Some fine performances in the Arizona Fall League are relegated to secondary news because of the hitters that will not finish out the schedule. Most of the injuries are minor and should not have lasting effects beyond depriving some young players of valuable baseball time. Jason Heyward has been shut down after just four games. The reports are very vague about what his leg injury is, but it sounds like an upper hamstring pull. Michael Stanton was hitting .478 when Florida decided to pull him out with what has only been called a “sore back”. Dayan Viciedo was experiencing inflammation in his throwing arm. If that returns his speculated conversion to first base may be hastened. Most seriously, Scott Sizemore broke his ankle and had surgery on it last week to repair tendon damage. He will not be able to put weight on the foot until screws are removed in January, though a full Spring Training has not been ruled out.

Hitting Highlights

Grant Desme (OAK – OF) led the league in the Triple Crown categories for most of the past two weeks. He has ten home runs in 15 games and has a chance at breaking the AFL home run record of 14 held by Brandon Wood. Keith Law is on record as believing his contact issues will prevent him from being a solid big league regular, and he is striking out in nearly 28% of his at bats despite hitting .393.

Starlin Castro (CHC – SS) has taken the batting average lead, currently at .417. He has been solid throughout the fall, with a big 4-5 day on October 20.

Andrew Lambo (LAD – OF) is the only other hitter above .400. He has a ten game hitting streak with multiple hits in five of them. He has only five strikeouts in 47 at bats.

Jordan Danks (CHX – OF) has hit in nine of his last ten and leads the league with a .508 OBP.

Josh Bell (BAL – 3B) had back-to-back four hit games on October 19 and 21, but is 2 for 22 since.

Brandon Snyder (BAL – 1B) was 4-5 with 2 HR and 7 RBI on October 21, but like Bell he has tailed off. His 16 RBI is still good for third overall.

Russell Mitchell (LAD – 1B) is one behind Desme with 22 RBI. Twelve of his nineteen hits are for extra bases and he is third in OPS.

Corey Brown (OAK – OF) hit in seven straight and is third with four home runs.

Chris Parmalee (MIN – 1B) has driven in 15 runs in his last seven games. Eight of his eleven hits are for extra bases.

Mitch Moreland (TEX – OF) had a .918 OPS in the minors (A+, AA) and is at 1.022 thus far in the AFL.

Bryan Peterson (FLA – OF) has a hit in every AFL game he has played in and is at .385.

Jemile Weeks (OAK – 2B) has a seven game hit streak and is pushing .300. He also has four steals without being caught.

After a slow start Freddie Freeman (ATL – 1B) has eleven hits in his last six games.

Dustin Ackley (SEA – OF) is cruising along with a .313 average in his first exposure to professional pitching.

Casper Wells (DET – OF) is making a return trip to Arizona. He finished seventh in OPS last year (1.129) and currently sits second (1.262).

Pitching Highlights

Scott Mathieson (PHI), Josh Wilkie (WSH), Josh Judy (CLE), and Scott Moviel (NYM) are unscored upon in relief work. Moviel has the lowest WHIP, Wilkie the best K/BB.

First round picks Mike Minor (ATL) and Mike Leake (CIN) have matching 1.04 ERAs through their first innings. Both have pitched 8.2, Minor in four starts, Leake in three.

Pittsburgh is giving Donald Veal a shot at starting and he is responding very well. Through four games he has a 0.71 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, and 12/2 K/BB.

Ian Kennedy (NYY) leads the AFL with 17 strikeouts against only one walk and has a 0.98 WHIP after four starts.

Stephen Strasburg allowed seven earned runs in his second start. Russ Mitchell, Casper Wells, and CJ Retherford (CHX – 2B) took him deep. He rebounded with 4.1 IP, H, R, 2 BB, and 5 K on October 27. On November 2 he pitched five full innings allowing four hits a run and a walk. He struck out six and recorded all nine other outs on ground balls.