First roster projections for the 2007 season

[And That]

I did this pretty hurriedly, so I could be missing a name or two, but this is the gist of it. Of course, things will change a lot between now and April

 

 Milwaukee Starting Catcher J. Estrada Backup Catcher D. Miller Starting First Baseman P. Fielder Starting Second Baseman R. Weeks Backup Middle Infielder C. Counsell Starting Third Baseman C. Koskie Starting Shortstop J. Hardy Backup Utility Fielder T. Graffanino Starting Left Fielder G. Jenkins Starting Center Fielder B. Hall Backup Outfielder K. Mench Starting Right Fielder C. Hart Backup Outfielder G. Gross Starting Pitcher #1 B. Sheets Long Relief D. Sarfate Starting Pitcher #2 C. Capuano Middle Relief #1 G. Aquino Starting Pitcher #3 D. Bush Middle Relief #2 J. Capellan Starting Pitcher #4 C. Vargas Middle Relief #3 D. Turnbow Starting Pitcher #5 C. Villanueva Righthanded Setup M. Wise Closer F. Cordero Lefthanded Setup B. Shouse Nashville Starting Catcher M. Rivera Backup Catcher J. Closser Starting First Baseman B. Nelson Starting Second Baseman C. Crabbe Backup Middle Infielder C. Barnwell Starting Third Baseman R. Braun Starting Shortstop Y. Perez Backup Utility Fielder V. Rottino Starting Left Fielder D. Anderson Starting Center Fielder T. Gwynn Backup Outfielder K. Bibbs Starting Right Fielder L. Nix Starting Pitcher #1 Z. Jackson Long Relief C. Spurling Starting Pitcher #2 Y. Gallardo Middle Relief #1 S. Bray Starting Pitcher #3 C. Thurman Middle Relief #2 C. Demaria Starting Pitcher #4 T. Dillard Middle Relief #3 M. Meyers Starting Pitcher #5 S. Hammond Righthanded Setup A. Zumwalt Closer G. Balfour Lefthanded Setup M. Stetter Huntsville Starting Catcher L. Palmisano Backup Catcher C. Corporan Starting First Baseman A. Heether Starting Second Baseman H. Iribarren Backup Middle Infielder O. Chavez Starting Third Baseman J. Eure Starting Shortstop A. Escobar Backup Utility Fielder C. Kuzmic Starting Left Fielder B. Katin Starting Center Fielder C. Fermaint Backup Outfielder T. Ezi Starting Right Fielder S. Moss Starting Pitcher #1 M. Parra Long Relief D. Johnson Starting Pitcher #2 M. Jones Middle Relief #1 G. Simpson Starting Pitcher #3 R. Hinton Middle Relief #2 B. Stanczyk Starting Pitcher #4 D. Bradley Middle Relief #3 M. Yeatman Starting Pitcher #5 S. Narron Setup #1 J. Valentine Closer J. Thatcher Setup #2 J. Lewis Brevard County Starting Catcher A. Salome Backup Catcher C. Medlin Starting First Baseman N. Yost Starting Second Baseman K. Holmberg Starting Third Baseman M. Gamel Backup Utility Fielder G. Rodriguez Starting Shortstop M. Bell Backup Utility Fielder S. Sollmann Starting Left Fielder M. Brantley Starting Center Fielder D. Ford Backup Outfielder R. Crew Starting Right Fielder L. Cain Backup Outfielder F. Parejo Starting Pitcher #1 D. Miller Long Relief/Piggyback R. Lluberes Starting Pitcher #2 M. Rogers Middle Relief #1 J. Cordero Starting Pitcher #3 S. Garrison Middle Relief #2 L. Pena Starting Pitcher #4 W. Inman Middle Relief #3 K. Roberts Starting Pitcher #5 D. Welch Setup #1 D. Renkert Closer J. Alliston Setup #2 P. Ryan West Virginia Starting Catcher A. Bouchie Backup Catcher N. Corredor Starting First Baseman B. Rowe Starting Second Baseman T. Green Backup Middle Infielder R. Barba Starting Third Baseman F. de la Cruz Starting Shortstop B. Brewer Backup Utility Fielder T. Festa Starting Left Fielder C. Errecart Starting Center Fielder C. Gillespie Backup Outfielder C. Caufield Starting Right Fielder S. Chapman Backup Outfielder Z. Clem Starting Pitcher #1 B. Parillo Long Relief/Piggyback R. Mercedes Starting Pitcher #2 M. Kretzschmar Long Relief/Piggyback B. Kjeldgaard Starting Pitcher #3 S. Fergusen Middle Relief #1 R. Malave Starting Pitcher #4 A. Rivas Middle Relief #2 B. Wright Starting Pitcher #5 M. McClendon Setup #1 S. Palazzolo Closer C. Toneguzzi Setup #2 J. Romero 

[colbyjack]

Thanks Toby. It's clear how much work you put into that projection.

 

I like Nashville's team. The lineup may not be a powerhouse, but Braun should add enough of a big bat to help carry some of the other guys. The bench, the starting rotation and the bullpen all look strong.

 

Huntsville's going to have some troubles scoring runs I think with that lineup. There are some intriguing prospects, particulalry in the outfield. The pitching staff looks solid, and the bullpen looks really good.

 

Brevard County is going to be a lot of fun to follow. Not surprisingly, since last year's WV club was so much fun to follow. Similar to Nashville, from the lineup to the bench to the rotation to the bullpen, this club could be one of the better clubs in the FSL.

 

I would be a little surprised to see Brewer in WV and not Jeffress, as I think it's more likely to be the other way around, but I don't want to nitpick the individual assignments. WV's pitching staff seems to leave a little to be desired, although they should score some runs with the same heart of the order Helena enjoyed this past year.

 

Thanks again Toby.

[Scooter1027]

That West Virginia roster intrigues me. I look forward to seeing what Bouchie, Brewer, Gillespie, and Errecart can do together in that lineup.

[dadofandrew]

Probably just a "utility" thing, but Vinny R will be playing most everyday at N-ville.

[DHonks]

also Josh Wahpepah is missing, I think. But thanks, always appreciated

[rousieboy]

That is an impressive post...I think that SBray will beat out Sarfate in the long run and eventually Dillard will find a home in the pen but this puts everything in perspective and clear....thank you.

[bork]

Good projection. As usual, there are a bunch more pitchers than roster spots. There are a few pitchers not listed.

This is always the hardest part to predict, so it will be interesting to see where guys end up (or get released)

[pogokat]

looks good man...

 

maybe Crew over Ezi as backup outfielder in AA

[1992casey]

---

Thanks Toby. It's clear how much work you put into that projection.

---

Yeah, really. That sure doesn't look like something that was done 'hurriedly'. Thanks Toby!

 

Do options get in the way at all? I'm thinking specifically of Nix and Rivera.

[saget]

No Cirillo makes me cry

[wvpowerblkwel]

Thanks for the projections...always interested in what we will see here in WV. The folks in Brevard are in for a treat next year! I see several of these guys as future major leaguers. They really tend to score runs in bunches, so they were never out of it this season!

[And That]

Wahpepah got lost in the shuffle. He had a tough season in A+, but I have a gut feeling he'll move to AA anyway... maybe as a reliever.

 

Do options get in the way at all? I'm thinking specifically of Nix and Rivera.

 

I take options into account without a doubt. However, who would claim Nix or Rivera to keep on the 25-man? Nix would be outrighted for the first time, so he'll be in AAA if he doesn't make the 25-man (which i have a lot of trouble thinking he will). Rivera is more questionable, but he might take the assignment considering Damien Miller's tenuous health.

[LouisEly]

Great job Toby - thanks for the hard work.

 

Only one player is conspicuous by his absence, and that is Ben Hendrickson. I think it is a foregone conclusion that barring any injuries or trades he won't make the team and some other team (KC, PIT, Tampa) will claim him and take a flyer. It also would not surprise me if he is kept as the #5/long man out of camp initially and CV is sent down because CV has options.

 

The one thing that stands out to me in looking at this is that the pitching is good at the upper levels (AAA & AA), but at the A level, outside of Inman, Welch, Garrison, and Parillo, there isn't much there. Given that, and the excess of OFs at the A level, I would love to see Doug spend each of the top 5 picks in the draft on pitching. They need to throw as much spaghetti on that wall as they can and see what sticks.

[And That]

Only one player is conspicuous by his absence, and that is Ben Hendrickson.

 

Yah, either Ben is going to make the big club (unlikely right now) or be on someone else's team. Right now I'd put the odds of Hendrickson being Brewer property in April at around 10%, which is why I didn't put him on any of the rosters.

 

outside of Inman, Welch, Garrison, and Parillo, there isn't much there.

 

Depending on how much you trust them not to have capsular shift surgeries, Rogers and Jeffress are there below AA as well. Roque Mercedes could potentially have a bustout 2007, and I like Roberts, Romero and Kretzschmar as relief prospects. However, I agree with your point. This is the weakest A-ball pitching we've had in quite some time overall.

[And That]

One other name I didn't include was Luther Hackman, frankly because I wasn't sure whether or not he was Brewers property. If the Brewers do indeed have Hackman under contract, he'll be the AAA closer and a darkhorse bullpen candidate.

 

Edit: Additionally, I'm assuming Balfour will be put on a rehab assignment in AAA.

[colbyjack]

I commented above about how the WV rotation looks to be pretty thin, which was pretty much the problem with the Helena squad last summer. There are some intriguing names not mentioned that are likely ticketed for Helena next summer, and a few of those players (Jeffress, Anundsen, Hill, Ramirez) are darkhorses to make the Power squad. Add in a few other promising pitchers that are more likely to be at the rookie level (Pascual, Mercedes, Seidel), as well as all of the pitchers Toby has projected to be at AAA, AA and A+, and I don't think there is any reason to load up on pitchers in the draft just because one level, West Virginia, doesn't look as good on paper at this point in time.

 

Actually, I'm pretty excited about the overall depth as it makes the link reports a lot more exciting to follow from day to day when there are so many intriguing names to follow. I remember a few years ago when you waited four days twiddling your thumbs in between Neugebauer starts.

 

Of course, if the Brewers do target pitching early and often next June with the idea of seeing what sticks as LouisEly suggests, I certianly won't have a problem with that since no matter what the depth looks like, you can never have too many pitchers.

[Mass Haas]

The "Hackman" is indeed Brewer property.

[endaround]

You're missing one B.Clark.

[And That]

You're missing one B.Clark.

 

He's not there for a reason.

[endaround]

Which is?

 

Seriously, I'd love the Brewers to eat his contract. But he isn't Hammonds since he is a Melvin signing.

[And That]

Which is?

 

He'll be traded for a spare part, maybe a reliever of similar contract. Not knowing what that spare part is, I can't include it, but Brady Clark is, at best the 6th best OF on the team right now (if you count Hall).

[endaround]

I agree I just think he will be stuck on the roster.

[zachjack13]

I like the list because it is the best case scenario. The long relief spot will be up for grabs between Sarfate and probably Jackson. I agree that Hendrickson and Clark will be traded. I also want Mench or Jenkins (or both) traded so we can guarantee a spot for Gwynn. Great list overall

[billyhallfan]

And that,

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to have Jenkins in right, and then Hart in left because Hart can play both, but Jenkins is coming off to seasons in right, so why move him back, leave him where he is in my opinion. Plus Jenkins has a better arm and I would rather have that in right than left.

 

We solve this all if DM would just trade him.

[Team Canada]

The long relief spot will be up for grabs between Sarfate and probably Jackson.

 

Everything Sarfate's been doing lately points to 7-8th inning man, not long relief.