http://www.sbnation.com/users/kingofthacove Posts made by kingofthacove on SB Nation http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2008/2/2/6338/88018 kingofthacove Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:03:38 -0000 <p>20. Angel Villalona</p><p>The Giants of the early 2000s were notorious for skimping on amateur signing bonuses, giving away first-round picks and doing little in Latin America. So when they paid over $2 million to sign Villalona just days after his 16th birthday in August of 2006, not only was it a surprise, it was a signal that the organization was committing to acquiring top-flight amateur talent. Signing Villalona was tantamount to getting an extra top-10 pick in the amateur draft -- perhaps better, since he could be in the organization for what would have been his senior year had he been an American-born prospect. Villalona himself is very physically developed, with an early-20s build even before he turned 16; while this will probably force him over to first base, it does provide for significant power potential. He has a quick bat and a fluid swing, and has shown the ability to use the whole field. He's a long way off and has only played five games above rookie ball, but the physical promise here -- a middle-of-the-order bat with a 40-plus homer ceiling -- is tremendous.</p><p>59. Tim Alderson</p><p>Alderson's an odd bird, working from the stretch even with no one on base. His fastball is already solid-average at 90-94 mph, with more velocity to come down the road. He pounds the strike zone and shows good command. His best secondary pitch is a hard curveball with tight rotation and a late two-plane break, while his changeup is a ways off. Alderson comes at hitters from a low three-quarter slot, and his arm is very quick, so the ball pops out of his hand and gets in on hitters quickly. He has some minor mechanical issues that will require work, including a slightly stiff front leg and a tendency to throw across his body to get deep to his glove side, but nothing that would prevent him from becoming a No. 2 or 3 starter in the majors.</p><p>74. Henry Sosa</p><p>Sosa has a live arm in a system that now has more than its share of live arms. He has a promising three-pitch mix, sitting at 92-94 and touching 97 on his fastball and sporting a power curveball in the mid-80s and a solid-average changeup with good arm speed. His control is poor and his feel for pitching is weak. He's too happy to try to overpower guys with heat rather than use his secondary stuff to put guys away. His delivery is odd with a dice-roller arm action and problems rushing his arm through, neither of which is conducive to good fastball command. He shouldn't move up quickly, but if he's given time he has a chance to be a No. 2 or 3 starter.</p> http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2007/10/31/22932/139 kingofthacove Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:09:32 -0000 <p>Bonds = A<br /> Feliz = B<br /> Vizquel = B</p><p><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2007-10-31-elias-rankings-complete_N.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2007-10-31-elias-rankings-complete_N.htm</a></p> http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2007/9/21/183359/355 kingofthacove Fri, 21 Sep 2007 22:33:59 -0000 <p><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/players/bonds_barry/journal/latest.jsp">http://mlb.mlb.com/players/bonds_barry/journal/latest.jsp</a></p>