Rookies 2005

                                                                                                                           Pitching Line = IP H R ER BB SO
 


Thanks for your support !Have a merry ...      Hey - that's pretty cheeky.  He kicks off the annual "Spare Change Web Fund Drive" and then disappears for a couple of weeks!   Well, not really -  although coverage is likely to be spotty during the holiday season.  A loud THANK YOU for your contributions to our little enterprise.  If you are able to help out this year please click the cup for details (there's a Paypal system to allow credit card contributions).  With the surging price of gold, a few of your spare gold bricks would be most welcome, although a little spare change is quite suffice to keep us chugging along (without ads).  Thanks again.  You are such a great audience!  Specific thanks to Larry Hayes and Allan Howard whom I haven't been able to respond directly.  

All the best to you and yours for the holiday season !

 

 

18 December,  2005   

     Dominican - Esteban German KC 4-5, 2 RBI & 0-4, .358 ... Wily Mo Pena CIN 0-5, 3 Ks & 2-4, 7th homer, .388  ... Mike Napoli LAA 1-3, triple, .368 ...  Aquillino Lopez, just dumped by PHI, 5 5 0 0 1 4, 2.95 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 0-6, 2 Ks & 2-5, .260  ... Joaquin Arias TEX 4-5, triple & 2-5, triple, .321 ... Joel Guzman LAD 2-4, 10th double, .275 ... that's better, Denny Bautista KC 6 5 4 3 2 10, 5.12 ... Erick Aybar LAA 3-5, 8th double, .318

Puerto Rico ... a few players of note :

	             G  AB 2B 3B HR BB SO  AVG  OBP  SLG
#Cintron, Alex,DH   10  27  2  0  1  3  2 .444 .500 .630
Molina, Yadier,DH   22  86  7  0  2  4  5 .372 .402 .523
De Jesus, Ivan,SS    9  11  1  1  0  0  3 .364 .364 .636
Sledge, Terrmel,OF  13  47  3  0  1  4  9 .213 .275 .340

                    ERA G GS IP    H  R ER HR HB BB SO  AVG
Soler, Alay        0.00 4  2 14    5  0  0  0  0  5  9 .104
Floyd, Gavin       2.73 7  7 33   28 15 10  2  2 13 20 .237
Brazelton, Dewon   5.30 4  4 18.2 24 12 11  4  1  4  7 .316

     Troop movements ... PHI - Aquilino Lopez outright to AAA ... KC - signed Doug Mientkiewicz, Mark Grudzielanek, Paul Bako and Scott Elarton, designated for assignment -- Shawn Camp, Chris Demaria, Matt Diaz and Ken Harvey ... LAD - released Jason Grabowski ...

     As usual, David Luciani raises some eyebrows in his annual Top 100.  Daric Barton at No. 1, Felix Hernandez as only the third best pitching prospect, Hunter Pence and Travis Denker in the top 5.  No sign of Joel Guzman, Chad Billingsley, Stephen Drew, Lastings Milledge, Howie Kendrick.  Check it out !  Baseball Notebook.  Be sure to check out the reasoning behind the picks :

" ... Basically, a prospect gets listed in terms of how I think his career will be viewed when looked at in its entirety once it is over. A player who has several 40 home run seasons but who isn't expected to have the longevity of a player who can hit 30 home runs a year over fifteen years could, reasonably, be ranked lower."

" ...  Daric Barton ...  now leaps ahead of Delmon Young in this edition to be our #1 ranked prospect overall. It's important to realize that by the time both careers are over, Barton's best season will probably not be as good as Young's best season, but I now fully expect a significantly longer and more consistently productive career from Barton, particularly in terms of his ability to produce runs and be valuable to his team. I'm now projecting the sort of career somewhere between what a Cal Ripken and a Fred McGriff might have done (as a hitter). One key difference between Barton and Young is that while I expect greater consistency, I think his power is several years away from full development and so that makes Young a much more ready prospect than Barton. Still, I can't ignore that I think that by the time both players are retired, Barton will be considered to have had the more productive career between the two."

" ... 3. Pence, Hunter ...  Very close to being ready for the big leagues, look for him to rise through the ranks quickly at this point. It wouldn't be surprising to see him leap all the way from high Single-A ball to the majors within a single year."

" ... 4. Denker, Travis  ...  I've often heard Denker compared to Marcus Giles, probably because they're both small guys with good power upside. He produces an incredible amount of power for someone so small and his walk rates, when considered in combination with age, are extraordinarily good."

" ... 22. Janssen, Casey ... one of those rare pitchers who I think could excel in either a closer's role or a starter's role and I expect the Blue Jays to be patient with him as he at least gets a full year of Double-A under his belt. He's already got the control he will need and he's remarkable at consistently keeping the ball down in the strike zone, so much so that he didn't allow a single home run in almost 50 innings pitched at Single-A Lansing in 2005. As he continues to get weight and given his height, his strikeout ability will further develop. I would have ranked him even higher had he not already been twenty-four years old at the end of the 2005 season."

" ... 33. LaRoche, Andy  ...  drops from #9 in the previous edition to #33 in this one but he's still a strong power threat who is within two or three years of his breakthrough."

The Top 10 :

1. Barton Daric	    6. Upton B.J.
2. Young Delmon	    7. Hermida Jeremy
3. Pence Hunter	    8. Herrera Javier
4. Denker Travis    9. Carp Mike
5. Butler Billy	   10. Sanders Marcus

     Michael Laureano, Diamond Futures posts his picks as the best prospects by level :

    Triple-A                   Double-A                 A+
  1 Liriano Francisco SP MIN   Hermida Jeremy OF FLA    Butler Billy 3B KC
  2 Hernandez Felix SP SEA     Young Delmon OF TB       LaRoche Andy 3B LAD
  3 Weeks Richie 2B MIL        Broxton Jonathan SP LAD  Wood Brandon SS LAA
  4 Fielder Prince 1B MIL      Young Chris OF CWS       Diamond Thomas SP TEX
  5 Upton B.J. SS TB           Petit Yusmerio SP FLA    Britton Chris RP BAL
  6 Linden Todd OF SF          Barton Daric 1B OAK      Jones Justin SP MIN
  7 Howard Ryan 1B PHI         Banks Josh SP TOR        Kemp Matthew OF LAD
  8 Ramirez Elizardo SP CIN    James Chuck SP ATL       Gonzalez Gio SP PHI
  9 Jackson Conor 1B ARZ       Pie Felix OF CHC         Verlander Justin SP DET
 10 Marte Andy 3B ATL          Sowers Jeremy SP CLE     Saltalamacchia Jarr C ATL
 11 Mccarthy Brandon SP CWS    Huber Justin C KC        Clippard Tyler SP NYY
 12 Willingham Josh C FLA      Pedoria Dustin 2B BOS    Sanchez Anibal SP FLA
 13 Stauffer Tim SP SD         Billingsley Chad SP LAD  Bateman Joe RP SF
 14 Encarnacion Edwin 3B CIN   Zumaya Joel SP DET       Raglani Anthony OF LAD
 15 Reyes Anthony SP STL       Jones Adam SS SEA        Kendrick Howie 2B LAA
 16 Duke Zach SP PIT           Zimmerman Ryan 3B WAS    Ruggiano Justin OF LAD
 17 Quentin Carlos OF ARZ      Jimenez Cesar RP SEA     Dillard Tim SP MIL
 18 Cain Matt SP SF            Dukes Elijah OF TB       Milledge Lastings OF NYM
 19 Gaudin Chad SP TOR         Eveland Dana SP MIL      Clevlen Brent OF DET
 20 Duffy Chris OF PIT         Napoli Michael C LAA     Whitesell Josh 1B WAS

     Aaron Gleeman, TheHardballTimes, on the BOS-ATL deal :

" ...  Andy Marte's shoulder problems may be more serious than initially let on, but if he's close to healthy this deal is a no-brainer for the Red Sox. Edgar Renteria was a bust in his first and only year in Boston, and if the Red Sox think Dustin Pedroia can play shortstop in the big leagues they have a capable in-house replacement ready ... As for the Braves, they found a solid replacement for Rafael Furcal and are getting Renteria at a discount rate, but is the money saved really worth giving up someone like Marte? Perhaps Atlanta is convinced Chipper Jones can handle third base for a while longer and/or they weren't convinced that Marte could (whether because of injuries or defense), but this still seems like a modest return considering a few of the other prospect-for-veteran trades that have taken place this offseason."

     Andy Marte ... arm problems?  Not so says his agent :

" ...   Reports were circulating at the winter meetings that Marte had a tear of his UCL, but his agent, Don Mitchell, emphatically denied any health issue for Marte. “There have been no doctor visits, no surgeries, no sore elbow, no anything,” Mitchell said. “He’s been playing in the Dominican (Republic’s winter league), he’s been hitting, he’s been throwing and he’s been having no physical problems whatsoever.”  (Boston Herald)

     Tim Polko, RotoHelp, reviews prospect choices in the ARZ system :

" ... Carlos Quentin, 23 ... the team wisely allowed him to complete his apprenticeship in Tucson despite the near certainty that Quentin will open 2006 in Arizona's outfield. While either Stephen Drew or Justin Upton eventually should push Quentin to right field, he can handle center now and obviously possesses the bat necessary to contribute immediately upon his promotion. I considered him one of the premiere young hitters in the game before he spent the summer crushing PCL pitching, and if given the opportunity, he should contest long-time teammate Conor Jackson for 2006 Rookie of the Year honors."

" ... Garrett Mock, 22 ... Focus on his command, records, and ERA rather than the high hit total caused by pitching in the California League. While he certainly needs to echo these skills at AA in 2006, Mock's overall professional performance provides a strong foundation for a potentially extended career in the majors. Everything here qualifies Mock as a solid sleeper who could reach Arizona unexpectedly soon. "

" ... Carlos Gonzales, 19 ...   While nothing here wildly impresses me, Gonzales possesses an excellent chance to develop into Arizona's long-term right fielder, especially if Carlos Quentin remains in center. An offensive surge this summer pushed Gonzales up the prospect charts, because he demonstrated excellent power for a teenager in a full-season league as well as fairly respectable overall plate discipline. Gonzales should spend at least two more years in the minors yet now looks like your best chance to roster a potential building block for any fantasy franchise."

     At the BaseballThinkFactory, Dan Szymborski continues with installments of his ZiPS 2006 projections.  Of the teams posted so far, here are the predictions for a few of the prospects and other young guns :

                     P  AVG  OBP  SLG  G   AB 2B 3B HR  BB  K  SB CS
DET Shelton         1b .302 .376 .498 144 510 33  2 21  55 109  0  2
MIN Kubel*          rf .296 .355 .432 135 477 25  2 12  44  67  8  8
COL Shealy          1b .293 .364 .494 132 447 31  1 19  41 103  2  0
COL Barmes          ss .289 .333 .433 125 501 34  1 12  23  57 11  9
CHN Cedeno          ss .287 .332 .412 113 345 15  2  8  20  63 13  4
NYN Milledge        cf .285 .331 .394 104 383 21  0  7  22  86 19 11
KC  Butler          1b .284 .329 .443 123 454 22  1 16  26  95  0  0
COL Hawpe*          rf .282 .357 .506 116 387 20  2 21  46  89  3  3
MIN Bartlett        ss .281 .354 .387 128 462 22  3  7  46  71 12 10
ARZ Jackson         lf .279 .359 .423 131 426 29  1 10  52  56  4  4
KC  Huber           1b .279 .360 .443 133 458 24  3 15  50 118  6  2
OAK Johnson*        1b .276 .366 .460 154 561 29  1 24  78  83  1  2
BOS Pedroia         ss .275 .343 .403 106 400 20  2  9  41  37  5  3
ATL Francoeur       rf .274 .315 .474 132 496 32  2 21  23 106 10  5
CHN Pie*            cf .273 .319 .409  87 330 11  5  8  20  93 17 10
LAA Kotchman*       1b .273 .337 .408 138 458 24  1 12  36  56  2  1
PIT Paulino         c  .272 .325 .426 112 401 18  1 14  31  69  3  1
LAD Navarro#        c  .270 .342 .364 124 404 15  1  7  43  52  2  2
LAA Morales#        1b .270 .307 .429  98 352 11  0 15  15  58  1  0
LAA Aybar#          ss .270 .311 .371 137 523 18  7  7  19  57 39 20
ARZ Quentin         rf .269 .350 .428 134 432 22  1 15  38  69  7  1
DET Granderson*     cf .269 .337 .426 149 554 23  8 16  54 141 12  9
LAD Guzman          3b .268 .316 .436 128 459 20  3 17  30 134  6  4
MIL Fielder*        1b .268 .352 .482 142 452 20  1 25  52 105 11  4
BOS Youkilis        3b .268 .400 .417 109 343 25  1  8  67  59  2  2
OAK Barton*         c  .268 .358 .375 122 411 16  2  8  55  73  2  2
FLO Hermida*        rf .266 .371 .434 127 387 18  1 15  59  98 15  3
BAL Markakis*       rf .266 .333 .398 117 417 24  2  9  41  85  4  2
LAA Kendrick        2b .265 .304 .423 101 392 24  4 10  11  57 17  6
LAD Ethier*         lf .265 .324 .390 118 441 21  2 10  31  81  1  4
PIT Doumit#         c  .264 .327 .424 118 387 21  1 13  27  74  2  2
CLE Aubrey*         1b .264 .351 .416  77 269 12  1  9  25  37  2  1
COL Stewart*        3b .263 .320 .426 122 448 20  4 15  34 112  7  4
CHA Anderson        cf .263 .323 .425 130 464 21  3 16  38 113  6  3
ATL Johnson*        lf .262 .347 .442 133 462 24  4 17  61  97  4  1
CIN Encarnacion     3b .262 .327 .449 140 485 31  0 20  44 108 11  5
LAA Callaspo#       ss .262 .300 .352 141 542 23  1  8  30  30 14  9
FLO Ramirez#        ss .261 .310 .345 115 426 16  4  4  28  62 21 10
ATL Saltalamacchia  c  .260 .324 .391 135 442 21  2 11  41 106  2  1
CIN Pena            cf .260 .310 .534 107 335 14  0 26  23 114  3  2
ARZ Hairston        2b .259 .313 .449 104 363 17  5 14  26  84  4  2
HOU Pence           lf .259 .308 .443 117 406 17  2 18  29  85  6  4
MIL Cruz            lf .258 .342 .457 123 403 23  0 19  42 124 12  6
CIN Denorfia        cf .256 .327 .389 148 512 21  4 13  53 110  7  6
CIN Bergolla        2b .256 .293 .330 118 442 20  2  3  21  59 21 10
LAD Martin          c  .255 .361 .360 129 400 13  1  9  58  66 10  5
LAD Kemp            cf .254 .292 .426 117 413 14  3 17  17 104 13  5
PHI Bourn*          cf .254 .324 .339 129 492 15  6  5  50 124 32  9
CLE Garko           c  .254 .329 .400 118 453 22  1 14  34  83  2  2
BOS Marte           3b .252 .346 .457 122 416 21  2 20  60  94  0  1
MIL Weeks           2b .252 .350 .434 148 535 26  7 19  56 142 22  4
PIT de Caster       3b .251 .305 .404 117 386 25  2 10  25  98  4  3
BAL Young*          1b .251 .309 .418 129 467 22  1 18  31 112  2  2
LAD Loney*          1b .250 .317 .343 129 460 20  1  7  45  86  4  3
PIT Eldred          1b .250 .300 .502 133 476 22  1 32  31 135  4  2
LAA McPherson*      3b .249 .316 .493 119 430 23  5 24  40 138  8  6
LAD LaRoche         3b .248 .311 .434 130 452 19  1 21  36  88  8  3
ARZ Young           cf .246 .336 .463 132 456 26  2 23  55 136 25  6
COL Iannetta        c  .244 .324 .387  88 287 13  2  8  32  77  1  1
HOU Scott*          lf .244 .315 .447 133 450 25  3 20  42 114  3  3
LAA Wood            ss .244 .288 .418 133 495 26  3 18  27 132  8  3
BAL Fiorentino*     lf .243 .291 .402 106 383 15  2 14  23  94  9  4
KC  Lubanski*       cf .239 .279 .363 125 468 19  3 11  22 116 11  4
FLO Willingham      c  .238 .356 .469 101 290 17  1 16  44  79  5  3
OAK Swisher#        lf .238 .344 .438 130 470 29  1 21  73 109  1  2
CIN Votto*          1b .235 .308 .366 131 451 18  1 13  46 128  6  3
CHA Fields          3b .233 .309 .392 120 416 19  1 15  36 135  3  4
ARZ Drew*           ss .231 .303 .410  66 234 16  1  8  22  51  2  3
FLO Abercrombie     cf .230 .265 .382 121 456 16  4 15  17 151 16 11
MIL Krynzel*        cf .225 .286 .346 113 408 17  4  8  30 130 14  7
LAA Mathis          c  .223 .281 .378 119 421 19  2 14  32  99  3  1
NYA Duncan*         3b .221 .299 .365 130 447 15  2 15  47 140  7  2
LAA Napoli          c  .210 .311 .403 135 447 18  1 22  59 158  7  4

     Joe Frisaro, MLB.com, with a followup on Yusmeiro Petit FLO :

" ...  Acquired from the Mets as part of the Carlos Delgado trade, Petit is currently dazzling hitters while pitching for Magallanes in the Venezuelan Winter League ... has a knowledge of pitching that has the Marlins high on his potential.  For Magallanes, Petit is 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA, 31 strikeouts and just eight walks. He's showing the ability to log innings, and already he's had outings of 7, 6 2/3, 6 and 5 2/3 innings ... "Petit's stuff is seen as average, but he has a very lively fastball," said Jim Fleming, the Marlins' vice president of player development and scouting. "Our fans have been a little jaded seeing Beckett and Burnett throw 97-98 [mph] and be successful. These guys throw 90-93 [mph] with pitches that have sink to them, and they've been successful. Life on a fastball is as important, if not more important, on fastballs than velocity."

     Just one rookie makes the grade in the second installment of Aaron Gleeman's "SPs for the Long Term" feature at RotoWorld.

" ... 15) Francisco Liriano ...  A relative afterthought as part of the package Minnesota received from San Francisco for A.J. Pierzynski a while back, Liriano posted a 2.67 ERA and incredible 204 strikeouts in 167.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season. His role with the Twins in 2006 is somewhat uncertain pending what they decide to do with Kyle Lohse, but regardless of where Liriano begins the year he’ll surely be in Minnesota’s starting rotation by the second half. Most teams struggle to find one dominant, hard-throwing lefty every decade or so, but along with Johan Santana the Twins may soon boast the top two southpaws in baseball."

     Jan Ramirez, InsideTheDugout, rates the D'Backs farm and likes Stephen Drew as the best of the bunch :

" ...   little brother of Dodgers outfielder J.D Drew, Stephen ... With his sweet left handed swing, Drew has all the skills to be an above average shortstop both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. However like his brother there are questions about his work ethic and intensity as some scouts feel that he doesn’t go hard all the time and loses interest during the game, still Drew is a great talent and could be the D’Backs starting shortstop as soon as 06 ... could win the job outright in the spring, even though I feel he could use some more seasoning at the Triple A."

" ... 4- Miguel Montero ... had a break out year at High A Lancaster winning the Cal League batting title with a .349/. 403/. 625 line, with 24 homeruns and 82 RBI’s in 85 games for the Jayhawks. Earning a promotion to Double A Tennessee, Miguel struggled only hitting .250 in 108 at bats for the Smokies. Solid behind the plate with surprising agility and good footwork, he has a chance to be solid with glove and bring serious pop to the catcher’s position. He will more then likely start 2006 back again at Double A, where if he can show up with the bat could get a crack at Triple A and possibly Arizona shortly thereafter."

" ... 5- Carlos Gonzalez ...  emerged as a 5-tool talent in the Midwest League. Garnering Midwest MVP Honors hitting .307 with 18 homeruns and 92 RBI’s. Only 20 years old Gonzalez has a sweet left handed swing with legit power to all fields and a body type to grow into more power, a prototypical 5 tool talent, he has the same body type and skill set as Blue Jays Alexis Rios. Gonzalez will start 2005 at hitter friendly High A Lancaster in the California League and could make a big league debut sometime in 2009."

     And, David Paresky and Jan Ramirez, InsideTheDugout, collaborated on the BOS report :

" ... 1 - John Lester ...  a power lefty, with a very good repertoire. Possessing a low 90’s fastball and some good movement with a change-up, curve ball and a cutter that he worked on throughout the season which sat at about 88-89 mph. Lester has very good control and is very athletic, so he will not have a problem repeating his delivery. He has a good move to first, and he is a determined hard worker, with a ceiling to be a dominant to above average major league starter."

" ... 3 - Andy Marte ...  would have ranked been ranked 2nd behind Jarrod Saltalamacchia in Inside the Dugout’s Atlanta Top 10. Now he becomes the Red Sox top position prospect, which lost Hanley Ramirez in the Josh Beckett trade. Marte generates great power to all fields with a natural uppercut swing, generating the bat speed and loft that makes him capable of hitting it out of any park. Showing good plate discipline and the potential to hit .280 to .300 in the big leagues while providing middle of the order power and production. The only thing bad about his offensive game is the high amount of strikeouts and lack of ability to hid the low and away breaking ball. On the defensive side of the ball Marte shows average footwork and range at the hot corner with an above average accurate arm ...  could develop into an MVP caliber player in his prime."

     Jason Collette, RotoJunkie, reviews his 2005 picks for MIL, PIT and STL, including :

" ... 2. Jose Capellan ...  split his time between AAA and the majors with pretty consistent results. He still owns the big-time fastball, but batters still get on base at a pretty good rate (.337/.332) because of Capellan’s control issues."

" ... 10. Ryan Doumit  ...  terrific in AAA hitting .345/.403/.630 in 165 at bats but only hit .255/.289/.398 in 231 major league at bats. He has more pop than he showed in Pittsburgh last season."

" ... 1. Adam Wainwright ... The good news: Wainwright stayed healthy all year and won ten games with a 4.40 ERA. This was good as Wainwright was limited with a slight tear in his elbow ligament in 2004. The Cardinals were extra careful with him in 2005 limiting him to a mere 182 innings and 26.5 batters faced per game! Wainwright tripled his workload from 2004 to 2005; 2006 should be a sad implosion."

" ... 5. Anthony Reyes ... had a solid season striking out 136 while walking only 34 in AAA while limiting batters to a .224 OBA. He came up for a small 13 inning stint and showed enough to secure a 2006 spot in the rotation."

     Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, on Stephen Head CLE :

" ...  Just drafted, he ended up in Kinston and held his own there (.286, 4 HR, 36 RBIs in 47 games; .296 in seven playoff games) after hitting .432 in 10 games in the New York-Penn League. He's a college guy now focusing on hitting full-time after closing in college. I could see them pushing him to Akron to start the year, just because he's out of college and he showed he can handle the Carolina League ...  he's got a big league future ahead of him. I think he'll be ready around 2007, maybe midseason. The only question is space on the Indians' roster. They may have to find a way to move him or someone else to another organization if he's really going to get a legitimate shot."  


16-17 December,  2005   

     JDM's also pockets a little change through the Canadian sales of John Sickels' Baseball Prospect Book.  My Gaedel League colleague Barry Fader is the Canadian distributor of the book and kindly contributes a portion of the book sales to our web fund (in fact, I'd be surprised if Barry himself made enough for a cup of coffee last year after dropping his spare change in our battered tin cup).  This will be the 11th annual prospect book for John.  It's one of the season's most anxiously awaited baseball publications.  It ships in early February with pre-orders now being taken.  Order here.

     A disappointment to learn Ken Warren won't be able to publish his Ballpark Figures this season. However, he is offering a spreadsheet version of his 2006 projections.  Details here.

     Lots of updates to help out with those roster & draft decisions ... 40-man rosters ... Team-by-team Top 10s ... Top 100s ... Crossovers ... Spring Training Invitees ...

     Dominican - Daniel Cabrera BAL 5 3 0 0 26, 5.56 ... Hanley Ramirez FLO 2-3, .267 ... (the Venezuelan box scores showing up with decreasing frequency)

     Troop movements ... MIN - signed Tony Batista (Japan) ... SEA - acquired Luis Enrique Gonzalez (recent Rule 5 pick) from COL, designated Cha Seung Baek for assignment  ... ATL - Onil Joseph outright to AA ... PIT - designated Matt Peterson for assignment ... FLO - claimed John Baker off waivers (OAK) ... SD - signed Doug Brocail ... LAA - released Jeff DaVanon ...

     It's the Pirates up in John Franco's latest installment at SportsBlurb.

" ... Neil Walker ...  has established himself as a solid offensive player, and he batted .301 with 12 home runs in 485 at-bats at Low-A Hickory while still in his teens. He has an easy swing that projects to a .300 hitter with the power to hit 25-30 home runs once he develops, and he has already displayed the ability to put the ball in play with authority. Defensively, Walker is still a work in progress behind the plate ...  Given how quickly his bat has progressed, Walker might eventually change positions; he took ground balls at third base while in the AFL in order to give the Pirates more options. Ultimately, he does have the tools to catch, but he needs at least two full seasons to work on his defense, and the Pirates might rush him through the system too quickly in order to get his bat into the lineup behind the plate."

" ... Andrew McCutcheon ...  the 11th player selected in the 2005 draft ...  signed quickly and had an impressive debut in the GCL, hitting .297 and drawing 29 walks in 158 at-bats. He profiles as an ideal leadoff hitter, with outstanding speed, excellent instincts and good knowledge of the strike zone. McCutcheon improved his defense dramatically during the season as he learned to harness his plus range by getting better jumps. His makeup is outstanding, and he works hard to improve on both sides of the ball. McCutcheon also projects to add power to his swing as he develops, but his 5’11, 170-pound frame will limit him to 12-15 home runs per season unless he grows significantly."

     At RotoAmerica, David Regan moves on to rank the kids in the Atlanta system. 

" ... #1 Jarrod Saltalamacchia ...  there is going to be no stopping his bat. A switch-hitter, Saltalamacchia ranks as the top catching prospect currently in the minors. He’s got power from both sides of the plate and should eventually hit 25-30 homeruns annually as a big leaguer with the potential for more as he’s a solid 6’4, 200 but still developing strength. He’s got a great approach at the plate, showing the ability to lay off the junk and wait for “his pitch” ...   Defensively he’s made huge strides after scouts last year had the opinion that a position change could very well be in order. Needs to continue working on his throw to 2B, but he should at least be an average defensive catcher. It’s his bat that will make him a star."

" ... #4 Elvis Andrus ...  was playing pro ball at age 17, something that is pretty rare these days. Andrus has lots of power potential in his young body and has the type of line-drive swing that should generate 25-30 HR power once he matures. Right now, he’s mostly a line drive guy who uses all fields. It’s rare to find an international signee with his advanced plate discipline skills. That bodes very well for his future. He runs well and could steal 30+ bases once he learns to read pitchers. Defensively he’s got great range, a great arm, basically great everything. It’s going to take 3-4 years, but he could eventually make Braves fans forget about Rafael Furcal." 

" ... #5 Eric Campbell ...  Could the Braves have their own David Wright here? Campbell’s numbers projected out over a full 162 game season would include 44 homeruns and 37 stolen bases. How likely is that? Not very, but it’s still easy to predict that Campbell has a the chance to be a very effective weapon for the Braves in three years or so. He’s got excellent plate discipline, drives the ball to all fields well, and has plus power potential. He’s very intelligent, and takes advantage of his speed on the bases ... . By this time in 2007, he could top this list."

     A pretty impressive top group on the Giants' farm in the Baseball America ranking of the San Francisco system.  Matt Cain, Marcus Sanders and Eddy Martinez-Esteve 1-2-3.

     Cole Hamels?  Maybe. 

" ... Manager Charlie Manuel last night said that Hamels, the club's 2002 first-round pick, will get a chance to compete with 2001 first-rounder Gavin Floyd and 2005 rookie righthander Rob Tejeda for the fifth starter's spot. "If he's as cool a customer as we think he is, I think he could handle it," Manuel said ...  "It depends on how he'd do in spring training." Manuel acknowledged that the Phillies' brass would rather let Hamels, 21, who has a devastating changeup, accrue more starts in the minors ...  Manuel said Hamels is recovering nicely after a scare 2 weeks ago during his rehab sent him to a specialist."  (Philadelphia Daily News)

     Kevin T. Czerwinski, MLB.com, reviews the Washington farm :

" ... Ryan Zimmermann ...   is just what the Nats need -- a fresh, young face around whom they can market and build the team for the next decade. He proved this season that there was little he couldn't accomplish, racing through three levels of the Washington system (combining to hit .347 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs in 308 at-bats). He then batted .397 with six RBIs in 10 games for Washington before winding down what was a long year in the AFL."

" ... . Ian Desmond ...  split time between Savannah of the Sally League and Potomac, hitting seven homers and driving in 28 runs while batting .250. He committed 39 errors, but that's not so alarming, considering he was in high school in 2004. The Nats have visions of him teaming up with Zimmerman to form a decade-long partnership on the left side of the infield. "

" ... Mike Hinckley ... The consensus before the season was that Hinckley was riding a fast train to D.C., especially when he was being considered by some for a spot on the Major League roster when Spring Training began. But he began to push and wound up hurting his shoulder, costing him the first month of the season. Afterwards, his predicted rapid ascent never happened and he spent the entire season in the Carolina League, going 3-9 with a 4.93 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) for Potomac. He'll likely get another look next season, but based on what happened this year, the Nats no longer seem in a hurry to rush him."


15 December,  2005   

     Dominican - Wily Mo Pena 1-4, .414 ... Mike Napoli LAA 1-4, .371 ... Erick Aybar LAA 0-4, 3 Ks, .309 ... Edison Volquez TEX 5 3 0 0 2 4, 2.51 ... Andy Marte BOS 0-4, .234 ... Joel Guzman LAD 1-4, 6th homer, .274

     Troop movements ... SEA - signed Carl Everett ... LAD - signed Bill Mueller ... ARZ - traded Javier Vazquez to CHA for Orlando Hernandez, Chris Young, Luis Vizcaino (not yet confirmed) ...

In its ranking of the AFL prospects, Baseball America placed Chris Young at No. 9 :

" ... Young was one of the most athletic players in the Fall League, and possesses huge raw power with speed and a plus arm. He struggled with recognizing pitches at times, however, leading to bunches of strikeouts. Plate discipline is the key to Young’s development. He struggles particularly with breaking balls ... a plus defender in center field, running good routes with excellent instincts and quickness."

" ... The key player for Arizona in this deal is definitely Chris Young. Young is one of the most explosive players in all the minors. He has very good power, great speed, and terrific defensive skills in center field. That combination of tools puts him in the Mike Cameron, Torii Hunter, and Preston Wilson class of players. His ultimate ceiling is Eric Davis ... there are some warts ...  over aggressiveness, both at the plate and in the field ...  Young's youthful aggressiveness and impatience can definitely be tamed if he's willing to work at it and I think he is. A more controlled Young could equal stardom in the majors. He's that talented."  (OnDeck)

Young was No. 61 on Bryan Smith's mid-season Top 75 at Baseball Analysts  " ... Simply put, Young is a dynamite prospect once you can accept him for his faults. Now it's those faults -- or more specifically, his contact skills -- that are also holding him back from becoming a top prospect."

Strong support in the CHA review at MiLB.com  " ... Along with Delmon Young, Reggie Abercrombie and Matt Miller, Chris Young was one of just four Minor Leaguers to amass at least 25 homers and 25 stolen bases in 2005, corking 26 longballs and swiping 32 bases. And while he put up similar numbers in Kannapolis in '04 (24 HR, 31 SB), this year he did it in the Southern League, leading the circuit in home runs, doubles (41), runs scored (100) and extra-base hits (70). And he just got better and better as the season progressed, culminating with a .320 average in August and September, during which he hit nine homers, drove in 24 runs and stole 15 bases in 37 games. All that and he didn't even turn 22 until the last day of the season." (MiLB.com)

No. 11 on the Top 100 at RotoAmerica  " ... An underrated Mike Cameron-type CF that you don’t hear a whole lot about. He’s a 30/30 type guy who handled the pitcher-friendly Southern League with a .922 OPS at age 21. Might still be a year away."

No. 28 on RotoWorld's mid-season Top 150  " ... Maybe the next Mike Cameron. Young is an excellent defensive center fielder with 25-30 homer power and frequent trouble making contact. The strikeouts can be overlooked up to a point, since he plays a premium defensive position and plays it well. He also draws quite a few walks and steals bases at a nice rate. That he’ll never hit for average will prevent him from becoming a star. He could still become a very valuable regular, though."

No. 1 on the WSox farm at SportsBlurb  " ...  an exciting five-tool centerfielder who impresses scouts and statisticians equally well. He hit .277 in the Southern League as a 21-year old, posting a .377 on-base percentage by drawing 70 walks in 553 plate appearances. Young also hit 26 home runs and flashed even more power by hitting 41 doubles, leading the Southern League in both categories; he just missed the 30-30 club after stealing 32 bases in just 38 attempts. In addition to his offense, Young also played tremendous defense in center field and displayed a very positive work ethic. He is still prone to strikeouts (129 whiffs in 2005), but he showed the ability to make adjustments during the season and worked hard at staying back on breaking balls. If he continues to develop at this rate, he has the potential to be a similar player to Mike Cameron with a better batting average."

     Baseball America moves on to the San Diego system and checks in with the Padres' Top 10 - Cesar Carrillo, George Kottaras, Josh Barfield 1-2-3.

     A few more notes from David Regan's Top 100 at RotoAmerica

Andy Marte, No. 29  " ... Seems to have a clear path to the Sox 3B job now that he’s out of Atlanta. He’s got nice upside, although I’m not sure he’s a Miguel Cabrera like some scouts seem to think. Rumors of possible elbow problems cropped up around the time of the trade, so keep an eye on that."

Anibal Sanchez, No. 33  " ... Could conceivably step right into the rotation to start the year. It’s not like he’s competing against a bunch of established starters. Marlins like his stuff and poise and think he has the upside of a #2."

Jeremy Sowers, No. 41 " ... Jeremy Sowers - Cleveland Indians 41 I admit I thought he was a lefty Jeremy Guthrie. Sowers is far better and looks like the Indians’ #2 or 3 starter of the future. Was their minor league pitcher of the year and is ready to contribute sometime this year. Has Mark Mulder type upside."

Scott Elbert, No. 50 " ... Has taken over the “best LHP in the system” label from the oft-injured Greg Miller. Elbert had a breakout year in 2005 and should reach AA by year’s end. He’s got #2 type upside."

     Oh oh.  Interest in the World Baseball Classic took another blow Wednesday as the US government informed organizers of the event Cuba will not be allowed to compete.

" ... The decision by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control was conveyed to Major League Baseball on Wednesday, according to Pat Courtney, a spokesman for the commissioner's office. A permit from OFAC is necessary because of U.S. laws governing commercial transactions with the communist island nation." (AP)

     A couple more names for your sleeper list. Dayn Perry, FoxSports, with some notes from the Rule 5 draft :

" ... 8th pick — Marlins — Dan Uggla, 2B ... could be the steal of the draft. Uggla in the lower rungs showed some pop, but nothing impressive considering the hitter-friendly nature of the Arizona system. Last season, however, Uggla hit .297 AVG/.378 OBP/.502 SLG in the Southern League, which is a far less accommodating circuit for hitters. Defensively, he's adequate at best, but his bat should be above-average by second-base standards. The keystone job is wide open in Florida, and Uggla could come out of spring training as the starter."

" ... 11th pick — Cardinals — Juan Mateo, RHP ...  This one could be a find. Last season in the Florida State League, Mateo fanned 123 batters in 109.1 innings, walked only 27 and posted a 3.21 ERA. The FSL is a pitcher's league, but those are still impressive numbers. Scouts aren't wild about Mateo's stuff, but the results have been there thus far. The Cards like his potential, so they'll attempt to find a low-leverage spot for him at the back of the bullpen."


14 December,  2005

     Venezuela - Ronny Cedeno CHN 3-4, .367 ... Franklin Morales COL 6 4 0 0 2 3, 4.79

     Troop movements ... KC - signed Paul Bako ...  LAD - traded Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez to OAK for Andre Ethier ... HOU - re-signed Brad Ausmus ... ARZ - signed Jason Grimsley ...

Some views of Ethier, 23 (ranked #6 in the Texas League by Baseball America, #4 by RotoAmerica, # 49 on RotoAmerica's Top 100). 

" ...  In 2005, Ethier took off, hitting .319 with 18 homers and 80 RBIs for Double-A Midland before finally getting bumped up to Sacramento for the PCL playoffs (where he hit .316 in five games). He won the Texas League All-Star Game Home Run Derby and the game's MVP award and was also named the league's Player of the Year. Ethier followed that up with a superb AFL season." (MiLB.com)

" ... "He has a chance to be a very good everyday player," [General Manager Ned} Colletti said of Ethier. "He has great makeup and great plate discipline. He'll probably start this year at Triple-A. He's in the mix, [ability-wise], with [Dodgers prospects] Andy LaRoche, Russell Martin, Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp and Joel Guzman. His upside should be very good." Ethier led the recent Arizona Fall League with a .495 on-base percentage."  (MiLB.com)

" ...   Ethier made a big splash at Midland, hitting .319/.385/.497 with 18 home runs and 30 doubles, winning the Texas League player of the year award. He also hit .366 in 82 at-bats in the AFL, bashing 12 extra-base hits and drawing 21 walks against just 10 strikeouts. Ethier is a player who looks great in person, using a sweet line drive swing to hit balls hard all over the field. He is not a true power hitter, but might be able to tweak his swing to produce 20-30 home runs a year at the expense of a few points of batting average, and could hit 40-plus doubles a year in his prime. He is stretched defensively in centerfield but projects to be a plus defender in one of the corner spots, particularly right field given his above average arm." (SportsBlurb)

     David Regan, RotoAmerica, enlivens the holiday season with RA's second annual Top 100.  Position players take the top three spots -- Delmon Young, Brandon Wood, Jeremy Hermida

No. 4  Francisco Liriano  " ... Stud lefty in the Santana mold. Brings the heat and other filthy pitches. May be the 2nd best pitcher in the organization (including the big league team). Should open the year in the rotation and if he doesn’t then something is seriously wrong in Minnesota."

No. 5  Howie Kendrick  " ...  Will make Adam Kennedy expendable soon enough. All Kendrick does is hit .360 at every level and now he has some power as well. In a few years, Kendrick/ Wood may very well be the best MI combo in baseball."

No. 7  Lastings Milledge " ...  Stud 5-tool Carlos Beltran type. Too bad the Mets already have the actual Beltran. I’d be interested to see the Mets deal Beltran for Manny Ramirez. I think I like a CF/RF combo of Milledge/Ramirez more than Beltran/Diaz."

No. 49  Andre Ethier  " ... Finally showed some power potential this year to go with his .317 AVG and .384 OBP. Average OF with little speed, he’ll need to hit 25 HR to be a decent regular. I like his skills in the 2-hole."

     It's the Brewers on tap at SportsBlurb as John Franco ranks the MIL kids :

" ... Prince Fielder ...   Milwaukee has promoted fielder aggressively throughout his career, and he struggled initially at AAA Nashville before hitting .327 with 25 home runs in his final 64 games. The trade of Lyle Overbay to Toronto means the Brewers will once again ask Fielder to develop quickly, as he assumes the starting job at first base for the 2006 season. His most impressive tool is his raw power, with the ability to hit 40-50 home runs a year in his prime. Fielder also has the pitch recognition and disciplined approach to be a complete hitter, though his swing is still a work in progress and he will likely suffer some slumps during the 2006 season."

" ... Ryan Braun ...  the fifth player taken in the 2005 draft, and while fellow third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, the fourth player picked, was making his major league debut, Braun was on the shelf for all of September due to a strained elbow. Braun does not have the Gold Glove potential that Zimmerman has, and may wind up as a corner outfielder since his bat will progress faster than his glove, but he has quick hands and a plus arm and could be an average third baseman if he gained more experience ... best tool is his power, but Braun also has great bat speed and quick hands and could be a .300 hitter in the major leagues."

" ... Angel Salome ...  one of two Brewers to win their league’s MVP award ...   and he did it with a tremendous offensive season. Salome hit .415/.469/.673 at Helena, but ... struggled to adjust to the better pitching at Low-A. Salome is an aggressive hitter with good hand-eye coordination and the ability to put the ball in play consistently. He is also a good baserunner with power to all fields and an athletic frame. The Brewers are not sure if he will stick as a catcher; he has a good arm and good hands, but he was erratic behind the plate."

     Tim Polka at RotoHelp reviews the pickings on the FLO farm and comes away impressed :

" ... Josh Willingham, 26 ...  I fully expect Willingham to break camp in the everyday lineup - I just don't know whether Joe Girardi will list him as a catcher, first baseman, or left fielder. A broken left arm limited his defensive development, but with Mike Jacobs a better fit at first, hopefully Willingham will receive the chance he deserves behind the plate. Slotting him at catcher could give Florida one of the best offensive backstops in the game, and if Girardi manages to overlook his problems limiting the running game, we'll know the new Marlins won't suffer from another narrow-minded skipper. Willingham ranks as one of the best hitting prospects in the game and could blossom into a $30 player over the next few years if he receives regular at-bats."

" ... Yusmeiro Petit, 21 ...  I generally considered Petit the best fantasy pitching prospect in the National League last winter. His long-term upside as a member of the Mets ranked with almost anyone already in the league ...  Moving to Florida instead provides a superb environment for his short-term development ... Dolphins Stadium will minimize the downside of his weak groundball rate while a new group of aggressive young defenders hopefully will limit his hits. I easily see sufficient reasons to continue ranking Petit among the league's top fantasy prospects."

" ... Jeremy Hermida, 21 ...  excellent power, speed, and plate discipline. Though he lacks great range, Hermida otherwise exemplifies the prototypical right fielder. Given that few players combine a .29 walk rate and .77 contact rate at any level, we must view Hermida as a likely contributor in every league from Opening Day with the chance to develop into a roto monster if he ever enters a friendly environment for hitters."

" ... Gaby Hernandez, 19 ... Although Hernandez failed to echo Yusmeiro Petit's 2004 domination of A-ball, he easily mastered the Sally League and then compiled a very respectable skill set in the Florida State League despite only turning 19 last May. If allowed sufficient development time, he should blossom into a fantasy force."

     A sigh of relief by Felix owners :

" ...  World Baseball Classic officials are expected to uphold the Mariners' objection and prohibit star teenager Felix Hernandez from competing in this spring's event, according to one source with knowledge of the process. Hernandez's case will be presented to representatives of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, as well as Roland Betts, an ad hoc member of the Classic committee. Club president Chuck Armstrong said at last week's winter meetings that Hernandez, a Venezuelan, was the only player "we really have an objection in on." "Our belief is that he's too young," Armstrong said then. "With his age, when you're playing for your flag, it creates a lot of adrenaline, a lot of emotion. He just needs to get prepared for this season. "If he was older, we wouldn't have this same risk." The complaint is based on concerns over Hernandez's right (throwing) shoulder. He did not start for six weeks this season because of bursitis."  (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER)


13 December,  2005   

     Venezuela catchup - Miguel Montero ARZ 4-5, homer, 3 RBI, 1-2, 6th homer,  0-3 & 0-2, .302 ... Victor Martinez CLE 1-2 & 0-3, .333 ... Fernando Nieve HOU 3 1/3 2 4 4 2 0, 6.14 ... Jerry Owens CHA 2-4, triple, .356 ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE 1-4, .320 ... Ronny Cedeno CHN 1-3, triple, 3 RBI & 2-4, homer, .353 ... Yusmerio Petit FLO 5 2/3 6 2 2 2 6, 2.13 ... Dominican hitting stats ... a few names of interest ... and some stats from Mexico (mainly guys who will vie for bench jobs) :

                                  G  AB 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB  AVG  OBP
          Peña Willy Mo          14  54  1  0  6  16  9  8  1 .426 .516
          Napoli Mike            17  58  5  0  5  17  6 18  0 .379 .448
          German Esteban         39 149  4  2  0  16 31 12 26 .356 .467
          Castro Bernie          39 173  5  3  1  15 10 13 13 .329 .369
          Aybar Erick            37 145  7  2  0  10 13 14 11 .317 .369
          Gathright Joey         22  95  4  0  0   7  8 13  9 .305 .365
          Betemit Wilson         37 138 11  0  6  20 22 37  0 .304 .398
          Cruz Nelson            29 112  6  1  9  25  5 25  2 .304 .336
          Hernandez Anderson     33 137  2  1  1  19 11 16  6 .299 .349
          Cabrera Melky          30  84  6  1  0  11 11  9  5 .298 .375
          Arias Joaquin          23  70  3  0  0   5  4 10  2 .286 .329
          Guzman Joel            36 131  9  1  5  28 15 29  1 .275 .351
          Belliard Ronnie        12  49  2  0  0   3  3 13  0 .265 .321
          Ramirez Hanley         33 113  6  1  0   7 11 20  5 .257 .333
          Encarnacion Edwin      26  94  5  1  3  12 13 24  0 .255 .345
          Marte Andy             32 107  5  1  2   9 16 18  0 .243 .352
          Barmes Clint           25 103  1  1  1   8  3 18  2 .233 .269
          Pie Felix              29  91  3  2  1  10  4 19  1 .209 .250
          Granderson Curtis      21  72  1  0  1   8 14 17  1 .194 .326
       Mexico                  G  AB 2B 3B HR RBI  BB SO  AVG  OBP  SLG
       Clark Howie            46 171  6  3  9  30  24 14 .333 .419 .561
       Clark Douglas          45 159 12  1  8  33  22 38 .333 .421 .572
       Francisco Ben          45 184  7  0 12  27  10 38 .315 .364 .549
       Davis Rajai            16  55  2  0  1   3   4  9 .309 .361 .400
       Gonzalez Adrian        52 202 15  1  7  33  22 42 .307 .376 .495
       Rivera Ruben           53 176  4  0 14  34  38 38 .295 .441 .557
       Pickering Calvin       53 170  4  0 13  32  48 56 .294 .450 .547
       Devore Doug            12  49  1  0  4   6   6 14 .286 .375 .551
       Hubbard Trenidad       39 144  7  1  1  14  25 21 .285 .395 .368
       Amezaga Alfredo        51 198 10  2  3  24  20 31 .278 .345 .394
       Allen Luke             21  74  3  0  2   4  10 20 .270 .349 .392
       Doster Dave            45 168  7  0  3  12  11 20 .256 .310 .351
       Smitherman Stephen     12  47  5  0  2  16   1 11 .255 .286 .489
       Linden Todd            23  77  2  0  1  11  19 20 .182 .357 .247

     Troop movements ... STL - signed Ricardo Rincon ... SF - signed Matt Morris ...  DET - traded Kenny Baugh to SD for Ricky Steik ... ARZ - signed Damion Easley ...

     David Regan, RotoAmerica, ranks the best of the Giants' system :

" ... #1 Eddy Martinez-Esteve ...  Put it all together for the most part this season and established his place firmly on top of the Giants’ prospect chain ...  combines a great batting eye with very good contact ability and good raw power. He’s a solid 6’2” 215 and should hit for more power once he reaches the big leagues. He’s still learning to turn on pitches and be aggressive with balls he can drive ...  On defense, he’s a below average OF who often appears to be loafing out in the field rather than giving 100% ...  I could see a move to 1B in the future, a definite long-term need in the organization."

" ... #2 Marcus Sanders  ...  Look up “potential prototypical” leadoff hitter in the dictionary and you may very well see a picture of Marcus Sanders. Marcus is very athletic and stronger than his power numbers would indicate. A lingering shoulder issue likely sapped some of his power. He projects as a 15 HR type guy. He’s a dangerous leadoff guy, as he shows the ability to take a walk, can leg out infield hits, and is a very accomplished basestealer  ... Defensively, he’ll probably have to move to 2B, as his arm doesn’t profile as a SS."

" ... #6 Pablo Sandoval ...  It’s too bad that the Giants had to move him off catcher and to 3B in 2005, as his bat profiles better as a catcher and he doesn’t exactly have a lot of competition at that position in the system ...  a switch-hitter, makes solid contact and a very quick bat ... Walked just 2.7% of the time in 2004, so his walk rate of 6.4% this year has to be looked at as a solid improvement. Runs well for a 5’11”, 210 lb. guy. Needs to learn to turn on pitchers’ mistakes and drive the ball. He’ll need to develop power to stay at 3B, but he’s just a teenager, so there’s plenty of time."

     Check 'em out, notes on the COL and CIN farms by Tim Polka at RotoHelp :

" ... Ryan Shealy, 26 ... Ostensibly stuck at first base, Shealy began converting to the outfield this fall and now seems set to open 2006 as Matt Holliday's platoon partner in right field. If Shealy handles the position capably, I expect the Rockies to deal Holliday given he possesses less plate discipline than Brad Hawpe or Shealy. Any problems encountered by Shealy instead should lead to a midseason deal to a club looking for right-handed power at 1B/DH ... Shealy could start for almost any AL club ...  might just blossom in Colorado."

" ... Chris Iannetta, 22 ...  possesses exceptional patience and respectable power potential, leaving only occasional contact issues as an obstacle to his continued advancement. Feel free to gamble a late-round pick here in the hopes of stealing Colorado's 2007 catcher."

" ... Ian Stewart, 20 ...  First hamstring and then wrist problems caused problems for Stewart throughout the year, resulting both in a late start and early finish to the season. However, he managed a .333/.435/.615 with a 7:6 BB:K in 39 AB in the Arizona Fall League before his wrist drove him home, and his overall success in the California League despite just turning twenty in April indicates significant future potential for the youngster. Stewart's upside in Colorado ranks with that of any rookie position player in the game, so despite continuing defensive questions and his health problems, Stewart still belongs on any list of baseball's best long-term hitting prospects."

" ... Troy Tulowitzki, 21 ... A quad pull ended his season after barely a month of action, but Tulowitzki still looks like a superb long-term prospect. The successor to Bobby Crosby at Long Beach State, Tulowtzki benefits from frequent comparison to his fellow alum. He could shoot to the majors in a similar timeframe, and although contact problems could depress his BA, he does share the upside of placing a player like Crosby in Coors."

" ... Joey Votto, 22 ... While dealing Sean Casey creates a long-term opening at first for Votto, his BA drop and unimpressive power potential leave him little immediate value. Wait to see if he can boost his OPS back over .800 in the comparatively easier hitting environment in the Southern League before employing Votto as anything more than a long-term lottery ticket in a very deep NL leagues."

" ... Travis Chick  ...  changed organizations in his second straight deadline deal, bottoming out by registering a 21:27 K:BB in 46.1 IP over 8 starts for Chattanooga. The good news is that he only turned 21 in June, spending the season as one of the youngest AA pitchers after skipping high-A completely. One more year of development should vault Chick near the top of Cincinnati's prospect list, placing him in line for a rotation slot by 2007."

     Baseball America also ranks the COL system and sits third baseman Ian Stewart atop the chart, ahead of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and lefty Franklin Morales.  Former fav, shortstop Chris Nelson, is 10th.


12 December,  2005   

     Dominican -- the Wily Mo Pena express keeps rollin' 2-3, 6th homer, 2 RBI, walk, .426 ... Mike Napoli LAA 2-4, 2 RBI, .379 ... Danny Cabrera BAL 4 2/3 5 5 4 5 2, 9.95 ... Joaquin Benoit TEX 3 3 0 0 1 5, 0.00 ... Joel Guzman LAD 1-4, 2 RBI, .275 ...

     Troop movements ... LAD - signed Sandy Alomar Jr. ...

     Pitchers take the top two spots on the HOU farm in John Franco's assessment of the Astros' kids at SportsBlurb :

" ... Jason Hirsh ...  edges out No. 2 Troy Patton because his third pitch and size give him an edge over Patton’s youthful upside. Hirsh is a rare 6’8” pitcher with consistent mechanics, and though his fastball is only in the 89-94 range, he gets good downward action on the pitch by driving it down through the strike zone. Hirsh also has a good curveball and an improving changeup, and the command to use all three pitches effectively. He won the Texas League pitcher of the year award and held batters to a .218 average while striking out 165 in 172.1 innings of work. He has the poise to pitch in the major leagues right now but probably needs to spend another half-season improving his changeup in order to succeed right away."

" ... Troy Patton ... reminds some Astros fans of Roy Oswalt because he is a short pitcher (6’1) with a good fastball who got a chance from the Astros when other teams might have passed. Patton throws his fastball in the 91-94 range with excellent command from the left side and also has a power curveball that he can use as a strikeout pitch. His changeup is currently below average but he has shown the ability to turn it into an average pitch. In addition to his stuff, Patton has the competitive nature to throw inside and the outstanding mechanics that could protect his electric arm as he moves through the Astros’ farm system. He could join Oswalt and Hirsh at the front of one of the best rotations in baseball within two years."

     In a review of his 2005 pre-season Yankee prospects, John Sickels finds a slight improvement on the pinstriped farm :

" ... 1) Eric Duncan ...  .235/.326/.408 for Double-A Trenton ...  But he hit the stitches out of the ball in the Arizona Fall League and is still just 21. Needs good start in '06 to reestablish value as trade bait."

" ... 2) Phil Hughes ...  9-1, 2.19 in 16 starts between Class A Charleston and Class A Tampa, 93/20 K/BB in 86 innings. Only health can hold him back, an excellent prospect."

" ... 10) Tyler Clippard ...  3.18 in 25 starts for Tampa, 169/34 K/BB in 147 innings. Excellent K/BB, K/IP, and H/IP ratios mark him as a prospect to watch. Will make Double-A transition in '06, and will vault up the lists if he does well."

     Matt Jacovina, WarmOctoberNights, likes Felix Pie as the top dog in the Cubbies' system.

" ... Felix Pie ... the tools to eventually make Cubs fans feel warm and fuzzy about their team. Plate discipline is the main concern right now, and it’s a considerable one. He had a 53/16 strikeout to walk ratio in 240 at bats ...  combination of speed and power will probably make him a more popular offensive player than he deserves to be, but his defense will help him remain an overall productive player."

" ... 3. Rich Hill  ...posted ridiculous numbers last year, highlighted by his 194/35 K/BB ratio during three minor league stops. He’s not very young at 25, but that doesn’t mean he can’t become a mid-rotation starter very quickly if given the shot. There are reasons for caution, however: his major league debut was a disaster, mostly because of a complete lack of control. It’s easy to say it was an aberration due to his impeccable control during the rest of the 2005 season, but that’d be ignoring his spotty command that prevented him from advancing through the minors in prior seasons."

     Andy Marte zooms right to the top of the BOS prospect chart in the latest ranking at SoxProspects.com.  Marte moves in ahead of Jon Papelbon and Jon Lester

     At the Newberg Report, an analysis of the Soriano deal, including the acquisition of Armando Galarraga :

" ... Galarraga is very intriguing. The 23-year-old entered the 2005 season missing from Baseball America's ranking of Washington's top 30 prospects. He finished it as the publication's number five Nationals prospect. Signed as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela, the 6'4" righthander pitched for two seasons with Montreal's Venezuelan Summer League entry before spending the next three years (2001-03) toiling in the anonymity of the Gulf Coast League, logging a total of just 53.1 innings due to 2002 Tommy John surgery. His numbers were fairly ordinary in 2004, as he went 5-5, 4.65 for Low A Savannah with no particularly eye-popping stats. But in 2005, assigned to High A Potomac, Galarraga went 3-4, 2.48 in 14 starts, fanning 79 and walking 23 in 80 frames, and he earned a mid-season berth in the Futures Game and a promotion to AA Harrisburg, where he went 3-4, 5.19 in 13 starts, striking out 58 and issuing 21 walks in 76.1 innings. He works in the low-to-mid-90s with sink, complements his heat with a power slider that Baseball America called the best in the Washington system, and has a change-up that remains a work in progress. The development of that third pitch, as with so many pitching prospects, could determine whether he will eventually start or relieve. It's a safe bet that he'll begin the season in Frisco's rotation."
   

 
 

    
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