2004 Scouting Report

Battle Creek Yankees

Except where otherwise specified, all statistics are through the end of the 2004 season. I did not write team commentaries this season.

Season Summary

• Second Half: 38-32, .543, 4th place, 2.0 behind
• First Half: 33-36, .478, 3rd place, 8.5 behind
• Pitching: 71-68, 4.13, 32 saves, 4 complete games, 1086 strikeouts
• Hitting: .272, 683 runs scored, 103 HR, 112 steals (63% success)
• Defense: 165 errors (1.18 per game)
• April: 9-12, .429
• May: 15-14, .517
• June: 11-15, .423
• sorry; stopped following the season on July 4.

• Position Players used: 20
• Pitchers used: 25
• Pitchers per game: 3.3

Leading Players

• Best Player on the Team: Third Baseman Eric Duncan

• Best Starting Pitcher: Brandon Harmsen (10-3, 3.53, 80 strikeouts)
• Bullpen Stopper: Paul Thorp (2-4, 26 saves, 3.08, 65 strikeouts)
• Strikeout Pitchers: TJ Beam, Matt Brumit, Abel Gomez, Elvyhs Quezada, Paul Thorp, Randy Vanderplow
• Control Pitchers: TJ Beam, Matt Brumit, Tyler Clippard, Jason Jones, Ben Moore, Elvys Quezada, Paul Thorp, Randy Vanderplow

• Best Hitter: Matt Carson (.304, 12 HR, 58 RBI)
• Home Run Leader: John Urick (15)
• High Batting Average: Melky Cabrera (.333), Matt Carson (.304), Nick Walsh (.318)
• High On Base Percentage: Nick Walsh (.435)
• High Slugging Percentage: Melky Cabrera (.462), Matt Carson (.470), Eric Duncan (.479), John Urick (.470)
• Notable Baserunners: Erold Andrus, Melky Cabrera, Matt Carson, Jose Enrique Cruz, Eric Duncan, Estee Harris, Byrce Cartler, Hector Made, Orir Santos
• Notable Batting Eye: Nick Walsh

Pre-Season Profile

Manager

Mitch Seoane's a fairly conventional Midwest League manager, though perhaps a touch more conservative than most. When he was in the Angels organization, his pitchers routinely led the league in complete games--this was an organizational trait, not necessarily Seoane's preference; since joining the Yanks system, his pitcher usage has looked fairly conventional.

First Round Draft Selection

• Eric Duncan (2003, 27th player selected)

Team Age Information

• Average Team Age: 21.2
• Pitchers: 21.5
• Hitters: 20.9

• Oldest Player on the Team: Jared Treadway (12/21/79)
• Youngest Player on the Team: Tyler Clippard (2/18/85)

The average player in the Midwest League this season is about 21.9 years old. This information is based on opening day rosters as published on the team website and will not be updated.

Where they played last season

This summary is based on the team's opening day roster and will not be revised to reflect roster changes.

The 2004 BC Yankees are descended from last season's Staten Island nine, with considerable contributions from the Battle Creek and GCL teams.

Team           League             W/L    Place   Hitters Pitchers
                                        (Teams)
Tampa          Florida State (A+) 68/64  6(12)      2      1
Battle Creek   Midwest (A)        73/64  3(14)      4      4
Staten Island  New York-Penn (A-) 29/43 11(14)      7      8
Yankees        Gulf Coast (R)     26/31  8(12)      6      3

Many of these players appeared on two teams last summer and are counted twice in this table. Everyone on this roster played in the Yankee organization in 2003.