All good things.

It pains me to say this, but I am shutting down Legends of Tomorrow. 

With the move down to Washington DC for college, the overload of work, and now the offer to work for Bleacher Report, I must say, it's been a ride. 

Thanks to Jon Springer and Ed Leyro, two Mets bloggers who were able to help me out when I ended to get started. 

Thanks to my friends and family for supporting me.

Thanks to all you readers who were there when I first started out with Bleeding Orange and Blue

You've all been great people. 

However, like I said, this doesn't mean that I'm fully done, Like I said, I now work for Bleacher Report, where I write about whatever sport I want to. I've already gotten 6 articles published, and now I'm a level 2 contributor. I hope this translates to future success, and I also hope that you all check out my written work on Bleacher Report. 

Lance McCullers, Son of a Gun

In 2012, one team will draft Lance McCullers Jr. in the first round of the draft. McCullers is the son of former reliever Lance Sr, who pitched 7 years in the majors most notably for the Padres and Yankees. While Lance Jr. won't find himself in pinstripes or camouflage next year, he will join the long list of fathers and sons in the majors, hopefully. Here's a scouting report on McCullers.



Lance Jr. has pretty much hit the ground running. As a sophomore, he was throwing 96 on the radar gun, not unlike the self proclaimed messiah of baseball, Bryce Harper. Like Bryce, he's a two-way star, as he plays infield too, but its widely believed that McCullers will wind up a pitcher, like his father. Since going to Tampa Jesuit, McCullers has left behind a trail of awards and top amateur team selections. He was the 2009 MaxPreps Freshman of the Year, was named to several Perfect Game USA all star teams, played in the 2011 Baseball Factory Under Armour All American game at Wrigley Field as the only non-senior, and was named a Louisville Slugger All American Honorable mention. He's committed to pitching for the University of Florida, but don't expect him to go unless Scott Boras takes him under his wing, which is highly likely.

McCullers' arsenal includes the aforementioned fastball, which as of now reaches high 90's velocity, a changeup that reaches the mid 80's, and a fast curveball that also reaches 80, all good pitches, However, sources have said that he has had struggles with command, which downgrades him a bit. Nonetheless, barring any injury, he's bound to go top 5 at the worst, top 3 at the best.

The burning question is obvious, will McCullers be the first high school pitcher taken 1st overall to make it to the big leagues? I believe it's a very slight possibility. The Astros are the presumptive frontrunners for the first overall pick though, and given that their minor league system is stacked with blue chip pitching prospects acquired from trades, McCullers may find himself dropped down to Minnesota at number 2. McCullers will make the major leagues, no doubt about it, but barring any really drastic decisions made by the Astros, who have yet to make a risky pick in the Ed Wade era, McCullers will find himself as a second option behind premier college talent Mark Appel.

In Conclusion, we can determine that McCullers is certainly a top level pitcher, but it's a long time before high school baseball starts, and to be honest, a lot can happen in a few months.

LOT Projection: Top 3 - Top 5 Pick, most likely Minnesota. Will reach majors by 2015-16, should develop into an ace if command is fixed. 10-12 year career, 2 all star selections. Capable of at least one 20 win season.

Here is video of McCullers in an interview with Perfect Game USA.

Rule V and how it worked out this year

Last December, 19 somewhat major league ready baseball players got their chance to prove themselves when they were plucked from their original team's farm system, in the hope of catching lightning in a bottle. For most, their dream was short-lived, as they were soon returned after they couldn't make it out of Spring Training, for others, their work in the spring paid off. Let's take a look at how they did, and rate them on the Dan Uggla-Meter.

Those who stayed or were acquired and are currently in the majors:

Joe Paterson, Diamondbacks: Joe, a former College World Series hero at Oregon State was rescued from San Francisco, where at best he was stuck in AAA. Nonetheless, after he was taken, Paterson became a middle reliever in a solid Diamondback bullpen. His 3.60 ERA despite his 0-2 record gives him a solid mark on the Uggla-Meter.

Uggla-Meter: 7

Nathan Adcock, Royals: Adcock, who came from the Pirates, was a bullpen guy, but also started 3 games. His record was 1-1 with a 4.55 ERA and he had 35 strikeouts. In short, Adcock was good this year in a young Royals bullpen.

Uggla-Meter: 6


Elvin Ramirez, Nationals: All that Elvin did after getting selected from the Mets was land on the 60 Day Disabled List. 'Nuff said.

Uggla-Meter: 1

Aneury Rodriguez, Astros: Rodriguez was viewed as the prize of the Rule V draft before even being selected from the Rays. Nonetheless, as a starter, he failed to live up to expectations and has since pitched out of the bullpen. He does have 62 strikeouts to his credit though.

Uggla-Meter: 4

Scott Diamond, Twins: Diamond was returned to the Braves after Spring training, but the Twins wanted him badly enough to snag him back in exchange for another prospect. He was called up in July, and has been brilliant ever since.

Uggla-Meter: 5

Michael Martinez, Phillies:  The most successful of the hitters selected, Martinez, who came from the Nationals, has earned the role of super-sub. Even though he isn't a great hitter, his defense is impressive. Martinez could possibly become the new Jayson Werth in Philly.

Uggla-Meter: 6

Lance Pendleton, Astros: Interestingly enough Lance was on 2 teams this year. He made his debut with his original team, the Yankees after Phil Hughes went down, then was later claimed by the Astros. Pendleton has gone 0-0 with an ERA over 6, and it is possible that 2011 could be his only season in the majors. Also interestingly enough, Pendleton is the only Rule V'er I have seen in person, as I was at a Nationals-Astros game on September 10th. I saw him warming up with the other relievers. I referred to him as "White-Shades" for his ridiculous looking white sunglasses.

Uggla-Meter: 2

Pedro Beato, Mets: Pedro was originally drafted by the Mets but never signed, then was drafted by the Orioles. He should have signed with the Mets. Beato has been an effective middle reliever, and a personal favorite of Terry Collins. Even though Pedro hasn't had his chance to close. Nonetheless, he has to be the best pick in the draft. with a 3.92 ERA and a 2-1 Win Record, as well as a scoreless streak to start his major league career.

Uggla-Meter: 8




Those who were returned, and made their major league debut with their original team:

George Kontos: Yankees: Kontos didn't even make it out of spring training with the Padres. Nonetheless he was a September Call-up, and has yet to impress.

Uggla-Meter: 2

Those who made it out of Spring Training, were returned, then reacquired, and are in the Minors:

Josh Rodriguez, Pirates: Josh was good enough to contend for a starting position in the infield, but was mysteriously offered back to Cleveland in June. However, he was reacquired by Pittsburgh and currently plays in AAA.

Uggla-Meter: 3

Those who didn't make it:

Jose Flores, Indians
Adrian Rosario, Brewers (Later traded to the Mets in the Francisco Rodriguez deal)
Masin Tobin, Rangers (Traded to Texas from the Cubs)
Pat Egan, Orioles
Brad Emaus, Rockies (Returned to the Blue Jays from the Mets, then later traded to the Rockies)
Robert Fish, Angels
Cesar Cabral, Red Sox
Brian Broderick, Cardinals
Daniel Turpen, Red Sox

And there you have it. Wait until December to see if there will be another Uggla in the wings.

Aftermath of the Deadline, part 2: Multisport Stars (or, The Many Faces of Bubba Starling)

The Draft deadline, which was August 15th, has been over for a few weeks, and there is plenty of analysis to go through. We started off with players who didn't sign, now we go to those who were multisport athletes, most notably Kansas City outfielder Bubba Starling.


The pictures on the right are all of the same person: Bubba Starling. Starling, who was the 5th overall pick of the 2011 draft, played baseball, football, and basketball for Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas, earning all-state honors in each sport. Regarded as a top baseball and football talent, Starling was aggressively scouted by the Kansas City Royals, and heavily recruited by the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team. After graduating, he had a tough choice to make: Go to Nebraska and play football, or sign with the Royals? It took almost 3 months, but on the night of August 15th, Starling signed a professional contract with Kansas City. The total amount he signed for was a whopping $7.5 Million, which, given that Starling's agent is Scott Boras, is not that much of a surprise.

Starling's scouting report shows that he is a true athlete, and has the potential to grow, considering he had to balance a trimester's worth of football, basketball, and baseball each year. He even admitted that he isn't in his top form, as he only played baseball for a third of his school year, and didn't have enough time to train his baseball muscles. Regardless, if he develops into the star that he should be, expect great things from him, and he should find himself in the company of current prospects, but soon to be regulars Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas in 3-4 years time.

Aftermath of the Deadline, part 1: Missed signings

The August 15th signing deadline passed, and as usual, most of the action happened in the final hour. All but 2 teams signed their first round and  supplemental picks, with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres each missing one player.

Tyler Beede: the first one who got away

The Blue Jays missed out on tough sign Tyler Beede, a Massachusetts Prep product, who committed to Vanderbilt. Beede, whose situation was comparable to now-Pirates outfielder Josh Bell (see article Where will Josh Bell go?") and high schoolers Bubba Starling and Archie Bradley, who turned down scholarships to play quarterback for the Universities of Nebraska and Oklahoma, respectively, was almost 100% committed to go to Vanderbilt, and like Bell, made it explicitly clear to all teams that he wanted to attend college. Regardless, Beede will play for Vanderbilt next year, and the Blue Jays will get the 22nd overall selection as compensation.

Brett Austin: the other one who got away

As for the Padres, they signed both their first round picks, outfielders Cory Spangenberg and Joe Ross, but unfortunately, they missed Providence high school catcher Brett Austin, who decided to play for North Carolina State. Austin, who was the 2nd highest rated prep catcher behind Blake Swihart, now of the Boston Red Sox, was nabbed 54th overall in the compensation round, Austin was compensation for Yorvit Torrealba, another catcher.

Those two are the latest in a recently established line of amateur talent who chose not to sign. Beginning in 2008, when Sandy Alderson did his first draft fix, one of his stipulations was that any team who didn't sign a first round or comp round pick would be given a pick in next years draft, exactly 1 spot behind their original. Here is the history of unsigned first and comp picks since 2008, and where they are now.

Gerrit Cole

In 2008, the first year of the fixed draft, only two players refused to sign with their respective teams. Aaron Crow (Washington Nationals) and Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees). A third player, Josh Fields (Seattle Mariners) missed the deadline, but because he was a college senior, he signed in January, becoming the last official draft-and-follow, a player who isn't signed until the following year. Fields went to Seattle, toiled in the minors, then was dealt to Boston in the Erik Bedard trade. As for Crow, he pitched in an independent league, and then was redrafted 12th overall by Kansas city. He made the major league team in 2011, and was named an all-star. Cole on the other hand pitched 3 years for UCLA, made the College world series final his sophmore year, and then was drafted first overall by Pittsburgh this year. 

Matt Purke

In 2009, 3 players did not sign, 2 first rounders and a comp pick. Matt Purke (Texas Rangers), LeVon Washington (Tampa Bay Rays) and James Paxton (Toronto Blue Jays). Purke pitched 2 years at TCU and made the College World Series, but arm trouble in his sophmore year dropped his stock, and he was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2011 draft by Washington. LeVon Washington went to JuCo for a year, then was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2010, in the 4th round. Paxton, who actually was pitching at the University of Kentucky, was declared ineligible after signing an agent, and pitched in an independent league. In 2010, Seattle drafted him in the 4th round.

Dylan Covey

In 2010, 3 players didn't sign, all first rounders. Barret Loux (Arizona D-Backs), Dylan Covey (Milwaukee Brewers) and Karsten Whitson (San Diego Padres) Loux was a college pitcher out of Texas A&M, who unfortunately failed his physical, drawing caution flags. Loux was left out in the wind before the Texas Rangers came to the rescue and signed him. Whitson signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Florida, on the other hand, and appeared in the College World Series championship against South Carolina.

Covey just had bad luck, as he was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes. Deciding to learn how to control his condition rather than accept the money, Covey quietly enrolled at the University of San Diego, where he now pitches for the Toreros. He is expected to be a top option for the 2013 draft. 

Stay tuned for Part 2: Coming soon!

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: National League Pitchers (part 4 in a 4 part series)

We finish up our 4 part projection for Rookie of the Year with the top 3 National League pitchers.

Here are the top 3 NL pitchers who could win Rookie of the Year

Dillon Gee, New York Mets: Gee has gone from being a little-known middle round draft pick to a top notch starter. He leads all NL rookie pitchers in wins (10) and innings pitched (114.3), and has tied the Mets record for consecutive wins in starts (8, with Doc Gooden). Gee's first half was amazing, unfortunately he wasn't rewarded with an all-star nod. Nonetheless, Gee has the stuff to be a mid-rotation anchor for years to come, and should he lower his ERA and win at least 4 more games, he could be the first NL pitcher since Dontrelle Willis to win Rookie of the Year.

Vance Worley, Philadelphia Phillies: In a Phillies rotation known as the Phantastic 4, with one of their mighty arms currently on the disabled list and pondering retirement, one rookie has managed to prove himself worthy of being that pitcher's replacement. Vance Worley is the only other starting pitcher in the National League worth noting. as he has an 8-1 record with a 2.35 ERA; 2nd and first, respectively among NL rookie starting pitchers. Worley has electric stuff and the poise of a Zen master, but in order to overtake Gee as top NL rookie pitcher, he will have to blow people away and make himself a titan in a titanic rotation.


Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves: John who? Craig Kimbrel has to be the best reliever that the Braves have had. He already has 36 saves, tops among rookie relievers, and is on pace to save at least 15 more games, maybe more. Kimbreal has a sub-2.00 ERA as well, and has 89 strikeouts, more than any rookie except for padres pitcher Corey Luebke and teammake Brandon Beachy. Kimbrel may be impressive, but he's not going to win, let alone finish in the top 3 unless he breaks 45 saves, and even then, he would have to beat out teammate Freddie Freeman, who in turn is also having a great season at the plate. Even though Kimbrel may have a hard time cracking the top 3, he could garner plenty of votes both in the Rookie of the Year award voting and the NL Cy Young voting.

That's the last post in this 4 part series, however there will be a bonus post which determines who will win the Rookie of the Year awards. Also, be on the lookout for the Legends of Tomorrow Awards, which will be released the day after the season ends.

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: National League Batters (part 3 in a 4 part series)

We've already considered the top candidates for the American League Rookie of the Year, 3 hitters, and 3 pitchers. Now it's time to focus on the Senior Circuit, more specifically, the hitters.

Here are the top 3 candidates for Rookie of the Year, according to me.

Freddie Freeman: 1B, Atlanta Braves: Fearless Freddie, as I like to call him, could potentially run away with the Rookie of the Year, should he continue to produce at the rate that he's been going. He's tops among all non June call-ups with a .300 batting average, is second only to Danny Espinosa in home runs at 15 and RBI at 54, leads all rookies with 120 hits, and is more of a slugger than anyone else. I've actually seen Freeman in person, and he is definitely a contender for the Rookie of the Year honor, though he's still not as good as Jason Heyward was last year.

Danny Espinosa: 2B, Washington Nationals: As is the case with Blue Jays catcher JP Arencibia, Danny Espinosa is an all or nothing guy. Either he hits a big home run, or he strikes out. As previously mentioned, Espinosa is first in home runs and RBI (17 and 55, respectively)and also in stolen bases with 12, but his batting average is a paltry .226, not exactly praiseworthy. Nonetheless, Espinosa is a hustler who does everything he can to win, and he's proven to be popular with the DC crowd, as evidenced by Danny Espinosa Bobblehead day in September. Espinosa needs to go on a tear, if he wishes to at least contend with Fearless Freddie, otherwise, he'll go down the tubes.

Justin Turner: 2B, New York Mets: The last time a New York Met won the Rookie of the Year award, it was 1984, almost 27 years ago. This year, the Mets have a contender in Justin Turner. Turner may not hit as well as Freeman (.268 batting average) or as hard as Espinosa (2 home runs) but the one thing he has that could at least propel him into 2nd place is a Rookie of the Month award (Freddie Freeman recently won the award for July, which is why Turner could settle for 2nd place among hitters). Nonetheless, Turner has also set a Mets record for consecutive games with an RBI, and he went from the starting second baseman in Buffalo to the starting 3rd baseman in New York when David Wright was hurt. Turner now plays 22d base, but he could garner a few votes for his ability to handle situations and his close competition with Espinosa and Freeman.

The last post will focus on National League pitchers.

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: American League Pitchers (part 2 in a 4 part series)

This is the second in a 4 part series in determining who could the American and National League Rookie of the Year. We started off with American League hitters, now it's time for American League Pitchers.

Here are the 3 top candidates from LOT:

Jeremy Hellickson: Tampa Bay Rays:  You know you are a possible front runner when you win the AL Pitcher of the Month Award and the AL Rookie of the Month award at the same time. Hellickson certainly has pushed himself above the majority of the rookie pitchers by doing this. Though his won-loss record says otherwise, (10-7) his ERA is lower than any of the other rookie starters, including potential competitor Ivan Nova, who has 3 losses fewer. Hellickson also has more strikeouts than any other pitcher except for Mariners starder Michael Pineda, and is the only pitcher in this class to have thrown a shutout. Hellickson does have a couple strikes on him, like his rookie-leading 14 home runs, and his 45 walks, 3rd most among his class, but otherwise, if he can have another monster month like he did in May, he could be an easy choice for the award.

Aaron Crow: Kansas City Royals: Crow is only a reliever, not even a closer, yet, but eventually someone will have to replace the ineffective Joakim Soria, and Crow seems to be the perfect fit. Crow was a draft dodger in 2008 when the Washington Nationals drafted him 8th overall, but he did come back and get drafted by his home-state Royals. So far, the decision seems to have paid off. Crow was one of two rookies selected to this year's American League All Star team (Los Angeles Angels closer Jordan Walden was the other), and currently he leads all rookies, including starters in ERA with a miniscule 1.76 mark. Though his other stats are average at best, it wouldn't surprise me if Crow got a first place vote.


Jordan Walden: Los Angeles Angels: To be completely honest, I hate Walden. I don't know why, maybe it's because he's really good. Disregarding my hatred, Walden's best qualities are his low ERA at 2.91, his first all-star selection, and last but not least, his 24 saves, which lead all AL rookies and all but 4 AL closers. Walden is in a class by his own, and the writers who vote this fall should make note of that, If Walden is able to have a Neftali Feliz-like season, it could pay off for him, and he could run away with the award.





The next post will focus on NL hitters who could win the NL rookie of the Year award.

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: American League hitters (part 1 in a 4 part series)

Which rookies will earn this trophy?

Even though it is slightly past midseason, teams are getting ready for the final stretch. That means that it's time to figure out who could possibly win each major league award, at least for L.O.T. But being that this is a blog that is devoted to prospects and rookies, we will focus on the Rookie of the year award.

Each year, 2 awards are given out, one for the American League, and one for the National League.  These awards go to the most outstanding rookie, or the rookie with the best statistics. Last year, Giants catcher Buster Posey won the NL rookie of the Year award with a .305 batting average, 18 home runs, and 67 Runs batted in, all nice stats. In the AL, Rangers closer Neftali Feliz won, with a 2.73 ERA and 40 saves. Both Posey and Feliz beat out some impressive candidates to win, like Braves outfielder Jason Heyward and Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson.

There has been a recent trend though in the winners. Since 2004, the NL Rookie of the year has been a hitter, with current Reds pitcher Dontrelle Willis as the last pitcher to win. In the AL, the winner the past 2 years has been a relief pitcher. Evan Longoria was the last non-pitcher to win in 2008. However, there is the possibility that these trends will be broken this year, especially with the impressive rookies this year.

Here are the top 3 candidates that I would consider in the American League.

Hitters:

Eric Hosmer, 1B: Royals. In terms of hitting, Hosmer has been impressive. He has the highest batting average out of any non-June callup, at .286, and his 10 home runs are 3rd most out of any American League rookie, behind Blue Jays catcher JP Arencibia and Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo. Hosmer also has a terrific glove, and hits high in the Royals lineup. He's appeared in more games than every rookie except Trumbo and Arencibia, and has more plate appearances than everyone except Trumbo. Hosmer is an everyday guy, and a bright spot on an otherwise dismal Royals team. If anything, he could be a frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year Race.

Mark Trumbo, 1B: Angels. Trumbo reminds me of Ike Davis, an average hitter who has plenty of pop in his bat, as evidenced by his .256 average and AL Rookie leading 19 home runs, 88 hits and 19 doubles. What's also impressive about him is that he is the most active rookie. Trumbo has appeared in more games, and gone to the plate more times than anyone else. He's played the hero role also, with plenty of timely hits that have helped the Angels win key games, not to mention his rookie-leading 53 RBIs. Should Trumbo raise his average, expect him to overtake Hosmer as the top hitting rookie, and make a serious run for Rookie of the Year.

JP Arencibia, C: Blue Jays: There seems to be a rule when it comes to voting for the rookie of the year in baseball. Anybody with a low batting average, no matter how impressive their other statistics are, is not going to win. If that's the case, then JP Arencibia has some major work to do if he wants to contend. Though Arencibia is hitting .218, he has the second highest homer total at 16. the third highest double total at 12, the second highest RBI total at 45, and the third highest hit total at 62. Arencibia may be a catcher, but that's no excuse when he's hitting in a large park like Rogers Centre. If anything, Arencibia could potentially have a resurgence and contend for Rookie of the Year, but that's very unlikely.

The next post will feature American League pitchers who should be considered for the Rookie of the Year award.

Trading prospects at the deadline: A history and some predictions for the 2011 deadline

Daniel Hudson was one of many good prospects to have found a new team at last year's deadline. Which prospect will find a new home at this year's deadline?

The Trade deadline is 9 days away, but that doesn't mean that there won't be any player moves in the coming days. As of now, there have been a few relatively minor deals, most of which involve major leaguers for PTBNL's or players to be named later. In these cases, a prospect will likely find himself in a new organization. However, there are also blockbuster deals in which a high profile major leaguer will be sent to another club, and in return, the team will get prospects. These deals are much more commonplace, and in a way, more exciting than straight major leaguer deals. Here are 3 examples of deals in which major leaguers were dealt for prospects, and the prospects made a significant impact:

1990: Boston Red Sox trade Jeff Bagwell to Houston Astros for Larry Anderson: While most Red Sox fans look at this as a terrible move, virtually every Astros fan agrees that Bagwell is perhaps the greatest Astro of all time. After the deal, he hit almost 450 home runs, won Rookie of the Year in 1991 and MVP in 1994, and was a 4 time all star. In 2007, Bagwell was given the ultimate honor for any Astro, when his number was permanently retired. Arguably, Bagwell is the greatest Astro ever.

1996: Seattle Mariners trade David Ortiz to Minnesota Twins for Dave Hollins: Back in 1996, David Ortiz was a middling prospect known as David Arias. Had he not been traded to Minnesota for a guy named Dave Hollins, the only thing that would have changed about him would have been his name. After the deal, Ortiz became a solid DH for the twins for a few years, before he moved on to Boston in 2003, where he has become synonymous with clutch hitting.











2004: New York Mets trade Scott Kazmir to Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Victor Zambrano: I am a Mets fan, and 7 years later, even though Kazmir is essentially broken down, I still get knots in my stomach when I think of this deal. Kazmir was a highly touted prospect out of high school 2 years away from going to the big leagues. In a deal that essentially ruined Jim Duquette's general managing career, he sent the flamethrower to Tampa Bay, still known as the pathetic Devil Rays. In 2 years, Kazmir became part of the fine young core that brought the Rays to their first postseason, and their first World Series.


And so there you have it. 3 prospects who went on to have good careers.

When the deadline comes around, there will be a few prospects on the move, some high level players, some not as high. Here are a few players who could find themselves on the move.

Mark Rogers, P Milwaukee Brewers: There is no doubt in my mind that Mark Rogers will be on the move some time in the next few days, or even in a month or two. There is also no doubt in my mind where he could possibly be going too: the New York Mets. Should Carlos Beltran be traded to Milwaukee, there is a definite possibility of him catching the next flight to JFK, then another to Buffalo. Should Beltran not be traded to Milwaukee, he could be one of the 2 players to be named in the Francisco Rodriguez deal. Either way, Rogers is a possible hot commodity, whom the Mets should try and get. He's fast, and although he has a bit of a control issue as well as a small injury history, he could be a solid starter.

Lars Anderson, 1B Boston Red Sox: This is purely speculation, but my feeling is that if the Red Sox are still high on Kevin Youkilis, Lars could become expendable, he could possibly be included in a deal for pitching help. Lars is a slick defender and has a decent bat, so he could be another Bagwell-in-waiting. Regardless, if any team should deal with Boston, Lars is the perfect bargaining chip to have.

Zach Wheeler

Brandon Belt

Gary Brown

One of the Giants big 3 prospects: Consider this: Buster Posey is done for the year, Freddy Sanchez is also hurt, Tim Lincecum is borderline ineffective, and Brian Wilson is gimping. In short, the Giants chances of returning to the Fall classic are doomed if they don't do anything. Well, okay, they may have added a couple guys at no risk, like Bill Hall and Jeff Keppinger, but seriously, they will not win many games with those two as summer rentals. The Giants will have to get rid of at lest one of their big 3 prospects: pitcher Zach Wheeler, first baseman Brandon Belt, and outfielder Gary Brown. Wheeler doesn't have a lot of pitches, but his fastball and curveball are a deadly one-two punch, while his changeup is average at best. His mechanics do not need to be changed, and he's a possible middle rotation starter. Belt and Brown are contact guys, but Belt's other strength is his discipline, while Brown's is his speed. Regardless, both are solid guys, and one of the three could be a potential star, even if it comes at the cost of not being in a Giants jersey.

And there you have it. While my predictions may or may not come true, it is likely that during the deadline, there will be at least 1 high level prospect will be moved. That's all for today. Until next time.

Let's fix things up around here

How do you turn the MLB draft from a crap shoot, to a science?

There has been plenty of discussion about revamping Major league baseball. Among the topics of reform have been expanding the playoffs, moving a National League team to the American League, and fixing the draft.

Of all things that have been mentioned, the draft does need some help, if not a total overhaul. There are plenty of things wrong with the old system. Teams are not adhering to the slotting system put in place by current Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, which has led to astonishingly high signing bonuses. Amazingly enough, the draft was put in place back in 1965 to curtail these types of signing bonuses. Unfortunately, teams feel the need to grab talent at any price, and it has led to some issues. Back in 1964, the record signing bonus at the time belonged to Angels outfielder Rich Reichardt who signed for a then-unheard of $205,000. Today, that money would go to a 6th rounder. In 2009, pitcher Stephen Strasburg agreed to what is now the largest signing bonus in baseball history, a whopping $7.5 million, thanks in part to Scott Boras, who held negotiations until the final hour.

However, some teams cannot afford this money, and have drafted players based on signability. Take the San Diego Padres in 2004. With the first pick, they had the chance to grab Golden Spikes award winner Jered Weaver, brother of then-active Jeff Weaver, or Stephen Drew, brother of JD Drew. They ended up taking prep shortstop Matt Bush out of a San Diego high school not for his talent, but for his signability. Several injuries, a position change, and a few suspensions later, this happened:

That sends a clear enough message that signability isn't always the way to go.

Major League Baseball is also looking at ways to curtail the high asking prices of international talent as well, including the possibility of adding an international player draft, in addition to the regular draft. This problem developed a head when the Cincinnati Reds signed Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman for a large contract.

To put it quite simply, if there is anything Major league baseball needs to improve the most, it's the draft. With the signing bonus problem, most teams have elected to draft players based on their signability, this was seen during the 2011 draft when Science Hill High school pitcher Daniel Norris fell to the second round amid rumors that he was demanding an exorbitant contract. Norris was projected to fall to the top 15 picks.

How should Major league baseball fix the draft? There are plenty of things that could be fixed, including penalties for going over slot value in signing bonuses, such as forfeiture of draft picks. Major league baseball could also implement a salary cap in order to curb the unusually high asking prices of amateur talent controlled by people like Scott Boras. Granted, high school talent could face a dropoff for those who wish to receive good money. Less high schoolers could sign and end up attending college instead. Moving, on, the idea of an international draft is quite intriguing, however, there is the question of when it would take place. A possibility could be during the All Star Break. Yet another possibility is allowing trades, like in other sports drafts. Granted, the question would be how the trading system would work.

These are just a few suggestions, however, there is plenty of work to be done if Major league baseball wants to change.

Where will Josh Bell go?

Josh Bell: a Pirate or a Longhorn? You decide.

While most people can say that the Pittsburgh Pirates had a great draft, it could get even better, or worse, depending on second round pick Josh Bell.

Bell, an outfielder for Dallas Jesuit High School, and the 61st overall selection in the 2011 draft, is torn between a potentially lucrative contract with an impressive signing bonus, or the chance to play for legendary coach Augie Garrido at the University of Texas, a perennial baseball powerhouse.

Shortly before the 2011 draft, Bell made it explicitly clear to all 30 teams that he did not want to be drafted, saying he would like to honor his commitment to Texas. Apparently, the Pirates didn't get the memo.

As if he wanted to make it even clearer, Bell hired Scott Boras, the baseball super-agent, to be his advisor. Any team knows that Boras demands top dollar for his players, and that goes without saying. His players are well compensated for their ability, in fact, Alex Rodriguez, one of his clients, is currently the highest payed baseball players.


Knowing the Pirates will stop at nothing to sign the top notch outfielder, expect them to attempt to offer him a very large contract. Reports have differed as to the contract, but reportedly, there have been rumors of a 3 million dollar signing bonus, almost half the record bonus that Stephen Strasburg agreed to in 2009.

The Pirates are quite familiar with signing difficult high schoolers. Last year, they agreed to a contract with pitcher Stetson Allie, a projected first round pick who fell to the compensatory round. Allie ended up being signed, and is now the 2nd best prospect in the Pirates system.

However, losing Bell to the University of Texas will not be a total loss, the Pirates will receive compensation in the form of a second round pick, should he not sign.

What does this all mean for Josh Bell? While he has said he will play for Texas, there is a slight chance he will sign. provided the Pirates show him enough green. If the Pirates could get Allie, then it's a possibility that Bell will be in Pittsburgh. However, when you have a guy saying that they don't want to be drafted, there is a 99% chance they will be going somewhere other than professional.

The problem with this is that the players who have been drafted in the early rounds in high school who attended college usually have seen their stock fall. Take Matt Purke, who went 15th overall to the Texas Rangers in 2009, but decided to attend college. 2 years and plenty of injuries later, he's a 3rd round pick by the Washington Nationals. The same goes for LeVon Washington, the other 2009 first rounder not to sign, instead opting to go for junior college. A year later, he was chosen in the 4th round by the Chicago Cubs. While I'm not saying that Bell will be making a big mistake in going to Texas, I am saying that history hasn't been kind to those who stayed in school. Bell may or may not be the same person he was, but should he increase his production, expect big things from him, and maybe he could be a first rounder in 3 years.

College World Series draftees

The College World Series starts June 18th in Omaha. For the first time since 1950, Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium will not hold the series, instead it will be in a new home: TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. * schools will fight for the championship, each school is well represented with draftees. Here's a look at each school and the players that were drafted from them:

We start off with #1 Virginia, who had 8 Cavaliers chosen in the MLB draft. Highlighting them is Danny Hultzen, the 2nd overall pick, chosen by the Seattle Mariners. Virginia's selections are as follows, according to their baseball website:


Danny Hultzen, P, Mariners (1st round, 2nd pick)
John Hicks, C, Mariners (4, 123)
Will Roberts, P, Indians (5,158)
Steven Proscia, IF, Mariners (7, 213)
Tyler Wilson, P, Orioles (10, 305)
Kenny Swab, C, Royals (21, 636)
Cody Winiarski, P White Sox (36, 1101)
John Barr, OF, Indians (39, 1178)

Next is #2 Florida, who has 11 draftees. None were taken in the first round, however, most notable was pitcher Nick Mardone, who was chosen in the 4th round by the Los angeles Angels. Here are the draftees, according to onlygators.com.

LHP Nick Mardone – Round 4, Pick 104 – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
RHP Anthony DeSclafani – Round 6, Pick 199 – Toronto Blue Jays
LHP Alex Panteliodis – Round 9, Pick 282 – New York Mets
RHP Tommy Toledo – Round 11, Pick 341 – Milwaukee Brewers
2B (SS) Josh Adams – Round 13, Pick 403 – Florida Marlins
OF (1B) Preston Tucker – Round 16, Pick 498 – Colorado Rockies
C Ben McMahan – Round 23, Pick 701 – Milwaukee Brewers
RHP Matt Campbell – Round 24, Pick 751 – Philadelphia Phillies
RHP Greg Larson – Round 29, Pick 885 – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
OF Bryson Smith – Round 34, Pick 1,045 – Cincinnati Reds
OF Tyler Thompson – Round 46, Pick 1,387 – Washington Nationals


Next is #3 North Carolina, who had 5 Tar Heels taken in the draft. Most notable is SS Levi Michael, who was taken in the first round by the Minnesota Twins. Here are the picks, according to the Tar Heels official website. No pick numbers were provided.


Levi Michael, SS Twins (1st Round)
Greg Holt, P Nationals (8)
Jesse Wierzbicki, 3B Astros (24)
Patrick Johnson, P Rockies (25)
Jacob Stallings, C Reds (42)






#4 South Carolina is next. The Gamecocks tied Florida with 11 selections in the draft. Most notable of these selections was Jackie Bradley Jr. the 2010 College world Series most valuable player, who was chosen in the compensatory round by the Boston Red Sox. Here are the picks, according to South Carolina's Website

Jackie Bradley Jr. - Boston - S-1st - 40 
Matt Price - Arizona - 6th - 184 
Scott Wingo - LA Dodgers - 11th - 344 
Peter Mooney - Toronto - 21st - 649 
John Taylor - Seattle - 22nd - 663 
Adam Matthews - Baltimore - 23rd - 695 
Bryan Harper - Washington - 30th - 907 
Michael Roth - Cleveland - 31st - 938 
Steven Neff - San Francisco - 41st - 1257 
Tyler Webb - Cincinnati - 48th - 1465 
Adrian Morales - Kansas City - 49th - 1476


Following South Carolina is #6 Vanderbilt, who had an astonishing 12 players drafted in the MLB draft, an SEC record. Most notable, is pitcher Sonny Gray, who was chosen in the 1st round by the oakland Athletics. Here are the Commodores draft selections, according to the Vanderbilt Website.


Sonny Gray, Oakland, 1, 18 Grayson Garvin, Tampa Bay, 1-S, 59 Jason Esposito, Baltimore, 2, 64 Jack Armstrong, Houston, 3, 99 Aaron Westlake, Detroit, 3, 106 Corey Williams, Minnesota, 3, 117 Taylor Hill, Washington, 6, 187 Mark Lamm, Atlanta, 6, 206 Curt Casali, Detroit, 10, 317 Navery Moore, Atlanta, 14, 446 Will Clinard, Minnesota, 30, 928 Joe Loftus, Arizona, 46, 1384 


Following Vanderbilt is #7 Texas, who had 8 players selected in the draft. Most notable is pitcher Taylor Jungmann, who was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round. Here are the selections, according to MLB.com's draft tracker. Round numbers weren't provided.


Taylor Jungmann, P Brewers (13th pick overall)
Sam Stafford, P Yankees (88th)
Brandon Loy, SS Tigers (167th)
Cole Green, P Reds (295th)
Andrew Mckirahan, P Cubs (639th)
William Shepherd, 1B Mets (732nd)
Kevin Dicharry, P Phillies (1261st)
Kevin Lusson, C Rays (1380th)


Next is Texas A&M, who had 8 players selected in the MLB Draft. No Aggies were selected in the first round, but most notable was John Stilson, a pitcher selected in the 3rd round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Here are the picks, according to Texas A&M's website.


John Stilson - Toronto Blue Jays (3rd Round)Ross Stripling - Colorado Rockies (9th Round)Nick Fleece - Cincinnati Reds (13th Round)Adam Smith - New York Yankees (25th Round)Brandon Parrent - Chicago White Sox (30th Round)Kenny Jackson - Florida Marlins (31st Round)Kevin Gonzalez - Houston Astros (36th Round)Steve Martin - Houston Astros (37th Round)








Finally, the Cinderella team, California, whose story of triumph over the possible disbanding of the baseball team is the feel-good story of the year. The Golden Bears had 7 players selected in the MLB draft. While none were first rounders, the most notable selection was pitcher Erik Johnson, chosen in the 2nd round by the Chicago White Sox. Here are the draftees, according to California Golden Blogs.

RHP Erik Johnson -- 2nd round, 80th overall, Chicago White Sox

SS Marcus Semien -- 6th round, 201st overall, Chicago White Sox

RHP Dixon Anderson -- 9th round, 277th overall, Washington Nationals

C Chadd Krist -- 13th round, 411th overall, Chicago White Sox 

RHP Kevin Miller, 18th round, 550th overall, Houston Astros

RHP Matt Flemer, 19th round, 576th overall, Kansas City Royals

2B Austin Booker, 33rd round, 1006th overall, Oakland Athletics

And there you have it. The College World Series teams and the draftees for each team. Be sure to tune in June 18th when the tournament starts. There will be more profiles coming soon, so stay tuned for them as well. 

Here is a promo video for the 2011 college world series, presented by Rally Cap Marketing.