They say baseball is a game of inches. When ‘they’ say that, ‘they’ are wearing a plaid jacket and flood pants. They also have adult acne. But if baseball really is a game of inches, the Tigers are packing heat in their lineup like John Holmes. So, for all other teams’ fans, I ask you gently, Tigers, please don’t have good pitching too. I mean, besides Verlander and Scherzer and Fister and Anibal, because that would just be unfair. Yesterday, it appeared they had that with Rick Porcello. He went eight innings with zero earned runs, four baserunners and 11 Ks. After his eleventh K, the sound system played, “Rick’s a Jolly Porcello.” That is the best game I can remember from Porcello, by far, and I use all of his game logs as toilet paper, so I’d remember. I mean, what else am I doing in the john? Answering comments? Well, maybe. Just keep that in mind when you’re asking me who I’d drop. Porcello’s xFIP looks solid and his walks have always been stellar. The one flaw in his game I didn’t like was his ability to K people. So far this year, his K-rate is up and way up after yesterday. If you’re struggling to find a starter, I could see adding Porcello, but there’s risk because he does tend to have huge blow ups. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?Arodys Vizcaino
Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2012 (14) | 2011 (16) | 2010 (14) | 2009 (27) | 2008 (18)
2012 Affiliate Records
MLB: [61-101] NL Central
AAA: [53-87] Pacific Coast League – Iowa
AA: [72-68] Southern League – Tennessee
A+: [59-74] Florida State League – Daytona
A: [63-75] Midwest League – Peoria (Kane County beginning 2013)
A(ss): [37-39] Northwest League — Boise
Arizona Fall League Players — Mesa Solar Sox
Dae-Eun Rhee (RHP); Kevin Rhoderick (RHP); Nick Struck (RHP); Tony Zych (RHP); Logan Watkins (2B); Rubi Silva (OF); Matt Szczur (OF)
Graduated Prospects
Anthony Rizzo (1B); Steve Clevenger (C); Welington Castillo (C)
The Run Down
Since Theo and his gang arrived, it’s been evident that the Cubs are on a better track. They traded for Anthony Rizzo, they signed Jorge Soler, they drafted well (it seems that way, at least), and they’ve added much-needed depth to their farm system via deals with Atlanta and Texas. In just one year’s time, it’s quite impressive how improved this system is. Of course, it doesn’t hurt when 2011 draftees, Javier Baez and Dan Vogelbach, break out with huge statistical years. Still, the bottom-up impact that the Epstein-Hoyer regime has had on this organization cannot be denied. If it’s lacking anywhere, it’s in the starting pitching department — there simply aren’t many high-impact arms coming up. But the Cubs have ample dough to work around that shortcoming with signings at the big league level. It might be a few more years until they’re contenders in the NL Central, but it’s clear that that they’re headed in that direction. Oh, and there’s quite a bit of fantasy impact in the names below.
Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2012 (15) | 2011 (2) | 2010 (9) | 2009 (6) | 2008 (8) | 2007 (15)
2011 Affiliate Records
MLB: [89-73] NL East
AAA: [78-65] International League – Gwinnett
AA: [61-79] Southern League – Mississippi
A+: [60-78] Carolina League – Lynchburg
A: [60-80] South Atlantic League – Rome
R: [39-29] Appalachian League – Danville
The Run Down
The Braves have maintained a top-tier farm system over the past few years, and it’s still a quality system, but it’s only a few graduates away from looking rather depleted. Three of Atlanta’s top four prospects (Teheran, Delgado, Simmons) should push through to the bigs this year. A couple more top ten guys should see significant time in Atlanta, too. Teheran and Delgagdo are battling for a starting pitching role. Both have outstanding fantasy potential. Pastornicky and Simmons are battling for the shortstop role. Both are rather boring for fantasy. There’s little intrigue beyond that, for now.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
The top 50 fantasy baseball prospects list aims to provide a list solely for fantasy baseball purposes. Due to fantasy baseball’s immediacy of statistical production, players are not necessarily ranked based on tools or projections far into the future, but instead, current production.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Charlie Manuel confirmed Cole Hamels would have his next start skipped after an MRI showed he had shoulder inflammation. But Manuel was wearing a wooden barrel being held up by suspenders so it made it difficult to pay attention to what he was saying. Manuel then said, “When I ask for a straw, I don’t want a drinking straw. Drinking straws are for 13-year-old girls!” You know what would’ve been nice? If Hamels settled all this MRI shizz before I had to set my weekly fantasy lineup. Yes, this is all about me. Here’s hoping Hamels only needs to miss one start and then can come back at full strength. Though for a club that can afford to rest him and coast into the playoffs, it seems like a pipe dream. But what about my H2H playoffs?! Have I mentioned recently how much I hate H2H? You got your marbles on the line and teams are resting their best marbles for the playoffs. Marbles! BTW, no one knows what that means, but it’s provocative. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Roy Halladay – 9 IP, 3 ER, 9 baserunners, 14 Ks. From Rudy, “My DVR still has The Golden Girls from when my parents visited. Oh, Estelle Getty, your delivery is prettier than Roy Halladay’s.”
Casper Wells – Has now homered in four straight games. Casper was one of those cases where I saw him hit a homer and disregarded it, figuring he wouldn’t hit another one immediately. Then disregarded the 2nd and 3rd homers too. After four in a row, it’s hard to disregard. He’s really not this good, I promise you. But, and unless you’re an alien there’s always a but, he’s hitting the cover off the ball so you may as well grab him to see how long it can continue.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Mike Carp is hitting .350 since July 1st. (Thereabouts, I did the math in my head. At least I think it was my head. Hmm…) Carp only has 4 homers, but now has two homers in the last 4 games. He’s also hit in 11 straight games.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Arodys Vizcaino | RHP (SP) | Atlanta Braves | D.o.B: 11/13/90 | 6’0″ | 189 lbs | Dominican Republic, 2007 | B/T: R/R | ATL #7 ranked prospect per Baseball America 2011 | MiLB Player Page
The Braves received Vizcaino in the Javier Vazquez trade in December 2009.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Atlanta Braves 2010 Minor League Review
Overall farm rankings via Baseball America (2010)
2010 (13) | 2009 (6) | 2008 (8) | 2007 (16) | 2006 (7) | 2005 (5) | 2004 (4)
Record of Major and Minor League Teams
MLB: [91 - 71] NL East
AAA: [72 - 71] International League – Gwinnett
AA: [63 - 74] Southern League – Mississippi
A+: [58 - 82] Carolina League – Myrtle Beach
A: [59 - 80] South Atlantic League – Rome
R: [34 - 34] Appalachian League – Danville
R: [27 -31] Gulf Coast League
The Run Down
The Braves graduated only one player this past year, I think you’ve heard of him – Jason Heyward.
Atlanta Braves 2009 Minor League Review
Overall farm rankings via Baseball America (2009)
2009 (6) | 2008 (8) | 2007 (16) | 2006 (7) | 2005 (5) | 2004 (4)
Record of Major and Minor League Teams
MLB: [86 – 76] NL East
AAA: [81 – 63] International League
AA: [65 – 73] Southern League
A+: [53 – 84] Carolina League
A: [66 – 73] South Atlantic League
R: [47 – 21] Appalachian League
R: [26 – 34] Gulf Coast League
The Run Down
In the past couple of years, the majors has seen several prospects that have come from the Braves organization.
