S12 Draft Review

1. Seattle – RHP J.J. Woodward
Woodward projects to be a true top of the league pitcher. Should win multiple Cy Youngs. His weakness is that he doesn’t completely dominate LHB…and his 5th pitch is terrible. Can’t really complain about a guy who won’t walk many, will strike out a lot of guys, and keeps the ball on the ground.
2. Tampa Bay – CF Paco Lee
If Paco can get to a ball, he can catch it. He’s fast, has a ton of power, and dominates LHP. He’s ok against RHP and will strike out more than one would like. He’s got a great eye though and should be on base a lot. Too bad he has to be reminded the order the bases go.
3. Los Angeles – C Tyler Ford
If you can snag a tremendous offensive C, you have to do it. He’s not going to strike out much; he will hit for a ton of power and get on base a lot. He dominates LHP while being average against RHP. He has a tremendously strong and accurate arm. He does struggle calling games.
4. Minnesota – C GregWebster
This could be a classic overdraft here. Webster projects to be able to drive the ball well and get on base. Doesn’t have a great arm and can’t call a game. He lacks durability to be a full-time catcher. He has decent power and will strike out a lot.
5. Minnesota – 3B Rene Lankford
Doesn’t have tremendous range, but has a solid glove. He’s going to strike out a lot, but hits for a ton of power. He can drive the ball well. He has a decent eye.
6. New York (AL) – SS Daniel Stearns 
Stearns is a below average defensive SS, but should make up for that with his offense. He makes solid contact, drives the ball well, and can work the count to reach base. Has decent power. When he gets on base he’s fast and knows how to use that speed.
7. Chicago (AL) – LF Sean Miles – UNSIGNED
8. Atlanta – RHP Pedro Aguilar
Has great control. Throws hard. Can work deep into games. Does better against LHB than RHB. Gets some groundballs. Top 2 pitches are tremendous, but the next 2 aren’t.
kilgore says: The Braves have been pleased with the performance of the 8th overall pick in the draft, right-handed starter Pedro Aguilar. After a solid showing at the AA level, Aguilar has shown seems to be ready for AAA as well after being promoted recently. Aguilar is projected to continue development of his excellent 4 seam fastball combined with a very good curveball, with a slider and cut fastball that are both expected to eventually be slightly above ML average. The Braves believe that as Pedro improves his ability to consistently repeat his delivery, his control will become his greatest strength. Look for Aguilar to be a June callup to the big league club and bring much needed quality to the rotation if he continues to improve as projected.
9. Milwaukee – RF Humberto Calixte
Will hit for a ton of power. Can dominate LHP and do well against RHP. Good eye. Good speed, decent baserunner. Will strike out a ton. Might turn into one of the better defensive RF in the game.
10. Washington – 2B Vin Chavez
Makes a ton of contact with a lot of power. Drives the ball well. Decent eye. Lacks speed. As a defender he probably makes more sense in a COF slot.
heinzkill says: Vin Chavez wasn't our first choice, but was the best of what was left on our draft board. By no means a 5-tool player, as he lacks speed and a good arm. Probably will end up as a 1B/LF. All of that being said, if he gets close to his projections, he will hit for power and a decent average. He will strike out a little, but that should be overshadowed by his overall numbers.
11. Toronto – RHP Doug Rodgers
He doesn’t throw hard and lacks elite control, but he definitely keeps the ball out of the hitting zone. He has good pitches too.
mburgy says: At 11, hr jays took Doug Rodgers who was 2nd kn their draft board.
12. Chicago (NL) – SS Tony Balentin
Can definitely play the position defensively. Average speed. He’s above average across the board offensively which will make him a very valuable member of the Cubs’ organization.
13. Anaheim – RHP Todd Mullens
Tremendous control. Lacks ideal ability to keep the ball out of the hitting zone. Doesn’t throw hard. Average at getting groundballs. Great pitch combination though. Durability and stamina may not allow him to be a starter.
mskakunan says: 18 year old Todd Mullens projects a terrific fastball and a boatload of other effective major league pitches. I am not wildly enthused about choosing an RP with the 13th overall pick, but Mullens projects closer stuff and has the make-up to achieve his projections. He is currently dominating opposing hitters in Rookie Ball.
14. Texas – RHP Stretch Lucas
Tremendous stamina and durability will allow for him to pitch a lot of innings. Dominates RHB. Average velocity and does above average job of inducing groundballs. 2 very good pitches and average pitch may limit him as a starter.
15. Cleveland – RHP B.J. Gates
Tremendous control. Great combination of pitches. Can throw a lot of innings with his dur/sta combination. Average at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Doesn’t throw hard and is average at inducing GBs. Should be a solid BOR arm.
16. Pittsburgh – LHP Raymond Reynolds
Keeps the ball out of the hitting zone. Solid control. Great stamina/durability combination. Doesn’t throw hard. Does not get a lot of GBs. Very good pitch combination. Should be a solid starter.
17. New York (AL) – RHP Luther Stone
He isn’t going to walk himself into trouble. The question is whether he’s able to do a good enough job of keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Stamina and durability are perfect for a 4-man rotation. Could be limited by only having 3 pitches, only 1 of which is excellent.
mcgupp says: The Yankees used their first pick in the raft on Luther Stone . Stone was the best Starting Pitcher left on the Yanks board. Pinpoint control is his strength, hopefully he develops.
18. Boston – RHP Rock Nickle
Struggles against LHB. Much better against RHB. Will give up flyballs. Won’t strike out many. Above average control. Can go deep into games and do it often. 2 high quality pitches should help to off-set the weakness of the remaining 3.
crabman26 says: Pick #18 - Rock Nickle - With the 18th pick the Red Sox grabbed the #7 player on their board. With a projected vR of 80+ to go along with decent control and 2 good pitches the Sox are hoping Rock can become a solid #3 or #4 type pitcher in their rotation. He is a flyball pitcher who does not strike alot of guys out which will end up holding him back from becoming a top of the rotation starter, but for a pick in the middle of the draft to land a middle of the rotation starter is not too shabby.
19. St. Louis – 2B Gary Moreno
Tremendous range and glove allow him to be a gold glover at 2b/CF. Great speed. Can bunt and run the bases. Doesn’t strike out much, but lacks the ability to truly drive the ball. Knows the strike zone. Lacks any significant power.
20. Baltimore – SS Ben Hernandez
Solid defensive SS. Won’t strike out much. Has some power. Above average against LHP, will struggle against RHP. Should walk enough to be valuable when combined with his defense.
hopkinsheel says: Hernandez will be a killer pick if he can develop into a legit ML SS. If not, it will be interesting to see where he fits.
21. San Francisco – 2B Wayne Romero
Another guy who should be a gold glove 2B/CF. His offense is solid enough that he should see that playing time. He has average power, is average at making contact and driving the ball. He’s fast, can run the bases and bunt and reach base by walking.
22. Pittsburgh – 2B Robb Langerhans
Langerhans is fast and has tremendous range. Lacks ideal glove for CF. Struggles against RHP. Some power. Makes decent contact. Average eye.
23. Toronto – LHP Joe McKnight
Lacks ideal control. Throws hard. Has an average pitch combination. Doesn’t dominate any batters. Good stamina. Decent durability. Back of the rotation pitcher.
mburgy says: Next, the Jays took Joe McKnight. Both are expected to be in the starting rotation at the Big league level in 3 to 4 seasons.
24. Florida – RHP Fernando Ayala
Great control. Lacks ideal stamina/durability for bullpen or rotation. Throws hard, gets a lot of grounders, and has the pitches to dominate. Could be very valuable if used and developed properly.
mamidu says: doesn't have the stamina to be a SP, but will be a quality SuA and can fill in with a start here or there in a pinch. Projected to have very good control and above average splits with 2 great pitches. Combined with his velocity and keeping the ball down, he should be a pretty good player. A decent pick at #24
25. San Francisco – RHP Andrew Diaz
Diaz is a BOR arm. Doesn’t throw hard and will let pitches get into the hitting zone. Has solid control. Good stamina. Pitches leave something to be desired. Can get some grounders.
26. Philadelphia – P Aaron Titan – UNSIGNED 
27. Milwaukee – RF Carl Inge
Good range and a strong arm. Great speed. Drives the ball well and can work the count. Will strike out some. Has 20 home run power.
28. Oakland – SS Bruce Gorzelanny
Doesn’t have the range or glove to be a ML SS, but can be a GG 3B. Solid speed. Will rarely strike out. Has some pop. Drives the ball well against RHP and does ok against LHP. Doesn’t have the patience to work the count.
29. Arizona – RHP Walter Swisher
Throws very hard. Has 2 great pitches. Doesn’t keep the ball on the ground. Doesn’t keep the ball out of the hitting zone on a consistent basis. Won’t walk many.
30. San Diego – SS Eli Mendoza
Mendoza will not be a ML SS, but could be a solid 3B/2B. Has good speed. An above average offensive player. Best attribute is his eye.
opie5 says: The Padres acquired some depth with the 30th pick this year in Eli Mendoza. The decent hit, decent field Mendoza projects a ML reserve for a contender. The pickings in this seasons draft were slim and the Padres were just happy to get a prospect that projects to be a ML player.
31. New Orleans – 2B Gregory Donnels
Doesn’t have the glove to be a good IF, he’s durable and solid enough offensively to warrant a spot on a big league roster.
mongoose_22 says: The Jazz selected Gregory Donnels at the end of the 1st round. Greg is expected to develop into a solid, though not spectacular second baseman. He should be a solid defender and a mildly productive hitter.
32. Kansas City – LHP Tony Jung
Great control. Does a solid job of keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Doesn’t throw hard. Solid pitches.
bighead34 says: Thrilled to be able to get Tony Jung at the end of the 1st round...projects to be an elite SuA with the ability to pitch nearly everyday.
33. Houston – RHP Emmanuel Fernandez
Throws hard, has some solid pitches. Doesn’t have great stamina. Solid control. Keeps ball out of hitting zone some. Decent grounders.
34. Montreal – SS Tony Drew - UNSIGNED

S12 Previews

Anaheim Angels
The Angels are hoping that Candelaria and McKnight finally give them a credible offense to go with their strong starting pitching. The staff features Martinez, Rogers, Crawford and Hennesey with Trammell setting up Phillips in the bullpen. Astacio will try to crack the starting lineup at 2B with Mathews, Guerrero, Bennett and Mays as strong offensive holdovers. I am not sure how good we are, but I think we may finally be good!

Atlanta Braves
The Braves unloaded several higher salary veterans during last season, culminating with the departure of defensive stalwart Dario York (2B) late in the season. The Braves' starting rotation, relatively young and short on experience, struggled mightily last season. Fausto Martin is the staff ace, and though his fiest three ML seasons were solid, will need to step his game up another notch to flourish in that role. Lefties Evan Van Hatten and Vincenzo Parker and righty Harry Ordonez also return, while lefty Wesley Lawrence, who made his debut as a late season call up last year, is expected to fill the 5th slot. The Braves look to veteran Harold Daily to once again anchor the bullpen and continue his remarkably consistent run as one of the game's top closers. Reynoso, Cheng and 3B Alex Tarraga are expected to once again provide most of the Braves' offensive punch. Another key for Atlanta is that C Ricardo Jose bounce back from a sub-par season, and if that doesn't happen defensive wizard Melky Morales may see his role expand beyond platooning against LHP and late inning defensive replacement. LF Boots Vaughn put together a fine effort last season and is now entering his prime. Ezdra Aviles is as good defensively as any SS in the game, nothing remarkable on the offensive side, and will pair with newcomer Joe Watson (obtained in the York trade from the Mariners) and Skeeter Williams, expected to platoon at 2B. Jhonny Mercedes brings solid defense in CF, though his offensive inconsistencies have led the Braves to platoon him with Virgil Montero, whose range is a bit better than Mercedes', though his glove and arm are not quite as good. If all goes according to plan, the Braves may creep back toward the break even mark, and could conceivably even contend for a wild card slot. More than likely though, they're still a season or two away from regaining their once familiar position at the top of the NL South.

Baltimore Orioles
Our goal is to build on last season's surprise AL East title and win it again, but with a better record. We entered last season expecting another rebuilding campaign, but surprisingly were very competitive while our AL East division mates all took a step back allowing us to sneak in and win it on the last day of the season.

Most of our starters are young and all got better over the offseason. Kordell Stanley was brought in to bat leadoff with his huge OBP numbers. We're bringing in several rookies who should all contirbute heavily. Ed Gold will be in at 2B which will allow Rodrigo Felix to be a jack of all trades type player.Henderson Cooke will make his debut and hopefully cement the best bullpen in the world. We traded for John Jung who will slot in at the top of the order as well. He is excited to be back in Baltimore. Jake Mayne will also be promoted to provide depth and eventually take over at 3B.

Our goal is the playoffs which is remarkable since we only took one rebuilding season after winning the World Series.

Boston Red Sox
After coming off a disappointing season the Red Sox are hoping to rebound and reclaim the division. With a weak AL East the Red Sox are hoping their new additions will elevate them above the heap. Those new additions include Haywood Throneberry at 3b, Melky Diaz (SP), and a pair of RP's (Lew Bridges, Delanor Prince). 3b was a blackhole last year so Haywood is an upgrade, and the bullpen was lacking last year as well so the new guys should help in that regard. With Diaz and bringing back Yonder Silva to go along with Omar Mercado the rotation should be fine. Rich Coco and Jermoe Norman will be in the heart of the batting order so the Sox are expecting the offense to be a positive. The expectations are a return to first place, but its such a fine line that if they should not meet expectations trades will happen and management will have to start the rebuild since the minors are in shambles with no legit prospects.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are in that awkward period between rebuilding and starting to compete. Gone are many of the veterans, called up is ROY prospect 3b Alredo Terrero, the first of a sweeping youth movement that will take place this season. FA signed to hold the fort are SS Nipsey Baez and SP Stan Foster. Expect to see top prospect Mike Reese be called up as the first starter falters.

Management knows that the playoffs are still out of reach--a .500 season would meet or exceed expectations.

Cincinnati Reds
3 straight winning seasons, 2 straight second-place finishes in the division…one playoff appearance to show for it. That’s where the Reds are today. The #4 offense in the NL last season saw minimal changes…Quinton Valdes comes back to the Reds franchise for his 3rd tour of duty and first time in a ML Reds uniform. New CF Yusmeiro Johnson looks to provide more offense from that position after Phil Gonzales departing via FA. S11 NL MVP Travis Evans looks to continue a great offensive run at 2B, while the middle of the order returns…1B Larry Browning, LF Greg Monroe, C Burt Washington, and RF Yovani Rijo should provide plenty of firepower. SS Goose Howard is the best option of a bad bunch. On the bench, C Frank Hunter, 1B Royce Thomas, 3B Howard Goghlan, SS Alan Throneberry, and OF David Davis provide a combined 1,151 career HRs off the bench…power should not be an issue for this team.
The pitching staff has, once again, seen a near complete retooling. The 14th ranked staff (by WHIP & ERA), the pitchers did not give the offense much help at all. LHP & Ace Delino Guerrero returns at a considerable discount after an All-Star S11. He is joined by RHP Rex Howard, RHP Akinori Zhang, LHP Emil Cabrera, and RHP Julio Blanco in the rotation. None of these guys had any sort of success last season, but the hope is that the ratings carry the day this season. In the bullpen are Raymond Trout, Aurelio Uribe, and Carlos Almonte as the long-men…LHP Alex Hernandez and RHP Danys Ontiveros make up the set-up crew and RHP Kris Morton looks to get his feet wet as SuB in his rookie season. This has all the makings of another terrible pitching staff, but the hope is that we can get lucky and they be a respectable staff.

Cleveland Indians
Cleveland suffered through a disappointing season last year primarily due to down offensive years from 3 key positions (3B, LF & RF) as well as a critical injury at SS that wiped out any offensive production at that position as well. This season, the Indians expect rebound offensive seasons at all 4 of those positions from the veterans that remain in place. In an effort to help jump start the offense, CF Pat Howard was added by way of trade. Howard should be a fixture at CF for many years and gives us the great speed and contact we need at the top of the order along with Bartolo Moreno. The pitching should remain solid with Serrano, Maurer and Drabek anchoring the staff. IF we stay injury free, Cleveland should compete for the Division once again.

Detroit Tigers
The bad news for the Detroit Tigers? We cannot seem to win the last game of the year. The good news? We still have been to the World Series 3 of the last 4 seasons. The really good news is that last season looked like it would probably mark the zenith of this team, but thanks to unexpectedly low spending on FAs this year, we actually should be better this season. This season looked like the beginning of losing players to decline and payroll constraints. The two obvious guys we were losing were David Davis due to decline and an option that was too steep to accept, and Danny Lee who despite a career year, had lost too much range to be an adequate CF. Both will be missed, but we were able to find suitable FA replacements for much less than anticipated. Julio Guillen takes over in RF, moving Juan Aguilera to LF. Guillen also will serve as our new leadoff hitter. He doesn't walk enough to be considered the ideal leadoff man, but otherwise does everything you could want. He will get a chance to run more than he received in Montreal, and his durability should allow him to play nearly every game. The only downside to the move will be a downgrade in defense in LF, and generally weak defense at both corners of the OF. Hopefully new CF Rudy Pavlov will help with that, as he is a major upgrade defensively from anyone who has gotten playing time in center the last few years. His bat is unlikely to match the departed Lee's but he is likely going to be just the platoon mate to John Revere and shouldn't play as much of a utility role. The best news is that we were able to sign those guys cheap enough that there was enough money to make an offer to a SP, and to our great surprise, we were able to sign Ismael Pascual to strengthen our rotation. He should slot in behind Pulido, Andrews and Quall to make as good a foursome as any in the league. The fifth slot will be filled by either Edgard Rojas or Andrew Alexander, leaving the other to bolster the bullpen. If we keep making it to the playoffs, one of these years we will have to be the last team standing.

Milwaukee Brewers
Season 12 figures to be another rebuiling year for the Brewers. The Goal is to be no worse than season 11, the Hope is to show some improvement. The fact is barring injuries the Goal should be achieved and the Hope should be realized.

Some moves were made this off season which should improve the team's defence, which will help a truly put upon pitching staff that had and ERA-FIP of well over .5 last season. In addition the pitching staff has a bunch of new pitchers waiting to boil up from the minors not just this season but for next few seasons.

Key depature:
Alex Gomez, we wish him luck in Philly, it'll be interesting to see if our former catcher can hold off decline enough this season to be brought back next year to make a run at 500 career home runs. He'll be replaced by a platoon consisiting of last year's defensive catcher Matt Murton and rookie masher Ed Moran.

Key Addition:
Trent Rivera. He was brought with the hopes of improving both offensive and denfensive production at the hot corner. The front office is a little nervous about the 4 year commitment to a 33 year old who has already shown some small hints of decline. However, the contract is front loaded, with a mutual option on the 4th year, so hopefully, he'll give us enough this season and next to excuse the 3rd year and the buyout fee.

Key Rookies:
Ed Moran of course, Also look for Darrell Allen to get a chance at some point this season. Big things are expected of Ozzie Greenwood in the bullpen. And Hopefully at least one of Mark Anderson, Pat Lord, Rob Olsen and Alex Magee will become a contributor to the Rotation, Anderson get's the first shot.

Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies retooled a bit in the offseason by trading for some younger talent and more notably well known veteran player Phil Gao. Philly will rely heavily on two corner outfield youngsters Garland Mailman and Ruben Aguilar to boost their lineup with Gao and newly signed veteran catcher Alex Gomez. The offense should produce, but the question is will the pitching hold up enough to capture a 3rd straight division title?

San Diego Padres
The core of the Padres has remained in tact this season after back-to-back division titiles. For a 3-Peat to occur, much more is needed out of mid-season acquisitions Carl Clayton and Carlos Rivera than they produced last season. Gerrit Gipson, Neftali Barrios, Wes Sheehan and Bob Daniels are expected to continue to provide offense while FA Edgar Merced is expected to play a GG CF. The pitching staff is again anchored by Phil Lowery and Hipolito Ramirez. Al Flores, Samuel Root, Jamie Kent and Tito Peters are fighting for the other 3 rotation spots. The bullpen remains solid with the only addition being Vic Velazquez. Role players Yonder Melendez, Gary Pose, Bill Griffiths and John Edwards are ready to step in from AAA if needed. The Padres pitching staff has aged but is the key to the success of the big league team.

Washington Nationals
The Nationals look to build off of a strong finish last season. After starting the season 36-66, a change of ownership and a flurry of moves helped the team finish with 70 wins and a little hope for the future.

No real big moves were made this off-season, as management looks to see what they really have to work with. Walter Gray and the last minute signing of Bernard Hollins will hopefully help fans forget about Raymond Small, who was traded at the deadline because of his unwillingness to sign a long term contract. Both Hollins and Gray are lefties who can potentially eat up innings. Bernard Reid, who was stuck in the bullpen until new management arrived, got an extension and hopes to pitch as well as he did down the stretch. Same can be said about the youngster Heinie Kinkade.

Vic Velazquez had a career year as the closer last season, but it was a contract year and management did not want to spend too much money on a closer at this point. Some late season additions and wily veterans look to keep the pen stable.

Daryl Crosby was signed to fill the need at the hot corner, where Pepper Cromer filled in admirably late last season, but is not seen as a long term fix. Domingo Velez will once again be the table setter for a team who lacks pop, but has no shortage of speed offensively. Catcher Rubby Gomez is the only real long ball threat, but he does not handle the staff well and will see his at-bats come against righty starters.

Small ball will be the name of the game in Washington, and how well they do going forward will dictate what new ownership will decide to do with this team.

*************UPDATE************
Houston Astros
Key additions: Kid Roling (2B), Emil Roque (COF), Norm Helms (RP), Don Plant (RP), Justin Mientkiewicz (RP)

Key losses: JR Fulmer (RP), Philip Jackson (CF), Milt Flynn (COF), Jose Viriato (COF)

Outlook: The only thing harder than winning a World Series is winning two in a row and that will be the goal of the Houston Astros in season 12. The Astros did not make any significant offseason moves, but will be relying on the same core of players that lead them to the promise land in season 11. Bernie Spier is back from the season ending injury he suffered in the playoffs, but there are significant question marks about whether or not the future Hall of Famer will ever be the same pitcher he was as recently as last season. In addition, NL rookie of the year Pat Hickman is moving to CF to make room for the newly acquired Kid Roling to take over at 2B. All and all the Astros should be good enough to make the playoffs again in season 12, but will be hard pressed to duplicate the magic that lead them to World Series glory.

New Orleans Jazz
The Jazz made a number of offseason moves to hopefully take the next step forward, a trip to the Fall Classic. With a winning formula finally in place after many seasons of ineptitude, the Jazz went to the playoffs for back-to-back seasons. Now, the goal is to win the division, and the AL Pennant. The lineup had some tweaks in the offseason. Speedy 2B Kid Rolling was moved to allow Donzell Holmes to move from SS to 2B. Rookie SS Arthur Mayer was acquired from Baltimore to take over up the middle. Mayer is already a solid defensive SS and will only develop further into hopefully a Gold Glover. Holmes, while suspect at SS at times, will be an outstanding defensive 2B giving the Jazz a great double play combo up the middle. Rookie 1B Samuel Richard has the promise to hit 50+ home runs in a season, though he is still raw and his swing could use more polishing. The pitching rotation is largely unchanged. Cy Young candidate Hideki Ni and savvy veteran Larry Leach (both All Stars last season) will provide a very good 1-2 punch at the top, while veteran Pat Palmer was signed to give the bottom of the rotation more depth and stability. The are of most drastic change was in the bullpen. This was the Achilles' heal of the team last season, and was a priority in the off season. Lance Misch had too much pressure on him last season as a rookie, and did not respond well. Ned Gold was acquired from the Phillies to anchor the bullpen with Misch and give a righty-lefty combination out of the back of the pen. Veteran, and proven, relievers JR Fullmer (a solid contributor in the Atros title run last season) and Joaquin Nunez were also brought in to further solidify the team's vulnerable relief corps. With a solid, all around team this season, hopes are the highest they've ever been in New Orleans. And this year, fans think we can contend.

S12 Top SP

1. Darrell Vitiello HOU (39-13, 1.10WHIP, 2.85ERA)
   Vitello doesn't have great stamina, but he has solid control and good durability. Has a tremendous ability to keep the ball out of the hitting zone, and will get a lot of strikeouts. Could have better pitches, but that's being picky.
2. Phil Lowery SD (158-58, 1.06WHIP, 2.48ERA)
   One of the all-time greats, Lowery checks in at #2 for this season. The only shortcomings are his lack of depth with his pitches. He keeps the ball out of the hitting zone well, and throws hard. Doesn't hurt himself with walks. Can go deep into games.
3. Dave Lester ARI (94-56, 1.22WHIP, 3.34ERA)
   Lester has had some strong seasons and should be poised for a breakthrough. Doesn't walk many players, throws hard. Has some decent pitches. Struggles with keeping the ball down in the zone though. Keeps it out of the hitting zone. 
4. Yuniesky Fuentes KC
5. Sam Phelps PHI
6. Kelvim Thompson SF
7. Stubby Easterly PHI
8. Ruben Pulido DET
9. Seth Wall FLA
10. Bernie Speier HOU

S12 Top RF

1. Shayne Everett OAK (.304/.418/.512)
   Everett has never stolen fewer than 23 bases in a season or hit fewer than 25 doubles. Has never struck out more than 57 times in a season and always walks more than he strikes out by a wide margin. Has solid power and drives the ball well. He does enough well to be a consistent Silver Slugger and All-Star. He doesn't play good defense and that's really the only complaint to be had here.
2. Theo Mathews LAA (.292/.403/.497)
   Mathews is a good player who has never hit fewer than 20 HRs in a season and has always walked more than he strikes out. He has a solid arm but is really lacking in range these days. He drives the ball well and can really work the count well.
3. Michael Blasingame KC (.306/.400/.515)
   Has never hit fewer than 22 doubles in a season and only once has he struck out as many times as he walked (S10). Not a base-stealing threat though. Has some pop and can work the count. Drives the ball well and dominates RHP. Great eye.
4. Byron Sullivan TB
5. Kenny Francis OAK
6. Bob Osborne TEX
7. Rich Coco BOS
8. Yovani Rijo CIN
9. P.J. Cheney SF
10. Willis Branyan STL

S12 Top CF

1. Benj Fox OAK (.279/.355/.488)
   Fox's ratings tell you a story of a very good offensive player, one who will hit for average, power, and get on base at a good clip. His statistics reveal a different story, one of recent inconsistency. Other than his shortened first season, the past 2 seasons have produced the fewest home runs and worst batting averages of his career. My money is on him picking it up this season. Actually has the defensive ratings to be a good 2B/3B, but lacks the ideal range for a CF.
2. Brian Greenwood NY1 (.272/.367/.440)
   Greenwood has been up and down in terms of power during this first 5 seasons in the ML. Hits for some power and walks more than he strikes out. Struggles with consistency against RHP, while being better against LHP. Can really work a walk and will make contact more often than not. Lacks the ideal range for a CF, but when he gets to a ball, he will make the play. Decent speed and great durability.
3. Pat Hickman HOU (.290/.351/.557)
   If he remains at CF, he will become the best CF in the world in short order. Right now he doesn't leave us much to go on based on his 1st full season in the bigs. He was a S11 All-Star and NL ROY. He hit 40 HRs, knocked in 123 and stole 28 bases while scoring 108 runs. He's only going to get better too. Should be able to transition to being the best SS in the league soon...hits for power, has a great eye, drives the ball well, and won't strike out too much. He's fast and should be able to develop tremendous range and glove.
4. Charlie Black ARI
5. Danny Lee CH1
6. Yusmeiro Johnson CIN
7. Philip Johnson NY2
8. Alejandro Bennett LAA
9. Brendan Buford PHI
10. Gerardo Perez BOS

S12 Top LF

1. Humberto Posada LA (.291/.360/.556)
   Posada has never hit fewer than 32 HRs in a season so he has a lot of power. Struggles with consistency against LHP, but dominates RHP. Average speed. Doesn't strike out a lot and can work the count. Not going to win any gold gloves in LF. 
2. Neftali Barrios SD (.282/.369/.510)
   A guy whose ratings seem to scream that he's a better player than what he is, Barrios has HR totals all over the place. He's never struck out more than 90 times in a season. He'll hit a lot of 2Bs and HRs one season, and the next he will be down. Tremendous defender who could fill in in CF in a pinch.
3. Carlos Ordaz MIL (.300/.393/.510)
   Ordaz has never hit fewer than 30 doubles since entering the league. Typically walks almost twice as much as he strikes out. Drives the ball against RHP but struggles somewhat with consistency against LHP. He has some pop in his bat as well. Solid speed as well.
4. Kordell Stanley BAL
5. Greg Monroe CIN
6. Allen Withers NY1
7. Jim Schafer ARI
8. Bucky Stults STL
9. David Davis CIN
10. Harold McKnight  PIT

S12 Top SS

1. Damaso Romero MON (.263/.331/.510)
   His overall stats don't quite mesh with his rankings, but with 3 silver sluggers and 3 all-star appearances, it's scary to think what he could do. He's never hit fewer than 22 HRs in a full season, so he has power. He has great power, with a solid eye. He drives the ball well. Doesn't strike out too much. His ratings tell a completely different story than his stats do. Still, his offense makes up for the defensive deficiencies he has. Doesn't have great range or glove and his arm accuracy leaves a bit to be desired.
2. William Aoki NY1 (.291/.347/.502)
   Aoki has been a good offensive contributor while his defense definitely could use some improvement. He's adequate in the glove department but deficient with his weak arm and lack of range. He's got good speed, hits for power and average, and can work the count some. Solid baserunner, he also drives the ball well. 3-time Silver Slugger and All-Star.
3. Wes Sheehan SD (.258/.311/.421)
   Gold Glove and Silver Slugger 3B in S9, Sheehan shifted over to SS in S10 and has performed admirably, both on the field and in the box. Had a down season in S11, but should bounce back this season. Doesn't hit for an outstanding average or tremendous power, but he does have some pop. Drives the ball well. Average knowledge of the strike zone. A good defender, but not a great one.
4. Roosevelt Rath SF
5. Donzell Holmes NO
6. Omar Cedeno PIT
7. Al Edwards TB
8. Miguel Ramirez OAK
9. Branch Bressley PHI
10. Michael Beck MIN

S12 Top 3B

1. Phil Gao PHI (.322/.431/.541)
   A doubles machine, Gao has never hit fewer than 24 doubles in a season, and averages 35 per season. That combines with 25 HRs for a pretty good hitter. 3-time Gold Glove, 7-time Silver Slugger, and 8-time All-Star, he also has an MVP for his efforts. He plays top notch defense, has solid speed, won't strike out, can work the count and drives the ball. He also hits with some power. 
2. John Jung BAL (.293/.354/.422)
   Well traveled, Jung is on his 3rd team...of this season. He has played for 6 different teams and is in his second tour of duty with Baltimore. Doesn't hit for a lot of power, but has a good batting average. Solid speed, good eye. Makes contact a lot and drives the ball really well against RHP. His range is on the decline, but still good range and when combined with his other defensive ratings, it makes for a good defender.
3. Benito Infante NO (.296/.362/.505)
   The heir apparent to Gao and Jung, Infante begins his 2nd full ML season with hope. Last season he scored 106 R, hit 31 2B, 24 HR, 100 RBI, and stole 20 bases without getting caught. Pretty good season for his first full MLB season. Already a 2-time All-Star, you can expect very good defense out of Infante with a good eye, solid power, and some speed. He will strike out 100+ times most seasons. Does a good job of driving the ball.
4. Trent Rivera MIL
5. Carlos Rivera SD
6. Davey Candelaria LAA
7. Paul Dillon ARI
8. Alex Tarraga ATL
9. Kevin McKinley DET
10. Matty Sanchez NY2 

S12 Top 2B

1. Travis Evans CIN (.311/.376/.517)
   Last season's NL MVP, Evans has been in the bigs since he was drafted. A base-stealer who will hit for a high average, his weakness is OBP. Doesn't have an elite eye, but does well enough that it's not a hindrance. Steals bases at an 85% clip and averages 114 runs a season (including his shortened rookie season). Evans plays good defense at 2B. He's fast and drives the ball well while not striking out much. 
2. Henry Crosby DET (.321/.394/.530)
   In Crosby's 5 full seasons in the majors, he has never hit below .309 and has only struck out more than 64 times once. The fewest stolen bases he's had in a season is 72 and he did that in 130 games. Has hit fewer than 20 HRs only once. Scored fewer than 100 Rs only once as well. He has some pop in his bat, a good eye, and does a great job of driving the ball. Won't strike out a lot. Defense leaves a little to be desired, but that's being nit-picky.
3. Arnold Miller OAK (.273/.368/.458)
   Has seen his power drop off lately, and doesn't steal a lot of bases for his speed. He's a poor baserunner. Has decent power, will strike out more than you'd like. Drives the ball consistently well against RHP, but dominates LHP. He knows the strike zone and can definitely work a walk. Solid, but not spectacular at defense.
4. Henry Lennon PHI
5. Neal Foster SF
6. Steven Newfield MIL
7. Edinson Cruz MON
8. Marino Tavarez KC
9. Nicholas Walters STL
10. Brett Welsh NY1

S12 Top 1B/DH

1. Jeff Phelps SF (.282/.404/.530)
   Phelps tops the list of 1B/DH with his power and tremendous ability to avoid K's leading the way. He knows how to work a walk. He has walked at least 103 times in every ML season while striking out no more than 64 times in a season. Has hit at least 36 HRs in 4 out of 5 seasons (27 in 142 games in his rookie year). Type of player who can anchor a lineup, he also drives the ball well.
2. Hipolito Iglesias DET (.345/.432/.592)
   While he doesn't boast the greatest power or contact ability, that doesn't stop him from averaging 31 HRs a season while boasting a career average of .345. He will strike out some but he makes up for that by walking almost as much. A really great eye, he just drives the ball really too.
3. Frank Terrell SEA (.277/.382/.506)
   Really knows the strike zone having worked more walks than strikeouts on a consistent basis in his career. Has never hit fewer than 22 HRs in a full season. Does a solid job of driving the ball, but he's really helped by the fact that he knows the zone and takes full advantage of it.
4. Mark Ishikawa MON
5. Julio Manuel ARI
6. Ricardo Flores COL
7. Alex Guerrero LAA
8. Deivi Lee NO
9. Randy Washington CLE
10. Jerome Norman BOS
    

S12 - Top C

1. Nick Helms PIT (.277/.358/.572)
   For being a young player with some development time left, Helms is the top C in the league already. Helms isn't just an offensive juggernaut either, he's able to throw runners out and call a solid game. He's durable. He does shine the most when it comes to offense though. Tremendous power with a great ability to work a walk. He drives the ball well and doesn't strike out too much. He averages a home run every 11.38 ABs and has never hit fewer than 35 in a season. 
2. Cesar Cedeno MON (.314/.390/.717)
   Some might quibble with Cedeno being #2 instead of #1, but really, when you have a top 3 backstop, there isn't much room for complaining. Cedeno is better offensively than Helms. In a full ML season he's never hit fewer than 43 HRs. Better batting average too, although he will strike out a fair amount. Does a tremendous job of driving the ball and can really work the count. He's not too good of a defender though as he struggles to call a game and has an average arm. Another youngster, he has some room to develop as well.
3. Moises Gonzalez HOU (.316/.423/.638)
   The old man of the group, he's not a good defensive catcher, but offensively He makes up for it. He makes solid contact, drives the ball with authority, and knows the ins and outs of the strike zone. His power is where he really shines as he has never hit fewer than 33 HRs in a season. 
4. Marvin Sellers DET
5. Yorvit Ramirez SF
6. Burt Washington CIN
7. Ricardo Jose ATL
8. Felipe Estrada NO
9. Alex Gomez PHI
10. Jake Rhodes OAK

Career slash lines in ( ).

S11 Draft Review

1. RHP Dayan Mercado (TB)
Mercado has great control. He’s going to make RHB cry for their mamas. He throws decently hard and gets a lot of groundballs. If there is a weakness it’s that he won’t get many complete games with his stamina, but should see a lot of starts and innings with his durability. His pitches range from great to terrible.
mexd781 says: Tampa Bay is pleased to add Dayan Mercado out of North Dakota with the first overall pick. Dayan projects to be a #1 SP for the Rays in a few years and could possibly see some Cy Young Awards. We feel that confident with him. Mercado's sinker against right hand hitters is the most unhittable pitch the Tampa Bay scouts have ever seen.

2. 3B Les Hammel (STL)
Currently playing 3B in LoA ball, I don’t believe that Hammel will develop good enough range or glove to play there in the ML. His arm will make him a definite asset in RF and his offensive weapons will fit him there as well. Great power and contact. Solid splits and a great eye. He should be a very good hitter for years to come.
dwboyce says: Sitting with the number two pick in the draft and maxed out high school and college scouting budgets, we were disappointed with the talent available. I coveted Dayan Mercado. Our scouts were awestruck by him.

After him, it was a big step down to number two, as each player was flawed in some way. An argument could be made for Heine Singleton, Darrell Skinner or Les Hammel, and I debated all three. I’ve been disappointed in the past with guys with average eye ratings, like Singleton, and although he’s a hot corner prospect, I didn’t like his projected durability and pictured him as a part time player. We’re still loaded with pitching here in St. Louis, and even league average pitchers can have productive careers in this ballpark. As much as I liked Skinner, he was not Mercado.

In the end, I pulled the trigger on Les Hammel. He’s a bit of a health risk, but I don’t mind that in 22-year-old college players, as he doesn’t need as much development time. I like his raw power and eye combination and he’ll drive the ball well against lefties and righties. Although he doesn’t project to make more than average contact, I’d rather have his batting eye and he’s an everyday player. He’s 22, so he’ll find a home in a corner outfield spot in a season or two, which pays immediate dividends to a club trying to make a MWR.

3. SS Esteban Moya (MIN) **UNSIGNED**
meece says: With so many top notch fielders on the board GM Meece over looks the fact that Esteban Moya wont sign. Would never blame it on being on vacation and doing final rankings while in Disney but I dropped the proverbial ball. Chosen for being a potential top of the order SS with good makeup to hit lofty projections.

4. LHP B.J. Howard (COL)
Howard has great control and will induce a lot of ground balls. His pitches are a very good group. He’s going to dominate LHB and be average against RHB. Doesn’t throw too hard, but that should not stop him from being a good ML SP.
anml34 says: With B.J. Howard we found a solid member of the rotation for years to come.

5. LHP Darrell Skinner (MIN)
Tremendous control combines with a very good repertoire of pitches to make him a dangerous SP. He dominates LHB and is good against RHB. Gets a lot of groundballs. Doesn’t throw hard. His stamina and durability should lead to a good amount of innings pitched.
meece says: With the 5th Pick chose Darrell Skinner which by plan was going to give a top notch positon and pitching prospect. Skinner has top notch control and pitches very well vs lefties. At 19 years of Age is 3-4 years away from the show.

6. SS Heinie Singleton (CH1)
Makes good contact with some power. Doesn’t have a great eye. Good speed. He makes good contact against both LHP & RHP. He does not have the range or arm accuracy to be a defensive minded SS. His value will come from being a very good offensive SS. Alternately he’d fit as a GG 3B with an above average or better bat.
tk21775 says: Cubs are happy drafting their 3rd basemen of the future in Singleton. He's got the defense to handle the corner, great speed, and we really like his bat. His eye and power leave a little to be desired but with his high splits and contact we feel he should be a nice player to build around.

7. 2B Brian Bailey (NY2)
Tremendous range with a solid glove. Great speed. Makes solid contact. Sees the ball really well against LHP. Not as solid against RHP. Good eye. Could be a solid top of the order speedster.
jgnjr says: mets.looking to upgrade hitting .Brian Bailey has a chance for the show at 2nd or CF.

8. RHP Wilin Guerrero (BAL)
Great splits. Dominant groundball pitcher. Great first pitch, solid secondary pitches. Lacks ideal control. Solid stamina durability combination. Not an ace by any measure but should definitely be a useful major leaguer.
hopkinsheel says: I really thought one of my top 5 would fall to me at #8 especially considering I was one of only two teams in the top8 with 20/20 invested in scouting. However, the rolls of the die were bad for me and I ended up with my #6 choice. Guerrero is a decent SP, but not someone I would hope to get with a top 10 pick. He projected to be a middle of the rotation type pitcher. If his control was projected to be higher I'd be more comfortable with the selection.

9. 2B Cozy Spencer (LA)
Spencer is a unique case, not good enough offensively to justify a COF, but lacking ideal range for 3B or 2B. Should be interesting to see how the Dodgers fit him in. He’s got good splits, good eye, and good power. Struggles to make contact. Good speed. Good glove and arm.

10. RHP Orlando Sanchez (TEX)
Should be a dominant 1-inning RP. Keeps the ball out of the hitting zone against RHB and struggles a bit against LHB. Throws hard and keeps the ball down in the zone. Dominant pitches will make any batter tremble. Solid stamina/durability means he should get enough work to make a ML roster spot worthwhile.

11. CF Juan Pascual (WAS) **UNSIGNED**

12. SS Otis Flores (PIT)
Good power with solid contact. Better against LHP than RHP, but not a liability against RHP. Average eye. Good speed. Definitely not going to play SS at the ML level but should definitely be a very good 3B overall.

13. SS Chris Plouffe (CH2)
Great splits. Good speed. Great durability. Makes decent contact. Decent eye. Average power. His defensive stats are anywhere from below average to well above average. Hopefully his accurate arm and good range make up for his subpar arm strength and glove.

14. 1B Aaron Winker (LAA)
Might be the worst baserunner I’ve seen, but man can he get there fast! Average defensively for a 1B. Makes a lot of contact and drives the ball decently against RHP. Average against LHP. Solid power. Great durability.
mskakunan says: The Angels selected 1B Aaron Winker as their first pick in the draft. He was fourth overall on our board. We project him as a dependable .275/.350/.475 guy. We don't see him making big league all star teams. We do see a solid professional hitter though.

15. CF Kenny Bland (FLA)
Makes solid contact with good power. Doesn’t drive the ball with great authority. Solid eye. Has decent range and a below average glove for CF. Decent speed. His bat might allow him to become a GG COF, but probably shouldn’t be playing CF in the bigs.

16. SS Guy Perez (SEA)
Tremendous eye. Average offensively which shouldn’t be a big deal considering he’s going to be a very good defensive player. He might boot a few more than the average SS, but he’s going to get to a lot more and throw guys out that the average SS won’t. Durable and fast as well.

17. RHP Kenny Hague (ATL)
Kind of a ‘tweener type of pitcher, Hague could start or be a super RP. Great control. Does not keep the ball out of the hitting zone well. Throws hard and keeps the ball down. A very solid combination of pitches, he should be a good part of the ATL bullpen and possibly be a very good #5 in the rotation.

18. LHP Matthew Allen (MIL)
Dominates LHB but not RHB. Average control. Throws hard and does a really good job keeping the ball down in the zone. Great combination of pitches. His durability and stamina means he should be able to go deep into games.
s_gammon says: Matt Allen projects to be a very solid mid rotation starter. He's durable lefty starter who projects to have solid splits, good velocity and induce a fair amount ground balls. Two solid pitches and 2 more passable pitches, the only knock on him is an inabilty to repeat his delivery which will likely result in less than ideal control.

19. RF Sam Moustakas (CLE)
It’s rare that you find such a good player dropping so far. Moustakas should be able to lead-off for the Indians for a while. As long as you don’t get caught up in his lack of power and instead focus on what he does well. He hits the ball a lot, with authority. He is average at working the count. Great speed. Solid baserunner. Never going to be confused with a GG anywhere he plays.
abesmem says: Cleveland was pretty lucky that Sam Moustakas slipped all the way down to 19 overall. Sam projects to be possibly the best leadoff hitter Cleveland has ever had in its organization, with top grades in both speed and contact. He should be able to handle both righties and lefties well. He doesn’t have the bunting skills we would like but his great range and above average arm should make his a fixture in RF for the Tribe before too long.

20. RHP Jim Berg (SF)
Tremendous stamina/durability combination. Great control. Throws with some pop. Good pitches. Doesn’t always keep the ball out of the hitting zone that well. Not great at getting grounders. Should be a solid bullpenner.

21. C Mendy Delahanty (NY2)
Quite a grab here. Great power. Good splits. Very good eye. Won’t strike out all that much. Lacks a great arm, and doesn’t always call a great game. Should be aright with a good staff and his offense will more than make up for any defensive deficiencies.
mcgupp says: With the 21st pick the Yankees were pleased to select Mendy Delahanty . He will Catch and DH in the future. We expect a huge impact in the middle of the lineup.

22. LHP Eric Rizzo (BOS)
Great stamina. Lacks ideal durability. Average control. Dominant against LHB, solid against RHB. Throws hard. Gets a lot of groundballs. Very good pitch combination. Should be a solid starter in the league.
crabman26 says: With the 22nd pick the Sox are pleased to get their 3rd ranked player on their board. Rizzo projects to be a middle of the rotation starter that will be very good against LHers but struggle a bit against RHers. His velocity and GB ratio will help as well as his dominant first pitch.

23. RF Mo Owen (TOR)
Won’t strike out much and will hit with some power. Solid eye. Doesn’t drive the ball consistently. Solid defensive OF who can play either COF or be a GG 1B. Great speed. Average baserunner.

24. LHP Chris Coolbaugh (NO)
Solid RP candidate. Can throw an inning almost every day or several innings at a time. Doesn’t have great control. Great against LHB but just OK against RHB. Throws hard and keeps the ball down in the zone. Solid pitches.
mongoose_22 says: Once again, the Jazz used our first round pick on a relief pitcher, Chris Coolbaugh. Not intentionally, once again, it just happened to be the best player available. We actually wanted to target a starting pitcher. Still, Coolbaugh should be a durable, reliable arm out of the pen. Our expectations are for him to be solid and pitch 80-90 innings per season. Though he'll never be a superstar, its a steady pick and we're content with the caliber of player we were able to land toward the end of the round.

25. 3B Ned Wright (CIN) 
Wright is a really solid selection at #25. We actually had him rated #7...there was a drop off in talent, but he is a solid low teens pick who dropped to 25. Good fielders with a solid bat, tough to find at 3B.
hurricane384 says: We were ecstatic to draft Wright. Didn’t figure we had much of a chance to draft him. Anytime you can get a power hitting 3B, especially this late in the draft, you have to consider it a success.

26. 3B Charlie Witt (PHI) **UNSIGNED**
mitt0108 says: Philly was excited to get Charley Witt in the 1st round, but he decided not to sign. Would have been a good player at 3b with great power

27. RHP Kevin Edwards (KC)
Great control. Bit of a ‘tweener. Stamina/durability is enough to start but might be better in the ‘pen. Flyball pitcher. Dominant against RHB. Alright against LHB. Throws hard. Has a solid stable of pitches.

28. LF Stevie Appier (ARI)
Should be a solid leadoff hitter who hardly ever strikes out. Great speed to beat out IF hits as well as great baserunner who’ll steal some bases. Does a good job of driving the ball. Lacks a good eye. No power. Solid defensive player. If you are willing to sacrifice power at the COF spot, he could be a fixture.
llcc says: Stevie Appier should hit for a high average and steal bases. His overall projected rating is a 73.

29. 3B Dutch Cloud (TB) **UNSIGNED**

30. LHP Daryle K’aaihue (BOS) **UNSIGNED**
crabman26 says: with the 30th pick the Sox landed a potential shut down RP who should dominate against LHers and fair well against RHers. For a late 1st round pick the Sox did great by landing a RP of his caliber. The main problem is, will he sign?

31. LF Matt Hartman (SD)
Decent defender who’s probably more at home in RF. Solid speed. Average at making contact and driving the ball. Decent power. Average eye. Average player all the way around
opie5 says: considering the lack $’s distributed to scouting, the Padres are happy with the selection of Hartmen @ 31. His glove does not seem to project to 3b which is disappointing, but he definitely has major league power.

32. LHP Rubby Benitez (SD)
Great control. Solid stamina/durability. Dominant against LHB and average against RHB. Lacks velocity. Keeps the ball down. 2 great pitches, 2 terrible pitches.
opie5 says: the Padres are very happy with the selection of Benitez @ 32. His control and GB/FB ratio in combination with a quality first pitch and an excellent VsL will allow him to fit in perfectly in Petco Park.

33. SS Chris Whiteside (OAK)
Not going to strike out much. Solid at driving the ball. Decent power. Average eye. Not very fast. Solid defensively, but isn’t going to develop into a true SS. Could be a very solid 3B though. Possible GG at 3B.

34. 2B Andruw Buckley (CLE)
Decent range. Average glove. Weak arm. Great speed, great baserunner, great bunter. Average at making contact. No power. Terrible against LHP. Solid against RHP. Good eye.

S11 Preview

Anaheim Angels
The Angels made a serious off-season push to compete in a division that is always tough to win. To upgrade the offense, Theo Matthews was brought in to bat third and Davey Martin gives the Halos a top notch base stealer. Greg Hennessy and Bobby Phillips will strengthen the pitching staff. The staff's young core of Crawford, Martinez, Anderson and Rogers is talented and with Bennett, Guerrero and Mays leading a young offensive core that also features Creek and Walters as an exciting double play combo, the Angels could hit this year. The middle infield must play stronger defense this year to support Hewitt's gold glove work behind the plate and Yusmeiro Johnson's fine work in CF. Big questions also remain about power and how well Phillips will perform out of the bullpen. The Angels will definitely be better this year. The only question is will their improvement make any difference in the always tough AL West.

Atlanta Braves
The Braves have evidently become so accustomed to finishing 2nd in their division that they are now content with it. They made absolutely no significant off season moves.
The only player gone from last season's roster is free agent utility man and speedster Felipe Rosario, who is so coveted that he is still awaiting someone to offer him a contract. As for the remaining Braves, veteran mainstays Al Reynoso (1B), Alex Cheng (RF) and Harold Daily (CL) will be looked to for both leadership and production. Alex Tarraga (3B) is now in his prime, coming off a solid season (.279 .340 .474 with 20 HR, 32 SB) and may be the Braves' top offensive threat at this point. He's followed closely by steady Ricardo Jose (C), just beginning to enter his prime years. Jonny Mercedes (CF), Dario York (2B), and Ezdra Alvides join with Jose and platoon battery mate Lawrence Houston for strong defense up the middle, though their offensive contributions deserve no further mention. Emerging switch hitter Boots Vaughn will likely platoon with Cheng in RF, while Robinzon Bournigal and Edgardo Guardado will do the same in LF. Akinori Zhang will once again anchor the starting rotation, coming off a solid 16-9, 2.96 season. LHP Vincenzo Parker should be a solid #2 starter if he continues to progress from a solid rookie season. Fausto Martin, Santiago Owen, Evan Van Hatten and Harry Ordonez will compete for the remaining 3 slots in the rotation. Daily's 40 saves in 42 chances last season added to his illustrious career achievements as one of the game's best closers, and shows no signs of slowing down. The Braves are looking for veterans Al Lange, Carlos Navarre and Rolando Polonia to combine with youngsters Junior Crespo and Patrick Smith to provide quality bullpen support in the middle and set up roles. With enough improvement from the younger players and solid seasons from their veterans, the Braves could relinquish their stranglehold on 2nd place and actually compete for a divison title. Unfortunately, they could also potentially move in the other direction, as both the Marlins and the Cardinals appear to have improved themselves during the off season.

Baltimore Orioles
Nothing too exciting to report. This will be another rebuilding season in the Charm City. Now that the dust has settled, we took some time to look back on the demolition of our World Sereies squad and still believe it was the right thing to do. We may have blown it up a season or two early, but I'd rather do that then a season or two too late. We are excited about the prospects now moving through the system.

We did dabble a bit in FA, putting in bids on some type A guys in the 29-31 year old space, but decided to pull back after fully thinking out our strategy.

Former 3rd pick in the first round, Sonny Ratliff and former IFA, Erubiel Aramboles iare set to make his debut this season.

Other than that, we'll be hoping for a deep draft class, good IFA's, and enjoy watching our prospects develop.

Boston Red Sox
With the addition of Rich Coco Boston is hoping a repeat division title is in their future. The pitching staff is returning minus the loose cannon Mitch Franco and it boasts some decent top of the rotation starters in Yonder Silva and Omar Mercado. The bullpen is a bit weaker this season due to some salary restraints but the offense is going to be dynamic with Coco and Norman in the heart of the order. With the improved offense and weaker bullpen I am predicting a 95 win season, which is hopefully enough to take this tough division.

Chicago Cubs
S10: 65-97 (4th in NL North)

After another disastrous season in season 10, the Cubs are looking to rebound and perhaps be competitive in season 11. Our offense was below average last season but we did finish 10th in home runs thanks to Ariel Mateo, Timo Pinto and Carlos Henriquez. We added CF Hipolito Quintero to the mix and hope that our power hitters can continue slugging them out of the park again this season. Our starting pitching was horrible last season and we concentrated on that area this offseason by adding Denny Matsuzaka, Cameron Lundquist, and Luis Furcal. With younger pitchers Reginald Walker and Yonder Mendoza a year older, we’re hoping to see a significant drop to our team era this season and help us win some more games. We still get the #6 pick in this season’s draft to go along with last year’s #3, Bryan Cook, to help build up our minors. We think that we really added some good pieces to this team this offseason and at reasonably contracts that won’t hurt us down the road.

Chicago White Sox
Last year the White Sox went into full rebuilding mode. Even so, they only managed to lose 87 games, which did not really help their draft position much. As much as management would like to extend it another year, there are too many prospects in the minors to keep them there on the 40 man roster, so the youth movement begins. Expect a better record but not fully competitive yet.

Expected call-ups would be CF Philip Henley, 2B Bob Ledesma, and RF Alex Garces. There is a whole stable of pitchers waiting for their call, and my guess is that they won't have to wait long.

Cincinnati Reds
Management handcuffed themselves in regards to much movement in the offseason by extending cornerstone 2B Travis Evans. Evans has been the offensive leader for the past few seasons and was inked to a front-loaded 5 year extension to keep him in Cincinnati. The Reds return many of their top offensive players, as RF Theo Mathews was traded to bring in some youth. Rookie RF Ed Gold looks to develop into a solid player while improving the OF defense. LF Bert Root and 1B Greg Monroe join Evans and Gold to lead the offense. Phil Gonzalez strengthens CF defensively and provides some pop, while SS Goose Howard looks to improve on the SS defense and offense while keeping the position warm for youngster Rip Stevenson. The bench is strong as Dick Simon, Sherman Thompson, and Larry Browning provide pop off the bench. The only positional battle to keep an eye on is at 3B between Hiram Sierra and Clete Sosa...one provides defense and the other provides power.

Pitching wise, the staff is solid, but not spectacular. Running with an 11-man staff will provide some challenges. There is nothing to predict here, except that the Cincinnati Reds are going to rely on their offense to get them back to the playoffs this season. The minor league system has been strengthened, so it isn't out of the question that the Reds add a SP capable of carrying this team at the deadline.

Cleveland Indians
Last season the Indian bats inexplicably went quiet in the second half of the season and combined with some late inning bullpen collapses, causing the Tribe to go into a second half swoon that they were never able to battle out of. To prove that the silence of the bats was inexplicable, the GM has done virtually nothing to improve the squad’s offense in the off season. The expected offensive rebound will be complemented by a great top starting 3, anchored by ace Bill Serano, who reportedly is still somewhat peeved by being slighted in the voting for rookie of the year (lots of high and inside stuff coming this year). The key additions were made to the pen where Norberto Tavarez and Carmen Key will help to set up the newly extended shut down closer Cookie Alfonso. Finally the addition of long reliever Hulk Roosevelt will seemingly just scare the opposition by way of his immense and intimidating emerald presence. This is a very tough division, but the Indians hope to compete for the top spot.

Colorado Rockies
It's an exciting time in Denver and Coors banquet beer is flowing. The front office went into the off season looking to tear down the walls by shipping out throneberry, badenhop and Flores, instead when free agency opened management switched directions to appease the fans and went on a spending spree.  By bringing in wells with GAO and bringing back the rocks all time leader in saves (coveleski) the good times are looking up in the mile high city. Also word ou of training camp is that rookies Morton, Kelly pineiro and alou will make the big squad to further strengthen the roster for a postseason run. Just remember one thing....chicks dig the ball and there will be plenty flying this year in Colorado.

Detroit Tigers
There is a new sense of quiet determination in Motown this year. After three straight 100 win seasons, and World Series trips 2 of the last 3 years, this team is on a mission to win the trophy in season 11. This is now a team in its prime, and management has added more pieces to push it over the top.  SP Denny Andrews is the biggest offseason acquisition. The one weakness of the team in the postseason was the lack of a second top starter. Also added through FA, was RP Elvis Janssen to add to an already deep pen. The Tigers decided to stand pat on the offensive side of the ball after adding C Marvin Sellers near the trade deadline last year. The only notable players lost were pitchers Pat Palmer and Hughie Perkins.

Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are still in rebuild mold and are trying their hardest to find the happy medium of rebuilding and staying competitive enough to avoid the dreaded 200 loss total. We pretty much have the same team back but with a stronger bullpen, so hopefully there won’t be as many blown leads as last year.

Milwaukee Brewers
Season 11 will be another rebuilding year for the Brewers.

Watch for the team to try to move some veteran start players over the course of the season to clear room for up and comers with in the organization.

Alex Gomez, the world's Home Run Leader will be starting the season on the 60 day DL, so that hurts. Fans are sad, knowing he will pass 500 home runs, but probably won't do it in a Brewers uniform.

Eli Breslow, the 32 year old starting pitcher, who finished third in ROY year voting last year is quickly becoming a fan favorite and has locked down a spot in the starting rotation.

New Orleans Jazz
Season 10 was a pleasant surprise for Jazz fans. The team played well, and looks to be a season or two ahead of schedule with regards to the team rebuild. The team finished with a respectable 86 wins (a franchise record), made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, and even managed our first playoff series victory against our division rivals, the Kansas City Royals. We were, of course, eventually trounced by the team that would go on to win the AL Pennant, the Detroit Tigers. All things considered, Season 10 was a very good one in the Big Easy. Season 11 will also be another franchise first. It will be the first season that this team will go into the season with expectations. The Jazz expect to contend for the division, and play well in the postseason. There is no reason that this shouldn't happen, as the team is largely intact from last season, with only upgrades to the roster. Season 10 AL RoY candidates Hideki Ni and Benito Infante look to build upon last season's success as they will now be on the ML team for then entire season. Veteran 1B Jeremy Pettyjohn looks to duplicate what was the best season of his career, while veteran SP Larry Leach looks to not duplicate what was the worst season of a career that boasts 5 All Star selections and 3 no-hitters. This season's rookies could be just as impactful as last seasons'. Slugging Columbian sensation, 1B/DH Deivi Lee, should make an immediate impact once he is added to the ML squad. He will be asked to hit directly in the middle of the order, either 4th or 5th, and drive in a lot of runs. After a dominant career at the University of South Alabama, and two seasons of similar dominance in the minors, former #4 overall pick Lance Misch will be called upon to shore up what was the weakness of last season: the bullpen. He should provide much needed stability at the back end, though he may not have as much help as he needs because the pen is still a bit shaky. Not much was done in the way of free agency, except for the signing of veteran southpaw Max Osoria. He will help round out the rotation and should be slotted as the team's #3 or #4 starter. Osoria should be solid, he was even named to an All Star team a few seasons ago, and help alleviate a bullpen that needs all the help it can get. He's perfectly capable of tossing 200+ innings if healthy and should keep the team in the game and give the potent offense a chance to put up enough runs for a W. A young core with a high ceiling is in place in the New Orleans and things are looking up. If we make the playoffs again like we expect to, maybe we'll get hot at the right time and make a little noise in the playoffs, maybe have our own Mardi Gras. We certainly expect to in the near future.

New York Yankees
Disappointment. The one word that sums up the 10th season of Yankees baseball. Management is hopeful season 11 will unfold differently. Ivan Wise, who started a few ML games last season, will be joined by Jesus Izquirdo from AAA. Those 2 added to Jenson, Sewell and Kim give the Yankees their deepest staff yet. Achilles Dickens and Daryl Woods were brought in to bolster the bullpen. Karl Hamill will start at 1B, Chad York is the new 3B. The lineup should be formidable.

Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are returning almost the same team as last years division champs with a couple tweaks to improve defensively. Moving Thomas Bailey to LF and acquiring Brendan Buford to play CF should reduce some errors and the addition of power hitting 2B Calvin Colangelo should also help. Hopes are high that SPs Jose Viriato and Stubby Easterly can rebound from subpar seasons last year and play to their potential. While still trying to win the division again this year, the front office is focused on building up the farm system with good scouting and an IFA budget. With limited budget room for the ML squad this year, management is hoping that bringing back a very similar team from last year will be good enough to repeat as division champs.

San Diego Padres
It was another eventful off season for the defending World Series Champions. Multiple losses to the lineup and the starting rotation eliminated team depth. The backbone of the lineup remains – Neftali Barrios, Wes Sheehan, Matty Sanchez & Bob Daniels. Same with the rotation – Phil Lowery, Hipolito Ramirez & Samuel Root. The bullpen remains intact with Al Campos, Alexander White, Mack Lankford, Yusmeiro Sosa & Willie Belliard returning. Anthony Terry will step in at 3B and Diego Wilfredo will plug the gap in CF. Al Flores and new addition Jamie Kent will move into the rotation and Chili Bang will move into a long relief role. Iago Blue will get a full season in the majors and is expected to be a contributor as will the other reserves. Can the Padres win enough games to get into the playoffs, ride their starters and repeat?

Key losses – Phil Gao, Ringo Johnson, Phil Gonzales, Frank Hunter, Blake Titan, Eugenio Nunez, Sandy O’Shea, Kerry Charleston

St. Louis Cardinals
Key additions:
C Heathcliff Haney (trade with Philadelphia)
1B Matt Texeira (trade with Seattle)
UT Roy Ojala (free agency)
SP Javier Sanches (free agency)
Mo Watson (free agency)

Key losses:
Brendan Buford (trade with Philadelphia)

Budweiser was the biggest hit the Cardinals had last season. During last season’s 3-24 swoon under a broiling August sun, fans still showed up in droves to drink, root on their beloved red birds and then drown their sorrows in more golden elixir. Fans got to see a grand total of 26 wins at home – two out of three times they went to the park, they left disappointed.

The team faces a lot more heat this season: the general manager’s job is on the line. The rival Astros might as well have been in orbit, winning 45 games more than the Cardinals last season, so winning the division will require a booster rocket to be strapped to the ass of the franchise. And if the franchise is to do so, the Cardinal bats will need to heat up.

Twelve of their losses in that 3-24 stretch were by one run, but they might as well have been ten. The team finished dead last in Slugging and OPS, and 30th in Average and OBP. Those 594 runs they plated were a franchise low. With the losses to the once-robust pitching staff mounting, opposing teams are outscoring the team regularly at home.

The team needed to surround star Bucky Stults (.320/.373/.546) with more talent. The minor leagues were raided and traded for proven veterans and an influx of change. Harry Ortiz (.353/.429/.397 in 17 games) will get his first full season with the team. Light-hitting centerfielder Brendan Buford was traded for catcher Heathcliff Haney, who finally brings a right-handed bat behind the plate. The move will allow Bonk Stein to feast on lefties. Likewise, Claudio Gray will be tandem up with newcomer Matt Texeira (.302/.382/.472) at first base, allowing each to prosper. Roy Ojala was a looked-over talent brought in as a utility player and should fit fine into the Cardinal system. Nicholas Walters should bounce back from an uncharacteristic season (.244/.320/.329) – career lows in every category. While the team still lacks an elite slugger, the offense should be much improved.

On the mound, the team welcomes Javier Sanches to the top of the rotation, taking the pressure off reliable starter Edge Gibbons. While the park itself does a lot to suppress hitting, Sanches will make it tough for opposing offenses to get a free ride to first. Mo Watson arrives from Boston to bolster the bullpen. The team expects the ranging Len Carver to be brought up to take over the duties at shortstop, which should also improve the team defense.

While it remains to be seen if the team was shaken up enough to ensure a 70-win season, you can guarantee either way the beer will be flowing.

S10 Draft Review

1. RF Daryle Morton (TEX)

Tremendous range for a RF, Morton has a good arm, great speed. He’s got some power, makes a lot of contact, and does a great job of driving the ball, especially against LHP. He’ll get on base a lot and steal a ton of bases with his base running ability. 

jcairns says: The Texas Rangers are very pleased with the signing of Daryle Morton. We feel he will develop into a very nice leadoff hitter for us. His glove remains something to be desired.

2. LHP Alex Collins (MIN) – unsigned

3. RHP Bryan Cook (CH1)

Best skill is his ability to keep the ball out of the hitting zone. He has tremendous control. His stamina leaves a little to be desired, as does his durability, especially out of such a high pick. He doesn’t throw overly hard nor does he induce a lot of grounders. His changeup is his best pitch, but his slider, splitter and fastball are solid as well.

tk21775 says: Very happy to get Bryan Cook with the 3rd overall pick and have him signed and in LoA already. He'll be a #1 SP for us in a few seasons with great control and splits, along with two very good pitches to go along with two average pitches. We're expecting big things out of him.

4. C Joe Adams (STL)

Adams will likely only give you around 100 games in a season, but to be honest, with his offensive abilities that’s worth it. He hits for great power, makes great contact, has a great eye, and will destroy LHP. Not as good against RHP. He has a great arm and really excels at calling a game. Will be a solid platoon guy and pinch-hitter during the season and a real terror in the playoffs.

5. 2B Tarrik Dalesandro (WAS) – unsigned

6. SS Austin Lieber (TB)

Lacks a good enough glove to play SS on a full-time basis, but should be able to handle 3B or even 2B. Durable. He’s prone to strikeouts, but has good power. Struggles against LHP but drives the ball well against RHP. Solid eye. Great base runner with decent speed. Tells you the kind of draft we had that he would go #6 overall.

mexd781 says: Tampa Bay was happy to see Austin Leiber fall to them at #6. Austin was the top player on the Rays board due to his huge upside at a position of need. Austin played SS in High School, but we are moving him to 3B or CF to prepare him for the majors. We don't feel he will develop a good enough glove to be a ML SS, but can be a great player at 3B or even CF if he is needed there. . We love Austin's power and his ability to hit right handed pitching combined with above average speed. The thing that really stuck out about Austin was his makeup. We feel he really has the opportunity to meet the projections we see for him.

7. SS Micah Romero (NY2)

Romero doesn’t have the chops to cut it defensively, but offensively sliding him to 3B would definitely not be a disaster. He’s got some power, makes solid contact and has a decent eye. He’s got decent speed.

8. SS Dennis Finley (PHI)

The first true SS taken, Finley has the defensive ability to be a GG winner. He’s a contact hitter with solid power. He’ll struggle against RHP, but do well against LHP. Doesn’t have a great handle on the strike zone. Decent speed.

mitt0108 says: Philly was very happy to have Dennis Finley fall to number 8. In a very weak draft, we had Finley ranked number 2 overall. It is always hard to find great fielding shortstops who can hit at all and Finley projects to have great contact and power numbers. If he develops like we hope, he should be a gold glove quality SS who can hit 20+ homeruns.

9. RHP Alex Alomar (LAA)

He throws hard with great downward motion. He’s not going to walk a lot of guys, but does struggle some with keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. He’s got a great combination of pitches which will help to make up for his lack of splits.

mskakunan says: Alex Alomar was the number 1 pitcher on my draft board, so the Angels are really happy that he fell to the ninth spot so we could grab him. He projects Greg Maddux like control with outstanding velocity and a potentially devastating sinker. Plus he already has the stamina necessary to be a major league SP. We project him to be ready in 3 years and to be at least a number 3 if not better

10. CF Wesley Anderson (FLA)

Great defensive CF. Tremendous speed. He’s the dream CF, to be honest with you. He’s got power, will make contact, can drive the ball, work the count, run the bases. He even has a solid arm.

11. LHP Vladimir Hernandez (TOR)

A guy with #2 potential, he will walk some people. He has great pitches which mitigates his lack of velocity and downward movement. He keeps the ball out of the hitting zone for the most part.

joekendall says: We were happy to add Vladimir Hernandez to the Toronto family. We could use more top shelf SP help and thought Hernandez would be a great addition. We hope to see him in the majors in three seasons.

12. RHP Benny Morlan (NO)

Dominant against RHB, but struggle to get lefties out. Won’t beat himself with walks. Has 2 great pitches to combine with great velocity and a real ability to  entice GBs. His durability and stamina means he can really rack up the innings.

mongoose_22 says: For the second consecutive season, the Jazz selected a reliever with our first round pick. While I don't normally like to draft relievers high in the first round, in both last season's draft and this season's, they we're the best players still available given weak draft classes. This season, it was Benny Morlan, out of Lynchburg, Tennessee selected with the #12 pick. Morlan is a hard throwing right-hander, who throws a heavy, sinking fastball and also is developing a solid change. In his short college career, he developed a reputation for being especially tough on right handed batters. He should, along with last season's pick Lance Misch, anchor the pen in the Big Easy for a long time.

13. RHP Chris Parker (COL)

Throws hard and keeps the ball down in the zone. Getting a guy like this so late in the draft is a real steal. Won’t walk many. Has a great stable of pitches. Will occasionally leave a fat pitch for LHB, but will avoid that against RHB.

14. 2B Darby Kaufman (CLE)

15. LHP Jim Mullen (LA)

Won’t walk a lot of guys. Doesn’t throw hard. Fly ball pitcher. Lacks ideal pitch combination. Does a solid job of keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Should be a #3/#4 type pitcher…definitely fits into a 4 man rotation. 

16. LHP Hooks Meacham (CH2)

A developmental pitcher, Meacham will not walk guys, strike out a bunch of guys, dominate LHB and struggle against RHB. Another concern is only having 3 pitches, and only having one good or better pitch.

byers61 says: With the 16th pick, the White Sox drafted Hooks Meacham . True to his name, he boasts a knucklecurve, a slurve, and a slider. Weirdly enough, he will throw them with 95 velocity. His drawbacks are a low health rating and a crappy 3rd pitch rating for a starter

17. LHP Geoffery Ellis (ATL)

Ellis will struggle against RHB, but be pretty good against LHB. He has the best combination of pitches I have ever seen. He won’t walk many guys, but won’t strike out many either. He will get a lot of grounders.

kilgore says: The Braves were pleased that LHP Geoffery Ellis was still available when their turn came up at the 17th pick. They believe he has the potential to build stamina and possibly be an effective starter, with four quality ML pitches. He'll be evaluated along the way throughout his minor league journey to determine whether he's better suited for starting or relief work.

18. RHP Alex Fontana (ARI)

A RP, Fontana keeps the ball out of the hitting zone. He’s got great control and combines that with great velocity. His pitches are top-notch and he sinks the ball well.

19. P Guy Furbush (SEA) UNSIGNED

20. CF Michael Fujiwara (BOS) UNSIGNED

21. C Brent Starr (BAL)

Perfect player for the AL as he doesn’t have a great arm nor does he call a good game behind the dish. Dominant offensive player who won’t strike out much, while hitting a lot of home runs. Crushes LHP…good against RHP. Can work a walk. Lacks great durability to reach full potential. Best offensive player in the draft.

hopkinsheel says: The Orioles are really pleased with our first round pick. We think he was one of the premier hitters available and were ecstatic he fell to #21. Not sure if he'll develop enough defensively to catch although that would be a huge bonus. Worst case he'll be a great middle of the lineup DH.

22. RHP Alex Woo (MIL)

A solid SP, Woo won’t walk many. Better against RHP than LHP. Throws hard. Fly ball pitcher. Solid pitches, but won’t dominate with his repertoire.

s_gammon says: The Brewers selected Alex Woo a 22 year old Senior out of The University of North Florida. Woo projects as a solid mid-rotation starter with a very good stamina/durability mix. His high control and velocity combined with promising left/right splits bode well for the future. His fly ball rate might be a little high, and his lack of a dominant pitch concerns me. But with two solid pitches, an average third pitch and a passable "show me" fourth pitch, he should have no problem logging quality innings after about 2-3 seasons of minor league seasoning.

23. 1B Les Wilkerson (CIN) 

Should hit for a decent average. Not sure he'll hit for enough power to be an everyday 1B.

hurricane384 says: This is a decent pick considering how bad the draft was. He’s not going to be an everyday 1B, but he should be a solid off the bench bat.

24. P Andy Biddle (TOR)

25. LHP Hipolito Gonzalez (CIN)

Nice relief prospect, should be a decent setup B....his VR looks to proclude him from being much more.

hurricane384 says: Another “meh” pick, nothing too exciting. Overall a terrible draft for the Reds.

26. RF Will Foster (LA)

Tremendous range for a COF. Solid arm. Decent speed. Really struggles against LHP. Has solid power and makes solid contact against RHP. Decent eye. Tremendous base runner.

27. RHP Bengie Melian (SF)

Won’t walk many guys. Dominates RHB. Throws hard and keeps the ball down in the zone. Solid pitches will help make this guy’s career.

28. LHP Bucky Dempster (BOS)

Keeps the ball out of the hitting zone. Great pitch combination. Tremendous control. Doesn’t throw hard. Doesn’t have good stamina.

crabman26 says: Bucky should develop into a lock down set up pitcher and on most teams a perennial Fireman winner but Boston does not use a closer so that won’t be happening here. His splits are very good and he has a dominant pitch. The only downside is that he will be a fly ball pitcher in a small park.

29. LHP Ajax Crespo (KC) UNSIGNED

30. P Floyd Landrum (NY1) UNSIGNED

mcgupp says: Floyd Landrum was selected at the end of the first round by the NY Yankees. A Power pitcher, the Yankees fell in love with the combination of velocity, ability to get ground bales, and his #1&2 pitches. His control is a concern that hopefully is minimized. A bigger concern is his agents dragging their feet in making a decision to sign.

31. C Adam Moore (OAK)

Dominates LHP. Great eye. Struggles against RHP. Makes good contact. Solid power. Decent arm and decent game caller.

32. SS Sterling Wieters (SF)

Great defensive player. Slow. Average at making contact. Lacking power. Knows the strike zone. Drives the ball better against LHP than he does against RHP. 

33. LHP Arthur Sele (DET)

Decent velocity. Decent at inducing GBs. Lacks great pitches. Decent at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Solid stamina, lacks durability.

dakar says: LH RP Arthur Sele looks like he is going to be yet another in a string of 1st round picks that will max out as AAAA players.

34. CF Arodys Torres (CH2)

Not the ideal defensive ratings for CF. Lacks glove ability. Decent speed. Average contact. Average driving the ball. Great power. Solid eye.

35. SS Ray Casanova (LA)

Not a shortstop. Lacks range or glove. Solid speed. Good power/contact combination. Struggles to drive the ball consistently. Lacks great eye. Tremendous base runner.