The 2012 MLB Random Thoughts Thread
- Thread starter FloorGeneral
- Start date
that show is fukking great actually but damn the marlins are fukking terrible....i dont get it they set a record for most wins in a month than exactly when the next month starts there on there way to setting a record for most loses in a month
we should of threw some money at that fat fukk prince the offense is
lol it looks like he was cropped in
we should of threw some money at that fat fukk prince the offense is
lol it looks like he was cropped in
The top 12 fantasy prospects (players currently in the minor leagues) for 2012 are below. These rankings are a bit different from other prospect rankings; these are strictly for 2012 fantasy purposes. So not only do talent and recent performance play a role in the rankings, potential paths to the big leagues also factor in. All young players in the minors are eligible, including those in "prospect purgatory" -- those who have exceeded rookie status but are still young and unproven commodities.
1. Danny Hultzen, SP, Seattle Mariners (Last week's rank: 1)
Last week's stats (at Double-A Jackson): Did not pitch.
Season totals: 8-3, 1.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 75 1/3 IP, 79 K's
Update: Hultzen didn't pitch this week, other than a scoreless inning in the Southern League All-Star Game. That turned out to be his final Southern League appearance, as he'll make his Triple-A debut for Tacoma this weekend. He made 13 starts for Jackson, but he's not expected to need that many in the Pacific Coast League before being called up to Seattle.
What he can do: While Hultzen spent too much time at Double-A, let's let bygones be bygones now that he's where he belongs. He remains the one pitching prospect most likely to find instant success in the big leagues.
2. Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays (Last week: unranked)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 8-for-23 (.348), HR, 4 RBIs
Season totals: .326-8-37, 4 SB in 36 games
Update: Snider is back from a wrist injury and is back to mashing, with home runs in three consecutive games. The good news for him is that nobody has taken a firm grasp of the left field job, and with the club hit hard by injuries, the second half could be spent evaluating young players (which Snider still is) for the long-term future.
What he can do: Snider has a long, and frankly disturbing, history of putting up dominant minor league numbers and doing little in Toronto, but he could get a long leash during the second half while Toronto makes what could potentially be a final decision on his future with the franchise.
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs (Last week's rank: 2)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Iowa): 8-for-20 (.400), 3 HR, 9 RBIs
Season totals: .350-23-59, 2 SB in 66 games
Update: The Cubs moved Bryan LaHair to right field this week and made no secret about the move being designed to accommodate Rizzo's impending arrival. The date for his call-up to make sense in terms of service time comes this weekend, which happens to correspond with when his call-up makes sense for the Cubs.
What he can do: While Rizzo's numbers are similar to last year's numbers in the same league, scouts see a different player, one who is much more prepared to hit big league pitching.
4. Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City Royals (Last week's rank: 4)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Omaha): 6-for-21 (.286), HR, 2 RBIs
Season totals: .330-24-62, 5 SB in 69 games
Update: Myers has cooled off a bit, and Royals GM Dayton Moore has stated that the team would prefer to leave Myers in the minors all year. Myers has the ability to force the Royals' hand, of course, but there's no obvious path for him to get to the big leagues unless Jeff Francoeur is dealt.
What he can do: Not only is Myers able to hit for average and power -- and he has done so this season -- but he has begun to draw walks at a higher rate than in previous years, making him a true triple threat.
5. Travis d'Arnaud, C, Toronto Blue Jays (Last week's rank: 3)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 3-for-17 (.176), 2 RBIs
Season totals: .330-15-49 in 63 games
Update: It wasn't the best of weeks for many of the top fantasy prospects in the game, including d'Arnaud, but that doesn't mean his stock has slipped greatly. He's still the Blue Jays' catcher of the future; the only question now is when that future begins.
What he can do: A second-half call-up could allow the Blue Jays to get a head start on determining who opens the 2013 season behind the dish for them. J.P. Arencibia has plenty of power, but d'Arnaud's all-around offensive game is far superior.
6. Drew Pomeranz, SP, Colorado Rockies (Last week: unranked)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Colorado Springs): 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K's
Season totals (minor league only): 3-4, 2.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 45 1/3 IP, 46 K's
Update: While Rockies manager Jim Tracy is doing strange things with his starting rotation in an attempt to solve some major problems, Pomeranz has a 2.61 ERA in one of the toughest pitching environments in the minors after six no-hit innings at Colorado Springs. Frankly, it's hard to figure out why Pomeranz, the big prize in last year's Ubaldo Jimenez deal, is not in Denver right now.
What he can do: A pure power lefty with an above-average fastball and curve, Pomeranz might always have issues with a higher-than-average walk rate, but he has the stuff to miss bats and keep runs off the scoreboard.
7. Trevor Bauer, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks (Last week's rank: 8)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Reno): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 7 K's
Season totals: 11-1, 2.19 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 90 1/3 IP, 111 K's
Update: Bauer's biggest issue is a lack of efficiency, and he didn't do himself any favors by needing 105 pitches to get through five frames in his most recent start. He still gets caught up in being too cute with his pitches and trying to trick guys instead of blowing them away, and until Arizona is convinced he can go deep into games, he might be stuck in Reno for a while.
What he can do: Bauer can rack up strikeouts in the big leagues immediately upon call-up, no question about it. But how many innings will he get through, and how many batters will he walk? Those are the issues he must address.
8. Mike Olt, 3B, Texas Rangers (Last week's rank: 7)
Last week's stats (at Double-A Frisco): 5-for-19 (.263), HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .309-20-58, 4 SB in 68 games
Update: Will he arrive in Arlington soon? After playing first base just once over a 23-game stretch, Olt played the position twice this week, and while a more permanent move there would provide some confidence in the matter, the fact that Olt doubles as one of the best trade chips in the minors only ups his value.
What he can do: Olt is a secondary-skills king with tons of power and patience, which more than offsets a high strikeout rate that could lead to a slightly disappointing batting average.
9. Ryan Lavarnway, C, Boston Red Sox (Last week: unranked)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Pawtucket): 10-for-20 (.500), HR, 5 RBIs
Season totals: .306-7-32 in 55 games
Update: Lavarnway was one of the best hitters in the minors last year, and he's finally heating up after a slow start, with a .404-4-15 line in 14 June games.
What he can do: The bad news is there's just no room at the inn for him in Boston right now. The good news is he should generate plenty of trade interest, and Boston is suddenly just two games out in the wild-card standings.
10. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego Padres (Last week's rank: 6)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Tucson): 4-for-24 (.167), HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .291-14-43, 2 SB in 67 games
Update: Remember when it seemed like Gyorko could come up at any moment? Well, that talk seems to have died down, despite the fact that nobody has really gone out and taken hold of the second base job in San Diego, although Logan Forsythe could be doing so right now.
What he can do: The Padres have one of the worst offenses in baseball, and Gyorko can at least help it. He's a high-average hitter with gap power and possibly a bit more, but you'll have to find your stolen bases elsewhere.
11. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (Last week's rank: 10)
Last week's stats (at Double-A Tulsa): 7-for-26 (.269), HR, RBI
Season totals: .289-7-36 in 71 games
Update: With Arenado playing well but hardly tearing it up, and the Rockies quickly slipping from playoff contention, there's just no need to accelerate his timetable, as what made sense in April seems reckless now. Anything more than a September look seems like a long shot at this point.
What he can do: Despite his struggles, or more accurately the lack of a breakout, Arenado remains an outstanding long-term play, especially for those looking for help in the batting average department.
12. Corey Brown, OF, Washington Nationals (Last week's rank: 11)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Syracuse): 10-for-28 (.357), 3 RBIs
Season totals: .292-16-42, 6 SB in 67 games
Update: Bryce Harper was called up to help the Nationals' offensive woes, and while he's more than held up his end up the bargain, the team remains 13th in the National League in runs. Why Brown doesn't get a chance to assist, or at least try to, is a bit of a mystery, so for now all he can do is keep hitting at Triple-A.
What he can do: Brown is a potential multicategory contributor, as long as one of those categories is not batting average.
Bonus round: Accelerated timetables
Last week saw many leagues hitting the halfway point, and their respective All-Star breaks tend to bring a slew of midseason promotions. Here are three players who moved up to Double-A this week and are suddenly intriguing 2013 plays for those in keeper leagues:
Jackie Bradley, OF, Red Sox: Bradley, a supplemental first-round pick in 2011, has shown plus hitting ability with one of the best approaches in the minors, hitting .359-3-34 in 67 games, with a .480 on-base percentage, at High-A Salem.
Gerrit Cole, SP, Pirates: Last year's No. 1 overall pick rarely dominated but was consistently good at High-A Bradenton, with a 2.55 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning, and he recorded six more strikeouts over five frames in his Double-A debut.
Miles Head, 3B, Athletics: Was his massive breakout in the California League a mirage? Head's .382-18-56 line in 67 games for High-A Stockton was eye-popping, and his second-half performance in the Texas League will answer that question.
1. Danny Hultzen, SP, Seattle Mariners (Last week's rank: 1)
Last week's stats (at Double-A Jackson): Did not pitch.
Season totals: 8-3, 1.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 75 1/3 IP, 79 K's
Update: Hultzen didn't pitch this week, other than a scoreless inning in the Southern League All-Star Game. That turned out to be his final Southern League appearance, as he'll make his Triple-A debut for Tacoma this weekend. He made 13 starts for Jackson, but he's not expected to need that many in the Pacific Coast League before being called up to Seattle.
What he can do: While Hultzen spent too much time at Double-A, let's let bygones be bygones now that he's where he belongs. He remains the one pitching prospect most likely to find instant success in the big leagues.
2. Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays (Last week: unranked)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 8-for-23 (.348), HR, 4 RBIs
Season totals: .326-8-37, 4 SB in 36 games
Update: Snider is back from a wrist injury and is back to mashing, with home runs in three consecutive games. The good news for him is that nobody has taken a firm grasp of the left field job, and with the club hit hard by injuries, the second half could be spent evaluating young players (which Snider still is) for the long-term future.
What he can do: Snider has a long, and frankly disturbing, history of putting up dominant minor league numbers and doing little in Toronto, but he could get a long leash during the second half while Toronto makes what could potentially be a final decision on his future with the franchise.
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs (Last week's rank: 2)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Iowa): 8-for-20 (.400), 3 HR, 9 RBIs
Season totals: .350-23-59, 2 SB in 66 games
Update: The Cubs moved Bryan LaHair to right field this week and made no secret about the move being designed to accommodate Rizzo's impending arrival. The date for his call-up to make sense in terms of service time comes this weekend, which happens to correspond with when his call-up makes sense for the Cubs.
What he can do: While Rizzo's numbers are similar to last year's numbers in the same league, scouts see a different player, one who is much more prepared to hit big league pitching.
4. Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City Royals (Last week's rank: 4)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Omaha): 6-for-21 (.286), HR, 2 RBIs
Season totals: .330-24-62, 5 SB in 69 games
Update: Myers has cooled off a bit, and Royals GM Dayton Moore has stated that the team would prefer to leave Myers in the minors all year. Myers has the ability to force the Royals' hand, of course, but there's no obvious path for him to get to the big leagues unless Jeff Francoeur is dealt.
What he can do: Not only is Myers able to hit for average and power -- and he has done so this season -- but he has begun to draw walks at a higher rate than in previous years, making him a true triple threat.
5. Travis d'Arnaud, C, Toronto Blue Jays (Last week's rank: 3)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 3-for-17 (.176), 2 RBIs
Season totals: .330-15-49 in 63 games
Update: It wasn't the best of weeks for many of the top fantasy prospects in the game, including d'Arnaud, but that doesn't mean his stock has slipped greatly. He's still the Blue Jays' catcher of the future; the only question now is when that future begins.
What he can do: A second-half call-up could allow the Blue Jays to get a head start on determining who opens the 2013 season behind the dish for them. J.P. Arencibia has plenty of power, but d'Arnaud's all-around offensive game is far superior.
6. Drew Pomeranz, SP, Colorado Rockies (Last week: unranked)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Colorado Springs): 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K's
Season totals (minor league only): 3-4, 2.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 45 1/3 IP, 46 K's
Update: While Rockies manager Jim Tracy is doing strange things with his starting rotation in an attempt to solve some major problems, Pomeranz has a 2.61 ERA in one of the toughest pitching environments in the minors after six no-hit innings at Colorado Springs. Frankly, it's hard to figure out why Pomeranz, the big prize in last year's Ubaldo Jimenez deal, is not in Denver right now.
What he can do: A pure power lefty with an above-average fastball and curve, Pomeranz might always have issues with a higher-than-average walk rate, but he has the stuff to miss bats and keep runs off the scoreboard.
7. Trevor Bauer, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks (Last week's rank: 8)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Reno): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 7 K's
Season totals: 11-1, 2.19 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 90 1/3 IP, 111 K's
Update: Bauer's biggest issue is a lack of efficiency, and he didn't do himself any favors by needing 105 pitches to get through five frames in his most recent start. He still gets caught up in being too cute with his pitches and trying to trick guys instead of blowing them away, and until Arizona is convinced he can go deep into games, he might be stuck in Reno for a while.
What he can do: Bauer can rack up strikeouts in the big leagues immediately upon call-up, no question about it. But how many innings will he get through, and how many batters will he walk? Those are the issues he must address.
8. Mike Olt, 3B, Texas Rangers (Last week's rank: 7)
Last week's stats (at Double-A Frisco): 5-for-19 (.263), HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .309-20-58, 4 SB in 68 games
Update: Will he arrive in Arlington soon? After playing first base just once over a 23-game stretch, Olt played the position twice this week, and while a more permanent move there would provide some confidence in the matter, the fact that Olt doubles as one of the best trade chips in the minors only ups his value.
What he can do: Olt is a secondary-skills king with tons of power and patience, which more than offsets a high strikeout rate that could lead to a slightly disappointing batting average.
9. Ryan Lavarnway, C, Boston Red Sox (Last week: unranked)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Pawtucket): 10-for-20 (.500), HR, 5 RBIs
Season totals: .306-7-32 in 55 games
Update: Lavarnway was one of the best hitters in the minors last year, and he's finally heating up after a slow start, with a .404-4-15 line in 14 June games.
What he can do: The bad news is there's just no room at the inn for him in Boston right now. The good news is he should generate plenty of trade interest, and Boston is suddenly just two games out in the wild-card standings.
10. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego Padres (Last week's rank: 6)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Tucson): 4-for-24 (.167), HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .291-14-43, 2 SB in 67 games
Update: Remember when it seemed like Gyorko could come up at any moment? Well, that talk seems to have died down, despite the fact that nobody has really gone out and taken hold of the second base job in San Diego, although Logan Forsythe could be doing so right now.
What he can do: The Padres have one of the worst offenses in baseball, and Gyorko can at least help it. He's a high-average hitter with gap power and possibly a bit more, but you'll have to find your stolen bases elsewhere.
11. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (Last week's rank: 10)
Last week's stats (at Double-A Tulsa): 7-for-26 (.269), HR, RBI
Season totals: .289-7-36 in 71 games
Update: With Arenado playing well but hardly tearing it up, and the Rockies quickly slipping from playoff contention, there's just no need to accelerate his timetable, as what made sense in April seems reckless now. Anything more than a September look seems like a long shot at this point.
What he can do: Despite his struggles, or more accurately the lack of a breakout, Arenado remains an outstanding long-term play, especially for those looking for help in the batting average department.
12. Corey Brown, OF, Washington Nationals (Last week's rank: 11)
Last week's stats (at Triple-A Syracuse): 10-for-28 (.357), 3 RBIs
Season totals: .292-16-42, 6 SB in 67 games
Update: Bryce Harper was called up to help the Nationals' offensive woes, and while he's more than held up his end up the bargain, the team remains 13th in the National League in runs. Why Brown doesn't get a chance to assist, or at least try to, is a bit of a mystery, so for now all he can do is keep hitting at Triple-A.
What he can do: Brown is a potential multicategory contributor, as long as one of those categories is not batting average.
Bonus round: Accelerated timetables
Last week saw many leagues hitting the halfway point, and their respective All-Star breaks tend to bring a slew of midseason promotions. Here are three players who moved up to Double-A this week and are suddenly intriguing 2013 plays for those in keeper leagues:
Jackie Bradley, OF, Red Sox: Bradley, a supplemental first-round pick in 2011, has shown plus hitting ability with one of the best approaches in the minors, hitting .359-3-34 in 67 games, with a .480 on-base percentage, at High-A Salem.
Gerrit Cole, SP, Pirates: Last year's No. 1 overall pick rarely dominated but was consistently good at High-A Bradenton, with a 2.55 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning, and he recorded six more strikeouts over five frames in his Double-A debut.
Miles Head, 3B, Athletics: Was his massive breakout in the California League a mirage? Head's .382-18-56 line in 67 games for High-A Stockton was eye-popping, and his second-half performance in the Texas League will answer that question.
HookersandIceCream
#TeamOrange
RA dikkey
Sick of hearing about this faggit
Sick of hearing about this faggit
The War Report
NewNewYork
The Pirates are forreal. 
holidayinn21
:SmugMoneyMike:
FloorGeneral
I don't even know anymore...
Looks like Youkilis is leaving one Sox team and going to another. Word is the White Sox have traded for him.
The War Report
NewNewYork
So, Hudson is going to take a seat and where is Kevin going to bat in that lineup?
Phuk Yo Couch!
Rookie
The Pirates are forreal.
We still need another bat, McCutchen has no protection in this lineup
The Pirates were 5 games over by the end of July last year and finished in 5th place
Knock it off, they trash.
Knock it off, they trash.
Phuk Yo Couch!
Rookie
Phuk Yo Couch!
Rookie
K-O-B
Management
Red Sox gave Youk away and paid for most of his salary. Good trade for White Sox