Chop veggies until fine. Combine with crockpot, cook until ready. Really no time limit, just let it simmer until you feel it's ready. You can adjust the japapenos however you like, depending on how ####y you like it.
Half Assed Michelada Recipe
One Lime
Pinch Of Salt
Ice Cubes (however many is your choice)
Five dashes of either Tabasco or Valentina, the later if you can find it.
Five Dashes Of Worstershire Sauce (Sure I ####ked that up.
1/3 of the glass be filled wth Clamato or Tomato Juice
Preferably a Mexican Beer like Tecate or Dos Equis, but Budwiser will do in a pinch.
Mix the misture in a glass, pour in beer, chug it down.
Mid-Western Style Beer Brats (From Paula Deen, Food Network)
6 bratwurst buns or hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
Mustard
#### the bratwurst all over with a fork. In a medium pot, combine the bratwurst, beer, and half the onions. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until bratwurst are firm and cooked through. Transfer the bratwurst to a plate. Reserve some of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onions and the bell peppers. Cook about 15 minutes or until very soft, tossing occasionally. Add the bratwurst to the skillet in the last 5 minutes of cooking to lightly brown. If the vegetables begin to get too dark, add a few tablespoons of the bratwurst cooking liquid. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
To serve, spread each bun with mustard. Fill each bun with a brat. Top with sauteed peppers and onions.
(Made This Last Night. It's Tasty!)
Steak Ka-Bobs
Three thick steaks
Assorted Veggies, preferable squashes, peppers and those tomatillos
Steak Seasoning (Emril's is a good one.)
Season steaks according to preferance, then cut them apart into squares. Combine with veggies (Chopped of course), then grill to perfection. Serve with booze. And if burnt, remember, it's blackened, not burnt.
Don't know if I'm doing a desert yet, if I do it'll be cheesecake. That will be posted later, if I decide to do one.
A return to school and an increased workload at work due to sick leave has cut into my blogging time. Not cool.
Ah well, time for a collective group of thoughts about baseball.
Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus Traded For Each Other
Kinda a odd deal, considering that both are high priced deals with huge landmines attached to them (Health) but overall the deal does work to the favor of each team in one way or another.
WIth Rolen, the Blue Jays gain a Gold Glove defender at third base, which would help compensate for the lead glove of David Eckstein, at the cost of some offense. However, Eckstein is better than the shuffle at short the Jays had and there is the off chance that Rolen can prove himself to be semi-adequate with the bat. More than anything, however, the Jays need some type of return from Vernon Wells, who disappointed last season after signing for superstar money with the Jays.
In Glaus, the Cardinals get a big bat that is needed to help bolster the offense, which is, to be frank, pathetic outside of Pujols. More than anything, however, the Cardinals needed to diffuse the situation between Tony LaRussa and Rolen, which was made all but irreparable after LaRussa poured gas on that particular fire this off-season. The signing of Cesar Izturis does help improve the defense enough where the Cardinals can suffer through Glaus' hands of stone, and the move to natural grass and away from Toronto's turf should prove to be beneficial in the long run for Glaus.
All in all, it's a good gamble for both sides, but more importantly, it clears up some potential locker room disaster that would have exploded during the season had either player remained with their former teams.
Grade For Both Sides: B
Thoughts On The Kotsay Trade
I was going to rant about how the Braves should have just offered Andruw Jones arbitration, keeping him around for one more year, as he would have accepted, and keeping the offense together.
Instead, they pull this trade.
To be honest, I gotta give Billy Beane all the credit in the world on this one, as I think Kotsay is done. He's not the defender he once was and in terms of offense, he's not going to give you much in return. In all honesty, the Braves would have been better off just giving the job to Josh Anderson for the season and just gone with it from there. At least he's mostly paid for.
Oh wait. Oakland got two prospects, one of which, Joey Devine, the Braves' first round pick from two years ago, will likely help out Oakland in the bullpen this season. And they also got Jamie RIchmond, a right hander that could be a fifth starter. That's quite a haul for a broken player.
Anyhow, that's my take on that.
Oakland Grade - B
Atlanta Grade - D
Lost A Bet
To my friend, who's an Astros fan, on the Cowboy Game on Sunday.
So, expect the first (and only) Astros Report sometime this week.
That’s all I an say after Billy Beane, deciding that he had gone the distance with the club he had, decided to blow the whole thing up and start afresh. Trading two of his most valuable commodities (Dan Haren and Nick Swisher), Beane went and traded them both for a load of prospects, many of which will be arriving at Oakland’s front door within the year.
What this has done is re-energize a Athletics farm system that was shallow in terms of talent and was arguably in the bottom third of baseball and elevated it to the middle of the pack.
So, let’s take a look at how the system would rate now. Those that made the original Oakland list are in green. The new arrivials are standard black. Some of these prospects you have seen before (Arizona’s Prospect Report), but overall, there is some new content to check out here.
Athletics Top 15
1 – Daric Barton (1B)
DOB: 8/16/85
Drafted: 1st round, 2003, California High School (Cardinals)
2008 Club: Oakland Athletics (MLB)
Height/Weight: 6-0/205
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Barton was regarded, at the time of the Mark Mulder deal, to be the real centerpiece of the deal. Since then, Barton hasn’t disappointed, but with the emergence of Dan Haren as the ace of the staff, Barton is strictly a side piece that could make the entire deal a slam dunk winner for Oakland (considering that Kiki Calero also came in the deal.) He was called up late in the year and left a good enough impression for people to be hopeful for the future.
The Good: The gifted natural hitter was holding his own as a 20-year-old at Triple-A before breaking a bone in his elbow in a freak collision on a pickoff throw. Both his approach and his pitch recognition are above-average on a major-league level, and he can make contact on pitches of any type in any location.
The Bad: The biggest power potential that was once seen in Barton has never arrived, meaning that Barton is going to be a rather unconventional first baseman. Many believe that while he’s got the power to hit 30+ homers annually, he may never do so. As far as his defense, Barton was originally drafted as a catcher, but no one thought he’d be able to stay there. Oakland hoped to develop his bat faster, so they moved him to first base. Because of the power outage, Barton was moved to third, where he profiled better, but his terrible fielding resulted in a move back to first. Hence, he’s awful defensively.
Projection: Low. Barton has nothing left to prove and is ready to start contributing to the big league club this season, so this is likely the last year we’ll see him.
What He Can Be: A First Baseman that will get on base and hit twenty Homers.
2008 Course Of Action: The job is Barton’s starting next year, and with Jack Cust now installed as the everyday DH, this will likely force Oakland to trade Dan Johnson. That said, Barton probably isn’t a player I would be thrilled to have as my everyday first baseman, but he’s serviceable and in time would allow Oakland to take it’s time with a better power option in Chris Carter.
2 – Faustino De Los Santos (RHP)
DOB: 2/15/86
Signed: 2005, Dominican Republic (White Sox)
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/205
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Seeming to come out of nowhere, De Los Santos has dominated the American minor leagues and gave Low A Kannapolis an ace at the top of it’s rotation last season. He appeared in the Futures Game and game up a homer to uberprospect Justin Upton before a promotion to High A, where he remained until the trade for Nick Swisher.
The Good: De Los Santos has a neat fastball, sitting in the low 90’s and touches 96 with some sinking action. He’s got a very good curve with late movement that is a plus pitch. He’s also begun work on improving his changeup.
The Bad: The usual. De Los Santos needs to continue building his durability in order for him to continue logging some more innings, along with work to improve his arsenal of tools. He’s also a bit overaggressive, which costs him velocity and command over his stuff.
Projection: High. De Los Santos needs more experience, which could only come with time, as well as refinement. He also needs to improve that changeup, lest he be limited to a bullpen role. Whatever he is, he should do it well. This is a potential All-Star talent the Athletics have gotten, a arm that rivals many of those that are in the Rangers’ system, and they’ll do their best to make sure De Los Santos comes to fruition.
What He Can Be: A Rotation Strikeout Artist
2008 Course Of Action: De Los Santos was going to start in High A for the White Sox until the trade went down. I don’t see anything that would change, except that he’ll be heading to the California League instead of the Carolina League, and hence going to a hitter’s league instead of a pitcher’s league. I don’t think it’ll affect him too much, as with his stuff, he should handle the change with no problem.
3– Carlos Gonzalez (RF)
DOB: 10/17/85
Signed: Venezuela, 2002 (Diamondbacks)
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-1/200
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Gonzalez’s stock is took a bit of a tumble early one, but he was able to adjust to the more advanced level of pitching in Double A and earned himself a promotion to Tucson. All in all, it was a good season, but the emergence of Chris B. Young and Justin Upton in Arizona, plus the extension given to Eric Byrnes resulted in Gonzalez lacking a place to play. Hence, he became an extremely attractive player to acquire and was the centerpiece of the Dan Haren trade.
The Good: Gonzalez has some of the best tools in the system. Gonzalez has a smooth, fluid stroke, above-average power, good range in right field. He hits to a decent average and has a cannon for an arm. He’s got some wheels on him as well.
The Bad: Gonzalez is a bit aggressive at the plate, leading to high strikeout totals. There have been some concerns over his work ethic at times, but Gonzalez kicked it up a notch when competition arrived in the form of Aaron Cunningham.
Projection: Average. Gonzalez has the tools, the youth and some success in the upper minors, but he still needs some seasoning. In my opinion, Gonzalez should remain in Triple A for the meantime, where he could put up some monster numbers in the Pacific Coast League next year, before allowing him to take Swisher’s old place in right.
What He Come: An All-Star Right Fielder
2008 Course Of Action: I feel Gonzalez should be sent to Triple A, where he can finish his development process, but the amount of trades and lack of warm bodies to fill up the major league bench in Oakland (which consists of, right now, Travis Buck, Mark Kotsay and Jack Cust, respectively), Oakland could be tempted to promote him early and have him skip the level.
4 – Gio Gonzalez (LHP)
DOB: 9/19/85
Drafted: 1st round, 2004, Florida High School (White Sox)
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 5-11/185
Bats/Throws: R/L
The Skinny: After a year with the Phillies, Gonzalez was sent back to the White Sox in the Freddy Garcia deal. His 2007 season was pretty good and has merited the trade back. However, in Kenny William’s delusion of contention, he was sent to Oakland as a part of the Nick Swisher trade..
The Good: Gonzalez is a K machine, pure and simple. However, what’s really special is that he has increased his groundout totals, always a plus at the Cell. His fastball has good velocity for a southpaw, but his curve is a filthy pitch that is his out pitch. His changeup, once a work in progress, is becoming a solid pitch as well, giving him a complete starters arsenal.
The Bad: Command is still and issue and will result in him getting some tough nights in the bigs. Despite a reduction in his flyball tendancies, they nonetheless will be a concern moving forward. His build also doesn't lend much to durability and ESPN’s Keith Law has reported that Gonzalez gets rattled on the mound and doesn’t respond to adversity right now.
Projection: Low. Gonzalez should be a factor for the A’s in a year’s time after some time spent in Triple A. He should be much better as an Athletic due to their stadium than he would have ever been with the White Sox. Still, there seems to be a sense that Chicago sold high on Gonzalez and he might not be as good as I feel he is.
What He Can Be: A Number Two Starter.
2008 Course Of Action: Gonzalez isn’t ready to be a part of the Oakland rotation just yet, meaning he’ll be a Rivercat to begin the year. However, he should be up with the big league club come August, and should be a rotation fixture come 2009.
5 – Aaron Cunningham (OF)
DOB: 4/24/86
Drafted: 6th round, 2005, Everett Junior College (White Sox)
2008 Club: Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
Height/Weight: 5-11/195
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Cunningham has been involved in a pair of trades now as well, as he was originally traded by the White Sox to the Diamondbacks for second base prospect Danny Richar, in order fill the hole in second base for 2008. However, the Diamondbacks were able to develop Cunningham further from the raw product he was when he arrived, as Cunningham jumped three levels and ended the year in Double A. He was then a part of the trade for Dan Haren, giving more outfield depth to the A’s.
The Good: Cunningham doesn’t have something that he does best, but he does most things well. He’s got a great swing and makes solid contact with the ball, plus some solid power potential, possible 20 bomb potential. He hits to all fields and he’s got solid speed on him as well. Many were wondering if Cunningham could play anywhere other than left field, but it turns out that he’s not half bad in center or right field. All in all, he’s a good prospect.
The Bad: Cunningham's pitch recognition still needs work, as he doesn’t draw enough walks.
Projection: Average. Cunningham is still developing as a player, but he's got a good tool set. Many are divided as to how they seem Cunningham long term. I may have overrated him originally, but I believe he’s better than the fourth outfielder projection many are tabbing him with already. Give him two years and you’ll have a solid player, depending on what you want to do with Travis Buck, you could shop one of the two at a later date for something nice.
What He Can Be: A average left fielder.
2008 Course Of Action: Cunningham will be headed to Midland for the year, with a possible promotion to Sacramento in the future if he continues to hit. Don’t expect to see him anytime soon in Oakland however, as he’s got a bit to go.
6 – Chris Carter (1B)
DOB: 12/18/86
Drafted: 15th round, 2005, Nevada High School (White Sox)
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/220
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Carter is already looking like a late round steal, and has been mashing ever since the White Sox drafted him. However, the White Sox, under the delusion that they are close to contention, traded him for Carlos Quentin (which in itself isn’t bad, as Quentin is a solid young player who filled a need), but Carter didn’t stay long in the desert and was a part of the Dan Haren trade. He was very nearly a Texas Ranger, however, as a deal for Akinori Otsuka that would have sent Carter to Texas was all but done until the White Sox pulled out due to Otsuka’s medicals.
The Good: Carter is quite simply the best power prospect in the Athletics’ system. He’s got great strength and power to all fields and has improved on his plate recognition, which was good to begin with. Now, Carter is able to draw a lot more walks while reducing his strikeouts and is able to choose his pitch to drive it out of the park.
The Bad: Carter is limited to first base due to limited athleticism and is a bad defender even there. While he may eventually be a passable defender, he’s a long term DH in the making. He’s also a below average runner.
Projection: Average. Carter is still a very unpolished prospect, but he has the potential to be the first pure power bat Oakland has had since Jason Giambi was wearing green and gold. He’ll take some time, but he’s a long term middle of the order run producer in the making and that is nothing to sneeze at.
What He Can Be: A Slugging First Baseman
2008 Course Of Action: Carter will likely take it one level at a time and will spend the year in Stockton, where he should have plenty of opportunities to put up some impressive power numbers this season with all the small parks in the California League.
7 – Trevor Cahill (RHP)
DOB: 3/01/88
Drafted: 2nd Round, 2006, California High School
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/195
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: A surprise pick for the Athletics last year, Cahill had a solid senior season in high school as a first year pitcher, but fell after illness caused him to tail off. Oakland took him and thus far, Cahill has continued the tradition of Kane County pitching dominance. But his big coming out party was when he made a spot start for Sacramento at the end of the season and carried a perfect game and a no-hitter once the perfecto was gone until the 8th. Now that’s awesomeness.
The Good: Cahill’s biggest strength is his command and control, which are surprisingly good for a young pitcher. He’s able to locate the ball low and induce groundballs. He throws in the low 90’s and can touch 90’s, but his best pitch is a spike curveball that has wicked break. He's a solid athlete and is regarded to be an excellent character guy.
The Bad: Cahill doesn't over-power anyone. He also needs to refine a third pitch.
Projection: High. Cahill is still developing as a pitcher, as he was only pitching for a year after he was drafted, but the promise is there for him to be a capable major league starter.
What He Can Be: A Number 3 starter, maybe a two.
2008 Course Of Action: Cahill will be heading to the California League, where his groundball tendencies should help him survive the year in the extreme hitters league.
8 – James Simmons (RHP)
DOB: 9/29/86
Drafted: 1st Round, 2007, UC Riverside
2008 Club: Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/205
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Simmons was regarded to be one of the most polished pitchers in the draft and was rated as one of the closest pitchers to the majors. After going 11-3 with a 2.40 ERA in his junior season at UC Riverside, the Athletics took him in the 1st round, where he has already reached Double A.
The Good: Simmons’ game is all about command and control and he has it in ####s. His stuff is okay, but not overwhelming, with a fastball that sits around 90-92, complimented by a plus changeup and an average breaking ball.
The Bad: Simmons isn’t overpowering and while he may be close to the majors, he’s not a sure fire star or anything. He’s pretty much what I would call a right handed Joe Saunders, a guy that takes the ball every fifth day and gives you a shot to win. He also loses speed on his fastball late in a game.
Projection: Low. Simmons will rise quickly once he’s assigned to repeat Double A again. Again, he’s got limited upside, which is the only thing you can really hold against him as far as his tools go.
What He Can Be: A back of the rotation starter.
2008 Course Of Action: Look for Simmons to repeat Double A this year before he gets an assignment to Triple A, where Oakland hopes he might be able to be a factor for a September call up.
9 – Kevin Melillo (2B)
DOB: 5/14/82
Drafted: 5th round, 2004, University of South Carolina
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/190
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Melillo’s 2007 campaign is pretty much the same for what you would expect for him. He really is just what he is, an average second baseman that could be a steady regular in the majors.
The Good: An offensive minded second baseman, Milillo has a short, quick swing that has suprising pop. He works the count well, gets on base, and all the usual things that Oakland likes it’s players to do. His defensive fundamentals are good. All in all, he’s near ready for the show and could be a producer in the 6 or 7 hole.
The Bad: Melillo has had some minor knee issues in the past and when he falls in love with the long ball, he gets pull happy. He also has below average range and hands, and is nowhere near the Gold Glover type defense Oakland has come to expect from it’s second basemen.
Projection: Low. Melillo is ready for the show and with this year looking like a rebuilding one, Oakland would be wise to see what they have.
What He Can Be: An average second baseman.
2008 Course Of Action: Ellis has recently had his $5 million club option for 2008 exercised, but that doesn’t mean he’ll remain on the team, especially now that Oakland is in full scale rebuilding mode. Ellis is pretty attractive right now as a cheap date and could fetch a decent prize while allowing Melillo to play everyday.
10 – Sean Doolittle (1B)
DOB: 9/26/86
Drafted: 1st Round (S), 2007, Virginia
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/190
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Doolittle was on the rise after a year in Virginia and was projected to be picked somewhere in the lower end of the first round. However, Porcello’s fall along with some other shenanigans with the Pirates resulted in Doolittle falling into the supplemental round, where Oakland took him. He had a pretty good debut for Oakland.
The Good: An athletic first baseman, Doolittle makes good, consistent solid contact from the left side and should hit for average in the future. He has an above average arm, which was seen from his days as a two way player at Virginia, plus he shows decent range and can even run a bit too.
The Bad: Doolittle lacks any sort of power potential at first base, which isn’t what you want out of a power position.
Projection: Average. Doolittle may rise quickly and while he may not have home run power, doubles power may exist within him.
What He Can Be: A average first baseman that hits for average, but not for power.
2008 Course Of Action: Doolittle has the talent to be a productive major leaguer, but it won’t be for Oakland. Barton is now the Athletics’ first baseman and the A’s now have a stronger but unfortunately for him, he’s also blocked by both Dan Johnson and Daric Barton, meaning that in the future, Doolittle’s likely value to Oakland is trade bait.
11 – Henry Rodriguez (RHP)
DOB: 2/25/87
Signed: 2003, Venezuela
2008 Club: Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-1/175
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: A big signing out of Venezuela a few years ago has taken a big step forward with the Cougars this year, though his record doesn’t show for it. Still, it’s pretty impressive considering how raw he was last year when he was torched in the Arizona Rookie League.
The Good: Rodriguez has the best raw stuff in the organization, as his fastball sits in the low to mid 90’s and has been clocked as high as 100. His curveball and changeup look like they could eventually be plus pitches, which could give him a potentially lethal arsenal if he’s able to put it all together. All in all, he’s a project, but one that could pay off big.
The Bad: Rodriguez is, as I’ve said, a raw product, and he’s had some issues with control that have resulted in some ugly outings for him. There are also maturity issues with Rodriguez, but that really isn’t unexpected.
Projection: Very High. Rodriguez could become a beast if he continues to work on his stuff. He’s more than just an arm strength type of prospect and he’s got the skill set to be a solid middle of the rotation K machine if he continues to develop on schedule. Still, he’s got a long way to go.
What He Can Be: A middle of the rotation strikeout machine.
2008 Course Of Action: With another season under his belt in Double A, Rodriguez could very well help his cause to eventually become a option for Oakland come 2009 or 2010, joining some of the other young athletics in the rebuilding effort.
12 – Ryan Sweeney (CF)
DOB: 2/20/85
Drafted: 1st round, 2003, Iowa High School
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/215
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: The former first rounder did nothing to shake his bust tag and didn’t earn a late season call up, even with Chicago’s less than stellar outfield situation. Chicago was shopping him furiously and finally got to get rid of him in Swisher deal.
The Good: Sweeney is big, athletic, and has some offensive skills. He has a quick swing, some power and makes good contact. He doesn’t’ strikeout often and has enough wheels to play center, along with a strong arm.
The Bad: Sweeney was always to projected to hit for power. That obviously haven’t happened and most don’t see him as a centerfielder long term. He’s also got issues against lefties as well.
Projection: Low. Sweeney may be able to stick with Oakland as a centerfielder in the short term, if they feel he might be able to be adequate in center, and he may be able to tap into that long dormant power potential with the right coaching. I kinda doubt it, though.
What He Can Be: A starting centerfielder
Timetable: While Sweeney has clearly stagnated, it’s hard to see him avoiding a third year at Triple-A without a monster spring training. This next year is absolutely pivotal for him.
13 – Jermaine Mitchell (CF)
DOB: 11/2/84
Drafted: 5th round, 2006, UNC-Greensboro
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/200
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: . Taken from a small school, many felt that Mitchell would only be organizational filler, a fourth outfielder at best. He's since proven to be potentially better than that after another solid season, this time for Kane County.
The Good: Mitchell could be one of the latest Oakland scouting department steals if he continues to produce. Mitchell is a solid centerfielder with a good arm, good range and solid speed. He’s also got a quick bat and some excellent plate discipline. All in all, he’s a good package of tools that could really blossom into something good.
The Bad: Mitchell’s swing is complex and needs to be simplified. The power that was thought to have been in Mitchell hasn’t manifested himself. He’s also murdered by right handers and had some extreme home-away splits as well, meaning that he’s got some work to do unless he wants to be a platoon centerfielder.
Projection: High. Mitchell took a step forward in his development, not as big as Oakland may have expected, but it’s a start.
What He Can Be: An everyday big-league outfielder.
2008 Course Of Action: I expect Mitchell to be the Ports' starting centerfielder this season. Oakland eventually sees him to be a centerfielder for the future option, though at the moment, he's still got a long way to go.
14 – Brett Anderson (LHP)
DOB: 2/1/88
Drafted: 2nd round, 2006, Oklahoma High School (Diamondbacks)
2008 Club: Visalia Oaks (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/215
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Last year, Anderson was one of the more difficult high school pitchers to evaluate, and his bonus demands resulted in him falling out of the first and supplemental rounds. The Diamondbacks were intrigued enough to pull the trigger on him, even though he wasn't a power pitcher and never will be. His final line was 11-7 with a 3.07 ERA between Low and High A, but Arizona won’t realize the returns on their investment, as he’s now an A.
The Good: The son of Oklahoma State coach Frank Anderson, Anderson's mechanics are solid and he has remarkable control of his breaking stuff and off-speed pitches. He's got a very deep repertoire, with three solid pitches, the best being a changeup that he can throw for strikes. He’s got a good pitcher’s build and could even add a little more mass.
The Bad: Anderson is also not very athletic and his fastball clocks in the high 80's, touching 91 on occasion.
Projection: Average. Anderson still has a lot of work to do in terms of improving himself, but his ability to induce groundballs and log in innings should result in some success in the majors. I feel he’s been overrated some due to his results, which are misleading, but his stuff isn’t fantastic and in the American League, he should fit in as a Number Three or Four starter. But hey, Barry Zito was able to last for a while with less than impressive repertoire and one major money pitch.
What He Can Be: An innings eater.
2008 Course Of Action: Anderson got hit hard in the California League and likely will repeat there to begin next year.
15 – Javier Herrera (OF)
DOB: 4/9/85
Signed: 2001, Venezuela
2008 Club: Sacramento River Casts (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 5-10/160
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: After missing a year thanks to Tommy John Surgery, Herrera had a mostly average comeback season. While it’s not pretty, it’s still a promising development and should be expected form a guy coming off TJ.
The Good: Herrera He has above-average hitting skills to go with plus power and speed, as well as good range to both sides in centerfield and an above-average arm.
The Bad: Herrera's conditioning is a bit of an issue, as he did put on some weight during his inactivity, but he was able to drop most of it. He’s also a bit reckless on the field, plus his power potential hasn’t manifested itself quite yet.
Projection: High. Herrera is still working to come all the way back from TJ, but so far so good.
What He Can Be: A above average centerfielder
2008 Course Of Action: Expect the Athletics to push Herrera a bit by promoting him to Triple A, where he could work well if he’s finally able to get his tools together.
Final Thoughts
With the rebuilding effort now in full swing, Oakland has a good deal of prospect depth to develop to form the core of their next championship core. With little in terms of long term contracts other than those that are immobile (Chavez, Crosby) and one major one leaving the books after this year (Kotsay), Oakland has the financial flexibility to work with to get this set of prospects going and locked up to some near term deals when the time comes. All in all, Oakland has enough to field a contender with what they have in their system, though the pitching won’t be as explosive as it once was, back in the day when the Big Three roamed MacAfee Coliseum.
One thing to note, however, is that Oakland hasn’t done a particularly good job of drafting high ceiling, star level talent. Much of their new top 15 is from outside of the organization, with 8 of the total top 15 and 6 of the top 10 being drafted by other squads. While much kudos needs to be given to Oakland for getting them, they do need to do a better job of drafting their own star players and not always playing it safe. Spending some more money on later round talents would be a start and revamping the international scouting system would be another way to help keep the pipeline to talent flowing to Oakland.
Sources, Scouting Reports, and Thanks to: Kevin Goldstein (Baseball Prospectus), Keith Law (ESPN), Soxprospects.com, B.J. Medrano, Jim Callis And The Rest Of Baseball America, Jonathan Mayo (MLB.com), MiLB.com, Sam Corral and Erica Belmontes, Ernie Carlson, Lonestarball.com, Jamey Newberg (Newbergreport.com), Brewerfan.net and Mike Hindman (Rangers Farm Report)
I'd stay the hell away from the Twins' free agents, especially since their market is going to shoot through the roof tomorrow, when agents can discuss dollars and cents.
Torii Hunter and Carlos Silva are looking to cash in, Hunter by reputation, Silva by scarcity, and both will be overpaid greatly and will likely be looked at in the same way we look at the Jason Giambi/Carl Pavano deals.
Hunter is coming off of a career year and will be picked up by a team making a splash and wanting Hunter's mix of attitude and charisma on their team.
But he's not an elite centerfielder anymore. He's never hit for a lot of power and he's not a run producer in the heart of the lineup. And worse, his defense is center is beginnng to degrade, thanks to the numerous injuries and surgeries he's had on his legs. Baseball Prospectus' PETCOA system has Hunter becoming a part time player by 2010. That's not a great idea for the amount of dollars Hunter is looking for.
As for Silva, he's a groundball pitcher that is young and entering a market that is lacking in decent pitching. He'll have takers needing a innings eating starter, such as the Mets, Tigers, Reds and Dodgers, just to name a few. But he's going to get Number Two starter money for a guy that's been a Number Three at best and a Number Four for his career.
Plus, to compound the reasons on Hunter, he's a Type A free agent and unless your pick is draft protected, he's going to cost you your Number One pick, not a wise idea unless you have a Type A on your team that won't be back, allowing you to recoup the pick.
Both guys are going to get ridiculously overpaid and both will likely put up decent numbers in the beginning of the deal. But in the long run, both are like to disappoint and will break someone's heart.
I'm surprised about the response on my entry for socratesofswat's contest and, frankly, I didn't expect the article to garner the interest that it did.
So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all for reading it.
It's the fact that you all enjoy my rantingso n my piece of the internet that keeps me writing and has kept me writing for the past two years or so.
Note: These Rankings Will Not Include The Recent Draft Candidates
16 – German Duran (INF)
DOB:8/3/84
Drafted: 6th Round, 2005, TCU
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 5-10/185
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Duran hit .284 last year at Bakersfield, while hitting 13 homers and 72 RBIs. He did all of this playing mostly shortstop and finished strong with a huge August, where he hit six homers and drove in 23 runs. He's versatile and will turn 23 this summer.
The Good: Duran has some power to him as well as some speed on the baselines. His biggest trait is that he’s flexible and can play shortstop and second base well, and has recently been learning how to play third as well. His defense is excellent and many love his work ethic.
The Bad: Duran may not be able to be a regular at any position in the majors. Hence, he may be a utilityman in the future, though he could be a very good one. He also needs to work a bit more on his plate discipline.
Projection: Medium. Duran is an interesting prospect in that he’s excelled in wherever he’s played, mostly on grit and determination. It’s very possible that he could play his way out of a superutility role and into a starting shortstop role.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A super utility player
2007 Course Of Action: Duran entered the year as sort of a fringe prospect, but his dominance of Double A has elevated his stock. It will be interesting to see what happens to him next year.
17 – Michael Schlact (RHP)
DOB: 12/9/85
Drafted: 3rd Round, 2004, Georgia High School
2007 Club: Bakersfield (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-8/220
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Selected in the 3rd round of the 2004 Draft along with Thomas Diamond and Eric Hurley, Schlact bears watching. He was 10-7 with a 4.17 ERA at Clinton in 2005 and helped the Lumberkings, along with Hurley, to go into the playoffs. Many expected that Schlact would be able to make a seamless transition to Advanced A ball like Hurley did, but instead, he was hammered throwing too many pitches and going 4-13 with a 5.99 ERA. The opposition hit nearly .320 against him and he walked 61 in 138 innings. so he'll be back in Bakersfield, at least at the outset. However, this doesn’t mean he can’t rebound. The California is very hitter friendly and Schlact is still only 20.
The Good: Rangers Minor League Pitching Coordinator Rick Adair raves about how Schlact is now hitting 93-94, as a result of adding mass, and thinks that he can add a couple of more miles to his fastball. John Lombardo, the Rangers’ director of Minor League Ops speaks highly of Schlact’s maturity and his makeup. Schlact also has a great sinker to go along with the four seamer and he’s got a promising curveball & changeup, both of which could become plus pitches. He’s also got a nice clean delivery as well.
The Bad: As with all large pitchers, Schlact needs to keep all of his moving parts in check in order to make sure he won’t break down. He also needs to make sure the breaking balls solidify, though he may be able to succeed with just the four seamer and sinker, much like Brandon Webb. Plus, he needs to maintain his command, so he won’t get hammered hard.
Projection: Medium. Schlact is still young and he could stand to add more weight to his frame. He could wind up being, at the very least, a slightly shorter version of Chris Young. He’s also grown an inch, as seen from his jump from 6-7 to 6-8.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A number two starter.
2007 Course Of Action: The Rangers are hoping that it was only because he was playing above his age group that resulted in Schlact’s horrid season. So far, he's done pretty well for himself, but with the lack of rotation spots in Frisco, the Rnagers will probably leave him in the California
18 – Paul Kometani (RHP)
DOB:12/24/82
Drafted: 15th Round, 2005, Pepperdine University
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Drafted in the 15th round by Texas in 2005 draft, Kometani is overlooked most of the time whenever prospects are evaluated. However, Kometani has had nothing but success every stop he’s made and may be one of those prospects that just happens to fly under the radar until he bursts on the scene. If Kometani becomes an above average major leaguer, he’ll be one of the biggest steals in the draft.
The Good: When he was first drafted, Kometani was reported to top out at 86-87. He’s now added at least four miles per hour as he’s filled out (he was rail thin when he came into the system) and is now sitting at 92. Scouts and trainers thing that he may be able to get up to 94 in another year. As for his other pitches, Kometani has an excellent splitter, a promising slider and he could benefit from being taught a sinker as well. He induces a lot of groundballs, a plus in Arlington and he has also begun to overcome one of his biggest criticisms when he was drafted, his fastball.
The Bad: The biggest criticism of Kometani is that he’s very hittable. However, his control is excellent and despite the hits, he doesn’t give up the long ball often and he works low in the zone.
Projection: Medium. It will be interesting to see if Kometani gets any more velocity on his fastball to go with the splitter and sinker. But aside from that, he seems to be progressing well and has just a bit of development left.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A Solid Starter
2007 Course Of Action: Kometani is currently in the bullpen thanks to Doug Mathis and he's excelled in the role. Nonetheless, I do expect the Rangers to move him back into the rotation once the promotions after the various Minor League All-Star games are done.
19 – Tim “Tug” Hulett Jr. (INF)
DOB: 2/28/1983
Drafted: 2004, 14th Round, Auburn
2007 Club: Oklahoma (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 5-10/185
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: The son of former major leaguer Tim Hulett, who played for 12 seasons with the White Sox, Orioles and Cardinals, Tug Jr. was drafted by the Rangers back in 2004 and since then he’s pretty much done nothing but succeed, rising through the ranks quickly enough that the Rangers felt no reservations about sending him to Triple A in essentially his third season of pro ball (we’ll see how that works out.) Tug impressed the Rangers staff enough during Spring Training with his moxie and work ethic that he’s very highly regarded among the organization.
The Good: Hulett has the best plate discipline in the minors, simply put, and is extremely selective of his pitches and draws walks. He’s immensely versatile and has played second, third, and shortstop in the minors. The Rangers love his grit and determination and his work ethic is second to none.
The Bad: The same thing as German Duran. Size. Hulett Jr. isn’t the biggest player around and it’s likely that that could result in him being overlooked as anything but a utilityman. However, Hulett’s determination and work ethic, plus luck, could have him become another David Eckstein type. Hulett also has little power.
Projection: Low. There is little else that Hulett can develop in the minors. What you see is what you get with him.
In A Perfect World, He Is: As much as I hate to say it, a scrappy, gritty David Eckstein type player.
2007 Course Of Action: Hulett has booted Drew Meyer to the bench and is currently the Redhawks’ starting second baseman. A good year will land him in the big leagues in September.
20 – Ben Harrison (LF)
DOB:9/18/81
Drafted: 7th Round, 2004, Florida
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: A 7th Rounder back in 2004, Harrison has always had good tools to work with. The main problem is that he’s never been able to stay on the field long enough to work with them. Hamstring and vision problems limited him in 2005 and a broken hand cut his season short that same year. Last year was his first full season and he showed some impressive numbers. In a season spend with Frisco and Bakersfield, Harrison hit .289 with 26 home runs and 101 RBI’s, while boasting an OPS of .889.
The Good: Harrison’s best tool is power and he’s got enough of it be a decent threat in the majors in the future. He’s got some speed and he crushes fastballs. He’s also beginning to catch breaking balls more and more. He’s also got a good arm in the outfield as well. He plays the game hard and emerged as a clubhouse leader this past season.
The Bad: Harrison is limited in his range in the field, making him pretty much a fit in left. He still has problems with the strike zone, as seen from his 117 strikeouts.
Projection: Low. At Harrison’s age, there’s probably little chance of a breakthrough.. He’s as good as he’s going to get, though if he can serve as a power bat off the bench, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A Power Bat Off The Bench
2007 Course Of Action: Harrison has done well so far until he was injured,
Explaining To Jim Reeves Why The Rangers Didn't Draft Porcello
Jim Reeves took his shots at the the Rangers' draft on Sunday. Oddly enough, he really liked the draft.
But there was one thing that he really ripped Texas on.
Passing up on Rick Porcello. Here's the quote that bugged me:
For $7 million-$8 million, the Rangers might have had their ace of the future. Seems like a lot of money until you stop and think: Hmmmm, didn't the Rangers cough up their own No. 1 draft pick, 16th in the country, to Toronto to sign free agent Frank Catalanotto over the winter? And didn't they sign him to a $13.5 million contract over three years?
It wasn't the Signing Bonus that was the problem. If it was just money, I think the Rangers would have gladly paid up to take him. Tom Hicks has been a little more generous as the years have gone by with the draft. It was the contract that Boras wanted for him.
Boras wanted Porcello to sign a major league contract, similar to what Josh Beckett signed when he was drafted a few years ago. That is what turned off a lot of teams.
A major league contract starts a players options automatically and guarnatees them a spot on the 40 man roster. As a result, you quickly burn through the options as the player develops and you lack any options to send the player down if he's struggling and if he's out of options.
Had Rick Porcello had been Rick Porcello, University of Conneticut, instead of Rick Porcello, Conneticuit High School, I think the Rangers would have gladly pulled the trigger. But it was the major league contract that turned off every team except the Tigers, who now have the dubious task of trying to sign him while hoping that Boras backs off the major league contract.
Oh, here's one other example that cracked me up:
Let me give you another example, though it's apples and oranges. The Cowboys just cut guard Marco Rivera after paying him an $8.5 million signing bonus for two injury-plagued seasons. That's a team that's doing whatever it takes to win.
No it's not. It's called a bad free agent deal. If that was the case, then wouldn't Chan #### Park's contract, Alex Rodriguez's contract, and the Phil Nevin debacle all be prime examples of a team doing whatever it takes to win?
507
Mark Teixeira went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps muscle Saturday afternoon, ending his consecutive games streak at 507, a club record. Though it was thought that Teixeira may have been aiming to beat Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive game streak, Teixeira said he had no visions of beating it. To help fill the void, Michael Young will now be batting third with Marlon Byrd hitting in Young's normal second spot. Brad Wilkerson will now take over first base in the meantime, and Travis Metcalf will be recalled to fill Wilkerson's spot on the bench.
The Implications Of The Borbon Pick
The drafting of Borbon has one other important implication on the Rangers.
It means that Torii Hunter will almost certainly not be coming to Texas.
Drafting Borbon that high means that the Rangers are pretty much signaling that Borbon will be their centerfielder of the future. It would make no sense to roadblock him with a long term deal given to Hunter. Instead, expect the Rangers to sign another player as a short term solution, either Eric Byrnes of Arizona or (maybe) Ichrio Suzuki from Seattle, though I doubt that the Mariners would allow him to walk.
Rangers Notes
Congrats to Justin Verlander on the No-No. Also, congrats to Ivan Rodriguez, who also caught Kenny Rogers' Perfect Game nearly 13 years ago.
One other note about Blake Beavan: he's confident. He also riled some feathers when he made some comments after being drafted that his slider was the "filthiest" he'd ever seen and he'd seen some pretty good pitchers. Another one is that, given the state of the Rangers' current rotation that he could "do as bad" as some of them right now. It didn't take long for those comments to make their way around the Rangers clubhouse and general offices. Jon Daniels said that he felt Beavan used some bad judgement and Brandon McCarthy, said he understood Beavan's confidence, but he thinks the natural process of working through the minor leagues will help Beavan separate confidence from cockiness. My take is this: Beavan is going to be provide some entertainment while he's down in the minors.
Immediately following their victory over the Giants on Saturday afternoon, the A's announced that they had traded backup catcher Adam Melhuse to the Texas Rangers for cash considerations. Melhuse wasn't being played in Oakland, as he's appeared in only 12 games this year and has gotten just 26 at-bats. Melhuse isn't being brought in because of his bat, as he was hitting .231 prior to the trade., but rather for his game calling skills, as there has been some question as to how starting catcher Gerald Laird has been calling games.
To make room for Wilkerson, the Rangers optioned pitcher Kameron Loe to Triple-A Oklahoma. Loe doesn't blame the team, but rather acknowledges that he's screwed things up for himself. The Rangers are hoping that Loe would work on controlling his sinker, as well as to further develop his two secondary pitches, a changeup and a slider. The only real question that I ask is that Loe has really had some awful outings the past couple of years as a starter and he gets hammered the second time through a lineup. I'm wondering if maybe it's better to leave Loe in the bullpen.
With Loe now in Oklahoma, Washington said starter Jamey Wright could come off the disabled list and start next Saturday at Cincinnati. Wright is scheduled to start on a rehab assignment Sunday at Oklahoma. This may be simply a way of putting warm bodies out there in order to allow the prospects to develop, but surely there are better options than Wright? Like, ummm, Mark Redmond, and ummm, John Koronka, and ummm, John Rheinecker, and ummm.....oh screw it.
Don’t be surprised to see not only Eric Gagne traded at the deadline, but also Akinori Otsuka, Willie Eyre and Joaquin Benoit traded as well. There is a high demand on relief pitching and the Rangers have seemed to have identified a solid core of young relievers in C.J. Wilson, Frank Francisco, and Wes Littleton. Eyre’s value appears to be peaking after a terrible year in Minnesota and Benoit is slowly developing into a lights out reliever, but his price tag is becoming expensive. All four would be able to net some nice prospects if they are deal, with Atlanta, Detroit and Cleveland all looking to upgrade if any of them are made available.
With the news that Vince Young is going to be the next cover athlete for this year's edition of Madden (L.T. probably got asked first and promptly said "Hell No!"), I predict that the Tennessee Titans will be getting a Top 5 Draft Pick after Vince Young is hurt in the pre-season and is out for the year, followed by injuries to LenDale White (runover by Saints Mascot), Pacman Jones (shot by stripper) and others.
The Madden Curse is probably one of the most horrid curses in sports. Look at the list of victims to be claimed by the afformentioned EA Product:
Madden 1999 - Garrison Hearst. The first player to ever be featured on a Madden cover, Hearst would break his ankle on the first play of the game versus the Atlanta Falcons. He disapperared from the league until 2001.
Madden 2000 - Barry Sanders and Dorsey Levens. Sanders shared the cover with Madden, but before trainign camp began, he retired. Levens was featured on another cover, and only rushed for 224 yards and was ultimately cut by the Packers in 2001.
Madden 2001 - Eddie George. George rushed for career lows of 939 yards and 5 touchdowns, and wasn't the same player, though he did rush for over 1,000 yards and scored 14 touchdowns in 2002.
Madden 2002 - Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper appeared on the Madden 2002 cover, and the Vikings struggled to a 6-10 reccord.
Madden 2003 - Marshall Faulk. Faulk would suffer an ankle injury, missing five games and never again rushed for 1,000 yards for the rest of his career.
Madden 2004 - Michael Vick. Shortly after Madden 04 was released, Vick suffered a severely injury during a pre-season game against the Ravens, fracturing his fibula, and only was able to play in the last 5 games of the season.
Madden 2005 - Ray Lewis. Ray Lewis wold become the first defensive player ever to appear on the cover, possibly thanks to EA hoping that a defensive player would be able to beat the curse. Unfortuantely, Lewis would break his wrist, missing the last game of the regular season, but would also fail to get a single interception and the Ravens failed to make the palyoffs.
Madden 2006 - Donovan McNabb. Where to start? Aside from T.O., McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the seasonm tried to play through, injured his groin against the Cowboys, and called it a season shortly afterward.
Madden 2007 - Shaun Alexander. The Reigning MVP suffered a fracture in his left foot which he received during the first game of the season against the Lionsm missed 6 games, and failed to rush for over 100 yeards, plus saw his record of most touchdowns per year get broken by LaDainian Tomlinson.
Just out of curiousity, I wanted to know this from everyone:
What is the worst contract, in your opinion, for a player? Ever....
I'll add them to the list as people make contributions.
Here's mine.
2005 - MLB. Tim Wakefield agrees to a one year, $4 million contract extension, including a perpetual $4 million per year option, renewable per each year.
In essence, Boston has the rights to Tim Wakefield for the rest of his life. And at a paltry cost of $4 million per year. Boston has taken advantage of this stupid contract and has gotten a league average pitcher on the cheap for the past two years. Can you imagine this in a few years....
FoxSports.com reports that the Boston Red Sox have exercised the $4 million option on the skeleton of Tim Wakefield for the 2079 season.
Madness.
Look forward to some of your suggestions.
2006 - MLB. Bronson Arroyo agrees to a three year, $11.2 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.
Special Thanks To The Return Of Manrub For The Submission of this very #### deal
Wanting to stay in Boston and now arbitration available, Arroyo agreed (against the advice of his agent, who probably thought he was nuts) to a heavily discounted deal that bought out his arbitration years. Unfortunately for Arroyo, this deal had the opposite affect. With his contract such a cheap deal, he was promptly traded to the Reds for outfielder Wily Mo Pena. This was a very #### move on the behalf of the Red Sox. I agree with Manrub that this is probably a worse deal than the Wakefield deal, as he brought up the point that Wakefield has 10-5 rights, while Arroyo had none.
As readers of this blog know, I'm a Matt Shaub fan. I think he's got great physical tools and the heart to be a NFL quarterback. Now he gets a shot, though I pray to god the Texans front line stays together long enough to keep him upright.
The fact that they lose two second rounders makes this deal a bit costly, but you have to take into account that the Texas figure they can get a first day pick for David Carr, who now needs to get the hell out of town as quickly as possible if he's going to get another shot somewhere to possibly be a starter.
Where would that be? Maybe Miami, unless they're convinced Brady Quinn will fall to them. Possibly Kansas City, unless they're sure Trent Green can last long enough for Brodie Croyle to step in. Possibly the Radars, only to give JaMarcus Russell a chance to sit and learn. Other options could be Detroit, unless they are going to take Quinn Number 2 Overall or possibly Jacksonville or Minnesota if they're not sold on their current starting options. I don't know, we'll see what happens. Personally, I'd love to see Carr with Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville. I think the two would be good.
If you're Michael Vick, you also gotta feel more secure about your job security today, no?
Getting near the end here. THe last of the previews will be done next week.
Florida Marlins
The Marlins were one of the big stories last year, as I don’t think there has every been a team that underwent such a huge makeover and was still able to contend for much of the season.
That aint’ happening this year.
Here’s why.
Starting Rotation
Dontrelle Willis (LHP) – The lone remainder of the 2005 rotation, Willis lead the staff last season and posted a solid 3.87 ERA with 160 strikeouts. However, his 12-12 record is largely due to the Marlins' struggles early on in the season, as well as a bit of a hang over from the World Baseball Classic. With free agency approaching next year, Willis will be a hot commodity, though some teams will be wary about all the innings he's logged in since he broke into the league. On a side note, Willis also is a excellent hitter and has hit as low as 8th in the order.
Scott Olsen (LHP) – Olsen gets very good velocity for a lefty, as he’s able to #### it up to the mid 90s. He compliments that with a great slider and he’s got a good changeup that he should mix in more often. The problem with Olsen is that he works high in the zone, and gets pounded from time to time as a result. He also needs to improve his stamina, as he should start to pass the 200 innings mark sometime soon.
Anibal Sanchez (RHP) – Sanchez has all the stuff to become an ace, and he blossomed last year when called up by Florida. Sanchez went 10-3 with a 2.83 ERA in 17 starts, plus threw a no hitter, paving the way for a Rookie Of The Year quality season. Sanchez's only knock is his size and his history of arm troubles, which have recently reared their ugly head again when Sanchez reported soreness in his shoulder. Thus, this situation bears watching, as yet another talented arm for the Marlins takes a possible hit.
Ricky Nolasco (RHP) – Nolasco has average stuff that projects him to be a fourth or fifth starter or a long reliever, depending on what the Marlins decide to do with him long tern. They’ll be depending on him to pitch as the fourth starter, especially with Johnson out for two months.
Yusmeiro Petit (RHP) – Petit lacks any plus pitches, but he’s got a very deceptive deliver that hides the ball well and results in a high number of strikeouts. However, he wasn’t able to translate that success into wins at the majors, resulting in a demotion to the bullpen. Petit will likely begin the season with the Marlins, but he’ll be sent back to Albuquerque as soon as Johnson is ready to come back.
Bullpen
Taylor Tankersley (Closer) – After being switched to the bullpen, Tankersley really took off, finishing the season in the majors and functioning as a setup man. Tankersley has good enough stuff to close, but the concern is that he may not be healthy enough to remain in the role. It should be interesting to see what happens.
Logan Kensing (Setup Man) – Kensing was okay as a part time setup man. He’ll man the full time duties this Spring.
Henry Owens (RHP) – Obtained from the Mets, Owens looks to be a finished product and should be a more than capable swingman for the Fish. Owens has got a great fastball, but the lack of a breaking pitch is rather troublesome, as his slider really doesn’t exist. He’ll likely team up with Kensing for setup duties.
Carlos Hernandez (RHP) – Hernandez was tremendous coming out of the pen last year and seems to be a lock to make the pen this Spring.
Randy Messenger (RHP) – Messenger had a roller coaster year last year, as he was either effective or awful, depending on the month. A excellent September gives the Marlins some hope that he can be good.
Reynal Pinto (LHP) – Pinto looks to have the makings of a shutdown lefty reliever, but he was an excellent minor league starter. Hence, there will be some teams asking abou him as part of a trade, in hopes of using him in that capacity.
Sergio Mitre (RHP) – Not sure what to make of Mitre. He’s likely going to be the swingman, though I wonder if there are better options available in the farm system that could help right now.
Starting Lineup
Hanley Ramirez (SS) – Ramirez, part of the Josh Beckett deal, proved to be a capable replacement for Alex Gonzalez. He thrived as a leadoff man and is proving that he’s an excellent fielder as well. Though Ramirez will eventually be moved down in the lineup, as he seems to be a better fit as a number two man, he should be able to duke it out with Jose Reyes for the title of best leadoff man in the National League.
Dan Uggla (2B) – A Rule 5 pick from the Diamondbacks, Uggla slugged his way into keeping the starting job while entering the record books as the new record holder for for homers by a rookie second baseman. Uggla has evolved into a pretty good defender and should hit for some nice power in the two spot. I don’t think that Uggla will have the same success that he did last year, as he is likely still adjusting to the majors, and pitchers figured him out a little, but if he can hit around .280 to .290 with 15 to 20 bombs, the Marlins will be more than happy.
Miguel Cabrera (3B) – Cabrera is one of those players that you know is destined for Cooperstown the first time you see him play. Cabrera was a beast for the Marlins, hitting .339 with 26 homers and 114 RBI’s, all the while showing that he can be a more than capable defender at third. The real question about Cabrera is whether or not he’s willing to be a leader, as he had his lapses much of last season and management seems determined to set the grounds for an eventual trade, as they’ve been feuding with him for much of the off-season.
Josh Willingham (LF) – Willingham isn’t the greatest left fielder, as he lacks range and his decision making in the field is questionable at times. However, his bat is excellent, as seen from his .277/26/74 batting line. Willingham should improve with experience, and hopefully as the Guppies enter their second season together, Willingham can further improve on his hitting an be a monster of a cleanup man.
Mike Jacobs (1B) – Jacobs doesn’t have the amount of power that his predecessor, Carlos Delgado, had, but he hit very well and is one of the only lefty batters that offers any sort of power. The bigger question is whether or not Jacobs can defend, as he was often times awful playing first.
Jeremy Hermida (RF) –Hermida's rookie season was ruined by hip and ankle injuries, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a stud. He still has excellent plate discipline and doubles power, though his strikeout rate may keep his batting average down. He should have a very good career and he projects similar to Brian Giles, a very good outfielder with some pop. I still wish Texas had drafted him instead of Drew Meyer.
Miguel Olivo (C) – Olivo had a very nice season as a full time starter and he put up career best numbers in all three triple crown categories, plus was capable of providing guidance to a rookie staff. He also threw out 34 percent of attempted base stealers. The only problem is the strikeouts and his lack of plate discipline. He had nine walks, the fewest ever for a player with at least 100 strikeouts.
Alfredo Amezaga (CF) – This utilityman is hoped to be able to provide at least some sort of offense from center, all the while being able to capably man the postion. He’s likely a placeholder for someone else, should the Marlins choose to make a move. Word has it that they’re interesting in making a deal for Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton and Elijah Dukes to man center, though the Rays are asking for too much and the Marlins are unwilling to offer any young pitching. Oh, and to a certain baseball writer who said that the Marlins shouldn’t trade any of their young pitching because they’d be better off long term, all I have to say is #### you. The Marlins need a centerfielder and frankly, none of these guys that they have in camp will cut it. Sometimes you gotta trade pitching to help the team now, especially when FOUR of your starters won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2011 season.
Bench
Matt Treanor (C) – One of the best backup catchers in the league, Treanor should provide some leadership on the young Marlins. That and bring his smoking hot wife to games.
Aaron Boone (1B/3B) – Boone is done as a regular, but it’s possible that he may have something left to offer as far as a reserve. Boone is most remembered for his home run against the Red Sox in the ALCS, plus inadvertently causing Drew Henson to head back to football.
Robert Andino (INF) – Andino has a great glove and will likely sub for Ramirez or Uggla in case of injury.
Cody Ross (OF) – Ross may be a option for center, but he needs to improve his plate discipline if he hopes to wrestle the job away from Amezaga. He does have some power, which gives him a slight edge over Amezaga, though.
Joe Borchard (OF) – Borchard is better off playing the outfield corners as a backup, but he’s also a bit of a disappointment as far as a centerfield option.
Disabled List
John Johnson (RHP) – Johnson is a solid right-handed pitcher that was dominating for much of last year. However, he’ll be out for two months thanks to an irritated ulnar nerve. Secretly, the that will likely force him to miss at least the first two months of the season.
Down On The Farm…
The Marlins still have some great pitching talent in the lower minors, but the biggest weakness in this system is that they lack any bats that are capable of making an impact. Their lack of position prospects has become noticeable, which was evident in the fact that their six minor league affiliat
