just looking at their farm and roster i wonder when all this talent will start translating into wins to take them to the top of the East or at least a wild card, i think the fans would settle for a .500 record.
I'm going to break down their current and possible future core; feel free to chime in with what you think each players realistic comps/lines are.
C - S Dioner Navarro 23yrs old. From what i've watched of the rays and dodgers when he was behind the dish he seems calls a good game and looks like a very solid defensive catcher .280/.345/.402 Paul Lo Duca with a bit more pop and better OBP skills?
3B-1B - L Akinori Iwamura 28yrs old. His swing looks like a very traditional Japanese swing. i don't think his 40HR production will translate to the states but i can see 20+ infact i wouldn't be surprised if he posted a 20/20 season .300/.370/.470 . He's only 5'9 but hes incredibly athletic i think he could handle 1B.
2B - R BJ Upton 22yrs old. Before last season alot of publications were predicting as soon as he came up he would hit, i think he got a case of the "yips" and let his defense get to his head; 07 is the year i think he will break out. hes got so much talent and athleticism i wouldn't be surprised if some time in his career he put up a 40/40 season. i think this year he puts up .280/.350/.490 with 35+SB
3B - R Evan Longoria 21yrs old. The most advanced college bat in the '06 draft, alot of people compare him to Utley and Zimmerman, and honestly thats about where i put him, i think both Ryan and Evan are capable of .300/.375/.500+
Longoria in 248milb ABs .315/.360/.597 18HR, 14.2b 1.3b
Zimmerman in 250milb ABs .336/.377/.564 11HR 22.2b 1.3b
SS - L Reid Brignac 21yrs old. His footwork is solid at SS, and scouts think he will be able to hit 25+ annually, i've been reading a few comps to Ripken, i think hes got better speed a bit more power and will hit for a better average he needs work on his plate discipline but so far so good. I'm also not saying hes going to have a HOF career but his work in the minors is impressive thus far. .300/.365/.557 with a few SB.
LF - L Carl Crawford 25yrs old. he just keeps getting better and better at every aspect of the game, i wouldn't be surprised if he posted this line this year .317/.360/.536 30HR/30+SB
CF - R Elijah Dukes 22yrs old. As crazy as they come, but from all reports his teammates at the big club like him, and he gets along with Maddon so far. Hes got all star talent, and personally he reminds me alot like Grady Sizemore; only it appears he might have a bit more advanced eye compared to Grady for their relative ages in the minors. If Dukes sticks at the show this season i wouldn't be surprised if he did something similar to Sizemore's '05 .289/.348/.484
RF - R Delmon Young 21yrs old. Reminds me of Albert Belle, only with even less patience at the plate, hes got all the tools, and if he develops his plate discipline i think hes very capable of putting up numbers similar to Belle in the near future.
DH/OF - R Rocco Baldelli 25yrs old. he still has 30/30 potential and last year he put up a very nice line in 92 games for a 24 yr old after missing all of 05 and coming back from two surgeries .302/.339/.553 with 16hr, 10 sb and 6 triples. I know some people are opposed to him being a DH at such a young age, but if they have to handle him with kid gloves to get his production and have him spell all the other OFers i think it could work for them.
SP - L Scott Kazmir 23yrs old. staff ace, injury bug has bitten him a bit, but when hes right hes filthy.
SP - R James Sheilds 25yrs old. solid 3/4 with decent ml success to build upon.
SP - R Jeff Niemann 24yrs old. top of line starter, appears to finally be healthy mid 90s FB, nasty slider
SP - L David Price(provided they draft him) 21yrs old. FB 89-93 touches 96/97, slider, and a good change
SP - L Jacob McGee 20yrs old mid 90s FB, +Curve, working on ChUP
BP - Wade Davis 21yrs old mid 90s FB can touch 98/Curve/Slider/ChUP currently a SP
BP - Edwin Jackson 23yrs old mid 90s FB can touch 98, good curve no control, currently a MLSP
BP - Juan Salas 27yrs old, great stuff, just hasn't found consistency at the ML lvl yet
i think we see them around 500 next season provided they get their BP sorted out, and their SP can be healthy.
I also see them moving Ben Zobrist and trimming the fat from the ML roster and farm to get the pieces they need in the BP.
I also think Joel Guzman could stick at 1B for them.
