Wrapping up the AzFL

The Arizona Fall League season ended yesterday, when the Peoria Javelinas beat the Phoenix Desert Dogs 5-4 in the Championship Game yesterday afternoon thanks to C.J. Retherford’s (White Sox) two-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning. Phoenix had been the five-time defending champs. Dodgers prospect Russ Mitchell took home the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award.

Here’s a roundup of how the Yanks’ prospects performed out in the desert:

Colin Curtis: 20 G, 31 for 78 (.397), 19 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 11 BB, 14 K, 3 SB, 2 CS – dude led the league with a 1.203 OPS, and not by a small margin either (44 pts)
Brandon Laird: 22 G, 30 for 90 (.333), 18 R, 9 2B, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 10 BB, 20 K, 1 CS – he finished seventh in the least with a 1.039 OPS
Austin Romine: 4 G, 6 for 15 (.400), 2 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K – left the league after suffering a minor finger injury … it’s nothing serious, he’ll be fine
Grant Duff: 10 G, 9.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K – really? more BB than K?
Mike Dunn: 10 G, 10.1 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 10 BB, 20 K – love the K/9, but not the BB/9
Ian Kennedy: 7 G, 7 GS, 29.2 IP, 30 H, 16 R, 14 ER, 5 BB, 28 K – led the league in IP … 2.26 FIP is fantastic
Zach Kroenke: 11 G, 15.1 IP, 15 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 4 BB, 14 K

Here’s the rest of the winter ball wrap up:

Dominican Winter League
Abe Almonte: 10 G, 3 for 11 (.273), 6 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 SB
Juan Miranda: 8 G, 15 for 28 (.536), 7 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 SB – I’m starting to warm up to the idea of him being the everyday (or at least the LHB portion of a platoon) DH in 2010
Eduardo Nunez: 2 G, 1 for 4 (.250), 1 R, 1 BB
Wilkins Arias: 15 G, 12 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 12 K
Ivan Nova: 5 G, 4 GS, 25.2 IP, 17 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 17 K – love it
Jon Ortiz: 6 G, 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Mexican Pacific League
Walt Ibarra: 22 G, 12 for 41 (.293), 8 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 13 K, 1 SB
Jorge Vazquez: 9 G, 9 for 31 (.290), 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 8 K

Venezuelan Winter League
Frankie Cervelli: 4 G, 3 for 9 (.333), 3 R, 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 K – nice early showing
Reegie Corona: 21 G, 18 for 51 (.353), 14 R, 7 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 10 BB, 11 K, 2 SB – late push for that 40-man spot
Jesus Montero: 9 G, 3 for 26 (.115), 2 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K – hasn’t played in a month
Luis Nunez: 12 G, 9 for 36 (.250), 1 R, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
Romulo Sanchez: 16 G, 19 IP, 15 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 8 BB, 9 K
Josh Schmidt: 9 G, 7 GS, 33.1 IP, 35 H, 23 R, 16 ER, 11 BB, 28 K – he’s also plunked five batters
Pat Venditte: 7 G, 9.1 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Eric Wordekemper: 4 G, 1 GS, 5.1 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 4 BB, 1 K

Puerto Rican League
Amaury Sanit: 3 G, 2 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K