Cotinuing on yesterday's Baseball Prospectus theme...
Remember how I lauded BP yesterday and their PECOTA projection system? Well, they came out with their Top 50 prospects list today. Nothing special, not like Sickels or MiLB, or Baseball America where they roll out the red carpet and pack the list with day by day details, this was just a straight 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... list. Anyways, here is that list, with their honorable mentions.
Their List
- Delmon Young, OF, Tampa Bay
- Jeremy Hermida, OF, Florida
- Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington
- Francisco Liriano, LHP, Minnesota
- Howie Kendrick, 2B, Los Angeles of Anaheim
Okay, not too bad so far. They've got Rays prospect Delmon Young at No. 1, and Hermida, Liriano, Zimmerman, and Kendrick are not bad choices.
Their List
- Brandon Wood, SS, Los Angeles of Anaheim
- Andy Marte, 3B, Cleveland
- Chris Young, OF, Arizona
- Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee
- Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City
This is where things start to get dicey. If you are going to include Andy Marte as a prospect, despite his ML service time, which, for the record, I would not, then he needs to be higher on the list, injury concerns be damned. Further, Chris Young seems a little high.
Their List
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston
- Matt Cain, RHP, San Francisco
- Lastings Milledge, OF, New York (NL)
- Joel Guzman, SS, Los Angeles
- Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit
I believe Milledge, Verlander, and Guzman should be higher than Cain, Pedoria, Prince Fielder, and Chris Young, and that when you grooup these three together and add Alex Gordon, the list should go Milledge, Gordon, Verlander, and Guzman.
Their List
- Ian Stewart, 3B, Colorado
- Jeremy Sowers, LHP, Cleveland
- Daric Barton, 1B, Oakland
- Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona
- Billy Butler, H, Kansas City
I like former Vanderbilt stud Jeremy Sowers at No. 17, but I'd put Braton, Butler, and Drew all ahead of him.
Their List
- Kenji Johjima, C, Seattle
- Andy LaRoche, 3B, Los Angeles
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Atlanta
- Chad Billingsley, RHP, Los Angeles
- Anthony Reyes, RHP, St. Louis
This section also needs work, but I think LaRoche should be higher than Johjima, as should Salty, Billingsley, and Reyes
Their List
- Kendry Morales, 1B, Los Angeles of Anaheim
- Carlos Quentin, OF, Arizona
- Joel Zumaya, RHP, Detroit
- Felix Pie, OF, Chicago (NL)
- Jeff Clement, C, Seattle
Still no D-Rays prospects other than Young after 30 players. This list is okay, but I would swap Morales and Carlos Quentin.
Their List
- Brian Anderson, OF, Chicago (AL)
- Nick Markakis, OF, Baltimore
- Yusmeiro Petit, RHP, Florida
- Justin Huber, 1B, Kansas City
- Jered Weaver, RHP, Los Angeles of Anaheim
Huber, Weaver, and Petit should each be higher than Anderson and Markakis, and I would probably put Petit last of that trio. Further, shouldn't Wes Bankston, Elijah Dukes, Jason Hammel, or Cuck Tiffany made an appearence by now. Come on guys.
Their List
- Jonathan Papelbon, RHP, Boston
- Ryan Braun, 3B, Milwaukee
- Paul Maholm, LHP, Pittsburgh
- Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas
- Philip Hughes, RHP, New York (AL)
I have my eligibility quarrels with Pepelbon, and Ian Kinsler should be much higher, and for christ's sake, if you're going to put a Yankee in the Top 40, make it Eric Duncan.
Their List
- Justin Upton, SS, Arizona
- Mike Jacobs, 1B, Florida
- Fernando Cabrera, RHRP, Cleveland
- Adam Jones, OF/SS, Seattle
- Craig Hansen, RHRP, Boston
Hansen (who Sickels said was the Sox's top prospect) and Upton should both also be much higher, and by now, we are getting into the ranks where Wade Davis, Jeff Niemann, and Andy Sonnanstine should be coming.
Their List
- Chris Snelling, OF, Seattle
- Rich Hill, LHP, Chicago (NL)
- Josh Willingham, C/1B, Florida
- Josh Barfield, 2B, San Diego
- Eric Aybar, SS, Los Angeles of Anaheim
I have little quarrels here, except Aybar, who should be in the 40-45 range.
Their List
Honorable Mention:
Jonathan Broxton, RHP, Los Angeles
Ronny Cedeno, SS, Chicago (NL)
Thomas Diamond, RHP, Texas
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Arizona
Gio Gonzalez, LHP, Philadelphia
Cole Hamels, LHP, Philadelphia
Corey Hart, OF/3B, Milwaukee
My View
Broxton should be on the list for sure, and although I probably wouldn't put Diamond, Hamels, or Gonzalez on my Top 50, I would sure put them on the list over some of the other player BP listed.
Their List
Conor Jackson, 1B, Arizona
Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles
George Kottaras, C, San Diego
Russell Martin, C, Los Angeles
Eric Patterson, 2B, Chicago (NL)
Hunter Pence, OF, Houston
Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida
Anibal Sanchez, RHP, Florida
My View
I knew something was missing. How Quentin did not make this list, I have no clue, and both Ramirez and Sanchez should have made it too. The others, give or take.
But overall, not one Ray in the #2-50 or Honorable Mention slots? When prospect wastelands like San Diego have more Top 50 particpants than the Rays, your list is a joke. I'll stick to prospect web sites, thank you very much, as at least four other Rays should have been on that list.