- 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. - 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. - 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. - Trent Rivera MIL
- Carlos Rivera SD
- Davey Candelaria LAA
- Paul Dillon ARI
- Alex Tarraga ATL
- Kevin McKinley DET
- Matty Sanchez NY2
MLB World Blog
Thursday, October 17, 2013
S12 Top 3B
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
S12 Top 2B
- 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. - 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. - 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. - Henry Lennon PHI
- Neal Foster SF
- Steven Newfield MIL
- Edinson Cruz MON
- Marino Tavarez KC
- Nicholas Walters STL
- Brett Welsh NY1
S12 Top 1B/DH
- 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. - 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. - 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. - Mark Ishikawa MON
- Julio Manuel ARI
- Ricardo Flores COL
- Alex Guerrero LAA
- Deivi Lee NO
- Randy Washington CLE
- Jerome Norman BOS
S12 - Top C
- 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. - 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. - 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. - Marvin Sellers DET
- Yorvit Ramirez SF
- Burt Washington CIN
- Ricardo Jose ATL
- Felipe Estrada NO
- Alex Gomez PHI
- Jake Rhodes OAK
Career slash lines in ( ).
Friday, August 23, 2013
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.
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.
Friday, July 19, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
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.
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