Peralta providing relief in winter ball
01/13/2006
KANSAS CITY -- In all the talk about the Royals' potentially powerful bullpen, you don't hear much about Joel Peralta. Well, it's time to tune in.
Peralta, 29, is a right-hander claimed from the Angels and, based on what he did in the Dominican Winter League, he should be in the midst of the battle for the bullpen.
For Gigantes, Peralta was 3-0 and had a 2.35 ERA in 25 games.
"The biggest thing I look at is the innings pitched," said Shaun McGinn, Royals senior director of Minor League operations. "He had 23 innings pitched and gave up only 18 hits and struck out 19. With just five walks, it looked like he was locating the ball well."
Peralta reached the Major Leagues for the first time last season with the Angels and, in 28 games, had a 3.89 ERA and notched 30 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings. In Triple-A, he was 4-1 and had a 2.70 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20 innings for Salt Lake.
Right-hander Denny Bautista, whose shoulder flared up after seven starts last season for the Royals, was 2-4 with a 4.26 ERA for Estrellas in the Dominican.
"It looks to me like he's turned it around a little bit," McGinn said, "because he had some horrific numbers about a month ago but his strikeouts have come up and most of his walks, from what I understand, came early on. His command has gotten better which is to be expected when he has that much of a layoff after an injury."
Bautista, if he doesn't make the rotation in Spring Training, figures to be in the bullpen picture. After missing most of the season, he needed to get his feel back in the Dominican.
Hard-throwing left-hander Juan Cedeno, obtained last year in the Tony Graffanino deal with the Boston Red Sox, posted a 3.26 ERA for Licey in 16 Dominican games.
"He has the tendency to get a little wild at times but, with 19 innings and just 15 hits, 13 strikeouts -- that's pretty good," McGinn said.
Cedeno will go back to starting this summer at Double-A Wichita or Class A High Desert.
Right-hander Danny Tamayo, including the Dominican playoffs, had a 2.36 ERA for Licey.
"You have to remember that he was pitching for Licey, which is a very good club," McGinn said. "He wanted to go down there and pitch against some Major League guys and he showed up really well. His pitch has always been his changeup and what he really wanted to work on down there was spotting his fastball."
Tamayo was 9-8 with a 5.28 ERA as a starter last season for Triple-A Omaha.
Ambiorix Burgos, a cornerstone of the Royals bullpen, pitched just 2 2/3 innings for Azucareros in the Dominican. Leo Nunez, who was in 41 games for the Royals, has added pounds to his skinny frame and had seven scoreless innings in the playoffs for Aguilas.
Lower-level pitching prospects included Yovany Damico, 2-1, 4.76 ERA for Caracas in the Venezuelan League; Cesar Herrera, 1.69 ERA in just 5 1/3 innings for Azucareros; John Gragg, 2.86 ERA for Caguas in the Puerto Rican League, and Kyle Middleton, 1.91 ERA for Manati in Puerto Rico.
Middleton, 10-9 in 28 starts last summer for Wichita, was bogged down by flu about two weeks ago but not before adding 37 2/3 innings to the 171 1/3 he pitched in Double-A.
"He's a big kid, a workhorse who can give you a lot of innings," McGinn said. "He's very resilient and his arm bounces back really well. He's shown glimpses of being a pretty good pitcher."
Gragg was snapped up by Manati after going 13-5 with High Desert.
"He was a California League All-Star for us last year. He's about 5-foot-7 or 5-8, a left-hander who is just a great athlete and a great competitor," McGinn said. "He can change speed on all of his pitches and throws to spots. Nothing is overpowering -- he just pitches."
Second baseman Esteban German carried his hot hitting into the Dominican playoffs. After a .331 average in the regular season, he was at .321 in the round-robin tournament with nine RBIs in 14 games.
Prospect Angel Sanchez saw considerable time at shortstop for Manati when Jose Valentin moved to center field to cover for an injury.
"So he started playing every day and, since then, he's been doing very well," McGinn said.
Sanchez hit .256 with eight RBIs in 30 games. But, in the playoffs, he was 0-for-7.
Second baseman Ruben Gotay hit .269 in 40 games for Carolina in Puerto Rico. He picked up his running game with 12 stolen bases in 13 tries.
Shortstop Andres Blanco, in 36 games for Zulia in Venezuela, batted just .208. Third baseman Mike Coolbaugh also had a tough time in Venezuela, hitting just .162 for Aragua.
Infielder Wilson Valdez, who'll be in the battle for a backup spot for the Royals, had a .297 average (no homers, seven RBIs) in the Dominican for Gigantes. Last year for the Seattle Mariners, he batted .198.
Irving Falu, a rising middle infielder, batted .226 for Mayaguez in 23 Puerto Rican games. Miguel Vega, a free-swinging first baseman, hit .211 in just 19 at-bats for Carolina.
Source: http://royals.mlb.com/
KANSAS CITY -- In all the talk about the Royals' potentially powerful bullpen, you don't hear much about Joel Peralta. Well, it's time to tune in.
Peralta, 29, is a right-hander claimed from the Angels and, based on what he did in the Dominican Winter League, he should be in the midst of the battle for the bullpen.
For Gigantes, Peralta was 3-0 and had a 2.35 ERA in 25 games.
"The biggest thing I look at is the innings pitched," said Shaun McGinn, Royals senior director of Minor League operations. "He had 23 innings pitched and gave up only 18 hits and struck out 19. With just five walks, it looked like he was locating the ball well."
Peralta reached the Major Leagues for the first time last season with the Angels and, in 28 games, had a 3.89 ERA and notched 30 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings. In Triple-A, he was 4-1 and had a 2.70 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20 innings for Salt Lake.
Right-hander Denny Bautista, whose shoulder flared up after seven starts last season for the Royals, was 2-4 with a 4.26 ERA for Estrellas in the Dominican.
"It looks to me like he's turned it around a little bit," McGinn said, "because he had some horrific numbers about a month ago but his strikeouts have come up and most of his walks, from what I understand, came early on. His command has gotten better which is to be expected when he has that much of a layoff after an injury."
Bautista, if he doesn't make the rotation in Spring Training, figures to be in the bullpen picture. After missing most of the season, he needed to get his feel back in the Dominican.
Hard-throwing left-hander Juan Cedeno, obtained last year in the Tony Graffanino deal with the Boston Red Sox, posted a 3.26 ERA for Licey in 16 Dominican games.
"He has the tendency to get a little wild at times but, with 19 innings and just 15 hits, 13 strikeouts -- that's pretty good," McGinn said.
Cedeno will go back to starting this summer at Double-A Wichita or Class A High Desert.
Right-hander Danny Tamayo, including the Dominican playoffs, had a 2.36 ERA for Licey.
"You have to remember that he was pitching for Licey, which is a very good club," McGinn said. "He wanted to go down there and pitch against some Major League guys and he showed up really well. His pitch has always been his changeup and what he really wanted to work on down there was spotting his fastball."
Tamayo was 9-8 with a 5.28 ERA as a starter last season for Triple-A Omaha.
Ambiorix Burgos, a cornerstone of the Royals bullpen, pitched just 2 2/3 innings for Azucareros in the Dominican. Leo Nunez, who was in 41 games for the Royals, has added pounds to his skinny frame and had seven scoreless innings in the playoffs for Aguilas.
Lower-level pitching prospects included Yovany Damico, 2-1, 4.76 ERA for Caracas in the Venezuelan League; Cesar Herrera, 1.69 ERA in just 5 1/3 innings for Azucareros; John Gragg, 2.86 ERA for Caguas in the Puerto Rican League, and Kyle Middleton, 1.91 ERA for Manati in Puerto Rico.
Middleton, 10-9 in 28 starts last summer for Wichita, was bogged down by flu about two weeks ago but not before adding 37 2/3 innings to the 171 1/3 he pitched in Double-A.
"He's a big kid, a workhorse who can give you a lot of innings," McGinn said. "He's very resilient and his arm bounces back really well. He's shown glimpses of being a pretty good pitcher."
Gragg was snapped up by Manati after going 13-5 with High Desert.
"He was a California League All-Star for us last year. He's about 5-foot-7 or 5-8, a left-hander who is just a great athlete and a great competitor," McGinn said. "He can change speed on all of his pitches and throws to spots. Nothing is overpowering -- he just pitches."
Second baseman Esteban German carried his hot hitting into the Dominican playoffs. After a .331 average in the regular season, he was at .321 in the round-robin tournament with nine RBIs in 14 games.
Prospect Angel Sanchez saw considerable time at shortstop for Manati when Jose Valentin moved to center field to cover for an injury.
"So he started playing every day and, since then, he's been doing very well," McGinn said.
Sanchez hit .256 with eight RBIs in 30 games. But, in the playoffs, he was 0-for-7.
Second baseman Ruben Gotay hit .269 in 40 games for Carolina in Puerto Rico. He picked up his running game with 12 stolen bases in 13 tries.
Shortstop Andres Blanco, in 36 games for Zulia in Venezuela, batted just .208. Third baseman Mike Coolbaugh also had a tough time in Venezuela, hitting just .162 for Aragua.
Infielder Wilson Valdez, who'll be in the battle for a backup spot for the Royals, had a .297 average (no homers, seven RBIs) in the Dominican for Gigantes. Last year for the Seattle Mariners, he batted .198.
Irving Falu, a rising middle infielder, batted .226 for Mayaguez in 23 Puerto Rican games. Miguel Vega, a free-swinging first baseman, hit .211 in just 19 at-bats for Carolina.
Source: http://royals.mlb.com/
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