MiLB.com will be visiting each Spring Training site in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues this month to report on the most significant stories involving each club's Minor League system as players get ready for the 2008 season. We'll find out who's impressing the organization, who's hot, who's not and sit down for an exclusive Q&A with a top prospect.
Team: Arizona Diamondbacks Burning Question Now that right-hander Max Scherzer has been reassigned to the Minors, what is the current plan for him? Scherzer, the Diamondbacks' first-round pick in 2006 out of Missouri, was a late sign that summer and consequently did not make his pro debut until '07. Once he took the mound, he made it look easy, posting an 0.53 ERA in his first three starts at Advanced A Visalia before moving up to Double-A Mobile, where his ERA was a 3.91 in 14 Southern League starts. A sinker-slider guy clocked in the mid 90s, there had been some speculation during the offseason that Scherzer could make the big league club out of Spring Training in a relief role. But his reassignment to Triple-A Tucson on March 13 ended that chatter, at least for now. "He's going to be a starter and we're going to plan accordingly," said A.J. Hinch, the Diamondbacks' director of player development. "We still view him as a starting pitcher. You want to give a guy every single opportunity to be 'that guy.'" At Tucson, the club hopes to see him continue to improve his fastball command while further developing his secondary pitches, both of which will be key to his emerging as a front-line starter. Hinch realizes that might pose an interesting dilemma when it comes to development vs. performance. "A lot of what we want him to work on may compromise a little success and failure," he explained. "He could probably get through a lineup with just his fastball, but that won't help him develop mentally. We're asking him to throw his secondary pitches and command his fastball to both sides of the plate, even if it compromises throwing to guys he could just blow away." #ques_include {width:300px;float:right;margin-left:5px;} #ques_content {border-top:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;padding-left:5px;} .ques_schedule {margin-top:5px;font-size:11px;} .ques_dates {font-size:11px;font-style:italic;color:#999;} 
That said, if a bullpen spot opens up in the big leagues, Scherzer could be the guy who gets the call. "If for some reason the opportunity presents itself at the Major League level," Hinch said, "then whatever role opens is what it is." Other News of the Day When right-hander Esmerling Vasquez, the Diamondbacks' Minor League Pitcher of the Year, fell on his shoulder as he dove off the mound to field an infield pop during his last Arizona Fall League outing in 2007, the prognosis looked bleak. The decision was to hold off possible surgery in hopes that rest and rehab would heal the injury. It was a long wait, but the news turned out to be very good indeed. Vasquez did not need surgery after all and while he probably won't break with the Tucson squad when the Pacific Coast League season begins, he won't be far behind. Especially since when the time comes he won't have to go more than a few yards from the Diamondbacks' extended spring site to the Sidewinders' clubhouse. Vasquez emerged seemingly out of nowhere in 2007 when he went 10-6 with a 2.99 ERA for Mobile, leading the organization in ERA, innings (165), strikeouts (151) and average against (.217) throwing a low-90s fastball and plus changeup. He was scheduled to throw his first bullpen session of the spring March 17, but Hinch was heartened to watch him throwing on the side. "I watched him play catch and he's not favoring the arm," Hinch said. "It will be a matter of time whether he breaks with the team, I anticipate he might be about two weeks behind the other guys." Five Questions with Barry Enright MiLB.com: You were invited to pitch to the big league team in preparation for the playoffs. What was your reaction to that and what was the experience like? BE: It was a blast meeting those guys. And we got to experience the big league locker room. Those guys are young, 23 or 24 years old, so it was an easy transition. They all jibber-jabber with you. It was a lot of fun. MiLB.com: Did that make it easier when you came to big league camp this year, having already "been there"? And what was the highlight of camp for you? BE: It definitely did, walking in there and knowing a few guys. And it was quite a treat learning from those guys, guys you watched on TV when you were growing up -- well OK, not with those guys I guess since they're so young, but Randy Johnson. The whole thing was fun. My second outing I had kind of a rough outing, and when I went out to BP the next day, Orlando Hudson was there. O-Dog is a great guy, an awesome guy. He sat me down and told me not to worry about and talked to me about the mental side of the game. MiLB.com: What is your greatest accomplishment, on or off the field? BE: It's been a rollercoaster ride for me. I lost my dad when I was 13 and he had been the guy who had done all the baseball stuff with me, coaching me and teaching me throughout my life to that point. So the whole experience of having the love of the game and knowing he's always next to me and watching over me is something that is an experience every day, just coming out here and never taking anything for granted. MiLB.com: Who is the most unusual character you've come across in the Minors and why? BE: Eric Byrnes. He's a character and an awesome guy. The first time I met him before that Rockies [divisional playoff] series, the first thing he asked me before he even said hello, was "How many hours do you sleep a night?" And I said "Eight." And he said, "I sleep three because I think sleeping is wasting your life away." He struck me as an out-there guy but the life of the party, a great person to be around and a great clubhouse guy. It would be fun to maybe hopefully one day play with someone like that. MiLB.com: What is your favorite aspect of playing in the Diamondbacks organization? Being able to be around the people in this organization like AJ [Hinch] and [general manager] Josh Byrnes. It's a young organization and last year I was fortunate enough to move up through a few levels. So now this spring, I know all those people. It's a treat being able to come to camp and have all these 23-, 24-, 25-year-olds come up to you and say "Hey, I was just right there where you are now, you're knocking on the door" and know they have the same feelings you did. Lasting Impression Converting a player from hitter to pitcher is certainly not uncommon in the Minors. Sometimes it's a domestic product who was a two-way star in high school or college and the decision is made to change the original path. Sometimes it's a youngster who is struggling with the bat but flashing a brilliant arm in the field. In the case of 22-year-old outfielder-turned-southpaw Leyson Septimo, though, it's hard to say he had no bat when he hit a respectable .271 at Visalia in 2007. But his inconsistency combined with a clearly powerful left arm led to the decision to see how he'd do on the mound. Although he's yet to throw his first regular-season pitch, it seems like the decision was a good one. He'll return to Visalia in '08, this time as a member of the bullpen armed with a mid-90s fastball and developing secondary offerings. "I saw him throw in an intersquad game the other day and he is such an athlete on the mound, all arms and legs coming at you," said Hinch, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. "He's my pick to click this year. He's really grasped hold of this pitching deal and I'm as excited about him as anyone." Hinch knows the first season in a new role will include some bumps and bruises for Septimo, and he'll be interested to see how he handles the mental aspects of the game as well as the physical ones. "He has a huge arm," Hinch said. "But when he gets into competition, will it spook him the first time he gives up a three-run homer?" Parting Shots Isn't Spring Training in Arizona supposed to be hot, arid and sunny? Tucson saw one of its wettest, rawest and most miserable days in recent memory Sunday as the temperatures hovered in the 40s when the players went through their usual morning paces on the back fields across from Tucson Electric Park. With the weather forecast threatening rain before noon, the camp day games were quickly pushed up from 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 a.m. and the participants allowed to run back to the clubhouse to don their warmest fleeces. Several were quickly unrecognizable under their hoodies and virtually none identifiable without their numbers showing. The good news was that the forecast for the rest of the week had no rain in the forecast and the temperatures were scheduled to slowly rise. Lisa Winston is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
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