colbyjack

At what point was Rogers due to have surgery for a capsular shift? I don't even recall a torn labrum being reported. As far as we knew, he was scheduled to have arthoscopic shoulder surgery, which is about as tame (relatively) of a surgery as a pitcher can have. I'm not going to jump the gun until details can be provided. Mark has a hard road ahead of him, as he did even without the injury, and I wish him the best of luck.

Here is my column at Perfect Game that I mentioned just above. I profile my preseason top-10 teams, which is a little different than most publications. We shall see how my powers of progostication stack up come June: Perfect Game Crack of the Bat: Preseason top 10 college teams Next week I'm going to release my preseason All-American team.

Thanks for the team-by-team updates homer. The NL East is rather blah, a lot more so than I initially thought. Keep in mind that with the Nationals likely up Friday, BA will likely switch gears for a week, next week, to focus on their annual college baseball preview. I believe the NL Central reports should pick back up on Monday the 22nd.

Do you project any of them switching to starting in the pros? Moskos and St. Clair are probably the most likely to be considered starters at the professional level. However both are just so good in the bullpen, that it would be hard to switch them, and Moskos' fastball drops from the 93-96 range as a reliever to the 88-92 range as a starter. That's not bad velocity for a starter at all, but it's hard not to let a lefty that can throw in the mid-90s just let it loose 3-4 times a week. I would hope that we would spend our #1 on something else so who profiles to be around when we select in the third stanza? Closers or other players? If you're asking about all of the players available, it's way too early to try and project who might be around in the third frame. That could be pretty much anyone. Although the extended sandwich round next year is going to push the Brewers second selection, their third round pick, closer to the 100th overall selection. Of the closers, I think Carignan, Kunz and Weathers might be in that range, although Kunz and Weathers might get drafted earlier for their fastballs alone. Carignan doesn't have that one, light's out pitch, but he's just good and effective. Demel might be around in that range as well. No one is going to allow a lefty with the kind of stuff Moskos, St. Clair and Cecil have to slip that far. The only way they're there is if they're hurt.

I'm with foamboy, Jason Belcher probably had my attention more than most prospects in recent years, and his rapid disappearance was particularly disappointing. As foamboy mentioned, Belcher hit for incredibly high averages in high school, and I also seem to remember him only striking out like once his senior season. I've brought this up before, but Jim Tatum often goes unmentioned when John Jaha and Dave Nilsson are brought up. Tatum's numbers were just as impressive as those two's, and he played third base during a time when the team really needed a third baseman.

Awesome job as always Toby. I just can't see Alcides Escobar starting at AA. He really needs to repeat BC, as there's no reason to push the kid. I mentioned this in the thread of your first projection, but I like all of the pitching staffs outside of West Virginia's. Unless there's a surprise among those listed or a surprise promotion and/or designation, they are going to have to out-score many of their opponents. Huntsville on the other hand will likely be just the opposite.

Since I brought up the idea of drafting a college closer, one of the more pronounced strengths in the 2007 draft, I thought I should present some of the candidates. I already profiles Daniel Moskos, Cole St. Clair and Brett Cecil just above. Below I will focus on their right-handed peers. Joshua Fields-RHP-Georgia Summer of 2006, Cape Cod League 0-1, 2.55 ERA, 16 games (all in relief), 13 saves, 17.2 IP, 10 H, 27 K, 5 BB, 2 HR Sophomore year, 2006, Georgia 3-2, 1.80 ERA, 35 games (all in relief), 15 saves, 50 IP, 36 H, 56 K, 11 BB, 0 HR, .206 BAA Freshman year, 2005, Georgia 3-1, 7.00 ERA, 17 games (all in relief), 1 save, 27 IP, 26 H, 49 K, 12 BB, 1 HR, .250 BAA Cumulative 6-4, 3.42 ERA, 68 games (all in relief), 29 saves, 94.2 IP, 72 H, 132 K, 28 BB, 3 HR Fields' freshman year really skewed his career ERA, and if you look at his peripheral stats, its surprising that he gave up 21 ER when he gave up only 26 hits and 12 walks in his 27 innings of work, especially when you consider his 49 punchouts. He led the Cape in saves last summer, and was named the fourth best prospect in the league according to both PG Crosschecker and Baseball America. Fields was a well-known two-way talent coming out of high school, and did bat a little his freshman year. His mid-90s heater and nasty mid-80s slider has quickly made his hitting career a distant memory, and with that stuff he also has exhibited rather good control, the best of those profile in this post. He's a smaller pitcher, generously listed at 6', but he is a very good overall athlete. With another big year at Georgia he could easily creep up into the first half of the June draft. Andrew Carignan-RHP-North Carolina Summer of 2006, Cape Cod League 0-3, 2.45 ERA, 12 games (all in relief), 3 saves, 18.1 IP, 16 H, 19 K, 10 BB, 0 HR Sophomore year, 2006, North Carolina 2-3, 3.21 ERA, 32 games (all in relief), 15 saves, 33.2 IP, 18 H, 44 K, 15 BB, 1 HR, .151 BAA Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League 1-2, 1.44 ERA, 18 games (all in relief), 2 saves, 25 IP, 14 H, 32 K, 15 BB, 1 HR Freshman year, 2005, North Carolina 0-0, 3.68 ERA, 17 games (all in relief), 22 IP, 20 H, 24 K, 16 BB, 0 HR, .233 BAA Cumulative 3-8, 2.76 ERA, 79 games (all in relief), 20 saves, 98 IP, 68 H, 119 K, 56 BB, 2 HR Carignan was named the Cape's 22nd best prospect by PG Crosschecker. A shorter righty at 5'11", Carignan makes up with that with a strong, sturdy frame and a power arsenal, even if that arsenal isn't as dynamic as the other members on this list. He pitches regularly in the low-90s, can touch the mid-90s, and mixes in a very nice, hard curveball. He has a no-nonsense delivery, and a very aggressive approach on the mound that makes him a perfect candidate to close at any level. Carignan paced the ACC in saves last year for the CWS runner-up UNC Tar Heels, as he closed two more games while in Omaha. He has been effective from the moment he stepped on UNC's campus, and was a Cape All-Star last summer despite not receiving as many accolades as his closing peers. Casey Weathers-RHP-Vanderbilt Summer of 2006, Team USA 0-0, 2.16 ERA, 6 games (all in relief), 8.1 IP, 6 H, 16 K, 4 BB Summer of 2006, Alaskan Summer League 1-0, 0.84 ERA, 18 games (all in relief), 8 saves, 21.1 IP, 6 H, 25 K, 6 BB Sophomore year, 2006, Vanderbilt 1-1, 3.33 ERA, 21 games (all in relief), 3 saves, 27 IP, 23 H, 38 K, 16 BB, 2 HR, .228 BAA Freshman year, 2005, Sacramento City College 1-2, 3.83 ERA, 42.1 IP, 36 K, 23 BB Cumulative 3-3, 2.91 ERA, 45* games (all in relief), 11* saves, 99 IP, 35* H, 115 K, 49 BB *Does not include totals from Sacramento City College due to incomplete statistics A converted outfielder given his amazing raw arm strength, Weathers has very good natural athleticism from a compact, sturdy frame. Weathers is similar to Eddie Kunz, profiled just below, in that he is somewhat of a one-pitch specialist. His specialty if a very hard fastball that lives in the mid-90s and has reportedly approached triple digits, with many expecting it to surpass that mark. His slider is a potential plus pitch, but he needs to find more consistency with it. That can be expected from a player that has only been pitching for two years now. He was rated the top prospect in the Alaskan League by PG Crosschecker, as all six hits he allowed were singles and was virtually untouchable. He joined TUSA and his Head Coach at Vandy, Tim Corbin, mid-summer to fill a need in the National team's bullpen. Weathers is a senior, and turned down a sizable bonus from the Tigers last summer as a 24th-rounder. Eddie Kunz-RHP-Oregon State Summer of 2006, Cape Cod League 0-0, 1.71 ERA, 15 games (all in relief), 21 IP, 14 H, 22 K, 11 BB, 0 HR Sophomore year, 2006, Oregon State 5-1, 3.61 ERA, 29 games (all in relief), 42.1 IP, 39 H, 30 K, 21 BB, 0 HR, .245 BAA Summer of 2005, West Coast League 0-1, 4.38 ERA, 5 saves Freshman year, 2005, Oregon State 2-0, 1.54 ERA, 13 games (all in relief), 11.2 IP, 7 H, 14 K, 7 BB, 1 HR, .171 BAA Cumulative 7-1, 2.76 ERA, 57 games (all in relief), 75 IP, 60 H, 66 K, 39 BB, 1 HR Cumulative stats do not include incomplete stats from summer of 2005. Kunz is somewhat of a one-trick pony, with a deadly mid-90s sinker that is nearly impossible to drive. He induces groundballs like no other college pitcher, and that pitch alone may be the single best pitch available in the draft. Unfortunately there isn't much else in Kunz, as he is still trying to be more consistent with his breaking ball, a slider that could be a plus pitch. He has had so much success with his fastball he may have overlooked developing the rest of his repertoire. Kunz is a big boy at 6'5", 250 pounds, and was the set-up man a year ago for the College World Series Champion Oregon State Beavers. Sam Demel-RHP-TCU Summer of 2006, Cape Cod League 1-2, 1.73 ERA, 25 games (all in relief), 12 saves, 26 IP, 14 H, 38 K, 12 BB, 1 HR Sophomore year, 2006, TCU 6-6, 4.08 ERA, 23 games (13 starts), 6 saves, 92.2 IP, 93 H, 100 K, 37 BB, 8 HR, .257 BAA Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League 2-2, 4.46 ERA, 11 games (6 starts), 34.1 IP, 31 H, 45 K, 16 BB, 3 HR Freshman year, 2005, TCU 5-5, 4.64 ERA, 20 games (12 starts), 1 CG, 1 save, 95 IP, 97 H, 100 K, 44 BB, 5 HR, .264 BAA Cumulative 14-15, 4.10 ERA, 79 games (31 starts), 19 saves, 248 IP, 235 H, 283 K, 109 BB, 17 HR Demel has shuffled between the rotation and the bullpen, at least up until his very successful stint with Team USA last summer. He was very well known in high school given his electric stuff: A very good low to mid-90s heater and a wicked curveball. His smaller stature generated a few comparisons to Roy Oswalt, but his size made some scouts a little leary about spending an early pick on him. He has very good athleticism, and repeats his delivery well. He misses bats very well, but his control can struggle and he can be hit, and hit hard, as shown by the 17 collegiate home runs he has allowed. He was named the 13th best prospect on the Cape last summer according to PG Crosschecker.

Not even a token vote for Rob Hinton ("RH the RHP&quothttp://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif ? This guy is going to start turning heads very soon. See the "others receiving votes." Hinton received 51 total points, which would place him 24th based on this poll, one spot ahead of where you have him on the P50. I, and a few others, had him ranked in the 15 range. He's already turning heads, he just hasn't received the attention in doing so yet. I will be interested to see where he stands in BA's top prospect handbook among the Brewers top 30. I too was pretty impressed with the overall results. A tip of the cap to everyone that participated.

1. In the case of Hansen and Wagner, there many other players that were still avaible that i would rather had drafted(In each case, the next 5 out of 10 picks are either MLB players or top prospects) It's easy to make that assessment now. At the time of the draft I wasn't a big fan of the Wagner selection, not so much in that I didn't like Wagner, but felt the Reds were pretty foolish to be choosing such a specific need. Hansen on the other hand was being tossed around as a possible top-10 pick. His numbers at St. John's and on the Cape the summer before he was drafted were absolutely sick, and he has a filty fastball-slider combo that is perfect for the closer role. I know the Red Sox haven't given up hope on him, even if he has struggled during his brief stints at the big-league level. He actually fell in the draft, and the only reason he did was because of his advisor, Scott Boras. The Mets were rumored to take him where they eventually took Mike Pelfrey, and the D-Backs even had Hansen on their short list as a possibility for the first overall pick. That's how highly he was thought of at the time. 2. If you do pick a closer, then your basically flipping a coin, hoping he will pan out, because it seems like drafting a closer works have the time. I think that it wouldn't be worth the Brewers 7th draft pick, because i think they can get a Braun - like player. Having half of a certain grouping pan out is actually a pretty good ratio, so I'll take those odds every time if it came down to that. Your second point is what I agree with the most (being able to draft a player like Ryan Braun, or Prince Fielder, who was the 7th overall pick in 2002), and would be the biggest reason why I wouldn't draft a college closer.

Sticking with the theme of the lefties, below I will profile another college left-handed starter and a big lefty bat from Oklahoma State. Ross Detwiler-LHP-Missouri State Summer of 2006, Team USA 2-0, 1.00 ERA, 5 games (2 starts), 18 IP, 8 H, 20 K, 7 BB Sophomore year, 2006, Missouri State 7-4, 2.81 ERA, 14 games (all starts), 2 CG, 93 IP, 73 H, 99 K, 47 BB, 4 HR, 1.29 WHIP Freshman year, 2005, Missouri State 0-2, 6.35 ERA, 11 games (8 starts), 34 IP, 29 H, 35 K, 28 BB, 1 HR, 1.68 WHIP Cumulative 9-6, 3.41 ERA, 30 games (24 starts), 145 IP, 110 H, 154 K, 82 BB As you can tell by Detwiler's stats, he has no problems missing bats, and opposing batters have a hard time hitting his stuff (low-90s fastball, potentially dominant curve, developing changeup). He's built tall and lean, with plenty of room to add strength, but he is a relative work in progress despite turning heads while pitching for Team USA. As you can also tell by his stats, he walks too many batters, but he has improved in that area. Most of his command and control problems are often attributed to his delivery, in which he has difficulty repeating his delivery on a consistent basis. The more he improves his mechanics the more he is expected to improve his fastball command, and hopefully the consistency of his curveball and changeup will follow. Detwiler is poised for a big spring. Corey Brown-OF-Oklahoma State Summer of 2006, Cape Cod League .192/.305/.315, 130 AB, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 17:57 BB:K, 13 for 13 in SB attempts, 2 E Sophomore year, 2006, Oklahoma State .347/.462/.644, 216 AB, 13 2B, 6 3B, 13 HR, 42:57 BB:K, 14 for 17 SB, 2 E Freshman year, 2005, Oklahoma State .360/.496/.691, 175 AB, 7 2B, 6 3B, 13 HR, 44:49 BB:K, 8 for 9 SB, Cumulative .313/.437/.578, 521 AB, 28 2B, 13 3B, 28 HR, 103:163 BB:K, 35 for 39 SB (90% success rate) Brown doesn't get cheated at the plate, as he works the count extremely well, and takes his hacks, which leads to a very lofty walk and strikeout totals. He struggled initially hitting with a wood bat on the Cape last summer, but turned his season around to raise his batting average, even though it still was below the Mendoza line. His .305 OBP relative to his .192 batting average showed that he didn't lose his approach despite struggling. Brown is a fine overall athlete, a left-handed hitter and thrower that is very similar to his favorite big-league player, Jim Edmonds. He has enough speed, and is a savvy baserunner, leading to a very good success rate in stolen base attempts. He is also a chiseled athlete at 6'2", 210 pounds. His big swing leads to plenty of extra-base hits, and he is overall a very exciting and productive ballplayer with the statistical success to back up his accomplishments. Brown was named the Cape League's 16th best prospect last summer according to Perfect Game Crosschecker, and he was named the third-best prospect in the Florida State Collegiate Summer League (no stats available) the summer before by Baseball America. He was also named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

Its not like these draft picks will be in the Majors in 5 months, especally under the current philosphy, at best you could expect your closer up in 2009. That's not true, and if it were, it defies the point of this entire post. The only reason I brought up the possibility was because college closers often make a brief appearance towards the end of the season, and that really has nothing to do with a team's drafting philosophy. That's not something you bank on, but again, it's a possibility for a fresh arm. And again as a disclaimer, I'm not agreeing with the notion, just tossing it out there for discussion.

The number of rain-outs early in the season really stunk, as I think I only was able to make two of the games last year, missing three I think due to the weather. So, if mother nature cooperates, you will indeed see more of me next year. I look forward to the practices as well, although I don't think you and I were ever at the same ones. Given this weather, we could have practiced today.

I'm in. Although similar to last year I may have to bow out in early to mid-June due to festival season. Oh yeah, and I'm left-handed http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

Thanks for the responses so far. i don't think the brewers would really like the idea of taking another high school pitcher, so you may not be taking the "best player available" anyway. I'm not so sure anything will sway the Brewers away from drafting prep arms. I hope they have learned from past mistakes, but I just don't get the sense that they intend to change their philosophy one bit. Has drafting a college closer really worked? It worked for Chad Cordero and Huston Street, incredibly well actually. I agree that more was expected from Wagner and Hansen, although the Red Sox are still very high on what Hansen can do. And of course, every grouping of players has the good examples and the bad ones. In suggesting the Brewers take a college closers, I'm hoping they take the right one http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif . I just think generally speaking the best pitchers with the best stuff are starters. Plus with heavy use of a college pitcher in the spring months going to the bullpen for part of first pro season might make sense. Typically I agree with this, as in general I'm not a huge fan of nitpicking needs in the first round, such as drafting a college closer or drafting for immediate need. However, as shown with my examples of Street & Cordero above, it is possible to get a very good, accomplished closer in the draft who can pay off immediate dividends. And sometimes starters with good stuff don't always translate into good closers. I do believe their is a mental aspect to closing, which made me feel as though Street was tailor-made for that role. As you point out, college closers' arms are relatively fresh, and there is less concern about over-working them, and at the professional level it is more likely that they will be used even less since many college closers often pitch more than one inning, similar to how closers were used in the early-80s. A lot of people have questioned the Brewers commitment to winning (although I don't think those people bother viewing the draft forum), and I think drafting a college closer could be a perfect way to procure a fresh arm that may be able to contribute by the end of the year should the team be in the midst of a playoff chase. I should note that I admired the Detroit Tigers last year for not only being so good, but for taking the best player available in Andrew Miller. Miller is expected to move fast, and of course the Tigers didn't really have any questions with their bullpen given the emergence of Zumaya and Rodney.

We may be weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, but college baseball is just around the corner. I will use this thread all spring long to cover some of the more interesting developments while also pointing out the continued increased TV coverage we have witnessed the past couple of years. Baseball America kicks off their solid college coverage with a sneak preview PDF that includes their preseason top 50 teams: www.baseballamerica.com/t...review.pdf Rice LHP/1B Joe Savery graces their homepage today: http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/jsavery06428309jwa.jpg Keep an eye on PG Crosschecker for their college launch in the next week or two, and my next Crack of the Bat column at Perfect Game intends to focus on eight teams I like for this spring.

Al, I got your message, thanks. I also received two other late submissions that I accepted, so thank you as well for your submissions as well. Now the polling is officially closed.

Al, I received one other submission just this morning. If you want to get me your list it won't require much to add your votes along with the other one I received today. I have everything entered into an Excel spreadsheet, so it's simply a matter of adjusting some of the numbers. pebert@brewerfan.net Plus, that will get me over 50, as I currently stand at 49 submissions.

You should have submitted a list yoda. While 46 different Brewer prospects received at least one vote among 49 different submissions, there wasn't a single ounce of love for Adam Heether (or Steve Moss for that matter http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ).

If the Brewers were playing well enough in early June, would you support the idea of drafting a college closer? The bullpen seems to be the biggest area of concern on the team, and having a fresh arm added to the organizaiton with the possibility of being called up in September for a potential playoff push is an interesting thought. It probably doesn't support the best player available scenario, but really the final goal of the draft is to procure big-league talent, and of course, win it all. And the 2007 crop is a good year for college closers, with two lefties (Daniel Moskos, Cole St. Clair) and one righty (Josh Fields) that could find themselves being taken in the first round. In theory, the team could also save a few hundred thousand dollars in the process, which along with the lack of a second-round pick could free up close to a million dollars for another late-round steal, or possibly more activity on the Latin American market. The team also has two rather large-profile DFEs that could eat up some $$$ should they step up this spring. Just a thought as I'm putting together the results from the top prospect fan poll.

That was a classic line. Just a reminder, the poll closes at midnight this evening. I'll accept any submissions that get to me by the time I check my email tomorrow morning, which gives you 7-8 extra hours. I already have approximately 50, which was my target, so thanks to everyone that participated. Anyone that doesn't participate is not eligible to make any comments on any top prospect list moving forward http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

I will take Epps for two different reasons: One, his bat and overall game is more proven, as he has a very long track record performing at high level showcase events, meaning he has played with and against the best players in the nation a heck of a lot more than Worthington (Epps has also played for the East Cobb program the past several years). Two, he's a baseball player, there is no question about which sport he intends to pursue. However, it should be pointed out that Worthington and Epps are two different types of baseball players.

Jake Arrieta will likely find himself in my top 30 the next time I update the rankings. Here's his profile: Jake Arrieta-Brewerfan.net player profile Big-bodied righty that should be able to sustain a heavy workload. His fastball sits in the low-90s, and he has a pretty good slider and a decent changeup as well. He was a Brewers draft pick a couple of years ago, and someone the Brewers hoped to follow as a DFE before he transferred to TCU. He walked way too many pitching for TUSA last summer, but otherwise most scouts believe his command is a plus (his erratic command was chalked up to fatigue by many, something I don't always buy into). Krill is a 6'4", 200 pound outfield with perfect athletic proportions. He has a very strong frame, wide yet sloped shoulders, a narrow waist and strong limbs that lead many to believe he could be a prototypical power hitter from a corner spot. He has committed to UCLA, and has the tools to rise up to first-round contention with a big spring. He was an Aflac All-American last summer, so scouts are well aware of what he can do.

One user kindly pointed out to me that taking a reverse average of the scores may lead to some unfair rankings, for instance, if someone is in love with someone like Mitch Stetter more than most, and he receives only one vote, he could unfairly find himself in the top 20. So, I will be assigning point values in reverse order, 20 points for the top prospect, and one point for the 20th best prospect, and will be aligning the top prospects by total points received. I have only received 14 top prospect lists to this point in time, and was hoping to get around 50, so please get your lists to me as soon as possible.

I just wanted to point out that the Giants once again have done their best to get rid of as many draft picks as possible, losing their 2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks due to the signing of Zito, Aurillia and Roberts respectively. What do you think of Greg Peavey? He doesnt have the size or raw velocity of Harvey and Porcello but his fastball has good life and his slider is nasty. Another pitcher that I like due to his command of two pitches and his current pitchability. Here's what I wrote about him after the Aflac game, followed by his Brewerfan.net profile: Greg Peavey Peavey worked incredibly fast, getting the ball in his glove, getting the sign from the catcher and letting it fly. He started off by missing high, which seemed to be part of his almost impatience on the mound. But once he settled in he started to lower his low-90s sinking fastball, and flashed a very nasty curveball. Peavey walked Heyward to open the third inning, and then retired Hunter Morris, Rams and Tolisano in order, Morris and Rams on a 91 mph fastball and nasty hook respectively. Greg Peavey-Brewerfan.net player profile Peavey is in a group of pitchers that includes Alderson, Ramirez and Goeddel, among a few others, that is typically ranked below the power trio as I call them. I mention that his breaking ball is a curveball, which it looked like at the Aflac game, although many to most consider it to be a slider. It dove down more than out, which is why I called it a curve. I'll have to watch the game again to crosscheck my notes. Here's the comments I wrote on Neil Ramirez after the Aflac game from the same story as link above from my work for Perfect Game: Neil Ramirez Ramirez was the first pitcher in the game that caught my eye. Michael Main, Matt Harvey and Robert Stock did a fine job lighting up the radar guns, but Ramirez was the first pitcher that truly pitched. All of his pitches showed good movement, and there is a fair amount of deception to his delivery. Ramirez looks like a throwback player, and with a low-90s fastball and hard breaking ball with his command he should enjoy continued success as he heads into his final year in high school and moves onto either college or the professional ranks. Neil Ramirez-Brewerfan.net player profile Ramirez, as noted in the writeups, already knows how to pitch, and already commands three pitches really well. He was named the top prospect in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate League, where he pitched against college hitters last summer, a tribute to his polish and maturity. While he is labeled as somewhat of a safe pick, he has touched 95 in the past, and has been identified as one of the prep '07 prospects for a few years now. As for Richard Lucas and Tyrell Worthington... Lucas is a player that made some noise this past summer. His bat is starting to leave some very strong impressions on scouts, as is his glove at the hot corner, which has improved dramatically the past year or so. He is short to the ball, and likely will be more of a doubles hitter than a home run hitter early in his pro or college career, but given his big, strong frame, many expect more power to come. Lucas plays at Wolfson HS in Jacksonville, the same HS that produced two first round picks in 2004: Billy Butler and Eric Hurley, both of whom are elite prospects for the Royals and Rangers respectively. The negative on Lucas is his overall athleticism. While he's an aggressive player, he isn't particularly fast, and there is some concern that his body and frame will outgrow third base, which will cause for a move to first since many don't believe he has the speed to play the outfield. And with that possibility, the bat comes into question as to whether or not it's good enough for first. Worthington is an incredible athlete, a true five-tool player that can run like the wind. His speed makes him a multi-dimensional threat on the bases and in centerfield, and he draws some pretty high marks for his overall polish despite being such a toolsy player that hasn't focused on baseball primarily. That's because he is also a very talented cornerback in football that recently committed to ECU. I'm watching one player this evening in the Holiday Bowl, DeSean Jackson, whose college football commitment was too good to pass up despite having world-class baseball tools. Worthington will have to continue to show scouts his tools while also making somewhat of a commitment to baseball, whether it be through showcase events or during in-house visits, like Carl Crawford did several years ago. Worthington could be a high pick if one team believes in him enough to make the necessary investment, while Lucas could be a high pick if he continues to mash. Also, CJ, you have any idea why Matt Harvey didnt pitch in the WWBA? He's not on PGCC's list of the best velocities from the tournament. I'm pretty sure Harvey elected not to participated at the event. He originally was supposed to pitch for PG Crosschecker, but didn't show up, which usually points to an advisor or high school coach getting involved at some level. Some players, pitchers more often than hitters, won't attend tournament events such as the WWBA World Championship as their coaches and/or advisors worry about the wear and tear it will put on their arms. As a few at Perfect Game have pointed out, seemingly every year, attending the biggest scouting event can only help a young player, even one of Harvey's caliber, who is already considered one of the top 5-10 prospects available for next June's draft. In other words, I don't think there is an injury concern involved.

I don't know if the Suppan signing really changes things. Were the Brewers going to get a solid starting pitcher by trading Jenkins, Mench and/or Clark, or some combination of the three? Rodrigo Lopez seemed to be the most intriguing name tossed around, and I'm glad the Brewers ended up with Suppan and not Lopez. As others have noted, I do think the Suppan signing may have given the Brewers more flexibility in what they can ask for Mench, Jenkins, Clark, etc., in that they may be looking for prospects as opposed to proven big-leaguers. I agree with most that I would like to see a bullpen arm added (Jenkins for Benitez?), and I think we could see more rumor activity surrounding Turnbow, particularly with the Red Sox now that the Indians have signed Foulke. The Red Sox also seem to be looking for a 4th or 5th OF, and I think Coco Crisp is a name that could be tossed around a little bit more. However, I don't view Crisp as a real addition to the team (his numbers quite simply aren't that great), and he certainly doesn't help out the outfield glut, but a Clark/Mench + Turnbow deal may garner a Crisp + prospect return and could set up a possible Jenkins for reliever type of deal (I still think the Cardinals are a good fit for Jenkins, even if it is a deal within the division, and I have no clue who the Brewers would ask for and/or expect in return). Similar to the notion that Sexson would be traded a few years ago and that the same would happen to Overbay last offseason, I am pretty sure the Brewers won't enter the 2007 season with Jenkins, Mench and Clark all on the roster. Melvin has seemed to make it pretty clear that Hall and Hart will be everyday starters in the OF, and Gross seems like a lock to be the primary backup, leaving spots for two of the Jenkins/Mench/Clark tandem. The free agent outfielder class seems to be the slowest group of players to sign, and I'm guessing once a few more of those outfielders have signed the Brewers will find a market for one of their extras as well.