11/21/09 AFL Championship Game: Desert Dogs vs Javelinas
There will be plenty of prospects to satisfy anybody’s appetite in the 2009 AFL Championship game Saturday November 21st in Scottsdale, AZ. I’m really bummed that I’m not in the Arizona desert to see this showdown between the Phoenix Desert Dogs and the Peoria Javelinas.
Even without Stephen Strasburg, this game will feature alot of talented young baseball players. For example, Drew Storen was the 2nd first rounder drafted by the Washington Nationals. He threw up a 0.66 ERA, 2-0, 4 saves, 13 strikeouts in 13″ innings pitched this Fall for the Desert Dogs, and appears to be on the fast track to the Nation’s Capital. Storen starred at Stanford before turning pro.
A Javelinas star is the 2nd player taken in the 2009 draft out of the University of North Carolina by the Seattle Mariners, outfielder, Dustin Ackley. Ackley showed off his skills in the AFL, batting .315. Dustin put up fantastic numbers in college, batting .402, .417, & .417 in his three years in collegiate ball.
Another pitching prospect for the Nationals appearing for Phoenix was Baylor’s Jeff Mandel, 14′ innings, striking out 10, without issuing a base on balls, and a nifty 1.88 ERA. Mandel was 12-6 this past season, splitting time between A+ & AA Ball. Two Javelinas pitching prospects were Eric Krebs of the Pirates 19 strikeouts in 13″ innings and the Tigers Andrew Oliver who struckout 16 batters in 16 innings. One hurler I’m hoping to see pitch in the game is Robbie Weinhardt of the Javelinas and the Tigers, 29 strikeouts in 18′ innings in the AFL.
Some of the hitting prospects I’m looking forward to seeing are the White Sox thirdbaseman Brent Morel for the Javelinas, a couple of Desert Dogs firstbasemen Brandon Snyder of the Orioles & the Nats Christopher Marrero, another Nationals prospect out of Long Beach State SS Danny Espinosa, White Sox/Javelinas outfielder Jordan Danks (brother of John), and AFL home run champ with 11 Grant Desme of the A’s & the Desert Dogs. Interestingly Morel & Desme, who’ll square off in this contest, were teammates at Cal Poly.
While my heart might be in the desert, the rest of me will be in front of my TV watching some of the best young players, playing a little baseball, can’t wait!
The Arizona Fall League has six teams composed of young up & coming baseball players from all 30 major league teams. Tonight the MLB Network will broadcast the AFL Rising Stars Game at 7:00 PM Chicago time. Stephen Strasburg was supposed to start for the East, but will be replaced by Tommy Mendoza, Strasburg has a strained neck muscle. Mike Minor will be on the hill for the West. One of the Rising Stars is power hitting centerfielder Grant Desme of the Oakland A’s. Desme hit 11 home runs at Kane County before being promoted to A+ Stockton, where he hit another 20 home runs in 2009. Grant has already hit ten more long balls in the Fall, while batting .354.
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