MILB Top 50 Prospects

[WestCoastBrewer]

Link:

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...?content=1

[deeswan]

Yo is #10, Braun #17, Rogers #45.

[Hammer]

It's too bad Bailey used up his arm in High School...

[UWRyan428]

www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061214&content_id=148694&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

 

Today, we are subjected to a mailbag regarding the top 50. In regards to the Brew Crew, it states that Yo Gallardo is the third best pitching prospect in baseball behind the big two power righties, Hughes and Homer. Hughes is described as having the pitchability of Maddux, while Homer is questioned for his lack of a third pitch. Brewer fans know all too well how poorly a pitcher with only a hammer curve and a high-nineties heater will fare in the majors. It also makes reference to Yo's ability to make a hitter look foolish with an assortment of four ginsu pitches, which explains why the gent led the minors in K's last year. After that, just a bunch of non-Brewer related wash.

[homer]

Quote:

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four ginsu pitches

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That's about the most apt description for 'filth' I've ever heard. Well done!

[paul253]

I didnt read the article, but if they are that high on Yo and questioning Homer's non-third pitch, why is Bailey #3 and Yo #10?

[1992casey]

Most ranking systems tend to have a set of criteria that we can refer to. We can usually tell how much a system relies on stats, scouting reports, major league readiness, or ceilings.

 

This one relies on points scored based on rankings by 17 different voters. There probably is no explanation to cover perceived discrepancies except for the fact that while there were 17 voters, there was one writer.

[colbyjack]

It's one thing to rag on the Rogers pick, but if you do so at least bring up the guy the Brewers should have really taken: Jeremy Sowers. While Bailey is a top prospect, Sowers was already mowing down big-league hitters last spring http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

Here's to Rogers bouncing back and proving all of us wrong.

 

As for the rankings, nice to see Yo and Braun so high, and actually 45 is a pretty nice spot for Rogers as well. I'm sure they will be ranked in similar positions once BA's top 100 list is released in a few months.

[DHonks]

colby, I really wanted Sowers, although I was willing to go for Rogers or Bailey since their mechanics looked a lot better than the other college pitchers

[colbyjack]

Yeah, I know you didn't like those Rice guys (except for Baker of course).

[DHonks]

oops , you got me there Colby. He's been one of the bigger disappointments in my book, as I loved his mechanics. I was encouraged to hear he's now throwing pain-free, something he hasn't experienced since his JR year of HS. But you're right. Wouldn't Sowers and Gallardo have been a sweet tandem?

[colbyjack]

Jeff Niemann has bounced back pretty well too, and pitched his way to AA this past year, so it would be hard to argue against him (had he been available of course).

 

If the Brewers had Sowers right now they wouldn't even have to worry about going after someone like Suppan. I'd like to say hindsight is 20/20, but there were many of us that knew Sowers would be this good this fast, so these comments aren't even based off of hindsight. I do know that Sowers was on the Brewers short-list in '04, but that doesn't do them any good now.

[DHonks]

although Colby, wasn't there another rather polished lefty in recent years who hasn't reached the big leagues yet? I want to say there was someone we all liked, like Sowers, but who has been derailed by injuries.

 

I think one thing we liked about Sowers was that due to lower velocity, he didn't seem as likely to get hurt.

 

The other I wanted this year was that HS lefty, I think his last name was Anderson. The Dbacks took him, but I think he's unsigned.

[colbyjack]

although Colby, wasn't there another rather polished lefty in recent years who hasn't reached the big leagues yet? I want to say there was someone we all liked, like Sowers, but who has been derailed by injuries.

 

I think you may be thinking of Ricky Romero, now with the Blue Jays organization who was taken right after Braun was in '05, and like Sowers, Romero was definitely on the Brewers radar (unlike Sowers vs. Rogers, I don't think anyone can argue against the Braun pick). Romero was a favorite of mine, and I tuned into many of his Friday night starts at CS Fullerton, but he never approached my man-love for Sowers, who I have been all over since his high school days (even more so than Casey Kotchman, as I knew Sowers was intent on going to college).

 

Romero missed the first month of last year with some stiffness in his elbow, but that injury was never considered to be that serious. He pitched well enough at high-A to get a bump up to AA, where he initially struggled, but finished strong. And if you take a peak at his final AA numbers his peripheral stats are actually quite strong if you can look past his 5.08 ERA.

 

I think one thing we liked about Sowers was that due to lower velocity, he didn't seem as likely to get hurt.

 

I honestly have never taken this into consideration. While it always seems like hard throwers are the first ones to go under the knife early and often, no pitcher is immune to such problems no matter how they throw.

 

Agreed on Anderson, although he did sign with the D-Backs, for just under $1M IIRC.

 

I don't mean to apply my usual kiss of death on the kid, but my fave lefty for next year is Jack McGeary of Massachusetts (note that he isn't my favorite overall prospect, just my favorite LHP). I've already bugged Mass Haas plenty about getting the skinny on this kid. Like Sowers, he's committed to a high academic institution (Stanford), and has a knack for pitching.

[bullox]

S'pose we can scratch Rogers right off that list for next year.

[Blazer25]

Brett Anderson (son of OK St coach Frank) was the most polished HS pitcher to come out that year. I thought he would have made a great Brewer.

 

 

Colby...another LHP to keep on eye on is right in our back yard.

 

LHP Casey Crosby from Kaneland, IL is going to be a guy in the mold of McGeary.

 

Crosby has comparable stuff right now and figures to get a whole lot better (higher ceiling).

 

He really has just begun to concentrate on baseball in the past 3-4 months.

[colbyjack]

Thanks for the head's up on Crosby. The north-central part of Illinois is loaded with top pitchers for next year, including Zawacki, whom I know you know well, and Seth Blair. I hope to get down and see a Blair-Zawacki matchup next May, as it could be a very exciting matchup.