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25 January, 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
 Winter
ball playoffs ... Alexis Rios TOR 2-4, homer, HBP ... Val Pascucci MON
3-3 ... Omar Infante DET 2-3 ... Miguel Cabrera FLO 2-4, 2
doubles ... Juan Rivera MON 3-4 ... Alfredo Amezaga
ANA 2-4, homer, but 2 errors.
You
think folks are anxious for baseball to begin? 11-thousand fans turned out
Saturday for the Brewers' Winter Tour : "
... This is probably the best event, since I've been here, that the Brewers have
put together," said outfielder Geoff Jenkins. ... Brewers On Deck featured
rotating groups of players participating in autograph and photo sessions and a
question and answer program ... Lines began forming at 9 a.m. ... for the noon
event, and by the time players like Jenkins took their places, fans stood
hundreds deep in lines that snaked throughout the sun-splashed mall. At 2:30,
the parking lot was packed with 12,000 cars." (MLB.com) With
good luck, the O's might be looking at a dynamite 1-2, lefty-righty punch atop
their mound staff in a couple of years. Seth Trachtman, at CREATiVESPORTS,
has John Maine and Adam Loewen 1-2 on the BAL Top 10 : "
... Maine established himself as one of the best pitching prospects in the
game last season. He works mainly off of a low-90s fastball ... movement is
outstanding. Despite that movement, he is able to continually throw strikes
... needs to improve his other offerings, but his fastball makes him a
possible Tim Hudson or Greg Maddux type pitcher in the future." "
... Loewen ... throws in the mid-90s with an excellent curveball. He
has seen limited pro action but was excellent in Short Season ball last season.
The Orioles believe that he could be a Mark Mulder type ace, if not better as he
matures." Along
with that combo, Trachtman has six more starters on his BAL list -- Matt Riley,
Denny Bautista, Brian FInch, Chris Ray,
Carlos Perez, and Ryan Hannaman. The glass half full
-- O's loaded in pitching. The glass half empty -- where are the position
players?
In
an organization known for pitching, Trachtman likes third baseman Andy Marte
as the best of the ATL prospects.
"
... Marte is considered by many as the best third base prospect in the game.
Comparisons to young Marlin Miguel Cabrera are what you will mostly hear from
scouts." And,
what's the score on Adam LaRoche, the No. 8 pick? "
... he is expected to start at first base for the Braves this season. The
24-year-old has hit well every step of the way in the minors and had a career
year between Double-A and Triple-A last season hitting close to .300 at each
level with 20 homers and 61 walks for the year. He may never be a superstar, but
the youngster has the ability to be a solid starter at first base in the
majors." After
a note from Kevin Goldstein, Baseball America, on Adriano Rosario ARZ
just had to double-check this guy. In his report on BA, Will Kimmey had some
interesting notes : "
... Rosario is so mature and confident on the mound that some low Class A
Midwest League observers questioned his age in 2003. But the Diamondbacks hired
a private investigator to verify his background before signing him for $400,000
just before the 2002 draft. A shortstop growing up, Rosario hit 98 mph at
Arizona's Dominican complex that April, causing scouting director Mike Rizzo to
immediately set aside his predraft duties to fly down to sign him ... has the
makings of three plus pitches ... Diamondbacks don't shy away from saying
Rosario has No. 1 starter potential." Age?
19 ! Question.
How come Dallas McPherson isn't on your ANA list of Spring Training
Invitees? Answer. McPherson, Bobby Jenks (and a few other top
prospects on other squads) are already on the 40-man rosters and will attend in
that capacity.
Shingo
Takatsu CHA, a possibility for your pen :
"
... Takatsu said that from watching TV and talking with friends Kazuhisa Ishii
and Shigetoshi Hasegawa, he understands he differences between the brand of
baseball he left and what's he's about to face. "I have only seen those
batters on TV. I could see the power," he said through a translator. During
a tryout, the White Sox scouted Takatsu, who had 260 career saves in 13 seasons
for the Yakult Swallows. When general manager Ken Williams watched tape, he
liked what he saw -- sinking and moving pitches, a sidearm delivery and an
ability as a right-hander to get out left-handed hitters ... "He will
get outs for us. This guy can pitch." ... Takatsu led the Central League
with 34 saves last year, going 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 44 games and at age 35 now
faces a new challenge. He's been at his best in the playoffs. He pitched in 10
Japanese Series games without surrendering a run, hence "Mr. Zero."
(Associated Press)
24 January, 2004 Troop
movements ... speaking of former, can't miss prospects ... CIN brought Todd
Van Poppel up to the 40-man roster ... Homer Bush, now what was that
dumb trade involving the Jays?, a minor league contract with the Yankees
...
Major
league scouts got a look at Cubans Maels Rodriguez and Yobal Duenas
Thursday at a workout in El Salvador : "
... We're going to start negotiations immediately," agent Henry Vilar said.
"The signings could be in a week or a month, but they're going to
come." Rodriguez, 24, was one of the best right-handed pitchers in Cuba and
Duenas, 31 was a top base stealer. Representatives of 15 teams, including the
New York Yankees and Mets, and the Boston Red Sox, attended Thursday's workout.
"Maels' arm is healthy. Yobel doesn't have injuries. They showed that
today," Vilar said. Rodriguez did not top 90 mph during the workout.
"The important thing is to show that I am very well physically, that the
arm is healthy," he said. Rodriguez said he and Duenas had been removed
from the Cuban team because there was talk that they wanted to
defect." (Associated Press) Seth
Trachtman, CREATiVESPORTS, takes Jeremy
Guthrie as the best of the CLE kids. "
... struggled in Triple-A last season, but he still has a chance to become an
ace in the majors. The 24-year-old former first round pick throws in the mid-90s
with outstanding secondary pitches and good ability to keep the ball in the
strike zone. However, he had an ERA over 6.00 in Triple-A last season after
dominating Double-A as he was having problems with his fastball within the
strike zone. If he is able to fix that problem, the majors will be a
breeze." Grady
Sizemore ranked No.2 and reliever Kazuhito Tadano won a Top
10 slot too : "
... among the best relief prospects in the game. He is an undersized pitcher
with a low-90s fastball and lots of other pitches that he throws with an odd
throwing motion. Last season he had an ERA below 2.00 and outstanding K/BB
numbers in Low-A and Double-A. He also faired well in a brief stint with
Cleveland. He projects as an excellent right-handed setup man in the majors but
also may get a chance to close somewhere down the line."
Josh
Hamilton TB anxious to get off to a new start : "
... Hamilton insists he is ready to go. He wouldn't say where he has been or
what he has been through. He wouldn't say what the problem was - the
"private non-baseball matter" - that led to his season long absence
and put his can't-miss career in jeopardy. He wouldn't fill in the who, what,
where, when or why. But he made it very clear Thursday he is ready to get back
on the baseball field, back in a Devil Rays uniform and back to work at becoming
the star player everyone was sure he would be. "Everything's good right
now," Hamilton said. "Nothing's wavered as far as ability or talent.
It's just being out there playing. That's the part I've missed." "
... An outfielder with a rifle arm and a powerful bat, Hamilton was supposed to
be the next great thing, skills as good or better than contemporaries Rocco
Baldelli and Carl Crawford and work ethic and desire that were off the charts.
But injuries delayed his progress, and the undisclosed personal problems that
surfaced last spring derailed his career. Some issues remain unclear, such as
whether he will be allowed to go to spring training next month, but Hamilton
said Thursday he was confident he could be the impact player he was supposed to
be and predicted he could be in the major leagues this season. "I am that
player," he said. "I always say that. I've just got to get back into
it. The longer I stay out, the harder it will be to get back into it ...
I'm looking forward to getting back into it, seeing all the guys again, hitting
some balls, showing (manager Lou) Piniella what I can really do."...
For the first time in years, he said, he feels good all-around. "I'm
healthy," he said ... He figures he'll start the season at Double-A
Montgomery (Ala.) but is confident he could be in the major leagues this
season." (St. Petersburg Times) John
Sickels, ESPN.com, takes a liking to LA's Franklin Gutierrez : "
... He is now one of the top prospects in the Los Angeles farm system, and one
of the more intriguing outfield prospects in the game ... oozes tools ... lean
and muscular, with the kind of body that can generate whip-like bat speed
... has enough range for center field, and enough arm strength for right.
With additional experience, he will be a fine defensive outfielder. His biggest
weakness is his plate discipline ... numbers were extremely impressive for
the pitching-strong Florida State League ... If he can close up the holes in his
swing, Gutierrez is the kind of hitter who can produce power, average and speed.
He's a potential Seven Skill guy."
Thanks
to David Farr for sleuthing the 'net to fill in some blanks in the NRI
(Non-Roster-Invitee) list.
23 January, 2004
Winter
ball playoffs ... Alexis Rios TOR, just 1-4, but .417 in the
playoffs ... Luis Matos BAL 1-3, .400 ...
Troop
movements ... also up for ST ... Cole Hamels, Gavin Floyd PHI ... Brad
Sullivan OAK ... Matt Cain and David Aardsma SF ... a
rotation spot was a longshot, but Jimy Williams' decision to hand the 5th spot
to Tim Redding, likely sends Carlos Hernandez to the minors
...
BJ
Upton topped Delmon Young for No.1 on the TB prospect list at OnDeck.
Scott Rex wrapped up his first go-through of all the teams, making a surprise
pick at No. 3 -- Josh Hamilton.
Seth
Trachtman at CREATiVESPORTS is whipping
through his Top 10s with the Mets now up and with a potential ace at the highest
rung of the prospect ladder : "
... Scott Kazmir ... one of the best pitching prospects in the game ...
throws in the mid-90s with an outstanding slider. The repertoire compares to
Randy Johnson, but unlike Johnson, Kazmir is undersized at six feet tall. The
20-year-old had a 105/28 K/BB ratio in 76.1 innings pitched in the Sally League
and a 40/16 K/BB ratio in 33 innings pitched in High-A. He needs more time to
work on his control and developing other pitches, but eventually he could be an
ace." Down
at No.8, Trachtman went with Lastings Milledge : "
... could be a 30-30 man in the majors if he develops. Still very raw, there is
some concern over Milledge’s plate discipline. Many tools players lack plate
discipline, which makes him a high risk, high reward proposition." Seth
has also added the ANA report and ... what an awesome farm system -- with
Callapso, McPherson and Jenks at 4-5-6 ! At the top -- Kotchman, Mathis
& Santana : "
... The artist formerly known as the other Johan Santana, Ervin was a
participant in Age Gate. Prior to last season, he became about 10 months older.
The 21-year-old is still among the best pitching prospects in baseball with a
mid-90s fastball that he can keep in the strike zone along with a good secondary
repertoire ... If Santana can continue to make progress with his control, he
should be an excellent major league starter." Alberto
Callaspo might be your leadoff guy in a couple of years : "
... is among the best second base prospects in the game. The 20-year-old hit
.327 in Single-A last season with 20 steals and outstanding plate discipline
... solid in the field. If he continues to develop, we could be looking at
another Luis Castillo." A
couple of names of interest in the 2004 Pre-season All-America Team at Baseball
America. The report, by John Manuel, is based on the evaluations of major
league scouting directors : "
... SS Stephen Drew ... tools are solid across the board ... overcame a
broken foot in the first week of 2002 to become BA's Freshman of the Year,
hitting .402-16-54. His numbers dropped as a sophomore as he was pitched around
... should stay at shortstop as a pro with further experience and
refinement. If not, he could be an offensive second baseman in the Todd Walker
mold. The questions scouts have deal with Drew's makeup. One AL scouting
director summed him up: "Drew is an enigma--nobody really knows him or his
abilities. He's been hurt and never plays in the summer. His character and
intangibles are totally unknown." " ... P
Jeff Niemann ... ,Some scouts have a hard time seeing past Niemann's
size: "How many 6-foot-9 pitchers do you see in the big
leagues?" It's likely to soon be one more than you've seen before,
because Niemann has all the ingredients. He tied an NCAA record for wins
without a loss in 2003 ... resembles ex-big leaguer Jeff Juden, big and
strong at 260 pounds, though his makeup is completely different
... throws in the low to mid-90s with a great downhill plane and a
tremendous knuckle-curve. He also throws a slider and changeup that are
average pitches."
Woudln't
it something if both these Dodger lefties were healthy and ready to contribute
? Hong-Chih Kuo and Greg Miller both worked out last week at
Dodger Stadium : "
... Kuo, now 22 and in his fifth star-crossed season ... In four years, he has
pitched in 15 games and undergone three operations. Nonetheless, the Dodgers
protected him from exposure to the Rule 5 draft in December, because they
believe he still has a good shot of fulfilling the promise ... "It
feels good," Kuo said of the elbow after the workout. "It feels better
than ever. Awesome." When you are going on your fifth year of injury
rehabilitation, you really have nothing, if not hope ... Pat Screnar, the
longtime Dodger physical therapist who is overseeing Kuo's latest comeback.
"It's 10 months out from the surgery and he's just started throwing to a
catcher, but so far it's going well." "
... "The tendinitis is completely gone," Miller said ...
"Last year there was general tightness. Now that's gone and I'm free and
loose again. Now I'm working on building up strength in the shoulder. I'll be
good to go for Spring Training." ... How important is Miller? For one
thing, general manager Dan Evans has pretty much made Miller and fellow pitcher
Edwin Jackson untouchable, to the point that Evans has chosen to take heat from
fans and media rather than trade them away for the hitter the Dodgers
desperately need." "
... Although he's left-handed and throws hard, he said he patterns his style
after Greg Maddux. "It's only recently that I added velocity," he
said. "I've always watched Maddux, the way he approaches the hitters. You
can tell he has a purpose with every pitch. As a young kid, it's more important
learning control than velocity. I've filled out about 30 pounds since high
school. I guess that's where the velocity has come from. My velocity seems to
increase each month." Miller said he needs the most work on refining his
changeup. His manager at Double-A wasn't that critical. "I'm in awe of this
guy," said Double-A Jacksonville manager Dino Ebel, who enjoyed three
dominating Miller starts after his promotion from Single-A before the shutdown.
"This guy is very special. He will be a legit No. 1 starter in the Major
Leagues if he stays healthy." (Ken Gurnick, MLB.com) Hmmm
... maybe I won't keep 'em. Tim Polko, RotoHelp, on Rafael
Betancourt CLE : "
... finally appears ready to contribute steadily in the majors thanks to a
strong performance that built on his minor league success. In 2003 he compiled a
1.39 ERA and 16 Saves on a 75:13 K:BB in 5.1 IP over 31 G with 33 H and 0 HR at
AA Akron(EL), and his continued dominance with the Indians gives him a great
shot to break camp with the club this year. Unfortunately, despite his excellent
command, a .37 G-F and a .881 OOPS allowed against left-handers rather limits
his value. Cleveland probably doesn't prioritize carrying a righty specialist
with obvious downside, so while I see no reason he can't echo these stats given
his overall solid skills, he isn't worth drafting until he proves his 2003
numbers weren't a fluke."
22 January, 2004
Winter
ball playoffs ... Luis Matos BAL 2-3 walk, double ... Enrique Cruz
MIL 3-3, homer, 4 RBI ... Jose Castillo PIT 2-5, homer, 2 RBI ...
Troop
movements ... There
was a time ... Russ Branyan as one of the most highly prized prospects
... just got on with ATL, minor league contract ... Brad Cresse obtained
by MON ...Dustin
Nippert, Adriano Rosario, Craig Ansman among the
ARZ prospects to get ST invitations ... Jeremy Reed to get ST time
with the WSox ... Shingo Takatsu, close to signing with CHA : "
... Takatsu has 260 career saves, passing Kazuhiro Sasaki last year for the No.
1 spot in Japan history. He has topped the 30-save mark four times, including a
career-high 37 in 2001. Takatsu had 34 saves last season for the Yakult
Swallows, best in the Central League. The 34-year-old is nicknamed "Mr.
Zero" because he's never given up an earned run in the Japan Series. The
Swallows have won four titles, and Takatsu has been on the mound when they've
clinched each of them." (Associated Press) Third
sacker from Japan coming to LA, but just for Spring Training : "
... Kintetsu Buffaloes infielder Norihiro Nakamura ... will head to Vero
Beach, Fla., after working out with the Buffaloes from Feb. 1-10 ... Nakamura,
30, batted .236 for the Buffaloes last season and hit 23 homers while driving in
67 runs. In December 2002, Nakamura backed out of a deal to join the New York
Mets and decided to remain with the Pacific League team." (Associated
Press) Crossovers
updated to show all from the actual SS lists. Some teams with enough NRI's
to stock another team.
Thank
you! Just happened to check in on the home locations of JDM visitors and I
continue to be amazed at the reach -- a couple of countries I had to look
up! (Is there any baseball played in Finland? Iceland? The countries : Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, China, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia (Hrvatska),
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico,
Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand (Aotearoa), Niue, Norway, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia,
Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands,
Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela
Dayn
Perry, FoxSports, has the 2nd installment of his Top 100 and there's an
eye-opener right at the top (No. 81) : "
... Gavin Floyd ... a favorite of the scouts. He throws a hard fastball
and changes speeds well. His curve is arguably the best in the low minors. He's
still working on his change, but he's got plenty of time. Floyd's performance to
date has been solid, if not overwhelming ... His stuff is beyond reproach,
and I think eventually the stats will reflect that. Right now, however, the
numbers just don't justify granting him elite status. At this juncture, he's
overrated in most circles." The
Brewers, already enjoying a good-looking farm with the likes of Rickie Weeks,
Prince Fielder and JJ Hardy, have more on the way. Perry selected third
baseman Corey Hart for the No. 82 position and catcher Lou Palmisano
at No. 90 :
"
... Hart is a tall, lanky type who's not really suited to third base, and
eventually he may be moved to first or an outfield corner ... Particularly
encouraging is that in his first taste of the high minors, he whacked 40 doubles
while playing half his games in a pitcher's park. He's a career .300 hitter with
projectable power. To become an elite prospect, he'll need to improve his plate
discipline. Still, he's got some impressive skills." "
... Palmisano ... signed quickly and had time for a strong season in the Pioneer
League. Perhaps "strong" is an understatement: 174 at bats, .391 AVG/.458
OBP/.592 SLG. He's obviously off to a fine start, and he plays a key defensive
position. He'll need to prove himself at the higher levels, but so far so
good."
Aaron
Gleeman, Aaron's Baseball Blog, on Joe Blanton (in refflecting upon the A's
"Moneyball" draft) and Joe Mauer :
"
... The first player to make a major league impact from that draft will likely
be Joe Blanton, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Kentucky
that the A's took #24 overall. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in Oakland by
mid-season and he has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Zito, Mulder,
Hudson and Harden and become the next great, young, homegrown Oakland
pitcher." "
... have praised Joe Mauer as a prospect many times. I believe he is the
best prospect in baseball right now and that he will have an extremely
successful career as a starting catcher in the major leagues. Each time I write
about Mauer, I get bombarded will emails from people asking me how I can be so
high on a player who has yet to show any sort of power as a professional. I
usually reply that power is oftentimes the last part of a hitter's game to
develop and that Mauer is still very young ... I will certainly have a lot
more on this subject in the coming months, but let me just say that I don't
think Joe Mauer is going to show much power as a rookie this season. I do think
he will eventually develop into a well above-average power threat ... If
Joe Mauer doesn't develop any power, he's a left-handed Jason Kendall. If he
does develop power, he's a left-handed Johnny Bench. Frankly, neither of those
options sound too bad."
Might
be some interesting conversations on the Mets' infield this season as Jose
Reyes and Kazuo Matsui get acquainted : "
... There is a language barrier -- Matsui doesn't speak English and Reyes
doesn't speak Japanese -- but no one is expecting that to be a problem once they
take the field. The two are expected to go through some workouts with (infield
coach Mike) Galante later this week ... the early returns on Jose Reyes' move to
second base are nothing but positive ... He's already been working out for the
better part of a month in the Dominican Republic, recently spending time with
Chico Fernandez, one of the club's infield instructors, and former Major Leaguer
Rafael Belliard. General manager Jim Duquette said that Reyes is proving to be a
quick learner. The hardest part has been learning how to turn the double play
from the opposite side of the infield but Reyes doesn't view that as a problem
in the long run." "
... If Reyes was at all perturbed about having to switch positions when the club
signed Kaz Matsui in December, he hasn't let it show. He's handled the entire
move with a considerable amount of maturity, eager to please the front office
and the team any way he can ... Reyes said the severely sprained ankle he
suffered on Aug. 31 is 95 percent healed. And while the ankle still has to be
heavily wrapped, not being 100 percent healthy won't prevent him playing."
(MLB.com)
21 January, 2004
Troop
movements ... some CLE kids up for ST ... Kazuhito Tadano, Michael
Aubrey, Brad Snyder ...
Zack
Greinke grabs the No.1 slot in the latest Top 100, from Kevin Wheeler, The
Sporting News. Wheeler selected Prince Fielder next, Joe
Mauer at No.3, Edwin Jackson and Bobby Crosby
ran 4-5. Rounding out the upper echelon of the list -- Bobby Reed,
Scott Kazmir, Justin Morneau, Chin-Hui
Tsao and Josh Barfield.
John
Sickels, ESPN.com, on third baseman Eric Duncan NYA :
"
... Yankees drafted Duncan in the first round in '03, out of high school ...
biggest question about him is defense: he may not have the range to play third
base in the long run, and could get shifted over to first at some point. With
the stick, he draws comparisons to Brad Fullmer ... Overall I really do like his
bat, and if he can hone the strike zone just a bit more, he's going to be a very
impressive hitter. I think the Fullmer comparisons are apt. Duncan should hit
for both power and average. He's probably three years away though." TB
could have a new look in centre, but ... big "but" ...
"
... Devil Rays LF Carl Crawford led the A.L. with 55 stolen bases last season
and hit .281, but he could be traded for a top pitcher if CF Joey Gathright
develops as expected. Gathright, 21, has less power than Crawford, but he could
hit for just as high an average, steal more bases and force Rocco Baldelli to
right field. One scout says Gathright is "the fastest I've ever seen, and
I'm going back to Willie Wilson, guys like that." (The Sporting News)
Terry
Pluto, Akron Beacon Journal, with some interesting notes on some CLE kids : "
... Look for Victor Martinez to play at least 30 games at first
base this season, which is an excellent idea. Martinez was a .289 hitter with
one homer and 16 RBI in 159 at-bats, but that doesn't tell the story. He got off
to a slow start when promoted from Class AAA Buffalo in June, hitting only .205
before the All Star break. He was at .322 after the break ... Martinez will be
the regular catcher, but with solid receivers Josh Bard and Tim Laker behind
him, why wear him out? The offense-challenged Tribe needs his bat fresh, and
some time at first base would help." "
... Word is Ryan Ludwick's recovery from knee surgery is ``going a
little slow.'' That means Ludwick might not be able to play much outfield early
in spring training. More important, it also puts on hold the idea of working him
at first base, where he could have platooned with Hafner or Broussard. Ludwick
is still a big part of their plans. He had hip surgery two years ago, then knee
surgery last fall, so they don't want to take any chances. Ludwick's
recovery means more spring-training exposure for Alex Escobar, and
a tremendous chance for him to claim a starting job in right field. The Indians
were excited about Escobar cutting down his swing and showing flashes of what
scouts have long loved when he came up in September." "
... Maicer Isturiz ... viewed mostly as a big-league utility
infielder. The Indians have kids such as Brandon Phillips and Jhonny
Peralta ranked ahead of him. Shapiro believes Peralta ``can be a big
surprise'' this spring. The Indians still see him as the shortstop of the
future. They also think he can play some third base. He won't be 22 until the
end of May, and he didn't embarrass himself in 77 games with the Tribe last
season, when he batted .227 and did a solid job with the glove at short." Weird
eh? Now that the Expos are sure to leave, the stadium is to get a new
surface to replace the rock-like playing field ... FieldTurf is to be
installed for this season. Another
view on Hawksworth vs Wainwright. From Matthew Pouliot's Top 100 at
RotoWorld : "
... 92. Blake Hawksworth ... Although he’s a former 28th-round
pick with just 163 innings under his belt, Hawksworth is the Cardinals’ top
homegrown prospect. In the team’s defense, Hawksworth wasn’t a typical
28th-rounder, signing as a draft and follow in 2002. If he had gone back into
the draft, he probably would have been a first-round selection. Hawksworth, who
missed time last season with an ankle problem, throws in the low-90s and has a
quality curveball. His changeup should develop into an effective third offering.
If things break right, he could become a No. 2 starter." "
... 23. Adam Wainwright ... The 2000 first-round pick’s stock
began to dip after a slow start at Greenville, but he turned things around in
the second half and finished 10th in the Southern League in ERA. Wainwright has
a low-90s fastball and a plus curve and change. Of some concern is that, with a
career ERA of 3.37, he’s never really displayed the ability to dominate minor
league hitters. Still, he is making steady progress and his strikeout rate
remains strong. He should make his major league debut this year and eventually
settle in as a No. 2 starter." Pedro
Feliz in line for full-time at bats in SF : "
... Feliz, 28, hit .247 with 16 home runs and 48 RBI in a backup role last
season. The Giants plan to use Feliz as an everyday player in 2004, either at
third base, first base or the outfield. "He's going to be given as much
playing time as we can possibly get him," general manager Brian Sabean said
recently. "His production on a per at-bat basis is too strong to
ignore." (Associated Press)
20 January, 2004
Winter
ball playoffs ... Franklin Gutierrez LA 2-3 ... Alberto Callaspo
ANA 2-4 ... Juan Rivera MON 2-4, homer ...
The
Scoresheet player lists are up ... the spreadsheet friendly (should be a snap to
download the text information into your spreadsheet program). NL
list. AL list. Interesting
... the first base picks in the two Top 100s available thus far. Matthew Pouliot,
RotoWorld, likes Prince Fielder as the best of the bunch (No. 5 overall)
:
"
... Fielder ... destroyed Midwest League pitching last season, taking home MVP
honors. With his power, ability to make consistent contact and plate discipline,
there’s every reason to believe that Fielder will develop into an All-Star and
maybe even the next Jason Giambi ... Since he has only Lyle Overbay left ahead
of him at first base, Fielder could reach Milwaukee in the second half of
2005."
Justin
Morneau MIN also ranked in the Top 10 overall (No. 8) :
"
... Morneau remains an outstanding prospect. The Twins aren’t thrilled with
his defense and may end up making him their long-term DH, but they will have
need of his bat this season, even though they’ll go with Matthew LeCroy over
him initially. Morneau is certain to have some .300-30-110 seasons in the
majors." And,
Pouliot hangs in with Jason Stokes picking the FLO first sacker as
the third-best 1B (No. 24 overall) :
"
... At least some of Stokes’ problems in 2003 can be traced back to the wrist
surgery he had following a breakthrough 2002 season in which he hit
.341/.421/.645 in 97 games for low Single-A Kane County. He should be able to
shake the bad habits that manifested, especially in the Arizona Fall League,
once he’s all the way back in 2004. Stokes has exceptional power potential and
could be a Richie Sexson-type player someday." Casey
Kotchman ANA ranked No. 31 and James Loney No. 36. Earlier,
Mike Gullo, MinorsFirst, had them rated quite differently -- Morneau (No.9
overall), Kotchman (13), Loney (24), Fielder (27) and Stokes way back at
#76. The Baseball Notebook, David Luciani, had Fielder rated No.1 overall,
but after that his first base rankings are, at least, an eye-opener (going to
have to read more about his system, I must be missing something). Luciano
doesn't include Kotchman or Morneau in the Top 100 and James Loney ranks #77
(18th among first sackers). As
John Lott points out in The National Post, many Canadians are hoping Morneau is
still in the minors in August and thus a possibility for Canada's Olympic team
for the Athens competition.
19 January, 2004
Winter
ball playoffs ... Oliver Perez PIT 6.1 2 2 2 1 5 ... hmmm, this kid Vinny
Castilla looks OK, 1-3, 3rd playoff homer ... after a little cool
spell, Alexis Rios TOR 3-4, homer, 2 RBI ...
Scoresheet player lists likely up
today (Monday). Joe
Mauer MIN at the top in Matthew
Pouliot's Top 100 at RotoWorld.com. That comes as no surprise, but how
about the runnerup? Chin Hui Tsao COL : "
... He’ll never put up great stats while pitching half his games in Coors
Field, but Tsao ... is arguably the best pitching prospect in the game right
now. Signed out of Taiwan in 1999, Tsao is back throwing 91-95 mph after making
a full recovery from Tommy John surgery. His biggest weapon is a hard slider,
and his changeup is developing into an above average offering. Control has never
been any kind of a problem for him. Tsao is virtually guaranteed a spot in this
year’s rotation. He’s a future ace for Colorado." Zack
Greinke KC ranked #3, Jeremy Reed CHA #4 and Prince Fielder
MIL at #5. Cole
Hamels PHI was the top-rated LHP, coming in at #9 overall : "
... Hamels ... didn’t make his pro debut until May, but he wasted no time in
establishing himself as one of the top pitching prospects in the minors,
completely overmatching South Atlantic League hitters. Armed with a low-90s
fastball, a great changeup and a curveball that shows potential, he looks like a
future ace. He just needs to avoid injuries. If he’s able to put in a full
season in 2004, he could be ready to help the Phillies in 2005. He’s so
talented that an August or September addition to this year’s club can’t be
ruled out." ATL's
Andy Marte, at #16 overall, was the top third sacker : "
... Marte’s 2003 numbers aren’t especially impressive until one recognizes
that they were amassed in one of the toughest places for hitters in the minors
... it’s easy to see why Marte, who turned 20 in October, is considered
perhaps the game’s best third base prospect. The native of the Domincan
Republic has Eric Chavez-like offensive ability and should be average
defensively once he matures. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that he’ll
be the Braves’ third baseman on Opening Day 2005." Cubs'
Angel Guzman likely on the sidelines until after ST. Daily Southtown
"
... suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder, had surgery and missed
the rest of the season. Despite the setback, Baseball America has named Guzman
the Cubs' top prospect, and USA Today Sports Weekly tabbed him as the
organization's top pitching prospect. All eyes will be on Guzman in spring
training again as the Cubs monitor how well the 22-year-old is recovering. It's
doubtful Guzman will see any action in Cactus League games, but the Cubs hope he
can pitch in the minors by May. While Baker was impressed with the kid in 2003,
he doesn't want to rush Guzman's return. "He has some more work to do in
the minor leagues," Baker said. "In the past, maybe the Cubs forte was
to rush guys too soon. You build them up so much and when they get there, they
don't do anything. "I would rather have a guy go down there (to the minors)
and tear it up and get here on a supreme confidence high than to come in hoping.
"It's like going to school. It's going to be hard to get C's your sophomore
year and think you're going to get A's all of a sudden in your junior year. You
might do it. But you have to work harder at it on the next level." Felipe
Lopez still in CINCY's plans, but health a major concern :
"
... Lopez's season at Louisville ended on July 25 with a horrendous ankle
injury. "We all know that it was a very serious injury," general
manager Dan O'Brien said. "He wasn't expected to be ready until late in
spring training. But all reports are he's ahead of schedule. He should be ready
for the start or very near the start of spring." But O'Brien wants Lopez to
be concerned with making sure his ankle, which was dislocated in a collision at
home, is OK. "We're not going to put any expectations on him," O'Brien
said. "We won't make any plans for him until we observe how he responds to
baseball activity." Lopez could play his way into the Reds' plans. He is
only 23. The Reds thought enough of Lopez to give up Elmer Dessens, arguably
their best pitcher in 2002, for him. Lopez hit .213 with five home runs and 13
RBI in 59 games last year. But he showed flashes of the talent that made him a
first round draft choice in 1998 ... who will be Larkin's long-term replacement
is still up in the air. Lopez could play his way into the picture this year.
"That's certainly a possibility," O'Brien said. "But it's not
fair to him to make any judgments on him early in the spring." (The
Cincinnati Enquirer) CIN
to use pitch counts to limit the wear and tear on their young arms : "
... The Reds have adopted a strict pitch-count system for their minor leagues at
the Single-A level and below. Starters will be limited to 75 pitches. To make it
work, the lower level clubs will use eight-man rotations. Two starters will work
every game. They'll alternate starting and relieving. "There's two reasons
for it," O'Brien said. "We're trying to increase the internal
productivity as far as pitching. Secondly, we want to address the unusually high
number of injuries we've had with our young pitchers." By alternating
starting and relieving, the Reds will also get an idea of which role a player is
better suited for. Tim Naehring, the club's director of player development, sees
another benefit of the system. "In high school and college pitchers pitch
away from contact because of the aluminum bat," he said. "This will
force them to throw strikes or they're only going to be in there three or four
innings." The pitch count will be raised to 100 in Double-A and 110 in
Triple-A." (The Cincinnati Enquirer) Over
at Baseball Prospectus, Nate SIlver has done an analysis of the
prognosticators. He used six projections from 2003, including BP's PECOTA
system, Shandler's BBHQ and Ken Warren. Ken came out incredibly well in
the six hitting measures, topping the field outright in three categories, tied
for first in two and tied for second best in the other. Overall, PECOTA
topped the field by capturing all six of the pitching categories. An
interesting exercise. Ken is publishing his work this season, Ballpark Figures
2004, and copies are now available. Contact
Ken for further information.
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