The NationalsProspects.com Top 10 Pitchers
The pattern of a (near-)unanimous few then the biases of the many continues with the votes for the Nationals’ Top 10 Pitchers. Thirty different pitchers received votes, but only two appeared on each of the thirteen ballots cast (Lucas Giolito and Nathan Karns) while two more were named on all but one (Sammy Solis and Matt Purke).
1. Lucas Giolito
2. Nathan Karns
3. Matt Purke
4. Sammy Solis
5. Christian Garcia
6. Erik Davis
7. Danny Rosenbaum
8. Aaron Barrett
9. Brett Mooneyham
10. Robbie Ray
Others receiving votes: Rob Wort, Rafael Martin, Neil Holland, Paul Demny, Pedro Encarnacion, Taylor Jordan, Christian Meza, Jeff Mandel, Cole Kimball, Brad Meyers, Wirkin Estevez, Pat McCoy, Ryan Tatusko, Robert Benincasa, Derek Self, Hector Nelo, Josh Smoker, Jack McGeary, Nick Lee
Perhaps more disturbing is that we don’t see a pitcher who hasn’t had shoulder or elbow surgery until the #6 hurler, Erik Davis, who instead has had knee problems, according to MASN’s Byron Kerr.
Close behind is the realization that half of this list is 25 or older. Put another way: just 10 of these 30 pitchers voted for were born after 1990.
As I wrote back in September in discussing the Nationals farm, it’s pretty clear that the organization’s strength has shifted away from developing pitchers to position players. Perhaps more evident: surgery and long periods of rehab seem to be the gamble the Nats are willing to make — regardless of a pitcher’s age or ailment — to get pitching potential. What remains to be seen is whether this approach will pay off frequently enough to warrant the shifting of innings or roles away from healthier and/or lower-ceiling guys.
I hope folks enjoyed this experiment in crowdsourcing. Next up on the minor-league calendar is the Rule 5 draft. The Nats are nearly certain not to be takers in the MLB phase (thus, no preview this year), and may even have a player or two taken, though the odds are extremely short that any player taken will be gone for good.
Cameron Selik seems to have dropped off everyone’s radar. I don’t recall the injury he sustained, is he due in ST ready to go?
Torn lat. AFAIK, he’s on track to be back in ST.
thx, IMO he’d be 5-6 on the above list.
Happy Holidays to all at natsprospects.com
Selik isn’t much of a prospect. He’s 25 years old and recorded one out above A ball. He’s merely a big fish in a small pond.
Comparatively, Rob Wort produced (much) better numbers than Selik this year in Potomac at age 23, and voters didn’t fancy him in the top 10. Selik belongs somewhere in the 15-20 range, in my opinion.
Talk about a disappointing 2011 draft. After the 3 first rounders, we drafted 7 pitchers in the first 10 rounds. Only Purke made top 29! And Purke has done absolutely nothing to justify the hype.
Hill and Turnbull in particular were supposed to be shrewd picks, but have amounted to nothing.
Luke CRACK me up. You do not lack the tact to get back on track and to tract and react to everything we do. Good for you. Stats plus a smile equals baseball fan… nice list too.
Here was my ballot if anyone cares
Nathan Karns
Lucas Giolito
Sammy Solis
Matt Purke
Danny Rosenbaum
Christian Garcia
Brett Mooneyham
Aaron Barrett
Hector Nelo
Erik Davis
Jeff, we always care, even if we disagree. 🙂
I agree with you jeff! Except for giolotto. Unproven and over paid!
Well, the Rule V is tomorrow and if anyone is wondering what the Nats might do, Rizzo & co. left the winter meetings a day early.
They’re not even going to be there for the draft, just stay home and hope they don’t get plucked.