WTF?!

Best top 4 in the rotation in the history of baseball????

Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels!!!

unbelieveable...

where did the phillies get the money???? they are paying like 8 guys 10 million plus a year... howard, lee and halladay getting 20 each!!! the yankees of the NL!

Phillies are automatically WS favs now..

the yankees desperately needed some starting pitching and they have a lot of money... i wonder why they didnt just go a little higher.. texas needs to trade for greinke now... what are the yanks going to do...

big big news

Which 2010 draftees will go into the top 100 and where would you slot them? which ones just miss out?

bryce harper at number 1 for sure right?

Jameson Taillon top 10?

where would you slot manny machado?

does zack lee make it?

christian colon or pomeranz?

Anyone else?

Discuss.

a a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a aa a a 

We all know the lakers have been struggling these past few weeks. They face a difficult challenge of facing one of the best up and coming teams in the NBA. The last time we played them, we were down 33 at the end of 3. They easily could have swept us this regular season if not for some mistakes. They have the top scorer in the nba along with a great defense. Truthfully and honestly... Laker fans... Do you think the lakers will win this series?

With the Thunders loss tonight to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers are stuck with the unlucky task of facing the OKC Thunder in the FIRST ROUND of the playoffs. The Thunder still can win 50 games and the lakers will have to play them in the first round. Very, very difficult matchup. The lakers got their butts whooped the last meeting with the lakers trailing at the end of the 3rd quarter by 33.

Will the lakers beat the thunder in the first round?

there was a report just yesterday saying he still cant run or jump.. soooo

Remember a couple years ago when the reports where he'd be back soon.. probably before the playoffs and he never came back? Remember last year when it was same but he actually came back right before the playoffs started and didnt play too well.

Well... do you guys think he will be back this year before the playoffs? will he be effective? Will he be the 15 and 8 bynum or the 8 and 4 bynum who gets into foul trouble 2 minutes into the game...

Hopefully he comes back fully healthy before the playoffs start and we made another deep run into the playoffs...

Go lakers!

http://www.memoriesofkevinmalone.com/2010/03/prospect-profiles-2010-allen-webster.html

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

Overview-Selected in the 18th round of the 2008 draft out of a high school in North Carolina, there was little expected of him as a professional.  In his debut season as a Dodger, he showed rocky control that didn't garner him any supporters.  Last year though, something clicked for Webster, and he dominated at both Rookie league stops.  Once just an afterthought with some upside, Webster is now one good season away from becoming one of the best prospects in the system.

Stuff-Webster is still maturing, but his pitches are already plenty impressive.  His fastball sits 91-92 mph and touches 95 with late life.  His breaking ball is an inconsistent power curve, but it's a potential plus offering.  He throws it hard from 77-82 mph, and when it's right, it has ideal two plane break.  When it's not, it has a hump to it and flattens out horizontally.

The development of a third pitch will be key to Webster's future as a starter, and he is already working on his changeup a lot.  Not surprisingly, he doesn't go to it often in the game, but he throws it frequently in the pen and in warm-ups, which is good to see from a pitcher in the developmental stages.  For now, the movement on his change comes and goes with his release point, but it shows promising fade every once in a while.  It's difficult for me to give the pitch anything more than an average future grade until he shows progress with it though.

Command-His ability to be around the strike zone with both his fastball and curve is excellent for somebody so raw.  Webster lives down in the zone with both pitches, sometimes a bit too much, yet he has shown the ability to change the hitter's eye level when necessary.  I don't think he has yet developed fine command, as his mechanics seem to be a work in progress, but you can already tell he has a good feel for the baseball and the zone, which projects well going forward.  The changeup is something that needs to be worked on though, as he doesn't seem to quite have a grasp on it yet.  The pitch comes out awkwardly at times, and it's his only offering ends up higher than intended more often than not.

Mechanics-Webster has a fluid and repeatable motion with good arm action.  He also has excellent front side mechanics, as he points his glove to the target and brings it into his chest to activate the rotation of his shoulders.  During his leg lift phase, he turns his back to the batter a bit which adds both deception and reverse rotation as he begins towards home plate.  He passively scap loads to get the ball into throwing position, but he reaches with the ball behind his back as he takes the ball down out of his glove, which shows the ball to the hitter.  This isn't an uncommon problem for guys without a good arm circle, and it's not a big deal, but I see little reason to go through the hassle of turning your back to the batter in an attempt to add deception if you're just going to show the hitter the ball ahead of time anyway.

Furthermore, turning his back to the batter causes him a bit of trouble with using his hips.  His hips and shoulders turn together (instead of his hips going ahead of his shoulders), and it's almost as if he's pirouetting like a ballerina with his lower half on the follow through.  I believe Webster needs to start stepping to his left more to prevent throwing across his body.

In addition to the hip activation problem, Webster's plant leg stiffens up too quickly for my liking.  When he plants his lead foot, he should continue to drive his hips toward home plate, but instead he straightens his knee and lifts his hips upward, which is why his motion looks a bit awkward at that point.  Webster's delivery is without any real issue until footstrike, so using his lower half more efficiently is what he really needs to work on going forward.

The good news is that his problems are either minor or relatively easy to correct, and if he learns to open his hips more aggressively and stride through the plate, you could see another velocity uptick, as well as increased fine command.  Most importantly, despite the minor flaws, his timing is good, which should bode well for his future health.

Mental-Nothing of note.

Health-No significant injury history that I know of.

Performance-Webster struggled mightily in the GCL as an 18-year-old, posting a 3.44 ERA, but walking 17 batters and striking out 13 in 18.1 IP.  That's good for an FIP of 5.93, which is a more accurate representation of what he deserved.  Last year though, Webster made adjustments and came out on fire.  He destroyed the AZL with a 2.08 ERA, 2.05 FIP, 1.03 WHIP, 56 strikeouts, and 14 walks in 47.2 IP.  That's domination of the league, and he got a well deserved promotion out of the complex league and onto Ogden.

Webster didn't slow down in the hitter friendly Pioneer League, as he posted a 3.00 ERA and a 2.39 FIP.  More importantly, he stuck out 21 and walked just 4 in 21 innings.  Better yet, he has been effective at limiting home runs, as he has surrendered just two in his 87 career innings.  Helping him accomplish this feat is his career ground ball rate of 48.7%, which is a great trend to have for a young pitcher with a high strikeout rate.

If Webster can carry over his 2009 performance to full season ball, there shouldn't be any question that he's a top five prospect.

Other-Webster is quite thin, but he has room to fill out, which helps his projection.

Projection-It's hard to resist two potential plus pitches, one potential above average offering, and potential plus command, but since Webster is yet to even make his full season debut, the highest i'm willing to go with his ceiling is as a number two starter.  Even then, a lot would have to break right for him to get to that point.  Barring injury, I figure he's a solid middle reliever at worse, which is actually quite an optimistic ceiling for a player of his experience.  Overall, i'm high on Webster's polish, stuff, and projectability.  As such, I give him a good chance of making an impact, and I think he most likely profiles as a middle of the rotation type starter.

Webster should make his full season debut next year in A-ball, with a possible move to high-A lurking if he shines early on.  2011 would be the absolute best case scenario for him in terms of getting to the big leagues, but it would be prudent to assume 2012 instead.

 

Through 2 innings of Spring Training, Withrow has faced 7 batters. He struck out 5 batters, induced 1 chopping weak grounder to first and hit one batter on a curve that slipped out of his hand.

2 innings 0 hits 0 walks 0 runs 5 Ks

According to Gameday he threw 12 fastballs, all within 93-95 MPH -- and he broke off a pair of nice curves to Oscar Salazar to K him last night vs the padres.

via cdn0.sbnation.com

“I saw him when he was really good at Double-A — throwing BBs at the knees,” said catcher Lucas May. "When he stays down with that very heavy fastball and he finishes, very few people can do what he can do. He’s developing a curve and a change and has a good feel, but he lives off his fastball. When he’s down, he really doesn’t need any other pitch.

“His fastball is heavy — no real sink or cut to it — so when he’s up, he’s hittable. At the knees, he’s tough to hit. The electricity with the fastball is there like [Clayton] Kershaw. The competitive drive is there, too. Kershaw’s curve and change are more developed, but no reason Withrow can’t get there. The second start I caught him at Double-A, after five innings, I came off the field and went over to Dish [pitching coach Glenn Dishman] and said, ‘Watch out for this guy, he could take off.’”

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100319&content_id=8848372&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la&partnerId=rss_la

Withrow will turn 21 on april fools day.

http://www.memoriesofkevinmalone.com/2010/03/prospect-profiles-2010-trayvon-robinson.html

Video of Robinson hitting HR in taiwan last week.

Overview-A tenth round pick out of high school way back in 2005, Robinson didn't do a whole lot of impressing in his first two seasons as a professional.  His collection of tools always had significant upside, but he didn't seem to be able to put it all together.  While Robinson showed signs of improvement in 2008, i'll be the first to admit that I didn't think that highly of him coming into the 2009 season.  Of course, he ended up proving all his doubters wrong, as he took a huge leap forward last year.  Then, after a late season promotion, proceeded to hold his own against advanced pitching.  2010 is the year for Robinson to prove that his progress in 2009 was no fluke, and if he does, he'll find himself near the top of a lot of prospect lists.

Hitting-Robinson has a fluid swing from both sides of the plate, and he generates surprising bat speed for somebody his size.  He uses the whole field well from the left and the right, and he has good gap power with room for growth.  Assuming progress continues, it's not unrealistic to say he could end up closer to 20 homers than 10.

You usually expect lefties to have a natural lift in their swing, but Robinson has a much flatter bat path when batting southpaw.  I assume this was purposely designed to take advantage of his speed, but it could limit his long term power potential from that side of the plate.  On the flip side of things, Robinson's right handed stroke is much more explosive and aggressive.  It has good natural loft, and he seems far more comfortable letting the ball travel deep in the zone before pulling the trigger.

Slowly but surely, Robinson is learning how to recognize pitches, but it'll have to continue for him to cut down on strikeouts and increase walks.  As a result of the large weight shift in his swing, he has a tendency to hit off his front foot, which constantly leaves him lunging at quality breaking balls, especially ones that are away from him.  That said, if he learns to limit the impact of these flaws, then there's nothing stopping Robinson from producing a .275-.285/.345-.355/.445-.455 line with 13-17 homers in the majors.

Fielding-Robinson has the range and athleticism to stick in center field, but the questions about his defense involve his routes and jumps.  The upside is that routes and jumps can be taught, while speed and athleticism cannot.  Unfortunately, I actually think his defense regressed a bit from last year, which would raise questions about exactly how much progress he's making.  That said, if we learned anything from prospect discussions about Matt Kemp, it's that we shouldn't simply write off an athletic toolsy outfielder to a corner because he looks lost at times.  Unlike Kemp though, Robinson's arm isn't anything special, so if he were to move to a corner, it would be to left field, where he likely profiles as a plus defender.

Baserunning-He has plus speed, but it's a tick short of elite level.  Fortunately, he possesses solid baserunning instincts and awareness.  Robinson's baserunning is underrated because of his high caught stealing totals, but that was more a function of being forced to run as practice than being anything indicative of how he will perform at the major league level.  Sure, he's still a work in progress as a base stealer, even he admitted as much, but I saw a fluid and aware baserunner that could take extra bases and scored when he needed to.

Mental-Robinson has a bit of a reputation for his temper and questionable character, but it all seems unfounded.  Yes, he gets frustrated at times, but the way he expresses that frustration is not any different from what you see when Andre Ethier grounds into a double play.  Robinson plays like a man driven to succeed, and he gets angry sometimes when he doesn't.  Honestly, I see more passion and drive in his outbursts than a bad attitude.

Health-No significant injury history that i'm aware of.

Performance-Even in retrospect, there was little in Robinson's profile that indicated last year's breakout was coming.  In 2006 and 2007, he posted mediocre lines of .254/.340/.381/.720 and .253/.314/.311/.625, respectively.  Even in 2008, when he made more contact (23.7 K%|30.1 K%) and upped his ISO (.109/.058), his line (.276/.328/.385/.713) was uninspiring and his walk rate (6.7 BB%|7.2 BB%) regressed.

Sure, there were some signs of a better player to come, but nothing like what happened in 2009, when he blitzed the California League to the tune of a .306/.375/.500/.875 line, showing a huge surge in power (.194 ISO) and patience (9.5 BB%).  His strikeout rate was still a problem (26.6 K%), but the power spike made it more palatable.  Furthermore, Robinson ended up stealing 43 bases in A-ball, and even though he got caught 18 times, it shows that potential on the basepaths certainly exists.

After getting a well earned promotion to AA, Robinson held his own against advanced pitching.  He posted a .797 OPS, his power held steady (.193 ISO), and he actually walked more frequently (14.3 BB%).  However, his strikeouts did spike (31.6 K%), but I sort of expected that in his first limited exposure to advanced breaking balls.  Perhaps most importantly though, Robinson is finally learning to hit effectively from both sides of the plate, as he actually posted a higher OPS as a southpaw than as a righty last year.

In light of all the positive, remember that it was only one year.  The high offensive output of the California League further complicates things, and Robinson will need to have a good showing in 2010 against advanced pitching to prove he deserves to be a top prospect in the system.  He doesn't need to own AA like he did high-A, but a nice skills consolidation year would legitimize his overall progress as a player.

Other-I previously had the pleasure of interviewing him, and my overall impression was very positive.  Good sense of humor, down to earth, and he probably showed better poise than I did.

Projection-Robinson's ceiling is promising because of his tools, and if he keeps developing, there's a chance he could become a .285/.350/.455/.810 hitter with 15 homers and 30 steals.  Maybe an .810 OPS doesn't sound so impressive, but it would probably put him within the top 25 outfielders in the league.  Defensively, Robinson has the tools to stick at center, and he could end up above average if improvement to his reads and jumps eventually come.

As promising as that sounds, there's a large gap between that potential player and the guy he is now.  Robinson has a lot to prove in 2010, and as it currently stands, there's still a strong possibility he could end up as a fourth outfielder type.  Personally though, i'm currently of the belief that Robinson should continue to show enough progress with his swing and plate discipline that he gets close to his offensive potential.  However, I think his defense profiles best in left field, where he could be a plus defender for the team and provide value that way.

He should begin 2010 at AA, but could get a call in September if he performs as expected.  If Robinson does continue his meteoric rise, there's an outfield job waiting for him in 2011.

He hits an absolute bomb to straight away center for a home run in taiwan on march 14 2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5zt_3o22xc&feature=related

some may say his season was just a cal league mirage... but i think this guy is a future stud and he will have a lot to prove next year in AA

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-top-50-national-league-prospects

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-top-50-american-league-prospects

The Top 10 NL Prospects

1. Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves
2. Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Washington Nationals
3. Mike Stanton, OF, Florida Marlins
4. Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants
5. Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
6. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
7. Christian Friedrich, LHP, Colorado Rockies
8. Alcides Escobar, SS, Milwaukee Brewers
9. Madison Bumgarner, LHP, San Francisco Giants
10. Aroldis Chapman, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

Just Missed the Top 10
11. Logan Morrison, 1B, Florida Marlins
12. Andrew Cashner, RHP, Chicago Cubs
13. Starlin Castro, SS, Chicago Cubs
14. Tyler Matzek, LHP, Colorado Rockies
15. Devaris Gordon, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
16. Derek Norris, C, Washington Nationals
17. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
18. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves
19. Julio Teheran, RHP, Altanta Braves
20. Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals

The Middle of the Pack
21. Fernando Martinez, OF, New York Mets
22. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
23. Josh Vitters, 3B, Chicago Cubs
24. Jason Castro, C, Houston Astros
25. Brad Lincoln, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
26. Zach Wheeler, RHP, San Francisco Giants
27. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, Atlanta Braves
28. Jordan Lyles, RHP, Houston Astros
29. Brett Lawrie, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
30. Tony Sanchez, C, Pittsburgh Pirates

31. Ike Davis, 1B/OF, New York Mets
32. Jenrry Mejia, RHP, New York Mets
33. Simon Castro, RHP, San Diego Padres
34. Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, Colorado Rockies
35. Brandon Allen, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
36. Thomas Neal, OF, San Francisco Giants
37. Jio Mier, SS, Houston Astros
38. Ethan Martin, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
39. Matt Dominguez, 3B, Florida Marlins
40. Ian Desmond, SS, Washington Nationals

The Final 10 NL Prospects
41. Logan Forsythe, 3B, San Diego Padres
42. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Chicago Cubs
43. Mike Leake, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
44. Jose Tabata, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
45. Chris Heisey, OF, Cincinnati Reds
46. Andrew Lambo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
47. Mat Gamel, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers
48. Jaff Decker, OF, San Diego Padres
49. Jay Jackson, RHP, Chicago Cubs
50. Trevor May, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies

 

 

 

The Top 10 AL Prospects

1. Desmond Jennings, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
2. Neftali Feliz, RHP, Texas Rangers
3. Carlos Santana, C, Cleveland Indians
4. Jesus Montero, C/1B, New York Yankees
5. Dustin Ackley, 2B/OF, Seattle Mariners
6. Brian Matusz, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
7. Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
8. Justin Smoak, 1B, Texas Rangers
9. Chris Carter, 1B, Oakland Athletics
10. Martin Perez, LHP, Texas Rangers

Just Missed the Top 10
11. Casey Kelly, RHP, Boston Red Sox
12. Aaron Hicks, OF, Minnesota Twins
13. Tim Beckham, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
14. Wade Davis, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
15. Michael Montgomery, LHP, Kansas City Royals
16. Brett Wallace, 3B/1B, Toronto Blue Jays
17. Kyle Drabek, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
18. Ryan Westmoreland, OF, Boston Red Sox
19. Josh Bell, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
20. Tyler Flowers, C, Chicago White Sox

The Middle of the Pack
21. Hank Conger, C, Los Angeles Angels
22. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals
23. Wilson Ramos, C, Minnesota Twins
24. Casey Crosby, LHP, Detroit Tigers
25. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals
26. Austin Romine, C, New York Yankees
27. Michael Taylor, OF, Oakland Athletics
28. Austin Jackson, OF, Detroit Tigers
29. Matthew Moore, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
30. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Cleveland Indians

31. Zach McAllister, RHP, New York Yankees
32. Zach Stewart, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
33. Daniel Hudson, RHP, Chicago White Sox
34. Tanner Scheppers, RHP, Texas Rangers
35. Jacob Turner, RHP, Detroit Tigers
36. Brandon Erbe, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
37. Jordan Walden, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
38. Junichi Tazawa, RHP, Boston Red Sox
39. Jake Arrieta, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
40. Alex White, RHP, Cleveland Indians

The Final 10 AL Prospects
41. Kyle Gibson, RHP, Minnesota Twins
42. Zach Britton, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
43. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels
44. Michael Saunders, OF, Seattle Mariners
45. Nick Hagadone, LHP, Cleveland Indians
46. J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jays
47. Trevor Reckling, LHP, Los Angeles Angels
48. Nick Barnese, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
49. Hector Rondon, RHP, Cleveland Indians
50. Danny Duffy, LHP, Kansas City Royals

 

Full TOP 100 coming out tomorrow!!

Kensai from memoriesofkevinmalone.com gives us a Great scouting report of Dodger Prospect Chris Withrow.

http://www.memoriesofkevinmalone.com/2010/02/prospect-profiles-2010-chris-withrow.html

Overview-The Dodgers first round pick in 2007, Withrow missed significant time due to an odd collection of injury problems, and had thrown just over 14 innings through his first two seasons. For 2009, Withrow just wanted to get a healthy season under his belt, and he ended up accomplishing that goal and much more, as he ended his season in AA. With last year's huge step forward behind him, Withrow proved he is both resilient and talented enough to warrant his lofty draft status, and he will look to tackle advanced hitters in 2010.

Stuff-If you're looking for a power arm, Withrow is your man. Two years ago, he used to sit in the 89-92 mph range, and he would top out at around 94 with rumors of higher velocity. Last year, however, there were no rumors necessary. Withrow easily sat in the 92-95 mph range, and rushing it up there at 97 wasn't uncommon. The fastball has good natural arm side run, especially when he's working down, and it's an explosive swing and miss pitch up in the zone. Scary thing? There's still projection left.

As for his curve, it has an 11-to-5 tilt and ranges between 73-77 mph. Thrown quite hard, it has late bite, and should be another plus pitch. The only problem stems from a rounding of the pitch, which causes it to have a gradual sweeping break rather than a sharp downward movement. This usually occurs when he tries to overthrow.

Withrow's changeup has potential, especially considering that it will be working off a plus-plus fastball. It's thrown between 78-82 mph, and has adequate downward movement, but doesn't have ideal arm side tail. For now, it looks like an average future pitch at best, and it needs work. The development of a third pitch is one of the areas of Withrow's game that needs vast improvement.

Command-Withrow's command of all pitches remains his biggest obstacle, but the good news is that his problems seem workable. Accounting for the fact that this was his first full season, he shows solid ability to be around the strike zone. Fine command is still a large issue though, and it's something he'll have to improve drastically if he plans to beat major league hitters.

When he's on, Withrow will pound the lower regions of the strike zone with his fastball, and elevate it only when he needs a strikeout. However, his command within the strike zone is a work in progress, as he seems to have difficulty working both sides of the plate. When Withrow overthrows, the fastball will elevate in the zone. The command on his curveball is surprisingly good. He knows how to use it to get strikeouts, and he can also use it to get ahead early in the count. Sometimes he'll lose the release point, but i'd say it's quite advanced for his experience level. Withrow's changeup command needs serious work. His feel for it is still in the development stages, and it's the main reason I worry about the progress of the pitch. Worse yet, control of the offering wasn't improving as the season progressed. Strides here will likely make or break his potential as a starter.

Mechanics-Withrow's delivery is simple and repeatable. He uses his lower half well and has great arm action. There is a noticeable improvement in his tempo when comparing his mechanics from the time he was drafted to 2009, as he is much more aggressive now and has a much greater intent to throw hard.

Unfortunately, his front side mechanics are not good, as he lets his glove just hang by his hip instead of tucking it into his chest. This can affect his command in a significant way, as he frequently loses his release point due to his left shoulder opening prematurely. In addition, it can also put increased strain on the throwing shoulder, which increases his risk for injury. Another concern is that in roughly half of his pitches, Withrow's arm is not in the throwing position at footstrike. Again, this is something that can affect arm health.

Overall, Withrow has a very solid base to work off, but his flaws need to be fixed yesterday. The combination of plus-plus arm strength and increased shoulder stress has the potential to end in disaster.

Mental-The Dodgers selected him for his plus makeup, good work ethic, and high baseball intelligence. Withrow is willing to make adjustments, and always appears calm and collected on the mound.

Health-In the 2008 off-season, Withrow gashed his throwing hand when he tried to throw a snorkel mask. While that probably doesn't speak too highly of his intelligence, it's not anything to worry about long term. However, it is worth noting that the sore elbow that followed shut him down for the majority of the season. Whether the two events were connected is up for debate, but Withrow did come back fully healthy in 2009.

Performance-Withrow started his first full season in the California League at the age of 20, which is a difficult environment for pitchers. On the surface, Withrow wasn't great, as he posted just a 4.69 ERA in 86.1 high-A innings. However, his FIP was 2.96, and he struck out 10.95 batters per nine, so the dominance was certainly present. A big part of his mediocre surface statistics were rooted in the high run scoring environment of the league and an unlucky .357 BABIP against. The one legitimate criticism of Withrow was his walk rate, which ended up at 4.69 free passes per nine.

Despite poor surface numbers, the Dodgers recognized his domination of Class A hitters and promoted him to AA. Withrow had a solid but unremarkable 27.1 IP there, as his FIP increased (3.68), the strikeouts dropped (8.56 K/9), and his control improved (3.95 BB/9). Withrow did establish a good base of experience for 2010 though, and proved he can handle himself against advanced hitters.

Other-A good athlete that may still have projection left.

Projection-With the potential for two plus pitches, plus makeup, and a solid command, Withrow's ceiling is as a borderline #1 starter. However, his changeup must develop into a solid pitch, and his command must start to show signs of improvement for his ceiling to become a realistic goal.

Right now, the most prudent prediction would be to peg him as a #2-#3 type pitcher, mainly due to inexperience and multiple question marks, but with enough plus stuff to get him by most obstacles. The worst case scenario for a healthy Withrow is being a power arm at the back of the bullpen, but I believe there's even an increased risk for a career derailment due to arm injuries if he doesn't take steps to correct flaws.

The Dodgers will likely start Withrow in AA, and I believe he should be given a full season there, hopefully accumulating 130-140 innings. If he does well, I suppose he could get a cup of coffee late in 2010, but I would prefer if that didn't happen.

Here are some other scouting reports on the site, including Ethan Martin, Dee Gordon, Garrett Gould, Andrew Lambo and Aaron Miller:  Click on players name for scouting report

http://www.memoriesofkevinmalone.com/search/label/Prospect%20Profiles

the caviliers have traded for antawn jamison.

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/9257508264

Cavs get Jamison and Telfair, Clippers get Drew Gooden and Wash gets Illgauskas, Al Thornton and Brian Skinner and Cavs 1st round pick.

you can say its a steal for the cavs only giving up illgauskas and the 30th pick in the draft... but i think its going to hurt them because jamison is not a good defender.  have fun caviliers with your new second option and all the money hes owed in the next few years. Cavaliers were on a role... they were unstoppable.. theres no way that this will help their team chemistry.

GO LAKERS..!!!!!!!

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10024

Five-Star Prospects
1. Dee Gordon, SS
2. Chris Withrow, RHP
Four-Star Prospects
3. Ethan Martin, RHP
Three-Star Prospects
4. Aaron Miller, LHP
5. Scott Elbert, LHP
6. Trayvon Robinson, OF
7. Garrett Gould, RHP
8. Ivan DeJesus Jr., SS
9. Josh Lindblom, RHP
Two-Star Prospects
10. Kenley Jansen, RHP
11. Kyle Russell, OF

Four More:
12. Andrew Lambo, OF: He isn’t an athletic corner outfielder, and is instead a bat-only prospect who might not have enough bat.
13. Allen Webster, RHP: A highly projectable righty, Webster has the potential to rocket up this list after his 2010 full-season debut.
14. Pedro Baez, 3B: He needs to overcome an injury bug and plate discipline issues, but his tools remain outstanding.
15. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP: This Tommy John surgery survivor was kept on a short leash in 2009, but he was brilliant at times while showcasing one of the more live arms in the system.

 

 

1. Dee Gordon, SS
DOB: 4/22/88
Height/Weight: 5-11/150
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: 4th round, 2008, Seminole CC (FL)
2009 Stats: .301/.362/.394 at Low-A (131 G)
Last Year’s Ranking: 7

Year in Review: A highly athletic shortstop, Gordon earned Midwest League co-MVP honors in a stunning full-season debut.
The Good: Gordon's tools are the best in the system by a mile, and among the best in the game, with one scout calling him, "A Jimmy Rollins starter kit." He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and a knack for contact; he has the potential to develop enough power for 10-15 home runs annually. He's a pure burner who led the league with 73 stolen bases, and he's a quick-twitch athlete with well above-average range and arm strength.
The Bad: Gordon is quite raw, and while that creates plenty of room for excitement, as he's been able to produce big numbers on sheer athleticism, there's also concern, as he's far less refined than most players his age. He needs to improve his plate discipline and work on becoming more consistent defensively, but both of those issues saw considerable improvement as the 2009 season wore on.
Ephemera: Dodgers farm director DeJon Watson was a roommate with Gordon's father, Tom, when both were minor-leaguers in the Royals system.
Perfect World Projection: He’s an All-Star shortstop.
Path to the Big Leagues: Gordon needs at least two more years in the minors, and there's still a chance he'll need to move to center field.
Timetable: Despite his performance, most see Gordon as a one-step-at-a-time player, so he'll likely spend most, if not all of 2010 at High-A Inland Empire.

 

Discuss...

5 Star Wide Receiver Markeith Ambles commits to USC.

This gives USC the TOP 3 WR recruits in the nation in Woods, Prater and Ambles.

Might this be the best Wide reciever recruiting class of all time for USC? Maybe best WR recruiting class ALL TIME?

and then don't for Dillon Baxter who can Do it all...

“The trip was great, I love the campus, the city and of course the weather. I can see myself fitting in at SC, and I have a chance to play early”, said Ambles.

http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/01/21/top-10-prospect-list

Thoughts?

Strasburg 4? Fernando martinez in the top 10? Ackley too high at 6? Where is Mike Stanton Pedro alvarez and Feliz?

PP is posting the top 25 next week..

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269388.html

Since its almost signing day and kids can enroll and stuff.. I think there should be a fanpost where everyone posts all the new rumors on whether we get some of the recruits or not. Post the rumors and new information here and Rec this post so it'll be up top. Its a better idea then to post it in random threads and it will be lost in all the comments.. So here is a nice place to place all the info.. Thanks a lot and i hope we get all those top recruits... GO SC!!!!!

El Nuevo Herald is reporting that the Blue Jays are closing in on a deal with Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman in the range of 5 years and 23 million dollars. 

Now that Chapman is technically a prospect, where would he rank in your top 100? What is your future outlook on him? Why Toronto?

Discuss..

FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER FILLER

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269333.html

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269307.html


TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1.	Desmond Jennings, of
2.	Jeremy Hellickson, rhp
3.	Wade Davis, rhp
4.	Matt Moore, lhp
5.	Reid Brignac, ss
6.	Tim Beckham, ss
7.	Alexander Colome, lhp
8.	Jake McGee, lhp
9.	Alex Torres, lhp
10.	Nick Barnese, rhp   Best Tools Best Hitter for Average Desmond Jennings Best Power Hitter Matt Sweeney Best Strike-Zone Discipline Desmond Jennings Fastest Baserunner Fernando Perez Best Athlete Desmond Jennings Best Fastball Jeremy Hellickson Best Curveball Matt Moore Best Slider Alex Torres Best Changeup Jeremy Hellickson Best Control Jeremy Hellickson Best Defensive Catcher Nevin Ashley Best Defensive Infielder Reid Brignac Best Infield Arm Tim Beckham Best Defensive Outfielder Desmond Jennings Best Outfield Arm   Projected 2012 Lineup Catcher Kelly Shoppach First Base Carlos Pena Second Base Reid Brignac Third Base Evan Longoria Shortstop Jason Bartlett Left Field Carl Crawford Center Field Desmond Jennings Right Field B.J. Upton Designated Hitter Ben Zobrist No. 1 Starter David Price No. 2 Starter James Shields No. 3 Starter Matt Garza No. 4 Starter Jeremy Hellickson No. 5 Starter Jeff Niemann Closer Todd Glaesmann

Wade Davis

cwhitman412 did a mid season one a few months ago. Now lets do a off season one. This is how it works. We post players and see what other peoples opinions of them are grade wise and why. It's good to see what opinions we have on specific guys. Controversial guys are easily the best. Definitely a fun exercise to see where different players are now. 

reallly? 75 words to publish a fanpost... 75th                              

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269300.html

TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1.	Brian Matusz, lhp
2.	Josh Bell, 3b
3.	Zach Britton, lhp
4.	Jake Arrieta, rhp
5.	Matt Hobgood, rhp
6.	Brandon Snyder, 1b
7.	Brandon Erbe, rhp
8.	Kam Mickolio, rhp
9.	Mychal Givens, ss
10.	Caleb Joseph, c   BEST TOOLS Best Hitter for Average Brandon Snyder Best Power Hitter Brandon Waring Best Strike-Zone Discipline Matt Angle Fastest Baserunner Xavier Avery Best Athlete Mychal Givens Best Fastball Kam Micklio Best Curveball Brian Matusz Best Slider Jake Arrieta Best Changeup Brian Matusz Best Control Brian Matusz Best Defensive Catcher Caleb Joseph Best Defensive Infielder Blake Davis Best Infield Arm Mychal Givens Best Defensive Outfielder Matt Angle Best Outfield Arm Billy Rowell   PROJECTED 2013 LINEUP Catcher Matt Wieters First Base Brandon Snyder Second Base Brian Roberts Third Base Josh Bell Shortstop Mychal Givens Left Field Nolan Reimold Center Field Adam Jones Right Field Nick Markakis Designated Hitter Brandon Waring No. 1 Starter Chris Tillman No. 2 Starter Brian Matusz No. 3 Starter Zach Britton No. 4 Starter Jake Arrieta No. 5 Starter Matt Hobgood Closer

Brandon Erbe

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269277.html

TOP TEN
PROSPECTS

1.	Jesus Montero, c
2.	Austin Romine, c
3.	Arodys Vizcaino, rhp
4.	Slade Heathcott, of
5.	Zach McAllister, rhp
6.	Manny Banuelos, lhp
7.	Gary Sanchez, c
8.	J.R. Murphy, c
9.	Jeremy Bleich, lhp
10.	Andrew Brackman, rhp

Best Tools

Best Hitter for Average	Jesus Montero
Best Power Hitter	Jesus Montero
Best Strike-Zone Discipline	Reegie Corona
Fastest Baserunner	Melky Mesa
Best Athlete	Melky Mesa
Best Fastball	Andrew Brackman
Best Curveball	Arodys Vizcaino
Best Slider	Mike Dunn
Best Changeup	Manny Banuelos
Best Control	Zach McAllister
Best Defensive Catcher	Francisco Cervelli
Best Defensive Infielder	Ramiro Pena
Best Infield Arm	Eduardo Nunez
Best Defensive Outfielder	Jamie Hoffmann
Best Outfield Arm     PROJECTED 2013 LINEUP Catcher Austin Romine First Base Mark Teixeira Second Base Robinson Cano Third Base Alex Rodriguez Shortstop Derek Jeter Left Field Curtis Granderson Center Field Brett Gardner Right Field Slade Heathcott Designated Hitter Jesus Montero No. 1 Starter C.C Sabathia No. 2 Starter Phil Hughes No. 3 Starter A.J. Burnett No. 4 Starter Arodys Vizcaino No. 5 Starter Manny Banuelos Closer Joba Chamberlain	Melky Mesa

Withrow:  Mid 90's fastball that can touch 99 with a plus curve and developing change up. 2009 was his first full year pitching after missing 2008 with small injuries. Strong K rate. Walk rate vs RHB is fine at 2.43 per 9 innings but has trouble throwing strikes vs LHB with a walk rate of 6.67 per 9 innings. A major plus is that he is very athletic and has an effortless smooth delivery.

Drabek: From what I have heard, he has a low to mid 90's fastball with a plus curve and a developing change up. So he has the same pitches as Withrow.  He is a tommy john survivor. His Strikeout rate plummeted from 10.8 per 9 in A+ ball to 7.1 to per 9 in AA.  He has great command with 2.8 walks per 9 in A+ and 2.9 per 9 in AA. he’s also very athletic and his mechanics are vastly improved.(much smoother)

Who is the better pitching prospect and who would you rather have in the long term? why?