Marlins2003 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 From today's Baseball America. For those who are interested other players are mentioned in the full story, I'm only posting here comments relevant to the Fish. Prospect Pulse Compiled By Chris Kline January 6, 2006 For as humdrum as the Rule 5 draft was this year, there were a few interesting players who now find themselves under the pressure of staying on the big league roster all season. Only 12 players were chosen in the major league phase, with the Marlins taking advantage to further add pieces to their rebuilding process. Florida took infielder Dan Uggla from the Diamondbacks with the eighth pick in the draft, then plucked lefthander Mike Megrew from the Dodgers with the only pick in the second round of the major league phase. The Marlins were also active in the Triple-A portion of the minor league phase, netting infielder Agustin Septimo (Brewers), shortstop Jose Ronda (Reds), righthander Jarrod Farrell (Devil Rays) and righthander Christopher Young (Pirates). Uggla was a no-brainer pick for several clubs coming into the draft. A versatile righthanded bat, Uggla can play second or third base, and could be a nice addition as the club goes through the transition. A lot of club officials liked Kevin Howard better than Uggla--for the lefthanded bat more than anything else--but the Marlins scouted Uggla heavily late in the Arizona Fall League, and liked how he responded down the stretch under the physical and mental strain of playing into November. Uggla, an 11th-round pick in 2001 out of Memphis, wound up batting .304-7-22 in 102 at-bats for the Peoria Javelinas in the fall. "All our pro scouts saw him, and liked how well he finished there," Marlins scouting director Stan Meek said. "He's a guy that, through his versatility, our scouts liked to come in and possibly win a utility spot on the infield. He's a higher-level guy who competed well against better competition over the course of the fall and we felt he was worth the risk." Megrew is a much greater risk to stick on the major league roster. A fifth-round pick in 2002 out of a Rhode Island high school, the 6-foot-6, 210-pound lefthander was well on his way to blossoming into a savvy lefty with a live arm before needing Tommy John surgery at the end of 2004. Some in the Dodgers organization thought he was rushed back to quickly after rehabbing the injury in 2005, but the club shut him down in instructional league in Septmber not because he was hurt; but in order to keep other clubs from getting a longer look at how he had rebounded. Megrew's velocity wasn't close to what it was before surgery. His fastball was regularly in the 87-91mph range prior to Tommy John, and he was sitting in the low- to mid-80s when he returned to action at high Class A Vero Beach in late August. But he showed decent action on his slider, and his changeup had good fade. Megrew made just two appearances in the Florida State League--but that was enough for the Marlins to take a chance on him. "We liked him as an amateur, so he was a guy we definitely had targeted," Meek said. "We were getting good reports on him in the Gulf Coast League (where Megrew made a total of three appearances). And when he came back, he threw very little. His arm action was the same as it was (before surgery) and we had the roster space. With our situation now, it was worth the gamble to take a projectable, big lefthander." ..................... ? Marlins lefthander Taylor Tankersley got off to a rough start in the Arizona Fall League in 2005, but finished strong in his final three outings--not allowing a hit or run over five innings. Tankersley, a first-rounder in 2004, struggled in a starting role in his first full season, going 3-7, 4.70 in 90 innings. He pitched exclusively out of the pen in Arizona and appears to be headed there permanently for 2006. "He always had that bullpen mentality as a starter," Meek said. "He never really took to the starting role, and with a lot of the other lefthanders in the system, we feel like that's the quickest way for him to move." http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/060105pulse.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarlinatPenn Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Tankersly a sleeper for closer maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlins2003 Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 If he (Tankersley) can just pitch successfully at the major league level out of the pen, whether it be anything from long relief to setup to occassionally closing I'd be satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Altamonte Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Great article...I myself was extremely surprised when Kevin Howard wasn't selected with him having played at UM but this explains it well plus Uggla projects 25-30 hrs type of power. Magrew can still pitch and the fastball will take life as he regains confidence. He mainly will be pitching in batting practice and out in the bullpen in early part of the season untill he is totally ready. I doubt Tank will be brought up so quickly I would expect him down in the Carolina league for at least 1/2 a season. He will be a great setup guy for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prinmemito Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 If he (Tankersley) can just pitch successfully at the major league level out of the pen, whether it be anything from long relief to setup to occassionally closing I'd be satisfied. Me too. But I think we shouldn't have taken him in the first round. I see him more of a second or third rounder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Punisher Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 it's going to be pretty exciting to see these guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlins2003 Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 Maybe I read it wrong, but my impression is the Marlins see Uggla in a utility role. "...All our pro scouts saw him, and liked how well he finished there," Marlins scouting director Stan Meek said. "He's a guy that, through his versatility, our scouts liked to come in and possibly win a utility spot on the infield. He's a higher-level guy who competed well against better competition over the course of the fall and we felt he was worth the risk." Realizing of course a lot can happen in spring training, and Stan Meek won't be the final arbiter of who starts and who doesn't, but it sure sounds like the Marlins are looking elsewhere for their starting second baseman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prinmemito Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Maybe I read it wrong, but my impression is the Marlins see Uggla in a utility role. "...All our pro scouts saw him, and liked how well he finished there," Marlins scouting director Stan Meek said. "He's a guy that, through his versatility, our scouts liked to come in and possibly win a utility spot on the infield. He's a higher-level guy who competed well against better competition over the course of the fall and we felt he was worth the risk." Realizing of course a lot can happen in spring training, and Stan Meek won't be the final arbiter of who starts and who doesn't, but it sure sounds like the Marlins are looking elsewhere for their starting second baseman. Pokey Reese will probably start, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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