Daily Notes: Your Brian Dozier Headquarters

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

1. Select Televised Games
2. Five Scouting Reports on Brian Dozier
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Pittsburgh Radio

Select Televised Games
Notable games available on MLB.TV.

Minnesota at New York AL | 13:05 ET
Left-hander Francisco Liriano makes the start for the Twins today. Liriano was at the top of the most recent SCOUT leaderboard for spring pitchers. Also, another thing about this game: it could very well feature prospect Brian Dozier — and not Jamey Carroll, nor Alexi Casilla — playing shortstop. Dozier, who enters his age-25 season, is likely the best defensive shortstop of the triumvirate. ZiPS projects him for a .295 wOBA; Casilla, .307; and Carroll, .302.

Cincinnati at San Diego | 22:05 ET
Watch as right-hander, and current Padre, Edinson Volquez faces his former team in a grudge match of epic proportions. Or, rather: a grudge match of couplet-sized proportions! Other thing: right-hander Anthony Bass also pitches for San Diego. Mikey Prospects discussed him briefly in a very recent FanGraphs Audio.

Five Scouting Reports on Brian Dozier
Here are excerpts from five scouting report on Brian Dozier.

Baseball America ($): Dozier is a fundamentally sound middle infielder with an average arm and plus range… and makes all the routine plays. His tools profile him as a second baseman, but his intangibles should allow him to stick at shortstop.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus ($): Dozier has a good approach, plus bat speed, and rarely strikes out… Dozier doesn’t have the athleticism or arm to play shortstop in the big leagues, so he’ll have to keep hitting to fit at second base.

Marc Hulet of FanGraphs: Dozier doesn’t have any one standout tool or skill but if you talk prospects with people in and around the Twins organization his name comes up again and again. He does a little bit of everything with the bat. Defensively, Dozier doesn’t have the best range at shortstop but he has good hands and when he gets to the ball he makes the play.

John Sickels of Minor League Ball: Not the best tools in the universe, but very polished, terrific instincts, and he just keeps hitting. Older prospect at age 24 but all the markers of a guy who will surprise people, and soon.

Seth Stohs of Seth Speaks (and the Twins Prospect Handbook): After putting up fairly pedestrian numbers in 2010 at Beloit and Ft. Myers, Dozier had an incredible 2011 season in which he was named the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year… Although scouts tend to be mixed on whether or not he can be an everyday shortstop or a second baseman or a utility infielder, he makes the routine plays. That’s all that the Twins brass asks a player to do. He credited his Arizona Fall League manager Joe McEwing with helping him increase his range with just a couple of quick alterations.

Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Pittsburgh Radio
Recently, we released the results of our television broadcaster rankings — itself the product of reader crowdsourcing that started in late November. Now, FanGraphs is asking readers to rate the radio broadcast teams for all 30 major-league clubs (Click here for more on this project.)

Rate other teams: Washington / Toronto / Texas / Tampa Bay / Seattle / San Francisco / San Diego / St. Louis.