Knights @ Durham

Marquez

 

Mississippi @ Barons

Leesman

 

Wilmington @ Dash

Santiago hit earth

 

West Virginia @ Intimidators

Heidenreich

FanGraphs says Alex Torres is the Rays 9th best prospect. He's probably a top 3 prospect in the White Sox system.

FanGraphs says Alex Torres is the Rays 9th best prospect. He's probably a top 3 prospect in the White Sox system.

 

Without question. The Rays have the 2nd best farm system in baseball while the Sox are bottom 3. I'm quite jealous of the pitching they routinely churn out.

Without question. The Rays have the 2nd best farm system in baseball while the Sox are bottom 3. I'm quite jealous of the pitching they routinely churn out.

What? You don't like Jeff Marquez, Lucas Harrell and the like? What the f*** is wrong with you?!!?

What? You don't like Jeff Marquez, Lucas Harrell and the like? What the f*** is wrong with you?!!?

 

If we were most teams, Beckham and Sale would still be considered prospects and we could brag about our awesome farm system.

If we were most teams, Beckham and Sale would still be considered prospects and we could brag about our awesome farm system.

 

I'd prefer Sale still as a prospect. Starting in the minors and such.

 

Prospects "graduating" is also a lousy excuse for having a poor farm system. Those graduations are replenished in organizations that have a semblance of depth.

Prospects "graduating" is also a lousy excuse for having a poor farm system. Those graduations are replenished in organizations that have a semblance of depth.

Yes, but at least the Sox wouldn't be in the bottom three. It's only a minor improvement if you think of it as talent produced.

Wilkins with his 2nd HR in as many games and Heidenreich with 6 shutout innings. 2-5, 3B, 2 K for Mitchell.

Oh hey Josh Phelgey. 1 HR in the 9th to push the game into extra innings, and a 2nd HR in the 11th for walk-off. 4 RBI on the night.

I'd prefer Sale still as a prospect. Starting in the minors and such.

 

Prospects "graduating" is also a lousy excuse for having a poor farm system. Those graduations are replenished in organizations that have a semblance of depth.

It may sound odd...but I think we'll have some decent prospects come into their own this year. Viciedo is taking some walks (whether or not he's "prospect eligible" for lists is irrelevant...he's a prospect for us), Jose Martinez is healthy, Petricka is dealing, and a couple others. I have zero faith in Mitchell or Thompson panning out, but I like the odds of us having a couple more guys that can produce as above average major leaguers before the season is through.

Edited April 22, 201114 yr by Pale Sox

2-5, 3B, 2 K for Mitchell.

 

Quietly has a 5 game hitting streak...

Quietly has a 5 game hitting streak...

He's currently striking out at a rate that would put him at around 135 K's on the year...which is better than D2, but not by a whole lot.

He's currently striking out at a rate that would put him at around 135 K's on the year...which is better than D2, but not by a whole lot.

 

Hey I'm not arguing his K numbers, BABIP, low walk rate, etc. It's baby steps as far as I'm concerned. I didn't think he should be at W-S (still don't and hope he proves me wrong) and was gonna be over-matched.

Hey I'm not arguing his K numbers, BABIP, low walk rate, etc. It's baby steps as far as I'm concerned. I didn't think he should be at W-S (still don't and hope he proves me wrong) and was gonna be over-matched.

I'm going to focus on his K numbers because, much like D2, that was the worry for him coming out.

 

If he drops by 25%, then he's in real good shape.

I'm going to focus on his K numbers because, much like D2, that was the worry for him coming out.

 

If he drops by 25%, then he's in real good shape.

 

Mitchell sounds like he has a better tool set than Danks.

Mitchell sounds like he has a better tool set than Danks.

Well certainly, but it's becoming more and more apparent to me that the single biggest issue for these multitool players is strikeouts. You can look at it in more detail by going to K/BB ratios or things that might make up for some of the K's like defense...but the K's are unavoidable.

 

I spent a while looking at the numbers of guys like Grady Sizemore, Granderson, BJ Upton, a few years ago when I was trying to figure out what, if anything, D2 needed to do to become a legit player, and it was obvious pretty quick that these toolsy OF's who are striking out 130+ times a year just can't put up better numbers over a career. They don't hit 40 HR, so if they're striking out 130-150 times a year, the only way they can push an average close to .300 is with a huge BABIP increase. BJ upton had one of those in his great season, but he's never replicated it.

 

If a guy is striking out 150 times a year, he can be a very good player, but he always has an upper limit. D2 is stuck in that boat. He doesn't have the raw tools/power of Sizemore or Granderson, but he has their strikeouts, and unless he cuts back on those, he'll get no where. Mitchell might have the raw tools of the other guys, but if he's in the 150 K range, we're going to hate him.

When guys have big-time tools but aren't producing in the low-minors, the first thing to look at is contact rate. Mitchell fails the test, though I guess his injury gets him a slight pass for now.

Well certainly, but it's becoming more and more apparent to me that the single biggest issue for these multitool players is strikeouts. You can look at it in more detail by going to K/BB ratios or things that might make up for some of the K's like defense...but the K's are unavoidable.

 

I spent a while looking at the numbers of guys like Grady Sizemore, Granderson, BJ Upton, a few years ago when I was trying to figure out what, if anything, D2 needed to do to become a legit player, and it was obvious pretty quick that these toolsy OF's who are striking out 130+ times a year just can't put up better numbers over a career. They don't hit 40 HR, so if they're striking out 130-150 times a year, the only way they can push an average close to .300 is with a huge BABIP increase. BJ upton had one of those in his great season, but he's never replicated it.

 

If a guy is striking out 150 times a year, he can be a very good player, but he always has an upper limit. D2 is stuck in that boat. He doesn't have the raw tools/power of Sizemore or Granderson, but he has their strikeouts, and unless he cuts back on those, he'll get no where. Mitchell might have the raw tools of the other guys, but if he's in the 150 K range, we're going to hate him.

 

Excellent post. Danks is toast. He's a nothing prospect as far as I'm concerned. Mitchell is still legitimate to me.

Make Danks a pitcher, as he's never going to become a MLB caliber hitter.

Or Tyler Flowers.

 

At least living with a lack of offense is much easier at that position. The problem with Tyler is the rest of his game...pitch calling, managing a staff, framing pitches, strategy/gamesmanship, etc.