Chicago
1-10 - Napoleon Shannon - Really solid closer prospect here. With the projected durability and stamina, he could get close to 100 innings which would be great.
1-19 - Hamlet Jones - Has some decent projections, especially splits and pitches, but his durability is pretty low for a starter and he has at best average control which seems to be hurt at ML level.
1-37 - Al Guardado - Solid pitching prospect, but it looks like he won't sign which would be a waste of a pretty high pick.
3-90 - Jumbo Martinez - Didn't scout and hasn't signed
4-122 - Bill Fox - Wants to sign, but hasn't received an offer yet. Will be a career minor leaguer either way.
5-154 - Phil Barry - Didn't scout
Impact: Mild. Nice first selection, but as I have mentioned before, its always a toss up taking a reliever in the first round, especially with a pick as high as number 10. Jones is a decent prospect, but the control scares me. Doesn't look like there are any other ML prospects from the rest of the draft.
Charleston
1-27 - Ted Rivera - Wow, fantastic pick so late in the first round. Should be a really good ML SS, possibly an All Star if everything breaks right.
1-41 - Otis Ritz - Solid hitter to choose with the 41st pick. Again, nothing wrong choosing a potential ML starter with the 41st pick. Its a better pick then some first rounders.
1-48 - Yorvit Martinez - Sounding like a broken record, this is the third nice selection in a row. Another potential starter. The Cougars certainly made great work of their sandwich picks.
2-55 - Brandon Stewart - Possibly a back of the rotation\long reliever, but the lefty split is a little scary.
2-75 - Luis Bonilla - Hasn't signed and didn't scout.
3-107 - Kordell Benoit - Would be a fantasic value selection, but it doesn't look like he will sign.
4-139 - Orval Vining - Probably a great AAA player, but probably won't advance past that due to a below average bat.
5-171 - Keith Kirk - Wants to sign, but hasn't. Probably would be a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Moderate. It seems like there are several teams that picks 25 and later that had very nice selections. Not sure if that is because of the luck of the draw or poor drafting ahead. Probably a mixture of both. Three really solid picks to open the draft. If Benoit signs this will definitely be a "high" impact draft.
New York
1-4 - Ronnie Hamill - Can't go wrong with this selection. Hamill should be a perennial all star if not a future hall of famer with those projections.
1-43 - Pinky Hall - If Hall's PC rating was a bit high, I would be tempted to call this the steal of the draft. It will be interesting to see if the Red Storm roll the dice with him as a Catcher or keep him as a DH.
2-52 - Lou York - Solid second round selection. His low stamina will limit his innings, but he should be a force when he is on the mound in the late innings.
3-84 - Louis Forest - Decent value for a third rounder. Has a great bat, although his average splits will temper those other hitting ratings a bit. Will definitely be a DH\1B with those defensive stats.
4-116 - Russell Mancuso - Could possibly be a Setup B type in the future. Nice selection this late in the draft.
5-148 - Rodrigo Vallarta - Hasn't signed yet. Would probably hit a ton of homeruns in the minors if he did though and thats about it.
Impact: High - I have to go with a high impact here due to the possible Hall of Famer chosen first and then the three very solid picks thereafter. Very nice draft for the Red Storm.
Philadelphia
1-8 - Matty Bohanon - Great hitter. A couple things scare me though that would prevent some from choosing Bohanon so high. He is a SS, but some of his defensive ratings project t below average for a ML SS. Also, he has at best an average eye and will probably be a very free swinger. Hopefully he'll be able to make good contact anyways.
1-44 - Bo Parker - Solid reliever prospect. With those splits and above average first pitch is definitely a closer or setup A prospect.
5-152 - Dick Ross - Nothing jumps out about Ross, but he doesn't have any huge flaws and could one day be a bench player in the bigs. Nothing wrong with getting a guy like that in the fitfh.
Impact: Mild - Would be Moderate with a couple more picks, but the Owls forfeited those with some free agent signings. Will be interesting to see how Bohanon does once he reaches the bigs.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Amateur Draft Review - AL North
Fargo
1-29 - Walter Koch - Looks like another example of an overall rating being higher than it should due to stamina. Mid 40's righty split probably dooms him to long reliever if that. The pitchers that went 31 and 32 are much better prospects. (of course mikejuggalo might not have seen them) Probably would not have chosen Koch if this was a live draft.
2-77 - Gordon Johnson - Again, the righty split probably makes Johnson a career minor leaguer.
3-109 - Orlando Nunez - Splits probably make this guy a career minor league. However, since this is the third guy in a row chosen by Fargo with below average splits, maybe there is a method to the madness.
4-141 - Reid Gardner - Ditto
5-173 - Johnny Karl Ditto and add in average control.
Impact: Mild. I should just rewrite what I wrote about the third rounder. Personally I have never had success with below average splits, but I know some people don't mind and mikejuggalo is a fantastic owner so I'm thinking he knows what he is doing.
Pittsburgh
1-24 - Graham Post Solid closer prospect although it would be better if his righty split was a tad higher. However, he projects to perfect control and two very good pitches with awesome velocity. Another plus is that really high urability which will counteract the low stamina a bit.
2-72 - Jayson Langford - Langford is still playing SS in rookie league, but scouts are pretty much in agreement he'll need to be moved to 3B or a corner outfield position. Should hit a ton of homeruns with that power.
3-104 - Mule Stewart - Another nominee for the name hall of fame. Mule fell in the draft due to, at best, average control. Pitt will be hoping his above average splits\pitches will overcome the poor control.
4-136 - Bobby Ray DeRosa - Probably a career minor leaguer with that control.
5-168 - Benji Ferguson - Ditto above
Impact: Mild. The first two choices are solid if not spectacular. The last three pitchers all have control issues with only my man Mule having a shot at overcoming the bad control.
Portland
1-26 - Julian Ramirez - Ramirez projects at best to the back of the rotation type pitcher. His splits are only average and his control only slightly better than that.
1-40 - Alan Thompson - Another selection in the AL North where control is not giving as heavy a weight as others. Excellent pitches and solid splits will have to overcome the below par control.
2-60 - Mike Ray - I think the AL North teams all copies off each other. Ray is another pitcher for the below average split experiment.
2-74 - Rey McGlinchy See Mike Ray above
3-106 - Terry Morgan - Definitely a career minor leaguer. And he is kind of scary looking.
4-138 - Wiki Moreno - If he signs he will probably be a career minor leaguer.
5-170 - Trenidad Rivera - Actually is a nice selection for a fifth rounder. Could see some time in the bigs as a backup catcher possibly.
Impact: Mild. Portland had a lot of choices and I'm not sure they took advantage of them. Its not easy with the limits on scouting we can spend, but there were other choices in the same rounds that were better value. If Portland can somehow get these pitchers with below average splits and\or control to work than this will be a solid draft.
Syracuse
1-22 - Ed Boyd - It will be interesting to watch Boyd's development. He is overvalued due to his high stamina. n one hand he has a very nice lefty split, but it goes with a poor righty split. He throws really hard and has a couple above average pitches. Several pitchers went after him that are better prospects.
2-70 - Joel Harris - I think this is the 10th pitcher or so in the AL north that is very similar. The Cuse hopes great control and velocity balances out the mid 40's splits.
3-102 - Gabe Brow - See Joel Harris above
4-134 - Cookie Diaz - Solid pick fr a 4th rounder and might be a better prospect than the guys chosen in the second and third round because of higher splits although that low durability couples with the mid sixties stamina probably means he is a long\middle reliever.
5-166 - Yorrick Breen - Didn't scout and hasn't signed
Impact: Mild. This is the fourth of the four AL North teams and they all went heavy on pitching. On top of that a lot of the pitchers are similar. Like it was mentioned above, it will be interesting to see how the first round pick develops; that righty split scares me.
1-29 - Walter Koch - Looks like another example of an overall rating being higher than it should due to stamina. Mid 40's righty split probably dooms him to long reliever if that. The pitchers that went 31 and 32 are much better prospects. (of course mikejuggalo might not have seen them) Probably would not have chosen Koch if this was a live draft.
2-77 - Gordon Johnson - Again, the righty split probably makes Johnson a career minor leaguer.
3-109 - Orlando Nunez - Splits probably make this guy a career minor league. However, since this is the third guy in a row chosen by Fargo with below average splits, maybe there is a method to the madness.
4-141 - Reid Gardner - Ditto
5-173 - Johnny Karl Ditto and add in average control.
Impact: Mild. I should just rewrite what I wrote about the third rounder. Personally I have never had success with below average splits, but I know some people don't mind and mikejuggalo is a fantastic owner so I'm thinking he knows what he is doing.
Pittsburgh
1-24 - Graham Post Solid closer prospect although it would be better if his righty split was a tad higher. However, he projects to perfect control and two very good pitches with awesome velocity. Another plus is that really high urability which will counteract the low stamina a bit.
2-72 - Jayson Langford - Langford is still playing SS in rookie league, but scouts are pretty much in agreement he'll need to be moved to 3B or a corner outfield position. Should hit a ton of homeruns with that power.
3-104 - Mule Stewart - Another nominee for the name hall of fame. Mule fell in the draft due to, at best, average control. Pitt will be hoping his above average splits\pitches will overcome the poor control.
4-136 - Bobby Ray DeRosa - Probably a career minor leaguer with that control.
5-168 - Benji Ferguson - Ditto above
Impact: Mild. The first two choices are solid if not spectacular. The last three pitchers all have control issues with only my man Mule having a shot at overcoming the bad control.
Portland
1-26 - Julian Ramirez - Ramirez projects at best to the back of the rotation type pitcher. His splits are only average and his control only slightly better than that.
1-40 - Alan Thompson - Another selection in the AL North where control is not giving as heavy a weight as others. Excellent pitches and solid splits will have to overcome the below par control.
2-60 - Mike Ray - I think the AL North teams all copies off each other. Ray is another pitcher for the below average split experiment.
2-74 - Rey McGlinchy See Mike Ray above
3-106 - Terry Morgan - Definitely a career minor leaguer. And he is kind of scary looking.
4-138 - Wiki Moreno - If he signs he will probably be a career minor leaguer.
5-170 - Trenidad Rivera - Actually is a nice selection for a fifth rounder. Could see some time in the bigs as a backup catcher possibly.
Impact: Mild. Portland had a lot of choices and I'm not sure they took advantage of them. Its not easy with the limits on scouting we can spend, but there were other choices in the same rounds that were better value. If Portland can somehow get these pitchers with below average splits and\or control to work than this will be a solid draft.
Syracuse
1-22 - Ed Boyd - It will be interesting to watch Boyd's development. He is overvalued due to his high stamina. n one hand he has a very nice lefty split, but it goes with a poor righty split. He throws really hard and has a couple above average pitches. Several pitchers went after him that are better prospects.
2-70 - Joel Harris - I think this is the 10th pitcher or so in the AL north that is very similar. The Cuse hopes great control and velocity balances out the mid 40's splits.
3-102 - Gabe Brow - See Joel Harris above
4-134 - Cookie Diaz - Solid pick fr a 4th rounder and might be a better prospect than the guys chosen in the second and third round because of higher splits although that low durability couples with the mid sixties stamina probably means he is a long\middle reliever.
5-166 - Yorrick Breen - Didn't scout and hasn't signed
Impact: Mild. This is the fourth of the four AL North teams and they all went heavy on pitching. On top of that a lot of the pitchers are similar. Like it was mentioned above, it will be interesting to see how the first round pick develops; that righty split scares me.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Amateur Draft Review - NL West
Arizona
1-11 - Ebenezer Woodson - Yikes, this is scary. Eleventh pick and the guy drafted isn't sure if he wants to play ML baseball. Not a good situation. Even if he signs (and if he does it will be for a ton of cash), his control will always be a hindrance. His excellent splits and pitches just might be able to overcome it.
UPDATE: Arizona found out some good news that Woodson decided to sign a professional contract. Scouts are looking forward to seeing if his grea tsplits and pitches can overcome that control.
2-59 - Charley Shaw - Scouts are pretty much split down the middle on Shaw. Some feel he can be a nice piece to the puzzle and others feel he is probably just a utility guy since he doesn't do anything really well.
3-91 - Bart Anderson - Doesn't look like he is going to sign.
4-123 - Junior Duran - Could hit some homers if he makes the bigs, but thats probably it.
5-155 - William Hogan - Career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild - Its never good when a first rounder isn't going to sign, but hopefully the Sun Devils will be able to convince Woodson. UPDATE: Woodson ended up signing which probably ended with a huge sigh of relief from the Sun Devils owner.
Honolulu
1-9 - Daniel Mullens Its tough to go wrong in the top ten and the Warriors definitely didn't by selecting this very solid pitching prospect who should be able to #2\#3 starter. Even better is he is coming out college so he should be ready sooner rather than later.
2-57 - Craig Webster - Solid selection and a guy that can probably be a back of the rotation\long reliever type pitcher. If his righty split was a bit higher, he would be a great prospect for a second round choice.
3-89 - Dicky Hatcher - Fantastic choice for a third rounder. The best one I have come across yet. He has a long way to g t reach his projections, but if the Warriors are patient, he should be a beast.
4-121 - Adam Jordan - Nice selection for a fourth rounder although some scouts feel his glove isn't good enough to be a CFer at the big league level. Should turn out to be a nice utility player.
5-153 - Walter Henderson - If he makes it to the bigs it will be as a defensive specialist.
Impact: Moderate - Very solid draft for the Warriors. The theme continues of whenever you can get two starting pitching prospects out of a draft you can't really go wrong. Jordan and Henderson aren't throwaway choices either.
Update: might have to move this to Moderate\High. Hatcher is an absolute beast of a hitter which jsut makes the Warriors draft that much better.
Las Vegas
1-2 - Graham Wilson - Absolute monster of a hitter that should terrorize West pitching when he hits the bigs. His splits projections are fantastic. The downside is that it will take several seasons to get there.
2-50 - Ralph Kohlmeier - Solid choice at #50. Another example of probably someone Vegas would not have chosen if this was a live draft since he plays the same position as Wilson. Unfortunately he has also already been hit with a really bad injury which shows why its a gamble to choose guys with low health.
3-82 - Tony Paniagua - Decent value selecting a defensive SS here. Unfortunately he has also already been hit by the injury bug. Vegas sure isn't afraid of those lower health rated guys.
4-114 - J.R. Clay - Vegas goes with another defensive SS, but slots Clay in at Low A so he is not doubling up with Paniuga. Smart.
5-146 - Eric Osbourne - Very solid selection for a fifth round choice. Could possibly be a Setup B type if everything works out.
Impact - Moderate - 5 picks and 5 guys that you can project to the bigs including a guy that should be a perennial all star eventually.
Kansas City
1-5 - Michael Sutton - Holy crap, this guys projected splits are ridiculous. If Sutton hits his projections than the 9th inning should locked down when he hits the majors. If you had to take a contrary opinion, some would argue that you shouldn't use a top 5\10 pick on a guy who can only give you 60-75 innings a year. However, I can see how you could be convinced by those projections.
1-34 - Chris Richardson - Interesting, the Wildcats go with another reliever who is just slightly less impressive than Sutton. With these two guys locking down the end of games the 'Cats will be tough to beat in the future.
2-53 - Zephyr Figueroa - Didn't scout and hasn't signed (great name though)
3-81 - Cleatus Spencer - Nice hitter and I like how he is from NC and is named Cleatus....way to stereotype WIS! Better batting eye would have helped.
3-85 - Moises Valentin - Could be a long reliever\spot starter in the bigs one day. Nothing wrong with rolling the dice on a guy like that with the 85th pick.
4-117 - Vernon Niekro - If he makes the bigs it will be as 4th or 5th outfielder...at least scouts don't feel like it should be for anything more than that.
5-149 - Rheal Maurer - Didn't scout and hasn't signed.
Impact - Moderate\High - If those two relievers reach their projections and become dominant then this is a fantastic draft for the Wildcats. However, the bullpen is still one of the harder things to predict success with and there are still instances of guys with great ratings that don't perform. Thats the only thing that keeps me from going High impact. Spencer and Valentin are nice picks in the third round.
1-11 - Ebenezer Woodson - Yikes, this is scary. Eleventh pick and the guy drafted isn't sure if he wants to play ML baseball. Not a good situation. Even if he signs (and if he does it will be for a ton of cash), his control will always be a hindrance. His excellent splits and pitches just might be able to overcome it.
UPDATE: Arizona found out some good news that Woodson decided to sign a professional contract. Scouts are looking forward to seeing if his grea tsplits and pitches can overcome that control.
2-59 - Charley Shaw - Scouts are pretty much split down the middle on Shaw. Some feel he can be a nice piece to the puzzle and others feel he is probably just a utility guy since he doesn't do anything really well.
3-91 - Bart Anderson - Doesn't look like he is going to sign.
4-123 - Junior Duran - Could hit some homers if he makes the bigs, but thats probably it.
5-155 - William Hogan - Career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild - Its never good when a first rounder isn't going to sign, but hopefully the Sun Devils will be able to convince Woodson. UPDATE: Woodson ended up signing which probably ended with a huge sigh of relief from the Sun Devils owner.
Honolulu
1-9 - Daniel Mullens Its tough to go wrong in the top ten and the Warriors definitely didn't by selecting this very solid pitching prospect who should be able to #2\#3 starter. Even better is he is coming out college so he should be ready sooner rather than later.
2-57 - Craig Webster - Solid selection and a guy that can probably be a back of the rotation\long reliever type pitcher. If his righty split was a bit higher, he would be a great prospect for a second round choice.
3-89 - Dicky Hatcher - Fantastic choice for a third rounder. The best one I have come across yet. He has a long way to g t reach his projections, but if the Warriors are patient, he should be a beast.
4-121 - Adam Jordan - Nice selection for a fourth rounder although some scouts feel his glove isn't good enough to be a CFer at the big league level. Should turn out to be a nice utility player.
5-153 - Walter Henderson - If he makes it to the bigs it will be as a defensive specialist.
Impact: Moderate - Very solid draft for the Warriors. The theme continues of whenever you can get two starting pitching prospects out of a draft you can't really go wrong. Jordan and Henderson aren't throwaway choices either.
Update: might have to move this to Moderate\High. Hatcher is an absolute beast of a hitter which jsut makes the Warriors draft that much better.
Las Vegas
1-2 - Graham Wilson - Absolute monster of a hitter that should terrorize West pitching when he hits the bigs. His splits projections are fantastic. The downside is that it will take several seasons to get there.
2-50 - Ralph Kohlmeier - Solid choice at #50. Another example of probably someone Vegas would not have chosen if this was a live draft since he plays the same position as Wilson. Unfortunately he has also already been hit with a really bad injury which shows why its a gamble to choose guys with low health.
3-82 - Tony Paniagua - Decent value selecting a defensive SS here. Unfortunately he has also already been hit by the injury bug. Vegas sure isn't afraid of those lower health rated guys.
4-114 - J.R. Clay - Vegas goes with another defensive SS, but slots Clay in at Low A so he is not doubling up with Paniuga. Smart.
5-146 - Eric Osbourne - Very solid selection for a fifth round choice. Could possibly be a Setup B type if everything works out.
Impact - Moderate - 5 picks and 5 guys that you can project to the bigs including a guy that should be a perennial all star eventually.
Kansas City
1-5 - Michael Sutton - Holy crap, this guys projected splits are ridiculous. If Sutton hits his projections than the 9th inning should locked down when he hits the majors. If you had to take a contrary opinion, some would argue that you shouldn't use a top 5\10 pick on a guy who can only give you 60-75 innings a year. However, I can see how you could be convinced by those projections.
1-34 - Chris Richardson - Interesting, the Wildcats go with another reliever who is just slightly less impressive than Sutton. With these two guys locking down the end of games the 'Cats will be tough to beat in the future.
2-53 - Zephyr Figueroa - Didn't scout and hasn't signed (great name though)
3-81 - Cleatus Spencer - Nice hitter and I like how he is from NC and is named Cleatus....way to stereotype WIS! Better batting eye would have helped.
3-85 - Moises Valentin - Could be a long reliever\spot starter in the bigs one day. Nothing wrong with rolling the dice on a guy like that with the 85th pick.
4-117 - Vernon Niekro - If he makes the bigs it will be as 4th or 5th outfielder...at least scouts don't feel like it should be for anything more than that.
5-149 - Rheal Maurer - Didn't scout and hasn't signed.
Impact - Moderate\High - If those two relievers reach their projections and become dominant then this is a fantastic draft for the Wildcats. However, the bullpen is still one of the harder things to predict success with and there are still instances of guys with great ratings that don't perform. Thats the only thing that keeps me from going High impact. Spencer and Valentin are nice picks in the third round.
Amateur Draft Review - NL South
Austin
1-23 - Jose Rodriguez - Rodriguez looks like he'll be a decent reliever in the future. He has fantastic control, however his splits project to just slightly above average. Also, its always dicey taking a reliever in the first round since it seems to be one of the harder positions to predict success in from season to season.
2-71 - Hawk Tyner - Not sure how much Tyner will be able to contribute as his defensive skills aren't good enough to overcome his lack of hitting prowess. He might be able to find some time as a bench player who pinch runs and pinch hits against righties.
3-103 - Jim Acosta - Another guy who will probably top out best as a bench player and definitely is not a ML SS.
4-135 - Al Renteria - Nice value selection here as Renteria looks to be a better player than Acosta and possibly Tyner and was picked later. His glovoe rating is a little low for a SS, but he shows some nice pop for the position.
5-167 - Bingo Adkinson - Nice value here as well as he could possibly pitch in the bigs as a setup B type although his righty split is a tad low.
Impact: Mild. Picking in the bottom half of the first round is never easy, especially with the restrictions for a first season league as to how much we can invest. That being said, there isn't a player that pops out that you can point at and say will definitely be an impact big leaguer.
Memphis
1-47 - Melvin Brock - Defensive SS that should be able to hit righties decently. Defensive SS's definitely have value but not sure its in the top 50 picks.
2-67 - Napoleon Anderson - Anderson will probably be able to make the bigs as a utility player, spot starter.
3-99 - Darrell Frank - Another choice where the owner might not mind the below average splits b\c the control an pitches are very solid.
4-131 - Jimmie Jimenez - Career minor leaguer
5-163 - Andrue Everett - Hasn't signed yet, but if he does he will be a very nice value selection for a fifth rounder. He is not someone you'd choose with one of your first couple picks, but considering its the 163rd selections, pretty solid hitter for the fifth round.
Impact: Mild. I think if this was a live draft that Memphis would have chosen someone else with their first selection. That couples with not having a first rounder makes this a mild impact draft for the Tigers.
Texas
1-20 - Bernie Hornsby - Hornsby has a very high overall rating to last to the 20th, but that stems from his ridiculous stamina rating. He has great control and slightly above average splits and a couple decent pitches. However, the pitchers chosen at 25th, 31st, and 32nd all could be better.
2-68 - Johnny Gagne - Although Gagne has very good splits and pitches, there is next to no chance he'll be any good on the ML level due to his not being able to hit water falling out of a boat control.
3-100 - Erv Garcia - Probably could be a very good defensive CFer as well as 2B.
4-132 - Antonio Huang - Career minor leaguer due to low splits.
5-164 - Kevin Walsh - Looks to be a better pitcher than Huang who was chosen a round earlier, but is probably still a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild. Hornsby could be a a decent back of the rotation pitcher, but thats probably all the Mustangs will see out of this draft.
Wichita
1-21 - Mark Matthews - Didn't scout and hasn't signed
2-69 - Sean Durocher - Would be a solid CF prospect due to defensive skills and adequate offensive skills, but unfortunately it doesn't look like he is going to sign. Always risky choosing a guy like this with a high pick.
3-101 - Jerome Simmons - He'll probably end up signing after he increases his demands a smidge and will probably be a decent utility player in the bigs.
4-133 - Tony Colbert - Might be a decent 25th player on the roster as well. Would be better if his batting eye wasn't so bad.
5-165 - Jon Martin - Now this is a fantastic pick. Awesome hitter and average defensively for a catcher. I can't believe he lasted this long. The only reason I can think is b\c of his stamina which will mean he can only play in about 2\3 of the season at 100%. For some reason he hasn't been signed.
Impact: Mild. Martin is a really inspiring selection, but for some reason he hasn't been signed yet even though he is looking to sign for slot money. I can't see the first rounder, but since its in the 20's I don't think it would change the overall impact of the draft enough to warrant an increase.
1-23 - Jose Rodriguez - Rodriguez looks like he'll be a decent reliever in the future. He has fantastic control, however his splits project to just slightly above average. Also, its always dicey taking a reliever in the first round since it seems to be one of the harder positions to predict success in from season to season.
2-71 - Hawk Tyner - Not sure how much Tyner will be able to contribute as his defensive skills aren't good enough to overcome his lack of hitting prowess. He might be able to find some time as a bench player who pinch runs and pinch hits against righties.
3-103 - Jim Acosta - Another guy who will probably top out best as a bench player and definitely is not a ML SS.
4-135 - Al Renteria - Nice value selection here as Renteria looks to be a better player than Acosta and possibly Tyner and was picked later. His glovoe rating is a little low for a SS, but he shows some nice pop for the position.
5-167 - Bingo Adkinson - Nice value here as well as he could possibly pitch in the bigs as a setup B type although his righty split is a tad low.
Impact: Mild. Picking in the bottom half of the first round is never easy, especially with the restrictions for a first season league as to how much we can invest. That being said, there isn't a player that pops out that you can point at and say will definitely be an impact big leaguer.
Memphis
1-47 - Melvin Brock - Defensive SS that should be able to hit righties decently. Defensive SS's definitely have value but not sure its in the top 50 picks.
2-67 - Napoleon Anderson - Anderson will probably be able to make the bigs as a utility player, spot starter.
3-99 - Darrell Frank - Another choice where the owner might not mind the below average splits b\c the control an pitches are very solid.
4-131 - Jimmie Jimenez - Career minor leaguer
5-163 - Andrue Everett - Hasn't signed yet, but if he does he will be a very nice value selection for a fifth rounder. He is not someone you'd choose with one of your first couple picks, but considering its the 163rd selections, pretty solid hitter for the fifth round.
Impact: Mild. I think if this was a live draft that Memphis would have chosen someone else with their first selection. That couples with not having a first rounder makes this a mild impact draft for the Tigers.
Texas
1-20 - Bernie Hornsby - Hornsby has a very high overall rating to last to the 20th, but that stems from his ridiculous stamina rating. He has great control and slightly above average splits and a couple decent pitches. However, the pitchers chosen at 25th, 31st, and 32nd all could be better.
2-68 - Johnny Gagne - Although Gagne has very good splits and pitches, there is next to no chance he'll be any good on the ML level due to his not being able to hit water falling out of a boat control.
3-100 - Erv Garcia - Probably could be a very good defensive CFer as well as 2B.
4-132 - Antonio Huang - Career minor leaguer due to low splits.
5-164 - Kevin Walsh - Looks to be a better pitcher than Huang who was chosen a round earlier, but is probably still a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild. Hornsby could be a a decent back of the rotation pitcher, but thats probably all the Mustangs will see out of this draft.
Wichita
1-21 - Mark Matthews - Didn't scout and hasn't signed
2-69 - Sean Durocher - Would be a solid CF prospect due to defensive skills and adequate offensive skills, but unfortunately it doesn't look like he is going to sign. Always risky choosing a guy like this with a high pick.
3-101 - Jerome Simmons - He'll probably end up signing after he increases his demands a smidge and will probably be a decent utility player in the bigs.
4-133 - Tony Colbert - Might be a decent 25th player on the roster as well. Would be better if his batting eye wasn't so bad.
5-165 - Jon Martin - Now this is a fantastic pick. Awesome hitter and average defensively for a catcher. I can't believe he lasted this long. The only reason I can think is b\c of his stamina which will mean he can only play in about 2\3 of the season at 100%. For some reason he hasn't been signed.
Impact: Mild. Martin is a really inspiring selection, but for some reason he hasn't been signed yet even though he is looking to sign for slot money. I can't see the first rounder, but since its in the 20's I don't think it would change the overall impact of the draft enough to warrant an increase.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Amateur Draft Review - NL East
Atlanta
1-1 - Michael Seay - I didn't scout him and he hasn't signed although by all accounts he is an unbelievable hitting prospect. I'm assuming he was the type that will end up just asking for more money and will eventually sign and not someone who "probably wont sign."
4-113 - Doug Kerr - Might eventually make the bigs as a power hitter, although he has a looong way to go. Might be more of a corner outfielder defensively as well.
5-145 - Angel Drew - Great name, but looks like a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Moderate. The Yellow Jackets get this grade totally based on how awesome I have heard Seay looks. They gave up their second and third rounders to sign players and although I can understand that since we are limited to the amount of money we can spend on HS and College Scouting, unfortunately for Atlanta it hasn't translated to on field success yet.
Buffalo
1-17 - Trenidad Rios - With projected power to 100, Rios should hit a lot of homeruns even though his splits are slightly below average. Also, some scouts feel he might be more of a corner outfielder defensively than a 3B.
1-46 - Alex Day - Day should hit a ton of homeruns as well, especially against lefties. He is also bolstered by a great batting eye. Solid choice as a compensation pick.
2-65 - Ernest Truby - Looks like Truby's overall is inflated by his high stamina. He shows decent control and some solid pitches, however some scouts feel his below average splits will hurt him in the long run. However, some ownres don't mind the below average splits and have success using them.
3-97 - Rich Barber - Doesn't look like Barber is going to sign.
4-129 - Norberto Moreno - Could see some time in the bigs as a defensive specialist backup catcher.
5 - 161 - Shooter Strokes - Didn't scout and hasn't signed.
Impact: Mild - I'm kind of torn on this draft. Part of me wants to push the impact to moderate because Rios and Day could hit a ton of homeruns for this team one day. However, their splits scare me except for Day against lefties. I could very well be proven wrong though.
Charlotte
1-16 - Vince Clemens - It will take a long time for Clemens to reach the bigs, but once he gets there he should be one of the better hitting catchers as long as you can live with average pitch calling (and I can)
2-64 - Sammy Guillen - Nice second round selection that projection to be a good middle f the rotation type pitcher unless his average health bites him and he needs to reach his projected control to fulfill his potential.
3-96 - Matty Johnson - An example of a pick that would not have occurred if this had been a live draft because Johnson isn't really needed with the selection of Clemens in the first round. That being said he is another good hitting catcher that is average defensively.
4-128 - Michael Webster - Power hitting first baseman and thats about it. Since he can't hit righties the most he'll probably provide is some power off the bench against lefties.
5-160 - Timo Brinkley - Best case scenario is he becomes a decent long reliever to eat some innings.
Impact: Mild\Moderate - Clemens and Guillen are both solid selections and barring health issues will be nice major leaguers. The other three guys are toss ups and Johnson definitely wasn't needed in the third round.
Louisville
1-25 - Troy Simmons - Fantastic selection considering he was the 25 selection of the draft. Great control, good splits, and some really solid pitches will make him a very nice middle of the rotation starter. Mid sixties stamina will limit him to a 5\6inning starter.
2-73 - Jose Ramirez - Another really good selection and surprising he lasted all the way to the 73rd pick. He probably dropped due to his mid fifties stamina, but he will be a very good reliever, possible spot starter.
3-105 - Ricardo Infante - Infante's splits will probably limit him to a career minor leaguer, but again, some owners don't mind below average splits. Still, there have been other third rounders chosen that show more value.
4-137 - Ugueth Sanchez - The Cardinals are banking on the awesome power to overcome average splits and a poor eye. Not a bad selection for the fourth round at all.
5-169 - Mike Rogers - Probably a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild\Moderate - First two selections are really solid. Anther example of a team coming away with two ML pitching prospects in their first two picks. Last three picks all have flaws, but most teams choosing in the 3rd-5th round choose the same types. An interesting thing to note is that the 3-5 round picks all signed several days ago, however are still sitting unassigned.
1-1 - Michael Seay - I didn't scout him and he hasn't signed although by all accounts he is an unbelievable hitting prospect. I'm assuming he was the type that will end up just asking for more money and will eventually sign and not someone who "probably wont sign."
4-113 - Doug Kerr - Might eventually make the bigs as a power hitter, although he has a looong way to go. Might be more of a corner outfielder defensively as well.
5-145 - Angel Drew - Great name, but looks like a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Moderate. The Yellow Jackets get this grade totally based on how awesome I have heard Seay looks. They gave up their second and third rounders to sign players and although I can understand that since we are limited to the amount of money we can spend on HS and College Scouting, unfortunately for Atlanta it hasn't translated to on field success yet.
Buffalo
1-17 - Trenidad Rios - With projected power to 100, Rios should hit a lot of homeruns even though his splits are slightly below average. Also, some scouts feel he might be more of a corner outfielder defensively than a 3B.
1-46 - Alex Day - Day should hit a ton of homeruns as well, especially against lefties. He is also bolstered by a great batting eye. Solid choice as a compensation pick.
2-65 - Ernest Truby - Looks like Truby's overall is inflated by his high stamina. He shows decent control and some solid pitches, however some scouts feel his below average splits will hurt him in the long run. However, some ownres don't mind the below average splits and have success using them.
3-97 - Rich Barber - Doesn't look like Barber is going to sign.
4-129 - Norberto Moreno - Could see some time in the bigs as a defensive specialist backup catcher.
5 - 161 - Shooter Strokes - Didn't scout and hasn't signed.
Impact: Mild - I'm kind of torn on this draft. Part of me wants to push the impact to moderate because Rios and Day could hit a ton of homeruns for this team one day. However, their splits scare me except for Day against lefties. I could very well be proven wrong though.
Charlotte
1-16 - Vince Clemens - It will take a long time for Clemens to reach the bigs, but once he gets there he should be one of the better hitting catchers as long as you can live with average pitch calling (and I can)
2-64 - Sammy Guillen - Nice second round selection that projection to be a good middle f the rotation type pitcher unless his average health bites him and he needs to reach his projected control to fulfill his potential.
3-96 - Matty Johnson - An example of a pick that would not have occurred if this had been a live draft because Johnson isn't really needed with the selection of Clemens in the first round. That being said he is another good hitting catcher that is average defensively.
4-128 - Michael Webster - Power hitting first baseman and thats about it. Since he can't hit righties the most he'll probably provide is some power off the bench against lefties.
5-160 - Timo Brinkley - Best case scenario is he becomes a decent long reliever to eat some innings.
Impact: Mild\Moderate - Clemens and Guillen are both solid selections and barring health issues will be nice major leaguers. The other three guys are toss ups and Johnson definitely wasn't needed in the third round.
Louisville
1-25 - Troy Simmons - Fantastic selection considering he was the 25 selection of the draft. Great control, good splits, and some really solid pitches will make him a very nice middle of the rotation starter. Mid sixties stamina will limit him to a 5\6inning starter.
2-73 - Jose Ramirez - Another really good selection and surprising he lasted all the way to the 73rd pick. He probably dropped due to his mid fifties stamina, but he will be a very good reliever, possible spot starter.
3-105 - Ricardo Infante - Infante's splits will probably limit him to a career minor leaguer, but again, some owners don't mind below average splits. Still, there have been other third rounders chosen that show more value.
4-137 - Ugueth Sanchez - The Cardinals are banking on the awesome power to overcome average splits and a poor eye. Not a bad selection for the fourth round at all.
5-169 - Mike Rogers - Probably a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild\Moderate - First two selections are really solid. Anther example of a team coming away with two ML pitching prospects in their first two picks. Last three picks all have flaws, but most teams choosing in the 3rd-5th round choose the same types. An interesting thing to note is that the 3-5 round picks all signed several days ago, however are still sitting unassigned.
Amateur Draft Review - NL North
Keep in mind that my advanced scouting is 14 million and I could see something quite different from what you see.
Chicago Illini
1-31 - Joe Reynolds - Reynolds is a very, very nice pick considering he was chosen 31st and would have been solid value much higher. He projects to be a very good middle of the rotation starter, although with stamina projected into the mid 60's, he probably won't be able to get past the 5th or 6th inning.
2-79 - Ben Simpson Wow, another very nice pick for a second rounder as his projections are better than some pitchers taken in the first round. Above average control and splits should be able to balance out some of his bad pitches.
3-111 - Ross Shaw - Shaw is the third solid selection for the Illini as he is a nice value pick for a third rounder. Should show some pp in his bat and at the least could be a solid 4th outfielder.
4-143 - Josias Vallarta - Defensive Specialist that culd make the bigs as a backup catcher.
5-175 - Larry Koch Koch's splits are probably too low to ever be more than a minor league closer.
Impact: High. Whenever you can get two projected starters out of the draft, its a good day. Whats even better for the Illini is they accomplished it while picking second to last in both rounds. Great job meteu.
Columbus
1-3 - Michael Maddux - Maddux projects to eventually be an awesome hitter and is a nice selection at 3. The argument to using a top 5 pick on a guy like Maddux is that 1B\LF is the easiest position to fill in HBD and some people shy away from choosing a 1B\LF type so high. However, its hard to ignore those hitting projections.
1-33 - Blade Wright - First of all, what a great name. Were his parents drunk when he was born? High risk\High reward choice here. Scouts feel that Wright fell a bit in the draft due to his average control. Columbus must feel that high awesome splits\velocity\GB ratio\pitches will overcome that. Not a bad gamble.
2-52 - Henry Konerko - Very good hitter that probably shouldn't have lasted this long. However, was this really a need pick since Columbus used the third on Maddox? Maybe an example of a choice that would not have occurred if we had a live draft.
3-83 - Aaron Little - The third very good hitter to be selected by the Buckeyes. It will be interesting to see if Weena will roll the dice and overlook Little's poor PC ratings due to his bat. If not, scouts are not sure where he will play since Maddux and Konerko are in front of him.
4-115 - Willis Root - Nice selection for a fourth rounder. Probably can eventually see some time as a utility player.
4-120 - Justin Iannone - See above. Especially with that very nice batting eye.
5-147 - Curt O'Shea - Could be a decent, middle\long reliever.
Impact: Moderate\High - Its a solid draft when you get 7 players in the first 5 rounds who look like they can contribute to various degrees on the ML level. The only reason its not a "High" rating is due to the 3 players out of the first 4 that are all very similar ballplayers.
Detroit
1-32 - Jaret Ramsey - Fantastic selection considering he was the last choice in the first round. Whats even better is he was drafted out of college and doesn't look too far away from his projections and should be able to contribute quickly if he raises his right split and his first couple pitches.
1-42 - Roy White - I didn't scout and he hasn't signed
2-80 - Luis Rosario - Rosario probably won't play defense well enough to be a CFer on the ML level and probably won't hit well enough to use him at another position in the bigs.
3-88 - Del Seanez - Russ is a solid selection for a third rounder. Should make a decent catcher in the bigs combining a decent bat and above average defensive skills.
3-112 - Myron Russ - If Russ reaches his projections he could be a pretty solid defensive CFer and thats probably about it. He will steal a lot of bases, but not sure he'll get on enough for it to matter too much.
4-144 - Danny Lemon - I didn't scout and he hasn't signed
5-176 - Emil Pulido - Defensive SS who might not have the glove to go along with arm.
Impact: Mild. Solid choice at the end of the first round in Ramsey. The rest of the choices all have significant flaws here or there. Depending on how good White projects to be, this impact grade could be pushed a bit higher.
Iowa City
2-76 - Lonny Offerman - Defensive Specialist who can probably play CF as well and who may show a little skill with the bat due to his splits and batting eye.
3-108 - Junior Kohlmeier - Very good contact hitter and above average defensively for a LFer. Also has excellent speed.
4-140 - Sidney Scheffer - Not a bad selection at all for a fourth rounder. Slid 3B with some pop, although his poor batting eye will hurt him.
5-172 - Damion Mays - Mays below average splits probably will make him nothing but a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild - Its always tough not having a first round selection, but I doubt you'd hear cnsmuck complaining about it with the way his team is playing right now. A couple decent selections that may eventually make their way to the big league roster, but probably no one that will make a huge impact.
Chicago Illini
1-31 - Joe Reynolds - Reynolds is a very, very nice pick considering he was chosen 31st and would have been solid value much higher. He projects to be a very good middle of the rotation starter, although with stamina projected into the mid 60's, he probably won't be able to get past the 5th or 6th inning.
2-79 - Ben Simpson Wow, another very nice pick for a second rounder as his projections are better than some pitchers taken in the first round. Above average control and splits should be able to balance out some of his bad pitches.
3-111 - Ross Shaw - Shaw is the third solid selection for the Illini as he is a nice value pick for a third rounder. Should show some pp in his bat and at the least could be a solid 4th outfielder.
4-143 - Josias Vallarta - Defensive Specialist that culd make the bigs as a backup catcher.
5-175 - Larry Koch Koch's splits are probably too low to ever be more than a minor league closer.
Impact: High. Whenever you can get two projected starters out of the draft, its a good day. Whats even better for the Illini is they accomplished it while picking second to last in both rounds. Great job meteu.
Columbus
1-3 - Michael Maddux - Maddux projects to eventually be an awesome hitter and is a nice selection at 3. The argument to using a top 5 pick on a guy like Maddux is that 1B\LF is the easiest position to fill in HBD and some people shy away from choosing a 1B\LF type so high. However, its hard to ignore those hitting projections.
1-33 - Blade Wright - First of all, what a great name. Were his parents drunk when he was born? High risk\High reward choice here. Scouts feel that Wright fell a bit in the draft due to his average control. Columbus must feel that high awesome splits\velocity\GB ratio\pitches will overcome that. Not a bad gamble.
2-52 - Henry Konerko - Very good hitter that probably shouldn't have lasted this long. However, was this really a need pick since Columbus used the third on Maddox? Maybe an example of a choice that would not have occurred if we had a live draft.
3-83 - Aaron Little - The third very good hitter to be selected by the Buckeyes. It will be interesting to see if Weena will roll the dice and overlook Little's poor PC ratings due to his bat. If not, scouts are not sure where he will play since Maddux and Konerko are in front of him.
4-115 - Willis Root - Nice selection for a fourth rounder. Probably can eventually see some time as a utility player.
4-120 - Justin Iannone - See above. Especially with that very nice batting eye.
5-147 - Curt O'Shea - Could be a decent, middle\long reliever.
Impact: Moderate\High - Its a solid draft when you get 7 players in the first 5 rounds who look like they can contribute to various degrees on the ML level. The only reason its not a "High" rating is due to the 3 players out of the first 4 that are all very similar ballplayers.
Detroit
1-32 - Jaret Ramsey - Fantastic selection considering he was the last choice in the first round. Whats even better is he was drafted out of college and doesn't look too far away from his projections and should be able to contribute quickly if he raises his right split and his first couple pitches.
1-42 - Roy White - I didn't scout and he hasn't signed
2-80 - Luis Rosario - Rosario probably won't play defense well enough to be a CFer on the ML level and probably won't hit well enough to use him at another position in the bigs.
3-88 - Del Seanez - Russ is a solid selection for a third rounder. Should make a decent catcher in the bigs combining a decent bat and above average defensive skills.
3-112 - Myron Russ - If Russ reaches his projections he could be a pretty solid defensive CFer and thats probably about it. He will steal a lot of bases, but not sure he'll get on enough for it to matter too much.
4-144 - Danny Lemon - I didn't scout and he hasn't signed
5-176 - Emil Pulido - Defensive SS who might not have the glove to go along with arm.
Impact: Mild. Solid choice at the end of the first round in Ramsey. The rest of the choices all have significant flaws here or there. Depending on how good White projects to be, this impact grade could be pushed a bit higher.
Iowa City
2-76 - Lonny Offerman - Defensive Specialist who can probably play CF as well and who may show a little skill with the bat due to his splits and batting eye.
3-108 - Junior Kohlmeier - Very good contact hitter and above average defensively for a LFer. Also has excellent speed.
4-140 - Sidney Scheffer - Not a bad selection at all for a fourth rounder. Slid 3B with some pop, although his poor batting eye will hurt him.
5-172 - Damion Mays - Mays below average splits probably will make him nothing but a career minor leaguer.
Impact: Mild - Its always tough not having a first round selection, but I doubt you'd hear cnsmuck complaining about it with the way his team is playing right now. A couple decent selections that may eventually make their way to the big league roster, but probably no one that will make a huge impact.
Monday, May 5, 2008
AL East Preview (courtesy of arte)
Charleston Cougars
The Cougars got a real bargain when they signed ace Jared Strickland to a contract extension ($33.2 mil over 4 years) but he is the only bright spot in a rotation that’s at best 2 deep. The bullpen will get a lot of work this year unless the Cougars make a deal to bring in another starter or 2. Youngster A J Christman looks ready to step into the rotation. Look for him to get a shot at starting soon.
The Cougars look like the plan is to play long ball this year. Eric Thomas, Hong-Chih Okajima, and Skeeter Peterson will all hit at least 30 HR’s. The question is will there be guys on base when the ball leaves the ballpark? But no lead is safe with this murders row but the Cougars need to find ways to put guys on ahead of the boppers.
Unless the Cougars fill the holes in their rotation, it will be a long year for this team.
Chicago Blue Demons
Lead by pitching phenom Hawk Wagner and RF D’Angelo Prieto, the Demons look to challenge for the division title this year. The lineup looks strong from top to bottom and should have no trouble putting up runs. And their starting 5 (oddly, 4 of their 5 starters are southpaws) should have their share of quality starts.
One question mark with the Demons is their bullpen. Randy Peterson is the best of a weak group and closer Vic Redmond should saves plenty of games…if the bullpen can get the game to him with a lead.
New York Red Storm
The Red Storm spent a lot of money on free agent pitcher Davey Diaz ($43.4 mil over 4 years) and are counting on him to lead the team to the post season in their first year.
This team will have little trouble scoring, lead by 1B Bubbles Haynes and 3B Adam Halter. Look for SS Warren Baker to have a break-out year on offense. The 26 year old rising star is just reaching his prime and will be a run producer in the middle of the Storm’s line-up for many years to come.
The Storm’s top 3 starting pitchers are as good as any top 3 in the league but the 4th and 5th starters spots may be troublesome. Strong bullpen work from the likes of Wes Crane and Francisco Delgado will be needed to keep the Storm in games where the 4th and 5th starters leave early but with their offense, they are never out of a game.
Look for the Storm to challege Chicago for the Division title.
Philadelphia Owls
If pitching is the key to winning in baseball, the Owls will do fine this year. Their rotation is solid. No real standouts. Just 5 solid starters that will get the game into the 6th or 7th on most days. The bullpen also looks solid. The only question mark is closer Zachrey O’Halloran. Many Tums will be eaten by the Owls coaching staff when the call is made for O’Halloran.
The Owls will probably not score as many runs are their division rivals, but with their pitching, they may not need to. Lead by DH Jimmy Mordecai, the offense will score runs in bunches with a nice mix of high OBP guys and boppers. Batting veteran star Steven Mecir 9th will jumpstart the offense the second time through the lineup.
SS Max Whitaker is a little lite in the glove for a SS and as a result will see a lot of errors this year.
If their pitching holds out, the Owls should see .500 and have an outside chance at a wildcard if either Chicago or New York stumble.
The Cougars got a real bargain when they signed ace Jared Strickland to a contract extension ($33.2 mil over 4 years) but he is the only bright spot in a rotation that’s at best 2 deep. The bullpen will get a lot of work this year unless the Cougars make a deal to bring in another starter or 2. Youngster A J Christman looks ready to step into the rotation. Look for him to get a shot at starting soon.
The Cougars look like the plan is to play long ball this year. Eric Thomas, Hong-Chih Okajima, and Skeeter Peterson will all hit at least 30 HR’s. The question is will there be guys on base when the ball leaves the ballpark? But no lead is safe with this murders row but the Cougars need to find ways to put guys on ahead of the boppers.
Unless the Cougars fill the holes in their rotation, it will be a long year for this team.
Chicago Blue Demons
Lead by pitching phenom Hawk Wagner and RF D’Angelo Prieto, the Demons look to challenge for the division title this year. The lineup looks strong from top to bottom and should have no trouble putting up runs. And their starting 5 (oddly, 4 of their 5 starters are southpaws) should have their share of quality starts.
One question mark with the Demons is their bullpen. Randy Peterson is the best of a weak group and closer Vic Redmond should saves plenty of games…if the bullpen can get the game to him with a lead.
New York Red Storm
The Red Storm spent a lot of money on free agent pitcher Davey Diaz ($43.4 mil over 4 years) and are counting on him to lead the team to the post season in their first year.
This team will have little trouble scoring, lead by 1B Bubbles Haynes and 3B Adam Halter. Look for SS Warren Baker to have a break-out year on offense. The 26 year old rising star is just reaching his prime and will be a run producer in the middle of the Storm’s line-up for many years to come.
The Storm’s top 3 starting pitchers are as good as any top 3 in the league but the 4th and 5th starters spots may be troublesome. Strong bullpen work from the likes of Wes Crane and Francisco Delgado will be needed to keep the Storm in games where the 4th and 5th starters leave early but with their offense, they are never out of a game.
Look for the Storm to challege Chicago for the Division title.
Philadelphia Owls
If pitching is the key to winning in baseball, the Owls will do fine this year. Their rotation is solid. No real standouts. Just 5 solid starters that will get the game into the 6th or 7th on most days. The bullpen also looks solid. The only question mark is closer Zachrey O’Halloran. Many Tums will be eaten by the Owls coaching staff when the call is made for O’Halloran.
The Owls will probably not score as many runs are their division rivals, but with their pitching, they may not need to. Lead by DH Jimmy Mordecai, the offense will score runs in bunches with a nice mix of high OBP guys and boppers. Batting veteran star Steven Mecir 9th will jumpstart the offense the second time through the lineup.
SS Max Whitaker is a little lite in the glove for a SS and as a result will see a lot of errors this year.
If their pitching holds out, the Owls should see .500 and have an outside chance at a wildcard if either Chicago or New York stumble.
Friday, May 2, 2008
AL West Preview (Courtesy of jarazix)
AL West
Expected Divisional rankings:
1. Oakland Cardinals
2. Salem Beavers
3. Seattle Huskies
4. Los Angeles Bruins
Oakland Cardinals - Jung Lee ( 24yr old 2B, 87/90ovr ) , Candy Thomas ( 22yr old CF, 81/90 ovr) and leadoff hitter Aaron Downing ( 24yr old LF, 82/87ovr ) should anchor this teams potent and young lineup for years to come. Other strong players include Max Pineda ( 29yr old 84/84 ), Rafael Nieves ( 24yr old 80/83 ), Hamish Reynolds ( 22yr old 77/86 ), Torey Bonds ( 29yr old 80/80 ) Starting pitching is strong, but the bullpen has holes that will need addressing. If this team can somehow acquire some relief pitching ( its system is thin in this area ) it should not only win this divison this year but for the next several.
Salem Beavers - Salem is an old team with most starters at or around 30 years of age. It however should compete if its pitching holds up, which is a big question mark. The lineup is anchored by Chad Shelby ( 29yr old, 82/82ovr RF ) and Darin Mercedes ( 33yr old, 76/763B ). Not much is coming through the pipeline for this team and it could fall on hard times quickly.
Seattle Huskies - Seattle is a hard team to judge. At the ML level there is currently only one starter. My guess is the owner is resting its starters in spring training. The team has a fairly youthful lineup, though it lacks much star power. The best player in the line up is Edwards Edwards ( 33yr old 76/76 3B). The bullpen has several quality arms, which the team may need due to its starter situation. Closer Nicky Drew ( 25yr old 70/74 LH ) is in the mold of a great closer, but throws some odd stuff including the knuckleball
Los Angeles Bruins - This team is old and lacks talent at the ML level as far as position players go. Its top rated position player at the ML level is Darrell Martin ( 32yr old 71/71 ovr DH ). The team has decent pitching, as far as pitching goes there is a good mix of young and old players. The most notable is starter Pascual Carrasco ( 24yrs old 75/81 RH ). On the positive side this team has a lot of nice talent that should come up in a few years. That in addition to what is likely a few high draft choices should help this team have a bright future, but not for a few years.
Expected Divisional rankings:
1. Oakland Cardinals
2. Salem Beavers
3. Seattle Huskies
4. Los Angeles Bruins
Oakland Cardinals - Jung Lee ( 24yr old 2B, 87/90ovr ) , Candy Thomas ( 22yr old CF, 81/90 ovr) and leadoff hitter Aaron Downing ( 24yr old LF, 82/87ovr ) should anchor this teams potent and young lineup for years to come. Other strong players include Max Pineda ( 29yr old 84/84 ), Rafael Nieves ( 24yr old 80/83 ), Hamish Reynolds ( 22yr old 77/86 ), Torey Bonds ( 29yr old 80/80 ) Starting pitching is strong, but the bullpen has holes that will need addressing. If this team can somehow acquire some relief pitching ( its system is thin in this area ) it should not only win this divison this year but for the next several.
Salem Beavers - Salem is an old team with most starters at or around 30 years of age. It however should compete if its pitching holds up, which is a big question mark. The lineup is anchored by Chad Shelby ( 29yr old, 82/82ovr RF ) and Darin Mercedes ( 33yr old, 76/763B ). Not much is coming through the pipeline for this team and it could fall on hard times quickly.
Seattle Huskies - Seattle is a hard team to judge. At the ML level there is currently only one starter. My guess is the owner is resting its starters in spring training. The team has a fairly youthful lineup, though it lacks much star power. The best player in the line up is Edwards Edwards ( 33yr old 76/76 3B). The bullpen has several quality arms, which the team may need due to its starter situation. Closer Nicky Drew ( 25yr old 70/74 LH ) is in the mold of a great closer, but throws some odd stuff including the knuckleball
Los Angeles Bruins - This team is old and lacks talent at the ML level as far as position players go. Its top rated position player at the ML level is Darrell Martin ( 32yr old 71/71 ovr DH ). The team has decent pitching, as far as pitching goes there is a good mix of young and old players. The most notable is starter Pascual Carrasco ( 24yrs old 75/81 RH ). On the positive side this team has a lot of nice talent that should come up in a few years. That in addition to what is likely a few high draft choices should help this team have a bright future, but not for a few years.
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