Here’s the original opening sentence for today’s post:
I was tired enough to write it, but not tired enough to let the mangled syntax slip through without comment. That’s one ugly, ugly sentence. But danged if there isn’t a "sprinkle of giddy" regarding a sub-.500 team. The Giants are throwing money around in the Dominican Republic again, Keith Law says the Giants’ draft put the organization in the top five in baseball, and both Kevin Goldstein and Bryan Smith loved the Giants’ draft. Most of us entered the year hoping only for measurable progress toward the rebuilding effort. It seems we’re achieving something like it, not only with the past few drafts, but with the varying successes of Fred Lewis and John Bowker. The optimism is premature, but it just slides down the gullet, don’t it?
On that note, it’s been a while since I’ve put together a top prospects list on this site, mostly because I don’t know what I’m writing about in most cases. If you want to read a list that carries some weight, make sure and review Steve’s top 40 list from a week ago. I’m just doing mine for fun and to start some discussion. And for the chicks, of course. You can’t expect any baseball blog groupies if you don’t have a current top-20 list ready at all times. C’mon, man.
This is probably the exact wrong time to do such a list, as hardly any of the Giants’ draft crop has signed, but I’ll assume that the Giants sign their first five picks. Based on recent history, that doesn’t seem far-fetched at all.
- Buster Posey – This should get the debate started. A Gold-Glove catcher with above-average pop and on-base skills is insanely valuable. There’s no guarantee that he’ll come close to that ceiling, of course, but when you combine the best-case scenario with his likelihood of contributing in any fashion, he instantly becomes the top prospect.
- Angel Villalona – He’s limited to first base, and it isn’t as if his .293 OBP is setting the world on fire, but he’s still a teenager holding his own in A-ball.
- Madison Bumgarner – I was more excited about Tim Alderson because of Alderson’s control, but Bumgarner has only walked 10 in 64.3 innings.
- Tim Alderson – It’s a little unfair to compare his stats with Bumgarner’s, as Alderson is already in High-A. Alderson’s K-rate is on an upward trend, and he’s keeping the ball down.
- Nick Noonan – After walking only once in his first 100 plate appearances, I was scared. He’s kept hitting, and his walk rate is no longer freakishly low.
- Nate Schierholtz – I’ll stop overrating him when he stops hitting. He’ll probably struggle once he’s given a starting job in the majors, but I think his power is underrated.
- Conor Gillaspie – Don’t know much about him other than what I’ve read online, but ranking him behind Schierholtz seems prudent for now.
- Pablo Sandoval – His gaudy numbers to this point are still a remnant of his silly-hot start, but he’s still raking at a young age and premium position. I’d rank him even higher if I thought he could still handle third base, but that’s just a pipe dream.
- Henry Sosa – He’s had a nice start to the season after coming back from an injury.
- John Bowker – In other organizations, a move to first base might have diminished his value, but not with the Giants. I’m hoping he hits enough to go into 2009 as the no-questions-asked starter.
- Ben Snyder
- Clayton Tanner
- Emmanuel Burriss
- Alex Hinshaw
- Wendell Fairley
- Roger Kieschnick
- Kevin Pucetas
- Travis Denker
- Eugenio Velez
- Sergio Romo
Comment starter: Pithy jabs at my amateur list are always welcome, as are a top ten, twenty, thirty, or forty of your one.