50. Phillip Zinter
Iowa City Comics
Throws: L
23 years old, AAA
Drafted (College SO) in the 1st round (27th overall, Season 5)
The Good: 5 major-league quality pitches that he can throw for strikes, including a high 80's 4-seamer with excellent late life, and a plus curveball with plenty of vertical break. Good against lefties.
The Bad: Stamina/durability is questionable for an ML starter. He may need to shift to the bullpen at some point in his career. Right-handed hitters see the ball very well out of his hand, due to his low-3/4 arm slot. Very injury-prone (see below). His commitment to the game isn't always clear.
Comments: Zinter has already seen the DL twice in his career, and was shut down for most of Season 7 with a sore shoulder. Had he been more durable, he'd easily be in the top 40.
49. Bennie Taylor
Montreal Grand Orange Throws: L 19 years old, AA Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (5th overall, Season 7)
The Good: Taylor doesn't make very many mistakes down the heart of the plate. His stuff is also electric; his slider is about as sharp as they come, and his curveball has very good break as well. His cutter and circle change should both end up as good secondary offerings at the ML level. Players tend to get on top of Taylor's pitches; despite the fact that he doesn't throw a sinker, he's a heavy ground ball pitcher. Has a strict self-imposed workout regimen that requires an incredible amount of self-discipline to practice.
The Bad: With ML-average control, Taylor becomes a star. Unfortunately, that's not the case; Taylor does avoid the middle of the plate, but misses out of the zone way too much, leading to way too many walks. He also has very little stamina for a starter; if he doesn't find a way to become more efficient with his pitches, he may have to convert to relief.
Comments: He dominated Low A, but couldn't throw strikes at High A, and his season unraveled. The Grand Orange elected to promote him anyways, a bold move to say the least.
48. Jorge Marquez
New York Yankees Throws: R 21 years old, AA Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (72nd overall, Season 5)
The Good: Marquez attacks the strike zone with three different breaking/off-speed pitches that all grade out as ML average or better, the best of them being a changeup that drops straight down. Health isn't a concern.
The Bad: Left-handed hitters feast on Marquez; his breaking stuff isn't effective against them, and his sinker doesn't really have much movement. Many of them sit on his changeup and blast it into orbit. Marquez needs to develop a bit more stamina; he's a bit of a strain on a bullpen as a 5-6 inning guy. Not self-motivated.
Comments: Marquez is a huge Elvis fan, and doesn't plan on shaving his sideburns until "he comes back." Something tells me he'll be donning those for a while.
47. Charles Baez
Albuquerque Isotopes
Throws: R
20 years old, Low A
Drafted (College SO) in the 1st round (26th overall, Season 8)
The Good: 4 pitches that project to be at least major-league average, including a heavy sinker that he throws at 88-91 mph that generates a ton of grounders. Capable of getting both lefties and righties out at the highest level. A true student of the game that creates his own scouting reports on off-days. Smart kid.
The Bad: Occasionally struggles with his control. He's also a bit of a health risk (herniated disk in his back during HS).
Comments: He struggled badly in his first season in Rookie ball, allowing 58 runs (46 earned) in just over 73 innings. We'll call it a fluke for now, but another bad season of performance will cause Baez's stock to drop.
46. Pablo Martin
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Throws: R
23 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (40th overall, Season 3)
The Good: Throws his sinker in the mid-90's with plenty of dip. His changeup comes in a full 10 mph slower with the same delivery and arm action. He also throws a decent curveball. But his best pitch is a high 80's slider that eats righties alive. Keeps the ball on the ground. An excellent bunter.
The Bad: He doesn't have the stamina to go deep into games, a problem compounded by his inability to consistenty attack the strike zone. Looks like a 5-6 inning pitcher, which will tax the bullpen. His 4-seamer comes in at the same velocity as his sinker, but has absolutely no movement.
Comments: An elbow injury this season cost him some development time, and his control doesn't appear to be progressing as much as expected. He can still become an effective ML starter, but he's far from a sure thing.
45. Happy Magadan
Tacoma Downpour
Throws: L
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (22nd overall, Season 5)
The Good: Has a very good forkball that dives right before reaching the plate, and an above-average slider with good tilt. His changeup and cutter are both serviceable. Has great velocity for a lefty. Throws plenty of strikes. A difficult read for lefty hitters; he's a side-armer.
The Bad: Of course, his arm slot leaves him vulnerable against righties, although it's not a big enough problem to keep him from becoming an ML starter. What might prove to be his undoing, though, is his stamina; he'll have trouble getting past the 6th inning in most of his starts.
Comments: The soul patch on his chin is a tribute to Howie Mandel; he's currently engaged to one of the models on "Deal Or No Deal."
44. Marty Reilly
Las Vegas Armijos
Throws: R
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (25th overall, Season 8)
The Good: Probably the best 4-seam fastball you'll see in the low minors. It sits in the low 90's, touching 96, and projects better than that. It also has a ton of "rise," exploding towards the plate. His slider looks like an effective secondary pitch, and his change and curve should be at least serviceable. He's a workhorse who can easily top the 100 pitch mark regularly without effect. A hard worker who's serious about his conditioning. Not an injury risk.
The Bad: He has trouble getting good lefties out; none of his secondary pitches really fool them. He's also a fly-ball pitcher, which comes with the inherent risk of more homers.
Comments: His velocity, already good, does project to get better, as mentioned above. That's because at the age of 18, he still has the potential to grow more. He's 6'1'' and 184 pounds right now, but projects to grow 2 inches and put on 24 pounds by his mid-20's.
43. Artie Bergeron
Richmond Roustabouts
Throws: L
22 years old, High A
Drafted (College SR) in the 1st round (18th overall, Season 8)
The Good: Throws a plus sinker and 3 other major league-quality pitches, along with a show-me curve he mixes in from time to time. Gets plenty of ground balls from his go-to pitch. Doesn't have a significant platoon split. Bergeron works deep into games, and is just as effective in the 7th as he is in the 1st. At 6'4'' and 216 lbs, has the classic pitcher's body; should be able to take the abuse of throwing every 5th day without succumbing to injury. Very coachable.
The Bad: He's had trouble with his release point from time to time, suffering from bouts of wildness. There's no other significant issue, but control is usually a make-or-break attribute, and Bergeron's other tools are just pretty good, not great.
Comments: Leaves Kent State as their all-time leader in innings pitched, wins, and ERA.
42. Dale Borowski
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Throws: R
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (34th overall, Season 5)
The Good: Throws 3 different kinds of fastballs that all project as plus pitches at the major league level, due to their velocity (4-seam, cutter, sinker). He cooks with mid to high 90's heat, touching 100 on a good day. No major platoon split. Health record is clean.
The Bad: He's still working on his location; despite his velocity, he's prone to leaving his array of fastballs over the heart of the plate. Major leaguers can hit that. He doesn't throw enough strikes, either. His curveball is just there to upset timing; it's very slurvy, and doesn't get much break at all.
Comments: On a bet, a 17-year old Borowski threw a baseball that cleared a 10-story building. The ball landed on the hood of a parked Beamer. His parents were furious.
41. Javy Gomez
Ottawa Otters
Throws: L
20 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (40th overall, Season 6)
The Good: Works off of a high 80's 4-seamer with great movement, a decent curveball, and a solid changeup. He has pinpoint control of all of his pitches. Generates plenty of grounders. He has solid stamina, but also bounces back well between starts, and is able to throw on short rest regularly. Tough against lefties.
The Bad: He doesn't hide the ball well, something that becomes painfully obvious against righties, who seem to pick up on the ball even before he releases it. He should probably scrap the curveball in favor of the slider.
Comments: He's a decent-hitting pitcher, but oddly enough, has no ability to go the other way. Teams actually put on a lefty shift against him, which amuses his coaches to no end.
40. Bucky Reed
Albuquerque Isotopes
Throws: R
24 years old, AAA
Drafted (College JR) in the 1st round (30th overall, Season 5)
The Good: His changeup, sinker, slider, and curveball are all at least projected as major-league average offerings (he also throws a cutter, but it's not very good). Has yet to suffer an injury in his career. Smart pitcher that keeps hitters off balance by changing speeds.
The Bad: His control isn't great, but it's not a huge issue. However, he's a converted reliever that still hasn't adjusted to throwing a lot of innings at a time. He might need to shift back to the bullpen.
Comments: He's actually a decent hitter against lefties; while playing for Cal, he'd hit in the #2 hole against southpaws. He also runs surprisingly well.
39. Shane Barkett
Chicago Jayhawks
Throws: R
21 years old, AA
Drafted (College FR) in the 1st round (25th overall, Season 6)
The Good: Throws a very good curveball, and works well with the changeup. His sinker sits around 90 mph, and is a workable offering, but he pitches "backwards," often leading with his off-speed stuff and mixing in the sinker or forkball when ahead in the count. Very good control of all of his pitches. Hard worker and good kid that left college early to support his family.
The Bad: Barkett throws across his body somewhat; it hasn't affected him adversely yet, but it could take a toll on his arm sooner rather than later. He doesn't really have an out pitch against lefties. Could stand to work deeper into games.
Comments: Barkett is actually Robert Carter's cousin; you have to squint a little to see the resemblance, though.
38. Shayne Rice
Oklahoma City Twins
Throws: L
21 years old, Low A
Drafted (College JR) in the 3rd round (85th overall, Season 8)
The Good: Throws a good slider and decent curveball, both which make him difficult for left-handers to hit. Also features a changeup with a bit of sink. Capable of throwing on short rest. Clean, consistent mechanics ensure that he not only throws strikes, but avoids injuries as well. Pretty good hitter for a pitcher (switch-hits as well).
The Bad: Rice actually doesn't throw a 4-seam fastball, and his repertoire leaves him vulnerable to right-handers. He also doesn't have a ton of stamina.
Comments: The Twins took a chance when they drafted him in the 3rd round; Rice was reported to be "determined to finish out his college career" at the University of Virginia, but reconsidered after Oklahoma City offered him a jaw-dropping $9.1 million to sign. Bold move by the Twins.
37. Ray Payton
Milwaukee Twindyans
Throws: R
21 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (21st overall, Season 5)
The Good: His 4-seamer, while only clocked around 86-88 mph, has great natural movement, tailing away from left-handed hitters. Also throws 3 other pitches that should also be usable at the ML level. Projects to have solid command for a big-league starter. He'll gladly take the ball every 4th day if need be.
The Bad: He's prone to leaving pitches out over the heart of the plate; his control is fine, but his command within the strike zone has been called into question in the past.
Comments: Payton used to throw a knuckleball, but scrapped it after Season 6, when his pitching coach challenged him to strike the team's bat boy out with it. The bat boy promptly stung the first pitch up the middle, over Payton's head. The bat boy is 11 years old.
36. Mateo Baez
San Antonio Sting
Throws: L
21 years old, AAA
Signed as an international FA ($8.5 million, Season 5)
The Good: He's rubber-armed; he'll throw you 100 pitches, and be ready on short rest if needed. He has a remarkably clean injury history, considering how hard he was worked in the Dominican Republic; the team's doctors did an extensive check on his left arm to find damage, but found absolutely nothing. Throws 5 pitches, 4 which should be at least league-average pitches in the majors. While he doesn't throw it very hard, his sinker still has plenty of movement, creating a fairly large number of grounders. Very good against lefties. One of the hardest working young men you'll see in the minors; dedicates every start he makes to his late mother.
The Bad: While he's made great strides, Baez still doesn't have very good control for a major leaguer. Righties don't seem to have too much of a problem figuring out his assortment of off-speed pitches, and stand in well against his sinker and knuckle-curve.
Comments: Somehow managed to give up just five (5!) home runs at High A during Season 7 over the course of 190 1/3 innings.
35. Otis Combs
Los Angeles Hangars
Throws: R
21 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (15th overall, Season 5)
The Good: 4 of his 5 pitches project to be very good major league offerings. His sinker has excellent velocity and movement, his curveball has a tight spiral and good downwards action, his changeup is deceptive, and his forkball drops off the table. Even his 5th pitch, a slider, is more than just a show-me decoy pitch. Hitters have trouble lifting his pitches, as all of them dive straight down. Health hasn't been an issue for him.
The Bad: Effective against righties, but seems to be uncomfortable going inside against lefties, often missing over the middle instead. He could stand to throw more strikes.
Comments: Also played QB for the varsity team in high school, but was benched for the rest of his senior season after throwing 7 picks in his first 3 games. Not surprisingly, D-1 scouts weren't exactly knocking on his front door to offer him a scholarship.
34. Fernando Cruz
Chicago Jayhawks
Throws: R
18 years old, Low A
Signed as an international FA ($12.5 million, Season 8)
The Good: Throws 4 pitches for strikes, including a sharp slider with good velocity. His cut fastball is a decent secondary offering, and his changeup and sinker are both workable. Adept against both righties and lefties, and locates well within the strike zone. Keeps hitters guessing.
The Bad: He'll never approach the 200 inning mark, for several reasons: Cruz doesn't work deep into games, is terrible on short rest, and has had shoulder issues in the past that have resurfaced every now and then.
Comments: Good friends with reliever Jesus Lopez; the two of them currently share an apartment nearby the Low A stadium.
33. Alfonso Aquino
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Throws: R
23 years old, AA
Drafted (College SR) in the 1st round (24th overall, Season 7)
The Good: Much of Aquino's value comes from his stamina; he prides himself on being able to throw all 9 innings if needed. He's also able to throw on short rest should the situation arise. No platoon split of consequence. His bread-and-butter is a low 90's 4-seamer with good explosive action at the end.
The Bad: Aquino's secondary stuff is questionable; his slider, curveball, and changeup are all usable, but none of them are particularly good. His makeup is a bit of a concern.
Comments: Threw 147 pitches in a 6 walk, 11 strikeout complete game against SEC rival Florida in a 3-2 victory, then threw another 131 pitches in his next start in a 4-1 loss to Kentucky. The media decided to nickname Georgia's manager "Dusty."
32. Gary Clifton
New York Yankees
Throws: R
18 years old, Low A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (28th overall, Season 8)
The Good: Throws a 4-seamer that touches 95 and has late life, complemented by a curve, change, and slider, all considered solid pitches. Keeps the ball down in the zone, and creates plenty of grounders.
The Bad: Doesn't hide the ball as well from lefties as he does for righties, and serves up the occasional cookie. Raw as hell; we'll see if he actually reaches his projections.
Comments: In his last regular-season start, Clifton walked the leadoff hitter, then did not allow another Rincon to reach base by either hit or walk for the duration of his 6 innings. However, an error, ground ball, and sac fly led to a run anyways. He was pulled with the game knotted at 1; the Yankee pen proceeded to implode for 7 runs in the final 3 frames en route to an 8-3 loss.
31. Del Martin
St. Louis Greys
Throws: R
21 years old, Low A
Drafted (College JR) in the 1st round (24th overall, Season 8)
The Good: Blazing fastball tops out at 96, and projects to get better as he fills out. Solid slider is a reasonable secondary offering. Also throws a changeup and curveball. Not a health risk. Projects to have very good control.
The Bad: His only real issue is his inability to get lefty hitters out; Low A lefties hit an appalling .342/.369/.513 against him this year. He'll have to change that to survive at the highest level.
Comments: An unnamed NL executive claims that he saw Martin engage in a cannibalistic ritual with Willis "Baby Eater" Smith. The executive was granted anonymity for fear that "he would be next, even though they usually eat babies."
30. Ted Roberts
New York Yankees
Throws: L
20 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (36th overall, Season 6)
The Good: Roberts has a vast arsenal of off-speed stuff. While primarily working off of his mid-80's fastball (which has excellent movement, despite its lack of velocity), Roberts also throws a changeup, curveball, and forkball, all considered to be acceptable major league offerings. He also mixes in a slider every now and then. Roberts also has good command of his pitches, and soaks up innings. No significant platoon split.
The Bad: Honestly, there's not much to say here. Roberts doesn't quite have the command within the strike zone that you'd want from a top-tier pitcher, leading to more hard-hit balls than you'd like. There's also nothing about him that really "wows" you; he just profiles as a mid-rotation pitcher. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but he's not a stud.
Comments: After making just 2 deals in the first 7 seasons, and just 1 since Season 2, the Jayhawks and Yankees have made 3 this year, including a blockbuster that included Roberts, top relief prospect Jimmy Estrella, and fading big-name pitcher Andres Silva.
29. Ricardo Fuentes
Chicago Jayhawks
Throws: R
23 years old, AA
Signed as an international FA ($14.2 million, Season 7)
The Good: Blows the opposition away with an electric mid-90's fastball. Both his slider and curveball should grade out as at least ML-average. Has pinpoint control. No platoon split. An international free agent that was near ML ready when he signed, and didn't require a ton of development.
The Bad: He's a strike-thrower, but he does have a habit of catching too much plate at times, or not getting as much movement as he'd like on a certain pitch. Talent-wise, he'd certainly rank a bit higher, but his mechanics are so violent, scouts think he'll hurt himself any day now. He's very talented, but has gotten somewhat complacent after inking his $14.2 million contract; he has to be goaded into keeping himself in playing condition.
Comments: He's a fine player, but he really needs to get rid of that mustache. That "thing" might be the creepiest thing I've ever seen; he looks like a remorseless, insane child molester.
28. Carl Winn
Florida Cottonmouths
Throws: L
19 years old, Low A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (19th overall, Season 7)
The Good: Winn has a "classic" repertoire (4-seam fastball, curve, slider, changeup), but throws each of them well, generating plenty of movement with each pitch. He throws strikes, locates well within the strike zone, and has the ability to effectively drop down against lefties to provide another level of deception.
The Bad: Winn doesn't have starter stamina right now, and it's debatable whether he ever will. He spent his junior year of HS rehabbing from TJ surgery, and has already picked up a reputation for fragility.
Comments: Despite a lifetime minor league ERA of 4.09, Winn has a 2-11 record. Talk about bad run support...
27. Felipe Gabriel
Chicago Jayhawks
Throws: L
19 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (18th overall, Season 7)
The Good: A plus curveball and 4-seamer, and a changeup and slider that both grade out as average pitches in the future. Gabriel has excellent control as well, attacking the strike zone with his varied arsenal. He's tough against lefties; he's made several of them buckle with his curve. Capable of going deep into ballgames.
The Bad: He's a flyball pitcher, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but he may be vulnerable against right-handed bats with good pop. Health is definitely a concern.
Comments: He received a $6.4 million signing bonus, roughly $4 million more than this year's 18th pick, Artie Bergeron (ranked 43rd on this list).
26. Toby LeCroy
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Throws: L
18 years old, Low A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (37th overall, Season 8)
The Good: LeCroy features a 5 pitch assortment, headlined by his 4-seamer and slider, both projected to be solid ML pitches. His control projects to be solid, if not spectacular. A heavy ground ball pitcher that should rack up double plays by the truckload. He's as low risk (injury-wise) as any 18 year old pitcher you'll ever find.
The Bad: LeCroy is as vanilla as a pitching prospect can get. His control and command are solid, his stuff is decent, and he'll throw a fair number of innings. Other than his propensity to generate grounders, nothing about him stands out.
Comments: Absolutely lit up in 10 starts in Rookie ball and Low A, giving up 22 earned runs in just 33 innings. The Bureaucrats aren't worried, claiming that LeCroy just needs to loosen up and "let it fly." Given his injury-free past, and the small sample size, we'll just call it a blip on the radar.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Proposed Rules
1. Any season under 50 wins results in automatic ejection from the world.
This rule forces teams to win at least 30 percent of their games each season. That may seem drastic at first glance, but in reality there have only been four teams with under 50 wins in eight seasons of the world, and at least one of those was an abandoned team. This rule would have effected Colorado (48 wins) last season and Las Vegas (44 wins) this season, but I'm confident that both teams would have been able to reach the 50-win threshold with little difficulty by signing a few moderately priced free agents. And that's ultimately sort of the point. Go 50-112 and you're safe.
2. Any two consecutive seasons under 125 total wins results in an automatic ejection from the world.
This rule forces teams to avoid losing 100-plus games in consecutive seasons. Other worlds set the bar at 130 wins over two seasons, but my goal was to make it as low as possible while still having an impact. Avoiding back-to-back 100-loss campaigns seemed like a good baseline. A fair number of teams would have been effected by this rule in various seasons, but ultimately averaging 62.5 wins over every two-season stretch shouldn't be overly difficult to maintain and forcing teams to avoid triple-digit losses in consecutive seasons seems pretty reasonable. Going 62-100 and 63-99 is all it takes to avoid the ejection.
3. New owners receive a one-season grace period during which their win total will not count in any negative manner.
When someone takes over a new team, the team's performance in their first full season at the helm will not count towards their ejection in any negative manner. In other words, if someone takes over a team and loses 120 games in their first season, they won't be ejected based on Rule 1 (must win 50-plus games) and those 120 losses won't count toward Rule 2 (must win 125-plus games over two seasons).
4. During that one-season grace period for new owners, their win total may count in a positive manner.
While a new owner won't have his first-season performance taken into account in a negative manner, if the team performs well that will be accounted for in a positive manner. In other words, if a new owner goes 81-81 in his first season, then those 81 wins count toward Rule 2 (must win 125-plus games over two seasons). The idea here is to reward new owners for doing well right off the bat and give them some incentive to perform well immediately without providing them with any real first-season pressure.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My goal with these rules is to increase the world's realism by forcing teams to at least be respectable each season. My feeling is that forcing teams to win at least 50 games per season and 125 games over two seasons is far from unreasonable and easily accomplished by improving rosters at the margins. One of the unrealistic aspects of this league is that good, solid veteran players sit unsigned on the open market because poor teams have no incentive to pay $1.5 million for a solid player when they can pay $350,000 for a sub par rookie. Under these rules, some teams may need to sign a few $1.5 million veterans to improve from 48 wins to 55 wins, and ultimately that's a good thing for the world.
Despite the world's name I'm not interested in running a dictatorship by installing rules that the world as a whole is against, so there will be a vote on all four rules as a whole. With 32 total teams in the world, 17 votes are required for the four-rule package to pass. Please submit votes to me via e-mail, instant message, or trade chat. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact me privately with those as well.
This rule forces teams to win at least 30 percent of their games each season. That may seem drastic at first glance, but in reality there have only been four teams with under 50 wins in eight seasons of the world, and at least one of those was an abandoned team. This rule would have effected Colorado (48 wins) last season and Las Vegas (44 wins) this season, but I'm confident that both teams would have been able to reach the 50-win threshold with little difficulty by signing a few moderately priced free agents. And that's ultimately sort of the point. Go 50-112 and you're safe.
2. Any two consecutive seasons under 125 total wins results in an automatic ejection from the world.
This rule forces teams to avoid losing 100-plus games in consecutive seasons. Other worlds set the bar at 130 wins over two seasons, but my goal was to make it as low as possible while still having an impact. Avoiding back-to-back 100-loss campaigns seemed like a good baseline. A fair number of teams would have been effected by this rule in various seasons, but ultimately averaging 62.5 wins over every two-season stretch shouldn't be overly difficult to maintain and forcing teams to avoid triple-digit losses in consecutive seasons seems pretty reasonable. Going 62-100 and 63-99 is all it takes to avoid the ejection.
3. New owners receive a one-season grace period during which their win total will not count in any negative manner.
When someone takes over a new team, the team's performance in their first full season at the helm will not count towards their ejection in any negative manner. In other words, if someone takes over a team and loses 120 games in their first season, they won't be ejected based on Rule 1 (must win 50-plus games) and those 120 losses won't count toward Rule 2 (must win 125-plus games over two seasons).
4. During that one-season grace period for new owners, their win total may count in a positive manner.
While a new owner won't have his first-season performance taken into account in a negative manner, if the team performs well that will be accounted for in a positive manner. In other words, if a new owner goes 81-81 in his first season, then those 81 wins count toward Rule 2 (must win 125-plus games over two seasons). The idea here is to reward new owners for doing well right off the bat and give them some incentive to perform well immediately without providing them with any real first-season pressure.
My goal with these rules is to increase the world's realism by forcing teams to at least be respectable each season. My feeling is that forcing teams to win at least 50 games per season and 125 games over two seasons is far from unreasonable and easily accomplished by improving rosters at the margins. One of the unrealistic aspects of this league is that good, solid veteran players sit unsigned on the open market because poor teams have no incentive to pay $1.5 million for a solid player when they can pay $350,000 for a sub par rookie. Under these rules, some teams may need to sign a few $1.5 million veterans to improve from 48 wins to 55 wins, and ultimately that's a good thing for the world.
Despite the world's name I'm not interested in running a dictatorship by installing rules that the world as a whole is against, so there will be a vote on all four rules as a whole. With 32 total teams in the world, 17 votes are required for the four-rule package to pass. Please submit votes to me via e-mail, instant message, or trade chat. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact me privately with those as well.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Top Ten RF Prospects
*Reminder: Right Fielders must project within 10 points of each defensive rating's recommendations:
RNG of at least 55
GLV of at least 40
AS of at least 60
AA of at least 55
10. Al Baez
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Bats: R
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (20th overall, Season 8)
Baez was heavily courted by the Oklahoma Sooners, but chose to go pro after the Gunslingers offered him a hefty $7.5 million signing bonus. He projects to only have moderate power, and doesn't have the best swing, but he always seems to get the bat on the ball, to the point where he ends up frustrating opposing pitchers. Legend has it that he once engaged in a 21 pitch at-bat that ended in a walk; the pitcher subsequently threw down his glove and hurled a steady stream of expletives at the umpire before being ejected and earning a suspension for the rest of the season. Not fast, but he covers plenty of ground in right, and has a fantastic arm; he makes the throw from shallow right to 3rd base with the best of them. Arrogant to a fault; he's butted heads with his HS coach several times.
9. Kurt Anderson
Ottawa Otters
Bats: S
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (12th overall, Season 5)
A professional hitter with no weakness. Anderson has good power to all fields, and doesn't strike out much. He's a good hitter from the left side, but prefers to hit right-handed, explaining that he sees the ball better from that side. Anderson has average speed, but has good instincts for his position. He has the arm strength to make runners think twice about going 1st to 3rd on a single. However, Anderson occasionally seems to have concentration lapses, resulting in a few WTF errors that will undoubtedly show up on sports blooper reels everywhere.
8. Ugueth Mendoza
Monterrey Conquistadores
Bats: L
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 3rd round (81st overall, Season 5)
A classic take-em and rake-em slugger, Mendoza has plus power and very good plate discipline. He's no Luis Castillo, but he's a better contact hitter than most other players of his ilk, and should be able to sustain a passable batting average. No platoon split of note. A fair defensive player that won't win any awards, but gets the job done. Mendoza is slow-footed, and is strictly a station-to-station guy; not the most aware player on the bases. He does pack on weight easily, and has yet to meet a steak he didn't like. Hire a good dietician. A notably good late-round steal by the Conquistadores; he was picked 69 slots later than the guy ranked behind him, and is the only non-first rounder on this list.
7. Hector Bell
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Bats: R
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (14th overall, Season 6)
Bell's calling card is his raw power. Short in stature, but built like a tank, Bell has the strength to hit the ball out of any park in baseball, and in bunches. For a guy who swings as hard as he does, he also hits his fair share of line drives, and doesn't strike out an inordinate amount. He could stand to draw more walks, but he gets hack-happy early in the count, especially if he sees a fastball to his liking. Not fast, but he's one of the smartest baserunners you will ever see. His defense in RF is adequate. Plays every day, and has yet to suffer an injury in his career. Bell doesn't take his conditioning seriously; he seems to prefer to goof off rather than train, drawing the ire of the coaching and training staff.
6. Al Rapp
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Bats: R
19 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (14th overall, Season 7)
Rapp is a tough out, and a guy pitchers can't seem to put away. He has outstanding bat control, while still flashing excellent power that comes from fantastic lower body torque. He hits well against both lefties and righties, and hasn't had any major plate discipline concerns yet. He's played every game of his high school career with chronic back pain; Rapp's a tough kid, but you have to think that he'll go down sooner rather than later. Projects to be a solid defender; he shouldn't have any problems handling RF at the major league level. The 3rd Gunslinger on the RF list, and a clear position of strength for Sioux Falls. Oddly, he's still in Rookie ball for the 2nd consecutive season; it's not like he struggled the first time, either, posting an OPS north of 1.100. Not sure what to make of that.
5. Sherry MacFarlane
Richmond Roustabouts
Bats: L
23 years old, AA
Drafted (College SR) in the 1st round (7th overall, Season 7)
MacFarlane is one of the most unique prospects you'll see. He projects to true plus-plus power, yet displays the bat control, speed, and base-running abilities of a leadoff hitter. In fact, he has almost as many doubles (103) as strikeouts (108). Should be able to steal 60-70 bases a season at a high success rate in his prime; it would be higher if so many of his hits weren't for extra bases. MacFarlane also has a reverse platoon split, hitting better against lefties than against righties. What's truly weird, though, is the way he hits; Macfarlane almost never pulls the ball. He prefers to let the ball travel as deep into the zone as possible, then slams it over the left-field fence with his majestic uppercut swing. Not surprisingly, he does generate a ton of loft with his swing, resulting in a ton of easy flyballs and popups. Macfarlane has poor natural instincts for an outfielder; as a result, he's not nearly as rangy as you might expect. He does have a good arm, and his throws are very accurate; not a guy you want to test, if possible.
4. Chris Mason
Colorado Spring Silver Stars
Bats: S
22 years old, AAA
Drafted (College JR) in the 1st round (3rd overall, Season 7)
Mason has Bunyan-esque power, and should regularly rank among the league's best in homers during his prime. A switch hitter, he's an absolute monster against southpaws. He's still good against righties as well, but he doesn't appear to drive the ball quite as consistently. A slow runner, but he's still sneakily effective, lulling defenses to sleep before snatching the extra base unexpectedly. While he doesn't cover a ton of ground in right, it's hardly a problem, and his arm does help compensate for any shortcomings defensively.
3. Albert Brooks
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Bats: S
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (4th overall, Season 6)
Brooks projects to have tremendous, game-changing power. He hits very well from both sides of the plate, doesn't strike out, and should have no problems getting on base as well; he's the rare hitter that's not just without weaknesses, but is actually good at everything. He crowds the plate and has tremendous bat speed, able to pull any pitch down the line. Scouts see a lot of Gary Sheffield in his bat. Brooks is a good baserunner with enough speed to keep the battery honest. His defense isn't spectacular, but no one's ever suggested that he'd have to move. This ranking might seem a bit low at first, but it's hard to justify ranking Brooks over either of the next two players (although it's certainly close).
2. Jin-Chi Choi
Anaheim Anteaters
Bats: S
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (1st overall, Season 5)
Choi doesn't have Brooks' contact skills at the plate, although he doesn't whiff enough for it to be a real concern. What he does have is elite power, a terrific swing (especially from the right side), very good plate discipline, and solid baserunning/speed. This alone wouldn't rank Choi over Brooks, as Brooks has all of this, too. However, while Brooks is durable, Choi is a true ironman, one that should be able to play in every game of the season. He also has a completely clean bill of health. Furthermore, Choi is a very good defender in right field. He's also a good enough athlete to merit a tryout at 3B; however, he's had trouble fielding sharp grounders and choppers in the past. It wouldn't surprise anyone if the infield ended up eating Choi up. Still, stuff like this is small potatoes and ultimately irrelevant; he's a perennial All-Star candidate waiting to happen, and a prospect worthy of the #1 overall draft pick.
1. Jeff Stein
Philadelphia Phenomenauts
Bats: R
19 years old, Low A
Drafted (College FR) in the 1st round (2nd overall, Season 8)
Guys like Albert Brooks and Jin-Chi Choi might have more raw power than Stein (though not by much), but Stein is the only one of the trio that has a legitimate chance of winning a batting crown. He'd probably be able to start for most teams in the league right now. As a 19 year old. Stein's swing is almost perfect, and it shows; watch him hit for just 2 minutes, and you'll understand why he's among the best prospects in baseball. At the plate, the man excels at everything. Everything. His defense is just average, and he's painfully aware of how talented he is (I mean, just look at the shit-eating grin on his face. Seriously.), so he can be difficult at times. But Stein's bat could very well carry him to the Hall of Fame.
RNG of at least 55
GLV of at least 40
AS of at least 60
AA of at least 55
10. Al Baez
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Bats: R
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (20th overall, Season 8)
Baez was heavily courted by the Oklahoma Sooners, but chose to go pro after the Gunslingers offered him a hefty $7.5 million signing bonus. He projects to only have moderate power, and doesn't have the best swing, but he always seems to get the bat on the ball, to the point where he ends up frustrating opposing pitchers. Legend has it that he once engaged in a 21 pitch at-bat that ended in a walk; the pitcher subsequently threw down his glove and hurled a steady stream of expletives at the umpire before being ejected and earning a suspension for the rest of the season. Not fast, but he covers plenty of ground in right, and has a fantastic arm; he makes the throw from shallow right to 3rd base with the best of them. Arrogant to a fault; he's butted heads with his HS coach several times.
9. Kurt Anderson
Ottawa Otters
Bats: S
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (12th overall, Season 5)
A professional hitter with no weakness. Anderson has good power to all fields, and doesn't strike out much. He's a good hitter from the left side, but prefers to hit right-handed, explaining that he sees the ball better from that side. Anderson has average speed, but has good instincts for his position. He has the arm strength to make runners think twice about going 1st to 3rd on a single. However, Anderson occasionally seems to have concentration lapses, resulting in a few WTF errors that will undoubtedly show up on sports blooper reels everywhere.
8. Ugueth Mendoza
Monterrey Conquistadores
Bats: L
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 3rd round (81st overall, Season 5)
A classic take-em and rake-em slugger, Mendoza has plus power and very good plate discipline. He's no Luis Castillo, but he's a better contact hitter than most other players of his ilk, and should be able to sustain a passable batting average. No platoon split of note. A fair defensive player that won't win any awards, but gets the job done. Mendoza is slow-footed, and is strictly a station-to-station guy; not the most aware player on the bases. He does pack on weight easily, and has yet to meet a steak he didn't like. Hire a good dietician. A notably good late-round steal by the Conquistadores; he was picked 69 slots later than the guy ranked behind him, and is the only non-first rounder on this list.
7. Hector Bell
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Bats: R
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (14th overall, Season 6)
Bell's calling card is his raw power. Short in stature, but built like a tank, Bell has the strength to hit the ball out of any park in baseball, and in bunches. For a guy who swings as hard as he does, he also hits his fair share of line drives, and doesn't strike out an inordinate amount. He could stand to draw more walks, but he gets hack-happy early in the count, especially if he sees a fastball to his liking. Not fast, but he's one of the smartest baserunners you will ever see. His defense in RF is adequate. Plays every day, and has yet to suffer an injury in his career. Bell doesn't take his conditioning seriously; he seems to prefer to goof off rather than train, drawing the ire of the coaching and training staff.
6. Al Rapp
Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Bats: R
19 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (14th overall, Season 7)
Rapp is a tough out, and a guy pitchers can't seem to put away. He has outstanding bat control, while still flashing excellent power that comes from fantastic lower body torque. He hits well against both lefties and righties, and hasn't had any major plate discipline concerns yet. He's played every game of his high school career with chronic back pain; Rapp's a tough kid, but you have to think that he'll go down sooner rather than later. Projects to be a solid defender; he shouldn't have any problems handling RF at the major league level. The 3rd Gunslinger on the RF list, and a clear position of strength for Sioux Falls. Oddly, he's still in Rookie ball for the 2nd consecutive season; it's not like he struggled the first time, either, posting an OPS north of 1.100. Not sure what to make of that.
5. Sherry MacFarlane
Richmond Roustabouts
Bats: L
23 years old, AA
Drafted (College SR) in the 1st round (7th overall, Season 7)
MacFarlane is one of the most unique prospects you'll see. He projects to true plus-plus power, yet displays the bat control, speed, and base-running abilities of a leadoff hitter. In fact, he has almost as many doubles (103) as strikeouts (108). Should be able to steal 60-70 bases a season at a high success rate in his prime; it would be higher if so many of his hits weren't for extra bases. MacFarlane also has a reverse platoon split, hitting better against lefties than against righties. What's truly weird, though, is the way he hits; Macfarlane almost never pulls the ball. He prefers to let the ball travel as deep into the zone as possible, then slams it over the left-field fence with his majestic uppercut swing. Not surprisingly, he does generate a ton of loft with his swing, resulting in a ton of easy flyballs and popups. Macfarlane has poor natural instincts for an outfielder; as a result, he's not nearly as rangy as you might expect. He does have a good arm, and his throws are very accurate; not a guy you want to test, if possible.
4. Chris Mason
Colorado Spring Silver Stars
Bats: S
22 years old, AAA
Drafted (College JR) in the 1st round (3rd overall, Season 7)
Mason has Bunyan-esque power, and should regularly rank among the league's best in homers during his prime. A switch hitter, he's an absolute monster against southpaws. He's still good against righties as well, but he doesn't appear to drive the ball quite as consistently. A slow runner, but he's still sneakily effective, lulling defenses to sleep before snatching the extra base unexpectedly. While he doesn't cover a ton of ground in right, it's hardly a problem, and his arm does help compensate for any shortcomings defensively.
3. Albert Brooks
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Bats: S
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (4th overall, Season 6)
Brooks projects to have tremendous, game-changing power. He hits very well from both sides of the plate, doesn't strike out, and should have no problems getting on base as well; he's the rare hitter that's not just without weaknesses, but is actually good at everything. He crowds the plate and has tremendous bat speed, able to pull any pitch down the line. Scouts see a lot of Gary Sheffield in his bat. Brooks is a good baserunner with enough speed to keep the battery honest. His defense isn't spectacular, but no one's ever suggested that he'd have to move. This ranking might seem a bit low at first, but it's hard to justify ranking Brooks over either of the next two players (although it's certainly close).
2. Jin-Chi Choi
Anaheim Anteaters
Bats: S
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (1st overall, Season 5)
Choi doesn't have Brooks' contact skills at the plate, although he doesn't whiff enough for it to be a real concern. What he does have is elite power, a terrific swing (especially from the right side), very good plate discipline, and solid baserunning/speed. This alone wouldn't rank Choi over Brooks, as Brooks has all of this, too. However, while Brooks is durable, Choi is a true ironman, one that should be able to play in every game of the season. He also has a completely clean bill of health. Furthermore, Choi is a very good defender in right field. He's also a good enough athlete to merit a tryout at 3B; however, he's had trouble fielding sharp grounders and choppers in the past. It wouldn't surprise anyone if the infield ended up eating Choi up. Still, stuff like this is small potatoes and ultimately irrelevant; he's a perennial All-Star candidate waiting to happen, and a prospect worthy of the #1 overall draft pick.
1. Jeff Stein
Philadelphia Phenomenauts
Bats: R
19 years old, Low A
Drafted (College FR) in the 1st round (2nd overall, Season 8)
Guys like Albert Brooks and Jin-Chi Choi might have more raw power than Stein (though not by much), but Stein is the only one of the trio that has a legitimate chance of winning a batting crown. He'd probably be able to start for most teams in the league right now. As a 19 year old. Stein's swing is almost perfect, and it shows; watch him hit for just 2 minutes, and you'll understand why he's among the best prospects in baseball. At the plate, the man excels at everything. Everything. His defense is just average, and he's painfully aware of how talented he is (I mean, just look at the shit-eating grin on his face. Seriously.), so he can be difficult at times. But Stein's bat could very well carry him to the Hall of Fame.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Top Ten CF Prospects
*Reminder: Right-handed CFs: Range + Glove must equal at least 165.
Left handed CFs: Range + Glove must equal at least 160 (accounting for the fact that defensively challenged RH CFs may move over to 2B. Left-handed CFs do not have that option, so playing a weaker defensive player at CF makes more sense should that player be left-handed).
No base for arm accuracy/strength.
10. Pablo Nieves
Colorado Springs Silver Stars
Bats: R
21 years old, AA
Signed as an international FA ($4.3 million, Season 6)
A fairly nondescript prospect at first glance, Nieves should nonetheless be at least a championship-caliber backup, or a fringy starter. Nieves' offensive game is fairly well-rounded; he has some pop, hits well against southpaws (while struggling against righties), and displays pretty good patience at the plate. He doesn't run well for a CF, but makes the most of his abilities; defensively, he gets good jumps to compensate for his lack of speed, and on the bases, he'll exercise good judgment. He'll be a fine 2B should the Silver Stars decide to leave him there, but can certainly handle CF well enough to merit a move.
9. Marvin Stern
Colorado Springs Silver Stars
Bats: R
19 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (52nd overall, Season 7)
Stern's bat is fairly unimpressive. He's not a terrible hitter, but has trouble driving good pitching, especially against southpaws. A pitcher with a good fastball can knock the bat out of Stern's hands on an inside heater. He also doesn't have much raw power; expect him to put up a sub-.400 SLG with regularity at the ML level. He does do the little things well, though; he's an exciting defender with outstanding speed and athleticism. With some work, he could become a threat on the bases as well. A solid bunter, which should come in handy. He'll be there to play every day, but he does have character issues, and doesn't seem to respond well to criticism.
8. Ray Lyons
Oklahoma City Twins
Bats: L
20 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (15th overall, Season 6)
Lyons doesn't profile as an intimidating hitter. He's yet to hit double digits in homers in any given season in the minors. Still, he does have excellent bat control, no platoon split, decent patience, and good speed. His instincts on the bases are top-notch, and he bunts very well, making him an ideal tactical player for "small-ball" managers. Ron Gardenhire would love him. He covers a lot of real estate in center, getting great reads off the bat and taking direct routes to the ball. Never hurt, and doesn't take days off. He's an extreme pull-hitter, despite his lack of power; this is because he crowds the plate enough to pull anything within the strike zone, and has quick hands that get through the hitting zone fast enough to catch up with the inside pitch.
7. Vic Martinez
Richmond Roustabouts
Bats: R
23 years old, AAA
Drafted (College JR) in the 1st round (3rd overall, Season 6)
Another hitter who doesn't excel at anything, but has no weaknesses, Martinez should hit for fairly good averages, draw some walks, and hit his share of homers. He runs fairly well, but is probably slower than your average CF. While he's a good baserunner, he doesn't quite have the top-end speed to become a weapon as a base thief. He should be fast enough to use his excellent bunting ability to produce a fair number of infield singles, however. As I just mentioned, Martinez is a step slower than your typical CF, but he's very sure-handed, with a flair for the spectacular; he'll make his share of wall-climbing grabs and sprawling catches. He sprained his left ankle 3 times in high school, and once in college, and has complained of shoulder stiffness several times in the past. If he's not hurt, though, he'll play every day.
6. Harry Navarre
Minnesota Fatboys
Bats: S
21 years old, High A
International FA, signed to a $16 million contract (Season 5)
Navarre's hitting approach is similar to Howie Kendrick. He doesn't have a whole lot of raw power, but seems to hit the ball on the nose every time he swings. Also like Kendrick, Navarre doesn't walk very often. Expect him to be in the batting title race several times in his career. Despite being fast, Navarre isn't a good baserunner, making a ton of aggressive (read: ill-advised) outs by trying to take the extra base. He's also one of the worst bunters in the organization. Navarre projects as a plus defender with excellent range. However, he suffered a severe hamstring tear last year, an injury that seems to have some serious long-term effects. Some scouts think that the injury may change Navarre's defensive outlook from excellent to merely good. He's still an excellent prospect, but one that comes with a few question marks.
5. Nicholas Helms
Iowa City Comics
Bats: R
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (28th overall, Season 6)
Helms has very good power, but struggles a bit against right-handed pitching and still can't lay off of a good slider when behind in the count. Of course, he's earned this ranking by way of defense. Like Curtis Granderson, Helms lacks top-end speed for a CF (in fact, he's downright slow for the position), but makes up for it with excellent instincts and positioning. He has tremendous range and the ability to make dazzling catches, a combination that should make him a staple of Sportscenter's Webgems for the next dozen years.
4. Tony Pascual
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Bats: L
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (10th overall, Season 6)
Pascual is close to being a perfect lead-off man. He's a very good contact hitter, has a solid swing, has fantastic plate discipline (with enough power to keep pitchers honest), and is a fast, intelligent baserunner with the ability to bunt for hits and steal bases. He does hit considerably better against righties than lefties, although the difference probably isn't enough to justify a platooning or anything. Defensively, he projects to be solid; while he'll make his share of miscues, he covers enough ground to make up for his faults. The only real issue with Pascual is his injury history; he's extremely fragile, having visited the DL 4 times as a professional already. If the injuries keep piling up, they may end up stunting his growth as a ballplayer.
3. Bip Reagan
New York Metropolitans
Bats: S
22 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (8th overall, Season 4)
No, he's not the top CF prospect in baseball, much less the top prospect in baseball. He's still a damn good player. His range at the position is ordinary, but his glovework is very strong. The Metropolitans haven't made it known whether he'll be playing 2B (where he'll be an annual GG candidate) or CF (where he'll be pretty good, but nothing special). Offensively, Reagan's trademark is a looping uppercut swing that generates a ton of power. He makes surprisingly good contact with said swing, but he hits a ton of routine flyballs and popups. A better hitter from the left-hand side. Reagan's plate discipline projects to be no better than average; as a result, he'll probably struggle to put up something resembling a league-average OBP most years. He doesn't take the team's conditioning program very seriously, and can be a bit of an attitude problem. He'll also see his share of ejections. Still, how many players with plus-plus power have the ability to play CF in the majors? (Hint: Look at the next two players on this list)
2. Shannon Perez
Los Angeles Hangars
Bats: L
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (7th overall, Season 8)
Scouts love Perez. His power projects as an 80 on the scouting scale, and his plate discipline and swing both look to be solid. He has trouble picking up lefties at times, but seems to do very well for himself against righties. He'll whiff a lot, but it shouldn't become a major concern. His defense in CF projects to reach around league average, and his baserunning should become pretty good with time; coupled with his speed, Perez should be able to steal quite a few bases in the majors. Of course, the scary thing about prospects this young is the gap between what he is and what he can be; Perez doesn't get very high marks for his work ethic, and while Perez is notably durable, injuries can happen to anyone. There's a lot here to dream on, but it'll be a while before the Hangars can cash in.
1. Phil Walbeck
Vancouver Vigilantes
Bats: R
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (11th overall, Season 8)
Like the two hitters ranked just below him, Walbeck projects to plus-plus power. Unlike them, however, Walbeck's swing projects as excellent; despite his struggles to make contact, Walbeck should still be able to hit for a respectable average against both lefties and righties, and should also hit his share of screamers in the gaps. Walbeck's speed is pretty average for the position. He's a very smart baserunner that knows when to take advantage of a weaker defense, and when to play it safe. He projects to be about average defensively in CF, maybe a bit better. The comment referring to Shannon Perez's youth works with Walbeck as well, although Walbeck's work ethic hasn't been called into question yet. If he reaches his ceiling, he'll be a superstar.
Left handed CFs: Range + Glove must equal at least 160 (accounting for the fact that defensively challenged RH CFs may move over to 2B. Left-handed CFs do not have that option, so playing a weaker defensive player at CF makes more sense should that player be left-handed).
No base for arm accuracy/strength.
10. Pablo Nieves
Colorado Springs Silver Stars
Bats: R
21 years old, AA
Signed as an international FA ($4.3 million, Season 6)
A fairly nondescript prospect at first glance, Nieves should nonetheless be at least a championship-caliber backup, or a fringy starter. Nieves' offensive game is fairly well-rounded; he has some pop, hits well against southpaws (while struggling against righties), and displays pretty good patience at the plate. He doesn't run well for a CF, but makes the most of his abilities; defensively, he gets good jumps to compensate for his lack of speed, and on the bases, he'll exercise good judgment. He'll be a fine 2B should the Silver Stars decide to leave him there, but can certainly handle CF well enough to merit a move.
9. Marvin Stern
Colorado Springs Silver Stars
Bats: R
19 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (52nd overall, Season 7)
Stern's bat is fairly unimpressive. He's not a terrible hitter, but has trouble driving good pitching, especially against southpaws. A pitcher with a good fastball can knock the bat out of Stern's hands on an inside heater. He also doesn't have much raw power; expect him to put up a sub-.400 SLG with regularity at the ML level. He does do the little things well, though; he's an exciting defender with outstanding speed and athleticism. With some work, he could become a threat on the bases as well. A solid bunter, which should come in handy. He'll be there to play every day, but he does have character issues, and doesn't seem to respond well to criticism.
8. Ray Lyons
Oklahoma City Twins
Bats: L
20 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (15th overall, Season 6)
Lyons doesn't profile as an intimidating hitter. He's yet to hit double digits in homers in any given season in the minors. Still, he does have excellent bat control, no platoon split, decent patience, and good speed. His instincts on the bases are top-notch, and he bunts very well, making him an ideal tactical player for "small-ball" managers. Ron Gardenhire would love him. He covers a lot of real estate in center, getting great reads off the bat and taking direct routes to the ball. Never hurt, and doesn't take days off. He's an extreme pull-hitter, despite his lack of power; this is because he crowds the plate enough to pull anything within the strike zone, and has quick hands that get through the hitting zone fast enough to catch up with the inside pitch.
7. Vic Martinez
Richmond Roustabouts
Bats: R
23 years old, AAA
Drafted (College JR) in the 1st round (3rd overall, Season 6)
Another hitter who doesn't excel at anything, but has no weaknesses, Martinez should hit for fairly good averages, draw some walks, and hit his share of homers. He runs fairly well, but is probably slower than your average CF. While he's a good baserunner, he doesn't quite have the top-end speed to become a weapon as a base thief. He should be fast enough to use his excellent bunting ability to produce a fair number of infield singles, however. As I just mentioned, Martinez is a step slower than your typical CF, but he's very sure-handed, with a flair for the spectacular; he'll make his share of wall-climbing grabs and sprawling catches. He sprained his left ankle 3 times in high school, and once in college, and has complained of shoulder stiffness several times in the past. If he's not hurt, though, he'll play every day.
6. Harry Navarre
Minnesota Fatboys
Bats: S
21 years old, High A
International FA, signed to a $16 million contract (Season 5)
Navarre's hitting approach is similar to Howie Kendrick. He doesn't have a whole lot of raw power, but seems to hit the ball on the nose every time he swings. Also like Kendrick, Navarre doesn't walk very often. Expect him to be in the batting title race several times in his career. Despite being fast, Navarre isn't a good baserunner, making a ton of aggressive (read: ill-advised) outs by trying to take the extra base. He's also one of the worst bunters in the organization. Navarre projects as a plus defender with excellent range. However, he suffered a severe hamstring tear last year, an injury that seems to have some serious long-term effects. Some scouts think that the injury may change Navarre's defensive outlook from excellent to merely good. He's still an excellent prospect, but one that comes with a few question marks.
5. Nicholas Helms
Iowa City Comics
Bats: R
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (28th overall, Season 6)
Helms has very good power, but struggles a bit against right-handed pitching and still can't lay off of a good slider when behind in the count. Of course, he's earned this ranking by way of defense. Like Curtis Granderson, Helms lacks top-end speed for a CF (in fact, he's downright slow for the position), but makes up for it with excellent instincts and positioning. He has tremendous range and the ability to make dazzling catches, a combination that should make him a staple of Sportscenter's Webgems for the next dozen years.
4. Tony Pascual
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Bats: L
20 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (10th overall, Season 6)
Pascual is close to being a perfect lead-off man. He's a very good contact hitter, has a solid swing, has fantastic plate discipline (with enough power to keep pitchers honest), and is a fast, intelligent baserunner with the ability to bunt for hits and steal bases. He does hit considerably better against righties than lefties, although the difference probably isn't enough to justify a platooning or anything. Defensively, he projects to be solid; while he'll make his share of miscues, he covers enough ground to make up for his faults. The only real issue with Pascual is his injury history; he's extremely fragile, having visited the DL 4 times as a professional already. If the injuries keep piling up, they may end up stunting his growth as a ballplayer.
3. Bip Reagan
New York Metropolitans
Bats: S
22 years old, AAA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (8th overall, Season 4)
No, he's not the top CF prospect in baseball, much less the top prospect in baseball. He's still a damn good player. His range at the position is ordinary, but his glovework is very strong. The Metropolitans haven't made it known whether he'll be playing 2B (where he'll be an annual GG candidate) or CF (where he'll be pretty good, but nothing special). Offensively, Reagan's trademark is a looping uppercut swing that generates a ton of power. He makes surprisingly good contact with said swing, but he hits a ton of routine flyballs and popups. A better hitter from the left-hand side. Reagan's plate discipline projects to be no better than average; as a result, he'll probably struggle to put up something resembling a league-average OBP most years. He doesn't take the team's conditioning program very seriously, and can be a bit of an attitude problem. He'll also see his share of ejections. Still, how many players with plus-plus power have the ability to play CF in the majors? (Hint: Look at the next two players on this list)
2. Shannon Perez
Los Angeles Hangars
Bats: L
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (7th overall, Season 8)
Scouts love Perez. His power projects as an 80 on the scouting scale, and his plate discipline and swing both look to be solid. He has trouble picking up lefties at times, but seems to do very well for himself against righties. He'll whiff a lot, but it shouldn't become a major concern. His defense in CF projects to reach around league average, and his baserunning should become pretty good with time; coupled with his speed, Perez should be able to steal quite a few bases in the majors. Of course, the scary thing about prospects this young is the gap between what he is and what he can be; Perez doesn't get very high marks for his work ethic, and while Perez is notably durable, injuries can happen to anyone. There's a lot here to dream on, but it'll be a while before the Hangars can cash in.
1. Phil Walbeck
Vancouver Vigilantes
Bats: R
18 years old, Rookie League
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (11th overall, Season 8)
Like the two hitters ranked just below him, Walbeck projects to plus-plus power. Unlike them, however, Walbeck's swing projects as excellent; despite his struggles to make contact, Walbeck should still be able to hit for a respectable average against both lefties and righties, and should also hit his share of screamers in the gaps. Walbeck's speed is pretty average for the position. He's a very smart baserunner that knows when to take advantage of a weaker defense, and when to play it safe. He projects to be about average defensively in CF, maybe a bit better. The comment referring to Shannon Perez's youth works with Walbeck as well, although Walbeck's work ethic hasn't been called into question yet. If he reaches his ceiling, he'll be a superstar.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Greatest Seasons by our Greatest Pitchers
The challenge here was to find the greatest season by each pitcher - counting only their very best season, each artist submitting their single best painting as it were - before attempting to rank them in order of all time greatness.
Minimum # of IP was set at 150.
Number 8
The pride and joy of Eclectic, AL - home to a population of 1146 individuals (all related) - put together his finest season after signing a contract so big that if every single resident of Eclectic put together their average annual income, they still couldn't have covered the 50mm this young gun received at the tender age of 26. The youngest member of this list by a decent margin, his 279.1 IP, 22 wins and 2.87 ERA all represent career bests for this 8 figure man who has several more years - and contracts - ahead of him yet.
Number 7
Coming into this exercise I would have expected "The Don" to have been ranked higher, but here he is clocking in at #7. The Okinawan, perhaps more famous for those rumors of Awamori fueled performances in his first season as a Red Sock (Betty Ford wouldn't confirm or deny reports that he spent this past winter recovering at her facilities), delivered a career high in CG/IP/OAV/OBP/SLG/WHIP & ERA in his final season as a Jayhawk before being traded.
Number 6
This devoted patron of St. Francis of Assisi posted a career low ERA of 2.3 and even managed to accumulate a save, in this his greatest season in a very steady career of great seasons. When reached at home for comment, he simply remarked that he felt truly invincible on the mound that year, before capitulating to the pain in his severely inflamed and torn groin that should keep him sidelined and blue-balled through spring training of season 9.
Number 5
This son of a coalminer, and one of only 2 players on this list who didn't post their best season during the dead-ball/steroid era of Season 6, holds the current Major League single season winning % record with his stellar performance as a 35 year old Starting Pitcher for the Jayhawk franchise. Now converted to the closer role, his .958 winning percentage (15 decisions min) may be one of the last current records to fall. For his troubles, Rowand earned his 2nd career Cy Young Award.
Number 4
Probably the biggest surprise on this list. When I started ranking seasons I put his further up before really looking, but each time I compared his season to that of the guy higher up on the list, I couldn't help but conclude that he did better. Silva, famous for having signed one of the most controversial contracts in the history of Gleeman World, delivered instantly for his new owner to the tune of a 17-3 record, 0.9 WHIP (best of any season on this list) and a 2.29 ERA.
Number 3
A pretty close call raw numbers wise with number 3 on the list, Billy Ray clocks in with the 3rd best season in our list, an all-around monster year with 23 wins, 233.2 IP, .556 OPS against and a 2.00 ERA... IN ALBUQUERQUE. The pride of Damascus, GA, and it's population of 277 folks (all related), Billy Ray bucked the season 6 trend and instead put up career highs in Wins/IP/OAV/OBP/SLG/WHIP & ERA in season 7, claiming his first and only (to date) Cy Young award.
Number 2
Although many in the media chose to focus on his coming out of the closet instead of his on-field accomplishments, Haywood has been nothing short of spectacular as the Yankee ace. The self proclaimed "Inspiration for Brokeback Mountain" (Stratton being a "bunny hop" away from Wyoming), could easily hold 3 or 4 of the top spots in this list and his lead in the ERA dept is over a third of a run lower than the next guy. Unfortunately, Irish teammate Bernard Rhodes said it best when asked "When did you know deep down that Towers was gay?", replying "Littul fary cuin't thro' too hunnern inning cun'e? Bloody obvious if'y'ask me"
El Numero Uno
Perhaps the driving force behind the steroids scandal that exploded in the off-season after Season 6, "Robohouse" (as he's better known to the adoring Mets faithful) posted a staggering 26 wins, 277.2 IP, .190 OAV, 0.91 WHIP and 1.94 ERA line in what is largely considered to be the best pitching season of all time. But it wasn't all beer and bubbly for this Cy Young and World Series Champion, as soon after the successful conclusion of the Metropolitans Season 6 campaign, word started leaking that a steroid by the name of "throwinol" was in rampant use by many veteran pitchers throughout the game. Wainhouse has kept his nose in the clear thus far, but many point to his declining numbers since season 6 as proof that the best season of all time - indeed perhaps the top 20 or so seasons of all time (including the last six above) deserve the ol' "*", the ol' "asterisko" - but for now, it's his to enjoy.
Minimum # of IP was set at 150.
Number 8
 |
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | STL | 36 | 36 | 12 | 22 | 10 | 279.1 | 218 | 93 | 89 | 21 | 87 | 263 | .214 | .280 | .308 | 1.09 | 2.87 |
The pride and joy of Eclectic, AL - home to a population of 1146 individuals (all related) - put together his finest season after signing a contract so big that if every single resident of Eclectic put together their average annual income, they still couldn't have covered the 50mm this young gun received at the tender age of 26. The youngest member of this list by a decent margin, his 279.1 IP, 22 wins and 2.87 ERA all represent career bests for this 8 figure man who has several more years - and contracts - ahead of him yet.
Number 7
 |
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | CH1 | 37 | 37 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 272.1 | 219 | 82 | 81 | 22 | 67 | 288 | .219 | .276 | .305 | 1.05 | 2.68 |
Coming into this exercise I would have expected "The Don" to have been ranked higher, but here he is clocking in at #7. The Okinawan, perhaps more famous for those rumors of Awamori fueled performances in his first season as a Red Sock (Betty Ford wouldn't confirm or deny reports that he spent this past winter recovering at her facilities), delivered a career high in CG/IP/OAV/OBP/SLG/WHIP & ERA in his final season as a Jayhawk before being traded.
Number 6
 |
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | MIL | 33 | 32 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 234.1 | 169 | 60 | 60 | 20 | 57 | 223 | .200 | .260 | .292 | 0.96 | 2.30 |
This devoted patron of St. Francis of Assisi posted a career low ERA of 2.3 and even managed to accumulate a save, in this his greatest season in a very steady career of great seasons. When reached at home for comment, he simply remarked that he felt truly invincible on the mound that year, before capitulating to the pain in his severely inflamed and torn groin that should keep him sidelined and blue-balled through spring training of season 9.
Number 5
|
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | CH1 | 33 | 26 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 168.2 | 122 | 48 | 41 | 18 | 43 | 71 | .196 | .253 | .306 | 0.98 | 2.19 |
This son of a coalminer, and one of only 2 players on this list who didn't post their best season during the dead-ball/steroid era of Season 6, holds the current Major League single season winning % record with his stellar performance as a 35 year old Starting Pitcher for the Jayhawk franchise. Now converted to the closer role, his .958 winning percentage (15 decisions min) may be one of the last current records to fall. For his troubles, Rowand earned his 2nd career Cy Young Award.
Number 4
 |
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | NY1 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 216.1 | 153 | 60 | 55 | 23 | 42 | 175 | .195 | .242 | .309 | 0.90 | 2.29 |
Probably the biggest surprise on this list. When I started ranking seasons I put his further up before really looking, but each time I compared his season to that of the guy higher up on the list, I couldn't help but conclude that he did better. Silva, famous for having signed one of the most controversial contracts in the history of Gleeman World, delivered instantly for his new owner to the tune of a 17-3 record, 0.9 WHIP (best of any season on this list) and a 2.29 ERA.
Number 3
 |
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | ALB | 33 | 33 | 2 | 23 | 5 | 233.2 | 183 | 59 | 52 | 12 | 50 | 172 | .214 | .265 | .291 | 1.00 | 2.00 |
A pretty close call raw numbers wise with number 3 on the list, Billy Ray clocks in with the 3rd best season in our list, an all-around monster year with 23 wins, 233.2 IP, .556 OPS against and a 2.00 ERA... IN ALBUQUERQUE. The pride of Damascus, GA, and it's population of 277 folks (all related), Billy Ray bucked the season 6 trend and instead put up career highs in Wins/IP/OAV/OBP/SLG/WHIP & ERA in season 7, claiming his first and only (to date) Cy Young award.
Number 2
|
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | NY1 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 194.2 | 127 | 36 | 34 | 9 | 50 | 225 | .185 | .243 | .252 | 0.91 | 1.57 |
Although many in the media chose to focus on his coming out of the closet instead of his on-field accomplishments, Haywood has been nothing short of spectacular as the Yankee ace. The self proclaimed "Inspiration for Brokeback Mountain" (Stratton being a "bunny hop" away from Wyoming), could easily hold 3 or 4 of the top spots in this list and his lead in the ERA dept is over a third of a run lower than the next guy. Unfortunately, Irish teammate Bernard Rhodes said it best when asked "When did you know deep down that Towers was gay?", replying "Littul fary cuin't thro' too hunnern inning cun'e? Bloody obvious if'y'ask me"
El Numero Uno
 |
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Fran | G | GS | CG | W | L | Inn | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | OAV | OBP | SLG | WHIP | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | NY2 | 38 | 38 | 7 | 26 | 4 | 277.2 | 191 | 63 | 60 | 22 | 62 | 198 | .190 | .245 | .286 | 0.91 | 1.94 |
Perhaps the driving force behind the steroids scandal that exploded in the off-season after Season 6, "Robohouse" (as he's better known to the adoring Mets faithful) posted a staggering 26 wins, 277.2 IP, .190 OAV, 0.91 WHIP and 1.94 ERA line in what is largely considered to be the best pitching season of all time. But it wasn't all beer and bubbly for this Cy Young and World Series Champion, as soon after the successful conclusion of the Metropolitans Season 6 campaign, word started leaking that a steroid by the name of "throwinol" was in rampant use by many veteran pitchers throughout the game. Wainhouse has kept his nose in the clear thus far, but many point to his declining numbers since season 6 as proof that the best season of all time - indeed perhaps the top 20 or so seasons of all time (including the last six above) deserve the ol' "*", the ol' "asterisko" - but for now, it's his to enjoy.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Misc. League Records
Best Seasons
New York Metropolitans (6): 117-45 (.722)
Chicago Jayhawks (5): 114-48 (.704)
Chicago Jayhawks (4): 113-49 (.698)
Minnesota Fatboys (4): 111-51 (.685)
Minnesota Fatboys (6): 111-51 (.685)
Worst Seasons
San Diego Whales (1): 41-121 (.253)
Rochester Rochester Redwings (1): 46-116 (.284)
Colorado Springs Silver Stars (7): 48-114 (.296)
Tacoma Down Pour (6): 51-111 (.315)
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats (6): 54-108 (.333)
San Antonio Sting (5): 54-108 (.333)
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats (5): 54-108 (.333)
Worst Seasons For a Playoff Team
Seattle Lumber Barons (3): 73-89 (.451)
Anaheim Anteaters (4): 79-83 (.488)
Boise Mashers (2): 80-82 (.494)
Richmond Roustabouts (4): 81-81 (.500)
Florida Cottonmouths (2): 86-76 (.531)
Sioux Falls Gunslingers (4): 86-76 (.531)
Most Runs Scored (Season)
Minnesota Fatboys (6): 1137
Minnesota Fatboys (4): 1084
Albuquerque Isotopes (6) 1078
Boston Red Sox (5): 1074
Albuquerque Isotopes (4): 1041
Fewest Runs Scored (Season)
New York Yankees (7): 558
New York Yankees (6): 559
New York Metropolitans (6): 570
Chicago Jayhawks (5): 588
Anaheim Anteaters (6): 626
Worst Single-Season Offensive Performance (OPS)
(min. 504 PA)
.498 — Cy Byrne (Monterey, season 6)
.517 — Lonny Fernandez (Tacoma, season 5)
.544 — Troy Stern (Philadelphia, season 6)
.549 — Tony Terrero (Philadelphia, season 1)
.552 — Philip Gagne (Albuquerque, season 1)
.553 — Andre Beimel (San Antonio, season 2)
.554 — Oswaldo Martin (Washington, season 4)
.557 — Geoff Mantei (Washington, season 6)
.560 — Cyrus Jackson (Colorado Springs, season 7)
.562 — Julian Baerga (Philadelphia, season 1)
Most Expensive International Signings
Francisco Tatis (7): $20.8M (Washington D.C. Bureaucrats)
Marino Reyes (3): $20.4M (Rochester Rochester Redwings)
Jesus Benitez (8): $20.1M (Philadelphia Phenomenauts)
Juan Bonilla (8): $20.0M (Buffalo Europeans)
Shigetoshi Itou (6): $20.0M (Washington D.C. Bureaucrats)
Bartolo Estrada (6): $20.0M (Boston Red Sox)
Aurelio Martin (4): $19.5M (Kansas City Monarchs)
Cookie Tatis (6): $18.3M (Buffalo Europeans)
Livan Guzman (6) $18.0M (Philadelphia Phenomenauts)
Einar Gandarilla (6) $18.0M (Minnesota Fatboys)
Juan DeSoto (4): $18.0M (Boston Red Sox)
New York Metropolitans (6): 117-45 (.722)
Chicago Jayhawks (5): 114-48 (.704)
Chicago Jayhawks (4): 113-49 (.698)
Minnesota Fatboys (4): 111-51 (.685)
Minnesota Fatboys (6): 111-51 (.685)
Worst Seasons
San Diego Whales (1): 41-121 (.253)
Rochester Rochester Redwings (1): 46-116 (.284)
Colorado Springs Silver Stars (7): 48-114 (.296)
Tacoma Down Pour (6): 51-111 (.315)
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats (6): 54-108 (.333)
San Antonio Sting (5): 54-108 (.333)
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats (5): 54-108 (.333)
Worst Seasons For a Playoff Team
Seattle Lumber Barons (3): 73-89 (.451)
Anaheim Anteaters (4): 79-83 (.488)
Boise Mashers (2): 80-82 (.494)
Richmond Roustabouts (4): 81-81 (.500)
Florida Cottonmouths (2): 86-76 (.531)
Sioux Falls Gunslingers (4): 86-76 (.531)
Most Runs Scored (Season)
Minnesota Fatboys (6): 1137
Minnesota Fatboys (4): 1084
Albuquerque Isotopes (6) 1078
Boston Red Sox (5): 1074
Albuquerque Isotopes (4): 1041
Fewest Runs Scored (Season)
New York Yankees (7): 558
New York Yankees (6): 559
New York Metropolitans (6): 570
Chicago Jayhawks (5): 588
Anaheim Anteaters (6): 626
Worst Single-Season Offensive Performance (OPS)
(min. 504 PA)
.498 — Cy Byrne (Monterey, season 6)
.517 — Lonny Fernandez (Tacoma, season 5)
.544 — Troy Stern (Philadelphia, season 6)
.549 — Tony Terrero (Philadelphia, season 1)
.552 — Philip Gagne (Albuquerque, season 1)
.553 — Andre Beimel (San Antonio, season 2)
.554 — Oswaldo Martin (Washington, season 4)
.557 — Geoff Mantei (Washington, season 6)
.560 — Cyrus Jackson (Colorado Springs, season 7)
.562 — Julian Baerga (Philadelphia, season 1)
Most Expensive International Signings
Francisco Tatis (7): $20.8M (Washington D.C. Bureaucrats)
Marino Reyes (3): $20.4M (Rochester Rochester Redwings)
Jesus Benitez (8): $20.1M (Philadelphia Phenomenauts)
Juan Bonilla (8): $20.0M (Buffalo Europeans)
Shigetoshi Itou (6): $20.0M (Washington D.C. Bureaucrats)
Bartolo Estrada (6): $20.0M (Boston Red Sox)
Aurelio Martin (4): $19.5M (Kansas City Monarchs)
Cookie Tatis (6): $18.3M (Buffalo Europeans)
Livan Guzman (6) $18.0M (Philadelphia Phenomenauts)
Einar Gandarilla (6) $18.0M (Minnesota Fatboys)
Juan DeSoto (4): $18.0M (Boston Red Sox)
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