Villalona!?

[TkleMstr52]

Anyone been lucky enough to watch this guy play some? What have you taken away from seeing his game and development?

[McCovey]

Anyone been lucky enough to watch this guy play some? What have you taken away from seeing his game and development?
I've only seen a a few ABs. I can't tell much. The scouting reports are good. He's likely to play at San Jose in '09 at some point so I'll definitely go see him play often. He's a big kid, power pontential is off the charts. He is very young. He just turned 18 back in August but already has two full seaons of pro ball behind him.

[TkleMstr52]

I wish that would put him close enough for me to watch!!:gripe:

[Bear]

I wish that would put him close enough for me to watch!!:gripe:

Where is Chicago Park, CA?:confused:

[kar120c]

The general consensus is that AnVil started off poorly at the plate in April/May/June, but came on strong in July/August, which most scouts will tell you is what they like to see. As previously stated, he started out in AZL (Rookie) and then Salem-Kaizer (Low A) in 2007 (as a 17 year old). He then went to the powerful Augusta GreenJackets (with MadBum, et al.), where they were the league's (SAL, A) top team in 2008.

He was Born: August 13,1990 . He is currently listed at 6'3", 240 LBS. His 2008 line: .264 17 64 , with 18BB and 118K in 502 AB.

Yes, the fellow stikes out a bit, and could use some more walks, but he was a 17/18 year old kid playing against fellows 2 - 4 years older - a huge difference. Also, he has been hitting bombs with a wooden bat since he was 13.

All in all, this is one intriguing prospect. 2009 will likely be a tell-tale year for him - probably at San Jose (High A).

[Bear]

All in all, this is one intriguing prospect. 2009 will likely be a tell-tale year for him - probably at San Jose (High A).

I am in complete agreement on this prospect. I see him as high as AAA by the end of 2009 but if not that's OK too. Players make it to the show from all levels today, and where they play is more about at bats and little else except for quality of pitching which is more and more spread out also these days. ;)

[TkleMstr52]

Its about an 45 minutes to an hour outside of Sac, with gas prices getting lower I can actually probably get to at least a couple this year, but gotta convince my fiance. She didnt enjoy the AAA game we went to last year cuz I wanted to see Velez in person!! He went 0-4 that night and the tickets and all were still pretty expensive!!:eek:

[kar120c]

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/prospects/y2009/profile.jsp?t=p_top&pid=505830

[TkleMstr52]

Thanks for the update Kar

[TkleMstr52]

Btw, how do you all put the link in your posts?

[McCovey]

The general consensus is that AnVil started off poorly at the plate in April/May/June, but came on strong in July/August, which most scouts will tell you is what they like to see. As previously stated, he started out in AZL (Rookie) and then Salem-Kaizer (Low A) in 2007 (as a 17 year old). He then went to the powerful Augusta GreenJackets (with MadBum, et al.), where they were the league's (SAL, A) top team in 2008.

He was Born: August 13,1990 . He is currently listed at 6'3", 240 LBS. His 2008 line: .264 17 64 , with 18BB and 118K in 502 AB.

Yes, the fellow stikes out a bit, and could use some more walks, but he was a 17/18 year old kid playing against fellows 2 - 4 years older - a huge difference. Also, he has been hitting bombs with a wooden bat since he was 13.

All in all, this is one intriguing prospect. 2009 will likely be a tell-tale year for him - probably at San Jose (High A).
Usually when I see a prospect with a 18 BB/118 K ratio I write them completely off as "no shot" at stardom. I am willing to cut Villalona some slack because he is so young. Playing in a league where a good majority of the players are 2-4 years older is a big mitigating factor. But I want to see improvement on that BB/K ratio in '09. I suspect he's always going to strikeout a lot but I hope he can increase his walk rate. I can live with lots of strikouts. But I can't live with ball players that walk 20 times a season. Dude, take a pitch once in a while. :rolleyes:

[kar120c]

Usually when I see a prospect with a 18 BB/118 K ratio I write them completely off as "no shot" at stardom. I am willing to cut Villalona some slack because he is so young. Playing in a league where a good majority of the players are 2-4 years older is a big mitigating factor. But I want to see improvement on that BB/K ratio in '09. I suspect he's always going to strikeout a lot but I hope he can increase his walk rate. I can live with lots of strikouts. But I can't live with ball players that walk 20 times a season. Dude, take a pitch once in a while. :rolleyes:

You make an interesting point. This is a lot easier said than done. I used to be a ball player myself. Like some, I found that I hit better with an aggressive approach. I would take walks, but it was hard - I felt like my strength (swinging the bat) was being taken from me.

That is what made Barry Bonds so extraordinary. I remember 2001 - the 73HR year. Many said that was a season for the ages.

In my judgement, that was only his third best year. His second best year ever was the one he had in 2002: In 601 PA, he had 198BB and 47K, while hitting .370 46 110.

His best year ever was 2 years later, in 2004: In 605 PA he had 232BB and 41K, while hitting .362 45 101 - to go with an OBP of .609 (the only man in the .600 club - truly, a record that may never be broken). And he did all that as a 39 year old.

Many say he had a body of (chemically induced) steel. There may be truth in this. But I say he also had a will of iron (and the eyes of an intellegence satellite) to go with it.

If AnVil is only half as good in that area, the Giants will have a great player on their hands.

[TkleMstr52]

Anvil is the coolest nickname in baseball!!:beerbang:

[McCovey]

You make an interesting point. This is a lot easier said than done. I used to be a ball player myself. Like some, I found that I hit better with an aggressive approach. I would take walks, but it was hard - I felt like my strength (swinging the bat) was being taken from me.
I've heard people say this before. It's almost like drawing a large number of walls is innate and not really teachable. I've always wondered why this is so? How can guys like Frank Thomas and Jim Thome drawing lots of walks, even as young players, but players like Alfonso Soriano can't? Is it because Thomas or Thome aren't "aggressive" hitters? But both hit for tremendous power and hit for a high BAs in their prime. Baseball coaches I've talked to see they have never seen a player whith a very poor BB/K rate turn that around and gave a even or positive BB/K ratio. It just never happens. So with Villalona's poor BB/K ratio that may limit him to how good he can get.

[Bear]

I've heard people say this before. It's almost like drawing a large number of walls is innate and not really teachable. I've always wondered why this is so? How can guys like Frank Thomas and Jim Thome drawing lots of walks, even as young players, but players like Alfonso Soriano can't? Is it because Thomas or Thome aren't "aggressive" hitters? But both hit for tremendous power and hit for a high BAs in their prime. Baseball coaches I've talked to see they have never seen a player whith a very poor BB/K rate turn that around and gave a even or positive BB/K ratio. It just never happens. So with Villalona's poor BB/K ratio that may limit him to how good he can get.

I still think he has a tremendous upside.:beerbang:

[McCovey]

I still think he has a tremendous upside.:beerbang:
For sure. I think he could be like Andres Galarraga in his prime, hit lots of home runs, lots of RBI. The Giants sorely need a player like that.

[kar120c]

For sure. I think he could be like Andres Galarraga in his prime, hit lots of home runs, lots of RBI. The Giants sorely need a player like that.

Two things about Andres Gallaraga: First, yes "El Gran Gato" (The Big Cat) was one of my all-time favorite Giants (even though he did not play with them in his prime, or for very long).

Second: In addition to his impressive HR and RBI prowess, Gallarage was the first - and so far only - man to lead the league in both hits and strikeouts in the same season.

[TkleMstr52]

Its not always about how good of an eye you have, its patience at the plate and pitchers being more afraid of you than the man up next. Some guys have both. (Bonds) Some guys just foul enough strikes off until they get ball four. (Pierre)

[TkleMstr52]

Hopefully Villalona is a guy with a good eye that can learn to be more patient and has the power to scare the pitchers into walks!! Never seen him play so thats just what I am hoping for!!