NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Jul 9, 2013 -> 01:30 PM) You're probably right. When he was drafted and projected to have above average power a move to 1B wouldn't have bothered me but now that he has yet to see that power come together its frustrating. Still holding out on Ravelo though. Definitely a dark horse for our positional prospects. He's young, and the power was a long projection. He's hitting very well, has a history of drawing walks as much as striking out, good contact rate, and he has started to increase his XBH rate this year (particularly in the past week or two). He's a real prospect and one to watch, and I wouldn't give up on him developing power yet. Remember too that he missed half of last year, so this will be his first full pro season.

Sanchez is 20 in AAA. Going into Opening Day this year, he was THE YOUNGEST player in AAA. That isn't some small piece of information, that is huge. He's not a full season into AAA yet, at that age. He's still the best MI prospect in the system outside of Tim Anderson, and I still feel he's got a good shot at being a starter eventually. It just isn't going to be this year, and probably not next.

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Jul 9, 2013 -> 12:41 PM) Can someone give a brief synopsis of Semien's defensive skills? Every time I check the box score he is getting on base. I am also still upset we have Ravelo at 1B. His bat that is coming together would be much better elsewhere. Not only was Hawkins 0-4, 4 Ks, but everyone on WS got a hit with 7 players having multi hit games. That Winston-Salem lineup is becoming pretty interesting to watch. Micah Johnson - 3-5, R, 2 RBI. Rangel Ravelo - 2-4, HR, 2 R. Chris Curley - 2-5, 2 HR, 5 RBIs. Bristol's box scores have been pretty upsetting for me of late. Not only has Michalzewski cooled off from his encouraging start, but Sammy Ayala is riding the pine in favor of some stiffs. Hopefully they're working instructional aspects of his game or something like that. Can anyone comment as to why he's not getting a bulk of the starts behind the plate? '13 draft picks Matt Ball and Tyler Barnette both have 4 scoreless innings for Bristol now. I've seen varying reports on Semien's defense, but the general impression I have is that he is above average at 2B, and something like average at SS (with some reports below average, others above). With the lack of 3B talent in the system, if Ravelo could have stuck at 3B at all, they would have kept him there. IF he's at first, he's not a 3B.

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Jul 9, 2013 -> 12:30 PM) It seems that my past comments that were flamed have now become the norm around here. Let's not go there. No one flamed you for saying Hawkins had some maturity issues, in fact people agreed with you. You know what people flamed you for, and it wasn't your opinion about his maturity level.

QUOTE (QuickJones81 @ Jul 8, 2013 -> 09:58 PM) I'd also probably have a final tier of players on the watch list for potential to crash the party, a la Micah Johnson. For that tier I would place guys like: Adam Engel Nick Basto Sammy Ayala Luis Arteaga Brandon Brennan Jason Coats Roger Ramos Kevin Vance Braulio Ortiz Jose Bautista Daniel Gonzalez Just curious... what do you know about Luis Arteaga? Hadn't really heard anything about him before.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 9, 2013 -> 09:47 AM) I'd love to see that happen. Unfortunately, no one has the money for it. The City of Detroit certainly doesn't. The idea would be to try to combine federal and state grant/loan programs (there are a zillion of these for various purposes), and go to the private businesses that are still strong in town (there are some), and start doing it one neighborhood at a time. Doesn't have to be done all at once. Still pie in the sky, but not entirely impossible either.

Here is my pie-in-the-sky idea... Most property values in Detroit proper are absurdly low anyway, and the city isn't getting tax receipt income from huge percentages of property that is empty and abandoned. So the best bet, really, is to re-condense the city. New Orleans should have done this too. Pick neighborhoods where the percentage of homes/businesses/lots are continuously and legally populated at a low percentage, and move everyone out. Take over abandoned properties (and buy others for dirt cheap) in neighborhoods with higher density. Set up a lottery system of some kind, with some user choice, to move people out of the awful neighborhoods and into the less awful ones that are at least somewhat populated. People who are up to date on taxes and mortgages get first choice. Apply for as many federal loans and grants as you can, put the money into rehabbing any homes that are not to code and/or below current living standards for those being moved. If they don't want to move to any of the choices, and if they are up to date on taxes etc., then try to buy them out. For the emptied neighborhoods, raze the structures, and allow the land to lay foul. Find any number of uses for the empty land as, in some sense, green space. Parks, prairies, urban farming co-ops, whatever you can find, ideally at least some of it private. You build a patchwork of green belts around the city. Then you can significantly reduce city services costs in those areas, to almost zero. Reduce the size of fire and police forces, schools, everything, re-use infrastructure parts from areas no longer used, condense transit, all of it - which will realize significant cost savings over time. Police force reduction should NOT be as large as actual reduction in tasks though, so that you can actually somewhat increase police presence in the populated areas. That open land, doesn't have to be open either - casinos, etc., open ALL the doors, let them all buy the property for next to nothing, to get them on the tax rolls. But in exchange, they have to be flexible as to location of their facilities - allow for good zoning plans in place. This plan would, inevitably, cause a lot of havoc in the short term. Long term, it would essentially allow the city to reset and restart, and be able to economically maintain itself and maybe even grow.

My only experience with the park that is sometimes negative is having some of the vendors be closed, particularly in the UD, at low attendace games. And in that case, I understand why, even though I may not like it. The fans are another thing entirely, the park can only control that so well. and when I've reported problems before (which has been very rare), they do actually do something about it. Other than that incredibly stupid video they were showing early in the season, I've had positive experiences this season. Few to no complaints from me.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 8, 2013 -> 03:07 PM) I think ranking prospects is a balance of how high of a ceiling they have, versus the level they are at, versus the reality of them reaching that ceiling. With Zapata, you are talking about potential Adam Dunn power. The Sox don't have a lot of guys in the system with that kind of ceiling. In terms of hitters that is only Hawkins, Barnum, and Thompson IMO. Because they are already achieving at higher levels, I can see them being ahead of Zapata. Throw in Anderson in a premium position and speed that rates as high as Zapata's power. Also add in a guy like Erik Johnson who is a 2/3 starter and only 1 level away from Chicago. Seeing Caulfield's answer from the other thread, I could also see Josh Phegley being in consideration to be ahead of Z because he is now in Chicago, and having put up big numbers at AAA. For my two cents the rest of the system is so low ceilinged (not really a word, but OK) or so unlikely to achieve anything close to their ceiling that I don't see any other guys worth rating ahead of him. Now that could change if Zapata doesn't do anything in the DSL or if other guys start to emerge, but I would put him in the 5 to 8 range, giving some demerits to Zapata for only being 16 while the others are older and more accomplished. In a year or two, you could make a pretty clear case for Micker being #1 or #2. Have to be careful with DSL numbers - historically, they don't end up meaning much, or telling us much. The lower level in the minors, the less meaningful the stats, and in the DSL they hold very little meaning. Not none, but very little.

Here is a tough subject. The Sox have, for the first time in a long while, an international signing prospect who hasn't played an inning of pro ball yet, but could potentially be considered among the top prospects in the organization. Then there are last year's bonus babies, guys like Johan Cruz and Hanleth Otano, who are just getting going in the DSL. Where does Zapata rank, in peoples' opinions? How about the others? Can you even evaluate Zapata well enough to consider him for a top prospects list? Based on what? Poll attached, but the discussion should be fun.

Barnum has home runs in each of the past three days, he seems to be warming up. Zapata is a really tough call... hm, thread topic?

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jul 8, 2013 -> 12:41 PM) Why? Because of his bad year? Out of all the players in the system, he still has the best chance to become a star player. Therefore, he is the #1 prospect in the system. Erik Johnson is good but he will be a #3 starter most likely at the ML level. Hawkins may fail. Hawkins also "could" become an All Star RF perennially. He stays at #1. Prospect evaluation cannot be SOLELY about perceived ceiling. If you have a guy in AAA who looks like a very likely solid or above average major league starting player/pitcher, and a super-toolsy guy in A ball who is struggling, I don't think it is out of hand to think the former is more valuable than the latter. I do agree that Hawkins still has an argument to be #1, but it is not nearly as cut and dried as you are making it seem.

Kind of surprised Tyrell King hasn't signed. But other than that, yeah, those other three aren't signing. Overall a very successful signing period for the team, I'd say. 36 of 40 signed, the bottom two were never really an option, so that means only two guys they probably wanted to sign didn't. And Octavio was a huge reach, who they would probably only have been able to touch if michalczewski didn't sign.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jul 8, 2013 -> 10:23 AM) I haven't seen anything all that negative on Anderson's defense. My impression from most scouting reports is that folks haven't seen him enough to say for sure, so the easier stance to take is to say they don't know if he will stick yet not cite any specific weaknesses. Anyways, as someone else pointed out, it is fairly common for young infielders to commit a boatload of errors at the lower levels and eventually get better. Conor Gillaspie is an example on the White Sox -- many questioned whether he could pick it when/after he was drafted, but began cutting his errors in half year by year until now, when he is a damn fine defender. This isn't to say Anderson is a lock to be a defensive wizard, but it is just difficult to say. This is more my impression. I haven't seen any specifically negative reports on his defense at all. And I am not going to put a whole ton of stock into a couple weeks of initial pro ball either.

Well let's list out the current SS prospects in the system, as a starting point... --Carlose Sanchez is still the best SS prospect in the system IMO, though he may end up staying at 2B. --Marcus Semien is also worth following. But he's been moving back and forth between SS and 2B, sharing time with Saldino. --Speaking of which, Tyler Saladino is still there to consider. --Joey DeMichele was moved to SS recently to make room for Micah Johnson. DeMichele hadn't played SS since high school, and did so only sparingly back then, so the move may be temporary. So let's not consider him there for now. --Nick Basto should be considered here too - 5th round pick last year struggled in Bristol, hit for average in Rk this year before being promoted to Kanny. --Toby Thomas at Bristol is worth monitoring --Zack Voight --Christian Stringer and Tyler Shryock are also listed as SS for Great Falls, but they are juggling time with Voight between SS and 2B. --Johan Cruz is playing now as well. If I had to put them in order, assuming for each that they can stick at SS (which isn't guaranteed for any of them): 1. Sanchez 2. Semien 3. Saladino 4. Basto 5. Shryock 6. Stringer 7. Voight 8. Thomas That's AFTER Anderson. And keep Johan Cruz in the DSL in mind as well.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 8, 2013 -> 09:02 AM) He has sooo many people in front of him as potential 1B, and that is just assuming the Sox don't acquire someone else. Where are you getting this? In terms of 1B prospects who are even maybe going to be ready in the next couple years, Wilkins has no one in front of him. Not a soul. No one in the Sox minor league system is going to lap Wilkins for a 1B job in the next 1.5 seasons. If he isn't on the Sox during that time, that means they acquired someone to fill the role, and that is probably what happens.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 8, 2013 -> 08:46 AM) You could still make a very legitimate/credible argument for him. Erik Johnson will probably be the pick, but he's a very soft #1. Tim Anderson can't really be considered for #1 if he can't stick at SS (most likely ticketed for 2B/CF). Trayce Thompson, with how he's fallen off again back into the 240's, no way he can be #1, either. And he doesn't even have 10 homers yet this season. Our system is a LOT deeper than a year or two years ago, but not many standout, surefire major league All-Stars....Hawkins is still the one with the most potential to become a superstar/highest ceiling. Josh Phegley, even though he's now with the Sox, deserves to be recognized for a great half season, albeit not in the Top 5. Same with Micah Johnson. What makes you think Tim Anderson is "most likely ticketed for 2B/CF"? Your general impression of the list I agree with - better overall depth, but weaker on top without any elite names.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2013 -> 08:04 PM) He's got 2 positions, 1B and DH. They're more likely to use Viciedo, Dunn, Keppinger, DeAza, etc., there. Just don't see it. The odds seem higher that/for 1) Viciedo will move, 2) FA/offseason move, or 3) trade from July or offseason. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised to see Phegley or Flowers get a look there (1B/DH) to get some extra AB's as well. A lot depends on if Konerko is traded/retires, of course. Might be worth noting here, Wilkins is a former 3B, and he did play 5 games there with B-Ham last season. I have no idea how he handled things over there, probably not great or else he'd have played there more often. I think there is a good chance he puts on a Sox uniform this year, in September. And I think, if he does start to hit AAA pitching the way he hit AA pitching this season, depending on what route the Sox take into 2014... he may actually get a look as the 1B for 2014. Probably not, but, if Konerko retires/leaves, and the Sox see opportunites to better spend FA money at other positions, it is a real possibility.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2013 -> 05:23 PM) Salvador Sanchez has just completely imploded. Breezed through the 8th and now is about to give up his 5th consecutive base-runner. When he's not walking people and throwing wild pitches, he has a nasty slider and 93-96 MPH fastball. Barons 24/26 on the season in saves converted (now 24/27), and the two blown saves they won both those games. Quickly recovered, 2 consecutive K's (he was down 3-0 in the count)....but then gave up a 2 run single on a first pitch FB over the heart of the plate. 5-3 lead for MS, started the 9th with a 3-2 lead. Going into yesterday's action, Salvador Sanchez had 5 walks in 31 innings, good for a 1.5 BB/9 rate. That is one of the lowest in his league and anywhere in the Sox organization. I wouldn't worry too much with him about a brief bout of wildness.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 5, 2013 -> 07:37 AM) Zero confirmation of it this morning. TAYLOR Thompson was promoted, not Trayce.

Nevermind, found it from Kanny's feed. Basto and May promoted to Kanny too, and Barroso released.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 3, 2013 -> 04:15 PM) Micah Johnson has been promoted to Winston-Salem. Source?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 3, 2013 -> 11:27 AM) Two years I would imagine. At the very least, maybe Bristol next year. He's almost 17, I think he'll be stateside next year, unless he has serious issues in DSL this season.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 3, 2013 -> 09:44 AM) Johan Cruz was $450K. They had two guys at $450k.

I think there is a very good chance Rienzo sees Chicago this year, likely in the bullpen, if the Sox trade away any pitching. Also... keep an eye on Kevin Vance.