I agree and he isn't a draft pick obviously...... also interesting read about the Yankees farm system where this guy said it is a myth that New York doesn't have talent down there.....calls them one of the more deeper systems in baseball...... http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-prospects-new-york-yankees/
Marlins signed Ichiro Suzuki for 2 million 1 year contract. He is still a solid hitter and his OBP was pretty good last year. Kind of old though... but oh well, I like it.
FWIW, Keith Law just ranked all 30 teams' farm systems and had the Yankees at #20. As for the other AL East teams he had Boston at #5, Blue Jays at 19, Baltimore at 22 and TB at 23.
Anyone who says the NYY dont have minor league talent isnt paying attention. The issue is that a lot of the players are still not at the AA/AAA levels so its its early in their projection phase and tougher to estimate what they will be at the MLB level. Some of their better prospects are 2-3 years away. If the NYY are smart they will shy away from bigger moves that involve trading those guys and develop a new core. Judge and Jagielo are the two best Ive seen while Mason Williams and Sanchez have potential to be very good but whose star has fallen in the world of prospects which is why its dangerous to overrate or overhype players at lower level. Their development can stall, injuries, etc all kinds of crap happens. My Mets have a similar problem where all their pitching is arriving now (Syndergaard, Montero, Matz) and all their hitters seems to be a 1-3 years away. The only two big bats the Mets have arriving within the next year are really Michael Conforto (if you dont know the name, get used to it) and Plawecki. Conforto MAY be ready by September and theres not a park thats going to hold him when he is (think Jim Thome) and Plawecki may break camp with them but is more of a high average guy then a power guy right now and hes also blocked by D'Arnaud. Not sure that Dilson Herrera will be an impact payer this year; Ive seen sites calling him an All Star within 3 years though Im not so sure about that. Nimmo, Dominic Smith, Cecchini and uber-stud Amed Rosario are all 2 years + away.
Don't forget severino, bird, lindgren and pirela. Could add reyfsnider too. I think the Yankees farm system is pretty well stocked. Hopefully the international guys they signed this winter will make an impact too. I'm actually thinking that after 17 years of cashman, we're finally seeing what he wanted to do all along. With 3 of the first 57 picks this draft, we should be able to add some nice pieces.
Really hoping Drew bombs and bat sub .200 and they pull the plug in May and call up either RR or Pirela....
I'm hoping he loses his job in spring training. I want to see didi and either RR or pirela force the issue. Like solarte did last year. Except keep producing.
He's looking for a lot of money... 6-7 teams are calling for him but at the right price.. I doubt he goes back to the Royals.
Teams are waiting for his demands to come down. Dont forget Hamels is still out there for trade and depending on who you talk to so is Zimmerman or Strasburg. Shields really isnt in a good situation to cash in. Nevermind some teams that might be waiting on him are the same teams that are going to go nuts for Moncoda...
Shields isn't in a good position to cash in to because well.......he isn't that good....in this market he is a 17-19M pitcher......I am sure some team will give him incentives as well....
I had heard that Serverino isn't even in his Top 100? Come on? I question his evaluation process if that's the case..... Fink is his Top 100 JUST AAA ball players?
No his top 100 is at all levels. He does lean more towards players who have a year of experience but there's a few that make it straight out of the draft every year so it's not impossible. I say that as an observation not as fact.
No it's his Top 100 prospects in all of the minors, it doesn't matter what level they are at. He evalutes players based on his own scouting, seeing them in video, talking to other scouts and talking to front office executives. Law only had two Yankees in his top 100, Judge at 23 and Bird at 80. I believe Law has mentioned numerous times in the past that he views Severino as a RPer long term because he doesn't feel like he can hold up as a starter, which is one of the reasons why he never had a guy like Betences high on his lists. EDIT: Law ranked Severino 4th on the Yankees top 10. Says he has a RP delivery, doesn't use his bottom half enough and doesn't have even an average breaking ball. He does say he has a live, loose arm with a plus change up and fastball though. EDIT #2: From Law's chat yesterday:
I'd say he's right, re: a bullpen guy. But he's only 20, has room to grow and will work extensively with Rothschild this spring. I also read, that he's learning to throw a cutter. He'll also work with Nardi in the dominican and gil patterson. Who know's what he'll be in 2-3 yrs. I just hope he forces the issue and the yankees dont trade him first. But, we all know the yanks track record with developing pitchers.
5 mets made law's top 100 and I could make a strong case for 2-3more...Thor (Syndergaard), Montero, Dominic Smith, Conforto, and Nimmo. I could make a better case for Amed Rosario than Nimmo but Nimmo is further along right now. Also Steven Matz is going to shoot up boards quickly. He's 23 now and a couple years removed from surgery. He was dominant last year and throws 96...as a lefty...with great control. Two others pitches to go with it as plus pitches. Most other teams he'd be a great bet to make the rotation with the big club. And lastly is Marcos Molina who projects as a #2 with #1 upside. Molina had a 1.5ish era in A ball. Small sample size (12 starts) but holy crap he looked sick. He might be a better prospect then Wheeler and Syndergaard at the same points.
If the Marlins believe to be a playoff team this year (and the moves they have made suggest this to be true), then Shields makes a ton of sense. They're currently not a playoff team imo and adding Shields could change that.
It wouldnt imo. I dont even know that theyre the 3rd best team in that division. I still think washington and the mets are better. Possibly Atlanta too since they still have freeman, teheran and plenty of solid arms and young talent
Apparently Moncada's wife/gf/agent/baby mama lives in southern California. At this point if the Dodgers dont sign him, I'd be surprised.
FWIW Fangraphs have the Marlins as the 2nd best NL East team and the 7th best NL team in 2015 as of right now. So adding someone like Shields, that can consistently give you 200 innings while pitching in the NL in a big home park, could possibly push them over the top to the playoffs. Fangraphs also has the Braves and Phillies as the 2 worst teams in baseball in 2015. http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Standings
yeah thy might be smoking something regarding the braves and marlins. I have no love for either team IMO they're well off target for both. They have the marlins too high and braves too low. And I'm sorry, a James Shields just is not that good. He's not an ace. He's not even a great #2. He's an innings pitcher who is severely overrated IMO
I don't see why you think the Braves are going to be any good. They have one offensive player in their line up in Freeman (who is a very good player but not a world beater) and who knows with their pitching staff outside of Teheran, Miller, Minor and Kimbrel. I think they are going to be a bit of a mess this year. No one is saying James Shields is an ace. But a pitcher who consistenly averages well over 200 innings a year while making 30 plus starts is incredibly valuable. Assuming those projections are spot on, Shields on the Marlins could push them over the top and into the playoffs. I think people are really underrating Shields' value because of his playoff track record. Especially once you factor in him pitching in the AL (and AL East) for all those years. He's a good pitcher.
lots of pitcher friendly parks in NL east. I think he'll be a fine add for Miami if they go that way. I was thinking the red sox would make a play for him.
We arent going for the division, we like to win our championships as a wild card team. Marlins will be in the hunt for that seed.
I'm sure the Sox would if the money/years were right but I'm sure he's out of there price range/comfort zone.
The Braves will win 75-78 by accident because they always do and frankly I thats 5-7 more then the Marlins are going to be good for.
I could see the Cards too.....he lowered his price to around 4/70-80M....supposedly signed by weeks end...