Winter Leagues Player Report

Baseball is a year-round business, on and off the field. Although the Minor League season is on hiatus until Spring Training, several familiar names are representing their organizations in Winter Ball this offseason.

Angels

Infielders Brandon Wood and Howie Kendrick, and right-hander Jered Weaver all played in the Arizona Fall League with varying degrees of success, and all three are currently members of Team USA in the CONCEBE Olympic qualifying tournament.

Wood followed up a big Minor League season with an equally impressive AFL campaign. The shortstop hit 14 home runs to break Tagg Bozied's record, while batting .307 with 32 RBIs, and continued to show, as he proved at Class A Advanced, that he is an offensive force.

The 20-year-old posted a 1.086 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) with the Surprise Scorpions, which closely approximated his 1.055 OPS at Rancho Cucamonga.

In 130 games with the Quakes, Wood hit .321 and led the California League with 43 home runs to earn MVP honors. He also had 51 doubles and was promoted at the end of the season to Triple-A to provide depth at Salt Lake.

With Team USA, Wood is 3-for-13 with a homer and four RBIs through three games.

Not to be outdone is Kendrick, his teammate and counterpart. Forming a dynamic double-play combo with Wood, the second baseman also has posted some gaudy numbers all year.

In the AFL, Kendrick hit .380 with five homers, 10 doubles and 17 RBIs while posting a .405 on-base percentage. Named the Angels' Co-Minor League Player of the Year along with Wood, Kendrick hit .384 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs in 63 games with the Quakes and an OPS of 1.059.

Making the jump to Double-A, Kendrick hit .342 with 20 doubles, seven homers and 42 RBIs in 46 games at Arkansas and is making an impression with the national team. In three games with Team USA, Kendrick is 5-for-12 with a double, triple and a stolen base.

The organization would like to keep the pair together, with decisions upcoming this spring as to where they will open the year.

Jeff Mathis did not play in the AFL this year, but is a member of the national team. The catcher, who may get his big-league shot depending on the status of free agent Bengie Molina, is 4-for-9 in two games with Team USA.

Weaver, at 1-3 and a 5.47 ERA, did not post a great record in his seven AFL starts, but he demonstrated a command of the strike zone. In 24 2/3 innings, Weaver struck out 35 batters and walked just five, which generally underscored his main quality as a starting pitcher and continued his success after signing a Minor League deal with the Angels in late May.

In seven starts at Class A Advanced this season, Weaver went 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA while striking out 49 and walking seven. He then went 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA in eight starts at Arkansas with 46 strikeouts and 19 walks.

Weaver has allowed two runs in four innings with Team USA while striking out six and walking two.

Alberto Callaspo has gone 10-for-29 with three homers in eight games for Caribe of the Venezuelan Winter League. Named to the Texas League All-Star Game and to the Texas League postseason All-Star team along with shortstop Erick Aybar, Callaspo had a good year, hitting .297 in 89 games at Arkansas and .316 in 50 games after getting promoted to Salt Lake.

Mike Napoli has a pair of homers for Aquilas of the Dominican Winter League. He spent all of last season in Arkansas.

Astros

Most notably outfielder Luke Scott, catcher Hector Gimenez and right-hander Fernando Nieve will fine-tune their skills south of the border as they attempt to further their careers.

Scott struggled in April in Houston and was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on May 3. He was recalled on Aug. 29, and he hit .225 with three RBIs.

Gimenez, the Astros' top catching prospect, will likely start next season at Triple-A Round Rock. The switch-hitting catcher is also playing for Magallanes and began the Winter Ball season with 12 hits in 48 at-bats for a .250 average. He has two homers and six RBIs.

Nieve, 23, will likely compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster next spring, along with top prospect Taylor Buchholz. Nieve will play for the Caribes club in Venezuela beginning in December.

Assistant general manager Ricky Bennett and pitching coordinator Dewey Robinson flew to Venezuela earlier this week to meet with Nieve, who will begin a two-week pitching program in preparation for Winter Ball.

"He'll start Winter Ball on Dec. 1 and have a role out of the bullpen," said David Gottfried, senior director of baseball operations. "He'll work into the rotation gradually."

Blue Jays

While Toronto watches the flakes fly, catcher Guillermo Quiroz is watching fly balls in Venezuela.

For the 23-year-old Quiroz, billed as Toronto's catcher of the future, the winter stint with his hometown Zulia Aguilas is a chance to play more after three seasons wracked by injuries.

For the 24-year-old Rios, who was MVP of the Puerto Rican league when he played for the Caguas Criollos two years ago, it's a chance to sharpen his skills and stay loose over the offseason.

"Both of these guys just want to play," said Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi. "One needs to play, and one wants to play. They're still young players; they're still developing."

As befits a catcher, Quiroz's list of injuries is long and painful. He missed time with a collapsed lung in 2003 and spent seven weeks on the sidelines with a fractured finger in 2004.

Things got even worse in Spring Training 2005, when he tore a muscle in his right shoulder. He battled his way back to health only to suffer another collapsed lung, eventually winding up in surgery to correct the problem.

But Quiroz worked his way to Toronto by late August, appearing in 36 games with the Jays, then tuned up for Zulia by batting .294 in 15 games with the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League.

Quiroz made an impression on Toronto skipper John Gibbons, a former catcher, with improved game-calling skills during his time in the Majors this summer. If Quiroz wants to make more of a name for himself next summer, he'll use the winter to work on extending the flashes of power he's shown from time to time.

The stocky Quiroz, who hit 20 home runs at Double-A in 2003, had six homers in 39 games with Zulia last season.

"Every time I get hurt and try to come back, my timing is off," he said when asked about his power stroke on the last day of the 2005 season.

"I'm trying to catch up with fastballs. It's tough."

Another Blue Jay playing baseball this winter is Double-A farmhand Steve Andrade, one of two closers in the bullpen for Team USA at the Olympic qualifying tournament going on this week in Arizona.

Braves

Top prospect Andy Marte is struggling in Winter League ball, giving more reason to believe he might not be ready for the Majors. Meanwhile, fellow Minor Leaguers like Onil Joseph get the chance to hone their skill against high-caliber talent.

Marte: Through his first 19 games with Azucareros in the Dominican League, Marte was hitting just .232 (16-for-69) with two homers and six RBIs. This may be a sign that he could use another year of seasoning at Richmond, where he hit .275 with 20 homers in 2005.

Marte's struggles during his first few weeks of winter ball aren't the only indication the Braves might not be ready to promote the top prospect. He also hit just .140 (8-for-57) in limited opportunities with Atlanta this past season. His production hasn't been enough for them to make room for him by moving Chipper Jones to another position.

Tony Pena Jr.: Pena, who hit just .249 as Richmond's shortstop this year, was hitting .246 (14-for-57) through his first 16 games with Aguillas in the Dominican League.

Joseph: The speedy outfielder, who hit .249 at Double-A Mississippi this past season, had one hit in just three at-bats through his first nine games with Gigantes.

The Braves Minor League outfielder who has had the most productive winter has been Gregor Blanco, who was hitting .333 (5-for-15) through his first eight games with La Guaira in the Venezuelan League.

Brewers

Maybe Nelson Cruz did not exceed expectations in 2005. He certainly did not disappoint.

"We always expect our guys to play like that," said Brewers farm director Reid Nichols.

But they rarely do. Acquired from Oakland last winter, Cruz hit .289 with 27 home runs and 82 RBIs in 136 games between Double-A Huntsville, Triple-A Nashville and Milwaukee. He led Nashville to the Pacific Coast League Championship, earning MVP honors in the final series, and was named Milwaukee's Minor League player of the year.

Now he is playing on. Cruz is among a handful of Brewers participating in winter leagues, either playing in front of countrymen or playing to improve their stock within the Milwaukee organization for 2006.

Cruz, who is set to play for Los Gigantes in the Dominican Republic, falls into both categories. Nichols said the 25-year-old late bloomer is "right there" in terms of breaking into the Majors on a full-time basis after his successful 2005 season.

"He's a good outfielder, he has a good arm, he's a good baserunner," Nichols said. "And he's a good hitter. He just needs to develop some more strike zone discipline. That's the biggest thing he needs to work on."

Cruz struck out 129 times in 456 at-bats at three levels last season. During his brief September callup to Milwaukee, he went 1-for-5 with two walks and no strikeouts.

"He has a tendency to go outside of his hitting zone" Nichols said. "We're not necessarily talking about balls out of the strike zone, but out of his hitting zone."

The Brewers acquired Cruz along with reliever Justin Lehr for infielder Keith Ginter last December. Ginter endured a difficult season with the A's, but Cruz and Lehr were bright spots for Milwaukee and both finished the year on the Major League roster. Cruz made one start in right field on Sept. 18.

"You can't find 10 better arms in the big leagues," said fellow prospect Corey Hart, who moved from right field to left for Nashville when Cruz arrived. "He has by far the best arm in our organization."

At the Minor League level, 59 of Cruz's 132 hits went for extra bases.

Other Brewers are participating in winter leagues. Enrique Cruz, a former Rule 5 Draft pick who spent the entire 2003 season with the Brewers, is also playing in the Dominican Republic with Escogido. Nestor Corredor, Hernan Iribarren, Ronny Malave and Andy Pratt are all in Venezuela; and reliever Mike Adams is in Puerto Rico.

Adams was tabbed as the Brewers' closer after the team traded All-Star Dan Kolb during last year's Winter Meetings, but floundered in 2005. He posted a 2.70 ERA, but issued 10 walks in 13 appearances for Brewers manager Ned Yost, lost the closer's job and was demoted to Triple-A, where he posted a 5.75 ERA in 26 games.

According to Nichols, Adams and his agent arranged for the assignment with Manati in the Puerto Rican League.

"I tip my hat to him for that, that he wants to go down there and play," Nichols said. "Mike's whole thing is commanding the ball; throwing strikes with purpose. I think when you get up to the Major Leagues and a few guys turn it on you, you start pitching away from contact. But you can't nibble."

The Brewers are looking to bolster their bullpen this winter, and Adams could be on the list of candidates for an Opening Day roster spot if he shows marked improvement.

Another wild card is Pratt, a hard-throwing left-hander who began last season with Nashville, but eventually was demoted to Huntsville. In 77 1/3 total innings both as a starter and reliever, Pratt posted a 6.52 ERA.

Nichols and Pratt have history with the Texas Rangers, who drafted Pratt in the ninth round in 1998. He was a soft-tossing lefty then, according to Nichols, who started throwing harder and harder in subsequent years. In 2005, Pratt missed time with elbow tenderness.

"He's a guy who is really trying to find himself," Nichols said. "If we can get him to depend more on his changeup, I think we'll have a better pitcher."

Nichols will monitor the winter leagues from Milwaukee, but expects to move to Phoenix before the start of Spring Training. The team plans to use Maryvale Baseball Park, its Spring Training home, as a year-round "development center."

He said the Brewers plan to shift some responsibilities in the baseball operations department, leaving Nichols to focus more on the lower levels of the system while assistant general manager Gord Ash heads the Double-A and Triple-A levels.

"If you look at our system, we have a lot of talent at the lower levels," Nichols said. "The idea is to get in there with these good, young players and teach them good habits early on."

Cardinals

The Cardinals may send right-hander Mark Worrell to Mexico later in the winter, to allow Worrell to see a higher level of competition than he faced in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. Worrell was a star closer for the Palm Beach Cardinals, and could advance quickly through the system.

Cubs

Felix Pie, a highly touted young player in the Chicago organization whose season was cut short because of injury, is tuning up for a possible spot on the big league roster in 2006 by playing Winter Ball.

Pie, who missed most of the season at Double-A West Tenn because of a bone bruise in his right ankle, was hitting .217 (13-for-60) in 17 games for Licey in the Dominican Republic. The outfielder had two doubles, one triple and one homer plus five RBIs and a stolen base.

Other Cubs playing in the Dominican Republic this winter include left-handed pitcher Raul Valdes, who was 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA in five games with Azucareros. He led the Dominican League with 30 strikeouts over 29 2/3 innings, and ranked second in ERA. The Cuban lefty was 2-0 with a 5.09 ERA in five starts at West Tenn, and 6-7 with a 5.93 ERA in 25 games (17 starts) at Triple-A Iowa.

Right-handed pitcher Carlos Marmol was 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in four games for Licey. Marmol split last season between Class A Advanced Daytona and West Tenn. He was 6-2 with a 2.99 ERA in 13 starts for Daytona, and 3-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 14 starts for West Tenn. He struck out 141 in 153 2/3 total innings.

Cedeno is joined in Venezuela by outfielder Adam Greenberg, whose Major League debut on July 9 was spoiled when he was hit in the head by the first pitch he saw. Greenberg was playing for Oriente, and batting .290 (27-for-93) in 27 games with six doubles, one triple, two homers and 11 RBIs.

In Mexico, third baseman Casey McGehee was batting .239 in 31 games with six doubles, two homers and 14 RBIs for Mazatlan. McGehee batted .297 with eight homers and 72 RBIs for West Tenn. Outfielder Chris Walker, who batted .284 for Daytona, was playing for Guasave and batting .277 in 11 games.

In Puerto Rico, catcher Geovany Soto was batting .250 in three games for Arecibo, and outfielder Luis Montanez was 1-for-13 for Carolina. Montanez made the Midwest League All-Star team this year, batting .305 in 82 games for Peoria in his first full season as an outfielder. The converted shortstop was later promoted to West Tenn, and hit .268 in 45 games.

Indians

For outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, right-hander Kyle Denney and 14 other prospects in the Tribe's farm system, the '05 season has continued long past September and October.

Cleveland encouraged Gutierrez, who got a late-season call up to the big leagues but did not play much, to play Winter League.

The Indians are hoping Gutierrez, one of their premium prospects, will be able to get enough repetitions at the plate to improve his hitting, a weakness that has kept him down on the farm.

In 15 games in the Venezuelan League, he's shown the kind of bat the Indians have been looking for in him. He's hitting .392 with two homers and nine RBIs. He's a teammate of second baseman Joe Inglett, another prospect who needed more swings. He's hitting .333 for Caracas.

Denney's situation isn't much different from theirs. He, too, needed the extra work. Denney lost innings last season after being injured in a freak accident, so winter ball is his chance to catch up and put himself in a better position to make the Tribe's 25-man roster on Opening Day.

Pitching for Aguilas in the Dominican Republic, Denney sports a 5.40 ERA in the three games he has worked. He's on the same team as infielder Ryan Mulhern and pitcher Justin Miller.

Other Indians prospects of note who are playing winter ball are second baseman Eider Torres and shortstop Ivan Ochoa in Venezuela; and outfielder Ben Francisco in Mexico.

Marlins

The Marlins have players spread out over three countries.

Right-handed pitcher Jeff Fulchino was 11-7 with a 5.06 ERA at Triple-A Albuquerque last season. The ERA looks a bit high, but the Marlins are mindful where Fulchino played. Albuquerque has high elevation and a hitter-friendly ballpark, similar to Denver's Coors Field.

"He had a good year," Fleming said. "He's approaching the big leagues now, so we're trying to give him more expanded experience against high quality players, to get him ready to pitch in the big leagues."

Added Brian Chattin, the Marlins' director of player development, about Fulchino: "He's a durable right-hander who may have a chance (of sticking with the Marlins next season)."

Three players are in Puerto Rico, headed by Rafael Galbizo, a right-handed reliever who is with Caguas. A Cuban defector who went through last year's draft, Galbizo is considered a promising prospect. Chattin believes it noteworthy that Caguas management had heard such good things about Galbizo that it sought him out, despite most rosters being heavily dotted with Puerto Rican natives.

"He had a good first year," Fleming said, "but he joined us late, so he didn't get a lot of innings. That's why we want to supplement that year with winter ball."

Others in Puerto Rico are right fielder Angel Molina, playing with Ponce, and first baseman-designated hitter Juan Figueroa, with Mayaguez. Molina spent most of last season in Class A Advanced Jupiter, but played regularly for the last month in Double-A Carolina. Figueroa started at Class A Advanced Jupiter, then was dropped to Class A Greensboro, where he performed so well that he was promoted back to the Hammerheads.

"Angel is a nice offensive talent," Chattin said. "If you look at his career, he's always been able to produce runs."

The three players in Venezuela -- right-handed starter Carlos Faria and catcher Freddy Smolarski, both with Pastora, and right-handed reliever Mauro Zarate, with Caracas -- are all early in their pro careers.

Mets

The pitcher mentioned in so many reports involving Mets trades -- those that are real and those that are fantasy -- is demonstrating his skill is anything but fantasy while pitching for the Magallanes Navigators in the Venezuelan Winter League. Yusmeiro Petit is making a name for himself in his homeland and underscoring the name that appears in all the reports.

The right-handed pitcher, who turns 21 Tuesday, has produced a 4-3 record in 11 starts, but his record is deceiving. Petit also has a 2.15 ERA and has allowed merely 51 base runners -- eight on walks -- and struck out 53 in 50 1/3 innings.

Petit's performance constitutes a rebound from his work in his first exposure to Triple A hitters. He had an 0-3 record and 9.20 ERA in three starts for the Mets' Norfolk affiliate. Those results hardly were consistent with his work with the Mets' Double A Binghamton affiliate -- a 9-3 record over 117 2/3 innings, a 2.91 ERA in 21 starts and two complete games. He allowed only 117 baserunners and struck out 130, almost forcing the Mets to promote him.

Another Mets pitcher, one who may play a significant role in the 2006 bullpen, also is performing well in winter ball. Juan Padilla has a 3-1 record and 3.08 ERA in 20 appearances and 26 1/3 innings with the Caguas Criollos. The 28-year-old right-hander, who pitched for the Yankees and Reds in 2004, split his 2005 between Norfolk and Shea Stadium, producing a 1.42 ERA in 37 appearances and 63 1/3 innings in Triple A and a 1.49 ERA in 24 appearances and 36 1/3 innings with the Mets.

Other Mets involved in winter ball include Aaron Heilman, Mike Jacobs and Anderson Hernandez. Heilman also has been mentioned in many trade reports, and Jacobs and Hernandez could be the right side of the Mets infield if no major acquisitions are made in free agency. Pitching as a starter -- the Mets see him as a setup reliver -- Heilman has a 2-1 record and 3.15 ERA in four starts and 20 innings with the Licey Tigers in the Dominican Republic. Jacobs, who started slowly, has his average up to .235 with Pastora of the Venezuelan League. But after hitting 11 home runs in his first 100 at-bats in the big leagues, he has hit just one in 81 at-bats. Hernandez, who had a composite .315 average in 534 at-bats split between Double A and Triple A, is batting .318 in 66 at-bats with Licey.

Nationals

Several players from the Nationals' 40-man roster are currently honing their skills by playing winter ball. Here's a look at how they are doing entering Friday's action.

Tony Blanco, infielder/outfielder: After playing just a couple of weeks in the Arizona Fall League with the Peoria Saguaros, Blanco went to the Dominican Winter League and is playing with the Licey Tigers. He is hitting .270 with one home run and five RBIs for them.

A Rule 5 Draft pick from the Reds in December 2004, Blanco hit just .177 in 62 at-bats with the Nationals in 2005. He has yet to show that he can hit big league pitching, and there were times that he looked overmatched at the plate.

Frank Diaz, outfielder: Minor League hitting coordinator Mitchell Page helped Diaz at Class A Advanced Potomac this past season, and the success has carried over into winter ball. Diaz is hitting .289 with six home runs and 18 RBIs for Occidente Pastora.

Diaz, who has a swing that is similar to former catcher Don Slaught's, is a long shot at making the Major League club out of Spring Training, but he is expected to move up in the Minor League ranks.

Armando Galarraga, right-hander: He is playing for Caracas Leones of the Venezuelan Winter League and has a 5.40 ERA in six innings, with six strikeouts.

Orioles

First baseman/designated hitter Walter Young, who was impressive with his bat during a brief stint with the Orioles late in the 2005 season, is off to a good start with LaGuaria in the Venezuelan League, hitting .268 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 21 games through Nov. 17.

"Walter got off to a good start, but then they quit throwing him strikes," said David Stockstill, Baltimore's director of Minor League operations. "He's been over-aggressive. He's got to be patient."

Pitching prospects Chris Britton, Ryan Keefer and Scott Rice are all working for the Tiburones, the team Young is with. Britton was with Class A Advanced Frederick last season and is 0-0 with a 6.48 ERA in 10 games so far. He's pitched 8 1/3 innings but has six saves, and the high ERA is because of trouble in his first game.

"He's been very impressive other than that one game," Stockstill said.

Keefer ended last season with Double-A Bowie and has thrown well this winter, posting a 2-2 record with a 2.22 ERA in six starts.

"He's been outstanding," Stockstill said. "He's been starting down there with a pitch-count limit. He's got a 95-mph fastball and a slider."

Rice's numbers are similar to Britton's, as he also had one bad game and has a 1-1 record with a 5.62 ERA. Rice is a situational left-hander who finished the season with Bowie.

Infielder Ed Rogers, who had a brief stint with the Orioles in September, is playing in the Dominican League, along with pitcher Marino Salas.

David Haehnel, one of the Orioles' top pitching prospects, finished the season with Frederick and made his first appearance with the Olympic qualifying team this week, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings in a 5-4 win over Mexico.

"We're very happy with his progress," Stockstill said.

Phillies

Yoel Hernandez has gotten off to a good start in his quest to secure a spot in the Phillies bullpen, as the right-hander has made winter ball look easy.

Hernandez already has seven saves in 12 appearances for the Zulia Aguilas of the Venezualan Winter League, and a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings through Nov. 16. He's also struck out 13 against just two walks.

The Phillies should have competition for two available bullpen spots after Rheal Cormier, Aaron Fultz and the closer. One more spot would be available if Ryan Madson moves to the rotation.

In holding opposing batters to a .235 batting average, Hernandez has shown the type of effectiveness that the Phillies predicted of him. His performance is a continuation of a quick ride that began at Class A Lakewood and ended at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Spending most of his time with the Red Barons, Hernandez tossed 55 2/3 innings and stuck out 52, while compiling a 3.40 ERA. All of his 53 appearances at three levels came in relief. Hernandez could be following the path taken by Rob Tejeda, who accelerated his ascent to the Majors by opening eyes over the winter.

Hernandez is only one of 14 Phillies toiling in four countries this winter. He is joined on Zulia by third baseman Orlando Guevara, who's gone 1-for-3 with a double over three games.

Six farmhands are playing in the Dominican Republic, and half are on Gigantes. Hard-throwing Aquilino Lopez is the familiar name here, but he has a 5.40 ERA over 6 1/3 innings. Franklin Perez and Juan Richardson are his teammates.

An intriguing name here is catcher Carlos Ruiz, who has continued his hot second-half hitting at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a fine start for Licey. He's hitting. 323 through 31 at-bats, and could wind up as Philadelphia's backup catcher next season.

The Mexican Pacific League also brings some excitement, as Chris Roberson sizzles for the Hermosillo Orange Growers. The switch-hitter, who led Double-A Reading with 172 hits last season, has stayed hot with a .297 batting average and 10 extra-base hits through 101 at-bats. He's also stolen six bases.

Infielder Chris Coste has clubbed four homers for the Obregon Yaquis in the Mexican Pacific League, while batting .260.

In Puerto Rico, prospect Gavin Floyd is looking to regroup from a subpar 2005 season and claim a spot in Philadelphia's starting rotation. The right-hander, who had a 6.16 ERA in 24 appearances at Scranton, has a 7.50 ERA is two starts for Arecibo.

The Phillies will be watching Floyd closely.

"Winter ball is going to be important to him," said assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle. "If he's going to be a realistic candidate for the rotation, he needs to show everyone that he's on a positive track. That's one of the primary reasons we wanted him to go, for his development and to show us that he's ready."

Pirates

First baseman Brad Eldred and center fielder Chris Duffy, both of whom could be in Pittsburgh's Opening Day lineup in 2006, will be honing their crafts in Mexico with Mazatlan.

Eldred recently completed a stint in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .289 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs and fanned 22 times in 108 at-bats. The Pirates suggested to Eldred that he play in Mexico because he'd likely see more breaking-ball pitchers there than in the Dominican or Venezuelan leagues.

"The hope is he'll go to Mexico and he'll see some breaking balls down there because it's predominantly a breaking-ball league," said Pirates assistant general manager Doug Strange. "That will be good for him from an experience standpoint."

Center field prospect Rajai Davis, a speedster whose promising season at Double-A Altoona ended prematurely when he broke his right hand in late August, has been given a clean bill of health. He will begin playing in Mexico with Guasave in early December.

Catcher Ronny Paulino and third baseman Jose Bautista are in the Dominican.

Paulino, who split the 2005 season between Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, is batting .297 with four doubles and six RBIs in 64 at-bats with Azucareros. Bautista, who was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2005 after receiving limited playing time the previous season as a Rule 5 selection, is batting .189 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 53 at-bats with Licey.

"Bautista had a great year in Double-A. It's just a matter of him getting more at-bats and understanding how the pitchers are trying to get him out and what he is trying to do at the plate," said Strange. "It's just a maturing process you go through as a hitter. It's good for him."

Right-hander Ian Snell and infield prospect Yurendell DeCaster will participate in the Venezuelan winter league.

Snell, who declined an assignment to the Arizona Fall League in October, reported earlier this week to Caribes, where he is expected to work as a starter.

"(Snell) just needs more repetitions to fine-tune his command and breaking ball. He needs to be able to throw different pitches in different counts and have an ability to stay down in the zone," said Strange.

Strange said that the team harbors no resentment toward Snell for the right-hander's decision not to participate in the AFL.

"All you can do as an organization is communicate with the players and let them know what it is you want them to do and why you want them to do it," said Strange. "They have the final say. All you can do is suggest what you think would be beneficial to them.

"The point is (Snell) is getting repetitions, and he's going down there to pitch, which is what we're looking for."

DeCaster, who spent the 2005 season with Indianapolis, has had an outstanding early showing with Caribes. In 93 at-bats, he's hitting .333 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs.

"He's an intriguing player," said Strange. "He is versatile and can play different spots. He's had to grow up as a player and play under more control. He did a good job of that last year."

Red Sox

Highlighting the list for the Red Sox is Hanley Ramirez, the five-tool prospect who has received his fair share of hype the past several years. Ramirez is playing for Licey of the Dominican Republic.

Through action on Nov. 12, Ramirez, a shortstop, was hitting .250 with four doubles, one triple, no homers and three RBIs in 68 at-bats.

After spending last season at Double-A Portland, Ramirez is likely to open 2005 with Triple-A Pawtucket.

"Hanley is getting the opportunity to play with Licey and continue to face good pitching," said Cherington. "The most important thing at this point in his development is to continue to get AB's against good pitching."

Speedy utilityman Alejandro Machado, who progressed so nicely at Triple-A Pawtucket in 2005 that the Red Sox had him on their postseason roster during the American League Division Series, is playing for Caracas of the Venezuelan League.

He got off to a slow start this winter, hitting .225 with seven RBIs in 40 at-bats and two stolen bases.

"Macho will get a chance to play multiple positions with Caracas," said Cherington. "He is a versatile player, and we feel the more expertise he can gain at a variety of positions, the better chance he has to contribute on our Major League team."

Knuckleballer Charlie Zink, who also pitched in the Arizona Fall League, will soon join Machado in Caracas.

"Whereas, in general, we have fairly strict workload limits for our young pitchers, Charlie actually benefits from pitching a little bit more, given his style," said Cherington.

Anibal Sanchez, the hard-throwing right-hander who is one of the best pitching prospects in the organization, is in Venezuela as well, working out of the bullpen for Magallanes.

"As per our agreement with Magallanes, Anibal will be used in a structured relief role," said Cherington. "This is not because we want Anibal to be a reliever but rather to control his workload. Continued improvement of his fastball command is an important goal for Anibal this winter."

In his first three games, Sanchez was 0-0 with a 9.82 ERA.

As for the less-heralded Sox prospects playing in Venezuela, lefty Mike Bumatay is pitching for Aragua, catcher Edgar Martinez is with Pastora and right-hander Harvey Garcia is at Caracas.

Shortstop Raul Nieves, who's playing for the Ponce Lions in Puerto Rico, got off to a slow start at the plate, managing no hits in his first eight at-bats, with two runs scored. Right-hander Luis Mendoza is in Mexico, pitching for Navajoa.

Reds

Reds playing in winter ball include first baseman Jesse Gutierrez, who was out all year because of injury but performed well in 2004 at Double-A Chattanooga. He's playing for Navojoa in Mexico. Infielder Norris Hopper, coming off a strong year at Chattanooga, is also playing for Navojoa.

Royals

Pitchers Danny Tamayo and Juan Cedeno will be with Licey in the Dominican League. Tamayo was 9-8 with a 5.28 ERA last summer for Triple-A Omaha. Cedeno, a left-hander who came from the Red Sox in the Tony Graffanino deal, was 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA as a reliever for Double-A Wichita.

"We'd like Cedeno to start," Baird said. "He does have two above-average pitches at times. He's a young kid with a power arm at 95 (mph)."

Pitcher Joel Peralta, claimed on waivers from the Angels, will be with Gigantes. He was 1-0 with a 3.89 ERA in 28 games as an Angels rookie. For Triple-A Salt Lake, Peralta was 4-1 with 10 saves and a 2.70 ERA.

Infielder Andres Blanco, who got a trial at second base with the Royals, will play shortstop for Zulia Aguilas in the Venezuelan League. The Royals want Blanco to concentrate on swinging at pitches within the zone.

"He's done it before," said Shaun McGinn, senior director of Minor League operations. "But he's got to understand a walk has great value, especially with him not being a guy who can change a game with one swing."

The Royals will have four players in the Puerto Rican League -- second baseman Ruben Gotay and first baseman Miguel Vega at Carolina; shortstop Angel Sanchez at Manati, and infielder Irving Falu at Mayaguez.

Gotay won the Royals' second-base job in Spring Training but hit just .227 and finished the season with Wichita. That's a concern although not the primary one.

"It's all about defense for him," McGinn said. "The big thing is understanding hitters and where to play in certain situations."

Sanchez, one of the Royals' best prospects, hit .313 for Class A Advanced High Desert, accumulating 183 hits.

"He's added muscle and swings the bat with more authority and it showed," McGinn said. "He led the Minor Leagues in hits."

Vega, 20, is a right-handed hitter with power. In 2004, he banged 10 home runs in 56 games in the Arizona League.

"He's still young. The big thing is getting him to recognize pitches and learn the strike zone," McGinn said.

Falu, a versatile infielder, batted .254 for the Class A Burlington Bees and needs to gain strength. Just 26 of his 117 hits went for extra bases.

Tigers

Juan Francia, who started last season in Class A Advanced Lakeland before finishing in Double-A Erie, went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in one game of action this winter in the Dominican League, while highly touted pitching prospect Eulogio de la Cruz pitched one inning of relief there. De la Cruz also split time between Lakeland and Erie.

Twins

An organization that continually seeks avenues of development for its prospects, the Twins' relationship with the Aragua Tigres in the Venezuelan Winter Leagues has been a fruitful one.

For the past several winters, Twins players and prospects have been stocking Aragua's roster. Among those participating this year are pitchers J.D. Durbin, Willie Eyre, Beau Kemp, infielder Luis Rodriguez and outfielders Josh Rabe and Alex Romero.

"Some nights, you face Major League players. Some nights, it's Class A players," said Twins assistant general manager Bill Smith. "It's a good program down there. It's an outstanding opportunity. The Aragua team has treated our players very well. A lot of our players haven't gone once, but multiple times. It's been a good affiliation for us."

Several coaches from Minnesota's Minor Leagues are also on the Tigres' coaching staff providing instruction and also reports back to the organization. Twins Minor League pitching coordinator Rick Knapp has also been visiting the club this week and staying on top of everyone's progress.

For Rodriguez, Romero and other prospects such as Luis Maza and Jannio Gutierrez, it's a chance to play before fans in their native country.

"These are players with a lot of pride to play for their teams in Venezuela," Smith said.

Whether they're in Venezuela, or anywhere in the Caribbean region of Latin America, the stakes are a little higher for players who participate in winter ball. Managers aren't afraid to replace someone if they fail to get the job done.

"In the Minors, development always comes first. Down in the Winter Leagues, they play to win," Smith said. "It's a shorter season. There's a little more focus on winning. This is a good experience for some players. The talent level may not be as high but the competition is equal because they play to win every game."

For the second straight year, Eyre has provided positive results on the mound for Aragua. Through his first 36 innings of work in seven games, the right-handed reliever was 4-0 with a 1.25 ERA. On Minnesota's 40-man roster, he spent the 2005 season at Triple-A Rochester.

Durbin, who is trying to make up for lost innings from a shoulder injury this season at Rochester, has been limited to 12 2/3 innings because of a strain in his side and is 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA. He worked in a simulated game Wednesday. Kemp, a reliever, has only worked 7 2/3 innings because of a tender right elbow.

White Sox

Casey Rogowski's on-field resume has become a bit more impressive with each passing season.

The left-handed hitting first baseman hit .286 with 18 home runs and 90 RBIs for Class A Winston-Salem in 2004, followed by his first trip to Major League Spring Training last February. Rogowski continued to produce in 2005, posting a .293 average with nine home runs, 78 RBIs and a career-high 20 stolen bases for Double-A Birmingham.

Rogowski's name started to come up as a possible long range replacement for Paul Konerko, if the All-Star first baseman departed during this current offseason via free agency. And Rogowski has done nothing to give those supporters pause for thought with his play for Azucareros del Este in the Dominican Winter League.

Playing at both first base and in the outfield, Rogowski is one of the league leaders with 14 RBIs and tops the Dominican League hitters with 10 doubles. The Minor Leaguer on the rise is one of 19 young White Sox players from the organization who continued their baseball education after the 20005 regular season came to a close.

Center fielder Chris Young, infielders Josh Fields, Robert Valido and Pedro Lopez and pitchers Sean Tracey, Paulino Reynoso and Corwin Malone all took part in the Arizona Fall League, which concluded last weekend. Right-hander Jeff Bajenaru, the sensational closer for Triple-A Charlotte who had very brief stints with the White Sox during each of the last two seasons, is pitching for Culican in the Mexican League.

Left-handed pitcher Heath Phillips, who was 9-5 with a 4.07 ERA for Birmingham this past season, is part of Mochis in the Mexican League. But the organization's biggest representation is with Rogowski in the Dominican Republic.

Catcher Chris Stewart, one of the few serious prospects behind the plate for the White Sox, along with catcher Wally Rosa, and left-handed reliever David Sanders, join Rogowski as part of Azucareros -- a team for which Rafael Santana serves as the general manager. Santana holds the job of Minor League infield instructor for the White Sox.

Outfielder Ricardo Nanita and right-handed starter Felix Diaz are suiting up for Licey in the Dominican, while left-handed reliever Arnie Munoz is pitching for Aguilas and left-handed reliever Fabio Castro is in the bullpen for Gigantes. The White Sox also have a manager in the Venezuelan Winter League, and it's not Ozzie Guillen.

Third base coach Joey Cora is in charge of La Guaira, with outfielder Jerry Owens playing for Cora in Venezuela. Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger and catcher Gustavo Molina also are taking part in the Venezuelan Winter League.

While Guillen was visiting Venezuela recently with the World Series trophy in tow, being honored by his native country for this momentous accomplishment, he also had the chance to watch Owens in action. The fleet-footed left-handed hitter, who batted .331 with 38 stolen bases for Birmingham last season in just his second full season of professional baseball, currently is hitting .363 in Venezuela and is tied for the league lead with seven stolen bases.

Guillen spoke of Owens in impressive tones, mentioning him as a player with a viable shot to contribute to the White Sox in 2006. Apparently, Rogowski is not the only young winter ball player with an eye toward the immediate future.

Yankees

The Yankees have several prospects playing winter ball this offseason, including a number of players in the Dominican League.

One of those players is Melky Cabrera, who had a brief audition as the Yankees center fielder last summer before being returned to the Minors.

Cabrera, a 21-year-old Dominican, is playing for Las Aguilas Cibaeñas this winter, hitting .255 with three doubles and 11 RBIs through the first 17 games of the season. He walked nine times and struck out just six, a great improvement from his 37 walks and 87 strikeouts in 132 games with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Columbus in 2005.

In 106 games with Trenton, Cabrera hit .275 with 10 home runs and 60 RBIs, stealing 11 bases and doubling 22 times. In 26 games with Columbus, Cabrera hit .248 with three homers, 17 RBIs and two steals.

Last July, the Yankees called up Cabrera from the Minors to give him a shot in center, but he struggled at the plate and in the field, looking nervous and overmatched. Cabrera hit .211 (4-for-19) with no RBIs during his stint in the Majors before being sent back down.

General manager Brian Cashman said this week that although Cabrera doesn't appear to be in the mix for the center field job in 2006, he had received positive reports from first-base coach Tony Pena on Cabrera's progress in the Dominican.

"He's playing in winter ball right now," Cashman said. "We didn't think (Robinson) Cano would be ready until 2006, but he had a great winter ball season last year, showed up at camp and continued it. Some guys push themselves in the mix quicker."

Also playing for Las Aguilas is infielder Caonabo Cosme, who played shortstop for Columbus for 62 games in 2005. Cosme is hitting .278 in 18 at-bats for Las Aguilas, driving in a pair of runs.

In 211 at-bats for the Clippers, Cosme hit .265 with six home runs and 24 RBIs. He also stole five bases, doubled 13 times and tripled once.

Rudy Guillen, who hit .260 in 100 games with Class A Advanced Tampa in 2005, is playing for Leones del Escogido this winter. Guillen has had just six at-bats, getting one hit while striking out four times.

Guillen hit six homers, drove in 39 runs and stole 10 bases with Tampa this year, scoring 51 runs. In 28 games with Trenton, he hit .257 (28-for-109) with two homers and eight RBIs.

Two pitchers from the Yankees' system are also honing their skills in the Dominican -- Jorge De Paula and Elvys Quezada.

De Paula is pitching for Escogido, allowing two runs on two hits in his only inning this winter. The right-hander came back last year from Tommy John surgery to pitch 25 games in the Minors and three with the Yankees.

De Paula was 4-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) with Columbus. He struck out 90 batters in 116 innings. In his three relief appearances with the Yankees, De Paula posted an 8.10 ERA in 6 2/3 innings.

Quezada has appeared in three games for Las Aguilas, posting a 9.00 ERA in 2 2/3 innings. Quezada has allowed eight hits and one walk, striking out two.

In 19 starts with Tampa, Quezada went 4-1 with one save and a 5.94 ERA. Quezada also pitched in 16 games (one start) for Class A Charleston, going 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA. In 79 1/3 innings for the two teams, Quezada struck out 87 batters.