Cody Bellinger continues power display in AFL

Cody Bellinger carried his performance from last week and the Fall Stars Game into Week 5 of the Arizona Fall League, with four extra-base hits in his four games this week.

Bellinger, who homered in last Saturday’s top prospect showcase, went 6-for-15 (.400) with two home runs and two doubles for the Glendale Desert Dogs this week. He walked three times, scored eight runs and drove in seven.

He has scored a run in five straight games, and reached base by hit or walk in 11 straight contests, 12 if you count the Fall Stars Game.

Willie Calhoun, who won the MVP of the Fall Stars Game last Saturday, played in three games this week, going 3-for-10 (.300) with two walks and two runs batted in.

Alex Verdugo was busy hitting extra-base hits for Mexico at the Tokyo Dome, and didn’t play this week in the AFL. Tim Locastro hasn’t played since Oct. 29.

On the pitching side, Chris Anderson had a start to forget on Tuesday against Scottsdale. He faced eight batters and didn’t retire a single one, allowing six hits and a walk. Tim Tebow reached on a fielding error, made by Anderson.

Eight runs were charged to Anderson in that start, seven of them earned.

Joe Broussard had two scoreless appearances, including a save on Friday at Scottsdale, with four strikeouts in two scoreless innings for the week.

Ralston Cash also had two scoreless innings in two appearances, with three strikeouts.

Corey Copping allowed a hit and a walk in his only inning of the week, on Wednesday at Peoria, but still pitched a scoreless frame.

Other views

Calhoun was profiled with a scouting report from Bernie Pleskoff at Today’s Knuckleball, which included this nugget:

Calhoun has an excellent knowledge and feel for the strike zone. He recognizes pitches quickly out of the hand of the pitcher and he adjusts accordingly. The ball makes that “special sound” coming off the barrel of his bat. He was born to hit a baseball.

The OKC trio were all also interviewed by Sande Charles at Fan Rag Sports.

That includes Calhoun....

.... Verdugo ....

.... and Bellinger

Schedule

Only four games remain in the Glendale schedule. The Desert Dogs (14-14) are 1½ games behind Surprise and in third place in the three-team West Division, with an elimination number of only three.

The leaders in each division will play on Saturday in the 2016 Arizona Fall League Championship Game on Saturday at Scottsdale Stadium.

Monday: vs. Mesa, 11:35 a.m. PT
Tuesday: at Surprise, 11:35 a.m.
Wednesday: at Mesa, 11:35 a.m.
Thursday: at Peoria 11:35 a.m.

Saturday: AFL Championship Game, 12 p.m.
East Division vs. West Division, Scottsdale Stadium (MLB Network)