BP brewer's top 10

[dixieflatline]

BP has their top 10 brewer prospects up. You need to be a subscriber to read the whole article but you can view the top 10 and some discussion here.

 

This was compiled by Kevin Goldstein formerly from BA. He really like Braun and Yo and is pretty high on Jeffress, Inman, and Rogers. Not much love for the position players besides Braun and he isn't impressed with Braun's D either.

[patrickgpe]

id put Yo ahead of Braun only because of Braun's defense. Id put Fermaint on that list. Also id keep Inman ahead of Jeffress right now. He put on a stellar show in A ball this year.

[pogokat]

they got the braun/yo order correct...that's pleasing...i love the high rank of cain and gillespie...those two should be mainstays of top ten lists for the next few years..Charlie fermaint gets dissed...

 

will inman could be the #1 prospect by July, so i think he's an "excellent prospect" but i understand the reasoning..

[Tisko]

man, im drooling over Braun right now. Move him to the OF and we are all good.

[Gone]

In A Perfect World, He Becomes: A No. 2 starter and occasional All-Star

 

This is what they said about Yo.

 

I guess IMO in a Perfect World he's a No. 1 and a regular all-star. I think he has the talent to at least be a No. 1 or at least a No. 1b type.

[igor67]

The definition of a No 1 starter is very murky, but in the realm of prospects it seems that the only way to be a potential No 1 is to have a fastball starting at 95 or better

[And That]

Despite the tools, Braun is still inadequate at the hot corner. His footwork is bad, and while he has plus arm strength, his throws lack accuracy.

 

Ka-ching.

[deeswan]

Ka-ching.

 

Oh, Toby, stop being so smug. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

That's a list to get any Brewer fan drooling. The high regard for Braun comes from not merely our Front Office, including the projection that he is a, "very good athlete with all of the tools to be a solid third baseman."

 

This makes the Hall to OF move much more palatable, if only that it comes from an objective 3d party. I know we could harp on the D all day, but look at how effective Weeks was after turning the corner at 2B in 2006. They're slightly different types of athletes, but I think having a guy at 3B that approaches Weeks's overall athleticism is great, and most likely why Hall is moving.

 

Now, if Braun goes through AAA ball with a lot of errors and mistakes at 3B, putting him in the OF the rest of the way would not be the end of the world, as Bill can slide back to 3B if need be. That being said, it doesn't sound like there's any reason to expect that Braun will not improve his D with an entire off-season and regular season focusing upon it.

[endaround]

No it makes the Hall move that much more baffling. Hall can played 3B at an average level in the major leagues. Braun can't play it an an average level in AA. Hall can likely play a good CF, but the difference between him and Gross is likely less than the difference between Hall and Braun defensively. Add to that the dire need the Brewers have for a corner OFer and I still don't get it.

[GAME05]

come on, don't you think we need to give Braun more of a chance to succeed than this? Obvioulsy the guy needs a lot of work, but with only a half-season at just the AA level, it kinda seems a but hurried to already be hoping he'll get pulled off the valuable position of third base and be moved to the outfield. With his defense as the focus next year, maybe he'll really improve at AAA. Plus when he does make the big club, certainly Sveum has already shown that he's an awesome coach for what he did with Fielder's D and especially Weeks' improvement.

[TooLiveBrew]

Amen, GAME. Weeks is the perfect example of what patience in expectations can do. We were told all along by the front office that Rickie was going to be a top-tier player, both offensively & defensively. From the progress he made at the MLB level in 2006, I think it's fair to say that our F.O. guys are pretty accurate. They project the same ceiling for Braun --- that's why Hall is moving to the OF, not merely Hardy's presence

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Kevin Goldstein: Traitor.

 

He Talks Chuck up all year then lists Cain and Gillespie but not my boy.

 

Viva Le Fermaint!!

 

Must be Chuck's .160/.240/.250 line for Ponce in Puerto Rico

 

He's just lying in wait!

[homer]

EDR, 2007 is the year of the Chuck.

 

Quote:

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Braun can't play it an an average level in AA.

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And Hall was a below average SS when he first came up. Funny how some guys actually improve certain parts of their game as time goes by.

[Cyanogen5]

It isn't like playing 3B is easier in AA than it is in the Majors...defense is defense, regardless of the level. I am concerned about all of the reports about Brauns defense, but I am choosing a "wait and see" mentality. I am hoping that he can improve the way Weeks seemed to last year...but if not I will still be excited to see his bat in the line up no matter where he plays.

[reillymcshane]

No Zach Jackson.

 

Has he fallen so much? Not even an average prospect. I believe he's still a rookie, but perhaps I'm wrong.

 

I didn't see Zach much last year, and only have his stats to analyze him. Thoughts?

[mothershipconnection]

id put Yo ahead of Braun only because of Braun's defense.

And the fact that Gallardo is a starting pitcher, which makes a prospect more valuable when talent/superiority to peers is equal.

 

It isn't like playing 3B is easier in AA than it is in the Majors...defense is defense, regardless of the level.

Balls are hit harder, but you do have more help from better defenders around you. However, is it the case that Braun is only compared to MLB 3B's, or that he considered below his AA or same age counterparts? If he's below MLB studs, then yeah, there's room to grow and whatnot. If he's compared to his peers and MLB players when they were the same age, I think unfavorable evaluations are more concerning.

 

No it makes the Hall move that much more baffling. Hall can played 3B at an average level in the major leagues.

I agree. I'd like to have had Braun prove himself capable before Hall is moved to the OF, only to be moved right back a year or less after said move.

[endaround]

And if it was 2004 Braun could go ahead and throw the ball away all season long. The Brewers are no longer in a win in three years mode or at least they shouldn't be. The division is weak, and they have the pitching. It become even more important next year.

[filthyfrog]

No Zach Jackson.

 

Has he fallen so much? Not even an average prospect. I believe he's still a rookie, but perhaps I'm wrong.

 

For all the talk we heard about his brilliant '05 campaign, Jackson really hasn't been very good except for 59.1 innings in high A ball. He put up an ok 4.00 ERA in AA and then ERA/WHIPs of 5.16/1.74 and 4.12/1.40 in his two AAA stints. In Nashville last year he barely struck out more batters than he walked.

 

If you're strictly looking at his numbers to this point, he looks like a potential number 5 starter. His stuff appears to be better than that, and he was rushed to AAA, so there's hope that he'll become middle-of-the-rotation caliber, but he'll have to prove it.

[sheetswannabe]

Horray for the #1 ranked Jewish Prospect!

[pitchleague]

I haven't checked the list yet (blocked at work) but aren't every team's list full of "He could be a legit #2 starter" or "He's got great tools" kind of comments? Does any team's list have comments that say, "This is the best that the {team name} can do?" or "This guy will be lucky to make it to the majors" kind of comments? And I don't mean just 1 or 2 guys, I'm talking over half the list reads like a rejection list of prospects.

[And That]

he looks like a potential number 5 starter. His stuff appears to be better than that, and he was rushed to AAA, so there's hope that he'll become middle-of-the-rotation caliber, but he'll have to prove it.

 

I agree with all of that, and I believe his talent will prove itself over the long term. Last year he looked bad overall. However, there were times I'd watch him, and he seemed to be just in control.

 

I'm not going to look up the game logs to back me up, but as he got more starts, he seemed to do very well early before falling apart. I remember one game where he was cruising into the 4th/5th inning, and then just fell apart. He has the stuff to overcome this, it is just a matter of if he can (or, like Wes Obermueller, if he can't).

 

I rate him more highly than most others because of his delivery and stuff. I think he'll be a really solid pitcher someday, maybe sooner than later. He got jacked around in AAA after being demoted last year, but ZJ held his own overall. I'm saying he'll be anything more than a #3-type starter, but that's better than most other minor leaguers project to.

[dixieflatline]

Quote:

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Does any team's list have comments that say, "This is the best that the {team name} can do?"

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Yes, in fact take a look at practically any team in the division other than us and you will see reports of extremely thin farm systems. The astros in particular now they got rid of Hirsh basically have nothing. The only other top prospects in the division are with the Reds (Bailey and Bruce) and I am not nearly as high on bruce as most. When I saw him live against polished Kane County pitchers this year he looked lost. I am predicting a tough time for him as he reaches higher levels. Bailey though is a stud.