Northwest League Top 20 Prospects
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 10:52 AM CDT
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PrintRangers show as well as expected, as BA's title is "Rangers dominated the NWL list" :
1. Josh Vitters, 3b, Boise (Cubs)
2. Martin Perez, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
3. Christian Friedrich, lhp, Tri-City (Rockies)
4. Neil Ramirez, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
5. Conor Gillaspie, 3b, Salem-Keizer (Giants)
6. Wilfredo Boscan, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
7. James Darnell, 3b, Eugene (Padres)
8. Tim Murphy, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
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16. Matt West, 3b, Spokane (Rangers)
2. Martin Perez, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
It took Perez 14 tries to earn his first pro victory this summer, but his season couldn't be considered anything but a success. After all, he was the youngest player in the Northwest League at age 17 and was making his pro debut after signing out of Venezuela in 2007. He finished seventh in ERA (3.65) and allowed just three homers in 62 innings.
Small and wiry at 6 feet and 165 pounds, Perez nevertheless has two plus pitches. He consistently works from 89-92 and touches 94 mph with his fastball, and his power breaking ball may be the best curve in a Rangers system loaded with arms. Perez shows some feel for a changeup, a third potential plus pitch, but it's still a work in progress. He maintains good arm speed and gets good action on it, though it can be too firm.
4. Neil Ramirez, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
As with Perez, the Rangers challenged Ramirez by sending him to the NWL to make his pro debut as a teenager. He had little trouble overpowering older hitters, holding them to a .166 average while striking out 52 in 44 innings.
Ramirez attacks hitters with a 90-94 mph fastball that touches 96 and has decent life to the arm side. He has shown the ability to change speeds with his fastball, keeping hitters off balance. They can't gear up for it because his curveball is a hard, late-breaking hammer, a true plus pitch.
At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Ramirez also has projection remaining. He's working on a changeup that showed improvement throughout the summer. He has to improve his command and control, but his pure stuff is exciting.
6. Wilfredo Boscan, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)
Another teenage pitching standout for Spokane, Boscan led the NWL in wins (nine) while finishing fourth in ERA (3.12) and strikeouts (70 in 69 innings). For an 18-year-old, he showed uncanny fastball command and mound presence. He was fearless, working the inside corner and throwing any pitch in any count.
Boscan's fastball ranges from 88-92 mph and it tends to sink down and away from righthanders. He changes speeds on his over-the-top curveball, and he gets good late movement on his plus changeup. His 70-11 K-BB ratio ranked second in the league to Loree, who's three years older.
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I still miss your old
avatar, Bob.
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
The yellow
happy face one from the very old Newberg board.
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Scary stuff...
In a fantastic way!
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
I don't think so. It depends if Beavan's slider is more effective than Ramirez's curve.
Sounds like the curve is winning the battle at this point. Also, which of the two will get a decent 3rd pitch will determine who ends up performing better in the long run.
Clinton’s PR for next year: Lumberkings Reloaded
It’ll be interesting to see in the chat whether someone asks about Pimentel, Bianucci, Butler, or Fry were on the cusp of the top 20.
Go Rangers!
Yes butler and fry had very nice years
Butler seems to get overlooked in prospect discussions even though he was picked in the 15th (as a the rangers first senior pick). I thought it strange that the team promoted morrison and cobb before him.
Not crazy
But I don’t agree with it.
The walks just frighten the buh-jesus out me with NeRa.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Sep 22, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
It is nice to see
that these guys have at least one Plus secondary pitch at such a young age.
How did West make that list….?
Potential?
OBP?
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Fairly shallow league
with only 8 teams
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions
8. Tim Murphy, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)
B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 190 Age: 21 Drafted: Rangers ’08 (3)
A two-way prospect who focused solely on playing the outfield as a UCLA freshman, Murphy has established that his future definitely is on the mound. He drew some Andy Pettitte comparisons in the NWL, where he was one of the best relievers around. His competitive nature makes him a perfect fit for a late-inning relief role, though he also may have enough stuff to serve as a starter.
Murphy has a 90-92 mph fastball, but his best pitch is a sharp, over-the-top curveball. If he can improve his changeup and his control (he gave up nearly as many walks as hits), he could move into the rotation. His arm action is long in back, which affects his release point and his ability to locate his pitches.
16. Matt West, 3b, Spokane (Rangers)
B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 200 Age: 19 Drafted: Rangers ’07 (2)
After signing as a second-rounder in 2007, West made headlines two months into his pro career when he drew a 50-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. When he returned this summer, he showed a promising bat. He has good bat speed, the ability to drive the ball to all fields and penchant for hammering fastballs.
West still is figuring out how to translate his raw power in batting practice into performance in games, and he has a ways to go in solving breaking balls. Though he played shortstop in high school, his size and range profile better at third base. He has a solid arm and average speed.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions
West
That makes me a bit more hopeful about him. I hadn’t thought much of him since the suspension.
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
Yeah just looking at his #s
they aren’t all that impressive but he hit for gap power this year, something he didnt do last year. His defense, low HR rate, high walk/SO reminds me too much of whittleman at this point but it is early. He also might be a little behind because he was unable to practice with the club during his suspension or attend instructionals (i believe).
This is fun
I imagine a couple of years from now writers will be referencing the waves of arms coming up through the system following upon those already graduated by that time.
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
They make Perez's curve sound unhittable after giving high praise to
Ramirez’s curveball and claiming Perez’s may be the best in the system.
Go Rangers!
Yeah
I sort of assumed that Ramirez had the best curve in the system and his numbers support that, so that’s pretty high praise for Perez. Some NWL scouts really, really must have liked Perez, based on Manuel’s and Mitchell’s comments.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm gonna guess
Ramirez is more polished, as evidenced by his BAA & Ks. However, scouts like Perez’s curve better longterm, even if he is lacking in the experience dept.
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Perez
His poise is scary-good. Dude is in command . . . at that age.
by Jamey Newberg on Sep 22, 2008 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions
And you'll be seeing him live
in what, 2 weeks?
Any chance at video of some of the better prospects? Is that even allowed?
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Two days.
Also saw him live last October and in March.
by Jamey Newberg on Sep 22, 2008 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions
I've already picked out your video equipment jamey....
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-HD1000-Definition-Camcorder-Optical/dp/B000V79G0M/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1222106626&sr=8-1
Cool.
And if you buy it by clicking the Amazon ad atop my website, it gives the Newberg Report a few bucks back. I’ll keep a row on the bleachers cleared off for you.
by Jamey Newberg on Sep 22, 2008 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions
Just imagine how good...
…Perez, Boscan, et al will be when Nolan Ryan gets rid of these pitching coaches that are clearly holding them back and coddling them with things like “pitch counts”…
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 22, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions
eh i agree and disagree here
yes, pitch counts are a good thing to a certain point
but (as evidenced recently) japanese pitchers sure can pitch pretty well/long even with a lack of pitch counts (ie dice-K and yu darvish, etc)
and “back in the day” guys like gibson and koufax pitched pretty well w/o them
yes, they should be limited depending on age, but the question is how much
"I don’t know of a single thing Obama’s done except talk and write." - Newt Gingrich
by knockoutking on Sep 22, 2008 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Koufax
had an awfully unusual early career and retired early for health reasons, not sure you’d want to hold him up as an example.
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
i meant that era
should have been more clear sorry
and yes, koufax had an interesting career – but he still pitched for 12 years/almost 400 games and had an era+ of 131
"I don’t know of a single thing Obama’s done except talk and write." - Newt Gingrich
by knockoutking on Sep 22, 2008 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions
hopefully we will only see nolan
pestering people in the weight room rather doing it to all of the minor league pitching coaches who rightfully ignored his entreaties this year….
Jamey
BA, from their convos with NWL scouts, are obviously really high on Perez. They’re ranking him ahead of Friedrich, a mid first rounder who basically dominated the league, and they’re talking about him in the same breath as Holland (obviously has to be filtered as we discussed here).
You ranked him at number ten in your last top 20, and that seems about right to me. You’ll probably get a better idea of where things are right at the moment when you visit instructs, but do you see it as possible that he moves past the likes of Borbon, Beavan and Kiker? Not that they’re ahead of the curve, but I could see BA bumping him that high.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions
I've been working on my Top 72 for the book....
…and before this list came out, I already had Perez up to number six (ahead of all three guys you just mentioned).
I made a bunch of changes last year right after my trip to instructs (such as moving Holland and Boscan up and getting Kennil on the list), and I’m sure this year will be no different in that regard.
by Jamey Newberg on Sep 22, 2008 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions
The reason I ask
is that that sort of ranking puts him right on the cusp of top 100 list contention, which is pretty remarkable.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions
great insight
That would be remarkable even if he was like 120, 130 for a 17 yo.
a 17yo palying in clinton
in his first full season in the states
That was done this year
By Mr. Ortiz, relief pitcher, but still youngest in Midwest League.
yeah he is due his props as well
even if he did not make the list. His assignment to league was a lot more surprising/unexpected than that of Perez as he signed for 2nd-3rd round money.
This was maybe the most surprising move of the summer
Did not understand why they would push this guy, when guys that were 22 and older were sitting in Ariz. Yet, seems he wasnt overwhelmed, but not spectacular either. In games listening to him, they had initially go out and be setup guy, yet seemed he was hittable, and would give up runs. Didn’t seem like a K guy, rather groundball pitcher.
Gomez
I noticed he wasn’t on the instructs list you emailed. Is he healthy yet? Pitching somewhere this winter?
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
He may be the next wilmer font this winter
with noone nothing anything about his health status….
I guess I can see how the Santana comp came up...
Both are relatively short: 6-0
Both are skinny: 165-185
Both have good fastballs and breaking balls. Some believe it is critically important to have a good breaking ball at a very young age.
Both are Venezuelan.
I found a Pitch F/X analysis of Johan on MVN. It sounds that a good change made Johan go from good lefty to dominant ace. I guess if Johan is the comp, then that’s the blueprint.
Go Rangers!
Who has a good changeup in the system?
Would love to see some of these guys really develop that 3rd pitch.
anyone have any info on Beaven's current change
I know he was supposed to work on it this season.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
Just looking at BA's 2008 Prospect Handbook
Diamond has a plus-plus CU, Kiker’s is plus, Castillo has a promising changeup (though still a work in progress as of last yr) with some split finger action, phillips’ is solid average, Hunter’s is ave with some split finger action, and Harrison has an average CU but throws it in any count.
Font's
CU is his second pitch and shows promise while his CB is a work in progress as his third pitch.
It is interesting to me that the curveball
has become the predominant second pitch for a majority of our prospects. It seems that before the JD era the slider was the second pitch for many of our prospects (like hurley). I wonder if this represents a change in evaluation measures by the scouts or is just coincidence….
Before JD
The prospects severely lacked a Curveball other than Danks. Even McCarthy was supposed to be coming here with a dominant curve.
It seems that
the rangers previously valued power pitchers with a slider for whatever reason. Maybe that is/was a typical second pitch for power pitchers…?
Wasn't this a big discussion point lately?
From what I recall, the slider is a much easier pitch to teach, and grasp, although it is not as quality of an offering as a good curve.
Perhaps I read that somewhere else though…
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Thanks I missed this.
Here is the part addressing sliders/curveballs and the link to the LSB thread:
http://www.lonestarball.com/2008/9/15/614651/dr-john-bagonzi-q-a-part-1#comments
Q: What is your opinion regarding the development of breaking pitches in young players? I’ve had a front office person tell me that many of their scouts believe that if a young pitcher can’t "spin" a breaking ball by the age of 19, that they will almost never get it.
Coach Bagonzi: If a young pitcher doesn’t start to develop a curveball early in his career (age 15-plus), I don’t think he will ever have a good one. So, I agree with your contact who says that if he can’t spin it by age 19, forget it, and I think that is why there are so many sliders (the "devil’s pitch") – it’s the quick fix.
In fact, I talked with the pitching coach of the Rangers a few years back when they [still] trained in Port Charlotte, Florida, and asked him why there were so many sliders and so few curveballs among the Rangers’ pitchers, and he quite emphatically stated that the young pitchers’ "window of opportunity" was small and narrow, and the slider could be learned faster, and this became the "fix."
That is why before a young pitcher signs, it would be good if he had a curveball – a good, down-breaking 12-to-6 curveball with crispness thrown for strikes. This enhances the fastball and its effect multifold. Pitching up and down trajectory-wise is a devastating event, even for the good hitter; the trouble is that few pitchers do it well. Those that do are generally winners and high-strikeout guys. [Nolan] Ryan had a good curveball, and this made him electrifying.
Curveballs are less stressful on the arm than sliders because of the deceleration of the arm on release. However, one has to be aware of losing arm speed on their fastball if too many curveballs are thrown. A curveball should precede a slider in the learning business.
I guess that explains why
some pitchers moved through the system without a decent changeup (or any curveball). I guess the previous regime only though of it as a show-me/keep ’em honest pitch. Big Mistake. I think we can count this shift in organizational philosophy (pitching coaches/scouts) as a definite plus from the JD era.
BA Chat
Several Rangers’ related questions and answers already:
Q: Robert Goldberg from Lyndhurst, NJ asks:
No Carlos Pimentel? He won’t turn 19 until December, held hitters to a .204 average, and was top 10 in the league in ERA. What caused him to be left off?
A: Nathan Rode: Very close to the list. His stuff is good. He’s 88-90 with at least an average breaking ball. His breaking ball and fastball have the chance to be plus, but there is a little bit of effort in the delivery so he might move to the pen. He also tended to leave pitches up in the zone and he was inconsistent. When he works down in the zone, he’s good. When he doesn’t, he’s bad.
Q: Josh from Central Coast asks:
I have heard Martin Perez compared to Johan Santana. That is a ridiculous comparison…right?
A: Nathan Rode: Good question Josh. Here’s how I feel about this. Comps run a very fine line. It’s good to be able to relate an example to a guy, but you don’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on a player. I heard the Santana comparisons too. But I also heard it as a physical and visual comp. When you simply look at Perez, you think Santana. Not necessarily that kind of dominance. Is that ruling out that he could be that good? No. But it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a chance to be like that either. The stuff is electric and he was only 17. Anywhere from 3-5 years younger than a lot of the players he faced. I don’t think its fair to say he’s going to be Santana. That’s a very high expecataion, but I also think you have to credit where it’s due.
Q: david from austin asks:
Only #6 for Boscan? I expected an 18 yr old groundball pitcher (1.5 GO:AO) who strikes out a batter per inning without giving up walks (>6 K:BB ratio) to rank among the top 3 in the NWL. Did I miss something or is this just a particularly good year for prospects in the Great Northwest?
A: Nathan Rode: When I finished this list I looked back at who I had on it originally and some of the names I left off. To me, this was a deep league. Not necessarily top-tier talent all the way through, but guys that can contribute at the major league level. Let’s just say, I had no problem getting to 20 guys. The hard part was leaving guys off. No. 6 is good for Boscan. But he’s definitely behind Perez for me and I could see an argument between him and Ramirez. Boscan certainly had the best season of those guys, but Perez and Ramirez have pretty awesome upside with their electric arsenal. But Boscan has his own attributes that make him a very good prospect. I’ve probably beaten this over Aaron Fitt’s head too much, but he’s going to have a lot of fun with the Rangers Top 30 this year. It’s a loaded system.
ugh
I wish someone besides Fitt would get assigned the Rangers top 30.
"So he tore it up in AA. Yippee. ...Max Ramirez be damned." - bigsteve
Blurg...
Up until that chat comment I was still holding out hope it would be someone other than Fitt.
Are we stuck with him forever or something?
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Sep 22, 2008 8:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Feliz vs Perez - Really?
Q: Josh from Ft Worth asks:
What are the ceilings of those 4 Rangers pitchers in the top 10? Where do they fit in the hierarchy of Rangers pitching prospects from Feliz/Holland down to the lower minors?
A: Nathan Rode: Very good question. I’ll touch on this a little bit, but leave it up for more debate when Aaron does his Rangers list. We had a short discussion today at lunch about Perez vs. Feliz. I’ll just say that we did not come to a final answer. It was very interesting. But Perez, Ramirez, Boscan and Murphy all belong in the discussion of top arms in that system with guys like Holland and Feliz. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how deep the Rangers pitching is. It’s incredible.
A good problem to have
If someone thinks that Perez has Santana-like potential, even if it is a relative long shot, then you’d be tempted to have him above Feliz. Not saying I would – success in higher levels is more important for me – but if you think Perez is possibly Santana good, then you are saying he’s one of the brightest prospects in baseball
Perez
You don’t want to “put pressure on a player.”
What does that mean?
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Sep 22, 2008 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Cliche
Comparing prospects to stars apparently puts “undue” pressure on them by raising expectations too high.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Are we still talking about people chatting online and commenting on blogs?
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Sep 22, 2008 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah I agree
We are talking about a little more than that in BA writers, who do hold more value than a random chatter/blogger, but it does seem a little silly to me. I think that they should probably be (and probably are, frankly) more worried about their reputations than how their comments will effect the psyche of a young player.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I mean...
Does Martin Perez even speak English?
I’ve worked in other countries and it took me a long time to grasp the language.
Sorry, I just read that BA guy’s response as moron-level vanity.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Sep 22, 2008 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Even if he doesn't
you don’t think a well publicized thing like this Johan comp isn’t gonna make it to the kid’s ears one way or another?
I’ve never been inside a minor league locker room, but I’m guessing quite a few guys keep up with thing like BA and other minor league sites to see what people are saying abut them and other people they know throughout pro baseball. (Kind of makes you wish Chris-John was still here. Thanks EG and Franchise Face!)
I’d be very surprised if Perez doesn’t hear about this comp in particular just cause it’s gotten so much play.
Now as to whether or not it’ll have any affect on him at all- that I doubt.
But who knows.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Sep 22, 2008 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions
So what
So what if it gets to him?
So you’ll be the first apologist in line when he caves to “the pressure!!!!!,” right?
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Sep 22, 2008 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions
huh?
No. I took you comment to mean that he probably wouldn’t hear of the comp, in part because he probably doesn’t even speak English. I just said I thought he would probably hear about it.
Read this sentence again and I think you’ll see I agree with you:
Now as to whether or not it’ll have any affect on him at all- that I doubt.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Sep 22, 2008 7:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, I can see how comparing prospects
to Hall of Famers in a blog is more pressure than say, pitching in front of 40,000 people.
"Oh well, McCain is pretty communist anyway,... we can be 70% communist with McCain,"-Sharky
To play devil's advocate
I assume that the idea is more the combination of the two, playing in front of a lot of people who think you’re the next Dwight Gooden or Ken Griffey and them being disappointent when you’re not. But like I said above, I think it’s giving way too much credit to media types who aren’t even inside the game to think that their comments hold that sort of sway.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions
I just think
the nature of all professional sports is dealing with pressure. Whether you are a scrub like Einar Diaz or Frank Catalanotto, or a superstar like Alex Rodriguez, the job is nothing but pressure and folks shouting at you when you screw up. That’s the job all ballplayers sign up for.
I think the guys who fold because they were being built up as the next (fill in the blank) were likely to fold anyway. There’s a reason minimum wage is almost $400K a year.
"Oh well, McCain is pretty communist anyway,... we can be 70% communist with McCain,"-Sharky
I worry about comps
much more from a fan expectation standpoint. I do not worry about the player getting screwed in the head, I just get annoyed when fans expect too much and then throw out these comps when things go wrong. “I thought this was the next Santana?!?”
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
comparing prospects to stars
Another thing to remember with some of these comps, is that the baseball prospect industry is growing, and there are a lot of voices. I think that one way to build up cred in what is becoming a very competitive environment for these national gurus is to hype a kid before anyone else does.
If this guy had said that a scout told him that Perez was advanced for his age, had good poise, a nice fastball, and pretty good command – nobody bats an eye. But when a writer repeats that a scout told him he could be the next Johan Santana, that generates buzz, gets a guy’s columns read, sells subscriptions, clicks on the website, etc. To stand out in the increasingly crowded minor league analyst crowd, I think some guys will throw out implausible comps just to be the first. If it sticks then I’m a genius, if not, I was just repeating what a scout told me.
"So he tore it up in AA. Yippee. ...Max Ramirez be damned." - bigsteve
You might be
onto something there.
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
True but
we are talking about John Manuel, a pretty established guy writing for the #1 publication.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 8:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Quickie Feliz story ...
I went to the last game of the Frisco season – Feliz was the starter. I positioned myself near the bullpen before the game to get some good pics and waited. As usual, Feliz came out and stretched a little along the LF line then played toss with the catcher to warm up his arm. I got distracted for a few minutes and looked away. When I looked back I didn’t see Feliz anywhere. But there was this guy standing out in CF right under the 409 sign – figured it was Borbon running sprints or something. Suddenly this mysterious guy does a crow hop and unleashes a throw toward the catcher standing in foul ground along the LF line. The ball comes in on a line slowly rising the whole way until the catcher has to leap high to snare it. The most unbelievable throw I’ve ever seen in my life. This guy comes jogging towards the catcher and lo and behold if it isn’t Feliz with a big ol’ grin on his face. PILL.
Wow
Would love to see it, but afraid of him hurting the arm with something like that.
ya
could very easily hurt himself doing that
In reference to how good the Steelers have been in their history: "No one is even close to them."- Steal Home
Where along the LF line?
In front of the bullpen?
by Jamey Newberg on Sep 22, 2008 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Back in Nolan's day pitchers did that all the time
only they weren’t pussies so they ran over and caught the ball themselves rather than having some lame catcher do it.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Sep 22, 2008 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Did they
then get knocked into the fence like Bugs Bunny and have to shake off the cobwebs? Come to think of it, that cartoon was done not that long before Nolan started pitching.
by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2008 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Outstanding
Last week I took a pleasure trip. I drove my wife to the airport.
by Brian Thomas on Sep 23, 2008 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions
But on a serious note
I’d pay to watch a video of that.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Sep 22, 2008 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions
does anyone have a link to the last
BA rankings that were posted here (for AZL maybe?); I can’t seem to find it…
AZL
Sorry I meant the link to the LSB discussion thread
where the (subscriber-only) prospect reports were posted…..
It is here:
http://www.lonestarball.com/2008/9/15/614796/ba-s-top-20-azl-prospects
wow, i didnt know perez was that good
is his ceiling a #1?
"Tommy Hunter will be the best pitcher on the Rangers in 2009" Me- August 14th, 2008
He's 17 years old so
his ceiling is basically unlimited at this point. He definitely has the stuff and make-up to end up as a top of the rotation starter.
To echo Jamey’s statement about his poise….it really is unbelievable. Perez doesn’t just go through the motions of being a professional ballplayer, he takes it very seriously. He cares how he presents himself to others and he works hard both on and off the diamond. He’s one of those players that just doesn’t seem to lose his focus.
I’ve spoken with the majority of his teammates this season and not a single one of them had anything but extreme praise to level on him. He’s a very special kid with a very special skill set. But he’s only 17 and the road to the show is long. That said, I like his chances.
Jason,
how did you manage to speak to most of his teammates?
Last week I took a pleasure trip. I drove my wife to the airport.
by Brian Thomas on Sep 23, 2008 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions
I wasn't able to make it out to Spokane
this season, so I had to conduct all the interviews via telephone. Some of the interviews, particularly the spanish language interviews, didn’t produce enough quality material to run on Baseball Time in Arlington.
However, I’ll be at instructs this weekend and I should be able to get some decent stuff with the LA kids.
Speaking of instructs, which players would you be interested in reading more about?
Anyone poised to break out…the outfielder speculation in that thread was interesting.
Also:
Robbie Ross
Beavan (just in terms of velo reports, actually)
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Sep 23, 2008 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions
Ross
I’m really pumped about seeing him in person. As for the velo reports, I’ll see what I can get.
Jason,
Is it possible to get any good video on these players? It seems we have several good video-break-downers on the site lately, I would be interested to read their feedback on some of the prospects.
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
We'll be waiting...
THX!
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Interested in reading more about
Engel Beltre
I don’t understand if he is stubborn, excitable, dumb, or something else, but it seems like the whole season the organization would do everything possible to get through to him regarding working on his plate discipline. He’d get benched, jerked out of games, etc – but nothing really seemed to work – he’d get back in there and go right back to hacking. Is this an issue with his personality or what?
"So he tore it up in AA. Yippee. ...Max Ramirez be damned." - bigsteve
+1
As small consolation, Engel’s OBP was great in rookie league last year. Didn’t remember…
http://thebaseballcube.com/players/B/Engel-Beltre.shtml
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Sep 23, 2008 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions
Also interested in reading about
the defensive capabilities of all the MIFs and OFs as you see them.
"So he tore it up in AA. Yippee. ...Max Ramirez be damned." - bigsteve
My main mofo Font
I’d love to hear anything about him.
After that, Boscan and West.
And if you could shed any light on Beavan’s loss of velocity, that would also be great.
Also, Kiker’s lack of noteworthy progress in 08 would be subject matter I would be intensely curious to hear.
And anything you could discover about breaking ball progress, no matter who the pitcher, I’d love to read about as well.
Last week I took a pleasure trip. I drove my wife to the airport.
by Brian Thomas on Sep 23, 2008 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions
I group them as follows:
All the LA/DSL guys (including those already in full season ball) some of whom we won’t see on TV for a few years (so I guess that is about half of ’em right?!)
All the SP projected to be in short season ball next year: wieland, Thompson, Ross, Ahn
& misc: smoak, Lemon (his range/arm/agility), Bolden, west, murphy, butler, fry.
So for me I would say the LA/DSL guys hold the most interest for me in general.
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