The Arizona Fall League has come to a close (actually November 12). The Dodgers were one of 6 teams on the Glendale Desert Dogs and with a win November 9, they clinched a spot in the playoffs. Going into the 8th inning down 4-3, thanks in large part to Andy Pages and José Ramos, the Desert Dogs came from behind to score 7 and beat Mesa Solar Sox 10-4.
Pages and Ramos were the first two hitters in the inning, and both slugged HRs to take the lead. Pages came back later in the inning and singled in another run.
The Desert Dogs were playing a 1 game playoff against the Peoria Javelinas, with the winner to face the Surprise Saguaros for the championship. With the score tied 3-3 in the 7th, the Desert Dogs scored 3 runs, with the final two crossing the plate on an Andy Pages double.
In the Championship Game, the Desert Dogs took the lead in the 2nd, 5th, and 6th innings, only to be tied by the Saguaros each time. The first run of the game came from a José Ramos HR. The teams were tied 4-4 after 6 innings.
In the 6th, Pages had a run scoring double, and later scored his first run of the game.
In the 8th, Pages singled and stole 2B only to be stranded. The teams finished 9 with the score still tied at 4.
In the 10th, Pages started the inning at 2B. He scored his 2nd run of the game on a single and the Desert Dogs had a 5-4 lead.
Tanner Dodson was summoned to hold the lead, but gave up a run scoring double to the first batter to tie the score for the 4th time in the game After a single, the runner moved to 3rd. With the runner moving up to 2nd on defensive indifference, the Saguaros had runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs, but got out of the inning without further damage. Dodson blown save #1.
In the 11th, the Desert Dogs scored on an Austin Martin single. In the bottom of the 11th, Dodson surrendered a pair of run scoring singles to get blown save #2 and the loss.
In the game, Pages went 2-3 with a double, walk, and stolen base. Ramos hit a HR.
Box Score
For the season:
Andy Pages – 22 games, 81 AB, .296/.398/.506/.904, 2 doubles, 5 HRs, 9 BB, 12 K
José Ramos – 20 games, 80 AB, .275/.326/.463/.789, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HRs, 5 BB, 20 K
Jorbit Vivas – 7 games, 27 AB, .333/.471/.407/.878, 2 doubles, 6 BB, 6 K
Emmet Sheehan – 6 games (all starts), 20.1 IP, 3.54 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, .169 BAA, 8 BB, 24 K
Hyun-il Choi – 9 games, 13.1 IP, 5.40 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, .220 BAA, 10 BB, 16K
Tanner Dodson – 9 games, 12.1 IP, 6.57 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, .296 BAA, 6 BB, 8 K
Ben Harris – 9 games, 11.1 IP, 6.35 ERA, 2.12 WHIP, .250 BAA, 14 BB, 10 K
Pages was the offensive star for the LAD group. His power was expected, but what was a surprise were the BB to K ratio. That was 12 strikeouts in 98 PA for a 12.2% K rate. For the regular season, Pages had a strikeout rate of 24.5%.
Sheehan was the LAD AFL pitching star. On November 8, Sheehan was simply dominating. Sheehan tied for the 2022 Fall League high with 10 strikeouts over five scoreless innings, including 8 consecutive; the only blemishes to his line were a bloop single and a first-inning walk.
Ben Harris’ performance for the AFL was also a surprise, but not a positive one. Harris was stellar during the season, but seemed to hit a wall in the AFL
For their efforts during the AFL season, both Pages and Sheehan made the AFL Top 30 prospect performers. Jim Calls, MLB, wrote the following:
- Andy Pages, OF, Glendale (Dodgers No. 5/MLB No. 66)
While his concentration can lapse at the plate, Pages is a dangerous hitter who taps into his well-above-average raw power when he’s locked in. He also has well-above-average arm strength and gets the job done in right field.
- Emmet Sheehan, RHP, Glendale (Dodgers No. 22)
Sheehan tied for the Fall League lead with three wins, thanks to some of the best fastball induced vertical break and one of the niftiest changeups in the circuit. His 92-96 mph heater can be unhittable when it’s on — and it has touched 99 in short stints — but he projects more as a multi-inning reliever than a starter unless he can improve his slider, control and command.
For those interested, here is a link to the article:
https://www.mlb.com/news/top-prospect-performers-from-the-2022-arizona-fall-league
I hope we get to see Pages in spring. Also interested to see Gavin Stone,
Pages will definitely be with LAD in ST as he is on the 40 man. There is no doubt in my mind that Gavin Stone will get an invite.
The strength of our system is in the mid-level power arms. Expect a few of them to be moved to replace holes on the big league roster.
Yes it is!!!.
Maybe playing in front of 45,000+ fans at Dodger Stadium would help Pages stay focused. Adrenalin makes everybody better if it doesn’t overwhelm.
Hopefully Sheehan nails a sinker and increases his command. I’d rather have him as a starter but his fastball and changeup puts him in the mix for closer.
I would bet $5 that Stone will make the opening day rotation.
I noticed you did not specify a team that Stone will be on the opening day rotation with. Intentional? If you are thinking LAD, I think you will lose that bet. The Dodgers are still planning on picking up another back of the rotation starter. Then they have Pepiot and Grove already on the 40 man. Plus Andre Jackson. I do think both Miller and Stone will make their debuts this year, but IMHO not on the opening day roster with the Dodgers.
I was thinking Dodgers but I will take the out you gave me so I can protect my $5.
Grove and Jackson if traded would also help me keep my $5.
I’m going to line up with Jeff on this discussion. I expect Stone to start the year at OKC but I’m sure we’ll see him in L.A. at some point.
The one thing Jeff forgot to mention when he was talking about picking up a back of the rotation starter is that we’ll also have Verlander at the top of the rotation. 😂
You guys need to give some odds, like 2 to 1 if I win.
Of course, JV pushes everyone back one. But I still cannot see AF (Mark Walter) agreeing to 3 years $120MM. I wanted Verlander in 2017. He said he was willing to waive his no-trade to come to LAD. I would love to see him in Dodger Blue in 2023. I will even help out. If the Dodgers sign Verlander, I will buy a Verlander jersey. 😁 35 is available. Just sayin’.
Yep Jeff, we missed the boat not getting Verlander in 2017.
I remember being bombarded with hell nos when I suggested the Dodgers think about Verlander back when his ratio of performance to paycheck was too small of a fraction. Those were the days of the new math when dividing apples by oranges was vogue.
Not everyone was screaming no’s. I certainly was not. I wrote that the Dodgers should make an earnest effort to trade for Verlander even before the August non waiver trade deadline. There was one very loud voice who tried to tell those of us that wanted Verlander that he was done.
Does Correa know #4 is retired?
Urias deserves the opening day start even with JV on the team.
I knew we were getting JV the day they non-tendered Cody. That was part of the deal.
And, of course, #35 is now available in Houston.
Couple of Dodger bites from Twitter:
Dodgers prospect news: RHPs Edgardo Henriquez and Carlos Duran both had Tommy John surgery recently. The two big, hard-throwing righthanders were among the Dodgers top pitching prospects at the Class A levels.
Fangraphs mentioned Dodger prospect Adolfo Ramirez as an R5 candidate, and with good reason. System K-BB% leaders, min 60 IP:
1. Emmet Sheehan – 26.9%
2. Gavin Stone – 25.0%
3. RAMIREZ – 24.3%
4. Nick Nastrini – 23.7%
5. Ronan Kopp – 23.1%
All you can do is hope they sneak by…
Like STB, I was not aware of Carlos Duran needing (and receiving) TJ surgery. While I suspected that Henriquez was a possible TJ candidate after he left with elbow pain last August, I did not know that he in fact had the surgery. These are two exceptional arms that were going to continue to grow. I wish them both a speedy recovery and look forward their return in 2024.
That’s where I stole it from!
We were all at a loss to understand why they didn’t protect Duran in the Rule 5. Does anyone know if a team could take him and just move him to the 60 Day all season? Or maybe a player who would be on the IL all year can’t even be taken in the draft?
No they cannot. All Rule draft picks need to spend 90 days on the active roster.
Another example of the fact that Andrew Friedman knows what he’s doing. And here we thought he was just going to give Duran away.
Another thing stolen from Twitter and apropos of nothing, but being a cool stat:
Only 8 RP have recorded 10+ saves in each of the last three full seasons.
Edwin Diaz
Raisel Iglesias
Liam Hendriks
Kenley Jansen
Craig Kimbrel
Mark Melancon
Josh Hader
Ian Kennedy
If you go back five full seasons, the list drops to Diaz, Iglesias, Jansen, and Kimbrel.
That is a good metric. That does show that there are some relievers who can continuously put up good numbers.
That isn’t very many. How many have put up 10+ holds?