Syracuse Announces Its 2012 Roster
The last of the four full-season rosters is out (H/T to Ben Meyers of the Auburn Citizen for heads-up), as the Syracuse Chiefs have released the initial roster for the 2012 campaign.
Aside from the presence of John Lannan, there were a few minor surprises:
…Chris McConnell was promoted from Harrisburg after two grueling days on paper for the Sens.
…Tanner Roark, who repeated AA in both ’10 and ’11, made it to AAA for the first time.
…”OG” favorites Erik Arnesen, Hassan Pena, and Cory VanAllen not only made the cut, but got the bump.
…Some kid named B. Harper is listed as a CF
The rundown (watchlisters in bold, 40-man guys in italics):
PITCHERS
Erik Arnesen
Mitch Atkins
Austin Bibens-Dirkx
Zach Duke
John Lannan
Rafael Martin
Yunesky Maya
Hassan Pena
Ryan Perry
Tanner Roark
Atahualpa Severino
Cory VanAllen
Josh Wilkie
CATCHERS
Carlos Maldonado
Jhonatan Solano
INFIELDERS
Seth Bynum
Jarret Hoffpauir
Chris McConnell
Tyler Moore
Carlos Rivero
Mark Teahen
OUTFIELDERS
Corey Brown
Bryce Harper
Jason Michaels
Xavier Paul
Starting on the DL are Mike Schultz, Waldis Joaquin, Jeff Fulchino and Adam Carr.
For the second year in a row, there are multiple pitchers that would have been in Washington in years past. The Chiefs continue to get older, which is also consistent with how contenders use their AAA teams (e.g. Lehigh Valley for Philadelphia position players, Pawtucket for Boston pitchers). Of course, the Mets are also among the oldest in IL for those two categories, so it may not necessarily be a function of contention (*rimshot!*).
As stated from day one, I know all eyes are on the team’s 19-year-old, but I’m not going to make him the focus of the daily News & Notes unless he actually, you know, does particularly well or particularly poorly — just everyone else (except maybe in the tags, can’t hurt with the ads, right?).
This isn’t a bad-looking roster on paper and it might make for a decent summer for the folks in upstate New York after all.
Nice power arm bullpen to match the major league one.
Meyers? Didn’t make NYY 25 Man and didn’t see him on their DL.
Just went on the 15-day DL with a right labrum strain.
Ah…I didn’t find that. The old labrum strain.
Any idea on who the starting rotation consists of? There seems to be many possible candidates.
Ignoring the Lannan drama, I’d guess Atkins, Arnesen, Duke, Maya, Roark for the long term as the primary five SPs
Wonder if they’ll even use Lannan at this juncture. Have to wonder if he doesn’t get moved to XST? Or would that further reduce his trade value? Isn’t he now a distraction? Potential clubhouse poison for the younger prospects?
I really dont see anything they have to gain by sending Lannan to XST. John Lannan is NOT Carlos Zambrano, and no matter how unhappy he is, he will put in him work without making a huge scene. Yeah he requested to be traded, but in that same request he said he would go to AAA if need be, and really the only way for him to have any trade value is to have in pitch at AAA, to prove to other teams that we are willing to keep him.
Although this is strictly a guess, I think that he’s already accepted (but not agreed with) what’s happened and knows that until he is traded, working hard at AAA is his best option. I also don’t see the Nats putting him in XST because that really wouldn’t help either party out. Posting some good numbers at AAA is his ticket out of the Nats org, but that won’t happen until the Nats find a willing trade partner offering some of acceptable value in return. History shows that more than 5 SP will be needed and used in a season. For now, he’s the 1st SP the Nats would pull up from AAA in an injury situation. Just my $0.02.
What does it mean to be on the “watchlist”, like Rafael Martin or Tyler Moore?
Watchlist refers to the top prospects in the organization. They’re basically the top 4-5 pitchers and position players at each level, mixed in with the new draft picks. It’s subjective, of course, but it’s roughly the top third of the organization.
Basically Reafael Martin is a top prospect for 2013 to be in MLB, all depending on how well he pitches. Could he be sent up before this season ends? Haven’t heard much about him.
Truth be told, Martin is something of a sentimental pick, given his interesting route into American affiliated baseball. His invite to the AFL w/o the need to decide whether to protect him from the Rule 5 draft is the thin premise for ignoring his advanced age.
They paid quite some money to have him so I’m guessing they must really want him to make it to the majors, maybe next year? Because of his age, does it make it less probable? He moved up pretty fast to AAA, can he be sent back down or is it mostlikely he Will make it to the majors? What happens when a player is not protected in the Rule 5 draft like Rafael?
Tatusko must be at XST? Must have missed the post about his destination. Anyone heard what his status is?
In xst working on him mechanics per the twitters
And his golf game.
@Jose – The money paid is a factor of the market for International Free Agents — there’s a correlation, yes, but you can name lots of players given six-figure signing bonuses that flamed out and just as many guys that signed for four figures that become stars.
That said, most folks would have guessed that Martin would have been to AAA earlier than this. At the age of 28, he’s at his peak physically, even if he has less mileage on his arm than most pitchers his age. There are exceptions, yes, but they are about as common as Jamie Moyer and Phil Neikro.
Players that are exposed to the Rule 5 draft can be taken by another organization. Those taken in the MLB phase must be kept on the 25-man roster all season long. Those taken in the AAA and AA phases can be taken and placed anywhere in the organization.
He could be kept (stuck) in AAA for a while even though he played in Mexico at a AAA league? Because he was taken from a AAA phase they placed him anywhere they wanted (Chiefs, Harrisburg, Potomac), can he be sent back to Harrisburg at any time? What I understand is that his statistic are low making it to the majors…? Would you say that 2012 could be the year to make it or break it for him?
Basicly what it comes down to for Martin IMO is if he is the best reliver in AAA, and the big club needs someone he will get the call. He could also get a Sep call-up as he is still a prospect, and there will be some spots avalible next year as of now. I think they would protect him from any type of rule V pick as of now, but that could change depending on what he does at AAA. Ask me if I think he will make the majors I say yes.
I think he will definitely make it too.