colbyjack

Coaching legend Rod Dedeaux has passed away at the age of 91. He was USC's Head Coach for 45 seasons, winning 11 titles during that time. I bring it up because BA has a picture of him with Geoff Jenkins, who played at USC (not for Dedeaux). http://www.baseballamerica.com/images2005/coach145100.jpg

While spring training may not start for another couple of months, the college baseball season is set to kick off at the end of this month, and will really gear up in February. Baseball America has kicked of it's college coverage with their first top 25 ranking: www.baseballamerica.com/t...top25.html And you can enjoy a chat transcript with BA's college analyst Will Kimmey: www.baseballamerica.com/t...105wk.html From this link you can download their college preview as a PDF, which includes a story on Florida's 1B Matt LaPorta (who I profiled in the player breakdown thread) as well as their preseason All-American teams. Here's hoping the Fox College Sports Networks, ESPN U and CSTV continues their fine college TV coverage from a year ago. Unfortunately, we're not likely to see many, if any, games until March. You can still tune in to online broadcasts, many of which require a paid subscription, but there are still a few out there that can be accessed free of charge (Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State both provided free online broadcasts last season).

Welcome to the 2005-06 DFE (draft & follow candidates) resource thread. With several junior and community colleges starting their spring season at the end of the month in January, I figured it was time to create a thread fully supplied with links and other handy resources to make it easier for everyone to follow the DFE candidates that are eligible to sign with the Brewers up until a week before this June's draft. Feel free to post comments/updates within this thread. Similar to past years, I will be writing more detailed scouting reports in a feature story that will be posted on the homepage at some point in time. That story may take a few weeks to appear, depending on how much feedback I receive from the head coaches of all of the candidates listed below. _____________________________________________________________ 17. Timothy Smith, RF (Midland College, TX) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/tim_smith.jpg Smith is a powerfully built outfield prospect at 6'2", 225 pounds from Toronto. He set the single season batting average record at Midland College during his freshman year (.468) as well as the single-season mark for on-base percentage (.553). Smith, a left-handed hitter, has proven to hit for power with a wood bat, as Canadian prep players don't use aluminum bats. He was a 21st round draft pick by the New York Mets coming out of high school in 2004, and was a member of the Team Canada Junior National Team for two years. Given how high the Brewers drafted Smith it is likely he will be in the organization by June with another good year at the plate. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Midland College Baseball page Midland College Player Profile NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 18. Zack Braddock, LHP (Chipola College, FL) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/zach_braddock.jpg The Brewers have followed the Chipola program closely in recent years, signing Darren Ford from there a year ago as a DFE and selecting Mat Gamel in the fourth round of last year's draft. Braddock has the perfect, athletic pitcher's build at 6'4", 225 pounds, and when you throw in the fact that he's left-handed he automatically becomes arguably the most exciting DFE candidate to watch this spring. He had Tommy John surgery during the summer of 2004, otherwise he may have been drafted within the top five rounds of the 2005 draft. Last spring recovering from surgery, Braddock's velocity returned to the upper-80s, maxing out at 89 miles per hour. Scouts were still hesitant with him as he didn't throw too many curveballs, which will be the true test on his healing elbow. If Braddock stays healthy he is likely to sign with the Brewers this spring. Update 3/14/06: Braddock is actually at Burlington CC. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Burlington CC Baseball page NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 24. Michael Ramlow, LHP (Owens CC, OH) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/michael_ramlow.jpg Ramlow is the second of three intriguing, projectable left-handers the Brewers will follow this spring with an athletic and wiry 6'7", 165 pound frame. He was named the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2005 after posting a 7-2 record his freshman season with an ERA just above 1.00. Ramlow's fastball sits in the 89 range, and with his frame he could easily add a few more ticks, and is expected to throw in the low-90s this spring. He also throws a very good curveball and a polished changeup, both of which he throws for strikes, and he has shown a propensity for missing bats. The biggest knock on Ramlow is his stature, given his weight relative to height, although he has worked hard to add strength. His mechanics at this point in time are clean, but given his lanky frame he will need to continue to keep his mechanics in check to avoid injury. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Owens CC Baseball page Owens CC Roster NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 25. Taylor Green, 2B (Cypress College, CA) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/taylor_green.jpg Green's best tool is his bat, as he uses quick, strong hands that allow him to employ a smooth, line-drive swing from the left side of the plate. Right now he has more doubles power than home run power, and he exhibits a strong eye at the plate. Green will slide over to either second or third base at the professional level, as he doesn't have the ideal range to stick at shortstop. He is accustomed to using a wood bat growing up in British Columbia, Canada, where, as noted above, high school players use wood bats. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Cypress College Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 31. Patrick Murray, 1B (Santa Ana College, CA) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/patrick_murray.jpg At 6'2", 250 pounds, Murray offers an intimidating presence at the plate, and exciting power potential as a right-handed hitter. While he played third base and catcher at the high school level, his footspeed probably limits him to first base. Despite his limited speed, he does show good footwork around the bag and has a very strong arm. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Santa Ana College Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 32. Spencer Pennington, LF (Alabama, medical redshirt fifth-year senior) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/spencer_pennington.jpg Pennington is a fifth-year senior that received an added year of eligibility due to a shoulder injury. The Brewers followed three Division I players last year through the DFE process with similar backgrounds: Dustin Timm, Jon Mungle and Derek Miller, and did the same with Jared Theodorakos two years ago. Pennington originally went to Alabama to pursue a two-sport career as he also played on the football team as a big, strong-armed quarterback. The shoulder injury caused him to give up football to concentrate on baseball. Pennington is an impressive athletic specimen at 6'4", 225 pounds, and with a strong left-handed swing he offers a considerable amount of power potential. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Alabama Baseball page Alabama Player Profile _____________________________________________________________ 33. Jorge Core, RHP (Marshalltown CC, IA) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/jorge_core.jpg Core attended the esteemed Puerto Rico Baseball Academy in high school. Long and lithe, he has a very good, strong and projectable pitchers frame with a quick, whip-like delivery. Core currently throws in the upper 80s to low-90s with plenty potential for added velocity. His fastball has natural tailing movement on it and the makings for a good slider. Core's changeup is a work in progress, but like the rest of his repertoire it shows good potential. He's raw but filled with promise, and does show some knowledge of changing speeds. Commanding the strike zone with all of his pitches is something Core needs to work on the most. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Marshalltown CC Baseball page Marshalltown CC Photo Roster NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 34. Brock Kjeldgaard, RHP (Indians Hills CC, IA) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/brock_kjeldgaard.jpg The Brewers likely discovered Kjeldgaard when scouting Jose Garcia at Indian Hills CC, a DFE candidate from a year ago. Like Garcia, Kjeldgaard will be under the tutelage of former Milwaukee Brewers farmhand Cam Walker. Like Walker, a native of Manitoba, and several other players on this list, Kjeldgaard is Canadian and a native of London, Ontario. At 6'5" he has a very imposing, strong frame with room for even more strength. Kjeldgaard profiles as a staff workhorse, and could easily add velocity to his 89-91 fastball. He has committed to play for the University of Nevada for the 2006-07 year if he doesn't go pro this spring or summer. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Indian Hills CC Baseball page NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 35. Sebastien Vendette, RHP (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, OK) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/sebastian_vendette.jpg Throw another Canadian onto the list, as Vendette hails from Laval, Quebec, and played with the Canadian Junior National Team in 2004. His fastball is already a plus pitch, topping out at 94 and working comfortably in the 90-92 range. Vendette has worked hard to improve his slider and changeup, and projects as Northeastern Oklahoma A&M's number one or two starting pitcher. He may profile best as a short-reliever down the road, as he shows better velocity and actually pitches better on shorter rest with what some may call a rubber arm. Vendette has signed on to play with Oklahoma State for the 2006-07 season if he doesn't sign either this spring or summer to play professionally. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Baseball page NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 36. Stephen Barnes, RHP (Lake City CC, FL) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/stephen_barnes.jpg Barnes was drafted in the 36th round of the 2004 draft as well, and the Brewers followed his progress through last spring at Lake City CC, a school they have mined before for talent (Hasan Rasheed, Carlos Corporan). Barnes has a large, powerful frame at 6'3", 215 pounds, although there is some concern that his body has the potential to get too soft down the road, so he will have to watch his conditioning. Armed with a 89-91 fastball, a curve, slider and changeup, he has a solid repertoire of pitches, and has shown the ability to throw them all for strikes. The Brewers would like to see him throw strikes more consistently and a slight increase of velocity on his heater wouldn't hurt either. Barnes was named the seventh-best prospect in the Clark Griffith League last summer according to Baseball America, and has committed to play for Oral Roberts for the 2006-07 season. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Lake City CC Baseball page Lake City CC Roster NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 37. Christopher Hopkins, CF (Sierra College, CA) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/chris_hopkins.jpg Hopkins is an extremely gifted, natural athlete similar to Lorenzo Cain, a DFE signee from a year ago. He has outstanding speed on the basepaths and in centerfield, and he also shows a disciplined approach at the plate, exhibited by his .320 batting average from a year ago at Sierra College as a 17-year old. On top of his physical attributes, Hopkins is also an intelligent baseball player with natural savvy that should allow him to progress hand-in-hand with his tool-set. Like so many young speed demons, he needs to improve his jumps in stealing bases, and his throwing arm is fringe average. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Sierra College Baseball page Sierra College Outfielder Profiles _____________________________________________________________ 39. Bradley Miller, SS (Cowley College, KS) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/brad_miller.jpg The Brewers opted not to sign Miller's Cowley teammate Deik Scram a year ago after a big spring statistically, but they did like what they saw in Miller. Miller came to Cowley as a two-way player, excelling both at the plate and on the mound. His ability at the plate is what got him drafted, and he hit his way to become the Jayhawk Conference's Eastern Division Freshman of the Year. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Cowley College Baseball page Cowley College Player Profile NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 41. Jordan Lennerton, 1B (El Paso CC, TX) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/jordan_lennerton.jpg Lennerton is the fifth of seven Canadian draft and follow candidates on this list as a native of Langley, British Columbia. Like Patrick Murray, power is Lennerton's calling card, although Lennerton is a left-handed hitter. He also shows a very good eye at the plate, and is far from an all-or-nothing hitter with a smooth stroke that allows him to drive balls into the gaps consistently. Lennerton played on the Canadian National Team, and was drafted out of high school in the 50th round of the 2004 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page El Paso CC Baseball page NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 42. Chris Copot, C (Lethbridge CC, Alberta, Canada, playing for Prairie Baseball Academy) The Brewers controlled Copot's signing rights through last spring as a draft and follow candidate, drafting him in the 35th round of the 2004 draft. Copot is a left-handed hitting catcher that has some thunder in his bat with a powerful 6'3", 185 pound frame that allowed him to be a hard-hitting defenseman in hockey growing up in Calgary. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Prairie Baseball Academy _____________________________________________________________ 43. Kyle Eveland, 2B (College of the Canyons, CA) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/kyle_eveland.jpg Kyle Eveland is the younger brother of Dana Eveland, who pitched out of the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen last year after being called up from AA Huntsville in mid-July. Kyle is a smaller yet strongly built middle infielder that projects as a second baseman at the professional level. While he doesn't have one tool that stands out head and shoulders above the rest, he is solid across the board. Eveland makes up with his lack of eye-popping tools with an aggressive approach to the game. He is a contact hitter with quick hands that thinks up the middle and he has consistent defense with soft hands and a good arm. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page College of the Canyons Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 44. George Washington, RF (Central Alabama JC) Washington has a very lean and athletic build that has plenty of room for added strength. He has two very good tools in his speed and his arm, which will allow him to play any of the three outfield positions. With his speed, Washington covers a good deal of ground in the outfield and is a threat on the basepaths despite needing more work on his jumps. As a left-handed hitter, he sprays balls to the gaps and could develop a lot more power when his body fills out. Washington will also be used as a righ-handed pitcher at Central Alabama CC armed with a 90 mph fastball, and he receives high marks for his character and coachability. He is also the consummate team player, as he helped propel his high school team to the state championship despite suffering a knee injury mid-season. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Central Alabama CC Baseball page NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 45. Ulrich Snijders, C (St. Petersburg College, FL) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/ulrich_snijders.jpg Snijders hit .340 for St. Petersburg College a year ago, the defending state Junior College Champions in Florida. A native of Curacao, Snijders attended the Perfect Game World Showcase in January of 2004 and grabbed the attention of the scouts in attendance with a very strong performance both offensively and defensively. His cannon for an arm rates as his best tool, and he also shows very good potential at the plate with a quick, level swing that generates a fair amount of power. With a strong build and good tools, Snijders is definitely a player to watch this spring, particularly with the Brewers organizational need for catchers. He was drafted out of high school in 2004 in the 40th round by the Diamondbacks. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page St. Petersburg College Baseball page NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 48. Frederick Lewis, LHP (Daytona Beach CC, FL) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/freddie_lewis.jpg At 6'2", 185 pounds, Lewis has a perfect pitcher's frame. He is the third of three intriguing, projectable left-handed pitchers on this list, a position the Brewers have had some luck with using the DFE process (Manny Parra, Dana Eveland, Derek Miller). Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Daytona Beach CC Baseball page Daytona Beach CC Player Profile NJCAA Baseball page _____________________________________________________________ 50. Garrett Regan, OF (Lethbridge CC, Alberta, Canada, playing for Prairie Baseball Academy) Regan, like Copot, attends Lethbridge Community College while playing for the Prairie Baseball Academy. Regan is the third DFE candidate to play for the PBA the past two years along with Copot and Ryan Patterson, another DFE candidate from a year ago. Also like Copot, Regan was a hard-hitting defenseman in hockey as a high school player, and drew some interest to play hockey in college. Given his large, powerful frame he has decided to pursue baseball, and is yet another Canadian prospect the Brewers and Team Canada (Doug Melvin and Gord Ash) have decided to follow. Brewerfan.net Draft Day page Prairie Baseball Academy _____________________________________________________________

While I don't argue about the idea of trying to use some of the money "saved" by not having such an early pick on a player that had otherewise fallen, keep in mind that the Brewers have not paid more than slot value to any of their early picks since Jack Z. has been the scouting director. There have been some later round picks such as Tom Wilhelmsen, Steve Moss and even Lenny LeClercq that have received healthy bonuses relative to where they were drafted, but there hasn't been an instance of them taking someone like Tuiasosopo in the early rounds. That doesn't mean they won't, and I should also be sure to point out that this doesn't mean the Brewers are cheap when it comes to the draft (which has been proven many times that they're not), I'm just pointing out that it seems like every year we hope the Brewers will sign a perceived tough sign to a big contract, and while they have almost every year, it's not quite to the scale or familiarity that we hoped for. I would guess with their statement signing in Pascual this past year, any saved money is a good bet to be spent on the Latin American free agent market. I should point out that the Brewers may have a good chance to select either Max Scherzer or Ian Kennedy, both rumored Boras advisees, but the Brewers have had the opportunity to draft plenty of Boras advisees before choosing to pass each time. I guarantee you this will be a popular subject to discuss next spring, and my money would be the Brewers sticking with a player they know they can quickly sign for close to slot value. It is interesting to think about the possibilities of drafting one of the top 2-3 players available with the 16th overall pick though.

I updated the free agent signings thanks to Jim Callis' most recent AskBA column at Baseball America. The Braves once again stand to add to their already strong farm system. The Red Sox have also done well for themself in regards to next year's draft. The Braves and Red Sox are the only teams to have more than one supplemental first-round pick. With the Cubs signings, they will pick in the first-round yet not again until the 5th round. With a system that was already somewhat thinned when they dealt three pitching prospects for Juan Pierre, they don't stand to get stronger anytime soon unless they have some late-round magic. Unless the Brewers get involved with Jeff Weaver, Rich Aurilia, Al Leiter or Kevin Millwood (which seems incredibly unlikely), they will retain all of their draft picks. Their first two selections will be the 16th and 61st overall picks at this point in time (if the Mets and D-Backs sign Pelfrey and Upton respectively, the Brewers' second-round pick would be the 59th overall selection).

1e Corbeau, your post on the minor league forum (we seem to be encouraging one another http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ) prompted me to think about what people would want from the first-round pick in an ideal situation. While my initial reaction is pitching, the Brewers have actually done a decent job building depth in later rounds, through the DFE process, and via trades (Capuano, Jackson). And since next year's draft favors pitching, it may be wise to go with that strength. However, since the team is moving towards seemingly better times, do you draft for more of a specific need (again, in an ideal situation)? Do you target a catcher that doesn't profile to be a star but could be a solid starter for several years? How about a leadoff hitter/centerfielder, as suggested with someone like Shane Robinson or Colin Curtis? Do you maybe even look at a college closer, hoping to give the bullpen a dominant arm seemingly a lot quicker than any other player could contribute? All of these positions may not have the high ceiling that scouting directors typically look for in the first-round, but they would likely be taken with the idea that they would be safer bets to contribute and would be able to do so quicker than most. Basically, has the team's success changed how you view scouting and player development and should it? To me, the Brewers seemed to take that approach last year with Braun, as they seemed intent to take a 3B no matter what (it was a good year to do so, given the depth at the position, and keep in mind that they also asked Troy Tulowitzki if he was willing to move to 3B if the Brewers were to draft him).

Brandon Morrow-RHP-Cal Freshman Year, Cal, 2004: 1-3, 6.07 ERA, 19 games (5 starts), 29.2 IP, 35 H, 18 K, 19 BB, 3 HR Summer of 2004, Cape Cod League: 1-4, 3.82 ERA, 8 games (5 starts), 33 IP, 29 H, 40 K, 13 BB, 1 HR Sophomore Year, Cal, 2005: 0-1, 9.36 ERA, 10 games (5 starts), 1 save, 25 IP, 32 H, 25 K, 20 BB, 3 HR Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League: 0-0, 1.84 ERA, 16 games (1 start), 3 saves, 14.2 IP, 13 H, 24 K, 9 BB, 0 HR Cumulative Statistics: 2-8, 5.54 ERA, 53 games (16 starts), 4 saves, 102.1 IP, 109 H, 107 K, 61 BB, 10 HR I'm sure the initial reaction when first looking at Morrow's cumulative statistics will cause a few people to question why I'm bothering profiling this guy. Morrow throws pure gas, and was named the #5 prospect on the Cape last summer according to Baseball America, and follows the traits of a few recently profiled players in that they have performed much better on the Cape than they have for their respective university. I was able to watch Morrow pitch in the Cape Cod All-Star Game, and his first pitch was clocked at 98 mph. His second fastball registered 99 on the gun, and he never dipped below 97. While it was only one inning of work, and while he does profile more as a closer, it's not like he was torquing up his delivery to reach nearly triple digits. I was impressed with his delivery, which was pretty smooth and effortless to produce such impressive heat. And then he threw a split-fingered fastball that completely fell off the table as it reached the strike zone, clocking in at 86 mph. He also threw a pretty good slider, which would give him three legitimate big-league pitches if a team chose to try him as a starter first. However, I do believe his future is in the bullpen. The velocity between his fastball, splitter and slider is probably too close to give batters enough to look at the 2nd and 3rd time through the lineup. A few pitchers have succeeded with pure power stuff, but for the most those that throw everything hard seem to end up in the bullpen. Morrow has a very good, strong, well-proportioned, athletic frame at 6'3", 185 pounds. He has had his bouts with wildness, which is a concern, and while he strikes out more than a batter an inning, with his stuff at the college level he should statistically be much more dominant. It will be interesting to see how he performs during next spring and whether Cal uses him as a starter or as a reliever. On top of all of that, he shares a birthday with Brian and yours truly, so how can you not like the guy?

Once Joe Jackson gets in, then maybe there will be time to look more closely at Rose, not before! It has already been stated a few times within this thread, but Jackson's and Rose's Hall of Fame fate is not connected at all.

I don't see why a player dieing really changes anything for why a player should or shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame. I do remember hearing that Joe Jackson may have a chance to get in if there was a strong contigent of people fighting for him to get in, but there's not. The voters or the Hall itself isn't going to simply let the guy in for the heck of it. While I agree that Rose shouldn't be allowed into the HOF due to what he did off the field, I don't think it's wise to question what he did as a player. Breaking and owning the all-time hit record is an extremely impressive feat, and while you may downgrade such a feat by saying it took him a long time to accumulate such numbers, I think sticking around baseball as long as he did speaks volumes of his pure baseball worthiness for the Hall. I mentioned in a previous thread that I do think there is something to be said for reaching major milestones, such as 3,000 hits or 300 wins, and Rose's hits alone makes him a no-brainer HOFer if he wasn't such a blockhead. Nice job again Todd. A big no from me.

With the recent discussion of Carlos Lee, whether he should be traded now or at the deadline, allowed to leave as a FA next or signed to an extension, I wanted to point out that next year's offseason could bring the Brewers' a few compensation picks in return. Carlos Lee almost certainly would be a Type A FA, regardless of how productive he is according to OPS. If he duplicates his '05 season, that is almost a lock, and given the need for slugging outfielders, particularly right-handed hitters, it also seems certain that he would be signed by another team and would bring the Brewers two extra, early picks in return for the 2007 draft. While I'm not entirely certain of Doug Davis' eligilibility to become a free agent given his service time, his contract also runs up at the end of next season. While I don't want to see Davis go anywhere given his effectiveness the past two years, the acquisition of Zach Jackson and the progression of other prospects such as Dana Eveland, Dennis Sarfate, Ben Hendrickson and Manny Parra may make Davis expendable. If Davis were to become a free agent next year, he would also would be a Type A free agent if he can come close to duplicating his success from the past two year, and like Lee would bring two additional, early draft picks in return. I must add that I think Davis may have one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining, which would obviously make his inclusion a moot point. Again, I'm not trying to determine whether or not we should keep these players, just pointing out that while the Brewers' roster could get very expensive in a hurry given the progression of certain players, continuing to have a strong farm system will continue to be very important. Not only in replacing free agents to be, but by also cultivating extra, early draft picks in the process as teams like the A's and Braves do almost each and every year.

While I normally don't like pencilling draft prosepcts into the future lineup, particularly when the draft is six months away, but with the recent discussion debating who will be the Brewers CF and leadoff hitter of the future, Curtis could be a strong candidate to be the Brewers' first-round pick. Colin Curtis-CF-Arizona State Freshman Year, ASU, 2004: .300/.428/.437 in 190 ABs, 11 2B, 5 HR, 38:39 BB:K, 12 for 14 SBs, 1 E Summer of 2004, Cape Cod League: .223/.315/.325 in 157 ABs, 7 2B, 3 HR, 21:32 BB:K, 9 for 12 SBs, 0 E Sophomore Year, ASU, 2005: .342/.442/.427 in 260 ABs, 14 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 44:37 BB:K, 17 for 24 SBs, 3 E Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League: .323/.437/.384 in 99 ABs, 6 2B, 16:15 BB:K, 11 for 15 SBs, 0 E Cumulative Statistics: .302/.411/.401 in 706 ABs, 38 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 119:123 BB:K, 49 for 65 SBs, 4 E Curtis was an extremely polished left-handed hitter coming out of high school, but like many prep prospects from the Pacific Northwest, Curtis slipped in the draft and honored his strong commitment to Arizona State. He is rumored to be advised by Scott Boras, which may have played a part in that as well. Curtis is a solid all-around player that has good tools across the board. His bat is his best tool, and he has an advanced approach and a line drive swing. Curtis should carry a high average and on-base percentage given his ability to get on via the base hit and the walk. He does have intriguing power potential as well, despite hitting only 10 home runs so far during his college career. Curtis has also proved that he can hit with a wood bat, ranking 5th in the league in batting last summer while finishing 3rd in OBP. He was named the All-Star Game's MVP with a 3-hit performance, and was named the league's #23 prospect according to Baseball America. Curtis is also a polished defender, with good speed and instincts, as well as a strong throwing arm, that should allow him to stick in centerfield. His defensive prowess is supported by the fact that he has committed only 4 errors in college. While he has 49 stolen bases collectively with ASU and on the Cape, his 75% success rate will need to hold for him to be considered a threat at the professional level. Off the field Curtis will prove to be a feel-good story as as cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 1999 at the age of 14. While Curtis doesn't have blinding speed, his ability to get on base could make him an ideal leadoff hitter prospect at the professional level. If more power develops as Curtis matures, he could even make a very good #3 hitter. Regardless of where Curtis ends up down the road, he is a solid all-around ballplayer that seems like a safe bet to someday play in the Major-Leagues.

Greg Reynolds-RHP-Stanford Freshman Year, Stanford, 2004: 4-1, 6.00 ERA, 11 games (5 starts), 27 IP, 30 H, 15 K, 12 BB, 4 HR Summer of 2004, Cape Cod League: 4-3, 2.27 ERA, 9 games (6 starts), 39.2 IP, 26 H, 31 K, 16 BB, 1 HR Sophomore Year, Stanford, 2005: 2-3, 5.08 ERA, 22 games (5 starts), 51.1 IP, 51 H, 51 K, 17 BB, 4 HR Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League: 2-3, 1.70 ERA, 8 games (all starts), 53 IP, 36 H, 34 K, 15 BB, 2 HR Cumulative Statistics: 12-10, 3.53 ERA, 50 games (24 starts), 171 IP, 143 H, 131 K, 60 BB, 11 HR Similar to Brad Lincoln, Reynolds has been a much different pitcher playing for his college team than he has been on the Cape. Pitching against hitters using wood bats as opposed to metal ones no doubt plays a part in his success, but obviously it cannot be quantified as to how much it has effected his results. At Stanford, Reynolds gives up too many hits, and there is also concern that he doesn't miss as many bats as he should given his power repertoire. As for his repertoire, he pitches easily in the 90-95 range with an extremely projectable 6'7", 225 pound frame. He also throws a very good curveball and a refined changeup giving him three solid big-league pitches. His fastball is somewhat straight, but he does throw a two-seam fastball that has more sinking action that pitching coaches are trying to get him to get more comfortable throwing. Reynolds was a later-riser up draft boards during his senior year in high school. Many believed he was signable, but he signed late with Stanford and slipped in the draft. Reynolds was also a very talented quarterback prospect, but his heart has always been in baseball. Reynolds will get his chance to start full-time with Stanford, and many are interested to see how he turns out. He has the size and stuff that scouts love, but his results to date have left a few skeptical. With a big spring, Reynolds could vault up draft boards.

Brad Lincoln-RHP-Houston Freshman Year, Houston, 2004: 3-2, 4.29 ERA, 12 games (10 starts), 56.2 IP, 60 H, 35 K, 19 BB, 2 HR Sophomore Year, Houston, 2005: 4-7, 4.76 ERA, 18 games (16 starts), 102 IP, 124 H, 106 K, 25 BB, 12 HR Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League: 3-1, 1.32 ERA, 9 games (all starts), 54.2 IP, 39 H, 56 K, 10 BB, 0 HR Cumulative Statistics: 10-10, 3.75 ERA, 39 games (35 starts), 213.1 IP, 223 H, 197 K, 54 BB, 14 HR Before proceeding with the more detailed scouting report, it should be noted that Lincoln is also a very accomplished hitter, having accumulated a .307/.397/.497 line between the three levels as listed above with a potent left-handed bat. Lincoln really made a name for himself last summer, being named the #6 prospect on the Cape according to Baseball America. He was also the Manny Robello Award winner, or the 10th Player Award, given his leadership qualities while surpassing expectations. He was regularly clocked in the mid-90s with his fastball, touching 98 and sitting at 96 in one game during the 8th inning. He pitches routinely in the 90-95 range, but his curveball is his bread and butter pitch. A low-80s hammer, the pitch has been compared to Ben Sheets' curveball for both it's bite and it's velocity, as few can throw a true curveball in the low-80s. Lincoln also throws a developing changeup, but given his fastball-curveball combo he doesn't need his change much. Prior to last summer, Lincoln had been touched up a little more than you would like to see. He gave up more hits than innings pitched, along with 12 home runs in just over 100 innings as a sophomore. Lincoln has always displayed good control, as he commands his entire repertoire very well. On the Cape Lincoln started to pitch more aggressively, and hitters weren't able to get as much contact off of him with a wood bat. It will be interesting to see how Lincoln fare during his junior season, as to whether or not his stat lines will follow his 2005 Cape performance or if they will fall in line with what he has accomplished while pitching for the Houston Cougars. Regardless of the future results, Lincoln has firmly planted himself as as first-round target after his impressive Cape performance. Given his lack of ideal size (6'0", 200 pounds), his stature along with his fastball-curveball combination will likely draw more than a few more Ben Sheets comparisons between now and next June.

No, a team would have to sign Eldred for the Cardinals to receive any form of compensation. Teams do not receive compensation if a player retires.

Perfect Game has released it's newest feature, the launch of BaseballWebTV.com: BaseballWebTV.com BaseballWebTV.com is a venture Perfect Game has been thinking about for some time now, in which they will post videos of showcase and tournament events, have top prospect features and rankings, instructional videos and so much more. I am pleased to say that I have been involved with this venture, although in a very small fashion, providing the foundation of graphics for the new site's look, with more potential opportunities down the road. Many of the features will be available to be viewed free of charge. There will also be a subscription based service on a couple of different levels. One smaller service will allow you to access a small range of features. The other will be an all-inclusive package that will allow you to watch anything you please. Some features will also be able to be viewed on a pay-per-view basis. The main idea behind BaseballWebTV.com is to revolutionize scouting. The launch itself was bumped up due to the hurricane in Florida that bumped back the WWBA tourney in Jupiter. With the tournament being bumped back, college recruiters were not allowed to attend since it was pushed into the dead period of college recruiting. However, nothing is preventing college recruiters from watching this video from the comforts of their own home. And even if college recruiters are able to go out and see and visit with high school players, they can't be everywhere at once. If two events are being held at the same time, such a person could go to one event to see the players they want there while watching the other one from home. The same can be said for pro scouts. If Jack Zduriencik for instance is in Texas watching one player recommended to him by his scouts and crosscheckers, he may miss the performance of another player somewhere else. He would still have the scouting reports from his scouts on his player, but now he can watch video of such a player to put the scouting report to life. There are going to be many grass-root endeavors of BaseballWebTV.com. Parents, friends and other family members are going to be encouraged to tape their sons play, and then submit the videos to BBWebTV.com to be shared with any and all. It's really an exciting new venture. Like Perfect Game itself, most of their services are for the players, the recruiters and the scouts, but there is going to be a fair share of fans, like yours truly, that will get a tremendous kick out of this kind of access and overall coverage. BaseballWebTV.com also plan to spread it's wings to the college and minor league levels, offering reports on some of the top prospects on all levels below the Major Leagues. The video coverage will be similar to what you see on MLB.com leading up to the draft. However, this video coverage will be available all-year long, and won't be limited to just game and individual player coverage, with some other examples being noted above. Take the time to check out a few of the videos that are currently up for all to enjoy. I believe it's a Flash-based site, so if you're having trouble with the video screen, download the most recent version of Flash and see if that solves your problems.

I really like the signing of Wilfredo Rodriguez. He played really well in 2005, despite a few minor injury set-backs, pitching in two hitter's leagues, AA Texas & AAA PCL. Thanks to BA's handy-dandy improved player stats, here is his combined line: 3.60 ERA, 14 games (all starts), 75 IP, 64 H, 72 K, 33 BB, 6 HR, .236/.331/.377 (.708 OPS) against, 1.04 groundball/flyball ratio Here's another page of his career stats from Way More Sports: tsf.waymoresports.thestar...r.cgi?2554 As Mass Haas noted, he was the Astros' #1 prospect at one time (2000, #2 the following year behind Oswalt), and rated so highly because of a power arsenal, including a mid-90s fastball and a hard cuveball. He was given high marks for his ability to throw strikes, and really the only negative was an unrefined changeup. I couldn't find the archives as to why (injury, yes, but I'm not sure what kind), but he missed the entire 2002 and 2003 seasons. He had surgery to shave down some bone-spurs/chips in his throwing elbow late last season, but was expected to return to spring training at full health. He has been used primarily as a starter throughout his minor league career, so he could be a very astute find as a power reliever. I don't want to unfairly label the guy, but he would be my nugget-to-click for '06. It should also be noted that similar to Rodriguez another fellow Venezuelan and former highly-touted Astros lefty, Carlos Hernandez, is still available.

Not a bad idea. In the meantime, we always encourage people to write feature stories for the homepage, so if there is a book you feel particularly strong about, you could always write a review. Similar to the Hall of Fame trials, the story would be discussed on the forums, and within that story you could provide a link to Amazon.com where people could purchase it. So, while it may not have it's own section, it could draw substantial interest/discussion, and would always be archived within the pages of this site.

Seeing 185 users on this evening, I wanted to point out the usage stats. Assuming "hits" mean unique hits, December '05 is the 3rd best month based on daily averages to only June & July of this past year. I'm sure this will slow down as we get closer to Christmas, but thanks for visiting! www.brewerfan.net/stats/index.html

I just wanted to point out that on top of receiving Gaby Hernandez, Travis Bowyer, Scott Tyler, Sergio Mitre, Renyel Pinto, Ricky Nolasco, Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit, Grant Psomas, Anibal Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez, Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia and a PTBNL from the Mets in the LoDuca trade, they have already receive two supplemental first-round picks as well as the Blue Jays' and Tigers' second-round picks in next year's draft. That follows a draft in which they had two extra first-rounders, two extra supplemental first-rounders and an additional second-round supplemental pick. When in doubt, load up on prospects and see what sticks. Plus, it seems likely that they will be so bad next year that they likely will pick within the top 2-3 picks in '07. That could be their Beckett year (like 1999).

I'm catching up on some names I've had written in my notebook. I hope to profile more pitchers in the coming weeks after a heavy run at hitters. Matt LaPorta embodies 3TO like no other '06 draft-eligible prospect. Matt LaPorta-1B-Florida Freshman Year, Florida, 2004: .285/.371/.646 in 130 ABs, 5 2B, 14 HR, 13:39 BB:K ratio, 2 Es Summer of 2004, Cape Cod League: .234/.343/.441 in 145 ABs, 3 2B, 9 HR, 20:51 BB:K, 0 Es Sophomore Year, Florida, 2005: .328/.438/.698 in 265 ABs, 16 2B, 2 3B, 26 HR, 44:65 BB:K, 10 Es Summer of 2005, Team USA: .259/.323/.552 in 58 ABs, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 4:19 BB:K, 2 Es Cumulative Statistics: .289/.391/.610 in 598 ABs, 27 2B, 3 3B, 53 HR, 81:174 BB:K, 14 Es Matt LaPorta is a powerhouse, originally coming to Florida as a catcher but he was quickly moved to 1B. He never is going to win anyone over for his defense or how he runs, as it's clearly his power/patience combination that is going to earn his paychecks. LaPorta was named the SEC Player of the Year last season, the first Gator to ever win the award, and doing so as a sophomore to boot. His 26 home runs last spring led all of D1 baseball, and he finished second in total bases, tied for seventh in RBIs and tied for 10th in strikeouts. He also finished 2nd on the Cape League in home runs during the summer of 2004, while also finishing 2nd in the HR derby at the All-Star Game that summer. LaPorta is a right-handed hitter, and obviously he's going to swing-and-miss a lot which takes away from his value. He probably isn't going to hit for a high average given his approach, but he's going to get on base due to his ability to draw walks (and he gets hit by a lot of pitches). He's the type of hitter that will also have more doubles than home runs, as when he connects the ball leaves the ballpark. His 53 home runs in just under 600 at-bats is an impressive feat. If LaPorta comes close to matching his 2005 season next spring, he's a for-sure first-round pick. As of right now, I do not have him ranked within my top 30 draft eligible prospects since I am more leery of all-or-nothing hitters. LaPorta's power may grade out as the best single tool available among all draft-eligible prospects, which would mean he has a very good chance to be taken within the top 10 overall picks.

This Peabody, MA native is for Mass Haas... Matt Antonelli-3B-Wake Forest Freshman Year, Wake Forest, 2004: .305/.412/.369 in 203 ABs, 7 2B, 2 HR, 32:19 BB:K ratio, 18 for 20 in stolen base attempts, 9 Es Summer of 2004, Cape Cod League: .280/.413/.340 in 150 ABs, 3 2B, 2 HR, 31:30 BB:K, 9 for 15 in SBA, 10 Es Sophomore Year, Wake Forest, 2005: .332/.475/.509 in 232 ABs, 22 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 57:38 BB:K, 13 for 17 in SBA, 18 Es Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League: .267/.361/.330 in 176 ABs, 8 2B, 1 HR, 22:41 BB:K, 8 for 10 in SBA, 9 Es Cumulative Statistics: .300/.421/.397 in 761 ABs, 40 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 142:128 BB:K, 48 for 62 in SBA, 46 Es Matt Antonelli is an exceptional athlete that could play virtually anywhere on the field. There has been some speculation that he may be moved to centerfield upon graduating to the professional ranks, where his speed and arm strength would be natural assets. He was named the Massachusetts player of the year in football and hockey during his senior year in high school, and was the runner-up player of the year in baseball (Jeff Allison won the award after a jaw-dropping senior season). By looking at his numbers, you can tell Antonelli has a polished approach at the plate as he isn't afraid to draw walks. He started out at an alarming strikeout pace last summer on the Cape, but found his groove and started to hit better the second half of the summer. He was named the Cape's 17th best prospect last summer by Baseball America, and the 18th best prospect the summer before. He led the Cape League in runs this past year, and was 3rd in OBP and runs in 2004. Antonelli's 57 walks during his sophomore year tied him for 7th with Shane Robinson among all D1 hitters. While he's not much of a power threat now, Antonelli's power has been improving the past two years. He has very good gap power now, and has the speed to let out plenty of triples. He's a good baserunner and is a threat to swipe 20-30 bags a year. While his error totals are pretty ugly, Antonelli is considered to be a very good defender at the hot corner. I already have Antonelli rated in my top 30 for '06, so he's the first player to be profiled that I consider a legitimate first-rounder. His skill set would make him an ideal leadoff hitter even if he doesn't fit the prototypical mold. He gets on base, can steal a few bases and could end up at 3B, CF or 2B as a pro. Antonelli is an interesting player, similar to Cliff Pennington from a year ago, in that he has the tools to appeal to old-school scouts, and the stats to appeal to stat-heads.

Brennan Boesch-OF-Cal Freshman Year, Cal, 2004: .284/.365/.541 in 74 ABs, 5 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 7:23 BB:K ratio, 0 Es Summer of 2004, Cape Cod League: .138/.203/.156 in 109 ABs, 2 2B, 9:41 BB:K, 2 Es Sophomore Year, Cal, 2005: .355/.436/.567 in 217 ABs, 21 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 26:27 BB:K, 2 Es Summer of 2005, Cape Cod League: .222/.382/.333 in 27 AB, 1 HR, 6:14 BB:K, 2 Es Cumulative Statistics: .279/.363/.443 in 427 ABs, 28 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 48:105 BB:K, 6 Es Boesch is built tall and lean, similar to Brewers' prospect Corey Hart. Unlike Hart, Boesch is left-handed, but like Hart he has played several positions, including CF and 1B. He has good athleticism and speed for his size. His frame gives him intriguing power potential, although that potential really has not come to life so far during his collegiate career. His power potential in high school led to his nick-name, "Bash," as he was a highly-touted prospect that fell in the draft due to his commitment to Cal. He had a great sophomore year in 2005, but he hasn't hit well in limited playing time in the Cape League the past two summers. Given his frame, his swing can get long, but he did a very good job controlling the strike zone last season while limiting his strikeouts. Again, like Hart, Boesch likes to hit early in the count and hits more doubles than home runs at this point in time. He along with teammate Chris Errecart (who likely will be profiled soon) will give the Bears a legitimate 1-2 punch in the middle of their lineup next spring. Unless Boesch has a huge spring, he's probably not going to sniff the first-round, but he could be an interesting high potential college player worth picking up in the top 5-7 rounds next June. While he has played CF, he is more of a corner outfielder at the pro level.

There are a few really nice wrap-up stories from my new Perfect Game peer, Blaine Clemmens, up on PG's homepage covering the WWBA. Parts 1 & 2 are up right now, I think with a few more on the way: WWBA Wrap-up #1 WWBA Wrap-up #2 PG also has a list of those who threw 88 mph or better at the event. This list gets bigger and bigger each and every year: WWBA Pitchers throwing 88 or better Baseball America also came out with their coverage, including a wrap-up and a top 20 prospect list (based on some of the reports I've heard, there are a lot of names missing on this list...although I must say I'm very happy to hear that Sapp impressed behind the plate because the guy can really hit): BA WWBA Wrap-up BA WWBA Top 20 Prospects Cory Rasmus, brother of Colby Rasmus, a first-round pick from a year ago, was the talk of the event after touching 97 on the gun. I saw him at the Aflac game where he topped out at 94 with a killer curveball. At the time scouts still seemed to prefer him as a catcher at the next level, but that had to have changed by now.

Would this become a nightmare and burden for the current mods? Yes http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif . Your post was lost, and we can't do anything about that. The forums are hosted by a third-party, and there isn't much we can do about the functionality. You could have hit the "back" button one or two times to get back to the screen in which you added your text in which you could have easily copied what you typed out so you could have pasted it in the appropriate thread. Sometimes threads are moved, but in this instance, there was already a thread on the Major League forum letting people know Konerko had re-signed. That would have just led to a repeat thread, which would have been closed as well.

Here is the commitment list of Baseball America's top 100 high school players eligible for the 2006 draft: www.baseballamerica.com/t...iting.html