Top 100 Prospect List

[RME JICO]

via ESPN Insider preview. Only one White Sox player in Top 100.

 

Top 10

1. Evan Longoria - 3B, TB

2. Jay Bruce - RF, CIN

3. Joba Chamberlain, RHP, NYY

4. Clay Buchholz - RHP, BOS

5. Colby Rasmus - CF, STL

6. Clayton Kershaw - LHP, LAD

7. Travis Snider - RF, TOR

8. Franklin Morales - LHP, COL

9. Homer Bailey - RHP, CIN

10. Fernando Martinez - OF, NYM

 

Other Notables:

 

57. Fautino de los Santos - RHP, OAK

De los Santos was the potential star among the three players the A's received from the White Sox for Nick Swisher. He's a two-pitch pitcher with a 91-95 mph fastball with some late life and a hard breaking ball with a sharp 11-to-5 break. His command is below average, and he has a tendency to leave his front shoulder open, especially when throwing the breaking ball, and he doesn't have a solid third pitch. At worst, he projects as a power two-pitch reliever in a set-up or closer role, but he has a chance to mature into a top-of-the-rotation starter.

 

67. Aaron Poreda - LHP, CHW

Poreda is still a project, but he brings one undeniable tool to the table. Left-handers with plus velocity (93-97 consistently, with anecdotal reports of 98 plus) and excellent sink to generate ground balls are rare birds, making Poreda a very good value for a late first-round selection. His secondary stuff remains raw. He's messed around with a curveball and slider, with the latter showing more promise, and his low three-quarter arm slot has made it hard for him to master a changeup. He's big and can hold his velocity, but the White Sox should move him slowly to give him time to develop at least one -- preferably two -- average offspeed pitches so he can fulfill his promise as a No. 2 or 3 starter.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/col...%26id%3d3221365

[Wanne]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/col...%26id%3d3221365

 

Poreda at #67. No. 22 still pisses me off.

[Pants Rowland]

Poreda at #67. No. 22 still pisses me off.

 

If it makes you feel any better, the only other product from the White Sox system was DLS (i.e. no sweeney, no cunningham, no carter, no gio). Maybe the Sox did not give up that much for Swisher after all.

[DBAHO]

And yet because of Bureau's analysis, Poreda's stock has fallen mightily around here since 6 months ago.

 

Biggest surprise in the top 10? Maybe Travis Snider for mine.

[BearSox]

If it makes you feel any better, the only other product from the White Sox system was DLS (i.e. no sweeney, no cunningham, no carter, no gio). Maybe the Sox did not give up that much for Swisher after all.

more like ESPN is pretty much all idiots.

[rockren]

more like ESPN is pretty much all idiots.

 

Lets not forget Law worked for the Blue Jays when KW dealt them Sirotka for Wells.

 

Remember how KW seemingly mocked Toronto management in the media after they complained about Sirotka being damaged goods?

 

Law hates KW and the WSox.

[BearSox]

One crazy prediction, which really isn't all that crazy when you take into account how many top prospects fail, is that Evan Longoria will be a garbage major leaguer.

[Vance Law]

Baseball Prospectus has their own top 100 list that includes, DLS at 46, Gio at 56, Poreda at 87, and Chris Carter at 99.

 

 

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7092

[AssHatSoxFan]

Lets not forget Law worked for the Blue Jays when KW dealt them Sirotka for Wells.

 

Remember how KW seemingly mocked Toronto management in the media after they complained about Sirotka being damaged goods?

 

Law hates KW and the WSox.

Yeah, because that will totally factor into his mind when he makes list, it isn't really because we have no good prospects

[scenario]

So... the Sox would have had 2 on the list if we hadn't traded away DLS.

 

Compare that to the rest of the teams in our division:

 

The Twins would have only had 1 on the list (but picked up 2 in the Santana trade)

The Indians only have 2

The Tigers have 1. (would have had 2 if they hadn't traded away Maybin)

The Royals have 1.

 

Hard to make an argument that there's a huge difference in top minor league talent between these teams, isn't it?

 

On the other hand, Tampa has NINE players on the list, including 4 pitchers (2 of those pitchers are in the top 20). That's fairly impressive.

Edited February 1, 2008 by scenario

[maggsmaggs]

So... the Sox would have had 2 on the list if we hadn't traded away DLS.

 

Compare that to the rest of the teams in our division:

 

The Twins would have only had 1 on the list (but picked up 2 in the Santana trade)

The Indians only have 2

The Tigers have 1. (would have had 2 if they hadn't traded away Maybin)

The Royals have 1.

 

Hard to make an argument that there's a huge difference in top minor league talent between these teams, isn't it?

 

On the other hand, Tampa has NINE players on the list, including 4 pitchers (2 of those pitchers are in the top 20). That's fairly impressive.

But unfortunately, by the time all that talent finally arrives at in the majors and they are becoming solid to all-star players (after two yearish in the majors,) their current starts will be gone as FA. Sad cycle, because they do produce some talented baseball players.

[witesoxfan]

One crazy prediction, which really isn't all that crazy when you take into account how many top prospects fail, is that Evan Longoria will be a garbage major leaguer.

 

Do you have any basis for that, or are you just throwing darts at a wall again?

[Pants Rowland]

Baseball Prospectus has their own top 100 list that includes, DLS at 46, Gio at 56, Poreda at 87, and Chris Carter at 99.

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7092

 

That is interesting that there is such a disparity in talent evaluation.

[Gene Honda Civic]

Lets not forget Law worked for the Blue Jays when KW dealt them Sirotka for Wells.

 

Remember how KW seemingly mocked Toronto management in the media after they complained about Sirotka being damaged goods?

 

Law hates KW and the WSox.

Yeah, who was the GM in Toronto then, Gord Ashe? Do you think Gord Ashe hired a Baseball Prospectus writer to work in his front office? f*** no.

 

Law was hired by JP Riccardi, a year after Ashe got s***canned in part because of the Wells trade. By your logic Law never would have been hired by the Jays were it not for that trade.

 

Nice try at revisionist history though.

[heirdog]

Lets not forget Law worked for the Blue Jays when KW dealt them Sirotka for Wells.

 

Remember how KW seemingly mocked Toronto management in the media after they complained about Sirotka being damaged goods?

 

Law hates KW and the WSox.

 

 

Then shouldn't he be mocking KW by putting DLS at 10, Gio at 15 and Sweeney at 45 or something like that to make it seem like the idiot KW gave up way too much for Swisher?

 

In reality, no writer/analyst would stake their reputation and credibility by pursuing a personal vendetta 10 years later...he just really thinks our system is not very good (much like most experts).

[heirdog]

Yeah, who was the GM in Toronto then, Gord Ashe? Do you think Gord Ashe hired a Baseball Prospectus writer to work in his front office? f*** no.

 

Law was hired by JP Riccardi, a year after Ashe got s***canned in part because of the Wells trade. By your logic Law never would have been hired by the Jays were it not for that trade.

 

Nice try at revisionist history though.

 

Between your anger and sarcasm, I think I see your point...so Law wasn't in the Bluejays front office when the Sirotka deal went down? And he would not have had a job in the front office if it were not for that trade? Law worked for Baseball prospectus, and then the Bluejays and now back to Baseball prospectus?

[Vance Law]

That is interesting that there is such a disparity in talent evaluation.

 

It doesn't surprise me that there is a disparity, because this business of ranking baseball prospects is such a complete crapshoot. Take a look at past Baseball America lists and note what sort of success they have at predicting Major League success. My favorite is the #8 (#8!!!) prospect on the 1999 list.

[Gene Honda Civic]

It doesn't surprise me that there is a disparity, because this business of ranking baseball prospects is such a complete crapshoot. Take a look at past Baseball America lists and note what sort of success they have at predicting Major League success. My favorite is the #8 (#8!!!) prospect on the 1999 list.

Without even looking, I can tell you that particular prospect aged 4 years soon after that ranking.

[Vance Law]

Without even looking, I can tell you that particular prospect aged 4 years soon after that ranking.

Haha. That's interesting, I didn't know that. That particular anomaly notwithstanding... I took a look at a couple of those lists from 9 and 10 years ago (because presumably all of those players would have made it or not by now). I was able to recognize the names of about 60 players on each top 100 list (I am sure that there are posters here with a more encyclopedic knowledge of every prospect and player). A good portion of those, I couldn't tell you what team they played for, what they looked like, or what position the played if it hadn't been written right there. And that doesn't even touch on the relevancy of the order of their ranking (David Ortiz' high-water mark was #84).

[BearSox]

Do you have any basis for that, or are you just throwing darts at a wall again?

 

I have never been impressed with him and think major league pitching will dominate him.

[BearSox]

How many times have you seen him play??

just a few, so maybe the time I saw him he was going in a slump or something.

[Chisoxfn]

Longoria is freaking awesome. I've seen him play a s***load at the Beach and he will be yet another top player to come out of LBSU (Crosby/Tulowski/Longoria/Weaver).

[bighurt4life]

Then shouldn't he be mocking KW by putting DLS at 10, Gio at 15 and Sweeney at 45 or something like that to make it seem like the idiot KW gave up way too much for Swisher?

 

In reality, no writer/analyst would stake their reputation and credibility by pursuing a personal vendetta 10 years later...he just really thinks our system is not very good (much like most experts).

 

valid points

[Pants Rowland]

It doesn't surprise me that there is a disparity, because this business of ranking baseball prospects is such a complete crapshoot. Take a look at past Baseball America lists and note what sort of success they have at predicting Major League success. My favorite is the #8 (#8!!!) prospect on the 1999 list.

 

Who was it? I do not have access to BA.

 

Nevermind. I was able to find it. I did not recall Pablo aging over the offseason.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Pants Rowland

[Kalapse]

Who was it? I do not have access to BA.

Pablo Ozuna