We’ve Moved!

Go to the new site!

The changeover to the new hosting has been finished, and posting is now being done over there.  So go check out the new digs and change your bookmark… the only posting that will be done here in the future might be a few stub posts that point over there.

Radio Appearance

I’ll be on the Mariners postgame show today with host Matt Pitman for a few minutes talking Mariners prospects.  What time will obviously depend on when the game ends (start time is at 10:35 PST) and where in the show I wind up, but I’ll try to give a heads-up on Twitter when I have a better idea.

What station the broadcast depends on who your local M’s radio affiliate is, but in the Seattle area it’ll be on 710 ESPN.  The full list of Mariners’ radio affiliates can be found here.

Programming Notes

First of all, I’ll finally be swapping this over to a proper domain and hosting service soon instead of just relying on WordPress in the near future.  If it doesn’t happen this weekend, it will happen next weekend.  The domain and hosting have been purchased and are online, I just need to get everything moved over.  Keep an eye on my Twitter feed, as I’ll try to keep that situation updated there.

There will be some changes around the site as a result.  Hopefully, most will be minor, but you’ll probably see a couple of ads pop up to try and help offset the hosting fees.  There may be some other layout changes as well; I won’t know that for sure until I get in to the hosting changeover and see what has to happen there.

Also, I’ll be starting a podcast in the near future here as well once I get a few things worked out.  I know the basics of how I want to do it, but I also want to get a feel for what you guys would want to see (well, hear) in a podcast on this site.  If you have any thoughts or suggestions, fire away in the comment section or at my email in-box.

Also, I can’t forget to say once again how much my readers rock.  You guys have been awesome so far.  I can’t thank all of you enough.

Mariners Top 20 Prospects: Twenty To Track

Top 20 Prospects Home

This is not the number two prospect you expected to see today.  That will instead come on Monday (hooray suspense!).  Today, I decided to put up a watchlist of twenty guys that I’m keeping tabs on this summer, any of whom could jump in to the top 20 next year depending on how they perform.

It needs to be noted that these guys are listed in no particular order.  The only sorting of any kind to this list is who I thought of first.  Not all of them are full-on legit prospects, but they could at least be fringe major league talents or useful pieces if things fall right for them.

James Paxton, LHP:

Interesting Starts: Tacoma

It’s been a brutal start to the season in Tacoma, with hitters slumping all over the place and most of the pitching staff not faring much better.  There haven’t been many highlights to the season for the Rainiers so far, and a lot of guys will have to start getting things right before the team on a whole will be able to find success.  Still, there’s been a handful of guys who are putting up good numbers early on, and now I give them to you.

Mike Carp, 1B/OF
Stat Line: .250/.341/.421, 19 H, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 BB, 19 K’s
Carp was one of many Rainiers batters off to a horrifically brutal start to the 2011 season, but has turned it around strongly in the last week or so.  Carp was one of Tacoma’s best hitters last year in a rather pleasantly surprising fashion, and it was hoped that he could help lead the team again while waiting for a chance to return to the major leagues.  A slow start after a tepid spring training did not do much to engender confidence, however.  

Minor League Week Three Review

I’ve neglected to mention this until now, but it needs to be said: my sincerest condolences to all of those effected by the severe storms that have been lashing the southeastern stretch of the country.  There’s been much loss of life, and many people have had their homes and businesses destroyed by tornadoes and high winds.

Tacoma Rainiers (6-15)
Streak: Lost 1
Opponents: 1 vs Colorado Springs (COL),
4 @ Salt Lake (LAA), 1 @ Reno (ARI)
Notes: A 2-4 week and the Rainiers are really scuffling, though the offense has started to come around the last few days.  The pitching, on the other hand, has done little but struggle of late, and the defense has as well, posting a shocking 11 errors for the week.  

Mariners Top 20 Prospects: Number Three

<< Previous Prospect: Guillermo Pimentel Top 20 Prospect List Page

As we hit the top three, we come across one of my favorite single players in this system both for his on-field exploits and his off-field personality.

3. Nick Franklin
Position: SS |  Hits: S Throws: R
DOB: 3/2/1991  |  HT: 6’1″ WT: 170 LB
Notes: