MMs Top 25: Best of the Rest

#30 CF Champ Stuart (LR: #25)
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 175 lb

Age: 22
Acquired: 2013 Rule IV Draft, 6th round, Brevard College

2014: (A) .256/.341/.340, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 29 SB (88%), 36 BB, 97 K
2013: (Rk) .240/.388/.353, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 11 SB (85%), 34 BB, 58 K

     When Stuart was drafted out a small Division II school, it was a pure athleticism play on Alderson's part. With blazing speed that can get from home to 1st in 4.1 seconds, a strong football type body build, and a cannon arm, Stuart has the potential to develop into a game changing talent. However, that's where all the excitement ends. Scouts continue to say that while he does have quick hands, he still carries light hitting skills. He also doesn't possess much power having posting two straight seasons with an OBP that's higher than his SLG. His strike zone recognition skills also need significant work. Stuart has made improvements year over year but continues to lunge at off-speed pitches; particularly at pitches low in the zone and breaking away from him.

     Defensively, Stuart has made significant improvement on his "1st step" and his reactions off the bat, however, he still takes scenic, inefficient routes to the ball and has trouble tracking batted balls in flight. Continued game repetitions should him overcome this problem though and I continue to believe that his speed and arm gives him the projection to turn into a plus defender. Stuart didn't get many opportunities to face premium talent at the Division II level so that fact that he was able to keep his average above the .250 level does deserve some merit. Unfortunately, speed can only take you so far in this game so the bat will have to improve. If it does, Stuart could easily shoot up the list very quickly.

Ceiling: Just another fast guy stuck on the MLB Taxi squad. (Ezequiel Carrera)
Floor: Struggles to hit above .220 in AA.
Anticipated Assignment: (A+) Port St. Lucie starting CF  



#29 OF Vicente Lupo (LR: not ranked)

Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 180 lb

Age: 21
Acquired: 2010 International Signing, $400,000 bonus, Caracas, Venezuela

2014: (Rk) .278/.415/.504, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 7 SB (100%), 29 BB, 52 K
2013: (Rk) .220/.310/.385, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 4 SB (57%), 13 BB, 50 K
2012: (DsL2) .343/.500/.608, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 12 SB (63%), 46 BB, 45 K
2011: (DsL1) .197/.325/.379, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 5 SB (100%), 23 BB, 59 K

     Hey! Look who's back on the list! Lupo is a prime case study for why, sometimes, it is not wise to rush young players. After signing in 2010, the Mets assigned him to the tougher of the 2 Dominican Summer League teams and he struggled mightily due to a bout with malignant hypothermia. They took a step back in 2012 by sending him to DsL2 and he dominated posting a ridiculous 1.108 OPS. Thinking they were on to something, they brought him stateside and aggressively sent him to the GCL in 2013, which he wasn't ready for. So naturally, they backed off again in 2014 and like clock-work he was dominant again but this time in the lesser Appalachian League. 

     Despite the inconsistencies in his seasonal performances, the power that Lupo brings to the table is still enticing. With his raw strength and quick hands, scouts believe he has "plus-plus" 70 grade power potential; a rarity in the game today. Despite the huge power potential though, Lupo has significant swing flaws. His 31.5% K rate is one of the worst in the Mets minor league system as he has not yet learned the required patience and pitch recognition skills in order to be a potential MLB player. Due to his age and the level of play he is currently at, Lupo will need to learn this trait quickly or else he'll fall into the Aderlin Rodriguez category of a career minor league power hitter.

Ceiling: Fan drawing power.....at AAA. (Wilkin Ramirez)
Floor: Struggles to adapt to Savannah's Grayson Stadium and disappears.
Anticipated Assignment: (SS-A) Brooklyn starting LF



#28 2B L.J. Mazzilli (LR: not ranked)

Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 190 lb

Age: 24
Acquired: 2013 Rule IV Draft, 4th round, University of Connecticut

2014: (A/A+) .301/.361/.440, 11 HR, 79 RBI, 14 SB (77%), 45 BB, 82 K
2013: (SS-A) .278/.329/.381, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB (100%), 22 BB, 53 K

     With the removal of Daniel Muno from the list due to age (25 is the maximum age for my list), Mazzilli takes over as the resident college second baseman. Make though mistake though, anyone who can hit home runs in Grayson Stadium deserves at least a back-end spot on these lists. Just like Muno, Mazzilli is a guy who has no plus tool, but does everything average and it plays up thanks to his advanced eye at the plate. 

     His strong 2014 season earned him a spot on the AFL's Scottsdale Scorpions future prospect roster where he also performed extremely well. In 15 games, Mazzilli hit .306 with a .903 OPS, 1 HR, and 1 SB. Unfortunately, Mazzilli won't be able to play the 1st 50 games of the 2015 season thanks to the MiLB busting him for "drug of abuse" usage (aka....most likely pot). This could be deadly for Mazzilli as it gives the vastly underrated T.J. Rivera the opportunity to play the position everyday and make Mazzilli a forgotten thought.

Ceiling: Average skills can't crack the MLB. Career AAA 2B. (Daniel Muno)
Floor: Skills diminish during suspension. Struggles at AAA.
Anticipated Assignment: Post Suspension, (AA) Binghamton back-up 2B



#27 RHP Hansel Robles (LR: not ranked)

Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 5' 11" Weight: 185 lb

Age: 24
Acquired: 2008 International Signing, $50,000? bonus, Monsenor Nouel, Dominican Republic

2014: (AA)    7-6, 4.31 ERA, 110.2 IP, 8.6 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 1.355 WHIP
2013: (A+)    5-4, 3.72 ERA, 84.2 IP, 7.0 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.323 WHIP 
2012: (SS-A) 6-1, 1.11 ERA, 72.2 IP, 8.2 K/9, 1.2 BB/9, 0.784 WHIP
2011: (Rk)     3-1, 2.68 ERA, 37.0 IP, 10.2 K/9, 3.9 BB/9, 1.189 WHIP
2010: (DsL1) 3-3, 3.09 ERA, 67.0 IP, 6.9 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 1.149 WHIP

     There is a reason that we should never "coo coo for Cocoa Puffs" whenever we see a ridiculous stat line at the Short Season A level. As a former member of the history making 2012 Cyclones rotation, Robles is the only arm, outside of Gabriel Ynoa, still left standing on this prospect listing. After struggling with stamina and keeping better hitters off base/in the park at the AA level, the Mets front office made the decision to convert Robles to the bullpen in mid July.

     The results were instantly much better. Hitters went from a .805 OPS to a ridiculously low .435 OPS including 0 HRs in 20 IP. His positive performances also carried over into the winter for the Tigres del Licey. In 13 appearances (11.2 IP), Robles gave up only 3 hits, 1 run (0.77 ERA) while striking out 14 batters vs. 3 BB's.  His, formerly in the low 90's, fastball is now clocking in the 94-95mph range and the move allowed him to scrap his below average curveball. His change-up, his primary secondary pitch, has also gotten better thanks to it's significant speed differential (-13mph) to the fastball. With Robles being re-added to the 40 man roster this off-season, he may be the first of that historic Cyclones group to crack the MLB bullpen in 2015.

Ceiling: 2 pitch MLB Low Leverage reliever (Esmil Rogers)
Floor: One of Many Taxi Squad relievers
Anticipated Assignment: (AAA) Las Vegas bullpen



#26 1B Jayce Boyd (LR: not ranked)

Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 3" Weight: 185 lb

Age: 24
Acquired: 2012 Rule IV Draft, 6th round, Florida State University

2014: (AA) .293/.382/.414, 8 HR, 59 RBI, 14 SB (77%), 52 BB, 67 K
2013: (A/A+) .330/.410/.461, 9 HR, 83 RBI, 2 SB (33%), 61 BB, 61 K
2012: (SS-A) .239/.320/.368, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 1 SB (25%), 25 BB, 30 K

     In today's game of baseball, power is down significantly. The caliber of pitching coming out of high schools and college is just so much better than the quality of hitters. In order to combat this, teams need guys who know how to work counts and but the bat on the ball. Jayce Boyd is a perfect example of this. Coming out of college, Boyd was known as an excellent hitter with the potential to develop average to plus power. Unfortunately, that power hasn't developed thanks to a medical condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Doctors had to remove his the first rib and scalene muscles in order to alleviate the pain it was causing.

     Pain free in 2014, Boyd was a consistent hitter for the championship winning Binghamton Mets team. With no Home/Away Splits or Righty/Lefty Splits, Boyd could have a chance to develop into an MLB caliber 1B. However, in order to do that...he needs to develop more power. If not, then unfortunately, Boyd may reach the peak of his potential this year as a career minor leaguer. Which the large number of guys on the MLB squad who can play 1B in the event Duda succumbs to injury, Boyd looks to be blocked from a 2015 MLB debut. He'll need to hit at least 15 HRs in order for the front office to recognize him and even then, maybe, he'll get a small shot as a last place team's 1B.

Ceiling: Taxi Squad 1B (Chris Parmalee)
Floor: Career AAA 1B
Anticipated Assignment: (AAA) Las Vegas starting 1B

The Morning Report – 2-16-15: New SNY Studio Analyst, Worst Off-Season Signings, Gavin Cecchini, Sleeper Position Prospects

Bob Raissman | NY Daily News - "Nelson Figueroa will soon become SportsNet New York’s third full-time Mets studio analyst. MLB TV moles say Figueroa, the loquacious journeyman pitcher who was with the Mets in 2008-2009, agreed to a deal with SNY late last week. Figueroa, who has done work with MLB Network, is taking the new gig seriously. Sources said he and his wife and daughter will move from their home in Arizona to New York."

(Chris Soto: Good for Figgy. He has always been an extremely hard worker both on and off the field. The thing about guys like Figgy is.....because they don't have the premium tools most major leaguer have, they have to work twice as hard, and be twice as smart in order to make it. I personally think he is going to be a great asset for SNY during the 2015 season.

(Mack - yeah, it's me... just checking... hope you're all in good health. Thomas will confirm that Figgy and I talked a couple of weeks ago and he told me he had a screen test with SNY, but I didn't push him on whether or not he got the job. He also has signed for 50 guest host shots on MLB-TV, I'm real happy for an old friend.)

David Cameron | Fangraphs.com - "When the Mets struck early, surrendering the 15th pick in the draft to sign an aging outfielder who might not really be able to play the outfield anymore, there seemed to be one obvious explanation; they were definitely going to sign another compensation-attached free agent, so the pick surrendered to add Cuddyer would be their less valuable second rounder instead. Under that scenario, 2/$21M for Cuddyer isn’t all that bad, especially if the other addition pushed the Mets into Wild Card territory. Instead, the only other free agent the Mets signed this winter was John Mayberry, and now it really looks like they punted a valuable draft choice for the right to pay $10 million a year to a guy whose best position is occupied by Lucas Duda. There are scenarios where Cuddyer at this price would have been reasonable; the Mets making him their only off-season acquisition is not one of those scenarios."

(Chris Soto: Look....I share the same sentiment as most people. Giving up the 1st round pick for Cuddyer was ok, as long as an additional signing was made. That did not happen so now fans and analyst are questioning Sandy's commitment to "going for it" in 2015. I think everyone is missing the point here. When Cuddyer is healthy, he is a better hitter than any OF'er the Mets have trotted out there since Carlos Beltran. He was signed for a very reasonable $10.5m per year for only 2 years. If he remains healthy he will easily be worth that both on the field and off the field in regards to keeping Wright level headed and from stressing out and doing too much.)


Barry Quinn | Grading on the Curve - "Not often can a first round pick be called underrated. But among fans, prospect-lovers, and high-profile analysts, the verdict seems to be out on shortstop Gavin Cecchini. The 21-year-old was regularly absent from Mets top prospects rankings this offseason, and most people seem unimpressed with his high-floor, low-ceiling combination. However, after examining Gavin’s 2014 statistics both traditionally and sabermetrically, along with recent scouting reports, I would not be surprised if Cecchini develops into an above-average major league starting shortstop just a couple years down the road. 

(Chris Soto: I share the same opinion as Quinn. Cecchini may not light the world on fire with plus tools. But, once you get past the premium crop of current SS prospects [Lindor, Seager, Russell, etc.], Cecchini ends up being one the best remaining SS prospects out there. He is about as sure of a bet to make it as an MLB SS then any of the top guys, considering SS is such a weak position right now.)


Brian Devine | MetsMerizedOnline - "After an extremely disappointing season in 2013, most people had forgotten about Vicente Lupo. Lupo was one of the Mets top international signings in 2010, and he was often praised for his excellent power and patience at the plate....While there aren't many people talking about Lupo right now, I expect that to change quickly. Lupo carries a lot of power potential, and he is continuing to make a lot of progress. As he advances to higher levels of the minors, Lupo could emerge into one of the Mets most exciting prospects."

(Chris Soto: I like Lupo's power...but he currently strikes out wayyyy too much for my liking. He's on my Top 25 prospect radar but guys with +30% K rates just don't make it past AA nowadays. The pitching is too good. The same goes for Ivan Wilson. Champ Stuart on the other hand is so athletic and raw that I think he still has a chance of putting it all together and becoming something good.)

MM's Top 25- #19 1B Jayce Boyd

#19 1B Jayce Boyd (LR: #22)
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 3" Weight: 185 lb
Age: 23
Acquired: 2012 Rule 4 Amateur Draft, 6th round, Florida State University

2013: (A/A+) .330/.410/.461, 9 HR, 83 RBI, 2 SB (33%), 61 BB, 61 K
2012: (SS-A) .239/.320/.368, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 1 SB (25%), 25 BB, 30 K

Dominic Smith is not the only 1B turning heads in the Mets organization right now. 2012 draft pick Jayce Boyd has also been making a name for himself among the blogging community. After ripping through the South Atlantic league with a .361 batting average, the team promoted him to Port St. Lucie where he followed up with .292 average there. He also was able to maintain his near 1:1 K to BB ratios in both locations.

Probably whats most astonishing about Boyd's performance last season was the fact that he was doing it with one arm in PSL. According to reports from Adam Rubin, Boyd had sustained an injury and was advised not to throw by team doctors and that he would need surgery at the end of the year. This could be a significant reason why he couldn't generate any power so we'll need to see how he looks this year before we make a final determination on his ceiling and floor. He'll probably start the year in PSL as he gets his feet back under him recovering from surgery but if he starts fast and Aderlin Rodriguez is struggling in Binghamton, Boyd will get the call.

Anticipated Assignment: (A+) Port St. Lucie
Ceiling: High OBP Starting 1B 
Floor: Solid MLB bench piece

Q and A - Being A Met, Marlon Byrd at Trade Deadline, Bobby Parnell, Jayce Boyd

Gary Seagren -

Morning Mack.

Boy this team of ours is really confounding isn't it.  After over 50 years of watching this teams daily ups and downs and trying to figure out (oh how smart we are) who should stay and who should go we get two recent "dead men walking" back and look like they should be in the All-Star game. All kidding aside it just goes to show what a big crap shoot making these decisions really is. Look no further than your article on Ollie P. who we all wanted out of town pronto as well as the Evil Empire's  A.J. Burnett as recent examples of guys who weren't cut out for the big city pressures. As patience and calm as I am with everything else in my life I need to, at the ripe old age of 66,  just "chill" a bit more when come to my Metsies cause boy can they raise my anxiety levels and ain't it amazing how that works.

                Good morning, Gary.

You and I have talked about this. For some reason the Mets fan base (especially the young’uns) think that most ballplayers want to play, either in this city or for this team. It simply isn’t true, and, frankly, the number one reason is the press coverage. It is absolutely brutal compared to other teams and gaggles. You ask any player that came to this team from places like Toronto or Kansas City (or other places like that) and they’re used  to 2-3 reporters asking them proper questions in a gentlemanly manner. Not this town. Oh, they’ll smile to your face and ask a question gently, but just don’t pick up the newspaper the next day.

You add to this the reputation of these owners and the filth that comes out of the stands from the cash playing public and the last place these players want to sign a long term contract is with the New York Mets.

A good example is the so-called Mets fan forum on Facebook. Fans there are already calling for the trading of Zack Wheeler. One of the people that wrote in there called him ‘garbage’. How would you like to be called garbage? Does anyone deserve that from some under-educated overweight asshole with a handheld?

Get your New York Sports Here…

As far as a few Sunday questions for the great Carnac ....or should I rename you the great "Carmack"  wouldn't Bryd or Buck be the obvious choice for most likely to be dealt by month's end?

Gary, Sandy and Company just doesn’t seem capable of throwing in the towel yet. I think they are getting close but you need to start rooting for a 3-4 game losing streak that will send this team 15+ games out of the race. Right now, as I write, they are 11 back, but the big thing is that there are seven teams ahead of both St. Louis and Cincinnati who would qualify if the season ended today. You get to 15+ games and seven teams and that should do the trick.

Now, you have to find a market for who you want to trade. I don’t particularly think there is a market any longer for John Buck. His bat is simply too inconsistent and only produces an occasional home run. No one is going to want to sign him to a long term deal at the kind of money the Marlins paid him and he has never produced a productive BA that would make him an effective DH or PH for the remainder of this season.

This is not the same for Marlon Byrd. Byrd has done more than asked for and would be a tremendous pickup for a pennant contending team. You only have to pay this guy the remainder of his $700K 2013 contract which is chump change in this league. He’s not in the plans for the future Mets (and shouldn’t be). You’d like to think that this trading period, the free agent market, and the system would produce the 2014 outfield. I believe Eric Young Jr. has already earned one of those positions. I see Cesar Puello as another, but I want to believe that someone like Joc Peterson or Nick Castellanos can be traded for with all bargaining chips and young pitchers we currently have.               

I'm not really high on the deal Parnell thing but could be talked into it and yet the thing all us Met fanatic's aren't good at is letting this thing play out. Sandy's been certifiably calm and patient with his plan so I will stick with him as long as MY new "stay calm and patient" mantra holds.....here's hoping.

Here’s the thing you, I, and everyone else needs to do right now. Stop wasting time and energy on arguing whether or not a decision that has been etched in stone is correct or not. It’s etched in stone. Bobby Parnell is NOT going to be traded. Etched. Stone. Alderson may turn out to be correct here, or this could be another Brad Emaus in the making, but it’s his etch and sketch and it’s Parnell that is now stone.  

I don’t consider being a few bad outings away from an all-star invite a bad thing. We’re a long way away from Frankie Frank here.

I totally agree with you on your Optimism post and feel the same way as far as starting to really like this team and think that Sandy will stay the course kind of like an "anti-Omar" and not sacrifice the future for the present. My last question is about Boyd and Plawecki and I know they haven't played AA ball yet but you can't not be excited about how well they've handled the jumps.

                Yeah, both are doing exceptional at the next level.

The real good news here is the increased slugging percentage Boyd is showing at the A+ level (.667) from Savannah (.494). We all know how much Grayson Stadium comes into play here and playing in Florida (on a field with identical dimensions as CitiField) gives a better look as to what he’s capable of doing.

                Strangely, this hasn’t worked for Plawecki (.480 in St. Lucie, .494 in Savannah).

My guess is you’re going to see more Mets minor leaguers being experimented at more positions. Boyd would be a perfect candidate to stick out in right field for the last month of the season and let him hack it up out there.

Mack Ade – PM Report – 6-26-13 – Jayce Boyd, Kyle Johnson, Michael Fulmer, Eric Young, Gary Seagren

                                   1B Jayce Boyd - .371/.443/.509/.952, 275-AB, 6-HR, 53-RBI, 34-K, 35-BB

                                These are Boyd’s combined stats this season for Savannah and St. Lucie. They really are kind of special. I watched him play in Savannah and, I have to tell you, I didn’t think he’d actually hit better at the next level. That being said, he’s been an instant hit in Florida and, along with C Kevin Plawecki, has given thw Mets there a well needed shot of offense.

                                                I just can’t see any future for this kid as a Met. You have Ike Davis ahead of him and Dominic Smith one year behind. You try and figure out why a team drafts a first baseman in the sixth round. Was it an honest attempt to secure an insurance policy for Davis or was it an early roster fill?

                                                I’ve spent some time with Jayce as well as his family and ex-coach. I’d like to think the Mets recognized that Boyd had always been a hitting machine in college for a major school (Florida State) in a major conference (ACC). Boyd hit, in his three years there, .326, .335, and .376 and I remember draft day well. I was shocked that he was still on the board in the sixth round and thrilled he was picked by the Mets (though I do have to say that a hometown favorite of mine, St. John’s Kyle Hansen, was picked next at 201^st overall).

                                                Boyd’s going nowhere the rest of this season and don’t be surprise you don’t see him in Arizona during the off-season. We have to recognize his potential at this point and raise him to ‘blue’ prospect’ status.

The Los Angeles Angels have acquired OF Collin Cowgill from the Mets for minor league OF Kyle Johnson

                                The Mets tried dealing Cowgill earlier this week for a higher level prospect. But it didn’t work out. Johnson is a non-prospect ex-25^th round draft pick (2012) out of Washington State. He actually was having a pretty dam good year for the Angels’ A-level team: 245-AB, .310/.403/.424/.827. There is absolutely no pop here. Was the #10 prospect in the LAA system and did have 30 stolen bases, but he’s a 23-year old playing A-ball. 

                                   Michael Fulmer: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K –

                                                Wow… I didn’t see this one happening.

                                                                        Fulmer is technically on the Savannah DL roster, though he would be pitching St. Lucie if he never was injured. Right now, the Lucy rotation is a 5-man (Domingo Tapia, Angel Cuan, Alex Panteleodis, Rainey Lara, Matt Bowman) with the Sand Gnats’ Steven Matz knocking on the door. Do you promote Matz and put Fulmer back in Savannah to take the pressure off, or do you keep Fulmer ahead of the Matz, both early draft picks?

                                                                        This is not the time of the year to have a six-man rotation.

                                                                        Me? I want Fulmer in St. Lucie, where he belongs, but I also want Matz there.

                                                It’s time to clean out the closet, starting with D.J. Mitchell and Chris Schwinden in Las Vegas. Replace them with Logan Verrett and Erik Goeddel.

                                                My Binghamton rotation for the remainder of the season would be Noah Syndergaard, Domingo Tapia, Cory Mazzoni, Mark Cohoon, and Darin Gorski.

                                                That leaves me Fulmer, Matz, Cuan, Pants, and Lara in Lucy.        

David Wright on Eric Young –

“He’s been a shot in the arm for us. I think it’s unfair to expect him to keep up at this pace. He’s been great in the outfield. He’s set the table. And he’s provided some thump as far as some extra-base hits. He can steal a bag. And I think sometimes pitchers worry about him on the base paths and might leave one over the plate for you.”

MetsBlog quoted DePo saying that this was the second time he had tried to purchase Young. It’s amazing how easy it is for someone to fall in love with an outfielder that can hit .250. Still, I can see him sticking in 2014 as the ‘third best’ in a new three-man outfield. 

Gary Seagren -

Hi Mack, A thought just hit me the other day and I had to laugh. Can you imagine a scenario where we're in the wildcard race (don't stop posting the standings please) and come Sept. we're forced to "Strasburg" Harvey OMG! Come on stop laughing it COULD happen and admit it your thinking it too.

I haven’t spent any time thinking about pitch count. In fact, I can’t remember the last time, as either a Mets fan or writer, that this subject has ever come up. I have put back up the ‘wild card race’ as well as keeping up the ‘draft pick race’. Call it a ‘half-full, half-empty double post. There one main reason you aren’t going to have to worry about becoming a payoff team. There simply are too many teams that are needed to be passed in the race. It simply isn’t going to happen this year.

Anyway I agree with your recent post but I wouldn't go after any of the Eithier , Choo , Ellsbury troika cause we've been down that road WAY to many times before so I say stay with pitching, pitching and more pitching along with using the rest of the season to gauge Ike, Lucas, Travis Rueben and in Sept. Montero, Puello and a cast of thousands for the bullpen. Look if Harvey, Wheeler and Parnell are for real that goes a long way toward respectability and I know how you feel about prospects vs. major leaguers but if Choo, Ellsbury and Eithier are the answer then we're asking the wrong questions.

                I have no problem with Choo.

I like the stability of the past week, but that’s going to change when Ike Davis returns to first base and Lucas Duda goes back to left field.

I would play Eric Young, Duda, and Marlon Byrd… every night. I would establish this as the level of talent that my outfield needs to be judged by. Juan Lagares and Jordany Valdespin would be my utility outfielders until Justin Turner or Ruben Tejada returned. Then, I would replace Valdespin with Andrew Brown.

Until then, I would send down Brown with Kirk Nieuwenhuis. I’m probably done with the whole Captain Kirk thing. Banish him to the… no, that’s Superman. Just leave him at Vegas. The showgirls will love him.

As for Valdespin, he has refused to hit enough to be marketed. Now he’s just a bad hitting, average fielding, pain in the ass. Let him leadoff for Las Vegas until the phone rings some day.

In my opinion SS is our most pressing need and if I'm trading a major prospect chip that's the position I want filled after the dismal performance of Tejada and the lack of SS ready prospects in the system. I will live with defense in the OF and we certainly can find a suitable mix from among say an inexpensive resign of Young and Byrd and someone from among Den Decker, Puello and Lagares. We've stayed with the Sandy plan this long and we're finally starting to see the benefits so let’s stay the course a bit longer. Your opinion's always welcome.

I did find it interesting that everyone gave up on Tejada as soon as his defense started to stink up the place. In addition, he seemed to actually not care regarding the quality (or lack of) of his work. I’d like to give him the rest of the year to prove his long term value.

Tommy Coyle, Hoby Milner, Jayce Boyd, Kevin Gausman, Lucas Giolito

Tommy Coyle:


6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/8  - The same can be said of their 2012 draft crop, which will be led by 2B/SS Tommy Coyle. Coyle is the older brother of Sean Coyle, who was drafted by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2010 draft, and while he is arguably one of UNC’s top position players, he isn’t likely to break into that three-rounds territory. Coyle had a stellar sophomore campaign, hitting .318, second on the team, with 36 RBI, a 38:22 BB:K ratio and 18 steals. He led the Tar Heels with 83 base hits. On defense, he was solid, posting a .963 fielding percentage while splitting time at second base and shortstop.

Hoby Milner:


7-9-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6002  - Hoby Milner, LHP, Texas - Built with a tall and lanky yet wiry strong frame, Milner was turned to pitch out of the bullpen in both games played in Omaha. He served as a stalwart out of the Longhorns' bullpen during his freshman year in 2010, and assumed a more crucial swing role last spring. Milner, who throws in the upper-80s with a big breaking curveball, may be looked upon as a weekend starter next year for a Texas team looking to redeem themselves after a quick exit from the College World Series this year.


Jayce Boyd:


7-19-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/  - Jayce Boyd  - 2012  - ranked 25th
Florida State University - FR – .326/.394/.507 – 27 BB/38 K – 227 AB… SO – .335/.415/.515 – 34 BB/32 K – 233 AB - •“plus raw power, maybe a touch less” •“potential award winner with glove at first base” •“such a naturally gifted hitter that he could probably do it with his eyes closed”


Kevin Gausman:


7-21-11: - http://www.draftsite.com/article/College-Names-To-Know/92  - Strengths - Gausman is long limbed and lean, and, like Appel and Wacha, has plenty of room left to grow into his frame. Really closes his hips, which gives him good torque and produces a mid 90’s fastball – touching 97 mph. His fastball has very good late life and has a very good change-up. His delivery is smooth and balanced and he repeats it well. His mechanics are extremely easy and loose. A quick worker, gets it and goes. He is also a very good athlete and moves well off the mound to field his position.


Lucas Giolito:


7-21-11: - http://www.mockdraftmania.com/  - 4. Baltimore Orioles Lucas Giolito P Harvard Westlake High School California Trey Williams is a top 10 prospect in the 2012 MLB Draft who may go in the top 5. Lucas Giolito managed to strike out Trey Williams in a contest between Harvard Westlake ace Lucas Giolito and Valencia third baseman Trey Williams. Lucas Giolito is bound to go to UCLA unless he goes to the MLB. The Orioles need more pitchers to boost their team ERA and Baltimore is thin on pitching prospects. I’m not sold on Dylan Bundy and I really believe Lucas Giolito could become the ace of the Orioles rotation with the proper development.

2012 Draft: - Tyler Naquin, Matt Whitehouse, Lucas Giolito, Kenny Diekroeger, Jayce Boyd

Tyler Naquin:


5-12-11: - .kbtx.  - The Big 12’s leading hitter is the newest selection to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team as Thursday is was announced that Texas A&M sophomore outfielder Tyler Naquin would be a part of the team for the upcoming summer. Throughout the 2011 campaign, Naquin has been one of the nation’s top hitters and currently leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks in the top 15 nationally with a .414 batting average. Entering this weekend’s Nebraska series the A&M right fielder owns a 25-game hitting streak which is the third longest ever by an Aggie and just three games off the school record of 28 set in 1972 by R.J. Englert. The Spring, Texas, native has 23 multi-hit games this season while leading the Big 12 in runs scored with 49. Having started all but one of Texas A&M’s contests this spring, Naquin ranks first on the Aggies with 37 RBI and has also hit 16 doubles and six triples to rank among the top five in the Big 12 in both categories.



Matt Whitehouse:


6-13-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5880  UC Irvine starting pitcher Matt Whitehouse allowed just one earned run in five innings of work, while reliever Andrew Thurman was fantastic, allowing just a run in four innings of work in a huge 6-4 win over Virginia to force a decisive third game in the Charlottesville Super Regional. While Whitehouse and Thurman led the way on the mound, Drew Hillman and Tommy Reyes each had two hits in the game. For Virginia, starting pitcher Tyler Wilson only allowed a run in six innings, but relievers Justin Thompson and Branden Kline were unable to take care of business.


Lucas Giolito:


http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110608&content_id=20222396&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb  Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS, Calif.: Giolito is big and strong and can crank his fastball into the mid-90s with a low-effort delivery.


Kenny Diekroeger:


6-12-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks#/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks/page/3  - Back in 2008, at the annual Area Code Games showcase, Mike Trout put up some ridiculous numbers in the miniature combine. The only player to post better numbers than him was high-schooler Kenny Diekroeger, who ended up as a second-round pick for the Rays that next year. Diekroeger, however, had a very strong commitment to Stanford and ended up on campus later that year. Two years later, he's starting to emerge as a strong candidate to go in the Top 10 of the 2012 draft. Since then, Diekroeger has refined his actions at shortstop. Now, many feel like he could continue at the position as a pro, despite his big size (6'2", 200 lbs). He has continued to shine in all facets of the game: at the plate, on defense and on the basepaths. He struggled to hit for power with the new bats, hitting only two home runs this season (after hitting five last year). His average also dipped to a career-low of .292, just one season after becoming the first Stanford freshman to lead the team in hitting (.342) since 1997. That season he also became the first freshman to lead the team in RBIs—ever. After his stellar freshman campaign, he headed off to the New England Collegiate League, where he won league batting honors and finished second to teammate Mark Appel as the top prospect in the league. He was noted for his athletic ability by scouts and coaches alike. If he can continue to improve on defense, and have a bounce-back year at the plate, there's no doubt that Diekroeger will go in the Top Ten.


Jayce Boyd:


6-13-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5880  - Player of the game: OF Jayce Boyd, Florida State – The Seminoles needed solid offensive production to stay alive on Sunday and got just that from Boyd and others. Boyd had a huge day at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, home run, five runs scored and three RBIs. It’s also worth noting shortstop Justin Gonzalez finished the contest with two hits and six RBIs, while Stuart Tapley slammed a pair of home runs and finished the afternoon with five RBIs.