colbyjack

The Florida State League top prospect list is out, with Yo checking in at the #2 spot (just behind Homer Bailey), Braun at #4, and Mark Rogers riding his talented arm to the 7th spot (link to the league overview, for all readers): www.baseballamerica.com/t...62551.html J.J. Cooper will answer questions about the FSL at 2pm CST.

Thanks Kat, I actually meant to comment on Mauer's size, since as you noted he too is a pretty big kid. Again as you noted, it a true testament to his athletic ability given the way he moves behind the plate. It is pretty exciting to have a guy like Mauer, and even McCann, playing these days, as they seem poised to take the torches from Pudge & Piazza (at least Piazza as a hitter) as the MLB's best catchers for the next 10-15 years. And here everyone thought the Twins were crazy for passing on Mark Prior http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

Clancyphile's Sleeper: Tim Dillard clancy, I admire your determination, but Dillard is far from a sleeper, particularly since he was the Brewers minor league pitcher of the year in 2005. I know you'll use the angle that he deserves to be a starter, so I probably shouldn't even address this http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif . Koonce & Alonso at 1B - if these are your top performing 1B in the minors, it means you're pretty thin in that department. But then again, considering your MLB 1B is one Prince Fielder, who isn't going anywhere anytime soon, it is definitely your position of least need. Any consideration of Chris Errecart here? I would have put Errecart over Chapman for OF also, but I can understand the Chapman selection. I think Jim addressed the lack of first basemen in the system, but as you noted, with Fielder at the big-league level, first base really isn't that big of a weakness. It could be in another year or two when Prince is starting to creep towards those free agency. I personally didn't consider Errecart as a first baseman since he played a lot of left field and filled in as the DH. In addition, he couldn't have replaced Chapman in the outfield since Chapman qualified as a centerfielder and Errecart would have had to jump over his own teammate in Gillespie in left or your personal favorite Drew Anderson. The outfields were aligned by their true position, not just taking the six best outfielders in the system (and I actually had Chapman ahead of Gwynn before the rest of the group wisely pointed out that Chapman was several levels below Gwynn).

I got my print edition of BA in the mail yesterday, so I have the rest of the league top prospect lists. No more surprises among the lists, as the two most obvious candidates are the only two covered, although those two are represented very well.

On Wieters, do you have any concerns about his ability to stay behind the plate? And how would he compare to Joe Mauer? No, I don't, but I know that is a popular subject. He is a very good athlete, more naturally athletic than Jeff Clement was coming out of college a few years ago, although Wieters is a much bigger person. I think that is where the concern comes from, because he is so tall (around 6'5" or so), and you just don't see catchers like that very often. Sandy Alomar was built like that and enjoyed a very long career, but I have not seen anything from Wieters that would make me want to move him to another position. I actually was impressed with the way he catches the times I have seen him, and he has improved since being at Georgia Tech. I suppose you could compare him to Joe Mauer in that they are both bigger backstops, are fairly athletic, and can swing the bat. I think Mauer is a better overall athlete and probably will always hit for a better average. Wieters probably will hit for more power, while still maintaining a relatively high average (.280-.300 range). I've mentioned this before, but Jason Varitek is a more sound comparison to Wieters on so many different levels (switch hitters, the Georgia Tech connection, Varitek pitched in college, etc.). All three guys are praised for their leadership skills and overall character, which is another huge plus for a catcher. The only way Wieters falls to the Dodgers is if he's advised by Scott Boras and/or suffers an injury next spring. In my mind, he's a top 2-3 pick overall, and you have to think the D-Rays, Royals and Cubs would all be very excited to get a player like him (the Pirates might be the first to truly pass since they already have hometown favorite Neil Walker moving up as a catcher).

Vitters impressed me a lot this summer, not only for what I saw at the Aflac game, but how he performed at other major events as well. He's the best prep hitter IMO, even if he doesn't have the raw power of Michael Burgess. Vitters could be similar to someone like Jeff Cirillo (in his prime) or even Ryan Zimmerman. That said, I don't know if Vitters sticks at 3B. He's not a great natural athlete, which is why you're not going to see him anywhere near the #1 overall ranking by other publications. I think there is a very strong chance that he ends up in left field. No, I don't see Jackson hitting for power, but I don't think he will have to. I do think he will hit his fair share of doubles & triples. I could see Harvey slipping to #22, but not Robles. Robles actually is likely to draw a lot of comparisons to Kershaw for their left-handedness, FB velocity, CB, etc. Robles could be the first prep pitcher off the board next June. Harvey's FB is a little too straight at this point in time. But, it does come so easily out of his hand, unlike Michael Main, who is more of a max effort type guy. Harvey's CB isn't as refined as a lot of other prep pitchers from what I've seen, but the same was said about Jeffress at this point last year, and Harvey, like Jeffress, could be throwing triple digits come April. I think Dodger fans are the only fans out there excited about getting prep pitchers. Back to Wieters, I explain my reasoning in this thread (about half-way down the first page): p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...=918.topic Keep in mind, I'm a huge fan of LHPs, so you know how much I like Wieters to put him ahead of Price. I can guarantee you that every other publication will have Price #1, and he could very well go first overall, but again, catchers like Wieters just are such an incredible rare commodity.

BTW, here's the final raw order for 2007: 1. D-Rays (.377) 2. Royals (.383) 3. Cubs (.407) 4. Pirates (.414) 5. Orioles (.432) 6. Nationals (.438) 7. Brewers (.463) 8. Rockies (.469) 9. D-Backs (.469) 10. Giants (.472) 11. Mariners (.481) 12. Marlins (.481) 13. Indians (.481) 14. Braves (.488) 15. Reds (.494) 16. Rangers (.494) 17. Astros (.506) 18. Cardinals (.516) 19. Phillies (.525) 20. Red Sox (.531) 21. Blue Jays (.537) 22. Dodgers (.543) 23. Padres (.543) 24. Angels (.549) 25. White Sox (.556) 26. A's (.574) 27. Tigers (.586) 28. Twins (.593) 29. Mets (.599) 30. Yankees (.599) Will the D-Rays ever be good? Not that this will make anyone feel any better about the '06 season, but the 25 point difference in winning % from the Nationals to the Brewers is the biggest leap between teams. So, you basically have six really, really, really bad teams picking before the Brewers get to make their pick.

Brantley had a fine year, but who do you replace him with on the 1st & 2nd all-Brewerfan.net teams? The players represented all had better years than Brantley, a tribute to the depth of outfielders in the system (also discussed in the story). I do agree with you though that he should not have to repeat low-A.

I defer to those with more knowledge.....Colby? Early guess? Sure, I'll offer my kiss of death in October http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif . Check out my '06 draft recap & '07 early draft preview story that was up last week on the homepage. It doesn't really offer a prediction, but I do target one player that may fit the mold. www.brewerfan.net/ViewArt...icleId=249

Hey Jim, see page 1 of this thread for the full picture.

Matt Meyers of Baseball America will be chatting about the top South Atlantic League prospects after the league's top 20 list is released at some point tomorrow. Meyers has told me personally that he is a big fan of the West Virginia Power, and more specifically, Angel Salome, so this could be the most well-represented Brewers prospect list of them all. Inman, Salome, Cain, Gamel and Ford? The league was packed with talent, so that may be a little optimisitic.

I didn't see this posted elsewhere, and I just remembered it myself, but during last night's game Jim Powell mentioned that Mark Rogers has been sent home for the winter and will not participate in the instructional league or during any winter development leagues due to shoulder soreness. There has not been any structural damage reported in any of the tests they have conducted, including a few MRIs, so the Brewers hope a long winter's rest will be what Rogers' needs to return at 100% next spring.

I'm not sure the D-Rays have much use for Hall, and I think they are intent on acquiring impact arms, not bats, at this point in time. Aside for B.J. Upton, they also have Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria moving up the chain that will be pushing for playing time in the infield in the not-so-distant future. Hall straight up for Crawford otherwise is pretty fair if you ask me.

PG Crosschecker has just unveiled their top 1,000 (yes, 1,000) draft eligible high school prospects for 2007. You need to be a subscriber to view the list, but again, if you're a big draftnik the cost of the subscription is well worth it. PG Crosschecker

I really, really like the idea of Carl Crawford on the Brewers, it's just I don't think I give up Capuano to make it happen. I understand that we have lost with Cappy, but that doesn't mean we will continue to lose with him. It's not his fault individually. When you have a good, proven young pitcher I just think you do what it takes to keep that player. For the Brewers it's clear that they have had a problem developing pitchers, and I don't trust the Brewers competing with other teams in the free agent market to find a replacement for Cappy. That type of player, as Jason Schmidt has been suggested, likely will have several suitors prepare to overpay, and outbid the Brewers, for his services. And like I said previously, Capuano for Crawford straight up is actually a pretty fair deal, so I don't know if any prospects would be involved to even it out. I believe pogo mentioned a multi-player deal that could involved a troubled player like Elijah Dukes, but unless the Brewers know his mom, priest and family doctor personally and are convinced they can turn him around, I want nothing to do with that head case. Upton as you noted clearly isn't going anywhere, and neither is Delmon Young. TB is also unlikely to move any of their young pitchers such as Wade Davis, Jeff Niemann, Jeremy Hellickson and a few others. So I really don't know in that regard because I don't think the D-Rays will want to part with any of their young talent. I think what may be more realistic is if the Brewers decided to move Billy Hall for some reason this offseason, possibly in a 3-way deal. Just off the top of my head, maybe a deal like Hall to Minnesota, Slowey and another advanced pitching prospect (Perkins?) to TB and Crawford to Milwaukee? Don't flame me, like I said, that's just off the top of my head, and I'm not advocating trading Hall, but it may clear up the perceived IF jam while strengthening the outfield.

I'm sure TB would jump all over Cappy for Crawford, but I really don't think Capuano is a player the Brewers can give up on at all. I also agree that it would likely take more than Yo to nab Crawford, as the one story that talks about Crawford's availability mentions Ervin Santana as a possible return.

I'm well aware that Crawford has played LF for his entire career, but from everything I understand, which includes a few converations with some of my colleagues that have been in love with Crawford since high school, he could more than handle the everyday duties of CF. He's in left more because of the presence of Baldelli, not so much in that he can't handle the position, and wasn't moved there when Baldelli was injured to somewhat maintain the positional balance so to speak. If he can't play CF I really don't have much interest in him, although having Crawford in LF would make Corey Hart in CF a more realistic and permanent option. But as end already said, if Crawford can't play CF, I don't trade Yo for him.

Ditto on the affiliate stability point. I think it's a wise move for WV to re-up with the Brewers, even if they seemed to be looking for a parent-club that has more national, or even regional, appeal. While they didn't make the playoffs this year, or last, they have had some pretty good prospects pass through, and should continue to have solid prospects pass through as long as the Brewers keep up with their scouting & player development successes.

I agree, there is no way the D-Rays bite on a package of Eveland, Jackson, Gwynn, etc. for Crawford. If the D-Rays are looking for a top pitching prospect, Gallardo is probably the one player that could make such a deal happen, and I have to say for a player like Crawford I would be open to such a trade. Crawford would occupy CF for several years while providing a multi-dimensional threat (speed & power) from the leadoff spot that the Brewers have not had in a very long time (probably since Molitor). It would be hard to part with Yo, but I firmly believe that the most successful teams not only use prospects to develop for their own use in the future, but to trade for proven MLB commodities. Crawford is plenty young and plenty talented to be worth such a deal, and I would be impressed if Melvin made such a bold move. Plus, moving Yo to the D-Rays wouldn't hurt as bad should he continue to progress since he would be playing in the AL.

I hope you're right, but what would be bigger than a big Latin American signee at this point in time? Tucking it away in the event that Chad Robinson and/or Lee Haydel explode as DFE candidates next spring? I don't know, they still made it be known that the signing of Rolando Pascual at this time last year was supposed to be a sign of things to come.

Carlos Truinfel, the last, big-name Domincan Republic player available on the international free agent market, has signed with the Mariners: www.baseballamerica.com/t...62505.html I believe all of the Cubans that defected late in the summer are still available, but otherwise I must say I'm rather disappointed with the Brewers lack of activity, at least with some of the bigger names available, after making it seem they would be plenty active after last year's relatively big-name signings (Pascual & Peralta).

Pioneer League MVP Chris Valaika was rated behind Gillespie, so I don't feel too bad. Plus, BA loves their tools, so I was happy to see Chapman make the list. Also, Sean O'Sullivan seemed to be ranked as high as he was because the Angels think he will soon pitch in the 92-94 range, not because he actually is. That seems to be a pretty huge leap of faith, even if the Angels have been pretty solid developing prospects.

Here's a link to the chat on the AZ league (subscribers only): www.baseballamerica.com/o...62462.html Here's one interesting comment from the chat that I'm going to include here that pertains to the Brewers. There were a few other Brewers-related questions, as John Manuel gave some more love for Mark Rogers, and mentioned that Anundsen and Hill just missed making the top 20: Q: JH from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic asks: How is the Brewers' strategy of focusing on top-dollar Latin American talent and bypassing the academy system working out for them? The top two Dominican talents on their AZL squad, Pascual and Peralta, sure didn't have impressive seasons statistically. Is there any concern that the aggressive assignments along with the culture shock of moving to the states at 17 without speaking the language will stunt these players' development? A: John Manuel: Those two pitchers definitely struggled this year, but judging how the system of not having a DSL team is working can't be judged on how a pair of 17-year-olds performed in the AZL in their pro debut,j at least it can't be judged from afar. You'd have to know how those players responded to their struggles, and that's something I wasn't able to find out. I do know the lack of a DSL team was a consideration when the Brewers signed these players; they signed them because they thought they were the kind of players who could debut in the U.S., and perhaps they over-estimated that aspect of these two players. And here's the schedule of all of the league top 20s: www.baseballamerica.com/t...op20/2006/ The Pioneer League is up tomorrow (Friday), so hopefully the H-Crew is well represented. We'll have to wait a week from tomorrow to get to the next league that pertains to the Brewers (the Sally League on the 29th).

I've offered a few suggestions before about how the draft could be changed. I do believe the compensation structure is a little flawed for the reasons already pointed out. I think they should get rid of losing draft picks due to signing free agents. As noted above, a small market team has to offer their free agents arbitration anyway, and some teams won't sign free agents because they may lose a first or second round pick in doing so. I do believe there should be compensatory picks, however not like there are currently. I think they should be more similar to the NFL, in which free agents lost are weighed against free agents acquired. For instance, if the Yankees were to lose a type A and a type B free agent, yet they go out and sign one of each, they receive no compensatory picks. If the Royals lose two type A free agents yet they sign no one (or marginal players), they receive two compensatory picks after the first round. Try to set up some system that accurately awards what kind of picks a team receives by using the Elias Sports Bureau values that determine whether a player is a type A, B or C free agent. Meaning, if the players lost have collective value of 150, and the players signed have a collective value of 120, the 30 point difference may be the difference between receiving a pick after the first, second or third round, or none at all. Does that make a lick of sense? Removing compensation picks would also shorten the sandwich round and give the worse teams a better chance at a better player with their early second round picks. I would also shorten the draft to at least 40 rounds, possibly 30 (35 sounds like a happy medium). Shortening the draft to 20 rounds would be no fun, as it would essentially eliminate the DFE process. I'm still opposed to the worldwide draft and trading picks.

Baseball America has started their annual league-by-league top prospect lists. The scouting reports are for subscribers only, but the individual league overviews are available for everyone: www.baseballamerica.com/t...62458.html Jeffress was named the league's #2 prospect, Brewer #11.