The NL East - An Interview

Welcome baseball fans to “This Week in The MLB!” 

Tonight is a special night, as we’re joined by the Bench Coaches of no less than three ballclubs: Luke Gray of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pedro Gandarillas of the New York Mets and Danny Ojeda of the Washington Nationals. Together they’ve lead their teams to identical 33-50 records this season, and yet all three teams sit just a few games back from the lead for the division title! They’ve agreed to share a little National League East wisdom with us on how to do so. 

Announcer: Gentlemen, thank you for joining our broadcast team here tonight.

Danny: Certainly. But we can’t join you. We’re already signed for the season. Nyuk. Nyuk. Nyuk.



Pedro, Luke and Danny - NL East bench coaches.

Announcer: That’s, uh, that’s great. Our first question for you all – what’s the single most important advice you give your players before they come to bat?

Pedro: That’s easy. I tell them to keep an eye on the ball.

Danny (picks up a baseball and holds it an inch in front of his right eye): Ooh! Like this?

Luke: No, stupid. Like this. (Slaps the ball into Danny’s eye.)

Danny: Eehm! (Drops the ball, squinting and wipes his face three times with his hand.)

Pedro (watching from behind Luke): Hey! How come you didn’t let him keep his eye on the ball!

Luke (turning to Pedro and pulling his moppy hair up): Oh, I didn’t, did I? Keep your eyes on this. (Luke pokes his two fingers into Pedro’s eyes.)

(Scuffle breaks out among the three bench coaches. Luke pulls Pedro’s tie, Danny knocks Luke over the head with his fist.)

Announcer: Gentlemen, please! Please! Settle down! Sit back down. Thank you. How about we just proceed with the next question. In the course of ballgame, when do you call for time?

The bench coaches formative years.

Danny: It’s 10:30.

Luke: What are you? A wise guy? (Smacks Danny in the back of head. Danny frowns, like his feelings are hurt. Luke turns to Pedro.) It’s your turn to answer the question.

Pedro: (Looking serious, raises his finger skyward, to demonstrate a point, and then): When I’ve forgotten my glasses.

Luke: (Looking angry.) Hey! What’s the big idea?!

Pedro: (Throwing his hands up.) If I don’t have my glasses, then I can’t see the clock on the scoreboard!

Luke: You can see this, though, right? (Holds up fist, then kicks Pedro in the shins. Spins around to Danny with two fingers ready. Danny puts a hand vertically up in front of his nose, protecting his eyes. The melee continues until…)

Announcer: Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Please! Please calm down. I suppose we should just skip ahead to my last question.

Danny: Certainly. I love skipping! (Makes an angelic face.) Nyuk. Nyuk. Nyuk.

Luke: (Glaring menacingly at Danny, who suddenly scrambles to recompose himself).

Pedro: Fire away!

Announcer: When do you choose to pinch hit?

Season 1 Draft - A Look Back

With the Season 6 draft now concluded, I thought it would be fun to look back on the draft from Season 1 instead.

Why?

Well, even the youngest of draft selections have matured through five years of development and should have blossomed to their potential by now, so we are now able to evaluate the inaugural draft with the benefit of hindsight.

The Season One draft was also the opportunity for owners of these clunky, randomly-filled teams to proactively choose and develop “their” players to become the future faces of their franchises. With scouting maxed out at 14 for all clubs, talent was sure to slip to lower echelons and the owner’s scouting eye was tested. Those who could separate wheat from the chaff are breaking the bread of their selections now.

First, a quick summary of the 32 first-round selections:

·         31 of them are currently in the Majors. One has played in the Majors but was recently demoted to AAA.

·         11 pitchers, 5 shortstops and 5 left fielders were the most commonly selected positions.

·         The draft appeared to be distributed with enough talent for all clubs to take advantage of it.

The selections:

1.      Phil Lowery – SP – San Diego (4^th ML season, 1 Time All Star, 1 Gold Glove, 43W 25L in 107G, 2.67 ERA): He’s been everything the Padres hoped for. Last season, he went 16-7 while working 240 innings and posting a 1.04 WHIP, earning his first All-Star berth.

2.      Benj Fox – SS – Oakland (3^rd ML season, .280 AVG, .491 SLG, 55 HR in 1088 AB): Posted a line of .289/.366/.486, smacking 23 home runs while driving in and scoring more than 80 runs in his first full season in the Majors while holding down the hot corner. His durability has limited his playtime, somewhat limiting his impact.

3.      Neftali Barrios – LF – Cleveland (5^th ML season, 2 Time All Star, 1 Gold Glove, .281 AVG, .503 SLG, 97 HR in 1980 AB): A two-time All-Star with a respectable bat, Barrios has stroked 119 doubles. He also does his work in the field, with 31 career positive plays and just two negative ones, earning him a Gold Glove.

4.      Raymond Small – SP – Washington (2^nd ML season, 16W 13L in 42G, 3.30 ERA): Getting the call up in season five, posted a respectable WHIP and 2.94 ERA while going 12-8 in 29 starts.

5.      Humberto Posada – LF – Cincinnati (2^nd ML season, ROY, 1 Time Silver Slugger, .305 AVG, .574 SLG, 52 HR in 706 AB): Traded to L.A. in a blockbuster deal, Posada was allowed to marinate in the farm system until his season five call-up. Earned Rookie-of-the-Year honors and his first of what could be many Silver Sluggers, smashing 36 home runs and posting an OPS of 1.024. Likely the best player chosen in the draft and a beast for time to come.

6.      Rich Coco – RF – New Orleans (3^rd ML season, .256 AVG, .442 SLG, 45 HR in 1139 AB): Now entering his third season with Seattle, Coco scored more than 100 runs in his first full season, stole 23 bags in 27 attempts and hit 24 home runs.

7.      Mac Kirkland – LRP – Chicago W.S. (3^rd ML season, 11W 11L in 151G, 4.07 ERA): Logged 100+ innings in his first full season in the Majors while limiting opponents to a .227 AVG and striking out 158.

8.      Calvin Colangelo – IF/COF – Philadelphia (5^th ML season, 1 Time All Star, 1 Gold Glove, .261 AVG, .461 SLG. in 1929 AB): The versatile utility player boasts 54 career positive plays and 2 negative plays while holding down the fort at second and third base.

9.      Ignacio Polanco – SP – Houston (4^th ML season, 37W 27L in 106G, 3.80 ERA): Workhorse has logged more than 200+ IP last two seasons while going 14-8 and 13-7, respectively.

10.   Jim Schafer – LF – Arizona (4^th ML season, 2 Time All Star, 2 Time Silver Slugger, .303 AVG, .518 SLG, 83 HR in 1770 AB): Schafer recorded a breakout season last year, hitting 33 HR, scoring 104 times and knocking in 131 while hitting .301 to net his second consecutive Silver Slugger.

11.  Carl Marte – SS – Florida (2^nd ML season, .222 AVG, .322 SLG, 11 HR in 790 AB): Blessed with excellent range and a gun for an arm, the Marlins were content to let Marte’s marginal glove continue to develop at the ML level. Recorded 18 positive plays. Appeared in all 162 games his rookie season.

12.  Vladimir Cubillan – 1B – Minnesota (2^nd ML season, .283 AVG, .438 SLG, 25 HR in 882 AB): While not the blessed with overwhelming power, the durable first baseman has made the most of his opportunities, driving in 100+ runs in his rookie campaign. Defensively stout, with 14 career positive plays and only a single negative one.

13.  Pat Palmer – SP – Detroit (2^nd ML season, 9W 10L in 31G, 4.56 ERA): In the middle of his first full season, Palmer is off to a better start and is holding opponents to a .231 AVG while posting a 1.29 WHIP.

14.  Mark Prince – RP – St. Louis (1^st ML season, 5W 3L in 43G, 3.02 ERA): Prince took his time to reach the majors, so the jury is still out on how the extremely durable pitcher will pan out. He’s off to a nice start, fanning 56 batters in 56.2 IP and holding opponents to a .264 OBP in long relief and set-up roles.

15.  Donnie McInerney – C – Los Angeles D (1^st ML season, .309 AVG, .529 SLG, 15 HR in 278 AB): Another player left to mature in the minors, McInerney is performing extremely well in his rookie campaign. His 86 hits and 25 BB have propelled him to a .368 OBP.

16.  Rey Sowders – C – Los Angeles A (4^th ML season, .239 AVG, .320 SLG, 13 HR in 706 AB): Despite playing four seasons in the Majors, Sowders is already on his third team. Blessed with the durability to be an everyday catcher, Sowders has been a reserve player every season of his career except one.

17.  Allen Withers – LF – New York Y (2^nd ML season, .253 AVG, .474 SLG, 51 HR in 921 AB): Withers hit 32 doubles and 38 home runs in his rookie campaign, posting a .494 SLG. His OBP is a surprisingly pedestrian .321 due to his struggles to make consistent contact.

18.  Kordell Stanley – COF – Colorado (1^st ML season, .314 AVG, .585 SLG, 10 HR in 159 AB): Stanley has all the physical gifts to be an impact player but his lack of durability will limit his production immensely. In his current rookie campaign, 22 of his 50 hits have gone for extra bases.

19.  Bret Roosevelt – CF – Montreal (3^rd ML season, .243 AVG, .527 SLG, 46 HR in 575 AB): Roosevelt spent his first two seasons as a part-time defensive replacement. His all-or-nothing approach in the plate has served him well, as he has 46 career home runs and just 22 doubles, while striking out 155 times.  

20.  Vin Cueto – RP – Baltimore (3^rd ML season, 6W 8L in 140G, 2.44 ERA): Several teams mistakenly passed over Cueto  and publicly regretted it, and he’s making them pay. The pitcher is limited opponents to a .204 AVG while converting 52 of 59 Save Opportunities.

21.  Kenny Kulik – RP – Chicago C (AAA, spent part of two seasons in the ML, 6W 9L in 68G, 3.93 ERA): Having spent part of two seasons in the Majors, Kulik has played some versatile roles so far by working long relief and starting a couple games a season. His excellent control (42 career BB) is compromised by his inability to stop surrendering hits (179 H in 174 IP).

22.  Danny Lee – CF – Seattle (2^nd ML season, .289 AVG, .417 SLG, 20 HR in 802 AB): Lee’s contact, speed and batting eye has allowed him to get on base at a .352 clip. Once there, he often ends up stealing another, as he has 63 SB in 83 attempts.

23.  Brad Hinchliffe – SS – Anaheim (1^st ML season, .208 AVG, .458 SLG, 2 HR in 24 AB): Left unprotected, Anaheim lost Hinchliffe to Cincinnati in the Rule V draft, where he was plugged him into their lineup as a defensive replacement. In 52 games, Hinchliffe has batted just 24 times.

24.  Sam Presley – 1B – Chicago C (3^rd ML season, .260 AVG, .485 SLG, 78 HR in 1302 AB): In his rookie season, Presley smashed 40 HR and 28 doubles on his way to a .528 SLG, but his second-season trip to the 15-day DL cooled his production somewhat.

25.  Glenn Lowry – RP – Pittsburgh (2^nd ML season, 4W 13L in 80G, 5.65 ERA): Lowry is another player to find himself on his third ballclub already, but he gets his chance at The Show in San Francisco. His lack of a set-up pitch and a mediocre “out” pitch does not help him overcome his lack of effectiveness against right-handed hitting. Opponents are batting .300 against him.

26.  Nipsey Baez – SS – Kansas City (1^st ML season, .238 AVG, .397 SLG, 6 HR in 126 AB):  Despite two short trips to the DL in the minors, Baez developed to his shortstop potential and got his chance to play in the Majors when he was traded to Montreal this season.

27.  Howard Coghlan – RF – Montreal (2^nd ML season, .268 AVG, .467 SLG, 18 HR in 418 AB):  Coghlan was traded twice, finding a home with Toronto in the Bigs. After posting a .907 OPS in his rookie season, he’s battling through a sophomore slump at this time.

28.  Donzell Root – LF – New York M (2^nd ML season, .279 AVG, .528 SLG, 37 HR in 587 AB): Root tore his hamstring twice in the minors, one of the incidents landing him on the 60-day DL. Despite that, he’s still a relatively quick player and has stolen 21 bases in 27 attempts.

29.  Akinori Zhang – SP – Atlanta (5^th ML season, 24W 24L in 96G, 4.23 ERA): Rushed through the Braves minor league system, Zhang jumped to the majors at the age of 20 with a promising career as a starter in front of him. The stress of a Major League schedule was too much for his body to bear however, and he was sidelined with elbow surgery and placed on the 60-day DL in his rookie season. He suffered two aneurysms in his shoulder subsequent seasons, one also sidelining him on the 60-day DL. All these injuries stunted the development of his effectiveness and control. The Braves have since used him in spot starts and long relief out of the bullpen.

30.  Buddy Borders – SP – Chicago W (2^nd ML season, 0W 0L in 7G, 3.18 ERA): Despite being in his second season, Borders surprisingly has not seen much work as a long reliever yet. He has the promising make-up of a talented pitcher.

31.  Lawrence Walker – 3B – Florida (1^st ML season, .250 AVG, .500 SLG, 0 HR in 20 AB): Walker has played a total of 8 innings in 5 games as a defensive replacement. His defensive development never panned out to third base, and he finds himself holding down the fort late in games in right field.

32.  George Wright – SS – Toronto (3^rd ML season, .263 AVG, .466 SLG, 50 HR in 1129 AB): Wright’s promise to play the middle infield only recent came about, as Toronto is using him at second base this season. He has spent most of his time patrolling right field due to an underwhelming glove. Wright’s makeup profiles to a utility player, and he has surprising speed as well, stealing 59 bags in 77 attempts.

Next, let's divide the draft by quarters and pick some winners, for fun:

Best pick with selections 1 through 8: Posada, LF (5^th overall) – Cincinnati
It’s hard to say that anyone missed anything here. This group contains three All Stars and a Rookie-of-the-Year. Six of the eight have three or more seasons of experience. I’m going to give a slight nod to Posada, if only for the fact he slipped past some scouts and fell to the fifth overall.

Best pick with selections 9 thru 16: Schafer, LF (10^th overall) – Arizona

Hard to argue with a guy who has won two Silver Sluggers, although McInerney and Polanco will enter the argument should he slip.

Best pick with selections 17 thru 24: Cueto, RP (20^th overall) – Baltimore

Owners made hay with late first round selections, as a lot of talent was available. The nod goes to Cueto and that 1.04 career WHIP. Withers, Stanley, Roosevelt and Presley were also among the fine pick-ups here.

Best pick with selections 25 thru 32: Zhang, SP (29^th overall) – Atlanta

Zhang was among the best of the latter round selections, and it’s a shame a couple strokes of misfortune stole his promise.

Top Free Agents - S6

Top C

1.       Bernie Ontiveros (L)
Ontiveros is old and not very durable, but he makes good contact. Has some power, drives the ball well, and can work the count a bit. He can call a game, and has an average arm.

2.       Raymond Rudolph (R)
At 27, Rudolph is one of the youngest available FA. He has decent power, makes decent contact. Struggles to drive the ball, but does have a good eye. Solid arm, but lacks accuracy. Calls a decent game. Very durable.

3.       George Fischer (L)
Decent power and contact. Does a solid job of driving the ball. Great eye. Weak arm. Not a great game caller. Lacks ideal durability.

Top 1B

1.       Robert Rogers (R)
An elite offensive player, Rogers makes good contact. Does a great job of driving the ball. Great eye. Solid defensively. Does not have elite power.

2.       Neal Ashby (R)
Solid contact. Decent splits. Great eye. Weak defensively. Will hit some out of the park, but does not possess that elite power.

3.       Jun-Lee Sasaki (R)
Good power with good contact. Struggles against RHP, does alright against LHP. Good eye. Terrible defender.

Top 2B

1.       Jose Viriato (R)
Viriato is an elite offensive player, not just 2B. Good contact, solid power. Great splits. Great eye. Weak baserunner, but great speed. He’s below average defensively, but his offensive ratings make up for that.

2.       Maicer Tavarez (R)
Not much of a defender, he’s a solid offensive player. Decent power with good contact. Solid splits. Very good eye.

3.       Wally Bernero (R)
The opposite of Tavarez, Bernero is a good defender. Lacks contact. Ok power. Decent splits. Average eye.

Top 3B

1.       Ruben Hernandez (R)
Lacks great range, but otherwise solid defensively. Doesn’t have great power or contact, but does a good job of driving the ball. Average eye.

2.       Douglas Sheffield (S)
Solid defensively, Sheffield is prone to striking out. Solid eye. Good at driving the ball. Decent power.

3.       Esteban Albaladejo (L)
Decent defensively. Lacks power. Decent contact. Average splits. Weak eye.

Top SS

1.       Buster Sappelt (S)
Solid splits. Decent eye. Not a great defender. Struggles making contact. Decent power.

2.       Eric Dickson (R)
Very weak offensively as he struggles to make contact and doesn’t have much power. Great eye. Good baserunner. Lacks ideal range, but very good glove and arm.

3.       Damion Kim (S)
Doesn’t excel at any one thing as he is mediocre defensively. Pedestrian offensively as well.

Top LF

1.       Reed Hoyt (L)
One of the better offensive players available, Hoyt isn’t great defensively. Hits for good power. Good splits. Fast. Lower contact rate than you would like.

2.       Gene Fox (L)
Good defensive LF. Good contact. Solid power. Solid splits. Good eye.

3.       Tony Guevara (R)
Hits for a good average. Some power. Good splits. Decent eye. Not great defensively.

Top CF

1.       Ringo Johnson (L)
Solid defensively. Great power. Struggles against LHP but dominates RHP. Average eye. Solid contact.

2.       Danys Martin (L)
Lacks good range, but has a solid glove. Decent contact with decent power. Better against RHP. Good eye.

3.       Carson James (L)
Another CF who lacks range, but has a good glove. Solid leadoff man with good contact and eye. Decent splits. Lacks power.

Top RF

1.       Jose Camacho (R)
Good contact. Average power. Solid splits. Average eye. Not a great defender, but not too terrible.

2.       Victor Sanchez (R)
Great splits. Decent defensively. Solid power. Struggles making contact. Average eye.

3.       Richard Martin (S)
Solid offensively. Weak eye. Decent power, contact, and splits. Lacks ideal arm.

Top SP

1.       Edgar Martin (R)
Great control. Dominant splits. Doesn’t blow people away. Great groundball pitcher. Good pitches. Great stamina/durability combination.

2.       Hugh Downs (L)
Great control. Good splits. Better against LHB. Elite groundball pitcher. Great pitch combinations. Lacks ideal stamina.

3.       Pepe Vazquez (L)
Struggles with his health. Lacks ideal stamina. Struggles against RHB. Solid groundball pitcher. Very good pitch combination. Good control.

Top RP

1.       Bert Moses (R)
Lacks ideal stamina/durability combinations. Dominant against RHB. Doesn’t struggle against LHB. Throws hard. Solid pitch combination. Won’t walk many.

2.       Carmen Key (L)
Lacks ideal control. Lacks ideal stamina/durability. Good groundball pitcher. Great pitch combinations. Good splits.

Parker Nicholas (R)
Great control. Lacks ideal stamina/durability. Solid splits. Lacks great velocity. Solid pitch combinations.

Looking Back at the S5 Draft

Season five will be remembered for the lack of impact players at the top of the draft.

In the first round, 16 college players and 16 high school players were chosen. Talent therefore appeared to be sprinkled across both arenas. Of these 32 players, pitchers were most commonly selected. A total of 11 pitchers were taken including the first three selections overall. There was a general lack of elite depth at the pitcher position however, as most players suffered from one flaw or another. One of the more interesting stories from this draft is that the second pick overall was made by a team that intentionally selected a pitching prospect that was a signability risk, hoping he would not sign.

After pitching, skill positions dominated the first round – with seven shortstops, three centerfielders and four second baseman taken. This was a sign that there was a lack of overall power in this draft, with few – if any – elite sluggers available. Consider that the first power hitters came off the board at number 11 and 16, and one of them was a significant health risk. The only first baseman selected in the first round came off the board at number 21, and he had power well below what you would want to find in a corner infielder. It appears that, given the lack of a big bat or true ace, many clubs opted for decent pitching or skill players with decent bats that could field their position.

Given this distribution of talent, sorting through the draft to determine how each team did was an interesting exercise. This year, I made some general observations rather than go through the draft pick by pick.

Some notable WINNERS on draft day:

1.)    There’s an old axiom that says “Losers are winners on draft day.” Please nod your head in agreement with that premise despite the fact that I just made that up. Yet I believe the DETROIT TIGERS, last season’s biggest loser, were absolutely among the biggest winners on draft day. Yes, they had the number one overall, but despite not having another selection until round two, the Tigers went on to grab major league talent in subsequent rounds. Second-rounder John Revere was the fastest player in the draft, and his defensive skills coupled with a decent bat should help him find his way to the Show. Couple that pick with fourth-rounder Nate McCormick, who should likewise see action out of the bullpen should he develop to his potential, and third-rounder Gary Pose, who might make the team as a defensive specialist, you’ll see that the savvy Tigers threw their weight around to add talent. The Tigers continue to stockpile PITCHING talent and role players to complement future all-star Henry Crosby (AA).

2.)    Quite the opposite situation with the next team here. With four late picks in the first round, how could the MILWAUKEE BREWERS, dare I say the TOUGH LUCK LOSERS of the National League, not make the winners list? Well, they managed to make almost all of them count. Pasqual Melendez projects to second base and should have no problem getting on base with the bat still on his shoulder. Backstop Benji Pineda has a similar profile, while long reliever Salvador Posada’s slide stops with the Brew Crew, as they are willing to spend a pick on a starting pitcher that lacks the frame to pitch deep into games. If Mel Barnes somehow decides to sign, Milwaukee’s first round touches all four bases. In the end Milwaukee adds a mix of keen EYE, PITCHING and SPEED to begin to replenish their farm system.

3.)    HOUSTON continued to collect Major League talent round by round and emerged as a winner on draft day. As a example of this, defensive shortstop Lee Cash was a nice selection with the 98^th overall pick. The Astros concentrated on adding POWER and EYE to the minor leagues while still focusing players who can reliably FIELD their position.

Some SURPRISE selections:

1.)    With the second selection overall, the CHICAGO CUBS fell in love with an older WOMAN on draft day. Relief pitcher Tyrone Lara’s chief negotiator was his mom, and given all moms find their sons to be perfect and flawless in their eyes, she demanded the Cubs fork over a lot of dough for the rights to her little boy. Owner tk admits the Cubs franchise would be happy to see Lara in a Cub's uniform, but won't cave in necessarily to mom's outrageous counter offers. They are willing to take their chances and hope that next year's draft class will land them an impact player with the #3 pick. maybe it's not so surprising afterall.

2.) ST. LOUIS overlooked Willis Branyan's multiple surgeries in hopes that they can develop the left fielder's hitting skills to their full potential. Branyan's poor health was likely the number one factor he fell to the middle rounds.  

Some team’s had excellent VALUE selections, compared to the spot they were drafting in:

1.)    OAKLAND was pleasantly surprised to see Bret Christianson still lingering on the draft board. While Christianson can struggle to make consistently put the bat on the ball, the hitter does have a nice eye for the strike zone and everything he does put into play is hit solidly and with power. He’s a great selection at number 27. By the end of the draft, the Athletics focused on adding a lot of PITCHING and POWER to their farm system.

2.)    Finding a defensive shortstop that can hit better than his weight can be difficult, so PITTSBURGH had to be happy to find Omar Cordero available all the way down at 19. The 21-year-old just needs to oil the glove, put a ball in it and stuff it between the mattress for a season or two before he’s ready defensively for big league hitting. As an added bonus, he’ll hold his own against righties while teeing off against left-handed starters and can hit for above average power. He’s a gem to find in the late middle rounds.

3.)    If you could cite an owner for a value pick with the fourth overall selection, I’d give it to the YANKEES for taking William Aoki. A gifted athlete, Aoki projects to the shortstop position while having no holes in his game offensively. Should he come up lacking the range for short, he could easily move over to third base – especially since he hits for power. Add in a dose of base running skills and speed, and Aoki easily could have been off the board two picks ahead of where he went.

Like it or not, there were some LOSERS on draft day. Some lost simply because they gambled and failed. Others through their own admissions:

1.)    While it’s difficult to add talent late in the first round, it can be done. COLORADO rolled the dice in an attempt to snare Louie Ainsworth, who was a signability risk. His mother used to live next door to the Lara’s, and both women dreamed of big pay-days as their sons grew. She demanded first-pick money and an all-expense vacation for his family to Tahiti for six months. Unfortunately he’ll never be worth the money. Not surprisingly, he remains unsigned.

2.)    The CHICAGO WHITE SOX scouts gushed over 20-year-old starter with the quirky name of Jhonny Escuela. They happily scooped the right-hander up at pick 23 in the first round. Once he signed, however, it became apparent that team may have been taken to school. After his first few work-outs on the mound, the team expressed some buyer’s remorse, downgrading his control and questioning his ability to throw the nasty stuff they thought he could. Not much else was added to the farm system.

And finally, the HAPPY owners – those who had to be pleased with their first rounders at the end of the day:

1.)    Like shortstop, catcher is another position where it’s pleasant to find a player who can contribute both offensively and defensively. BALTIMORE was happy to land that potential guy in Haywood Robinson, who profiles to have a slugger’s EYE and POWER. If his failure to master pitching calling comes about, the Orioles still have a decent DH on their hands.

2.)    CLEVELAND nets a potential #2 starting pitcher on the mound with the ninth pick overall. While his splits are average, Drabek throws a plus-plus out pitch, with the rest of his pitches serving as a complementary supporting cast. He should strike out a fair amount of batters while keeping the ball down and out of the zone, inducing a lot of ground balls.

3.)    PHILADELPHIA grabbed a contact hitter in Ezdra Rosales, whose above-average eye and decent splits will put him on base a fair bit. The 18-year-old has a fair bit of development to do and his glove is questionable for first base, but he’s Philadelphia’s future.

Clocking In

It’s time once again for a few talented rookies to make their appearances in the big leagues this week. These late spring call-ups are always significant because they are normally impact players left in the minors at the start of the season in order to delay their service clock and squeeze an extra year of service from their bats, their arms, their gloves.

There are less impact rookies jumping to the majors this season than in years past, but one former high school player headlining this class may be the most talented rookie to appear in the major leagues yet.

Humberto Posada, 1B Los Angeles Dodgers
The fifth overall pick from the inaugural season makes his first appearance in the big leagues. Posada has monstrous power and drives the ball extremely well against righties, all of which will make fans overlook the occasional error at first with his glove. The Wisconsin slugger never finished a minor league season with an OPS under 1.000. The Dodgers are clearly hoping that trend continues. He’s at the top of this class and one to watch.

Willie Aldridge, RP Detroit Tigers
Big Willie’s control and effectiveness should help offset the general lack of movement on his pitches. He’s sure to become a workhorse out of the bullpen. The Tigers are relieved to have him, as the addition of Aldridge will help stabilize a group that collectively has posted just four saves in 11 opportunities so far this season. Look for Aldridge to make a ton of appearances this season.

Andrew Alexander, SP Detroit Tigers
A fairly durable starter, Alexander’s borderline effectiveness and pitches will keep him near the bottom of the rotation. While there’s nothing that stands out about Alexander as a pitcher, scouts also note that he has few weaknesses in his game either. As a result, he’ll eat a good number of innings this season, striking out his fair share of batters, and often leaving the Tigers with an opportunity to win.

Top 10 Free Agents

1. RHP Apollo Gibson (MIL)
   Re-signed w/MIL (3yrs/$68M with a mutual option and no-trade)
   This is a very good signing. Gibson can still pitch despite being 35 yrs old. He’s still competitive, can go deep in games, although his workload will have to be monitored with his low durability. His health is a concern as he missed most of S3 with an injury.
2. RHP Junior Carrasco (CH1)
   Signed w/TB (2yrs/$11.2M)
   To sign the #2 overall free agent for this price is just insance. Although Carrasco lacks great stamina, he’s durable, has good control, and should be able to get a ton of strikeouts. Health is a concern with him.
3. 3B Sam Schwartz (TB)
   Signed w/CH1 (5yrs/$75.9M; Team option & no-trade)
   The best offensive player, Schwartz isn’t old, but he isn’t young either. He’s beginning to lose some power, but he should stay a dangerous hitter for the entirety of the contract .The Cubs have moved him to RF to take advantage of his range and arm strength without hurting the infield offense.
4. RHP Jason Drew (MIL)
   Signed w/CIN (1yr/$5.1M)
   Signed to anchor the Cincinnati rotation, Drew is a steal. Dominant against RHP with 4 plus pitches, he is primarily a GB pitcher, so he fits well in Cincinnati.
5. SS Tim Priest (PIT)
   Signed w/HOU (2yrs/$8.8M)
   Although he lacks the ideal arm strength at SS, Priest has been moved to CF where his range and glove should be a very big advantage for the Astros. He’ll cover some ground and make some plays. He can also hit pretty well too.
6. 1B Gerald Martin (CIN)
   Signed w/PHI (2yrs/$6.4M)
   A top-notch offensive player, Martin does struggle somewhat with being on the field a lot, but when he’s on it, he dominates LHP. He hits for power, makes solid contact and has a good eye. Not a good defender at the corner.
7. 2B Esteban Albaladejo (PIT)
   Unsigned
8. RHP Eugenio Nunez (BOS)
   Signed w/CLE (4yrs/$29.6M)
   He’s young so that is what makes this signing better in my mind. He struggles with his control, but he does well against RHB. He’s a flyball pitcher, with some solid pitches. Throws very hard. Good stamina.
9. RHP Jason Gibson (CIN)
   Unsigned
10. CF Orlando Soriano (CH1)
    Signed w/WAS (2yrs/$14.2M)
    Hits for good power and makes solid contact. Doesn’t have near ideal range for CF. Great eye. Great glove.