16 replies to this topic

[JeffLong]

To go along with Tucker's excellent series highlighting the O's top 30 prospects, Baseball America has released their annual review of the O's system.

Tucker's Take:
http://baltimorespor...ife.com/?p=4704

Baseball America:
http://www.baseballa...13/2614258.html

[Tucker Blair]

Things that differ from our lists:

BA:
No Parker Bridwell
Eduardo Rodriguez #5

Tucker:
No Avery (chose not to include him at all)
Eduardo Rodriguez #10
Glynn Davis
Adrian Marin (#12, so not really far off from top 10)

I think this is a perfect example of how much this system drops off after the first tier of players. While I definitely disagree with them not having Parker top 10, everything else has a plausible explanation really.

Now they did rate Davis best defensive OF and Fastest baserunner, so I would be curious to see where they ranked him overall.

[Tucker Blair]

Answering my own comment above:

@masnSteve: In his subscriber only BA chat of O's top 10 prospects today @matt_forman said OF Glynn Davis and LHP Tim Berry just missed out on top 10.

[JeffLong]

I'm really high on Marin so I'll side with BA there. Rodriguez has potential which I guess is the crux of BA's rankings.

Tucker, do you typically lean more towards floor (probability of making the big leagues & contributing) or ceiling?

[Tucker Blair]

I'm really high on Marin so I'll side with BA there. Rodriguez has potential which I guess is the crux of BA's rankings.

Tucker, do you typically lean more towards floor (probability of making the big leagues & contributing) or ceiling?

I would lean ceiling I guess, although it usually depends on the player and their situation.
There are tons of players that can help in minimal ways, but the potential to be more than just a minor contributor will usually always tip the scale in my book. Some would probably disagree, but it's a personal preference.
Good organizations have a solid split of both sides, or at least attempt to.

[SportsGuy]

We have 2, maybe 4 bona fide legit prospects.

Then, we have a bunch of guys with good potential, players who could be top 100 guys or players or never do anything above Frederick.

So, whatever order you put that group in is fine...there a very little difference between 5 and 15 IMO.

[RichardZ]

The writeup on Eduardo Rodriguez changed my mind on him. He went from #30 last year to #4 this year. He was described as a pitchability, crafty lefthander last year with average velocity (88-91). Apparently they re-worked his mechanics and now his fastball sits around 90-94 and went from a back of the rotation guy to a middle of the rotation guy who some feel may have a higher ceiling than even that.

[SportsGuy]

The writeup on Eduardo Rodriguez changed my mind on him. He went from #30 last year to #4 this year. He was described as a pitchability, crafty lefthander last year with average velocity (88-91). Apparently they re-worked his mechanics and now his fastball sits around 90-94 and went from a back of the rotation guy to a middle of the rotation guy who some feel may have a higher ceiling than even that.

Yea, I really ERod. Im interested to see what he and Delmonico do in Frederick next year.

[Luke Jackson]

I saw Branden Kline throw a three-inning stint at Aberdeen. Good arm, but nothing stood out as particularly special about him just from the three innings I saw. I'd like to see a full outing at Frederick -- he was fastball-intensive in the outing I saw with a breaking ball he didn't have any feel for. He threw one totally badass changeup to a left-handed hitter on the outside corner to strike him out. Looking forward to see Rodriguez and Delmonico at Frederick next year too.

[BobPhelan]

The writeup on Eduardo Rodriguez changed my mind on him. He went from #30 last year to #4 this year. He was described as a pitchability, crafty lefthander last year with average velocity (88-91). Apparently they re-worked his mechanics and now his fastball sits around 90-94 and went from a back of the rotation guy to a middle of the rotation guy who some feel may have a higher ceiling than even that.

Yeah he's a guy I'm really excited about. I've enjoyed monitoring his starts.

[Tucker Blair]

I saw Branden Kline throw a three-inning stint at Aberdeen. Good arm, but nothing stood out as particularly special about him just from the three innings I saw. I'd like to see a full outing at Frederick -- he was fastball-intensive in the outing I saw with a breaking ball he didn't have any feel for. He threw one totally badass changeup to a left-handed hitter on the outside corner to strike him out. Looking forward to see Rodriguez and Delmonico at Frederick next year too.

That change was filthy. Unfortunately, we didn't see anything else in that category that day.
Al Skorupa at Bullpen Banter mentioned to me about a similar change up when he saw him pitch.


2013 is a big year for Eduardo. He finally gets to face some legitimate "big bats". Hopefully he takes his game to the next level.

[Luke Jackson]

2013 is a big year for Eduardo. He finally gets to face some legitimate "big bats". Hopefully he takes his game to the next level.

Will have to plan a trip to see Eduardo next year...there will be some other big prospects in the Carolina League like Kyle Zimmer...maybe see Delmonico, Eduardo and a couple of the other squad's prospects...

[BSLChrisStoner]

Baseball America: Top 10 Prospects AL East (Podcast)
http://www.baseballa.../podcasts/free/

[BSLChrisStoner]

MASN: Q&A with Matt Forman (BA's author of Top 10 list)
http://www.masnsport...pects-list.html

[RichardZ]

"Jason Esposito didn't have the year some expected of him being a high-round pick, so he dropped down the list quite a bit. Parker Bridwell, a top 10 guy a year ago, also dropped down the list but there is reason for excitement in Bridwell's case."


I would think a comment like this would elicit a followup question from Melewski. Does this just mean that he still has a good arm and there is hope? What does it mean? Without a question to clear it up, I'm left guessing.

[SportsGuy]

http://www.masnsport... ... orman.html

[Tucker Blair]

"Jason Esposito didn't have the year some expected of him being a high-round pick, so he dropped down the list quite a bit. Parker Bridwell, a top 10 guy a year ago, also dropped down the list but there is reason for excitement in Bridwell's case."


I would think a comment like this would elicit a followup question from Melewski. Does this just mean that he still has a good arm and there is hope? What does it mean? Without a question to clear it up, I'm left guessing.

I asked Jim Callis about him, which should be up within the next week.