Mack Ade – AM Report – 9-10-13 – The Best of the B-Mets (cont.), High School Pitching

 

The best of the B-Mets:

                                                                                                                                           

RHRP Chasen Bradford – 24-yrs. old – 20-G, 0.71, 1.07, 25.1-IP, 18-K – Boy, I like this guy. Nobody is more dedicated at success both on and off the field. Bradford has done what the Mets have asked him to do since the day he put on a uniform in 2011. He has never produced a seasonal ERA above 4.00 and finished tis year with the combined games he pitched in St. Lucie at: 50-G, 9-3, 2.61, 69.0-IP, 61-K, only 17-BB. That’s all-star number in any league. For me, I would invite him to ‘Big Boy’ camp in the spring, but probably let him open in Las Vegas He, Jeffrey Walters, and Adam Kolarek represent three serious home grown alternative next year to eventually add to the Queens staff.

 

2B Danny Muno – 24-yrs. old - .249/.384/.379/.762/92.BB – Muno has played in three professional seasons after a successful college career at Fresno State. His problem is the fact that the results of his actions decline each year at each level. An example: OBP – 2011/Brooklyn: .980… 2012/St. Lucie: .799… 2013/Binghamton: .762… This consistent decline is the same for all offensive categories, but there is always hope and it will most probably move on to Las Vegas next spring. Muno will be given one more chance to shine or become the AAAA backup they will need a plane ride away.

 

C Juan Centeno – 23-yr.old – (LAS) - .305/.346/.371/.717, - Centeno only had 23 at-bats for Binghamton (.261) and really made his mark this year at the AAA level. He went into this year with the reputation of being a defensive specialist; however, impressed all with a .305 batting average in 213 at-bats. Obviously, there’s a home for him in Vegas, but, since he’s a lefty, he’d make a wonderful backup to Travis ‘Arnaud in Queens. Trust me, he’ll be in the Big Boy camp where they need as many catchers as they can find, but I expect him to give Anthony Recker some competition for a 25-man squad spot in April.

 

SP Mark Cohoon – 25 yrs. old – 25-G, 21-ST, 3.99,  1.45, 119.2-IP, 145-K – He’s some good advise if you’re playing A-ball someday and have jut produced a stat line of 7-1, 1.30 in 13 starts. Do NOT accept a two level jump to AA ball. That was the fate of Cohoon who overnight went from a prospect to what many have called an also ran. He ended that year in Binghamton with a 4.18 ERA. He went on to Buffalo in 2011 (6.11), got kicked back to AA ball in 2012 (3.62) and then failed again at AAA (14.63). By the end of 2012 the writing press and blogging world had pretty cast him aside and he actuallt went out and had a pretty decent year in 2013 (once again) for Binghamton. He’s only 25 and he could be a valuable piece in a trade some day; however, he stil needs to master the AAA level, which he will be given another chance to do in 2014.

 

The off-season is upon us and I want to begin to add more 2014 draft information to my daily morning report. It’s vitally important we come away with three good players in the first three rounds of a very talented draft, especially in young high school pitcher.

First some exclusive shit… don’t look for fireballer (100+) RHSP Michael Cederoth to be a first round pick as projected so far this year. Word is he’s been secretly pitching with a similar injury that Matt Harvey has and this information has now trickled down to the scouting level.

2014 is an extremely talented high school pitcher draft that will easily carry over into the second round; however, there are three names you need to get intimate with before June rolls around. They , and a little info on them, are:

 RHP  Dylan Cease – Milton (GA) HS – The second of four very talented high school righties that will go high in the first round.  Cease doesn’t throw as hard as the other two (92-95, 97), but he does project by most scouts to wind up being the most successful. Most of his other pitchers are still a work in progress.

 RHP Tyler Kolek – Shepard (TX) HS – Kolek is the third of the four top high school righties in this draft.  The 6-6 flamethrower turned on the scouts early when their radar guns hit 100. Also has a + low-80s slider, and a low 70s . He also set the record at the Perfect Game All-American Classic with a 99-mph fastball. An absolutely great combination of size and speed that is impossible to pass up on.

Grant Holmes, RHP, Conway HS (SC) - A Florida Gator commit, the 6’-2”, 190-pound right-hander hit 96 mph at the Perfect Game Nationals and flashed a plus curveball with excellent command. He also hit 95 mph at the PG Classic, showing one of the better fastballs in the prep class. He adds an above-average change-up, rounding out a solid three-pitch mix. Some scouts think he has maxed out physically, limiting his upside, but as it is, he profiles to a mid-rotation starter and possibly as high as a two. He is a very good athlete with a sound delivery and one of the best prep arms in the draft.

One or more of these guys are going to be available when the Mets send the name up to the podium and all three of these represent the perfect kind of layer they love to have in the system.

 

Dodgers sign Cuban INF Alexander Guerrero for 5-6 years, $30mil

I love what MLBTR said about Guerrero:

Guerrero probably projects as a second baseman in the majors since his range and first-step quickness aren't strong enough to stick at shortstop, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America  The offensive-oriented infielder doesn't figure to be a premium talent, but his raw right-handed power has impressed clubs.

$30mil for someone that ‘doesn’t figure to be a premium talent’. Remember when we used to spend llike this?

How does this affect the long range plans for second base for the Dodgers?

36-yr. old Mark Ellis (.271) is in the last year of his contract and we have to assume he’s a goner. The rumors continue that the Dodgers will bid high for the services of FA Robinson Cano. How does that work if they sign this Cuban prospect? Did they give him $30mil to sit in the dugout?

In addition, 14^th ranked prospect Jesmuel Valentin has a 2016 tag on his back