Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of the Daily Notes.

1. The Best Players per Steamer Without Starting Roles
2. Mostly Unhelpful Video: Bobby Scales, Defensing

The Best Players per Steamer Without Starting Roles
Last week, the author used his unparalleled capacity for “sorting through leaderboards” to identify the top forecasts for rookie-eligible players, according to the ZiPS and Steamer and FAN projection systems — where “top” was equivalent to “highest projected WAR” and nothing else.

What follows is the product of a very similar exercise — except for, instead of identifying the top rookie-eligible players, the author has identified the best field players per Steamer who are currently without a starting role.

Below are the 14 players (because there was a considerable tie for seventh place) who most aptly fit that description. Below that are some brief comments by the author to give the impression that he has not merely assembled a Table of Numbers.

First, though, five notes:

1. “Best” in the context of this exercise is equivalent to “projected WAR per every 650 plate appearances.”

Read the rest of this entry »

The two things everyone loves about the off-season are hot-stove rumors and prospect lists. The beginning of Spring Training marks the end of hot-stove season — outside a very lonely Kyle Loshe — and gives us our first glance at the young phenoms we spend the off-season debating. Today, let’s look at teams that have the best one-two pitching punches coming down the prospect pipeline.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jordan Pacheco proved last season that he belongs in the big leagues. In his first full year with the Colorado Rockies, he hit .309/.341/.421, with 32 doubles and five home runs. He appeared in 82 games as a third baseman, 43 at as a first baseman, and five as a catcher.

This year he is in spring training with his future in limbo. Todd Helton and Chris Nelson are tentatively slated to man the infield corners, and fellow 2012 rookie Wilin Rosario is behind the plate. The 27-year-old Pacheco has value, but whether he will be a starter or utility player is unclear.

——

David Laurila: Did you establish yourself as a big leaguer last year?

Jordan Pacheco: Not at all. I don’t think one season does that. I think it helps you for the next year, at least as far as not putting a lot of pressure on yourself. When you first come up, you have a lot to prove. That said, I probably have even more to prove now. I have to show I can do it again, year in and year out. I have to go out and earn a roster spot.

DL: You’ve changed positioned since entering pro ball. Has that held you back?

JP: I don’t think so. I was drafted as a middle infielder and they moved me to catcher, but I’ve been catching for four years. I don’t think it held me back at all. I just think getting to the big leagues is a lot of luck. You have to be in the right place at the right time, and when you get that opportunity, you have to take advantage of it.

DL: How did you go from middle infielder to catcher? Read the rest of this entry »

The Phillies organization has a pair of impressive left-handed arms at the top of the list, followed by some interesting, but largely inexperienced, prospects.

#1 Jesse Biddle (P)

The Phillies organization has developed some interesting arms in recent years with the likes of Jarred Cosart (traded to Houston), Brody Colvin (regressed), and Biddle — who has risen to the top of the organization. The lefty has a big, strong frame and has been durable throughout his three-year career, pitching more than 134 innings each of the last two years. The former first round draft pick has a four-pitch repertoire and his best offering is an 88-93 mph fastball. Biddle, 21, also has a promising curveball, as well as a slider and changeup.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ben and Sam preview the Reds’ season with Jay Jaffe and Geoff Young, and Pete talks to Cincinnati CBS affiliate sports anchor/reporter Zach Wells (at 18:35).

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 310
Al Skorupa writes for Bullpen Banter and (quite recently) RotoGraphs and resides just outside of Providence, Rhode Island. He discusses the specific challenges of, and opportunities for, covering prospects in the Northeast.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 39 min play time.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Part four. Live free or veto hard. You can find parts one, two and three here, here and here.

Read the rest of this entry »

We have had to deal with a lot of speculation about the Rangers’ infield this off-season. It is not as if the Rangers are in trouble, they have the “problem” of a looming logjam. Shortstop super-prospect Jurickson Profar is knocking on the door. The Rangers also have Ian Kinsler at second and under contract through 2017, and Elvis Andrus, who is only 24, at shortstop and under contract through 2014. Most teams would love to have this sort of problem. This is not going to be another post about what the Rangers should do with these players. Instead, prompted by Evan Grant’s discussion of how the Rangers might want to think about a long-term extension for Andrus depending on how he plays this year, I want to look at how Andrus’ bat might develop over the next few years by looking at similar players. They are actually rather scarce, as Andrus has a rather unusual combination of skills.

Read the rest of this entry »

As Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this week, the Rockies are looking to add a starting pitcher. This should surprise nobody — the club was an easy last place in the majors in both ERA and FIP last season, and even adjusting for Coors Field leaves them 28th and 26th (last and second-to-last in the NL) respectively in ERA- and FIP-.

What did surprise me was who their target should resemble:

The team wants to add one more capable starting pitcher, major-league sources say — someone who could throw 150 to 175 innings and produce a ERA in the 4.50-4.75 range. Someone like right-hander Josh Fogg, who pitched for the Rockies in 2006-07.

Huh? Him?

Read the rest of this entry »

In Milwaukee, Hunter Morris will battle former shortstop Alex Gonzalez and fringe big leaguer Taylor Green for the opening day nod at first base. On paper, it seems like the odds are in his favor. However, Morris’ arbitration clock and Corey Hart’s timetable for returning to the lineup will weigh heavily in the Brewers decision. For a three-to-four week stopgap, it might not be worth it to the organization — Especially when the Brewers are projected to finish with a .500 record.

Recently, Marc Hulet ranked Morris as the 11th best prospect in the Brewers system. He was the third best first baseman I scouted in person in 2012, but this was more indicative of a weak group at the position than Morris being a top prospect. Oliver projections have the left-handed hitter posting a .256/.302/.476 triple slash line and 1.7 WAR if given everyday reps, but this strikes me as generous. While Morris’ power is not in question, the rest of his skill set is.

Video after the jump

Read the rest of this entry »