MJH, Jason Parks, and Jason Cole Prospect Roundtable
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 22, 2009 12:05 PM CDT
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MJH: Moreland has shocked me this year, but I don’t know how he’ll ever see time in Arlington unless Smoak is traded. Staying with Frisco, let’s delve into Marcus Lemon. Classic big league backup middle infielder, or more than that? Or less than that?
Jason Cole: Somewhere between big league backup or less. He has looked better defensively this season. I think his arm is a little stronger and his range is a little better, particularly into the hole towards third. I think he could play solid D at shortstop and second down the line. His plate discipline and ability to make contact is still excellent. But I’m not sure he’s going to hit enough, and I don’t think his defense will be good enough to warrant him earning a consistent backup job in the Majors. I guess I’m pegging him as a utilityman that spends a lot of time in AAA and gets a couple of full big league seasons in as a backup infielder.
Jason Parks: I think he could start in the right situation, but I dont think his skill set is starter quality. I think he knows how to play the game and his make-up is excellent, but his tools just arent there. He will probably be a decent back-up infielder, but personally, I’d rather have a guy like Vallejo over a guy like Lemon. I think back-up infielders need to have plus defensive ability or plus speed. Lemon is average at best in those categories.
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You beat me to it
Jason Cole: I think Moscoso is one of the more underappreciated pitchers in the system.
MJH: The pro scouting has gotten so much better over the past couple of years and Moscoso may turn out to be a great example of that.
Jason Parks: Agree. I think he will make a solid mlb reliever with potential to be a solid back-of-the-rotation starter. His health is still a concern given his history, but he looks great this season
MJH: In terms of pro scouting, I think the Rangers have come a long way from the days when they thought Adam Eaton and Billy Killian were worth the risk.
MJH: I won’t go into the McCarthy vs. Danks & Masset evaluation.
Jason Parks: C’mon, Mike. Please?
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland - 2009 Rangers Minor League POY
That was awesome
All of these guys seem very high on Tullis, and I’m going to have to get more excited about Poveda.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
Poveda FTW
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008
That was
a great read. I can’t figure out Beavan, he has great command but shit striking no one out. Might be a good time for him to add a new pitch.
"I can wake up out of the bed and play outfield. It's easy." --Milton Bradley
The Lemon
I said a long time ago that a good upper projection for him was Ray Durham without the speed, but how about Mark McLemore? McLemore seemed to be one of those guys who never was a very good player – hung out somewhere halfway between replacement level and league average – but had the defensive flexibility to put together a pretty good career as a well-used backup with a few starting seasons mixed in.
Go Rice Owls!
Maybe I missed it...
but did they say what Jose Vallejo had to deal with? The only comment I saw was:
MJH: Well, I’ll continue to be a Jose Vallejo cheerleader for as long as he’s out there. He’s too good of a kid who has overcome so much to get where he is.
Jason Cole: He’s still one of my favorite players in the system.
Jason Parks: Good point. Most people dont realize what Vallejo had to deal with
What did he have to deal with?
Parents died suddenly, I think both in the same car accident.
"[Font} doesn't turn 19 until the end of May and his heater can already hit 99 on the gun. That's baseball porn." - Jason Parks
by hightowersmith on Jul 22, 2009 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions
This is the real.
MJH, this has to be a recurring thing.
"[Font} doesn't turn 19 until the end of May and his heater can already hit 99 on the gun. That's baseball porn." - Jason Parks
by hightowersmith on Jul 22, 2009 12:49 PM CDT reply actions
Completely awesome stuff.
We are so freaking spoiled that we have so many great bloggers covering this team.
Diamond
never liked that pick
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
no1 did
him and kiker i remember people being pissed about, myself included
I can't help it. I’m an asshole.
-brettgardner on Jul 7, 2009 10:55 PM EDT
Yeah, it sure is weird
when a guy most people think has top of the rotation stuff gets hyped more than a guy most have pegged for the bullpen. Odd.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
Drabek
Someone tell me whats so impressive about him. I’ve never seen him pitch and just looking at his numbers I can’t see what makes him a top of rotation guy especially compared to a guy like Kiker
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.
Huh?
I don’t know how you would get that impression. Stats tell me that Drabek has 111 K’s this year vs. 88 for Kiker in the same number of games. He’s also pitching deeper into games (by an entire inning per game) than Kiker is and is also in AA doing well at 21 despite missing a lot of time due to injury.
Kiker is nice, but only your homerism makes you think he’s better than Drabek. Drabek could be the centerpiece of a trade for Halladay. Kiker would just be a sweetener.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
Drabek ia a 2/3(K-Law said)
Kiker is a 5/BP
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 22, 2009 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Kiker's role in the rotation
Right now, he is probably destined for a CJ Wilson future like was talked about in the roundtable discussion. If he makes it to the rotation, though, its not going to be as a number 5. For Kiker to make it to the ML rotation, I think its going to be because he has showed some much improved control and you’re not going to just be seeing another back of the rotation guy.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
This is as silly as your "Phil Hughes is terrible" campaign.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. This was the largest auto I could afford. Should I therefore be made the subject of fun?
by thedirkatron on Jul 22, 2009 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions
except he isn't
"I saw a soldier try to dig a foxhole with his bare hands. He didn't notice that he'd torn off all his fingernails. I got him out of there quickly; not for his sake, but for ours. Fear is poison in combat...destructive, contagious." - Band of Brothers
Kiker is way more excusable than Diamond
High school picks are way more of a crap shoot. So things like signability, cost, and makeup factor in a lot more. You’re taking so much risk with any high school arm, anything you can do to reduce that risk is worth it.
College pitchers are a different story. You very rarely get “lucky” with college guys – you pretty much know what you’re getting when you draft them. They’ve faced tougher competition, they’ve been around longer. Their ceilings tend to be pretty clear.
Diamond always struck me as a limited ceiling type of college pitcher. The type you don’t want to be drafting in the top of the first round. Even if he hadn’t gotten injured, he would strike me as a weak pick. Of course, that was a pretty weak draft, though Philip Hughes was the top high school arm on the board at the time, I think.
Go Rice Owls!
I recall Grady saying he felt that Diamond was in the same tier as your beloved Rice trio
Seemed odd to me, since that sure as hell wasn’t what BA was saying.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on Jul 22, 2009 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions
well
Maybe Grady was onto something, since of that Rice trio, one is out of baseball (Townsend), one is destined for AAAA disappointment (Humber), and one is actually a pretty decent pitcher, though certainly not a top of rotation guy (Niemann). I think all three missed significant time due to injury. If similar to them meant 100% chance of being injured, 50% chance of not seeing the majors and a very low chance of being a meaningful contributor to a good club, Grady was spot on.
Go Rice Owls!
The injury factor
I think it changed Diamond’s career. This guy just wasn’t walking so many players, even in Bakersfield.
"[Font} doesn't turn 19 until the end of May and his heater can already hit 99 on the gun. That's baseball porn." - Jason Parks
by hightowersmith on Jul 22, 2009 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions
yeah
to be fair, he might be a good major league reliever without the injury. But still, never struck me as a high ceiling pick.
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
and while we're at it
Was Grady Fuson not the biggest disappointment of this organization over the past ten years? What a horrific judge of player talent.
Go Rice Owls!
Tied with EGS
Bah, dark times, those were.
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.
and apparently managerial talent
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
Two words
Sam Narron.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on Jul 22, 2009 5:17 PM CDT up reply actions
mmm
Not exactly the best evidence. Sam was a 15th rounder. You can only expect so much out of a 15th rounder and Sam at least made it to Arlington for a day or two.
But yeah, Grady’s drafts were bad.
Ian Kinsler (17th), John Danks (1st), Scott Feldman (30th — but paid like a 4th), Brandon Boggs (4th), Eric Hurley (1st), Kameron Loe (20th), Wes Littleton (4th), Travis Metcalf (11th), and Narron. I think that’s the entire roster players he drafted here who got at least a cup of coffee here. He also drafted Jesse Chavez (42nd) who is pitching well out of the Pittsburgh bullpen, but of course never pitched for the Rangers.
And San Diego’s farm system is now ranked #29 of 30, which is about where this thing was when he left. His general preference for pitchability and college position players over projectability and tools hasn’t exactly served his clubs well.
maybe I'm getting years confused
but who drafted mayberry?
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
That was JD's first year.
Though that pick is very often thrown at the feet of John Hart, who was supposedly a huge fan of Mayberry and lobbied hard for the pick.
Who knows if that’s true or not, but it really does seem to be the antithesis of a JD/Hopkins pick, so I’m inclined to believe it for that reason alone.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. This was the largest auto I could afford. Should I therefore be made the subject of fun?
by thedirkatron on Jul 23, 2009 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions
No
Hart was the GM when Mayberry was drafted. Daniels was the assistant GM. It was the first draft after Grady was sent packing.
Ah, my mistake.
I even did a quick look-up to make sure I was remembering correctly that JD became GM in 2005, thinking that of course that made him responsible for the ’05 draft, forgetting the obvious fact he became GM in the early off-season of ’05, well after the draft.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. This was the largest auto I could afford. Should I therefore be made the subject of fun?
by thedirkatron on Jul 24, 2009 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions
What's Johan Santana doing playing for the Crawdads?
by TooLegitToQuit on Jul 22, 2009 1:18 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
He goes by Cristian
when playing for them and to make it fair only plays LF and throws righthanded
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland - 2009 Rangers Minor League POY
Toldja, KH!
☺
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.
haha
yep.
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 22, 2009 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Kiker
I’m still surprised how low scouts describe his ceiling.
It’s got to be the steepest discount of statistics I’ve seen in a Rangers pitching prospect. The dude has had a wonderful July, I hear he kills himself in the weight room, he pitches innings, he stays healthy, he has solid K numbers, and he’s maintained adequate control.
He’s been young for his league throughout his career, and hasn’t experienced prolonged failure.
"[Font} doesn't turn 19 until the end of May and his heater can already hit 99 on the gun. That's baseball porn." - Jason Parks
Yep
Thats why I asked above whats makes Drabek so special? Simply looking at the numbers they are similar if not Kiker has the edge.
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.
Stuff matters.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. This was the largest auto I could afford. Should I therefore be made the subject of fun?
by thedirkatron on Jul 22, 2009 7:01 PM CDT up reply actions
should be on a tshirt
I'm Ron Burgundy?
by Cecilio's Guante on Jul 28, 2009 1:02 AM CDT up reply actions
That was awesome.
After reading that, I’m a lot higher on both Poveda and Moscoso. And a bit lower on Kiker and Beavan.
"You know, I’m playing entirely too much." - Andruw Jones
"After intense analysis, I have come to the conclusion that Neftali Feliz throws fucking hard." - John Sickels
I would have appreciated some discussion of Miguel de los Santos...
Is the fact that he has visa problems and is stuck in the DSL what keeps them from chatting him up a bit? I’d love to know where the Rangers would slot him next year should he be able to immigrate.
Ephesians 3:20-21...and I can only imagine
would love to see golson get a chance
with the rangers at some point. he sounds like a really exciting player to watch.
by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Jul 25, 2009 2:40 PM CDT reply actions
If you like watching speedy dudes who strike out a ton and have no real grasp of the strike zone, I guess.
"After intense analysis, I have come to the conclusion that Neftali Feliz throws fucking hard." - John Sickels
heh
well i’d love to see him get a chance, provided he earns it. i think we would be entertaining in the field mostly.
by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Jul 26, 2009 10:22 PM CDT up reply actions
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