Inspired by BA's top 10 lists and the prospect handbook that came out in time to be useful this year, I humbly submit the top 10 prospects for Houston and Ft Worth. I invite anyone else to add to this thread their own top 10's for their teams. I would be interested in seeing others.
Um, I don't think that I really like this game. Perhaps I'll get back to you after the draft. I could certainly build an impressive list of prospects who I drafted and then traded away. In fact, there are 9 of those in the lists that have already been posted here.
Actually, SOS still has a nice set of prospects. It's Surprise that is painfully embarrassing right now...but they have collected a lot of extra draft picks to address that situation. Yeah, that's the ticket. So anyway, here's a list for SOS.
Maybe after we get some more someone will do a organization ranking based on top 10's. Keith is usually up to the task on matters like that. What do ya say Keith?
**Damn that is depressing (2 HS kids!!!). Everyone's got a sob story and this is mine:
Here's the part that is the worst as these are the guys I've owned and traded over the past 3 years (in an effort to compete) with their BA ranking.
Homer Bailey (rhp, Cin, #1), Neil Walker (c, Pit, #1), Justin Verlander (rhp, Det, #1)
Troy Patton (lhp, Hou, #2)
Joel Guzman (of, LA, #3), Clint Everts (rhp, Was, #3), Cameron Maybin (of, Det, #3)
Chris Snelling (of, Sea, #4)
Jered Weaver (rhp, LAa, #5), Eric Hurley (rhp, Tex, #5)
Ryan Harvey (of, CHn, #8)
Trevor Plouffe (ss, Min, #9)
Craig Whitaker (rhp, SF, #10), John Mayberry Jr (of, Tex, #10)
Hanley Ramirez (ss, Fla, not ranked b/c of trade), Mike Pelfrey (rhp, NYn, not ranked b/c he had not signed)....Both players would probably be #2s in their new systems behind Hermida and Milledge based on what I've read in BA.
**OK, I'm now depressed beyond belief as the departure of these guys have brought exactly ZERO ARBA crowns. I'd rather have my minor league system at this point than a bunch of 5th-7th place finishes. Now I have a depleted minor league system with an aging and expensive major league system and an overall team that can't get over the hump when they get in the playoffs. Lovely! Atleast with a good minor league system there is "hope" for the future. I'm gonna go puke now.
Jeff you are correct. According to BA Prospect Handbook, Ramirez is Florida's #2 prosepct. The Handbook has updated top 10's for teams that made trades after original top 10's were released.
Oh how the mighty have fallen, BRK's minors not up to their usual standards, but since that's largely due to them being in the show now I shouldn't complain. 8-14 in my depth chart are pretty much a wash.
1) Carlos Gonzalez - AZ 2) Joel Zumaya - DET 3) Ray Liotta - CHW 4) Ian Kinsler - TEX 5) Zach Jackson - TOR 6) Ubaldo Jimenez - COL 7) Delwyn Young - LA 8) Glen Perkins - MIN 9) Joey Votto - CIN 10) Dennis Sarfate - MIL
Here's Petty's top ten (with notation that Zach Duke, Brian McCann, Dioner Navarro, Jonny Gomes, and Edwin Jackson have lost rookie status and no longer qualify).
1) Ian Stewart 2) Jeremy Hermida (ok, so BBA disagrees with me on the order of the top 2--sue me) 3) Cameron Maybin 4) Eric Duncan 5) Chris Volstad 6) Denard Span 7) Jeff Allison (I am a believer) 8) Eric Patterson 9) Kenji Johjima (higher if not for his age) 10) Take your pick: Waldrop, Christian Garcia, Vince Perkins, Jason Pridie, JD Martin, Mark McCormick, Boof Bonser, Wladimir Balentien).
Buda (weakened by so many years of low draft status and failed picks--e.g. Ryan Anderson, Josh Hamilton, Jackson Melian, et al.--and Mauer, Betemit, and Gavin Floyd no longer qualify, not that Betemit or Floyd would rank too highly.)
1) Jeff Clement 2) Felix Pie 3) Franklin Gutierrez 4) Dexter Fowler (no, really) 5) Michael Taylor 6) Brignac 7) Tuiasosopolesdextriama (at least, I think that's the name I drafted him under) 8) Ryan Sweeney (BBA top 100; I just think guys 3-7 are better) 9) Juan Portes 10) Edgar Garcia
Hon. mention to Micah Owings, Vechionacci, and James Houser. Adrian Ortiz is still too early to tell.
After years of dismal drafting Austin turned it around 3 years ago and started trying to build a quality minor league system while also tearing down the team and rebuilding. With a lot of help from Jeff, taking lessons from Don and Warren, and starting to spend countless hours of painstaking research, I can finally say I have a decent core of minor leaguers. A little short on numbers this year, but the quality is so much better than in the past. I actually had other managers asking for some of my minor leaguers in trades the last couple of years.
Daric Barton OAK (#1)
Joel Guzman LAD (#3)
Philip Hughes NYY (#1)
Ian Kennedy USC (Jr All American)
Justin Orenduff LAD
Chris Lambert StL (#4)
Craig Whitaker SFO (#10)
Henry Sanchez MIN ('05 1st round pick)
Wade Townsend TB ('05 1st round pick, also BAL '04 1st round pick)
Brian Bass KC - it drops off fast after number nine
Losing minor league status this year - Ryan Zimmerman, King Felix, Gustavo Chacin, and Willie Taveras
major disappointment - I cut Ronny Cedeno two years ago