Randar68

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 11:13 PM) Owens needs AAA AB's. He's not MLB ready for 2006. Owens did hit .500 as a CF this past year though. 2-4 LOL! Agree with the first part!

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 05:46 PM) Agreed, but I don't see Anderson walking as much as Swisher... I see their OPS production to be strikingly similar. Well, there are 2 things in this debate that I know for near certainty: 1) If a player can't make consistent contact in the minors, he's screwed in the majors 2) If a player doesn't take walks in the minors, he won't in the majors It's a fair comparison on OPS, I suppose, but out of my bottom of the order hitters, I want them turning the order over, providing occassional power, but basically putting the ball in play, which is why I have no problem if Anderson hits .265-15-70 batting 8th or 9th.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 03:00 PM) http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/swishni01.shtml Nick Swisher has had a comparable path to the majors as Brian Anderson, true. Yet, Swisher hit .230 in his half-season in AA and then followed it up with a .269 BA in AAA the next year. He was a .261 career minor league hitter and follwed all that up by hitting .236 in his first full year in the majors. Anderson hit .270 in his injury-plagued partial-season in AA, followed it up by hitting .295 in AAA with a career .301 minor league average, and we'll see what he's able to do in the majors next year. Based on average differentials in the performance paths of Anderson and Swisher, it's more than fair to project a .270 season from Anderson.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 12:35 PM) Also, since he recognized that PODS's shot was a goner off the bat, and it took A-row about 5 seconds, shows that Anderson is better at judging hits than A-row. The real question is "who took the better route to home plate?"

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 12:32 PM) I will keep saying it, Owens has a chance to make this team this year. Every time Ozzie talks about speed and contact it makes me think he is watching Owens VERY closely this winter. It is possible, definitely. I'm still not comfortable with an OF of Pods in LF and Owens in CF. I think that would be about equivalent to Pierre/Pods in terms of defense. Also much different proposition to ask Owens to come in and hit 2nd as opposed to asking Anderson to hit at the bottom of the order. Just additional factors to weigh.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 26, 2005 -> 12:43 AM) I admit, I was wrong. I figured Kenny would go another way, but I kind of thought I was gonna be wrong after a while tis off-season. As long as I'm right on other prospects, such as Bmac You got to be wrong every once in a while and I'm gonna be pulling like hell and hoping like hell that Randar is right and than some on Brian Anderson. I like Anderson and I think he's got the ability to be Torri Hunter (upside wise). Ie, not a great hitter, but a good one who has power, will hit for a mediocre to decent average, will play very good defense and can steal some bases. Hell part of me is flat out excited that I'll get to see two different prospects develop next year (Bmac some more and BAnd). Everyone is wrong in the prospect projection business and on a frequent basis. Borchard made idiots out of a lot of people (myself included). Nobody remembers you adding the caveats that "if he shortens his swing" or "if he sheds the football mentality"... they just remember the talking-up of said prospects. Rowand was a part of the Thome deal, yes. Centerpiece? Not so sure about that. Seems to me giving up 2 top left-handed starting pitcher prospects is a pretty significant part oft he deal. Rowand is a role player, and those guys aren't centerpieces of deals for 40+ HR hitters. He was a significant part of the deal, though, especially considering clearing his salary in addition to the money Philly sends with Thome. I still think Brian Anderson is a better prospect than a lot of people (including Jason) realize. Again, JMO. I think he could easily hit .260-.280 in 2006 with around 50 walks. You're not going to be asking a lot of him offensively, and that will definitely help alleviate the pressure. In USCF, I also think he has 25-35 HR power. Maybe not as a rookie, but he makes solid contact frequently and the ball carries so well to LF in the summer... Basically, as a rookie, the Sox will be looking for Juan Uribe/Rowand type production and great defense. Anything more than that is gravy, and if it's a little less, no big deal, as he's not going to be asked to be more than an 8 or 9 hitter. If we're all right on Chris Young, a lot of this will be academic anyway.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 09:15 AM) Anderson's ZiPS Projection Here is a different set of projections which Anderson is included in. These are less optimistic than the ones posted above. I see him doing slightly worse than the ZiPS. Some of those are silly. Daigle couldn't produce anything close to those numbers at AAA and those are his MLB projections after playing mostly in A-ball? LOL!

QUOTE(LDF @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 10:16 AM) i love the kid's chances and would be very depress if he is traded. i like it when last yr he almost made the cut. i read all i could since the day he was drafted. so i been waiting to see what comes of it. i have had a feeling since the emergence of young, anderson was expendable and will likey get traded. however the rex and randar to name a few have more knowledge on the minors and i will give way to their opinion. Well, is Anderson expendable? Not really now that Rowand has been traded. That said, if Borchard wins the CF job and Young shows himself to be on the cust of stardom that start of 2006, then I would venture to say Anderson is expendable in a deal. I think you can't risk it at this point unless any deal you make brings a stud CF'er in. Also keep in mind who drafted Anderson and who has been one of his biggest fans since he was at Arizona... some guy named Kenny...

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Nov 21, 2005 -> 05:55 PM) Yeah, he's hitting about like Pablo Ozuna was last year out there. You can't judge by winter league stats. You are correct, but given last year at this time he had just finished low-A, it's encouraging. True leadoff hitters are so hard to find, and many that look like them in the minors turn out to be short on base stealing ability, or taking walks, or working counts, or bunting, etc... Very hard to project. The fact that he makes such regular contact. He makes solid contact, but doesn't look to drive the ball, not so dissimilar from Pods in that regard. Not that he can't drive the ball, but he doesn't look to do that because it isn't his role (where the maturity helps)... We'll see. He has legit value in trade as well.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Nov 17, 2005 -> 03:43 PM) He wasn't the only one talking up Hernandez before the season though, right? IIRC, Phil Rogers as well as the guys at Baseball America liked him quite a bit... Hernandez will start the year at Kanny I assume, right? I mean, eventually (he's only 19, though) he has to do something outside of Great Falls and Bristol. I talked him up before any one of those guys and just about nobody had ever heard of him outside of the Sox scouting department prior to that in very early August last year. I just don't think it's responsible to put a kid that age, at the catching position, having only ever played at a rookie level, and that raw, in that position. I though he was borderline top 10 based on pure potential having seen him play in person several times in 2004. However, given these and other factors, I was more than reluctant to place him in a top ten. It's not fair to the kid to place that level of expectation on him at that point.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 15, 2005 -> 11:31 PM) Ya, it must have been a review of his pre-season 2005 one and not his 2006 one. If it was a new one I'd be worried. Not having Valido on last year's list is an indictment enough, no? Borderline top 10 last year and he rated him behind Pedro, Ricks, Spidale, Gray, and Ulacia, all fringe prospects???? eeeek. He can't use level of play as an excuse, either, having rated Hernandez at #6, overzealously, IMO.

Well, I HOPE he stays healthy for a full season and gets that experience under his belt. Lefties with his kind of stuff don't come along every day. Not sure if having 5 pitches hurts him more than it helps him, but I would just hope for health and gaining experience, some success to build that confidence. When healthy, he has great stuff, but seems to be all over the place at times, which makes him succeptible to the big inning. We'll see, long way to go for Wes.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 03:13 PM) Cop out. Come on, be bold, you dont have to stake your rep on it. Just tell me which player you think could make a real impact. Other than BA and McCarthy, the only other way someone plays a prominant role is through injury or someone failing, IMO. I'd say someone like Bajenaru or another reliever-type has the best chance to make the team, but... Young has the talent to make a "real impact" if he's forced into service.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 01:14 PM) Randar, In your opinion, out of all of the prospects, excluding BMAC and BA, which ones are most likely to come up and contribute and possibly have a shot at making the big club. The 2006 club? I think it's too early to say given the needs the team still has. Bullpen guys are almost always the most likely to contribute immediately or win a spot in ST due to injury, etc... That said, in 2006, barring a LOT of moves by KW, there aren't many positions available for regular playing time. What happens with PK and the #3 spot in the order will have the most impact on position players.

QUOTE(heirdog @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 01:00 PM) My prediction on BA top 10: 1) McCarthy Brandon almost certainly pitched too much for BA to list him this year.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 10, 2005 -> 10:54 PM) Aside from Chris Young, no one in the system has the power potential of Collaro. I still don't think that makes him top 10, but if he learns a little more discipline and continues to improve, he may turn into a pretty solid major leaguer. Problem is guys at his stage rarely "learn" plate discipline. In fact, it almost never happens... Is Haigwood your new Deininger? Rated ahead of Gio, Broadway and Liotta? Haigwood's ceiling isn't as high as any of those guys (in addition to about 3 others), wouldn't you agree? Haigwood is the kind of kid who has more stability, likelihood to become a major leaguer, but he doesn't have 1, 2, or #3 starter stuff, does he?

QUOTE(farmteam @ Nov 10, 2005 -> 09:32 AM) Two questions: What do you think BA will put as the top 10 prospects? Who would YOU put as your top 10 prospects. Chris Young will be #1, after that, it's always a crapshoot. I haven't finished my top ten yet, but you always have to make disclaimers about including McCarthy or Anderson at this point. I would think Anderson is still elligible, but McCarthy is not.

QUOTE(Cerbaho-WG @ Nov 8, 2005 -> 03:02 PM) Unless Owens keeps htting .330 for another year, he doesn't have a whole lot of upside other than being a 4th OF, but a good one at that. While I know Tom has said he looks like a Podsednik clone, the odds are always against fast players with little power, but they sure make great options off of the bench. You have to be a .330 hitter to be a prospect or to have a chance to be a MLB regular? We'll have to wait and see. Usually, these types of guys are 2B, SS, or CF'ers. I don't think Jerry is going to be a CF'er with Young and Anderson both having the opportunity to win that spot, so there is SOME concern there unless Young REALLy explodes in the next year allowing them to have a lead-off type of guy in LF... That said, he was way behind on the developmental curve, even when the Sox picked him up from Washington, so expecting anything but continued development from him at this point is premature. Everyone needs leadoff hitters. EVERYONE. Players like that have a place in this game. Now, if he can hit .300 and have an OBP around .360-.380 and be a threat to steal 40 bases, he'll have a place to play on a team somewhere. We'll see if he develops into the kind of player that can hit like that consistently, and we'll get a better idea of how his SB% will translate to the MLB level as he gets here. Remember, Pods' SB numbers weren't out of this world as a minor leaguer.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 5, 2005 -> 08:07 PM) Supposedly the 1st time it was some supplement he was taken that gave him the positive. But your right, I sure as heck hope it isn't him getting a 2nd violation. I still think its some personal issue of some kind and I wouldn't look much into it. He'll be in AA at the start of next year. Let's not forget all the crap with the hurricanes, etc. I think he stopped playing around the time of the last one that hit Florida, no? Not 100% on that, but as close as he is with his Mom and brother, wouldn't be surprised.

QUOTE(MnSoxFan @ Nov 4, 2005 -> 09:36 AM) It certainly does Valido last played in a game Oct 24th and he didn't leave that game for any reason listed. Seems if he was simply being replaced they would have had Pedro on the roster much more quickly than 10 days later.

QUOTE(MnSoxFan @ Nov 3, 2005 -> 07:45 PM) Anyone know? Did Valido get hurt, in trouble or just pulled cause he showed enuf already and they wanted to give him some rest. Hadn't seen Valido in a game in a week and was starting to wonder. This really raises a question.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Nov 3, 2005 -> 03:51 PM) I think I have a grasp on it. Let's re-examine. You are hypothesizing that KW is thinking about trading Rowand and will eventually follow through with it, even though no such rumor even close to this has surfaced. In addition, you didn't leave any doubt in your statement that Rowand would not be starting in '06. BB said "[he] thinks...", which is a personal decision, right or wrong. Yet BB's statement is ludacris, while yours is perfectly fine. "I think at this point KW is clearly heading to the point where B.A. is carried as a 4th OF to replace Timo." Please explain to me one thing KW has said or done past or present to indicate that this is where he's "clearly heading." If you can't see the difference in the 2 statements, oh well. Like I said, comprehension is essential.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Nov 3, 2005 -> 02:51 PM) Not one for predictions? Oops. Predictions are fine, most of this thread is such. Making a hypothesis about what someone in the organization is thinking or doing and then saying that it is "clearly" what is going to happen is silly. Reading Comprehension is a skill.

QUOTE(JimH @ Nov 3, 2005 -> 08:56 AM) Curious ... you're advocating trading Rowand and plugging Brian Anderson in CF in his place? Should be pretty obvious if you read this thread.

QUOTE(BlackBetsy @ Nov 3, 2005 -> 09:02 AM) OK Randar- what would you do in 2007 when Chris Young is ready, and assuming the Sox trade Rowand? Make Anderson a corner OF? Make Young a corner OF? By the way, regardless of the merits, I do not foresee any possibility that KW trades the starting centerfielder and one of the most popular players (internally and with fans) on a World Champion team. Don't see it. If decisions are made based on popularity and not on winning, you're going to run a losing organization. KW has NEVER acted in the manner you are indicating, especially not when he has his own draft pick is ready to supplant the guy who makes 3 million dollars more. KW's history shows that Rowand will be moved. KW's history also shows that he'll put a prospect in AAA unless they are going to play every day at the big league level. Go ahead and throw all that out though, if it helps make your case. QUOTE(BlackBetsy @ Nov 3, 2005 -> 09:02 AM) I think at this point KW is clearly heading to the point where B.A. is carried as a 4th OF to replace Timo. "clearly"??? Not sure how you figure that. clearly adv: without doubt or question Speculation and hypothesis = clearly? interesting.