Hey guys, if anyone is interested, I'm in a simulation baseball league that has a few GM openings. This is an OOTP5 simulation league. Basically we use the game Out of the Park Baseball 5.0 to simulate baseball seasons -- the program is totally free, the league has been running 7 real years and like 24 sim-years, with real players sprinkled amongst fake ones. There are 28 teams and just 3 or so openings. There's an amateur draft with real upcoming rookies available, as well as free agency and payroll management and all that jazz. It's fun, competitive, and doesn't wait on the real MLB season so you can always look forward to a winter GM meeting in the middle of July. Think Diamond Mind Baseball. If you're interested, just lemme know at alon.gur@gmail.com.

The league website is: http://www.thecblonline.com/
Get OOTP5 here:
http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/article.php?newsid=396

I'm going to go out and say something REALLY crazy (and prove myself one of the biggest/most insane Daric Barton fans out there) and say Daric Barton is the best prospect in the minor leagues. He kicks Delmon Young's butt, and it ain't even close.

Barton age 20, AA:
.316 avg, .410 OBP, .491 SLG, .901 OPS. 35 BB's, 30 SO's in 212 AB's

Young age 20, AA:
.336 avg, .380 OBP, .582 SLG, .968 OPS. 25 BB's 66 SO's in 330 AB's

Actually, the point could be argued... Barton clearly has a far better eye, whereas Young is relying on his contact and freakin huge power (no debate there). Personally (if I were to start a team from scratch) I'd probably take Barton and his .410 OBP, because power develops if it ain't there, and personally I feel Delmon's physical freakiness will eventually catch up with him come Show time and his SLG won't actually approach .600 like it's doing right now. The crux of it is that Barton's best stats are the type that stay consistent throughout the minors, whereas Young's are the type prone to fluctuation. Young, after all, posted a less-than-stellar .285-.303-.447 line in AAA with a .750 OPS.

Will Barton ever approach Young's SLG? Nah. But remember, OBP is a far better indicator of MLB talent than AVG and SLG, since pitchers tend to find ways at MLB level to prevent contact so the walk becomes that much more important. 10 more walks in 100 less at bats is not negligable. An OBP .100 higher than an AVG is phenomenal.. Far better than an OBP .50 points better than the average. Not that I'm saying a .300-.350-.500 player is incredible, but is it better than a .290-.400-.450 when OBP is more valuable than SLG? Both come out to .850 OPS...

So in the end, to assuage hurt souls, I really don't know whether Barton is better than Young (he is). I guess all I'm really trying to do is start a real discussion on these boards, rather than just all the fantasy questions anyone willing to do 20 minutes research and get an opinion of their own can answer on their own.