As best as I can tell, this is the earliest they’ve been completed. But that’s not necessarily a good thing.
For starters, I used to wait until multiple prospect books were in han. I would then try to incorporate what I found there along with my observations as a season-ticket holder at High-A.
With John Sickels essentially retired and no true replacement for him, that’s one less source. Then with the P-Nats packing up and moving another 45 minutes down the highway, my days as a season-ticket holder ended, reducing the number of looks even further.
Sure, there’s MiLB.tv, but it’s not the same, as the quality of the broadcasts varies widely from faciity to facility. Some teams are barely better than the fixed camera above home plate like Hagerstown back in the day. Others have HD cameras for some angles and SD for others (looking at you Harrisburg), which makes the broadcast woefully uneven.
But mostly I’m done now because I’ve become more selective, choosing fewer players and being stricter about older players. Sorry, but the pandemic excuse (“they missed an entire year”) no longer holds water, and even when it did that bucket was awfully leaky. This season will be the fifth since the MLB takeover. Even a MASN Commenter knows that’s enough time for either a draft pick or an IFA to have established himself.
It’s less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers report and a little more than three before first spring training game.
Happy Friday, espcially in North Alabama where Sand Mountain Sam will be the focus of Possum Day 2025!