Morning Reading
We’re still here, just waiting out the rest of spring training. As is my offseason custom to keep the site from going stale, here are some stories to read.
Games start up on Thursday in the minors and I’m anticipating rosters to be released on the 7th. With a shorter window to work with in the mornings, I may not be able to write them up with much or any commentary, so my apologies in advance.
John Sickels has released his rankings of the MLB farm systems, with the Nationals coming in at No. 16, up from No. 22 last year. That’s what’s more important: not the ranking, but the acknowledgement that the system has improved.
Washington also came in at No. 16 on BA’s 2014 International Spending By Team. Be sure to read the caveats for they are significant, particularly as they relate to Cuban FAs.
Lastly, I’d like to give some play to a blog by San Francisco minor-leaguer Matt Paré called “Homeless Minor Leaguer,” recently featured on NBC Sports’ HardballTalk. I’m hyperlinking there because I think it’s the best place to start.
I’m always fascinated by these kinds of first-person accounts, even if many of them don’t live up to the standard set by Dirk Hayhurst. Sadly, the Nationals once had such a player but basically ordered him to stop.
That’s all for now. Next up (most likely) another transaction update.
Thanks Luke. No apologies necessary, we all that you do here.
I used to read Tatusko, his writing about playing in the Venezuelan Winter League was compelling stuff. Didn’t know that the Nats made him stop. A stupid order.
Oops. I meant we love all that you do. 🙂
Jose Bautista has an interesting piece on player development in the Dominican. http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jose-bautista-dominican-baseball-prospects-mlb/
Luke, I hope you’re still reading the ST boxes, as your guy “Orange” Marmolejos-Diaz actually got in a MLB spring game today, as did several others from the MiLB camp.
Luke we love all you do
Diaz and Davidson faced the yanow
Good news for Suns
With Sickels now in with #16, here’s how the various sites that I’ve seen have ranked the Nationals’ farm system:
#9: ESPN (Keith Law)
#11: Baseball Prospectus; Bleacher Report (included for comedy purposes only)
#16: Sickels
#22: MLBReports
Yes, that’s one top ten, two (OK, three) middle 10, one bottom ten. I guess it’s as much art as science 🙂
Nats should make first ever deal with birds for
Jimmy Paredes
Lucas. What did you think of mock roster on Suns
Website? Mayers converted to catcher . Rizzo loves
Catchers like Elizabeth Taylor loved husbands !
I am expecting more Latin kids on Hagerstown
With the XST list long and auburn not until June
Davidson could use Fred @ 3 b and maybe Eusebio
Plus DeBruin to help out bench ? Kevin E. Or Bryan
Meiija??
Carp- less Cuse! Lol