The Outfield Logjam.

[DrWood]

oh, and twobrewers--katin isn't a prospect anymore? he strikes out way too much, but you'd think a 24 year old guy that leads his league in HR and RBI might be a little bit of a prospect. I don't know that the organization has given up on moss, either.

Do you know of any ranking that has him in the top 10 for Brewers prospects?

 

Any that even have him in the top 20?

Sickle doesn't have him in the top 20. BA doesn't have him in the top 10. He sits at #24 on the Power 50.

 

A 24 year old leading AA in HR and RBI is not that impressive when you consider his huge K totals. Can you imagine how many K's he would have against MLB pitching?

 

Katin = Organizational Soldier

 

funny that you cite sickels who gave him a C and said he was interchangeable with several prospects he had in the top 20.

[DrWood]

Saying brantley is slow is based on my having seen him play about 15 times over the last two seasons...he doesn't run very well

 

and this is not a knock on him, but he's got nothing defensively on those other guys...chapman, cain, and ford are all excellent fielders...ford and cain's presence have kept brantley out of cf so far..i suspect they will continue to...

 

i like michael...he's a unique prospect...but he's not a real centerfielder (though i hope he learns to play it at some point) he'll never be on the same level as those other guys...but they are all plus defenders

 

again, you have no credibility if you say he doesn't run well, given all his SB. You could say he doesn't have great instincts to play CF. I believe the reason he hasn't played CF is because he's been on the same team with Darren Ford, and then they weren't going to displace Moss, either after Brantley was promoted. Doesn't mean he can't be a good CF, just means he isn't one of the best-fielding CF in the organization.

[pogokat]

why do you even ask questions if you have no intention of considering other's answers?

[And That]

he's supposed to have the best OF arm in the system, so I guess that would be above average, too.

He's a good athlete and I guess his arm might be above average, but I've never heard that he has the best arm in the system. Taking a cursory look at my BA book from 2007, it says Lorenzo Cain has the best arm and I know that Steve Moss has a great arm, also.

 

again, you have no credibility if you say he doesn't run well, given all his SB.

 

It's much easier to steal bases through smart base running in the minors. Brantley isn't slow, but he's not a burner by any stretch. He is, however, a smart runner (and a smart baseball player overall).

[pogokat]

brantley's like brady clark...he can steal a bag (especially when he's in a super run happy environment like he was in wv last year) but he's not a very speedy guy

[PeaveyFury]

Carlos Lee stole 19 bags in 06 despite being slow as molasses in the field.

[twobrewers]

Peavey - You're crazy! Carlos Lee has some wheels!

 

he's supposed to have the best OF arm in the system, so I guess that would be above average, too. It's odd I'm trying to defend him, because he's not exactly my kind of player, but to say he's not a prospect seems fatuous.

It is possible that we are using different definitions of "prospect". Since Katin's ceiling is probably as an MLB back-up - I don't really consider that a prospect. Though I would not be surprised if he found some time in MLB.

[agent39]

I try not to get in the way of fan discussions here but whoever said Brantley does not run well is absolutely wrong. Mike is absolutely an above average runner and he's an exceptional CF, his natural position. This coming from his agent who has seen him play since HS....... He is absolutely not slow in any fashion, his only crime here I guess is that he isnt D Ford.

[himeji jo]

So...given the above Huntsville outfield, if Cain struggles mightily at AA and Ford does nothing to justify a promotion would Brantley be appointed to the starting role in center?

 

If so, my opinion of him as a prospect might change a bit. I'll defer to the contradicting reports from those who've seen him perform in person.

[pogokat]

why wasn't moss moved so that brantley could play cf in AA?

 

serious question...i'm not trying to judge the guy...i just remember his not being a terribly quick runner being the first thing i noticed about him in 2005...

[wvpowerblkwel]

I agree with Agent 39's comments. I have watched Brantley for parts of 2 seasons. He is not slow in my mind in any way shape or form. You just have to understand that he has been in the same outfield with Ford and also Cain, and in my mind, nobody compares with Ford, and if you are in an outfield with him, you can't help but judge the guy on the speed shown by Ford. Ford, I think, is without a doubt one of the fastest guys in baseball right now. I will say this though, when Brantley, Ford and Cain graced the outfield here in Charleston, there was no doubt in my mind that any ball hit to the outfield that "should be caught" would at least be tracked down. I remember thinking about what an incredible defensive outfield that could produce one day in the bigs, and how one guy had an incredible understanding of the strike zone, one guy could put an incredible amount of pressure on the other team whenever he reached base, and the other guy reminds me of Eric Davis in training....and these guys were what 19, 21, and 20 at the time? If they all 3 develop additional offensive tools as they mature, I still think that is a dream outfield some day! I still think that Brantley will develop into more of an all around offensive threat as he continues to progress....just my 2 cents...and we all know what 2 cents is worth now adays!

[pogokat]

i appreciate your comments john...and it is definitely possible that i just saw michael as slow compared to his speedy team mates...

 

that said, he's still behind lots of guys in the centerfield equation and the brewers haven't gone out of their way to get him playing time there...

[wvpowerblkwel]

And I agree with you....his path, in my mind, probably won't be in center field for the Brewers....but he sure will be a complimentary corner mate for any of those who may be some day!