Sea Dogs Tabata impressive in camp

At an age when most U.S. kids are finishing off their senior year of high school, Jose Tabata looked quite comfortable in big league camp. He hit .429/.529/.643 in 14 at-bats while earning comparisons to Manny Ramirez. Since being sent to minor league camp he has had a minor hamstring injury.

Chatham Ironmen prospect has surgery

Bad news from Ironmen camp yesterday, as righthanded reliever J. Brent Cox went down with an elbow injury that required surgery. The extent of the injury and subsequent surgery are not known, but a source from the club said that it was not Tommy John surgery. “We’re not really certain on a timetable for return as of now,” the source said. “But no—it was not Tommy John.”

Spring Training Report - Phil Humber

Philip Humber has not seen any statistical proof, but he has heard from others in the game that a pitcher coming off Tommy John elbow surgery performs best in his second year after the surgery. From his still-limited perspective, the Mets' right-hander can believe it. "The further I get from surgery, the better I feel throwing," Humber said at the Mets camp here. "The ball comes out of my hand stronger, with more feel and control." If that is the case, Humber, bidding for a spot in the Mets' rotation, could be dynamite in 2007.


He had Tommy John surgery on July 19, 2005. Returning to the Minors on June 22 of last year, he could do little wrong the rest of the season. At Class A Advanced St. Lucie, he was 3-1 with a 2.37 earned run average, striking out 36 batters in 38 innings. At Double-A Binghamton, he went 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA, with 36 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. As a reward for his rapid recovery, the Mets then promoted him to the parent club in September. No problem. In a 27-day taste of the Majors he showed no awe of the opposition, pitching two scoreless, hitless innings.

"It was a great experience," Humber, 24, said of his Major League cameo. "I'll never forget my first time out there. My parents were in the stands, my girlfriend. It felt pretty special." He then paused, before adding, "But there is no guarantee I'll get back up there." There is no guarantee, but Humber, the third pick overall in the 2004 first year players draft, is pretty close to a lock to return. If he doesn't make the Mets' rotation out of Spring Training, chances are strong that he will be promoted at some stage of the season.

Top 10 Prospects - Cannons

One of the things I hate is my 1-year old grinding his teeth...yes he was doing it like crazy today and it therefore was not a great day. Well this evening did not get any better as I decided to do another top 10, and the Cannons are not that good.

The Cannons are currently ownerless, and the previous ownership loved to spend money, build a team for the now and pick up other teams "soon to be released garbage".

1. Adam Lind - OF/1B - Toronto Blue Jays

Lind's calling card to the majors is his bat. He has very good bat control which can provide power to all parts of the field. He is an intelligent hitter that should consistently hit around .300 with a good number of doubles and homeruns. He is slowly improving his patience at the plate as well and should be a solid on base guy. What Lind does not provide is either speed or defense. He will probably start his career as a left fielder, but will eventually move to 1B or DH.

2. Humberto Sanchez - RP - New York Yankees

Sanchez is a very interesting prospect that has a plus mid-90's fastball and a plus hard sinking slider. After those first two pitches he follows that up with 2 average pitches: curve and change. Sanchez tends to struggle with his mechanics, command and health as he is yet to toss over 130 innings in a season. Currently he is fighting for a rotation spot, but I see Sanchez as a setup man and eventual replacement for Mariano Rivera.

3. Carlos Gomez - OF - New York Mets

Gomez is a raw multi-tool prospect who I try to stay away from. He has great speed, a great arm, has a lighting quick bat, and has the potential to hit for homeruns. I currently see two issues with him. The first is that we always here about the potential to hit homeruns, but he still has not hit double digits in homeruns. The later is the bigger concern, he does not walk much at all which always hurts the strat card. Could he be the next Jeff Francouer?

4. Matt Walker - P - Tampa Bay Devilrays

Walker is my favorite prospect in the Cannons system. Walker's hard sinking fastball and 12-6 curveball are already plus pitches, and he also has a change up that has plus potential. The main concern right now with Walker is his ability to repeat his delivery and therefore his command is inconsistent. If corrected, Walker has the chance to be a top of the rotation starter.

5. Rafael Perez - P - Cleveland Indians

Perez is actually kind of an interesting prospect. He throws extremely hard with a 2 seem and 4 seem fastball that are in the low-mid 90's. He also throws a really hard late breaking slider that is in the upper 80's. He tends to keep the ball down in the zone, which is very good for a hard throwing pitcher. He has consistently had good numbers in the minors as he flip flops from starter to reliever. I believe he will end up a reliever one day, but his numbers look nice and he will be given a shot as a starter.

6. Chase Headley - 3B - San Diego Padres

Headley is a perfect example of a moneyball player, and seems to be consistent with the type of prospect that San Diego likes to draft. He has amazing patience and pitch recognition which allows him to be a strong on base machine, which is great for strat. Unfortunately, he has very little power for the hot corner, does not have great range (though he does have a strong arm), and will clog up the bases. He kind of reminds me of Kevin Youkilis and will find himself in the majors as a utility corner guy that will get in his 400 PA a year.

7. David Murphy - OF - Boston Red Sox

When I first joined the league I was a co-owner of the Prickly Pear Dealers and when we decided to part ways I took over the ownership of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. The Crawfords manager liked to draft college players, of which I tended to dump almost all of them when I got the team. Ones of those guys was David Murphy. Murphy has average tools across the board with the ability to have plus power, which he never shows in a game. I believe the best Murphy will ever achieve is a utility outfielder.

8. Chris Mason - P - Tampa Bay Devilrays

Mason is an ex-college pitcher that was drafted by the Devilrays in the 2nd round. He has a heavy plus fastball that is supported by a series of average secondary offerings. He is currently in the rotation but has the mentality and pitches to be a late inning reliever. With Tampa's need for rotation pitchers he may continue to get a chance to become that inning eating #4 starter.

9. Chad Spann - OF - Boston Red Sox

I personally do not even consider Spann much of a prospect, but I was dying to find guys to put on this list. It is probably easier to discuss the negatives...he has horrible defense getting poor reads on balls, lacks speed to get to balls and has very little of an arm. He is not a danger on the basepaths because he is not a fast runner. Spann has the potential to be a solid average hitter with decent patience, but due to the fact that he is poor defensively he is being forced by Boston to hit for more power as a left fielder or first baseman....it's not working!

10. Anthony Webster - OF - Texas Rangers

Webster's tools are average across the board with the exception of his arm which is below average. So far Webster has shown an ability to consistently hit for a decent average and profiles out as either a center or left fielder. Which position he plays will depend on the amount of power he can generate and how well he can cover centerfield. Right now he is a tweaner and he could end up becoming a utility outfielder.

Next Best: Jeff Keppinger - Kansas City

Sleeper: Ismael Castro - Seattle

Up Next: Connecticut Charter Oaks

Spring Training Report - Evan Longoria

Evan Longoria (property of the Minneapolis Miller) has a different look about him than he did the last time he donned a Devil Rays uniform in St. Petersburg. The Rays had just selected and signed the slugging third baseman from Long Beach State (third overall pick of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft) and brought him to Tropicana Field to show off like a neighbor would a new Mercedes. Longoria then took batting practice and the "slugging" third baseman hardly inspired anyone with his power, or lack thereof.

Longoria smiled when asked to recall the moment. "I was just real nervous, that was my first professional baseball experience," he said. "I was nervous to come out and get to hit with all the big stars you see on TV. I just wanted to hit the ball. But to finally get out and play in the Minor Leagues was a relief."

Longoria, 21, quickly got busy on a whirlwind trip through the lower levels of the Rays' organization. At Class A Hudson Valley, he hit .424 in eight games with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Class A Visalia was his next stop and again he excelled, hitting .327 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs. By the end of the season, Longoria found himself at Double-A Montgomery, where he finally seemed to get challenged, hitting .267 with six home runs and 19 RBIs in 26 games.
"At Double-A, I was kind of blown away," Longoria said. "From what I hear, that is the hardest jump -- from A ball to Double-A, because a lot of those guys are almost ready for the big leagues. They can make that jump. It was a shock. Because you go from high A, where you see one or two really good starters a week, but in Double-A it was every day, someone throwing 92. It was a little bit different."

Other than reaching the end of his rope by the end of the season, Longoria found professional baseball to his liking. "I really liked playing every day, as opposed to practice [in college]," Longoria said. "I think it's easier to play. Games are more fun. That wasn't too much of a shock to me. That was something I was looking forward to. "A lot of travel, living out of a suitcase and jumping on planes and buses. It was different. You go through so many stages, but it was fun at the same time. I got to meet a bunch of guys in the organization."

Longoria has embraced being in his first Major League camp this spring.

Spring Training Report - John Danks

If pitching as part of the Texas Rangers' system rightfully seemed like playing at home for John Danks (property of the Vigilantes), then joining the White Sox organization this past offseason could be considered as working with a close friend of the family.

For starters, the White Sox scouted Danks during parts of the past two years, identifying the soon-to-be 22-year-old as a person of serious interest in any possible deals. But there's also a previous connection between the South Siders and the Danks family. With the 575th pick of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, the White Sox selected Jordan Danks (property of the Spiders). The outfielder already had made it clear that he intended to attend the University of Texas, accounting for a player of his stature and talent slipping far below his value in the 19th round. But the White Sox thought they would take a chance and try to pick up a draft steal in the process. Jordan Danks kept his commitment to the Longhorns, but his family left the process with a very good feeling about the White Sox organization. Two years later, Jordan's older brother is competing for the fifth starter's spot in the club's rotation after coming over from Texas with Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner in a Christmas deal for Brandon McCarthy.

Wednesday's Cactus League opener marked Danks' first White Sox appearance, and manager Ozzie Guillen classified his two-inning effort as one of the few bright spots in a 12-4 loss. Danks yielded one run, although it was produced by a misplayed ball in the outfield, and struck out two. The talented southpaw also followed ace left-hander Mark Buehrle to the mound Wednesday. It represented a mix of the team's successful past and present, along with its very optimistic future on the mound.

Top 10 Prospects - Braves

Two years ago the Braves minor league system was a mess, but Braves management has done a good job in obtaining early draft selections and have done a very good job in making selections with those picks. The Braves have lots of pitching on the way but need to find some bats.

1. Chuck Lofgren, P, Kansas City Royals
Heading the list is left hander Lofgren. Lofgren has a solid repertoire of four pitches, a low 90's fastball, a spike curve, a changeup (his best pitch) and a developing slider. None of his pitches stand out as plus-plus pitch but all are solid-strong. He has a very clean delivery and has the ability of throwing all of his pitches for strikes. Last year Lofgren progessed a great deal and he will probably move to AA next season.

2. Dellin Betances, P, New York Yankees
About six months prior to the 2006 MLB draft Betances was my favorite pitching prospect in the draft. Betances struggled with consistency in his senior season which led many to believe he was going to attend college and scared me away. He signed with the Yankees and looks like a great pick by the Braves. Betances stuff has the best potential of anyone in the system. His fastball sits in the mid 90's and he has a low 80's curve. His third pitch is a developing change, with all three pitches at plus or developing plus. Keeping his mechanics clean will be the challenge for this tall youngster.

3. Kyle Drabek, P, Philadelphia Phillies
Drabek goes to the mound with a nasty first two pitches. The first is an unhittable spike curve that is in the lower 80's range and the second is a mid 90's fastball. Through high school Drabek did not require a third pitch but he started working on a change in the fall and it is showing the ability to be an average or better pitch. Drabek has a clean compact delivery. I placed Betances higher on this list because he has been more successful so far, and I believe he is further from his ceiling then Drabek is.

4. Thomas Diamond, P, Texas Rangers
Diamond probably led this list a year ago, but more questions have been raised about him over the last year. Diamond has low 90's fastball that he throws high in the zone, and a plus change that is a nice constrasting pitch to his fastball. His third pitch is a developing slider that he started to toss last year. Diamond is seen as a potential #3 workshorse starter, but he really struggled last year to throw strikes and more mature hitters worked him to long counts which meant he only averaged 5 innings a start. If he does not improve his control then he will probably become a closer.

5. Tyler Lumsden, P, Kansas City Royals
Rating Lumsden at this level is not consistent to my own beliefs, but I decided to give the benefit of the doubt to the publications that are out there. Lumsden has a clean delivery that allows him to throw three quality pitches, a low 90's fastball, a 12-6 curve and a changeup. Nothing really shines as being potential plus, but he is a solid overall package. Lumsden will go to AAA next year and may appear in the Royals rotation next year.

6. Jordan Tata, P, Detroit Tigers
Tata is not an overpowering pitcher but instead works the plate to get hitters out. He throws a low 90's cut fastball and has an above average knuckle curve. Tata is currently working on adding a slider, but that project is far from being successful. He has a clean delivery, but has alot for warts including average stuff, nothing to get lefties out, and average command for a pitcher who needs to be a control pitcher. I believe his future is as a middle reliever, though he may sit in AAA for a couple years while attempting to crack the Tigers rotation.


7. Colten Willems, P, Washington Nationals
Willems is a second strong selection in the 2006 draft by the Braves, who has the ability to move into the top 3 group with Lofgren, Betances, and Drabek. He has a perfect pitchers body and currently has a clean delivery and a plus fastball that sits in the low to mid 90's. He currently has a mid 80's slider as his second pitch but it still requires some work to become a plus pitch. The biggest concerns for Willems is his change up is average and he has already had to be shut down with mild arm issues. Willems will attempt to become a starting pitcher for the Braves, but if that is not successful it is easy to see his stuff work as a closer.


8. Matt LaPorta, 1B, NCAA (Florida)
It is always very difficult to figure out where to squeeze in a college or high school player, but I figured this was a safe place for LaPorta. Some would think LaPorta could have been higher since he is the top rated college senior, but lets remember that after his junior season he was still only a 14th round selection by Boston. He also could have been lower but the guys below him have only proven they have huge holes in their game. LaPorta fell to the 14th round for two reasons, an injury caused a bad junior year where he pressed too hard, and boras is his agent. LaPorta has one plus tool and that is extreme power. So far this year LaPorta is having a very good senior season and he should go in the first couple rounds of the June draft.

9. Jason Place, OF, Boston Red Sox
Place is a toolsy outfielder that has the range to play center and the arm to play right. He brings a complete offensive package that has the ability to hit for power as well as the ability to steal a good number of bases. The challenge that Place has is that he is a very agressive hitter which means he does not walk much and that just does not produce usable strat cards. A great example of that, and probably Place's ceiling, is Jeff Francouer. So far in 1.5 years Fancouer has only become a bat against lefties (which is not that great this year) and a defensive substitution.

10. Justin Orenduff, P, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Braves minor league system seems to consist of four very good prospects, five good prospects and then alot of question marks. Orenduff is the first question mark. At his best he looks like a back of the rotation innings eater with a upper 80's low 90's fastball, very good slider and below average change. He struggles to get lefties out and struggles to meet expectations on command. The biggest concern is 2006 was a waste due to injuries. I do not see Orenduff going up on this list and believe that if he makes the majors it will be in the bullpen.

Best of the Rest: Ryan Harvey, OF, Chicago Cubs
Sleeper: Greg Golson, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Next Up: Winchester Cannons