|
14-15 February, 2004
 Here
he goes again, launching the annual appeal with the slightly battered, but
trusty tin cup (staking out the choice street locations). (Although not nearly
as crafty as the guy with the leather jacket, Rolex & cell phone outside
Shopper's Drug Mart on St. Clair Avenue in Toronto.) Many thanks to
those who've already sent in contributions for the new season. If you can
help out, click the cup image (at right or below). Wishes for a great
season ! jdm
 Likely
a no-show tomorrow (just about into six, concurrent drafts AND needing an XP
reinstall). Could be a fun weekend. Yikes.
MIN's
Joe Mauer makes it five for six. The Twins' phenom is No.1 in both
the RotoWire and Spring Training Magazine's top prospects lists. Daniel
Quon, RotoWire, back after a lengthy DL stint last season, has some interesting
picks in the RW Top 50. It's Mauer, Jose Reyes, Rafael Soriano, BJ Upton
off the top. Zack Greinke KC doesn't show up until No. 21, the 6th
pitcher chosen (others included Scott Kazmir & Cole Hamels) : "
... Were it not for the organization's difficulties in developing pitchers
recently, Grienke's 2003 performance would have yielded a higher ranking.
Showing wisdom and polish beyond his years, he went a combined 11-4 between high
Single-A and Double-A, while posting a 112:18 K:BB ratio in 140 innings. The
20-year-old should spend a half-season in Triple-A, and a climb in the ranking
should result." Josh
Barfield SD, ranked No. 12 : "
... The top second basemen on this list has shown he can hit like his father,
former Blue Jay Jesse Barfield, while succeeding in the middle infield. He lit
up High Single-A Lake Elsinore with a .337 batting average and 128 RBI, despite
playing through most of the season with a nagging wrist injury. He should begin
2004 at Double-A, and an infield tandem of Barfield-Greene is a possibility for
the Padres in 2005." Alexis
Rios TOR, at No. 15, outranked Grady Sizemore CLE & Jeremy Reed
CHA : "
... Rios ... our top outfielder, embraced the hitting philosophies of the
organization and the result was a Double-A Eastern league batting title, hitting
a robust .352 with an on-base percentage in excess of .400. Rios' only flaw
might be power, but a strong campaign in Puerto Rico this winter have eased
those concerns, as he hit 12 homers and slugged .684. At 6-foot-5, the
22-year-old could turn a portion of the 32 doubles last season into home runs as
he fills out." We
hope to have Dan back on the roster this season for his insights into some of
the young guns. More
thanks to Denis Chabot for his continuing support and sleuthing, including the
annual 100 from Spring Training Magazine. 1-5 ... Mauer, BJ Upton, Prince
Fielder, Greinke & Delmon Young. The
Top 100 lists here . Spring
Training Magazine has its annual Top 100 with Joe Mauer HOU,
the future behind the plate -- John Buck or Hector Gimenez?
Neither? John Sickels, ESPN.com : "
... Astros still like Buck, but questions about his future have arisen. He
hasn't shown much offensive development over the last year and a half. His 2003
season at Triple-A New Orleans was disappointing: he batted just .255 with two
homers, though he was limited to 78 games by injury (a broken hand) ... still
just 23, but he definitely needs another year in the minors. He may be suffering
from Young Catcher Offensive Stagnation Syndrome, and I'm less confident in his
future than I was a year ago at this time ... .Gimenez is superior defensively
to Buck right now, at least in the catch-and-throw department. His bat is
questionable. He has some pop, but his .247/.304 OBP/.352 SLG mark last year in
the Carolina League wasn't that impressive. He needs work with the strike zone.
I still rank him behind Buck at this point, but at 21 Gimenez has time to move
beyond that."
Josh
Hamilton TB, still awaiting word from MLB on whether he will be allowed to
attend ST :
"
... Hamilton's hope of joining the Devil Rays for the start of spring training
doesn't look good ... still has not heard if Major League Baseball will allow
him to report to camp next week with the rest of the position players. Hamilton,
who sat out last season to address undisclosed personal issues, said last month
he was eager to rejoin the team and expected to get word from agent Casey Close
by Feb. 1, then head to Florida from his North Carolina home. "I haven't
heard anything," Hamilton said by telephone ... Spring training opens
Sunday with the first workout for pitchers and catchers." (St. Petersburg
Times) Also
at TB ... beyond the top level kids -- Upton, Young -- even more young talent on
the horizon :
"
... Doug Waechter has the makeup to be a solid innings-eater when he
matures. He debuted in the majors last August at the age of 22 and pitched well
enough down the stretch (3.31 ERA and 1.23 WHIP) to earn a spot in the 2004
rotation. Because Waechter has started just five games in the big leagues, he
still has a lot to prove."
"
... Joey Gathright ... If you think the Devil Rays
already corner the market on speed, wait until Gathright joins the club. One
scout said Gathright is the fastest player he has seen in a couple of decades.
He doesn't have much power so he'll have to slap the ball around to get by.
Owners looking for the next big speed threat should lay their claim now." Rangers'
DL arms making progress : "
... more than 20 players are already working out at the complex in Surprise
under the supervision of minor league manager Daryl Kennedy. Most notable is
left-hander Ben Kozlowski, who made 10 starts last year before needing
Tommy John surgery. Veteran Rangers scout Mel Didier, who lives in the Phoenix
area, has been monitoring the workouts and watched Kozlowski throw last week.
"His arm was very fluid and sound," Didier said. "He wasn't
throwing as hard as he could, but he was throwing free and easy." Didier
was also impressed with right-hander Nick Regilio, the Rangers'
second-round pick in 1999, who missed most of last year with a shoulder injury.
Right-hander Colby Lewis, who has lost 15 pounds, also is looking
good, as are two other right-handers, Mickey Callaway, who has
been working out daily at The Ballpark in Arlington, and Ricardo Rodriguez,
who has been unrelenting in workouts as he attempts to come back from a hip
injury. How much is really true and how much is false hope will be revealed in
spring training, but Didier is sincere when he watches catcher Gerald Laird
in workouts and says, "This guy is going to get it done. There's going to
be competition at catcher." Maybe this will all be a mirage in the desert,
but at least it's worth talking about." (TR Sullivan, Fort Worth
Star-Telegram)
13
February, 2004
Troop
movements ... lots of young guns to get major league ST exposure ... among the
invitees ANA Erick Aybar, Alberto Callaspo, Nick Gorneauly, Casey Kotchman, Jeff
Mathis, Ervin Santana, Brian Specht ... BAL Mike Fontenot and John Maine ... BOS
Kelly Shoppach ... CLE Michael Aubrey, Brad Snyder, Kazuhito Tadano ... CHA
Jeremy Reed ... KC Ruben Gotay, Zack Greinke, Mitch Maier ... MIN Jesse Crain
& Joe Mauer ... NYA Dioner Navarro, Jon-Mark Sprowl ... OAK Joe Blanton,
Brad Sullivan, Nick Swisher ... SEA Travis Blackley, Shin-Soo Choo, Jose Lopez
... TB Joey Gathright, BJ Upton ... TOR Aaron Hill ... ARZ Craig Ansman, Dustin
Nippert ... ATL Brayan Pena ... CIN Dustin Moseley, Dane Sardinha ... LA
Franklin Gutierrez, Greg Miller, James Loney ... MIL Prince Fielder, JJ Hardy
... NYN Victor Diaz, Jeremy Hill, Justin Huber, Scott Kazmir, Matt Peterson,
Royce Ring, David Wright ... PHI Gavin Floyd, Cole Hamels ... PIT Paul Maholm
... STL Yadier Molina ... SD Josh Barfield, Tim Stauffer ... SF David Aardsma,
Matt Cain.
John
Sickels, ESPN.com, with some notes on sleepers in the LA system :
"
... Andy LaRoche, 2B Drafted in the 39th round in '03 from Grayson County
Community College, LaRoche had first- or second-round talent but a lot of people
didn't think he was signable. He hit just .221 in a brief outing in the Pioneer
League, but most scouts think he will hit for power and average at higher
levels."
"
... Mike Megrew, LHP A Rhode Islander, Megrew was drafted out of
high school in the fifth round in 2002 from Hope Valley. He posted a 3.40 ERA
and a sharp 99/24 K/BB ratio in 77 innings in the Pioneer League in '03. His
best pitch is his changeup, but his fastball and curve are respectable, and he
could make a splash in '04." Edwin
Jackson LA? Expectations a little too high for 2004 ? "
... Last season at Jacksonville (Double-A), Jackson posted a 7-7 record in 27
games started. His ERA was 3.70 and he struck out over a batter per inning (157
SO in 148 IP). Edwin also walked 53 and threw nine wild pitches. While the
former numbers are decent enough, they certainly don’t scream “I’m ready
for the major leagues!” The latter stats point to issues with control and
concentration. Just two years before, Jackson was being sought by teams for his
bat after graduating high school in Columbus, Georgia. Fourteen wins and three
promotions later Jackson found himself under the bright lights and blue and
white uniform of the Los Angeles Dodgers ... Jackson will certainly have his
moments of success in 2004 and he’ll continue to wow people with the smoke
coming from his fastball but professional hitters will make adjustments where
Jackson doesn’t and that will mean 2nd and 3rd looks will prove less and less
productive for the youngster." (Stan Andruszkiewicz, CREATiVE SPORTS) More
from Pat Caputo, Baseball America, on DET .... will Rule 5 pick Chris Shelton
stick? : "
... Shelton will stick as a backup first baseman, DH and emergency catcher. He
won't be a full-time catcher ever. He's very limited defensively. He's a typical
"Money Ball'' player. He's a selective and productive hitter with a compact
swing. They feel he can get 150 at bats and still continue to develop."
Caputo
selected outfielder Brent Clevlen as DET's No. 2 :
"
... Cleven and (Kody) Kirkland are the golden boys in the organization
right now. They have good all-around tools and are both competitive kids with
good mental makeups...If there is a concern from my standpoint it's that neither
has one tool that stands out above other players. To me, that limits their
ceiling to a degree. A lot will depend on how much power they develop. Third
basemen and corner outfielders need to be run producers."
HOU's
Carlos Hernandez major signs of progress from winter ball : "
... Hernandez ... 3-1, 4.21 in eight starts with Magallanes in Venezuela,
striking out 39 in 36 innings. After missing all of 2003 following surgery to
repair the rotator cuff and labrum in his left shoulder, Hernandez was back
throwing in the low 90s and hitting the strike zone this winter. With the
offseason additions of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, the Astros don't have
any openings in their rotation. Hernandez could claim a spot in the Houston
bullpen in spring training, but he would be best served by going to Triple-A and
getting some regular, low-pressure innings for a month or two. It's tougher to
come back from shoulder surgery than elbow surgery, but the prognosis looks
promising for Hernandez." (Jim Callis, Baseball America)
12 February, 2004
Troop
movements ... another Beltre to NYA rumour : "
... A baseball official familiar with the Yankees' plans said yesterday the
Yankees had recent discussions with the Los Angeles Dodgers about acquiring
third baseman Adrian Beltre. The official said the Yankees believed they
could get Beltre for prospects such as right-handed pitcher Scott Proctor
and catcher Dioner Navarro, and they could do the deal as early as
April if they were not satisfied with their in-house options after spring
training." (The Star-Ledger)
Dayn
Perry, FOXSports.com,
adds another ten to his Top 100 and you'll find a few surprises. TOR
righthander Jamie Vermilyea ranked at No.50 (just ahead of Andy Sisco)
:
"
... The Jays drafted Vermilyea in the ninth round of last year's draft ... he
obliterated the NY-Penn League. That's not unusual for a college-trained arm
facing hitters using wood for the first time, but he was highly impressive even
in that context. He was still dominant after a late-season promotion to the
Florida State League. In 52 innings on the season, he struck out 78 and walked
only seven. Wow. He's obviously got a long way to go, but he could be a special
pitcher when all's said and done." COL
lefty Jeff Francis won the No. 53 slot :
"
... the ninth overall pick of the 2002 draft. In his debut season he
looked strong, but he signed in time to see only 30.2 innings of action. This
past season, he was in the Cal League, the best hitter's circuit in the minors,
and he pitched quite well. He was slightly older than his peer group, but his
numbers were still fairly impressive. Francis struck out close to a batter per
inning and posted a very good K/BB ratio of 3.4. He also allowed only eight
homers in 160 innings, again despite pitching in mostly hitter-friendly parks.
2004 will be critical for him as he sees the high minors for the first time, but
so far so good."
New
kid on the block vaults to the top of the DET prospect chart. Pat Caputo,
Baseball America, likes Kyle Sleeth as the best of the young Tigers :
"
... had one of the best fastballs available in the 2003 draft, both in terms of
velocity and life. He usually pitches between 92-94 mph and touches 96. His
fastball seems even firmer, however, because of its movement ... throws both a
power curveball and a low-80s slider ... Sleeth has a strong, projectable frame
and was durable at Wake Forest. He’s quiet and confident ... If Sleeth had
signed quickly and pitched last summer, he likely would start 2004 at Double-A
Erie and be in line to reach Detroit by September. Now the Tigers won’t push
him quite that hard, so he’ll probably make his pro debut at high Class A
Lakeland. If he enjoys immediate success, the club won’t hesitate to promote
him to Double-A, and he still could make it to the majors this year. He has that
type of ability and makeup, and Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski won’t
hesitate to bring deserving prospects to the majors."
A
warning on Joel Zumaya :
If
Zumaya stays healthy, he could reach Double-A by midseason. His approach, power
stuff and lack of a changeup could make him a closer in the long run. And,
in the chat room, some comment about Cody Ross, one of those who missed
the Top 10 : "
... there is a lot of debate among scouts about him. they either like him or
don't. I think he has enough tools to make it and if the list was just up to me,
he probably would have made the top 10, but I have to take into account what
scouts tell me from both sides on this. I like the way he grinds. I do think he
has decent power potential. He's good defensively. but don't be fooled by that
5-11 listing. He's more like 5-8 or 5-9. If he has a flaw it's that all his
tools are ok, but none exceptional. That means he'll probably be an extra
outfielder." MIL
as the best farm system in the game according to Jim Callis, Baseball America : "
... legitimate prospects at every positions, and at least one blue-chipper at
most. No team can match their crop of up-and-coming hitters, led by Rickie
Weeks, Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy and Brad Nelson. The pitchers (Manny Parra,
Mike Jones, Ben Hendrickson et al) aren't bad either." There's
probably enough information on the prospects-by-position
page to get you through the early rounds of the draft. The OnDeck
& GetSportsInfo lists added to the page. Hmmm.
Maybe both Russ Adams and Aaron Hill might remain in the future
shortstop race :
"
... The Blue Jays' two shortstop prospects, Russ Adams at Class AA and Aaron
Hill at Class A, ultimately might shift to second base, but G.M. J.P. Ricciardi
is dismissive of suggestions that neither can play short on the artificial turf
of SkyDome. "It's not as tough as some people make it out to be,"
Ricciardi says, noting that turf shortstops can cheat on their throws and bounce
balls to first base." (The Sporting News)
Ah
too bad. Rice rained out Tuesday in their scheduled season-opener against
Sam Houston State. Next game, Friday vs Texas Tech. Rice = Jeff Niemann,
possible first pick in the June draft, 17-0, 1.70 last season.
11 February, 2004
Troop
movements ... among the kids with spring invites ... Greg Miller, Franklin
Guttierez, James Loney LA ... BJ Upton TB ...
Luis Martinez MIL turned himself into police Tuesday, saying he shot a
man over the weekend in self-defense in a traffic dispute at a hotel parking
lot
Aaron
Gleeman, RotoWorld.com, with notes on a couple of guys in battles to win
starting positions -- Felipe Lopez CIN and Russ Branyan ATL :
"
... Lopez ... has struggled immensely in his previous stints in the majors,
hitting just .232/.299/.369 in 193 games. There is just no way he’s going to
take the job from Larkin if he doesn’t do something to really earn it. Still,
despite those bad numbers, there are reasons to believe Lopez can become a very
good player. For one thing, he’s still just 23 years old, and baseball history
is filled with young players who struggled initially before becoming good
players. In addition to his youth, he has a good minor league-track record,
which includes hitting .289/.358/.470 in 167 career Triple-A games. Lopez is a
very good sleeper for NL-only leagues in 2004, because he is potentially an
upper-level shortstop, with solid power and speed."
"
... Branyan ... a prototypical “Three True Outcomes” player, filling up stat
sheets with the three things that don’t involve a defense: homers, walks and
strikeouts ... he’s just 28 years old and his career averages of
.227/.318/.472 are significantly above-average for a third baseman. If left
alone in the lineup on an everyday basis, I have no doubt Branyan could smack
30-40 homers and drive in 100 runs. Of course, he’d also strikeout 200+ times
and his best defensive position is probably DH, which is the reason it’s
unlikely he’ll ever get that much time."
Will
Kimmey, Baseball America, in the chat room with more insights into the KC system
:
"
... Ruben Gotay has a bat a lot of teams love, and he was among the
Royals' most asked-about prospects when Allard Baird got trade offers this
offseason. He's No. 11 on my list, so he just missed the top 10. He faded down
the stretch ... needs more strength, to avoid wearing down late in the year and
to add extra carry to batted balls ... Defensively, he's still a bit suspect
because of his foot speed and footwork. Donald Murphy passed him in the 2B
pecking order, and with Murphy beginning 2004 at Wlmington, could make a tough
decision for the organization if he hits there and deserves a promotion to
Double-A, where Gotay will be playing 2B."
"
... Colt Griffin ... still had a great deal of walks and wild
pitches, but he was missing by only inches rather than the feet he used to miss
by. Power pitchers and guys with his height and length often struggle mightily
with control, and then something clicks. The Royals shortened his arm stroke
last year and he showed considerable progress. I'm not saying Griffin is Randy
Johnson, but the Unit was way wild for a time before things clicked for him.
Maybe the best current comparison, to a raw guy with great stuff is Angels
prospect Bobby Jenks, who seems like he'll be breaking out this year. I think
Colt will get it this year, and the pitcher's park in Wilmington will help his
overall numbers ... He could really take off in the next year or two."
Q
: Who has the higher ceiling and who will reach the BIG SHOW first? Our boy Zack,
Greg Miller, Gavon Floyd, Scott Kazmir
or Adam Wainwright?
A:
Will Kimmey: I'll put rank them this way: Miller, Kazmir, Greinke, Floyd,
Wainwright. But I'd rate the first four very close to each other. Wainwright
might get the first shot this year, because he's the only guy listed with
extensive Double-A experience and his org needs pitching at the major league
level for the pennant race a little more than the others. Miller, Greinke both
reached Double-A last year, and Greinke could see KC by late this summer. The
Dodgers have enough major league depth not to need to call on Miller this year
... The Phils have a really deep staff and Floyd won't even consider Philly
until 2005 at the earlier. Kazmir should reach Double-A for the first time this
year." At
CBS Sportsline, a not so pleasant forecast for Dontrelle Willis owners : "
... TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT LHP Dontrelle Willis won the NL Rookie of the
Year award for sparking the pitching staff with a 14-6 record and 3.30 ERA. He
went 9-1 with a 2.08 ERA to earn a spot on the All Star team. But he hasn't been
himself since, going 5-5 with a 4.60 ERA afterward. He struggled early in the
postseason before going to the bullpen, which is where he might end up again
this season unless he posts pre-All-Star numbers."
Tracy
Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News, on Ian Stewart COL : "
... Stewart seems almost too good to be true to the Rockies. He was two weeks
late joining rookie-level Casper but still hit .317, finishing second on the
team with 10 home runs, tied for first with 43 RBI and leading the team with 29
walks in 57 games. Mostly, he impressed Casper manager P.J. Carey with his
willingness to work on his defense, an area of his game that some scouts
questioned. "Any time there are doubters, I want to prove them wrong,"
Stewart said. "I'm going to prove that I can be an All-Star third baseman
and win a Gold Glove." That's some heavy expectations. "I've never
felt pressure," he said. "I go out and play the game with confidence.
I'm not cocky, but I'm confident in my ability and what I can do in the
game." And he is realistic. After his stellar high school career - he broke
all of Chavez's Orange County (Calif.) high school records - and his strong
start at Casper, he admits some people have gotten in a hurry. "A lot of
people who don't really understand baseball ask me if I think I'm going to be in
the big leagues this year. I tell them I'm not even going to big-league spring
training. I've got things I have to work on and improve." Dan
O'Brien, CIN GM : "
... Brandon Claussen ... he's a prospect we think very highly of ... this
offseason he has continued to rehab his arm. I was just with him on our media
caravan; he's in great shape. He's got a fastball, curveball and changeup with
good command, and he has a very good idea of how to pitch. He can set hitters
up, change speeds; he has the potential to be a complete all-around
pitcher." "
... rotation ... As of Feb. 10, the three individuals that we can write in are
Cory Lidle, Jimmy Haynes and Paul Wilson. The fourth and fifth spots are going
to be a competition between younger pitchers such as Brandon Claussen, Aaron
Harang, Jose Acevedo, B.J. Mattox. Those are the
four principal names. We have a number of younger pitchers that may surprise us,
but the two remaining openings will probably be filled from among those
names." (The Cincinnati Enquirer) Brian
Walton, CREATiVESPORTS, in a review of the Caribbean World Series picked some of
the stars and the bums. Rafael Soriano SEA among the studs, Edgar
Gonzalez ARZ among the duds : "
... Soriano ... ,The 24-year-old righty started pivotal games one and six, both
won by the champions from Licey. Soriano capped off a stellar regular season
with a strong playoff performance. How long until he earns a starting gig with
the M’s?" "
... Gonzalez ... ,managed only two outs in Culiacan’s game five loss. He gave
up four hits, a walk and three runs in his limited duty. At this point, Gonzalez
is expected to be a starter in Triple-A in 2004, but with a good spring, he
could surprise. After all, Shane Reynolds and Steve Sparks come into camp as #4
and #5 for the D’backs."
10 February, 2004
One
more vote for Zack Greinke as the leading light of the KC system.
Will Kimmey has the report on the Royals at Baseball America.
"
... Greinke loves the game and has great makeup ... a constant tinkerer
and thinker with impeccable control of an array of plus pitches. He likes
developing new pitches and variations of others by adding and subtracting
velocity and changing grips. He throws his fastball in the high 80s most of the
time, but can rev it up to the mid-90s when he wants ... slider ranks as a
put-away pitch with depth and a hard, late bite. His changeup is his third-best
pitch, but still rates above-average. Greinke now throws his curveball with a
spike grip for more action ... Greinke doesn't strike out as many hitters as
most of the game's other top pitching prospects, but the Royals say that's
because he revels in breaking bats and inducing weak contact to create better
pitch economy ... Greinke secured an invite to major league spring training, but
the Royals have no delusions of Greinke making the season-opening rotation.
He'll probably begin the year back in Double-A to build confidence, receiving a
quick bump to Triple-A Omaha as soon as he dominates."
Kimmey
went with 2003 pick Chris Lubanski as No.2 :
"
... Lubanski draws comparisons to Johnny Damon and Carlos Beltran. He’s
ticketed for low Class A Burlington, but a strong spring could require the
challenge of a jump to high Class A."
Joel Zumaya DET, on the way up ... quickly : "
... Zumaya threw consistently around 88-89 mph, enough to make him a first-day
selection but one not with dominant stuff. "I came out a nobody,"
Zumaya said. "Suddenly, things began to happen." Less than a year
later, he was a power pitcher in every sense. He gained five mph on his fastball
consistently by the start of last season, and began turning heads when he hit 99
mph on the radar gun at West Michigan .. it came about, he said, from a
combination of growing up and working out. "In high school, we didn't have
any weight-training program," he said. "You had to do everything on
your own. I got here and I was [amazed]." The right-hander's pitching
motion has been compared to the whipping action that Randy Johnson puts on his
fastball, though he grew up idolizing Pedro Martinez ... He could still have
more room to grow, possibly reaching triple digits in mph ... The other scary
part is how young Zumaya could be as he climbs the minor league ladder. Jeremy
Bonderman went from high Class A Lakeland to Detroit after turning 20. Zumaya is
likely ticketed for Lakeland this spring to work on his offspeed pitch
... he'll turn 20 before next Spring Training." (MLB.com)
Slim
pickings for young guns in Matthew Pouliot's top second base picks at
RotoWorld.com. Aaron Miles COL ranked No. 21 with a prediction of
.286/.327/.421, 8 HR :
"
... I’m not expecting all that much, but if Miles can fight off Damian Jackson
to secure a starting job, Coors Field will make him a fantasy sleeper. He’s a
singles hitter capable of batting .300 while playing half his games in Colorado.
Still, he doesn’t have much power, so unless he starts running again, he’s
not going to be a major asset in NL-only leagues."
So
far, so good. But, a long way to go for Jesse Foppert SF : "
... "I'm as good as I can be at this point," said the former
University of San Francisco star, who posed for fans' snapshots and later joined
teammates at the autograph table, where a line of fans stretching almost the
length of enclosed pier waited patiently. "We're still targeting the end of
July or August when I can possibly throw in a minor league game," said the
Major League sophomore, who logged an 8-9 record and 5.03 ERA last year. "I
threw off the mound a couple of times last week and long-tossed about 100 feet.
So far, there haven't been any setbacks." (MLB.com)
Jason
Bay PIT, all of a sudden he's in the spotlight. John Sickels, ESPN.com
: "
... scouts have never been overly enthusiastic about his physical tools ... but
he can pull for power or go to the opposite field. His strike-zone judgment is
very good; he makes contact, will take a walk, and usually holds in well against
both breaking pitches and changeups ... Bay is fundamentally sound, works hard
and plays with enthusiasm. He is a perfect example of how field instincts and
baseball skills magnify and enhance organic physical tools ... At the
major-league level, he projects as a .270-.280+ hitter, with double-digit home
run and steal production. The biggest negative is his age: at 25, he doesn't
have that much time left on the growth curve ... But that's OK; he's plenty good
as it is ... shoulder injury may slow the timetable if he doesn't get off to a
fast start in spring training. Bay has nothing left to prove in the minor
leagues, so as soon as he is healthy, he should get to play. He is a darkhorse
Rookie of the Year candidate." And,
OAK's Joe Blanton another guy with a fair amount of off-season coverage : "
... Now that Bobby Crosby and Rich Harden have reached the majors, the guy to
keep an eye on is Blanton. He started last season at Single-A, going 8-8 with a
2.57 ERA in 21 starts, and finished the season with a 3-1 record and 1.26 ERA at
Double-A. Overall, Blanton struck out 174 hitters in 168.2 innings. He should
move up to Triple-A this season but probably won't reach the majors until
2005." (The Sporting News) Baldelli,
Crawford & Cruz ... pressure from the kids in TB : "
... the best may be yet to come. There are scouts who believe Rays prospect Joey
Gathright might be the fastest player in professional baseball. And Tampa
Bay's overall No. 1 pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Delmon Young,
already has hit .400 in the Arizona Fall League. He's just 18 but he should move
quickly through the Rays' system. With the potential of 1999 overall No. 1 pick Josh
Hamilton, who sat out last season for personal reasons, the Rays could be
blessed with the deepest outfield talent pool in the Majors. "How they all
perform in the Majors Leagues remains to be seen,'' said general manager Chuck
LaMar. "But we're proud of the progress already made by a very impressive
group of outfielders.'' (MLB.com)
09 February, 2004
Troop
movements ... remember when WSOX prospects James Baldwin and Scott
Ruffcorn were the toast of
the rookies? Baldwin now with a minor league contract with the Mets.
Police
in the Dominican looking for MIL pitching prospect Luis Martinez after a
shooting in a hotel parking lot : "
... Police believe Martinez, 23, shot Rafael Encarnacion Quezada on Saturday
morning ... National Police spokesman Col. Ramon Francisco Rodriguez Sanchez
said. Encarnacion, 37, was shot twice in the chest and once in his left leg. He
was hospitalized in critical condition, police said. Encarnacion works in the
Caribbean nation's internal revenue service ... The left-hander broke into the
major leagues last season with Milwaukee, going 0-3 with a 9.92 ERA. During the
winter Dominican baseball season, Martinez played for the Licey Tigers ...
Licey general manager Fernando Ravelo said he had spoken with Martinez.
"Martinez got in touch with us by phone this afternoon and gave his version
of what happened," Ravelo told The Associated Press, without giving further
details. "He's not running (from authorities), he's just
scared." (Associated Press) At
CREATiVESPORTS, Mark Allen Haverty has
a report of a chat with Brian Graham, the PIT Player Development Director
: "
... Sean Burnett ... I think he could pitch in the big leagues this year.
I think he would be better suited to have a year of Triple-A experience, but
from a development standpoint I am extremely pleased with the progress of Sean
Burnett. I think Burnett’s done a tremendous job, as has the staff here with
the Pirates – the minor league pitching coaches. He’s developed into a top
of the rotation starter – that’s the type of development project you want to
have in a minor league system." "
... Ryan Doumit will play this year at Double-A, and he’s a
switch-hitting catcher with good athleticism, a guy who can catch and throw, as
well as swing the bat. Hits for a little power, he’s going to be a doubles gap
guy that will hit some home runs, and has a chance to be a solid, average major
league catcher. He’s a guy we project to be a good big league catcher, but he’s
still a couple of years away." A
sobering message on expectations of our prospect picks from Alan
Schwarz at ESPN.com. Schwarz, the Senior Writer of Baseball America,
offers the names of Brien Taylor, Josh Booty, Matt White, and Todd Van Poppel as
painful reminders of some of our "can't miss" draft picks : "
... Baseball prospects, whether we like it or not, require an incubation period
before being ready for prime time -- call it the minor leagues. Major league
skills are too esoteric to be grasped at a summer minicamp; sheer athleticism
won't cut it when a Mariano Rivera cutter is slicing past your wrists. (Put it
this way: When LeBron squares up, the hoop isn't moving 95 mph.) Baseball is a
game of repetition, of honing movements down to the millimeter and millisecond,
and prospects almost always need at least two or three seasons of 500 at-bats or
150 innings before developing the weapons required for the major league jungle.
Those who have tried to skip this apprenticeship invariably fall on their
faces."
Mets'
fans hoping pitching coach Rick Peterson can bring some of his
Mulder-Zito-Hudson success to Shea : "
... Part of the reason Peterson's staff in Oakland was so successful was because
he brought many of the pitchers to Birmingham, Ala., every spring to work out at
the American Sports Medicine Institute. The Institute was founded by renowned
sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews, and Peterson has been taking advantage of its
testing facilities since 1989 ... Peterson will be in Birmingham again this
year, taking 11 New York pitchers to work out and be tested. Aaron Heilman,
Jeremy Griffiths, Braden Looper, Scott Kazmir, Royce Ring, Matt Peterson, Bob
Keppel, Pat Strange, Jeremy Hill, Tyler Yates and Neal Musser will be
at ASMI on Tuesday and Wednesday to be tested and look for areas of improvement.
In addition to getting a comprehensive physical and orthopedic exam, the players
will throw a short bullpen session of up to 40 pitches. The sessions will be
filmed in high speed so Peterson can break down every motion in their
deliveries, thus coming up with the best possible plan to help them
improve." "
... This program could have an immediate impact on how New York's starting
rotation looks this year. Though the club signed Scott Erickson last week,
Heilman, Griffiths and Yates will be competing for the same fifth starter's spot
and something Peterson finds in Birmingham might give them an edge. Heilman has
already been working out in Port St. Lucie, Fla., for more than a month." (MLB.com) Cuban
defector gets a job with the Yanks : "
... Yankees sign Cuban third baseman to Class AAA contract. Interesting move,
bringing in Yobal Duenas, a 31-year-old slugger who recently defected
with pitcher Maels Rodriguez. The Yankees actually were scouting Rodriguez in
San Salvador, but decided to sign Duenas for just $60,000, which tells you how
thin their minor league system is, and how limited the options are at third base
in the post-Aaron Boone era. Given their experience with Orlando Hernandez, who
was actually two years older than he claimed to be when signing with the Yankees
in 1998, the Bombers have every right to wonder about Duenas' date of birth.
Then again, even if he does win the job in spring training, Duenas doesn't
figure as a long-term solution. The Yankees could sign one of next year's free
agents, Troy Glaus or Eric Chavez. Or the Yankees might do it the old-fashioned
way, grooming 19-year-old prospect Eric Duncan, last year's
first-round draft choice out of Seton Hall Prep, and let him become the third
baseman in 2006." (NorthJersey.com)
Oh
oh ... Jody Gerut CLE with an admission :
"
... Gerut has a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder. In October, it hurt so
bad, he couldn't lift a cup of coffee. It's better now, but the daring way Gerut
played last year as a rookie may have to be reconsidered. Gerut, who throws and
bats left-handed, has spent all winter pumping strength back into the shoulder.
He says he'll be ready when the regular season opens April 5. But he might have
to tiptoe his way through spring training. "It feels good to throw
now," said Gerut. "But if I take a collision or run into a wall, I
might hurt it. . . . The last thing I want to do is jar it in spring
training." (Cleveland Plain Dealer) Tike
Redman, CF for PIT ? "
... Nobody in baseball had more hits than Redman after his Aug. 1 call-up. He
tied Toronto's Vernon Wells with 76 hits in August and September. He also played
sound defense and ran the bases well, a 180-degree turn from 2001 when he looked
like a speedy kid who didn't hit, who looked lost in the field and on the
basepaths. Then after hitting .330 in 56 games with the Pirates, Redman played
54 games under bench coach Pete Mackanin in Venezuela. He hit .313 and drew 28
walks, boosting his on-base percentage to .402 ... it was the kind of
showing that has the Pirates thinking he could be the answer in center.
"Can he continue at that pace? I don't know," manager Lloyd McClendon
said. "We think we have a major-league center fielder and leadoff hitter.
He was one of the biggest surprises of the year. I don't think anybody would
have anticipated that. We feels he's only going to get better." (Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette) Who's
first? Rios or Quiroz ? "
... The race to the big leagues has begun. Place your bets: On the rail is
double-A Eastern League most valuable player, outfielder Alexis Rios. And
in the No. 2 hole is catcher Guillermo Quiroz. Which Blue Jays prospect
will make the majors first?" "
Rios hit .352 for New Haven, the third-highest average in the minors, with 11
homers ... in the Puerto Rican Winter League, Rios hit .348 with 12 homers
and 37 RBIs ... Jays No. 1 pick in 1999, Rios had 11 more RBIs in the
playoffs this season, the third-highest total in the league. Quiroz ... hit .282
with 20 homers and 79 RBIs at Double-A New Haven. The Venezuelan catcher has a
bright future. While Rios has some established outfielders ahead of him, Quiroz
has only Greg Myers, 37, and good-field, yet-to-hit Kevin Cash ...
"I'm not sure who will get there first, but I think Quiroz will blow past
Cash," said an opposing scout." (Toronto Sun) However,
a caution from Jays' GM J.P. Ricciardi with a comment on the club's AA operation
: "
... From our standpoint, we’re looking for guys to get their reps. Get their
400 to 500 at bats as everyday players, get their innings as pitchers. We’re
not looking to have guys jump from Double-A to the big leagues. If that happens,
that’s great. We believe in the A, Double-A, Triple-A process. We’re going
to try to keep our kids here. There’s really no need for us to rush them to
the big leagues, because our big league club is pretty well set, and our
Triple-A club is going to be very good." (Manchester Union Leader) Starters
as relievers, relievers as starters ... there's an idea for change in MIL :
"
... a plan percolating in the mind of the Milwaukee Brewers' general
manager, Doug Melvin. He is in the early stages of a plan to have relief
pitchers start some minor league games, then have starters come in beginning in
the third inning. "We want our starters to pitch important innings, the
eighth and ninth, and not look for the bullpen," Melvin, a former minor
league pitcher, said. "We want them to know it's their game. This is what
we're developing them for. Some guys never see the ninth inning." No
premium seems to be placed any longer on a pitcher's finishing what he starts.
Teams have closers, set-up men and set-up men for the set-up men. Melvin said he
didn't see the disappearance of a closer under his plan, but the starter would
at least have a better chance of pitching at the end of a game. "Even if
the relievers give up runs early," Melvin said, "you have more time to
come back than if a reliever gives up runs in the eighth and ninth."
... "We might consider it for one of our teams at a lower level, for the
fourth or fifth starters," Melvin said. "The minors is the place to
experiment," Melvin said. "It's just a matter of having enough nerve
to do it." (New York Times)
|
