Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘Kellen Kulbacki’

Each year as the Major League Baseball season comes to a close, teams start looking toward the next season. Presumably, that process begins with the teams’ prospects and where they will fall into place come the end of Spring Training.

Each August, Major League clubs determine which prospects will go to Arizona to take part in the Arizona Fall League. Most are Double-A and Triple-A players, but a Class A player may sneak through from time to time. The idea is that key players will be able to receive additional instruction and practice to accelerate their ascent to the Majors and perhaps even jump them a classification along the way.

Eacy year, many of the AFL participants are former Fort Wayne Wizarrds. However, this year’s class includes a couple local ties.

Jarrod Parker earned the distinction of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Most Valuable Pitcher from the team’s field coordinator Jack Howell:

Parker’s slider has progressed to the point that farm director A.J. Hinch considers it the best in the organization.  Combine that with his unanimously-named best four-seamer in the organization and his veteran-like command, and you have one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball.  This Most Valuable Pitcher Award will be the first in a long line of honors for the promising youngster; he’d better clear some room on his mantle [source: futurebacks.com (scout.com subscription required)].

Eric Wedge earned an historic disction this year when he was indcuted into the AFL Hall of Fame. He “became the first member of the Hall of Fame to be inducted for his Major League success as a manager but whose AFL experience was solely as a player [source: MLB.com]. He is also the first former AFL player to have gone on to become a Major LEague Manager.

“I take that as a great honor,” Wedge said before the ceremony. “I was done playing by the time I was 30 years old because of problems with my legs and elbow, but that gave me an opportunity to start managing, and I’ve had the chance to manage some fantastic young ballplayers.”

Former Wizards Danny Payne, Brian Joynt also took part in the AFL and garnered club honors. Payne was named the most improved player; hitting over .300 and leading the team with 21 walks whild putting up some good defense. Joynt earned a leadership award, who went from the cusp of being cut in extended Spring Training to putting together solid numbers at Lake Elsinore and having a chance to be San Antonio’s starting first baseman next season. The award “encompasses everything: desire, professionalism, leadership on and off the field, everything [source: MadFriars.com (Scout.com subscription required)].

Kellen Kulbacki likley would have been on the roster had he not injured his shoulder during the playoff run in Lake Elsinore. Instead of getting playing time after an tremendous 2008 that saw him hit .332 with 20 dingers after getting promoted from Fort Wayne, he’s reahabbing. He’s expected to be fully recovered in time for Spring Training.

Other former Wizards taking part in the AFL this year were Greg Burke, Mike Ekstrom, Wilton Lopez, Kyle Blanks, Mike Baxter, Chad Huffman and Sean Kazmar.

• Nick Hundley Impresses with Arm: Widely considered the Padres’ top catching prospect, Nick Hundley threw out would-be base stealers (Ivan Ochoa and Fred Lewis) to kill a pair of potential San Francisco rallies on August 1.
• Slugger Kulbacki Still Tearing it Up: Kellen Kulbacki is hitting .347 for the Lake Elsinore Storm. In the 61 games, he has 15 doubles and 51 RBI. Kulbacki batted .329 in June with nine home runs in 82 at-bats. In July, he hit .405 in 116 at-bats with eight home runs and nine doubles. This month, the 22-year-old is 4-for-8 with two home runs.As a result, he has been names the California League player of the week.
• LeBlanc Ties Career High With 11 Ks: 23-year-old Wade LeBlanc tied a career high with 11 strikeouts over eight shutout innings to lead the Portland Beavers to a 9-1 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes. Paul McAnulty hit a grand slam in that one too. LeBlanc (10-7) won his third straight start and it helped him earn Pacific Coast League pitcher of the week.
• Geoff Vandel has not allowed a run over his last 11 innings, giving up five hits. He has allowed one earned run or less in four of his last five outings.  It helped propel him to Northwest League pitcher of the week honors.
• Rivas drives in 3 to help Pirates beat Rockies: Starting in place of injured second baseman Freddy Sanchez, Luis Rivas led the Pirates with an RBI single in the third and two-run triple in the fifth to down the Colorado Rockies on July 28th.

Outfielder Kellen Kulbacki was supposed to open the season with the Lake Elsinore Storm but started in Fort Wayne instead. Now he’s moving on. Kulbacki hit .164 with two home runs and two doubles while producing nine runs batted in with the Wizards.

Outfielder Steve Buschini, who has spent time on the disabled list and at extended spring training camp rejoins the Wizards today. Buschini returns with a .273 average, one run scored, one double and two walks in three games.