|
|
Baseball Primer Newsblog— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
I so wanted Dave Doorneweerd to make the bigs…
1. Gerrit Cole, rhp
2. Jameson Taillon, rhp
3. Josh Bell, of
4. Starling Marte, of
5. Luis Heredia, rhp
6. Kyle McPherson, rhp
7. Tony Sanchez, c
8. Robbie Grossman, of
9. Stetson Allie, rhp
10. Jeff Locke, lhp
The Pirates have used the strategy of exceeding MLB’s bonus recommendations in the later rounds to sign pitchers away from solid college commitments. While that has stocked the lower levels of the system with live arms, none is close to being ready to help the major league club. The heavy concentration on pitchers also has left Pittsburgh with few impact hitting prospects beyond Bell, who has a chance to be special but has yet to play in a professional game, and fellow outfielder Starling Marte.
|
Support BBTF
Thanks to Brian for his generous support.
You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.
Hot Topics
Newsblog: 2022 NBA Playoffs thread (1560 - 3:30am, May 18)Last:  rr would lock Shaq's a$$ upNewsblog: Ex-Mets and Phillies pitcher dies at 57, joining 5 other ex-Phillies to die of brain cancer recently (25 - 12:50am, May 18)Last: The Ghost of Sox Fans PastNewsblog: OT Soccer Thread - Crowning Champions and Pro-Rel (108 - 12:49am, May 18)Last:  AuntBea odeurs de parfum de distance socialeNewsblog: Adam Jones: My Next Chapter (7 - 12:36am, May 18)Last: The Ghost of Sox Fans PastNewsblog: OMNICHATTER for Tuesday, May 17, 2022 (32 - 12:09am, May 18)Last: What did Billy Ripken have against ElRoy Face?Newsblog: Why aren’t the Oakland A’s trying harder to fill their stadium? (20 - 11:26pm, May 17)Last: Jose CanuseeNewsblog: Matt Harvey suspended 60 games by MLB for distributing oxycodone (4 - 11:14pm, May 17)Last: The DukeNewsblog: Struggling Kansas City Royals fire hitting coach Terry Bradshaw, promote Alec Zumwalt to role (52 - 9:51pm, May 17)Last: Howie MenckelNewsblog: Reds don't allow a Bucs hit -- but lose (19 - 8:02pm, May 17)Last: Joyful Calculus InstructorSox Therapy: Unacceptable (50 - 7:59pm, May 17)Last: Captain Joe Bivens, Pointless and WonderfulNewsblog: Now pitching for the Cardinals ... Albert Pujols? (39 - 5:13pm, May 17)Last: Rob_WoodNewsblog: Ted Leitner, Larry Lucchino to join Padres Hall of Fame (14 - 4:16pm, May 17)Last: SoSH U at workNewsblog: Braves to sell $151 burger at Truist park (19 - 2:37pm, May 17)Last: Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMcNewsblog: FBI Corruption Probe Into Anaheim Mayor Sidhu Stalls the Angel Stadium Sale (3 - 1:44pm, May 17)Last: Hombre BrotaniNewsblog: Bail revoked for gambling guru charged in $25 million scam (6 - 1:41pm, May 17)Last: BDC
|
|
Reader Comments and Retorts
Go to end of page
Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.
1. Babe Adams Posted: November 22, 2011 at 03:38 PM (#3999407)Why?
Really like Josh Bell though. That was a huge coup.
They actually rated him really low. Grossman and Sanchez aren't any great shakes - though they have a chance to be useful regulars - and there isn't really anyone with a decent ceiling that would be ranked below Allie on this list. The 5% chance (and its higher than 5%) he has of having a Daniel Bard turn-around in the pen makes him more deserving of a top 10 spot than the Jordy Mercers or Quincy Latimores of the world.
I can't speak for the Babe and the Babe is probably nitpicking anyway, but "serious" SS prospects are not only where future "serious" ML SS come from but also a lot of "serious" ML 2B, 3B and CF. A lack of SS in the system kinda means a lack of IF in the system.
On the other hand, a lot of "serious" SS prospects are glove guys who will never hit enough for 2B, 3B or CF anyway or, if they hit well enough, get shifted early enough that they are never "serious" SS prospects but "serious" 2B/3B/CF prospects. That's where the nitpicking comes in.
It would also generally be a sign of a lack of "athletic" players in the system -- which might be a bad thing if athleticism is a good predictor of success.
EDIT: err.... #7
Not hitting.
Despite being a top 10 pick, Sanchez wasn't ever a true "hot prospect." He isn't any kind of elite talent, he was an overdraft to most people. He was, however, expected to a be steady regular at a key position - a cornerstone for the Pirates to rebuild around. A safe bet, lower ceiling kind of guy. Except maybe instead of being the decent hitter he is expected to be, he will be a non-hitter. He has a year to turn it around. He hits decently next year, he will probably start for the Pirates in 2013. If he continues to not hit he will still be big leaguer, but just a backup catcher.
He had a really similar profile, and year, to Christian Colon. Both very good college players at up the middle positions who were expected to be safe bets to move quickly... until they forgot how to hit.
Allie was another high pick Pirate (drafted with a lower pick than Sanchez but considered by many to be a better draft prospect, Allie got top 10 pick money) who fell on his face and dropped down the rankings as a result. Going into the year an educated guess for the Pirates prospects might have been something like....
1/2. Taillon/Whoever their #1 pick would be
3. Allie
4. Sanchez.
He hit quite well in half a year in the FSL: .314/.416/.454 (league .255/.324/.364), of course 22 is not young for the FSL...
He was awful in 2011- so awful that I assumed injury... I had not heard of him getting hit in the face and having his mouth wired shut- that's scary, that can mess up a hitter psychologically as well as physically
You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.
<< Back to main