2009 Spring Training - Rookie Baseball Players Travis Denker, San Diego Padres Second Baseman. A classy fielder, Travis Denker just 23-years-old, had a short stint with the SF Giants in 2008. He batted .243 in 37 at bats – played rest of season in Double A and Triple A, hitting near .300 in 300 at bats. Travis Denker has a keen batting eye and carried a very fine minor league on-base-percentage. After the ’08 season, he was claimed off waivers by Padres. Joey Devine, Oakland Athletics Pitcher, Right-handed. In 2005 Joey Devine pitched 5 games for Atlanta Braves, 10 games in ’06 without a decision. Collected his first major league win in ’07. Signed with the Oakland A’s prior to 2008 and showed he’s a special reliever – had a 6-1 w/l record with an unbelievable 0.59 earned run average in 45.2 innings, striking out 49 and walking just 15. Joey Devine could very likely became the A’s closer very soon. Ivan Ochoa, San Francisco Giants Second Baseman. Ivan Ochoa will have to have very solid spring training in ’09 if he wants to play in the big leagues. He’s certainly capable of hitting higher than the .200 in 120 at bats in his first MLB season in 2008. A very fast runner, Ivan Ochoa is a contact hitter and can line the ball to any field. Defensively he covers a lot of ground. Jayson Nix, Chicago White Sox Infielder. A lot of hard work brought Jayson Nix up to this level of play. In Triple A minors in 2007, he had a .292 batting average with 11 homers in 439 at bats, followed those stats with .303 and 17 homers in ’08. Offensively he has shown he can hit and power the baseball against minor league pitching. Time will tell if he can do the same against major league pitchers. Jayson Nix had 56 at bats and batted .125 for Colorado Rockies in first major league season, 2008. He signed with Chicago White Sox prior to 2009 spring. Anthony Lerew, Atlanta Braves Pitcher, Right-handed. Anthony Lerew had brief trails with Atlanta in 2005-2006, pitched in 8 games, no decision. He went 0-2 in 11 innings in ’07 then missed rest of season after Tommy John surgery. Anthony Lerew uses an arsenal of pitches to keep batters off-stride. Doesn’t have overpowering fastball but can notch Ks. Struck out 69 in 71 innings in Triple A in ’06. Baseball Players Page 315 |
