Power 50 -- Your Winter Meetings version

[Mass Haas]

Nothing like waiting until we have increased visitors for this week's winter meetings to break out an overdue off-season Power 50 to bide you until mid-April.

 

I'd be remiss in not thanking Brad (pogokat) for all his past efforts and insights here on the Minor League Forum and as one of the Power 50 editors. pogo has reluctantly stepped aside from P50 duties, so our rankings reflect that of And That (Toby), colbyjack (Patrick), and myself. The shift from four to three combined rankings may have had an effect or skewed this particular session for a few players, but that should then stabilize in future efforts.

 

Have at it, and then have at us. We can take it.

[LouisEly]

Well, you know I had to chime in. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

You might fall over when you read this but other than the usual difference of opinion of ranking of draft picks who have yet to play, I can't really gripe about anyone. A bit surprised to see Richardson at #24 and Scooter Gennett not on the list. A bit surprised too that you let Rogers slip down past Heckathorn based on a few AFL innings when he was tired after his first full season in years. Overall though, other than Richardson, pretty agreeable. Apparently pogokat was the one I disagreed with. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I'll state that we have not seen the last of David Welch. Bucci wasn't the only Brewers pitcher farmhand who impressed at the World Cup. And his splits after the All-Star break were pretty impressive.

[TheCrew07]

Wow my boy Rivas pushed up past all pitchers not named Arnett or Braddock. Still a pitching light top 10, hopefully some of those guys in the teens explode next season and push their way up the list.

[TooLiveBrew]

Excellent read, as always. The work Bruce Seid & his folks did in last June's draft is just incredibly good, imo. I like Crew07's thought that some of the pitchers in the teens could really step up in '10. I'd be surprised if at least one didn't really assert himself. Rogers & Peralta look like decent candidates to me. As long as Rogers can sustain his health, he could move to Huntsville quickly -- any chance he might see Nashville next season?

 

 

Brewer fans, would you rather follow a young and healthy Billy Wagner-type closer (OK, maybe not 101 MPH) or an often spectacular but not always present Erik Bedard-type starter?

I still like the SP, thank you very much. If the health becomes a real roadblock, meh, I guess I can settle for Wagner2.0 http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[CheezWizHed]

I didn't realize that Dillard had an option left. I thought he used the last one up last year...

 

With so many options at A ball, who will skip to A+ and who will remain at R+? Looks like Arnett, Odorizzi, Heckathorn, Bucci, Howell, Lasker, Seidel and Krestalude are all aiming at A-ball... I suppose if they keep up the tandem pitching there it would work...

[twobrewers]

Rankings look great. (I didn't realize Brad was dragging them down so much in the past!)

 

I hope pogokat still chimes in with his insights within the Minor League Forum. He had some great knowledge.

 

Any thoughts on where LaPorta would be in those rankings? #2 maybe?

 

Would Inman even be a top 10? Top 20?

[JohnBriggs12]

I knew Kennesaw State was in Georgia. My nephew got his degree there after several years at nearby Georgia Tech.

 

Where do I pick up my extra points?

 

Overall, no complaints on the 50.

[pogokat]

i'm still around...just don't have much consistant time for this any more...jim, toby, and patrick continue to be beyond awesome, however

[And That]

Any thoughts on where LaPorta would be in those rankings? #2 maybe?

LaPorta has too many ABs for the Power 50. If he was under that threshold, I don't know if I can accurately answer that. After he was traded to the Indians, he started playing 1B about half the time which is something that wouldn't have happened had he remained Brewers property. A lot of his prospect value (to the Brewers anyway) would have hinged on his ability to play an outfield corner. He also probably would not have got as much time as he did in the big leagues given what happened with Gamel. As it is... I'd probably put him at #3, behind Escobar and Gamel. You could certainly make an argument for #1 or #2, though.

 

Would Inman even be a top 10? Top 20?

 

I wouldn't put him in the top 10, but yah, top 20-25 sounds right. I think as soon as everyone saw his throwing motion his stock dropped a bit. He's still just 22, going on 23, so he has a shot, probably in the bullpen.

[battlekow]

So where would Lofgren fit in? Eyeballing it, how about at 23, below Jeffress but ahead of Bucci? Ben Badler said Lofgren was a borderline top-30 prospect for the Indians, one of the deepest farm systems in the game, so 23 sounds about right to me.

 

Also, you guys have D'Vontrey Richardson's name spelled wrong (there's an "e").

[Mass Haas]

So where would Lofgren fit in? Eyeballing it, how about at 23, below Jeffress but ahead of Bucci? Ben Badler said Lofgren was a borderline top-30 prospect for the Indians, one of the deepest farm systems in the game, so 23 sounds about right to me.

 

Also, you guys have D'Vontrey Richardson's name spelled wrong (there's an "e").

Richardson fixed on the Player Index, P50 may be trickier to adjust.

 

Personally, wouldn't just the "opportunity" factor of being a Rule 5 pick factor into ranking Lofgren into the mid-teens or so?

[foamboy1]

**cough, cough**

April update?

**cough, cough**

[Mass Haas]

**cough, cough**

 

April update?

 

**cough, cough**

Yes, but it's only March 24th today http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

It will definitely be mid-April though, not early April. The rosters will be named, and a couple of weeks' worth of games will have been played.

 

[foamboy1]

Thanks Mass.

 

Even the folks in the caves in Pakistan know the date. I was just getting anxious and jogging you to marshall the resources and prepare one of my favorite parts of Brewers baseball......Power 50 time!