Good Players Under 25? Not Quite The Phillies’ Forte
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Tue, March 10, 2009 01:52 PM | Comments: 16
Issues, Posts
Project Prospect has posted their list of the top 50 hitters under age 25 (and their top 10 for each position). Interestingly, not one hitter in the Phillies organization is listed.
Then again, who would be? John Mayberry Jr. (he would’ve just made the list, as of Nov. 1, 2008)? Michael Taylor? Dominic Brown? Lou Marson? Jason Donald? Sorry, but none of these players were good enough to crack the top 50 – moreover, there’s only one player on the major league roster under age 25, and that’s Cole Hamels.
Hamels, meanwhile, is ranked fifth in the pitchers list. Of course, the ranking already hints at dropping because his strikeout percentage has dropped the last three seasons (despite his WHIP and ERA falling, too). Joba Chamberlain is ranked higher.
It does bring up the question of how good the Phillies under after their foundation players; that’s still remain to be seen. For now, everything is constructive.
Posts: 0 Craig
World Champions 2008.
Nuff said.
Posted: 02:15 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Eric R
That’s right Craig. Can’t really worry 4 years down the road. Phillies have a solid core going for the next 3 years at least. Let’s hope young Ruben builds up the scouting dept. while they’re busy repeating.
Posted: 02:34 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Richie
Its all good though, show me a better infield in baseball even over the next 4 years…better yet don’t try because you wont find one. All around I’m talking..defense up the middle…hit for average…speed, power…and if donald can fit in at third we will be looking really good.
Posted: 03:22 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
They also rank BOTH of the Upton brothers ahead of Ryan Braun…
This is exactly why things like this don’t matter… Hamels Strikeout rate has gone down, as he’s realized that you don’t always need to get a K to get an OUT. His ERA has dropped and he was damn close to winning 5 postseason games..
but by all means, rank Felix Hernandez, Scott Kazmir, and Joba Chamberlin higher.
Posted: 03:26 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Nationals#1
Hm, what an interesting list. I wonder how the phils rank on the top 50 players who wear size 10 shoes? Or the top 50 players who were born in march? Lists like this are so arbitrary they aren’t even worth worrying over.
Posted: 03:28 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
This just pisses us off as Philadelphia fans, because its a lack of respect to our players..
Of course we’re going to be homers and want to see Hamels ranked high.. but to place the always injured- Kazmir, the unproven Chamberlin, etc.. just shows like the ESPN bias and love affair that goes on with big names
OFF TOPIC:
a guy called into yesterday to 950am and said on Missinelli’s show something like, “we’re always getting RIPPED for being bad fans, for a couple guys booing McNabb at the draft, for Reid benching McNabb,… now when we show how much we care about a player like Dawkins, the national media doesn’t have anything to say”
Its tough, and annoying, but lazy journalism is winning.. and anytime “Philadelphia Sports” comes up.. they put us into google and see that before we were born people threw snowballs at Santa Claus.. and they’ll never let that go.
Posted: 03:32 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Top 10 players who are Vegetarians would be a good list too.
or
Top 10 players with 3 kids or more.
Posted: 03:34 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Dave S
I love how the #3 guy has a ‘Low Contact Rate.’ Some list.
Posted: 04:09 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Griffin
I haven’t seen the list, but ranking Kazmir ahead of Hamels? Please. Besides being a better left-handed pitcher, staying healthy and pitching great in the postseason, I guess Hamels and Kazmir are pretty equal.
Joba has tremendous upside, but can we see him be healthy for one season?
I’m a big Felix Hernandez fan but I don’t see how you can put him ahead of Hamels.
As for the lack of hitters on the list, bad drafting and losing draft picks by signing mediocre player (Gordon, David Bell) has hurt the system.
A few years ago, we had Utley, Rollins and Howard on that list, so we shouldn’t feel too bad. Our window to win another title is the next 3 years, but I think everyone knows that.
Posted: 04:20 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Gordon and David Bell.. that was just chalked up to “taking chances” in my mind.. they had Rollins, Abreu, Thome, Burrell.. Myers was supposed to be great.. they needed a closer and took a shot with Gordon..
We have a pretty good farm system right now (in my opinion).. im really interested to see how Taylor, Brown, D’Arnaud, Drabek, Savery etc do this season..
Its been a while since we have had MULTIPLE prospects to be excited about as Phillies fans
Posted: 04:36 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Craig puts it nicely up top. Top players under 25 is a crock because most teams able to contend don’t rush their prospects up to the big club. Outside of McCann every player in the top 10 list was brought up in some cases as fast as humanly possibly to fill significant holes in the roster and the Upton brothers, gimme a break! Justin Upton is virtually unproved and if people are going to lower Hamels for ’1 good month’ the same should apply to BJ Upton who likely will but is yet to have had a year anywhere near matching his talent. How can Rasmus be at 18 when he’s considered by many to be the best hitting prospect in baseball 7 below Elijah Dukes who doesn’t even have an everyday spot? How can Billy Butler, Daric Barton and Jeremy Hermida even be on that kind of list when their values have plummeted in the eyes of the actually clubs they play for?
As for the Phils we’ve struggled to produce top tier talent sure but all of our top prospects are capable of being everday major leaguers… Too many people seem to forget you can’t be a HOF calibre player before you’ve made an all-star team let alone established yourself in the bigs, who wouldn’t turn down Dustin Pedroia now yet a guy like Jason Donald still isn’t good enough because he doesn’t project as Hanley Ramirez.
Posted: 05:28 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Kev
Who gives a shit? The Phillies have 4 players who are arguably top 2 at their postion (JRoll, Utley, Howard, Hamels), Victorino is going to get better, same with Werth.
Posted: 06:04 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Matt
Cole Hamels behind Joba and Kazmir? Really?
Posted: 06:51 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 therookie300
Kazmir has got good stuff, but he throws way too many pitches. And his health issues don’t help. He also does not possess the polish that Hamels has on his game right now. Hamels proved his worth when it counted the most.
Posted: 09:12 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 T.O
Wow that list is just ridiculous. #1 Hamels/Lincecum.
Posted: 09:37 PM on March 10, 2009
Posts: 0 Red Sox Authentic Jerseys
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Posted: 05:47 AM on March 23, 2009