Season 10 Draft Review

1.       P Henderson Davenport (PHI)
Owner Comments:
I was shooting for next year's #2. It backfired. The guy I got won't make the big leagues…well he might for me because my team stinks so bad, but you know what I mean. If I would have picked the the best player on my board it would have been the guy at #24.
hurricane384’s take:
Solid closer, might be a little early for a closer, especially one that won't put up that many innings and won't be dominant.

2.       P Peter Gray (ARI)
Owner Comments:
With the second overall pick of the draft, the Arizona Firebirds selected a dynamic 18 year old, right-handed pitcher, Peter Gray out of Oak Park High School in the surburb of Chicago. At times during his senior year, Gray was ranked as high as #1 on Baseball America’s 2012 mid-season list.However, rumors of him committing to multiple D-I schools such as Pepperdine, UCLA, and Arizona, caused him to start slipping down in the 1st round of the professional draft. The Firebirds saw him still sitting there at the No.2 overall pick and did not waste time scooping him up and making Arizona his permanent new home. Gray possesses outstanding control and 4 pitches in his arsenal including a very well developed 4-seam fastball,a nasty 12-6 curve which he can throw equally effective to hitters on either side of the plate as well as a developing changeup. While he does not throw heat, some scouts say that with his mechanics and ways he studies hitters as a young pitcher,he has top of the rotation potential. He could even challenge last season's 1st Rounder (5th overall) Al Owen as the top prospect in the Arizona farm system.
hurricane384’s take:
Good pick who should be able to anchor a staff for seasons to come.

3.       P Alex Suzuki (LA)
Owner Comments:
He was #1 on my draft board and so we felt very fortunate to be able to land him at 3. As far as I can see he's got it all, stamina/durability, control, splits, and velocity. If he comes anywhere near where his projections are he will be a bona fide ace for seasons to come.
hurricane384’s take:
Although he won't be able to get real deep into games, he has the potential to be a star.

4.       2B Denny Spencer (MNT)
Owner Comments:
The Hornets are extremely pleased to get Denny Spencer at #4,he was actually the #1 rated player on our board going into the draft. Since he's arrived in camp, we've tempered our expectations on his range & glove growth, but he looks like he can handle right handed pitching better than we expected,so we'll take that trade off. His contact, power & batting eye are exceptional, and as long as he approaches his defensive projections we won't have a problem playing him at 2B.He should hit around .300 with 30-40 HRs and have an OBP above .400 every season. Best case scenario he is a perenial all-star at 2B, worst case is he's a gold glove left fielder. In either case he will surely smash the **** out of the ball.
hurricane384’s take:
He's not likely to be a superstar, but still should be a good COF for the Hornets.

5.       SS Alan Lombard (ELP)
Owner Comments:
Lombard has a chance to be a .280 hitter with 20/20 as a possibility at SS. He has to stay healthy, which is a huge concern, but if he does, will be the starting SS in about 3 years.
hurricane384’s take:
If he progresses to his projections, he's going to be a silver slugger, gold glove, all-star SS…a steal.

6.       SS Gregg Hill (LAA)
Owner Comments:
A shortstop who will probably play another position in the majors. He has the potential to be a good, though not great, all around offensive producer. He does project to have the ability to play solid defense. I expected to gain more from my draft position; but, Hill will be solid.
hurricane384’s take:
He doesn't have the range to be a SS, but he can be a solid 3B who can hit some.

7.       SS Germany Fleming (CH2)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Quite possibly the steal of the draft, if Fleming develops properly, he'll compete with Lombard for the silver slugger and be a consistent all-star.

8.       P Bryan Dunham (CH2)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Chicago got a legit SS and a very good closer with back-to-back picks.

9.       SS Phillip Latham (LR)
Owner Comments:
Latham is a player capable of playing a great SS, who has the ratings to be a #2 hitter. He lacks power, but his contact and speed will make him a good OBP player,and could do some damage on the basepaths. Was he worthy of the #9 pick? Probably not. However, my scouting was extremely bad for both HS and College pitching, so I am happy to get him. I had him as my #2 player.
hurricane384’s take:
Continuing a dangerous run of SS, this guy should be very good as well. Should be an all-star.

10.   P Lance Gardner (NO)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Should develop into a #3 starter with #1/#2 potential.

11.   P Stuart Gorgen (CLE)
Owner Comments:
While Gorgen was picked by the previous GM, he is currently viewed as a hard worker with great control, good velocity, with a number of out pitches, should be a solid #2 starter and depending on his development could push for #1.
hurricane384’s take:
Will struggle against RHB, but should still be a good pitcher.

12.   2B Ed Hall (SEA)
Owner Comments:
He was my #4 overall, I didnt see many studs. Great range, below average glove. sold hitter.
hurricane384’s take:
Hall has good power, and will be good offensively. Not much of a defender.

13.   SS Shawn Roth (CSP)
Owner Comments:
The organization felt that we needed another top notch bat. As long as his glove develops, Shawn Roth will be a very good hitter at a premium position. You can't ask for more based on our draft position.
hurricane384’s take:
Good offensive player with good splits. He might be able to hold down SS if his offense develops.

14.   SS Nick Snow (ROC)
Owner Comments:
The Rochester front office will continue to undergo changes as the new owners look to clean up this organization.These changes will now carryover to our scouts and draft day personal after the selection of Nick Snow in the first round. Snow might make the ML roster someday as a defensive player but that is about it.We were hoping to land Stuart Gorgen or Ed Hall who were taken just a few picks earlier. The selection of Snow most certainly delayed the already slow turnaround here in Rochester.
hurricane384’s take:
Projects to be a solid 2B but definitely won't be playing SS.

15.   CF Francis Hutton (JAC)
Owner Comments:
Excellent speed, okay splits - it all comes down to how well he'll meet his projections...
hurricane384’s take:
Lacks the range for CF, but he's fast and solid offensively.

16.   SS Jack Jurrjens (FLA)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Good defensively, although he lacks a bit in glove. He's going to be a very good offensive SS.

17.   P Brent Harding (CLB)
Owner Comments:
I got the guy number five on my board. Best available impact player I could get and see. I am very happy to have my closer of the future…today.
hurricane384’s take:
Lacks great stamina, but should be able to come in and throw quite a few good innings.

18.   CF Bernie Shermann (NO)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Solid range with tremendous power and a good eye. Good speed. Interesting player.

19.   P Nathan May (LOU)
Owner Comments:
The #6 player on my board, I am excited to add May. He might not develop into an ace, but should definitely be a good pitcher for years to come. He will get lots of ground balls and limit walks, and that's all you can ask for in Louisville.
tk’s take:May has great control and above average splits which will be helped out by two great pitches.

20.   P Charlie Woods (LOU)
Owner Comments:
The #10 player on my board, he actually might turn out to be better than May. He'll be able to throw lots of innings. His vsR worries me some as well as the fact that he only has 3 pitches, but those pitches are good, so we shall see.
tk’s take:Woods is nearly similiar as he has great control and his first two pitches are excellent. He'll be more dominant against lefties than May perhaps.

21.   2B Amos Willis (TOR)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Projects to be a very good lead-off hitter who should be able to hold down 2B.

22.   P Heath Barney (NY2)
Owner Comments:
Well, at 22 I was pretty happy to get Heath Barney. While he does not project to have overpowering splits,they will be above average. When ready, he will throw 5 pitches with great control. His health and makeup are as good as it gets. He’s already pitching well at High A and I think he’ll be a good middle to back of the rotation guy at the ML level.
hurricane384’s take:
Lacks great splits, but definitely could make up for that by not walking many and having a couple very good pitches.

23.   P O.T. Gardner (PIT)
Owner Comments:
O.T. Gardner his stam and contol should be good along w/his splits. His pitches show some concern with only 1 good pitch. Hoping he can be a #3 starter.
hurricane384’s take:
Should be a good pitcher. Throws relatively hard and induces quite a few groundballs.

24.   2B Mitchell Franco (LV)
Owner Comments:
I hope he doesn't sign; still holding out asking $7M and that's all I have left. Risking him signing so that I can pick up a comp pick next season and use the money to sign the next two draft picks and maybe pick up a Int'l yet.
hurricane384’s take:
Should be a solid option at 2B while holding down the lead-off spot for seasons to come.

25.   P Alex Peters (ATL)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Not much of a pick here as my suspicion is that Atlanta is going for a compensatory pick next season.

26.   P Pat MacDougal (NB)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
May go onto college, but if he doesn't New Britain may have found themselves an anchor for their bullpen.

27.   C Ken Melancon (CHR)
Owner Comments:
Relatively happy considering the weakness of the draft combined with choosing so late in the first round. Should be a good hitting catcher…hopefully his PC progresses enough to warrant a shot behind the plate as we believe a great bat back there can overcome defensive inefficiencies
hurricane384’s take:
Although he doesn't have great durability, he should be a solid platoon option as well as a good play-off C.

28.   P Bryce Pierre (CHY)
Owner Comments:
With the 28th pick, the Gunslingers selected Bryce Pierre ,a reliever that will be able to eat some innings and should be almost impervious to injury. Our scouts see him as an 80 OVR rating with excellent control and 2 good pitches, which should suffice for bullpen work.
hurricane384’s take:
His splits aren't great, but he definitely should make for a solid option out of the pen.

29.   P Otis Walker (ATL)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Lacks great splits, but has the durability and stamina to be a real workhorse for a bullpen.

30.   CF Darren Simmons (OTT)
Owner Comments:
In an extremely weak draft, I was very happy to land Simmons whom I had ranked 9th overall in the draft. He is projected to be a gold glove CF with 90+ range andglove. Also, he has great speed and basestealing ability. His bat is rather pedestrian, but his defense and speed more than compensate. I think he will be a mainstay in CF for many years.
hurricane384’s take:
Solid defensive CF. Has tremendous speed and should be good enough offensively to make a difference.

31.   LF Lonny Tice (HON)
Owner Comments:
Really happy to get him that late in the first round…doesn't project to be a star, but should be at least an average regular on a playoff contender.
hurricane384’s take:
Solid offensively, he won't be a star, but definitely can contribute.

32.   P Domingo Lee (LR)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Doesn't have great splits, but won't walk many and should keep the ball in the park. Could be a workhorse.

33.   P Hal Tanner (JAC)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Terrible vsR but has a couple good pitches and won't walk many people.

34.   LF Rich Swift (CIN)
Owner Comments:
hurricane384’s take:
Tremendous get here…He's got solid offensive numbers including a great CON. Should be good.

Top Free Agents

Catcher

1.       Jean Leonard
Top-notch power and contact, he struggles with consistently driving the ball. Not much for calling games, but can throw a runner out.

2.       Vladimir Osoria
An offensive player, he dominates LHP and has solid power, contact, and vsR. Good eye. Weak defensively.

3.       Darrell Garciaparra
Another solid offensive player who dominates LHP, he struggles against RHP. Calls a decent game, but lacks a good arm. Good durability, but has health concerns.

First Base

1.       Jamey Petkovsek
One of the better offensive players available, he doesn’t have many weaknesses, but isn’t truly elite with any of his ratings.

2.       Bret Maas
Great contact, and is better against RHP. Good eye. Solid all-around offensively. Really weak defensively, ideal DH candidate.

3.       Rico Dotel
Solid offensive player with a great eye. Has a strong arm for a 1B/DH, but doesn’t have the range.

Second Base

1.       Amos Cole
Lacks ideal range, but will make plays on the balls he gets to. Won’t carry a team offensively, but shouldn’t embarrass them either.

2.       Santo Guerrero
Good range and solid glove, but a weak arm. He won’t carry a team on offense. Could be a candidate for a utilityman.

3.       Darrel Lawrence
Isn’t very good defensively, with a weak, inaccurate arm and lacking the range or glove to make a difference. Hangs his hat on his power. Struggles with RHP.

Third Base

1.       Matt McKnight
Solid defensively. Decent speed. He’s not going to carry you offensively, but makes good contact with a decent eye and some power.

2.       Steven Griffin
Dominates LHP and won’t be embarrassed against RHP. Average power, contact, and eye. Lacks ideal range, but makes up for it with a good glove and accurate arm.

3.       Louis Taylor
Hits LHP better than RHP and is solid offensively. Has a top-notch glove and accurate arm, but struggles with his range and getting much on the throw.

Shortstop

1.       Corey Byrd
Great at making contact with some good power, he makes his hay against LHP. Struggles mightily against RHP. Great eye. Slow as molasses, but is a good defender.

2.       Mike Payne
Solid offensively, he hits LHP better than RHP. Lacks ideal range and glove, but can be solid in a pinch.

3.       Gio Jacquez
Will make a lot of contact, but doesn’t drive the ball real well. Decent eye. His range isn’t great, but he has a strong arm and good glove.

Left Field

1.       Ron Stocker
Average at making contact he has good power. He’s a solid defender, able to get to most balls and make the play too. Great eye.

2.       Albert Garces
Solid across the board, Garces can definitely work the count with his great eye. Solid defensively, but won’t be mistaken for a defensive juggernaut either.

3.       Jackie Bell
Good power and good against RHP, he’s got an average eye. Not good defensively.

Center Field

1.       Hector Milligan
Lacks ideal range but has a solid glove. He hits for a good average, with average power. Solid at driving the ball. Solid eye.

2.       Bunny Cashner
Not the ideal range, but a good glove. Good speed and baserunning instincts. Makes lots of contact and is really good against RHP. Average eye.

3.       Trenidad Cruz
Good range and glove with a very good, strong arm. Doesn’t excel offensively, but is very fast.

Right Field

1.       Jorge Marichal
Very good against RHP and a good eye, he’s solid offensively. Might be one of the best defensive RF I’ve seen with good range and a tremendous arm.

2.       Matty Bailey
Makes his name offensively. Doesn’t strike out much and will walk quite a bit. Good glove defensively, but everything else is average to below average.

3.       Abdullah Peterson
Drives the ball well, when he makes contact. Weak defensively but has a solid arm.

Starter

1.       Alex Estalella
A LHP who has 3 high quality pitches to go along with great control. Doesn’t have the ideal velocity, but does induce some GBs. Keeps the ball out of the hitting zone on a consistent basis.

2.       Erick Stone
Good control, better against RHB than LHB. Will strike out a lot of guys with his high velocity. Has 4 very quality pitches.

3.       Roberto Beltre
Good control. Solid at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Will not get a lot of groundballs. Solid 1-3 pitches. Lacks the velocity for that high-leverage strikeout.

Reliever

1.       Alfredo Miranda
Has tremendous control and dominates RHB. Great pitches 1-2, but weak 3&4. Good velocity. Lacks the ideal durability and stamina.

2.       Carlos Cervantes
Isn’t great at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone, but does not walk many. Has some pitches, but doesn’t have great velocity.

3.       Vic Francisco
Good stamina/durability combination. Keeps the ball out of the hitting zone. Doesn’t have that one dominating pitch. Lacks velocity. Good control.

World Series Preview (S9)

#3 (NL) Charleston River Dogs
91-71; Def. New York 3-0; Def. Atlanta 3-2; Def. Ottawa 4-3.

#4 Runs Scored; #4 ERA; #3 Fldg %

Winners of the NL East for the 5^th year in a row, Charleston sends an offense led by 1B Milton Kramer (.333/.467/.541, 24HR, 100 RBI, 107 R), 2B Bruce Casanova (.293/.354/.594, 44 HR, 126 RBI, 109 R, 43/48 SB), C Enrique Canseco (.290/.364/.531, 27 HR, 91 HR, 62 R) and 3B Eddie Black (.263/.366/.341, 40/44 SB, 100 R). This offense is one that is top-heavy, but also built to not strike out much, having the 5^th fewest strikeouts.

                The pitching staff is led by 17-game winner Tyler Betancourt (17-6, 210.1 IP, 163 K, 1.07 WHIP, 2.65 ERA), Willie Oliva (16-9, 215.2 IP, 216 K, 1.10 WHIP, 2.59 ERA), Al Castro (18-10, 214.1 IP, 177 K, 1.25 WHIP, 3.74 ERA) in the rotation and a solid bullpen led by Marcus Burns (105.1 IP, 11/14 SV, 1.25 WHIP, 3.84 ERA) and Dean Matthews (109.2 IP, 11/17 SV, 1.34 WHIP, 4.02 ERA).

#1 (AL) Syracuse Orange
106-56; Def. Richmond 3-1; Def Texas 4-0

#2 Runs Scored; #3 ERA; #4 Fldg %

                Winners of the AL North for the 2^nd time, Syracuse’s offense is led by some big boppers as 3 players eclipsed the 30 home run mark, DH Gill Williams Jr (.295/.368/.608, 40 HR, 126 RBI, 107 R), LF Todd Liefer (.260/.330/.520, 40 HR 98 RBI, 100 R), and C Sam Jordan (.282/.35/.505, 31 HR, 114 RBI, 78 R). 5 players knocked in 98 or more runs, while 8 players scored 78 or more runs.

                A top-notch pitching staff saw 10 players win 6 or more games. Jerome Brocail (18-9, 224.0 IP, 178 K, 1.27 WHIP, 4.30 ERA) and Dave Bellhorn (16-11, 220.2 IP, 146 K, 1.17 WHIP, 3.26 ERA) led the rotation, while the bullpen was anchored by Jim Phillips (118.2 IP, 11/13 SV, 83 K, 1.37 WHIP, 4.17 ERA), Willie Dunston (57.1 IP, 4/12 SV, 51 K, 1.13 WHIP, 4.55 ERA) and Tony Moreno (57.0 IP, 13/14 SV, 46 K, 1.32 WHIP, 1.89 ERA).

Prediction:

                This should be an awesome World Series as 2 of the top teams in the world battle it out. Syracuse has the edge offensively, while Charleston is going to look for their elite pitching staff to play spoiler. I look for Syracuse to take this series in 7 games.

Season 8 Draft Review

1.       RF Michel Miro (LA)
One of the better power hitters in the draft, Miro is average at making contact. He’s got a good eye and solid splits. He’s got decent durability. Good range, poor glove, and a very good arm for RF.
crb2 says: Michel Miro probably wasn't the sexiest overall number 1 pick. I would have preferred to grab a future star up the milddle. But factoring in both the potential and where he is right now, I felt that when all was said and done he would achieve the highest ratings of any position player in the draft.
hurricane384’s take: Miro is going to be a good player, although his contact is going to hold him back some…still a very good pick here.

2.       SS Robert Miller (MNT)
Solid across the board defensively. Above average contact and power. Dominates LHP, solid against RHP. Fast and durable with a good eye.
tbone66 says: Robert Miller should be a decent hitter and should have good defense but maybe not as a SS
hurricane384’s take: I like Miller. He might never win a gold glove, but he definitely will compete for a silver slugger should he hit his projections.

3.       LF Houston Reese (NY2)
Below average against RHP and a below average eye. Tremendous contact and power. Good against LHP. Lacks ideal glove, but decent range and arm. Durable and fast.
abesmem says: Well, I really love my first pick (3rd overall). I had Houston Reese rated number 1 on my board. He projects to be the best hitter I've ever had with power(93 projected), a 100 rating on contact, 98 speed, great glove for 1B and very solid on all the intangibles. Very happy with the pick. He's starting out in Low A ball.
hurricane384’s take: I would like to see his vRH and eye be higher, but taken as a whole, this is a good pick.

4.       2B Bob Jones (ELP)
Lacks ideal range, glove, and arm for 2B. Good power, good splits, good eye. Durable and fast.
BastanRedsox says: He was 2nd on my draft board, prob going to be a left fielder for me. Nice power/speed combo that will be a high avg guy from .290-.320. Overall a solid major leaguer but not a star to build around.
hurricane384’s take: Bastan is right, he’s going to have to go to the corners, but you’re not giving up anything offensively by doing that.

5.       SS Steve Piper (FLA)
Good contact, solid power and splits. Solid eye. Lacks ideal range and arm accuracy, but has a great glove and a strong arm.
ajwalton says: Florida was happy to pick up their both their top-rated position player and their top-rated pitcher with the 5th and 13th pick. Piper looks like he'll have a long career as a ML shortstop.
hurricane384’s take: Piper doesn’t have the defense I like at SS, but with his offense it’d be worth playing him there.

6.       2B William Buckner (CLB)
Good range, good glove. Solid arm. Very fast. Durable. Great contact, good power, good eye. Splits are average.
anml34 says: I was glad to get bill Buckner with my first pick although scouting says he might be a fielding liability.
hurricane384’s take: I’d plug Buckner in at CF and be very happy for 10 seasons.

7.       LHP Buzz Stechschulte (LR)
Great control, good stamina/durability. Good splits. 3 good pitches. Ground ball pitcher. Lacks velocity.
nesman says: If he hits his projections, should make a solid # 3, maybe # 2 starter. Will eat a lot of innings with his high stamina projection.
hurricane384’s take: For being the #7 pick, this is a high quality pick.

8.       SS Dante Crummack (PHI)
Unsigned. I’ll turn it over to russ33b for his comments.
russ33b says: Overall, the Freedom are content with their first round draft pick, but not ecstatic. With the team owner out of town for from the time the players declared for the draft until after the picks were made the whole job was left to the GM. At least he didn't completely blow it. I would have taken any of the 3 guys taken after me before I took Crummack though. Supposing Dante Crummack gets his act together and decides to sign... he should end up as our 2b or 3b of the future. He'll never be an everyday player... probably 120-130 starts or so a year, but he has some decent plate skills. The highlight of the draft actually appears to be Peter Gray all the way in the 6th round. If he turns out to be what my scouts think he will... he's a huge steal for so late of a pick.

9.       C A.J. Dupler (OTT)
Good arm. Solid game-caller. Great contact, good power. Dominates LHP, solid against RHP. Fast for a C. Lacks ideal durability. Good eye.
mlhutch says: I had him pegged as the 3rd best position player in the draft. I value defense and Dupler's combination of defense and bat put him high on the list. His durability will limit him somewhat but he will be a great everyday player. I put a premium on the catcher position for an NL team so he is another critical piece for the Ottawa resurgence.
hurricane384’s take: Good pick. Durability is a concern, but his offense is worth figuring it out.

10.   LHP Patrick Moore (NB)
Very good splits. Great control. Great velocity and groundball ability. Very good pitch combination. Good stamina/durability.
mikejuggalo had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: Hate taking RP here, but it’s a very good pick, so it should be worth it.

11.   LF Shawn Brooks (CLE)
Unsigned.

12.   RHP Ed Watkins (PIT)
Lacks control. Good stamina/durability. Good velocity. Good GB. Splits are good. Good pitch combination.
cbf88 had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: If his control gets to where it is projected, this could pay off big-time as he has the talent to be a good pitcher.

13.   P John Robinson (FLA)
Has an average pitch combination. Lacks ideal stamina. Good control. Good splits. Great velocity. Decent GB.
ajwalton says: Robinson should be a solid 2-3 starter.
hurricane384’s take: Solid pick, not flashy. Could be a good pitcher though.

14.   P Cristian McCartney (ATL)
Solid pitch combination. Good control. Good splits. GB pitcher. Good velocity.
mr_gone had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: This is another solid pick.

15.   P Dennis Rigdon (CHY)
Lacks ideal control. Decent stamina/durability. Solid splits. Great velocity. Solid pitch combination. GB pitcher.
byers61 says: Rigdon has average control, but the rest of the numbers look good: great splits, velocity, and three decent pitches. His stamina says he will serve best as a long reliever/spot starter.
hurricane384’s take: You’re getting to the point in the 1^st round where you can’t be pick. Rigdon will likely have some outstanding seasons as a LR and other seasons where his lack of control gets the best of him.

16.   1B Archie Van Hatten (TEX)
Unsigned.
elixerr says: he still needs to sign, then depending on how much the projections go down because of the stupid rule of not being able to max out scouting budgets when you take over a team. He could be an absolute stud hitter or a run of the mill LF. Time will tell

17.   P Ajax Rolls (ARI)
Good stamina/durability. Great control. Solid splits. Good pitch combination. Lacks velocity. Solid GB.
cincystephen says: I had him rated 5th on my board. I thought the pitching was week from what i could see, but i'm a Pitching, pitching, pitching kind of guy. Not the best verse lefties, but good control, good vs righties and four good pitches with the first pitch scouting telling me it will be around 90. very good make up and patience telling me he should develop close to my high school scouts projects for an 18 year old. I think he will be a solid starter for a 17th pick.
hurricane384’s take: I like this pick. He could be a definite contributor.

18.   CF Dario Kennedy (TOR)
Good range and glove. Good durability. Solid contact, power. Solid splits and eye. Decent speed.
mtorabdaddy had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: I’d love to have this guy in my system with this pick. He could lock down the CF position defensively and not hurt the team on offense.

19.   P P.T. Mesa (CH2)
Lacks ideal durability, but has good stamina. Great control. Good splits. Good velocity. Good GB pitcher. Great pitch combination.
mamidu says: Very excited about getting Mesa at #19. I feel that he can be a future #1. He has 1 dominate pitch a very good one and 2 above average ones. His splits aren't great, but his great control should make up for that with his velocity and he is a ground ball pitcher to boot.
hurricane384’s take: Good job with this pick. Mesa could definitely be good down the road.

20.   C Lenny Flores (SEA)
Doesn’t have ideal arm accuracy, but a decent arm strength. Lacks ideal durability. Average game caller. Great power. Good contact. Dominates LHP. Average against RHP. Great eye.
gerald007 had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: He’s a good hitter, who misses on the ability to be completely elite due to his relative inability to hit RHP.

21.   P Johnny Miller (JAC)
Good durability/stamina. Great control, velocity, and GB. Solid pitch combination. Solid against LHB, struggles against RHB.
quackup says: I'd be happier if his lefty/righty splits were stronger, but he has excellent control, especially for a groundball pitcher. We'll see what develops...
hurricane384’s take: Miller has potential, but the vsR scares me.

22.   CF Douglas Sutcliffe (LAA)
Lacks ideal arm and range. Average power, struggles at making contact. Solid against LHP but struggles against RHP. Decent eye. Good speed and durability.
allright says: He should find a comfortable Big League niche as a bottom of the order hitter with better than average defensive skills and below average leadership potential. His age and college background should have him ready for the Big Show within three seasons.
hurricane384’s take: I can’t really find a whole lot to say. I wish he excelled in one aspect of the game.

23.   P Darren Brumbaugh (CSP)
Lacks ideal control. Solid stamina/durability. Good splits. Good velocity. Good pitch combination.
joekendall had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: If his control were better this would be an absolute steal. For now though, he’s going to be a frustrating player.

24.   P Tom Craig (CLB)
Decent pitch combination. Good stamina/durability. Good splits. Lacks velocity. Decent GB pitcher.
anml34 says: The pitcher I got late in the first was at number 9 on my big board so I was happy with the value there.
hurricane384’s take: I’d be throwing the party of the century to have landed this guy with this late of a pick. Not an ace, but a solid pitcher.

25.   P Hersh Carson (CHR)
Good durability/stamina. Great pitch combination. Great splits and velocity. Great control.
hopkinsheel says: River Dogs Management are pretty pleased that Carson was available when they picked late in the first round. Although we wish he threw more ground balls, his combination of splits, pitches, control, and velocity make him a prime closing prospect down the road. We feel like we got great value here.
hurricane384’s take: This is a great value pick. Not a whole lot to say here other than he’s going to give up some dingers.

26.   CF Flash Baker (NO)
Good range, weak glove. Solid arm. Good speed. Good splits. Durable. Solid contact. Average power. Solid eye.
balance71 says: Flash Baker projects to be an outstanding defensive second baseman, with extraordinary range and an outstanding glove. His versatility as a defender is limited by his unremarkable arm, but he could be outstanding in CF and LF, too. He projects to be a solid hitter with a good eye and strong baserunning skills. Unfortunately, his penchant for fascist political theory and the dance moves of Justin Bieber may diminish his popularity in the clubhouse.
hurricane384’s take: Good pick. Glove might not develop as much as I would like.

27.   P Steve Olson (LOU)
Solid stamina/durability combo. Good splits. Good velocity. Solid pitch combo. GB pitcher. Lacks ideal control.
hurricane384 says: I’m happy to land Olson this late. Might not be a #1, but definitely should develop into a good #2 or #3.
hopkinsheel’s take: Solid selection this late in the first round. Wish his control projected higher, but with decent splits and a big #1 pitch, he should be a part of the Louisville rotation eventually, even if its towards the back end.

28.   2B Sammy Lopez (HON)
Durable. Good power. Solid contact. Good splits. Decent eye. Average range. Weak arm.
bighead34 had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: Definitely a solid pick up this late. Could be a gold glove COF who can hit pretty well too.

29.   3B Dallas Shields (LV)
Lacks ideal glove or range. Durable. Strikes out a ton. Good power. Dominates LHP. Good against RHP. Good eye.
tk21775 says: Probably more of a RF than a 2B, has some power and should hit well against lefties.
hurricane384’s take: Even though his contact is low, this is a good value pick this deep into the draft.

30.   P Nick Sveum (ROC)
Lacks ideal control, decent stamina/durability. Good splits. Throws hard. Great pitch combination.
bonk36: Nick Sveum is a good value pick late in the draft, we believe he can be a #4 starter when he matures and was willing to sign for below slot which was important due to budget constraints.
hurricane384’s take: This is a solid pick this late. I would like to see more groundballs out of him.

31.   CF Damon Clark (ATL)
Lacks ideal range or glove. Durable. Makes great contact. Little power. Good splits. Good eye. Fast.
mr_gone had no comment.
hurricane384’s take: Although I wouldn’t play him in CF, he could be a pretty good COF if you’re willing to forgo power out of those positions.

32.   P Jesse Salazar (CIN)
Solid pitch combo. Good durability/stamina. Good splits. Lacks ideal velocity.
cmthieme says: Another ho-hum setup guy that reminds you why it sucks to pick at the end of the round in a shallow draft pool.
hurricane384’s take: Can’t really argue with cmthieme here.

Team Previews

Here are the team previews I have as of 11/22/11.

• Las Vegas Bookies

S6: 96-66 Won NL West (Anaheim finished with same record); Lost 3-2 in 2nd RD of playoffs

Lost: Glen Theriot (26 HR, 93 RBI)
Bobby Ray Mercedes

Add: Jeremy May (30+ HR and 100+ RBI last 2 seasons)
Willie Oliva

Last season was a fight until the end with the Bookies losing out on the 2nd seed by 1 game. We did win the division even though divison mate Anaheim finished with the same record. We will miss both RF Theriot and 1B Mercedes production although Mercedes was always coming off the pine. To offset the production lost we brought in Jeremy May to LF and will slide Enrique Ordonez to RF. Also brought in will be #1 SP Willie Oliva who should give us a dominate ace to help distance ourselves from Anaheim and hopefully push us past Charleston. He was given a 4yr. extension which helped since we gave up some nice prospects for him. Our numbers were down last season and we hope that some of our bats come alive again this season. Management expects to win the NL West again and make a stronger push into the playoffs.

• Cincinnati Battlin’ Redlegs

We won a franchise-high 104 games last season, which of course was followed by a prompt exit from the playoffs. So while the season was a success, the ending was a huge disappointment. Most of the team remains intact, though there were a few major changes that should improve the overall team.

Season 6 team leader in HRs/RBIs Wandy Park was shipped to Cleveland along with setup guy Esmerling Granados and a prospect for C Morris Evans. It was our top priority to attain a great-hitting C, and Evans is someone we targeted right away. He’ll provide a big boost to the lineup. Losing Park hurts, but with Al Mondesi seasoned and ready to go in AAA, we probably get better at the position anyway.

Other moves were more minor in nature. John Tomlinson was signed to be the 5th starter, which in our rotation is a part-time role. Yonder Velez was signed to replace Granados in the bullpen. Jerry Fischer was signed to provide depth at the corner OF positions and 1B. Rookie Angel James will provide depth at several positions. Beyond that, the rest of the team pretty much returns from last season.

Projected Lineup
C Evans with Juan Vazquez spelling him a lot vs LH pitching
1B Pete Malone returns
2B Fausto James returns
SS The platoon of Stan King/Jose Alicea returns to provide solid defense
3B Piper Cambridge returns
LF Damaso Ontiveros returns
CF Alan Abernathy returns
RF Al Mondesi will settle in here for the next 10+ seasons

SP rotation
The 1-2-3 punch of now 2-time Cy Young winner Valerio Nunez, Julian Tejada, and Yadier Zurburan returns. These guys combined for 740 innings last season and will be counted on again to anchor the rotation. Tony Suzuki returns as the 4th starter. The previously mentioned veteran FA Tomlinson will spot start in the 5th spot as needed.

Bullpen
Arthur Swift and Vin Tresh return to setup closer Dario Keefe in a strong back end of the bullpen. The rest of the pen pretty much returns in tact as well.

We expect another strong season, and hopefully a little more luck in the playoffs.

• Charleston River Dogs:

Key Players Acquired via FA: Paulie Williams, Dwight Westmoreland, Kevin Kohlmeier, Mike Carey.

We brought back Kohlmeier and Carey. Kohlmeier is a solid end of the rotation, long reliever type that helps solidify the pitching staff. I love Carey as a backup C and thought I got him at a decent price. Williams and Westmoreland were brought in as roleplayers to replace the guys I lost who where either more expensive or I was able to get draft picks for them.

Key Players Lost via FA: Hooks Dank (Type B), Alex Burke, Einer Lopez, Brendan Roling, Brady Lester (type B).

I would have brought any of those guys back at the right price. However, I'm happy to take the comp picks for Dank and Lester as they were role players for me. I would have liked to bring back Lopez, but again, just as a role player and he was too expensive.

Key Players Acquired via Trade: Dave Cross

Very small trade to report in picking up Cross. I needed one more arm in the bullpen and the Steamboats were looking for a CFer so it was a good match. Not expecting much out of him.

Key Players Lost via Trade: N/A

Rookies Called up: Felipe Benitez will be brought up around game 23 to enter to the starting rotation. Also brought up Hipolito Almanza as a defensiv replacement and he doesn't have an awful bat.

Prognosis: The River Dogs are looking to continue their success after winning the world series in Season 6. Our first goal is to win the division and hopefully earn a bye. Past that, the playoffs are such a crapshoot, but we're always shooting for the best!

• Louisville Steamboats:

Added: C Rolando Frias, 2B Curt Barden (5), 2B Davey Tucker, 3B Brady Lester, 3B Philip Chase, SS Rico Carrasquel, OF Albert Garces, OF Ron Stocker, CF Jack McDill (5), OF Kevin Zhang, SP Kenshin Ogawa, SP Shouta Tanaka, SP Rich Lawrence, SP Cy Lanning, RP Aurelio Mesa, RP Curtis Newson, RP Jimmy Lieberthal, RP Pedro Castillo (5), RP Joaquin Tejeda

After finishing 121-203 in the past 2 seasons, the Steamboats are tasked with winning 70 games this season. A team that finished last in the NL in runs scored, HRs, and OPS had to make some improvements in our offense. By adding perennial MVP candidate Philip Chase to take over 3B this should provide a big bat to protect returning 1B Acosta. Davey Tucker was brought in to take over 2B and free up Gio Jacquez to return to his natural SS position. In the OF, Albert Garces, Ron Stocker, and Kevin Zhang will split the corner spots, with rookie rule-5 pick Jack McDill manning CF. Brady Lester, Davey Tucker, and Rico Carrasquel provide some depth in the IF. C Rolando Frias mans the dish and we should see an offensive improvement from him, although his durability is a concern.

Pitching-wise Louisville had the 15^th ranked team ERA in the NL and had to do something about that. We return ace Trace Sanford (8-10, 3.98 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 230.2 IP). We are hoping for bounceback seasons from relievers Stubby Mayer (30 G, 73.2 IP, 6.23 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) and Gary Everett (30 G, 65.2 IP, 5.07 ERA, 1.68 WHIP). We’ve added some significant upgrades to the pitching staff by overpaying for Kenshin Ogawa and bringing in Rich Lawrence, Shouta Tanaka, and Cy Lanning for the rotation. We picked up relievers Jimmy Lieberthal, Curtis Newson, Aurelio Mesa, and rule-5 draftees Joaquin Tejeda and Pedro Castillo. The staff is better, but is it good enough?

We went all-in this season to get to 70 wins so we don’t get the boot. I feel like not only do we have a shot at 70 wins, we have a shot to win the division.

• Anaheim Knights

Anaheim went for broke last season and lost out in the LCS. Budget necessites resulted in trades of 5 key players from last year's team. Getting prospects in return for the starters means a rebuilding season is in order. Pitching remains solid; but offense and defense will be off. A .500 season would be a surprise.

• Chicago Black Sox

realistically, i think we are an avg team hoping for a better year than the last. i bolstered the bullpen a bit and hope for a couple of players to rebound from subpar seasons

• Columbus Aeros

I don't know what to think after last season figuring I was going to be aweful and ended up almost at .500. My bullpen is a wreck and I lost out on a couple of free agents to help back there but I am bringing up the Moose this season so that should help the offense as well as Sandoval for D at SS and Yorman Ortiz at 2b. I may bring up either Higgins or Ryan for a CO position we will see but I just dont have a good feel for what will happen with this team.

• Jackson Mallards

Fingers crossed... Hoping Scott Charleston can make a solid contribution & that Enrique Vazquez (& everybody else) can stay healthy...

• Jacksonville Gators

Here is some info for my team preview. Last season we had our first winning season and just missed the playoffs with a 88-74 record. Most of that success was contributed to a solid pitching staff. The clear objective this offseason was to upgrade on the offensive side. With that we acquired 4 new hitters via trade. Ed Kelly , Ismael Lopez , Miguel Santiago and most importantly Glen Monroe . With Monroe and the others inserted into the line up along with franchise 3B Marino Bautista , we are hoping to take the next step from and break into the playoffs.

• Little Rock Swampfire

The three year plan that took five years finally bore fruit in season six as Little Rock finished in a first place tie with a team record 91 wins. With only one member of the 25-man roster older than 30, the Swampfire hope their youngsters continue to improve as they gain experience. Rookie All-Star closer Bill Bradford saved 37 games in 39 opportunities insuring SP win totals for Roque-16, Rios-15, Garcia-15 and Blowers-13. Rookie Cristobal Gallardo hopes to stop the revolving door that has been CF in the first six seasons.

• Los Angeles Tiger Sharks

This will be a transitional year, as we try to stay competitive through our always strong pitching while focusing our budget on adding positional players throughout the system

• New York Highlanders

Sure Hurricane, with he Highlanders we're still trying to build a team that can compete for the division title. While we think we'l be competitive this year, we're still a year or two away from where I want the team to be.Our rotation does not have the overall depth or a legitimate ace. Our bullpen is pretty good and should continue to improve as Howard and Stanley continue to grow into their roles as closer and setup man. On the positive side of things we're very good defensively and have very good team speed. Our future is bright as we have a number of great young players that should be on the ML roster next year. These include Gilkey in CF, Kreuter in the infield, Leonard in the starting rotation and Ogawa in the Pen.

• New Orleans Zydeco

The Zydeco have won five division titles in a row. That streak will likely end this season, mostly because of the old man smell emanating from the locker room.

• Philadelphia Freedom

Philadelphia isn’t coming off of a great season record wise. Many of last years acquisitions went to getting Rickey Burgess and Willie Hernandez in trades. Added Rex Wheat who I Have high hopes for with the splits. We sent bocachica away in hopes to deepen our line up which we did. I’m expecting to be in the race till the end, but not a spectacular season.

• Richmond Rebels

High hopes for this season. We made it to the WS last year and should be improved this season. Adding Houston Simmons via trade and Art Maddox via call up to the top of the rotation should greatly improve the starting pitching. I did move Philip Chase who was likely my best all around hitter, but I brought back a good OBP type along with a really good C prospect. While we expect to contend again this year, I'm always keeping an eye on the future and this deal represents such a move. Hopefully the rest of the offense and improved pitching can pick up the slack.

• Rochester Redbirds:

The Redbirds return all the important parts of their vaunted offense, and even added yet another power bat this offseason. They are hoping to mash teams into submission. On the Pitching side they have added a new #2 starter in the hopes of shoring up what was an awful pitching situation last year, Redbirds also added what should be a dominant setup man to bridge the gap to their closer. Redbirds are predicting another division title, and to reclaim the Championship which they won only 2 seasons ago.

• Syracuse Orange

I have no All-Star players but have pretty good depth, so we'll see where that takes me. I acquired some good talent in the offseason hoping to challenge for the division, hopefully it will be more interesting than waiting for next year's draft. This is the season I finally try to start winning and stop planning for the future. I don't have a ton of talent in the pipeline but I feel like I have enough to break .500 and make a run at the playoffs. A lot will depend on how my pitching bounces back from a terrible year, especially guys like Todd Schmidt and Kris Cosby.

• Cheyenne Gunslingers

The time is now for the Gunslingers. It's a coming of age season for what may be one of the strongest rotations in Billy Beane. Led by Shep Blanks, Trenidad Tejada, and Les Gunderson (threw a 2-hit shutout in his first start), this rotation can go 6 deep with quality starters. The bullpen is also dominant, with closer Clem Cameron anchoring a balanced staff.

Offense has been the enigma for the Gunslingers since the inaugural season. Mays and Chong are back to split catcher duties, Jumbo Kennedy and Geraldo Olivares provide the pop. With a only a few roster losses to replace, a year of development and the probable callups of 1B Ron Martin or Pedro Johnson should finally make the Gunslingers competitive.

I expect to finish 1st or 2nd in the division and finally make the playoffs.

Billy Beane Top 10 - S7

1. DH Manny Raben (NB)
2. 1B Pete Malone (CIN)
3. 1B Milton Kramer (CHR)
4. P Robb Stahoviak (LV)
5. LF Livan Bocachica (LAA)
6. P Igancio Maranon (TEX)
7. P Alex Vizcaino (SEA)
8. CF Jaime Pierre (ROC)
9. CF Clarence Canseco (LV)
10. C Walt Burke (HON)

Top RP

1.    Robb Stahoviak (LV)
Dominant against LHB, very good against RHB. Great velocity. Doesn’t allow a lot of flyballs. 3 pitches (A-:B:C). Solid durability/stamina combination.

2.    Ignacio Maranon (TEX)
Lacks ideal durability/stamina. Great control. Solid at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. Great velocity. 3 pitches (A+:B+:C). Above average at forcing GBs.

3.    Alfredo Miranda (SEA)
Another reliever who lacks ideal stamina/durability, Miranda has the talent to dominate. Great control. Dominates RHB. Solid against LHB. Great velocity. 4 pitches (A+:B+:D-:D-). Average at GBs.

4.    Caleb Duran (JAX)

5.    Dario Keefe (CIN)

6.    Skip Hatteberg (JAX)

7.    Clem Cameron (CHY)

8.    Abdul Helton (SYR)

9.    Kendry Lee (PHI)

10. Felipe Valentin (TOR)