Build a bullpen from our minor leaguers with the most potential

[caulfield12]

to have a major league impact.

 

 

Just to get started...(note, for our purposes, pitchers with previous experience in Heath, Omogrosso, Veal and Marinez won't be included).

 

 

Long man=Simon Castro

Ryan Kussmaul, Kevin Vance or Myles Jaye

Salvador Sanchez

Daniel Webb

Santos Rodriguez (long-term), Purcey (short-term)

Closer=Taylor Thompson

 

Others for consideration: Cose, Braulio Ortiz, Kyle Hansen

 

 

Note: I deliberately made Thompson (who has limited potential but has put up good stats and even received the AFL invite last year) the closer in order to get a debate going.

 

There are probably a lot of arms in our system with better stuff, but hard to argue with the results, overall.

 

And since I'm not so familiar with the Kanny roster, I thought those who pay more attention to the two A teams might have some better insights...although odds are the bullpen arms of the future down there are actually starters right now.

 

 

[Chicago White Sox]

I think Castro & Rienzo will ultimately be relievers for us. Based on Balta's write-up, Webb sounds like he has a chance to help sooner rather than later.

 

We really don't have much in terms of left-handed relievers in the minors though. Santos Rodriguez has the stuff to be a dominant setup man, but he simply walks too many people. That typically doesn't translate well to the pros.

[NorthSideSox72]

OK, so if I understand this, I need to pick a 7-man bullpen out of our minors, based on high-side potential, right?

 

I'd go with...

 

Daniel Webb (Closer)

Andre Rienzo

David Purcey (L)

Salvador Sanchez

Kevin Vance

Cody Winiarski

Braulio Ortiz

 

Thoughts on others...

--Guys who just missed, for me: Brandon Hardin, Taylor Thompson

--Kussmaul and Remenowsky are both tempting, and effectively can be among the "next guys" in Charlotte

--I don't think Castro makes sense as a reliever, same with Cose

--Santos Rodriguez just doesn't inspire any confidence in me at all.

--Petricka just isn't likely to put it together at this point as a pitcher

--A bunch of guys now starting in the lower levels, i.e. Hansen and Brennan, could become relievers, but its too early to say

 

This exercise also dismisses the young arms with the MLB club, like Reed, Jones, Omo, etc.

 

[caulfield12]

What's the major rap against Taylor Thompson?

 

Simply that he doesn't throw 95-100?

 

There has to be SOME reason why they sent him to the AFL.

[Chicago White Sox]

OK, so if I understand this, I need to pick a 7-man bullpen out of our minors, based on high-side potential, right?

 

I'd go with...

 

Daniel Webb (Closer)

Andre Rienzo

David Purcey (L)

Salvador Sanchez

Kevin Vance

Cody Winiarski

Braulio Ortiz

 

Thoughts on others...

--Guys who just missed, for me: Brandon Hardin, Taylor Thompson

--Kussmaul and Remenowsky are both tempting, and effectively can be among the "next guys" in Charlotte

--I don't think Castro makes sense as a reliever, same with Cose

--Santos Rodriguez just doesn't inspire any confidence in me at all.

--Petricka just isn't likely to put it together at this point as a pitcher

--A bunch of guys now starting in the lower levels, i.e. Hansen and Brennan, could become relievers, but its too early to say

 

This exercise also dismisses the young arms with the MLB club, like Reed, Jones, Omo, etc.

Why don't you think Castro will make it as a reliever?

[Chicago White Sox]

What's the major rap against Taylor Thompson?

 

Simply that he doesn't throw 95-100?

 

There has to be SOME reason why they sent him to the AFL.

Probably because he's put up big numbers without big stuff. The Arizona Fall League is typically for top prospects and then some on the bubble guys to see how they perform against top talent.

[NorthSideSox72]

What's the major rap against Taylor Thompson?

 

Simply that he doesn't throw 95-100?

 

There has to be SOME reason why they sent him to the AFL.

 

Honestly, reading what little I have about Thompson's stuff, he's akin to a Kussmaul or Remenowsky, only with less deception. I think he went to AFL for the same reasons Kussmaul did, and Rem would have but for the injury he had that year - to see if they had something in him. They might.

 

Why don't you think Castro will make it as a reliever?

 

It is more that I still think he can be an effective starter. His numbers are bad in AAA, but look more closely at the game logs. He has great outings, and really bad ones. I don't think as highly of him as I did, but I am not ready to write him off as a starter just yet.

 

[thxfrthmmrs]

I wouldn't read too much into the AFL invite. Nevin Griffin and Brandon Kloess were invited as well in recently. They weren't highly touted guys by any mean.

 

Thompson is a 26 year old reliever, being in his first year above A ball, and average about half a strikeout per inning. His good stats could be attributed to him always too old for every level he was in. He'd be extremely fortunate to make it to the majors, let alone be a closer.

[NorthSideSox72]

Things are a lot bleaker than I would think. With that in mind I really like Webb.

 

That Jason Frasor trade looks great with Jaye and Daniel Webb being the return and progressing in '13.

I don't think that the reliever depth is bleak, I think it looks OK. This org has usually had no problems turning these guys into effective relievers at higher levels. And a number of the guys I listed are intriguing, in my view. There are bleak positions in the system, but RP's isn't really one of the bad ones, to me.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Ehh, I don't know. It's kind of hard to judge RP because a lot of the guys are failed starters or develop later. I don't see any Reeds or any guys who will make it the show for SURE.

The only current fast-riser, pure reliever is Webb. That is true. But those guys are rare in any system anyway. Most orgs don't draft a lot of pure relievers high in the draft to put them on a fast track.

[caulfield12]

Well, reliever (unless it's a closer) is one of the areas of need that are least focused upon from a minor-league development perspective...

 

We have made some curious drafting decisions in the past with Josh Fogg (making him into a starter from a closer at Florida), Royce Ring, Aaron Poreda (everyone thought he would end up in the pen) and then Reed in the relatively high rounds (3rd).

 

In all fairness, we set a record for rookies used last year, and almost all of them were pitchers.

 

And, for the list here, Septimo (long-term future in serious doubt), Heath, Jhan Marinez (Marlins for Ozzie) and Omogrosso weren't counted, either.

 

 

 

Although when you hear Bell saying "we're set/covered" at catcher because of Phegley, Blanke and Kevan Smith...not sure how much I trust that we don't need an elite catching prospect...

Edited May 21, 2013 by caulfield12

[danman31]

I wouldn't read too much into the AFL invite. Nevin Griffin and Brandon Kloess were invited as well in recently. They weren't highly touted guys by any mean.

Griffith was a second round pick that had Tommy John. He had big upside once upon a time.

 

My list:

 

Webb

Petricka

Vance

Salvador Sanchez (seriously 18 K against 0 BB)

Don't care after that

[caulfield12]

Griffith was a second round pick that had Tommy John. He had big upside once upon a time.

 

My list:

 

Webb

Petricka

Vance

Salvador Sanchez (seriously 18 K against 0 BB)

Don't care after that

 

 

Why Vance? Know he was a starter last season, and pretty sure he's from UConn.

 

What would make him a standout reliever?

[danman31]

Why Vance? Know he was a starter last season, and pretty sure he's from UConn.

 

What would make him a standout reliever?

Age appropriate K/9 above 9 at AA while maintaining a decent walk rate.

[caulfield12]

Age appropriate K/9 above 9 at AA while maintaining a decent walk rate.

 

 

Why isn't he still starting this season?

 

Numbers game? Because he's perceived to be behind Thompson, Snodgress and Beck?

 

What is his repertoire?

 

Maybe relieving is a faster path to the big leagues in his case, with a logjam in Chicago/AAA, but that's usually not the prime consideration when positioning a player as a reliever or starter in the lower minors.

[witesoxfan]

Why isn't he still starting this season?

 

Numbers game? Because he's perceived to be behind Thompson, Snodgress and Beck?

 

What is his repertoire?

 

Maybe relieving is a faster path to the big leagues in his case, with a logjam in Chicago/AAA, but that's usually not the prime consideration when positioning a player as a reliever or starter in the lower minors.

 

He has never really been a starter. 10 career starts in 67 career games pitched tells me that, at the very, very most, he's a swingman. To me, it looks like he has worked multiple innings at a time in the minors, but I see nothing beyond that.