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10/21/2009 12:04 PM ET
Mike Moustakas wielding scorching bat in AFL
Nicoll, Abreu log first winter ball appearances
By Frank Novak / Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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 Former Major Leaguer Jose Lima, known for his funny mound antics and outlandish personality, is teammates with Naturals' reliever Juan Abreu in the Dominican Winter League.
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SURPRISE, AZ - Mike Moustakas drove in eight runs and has posted a .353 (6-for-17) average over his past five games for the Surprise Rafters, who have begun the 2009 Arizona Fall League season with a 4-3 record. The Rafters are one of six teams in the Arizona Fall League and the roster includes prospects from the Royals, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations.
Moustakas' nine RBI lead the Rafters, who are also getting offensive contributions from Naturals' shortstop Jeff Bianchi, who has played at both middle infield spots and posted a .308 average thus far. Bianchi is among several familiar faces with the Rafters, including Daryl Jones and Tyler Henley, who played this season with the Springfield Cardinals. Also on the roster are four other 2009 Texas Leaguers: Springfield pitchers Scott Gorgen and Gary Daley, and Rangers' prospects Marcus Lemon, Mitch Moreland, and Brennan Garr (Frisco).
All of the Naturals' pitchers who are on the Surprise roster have worked in the past week. Ben Swaggerty allowed a run in two innings over two appearances, Blake Wood started last Thursday's game and received a win after tossing two innings, and Aaron Hartsock is unscored upon in two appearances. Brandon Sisk, a left-handed relief prospect who spent 2009 alongside Moustakas with Advanced Class-A Wilmington, has pitched three innings of relief, allowing just one run. Naturals' outfielder David Lough is the Royals' other representative with the Rafters, but hasn't yet appeared in a game. Both Sisk and Moustakas are reasonable bets to begin the 2010 season in a Naturals uniform.
Naturals' reliever Juan Abreu is back on the mound as the Dominican Winter League began late last week. Abreu will be working on controlling his electric fastball with Aguilas Cibaenas in Santiago. He retired three batters in order in his first appearance of the winter season last Saturday. Abreu is teammates in Santiago with fellow Texas League reliever Al Alburquerque (Tulsa Drillers) as well as several current and former players with big league experience. That list includes former Major League pitcher (and Kansas City Royal) Jose Lima as well as outfielder Luis Polonia, who has not played baseball in the United States since 2000 and is 46 years old. Aguilas, the second-most winning team in Dominican history, has posted a 2-2 record in their first four games.
Several current and former Naturals are playing winter ball in Venezuela. Chris Nicoll joined on with Caribes de Anzoategui (Puerto La Cruz, Ven.). Nicoll started last Saturday's game against La Guira, going four innings and allowing just one run. One of the batters he faced was fellow Royals' farmhand Manny Pina. Pina, who was on the disabled list and never suited up for the Naturals after being traded on September 3rd from the Rangers' organization, is 4-for-10 in four games for Tiburones de La Guaira (La Guaira Sharks). Nicoll is among other familiar faces this winter in Venezuela as Travelers' reliever Amalio Diaz is also with Caribes de Anzoategui.
Jose Duarte and Mario Lisson are both back with Leones de Caracas. Duarte is getting the opportunity to play every day thus far in Venezuela, and taking full advantage, batting .323 in ten games. Duarte has a stolen base and has scored eight runs. Lisson is playing in a reserve role but has made the most of his limited time, with one hit in three at-bats as Leones is in first place and off to a 7-3 start. Midland backstop Raul Padron, who hit the game-winning blast to down the Naturals in the Texas League Championship Series, has two homers in nine games played. Leones is the Venezuelan Winter Baseball powerhouse; they possess 16 championship titles, the most in the league.
The Puerto Rican Winter League is the lone international loop that has yet to begin play; it starts on November 12th. All the international winter leagues wrap up later in the winter with the top winter teams from the Latin American countries competing against one another in the Caribbean Series, an elimination-style tournament. The series runs during the first week of February and is televised nationally on the MLB Network, providing fans a great chance to see minor league players on a big stage in an electric atmosphere of international competition.
Check nwanaturals.com weekly for updates on Arizona Fall League action as well as other Naturals playing winter ball. The Arizona Fall League plays six games per week, wrapping up with a Championship Game on Saturday, November 21st, while some of the winter leagues continue play into the month of December.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The 2010 season begins on Thursday, April 8th. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.
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