Tagged: Jarrod Parker

Bracket Monday

OK, so this entry, coming on what is known as “Bracket Monday” will have nothing to do with a bracket of any sort, unless you were creating one to see whom Paul Goldschmidt would outlast in camp for the D-backs first base job. In which case, you bracket officially became busted on Sunday.

– The Arizona Diamondbacks made a bunch of roster moves over the weekend. The good news first – everyone on the 40-man roster now is under contract, including a handful of former Osprey. Those players who signed their one-year deals were right-handed pitchers Yonata Ortega, Daniel Stange and Esmerling Vasquez; left-handed pitcher Jordan Norberto; catcher John Hester; and outfielder Gerardo Parra.

– The inevitable news … the beginning of trimming the roster. Read about the former Osprey who were sent back to minor-league camp here.

– The D-backs’ now have 40 players in Major League camp, 32 on the 40-man roster and 8 non-roster players. One of those non-roster players – 2010 Osprey alum Adam Eaton, whom apparently reported to minor-league camp in great shape after working out with his former Miami University teammates in the off-season. Here’s a story from his hometown newspaper getting into more on his off-season.

– Here’s a story that ran in Sunday’s Arizona Republic on former Osprey outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. What might have been …

– Arizona Republic writer Nick Piecoro blogs about the minors, including the potential rotations in both Mobile and Visalia. A number of former Osprey are included in those rotations, and could see more, since the fifth spots are still up for grabs. They’ll start playing minor-league spring games on Tuesday.

– Another nugget that Piecoro sharea is that 17-year-old prospect Wanger Mateo would start his stateside pro career with a short-season club – which means Yakima, Missoula or in the Arizona Rookie League. Mateo – who was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, but concerns about his vision caused the Cards to void his deal – hit .257 with four home runs and 45 RBIs in 67 Dominican Summer League games in 2010. And if you haven’t seen the video … this was done about two years ago, but it shows a bit of Mateo’s ability.

– By the way, a big thank you to all of those who visited the Osprey booth at the 2011 Kids Fair, and who participated in the Kids National Anthem tryouts.

– The Missoula Osprey’s biggest and most successful community program is the Hit the Books Reading Program, which begins today in 31 Missoula-area elementary schools. The 2010 Osprey Hit the Books Reading Program encouraged over 4,000 area students to read over 50,000 books, and over $100,000 of prizes were awarded to students by the Osprey.

Friday’s Nesting

It’s a little too quiet on the news front today, so we’ll start the Friday edition off with a video. This is of former Osprey relief pitcher Evan Scribner, making a whale of a catch with the San Antonio Missions in 2009.

Scribner (2007 Osprey) is now up with the San Diego Padres at Major League camp as a minor-league, non-roster invitee. In two appearances, the right-hander has allowed an unearned run on two hits, and has a strikeout. Scribner was traded to the Padres back in July of 2008 for Tony Clark.

– Jarrod Parker managed to go out and give the Arizona Diamondbacks two more scoreless innings in his latest outing on Thursday. It was the second time Parker has been on the mound since recovering from Tommy John surgery.

– Former Osprey pitcher Jorge De La Rosa (1999-2000) was touched up for two home runs – including a tape-measure job by Buster Posey – in Colorado’s loss to San Francisco on Thursday.

– If you are a true baseball nut, can write and handle yourself on camera, and don’t mind living in New York City for a while, then you could have the baseball fans’ dream job. Watch EVERY baseball game played this season, talk or blog about it, and live the life you’ve always wanted – for a few months, anyway. Click on the link for details and hurry, because applications close on March 7, better known as Monday.

Have a great weekend, and Go Osprey!

Notes for March 1

More notes from former Missoula Osprey players currently at Spring Training …

– MLB.com has released its Top 10 Prospects list for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and it should be no surprise that half of the list are former Missoula Osprey. Jarrod Parker, who pitched out of trouble in his Spring Training debut on Monday, is tops on the list. Read about the others, and the “under the radar” players, here.

– Guys who tend to struggle with controlling the strike zone have been put on notice … it’s time to throw strikes. One of those arms who is hoping to do just that is on the left side of former Osprey pitcher Jordan Norberto. A very telling quote from D-backs manager Kirk Gibson, from The Tao of Steve blog, written by MLB.com D-backs’ beat writer Steve Gilbert.

– Details from Monday’s rough one against the Rockies are here. At the bottom of the entry contains today’s pitching schedule. By the way, they will play the Rockies, again. It should be noted that when the play games in Extended Spring Training and Instructional League, they also play the Rockies, over and over again.

– Lyle Overbay is in a new camp this season, after signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Good piece from the Globe and Mail in his old stomping grounds in Toronto on his fresh start.

– Word has it that Sergio Santos could go from setup man to closer for the Chicago White Sox this season. He’s one of four under consideration for the role, one that he would welcome having sooner or later.

– Last but not least, it’s hard not to be a fan of D-backs’ lefty, and former Osprey, Clay Zavada (2006). As he comes back from Tommy John surgery to his left elbow, apparently there’s more than that making a comeback.

Notes for February 28

It’s Spring Training, the schedule of games is well underway, and with 28 former Missoula Osprey in 12 different Major League camps, it makes for a lot of information to talk about. With that in mind, it means it’s time for a new feature from the Missoula Osprey.

 

Here’s your Bird Droppings entry for Monday, February 28:

 

– Paul Goldschmidt (2009 Osprey) has created quite the buzz around Arizona Diamondbacks’ camp already, leading the team in RBIs and total bases through Sunday’s games. A three-run home run he hit on Saturday and a pinch-hit double on Sunday brought about some interesting words from D-backs manager Kirk Gibson, according to Arizona Republic writer Nick Piecoro.

 

– Speaking of 2009 Osprey alumni, IF Chris Owings has been dealing with a minor injury to his oblique. Owings, who along with Parker, made ESPN’s list of Top 100 prospects, hopes to get in a game by the end of the week.

 

– Former Osprey outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (2002) was banged up a little after a collision with teammate Ian Stewart chasing a pop-up in Saturday’s game with Arizona. The good news, according to the story from the Rockies’ website, is that it could have been worse, for both CarGo and the Rox.

 

– Former Osprey pitcher Jarrod Parker (2007) made his debut today for the D-backs against the Rockies, pitching around three walks and not surrendering a run in his only inning of work. Piecoro managed to snap the photo of the pitching list, before he was asked not to take pictures in the clubhouse area. Check out the pitching schedule for the D-backs here, including Tuesday’s two former Osprey on the list – Yonata Ortega (2007) and Jordan Norberto (2006).

 

– Jose Valverde (2000) may have worn down after an extended outing last season, something the Detroit Tigers are looking to prevent this season. And speaking of former Osprey pitchers in Tigers’ camp, they’re expecting former No. 1 pick Daniel Schlereth (2008) to be an ace against lefties this season. Both stories are from the Detroit Tigers’ website.

 

Bird Droppings is a new feature which will come out several times a week. For more information, visit the club’s website at www.missoulaosprey.com.