The Peoria Saguaros started the AFL season off by losing 6 straight games and now they are 6-8 on the season. Not a bad turnaround. Also they have done it without Jason Heyward in the lineup. Coincidence?

Peoria 9, Surprise 0

• F. Freeman 3-4 2B, RBI, BB
• B. Hicks 2-4 3B, RBI, BB
• J. Lyman 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K
• L. Hyde 1IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K
• C. Kimbrel 1IP 1H 0R 0BB 2K

Frederick Freeman's AFL season can be split into two sets of 4 games apiece so far. In the first 4 games he had 15 AB with just 1 hit and 8K. In the last 4 games he has amassed 8 hits in 16 AB (3 XBH) and only 3K. He has brought his OPS up to .841 and he has an OBP of .389. This comes on the same day that Jim Callis mentioned that some scouts weren't impressed with Freeman so far. This kid is still an elite prospect. Brandon Hicks has impressed me so far with 8 BB vs 8K (though 8K is still a lot for 31 AB) and he has continued to hit at a .323 clip. Craig Kimbrel has also been impressive so far, though his walks are still out of line.

Guasave 3, Navojoa 6 - 8th Inning

• M. Young 1-3 2B, RBI, BB, CS(3)
  
• R. Gorecki 1-2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, CS(1)
  

Nothing too exciting going on here. Matt Young keeps taking walks and getting on base. He will never be a star but I think he could give a couple of solid seasons as an ideal backup OF. Does anyone know if Gorecki is actually still with the Braves system or if he is just playing winter ball on his own?

Some of our hitters look like they are picking up the pace.

Mesa 5, Peoria 6

• F. Freeman 2-4 HR(1), K
• B. Hicks 0-1 3BB, K

Freddie Freeman hit his first homer in a couple of months and has been better in his last couple of outings after he apparently knocked the rust off in the first few games. Also of note was that tonight he was batting 3rd which is a couple of spots up from where he has been the past few games. Brandon Hicks is hitting .296 so far and has 7 BB in 34 PA (though 8K also). If he can carry those walks over into the regular season and raise his batting average up to .250 he is going to be useful. Speaking of useful, Lee Hyde pitched a scoreless inning last night.

Gusave 6, Navojoa 7 - 7th Inning

• M. Young 0-3 2 BB, K
  
• R. Gorecki 1-3 BB, K, SB(1)
• T. Gustafson 5.1IP 6H 6R 5BB 1K
  

Tim Gustafson finally got knocked around a little in Mexico. He has been progressively worse in each start though this was his only truly bad one. I am bit surprised to see Reid Gorecki in winter ball, but I have always heard that he is a true baseball rat and plays every chance he gets. Matt Young only has 2 hits in his last 5 games and has seen his AVG fall to .250 though his OBP is .365.

Looks like Freeman bounced back a little bit.

Mesa 10, Peoria 11

• B. Hicks 2-4 BB, SB(2)
  
• F. Freeman 2-5 2B, 2 RBI, K
• L. Hyde 0.2IP 1H 3R 2BB 1K

Brandon Hicks is hitting .318 in the desert so far with pretty good plate discipline so far and without striking out as much as he did in the regular season. Yes it is Arizona, but he probably could use some confidence building. I am glad to see Freeman hit with some authority as well, though I'm not sold that his wrist is back to 100% yet. And Lee Hyde finally got tagged up after he walked a couple of guys and then gave up a 3-run homer. Still no Heyward.

Navojoa 4, Mexicali 6 - 6th Inning

• M. Young 0-3 BB, K
• C. Rodriguez 1-3 RBI

Nothing much going on yet in this game. Rodriguez did go 4-4 last night with 2 2Bs and Brett Butts picked up his 3rd save for Navojoa. Young also went 0-2 with 2 BBs. Edgar Osuna also made a shot appearance but gave up 2 hits and a walk and didn't record an out before leaving the game.

Sorry for nothing the last couple of nights. The Mexican league games come really late and there doesn't seem to be enough Braves playing some nights for a full update.

Surprise 10, Peoria 9

• F. Freeman  0-5 4K
• L. Hyde 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K
• C. Kimbrel 2IP 1H 1R 2BB 3K

Freddie Freeman is having a tough time of it in the AFL so far. He has 8K now in 15 AB though he does have 3 BB also.  Lee Hyde has still yet to allow a run and has recorded 6 of his 9 outs via strikeout. Craig Kimbrel has been himself so far walking a bunch of guys (5 in 3.2IP) and striking out a bunch of guys (4K in that same span).

Mazatlan 0, Navojoa 5 - 5th Inning

• M. Young 2-3 RBI, SB(2)
• T. Gustafson 5IP 3H 0R 2BB 3K

This game obviously isn't over, but I wanted to get a shot of it in. Matt Young has been the second best hitter on this team so far and Tim Gustafson has been great as a starter having allowed only one run through 10 innings pitched so far.

Sorry last night's didn't get put up, I was out and about, but I'll play catch up tonight.

10/15

Peoria Javelins 17, Peoria Saguaros 9

• J. Heyward 1-4 BB
• B. Hicks 2-5

The Saguaros appear to be having a tough go of it so far in the AFL. Heyward has a hit in every game so far and Brandon Hicks hasn't been overmatched. Our pitchers pitched well in the game they all appeared in, but none of the other pitchers appear able to get guys out.

Culiacan 2, Navajoa 5 - Game 1 - 7 Innings

• M. Young 2-3 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, K
• C. Rodriguez 0-3 K
• T. Gustafson 5IP 4H 1R 1BB 2K

Matt Young is just going to play his way into the Braves plans I do believe. He has enough skills to really be a help on the big club. He won't ever have much pop, but he has speed and on base ability and good defense in the OF. All of those things can help a team win. Concepcion Rodriguez has been solid so far in Mexico, just not tonight. Tim Gustafson was solid however. Tim put together a solid year between a couple of levels switching between starting and relieving and seems poised to continue that in Mexico.

Culiacan 4, Navojoa 3 - Game 2 - 7 Innings

• M. Young 0-3 BB
• C. Rodriguez 0-2 2BB, K

Nothing much going on here.

10/16

Peoria Saguaros 3, Peoria Javelins 13

• F. Freeman 1-4 BB, 2K
• B. Hicks 1-4 K

Really. this Saguaros team has yet to win a game I believe. Freddie Freeman did pick up his first hit of the fall and Brandon Hicks has hit in two straight and has 3K in 3 games.

Scottsdale 3, Peoria 1 -  10 Innings

• J. Heyward 1-4 2B, K
• F. Freeman 0-3 BB, K
• B. Hicks 0-4 2K
• J. Lyman 2IP 3H 1R 1BB 2K
• L. Hyde 1IP 1H 0R 1BB 1K
• C. Kimbrel 1IP 0H 0R 2BB 0K

Jason Heyward has 3 hits so far with all three of them being doubles. Not a bad start for the top prospect. The rest of our hitters did not fair as well going a combined 0-7. Our pitching has been pretty solid so far in Arizona with only Jeff Lyman allowing an earned run (he did start this game even though he only pitched 2 innings). Craig Kimbrel is still struggling to command the strike zone but he keeps finding ways out of it. I hope this isn't a habit we have to endure in the future.

Culiacan 0, Navojoa 2 - currently in the 8th

• M. Young 1-2 BB, SB(1)

This game is running behind my schedule so I probably won't get to finish the stats tonight. Matt Young appears to have picked up right where he left off in the regular season. This is his first hit so far since he started in the Mexican league, though he does have two walks. He could be a surprise contributor in the majors next season.

Tonight was the first night of the Arizona Fall League and a couple of Braves top prospects were on display. I will be doing these every night and doing my best to recap the other leagues that have Braves players as well (Mexican, Venezuelan etc.). But not all of these leagues post their scores at a reasonable time (AFL is 2-3 hours behind me right now, so don't go ballistic if I miss something. That said, the team with most of the Braves players in the Mexican League, Navojoa, had their game postponed due to wet grounds.

Arizona

Peoria (Us) 4, Scottsdale 8

• J. Heyward 2-4 2 2B, RBI, SB(1)
• M. Minor 2IP 1H 1R 2BB 0K

Jason Heyward came into Arizona and picked up right where he left off during the regular season. Keep in mind also that for his career, Jason Heyward is 26/31 in stolen bases. That is a little better than 83% which is well about the 'safe zone' of 70%. His speed is an asset too! Mike Minor started this game as well and he didn't appear to be as sharp as his stint in Rome, but his defense wasn't helping him and the run he allowed was unearned. That is all the Braves that got into this game though Craig Kimbrel, Lee Hyde, Jeff Lyman, Freddie Freeman and Brandon Hicks are all on the team. Don't forget to check in every night to see how our boys are doing!

The Gwinnett Braves season came to a close on Saturday night in a rout at the hands of the Scranton WB Yankees. Jonny Venters allowed 5 runs in 3 innings of work and every pitcher the Braves brought it allowed at least 2 runs (save for Duente Heath who only pitched 1/3 inning).

The Gwinnett offense got to Zach McAllister in the 5th and 6th innings but at that point it was too little too late. Van Pope had the Braves only XBH of the game (something they struggled with all series) and one of the RBIs. Wes Timmons and Jason Heyward both chipped in a hit and RBI. This series was sort of a microcosm of the Braves season. During the regular serason Gwinnett led the International League in OBP for the year but they struggled with a low SLG. In the 4 games against Scranton the Braves offense amassed only 4 XBH (all doubles). Pitching may win championships, but you still can't win a game without scoring more than the other guys.

Now that all of the minor league seasons are over CB and I will be splitting duties on seasonal wrap ups on each of the minor league teams. I might even get up the nerve to toss together a fall-ball preview for ours guys that will be appearing in the various fall and winter leagues.