Is it pronounced "WAH-kuh", or "WAH-cha"?

I'm hoping for "wa-CHAAA!"

I think it's the former, though I'd spell it as Wocka.

When you have a chance to trade a top 30 pitching prospect for the 14th best shortstop prospect in baseball, you have to take it.

48. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado: Make-up and maturity concerns may have helped magnify Arenado’s modest 2012 season. He’ll turn 22 in April, has an impact bat if he realizes his potential and is ready for triple-A.

Arenado is having a strong spring, after having hit four homers in three games last week. He could very well be the Rockies' third baseman this year.

Arenado had a 105 wOBA+ in Double-A last year and has no time in Triple-A. I don't care how good his spring is, if he is your starting 3B, you are in some trouble. That being said he does provide great bat control, but no way is he ready.

I have lost track of how many top 100 lists there are.

Baseball America
Sickels
BB Prospectus
MLB.com
the SBNation community project list
fangraphs
rotoworld
bleacher report
???

If I simply merged the top 2 (which I personally judge as industry standards), does anyone think I would lose much insight by NOT incorporating the findings of the rest? Does anyone find speacial insight from any of the others?

Is his middle name Wocka Wocka?

Baseball America
Sickels
BB Prospectus
MLB.com
the SBNation community project list
fangraphs
rotoworld
bleacher report
???

Keith Law. BTF needs to come up with one, only it needs to be completely nonsensical.

Keith Law. BTF needs to come up with one, only it needs to be completely nonsensical.

So, let's get to it, peeps...

1) Jurickson Profar - Even without the bonus points for his name, everyone says he's awesome
2) Matt Bush - Maturity problems are behind him?
3) Wilmer Flores - Can't fight the BTF met fans voters...
4) Andy Marte - he's DUE!
5) Oscar Taveras - loses points because all the other Taveras' have sucked, gains points because STL's inherent bioengineering technology advantage over all other teams
6) Dan Vogelbach - Because it will be an absolute shame if he doesn't make it
7) Robert Bundy - Wait... he's got a brother?
8) Jerome Brown - We're not selling jeans here... are we?
9) Jacob Turner - Satan should have never allowed Loria to use public financing when he sold his soul
10) Billy Hamilton - We think he'll suck, but come on... SLIDING Billy!

11) Toe Nash

Arenado had a 105 wOBA+ in Double-A last year and has no time in Triple-A. I don't care how good his spring is, if he is your starting 3B, you are in some trouble.

It's the Rockies, so yeah, they're in trouble.

12) Barry Bonds -- some scouts question the defensive range, but there's no doubt he can hit major-league pitching

Its a weird day when Fangraphs ranks somebody high based on "Yeah, you just have to watch him."

13) Grant Desme -- Some think he'll never make it even as far as AA but I think he's got a higher calling ... err, ceiling.

14) to 24) Tommy Lasorda or ten dogs

25) Sidd Finch, Jr. - yeah he had a son
26) that russian kid from Eastbound & Down season 3

27) Wil Nieves. NOW they'll know who he is.

Arenado had a 105 wOBA+ in Double-A last year and has no time in Triple-A. I don't care how good his spring is, if he is your starting 3B, you are in some trouble.

If by "in some trouble" you mean "likely to lose 90-plus games," I don't disagree. That's all the more reason to throw some kids out there and see if they can play.

1. Profar
2. Taveras
3. Bundy
4. Myers
5. Bogaerts

Please ell me #6 is a Mariner...

28. Elijah Dukes. Once he puts a few minor maturity issues behind him, he's a star.

29) Jeff Francoeur. With makeup like this kid has, who needs to hit.

14) to 24) Tommy Lasorda or ten dogs

For a site of math geeks, I'm surprised that this egregious error has gone uncorrected for so long. That would have to be TL AND ten dogs or TL himself**, to suck up the ELEVEN places from 14 to 24, inclusive.

** If Lasorda is truly dumber than 10 dogs, then maybe he can use up all 11 places.

Pretty cool to see Bogaerts ranked at #5. I think he was in the 10-15 range on most lists.

It's the Rockies, so yeah, they're in trouble.

Yeah, have you seen the incumbents?

Though since the Rockies will stink again I'd rather start Arenado in AAA and delay his service time clock.

30) And Mike Crudale

Please tell me #6 is a Mariner...

Actually, #6 is Gerrit Cole. The Mariners' top prospect, Mike Zunino, shows up at #12, with Tajuan Walker one slot behind.

Really, once you get below about 20, you're just throwing darts.

From TFA:

64. Carlos Sanchez, 2B, Chicago (AL): Probably the second most shocking ranking on list, I’m going against the field here with Sanchez — whom I doubt made any other Top 100 lists. The second baseman impresses me with his baseball skills, as well as the way he carries himself on the field. I think he gets a bit of a raw deal because he’s in the White Sox underrated system and because he doesn’t have loud tools. I truly think he’ll exceed expectations when given the opportunity.

The White Sox don't have an underrated system; it's legitimately bad.

Sanchez hasn't demonstrated the ability to drive the ball much at all; he has three homeruns and 54 extra-base hits in 1151 minor league PAs. He's going to have to show that major league pitchers won't knock the bat out of his hands.

-- MWE

Nice to see the Mets with three guys on the list, including two in Wheeler and D'Arnaud who rate to make the big club this season.

The top pitching prospect has to be Outman!
His potential is right there in the name

The top pitching prospect has to be Outman!
His potential is right there in the name

That makes Grant Balfour the worst.

It makes Hugh mulcahy the worst

That makes Grant Balfour the worst.

Or Bob Walk

31) Chris Truby
32) Satan
33) Albert Belle is wondering what he has to do with this prospect list.

34) John Mabry
35) Cookie Monster

36) Admiral Ackbar
37) Jeremy Giambi

Billy Beane got a steal in getting Mabry at 34 for Giambi at 37!

Now that he's out, Ugueth Urbina has to make this list, no?

The White Sox don't have an underrated system; it's legitimately bad.

Sanchez hasn't demonstrated the ability to drive the ball much at all; he has three homeruns and 54 extra-base hits in 1151 minor league PAs. He's going to have to show that major league pitchers won't knock the bat out of his hands.

Yea, but on the other hand at 21 years old pretty much everyone agrees his glove is ready now -- above average at 2nd and passable at SS. Yea he lacks power but his hit skill is excellent and as a 20 year old he showed it hitting 322/378/403 across 3 levels, mostly high A and AA. In a tough hitting environment at AA Birmingham he had an 886 OPS, granted it was average driven in a small sample -- but in the non silly ball era middle infielders that can hit 290/340/400 are a valued commodity.

Sanchez seems a favorite of saber and traditional types alike. The biggest knock on him is lack of power and track record. Sickels has him at a "B" FWIW.

I don't pretend to know if he's the 64th best prospect in baseball (and the fangraphs article alludes to such by placing fellow White Sox Courtney Hawkins one better) but Sanchez isn't just some toolsy kid this guy saw play once. Yea it's dart throwing but that's true for more than just Sanchez.

Now that he's out, Ugueth Urbina has to make this list, no?

Whoever would put him that high is a real hack that should set himself on fire.

I have lost track of how many top 100 lists there are.

Baseball America
Sickels
BB Prospectus
MLB.com
the SBNation community project list
fangraphs
rotoworld
bleacher report
???

If I simply merged the top 2 (which I personally judge as industry standards), does anyone think I would lose much insight by NOT incorporating the findings of the rest? Does anyone find speacial insight from any of the others?

There are way, way more out there than that. I've seen a few of the "compilation" spreadsheets, and they are legion. The vast majority of these lists are, however, completely worthless. They are just different people on the internet providing no specific insight. The only ones I consider worthwhile:

1a: Baseball America - highly professional, crowd sourced industry scouting info. The gold standard for raw info and in-depth coverage.

1b: Sickels - Single voice rankings, risk-balanced approach, balanced mixture of scouts/stats, reflective on past successes/failures, been putting out prospect books longer than BA even.

3: Law: Single voice rankings, based heavily on in-person scouting; not as reliable or comprehensive as the other two, but gives a useful perspective

The other lists are basically redundant:

BP: At this point, basically just a poor man's BA; the list is crowd sourced among the (mostly) random prospect guys BP has assembled, guys who aren't journalists and don't have the same sources as BA. I thought Goldstein's unique voice and massive contact list added something unique to the discussion, but they haven't given Parks that same control of the top 100 list, and he doesn't have the experience or the same level of industry sources anyway. The team by team write-ups are more useful and this list could be more relevant again in the future.

MLB.com: I think the methodology still comes from some form of scout polling, but that has led to weird lists. Most scouts have specific coverage areas and don't see every prospect, so while they have good individual info, ranking them all isn't exactly within their scope. Again, the methodology isn't 100% clear. Essentially, though, you are getting the crowd sourcing of BA, but put together somewhat oddly by a single editor.

SBNation community list: What random internet people think; wholly derivative, and prone to over exuberance on a number of guys. Better than some other random internet lists due to crowd sourcing.

FanGraphs: Who cares? I have no idea what they claim to be adding to the discussion, or why we should value their opinion on prospect info.

Rotoworld/Rotoanalysis/BaseballHQ/Bleacherreport/BullpenBanter/TopProspectAlert/Scout.com/ScoutingBook/etc.: Mostly just noise. None of these have made a compelling case as to why their opinions should matter.

excellent, Barnaby; exactly the analysis I was looking for.

38) Pavement
39) colin farrell
40) Who else? Octavio Dotel.

FanGraphs: Who cares? I have no idea what they claim to be adding to the discussion, or why we should value their opinion on prospect info.

I think its all Marc Hulett, although I could be wrong. He goes out and watches games and videos like I guess Sickels does, but I don't think he's been doing it as long or as well as John.

I do want to speak up for the minor league baseball analyst (put out by baseball hq). Not fans of their player rankings, but a valuable resource.

Also, I think Scout.com recently hired McDaniel, who seems to know what he's talking about.

FanGraphs: I think it's all Hulet as well; wouldn't know.

BP has some pretty good guys, although losing Goldstein hurts. Hulet's also pretty solid for FanGraphs, and Jonathan Mayo drives MLB.com's effort. Yeah, they may be a cut below BA and Sickels, but I'd group them with Law on the next tier. I think there's some value in almost every such list, especially in identifying potential sleepers.

#38: The success rate for players like Sanchez, whose offensive value is almost entirely based on hits and walks, is pretty low. Every so often you get someone like Luis Castillo who can fashion a career out of that skill set, but in this day and age it's pretty rare.

-- MWE

Sickels list is out now.

I do want to speak up for the minor league baseball analyst (put out by baseball hq). Not fans of their player rankings, but a valuable resource.

This is the one baseball annual that I keep out during the year for reference. Very good at creating a snapshot of a player who I don't know anything about.

41. Free Erubiel Durazo
42. Jackie Rexrode

24. Michael Wacha, RHP, St. Louis: The first real big shock on this list,

64. Carlos Sanchez, 2B, Chicago (AL): Probably the second most shocking ranking on list,

I suppose there have been times when I've surprised myself, but this seems like an odd way for the author to characterize rankings that he drew up.

I guess he's saying that these players are far higher on his list than on other top-100s.

Also, Sanchez is too high - I'm 90% with Mike here.

I suppose there have been times when I've surprised myself, but this seems like an odd way for the author to characterize rankings that he drew up.

I guess he's saying that these players are far higher on his list than on other top-100s. look at my list, it is different than other lists because look how smart I am.

I think it's all Hulet as well; wouldn't know.

Who takes over during Monsieur Hulet's holiday?