Class A Baseball America Tools
For members, but San Jose is all over the list, which is as follows:
For Cal League:
Best Batting Prospect: Thomas Neal (over Posey, which I found interesting)
Best Power Prospect: Roger Kieschnick
Fastest Baserunner: Darren Ford
Best pitching prospect: Madison Bumgarner
Best defensive catcher: Buster Posey
Best defensive SS: Brian Bocock
Best Outfield Arm: Thomas Neal
Best Managing prospect: Andy Skeels
over 2 years ago
Hobbes2d
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I saw him commit 2 errors in one game. Fail.
Tommy Joseph is the Dingerzball Wizard
by SoFa King Mike on Aug 19, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Best Batting Prospect: Thomas Neal (over Posey, which I found interesting)
I think the consensus was always that Posey was a very good hitter at a premium position, not necessarily an elite hitter regardless of position.
Except he’s been an elite hitter and was one of the top college bats in his draft class. Didn’t matter whether he was a C or not, he was still one of the best hitters in the draft. And with his track record as an amateur player I’m surprised Neal was voted over him by Cal League Managers. But then again Neal has pretty much torn the cover off the ball all year, so it’s hard to argue with him.
Let’s just be happy they’re both in the Giants organization!
by deuce deuce on Aug 19, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
I think this reflects my earlier comments elsewhere: Posey is a good hitter, and an especially good hitter for a catcher, but no more than that. Neal appears to be the kind of hitter we hoped (are still hoping?) Villalona would be. That, to me, is the difference that explains Neal’s selection over Posey.
Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005. And winner of the 2012 NL Fireman of the Year Award!
This is best TOOLS though...
not best stats/performance. Seems like they’re trying to bring more scouting into the mix.
Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...
by Smoke on the Water on Aug 19, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions
He was projected to hit something like .290/.370/.480 – great for a catcher, but by no means elite overall.
HA HA HA LOOK AT ME I'M ALL HAPPY AND STUFF NO REALLY CAN WE STOP WITH THE COOKYMAN IS SAD JOKES?
:-) :-) :-)
True but scouting projections go out the window when the pro career actually begins. After all, Mike Piazza was projected to flail around in the Florida State League for a couple years and then retire.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
I still think most people don’t really expect him to hit for great power in the majors. And anyway, Hobbes2d talking about the draft.
HA HA HA LOOK AT ME I'M ALL HAPPY AND STUFF NO REALLY CAN WE STOP WITH THE COOKYMAN IS SAD JOKES?
:-) :-) :-)
Not great power, but given his performance this year I think it’s reasonable to expect we might be getting a 20-25 HR guy with solid OBP. That would be insanely valuable if it’s attached to an elite defender at catcher.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
Again, “attached to an elite defender at catcher” is the key. Purely hitting wise, he’s not projected to be crazy good.
HA HA HA LOOK AT ME I'M ALL HAPPY AND STUFF NO REALLY CAN WE STOP WITH THE COOKYMAN IS SAD JOKES?
:-) :-) :-)
I don’t know. He looks like he could be Pablo with more OBP, that would be pretty valuable on this team.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
Combine them and you have one super prospect
Chris Dominguez: Bringing dingerz back to The Bay (In a while)
VOLTRON
Tommy Joseph is the Dingerzball Wizard
by SoFa King Mike on Aug 19, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
ewww
Tommy Joseph is the Dingerzball Wizard
by SoFa King Mike on Aug 19, 2009 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions
lol Andy Skeels best managing prospect though… wasn’t he hitting Neal 9th for like the first two months of the season?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
Bocock was hitting second the game I went to last month.
Brian Sabean wants to kick tires. I want to kick Brian Sabean.
Adopted Giant: Fred "OBP and UZR, Dammit!" Lewis
Following in Bochy's footsteps
Maybe he’s just been watching the big club’s lineups?
by FireBrianSabean on Aug 19, 2009 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions
He managed Augusta last year and won the title with them. I’m thinking he’s one to be groomed in the system as a future coach.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Aug 19, 2009 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on Aug 19, 2009 11:43 AM PDT reply actions
Well, I guess I can get excited about Neal now.
Jesse Foppert: I Still Believe. Maybe a little less now.
"I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen." ~Bob Lemon,
by AndYourBirdCanSing on Aug 19, 2009 11:51 AM PDT reply actions
John Mayo didn’t have him in his top 50 (3 weeks ago), but he did have AnVil at #50. I don’t really like the list myself, but he did have Mad Bum at #2 and Posey #5, so that was ok.
Of course, with all of the new talent coming in after the draft signings, things could get full in the top 50 once again.
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on Aug 19, 2009 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Well also
Top prospect lists often vary in this regard due to how the person making the list prioritizes his order. Whether it’s based on pure raw talent, or how close they are to the big leagues etc. Players who have struggled but who still show the raw talent and who have a strong amateur pedigree often will get the benefit of the doubt, while lesser known prospects will not. Age is also a factor.
Baseball America also didn’t have him in it’s midseason top 50. I think a lot of folks around here are going to be disappointed where he winds up off on lists this offseason, I doubt he makes many top 50s.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Aug 19, 2009 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree, but...
in a recent Ask BA, they did say that Neal was under consideration for their minor league player of the year award.
Still the loving, adoptive father of Hector Sanchez. And who doesn't love switch-hitting catchers with power and patience?
they also suggest that he will probably lose out because of the fact that he is not a major prospect
Greg (Anaheim): Thomas Neal, is he in the running for MLPOY? Has he established himself as a legit LF prospect for the Giants? Even the Cal league is a hitters paradise, SJ Municipal Stadium, his home park, is a pitchers park and he is still putting up better numbers than his more heralded teammates.
J.J. Cooper: He’s in the running. It’s hard to believe he’ll top Montero, Heyward or Bumgarner when you consider their prospecty-ness, but he and Jon Gaston are having seasons that are so good you have to take a look at them.
by FluLikeSymptoms on Aug 19, 2009 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions
I don’t think that’s saying Neal’s not a prospect. Just that he’s not as much of one as Montero, Heyward, and Bumgarner. Which is hardly a damning remark.
Brian Sabean wants to kick tires. I want to kick Brian Sabean.
Adopted Giant: Fred "OBP and UZR, Dammit!" Lewis
I think it means he’s not a major prospect (like not a top 50 prospect)
by FluLikeSymptoms on Aug 20, 2009 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Seems to me it’s saying he’s not a Top 5 or 10 prospect. Montero, Heyward, and Bumgarner are all in BA’s Top 5. That said, Montero and Heyward are both two years younger than Neal and both having exceptional success at a higher level than Neal. And there “prospecty-ness” is because both are building off very successful ‘08s, while Neal’s been essentially rehabbing for a couple years.
He’s definitely putting himself in a Top 50 conversation at this point, though, but not being a Heyward or Montero’s certainly no great criticism.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
damn, their prospecty-ness
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
couldn’t they have chosen a top pitching prospect that actually pitched in the league for more than a month?
by FluLikeSymptoms on Aug 19, 2009 3:35 PM PDT reply actions
seriously
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Aug 20, 2009 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions
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