As mentioned in my previous post, the hope was that by the time I got back from my trip, I’d have at least two of the three books I’d ordered for this season. As the pic shows, I’ve got ‘em all.
You’ll forgive me for going for the lowest-hanging fruit, but I figure I’d start with Rob Gordon and Jeremy DeLoney’s 2011 Minor League Baseball Analyst and their Top 15 14 Prospects overall. Why 14? Well, as you might have already guessed, the list includes the traded-away Michael Burgess. (Last year’s ranking for the Nationals in parentheses where applicable).
1. Bryce Harper, OF
2. Danny Espinosa, SS (5)
3. Wilson Ramos, C
4. A.J. Cole, RHP
5. Derek Norris, C (3)
6. Michael Burgess, OF (7)
7. Chris Marrero, 1B (4)
8. Sammy Solis, LHP
9. Eury Perez, OF
10. Destin Hood, OF
11. Tyler Moore, 1B
12. Brad Meyers, RHP (14)
13. Rick Hague, SS
14. Jeff Kobernus, 2B (11)
15. Steve Lombardozzi, 2B
If you’re a bit puzzled by these picks… you’re not alone. For starters, it’s a bit odd to me that a 25-year-old that was hurt most of the year can move up in the rankings. This is the second year that these two have done the book (Deric McKamey did the first four before being going to work for the St. Louis Cardinals) but after looking over the some of the player capsules, it’s evident that the emphasis on stats is stronger than the scouting, which appears to be secondary, if not secondhand.
I take your caution on watching stats but how do they have Cole so high then and Wow, they have Kobernus ahead of Lomardozzi and Hague in front of both of them.
Kind of surprised that Burgess was that high and Eury Perez so low.
I guess we should stick to Baseball America or Keith Law’s list more.
I stopped purchasing the Analyst a couple of years ago. It is too fantasy baseball focused rather than minor league oriented. The guys they liked the best are the ones that will put up the category-based numbers (HR-RBI-W-WHIP-etc)
Have to agree. Saves me some posts having to explain their grading system. The writeups on the Potomac guys’ defense were either inaccurate or whitewashed.
I won’t dismiss them as easily, if only because the more things we have to read, the better. Besides, you said the two better books are coming best.
That would mean the middle-hanging fruit is next.
Still, it underscores the fact the Nats are still very, very weak starting pitching wise in the minor league system. When there are three starting pitchers not really all that close to the top, 2 have yet to pitch in the minors and one was injured most of the year.
agreed with Peric, Build the system, by getting arms, and developing them. Look at the Yankees 5 years ago they were hurting, now they have guys like Brakmen, and Betances. and they are loaded with good pitching talent. It takes vision and someone who has the ability to develop these guys
And much as though it sounds like Solis, Cole, and Ray are the real thing, I’m still smarting over McGeary and Smoker. I still think Deitweiler will be a good major league pitcher, but I seem to be in the minority there.
Jackson: McGeary’s injury could put him ‘behind the curve” in terms of age, but doesn’t preclude him from making a comeback; Smoker is still young as well, and could be a productive reliever. Detwiler may have a future as well, but it might not be with the Nationals org. They’re all LHP, and we know that a LH will get more chances than a same-age RH in most orginizations.
I won’t argue that the system is thin when it comes to SPs (just six on our watchlists are 21 or younger on April 1). The million-dollar question is whether the Nats have a done a poor job picking the younger (HS/JuCo) arms or a lousy job of developing them. Injuries don’t answer the question because it supports both contentions.
BA’s top 10 – which came out after our publication did – are relatively similar.
1. Harper
2. Norris
3. Espinosa
4. Cole
5. Ramos
6. Solis
7. Kimball
8. Perez
9. Marrero
10. Peacock