NYPL Alumni In The Arizona Fall League

Today is Opening Day for the Arizona Fall League (AFL), the premier fall/winter league for minor league prospects.

According to the League Website, each team is required to send six players with the following eligibility (note: the items described below are more like guidelines than hard and fast rules):

All Triple-A and Double-A players are eligible, provided the players are on at least a Double-A level roster no later than Aug. 1.

One player below the Double-A level is allowed per Major League team.

One foreign player is allowed, as long as the player does not reside in a country that participates in winter ball, as part of the Caribbean Confederation or the Australian winter league.

No players with more than one year of credited Major League service as of August 31 are eligible, except a team may select one player picked in the most recently concluded Major League Rule 5 Draft.

To be eligible, players on Minor League disabled lists must be activated at least 45 days before the conclusion of their respective seasons.

The players are then split up into 6 teams, each with a 30-man roster.  The teams are scheduled to compete against each other Monday-Saturday for 6 weeks:
Mesa Solar Sox--- prospects from the Angels, Mets, Cubs, Phillies, and Pirates
Peoria Javelinas--- prospects from the Indians, Astros, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Red Sox
Peoria Sagueros---prospects from the Reds, Padres, Twins, White Sox, and Rays
Pheonix Desert Dogs--prospects from the Yankees, Marlins,Dodgers, Athletics, and Braves
Scottsdale Scorpions---prospects from the Nationals, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Orioles, and Giants
Surprise Rafters---prospects from  Cardinals,Tigers,Rangers,Royals, and Brewers

The Rising Stars game will be played on Saturday November 6th and the Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday November 20th.  Both games are scheduled to be aired on the MLB Network.

NYPL Alumni can be found in each of the 6 teams.  Over the next few weeks, these players will be spotlighted.

In the first game of the day, the Mesa Solar Sox (1-0) defeated the Phoenix Desert Dogs (0-1), 8-3 (box).  The winning pitcher was Brad Holt (1-0), who was the NY Mets' 1st round draft pick in 2008.  That season, he pitched for the Brooklyn Cyclones and went 5-3 with a 1.87 ERA.  This year, he struggled greatly in Advanced A and AA ball, where he went a combined 3-14 with a 8.34 ERA.  Today, Brad went 3.0 innings giving up only one hit.  He threw 23 of 37 pitches for strikes, while striking out one batter.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets Prospect, 2008 Brooklyn Cyclones) started in Center Field, and went 2-3 with a double, a run scored, a walk, and 2 RBI for the Solar Sox.  1B Matt Rizzotti (Phillies Prospect, 2008 Williamsport Crosscutters) went 2-4 with a walk for Mesa.  RF Michael Taylor (Athletics Prospect, 2007 Williamsport Crosscutters) went 2-4 with a home run, a run scored, and 2 RBI for Phoenix.

In the other afternoon game, the Suprise Rafters (1-0) beat the Peoria Javelinas (0-1) by a score of 8-6 (box).  LF Ben Guez (Tigers Prospect, 2008 Oneonta Tigers) went 2-4 with a home run, 2 runs scored, and 1 RBI.  LF Jack Shuck (Astros Prospect, 2008 Tri-City ValleyCats) went 1-5 with a triple and RBI, and 1B Michael McDade (Blue Jays Prospect, 2008 Auburn Doubledays) went 2-4 with a double and an RBI for Peoria.

UPDATE:
The evening game saw the Scottsdale Scorpions (1-0) defeat the Peopria Saguaros (0-1), 4-3 (box).  Scottsdale took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning when 3B Ryan Adams (Orioles Prospect, 2006/2007 Aberdeen IronBirds) delivered a single for the go-ahead run.  For the game, Adams went 1-4 with 1 walk, 1 strikout, and 1 RBI.  Starting catcher Derek Norris (Nationals Prospect, 2008 Vermont Lake Monsters) went 1-2 with one home run, 2 walks, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored.  He also caught 2 different runners attempting to steal.  Also, Scorpions relief pitcher Brad Peacock (Nationals Prospect, 2008 Vermont Lake Monsters) threw 2.0 innings with 1 hit, 0 runs, and 4 strikeouts.  For the losing Saguaros, starting pitcher Alex Cobb (Rays Prospect, 2007 Hudson Valley Renegades) went 3.0 innings giving up 3 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, and throwing 24 of 36 pitches for strikes.