31 January, 2004

    Winter ball playoffs ...  Miguel Cabrera FLO 2-3, 2 homers, 4 RBI ... the Caribbean championship series begins Sunday in the Dominican ... with squads from Venezuela, Dominican, Mexico and Puerto Rico. 

    Troop movements ... Garth Brooks back for ST ... this time with the Royals ... 

    John Sickels, ESPN.com, sees a bright future of KC outfielder David Dejesus, if he can stay healthy : 

" ... There is little to criticize in DeJesus' numbers. He's not a big power guy, but he gets on base, draws walks, doesn't strike out much, and hits for average ... hit well in Triple-A, and is very close to being ready for full-time major league action ...  Even when everything seems to be going well, the possibility of injuries sabotaging DeJesus' progress lurks in the background ... His biggest problem in '03 was his shoulder, which he injured in spring training. It bothered him all year, limiting him to 88 games ... With Carlos Beltran still around, and the signing of Juan Gonzalez and Matt Stairs, the Royals have no immediate need to push DeJesus into a starting role in 2004. He could still make the roster as a reserve, where his defensive skills would certainly be valuable  ... the Royals see DeJesus as the replacement in center field for Beltran in 2005, so they may want him to get a full year of Triple-A under his belt rather than rust on the bench."

    Bryan Stroh, The Cub Reporter, has Angel Guzman atop the Cubs' prospect list in his third installment on the Cubbies' farm system : 

" ... he handled the jump to AA with ease, and reports were that his "stuff" remained outstanding. His sinker is a true "plus-plus" pitch ...  His curve has a sharp downward break and he can throw it to both lefties and righties. His change is his weakest pitch, but that speaks more to quality of his sinker and curve than his change ... Unfortunately, Guzman's velocity dipped midseason and then word got out that he was having some shoulder discomfort. After consulting with doctors, Guzman had arthroscopic surgery and was shutdown for the season. As with most players, the party line is that Guzman will be fine in the long term, though Jim Hendry let it slip recently that he thinks Guzman will be about a month behind the rest of the pitchers this Spring ... Guzman has the type of stuff to be a #1 or #2 guy in a rotation, though with the Cubs he might have to settle for #3 or #4 ... Andy MacPhail said that if Guzman had not been injured last year, the Cubs would have won the World Series. That is a strong statement about a kid who was in AA and hadn't even thrown a pitch in the big leagues before his injury. Clearly the Cubs have big plans for Guzman." 

2003 draft pick Ryan Harvey ranks No. 7 

" ...   didn't see competitive action until the last few weeks of the Arizona League as the Cubs wanted him to continue rehabbing the knee that he had injured the year before in a showcase game. He was pretty rusty and it showed - he only hit .235 and some managers in the league didn't see the quick bat that they had heard so much about. It's far too early to start picking apart Harvey's statistics, so we'll just have to rely on his scouting reports. Many scouts compared Harvey to a young Dale Murphy at the time of the draft - an athletic power speed combination. One scout even said he's one of the fastest 6'5" kids he has ever seen ... Hopefully Harvey will start with a clean slate this year, and the Cubs will likely take a cautious approach with him and send him to Boise. Next year, we'll probably be talking about the same issues - that he is still very young and hasn't played against exceptional competition yet, but that his potential is clear."

    Brandon Larson gets the thumbs up from new CIN manager Dave Miley :

" ... Miley said third base belongs to Larson until further notice. "He is at the top of the list, he gets the opportunity," Miley said. "I've seen him at his best and know what he can do." Miley was Larson's manager at Class AAA Louisville when the Reds' No. 1 draft pick (1997) hit .340 with 25 homers and 60 RBIs in only 297 at-bats in 2002 ... Miley was his manager at Cincinnati when he was called back up and was 3-for-31 before his season ended with shoulder surgery. "He tried to accomplish too much, tried too hard to do too much," Miley said. "I have to do a lot to get between his ears to help his confidence. He felt too much pressure at the start of last season when Aaron Boone was moved from third to second base to make room for Brandon. And he has had injury issues." (Dayton Daily News)

    Jim Callis, Baseball America, on Alexis Rios TOR vs Delmon Young TB : 

" ... Rios and Young are arguably the two best outfield prospects in the game, though I'd also put Grady Sizemore in there with them. Though Rios is more athletic, runs better and has a chance to play center field, I'd pick Young over him both for overall ceiling and power. Rios can do more things but Young will be a more dangerous hitter, and that's ultimately what they're going to be judged on. Rios is starting to show more home run power and had a monster winter in Puerto Rico, but he doesn't quite have the same pop that Young does. Once they get established in the majors, I could see Young hitting .300 with 40 homers annually, and Rios batting .320 with 30 longballs."

    Will Kimmey, Baseball America, with notes on Mitch Maier KC (forget it if you were counting on him as your future behind the plate) and JJ Hardy MIL : 

" ... The Royals are still looking for a defensive home for Mitch Maier, the player they believe is the best pure hitter in the organization ...  was behind the plate as he hit .350-2-45 in his pro debut last summer. He moved to third base, a position of little depth in the organization, during instructional league, but is set to make his 2004 debut in the outfield for low Class A Burlington ...  Royals figure playing an outfield corner (alongside No. 5 overall pick Chris Lubanski) should allow Maier to concentrate more on developing his bat so he can move quickly."

" ... If the Brewers could draw up the perfect scenario for J.J. Hardy this year, it would have the shortstop prospect playing between three and five games per week in Milwaukee ... "He's the guy of the future," scouting director Jack Zduriencik said. "He's a special kid in terms of what's between his ears and his heart." Hardy hit 279-12-62 last year at Huntsville. “He can be a good offensive player,” Zduriencik said. “He competed at Double-A at age 20, and had a good walk-strikeout ratio (58-54) while making steady improvement.”

    Giants general manager Brian Sabean ... Todd Linden, not in 2004 plans :

" ... Our obvious strength is with young pitching, but we have position players that will be ready very shortly to contribute on the Major League level." Which brings us to rookie outfielder Todd Linden, a potential star with good credentials. He's a comer, but Sabean expects Linden to get more seasoning and not be on the big club this year ... unless he improves dramatically with Triple-A Fresno or injuries decimate the veterans, he'll have to wait his turn. "Most Major League everyday players have the benefit of between 1,500 and over 2,000 at-bats in the minor leagues," said Sabean. "Obviously Todd is way ahead of schedule with his development, but we feel a full year in Triple-A will probably benefit him the most. "

" ...  ... On other issues, Sabean said rehabbing pitcher Jesse Foppert, who underwent Tommy John surgery last September, could possibly pitch in the minor leagues at the end of 2004; infielder Pedro Feliz will get perhaps 300 at-bats this year; pitcher Ryan Jensen, who won 13 games in 2002 but faltered last season, is working hard to improve conditioning. (MLB.com)
   

30 January, 2004

    Troop movements ... Kazuhiro Sasaki has cleared waivers, thus back to Japan ... amazing in this era of greed that anyone would voluntarily give up millions of dollars ... 

     The Blue Jays ... a system with depth on the mound & in the field.  The top three prospects -- Starter Dustin McGowan, outfielder Alexis Rios and catcher Guillermo Quiroz are familiar to most, but Seth Trachtman, CREATiVESPORTS, in his TOR Top 10 offers a few lesser-known, but potentially valuable young guns :

" ... 4. David Bush ... Some argue that Bush is even better than Dustin McGowan. His stuff is not as good, throwing in the low-90s, but his control is as good as anyone in the minors ... As more of a finesse pitcher, he looks like an excellent arm to complement Roy Halladay and McGowan."

" ... 5. Josh Banks ... second-round pick in 2003, Banks is already looking like a major steal. He throws in the low-90s with a wide repertoire and outstanding control. He had a 2.43 ERA and 81/10 K/BB ratio in 66.2 innings pitched in Low-A during his pro debut."

And, down in the "others" category, yet another possible moundsman :

" ... Brandon League ... throws in the high-90s with decent control, though he struggled in High-A. If he is able to reestablish himself, he has the potential to be another Halladay."

     Edwin Jackson LA ... the early lead in the competition for 5th starter :

" ... Jackson made such a strong impression in his first three major league starts last September that, three weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, Dodger Manager Jim Tracy has penciled the 20-year-old right-hander into his starting rotation. "After how he performed last year, in the circumstances we exposed him to, he would have to pitch his way out of the rotation in spring training" to not make the opening-day roster, Tracy said Wednesday. "I like him as the No. 5 starter. That's the right spot for a 20-year-old kid, a spot where we can control his environment some. But he will not be on this team coming out of spring training as a bullpen guy, because his development is way too important to start considering him as a long reliever or middle-relief guy." ... Tracy said Nomo, Odalis Perez, Jeff Weaver and Kazuhisa Ishii probably would fill the first four rotation spots, and he expects Wilson Alvarez and Darren Dreifort, if he recovers fully from knee surgery, to compete with Jackson for the fifth spot. (LA Times)

     The Drew Henson saga :

" ... (Yankees general manager Brian) Cashman did say that Drew Henson is "not one of the leading guys" to replace Boone. "He's on our 40-man roster and he's in the same mix that he is every spring," Cashman said. "But it's fair to say that [Enrique] Wilson, [Miguel] Cairo and [Erick] Almonte are ahead of him in the competition for the starting job." Cashman also said that he spoke recently with Henson's agent, Casey Close. "He told me Drew is thinking more about the NFL than he has in the past," Cashman said. "He has not officially made a decision [to abandon baseball] and we are not currently negotiating to buy him out." (Newsday)

     Baseball America, in its superb coverage of US college ball, sees righthander Jeff Niemann of Rice as the early favourite to be the first pick in the June draft.  Niemann went 17-0, 1.70 last season (35 walks, 156 Ks in 137 innings).

29 January, 2004

    Troop movements ... just in case you can't find his listing ... PIT pitching prospect Ian Oquendo, who used to be Ian Snell, is back to Mr. Snell. 

    With drafts already underway, a reminder of some helpful links :  2004 Top 10 Prospect Lists, 2004 Top 100 Prospect Lists, Spring Training Invitees, Crossovers, 2003 Minor League Stats 1 (Hitters, by OPS, by AAA, AA, A, Short Season, OBA, SLG, Walks, Ks, SBs, Errors), 2003 Minor League Stats 2 (Pitchers, by ERA, AAA, AA, A, Short Season, Ks & Hitters by position).

In a couple of drafts underway, here's how it's gone early -- Vlad, Vazquez, Schilling, Sheffield, K Brown and, in another draft Kazuo Matsui went first overall, then Rickie Weeks.  Delmon Young was the next young gun, and other prospects in this order -- Jeff Allison, Juan Cruz, Ryan Wagner, Merkin Valdez, Maels Rodriguez, Chad Cordero, Doug Waechter, Denny Bautista, Adam LaRoche.  

    Dayn Perry, FoxSports, with his third installment of his Top 100 offers some hope to owners of catcher Justin Huber, ranked No. 72 :

" ... turned heads in 2001 with a very strong season in the rookie-level Appalachian League. Since then, he's had some struggles climbing through the system, but he's still a reasonably strong prospect. Huber shows decent patience at the plate, good gap power and a strong throwing arm. He doesn't have the upside of elite catching prospects like Joe Mauer or Jeff Mathis, but he should be at least a league-average starting catcher in the majors for several years."

The top overall pick in the 2000 draft, Adrian Gonzalez rated No. 75, just ahead of TOR first sacker Vito Chiaravolloti : 

" ... a 15th-round find for the Jays in 2003. He's only season action in the short-season NY-Penn League, but what a season it was. Vito hit .351, drew 47 walks against 228 at bats and slugged a whopping .605. It's way too early to get overly excited about him, but those are some very impressive numbers. He's also not young, but call this a gut-feeling grade. He has much to prove in the higher levels, but, if nothing else, he's got the name for stardom."

    Catchup with some of Seth Trachtman's Top 10s at CREATiVESPORTS to highlight some of the guys who could contribute this season.  From the CINCY list, the top two picks appear to be in line for regular work :

" ...  Ryan Wagner ... could close this season for the Reds. He may also find himself in their starting rotation. Wagner has three above average major league pitches as well as above average control. At this point, there is little not to like."

" ...  Brandon Claussen ...  missed the 2002 season due to Tommy John surgery but returned strong last season. He throws in the low 90’s with good control but mostly lives off of his slider ... has a very good shot at winning a starting rotation spot in Spring Training and is a Rookie of the Year candidate at the very least. My only major concern is his dropping strikeout rate in Triple-A which could be a red flag as he enters the majors."

    Rick Ankiel STL, not forgotten.  The former phenom begins the road back from Tommy John surgery with help from his Florida neighbour, Matt Morris :

" ... "I see him every day," Morris said recently. "He just started throwing ...  think he thinks he's gonna come back and make the starting rotation this year. You try to tell him to be patient, but he feels so good right now that he wants to pitch. But he's on his way back."  ... The team hopes he'll be able to pitch in one way or another sometime around midseason. But it could be somewhat more complicated, because Ankiel is out of options. If he's ineffective, he can't be sent to the minors without being exposed to waivers. But that's a long way off. For now, Ankiel is just trying to get back to pitching at all, and Morris is trying to help. "I saw (Ankiel) down in Florida," said general manager Walt Jocketty. "He looks good. I think he's right on schedule. It was really tough trying to get him to not throw. He was champing at the bit to get going." ...  Morris ... "We live real close to each other and like I said, he's throwing now so he's starting to think more about baseball instead of his life, his career, things like that. It's gonna be a long time for him, it's gonna be a while to get back, but he's definitely in the right frame of mind."  (MLB.com)

    Steve Smitherman with an outside chance for an MLB job (especially with the injury to John Vander Wal). 

" ... Smitherman seems a likely candidate to take over as one of the Reds' outfield reserves. "He's going to come into big-league camp with us, so we don't want to say he doesn't have the opportunity to make the next step," Naehring said. "He had success at Double-A, and when he struggles his swing gets a little too long. One thing we liked, is that when he does get into that, he has the ability to make adjustments. Usually when guys prove they can hit like that at Double-A, they can carry that over to Triple-A and the Major League level." Obviously, that would be ideal for Smitherman and the Reds, but he remains realistic about his future. "That's my goal," he said, referring to his chance of breaking camp with the Reds in 2004. "I think that would be anybody's goal, but I'm not sure. There's quite a few veterans and guys in front of me that are going to be in the Major Leagues. "I'm going to have to show them something to put me in that situation." In many ways he already has.." (MLB.com)

    Bryan Stroh, at The Cub Reporter, has posted the second part of his Cubs' Top 30 with some pretty fair talent on the 11-20 section :

" ... 11. Luke Hagerty ...  what a blow it was when Hagerty tore a ligament in his elbow warming up for his final Spring Training start in 2003. A college draftee ... throws anywhere from 88-93 with plus life and has a sharp, if inconsistent, slider ... At 6-7, he throws on a good downward plane and gets pretty good sink on his fastball ...  He’ll take it slowly this year  ... I’d look for Hagerty to make a major move in 2005. For now, the Cubs will probably take it slowly with him in Mesa or Boise, with the possibility of some innings in Lansing or Daytona later in the year."

" ... 14. Todd Wellemeyer  ... Over the past few years, he has established what is usually a dominant changeup and he has refined the command of his fastball. His fast ball/change combination is usually lethal ... also throws a slider and a curve ball, though neither are above average ... Some in the organization feel that he has the potential to be a Trevor Hoffman type reliever ... others see the ability to maintain velocity deep into games and realize that if he could tighten his slider or curve just enough to make it an average pitch that he’d probably be successful going through a batting order three times. If the Cubs sign Greg Maddux, Welly will compete with Juan Cruz for the long man spot in the bullpen, and will likely return to AAA. Without Maddux, Cruz probably wins the 5th starter spot and Welly will compete with Sergio Mitre for the long role ...  clearly has a major league arm, and the development of his breaking pitches, and his ability to command his change will determine whether he bounces around as a long man or if he steps up, as many in the Cub organization think he can, and becomes a solid #3 starter." 

    In the first of his position-by-position reports, Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, has Mike Piazza forecast as the best of the catchers for 2004.  Of the young guns, Victor Martinez CLE rated the highest, at No. 7 overall :

" ...THE backstop to target. Martinez ... is the next great fantasy catcher. His defense leaves quite a bit to be desired -- a mediocre arm is his main problem -- but Martinez hit around .330/.400/.500 in the minors in each of the last three seasons. He's very likely to bat just about .300 for the Indians this year."

Johnny Estrada, who moves into the Javy Lopez void in ATL, ranked No. 18 :

" ... one of the best players in the International League last season, hitting .328 for Richmond, but he's unlikely to come close to filling Javy Lopez's shoes as Atlanta's new regular catcher. He rarely walks and has limited power, so it is the ability to hit for average that is the 27-year-old's primary offensive skill. Batting .280 and driving in 60 runs would make him a decent fantasy catcher, but he doesn't figure to be as good of a value pick as many of the alternatives. Also, Eli Marrero's presence behind him is a concern. The Braves wouldn't lose much offensively or defensively by switching from Estrada to Marrero, so the ex-Phillie can't afford any lengthy slumps."
  

28 January, 2004

    Winter ball playoffs ... Juan Rivera MON 2-5, double, "just" 9-15, .600 in the final series ... 

    John Sickels, ESPN.com, on ATL's top pitching prospect ... for 2004 -- Bubba Nelson :

" ... In the medium and long runs, I like lefties Dan Meyer and Macay McBride even more than Nelson, but they won't be ready in 2004 ... Word is that Nelson will return to the rotation this spring, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if his first opportunity in the majors does come in relief. How good is he? Statistically, his ERAs have always been good. But his K/IP and K/BB rates are somewhat mediocre ... Although the low strikeout rate is a red flag in terms of future projection, sinkerball pitchers are sometimes effective despite low rates in that category. Scouts don't seem to have any doubts about him. What do I think? My guess is that Nelson will have a few adjustment problems when he first reaches the majors, but will eventually turn into an effective pitcher, not quite an ace, but solid. His best bet may indeed be in relief down the road."

And ... Sickels on possible mound help for the Cards -- Dan Haren, Jimmy Journell, Blake Hawksworth :

" ... Haren struggled at times in his 14 starts for the Cardinals last year, but I think he'll adjust in time, emerging as a No. 3 starter-type down the road. Journell is more of a reliever, and it looks like he'll be given a full shot in the bullpen this year ... Hawksworth's numbers look good to me ... . can hit 95 mph, though 91-93 is more usual. Scouts say his curveball and changeup are above average, and he throws strikes ... looks like a solid Grade B+ prospect to me, and if he comes out with quick success in 2004, that would go up to A- very rapidly. He could be a No. 1 or 2 starter eventually, and is a major overlooked prospect."

    Bryan Stroh, at the Cub Reporter, is beginning to work his way through the Cubs' Top 30.  A name of interest in the first installment -- Nic Jackson, from No. 2 last season to No. 24 this year :

" ... plenty of reasons to still be optimistic that Nic can be a productive major league player ... he was one of the youngest players in AAA ...  since he never really got much AA time and since he was coming back from an injury, Nic deserves a little slack. He has the makings of a 20/20 guy, and his game from the Mexican Winter League of '02 is exactly the kind of game you’d hope for from him: 283/.359/.488 with some steals and good defense thrown in ...  he doesn’t need to improve a ton in any single area – a slight improvement in his BA and his plate discipline would do wonders."

    Seth Trachtman, CREATiVESPORTS, with some notes on a couple of possible 2004 contributors -- Freddy Sanchez, PIT No. 8 prospect ... David Dejesus, No. 4 KC & Royce Ring No. 3 NYN :

" ...  Sanchez has the potential to be a good major leaguer at several infield positions. His plate discipline is outstanding, and he has continuously hit over .300 in the minors. The 26-year-old can steal a base or hit a homer every now and then as well. He goes into 2004 as the likely starter at second base or third base and a very good Rookie of the Year candidate." 

" ... DeJesus is not a scouting favorite, but the Royals see him as Carlos Beltran’s replacement in center field. He is a pure leadoff hitter with the ability to hit .300 along with plate discipline and excellent speed. He has also been able to pop a homer or two, but for the most part he plays more like Juan Pierre than Kenny Lofton. With Tony Pena’s willingness to run, DeJesus could be a prime fantasy talent for years to come."

" ... Ring is the Mets' closer in waiting. The lefty throws in the mid-90s with decent secondary pitches. The former first round pick had an ERA near 2.00 in Double-A last season with good K/BB numbers. At the very least, he will be a quality reliever in the majors."

    Brian Pelowski, also at CREATiVE, has some notes on some generally unsung prospects from this year's winter ball crop :

" ... Fernando Nieve (P, Houston Astros) - Nieve, one of the Astros' top pitching prospects, went 14-9 with a 3.65 ERA for low Class A Lexington in 2003 striking out 144 over 150 1/3 innings and walking 65. This winter he went 4-1 with a 1.88 ERA and 46/8 K/BB ratio in 38 1/3 innings pitched for the Oriente Carires in the Venezuelan League. He's still a few years away from the majors but the Astros believe the 21-year-old might be ready to start 2004 in the rotation at Double-A Round Rock.

" ... Freddy Guzman (OF, San Diego Padres) - Guzman played at all three levels in the minors last season and hit a combined .280 with 17 doubles, five triples, three homers, 33 RBI and 90 stolen bases in 118 games. This winter he played for Estrellas Del Oriente in the Dominican League and hit .204 with four triples, four doubles, 14 steals and a homer as the leadoff hitter. He'll likely begin 2004 at Triple-A Portland and could be off and running as the Padres starting center fielder and leadoff man in 2005."

" ... Kevin Youkilis (3B, Boston Red Sox) - Kevin Youkilis continued making a name for himself as an on-base machine last year when he tied Boston first baseman Kevin Millar's record for the longest on-base streak in minor league history at 71 games. This winter, he finished with an on-base percentage of .413 for the Navojoa Mayos while hitting .259 with one home run and 13 RBI. He hasn't shown much power in the minors, but his on base abilities will still make him a quality regular in the major leagues. Youkilis will likely begin 2004 at Triple-A Pawtucket and could be in Boston by the end of the season."

" ... Adam LaRoche (1B, Atlanta Braves) - LaRoche hit .333 with seven home runs, 20 RBI and an outstanding 1.057 OPS this season in the Puerto Rican league as he makes a case to become the starting first baseman for Atlanta in 2004. He hit .290-20-72 between Double-A Greenville and Triple-A Richmond last year and looks like he'll at least get a shot to platoon with Julio Franco at first base. The best case scenario will have LaRoche starting the year as the full-time first baseman in Atlanta. Keep an eye on him in Spring Training as he'll likely be worth a look on draft day."

    Heavier ... maybe stronger.  Rocco Baldelli TB for 2004 :

" ... an informal weigh-in on the bathroom scale reveals him to be a solid 215 pounds, up 15 pounds from a year ago and 30 pounds heavier than his listed weight of 185. ``Hopefully, I can come back a little bigger and stronger and be able to last a little while longer before I hit a wall,'' he said. ``I don't know how it benefits us as players. I've always been a thin guy. I've never known the benefits of being big and strong and overpowering the ball at the plate. So, hopefully it'll help in a bunch of different ways.'' ...  In addition, he ditched the contact lenses and glasses after undergoing laser surgery to correct his vision. ``It's such a difference, I can't even tell you,'' said Baldelli, who often had trouble picking up fly balls last season because his contact lenses bothered him during games. And, he insists, heavier doesn't mean slower. ``I've been doing just as much running as I used to,'' he said. ``I feel just as fast as I was coming into last year. The fact that I got a little stronger and I keep the same speed, that sounds good to me.'' (Tampa Tribune)

    Cubbies' pitching prospect Jae Kuk Ryu in for a little more work than expected when he returns from South Korea.

" ... A minor league pitcher who killed a popular osprey with a baseball last year cannot pay his way out of performing community service, a judge ruled Tuesday.  An attorney for Jae Kuk Ryu had requested that his client pay the standard state rate of $10 an hour rather than do the 100 hours of work he agreed to in a plea deal in August. Daytona Beach attorney David Hood also had asked the court for a two-month extension to allow the former Daytona Cubs player more time to return from his South Korea home and complete the community service. But Volusia County Judge Freddie J. Worthen agreed with the state attorney's office that Ryu must follow the original plea agreement, which prosecutors said gives him until the end of February to complete the work ... Ryu, 20, knocked the bird from its perch at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach before a game in the Class A Florida State League on April 21. The bird, nicknamed "Ozzy" by fans, was blinded in its right eye and died six days later. Following public outcry over the incident, the Cubs demoted Ryu to the Lansing Lugnuts of the lower-level Midwest League. He later was promoted to the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx."
  

27 January, 2004

    Winter ball playoffs ...  Alexis Rios TOR 2-4 ... Alex CIntron ARZ 2-4 ... 

    The beginning of a fairy tale ... Yankees 3B Aaron Boone ... serious injury ... much criticized prospect Drew Henson takes advantage ... 

    Just to review ... missed the NYA Top 10 at Baseball America :

" ... Drew Henson's failure to live up to expectations is underscored by his $17 million major league contract. In three years at Triple-A Columbus, Henson has hit .234 with 358 strikeouts in 1,224 at-bats-a far cry from Mike Schmidt comparisons ... Rumors have been circulating about Henson's potential return to the gridiron since the Houston Texans took him in the NFL draft last April."

Henson did captured the No.7 slot in RotoWorld's NYA Top 10 :

" ... Still has plenty of upside if he sticks with baseball, but Henson likely will head to the NFL after a third straight disappointing season at Triple-A Columbus (.234/.291/.412 in 133 games)."

And, he won a mention in the "others" category in the CREATiVESPORTS NYA list :

" ... If you are still waiting on this guy, buy a lottery ticket. The former Michigan QB has hinted that he will make the switch back to football in the shadow of former Cardinals pitching prospect Chad Hutchinson. Though, that would mean that he is no longer able to rob George Steinbrenner's wallet blind."

    A good chance Wily Mo Pena will be wearing different colours sometime this season :

" ... Pena's strange, three-year relationship with the Reds could be over soon. Even if new GM Dan O'Brien isn't willing to say it yet. "I have talked to a number of people in the organization who have explained in detail their feelings about his overall level of talent," O'Brien said. "I think the smartest thing we can do right now is let him come into spring training and compete for a job on the 25-man roster. We'll have open minds until the end of the spring, and as far as determining his status, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I think it would be a mistake to have any preconceived notions one way or the other regarding Wily Mo." ... in the Dominican Winter League. There, he batted .182 with one home run and five RBI, striking out 27 times in 88 at-bats. "We had a number of our Dominican staff members observe him over the course of the Winter League season," O'Brien said. "His timing, for whatever reason, seemed to be off. He struggled to make good contact. He had a few too many swings and misses." Which, for anyone who watched Pena attempt to play at the major-league level last summer, sounds all too familiar. Assuming the Reds go with five outfielders, Pena probably will have to beat out Reggie Taylor to make the club as a backup." (Cincinnati Post)

    Seth Trachtman, CREATiVESPORTS, picks 'em Fielder - Weeks in the MIL Top 10.  Slipping in at No. 3 (ahead of JJ Hardy) is lefty starter Manny Parra :

" ... one of the better left-handed pitching prospects in the game, even if he is not highly publicized. He throws in the low-90s with a wide repertoire and outstanding control. That combination makes him look like another Mark Buehrle. He had a 2.73 ERA and great K/BB numbers in Low-A last season at the age of 20. If he can stay healthy, he is a safe middle of the rotation starter."

A starter who may have topped the BOS prospect list rates No. 5 in MIL :

" ... Jorge de la Rosa ... acquired in the Richie Sexson trade ... Formerly with Boston, de la Rosa is a solid pitching prospect. He works off of a mid-90s fastball and curve, but he features little else ... some thought that he will eventually develop into a closer, but he goes in 2004 as a possible starter for the Brewers. Initially, throwing strikes could prove to be a problem for him as major league hitters are more likely to catch up to his fastball than younger hitters."

26 January, 2004

    Winter ball playoffs ...  Miguel Cabrera FLO 2-4, 2 doubles & 1-3, double ... Juan Rivera MON 3-4 & 1-2 ... Alexis RIos TOR 2-5 ... Enrique Cruz MIL 1-3, homer

    Newcomer Jason Bay is the No.1 for PIT in Seth Trachtman's latest entry at CREATiVESPORTS :

" ... Bay is going to be a good major leaguer for years to come. The 25-year-old is now with his fourth organization but has performed well in the minors with every team. Last season he hit .303-20-59 with 23 steals and good plate discipline numbers in just over 300 at-bats with the Padres organization ... is as polished as any prospect in the game. Offensively, Bay could be one of the ten best all around right-handed hitters in the majors soon."

Lefty Sean Burnett rated just behind Bay : 

" ...  a solid groundball pitcher ...  While his control is excellent, there is some concern over Burnett’s lack of strikeouts ... Hopefully, his ability to get groundball outs will neutralize the effect of the opponent putting the ball in play. If that is the case, he will be a good number two starter."

    Jeremy Guthrie CLE hoping to learn from 2003 pounding in AAA :

" ...  The 24-year-old dominated Class AA hitters in 10 games with Akron (6-2, 1.44 ERA). That earned him a promotion to Class AAA Buffalo, where he was as bad with the Bisons as he was good with the Aeros — a 4-9 record and 6.52 ERA in 18 starts. “I was surprised at what I was doing in Akron, because I didn’t feel I was doing anything special there,” Guthrie said ... during a break in the Indians’ winter development program at Jacobs Field. “When tough times came in Buffalo, I had to fight the temptation to overthink what I was doing. Too many changes can be your worst enemy.”

" ...  Indians Director of Player Development John Farrell said a tough half-season is not enough to provoke organizational second-guessing  ...  attributed Guthrie’s struggles to the youthful tendency to attempt to overpower hitters with velocity, rather than dropping fastballs over the corners of the plate and mixing in offspeed pitches at opportune moments. Guthrie took a somewhat contrasting view, saying he felt he was not aggressive enough in his approach to Triple-A batters. “I gave the hitters too much credit,” Guthrie said. “I was trying to throw perfect pitches early in the count, then falling behind 2-0 all the time."  (Canton Repository)

    And, Andy Call, Canton Repository, had some info on Matt Whitney's health and Brandon Phillips' positioning :

" ...  Third baseman Matt Whitney ... may have to begin the 2004 season in extended spring training. Whitney broke his left leg last year while playing basketball during spring training ...   “The tibia is 100 percent healed,” Farrell said ... "He can take live batting practice. He can plant his foot, and it doesn’t appear to inhibit his swing.” There are other problems, however, for Whitney...  “There is a lack of range-of-motion in his ankle, because it was immobile for so long when his leg was in the cast and the boot,” Farrell said. “The tolerance Matt exhibits for an everyday workload this spring will determine whether he starts the season in Lake County or stays back in Florida for extended spring.”

" ... Brandon Phillips likely will be Class AAA Buffalo’s everyday second baseman but could play one or two games each week at shortstop. “Brandon is in control of his own destiny,” Farrell said. “He has to earn a job in the big leagues. It’s not going to be given to him.” Farrell said the organization would have preferred that Phillips stay in Cleveland during the winter. Phillips instead went home to Georgia, where he apparently is working out with big-league outfielders Cliff Floyd and Gary Sheffield."

    Joe Mauer MIN begin to notice he's in the spotlight :

"I've had guys already predict rookie of the year and stuff,'' he said. "I say, 'I've got to make the team first.' ... It's not just local attention, either. ESPN the Magazine sent a reporter to Minnesota to shadow the former No. 1 overall draft pick this weekend. The spotlight figures to only grow from there, as spring training draws nearer and more national media race to find and anoint baseball's next big thing. Mauer said he's just trying to stay focused on the job ahead. After the trip home to St. Paul, Mauer returns to his apartment and regimen in Fort Myers on Monday, preparing for the jump from Class AA superstar to major league starting catcher. "From minor league ball to major league ball is a big step no matter where you're at,'' he said. ...  Twins center fielder Torii Hunter, another former first-round draft pick who faced high expectations and outside demands, already has taken Mauer under his wing and promised more guidance this spring. Not that the hometown fans think much of that will be necessary. Asked one small boy during Saturday's Q-and-A session: "How many grand slams you think you're going to hit in one game?'' Mauer: "I'd be happy if I could hit one.'' (St. Paul Pioneer Express)

    Lots of attention too on the Mets' new middle infield. Bob Jerzog, Newsday :

" ...  We'll have one of the top teams in baseball up the middle, defensively, with Kaz and Jose," manager Art Howe said of his new double-play combination of Kaz Matsui and Jose Reyes. "Offensively, we'll have two of the fastest guys in the league at the top of our order." ... Reyes, 20, must adapt quickly to his new position and new partner. "I'm young. I can play the game no matter where," said Reyes, who interrupted his instructional work at home with Mets infield instructor Chico Fernandez to attend the Mets' Winter Caravan this week. "At first, I had a little trouble turning the double play. That's the biggest difference. At shortstop, you can see the runner.

" ... Matsui, who batted .305 with 33 homers and 84 RBIs and had 13 stolen bases in Japan last season, acknowledged that he must use his time in Florida to accustom himself to playing on grass after playing most of his career on artificial turf. Then there is his education on the styles and skills of major-league pitchers ...  Howe is not worried about the transition for either of his middle infielders. "What's great about Jose is that as soon as he heard we signed Kaz, he went right to work on playing second," the manager said. "He's a quick learner." As for Matsui, Howe said: "He's got a complete game, the whole package. He has great hands and quickness. I'm looking for him to lead off and for Reyes to bat second. Two switch hitters with speed at the top. That's a lot of excitement."

     Ken Rosenthal, The Sporting News, on CF in TEX and a warning about the WSox latest acquisition : 

" ... Scouts and executives say the White Sox are kidding themselves if they think RHP Shingo Takatsu, Japan's all-time saves leader, can be their closer. Takatsu, a slender 35-year-old sidearmer, throws 84 to 86 mph and averaged only 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings against Japanese hitters the past two seasons."

" ... Laynce Nix is the favorite to win the Rangers' center field job. "Not many center fielders throw well anymore, and he's a plus thrower," says Showalter, who also can use Young in center against lefthanded pitchers. Prospect Ramon Nivar likely will return to Class AAA unless he has a big spring."