2017 Minor League Preview: Detroit Tigers

December 4, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 26 Comments

It’s for system writeups such as these that I save the high end scotch and vials of liquid acid. It’s not only because the Tigers farm system is so barren, but because I can see my future as a Red Sox fan flash before my eyes. Here’s to hoping Mr. Dombrowski, not scorching the earth of the Sawx farm the way he did the Tigers. With Detroit in full sell-mode, this could be one of the more “updated” system previews of the offseason. As for the current state of the farm, it’s comprised of a handful of recently drafted talents, some overhyped depth players, and a whole lot of specs that don’t deserve my brilliant prose. Okay, okay so maybe I’m being a bit hyperbolic on a few fronts, but all in all it’s an awful system. One of the bottom five I’ll cover, and quite possibly the worst one yet. It’s not that I hate Detroit Tigers Prospects, as much as I have little use for many of them. With that said there are two blokes in particular that I hold in high esteem. Who are they? Read on! It’s the Top Detroit Tigers Prospects.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

2016 Minor League Preview: Detroit Tigers

November 25, 2015 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 49 Comments

by: Mike

There are organizations flush with prospects that you’d like to have on your fantasy roster. Then there are organizations like the Tigers. Not to hate on the Motor City Kitties, but finding a spec I can get excited about on this farm is a little bit like this. Even with trades, the players they brought in are mostly in the pitching category, namely Michael Fulmer and recent grads Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd. Their first round pick in 2015 also went to an arm, and a prep arm to boot, meaning it will be a while before he’s making any kind of fantasy impact. That said, your dear friend Mike is still going to trot out fifteen names and plow forward. Let’s just rip this thing off like a Band-Aid and on Sunday we can chat White Sox specs over turkey sandwiches.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

2015 TDGX Dynasty Recap

October 11, 2015 | Our Leagues | 22 Comments

by: Mike

A couple of years ago Bret Sayre invited me to participate in his dynasty league – The Dynasty Guru Expert League, or TDGX. At the time I was writing for him at his site, and while I don’t anymore, I’ve been allowed to remain in the league as a representative of Razzball. I’d like to say my team has been killing it, but that hasn’t been the case in the first two years. The league is a lot of fun, and there are representatives from sites like Baseball Prospectus, Fangraphs, Baseball HQ, and CBS. It’s deep and it’s challenging. Tim McLeod and Ian Khan took the championship in each of the first two years, so major kudos to them.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Robotic Umps Wreak Havoc On 2015 Futures Game

July 12, 2015 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 108 Comments

by: Mike

It’s the Futures Game! USA vs. the World, and this time it counts! That’s right, at the Futures Game the youth of this fine country will take on the youth of the world in a game of based ball, with the winner claiming the rights to a new “spice” cache recently discovered on the planet Arrakis. MLB is hoping that this year’s event will have fewer robotic umpires going rogue and maiming spectators. I wouldn’t count on it, since they are using the same software as their MLBTV apps. Connecting to server…buffering 33%…playback failed…we’re sorry that your child was thrown into a hot dog stand by one of our robotic umpires. Please accept this signed batting glove from Eric Sogard with our sympathy. At least this year we’ll have hoverboards to get around on! Oh, and then there’s the Tron-style jai alai match between hologram Pete Rose and hologram Bud Selig during the seventh-inning stretch! Wait…none of this is happening? The Futures Game is just some prospects playing an exhibition?! *throws computer across the room…sighs deeply* Fine, here are a few of the prospects from today’s game you may not have heard of…I’ll be in the garage working on my hoverboard blueprints.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

2015 Minor League Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

January 28, 2015 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 55 Comments

by: Mike

Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2014 (15) | 2013 (22) | 2012 (5) | 2011 (4) | 2010 (19)

2014 Affiliate Records
MLB: [83-79] AL East
AAA: [77-66] International League – Buffalo
AA: [66-76] Eastern League – New Hampshire
A+: [77-61] Florida State League – Dunedin
A: [62-77] Midwest League – Lansing
A(ss): [46-30] Northwest League – Vancouver

Graduated Prospects
Marcus Stroman, RHP | Kevin Pilllar, OF | Ryan Goins, 2B

The Gist
Toronto saw the rise of both Marcus Stroman and Dalton Pompey in 2014, and both are going to be factors in 2015 fantasy leagues. In addition to Stroman, the Jays have two stud pitching prospects on the farm in Daniel Norris and Aaron Sanchez. Both have already seen time in the major leagues and should be on the radar for 2015 as well. This was a fun system to write up, since it has intriguing fantasy prospects from top to bottom. The major league club got a big boost when it acquired Josh Donaldson from the Athletics for three prospects, including shortstop Franklin Barreto. Barreto would have been an easy top five in this system, but Donaldson should be a fantasy beast in that lineup at the Rogers Centre.

Please, blog, may I have some more?