1) Gordon Beckham, SS, Grade B+: Very advanced prospect with across-the-board skills. Could get to A- next year.

 

2) Aaron Poreda, LHP, Grade B+: Power lefty was a bit more polished than anticipated. Does he start or relieve?

 

3) Tyler Flowers, C, Grade B: Impressive power bat acquired in Vasquez deal.

 

4) Brandon Allen, 1B, Grade C+: Enormous raw power, but high strikeout rate is concerning.

 

5) Clayton Richard, LHP, Grade C+: Throws strikes, nice sinker, not a big margin for error.

 

6) Jordan Danks, OF, Grade C+: Excellent tools, played well in pro debut, and I still think he can show some power eventually.

 

7) Chris Getz, 2B, Grade C+: Nice contact hitter, should be useful but not a star.

 

8) John Shelby, OF, Grade C+: Good tools, has speed and power, but strike zone judgment may hold him back.

 

9) Jose Martinez, OF, Grade C+: Good tools, season cut short by knee injury. Will power come?

 

10) Dayan Viciendo, 3B, Grade C+: Wild guess on grade and rating. Scouting reports indicate Angel Villalona type, but who knows?

 

11) Brent Morel, 3B, Grade C+: Nice debut. Joe Randa type?

 

12) Dan Hudson, RHP, Grade C+: I think he is a major sleeper.

 

13) Dexter Carter, RHP, Grade C: Excellent pro debut following horrible college season. Which is the real Carter?

 

14) Jeff Marquez, RHP, Grade C: Sinkerball guy acquired in Swisher deal.

 

15) Jon Link, RHP, Grade C: Another guy with a power sinker, good Double-A season, could slot into pen.

 

16) Cole Armstrong, Grade C: White Sox seem to like him but I have big doubts about his bat.

 

17) Justin Cassel, RHP, Grade C: Another guy who could be a nice solid utility pitcher.

 

18) Jack Egbert, RHP, Grade C: Another guy who could be a nice solid utility pitcher.

 

19) John Ely, RHP, Grade C: Another guy who could be a nice solid utility pitcher.

 

20) Jon Gilmore, 3B, Grade C: Young 3B acquired in Vasquez deal. Changing grade from C+ to C due to rawness but I still think he could develop.

link

 

Discuss

 

Personally i find it hard to believe Inoa gets a b- and Viciendo gets a c+ and isn't held in a higher regard especially with the sox propensity lately for Cuban players.

Sickels is a Twins fan, but I really can't argue wit his ratings. Beckham needs a full year to get an A, Poreda needs some secondary pitches, Allen needs to cut down on the Ks, Flowers needs to show he can stick at catcher. For the Viciedo thing, I think he really should just be graded an incomplete right now because no body has seen him in minor league ball yet and that should be the case with all international prospects. I think these are pretty fair grades, but Sickels seems to acknowledge the Sox have a lot of intriguing players in the system who could make some major jumps: Shelby, Danks, Hudson, Martinez and Morel.

i'm much more bullish on viciedo and i think brandon allen deserves a b-, but otherwise i don't have any real complaints with it.

Note to Sickels...

 

It's Viciedo.... not Viciendo.

 

 

 

 

Damn, that's the lowest I've seen Viciedo ranked on anyone's board so far.

"10) Dayan Viciendo, 3B, Grade C+: Wild guess on grade and rating. Scouting reports indicate Angel Villalona type, but who knows?"

 

Why not do some research then to make your rankings a bit more legit?

Edited December 22, 200817 yr by jenks45monster

So I wonder what his equivilant would be when compared to major league players... for example who would be a B+ SS that would compare to Beckham so that we can get a idea of how he sees him...

I think John Ely is too low. Other than that, I think it's a good list. God damn I'm still bummed about Nevin Griffith.

 

Anybody know the validity of this site? http://www.scoutingbook.com/prospects/51-60

 

I ask because they've got Brent Lillibridge ranked #52 on their top 300 prospects list. lol.

Edited December 23, 200817 yr by Jordan4life

I think John Ely is too low. Other than that, I think it's a good list. God damn I'm still bummed about Nevin Griffith.

 

Anybody know the validity of this site? http://www.scoutingbook.com/prospects/51-60

 

I ask because they've got Brent Lillibridge ranked #52 on their top 300 prospects list. lol.

 

I saw that site a while ago too, didn't strike me as having much validity. It looked like a random fan's site. Probably just somebody who is really into tracking prospects.

 

 

Also, nice to see the sox have some high ranking prospects again, some people with star potential.

 

Damn, that's the lowest I've seen Viciedo ranked on anyone's board so far.

"10) Dayan Viciendo, 3B, Grade C+: Wild guess on grade and rating. Scouting reports indicate Angel Villalona type, but who knows?"

 

Why not do some research then to make your rankings a bit more legit?

 

because research tells only so much and there's very limited footage of Viciedo. He wants to see him, so he's giving him an average grade for now.

 

Scouting reports across the internet can say that he's got mad power and whatever else, but there are other reports that say that he's going to eat himself out of the league too. Without actually watching him, Sickels has nothing.

Note to Sickels...

 

It's Viciedo.... not Viciendo.

 

at least he didn't say Visciano (which I'm waiting for)...

From the comments:

GRADE CHANGES

 

I am changing Brandon Allen to GRADE B-

I am changing Viciedo to GRADE B-

 

by John Sickels on Dec 23, 2008 10:57 PM GMT

I think it's a good move on both parts, Allen definitely deserves to be at least a B-.

Marquez pretty low in the ranking, I really hope this guy won't be our 4/5 starter.

I actually like Sickels honesty on Viciedo. At least he isn't judging based on one scouting report and acting like his word is gospel. In fact, I'd say I'm much more likely to trust him now because he's honest when he thinks he has a good grasp of a player.

I actually like Sickels honesty on Viciedo. At least he isn't judging based on one scouting report and acting like his word is gospel. In fact, I'd say I'm much more likely to trust him now because he's honest when he thinks he has a good grasp of a player.

 

Agreed. He's not just blowing smoke about a player that he doesn't know anything about. At least he's willing to admit it.

And Excerpt from John Sickels' book via his site:

Dexter Carter, RHP, Chicago White Sox

 

Bats: R Throws: R HT: 6-6 WT: 195 DOB: February 5, 1987

 

SLEEPER ALERT!! Dexter Carter pitched horribly for Old Dominion during the spring of 2008, but the White Sox saw potential and selected him in the 13th round anyway. They made some mechanical adjustments, then sent him to the Pioneer League, where he was a completely different pitcher. His command was awful in college, but it was much better at Great Falls, as he threw strikes much more consistently with his 90-93 MPH fastball. His curveball and changeup still need some work, but the turnaround was impossible to ignore, and he was particularly effective in his last few starts, giving up just one run in his last 18 innings. Carter will have to prove he can maintain this at higher levels, but he’s definitely a pitcher of interest. I don’t want to go higher than Grade C without more data, but he’s certainly got higher potential and should be on your sleeper list.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/1/17/7...e-book-excerpts

 

Dex!