Rams' Top 50 Brewers Prospects

[logan82]

I don't understand the Gamel comparison other than both being left handed 1B. Gamel hit well at every level. Morris has had one good season. I hope Morris hits as well in 2013 as he did in 2012.

They each had great years in the Southern League offensively despite a less-than-ideal tools profile. Gamel, obviously, has gone on to do nothing of note.

 

Like I said, I think Morris is a valuable big leaguer, especially if you can platoon him.

I am not sure where the less than ideal tools profile comes from. Gamel had good years before AA and Morris didn't. Gamel having success in AA wasn't a surprise. Morris having success at AA was a nice surprise.

 

I thought Gamel was thought of as having a very nice swing and bat. The only questions with him were his defense and attitude.(and the last 3 years his ability to stay healthy)

[ramssuperbowl1999]

I don't understand the Gamel comparison other than both being left handed 1B. Gamel hit well at every level. Morris has had one good season. I hope Morris hits as well in 2013 as he did in 2012.

They each had great years in the Southern League offensively despite a less-than-ideal tools profile. Gamel, obviously, has gone on to do nothing of note.

 

Like I said, I think Morris is a valuable big leaguer, especially if you can platoon him.

I am not sure where the less than ideal tools profile comes from. Gamel had good years before AA and Morris didn't. Gamel having success in AA wasn't a surprise. Morris having success at AA was a nice surprise.

 

I thought Gamel was thought of as having a very nice swing and bat. The only questions with him were his defense and attitude.(and the last 3 years his ability to stay healthy)

Gamel having good years prior to AA has nothing to do with his tools.

 

Gamel had a decent bat, but I read less than stellar reports on his bat speed, arm, speed, and defense. He was a 1-2 tool guy. Hence, the less-than-ideal tools profile.

[KCBrewerfan34]

A nice year is one thing but the numbers he put up in a very good league was impressive, with that being said how much do we know about his bat speed, that ability is really paramount in the bigs, see Glenn Braggs

 

Obviously OBP or batting eye plays a big role as well, Can Morris be projected to a 20 HR 90 RBI guy maybe batting 5th or 6th or is that too optimistic.

[ramssuperbowl1999]

A nice year is one thing but the numbers he put up in a very good league was impressive, with that being said how much do we know about his bat speed, that ability is really paramount in the bigs, see Glenn Braggs

 

Obviously OBP or batting eye plays a big role as well, Can Morris be projected to a 20 HR 90 RBI guy maybe batting 5th or 6th or is that too optimistic.

Morris is basically going to have to be that type of offensive player in order to be an everyday starter given his position and lack of other skills.

 

If he's not that, he's a platoon player or a bench bat.

[TheCrew07]

on the point of the huge variations in scouting reports on Morris - I'm a very casual minor league fan, but it does always seem like there is a lot of variation in the reports from the major scouting companies for AA players. My guess is that some scouting organizations haven't actually received fresh reports and are still relying mostly on previous reports or regurgitated information from others that might not be up to date either. I assume that during his time in AAA there will be more reports on him as more teams and scouts are trying to figure out if he is legit after his big year.

 

I just consider the source... I like fangraphs for quite a bit of information, but that's my absolute last stop when I'm looking for anything prospect orientated. It also depends on the player, it's much easier to find unbiased opinions from any number of sources for a player like Billy Hamilton than it is Hunter Morris. Most prospect gurus are going to see a guy Hamilton play in person, maybe multiple times, in additional to taking information from various scounts. Where as Morris is going to be a guy who everyone may not see, he's not enough a big enough name, in which case 1 or 2 scouting reports seem to get repeated everywhere.

 

It happened with Caleb Gindl who had a 90 MPH FB as a highschool pitcher but suddenly there's a scouting report floating around which questions his arm strength? He may be a poorish defender and he's likely made some poor throws in his career but he also has 54 OF assists in his career... something just doesn't jive. Where's the truth?

 

Even Baseball America seems to have quite a bit of any organization's own personal spin when it comes to their prospect rating and scouting reports. For example how unbiased can the reporting on the Brewers be when they tap TH and he sees very few if any minor leaguers play during the season? The team's beat writer with limited opportunities to watch prospects is an unbaised and credible source of prospect information? No, obviously his information is coming directly from the organization and then BA adds their own little tweaks.

 

In general I'm advocate of reading everything you can find on a guy and then forming your own opinion, I think that's the best approach. There are certain prospect gurus who I don't hold in very high esteem because they just throw opinions into the void without any supporting evidence, but I still read what they have to say however off base I think it might be. This is why I made an effort to link all stories about divisional prospects that I came across this year... it's too much to link stories to every player featured every day, but I still read them. However I do think it's important that everyone have at least basic knowledge about the prospects and farm systems within our own division, and it's possible to get that by just reading the first few paraghraphs from each story linked if that's all someone has time for.

 

I guess what I mean is that I feel it's important for everyone who reads this forum to know things like the Pirates have 4 players in the top 50 and who the top prospects are from the Cards, Cubs, and Reds, as well as the general state of their farm systems. Without the knowledge it's difficult to have any kind of discussion, let alone intelligent discussion, about where the Brewers system should rate, how the farm system is progressing, and so on. All of the dicussion is dependent upon and relative to what's happening elsewhere...

[ramssuperbowl1999]

A nice take on Kentrail Davis from (where else?) Fangraphs:

14. Kentrail Davis, Milwaukee Brewers

 

I really want to like Kentrail Davis as a prospect, but his all-around game includes just as many negatives as positives. He has speed, but his body type leaves him unlikely to maintain it. Davis walks at a strong clip, but strikes out too much. His offensive game is well-balanced… for a center fielder. Davis is an outfielder with a “tweener” profile and “extra guy” projection at this point.

[ramssuperbowl1999]

Michael Olmstead slides in at number 28 (aren't I nice, you guys now get 52 ). I think the Brewers got themselves a steal here, if you can't tell by the write-up. Arcenio Leon misses out - I just don't see him overcoming his command issues and think he's more of an organizational arm.

 

28. Michael Olmsted, A+/AA, RHP, 25 years old

 

Stats (A+): 33 G (28 GF), 39.1 IP, 2.29 ERA, 14.0 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, 7.63 K/BB, 1.19 FIP

Stats (AA): 14 G (12 GF), 20.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 14.0 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 4.43 K/BB, 1.30 FIP

 

Doug Melvin has done it again on the waiver wire. Melvin's past claims include Marco Estrada, Scott Podsednik, Casey McGehee, Chris Narveson, Todd Coffey, and Derrick Turnbow (while losing next to nothing), and it appears he got another steal from a crowded Red Sox 40-man. Of course, that is just the beginning of the story for Olmsted. A 6'7", 245 pound beast, Olmsted was a 9th rounder by the Mets in 2007, but blew his arm out in instructionals in 2008. He spent all of 2009 getting it back together, but found himself unemployed. A season in Japan in 2010 to rebuild his stock was in order, and afterwards the Red Sox gave him a shot.

 

Then comes 2012. Olmsted was previously about 89-92, but given his frame and size scouts thought there should be more velocity. They were proven right - suddenly Olmsted was hitting 97 on the gun reguarly with great late life. His slider, which formerly was a little loopy, tightened up and became a weapon in its own right. Even better, it began to play up due to his now-outstanding velocity. Given the downward plane on every offering, A+ hitters simply couldn't do anything: Olmsted was immediately inserted in the closers role and dominated. A midseason promotion to AA didn't slow him down much at all - while Olmsted walked a few more, his FIP remained in the low 1's. Provided Olmsted keeps his awesome stuff, an aggressive assignment to Milwaukee might be in order. While his size and the timing of his signing might make you think Kameron Loe replacement, the comparisons end there: Olmsted is going to miss bats anywhere and is a classic power pitcher out of the bullpen. His command will determine whether he is simply a big league reliever or a high leverage guy, but kudos to the entire Brewers staff for bringing in yet another power arm.

 

Grade - A+

In 2 seasons, Olmsted has gone from being out of baseball entirely to on the cusp of the big leagues with potential closer stuff. The Red Sox wanted to keep him, but apparently Olmsted was the odd man out. The rest of the league noticed - Peter Gammons has reported 4+ teams have asked what the heck he was doing on the waiver wire to begin with. This has all the makings of yet another waiver wire theivery.

[Mass Haas]

Melvin's past claims include Marco Estrada, Scott Podsednik, Casey McGehee, Chris Narveson, Todd Coffey, and Derrick Turnbow

 

Just a technicality, but Narveson signed as a minor league free agent in December of 2007. In July of 2009, he was DFA'd by the Crew and could have been had by any club, but Narvy accepted the AAA Nashville assignment and was back on the 40-man six weeks later.

 

Similarly, Olmsted was signed as a minor league free agent. It feels like a waiver claim though .

[ramssuperbowl1999]

Melvin's past claims include Marco Estrada, Scott Podsednik, Casey McGehee, Chris Narveson, Todd Coffey, and Derrick Turnbow

 

Just a technicality, but Narveson signed as a minor league free agent in December of 2007. In July of 2009, he was DFA'd by the Crew and could have been had by any club, but Narvy accepted the AAA Nashville assignment and was back on the 40-man six weeks later.

 

Similarly, Olmsted was signed as a minor league free agent. It feels like a waiver claim though .

I fail!!!

 

Well, however he was acquired, Olmsted has me quite excited.