The Arizona Fall League is coming to a close, with one of the fall’s rituals taking place, the annual Fall Stars Game, the AFL version of the All-Star Game.  The game was played on Saturday, after an otherwise full slate of games for the regular teams.  After this, just one more week to go in the Fall League.   But as the league winds down, it seems that the pitchers are having a resurgence, as many of the Giants pitchers had their best weeks.

The stats in this week’s lines do not include the (unofficial) stats in the Fall Stars Game, which is too bad for at least one home run hitter.

Marco Luciano – 4 Games – 5-for-13, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 CS

Full Fall Stats: 19 G, 16-for-67, 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 26 SO, 0-1 SB, .239/.354/.328

As the season continues to wind down, Marco Luciano had one of his steadiest weeks, collecting at least one hit in all four games he played.  That raised his batting average up to .239 on the fall.  Luciano still hasn’t hit any extra-base hits other than the two home runs he had in one game early in the fall.  He continues to have problems with strikeouts, however, with 26 in 67 at-bats.

Will Wilson – 3 Games – 2-for-13, 1 R, 1 2B, 4 SO, 1 E

Full Fall Stats: 17 G, 9-for-63, 8 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB, 17 SO, 0-0 SB, .143/.217/.286

Wilson had a 2-hit game early in the week, but went hitless the rest of the way as he continues to have some struggles despite playing regularly.  He did pick up his third double of the season among his two hits, however.  Wilson continues to play all over, with one game in center field (the one where he collected his two hits), as well as at second and third, making an error at third base.

Patrick Bailey –  2 Games – 1-for-6, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SO

Full Fall Stats: 13 G, 13-for-45, 6 R, 3 B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 16 SO, 0-0 SB, .289/.385/.422

Patrick Bailey only got one hit in his two games played this week, but he did end up with an interesting game, getting on base three times in four plate appearances in one game, and going 0-for-4 in his other.  In 13 games this season, Bailey has 16 strikeouts to seven walks, leading to a .289 batting average with a .385 on-base percentage, and going into the final week of the season, he’s the Giants’ leading prospect offensively in the AFL.

Hunter Bishop – 2 Games – 1-for-8, 2 RBI, 4 SO

Full Fall Stats: 12 G, 9-for-38, 3 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 19 SO, 1-2 SB, .237/.348/.368

On one hand, this was a bit of a quiet week at the plate for Bishop.  But on Saturday’s Fall Stars Game, Bishop’s blast was one of the highlights of the game.  It’s his first and only home run of the fall, even if it won’t show up in the stat sheet.

Gregory Santos – No Games Played*

Full Fall Stats: 9 G, 12.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO, 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP

Santos didn’t get into any regular season AFL games this week, but the asterisk goes because he did get into the Fall Stars game, and he was impressive by the velocities.  According to MLB Savant, he threw four of the five top velocity fastballs in the game, all 99 MPH and above.  He also got the most swing-and-misses behind former Giants prospect Caleb Killian, who had the advantage of pitching 2.0 innings rather than Santos’ one.  Unfortunately, he did give up three hits, including a double and a triple, and allowed three runs, all earned.

MLB Savant numbers from the AFL Fall Stars Game 2021

Seth Corry – 1 Game – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO

Full Fall Stats: 5 G, 9.2 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 1 HBP, 12 BB, 14 SO, 3.72 ERA, 1.66 WHIP

Finally, Seth Corry had the kind of game that reminds you why he has spent much of his time with the Giants farm system as a top prospect, striking out five in 3.0 innings, with just one hit allowed as his only baserunner.  Despite having 12 walks to 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings this AFL season, he still has a respectable 3.72 ERA in a very offensive prospect circuit.

R.J. Dabovich –  1 Game – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Full Fall Stats: 8 G, 9.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 11 BB, 13 SO, 1.86 ERA, 1.66 WHIP

Dabovich followed Corry’s lead, and cut out his walks, although he did it in just one game pitched this week with Scottsdale.  But Dabovich also pitched an inning in the Fall Stars Game, throwing a quiet 8th inning without either baserunners or strikeouts.

Cole Waites – 2 Games – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 1 WP

Full Fall Stats: 9 G, 7.1 IP, 9 H, 15 R, 15 ER, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 8 BB, 9 SO, 18.41 ERA, 2.32 WHIP

Following the theme of good pitching, Waites had his best week of the season, with two solid games, allowing a run but no walks, while striking out nearly half (4) of his fall’s total (9) in just these two games.  He still has a difficult stat line on the fall, with an 18.41 ERA, but at least he has more strikeouts than walks on the fall after this week.