He's going to report to the Great Falls White Sox later this season. King played for Southern Miss where he hit 23 hr's this season. The kid has some serious power.

Keep the money coming, JR!

 

The 9th rounder, OF David Cook is on Great Falls roster too, and the 4th rounder, the SS from Miami, Valido, is on Bristol roster.

I think they already have money budgeted for these signings. It's not like they have to go find it.

He's going to report to the Great Falls White Sox later this season.  King played for Southern Miss where he hit 23 hr's this season.  The kid has some serious power.

didn't someone say that this guy might be a hard sign?

 

 

if so, that means that jr is coming with the money to get them.

King was not going to be hard to sign, the HS kids will be.

yeah the first two picks and the top HS SS sound like the keys to this draft right now.

Have they signed Anderson and Sweeney?

Have they signed Anderson and Sweeney?

Not yet, but Anderson is sure to sign. Dunno about Sweeney.

Well, one HS kid down with the SS from Miami Valido (4)having signed. We need others like Sweeney (2), Nachreiner (5), Casey (7), Brooks (11), Veal (12), Hodges (13) and Moviel (15) to sign to make this a most excellent draft.

Well, one HS kid down with the SS from Miami Valido (4)having signed. We need others like Sweeney (2), Nachreiner (5), Casey (7), Brooks (11), Veal (12), Hodges (13) and Moviel (15) to sign to make this a most excellent draft.

Having never seen any of these guys, I can't say for sure...but I measure "excellent draft" not by overall depth and quantity, but by the quality--the superstars it produces. Look for example at Reds' 98 draft: they get Dunn and Kearns in consecutive rounds. These guys are potential if not already All-Stars and comprise the cheap backbone for the ML team for next 3-5 years. Who cares if the remaining 30 picks from that draft did not amount to much? It's not like you can always trade 5 good prospects for a great star, KW certainly can't...No, I'd rather have one Mark Prior or Kerry Wood a year and have 9 bums than to have 10 "smart" picks who may one days become "solid" major leaguers in the Jeff Leifer/Tony Graffanino mold.

 

Since I pretty much don't give a s*** about our ml affiliates and their little baby leagues, all I care about is the White Sox team. Of course there is something to be said about the correlation between "farm depth" and "ML success", don't get me wrong...but still, one doesn't automatically lead to the other.

 

Seeing Borchard suck badly right now, Sox need a Ordonez- or Frank Thomas-like superstar. I'll believe it when I see it, until then I am very sceptical about tool-guy Anderson and Co.

As i remember, our farm system was the envy of baseball just a few years ago. Where did this get us? Exactly. "Farm depth" doesnt mean s*** to me.

As i remember, our farm system was the envy of baseball just a few years ago.  Where did this get us? Exactly.  "Farm depth" doesnt mean s*** to me.

While I agree fundamentally on the "depth" thing...to be fair, BMR:

 

--Kip Wells is a young star. No doubt about that.

 

--Josh Fogg is a really solid ML'er. Would be a good #4 on most team and #2-3 on quite a few ones.

 

--Stumm, Rauch, Barcelo and Corwin Malone showed flashes of brilliance. Nobody knew they would get injured. If they are healthy, we are talking about 2 potential all-stars here.

 

--Joe Crede is still a very talented hitter.

 

--Ditto for Borchard though he needs to shorten his swing. If you don't think he is worth anything, try offering him to the Yankees and see what happends.

 

--Olivo is already pretty solid.

 

--Maggs and Lee are home-grown.

 

--Biddle is a premiere closer this season. If he can finally stay healthy, he will be if anything else a very solid major leaguer.

 

--Ginter the jury is till out, but it looks like he will be a ML afterall.

 

--Sox still have Cotts, Diaz, Pacheco, Honel, Wing, Ring, Reed, Shurnstein and a few others who are looking awfully good.

 

--Garland and Wright the jury still out on, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of them pull a Kip Wells on us...while playing for another team, naturally.

 

 

As you can see, the farm system has been fairly successful. The only reason it's "overrated" is because there is no Mark Prior/Kerry Wood/Albert Pujols/A-Rod in it.

For a guy who doesn't give a s*** about the minors, you sure as hell know about a lot of the guys in it.

For a guy who doesn't give a s*** about the minors, you sure as hell know about a lot of the guys in it.

There is nothing contradictory here whatsoever: I DO care about the premier prospects and their performance but only in terms of how much they can help the Big Club in the future.

 

If Cotts goes 7+ innings and Ks 15 and the Barons end up losing because the remaining players are s***, I wouldn't shed a tear.

 

On the other hand, if Barons win 10-7 with Neal giving up all seven in 3 inn of work, I would consider it a really bad news.

 

See now?

Hope some of the guys pan out for Sox

Have they signed Anderson and Sweeney?

Anderson is supposed to sign any day.

There is nothing contradictory here whatsoever:  I DO care about the premier prospects and their performance but only in terms of how much they can help the Big Club in the future.

 

If Cotts goes 7+ innings and Ks 15 and the Barons end up losing because the remaining players are s***, I wouldn't shed a tear.

 

On the other hand, if Barons win 10-7 with Neal giving up all seven in 3 inn of work, I would consider it a really bad news.

 

See now?

I understand your point and it is somewhat valid. Don't discount, however, that the more guys win at lower levels, the better then understand how to win and that can only help once they reach the big leagues. So winning and losing, along with playing the game the right way is emphasized along with individual player development. One does not go without the other.

 

But yes, you are correct in that the purpose of the Minor Leagues is to develop players for the Big Club.

I agree with Rex, winning in minors breeds winning in majors. I want solid drafts, gotta get lucky to get a Prior, Kearns or Dunn. Prior, they were lucky Twins did not take him. Kearns and Dunn were good picks, at the time no one expected them to tear up the majors.

Anderson is supposed to sign any day.

Where did you hear that at? Is that the fact that we talked to him ahead of time before drafting him, or new info?

Where did you hear that at?  Is that the fact that we talked to him ahead of time before drafting him, or new info?

Its been mentioned that the Sox pretty much had him signed before they drafted him. They have wanted him for a while.

I agree with Rex, winning in minors breeds winning in majors. I want solid drafts, gotta get lucky to get a Prior, Kearns or Dunn. Prior, they were lucky Twins did not take him. Kearns and Dunn were good picks, at the time no one expected them to tear up the majors.

No... WE are lucky the Twins didn't draft him. Though that catcher they drafted sounds like he'll be the real deal.

No... WE are lucky the Twins didn't draft him.  Though that catcher they drafted sounds like he'll be the real deal.

1. The kid has no power, mediocre speed, has hit into a ton of DP and is in low-A ball-- 3-5 years away from being a good ML'er which Pierzinki already is. Compared to Jeremy Reed, he AIN'T s***.

 

2. I am not sure about his defense, but if it was anywhere near Olivo's level, I would have heard it by now.

1. The kid has no power, mediocre speed, has hit into a ton of DP and is in low-A ball--  3-5 years away from being a good ML'er which Pierzinki already is. Compared to Jeremy Reed, he AIN'T s***.

 

2.  I am not sure about his defense, but if it was anywhere near Olivo's level, I would have heard it by now.

I have to admit that I haven't followed the kid's progress, but I seem to remember reading that he was doing quite well. But, I hope you are right.

Mauer will be a good player, but not along the same lines as Prior. He has the skills to hit .300 and have an OBP of .400 or so, but his power is marginal at best. Speed, none.