LSB Community Prospect Project: Mid-Season Wrap-Up

No love for Lemon.

Alma para conquistarte, corazón para quererte, y vida para vivirla junto a ti.

by chrisR on Jul 31, 2009 8:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

or vallejo

i still think he is top 25

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Aug 1, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you kidding me?

only 5/25 hitters ?

Alma para conquistarte, corazón para quererte, y vida para vivirla junto a ti.

by chrisR on Aug 2, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Luckily 2 of those 5 are starter-quality guys ready to step in and be starters at the major league level starting as soon as late this year.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 2, 2009 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully Mendonky donk can do something next year.

Otherwise it’ll be Max (on the verge of promotion), Mitch (no viable spot for us), and Beltre (coming off the wrist surgery) as our hitters, so we’re getting thin positionally.

I’m not too worried about it, of course, since we can trade the more coveted P’s as needed. It’s just a scary lack of depth outside of guys like Bianucci (he of 34 K’s in 95 Bakersfield PA’s [39.5%!])and maybe Tim Smith (who doesn’t seem to have enough power to stick as a COF, nor the defense to be worth carrying as a 4th OF’er, imo). Yeah, good luck to Matt West also, heh.

"Guys are visual creatures, that’s how we’ve been wired, for millennia…only fat and or ugly chicks use that word you just typed." - Rodney

by Chase Irwin on Aug 2, 2009 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the Latin guys

I’m hopeful that Sardinhas and Profar will help some with that, cause if you have a legit SS prospect these days, you can easily swap them out for any other position where you might have a more urgent need.

The dearth of SS prospects around baseball is pretty striking. This was made evident to me when Toronto was looking for a SS in the Halladay deal, I could find less than a handful of guys in all the minor leagues that realistically project as ML starters at the position.So if one or both of those guys pan out – it will be a huge coup.

Also, Velazquez looks to have quite a bit of promise, as does Telis. I think both those guys will be top 10-15 in the system by this time next year.

"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 Aug 2, 2009 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, exactly.

Our young stash of latin players should start making noise next year.

Telis, Velazquez, Garcia, Pimentel, Sardinas and Profar.

All lots of ceiling.

BTW, what’s up with Esdras Abreu? He was supposed to be the co-jewel of last year’s haul along with Eddy Escbar, but he’s playing in the Domincan right now instead of being over here. 550k signing bonus and generated some buzz in spring. Seems like he’d be in the AZRL. Did something happen and I missed it? Or are they just taking it slow with him? Google is whiffing right now.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 2, 2009 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would keep Feliz ahead of Smoak

and swap Main and Beavan. Other than that, I couldn’t really argue for moving the other guys around in the list.

Still a top 5 system, I would think.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Jul 31, 2009 8:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Assuming

we sign Purke in time and not Scheppers (i think he signs near the end of the yr because he is governed by a different deadline due to be an indy lg player) I would venture to say that this is a top 2 system. Competition will come from Marlins and Giants however the Giants unloaded a few noteworthy prospects the past few days.

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 31, 2009 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Red Sox deserve to be in that conversation.

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 31, 2009 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does losing Hagadone affect that any?

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 Aug 1, 2009 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only a little.

They still have a ton of guys with ridiculous upside.

by LiamP on Aug 1, 2009 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hagadone and Price were B and B- prospects, imo.

So it hurts them for sure, but not a shit ton.

They still have crazy good depth, though our higher end shit beats theirs.

Another team we tend to gloss over is the Rays.

Black Beckham, Desmond Jennings, Jeremy Hellickson, Wade Davis, Matt Moore… that system is loaded like my ball sack on a steamy hot June evening.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Wallop! Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young fouled the ball lofting it high into the stadium and the hand of the athletic father.

by thedirkatron on Aug 1, 2009 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Michael Kirkman

His Frisco run has not been great, but it has been good.

In Bakersfield his K and BB rates were quite good, though. Plus you read good things about his stuff, and he’s young. So much of his 2008 and 2007 was injury-depleted.

I figure in Frisco he tired with the increase in innings, and competition caught up, but with a solid offseason he could be all together for 2010.

And he’ll be 23 for all of it.

Young lefthander with a lot of potential, you ask me.

"[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 31, 2009 8:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I voted for him since #22

But I’m not that upset he didn’t make it on the list.

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

by Dirk Diggler on Jul 31, 2009 8:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kirkman

I heard so many good things about him coming into the season but he just hasn’t had good results after the promotion.

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Jul 31, 2009 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My top 41:

I included some grades using the Sickels grading system.

Enjoy, sluts.

1. RHP, Neftali Feliz, A
2. LHP, Martin Perez, A
3. 1b, Justin Smoak, A
4. LHP, Matt Purke, B+
5. RHP, Tanner Scheppers, B+
6. OF, Julio Borbon, B
7. RHP, Wilmer Font, B
8. RHP, Michael Main, B-
9. C, Max Ramirez, B-
10. LHP, Kasey Kiker, B-
11. LHP, Robbie Ross, B-
12. OF, Engel Beltre, B-
13. RHP, Tommy Hunter, C+
14. RHP, Blake Beavan, C+
15. RHP, Joe Wieland, C+
16. RHP, Warner Madrigal, C+
17. RHP, Wilfredo Boscan, C+
18. RHP, Guillermo Moscoso, C+
19. RHP, Omar Poveda, C+
20. LHP, Edwin Escobar, C
21. MIF, Marcus Lemon, C
22. SS, Luis Sardinas, C
23. SS, Jurickson Profar, C
24. RHP, Braden Tullis, C
25. RHP, Eric Hurley, C
26. 1b/OF, Mitch Moreland, C
27. C, Tomas Telis, C
28. RHP, Richard Alvarez, C
29. 3b, Johnny Whittleman (Everyone here and below is a C-/Crapshoot kind of guy)
30. RHP, Jake Brigham
31. OF, Miguel Velazquez
32. RHP, Matt Thompson
33. SS, Leury Garcia
34. LHP, Michael Kirkman
35. RHP, Pedro Strop
36. LHP, Miguel de los Santos
37. RHP, Carlos Pimentel
38. LHP, Robert Erlin
39. C, Manny Pina
40. OF, The Latin Wind
41. LHP, Zach Phillips

Just Missed: Tommy Mendonca, Fabio Castillo, Tim Smith, Criag Gentry, Leonel de los Santos, Jose Vallejo, Andrew Doyle, Yoon-Hee Nam, Neil Ramirez, Mike Bianucci, Richard Bleier, Tae Ahn, and probably a ton of other dudes.

I was working from my notes, but it’s possible I forgot someone horribly obvious.

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 31, 2009 8:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What's your beef with Moreland?

Just curious. Nice list.

And, not to knee-jerk you in the nuts, but does Hunter’s July put him above Beltre for you?

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 31, 2009 8:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No beef at all with Moreland.

He’s done everything he needs to so far to keep his name in the game.

However, it’s hard for me to get too excited over him. Seems like there’s always a slew of guys coming up just like him. Good-but-not great minor league hitters who are usually older for their leagues, have questions about how their swing/approach will hold up to more advanced pitching, and have near zero defensive value. People always tend to get excited by guys like this, but they also have a high attrition rate in the high minors, and even if they do keep hitting all the way through AAA, they still end up having a hell of a time ever finding big league AB’s. He’s the kind of guy I’m going to have to see producing in the big leagues before I believe he has what it takes to produce in the big leagues, if you gnome saying.

As for Hunter, he’s shot up my list with the improvements he’s made this year, and what he’s done at the big league level has been nothing short of a revalation. Beltre still has superstar upside, though. He struggled this year, but I have a feeling a lot of that was tied into him working on specific things and being told not to worry too much about the results, and also to his falloff in BABIP. Hunter is looking more and more like he’s going to reach his Millwood/Suppan/Blanton ceiling for us, but it’s hard for me to put that over Beltre’s pure superstar ceiling.

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 31, 2009 9:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you go with the Newberg line of thinking...

Who would you be more upset with trading? I think I rather roll with Hunter then Beltre because he has shown he can be a mid rotation guy. If Hunter was more of a back rotation guy then I’d rather have Beltre’s ceiling. Although, it doesn’t hurt that Hunter’s value is at an all time high while Beltre’s is pretty close to an all time low.

by slimshadty12 on Aug 1, 2009 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can totally see that. That's the thing about prospect evaluation: It's complex.

On one hand I agree with you: Right now if somebody useful cleared waivers and we made a trade, I’d much rather see us part with Beltre than Hunter, because we’re in the middle of a pennant race and Big Game Hunter is a part of that whereas Beltre is most certainly, um, not.

But, are we evaluating prospects, or evaluating prospects in terms of what they mean to the team?

How much would that change if we were 15 games out? Would you still much rather see Beltre’s name pop up in a trade than Hunter’s?

Or what about in the off season? Hunter or Beltre?

I know it’s hard to discount what a young guy means to this team at this exact moment, but as tough as it is to put that part of it out of your mind, I think you have to do just that. I don’t think you can rank prospects based on team need.

But people do it, and I’m no different.

It’s part of why I think our upper level MIF’ers like Vallejo and Lemon are perhaps a bit underrated. People see them as redundant. If we had an aging 2b looking like he was gonna be ready to move on into FA or retirement after this or even next season, do you think Lemon and Vallejo might get a little more love?

I’m rambling at this point, but hopefully some of that made a little sense.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 2, 2009 9:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well I was saying more in a vaccum...

I guess who would you hate to trade more discounting where we are in the race or time of the year: a mid rotation guy or a high ceiling, high flame out guy?

by slimshadty12 on Aug 2, 2009 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The superstar ceiling, high flameout guy.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 2, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So I guess that answers why you put Beltre ahead...

I guess in the end you need a combination of both to fill out a successful team.

by slimshadty12 on Aug 2, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From a Sickels' perspective, I doubt

Perez would get an A, Scheppers a B+, or Font a B. The perspective that values stats generally discounts low-A and indy pro experience.

I think these grades are about what would be expected from the BA, more-heavily-focused-on-tools perspective.

Also, you left Kris Benson off the list? heh. Why is he even still at OKC. Poveda has almost 100 IP at Frisco. Time to dump Kris and promote Poveda.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Jul 31, 2009 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sickels grading system, not his specific grading criteria or what I think they'd get from Sickels himself.

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 31, 2009 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Channeling Sickles

This is Sickels’ list from last year:

1) Neftali Feliz, RHP, Grade A
2) Justin Smoak, 1B, Grade A-
3) Elvis Andrus, SS, Grade A-
4) Derek Holland, LHP, Grade B+
5) Taylor Teagarden, C, Grade B
6) Julio Borbon, OF, Grade B
7) Engel Beltre, OF, Grade B
8) Michael Main, RHP, Grade B
9) Max Ramirez, C-1B, Grade B
10) Martin Perez, LHP, Grade B-
11) Kasey Kiker, LHP, Grade B-
12) Neil Ramirez, RHP, Grade C+: Almost a B-.
13) Guillermo Moscoso, RHP, Grade C+: Nice pickup from the Tigers. Durability and role are issues.
14) Kennil Gomez, RHP, Grade C+
15) Blake Beavan, RHP, Grade C+:
16) Wilfredo Boscan, RHP, Grade C+
17) Tim Murphy, LHP, Grade C+
18) Wilmer Font, RHP, Grade C+: Huge upside
19) Tommy Hunter, RHP, Grade C+
20) Eric Hurley, RHP, Grade C+
21) Robbie Ross, LHP, Grade C+
22) Omar Poveda, RHP, Grade C+
23) Joe Wieland, RHP, Grade C+
24) Jose Vallejo, 2B, Grade C+

In my opinion, Perez has moved up a full letter grade. Beltre, Main, MaxRam, Ramirez, Gomez, and Murphy have moved down. Borbon has to be close to a B+. The 2009 performances of Moscoso, Hunter, and Ross should have moved them up to at least B-. Poveda’s improved groundball rate cancels his reduced strike-out rate and his overall AA numbers have been great, so I think that he has an outside shot at moving up a grade. Going off of Sickels list, I would expect his midseason grades/ranks to look something like this:

1) Neftali Feliz, RHP, Grade A
2) Justin Smoak, 1B, Grade A
3) Martin Perez, LHP, Grade A-
4) Tanner Scheppers, RHP, Grade B+
5) Julio Borbon, OF, Grade B+
6) Matt Purke, LHP, Grade B
7) Wilmer Font, RHP, Grade B-
8) Kasey Kiker, LHP, Grade B-
9) Max Ramirez, C-1B, Grade B-
10) Michael Main, RHP, Grade B-
11) Robbie Ross, LHP, Grade B-
12) Guillermo Moscoso, RHP, Grade B-
13) Tommy Hunter, RHP, Grade B-
14) Engel Beltre, OF, Grade C+
15) Omar Poveda, RHP, Grade C+
16) Blake Beavan, RHP, Grade C+:
17) Wilfredo Boscan, RHP, Grade C+
18) Joe Wieland, RHP, Grade C+
19) Mitch Moreland, 1B, Grade C+
20) Kennil Gomez, RHP, Grade C

Thanks for doing the CPP, Dirkatron. It was great fun!

by spurdynasty on Jul 31, 2009 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sickels' putative grading above suggests

that the strength of the Rangers minor league system has not suffered much despite the promotions of three A- to B level prospects and the struggles of Main, Beltre, MaxRam, and NeRa.

Pre-2009 featured:
3 A/A-
1 B+
5 B
3 B-
12 B- or better

Mid-2009
3 A/A-
2 B+
1 B
7 B-
13 B- or better

by spurdynasty on Jul 31, 2009 11:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who'da thunk it?

Very nice to see.

"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 Aug 1, 2009 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

this is a very well done list, the only grade id dispute is Font's

i thin he’s shown enough to possibly recieve a B, he’s about as high cieling as you can get and he’s shown alot of good things in A ball. Thats probably the most interesting player to grade imo. Perez may also recieve a B+ grade just knowing how Sickels isnt a huge fan of giving young arms real high grades. Borbon deserves the B+ and the improvements he’s made while subtle enough are exactly the kind of improvements we wanted coming into this year. I think Sickels will recognize those improvements in his game and give him B+

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

by blalock84 on Aug 2, 2009 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

1. Neftali Feliz

2. Justin Smoak
3. Martin Perez
4. Tanner Scheppers
5. Wilmer Font
6. Matt Purke
7. Michael Main
8. Julio Borbon
9. Tommy Hunter
10. Kasey Kiker
11. Max Ramirez
12. Blake Beavan
13. Robbie Ross
14. Joe Wieland
15. Mitch Moreland
16. Engel Beltre
17. Wilfredo Boscan
18. Omar Poveda
19. Guillermo Moscoso
20. Pedro Strop
21. Michael Kirkman
22. Braden Tullis
23. Tomas Telis
24. Fabio Castillo
25. Miguel Velazquez

by tyd3311 on Jul 31, 2009 8:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

it’s a crap shoot after #20 for me.

1. Feliz
2. Smoak
3. Perez
4. Main
5. Scheppers
6. Font
7. Purke
8. Borbon
9. Boscan
10. Wieland
11. Kiker
12. Hunter
13. Ross
14. Ramirez
15. Beavan
16. Beltre
17. Moreland
18. Poveda
19. Madrigal
20. Hurley
21. Gomez
22. Strop
23. Escobar
24. Moscoso
25. Tullis

I reserve the right to change all these tomorrow.

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

by slc ranger on Jul 31, 2009 9:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for doing the CPP once again, Dir Kat Ron.

I had fun, and learned a bunch.

"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 31, 2009 9:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

That’s always the best thing about it.

J.P. can take Roy Halladay and shove him up his ass. I’ll take Derek Holland. - AJM

Hello Win Column

by lonestarJon on Jul 31, 2009 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fist time I've actually sat down and tried to list these guys in order...

1. Smoak
2. Feliz
3. Perez
4. Scheppers
5. Purke
6. Font
7. Borbon
8. Tommy Hunter
9. Michael Main
10. MaxRam
11. Wieland
12. Boscan
13. Ross
14. Kiker
15. Moscoso
16. Beavan
17. Poveda
18. Beltre
19. Moreland
20. Madrigal
21. Hurley
22. Strop
23. Ne-Ra
24. Tullis
25. Eddy Escobar

J.P. can take Roy Halladay and shove him up his ass. I’ll take Derek Holland. - AJM

Hello Win Column

by lonestarJon on Jul 31, 2009 10:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I like a tiering system better than a pure list

partially because I’m a pussy, and partially because I’m dyslexic, and partially because fuck numbers.

Tier 1
Perez
Feliz
Smoak

Tier 2
Purke
Scheppers
Max
Borbon
Beltre
Font
Main (2008/Fall Instructs version, that didn’t have lupus and was giving lots of smart baseball people engorged pitching weenies, that will theoretically come back now the lupus is gone)

Tier 2.5/The zywica tier
Sardinas
Profar
Escobar
Guillermo Pimentel
Alverez
(So named because there’s evidence these guys could end up in Tier 1 or 2, but they’re just so new & shiny it’s hard to tell anything for sure. Also, young latin dudes.)

Tier 3
Main (the 2009, has-lupus version, that still wasn’t too terrible considering his age and, you know, the lupus.)
Kiker
Beavan
Hunter
Moreland
Ross
Wieland
Timmy Smith
Boscan
Moscoso
Poveda
Tullis
Madrigal
Telis

Tier 4
Vallejo
Golson
Gentry
Lemon
Luery
Strop
Phillips
Whittleman
Mendonca
Pina
Paisano
Murray

Tier Hurley
Eric Hurley

And from here the list goes on until you get to Jared Hyatt. Roughly translated, T1 is a bunch of dudes with really high ceilings, and seem to have really high probabilities of getting close to them. T2 is a bunch of dudes with equally high ceilings, but for a reason or another less likely to hit (and yes, I still believe in a Victor Martinez celing for Max, and an Adam Jones ceiling for Beltre. Maybe I’m just romantic that way). Tier 3 is guys who I think are future everyday/semi-everyday players or solid rotational guys, or a guy who has a chance to be a really valuable bullpen piece (last night’s crapfest nonwithstanding). Tier 4 is a bunch of hit and miss types, but most of them have one dimension that could take them to the majors in some kind of functional role (and I was very tempted to move Golson up to T3, even if he can’t hit, based on him having super plus speed/range/arm, but common sense prevailed).

The 2.5 copout is pretty weak. I know. But those guys needed a place, and I thought shoe-horning them in there was the best of a group of bad solutions.

How do you solve a problem like Miggy de Los Santos?

And I don’t know if Hurley is a zombie of a pitcher at this point or not. I’m also skeered that we won’t know that until 2011.

Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law

by Keynes on Jul 31, 2009 10:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Your left Trevor Hurley out of teir Hurley

by tyd3311 on Jul 31, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's been a rough few years, but this Hurley showed some major promiseback in the day

If I knew Eric, Trevor, or Hugo Reyes had the same kind of ceiling she had…

Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law

by Keynes on Jul 31, 2009 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder what she could do with these?

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 31, 2009 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice. I tried to do something like tiers as I was doing my list.

Lots of tough decisions to be made in shit like this.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Wallop! Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young fouled the ball lofting it high into the stadium and the hand of the athletic father.

by thedirkatron on Jul 31, 2009 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I just wasn't up for the stress

of trying to figure out if Luery was a better prospect than Paisano. Screw it, I says, put ’em together.

I thought about applying the Sickles’ approach- I suppose you could put A’s on the first, B’s on the second, and so on if you’d like.

Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law

by Keynes on Aug 1, 2009 12:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

C'mon, dudes.

More personal lists so we can make fun of each other’s shit a year from now!

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Wallop! Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young fouled the ball lofting it high into the stadium and the hand of the athletic father.

by thedirkatron on Jul 31, 2009 5:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Without putting too much thought into it...

1. Smoak
2. Feliz
3. Perez
4. Scheppers
5. Purke
6. Font
7. Ross
8. Borbon
9. Main
10. Boscan
11. Max
12. Hunter (He qualifies still?)
13. Beltre
14. Kiker
15. Namirez
16. Wieland
17. Moscoso
18. Poveda
19. Moreland
20. Beavan
21. Tullis
22. Telis
23. Escobar
24. Hurley
25. Gomez

by LiamP on Jul 31, 2009 8:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

X

1. Feliz
2. Smoak
3. Perez
4. Scheppers
5. Font
6. Ross
7. Purke
8. Borbon
9. Beltre
10. Max
11. Main
12. Hunter
13. Kiker
14. Wieland
15. Beavan
16. Poveda
17.Moreland
18. Tullis
19. Madrigal
20. Escobar
21. Moscoso
22. Velazquez
23. Pimental
24. Castillo
25. Phillips

I think Luke French has a lot of potential. TORP potential.-Dstar

by sprite on Jul 31, 2009 10:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Putting Velzquez in there

probably will look very smart this time next year.

Facepalm for not getting him on my list

Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law

by Keynes on Jul 31, 2009 10:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

prejaculation with Ross, imo

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

by blalock84 on Aug 2, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll give this thing a shot...

I didn’t include guys currently in the Dominican Summer League or the International Free Agents Texas signed post-July 2nd. I might have missed somebody, but here goes:

1) Justin Smoak
2) Neftali Feliz
3) Martin Perez
4) Wilmer Font
5) Tanner Scheppers
6) Matt Purke
7) Julio Borbon
8) Tommy Hunter
9) Michael Main
10) Kasey Kiker
11) Robbie Ross
12) Blake Beavan
13) Max Ramirez
14) Tommy Mendonca
15) Warner Madrigal
16) Guillermo Moscoso
17) Wilfredo Boscan
18) Pedro Strop
19) Miguel Velazquez
20) Omar Poveda
21) Engel Beltre
22) Joe Wieland
23) Mitch Moreland
24) Neil Ramirez
25) Matt Nevarez
26) Fabio Castillo
27) Braden Tullis
28) Edwin Escobar
29) Michael Bianucci
30) Richard Alvarez

Just missed: Andrew Doyle, Robert Erlin, Ryan Falcon, Greg Golson, Kennil Gomez, Eric Hurley, Beau Jones, Zachary Phillips, Guillermo Pimentel, Evan Reed, Tanner Roark, Tim Smith, Tomas Telis, Jose Vallejo, Corey Young

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 Aug 1, 2009 1:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Mendonca at #14?

Can you walk me through the steps that get you excited about this guy? I want to believe, but I can’t see it. Perhaps I’m just perturbed that the team took another third baseman in the second round when Kipnis, Gould, and Alex Wilson were still available.

by spurdynasty on Aug 1, 2009 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tommy Mendonca...

I think he’s undervalued. Check out his college numbers and you’ll see incredible power and the ability to draw walks. And we’ve recently begun seeing the power manifest itself in the Northwest League, which currently is packed with 2009 college draft picks and many of the top high school draftees of 2008. Obviously, the strikeouts are pretty damning.

But the guys who I’ve got behind Mendonca have some question marks as well. Guillermo Moscoso is going to be 26 at the beginning of next season, and I’m not sure he’s a lock to break camp at the big league level in 2010. Pedro Strop‘s numbers this season aren’t inspiring much confidence, and while much has been made of his talent, I don’t see it as a given that he’ll be able to carve out a Major League career. I imagine that Strop will get added to the 40-Man Roster based on his potential, along with the fact that if Texas doesn’t he can leave as a free agent, but I’m also thinking he’s going to spend almost all of 2010 in the minor leagues. Omar Poveda has 47 strikeouts in 97 innings in Frisco this year. Warner Madrigal was close, but I gave Mendonca the edge because Madrigal figures to be a reliever, as opposed to a starter.

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 Aug 1, 2009 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's the kid

nobodies ever heard of, right?

"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

by DJCahill on Aug 2, 2009 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone with an idea on when Font or Perez can head to Frisco?

Font’s last 7 starts – ERA <2.00, .88 K/IP
Perez’s last 8 – ERA 1.32, 1.05 K/IP

I think it’s time.

Your uncle molests collies.

by 3k on Aug 1, 2009 1:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wait till next year

Let them go for a championship in Hickory this year then go into next year with Perez slated to start in Frisco and Font in High A. Font should be a fast riser next year if he keeps this up but with his history I wouldn’t jump him to AA just yet

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 Aug 1, 2009 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup

No reason at all to promote them right now. Let them go to the playoffs and get promoted next year.
Same argument I had for Kiker staying in AA, let him compete with that team in the playoffs

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Aug 1, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The brass has said they are doing exactly that.

"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 Aug 1, 2009 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well with Kiker I think its a bit different

Kiker could conceivably help this club out early next year if need be. So a month at OKC now where he could get that transition period out of the way as a 21 year old may help him out tremendously. That way he could start next year already used to the league and be a legit option for ML work as early as Mid May I would think.

With Perez I think it is a very very slim chance he sees Arlington before 2011 so a month now in AA as a 18 year old probably won’t do the type of good for him as staying in A ball would

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 Aug 1, 2009 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they'll get Beavan'd next year.

Do your time in baseball hell, then get promoted to the minor league nirvana that is Frisco.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Wallop! Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young fouled the ball lofting it high into the stadium and the hand of the athletic father.

by thedirkatron on Aug 1, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm kind of hoping Bakersfield isn't our high A affiliate next year.

J.P. can take Roy Halladay and shove him up his ass. I’ll take Derek Holland. - AJM

Hello Win Column

by lonestarJon on Aug 2, 2009 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Carolina league!

Or, well, that’s the dream.

I kind of doubt it, though.

I think we’re in Bakes for at least one more year. This seems like a pretty bad time to try to move somewhere and get some city to give you a favorable deal.

Maybe Lucas has some idea as to how things are progressing on this front.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 2, 2009 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Innings...

Most of Martin Perez’s and Wilmer Font’s starts look to be lasting 5 innings maximum. While there wouldn’t be anything particularly wrong with promoting either of them now to Bakersfield, if they were doing 6+ an outing, which appears to be expected as starting pitching prospects get closer to the big leagues, I think it would be an easier call to make. I’m not too worried about Texas’s handling of Perez and Font though. If they keep delivering, I wouldn’t think it all surprising if one or both of them spent a bit of time in Double-A next year.

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 Aug 1, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

For me, it goes

Smoak
Feliz
Perez
Scheppers
Purke
Font
Borbon
Hunter
Beavan
Main
Ross
Kiker
Ramirez
Poveda
Ross
Wieland
Moreland
Boscan
Beltre
Moscoso
Hurley
Escobar
Madrigal
Strop
Mendonca
Tulis
Sardinas
Profar

Kanye, you want to be the voice of this generation? Get in line! It goes me, Obamagirl, the Freecreditreport.com guys, then It's a tie between you-and Crocs.
-Stephen Colbert

by Conjunction on Aug 2, 2009 1:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

does anyone else watch Madrigal pitch for the Rangers...

and wonder how in the hell he is so successful at OKC? His stuff looks really mediocre to me and I have doubts that he will ever be very useful in the ML.

"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 Aug 2, 2009 12:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It looked a whole lot better last season

Last season, he looked like he could step up and be a key bullpen piece this year.

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 Aug 2, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Madrigal

At times his slider has looked wicked and other times its looked piss poor. I think he uses all of next seasons option working in the minors before we have to make a definitive decision on him in 2011

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 Aug 2, 2009 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't see him last night.

Apparently is wasn’t pretty.

Was he really that bad?

Like you said, I liked what I saw from him last year. He showed flashes of the kind of stuff that I thought could make him a valuable backend piece going forward. I had high hopes for him.

I still think the talent is there if he can just gain consistency.

But, I didn’t see last night.

How bad was it?

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 2, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He couldn't locate for shit

He got some swings and misses on his slider but he was shooting for the outside corner alot and missing.

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 Aug 2, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

his stuff actually looks really good

but stuff isnt good when its located like shit… Maddog had zero control inside or outside of the zone while up here. His splitter seems to be a nice pitch and he seems to like to throw it alot. If he can locate his above average FB in the right spots like he probably has been in OKC, he could be a solid arm for us down the road.

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

by blalock84 on Aug 2, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, List, real quick:

1) Smoak
2) Perez – im in love
3) Feliz – a tie bt. him and Perez pretty much
4) Borbon – a lock to be a starting CF in my mind and i think he’s going to be really, really solid
5) Font – Its hard to see how I could be expect more from Purke in A ball than what Font has done if he was there this year with Font
6) Purke – Of course, I may be underestimating how good Purke is
7) Scheppers – Injuries, injuries, injuries… if we dock Ramirez and Main for them, why cant i dock Schep + We did draft him second
8) Kiker – No matter where Kiker ends up helping us, he’s going to help us more than hurt us imo
9) Hunter – He’s got better swing and miss stuff than i thought, I think he makes it for a long time in this lg
10) MaxRam – He’s still going to be a solid major league hitter
11) Mike Main – upside, i cant wait to see a healthy MaxRam and Main next year
12) Beavan – Still has a lot of time and development in front of him, reaching AA at 20 is sweet.
13) Ross- Everything looks epically awesome in Short Season A… but he’s sill in short season A
14) Moreland – Watching him hit, he’s got a very, very good approach at the plate. We’ll see, but i like him more than most
15) Poveda – While i’ve bee worried about his K-rate, after seeing him throw, I buy into the thought that he can be a ground ball, back end guy… His Change up is as good as advertised too.
16) Joe Wieland – John Lackey. Not in doucheness, but in sensational Comp. For some reason, I see that if everthing goes well for him. His stuff seems to be getting better with age.
17) Beltre
18) Moscoso
19) Timmy Smith
20) Brandon Tulis
21) Mike Kirkman
22) Mig Velasquez
23) Telis
24) Kennil Gomez – having a poveda2008-esque season
25) Zach Phillips
26)

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

by blalock84 on Aug 2, 2009 4:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

shit, posted that b4 i was done... oh well.

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

by blalock84 on Aug 2, 2009 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

belated list

Been moving the past few days and just got my internet hooked up. Anyway, I’m going to rank prospects until I reach Geuris, because he’s the shit.

1) Justin Smoak
2) Neftali Feliz
3) Martin Perez
4) Tanner Scheppers
5) Matt Purke
6) Julio Borbon
7) Wilmer Font
8) Tommy Hunter
9) Blake Beavan
10) Michael Main
11) Kasey Kiker
12) Robbie Ross
13) Max Ramirez
14) Joe Wieland
15) Mitch Moreland
16) Omar Poveda
17) Engel Beltre
18) Wilfredo Boscan
19) Guillermo Moscoso
20) Warner Madrigal
21) Tim Smith
22) Neil Ramirez
23) Kennil Gomez
24) Michael Kirkman
25) Braden Tullis
26) Edwin Escobar
27) Miguel Velazquez
28) Tommy Mendonca
29) Tomas Telis
30) Matt Thompson
31) Eric Hurley
32) Pedro Strop
33) Michael Bianucci
34) Richard Alvarez
35) Marcus Lemon
36) Fabio Castillo
37) Geuris Grullon

by naropean on Aug 3, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

belated list

1) Neftali Feliz
2) Justin Smoak
3) Martin Perez
4) Tanner Scheppers
5) Mathew Purke
6) Wilmer Font
7) Julio Borbon
8) Michael Main
9) Tommy Hunter
10) Kasey Kiker
11) Blake Beavan
12) Max Ramirez
13) Omar Poveda
14) Robbie Ross
15) Joe Wieland
16) Engel Beltre
17) Wilfredo Boscan
18) Mitch Moreland
19) Eric Hurley
20) Guillermo Moscoso
21) Edwin Escobar
22) Branden Tullis
23) Miguel De Los Santos
24) Tomas Telis
25) Michael Kirkman
26) Tim Smith
27) Warner Madrigal
28) Pedro Strop
29) Neil Ramirez
30) Carlos Pimentel
31) Kennil Gomez
32) Matt Thompson
33) Jake Brigham
34) Jose Vallejo
35) Marcus Lemon
36) Manuel Pina
37) Greg Golston
38) Johnny Whittleman
39) Tommy Mendonca
40) Robert Erlin
41) Jurickson Profar
42) Luis Sardinas
43) Andrew Doyle
44) Leonel de los Santos
45) Matt Nevarez
46) Richard Alvarez
47) Carlos Melo
48) Tim Murphy
49) Fabio Castillo
50) Thomas Diamond

by BrentTaylor21 on Aug 3, 2009 3:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Seems like one of the most reasonable lists on here.

A nice blend, there.

"Guys are visual creatures, that’s how we’ve been wired, for millennia…only fat and or ugly chicks use that word you just typed." - Rodney

by Chase Irwin on Aug 3, 2009 8:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Appreciate it.

After hearing what JD said about Profar I would probably move him up a bit.

by BrentTaylor21 on Aug 4, 2009 7:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Word.

I had him at #23, and even that seems a little low now that JD has come forth a revealed himself to be the head of the Profarian Church.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 5, 2009 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs