NL East Players To Watch

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Daniel Marino

Turner

Dan Marino is trekking through each division in the major leagues and giving you one player he thinks is the: Rookie to Watch, Breakthrough Player, The Party’s Over, Non-Roster Invitee Most Likely to Stick, and Just Not Seeing it.

He has already given us his AL East Players to Watch. Now, in part two of six, he brings you the National League East: (more…)

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Mets Throw in the Towel for 2013

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Daniel Marino

Dickey

By trading R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays, Sandy Alderson has officially conceded that the Mets will be in a major rebuild mode and will not contend for the postseason in 2013. By dealing Dickey for a group that includes highly touted players Travis d’Arnaud, and right-hander Noah Syndergaard, Sandy Alderson did well in securing two potential impact players.

Despite not wanting to see Dickey dealt, I have to admit the deal makes sense from a baseball standpoint. But in the process, he traded away 15-20 wins that the 2013 Mets will not be able to recoup. Alderson is conceding the 2013 season, despite his assertion that the Mets are still wanting to win in 2013. Alderson has gone “old school rebuild” with the Mets, and is stockpiling young talent. The question we have to ask is: when will enough be enough, and when will the Mets start complimenting the young talent with major league players? (more…)

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Baseball Notes for December 17, 2012

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Andrew Martin

jham

The baseball offseason is a busy time. Really, no further introduction is needed for the notes from this past week.

***The hyperbole machine has been revved up to a fevered pitch now that the 2013 National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has gone out and people have started debating the merits of various candidates. I will surely go into who I would vote for at a later time, but for now can offer up these thoughts: (more…)

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2012 Toronto Blue Jays Top 16 Prospects

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

The Toronto Blue Jays own the deepest prospect pitching depth in all of baseball. On top of that, they also sport some of the best centerfield prospects in the game and the best catching prospect in all of baseball. Not too bad for a team that had a fairly poor system just a handful of years ago.

Below are my top 16 prospects with 2012 opening day age, position, and comments on each player. Below the top 16 is a small list of additional notable names. Enjoy.

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My 2012 Top 100 Prospects

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Michael Schwartze

I present to you my 2012 top 100 prospect list. I have ranked the players evaluating ceiling, how likely a player reaches that ceiling, risks that come with a player, experience, and all the other stuff along those lines. I hope to hear what you guys think whether it be in agreement or disagreement. Enjoy.

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The Rich Getting Richer: An Early look at the Blue Jays 2012 Draft

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Michael Schwartze

With prospect rankings being released left and right, it is no doubt that the Blue Jays have one of the best, and deepest farm systems in the league. In this year’s Baseball America Prospect Handbook, the Jays organization ranked 5th overall. I would personally rank the system one or two spots higher, but regardless, the system is looking very good. It is highlighted by catcher Travis d’Arnaud who is one of the best catching prospects in all of baseball, if not the best. Following him is a pair of high ceiling outfielders in Anthony Gose and Jake Marisnick, and then a lot, and I mean a lot, of high upside starting pitchers. Prospects 3-10 on the Baseball America top 10 for the system are all pitchers.

Alex Anthopoulos has been doing a fantastic job building this system, really stressing the importance on scouting and the draft. In 2010 the Jays spent $11.6 million on the draft and then $11 million in 2011. Well this year, the Jays will look to make another big splash in the draft with a lot of picks early on.
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My Mid-Season Top 25 Prospects

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

Like Mikey’s top 25 from yesterday, I will only include players that I believe will still hold prospect status at the end of the year and no recent draftees. That means no Mike Trout or Gerrit Cole on my list. Here are my current top 25 prospects:

  1. Bryce Harper (OF – WAS)
  2. Matt Moore (LHP – TB)
  3. Manny Machado (SS – BAL)
  4. Julio Teheran (RHP – ATL)
  5. Shelby Miller (RHP – STL)
  6. Jameson Taillon (RHP – PIT)
  7. Carlos Martinez (RHP – STL)
  8. Martin Perez (LHP – TEX)
  9. Brett Lawrie (3B – TOR)
  10. Jacob Turner (RHP – DET)
  11. Jesus Montero (C – NYY)
  12. Jurickson Profar (SS – TEX)
  13. Manny Banuelos (LHP – NYY)
  14. Wil Myers (OF – KC)
  15. Arodys Vizcaino (RHP – ATL)
  16. Desmond Jennings (OF – TB)
  17. Devin Mesoraco (C – CIN)
  18. Aaron Hicks (OF – MIN)
  19. Jarrod Parker (RHP – ARI)
  20. Miguel Sano (3B – MIN)
  21. Hak-Ju Lee (SS – TB)
  22. Tyler Skaggs (LHP – ARI)
  23. Leonys Martin (OF – TEX)
  24. Taijuan Walker (RHP – SEA)
  25. Travis d’Arnaud (C – TOR)

The biggest jumps from my pre season top 175 list were Taijuan Walker (152nd), Tyler Skaggs (83rd), Jurickson Profar (78th), and Hak-Ju Lee (74th). Most people would have Carlos Martinez as their highest jumping prospect but he was 48th on my pre season list and I am not surprised to see him 7th right now.

There are a few guys that just missed the cut and would have been in my next group. Gary Brown is having an amazing season but I would like to see what he can do in AA before he makes that big of a jump on my board. Jarred Cosart was on the bubble for me. I really like his stuff but the numbers have not matched the stuff to date. His command is average at best and he needs to stay healthy. Jake Odorizzi also just missed my list. I love his feel for pitching and matching it with his stuff makes him a potential #2 starter. Robbie Erlin is another that has fantastic numbers. He is 20 and has a 48/6 K/BB ratio in 48.2 AA innings.

I love Jason Kipnis but his mediocre defense kept him out of my top 25. He very well may be my #26 guy, though, because the bat is very legit. Brett Jackson also missed the cut but I absolutely love the tools. He can play center and could be a 20/20 guy in the Majors very soon. One last guy that I absolutely love is Oswaldo Arcia. He has an outside shot at cracking my top 25 for next year if he can prove the shoulder issues are behind him and he keeps raking like he is.

-Jonathan C. Mitchell can be found writing about the Tampa Bay Rays at DRaysBay and you can follow him on twitter at @FigureFilbert and follow MLBdirt at @MLBdirt

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Midseason Top 25 Prospect List

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Michael Schwartze

We are at the halfway point in the season, and many prospects have taken strides or falls in their development. Here is my midseason top 25 prospect list. Prospects must not be at the big league level, used up their rookie eligibility, and all 2011 draftees are excluded as well.

  1. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals
  2. Matt Moore, LHP, Rays
  3. Julio Teheran, RHP, Braves
  4. Shelby Miller, RHP, Cardinals
  5. Manny Machado, SS, Orioles
  6. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pirates
  7. Jesus Montero, C, Yankees
  8. Martin Perez, LHP, Rangers
  9. Jurickson Profar, SS, Rangers
  10. Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Indians
  11. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Blue Jays
  12. Manny Banuelos, LHP, Yankees
  13. Jacob Turner, RHP, Tigers
  14. Carlos Martinez, RHP, Cardinals
  15. Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays
  16. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Diamondbacks
  17. Wil Myers, OF, Royals
  18. Travis d’Arnaud, C, Blue Jays
  19. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Rays
  20. Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Royals
  21. Devin Mesoraco, C, Reds
  22. Leonys Martin, OF, Rangers
  23. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Mariners
  24. Matt Harvey, RHP, Mets
  25. Gary Brown, OF, Giants

Some guys that just missed the cut for me are Robbie Erlin, Brad Peacock, Jason Kipnis, Dee Gordon, and Brett Jackson. I would also like to note that Mike Trout would be my number one prospect if he was not at the major league level.

A few players that I think you have to watch for to jump onto this list by the end of the season are Nolan Arenado, Anthony Gose, Nick Castellanos and Zach Wheeler.

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2011 Top 175 Prospects

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Jonathan C. Mitchell



There is no need to bore you with multiple paragraphs that you will not read or maybe skim over at best. Everyone wants to see the list, whether they will agree with it or not. One note is that I did not include anyone that does not qualify as a rookie, meaning anyone over 130 at-bats, over 50 innings pitched, or more than 45 days on the active roster will not make my list. Hope you enjoy it, critique it, and then tell me how awesome I am.

I kid, but seriously, without further ado here is the list:

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Jays Unload on Angels

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

Alex Anthopoulos

Yesterday the Toronto Blue Jays pulled off a Houdini act and actually traded Vernon Wells and his contract to the Angels for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera. That’s right, Wells and his albatross of a contract for two actual players that add value, causing one of the biggest laughing stocks I have ever seen on Twitter.

Wells is coming off his best season, according to fWAR (4.0), of his career and roughly his third best season offensively while only posting a .331 OBP and getting most of his production from his offensive friendly home stadium. And over the past three seasons Wells has been a -35.9 fielder. Wells probably belongs in LF now but the Angels seem like they will play him in CF.

The Angels are now paying $52M in 2011 to three outfielders and one of them (Gary Matthews Jr.) doesn’t even play on the team, and I could only imagine how bad that outfield would be if he was playing for them in 2011. Not only is the outfield expensive, old, and praying to be league average, but they now have Jeff Mathis, who has a career slash line of .199/.265/.311 and a career -0.8 fWAR as their starting catcher if Hank Conger‘s poor defense doesn’t improve this spring.

Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos looks like a genius this off season. Not only did he unload roughly $75M of sunken cost but got Mike Napoli, who will probably hit 30 homeruns while playing half the games at catcher and splitting time at 1B and DH, and my boy MLBreports thinks he can hit 40 playing in Toronto, but he also got Juan Rivera, who is a nice bench piece and a free agent after 2011.

Oh, to make matters worse, AA also has the Angels’ 2nd round draft from when they signed Scott Downs to that 3 year deal. Not to mention the possible combination of players Tony Reagins could have signed this offseason for the same amount he is paying Vernon Wells.

AA, since becoming the Jays GM, has traded for Brandon Morrow and Yunel Escobar, turned Roy Halladay into Kyle Drabek, Travis d’Arnaud, and Anthony Gose, had a good draft in 2010, made a splash in international signings by landing Adeiny Hechavarria and Adonis Cardona, and he has turned his 2010 expiring contracts into extra draft picks (he has 7 picks by the end of the 2nd round).

Angels GM Tony Reagins has done nothing but fail this offseason to sign any big-time players, and in turn he awarded the fans by trading for Vernon Wells. Good job Reagins and Angels ownership, the only thing you will see with rising sale totals are pitchforks and torches.

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