Today’s Scouting the Unknown is targeting a pitcher that is close to the majors. The hitter, well, is more likely to be up in September, if at all this year.
Dan Hudson | RHP-SP | Chicago White Sox | DOB: 3-9-87 | 6′ 4” | 220 lbs | B/T: R/R | Drafted 5th rd.
Please, blog, may I have some more?What a week! The MLB Draft and Stephen Strasburg and Mike Stanton were promoted to the majors. After weighing my options, I decided on a few prospects that might take a little longer to reach the majors, with the pitcher the closest to making “The Show.” (I contemplated names like Freddie Freeman, Peter Bourgos, Eric Hosmer, Stolemy Pimental, Lonnie Chisenhall, Zach McAllister, Brett Lawrie, and Christian Friedrich for those of you who are curious).
Please, blog, may I have some more?
It’s June, and everyone is just waiting for the big name prospects to be called up. Definitely an exciting time. My friends in my competitive leagues keep asking me about Stephen Strasburg and what I think he’ll do. They always preface this with, “Honestly,” because they have come to know a critical point-of-view from my end when I attempt to predict rookie stats.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
By request of commentator Adam, Seattle’s Carlos Peguero is going to be detailed, along with Houston’s Jordan Lyles. With June 1st just around the corner, be ready to jump on a few players bandwagons if there is any space left – I know my leagues have been pushing women and children off the cart since draft day.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Nearly a year ago, I wrote my first Scouting the Unknown raving about Andrew McCutchen and Neftali Feliz. A lot has changed since then besides three hundred some odd days. There are weekly SportsCenter updates on phenom Stephen Strasburg (ignoring Drew Storen who will be called up before him); weekly grumblings about keeping Buster Posey in the minors from MiLB dot com; Mike Leake made the transition from facing college hitters to mowing down Major League hitting; Carlos Santans annihilating Triple-A pitching; Jeremy Hellickson continues to dominate Triple-A while Jesus Montero is flailing away in the same league and Starlin Castro skipped Triple-A altogether in a surprise May 7th callup.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
For a reminder to all of those that have a short-term memory like a Kansas City GM, here is last week’s Minor League Park Factors, Part One. One thing of note before I start rambling, First Inning is a great minor league website that isn’t named MiLB dot com.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
This is part one of two part series that should provide everyone with a contextual foundation for evaluating minor league players within their playing environment. I am by no means claiming to be a math major from FanGraphs or the next Bill James or even providing the statistically-based significance of each observation like Rudy would have.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Texas Rangers 2009 Minor League Review
Overall farm ranking via Baseball America (2009)
2009 (1) | 2008 (4) | 2007 (28) | 2006 (16) | 2005 (16) | 2004 (16)
Record of Major and Minor League Teams
MLB: [85 – 75] AL West
AAA: [69 – 75] Pacific Coast League
AA: [72 – 68] Texas League
A+: [75 – 65] California League
A: [63 – 76] South Atlantic League
A(ss): [37 – 39] Northwest League
R: [25 – 31] Arizona Rookie League
The Run Down
Rounding up the Minor League Review series is the Rangers and their embarrassing amount of pitching prospects.
Florida Marlins 2009 Minor League Review
Overall farm rankings via Baseball America (2009)
2009 (2) | 2008 (14) | 2007 (15) | 2006 (3) | 2005 (14) | 2004 (14)
Record of Major and Minor League Teams
MLB: [87 – 75] NL East
AAA: [63 – 80] Pacific Coast League
AA: [82 – 58] Southern League
A+: [67 – 70] Florida State League
A: [66 – 74] South Atlantic League
A(ss): [34 – 42] New York – Pennsylvania
R: [38 – 17] Gulf Coast League
The Run Down
Having one of the lowest budgets in the majors, the Marlins have caught flack for their frugality.
Oakland Athletics 2009 Minor League Review
Overall farm rankings via Baseball America (2009)
2009 (3) | 2008 (27) | 2007 (27) | 2006 (26) | 2005 (8) | 2004 (17)
Record of Major and Minor League Teams
MLB: [75 – 87] AL West
AAA: [86 – 57] Pacific Coast League
AA: [78 – 62] Texas League
A+: [61 – 79] California League
A: [76 – 64] Midwest League
A(ss): [36 – 40] Northwest League
R: [22 – 34] Arizona Rookie League
The Run Down
With one of the largest graduating classes in 2009, the A’s would seem to have a depleted system.
