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13 February, 2005
Alay Soler NYN might finally be able to join the Mets after a dispute
with sports agent Joe Cubas.
" ... Cubas, the Miami sports agent who helped
nearly a dozen baseball players defect from Cuba and sign multimillion dollar
contracts with major-league teams, has been suspended by the players'
association ... According to three baseball sources who independently confirmed
the information on condition their names not be used, shortly after Cubas
negotiated a three-year, $2.8 million contract for the 25-year-old right-hander
last summer, he confiscated Soler's immigration documents and refused to return
them until the player paid money the agent said was owed him. Soler disputed the
claim, saying Cubas was asking for 15 percent commission -- more than three
times the normal rate, and contacted the union, which sided with Soler. The
union, which must certify agents before they can negotiate contracts, sent Cubas
a disciplinary letter and ordered him to return Soler's paperwork. Cubas must
then serve a 30-day suspension before he can represent players again ...
The Mets now are hopeful Soler, who went 10-4 with a 2.01 ERA in 18 games with
the Cuban national team, will participate in spring training, which begins next
week." (Miami Herald)
" ... Soler, a 6-3,
230-pound righthander ... briefly pitched in the Dominican Winter League
for Escogido, posting an 0-2 record and 5.28 ERA in 15-1/3 innings before being
released, though the Mets cited rustiness for the ineffectiveness. Soler will
begin his Mets career in the minors when he eventually arrives." (NY Daily News)
KC with a familiar name on its chase list for the June draft :
" ... John Mayberry Jr., son of Royals Hall of Famer John
Mayberry. John Jr. just started his junior season with the Stanford Cardinal and
is coming off his breakout season — 16 homers, 62 RBIs and a .333 average. One
opposing coach said recently of Mayberry, “When you watch him take batting
practice, the sound of the ball coming off the bat is very different from anyone
else's. The word explosive comes to mind.” That's why Mayberry is a virtual lock
to be a first-round pick in this June's draft and perhaps will merit going as
high as the Royals' No. 2 overall pick ... The younger Mayberry, at 6 feet 5 and 230 pounds, is
taller than his father but hasn't quite developed the bulk yet. “I'm still
waiting for that,'” John Jr. told the San Jose Mercury News. “'I hope that some
extra upper-body strength will come through, too.” Mayberry has played first
base, third base and outfield at Stanford." (KC Star)
Gary Carter, Rotojunkie, with some
Rockies' rookie notes :
" ... Jeff Francis – I don’t care how hard he
throws. I don’t care how good his command is. I don’t care how many top 10 lists
he is on. As long as he has “Rockies” on the front of his jersey and pitches
half his games in Coors, he sucks. 4.60 ERA / 1.45 WHIP / 9 Wins / 160 K’s."
" ... Clint Barmes – Barmes played well in a
brief call-up last year and with no other viable starting candidates on the team
Barmes’ job seems to be safe. He should play good enough defense to keep his job
and because he plays half his games in Coors, he should hit enough to help your
fantasy team. .282 / 70 Runs / 10 HR / 45 RBI / 10 SB."
Doug Miller, MLB.com, on the Angels' kids :
" ... Dallas McPherson ... :needs to cut down
on strikeouts and develop defensively, but the Angels love his potential and
will likely put him at third base on Opening Day."
" ... Casey Kotchman ... impressed the
Angels with his plate discipline, defense and poise last year, but Kotchman is a
first baseman and the Angels already have a good one in Erstad, so he might have
to start the season in Triple-A."
" ... Ervin Santana ... the most
exciting arm in the organization, and he'll get a chance to prove it in
Triple-A, most likely. But he needs to show more durability and a better slider
if he's going to get a chance at the big leagues this year."
12 February, 2005
He's back ! John Sickels has
launched his new site. It appears he's ready to settle in on another
prospecting adventure.
" ... Obviously it will act as a platform for me,
but I also see this blog as a meeting ground for people interested in prospects
and minor league ball in general. I will be posting here at least once a day.
There will be open threads, but I will also post mailbags and prospect analysis
that doesn't go into the newsletter. I will post trade analysis, trip reports,
and pictures from my trips. The site will also serve as an information exchange.
If you see an interesting prospect, post something about it in the diary
section! "
Tracy
Ringolsby, in the BA chatroom on his Rockies' picks :
Chris Nelson " ... Nelson should be a
franchise player in the middle of the infield ... considered the shortstop of
the future. There is no reason that he shouldn't play short and be a dominating
offensive player ... most likely will open at Asheville. He figures to be in the
big leagues by the end of 2007 ... I'd say he's like the offensive shortstops in
the AL."
Garrett Atkins " ... It's in
Atkins' hands. There are third basemen in the organization ranked higher than
him, but Atkins is the one who gets the first shot at the big leagues. He should
be the starting third baseman this year. It's up to him to not let go once he
gets hold of the spot. If not, he'll have competition each of the next two years
with Baker and Stewart. Macri would push him, too, but he's moving to second
base because of the depth at third."
Ian Stewart " ... He's a left-handed
Scott Rolen type ... Stewart has the most power in the organization, and would
be among the top hand full of power hitting prospects in all of baseball ... the
complete package. Personality, feel for game, bat speed, plate coverage and
amazing power."
" ... Three starting outfielders in 2006 would be
Holliday, Salazar and Hawpe.
Jeff Francis " ... has
shown an ability to win, but he's not overpowering. He will pitch 86-89 miles
per hour. He is very intelligent and has good deception ... I see
Francis as a winning, quality pitcher who most likely will be a No. 3 in the
rotation, maybe a No. 2 ... He made two starts in September [at Coors] and had
no problem. he has a feel for pitching and is very intelligent. He will adjust
and be successful anywhere"
Phils' Gavin Floyd likely heading for more time in the minors :
" ... While Floyd's maturity and devastating
curveball impressed during his six-game audition last September, the Phillies
thought he relied on it too much on it and would like to see him develop his
other pitches. "Even though he put up good numbers here, I thought he did it by
overusing his breaking ball," said Mike Arbuckle, the team's assistant general
manager, scouting and player development. "Long term, that's not a pattern he
can pitch with and be successful. Fastball command is a big part of it." ...
Scouts already rave about his poise and his stuff. Once he masters setting up
hitters for the kill, look out. "What he needs to do is develop that fastball
command to his benefit," Arbuckle said. "I don't think it will hurt him if he
ends up spending the year in [Triple-A] Scranton and comes up at some point."
(MLB.com)
Catching up with some information on the Cole Hamels' incident :
" ... Hamels portrayed himself as a victim in
an attack that left his pitching hand broken, but Florida authorities say he and
fellow baseball players were the aggressors and that the 21-year-old southpaw
tried lying about the incident ... Hamels said that he and his party were jumped
inside Razzel's bar at 2 a.m. ... But according to a Clearwater police
report ... the fight came after Hamels and his friends drove up in a
sport-utility vehicle, exited, and started attacking a man with whom they had
had words inside the bar. Hamels told police that he hurt his hand while
defending himself after he and his fellow players were jumped inside the bar."
(Philadelphia Inquirer)
SEA in the market for another starter, possibly a star from the Caribbean World
Series :
" ... Jorge Campillo, who starred for
Mexico in the Caribbean World Series after dominating the country's winter
league, got favorable reports from Mariners scouts at the series ... As a
result, the Mariners are in discussions about adding the right-hander to their
stable of pitchers ... Campillo seems eager to leave Mexico and head north. "I'm
working hard to make it to the major leagues," Campillo said last week after his
final start in the Caribbean Series, eight innings in a 4-0 victory over Puerto
Rico in which he didn't allow more than one base runner in any inning. "I don't
know if I am good enough yet, but that's what I dream about." Campillo was just
a .500 pitcher (5-5 with a 5.38 earned-run average) for the Aragua Tigers during
the summer in Mexico. But as the weather cooled, he got hot. Campillo won his
first 10 starts for Culiacan in the Mexican Pacific League and finished with a
10-1 record and a 2.05 ERA."
John
Manuel, Baseball America, with details on the latest surgery on Greg
Miller LA :
" ... the Dodgers and Miller found the problem
during an MRI exam. The tip of his shoulder blade was shaped in such a way that
it was causing the inflammation by rubbing up against tissue in the shoulder.
Surgery was performed to shave down the bone, hopefully precluding further
inflammation and giving Miller a chance to get back on the mound pain-free. The
procedure technically is known as acromioplasty, the surgical reshaping of the
acromion (the tip of the shoulder blade). “He’s going to be fine,” Dodgers farm
director Terry Collins said. “I know Greg’s real frustrated with it, and it was
a disappointment that they had to go back in there. But now we know there was a
reason he had the discomfort. We’re going to make some correction to make him
more comfortable in his delivery.”
Rick Lopez, Tribe Report,
is beginning some prospect reports on kids in the CLE system. Grady
Sizemore is first up :
" ... plays the outfield well enough to be a
legitimate center fielder. He has glove and speed to stay in CF. If he had to
play a corner spot, he doesn’t project to have the power of your typical corner
outfielder ... Line drives and patience is Sizemore’s game ... minor league
experiences says he’s more than capable of hitting left handed pitchers. He
struggled during his major league debut, but he was only 22 and it was his first
cup of coffee. Some scouts say he has 20-25 home run power, but right now at the
major league level 15HR is a much more realistic, yet still somewhat lofty,
goal. His plate discipline was very similar in 2004 compared to 2003, but as he
develops the gap between BB and K should close."
11 February, 2005
The Canadian shipments of John Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book
are "in the mail" (Friday morning). Hope to get mine next week.
No surprise in COL as Ian Stewart tops the Rockies' prospect list at
Baseball America. Tracy Ringolsby tabbed shortstop Chris Nelson for
No. 2, ahead of Canadian lefty Jeff Francis. Ringolsby sits in the BA
chat room Friday at 3:00 Eastern.
A few more snippets from
Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld.com & his NL Central prospect reviews :
" ... Homer Bailey ... power right-hander
from Texas, was the second high school pitcher chosen in the 2004 draft, going
seventh overall. A mid-90s fastball and a plus curve allowed him to finish his
final season in high school with a 0.39 ERA and a 168/10 K/BB ratio in 72
innings. He may not continue to fan more than two batters an inning as a pro,
but he has No. 2-starter ability."
" ... Mitch Einertson ... So how did
he last until the fifth round? It probably had something to do with him being
5-foot-10. Einertson made a huge impression after being drafted last year,
leading the Appalachian League in homers by eight and slugging percentage by
more than 100 points. He did strike out a lot, but he also had a fine walk rate,
giving him an 1105 OPS. It’s likely that he’ll continue to demonstrate 30-homer
power. More questionable is whether he’ll keep his average up. The Astros also
need to find a position for him. He played center last year, but he probably
doesn’t have the range to man that position in the majors."
" ... Jose Capellan ... All the way
back from Tommy John surgery, the flame-throwing right-hander had his
breakthrough year in 2004, dominating at three levels before struggling in eight
innings with the Braves in September. Capellan can touch 100 mph and often worth
at 94-98 mph. The primary complement for his fastball is a curve that comes and
goes as a plus pitch. His changeup is even more of a problem, so there’s still a
lot of thought he could end up as a reliever. The Brewers, though, will give him
a chance to earn a rotation spot this year. He’s not a very good short-term bet
as a starting pitcher, but he has all kinds of potential."
" ... Tom Gorzelanny ... A 2003
second-round pick, Gorzelanny has as much upside as any pitcher in the system.
He works at 91-94 mph and his assortment of secondary pitches includes an
outstanding slider that he’s willing to throw in any count. If he had Duke’s
control, he’d be one of the four or five best lefty pitching prospects in the
minors. As is, he’s still a pretty good bet, although he’s further away than
some of the team’s other young arms."
" ... Neil Walker ...
Walker, selected 11th overall last year, finally gives the Pirates an offensive
prospect with star potential. He’s a raw talent, but he is athletic enough to
develop into a quality defensive catcher and he should hit for average and
power. He’ll begin this year at Single-A Hickory. Don’t expect quality numbers
until 2006."
Brad Dowby, at
RotoJunkie, has just made my day. With several of my drafts just
getting underway (in leagues where about the only top players left are those
from the 2004 draft), Brad begins a review of the best picks from last year's
draft. Hitters up first. Among the selections, COL shortstop Chris
Nelson and KC third sacker Billy Butler :
" ... Nelson has all the tools to remain at
shortstop. He hit .347/.432/.510 with six doubles, three triples, and four
homers in 147 at-bats in his debut with Casper in the Rookie Pioneer League ...
He may be young, but he is already near the top of the prospect charts in the
Rockies Organization. In John Sickels Baseball Prospect Book 2005, only three
other shortstops in all of the minor leagues are rated higher than, or equal to,
Nelson - Joel Guzman (LA), Hanley Ramirez (BOS), and Erick Aybar (ANA). That's
pretty impressive company for such a young player. If you are the type of owner
who drafts the high upside prospect even if they are several years away, then
Chris Nelson is the man for you. He could be the top offensive player to come
out of this draft class in the long run, but don't expect any fantasy help until
2007 at the earliest, and even that is a bit aggressive."
" ... Butler came out of the gate swinging
after being selected 14th overall by the Royals in the 2004 draft, hitting
.373/.488/.596 with 10 homers and 22 doubles in 260 at-bats for Idaho Falls in
the rookie Pioneer League. He arguably has as much power potential as anyone
taken in the draft, and isn't afraid to wait for his pitch, as shown by his 57
walks versus 63 strikeouts. The knock on Butler right now is his defense, or
lack thereof. He has the arm to handle to hot corner, but otherwise is a
defensive liability. In just 49 games at third base this past season, he
committed 12 errors. A move across the diamond to first base, or even to DH, may
very well be in his future. The Royals aren't shy about promoting their
youngsters, and if Butler keeps swinging a big stick, he should be no exception.
I wouldn't expect him in KC any sooner than 2007, more likely 2008, but if you
want him on your roster, you are going to have to get in on him early. Like
now."
10 February, 2005
Dayn Perry, FoxSports,
working his way up his Top 100 with picks 41-50 and there's some interesting
slotting here -- ie Anthony Reyes STL ahead of LA's Edwin
Jackson with Richie Gardner not far behind :
" ... Gardner has command of a sinker,
slider and change and with good life on all three pitches. Last season, his
first in the pros, he showed exceptional command (5.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio)
and pitched as high as AA-Chattanooga. Don't be surprised if he's in Cincinnati
before September, and don't be surprised if he sticks as a member of the
rotation for years to come."
CLE's Ryan Garko could be quite a sleeper :
" ... The question is not whether Garko will
hit, it's what position he'll be hitting from. The former Stanford catcher tore
it up at three different levels last season, and he's made progress with his
often-pilloried defense behind the plate. Still, much of value rests in his
ability to stick at the position. The Indians are an open-minded organization
that understands the value of a productive hitter at a premium defensive
position. However, they're not quite sold on Garko as a catcher. How they deploy
him in 2005 will be telling. If he's able to pass muster defensively behind the
plate, he'll have star potential."
Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld.com, hi-lights the top prospects in the NL
Central in his latest team-by-team installment. A surprise, to me, atop
the Cubbies' chart ... and some power on the way in a corner spot :
" ... Felix Pie ... His game
still needs plenty of work, but Pie had an impressive 799 OPS as a 19-year-old
in the Florida State League last year. The concern is the strikeout-to-walk
ratio. He needs to do a better job of identifying which pitches he should be
swinging at. If it comes with time, he could be the next Johnny Damon. It’s just
as possible that Pie will never have the on-base skills to be a leadoff hitter,
but since he does project as a strong defensive center fielder, he won’t need to
be that great of a hitter to be a quality regular. He’s due to spend at least
two more years in the minors."
" ... 6. Ryan Harvey ... the sixth
overall pick in the 2003 draft. The Cubs have taken things slowly with him
because of the torn ACL he suffered prior to being drafted, but he’ll get to try
out full-season ball this year. Harvey is still all potential at this point. He
should develop 30-homer power, and he’ll probably reemerge as an above average
runner now that he’s fully recovered from knee surgery. As he gains experience,
he’ll turn into a strong defensive right fielder."
Alan Matthews,
in the BA chat room on his Dodger picks :
Greg Miller, more surgery " ... good
news on Miller. He had surgery approximately two weeks ago on his shoulder. Why
is that good? Because finally a concrete ailment was discovered and Miller had
his shoulder scoped to clean it up, hopefully, once and for all. He should begin
playing catch in spring training and could be back in a minor league game by
June."
Chuck Tiffany " ... Tiffany has
potential to pitch at the top of a rotation in the big leagues. He needs to
tighten his control and maintain his arm angle--when he drop dowm, balls tend to
get elevated and he can give up some homers--things easily correctable. He
reminds me a touch of a Barry Zito, if not for his stuff for his "unique"
personality."
Joel Guzman as Juan Gonzalez? "
... Gonzalez comps are thrown out a lot, and Guzman has a chance to be an
MVP-caliber player, like Gonzalez once was in the 90s ... I see him in right
field in the future. But keep in mind that Guzman is not a bad shortstop, and he
will probably spend much of 2005 up the middle. It's simply a matter of him
out-growing the position because of his projected size. He could be in the
running for the Minor League Player of the Year in 2005 if the Dodgers keep him
in the minors all season. With his plate coverage, hands and now pitch
recognition catching up, we're talking .310-30-90 possibly for a shortstop."
Near the Top 10 " ... Chin-Lung
Hu ... Julio Pimentel are two guys who were on the cusp of
the top 10 who have considerable ceilings. Hu has a great glove and can really
pick it, but also pleased many scouts with his pop at the plate. Pimentel
dominated at times last year at Columbus when he got his breaking ball over for
strikes, like the 16-strikeout, seven-inning outing in June versus Rome. His
fastball has been clocked as high as 94 mph and sat near 90 with boring action."
Dioner Navarro or Russell
Martin? " ... Long term, I still like Martin over Navarro, though
Navarro is more developed and seasoned as a catcher and should contend for a
backup-platoon role in the majors this season."
A reverse in ATL. Andy Marte to stay at third in spite of the
presence of Chipper Jones :
" ... There's two things I've come to know,"
Braves general manager John Schuerholz said Tuesday. "No. 1, you can never have
enough talented players, no matter what position they play; and No. 2, whatever
log jam you think you have tends to work itself out because of attrition or
trades or what have you." ... Marte, 21, hit .269 with 23 home runs in 387
at-bats last season at Class AA Greenville, and may need only one more season in
the minors before he's ready to move into a big-league lineup. The Braves had
planned to move him to the outfield, to clear a path to the majors. But they
scrapped that plan after just two days of outfield instruction this winter in
his native Dominican Republic. "The plan is to keep him at third base for this
year," Schuerholz said." (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Angels & Jered Weaver still not on the same page :
" ... Weaver said he would like to be there, but
he's preparing to hold out if the Angels don't offer him what he and his agent,
Scott Boras, are seeking. "It would be a great experience, something I've always
wanted to do. But if it doesn't get done, it doesn't get done," Weaver said. "I
don't really know what else to say. I hope to have the experience, whether it's
this year or next year." ... Weaver and Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew
(Arizona Diamondbacks) remain the last unsigned first-round picks. The biggest
bonus has gone to No.4 pickJeff Niemann, a Rice University pitcher, who got $5.2
million from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays ... The stalemate has made for a
frustrating winter for the younger Weaver. He said he has tried to make the most
of it by working out regularly with a personal trainer. He has already begun
throwing off a mound and plans to begin throwing live batting practice soon. A
year ago, Weaver already had begun the season at Long Beach State." (Orange
County Register)
Nice surprise in the mail ... Ken Warren's BALLPARK FIGURES, 2005.
There's enough reading for the whole season! I especially like Ken's
analysis as he uses, for the most part, what I call SICU (Statistics I Can
Understand) ... a must-have resource for the spring drafts and throughout the
season. Still available through Ray McKelvie's great site
B Ball Deluxe
Key lists updated -- Top 100s, etc.
09 February, 2005
Oh my ... just days until pitchers and catchers ...
At
Baseball America, Alan Matthews takes shortstop Joel Guzman and
righty Chad Billingsley as the best of a loaded Dodgers' farm
system. Right-hander Edwin Jackson is No. 3, ahead of first
baseman James Loney and third sacker Andy LaRoche.
Alan takes questions in the BA chat room Wednesday at 2pm Eastern.
Mike Hindman, The Newberg Report, makes his picks as the best of the
infielders in the TEX system and there's a minor surprise at the top :
" ... Adrian Gonzalez ... It
seems impossible, but in spite of a tremendous year in the PCL at age 22, Adrian
Gonzalez’s stock fell considerably this year because he failed to hit home runs
with any significant degree of regularity. But the harder I looked at his season
and the more I studied it, putting it in context, the more impressed I was.
Gonzalez, who turned 22 midway through the 2004 season and dropped about 20
pounds of baby fat between the 2003 and 2004 seasons, hit .304 / .364 / .457 at
triple A Oklahoma ... before we bury Gonzalez on the basis of the theory that he
lacks the power to hold down first base for the Rangers, let’s try to put the
fact that he slugged "just" .457 in triple A at the age of 22 / 23 in context.
When Jason Giambi was 22, he slugged .470 at high A Modesto. Todd Helton slugged
.333 at single A Asheville. Jim Edmonds slugged .490 in triple A Edmonton.
Erubiel Durazo slugged .464 in the Mexican League. Moises Alou slugged .464 in
the low A Sally League. And when Rafael Palmeiro was 22, he slugged .442 at
double A Pittsfield. All went on to post career slugging averages right at or
comfortably over .500 in the big leagues. Bottom line: It’s too early to give up
on the idea of Gonzalez developing power ... Whether the power comes along
or not, he can hit ... distributes line drives all over the ball yard,
hitting fastballs and offspeed pitches alike. Gonzalez hits lefties and righties
almost equally well ... do not be surprised if Mark Teixeira moves to the
outfield at some point this season to make room for AG at first."
Ian Kinsler, No. 2, appears to be in line for
a position change :
" ... To put it mildly, this was no fluke. This was
no hot streak. This was a legitimate breakthrough. Kinsler hit 51 doubles this
year. That’s how many Albert Pujols hit in the majors--in about 90 more at-bats.
He hit 20 homers. He drove in 98 runs. He stole 23 bags. In Frisco, he hit .352
when leading off an inning ... He’ll start off in Oklahoma, where he will
probably play second base instead of short. Unless Alfonso Soriano is dealt, the
Rangers will probably try to leave Kinsler in the PCL until September. If
Soriano is dealt, Kinsler could be in line to take over at second base in
Arlington by mid-season."
Bryan Smith, Wait Til Next Year,
with his early vote as the likely top pick in the June draft :
" ... Andrew Miller is a sophomore this year
at the University of North Carolina. At 6-6, Miller possesses what his school
calls a “94+ mph fastball” and his teammate detailed as “one of the nastiest
sliders in college baseball.” Despite near-promises of attending college prior
to the 2003 draft, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays spent their third-round pick on
Miller, hoping to land Florida’s top high school prospect with a big offer. They
didn’t, and the southpaw would later be named by Baseball America as the top
prospect in the Cape Cod League, on the second-team Freshman All-American team,
and the preseason ACC Freshman of the Year ... the Achilles heel of Miller’s
game: control. In the Cape Cod League, which he dominated, Miller would lead the
league with 26 walks in 40 innings. The stuff is there, the refinement is
lacking. He would show his upside in seven of his eighteen appearances, allowing
a 2.18 ERA in 33 innings. So if he puts it together…watch out."
Brad Dowdy has a chat with John
Sickels at No Pepper. Wilson Betemit was among the topics :
" ... His best attribute was always his youth, his
age-relative-to-competition. But he’s stagnated, for whatever reason he just
hasn’t developed as the Braves hoped. It should be noted that both statheads and
traditionalists expected him to develop, albeit for different reasons. Statheads
liked his place on the age/competition curve, while traditionalists liked his
physical tools. He just hasn’t put it together. There are all sorts of possible
causes. . .poor coaching, or perhaps lack of effort on his part, or maybe he
just peaked early and was as good at age 22 as he was ever going to be. Or some
combination thereof."
CLE with a pretty fair return for losing Jim Thome :
" ... The Indians received two draft picks for
losing Jim Thome to Philadelphia in free agency in 2002.They used those picks in
June 2003 to select outfielder Brad Snyder and pitcher Adam Miller,
who are now among the top prospects in the team's minor-league organization ...
"I feel like I'm right on target," said Snyder, who will open the season at
Class A Kinston or Class AA Akron. Snyder, who bats and throws left-handed,
vaulted into the first round of the 2003 draft by hitting .405 with 14 home runs
and 61 RBI as a sophomore at Ball State ... He split last season at Class A Lake
County and Class A Kinston, combining to hit .300 with 16 home runs and 75 RBI
in 108 games. As is the case with many sluggers, he often lacked plate
discipline - striking out 105 times in 404 at-bats. "What I like about his
progress," Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said, "is that after he was
bumped up to the higher level [Lake County to Kinston] last year, he got even
better." After hitting .280 with 10 home runs and 54 RBI in 79 games at Lake
County, Snyder hit .355 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 29 games at Kinston.
"I'm pleased with the progress I've made," Snyder said, "but I know I can always
have a better approach at the plate. And, I can always improve in the outfield."
(Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Tim Polko, RotoHelp, has zipped through
his team-by-team prospect analysis (some of it dating back to late last year).
A few of the NL notations :
Anthony Reyes STL " ... Brad Thompson's
injury problems allowed Reyes to burst past Thompson as the brightest young
starter in the organization. The 2003 15th round pick dominated both the Florida
State and Southern Leagues in his first professional season. Now Reyes appears
likely to challenge for a rotation slot in St. Louis ... Given his outstanding
across-the-board performance, I see few reasons not to gamble on Reyes in deeper
leagues."
Jason Germano SD " ... Any opening in the
Padres' rotation should result in a regular starting slot for Germano, who
easily ranks as San Diego's most prepared pitching prospect following the trade
of Dennis Tankersley to Kansas City. Germano owns excellent control, and his
solid ground-fly rate limits his downside, especially when pitching in Petco.
Only a questionable strikeout rate concerns me at all, but I still expect him to
emerge as a quality big league starter some time in 2005. I see little reason to
not target Germano in most deeper leagues."
Zach Duke PIT " ... Selected in the
20th round in 2001, Duke demonstrated decent command over two years in the low
minors before exploding through the Carolina League in 2004. He led the minors
in ERA by more than a half run, and his 15 wins also ranked among minor league
leaders. Few young southpaws possess Duke's combination of dominance and extreme
control. If Duke consolidates these gains in the upper minors next year as I
expect, he could qualify as one of the top prospects in baseball while
warranting a long look during spring training in 2006. Owners willing to gamble
on a young pitcher should place Duke near the very top of their minor league
draft lists."
Joel Guzman LA " ... his
demonstrated power potential as a teenager in the Southern league ranks with the
most impressive accomplishments of any prospect this year. While he committed 20
errors in 131 games and appears likely to shift to a corner position, Los
Angeles will make room for him as soon as he completes his apprenticeship in the
upper minors. Guzman owns significant long-term upside, so although questionable
plate discipline might slow his development to some extent, I see no reason he
eventually shouldn't emerge as a dynamic offensive force."
James Loney LA " ... Another
round of injuries and ineffectiveness limited his development, however Loney at
least maintained decent plate discipline despite entering the AA season as a
teenager. He still owns significant long-term upside, and the presence of Hee
Seop Choi gives Loney time to develop in the upper minors. Expect two more years
of gradual improvement in the upper minors before Loney emerges as the Los
Angeles first baseman, so try to roster him now before his approaching average
surge drives his value significantly upward."
Ezequiel Astacio HOU " ... The
third player in the Billy Wagner trade effectively dominated in his first season
above A-ball. Astacio boosted his strikeout rate from 5.0 to 9.6 K/9,
positioning himself nicely for an early promotion to the majors in 2005 whenever
an Astros' starter struggles to suffers an injury. While a corresponding walk
rate concerns me, Astracio now almost certainly should enjoy a lengthy big
league career. Even if settles into the bullpen, he still could emerge as a
significant contributor, although don't roster Astacio until he begins
succeeding in the majors."
Sergio Santos ARZ " ... Most
scouts consider Santos a stronger prospect than Arizona's young outfielders, but
I suspect his unimpressive 2004 campaign will downgrade the consensus opinion of
his upside. Santos lacks good walk and contact rates, and his statistical
history simply doesn't suggest great power potential. Questions regarding his
defense all could slow his progress, so although he still seems likely to
challenge for a starting spot in the Diamondbacks' infield by 2006, Santos
qualifies as a fairly questionable roto pick in spring drafts."
Bobby Lee, Scout.com, on Huston Street OAK :
" ... will, without a doubt, be the first 2004
draft pick to play in an Oakland A's uniform, and it may be to start the 2005
season. Street was born a winner and has a major league-ready attitude. Street
was great in Low A-Kane County ... better after a promotion to AA-Midland, and
even better when he arrived in AAA-Sacramento. Street was even closing in the
playoffs for the PCL champion RiverCats. After all that, though, Street wasn't
finished. He then went to the Arizona Fall League -- a notorious hitters league.
While there, Street posted an ERA under 1.00 to go with a WHIP that was around
0.50. Scot Shields may be a good comparison for Street with a low 90's fastball
and wicked slider. However, Street, with his closer's mentality, may be a better
pitcher in the closer role than in middle relief like Shields. Projected
Location to start 2005 - AAA-Sacramento."
Holy Toledo. The Mud Hens to be home to most of DET's top prospects :
" ... The brightest prospect expected to start the
season with the Mud Hens is center fielder Curtis Granderson, Detroit's
top prospect, according to Baseball America. Last season Granderson was named to
the Eastern League's post-season all-star team after hitting .301 with 21 homers
and 94 RBIs for Double-A Erie, then played in nine September games with the
Tigers. "He'll start in Toledo,'' Avila said. "But if he has a good spring
training and a good first half of the season here in Toledo, he may be right
back up.'' ... Prospects are expected to man three-quarters of the Mud Hens
infield with Chris Shelton at first, Ryan Raburn at
second and Jack Hannahan at third. Shelton, a Rule 5 pick from
Pittsburgh a year ago, played in just 27 games for Detroit last season but then
was voted MVP of the Arizona Fall League after batting .404 with six homers and
33 RBIs, the batting average and RBI total both topping the league. Raburn, the
Tigers' eighth-best prospect, hit .301 with 16 homers for Double-A Erie last
season, while Hannahan finished with a .273 batting average and eight home runs
for the SeaWolves." (MudHens.com)
Aaron Gleeman, The Hardball Times, continues his review of his 2004 Top 100
:
" ... 30) Delmon Young ... What I said then: "It is
my general policy to not include players without at least some minor league
experience on this list. ... I am making an exception to my rule. ... Check back
next year, because there's a good chance he'll be one of the top prospects in
baseball." What happened since: Young is indeed one of the top prospects
in baseball. Playing the entire season at low Single-A Charleston, Young batted
.322/.388/.538 with 25 homers, 26 doubles, and 53 walks in 131 games. He was
named the "Most Outstanding Major League Prospect" of the South Atlantic League
after leading the league in hits and RBIs, and also ranking among the top five
in the league in batting average, runs, total bases, and slugging percentage."
Can't win 'em all. A note from the Detroit Free Press, April 1, 2002 on
the Tigers' top prospects :
" ... Infielder: Omar Infante. He's a
dazzling shortstop who hit .302 at Double-A Erie last season. He needs to
continue working on his hitting at Triple-A Toledo. Tigers officials say he will
be the club's regular shortstop by Opening Day next season -- at the latest.
" ... Outfielder: Andres Torres. His
sensational speed will allow him to cover Comerica Park's vast centerfield and,
eventually, be a leadoff hitter. Like Infante, the switch-hitting Torres hasn't
played at Triple-A and needs time there to work on his hitting.
08 February, 2005
Winter ball ... Mexico captured the Caribbean title with a 4-3 win over
the Dominican ... Among the All-Star picks from the Caribbean Series ...
" ... Francisco Campos, winner of two
Series games, was the clear choice for MVP. The right-hander went a total of 16
innings, striking out 22. He gave up a total of six hits and allowed only the
two runs that came around to score after he left Sunday night's game in the
ninth inning ... third baseman Vinny Castilla... designated hitter
Erubiel Durazo, closer Luis Ayala ...Venezuela had the
next-largest number of All-Stars with three. Alex Cabrera, Rene
Reyes and Ricardo Palma were the Tigres named to the squad.
Representing the Dominican Republic team were [Alberto] Castillo at
catcher and [Miguel] Tejada at shortstop." (MLB.com)
Kevin
Goldstein, in the Baseball America chat room, on his Padres' picks :
Tagg Bozied " ... Bozied is a very
legit power prospect who JUST MISSED the top 10. His fast start in '04 was not a
pure fluke -- he changed his approach and showed a much quicker bat.
Unfortunately, there's simply no room at the inn for Tagg at the big league
level.
Josh Barfield " ... Barfield was
injured all year really and took a step forward with his power, with scouts
projecting more to come. I think he's a legitimate .270-.290 hitter with 20+
home run power ... Barfield made great strides as a 2B last year, but he still
needs to work on his footwork and DP pivot. I do think he'll become an average
second baseman and stay there. He's beginning the year at Triple-A in 2005, and
the Pads have no intention of moving him."
Matt Bush as a major leaguer "
... A very good defensive shortstop who hits 6th or 7th in the lineup. People
love ripping the pick, and with good reason in some ways, but people look too
much at his rookie ball stats and the bar incident and forget that this was
still a consensus top 10 talent before the pick was made."
Tim Stauffer " ... No matter how
you look at it, Stauffer should be highly commended for his comeback and
reaching AAA in his first year. At the same time, no matter how you look at it,
Stauffer was pretty hittable, and nobody really sees a true major league out
pitch in him. Fantastic control and a deep arsenal project him as a starter, but
he's not a blow them away guy that makes one think of him as a one or a two."
Travis Chick, MLB this season?
" ... I think Chick is an outstanding prospect and some compare his total
package to that of Curt Schilling, which is high praise indeed ... Chick doesn't
turn 21 until June and has only 134 innings of full-season baseball (at low A)
under his belt, so that's expecting FAR too much. Any time at Double-A this year
would still put him well ahead of the pack."
JD Arney, who's
switched over to RedsReporter, has updated his CINCY Top 10 to reflect some
moves in the Reds' system. Edwin Encarnaction and Joey Votto
still rank 1-2.
Brian Pelowski, CREATiVE Sports, with some notes on winter ball performances
:
" ... Guillermo Quiroz ... missed time last
season with a broken hand that affected his overall numbers. This winter he hit
.237 with six home runs, 19 RBI and a .367 on-base percentage. He doesn’t look
like he’ll ever hit for a high average but he does project to have mid-teens to
low-20’s power in the majors. Quiroz is expected to start 2005 at Triple-A where
a strong showing could vault him to the majors. If he gets the call he’ll be
worth grabbing right away."
" ... Jose Lopez ... looked like he was
going to enter spring training as the starting shortstop in Seattle but that
changed with the signing of Pokey Reese. Lopez hit .311 with 10 home runs and a
.367 on-base percentage in 164 at-bats. Reese hasn’t been a picture of health
throughout his career so there is a very good chance that we will be seeing
Lopez in Seattle at some point this season. If he gets called up be sure to grab
him. If his power continues to develop he could be a nice shortstop in AL only
leagues for a number of years."
Rod Beaton, USAToday with high praise for a young Cubbie :
" ... With Mr. Sosa gone, Jason Dubois and
Todd Hollandsworth are going to get increased face time in left field. By
season's end, slugger, and I do mean slugger, Brian Dopirak might be ready for
the majors. A team executive said Dopirak is the Cubs' Vladimir Guerrero, minus
the arm."
While geared to the Roto game, Jess & Tim
Polko's RotoHelp provides a wealth of info on prospects. Just a couple
of names which popped out of the TEX and TB reviews -- Adrian Gonzalez,
Ian Kinsler and Chad Orvella :
" ... The 1st overall pick in 2000 remains a solid
long-term prospect, but he needs to develop more power and improve his plate
discipline before leaving the minors. While Gonzalez should hold a .300 average
in Texas, and he even might post respectable numbers if given a starting job in
2005, one more year of seasoning might allow him to mature into an impressive
offensive force. Spending more than a couple bucks on him in the spring, even in
long-term leagues, will leave you at a slight disadvantage next season barring
very unexpected development from Gonzalez."
" ... Kinsler destroyed the Midwest League, emerging
as one of the best pure hitting prospects in the game, and then respectably
echoed his marks following a mid-season promotion to the Texas League. The only
problem here is that his 34 errors in 130 games make him unlikely to remain at
shortstop indefinitely, but players with five category upside deserve serious
attention regardless of their position. Especially playing for the Rangers,
Kinsler could emerge as a fantasy stud, leaving you little reason not to target
him in every league."
" ... Orvella returned from minor knee surgery
during his professional debut to slam through all four full-season Tampa
affiliates. He compiled a combined 12 Saves and a 1.58 ERA on a 116:10 K:BB in
79.2 IP with 42 H and 7 HR allowed. The power pitcher should break into the
Rays' relief corps next summer before potentially assuming closer duties in
2006. His nearly unbelievable level of dominance and control might make him the
best relief prospect in the game, however given his limited experience above
A-ball, waiting until he secures a big league bullpen job remains the best
course of action before rostering him in any fantasy league.
07 February, 2005
Winter ball ... Doug Linton, loves winter ball, 7.0 4 0 0 1 8 ...
Rafael Furcal ATL 2-5, homer ... Alex Cabrera 3-4, homer ...
Alex Cintron ARZ 3-4 ... Luis Polonia (yep, still
playing) 4-5, double, SB ... Miguel Batista TOR 6.1 4 1 1 0 7
Kevin Goldstein, Baseball America, likes Josh Barfield as the best of
the San Diego prospects.
" ... The Padres have several upper-level players on
the verge of contributing in the big leagues. But with the exception of second
baseman Josh Barfield and possibly center fielder Freddy Guzman, few project as
regulars on a first-division club ... Padres had a chance to add blue-chip
prospects with the fourth overall pick in 2003 and the No. 1 choice in 2004, but
both of their selections have had dubious beginnings ... Tim Stauffer ...
reached Triple-A in his pro debut last June, but he lacks the
top-of-the-rotation ceiling expected of such an early pick ... Matt Bush, who
accepted a predraft deal worth a below-market $3.15 million. The pick already
was being criticized when Bush was arrested outside an Arizona nightclub before
playing in his first pro game. The Padres since have acknowledged that Bush, who
had a rough debut, wasn't the top player in the draft."
Kevin is in the BA chatroom Monday, 3:00 pm Eastern.
Centre fielder Freddy Guzman finished behind Barfield, with catcher
George Kottaras No.3 and Travis Chick and Stauffer
rounding out the Top 5.
Over at
The Hardball Times, Aaron Gleeman and Craig Burley have
resumed their series on selecting the best young team (24 & under), position by
position. The pair had already worked their way through six positions,
before taking on the tough selections at second base :
POSITION First Pick Second Pick
Right Field Miguel Cabrera (Craig) Austin Kearns (Aaron)
Center Field Rocco Baldelli (Aaron) Laynce Nix (Craig)
Left Field Adam Dunn (Craig) Jeremy Reed (Aaron)
Shortstop B.J. Upton (Aaron) Juan Uribe (Craig)
Third Base Hank Blalock (Craig) David Wright (Aaron)
Second Base Rickie Weeks (Aaron) Jed Lowrie (Craig)
The pair found the choices at second base less than inspiring.
Aaron on his selection of Rickie Weeks :
" ... If we had picked our second basemen this time last year,
Weeks would have been an incredibly easy choice. He was the #2 overall pick in
the 2003 draft after an amazing college career and then put up big numbers in
his brief taste of pro ball after signing. Since then, his stock has fallen more
than perhaps any other prospect in baseball (aside from guys who suffered major
injuries). He hit .259/.366/.407 at Double-A Huntsville, which isn't horrible,
but his lack of power (eight homers in 479 at-bats), speed (11-for-23 stealing
bases), and strike-zone control (107 strikeouts and only 55 walks) are really
concerning. On the other hand, he's still just 21, he's another step closer to
the big leagues, and it was his first full season of professional baseball. I
guess I'm inclined to give Weeks a bit of a mulligan, if only because I don't
like the prospect of taking a solid-but-unspectacular player like Burke instead.
Plus, Barfield also had a disappointing year at Double-A and Hairston, who
actually had a very nice season, seems destined for another position."
Craig then had a surprise as his man :
" ... Jed Lowrie of Stanford University ... A
natural shortstop, Lowrie moved to second base as a freshman and was named the
best defensive second baseman in the Pac-10 by Baseball America, so we know he
can play there. What is really attractive, though, is his bat. For all intents
and purposes, Lowrie was the best hitter in the NCAA last year ... What's
more impressive is that he did this as a sophomore. He does everything -- he
hits for average, he hits for a ton of power, and he takes his walks. And he did
it all against some of the toughest competition in college ball."
Check it out. It's a good read with
considerable insight into their selections.
Cubs get some good news from the farm :
" ... Angel Guzman, whom Baseball America
has named the Cubs' top pitching prospect for two straight years, managed just
11 appearances in the minors last year after recovering from shoulder surgery in
2003. But the 23-year-old right-hander could be back stronger than ever. Farm
director Oneri Fleita watched Guzman throw in a few sessions in Venezuela
recently. "Angel told Oneri it's the best he's felt by far since before the
surgery," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "He's not taking as long to get
loose again. "He will come to camp, but we're not going to rush him. I don't see
a scenario he would break with the club because he missed so much time. I
certainly would pencil him in at (Triple-A) Iowa, and if he can get out of the
gate and have success and be his old self, we would be able to go get him."
(Daily Southtown)
Toby Boyce, Minor Details,
makes his debut as a prospect forecaster, taking on position-by-position
rankings. There are some obvious teething pains (leaving Casey Kotchman
off the first-base list, ranking Conor Jackson as a 1B, rather than OF),
but nonetheless, nice to have more independent voices. Toby likes
Prince Fielder as the top first-sacker, Chris Burke
over Rickie Weeks at second:
" ... Chris is the easiest player to put at the top
of this list. He was above league average with the bat, played good defense, and
stole 37 bases at New Orleans last season. He should be the starting
second-bagger for the Astros when they break camp this spring."
Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News, notes there's a fair amount of experience
coming in with the Rockies' kids :
" ... Try to get a handle on this team. It's not
young. The projected 25- man roster has only two players younger than 25 -
left-handed starter Jeff Francis, 24, and potential closer Chin-hui
Tsao, 23. All four rookies projected in the starting lineup are 25. It's not
inexperienced. Projected rookie starting catcher J.D. Closser has seven
years in pro ball and fellow projected rookie starters Garrett Atkins,
at third base, Clint Barmes, at shortstop, and Brad
Hawpe, in right field, all have five years pro experience. Unproven might be
the best description. None of the position players are being rushed, by any
stretch. Atkins and Barmes each had two years at Class AAA Colorado Springs, and
Closser and Hawpe each spent a full year there. They have worked their way up to
the big- league opportunity. Now it's up to them to cash in."
Derek
Smart, The Cub Reporter, in trying to work out the Cubs 25-man roster, forecasts
a break for Jason Dubois:
" ... Kelton and Dubois battling it out for
the final spot ... Considering talent alone, it’s Dubois’ call to get. He’s been
a better hitter for his entire career, and he’s got nothing left to prove as a
minor league player. Naturally, it’s not that simple. Kelton is out of options,
which means that he’ll have to pass through waivers in order to be sent down to
Iowa, and the Cubs could easily lose him. Not that they have anywhere to put him
anymore, but it would be a shame to have him taking up a roster spot all this
time when all along there was a willingness to let another team snap him up.
However, despite the risk of losing him, I think Kelton will be sent down and
Dubois will be with the Cubs. Dubois is simply too good a hitter to keep off a
roster completely devoid of right-handed power off the bench. Yet, I’d still
expect to see this drag on for the entire spring."
05/06 February, 2005
Winter ball ... Caribbean World Series ... Elmer Dessens LA 5.0 4 2 2 2 1
... Danny Cabrera BAL 4.2 6 4 4 1 3 ... Vinny Castilla WAS 2-4, homer ...
Jonny Gomes TB 1-4, homer & 1-4, homer... Miguel Tejada BAL 2-5, double, 3 RBI ...
Matt Cepicky WAS 2-5, double ... Julian Tavarez STL 4.0 3 5
3 3 5 ... Rene Reyes CHN (NRI) 4-5, homer ... Alex
Cintron ARZ 4-6, double ... Rafael Furcal ATL 2-3, walk,
triple
Been busy updating the lists ... including the 40-man rosters, NRIs, Crossovers
(2006 added), Top 10s
With the moves by the Braves over the off-season,
Brad Dowdy, NoPepper, has a
major update to his ATL Top 50 and Kyle Davies moves up to No. 3 and the
top rated pitcher in the ATL system
" ... Lost in the spotlight of Capellan and
Meyer in front of him, and Jake Stevens behind him, Kyle Davies may have had the
most impressive season of them all. He started the year out strong for High-A
Myrtle Beach by going 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 75 1/3 innings, striking out 95 and
walking 32. That earned him a promotion to Double-A Greenville, where he was
arguably better, posting a 4-0 record with a 2.32 ERA in 62 innings, fanning 72
and walking 28 ... Davies just turned 21 on September 9th, making the
season he had even more impressive ... Update -- With Cappy and Meyer
gone, Davies is now considered the ace of the farm system. He should start the
season in Triple-A Richmond and will be the first starter called up as the need
arises in Atlanta."
Andy Marte remains atop the chart, ahead of
outfielder Jeff Francoeur. Catcher Brian McCann
moves up to the No.4 slot.
A new look atop the Cardinals' prospect list at
Baseball America -- Anthony Reyes. Will Lingo made the St.
Louis picks and handled the chat room discussion :
Adam Wainwright " ... Wainwright's
ceiling is probably that of a No. 2 or 3 starter, though he has never dominated
hitters the way you feel like he should based on his stuff. His performance will
depend a lot on whether he's fully recovered from last year's elbow strain. He's
supposed to be healthy, and if so he'll be in the Triple-A rotation."
Anthony Reyes " ... He's what
you might call a fringe impact player, meaning it's possible he could be a
dominant big league pitcher but not likely. If he can stay healthy, he does have
potentially dominant stuff, with a mid-90s fastball, good slider and changeup
and great command. He was regarded as a stud early in his Southern California
career before injuries dragged him down, and like many of the Cardinals' top
pitching prospects over the last few years, health will be the big question."
Gerry McDonald,
Batter's Box, has the rundown on the Jays' system with his analysis of who's
going where -- the potential lineups for each of the Jays' full-season teams.
Good stuff !
Batter's Box also has an interview with John Sickels about his 2005 prospect
book and some of the Jays' farmhands :
Jamie Vermilyea " ... I gave him a
Grade B in 2004 and downgraded that a notch to Grade B- in 2005. But I actually
like him about the same…I just decided that the original grade was too
aggressive. I think he could end up being a very effective middle reliever or
maybe even a fifth starter, but his margin for error will be small.
Gabe Gross " ... Gross is still
in the book, at Grade B-. I still like him, but his struggles do drop his grade
a notch. I no longer think he will be a star, but a few adjustments would make
him a productive regular, say in a Trot Nixon-like way. But he has to make the
adjustments.
David Purcey " ... I gave
him a B+, based mostly on what I saw him do for the University of Oklahoma. I
really like his stuff, and if he maintains his command he will advance very
quickly. I like him a little better than Zach Jackson at this point, but both
should be good if they avoid injuries."
Tim Marchman, NY Sun, with a skeptics' view of the
Mets' farm :
" ... The top prospect is Lastings Milledge, a
19-year-old center fielder who destroyed Low-A ball last year, posting a .337
BA/.399 OBA/.579 SLG line at Capital City while stealing 23 bases. Milledge
ranks just below the elite prospects in the game, and has the potential to be a
future All-Star, but he's no sure thing. A 26/71 BB/K ratio in 342 at-bats last
year is acceptable, but needs to improve ... Older and more sophisticated pitchers are
going to expose him if he doesn't develop his eye as he moves up the ladder. Milledge could be Vladimir Guerrero; he could be Ruben Rivera
... Just below Milledge is a similarly flawed prospect, pitcher
Yusmeiro Petit. A righthander with an average-at-best fastball, Petit has posted
a 2.23 ERA and struck out 12 men per 9 innings in 214 minor league innings;
he'll start the year in Double-A having just turned 20 in November. There are no
holes in his statistical profile ... The problem, actually, is that his
numbers are so cartoonishly good that they're easily discounted. It may turn out
that Petit is simply advanced at some aspects of the game compared to the young
hitters in A-ball, and that more advanced hitters, less fooled by whatever
trickery he's using to post huge strikeout totals with a weak fastball, will
expose him. It also may turn out that Petit is a right-handed Sid Fernandez.
This year will be telling."
More additions to the NRI list as a few of the teams announce Spring Training
Invitations to young guns within their own systems. Among the prospects to
get a look in the big league camp (in addition to those already to be in camp
via slots on a 40-man roster, ie Rickie Weeks, Hanley Ramirez, GaviN Floyd) --
ARZ Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin, Sergio Santos
... ATL Dan Curtis, Jeff Francoeur, Brian
McCann ... FLO Jeremy Hermida, Trevor Hutchinson,
Scott Olsen ... LA James Loney, Greg
Miller, and Japanese import Norihiro Nakamura ... MIL
Prince Fielder, Lou Palmisano ... NYN Yusmeiro
Petit ... PIT Bryan Bullington, Zach Duke,
Paul Maholm, Neil Walker ... STL Anthony
Reyes, Bradley Thompson ... SD Travis Chick,
George Kottaras, Tim Stauffer ... ANA Erick
Aybar, Howard Kendrick, Mike Napoli ... BAL
Hayden Penn ... CHA Brian Anderson, Josh
Fields, Brandon McCarthy, Ryan Sweeney ... CLE
Ryan Garko ... DET Tony Giarratano ... KC Jonah
Bayliss ... MIN Scott Baker ... OAK Huston Street,
Kurt Suzuki ... SEA Felix Hernandez, Adam
Jones, Matt Tuiasosopo ... TEX Joaquin Arias,
John Danks, Thomas Diamond, Ian Kinsler,
Mike Nickeas
Dodger's latest 3B candidate shows he's a risk-taker :
" ... Norihiro Nakamura walked away
from a contract that guaranteed him $5 million a season in Japan for nothing
more than the chance to make the Dodger roster out of spring training. "The main
thing for me is the challenge of it, to do something that money cannot buy,"
Nakamura said through an interpreter Thursday after signing a minor league
contract with the Dodgers. "I'm going to do my best to make this team."
"The 13-year veteran, an eight-time All-Star with
the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, said he has wanted to play for the Dodgers since
working out with them last year in Vero Beach, Fla. ... Nakamura, 31, is
expected to compete with Jose Valentin and Antonio Perez at third, though he
also has experience at first base and shortstop. "We certainly wouldn't have
signed him if we didn't think he could contribute to our major league team,"
General Manager Paul DePodesta said ... Nakamura, the Buffaloes' all-time
home run leader, averaged 42 homers and 119 runs batted in from 2000 to 2002
before torn cartilage in his right knee curtailed his production the last two
years. He hit .274 with 19 homers and 66 RBIs in 105 games last season and
acknowledged Thursday that he had developed bad habits at the plate while
attempting to protect himself from further injury." (LA Times)
03/04 February, 2005
Busy with preparations for my drafts ... might be AWOL tomorrow ...
Winter ball ... Mexico over Venezuela in the opener of the Caribbean World
Series ... Francisco Campos, eight shutout frames, 3 hits, a walk, 10 Ks
CLE and SD swapping former first-rounders ... Jake Gautreau fgoes
to CLE, Corey Smith to the Padres. LA signs Norihiro Nakamura
Lawr Michaels, CREATiVESPORTS, has his 9th Annual Top Prospect List (up to
250 this season). He's revealed the Top 10 which includes eight pitchers,
Felix Hernandez the best of them :
" ... A cumulative 14-4, 2.95, with 172 strikeouts
to 47 walks, allowing 132 hits over 149 innings. Lanky, and Pedro-like at 6'3",
170, Hernandez was solid enough at AA San Antonio last year that on a rebuilding
Mariners, he could be seen sooner, not later."
Daric Barton captured the runner-up
spot over Yusmeiro Petit :
" ... Petit is chunkier, at 230 lbs. than most
of his countrymen counterparts. But, as dominant, Petit struck out 122 over 83
innings at St. Lucie, and at three levels, went 12-6, 2.20,with 200 strikeouts
over 139 innings. He allowed just 94 hits, and 41 walks over that spread."
ATL pitchers ranked 4-5-6 with Jose Ascanio
perhaps the biggest surprise :
" ... another who is more of the beanpole
archetype. At 6', 150, a good wind could like blow Ascanio over. Conversely, as
a closer, he converted nine saves, allowed just 58 hits over 65 innings, and
struck out 64 while walking just 15. To reiterate some of the thoughts in the
introduction, control like that as a 20-year old just has to be watched."
1 Felix Hernandez 6 Kyle Davies
2 Daric Baron 7 Cesar Jimenez
3 Yusmeiro Petit 8 Chuck Tiffany
4 Jose Ascanio 9 Hayden Penn
5 Jake Stevens 10 Ian Stewart
Dayn Perry, FoxSports, is up to No.
51 on his Top 100 with 51 to 60 posted in the latest installment :
" ... 52. Josh Kroeger ... He's
athletic (turned down a college scholarship to play wide receiver) with raw
power to spare. Prior to this past season, however, that power wasn't showing up
in the numbers. But in 2004, Kroeger slugged .588 at AA-El Paso and .587 at
AAA-Tucson. To be sure, Arizona probably has the most hitter-friendly system of
any organization, so some discounting of those numbers is in order. He could
stand to improve his plate discipline, but, on the plus side, he profiles as an
excellent defensive corner outfielder at the highest level. If the recent power
gains are legit, he's one to watch."
" ... 56. Angel Guzman ... sports a
nasty sinking fastball, hard curve and refined changeup. That he has command of
the three pitches means he should have little problem remaining in the rotation.
In 2003, Guzman underwent surgery to repair a small tear in his labrum. That's a
serious injury, and it bears consideration when evaluating his potential. The
Cubs were careful with him last year, and although he posted some high ERAs in
three stops, the command was back. In particular, in 30 innings at High-A
Daytona, Guzman whiffed 40 without walking a single batter. He needs to stay
healthy, but the ability and record of performance are there."
Matthew Pouliot,
RotoWorld.com, moves on to the top young
guns in the AL Central -- top team picks ... Brian Anderson CHA, Adam
Miller CLE, Kyle Sleeth DET, Mark Teahen KC,
Jason Kubel MIN.
Josh Fields CHA, No. 6 " ... With Joe
Crede not progressing as hoped, the White Sox may have a new long-term third
baseman ... Since he focused more on football than baseball while in school, he
lacks polish, especially defensively. Still, the White Sox think his talent will
win out and he’ll become a fine third baseman with work. He figures to develop
25-homer power, and, ignoring the weak K/BB ratio for a moment, the fact that he
was able to his .285 in the Carolina League in his pro debut was pretty
encouraging."
Jeremy Sowers CLE, No. 5 " ... Indians
took him sixth overall after an exceptional career at Vanderbilt and gave him a
$2.475 million bonus too late for him to make his pro debut last season. Sowers
is an exceptionally polished pitcher, and on a team with fewer prospects, he’d
be a candidate to make it to the majors this year. He’s not going to dominate
with an 89-91 mph fastball, but he should turn into a No. 3 starter."
Justin Huber KC, No. 2 " ... knee
injury actually suffered just prior to the trade kept Huber out for the rest of
the season ... Because of the knee and John Buck’s fine play in the second
half, it’s expected that Huber will be moved out from behind the plate this
year. The native of Australia should have the bat to be a solid first baseman.
He’s always gotten on base and showed pretty good power despite being young for
his leagues. If he stays healthy this year, he’ll be ready to contribute in
2006."
Andy Sisco KC, No. 5 " ...
the 6-foot-9 Sisco was the best prospect left available in the Rule 5 draft. The
left-hander’s upside is as big as he is, and his numbers were just fine until
last year (3.41 ERA, 231/80 K/BB ratio in 206 IP). Sisco frustrated the Cubs
with his immaturity, missing seven weeks with a broken pitching hand sustained
punching a wall. Still, he’s a rare talent. He throws 90-94 mph and could add
velocity. His splitter is his out pitch, but he also has a curve and a changeup.
There remains a chance that he’ll develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter."
Jason Bartlett MIN, No. 4 " ...
If Bartlett doesn’t open the season as Minnesota’s starting shortstop, blame the
broken wrist that cost him two months last year. The Twins may want to see him
rough up Triple-A pitching for a while longer before breaking him in. Bartlett
could be an Omar Vizquel-type hitter, batting .270-.280 with .340-.350 OBPs and
modest power. He lacks the range to be a great shortstop, but he should be solid
enough to stay at the position for the first half of his career."
Scott Baker MIN No. 5 " ...
undertook a heavy workload yet still finished strong in his first full pro
season. The polished right-hander throws 89-93 mph and has a plus slider. His
changeup is an effective third pitch. Baker certainly doesn’t have Durbin’s
upside, but he could be a solid third or fourth starter."
Tom
Haudricourt, in the Baseball America chat room on the MIL prospect chart :
Rickie Weeks at No. 1 " ... A lot of
scouts have compared Weeks to Joe Morgan at the same stage. That's quite a
compliment. If he turns out to be anything like Morgan, the Brewers will be
thrilled. They project him as a 15-20 homer guy in the majors ... we just think
Weeks has a higher ceiling, with more tools than Fielder. We could be proved
wrong. Weeks tore up the Arizona Fall League, though, and some scouts think
he'll come fast now."
Lou Palmisano (who missed the Top 10)
" ... Palmisano was 15th, I believe. There aren't many knocks on his ability. He
hasn't shown a lot of power yet, but that could come. He had his mechanics
fouled up last year and it affected his throwing, but he came to Milwaukee for
special tutoring and looked much better afterward."
JJ Hardy " ... some scouts think
he looks like Robin Yount at the same stage (though Yount came to the majors as
a teenager). The similarities are body type, competitiveness and taking the
right approach to the game. The reason the Brewers are gambling on Hardy at
short this spring is the way he competes. He is a mentally tough kid."
Mark Rogers " ... does
project as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher ... He throws across his body a bit and
that must be corrected. They were extremely careful with how much he pitched in
rookie ball and the Brewers will continue to monitor him closely."
Jose Capellan " ... has a
special arm, and the Brewers will give him every opportunity to be a starting
pitcher. But they also believe he could be a top-notch closer if he isn't
consistent enough as a starter. That's what the Brewers really liked about him
-- the fact they have two shots at making him an impact player."
Chuck
Richter, AngelsWin.com, sees a possible sleeper in the Angels' system --
right-hander Dustin Moseley, a one-time top prospect on the CIN farm :
" ... He's pretty much conquered AAA. Normally sits
in the 90-93 range with good sink, but is young enough to add velocity still,
and he has the frame to do so. Has a plus-plus curve, his changeup has good sink
and deception. His delivery is clean and effortless which also bodes well for
more velocity in the future ... The Angels will give him a shot in spring
training as a middle reliever but will most likely send him to Triple-A Salt
Lake where he'll be the first starter to come up if there's a need in the
rotation. Moseley profiles as a good No. 3 type starter in the big leagues. He's
rated as the #17 prospect by AngelsWin.com but could shoot up that list in a
hurry with a good '05 ... Moseley's sinking fastball, plus curve and changeup
give him enough solid pitches to be successful at the Major League level."
Chuck is also a key member of a team almost ready to launch
RotoAmerica.com which ought to be a
nice find for "prospectors". There's just a sample page up so far, but the
site promises team-by-team, Top 20 lists, a Top 100, plus a weekly minor league
notebook among other features. We'll keep you posted.
Ooops, forgot to pass along the link for all the SS-talk picks (position by
position) for 2005. Here.
OAK catching prospect, the A's top draft pick, already on the sidelines :
" ... Landon Powell tore a ligament in
his left knee while working out last week and will require surgery, sidelining
him for spring training. The catcher from South Carolina, the 24th overall draft
pick, tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee. A surgery date has yet to be
determined. Powell will be replaced in big league camp by catcher Kurt Suzuki,
who was selected in the second round of last year's draft." (Associated Press)
02 February, 2005
Winter ball ... Tuesday's scheduled opener was postponed and not due to
the weather. The Dominican champs failed to arrive on time for the
contest.
" ... "They were scheduled to leave Monday night,
but there were too many unregistered guests not directly associated with the
team, and not enough room on the charter flight," Bienvenido Rojas, of the
Dominican television station Telemicro, told ESPN Deportes. "Also, several of
the travelers had been drinking, and the pilot refused to try to accomodate the
team that night." (MLB.com)
In his final piece for
ESPN.com, John
Sickels provided a glimpse of his rankings in The Baseball Prospect Book
with his Top 10s for hitters and pitchers (we'll have the Top 50s once the book
is distributed in Canada). A couple of minor surprises on the lists
-- Delmon Young TB down at No.4 on the hitters' list, Huston Street
OAK grabbing a spot on the pitching list. Of course, Felix Hernandez SEA
sits atop the list of pitching prospects.
" ... Andy Marte, 3B, Atlanta If you
don't count Joe Mauer as a rookie anymore, then there's no real consensus right
now about the best hitting prospect in baseball. My pick, Marte, will probably
surprise some people. But I really like his youth, power potential and
improvement at each level."
" ... Joel Guzman, SS, Los
Angeles Guzman reminds me of Miguel Cabrera at the same stage, and you can make
a case that he belongs in the No. 1. Guzman made big progress last year, but
still has to answer questions about his defense. So did Cabrera."
" ... Adam Miller, RHP,
Cleveland Not far behind Hernandez. Throws very hard, throws strikes and posts
impressive numbers. Ranks behind Hernandez only because he hasn't reached
Double-A yet."
The 10s :
1 Andy Marte 1 Felix Hernandez
2 Joel Guzman 2 Adam Miller
3 Ian Stewart 3 Jeff Francis
4 Delmon Young 4 Chad Billingsley
5 Daric Barton 5 Scott Kazmir
6 Prince Fielder 6 Jesse Crain
7 Casey Kotchman 7 Dan Meyer
8 Dallas McPherson 8 Huston Street
9 Carlos Quentin 9 Gavin Floyd
10 Jeremy Reed 10 Matt Cain
John has announced he'll be continuing his prospecting on a
new web site, MinorLeagueBall.com, which is expected to kickoff in a
couple of weeks.
I guess Cole Hamels didn't know the Brien Taylor story (thanks to Wayne
Stevens for tracking down the story) :
" ... Hamels will undergo surgery on Thursday
to help stabilize a fracture in his pitching hand injured during an altercation
last weekend ... According to the Phillies, Hamels fractured the fifth
metacarpal in his pitching hand during an altercation in Clearwater, Fla., where
he maintains an off-season residence. Hamels was examined on Monday at Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia by hand specialist Dr. Randall
Culp, who will align the fracture with an intermedullary pin during Thursday's
procedure. The pin will be removed approximately three weeks following surgery
and it will be an additional three weeks before Hamels can begin light tossing.
He is not expected to be ready to pitch competitively for up to three months
following the surgery, the team says. No details of the altercation have been
released ... We are certainly disappointed that this has occurred,” Ed Wade
said. “Cole is a top prospect who has a chance to move quickly through our
system, but he put himself in a position that slows his development, and that is
unfortunate." (ComcastSportsNet.com)
The rebuilding plan hasn't gone as planned, but MIL still boasts some top-flight
young talent. Tom Haudricourt ranks the Brewers' prospects at Baseball America.
Rickie Weeks takes the top spot, over Prince Fielder and
JJ Hardy. Jose Capellan checks in at No. 4.
Aaron Gleeman, TheHardballTimes, is prepping for his 3rd Annual Top 50 with
a review of his 2004 picks.
" ... 47) Jason Stokes, Florida Marlins ... What I said
then: "Last year I thought Stokes was on his way to developing into an elite
offensive player, but now he looks more like an all-or-nothing slugger with a
significant lack of plate discipline. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the
doubt because of the impact the wrist problem may have had on his season, which
is why he didn't drop completely off this list." ... What happened since: Stokes
once again both disappointed and performed just well enough offensively to keep
me interested, hitting .272/.345/.513 with 23 homers, 26 doubles, and 42 walks
(and 121 strikeouts) in 106 games at Double-A Carolina."
" ... 34) Jesse Crain, Minnesota Twins ... What I
said then: "Inning for inning, Jesse Crain was as good as just about any pitcher
in baseball last year. ... Crain is the future at closer for the Twins and could
take the job as early as this season." ... What happened since: Crain's 2004
season wasn't as dominant as his 2003, but it was still plenty good. He threw 50
innings with a 2.49 ERA and 64-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio at Triple-A, before
making his big-league debut in late July. Crain finished the year with the
Twins, posting a 2.00 ERA in 27 innings. Overall, he tossed 77 innings with a
2.34 ERA and held batters to a .196 batting average."
RotoJunkie is rounding into form for the
2005 season with Jason Collette and Brad Dowdy set to provide
prospect updates. While of specific interest to Roto players, RJ's prospect info
should be applicable to all fantasy games. And, there's more ...
RotoJunkie's 2005 Yearly Fix Draft Package is out (set to be released
today) with over 300 fantasy-specific prospect writeups by Farm Futures
columnist Jason Collette. The Fix is in its third year of publication and
carries a great blend of sortable dollar values and stats, essays by the
RotoJunkie corp of specialists on the leagues, strategy and players, with extras
released throughout the next month and a Spring Training update due out in
March.
Getting a little worried about Joe Ptak, Cleveland Indians Report. The
site hasn't been updated for three weeks, pretty unusual for Joe. Anybody
with info?
If you are holding COL kids, some possible good news :
" ... The Colorado Rockies will feature the least
experienced Opening Day lineup in franchise history. The team plans to have at
least three - possibly four - rookies among the starting nine for that April
encounter with San Diego at Coors Field. Catcher J.D. Closser and
shortstop Clint Barmes are set at their positions. Third baseman
Garrett Atkins is expected to emerge at his spot. Right fielder
Brad Hawpe will get every opportunity to at least platoon with
Dustan Mohr." (Rocky Mountain News, Tracy Ringolsby)
01 February, 2005
Winter ball ... Juan Cruz OAK 3.2 4 2 2 3 3 ... Julian
Tavarez 6.0 7 1 1 2 6 ... Edwin Encarnacion CIN 3-4 ...
Matt Cepicky WAS 2-5, double, homer ... Caribbean World Series begins
Tuesday ... AP setup piece
here.
Jim Callis, in
the Baseball America chat room, with some notes on the HOU prospects :
Chris Burke, Jason Lane
predictions " ... Burke: .270.350.425 with 10 HR, 20 SB. Lane:
.280.360.490 with 25 HR ... Lane ... has deserved a starting job for nearly two
years. He has a 35-homer ceiling, don't know that I'd bet the house on him
reaching it."
CF of the future? Willy Taveras or
Josh Anderson? " ... Taveras has a chance to become Juan Pierre,
maybe even a better version, and while I like power as much as the next guy,
that would make Taveras a pretty good player. Anderson tore up low Class A but
came back to earth some in high Class A. He has more pop than Taveras, but
Taveras is a better hitter for average, gets on base better, is faster, is a
better center fielder and has a better arm. Taveras is the likely center fielder
of the future."
Mitch Einerston at 2B? " ... It
didn't go well, so Einertson will continue to play the outfield."
Fernando Nieve " ... If it all
comes together for Nieve, he can rocket up this list. But ... he has a fair
amount of improvements to make ... Nieve still has to polish his breaking ball
and come up with a reliable changeup. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he wound
up as a reliever down the road."
Taylor Buchholtz " ... He
still has time, as Buchholz is just 23. He has a well above-average curveball
and a plus fastball. He just needs to stay healthy and be more aggressive about
going after hitters. Buchholz was starting to turn his season around last year
when he strained his shoulder."
Bryan Smith, Wait Til Next Year,
with some views on possible rookie breakthroughs in '05 :
Detroit " ... A head-on battle during
Spring Training will be Alex Sanchez against Curtis Granderson, with the
likely outcome being sending their top prospect to AAA for some seasoning. His
breakout in AA was likely park-related, so seeing just how real of a prospect he
is could be of some help. Ryan Raburn has an outside chance at the
second base job, but that would only be if Fernando Vina starts the year on the
DL and Alan Trammell prefers Omar Infante on the bench."
Seattle " ... After such a good September
call-up, you have to expect the Mariners to find a way for Jeremy Reed
to get playing time. My guess is that Randy Winn will become the 4th outfielder,
with Reed and Ibanez the two getting consistent playing time in center and left,
respectively. The story of the spring could be the team’s last rotation spot,
where Felix Hernandez is set to battle with Aaron Sele and Gil
Meche."
Atlanta " ... So much has been made as
to whether Andy Marte or Jeff Francoeur will open
the season with the Braves, but I don’t think that will happen. Marte will spend
Spring Training learning the left field position ... I think the rookie
with the best chance is Kyle Davies, who really only needs a
Horacio Ramirez re-injury at this point, and really has the Braves’ front office
approval."
The folks over at
SS-talk (great site for those in Scoresheet leagues) have cast their ballots
for the top rooks (as well as position-by-position slots for each league).
AMERICAN NATIONAL
1. Dallas McPherson 1. Prince Fielder
2. Delmon Young 2. Andy Marte
3. Felix Hernandez 3. Ian Stewart
4. Joe Blanton 4. Cole Hamels
5. Jeremy Reed Sea 5. Matt Cain
6. Daric Barton Oak 6. Jeff Francoeur
7. Nick Swisher Oak 7. Chris Burke
8. Adam Miller Cle 8. Joel Guzman
9. Jason Kubel Min 9. Greg Miller(LA)
10. Ian Kinsler Tex 10. Ryan Howard
David Luciani, Baseball Notebook, with notes on some guys who might prosper
IF given an opportunity. Among them :
" ... Wladimir Balentien ... An
absolute long-shot to emerge as a regular player, he already has 35 home run
power and 10 steal potential. Of course, there's absolutely no place for him to
play, barring major injuries at the big league level. His age (20) makes it
unlikely he'll get an opportunity this season. Most consider him the most
powerful hitter in the Seattle farm system."
" ... Ryan Howard ... Severely
underrated, he has big-time power, more than even his supporters expect. I
wonder how many noticed that combined at all levels (most of it at Double-A),
this guy hit 48 home runs last year. His problem is there is absolutely no room
for him to get at bats."
" ... Delmon Young ... capable
now of a 25-30 home run season and 15 steals but the organization has already
said they won't rush him and so fantasies of him ending up as an everyday
outfielder from square one are just that, likely to be unrealized barring an
absolute spring training explosion."
" ... Huston Street ... I love
this guy if he gets a chance and to me, he's a dark horse backup closer who
would be worth 5 or 10 saves if he firmly establishes himself as a member of the
bullpen from Opening Day. He looks to be an immediate strikeout per inning guy
who will rarely allow a home run."
31 January, 2005
Winter ball ... Bartolo Colon ANA 4.0 4 2 2 3 2 ... Jose
Guillen WAS 2-6, homer, 3 RBI ... Miguel Tejada BAL 2-4, 2
RBI, 2 walks ... Alex Cabrera 3-6, 2 homers, 6 RBI ... Jose
Castillo PIT 1-5, homer
Baseball America moves on to HOU in its Top 10 coverage. Second baseman
Chris Burke cops the top rung followed by starter Ezequiel Astacio
and centre fielders Willy Taveras and Mitch Einertson.
Blaine Newnham, Seattle Times, pushing for a spot for Felix this season :
" ... If it were any other sport, Felix Hernandez
would be penciled into this season's starting rotation for the Seattle Mariners.
Not destined to chill out in Tacoma playing for the Class AAA Rainiers ... We
all understand that baseball is different, especially when it comes to pitchers.
Certainly young arms have been ruined by fathers and coaches trying to coax a
curveball out of them. The Mariners watched their last great pitching prospect,
Ryan Anderson, undergo surgery after surgery. They watched last summer as
highly-touted Travis Blackley and Clint Nageotte didn't have the physical or
mental stuff to make it. "I think most of us want to be protective of Felix,"
said Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi. "But we've also asked ourselves,
'What if he comes in and lights up spring training ... what are we going to do?'
" They had better figure it out. Felix Hernandez will be 19 on April 8, the day
the Mariners play the fourth game of the season against Texas at Safeco Field.
I'd hand Hernandez the ball. The fourth spot in the rotation is perfect for him,
perfect for the top-rated pitching prospect in baseball, perfect for what may
well be a once-in-a-decade talent ... "Based on just pure stuff," said Benny
Looper, the director of player development for the Mariners, "he could be
successful in the big leagues. But the game is still about having confidence.
I'd rather see him get more experience in AAA."
Jorge Cantu TB not ready to give up 2B without a ST battle :
" ... Cantu said he gained 14 pounds of muscle
this winter and has a lean 197 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame. He batted .319 with
11 home runs and 39 RBIs in 45 games for the Culiacan Tomato Growers of the
Mexican League. The last thing he is going to do is concede second base to
Roberto Alomar. "You never know," Cantu said by phone from his home in McAllen,
Texas. "I'm just going to go and do my job. Right now, with more strength than I
had last year, I'm going to go and keep doing what I do best." At the same time,
Cantu, who has 68 days of major-league experience and turns 23 today, said he
has no problem playing behind a likely Hall of Famer. "It's Roberto Alomar, come
on," Cantu said. "He's an All-Star. He's everything." ... Cantu certainly
is not a finished product. He struck out 44 times in 173 at-bats last season and
made eight errors for a .956 fielding percentage." (St. Petersburg Times)
RaysBaseball.com offers its take on
the Rays' battles for 25-man roster spots. Good prospect reports too.
Zach Duke in the running, sort of, for a 2005 rotation spot :
" ... pitching coach Spin Williams ... made
official that left-hander Zach Duke, the Pirates' minor-league pitcher of the
year in 2004, will get a long look in spring training and could even win a
starting job. Duke, who has not pitched above Class AA, is coming off a
spectacular season in which he went 15-6 with a 1.46 earned run average. "We
think it will be good for him to have the exposure around the major-league
people," Williams said. "We want to see him. If you look at his numbers,
everybody should like to see him." Williams added that the Pirates' preferred
scenario is to have Duke start at Class AAA Indianapolis and pitch in Pittsburgh
only if needed." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Who's on second? Phillies say it's Chase Utley over Placido Polanco
:
" ... Utley, 26, has waited his turn and produced in
triple-A and in the majors. He had 13 homers and 57 RBIs last year in just 267
at-bats. That's an RBI every 4.7 at-bats. This guy has a beautiful lefthanded
stroke, with the potential of 25 to 30 home runs. He's a gamer with strong
intangibles. You can definitely make a case that it's time to see what he can do
every day ... Utley struggled with his defense in the minor leagues,
particularly when the Phils tried to make him a third baseman. He actually
played pretty well at second last season, making just four errors in 223 chances
in the majors. "I think Chase's defense has been underestimated," Wade said. "He
still has work to do on the ball up the middle, the backhand. But I think his
range is underestimated and so is his work on the double-play pivot."
(Philadelphia Inquirer)
Rockies to go slow with third baseman Ian Stewart :
" ... Not done growing at 6-feet-3, 190 pounds,
Stewart established himself as the future of the Rockies with a numbing
minor-league season at Single-A Asheville. He exceeded expectations, blasting 30
home runs with 101 RBIs. In the process, he ignited a debate about who was the
league's top prospect: Stewart or Tampa Bay's Delmon Young, the top pick in the
2003 draft? Stewart enjoys the comparison because the two are friends, dating to
their days as California prep stars. "Our families have become close. They talk
a lot," said Stewart during the winter development camp at Coors Field. "It
would be great if we could break in at the same time and each win rookie of the
year." The Rockies are going to exercise patience with Stewart, starting him at
Class-A Modesto, careful not to slow his momentum. Young is expected to begin in
Double-A, making a September big-league call-up a realistic possibility."
(Denver Post)
Brewers' kids not likely to be riding the pine in Spring Training :
" ... In keeping with the plan to build primarily
through the farm system, Melvin intends to give as much playing time as possible
during exhibition season to prospects such as Rickie Weeks, Prince
Fielder, Corey Hart, David Krynzel, Brad
Nelson and, of course, J.J. Hardy, who'll get a shot to win the
shortstop job. Accordingly, Melvin doesn't want a bunch of older players gumming
up the works. "We want to give our young guys a chance to play," he said.
"(Manager) Ned (Yost) has lineups for the first half of games and the second
half. We don't want to take away at-bats and innings from our younger players."
Melvin has only one reserve middle infielder with much big-league experience -
Bill Hall, who has been defensively challenged (team-high 19 errors last
season). That is something of a gamble, especially when Melvin is counting on
Hardy to be big-league ready after missing most of his Class AAA season with a
shoulder injury. "It leaves us a little thin, but we can scout the guys on other
teams (during exhibition play) and see how they do," he said. "We like what we
have now." Speaking of prospects, here are Baseball America's top 10 for the
Brewers' farm system: 1. Weeks; 2. Fielder; 3. Hardy; 4.
RHP Jose Capellan; 5. RHP Mark Rogers; 6. Hart;
7. RHP Ben Hendrickson; 8. Nelson; 9. 2B Hernan
Iribarren; 10. Krynzel." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
D'backs' notes :
" ... Among those players invited to their first
major league spring training camp include 2003 first-round picks Conor
Jackson and Carlos Quentin and 2002 top pick Sergio
Santos. Also added to the spring training roster is 1999 No. 1 pick Corey
Myers, who hit .400 in the Arizona Fall League and is one of seven
catchers in camp ... Ramon Antonio Peña (Dominican
Republic) ... to participate in the Caribbean World Series starting
Tuesday in Mazatlan, Mexico. Peña could use the Series as a springboard to
spring training, where he stands an outside chance to land the fifth spot in the
rotation. Peña was 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 32 innings for Gigantes Del Cibao of
the Dominican League. His arm remains fresh as the result of missing nearly all
of last season to clarify an identity problem. He was formerly known as Adriano
Rosario." (Arizona Republic)
A detour for Grady Sizemore CLE :
" ... Earlier this month, the Tribe signed veteran
slugger Juan Gonzalez to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring
training. Gonzalez hopes to prove his chronic back ailment is under control. If
he does, he probably will be the right fielder on Opening Day. That will push
Coco Crisp from left to center and leave Sizemore without a job. ``Grady
knows,'' Wedge said on Thursday, during the Indians' press tour stop at the
Hilton Akron-Fairlawn. ``If he isn't going to play every day, more than likely,
he will go back to Triple-A. But there's an outside chance he could make it (as
a bench player).'' Sizemore didn't immediately hear about the signing of
Gonzalez. ``I think my dad is the one who told me,'' he said. ``I wasn't really
all over that.'' If Sizemore is bitter, he's hiding it well. Not that he's happy
about the prospect of returning to Buffalo. ``You can't really pass up a guy who
can help us and make the team better,'' said Sizemore, referring to Gonzalez.
``It will create some competition. I mean it's nothing I can control. ``I was
hoping to be the starter, but there are no guarantees in baseball. I didn't
expect them to just give me a spot.'' This is exactly the attitude that Wedge
and Shapiro want to hear. Sizemore has been described as a throwback. He plays
hard, the kind of guy who practically runs out walks. ``We feel very strong
about Grady,'' Wedge said. ``We also think the risk-reward with Juan makes
sense. But Grady is part of our future. It's just a question of whether that
future begins on Opening Day or later.'' (Akron Beacon Journal)
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