http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=103

December 16, 2006, 03:53 PM ET
Drew Deal in Trouble?

by Will Carroll

Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald got the story first, but I have more details on the specifics of the J.D. Drew physical. Drew took the physical shortly after the announcement of the deal in Orlando, but sources have told me that Drew showed problems in his shoulder that "could shut down his power." Drew had minor surgery on his shoulder after the 2005 season, so it's possible that there's more damage in there. It's important to note that in free agent acquisitions, a team often does not have the benefit of requesting medical records from his previous team prior to signing. Speculation centers on the damage to Drew's shoulder being more like Scott Rolen circa 2005. As Massarotti reports, it is more likely that the Red Sox get protection in the form of a very limited escape clause rather than scuttling the deal altogether. Somewhere, Bill Simmons just had someone kick him in the groin.

Didn't see this posted yet..

Discuss.

ROYALS ACQUIRE CATCHER JASON LaRUE FROM REDS
Kansas City Sends Minor League Player to be Named to Cincinnati

KANSAS CITY, MO (Nov. 20, 2006) - The Kansas City Royals have acquired catcher Jason LaRue from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a minor league player to be named, Royals Senior Vice President-Baseball Operations/General Manager Dayton Moore announced today.
LaRue, 32, has been considered one of the best throwing catchers in baseball since his debut with the Reds in 1999. In his eight seasons, he has thrown out 36.9 percent (143-for-388) of attempted base stealers, fourth-best in baseball over that span. In 2001, he led all Major League catchers with a 60.3 caught-stealing percentage. He has served as Cincinnati's primary catcher since the 2001 season and was the Reds longest tenured player prior to the trade.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound native of Houston, Texas, is a .239 hitter with 84 home runs, 303 RBI, 127 doubles and 263 runs scored in 715 career games. In 2006, LaRue underwent right knee surgery in spring training that forced him to miss the first two weeks of the regular season. He hit .194 (37-191) with eight home runs, 21 RBI and five doubles while playing in just 72 games, his fewest since playing 31 in 2000. Prior to 2006, LaRue was a consistent offensive performer for the Reds, recording at least 12 home runs, 17 doubles and 43 RBI for five straight seasons from 2001-2005.
LaRue best season came in 2005, when he hit a career-high .260 with 14 home runs and a career-high 60 RBI and 27 doubles. He combined with Javier Valentin that season to form the best offensive catching duo in the Majors. Since he earned the Reds starting catcher job in 2001, he has been hit by a pitch 87 times, tied for the sixth-most in baseball. He set a Cincinnati franchise record by being hit 24 times in 2004.
LaRue was originally a fifth-round selection of Cincinnati in the 1995 Draft after being named an All-American at Dallas Baptist University. He resides in Bulverde, Texas, with his wife, Heather, and sons, Tyler, Dylan and Brayden

This is an interesting question because both are good SS prospects.  In my most humble opinion, I personally think Drew is the better player.  Tulowitzki is a good SS prospect, but I don't think he belongs in discussions about the top SS prospects in the game.  Drew and Brandon Wood are in a class of their own, so to speak.  Drew is getting it done at the ML level too, with a .999 OPS going into today.  

Here are some stats to reference:

Troy Tulowitzki - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/stats/player.php?id=453064

Stephen Drew -  http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/stats/player.php?id=452220

and

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7560/

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pb...606190545/1006

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Bailey pitched well for the SaraReds during the first half as his deceiving record of 3-5 is followed by an improving earned run average of 3.31. In 13 starts, Bailey walked 22 and struck out 79 and opposing hitters have a measly .189 batting average.

Link to full stats:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/stats/player.php?id=456701

As a Reds fan, you got to have some doubts or concerns lingering in the back of your head about promoting him... but I'm excited.  Its been quite a while since the Reds have had a legit pitching prospect.  Here's to hoping that Bailey can beat the odds and become the Reds first homegrown pitching talent in decades.

His line:

.103/.222/.115

Absolutely pathetic.  What the heck is going on?  Is he injured?

21K to 12BB.  only 8 hits all year.

This is a guy who coming into the year was BA's #5 prospect in the midwest league.  Oakland's #3 prospect.  He's a 1st round pick.  A collegiate athlete.  He shouldn't be struggling so bad.  

Fred Lewis is off to a good start in AAA.  He did quite well in the second half of AA, but overall his AA season was not as good as hoped.  

So far in for the Grizzlies, he has put up the following:

.324/.439./.471 with 7BB and 9K.  1HR, 2 2b, 10R, but only 2RBI.. also 16TB.  Anyone know where he is hitting in the lineup?  And I would love to hear what everyone thinks the future holds for this kid.

So this is my first foray into the diary section here at minor league ball...  anyway, I belong to a DMB simulation league, 30 team league.  Each team has a 40 man roster and 2 5 slot draft rosters, 1 from the 2003 draft, the other for 2004 draft.  This year, the 2005 first year player draft will occur for our draft league, and the 2003 draft roster will be eliminated.  I will have to cut 5 people from the 40 man roster/2003 draft roster.  Here is what I have:  

1.  Aaron Boone - 3B/2B
2.  Mark Buehrle - LHP
3   Chris Burke - 2B
4.  Matt Cain - RHP
5.  Eric Campbell - 3B
6.  Kyle Davies - RHP
7.  Ryan Drese - RHP
8.  Adam Dunn - LF
9.  Alan Embree - LHP
10.  Clint Everts - RHP
11.  Mike Fontenot - 2B
12.  Roy Halladay - RHP
13.  Chris Hammond - LHP
14.  J.J Hardy - SS
15.  Mike Hinckley - LHP
16.  Chin-Lung Hu - SS  
17.  Hernan Iribarren - 2B
18.  Edwin Jackson - RHP  
19.  Hong-Chih Kuo - LHP
20.  Gerald Laird - C
21.  Cliff Lee - LHP
22.  Fred Lewis - OF
23.  Brad Lidge - RHP
24.  Shane Lindsay - RHP
25.  Radhames Liz - RHP
26.  James Loney - 1B
27.  Andy Marte - 3B  
28.  Kevin Millar - 1B/OF  
29.  Matt Moses - 3B
30.  Chris Oxspring - RHP
31.  Rolando Pascual - RHP
32.  Joel Pineiro - RHP
33.  Jorge Posada - C
34.  Carlos Quentin - OF  
35.  Alexis Rios - CF/RF
36.  Francisco Rodriguez - RHP
37.  Scot Shields - RHP
38.  Tim Stauffer - RHP
39.  Jose Tabata - OF
40.  Kiechi Yabu - RHP

2003 Draft Roster
1.  Ryan Harvey - OF
2.  Tom Gorzelanny - LHP
3.  Sean Rodriguez - SS
4   Jonathan Barratt - LHP
5.  Luis Cota - RHP

2004 Draft Roster
1.  Matt Bush - SS
2.  Anthony Swarzak - RHP
3.  JP Howell - LHP
4.  BJ Szymanski - OF
5.  Nick Adenhart - RHP

Some clarification:
Only players selected in their respective draft class can be placed on the special 5 slot draft roster.  However, any type of player can be on the 40 man roster.  For example, I could have Matt Bush on the 40 man roster and still have all 5 slots utilized in the 2004 draft roster if I wanted to.  So you can get creative and move guys around.  For example, I could conceivably cut BJ Szymanski and put Eric Campbell on the 04 roster, therefore creating an open spot on the 40 man for a promotion from the 2003.  Hope that makes sense.

So my question to the community is:
Who do you cut, who do you keep, and why?
What do you think of the overall talent on this team?  Is it too pitching heavy?  Is positional talent too thin?  Can this team contend for a championship next year?