Travis
D’Arnaud (Blue Jays): If you’re looking at the best “real baseball”
prospect, I’d have him at the top of the list. For fantasy purposes, I have him
here because J.P. Arencibia currently holds the position in Toronto, and I
don’t think the organization is in any hurry to get him to the majors (if Brett
Lawrie’s 2011 is any indication). Still though, his tools are loud, so whenever
he gets consistent playing time, D’Arnaud will be a strong candidate to join
the top tier of fantasy catchers. http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2012/01/24/top-10-minor-league-fantasy-catchers-for-2012/
Gino
Cimoli (b. 1929) was a star high school player in San Francisco
(Galileo H.S.). He was the first batter
in the first Major League Game played on the west coast when, playing for the
Dodgers, he led off the inaugural game against the Giants at Seals
Stadium. (Ruben Gomez struck him
out.) In 1960, as a Pirate, he
contributed to their World Series win over the Yankees. http://fairandunbalancedblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/baseball-losses-in-2011.html
Hamilton’s story has been well documented. He was a Baseball
prodigy, a teenager who could do anything on the field. He could hit, hit for
power, play defense, throw out runners, and run. He was going to be better than
Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Babe Ruth. He was going to be the one to lead
the Tampa Bay Devil Rays out of basement all by himself. He was the first pick
of the 1999 draft. He was the number one prospect in Baseball. He was the one. Then, the addiction took over. It took over in ways that most
can’t even imagine. He gave glimpses of his talent, but something was off. He
got in trouble, and by 2002, he was out of Baseball. He would serve as the
cautionary tale of what happens when an athlete is given too much, too soon.
His name would be thrown around as the example of a great player never
realizing his talent because he got caught up in drugs. High School coaches all
over America lectured their players about the dangers of life and how Josh Hamilton threw it all away. Mantle
may have struggled with alcohol and it may have stunted his growth as a player,
but it never took him off of the field. Hamilton’s addiction almost cost him
everything. Hamilton’s addiction looks like it will always haunt him. http://www.baseballdigest.com/2012/02/07/our-mantle-and-our-hope/
One of the primary pieces in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, Drew Pomeranz is often mentioned as one
of the better pitching prospects in baseball. There is indeed a lot to like,
but I have a hard time seeing top of the rotation upside. Pomeranz captured the
ace role early in his career at Ole Miss and was ridden heavily; his delivery
and workload left many questioning whether he could remain healthy. Aside from
a pectoral strain during his junior year, that has been a non-issue. Indeed,
his arm action looks a bit cleaner than it did in college, and his large, well
developed frame portends well for his future durability. The delivery is still
on the deceptive side, but that is a factor in his favor as the fastball is
merely average – it sits 88-91 with a touch of sink. Despite its uneventful
life and velocity, it tends to get on hitters quickly, leading to
less-than-square contact when kept low in the zone. When elevated, it does miss
a few more bats but also leads to harder, fly ball oriented contact. His
changeup is more of a slow fastball (81-85 MPH), and is merely a "show
me" pitch at this point. The curve ball has always been his true weapon –
the only one that will consistently result in empty swings. It is firm (high
70s) with excellent shape and sharp late break. It is primarily buried in the
dirt as a chase pitch late in the count; the swings on it can get ugly. With
solid-to-good command, Pomeranz uses the fastball liberally, moving the ball in
and out very well. The aggressiveness with which he attacks the zone, in
combination with the facility in which contact on the fastball is made, allows
Pomeranz to efficiently consume innings. There is plenty of value here as he is
one of the better bets to turn into an average MLB starter, but the fastball
and changeup just aren't good enough for me to project him as much more than
that. http://www.bullpenbanter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=557%3A2012-top-100-31-drew-pomeranz&catid=21%3A2012-top-prospects-write-ups&Itemid=5&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bullpenbanter+%28Bullpen+Banter%29
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