Community Organizational Prospect List - #8

Dustin Coleman?

Does he belong on this list?

"All your baserunner are belong to Greg Smith" ~ walk off bunt

by Philip Christy on Nov 28, 2008 2:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

He can be on the list

He just shouldn’t win.

Dixon should win.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 2:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the way I have (hopefully) put it

is that the ones added to the list shouldn’t win, but but the time a few rounds comes, they will be contending for it. They are basically one of the top people who were left off the previous vote. So even if you think player X should be on the vote soon or not, they will be on the vote, and by the time they should win, they will be there with company.

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Nov 28, 2008 3:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I love Dixon with his super tools

but you really would put him ahead of Simmons?

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 3:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

I like Simmons, but his fastball sat at 89 last year according to the scouting reports I’ve seen. He’s still got the great command and his change-up is his best pitch, but he showed little progress with the breaking ball. So he’s a two pitch pitcher without a great fastball and fly ball tendencies. That just won’t cut it as a big league SP.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 3:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

During the Draft the scouting video they had of simmons

he was hitting 91-92 pretty often. I guess it comes down to upside vs probability. I tend to go with probability more.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 3:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That was 2007

His velocity dropped a bit this year. That tends to happen in a pitcher’s 1st year and it’s very possible he’ll regain that velocity next year now that’s he’s used to the work load. However, that’ll be determined next year.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 3:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I just think hes got as great a shot of anyone not named

Cahill or Anderson of being being a good MLB pitcher. Put him on our park with our defense, with his ability to throw strikes I think he becomes a good Joe Blanton.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 3:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying he can't be a good big league pitcher

I’m questioning if he can stay a SP with only two pitches. When he pitched out of the bullpen in 2007 he could get his fastball up to the low-90’s. A relief pitcher with a low-90’s fastball, a great change-up and plus command would be real nice, we’re talking vintage Keith Foulke… maybe better.

But…

The A’s aren’t using him as a relief pitcher at this time. So we’ve got to judge him by the job he’s currently doing. I think his stuff is lacking at this time for him to be more than a mediocre SP.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 3:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wait, so you question whether Simmons can stay as a starter

But you have fewer questions about a 17 year old? I don’t really get that.

by thejd44 on Nov 28, 2008 5:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not about having fewer questions, it's about having more time for answers

Physically, Simmons is about as good as he’s going to get. He doesn’t have a lot of projection left. He needs to make his move soon, and by that I mean he needs to figure out a breaking ball and it would be nice if he could find that lost velocity.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 8:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

OK

Just to bring things back to reality here, Simmons turned 22 less than 2 months ago. There were all of 3 pitchers in the league (Feliz, Cahill, Anderson) with a younger seasonal age than his last season. A handful of others who are fractions of a year younger.

No one should be mistaking him for an autumn chicken.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 8:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Pay attention

I didn’t say Simmons was old, I said he was maxed out. Physically speaking, what you see is what you’re going to get. He isn’t a 17 year old kid that you dream on, he’s not going to grow another 2 inches or add 30 lbs of muscle to his frame.

He doesn’t have mechanics that need fixing, his fastball is what it is. I’m hoping that the lost velocity will come back now that he’s experienced a full season workload but that remains to be seen. He still doesn’t have a breaking ball, which has nothing to do with physical projection but everything to do with learning the skills to become a big league pitcher.

You want reality? Simmons won’t cut it as a big league SP with an 89 MPH fastball, fly ball tendencies and no breaking ball.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 9:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He has a breaking ball... it's just not that good right now

Most big league starters don’t have three plus pitches. In fact, BA considers that to be a mark of a front-of-rotation starter.

By their standard criteria, average fastball, plus changeup, average slider and plus-plus command is about a #3 starter, which is what people expect Simmons to become. He doesn’t have to work wonders with his slider— he just needs to raise it from a 45 pitch to a 50 pitch…

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 9:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I never said he needed 3 plus pitches

He worked on the breaking ball all year and it’s still a below average pitch. I said he needs a breaking ball, I thought you were smart enough to realize I was talking about him needing to come up with a reliable pitch, not that he’d never tried to throw one before.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 9:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think it comes down to benefit of the doubt

It looks like your willing to take the chance on Dixon learning to make better contact and control the zone as well as adjust to much higher levels of pitching but you assume Simmons won’t ever improve on what he is right now.

Just because Simmons won’t grow anymore doesn’t mean he won’t tighten up his breaking ball. Simmons is more developed than Dixon, but he is by no means a finished product. Pitchers have been known to improve past the age of 21, and if Simmons can get his breaking ball to average he should be a good starter, that’s not too far to go.

by DiegoAsFan on Nov 28, 2008 11:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I read this and my jaw dropped

I have no idea how you could have misunderstood so badly. Know what? I don’t want to know, it’s a waste of my time and patience to figure out where you went wrong.

I DO NOT ASSUME SIMMONS WON’T IMPROVE ON WHAT HE IS RIGHT NOW.

Clear enough for you?

I have merely pointed out, repeatedly, what he needs to do to reach his ceiling. One of the A’s goals for Simmons this past year was for him to develop a reliable breaking ball.

According to the scouting reports I’ve read, he failed in that regard.

That is not to say he won’t figure it out next year in AAA… just that he hasn’t done it yet AND IF HE CAN’T EVER DO IT then he won’t be able to be a big league SP.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 12:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, sore subject

Well, trying to get past my gross misunderstanding, every propect has to do something to reach there ceiling. If Simmons only has to improve his breaking ball to reach his ceiling, that is a damn good propect.

Just as a discussion point, I was going on the assumption that in his first full season of pro ball Simmons focus was on improving conditioning and getting used to long seasons. I don’t think it’s that unreasonable for a team to have a prospect relax on their breaking ball over their first season to get acclimated. If I missed the memo on the A’s goals for Simmons that might account for my valuation of him.

by DiegoAsFan on Nov 29, 2008 1:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's always a sore subject when someone tries to put words in my mouth

Cue some obscene comment, probably from Nico.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 12:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's always a sore subject when someone tries to put words in my mouth, too.

Especially words like “oral herpes”.

Mint Chocolate Chip

by Ice Cream on Nov 29, 2008 2:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Canker think of a better example?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 5:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm ... That's not your usual caliber.

I’m sending it to Blistex for confirmation.

Mint Chocolate Chip

by Ice Cream on Nov 30, 2008 11:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

OH YEAH!?!?!?

FINE!

(Grover.)

runs and hides

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why are you hiding?

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 1:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

mostly because of the alcohol.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

also because I'm playing left 4 dead and zombies are scary.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

shoot faster

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 1:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm playing as a zombie right now.

It’s pretty kickass, actually.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:19 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, unless the info I'm looking at is wrong he's actually 18 as of late

August…

Not that it changes your argument all that much. Just means he’s eligible for the other Draft, really, I suppose.

by still bills kingdom on Nov 28, 2008 9:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, Dixon turned 18 at the end of August.

After he put up all (or at least about 95% of, since I’m not sure the exact date the league ended) his rookie league numbers as a 17-year-old.

by thejd44 on Dec 2, 2008 9:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Big bonus or no, I'm inclined to favor Jason Christian over Coleman

All the writeups I’ve seen on Christian have been very positive. Good athleticism, enough range to stay a shortstop, nice plate discipline, and passable power.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 3:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Simmons for me

With Mazzaro and Weeks very close behind.

Simmons has done nothing but perform, he has good control and seems to be able to execute a plan on the mound. I think now that the sleep apnea is under control he will continue to put up good numbers in AAA and soon setlle into a role as a solid middle of the rotation pitcher.

by DiegoAsFan on Nov 28, 2008 3:00 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

He's needs a breaking ball to stay a SP

There aren’t too many two pitch SP in the big leagues and almost all of them have a better fastball than Simmons.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 3:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

His floor is Bobby Howry... not the worst player ever

and I think he’ll find the breaking ball. You can’t have that kind of command without great mechanics— it’s just a matter of translating those mechanics into a new pitch.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 3:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

And if/when he finds that breaking ball I’ll change my tune. But I can’t ignore the fact that there are a lot of guys who’ve never found that 3rd pitch and Simmons doesn’t have an overpowering fastball. The A’s expected him to find that breaking ball in 2008 and it didn’t happen. If his ceiling drops from mid-rotation SP to Bobby Howry then no way is he the 8th best prospect in the system.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 3:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The point is that his FLOOR is Bobby Howry

Who has had a very good career as a reliever. That career is, basically, guaranteed. I don’t think too many guys on this list have a floor anywhere near that high.

It all depends how you evaluate prospects, I guess. I tend to rate guys who are “guarantees” (nobody is a guarantee, I know this) to be decent over guys who are either going to be awesome or terrible a little bit better. That’s also why I tend to dislike “tools” guys, especially the ones who have never put up numbers.

by thejd44 on Nov 28, 2008 5:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And a guy destined to be Howry doesn't deserve to be the 8th best prospect in this system

I like certainty as much as the next guy, but I have a hard time picking a certain middle relief arm over a guy with the talent to be a starting caliber CF.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 8:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Are you having problems with your eyesight?

No one is ever “destined” to be anything. A floor is a guy’s near-worst case scenario.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 8:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why do you ignore every other thing I've said about Simmons?

Two posts above this I said he had a mid-rotation ceiling. I’ve also said what needs to happen for him to reach that ceiling! Do you disagree with me when I say a two pitch SP with an 89 MPH fastball and fly ball tendencies is going to struggle for success?

Why the fuck are you focusing on the word destined when every other thing I’ve said about the guy has been positive but cautious? I’ve said multiple times, once in this very thread, that if the A’s converted Simmons to relief pitching he could become a vintage Foulke. That’s a pretty good level to reach.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 8:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Simmons doesn't have fly ball tendencies-- not yet, anyway.

Pitchers do tend to give up more fly balls as they climb the ladder, but right now he’s getting grounders at a 4:3 ratio with flies. It’s possible that the Texas League is overcrediting line drives and it’s closer to 1:1, but the data we have is what we have.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 9:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The data I have comes from MLB.com and Milb.com

Simmons had a 0.91 GO/AO ratio in 2008.

The 2008 MLB average GO/AO ratio was 1.06. (Sorry, you’ll have to do the math yourself if you want to double check the figure.)

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 9:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think we need to have a highlander AN competition

Or at least a poll.

www.punditpolitics.com - Political IQ Tests, Pundit Blog, News and Opinion.

by ChadGod on Nov 28, 2008 10:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm using minorleaguesplits

which separates out line drives from fly balls.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 10:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Splits is using outs & hits I think

GO/AO is specifically outs.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 11:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

and I suspect a large number of groundball hits is what’s behind Simmons’s abnormally high BABIP this season.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 11:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And why do you think that?

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 12:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Because an unusual number of grounders getting through

is one of the easiest ways for a pitcher to get tagged with an unusually high BABIP.

The luck-calculator at minorleaguesplits thinks he should have had 9 fewer groundball hits and 11 more flyball hits (I guess the average outfielders in the Texas League suck, or something…)

Anyway, reverse those and you’ve got 9 more groundouts and 11 fewer flyouts.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 12:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Even using your Lucky numbers & taking them at full face value

He had a 1.00 GO/AO which is still below the MLB average of 1.06. So the fly ball tendency isn’t as strong as the actual numbers indicate but it’s still there.

And I’m not so sure how comfortable I am using the Luck data. The raw numbers on Splits doesn’t match with MiLB’s numbers when you do them by hand. Don’t know what’s up with that.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 1:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Fact is, the double-checking of data at that level is mediocre

and sometimes there are what we would think of as classification errors.

Bottom line: I’d expect Simmons to be a flyball pitcher at the MLB level, but not an extreme one. Somewhere in the Paul Byrd range would be my guess.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 1:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He gave up a lot of line drives

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Nov 29, 2008 12:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, it turns out that his BABIP wasn't actually high for the league

just high by comparison to Mazzaro’s.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 12:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Howry threw a lot harder than Simmons

I don’t think it’s the best comp – Howry was a “power arm” for most of his career. In some ways, a decent comp might be Dallas Braden (in a mirror).

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 10:49 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not according to PitchF/X...

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 11:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

pitchfx is only 2 years old

i assume nico is talking about Howry from a while ago with “threw”

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by iamawesomer on Nov 29, 2008 11:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Fangraphs' data goes back to 2005

Maybe Howry threw 95 in 2000, but maybe it was just juiced radar guns.

For the years we have actual data, Howry’s been low-90s.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 11:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Howry threw 95 for several years

He’s 35 now; I’m referring to when he was in his 20s.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 11:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Howry threw 95, maybe a bit harder, when he first came up with the White Sox.

by thejd44 on Dec 2, 2008 9:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dixon HAS put up numbers

In fact, his XBH hit rate was unbelievable. He had 10 triples and 8 HR in only 45 games for Arizona. And he JUST turned 18. Yes, he’s mostly tools, but they’re incredible tools.

"A’s baseball….It’s almost better than a stick in the eye." ~ alox

by Gallagher's Watermelons on Nov 28, 2008 9:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A lot of truly bad players have had 45-game stretches that look pretty good.

by thejd44 on Dec 2, 2008 9:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I would have guys like

Andrew Carnigan
Arnold Leon
Corey Brown

Ahead of Coleman and Weeks

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 3:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I wish we had something to go by in Inoa's case

other than scouting reports of him versus other 16 or 17 year olds. I love the idea of him but Simmons has performed very well on several levels of competition, so I can’t vote for him just yet.

by NateHST on Nov 28, 2008 3:12 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I'm a Simmons homer

Note that he’s had a ridiculously high BABIP in both 2007 and 2008: (.559 in 2007, .340 in 2008), which would have served to inflate his numbers.

Gotta go with the Simmons here.

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 28, 2008 3:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Rodriguez gets my vote

Guys who throw 100 don’t grow on trees. If he learns how to keep the ball in the strike zone he’s going to be awesome.

by mikev on Nov 28, 2008 3:31 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wasn't throwing 100 when I saw him...

Maybe he was just tired, but I suspect his mechanics are a total mess given how bad his control is. I haven’t seen what he’s doing differently on different occasions, though.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 3:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He did hit 100 at the futures game.

Was more consistently around 96-97. He has a short arm delivery. He didnt reach all the way back. They said it was similar to the way Roger Clemens threw.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 4:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It did seem that way, now that I think on it

A bit LaTroy Hawkins-esque (without the weird splitting-the-ball-and-the-glove thing).

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 4:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I have the game saved on my DVR

When I get bored I watch Cahill/Anderson/HRod pitch.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 4:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

In HD to boot :)

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 28, 2008 4:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Any chance you could send that to me?

jessesmth23@gmail.com

I would sacrifice 3 goats on your behalf.

www.punditpolitics.com - Political IQ Tests, Pundit Blog, News and Opinion.

by ChadGod on Nov 28, 2008 10:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Are we both people named Jesse whose usernames include a name that isn't actually ours?

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 28, 2008 11:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Would have no clue how to get it from my DVR

to my computer.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 29, 2008 3:10 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Can I get involved in a three-way deal

and receive the goats? I do love three-ways anyway.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 10:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He supposedly hit 100 in the futures game several times.

Either way, if the issue is simply mechanics, that’s nothing that worries me.

by mikev on Nov 28, 2008 4:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wait, seriously?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 4:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mechanics can be changed.

by mikev on Nov 28, 2008 4:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not quickly, not easily, not guaranteed that there will be the same results

Not to mention that if his mechanics were bad, there could be damage done to the arm. Bad mechanics are just about the worst thing for a pitcher besides a bomb strapped to their elbow.

Bad mechanics kill pitchers… well not kill, but you know.

by NateHST on Nov 28, 2008 5:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, and Victor Zambrano's 4 Cy Young awards prove it

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 5:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Brad Ziegler says hi.

by mikev on Nov 28, 2008 6:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Brad Ziegler is an utterly different pitcher than he used to be

Which proves the point. Change Rodriguez’s mechanics and who the hell knows what happens to his pitching ability.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 7:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This discussion misses the crucial reason why Rodriguez is the best remaining pitcher on this list

and that is his performance.

27.5% K-rate with 51.1% GB rate. Until someone can present any evidence other their own non-expert assertions that these two are not the best indicators of future success and longevity I’m going to continue to vote and stump for Rodriguez.

Cherry-picking Victor Zambrano, who was a better prospect at Age 21 than any current A’s prospect left on the board with a 10K/9IP and 2.7 BB/9IP ratios, as an example of one pitcher with a high K-rate who ended up with arm problems doesn’t disprove the overall relationship between K-rate, GB rate and future success.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Nov 28, 2008 11:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I had no idea what Victor Zambrano's minor league line looked like

He is, however, the poster child for pitchers with bad mechanics, thanks to Rick Peterson’s infamous statement and the Scott Kazmir trade.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 11:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually he was a career minor league reliever so he's not a good comparable

And I’m not sure whom you think has bad mechanics. If it’s Rodriguez, then I’d refer you to the following from BA:

“He’s athletic, repeats his delivery and fields his position well”

I’ve never seen anywhere where a scout or manager has criticized his mechanics. If you can point me to one then I’d be happy to look at it. But so far you’ve not contributed any information, just a bunch of unsubstantiated assertions without evidence. So the Victor comparison is completely invalid.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Nov 28, 2008 11:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Let me put it this way

If his mechanics are clean, it’s even worse for him, because that probably means he’s just physically incapable of throwing a baseball for a strike. Changing a guy’s mechanics has a strong chance of messing him up, but if he’s already good as-is and is just incurably messed up, that’s much worse… it does mean he’s less likely to be injured, but who cares if a below-replacement player gets injured? And he will definitely be below replacement if he keeps walking 7 guys every 9 innings.

Maybe they should try him in the outfield if he’s “athletic and fields his position well.”

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 12:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not quite true.

If he mechanics are clean, he’s got a low chance of injury.

If there’s a slight tweak that can be made, though, like something little — keeping his hips closed longer, not flaring out his glove, having a longer stride, WHATEVER — something that makes it “click” for lack of a better word, that’s how guys improve their command.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:19 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, like I said, I'll believe it when I see it

and I’m not giving him credit for something that might or might not happen and might or might not even be something that COULD happen. He’s a lottery ticket to me until he shows otherwise.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 1:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Erm, that's pretty much the case with ALL prospects.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 9:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hogwash

The better prospects have MLB skills that they simply have to refine enough to succeed at higher levels.

Rodriguez is totally lacking a basic, fundamental skill of a pitcher— the ability to throw pitches in the strike zone.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 10:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Fiddlesticks

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 10:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So you think all of those strikeouts are simply from swinging at OOZ pitches then?

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Many of them are...

Many others are due to players missing easily hittable pitches.

It’s routine that players in the minors have both worse pitch recognition and worse contact hitting skills than players in the majors. Guys with juicy fastballs but no control can rack up a lot of strikeouts in the minors, but that ability doesn’t necessarily carry over to the majors.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 3:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Here's a video of him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_K2imZZx-c

" He throws it where he wants it, his breaking ball kept getting better and better and of course God gave him that special arm. He's great." ~ Neftali Feliz on Derek Holland.

by Kinslerhomer on Nov 28, 2008 6:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oopsies

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 7:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Just copy and past it into your browser, it dosen't like the "-c" at the end for some reason.

" He throws it where he wants it, his breaking ball kept getting better and better and of course God gave him that special arm. He's great." ~ Neftali Feliz on Derek Holland.

by Kinslerhomer on Nov 28, 2008 7:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Simmons to me is the most likely...

be a run of the mill pitcher in the bigs. I like the upside of Dixon here. I like all the top four in poll order better than Simmons…RASHUN DIXON for me

by throttle mathius on Nov 28, 2008 4:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think we're getting ahead of ourselves

with Dixon.

I like Nino Leyja more than him right now.

by Emmett89 on Nov 28, 2008 4:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A guy that can hit for power and has the speed to get 10 triples in 45 games

is worth a hell of a lot more than a guy who can take a pitch. I don’t see any way you could possibly have Leyja over Dixon.

"A’s baseball….It’s almost better than a stick in the eye." ~ alox

by Gallagher's Watermelons on Nov 28, 2008 9:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Leyja's contact skills are also way in excess of Dixon's, though

In 13 fewer plate appearances, he struck out 37 fewer times. He hit a rough patch at the end of the season, but before that he was walking almost as often as he struck out. And he doesn’t lack for pop himself— 19 XBH in 165 at-bats is outstanding for a middle infielder, and given his youth and wiry frame, more of those will probably turn into home runs eventually.

And, of course, being a shortstop makes the batting line look quite a bit better.

I’m playing devil’s advocate here— I like Dixon more myself— but it’s not a blowout between the two. Leyja’s a bit reminiscent of Adrian Cardenas, so if you like Cardenas, I can see why you’d like Leyja too.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 9:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So, any chance Leyja and Dixon can start for the A's in 2009 ?

I know.. no way but the way you and grover are talking about them, I started thinking they were ready. If they are this good now, how good can they become when they reach the A’s.

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"

by Eastbayjim on Nov 28, 2008 10:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

They are an interesting pair.

At this point we have only seen them play in the Rookie league, which basically means they are all hype.

This will be in interesting year for the two of them, they have the skills to succeed, but will it translate at a level where the games aren’t glorified exhibitions?

Depending on how their year goes, they could be on everyone’s top ten list by next offseason, or by a year from now no one may remember their names.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 28, 2008 10:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

2013, more like...

Keep in mind, “good” is only in the context of being 17-year-olds in Rookie ball. They’d get killed in the big leagues.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 11:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I thought they ruled out shooting rookies in the majors a couple years ago?

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"

by Eastbayjim on Nov 28, 2008 11:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

2 people voted for Coleman?

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Nov 28, 2008 5:16 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe his mom reads AN

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 5:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And stuffs the ballot

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 28, 2008 8:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I voted Simmons

hasn’t done anything to disappoint since being drafted, and has posted 3.46 and 3.41 FIPs in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Can't get enough of the Oakland A's or Golden State Warriors? Visit Oaktown Awesomer's and Golden Stat Hoops

by iamawesomer on Nov 28, 2008 5:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Trade

Somewhat interesting a list as far as trades and origins go.

Cahill: Oakland
Anderson: Arizona
Carter: Chicago, Arizona
Cunningham: Chicago, Arizona
Gonzalez: Chicago, Philadelphia, Chicago
Cardenas: Philadelphia
Doolittle: Oakland

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Nov 28, 2008 7:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Interesting that only the 1st and last are home grown.

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"

by Eastbayjim on Nov 28, 2008 7:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Except

By the time Anderson, Carter, and Cardenas get the the majors they will have been in the system longer then some college players.

Calling someone a “homegrown” player is really misleading, because although they started off with someone else, it’s really the A’s who have developed that player.

If the point of a development system is to (strangely) develop a player, does it really matter if that player comes from the draft or a trade? After you’ve spent about 6 months in a teams system, you might as well, and after a few years in the majors will be considered, homegrown talent.

Really, the only players that can’t be considered “homegrown” are players traded for or signed after they’ve left the development system like Halladay or maybe soon to be Fercal.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 28, 2008 9:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree, particularly for position players

Once a guy gets past the low levels, he pretty much is what he is going to be. It’s just a matter of whether it’s good enough or not. Draftees are mostly about scouting. Trade acquisitions are much more about reading a player’s statline correctly.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 11:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that doesn't make sense

if you’re going to list arizona next to carter and philadelphia next to gonzalez, you should put oakland next to both.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Nov 30, 2008 5:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why people are voting Simmons over Mazzaro at this point is beyond me.

A lot of people now think Mazzaro could be a mid rotation starter; while as many people rightly pointed out on this forum, Simmons currently projects as a reliever. There is a reason for that.

Mazzaro was flat out a better pitcher this year. He throws harder, has better breaking pitches, and has done it all at a younger age then Simmons. Why are people grading the guy with only one tool (control) over the guy who received accolades for being the best pitcher in AA last year?

The only thing Simmons really does better then Mazzaro is control the ball, but that really does him no good without power and breaking pitches. Giving Mazzaro the number eight ranking on control alone is like giving a blind man a nose and saying “at least now you should be able to smell the massive cliff somewhere ahead of you.” One sense does not complete a person and one tool does not complete a pitcher, it takes all of them. That’s what Mazzaro currently has that Simmons lacks—average to above average tools all the way around.

In conclusion, the founding fathers were right to create the Electoral College because sometimes you just can’t trust the masses.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 28, 2008 9:43 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

i think greg maddux had a pretty good career relying basically on control…not that im equating simmons to maddux in any way, shape or form though.

by diehardoaklandfan22 on Nov 28, 2008 10:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

except that you just did compare him to Maddux…

by chri5 on Nov 28, 2008 10:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i mean im not equating simmons’s upside to maddux’s, he’s just an example of a pitcher who relied mostly on control yet became dominant.

by diehardoaklandfan22 on Nov 28, 2008 10:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Even Maddux had passible breaking pitches

Simmons has an average/above average breaking pitch and nothing else. He’s got a LONG way to go before we can compare him to Greg Maddux—even in passing.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 28, 2008 11:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The answer, IMO, is that control/command is one of the

very most essential elements to pitching. Joe Blanton is a much better pitcher than the current incarnations of Dana Eveland or Gio Gonzalez, both of whom throw harder with better “stuff”.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But

The difference between Blanton and Simmons is that Blanton had multiple major league average breaking pitches to throw hitters off balance; Simmons only has one.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 29, 2008 11:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

True, but there's also the "projection" question of

which is more likely for a young pitcher, who doesn’t have it, to develop: A better breaking pitch or better control/command?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 11:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm assuming you mean his change-up, not his breaking ball

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 12:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I assume he means Blanton's curve and slider,

both of which are decent major league pitches.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 12:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He was talking about Simmons in the comment I replied to

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 12:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mazzaro was better for one year

If you want to judge on one year, then yes Mazzaro was a bit better. But Simmons is actually 2 days younger than Mazzaro so age isn’t a factor, and Simmons struck out more batters and walked less over the same amount of innings in AA. The only thing Mazzaro has over Simmons is that he keeps the ball on the ground better and had a lower BABIP.

Neither pitcher is known for having a great breaking ball, Simmons has a plus change and Mazzaro gets good sink on his fastball so stuff wise I don’t see much of a difference. Both have something to work on before moving to the majors. Simmons has thrived in college and made a successful transition to pro ball, Mazzaro struggled through his firs couple years in the pros and broke out this year.

I think both guys are close, but I would but Simmons a bit ahead.

by DiegoAsFan on Nov 28, 2008 11:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Simmons also started directly in AA.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 1:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

People arent sold on Mazzaro just yet.

A ERA 5.05 WHIP 1.58
A+ ERA 5.33 WHIP 1.50
AA ERA 1.90 WHIP 1.10
AAA ERA 6.15 WHIP 1.72

You tell me what numbers look like they dont belong. Now he certainly coulda figured something out this year. And AAA is a small sample size. But some people are skeptical. Just gonna have to wait and see. Simmons has the better track record.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 29, 2008 3:22 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Recent-ish history suggests

that the masses are way ahead of the electoral college.

by green star oakland on Nov 29, 2008 8:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

well played sir

by diehardoaklandfan22 on Nov 28, 2008 10:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I suspect bias for Simmons

He is an a product of an Oakland draft.
We have watched him develop.
We have watched him continue to succeed.

So, despite his problems we love him. And he has a cool name.

www.punditpolitics.com - Political IQ Tests, Pundit Blog, News and Opinion.

by ChadGod on Nov 28, 2008 10:30 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

But so is Mazzaro...

I think the Simmons over Mazzaro argument comes from Simmon’s track record being better than Mazzaros-since Mazzaro has had 1 good year, period.

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Nov 28, 2008 10:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I understand the bias

But at this point I just think Mazzaro is more likely to be a better major league player then Simmons (even with Simmon’s track record.

Simmons has a year and a half of consistent mediocrity, while Mazzaro has a year of stand out excellence. Which would you take?

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 28, 2008 11:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You're ignoring Mazzaro's 2 years of sucking balls?

by mikev on Nov 28, 2008 11:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mediocrity?

Man, some people are hard to please. A low-3s FIP at age 21— and, for that matter, at age 20— in AA is now “mediocrity.”

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 28, 2008 11:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed. That's not mediocre- it's darned good, actually.

And the fact that he came straight from college into AA ball and held his own, then continued in kind this past year showing it wasn’t a fluke, speaks well of him also.

by still bills kingdom on Nov 29, 2008 11:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

is yankee stadium gun hot?

hrod

99mph- 2 times
100mph- 3 times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOPq8wPMoEc&feature=related</a>

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 29, 2008 9:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

so if these 3 way peavy rumors

i suspect at least a couple these pitchers are traded to get vitters or a headley

my guess at least one of mazzaro/simmons + hrod

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 29, 2008 9:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

What 3 way rumors?

Got a link that ties the A’s in?

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 10:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Besides the ones involving Barton, Sweeney, and you mean?

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 10:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

er...

between Barton, Sweeney, and {insert random AN female poster} is what I meant.

by mikev on Nov 29, 2008 10:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Go back to running from me

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 29, 2008 10:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You have to admit, it is a bit easier to visualize than Nico and his goats

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"

by Eastbayjim on Nov 29, 2008 11:10 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm. I would think it would be easier

to visualize the one that was all over YouTube.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 12:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

JD Pruitt and Ryan Doolittle

How about adding JD Pruitt and Ryan Doolittle to the possibles list?

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 29, 2008 11:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

And Andrew Bailey

of course.

by ervance on Nov 29, 2008 11:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Seconded

nt

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 29, 2008 11:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wait, Andrew Bailey wasn't on there?

[scans list]

Jeez, you’re right. I still think he’s at least a top 25 guy, maybe top 20 depending on my mood. I know he struggled in the rotation this year, but his numbers once he moved to the bullpen are pretty insane. 54 2/3 IP, 12 BB, 57 K, 1 HR, FIP in the low 2s (minorleaguesplits doesn’t count AFL numbers, but I have to imagine that 14 innings with 16 strikeouts and 1 walk would only lower the regular season mark of 2.46).

Maybe it’s just a small sample size fluke, but 55 innings is a fair amount to go on. And it’s not like he’s some creampuff finesse guy— he has good pitches. Mid-90s heater, hammer curveball. Sometimes it takes guys who had Tommy John surgery a while to regain their command— maybe it just took him a bit longer than usual.

Also, let me add another plug for Ronny Morla.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 11:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Good genes or no, 26th round picks with average-at-best numbers in rookie ball aren't prospects

As for Pruitt, let’s just say that the manner in which his 2008 season ended was ironically predictable.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 29, 2008 11:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This could keep going till the beginning of the season right?

So why the heck not add them?

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Nov 29, 2008 11:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if Donaldson is getting short shrift

Outside of one lousy stint (marred by low BABIP, IIRC), he has hit really well and he plays positions (C, 3B, maybe 1B) that should make him a fast-track possibility for the A’s (or another team if at catcher).

I have a good feeling about Donaldson – I think his upside exceeds that of Simmons and that his likelihood of sticking exceeds that of Mazzaro. The downest-side, of course, is that he is the least tested at higher levels. But I want to give him some love on this thread.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 29, 2008 12:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

He's who I'm voting for next.

Then probably Mazzaro after him.

by Emmett89 on Nov 29, 2008 12:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He is in my top 10.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Nov 29, 2008 12:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

could donaldson jump ahead of suzuki

in a couple yrs?

suzuki is and should be a solid player for awhile…he really improved his defensive issues w/ wakamatsu around.
sickles said suzuki’s like a greg zaun type that can have a 10+ yr career

but donaldson looks to have very good upside with the bat

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 29, 2008 12:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Donaldson's D is the question

I think he has shown that there is a good chance his bat will play at Catcher, but his ability to handle pitchers, control the running game, and actually catch the ball will determine whether he will be pushing Suzuki.

by DiegoAsFan on Nov 29, 2008 4:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

a couple local A's draftees got released recently

SP:

dewing sjsu
lysander sonoma st.

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 29, 2008 12:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

What's with A's focus on South Dakota?

I note that the A’s currently have Mark Ellis (from Rapid City, SD) and Justin Duchscherer (born in Aberdeen, SD) on their team, and now have Doolittle (born in Rapid City, SD) and Dusty Coleman (born in Sioux Falls, SD) as up and comers. They probably will let Keith Foulke (born at Ellsworth AFB, SD) go, so he doesn’t count. Do the A’s have a South Dakota bias? Remembering Dick Green (Rapid City, SD), I hope so.

There aren’t very many professional baseball players from South Dakota. This concentration is interesting. At least to other South Dakotans’.

rcodd

by rcodd on Nov 29, 2008 1:12 PM PST reply actions 0 recs