Los Angeles Dodgers Number Ten 2010 Top Prospect - Chat & Vote
by Phil Gurnee on Nov 1, 2009 10:00 PM PST
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Print1 Chat and Vote - Chris WIthrow
2 Chat and Vote - Dee Gordon
3 Chat and Vote - Scott Elbert
4 Chat and Vote - Ivan DeJesus
5.Chat and Vote - Ethan Martin
6.Chat and Vote - Andrew Lambo
7. Aaron Miller
8. Chat and Vote - Josh Lindlbom
9. Chat and vote - Trayvon Robinson
Come on down Trayvon Robinson. Quite a jump for the non-entity at the beginning of the year to the number nine prospect beating out not only Xavier Paul but the young guns of Gould and Eovaldi.
Now we are voting on the 10th rated prospect. For some reason being in the top 10 in any list has always had some cachet. People remember number 10 but rarely number 11. Will it be the perennial mediocre prospect in Xavier Paul or the young guns of Gould / Eovaldi. For fun I'm bringing in Scott Van Slyke and Kyle Russell.
I like Russell but for the life of me I've been unable to find anyone who struck out at his current rate at his age at his level who went on to have any success in the major leagues.
Anybody else you would like to have the voters have a crack at? Lucas May, Jamie Hoffman, Brent Leach, Francisco Felix, Travis Schlichting, Justin Sellers, Javy Guerra, Pedro Baez, Steven Caseres, Jamie Ortiz, Tim Sexton, Kenley Jansen, Tony Delmonico, Jamie Pedroza, Gerald Sands, Geison Aguasviva, Jon Michael Redding , Allen St. Clair, Brian Cavazos-Galvez, Gorman Erickson, Franklin Jacobs, Mario Songco, Brett Wallach, Jonathan Garcia, Danny Danielson, Roberto Feliciano.
| Prospect Information |
| DOB | Prospect Name | Drafted | Info |
| 7/19/1991 | Garrett Gould | 2009 No 2 | Gould only pitched in three games for Ogden so any support for him will have to come from what he did in high school. From the baseball factory:
Gould is a big, strong RHP who is aggressive with his fastball that pushes into the low 90s. There is some deception to his high effort delivery and a curve ball with bite and change with fade round out his repetoireThis is what Kensai has to say about him |
| 2/13/1990 | Nathan Eovaldi | 2008 No 11 | Nathan was supposed to be a sleeper pick headed into this season but anyone who payed attention knew about his big arm. He had a few stretches this year where he was the best pitcher for the Loons and just like Miller, he was never allowed to throw more then three innings after Aug 1st. He had a rough April, settled down in May and then went the exact opposite of Martin with a stunning June in which he allowed only two earned runs in five starts. His numbers in Aug were dreadful as the K/PA fell to 14% while the BB/PA increased to 15% after being below 9% the previous three months. He's already had TJ surgery, will his arm hold up over a full professional season? Given how few innings he pitched in 2009 the fall off in August has to be a little concerning. |
| 2/25/1985 |
Xavier Paul | Paul has climbed every step of the minor league ladder and finally made it to the big leagues in May only to be felled by a nasty infection that basically ended his season. In April he destroyed AAA which got him called up upto the Dodgers. Bad luck found him and instead of backing up Juan Pierre during the Manny suspension he was in the hospital fighting a nasty infection. By the time he was healthy it was Sept so other then a few rehab at bats for the Isotopes his season was done. If he's centerfielder then he might be able to produce something along the levels of Shane Victorino as his ceiling, if he's only a corner then being a platoon outfielder is probably his future |
|
| 2/10/1990 | Allen Webster | No 18 2008 | Where did he come from? Just an 18th round pick in 2008, Webster was ranked by BA as the 3rd best prospect in the Arizona League, where this 19 year old turned some heads. From BA
No AZL player boosted his prospect stock this season as much as Webster, who's listed in the MLB database by his first name (Carl) but prefers to go by his middle name. An 18th-round pick in 2008, he walked 17 batters in 18 innings during his first pro season in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. After moving to Arizona when the Dodgers shifted their complex-based affiliate, he posted a 56-14 K-BB ratio in 48 innings before continuing to excel following a promotion to the Rookie-level Pioneer League. Though Webster still is growing into his 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame, he already has a fastball that reaches 94-95 mph. He throws strikes with his heater, as well as with a plus breaking ball and a promising changeup that he needs to use more often. Dodgers pitching instructor George Culver said an improved delivery was the key to Webster's big step forward. "He had a lot of issues with it last year. He was a green pea," said Culver. "His mechanics right now are as good as you want to see with a kid with no more pitching experience than he's had. |
| 7/24/1986 | Scott Van Slyke | 2005 No 14 | Great bloodlines looked to be naught until this year. The Dodgers were aggressive in promoting Van Slyke year after year even though he stunk at each level. In 2008 he had an OPS of .638 when he was inexplicably promoted from the A ball to A+ ball. In 2009 he spent the full season in A+ ball and his his first taste of success. He swatted 69 XBH and ended the season with a .907 OPS. He was not recognized by BA as a top prospect in the league as everyone is curious if he will continue to hit once he leaves the easier offensive setting of the Cal League. This one is for Canuck, I'm not much of a fan but if Canuck wants to make an argument for him, I'd be willing to listen. |
| 6/27/1986 | Kyle Russell | 2008 No 3 | The Good - CO-MVP of the MWL, led the league in Home Runs with 26, Total Bases with 262, RBI's with 102, 3rd in OPS at .916, 6th in Walks with 72, did not hit into one DP, Stole 20 bases and was only caught twice. Considered an excellent outfielder who has the arm for right field. That looks like one hell of an outfielder doesn't it. To bad about the negatives, one he can't control and the other he's unable to. He's 23 which is old for the MWL. The other is that his K Rate is a killer. He struck out 180 times in 563 plate appearances at the age of 23 in A ball. I want to believe in Kyle Russell but the reality is that this may have been his best season. When looking at other 23 year olds who dominated the MWL over the last five years, no one has been able to keep it going. I can't find any comp's for someone who strikes out at that rate, at that age, at that level who was successful. Russell Branyan did it but he was 20 years old when he did it. So even without the K rate he's going to have a tough time ever bringing that power to Dodger Stadium. |
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i think
gerald sands will break out in a HUGE way next year… big time breakout year for him..
I don't know about HUGE
I really like this dude. He just turned 21, he owned the Pioneer League and had a great start in single A. You know what? I take that back, I think he’s going to be HUGE too.
Good to know
I also think he’ll have a big year and in my opinion he’s a better prospect then Scott Van Slyke.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Jonathan Garcia
…is a Top 15 prospect right now in our system and I think he can really climb up the list in the next few years.
AZL
I was thinking of adding him after this next vote. Give the voters the choice of a young 17 year old who has just started out or Paul at the other end of the spectrum.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Sure, Gould Is a Handsome Young Fellow...
…but I prefer women myself.
I went with Nathan
but it was a close call between the two. I keep hearing that when Nathan is on, his stuff is as good or better then Ethan Martins, and since he’s younger then Martin, and Martin is considered a top five prospect I’ve got to throw my support behind him.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I voted for Webster
Throwing mid 90’s and still developing. Great K/BB ratio. Paul is looking like a 4th outfielder, so I went with the high ceiling.
It would be an interesting
development if Webster progressed better then Gould or Eovaldi. Do you think he just got tired at the end of the year when the more advanced rookie league whupped his butt in the playoffs twice?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I actually didn’t even notice his playoff performance. When I pulled the numbers on B-Ref I think it only lists the regular season which I calculated as a very impressive FIP of 1.92 (in both leagues.) It could be fatigue, I’ll defer to your judgement on that.
As for why I rated him higher than Gould or Eovaldi. Gould hasn’t pitched yet and the few things I have read about Gould gave me a little pause. Some scouts are concerned with his delivery and even in the article linked above Kensai acknowledges that his landing is a bit awkward (though Kensai mentions he’s not concerned with his mechanics at all.) Once Gould starts actually pitching I wouldn’t be surprised to see him progress faster than Webster—- I just felt there wasn’t enough information available yet, other than the fact that he was a first round pick.
As for Eovaldi, I don’t mean to keep harping on this point but him throwing 98 is not impressive to me if he can’t strke batters out (in the MWL.) His strong FIP is built on a low HR rate (arguably due to park factors) and his walk rate spiked at the end of the year. I’m probably the lowest around on Eovaldi, so I’m waiting on seeing how he peforms next year.
It’s getting to the point where these are getting tougher to call. Paul is probably a 4th outfielder so I wanted to go with someone with more upside (Gould or Webster) and I went with Webster considering the nice numbers he posted above. Hopefully additional stength and conditioning work will bring up the fastball velocity even more and allow him to pitch all year without a year end decline.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 8:20 AM PST up reply actions
Nice reply
the only thing I’d add in Nathan’s favor is that he was facing much more advanced hitters then Webster for the whole season. While Webster was able to feed on AZL hitters, Nathan had to face MWL hitters even though they are the same age. When Webster finally faced the Pioneer Rookie League hitters he did the job until he faced the best team in the league and then he was hit fairly hard twice. That could just as easily been fatigue. You have to wonder what Nathan would have done if he had been allowed to pitch in the AZL most of the season. At least I wonder.
My biggest worry about Nathan was how he ended the season. Hopefully that was also fatigue and not new arm/shoulder issues we have to worry about.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Eovaldi put up great Rookie League numbers
at a younger age than Webster in 2008. It’s a limited sample size, but he had no problem with the hitter haven that is Ogden.
Very Limited Sample Size
He only threw 2.2 innings in Ogden. As an 18 year old he only threw 10.2 innings.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 9:29 AM PST up reply actions
I can't believe you even brought up his 2008 numbers.
10 innings, come on.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Interesting qoute from Buster Olney
The great thing about the postseason, an evaluator noted the other day, is that you always find out what the real weaknesses of hitters are (or at least what they are perceived to be). Because the pitchers and the catchers won’t mess around. They will just keep throwing the same pitch in the same spot until you demonstrate that you can hit that pitch.
The Dodgers pounded Matt Holliday with inside fastballs. Nick Swisher is seeing a ton of breaking balls. Shane Victorino is being pitched inside. And Ryan Howard is seeing a ton of sliders.
Before the World Series began, 23.4 percent of the pitches thrown to Howard during the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs were sliders. Well, in the World Series, he has seen as many as eight consecutive breaking pitches — curves, as well as sliders. Of the 69 pitches thrown to Howard in this World Series, 25 have been sliders, and he is 0-for-5 when he puts them in play.
Evidently we didn’t throw Howard enough sliders or pitch Victorino inside. Do the Yankee’s have better scouting reports or pitchers who can throw better sliders?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I wanted to make a bitter comment that our sliders and breaking stuff were called balls :)
I looked back at the two controversial Howard PAs in the NLCS (the Game 1 walk, and the Game 4 HR), and other than a 3-2 slider that was in the strike zone by Kershaw (called ball 4) it was almost all fastballs to the big man.
Newspapers circling the drain
29 of the 60 newspapers that cover baseball teams both at home and on the road during the season are not covering the World Series.
Is that a newspaper problem or a baseball problem, or a bit of both? On the LA local newscasts, the sports segment doesn’t start with the WS unless the Lakers, USC, UCLA, and maybe the Clippers, were all off or had no news to report. On sports talk radio, football is king right now.
I’d guess that newspapers see this as a way to keep the budget down, and that baseball just is important enough to most readers to warrant more than wire service (or sister paper) coverage.
Frankly, I’m surprised that more than 20 (I guess) newspapers outside of NY and Philly are sending reporters to the games.
I missed most of Game 4 last night
turned it on just as A-Rod got the go-ahead RBI. I didn’t know about Johnny Damon’s “double steal” until this morning. Just saw the highlights, and that was awesome.
I was at the game sitting high above third base
and that was just crazy. It was a “what the hell just happened” moment in the stands.
A great heads up play. There is a brief moment where it seems like Feliz could have tagged him, but I’m sure the shock of the moment prevented that. Awesome.
Yeah. Feliz looked kind of confused at first on the replay
That took some huge balls by Damon to go for that.
I think Damon
always had enough separation that he was never in danger of being tagged once he popped up. They didn’t talk about it much but I have to assume on that play that 3rd base is the pitchers responsibility.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I think you are right, that it is the pitcher’s responsibility, but I wonder just how often that play comes up:
1) shift on, nobody at 3B
2) runner steals 2B
That might happen, what, 5 times a season? Lidge surely won’t forget to cover again though :)
Amazing how many key plays in the WS revolve around
the inability of a pitcher to deal with 3rd base, whether it is the Tiger pitchers throwing goof balls to 3rd base or not covering it.
I just want to know if Damon did that all on his own, or if the Yankee coaching staff talked about it with the team on what to do if they are on 1st when the defending team pulls the switch with Teixeira up.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I've always been a huge Damon fan
and was very bummed when he became a Yankee. If Cliff Lee has one more big game in him, he will be gearing himself up for one hell of a Yankee payday in the winter of 2010.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Yeah, me and my pals used to call him
Johnny Damone when he had that epic beard and flowign mane. I wonder if there ever was a guy who went from total coolness to total conformity in such a short time. I suppose money wins over all else in the end.
by Ian Capilouto on Nov 2, 2009 9:14 AM PST up reply actions
Nick Swisher
could give him a run for non-conformity. Or Bill Walton
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Swisher's mohawk is good stuff.
Maybe he was able to get Jeter to lighten up a bit this year, therefore allowing the better Yankee clubhouse chemistry they talk about. Bill Walton being a Dead fan rules. In fact, in honor of your reminder, and Bill Walton, it is now time for some morning Dead to ease my way into this workday. Good vibes!
by Ian Capilouto on Nov 2, 2009 9:28 AM PST up reply actions
Just like Martin
won’t forget to look Werth back at 3rd base before throwing the ball to the pitcher. Things that really should not need to be remembered at the major league level.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
As bad as the Phillies have looked
they were so close to being tied in the series and having the advantage with Lee going against Burnett.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
benmaller
MLB: #Giants could go for Jason Bay, Garrett Atkins? #Dodgers Manny Ramirez: I should be DH. Bud Selig saddened by dying newspaper coverage
I dont' have a twitter account,
so I am not sure what is being reported? Is Manny saying he should be a DH?
by Ian Capilouto on Nov 2, 2009 9:30 AM PST up reply actions
I'm also confused
Is he “pretending” to be Manny saying that he needs to be DH’ing.
Manny’s defense wasn’t that bad in 2009.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 9:34 AM PST up reply actions
If Manny wants to DH
then he shouldve opted out.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
I read that
Manny told his teammates he was better suited to being a DH.
That could be when he was joking around about his legs hurting or whatever. It’s not a direct quote, it’s second hand. QED
I'm beginning to resent Torre for not providing some of these gems Manuel has given us:
“I’ve seen us go through this before. We’ve blown 22 games from the seventh on or something this year. That’s got to tell you something about the resilience of our team.”
I’m really beginning to like this guy.
There’s finally some good news for Frank McCourt, although it could be considered bad news by some Dodgers fans.
A baseball insider says the club has been contacted by an American League team that is interested in Manny Ramirez if the team will pay part of his $20 million salary for 2010.
It’s a team that plays in a very mediocre division, has a few team officials familiar with Ramirez, and always needs a bump in notoriety.
McCourt could easily explain the decision by referencing the performance-enhancing drug issue. He would also likely receive some off-the-record support from a few old-timers in the dugout. Plus, he can plead financial hardship because of his pending divorce.
The key, as always, is how much “part” is.
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 10:24 AM PST up reply actions
So we're thinking that team is Cleveland right?
I’ll take Santana back.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 10:24 AM PST up reply actions
Plaschke would have a field day with that one.
He’d be bitching we’d trading our offense for a nothing prospect.
No way…if Manny gets dealt, Plaschke would rejoice
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
He would comment
that unloading Manny is the right move, but it should have landed the Dodgers a “true ace” in return and the Dodgers still lack pitching and Billingsley and Broxton have no guts….
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 10:34 AM PST up reply actions
Also, Manny has a full no-trade clause, so the validity of his “I should be a DH” quote would be tested.
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
I doubt its the Indians.
I think its the White Sox, a team that is always fighting the Cubs for publicity.
That's a better guess
considering the “always needs a bump in notoriety” comment. We are both of the opinion that it is the AL Central.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
I’m trying to figure out the “team officials familiar with Ramirez” part
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 10:34 AM PST up reply actions
Is this a trade or a firesale?
This just looks like vultures circling the Dodgers. I wouldn’t put too much thought into it unless the Dodgers really are going into implosion mode.
Keisser also notes that Jeff Fuller looks like Jeff Kent
I’ve had the scoop on him for at least four days!
No matter who it is we can’t expect anyone back in return. How do you eat salary that is deferred? Would we agree to trade him and pay his deferred leaving us off the hook for 2010? I could easily see Frank agreeing to trade Manny.
Or this scenario:
Tigers take Manny, Elbert, and Lambo in exchange for taking on all of Manny’s current and future deferred payments. Then when Ned says it will be business as usual he’ll be right because that would be business as usual, selling prospects to save money.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Problem with that scenario
If Manny has a full no-trade clause, first he has to take his player option, which we all agree he will do, but then I would think the only way he waives his no-trade clause is for the receiving team to agree to pay him his salary this year. I don’t think he goes if it is deferred.
Why? Either way it would be deferred. And if he really would prefer to be a DH, and a decent team like the White Sox are the trade partner, I can see him accepting the trade.
For Manny to approve a trade, he would likely demand something in return.
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 11:12 AM PST up reply actions
He’s the one who wants to DH:) I doubt he wants to be traded. Speaking of old timers in the Dodger dugout other then coaches who are we talking about that we expect to return next year? Blake? Pierre? It is a short list. Of course Pierre would like for him not to return. Most of our veterans should be retiring or finding work elsewhere.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Does George Sherrill count?
He will be 33 next year.
However, I am down on calling him an old timer since I am a year older than he is. Hell, I’m even older than Wolf, Garland, and Padilla! What the hell?
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 11:22 AM PST up reply actions
Why do you think we old timers
loved Julio Franco. What a man.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
At the time
I thought Julio was pretty remarkable, but now I think he may have been juicing up with HGH. But actually, I don’t care if he was on HGH.
by Ian Capilouto on Nov 2, 2009 11:27 AM PST up reply actions
I was giving my eldest brother shit because Obama is younger than him. First time he has been older than a POTUS :)
Me too.
There was no President born in the 1930s. That’s the first skipped decade since the 1810s. The 1950s aren’t represented, but that could still happen. A 1959 birthday would yield a 57-year old POTUS in 2017.
Guys like Pierre and Gary Matthews would rather play CF everyday for the Nats than be a part-timer with a top end team.
Nyjer Morgan is so much a better player than either of them.
Not even taking salary as part of the concern. Way better range, much better arm, can walk, still hits for an high average. Shoot, I want Nyjer Morgan on the Dodgers. :)
Morgan was a near 4 WAR player this year.
And the only reason why he wasn’t over 4 was because he got injured. Easily worth more than JP or any other player. Really, we should be thinking Morgan as a top 10 CF going on if he can keep up this type of production.
Not true, at least for Pierre
He could have opted out of his contract in each of the last two offseasons, but chose not to because the market was thin and he would rather get paid
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 11:27 AM PST up reply actions
It was offered to him, twice. But he declined.
It is not actually in the contract.
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 11:29 AM PST up reply actions
What is true
is that they would rather play CF everyday for anyone as long as they are still getting the same contract they signed three years ago, then get that same contract for a top end team and be a bench player.
In short – playing time is more important then winning if the pay is the same which I think holds true for most professional athletes.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
For a second, I thought scareduck hijacked your account. That is world class pessimism. :)
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 11:18 AM PST up reply actions
Remember, the other key for Manny's trade from Boston
The Dodgers had to waive their two options they would have had to allow Manny to become a free agent.
Surely, he would want his money in one lump sum than wait to get it.
Padilla
Ken Gurnick reported yesterday in his offseason article that the Dodgers do in fact have a $12 million option on Vicente Padilla.
I was under the impression that once Padilla was released by Texas, his 2010 option was declined and his buyout was owed by the Rangers. I have emailed the Dodgers for clarification.
It is different than Loaiza
because Loaiza was claimed off waivers, so the Dodgers assumed his contract in late 2007, which included 2008 and a 2009 buyout which was declined (when they released him in 2008).
Padilla cleared waivers and was actually released by Texas before the Dodgers signed him, so there should be no option.
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 11:50 AM PST up reply actions
No option on Padilla
Just confirmed by the Dodgers
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 12:37 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I saw Gurnick's article yesterday
And saw nothing there that I hadn’t long ago read in blogs, except for the only somewhat relevant Ruben Amaro, Jr. quote.
I did like this turn of a phrase though:
In which ways the current executive drama impacts offseason plans is still open to debate, ….“current executive drama”! Now that, my friends, is the euphemism of the month.
Fun VORP facts
Rolly Polly had a higher vorp(11.9) in 83 plate appearances then either Russell Martin (7.6) or James Loney (9.9).
Nat Belliard had -0.9 VORP in 204 plate appearances. Did anyone do more then he did in those 83 plate appearances?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
http://twitter.com/dylanohernandez
No truth to the rumor floated out by the LB Press-Telegram that an AL team has asked the Dodgers about Manny Ramirez, GM Ned Colletti said.
Grain of salt, as the account hasn’t been verified yet to be Dylan Hernandez. But this rumor can probably be put to rest.
Diamond Lueng verfies!
diamond83
Dodgers beat writer Dylan Hernandez is @dylanohernandez. Fill his inbox with follows, and ask what the O in his middle name stands for.
Nice
I also just got an email from Dylan, confirming that it is his account.
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2009 12:38 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Belisario
will play in the Venezuelan winter league.
http://www.rnv.gov.ve/noticias/index.php?act=ST&f=5&t=112270
He threw a bullpen session yesterday, and will be allowed to throw about 30 innings for Tiburones de La Guaira
Their manager is Carlos Subero, who manages the Advanced A Inland Empire 66ers
Interesting
I wouldn’t consider Beli to be a logical addition to winter leagues. His pitch count was through the roof this year considering his limited action in his career and its not like he needs the extra reps. He won’t be switching to a starter or anything….
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 12:08 PM PST up reply actions
Arizona notes
From ESPN.com’s Jason Grey.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen also is a converted position player, and the converted catcher also can hit 95-97 mph. His secondary stuff is not as good as Santos’, but he is a strong guy with a live arm and will be worth watching over the next few weeks, as he just joined the AFL as an injury replacement.
I've asked Josh
if he knows anything. Hopefully he will get back.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Jansen
Struck out two walked two in his debut today. Pretty much what he did this summer. Huge K rate, Huge Walk rate, hard to hit.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Jansen
Isn’t he the former catcher who was so good for the Netherlands during their surprise WBC run?
Yes
I remember him throwing out a runner at 2nd from his knees (like Benito Santiago) in the WBC. The dude has a gun.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 1:18 PM PST up reply actions
His arm definitely stood out when watching the BBC
I remember too he had that one laser beam throw that didn’t catch the runner, but made it waaaaay closer than it should have been. Only, then everyone on the Netherlands came on the field to celebrate, not because the guy was out at second, but there was a delayed strike 3 call at the plate. It was very bizarre.
BA releases our Top 10 on 12/4
Dee Gordon is a virtual lock to get the top spot based on their scouting criteria.
I'd bet
that Aaron Miller is much higher then what TBLA voters voted him.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Hazard a guess?
1. Gordon
2. A Miller
3. Withrow
4. Ethan Martin
5. Garrett Gould
6. Andrew Lambo
7. Trayvon Robinson
8. Scott Elbert
9. DeJesus
10. Lindblom
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
i would switch withrow and miller
and gould is too ghith but it looks good
too ghith
In years to come, when Gould makes the majors, you’ll remember you said “gould is too ghith”…
I would guess they would
1. Gordon
2. Martin
3. Miller
4. Withrow
5. Gould
6. Lambo
7. Elbert
8. Robinson.
9 Lindblom
10. Van Sylke
DeJesus doesn’t get mention due to injury year.
Last Year
1. Andrew Lambo, of
2. James McDonald, rhp
3. Ethan Martin, rhp
4. Josh Lindblom, rhp
5. Scott Elbert, lhp
6. Ivan DeJesus Jr., ss
7. Devaris Gordon, ss
8. Josh Bell, 3b
9. Chris Withrow, rhp
10. Nathan Eovaldi, rhp
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Best Hitter for Average Andrew Lambo
Best Power Hitter Josh Bell
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Ivan DeJesus
Fastest Baserunner Devaris Gordon
Best Athlete Devaris Gordon
Best Fastball Josh Lindblom
Best Curveball Scott Elbert
Best Slider Travis Schlichting
Best Changeup James McDonald
Best Control James McDonald
Best Defensive Catcher A.J. Ellis
Best Defensive Infielder Devaris Gordon
Best Infield Arm Pedro Baez
Best Defensive Outfielder Jaime Hoffman
Best Outfield Arm Xavier Paul
How will that change this year – Withrow has to have the best fastball now, who gets the best changeup and control with McDonald gone? Does Elbert still have the best curve? WIll Aaron Miller win the best slider? Lambo has to have lost the best average but who takes over? Russell has to have the most power.
Just things to ponder as we wait for "As the McCourts turn the Grave of Walter O Malley’.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Did JMac ever throw a changeup this year?
Actually, if Lindblom has a better fastball then JMac then he needs to be on the team out of spring training next year.
by Michael White on Nov 2, 2009 1:51 PM PST up reply actions
PROJECTED 2012
LINEUP
Catcher Russell Martin
First Base James Loney
Second Base Blake DeWitt
Third Base Josh Bell
Shortstop Rafael Furcal
Left Field Andrew Lambo
Center Field Matt Kemp
Right Field Andrew Ethier
No. 1 Starter Clayton Kershaw
No. 2 Starter Chad Billingsley
No. 3 Starter Hiroki Kuroda
No. 4 Starter James McDonald
No. 5 Starter Josh Lindblom
Closer Johathan Broxton
Replace Lindblom with Withrow and Josh Bell with ???
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Move DeWitt back to 3B and put DeJesus at 2B. Kuroda will not be here in 2012, pick your favorite stud pitching prospect (E. Martin?) to replace him.
Ethier to LF, Kyle Russell in RF, and Lambo at 1B. ;)
I could them signing Kuroda to another two year deal
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Those are BA
headed into the 2009 season, not mine.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I should make clear
any of those blockquotes are from Baseball America and do not reflect the opinions of real of fictitious people on TBLA.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
lol at scott elbert having the best curve ball
he throws a 85 mph slider..
also llol at schlitiching having the best slider..
his primary pitches are his fastball change up..
For what it is worth
(and this is a small sample size) Bill James Online has the 68 MLB pitches thrown by Schlitching in 2009 as follows:
49 fastballs
14 sliders
5 changeups
Fangraphs had the exact same breakdown
oh alright...
then he must be working on his changeup in the AFL cause hes throwing it a lot
Elbert scouting report headed into 2009
From Baseball HQ:
Strengths: 89-94 MPH two-seam fastball, 71-74 MPH curveball, and 79-83 MPH change-up. Command. Arm action/¾ slot.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
what????
elbert throws a 71 to 74 mph curve???? then how come i have seen him pitch, he throws that hard slider?
Actually, Fangraphs doesn’t have him ever throwing a curve in the majors, but also has about 2% unknown. I wonder if he threw it more in the minors but didn’t have the confidence yet to do so in the majors.
really...
might that be the 3rd pitch he has been neeeding to maybe become a successfull starting pitcher..
That makes sense…he probably throws it while starting, which of course we haven’t seen yet. Although we came tantalizingly close against the Braves in August.
same with the changeup then maybe...
he never or barely threw it while in relief.. but he might have a nice one if he had a chance to start.
Elbert 2009 breakdown
Bill James Online
330 pitches
224 FB (68%)
102 SL (31%)
3 CH (1%)
1 not charted
Fangraphs
FB 67.5%
SL 31.3%
CH 1.1%
unknown 1.7%
BA projection
1. Gordon
2. Martin
3. Withrow
4. Lambo
5. Webster
6. Gould
7. Elbert
8. Miller
9. Eovaldi
10. Lindblom
ba ranked martin as the 10 best prosepct just in the MWL...
i doubt he goes 2nd for the dodgers… cause they project him to be a reliever long term..
Yup
they were not very high on him in the prospect review and the chat. They loved Webster but they also love the high draft picks, no way is Webster based on his AZL going to leap frog Aaron Miller.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
yeah no way hes going top 5 in front of miller
but he could be top 10..
Does BA hate Elbert? Or do you have low views on him? I wouldn’t hesitate to have Elbert as the 3rd best prospect in the Dodgers organization.
ba thinks hes a reliever...
so his value drops big time
I just don't see it
At least for the Dodgers or in the next 2 or 3 years. From what I’ve heard there is the Billy Wagner comparison as a reliever, and the Scott Kazmir comparison as a starter. I’d take the chance with him as a starter, regardless of how he’s done in his very limited time in the MLB.
Miller was a great value pick
It’s a shame that Blake Smith is nowhere to be found in top prospect discussions because of how much he sucked as a hitter.
Yup
sucking in the offensive rookie league really gives you pause. This is a college hitter, it would be one thing to suck in the MWL right out of college but the Pioneer League. Yuck, 38 K’s in 120 PA, the only thing he did well was take a walk and that was probably because he was fooled and it was ball four instead of strike three.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Smith consistently struck out 25 – 30% of the time at Berkeley also. He and Aaron Miller were the compensation picks for Derek Lowe.
I wonder if Braves fans are ketchving about giving up draft picks for the Dodgers for Derek Lowe. :)
They only lost a 2nd (Smith) since their 1st (Mike Minor) was protected. A. Miller was a supplemental pick, 36th overall.
Minor is not a great name for a ballplayer striving for the major leagues, but at age 21 in low-A, he pitched 14 innings, with 17 K and 0 (ZERO) BB.
Minor only throws in the high 80s though.
Its the 7th pick of the draft. You’re supposed to do way better than Minor.
um no...
he throws 90-93 and topped out at 94 in his last AFL start… those predraft velocity report on him was BS..
pitch fx..
i saw it on gameday or whatever that device is called which tracks all the pitches… he hit 94 and was sitting low 90s..
Hmm, okay.
Minor: The ex-Vanderbilt left-hander is beginning to quiet skeptics who questioned if he was worthy of the seventh pick in the June draft. He was 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA after four AFL starts, after posting a 0.64 ERA with 17 strikeouts and no walks in 14 innings during four starts with Class-A Rome in his professional debut.
“For a guy who’s just come out of the draft and only pitched at low-A, he’s more than holding his own,” Wren said.
Minor, who’ll be 22 on Dec. 26, has good command of a 92-93 mph fastball and a change-up that Baseball America last week rated the fifth-best secondary pitch (non-fastball) for anyone in the 2009 draft.
“He really knows how to pitch,” Wren said. “Outstanding change-up, velocity in low 90s — your classic left-hander. A lot of people compare him to Cole Hamels. He’s not Cole Hamels today, but he has that kind of ability.”
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/top-draft-pick-minor-180441.html?cxtype=rss_sports_82062
yeah
those high 80s rumors where bs.,, it was probbly his 2 seamer..
Where you trying to use the Yiddish term "Kvetch?"
by Ian Capilouto on Nov 2, 2009 2:32 PM PST up reply actions
See
Nate loses steam near the end of the poll just like the season.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
lambo with his 3rd straight 2 for 4 day
this time he finally got a XBH (double)
lucas may goes 3 for 4
1 homer 1 double.. 3 RBIs
WOW
Strasburgs vs the first batter of the game…..
pitch 1: 100 mph 4 seamer Ball
pitch 2 :100 mph 4 seamer swinging strike
pitch 3 :93 4 seamer? i think it was a change up but they called it a 4 seamer swinging strike
pitch 4: 100 mph 4 seamer ball
pitch 5: 100 mph 4 seamer Foul
pitch 6: 92 4 seamer? i think it was once again a change up cclassified as a 4 seamer.. Strike 3 swinging strike
WS Game 5 Lineups
Yankees
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Tex 1B
ARod 3B
Swisher RF
Cano 2B
Gardner CF
Molina C (Melky injured; will be replaced on roster)
Burnett P
Phillies
Rollins SS
Victorino CF
Utley 2B
Howard 1B
Werth RF
Ibanez LF
Feliz 3B
Ruiz C
Lee P
yanks lineup looks
really weak tonight compared to other nights…. swisher is a ? mark and cano sucks so far in the WS and they are protecting a-rod… i would just walk arod all night
Pena beat out Old Friend Angel Berroa as the backup utility infielder for the Yankees out of spring training
Strasburg went 5 innings!!!
He threw NO fastball under 97 threw the first 4 innings… NONE… and most were 98 and above with a few 97… in the 5th inning he threw 2 fastballs at 96 and everything else 97 to 99
yea...
his fastball velocity… otherwise his secondary pitches are not…
X Paul
I’m going with a contrary opinion, picking Paul. I know the thought on him from many is 4th Outfielder, but sometimes guys like that turn out better than thought. Look at Jayson Werth.
Speaking of Werth, his career minor stats and Paul’s were eerily similar with both players having about 2500 ab in the minors. Compare Paul’s line of .287/.357/.436/.793 with .269/.369/.427/.796 for Werth.
I also like how since low A, Paul has improved with each season and at each level. How many guys do that? I also consider him major league ready, unlike his competition in this round.
paul doesnt have the raw power werth had...
and paul in AAA has a big advantage of playing in his home ballpark…
the best argument for paul i think is major league ready…
Can't be to contrary
he might end up winning the vote.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I agree with you in that the probabilities of Paul reaching his ceiling is pretty high, given that he’s already had a taste of the big leagues.
I would also look at their BB and K numbers.
Name PA – BB – K – BB% – K%
Werth 2989, 381, 601, 12.8%, 20.1%
Paul 2804, 259, 607, 9.2%, 21.6%
Paul’s BB rate isn’t getting better and the K rate only a litte, 19% for his 2008, his last full season. I see that as a red flag.
(Note that Werth compiled the vast majority of those numbers by the end of his age 24 season, which is the same age for Paul’s last season.)
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