BA Posts Giants Top 10
I'm not sure if this has been posted yet, I hadn't seen it.
Baggs does the write up for BA and here's the top 10:
1. Madison Bumgarner, lhp
2. Buster Posey, c
3. Angel Villalona, 1b
4. Tim Alderson, rhp
5. Nick Noonan, 2b
6. Ehire Adrianza, ss
7. Conor Gillaspie, 3b
8. Rafael Rodriguez, of
9. Scott Barnes, lhp
10. Sergio Romo, rhp
over 3 years ago
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It was supposed to come out February 4th, so this is a very nice surprise.
Proud adoptive parent of Tim Alderson.
Anyone want to help us out there?
Baggs? Post it up?
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
BA's Top 10s compiled (Giants)
I’ve put together a few pages reflecting BA’s top 10’s. The pages show the past few seasons for side-by-side comparisons. The pages are formatted by division which allows you to read multiple teams on one page instead of going back and forth.
by Hardball Warriors on Jan 29, 2009 8:43 PM PST up reply actions
Interesting
Ehire and Barnes seem a little high, and Gillaspie a little low, and I’m surprised Sosa didn’t make the list. But what the hell do I know?
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
BA seems to really dig UPSIDE and TOOLS sometimes. Ehire is definitely an upside pick, Barnes not so much, but he’s still an interesting prospect.
In that case, it’s surprising that Fairley didn’t make it!
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
Quick Question...
I was also looking at the Top Prospects from 2008 and no mention of Pablo Sandoval. Where did this guy come from? If not Top 10, did anyone rank him in the Top 30? Just curious! Baggerly did mention that we need to get lucky in the end of the 2008 top prospect list. Heres hoping we have another gem hiding in the minors.
Yes, and Goldstein crows about that regularly. Pablo got some buzz after hitting .330 at Salem-Keizer as an 18-year-old, but then he followed it up with two years of low-OBP fattiness in 2006-07 and sort of dropped off the radar.
Baggs admitted that they missed badly on Pablo last year, though he did sorta come out of nowhere.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
BEST
TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Buster Posey
Best Power Hitter Angel Villalona
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Eddy Martinez-Esteve
Fastest Baserunner Darren Ford
Best Athlete Wendell Fairley
Best Fastball Madison Bumgarner
Best Curveball Tim Alderson
Best Slider Waldis Joaquin
Best Changeup Scott Barnes
Best Control Madison Bumgarner
Best Defensive Catcher Jackson Williams
Best Defensive Infielder Brian Bocock
Best Infield Arm Brian Bocock
Best Defensive Outfielder Darren Ford
Best Outfield Arm Mike McBryde
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 10:58 AM PST reply actions
Well
according to Evans, they are trying to make him into a switch hitter. If he he could learn to hit RH pitching as a lefty he might move up pretty fast.
remember how we used to think he was some kind of a prospect?
what terrible times those were…
or Jackson Williams. I wish we didn’t use that pick on a guy with backup catcher upside.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
Yup, especially when this guy was available.
Just say NO to free agents, they take your draft picks.
Did you want Stanton at the time the draft happened? Because, if not, then it’s a pretty empty point. Outside of the best few players of every draft, you can pick a player who “should” have been drafted pretty easily.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
Michael Burgess
I wanted him. I know he hasn’t performed as well as expected (though he had mixed reviews), but he still has more upside than Williams. BA has him as the Nats’ #4 prospect this year.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 9:13 AM PST up reply actions
Honestly i was hoping for an infielder of outfielder to be drafted other than a catcher, even though at the time the orgainization had a bit of a need for them. I didn’t like the Williams selection after I read a few reports on him and came to the conclusion that if everything goes right in his development maybe he can become an average major league catcher. I didn’t like that pick as there were many more high upside potential guys to be drafted and when Williams could have been had later. I just wanted anybody else other than Williams but I didn’t have anyone in particular in mind. I just wanted a high upside player like Stanton.
Just say NO to free agents, they take your draft picks.
Agreed on pretty much everything.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
Eh
I don’t get why Adrianza is ranked so highly and has gotten so much buzz. The dude had so few at-bats last year. Yes he has a nice walk rate, but other than that doesn’t seem to offer much. He also hit poorly in previous seasons at a lower level. Offensively he just doesn’t seem to have much at present, and even if he’s a gem on defense would he be able to carry his weight enough to be a real prospect or is he just another Bocock?
Well, like I said above, BA can go crazy with UPSIDE sometimes. I wouldn’t put him at #6 personally, but he fits in with how they occasionally rank players. I think he’s a glove-man right now but he’s young and toolsy.
His bat profiles higher than Bocock, but that’s probably not very hard to do.
True
I really have no problem with BA ranking guys highly due to upside but then shouldn’t guys like Kieschnick, or Wendell rank higher?
I just don’t see the upside with a 19 year old kid who had like 100 AB’s last year, especially when he kind of came out of nowhere to rank highly. I mean Mike McBryde is toolsy and nobody really cares about him.
Also, part of it is probably because Ehire got some love on BA earlier in the year and Baggs develops these reports by talking to BA writers.
So wait
Bags actually wrote up the Giants stuff? Usually it’s done by Callis or Manuel or someone like that….from BA. Not some beat writer who helps pass stuff along to BA.
I’m pretty sure the way it works is that each team has a team specific writer (Baggs covers the Giants) and then that writer goes around, collecting information (from scouts, etc.) on the players to form the lists.
No the BA staff divides up the writeups. There are usually about 8 guys that do all 30 organizations (Callis, Manual, Simpson, Lingo, Matthews, Fitt, Baggs, and a couple of others I think). If you listen to their podcasts they’ll always talk about which organizations are whose and every couple of years they switch it up to avoid getting organizational fatigue. Baggarly has only been doing the Giants writeups for a couple of years, so it’ll be interesting to see if they ever do switch him to another organization or if his dayjob with the Merc will naturally keep him on the Giants beat.
Get the hell out the way Bengie, Pablito's hit the show!
Baggarly’s been doing them for a few years, I think. Frankly, his information is often better than some like Manuel’s because he’s constantly focusing on just the Giants.
by Dan from NM on Jan 29, 2009 11:27 AM PST up reply actions
Actually most of BAs information is taken from talking to league managers, coaches, and professional scouts. Then there’s some round table with the BA writers (and Baggs actually is a staff writer for BA, though it overlaps a good deal with his day job). Of course, the writers have their own favorite “cheeseballs” as they like to say, but unlike say Sickels or a lot of other prospect mavens who are really drawing their own conclusions based on stats, etc, BA’s MO is not to generate the opinions themselves as much as it is to try to present a decent consensus view of the opinions of the scouting community (with some editorial coloring).
Get the hell out the way Bengie, Pablito's hit the show!
BA does seem to focus a lot less on statistics.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:08 PM PST up reply actions
BA’s style is totally exemplified in this answer from the chat on an Ehire question:
Q: Why did you rank Ehire Adrianza 6th in the organization? Do you really think that he has more skill and potential than the other 4 members of your list, as well as prospects not on the list like Rodger Kieshnick, Kevin Puectas, Brandon Crawford, and Henry Sosa?
A: Moderator: Adrianza was an aggressive ranking, to be sure. But the Giants’ internal evaluation, as well as those of scouts who tracked the Arizona League, was that he profiles as an impact performer at a highly valued position. He doesn’t look like a burner, but he has amazing first-step quickness and a tremendous feel for the game — which is pretty remarkable given his lack of professional exposure. He really received unanimous raves from every person I interviewed who watched him play. Remember, these rankings are based on a player’s ceiling and the likelihood that they’ll reach that ceiling. It’s a subjective ranking, and while someone like Gillaspie is a better bet to end his career with more big league service time, Adrianza profiles as someone who could make a bigger impact if he hits the mark.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:39 PM PST up reply actions
BA does value positional scarcity quite bit, too (“at a highly valued position”), so I’m sure that part of the reasoning behind the ranking was that Kieschick and RafRod are not atypical players at their positions (or at least their projections aren’t), while the projection for Adrianza is a little more atypical and thus highly valued.
For shits and giggles, BA’s Top 10 lists from the last several years:
2008:
1) Angel Villalona 3B
2) Tim Alderson RHP
3) Madison Bumgarner LHP
4) Nate Schierholtz OF
5) Henry Sosa RHP
6) Nick Noonan 2B/SS
7) Eugenio Velez OF/2B
8) Wendell Fairley OF
9) John Bowker OF
10) Emmanuel Burriss SS
2007
1) Tim Lincecum RHP
2) Jonathan Sanchez LHP
3) Angel Villalona 3B
4) Emmanuel Burriss SS
5) Brian Wilson RHP
6) Kevin Frandsen 2B
7) Fred Lewis OF
8) Nate Schierholtz OF
9) Eddy Martinez-Esteve OF
10) Billy Sadler RHP
2006
1) Matt Cain RHP
2) Marcus Sanders SS/2B
3) Eddy Martinez-Esteve OF
4) Travis Ishikawa 1B
5) Merkin Valdez RHP
6) Jonathan Sanchez LHP
7) Nate Schierholtz OF
8) Fred Lewis OF
9) Kevin Frandsen 2B/SS
10) Craig Whitker RHP
2005
1) Matt Cain RHP
2) Merkin Valdez RHP
3) Fred Lewis OF
4) Eddy Martinez-Esteve OF
5) Nate Schierholtz OF/3B
6) Alfredo Simon RHP
7) Brad Hennessey RHP
8) Craig Whitaker RHP
9) David Aardsma RHP
10) Travis Ishikawa 1B
2004
1) Merkin Valdez RHP
2) Matt Cain RHP
3) David Aardsma RHP
4) Dan Ortmeier OF
5) Todd Linden OF
6) Kevin Correia RHP
7) Travis Ishikawa 1B
8) Craig Whitaker RHP
9) Fred Lewis OF
10) Brian Buscher 3B
2003
1) Jesse Foppert RHP
2) Kurt Ainsworth RHP
3) Jerome Williams RHP
4) Francisco Liriano LHP
5) Todd Linden OF
6) Boof Bonser RHP
7) Fred Lewis OF
8) Ryan Hannaman LHP
9) Lance Niekro 1B/3B
10) Erick Threets LHPn
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
#1 prospects for a decade prior
2002 – Jerome Williams
2001 – Jerome Williams
2000 – Kurt Ainsworth RHP
1999 – Jason Grilli RHP
1998 – Jason Grilli RHP
1997 – Joe Fontenot RHP
1996 – Shawn Estes LHP
1995 – J.R. Phillips 1B
1994 – Salomon Torres RHP
1993 – Calvin Murray OF
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
He was part of the Robb Nen trade, right?
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
Also, it’s pretty remarkable, but hardly surprising, that in 17 years, the Giants’ #1 prospect has been a position player only twice.
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
Well it would be thrice
if not for Madbum.
Well actually
it is thrice (not that that’s a remarkable achievement). Calvin Murray, J.R. Phillips and Angel last year.
Get the hell out the way Bengie, Pablito's hit the show!
Yeah, and I’m really not sure why he was ever a “#1” prospect. His minor league numbers with the Giants weren’t exactly impressive.
I was going to say it was probably because the team’s minor league system was depleted by the White Flag trade, but the 1997 list would’ve been posted before the start of the 1997 season, so I dunno.
I’m trying to remember who was well-regarded in the system at that point. Estes had already been called up, but there were still Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke, Lorenzo Barcelo…
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
He might’ve been still riding his amateur hype at the time – he was the Giants’ #1 pick in 1995, and the #1 1996 pick, Matt White, weaseled out of signing thanks to Scott Boras and got a huge free agent contract with Tampa Bay.
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
its strange
how terrible our farm system was back then, but it still managed to churn out a ripe amount of major leaguers.
AnVil
Villalona’s batting practice was a daily fireworks display and he often carried it over to games. He has the ability to hit quality fastballs and hanging breaking balls a long, long way.
[salivates]
He lost almost 40 pounds from spring training to the end of the season and coaches praised his dedication to getting in baseball shape.
that’s very reassuring.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:19 AM PST reply actions
Even after slimming down, he’s still a poor runner with no chance of returning to third base.
[%$#@!]
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
yeah. that was me. I read somewhere that he took grounders at 3rd before every game, so it must’ve been a daydream.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
My dream is that he maintains the mobility to be a corner OF if necessary, but yeah, 3B was pretty much out of the question, almost from the start
Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...
by Smoke on the Water on Jan 29, 2009 3:59 PM PST up reply actions
Very reassuring indeed. Villalona sounds like a kid who wants to be a good player and make the majors. I kinda have a really good feeling about him. salivates thinking about Villalona, Buster and Pablo in the same lineup.
it’s going to be hard to get those 3 in the same lineup (unless wilriv finally convinces them to move Posey back to SS and Sandoval becomes the biggest everyday Catcher MLB has ever seen)
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 1:35 PM PST up reply actions
C Posey
1b Villalona
3b Sandoval
More I think about it maybe Posey bats second, Sandoval hits third and Villalona cleanups.
Yup
2-3-4 makes a bit more sense, given Posey’s offensive profile.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
RBsIs!
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
Ribbies!
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:09 PM PST up reply actions
still cannot understand why people do not like RBIs yet sing the praises of BBs. Love the Giants to score a run. The more the better.
It’s a question of process vs. results. Process based analysis is better.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
RBI’s don’t measure a hitter’s performance directly, since they depend on the performance of the batters earlier in the lineup. Position in the lineup also matters a lot (lead-off guys bat with men on base less frequently, etc.) Stuff like SLG, OBP, OPS are better since they measure what the hitter does, only.
It’s not that we don’t like RBIs. It’s that we don’t like using them to evaluate the skills of one player when they are something produced by two (or three).
I'm spent, just can't rosterbate anymore.
unless your slamming most runs are scored are produced by two (or three). Baseball is a team sport. Often managers make a decision based on the situation.
?
We’re just saying don’t use RBIs to evaluate individual talent. It’s fine to evaluate a team’s talent with them. When you want to answer the question, “Hey, is this guy any good?” you’ve got ignore everything that was out of his control, and to a large extent RBIs are out of a player’s control.
If you put and average hitter in the Red Sox lineup, he’ll pile up RBIs. If you put him in the Giants lineup, he will not. That in no way reflects his skill.
I'm spent, just can't rosterbate anymore.
Mad Bum
it looks like he’ll definitely start in AA this year, though I wish they’d start him out in San Jose so we could see him (at least while the weather back east is cold.)
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:23 AM PST reply actions
Great list. Couple of newsy tidbits:
— Rodriguez may spend this year in the Dominican league rather than in Arizona.
— Giants aren’t sure Gillaspie can stay at third.
— Villalona can’t go back to third.
— Noonan knows he needs to be more selective.
— Barnes, Alderson, Bumgarner and Posey might all end up in Double-A.
If you don’t subscribe to BA, you should.
Any word on where Gillaspie might move to in that case? His value would seem to be awfully diminished if he moved to first or corner OF.
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
Gillaspie gets comp’d to Bill Mueller a lot. Mueller was a pretty good defender and he was able to stick at 3rd. So if the bat is the issue, Gillaspie could very well remain at 3rd, assuming the Giants don’t have better options.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:39 AM PST up reply actions
Scouting reports I've seen
indicate it’s his glovework that’ll move him off 3B.
Get the hell out the way Bengie, Pablito's hit the show!
I agree
but the BA writeup also indicated that he might not hit for enough power to stay at 3b, and I thought that was a bit off considering Mueller is the comp everyone uses for Gillaspie.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 1:57 PM PST up reply actions
It’s 3rd base and the Giants…of course there won’t be better options
My adopted Giant: "Raptor Jesus" Guzman
right. I shouldn’t have given them the benefit of the doubt on the biggest black hole in the organization.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 1:59 PM PST up reply actions
there have always (and by always, I mean 8 long months, going back to pre-draft scouting) been doubts about Gillaspie staying at 3B.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 1:38 PM PST up reply actions
Dizzy & Nooner
If SF is serious about Nooner playing SS when do they plan to begin playing the kid at SS?
If you don’t subscribe to BA, you should.
I would, but I’m having trouble justifying the cost. You can get so much information for free nowadays, $70 just seems too high.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
I wish they would structure it as like a $5.95 a month charge. That would be easier for me to take.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 1:54 PM PST up reply actions
I was going on three month subscriptions as I wasn’t sure when I’d see my next paycheck for a while there. My latest subscription just ran out and I am sad.
"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 29, 2009 2:40 PM PST up reply actions
I’m insanely tempted today, since I want to read all the Giants related stuff. I’m sure to break down at some point soon. The internet is my impulse buying section.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
Potential Connecticut rotation
SP1 – Mad Bum
SP2 – TimA
SP3 – Pucetas
SP4 – English
SP5 – Sosa/Barnes
Buster’s gonna have fun catching that staff. And, they’re gonna be tough to beat.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:42 AM PST reply actions
My mother-in-law lives just outside of Norwich – I really hope we have the chance to visit sometime during the baseball season!
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
I read somewhere..
Mad Bum will start in San Jose until the weather is better in CT
proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..
Samuel Clemens once said "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer ......."
Does that mean he eventually spend Aprils in Fresno and then migrate to SF in Mays?
He never actually said that
But Clemens did write
The climate of San Francisco is mild and singularly equable. The thermometer stands at about seventy degrees the year round. It hardly changes at all. You sleep under one or two light blankets Summer and Winter, and never use a mosquito bar. Nobody ever wears Summer clothing. You wear black broadcloth—if you have it—in August and January, just the same. It is no colder, and no warmer, in the one month than the other. You do not use overcoats and you do not use fans. It is as pleasant a climate as could well be contrived, take it all around, and is doubtless the most unvarying in the whole world. The wind blows there a good deal in the summer months, but then you can go over to Oakland, if you choose—three or four miles away—it does not blow there.
it definitely blows in Oakland.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 5:58 PM PST up reply actions
I used to like that fake Twain quote until, while I was living in Chicago, I came across a guy from SF who thought that, with windchill, it actually was colder in San Francisco than Chicago. He absolutely insisted on this and wouldn’t budge. I found him average temperatures by month for each city, and pointed out that, in the winter months, San Francisco couldn’t be colder than Chicago unless SF had a windchill of about 45 degrees and Chicago had none at all, but he wouldn’t believe me. I don’t think that guy was very smart. Or that he’d ever left the Bay Area and had any clue about what the weather is actually like in most of the rest of the country.
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
Years ago was working in Italy and it was a bit cold. A friend then told me Rome and Chicago were at about the same latitude. Surprised me.
I like the shorter one.
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
PROJECTED 2012
LINEUP
Catcher Buster Posey
First Base Angel Villalona
Second Base Nick Noonan
Third Base Conor Gillaspie
Shortstop Ehire Adrianza
Left Field Fred Lewis
Center Field Aaron Rowand
Right Field Nate Schierholtz
No. 1 Starter Tim Lincecum
No. 2 Starter Madison Bumgarner
No. 3 Starter Matt Cain
No. 4 Starter Tim Alderson
No. 5 Starter Barry Zito
Closer Brian Wilson
Interesting that BA has Matt Cain on there, considering his current contract runs thru 2011 (club option) and in 2012 he becomes a free agent. they probably should list Sanchez instead of Cain, if we’re gonna get technical.
Also, that Zito and Rowand are still on there really makes me sad.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 11:52 AM PST reply actions
Projected 2012
Where the hell is PABLO?!
Charlie Hayes ate my homework
by glenallen hill's waterpipe on Jan 29, 2009 10:58 PM PST up reply actions
Baggs actually answered two versions of this question during the chat.
Q: Mike from Raleigh, NC asks:
Looking at your projected 2012 lineup I noticed that Pablo Sandoval was missing. Is this because you do not know at what position he will end up, or is it because you question his ability to remain a mlb starter? Would he have been slotted in the top half of your list if he had maintained eligibility? Thanks!
A: Moderator: I think people take the projected lineups a little too seriously. But yeah, it’s tougher to assign Sandoval to a position than Villalona or Posey, both of whom project as big league starters. Sandoval missed eligibility by a dozen at-bats or so. He’d have been No.5, and I expect he’ll establish himself as a star in 2009. I’d like to add that I was totally paranoid about the last five spots on the top 30 this year, mostly because I didn’t want to omit the next Sandoval from the list.
and
Q: Joe C. from San Ramon, CA asks:
I don’t see Pablo Sandoval’s name on the 2012 lineup and I see you have Conor Gillaspie as the 3rd baseman. Does that mean you like Gillaspie’s bat over Sandoval’s?
A: Moderator: No, I just don’t see Sandoval being a long-term solution at third base. I don’t see him starting there at all, to be honest.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 9:16 AM PST up reply actions
Interesting Baggs sees Sandoval establishing himself as a star in 09. I thought Pablo would be good but not a star, but I hope Baggs is right on this one because this team really needs a hitter that other pitchers are intimidated by and if Sandoval can become that, that would be awesome.
Just say NO to free agents, they take your draft picks.
I like Baggs
As much as the next guy, and I read his blog every day, but really, he’s not a scout, and he spends the year following the major league team, so how much does he really know about the minors? And, while he’s no Joe Morgan, he’s not great with stats either. I kind of take anything he says about our prospects with a grain of salt.
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
Joe Morgan
Why does McCoven bag on Joe Morgan? Always wanted to see him manage a team. Bet he could be a winner as a manager as he was as a player.
Cuz he sucks
As an announcer. He honestly doesn’t pay attention to the game and his “insights” and “statistical analysis” are both rudimentary at best. I feel stupider after listening to him watch a game. Sure, the guy was a fantastic player and might be a good manager, but he is an awful announcer.
I think Morgan might have the same problem as a manager that many great athletes have when they move into coaching or management: They can never really get their heads around that none of their players are as smart or as gifted as they were.
Also, he doesn’t seem like much of a people person.
Morgan was one of the best, if not the best 2B in the history of the game. But, ignoring his much debated (lack of?) broadcasting skills, he is absolutely terrible at dealing with stats, which is the context in which I brought him up. Morgan’s often-stated theory about stats is that you should only use them when they support your initial theory, which reminds me of that Mark Twain line about misusing stats, which Brute always quotes. Morgan constantly criticizes theories he has, admittedly, never tried to understand, books he’s never read, and people he doesn’t know anything about. When it comes to stats, he simply has a dreadful combination of ignorance and arrogance.
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
plus,
it isn’t just his ignorance about statistics, but his refusal to think about the game in a way different than when he played. it is like his mind is still stuck in the 70’s with the Big Red Machine. He says things that are, not only counterintuitive, but belied by the facts (statistics.) He may have insights on how to make swing adjustments or how to go into the hole for a grounder, or even a player’s “makeup” but he shouldn’t be the guy figuring out where to best use guys in a batting order. In that way, he’s kinda like Dusty Baker = “Corey Patterson is fast so he must hit leadoff. /refuses to look at obp.”
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 3:28 PM PST up reply actions
he’s not a scout, and he spends the year following the major league team, so how much does he really know about the minors?
that is true, but I would be willing to bet that he talks to more scouts, and more people within the Giants organization about prospects and the minor leagues than any other baseball writer around. For that reason, I usually give at least as much weight to his analysis of prospects than I give to any other person’s. National writers don’t have the time to be as well versed on Giants prospects (or any single team’s prospects) as the beat writers do.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 30, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions
Baggs is also a staff writer for Baseball America and does spend a lot of time covering the minors. He isn’t a scout, but he talks to the scouts quite a bit. he also talks to the organizational guys about what’s going down on the farm. he’s knowledgeable. I don’t think he relies heavily on statistics, but that’s also BA’s style of covering the minors.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 3:23 PM PST up reply actions
A: Moderator: No, I just don’t see Sandoval being a long-term solution at third base. I don’t see him starting there at all, to be honest.
Baggs has a body bias!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 30, 2009 11:12 AM PST up reply actions
Whoa, Ehire.
And I like it when Romo gets props. ROMOSEXUALS WHAT.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
Still not drinking the eHire kool aid here
But very happy to be a Romosexual.
"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 29, 2009 1:20 PM PST up reply actions
In Texas they're called queerosexuals
And they want to turn your children into gheys
"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 29, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions
BA's chat system sux
really lame.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 1:48 PM PST reply actions
questions so far
Moderator: Andy Baggarly will chat about the Giants farm system beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Q: Daniel R. from Redwood City asks:
Would you consider Clay Timpner or Dan Ortmeier to be serious prospects anymore? And how is Pucetas NOT on this list?!?!?!?!
A:
Moderator: Hi everyone, thanks for dropping by on relatively short notice. I’ll be in an Alameda County jury box next week, hence the early chat and revelation of the Giants top-10. Keep submitting your questions and I’ll get to as many as I can in the next 90 minutes or so. Ortmeier signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies and still has the tools to be a major leaguer, but he hasn’t shown the aptitude as of yet. He also struggled with first base and has gone back and forth about being a switch hitter. Until he figures out who he is as a player, I don’t think he’ll be able to convince anyone in a major league front office. Timpner had a couple of scary-bad at-bats in a brief call-up last season and appears to be a 4-A player.
Q: Jon from Peoria asks:
Hi Andy: How close was it between Bumgarner and Posey?
A:
Moderator: Very close. It’s difficult to rank players at the same position, let alone differentiate between a left-handed pitcher out of high school vs. a polished college catcher. Ultimately, I used this tiebreaker: I pretended I was Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin and I’ve been told I could have my pick of any Giants prospect in exchange for Prince Fielder. Whom do I value the highest? Well, Posey is the safest bet to be an All-Star performer. But Bumgarner is a left-hander with a huge fastball, plus command and emerging offspeed stuff. The lefty wins.
Q: Armando from Amarillo, Texas asks:
Who does Madison Bumgarner remind you of? Do you think he is a true #1 staring pitcher?
A:
Moderator: Bumgarner is in a class by himself. By the own admission of Giants front office personnel, he had the most impressive, most dominant season of any pitcher in the Brian Sabean era, which goes back a dozen years and includes some pretty live arms. His unreal season looked even better considering the Giants’ modest expectations. They regarded Bumgarner as more of a project who would require time to adjust to professional life. He didn’t pitch timid, did he? It’s just one of many reasons that Bumgarner is viewed as a top-of-the-rotation presence. He’s got the makeup to go along with big equipment.
Q: Dan from Fairfield, CA asks:
What odds would you lay on Posey and/or Noonan starting out in High A San Jose rather than jumping directly to AA?
A:
Moderator: Giants officials, including farm director Fred Stanley, told me toward the end of last season that Noonan could make the leap to Double-A easily. Posey will probably start there, too, which would allow Jackson Williams to develop his bat at San Jose. No decisions have been made, though. If the Giants had successfully negotiated a switch to Carolina, they’d probably start both players at Double-A, plus Bumgarner and Alderson. But they’re returning to Norwich, where the weather can be inhospitable into May. They’re wary of sending their best and brightest into less-than-ideal conditions. As for now, I’d guess Noonan will start in San Jose, especially if the club determines that Conor Gillaspie is a better fit at second base.
Q: Eric from New Jersey asks:
Had Nate Schierholtz qualified, where would he fit in the top 10? He had a pretty good 2008 in the minors and the majors hitting 0.320 in both.
A:
Moderator: I like Schierholtz and I think he’s got much more upside than recent Giants position players (Ortmeier, Linden, Niekro) who’ve matriculated to the majors. He’d probably be somewhere in the 5-7 range, and would rank even higher if he’d shown a little more power. Schierholtz is out of options, so he’s virtually guaranteed a spot on the team unless he’s traded. I get the sense that once Schierholtz can gain a foothold int he majors, he’ll take more aggressive swings and launch a few over the fence. That’s his most valuable tool, especially in an organization with almost no upper-level power hitters.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:00 PM PST reply actions
they’re not giving it away for free. I am. But I paid for it.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:15 PM PST up reply actions
and they’re not answering my Thomas Neal questions so screw them.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:15 PM PST up reply actions
kind of funny that the list came out early because Baggs got called in for Jury Duty
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 2:35 PM PST up reply actions
Jury duty, lame.
"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 29, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions
12. Fairley (headed to Augusta)
13. Sosa (pushed down by lost season and influx of new talent into the system)
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:12 PM PST reply actions
14. Kieschnick – Hawaiian performance boosted his stock. He’s a bigger Ortmeier (physically), not really a Dunn type as he’s more athletic/faster. he works hard and comes prepared.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:17 PM PST up reply actions
the best Keischnick comparison I’ve heard is a more athletic version of Jeromy Burnitz
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 2:20 PM PST up reply actions
I’d take that in a heartbeat.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:25 PM PST up reply actions
That’s funny, because as I recall, Dunn was an athletic/fast-ish type coming up through the minors.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
Yes, he was. Backup, I believe.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
Hmm
Was Dunn ever actually on the roster for UT? Or did he sign with Cincy before he was going to play QB for them?
he signed with the Reds who allowed him to play football at Texas.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:46 PM PST up reply actions
he wasn’t named the starter (Major Applewhite was the starter) his freshman year and redshirted. He was playing for the Reds in the minors during the time (in a deal worked out with the Reds.) When Chris Simms committed to Texas, Dunn quit football to play baseball full time.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:45 PM PST up reply actions
while at Texas he became good buddies with Ricky Williams, who was a Phillies draft pick and spent a couple of summers playing in their minor league system.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:47 PM PST up reply actions
I interpret the Dunn comps as the major league klunkier version of Dunn.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:30 PM PST up reply actions
I assumed that as well, I just thought it was funny because he was once a very good athlete. They should have just compared him to Adam Dunn the prospect, although that likely would have confused people into thinking Kieschnick wasn’t athletic.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
I think it’s funny that Dunn’s biggest comp (per BR) is Pat Burrell.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:36 PM PST up reply actions
21. Aaron King
dominant stuff could get him to the majors, but he needs to improve his control.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions
Posey will “almost certainly be the starting catcher in 2010.”
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 2:59 PM PST reply actions
yeah…let’s see. If that happens he will be the fastest developing Catcher baseball has ever seen. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible of course, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 3:10 PM PST up reply actions
he certainly is fast-tracked, but given his lack of game-calling and the defensive problems he had in Winter Ball, I’d be surprised to see him anointed so quickly without having at least a full season under his belt.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 3:12 PM PST up reply actions
Oh rly?
Matt Wieters is pretty much on the same fast track if not faster. He will be catching next year in the majors….
again, we shall see. If Matt Weiters catches in the majors this year he will be the fastest moving catching prospect ever.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 5:59 PM PST up reply actions
Nah. Joe Mauer was a starting MLB catcher when he was more than a year younger than Wieters is now. Johnny Bench caught nearly every game for the Reds when he was a year younger than that. And Ivan Rodriguez became a starter when he was a year younger than that.
Those guys caught 285 (Mauer), 265 (Bench), and 274 (I-Rod) games in the minor leagues respectively. If Wieters makes it this year he will blow those totals away.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 7:51 PM PST up reply actions
I guess that’s one way of looking at it. I’d say that by choosing to go to college, Wieters instantly eliminated himself from the competition to be the fastest-developing catcher ever.
But hey, here’s one collegian who was ahead of Weiter’s pace: B.J. Surhoff. Drafted ahead of Will Clark in June 1985, starting for the Brewers on opening day 1987.
that is a good one
I didn’t consider Surhoff when I looked into this, I didn’t think about the fact that he came up as a Catcher.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 8:35 PM PST up reply actions
that's my boy!
Q: Dan McKay from Albuquerque, N.M. asks: Any fresh reports on Thomas Neal? Is there a chance he can move back to the outfield?
A: Moderator: Neal was playing left field again in instructional league and doing a credible job. It’s important he reestablish himself there, because he’s likely to move up the ladder with Angel Villalona. I consider Neal one of the Giants’ best under-the-radar talents.
For the record, that is not even close to the best Thomas Neal question asked during the chat, but the only one answered.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 3:25 PM PST reply actions
I asked a much better Thomas Neal question
“Were you as shocked as I was the first time you learned that Thomas Neal is black?”
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 8:46 PM PST up reply actions
you would say that!
I asked (about a dozen times) where he was in the top 30 and what his upside was as well as whether he was a sleeper type guy in 2009.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 9:19 AM PST up reply actions
15. Pucetas
Sabean was just trying to pump his value as trade bait when he said he’d had a shot at the #5 starter gig.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 3:29 PM PST reply actions
Somebody who attended the “Inside the Clubhouse” thing reported that Sabean said Pucetas was one of the main people that other teams asked about in trade talks. That was probably a blatant and shameless attempt to pump up his value too.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 29, 2009 3:36 PM PST up reply actions
Ishikawa
17. he still has a lot to prove and is probably a platoon player.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 3:56 PM PST reply actions
Breaktout Candidate of 2009
aside from the heretofore mentioned Thomas Neal as an under the radar guy, Baggs thinks Francisco Peguero is the breakout candidate of 2009.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 29, 2009 3:59 PM PST reply actions
SPOILER ALERT
Baseball America Top 31
1. Madison Bumgarner
2. Buster Posey
3. Angel Villalona
4. Tim Alderson
5. Nick Noonan
6. Ehire Adrianza
7. Conor Gillaspie
8. Rafael Rodriguez
9. Scott Barnes
10. Sergio Romo
11. Waldis Joaquin
12. Wendell Fairley
13. Henry Sosa
14. Roger Kieschnick
15. Kevin Pucetas
16. Jackson Williams
17. Travis Ishikawa
18. Alex Hinshaw
19. Mike McBryde
20. Clayton Tanner
21. Aaron King
22. Francisco Peguero
23. Thomas Neal
24. Matt Downs
25. Edwin Quirarte
26. Osiris Matos
27. Charlie Culberson
28. Luis Perdomo
29. Billy Sadler
30. Joey Martinez
31. Merkin Valdez
P.S. Buy the book for the scouting reports.
Wow..
Pucetas isn’t even on it. But GO MARTINEZ!
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
ahead of Ishikawa
I think the fact that Ishikawa has made the major leagues should probably give him the edge there, since I’m not sure Williams ever will.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
And for people who don’t like Ishikawa, the knock is usually that his upside is as a platoon player. Does anyone actually think Williams will ever be more than a backup?
Never has a poster been more correct in the history of the internet. Ever! - ResDog on yours truly
That jumped out at me, too. The scouting report says club officials insist he was the best hitter in instructional league even with all the elite prospects there. I’m not buying it.
I thought that was shocking
here’s the explanation:
Q: Don from Rosemont, IL asks: Having Posey in the system notwithstanding, does Jackson Williams profile as a backup catcher? Is there a real possibility that he can hit enough to be an everyday player?
A: Moderator: Williams was a fringe top-30 player for me before I began collecting information. But he rocketed all the way into the teens because of a flat-out superlative instructional league. He made simple changes to his approach at the plate that allowed him to use all fields. I think he bought into the idea that he was only in pro ball for his defensive skills, which are among the best in the minor leagues. He needed a shot of confidence that he could be a competitive hitter, too, and coaches believe he’s primed for a breakout season in 2009. His manager at Augusta, Andy Skeels, came up in the Padres system with the likes of Sandy Alomar and Benito Santiago. Defnensively, he said neither of those All-Stars were as good as Williams at the same stage. That’s high praise.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 9:21 AM PST up reply actions
Can’t wait for him to OPS .520 in high-A ball again this year!
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
I believe in Jackson Williams.
There. I said it.
Is he adopted? Can I put in a claim? The more catchers in the family, the better.
Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...
as far as I can tell every single person around here has given up on him (I still have some belief too), so I think he is yours
by FluLikeSymptoms on Jan 30, 2009 11:15 AM PST up reply actions
Until I hear otherwise...
…welcome to the family, Jackson!
Hector Sanchez: learning to play defense from older brother Jackson Williams.
If he is as great defensively as stated his glove can/will carry Jacks to MLB. If he is as great as they say and can call a great game his OPS is secondary to his catching/game calling skills and extremely important to his team.
I was a bit surprised by his ranking, but then again, Baggs got his info talking to scouts during instructional league, right after Williams had made some swing adjustments and was hitting better. Williams’s ranking certainly isn’t justified on the basis of his play last season. As I recall, there were even some complaints about his defense last year, which made him, if true, completely useless as a player.
I’m not saying he doesn’t have a chance to improve and justify the #16 spot, but the ranking is completely based on scouting reports and “upside” rather than actual performance. I’ll believe the improvements when I see then, but in the mean time, I’ll remain skeptical about Williams even warranting prospect status.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 3:35 PM PST up reply actions
+1, but I am moving Williams ahead of Adrianza as the player most likely to get bococked to the majors in 2009.
if what they say about his defense is true, I’d tend to agree.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 6:10 PM PST up reply actions
But it is based on some performance:
But he rocketed all the way into the teens because of a flat-out superlative instructional league. He made simple changes to his approach at the plate that allowed him to use all fields
Based on the latest positive scouting reports, Baggs gave Williams high marks. He didn’t earn those high marks over the course of last season. As I said above (in not so many words), I’m willing to be open-minded about Williams, but I need to see it in real games over an extended period of time before I do an about face. Right now, he wouldn’t be in my top 30. I’d love to be wrong about him, but we’ll see.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 6:10 PM PST up reply actions
Best Offseason News
This is such great news for the Giants. This is possibly the best offseason news. Initially thought Jacks defensive was overrated because of all the errors and pass balls but to hear his manager with such high praise for the kids defense puts me at ease.
If in fact he is primed for a breakout season then the Giants will then have another prized prospect at such a valuable position. Maybe Posey will be a SS afterall.
P.S. Buy the book for the scouting reports.
I’m not going to lie, this list makes me want to buy the book less. It’s a shame I already bought it, but still. Horrible list. Relievers and 1%-ers way too high compared to guys who will actually contribute. I love this the most:
9 – Barnes
15 – Pucetas
20 – Tanner
30 – Martinez
What? How? How different are these guys from each other? And why is Aaron King 21 when Tanner is 20? WTF? Before someone talks about his injury potential, why is he more risky? Because he throws a little different? Find me proof that his mechanics are actually more dangerous.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
Just wondering
Who are you thinking about when you say “guys who will actually contribute”?
For all the talk about how good are system is (and the top 4 really are good), it’s still surprising to look at the list and see how thin we are in many places — particularly OF and again as ever 3B, and in a more general sense there’s still a real dearth of potential power sources here.
Get the hell out the way Bengie, Pablito's hit the show!
Mostly Martinez, especially compared to the other pitchers just like him. This morning, I realize I was definitely overreacting.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
system depth
considering the Giants have only started to focus on the farm system in the last few seasons, it’s doing pretty well. As you say, the top is stud heavy, and there’s some decent good prospects in the top 30, but overall, the system is not yet where we’d like it in an ideal world. For all the talk about trading prospects for MLB-ready talent, a couple of those trades could really deplete the depth of the system.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 9:25 AM PST up reply actions
There’s no doubt that trades can really crush a system. You think about how bad the Cubs system is now, and then how the whole Peavy saga dragged on, and you have to believe the two were connected. No matter how difficult the Pads were making things, alot of the problem had to be that the Cubs simply don’t have any pieces to move that can bring back a prize like that. Or, perhaps a better example, think of where the Rangers and Braves systems are currently ranked and what the difference would be if Atlanta hadn’t pulled the trigger on the Tex trade (or hadn’t gone overboard and thrown in way too many high upside pieces). Pretty clearly, Atlanta’s the #1 system in baseball today if they have Hanson and Heyward et al joined by Neftali Perez and Elvis Andrus and the Rangers’ system while still respected wouldn’t have quite the dynamic #1 with a bullet appearance it has today.
Get the hell out the way Bengie, Pablito's hit the show!
They still gave him “Best Strike-Zone Discipline”
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 30, 2009 3:36 PM PST up reply actions
Jesus, there is no Guzman
on BA’s list. Shocking. Maybe even more than Jackson Williams.
Peguero is a guy I thought of pushing during the community polls, but the stats at Atlanta did not back me up. So I’m glad he gets some praise here. Juan Carlos Perez my other under the radar guy, hoping he rakes at Augusta and moves on up.
adopter/sponsor of "Go, Antoan" Richardson
Juan Carlos Perez
he’s definitely a guy to keep an eye on. Hopefully, his visa issues are behind him.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Feb 2, 2009 5:09 PM PST up reply actions
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