New Top 20 Rangers Prospects column is up

by Jamey Newberg on Jun 4, 2009 2:51 PM CDT Comment 21 comments

The folks at MLB.com posted the latest installment of my weekly ranking of the top 20 prospects in the Rangers’ farm system this morning on the official Rangers website, www.texasrangers.com.

Here’s a direct link to the column:

http://dwarfurl.com/9cf1f

Please note that the column is set up to allow fan comments at the bottom of the page.

Repeat: The folks at MLB.com posted the latest installment of my weekly ranking of the top 20 prospects in the Rangers’ farm system this morning on the official Rangers website, www.texasrangers.com.

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Zach Phillips

quietly having a very nice year in relief.

Do we have any idea when Neil Ramirez gets on the field?

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Jun 4, 2009 3:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Max still at #13 huh?

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 4, 2009 5:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

jamey wants comments on his site.

ho hum

Omar Vizquel: your starting shortstop for the 2009 AL all-star team.

by gossamer on Jun 4, 2009 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tough

to believe. Hasn’t hit all year and is injured on top of it. I haven’t even heard much about defensive improvements.

"Guillermo Moscoso despite his stunning game yesterday, is not a legit prospect. He is simply too old, too skinny, too weak, and lacks the fastball to make it at the professional level. ." - crops.mlblogs.com

by DJCahill on Jun 4, 2009 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Two months of sucking

while injured, after the career he’s put together so far, is no reason to drop him off the map or something. 13 is plenty far, particularly since guys really haven’t grabbed those spots just in front of that.

Arlington, TX: home of The Blue Blur

by Brett Perryman on Jun 4, 2009 11:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

AAA has pretty much

kicked his ass so far. I guess I viewed the list as more of a hot sheet.

Has his value really increased much since he was traded for Lofton? From most things I hear, he still can’t catch so he is basicly a DH, and he hasn’t really hit above AA and he is 24, so he isn’t outrageously young.

by DJCahill on Jun 5, 2009 7:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who below him do you think would fetch more in a trade right now?

by Jamey Newberg on Jun 4, 2009 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that how you are doing these lists?

Cause a couple weeks ago I think it was based on different criteria. I’ll go search around and see where it was and get back to ya

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 4, 2009 7:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm more shocked

at Michael Main still @ 4.

Man, he’s been comically bad.

"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon

by FirebatM3 on Jun 4, 2009 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But at least with Main you can make a case

Which Jamey did pretty good to me. We still have to remember this is a 20 year old in Bakersfield and he has gotten increasingly better as the season has wore on. His stats coupled with his potential make for at least an argument to rank him that high.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 4, 2009 7:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come on

Two months means you can’t make a case for a guy who was a top 100 prospect this spring being #13. Give me a break.

Arlington, TX: home of The Blue Blur

by Brett Perryman on Jun 4, 2009 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea, i agree 100% with this... Overreaction to two months in players time is never a smart way to think

This can be said about a lot of young players, whether they are doing really good or struggling, basing a whole lot on two months out of a season is not a level-headed way of looking at things.

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on Jun 5, 2009 3:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Precisely.

If this were a pure hot sheet, that’d be too hgih for Max.

If it were purely an overall ranking, I think it’d be too low.

As it is it’s sort of an amalgam of hot sheet and overall ranking, so I think Max at #13 is about right.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.

by thedirkatron on Jun 5, 2009 3:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm speechless.

by Jamey Newberg on Jun 5, 2009 6:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.

by thedirkatron on Jun 5, 2009 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I feel a bit out of sorts, considering you appeared on that issue to have my back.

by Jamey Newberg on Jun 5, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its not just two months though

Small sample size or not he hasn’t produced above AA and its been almost a year since he was in Frisco. Whether you attribute it to small sample size, injury, inconsistent playing time, WBC, etc he hasn’t come close to the .300/.400/.500 guy we saw in AA and below.

This year, I could understand if one facet of his game had declined. Say his batting average was way down but he was still drawing walks and still hitting for power. But he isn’t doing any of those things. Thats the most worrisome part. Right now it looks like we have a catcher who is below average defensively and below average offensively. Or a DH who can’t hit for power or draw a walk. The #1 farm system shouldn’t have that kind of player at #13

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 5, 2009 8:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's still way too knee jerk, imo.

Give the guy time.

It’s not like we’re ignoring his struggles. He’s been downgraded quite a bit for the reasons you mention.

I don’t think calling him a C+ prospect right now is a silly as you’re making it out to be. In fact, I’d say it’s not silly at all.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.

by thedirkatron on Jun 5, 2009 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Large Steve just hates him some MaxRam.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Jun 5, 2009 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't hate him

I just don’t think he is gonna be the offensive juggernaut or revolutionary offensive catcher some here have made him out to be. He is a very nice player and considering we got him for 72 year old kenny Lofton I am estatic he is in our organization. But right now he is clearly #3 in terms of catcher depth and until he starts hitting AAA pitching I have serious doubt about his ML future with our club.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 5, 2009 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs