Baseball America ranks top 30 prospects

by dougald1 on Mar 15, 2005 10:14 AM PST Comment 13 comments

Baseball America has put out it book on the game's top prospects as ranked by them. Here is the A's list.

Swisher (last year #6)
Barton
Herrera (last year #28)
Meyer
Blanton (last year #2)
Johnson, Dan (#3)
Street
Garcia
Robnett
Quintanilla (#7)
Suzuki
Powell
Putnam
Baker (#18)
Snyder (#25)
Ethier (#9)
Windsor
Knox
Johnson, Tyler
Ogando
Rheinecker (#13)
Yabu
Melillo
Sullivan (#4)
Bynum (#16)
Perry
Petit
Colamarino
Rouse (#8)
Webb

Gone from the list from last year but still with in the A's minors is Brown (#14), Fritz (#17), McCurdy (#19) Kiger (#24), Ramos (#26) McBeth (#27) and Majewski (#29)

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Dan Johnson

Is Dan Johnson destined to become the next Graham Koonce? He's a great player but the A's have no place to put him.

by limecat on Mar 15, 2005 10:23 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I hope not...

The A's will have failed if DJ becomes Koonce.

by carp on Mar 15, 2005 10:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dan Johnson and Graham Koonce

There is a big difference really. For one, Koonce was like 29 right? He had 1 year left, and there was no slot for him.

For Johnson, he is still young and the players that were holding him back (Hatteberg and Durazo) most likely wont be there next year. Even if the A's resign Durazo, Johnson is still bound for 1st Base. If they dont sign Durazo and they take the Free Agents, then the Johnson could find himself sharing time at 1B and DH. Hell, it may end up as Swisher at 1B, Johnson at DH, and Thomas/Kotsay and Keilty/Watson/Whoknows in the last OF position.

"I'm good because I ground out to second a lot!" ~ Darin Erstad

by Zonis on Mar 15, 2005 2:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nah

Unless the A's acquire a good OF and move Swish to 1B permanently then Koonce is probably the top candidate for the 1B job in 2006 and beyond.

Personally, I think DJ should have it right now. It's true that Hatteberg had the best year of his career and was one of best hitters for much of the year, but I think that says more about our offense then it does about Hatteberg. Last year he hit .284-15-82 with a .787 OPS. An average 1B in MLB hits probably something like .280 with 25 homers, maybe around an .850 OPS. So in the best year of his career, Hatteberg was still a below-average first baseman. And he's no JT Snow or Derrek Lee defensively. Granted, he went into a tailspin that last month, but even if he'd kept pace, I can't see him hitting more than 18 homers or breaking .810 in OPS.

The only reason for Hatteberg to be on the team is for veteran leadership... and I would think that's just as effective off the bench.

I think Hatteberg is the ultimate proof that BB is not immune to sentiment, much more so than even Kielty.

by dchu on Mar 15, 2005 6:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Koonce is at ST with the Pirates.

He's a non-roster invitee. Here's to hoping he makes the club.

As for next season, Dan Johnson will almost certainly be given Erubiel Durazo's job, since this season is the last year of Durazo's "mandatory six." There is a club option on Hatteberg for 2006, so unless he suffers a serious decline/injury, his option will almost certainly be exercised.

by Inquisitor on Mar 16, 2005 3:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Once again

Baseball America has a few wierd things. Not wierd, just different.

Also seeing this Alexi Ogando guy, the one they said could be like Vladimir Guerrero. I haven't read about him anywhere other than on BA.

Peace up, A-Town Down (A town being Albany California, not Atlanta)

by ohad on Mar 15, 2005 10:36 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Proof

That BA really doesn't have a clue. The list has just about turned over completely in one year. Grading minor leaguers is about as scientific as Madame Marie's Fortune Telling....

The most important things in life are good friends and a strong bull pen. - Pitcher Bob Lemon, 1981

by Steve in Napa on Mar 15, 2005 10:49 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but she got 6 out of 10!

BA is a good place to get the skinny on upcoming players talents and positions.
To see what they have to build on.
Fortune tellers they're NOT.

by Billy Ball 2005 on Mar 15, 2005 1:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Where's the proof?

They were obviously wrong about Sullivan and Rouse and Herrera and Garcia made a huge jump - but most of the rearrangement is because there are so many new players that had to be added to the list. There are only 30 spots in a top 30 and if you want to make room for Barton, Meyer, Street, Robnett, Suzuki, Powell, Putnam, et al you've got to move some people out. Only Herrera, Garcia, and Rouse moved more than 10 spots.

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Mar 15, 2005 1:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i thought that

huston street would be higher. he's the closest to being an impact player in the bigs.

by mcbronsh on Mar 15, 2005 2:32 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

BA doesn't seem that high on him

I read an interview over at Elephants in Oakland where the writers listed their top 10 Giants/A's prospects, and Street made neither list. Above him were Swisher, Barton, Meyer, Blanton, Herrera, and Johnson. Kevin Goldstein said:

"This is my personal philosophy, but I have a problem ranking a reliever very high unless he projects to be lights out, wacky good -- Eric Gagne/Billy Wagner good. So in Street we have a VERY effective reliever who:

1. projects to throw 60-80 innings/year; while starters project to throw 175-225
2. has the kind of stuff that has some wondering if he's more a setup man than a closer

So it's hard to rank him that high."

And later:
"f you asked me: Street vs. Martinez-Estevee -- more likely to have a 10 year major league career? I'd take Street in the blink of an eye. If you asked however: More like to play in 3 all-star games -- I'd probably take EME because of his ceiling. This was like the Street vs. Jairo Garcia ranking that I really struggled with when I did the A's rankings. I think Street is more like to pitch in 500 games by a mile, but if you asked me which is more likely to get 200 saves, I might lean towards Garcia. Street is so safe -- there's no doubt he's going to have a lengthy major league career -- I just wonder if he'll really be an impact player -- and that is what prospecting is about, finding difference makers."

by dchu on Mar 15, 2005 6:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i can't believe how sullivan...

...has dropped. BA and sickle plus others are really down on him. he needs to rebound in '05.

i also feel sorry for brown, with the moneyball thing and everything i wonder if he even has a chance. it appears suzuki and baker have passed him on the depth charts.

My CPA says-"Damn, you must really hate this time of year". I said-"Don't worry, I just bought a thousand shares of Astropitch."

by bigelephant on Mar 15, 2005 2:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs