Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

by FavoriteSpring on Mar 3, 2007 11:44 AM PST Comment 23 comments

www.minorleaguebaseball.com has posted an interview with Giants' Director of Player Development Jack Hiatt that was done a couple of days ago. Interviews with Hiatt are always fun, he's such an enthusiastic guy, but this time he seems more excited than ever about the kids in the Giants system:

They're crazy about Burris, with his game-altering speed and natural shortstop skills.

David Maroul has great "untapped power".

So far Marcus Sanders looks great in camp and his shoulder seems fine. It has been decided that he will not play short. They hope for him to play second at San Jose, if his shoulder holds up, with Burris at short

They love Velez' hitting, he's a terrific athlete but they aren't sure he'll be able to stay at second. They played him at center in Instructional League and he was terrific there. Hiatt really sounded enthusiastic about him.

EME looks better than he ever has, stronger and thinner. He's "a genuine major league hitter". What sets him apart as a prospect at this stage is his ability to hit curves as well as fastballs.

Some other points:

They'd rather have Lincecum work as a starter for now, because there he'll have room for error, whereas as a reliever he wouldn't have that luxury. But they haven't decided on his ultimate roll yet.

Frandsen has the ability to play second, short or third "very well". They see him as a future starting second baseman. He sounded as if he'd prefer Frandsen spend the year in the minors rather than sit on the bench with the Giants, since he hasn't had a lot of minor league at-bats.

When Russ Ortiz was coming up through the system, the Giants moved him to the bullpen in order to force him to concentrate on each pitch, because he had been so wild in college.

If they decide at the end of the spring that Sanchez' future role with the team is as a reliever, they'll pitch him in relief in Fresno too if he's sent down.

Its fun to listen to Hiatt. Not sure how to post the link - help, anyone? - but right now its on the upper right-hand corner of the www.minorleaguebaseball.com homepage.

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

I don't like converting players to relievers unless you really have to. The latest research shows that a dominant closer is as valuable as a upper-rotation starter, but they still can't reach the value of an ace or a good #2, and Lincecum obviously has the potential to do that.

DFA Everybody

by JakeS on Mar 3, 2007 12:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

Even if it's biased, it is kinda nice to hear some optimism about our prospects. I hadn't thought about Velez in CF, but that would be excellent (assuming Sanders doesn't need to end up there). So I'm dreaming:

SS Burris
2B Sanders
1B Martinez Esteve
RF Schierholtz
3B Villalona
CF Velez
LF Whoever
C Whatever

Avoid the rush later - join the Waiting for Josh Vitters bandwagon now!

by Lyle on Mar 3, 2007 1:00 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

Sabean's so dreaming:

C: Brad Ausmus
1B: Jeff Conine
2B: Mark Grudzielanek
SS: Omar Vizquel
3B: Mike Lowell
LF: Garret Anderson
CF: Kenny Lofton
RF: Geoff Jenkins

by Bhaakon on Mar 3, 2007 3:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

Thanks. I didn't like that sandwich anyway.

Save The Pitcher. Save The World

by E Ticket on Mar 3, 2007 9:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

Villalona would bat cleanup, but that isn't really all that good a lineup. Only Angel is likely to be an impact hitter among that group, which doesn't have a lot of power -- sort of like the present Giants.

by sharksrog on Mar 3, 2007 9:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

If Eme can stay healthy and play a position he'll be a legitimate impact bat.

by orangeandblackattack on Mar 3, 2007 10:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And I don't mean Nicholson

Heeeere's Jack!

by Moggeee on Mar 3, 2007 1:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Great Listen

Thank you. Go Giants!!

by wilriv21 on Mar 3, 2007 2:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

David Maroul

The reason his power is "untapped" is he just doesn't make consistent contact. No plate discipline, lots of K's, low BA.......what does that add up to? Yeah, Dave Kingman without as much power.

by DrBGiantsfan on Mar 3, 2007 6:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

San Jose

SJ games should be track meets this year. With Burriss at SS, Sanders at 2B. The Augusta OF should be moving up....Richardson, Copeland and The Moon Man. Not THAT'S a fast team!

by DrBGiantsfan on Mar 3, 2007 6:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: San Jose

Not that I'd disagree with the notion of it being a fast team, but I'd lay solid odds that one of the three Augusta outfielders might skip San Jose.

I'd hope for it to be Mooney, but probably not. With Mooney being a bit emotional and Connecticut being hard on hitters, and Mooney being a Bay Area kid, he'll probably be manning right field for the SJ Giants. But a great ST stint, along with his experience and age, could push the Giants to push him. I think he needs to be pushed, not coddled.

I do think Copeland could, and will, skip High-A and go to Double-A, especially if he continues to do well in ST. He impressed a lot of people today in one non-at-bat in Maryvale. But then, Copeland was the least effective baserunner of the three. :)

Richardson won't be skipping anything, just to be clear...it'll either be Mike or Ben.

One forgotten man is Joey Dyche, who I expect will return to San Jose. He had 14 SB in 17 attempts in San Jose before his injury, and while he's not nearly on the level of Richardson, Mooney, or either infielder, he is no piff on the basepaths. (He's also a good contact hitter, despite having troubles in SJ last year before the injury.) However, he will have to prove he's healthy in the legs.

by BruteSentiment on Mar 4, 2007 2:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Joey Dyche

I haven't seen any of the Augusta OF trio, but I have seen Joey Dyche. Maybe if he put on about 20 lbs of muscle and maintained his speed, I might be a believer. Man, he looked frail when I saw him early in the season last year at a game in San Berdoo.

Giants website is talking about jumping Copeland to AA, so you may be right on that count. Just hard to imagine anyone doing well jumping from Low A to AA unless they really tore it up in low A, which Copeland didn't.

Who's on first in SJ? Weston or Thompson? Maybe Thompson will jump to AA?

I assume Adam Witter will be the catcher in SJ unless they want him to develop his D in Low A first. I'd have to guess Dave Maroul at 3B in SJ with Rohlinger at 3b in Augusta?

Well, that would pretty much fill up the squad in SJ.

by DrBGiantsfan on Mar 4, 2007 4:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Joey Dyche

San Jose is certainly going to be an interesting team.

I think you're right about Maroul and Rohlinger.

I also think Thompson will start in San Jose, for three reasons:

Bay Area ties (SCU Grad)
He's still a bit behind thanks to too many injuries.
I don't think Ishikawa will be bumped to Fresno just yet, but both Ishikawa and Thompson will be eyed for midseason promotions.

I think the push from Low-A to Double-A can be based on projection more than performance, which is the thing with Copeland. He was expected to be in SJ last year, but there were non-baseball related things that affected things last year.

Witter could be an interesting dilemma. I don't think the defense will be an issue in regards to his level, and truthfully, he might suffer more in the Sally league, which seems to be a haven for speed teams (Believe it or not, Augusta did NOT have the most Stolen Bases in the league, despite having Richardson, Velez, Mooney and Copeland on the team). I could see Witter pushed, but it's hard to say.

I think we'll see Contreras be part of the SJ team for sure.

I'm thinking late March, we'll all have to do our guesses for who will end up where.

One interesting note: Kelyn Acosta was optioned to Double-A yesterday. Double-A! I genuinely believe that if I did a Top 150 Prospects list for the Giants, Acosta wouldn't crack that one, and it wouldn't even be close.

by BruteSentiment on Mar 5, 2007 1:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Kelyn Acosta

Andy Baggarly wrote about him in the most recent Baseball America organizational report. Tidrow really likes Acosta. Came back at age 20 from TJ surgery, showing an upper 90's fastball and reasonable command in 2005 instructional league. Developed nerve irritation last year and was shut down, but they expect that to heal fully. Looks stronger and smoother now.

by FavoriteSpring on Mar 5, 2007 2:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Kelyn Acosta

The problem is that he hasn't been able to stay healthy at all since the TJ surgery, and that when he has been healthy, he hasn't shown much at all in terms of ability to pitch, not just throw.

They had to put him somewhere, but Double-A? It's a pitcher's league, but I expect if he actually plays there, his pitches'll be knocked around like a pinball.

by BruteSentiment on Mar 5, 2007 8:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Joey Dyche

Brute, what is your overall assessment of Witter? Is he defensively sound enough to stay at catcher? Could he conceivably play an infield corner? The power sure is enticing.

Avoid the rush later - join the Waiting for Josh Vitters bandwagon now!

by Lyle on Mar 5, 2007 6:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Joey Dyche

I haven't personally seen Witter yet (I know, boo me), so I can't say for sure.

The general feeling from those I've talked to and read is that he could be okay at catcher, in an Eliezer Alfonzo sort of way, and the Giants like his work ethic and desire to improve his defense. But he's probably not a catcher long-term.

Infield corner is likely, but his value takes a dip there. I don't like positional offensive expectations, but the truth is that his power at C made him a plus. Just about anywhere else, his power is average, and some don't know if it'll project to higher levels (like ones with much more consistent offspeed pitches). He'll really have to prove himself. However, as long as he's in Single-A (either one) this year, he should still have plenty of fastballs to feed upon and keep the power high. Double-A will be his real test.

by BruteSentiment on Mar 5, 2007 8:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Joey Dyche

Thanks!

Avoid the rush later - join the Waiting for Josh Vitters bandwagon now!

by Lyle on Mar 5, 2007 8:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Joey Dyche

As fun as it can be to get the prospect ranking lists, sometimes it can be nearly as good to see where minor league prospects are assigned. Typically, there is one big surprise there that shows a prospect who made a lot of progress since the end of the preceding season.

The possibilities of Copeland in double-A and Velez moving to CF seem to cloud the OF picture in the upper minors. Here is how I currently see it:
AAA: Ellison, Schierholtz, Lewis, Ortmeier
AA: EME, Timpner, Horwitz, Foster
(Note: 1B is Niekro/Santos in AAA, and Ishikawa/vonSchell in AA.)

Here is how I saw the catching assignments. Of course, I am sure there will be a couple changes from this.
AAA: Knoedler, G-Rod
AA: Jennings, Emmerick
A+: Gunther, Holm, Busch
A-: Witter, Gutierrez, LaTorre

I would think that Pill is the 1Bman in San Jose. I wouldn't be surprised to see Thompson assigned to Augusta. He's beginning to look a bit more like roster filler than prospect. Is Thompson a better prospect than Carlos Sosa? Sandoval is another option, although I suspect he repeats low-A.

I was surmising that the OF quartet of McBryde, Weston, Felmy and Graham would all end up in Augusta.

Maybe (or probably) I'm wrong, but it makes more sense to me to have Maroul repeat low-A and send Rohlinger to high-A. I also kinda wonder about sending Bocock to high-A and Burriss to low-A, but the organization appears headed in the opposite direction.

I think it's pretty out there to suggest that Kelyn Acosta is not among the organization's top 100 prospects.

by steve S on Mar 5, 2007 10:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

What exactly does Jack Hiatt do? Certainly it isn't develop major league hitters.

The Giants farm system is like the constantly philandering husband who keeps coming back with his vows of "baby, I've changed!". And we're the long-suffering but trusting wife, who keeps believing that "this time it'll be different".

It never is different, though. I guess I've kind of reached a point where I'm having a hard time even hoping that any hitter coming up through the Giants farm system will ever amount to anything. Let just one hitter prove me wrong and maybe I'll start to hope again.

by tobias on Mar 4, 2007 1:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

D.O. A.

Maybe it's more like the constantly dead husband who occasionally comes back to haunt us with a legion of fresh Zombies.

by Moggeee on Mar 4, 2007 1:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

I'll give you two who will do it in the majors this year.

Todd Linden and Kevin Frandsen.

by BruteSentiment on Mar 5, 2007 1:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Jack Hiatt raves about the kids

I likened the Giants minor league system to a Where's Waldo book. There are guys who could be good, who look like they might be good, but frustrate you when you can't find one who actually pans out. It's like all the dudes in the red striped sweaters vs. one Waldo.

"Strikeouts are boring. Besides that, they're fascist." Not fascist: SF Dugout

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 5, 2007 9:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs