Tagged: Jose Valverde
Roster decision time
There are a few days that we here at the Missoula Osprey office look forward to which take place before our season begins. One of those – or, actually, more like three of those days – would be around the First-Year Player Draft.
Another one of those days is shortly after, when the D-backs announce who will be coming to Missoula, and the following days when we relay those announcements.
The third time begins … now.
This is the time that Major League teams announce their 25-man Opening Day rosters, and the minor-league teams also inform all of us who is headed where this season.
Unless you know one of the minor-leaguers, or keep tabs of them through social media means, the announcement of the rosters are the first indication of the progress they are making through the spring, unless they end up playing in a game or 10 with the parent club during the spring.
But, on occasion, we do get some inside information that we can pass along … with that in mind, as promised in the comments section of a prior post, we at Bird Droppings have found these nuggets:
– Derek Eitel has long suspected that he would start the season in South Bend, but the 2010 former Osprey will begin the season in the SilverHawks bullpen. Patrick Schuster (2009-10) will also open the season in South Bend.
– Robby Rowland, also a member of the 2010 Osprey, will not be on a full-season roster to start the minor-league season. Instead, Rowland will stay in extended spring training.
There’s other items of suspicion, like that 2009 Osprey alum Bobby Borchering will start at Class A Advanced Visalia. The Arizona Republic penned a very interesting story on Borchering’s youth. We have to admit, we’re all a little jealous of his backyard field …
And the battle that former Osprey Emilio Bonifacio (2003) find himself in while trying to earn a roster spot with the Florida Marlins.
– Adam Eaton (2010) informed his friends on Facebook on Tuesday night that he will start the 2010 season in the Visalia outfield. Not a surprise, with Eaton making the most of his looks in games he appeared in with the D-backs in Cactus League action.
– Former Osprey catcher Wilkin Castillo (2004) will start the season in Georgia, just not the destination we were hoping for.
– It looks like former Osprey reliever Daniel Schlereth (2008) will be standing on the line at Yankee Stadium with his Detroit Tiger teammates on Thursday. The official announcement is expected to happen today, but it’s pretty apparent he’ll be in the bullpen for the Tigers this season, barring injury. Which, if you have followed the Tigers at all, seems to go with their bullpen.
– Back to the D-backs, as it is now apparent that the final spot on the 25-man roster is in the Mibullpen, with former Osprey pitcher Esmerling Vazquez (2004), who has put together a solid spring, in contention for the spot. Especially with former Osprey left-hander Jordan Norberto now at Triple-A.
This means the following former Osprey (pending official announcements) will likely be on Major League Opening Day Rosters:
– Miguel Montero, Arizona
– Gerardo Parra, Arizona
– Lyle Overbay, Pittsburgh
– Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado
– Jorge De La Rosa, Colorado
– Jose Valverde, Detroit
– Daniel Schlereth, Detroit
– Sergio Santos, Chicago White Sox
– Tony Pena, Chicago White Sox
– Emilio Bonifacio, Florida
– Scott Hairston, NY Mets
Tomorrow, more roster news, and some updates on former Osprey who managed to get in some looks with the parent club in the last few days of Spring Training, as well as one former Osprey who will be back behind the plate soon enough – albeit in Michigan.
Know where the Boss Button is …
It’s that time of the year, where productivity at workplaces all over the country will drop significantly (thanks NCAA March Madness), when more alcohol will flow in one town today than the average weekend (thanks, Butte, America, for one of the best St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around), and when managers start grumbling with the beat reporters in both Arizona and Florida, like this example.
– Another Top Prospect list is out featuring 14 of the gems in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ system. It should be no surprise that eight of them are former Osprey.
– According to MLive.com blogger Steve Kornacki, it looks like Jose Valverde will not be the only former Osprey in the Detroit Tigers bullpen come opening day.
– If Daniel Schlereth wants to be in the Tigers ‘pen, he needs to stay away from days like these.
– Among the former Osprey players who were sent back down to minor-league camps on Monday were left-handed pitcher Greg Smith (2005 Osprey, Colorado) and right-handed pitcher Evan Scribner (2007, San Diego). Both are likely to start the season at Triple-A. Scribner’s option is his first since being added to the 40-man roster in November.
– While it’s doubtful that Wilkin Castillo (2004 Osprey) will make the Atlanta Braves’ Opening-Day roster, he is still making the most of what chances he is getting in Braves’ camp. In nine Grapefruit League games, Castillo has gone 3-for-9 with a pair of RBIs.
And, in case you were wondering, the “Boss Button” is on the top-right corner of your March Madness viewing window. Just remember that’s it’s not an active sheet, so you may want to open it once or twice to get an idea about it before you get quizzed on it.
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.
Bird Droppings 