Comments on: Law Ranks Phillies 11th In Farm System Assessments

By: Travis Mount

Travis Mount — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:27:35 +0000

Just read some of these comments and then think about where the organization is right now. Ibanez for MVP; Burrell spending most of the season on the DL.

Amaro had a good first move as GM. I would definitely loathe seeing Abreu back in a Phightin Jersey

By: Don M

Don M — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:40:46 +0000

Mike Arbuckle was probably more responsible for the WS roster than Ed Wade was… the best thing that Ed Wade did, was not trade Howard, Utley, and Hamels.. he’s a genious.

Sucks that Arbuckle had to go, but it was either him or Amaro for the GM job, and you knew the other would want to leave..

By: From Section 113

From Section 113 — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:14:07 +0000

Matt Kwasiborski -

My good Phillies Phan, Ed Wade started his GM career in 1998, though he was Asst. GM he was not the head hancho in 1996 when Jimmy ROllins was taken in the 2nd round, of course Eaton was taken in the 1st.

Also to note, the GM has probably little to do the draft other than the first high profile round and dishing out any larger bonus. So Ed Eade gets NO props for taking a 5ht rounder in the name of Howard, the developmental staff and Howard get the props. I mean if he was such a sure thing why wasn’t he taken in the 1st round.

GM’s should get the credit of putting togeth the 25 man roster and picking the right people to develop the farm (including internationally) but not for every minor leaguer.

That being said I will give him Hamels, Myers, and Burrell. I dunno about Utley. Supposedly, they want Baldelli instead and they had Utley as an insurance pick. Even Burrell is a question mark being the #1 pick and all.

By: Matt Kwasiborski

Matt Kwasiborski — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:29:05 +0000

It is funny that you criticize Ed Wade but under his watch we drafted Rollins, Burrell, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Myers, etc. Yet, you say how far below the radar his Astros fell. Wade deserves alot of credit for our recent success and Gillick rightfully recognized him.

And the MLB draft list is nothing like the NFL or NBA where it is easier to project prospects. These experts are good at what they do but in the long run their opinion doesn’t mean shi*.

By: Don M

Don M — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:47:56 +0000

“mental toughness” is a GREAT phrase… My dad uses that all the time..

Different Sports… But Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan.. there are guys that are better at certain aspects of each game, Michael Jordan wasn’t the best shooter on his own team most years.. but he NEVER got rattled, and always left it all on the field.

I think a lot of times too, these scouts look at the stats, and they maybe see these guys play a few times.. but with how streaky most basball players are, what if you see a guy when he’s on a tear.. you’ll think he’s better than he really might be. or if a guy is in a slump, you would never project him to be a great hitter.. some guys have trouble hitting breaking balls, but POUND fastballs, so they are projected as great hitters with the comment that if they can learn to read the breaking pitches sooner… but what if that isn’t something that a player can learn..

Damn these “what-ifs”

By: Don M

Don M — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:43:02 +0000

Right but my point is you never know what the future holds for any of these guys.. some players all of a sudden “get it” and they take off… some players never do.. What the hell got into Gavin Floyd last year? Why was Cliff Lee so bad in 2007, only to win the Cy Young in 2008??

Mike Piazza and Albert Pujols weren’t on anyone’s lists… and then look at all the busts there are.. some players hit their ceilings before they ever reach the big leagues, so you might have been the greatest college baseball player of all time, but you were only “above average” in the Majors (aka Pat Burrell)

I know im rambling, but my whole point is that it doesn’t matter what the scouts, or the stats say… it matters what the player is made up of. Chase Utley is great because he plays ALL OUT… and works hard. There are definitely players that are more “talented” then Utley and they would probably have been ranked higher as prospects, etc.. but you never know what you are going to get from any of these guys

Projections are like opinions. Opinions are like A$$holes, everyone has one and they all stink. Therefore Projections stink, I think.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:41:47 +0000

As far as Carrasco goes, as it is with many highly talented young starting pitchers, you haev NO idea whether or not theyll be an ace or a 2 until they get out there. you can project it based on their stuff, which carrasco has plenty of, but to predict their mentaltoughness against the best competition is a crapshoot.

By: Griffin

Griffin — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:34:26 +0000

I agree that it’s not an exact science, but these guys are good at predicting future success. It’s their job. Sure, they miss on an occasional prospect or two (or twenty) but they give you a general guideline of what to expect from each player.
Carrasco getting ranked that low after being more highly thought of in previous years can not be looked at as a good thing. He can still be a #3 starter, but he’s not a #1 or #2. Then again, he could breakout this year….

By: Don M

Don M — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:52:19 +0000

Ask him where he ranked Homer Bailey the past few years??

These guys don’t know anything more than anyone else… Anyone that watched Evan Longoria play knew he was awesome, and same with David Price… where are all the guys telling us how Lastings Milledge, Andrew Miller, and Homer Bailey would be amazing?

By: Griffin

Griffin — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:46:46 +0000

I just saw this in a recent ESPN chat with Jim Callis of Baseball America:

” Can you help me rank some minor league pitchers who are fairly close to the majors? How do Chris Tillman, Justin Holland, Jordan Zimmermann and Carlos Carrasco compare?

SportsNation Jim Callis: On my personal Top 50 list for the Handbook, I put Holland at No. 28, Tillman at No. 31 and Zimmermann at No. 35. I didn’t rank Carrasco, who would fall in the 51-70 range for me. ”

ouch, he’s not too high on Carrasco.

By: GPR

GPR — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:36:19 +0000

Thanks Tim.

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By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:49:41 +0000

Here you go GPR:

“17. New York Mets: It took a few major trades, but their system finally has thinned. Their international scouting department has saved the system, with three of their top six prospects (Fernando Martinez, Wilmer Flores and Jefry Marte) all coming via that route. Keep an eye on Brad Holt, a potentially fast mover from the 2008 draft whose curveball is improving. “

By: GPR

GPR — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:33:41 +0000

I am a Met fan, and I come in here from time to time to read your opinions and sometimes leave my own, in a rare non-retarded fashion as every rival fan does in the rivals blog, and I was wondering if you can tell me where did the Mets rank? I am guessing 17-18?

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:27:44 +0000

Thanks Tim i appreciate the props.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:25:57 +0000

we shall see what Savery can do on the biggest stage in MILB, AA is the stepping stone by which players are found to have achieved their talent. I can’t believe that AAA is basically the stomping grounds for has beens and never will be’s. All of a sudden AA is where all the good prospects are stached until they’re needed for the most part. Michael Taylor, Drew Naylor, and Joe Savery are 3 guys that are going to be placed center stage to see where they are talent wise

By: Manny

Manny — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:14:58 +0000

I agree, Doug. I’m looking forward to seeing Kendrick bounce back from a mediocre 2008…

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:08:07 +0000

Another thing that nobody seems to grasp is that we have a lot of starting pitching knocking at the door in Happ and Kendrick. Although these two are not really a part of the “farm system” anymore, the Phils still have numerous “options” on both of them, making them easy to kind of stash in AAA until a rotation spot opens up or in the event of an injury. Now I know that a good number of those here aren’t very high on Kendrick, but he has already shown a tremendous ability to “pitch” out of trouble for a 23-year old. If he perfects the change-up that he’s been developing, when added to the rest of his moving pitches, he may very well claim that #5 rotation spot.

By: Griffin

Griffin — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:32:22 +0000

Random note-I heard that Carrasco is pitching in the WBC for Venezuela. Now I have a reason to watch. I will watch all the Venezuela games and hope he never pitches more than an inning at a time.

By: NJ

NJ — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:20:42 +0000

Guys like Naylor, Carpenter, Zagurski are interesting thoughts at this point, are we really to expect these guys as anything more than depth guys at the major league level?

Mathieson is a name that needs to get back on track, we really need a young start getting controllable guys into the pen to address the teams needs elsewhere.