This has been a long time in coming, since I've been in the middle of my minor league analysis, but let's do a quick old-school breakdown of the Matt Holliday trade.
The A's simultaneously surprised the baseball world and stoked the hot stove league when they acquired OF Matt Holliday from the Rockies for Ps Greg Smith and Huston Street, and OF Carlos Gonzalez on Nov. 12.
The A's have been spending some cash lately, throwing gobs of it at Michael Inoa and Jemile Weeks for their minor league rebuilding matrix, but Holliday is a proven star, MVP runner-up in 2007. Smith, at least, appeared to be a rotation fixture. Street was done. C-Gone did not impress me as a super prospect.
So there. Let's say the A's got the better of the deal. Are they looking to Contend Now? Hard to imagine the Green and Gold competing with the Angels, and now the Rangers, not the A's, are looking like the young go-getters of the division.
It's possible Billy has lost sight of what made him a great GM. Let's not forget he became the face of "Moneyball" for doing math, not for big, splashy trades. It's possible that, as his underlings move away to other franchises and Theo Epstein wins two World Series, that he has gotten away from what made him great.
But Billy can't copy the Theo Road to Fame and Fortune. Billy can't buy a Manny, a Pedro, a Curt, Josh, Dice-K, Lowell, J.D., and push-button his way to two championships, no matter what. He is better off rebuilding from within. So every once in a while you get a Jeremy Brown. Suck it up and move on.
If Billy somehow is able to pick up SS Rafael Furcal, it would make them a much better team and a contender again. That the A's are even part of the Furcal -- not to mention Giambi -- discussion is evidence that Billy is copying Theo.
The A's now have a re-stocked minor league system, with some great pitchers on the way. They could be building for something big with this trade.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Carolina League (Class A Advanced) Top Prospects
1. Nicholas Weglarz, OF, 20, Kinston (Indians) .272 10 41 ... Plus power and speed combined with outstanding plate discipline, and one of the league's youngest players.
2. Carlos Santana, C, 22, Kinston (Indians) .352 6 19 ... Yes, he was a stud in this league too.
3. Matt Wieters, C, 22, Frederick (Orioles) .345 15 40 ... First round pick also threw out 45% of base stealers. He should be in Baltimore by the end of 2009.
4. Tyler Flowers, C, 22, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .288 17 88 ... Another great catching prospect in a league filled with them. Flowers lacks Wieters' receiving skills, but is a big time power hitter with an excellent batting eye.
5. Gorkys Hernandez, OF, 20, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .264 5 42 ... Acquired from the Tigers in the Edgar Renteria trade, Hernandez is a speedy contact hitter with average power, who also had 10 outfield assists playing center.
6. Willie Cabrera, OF, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .290 16 78 ... Braves' HiA affiliate is not exactly a hitters' paradise, which underscores just how good the Pelicans were. Cabrera is a potential .300 hitter in the bigs.
7. Concepcion Rodriguez, OF, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .280 11 56 ... Above average hitter who can play all three outfield positions.
8. Beau Mills, 1B, 21, Kinston (Indians) .293 21 90 ... Young power prospect can mash and will take a walk.
9. Koby Clemens, C, 21, Salem (Astros) .268 7 52 ... Rocket's kid is one of the better catching prospects in the minor leagues.
10. Thomas Hanson, RHP, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) 3-1 0.90 ... Was not with the Pelicans long before getting the bump up to AA Mississippi. Hanson improved upon 2007's season-ending stint in Hi A.
11. Scott Diamond, LHP, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) 12-2 2.79 ... Great command and above-average strikeout rate. Another great performance on this all-prospect squad.
12. Michael Crotta, RHP, 23, Lynchburg (Pirates) 9-10 4.67 ... Extreme groundball pitcher who pitches largely to contact, he was better than his record suggests.
13. Travis Jones, 2B, 22, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .248 16 78 ... Intriguing power/speed combo in a young middle infield prospect who also has an excellent batting eye.
14. Brandon Allen, 1B, 22, Winston-Salem (White Sox) .279 15 44 ... One of the league's best power prospects, Allen also shows flashes of speed rare for a slugging 1B.
15. Joshua Johnson, 3B, 22, Wilmington (Royals) .253 3 38 ... .400 OBP.
16. Brian Friday, SS, 22, Lynchburg (Pirates) .287 2 29 ... The Hillcats were awful, but the Pirates organization can find solace in this contact hitter's solid bat and great play in the field.
17. Cole Rohrbough, LHP, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) 2-2 3.41 ... Promoted to this level from the Braves' Single A Rome affiliate, he did not miss a beat, averaging nearly 8 Ks per 9 IP.
18. Ross Detwiler, LHP, 22, Potomac (Nationals) 8-8 4.86 ... Top starter on division winner who averaged over 8 Ks per 9 IP.
19. Brandon Hicks, SS, 22, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .234 19 56 ... Yet another Braves prospect who has both power and speed, all in a 22-year-old middle infield prospect.
20. Aaron Poreda, LHP, 21, Winston-Salem (White Sox) 5-5 3.31 ... Strikeout rate not much to speak of, but has great command for a 21-year-old.
2. Carlos Santana, C, 22, Kinston (Indians) .352 6 19 ... Yes, he was a stud in this league too.
3. Matt Wieters, C, 22, Frederick (Orioles) .345 15 40 ... First round pick also threw out 45% of base stealers. He should be in Baltimore by the end of 2009.
4. Tyler Flowers, C, 22, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .288 17 88 ... Another great catching prospect in a league filled with them. Flowers lacks Wieters' receiving skills, but is a big time power hitter with an excellent batting eye.
5. Gorkys Hernandez, OF, 20, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .264 5 42 ... Acquired from the Tigers in the Edgar Renteria trade, Hernandez is a speedy contact hitter with average power, who also had 10 outfield assists playing center.
6. Willie Cabrera, OF, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .290 16 78 ... Braves' HiA affiliate is not exactly a hitters' paradise, which underscores just how good the Pelicans were. Cabrera is a potential .300 hitter in the bigs.
7. Concepcion Rodriguez, OF, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .280 11 56 ... Above average hitter who can play all three outfield positions.
8. Beau Mills, 1B, 21, Kinston (Indians) .293 21 90 ... Young power prospect can mash and will take a walk.
9. Koby Clemens, C, 21, Salem (Astros) .268 7 52 ... Rocket's kid is one of the better catching prospects in the minor leagues.
10. Thomas Hanson, RHP, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) 3-1 0.90 ... Was not with the Pelicans long before getting the bump up to AA Mississippi. Hanson improved upon 2007's season-ending stint in Hi A.
11. Scott Diamond, LHP, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) 12-2 2.79 ... Great command and above-average strikeout rate. Another great performance on this all-prospect squad.
12. Michael Crotta, RHP, 23, Lynchburg (Pirates) 9-10 4.67 ... Extreme groundball pitcher who pitches largely to contact, he was better than his record suggests.
13. Travis Jones, 2B, 22, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .248 16 78 ... Intriguing power/speed combo in a young middle infield prospect who also has an excellent batting eye.
14. Brandon Allen, 1B, 22, Winston-Salem (White Sox) .279 15 44 ... One of the league's best power prospects, Allen also shows flashes of speed rare for a slugging 1B.
15. Joshua Johnson, 3B, 22, Wilmington (Royals) .253 3 38 ... .400 OBP.
16. Brian Friday, SS, 22, Lynchburg (Pirates) .287 2 29 ... The Hillcats were awful, but the Pirates organization can find solace in this contact hitter's solid bat and great play in the field.
17. Cole Rohrbough, LHP, 21, Myrtle Beach (Braves) 2-2 3.41 ... Promoted to this level from the Braves' Single A Rome affiliate, he did not miss a beat, averaging nearly 8 Ks per 9 IP.
18. Ross Detwiler, LHP, 22, Potomac (Nationals) 8-8 4.86 ... Top starter on division winner who averaged over 8 Ks per 9 IP.
19. Brandon Hicks, SS, 22, Myrtle Beach (Braves) .234 19 56 ... Yet another Braves prospect who has both power and speed, all in a 22-year-old middle infield prospect.
20. Aaron Poreda, LHP, 21, Winston-Salem (White Sox) 5-5 3.31 ... Strikeout rate not much to speak of, but has great command for a 21-year-old.
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