Rookies 2005

 
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26/27 February, 2005

    Jim Callis, Baseball America, with a sneak preview of the bottom section of the BA Top 100 (which kicks off Monday).  Jim, in his Ask BA column, responds to a question about possible breakouts from the lower levels of the 2005 list :

" ... Just working with the bottom third of the list, there are several candidates for breakouts. Athletics outfielder Javier Herrera (No. 68) is loaded with tools, but has yet to play in a full-season league. If he tears up Class A like he did the short-season Northwest League, he'll rocket up the list. The same scenario applies to athletic Pirates catcher Neil Walker (No. 81), the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft. Dodgers third baseman Andy LaRoche (No. 74) also could take a giant step forward. There are several pitchers who will rate much higher if they can return to full health: Phillies lefty Cole Hamels (No. 71), Rockies righty Ubaldo Jimenez (No. 82), Cubs righty Angel Guzman (No. 88) and Dodgers lefty Greg Miller (No. 100). Among pitchers who haven't had arm problems, watch for Braves lefty Jake Stevens (No. 92) and Orioles righty Hayden Penn (No. 94).

    Seth Trachtman, SportsBlurb, has kicked off his Top 100 with the bottom half of the list  ... 51 to 100.  Among the picks :

Jered Weaver, No. 78 " ...  projected as the top pick in the 2004 draft before his signability was called into question with Scott Boras as his agent. Jeff's brother fell to the Anaheim and is still yet to sign. Not only does Jered look like his brother, his stuff is about the same. The one difference is that Weaver seems to drop down lower in his delivery more often, and many believe that his secondary pitches are not as good. But with control as good as it is now, Weaver could be in the majors by the end of this season if he signs and has a good year."

Chris Young, No. 80 " ...  Acquired prior to last season for Einar Diaz from the Expos, Young is already looking like a steal. He increased his velocity last season to get it more consistently in the low-90s, and with his solid secondary repertoire and huge frame, he was very good late in the year. The 25-year-old, 6-10 righty dominated Triple-A during his short time there and posted an ERA below 5.00 with a K/BB ratio near 3/1 in the majors. Texas is obviously optimistic about his ability, as they signed him to a long-term contract to keep him away from going to the NBA. With his new found ability, he should be another good, middle of the rotation starter."

Nick Markakis, No. 89  " ...  Baltimore's top draft choice in 2003, Markakis is yet to disappoint. Last season in Low-A he hit .299-11-64 with 12 steals in 355 at-bats. Like Majewski, Markakis is fairly disciplined at the plate and can do just about everything offensively. However, Markakis posted those numbers at a lower level and still has a lot to prove."

    John Sickles, MinorLeagueBall, likes Casey Kotchman over Dallas McPherson as the class of the Angels' farm.  Erick Aybar ranks No. 3 ahead of Kendry Morales and Howie Kendrick.

" ...  Kendrick at Grade B+ may seem like a stretch to some people, but I was extremely impressed with his bat last year at Cedar Rapids. I think he is one of the most underrated prospects in the game."

On the Braves, Sickels offers a little surprise, not at No. 1 (Andy Marte) but in the runner-up spots -- Kyle Davies and Jacob Stevens :

" ... Some of these grades may be controversial. I rate Jeff Francouer as number four, while many people (notably Baseball America) rate him as number one. I love his athleticism and tools, and he's made substantial progress turning his tools into skills, but he still has a ways to go on the plate discipline front. I really can't see how he rates behind Marte. Marte is only three months older and has already shown he can handle Double-A."

    Brad Dowdy, spreading his wings at RotoJunkie, looks at pitchers coming out of the 2004 draft and offers some thoughts on some of the top dogs including Jeff Niemann TB :

" ...  a pure power pitcher who makes good use of his 6'9" frame, touching 97 with his fastball, and 87 with one of the best sliders in this draft class. At Rice, he tied an NCAA Division I record by going 17-0 in 2003, but required arthroscopic elbow surgery in the fall of that year. Recovery from the work on his elbow, and a nagging groin injury in 2004 led to just 80 innings pitched for the Owls, where he posted a 6-3 record with 94 strikeouts and 30 walks. There were some concerns that these injuries would knock him down the draft board a bit, but the D-Rays couldn't pass up his immense talent ... With a decent - and healthy - spring, Niemann should start off the year with High-A Bakersfield in the California league, and could make it back across the country to Double-A Montgomery before the season is out. A 2006 debut is not out of the question, giving the Rays the possibility of a solid Kazmir/Niemann rotation tandem for the foreseeable future."

    Huston Street OAK with an added weapon in a battle for a roster spot :

" ... Street, a 2004 draft pick who is considered the team's future closer, picked up a changeup during the offseason to go along with his fastball and slider, and the new pitch floored catcher John Baker, who also caught Street last year. "It's awesome," Baker said. "If Huston keeps throwing it like this, he'll be using it all the time." Street, 21, was also happy with the changeup. "It's really come around right where I wanted it to be," he said, mentioning that it could be especially useful against left-handed hitters." (San Francisco Chronicle)

    Jered Weaver drops his price tag, but still no sign there's to be an agreement any time soon -- Angels offering $6 million, Weaver now asking for about $8 million  :

" ...  Weaver has made a significant concession in an effort to break the stalemate in his negotiations with the Angels, knocking roughly $2.5 million off his asking price. The offer, made by agent Scott Boras this week, did not yield an agreement but could pave the way for more meaningful talks in coming days and weeks ...  "We're taking a mid-line position in an effort to get a deal done," Boras said Thursday. "We were hoping this would move this thing along." ... Though Stoneman wouldn't discuss negotiations in detail, there is a prevailing sense among team executives that they have made a competitive offer to Weaver, one that would make him the highest-paid player in the draft ... The Angels are also feeling pressure from Major League Baseball to hold down signing bonuses for first-round picks. "We've been very fair," Stoneman said. "We remain optimistic. The door is not closed."  (LA Times)

   A couple of Angels continue to have troubles making their way to Spring Training :

" ... Juan Rivera remains stuck in Venezuela because of visa difficulties, and Scioscia said he won't be in camp until Saturday at the earliest. The Angels say they are in the dark about when Kendry Morales will secure his passport from the Dominican Republic and travel to Arizona." (Orange County Register)

    Jose Lopez might not begin the season as a minor leaguer after all :

" ...  Lopez doesn't believe what he reads, that he's consigned to the minor leagues to start the season with the Mariners having acquired Reese to start at shortstop. Lopez, 21, the starter the second half of the 2004 season, says he feels he's in contention for a big league job, and Hargrove agreed. "He's in the mix," the manager said. "In no way is there a foregone conclusion that he's going down to Triple-A."  (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

    Chris Burke HOU no sure thing at second base ... possibility of an outfield job :

" ... With Biggio hoping to return to the infield after two years in the outfield, the Astros have a former Gold Glove winner at second base to compete with the franchise's top position prospect. The Biggio-Burke battle, combined with the fact nobody has won the center fielder's job, leaves plenty of possibilities. "I want to see what the best possible combination might be," Garner said. "I don't know what I'm going to do with center field right now. That will have a lot to do with it. If Jason Lane is in there playing center field, we'll take a look if Biggio in left field and Burke at second base is the best combination. "It may be Mike Lamb and Biggio at second. All these combinations are possibilities, and we'll see how it is toward the end of spring training." (Houston Chronicle)

    Early enthusiasm about Rick Ankiel STL :

" ...  On Friday, when Rick Ankiel threw to hitters for the first time in spring training, [pitching coach Dave] Duncan had trouble containing his enthusiasm. Duncan served up a nonstop barrage of "Nice!" while Ankiel kept the batters flailing during a 40-pitch outing, along with one "Nobody can hit that pitch!"  ...  the Cardinals have him slated as the fifth starter for perhaps the first month of the season while Matt Morris rehabilitates from December shoulder surgery ...  Ankiel shrugged off Duncan's enthusiasm about a couple of curveballs.  "It was all right," he said. "Just like every other pitch there's room for improvement. You want to get better the whole spring."  (Associated Press)

    So far, so good ... Jesse Foppert's long road back from surgery :

" ...  Healthy at last, he hopes to pick up where he left off after winning eight games in 2003. But for now, it's going to be as a reliever. "It's nice just to come in healthy and not have to go through the rehab process, like a normal baseball player," said Foppert, who needed several stitches before spring training even began after he tripped on the field in San Francisco and cut his right knee. "I think I proved to them my arm's healthy. I'm not worried about it. I just want to throw the ball well. I know if I do that I should be where I want to be. They way the starters were last year, it's just where there's room. I'm sure it'll change in the next couple weeks, or maybe later. Who knows? It always does. "I'd rather start, but in time." While manager Felipe Alou has said he likes Foppert as a starter, Foppert likely will start the season in the bullpen as a long reliever ...  Pitching coach Dave Righetti compares Foppert's quick return to that of Joe Nathan, a former San Francisco reliever now the closer for Minnesota. "There's a competitiveness in the two guys that's innate," Righetti said. "It's something you can't teach. It's not a bad thing to compare Jesse to Joe." Foppert's plan is just to pitch well and go from there. "I've got to perform out there and everything else will take care of itself," he said." (Associated Press)

    Bryan Smith (formerly of Wait Til Next Year) has joined up with Rich Lederer at a new site, TheBaseballAnalysts, which offers much promise.  Bryan has a piece up today on the 20 Top Sophomores.

" ... have ranked the top 20 Major League Sophomores below -- not by how their 2005 season will be, but instead their career. Think of this as a prospect ranking one year removed, now that we all know a little more. I should note that I also excluded anyone who was more than 25 years old this season, so Jason Bay and Kevin Youkilis fans will be left disappointed."

Oh my.  If only a few of these guys were available in my drafts.  David Wright NYN tops the list followed by Joe Mauer and Zach Greinke.  Down at No. 8, CLE's Grady Sizemore :

" ...  Care to jump on the Grady Sizemore bandwagon? In his second season, the great Willie Mays played just 34 games, resulting in 127 at-bats. During that season, Mays hit .236/.326/.409...mind you, that's a .173 Isolated Power, and .090 Isolated Discipline. In his rookie season, Sizemore had 138 at-bats, with a .246/.333/.406 line. For the mathematically challenged, that's a .160 ISO and .087 Isolated Discipline. Freaky. As if that wasn't enough, Wily Mo Pena, Johnny Damon and the great Duke Snider are other fitting comparables. He's not a lock though because Willie Crawford's numbers compare better than anyone else. There's a reason PECOTA likes Sizemore so much. Expect the young outfielder to pay dividends for Cleveland very soon."

25 February, 2005

    Baseball America has its picks as the Top 20 candidates for its 2005 Rookie of the Year.  Nick Swisher tops the list ahead of Dallas McPherson and Jeremy Reed.  Chris Burke ranked No. 4 and Tadahito Iguchi No. 5.  BA predicts Felix Hernandez (No. 6) will be in the big leagues before mid-season.

    Dayn Perry, FoxSports, has the third last installment of his Top 100, 21-30. 

" ...  21. Jeremy Reed ...  in all likelihood, will be Seattle's starting center fielder and number two hitter this season ...  had a season for the ages in 2003, but his 2004, while certainly solid, constituted a notable drop-off. Still, he's a polished hitter with a smooth swing and advanced plate skills. He may not be able to stick in center for more than a couple of years, but wherever he plays, he'll hit for average, get on base and provide some gap power."

" ... 25. Brian McCann ...   the best catching prospect in the minors (at least among catchers who figure to stick at the position long-term), mostly because of his tremendous power potential. Last season, McCann slugged .494 and posted an Isolated Slugging Percentage (which is slugging percentage minus batting average and is a good indicator of raw, projectable power) of .216 (more than .200 is good benchmark), all while playing at High-A Myrtle Beach, arguably the toughest hitter's park in pro ball. He hit 16 homers last season, but his 35 doubles in 385 at-bats point to further power down the road. Some scouts worry that his swing, which is long at times, will be exploited at the higher levels, but that's speculation at this point. McCann needs to increase his walk rates and refine his defense behind the plate, but his future is indeed bright."

Perry picked Adam Miller at No. 26.  Earlier, John Sickels ranked Miller No. 2 among pitchers (behind only Felix hernandez).  Miller was No. 4 at Wait Til next year, No. 8 at RotoWorld, No. 20 Minors First, No. 38 Bob Reed, No. 31 Baseball Prospectus, No. 45 Diamond Futures.

    Along with Perry's latest picks, I've added in the CBS Sportsline Top 100.  I had earlier decided to leave it off the list given its theme of prospects only for 2005, but perhaps it will prove to be of some value.

    A few snippets from Matthew Pouliot's NL West prospect report at RotoWorld :

Sergio Santos, #3 ARZ   " ...   793 OPS in Double-A was pretty good for a 20-year-old. Shoulder problems caused his season to end a month and a half early and limited him well before he went on the disabled list. Assuming that Troy Glaus’s shoulder holds up, it now appears that Santos will have to stay at shortstop if he’s going to make it in Arizona. The assumption has always been that he’d outgrow the position and move to third base. His bat could make his glove worth living with. By the time he’s ready for the majors in 2007, he should be a 25-homer guy."

Adriano Rosario, Ramon Antonio Pena Paulino, now Tony Pena, #7 ARZ  " ...  had to spend most of last season in his native Dominican Republic while his true identity was being discovered. That it turned out he was 3 1/3 years older than believed didn’t really hurt his stock. Maybe he has a bit less potential now, but he’s also less likely to experience arm problems. Pena showed terrific stuff while going 9-5 with a 2.86 ERA, 149 H and 119/30 K/BB in 160 IP for low Single-A South Bend in 2003, touching 98 mph with his fastball. He also has a quality slider and the makings of a useful change. The Diamondbacks will consider bringing him to the majors this year, something that probably wouldn’t have happened if he was still 19 going on 20."

George Kottaras, #4 SD  " ...  native of Canada but a member of the Greek Olympic squad last year, Kottaras was signed as a draft-and-follow in 2003. His on-base skills and power potential have made him one of the Padres’ most intriguing prospects. Now it becomes a matter of whether he can stay behind the plate. He’ll be an average defender at best, but that should be all that’s required as long as he keeps hitting."

Nate Schierholtz, #5 SF " ...   showed impressive offensive potential a year after being drafted in the second round, but the Giants may have already given up on him as a third baseman, moving him to right field at the end of last season. Given his poor walk rate, he might not have the OBP to be an above average corner outfielder. Still, he projects as a 25-30 homer guy and he’s hit .305 since being drafted. He figures to reach Double-A as a 21-year-old this season."

    Evan Grant, Inside the Rangers, on the likelihood of some kids in the TEX rotation :

" ... Joaquin Benoit reported to camp with a sore shoulder, putting him behind the rest of the pitchers, which doesn't bode well for his candidacy to make the club  ... I don't feel there is a job open in the starting rotation to begin the year if everyone is healthy. I expect the rotation will go: Kenny Rogers, Ryan Drese, Pedro Astacio, Chan Ho Park and Chris Young. Young could lose the job in spring, but he has the inside track. The Rangers could cut the ties to Astacio or Park if they struggle early in the season, opening up an opportunity for a pitcher like Ricardo Rodriguez or Juan Dominguez to step in. If you are looking for a real darkhorse, I'd go with Kameron Loe. He was the Rangers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year last year. Though he has not had an overpowering fastball, he's only 23 and has an athletic 6-8 body. He might be ready to make a jump in velocity. He might be a guy who could arrive midseason and make an impression."

    Hanley Ramirez gets a reprieve ... still at shortstop for now says manager Terry Francona :

" ... Francona, on the Sox' top prospect, shortstop Hanley Ramirez: "He's not ready to be a major league player yet, but he's going to get better in a hurry." Ramirez was expected to play some center field this spring, given that the club signed Edgar Renteria to a four-year deal. However, Francona has decided to put that idea to the side for now. "He's going to play shortstop," the manager said. "If there comes a time, that's down the road."  

24 February, 2005

    Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld.com, goes Felix Hernandez, Delmon Young, Andy Marte 1-2-3 as the best prospects in the game.  In his annual Top 100 prospect roundup, Pouliot has seven Dodgers and six Brewers. A few snippets :

" ... Hernandez ... The native of Venezuela possesses a 94-97 mph fastball and one of the best curves in the minors. His changeup is an effective third pitch, and he reportedly has a slider that could be another out pitch in the majors ... Hernandez’s three pitches and his above average command will make him an ace, should he stay healthy. The only question is when. The Mariners will have to fight the temptation to give him a rotation spot this spring. Two or three months in Triple-A would be for the best."

Joel Guzman, No. 4  " ... There was never any doubting Guzman’s upside. Now it’s looking like he’ll actually reach it. He was just 19 while putting up impressive numbers in the Florida State and Southern Leagues last year. Since he now stands 6-foot-6 and weighs over 220 pounds, no one seems to believe he’ll be able to stay at shortstop. A move to third base seems likely, and if he keeps progressing like he did last season, he could be a regular for the Dodgers in 2006. Despite the lack of plate discipline, Guzman has tremendous offensive upside. He figures to develop 35-40 homer power, giving him Juan Gonzalez-like potential."

Adam Miller, No. 9  " ... was throwing in the low-90s when he ranked seventh on the Indians’ top 10 list a year ago. After touching 101 mph in a playoff game for Kinston, he now has to be considered one of the very best pitching prospects around. He regularly works in the 95-97 mph range and his slider is a very good No. 2 pitch. If the circle-change Kinston pitching coach Greg Hibbard taught him takes, he could be a true ace for Cleveland. The Indians will have to consider calling him up if they remain in contention after the All-Star break."

Anthony Reyes, No. 35  " ...  Mark Prior’s teammate at USC, was never a great pitcher in college and injuries held him back during his final two years in school, but he was outstanding in his pro debut last year after the Cardinals nabbed him in the 15th round in 2003. There still has to be some fear that he’ll regress, but his stuff is legitimate. He has excellent command of a fastball that reaches 94 mph and his hard slider is an out pitch. He has second- or third-starter upside if his changeup keeps coming along."

Chris Nelson, No. 50  " ... the ninth pick in the 2004 draft, looks like a better prospect than the shortstop that went first, San Diego’s Matt Bush. Everyone believes he’ll hit, and he showed why in the Pioneer League while making his pro debut. Whether he’ll have the range to stay at shortstop is still to be determined. If he does, his bat could make him a star. Like Ian Stewart last year, he made the Top 100 less than a year after being drafted out of high school."

Pouliot also provides a ranking of where the ineligible guys would have fit -- Jered Weaver No. 22, Tadahito Iguchi No. 45 and Stephen Drew No. 58.

The latest Top 100, along with John Sickels' Top 50 Hitters & Pitchers & the BP 50 are included in the updated Top 100 page.  40-man rosters also updated along with additions to the NRI list.  Major thanks to David Farr for his outstanding sleuthing in digging out the Spring Training Invitees. 

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, ranks the Mets' farm system and takes the big guy as No. 1 :

" ... Statheads love Yusmeiro Petit, while traditionalists still can't figure out why he is getting anyone out. I give him a B+, but in the big picture I think he's in the middle rank of that category. On my overall Top 50 pitching list, he ranks at 21 going into spring training, certainly promising but not as sure thing just yet. I understand the doubts of the traditionalists, but the numbers can't be ignored at this point, even if some statheads are a bit too enthusiastic. I've moved Humber from his too-low book grade of B to B+ for this list, on the basis of positive early reports. He has better stuff than Petit and a higher ceiling, but I want to see some pro numbers before pushing him to the top. Lastings Milledge has the best physical ceiling of any player in the Mets."

    Joe Ptak, Cleveland Indians Report, with notes on a pair of top CLE prospects :

" ... Franklin Gutierrez  ... Lost a good chunk of 2004 to an elbow injury suffered after being hit by a pitch but Gutierrez made up for it over the winter by hitting .227/.326/.553/.879 with 14 doubles and 13 homeruns in 53 games in the Venezuelan Winter League. Needs to learn to work the count more and cut down on the strikeouts but the physical tools are there (athleticism, defense, arm). With a crowded outfield in Cleveland, a full season of triple-A seasoning is in store for Gutierrez. He and Grady Sizemore will make for quite the dynamic outfield in Buffalo."

" ... Ryan Garko  ... Shot through the system last year, hitting a combined .330/.416/.565/.981 with 33 doubles, 22 home runs, and 99 RBIs for Kinston, Akron, and Buffalo, in his first full professional season. Only problem is where does he fit in at the big league level? Challenged defensively behind the plate, he's nevertheless blocked by Victor Martinez. Likewise by Travis Hafner at DH and Ben Broussard at first. As long as he keeps hitting, the Tribe (or someone else via trade) will find a spot for him. Will likely split time between catching, first, and DH."

    Michael McHenry, at Brad Dowdy's No Pepper, reviews the ATL shortstop prospects and likes Luis Hernandez over Tony Pena Jr. :

" ...  Hernandez is always going to be known for his defense. His glove was reportedly MLB-ready when he was signed 4 years ago. It was the rest of him that needed work. His 703 OPS last year might not look that great, but it's a big improvement on previous years. And at such a young age, he's already showing good signs of power ...  With his 3-year advantage in age and his superior defense, Hernandez definitely has the edge over Pena in being the Braves' SS of the future."

" ...  You hear a lot about Braves prospects having trouble with plate discipline. But Pena's on a whole 'nother level. One walk every 10 ABs is an acceptable level, although not really ideal. Pena only averages a walk every 10 days! If you can overlook the lack of walks (something I find hard to do in this extreme case), everything else is moving along well enough that he could conceivably be Furcal's replacement. Coming into 2004, he had improved in every major category in each of the previous three seasons. His initial stint in AA was not as kind to him, but he did see a pretty good increase in power, especially HRs. I'm not sure his defense is as great as it was initially predicted to be, but I think he's probably still rated as above-average."

    Some familiar names included in the BA pre-season picks as high school All-Americans -- shortstop Justin Upton, outfielder Jordan Danks, pitcher Kyle Drabek.

23 February, 2005

    It's Andy Marte atop the Baseball Prospectus Top 50.  The ATL third baseman (perhaps outfielder) topped Delmon Young TB and Felix Hernandez SEA to take the top rung. As expected, the BP list is an interesting ranking with some usual twists and turns -- CLE phenom Adam Miller just the 11th best pitching prospect ... Willy Aybar LA second baseman rated ahead of celebrated MIL prospect Rickie Weeks ... Ian Kinsler TEX ahead of Hanley Ramirez BOS as shortstop prospects.  A fascinating list. Check it out.

    Mark Bowman, MLB.com, on Marte in the outfield :

" ... The Braves were seriously thinking about playing Marte in left field at Triple-A Richmond this year. But the club believes it wouldn't be fair to ask that of the 21-year-old, who has established himself as one of the game's top prospects and a strong defensive third baseman ...  the club doesn't believe there's reason to make a definite decision until Marte truly proves he's ready for the Majors. This could come by the All-Star break or by the start of next season. Either way, a lot can change in between now and then ...  Marte isn't as athletic as the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera, a minor league third baseman who has been learning the outfield position in his first year and a half in the big leagues. But Marte is certainly athletic enough to play the position at least as well as Chipper did during his two and a half years in left field."

    OAK's Nick Swisher ... not being handed a starting job :

" ... This season, Swisher could compete for a starting job in the outfield and also will be Scott Hatteberg's backup at first. "I don't think you can dispute his Triple-A numbers," manager Ken Macha said. "I think when he came up at the end of the year he was a little anxious, overplayed some balls in the outfield. We want him to let the game come to him. I'd like him to just be himself. He's got a good eye at the plate, he can take a walk, he's got power. I'd like him to relax and just go out there and play." Swisher likely will hit in the bottom half of the order to start, but it's unclear how much he'll play. The A's have a "logjam in the outfield," Macha said, with Swisher, starting center fielder Mark Kotsay, Eric Byrnes, Charles Thomas and Bobby Kielty all sharing time." (Associated Press)

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, rates the SEA system with a lock at the top -- Felix Hernandez -- and a couple of relative unknowns on the Top 10 :

" ... I gave Cuban defector Yuniesky Betancourt a Grade B. All we have are scouting reports about him at this point, so I decided to treat him like I would treat a player coming out of college with similar scouting reports. Most scouts think he can be a regular, but I'd like some objective performance to look at before ranking him among the elite. Mexican righthander Jorge Campillo is a 26-year-old control pitcher with an average fastball but a good assortment of secondary pitches. He has pitched well under difficult conditions in Mexico, but at this point it is hard to know exactly how his talent will play out in the Majors. We should know more once we see how spring training goes. If he doesn't make the rotation, he should head to Triple-A and wait for a spot to open up."

    A little insight into the CIN system as Bob Miscik (minor-league field coordinator) and Vern Ruhle (minor-league pitching coordinator) take over the reins :

" ... The Reds have a hitting and pitching philosophy. Each will be drilled into the minor leaguers, particularly the ones at Single-A and rookie ball. The plan: Pitch to contact. "We want to them to make something happen in three pitches or less," Miscik said. "We want them to be efficient." The Reds will continue with an eight-man, piggyback rotation and 75-pitch limit from Single-A on down. "I believe in the eight-man," Miscik said. "I've seen results. If (pitchers) want to win and to go five innings, they've got to be efficient." As for hitting, being selective is the emphasis. That means taking pitches. Hitters in the low minors had to take at least one strike before swinging last year. That will continue. But the priority is not simply taking pitches for the sake of taking them. "We want hitters to be able to recognize their pitch and then be aggressive when they see it," Miscik said." (The Cincinnati Enquirer)

    Mike Hindman, Newberg Minor League Report, rates the top outfield prospects in the TEX system and comes out with Juan Senreiso atop the list :

" ... : If you read my stuff with any regularity, you are sick of hearing about how Juan Senreiso is the most physically gifted player in the Rangers system ...  nobody is more toolsy than Senreiso. That reality, and the progress he has made as a player over the last year and a half, make him the standout in what is not an especially strong group of outfielders in the Rangers system ...  wields the best arm in the system. He's probably the fastest runner in the system. He could develop the most power in the system. Physically, the 6'1", 205 lb. Senreiso looks like a finely-honed thoroughbred, plus he loves the game and has a tremendous attitude. Though it was a little slow in coming, he has shown the aptitude to learn over the past year and a half. At 23 and four years into his professional career, it’s about time ...  We should know by this time next year whether Juan Senreiso is going to be a player. When a guy as toolsy as Senreiso starts to figure it all out--which he seems to have done in 2004--he can come awfully fast. Senreiso will probably be the opening day center fielder in Frisco."

    Seemed to evaporate as quickly as he burst onto the scene ... Toe Nash in more trouble :

" ...  Police arrested former professional baseball player Gregory "Toe" Nash for a probation violation after he refused to leave a woman's residence, Police Chef Bill Landry said Monday. Nash was sentenced to five years probation and 18 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to carnal knowledge of a juvenile in 2002 ...  While investigating the complaint, officers were notified there was a warrant for Nash's arrest on a probation violation charge. When officers attempted to arrest Nash, he took off running, Landry said. Later Nash was spotted hiding in a wooded area, the police chief said. When an officer tried to arrest him, he fled again with the officer in pursuit, Landry said. The officer eventually ordered Nash to lie down and he complied, Landry said. Nash was booked with resisting a police officer and violating parole, the police chief said. The probation violation was failure to report to his probation officer, Landry said. Nash has been arrested on various charges over the past several years. He was once considered a major league baseball prospect." (The Advocate, Baton Rouge)

22 February, 2005

    Troop movements ... first DL assignment ... CLE Jason Stanford to the 60-day, Juan Gonzalez promoted to the 40-man

    Pitchers Matt Cain and Merkin Valdez top the Giants Top 20 at John Sickels' MinorLeagueBall.com.  Outfielder Eddy Martinez-Esteve ranked No. 3.

Sickels' Top 50s posted on the Top 100 page ... with some changes to the Hitters' List as published in the book (a typo goofed up the last part of the hitters). 

    A's Daric Barton with a little more shelf life as a catcher :

" ...  the 19-year-old hitting phenom obtained in the Mark Mulder trade, is in big league camp as a catcher. He'll work with infielders coach Ron Washington this spring at first base. Due to the knee injury to Landon Powell, the A's first-round pick last June, Barton will spend more time catching this year than originally planned. But the A's feel Barton's bat will progress so quickly, having him remain at catcher would slow him. Plus, they are already loaded with catching prospects. If Barton performs this spring as expected, he could start the year at Double-A Midland." (Oakland Tribune)

    The Austin Kearns third base experiment not totally off the boards :

" ... With all the hard work that he's done, we'll give him some opportunities to get over there in game situations and different things like that," said manager Dave Miley. "I would say the outfield is definitely the priority, but he wants to keep working at (third) and we want him to." Kearns will play third in at least a few exhibition games, which should provide a measure of his skills at the position that the Reds were unable to take last fall." (Cincinnati Post)

    Dustin McGowan a surprise in the Jays' camp :

" ... McGowan lined up alongside the other pitchers throwing off a mound. It was just a little over nine months ago that McGowan underwent ligament transfer surgery on his right elbow, a procedure more commonly known as Tommy John surgery. McGowan didn't throw any breaking balls yesterday, but he's still way ahead of schedule. In six starts last season at double-A New Hampshire, McGowan was 2-0 with a 4.06 ERA prior to the surgery. Jays manager John Gibbons said the team will take things very slowly with McGowan despite his rapid recovery. "He's so far along but you can't get too excited and push things along," Gibbons said. "Really the front office is looking at him (helping the major league club) in 2006." (Toronto Sun)

    One way NOT to win favour with your employer :

" ... Juan Dominguez was scheduled to have a heart-to-heart chat with pitching coach Orel Hershiser. Dominguez has not endeared himself to his bosses by being late to the ballpark for two of the first four workouts." (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

    Rob Blackstien, CREATiVESPORTS, has his picks as the best prospects (Top 10 posted, another 10 to come).  Prince Fielder tops the list with Delmon Young as the runner-up :

" ...  Young probably would have ranked at the top of this list had he been playing at a higher level ... The player many are calling the next Albert Belle is simply a monster. He’ll easily be the top prospect in baseball by this time next year and if by some strange occurrence he has yet to be snapped up in your keeper league, grab him immediately ...  Drafted out of a California high school, Young spent the 2004 season with Charleston as an 18-year-old (he turned 19 in September). Despite the tender age, Young was absolutely dominant, scoring 95 runs and producing 164 hits in 131 games. He flashed fantastic power (26 2B, 5 3B, 25 HR) and speed (21 SB, 6 CS), accumulating a ridiculous 115 RBI. While those 120 strikeouts are more than you’d like to see and is an area he’ll need to address as he moves up the latter, there was nothing wrong with Young’s percentages: .320/.386/.536 ... indications are that he’ll be assigned to AA Montgomery to start 2005. But it wouldn’t be a shock to see a mid-season promotion to AAA and perhaps even a September call-up if things progress well. Young is truly a five-tool prospect, but when it comes to his power, there are few prospects that can hold a candle to his potential."

    John Barten, 'Till You're Blue in the Face, includes notes on Jeremy Hermida and Adam Miller among his prospect reports (ranking the kids on a scale of up to 5 stars) :

" ...  one of the better outfield prospects in baseball. He has outstanding plate discipline for a player his age and he has great all around ability with speed and a good batting stroke ... power isn't what you want to see from a corner outfielder, but it is improving slowly. And the player I most closely associate with Hermida (Bobby Abreu) had almost exactly the same isolated slugging percentage at the same age in the same league, so I'm pretty optimistic about that. A 19 year old playing above league average in the Florida State League is a good sign ... ETA: Mid 2006  4 1/2 stars."

" ... Adam Miller  ... Ordinary name, extraordinary prospect. His stuff lights up scouting reports. He has a great mid 90's fastball that touches 97-98 at times and a lethal slider. He also put up disturbingly good numbers split between the Sally League and the Carolina League ...  a very advanced pitcher and a smart kid. He mixes his pitches and locations like a 30 year old veteran. He has very good command and he doesn't give up the long ball. I could complain about the lack of slow pitch like a curve or a change, but that would be nitpicking a guy who doesn't deserve it ...  ETA: Late 2006 5 Stars."

21 February, 2005

    Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion tops starter Richie Gardner and first sacker Joey Votto in his John Sickels' Cincy Top 20 at MinorLeagueBall.com.  Thomas Pauly ranked No. 4 ahead of 2004 first rounder Homer Bailey :

" ... Rating Pauly over Bailey is controversial, considering that Bailey was a first-round pick last year. I want to make sure he is completely healthy so I am conservative with his grade, although B- may be a bit too low. If he comes out of the box well in '05, his grade will rise very quickly."

Not much to pick through in the Yankee system.  Sickels goes with third baseman Eric Duncan as No. 1 followed by 2004 draft pick Phil Hughes.

    Top Giants' pitching prospect still in long-range plans as a starter :

" ... Although right-handed prospect Merkin Valdez has an outside chance of claiming a bullpen spot, the Giants want to find a way to give him enough innings in exhibitions to nurture him as a starter. Asked how he might accomplish this with 33 pitchers in camp, Alou smiled and said, ``I really don't know.'' Pitching coach Dave Righetti said: ``Gosh, I don't know how the heck I'm going to do it, but I'll do my best.'' Valdez, who is more likely to open this season in the minors, pitched at four classifications last year and made two relief appearances with San Francisco. Righetti emphasized that the Giants remain aware of Valdez's potential. ``The easy thing to do would be to take a kid like that and say, `You're just a one-inning guy and we'll give you one or two pitches and try to get you to the big leagues as fast as we can.' Well, that's not doing him any good. We want to see him flourish.''  (The Mercury news)

    Already turning heads in the Mets' camp ... the not petite Yusmeiro Petit :

" ... One of his minor league managers compares him with Sid Fernandez, the portly left-hander who spent 10 seasons with the Mets. One of Petit's coaches has playfully called him "a jumbo shrimp." One of his teammates said, "I think we're going to have to get him a new last name." Petit (pronounced pe-TEET), a right-hander, is listed at 6 feet and 230 pounds - 3 inches shorter than Mike Piazza and 15 pounds heavier. When Petit reported to his first major league spring training workout Saturday, a couple of Mets assumed he was a young slugger. Petit is actually considered among the best pitching prospects in minor league baseball, and he is probably one of the biggest. He led the minors last season in strikeouts per nine innings. He played at three different levels and made the Mets temporarily forget about Scott Kazmir, the top-rated pitching prospect they traded to Tampa Bay in July. Petit, 20, is almost a year younger than Kazmir and posted better statistics in the low minor leagues. He struck out 20 batters in 12 1/3 innings at Class A Brooklyn, recorded 122 strikeouts and just 22 walks at Class A Kingsport and went three consecutive games at Class A St. Lucie with at least 10 strikeouts. As a reward, Petit was promoted to Class AA Binghamton and invited to major league spring training. (New York Times)

    Big BAL lefty says he's ready.

" ...  Adam Loewen, who was shut down last summer after he was found to have a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder that didn't require surgery, said he's been throwing for almost two months without any setbacks. "There are no problems at all," he said yesterday. "I'm 100 percent for sure." ...  The injury occurred in late August and he experienced pain for about a week. "I haven't felt anything since," he said. "It was just the end of the year and my arm was wearing down. Maybe I strained something from throwing a slider. That stuff happens. It was nothing to worry about." ...  The fourth player selected in the 2002 draft, Loewen must reach the majors by 2007 or be exposed to waivers under terms of his contract. "I'll be there when I'm ready," he said. "If you try to rush yourself, you're going to end up backtracking and getting ahead of yourself trying to do too much, and you're not thinking about the task at hand."  (Baltimore Sun)

    Sweet Lou taking a liking to the kids on the hill :

" ... Piniella acknowledges getting a little "giggly" when he watches Scott Kazmir and Tampa Bay's other young pitchers throw in spring training. "And I mean that in a positive way," the manager said Saturday. "We have some good arms here." Some, like first-round draft pick Jeff Niemann and minor league prospects Chad Orvella, Jason Hammel and Chris Seddon, may be a season or more away from being able to help the Devil Rays. Kazmir will get an opportunity much sooner. "He's not a project. He's one of the kids that we have here that we're going to let compete for a starting job," Piniella said. "He got a taste of it last September. I thought he did well. We'll give him every opportunity this spring to win himself a spot." ...  "The one thing about Scott last year, he was really good or he wasn't good. There was no in between. That's inexperience. That's where you need to get a little more consistent," Piniella said. "But I'll tell you this, he showed me that with some improvement, he can pitch in the big leagues and be a winning pitcher. He's a confident kid, which is good. Got a little cockiness to him. Nothing wrong with that. He's got a good arm to go along with it. He's got to hone his skills a little bit."  (Associated Press)

    JR House PIT ... no end to health problems ... likely heading for more surgery :

" ... at age 25, he could be facing his fourth major surgery in four years and another significant delay to his career. House learned yesterday from the Pirates' medical staff that he has a dual injury in his right shoulder, a torn labrum and a 30 percent tear of the rotator cuff. He will be examined tomorrow by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. If Andrews determines surgery is necessary, it will happen Tuesday. If he has surgery, he likely would miss most or all of the coming season. "I'm not optimistic it can be avoided," House said. "It's frustrating, but it's out of my hands now."  (PIT Post Gazette)

20 February, 2005

    Jim Callis, Baseball America, on Tadahito Iguchi CHA :

" ... We kept up with as many of the offseason transactions as we could in the 2005 Prospect Handbook ...  After the White Sox signed Iguchi, we put him at No. 5 on their prospect list, between third baseman Josh Fields and righthander Sean Tracey. You want a scouting report? I'll give you a direct taste from the Handbook, where Phil Rogers wrote up the White Sox:

" ...  A four-time all-star in eight Pacific League seasons, Iguchi won three Gold Gloves and two stolen-base titles. He consistently has hit for power and took a huge jump as a hitter in the last two seasons. Few second baseman are as athletic or as complete a player as Iguchi. He uses his power to drive in runs and his speed to score them ... an unusually surehanded fielder with average range. He totaled 22 errors in three seasons after moving from shortstop to second base. Iguchi's only liability is his arm, which hasn't been the same since a shoulder injury in 2002 ... could be a rare 20-20 second baseman and a Rookie of the Year contender. Unlike Hideki Matsui and Kaz Matsui, he played in a pitcher's park in Japan and moves to a hitter's paradise."

But, Ozzie Guillen not so enamoured with Iguchi :

" ... The Sox' second-year manager also said Tadahito Iguchi and Willie Harris will compete for the starting job at second base and the No. 9 spot in the order." (Arlington Heights Daily Herald)

    Joe Ptak is back!  His Cleveland Indians Report looks at the possibilities for 25-man roster spots, including some notes on prospects :

" ... ANDREW BROWN  Dominated the Southern League (58K, 40.1IP) before joining the Indians after being named the PTBNL in the Milton Bradley trade. Did not pitch horrible for Akron but did not dominate either. Health remains a concern (two elbow injuries) and I wouldn't be surprised to see him move to the bullpen somewhere down the line."

" ... FAUSTO CARMONA  After breakout campaign for Lake County in 2003, pitched well in the first half at Kinston last year before being hit hard in Akron (87 IP, 114 H, 4.97 ERA). Still, his walk rates were solid and he did show an increase in his K/IP ratio although it's still below what you would expect from a pitcher with his reported stuff. He'll pitch all of next season at the age of 21 and a full season of success in double-A would be a nice springboard toward a potential major league shot sometime in 2006."

" ... FRANCISCO CRUCETA  Little chance to crack the rotation. Needs a strong year in Buffalo to avoid being bypassed by the other young guns. Could be attractive trade bait this summer."

    Jose Capellan, already a hit in MIL :

" ...  It's not often you see a kid who throws that hard who also has command of his pitches," manager Ned Yost said Friday after early arrivals to camp had an informal workout at Maryvale Stadium. "That's what makes him special." ...  With a fastball that approaches 100 mph and a knee-buckling breaking ball, the right-hander from the Dominican Republic can intimidate a hitter ...  In informal throwing sessions over the past few days under the watchful eye of pitching coach Mike Maddux, Capellan has exhibited a smooth delivery as well as an ability to hit spots on both sides of the plate. "He looks like a pitcher who throws hard instead of a hard-thrower who's trying to pitch," Maddux said. "There's a big difference. We have a lot of power arms in camp this spring." The Brewers will give Capellan a chance to win a job in the starting rotation in what is expected to be a fierce battle for the final two spots. There also has been thought that he could emerge as a dominating closer one day." (MIL Journal Sentinel)

    Jesse Foppert, so far no major setbacks on the road back from surgery :

" ...   the Giants still see the 24-year-old as a potential front-line starter ... Ideally, the Giants believe, Foppert will ease back into pitching by securing a long-relief role on the Opening Day roster. "I feel like I'm back to where I was before I got hurt," said Foppert, who formerly threw 95-mph fastballs with ease. What happens later is left to the imagination -- and Foppert. "Who knows where he's going to end up by the end of the year? He's liable to end up getting better and better and better," Righetti said ...  Asked what his injury taught him about himself, he cited a trait rarely found in athletes his age: "Patience." Added Foppert, "That's the biggest thing for anybody who had the surgery. I'm still going to have days where I don't feel right. That's part of the deal." ... Foppert's seven-game stint for Manati in the Puerto Rican Winter League was meant to help him regain a feel for pitching . "Some days I would feel like I had never thrown a baseball before, and the next day I'd be back to normal," he said. Although Foppert finished 0-3 with a 6.08 ERA, he struck out 23 batters in 23ª innings." (Contra Costa Times)

    Neil Walker, in his first big league camp, ready to learn :

" ... My approach is going to be that I need to take advantage of every day I'm here to learn as much as I can," he said. "Just being around Benito Santiago, Humberto Cota and the other catchers, having the chance to learn from them, I'm very fortunate to have that." ... Walker, still a baby-faced 19, is not part of the Pirates' big-league team yet. Nor is he close, ranking near the bottom of the organizational depth chart for catchers. But he is a vital part of the team's future as its first-round pick, 11th overall, in the June amateur draft ... Management already has determined he will open this season with Hickory of the low Class A South Atlantic League ... There is little that the Pirates do not like about the offensive potential of Walker, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound switch-hitter with a smooth, powerful stroke. They express confidence about his defense, too, albeit more cautiously. "I want to see Neil get better in receiving, game-calling, footwork, throwing, everything, and that's normal for a catcher his age," Graham said. "The receiving is the area we plan to concentrate on. He needs to be able to handle a 93 mph fastball and a big-time breaking ball." (PIT Post Gazette)

    In the Seattle camp early hype on a newcomer :

" ... How good is Jorge Campillo, the right-hander the Mariners acquired in an agreement with the Mexico City Tigres? Good enough, according to manager Mike Hargrove, to go into Seattle's spring starting rotation. Good enough, according to Kit Pellow, to stay there. "When he get his changes of speed over for strikes," said Pellow, a utility player in camp with the catchers, "Campy (Campillo) is devastating." He would know. Pellow was a teammate of Campillo the past five years at Culiacan ...  where Campillo went 10-1 with a 2.05 earned-run average. "This was a breakthrough year for him," Pellow said. "He's been developing over the years to reach this point. This winter he had four good pitches; batters had no chance." Hargrove said he expects to have a spring starting rotation of six or seven: Jamie Moyer, Joel Pineiro, Gil Meche, Ryan Franklin, Aaron Sele and Campillo."  (Seattle Times)

    Nady over Burroughs in SD?  Nah.

" ... Bochy termed it "far-fetched" to think Xavier Nady could wrest the third base job from Sean Burroughs in spring camp. Bochy said Nady will see a lot of third base in exhibitions but is far more likely to play in the outfield during the season. One concern is how Nady's surgically reconstructed elbow would hold up at third." (SD Union Tribune)

    A few prospect notes included in the team reports at MLB.com :

" ... Juan Dominguez ... The bad news: Dominguez's season was shut down to injuries last year. The good news: His injuries had nothing to do with his arm. He strained his back, and then strained his knee rehabbing his back. His arm is nice and rested and 100 percent though. That's an encouraging thing, because the arm possesses some powerful raw stuff. Before getting hurt, Dominguez dominated Triple-A hitters and more than held his own in four Major League starts. He could be a very nice sleeper in the back of the Texas rotation. Keep an eye on him."

" ...  John Buck ...  If you're looking for a sleeper, Buck may be your man. The youngster is projected to start for the Royals, and playing in Kansas City, some owners in your league may not even have heard of him. In 2004, he drilled 12 home runs, drove in 30 runs and posted a .424 slugging percentage in 71 games. However, he whiffed 79 times and had only 15 walks. Catching 100-plus games will help his power numbers this season, despite playing in pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium."

" ... Clint Barmes ...  was outstanding at Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2004, hitting .328 in 533 at-bats with 16 homers, 51 RBIs, 104 runs and 20 steals. However, he has struck out 20 times against only three walks in his first two big league cups of coffee, and the Rockies are unconvinced about his defensive ability at shortstop. The possibility of regular playing time in Coors Field makes him worth a look in any league for 2005, but there's an equal possibility he could be reduced to a reserve role. Barmes is an intriguing gamble thanks to his offensive upside, but don't overbid, as he might not get enough playing time to warrant much enthusiasm."

19 February, 2005

    John Sickels continues his Top 20s at MinorLeagueBall.com with his ranking for the Rays' system -- Delmon Young, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Niemann 1-2-3.

" ... One guy to watch real close is Elijah Dukes, who is rather anonymous unless you're a D-Rays fan. He has tremendous tools and hit .332/.416/.540 last year in the California League, although there are questions about his plate discipline and his "fiery" makeup. Joey Gathright may be the fastest man in professional baseball, but his extreme lack of power may delegate him to a bench role in the long run."

    David Luciani, BaseballNotebook, on Jose Capellan, Jason Dubois :

" ... I believe that Capellan could stretch out his triple digit stuff over six innings but he won't win many games pitching for a weak Milwaukee team. Capellan is already one name to keep in mind no matter what role he wins and I'll be closely watching how he performs in the spring as I'm hoping he wins either a spot in the rotation or the closing role."

" ...  When Sammy Sosa was traded, the Cubs essentially simultaneously announced the signing of Jeromy Burnitz to play right field. I'm forecasting a disappointing season for Burnitz, his worst since 2002, and that could open up some playing time for Dubois. Readers know how I typically don't project prospects to have immediate success but Dubois is capable of a 35 home run season if he plays full-time and while I'm only expecting him to win about a half season's worth of at bats, that could change if he performs in the spring up to his abilities. "

    Jay Bradley, RaysBaseball.com, has an interesting piece on his picks as the Top 20 hitters (more like the best and least expensive hitters) ... for the next decade.  BJ Upton owners rejoice ... he's No. 1 :

" ... He's 2 years younger than Wright which gets him this spot. That probably won't mean much over the next 10 years, and if Upton can't stick at short, then this may need revision. But Upton's bat has been incredible for a teenager and should have a permanent place in the #3 hole for the next 10 years. Too much talent and potential to not have at #1."

There are some surprising, early picks such as Grady Sizemore and Jeremy Reed, but with an explanation :

" ...  the player must have at least 100 plate appearances in the majors to be included (no Delmon). Money is considered - so a player who still has pre-arbitation or pre-FA years will get most of the notice (in fact, there are only two players who have gotten to arbitration already that I put on the list). I'm not going to worry about the details and specifics of the contracts once a player hits free agency - I'll just assume they get paid well if they are one of the better players in the game. So the difference in 1 year of free agency could be as much as $10 million in savings."

1. B.J. Upton		11. Justin Morneau
2. David Wright		12. Hank Blalock
3. Joe Mauer		13. Jason Bay
4. Grady Sizemore	14. Adam Dunn
5. Jeremy Reed		15. Khalil Greene
6. Miguel Cabrera	16. Bobby Crosby
7. Carl Crawford	17. Mark Teixeira
8. Albert Pujols	18. Travis Hafner
9. Victor Martinez	19. Rocco Baldelli
10. Nick Swisher	20. Lyle Overbay

    Melissa Lockard, OaklandClubhouse, on Omar Quintanilla :

" ...   an outstanding first full season in the A’s system, posting an 850 OPS over 108 games for Modesto and a 940 OPS over 23 games for Midland. He then starred in the Arizona Fall League, finishing near the top of the league in batting average and impressing scouts with his ability to make consistent solid contact. Despite all of these accolades, many still question Quintanilla’s long-term potential. Scouts point to his height (5’9’’) and weight (195) as signs that he will eventually be too immobile to man a middle infield position defensively ... has good hands and decent range, so he projects to be at least average defensively at second. Long-term, Quintanilla has a chance to be an excellent top of the order hitter for the A’s, perhaps as soon as 2006. Although he doesn’t walk a tremendous amount, he does control the strike zone well and rarely strikes out. His approach at the plate is similar to that of current A’s leadoff hitter Mark Kotsay. He’ll likely never be a homerun hitter, but he has good gap power and could be someone who hits 35-40 doubles a season at the top of the order."

    Brad Hawpe COL ... looks to be a solid sleeper pick :

" ...  This is about opportunity," Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "Now it's up to some of our young players to take advantage of that opportunity." ...   Put Hawpe high on the list. But do not consider him an overnight success story. He was an 11th-round draft choice out of Louisiana State in June 2000 and is preparing for his sixth professional season. He has hit .303 in his minor-league career. In 2004, he put together a .322 average with 31 home runs in 345 at-bats at Class AAA Colorado Springs. Given a 42-game major-league audition with the Rockies, he batted .248. It's that power that makes the left-handed-hitting Hawpe so enticing to the Rockies ...  They envision him platooning, at least initially, with Dustan Mohr, an off-season free-agent addition. But considering Hawpe bats left- handed, there is every reason to expect him to get more than 400 at- bats, an ample opportunity for him to show his power against major- league pitching. "He has to show up offensively, and he knows that," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's worked extra hard this winter to get ready."  ... "He has a talent that sets him apart," O'Dowd said. "He's a big-time power threat."  (Rocky Mountain News)

18 February, 2005

    Another name to add to your pitching list ... Jorge Campillo, Caribbean World Series star,  from the Mexico City Tigres appears headed for SEA

    Maybe, just maybe ... this is the year.  Tony Armas WAS :

" ... I feel normal," he said. "I feel like I can do all my normal things." And he paused. "It's been so long since I could say that." There is, of course, a difference between saying he is back and being back, but everyone associated with the Nationals is optimistic that Armas's progress over the winter will allow him to return to a prominent spot in the rotation. In fact, of the 28 pitchers in camp, there may be no more important arm than the one that betrayed Armas nearly two years ago. "If he stays healthy," Manager Frank Robinson said, "he's the key to the rotation, I think. Because if the other guys are healthy, they're going to do what they're capable of doing. But Armas, to me, is capable of doing some outstanding things." (Washington Post)

    Hope, after all, for Gavin Floyd and Ryan Howard :

" ... The Phillies wouldn't discount top pitching prospect Gavin Floyd making the team as a long reliever, though Floyd is a certain starting prospect in the future. "I wouldn't rule it out, though right now it's a longshot," said assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle, who runs the franchise's developmental programs. Arbuckle pointed at the success enjoyed last season by Ryan Madson, a lesser prospect who made the club as the long reliever but who progressed to being the top bullpen arm last season."

" ... First-base prospect Ryan Howard, blocked at the majors by Thome, will play leftfield in some minor league spring games before getting some time in left with the big club, Manuel said." (Philadelphia Daily News)

    Koyie Hill, Chris Snyder ... only one at a time ... last rotation spot in Arizona up for grabs :

" ... But No. 5 is up for grabs, and it figures to be an even heartier competition than the starting catcher's job. The top four candidates entering camp appeared to be left-handers Michael Gosling and Brad Halsey, hard-throwing right-hander Ramon Antonio Peña, and Villarreal, who spent the past two seasons as a reliever after compiling a 15-15 mark the previous two years as a starter in the minors."

" ... Melvin insisted early on that it likely would be a head-to-head competition between youngsters Hill and Chris Snyder. The loser stays behind in Triple-A Tucson ...  When the Diamondbacks acquired Hill in the Steve Finley trade last summer, they basically called him their new catcher of the future. He has the potential, too. A switch-hitter, he batted .356 with 42 runs scored, 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in 48 home games at Triple-A Las Vegas before joining Arizona. He was just starting to shine in his first genuine taste of the majors when a home-plate collision with Pittsburgh's Ty Wigginton left him with a mashed right ankle that ended his season Aug.16. Snyder, meanwhile, opened eyes by making the jump from Double-A, where he ranked second in the Texas League with a .520 slugging percentage. He hit .240 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 29 games for the Diamondbacks after the injury to Hill." (Arizona Republic)

    More intrigue in the Alay Soler case.  The Cuban pitcher says his agent, Joe Cubas, has been blocking his entry to the US by withholding his passport. Soler claims Cubas is demanding a 15-percent cut of his contract (rather than the usual 5-percent) to release the documentation.  Now, the agent has fired back :

" ...  in an e-mail to The Post, Cubas indicated that Soler was planning to try to use an illegitimate passport ...  According to Cubas' e-mail, "In late December, a Cuban passport was delivered to my office purporting to be Soler's passport that he had obtained through his own efforts and family members in Cuba." Cubas had doubts about the passport's authenticity and wrote, "Soler confirmed that this passport did not belong to him but belonged to a family member and had been 'doctored' for Soler to use. I immediately informed Soler that I would not be a part of any intentions on his behalf to enter the United States with a fraudulent passport." ... Cubas said he has "referred this matter over to the FBI and proper authorities in the U.S. Embassy." (NY Post)

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, has his picks as the best of the Cubs farm -- Brian Dopirak, Felix Pie, Billy Petrick 1-2-3.

John is scheduled for a stinit in the Sportsblurb chat room next Monday at 7:00 pm Eastern.

    Jason Collette, RotoJunkie,  includes some notes on Jeff Francoeur ATL in his latest Farm Futures posting :

" ...  Raise your hand if you have not seen the phrase, “The next Dale Murphy” attached to Francoeur’s name before. Anyone…..anyone…Buehler…anyone? Enough of that, besides, Francouer didn’t start off as a catcher in his pro career and Francoeur is as fiery as Murphy appeared docile ... . one of the few legitimate five-tool prospects. He has shown the ability to hit for power, average, runs well, and is an asset in the field. The one area where he has had struggles – and it is in direct relation to his aggressive style – is that he has shown very little plate patience ...  That kind of aggressiveness is good to a point, but not everyone can be Vladimir Guerrero and get away with it. 2005 will likely be the last year Francoeur spends in the minors so he needs to make the most of it and tighten up his strike zone."

17 February, 2005

    A couple of sleepers included in the latest installment of Dayn Perry's Top 100 at FoxSports.

" ... 34. Justin Huber ...   As catchers go, Huber has excellent potential at the plate. He's shown good gap power at every stop and last season improved his already good plate discipline by drawing 46 walks against 236 at-bats for AA-Binghamton. He has more potential than current Royals catcher John Buck, but the organization seems committed to Buck. That likely means a utility role of sorts for Huber at the highest level. That's a misuse of resources on KC's part."

" ... 36. Delwyn Young ...  Here we have one of the most underrated prospects in baseball. Young plays the middle infield and has slugged at least .500 at every stop, including over a full season in the hitter-friendly Florida State League in 2004. Young also made good progress with his plate discipline last year, and his defense has been coming along. There's some doubt as to whether he'll be able to stick at second base, but if he does he could be a special player."

    John Manuel, Baseball America, with some SF notes in the BA chat room :

Matt Cain  " ...  He does have both the stuff and it appears the intangibles to be a No. 1; I haven't spoken to anyone who isn't high on him. He got hurt in 2003, then answered that doubts by making every start in 2004. Predictably, never having pitched that much, he tired at the end of the season, otherwise his numbers for the year would have been pretty insane for a teenager. He's in the top 5 pitching prospects in the game for me, and I don't think I'm going out of much of a limb there."

Merkin Valdez  " ...  I saw Merkin in spring training last year and he was electric in a short stint. He has the fastball command to start but lost some feel for his slider this year; he's probably headed for the bullpen if the slider doesn't return, and he also needs help with his change. With San Francisco's starting pitching depth, the bullpen again makes more sense, and he could be a dominant reliever."

Jesse Foppert  " ... If his velo gets back to 2002 levels--and yes, he threw 94-96 effortlessly then and hit some 98s and 99s--I would say Foppert has the highest ceiling, including Cain. He was devastating before the injury and clearly was hurt in his big league season, when his stuff wasn't the same.

Lance Neikro  " ... it's just hard to know with Niekro. He's never stayed healthy, four injuries on four body parts in four years. Last year, showing some power that befits a corner infielder for the first time, was encouraging, and I think that situation is his best bet, as a reserve corner IF or platoon guy. But Pedro Feliz already has that job in SF, and he can even play SS or some OF, so Niekro is even blocked there."

Nate Schierholtz  " ... Middle-of-the-order hitter, 30 bombs a year, he has that kind of power."

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, is running through some team-by-team prospect rankings (Top 20s) as he kicks off his new site.  OAK, MIL and MIN covered so far.  Here are the Top 10s for each of those teams noted :

   OAKLAND              MILWAUKEE               MINNESOTA
 1 Dan Meyer		Prince Fielder		Jesse Crain
 2 Daric Barton		Rickie Weeks		Jason Kubel
 3 Huston Street	Jose Capellan		J.D. Durbin
 4 Nick Swisher		Herman Iribarren	Scott Baker
 5 Joe Blanton		Corey Hart		Glen Perkins
 6 Omar Quintanilla	Ben Hendrickson		Jason Bartlett
 7 Richie Robnett	Manny Parra		Adam Harben
 8 Jairo Garcia		Dana Eveland		Francisco Liriano
 9 Dan Johnson		Nelson Cruz		Alex Romero
10 Kurt Suzuki		J.J. Hardy		Trevor Plouffe

" ... I'm more impressed with Rickie Weeks than many sabermetric-oriented analysts. I love his athleticism and quick bat, and I think he will hit much better in 2005. . .in other words, I think the scouts are right about him even if the numbers aren't that hot just yet. "

    A few more snippets from Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, and his AL West prospect review :

Omar Quintanilla, OAK # 7 " ...  the 33rd overall pick in the 2003 draft. The left-handed hitter has hit .329 since being drafted and shows 12-homer power. Add in the 50 walks per year and he’s practically a clone of Todd Walker. A shortstop up until this point of his career, he’s expected to move to second base if he stays with the A’s. He’s capable of being an above average defender at that position, so his future appears bright. One more year in the minors might be enough."

Shin-Soo Choo, SEA # 3 " ...   lacks the power to be a great player, but there’s a lot to like about his game. He’s produced at every level despite being fairly young for his leagues, and he’s athletic enough to play anywhere in the outfield. Since he possesses an arm that also made him a prospect as a pitcher when he was signed out of South Korea, right field is probably his best position, though it’s fairly well blocked in Seattle. Choo is polished enough that he’d be able to survive as a regular this year if necessary. He’ll get a year in Triple-A, though. Because Choo is similar yet slightly inferior to Reed, he might be trade bait in July."

Yuniesky Betancourt, #10 SEA  " ...  The Cuban defector was compared to a first- or second-round talent by GM Bill Bavasi. He showed the ability to hit for average but little in the way of power in Cuba. Defensively, he can play short or second and is thought to be average or better at both. With Lopez now viewed as Bret Boone’s replacement in 2006, it seems likely that Betancourt will be groomed as a shortstop. If he hits in the minors, he’ll probably get a chance to win a starting job next year."

Joaquin Arias, # 9 TEX  " ...  Arias may have more of a future with the Rangers than Alfonso Soriano, the other player acquired from the Yankees in the Alex Rodriguez deal. He’s still a raw talent at the moment, but that didn’t stop him from hitting .300 in the California League as a 19-year-old. The Rangers expect him to develop power, and he has all the tools to be a top defensive shortstop. I think he’s more likely to become Royce Clayton than an impact player, but he has plenty of time to make that look like a stupid prediction."

    Peter Gammons, ESPN.com, naming eight possible breakout candidates for 2005.  Jeremy Bonderman tops the list, followed by Austin Kearns and Chase Utley.  Jose Reyes is on the list at No. 4, then Adam LaRoche, Jeremy Affeldt and Bronson Arroyo :

" ... In the second half, when he was in the rotation for good, he was 7-2, 3.87 and the opponents' on-base percentage was .297. Varitek has pointed out that when Arroyo first came up, he commanded one out of every five fastballs. That got to two out of five by the end of last season, and if and when it gets to three out of five, he'll win 16-18 games."

Also named was Carlos Pena.

    A minor change to the Top 10s page -- Sickels added, Perry dropped (doesn't look as if Dayn will completing his Top 10s).

16 February, 2005

    Baseball America has wrapped up its Top 10s with a review of the Giants' farm system.  John Manuel handles the picks.  (and hits the chat room at 2:00 pm Eastern).  Top 5 -- Matt Cain, Merkin Valdez, Fred Lewis, Eddy Martinez-Esteve and Nate Schierholtz.

    Baseball America reports bad news for owners of Travis Blackley :

" ... Blackley had a nightmarish big league debut last summer end with a shoulder injury, and the Mariners hoped rehabilitation would take care of the problem. However, a recent MRI showed that Blackley's labrum tear had not improved, necessitating surgery to repair the tear. Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels medical director, performed the procedure ...  Benny Looper, the Mariners' vice president for scouting and player development. "Once we got a definitive MRI, though, that showed we needed to have him have surgery, that's when we went in that direction. "It's likely he'll miss all of this season. Hopefully we'll have him ready to go for spring training next year."

    Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, with his top rookie picks for teams in the AL West, including the loaded Angels' system :

" ... 3. Kendry Morales ...  promised an opportunity to win the DH job this year. Morales has experience at third, but he wasn’t known for his defense in Cuba. If the Angels keep Kotchman to play first base, Morales could be a long-term DH. Left field would be an alternative, especially if Garret Anderson continues to have physical problems. Morales hit .391 in his final season in Cuba, so there is a chance he’ll be ready to contribute right away. It’s too early to tell what his upside is, but he figures to hit for enough average and power to be a major league regular."

" ... 7. Erick Aybar ...  Aybar has his share of flaws, but if he truly was 20 years old while batting .330 in the California League last year, it’s hard not to like his potential. Aybar has the athletic ability to be a top defensive shortstop and basestealer in the majors. He’s raw, but not excessively so for someone so young. Aybar’s bat speed should allow him to continue to hit for average and display 15-homer power. A few walks would be nice and it was unacceptable that he was caught on 36 of his 87 steal attempts last year, but he has All-Star upside."

    Eric Mack, SportsLine.com, has a Top 100 for 2005 up at CBS, with Dallas McPherson, Nick Swisher, Jerermy Reed running 1-2-3.  There are, however, some picks (by position) as the best of the long-term prospects.  The piece appears to have been written before OAK's announcement of Barton's switch to first and Hamels' recent troubles.

Daric Barton C, Prince Fielder 1B, Rickie Weeks 2B, Ian Stewart 3B, Joel Guzman SS, Delmon Young, Lastings Milledge, Jeff Francoeur OF, Cole Hamels LHP, Felix Hernandez RHP, Huston Street RP.

    Todd Morgan, Oakland Clubhouse, with a forecast of the top of the June draft :

" ... 1. Diamondbacks – Justin Upton ... combination of 5-tool potential and polish make him an even easier choice at #1 than was his brother. He could end up in centerfield, but wants to play shortstop as a pro. The only real no-brainer in the draft. 2. Royals – Alex Gordon ...  Feeling pressure to add a player who will reach K.C. quickly, the Royals grab Gordon’s potent bat and excellent hands and arm on defense. A patient hitter with excellent power, he should find his way to the big leagues quickly. 3. Mariners – Jeff Clement  ...  I expect Clement to have a huge season for the Trojans, and that combined with his already-proven ability to hit for power will convince the Mariners that he is the answer to their lack of organizational depth at the catching position. It may be unwise to draft for need, but his lefty bat would play fine in Safeco even as a first basemen."

    At Baseball America, John Manuel's series has an early look at the June draft.  At the catching position, John rates USC's Jeff Clement as the leader of the pack, ahead of Taylor Teagarden, another college star (Texas).

    Patterson, Rauch perhaps with opportunities for rotation spots ... or, to battle for one :

" ... Zach Day ... Robinson is considering moving Day to the bullpen, which would add depth there. The Nationals like his stuff ...  but worry about his durability. In nine years of pro ball, he has thrown more than 136 innings only once ...  if either Jon Rauch or John Patterson pitches well in spring training, expect Day to shore up the pen. ... Michael Hinckley ...  He's not ready. He's not ready. He's not ready. That's what Nationals officials keep telling themselves about Hinckley, who was the franchise's minor league pitcher of the year in 2004 (11-4, 2.77 ERA) when he split time between Class A Brevard County and Class AA Harrisburg. His raw stuff, which includes a 93-mph fastball and a biting curve, is excellent. And he holds a future spot in the Nationals' rotation. The organization is trying to make sure it takes a methodical approach to developing the few young prospects it has. But charting Hinckley's progress this spring will be a fun way to glimpse into the future." (Washington Post)

    John Sickels, in an interview at Athletics Minors, some notes on the OAK kids :

Jairo Garcia, Huston Street this season?  " ...  Jairo's control is a potentially serious problem. He was really rushed last year and I think it hurt him. His stuff is first-class obviously, but a consolidation season may be necessary. I wouldn't expect him to contribute a lot until '06. I'm very high on Street, and I think he could contribute right away."

Dan Meyer or Joe Blanton?  " ... I think Meyer is ready for the Show right now, but Blanton might need some more "seasoning" as the old-timers say. I think Meyer's stuff is a notch better than Blanton's. I like both in the long-term."

Daric Barton, defense  " ... Some scouts think that Barton isn't athletic enough to handle even first base, and think he will end up as a very young DH. Others are less concerned and think he will transition fine. My guess is that he'll never be a gold glove, but he should be adequate with the glove. With a bat like his, an adequate glove is all you need."

    Felipe with a thumbs up on Jesse Foppert :

" ... San Francisco's injury issues aren't limited to veterans. Right-hander Jesse Foppert, 24, will try to demonstrate that his recovery from ``Tommy John'' elbow surgery in September 2003 is legitimate. The Giants won't rush Foppert. Though he showed promise as a starter in 2003, he'll probably be used in long relief if he makes the opening-day roster. And what's the possibility of that? Alou rated Foppert's chances as ``100 percent'' if he's physically sound. But much will depend on whether the Giants open the season with 11 or 12 pitchers (last year, it was 12)." (The Mercury News)

    Thanks to Anthony Smith for the initial rounds of  NL Mad Chatters.  Interesting, Hudson before Beltran, Mulder before Pedro. 

1-10            11-20            21-30           31-40          41-50
Hudson Tim	Weaver Jeff	 Madson Ryan	 Torres Salomon Burnitz Jeromy
Beltran Carlos	Lieber Jon	 Vizquel Omar	 Wigginton Ty	Miller Damian
Mulder Mark	Gonzalez Mike	 Guillen Jose	 Leiter Al	Milton Eric
Lee Carlos	Reyes Jose	 Pena WilyMo	 Floyd Gavin	Aquino Greg
Martinez Pedro	Davis Doug	 Linebrink Scott Morris Matt	Schneider Brian
Glaus Troy	Ayala Luis	 Ramirez Horacio Cordero Chad	Tracy Chad
Garciaparra Nom Lowe Derek	 Harang Aaron	 Wilson Preston Matheny Mike
Bradley Milton	Barrett Michael  King Ray	 Lane Jason	Closser J.D.
Kolb Danny	Hawkins LaTroy   Tavarez Julian  Redman Mark	Reitsma Chris
Cameron Mike	Polanco Placido  Benson Kris	 Looper Braden  Mercker Kent

15 February, 2005

    Ah ... Spring Training ... by the time many of you read this ... pitchers & catchers will have reported to several camps ...

    At Baseball America, Kevin Goldstein takes on the Arizona farm system and, with Stephen Drew still unsigned, selects a pair of outfielders to top the Diamondbacks chart -- Carlos Quentin and Conor Jackson.

Quentin or Jackson? " ...  For the most part, it came down to this. Overall, there's very little different in their offensive projection. I think they'll both hit for average, with Quentin showing more power and Jackson reaching base more. The difference is that Quentin is a plus rightfielder, while Jackson is a subpar (very subpar) left fielder, who probably needs to be moved to first."

Stephen Drew  " ... Drew was the best college hitter in the draft, and if he signs, it's a huge draft for the D-backs, who got two other players who at one time or another were considered first-round picks: Jon Zeringue and Garrett Mock.      Yes -- he's that good. I didn't talk to anyone who disagreed with putting Drew at No. 1 when he signs ... I would think Drew could be shooting for a starting lineup slot by 2007."

Ramon Pena  " ...   He does have tremendous talent, no doubt ...  Don't rule out him becoming a power closer ...  His pure stuff is still as good as anyone in the system. He just needs to get going again."

AJ Shappi  " ... Shappi has great control and a great slider, and could move quickly -- but his lack of velocity prevents him from projecting as an top of the rotation starter. Nonetheless, he's a solid prospect."

Josh Kroeger " ... He's certainly taken some steps forward over the past couple of years, but many don't see him as more than a bench player or 4A hitter. As good as his numbers are, he has a long swing and an aggresive approach that was completely exploited in the majors."

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, is up and running.  An OAK Top 20 among the entries (Top 5 - Dan Meyer, Daric Barton, Huston Street, Nick Swisher, Joe Blanton).

    The Sporting News continues team-by-team reports with a notes on a few "hot prospects".  LA's Willy Aybar & Nate Schierholtz among them (although not noting that Schierholtz has been switched to the OF) :

" ... Aybar will still be only 21 years old when he reports to his second major league training camp, but the Dodgers view him as part of their future. A former third baseman, he was shifted to second base last season and handled the transition well. A switch hitter, he has added muscle to his 6-0 frame, as demonstrated by his 15 home runs and 77 RBIs while hitting .275 at Class AA Jacksonville. He's ticketed for Class AAA Las Vegas in 2005, but he could help in Los Angeles before the year is out."

" ... Schierholtz made a bold Class A statement with Hagerstown and San Jose last year, and he showed impressive power worthy of South Atlantic League All-Star honors. The lefthanded batter still needs seasoning at higher levels -- how he'll fare against big league pitching is unknown -- but he'll be part of the farm boy contingent in Scottsdale this spring and compete in split-squad or "B" games. The Giants' top infield prospect sports quick feet, a strong arm and home run potential."

    Jeff Gordon, St. Louis Post-Dispatch with his take on the Cards' farm, including notes on a pair of closely watched starters : 

" ... Anthony Reyes ...  A year ago, Baseball America ranked him as the 19th-best prospect in the organization. This year he ranks No. 1. Elbow problems plagued his career at Southern Cal, where he pitched behind Mark Prior, and shoulder tendinitis sidelined him early last season. He started last season at Class A Palm Beach, then moved up to Class AA Tennessee and posted a 6-2 record with a 2.91 earned-run average. His fastball reaches the mid-90s and he complements it with a nasty slider, a good change-up and an improved curveball. His strikeouts-to-walks ratio last season was 140-20. Scouts rave about his easy throwing motion and excellent command. After spending the offseason improving his strength and conditioning, he should be the No. 1 starter at Memphis this season."

" ... Adam Wainwright ...   He dazzled during ’04 spring training, so the Cards hoped he would contend for a big league job by this spring. But he made just 12 starts at Memphis (going 4-4 with a 5.37 ERA) before shutting down with an elbow strain. Wainwright bounced back to make four starts for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League, recording a 5.23 ERA. He can reach the low 90s with his fastball, but his nasty curveball should be his out pitch. Before his elbow stiffened last May, Wainwright had 23 strikeouts against just five walks in 23 innings -– with a 2.35 ERA. A similar start this spring would move him back on the organization’s front burner."

    Jay Bradley, RaysBaseball.com, has an interesting look at the "golden age" of third sackers, including

" ... David Wright, 22 - Maybe the next superstar. Some were skeptical of his '03 season in the FSL. But after duplicating, even improving, on his performance in '04, Wright made a huge splash during the last two months of the season in New York. He is thought to be a solid defensive player with plenty of power and great plate discipline."

" ... Ian Stewart, 20 - Like McPherson, Stewart is a LH masher. Unlike McPherson, he isn't quite ready. In fact it might be another two years until he makes the Coors Field jump. But Stewart isn't expected to need much home-field advantage. Some expect him to put up Helton-like numbers at the hot corner. His defense was said to be much better than expected last season."

" ... Joel Guzman, 20 - The top SS prospect now that Upton has lost his prospect status, Guzman jumped up two inches in the last couple of years and now stands at 6'6 ...  So there is a chance he moves over to the hot corner. He is an imposing figure with immense power potential."

Bradley also takes a peak at a few who may soon be joining the ranks :

" ... Justin Upton, 18 - Like his older brother, his defense may move him off SS. That may mean he'll end up at 3rd (though there has been talk about the OF). It's too early to say, but he's thought to be the top talent going into the 2005 season and could easily be the 1st pick in the draft.

" ...  Alex Gordon, 21 - The pre-season All-American may be the best collegiate player in the nation. He won the offensive MVP on Team USA in last year's World University Championships. His defense is said to be solid, and again brings the power from the left side of the plate."

    Alex Escobar in ... Terrmel Sledge out?

" ... Should Escobar develop into a fourth or fifth outfielder, the Nationals could be in better position to pull off a trade for pitching. One baseball source reiterated yesterday that there has been significant interest in outfielder Terrmel Sledge, who may not win a starting job with Washington. Should Escobar -- or a slew of other hopefuls, ranging from veteran Jeffrey Hammonds to former first-round pick J.J. Davis -- develop into a capable backup, Sledge could be swapped for pitching." (Washington Post)

14 February, 2005

    Kung Hei Fat Choi!

    And ... don't forget the flowers ...

    From the archives ... January 28, 1999, The Sporting News ... on the top gun on the Mets' farm :

" ... 1. ALEX ESCOBAR, OF Age: 20 ... Signed as a free agent out of Venezuela in 1995 ...  Escobar is considered a five-tool player with a great throwing arm and that rare combination of power and speed. Escobar was only 19-year-old while playing last summer but impressed scouts with his ability to make adjustments to off-speed pitches. He was voted as the best prospect by managers in the Class A South Atlantic League. If Escobar cuts down on his strikeouts and stays healthy, the Mets have a future star. He has 40/40 potential and could be in the Mets' starting lineup by 2000."

WAS acquired Escobar Sunday from CLE for minor leaguer Jerry Owens.

    Alyson Footer, MLB.com, on the HOU farm :

" ... Chris Burke ...  will likely be the Opening Day second baseman. The former No. 1 draft pick has terrific speed and could be the next leadoff man when Biggio finishes his Astros career. Burke is above average defensively and hits for average and some power. He is viewed as a doubles/gap hitter who is a threat on the basepaths."

" ... Jason Lane ...  more suited for a corner spot, but Lane will start the season in center if Willy Taveras goes to Triple-A. Lane, no longer a prospect at the age of 28, will finally get a chance to start after waiting on the bench in '04. He has the ability to be a power hitter and could make up for many of the RBIs the Astros lost when Jeff Kent signed with the Dodgers."

" ... Willy Taveras ... original plan was for Taveras to spend a full season at Triple-A, but Lance Berkman's injury muddied that a bit. Taveras could make the team out of Spring Training if Berkman, as expected, is not ready for Opening Day. Taveras won the Texas League batting title last year and stole 76 bases, but the question is, can he hit Major League pitching?"

    Spencer Fordin, MLB.com, on the TOR kids :

" ... Guillermo Quiroz ... broke his hand last season at Triple-A and was robbed of developmental time. The Jays want him to play every day, which isn't likely to happen in the big leagues. Still, his promotion is imminent. Quiroz is a hot month or a veteran's injury away from joining the Jays."

" ... Aaron Hill ...  Toronto's top prospect has followed Adams all the way, ranging one level behind him all the way through the organization. His future position is still unsettled, but one thing is clear: Hill can hit. The shortstop won the MVP of the Futures Game last year and should make his debut by September."

" ... Brandon League .... This guy throws gas. League joined the Jays last September after helping the team's Double-A affiliate win the Eastern League championship. He threw shutout ball in three big league appearances, regularly hitting 98 mph on the radar gun and showing command of three pitches. League should be ready -- and scary -- soon."

    David Luciani, Baseball Notebook, on the absence of Rickie Weeks from the BN list of top hitting prospects :

" ... unfortunately, Weeks just hasn't had the recent performance for me to justify putting him there. He's a twenty-one year old who hit 8 home runs in almost 500 at bats and batted just .260 at Double-A last year. I've dropped him considerably in my rankings from a year earlier where he was front and center in the rankings."

    A note from The Indians Compendium on the probable destination for Brandon Phillips, and a possible opening for Ryan Garko :

" ...  Reading between the lines, I think Jhonny Peralta is the favorite to win the shortstop job. That leaves Brandon back in Buffalo, where he'll probably stay unless Peralta or Belliard gets hurt. It's hard to believe it's been two seasons since Brandon was essentially given the second base job going into the 2003 season. Now the shoe's on the other foot, and Phillips will have to bide his time. I wouldn't surprised if he gets dealt sometime during or after this season, especially if Peralta has a good year. The Indians have Alex Cora for another year, and have a 2006 option on Ronnie Belliard. Neither is what I'd call a long-term solution, but Phillips may not be one either."

" ... If Garko terrorizes the International League, the Indians have a dilemma. Not only do they have to decide whether to bring him up, but they have to figure out how they can use him ... The knock on Ryan is that he's not very good defensively behind the plate. That, combined with the fact that the Indians already have Victor Martinez and Josh Bard on the roster leads me to believe that, barring an injury, he isn't catching for the Indians any time soon. First base is then the easiest avenue for Ryan to reach Cleveland, but he's also blocked there ...  Compounding things is Michael Aubrey, who could be ready for the bigs by next year. Garko may end up like the Phillies' Ryan Howard, blocked in his organization by other players. Or maybe the Indians can shoehorn him on the roster as a Matt LeCroy (or even a Josh Phelps) type of player."

    John Barten, 'Till You're Blue in the Face (thanks to Denis Cabot for the heads-up on this site) on Mark Teahen and Jeff Mathis :

" ... Teahen ... looks to me to be a young version of the guy he's replacing ... biggest place where he can improve is in the power department. He smacks line drives all over the place, but he doesn't get a lot of loft from his swing. Defensively, he's already really good, a fringe gold glove candidate in fact. He has a good arm, quick feet, steady hands and great reflexes. My guess is that he starts the season back in Omaha, but the Royals bring him up before the all star break."

" ... Mathis went into the season as the second best catching prospect in baseball, only trailing everybody's All-American, Joe Mauer. He didn't do anything to tarnish that in the first half of 2004. However, he slumped all through the second half of the season ...  Just as we shouldn't overreact to a poor prospect turning in a great season, we shouldn't overreact when a premium prospect lays an egg. He needs to regroup and come back swinging in 2005. I like his chances of doing so. He's still the catcher of the future for Anaheim. His defense is average. His bat will carry his career, but he's not a liability. "

    Good to hear from Mike Pilecki of AL Kell  (new site location) ... their draft underway, interesting to see the first picks ... here are the top 50.

1-10            11-20            21-30          31-40            41-50
Beltre Adrian	Cabrera Orlando	 Inge Brandon	Byrd Paul	 Crisp Coco
Johnson Randy	Nathan Joe	 Shields Scot	Cruz Juan	 Wells David
Sexson Richie	Wright Jaret	 Meyer Dan	Barton Daric	 Millar Kevin
Kendall Jason	Hidalgo Richard	 Peralta Jhonny	Donnelly Brendan Bellhorn Mark
Pavano Carl	Miller Wade	 Olivo Miguel	Guardado Eddie	 Crede Joe
Kazmir Scott	Finley Steve	 Boone Aaron	Lohse Kyle	 Byrnes Eric
Clement Matt	Podsednik Scott	 Baez Danys	Ginter Keith	 Takatsu Shingo
Renteria Edgar	Haren Danny	 Garland Jon	Rincon Juan	 Batista Miguel
Millwood Kevin	Iguchi Tadahito	 Rios Alexis	Romero J.C.	 Morales Kendry
Dotel Octavio	Marte Damaso	 Gordon Tom	Buck John	 Calero Kiko

    
Rookie Reports Archive :

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2005 -- Jan 01-16  Jan 17-30  Jan 31-Feb 13  Feb 14-27 

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)

2005 Draft Prep Material :

2004 Minor League Stats 1  (Hitters, by OPS, by Classification, OBA, SLG, SBs, Errors)
2004 Minor League Stats 2 (Pitchers, by ERA, by Classification, Ks & Hitters by position)

Rooks, Top 10s    Rooks, Top 100s    Rooks, Position    Rooks, All-Stars    Rooks, League