It is that point in the season that the roster can expand. But the question in most owners mind is who and why.
First of all you can only bring players up from the minors that are on the 40-man roster. Is it worth putting a player on the 40-man roster this year or wait till next year? It may not be worth putting a player on the 40-man roster and start his option clock just yet.
Second, you need to make sure your minor league roster can support having him leave the roster while they are still playing or until after their season is over. If you skeletonize your minor league team, what happens if you have a sudden injury?
When to demote a player back to the minors is a difference of opinion. If the player was called up at roster expansion and demoted at the end of the season should not incur a demotion penalty of any kind. I have even waited till the beginning of the following season to move them back without penalty. It has to do with ML service time however in conjunction with the option, so one has to be careful in that respect. It must be less than a year so I am told. You can get that info from the player card by running the mouse over the ML years. So, if a player was called up in the season due to injury then called up at roster expansion, he could incur a penalty if he isn't sent back down at the end of the season, but check the service time because he may have been called up previously.
Some hard rules I try to use in whether to bring a player up.
The first thing I look at is whether the player is going to stick with the ML roster next season especially if he is under the age of 24. Just to bring a player up for a few games for ML experience won't help that much.
The second thing I look at is how rested the player is. If he already has 500 AB's or more or a lot of innings pitched, how successful will he be? It would be better to wait until ST.
The third thing is look at his stats carefully. How close is he to maxing his projections? I use OVR for that, if he is within 4 or less then he is a candidate regardless of age.
The fourth thing to look at is need. Do I need them to rest the starters for a few games, especially those in the playoffs. Those not in a playoff race, like me, should be hesitant to bring a player up unless he will be on the ML roster next season.
Another thing to look at is old useful vets some have in the minors. The ones in their last year of their contract. I bring them up to change their status even if I don't want them. What do I mean by that? If they are in the minors at the end of the season, they are even more useless next season. If I bring them up, then they will either be FA or arb-eligible. If they become arb-eligible, you are going to dump them anyway so no big deal. But what if they go FA? You could get lucky enough to actually snag a type B draft pick instead of letting him go for free. I am not sure if a 6 year minor league FA changes his stock in this regard without 1 year of ML experience at least but could become arb-eligible so be careful there. For those that don't know, a 6 year minor league FA is a player that has been on a team for 6 years and never put on the 40-man roster and will become an unrestricted FA at the end of the season if he isn't.
Some examples from my team:
I don't have any position players I want to bring up. I have five that could be but to what end?
Tony Brown and Don Webster could be brought up and both could be very good 1B. I think they are both under-rated a bit which doesn't help. I have them in an experiment because their ratings are so close together. My thinking is that Webster will be the better hitter in the end, after next season I will know for sure. Both are within my ranges to bring up except age, but to what end? They won't be on the ML roster next year because I got Albert and Rodrigo and a host at their bench positions.
Julian Giles was on the ML roster last year, he took a demotion penalty when I sent him down in the spring. He was disappointing at the ML level and I was hoping he would improve at AAA, that didn't happen either. Maybe ST next year will wake him up.
Posiedon Marte, I have been considering and my pen could use the help. I can't though because I have too many injuries suddenly at AAA. I have him as a SP, I know he isn't one, but with a 5 or 6 man rotation, you can double his pitches and get away with it for a little while. But I was going to call him up because I was thinking he would be a fine addition to the pen next year. But then I noticed his distance between current and projections and decided it would be better to stay at AAA for another year unless he has an outstanding spring.
Lucas Thomson had a good AAA campaign this season and is the optimal candidate for a call up. It will just have to wait until the AAA season is over. I am not exactly sold on the fact he could be a ML pitcher in the first place even in the pen. I just don't like left-handed pitchers very much unless their vsR is in the upper 60's but will give him a shot next season I think. He might be the only I bring up just to see how he does.
Butch King, I did bring him up. I have been trying to get him into ML shape since I acquired him. I picked him up off the waiver wire a few seasons ago I think and got a huge DITR hit on him. He is under-rated to his defense. But getting him innings was tough because his control was so outlandishly low and his makeup doesn't help to make the projections. The object here is to get his control up a couple points between now and the end of spring training next year along with another point here or there. He could become a very good Setup B pitcher if it happens.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Inside the Numbers
I was wondering if someone didn't know where the numbers I used came from. I didn't just pull it out of thin air by the way. Matter of fact I examined 12 or more worlds before using it because I thought it was a joke at first. But then I saw the correlation to the report and a teams record in their standings and it held true throughout 95% of the time. Matter of fact I even checked for three days on a team vs team match up in two worlds using the report and can predict who is going to win a game 70% of the time. Is that a little preordained or what? Take my last game against the Reds, I won 1-0. However I expected to lose that game by a run or two. Why? My overall offense was 3 points lower and pitching was about even but I have a clear advantage in defense. I won because Owen went down with an injury that left my pitching staff in control. The report I am referring to is the Franchise Rankings report. It can tell you many things, I just never paid much attention to it before. It is more of a bell-weather than stats even.
Ok, the numbers are the ranking from the snapshot to correlate a teams ranking and their standings in the division. If there are more than one listed as a 1, 2 , and so on, that means they are tied in the overall rankings and I am not one to say that one is better than the other, but the teams are ranked in WIS order. Since I don't have a snapshot of the teams on opening day, I can only say that some teams overalls have changed due to trades, injuries and such.
Example: Since I am facing the Reds I will use me as an example. My overall rating is a 67. It is actually better than that but I got an injury or two. My starting line up is a 70 and is actually weak against right-handed pitchers and I think my downfall. Though there is a little contrast because I have a battery of left-handed hitters which makes things a bit awkward in determining match ups. Starting rotation is a 73 and I have a 79 rated pitcher starting. For the next game I have a 59 rated pen, most are in fatigue status with all the extra inning and 1-run games they hit and haven't recovered well. The Reds starting line up is a 76. I am facing Yamil, 87 rated and a 68 rated pen. Giving up 6 points in offense, 8 in starting pitching and 9 in the pen. Look for a score of about 10-3 in favor of the Reds at least. It should be 3-0 or 4-1 thru 5 innings. The pen will get blasted when Olivares pitches late, say the 7th or so. Don't ask, Olivares looks better on paper than his actual pitching.
Ok, the numbers are the ranking from the snapshot to correlate a teams ranking and their standings in the division. If there are more than one listed as a 1, 2 , and so on, that means they are tied in the overall rankings and I am not one to say that one is better than the other, but the teams are ranked in WIS order. Since I don't have a snapshot of the teams on opening day, I can only say that some teams overalls have changed due to trades, injuries and such.
Example: Since I am facing the Reds I will use me as an example. My overall rating is a 67. It is actually better than that but I got an injury or two. My starting line up is a 70 and is actually weak against right-handed pitchers and I think my downfall. Though there is a little contrast because I have a battery of left-handed hitters which makes things a bit awkward in determining match ups. Starting rotation is a 73 and I have a 79 rated pitcher starting. For the next game I have a 59 rated pen, most are in fatigue status with all the extra inning and 1-run games they hit and haven't recovered well. The Reds starting line up is a 76. I am facing Yamil, 87 rated and a 68 rated pen. Giving up 6 points in offense, 8 in starting pitching and 9 in the pen. Look for a score of about 10-3 in favor of the Reds at least. It should be 3-0 or 4-1 thru 5 innings. The pen will get blasted when Olivares pitches late, say the 7th or so. Don't ask, Olivares looks better on paper than his actual pitching.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Real Look at Power Rankings
Is it a crap shoot at who wins or is it preordained? To me it looks like it is preordained in a manner of speaking, but actions during the season can change things. Someone said it best that you are guaranteed a 50-50 season and the other 62 games depends on how you play it. In essence they are correct in that belief for the most part, but I think it is more like 54-50.
Some things that can alter a teams ranking and how they play during the season is the ballparks, trades, manager actions/non-actions and maybe the most important is injuries. Another thing that could change things is late season call ups.
This is the current snapshot of the AL teams.
1. Kansas City Royals
2. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Arizona Splashlogs
3. Tampa Bay Rays
3. New York Yankees
4. Dover Dung Beetles
4. San Diego Dirt Bags
4. Las Vegas Slobs
5. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Detroit Detroit
5. Philadelphia Athletics
5. St. Louis Barracudas
6. Huntington Good Will
6. Austin Fightin' Armadillos
7. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses
8. Washington D.C. Senators
AL North:
1. Toronto Blue Jays - 5
2. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses - 7
3. St. Louis Barracudas - 5
4. Detroit Detroit - 5
With a weak division it is anybodies for the taking, with the chances of a wild card spot probably out of the question. The Barracudas could make a strong run in this theory with the Spouses fading at the end. Detroit made several good acquisitions during the season and could be a surprise next season.
AL East:
1. New York Yankees - 3
2. Dover Dung Beetles - 4
3. Philadelphia Athletics - 5
4. Washington D.C. Senators - 8
New York only has a 6 game lead but if something happens, Dover is right there to pick up the slack. It is hard to win in NY and Philly as a home team, it takes the right 12 to 15 players and they never seem to arrive at the same time. Washington on the other hand needs to be treated as a neutral park when it comes to players.
AL South:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs - 2
2. Huntington Good Will - 6
3. Austin Fightin' Armadillos - 6
4. Tampa Bay Rays - 3
The Dogs are comfortably in first. Huntington has a good record at the moment, but, could the schedule do them in. Austin should be fighting for third with Huntington but have problems with winning at home. Tampa Bay has a good team with a bad history and a rookie owner learning the ropes, success will come from experience.
AL West:
1. Kansas City Royals - 1
2. Las Vegas Slobs - 4
3. Arizona Splashlogs - 2
4. San Diego Dirt Bags - 4
KC has a 5 game lead and have the best power ranking. Arizona would have changed things if the owner hadn't gone missing and probably had some trickle down effect on the entire league. Will the Slobs make a run? Getting the right players for Petco is not an easy task, then when you do they don't do so hot on the road.
This is the current snapshot of the NL teams.
1. Cincinnati Reds
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
1. Louisville Swingers
2. Houston Astros
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Jacksonville Beach Boys
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Oklahoma City Kevin Durants
5. Cleveland Indians
6. Vancouver Canadians
6. Salem Mayhem
6. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
6. Trenton Ball Hogs
7. Santa Fe Heat
7. New York Mets
NL North:
1. Cincinnati Reds - 1
2. Milwaukee Brewers - 4
3. Chicago Cubs - 2
4. Pittsburgh Pirates - 3
The Reds are in first of course. The Brewers are hot at the moment but for how long? Can the Cubbies regain their momentum? The Pirates have figured out how to win at home, but the road games are more complex and a tough division doesn't help.
NL East:
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans - 1
2. Trenton Ball Hogs - 6
3. Cleveland Indians - 5
4. New York Mets - 7
The P&B's have walked away with the division again. Why? The Indians didn't win games they should have and I don't know why, could it have been vets for youth trades? Will the Indians retake second or will Trenton claim the spot? The Mets have some good young players and the minors are getting deep they will get better and better.
NL South:
1. Houston Astros - 2
2. Louisville Swingers - 1
3. Jacksonville Beach Boys - 4
4. Santa Fe Heat - 7
The Astros are setting comfortable but are still worried with just cause. The Swingers are within striking distance of a playoff spot but the question is, will it happen? With 33 games to go, you can look at it this way: Houston wins 11 to 15 games (way less than 50%) they are in, why, because the Swingers would need to win 20+ games to get there. It could happen, don't get me wrong. In my theory though, the Cubs and Swingers overtake the Brewers, but with Brewers needing just 10+ wins also I don't see that happening. So it boils down to the Cubs and Swingers as to who gets the last WC spot. Jacksonville is actually having a good season playing behind a 1 and 2. The Heat needs pitching as the position players are there and the minors are strong in that aspect.
NL West:
1. Scottsdale Pepperjackets - 6
2. Vancouver Canadians - 6
3. Salem Mayhem - 6
4. Oklahoma City Kevin Durants - 5
The Pepperjackets have surged into the lead, but will it hold up? Can Vancouver or Salem catch up? Watch out for the Durants next season as they are building up for a storm.
Some things that can alter a teams ranking and how they play during the season is the ballparks, trades, manager actions/non-actions and maybe the most important is injuries. Another thing that could change things is late season call ups.
This is the current snapshot of the AL teams.
1. Kansas City Royals
2. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Arizona Splashlogs
3. Tampa Bay Rays
3. New York Yankees
4. Dover Dung Beetles
4. San Diego Dirt Bags
4. Las Vegas Slobs
5. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Detroit Detroit
5. Philadelphia Athletics
5. St. Louis Barracudas
6. Huntington Good Will
6. Austin Fightin' Armadillos
7. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses
8. Washington D.C. Senators
AL North:
1. Toronto Blue Jays - 5
2. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses - 7
3. St. Louis Barracudas - 5
4. Detroit Detroit - 5
With a weak division it is anybodies for the taking, with the chances of a wild card spot probably out of the question. The Barracudas could make a strong run in this theory with the Spouses fading at the end. Detroit made several good acquisitions during the season and could be a surprise next season.
AL East:
1. New York Yankees - 3
2. Dover Dung Beetles - 4
3. Philadelphia Athletics - 5
4. Washington D.C. Senators - 8
New York only has a 6 game lead but if something happens, Dover is right there to pick up the slack. It is hard to win in NY and Philly as a home team, it takes the right 12 to 15 players and they never seem to arrive at the same time. Washington on the other hand needs to be treated as a neutral park when it comes to players.
AL South:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs - 2
2. Huntington Good Will - 6
3. Austin Fightin' Armadillos - 6
4. Tampa Bay Rays - 3
The Dogs are comfortably in first. Huntington has a good record at the moment, but, could the schedule do them in. Austin should be fighting for third with Huntington but have problems with winning at home. Tampa Bay has a good team with a bad history and a rookie owner learning the ropes, success will come from experience.
AL West:
1. Kansas City Royals - 1
2. Las Vegas Slobs - 4
3. Arizona Splashlogs - 2
4. San Diego Dirt Bags - 4
KC has a 5 game lead and have the best power ranking. Arizona would have changed things if the owner hadn't gone missing and probably had some trickle down effect on the entire league. Will the Slobs make a run? Getting the right players for Petco is not an easy task, then when you do they don't do so hot on the road.
This is the current snapshot of the NL teams.
1. Cincinnati Reds
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
1. Louisville Swingers
2. Houston Astros
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Jacksonville Beach Boys
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Oklahoma City Kevin Durants
5. Cleveland Indians
6. Vancouver Canadians
6. Salem Mayhem
6. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
6. Trenton Ball Hogs
7. Santa Fe Heat
7. New York Mets
NL North:
1. Cincinnati Reds - 1
2. Milwaukee Brewers - 4
3. Chicago Cubs - 2
4. Pittsburgh Pirates - 3
The Reds are in first of course. The Brewers are hot at the moment but for how long? Can the Cubbies regain their momentum? The Pirates have figured out how to win at home, but the road games are more complex and a tough division doesn't help.
NL East:
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans - 1
2. Trenton Ball Hogs - 6
3. Cleveland Indians - 5
4. New York Mets - 7
The P&B's have walked away with the division again. Why? The Indians didn't win games they should have and I don't know why, could it have been vets for youth trades? Will the Indians retake second or will Trenton claim the spot? The Mets have some good young players and the minors are getting deep they will get better and better.
NL South:
1. Houston Astros - 2
2. Louisville Swingers - 1
3. Jacksonville Beach Boys - 4
4. Santa Fe Heat - 7
The Astros are setting comfortable but are still worried with just cause. The Swingers are within striking distance of a playoff spot but the question is, will it happen? With 33 games to go, you can look at it this way: Houston wins 11 to 15 games (way less than 50%) they are in, why, because the Swingers would need to win 20+ games to get there. It could happen, don't get me wrong. In my theory though, the Cubs and Swingers overtake the Brewers, but with Brewers needing just 10+ wins also I don't see that happening. So it boils down to the Cubs and Swingers as to who gets the last WC spot. Jacksonville is actually having a good season playing behind a 1 and 2. The Heat needs pitching as the position players are there and the minors are strong in that aspect.
NL West:
1. Scottsdale Pepperjackets - 6
2. Vancouver Canadians - 6
3. Salem Mayhem - 6
4. Oklahoma City Kevin Durants - 5
The Pepperjackets have surged into the lead, but will it hold up? Can Vancouver or Salem catch up? Watch out for the Durants next season as they are building up for a storm.
A whacky look at power rankings
NL:
Pitching:
Control:
1. Houston Astros
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Vancouver Canadians
6. Trenton Ball Hogs
7. Pittsburgh Pirates
Splits:
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Houston Astros
3. Louisville Swingers
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pitches:
1. Chicago Cubs
2. Houston Astros
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
5. Cincinnati Reds
6. New York Mets
Hitting:
Contact:
1. Santa Fe Heat
2. Louisville Swingers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Vancouver Canadians
5. Jacksonville Beach Boys
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Power:
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Houston Astros
6. Salem Mayhem
Splits:
1. Jacksonville Beach Boys
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Louisville Swingers
4. Vancouver Canadians
5. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Eye:
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Louisville Swingers
5. Vancouver Canadians
6. Jacksonville Beach Boys
Defense:
1. Cleveland Indians
2. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
3. Louisville Swingers
4. Trenton Ball Hogs
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Houston Astros
Overall:
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Houston Astros
3. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Louisville Swingers
7. Jacksonville Beach Boys
8. Vancouver Canadians
9. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
AL:
Pitching:
Control:
1. New York Yankees
2. Monterrey Corn Dogs
3. Washington D.C. Senators
4. Dover Dung Beetles
5. Las Vegas Slobs
6. Austin Fightin' Armadillos
7. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses
Splits:
1. Las Vegas Slobs
2. Monterrey Corn Dogs
3. St. Louis Barracudas
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Toronto Blue Jays
6. Kansas City Royals
Pitches:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Huntington Good Will
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Austin Fightin' Armadillos
6. Philadelphia Athletics
Hitting:
Contact:
1. Arizona Splashlogs
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Monterrey Corn Dogs
4. Washington D.C. Senators
5. San Diego Dirt Bags
6. Kansas City Royals
Power:
1. Las Vegas Slobs
2. Philadelphia Athletics
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Monterrey Corn Dogs
5. New York Yankees
6. Toronto Blue Jays
Splits:
1. Kansas City Royals
2. Dover Dung Beetles
3. Arizona Splashlogs
4. San Diego Dirt Bags
5. New York Yankees
6. St. Louis Barracudas
Eye:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Washington D.C. Senators
3. Huntington Good Will
4. New York Yankees
5. Dover Dung Beetles
6. Kansas City Royals
Defense:
1. Huntington Good Will
2. Philadelphia Athletics
3. New York Yankees
4. Arizona Splashlogs
5. San Diego Dirt Bags
6. Dover Dung Beetles
Overall:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Las Vegas Slobs
3. Huntington Good Will
4. New York Yankees
5. St. Louis Barracudas
6. Dover Dung Beetles
7. Arizona Splashlogs
8. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses
9. Toronto Blue Jays
Pitching:
Control:
1. Houston Astros
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Vancouver Canadians
6. Trenton Ball Hogs
7. Pittsburgh Pirates
Splits:
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Houston Astros
3. Louisville Swingers
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pitches:
1. Chicago Cubs
2. Houston Astros
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
5. Cincinnati Reds
6. New York Mets
Hitting:
Contact:
1. Santa Fe Heat
2. Louisville Swingers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Vancouver Canadians
5. Jacksonville Beach Boys
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Power:
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Houston Astros
6. Salem Mayhem
Splits:
1. Jacksonville Beach Boys
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Louisville Swingers
4. Vancouver Canadians
5. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Eye:
1. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Louisville Swingers
5. Vancouver Canadians
6. Jacksonville Beach Boys
Defense:
1. Cleveland Indians
2. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
3. Louisville Swingers
4. Trenton Ball Hogs
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Houston Astros
Overall:
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Houston Astros
3. Atlanta Pork-N-Beans
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Louisville Swingers
7. Jacksonville Beach Boys
8. Vancouver Canadians
9. Scottsdale Pepperjackets
AL:
Pitching:
Control:
1. New York Yankees
2. Monterrey Corn Dogs
3. Washington D.C. Senators
4. Dover Dung Beetles
5. Las Vegas Slobs
6. Austin Fightin' Armadillos
7. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses
Splits:
1. Las Vegas Slobs
2. Monterrey Corn Dogs
3. St. Louis Barracudas
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Toronto Blue Jays
6. Kansas City Royals
Pitches:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Huntington Good Will
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Austin Fightin' Armadillos
6. Philadelphia Athletics
Hitting:
Contact:
1. Arizona Splashlogs
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Monterrey Corn Dogs
4. Washington D.C. Senators
5. San Diego Dirt Bags
6. Kansas City Royals
Power:
1. Las Vegas Slobs
2. Philadelphia Athletics
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Monterrey Corn Dogs
5. New York Yankees
6. Toronto Blue Jays
Splits:
1. Kansas City Royals
2. Dover Dung Beetles
3. Arizona Splashlogs
4. San Diego Dirt Bags
5. New York Yankees
6. St. Louis Barracudas
Eye:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Washington D.C. Senators
3. Huntington Good Will
4. New York Yankees
5. Dover Dung Beetles
6. Kansas City Royals
Defense:
1. Huntington Good Will
2. Philadelphia Athletics
3. New York Yankees
4. Arizona Splashlogs
5. San Diego Dirt Bags
6. Dover Dung Beetles
Overall:
1. Monterrey Corn Dogs
2. Las Vegas Slobs
3. Huntington Good Will
4. New York Yankees
5. St. Louis Barracudas
6. Dover Dung Beetles
7. Arizona Splashlogs
8. Salt Lake City Multiple Spouses
9. Toronto Blue Jays
Jacksonville First Rounder Signs
The long awaited signing of Jacksonville's 24th pick in the draft finally signed on the dotted line while no one was paying attention.
Edwin Cooper, 1B: Not a power guy you would normally see at 1B, he will hit for a high average with about 15+ long balls per season. A very very solid pick.
Defense: A
Physical: A-
Hitting: A
With 6 picks in the 1st round, Jacksonville did a good job even with the somewhat skeptical pitching acquisitions. It is unknown why the 42 pick is still unsigned.
Edwin Cooper, 1B: Not a power guy you would normally see at 1B, he will hit for a high average with about 15+ long balls per season. A very very solid pick.
Defense: A
Physical: A-
Hitting: A
With 6 picks in the 1st round, Jacksonville did a good job even with the somewhat skeptical pitching acquisitions. It is unknown why the 42 pick is still unsigned.
Monday, January 5, 2009
IFA News
1. Carlos Espinoza, P, San Diego Dirt Bags : A near ready ML starter, although he is listed as the #1 ML starter. A season at AAA at least would have been beneficial I would think. But then, when the need is great, there isn't much choice. He has decent control, good splits and three good to decent pitches. Maturity will go a long way for this young gun. For 16M, I think was money well spent.
2. Eswalin James, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers : A defensive gem at 2B or 3B and could play a weak SS and CF to boot. If the coaching staff could break his habit of closing his eyes when he swings, could make him an exceptional hitter, but I don't see it happening. For 12M+ was a good buy.
3. Fernando Cerda, 2B, Vancouver Canadians : Another 2B defensive gem and could play a weak CF. Not a power hitter but should hit for high average with 10 to 15 dingers thrown in. Pretty good signing for 11M+.
4. Al Limon, P, New York Mets : Very good control and good pitches for a long reliever. A great pickup for 8M+.
5. Domingo Jose, 2B, Huntington Good Will : My scouts say he isn't a 2B or even close to one, but would find duty in LF. Fielding wasn't the reason for being signed, hitting was and power hitting is his specialty. A good pickup for 7.5M.
Other Big impact signings:
Ivan Durazo, C, Trenton Ball Hogs : Not that great a catcher but he can hit a ton.
Gorkys Diaz, RF, Oklahoma City Kevin Durants : Somewhat weak glove but very good with a bat.
Horacio Hernandez, P, Washington D.C. Senators : Setup or closer should be a great addition even with a weak vsL.
Hector Benitez, P, Dover Dung Beetles : May be a very good starter, time will tell, but for the price makes for a great signing.
Tito Peterson, C, Washington D.C. Senators : Maybe not the greatest catcher but I like his hitting style and for the money, a good pick.
Vic Santiago, C, Cleveland Indians : A prototypical defensive PC catcher. Maybe not the greatest hitter, but he will wait on his pitch and put the ball in play. And a very cheap pickup.
Victor Ramirez, C, Vancouver Canadians: Not nearly as good as Vic in the catching department but will hit much better.
Harry Espinoza, CF, San Diego Dirt Bags : CF is a stretch but 2B is not and could turn into a good defensive bench player at the ML level.
Matty Ortega, P, St. Louis Barracudas : For the price he was a steal. I am not kind with left handed pitchers whose vsR is below 65, but his low price makes him the steal of the IFA market at the moment.
2. Eswalin James, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers : A defensive gem at 2B or 3B and could play a weak SS and CF to boot. If the coaching staff could break his habit of closing his eyes when he swings, could make him an exceptional hitter, but I don't see it happening. For 12M+ was a good buy.
3. Fernando Cerda, 2B, Vancouver Canadians : Another 2B defensive gem and could play a weak CF. Not a power hitter but should hit for high average with 10 to 15 dingers thrown in. Pretty good signing for 11M+.
4. Al Limon, P, New York Mets : Very good control and good pitches for a long reliever. A great pickup for 8M+.
5. Domingo Jose, 2B, Huntington Good Will : My scouts say he isn't a 2B or even close to one, but would find duty in LF. Fielding wasn't the reason for being signed, hitting was and power hitting is his specialty. A good pickup for 7.5M.
Other Big impact signings:
Ivan Durazo, C, Trenton Ball Hogs : Not that great a catcher but he can hit a ton.
Gorkys Diaz, RF, Oklahoma City Kevin Durants : Somewhat weak glove but very good with a bat.
Horacio Hernandez, P, Washington D.C. Senators : Setup or closer should be a great addition even with a weak vsL.
Hector Benitez, P, Dover Dung Beetles : May be a very good starter, time will tell, but for the price makes for a great signing.
Tito Peterson, C, Washington D.C. Senators : Maybe not the greatest catcher but I like his hitting style and for the money, a good pick.
Vic Santiago, C, Cleveland Indians : A prototypical defensive PC catcher. Maybe not the greatest hitter, but he will wait on his pitch and put the ball in play. And a very cheap pickup.
Victor Ramirez, C, Vancouver Canadians: Not nearly as good as Vic in the catching department but will hit much better.
Harry Espinoza, CF, San Diego Dirt Bags : CF is a stretch but 2B is not and could turn into a good defensive bench player at the ML level.
Matty Ortega, P, St. Louis Barracudas : For the price he was a steal. I am not kind with left handed pitchers whose vsR is below 65, but his low price makes him the steal of the IFA market at the moment.
Unsigned to Signed
1. Ivan Johnson, P, Santa Fe Heat : To be selected Number 1 is an honor. This kid has the tools and is very versatile. How to use him depends on whose point of view you look at. A two pitch starter? A long reliever? A two inning closer?
Defense: D
Physical: A+
Pitching: A+
Looks just as good after being signed.
2. Torey Caminiti, SP, Philadelphia Athletics : Possesses some great pitching skills and will be a fine addition to the pitching staff in the future.
Defense: B
Physical: B
Pitching: A+
After being signed, the stock went up on this kid and looks to be a projected solid #2 starter.
3. Brendan Hartman, SS, Arizona Splashlogs : A SS he is not as he looks like a solid 3B. Health could be a big problem. His hitting ability looks pretty good.
Defense: A+ at 3B
Physical: C
Hitting: B+
The disappearance of the owner hurt but still delivered with some very nice picks especially late.
9. George Obermueller, SP, Tampa Bay Rays: I wasn't exactly smitten with this guy on my draft board. Does have some great qualities and can play 1B in his spare time. Could be a good workhorse starter but I would think he would be much better at real long relief duty.
Defense: A
Physical: B
Pitching: B
After being signed, I am still not sure he could be that great of a starter but the qualifications are there even with the somewhat weak pitches. This is one of those wait and see players
10. Curtis Farrell, 2B, Trenton Ball Hogs: A defensive 2B/CF with power hitting, makes him worthy of a first round pick. Probably the best position player in the draft.
Defense: A+
Physical: A+
Hitting: A
Making the projections could be rough and the kid can't be rushed. Even if he gets close he will still be very good.
11. Maverick Duran, P, Dover Dung Beetles: Has exceptional control and a workhorse. His splits are not horrible but for a power lefty not so good and the pitch quality doesn't exactly help. Although having very above average stats could very well could have a high tater total.
Defense: A
Physical: B+
Pitching: B+
This is another one of those wait and see players.
13. Vicente Estrada, San Diego Dirt Bags: Totally unknown, talk about my scouting not doing their job. It says he was drafted as a RF, I can't even confirm that. After getting a good look at this kid, I can see why my scouts ignored him. BTW, I fired all my scouts! He has T-Rex arms and causes problems catching the ball and is also the cause for his low health. Would make an outstandingly exceptional 1B. His first two home runs against the Corndogs with his powerful compacted swing hit a low flying banner plane.
Defense: C
Physical: C
Hitting: A++
If he stays healthy, a big if, could very well help a ML club in the hitting department.
Still Unsigned:
5. Phil Houston - Vancouver Canadians : Possibility is very late singing if at all.
24. Edwin Cooper - Jacksonville Beach Boys : Unknown
29. Chris House - Louisville Swingers : Possibility is very late singing if at all.
30. Cecil Curtis - Monterrey Corn Dogs : Unknown
Defense: D
Physical: A+
Pitching: A+
Looks just as good after being signed.
2. Torey Caminiti, SP, Philadelphia Athletics : Possesses some great pitching skills and will be a fine addition to the pitching staff in the future.
Defense: B
Physical: B
Pitching: A+
After being signed, the stock went up on this kid and looks to be a projected solid #2 starter.
3. Brendan Hartman, SS, Arizona Splashlogs : A SS he is not as he looks like a solid 3B. Health could be a big problem. His hitting ability looks pretty good.
Defense: A+ at 3B
Physical: C
Hitting: B+
The disappearance of the owner hurt but still delivered with some very nice picks especially late.
9. George Obermueller, SP, Tampa Bay Rays: I wasn't exactly smitten with this guy on my draft board. Does have some great qualities and can play 1B in his spare time. Could be a good workhorse starter but I would think he would be much better at real long relief duty.
Defense: A
Physical: B
Pitching: B
After being signed, I am still not sure he could be that great of a starter but the qualifications are there even with the somewhat weak pitches. This is one of those wait and see players
10. Curtis Farrell, 2B, Trenton Ball Hogs: A defensive 2B/CF with power hitting, makes him worthy of a first round pick. Probably the best position player in the draft.
Defense: A+
Physical: A+
Hitting: A
Making the projections could be rough and the kid can't be rushed. Even if he gets close he will still be very good.
11. Maverick Duran, P, Dover Dung Beetles: Has exceptional control and a workhorse. His splits are not horrible but for a power lefty not so good and the pitch quality doesn't exactly help. Although having very above average stats could very well could have a high tater total.
Defense: A
Physical: B+
Pitching: B+
This is another one of those wait and see players.
13. Vicente Estrada, San Diego Dirt Bags: Totally unknown, talk about my scouting not doing their job. It says he was drafted as a RF, I can't even confirm that. After getting a good look at this kid, I can see why my scouts ignored him. BTW, I fired all my scouts! He has T-Rex arms and causes problems catching the ball and is also the cause for his low health. Would make an outstandingly exceptional 1B. His first two home runs against the Corndogs with his powerful compacted swing hit a low flying banner plane.
Defense: C
Physical: C
Hitting: A++
If he stays healthy, a big if, could very well help a ML club in the hitting department.
Still Unsigned:
5. Phil Houston - Vancouver Canadians : Possibility is very late singing if at all.
24. Edwin Cooper - Jacksonville Beach Boys : Unknown
29. Chris House - Louisville Swingers : Possibility is very late singing if at all.
30. Cecil Curtis - Monterrey Corn Dogs : Unknown
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