Rookies 2005

 
   Thanks guys!  Your contributions (and the many, many kind notes of support) are greatly appreciated.   If you can help out in our annual "spare change" campaign please click the cup for details.  If you'd like to send along the deed to your Belize estate, condo in Maui or ship those gold bricks you've been storing in the basement, I supposed we'd find a way to make use of the generous contribution ! But our sights are simply on a bit of spare change to keep our little enterprise chugging along. 
 

 
13 March, 2005

    Game action ...  Tony Giarratano SS DET 3-4 ... Chris Shelton DET 1B 1-1, double ... Ryan Rupe LA 4 2 0 0 2 3 ... Jason Repko LA CF 3-5 ... Jeff Niemann TB 2 2 0 0 1 1 ... Abe Alvarez BOS 2 2 1 1 0 4 ... BJ Upton TB 1-4, homer (no errors Sat, but assessed a miscue Friday which hadn't shown up in the early boxscore, three thus far) ... Delmon Young RF 1-4 ... Pete LaForest C TB 1-2, homer ... Hanley Ramirez BOS LF 2-3 ... Brandon Claussen CIN 4 5 2 2 0 2 ... Brandon Phillips CLE 1-2, double ... Victor Diaz RF NYN 2-5 ... Russell Martin C LA 1-2, triple ... Kyle Davies ATL 3 4 6 6 2 1 ... Anthony Lerew ATL 3 2 0 0 1 1 ... Andy Marte ATL 3B 2-5, 2nd homer, 3 RBI ... Todd Coffey CIN 1 5 5 5 0 0 ... Bobby Bradley PIT 2-3 3 5 5 1 1 ... Bryan Bullington PIT 2 1-3 4 2 2 0 1 ... Edwin Encarnacion 3B CIN 2-4, 2 RBI ... Ryan Doumit C PIT 2-2, 3rd homer ... Brad Eldred PIT 1-1, homer, 3 RBI ... Jason Dubois CHN 1-1, 3rd homer ... Howie Kendrick ANA 2B 1-2, double, 2 RBI ... Daric Barton DH OAK 0-0, walk, run ... Jesse Foppert SF 3 3 3 3 1 1 ... Stephen Shell ANA 2 2-3 7 5 4 2 0 ... Thomas Diamond TEX 2 1 0 0 2 0 ... Jose Lopez SEA 2-4, double ... Ian Kinsler TEX, also seeing time at SS, 1-2 ... Keiichi Yabu OAK 2 1 0 0 0 0 ... Noah Lowry SF 3 2-3 3 0 0 1 5 ... Jose Capellan MIL 3 4 2 2 0 3 ... Rickie Weeks MIL 3-3, walk, 3 runs, SB 

    In his appraisal of the Padres' farm, John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, likes second baseman Josh Barfield as the top dog, followed by catcher George Kottaras and righty starter Travis Chick. 

" ... I still like Josh Barfield, although a league-average OPS last year and erratic plate discipline have hurt his grade a bit. George Kottaras has received almost no attention, yet I think there is a good chance he will be one of the top catching prospects in baseball a year from now. Keep a close eye on him, his bat could be quite impressive ...  2003 first-round pick Tim Stauffer overcame shoulder problems to pitch decently in Double-A/Triple-A last year. For me, he projects as a fourth starter."

    Sickels, at DRaysBay on BJ Upton :

" ...  I think he has the athleticism and arm strength to handle shortstop, with more experience to improve his reliability. However, I can understand why they might want to move him. You don't want his defensive problems to undermine his overall confidence and impact his hitting in a negative way. The injury risk is also higher in the infield than in the outfield. So while I think he would improve at shortstop if given enough time, moving him also makes sense."

    More on Tim Stauffer and the contest for rotation spots :

" ... Stauffer, 22, has thrown four scoreless innings in two spring appearances. One of the Padres' pitching coaches, Rick Sutcliffe, said Stauffer is performing like a big leaguer. But he's coming off his first professional season ...   "May's been good this spring," Towers said. "It's good to have competition in spring camp. Stauffer was in A ball to start the season last year. Stauffer could pitch up here now and have success. But it won't hurt to have him start the season in Triple-A. I'd be very surprised if he's not up here during the season. But we've liked May." (San Diego Union Tribune)

   Delmon Young not looking out of place in the Rays' outfield :

" ... If Danny Bautista didn't have a sore right ankle, Delmon Young wouldn't have even started Friday's game. Instead, he ended up the star as the Rays beat the Twins 3-2. Young, the 19-year-old top prospect, knocked in the tying run with a sixth-inning double and put the Rays ahead to stay with a two-out single in the eighth. He also did a decent job in centerfield, where he hadn't played since the 2003 Arizona Fall League. "He's been impressive here in camp," Piniella said. "He really has. He's been one of our better hitters. He's a good-looking young player." In seven games, Young is hitting .429 with three RBIs. The Rays are firm in their plans to send Young to the minors, but Piniella was asked if there were any way he could he considered for the backup outfield job. "Let me tell you this: If he stayed here, he wouldn't be a backup," Piniella said. Young, as usual, wasn't impressed with his performance. "It's just one day, and pitchers haven't got their scouting reports on you," he said. "And they'll get them." (St Petersburg Times)

    Don't count on Alay Soler :

" ... Though the Mets have yet to make an official roster move, the organization has apparently conceded that Cuban defector Alay Soler won't be arriving during spring training. The righthander, stuck in the Dominican Republic since November 2003, had the name plate removed from his locker."  (NY Daily News)

12 March, 2005

    Game action ...  Ryan Howard PHI 3-4, 2nd homer, 2 RBI  ... Gavin Floyd PHI 4 4 3 3 2 1 ... Bobby Hill PIT 3-4 ... Ryan Doumit PIT 1-2. homer ... Jhonny Peralta CLE 0-1, 2 walks, 2 runs ... Wilson Betemit ATL 1-3, double ... Jason Lane HOU 2-3, 2nd & 3rd homers, 5 RBI ... Jesse Crain MIN 1 1 1 1 0 1 ... BJ Upton TB SS 0-1 ... Delmon Young TB 2-4, double ... Joe Mauer MIN DH 2-3 ... Gabe Gross TOR 1-2, 5th homer ... Michael Hinckley WAS 2 3 1 1 2 1 ... Conor Jackson 1B ARZ 1-2, SB ... Josh Fields 3B CHA 1-2, triple ... Jairo Garcia OAK 1 2 3 3 1 0 ... Dan Johnson OAK 1B 3-3 ... John Buck KC 3-4, double, 1st homer ... Juan Dominguez TEX 2 2-3 5 3 2 0 0 ... Erick Aybar ANA 2-4 ... Ubaldo Jimenez COL 2 1 0 0 1 2 ... Jeff Baker 3B COL 2-4, double ... Jeff Reed SEA 2-3, triple ... Jeff Salazar OF COL 2-2, homer ...  Dioner Navarro LA 1-2, walk, double, 2 runs, 2 RBI ... Antonio Perez LA 3-3 

    Scott Rex, OnDeck, is zipping through the last of his prospect reports posting the SD and MIN charts.  Scott goes with Tim Stauffer, Josh Barfield & Travis Chick as 1-2-3 in the Padres' farm while Joe Mauer, Jason Kubel & Jesse Crain take the top spots for the Twins. 

    Right-hander Brandon McCarthy sits atop John Sickels WSox prospect chart at MinorLeagueBall.com.  A bit of a surprise in the runner-up slot -- lefty Gio Gonzalez :

" ...  McCarthy doesn't get the same sort of attention as other pitching prospects. But he should. The guy posted a 202/30 K/BB ratio last year, and he isn't a soft-tosser. Gio Gonzalez is a risky high school guy. He also posted a 3.03 ERA and 27/13 K/BB in 33 innings in the South Atlantic League three months out of high school. He needs to sharpen up his control, but his pro debut was very impressive and I think he will emerge as a top prospect this year."

Outfielder Brian Anderson ranks No. 3, just ahead of outfielder Ryan Sweeney.

    Amazing. Grand slam in the bottom of the ninth.  You should know about the stroke drug tPA. If doctors can determine it is a clot causing the stroke, tPA (if administered within three hours of the occurrence) can have incredible results. (Doctors likely will require authorization from a family member for the procedure, so a good idea to have elderly relatives carry around a contact name and telephone number for such emergencies.)  My mom (86 years of age) had a severe stroke Wednesday morning.  By the time we arrived Wednesday evening, she was sitting up in bed asking for food!  We brought her home Friday -- a tad over 48 hours since the incident.  From paralysis and lack of speech to normal, without any apparent deficits, within two days.  Kudos to the staff at Kelowna General Hospital for superb treatment (in spite of restrictions by the BC government). 

11 March, 2005

    Game action ... Wilfredo Ledezma DET 2 1-3 3 1 1 2 5 ... Edwin Jackson LA, wild but effective, 3 1-3 0 0 0 4 1 ... Jason Repko CF LA 2-4 ... Willy Aybar 2B LA 0-3 ... Jon Rauch WAS 2 1 0 0 1 2 ... JJ Davis RF WAS 2-3, 2 doubles ... Grady Sizemore CF CLE 1-4 ... Joe Mauer MIN DH 0-2 ...  Ezequiel Astacio HOU 3 0 0 0 0 2 ... Chris Burke HOU 1-2, triple ... Scott Kazmir TB 3 1 0 0 1 1 ... Brandon Phillips SS CLE 2-4, 2 RBI ... Franklin Gutierrez CF CLE 4-5, 3 RBI ... Josh Willingham C FLO 2-2, double ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 1-2 ... Ryan Church CF WAS 0-3 ...  Gustavo Chacin TOR 2 5 6 6 2 3 ... Brandon League TOR League 1 0 0 0 0 0 ... Russ Adams TOR SS 2-2, SB, error ... Matt Cain SF 2 4 2 2 0 2 ... Brad Hawpe COL 2-3, 2 doubles ... Garrett Atkins COL 3-4 ... Dustin Moseley ANA  3 2 0 0 0 3 ... Jeff Mathis ANA 2-2, homer ... Mark Teahen KC 2-3 ... Ruben Gotay KC 2-3 ... Brandon McCarthy CHA 4 1 0 0 0 2 ... Ricardo Rodriguez TEX 3 1-3 7 5 5 0 1 

    Troop movements ... Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann ATL among the early cuts 

    On the shelf for a few days ... out-of-town family emergency (looking OK so far). (Also, back on dialup and with some system problems at Telus ...  extremely s-l-o-w hookup ... hard to believe I managed for a year or so at around 24-33 baud.)  Managed to update the Top 10s, Top 100s, Rooks by Position pages. 

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, ranks the STL and TOR systems and finds pitching dominating the lists.  Anthony Reyes tops the Cards' chart while Brandon League has the top rung on the Blue Jays' prospect ladder.

" ... I really like Brandon League. If Rosario and McGowan rebound from surgery successfully (and reports are good on both), that gives the Jays three premium right-handers. Match that with promising college power lefties Jackson and Purcey, plus control-artist righthanders Vermilyea and Marcum, and there's a lot of hope for the future of the pitching staff."

" ... there is potential for quick improvement early in 2005. Brad Thompson, Adam Wainwright, and Blake Hawksworth all have the ability to be B+ prospects, if not A-. I've rated Wainwright in particular among the best pitching prospects in the game at times. But all three of them have serious questions about their health. If their arms are OK, they could all be fine pitchers, but it is a big IF. Anthony Reyes is the flip side of that: he spent three years suffering from assorted arm woes in college, but was finally healthy last year and pitched great."

    Jim Callis, Baseball America ... Jered Weaver, Stephen Drew in the Top 100 :

" ... On this year's Top 100, the highest-rated 2004 draftee is Devil Rays righthander Jeff Niemann, who checks in at No. 20. I prefer Niemann to Weaver because he has better stuff and also owns fine command, giving him a greater chance to dominate. The first pitcher on the list who arguably could rank behind Weaver would be Brewers righty Jose Capellan (No. 25)—if you assume that Capellan is going to wind up in the bullpen. You could make a case for Weaver against the next few pitchers on the list, but I'd wind up placing him between Athletics lefty Dan Meyer (No. 43) and Mets righty Yusmeiro Petit (No. 46). I'd rank Drew higher on the Top 100 because I think he's a safer bet to star in the big leagues. He's got more of a track record than fellow 2004 first-round shortstop Chris Nelson (No. 26) and a lot more offensive upside than Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy (No. 28), so I'd put Drew just ahead of those two. Incidentally, assistant managing editor John Manuel got this same question in our Top 100 chat. John would put Drew in the same spot I would and said he would rank Weaver in the mid-30s. I've said all along that I expected it to take a while, but that both Weaver and Drew would sign. Now that the Angels have broken off talks with Weaver, it looks like he'll have to re-enter the 2005 draft. The only way I can see Weaver turning pro before then is if he reaches out to the Angels, which isn't standard operating procedure for a Scott Boras advisee. Now that former agent Jeff Moorad has been approved as a part-owner of the Diamondbacks, the team should reach a deal with Drew before the end of the month."

10 March, 2005

    Game action ... all the Florida games postponed ... Oscar Villarreal ARZ 1 2-3 4 5 5 3 1 ... Maicer Izturis SS ANA 3-4, 3 RBI ... Alberto Callaspo ANA 2-6 ... Jeff Mathis ANA 1-1, triple  ... Scott Hairston LF ARZ 2-2, double ...  Felix Hernandez SEA, might not go straight to the HOF, 1 2-3 4 4 2 3 0 ... Andy Sisco KC 1 0 0 0 0 2 ... Tim Stauffer SD 2 1 0 0 1 3 ... nice bounce back from an earlier pounding, Dan Meyer OAK 3 1 0 0 1 2 ... Huston Street OAK 1 0 0 0 0 0 ... Kurt Suzuki C OAK 2-2, double 

   It's Felix Hernandez atop Dayn Perry's Top 100 at FoxSports.  Perry wraps his annual forecast with his Top 10:

" ... It's been a long, long time since we've seen a pitching prospect like Felix Hernandez. Armed with arguably the best fastball and curveball in the minors, Hernandez has met with astounding success for a pitcher who's yet to turn 19 years of age. He blew away the low minors and has had success as high as Double-A —as an 18-year-old. The only debate is whether scouts or statheads think more of him. When thinking semi-recent young pitchers with similar promise, Dwight Gooden and Pedro Martinez, and then the comparisons wither. Only injuries can stop him. Expect great, great things from King Felix."

The one major surprise, No. 6, CIN 3B Edwin Encarnacion :

" ... I'm probably overrating Encarnacion, but I have a great feeling about this guy. A ninth-rounder out of Puerto Rico in 2000, he has good bat speed, an ability to hit to all fields, power potential and improving plate discipline. Last season at AA-Chattanooga, Encarnacion slugged only .443, but his 35 doubles point to developing power in future seasons. He still needs some polish defensively, but he should be able to get by at third in the majors. I don't normally rely on gut instincts, but I don't think the numbers do him justice. The 2005 season, which he'll spend at Triple-A, will be big for him."

Perry went -- Felix, Delmon Young, Andy Marte, Ian Stewart, Daric Barton, Encarnacion, Dallas McPerson, Joel Guzman, Prince Fielder, and Scott Kazmir. 

   Hmmm ... call me a skeptic, but could this be a scheme to try to slip Rick Ankiel through waivers?  The former phenom announces he's giving up pitching to try to become a major league outfielder :

" ... The Cardinals confirmed the move Wednesday morning shortly after rain washed out what was scheduled to be Ankiel's spring debut in a B game against the Florida Marlins ...  "I just felt like after Puerto Rico, coming back when I was hurt there, I changed mechanically. Just coming back, I couldn't really replicate it," Ankiel said. "This whole time, that frustration has built up. I just really felt like it was eroding my spirits and starting to affect my personality off the field as well. "The frustration . . . it just became apparent it was time for me to move on and pursue becoming an outfielder."  (STL Post-Dispatch)

    Freddy Guzman SD on the shelf :

" ... a recurring elbow injury knocked out Triple-A center fielder Freddy Guzman for at least a few weeks and possibly for the season. Guzman, 24, has a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and could need reconstructive surgery. Further tests are pending, but "it looks like he's going to be out a while," manager Bruce Bochy said." (SD Union Tribune)

   Cubbies happy so far with the work of Angel Guzman :

" ... Highly regarded pitching prospect Angel Guzman, who has had some physical issues the past two years, looked solid Tuesday against Oakland. Guzman held the A's to two hits and a walk in his two innings. But manager Dusty Baker said that the plan is to have Guzman open the year in the minors after his health issues.  (Chicago Sun Times)

   Oh, oh, power hitter with a back problem.  Dallas McPherson ANA heads for the DL :

" ... will miss 2-4 weeks with a herniated disk in his lower back. McPherson flew back to Los Angeles on Tuesday for further evaluation by back specialist Robert Watkins after an MRI revealed the protrusion. The rookie slugger and projected starting third baseman was sidelined after the Angels' first Cactus League game on March 3, when he felt tightness and spasms in the area. McPherson also suffered a ruptured disk in his lower back prior to the 2003 season. McPherson's prognosis is worse than initially hoped, placing his prospects of getting ready in time for Opening Day in jeopardy. "He's going to shut it down until everything calms down," manager Mike Scioscia said, adding that McPherson exacerbated the injury while doing some rotational exercises Tuesday morning. (MLB.com)

09 March, 2005

    Game action ... Wilson Betemit ATL SS 1-2, homer ... Andy Marte ATL 1-2 ... Scott Baker MIN 3 1 0 0 0 2 ... Boof Bonser MIN (as Scully might say, "Lots of crooked numbers.") 2 1 4 2 3 4 ... Hanley Ramirez SS BOS 1-2 ... Seth McClung TB 2 0 0 0 1 0 ... Delmon Young TB 1-2, homer ... BJ Upton SS TB 0-2, error ... Jesse Crain MIN 2 2 2 2 0 2 ... Aaron Hill SS TOR 0-4 ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 0-3 ... Juan Castro SS MIN 2-4, homer, 3 RBI ... Brandon Claussen CIN 3 3 0 0 0 2 ... Edwin Encarnacion 3B CIN 1-2, double ... Ryan Howard PHI 1-4, double ... Grady Sizemore CLE 2-5, triple, 5 RBI ... Jhonny Peralta CLE 1-1, 2 walks, homer, 3 runs, 4 RBI ... Erik Bedard BAL 2 2-3 6 3 2 0 0 ... Chris Young TEX 3 1 0 0 1 1 ... Jesse Foppert SF 2 1 0 0 0 2 ... Conor Jackson ARZ single, homer, walk ... Brad Halsey ARZ 3 1 0 0 0 1 ... Joe Blanton OAK 3 2 0 0 0 1 ... Juan Cruz OAK 2 3 1 1 0 3 ...  Keiichi Yabu OAK 2 2 2 2 2 2 ... Jeff Francis COL 3 2 0 0 1 2 ... Ervin Santana ANA 2 2 0 0 1 5 ... Casey Kotchman ANA 2-3 ... Alberto Callaspo ANA 1-2, double ... Josh Barfield SD, interesting line, 0-0, 3 runs (no further details, assume 3 walks) ... Ben Hendrickson MIL 2 2 0 0 1 2 ... Prince Fielder MIL 1-3, 2nd homer, 2 RBI ... Jairo Garcia OAK 1 1 1 1 0 0 ... Hernan Iribarren 2B MIL 2-2 ... Jose Capellan MIL 1 2-3 1 2 2 3 0

    Troop movements ... PIT released catcher JR House

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, goes for a trio of outfielders atop the Arizona prospect chart -- Quentin, Jackson, Zeringue :

" ... I absolutely love Carlos Quentin and have since his days at Stanford. Conor Jackson isn't far behind as a hitter, but he lacks Quentin's athleticism and won't be as good with the glove. LSU product Jon Zeringue could duplicate what Quentin and Jackson did last year."

     At The Baseball Analysts, Bryan & Bryan are up to No. 11 on their Cubs' Top 40.  Bryan Stroh has an interesting view of Bobby Brownlie, No. 11 :

" ... Sometimes I wonder how much Brownlie's stock has dipped over the years simply because of these 94 mph radar gun readings when he was a junior in college. Since then, Brownlie has been anywhere in the 87-92 range ... I mean, it's not as if he can't get anybody out, and last I checked, he still had that hammer curve ball. Brownlie's deuce is an any count, any speed, any time pitch. His control is very good, and the Cubs love his ability to attack and control hitters. His change still ranges from good to not so good, but he doesn't have to use it that much since his curve is that good. One scout last year made the comment that he didn't see Brownlie as any more than a setup man because of his velocity. However, that news never made its way back to Bobby, as he continued to throw outs on his way to a 3.36 ERA in 150 innings at West Tennessee ...  In the end, Brownlie is getting guys out, he is getting them out frequently, and there are plenty of guys in the big leagues who throw 90 and don't have Brownlie's curve. Doesn't that count for something?"

    MLB.com with notes on a pair of CLE kids :

" ...  Franklin Gutierrez ...  missed half of the season because of trauma in his elbow suffered when he was hit by a pitch. So he went home to Caracas to play winter ball, where he got more than 200 needed at-bats and finished third in the league with 13 homers. That experience will help him jump to Buffalo to start the season. Gutierrez is the organization's best defensive center fielder, with good range and a plus arm. He's a very good fastball hitter, but still needs a little work on recognizing breaking stuff to make him a complete hitter. He's got great gap power which, considering he'll play Triple-A at age 21, could turn into increased home run power very soon."

" ... Michael Aubrey ...  another terrific fastball hitter, as evidenced by his career .320 average since being drafted in 2003. Some leg injuries forced him to miss a chunk of last season, but with some rehab that included yoga, he has added flexibility and those injuries are behind him. With Aubrey already a Major League-caliber defender at first, the Indians are very excited to see what kind of numbers he can put up with a full season. He'll get the chance to show them with Akron to start the season."

08 March, 2005

    Game action ... Luke Hagerty FLO 1 0 0 0 1 0 ... Vince Perkins TOR 1 3 3 3 1 2 ... Franklin Gutierrez CF CLE 2-3, 2 doubles ... Guillermo Quiroz TOR 2-2, double ... Raul Tablado SS TOR 1-1, walk, 4 RBI ... BJ Upton SS TB 1-4, error ... Michael Restovich MIN 2-3 ... Jason Bartlett SS MIN 2-3 ... Bryan Bullington PIT 2 1-3 3 3 3 0 3 ... Anthony Lerew ATL 3 2 0 0 0 1 ... Andy Marte ATL 1-4 ... Grady Sizemore CLE 0-4 ... Jason Dubois CHN DH 2-3, homer  ... Ian Kinsler TEX 1-1, double ... Joe Borchard CHA 2-3, 2 homers, walk, 3 RBI, error ... Erick Aybar ANA SS 0-3 ... Huston Street OAK 1 0 0 0 0 1 ... Andy Sisco KC 1 0 0 0 0 1 ... Mark Teahen KC 1-4, homer ... Dave Krynzel CF MIL 2-3 ... Paul Maholm PIT 1 1 0 0 1 0 ... Ian Snell PIT 2 3 0 0 2 1 ... Bobby Bradley PIT  2 0 0 0 0 2 ... Chien-Ming Wang NYA 3 2 0 0 1 2 ... Abe Alvarez BOS 2 4 2 2 1 1 ... Ubaldo Jimenez COL 2 0 1 1 4 3 ... Clint Barmes COL 2-4, double ... Josh Kroeger ARZ 1-2, homer ... Jeff Salazar COL 2-5, homer

Added info from Sunday's action :

" ... In support of my suggestion ...  that Kinsler could ultimately become the leadoff hitter the Rangers are looking for, I would point out the fact that Kinsler led off the second with a single, led off the fourth with a walk, led off the fifth with his jack and then capped his day by leading off the seventh with his second walk. He also stole a bag." (Mike Hindman, The Newberg Report)

    More early cuts ... Josh Karp, Bill Bray WAS to minor league camp ...

    A little worrisome ... Joe Mauer MIN :

" ... .Mauer was given Monday off because of some mild soreness and swelling in his left knee, the first problem he's had this spring. The team was told by Mauer's doctors that this was a normal expectation in his recovery from surgery to repair torn medial meniscus cartilage in the knee. But it wasn't exactly good news, either. "We're going to back him off for a day or two," manager Ron Gardenhire said, "and see how it goes from there. All we can do is wait and see." (Associated Press)

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, moves on to the TEX system and likes big righty Thomas Diamond (over lefty John Danks) as the best in the system.  Ian Kinsler ranks No. 3.  A mild surprise with shortstop Joaquin Arias down in the No. 10 slot :

" ... Traditional scouts praise Arias: he is extremely athletic, still very young at age 20, and “projects” well. On some lists he shows up as among the elite prospects in the game. Performance analysis, however, shows that despite hitting .300 last year, his overall OPS was actually worse than California League average. His walk rate is low, he does not steal bases at a particularly impressive percentage, and he makes too many errors. All of these things are correctable given his extreme youth, but it hasn’t happened yet. I will also note that the times I have seen Arias, he has played very sloppy defense, and looked overmatched at the plate. You could see his tools and athleticism, but there was little refinement ...  went with Grade C+, which will strike many people as much too low. His potential is certainly higher than that, but I want to see more."

    Rob Blackstien, CREATiVESPORTS, has the second part of his Top 20, headed (at No. 11) by Daric Barton OAK :

" ...   The left-handed hitter has a good catcher’s build (5’11”, 195), even if he doesn’t possess top notch catching skills. But the 19-year-old, who was a first round pick in 2003, was considered among the finest left-handed sticks in his entire draft class, and he’s certainly proved that with his offensive performance to date. With his power and average combination, Barton has been compared to Mike Piazza, the poster boy for great hitting, weak-fielding catchers. Some have even gone as far as to declare Barton the best hitting prospect in the minors. What’s dragging him down on this list is the uncertainty over the long haul of where he’ll wind up on the diamond ...  If Barton is decent enough to be a part-time catcher, it would create even more possibilities for Oakland’s future lineup. However things play out, the A’s are going to find a way to get this kid’s bat in the order every day – it’s too potent a weapon for them not to. So regardless of which mitt Barton winds up carting around, you’ll want his bat on your fantasy team."

    Over at The Baseball Analysts, Bryan Smith has teamed up with Bryan Stroh to map out the Cubs' Top 40 (the bottom ten first up).  And at RedReporter, JD Arney has an interview with Todd Coffey (one of the Reds' Top 10) a sleeper for 2005 (a save Sunday).  Brad Dowdy has a piece on PHI centre fielder Michael Bourn at RotoJunkie.  FutureSox has begun its coundown on a CHA Top 25.

    John M. Barten, 'Till You're Blue in the Face, has a look at Joe Blanton OAK :

" ... After slicing and dicing Midwest League and Texas League hitters, I thought his 3 pitch arsenal was a route to stardom. Now I'm not sure. Funny things happen in the development of a pitcher. They're pretty unpredictable. For right now, Blanton looks like a mid-rotation workhorse ... Blanton is one of the A's more impressive player development successes ... control is excellent. He isn't going to hurt himself with walks. He needs to miss more bats than he did in 2004 though. He has the stuff to accomplish that goal ... ETA: Opening Day, 4 Stars."

07 March, 2005

    Game action ... Dan Curtis ATL 2 6 6 6 2 1  ... Andy Marte ATL 1-2, double ... Kelly Johnson Atl 2-2 ... Ryan Howard PHI 1-2, homer ... Chris Shelton DET 1B, 3-4, double ... Brad Thompson STL 2 2 1 1 3 0 ... Scott Olsen FLO 1 2 1 0 1 0 ... Jeremy Hermida FLO 0-3 ... Willy Aybar LA 2B 2-2 ... JD Durbin MIN 2 5 3 3 2 0, 2 WP ... Jesse Crain MIN 1 2 1 1 0 2 ... Jon Rauch WAS 3 2 1 1 0 1 ... Chris Burke HOU 1-3, homer ... Michael Hinckley WAS 2 8 6 5 1 1 ... Phil Humber NYN 2 1 0 0 1 1 ... Josh Barfield SD 0-2 ... Jeremy Reed SEA 2-3 ... ShinSoo Choo SEA 1-2, homer ... Casey Kotchman ANA 2-3, double, 5 RBI ... Jeff Mathis ANA 1-1, double ... Alberto Callaspo ANA 2-3 ... Nick Swisher OAK 2-4 ... Zack Grienke KC 2 7 7 7 1 3 ... Prince Fielder MIL 3-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI ... Rickie Weeks MIL 0-2, error ... Mark Teahen KC 2-2 ... Juan Dominguez TEX 2 2 0 0 0 1 ... Adrian Gonzalez TEX 3-5, 2nd homer, 4 RBI ... Ian Kinsler TEX 2-2, homer, 2 walks, SB ... Jayson Nix COL 2-2 ... Bobby Jenks CHA 1-3 1 4 1 2 0  ... Kris Honel CHA 1 1 0 0 0 1 ... and, a correction on a Sat game ... that was Al Reyes STL 1 0 0 0 1 1, SV, not Anthony Reyes (thanks Bob!).

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, has his picks as the best of the COL and BOS systems with some top drawer talent atop both -- Hanley Ramirez for the Red Sox and Ian Stewart for the Rockies.

" ... Hanley took a big step forward last year, and while I think he needs another year to consolidate his progress, I'm much more confident in his future than I was a year ago at this time."

" ... I see no weaknesses in Stewart. His defense proved better than advertised, and his bat was everything expected."

Ramirez made the highlight reels Sunday :

" ... In the top of the sixth inning, with runners on first and second and nobody out, Phillies catcher Todd Pratt hit a line drive that looked destined to be an RBI single to left-center. Instead, Ramirez made a leaping snag of the liner, quickly stepped on second and threw to first. Ramirez turned the spectacular catch into a triple play, bringing the crowd to its feet and setting off an inspired reaction in the Red Sox dugout." (MLB.com)

    Scott Rex, OnDeck, is zooming through his team-by-team prospect reports in preparation for his annual Top 500! Scott's picks now included on the Top 10s page. 

    The top-ranked CLE prospect already on the shelf :

" ...   Adam Miller ...  will be sidelined until at least June with a strained right elbow. An MRI exam showed a strained ligament in his throwing arm, and he won't be allowed to throw for six weeks. Another MRI then will be taken to determine if he can be cleared for a four-to-six week throwing program, said John Farrell, the team's director of player development. Farrell said Sunday surgery does not appear likely. The organization will monitor Miller's progress and limit his pitch count when he returns ...  "We can't pinpoint what caused the injury or when it happened," Farrell said. "Adam passed a full orthopedic examination Feb. 23 and threw for the first time two days later. He threw 25 pitches in the bullpen, all fastballs, at about 70 to 75 percent. That is normal for this time of year." (Associated Press)

    FoxSports reports the Pirates smiling over the performance of first-sacker Brad Eldred :

" ... Eldred (6-4, 268) has impressed the team with his approach at the plate and surprisingly agile defensive play. Eldred, who hit 38 home runs with 137 RBIs in 130 combined games at Class A and Class AA in 2004, will likely begin the season with Class AAA Indianapolis. However, if the slugger is able to make consistent contact against more experienced pitching, he could push for a spot on the big league roster by early summer."

    Again, from Bruce Norlander's files, some detail on another of the few catching prospects, Neil Walker PIT :

6-2, 205, Born : 09/10/1985, Bats : Both, Throws : Right, 1st round pick (11th overall), 2004 draft.

Minor League Statistics G  AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO  Avg  OBP  SLG  OPS
2004 Pirates      GCL  52 192 28 52 12  3  4  20 10 33 .271 .312 .427 .739
2004 Williamsport NYPL  8  33  2 10  3  0  0   7  2  1 .303 .333 .394 .727
Min Lg Totals:         60 225 30 62 15  3  4  27 12 34  276 .316 .422 .738

Baseball America, 2005 Top 100 Prospects, No. 81

"You wonder if he might be too athletic to stay behind the plate. He could play practically anywhere on the field." --GCL Pirates manager Woody Huyke"

Baseball America, 2005 Top 10 PIT Prospects, No. 2 

Baseball America,  Weekly Prep Notebook By Alan Matthews, March, 2004

" ... A fervor for baseball is in Neil’s blood, and the 6-foot-2, 205-pound switch-hitter has the tools and makeup to be the most successful member of his talented family ...  Scouts say he has an advanced approach at the plate, with a good idea of the strike zone. He has power potential that should surface as he learns to add loft to his swing. Walker’s athletic ability also plays well behind the plate. He is adept at receiving and blocking balls, and has shown good came-calling ability. His arm is rated at least average and he has logged sub-2.0-second pop times with regularity."

TeamOneBaseball.com
" ...  Walker rates as the best HS catching prospect in the nation for his overall abilities. He's a polished switch-hitter with power and a good receiver."

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February, 2005

" ...  Walker, still a baby-faced 19, is not part of the Pirates' big-league team yet. Nor is he close, ranking near the bottom of the organizational depth chart for catchers ...  Management already has determined he will open this season with Hickory of the low Class A South Atlantic League, so there is little Walker can do to elevate his immediate standing. But that should not be taken to mean, Walker made clear, that he has no goals for this camp.  "My approach is going to be that I need to take advantage of every day I'm here to learn as much as I can," he said. " ...  There is little that the Pirates do not like about the offensive potential of Walker, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound switch-hitter with a smooth, powerful stroke."

 MLB.com, Draft Report
" ... Scouting reporting. Solid frame. Strong as a bull. Excellent physical make-up ... outstanding all-around athlete ... line drive contact from left side. Quick bat. Potential power. Arm near average, soft, quick hands. Potential plus glove. Son of former major leaguer Tom Walker."

06 March, 2005

    Exhibition games ... Dan Cabrera BAL 3 2 0 0 0 2 ... Wil Ledezma DET 1 4 5 5 2 3 ... Kyle Davies ATL 2 3 1 1 0 0 ... Macay McBride ATL 2 1 1 1 4 1, WP ... Brian McCann ATL 2-2, double ... Jeff Francouer ATL 0-2 ... Andy Marte ATL 1-3 ... Roberto Petagine BOS 0-3 ... Terry Tiffee MIN 2-4 ... Michael Restovich MIN 2-4, double, 2 RBI ... Ryan Garko CLE (back at C) 1-2, homer ... Ruben Gotay KC 3-4, double  ... Justin Huber KC 1B 1-1 ... Merkin Valdez SF 2 0 0 0 0 1 ... Felix Hernandez SEA 1 0 0 0 1 1 ... Brandon McCarthy CHA 1 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 ... Gavin Floyd PHI 3 1 0 0 1 4 ... Scott Baker MIN Baker 2 0 0 0 0 0 ... Boof Bonser MIN 2 2 0 0 0 0  ... Zach Duke PIT 2 4 3 3 1 1 ... Jason Bartlett MIN 2-4, double ... Adam Wainwright STL  2 1 0 0 0 1 ... Scott Kazmir TB 1 2-3 0 1 0 3 0 ... Edwin Jackson LA  3 3 2 2 1 1 ... Erick Aybar ANA 0-2

    Adam Miller.  No word until Sunday.

" ... The Indians delayed an announcement about right-hander Adam Miller, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the organization. Dr. Mark Schickendantz looked at Miller's ailing elbow on Saturday, and head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff and farm director John Farrell will discuss Schickendantz's evaluation on Sunday." (MLB.com)

05/06 March, 2005

    Games ... Lots of kids getting ABs and IP in the early going as most minor league camps have yet to get underway ... Willy Aybar 2B LA 2-3, RBI ... Jeff Francouer ATL 1-2 ... Erik Bedard BAL 3 1 0 0 1 2 ... Jason Stokes FLO 0-2 ... five BOS pitchers (fronted by Tim Walkefield) tossed a no-hitter (vs a university team) ... Brandon Claussen CIN 2 2 0 0 0 1 ... BJ Upton, at SS, 0-1 ... Tony Giarratano DET 1-1, homer, 2 RBI, error ... Ryan Howard PHI 0-3 ... Franklin Gutierrez CLE, CF, 0-2 ... Grady Sizemore CLE 0-2 ... Chris Burke HOU 1-2, double ... Gustavo Chacin TOR 2 2 0 0 0 2 ... Vince Perkins TOR 1 0 0 0 0 2 ... Guillermo Quiroz TOR 1-3, double ... Sean Henn NYA  0 3 4 4 1 0 ... Robinson Cano NYA 2-3 ... Brad Eldred PIT 1-2, double, 2 RBI ... Conor Jackson ARZ, DH, 0-2, 2 Ks ... Tadahito Iguchi 2b CHA 2-2, double ... Sergio Santos SS ARZ 1-1, homer, 3 RBI ... Jose Capellan MIL  2 2 1 1 0 2 ... Jeremy Reed SEA (at leadoff) 0-3 ... Rickie Weeks MIL 2-3, triple ... Jesse Foppert SF 2 0 0 0 0 2 ... Prince Fielder MIL 2-3, homer, 4 RBI ... Dan Meyer OAK 2 6 7 7 2 2 ... Huston Street OAK 1 0 0 0 0 1 ...  Keiichi Yabu OAK  2 3 2 2 1 0 ... Joaquin Arias TEX 2-2, double, SB, 2 RBI ... Ian Kinsler TEX 1-3, double, 2 RBI ... Adrian Gonzalez  TEX 3-4, homer, 3 RBI ... Ruben Gotay KC 2-2, 2 homers, 3 RBI ... Ervin Santana ANA 2 0 0 0 0 0 ... Brad Baker SD 1 1-3 2 2 2 1 2 ... Casey Kotchman ANA 1-2

    A ton of info in John Manuel's Baseball America chat room session on BA's Top 100.  Just a few snippets :

If Jered Weaver & Stephen Drew eligible  " ... I'd put Weaver around 34 at first glance, ahead of Zach Duke. He's not too different in my mind from Jeff Francis except that he's righthanded and has no pro experience, but he's a pitchability guy with great command whose velocity doesn't necessarily tell the whole story ...  I like Drew better as a prospect than Weaver personally; I'd rank him around 25, after polished prospects such as Francis and Nick Swisher, ahead of Chris Nelson at 26, though I really like Nelson."

Kendry Morales ANA  " ... Impact for this year will be somewhat muted, the transition is difficult, but he's a long-term regular with power, possible all-star corner OF or 1B."

Ian Stewart COL, No. 1 next year?  " ... Stewart, even more than Marte, combines the ability to play 3b with a polished, pure hitting ability ... He could rank No. 1, he's that good, he could be the best position player in the minor leagues. Probably not; Joel Guzman could pass him, Delmon Young could be better, I'm sure others (maybe Marte or Francoeur) could pass him . . . but don't rule it out."

Hanley Ramirez BOS  " ... He's got big tools, starting with the bat, in the middle of the diamond and peformed well at a young age in high Class A and Double-A. Also, his improved maturity and response to authority and coaching this year was a major step forward for him."

Joel Guzman LA  " ... He seems to be making his own timetable; if he progresses as quickly as he did last year, who's to say he can't help in LA this year? More realistic, he probably could use one more year in the minors to face upper-level breaking stuff, then another to learn another position. We see him as a 30-homer corner OF down the line, but he can play shortstop very competently now. He's just probably not going to do it when he fills out and finishes growing, when he might be 6-foot-7, 250 pounds. If he's playing SS at that size . . . well, then we should have ranked him first!"

Daric Barton OAK, best bat in minors?  " ...  Jim Callis and I both have talked to scouts who put Barton right in the discussion with the top hitters in the minors. My choice for the Minors' Best Hitter is . . . Casey Kotchman. I guess it's the .342-.423-.519 that does it for me including stops above the Midwest League. Throw in that Kotchman is a Gold Glove 1B while Barton doesn't really profile as average defensively at any position, and that explains some of Barton's ranking. The bat is the most important tool and his bat is clearly a plus tool, but what if Barton turns out to be Jack Cust? Just saying . . . I worry when a player's scouting report contains the phrase "lack of athleticism."

Adam Miller CLE  " ... He's being examined Saturday and we'll all know more then about the extent of his elbow tenderness. Clearly surgery would have a pretty negative effect on his status; that should go without saying. If he's just fine and just a little tender, he'll just miss some development time on the front end of the season, work up to the start of the season more slowly than his peers, but long-term, that wouldn't affect his status. Big day tomorrow for the Indians."

Justin Verlander, Philip Humber or Jeff Niemann?  " ... Niemann has the best combination of size, stuff and track record of those three; I personally don't think it's close. Humber performed better in 2004 as he was healthy when Niemann wasn't, and I admit I'm not holding his injuries (arthroscopic elbow surgery, groin pull) against him. Humber isn't far behind for me, I just don't think he has the makeup to be a No. 1 starter, and I think Niemann does, makeup and stuff. His ceiling is true No. 1 for me, Humber's is not. Verlander is just a completely different guy. He couldn't even dominate the Colonial Athletic Association. He throws harder than those guys and has nasty stuff of his own, but I don't see the aptitude or the makeup. For me, Verlander is a high-risk, high-reward pick, and I'm wary of the risk and wary of his track record."

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall, ranks the Phillies system and it's Gavin Floyd atop the chart (Cole Hamels dropped to third, after Ryan Howard).

" ... I have Gavin Floyd at A-, and I like his medium and long-term prognosis, but I'm not sure he's ready to do well out the gate in the Show in '05. His K/BB and K/IP rates are not as good as you'd expect given his stuff, and I think he needs to make a few more adjustments."

    SD's Tim Stauffer determined to prove he's much more than the "experts" forecast :

" ...  As Tim Stauffer's career begins to unfold, Padres scouting director Bill Gayton sees parallels to Khalil Greene. Gayton says the skepticism of scouts who regard Stauffer's upside as that of a No. 5 starter – rather than a rotation mainstay – calls to mind other misguided skepticism. "They're wrong," Gayton said. "Those are the same people who said Khalil Greene couldn't play at short. I never doubted my ability as a scout. If Tim Stauffer pitches in the big leagues, he's not going to be just a No. 5 guy." ... some major league scouts said Stauffer's raw pitch speed and quality are those of a No. 5 starter. They often cited a fastball that averaged about 88 mph ... "Stauffer's out to prove everybody wrong, including people in our organization," Gayton said. "He's definitely on a mission." Triple-A pitching coach Gary Lance, who witnessed eight of Stauffer's outings last year, said varying perspectives are at work. "You can't really blame scouts, because they've got parameters to work around," he said. "But hitters will tell you they'd rather hit against a guy who's throwing 98 miles per hour but straight than against a Stauffer throwing a sinker down by your ankles. "Tim can hit 92, 93 miles per hour, but he knows he can't live there. He has an awareness of what hitters are trying to do. It's like (Greg) Maddux. He knows if a guy is moving up in the box to try to hit his sinker." Stauffer, 22, said the pitcher he most admires is Maddux, the longtime Braves and now Cubs ace who relies on a sinkerball and is a master of pitch economy. Unlike most young pitchers, who lust for strikeouts, Stauffer intends for hitters to hit the ball." (San Diego Union Tribune)

    Oh ... that's it.  Well, one view.

" ... Rick Peterson's use of a high-tech lab in Birmingham, Ala., continued as top pitching prospects Yusmeiro Petit, Matt Lindstrom and Gabby Hernandez visited the facility. The slow-motion cameras, which take pictures at 500 frames per second - more than 16 times faster than a standard video recorder - made it crystal clear why batters have so many problems hitting Petit, even though he doesn't reach 90 mph. Petit - who finished second in the minors in strikeouts last season with 200 - .manages to keep the ball hidden longer than other pitchers, giving batters less time to react." (New York Daily News)

    Looks as if the Weaver-Angels engagement is over.

" ...  We've made him the best offer of any attractive [draft pick] of the last couple of years, and obviously that's not good enough," Angel owner Arte Moreno said. Manager Mike Scioscia expressed disappointment that Wednesday night's deadline had passed without an agreement but said the Angels... had enough pitching depth in their organization to absorb Weaver's loss. "He's going to have a good career, and unfortunately it's not going to be with us," Scioscia said of Weaver. "But we're moving on. We have a lot of young pitchers that are talented, and we're going to keep going." ... One reason the Angels balked at Weaver's steep asking price is that they believe they have two promising pitching prospects in camp. Ervin Santana, a 22-year-old right-hander who was slowed by shoulder problems last season, is back to full strength, his fastball touching 95 mph and his slider and changeup improving. And Steven Shell, a 21-year-old right-hander who was 12-7 with a 3.59 earned-run average and 190 strikeouts in 165 1/3 innings for Class A Rancho Cucamonga last season, is mixing a 94-mph fastball with a good overhand curve." (LA Times)

    About those limited choices at catcher ... thanks to Bruce Norlander (who must have some pretty big hard disks to fit all his prospect material) for sending along his compilation of material on Brian McCann :

Brian M. McCann, 6-3, 190, Born: 02/20/1984, Athens, GA, Bats L, Throws R. Selected by ATL in the 2nd Round (64 overall) in the 2002 draft.

Baseball America  2005 Top 100 Prospects, March, 2005
No. 44 "All he does is hit, and no one talks about how good he was defensively last year. He was one of the better catchers in the minors in a year when there weren't many good catchers." -- AL scout."

Baseball America’s 2005 Top 10s, Ranked No. 3, plus best defensive catcher.

Baseball America Arizona Fall League: Top 20 Prospects,  November, 2004
No. 14. "An offense-first catcher, McCann hit just .241-0-5 and showed little plate discipline, striking out 13 times compared to two walks."

2005 Baseball Prospectus,  McCann ranked No. 44

Atlanta Braves Top 20, John Sickels, February, 2005, No. 5 (after Marte, Davies, Stevens, Francoeur).  "Of the other top hitters, I think McCann is significantly underrated by many."

Dayn Perry, FOXSports.com, Top 100, No. 25
" ...  McCann is the best catching prospect in the minors (at least among catchers who figure to stick at the position long-term), mostly because of his tremendous power potential ...  Some scouts worry that his swing, which is long at times, will be exploited at the higher levels, but that's speculation at this point. McCann needs to increase his walk rates and refine his defense behind the plate, but his future is indeed bright."

Wait Til Next Year.com 2005 Top 100, No. 42
" ...  I really like McCann, who might be able to supplant Johnny Estrada in 2006 or 2007 ... When fully developed, McCann should have great power ... His average will likely never hit .300, but he should maintain above the league average for much of his career. And if his defense continues to progress at previous levels, then I think McCann will answer the Estrada-McCann-Salty debate himself."

Brad Dowdy, NoPepper, No. 4 on Brad's ATL Top 50
" ...  At first glance, McCann's numbers may not be impressive as some of the other top hitting prospects in the organization, but if you look a little closer, you quickly realize we have one of the top hitting catchers in all of the minor leagues. Batting from the left side, he hit .277/.337/.487 in 382 at-bats for Myrtle Beach, with 15 homers and 35 doubles (tied for best in the system). His SEC of .291 was 18% better than the league average, and his OPS was 15% greater. Combine all of that with his age (20), position, handedness, and offense suppressing ballpark, and McCann could be the long term answer behind the plate in Atlanta in a few seasons."

Braves Future, August, 2004
" ...  Brian is rated one of the top catching prospects in baseball. In fact most people rate McCann among the minors top receiver prospects. Brian is a polished receiver and an outstanding hitter with plus raw power. Major League Comparison: Jason Varitek."

The Sports Network , May 2004
" ...  has good arm strength, a high offensive ceiling and packs some power. The Braves drafted him for his offense, but he has shown solid defensive ability." 

Minorleaguebaseball.com , November, 2003, Top Catching Prospects
No. 7 " ...  McCann produced 35 multi-hit games and a .290 batting average in an all-star season with the Rome Braves ...The lefthanded-hitting backstop smacked righties for a .316 average, but managed to hit just .216 against fellow southpaws. The Georgia native had an outstanding defensive year as well, producing a .995 fielding percentage in 64 games behind the plate. The 6-3, 190-pound backstop threw out over 38 percent of potential basestealers."

2001 Duluth High School, Duluth, GA - 12 HRs, 28 RBI, .460; 42 career HRs

04 March, 2005

    Exhibition action ... Kris Honel CHA looking healthy, 1 0 0 0 1 2 ... Bobby Jenks CHA 1 1 1 1 0 0 ... Brad Halsey ARZ 2 0 0 0 1 1 ... Joe Blanton OAK 2 1 2 2 1 1 ... Jason Dubois CHN LF 0-2 ... Nick Swisher OAK RF 0-3 ... Jason Lane HOU 0-3 ... Ryan Garko CLE C  0-1 ... Matt Riley BAL 2 3 3 3 3 2 ... Andy Marte ATL 3B 2-4, double, 2 RBI ... Wilson Betemit ATL SS 2-3 ... Ryan Howard PHI 0-2 ... Bryan Bullington PIT 1 0 0 0 0 0 ... Travis Chick SD 1 2 2 2 1 1 ... Jeremy Reed SEA CF 1-3 ... Josh Barfield SD 2B 1-2, double, RBI ... Kameron Loe TEX 1 2-3 5 3 3 0 3 ... Ian Kinsler TEX (at 2B) 1-2, double ... Casey Kotchman ANA 1-3, 2 RBI ... Jeff Mathis ANA 0-3 ... JD Durbin MIN 2 2 1 1 2 2 ... Jason Bartlett MIN 1-3

    Troop movements ... SEA purchased the contract of Jorge Campillo, placed LHP Travis Blackley on the 60-day DL 

    Yikes ... the cuts begin.  Giants the first to begin chopping --  C Trey Lunsford, OF-3B Nate Schierholtz, and LHP Pat Misch among those reassigned to minor league camp.

    So, what's an owner to do?  At catcher.  Daric Barton, Justin Huber moving to first, Josh Willingham to somewhere other than catcher, Ryan Garko 1B ? ... might be time to get acquainted with guys like Kurt Suzuki, Landon Powell, Russell Martin.  Removing Joe Mauer (most likely long gone in every league), Barton, Huber, Willingham, Garko ... the board looks like :

BAmerica Trachtman  DFutures       BobReed        MFirst   RotoWorld  Fox
McCann   Navarro    Kottaras       Navarro        McCann   Mathis     McCann
Mathis              Napoli         Mathis         Navarro  Quiroz     Quiroz
Quiroz              Snyder         McCann         Mathis   McCann     Mathis
Walker              McCann         Saltalamacchia Snyder              Kottaras
Martin              Martin         Quiroz         Quiroz
                    Saltalamacchia Kottaras
                    Doumit

    John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com, having a tough time filling in the DET Top 20 (Justin Verlander, Curtis Granderson, Tony Giarratano 1-2-3) :

" ... Oh, boy, what a dismal system. Even Verlander at Grade B+ is a risk; he has no pro track record, and while he has an excellent arm, there are some questions about his command and his polish. I really like Curtis Granderson, one of my favorite Grade Bs and perhaps should be a B+. I don't know what people are talking about when they complain that he's not toolsy enough. He runs well, has a quick bat, and I think is underrated as an athlete. He's also very intelligent. Giarratano is an infield version of Granderson: a polished guy who is an underrated athlete."

    One of the few quality prospects in the BAL system, outfielder Val Majewski, an early casualty :

" ...  Majewski will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and could miss the entire season. Majewski, 23, originally injured the shoulder last September but underwent a non-surgery rehabilitation program during the offseason. After Majewski began experiencing discomfort last week, team trainers decided surgery was the best option." (MLB.com)

    Well, the status of ANA's top 2004 pick ought to be known soon :

" ... The Angels decided to play hardball with pitcher Jered Weaver, giving the first-round pick until midnight Wednesday to accept a $4-million signing bonus before pulling it off the table, but the representative for the former Long Beach State ace hardly blinked in turning it down. Agent Scott Boras remained open to the possibility of Weaver's being signed before June 7, the day the right-hander would re-enter the draft and the Angels would lose his rights. According to a source, any subsequent Angel offer would be lower than the one on the table. That leaves the sides millions apart, the chances for an agreement remote, and the Angels in jeopardy of losing their first-round pick from June's draft." (LA Times)

    John M. Barten, 'Till You're Blue in the Face, on Garrett Atkins COL :

" ...  Atkins has probably 2 seasons to win himself a job somewhere else. If he impresses people with his bat, he could move to an outfield corner in Colorado when Ian Stewart is ready, or he could go find work as somebody's ill-advised big investment of a third baseman ...  a reasonable hitter, but he's not THAT good. As Vinny Castilla and Dante Bichette have shown us in the past, average major league hitters become world class major league hitters when they play half their games at a mile above sea level ... Defensively, Atkins is nobody's idea of a third baseman ...  For now, he has no serious challengers for the starting third base job. He'll put up good numbers, though he won't hit a lot of home runs. Expect 35+ doubles, about 15 to 20 home runs, a healthy walk rate, and a .300+ average."

    Scott Rex, OnDeck, is back from a winter sojourn almost ready to rip through team-by-team lists and a Top 500 prospect chart. 

03 March, 2005

    Nice to have you surf in.  Folks from more than 70 countries made their way here in February --  Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation , Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, US Government, US Military, and Venezuela. 

    For those looking ahead to the 2006 draft ... Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, has a look at the 2005 free agent crop with a position-by-position analysis.

    It was ATL vs George Tech ... but a no-hitter is still impressive :

" ... Five Atlanta pitchers combined to no-hit the college team ... Braves saw Zach Miner, Daniel Curtis, Macay McBride, Anthony Lerew and Kevin Barry combine on the gem. Miner, Curtis, McBride and Lerew each worked two innings with Barry polishing off the ninth. "They all stood out," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "I thought Lerew had a zippy fastball today. He was was really sneaky quick and had a good four-seamer. They all looked good."

Neil Walker PIT 2-3 ... Andy Marte ATL (at 3B) 1-2 ... Justin Verlander DET 1 0 0 0 1 1 ... Curtis Granderson DET (in LF) 0-3 ... Tony Giarratano DET SS 2-3, double ... Dioner Navarro LA 1-2 ... Reid Gorecki CF STL 2-4, double, 2 RBI ... Michael Hinckley WAS 2 3 2 2 2 1 ... nice debut for Jeff Baker 3B COL 3-3, double, homer, 3 RBI ...  Tadahito Iguchi 2B CHA 0-2 ... Josh Fields CHA 3B 1-1, RBI

    It's Joe Mauer MIN again at the top of the Baseball America 100.  Felix Hernandez SEA topped Delmon Young TB for the runner-up slot.  Lots of interesting picks in the final installment of the 2005 list.  Ian Stewart COL ranks No. 4 (Andy Marte is No. 9 )

" ... He's athletic and he's got some juice in his bat, and I like his haircut." --Savannah manager Bob Henley."

LA's Joel Guzman rounds out the top five with Casey Kotchman ANA next :

" ... He's such a good hitter and he's still developing. I think he'll easily hit 30-plus homers in the majors." --NL scout"

The cream of the BA crop :

  1. Mauer Joe           11. Milledge Lastings
  2. Hernandez Felix     12. McPherson Dallas
  3. Young Delmon        13. Cain Matt
  4. Stewart Ian         14. Francoeur Jeff
  5. Guzman Joel         15. Fielder Prince
  6. Kotchman Casey      16. Miller Adam
  7. Kazmir Scott        17. Kubel Jason
  8. Weeks Rickie        18. Hermida Jeremy
  9. Marte Andy          19. Billingsley Chad
 10. Ramirez Hanley      20. Niemann Jeff

With the completion of the BA 100, I've updated the Rooks-by-Position page (along with the Top 100s & Top 10s).  That ranking by position might be one of the most valuable draft tools you can acquire.

    Dayn Perry, FoxSports, has the next to last installment of his Top 100 (11-20) leaving just the Top 10 to go (Mauer, Felix, Delmon, Ian Stewart, Guzman, Kazmir, Marte, McPherson, Fielder, Barton appear to be the guys to be shuffled for the last slots.)

A touch of surprise at the No. 11 spot :

" ... Eric Duncan ...   first-rounder in 2003, Duncan boasts good bat speed, raw power and polished hitting skills. His defense needs work at this point, but there's no reason he can't stick at third long-term. Last season, despite being only 19 years of age, he showed good raw power in the Midwest and Florida State Leagues and made strides with his plate discipline. He's for real, and expect big numbers from him in 2005."

Brandon McCarthy CHA, No. 14 " ... led the minors with 202 strikeouts in 2004, and he also posted a sparkling 6.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio across three levels. Not bad for a 17th-rounder. He shows exceptional command of a two-seamer, four-seamer and excellent curve. McCarthy's changeup needs refinement, but he still made good progress with it last season. His mechanics are polished and efficient, and his height (6'7") gives him a good downward angle at hitters. Some scouts aren't wowed by his stuff, but the numbers thus far are tremendously impressive."

    Pretty fair farm system ... Dodgers ... which John Sickels ranks at MinorLeagueBall.  Shortstop Joel Guzman atop the list with right-handers Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton at 2-3.

" ... Guzman looks like a potential Miguel Cabrera to me. There is some risk there due to his mediocre plate discipline, but the improvement in his overall numbers last year was marked, and he did extremely well in the Southern League for a 19-year-old. Billingsley is another prodigy. He needs sharper command, but again we're talking about a guy who acquitted himself well in Double-A at age 20."

The Top 10 includes two catchers -- Dioner Navarro at No. 9 and Russell Martin at No. 10.

    Jim Callis, Baseball America, in an interview at Batter's Box, with his take on some top level TOR prospects :

" ... I like Aaron Hill, good solid all-round player, I am not sure he is a guy you build your club around. Guillermo Quiroz, good arm, some power in his bat, also not the best batting average or on-base guy. Russ Adams, I like him, I see a solid major league player, more of a second base than a shortstop, but is he an all-star? But if you are looking for a guy to build your championship club around I am not sure if any of those guys fit the bill.”

    Callis, in his Ask BA column, with a note on Gavin Floyd PHI :

" ... Floyd's minor league career reminds me a lot of that of Brett Myers, who preceded him as the top pitching prospect in the Phillies system. Both pitchers averaged 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings, while Floyd averaged 11.3 baserunners to Myers' 11.5. But before that comment leads anyone to peg Floyd as a future underachiever, also consider the example of Ben Sheets. He had similar ratios (7.4 strikeouts and 11.7 baserunners per nine innings) in the minors and had a 4.42 ERA in his first years in the majors before taking a giant leap forward in 2004. Is Floyd ready for the majors? I'd like to have seen more dominance before making that pronouncement, but he did pitch well in September for Philadelphia. He doesn't necessarily need a full year in Triple-A, but another month or two might help."

    Jamey Newberg, TheNewbergReport, on Juan Dominquez TEX :

" ... The fact that Dominguez's spring training locker has been placed in a remote corner of the Surprise clubhouse might serve as a message of some sort to the 24-year-old, who despite everything has a shot to win a rotation spot ... The pitcher about whom RedHawk pitching coach Glenn Abbott said last summer (at a time when Dominguez had a record of 15-1 over two seasons), "We're teaching him how to pitch because he doesn't know how," drew this comment from Orel Hershiser this weekend: "Pitching-wise, there's nothing we want him to change. The biggest issue is to show up mentally every day and become a pro." The Rangers have two options remaining on Dominguez, but the way things are stacking up, it might be an upset to find him still with this organization by time he's out of options, primarily because all the evidence seems to suggest Texas is almost out of patience."

    Rays' top pick, Jeff Niemann, not too impressive in first mound effort :

" ... pitching in the Devil Ray' six-inning intrasquad game, the first out he got came on the last of his 20-pitch limit. One hit, three runs (one earned), a pair of walks (the first two batters) and a wild pitch preceded the ground out. ``It could have gone better, obviously,'' the right-hander said, ``but it was fun to just get out there and throw again. I made some good pitches and some bad pitches. ... I definitely want to be further along as far as the way I'm throwing the ball. I could be worse off. I'm healthy, I feel strong. It's just a matter of fine-tuning some things. The next time I'll throw more strikes and things will fall into place.''  (Tampa Tribune)

    John M. Barten, 'Till You're Blue in the Face, with a fairly optimistic outlook on Jeremy Reed SEA :

" ...   The kid knows how to play baseball ...  he isn't going to hit 30 home runs or steal 50 bases in a season. What he'll do is hit line drives into the outfield...a lot. He'll also draw walks at a pretty nice rate and steal a base here and there. I think his particular offensive skill set is well tailored to Safeco Field's cavernous outfield, which will turn a few doubles into triples and spread the defense out far enough to allow him to increase the number of singles and doubles he shoots out into the alleys ...  Mariners are planning to make him their center fielder for 2005. He's a tweener, a poor center fielder whose bat wouldn't be nearly as valuable if he's playing left field. The vast stretches of real estate in Safeco is going to further compound his shortcomings ... Baseball Prospectus's PECOTA projection system pegs Reed's expected line at .286/.353/.423, which seems just a touch lower than I'd expect him to hit as a rookie. However, it would make him a pretty decent hitter. In year to come, expect him to be a better version of the player he's replacing, the aforementioned Randy Winn, or if you prefer, maybe something along the lines of a good season from Shannon Stewart with a .310/.380/.450 line."

    Good way to get off to a great start ... play lower-tier college teams ... PIT with back to back 12-0 victories.

02 March, 2005

    Players beginning to arrive in minor league camps as the major league exhibitions get underway ... Zach Duke PIT, an inning of work, 10 pitches to retire the side ...

    Troop movements ... SD -- Named Grady Fuson special assistant to the general manager

    A few choice bits in the KC system according to John Sickels evaluation at MinorLeagueBall.com.  John likes starter Denny Bautista as the top dog with third baseman Billy Butler as the runner-up.  The sometimes highly touted Mark Teahen ranked 5th :

" ... I don't think that Teahen will ever be the power hitter that the Royals dream of, but he should hit .280, with walks, doubles, 10-15 homers, and good defense. He'll be a reasonable replacement for Joe Randa."

    Baseball America has the third installment of its Top 100, Nos. 26-50.  (All the Top 100 lists here.)  Among those included in this segment ... one of last year's top picks and a couple of primo lefties :

Chris Nelson COL, No. 26  ... "His bat is further along than B.J. Upton's was at the same time." --NL scout"

Mike Hinckley WAS, No. 27 ... ""What separates with him is the makeup, work ethic, preparation. The physical tools are there, and all those intangibles are there already." --Nationals farm director Adam Wogan"

Zach Duke PIT, No. 34 ... ""You look at him and you think, 'What does this kid have to work on?' He's just so polished." --Altoona manager Tony Beasley."

    Ah, say it isn't so :

" ... The Indians decided to shut down right-hander Adam Miller after the prized prospect complained of tenderness in his right elbow ...  Indians will have a team physician examine Miller's elbow Saturday. At this point, no one is sure how serious the tenderness is for the righty." (MLB.com)

    No surprise ... Chris Snelling SEA back on the DL :

" ...  will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair a torn medial meniscus in his left knee ...  Snelling, 23, is expected to be out about six weeks following the cartilage surgery. It's the same knee in which Snelling suffered a torn ACL during the 2001 season." (Associated Press)

    Rick Ankiel STL ... La Russa says not to worry :

" ... Rick Ankiel's comeback bid hit a rough patch ... as the St. Louis left-hander threw a mere three strikes in 26 batting-practice pitches. "I'm a little frustrated, but I have to think positive," Ankiel said from training camp in Jupiter, Fla. The former phenom looked steady in some previous outings and is trying to earn a spot on the staff. On Friday, the 25-year-old Ankiel threw to hitters for the first time in spring training and kept them flailing during a 40-pitch performance. He couldn't match that yesterday. "He was a little out of whack, but he wasn't missing by much," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "That happens to a lot of pitchers. It isn't anything that we are worried about." (Associated Press)

    Lawr Michaels, CREATiVESPORTS, with some notes on some guys to watch this spring.

" ... Jeremy Reed ...  earned a September call-up and ripped it up to the tune of .397-0-5 with three swipes and 11 runs over just 58 at-bats. Reed is going into the season as the starting center fielder in Seattle, moving Randy Winn to left. Reed hit .288-13-73, with 25 swipes and six triples over a split minor league season. Keep an eye on this guy and the outfield situation in Seattle. Reed is a solid looking on-base guy, and the Mariners could really be stacked, scoring a lot of runs."

" ... Jason Lane ...  Finally, Lane gets a chance, and with an aging Craig Biggio (who did have a terrific '04, to be sure) and injured Lance Berkman, Lane steps passed Orlando Palmeiro and Willy Taveras, but, most important, starts to build on his good body of minor league work. Any one remember how long ago Lane was a hot up-and-comer? Well, finally his time has come."

    Jeremy Hermida, Jason Stokes ... almost zero chance of sticking with the Marlins out of ST :

" ... barring a surprise, both Hermida, an outfielder, and Stokes, a first baseman, will open their seasons in the minors next month. And that's not necessarily a bad thing for the players or the organization, said Dan Jennings, vice president for player personnel. ''They're growing into their bodies, they're learning their swings, they're learning to read pitchers and make adjustments. That takes time,'' Jennings said of the pair, participating in their first big-league spring training camp. ``No matter how good the raw skills are, the skills of learning how to play take time to develop. And that's the advantage of getting time in the minor leagues.''  (Miami Herald)

    The transition begins for Ian Kinsler TEX :

" ... "Right now, yeah, I think of myself as a second baseman," Kinsler said. "It's an adjustment because everything you do is backward from how I had been doing it. But if this is going to put me in the big leagues quicker, sure, it's great. Being able to play second is nothing but a benefit to me right now." ... With Alfonso Soriano on a one-year, $7.5 million contract and eligible for arbitration after the year, the Rangers wouldn't mind having a succession plan. With Kinsler moving to second and Joaquin Arias at short, it gives the club potential down-the-road replacements for Soriano and shortstop Michael Young. The Rangers are likely to pair Kinsler at Triple-A with veteran Manny Alexander. The duo could switch between short and second. Arias will probably join second baseman Jason Bourgeois and utility man Drew Meyer at Double-A Frisco." (Dallas Morning News)

    Tough start for a one-time top-ranked lefty :

" ... Rule V draft pick Luke Hagerty got off to a rough start in his Marlins debut, hitting the first batter he faced and walking the next four in Monday's intrasquad scrimmage. He did not retire a hitter." (Miami Herald)

01a March, 2005

    Baseball America has kicked off its long-awaited Top 100 with the bottom half of the list -- 51 to 100.  Some awfully good talent here. 

Thomas Diamond TEX, No. 52 ... "He's a big, strong horse who comes from a good program. The package is there." --Former Rangers scouting director Grady Fuson."

Aaron Hill TOR, No. 64 ... "He's going to be a major league power hitter and he's going to be a very productive major league hitter." --Blue Jays roving hitting instructor Merv Rettenmund."

Kendry Morales ANA, No. 76 ... "He's a middle-of-the-order hitter that's getting ready to play in the big leagues. He's on the big league roster going into camp with a chance to win a job." --Angels scouting director Eddie Bane"

Ubaldo Jimenez COL, No. 82 ... "I drool at the mention of his name. He was right there with Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez in the Cal League before he got hurt." --AL scout."

Russell Martin LA, No. 89 ... "He's very advanced in all aspects defensively, but the thing we really got excited about was the way his bat came around in the Arizona Fall League." --Dodgers scouting director Logan White."

    At MinorleagueBall.com, John Sickels rates the WAS system and finds a couple of gems in a lacklustre system.  Lefties Michael Hinckley and Bill Bray are named as the class of the crop.

" ... Hinckley is often ignored when top pitching prospects are discussed, but I rank him fourth among minor league lefty prospects, behind only Kazmir, Francis, and Meyer. Hinckley is a textbook case of how a "projectable" high school southpaw is supposed to develop."

    OAK prospect Daric Barton heading for DL :

" ...Barton was taken to a hospital Sunday night with appendicitis and was scheduled to have surgery. Team spokesman Jim Young said Barton is expected to return to camp sometime this spring. He had already been limited with an elbow injury. Barton was acquired by the A's in December from St. Louis in the trade that sent ace Mark Mulder to the NL champion Cardinals." (Associated Press)

    David Cameron, USS Mariner, on Jeremy Reed :

" ... We know he’s perfectly capable of going on sustained hot streaks where he sprays line drives and seeing eye singles like our current right fielder. We also know he’s not much of a power threat at this point in his career, and like Ichiro, his offensive value will be almost completely wrapped up in how many singles he hits. So, how confident can we be in a projection of a guy who is going to pepper the margins of fielder range by hitting the ball just out of reach? Like Ichiro (but to a less extreme degree), Reed has a skillset that can create a wide range of possible performances. I’m guessing he’ll hit something like .280/.340/.400, but the possibility of .220/.290/.330 is there, as is the .330/.390/.450 upside. Talk about a wild card. I could reasonably buy an argument that would have him winning the rookie of the year in a landslide just as easily as I could see him back in Tacoma by June."

    PIT says it's happy with the progress of starter Bryan Bullington :

" ... "All aspects of his development have gone well," director of player development Brian Graham said. "He has two full seasons under his belt, and he's going to be a starter in AAA. ... That's pretty impressive." Other aspects of Bullington's career appear to be cause for alarm. One is that his statistics have had little sizzle. In 26 starts for Class AA Altoona last season, he went 12-7, tying for second in the Eastern League in victories. But he also posted a 4.10 earned run average, gave up 18 home runs and had ordinary totals of 100 strikeouts and 47 walks in 145 innings. Another concern is that his fastball's velocity has dropped from the 95 mph he had at Ball State University -- where he set school strikeout records -- to the low 90s on some nights, high 80s on others. Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield dismissed the loss of velocity as inconsistency. "The velocity comes and goes, but he's going to settle in at 89-93. He's got enough fastball," Littlefield said. "As with a lot of young pitchers, it's more about command and being able to throw more than one pitch for strikes. He's gotten better at that, and he's going to have to get even better." To be sure, versatility is Bullington's strength. He has a curveball, changeup and slider that he mixes regularly with his fastball. "I throw four pitches and try to throw them all for strikes," he said. "I've got just a few minor things I'm trying to iron out but, for the most part, I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

    A little discouraging news for those who've picked CHN outfielder Jason Dubois :

" ...   Dubois needs to get Baker's attention with his bat once Cactus League play opens Thursday. "You don't even know he's around half the time,'' Baker said. "He's extremely quiet.'' If Dave Kelton outplays Dubois this spring, he could have the edge in making the team. "Dubois has options and Kelton doesn't, so we have a decision to make at the end of spring training,'' Baker said." (Chiacgo Sun Times)

    A sign of progress or desperation ?

" ... Cuban exile Maels Rodriguez, 25, was joined by his younger brother, Jose, for Sunday's workout. Jose Rodriguez, 20, impressed club officials with his velocity and command despite the fact he is only 5 feet 10 and weighs 165 pounds ... Both would like to sign with the same team. The Orioles, who have worked out Maels Rodriguez three times this spring, are considered the favorites to sign both but have not started serious negotiations yet." (Washington Post)

28 February, 2005

    Seth Trachtman, SportsBlurb, caps an outstanding run of prospect reports with the final installment of his Top 100.  Felix Hernandez SEA, Delmon Young TB, Joel Guzman LA 1-2-3.  Andy Marte ATL and Matt Cain SF finished 4-5.

Strong support for a pair of defensively challenged sluggers -- Brian Dopirak CHN who ranks No. 10 and Ryan Garko CLE, at No. 17 :

" ...   Like raw power? Dopirak has as much raw power potential as any minor leaguer in baseball. The 20-year-old hit .307-39-120 in Low-A last season after hitting 15 homers in less than 300 at-bats the previous year. The former second round pick's power per age is about as good as anyone in the game, but strikeouts are a problem for him. His emergence reminds me of Jason Stokes of the Marlins organization from a few years ago. Stokes was all the rage after that breakout but has since calmed as a prospect. Not saying the same will happen with Dopirak, but let's just see how he adjusts to higher level pitchers."

" ... Garko was drafted in the third round in 2003 due to his bat, and he absolutely raked last season in his first full pro season. He batted well above .300 in High-A, Double-A and Triple-A last season with a total of 22 homers. While he may not have the defensive skills to remain at catcher, Garko has to hold his own at first base or DH. This is a solid dark horse candidate for Rookie of the Year in 2005."

    CLE system still in pretty good shape by the looks of John Sickels' Indians Top 20 at MinorLeagueBall.  It's righty phenom Adam Miller atop the list followed by Grady Sizemore and Michael Aubrey.  Sickels slots 2004 top pick Jeremy Sowers at No. 8.

Things not so rosy in HOU as MinorLeagueBall notes just a pair of top young guns (B+ and above) on the Astros -- second baseman Chris Burke and outfielder Mitch Einertson.

    Ken Rosenthal, The Sporting News, includes a couple of prospect notes in his latest column :

" ...  Pirates pitching prospect Zach Duke displays the kind of polish that inspires major-league staffs to want him immediately. Some members of the Pirates' staff already think that Duke is better than fellow left-hander Sean Burnett, who is recovering from elbow-ligament transplant surgery. Duke, however, has pitched only 511/3 innings at Class AA, and likely will start the season at AAA. He led the minors with a 1.46 ERA in 148 1/3 innings last season."

" ... The Tigers then could use their minor-league inventory to obtain a top-of-the-rotation starter this summer. Class AAA center fielder Curtis Granderson should be untouchable; former major leaguer Pete Incaviglia, the Tigers' Class AA hitting instructor, says Granderson reminds him of a young Bernie Williams."

    ATL trying to be patient with Jeff Francoeur :

" ... He's only 21 and probably needs another year in the minor leagues. But be patient, everyone. This hometown kid - Francoeur was born and raised in the Atlanta area - is projected as the next big thing for the team that has won 13 straight division titles. "He's very impressive," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He can do a lot of things. He's good in the outfield. He runs good. He's going to be a good, solid major leaguer." ...  Francoeur seems more at ease in the clubhouse, having gone through it all last spring ...  The timetable for Francoeur to break into the Braves' lineup is 2006 ...  Francoeur hasn't given up on the idea of getting an early start on his big league career. Maybe he'll surprise everyone by making the team a year ahead of schedule. "If I came in with any other mind-set, I'd be cheating myself," he said. "I know I've got to play very well because I'm still young. But you never know what might happen." (FoxSports)

    One of the Royals' top prospects making a position switch :

" ... George Brett, a club vice president, was in uniform Friday to begin his usual stint as hitting instructor, batting practice pitcher and fungo-slapper. He's also tutor to Justin Huber, who is switching from catcher, on the subtleties of playing first base. Brett has been in Spring Training in the Royals organization almost every year since 1972." (Kansas City Star)

    SF kid survives a highway accident :

" ...  Nate Schierholtz didn't want his first big league camp to begin with a shoulder injury, but he can't complain. He knows he's lucky to be alive ...  Schierholtz, a 2003 Giants' draft pick, totaled his Mustang in a single-car accident about 25 miles east of Los Angeles. He strained his left shoulder and suffered minor bruises but walked away otherwise unhurt. "I hit a pothole and just started to hydroplane," said Schierholtz ...   his car slammed into the median and nearly flipped. X-rays were negative, but Friday was the first day Schierholtz was allowed to put on a uniform and play catch. He probably won't be able to swing a bat for a few more days." (Oakland Tribune)

    Melissa Lockard, OaklandClubhouse, on the OAK starting staff (after Zito, Harden, Haren) :

" ... The fourth and fifth starting spots will be filled by two of the following four pitchers: rookies Dan Meyer and Joe Blanton or "veterans" Keiichi Yabu and Seth Etherton. Meyer and Blanton will likely be in the A’s rotation for years to come, but Oakland may decide not to feature two rookies in the rotation at the same time. Meyer has not yet spent a full season in AAA, so he may begin the year in Sacramento to get more seasoning. Blanton, with a full year of AAA under his belt, should be ready for the major leagues. If he doesn’t make the starting rotation, he will likely pitch out of the bullpen. Keiichi Yabu is a veteran of the Japanese League and he has extensive experience in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Yabu is a strikeout/groundball pitcher who will have the double advantage of being a veteran pitcher who the majority of major league hitters haven’t seen pitch. Seth Etherton is a former first round draft pick of the California Angels ...  when healthy, has a live arm and he could be a sleeper surprise in the bottom part of the rotation ... There is an outside chance that reliever Juan Cruz could be given a chance to compete for a starting rotation spot, as well. Cruz was primarily a starter with the Chicago Cubs before being converted to relief by the Atlanta Braves. Cruz may have the best raw "stuff" on the A’s roster and he could be an intriguing option in the fifth starter role. However he has struggled with stamina as a starter in the past."

    
Rookie Reports Archive :

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2005 -- Jan 01-16  Jan 17-30  Jan 31-Feb 13  Feb 14-27  Feb 28-Mar 13  Mar 14-27

2003 Minor League Stats 1 (Hitters, by OPS, by AAA, AA, A, Short Season, OBA, SLG, Walks, Ks, SBs, Errors)
2003 Minor League Stats 2 (Pitchers, by ERA, AAA, AA, A, Short Season, Ks & Hitters by position)

2005 Draft Prep Material :

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

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