With the days off in the between the divisional series and championship series, I decided to dwell on the Arizona Fall League (AFL). The AFL is used many different ways by major league teams. Some teams are getting their first-round draft picks their first professional experience or getting them some more innings pitched or at-bats. The most talked about player opening his professional career in the AFL is the 2009 overall number one pick of the Washington Nationals, Steven Strasburg. Though Strasburg pitched in instructional league, his experience in the AFL will be his first in real game situations since signing with the Nationals. The Nationals are also sending their other first-round pick, Drew Storen to the AFL. Storen signed quickly and moved quickly through the Nationals system, ending the season in Double-A Harrisburg. This experience for Storen could catapult him onto the big league roster come April. The Seattle Mariners first-round pick (and number two overall) Dustin Ackley will be making his professional debut for the Peoria Javelinas.

Others send their top prospects to see how they play against great competition of other teams’ top prospects. The Red Sox have Casey Kelly, a pitcher/shortstop, playing for Mesa. Kelly spent the first half of the season pitching (which ended in the Future’s Game). From there, he played the rest of the season at shortstop. In the AFL, Kelly will be getting at-bats and working on his defense at short. The Toronto Blue Jays have outfielder Adam Loewen, who is making his second appearance in the AFL, though his first time was as a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Loewen is trying to re-invent himself as an outfielder, just like the St. Louis Cardinals Rick Ankiel. Some other top prospects who will be making appearances in the AFL include the NY Mets Ike Davis (who in his first game hit a grand slam with 6 RBIs), the Atlanta Braves Jason Heyward (Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year), the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown, SF Giants catcher Buster Posey (who made his big league debut this September), and KC Royals Mike Moustakas.

Still some send players who missed time due to injury to get at-bats or innings pitched. The Philadelphia Phillies have former big leaguers Scott Mathieson and Mike Zagurski, who have seen their careers derailed due to injuries, on the Scottsdale roster to build on their comebacks that ended in Double-A Reading at the end of the minor league season. The San Francisco Giants sent Joe Martinez to the Scottsdale roster also, as he missed time after getting hit with a line drive in his second big league game. Martinez pitched opening night for Scottsdale, going three innings, giving up just one run on four hits, with four strikeouts. After missing most of the season recovering from an aneurism, the NY Yankees Ian Kennedy took to the mound opening day for the Surprise Rafters going four innings, giving up just two hits and one run while striking out four. The Florida Marlins pitcher Andrew Miller was a big piece of the Willis-Cabrera trade to the Detroit Tigers. Miller had a disappointing season in 2009, dealing with a demotion to Triple-A and a right ankle injury. The Marlins have placed him on the Mesa roster to get him some innings and refine his delivery. As Miller stated “I haven’t thrown that much in general. I’ve got some things that I’m working on mechanically. In general, my ultimate goal is to throw more strikes”.

Many AFL alumni have reached the majors, with 2008 players Gordon Beckham and Tommy Hanson being considered for league rookie of the year honors. The MLB 2009 postseason rosters consisted of 99 players who are alums of the AFL. Jayson Werth of the Phillies is an AFL alum who is shining in the postseason, carrying the Phillies to the NLCS. The AFL allows for players to shine with many scouts in attendance. The Cleveland Indians Jason Donald, who played in the AFL in 2008 and became one of the league’s top prospects, put himself on the Phillies radar with the success he had in the AFL (he hit .407 with 12 doubles). It also helped the Phillies gain Cliff Lee at midseason, as Donald was included in the Lee trade to the Indians. I will try to give weekly updates on the AFL (and other winter leagues) to let you know who is doing what in the offseason.