Compiled by Ron Cox
December, 2002
OVERVIEW
The Hons improved their Shoeless Joe record by seven games in 2002, posting a 84-78 record that flip-flopped their 78-84 mark in 2001. Baltimore’s run differential was a good predictor of their won-loss record, as the offense scored 4.6 runs per game and the pitching staff gave up slightly more than 4.3 runs per game. The promotion of youngsters Kevin Mench, Toby Hall, and Sean Burroughs gave Hons’ fans reason to hope that the minor league system was about to add young stars to a lineup that included veteran phenoms Sammy Sosa, Jeff Kent and Todd Helton. But no sooner than you could shout “crabcakes” in a Baltimore diner, GM Al Melchior traded two of those young prospects, Hall and Burroughs, to Moline for proven veterans Scott Rolen and Charles Johnson. The trade suggested a team that wants to win soon, especially given the plethora of veterans now anchored to key offensive positions. That puts a lot of pressure on the organization to add arms to a pitching staff that performed rather poorly in 2002, albeit with an encouraging season from youngster Tomokazu Ohka (16-9, 3.06 ERA).
MINORS
The minor league system has a range of B-type prospects that could help the parent club in a couple of years, but none are likely to be the kind of impact players that could help elevate the organization into playoff contention. The best of the minor league lot are pitchers Rich Harden and Brett Evert, shortstop Bobby Crosby, and outfielder Jason Romano. Crosby and Harden were second and seventh round picks, respectively, in the 2002 draft, while Jason Romano was chosen in the third round of the 2001 draft. Crosby made the jump from hi-A to AA in 2002, and handled himself pretty well in the transition, with 16 doubles and 7 homers in a little over 200 AA atbats. While his plate discipline needs some work, and likely will prevent him from becoming a top major league regular, at 22 he is capable of having a decent career as a starting SS. Harden’s ceiling may be higher, as the 21-year old righty used a 93-MPH fastball, a tough slider and a tricky delivery to mow down AA hitters, striking out 102 in 85 innings of work, although his 52 walks were a discouraging sign. Brett Evert struggled a bit in his promotion to AA, although his 84-35 K/BB ratio leaves plenty of room for encouragement. Jason Romano, now shifted to the outfield at the age of 23, has clearly lost some value that he had when starting at 2b, but he remains a candidate for a major league utility or platoon role. The rest of the Hons’ minor league organization is floating at mediocrity, with a noticeable lack of depth in the outfield or at 2b and C.
Grades:
James Harden, rhp B
Bobby Crosby , ss B
Brett Evert, rhp B
Jose Cueto, rhp C+
Enrique Cruz, 3b C+
Claudio Vargas, rhp C
Chris Capuano, hp C
Brian West, rhp C
Angel Santos, 2b C
Overall Grade: C+
OVERVIEW
This scribe thought the Hexers would fare better than they ultimately did in 2002. Instead, GM Peter Hess watched his club slip four games below their 2001 record of 86-76. The reason was the decline in Hexer pitching. In 2001, the team posted a respectable 3.93 ERA, but this past season the ERA increased to 4.40 while the offense stayed roughly the same at around 5 runs per game. The front four of Matt Morris, Brad Penny, Ryan Dempster and Jeff Suppan have been erratic and, with the exception of Morris, have not pitched particularly well. The fact that these pitchers are young is a good sign, but it’s also clear that the team will have to go beyond this foursome if it hopes to improve the team next season. With that in mind, GM Peter Hess shaved some power from his offense by trading Magglio Ordonez for $50 and a 2003 first round pick from Caracas. The move was possible due to the depth in the Hexer outfield, where Adam Dunn, Ichiro Suzuki and Jacques Jones give the Hexers a trio of starters that allowed the team to dangle Ordonez as trade bait. Now the question becomes: how does the organization use the infusion of cash and the high draft pick? This could be the key to 2003.
MINORS
The Hexer minor league system is in roughly the same shape as their divisional counterparts in Baltimore. There are no A-prospects in the system, after Dunn’s promotion, and only four B-prospects with varying degrees of ability. These youngsters are concentrated in either the pitching or catching area, leaving the team with only C-level prospects in the infield and outfield. Righthander Ben Diggins is the best the system has to offer. The 23-year old righthander posted good numbers in 2002 to rebound from a disappointing 2001 season. Diggins improved his form to put extra mileage on his fastball, and the results have to be encouraging for BIH: a 1.91 ERA in 7 AA starts, with 34 Ks and 15 BBs in 38 IP. Catcher Kelly Shoppach is also worth watching, socking 35 doubles and 10 homers in 414 AB at hi-A ball, while drawing 59 walks. The former catcher at Baylor University was already known for his above average defensive skills, so his emerging offense gives the club a good all-around prospect at an important skill position. Catcher Miguel Olivo and lefty Jung Bong round out the B-level prospects for the Hexers. Olivo hit well at AA, with a .306 average, a decent walk total and 24 doubles in just 359 ABs. But his defensive skills are considered a bit erratic, if improving. Jung Bong fared okay at AA, but the high hit total (136 in 122 innings) makes the 3.25 ERA a bit deceptive. Phil Dumatrait pitched pretty well in the SALLY league, but he did not fair so well in four starts after his promotion to hi A-ball in the the Florida State League, where he walked 15 in 16 innings of work.
Grades:
Ben Diggins, rhp B+
Kelly Shoppach, c B
Miguel Olivo, c B-
Jung Bong, lhp B-
Phil Dumatrait, lhp C+
Ben Johnson, of C+
Valentino Pascucci, of C+
Colt Griffin, rhp C
William Bergolla, 2b C
Alexis Rios, of C
B.J. Garbe, of C-
Overall Grade: C+
OVERVIEW
In 2002, the Roaches finished 9 games behind their pace of one year ago, when the club narrowly missed a playoff spot with a 95-67 mark. Both the pitching and the hitting were about half-a-run worse than the performances of the previous season. Freddy Garcia, the staff ace of 2001, had a disappointing season, and Chan Ho Park suffered through an injury that rendered him ineffective and worthless for much of the year. The emergence of Vincente Padilla and good performances from Randy Wolf and Kip Wells suggest a promising future, especially when added to the talent of Josh Beckett. If the latter can pitch through a blister-free season, then the Roaches may well turn things around in 2003 in the pitching department. The offseason moves of GM Mike Isaacs almost ensure that the hitting will be considerably better. The team has added slugger Carlos Delgado to go alongside star Chipper Jones and emerging talent Eric Hinske. The club now has a mixture of youth and veteran talent that provides plenty of balance for a playoff run in the season ahead, but a lot rides on the performance of the young pitching staff, and the ability of the offense to get production beyond the threesome of Delgado, Jones and Hinske.
MINORS
The farm system for the Roaches continues to be solid, with Hee Seop Choi a bona fide top tier prospect who has both plate discipline and considerable power. The crown jewel of the system walked 95 times in 478 atbats in 2003, alongside 24 doubles and 26 dingers in AAA competition. His Shoeless Joe arrival time will be delayed by the addition of Delgado, but the Roaches clearly are in a position to deal from strength here. The second base situation looks promising with young Bobby Hill having been promoted in 2002 and slated to be the Roach starter in 2003 (barring boneheaded move by the Cubbies....). With Hill’s promotion to the majors last year, Aaron Heilman ranks just behind Choi as the Roaches second-best prospect. The Notre Dame product has a nice assortment of pitches, including a 92-MPH sinker, a hard slider and a good changeup, making him well advanced and in a good position to land a starting slot in the upcoming season. Putting him alongside Beckett, Wolf, Wells and Padilla, not to mention Jon Rauch and the return of Adam Eaton, gives the organization an infusion of young pitching talent, with lefty Clifton Lee waiting in the wings. The Roaches also have a range of upper-level prospects in the infield and outfield positions. Angel Berroa struggled through the past season with injuries, but the 22-turned-24 year old still has promise, and a full year of health will allow the organization to determine where he truly ranks, back among the elite prospects or well below the pack. Catcher Mike Rivera may finally get a chance to see if a couple of years of solid minor league offensive numbers can translate into a major league job, although he still has a habit of being too pull-crazy, a fact which reduced his walk total in favor of overswinging at outside pitches last season. Outfielder Choo Freeman finally turned his tools into offensive numbers in the Southern League, posing a .291 average alongside 18 doubles, 12 homers and 64 walks in 430 atbats. Ryan Church, Brady Sizemore and Chip Ambres give the organization more depth in the outfield, while Alex Cintron provides additional depth at SS.
Grades:
Hee Seop Choi, 1b A-
Aaron Heilman, rhp B+
Angel Berroa, ss B
Choo Freeman, of B
Ryan Church, of B-
Clifton Lee, lhp B-
Grady Sizemore, of B-
Mike Rivera, c B-
Alex Cintron, ss C+
Chip Ambres, of C+
Shane Loux, rhp C-
Ronny Cedeno, ss C-
Overall Grade: B+
OVERVIEW
The Hobgoblins have continued to amass high draft picks and dollars, in addition to trading for young major league players, to put themselves in a position to compete in the tough Northern Division. So far, the results look very promising in the minors, which should begin to provide the expansion club with some needed positional and pitching depth in the next couple of years. The crown jewel of the system is 3B Mark Teixeira, last year’s first round supplemental draft pick, second overall to the Clemente’s Mark Prior. Teixeira has that special sound emanating from the bat that has a scout’s ears perk up as if doused with a specially formulated viagra. Coming back for limited playing time in the aftermath of an injury, Teixeira appeared to have not lost a beat, delivering 11 doubles and 10 homers in just 171 Texas League atbats, while drawing 25 walks. He figures to provide the superstar cornerstone that this organization can build around, maybe as soon as 2003. The club has plenty of depth/overload at 1B with Travis Hafner, Ben Broussard, David Kelton and Ken Harvey ready to assume major league duties. Hafner posted impressive minor league numbers and won raves from scouts for his performance this past season (.342, 22 2Bs, 21 HRs, 79 BBs in 401 ABs in the PCL). The hope is that at least one of these folks can play the outfield, where David Kelton amassed playing time recently before being shifted to 1B. In the AZL, Kelton returned to his first position, 3B, but did not look good defensively.
MINORS
Up the middle, the Hobgoblins can boast the imposing duo of 2B/SS Brandon Phillips and CF Marlon Byrd, both major-league ready for 2003. Phillips showed solid power in the International League with 18 doubles and 9 homers in just 258 atbats, after having hit at a .327 clip in the International League. Still, Phillips’ lack of plate discipline could make the first couple of major league seasons a rocky ride. Centerfielder Marlon Byrd has all the tools, outstanding range in centerfield combined with speed, a strong arm, and the ability to hit for power and average. His .297 clip in the International League came with 37 doubles and 15 homers, meaning he has nothing left to prove in the high minors. The outfield for Hagerstown figures to be a combination of Darryl Ward, Marlon Byrd and Preston Wilson, with Adam Piatt and John Ford-Griffin providing some young depth. On the mound, the club has already seen the promotion of several potentially valuable arms, including Shawn Chacon, Joaquin Benoit, Odalis Perez and Bud Smith, with varying degrees of success thus far. Right now, the minors only have two remaining B-grade pitching prospects who were healthy all of last season: Ricardo Rodriguez and Gary Majewski. Rodriguez excelled in the Southern League before spending limited time in AAA and the majors, and Majewski pitched exceptionally well out of the bullpen with 75 Ks in 75 innings of work, allowing only 61 hits and 34 walks. Josh Karp was sidelined part of the year by injury, but pitched well in A-ball and held his own in AA, while finishing strong after some initial rough starts in the Arizona Fall League. He figures to be in the big league rotation in the second half of 2003. At catcher, the club has no top prospects, but can boast of a good rookie year by A.J. Pierzynski, who figures to hold down the starting job for some time.
Grades:
Mark Teixeira, 3b A
Brandon Phillips, ss B+
Travis Hafner, 1b B+
Marlon Byrd, of B+
Josh Karp, rhp B
Ken Harvey, 1b B
Ben Broussard, 1b B
David Kelton, 1b B
Ricardo Rodriguez, rhp B
John Ford-Griffin B-
Gary Majewski, rhp B-
Dustin Moseley, rhp C+
Michael Woods, 2b C+
Dicky Gonzalez, rhp C
Ronnie Merrill, ss C
Damien Rolls, of C
Dane Sardinha, c C-
Overall Grade: A-
OVERVIEW
The Heroes are coming off their two best back-to-back seasons in franchise history, advancing to the playoffs in both 2001 and 2002. The club is still looking for its first SJL title, but GM David Hess has put the organization in a good position to be a perennial playoff contender. The club has high-ceiling talent emerging at the major league and minor league levels, and the talent is spread throughout the playing field. Among the pitching staff, the Heroes can boast a rotation that features some of the best young arms in the game in Wade Miller, C.C. Sabathia and Jason Marquis, complemented by Kerry Wood and Andy Pettitte. The catching starts with slugger Mike Piazza and promising backup Michael Barrett, while the infield is led by slugger Troy Glaus and the consistent play of Paul Konerko. If there are question marks for the organization, it’s the middle infield, which now features the disappointing Pokey Reese and Marcus Giles, with the latter slowed by nagging injuries in 2002 that resulted in a decline in production. The future of the outfield is on better footing, although the best hitter, LF Cliff Floyd, suffers from proneness to injury that is also shared by J.D. Drew. The club waits on CF Corey Patterson to have a breakout year, after struggling in 2002. But Harrisburg has depth in the outfield, with the presence of Trot Nixon and the eventual arrival of CF prospect Carl Crawford.
MINORS
The Heroes have an abundance of B-level prospects, starting in the pitching department, where Dewon Brazelton, Seung Jun Song, Adam Johnson, Brian Tallet, and David Gil lead the pack. Brazelton, a Middle Tennessee State product, brings a 93-96 MPH fastball with a quality changeup and a good feel for pitching, although the youngster could use more work on an inconsistent curveball. His numbers in the Southern League were impressive and suggest that he’s not far away: 146 innings, 129 hits, 67 walks, and 109 Ks, with a 3.33 ERA. Another rising star, Seung Song, posted an impressive K/BB ratio of 121/37 in the Eastern League. The Korean boasts a 90-94 MPH fastball, a plus curveball, and a good changeup. In contrast, righty Brian Tallet has an average fastball, but shows an advanced pitching ability with his mix of a solid curve, slider and changeup. Despite his 92-94 MPH fastball, hard slider and developing changeup, prospect Adam Johnson struggled mightily in the Pacific Coast League, although part of that is certainly attributable to the league’s offensive- friendly parks. On the infield, 3B David Wright and SS Luis Montanez lead the pack, with former third sacker Michael Cuddyer having moved to the OF. Wright whiffed a lot in the SALLY league, but also showed good patience at the plate, as well as good gap power (30 doubles). The 21 year-old Montanez has plus range, a strong arm and soft hands at SS, plus shows some signs of being able to hit. Speaking of hitting, the best offensive prospects remain in the OF, with Michael Cuddyer, Carl Crawford and Joe Borchard leading the pack of Heroes’ prospects. Cuddyer hit .309 in the PCL, with 16 doubles and 20 homers in 330 atbats, plus a short stint in a Heroes uniform toward the end of the year. At 21, Crawford’s ceiling is higher, as the speedy CF hit .297 in the IL, indicating that he was far from overmatched even at his young age, although some argue his lack of power, erratic plate discipline, and weak throwing arm will prevent him from becoming a star. Borchard, with 35 doubles and 20 homers in the IL, has little left to prove in the minors, but his K/BB ratio suggests that he will struggle early in his major league career.
Grades:
Dewon Brazelton, rhp B+
Seung Jun Song, rhp B+
Michael Cuddyer, of B+
Joe Borchard, of B+
Carl Crawford, of B+
David Wright, 3b B+
Adam Johnson, rhp B
Brian Tallet, rhp B
Luis Montanez, ss B
David Gil, rhp B-
Brad Cresse, c B-
Bronson Sardinha, ss-3b B-
Freddie Bynum, 2b C+
Jason Repko, of C
Matt White, rhp C-
Overall Grade: A-
OVERVIEW
GM Bill Young has gone a different route from his expansion brethren. The Rippers have mixed a heavy dose of seasoned veterans, including trading for superstar Manny Ramirez, with a smattering of youth in an attempt to lessen the time when the organization can compete for a playoff spot. So far, the results have not been what the organization had hoped, as the club finished the 2002 season 5 games worse (74-88) than its record in the inaugural 2001 campaign. The pitching staff got a major boost last year with the acquisition of lefthander Barry Zito, the superstar anchor that this club desperately needed to give its starting rotation the same sort of top-gun firepower represented by Manny Ramirez on the offensive side. After Zito and Ramirez, though, the organization has to hope that its young talent, particularly in the pitching department, shows some consistency that will enable the team to improve. The rest of the starting staff includes Jeff Weaver, who has the stuff to be a Zito- like ace from the right side, and did put up good numbers after struggling mightily for a month last season, lefthander Ted Lilly, rookie righthander Ryan Drese, and veteran Steve Sparks. At the minor league level, there is not a lot of depth to shore up the youngsters who were called up last season. On the infield, Phil Nevin is far and away the best talent in the majors, although here the organization has some depth in the minors with 3b Kevin Youkilis, 2b Joe Thurston and 1B Jason Hart. The outfield has received a boost with the shift of Xavier Nady, arguably the best hitting prospect in the system, from 3B to LF, where he waits behind major league starters Ramirez, Johnny Damon and Dimitri Young.
MINORS
The Ripper organization has only one B+ prospect in Xavier Nady, who has had to battle through injuries to have some productive minor league seasons, including a shortened 2002 year where he amassed 315 atbats but saw his power numbers drop a bit. Offseason elbow surgery appears to be the factor most responsible, as few doubt Nady’s ability to hit, although his defensive shortcomings remain a challenge for London. 2B Joe Thurston and 3B Kevin Youkilis rank just behind Nagy on the prospect depth chart, with Thurston displaying exciting skills in AAA that elevated his prospect status in a hurry. The good fielding 2b turned in a fine offensive year in the PCL, hitting .334 with 39 doubles, 12 homers, and 22 steals in 587 atbats. Youkilis hit .344 in the Eastern League, although he demonstrated little power at the corner position. In the pitching department, the Rippers have two low B prospects in Brad Baisley and Angel Guzman, with three high C prospects in Adam Bernero, Nate Cornejo and Andy VanHekken. Health is the main issue for righthander Baisley, whose elbow problems forced him to miss the entire 2000 season. He struggled a bit in the Eastern League in 2002, with a 4.17 ERA coupled with a 64/51 K/BB ratio in just 117 innings of work. 21 year-old Angel Guzman, earning a quick promotion after dominating the Midwest League, pitched very well in hi-A ball in the FSL, with a 2.39 ERA and a 74 K/33 BB ratio in 94 innings of work. Nate Cornejo is ranked quite highly by many scouts, but has yet to turn the corner in terms of numbers, with a 4.42 ERA and 163 hits in 132 innings in the IL in 2002. Andy VanHekken saw a promotion from AA to AAA in 2002, with the brief AAA stint seeing encouraging results, especially the 1.82 ERA. Adam Bernero could possibly salvage his career by being a quality middle reliever, but it’s doubtful he has the stuff to be dominant at the big league level.
Grades:
Xavier Nady, of B+
Joe Thurston, 2b B
Kevin Youkilis, 3b B
Brad Baisley, rhp B-
Angel Guzman, rhp B-
Jason Hart, 1b B-
Eric Byrnes, of C+
Mario Encarnacion, of C
Overall Grade: C+
OVERVIEW
The dynastic Greens have taken their championship success to new levels with their outstanding 2002 season. The spectacular 111 victories broke the old Moline mark of 110 and was accomplished by revamping the minor league pipeline once again with the best emerging talent in the Shoeless Joe League. After having failed to make the playoffs in 2001 despite a 93-69 record, the club kept adjusting to the new dynamics of the league salary cap. They now find themselves a comfortable $13 million under the cap after having compiled the best record in Shoeless Joe history. The Greens model adheres strictly to a drafting strategy that selects the best-performing players who are young relative to their league. The organization has also not hesitated in trading veteran talent for prospects while those veterans are still valuable trade commodities. The recent trade with Baltimore for top prospects Sean Burroughs and Toby Hall fits this pattern. But just look at the success the organization has had with its pitching prospects, which still remains the most difficult of all positions (some would say virtually impossible) to gauge with any degree of certainty. Yet the club has surrounded star pitcher Pedro Martinez with talent such as Damian Moss, Ramon Ortiz, Joel Piniero, Joe Kennedy and Juan Cruz, with prospects Brandon Claussen and Colby Lewis earning high-B grades as they await their turn in the club’s still deep farm system. The infield is now stocked with players who are primed to take the place of the veterans newly departed, such as Sean Burroughs who will replace Scott Rolen, and a rising crop of 1b possibilities, including Nick Johnson, Adrian Gonzalez and Jason Stokes, to eventually replace the losses of Mike Sweeney, and earlier, Carlos Delgado, while Eric Karros keeps the seat warm. Wilson Betemit, Jose Reyes and Anderson Machado give the Greens a very deep collection of SS prospects, behind Derek Jeter, at a skill position that is in very short supply in the league. The best young outfield in the league, Vladimir Guerrero, Andruw Jones and Pat Burrell, is complemented by an impressive corps of minor league talent in Jack Cust, Chris Snelling and Nic Jackson.
MINORS
In the pitching department, the prospects are led by lefty Brandon Claussen and righty Colby Lewis, with 19-year old Mike Jones close behind. Lefties with Claussen’s velocity (a 94-MPH fastball) are a rare commodity, especially when capable of locating a curve and a changeup on a consistent basis. Likewise, rightly Lewis has a great arm capable of delivering a 94-95 MPH fastball, a big- breaking curve and a good changeup that keeps improving. If location is much of everything, then Lewis appears to be the real deal: 99 Ks and only 28 BBs in 107 innings in the tough PCL. Although young pitchers are notoriously difficult to gauge, Mike Jones has passed every test thus far, pitching well at the age of 19 in the Midwest League this past season (132 Ks, 62 BBs in 139 IP). In the infield, shortstops Wilson Betemit and Jose Reyes lead the pack, along with firstbasemen Adrian Gonzalez and Jason Stokes. Coming off a disappointing season in 2002, Betemit is still a prized prospect at the ripe age of 20. Reyes, another ripe one at 19 (as far as we know), had a solid year at AA, especially if his age is for real. Gonzalez flashes brilliance with the glove at 1b, and his offense has been steady if not spectacular for that position. Stokes, on the other hand, has begun to put up the kind of offensive numbers that could earn him some quick promotions, after having batted .341 with 25 doubles and 27 homers in the Midwest League at the age of 19. Chris Snelling is still a top-notch prospect, despite missing most of 2002 with an injury, and Jack Cust can hit the ball, whatever his shortcomings defensively. Careful planning has kept this organization well-stocked and deep even after so many recent promotions to the majors.
Grades:
Brandon Claussen, lhp B+
Colby Lewis, rhp B+
Wilson Betemit, ss B+
Jose Reyes, ss B+
Adrian Gonzalez, 1b B+
Jack Cust, of B+
Chris Snelling, of B+
Mike Jones, rhp B
Jason Stokes, 1b B
Drew Henson, 3b B-
Anderson Machado, ss B-
Corey Smith, 3b B-
Nic Jackson, of B-
Tony Blanco, 3b C+
J.J. Hardy, ss C+
J.J. Johnson, of C+
Jason Grabowski, c C
Jody Gerut, of C
Overall Grade: A-
OVERVIEW
New GM John Reggio takes over a club that has performed well at the major league level, and in the past has had a decent farm system, although one weighted more heavily on tools than performance. This year, though, the farm system looks exceedingly barren, after the former GM Jim Brown increasingly traded picks and dollars in an effort to shore up his major league club for a playoff run. The good news is that the major league team is quite capable of competing for a playoff spot, but there is little in the farm system right now that suggests a lot of promise for the future. Recognizing this, one of the first moves by the new management was to trade closer Kazuhiro Sasaki to the Roaches for two second-round draft picks in 2003 and $5, sending a signal that the club intends to begin replenishing its farm system. The major league club can still boast a range of veterans and youth who could well help the team compete for a playoff spot in 2003, including a starting rotation that combines veterans Roger Clemens and Kevin Appier with rising star A.J. Burnett and a quality front-line starter in Russ Ortiz. But whereas Moline has been successful in their recruitment of young pitchers of late, the Plutonium has had much bad luck here, including the injury plagued careers of Ryan Anderson and Matt Riley, although the later could well bounce back in 2003, and the injury plagued history of Chin-Hui Tsao. That leaves Brad Baker, Ty Howington and Mark Phillips as the top prospects in the system going into next season. The infield at the major league level is anchored by Jason Giambi, but not very strong otherwise with 2b Eric Young, ss Juan Uribe and 3b Tony Batista, although both Uribe and Batista are capable of being above average at their positions. The only B level prospect among infielders is Chase Utley, indicating a very barren situation here for the Five Spot. The outfield is in better shape anchored around Bobby Abreu and Carlos Beltran, with veteran Reggie Sanders perhaps offering some production over the next couple of seasons. The only minor league outfield prospect is Luis Terrero, whose production doesn’t warrant more than a high C thus far.
MINORS
Righty Brad Baker is a finesse pitcher who traditionally had thrown strikes with his breaking pitches, but the last half of 2002 he struggled after his promotion to the Southern League, walking 45 in just 64 innings of work. His encouraging, and dominant, K/BB ratio in the Arizona Fall League may help alleviate some concerns, though, but finesse guys still remain less likely to advance past the status of number 4 or 5 in a big league rotation. Ty Howington may have suffered the effects of a high workload, as his numbers showed a noticeable decline in the Southern League in 2002. Having just turned 20, Mark Phillips may have the best upside of all the New Spot pitching prospects, but he needs to do a better job throwing strikes, as the lefty walked 94, while striking out 156, in 148 innings in the California League. 3b Chase Utley, the lone infield prospect here, demonstrated some pop after jumping from hi-A ball to the International League, where he hit 39 doubles and 17 homers in 464 atbats. OF Luis Terrero performed okay in the Texas League, but his walk ratio is still low, and his strikeouts are too high to make him a very exciting prospect. The key to the immediate future of the minor league system may be the degree to which pitcher Matt Riley can effectively rebound to high-level prospect status; the same goes for one-time phenom Ryan Anderson and Chin-Hui Tsao.
Grades:
Brad Baker, rhp B-
Ty Howington, lhp B-
Mark Phillips, lhp B-
Chase Utley, 3b B-
Jason Standridge, rhp C+
Ryan Anderson, rhp C+
Matt Riley, lhp C+
Luis Terrero, of C+
Jimmy Osting, lhp C
Chin-Hui Tsao, rhp C
Aaron McNeal, 1b C
Josh Wilson, ss C
Nick Green, 2b C
Miguel Villilo, of C-
Overall Grade: C