Baseball – Travis D’Arnaud, Gino Cimoli, Josh Hamilton, Drew Pomeranz

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