Community Prospect Rankings: Voting for #4

by KLSnow on Dec 29, 2008 12:00 PM CST Comment 9 comments

So, with over 50% of the vote, Jeremy Jeffress was selected as the Brewers #3 prospect. Here are the nominees for #4:

Lorenzo Cain, OF

Rankings:
Brewerfan.net Power 50: 8
John Sickels: 7
Baseball Prospectus: 6

Age: 22
Seasons in minors: 4
Top level reached in 2008: AAA

2008 Statistics:
Nashville (AAA): 19 AB, .158/.273/.158
Huntsville (AA): 148 AB, .277/.363/.486
Brevard County (A+): 317 AB, .287/.358/.448

Brett Lawrie, C

Rankings:
Brewerfan.net Power 50: 6
John Sickels: 3
Baseball Prospectus: 2

Age: 18
Seasons in minors: 0
Top level reached in 2008: Canadian Olympic Team

Did not appear in the minors in 2008

Jonathan Lucroy, C

Rankings:
Brewerfan.net Power 50: 7
John Sickels: 5
Baseball Prospectus: 8

Age: 22
Seasons in minors: 2
Top level reached in 2008: A+

2008 Statistics:
Brevard County (A+): 236 AB, .292/.364/.479
West Virginia (A): 239 AB, .310/.391/.510

Jake Odorizzi, RHP

Rankings:
Brewerfan.net Power 50: 11
John Sickels: 8
Baseball Prospectus: 7

Age: 18
Seasons in minors: 1
Top level reached in 2008: Arizona (Rookie)

2008 Statistics:
AZL Brewers (Rookie): 20.2 IP, 3.48 ERA, 1.31 WHIP

Angel Salome, C

Rankings:
Brewerfan.net Power 50: 4
John Sickels: 6
Baseball Prospectus: 5

Age: 22
Seasons in minors: 5
Top level reached in 2008: Major Leagues

2008 Statistics:
Milwaukee (NL): 3 AB, .000/.000/.000
Huntsville (AA): 367 AB, .360/.415/.559

Poll

Who is the Brewers' #4 prospect?

Lorenzo Cain

17 votes

Brett Lawrie

68 votes

Jonathan Lucroy

24 votes

Jake Odorizzi

5 votes

Angel Salome

94 votes

208 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 9 comments

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Comments

So I'm curious

judging by the votes, Salome is the runaway so far. Can anyone make a case why they like Lawrie or Salome better than Lucroy? I thought this would be pretty dang close.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Dec 29, 2008 10:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know how valid my case is for choosing Salome over Lucroy, other than my personal view on ranking prospects tends to give higher ranks to the guys who are almost ready as opposed to the ones who are nearly identical but are’t ready yet.

As for Lawrie—this is an honest newbie question here—how does one evaluate a man who hasn’t played at either the minor-league or high collegiate level, and how do you compare him to other players in the organization who have been there a while?

(The same question goes for pitchers, with even more uncertainty; “there is no such thing as a pitching prospect” and such, and the history of baseball is full of pitchers who didn’t get it together until their late 20s)

by morineko on Dec 29, 2008 10:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The dance of the three catchers

I tend to prefer Lucroy over Salome because I think, of the three, Lucroy is the one with the most chance of actually playing catcher in the big leagues long-term.

Then I’ll take Salome over Lawrie, because Salome is much closer to the big leagues.

I also expected this one to be a lot closer…in fact, I’m disappointed.

I don't specifically articulate my motives, because that wouldn't travel as well as a boo does.

by KLSnow on Dec 30, 2008 7:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

sure

Solome had better numbers at a higher level. that’s my rationale.

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Dec 30, 2008 7:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

oh

and at a similar age

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Dec 30, 2008 8:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can agree with that

But defense is also part of the game, and Lucroy is pretty good at that part. Also, I don’t expect Salome to hit anywhere near .300, and Lucroy’s OBP-BA was actually a little bigger than Salome’s.

Lawrie is a guy that is tough to place. I really like him, but you just can’t evaluate him yet. If he would have played in Helena last year and hit .350 with a bunch of homers, I could consider putting him ahead of either of these two, but I just can’t do that until we get a taste of his numbers at A. I’m excited to watch him if he is in Appleton, though.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Dec 30, 2008 8:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I understand your argument there

but if OBP-BA was such a huge factor in deciding a prospect, then why is everyone so high on Escobar? You can make the contention that he was extremely hit lucky with a .380 BABIP, and granted his defense is “stellar”, but he still made 20 errors, and while he did jack 8 homers last year, it could easily be an outlier, and we are left with a Neifi perez with better contact skills, which is a decent, but not great #8 hitter.

Solome won’t hit .360 every year, but he’s hit .326 over his minor league career, and twice over .340. Don’t get me wrong, I like Lucroy, and it will help with depth at that position to the point where in a perfect world, we can use Lawrie’s athleticism elsewhere, but I think that since Salome is closer, he gets my nod

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Dec 30, 2008 10:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And Salome might well be the better prospect

But it’s 4:1 Salome:Lucroy right now, and I think it’s a heck of a lot closer than that, and Lawrie also has a lot more than Lucroy. I can certainly see Salome over Lucroy, but I don’t think Lawrie over Lucroy is an easy case to make.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Dec 30, 2008 12:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Plus

If you don’t vote for Salome, he’ll insist that you be beheaded, and your head displayed on a platter.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Dec 30, 2008 11:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

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