Mike Newman Prospects Chat – 3/22/12
Mike Newman is the Owner/Managing Editor ofROTOscouting, a subscription site focused on baseball scouting, baseball prospects and fantasy baseball. Follow me onTwitter. Likeus on Facebook.Subscribeto my YouTube Channel.
GARRR! I can’t believe I have to miss it! I have a two hour class starting 4:00 EDT!
I don’t see the issue
I’m sitting in class reading the chat right now.
Exactly, Pat G
What are the chances that Heath Hembree is the Giants’ closer by mid season 2013? (include trade or injury possibility for Wilson)
A couple of comments:
1. I completely agree with you on Zach Wheeler. I saw him pitch for San Jose in Lake Elsinore early last year and it was the most dominant pitching performance I’ve seen in the Cal League. Admittedly, that’s not a huge sample size, but it includes Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Merkin Valdez when Valdez was still dominant. I support the trade because the Giants were in a position where they had to do something about the offense and try to make a run at a second title. If they had the choice between giving up Wheels vs Brown though, they made the wrong choice, IMO.
2. I really think you are oversimplifying the Cal League. Yes, there are some ridiculous hitter’s parks in that league, but San Jose is not one of them. I don’t think any serious Giants prospect watcher expects Brown to hit .350 in the majors, but he doesn’t have to. If he hits .280-.300 with decent on-base skills, 10-15 HR and 40 SB’s with plus D in CF, then he’s close to a 4 WAR player, which is a solid return on a #24 draft pick.
DrB,
I don’t disagree with anything you typed. Thanks for chiming in! As for Brown, if he becomes a Bourjos clone, he’s awfully valuable to the Giants. The thing people are talking him up wanting to know his impact potential based on his gaudy CAL numbers. I respond to that sentiment more than the fact he can be a solid big leaguer. You don’t build a roster about Peter Bourjos, but you are pretty damn glad you have him.
J.P. Arencibia and his .281 OBP as a 1B/DH type? Are you for serious?
With a number of teams, I would not be serious. But the Jays are a different case as they have a 1B with a career .316 OBP and a LF competition consisting of a .313 guy in Thames and a .307 guy in Snider. It’s not as if Arencibia is a huge drop off compared to those guys.
I’d say those LF OBP’s are probably Arencibia’s upside and if they don’t improve will not be in the long or even short term plans for the Jays. The Jays have a lot of options before ever considering JPA as a 1B/DH type including Encarnacion, Cooper and just about anybody off the scrap heap.
Do you think Hayden Simpson will rebound?