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19 February, 2007
Troop movements ... WAS - signed second baseman Ronnie Belliard to a
minor league contract and invited him to spring training ...
MLB.com with it's 2007 Top 100
prospects, geared more to the short-term than long-range. Here's the Top
20 :
1 Young Delmon OF 11 Loney James 1B
2 Gordon Alex 3B 12 Lind Adam OF/DH
3 Young Chris OF 13 Pedroia Dustin 2B
4 Bailey Homer RHP 14 Pelfrey Mike RHP
5 Tulowitzki Troy SS 15 Hirsh Jason RHP
6 Garza Matt RHP 16 Jones Adam OF
7 Kouzmanoff Kevin 3B 17 Braun Ryan 3B
8 LaRoche Andy 3B 18 Montero Miguel C
9 Iannetta Chris C 19 Miller Adam RHP
10 Hughes Philip RHP 20 Butler Billy OF
A couple of error corrections in the Sickels' Community Top 100 - Scott
Elbert is #26, and it is Phil Humber, not Humper.
The best of the young shortstops are featured in the latest edition of the
position by position reports at
Project Prospect.
" ... 4. Brandon Wood ... prolific
power hitter – 93 2B, 8 3B, and 68 HR over the past two seasons – Wood’s raw
ability garners mouth-agape attention from whomever sees him play. His
incredible extra-base totals not withstanding, Wood nonetheless has his critics.
The 21-year-old struck out in a staggering 28.4% of his at-bats in 2006 and
committed 27 errors in the field. Even if he gets shifted to third base, he’ll
remain a unique talent."
" ... 6. Reid Brignac ... 2004
second round selection hit 32 doubles and 24 home runs over two levels (High-A
and Double-A) in 2006, where he posted lines of .326/.382/.557 and
.300/.355/.473, respectively. There’s no reason not to expect more of the same
from Brignac as he wraps up the higher levels of minor league ball this season."
" ... 10. Elvis Andrus ...
Athletic and projectable, Andrus, 18, wouldn’t be on this list if he didn’t have
a lot of potential. But it’s tough to get a grasp on what kind of player he
could be. The Venezuela native hit .265/.324/.382 with 23 stolen bases in 38
attempts (60.5% success) in his first full season – 437 at-bats at Single-A
Rome. For comparison, Jose Reyes hit .307/.337/.472 with 30 stolen bases in 40
attempts (75.0%) at approximately the same age and level."
Jay's Dustin McGowan likely a Triple-A starter in 2007 :
" ... McGowan's name has been grouped among
the few pitchers vying for one of Toronto's last two rotation spots this spring.
In reality, though, his chances of cracking the Opening Day roster as a starter
are slim ... "Going in, we've got guys that are stacked ahead of him and
they have the experience," Gibbons said. "We're still waiting for Dustin to come
into his own. I mean, sure, if things happen and he's pitching really well, who
knows?" Over the past two seasons, the Jays have moved McGowan in and out of
starting and relieving roles in the Majors and Minors. Now that the Blue Jays
have some more flexibility with McGowan, the club would prefer to have him
remain in the rotation at Triple-A Syracuse this season in order to gain more
experience." (MiLB.com)
Felix Pie CHN, lots to learn :
" ... Pie is a project for the Cubs. The
left-handed-hitting outfielder batted .219 this winter in the Dominican, not
exactly what the Cubs expected after his .283 season at Triple-A Iowa. On
Saturday, Cubs manager Lou Piniella took the youngster aside to offer advice on
his footwork, trying to get him to use a wider stance when hitting. "It was much
better," Pie said of the tips. Piniella spoke fluent Spanish to Pie, which made
the young outfielder feel even more comfortable ... Pie is strong. You can
see it in his swing. He is fast. He has all the tools. Is he ready for the big
leagues? He's off to a good start with Soriano and others helping him. "I came
here and made friends with him," Soriano said. "He's a young guy and needs a
little help. Whatever I can do to help him, I'll do." (MiLB.com)
Curt Schilling impressed with his new teammate :
" ... Schilling looked into the dozens of cameras
and made one thing clear: The Red Sox pitcher who usually gets most of the
attention will remain the staff leader despite Daisuke Matsuzaka’s
potential to be an ace. Schilling is optimistic that Matsuzaka — the reason all
the cameras were there — will achieve that status. “The kid is phenomenally
talented,” Schilling said Sunday. “I think he’s an ace in the making,
stuff-wise. Makeup-wise, he’s very polished. He’s very composed.”
(Associated Press)
18 February, 2007
Updates to the charts ... Top 10s,
Top 100s, 40-man
rosters, NRIs ...
Troop movements ... LAD signed catcher Kelly Stinnett to a minor league
contract and invited him to spring training ... CLE - announced the retirement
of Keith Foulke ... TB - designated RHP Steve
Schmoll
for assignment ...
Project Prospect
checks in with a report on the base of the young second sackers :
" ... 8. Blake DeWitt ... Inconsistency
has been the name of the game ... excelled in Rookie (.284/.350/.488) and
Single-A (.283/.333/.428) ball, but slowed down a bit at High-A (.268/.339/.442)
before struggling through 26 games at Double-A to the tune of a .183 batting
average. The 2004 first round pick would make this list on potential alone, but
there’s no question that the move to second base improves his stock greatly as
well."
" ... 10. Mark Reynolds ... hard worker
with a great makeup, good power, and no position. Though he hit 31 home runs
last season, keep in mind that the 23-year-old didn’t even enter 2006 with a
starting minor league job. Look for Reynolds to spend 2007 in Triple-A trying to
match his 2006 season."
Oh, oh
" ... Of bigger concern is the tightness in Jered
Weaver's throwing shoulder, which the right-hander said will prevent him
from throwing off a mound for "a couple of weeks," and could pose problems for
the rest of his career. "The way I throw, it's going to be an issue — I've had
it since high school," Weaver, 24, said of the biceps tendinitis that forced him
to miss a start last July. "It sticks around for a long time, and it's a matter
of knocking it out. With my long mechanics and different arm slot, I put a
little more stress on my shoulder." An increase in workload from 76 innings in
2005 to 200 innings in 2006 forced Weaver to cut back on his winter throwing
program, which has set him back this spring. An MRI test in January revealed
nothing more than tendinitis ... won't be ready to pitch when the
exhibition season begins March 1 but should be ready for the regular season."
(LA Times)
Good news for the Dodgers.
" ... Andy LaRoche, one of the Dodgers'
top position prospects, reported early because he is coming off arthroscopic
surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder after last season. But LaRoche says
he is fully recovered now, and club officials will spend the spring evaluating
whether he is ready to play third base every day in the majors ... has a
chance to beat out incumbent Wilson Betemit for the job. But if he doesn't,
LaRoche will begin the season at Triple-A Las Vegas so he can continue to
develop by playing regularly instead of riding the bench for long periods in the
majors." (LA Daily News)
Elijah Dukes TB may get an opportunity to learn at the major league level
:
" ... Executive vice president Andrew Friedman spoke
at length Friday about Dukes' physical abilities, saying the 22-year-old has
nothing left to prove in the minors. On the field, anyway. "Physically,
obviously, Dukes is among the most talented players in all of baseball," said
Friedman. "Physically, he has proven that he can handle Triple-A offensively,
defensively and every nuance of the game. Between the lines, nobody plays the
game harder than he does ... Rays will give him every chance this
spring to prove that he has. "And it's not just going to be how he performs on
the field," said Friedman. The Rays want Dukes to prove he can be a good
teammate and a receptive pupil to Manager Joe Maddon and the coaching staff. If
he does that during the next six weeks (he already has been working out
regularly at the team's complex), he probably will win a job on the bench with
an eye toward continuing education." (Tampa Tribune)
Brad Lincoln PIT, on the shelf :
" ... Lincoln, the team's first-round draft
pick last summer, has an elbow injury -- one that could cause him to miss all of
spring training ... team's medical staff determined that he developed what
Littlefield described as "irritation" in the right elbow while throwing in the
past month. The next step for Lincoln will be two to four weeks of rest,
followed by a throwing program. After that, further evaluation of the injury
will be made ... Lincoln, 21, had his first professional season cut short by a
strained left oblique in August, but he has no history of elbow trouble."
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Sean Marshall CHN ... cause for worry.
" ... Marshall is about one week behind the
other Cubs pitchers so he can continue to strengthen his left shoulder ...
"When last season ended, I had a lot of wear and tear," Marshall said Friday. "I
took about a month off, and they said I needed some [physical therapy]. I'm
about a week from getting back on the mound. I feel a lot better than I did at
the end of last year." The problem was his rotator cuff, but the situation was
never severe enough for Marshall to consider surgery. "I'm a little behind
schedule, but I feel my hard work this offseason will pay off and my shoulder
will get back to full strength or even better than it was last season," Marshall
said. "I should be able to catch up with these guys by the time games start."
(MLB.com)
Rockies' phenom hoping for good health :
" ... Australian right-hander Shane Lindsay,
whose work in the Hawaiian Winter League was cut short because of surgery to
repair a frayed right labrum, is scheduled to begin throwing off a mound in
mid-March. The Rockies are hoping Lindsay will be ready to pitch by the end of
May. Lindsay was a top-five prospect two years ago, but his development has been
slowed by shoulder problems that first surfaced last off-season." (Rocky
Mountain News)
Tigers impressed with young arms, especially Andrew Miller :
" ... Miller is the most impressive of the bunch,
and the best example of the notion that taking the 12 best pitchers isn't the
same as taking the 12 best arms. He worked out of the Tigers bullpen in
September, but he's ticketed to begin the year at Class A Advanced Lakeland as a
starter, and there's very little chance of that changing. Even as an insurance
option, Leyland admitted Miller probably wouldn't be called up until later in
the year. "Obviously it's pretty unlikely he'd be on the Major League club when
we break camp this year," Leyland said. "But in saying that, it would not
surprise me if at some point this year, he might make the jump." (MiLB.com)
Braves' manager impressed with young lefty :
" ... As Matt Harrison prepared for his first
big-league workout on Friday morning, he was seemingly nervous. But those nerves
obviously didn't prove detrimental while he threw his first bullpen session in
front of Braves manager Bobby Cox. "He's going to be the real deal some day,"
Cox said shortly after Friday's workout. While combining for 158 2/3 innings
with Class A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Mississippi last year, Harrison
surrendered 160 hits, registered 114 strikeouts and issued 33 walks. The
21-year-old left-hander, who is listed at 6-foot-4, has seen his fastball
clocked anywhere from 89-95 mph. Because Harrison has made just 12 starts above
the Class A level, he comes to this camp as a long shot to win the fifth
starter's spot." (MiLB.com)
USA Today with
some notes on a pair of Rays' kids :
" ... TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: The Rays aren't
sure what to expect from RHP Edwin Jackson, who was inconsistent last
season after being acquired from Los Angeles in January 2006. He was used as a
starter and as a reliever, bounced back and forth between the majors and the
minors, and never seemed to get comfortable. But he had a strong winter ball
performance in Venezuela, the Rays have an opening in the rotation, and he his
out of options, which means he will get the benefit of any doubt so the Rays
don't have to risk losing him on waivers ... TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT:
SS Ben Zobrist took over as the starting shortstop after being acquired
from Houston, where he was playing at Double-A, then spending a few weeks with
the Rays' Triple-A team, and is expected to be there again this season. But he
hit only .224 with 10 extra-base hits in 52 games, and as teams get more
familiar with the holes in his swing he might find it even tougher to be
successful going forward."
Ranking by position ... using the Top 100s to sort out prospects by position ...
the second basemen :
Project Prospect Diamond Futures Bryan Smith Johathan Mayo
Sports Illustrated Minor League
Baseball
1 Pedroia Dustin 2B Kendrick Howie 2B Pedroia Dustin 2B
2 Callaspo Alberto 2B Denker Travis 2B
3 Hatch Anthony 2B
4 Brito Javier 2B
5 Young Eric 2B
6 Gonzalez Angel 2B
Baseball Digest J.P. Schwartz David Luciani Eric Mack
Daily Top Prospect Baseball CBS Sportsline
Alert Notebook
1 Pedroia Dustin 2B Callaspo Alberto 2B Denker Travis 2B Pedroia Dustin 2B
2 DeWitt Blake 2B Pedroia Dustin 2B Natale Jeff 2B Callaspo Alberto 2B
3 Callaspo Alberto 2B Patterson Eric 2B Dewitt Blake 2B Hernandez Anderson
4 Denker Travis 2B Bonifacio Emilio 2B
Sickels Koby Schellenger Sports Weekly
Community Mound Talk
1 Pedroia Dustin 2B Callaspo Alberto 2B Pedroia Dustin 2B
2 Patterson Eric 2B Pedroia Dustin 2B Kendrick Howie 2B
3 DeWitt Blake 2B Patterson Eric 2B Prado Martin 2B
Callaspo Alberto 2B
Theriot Ryan 2B
Frandsen Kevin 2B
Hernandez Anderson
16 February, 2007
Troop movements ... BAL - designated RHP Ryan Keefer for assignment ...
NYN - claimed RHP Marcos Carvajal off waivers from TB ...
It's
official. Ian Stewart no longer a "have to have."
Baseball America ranks the best of the Rockies' pups :
1. Troy Tulowitski, ss
6. Ubaldo Jimenez, rhp
2. Franklin Morales, lhp 7. Greg Reynolds, rhp
3. Jason Hirsh, rhp 8. Chris
Iannetta, c
4. Dexter Fowler, of 9. Jeff Baker, of
5. Ian Stewart, 3b 10. Chaz Roe,
rhp
Tim Lincecum SF, still a starter, at least for the start of ST :
" ... Echoing offseason chatter, manager Bruce Bochy
named Russ Ortiz and Jonathan Sanchez as the top contenders for the No. 5
starting spot. Brad Hennessey, previously an occasional starter, is envisioned
as a long reliever, Bochy said. Sabean confirmed that Tim Lincecum, the Giants'
top pitching prospect who could begin the season in Triple-A, would be groomed
as a starter. Sabean added that Lincecum, the 10th overall pick in last June's
First-Year Player Draft, likely will appear in one of the Giants' intrasquad
games, scheduled for Feb. 27 and 28, as well as a March 5 "B" exhibition."
(MLB.com)
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, with notes on some prospects just "a phone call"
away from a role in the majors:
" ... It may not seem fair for the
Diamondbacks to have more on the way, but they do. Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez
should be on everyone's watch list. They've got plenty of outfielders, so the
D-backs don't need to rush him, but Gonzalez will be a prototypical right
fielder with the power numbers to boot. If he continues to develop as expected,
a September callup could be in the cards. The same could be said for the Pirates
center-field prospect Andrew McCutchen. He pushed up his ETA by
double-jumping to Double-A and excelling late last year. McCutchen will start
the year in Double-A again, showing speed, an advanced hitting approach and
surprising pop ... On the mound, the Dodgers have another young gun on the
way in the form of lefty Scott Elbert. He'll refine his command during
this season and I wouldn't put it past Elbert to contribute this year. Even if
it's next year, this is a guy who misses a ton of bats (173 K's in 146 innings)
and even when hitters do make contact, they don't do much (.190 batting average
against). From the right side, Eric Hurley is now the Rangers' top
pitching prospect. He'll probably begin the year at Double-A, but he could
leapfrog some other arms if he continues to put it all together."
USA Today with
some Dodger rookie notes :
" ... TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: 3B Andy LaRoche
is one of the Dodgers' top prospects but still has something to prove. LaRoche
had a slim chance to earn a spot on roster coming out of spring in 2006 but
failed to get anything going. One year in the minors and one shoulder injury
later, he's back, and the Dodgers are still looking for a consistent player at
third. LaRoche didn't seem to have trouble in hitting Triple-A pitching, batting
.322 with 10 home runs in 55 games, and that was with a torn labrum, but a
better spring would show if he is ready for that all-important next step. TOP
CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: OF Matt Kemp made the jump from Double-A
Jacksonville to the majors last season and promptly hit six home runs and drove
in 15 runs in his first 13 games. When pitchers quit throwing him fastballs, his
great start became a fluke. Kemp was in a 4-for-26 slump when he was sent to
Triple-A to work on hitting curveballs. He returned in September and had four
hits in 32 at-bats. Kemp played in the Dominican Winter League and had some
success, but if he can't prove himself at the major league level, he might wind
up back in the minors."
15 February, 2007
Troop movements ... OAK - claimed LHP Lenny DiNardo claimed off waivers
from BOS, designated OF Hiram Bocachica for assignment; outrighted
OF Charles Thomas to Triple-A & invited him to Spring
Training ... CIN - signed RHP Kerry Ligtenberg to a Minor
League contract with a ST invitation ... CLE - signed RHP Cliff
Politte to a Minor League contract with a ST invitation ... LAD -
signed OF Choo Freeman to a Minor League contract with ST
invitation ... TEX - signed INF Desi Relaford to a Minor League
contract with a ST invitation ... Invited Minor League RHP Jose
Vargas to Spring Training ... WAS - invited Dmitri Young and
Tony Batista to Spring Training ... NYN - designated second
baseman Ruben Gotay for assignment ...
John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall, on
Sean Gallagher vs. Kevin Slowey :
" ... Both pitchers have been quite durable so
far. Slowey is a bit more athletic physically, but Gallagher has a stocky and
durable frame. Gallagher throws slightly harder and has a better breaking ball,
but Slowey's command is better ... Both have performed very well in Double-A but
in different ways. Slowey's K/BB ratio was much stronger. Both of them posted
above average K/IP and H/IP marks, but Gallagher's were better ... A
traditionalist might like Gallagher better since he is younger and throws a bit
harder. But PECOTA really prefers Slowey, probably due to his superior command
at the Double-A level. My own opinion here is that Gallagher's ultimate ceiling
is a bit higher than Slowey's, as reflected in his stronger K/IP ratio in
Double-A, but that he is also riskier than Slowey and more likely to flame out
on us. Call it even ... All in all I think Slowey has a slight margin ahead of
Gallagher. I ranked Slowey at 33 on my Top 50 Pitcher list, and Gallagher at 38.
I like both of them a lot."
MiLB.com has added another feature ... regular reports on the 2007 draft class :
" David Price ... was sitting at 90-94 mph
and touched 95 mph ... struggled with his control in the early innings,
walking three in 5 2/3 IP. He needs to improve command within the strike zone
... began to settle down as the game progressed, and dominated the middle
innings, striking out four out of the last five batters he faced before leaving
the game in the sixth ... Overall, a good outing for Price, particularly
considering it was his first outing of the season against the then-No. 1 ranked
team in college baseball. His stuff has been better, but it was a solid
performance."
" ... Georgia Tech catcher Matt Wieters,
generally considered to be the top college bat in the draft, began the season
0-for-9, then broke out with a 2-for-5, three-RBI performance on Tuesday,
including a game-winning home run in the 10th inning. He also got the win on the
mound in relief."
14 February, 2007
Troop movements ... TB - acquired RHP Jae-Kuk Ryu from CHN for RHP
Greg Reinhard and outfielder Andy Lopez, designated
RHP Marcos Carvajal for assignment ...
Over at RotoJunkie,
Jason Collette has his 2007 Top 100 posted. Delmon Young, Alex Gordon
1-2. As expected, a solid list. Check it out ! Here's the top
20 :
1 Young Delmon OF 11 Upton Justin OF
2 Gordon Alex 3B 12 Longoria Evan 2b
3 Hughes Philip RHP 13 McCutchen Andrew OF
4 Bailey Homer RHP 14 Garza Matt RHP
5 Wood Brandon SS 15 LaRoche Andy 3B
6 Butler Billy OF 16 Miller Andrew LHP
7 Young Chris OF 17 Gallardo Yovanni RHP
8 Tulowitzki Troy SS 18 Lincecum Tim RHP
9 Maybin Cameron OF 19 Braun Ryan 3B
10 Bruce Jay OF 20 Gonzalez Carlos OF
Baseball America ranks one of the best of the farm systems, ARZ :
1. Justin Upton, of 6. Micah Owings, rhp
2. Chris Young, of 7. Mark Reynolds, if
3. Carlos Gonzalez, of 8. Dustin Nippert, rhp
4. Alberto Callaspo, 2b 9. Tony Pena, rhp
5. Miguel Montero, c 10. Brett Anderson, lhp
13 February, 2007
Troop movements ... BAL - signed RHP Steve Trachsel (after learning
Kris Benson to undergo surgery for a partially torn rotator cuff) ...
Project Prospect
makes its picks as the best of the under-25 first sackers :
" ... 4. Joey Votto ... 2006 season
marked Joey Votto's breakout campaign. The 23-year-old first baseman made an
impressive impact, posting a through-the-roof vital line of .319/.406/.547,
thanks in part to 46 doubles and 22 home runs to go along with 78 walks. Votto
should start 2007 at Triple-A Louisville and there's no reason not to expect
more of the same power and patience combination. He could be contributing in the
bigs by May, too."
" ... 8. Daric Barton ... has appeared
in 324 minor league games over the course of his career, posting a vital line of
.305/.425/.468. While questions are left to be asked regarding his power
potential, there's no doubt about his ability to get on base."
Jon Lester BOS ... so far, so good :
" ... Lester, who finished chemo treatments for
anaplastic large cell lymphoma in December, has nearly regained all of his lost
weight. He weighed in at 212 pounds today, which is only three pounds shy of his
desired playing weight of 215. The lefty’s hair is slowly growing back and he
said that his stamina is quickly returning. Lester said that he should be able
to be on the same workout schedule as the rest of the pitchers but manager Terry
Francona cautioned him that the team may hold him back a bit for his own best
interests. Lester said he’s scheduled to throw on the side on Sunday and we
should know a lot more about the team’s intentions shortly after that."
(Boston Herald)
Jim Callis,
Baseball America, on the terrific trio at third :
" ... Not only are Gordon, Longoria and Braun
three of the elite third-base prospects in baseball, they're three of the elite
prospects, period. I ranked them No. 2 (Gordon), No. 12 (Longoria) and No. 23
(Braun) on my personal Top 50 Prospects list in the 2007 Prospect Handbook. All
three figure to hit for average and power, say .300 with 30 or more homers on an
annual basis once they get acclimated in the majors. Gordon figures to produce
for a little higher average and a little more power than Longoria or Braun for a
few reasons. He's the lone lefthanded hitter in the group, he has better
patience at the plate and he has a little more natural strength. Gordon is the
only player ever to win BA's college and minor league player of the year awards,
accomplishing that feat in the last two seasons. He hit .325/.427/.588 in his
2006 pro debut last year, with 19 of his 29 homers coming in the final two
months. He, Longoria and Braun all could be starting for their big league clubs
by the all-star break, if not sooner."
Tim Kurkjian, ESPN The Magazine, on the BOS rotation including Daisuke
Matsuzaka :
" ... It begins with Matsuzaka ... How good is
he? "If he was pitching [in] a vacuum, he would be as good as there is,'' said
Bobby Valentine, who managed against Matsuzaka in Japan. "But Boston is not a
vacuum. MLB is not a vacuum, so his surroundings will affect him like they
affect everyone. The most important thing will be his relationship with his
catcher. Pitchers don't shake off very much in Japan. They rely on pregame
preparation, then execute in the game. If the catcher and pitching coach make
him comfortable with pitch and location, he'll be real good.'' That's because
his stuff is real good. "He throws five breaking balls,'' Valentine said. "His
changeup is like Mike Marshall's screwball, and that was one of only two pitches
Mike threw. [Matsuzaka] will leave his fastball up. He will overthrow his
fastball. He throws four fastballs for every six breaking balls. If he keeps
that ratio, he'll be OK. But if they make him throw too many fastballs, who
knows? But he understands what it takes to be successful.''
Baseball Digest Daily has kicked off
its pre-season look at the June draft with an initial peek at high school
prospects. Never too early to begin collecting information!
Adam Foster,
Project Prospect, reports on the 2007 debut of 6'10" right-hander Andrew
Brackman, forecast as one of the top college picks of the June draft.
" ... All in all Brackman looked decent. He threw a
mix of fastballs, breaking balls, and changeups in the 82-pitch outing. His
fastball touched 94 mph and was typically between 89-92 -- losing velocity as
the start progressed. His breaking ball (75-77) started off a little slurvey but
he eventually managed to pull the string on a few sharp ones, while hanging a
couple as well ... Some scouts said they were getting reads on Brackman's
fastball in the 92-95 range (touching 98). If Brackman was truly throwing as
hard as they believed, it would be a bit of a concern, as hitters were on him
for the most part. Brackman has quite a few more starts before the draft, but if
he doesn't start pitching a notch above where he did today he won't be taken in
the top three picks of the draft."
12 February, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007.
Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, checks out some of the top young guns in the NL
Central :
" ... 1. Felix Pie ...
Pie, who shares some traits with Johnny Damon, is a potential 20-homer leadoff
man. Still, he has quite a bit to learn. The left-handed hitter chases too many
bad pitches, especially when facing southpaws, and is a poor basestealer for all
of his speed. On defense, he has the potential to be well above average, but
he's not there yet. The Cubs are threatening to turn center field over to him
this spring, but he needs a second year in Triple-A. The risk of him following
Corey Patterson's career path would be greater if he's rushed to the majors
now."
" ... 2. Jay Bruce ... Despite
batting .167 in the final month of the minor league season, Bruce finished with
an 871 OPS and 63 extra-base hits in 117 games. He is on his way to showing
30-homer power ... struggled some against southpaws, batting
.236/.310/.439 in 123 at-bats. Bruce should be a whole lot more than a platoon
player, though. While he's still seeing some time in center, he projects as an
above average defensive right fielder in the majors."
" ... 2. Troy Patton ...
wasn't stellar after moving up to Double-A last year, but another healthy season
has left his stock as a prospect essentially unchanged, even if his ceiling
isn't as high as it once appeared ... throws in the low-90s and features
an above average curve. He's also making progress with his changeup ... he
could be at least a No. 3 starter if he remains healthy."
" ... 5. J.R. Towles ... has been
very impressive when he's been able to stay on the field, but with just 165
games played and 557 at-bats in 2 ½ years since being drafted in the 20th round
in 2004, he hasn't been able to make quick progress. A 2006 season in which he
battled knee troubles was his healthiest to date, but even then, a full quarter
of his at-bats came as a DH ... shows 20-homer power and above average on-base
skills. He's also a fine catcher with the arm to play the position in the
majors. If he can put together a healthy season at Single-A Salem, he could top
this list next year."
" ... 1. Yovani Gallardo ..
After a season in which he struck out 188 and gave up just 104 hits in 155
innings, Gallardo can't be put too far behind Philip Hughes and Homer Bailey in
a rundown of the game's best pitching prospects, especially since he may be a
better bet than either to remain healthy ... throws 90-94 mph and has an
excellent curveball. Capable of mixing in a slider and a changeup ... on his way
to becoming a No. 2 starter, and he could be ready to help out by the second
half of the year."
" ... 2. Ryan Braun ... has made
rapid progress offensively, amassing a 916 OPS in his four minor league stops
and then finishing third in the AFL in OPS last year ... could bat
.290-.300 with 25 homers per year once he settles in. Still to be determined is
whether his long-term future is at third base or in left field ... Brewers might
give him a long look at the position this year if Corey Koskie can't overcome
his post-concussion syndrome."
" ... 2. Brad Lincoln ...
possesses a moving low-90s fastball and an excellent curve. His changeup is an
average third pitch with room to grow. Lincoln should begin moving quickly
through the system this year and may have a permanent rotation spot by the first
half of 2008. He projects as a long-term No. 3 or maybe a No. 2."
" ... 3. Neil Walker ... fair
amount of offensive potential, though too often his poor approach at the plate
obscures his talent. Also, he's yet to prove he has a future at catcher. With
Ronny Paulino stepping up last season, the Pirates are planning on taking a look
at Walker at third base this spring and may stick him there permanently at some
point. Walker is likely to develop 20-25 homer power in time. However, he might
not possess the on-base skills to be an above average regular should he move out
from behind the plate."
" ... 1. Colby Rasmus .... the one
premier talent in the St. Louis farm system. An advanced hitter for a high
school product, he's a future .290-.300 batter in the majors with 20- to
25-homer power. There was some thought that he'd end up in right field when he
was drafted, but the Cardinals are confident he'll possess the range to stay in
center field. With no real weaknesses in his game, he's on track to replace Jim
Edmonds in 2009."
Some catchup from team reports at
The Sporting News :
OAK " ... Daric Barton ... prospect star for
Barton has dimmed over the past couple of years, but he remains one of the best
first base prospects in the game. Barton missed significant time last season
with a broken elbow and only hit .259-2-22 in 147 at-bats during the time he
played at Triple-A. Still, Barton has shown outstanding plate discipline at
every level and has the line-drive swing to be a nice regular in the majors. He
compares favorably to Sean Casey." (Seth Trachtman)
FLO " ... Sean West ... pitched well in
his first full season of professional ball, finishing the year 8-5 with a 3.74
ERA in 21 starts in the Sally League. Over 120.1 innings, West struck out 102
while walking 40. Still just 20 years old, he is more than likely another year
away, but he is one to watch." (Mark Allen Haverty)
LAA " ... Brandon Wood ... At
Double-A Arkansas last season, Wood hit .276 with 25 homers, 83 RBIs and 19
steals. He probably is still a year away, especially with Orlando Cabrera
manning the position (and fellow shortstop prospect Erick Aybar already on
L.A.'s bench), but the team obviously could use Wood's offense now."
(Chris Bahr)
LAD " ... Andy LaRoche ... could
make the team out of spring training. If he does, he would have the opportunity
to work his way into a platoon with Wilson Betemit at third base. He has shown
plate discipline and the ability to hit for average and power (.322-10-35 in 202
at-bats at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2006), but the lack of playing time will hurt
his fantasy value this season." (Eric Ferguson)
MIN " ... Glen Perkins ... 2004
first-round pick, will be vying for a rotation spot. However, if there's no room
for him in the rotation and he pitches well enough this spring, he might land a
bullpen job. The Twins have only one lefty in the bullpen (Dennys Reyes). Like
fellow stud prospect Matt Garza, Perkins has strikeout stuff, but he is less
physically imposing and has slightly less on his fastball." (Roger Kuznia)
John
Sickels, MinorLeagueBall, on Ty Clippard NYA :
" ... Everyone seems to have an opinion about this guy.
Some people are convinced he will be a star ... I think he can be very good,
consistently above average starting pitcher, but I don't think he will be a true
number one or two rotation anchor type ... stuff is average ... succeeds with
average stuff because he throws strikes and is durable ... only real negative is
that he tends to be a fly ball pitcher vulnerable to the home run if he elevates
the ball too much ... Grade B."
The latest phase of BJ Upton's career - utility player.
" ... The Devil Rays think part of B.J. Upton's
offensive struggles are the result of concern over his defensive problems. So to
lessen his worry, they plan to give him more to do. In addition to Upton playing
shortstop and third, the Rays will have him work at second and in the outfield
this spring to explore the possibility of turning him into a super-utility-type
such as the Angels' Chone Figgins. And they hope he will establish himself as
the impact offensive player he was supposed to be. "I would like to take the
pressure off his defense somewhat. Everything has been about his defense,"
manager Joe Maddon said. "During the last couple of years, it's been all about
being the shortstop of the future, and then you throw him over to third base and
it's about becoming the third baseman of the future. "You know what? Let's come
be a major-league baseball player, hit, and we'll figure out the best spot for
you." (St. Petersburg Times)
10 February, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007.
Troop movements ... NYN - tentative deal with RHP ChanHo Park ...
Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus, puts the wraps on his Top 10s with a
report on the Toronto system where Travis Snider tops Adam Lind
for #1.
" ... Travis Snider ... Best high-school
hitter in this year's draft, with tons of projection and plenty of present
skill. Swing is smooth, fast and powerful, leading to consistent hard contact to
all fields. Excellent plate discipline and pitch recognition ... he's a
slow runner, but a decent outfielder with an OK arm ... Snider's MVP showing in
the Appalachian League was an eye-opener, as while everybody loved his hitting
skills, some believed he would take time to adjust to pro baseball. With that
out of the way, the sky is the limit as Snider makes his full-season debut in
the Midwest League."
" ... . Adam Lind ... Outstanding offensive
prospect who has never hit below .310 at any level while showing constantly
improving power. Lind generates excellent leverage in his short stroke, and is
constantly driving balls into the gap-–or farther ... He's not especially
athletic, and his defense in left is hindered by an inability to read the ball
off of the bat and an initial first step that is often in the wrong direction.
His arm is marginal ... will battle with Reed Johnson in spring training
for the big league left-field job. Between there and filling in for Frank
Thomas, who always needs some time off here and there, Lind should find no
problem getting 300-500 productive at-bats for the Blue Jays."
Koby
Schellenger, at MoundTalk, presents his initial Top 100. Check it out!
1 Young Delmon OF 11 McCutchen Andrew OF
2 Gordon Alex 3B 12 Tulowitzki Troy SS
3 Hughes Phil SP 13 Pelfrey Mike SP
4 Bailey Homer SP 14 Elbert Scott SP
5 Wood Brandon SS 15 Longoria Evan 3B
6 Upton Justin OF 16 Braun Ryan 3B
7 Maybin Cameron OF 17 Young Chris OF
8 Bruce Jay OF 18 Miller Andrew SP
9 Butler Billy OF 19 LaRoche Andy 3B
10 Gallardo Yovanni SP 20 Garza Matt SP
At Project
Prospect, there's a new series underway - ranking the best young guys (under
25 years of age) by position. Catchers first up and no surprise at the top -
Joltin' Joe Mauer and then Brian McCann. But, there's more :
" ... 8. Matt Wieters, NCAA ... hit
.355/.480/.606 as a sophomore at Georgia Tech last season – for comparison, Jeff
Clement hit .293/.416/.515 as a sophomore at USC. And Wieters built upon his
stellar season by hitting .307/.417/.535 in the Cape Cod League. Undoubtedly one
of the top 2007 draft-eligible hitters in the country, Wieters (6-foot-5, 230
pounds) could soar up this list next season if he proves himself defensively and
keeps hitting."
" ... 9. Kurt Suzuki ... Winner of the 2004
Johnny Bench Award (given to the top college catcher), Suzuki, 23, hasn’t proven
to be nearly as lethal as his junior year at Fullerton (.413/.511/.702) led some
to believe, but he should become a solid big leaguer. The Hawaii native hit
.285/.392/.415 in Double-A last season. Expect Suzuki (5-foot-11, 200 pounds) to
be behind the plate in Oakland once Jason Kendall’s contract expires at the end
of 2007."
USA
Today's Sports Weekly is back with its annual 100 Names to Know issue.
This one's geared toward 2007 performance and you might be surprised which 3B
ranks higher - Kevin Kouzmanoff or Alex Gordon. (Gordon shows up
at #33)
" ... He's a legitimate right-handed power bat that
could emerge," Padres general manager Kevin Towers says of Kouzmanoff. He
emerged last season, his first full one as a professional above Class A.
Splitting time between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo, Kouzmanoff combined
to hit .379 with 22 home runs and 75 RBI in 346 at-bats, earning a promotion to
the big club ... Padres farm director Grady Fuson says the 6-foot-1,
210-pound Kouzmanoff is not just a feast-or-famine slugger — "He's got a clue at
the plate" — as Kouzmanoff's .437 on-base percentage in the minors last year
attests. Until they see Kouzmanoff play every day, though, the Padres won't know
exactly what they've got in him. This is a guy the Indians exposed in the Rule 5
draft in December 2005 and who went unclaimed despite his .315 average and 184
RBI in 964 minor league at-bats to that point ... Towers says he expects him to
be "average" in the field. Kouzmanoff, though, considers his fielding a strength
and calls third his natural position. "I see myself as a power-hitting third
baseman who can play defense as well," he says."
" ... The Royals think enough of Gordon that
incumbent third baseman Mark Teahen, who hit .290 with 18 homers last year, is
making plans to play the outfield. "The big thing is I'm going to have an
opportunity to win a spot," says Gordon, who can play first base but isn't
opposed to trying the outfield. "I really don't care where I play as long as I'm
in the big leagues, making a contribution to the team." The Royals won't rush
him. "He's coming in (to spring training) to compete for a job," Moore says.
"The one thing you can't do is create a major league model in the minor
leagues." But after leading the Texas League in slugging percentage (.588),
walks (72) and runs (111) and fashioning a .427 on-base percentage last season,
he might be tough to hold back. Gordon's combination of speed and power is rare
in a player his age."
The top 20 :
1 Matsuzaka Daisuke RHP 11 Hughes Phil RHP
2 Garza Matt RHP 12 Igawa Kei LHP
3 Sowers Jeremy LHP 13 Gorzelanny Tom LHP
4 Drew Stephen SS 14 Quentin Carlos OF
5 Young Chris OF 15 Choo Shin-Soo OF
6 Kouzmanoff Kevin 3B 16 Marte Andy 3B
7 Young Delmon OF 17 Pedroia Dustin 2B/SS
8 Sanchez Jonathan LHP 18 Thorman Scott 1B
9 Casto Kory OF 19 Loney James 1B/OF
10 Tulowitzki Troy SS 20 Kendrick Howie 2B
Over at Replacement Level
Yankees Weblog, Fabian McNally, checks in with the Top 10 in the Yankees'
system.
" ... #1 Phil Hughes ... The only
thing you can wonder about is how well he is going to hold up to a major league
workload. The Yankees had an innings cap of 150 for Hughes last year (he pitched
152, playoffs included) and have the set the cap for this year at 180. This is
interesting to me because it has been speculated in the past that amount of
innings pitched in a year should not be as closely watched as changes in
workload from year to year. If that is the case, Hughes’ jump from 86.1 innings
to 152 innings between 2005 and 2006, may be reason for caution."
" ... Jose Tabata #2 ... How well he is
able to keep his weight under control may be the determining factor in how far
he goes as a big leaguer. At present, Tabata still possesses solid speed and is
surprisingly adept at picking his spots on the bases. Unlike many young hitters,
Tabata does not struggle to get on base as he both hits for average and controls
the strike zone ... While he projects to hit for power in the 30+ home run
range, Tabata has only tapped into a bit of that raw ability ... projects
as a solid or better defender in either OF corner ... two flaws in
Tabata’s prospect profile. The first is his weight, the second is injury history
... came into the year overweight and while he worked his way into shape
as the season progressed he was still wider than you’d like a top hitting
prospect to be at his age ... His build is also going to be a contributor
to this problem as well as inflating the issue. The second concern is injuries.
Over the past few months, Tabata has battled some hand and wrist issues, which
are particularly troublesome ... Yankees are once again claiming Tabata is
fully recovered ... If things work out, Jose has a chance to be a
Kevin Mitchell/Bobby Abreu type and if everything goes right, he may just be
Manny Ramirez."
" ... # 7 Dellin Betances ... rail thin
at 6’7’’ and 185 pounds ... fastball is a four seamer that comes in around
93-95 and has touched all the way up to 98. In addition, Betances has thus far
proven to be a fast learner, as his change-up and curveball have been much
better than expected given his amateur background ... was looking like a
sure-fire first-rounder, but fell precipitously as the draft neared. The primary
reason was his stuff supposedly taking a step back ... During the
2006 GCL season, he looked very much like the guy who deserved to go in the
first round ... Basically, I think when it’s all said and done his first
full year in the system will be more Christan Garcia than it will be Phil Hughes
... has higher flameout potential than just about everyone in the Top 10.
However, his physical talent is also amongst the best in the system."
Phil Hughes, a shot for a 2007 MLN debut :
" ... Hughes spent the offseason working out at the Yankees
spring training complex and has been throwing off a mound the past three weeks
... went 10-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 21 starts with Double-A Trenton after
compiling a 1.80 ERA in five outings at Class A Tampa last year. "He’s a
uniquely talented character," Yankees senior vice president Mark Newman said.
"Anybody that has seen him understands that. There’s a calmness to his demeanor
that should be helpful." The Yankees plan to go slowly with Hughes, who appears
likely to start the season at Triple-A Scranton. "The best circumstance is we
give more time," Newman said. Hughes is projected to pitch around 180 innings
this season, up from 146 last year." (Rocky Mountain News)
At Pending Pinstripes, Mike Axisa, on
Ian Kennedy :
" ... Because he signed somewhat late, Kennedy was only able
to appear in 2 games for the Short Season Staten Island Yanks .... In an
effort to make up for lost time, the Yanks sent Kennedy to the reborn Hawaii
Winter Baseball League, where he went 0-2, 4.45 ERA, 1.45 WHIP in 30.1 IP. His
strikeout rate (13.35 Kper9) was better than that of Joba Chamberlain (10.99,
his more heralded teammate ... has all the all the intangibles. His polish
is remarkable even for a college pitcher coming from a major program, his
baseball acumen and pitching aptitude are valuable assets, and he does an
excellent job of taking to instruction. His command is outstanding, he keeps all
of his pitches in the bottom third of the zone, and he delivers all of his
pitches from the same arm slot with the same arm speed ... . Weaknesses All of
Kennedy’s pitches regressed last year ... has a small frame (generously
listed a 6’0”, 190 lbs) that may not hold up well over a full season ...
He’ll front High-A Tampa’s rotation to start 2007, and a midseason promotion to
Double-A Trenton seems to be a foregone conclusion. If pitching guru Nardi
Contreras can work the same magic with Kennedy that he did with Phil Hughes,
Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances (amongst others), Kennedy will rocket up the
ladder and see some big league time late in 2007."
A hint of things to come in TB :
" ... Manager Joe Maddon seemed to answer one of the biggest
questions of spring training by saying new Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura
will "most likely" play third base. There had been talk of moving Iwamura to
second, which would have displaced Jorge Cantu. With Iwamura at
third, Ty Wigginton seems likely to play first and B.J. Upton
will have to compete for a utility job. Camp opens Feb. 17." (St.
Petersburg Times)
Billy Butler KC, already headed for Triple-A :
" ... there's no chance he'll start the season
in a Kansas City uniform. That's already been decided. "He's going to go to
Omaha," general manager Dayton Moore said. "We're just going to make an advance
decision right now. He's going to go to Omaha and, from there, we'll see."
... get to refine this summer against older and wiser Triple-A pitchers.
He can also work on his defense. "Our guys think he's going to be a solid
average to above-average defensive player at some point in time," Moore said.
"We feel that he's going to be a good defensive player, and that the guy is
going to work at it." (MiLB.com)
At Baseball America, it's the
STL farm report with OF Colby Rasmus atop the chart :
1. Colby Rasmus, of 6. Bryan Anderson, c
2. Jaime Garcia, lhp 7. Adam Ottavino, rhp
3. Chris Perez, rhp 8. Mark McCormick, rhp
4. Blake Hawksworth, rhp 9. Josh Kinney, rhp
5. Jon Jay, of 10. Darryl Jones, of
Translating the Top 100s into position-by-position lists ... the first basemen (and a reminder, the CBS and
Sports Weekly lists are geared to 2007 performance).
Project Prospect Diamond Futures Bryan Smith Johathan Mayo
Sports Illustrated Minor League
Baseball
1 Votto Joey 1B Kaaihue Kala 1B Votto Joey 1B Loney James 1B
2 Loney James 1B Dunlap Cory 1B Loney James 1B Barton Daric 1B
3 Barton Daric 1B Votto Joey 1B Barton Daric 1B
4 Koshansky Joe 1B Loney James 1B
5 Carter Chris 1B Carp Mike 1B
6 Anderson Lars 1B Banks Kyle 1B
7 Lis Erik 1B
Baseball Digest J.P. Schwartz David Luciani Eric Mack
Daily Top Prospect Baseball CBS Sportsline
Alert Notebook
1 Loney James 1B Loney James 1B Kaaihue Kala 1B Loney James 1B
2 Votto Joey 1B Votto Joey 1B Carp Mike 1B Votto Joey 1B
3 Barton Daric 1B Barton Daric 1B Lis Erik 1B Koshansky Joe 1B
4 Duncan Eric 1B Blanks Kyle 1B Barton Daric 1B
5 Huber Justin 1B Barton Daric 1B Huber Justin 1B
6 Carter Chris 1B Votto Joey 1B Broadway Larry 1B
7 Peterson Brock 1B
8 Dunlap Cory 1B
9 Brito Javier 1B
10 Nicolas Cesar 1B
Sickels Koby Schellenger Sports Weekly
Community Mound Talk
1 Loney James 1B Votto Joey 1B Thorman Scott 1B
2 Votto Joey 1B Loney James 1B Loney James 1B
3 Barton Daric 1B Barton Daric 1B Garko Ryan 1B
4 Broadway Larry 1B
5 Barton Daric 1B
6 Morales Kendry 1B
7 McAnulty Paul 1B
8 Votto Joey 1B
09 February, 2007
Troop movements ... OAK - signed OF Shannon Stewart, designated
outfielder Charles Thomas for assignment ...
Suddenly, the TEX system looks depleted.
Kevin
Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus, checks out the crop on the Rangers' farm :
" ... 1. Eric Hurley ... Prototypical
right-handed prospect pitched well at Double-A before his 21st birthday. Long
and lean, Hurley has clean mechanics and effortlessly delivers 92-95 mph
fastballs that can touch 97 when he ratchets it up. His slider is a plus power
breaker with depth and tilt that he can finish in the strike zone or use as a
chase pitch. He has excellent command and poise for his age ... needs to
refine his changeup to give him a more effective arsenal against left-handed
hitters ... He'll begin 2007 back in Double-A, and is in line for a
late-season look in the big leagues."
" ... 2. Edinson Volquez ... Best pure
stuff in the organization, with a 92-95 mph fastball has touched 98 in the past,
and he keeps hitters off balance with a plus-plus changeup that features
excellent arm-action and fade. Curveball is an average offering. He's aggressive
and works quickly ... has struggled with throwing strikes throughout his career
... has tantalized the Rangers for a couple of years now with outstanding
minor league performances and miserable showings in the big leagues. The Rangers
hope this isn't becoming a pattern, and that he'll compete for a big league job
in the spring."
John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall,
features one of his "Prospect Smackdowns", this one comparing the Mets'
Fernando Martinez with the Yankees' Jose Tabata "
" ... Martinez is a career .279/.336/.457
hitter in 315 at-bats ... Tabata is a career .300/.379/.419 hitter in 475
at-bats ... Both players are unusually advanced for their age but still
have some work to do. Tabata has shown better strike zone judgment, but Martinez
has beaten him handily in the SLG department ... Projection
... Martinez projects as a 20-homer hitter at a minimum; he should be a 30+
homer guy if he develops along anything approaching a normal curve. His strike
zone judgment and batting average may be erratic .... projects as an All-Star
right fielder at the major league level .... Tabata doesn't project as
much home run power as Martinez, being more of a 20-25 homer guy at his peak
according to many scouts. However, his batting average and OBP could be more
consistent than Martinez's, and Tabata should keep his running speed longer. He
projects as an All-Star right fielder ... I think Martinez could
have more impact power, but Tabata could be a more balanced contributor ...
overall I think Martinez comes out just a little bit ahead. But it's close, very
close, so close that I ranked Martinez at #17 and Tabata at #18 on my Top 50
hitting prospects list."
Checking out the Top 100s and converting the rankings into position by
position charts. First up, the catchers :
Project Prospect Diamond Futures Bryan Smith
Sports Illustrated
1 Clement Jeff C Fox Jacob C Saltalamacchia Jarr
2 Saltalamacchia Jarr Kottaras George C Walker Neil C
3 Iannetta Chris C Saltalamacchia Jarr Iannetta Chris C
4 Walker Neil C Clement Jeff C
5 Montero Miguel C
6 Conger Hank C
7 Suzuki Kurt C
J.P. Schwartz David Luciani Eric Mack
Top Prospect Baseball CBS Sportsline
Alert Notebook
1 Salatalamacchia Jar Saltalamacchia Jarr Iannetta Chris C
2 Clement Jeff C Salome Angel C Montero Miguel C
3 Walker Neil C Ramirez Maximiliano Mathis Jeff C
4 Iannetta Chris C Towles Justin C Ruiz Carlos C
5 Montero Miguel C Jaso John C Clement Jeff C
6 Anderson Bryan C Saltalamacchia Jarr
7 Fox Jacob C Kottaras George C
8 Iannetta Christophe Flores Jesus C
9 Walker Neil C
Sickels Johathan Mayo Baseball Digest
Community Minor League Daily
Baseball
1 Iannetta Chris C Saltalamacchia Jarr Clement Jeff C
2 Saltalamacchia Jarr Clement Jeff C Iannetta Chris C
3 Clement Jeff C Saltalamacchia Jarr
4 Montero Miguel C Walker Neil C
5 Conger Hank C Suzuki Kurt C
6 Suzuki Kurt C Montero Miguel C
7 Sanchez Gaby C
8 Conger Hank C
O's catching prospect suffers a setback :
" ... Former first-round pick Brandon Snyder,
who is recovering from labrum surgery, won't be catching this year. The Orioles
plan to move him to first base and use him as a designated hitter, wherever he's
assigned, before eventually shifting him back behind the plate. You'd have to
assume that Snyder will play for one of the short-season affiliates, since their
seasons don't start until June and he'll have more time to recover."
(Baltimore Sun)
Nelson Cruz TEX, so far, so good :
" ... His team was dominant in the Caribbean Series
this week, and when he reports to Spring Training with the Rangers next week,
the job in right field is his to lose. Yes, life is good for the 6-foot-3,
225-pounder, a player some believe will be the next big thing out of the
Dominican Republic ... In 2006, he hit .302 with 22 doubles, 20 home runs, 73
RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 104 Minor League games for the Brewers. The Rangers
are hopeful that the trend will continue on the big-league level. Cruz will
share an outfield with Kenny Lofton in center field along with Frank Catalanotto
and Brad Wilkerson in left. "We have a little bit of fluid situation with our
outfield and DH mix," Daniels [general manager Jon Daniels] said. "It's not
locked in stone, but [Cruz] will be playing regularly." (MiLB.com)
08 February, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is handling the Canadian distribution.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book. USA orders also at the same link.
Caribbean Series ... Gregor Blanco CF ATL 3-5, triple ...
Troop movements ... DET - acquired RHP Yorman Bazardo from
SEA for OF Jeff Frazier; designated RHP Preston Larrison
for assignment ...
Baseball America ranks the HOU system and it's Pence and Patton at the top :
1. Hunter Pence, of 6. J.R. Towles, c
2. Troy Patton, lhp 7. Paul Estrada, rhp
3. Matt Albers, rhp 8. Felipe Paulino, rhp
4. Jimmy Barthmaier, rhp 9. Max Sapp, c
5. Juan Gutierrez, rhp 10. Chad Reineke, rhp
It's final. Thanks to Rob Dorsey for keeping me posted on the progress of
the Top 100 in the forum at John
Sickels' Minor League Ball. It's a solid effort by the members of the
forum which goes on for weeks as members vote slot by slot to place the kids in
a Top 100. One caution - if Daisuke Matsuzaka were to be
included he would rank #3, behind Alex Gordon and Delmon Young.
The full list on our 100s page. The top
20 here :
1 Gordon Alex 3B 11 LaRoche Andy 3B
2 Young Delmon OF 12 Tulowitzki Troy SS
3 Hughes Philip RHP 13 Bruce Jay OF
4 Wood Brandon SS 14 Brignac Reid SS
5 Bailey Homer RHP 15 Dukes Elijah OF
6 Butler Billy OF 16 McCutchen Andrew OF
7 Maybin Cameron OF 17 Gonzalez Carlos OF
8 Young Chris OF 18 Miller Adam RHP
9 Upton Justin OF 19 Longoria Evan 3B
10 Garza Matt RHP 20 Lincecum Tim RHP
Ho hum. So what's new?
" ... [General-manager Josh] Byrnes has continued
discussions with Scott Boras, the agent for unsigned first-round pick Max
Scherzer, but the negotiations have not picked up speed. Should Scherzer, a
right-hander out of Missouri, not sign by June 1, the Diamondbacks would receive
the 63rd pick in the 2007 draft as compensation." (Arizona Republic)
Lefty sleeper in the PHI system :
" ... Joshua Outman ... Tenth-round selection in
June 2005 ...14-6 with 2.95 ERA in 27 starts for Lakewood's championship club
... Second among South Atlantic League leaders in strikeouts (161), third in
wins, fifth in ERA ... Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week, three times
... Rated as the sixth-best prospect in the Phillies Minor League system by
Baseball America. Career: Two-year pro with a 16-7 record, 2.92 ERA ... Has 192
strikeouts in 184 2/3 innings, while allowing only 142 hits .. . Scouting
Report: "Has good arm speed. Fastball bores in on right-handed hitters with life
... Changeup has arm side run and sink, runs away from RHH ... Pitches to both
sides of the plate." (MiLB.com)
Some ARZ notes from Baby
Backs : The Next Generation :
" ... Osbek Castillo’s numbers (6-0, 1.04 ERA, 0.75
WHIP, 71/10 K/BB, 12.3 K/9, 1.73 BB/9) scream top pitching prospect, but the
Cuban was 25 years old last year and was expected to dominate at Rookie level
... uses his good control and changing speeds of his variety of pitches
instead of a blazing fastball. Because of his unique situation of having not
pitched competitively the last 2 years after his defection, Castillo remained in
the PL the whole season despite being clearly above the competition. Don’t be
shocked if he starts 2007 in High A Visalia or even Double A Mobile. If he could
repeat his numbers at a higher level, perhaps we will be able to call him a
prospect despite his age."
" ... On the more disappointing side of things, Jason
Neighborgall had another atrocious season. The 3rd round pick of 2005
continued having difficulty controlling his fastball, leading the team in walks
and wild pitches. His numbers are so ghastly that this entry should get an NC-18
rating. The chance of him ever getting it right looks microscopic now."
07 February, 2007
Caribbean Series ... Nelson Cruz TEX 2-3, 3 runs ... Troy Cate STL
5 6 2 1 2 4 ... Jose Capellan MIL 5.1 5 2 1 2 3 ...
Troop movements ... Bruce Chen, with an outstanding Winter season,
finally gets a deal, albeit a minor league deal, with TEX ...
" ... Pitching in Puerto Rico, he had a 0.72 ERA and
held opponents to a .114 batting average during the regular season. Chen, 29,
has pitched in all or parts of nine Major League seasons and had his best year
in 2005 when he was 13-10 with a 3.83 ERA in 34 games, including 32 starts, for
the Orioles."
Kevin Goldstein, Baseball
Prospectus, continues his remarkable season with reports on the SEA and TB
farms.
" ... 1. Adam Jones ... Ultra-toolsy player
who has made significant strides every year in translating his athleticism into
usable baseball skills. Excellent bat speed and rapidly developing power. A plus
runner who covers plenty of ground in the outfield and has one of the best arms
in the minor leagues ... still rough around the edges ... needs to
become a more patient hitter ... an average centerfielder now and should get
better, but needs to work specifically on going back on balls ... Jones has been
rushed through the system, but he's slated for a return engagement at Triple-A
to hone the finer points of his game."
" ... 3. Brandon Morrow ...
a scout's favorite for his raw arm strength, things finally came together in
2006 ... drafted fifth overall ... lives in the 93-96 mph range and
can touch 98-99 several times an outing. He throws a splitter and a slider, as
well as a nicely developing curve that has a chance to become his primary
breaking pitch ... Control was a huge issue for Morrow in his first two
seasons at Cal, and it still rears its ugly head once in a while. Some scouts
see his repertoire as one better suited for closing than starting ... Some
minor arm soreness limited Morrow to just 16 innings in his pro debut, but that
doesn't mean Seattle won't put him on the fast track. He'll likely begin the
year in the Double-A rotation at West Tenn."
" ... 2. Evan Longoria ... the
third overall pick reached Double-A and mashed 18 home runs in 248 at-bats.
Natural power to all fields thanks to strong wrists, and an advanced feel for
recognizing which pitches he can pull. Very good defender at third base who is
athletic enough to play the middle infield in a pinch ... Despite slugging six
home runs in 105 Double-A at-bats, Longoria did struggle at times there, and
will return to Montgomery in 2007."
" ... 3. Reid Brignac ...
After an impressive full-season debut, Brignac lived up to breakout predictions
with a California League MVP campaign, then capped it with a strong late-season
showing at Double-A. In the mold of the modern, big shortstop, Brignac
consistently squares up balls and drives them into both gaps. He has a very good
arm at shortstop, wants to stay there despite defensive concerns, and works as
hard on his glovework as he does on his hitting ... Brignac will return to
Double-A, combining with Longoria to comprise the top left-side infield combo in
the game."
06 February, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is handling the Canadian distribution.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book. USA orders also at the same link.
Not much action for rooks in the Caribbean Series ... Fabio Castro PHI 5
2 0 0 3 4 ...
Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, moves on to the AL Central with his division by
division prospect reports :
CHA " ... 1. Ryan Sweeney ...
Pushed too aggressively practically from the start of his pro career, Sweeney
has yet to put up big numbers at any level. However, with his power finally
starting to emerge, he was surprisingly productive as a 21-year-old in Triple-A
last year ... Also encouraging was that he proved to be adequate when
tried in center field, though right field continues to look like his long-term
home. Sweeney will be a 25-homer guy within a few years and he's going to keep
hitting for average. Assuming that he fails to win the center-field job this
spring, the White Sox will send him back to Triple-A and groom him as a
replacement for Jermaine Dye in 2008."
CHA " ... 6. Nick Masset
... a move to the bullpen at the end of June made a huge difference in his
status as a prospect. He continued to catch the eyes of White Sox scouts while
finishing with 15 saves and a 22/2 K/BB ratio in 20 2/3 innings in the Mexican
Pacific League over the winter and was a key part of the Brandon McCarthy-John
Danks trade in December. Masset's fastball is up to the mid-90s as a reliever
and he can get strikeouts with a hard slider. The White Sox are expected to
carry him as a middle reliever this year, and he could be a setup man or a
closer in time."
CLE " ... 2. Trevor Crowe
... looks like Crowe is the Indians' left fielder of the future. He has the
range to stay in center, but his weak arm might be better suited for left
anyway. On offense, the switch-hitter should possess the on-base skills to be a
leadoff man and he'll supply a fair number of doubles. He's not going to be the
All-Star he might have been as a second baseman, but something resembling
Shannon Stewart's career could be a possibility."
DET " ... 1. Cameron Maybin ....
has already established himself as one of the game's top outfield prospects ...
The only fault to be found with his overall numbers was his strikeout total.
Maybin is a fantastic athlete, and it's only a matter of time until he pushes
Curtis Granderson to a corner. On offense, he has 30-homer potential, though I'm
skeptical he'll possess the on-base skills to develop into a superstar. He'll
have to cut down on the strikeouts to remain a .300 hitter at the highest
levels."
KC " ... 2. Billy Butler
...The 2004 first-round pick is so skilled at making hard contact that he could
contend for batting titles despite his below average speed, and he promises to
hit at least 25 homers per year in the majors. The only thing holding him back
is his complete lack of defensive value. Butler, who was drafted as a third
baseman, has worked hard to make it in the outfield. Still, he's almost
certainly going to be the Royals' long-term DH."
KC " ... 6. Jeff Bianchi
... If you're going to have a lost year, it might as well be at age 19.
Bianchi hit .404/.484/.745 in the Arizona League after being drafted in the
second round in 2005 to quickly become one of the Royals' best prospects.
Shoulder problems prevented him from jumping to full-season ball to start 2006,
and after he rejoined the AZL Royals in late June, he lasted just 12 games
before undergoing surgery. Bianchi probably doesn't have remarkable upside
despite his outstanding numbers to date. He's likely to end up at second, not
shortstop, and the Royals can't hope for more than 15- or 20-homer power. Still,
he's a future regular if he can overcome the injuries."
MIN " ... 4. Glen Perkins
... showed enough in the final 10 days of last season to make the Twins'
postseason roster for the ALDS, but since the team isn't interested in limiting
him to bullpen work again, the 2004 first-round pick is likely to open this
season in the rotation at Triple-A Rochester. Perkins is a polished lefty with
above average command of a high-80s fastball, curve and changeup. The package
should make him a No. 4 starter in time."
Aaron Gleeman puts the wraps on his
MIN Top 40 with the final installment, the top five:
" ... 4. Kevin Slowey ... the
most extreme example of the Twins' penchant for drafting and developing control
pitchers ... what makes Slowey a great prospect is that he's also
able to miss bats, racking up 235 strikeouts over that span. After breezing
through the low minors, Slowey began last season by putting up ridiculous
numbers at high Single-A Fort Myers. In 89.1 innings spread over 14 starts,
Slowey posted a 1.01 ERA and 99-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio ...
Double-A at midseason, where he had a 3.19 ERA, 52-to-13 strikeout-to-walk
ratio, and .223 opponent's batting average in 59.1 innings. A lanky right-hander
with a smooth delivery and pinpoint control ... should be at least an
effective mid-rotation starter, perhaps by midseason, but I'm somewhat skeptical
about his becoming much more than that without improved offspeed stuff."
" ... 2. Chris Parmelee ...
rookie-level Gulf Coast League, where he hit .279/.369/.532 with eight homers
and 19 total extra-base hits in 45 games. Those raw numbers are impressive on
their own, but are jaw-droppingly good for the extremely pitcher-friendly GCL
... does show the kind of massive power potential he possesses. The Twins
don't have the greatest track record when it comes to developing sluggers, but
general manager Terry Ryan and scouting director Mike Radcliff have repeatedly
said that they think Parmelee projects as a middle-of-the-order bat who will hit
for significant power in the majors. He needs to keep the strikeouts in check
and projecting much of anything for a teenager with no experience above
rookie-ball is always iffy, but so far at least Parmelee is on the right track
to stardom."
Koby Schellenger has his new site up and running. Among the entries at
Mound Talk a
piece on rookie pitchers :
" ... Though he barely qualifies as a rookie,
Matt Garza will be an effective fantasy pitcher in 2007 ... ought to be an
effective #4 or #5 on your fantasy team. He isn’t as flashy and doesn’t have the
ace potential that the other guys on this list have, but he’s definitely someone
to consider ... For all the Yankee apologists out there, Philip Hughes
is the guy you’ve been waiting for. His electric stuff combined with his
outstanding performance thus far have vaulted him to near mythological status
among Yankees fans. In truth, he has some work to do. He also has a lot of
potential. That means that if (read: when) a Yankees pitcher goes down with an
injury, Hughes could get his chance to show his stuff in the Big Apple."
Neil Walker PIT, the beginning of the end of his days as a catcher?
" ... Walker is scheduled to be the Curve's catcher,
but that is tentative. The Pirates have told him that they will have him try
third base and the outfield this spring, too, mostly because Ronny Paulino
appears to have the catcher's job in Pittsburgh locked up for years. "I love to
catch, and I feel I'm getting better," Walker said. "But I'm OK with it, too. I
have mixed feelings." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Jason A. Churchill, Prospect
Insider, has another installment of the SEA Top 40 - 21 to 30. (There's a
formatting problem on the page, but no link to an email address to let them
know) :
Michael Wilson " ... stewed in
Rookie ball for two years and didn’t reach the full-season level until his
fourth year as a pro. Early on, there were major concerns about Wilson’s desire,
work ethic and dedication to the game, as well as his ability to properly take
instruction ... now 23, finally started to show something. It’s not enough
to warrant the second-round selection, but the 6-2, 245-pounder is at least
holding his own at the plate these days. Wilson slugged .555 at Inland Empire
last season, forcing the M’s to challenge him in the Texas League where he had
his struggles but remained a power threat, despite issues making contact. He
lacks quality plate discipline and pitch recognition while his bat speed is a
notch about average for a slugger ... holds very little defensive value,
but does possess an above average throwing arm and decent accuracy, making it
likely that any time in the majors would be spent as a part-time player or DH."
04 February, 2007
Caribbean Series ... Puerto Rico 11 Mexico 1 - Juan Gonzalez, yep the
former slugger, 3-5 ... Dominican 9 Mexico 0 - Tony Batista 2-5,
2nd & 3rd homers ... Puerto Rico 6 Venezuela 3 - Juan Gonzalez
2-5
Thanks to Brian DewBerry-Jones and the folks over at Scoresheet-Talk for their
annual poll - ranking the players
position by
position, including the picks as the best of the rooks. Click the link for
all the picks :
NL Rookies AL Rookies
Name Votes Best Worst Score Name Votes Best Worst Score
1 Homer Bailey 24 1 16 518 Alex Gordon 25 1 3 493
2 ChrisB. Young(Ari) 21 1 21 443 Philip Hughes 24 1 12 415
3 Troy Tulowitzki 24 1 19 420 Brandon Wood 22 1 20 371
4 Tim Lincecum 22 1 18 393 Evan Longoria 22 2 16 300
5 Yovani Gallardo 22 1 24 388 Andrew Miller 21 2 17 296
6 Andy LaRoche 24 1 22 353 Billy Butler 23 3 19 296
7 Mike Pelfrey 22 1 22 329 Adam Miller 21 1 19 285
8 Justin Upton 21 2 20 326 Cameron Maybin 22 3 18 247
9 Kevin Kouzmanoff 21 2 23 282 Luke Hochevar 21 4 18 194
10 Ryan Braun(Mil) 19 2 16 278 Adam Lind 18 3 18 187
Some updates on Fall/Winter ball from MILB.com :
LAA " ... SS Erick Aybar ...
finished the regular season with a .321 batting average, 13 runs scored and 12
RBIs in 27 games for the Tigres del Licey."
LAA " ... 1B Kendry Morales .... batted
.324 and led the league with 11 regular-season home runs for the Gigantes del
Cibao. He added four homers in the playoffs."
OAK " ... OF Travis Buck ...
after an injury-filled 2006 campaign, Buck hit .259 with seven RBIs in six games
for the Desert Dogs. He was shut down shortly thereafter, as a lingering abdomen
injury resurfaced."
OAK " ... 1B/DH Daric Barton ...
hit .324 with a .447 on-base percentage in 74 regular-season at-bats for the
Azucareros del Este. The heralded prospect went 2-for-11 with five strikeouts in
three playoff games."
ATL " ... Willy Aybar ... one of
the top offensive performers for the Tigres del Licey in the regular season. He
was third on the team with a .297 average and second with 19 RBIs. In the
postseason, he batted just .235 with two RBIs in 17 at-bats."
MIL " ... Ryan Braun showed that
the future isn't far away. It could be coming as soon as April for Milwaukee's
2005 first-round draft pick ... outstanding Arizona Fall League campaign
that saw him hit .326 with six home runs and 25 RBIs for the Scottsdale
Scorpions. He led the league in doubles (nine) and extra-base hits (16) while
finishing second in homers and slugging percentage (.641) and third in RBIs."
CHN " ... RHP Angel Guzman ...
0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in six regular-season starts for the Navegantes del
Magallanes. He allowed eight runs on 18 hits while fanning 21 and walking four
in 22 2/3 innings. In the playoffs, the 25-year-old right-hander again pitched
well but was unable to get a win. He went 0-1 in two postseason starts, yielding
one run over 7 2/3 innings."
CHN " ... OF Felix Pie ...
Despite a solid season with Triple-A Iowa (.283, 15 homers, 57 RBIs, 17 steals),
Pie struggled for Licey and hit .219 with three stolen bases and 13 RBIs in 32
games."
ARZ " ... OF Carlos Gonzalez ...
finished an outstanding regular season with a .318 batting average, nine home
runs and 41 RBIs in 53 games for Aguilas del Zulia."
LAD " ... RHP Jonathan Meloan
... got plenty of work for the Mesa Solar Sox after logging 52 innings for three
Minor League teams during the 2006 season. The right-hander was 2-0 with a 1.96
ERA and one save in 14 games."
SEA " ... C Jeff Clement ...
former first-round pick struggled with the BeachBoys, hitting .189 with two
homers, four runs scored and three RBIs in 21 games."
BAL " ... Radhames Liz, RHP ...
went 0-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 26 innings with the Estrellas de Oriente. Opponents
hit just .187 average off the 23-year-old righty, who walked 15 and struck out
32."
BOS " ... Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
... former first-round pick batted .276 with 18 runs scored, three RBIs
and seven stolen bases in 25 games for the Peoria Javelinas."
KC " ... RHP Luke Hochevar ...
former top overall draft pick made three AFL starts before a shoulder strain
ended his stint in the desert. Over 8 1/3 innings, he surrendered eight earned
runs for an 8.64 ERA."
NYA " ... RHP Ian Kennedy ...
time in Hawaii didn't go as smoothly as his first couple of professional starts
in Staten Island. He went 0-2 with a 4.45 ERA but did show off a power arm. The
2006 first-round draft pick struck out 45 batters over 30 1/3 innings, compared
to 11 walks."
03 February, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is handling the Canadian distribution.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book.
Oh what a start to the 2007 Caribbean Series ... 18 innings ... Dominican
scored a pair in the bottom of the 18th to shade Venezuela 4-3 ...
Troop movements ... PIT - signed RHP Tony Armas Jr., designated RHP
Franquelis Osoria for assignment ... SF - announced the
retirement of C Mike Matheny ... among the kids invited to spring
training - Hunter Pence and Troy Patton HOU, Reid
Brignac
and Andy Sonnanstine
TB ... SEA - designated RHP Yorman Bazardo for assignment ... COL -
released outfielder Choo Freeman ... LAD - sold the contract of
infielder Oscar Robles to the Mexico City Red Dogs ...
Nate
Silver, Baseball Prospectus, has kicked off a series on the best of the
rookies, by position, based on BP's own projection system, PECOTA. A lengthy
explanation of the rating system preceded the first ranking, the catchers :
" ... PECOTA didn’t like Chris Iannetta much
at all last year, seeing him as an “empty walks” player who wouldn’t hit for
enough power against tougher competition, causing his OBP to deteriorate as
pitchers quit working around him. But he zoomed all the way from Double-A to the
majors last season, hitting plenty at every level, and he’s now one of the
better prospects in the game ... I’m not quite sure why he doesn’t get
more attention; he’s two years older than Troy Tulowitzki, but has significantly
out-hit him at every level he’s played at so far, and catchers with good bats
are even harder to find than shortstops with good bats. Sometimes players who
split their season evenly between two or three levels can get lost in the
shuffle. My gut is that PECOTA is a wee bit high on him, but he’s a great guy to
have in a fantasy league or a Rookie of the Year pool."
Baseball
America rates the MIL farm with Yovani topping Ryan for the top slot :
1. Yovani Gallardo, rhp 6. Lorenzo Cain, of
2. Ryan Braun, 3b 7.
Steve Hammond, lhp
3. Will Inman, rhp 8. Cole
Gillespie, of
4. Jeremy Jeffress, rhp 9. Alcides Escobar, ss
5. Mark Rogers, rhp 10. Mat Gamel, 3b
Aaron Gleeman leaves just the top
five as he posts another edition of his MIN Top 40:
" ... 10. Alexander Smit ... A
6-foot-3 left-hander, Smit annihilated rookie-ball during his first two seasons,
posting a 1.76 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 66.1 combined innings. He moved up to
low Single-A Beloit in 2005 and fell apart, going 1-9 with a 5.98 ERA in 14
starts before a demotion back to rookie-level Elizabethton, where he got back on
track with a 1.97 ERA in 45.2 innings out of the bullpen. Smit stayed in the
bullpen and took his second crack at Beloit last season, but inconsistent
mechanics continued to doom him as he walked 20 batters in 34.1 innings while
posting a 4.19 ERA. After reportedly working extensively with the Beloit
coaching staff to correct his problems, Smit's mechanics were eventually fixed
and he moved back into the starting rotation in mid-June, going 5-1 with a 2.43
ERA and 98-to-33 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 74 innings to end the season. Smit's
control has come and gone, and he's had some very hittable stretches, but the
one constant has been the ability to rack up huge strikeout totals. ...
an extremely good prospect despite some struggles thus far. If he can keep the
mechanics in line, Smit's upside is huge."
" ... 6. Alexi Casilla ... batted
.318/.385/.398 with 50 steals in 123 games between high Single-A and Double-A
before making his major-league debut in September. A speedy switch-hitter who
controls the strike zone and slaps the ball around, Casilla is as close to a
Luis Castillo clone as you'll find offensively. Defensively he's more like a
Rafael Furcal clone, with the ability to play shortstop and a rocket arm that
explodes out of his diminutive frame from an exaggerated delivery ... eventual
home may be as the replacement for Castillo at second base ...
figures to begin this season at Triple-A, but will be first in line should
Bartlett or Castillo suffer a major injury and is set up perfectly to step into
the lineup when Castillo leaves via free agency next winter."
More top prospects in line for some spring training time with the big club :
" ... Outfielder Hunter Pence and left-hander
Troy Patton ... are not expected to make the club out of
Spring Training, but they will participate in big-league camp this year ...
Pence batted .283 with 28 home runs and 95 RBIs in 136 games with Double-A
Corpus Christi. The 23-year-old was a midseason and postseason Texas League
All-Star ... Patton ended the season with Corpus Christi, going 2-5 with a
4.37 ERA in eight starts after a promotion from Class A Advanced Salem. In 19
Carolina League starts, the 21-year-old was 7-7 with one complete game and a
2.93 ERA." (MiLB.com)
" ... Spring invitations were also extended to
shortstop Reid Brignac and right-hander Andy Sonnanstine,
the 2006 organization player and pitcher of the year; and outfielder Fernando
Perez, the Class A Visalia Oaks' player of the year. Brignac won Rookie of the
Year and Most Valuable Player honors in the California League in 2006 after
hitting .326 with 21 home runs and 83 RBIs in 100 games. He ended the season
with Double-A Montgomery. Sonnanstine helped pitch the Biscuits to the Southern
League championship, going 15-8 with four complete games and a 2.67 ERA in 28
starts."
01 February, 2007
Annual annoyance ... shouldn't folks who get paid to do radio and television be able to
pronounce the name of the month after January?
Updates to Top 10s and
Top 100s ...
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is going to handle the Canadian distribution after all.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book.
Troop movements ... just some minor league deals with spring training invites
... Sammy Sosa with TEX, Victor Zambrano TOR, Ruben
Sierra NYN and Junior
Spivey CHA ... and the official signings of David Wells
SD and Barry Bonds SF ...
A bit different look to a Top 100 at
CBS Sportsline.
This one by Eric Mack is geared toward the 2007 season thus some relatively low
(or no) rankings for some top, but far away, prospects. At the top though
not much to promote quibbling.
1 Delmon Young, TB 21 RF ... should break
20-20, but we still see a future 30-30 man ... 2 Daisuke
Matsuzaka, BOS 26 RH SP ... Hype will likely have him overrated, but
he has big-time potential ... 3 Alex Gordon, KC 23 3B ...
Royals say they will give him a shot this spring, can we trust them? ... 4
Chris B. Young , ARI 23 CF ... Triple-A numbers didn't match hype, but
still have to be intrigued."
USA Today has
wrapped up its team-by-team reports, including rookie sections.
STL " ... Colby Rasmus ... Cardinals view their
former No. 1 pick as a potential star. He's a five-tool player who performed
well in his first full professional season. He batted .310 with 11 homers and 50
RBI in 78 games at Class A Quad Cities, stealing 17 bases. The Cardinals had no
choice but to promote the 20-year-old. He hit .254 at Class A Palm Beach with
five homers and 35 RBI in 53 games and stole 11 bases. He has speed, power and
has fabulous defensive skills."
DET " ... Cameron Maybin ... 20 in April,
was perhaps the best outfield prospect in the low-A Midwest League in 2006. He
hit .304 with six triples, 20 doubles, nine home runs and 27 steals at West
Michigan ... Tigers say they expect Maybin to turn into a power threat as he
matures. They like his ability to adjust as well as his speed and instincts. He
also has a strong arm and will likely play in center or right field when he
makes the Tigers' roster, which should be in the next couple of years. Maybin
can hit at the top or the middle of the order, and the only negative is that he
had too many strikeouts (116 in 385 at-bats)."
NYN " ... Mike Pelfrey ... could be the
next big thing in New York. At 6-7 and 210 pounds and with an enormous amount of
upside, he has already been called a right-handed Randy Johnson ...
pitched on four levels last year, going 2-1 in four starts for the parent club.
In the minors he was 7-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 96⅓ innings. His
fastball consistently resides in the 93- to 96-mph neighborhood, and he has
enough confidence in his offspeed pitches to throw them at anytime in the
count."
NYN " ... Fernando Martinez ... 6-0,
185-pound 18-year-old is a pure hitter from the left side. In his first pro
season, he hit a combined .279 on three levels, including .333 in 45 games at
low-A Hagerstown ... played in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .253
in 25 games for Mesa and made the AFL's All-Prospects Team. Martinez has played
center field but might move to right."
OAK " ... Travis Buck ... Just listen to
A's general manager Billy Beane rave about Buck, 23, and you'll understand why
he's the organization's No. 1 prospect. "He can just flat-out hit," Beane says.
"He's a doubles machine. And as he gets older, he's going to get stronger. He's
just a phone call away." ... has batted .328 with an on-base percentage of
close to .400 as a professional. He has 53 doubles in 497 pro at-bats and was
leading the minor leagues with 39 doubles last year when a hernia injury ended
his season. Buck, who likely will open 2007 season at Triple-A Sacramento, could
find himself in the big leagues by the season's conclusion. He has quick hands
and outstanding bat speed. He uses the whole field as well as anyone in the
minors and projects to be a .300 hitter in the majors."
Baseball
America moves on to the best of the PIT farm and the Top 10 has just a
couple of widely recognized names.
1. Andrew McCutchen, of 6. Steven Pearce, 1b
2. Neil Walker, c 7. Brian Bixler, ss
3. Brad Lincoln, rhp 8. Brad Corley, of
4. Yoslan Herrera, rhp 9. Todd Redmond, rhp
5. Josh Sharpless, rhp 10. Mike Felix, lhp
30 January, 2007
Troop movements ... BAL - claimed RHP Jeremy Guthrie off waivers
from CLE, designated Marino Salas for assignment ... LAD - signed
RHP Chin-hui Tsao ... SF - officially re-signed Barry
Bonds ... SEA - signed RHP Jeff Weaver .. STL - signed OF
Preston Wilson, designated C Michel Hernandez for
assignment ...
Kevin
Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus, hangs in with Daric Barton as the top dog in
the OAK system :
" ... 1. Daric Barton ... gifted
natural hitter was holding his own as a 20-year-old at Triple-A before breaking
a bone in his elbow in a freak collision on a pickoff throw. Both his approach
and his pitch recognition are above-average on a major-league level, and he can
make contact on pitches of any type in any location. ... work ethic on
aspects of his game other than hitting has come into question at times ...
is still just 21 years old. He'll likely make his big league debut at the end of
the year and compete for a full-time job in 2008."
" ... 3. Kurt Suzuki ... took big steps
forward both offensively and behind the plate in 2006. Good contact skills and a
patient approach should allow Suzuki to put up some nifty on-base percentages at
the big league level. He did an excellent job in cutting down the running game
last year, nailing nearly half of opposing base stealers ... He's made
great strides in his game calling but still needs to work on handling a pitching
staff. His power is limited ... A's have one year left to deal with Jason
Kendall's contract, leaving Suzuki ready to ease into the role in 2008."
At
Project Prospect, Corey Nosker provides an early look at the June draft
picking a college catcher as the best of the lot :
" ... 1 Matt Wieters C The only question is
whether or not he'll be a catcher long term ... 6'5/230 Georgia Tech."
" ... 2 David Price LHP Two above-average
pitches in fastball/slider; improving changeup L-L 6'5/215 Vanderbilt."
Jim
Callis, at Baseball America, goes Price then Wieters.
Andrew Brackman, North Carolina State right-hander is third on both
lists.
Baseball Amercia, even takes a shot at the 2008
picks going with third baseman Pedro Alvarez of Valderbilt as a
likely No. 1 pick. Second basemen Jemile Weeks was ranked at
No. 4.
29 January, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is going to handle the Canadian distribution after all.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book.
Matthew
Pouliot, Executive Editor of RotoWorld.com, continues with his Top 10s with
a look at the clubs in the NL East.
ATL " ... 4. Elvis Andrus ... got to play full-season ball as a 17-year-old last season. He
didn't do anything more than hold his own, but he didn't need to at his age.
Andrus has all of the tools to excel offensively and defensively. He'll hit for
average and maybe display 20-25 homer power as he matures. He should also have
little difficulty remaining at shortstop. A return to Rome is likely to begin
this year. He could spend another season there and one each at all of the higher
levels and still reach the majors at age 22."
ATL " ... 6. Brent Lillibridge
... Pirates could have been a bit more
aggressive with Lillibridge after making him a 2005 fourth-round pick ... spent too much of the year as the class of the
South Atlantic League before moving up at the end of June ... has the on-base ability and speed to become a leadoff hitter and may
have enough range to stay at short, though he'd also be an intriguing option in
center field. His power may not hold up so well at higher levels, but that
wouldn't necessarily prevent him from establishing himself as a solid regular."
FLO " ... 1. Gaby Hernandez ... Marlins lack a true No. 1 prospect entering 2007.
I'm going with Hernandez first here, though he'll be found in the bottom half of
the top 150 next month ... His moving low-90s fastball,
curveball and changeup should all become solid major league pitches -- though he
has further to go with the curve than with the changeup -- and since he
possesses very good command for someone so young, he projects as a future No. 3
starter."
NYN " ... 1. Mike Pelfrey ... mid-90s fastball is a big-time weapon, but
he's still working on the rest of his craft. The curveball that he used
extensively at Wichita State appears to be on the way out in favor of his
slider, and his changeup remains a problem. He's a terrific prospect anyway,
mostly because his fastball is so tough to hit, but a couple of more months in
the minors would do him some good."
NYN ... 4. Carlos Gomez ...
covers a lot of ground in center and has the arm to play right. His power is
starting to develop, and he's made a lot of progress as a basestealer, getting
caught just nine times last year after being thrown out 24 times in 88 tries in
2005. He's going to have to do a better job of handling breaking balls in order
to succeed in the majors, and it's possible he'll always flail away too often to
become a quality regular. Still, there's a lot of potential here."
PHI " ... 2. Carlos Carrasco ...
finished third in the Sally League in both ERA and strikeouts. He went seven
innings in a combined no-hitter on Aug. 13 ... throws 92-94 mph with regularity and displays a plus
changeup. If he gains consistency with his curve, he could begin to move quickly
this year."
PHI " ... 4. Kyle Drabek ... Sons of former major leaguers usually get high points for
makeup, the result of growing up around the game. Drabek, though, had his draft
stock knocked down by concerns about his off-field behavior. He ended up going
18th overall to the Phillies, and he didn't make teams regret passing on him
with his performance after signing. Drabek, who also could have been a high pick
as a shortstop, throws 94-97 mph and shows a hard slider. His changeup has
potential. If he dedicates himself and stays injury-free, he could turn into an
ace. That seems like quite a long shot, though."
WAS " ... 1. Kory Casto ... doesn't offer the upside a team wants from its
top prospect, but he's nearly ready now and he seems likely to have a career as
a corner outfielder ... made the switch from third base to left field
at the end of the June. He should possess enough range to be an average defender
in time. Casto will have to be a platoon player initially. The left-handed
hitter batted .303/.405/.541 against righties in Double-A last year. He was at
.189 against lefties. Casto is expected to have a chance to compete for a
starting job this spring, though he shouldn't beat out Ryan Church if Church is
still around."
The Yankee farm - eight right-handers, a rightfielder and a shortstop.
Kevin
Goldstein outlines the goodies at Baseball Prospectus :
" ... 1. Philip Hughes ... The total package, making him the best pitching
prospect in the game. His 92-96 mph fastball has good movement to go along with
outstanding location, and his hard curveball gives him a second
major-league-quality out pitch. His change-up is at least average, and has nice
fade and deception. His size is ideal and his mechanics are nearly flawless ... yet to prove that he can hold up
under a full-season workload, although he was as dominant as ever at the end of
the year ... No matter what happens in March, he should be up before the All-Star
break."
" ... 3. Joba Chamberlain ... already looking like a draft-day steal. Chamberlain blew away scouts
in the Hawaiian Winter League, pumping out mid-90s fastballs and plus sliders.
He's a big-bodied power pitcher with the much-desired combination of plus stuff
and plus command ... at times borders between big-bodied and
fat, and conditioning will always be an issue ... After dealing with
tendonitis during the college season, Chamberlain showed, in Hawaii, what he's
capable of when fully healthy. He'll begin the year in Tampa and will be moved
to Double-A once the weather warms up."
Seems like
Baseball America has been gone for months. Back now with more Top 10s.
The CIN system featured.
1. Homer Bailey, rhp 6. Travis Woods, lhp
2. Jay Bruce, of 7. Sean Watson, rhp
3. Joey Votto, 1b 8. Milton Loo, ss
4. Johnny Cueto, rhp 9. Paul Janish, ss
5. Drew Stubbs, of 10. Chris Valaika, ss
A good review of the HOU system at
orangewhoopass.com. Not a lot of depth, but the first few on the 2007
prospect chart look solid :
" ... 1. Hunter Pence ... was the rock in the Texas League Champion Hooks lineup. He
had an up and down year at the plate though, starting the season red hot, then
slumping badly, then finishing the season with a .283 average ... .357 on-base percentage and a .533 slugging percentage
... spent nearly the entire
season in right field. We already know he has good speed, but Hunter improved
his work on reading the ball off the bat and getting better jumps. His arm
strength has improved and could be adequate at the major league level ... Pence should be manning right field for the Round Rock
Express to start the 2007 season ... may see action in center at Round
Rock as well. He needs to show he can hit against more mature and experienced
pitchers at the AAA level."
" ... 2. Troy Patton ... remains the Astros top lefty and justified
that with a very good 2006 season. He spent the first 2/3 of the season at
Salem. There he threw 101 1/3 innings, registering a 2.93 ERA and 102
strikeouts. He gave up 92 hits and 37 walks ... elevated to AA in July. AA proved to be a
bit more of a challenge ... finished with a Texas League ERA of 4.37 ... In 2006 Patton showed an alarming
propensity to give up fly balls relative to ground balls. We’d like to see him
improve his ability to induce ground outs more regularly. He needs to continue
to mature, show continued durability, and maintain consistency with his pitches
over the course of the season. We expect him to begin the 2007 season at Corpus
Christi unless he has a monster spring training."
Josh Fields CHA ready, whether it's 3B or the OF :
" ... I've been doing both, taking ground balls and
fly balls, not knowing where I'm going to be," said Fields ... "I'll
continue doing the same until Spring Training starts, and they tell me I'll be
spending most of my time here or there ... For the past month, Fields has been
training at a facility called Saddlebrook in Tampa, Fla., and plans to return
there for a few more weeks after his first appearance at SoxFest is complete.
Fields has focused on speed training and power lifting, while continuing his
work on individual baseball skills. Coming into Spring Training physically
prepared, as well as from a baseball standpoint, currently has Fields' full
attention. "Once I get to Spring Training, I'll be ready to go every single
day," Fields said. "He's in the mix in the outfield, just because he's a
right-handed bat," added Guillen of Fields. "I like what I see from Fields and
Sweeney late last year. I don't know if it's too early to take those kids right
now, but they showed me they can handle this in a winning situation. It's
different to just play in the big leagues and play with a team that has to win,
or is supposed to win." (MiLB.com)
Maybe it's his time.
" ... [General Manager Ken] Williams said
newly acquired Gavin Floyd would have the inside track on the fifth spot
in the Sox's rotation if he "comes in throwing like he [did] in the [Arizona]
Fall League." (Chicago Tribune)
As Aaron Gleeman moves up his MIN
Top 40, a few interesting names begin to appear, including first baseman Erik
Lis :
" ... 15. Erik Lis ... moved up to low Single-A Beloit in 2006 and
absolutely destroyed the Midwest League ... leading the MWL in batting average (.326), on-base percentage (.402), and
slugging percentage (.547) ... a much-improved 83-to-51
strikeout-to-walk ratio in 105 games. The MWL hit a combined .253/.325/.365 in
2006, meaning it was an extremely pitcher-friendly environment, which makes Lis'
numbers there even more impressive ... Of course, as a 22-year-old
former college star he was supposed to dominate low Single-A. The big test will
come this year, when Lis either holds his own at high Single-A and makes it to
Double-A during the second half of his age-23 season or becomes just another guy
who beat up on young pitching to begin his career."
At Prospect Insider, Jason A.
Churchill, takes on the task of a SEA Top 50 ! Even down near the
bottom, there's some pretty fair arms :
" ... Doug Fister, RHP .. the Mariners’ 7th rounder last June after being a sixth rounder in
2005 and was impressive in his pro debut in short-season Everett last summer.
The 6-foot-8 righthander regularly touches the low-90s with his fastball – and
there may be more in his four-seamer, particularly if he is moved to the bullpen
somewhere on his way up the ladder ... has above-average command of his fastball and an
above-average slider that should get better in 2007 when he begins his first
full-season campaign in the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers rotation. He’ll need to
continue to keep the ball down in the zone, which is what he did in Everett as
he posted a 1.72 G/F ratio – rates that could lead to success in the upper
levels. Fister could ultimately be a big-league reliever and has the stuff to
back it up."
" ... Andrew Baldwin, RHP ... came over in the Jamie Moyer deal with Phildelphia and did nothing but
show he belonged in the rotation at Inland Empire, posting strong numbers in all
areas, including a 13-2 K/BB ratio and more than seven frames per start.
Baldwin, 23, uses a four-seam fastball in the 87-90 mph range, a curve ball, a
slider and a change-up that may be his best pitch at times, and his command is
above average with all four pitches. His fastball has room to gain velocity
behind his 6-5 frame ... . future is likely as a No. 5 starter or long reliever, but he is a candidate for
the Diamond Jaxx starting rotation to start 2007."
27 January, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is going to handle the Canadian distribution after all.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book.
Playoffs ... Gregor Blanco ATL OF 3-6, .300 ... Alex Romero
ARZ 2-3, triple, 2 walks, .500 ... Edwin Encarnacion 3B CIN 5-5,
3rd homer, .375 ...
Troop movements ... BOS - finally it's official, signed OF JD Drew
... NYA - signed INF Miguel Cairo, designated RHP Matt
DeSalvo for assignment ... CHN - released Glendon Rusch ...
CHA -signed OF Darin Erstad ... TOR - signed RHP Tomo
Ohka, sent INF Ray Olmedo and INF Ryan Roberts
outright to Triple-A ... NYA - designated RHP Jason Standridge for
assignment ...
David Luciani, Baseball Notebook Newsletter has his annual Top
100, again sure to promote lots of comment:
" ... Basically, the prospect list attempts to rank,
in order, the players who will have the most productive and longest big league
careers. So, the projected prime of a player is not necessarily paramount as
there are players who can and will have shorter careers but who aren't projected
to stick around long enough to be worthy of top prospect status compared to
others who, while possibly not peaking as high, are projected to have ten or
even fifteen year careers in the majors. Also, the list does not necessarily
represent near-term future value and many of these prospects are projected to
remain in the minors for the next several years, at least."
" ... 1. Bruce, Jay ...
While he is neither the top ranked power prospect nor will he hit over .300
every year, he projects to have an outstanding and extremely long and productive
career. In terms of production (as opposed to style), he's sort of a David
Wright type player, though much further from his prime than most prospects in
this edition. He won't even turn twenty until April and he's already holding his
own at Single-A. Remember his name."
" ... 3. Butler, Billy ... he
hasn't even developed his full power yet and his contact rate improved
significantly in 2006, even as he spent his first full year at the more
competitive Double-A ranks. He probably needs a full year at Triple-A and his
projected prime is still quite far into the future."
" ... 12. Adenhart, Nicholas ...
Where Philip Hughes will be an obvious #1 pitcher in our rankings, Adenhart will
likely fall into the surprise slot of being the second-ranked pitcher. Though he
was selected in only the 14th round of the 2004 draft, it was because of injury
that he fell so far and before that, most were expecting him to be a first round
pick. He still needs about three or four years in the minors."
" ... 14. Young, Delmon .. the
lowest we've ranked him in a while, though being in the top fifteen prospects is
nothing to sneeze at. He falls a little from his previous lofty rankings because
he actually had a bit of trouble at Triple-A, both off the field when he got
himself suspended for throwing a bat at an umpire, and on the field too.
Regardless, he remains among the top prospects in the game and he'll now get an
immediate chance to prove himself in the majors."
" ... 36. Gordon, Alex ... will
likely be this year's player who is perceived as being snubbed because we've
ranked him at "only" #36 among several thousand prospects. As good as he was at
Double-A Wichita, he's a little older than you might expect (already turning
twenty-three in February). Still, he projects as a good power hitter with some
speed but the average simply doesn't translate to the majors, which is why he's
a little lower here than most other sources will list him."
Michael Laureano,
Diamond Futures, is
sure to stir up some prospect talk with his 2007 Top 100. As usual, some
unusual picks, including Kevin Slowey at No. 1. Here's the Top 10 :
1. Slowey Kevin SP 6. Quinowski David RP
2. Hughes Phil SP 7. Gallardo Yovani SP
3. Inman William SP 8. Erbe Brandon SP
4. Weaver Jered SP 9. Dunlap Cory 1B
5. Kaaihue Kala 1B 10. Bruce Jay OF
At Fantasy Baseball Cafe,
Tim Grassey, takes a crack at a Top 100. 91-100 posted :
" ... 94. Jonathan Meloan ...
twenty-two-year-old right-hander struck out 91 batters in only 52 innings across
three levels for the Dodgers last year. He finished his dominating season in AA,
where he struck out 23 in 10 2/3. Taken in the fifth round in 2005, Meloan could
see some time in the Dodgers bullpen in 2007."
" ... 99. Sean West ... fastball
can reach the mid 90s, but his changeup is probably his best pitch. He
compliments his fastball/changeup combo with a slider ... one of the
better left-handers in the minors, and could break out in 2007."
Project Prospect
selects the Top 25 rooks for 2007 (and maybe a touch into 2008).
" ... 1 Daisuke Matsuzaka ... Instant No. 2,
he's the least risky pitching "prospect" in the game."
" ... 4 Chris Young ... He'll go 15/15
in the bigs next season but he may not hit over .275."
" ... 10 Andy LaRoche ... Healthy and
ready for a '07 MLB job, hit .315/.410/.514 in '06; ROY darkhorse."
" ... 19 Ryan Braun ... Future star
turned it on in the second half of '06; may be ready for bigs by June"
Lefty David Price, Vanderbilt, remains #1 as
Baseball America wraps up its
annual college preview. Catcher Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech, is
ranked as the runner-up.
The MIN system is a topic for
Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus :
" ... 3. Chris Parmelee ... Considered
one of the best high school power prospects in the draft, Parmelee surprised
even the Twins with his quick ability to transform his plus-plus raw power into
game power. Smooth swing mechanics, natural loft and a mature ability to
recognize pitches he can drive instantly makes him the top offensive prospect in
the system ... He's not especially athletic and is a pretty bad outfielder
... becomes the system's next hope at developing an impact bat to join
Mauer and Morneau."
" ... 4. Kevin Slowey ... The best
command-and-control artist in the minors, as evidenced by a strikeout-to-walk
ratio of greater than 7-to-1. Has the ability to place his 88-91 mph rising
fastball with laser-guided precision, while also keeping batters off balance by
taking a bit off of it without any change in movement or location. Mixes in a
curveball and changeup ... pure stuff is middle-of-the-road ... has little room
for projection, but also has little room for a big league job in 2007. He'll
likely start the year at Triple-A, but should make his big-league debut at some
point in the season."
Jim Callis,
Baseball America, on Yusmeiro Petit FLO :
" ... His changeup is his lone plus pitch and
his 88-91 mph fastball plays up because of its life and his command, but his
arsenal is pretty ordinary and he his deception hasn't worked against
lefthanders at the upper levels. Last year he was so-so at Triple-A Albuquerque
and horrible in Florida, where his 9.57 ERA was the highest of any pitcher in
the majors last year who worked at least as many innings as he did (26). He's
still just 22, so Petit has time to make adjustments. But he's not currently at
the forefront of the Marlins' plans, and he needs to prove himself in Triple-A
before getting another shot at the big leagues."
Josh Hamilton to get an opportunity in CIN :
" ... "It's been a lot of fun watching him," Narron
[manager Jerry Narron] said. "He's a tremendous athlete. He's got great bat
speed. The one thing that's really hurt him is he hasn't played the last couple
of years. It's going to be a huge adjustment for him and hopefully he makes our
ballclub." Narron said his plan is to play Hamilton nearly every day and get him
about 80-100 at-bats in the spring, no matter how he does. He'll also play him
in all three outfield positions. "There are very few players in the major
leagues with the kind of talent he has," Narron said. "But when you haven't
played above (Class) A ball, it's a huge challenge for him."
(Cincinnati Post)
Keith
Law, at ESPN, reviews the Yankee farm :
" ... What sets the Yankees' system apart from
most others is the presence of two of the 10 best prospects in baseball ...
The first of these two is right-handed pitcher Philip Hughes, who should
show up in the Bronx in the first half of this season ... has two
consistent plus-plus pitches in a 93-95 mph fastball with fair sink, and a
12-to-6 curveball, and he has a promising changeup as well. Hughes pounds the
strike zone and his command made some strides late in the 2006 season ...
Hughes' hitting counterpart on the Yanks' prospect depth chart is teenaged
center fielder Jose Tabata, who spent all of 2006 in the full-season
Sally League ... has an outstanding package of tools, but also has a
degree of baseball acumen not often seen in players so young. He has a quick bat
with developing power and good command of the strike zone. He has good instincts
in center, with a plus arm that will allow him to move to right if he outgrows
center."
Bryan Smith, at Baseball Analysts,
answering questions on his Top 75 :
" ... I agonized the most over the ranking of: the
three 18-year-old star prospects. Fernando Martinez, Jose
Tabata and Elvis Andrus ... All of them have the talent to
rise to the top of my list one day, but each is so likely to bust out at some
point. These players, high on star power and attrition, are always the hardest
to rank. With these three, I was changing their rankings constantly, trying to
find something that worked for me. Ultimately, F-Mart's good showing in the AFL
proved to me his power was real, and his good showing in that left him atop the
group of three. Still, I really like Tabata, so I knew he couldn't be far
behind. If he rises to my top 10 next season, don't consider me surprised. The
hardest to rank of this group was Elvis Andrus, who struggled a bit offensively,
as he isn't nearly as strong at these other two players. Still, Andrus could be
a very good defensive shortstop and still learn to be an offensive force, a
combination which should leave Braves fans drooling."
" ... They [Adam Lind, Travis Snider
TOR] are neck and neck. Lind is a favorite prospect of mine, a breakout player I
targeted last year whose pure bat proved to have some big power in it. I also am
a big Snider fan ... These guys are both really good prospects, but I do
think Snider could just be more of an offensive force in the Major Leagues. I
likened Lind's offensive profile to Carlos Lee, but I think Snider can be above
that, even if his size does worry me a bit. Another factor, which we shouldn't
overlook, is that Snider will probably reach the Major Leagues at the age of 21
or 22, long before the age Lind will be during his 2007 rookie season."
Oh oh.
" ... Right-hander Anibal Sanchez had a
precautionary MRI on his right shoulder Monday after feeling discomfort while
throwing in his native Venezuela. The MRI showed no structural damage, but
Sanchez was diagnosed with inflammation and tendinitis. He will not throw for
two weeks and will undergo another MRI on Feb. 5. Sanchez is expected to be
eased into his spring training routine after pitchers and catchers report Feb.
17." (Palm Beach Post)
Aaron Gleeman, is up to #16 on his
MIN Top 40 ... almost time to start paying attention. One name of interest
:
" ... 18. Alex Romero ...
quietly put up solid numbers in his first three pro seasons before hitting
.301/.354/.458 with 48 extra-base hits in 139 games at Double-A in 2005.
Promoted to Triple-A for the first time, Romero struggled to begin last season
and was quickly dropped back to New Britain, where he batted .281/.384/.461 in
48 games ... Twins attempted to pass Romero through waivers .... claimed
by the Diamondbacks ... doesn't profile as a superstar, but has a chance
to develop into a capable starting corner outfielder or a quality fourth
outfielder."
Chris Bracke,
RotoTimes, with some thoughts on LAD rookies for this season:
" ... If [Wilson Betemit] doesn't iron out the holes
in his game, he could be pressured for playing time by top prospect Andy
LaRoche ... LaRoche has a reasonable shot to earn at bats this season and
the opportunity could come early ... a versatile player who's only below average
tool is his speed. He has a quick bat and his compact swing that generates
plenty of power—a trait that should continue to improve with more at bats. He
underwent surgery on a torn labrum in his left shoulder in October, but the team
expects him to be full strength for spring training ... Another prospect
who could be contributing by the end of the season is left-handed pitcher
Scott Elbert. Elbert's size and skills are very similar to
Billingsley, but the key difference is he's a southpaw. He takes an aggressive
approach on the mound, and once he gains some consistency with his breaking
pitches, he'll make the jump to the majors. Unless he displays overwhelming
progress this spring, it's likely that he won't get the call until late in the
season, which is the reason why he's more relevant in keeper formats."
25 January, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is going to handle the Canadian distribution after all.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book.
Troop movements ... CHN - signed OF/1B Cliff Floyd ...
At
Baseball Prospectus, Kevin Goldstein, checks out one of the best of the farm
systems, the Angels :
" ... 1. Brandon Wood ... Skinny frame
belies outstanding power and offers scary projection for what is already a
plus-plus skill. Remarkably strong wrists fire the barrel of the bat through the
zone in whip-like fashion ... Improving approach led to career-high walk
total. Excellent fundamentals in the field and on the basepaths ...
Strikeouts will always be an issue, but he has enough raw hitting skills to bat
.270-.290 in the majors ... might be a little short range-wise to stay in
the middle of the infield ... Angels have a logjam at shortstop and a
gaping hole at third base, where Wood would fit nicely."
" ... 2. Nick Adenhart ...
Tall and long-armed, Adenhart's 91-95 mph fastball has late sinking action, and
his changeup is among the best in the system. Breaking ball shows hard bite at
times and his control and command are excellent. Arm held up for a full season
with no complaints and frame offers good projection ... With a
healthy, productive 2006, Adenhart established himself as one of the better
right-handed prospects around.'
USA Today posts
four new team previews, including rookie reports :
" ... Andy LaRoche ... displayed
better footwork around the bag during the second half of the season after
coaches worked with him. There wasn't much wrong with his bat ... hit a
combined .315 with 19 homers, 81 RBI and a .410 on-base percentage between
Double-A and Triple-A. However, he required surgery for a torn labrum in his
right shoulder and that might slow his progress."
" ... Jose Tabata ... burst into
prominence last year as a 17-year-old, hitting .356 in April at Charleston and
keeping his average above .300 until he suffered a wrist injury than bothered
him for a while before he went on the disabled list in July ... will be on
the fast track with the end of right fielder Bobby Abreu's contract (after
either 2007 or 2008, depending on whether the Yankees pick up Abreu's option) a
target date."
" ... Humberto Sanchez ... the
key acquisition in the trade with Detroit for Gary Sheffield. He was the top
pitching prospect in the Tigers system and is close to major league-ready after
starting 11 games at Double-A and nine at Triple-A last season. He had a 1.76
ERA in Double-A, which jumped to 3.86 at Triple-A, but he still allowed less
than a hit per inning at the higher level. He'll turn 24 in May. Sanchez is 6-6
and throws hard, often reaching the mid-90s. He has a good curve but is still
perfecting his changeup and his command."
" ... Matt Garza ... won USA
TODAY Minor League Player of the Year honors. Garza went 5-1 with a 1.42 ERA at
Fort Myers, 6-2, 2.51 at Double-A New Britain and 3-1, 1.85 at Triple-A
Rochester. He was 3-6 with 5.76 ERA for the Twins ... .has developed into a
four-pitch pitcher with a fastball that can hit 97 mph, a curve, slider and
changeup."
" ... Glen Perkins ... went
4-11, 3.91 at Double-A New Britain last season, but the Twins say he's good
enough to contend for a spot in their rotation this spring. Perkins, a
first-round draft choice in 2004, throws a fastball in the 92- to 93-mph range
with a curve and changeup. The Twins say he could be a solid big-league pitcher
if he learns to trust his stuff and become more consistent with it."
" ... Cesar Carrillo ... elbow
sprain that ended his season after 10 games interrupted Carrillo's meteoric
rise, which seemed destined to land him in the majors last season ...
did not require surgery and has been resting the elbow the last few months. The
Padres plan to bring him to their spring training camp in Arizona early and
monitor him closely. "If he comes into camp healthy and strong, I wouldn't be
surprised if he cracks the rotation at some point this year," general manager
Kevin Towers said. "He's a good one. He kind of flew through our system all to
the way to Triple-A."
No surprise in CIN as the club salutes its best minor leaguer :
" ... As buzz about Reds top prospect Homer
Bailey continues to build, the starting pitcher just added one more
accolade to his resume. On Wednesday, the organization named Bailey winner of
the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award as the 2006 Minor League Player of the Year ...
The 20-year-old Bailey was 10-6 with a 2.47 ERA in 26 starts combined at Class A
Advanced Sarasota and Double-A Chattanooga. The right-hander struck out 156
batters, compared to 50 walks. The seventh overall pick of the 2004 First-Year
Player Draft, Bailey was an All-Star from both the Florida State and Southern
Leagues last season and named as both leagues' top prospect." (MiLB.com)
Miguel Montero ARZ one of the most likely rookies to win starting slots
in 2007 :
" ... Montero, signed in 2001 from his native
Venezuela, is one of the top offensive catching prospects in the game. He batted
.286 with 17 homers and 75 RBIs between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Tucson
before making his Major League debut in September, after hitting .326 with 26
home runs and 95 RBIs in 2005. Look for him to wrest the starting job from
Snyder, a .231 career hitter who profiles better as a fine backup." (MiLB.com)
24 January, 2007
Troop movements ... CIN - acquired RHP Kirk Saarloos and a
PTBNL from OAK for RHP David Shafer and a PTBNL ...PHI - signed
Antonio Alfonseca ... TOR - signed with RHP Tomo Ohka ...
Ah, the top dogs.
Bryan Smith, Sports Illustrated, has the Top 15 of his 2007 prospect chart -
Gordon, Delmon, Homer 1-2-3.
" ... 14. Andrew McCutchen ... his quickness
with his legs and bat leave the Pirates thinking big with their future center
fielder. Generously listed at 170 pounds, McCutchen relies on ridiculous bat
speed to hit for plus power. His power was restrained much of the season by the
spacious dimensions at his home park; he slugged .536 on the road in Low-A. With
quickness unrivaled for players with his power, McCutchen also profiles to steal
30 bases and win Gold Gloves down the road. Raw in both areas, McCutchen could
stand at least another season and a half in the minor leagues, but his
late-season success at AA might have pushed his timetable forward
significantly."
" ... 11. Troy Tulowitzki ... a gifted
contact hitter who sprays the ball all over the field with gap power. It isn't a
stretch to project him as a perennial .300 hitter who bangs out 40 doubles
annually. He also has a power stroke that should produce 10 to 20 home runs a
season. In the field, he is mistake-prone but shows good range and a cannon arm
from the hole."
" ... 6. Chris Young ... Arizona adds
Young's fabulous range in center, pushing Eric Byrnes to left field and surely
saving the pitching staff many runs. Offensively ... has the chance to be a 25
homer/25 steals threat as a rookie and is the odds-on favorite to capture
National League Rookie of the Year honors."
Evan Grant, The Dallas Morning News, notes a far from brimming TEX farm system
in positon players.
" ... The dearth of position players in the minor
league system right now is a real concern for the Rangers. The position player
closest to being ready for the majors is Jason Botts and there really
isn't a position for him. After that, it's shortstop Joaquin Arias
and there isn't a position for him at the current time. He's expected to play
some outfield this spring so he can get to the majors, but the jury is still out
on whether he'll ever hit enough to be a productive major leaguer. Outfielder
Ben Harrison will probably likely begin the season at Double-A and
has come on strong in the last year, but he's an older prospect (25) and he's
been injury-prone. There is very little to pick from among the upper-level farm
clubs. If you go down a little lower, there are some potential bright spots such
as outfielder John Mayberry Jr. (the team's 2005 first-round draft
choice), catcher Chad Tracy, first baseman Chris Davis,
catcher Emerson Frostad and infielders Johan Yan and
Marcus Lemon. None of those guys played above Class A last year,
so don't look for them on a big league roster before 2009."
23 January, 2007
Get it now! The John
Sickels' The Baseball Prospect Book 2007. Scoresheet colleague
Barry Fader is going to handle the Canadian distribution after all.
So, if you haven't ordered already, click the link above and place your order
for the 2007 book. Proceeds help to keep this site chuggin' along.
Lists updated ... 40-man (although a few
clubs are still over the limit) ... Top 10s
... Top 100 ... NRIs
... Crossovers (now looking toward 2008)
...
Troop movements ... ARZ- claimed OF Alex Romero off waivers
from MIN ... SD - signed LHP David Wells ... COL - signed RHP Brian
Lawrence ... MIN - signed RHP Ramon Ortiz ...
Bryan
Smith is back! His Top 75 is at Sports Illustrated. Check
it out. The final segment to be posted Tuesday.
" ... 16. Clayton Kershaw ... first
high school player taken in one of the draft's most college-heavy crops of
all-time, Kershaw has a chance to be the best player chosen ... a southpaw
with the size of a future innings-eater ... clean, consistent delivery,
and the Texan commands his fastball much better than the average teenager. With
a power curve and an improving change, Kershaw has two out pitches, but both
will need improved command in full-season ball ... Kershaw has all the
makings of a future ace."
" ... 28. Colby Rasmus ...
possesses a polish that few have at his level, a refinement that extends to his
offensive approach, baserunning and defense. In his first 12 games of 2006,
Rasmus hit just 8-for-49 with 14 strikeouts. After that, before a promotion to
the Florida State League, Rasmus batted .339 with 41 strikeouts in 66 games. The
Cardinals want Jim Edmonds to hang on two more seasons, hoping their
center-field position goes from one sweet left-handed swinger to another."
" ... 45. Jeff Niemann ... not a
good sign for a first-round prospect to take two years to notch his first
professional win, but for Niemann, it finally indicates a full bill of health
... no longer touches 99 and his curveball doesn't have quite the tilt, but his
stuff is still above-average and he's pitching smarter than ever. In his last 10
appearances, a short stint in the Arizona Fall League included, Niemann has a
1.87 ERA, 32 hits allowed and 56 strikeouts in 53 innings, and his first five
pro wins."
" ... 66. Mike Bowden ...
statistics, impressive as they are for a teen-ager in A-ball, fall short of
reflecting how dominant the right-hander was last season. Expecting endurance
for players of Bowden's maturity is asking a lot, so it's hard to blame Bowden
for three bad starts that dilute his overall statistics. If not for poor starts
on April 15, July 9 and Aug. 26, Bowden's season ERA drops to 2.71."
OK, who's after Alex Gordon?
Kevin
Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus, with the KC rookie chart:
" ... 2. Billy Butler ... Gifted
hitter won the Texas League batting title as a 20-year-old thanks to remarkable
hand/eye coordination and excellent swing mechanics. Raw power is well-above
average, and Butler works the count well ... Originally drafted as a third
baseman, where one scout called him "The worst professional infielder I've ever
seen." Butler has made significant improvement in the outfield, but the upgrade
has really only been from "indescribably horrific" to "not for the squeamish."
He's a born DH ... Royals say they want Butler to begin the year at
Triple-A Omaha, only this time they mean it. He will likely get his first shot
at the big leagues when Mike Sweeney makes his first unavoidable trip to the
disabled list."
" ... 3. Luke Hochevar ...
Missing nearly a year of competition due to draft negotiation hijinks, Hochevar
looked just as good if not better than he did in college when he returned to the
mound. Low-90s fastball touches 95-96 mph at times and bores in hard on
right-handed batters. Hammer curve is a plus offering, and he mixes in a quality
slider from time to time that he likes to use as a chase pitch ...
enters the season as a 23-year-old with just 15.1 innings of pro experience plus
a couple of post-season starts and a brief Arizona Fall League stint ...
will begin the season at Double-A Wichita, but there ain't a whole lot in the
current Royals rotation that's going to keep him down on the farm if he pitches
well."
Matthew
Pouliot, RotoWorld, has kicked off his annual Top 10s with prospects in the
AL East. Some samples :
BAL " ... 1. Brandon Erbe ...
It's hard to see how Erbe lasted to the third round of the 2005 draft. He
possesses impresses command for such a hard-throwing youngster, and it wasn't a
height thing, as he stands 6-foot-4. He's touched 98 mph on the gun and throws
regularly in the mid-90s. Erbe's secondary pitches need work, but his slider
should rate as a plus offering in time and the Orioles will insist that he use
his changeup more. He could end 2007 in Double-A and reach the majors by Sept.
2008."
BAL " ... 6.
Radhames
Liz ... considering that he continued to strike out more than a batter
an inning, Liz's struggles at Bowie weren't especially discouraging ...
remains something of a raw talent. He works in the mid-90 and his curveball
shows a lot of potential. On the other hand, his changeup offers little in the
way of deception and he needs to do a much better job of throwing strikes.
There's a good chance he'll end up as a reliever, though he could be a very good
one. He has closer-type upside."
BOS " ... 1. Dustin Pedroia ...
general view seems to be that Pedroia's stock has fallen over the last year, but
after a slow start brought on by a shoulder injury suffered in spring training,
he was productive as a 22-year-old in Triple-A, batting .330 and slugging .461
in 282 at-bats. Also, he showed terrific range at second base, the position that
figures to be his long-term home. More than anything else, it was his arm that
got him taken off shortstop ... will be decent this year, and he
should settle in as an above average regular beginning in 2008."
BOS " ... 6. Daniel Bard ... could
have gone 15 or 20 spots higher in the 2006 draft if not for his bonus demands
... fastball has hit 101 mph on the gun and he often works in the
95-98 mph range. Unfortunately, he lacks any plus secondary pitches right now.
Both his slider and changeup have some potential, but he clearly has some work
to do. A switch to the pen could be a possibility if he struggles to come up
with three quality pitches."
NYA " ... 2. Jose Tabata ...
more than held his own as a 17-year-old in full-season ball, though he did
decline rather than improve as the year went on. Part of the problem was a hand
injury suffered in July ... center fielder initially as a pro, Tabata made
the move to right last year and should stay there. He has a great idea of what
he should be doing at the plate for someone so young, and he's likely to develop
30-35 homer power. While he's not going to reach the majors anytime soon, he
looks like a potential star."
NYA " ... 5.
Joba
Chamberlain .... history of weight troubles and the triceps
strain that sidelined him for a time in his final season at Nebraska lowered his
stock on draft day ... pitched in the Hawaiian Winter League, going 2-2
with a 2.63 ERA, 28 H and 46/3 K/BB in 37 2/3 IP in a pitching-dominated league.
Chamberlain can throw in the high-90s and has impressive command. He lacks an
outstanding second pitch, but both his slider and changeup have potential. If
everything breaks right, the possibility is there that he'll develop into one of
the American League's better pitchers. Still, he is riskier than most college
picks. The 6-foot-3 right-hander has pushed 300 pounds at times, and a $1.1
million signing bonus buys a lot of Doritos."
TB " ... 3. Reid Brignac ...
continued to strike out a bunch, but he raised his average nearly 60 points last
year after hitting .264/.319/.416 in the Midwest League in 2005. Just as
importantly, he continued to improve his defense, reaching the point at which he
now seems quite likely to be an everyday shortstop in the majors. That he
retained many of his gains on offense after a late-season promotion to Double-A
has pushed up his timetable by a year. He could even displace Ben Zobrist on the
Rays before the end of 2007."
TB " ... 6. Joel Guzman ...
future would seem to be either at first or in left ... He's filled out to
250 pounds now and it's only a matter of time before begins showing remarkable
power. Even if he never makes enough contact to become a star in the majors, his
35-40 homer potential should make him a regular. He's not going to be ready to
help this year, but given that he just turned 22, that's not such a big
problem."
TOR " ... 1. Adam Lind ...
just kept getting better and better after a rather mediocre start in Double-A.
He still finished with a pretty discouraging K/BB ratio at New Hampshire, but
his improvement there after moving up to Triple-A makes it easier to overlook.
Lind has 25-homer ability and is capable of hitting for average. He should
eventually settle in as an everyday player, though he's going to have some
trouble against lefties for a couple of years. Lind is limited to left field and
doesn't have a lot to offer on defense. His glove won't prevent him from
establishing himself, but he'll probably spend a good chunk of his career at DH
... set to open this year at Triple-A, he will get a chance to play regularly
before the end of the season and he should prove to be an asset once it
happens."
Jim
Callis, Baseball America, with his picks (check out his Top 35, including
some likely 2007 draft picks). Here's the cream of his crop :
1. Daisuke Matsuzaka, rhp, Red Sox
2. Philip Hughes, rhp, Yankees
3. Homer Bailey, rhp, Reds
4. Tim Lincecum, rhp, Giants
5. Andrew Miller, lhp, Tigers
6. Yovani Gallardo, rhp, Brewers
7. Matt Garza, rhp, Twins
8. Clayton Kershaw, lhp, Dodgers
9. Scott Elbert, lhp, Dodgers
10. Adam Miller, rhp, Indians
No longer a rookie hotshot, but Kelly Johnson with a chance to be a
regular - back in the infield:
" ... being groomed ... as the club's preferred
replacement for second baseman Marcus Giles ... the Braves, barring an
unexpected trade, hope Johnson will assert himself at spring training and fill a
couple of boxes on the team's checklist —- second base and leadoff hitter. "It's
open," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said of second base, "but he's
regarded as the prime candidate." After missing the 2006 season with elbow
problems that required ligament-transplant surgery in June, Johnson immersed
himself in a winter course on the how-to's of second base ... If Johnson,
who will turn 25 in February, is their second baseman, Cox and Schuerholz said
he'd also be a prime candidate to bat leadoff ... . "He would definitely be
considered," Cox said of Johnson, who hit .241 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs
in 290 at-bats as a rookie in 2005. Called to the majors that season in late
May, he went 2-for-34 with one RBI in his first 12 games, but Cox kept him in
the lineup, pointing out how much he loved Johnson's "setup" and how many balls
he was hitting hard. Johnson responded with a surge, hitting .344 with 12
extra-base hits (six homers) and 23 RBIs in the next 24 games, with 19 walks, a
.455 on-base percentage and an NL player of the week award. "I like his eye at
the plate," Cox said last week. "His on-base percentage is always going to be
good, he'll take a walk, he can run, and he's got power. I think he's going to
hit for average and power —- 20 home runs, anyway." (Atlanta
Journal-Constitution)
220?
" ... Third baseman Andy Marte was in
Cleveland this week for the team’s winter development program — and to take off
a few pounds. “I got a little overweight during the offseason,” Marte admitted.
“I feel better now. They’ve kept me busy.” Marte is listed as 6-foot-1, 190
pounds in the Indians’ media guide but said his normal playing weight is closer
to 220." (Canton Repository)
Good news on the Arizona rookie front :
" ... Alberto Callaspo might do more than
back up infield positions. The team has talked to him about seeing time in the
outfield, General Manager Josh Byrnes said. "On a team where you could argue the
more typical concern is no true cleanup guy, the credible concern is that we
handle tough, right-handed pitching well enough," Byrnes said. Callaspo could
help. Last season in Triple-A, the switch-hitter hit .354 (125 for 353) against
right-handers ... Callaspo, a natural second baseman, has played only one game
in the outfield as a pro." (Arizona Republic)
" ... Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez ...
had a strong season in the Venezuela Winter League, hitting .318 with nine home
runs, tied for second in the league. But here's the numbers that have A.J. Hinch,
director of player development, most excited: 25/33 - Gonzalez's walk/strikeout
ratio. "I think he's growing up and maturing, hopefully," Hinch said. "A lot of
times you learn that stuff from having success. You just walk a couple of times
in critical situations, and then it kind of clicks for you." (Arizona
Republic)
Bad news, good news in LA :
" ... A lower-back injury that limited Dallas
McPherson to 61 games in 2005 and 40 games in 2006 probably will sideline
the Angels infielder for most, if not all, of the 2007 season ...
would need surgery to repair a herniated disk after the core strengthening
program he began last fall netted no improvement all winter. Recovery time for
surgery, in which two disks would be fused together, can range from six to eight
months or more. "It's beyond baseball — it's getting to the point where it
affects your daily life," said McPherson, who will be examined by an orthopedic
spine specialist Monday in Dallas." (LA Times)
" ... Casey Kotchman, who sat out all but 29
games last season while recovering from the effects of mononucleosis, returned
Friday from a two-month winter-ball stint in Puerto Rico and said he "felt good,
I feel like I got my strength and energy back, I have a lot of pep." Kotchman
batted about .265 with three home runs in 45-50 games in Puerto Rico, ending his
season with an eight-game hitting streak, but more important, he was able to
play every inning of every game, including a stretch in which rainouts forced
his team to play 13 games in nine days." (LA Times)
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