Everyone else is doing it, so I figured I'd share my Rays Top-20.

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Just win.

I like this Kaz very much.

via i207.photobucket.com

With the off-day today, I figured it was a good time to take a look at our future Rays.  This is my version of the Top-20 prospects in our organization.

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BJ Upton is better than you!

Please win!

I have to admit, I've scoffed at the idea for a while that Buster Posey was a legit 1/1 pick.  I've heard great things about his arm (closer for FSU at times), he is a really good athlete, and he could hit a little.  But his ceiling appears to be a possible 10-15 home run guy that might his .300.  Which is great for a catcher, but not exactly the ceiling you're looking for with the first overall pick in the draft.

Then I read on Raysbb that a caller with supposed "connections" said that he's in play.  Not that he would be the pick, just in play.  So I went and looked up his stats and was shocked.  His season line for FSU reads like some NAIA line.  He's hitting:

.472/.573/.857/1430 with 17 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR.  A K/BB of 12/36.  He's 4/7 in the SB department.

I guess all I'm saying here is that I'm amending my position.  I know college numbers don't translate exactly to pro ball because of the aluminum, but if our scouts think his bat is legit, he could very well be the pick.  He's doing this in the ACC, not some crappy conference either.  I didn't realize he was hitting so well.  I guess that's my fault, but man that line is abusurd.

Everyone else was doing it so I thought I'd give it a try.  This one is a little easier than the other teams because we have a top prospect or young position player at just about every position, but there is still some debate about who will be playing where.

C-Dioner Navarro (has hit well since the ASB so he stays)
1B-Carlos Pena
2B-Akinori Iwamura
3B-Evan Longoria
SS-Reid Brignac
LF-Carl Crawford
RF -Delmon Young
CF-BJ Upton
DH-Elijah Dukes!

Starting rotation:
Scott Kazmir
David Price
Jake McGee
Jamie Shields
Wade Davis

CL-Jeff Niemann
RP-Juan Salas
RP-Edwin Jackson
RP-Mitch Talbot
RP-Chris Mason
RP-Some Lefty

8.25 million dollar ML deal.  It's a 6 year deal, but there are bonus clauses that haven't been announced yet.  More details will follow, but I just read it from Marc Lancaster's (beat writer) blog.

http://sports.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/related/C142/

Are geniuses!  BA is reporting that he is in fact going to get his Josh Beckett deal plus inflation (at least a little).  I'm amazed!  It's reportedly a 7.7 million dollar ML deal.  Good for him and good for the Tigers.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=198

As a Rays fan, I wonder what this will do to the Price negotiations?  Probably not much, but he can easily argue he's better than Porcello and deserves at least a comparable deal.

He's going to be out 5 days because he got hit in the eye with a ball last night.  He tried to make an over the shoulder catch, he missed and it bounced back up and hit him in the eye.

http://sports.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/related/C142/

No one has started one today so I thought I would.  The Rays affiliates have a couple of intriguing pitching match-ups tonight.

Niemann vs. Slowey  

McGee vs. Kennedy    

So what else is going on in the world of minor league baseball tonight??
                                                                         

Brandon is on the way.  The Angels are calling up Brandon Wood today and sending down Kendry Morales.  Juan Rivera is moved to the 60 day DL to make room for the move.

Are they going to play him everyday?  How do you guys think he'll do?  

Personally, I think he's going to struggle this year.  He'll show some pop, but if he stays up all season, I'd be surprised to see more than a .250 average this season.  I think he'll be good long term, but not this year.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=205

was great in his first start back.

5 IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 6K's

I'm really excited to see what he can do.  I firmly believe he got hurt during his junior year in college and it just got worse when he was drafted by the Rays.  If he regains his sophmore form (which I believe is within the relm of possibility), he's going to shock a lot of people.

Might be 20?

via Metsblog

MILB page

Weird.  Might just be a typo, but if you go to his MiLB page, it says he was born in 1986, but if you search Martinez, when they all come up, it says 1988.  

If he really is 20, how much of a hit does his prospect status take?  This could put a damper on prospect smackdown on Wednesday.

is missing.  He's was the closer for Hudson Valley, Tampa Bay's short season A ball affilliate.  He apparently went overboard in a class 3 rapid and hasn't been seen since.  Another person with him was  unharmed.  He's not a great prospect or anything, but it's still terrible news and my thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/colleges/15823674.htm

after a boating accident.  He fell out of his boat in while white water rafting it appears.  Please  Pray for him and his family.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/colleges/15823674.htm

found?  I read the yahoo article where Daisuke Matsuzaka says he doesn't throw the gyroball, but he did say he was working on it.  There is now a video on youtube of that is supposedly it.  I've never seen a pitch move like this.  It sinks and fades away from lefties.  It looks like a change-up on steroids, but the grip is that of a breaking pitch.  I think this may be actually footage of a gyroball.  Anyway, it's a great pitch, whatever it is.

Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sboi0EWp8ao&NR

Ok, September is here and with that comes roster expansion.  Let's take a look at some guys who could potentially get the call.  Most of the guys who were pegged as September call-ups got the call early because of injuries or trades.  Jason Hammel, JP Howell both got the call early because of injuries to the pitching staff and Delmon because of the Branyan trade.  Here is a list of guys who could potentially get the call:

Pitchers:
Doug Waechter
Brian Stokes
Edwin Jackson
Jeff Niemann
Scott Dunn
Juan Salas

Hitters:
Joel Guzman
Shawn Riggans
Ty Wiggington.

Now some of these guys are unlikely to be called up but are mentioned because they're on the 40 man roster.  Doug Waechter, Joel Guzman and Jeff Niemann fall into this category.  

Waechter has an ERA over 8 in Durham and has struggled with his mechanics all year, so I doubt he'll get the call.  

Niemann on the other hand has probably earned a call-up, but because Montgomery is in the playoff hunt and the fact that he'll be going to the Arizona Fall League (AFL), I doubt the DRO wants to call him up.  September will be a time to rest his arm in between the end of the minor league season and the AFL.  They probably don't want to push him, especially since this is his first time healthy since 03'.

Guzman hasn't played particularly well in Durham, and the only reason I really mentioned him is because he's probably our first baseman of the future and the DRO might want to get a look at him before spring training to see if he might figure into next years plans.  He'll most likely start next year in Durham and get called up as soon as he's ready.  He's only 21, so he's got plenty of time to develop.

Wiggington and Riggans are almost certainly going to get the called up.  Riggans is going to be Navarro's back up for the next few years most likely and is 26 with nothing left to prove in AAA.  Wiggy is on a rehab assignment and they just don't have space on the roster for him until they expand.  Expect Wiggy to spend most of his time at DH and 2B spelling a struggling Cantu during September.

Now to the pitchers.  I honestly don't have a clue who in this group will get the call.  

Juan Salas has earned a call up, dominating two leagues, but he's not on the 40-man roster.  Although it wouldn't be hard to find space for him, they might just be content to let him go home and rest his arm and be part of the pen next year.

Edwin Jackson has been wildly inconsistent this year.  Dominate at times, and others he couldn't get me out (only because walking is an option :)).  He'll most likely get a call up despite his inconsistencies.  He's out of options and has to be on the 25-man roster next year, otherwise he'd have to clear waivers to get sent to the minors (which wouldn't happen because of his potential).

Brian Stokes is an interesting one.  He's on the 40-man roster, and there is an immediate need for a starter with Fossum likely going to the DL.  He's not really a prospect, but he might just be a warm body on the field for a couple games.  Don't expect much out of him if he gets the call.  However, I didn't expect anything out of Corky as a starter either, and he's been very serviceable for the Rays, so anything's possible.

Scott Dunn was terrible in Tampa Bay, giving up 10 ER in 7.2 IP.  However in Durham he was much better.  His K/9 was 9.2, he gave up fewer hits than IP and his ERA was a solid 2.77.  Now, again, don't expect much if he's called up, but he is almost certainly an upgrade over someone in our pen!  Oh, but he's not on the 40 man roster either, so they'd have to find a spot if they want to call him up.