November 15, 200322 yr I want Lee to stay..I dunno, just something about him..but if he's too expensive to the point where it would hinder us to maybe have another key player or w/e (I wouldn't know, I'm so bad with all that contract/money stuff) then trade him! :unsure :
November 15, 200322 yr The Orioles offer on the otherhand I take interest in...maybe we can talk them into giving up Admin Bigbie or Tim Raines, Jr. Admin Bigbie is the classic underachiever, often hurt, without any spectacular skills is hardly what I would call reasonable compensation for DLee, even if we have a gun at our heads to trade the guy. The fields of baseball are littered with the Admin Bigie's of the world. They are a dime a dozen.
November 15, 200322 yr I did in no way suggest a direct swap of Lee for Bigbie. I said that it would be nice if the deal included one of their outfielders along with Denny Bautista. In fact, I believe we could get Bigbie or Raines at a cheaper price because the Orioles have so many available. Bigbie has talent. Replacable talent, maybe, but each one of them for their struggles in the past showed their touted skills this season and put up some fine numbers. But you wouldn't find that type of 'replacable talent' in our minor league system. What are we going to do when we need to turn to a outfielder? Trash our minor league system for veteran overperforming in his contract year? Miguel Cabrera's don't just grow on trees ya know. Hermida, four-year older Nunez, Ambres, who else do we have down on the farm? Hermida and Ambres haven't lived up to their hype, and Aguila has only begun to foster such hype.
November 15, 200322 yr It's believed that Baltimore's offer for Derrek Lee includes lefty Matt Riley and either Jerry Hairston Jr. or Brian Roberts. It's unclear if a deal is close. The Marlins could also ask for B.J. Ryan, Denny Bautista or Don Levinski in the deal. They might not be interested in receiving Hairston or Roberts if they believe they can re-sign Luis Castillo. After all, the purpose of trading Lee is to free up money for Castillo, Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Lowell. rotoworld.com One major league scout said he heard the Orioles included left-handed pitcher Matt Riley in their offer for Florida Marlins first baseman Derrek Lee. That deal could still go down at next month's winter meetings. baltimore sun
November 15, 200322 yr I did in no way suggest a direct swap of Lee for Bigbie. I said that it would be nice if the deal included one of their outfielders along with Denny Bautista. In fact, I believe we could get Bigbie or Raines at a cheaper price because the Orioles have so many available. Bigbie has talent. Replacable talent, maybe, but each one of them for their struggles in the past showed their touted skills this season and put up some fine numbers. But you wouldn't find that type of 'replacable talent' in our minor league system. What are we going to do when we need to turn to a outfielder? Trash our minor league system for veteran overperforming in his contract year? Miguel Cabrera's don't just grow on trees ya know. Hermida, four-year older Nunez, Ambres, who else do we have down on the farm? Hermida and Ambres haven't lived up to their hype, and Aguila has only begun to foster such hype. rferry, I wasn't castigating your post, just the notion that a deal "featuring" Admin Bigbie would be reasonable conpensation for DLee. Nor did I mean to suggest you were approving of a straight Bigbie/Lee trade because clearly that's not what your post says. My apologies if you thought I was belittling your insight. I wasn't. That said, Bigbie has played in less than 150 MLB games in three years, which on a team like the O's says something about his skills. 2001 he hit .229, 2002 a rousing .176 and yes this year, with 280+ at bats he hit .303. But he's been hurt again and again over his minor/MLB career. He is hardly a guy I would feel comfortable playing regularly in LF next season. One can put together a deal of Bigbie and some prospects but it's still Bigbie and some prospects. The Fish need to get a starting MLB player (whether it be position player or pitcher) in exchange. Getting a utility player isn't going to help them contend in 2004.
November 15, 200322 yr It's believed that Baltimore's offer for Derrek Lee includes lefty Matt Riley and either Jerry Hairston Jr. or Brian Roberts. It's unclear if a deal is close. The Marlins could also ask for B.J. Ryan, Denny Bautista or Don Levinski in the deal. They might not be interested in receiving Hairston or Roberts if they believe they can re-sign Luis Castillo. After all, the purpose of trading Lee is to free up money for Castillo, Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Lowell. rotoworld.com One major league scout said he heard the Orioles included left-handed pitcher Matt Riley in their offer for Florida Marlins first baseman Derrek Lee. That deal could still go down at next month's winter meetings. baltimore sunLHP Matt Riley has rebound very well from tommy john and was very impressive down in the minors. A big plus is that his a lefty who is ready for the ML and it would clear the way to move Redman to Atlanta(which was a hot topic this week). I think the O's don't want to move Brian Roberts because they just let go of Cruz to clear the way to move Roberts to SS but I'd demand Roberts if Castillo is lost. I'd try like h@ll to get Denny back.
November 15, 200322 yr The Giants also have some interest, although I have no idea who we would get from them as their farm system has been decapitated.
November 15, 200322 yr Bold = Already Traded. San Francisco Giants January 4th, 2003 kevin@theprospectreport.com System Overview In 40 Words Or Less: As much pitching as any system in baseball -- and as few bats. 1. Jesse Foppert, RHP HT: 6-6 WT: 210 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 23 on 7/10/03 The Skinny: Foppert was the Giants' 2nd round draft pick in 2001 out of the University of San Francisco, and he won the Northwest League ERA crown in his pro debut. The Giants surprised many by having Foppert skip A-Ball and start the season with AA Shreveport. Kept on a strict pitch count early, he whiffed 30 in 16.2 inning in his first four appearances. He limited opposing hitters to a .199 average and lasted just 11 starts in Shreveport before being promoted to AAA Fresno. He struck out 27 over 17 innings in his first three PCL starts, and finished the year by leading all minor league starters with 11.74 K/9. Foppert possesses the perfect pitchers body and flawless mechanics. He throws his fastball consistently in the 93-95 mph range, and has dialed it up as high as 97. He takes some juice off the heater for a cut fastball that flies out of the zone, and his nasty slider gives him a third plus pitch. His changeup is inconsistent but shows promise. The biggest question with Foppert is stamina, as he went over six innings just six times 25 starts, and was clearly fatigued by August. He surrendered home runs in 9 of 14 AAA starts, including three games in which he gave up a pair of longballs. 2003 Outlook: Foppert's rise has been staggering, as he found himself knocking on the door of the major leagues by the end of his first full season. Despite the amazing progress, he's not quite a finished product, and needs to improve his stamina and command. He'll return to the rotation at AAA Fresno to start the year, but could be in San Francisco by mid-season if he pitches well. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Shreveport (Texas - AA) 11 11 3 3 2.79 61.1 44 3 22 19 21 74 6.46 3.08 10.86 Fresno (Pacific Coast - AAA) 14 14 3 6 3.99 79.0 71 12 37 35 35 109 8.09 3.99 12.42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Jerome Williams, RHP HT: 6-3 WT: 180 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 22 on 12/04/03 The Skinny: Williams has been one of the youngest players in his league for the last three seasons, and he performed admirably as a 20-year old in the Pacific Coast League. A constant victim of horrible run support, Williams went 2-4 in his final seven starts despite posting a 1.93 ERA. Williams works his fastball in the low 90s, and while his breaking pitches are perhaps average, his changeup is among the best in the minors. He can be bafflingly inconsistent, however, leading some to question his intensity on a start-to-start basis. He had six starts of 5+ shutout innings, and six starts where he gave up 5+ runs. 2003 Outlook: Williams added to his late season run with a fine outing in the Arizona Fall League, putting up a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings, with 25 strikeouts. The Giants have pushed Williams throughout his career, and they'd like to see him find some stability and build on his late season success. He's slated to return to Fresno. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Fresno (Pacific Coast - AAA) 28 28 6 11 3.59 160.2 140 16 76 64 50 130 7.84 2.80 7.28 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Kurt Ainsworth, RHP HT: 6-3 WT: 190 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 25 on 9/09/03 The Skinny: A 1999 1st round draft pick whose rise has been methodical, Ainsworth started the year in the big leagues as a spot-starter/long reliever. He pitched well, but was sent back to AAA to get more consistent work. He tossed quality starts in six of his first seven outings for Fresno, and finished fourth in the PCL ERA race despite missing a month in mid-season with a strained back muscle. Ainsworth has a big league repertoire, with the ability to throw five quality pitches for strikes. His four-seam fastball sits in the low 90s, and he keeps batters offstride with a high 80s sinker. Both his slider and curveball are effective, and he finishes off the quintet with a quality changeup. He has an excellent feel for pitching, but the Giants would like to see him throw with more confidence, and not try to be so exacting with every pitch. 2003 Outlook: The most mature of Fresno's big three, Ainsworth has the best shot at breaking camp with the major league team. He'll compete for the 5th starter job in spring training. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 San Francisco (MLB) 6 4 1 2 2.10 25.2 22 1 7 6 12 15 7.71 4.21 5.26 Fresno (Pacific Coast - AAA) 20 19 8 6 3.41 116.0 101 7 49 44 43 119 7.84 3.34 9.23 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Todd Linden, OF HT: 6-3 WT: 210 Bats: S Throws: R 2003 AGE: 23 on 6/30/03 The Skinny: Linden was considered one of the best players in college baseball following his sophomore year, but concerns following his dismissal from the Washington baseball program, along with a disappointing junior year at LSU, dropped him to the supplemental 1st round in the 2001 draft. After signing too late make his pro debut, Linden had a strong spring training and was challenged with an assignment to AA Shreveport in the Texas League. He was hitting .358 on June 1st, and while his average fell during the hot summer months, he found his power stroke, cracking 10 homers in June/July and earning an early August promotion to AAA Fresno. He started hot in the PCL, with 11 hits, three homers and six RBIs in his first week, but fell into a late season slump that brought his final statistics down. Linden is an outstanding offensive prospect, hitting for power and average from both sides of the plate while showing an excellent understanding of the strikezone. He's a good athlete who can steal a base, and he shows plus range and a solid arm in right field. If there are any questions on Linden, it's with his head. To his credit, he's stood up and taken the blame for some of his behavior in college, yet is still often perceived as arrogant and cocky. 2003 Outlook: Linden's pro debut was an unqualified success, as few players reach AAA in their first professional year. Despite his rapid ascent, Linden isn't ready to assume a starting job in the Giant outfield. He'll return to AAA Fresno to start the season, but should make his major league debut in 2003. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG Shreveport (Texas - AA) 111 392 64 123 26 2 12 52 61 101 9 5 .314 .419 .482 Fresno (Pacific Coast - AAA) 29 100 18 25 2 1 3 10 20 35 2 0 .250 .380 .380 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Boof Bonser, RHP HT: 6-4 WT: 230 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 22 on 10/14/03 The Skinny: Bonser was a surprise 1st round pick in 2000, but proved his worth by earning Sally League Pitcher of the Year honors in 2001, going 16-4 and striking out nearly 12 per nine innings. The Giants decided to push Bonser by starting him in the Texas League for 2002, and he got hammered to the tune of a .316 average allowed in five outings. A demotion to the Cal League turned out to be just what the doctor ordered, as Bonser tossed six no-hit innings in his first start for San Jose. For the season, he limited Cal League batters to a league-low .195 batting average, and finished 2nd in the circuit with a 2.88 ERA. Bonser threw in the 90-92 range in 2002, which was the cause for some concern as it was 2-3 clicks below his 2001 velocity. The good news is that both his curveball and changeup made steady progress, although he still has problems keeping both pitches in the strike zone. 2003 Outlook: Despite the sight loss of velocity, the Giants report that Bonser is perfectly healthy. He'll take another stab at AA in 2003, with their new Eastern League affiliate in Norwich. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Shreveport (Texas - AA) 5 5 1 2 5.55 24.1 30 3 15 15 14 23 11.10 5.18 8.51 San Jose (California - A) 23 23 8 6 2.88 128.1 89 9 44 41 70 139 6.24 4.91 9.75 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Ryan Hannaman, LHP HT: 6-3 WT: 200 Bats: L Throws: L 2003 AGE: 22 on 8/28/03 The Skinny: Hannaman was an incredibly raw product from a small Alabama high school when the Giants selected him in the 4th round of the 2000 draft. The Giants moved him slowly, pitching him only in short-season leagues for his first two seasons before starting him in the Sally League in 2002. He showed tremendous improvement throughout the season, posting a 1.05 ERA in his final seven starts with 61 punchouts in 42.2 innings. Hannaman sits consistently in the low 90s, but has touched as high as 97 mph in workouts. He adds a hard slider that he likes to use as a knockout pitch. All of his pitches feature excellent, natural lefty movement, and he has made great strides in his command. 2003 Outlook: While Hannaman is still very far from a premium prospect, his ceiling is enormous. He's an excellent candidate for a bust-out season at A San Jose. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Hagerstown (Sally - A) 24 24 7 6 2.80 131.2 129 9 54 41 46 145 6.86 3.49 9.56 San Jose (California - A) 1 1 0 0 3.00 6.0 3 1 2 2 3 7 4.50 4.50 10.50 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Francisco Liriano, LHP HT: 6-2 WT: 180 Bats: L Throws: L 2003 AGE: 20 on 10/26/03 The Skinny: Liriano started the year as one of the youngest starting pitchers in the Sally League. His season was highlighted by eight shutout innings, allowing only one hit on June 11th, but he was shut down in late July due to shoulder pain. The injury was not considered major, and the Giants simply decided to be very cautious with such a young arm. He was fully healthy in time for the instructional leagues. A converted outfielder, Liriano has picture-perfect mechanics and excellent velocity for a lefty, sitting consistently in low 90s and touching as high as 96 mph. His sweeping curve is already a plus pitch, and his changeup is developing nicely. He was kept on a strict pitch count even before the injury, and needs to prove he has the stamina to stay in the rotation for a full season. 2003 Outlook: Liriano will once again be one of the youngest starters in the league, this time at San Jose in the California League. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Hagerstown (Sally - A) 16 16 3 6 3.49 80.0 61 6 45 31 31 85 6.86 3.49 9.56 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Freddie Lewis, OF HT: 6-2 WT: 190 Bats: L Throws: R 2003 AGE: 23 on 11/09/03 The Skinny: Projected as a middle-round pick in the 2002 draft, The Giants surprised many by nabbing Lewis in the second round. He had a fine debut in the Northwest League, hitting .400 in his first 15 games and finishing third in the batting race and fifth in on-base percentage. A top-notch athlete, Lewis is raw but has the potential to be an exciting power/speed combo in centerfield. Lewis has a quick bat from the left side, shows good patience, and is projected to hit for good power once he learns how to pull pitches more. He has excellent speed, but is learning the nuances of the running game. He has fantastic range in center, and a decent arm. 2003 Outlook: Lewis will get his first taste of full-season ball with Hagerstown in the Sally League. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG Salem-Keizer (Northwest - A) 58 239 43 77 9 3 1 23 26 58 9 6 .322 .396 .397 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Manny Mateo, RHP HT: 6-3 WT: 170 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 21 on 8/26/03 The Skinny: Acquired from the Braves on December 17th in the Russ Ortiz/Damian Moss deal, Mateo had an outstanding American debut, leading the Gulf Coast League in strikeouts. In his final four starts, he went 4-0, 1.13 with 33 strikeouts in 24 innings. Mateo has a long frame and good mechanics, with his fastball sitting at 92-95 mph with excellent movement. His secondary pitches (slider, changeup) are behind in their development but show good potential. Scouts love his intensity. 2003 Outlook: Mateo will make his Giant debut with Hagerstown. We're still three years away from knowing if the Braves let one get away. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Braves (GCL - R) 12 8 7 3 1.98 68.1 47 0 18 15 12 76 6.19 1.58 10.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Erick Threets, LHP HT: 6-5 WT: 240 Bats: L Throws: L 2003 AGE: 22 on 11/04/03 The Skinny: Threets missed the first two months of the season with a bicep injury, and spent the remainder of the season coming out of the San Jose bullpen. He was incredibly inconsistent -- unhittable one day, and unable to get anybody out the next. Threets has as much velocity as any left-hander in baseball, consistently throwing in the high 90s, with Giant officials claiming he has hit 103 mph in the instructional leagues. His nasty slider gives him a potentially dominating two-pitch combo, but he needs to learn how to harness his control if he's ever going to advance. He might be best served by taking a few notches off his fastball in return for greater control and movement. 2003 Outlook: Threets' arm is as special as they come, but he's still much more a thrower than a pitcher. He'll most likely return for a full season at San Jose. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 San Jose (California - A) 26 0 0 1 6.67 28.1 23 2 24 21 28 43 7.31 8.89 13.66 ? Kevin Goldstein, 2002
November 15, 200322 yr and heres on the DBacks if you want to know (i think most of these guys are in the ML or ML Ready) Arizona Diamondbacks January 8th, 2003 kevin@theprospectreport.com System Overview In 40 Words Or Less: Solid organization with a good balance of bats and arms. It's just a hunch, but I think Sergio Santos could be one of the steals of the 2002 draft. 1. Scott Hairston, 2B HT: 6-1 WT: 190 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 23 on 5/25/03 The Skinny: Baseball America's 2001 Junior College Player of the Year, Hairston hit .261-1-8 in the season's first month at South Bend, and then went on a season long tear. He hit .371-7-32 over his final 37 Midwest League games before earning a promotion to the California League, where he hit .405 with 26 RBIs in just 18 games. For the year, he finished among the minor leagues' top five in batting average, extra-base hits, total bases and slugging percentage. Offensively, Hairston is a force to be reckoned with. He hits for high average with power to all fields, shows excellent patience, and is a good baserunner. Defensively, he's a bit of a mess. While he has the athleticism to play in the infield, he shows average range at best and is sloppy around the bag. Scouts have complained about a lackadaisical defensive effort from Hairston, and he may be ticketed for left field. He certainly has the bat to play anywhere. 2003 Outlook: Hairston is one of the top offensive players in the minors, and he'll most likely skip the Class A California League and start the season at AA El Paso. Making his major league debut by September is a distinct possibility. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG South Bend (Midwest - A) 109 394 79 131 35 4 16 72 58 74 9 3 .332 .426 .563 Lancaster (California - A) 18 79 20 32 11 1 6 26 6 16 1 0 .405 .442 .797 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Mike Gosling, LHP HT: 6-2 WT: 200 Bats: L Throws: L 2003 AGE: 23 on 9/23/03 The Skinny: While Arizona's 1st round pick in the 2001 draft (Jason Bulger) was a relative bust, their next two picks, Gosling and Hairston, both shined. Gosling received a $2 million bonus as a 2nd round pick but signed too late to play in 2001. He made his professional debut in 2002 with AA El Paso in the Texas League, one of the friendliest hitter's parks in the minors. He spun a three-hit shutout in his fifth start, and led the Texas League in wins (14), while finishing 2nd in batting average allowed (.238), and third in ERA (3.13). Gosling throws in the low 90s with excellent movement, and both his curve and slider are among the best in the system. He has an excellent feel for pitching, changing speeds extremely well. He showed no ill effect from throwing 166.2 innings in his first full season. 2003 Outlook: Gosling is highly advanced and will begin the season with AAA Tucson. He should make his major league debut by the end of the year. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 El Paso (Texas - AA) 27 27 14 5 3.13 166.2 149 7 66 58 62 115 8.05 3.35 6.21 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Sergio Santos, SS HT: 6-3 WT: 200 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 20 on 7/04/03 The Skinny: Santos had been on the radar screens for three years as the star shortstop at the nationally-prominent Mater Dei High. An inconsistent senior season, along with signability concerns dropped him to the end of the first round, but he signed quickly for a $1.4 million bonus. He pro debut at Missoula started with a 1-for-16 slump, but he adjusted quickly and finished in the league's top five in home runs and slugging percentage, and hitting homers over three consecutive games in late August. Scouts were concerned about his power before being drafted, but 30 of his 55 hits went for extra bases and he showed a knack for using all fields. He understands the strikezone well. He has above-average speed, but does not possess the pure athleticism needed to play at shortstop. He made 28 errors in just 54 games, and will be moved to either second or third base in the future. His makeup is absolutely off the charts. 2003 Outlook: Santos will spend his first full season with South Bend in the Midwest League. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG Missoula (Pioneer - R) 54 202 38 55 19 2 9 37 29 49 6 3 .272 .367 .520 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Lyle Overbay, 1B HT: 6-2 WT: 210 Bats: L Throws: L 2003 AGE: 26 on 1/28/03 The Skinny: Overbay kept on hitting in 2002, finishing second in the PCL in hits, RBIs and batting average, yet saw his career minor league average drop to .345 after four pro seasons. His 19 home runs was a career high, and he led his league in doubles for the second straight season. Overbay just hits everything, lacing line drives all over the park with a quick bat and excellent mechanics. Some scouts would like to see him sacrifice some average in return for greater power. He lost some patience in 2002, walking 25 fewer times than the year before. Defensively, he's acceptable. 2003 Outlook: With the trade of Erubiel Durazo, Overbay comes to camp as the favorite to nail down the starting first base job. He's drawn numerous comparisons to his likely backup, Mark Grace, but he'll need to improve his patience at the plate to become that type of offensive player, and he'll never match the veteran defensively. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG Tucson (Pacific Coast - AAA) 134 525 83 180 40 0 19 109 42 86 0 0 .343 .396 .528 Arizona (MLB) 10 10 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 .100 .100 .100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. John Patterson, RHP HT: 6-5 WT: 180 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 25 on 1/30/03 The Skinny: Patterson was on or near the top of this list in the late 1990s, but has spent most of this decade recovering from Tommy John surgery. Patterson pitched very well at Tucson and spent the final month of the season with Arizona. A drubbing on August 4th vs. the Mets masks his effectiveness -- in his other four starts, he went 2-0, 1.11 with 26 strikeouts in 24.1 innings. Patterson has a perfect pitcher's body and excellent mechanics, with his fastball returning to the 92-94 mph range for the first time since his surgery. His sweeping curveball is a knee-buckler when he's on, but his changeup remains inconsistent. He made great strides in his control in 2002, once again throwing all three of his pitches with confidence. 2003 Outlook: Patterson has worked extremely hard to return to his pre-surgery effectiveness, and that work started to pay dividends in 2002. He's the leading candidate for Arizona's 5th starter job in 2003. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Tucson (Pacific Coast - AAA) 19 18 10 5 3.43 112.2 117 14 59 53 45 104 9.35 3.59 8.31 Arizona (MLB) 7 5 2 0 3.23 30.2 27 7 11 11 7 31 7.92 2.05 9.10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Chad Tracy, 3B HT: 6-2 WT: 190 Bats: L Throws: R 2003 AGE: 23 on 5/22/03 The Skinny: Tracy was one of the minor's biggest stories in early 2002, carrying a .400 average into early June. A late-season "slump" (.272 in his final 30 games) dropped his final numbers, but he still led the Texas League in batting average (.344) and hits (177). Tracy has a quick bat and a picture-perfect swing -- hitting lefties and righties with equal aplomb. He needs to hit over .300 to have value, as he has below-average power and his aggressive approach generates few walks. He's a solid defensive third baseman with good hands and a strong arm. 2003 Outlook: Tracy's career batting average is .340, and that number could possibly rise as he moves to the hitting-friendly Pacific Coast League at AAA Tucson. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG El Paso (Texas - AA) 129 514 80 177 39 5 8 74 38 51 2 3 .344 .389 .486 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Brandon Webb, RHP HT: 6-3 WT: 190 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 24 on 5/09/03 The Skinny: An 8th round pick in the 2000 draft who entered the season with a career record of 6-10, Webb had a breakout season in the Texas League, finishing fourth in both strikeouts and ERA. He threw a nine-inning shutout in his 4th start, which began a string of 13 quality starts in 14 outings. Webb has all of the makings of a classic middle-of-the-rotation starter. He throws three solid pitches: a low 90s fastball, curve and changeup. He can go through bouts of ineffectiveness with his secondary pitches, leading to troubles against left-handers. 2003 Outlook: Webb will look to build on his breakthrough campaign at AAA Tucson. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 El Paso (Texas - AA) 26 25 10 6 3.14 152.0 141 4 66 53 59 122 8.35 3.49 7.22 Tucson (Pacific Coast - AAA) 1 1 0 1 3.86 7.0 5 0 3 3 4 5 6.43 5.14 6.43 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Brian Bruney, RHP HT: 6-3 WT: 220 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 21 on 2/17/03 The Skinny: The Diamondbacks have taken a unique development path with Bruney's career, grooming him purely as a reliever since selecting him in the 12th round of the 2000 draft. He came into his own in 2002, with scoreless appearances in 14 of his last 15 games for South Bend. The Diamondbacks jumped him all the way to AA El Paso for the season's final month, and he accorded himself well. He fastball is consistently in the 93-95 mph range, and he often touches the high 90s. His breaking pitch is somewhere between a slider and a curve, but is nonetheless effective. He has a big frame and a closer's mentality. 2003 Outlook: Bruney will start the season where he left off -- at AA El Paso. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 South Bend (Midwest - A) 37 0 4 3 1.68 48.1 37 1 15 9 17 54 6.89 3.17 10.06 El Paso (Texas - AA) 10 0 0 2 2.92 12.1 11 1 5 4 4 14 8.03 2.92 10.22 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Jose Valverde, RHP HT: 6-4 WT: 220 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 24 on 7/24/03 The Skinny: Valverde missed the end of 2001 with shoulder problems and bicep pain, and he was clearly far from healthy when he started the season at AAA Tucson. He gave up 15 hits and 15 runs in just 7.1 April innings before being shut down for a month. He struggled initially upon his return, but finally found his groove in the summer. In his first nine June appearances, he allowed just two hits over 10.2 shutout innings, striking out 18. While his statistics were never able to make up for his horrendous start, he allowed just a .206 average in the season's final three months. Valverde has a pure closer attitude and the stuff to match, featuring a mid-90s fastball and a hard breaking slider. He needs to figure out a way to get left-handers out, as they hit .312 against him after hitting .348 in 2001. His delivery is anything but pretty, and may have contributed to his injury problems in the last two seasons. 2003 Outlook: Valverde needs to prove he can stay healthy and effective before he can re-enter the Arizona bullpen picture. He'll return to AAA Tucson. Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9 Tucson (Pacific Coast - AAA) 49 0 2 4 5.85 47.2 45 8 33 31 23 65 8.50 4.34 12.27 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Jesus Cota, 1B/OF HT: 6-3 WT: 220 Bats: L Throws: R 2003 AGE: 22 on 11/07/03 The Skinny: Cota won the Pioneer League triple crown during his professional debut in 2001. While he didn't have the breakout season some expected in the California League, he did finish with a league-leading 101 RBIs. Cota projects as a middle-of-the-order run producer, hitting for average and power. His plate discipline took a precipitous slide in 2002, as he drew 18 fewer walks in 2002, despite playing 60 more games. He's a bit of a baseclogger, and a conversion to first base was rescinded in mid-June, when he returned to left field -- where he gets to touch the ball as little as possible. 2003 Outlook: While his Pioneer League debut set an high standard, Cota didn't show the same offensive skills in 2002. He's nonetheless a good candidate to put up big numbers at AA El Paso. Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG Lancaster (California - A) 135 540 73 151 33 3 16 101 38 121 0 1 .280 .325 .441
November 15, 200322 yr Thanks for the info. Williams is untouchable for the Giants and I don't want anything to do with the D-Backs unless they give us one of their top young pen guys. (Villareal/Valverder)
November 15, 200322 yr Bottom line for me is that if Lee is traded, I want ML talent. I want something that is going to help this club NOW. If the Orioles are unwilling to trade Gibbons, then I say f*** the Orioles. Lee will garner interest from ten other teams. IMO, if we can't get an above average starting OFer for Lee, we must trade him to LA for Mota/Perez.
November 15, 200322 yr I don't know much about gibbons what are his stats? Gibbons 2003 stats: .277, 173 of 625, 39 2B, 2 3B, 23 HR, 100 RBI, 49 BB, 89 K
November 15, 200322 yr Author I think the trade thats on the table w/ the O's is pretty good if they include denny bautista....we need a second baseman thats as much lke Luis as possible and Brian Roberts looks good. He hit for a decent average, was 80% successful in stealing bases (23 of 29), and is good defensively (7 errors on '03). So a Riley/Roberts/Baustista trade for D. Lee looks good.
November 15, 200322 yr Sham, you do understand this info is over ONE YEAR OLD ? Ya, whats your point?
November 15, 200322 yr Let's get gibbons and moss,lol,i like damian moss alot can d.lee bring us moss?
November 15, 200322 yr Look at the next post,moss will substitute redman. Then we'd have 6 starting pitchers aswell... AJ Beckett Penny Willis Pavz Moss
November 15, 200322 yr We don't need to trade for any starters unless we are raping some club while Pavano's value is at its highest.
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