Arizona Fall League – 2011 Rising Stars Game

This evening I watched the Rising Stars Game, where the best Arizona Fall League players competed against each other. I enjoyed seeing it even though the West Division (Phoenix Desert Dogs, Surprise Saguaros, and the Peoria Javelinas) defeated the East Division (Mesa Solar Sox, Salt River Rafters, and the Scottsdale Scorpions) by the lopsided score of 11 to 2. The contest was held in Surprise Stadium, which by now I know very well, on a chilly night. These are the players who impressed me:

Danny Hultzen, Seattle Mariners, started the game and pitched two superb innings. The left hander struck out the side in the top of the first. In the second, he induced a ground out to the second baseman, issued a walk, then got the next two outs on a deep fly ball and an infield ground out. What caught my full attention was how he got ahead of the hitters, going right after them with a zippy fastball and a great breaking ball. Danny Hultzen appears to have a very good chance to make the Seattle Mariners in 2012.

Nick Franklin, Seattle Mariners, had four hits in five at bats, with three of them going for extra bases. He hit a two-run homer to center field, lined a hard ground ball that got past the first baseman for a double, launched another double that landed at the bottom of the left-field fence in his third at bat and got a broken-bat infield hit. The shortstop had a mixed night with the glove, however. On one terrific play he made a great stop on a grounder that took a strange hop and made a strong throw that beat a quick runner at first base. However, on the very next play, he fielded a routine grounder and was charged with an error when he dropped the ball while he was transferring it from the glove to his throwing hand. Other than this miscue, Nick Franklin had a very good night.

Kevin Mattisen, Miami Marlins, started things going for the West Squad by hitting a ball to the right of the first baseman that looked like a lead off single, but as it skipped into right field the speedy Mattisen turned on the after burners for a double. He lashed a line-drive single to right field in his second at bat. When the following batter singled he rocketed to third. In his third at bat, he smacked a liner that was caught by the left fielder. In his last at bats he popped up to shallow right field, and struck out, but never mind that. Kevin Mattisen has game changing speed with the potential to be an impact player for the newly branded Miami Marlins. The Marlins new logo and Mattisen’s picture, from his brief stint with the New Orleans Zephyrs, appear below.