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(Some of the prognosticators of the day
-- PP&S = Prospects, Projects and Suspects; FB =
Fastball, BA = Baseball America; BBHQ = Shandler's Baseball
Headquarters; BBW = Baseball Weekly; IFR - Iowa Farm Report; TSN = The
Sporting News; MEMLR = Montreal Expos Minor League Reporter)
05 January, 2000
Hey, Daniel's back! That's Daniel Levine of PP&S. He's had to
greatly reduce the time he's put into Prospects, Projects & Suspects in
order to make a living, but he's launched an e-mail list to keep his hand in the
game.
He's begun to rate the rookies by position. The catchers are the first
up.
1 Petrick Ben
2 Davis Ben
3 Washington Rico
4 Lomasney Steve
5 Werth Jayson
6 Hernandez Ramon
7 LeCroy Matt
8 Dewey Jason
9 Goldbach Jeff
10 King Cesar
Daniel rates Petrick as the best offensive catching prospect, Davis at the
top of the defensive ratings and LeCroy with the best power.
09 January, 2000
PP&S 1b rankings. In line with the BA
rankings, Daniel has dropped Calvin Pickering toward the bottom of the
list. So far it appears Nick Johnson is the poster boy for the 2000
rookies.
1 Johnson Nick 2 Ward Daryle 3 Burrell Pat 4 Choi Hee 5 Durazo Erubiel
6 Pickering Calvin 7 Ortiz David 8 Stenson Dernell 9 McNeal Aaron
10 Williams Pat
TPA ranks both Hee Choi and Pat (Peanut) Williams
ahead of Johnson, with Pat Burrell and a couple of relative unknowns (Carlos
Rivera PIT, and David Gibralter BOS) in the same group of Johnson.
21 January, 2000
Sean Burroughs SD. A storybook tale. From Little League
star to the majors. Following in his father's footsteps. There's
little doubt he'll be one of the first rookies picked in the Spring draft.
The Scoresheet-talk poll showed Rafael Furcal the ATL shortstop and Burroughs as
the two A-Ball players most likely to be selected.
BBA (1) " ... Unlike most young hitters, Burroughs already knows how to
stay within himself on each swing and not try to do too much with a pitch. At
third base, he has above-average arm strength, soft, quick hands and can become
a solid defensive player."
ESPN (1) " ... excellent strike zone judgment. Power will come soon, and
he could reach the majors by the end of 2001."
MLBtalk (1) " ... Look for huge numbers in AA this year and huge numbers
in 2001 as the Padres' starting third baseman."
BBHQ (1) " ... He solidified himself as one of the best young (19), pure
hitters in the game. He makes excellent contact, drives the ball up the gaps,
and possesses outstanding strike zone judgment."
Koskie's career at third might be a short one. On the way for MIN is Michael
Cuddyer, a converted shortstop.
ESPN (1) " ... Compared to Scott Rolen by scouts, Cuddyer has strong
athletic ability and outstanding makeup."
BBW - " ... made a smooth transition from shortstop to third base last
season and is one of the top hitting prospects in the game ... a strong arm,
good range and the necessary reactions to make the grade at third. He also
receives high marks in work ethic and intangibles."
Russ Branyan CLE. Russ Branyan. Three letters tell the
story. "H" plus 'R", and "K". A few years back he
was THE guy. Injuries and AA and AAA pitchers have put some roadblocks
(skyhooks?) in front of what had been a rocket ride to the majors.
BBW " ... The left-handed hitter has some serious holes in his
swing and tries to pull too many pitches. Ironically, his glovework, which had
been the Tribe's biggest concern, has improved greatly. He has a smooth, fluid
motion around the bag and a great arm."
ESPN (5) " ... Basically a third base version of Rob Deer. Lots of
power, but tons and tons of strikeouts."
BBHQ (4) " ... as much power potential as anyone in the minors, but
until he can control his swing and stop trying to hit the baseball 500 feet,
he's not going to hit well enough to be useful."
26
January, 2000
Corey Patterson CHN
BBW "
one of baseball's most promising players
tremendous
all-around skills."
BBHQ (1) "
might be one of the best athletes in all the minors, and
more importantly, he knows what to do with the skills he has
range in CF is
outstanding."
BBA (1) "
speed ranks him among the fastest players in Baseball
a lightning-quick bat to the ball
Any ball not hit right at an outfielder is
a potential double; any ball that gets by an outfielder is a potential triple
it would surprise no one to see him at Wrigley Field by late summer."
Vernon Wells TOR
MLB "
excellent tools - he can run, hit for power and average, and
field - all he needs to do is sharpen them
they could have a superstar
center fielder in the making."
BBA (1) "
a rare combination of speed, power, balance and athletic
presence. He has a short, compact swing that should guarantee a high average at
all times
instincts are strong in center field, and he has an accurate
throwing arm with above-average strength."
BBW "
hit .261 in 24 games for the Blue Jays and wasn't intimidated
by big league pitching despite being one of the youngest players in the majors.
Overall, Wells led the organization with a .334 average. Wells has great speed
and range in center field, and is not afraid to sacrifice his body."
Luis Matos BAL
BBA (4) "
has the best five-tool potential in the Orioles
organization. His added size has brought more power potential, but he hasn't
lost his plus speed. Matos' instincts on the bases and in center field are
excellent, and his throwing arm is well-above-average."
BBHQ (4) "
is still tapping into his power, and has the size and
ability to become a force in the middle of the lineup. He displays good defense
in CF with outstanding range and a powerful throwing arm. The 20 year-old is a
special talent, and although this type of player is always a risk to be streaky,
he looks like he might rise above it."
Alex Escobar NYN
BBA (1) "
1999 was a wasted year. Escobar missed the first half of
the season rehabilitating a lower back injury, then separated his left shoulder
during his first game back with high Class A St. Lucie
grades out
above-average in every tool. His power/speed combination is especially
intriguing. The ball jumps off his bat to all fields. Even if he were to lose
his above-average speed on the bases to age and injuries, he still could become
a middle-of-the-order force. Throw in the fact that Escobar is a pure center
fielder with a right fielder's arm strength and you know why he remains the
Mets' best prospect despite playing just four games in '99."
BBHQ (1) "
has exceptional speed and above average power, which
should only get better with experience. He shows a decent knowledge of the
strike zone, so his BA and power should hold steady. Defensively, he exhibits
plenty of range and has a good enough arm to play CF."
MLB "
Alex Escobar can hit. Alex Escobar can run. Alex Escobar can
throw. But Alex Escobar can't seem to stay healthy."
27 January, 2000
While the CFs are the glamour boys, it's the guys on the corners who
generally provide the punch.
There's a core of very good ones who should begin to arrive this
season.
Jack Cust ARZ
BBW "
the organization's Player of the Year for 1999, ranking in the
Top 12 among all minor league hitters in eight different categories
has
posted a .589 slugging percentage and a .463 on-base percentage since being
drafted
is far short of being gifted defensively but has shown signs of
becoming at least serviceable in left field."
ESPN (2) "
Not much of a fielder, but his bat is for
real."
BBA (2) "
Imagine Jim Thome's offensive line and you have a
representation of what Cust could become in the big leagues. He will strike out
a ton, but no hitting coach with an ounce of wisdom will tell him to change his
approach."
BBHQ (2) "
may be the best pure hitter in the minor leagues, as he
exhibits everything you want in a middle of the order hitter."
Ben Broussard CIN
BBA (5) "
an obscure college senior at the start of the spring
before blossoming into one of the top power prospects in baseball. His 1999
totals from college, three minor league levels and the California Fall League:
.373-60-200 in 614 at-bats
The Reds tested Broussard's vision before the
draft and found it was 20/10, or Ted Williams/fighter pilot level
clearly on
the fast track and could step into left field when Dante Bichette's contract
expires after the 2000 season."
ESPN (2) " Anyone who hits in Double-A two months after leaving college
is a great prospect."
Dermal Brown KC
BBHQ (1) "
generates excellent bat speed out of his LH bat and
possesses above average foot speed. Between Wichita (TL) and Wilmington (CAR),
he hit .331/.430/.570 with 25 HR, 30 SB
did a much better job
defensively."
ESPN (1) "
outstanding hitter for power and Average glove is awful,
but he can HIT."
Michael Restovich MIN
BBHQ (2) "
. earns gasps for his power potential as a 20 year-old
will need to make some adjustments at the plate versus inside pitches to be
successful in the upper levels, where he could be a solid cleanup
hitter."
ESPN (2) Mike
Restovich, OF: Hit .312 with 19 homers and 107 RBI in the
Midwest League. Very strong bat, good strike zone judgment."
JJ Davis PIT
BBW "
an immense physical talent with unbelievable power and a
tremendous arm, but he's strictly a pull hitter with an uppercut swing and has
problems with breaking balls."
Wily Mo Pena NYA
BBA (7) " ... immense power is already the best in organization except
for the more mature Henson's. When he fills out, Pena should resemble Juan
Gonzalez or Vladimir Guerrero, with average speed and excellent arm strength ...
needs to learn the strike zone and determine which pitches to drive and which to
just take."
30 January, 2000
First base
Just what ARZ needs -- another first baseman.
Lyle Overbay ARZ
BBW " ... cruised to Pioneer League MVP honors as he hit
.343 with 12 homers and a short-season record 101 RBI for Missoula. He
managed to rank second in the organization in RBI despite playing in
only 75 games ... led all league first basemen with a .986 fielding
percentage and 641 putouts and also appeared in five error-free games in
the outfield, where he played in college."
Catcher
Jason LaRue CIN
MLB " ... Throughout the minors, LaRue established a
reputation as one of the top hitting catching prospects ... called up to
the Reds when backup Brian Johnson got hurt. He didn't hit in
Cincinnati, but his defense was impressive as the 26-year-old threw out
38 percent of would-be basestealers ... could work his way into the
lineup more often in 2000."
31 January, 2000
Nick Neugebauer
MIL RHP
BBW "
1998 second-round pick, Neugebauer has a fastball in
the upper 90s and led all minor league starters in both opponent batting
average (1.78) and strikeouts per nine innings (13.95) in his pro debut.
However, he also has some serious control and mechanical problems."
MLB "
prototypical
fireballer: He regularly gets his
fastball into the upper 90s and he throws a nasty slider, but he can't
always find the plate with them
the Brewers are very excited about
Neugebauer, who some are already projecting to be an ace-caliber
starter."
BBA (1) "
a physically imposing presence on the mound,
capable of pitching out of any situation with the aid of the strikeout.
"He's a bona fide No. 1 (potential starter in the big
leagues)," said Brewers scout Russ Bove
It has been a long time
since the Brewers had a pitcher with a ceiling this high. "He has
Kerry Wood potential," said Bove."
ESPN (1) "
throws 98 mph and struck out 125 in 81 innings,
allowing just 50 hits. On the other hand, he also walked 80. Could be a
superb dominator, or a washout."
Kurt Ainsworth SF RHP
ESPN (4) "
Polished, throws hard, could see the majors this
year if all goes well."
BBA (1) "
comes close to being a finished product on the
mound and carries himself as if he were born to be a pitcher
While
Tommy John surgery has become almost commonplace, Ainsworth's heavy
college workload will make him the most watched of the three Tommy John
alumni drafted in the first 38 picks in June."
12 February, 2000
A couple of "corrections" from PP&S. JD Closser
ARZ jumps up into the 3rd spot in the catching ranks (behind the Ben boys,
Petrick and Davis) " . . . Closser had a nice debut in 1998, and
followed up strong. He struggled at the plate after a promotion to South Bend,
but his walk rate stayed very strong, and I think the offense will come. Just
turned 20 in January, so he is several years away, and is subject to Catcher's
Stall, but I like him a lot."
21 February, 2000
Some odds and ends.
Mark Mulder #1, Barry Zito #2. That's the way BBA sees
it. Either way, what a nice choice of talent for the A's.
One newcomer ... in BBA's SEA rookie preview. Cha Sueng Baek is
rated as the #5 Mariner prospect. He's a 19-year-old Korean. " ...
already has good command of his low to mid-90s fastball and his slider. He also
throws a curveball and changeup ... could move slowly through the system. The
Mariners believe he can develop into a No. 1 starter."
#3 on the list is 18-year-old catcher Ryan Christianson "
... has the tools to be a strong defensive catcher and a
middle-of-the-order run producer."
04 March, 2000
ESPN on Antonio Perez SEA, SS " ... Dominican shortstop with
flashy glove, speed, offensive potential. "
BBHQ on Antonio Perez " ... lightning fast on the bases, does a good job at judging the strike zone, and
flashed surprising power despite having more room to fill out ... excellent tools defensively,
exhibiting outstanding range and a strong arm. "
BBA on Antonio Perez (#6) " ... Perez can fly ... has plus range
and good hands in the field ... has a little pop in his bat, too."
BBHQ on Esteban German " ... amassed an amazing 102 walks at Modesto
... has excellent speed which helps him on the bases (40 SB) and on defense, where his range is
exceptional ... plenty of tools and lots of work ahead of him, but is a player that bears watching. "
BBA on Chris Snelling SEA OF (#8) " ... is at least average
in all five tools ... . has the speed and patience to hit leadoff, but could
develop enough power to hit farther down in the order ... has no glaring
weaknesses and just needs time to climb the ladder."
BBHQ on Snelling (#2) " ... was one of the more impressive
first-year players in the minors with his strong bat and superb defense ... drew
raves for his defense in CF."
14 April, 2000
Yikes. One game, one injury, one season. LA pitching prospect Hong-Chih
Kuo "will undergo surgery to repair a torn medial collateral ligament
in his pitching elbow. Team medical personnel detected the injury after the
left-hander worked three scoreless innings, with seven strikeouts, April 10 in
his first appearance for Class-A San Bernardino. The Taiwanese native, 18,
received a $1.25-million signing bonus. Team physician Frank Jobe will perform
the procedure April 20." (LA Times)
24 April, 2000
A-Ball leftovers ... deserves an Oscar ... worst performance by a starting
pitcher ... Eric Thompson OAK 1.1 11 14 14 3 1, amazing in this day and
age that the kid was left in.
16 May, 2000
The Sporting News is back looking at prospects, this time by position.
Catchers up first. Basically, if you have one of these guys -- Werth,
Petrick, Davis, Lomasney, Olivo, Christianson,
Goldbach, maybe Cardona -- you're doing OK.
12 May, 2000
Now, just a reminder (found this while researching my "other"
stuff, the good stuff from the 50s) that a few of the guys who fail the first
time around do come back and do OK. July 16, 1951:
24 May, 2000
The Sporting News prospect reports have shifted to pitching ... power
pitchers is the category. In the AL ...
BAL "Lefthander Richard Stahl, who already is drawing comparisons to Randy
Johnson. ... BOS - Sun Woo Kim ...
ChA - " ... If Barcelo is able to stay healthy, he could become a dominant major league pitcher."
...
CLE - CC Sabathia ...
KC - " ... the best true power pitcher in the Kansas City system is righthander
Junior Guerrero." ...
MIN - Matt Kinney ... OAK - Jesus Colome ...
SEA - Ryan Anderson ...
TB - Matt White ...
TEX - Jovanny Cedeno ...
TOR - John Sneed
15 September, 2000
A surprise from
Baseball
America on its choice of the Minor League Player of the Year. John
Rauch ChA. Rauch had an outstanding season moving from A-Ball to AA to
a spot on the USA Olympic team. And, he's one of those guys who could be
available in the 2001 draft!
Those who made the final cut in the BA Player of
the Year sweepstakes were Joe Crede 3B ChA, Kevin Mench OF TEX, Roy
Oswalt SP HOU, Jose Ortiz SS OAK and Bud Smith
SP STL. Nice company.
22 September, 2000
Interesting take on Jack Cust ARZ by Alan
Schwarz senior writer of Baseball America on a recent BA chat:
"Cust has serious potential with the bat. He
hit .293-20-75 with Double-A El Paso this year and with 117 walks. The left
fielder also has the serious potential to make Greg Luzinski look like a
gazelle. His glove is simply brutal. Assuming the D'Backs stay in the National
League, he's a left fielder and a dubious one for now. He'll need another year
in Triple-A before being decent enough to throw out there, I would think."
23 September, 2000
Howe Sportsdata All-Prospect Team
:
c - None,
1b - Carlos Pena TEX.
2b - Keith Ginter HOU,
3b - Sean Burroughs SD,
ss - Alfonso Soriano NYA,
of - Brad Wilkerson MON,
of - Josh Hamilton TB,
of - Corey Patterson ChN,
p - Jon Garland
ChA,
p - Ben Sheerts
MIL,
p - Ryan Anderson
SEA,
p - Carlos Zambrano
ChN,
p - Bud Smith
STL
29 September,
200
BA's
picks for the Minor
League All-Stars (not all of them prospects):
C J.R. House, PIT,
1B Jason Hart, OAK ,
2B Keith Ginter, HOU,
3B Joe Crede, ChA,
SS Jose Ortiz, OAK,
OF Kevin Mench, TEX,
OF Chad Mottola, TOR,
OF Juan Silvestre, SEA, DH Alex Cabrera, ARZ, SP Roy Oswalt, HOU,
SP Christian Parra, ATL,
SP Jon Rauch, ChA,
SP Bud Smith, STL,
SP Greg Wooten, SEA,
RP Maximo Regalado, LA
An interesting take on SEA's Chris Snelling
and Craig Anderson ... from John Manuel of BA whose
in Sydney covering Oympic baseball:
"Anderson impressed me, not with his
stuff but with his guile and moxie. David Nilsson said he had below average
stuff but major league, well, intestinal fortitude, and Nilsson should
know.
Snelling played well here, working his way
into the Aussie lineup. However, I've been told that those comparisons to Len
Dykstra are a pipe dream. He's a below-average runner, not just for a leadoff
hitter, but for a player, and that's not a Dykstra clone. His speed will hold
him back because he's not going to hit for power. He needs to be a patient
hitter, really develop a leadoff man's plate approach and fit in there.
I don't think either of them is in the top
tier of Mariners' prospects. In fact, I'd take Ryan Franklin over both of them.
Franklin has really impressed here, he threw two more shutout innings last
night. According to the Mariners, he throws up to six pitches, and he has
regularly shown a 90-93 fastball here. He looks like a big league pitcher,
either as a No. 4-5 starter or middle reliever."
18 September, 2000
More early planning for the 2001 draft ...
Baseball America's Best
Tools guys ... the best prospects by category:
Best Hitting
Power
Baserunner
AAA INT Aubrey
Huff TB Russell Branyan CLE Jason
Tyner NYN
AAA PCL Mario Valdez MIN Nate
Rolison FLO Chad Meyers CHN
AA EAST Brad
Wilkerson MON Juan Diaz BOS Henry
Mateo MON
AA SOUTH Joe Crede CHA
Bucky Jacobsen MIL Juan Pierre COL
AA TEXAS Jason Hart OAK Carlos
Pena TEX Mike Curry KC
A CAL
Gary Johnson ANA Ryan Ludwick SF
Esteban German OAK
A CAR Ken
Harvey KC J.J.
Daivs PIT Esix Snead
STL
A FLO ST Travis Hafner TEX Rob
Stratton NYN Brian Cole NYN
A MIDW Albert Pujols STL Samone
Peters CIN Corey Richardso DET
A S ATL Josh Hamilton TB Josh
Hamilton TB Alex Requena CLE
Fastest
Pitching
Fastball
Baserunner
AAA INT David
Roberts CLE Jon Garland CHA Guillermo
Mota MON
AAA PCL Michael Byas SF Ryan
Anderson SEA Ryan Anderson SEA
AA EAST Kenny
James TB C.C. Sabathia CLE C.C.
Sabathia CLE
AA SOUTH Juan Pierre COL Ben
Sheets MIL Craig House COL
AA TEXAS Luis Saturria STL Chris
George KC Jesus Colome OAK
A CAL
Jeremy Owens SD Mike Bynum
SD Nick Neugebauer MIL
A CAR Esix
Snead STL Jon
Rauch CHA Mike MacDougal KC
A FLO ST Andres Torres DET Pat
Strange NYN Tim Redding HOU
A MIDW Ben Johnstone CHN Jacob
Peavy SD Josh Beckett FLO
A S ATL Alex Requena CLE Matt
Belisle ATL Chin-hui Tsao COL
Breaking Pitch
Control
Reliever
AAA INT Tomokazu
Ohka BOS Josh Towers BAL Sang-Hoon
Lee BOS
AAA PCL Barry Zito OAK
Brian Tollberg SD Gene Stechschul STL
AA EAST Brandon
Duckwor PHI Greg Wooten SEA Doug
Nickle PHI
AA SOUTH Robert Averette CIN Mark Buehrle
CHA Bob File TOR
AA TEXAS Luke Prokopec LA Roy
Oswalt HOU Jason Green HOU
A CAL
Keith Surkont OAK Justin Lehr OAK Brandon
Parker SEA
A CAR Cristobal Corre STL John
Stephens BAL Billy Sylvester ATL
A FLO ST Geoff Geotz FLO Scott
Cassidy TOR Maximo Regalado LA
A MIDW Calvin Chipperf DET Jose
Mieses MIL J.J. Trujillo SD
A S ATL Bobby Bradley PIT Matt
Belisle ATL Bryan Leach BOS
Defensive C Defensive
1B Defensive 2B
AAA INT Javier
Cardona DET Ryan Jackson TB Jerry Hairston
BAL
AAA PCL Ramon Castro FLO Doug
Mientkiewi MIN Jose Ortiz OAK
AA EAST Johnny
Estrada PHI Talmadge Nunnar MON Jermaine Clark SEA
AA SOUTH Brandon Inge DET Todd
Sears COL Wilmy Caceres CIN
AA TEXAS Geronimo Gil LA Aaron
McNeal HOU T.J. Maier STL
A CAL
Miguel Olivo OAK Pete Paciorek LA Willie
Bloomqui SEA
A CAR Lee
Evans PIT Billy
Munoz CLE Kevin Connacher CHA
A FLO ST Brandon Marster MIN Hee Sop Choi
CHN Jesus Medrano FLO
A MIDW Humberto Quinte CHA Shawn McCorkle
SEA Ariel Durango SEA
A S ATL Jean Boscan ATL Jeff
Leaumont NYA Willie Harris BAL
Defensive 3B Defensive
SS Defensive OF
AAA INT Ryan
Minor BAL John McDonald CLE Vernon
Wells TOR
AAA PCL Pedro Feliz SF
Adam Everett HOU Torii Hunter MIN
AA EAST Drew
Henson NYA Ramon Vazquez SEA Kenny
James MON
AA SOUTH Joe Crede CHA
Felipe Lopez TOR Alejandro Diaz CIN
AA TEXAS Morgan Ensberg HOU Jack
Wilson STL William Ortega STL
A CAL
Bo Robinson SEA Nelson Castro SF
Jeremy Owens SD
A CAR Henry Calderon KC Jason
Bowers STL Esix Snead STL
A FLO ST Orlando Hudson TOR Anderson Machad PHI Andres
Torres DET
A MIDW Albert Pujols STL Ramon
Santiago DET Corey Richardso DET
A S ATL Nate Grindell CLE Brandon Phillip
MON Lew Ford BOS
18 November, 2000
Coaches and managers in the AFL have chosen their
All-Prospect team (two at each position):
Catcher: Brandon Inge
DET, Toby
Hall TB
First: HeeSeop Choi ChN, Jason Hart OAK
Second: Marcus Giles ATL, Erick Almonte
NYA
Third: Albert Pujols STL, Ivanon Coffie BAL
Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins PHI, Zach Sorensen
CLE
Left: Kevin Mench TEX, Larry Barnes ANA
Centre: Donzell McDonald NYA, Tike Redman PIT
Right: Brady Clark CIN, Dee Brown KC
Utility: Rico Washington PIT, Chris Woodward TOR
RHP: Joaquin Benoit TEX, Troy Mattes MON
LHP: Jeff Andra SF, Mike Maroth DET
RHRP: Elvin Nina ANA, Bob File TOR
LHRP: Matt Miller DET, Ken Vining ChA
15 November, 2000
David Rawnsley TeamOne on
CHA OF Joe Borchard:
"Everything in the White Sox outfield picture
now revolves around 2000 1st round draft choice Joe Borchard. Chicago gave
Borchard a draft record $5.2M bonus and has already moved him to AA and the
Arizona Fall League, meaning that they definitely want him in the big leagues
soon. Borchard played right field in college but the White Sox think he has the
instincts and athletic ability to play centerfield and overcome his below
average speed."
Rawnsley on Jack Cust ARZ:
"The big disappointment, if one of an
organization's top prospects can be called a disappointment, is Cust. Cust's
defensive struggles seriously put into question his ability to stay in the
outfield ... "
And, Rawnsley's AFL Top 10:
1 Hee Seop Choi 1B 2 Antonio Perez,
SS-2B 3 Brian Cole, OF 4 Matt Kinney, RHP 5 Chris
Reitsma, RHP 6 Justin Miller, RHP 7 Marcus Giles,
2B 8 Jimmy Rollins, SS 9 Derrick Turnbow, RHP 10 Juan
Uribe, SS
14 November, 2000
John Sickels at ESPN takes a look at the Pirates' JR
House ...
"House is extremely strong, with terrific bat speed.
His swing isn't perfect, but it's very forceful, and the ball jumps off his bat.
House has fairly good control of the strike zone. He doesn't strike out much for
a power hitter, and while his walk rate is adequate, it isn't outstanding. I
expect he'll draw more walks as he advances and gets more experience ...
He may not remain at catcher, however, since his footwork
isn't very good. His arm is strong but not accurate, and while House is a good
athlete, he isn't especially agile. His lack of running speed is one of his few
flaws. Some people believe that House will eventually end up at first base, but
you can bet that the Pirates will leave him behind the plate as long as
possible, hoping he can improve his defense sufficiently. Either way, J.R. House
is one of the best hitters in the minor leagues."
30 November, 2000
I think he's going to be a Sickels Top 10 guy
... John Sickels ESPN on Kevin Mench :
"Mench has completely dominated pro pitching.
He has terrific bat speed, excellent strike zone judgment, shows power to all
fields, and demonstrates no weaknesses at the plate. He hits everything hard.
You might get him out on a pitch, but don't throw it again the next at-bat. He
adjusts to pitch sequences very quickly and thinks along with pitchers ...
Although Mench isn't especially quick, he is a good athlete, and is adept at
reading pitchers and stealing bases. He could probably swipe 10-15 a year at the
major-league level once he settles in. He is underrated as a defensive player.
He led the Florida State League in fielding percentage, has a decent arm and
adequate range."
01 December, 2000
Bobby Bradley
gets the nod as the #1 PIT
prospect as TeamOne takes a look at the Pirates' youngsters ... Stan Brzezicki
of TeamOne on Bradley :
"Bobby Bradley has shown great maturity to go
along with his talent and could get to the big leagues in 2002 or 2003."
" ... The Pirates have a potential All Star
in Bradley ... Bradley's major trademark is his signature Blyleven-like curve.
Not only is it nasty, but also he can control the size of break on it. The
command of this pitch is plus big league now. What has made Bradley even more
impressive is that his fastball has jumped into the low 90s, and tops out in the
95-96 range. As if these tools were not enough, he also is gaining a plus change
up, and was working on both a two, and a four-seam fastball in Instructional.
Again all of these pitches come with plus command."
David Rawnsley
on Bradley :
" ... For me, the edge that Bradley has in
addition to his stuff is that he's truly a mean SOB when he's on the mound,
which is a contradiction to his more soft spoken demeanor off the field. Bradley
hates hitters and wants to embarrass them, which while being an approach that
may have to be toned down a bit up the upper levels, is a trait that very
successful big league pitchers have in abundance."
05 December, 2000
Some good news for long-suffering MIL fans ... David
Rawnsley, TeamOne, on the top two MIL prospects, pitchers Ben Sheets
and Nick Neugebauer :
" ... Sheets had two plus, plus pitches in his
92-95 mph fastball and an 80-82 mph curveball, and the ability to pitch with
them right from the start of his professional career. Sheets has also developed
a very solid change up this season. The other factor that has enabled Sheets to
spring to AAA in his first year as a pro and likely into the Brewers starting
rotation at some point in 2001 is his competitiveness and aggressive nature.
This is a pitcher who will bust hitters inside again and again until he gets
that part of the plate."
" ... A veteran scout told me this summer that
Neugebauer had the best raw stuff he had ever seen at any level, including Ryan,
Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, everyone. All the superlatives
came out; filthy, nasty, incredible, etc. Fastball was 96-101 mph. Slider was
low 90's and unhittable. Curveball was 83-86 and nasty. Even Neugebauer's change
up had deception, which he thought was kind of unfair. The reason that
Neugebauer isn't #1 on the prospect list, of course, is that he still walks over
a batter an inning ... But Neugebauer has enough games where he only
issues 2 or 3 walks in 7 innings where it's evident that the problem is more
mechanical than athletic."
06 December, 2000
BA sticks with Vernon Wells
as #1 on the TOR Top 10. BA's John Manuel on Wells:
" ... has the best tools in the system, and
his five-tool package is among the best in the minor leagues. Hes a true
center fielder with an accurate, above-average arm and excellent range, and he
has good instincts for the position. Offensively, his speed and instincts make
him an above-average basestealer, and he has plus power to all fields."
And, on #2 pick, shortstop Felipe Lopez :
" ... Only Wells has better tools among Jays
prospectsand Lopez has five-tool ability. He has range to spare, a plus arm
and true shortstop actions. Lopez has average power and excellent speed"
TeamOne had earlier selected Wells and Lopez as
TOR's #1 and #2.
Over at the ESPN site,
John Sickels
reviewed some of his earlier picks in the Arizona Fall League :
Joaquin
Benoit TEX :
" ... goal was to show he was healthy,
and get more experience against top competition. He was outstanding, posting a
1.81 ERA in eight games, with a terrific 28/6 K/BB ratio. Benoit has electric
stuff and sharp command. If he stays healthy, he should be special."
Matt
Kinney, MIN :
" ... Kinney's job in the AFL was to
improve the consistency of his curve and slider, and sharpen his control. He was
successful in both endeavors, posting a 1.67 ERA in six starts, with a 22/8 K/BB
ratio. He goes to spring training with a lock on a rotation spot for the
Twins."
David Rawnsley at TeamOneBaseball speculates on the best pitching
prospects to fill that "ace" category :
"Over the last decade I would list the following that really fit the
criteria to be called a true #1 starter: Kevin Brown, Roger Clemens,
Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux
and Pedro Martinez. Some would put Mike Mussina in
that category, I'm not so sure I would. Curt Schilling might have
been in a different situation, Mike Hampton still needs another
year or two to make it. But overall we're talking about 6-9 pitchers who you can
hang the #1 starter hat on.
Both Sheets and Neugebauer could develop into that type of Major
League starter. That's not to say that every high ranking minor league pitching
prospect can develop into a #1 starter. Chris George, Kurt Ainsworth
and Matt Belisle are ahead of Neugebauer on the Rivals 100 and I
would never call them future #1's. I'm pretty sure I could say that about Bobby
Bradley, Matt Ginter and Roy Oswalt,
either.
In fact, the only minor league pitching prospects I could call potential #1's,
those who have pure nasty stuff to dominate hitters and potentially the makeup
and intangibles to bring it together are Sheets, Neugebauer, Beckett,
Ryan Anderson, C.C. Sabathia and perhaps Rauch."
08 December, 2000
Jimmy Rollins tops the chart as TeamOne
checks in with the PHI prospect report. David
Rawnsley on Rollins:
" ... In Rollins, they should have a player
who combines both solid defense with a balanced variety of offensive skills. The
most impressive aspect of Rollins 2000 season was that in his first year in AAA
he established career highs for doubles, triples AND home runs all in the same
year. At 5-8, Rollins hardly resembles a power hitter, but he has surprising pop
in his bat. With a 49:55 walk to strikeout ratio, he has outstanding contact
skills as well ... The only hesitation I have for Rollins as a very good
prospect is identifying where he might have a plus tool. The fact that he plays
shortstop and plays it well gives him significant value right there, and he
looks like the type of offensive player who will be in the average area in
average, power, walks, steals, etc
.right across the board."
13 December, 2000
BA's Phil Rogers on
Jon Rauch :
"Rauch has the stuff to be a
front-of-the-rotation starter. With youngsters Kip Wells and Jon Garland
expected to open the season in the White Sox rotation, theres no reason to
rush Rauch. He has pitched just 230 innings as a pro. Hes likely to return to
Double-A Birmingham, but it would be no big surprise if he spent most of the
year at Triple-A Charlotte. Hell be promoted only if the Sox are positive he
can help out down the stretch of a playoff race."
And, on Joe Borchard :
"Some scouts believe Borchard is the best
college power prospect since Mark McGwire. He can drive the ball to all fields
from both sides of the plate. Borchards father, an outfielder drafted by the
Royals in 1969, had him switch-hitting by age 11. Borchard is a good outfielder
with an excellent arm. Stanford coach Mark Marquess says hes the most
competitive player he ever had."
29 December, 2000
BA's James Bailey has a look at the SEA system
and it's clear Pat Gillick and crew are doing some fine work.
Ryan Anderson, #1 :
" ... has the stuff to dominate, and many feel
its only a matter of time before he joins the elite group of legitimate No. 1
starters. Though he still walked more than a batter every two innings, his
control took a step forward. He also has made tremendous strides off the field.
The immaturity that dogged him earlier in his career is a footnote."
Ichiro Suzuki, #2 :
" ... Some scouts believe hell contend for
the American League batting crown right away. He runs well and has the speed and
ability to play center field or either of the corners. He owns an accurate arm
that plays well, even in right field."
John Sickels at ESPN tackles the ARZ prospects and Jack
Cust comes out on top, but with reservations:
" ...Power hitter with excellent patience,
didn't dominate in Double-A considering league context, but held his own. Must
find a position; he is a horrible outfielder, and should be moved to first
base."
Sickels #2 on ARZ is first baseman, Lyle
Overbay :
" ... may be ready for the majors right now.
His STATS MLE puts his Double-A equivalent batting average over .300, and after
watching him sting the ball in the Arizona Fall League, I believe it."
Adam Katz over at MLBtalk has some observations on a
few of the "holdouts" and some look to be pretty fair catches:
Bobby Hill, 2B/SS, CHN " ... will
end up as a leadoff man with decent power and will likely move from shortstop,
his current position, to second base, because the Cubs have Luis Montanez
waiting in the wings. Hill will probably start in the Double-A Southern League
but could be in Chicago by September."
Dane Sardinha, C, CIN " ... If stuck in
the majors now, Sardinha would be an above-average defensive catcher, but
offensively he is still very raw. He'll probably start in A-ball, but could win
a job in Double-A and there have even been rumors of him breaking camp as the
Reds' backup catcher."
Xavier Nady, 3B/OF, SD " ...
has a lot of power potential and is advanced enough to start in Triple-A, but it
seems more likely that he'll start in Double-A. He's been switched from his
original third base position, where the Padres have Sean Burroughs, to left
field."
Joe Borchard, OF, CHA " ... has the
highest ceiling of any position player taken in the draft thanks to tremendous
power potential, above average speed, great arm strength and an advanced idea of
the strike zone."
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