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LSB Community Prospect Project: Mid-Season #24

After garnering an ed 18% of 161 votes, Braden "Don't Call Me Tomas" Tullis has won the right to be called the LSB Community #23 prospect!

The List So Far:

1. 1b, Justin Smoak
2. RHP, Neftali Feliz 
3. LHP, Martin Perez
4. RHP, Tanner Scheppers
5. LHP, Matt Purke 
6. RHP, Wilmer Font
7. (Tie) RHP, Blake Beavan
7. (Tie) CF, Julio Borbon
9. RHP, Tommy Hunter
10. RHP, Michael Main
11. LHP, Kasey Kiker
12. LHP, Robbie Ross
13. C, Max Ramirez
14. RHP, Joe Wieland
15. 1b/OF, Mitch Moreland
16. RHP, Wilfredo Boscan
17. OF, Engel Beltre
18. RHP, Guillermo Moscoso
19. RHP, Omar Poveda
20. (Tie) RHP, Warner Madrigal
20. (Tie) RHP, Eric Hurley
22. RHP, Neil Ramirez
23. RHP, Braden Tullis





Time to move on to the vote for #24. 

The polls are open, so go ahead and vote in the poll at the bottom and feel free to make any suggestions and/or criticisms in the comments below.

And, as always, please don't hesitate to tell me you want on the list for next time.    

Poll
Who is currently the #24 prospect in the Rangers' system?
LHP, Edwin Escobar
16 votes
LHP, Miguel de los Santos
7 votes
LHP, Michael Kirkman
9 votes
LHP, Zach Phillips
8 votes
LHP, Robert Erlin
1 votes
RHP, Jake Brigham
1 votes
RHP, Matt Thompson
0 votes
RHP, Fabio Castillo
5 votes
RHP, Carlos Pimentel
7 votes
RHP, Kennil Gomez
9 votes
RHP, Pedro Strop
25 votes
RHP, Richard Alvarez
1 votes
RHP, Andrew Doyle
1 votes
C, Tomas Telis
9 votes
C, Manny Pina
2 votes
2b, Jose Vallejo
12 votes
MIF, Marcus Lemon
4 votes
SS, Leury Garcia
0 votes
SS, Jurickson Profar
3 votes
SS, Luis Sardinas
0 votes
3b, Johnny Whittleman
3 votes
3b, Tommy Mendonca
5 votes
OF, Tim Smith
19 votes
OF, Criag Gentry
1 votes
OF, David The Latin Wind" Paisano
1 votes
OTHER (Please specify in comments)
1 votes

150 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  Comment 56 comments

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Comments

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I figure we'll go to 25. Nice round number and there seems to be enough people wanting to go on at least a little more.

Oh, and Eddy Escobar for me. Advanced for his age and a nice ceiling. Love what he’s doing in the low minors right now.

Looks like he probably won’t get on before 25 and I’ll end up not getting to vote for Lil’ Lemon once this whole time…

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 28, 2009 7:57 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

The rankings are so fluid in-season like this.

But prolly in the 20-25 range.

I think he’s got a really good chance to be a solid, league average-ish 2b in this league for a very long time, but unfortunately we’re kind of set at 2b for a very long time so I think he gets looked over here.

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 28, 2009 8:27 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

love lefties with ceiling, so double E is tempting here

but I went with Strop here. Still feel like he can be a lights out, strikeout-groundout, late inning shutdown guy, as soon as later this season if the opportunity arises.

Still a bit of wildness, but his last 10 outings are pretty tantalizing: 18.2 ip, 12 hits, 10 walks, 20 strikeouts, and only 2 earned runs. Also a 1.81 groundball ratio while in AA. From the reports that I’ve heard, when his stuff is on it’s sick.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Jul 28, 2009 8:09 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, I've been voting Strop since #22

I was gonna go Strop, Ne-Ra, Tullis and EdE2 to round out my top 25.

"After intense analysis, I have come to the conclusion that Neftali Feliz throws fucking hard." - John Sickels

Hello Win Column

by lonestarJon on Jul 28, 2009 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

NeRa in your top 25?

I hate you.

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 28, 2009 8:24 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

lol

"After intense analysis, I have come to the conclusion that Neftali Feliz throws fucking hard." - John Sickels

Hello Win Column

by lonestarJon on Jul 28, 2009 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Huh.

The man enjoys a nice walk.

"[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 28, 2009 9:19 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Strop here.

Then EE.

"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.

by Rodney on Jul 28, 2009 8:59 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I went with Telis again

but Strop really deserves to be on, too.

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

by t ball on Jul 28, 2009 9:09 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Edwin Escobar for me

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

by Gdawg on Jul 28, 2009 9:39 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Me as well

You are obsessed with bodily wastes A turd being held under my nose, this team being a steaming pile, Jonny Donuts having a stinky diaper, the front office pissing themselves, the team crapping the bed…

I think you should seek counselling.

(AJM to Josey Donuts)

by Michael Cave on Jul 28, 2009 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

OTHER - Tim Murphy

He hasn’t had a good year by any means, but i think that there is a prospect still somewhere in the kid.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Tim-Murphy.shtml

Go Rice Owls!

by JBImaknee on Jul 28, 2009 10:02 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I've kind of written him off.

If I’m gonna go with a guy I see as having a LOOGY ceiling I’d prolly go with Zach Phillips or Nam or Corey Young or even Pirate over Murphy.

But Murphy’s still a guy to watch, I suppose.

There’s some talent there.

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 28, 2009 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Whittlemantastic for me

He has the right approach at the plate and some pop. He is still young for AA. If he has truly found his stroke, watch out.

"That one is headed for the moon!" - All Star Derby

by m_nieft on Jul 28, 2009 10:22 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Interesting prospect: Jake Brigham.

I’m wondering why Jake Brigham isn’t getting more love.

I haven’t voted for him yet, but he’s squarely in my top 30 and he’s a guy I think I should probably have even higher.

He missed all of last season after undergoing TJ surgery and so this was a big year for him. It’s usually pretty tough for guys in the first working back from that, but Brigham has acquitted himself quite well, imo.

He has bad surface stats with a 5.28 ERA and WHIP of 1.6, but I think we need to look beyond that.

K/9: 9.78
BB/9: 3.72
FIP: 3.80

The BB/9 is really the only thing in his secondary stat profile that isn’t great, but he’s showing the big time arm in that K/9, and the old adage that control is often the last thing to come back after major arm surgery definitely applies here.

This guy had a big time arm coming out of high school and has shown everything you’d want in a guy in his first year coming back trying to get fully healthy after TJ surgery. He’s likely going to spend next season in Bakersfield as a 21 year old all season. The kid still has 2/3 potential and he’s a huge sleeper to keep your eye on in ’10 and beyond.

Thoughts?

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 28, 2009 10:37 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

Good to see the K-rate is strong after the surgery. Still concerned about his health.

Also, won’t he be 22 next season?

Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham.

by TheJeezus on Jul 28, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yah, oops. 22 next season.

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 28, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I actually

thought he was already 22. Had to look it up.

Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham.

by TheJeezus on Jul 28, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I had it in my mind that he was 21 all this season and it just pooped out of my mind wrong in that last paragraph.

The injury concerns do still linger.

Perhaps I should’ve mentioned that a bit more in my little blurb, but that’s the big factor holding me back from ranking him higher.

He hasn’t pitched a ton this season and it’s hard to get info on exactly why he’s been shut down at various times this season. I’m hoping it’s all just precautionary stuff as they ease him back into pitching, but who knows.

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 28, 2009 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

In the Top 30 for me.

I have just been looking at his Ks & BBs this season, ignoring the other numbers…and he has something, for sure.

"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.

by Rodney on Jul 28, 2009 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Biggest Brigham reservation

Well, actually I discount everything if the BB rate’s off.

He also faded badly…his last few tandem appearances with Martin were bunk.

04/2009…2.08 ERA (17.1 IP, 18:6 K:BB, 0 HR)
05/2009…6.30 ERA (20.0 IP, 26:13 K:BB 1 HR)
06/2009…7.71 ERA (18.2 IP, 15:5 K:BB, 4 HR)

He seemed to back off the strikeout and see his BB number fall in June…I like how that worked out for Kasey and Wilmer this season too.

"[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 28, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Eh

Do I wish we had stronger OF/3B prospects? Sure. But I wouldn’t say it bothers me.

Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham.

by TheJeezus on Jul 28, 2009 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Doesn't bother me.

Like not even a little.

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 28, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Doesn’t bother me.

How do you figure?

"[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 28, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

We just need 1 really good one to pop up every couple of years.

I mean we do have Davis, Smoak, Borbon, Ramirez, Moreland, Beltre, and Lemon, in the minors, right now.

by tyd3311 on Jul 28, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Lemon...

hehe

Go Rice Owls!

by JBImaknee on Jul 28, 2009 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

i know….

by tyd3311 on Jul 28, 2009 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Because all I want out of my farm system is impact players.

Give me impact players and the rest can be filled in with league average filler or through trades/FA signings.

Sure, I suppose it’d be nice if you had perfect prospect depth sprinkled around between all different positions and levels.

But impact talent is far and away the most important thing to me.

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 28, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

OK, put it that way

There are some ambiguity guys (Beltre, Pimentel, maybe Velazquez) but the only impact offense available is Smoak and Davis (if his 2009 MLB sample is truly an aberration). And it’s a long way in between.

This makes me agree more with the earlier idea of, odd as it sounds, trading pitching for an impact bat at some point.

"[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 28, 2009 2:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sure, if it comes to us needing to fill a particular hole at the major league level, you can dip into the farm system and fix it through trade if need be.

I have no problem with that provided it’s the right player at the right time and the cost isn’t r-diculous.

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 28, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It would be really nice for them to

come up with a couple of very solid position prospects. It’s not an issue internally right now because they’re in such good shape positionally at the major league level (not counting guys they could trade away this week). But position players take time, so they really do need to start working on getting a few good ones in the pipeline.

The lack of depth doesn’t bother me, but the lack of high end quality will pretty soon, and it obviously hinders your trade options if you don’t have young position players to deal. Just ask the Giants.

by Brett Perryman on Jul 28, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

If in a year Smoak and Borbon have graduated and the Rangers are still lacking in any positional strength (basically, if guys like Beltre don’t make a big jump), I’m going to start getting a little worried.

The hope would be if the Rangers could do the type of deals like Garza trade the Twins did a few years ago (obviously with hopefully more success). A really nice pitching prospect on the cusp can be quite valuable. They’ll be able to get you any Moreland-level prospects you need. The problem is that the Smoak/Kinsler/Andrus types are rare.

Go Rice Owls!

by JBImaknee on Jul 28, 2009 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

No, the Garza trade is an example of what NOT to do.

If you end up having a hole you need to fill you either use you premium chips to trade for a proven commodity or use FA or your depth to acquire an undervalued or blocked asset from someone else, a la Russel Branyan, Frankyln Gutierrez, Scott Hairston, Nyjer Morgan, Nate McLouth, etc.

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 28, 2009 8:14 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It still makes me giggle...

That we ranked Sheppers and Purke #4 and #5

"Support the Dutch Oven"

by RangerFloppy on Jul 28, 2009 11:54 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Why would that make you giggle?

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 28, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Because they aren't even signed...

Yet we rank them in front of Font and Kiker…When they are signed they will have higher ceilings, but to hop in at #4 and #5 in the universes’ best farm system when the ink hasn’t dropped from the pen on their contracts is putting the horse in front of the cart.

"Support the Dutch Oven"

by RangerFloppy on Jul 28, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

If they never sign

we just remove them from the list and move everyone up a spot.

What is the big deal?

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Jul 28, 2009 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's not a big deal...

I just like how excitable we all are (me included) with our new toys. We’re like Jojo the idiot circus boy with his pretty new pet…

"Support the Dutch Oven"

by RangerFloppy on Jul 28, 2009 4:05 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Two separate issues

One is whether to include them, and obviously a case can be made either way on that. But if you’re going to include them, it would just be flat wrong to rank them below Kiker. If we were going to force ourselves to rank so rigidly by level, the list would be meaningless.

by Brett Perryman on Jul 28, 2009 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yah, I find the whole "But they haven't even played yet el oh el" crowd to be confusing.

I mean, you wouldn’t rank Stephen Strasburg over Kasey Kiker or Tommy Hunter?

Really?

Just because he hasn’t pitched a professional inning?

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 28, 2009 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

The Latin Wind...

…Comes Blowin’ in, from across the sea…

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 28, 2009 12:10 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

One of Frank's

less inspired efforts.

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

by t ball on Jul 28, 2009 7:52 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

An Open Question...

Does anyone think that we may have overlooked Doug Mathis? I’m just asking for opinions here. Mathis is up to 44.1 innings of Major League Ball and, barring injury, will likely be ineligible the next time these rankings are done, so I thought this would be a good forum. I was looking through his career statistics and what I find interesting is that he’s shown an ability to adapt to the competition over the last three years.

In 2007, Mathis had a 3.76 ERA for Frisco over 22 starts but a 10.66 ERA in his two starts at Oklahoma City that season. Then in 2008, he started 10 games for Oklahoma City and his ERA was 3.35. Later in the season, Mathis made eight appearances (four starts) for the Big League Club and his ERA was 6.85. This year, his ERA for OKC was 2.89, and since being brought up to Majors in his 11 appearances (one start), his ERA is just 1.64.

So what do you think? Obviously there’s more to baseball statistics than ERA, but is Mathis being overlooked? While his upside might not be as high as many of the guys already voted in this Prospect Project, are we not adequately accounting for the fact that Mathis is already delivering at the Major League Level?

Scott Baio. Ric Ocasek. Rick Fox. Brian Austin Green. My heroes have always been mediocre.

Greg Golson doesn't do extra base hits.

by YourNameHere on Jul 28, 2009 12:12 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I still remember Mathis form last year

for matching CC Sabathia pitch for pitch up in Cleaveland

After Fuentes blows a save and an Angels loss to the Indians:
"Angels still in first place" - UCI Halo
"Hey you know who would have gotten those 3 outs in the 9th?
Darren O’Day." - FirebatM3
LOL

by hinduplaya on Jul 28, 2009 4:06 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

At least Luis Mendoza probably isn't eligible anymore

Adam would be voting for him since #13

Go Rice Owls!

by JBImaknee on Jul 28, 2009 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Telis

though I wish he’d start developing the habit of being more selective now, rather than having to adjust once he’s already in over his head. Contact is not a problem, though.

by Brett Perryman on Jul 28, 2009 12:41 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

LSB CPP MS

needs to go to #30

and where is the love for Johnny Whittleman???

He should be in the top 30

My garden this year... planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, okra, and for the first time i went with eggplant
Chapman Family Historical Photos

by cowpoke on Jul 28, 2009 10:48 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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