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| Instructional League Starts--Full Roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Instructional League is where the best of the youngsters come to improve their game. With at least seven coaches, including the Diamondbacks roving hitting instructor, pitching coaches, infield and outfield coordinators joining Double-A Manager Bill Plummer and Triple-A Manager Chip Hale, the brightest among the D'Backs prospects get all the personal attention they can possibly handle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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WHO TO WATCH: Left hander Brett Anderson was the Diamondbacks second round pick in the 2006 draft, but he signed late, as he struggled with the decision to go pro, or go play for his father, the head coach at Oklahoma State University. He has been called the most mature high school pitcher to come out in the last ten years, and the D'Backs are anxious to see what they got with their #2 pick. Matt Torra was a first round pick in 2005, but has spent most of his pro career in Tucson rehabbing an injury the D'Backs knew about before they drafted him. After a couple of appearances this season, the Instructional League is going to be the D'Backs first real opportunity to work with him. That same year (2005) the Diamondbacks took a little known kid out of Great Bridge High School named Justin Upton. Optimists saw Upton rocketing through the system, and because of it his very solid season at Lo-A South Bend was regarded as a disappointment to some. The Diamondbacks knew better and are anxious to work with the youngster, who has the tools to be a Gold Glove center fielder, though at times he struggled in his first season as captain of the outfield this year. Angel Rocha missed most of this season after testing positive for a banned substance, but the D'Backs thought he was a high quality arm without the juice, and because he saw a limited work load during the season they want to see if he's still got it. The college kids are coming down to Tucson in pairs. Former Oregon State Beavers Dallas Buck and Shea McFeeley, former Georgia Bulldogs Brooks Brown and Joey Side, and two South Alabama Jaguars, Chase Christianson and Tyler Jones should make the question of, 'Who stays in who's room?' easier to figure out.
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