Is AAA a corrosive environment?

by peeder on May 1, 2006 4:33 AM EDT

With Henry Owens and Michael Pelfrey, two of our best prospects, dominating AA ball, a good question is why aren't they being brought up to at least AAA?

Thinking about this for a moment, I'm thinking how AAA might differ from AA outside the lines. I'm wondering if it may be a bad influence on younger players.

And I'm not suggesting that it may have more partying or anything. I'm just thinking that it probably has lots of really frutstrated guys in it that have had their taste of the big show and haven't been able to put it together. Not even well enough to be a sub...and lots of MLB subs are pretty lame.

So if you took a young player (and I know that Owens isn't that young still) and placed them in AAA, sure they would get toughter competition, but they would also possibly get really turned off by all the busted egos around them bitching and telling all sorts of awful tales about how they and others have been screwed over. And I'm not sure I'd want a rising star player hearing a lot of that, when their focus should be on bettering themselves and loving the game.

Yes, many players have gone through AAA and succeeded, although these players were probably sheltered the whole way through (I'm thinking Reyes, Wright, etc.) and had relatively short stays. I think that makes a lot of sense.

It's also hard to put someone back in AA once they are in AAA...that's hurting them another way.

So I would look at AAA as the dress rehearsal once you know you're going to the show, to stay. And have it be brief. But I wouldn't just view it as another increment in playing challenge as many online are doing.

However, I am talking completely out of my ass here...I know nothing about AAA, the Mets system in particular, and have never even attended a single minor league ballgame as far as I can recall! So if you know different or better, please fill us in...

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Pelfry

Has had only one start in AA.. Saturday was his AA debut.. I would think if he pitches in AA like he did in A ball (which he did saturday).. he will be in AAA by June..

by Schifftis on May 1, 2006 9:17 AM EDT reply actions

Triple-A

I've heard the saying "Triple-A is where ballplayers go to die," which would seem to support your argument.

The thinking, I believe, is that the players who without a doubt are headed to the bigs might make a stopover at AAA, but there's no need for them to play a whole season there. AAA is littered with guys who just don't catch the break they need, or who are just not good enough, or who end up getting shuttled back and forth between the big league and the minors as the team needs to fill roster spots. You get an occasional case like Podsednik--a guy who toils for years in the minors and finally breaks into the big time--but that's the exception.

So perhaps organizations prefer to let their stud players develop at the AA level, with a promotion to Triple-A either early in the season (with the intent that they will hit the bigs late in the summer), or later in the year (with the intent that they can finish the season there and make the big-league team in Spring Training).

by kingcritical on May 1, 2006 10:38 AM EDT reply actions