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Soxtalk Top Ten Prospect List


maggsmaggs
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While I agree with the premise of the comment of working on tools you don't have, this seems kind of backwards. From my times in the minors there were many guys with the tool of speed but were awful base stealers due to poor jumps, difficulty reading pitchers etc. These guys needed to work on these things and were encouraged to work on them. The purpose wasn't to rack up SB numbers but to work on the tools needed to be a good base stealer not just a guy with speed. So just because a guy has a certain tool does not mean they don't work on it at all.

 

It's similar to a guy with a great fastball who needs to work on a breaking pitch while you may focus on the weakness you always need to improve on the strength as well.

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You don't need to try to impress with your knowledge of what type of prospects (or lack thereof) there are in the minors. Anyone who has spent time watching them or working with them know that most have no chance to make it. Just stating some things I observed when I was there and how coaches worked with them. Just because someone has the tool doesn't mean it's refined and it doesn't need to be improved. A tool isn't effective if it's not used properly (OK I couldn't resist that one), You can't tell me that rookie league and A ball players have ANY tool refined.

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BE, is there any information/research you can point me to that validates the scouting scoring model? (For example, articles or studies that verify OFP, and the tools measures, as valid indicators of future success/failure.)

 

I'm not looking to start a debate on it, just looking for info. Anything you can point me to would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Edited by scenario
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Thanks for the input.

 

Is this the same school you went to?

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/featu...school0123.html

 

I think there have to be statistics somewhere that back up the validity of the scoring model.

I'll do some more digging to see what I can find.

Edited by scenario
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The story describes the 12-day MLBSB school held each year for execs and scouts.

 

Is there another longer school? If so, please describe (length, etc). And where can I learn more about it?

 

 

 

Also... I found the following quote from an interesting 2003 MLB.com article about this school. Thought I'd point it out for other posters. (BTW - the series of articles linked here is excellent and highly recommended reading.)

 

For several years now (since 1989), the Major League Scouting Bureau has held "scout schools" where Major League organizations can send employees with an interest in player development to learn to scout. Often they are former players who still want to work in baseball or an employee with an interest in becoming a farm or scouting director. The most famous graduate of the school is current White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams, but it's interesting to note that more than 70 percent of the 400-plus students who have been through one of these camps, is working in baseball in some capacity. Once held in Florida, they are now held in Arizona each fall.

Edited by knightni
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QUOTE(scenario @ Dec 30, 2007 -> 08:16 AM)
The story describes the 12-day MLBSB school held each year for execs and scouts.

 

Is there another longer school? If so, please describe (length, etc). And where can I learn more about it?

Also... I found the following quote from an interesting 2003 MLB.com article about this school. Thought I'd point it out for other posters. (BTW - the series of articles linked here is excellent and highly recommended reading.)

 

couldn't agree more, great reading for anyone who's interested in scouting or player development

 

 

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Quick question, for which I will use an example. A guy like Gio Gonzalez has a plus curve, average/plus fastball and average change. What would it take to teach him a cutter? From what I understand, it's only a slight change in the grip, is thrown like a fastball, and would seem like something almost any pitcher could add. Buehrle's cutter is extremely effective, and Loaiza's addition of a cutter in 2003 nearly won him the Cy Young.

 

Can you speak briefly about adding a pitch to a young pitcher's repetoire if they only have 1-2 solid pitches? How would a pitch (slider, change, cutter, forkball, etc.) be selected for the pitcher, and how would the pitcher develop it?

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QUOTE(ChiSox_Sonix @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 03:17 PM)
Bureau, now that DLS, Sweeney and Gio are gone, any chance you can show their scouting reports like you did for Cunningham? If you can thatd be something interesting to see. Thanks.

 

 

I second that request.

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QUOTE(BearSox @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 03:26 PM)
1. Jack Egbert

2. Lance Broadway

3. John Shelby

4. Aaron Poreda

5. Jose Martinez

 

That is disgustingly bad for a teams top 5 prospects.

1. Alexei Ramirez

2. Jack Egbert

3. Lance Broadway

4. John Shelby

5. Aaron Poreda

 

Our top prospect is 26 going on 30!

 

Oh, I quad the request for Gio, DLS, and Sweeney info from Bureau.

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FYI - I asked Kevin Goldstein about Poreda today...

 

wsgdf83 (Naperthrill): I've heard bad things about Poreda's delivery - that he's an injury waiting to happen. Have you heard the same?

 

Kevin Goldstein: Not really. It's hardly perfect, but it's not end of the world violent or anything. The more legitimate concern is wether or not his secondary stuff will come -- it's still a pretty special arm.

 

 

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QUOTE(wsgdf_2 @ Jan 9, 2008 -> 10:27 AM)
FYI - I asked Kevin Goldstein about Poreda today...

 

wsgdf83 (Naperthrill): I've heard bad things about Poreda's delivery - that he's an injury waiting to happen. Have you heard the same?

 

Kevin Goldstein: Not really. It's hardly perfect, but it's not end of the world violent or anything. The more legitimate concern is wether or not his secondary stuff will come -- it's still a pretty special arm.

 

I've heard from several sources that because of his arm slot and pitching action it would be tough for him to ever develop an effective breaking pitch

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QUOTE(wsgdf_2 @ Jan 9, 2008 -> 12:27 PM)
FYI - I asked Kevin Goldstein about Poreda today...

 

wsgdf83 (Naperthrill): I've heard bad things about Poreda's delivery - that he's an injury waiting to happen. Have you heard the same?

 

Kevin Goldstein: Not really. It's hardly perfect, but it's not end of the world violent or anything. The more legitimate concern is wether or not his secondary stuff will come -- it's still a pretty special arm.

 

 

Although what he said isn't necessarily in a completely different world than what we've been told by our in home Sox scout, The fact that Kevin Goldstein is basing his opinions off of what he hears and not what he examines with his own eyes and mind makes me think that his opinion is unimportant.

 

The more I hear from Bureau the less I care what places like Baseball America, Project Prospect, ESPN, Etc has to say because in reality how much more information could people like that get that we can't?

Edited by Markbilliards
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QUOTE(Markbilliards @ Jan 11, 2008 -> 04:33 AM)
Although what he said isn't necessarily in a completely different world than what we've been told by our in home Sox scout, The fact that Kevin Goldstein is basing his opinions off of what he hears and not what he examines with his own eyes and mind makes me think that his opinion is unimportant.

 

The more I hear from Bureau the less I care what places like Baseball America, Project Prospect, ESPN, Etc has to say because in reality how much more information could people like that get that we can't?

 

I think the fact that the scouts that were responsible for that pick have been canned tells you all you need to know. It also tells you that the Sox internal assessment will likely result in Poreda being traded for whatever they can get as soon as possibl (before whatever value he has drops further).

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QUOTE(bighurt4life @ Jan 4, 2008 -> 11:56 PM)
Fifth, it would be really interesting to see how they were viewed from within the organization as everyone on the outside looking in saw gio and dls as the undisputed top two in our minors with sweeny not far behind

 

Just my own opinion, but if you piece together stuff posted here by the resident Sox scout and look at the Sox actiosn I think you have some indication:

 

1) Gio: the Sox probably saw him as the their #1 advanced prospect. But they clearly had concerns about flyball tendencies and were looking to raise his trade value since he spent all of 2007 in BHAM to protect him from that AAA bandbox.

2) DLS: IIRC the Sox scout had DLS topping out as a reliever rather than a starter due to stamina concerns and the violence of his delivery. In the prospect media (e.g, BP) people were valuing him as a likely (or at least possible) starter.

3) Sweeney: His lack of a late season callup clearly indicated organizational displeasure. Whether it was attitude or strictly performance is hard to say.

 

I think the Sox valued DLS (especially) and Gio lower than the "prospect media". Sweeney they may still have liked long-term despite last year's performance, but felt they had to include him to get Swisher.

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QUOTE(BearSox @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 03:26 PM)
1. Jack Egbert

2. Lance Broadway

3. John Shelby

4. Aaron Poreda

5. Jose Martinez

 

That is disgustingly bad for a teams top 5 prospects.

 

I'd look for Poreda to really jump in the next 12 months. The early returns from scouts (from people I've spoken with) are extremely good (he's starting to garner a few Randy Johnson comparisons).

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