Outlook for 2011: If the Fisher Cats liked him the first time around, then they'll love him once April rolls around. If he's not dealt before the season, Banuelos should be on track to start on either the first or second game, which will be played at Manchester's Merchantsauto.com Stadium.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 6 - After Pettitte exits, Brackman mows down Curve




















RECAP: The opening game of the Eastern League Championship Series was supposed to be about Andy Pettitte making his second rehab tune-up. And while the left-hander did his job over five innings of two-run ball, the 6-foot-10 Brackman, in his first appearance of the postseason, quickly showed everyone why the Yankees spent a first-round pick on him three years ago.

Showcasing a moving fastball that topped out at 98 miles per hour and a hard-biting curveball, Brackman held the Curve to just a hit and a walk over five shutout innings. The Thunder won it in the tenth, thanks in large part to Brackman's yeoman effort.

More impressive than just the numbers, however, was the poise he showed while accomplishing them.

The key moment for Brackman was the eighth inning, when an error and hit batsman put runners at first and second with nobody down. One out later, the bases were jacked, spelling what seemed like certain doom.

But Brackman got Miles Durham to bounce the first pitch, a moving heater, to shortstop Luis Nunez, who started an inning-ending twin-killing that sent Trenton to its only victory of the ELCS.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I still don’t feel like I was in college, but I’ve got to deal with that and just go out and try to compete with what I have that day. … I definitely think there’s more in the tank.” -- Andrew Brackman

“They did it again in this series. They pitched out of key situations. I expect Pettitte to do that, but for these young guys — our entire pitching staff is bearing down, and I’m loving it back there catching. I’m seeing these guys evolving into guys that can bear down and make the pitches they need to make.” -- Austin Romine

AFTERWARD: That was the last bright spot for the Thunder in 2010. Dellin Betances, Adam Warren and Manny Banuelos couldn't outduel the Curve's trio of Jeff Locke, Justin Wilson and Tony Watson -- all left-handers -- and Altoona brought the city its first championship.

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 7 ...


















What it means: The number of wins Manny Banuelos had during the regular season, combined among Gulf Coast League, High-A and Double-A.

Why it's significant: Even at the minor league level, it's just another punch to the face of the win as a meaningful statistic. He pitched brilliantly at all three levels but failed to notch a W. His only win of the year, in his 16th start, came in the final game of the Eastern League Division Series. To review, 15 regular-season starts, 54 hits in 64 2/3 innings, a 2.51 ERA, 85 strikeouts against 25 walks ... zero wins. Good stat.

What Else It Could Mean: David Adams' error total ... David Phelps' losses in 14 starts ... Justin Snyder's ERA in an inning pitched ... The number of earned runs John Van Benschoten allowed.

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 7 - Derek Norris















Bio: Taken by the Nationals in the fourth round of the 2008 draft out of Goddard High in Goddard, Kansas, Norris appears to be on track as the Nationals catcher of the future. He's homered 49 times in 327 minor league games, and has produced a career split of .261/.414/.876, with a tremendous 276 walks against 304 strikeouts.

2010: Norris missed part of 2010 after being struck in the head by a pitch while playing with High-A Potomac of the Carolina League, but made up for lost time by playing with the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. His batting average dropped to a career low of .235 during the regular year, but his OBP stayed at an outstanding .419. He also caught an eye-popping 51% of runners trying to steal.

What People Are Saying: "I know I can hit, but I want to play defense," said Norris, the only Nationals' minor leaguer listed among Baseball America's latest ranking of the top 50 prospects. "That's really my key goal. That's really what is gonna move you up. Every team needs a good catcher, and if you don't have a good catcher your team is screwed."

-- Derek Norris

"He has a short, easy stroke and plenty of power to all fields, but it's his plate discipline that makes him potentially special. He has an uncanny feel for the strike zone and nearly never swings at a bad pitch. He has a plus arm and made great strides in harnessing it during the season by shortening his release and improving his accuracy."
-- Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus

Note that interests only me: Norris was born on Valentine's Day, exactly 130 years after my home state, Oregon, was admitted to the union.

When You Can See Him: Harrisburg comes to Waterfront Park on April 14-17 and June 14-16,