AFL pitcher of the week Chase Anderson was most impressive in his Rising Stars appearance Saturday night.

On the heals of receiving the AFL pitcher of the week leading up to the Rising Stars game, the 24 year old Chase Anderson (AA Mobile) put together the most impressive pitching outing of the evening throwing a pair of shutout innings while collecting four strikeouts. After retiring the first batter in the fourth, the right hander surrendered back-to-back singles before fanning the next two hitters to stomp out any chance of a rally. All of Anderson’s pitches seemed to have movement and his breaking ball was down-right dirty with nobody touching it on this evening.

“I was hoping for an opportunity to play in this league this year,” said Anderson, who missed most of 2011 with an injury, but jumped back on the map with a strong 2012. “I wanted to do this at the beginning of the year.”

Chris Owings (AA Mobile) got the start at shortstop and collected a hit, stole a base and scored a run before being replaced at the start of the fifth inning.

The show was [quite literally] stolen by Reds prospect Billy Hamilton however who showcased once again just how much of a nuisance the switch hitter can be on the base paths. He led off the game with a walk and quickly swiped second base before using a delayed steal to find his way on third base. He would score easily on a double later in the at bat. The fifth inning offered another example of how dangerous he can be as he laid down a drag bunt up the first baseline and as first baseman Jonathon Singleton hurried his throw he sailed it into right field allowing the speedster to advance all the way to third with a run scoring.

Watching Hamilton in person for the first time was a treat and really opened my eyes to just how electric this player can be. He is the type of guy that has enough energy to play doubleheaders daily and still go out for a night on the town. “I’m always energized,” Hamilton said. “I never get tired. When I feel tired, I tell myself to get up.” That’s the truth. As he led off third in the fifth (bouncing up and down) it was as if his natural energy sent him nearly three quarters of the way towards home before retreating as the pitcher stepped off. Perhaps he was about to steal home or perhaps he didn’t realize just how far he was- either way, the crowd took notice and got a little chuckle out of Hamilton’s big smile. That’s my game,” Hamilton said. “I like to bring fun, a little excitement. I bring a lot of energy.”

One other notable prospect was the East’s leadoff hitter, Brian Goodwin of the Washington Nationals (AA Harrisburg) as he smacked a leadoff the game homerun and added another run and a pair of RBI’s to his line. He nearly had one more double but [recently turned] shortstop-turned-centerfielder Billy Hamilton ran out to the warning track to make a diving catch saving at least one run and rob Goodwin of an extra base.

“This was more fun than I thought it would be,” said Goodwin, the No. 67 prospect in the league. “I met some new guys, we played the game we love and we came out with a win. What else are you playing for?”

This was definitely the vibe during a perfect evening in Scottsdale with an AFL record 5,713 people. Offense was aplenty and in a game that historically 72.6% of participants will see the major leagues in some regard, us as fans got a glimpse of the bright future of professional baseball. Not to mention, as an added bonus for attending this game we were given free tickets to the AFL Championship game coming up on November 17th.

Follow me on Twitter at @ndougherty313 and our team at @venomstrikes.

Image: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE

Are you ready for some hard-hitting analysis? You sure? Okay, here goes: David Holmberg is a stud.

I was able to finally get to a live ball game on Sunday, May 20, (living in rural Montana doesn’t lend itself to seeing a ton of ball games), so I was really excited to learn that I would be able to see Holmberg in action against a good Bakersfield Blaze lineup featuring Billy Hamilton.

In a system that is loaded with pitching talent, guys like Holmberg can go unnoticed at times. But he has legitimate upside to be a top-of-the-rotation starter.

Holmberg is a lefty with a low 90s fastball that cuts in to righthand hitters. He pairs that fastball with an outstanding change-up that made more than a few Blaze hitters look like they shouldn’t even be in single-A ball.

He seemed to also throw a slider/slurve but it lacked form and didn’t break sharply. He probably needs to develop that third pitch into an at least average major league pitch to be completely effecting at the major league level. But the two pitches he does have are plus pitches and will give hitters on both sides of the plate fits with the cutting action of the fastball and the plus change-up.

Holmberg went seven innings, striking out nine, while only giving up one hit and no walks. Holmberg, along with fellow pitching prospect Andrew Chafin, form a dynamic duo in Visalia’s rotation.

Holmberg wasn’t the only guy to watch on Visalia as short stop prospect Chris Owings is in his second year at Visalia.

Owings has always had the potential for legitimate power out of a middle infield spot and shows flashes of defensively excellence. But his approach at the plate has always been awful. I mean AWFUL. In a little over 1,100 plate appearances, Owings has struck out 258 times and only walked 37.

That includes striking out 130 times and walking 15 times in Visalia last year. He has not improved much this year, in fact, he may have regressed. He has struck out 53 times in 200 plate appearances this year.

While I was watching, I counted at least 5 times that Owings swung at a pitch WAY outside of the strike zone. One of which came on a 3-0 count where he swung at a pitch at his chest and grounded out to the short stop.

If he doesn’t improve shortly, it will be about time to give up on him.

On the bright side, another prospect that needs to prove something soon, Bobby Borchering, hit two home runs. Borchering is also repeating the single-A level as a 21-year old so a lot is riding on this season. Borchering also strikes out a ton, to the tune of 162 in almost 600 plate appearances in 2011. He has continued to strike out too much this year, especially in a league he is repeating.

He does choke up on the bat in two-strike counts, maybe trying to help his strike out total, and thats not a good sign for a slugger with his type of power.

Still, he did put a really good swing on a couple of offerings and blasted them over the right field wall, one of which came on an 0-2 pitch.

Both Borchering and Owings, absolutely have to do better than striking out once every few at bats at the single-A level.