colbyjack

I heard some reports earlier in the season on Savery, but none within the last month or so. He was topping out around 91 then, working in the high-80s (as opposed to working in the low-90s and touching 95), but his command reportedly has been pretty good. Rice has obviously taken it slow with him, but scouts still are concerned about his arm, which always brings up the concern about pitchers that come from Rice (but when this concern comes up, I always remind people that Wayne Graham coached Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens at San Jacinto College). So, he still has talent, but any team selecting him is doing so recognizing there is a fair amount of risk. The fallback option is hit bat, as some considered him a first-round talent as a position player. However, the power just isn't there this year (at least not the last time I checked) to justify a first-round selection. He's another candidate for the super-sized sandwich round, and if he does slip, I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at Rice next year to improve his draft status (payday).

The bullpen depth is extremely encouraging, as you know the talent is going to come in handy across the course of the season. And as others have noted, not just at Nashville, as that talent stretches all the way down. When one AAA arm is bumped up, guys like Robert Hinton and Kevin Roberts could be bumped up from one level to the next to fill each other's spots. While not bullpen related, and I didn't want to start a new thread on this, Manny Parra is approaching 160 innings pitched at the AA level, going back to the 2004 season. I know his career has been slowed by shoulder problems, but whether it be due to injury, promotions or ineffectiveness, I think he's more than ready, and deserving, to handle the jump to AAA.

This may fit better in the MLB forum, but given his standing as a prospect in recent years I'm adding this post here. www.baseballamerica.com/b...cts/?p=239 Lincecum's stuff is just filthy, and he seemed to get better upon pitching against professional hitters. I believe the Giants are on Sunday Night Baseball this week, so everyone will have the chance to watch him pitch. I had the chance to interview Lincecum last fall for my work with PG. I'd include a link to the interview, but it's not working right now.

PG Crosschecker has posted their top 100 draft eligible prospects the past two days, all of which include a short blurb describing their talents. The links are for subscribers only, but the information is well worth becoming a subscriber: PGCC: Top Prospects 1-50 PGCC: Top Prospects 51-100 While it's a ranking and not a mock draft, Madison Bumgarner is their seventh best draft-eligible prospect.

This weekend's BA college preview from BA: www.baseballamerica.com/t...63858.html And a picture of Tennessee's James Adkins, who I saw face David Price a couple of weeks ago: http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/jadkins07428309tf.jpg

I for one am not the least bit worried about Gwynn's lack of power. Plenty of very effective players in the majors right now whose game is based on speed and defense. I never understood the concern, quite frankly, as it has not detered at all his ability to reach the majors. Pogo already touched on this point, but how many players in the big-leagues are effective without even a lick of power? You say there are plenty of players that are very effective with speed in defense, but really, there aren't. Wily Taveras and Alex Sanchez, as pogo mentioned, are stop-gaps, or reserves, at best for the teams they play/have played for, and Gwynn doesn't even have that kind of speed (although he's probably a much better defender than both). Lance Johnson had a nice big-league career without much power, however, Johnson's power would make Gwynn jealous. I'm not trying to diss Gwynn at all, because his ability to be a solid contributor at the big-league level as a specialist-type reserve made me rank him as high I/we did. #9 in the Brewers system is pretty lofty praise.

I just wanted to direct people to the DFE thread in the draft forum, as there are some interesting developments among the Brewers DFE class in the last year of the process: p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...=940.topic The Brewers according to PG Crosschecker have the third, fourth and fifth best DFE candidates. In the same thread you'll see that the Brewers are expected to sign Lee Haydel (the third best DFE candidate), and there's no reason to believe they won't sign the other two. So, while it's impossible to predict who the Brewers will draft when trying to think of the names that may be added to the Power 50 come July, the DFE thread is a good way to get a sneak peek at some of the names that could be added to the P50 come June.

As far as I know, Beaven is not going to be advised by Boras. I'm not sure who will advise Beaven, as after Boras it doesn't seem as though anyone cares (basically, as long as it's not him). High school stats are hard to come by. You almost have to contact the teams themselves. Some (and by some I mean few) have stats posted on their high school page or an ezteam page, but you have to do some digging to find those. The Hot List over at PG Crosschecker has some stats you can look at.

Alderson over Bumgarner and Beaven isn't that surprising to me, as I actually prefer Alderson as a pitcher over the other two, even if the other two have better fastballs. Frazier at 66 is way too low though, I'll give you that.

Continuing the information from yesterday's post about Allan Simpson's draft notebook, PG Crosschecker has a daily top 10 list, and today's lists the top 10 DFE candidates this spring. The list reinforces the notion that the Brewers will see the DFE put to bed with arguably their strongest class ever: PG Crosschecker Daily Top 10 Lists - Week 13 Having the third, fourth and fifth best DFE candidates in the nation means the Brewers are in an excellent position to add some electrifying talent to the system before the draft even takes place. More ammo for the organization, and while Jack Z. is far from perfect, his staff certainly deserves a lot of credit for identifying and following this level of talent.

I just wanted to point out that I have had Braun as the Brewers #1 prospect for a while now, so what he and Yo have done this year didn't really affect my ranking of the two. To me they are really 1A and 1B, with Braun obviously getting the slight edge. Thanks to pogo for putting it together.

A nice note on Corporan's promotion from Lake City CC's website:

Colby you said you think they will go with a prep bat. But if they where to take a pitcher who do you think they would take out of Moskos, Detwiler, Bumgarner, or Aumont. Or is there another pitcher you would think they would take. The more live the arm the better for the Brewers, so I'm guessing Aumont could be very high on their list. Porcello and Harvey would be too if it weren't for the Boras factor. Michael Main I'm sure they like, along with Jarrod Parker, who may be similar to Jeremy Jeffress from a year ago given his powerful fastball, athletic frame and smaller stature. Bumgarner still bothers me (despite being left-handed) since he still has not developed a solid secondary pitch. He has great size, great athleticism and a very good fastball for a lefty, but his delivery, mechanics and breaking pitches are in question. That's not an appealing combination for me. However, I would hope that if given that group to choose from they would take Moskos, although I have stated before I don't think he'll make it to #7.

A great column by my colleague at PG Crosschecker, Allan Simpson, covering the DFE process and some of the names to watch this spring: www.pgcrosschecker.com/dr..._5207.aspx Among the notes... That's great news concerning Haydel, considering we didn't hear a peep about him all spring. That makes me bummed about the DFE process going away, since you lose this fun info that generates excitement out of no-namers. Haydel's development could be very similar to Manny Parra's a few years ago, and it sounds as though he may get a pretty sizable bonus.

No word on who the Dodgers are focusing on, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have Jarrod Parker in their sights. McGeary makes sense, and I just don't see Smoker making it past the Braves pick, unless Heyward and/or Bumgarner makes it that far. I've seen the Grady Sizemore comp thrown out before, and I think it started from one report in Baseball America in which one manager in last summer's Jayhawk league tossed the name out there. A huge reason why player comparisons can be so dangerous and unfair. He's been rising up draft boards all spring, but I think scouts are still somewhat skeptical of what he's capable of. I've been talking about the super-sized sandwich round all spring, and he's a prime candidate to be taken in that round, particularly given the perceived lack of impact bats at the college level this spring. Take a peek at some of the teams with multiple picks in the sandwich round that prefer college players (Boston, Toronto, San Diego).

Another comp between Frazier and Braun is that they are (were) both relatively unproven with a wood bat. I don't remember Braun ever playing on the Cape (I seem to remember his battling some injury problems during the summers after his freshman and sophomore seasons) and Frazier didn't hit very well for Team USA last summer despite receiving praise for his raw power potential. It should be noted that Frazier did hit very well on the Cape the summer after his freshman year, so the comp there isn't the greatest, but scouts are always looking at a player's most recent performances, so what he did on the Cape two summers ago may not be fresh on their minds. Physically Frazier actually resembles Jeff Franceour, but I'm glad you agree with the rough comparison to Braun. I'm not so sure that Moustakas will be gone. The Boras factor always looms large, and I think Goldstein's comments are more substantiated speculation than fact at this point in time, as Jack Z. plays his cards way close too his vest for someone to truly know that the Brewers are serious about nabbing him with the 7th overall pick. Based on pure talent, yes, it does sound as though he won't be around for your pick, but you never know.

Thanks for sharing that EDR, another poster shared that same info a few posts down. Kevin Goldstein and Jim Callis have both taken a stab at the first 5-10 picks of the draft, with the usual caveat that a lot can still happen between now and draft day. Here are the candidates being thrown around with the top 5-10 picks: Devil Rays David Price is the main name here, but PGCC reported about a month or two ago that the D-Rays were also scouting Ross Detwiler, Matt Wieters and Andrew Brackman. I'm not sure if that has changed at all, but the D-Rays do continue to look at other top players across the nation, as they definitely don't want to limit their own negotiating power even if Price is ultimately their pick. Royals One thing seems to be for sure, the Royals won't take a third baseman. Starting pitching seems to be their target, with local talent Ross Detwiler a possibility as well as Seton Hall Prep star RHP Rick Porcello. Max Scherzer is a wild-card here, as I noted a few months ago, Scherzer may be watching what is happening this spring with wide eyes since no other college righty has stood up and separated themselves from the pack. Cubs The Cubs started hot and heavy on Matt Wieters, and since then have reportedly shifted most of their attention to prep 3B Josh Vitters, the best hitter available in this year's draft class. They also have been rumored to like Andrew Brackman given their usual interest in big, tall, hard-throwing college arms such as Grant Johnson, Jeff Zamazdija, Luke Hagerty and others. Pirates The Pirates reportedly were on Vitters from day one, so they're probably pretty bummed to learn that the Cubs are all over him. Goldstein threw out Detwiler as a possibility, which makes sense since the Pirates always seem to like drafting college pitchers, particularly lefties. No other names really tossed around here, but their system and big-league team definitely could use more impact bats, so don't be surprised to see Jason Heyward or even a sleeper like Kevin Ahrens here. Orioles The O's have been hot on two players this spring: Canadian RHP Phillippe Aumont and Clemson LHP Daniel Moskos. Most seem to agree that they will avoid the Boras cllients, as most of the teams this early will. Nationals Mike Rizzo comes from the D-Backs to take over the Nats drafting duties, so don't rule out any Boras clients here due to signability. But the Nationals (and Expos), now under Jim Bowden, have never been shy about taking high school pitchers. Phillippe Aumont is a popular name here, but keep an eye on fellow prep RHPs Rick Porcello, Matt Harvey, Blake Beaven and prep LHP Madison Bumgarner. Don't rule out Max Scherzer. Brewers The Brewers of course have now been tied to prep IF Mike Moustakas, a big left-handed bat that is tearing up the SoCal high school circuit. College LHPs Detwiler and Moskos have been linked to the Brewers, as well as prep LHP Bumgarner. I don't see them taking a prep pitcher two years in a row, and the first college arm they take in round one under Jack Z's direction will be the first. That's why I think a prep bat is their target, and if it isn't Moustakas, my money is on Jason Heyward or Michael Burgess. I think Todd Frazier is a lot like Ryan Braun at the same stage, and is a sleeper to watch here. Rockies The Rockies have been linked to many of the prep bats I mentioned in regards to the Brewers just above, adding Moustakas' teammate, 3B Matt Dominguez. Tennessee CF Julio Borbon has also been mentioned as a possibility, but I just don't see him going this high given his struggles this spring. Jim Callis pointed out that the Rockies haven't gone above slot since 2000, so don't look for them to overpay to get someone that falls. I'm guessing with the Rockies IF relatively set for a long, long time, the OF would be a bigger target. Diamondbacks The big question for the D-Backs is whether they sign Max Scherzer. Former Brewers crosschecker Tom Allison is now the D-Backs scouting director, so it's hard to tell what their approach will be. If they sign Scherzer, they may look for a budget pick, and either way Allison may employ the same slot-value approach that Jack Z. has in Milwaukee. That also means they won't be shy about taking a prep pitcher, of which there could be some mighty good ones to choose from here. Giants This pick seems to be all about lefty slugger Beau Mills, as the Giants have a history selecting players from Lewis-Clark State. Mills could very well be a perfect fit for the Giants, given McCovey cove and all, and may be the left-handed slugger summoned to "replace" Barry Bonds one day. The Giants, like the D-Backs, might also be in a great position to grab a prep pitcher here, as the success of Matt Cain certainly won't prevent them from doing so. One thing to keep in mind is that the Giants have quite a few extra, early picks, a position they're not used to being in, so don't expect them to pursue a big-money player that has fallen. Most seem to agree at this point in time that Matt Wieters and Andrew Brackman are pretty good candidates to fall. I really, really wish the Brewers would be ready to pounce on Wieters, but since they are one of the teams that adhere to the slot values (keep in mind they have passed on players such as Mike Pelfrey, Luke Hochevar, Jered Weaver and Stephen Drew in the past), I doubt they will.

Thanks for the thoughts and observations Madtown Bomber. I haven't been updating numbers as much of late because I think the Brewers first-round pick will come down to a prep bat. David Price continues his awesomeness, and there seems to be a very slim chance that the D-Rays don't take him. However, you just never know. I do want to point out that Daniel Moskos continues to thrive in a starting role for Clemson, pitching against offensive powerhouse Georgia Tech last Friday and putting up this line: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 8 K, 2 BB And here's his line on the year after four starts (starts only): 1.35 ERA, 20 IP, 23 H, 26 K, 6 BB Keep in mind the Tigers have brought him along slowly as they stretch out his arm for the starting role. The only other college arm that I think has a chance to go to the Brewers at #7 is Ross Detwiler, who had his worst start of the season, really his only ugly start, last Friday against Southern Illinois: 3.2 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 2 K, 2 BB

I really like Rob Bryson, as he and Tyson were both favorites of mine entering the season as they both were very projectable coming out of high school with good yet improving stuff. I believe Bryson will be added once his season is over. It's hard not to like Robinson, but it's hard to get a read on him. I really like the idea of adding the speed of Lee Haydel. There are a couple of other legit power arms in Tullo and Macy. Tullo may have more walks than innings pitched this year, but he's striking out 1.5 batters per inning, and they often say that one's command usually takes longer than one's velocity to recover after having Tommy John surgery, as it appears the velocity has already returned given his strikeout totals. And Djebbar is a smooth lefty that commands the strike zone pretty well, so you know I like him. I felt this was a strong class entering the spring and it seems as though several of these guys stepped up, which could make it one of the team's bigger, and hopefully better, DFE classes, which would be especially gratifying since it's the last year of the process.

That's cool, I didn't know we were co-workers. Drop me an email when you get a chance: pebert@brewerfan.net

The episode was fine, but the biggest thing that has always bugged me about the Sopranos is how they immediately make issues that weren't previously "big" into major storylines. I prefer when shows show the foresight to build up to these issues. Now, we all know Tony spends money like crazy, but to try and justify the the money woes storyline by having Tony's shrink bring it up like it has been a long-time issue seemed way too forced to me. And, as far as I can remember, there has never been an ounce of animosity between Tony and the Jewish guy (I can't remember his name), and again, they suddenly introduce that story as well. Maybe a minor nitpick, but the series has been littered with similar stuff. It just bugs me a little because the show has so many opportunities to be one of the best shows ever, and really the only thing that makes it so well-liked it because it is about the mob, which always does well at the box office. It looks like more drama for Paulie this week, as it looks like they're going to try and resurrect the issues between he and Christopher.

Thanks for sharing/finding that story Mass. That's a great addition to the organization, as Tyson was one of the guys I hoped would work out to open the spring. They have quite a few power arms in this DFE class, so it will be interesting to see how many they end up adding and if that effects their approach in the draft at all (probably not).

I think most people are saying they would have liked to see Anderson as the Brewers first-round pick. He was considered to be a first-round pick (as his signing bonus showed) until conditioning issues seemed to cause him to fall a little bit.

Thanks for sharing that battlekow, as that appears to be a subscriber based story. That's the first time I've seen the Brewers connected to Moustakas.\ EDIT: I meant to add before that if the Brewers are seriously looking at Moustakas, I'm curious if they intend to move him behind the plate. Many scouts have commented in the past that they feel he could succeed there, but I haven't heard that talk this spring. Jim Callis recently picked prep lefty Madison Bumgarner to be the Brewers pick at #7 in his column in the print edition of BA.

No, I didn't catch Bennett and the Pioneers the spring. I intended to check them out last month when they hosted UW Stevens Point, but the series was pushed back twice given the terrible weekend weather at the time. Nice to see Bennett continue to hit. The tools reportedly are somewhat limited, but his bat has played well the past couple of years. Guys like this from smaller schools always seem to end up returning for their senior year of eligibility.