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Notable Grade Changes

Looking over some of the more controverial grades, here are my thoughts.

Jed Lowrie: everyone thinks I'm overrating him at A-. I can see a drop to B+ logically. HOWEVER, my instincts are screaming "leave him at A-," and right now I'm inclined to play intuition on this one and stick to my guns.

Austin Jackson: B- is a notch to low. Have changed him to B.

Todd Frazier: B+ was a notch too high. Have changed him to B.

Alan Horne: No change yet. Will probably stay at Grade B.

Chris Lubanski: will probably drop to C+.

John Mayberry: dropping from B to B-.

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lowrie
follow your heart, john!  

i've moved lowrie up on my own list following from some of the resulting discussion.  Just Hit, as i like to say.  i think he might have it.

i'm just irritated because i drafted him in the 14th round of my original keeper draft back before 06, but then dropped him in like july after holding on to him all year, even though he was doing squat divided by three, because i thought he had to be better than that.  then a week later somebody else picked him up.  then another week after that all of a sudden all the prospect sites were like "oh by the way jed lowrie's been playing with a high ankle sprain all year."  thanks guys.  

by wily mo on Dec 17, 2007 12:20 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

"following from"?
what the hell are you talking about?  what does that even mean?

by wily mo on Dec 17, 2007 12:22 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

agreed
Sometimes, "the masses" are wrong.  If Lowrie can stick at SS, that high OBP and gap power will make him a very valuable player.

Kudos for sticking with your gut.  

http://www.deweyshouse.com

by SmokeyJoeWood on Dec 19, 2007 9:07 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Frazier
Good Call.
I'm an RU alum, so I want him to do well, but after the unrequited hype that surrounded Bobby Brownlie, Val Majewski and the elder Frazier brother I'd prefer to temper expectations.  

So far, all we have to show for RU's nice run in the late '90's/early 00's is David DeJesus and Jason Bergmann.  I personally go a little farther back and can claim Eric Young Sr was in my economics class.

If it wasn't for disappointments, I wouldn't have any appointments.

by kings33 on Dec 17, 2007 12:28 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

So can we expect Jackson
to jump Honre in the overall rankings?

by Roo on Dec 17, 2007 12:56 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

And my guy on Lowrie
is screaming B, mainly because I dont see him contributing to the big team before 2010. So meet in the middle, hes a B+.

by Roo on Dec 17, 2007 12:57 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

2010?!?
He's already played half a season at AAA.  Why do you expect him to need two more full years of seasoning???  My timeline for Lowrie would be mid-2008, even if he stays with the Red Sox.  His game is pretty close to being major league ready.

by Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 1:27 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Lugo
is way too expensive to sit there, especially next year.

2009 is the first time he is even going to get a serious look.

by Roo on Dec 17, 2007 2:51 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Lugo
If Lugo struggles again in the first half of 2008, you make the move to get the better player on the field.  The current Red Sox management is about winning, not seniority.

If Lugo plays even half-way decently he can be traded.

Lowrie's first exposure may be as an injury replacement mid-season or as a September callup, but he'll get at least 100 bats by the end of the year.  What happens next depends on how he performs.

by Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 5:32 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

what's he going to do with 100 bats?
he can't possibly need half that many.  or do you mean the animals?

by wily mo on Dec 17, 2007 5:42 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Not cool
Sickels is the man. He has made me addicted to checking out prospects.

by achengy on Dec 17, 2007 1:01 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Seriously dude
Go away.
"A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin

by RVachon on Dec 17, 2007 1:15 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

You're obviously smarter
than the rest of us, so start your own blog and rate the talent.  Put up or shut up.

by t ball on Dec 17, 2007 1:34 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Good calls all around
Especially on Lowrie and Jackson (much as I loathe upgrading any Yankees at any level).
This is me being polite.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Dec 17, 2007 1:43 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Ive known Austin personally
for a long time, so I really want him to do well.

Im probably as neutral of a Yankee-Redsox fan as there is, mainly because I love cheering for people who do everything they can to win.

by Roo on Dec 17, 2007 2:54 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Lowrie vs Pedroia
Lowrie is going to follow the exact same path as Pedroia, spending most, if not all of 2008 in AAA, so they are decent comps.

Comparing Pedroia's 2005 vs Lowrie's 2007;

Statistically, assuming they have smililar scouting reports and were the same age, you'd probably rate them a wash. They played at the same level (actually, Pedroia had more AAA at bats), they hit the same amount of bombs, Lowrie had 24 more EBH, and Pedroia had 48 less K's. Sounds like a wash. Problem is, Pedroia was younger, by a non isignificant one year and eight months. Heading into 2006, you rated Pedroia a B+.

Now, you might be trigger happy because you think that you had Pedroia underrated. Well, I agree somewhat. Problem is, you had Pedroia underrated the next year. You rated him a B heading into 2007, which was probably a notch too low. The perception was that Pedroia had a bad year, but I disagree. There were two main differences in Pedroia's 2005 and 2006. First, he hit way less HR, down to 5 from 13. For that, he was able to lower his K rate from 8.1% to 5.4%. His 2b/3b rate actually increased slightly and offset the slight decrease in his walk rate. Overall, that statistical line is a litte worse, but that is offset by the fact that he's a year closer to the show. Pedroia probably should have been a B+ heading into last season.

As for Lowrie, being nearly two years older and whiffing 94% more often is not made up for with a few extra 2b/3b. The scouting reports are almost identical, and Arizona State has much better looking women than Stanford. Based on all of that, I would rate 2006 Pedroia one level higher than 2008 Lowrie. I highly doubt anybody thinks 2006 Pedroia was a straight A prospect, and I'd really struggle to give him an A-. IMO, Lowrie should be rated a straight B.

by rwperu34 on Dec 17, 2007 2:13 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Agreed on one point
I also surmise that the Lowrie grade is a reaction of some sort to his Pedroia grade. IMO, Lowrie's a good prospect, but not an elite one, so I don't understand the A- grade. His SS defense is certainly a major question mark according to a lot of scouting reports and will most likely move him to 2B or 3B, lessening his value.

Is he really a better prospect than Hu? Personally, I like Hu as a prospect more because he'll play an excellent SS. I will also defer to John as far as prospect knowledge is concerned, so maybe he knows something intuitively that most of us don't....

by jc3 on Dec 17, 2007 3:36 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

While I agree
on the overall opinion of you post, I think there are some things you are not considering.

If Lugo was removed from the Red Sox roster tomorrow, who would play short? My money would be on Lowrie, not Pedroia. Lowrie is also an accomplished switch hitter, which makes him an asset anyway you look at it. Also, excuse the gross comparison here, but, is Derek Jeter any less of a good hitter because he averages 114 K's per 162 game season?  IMO, if you're not Adam Dunn or Ryan Howard with your strikeouts they're really not a terribly big deal.

All I'm saying is that Lowrie should get a couple bonus points when you're comparing the two.

by ajake57 on Dec 17, 2007 6:03 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Jeez
That's like six idiotic comments today across like four threads.

"Here are my Grade for BA related talent evaluators

Extremely Preliminary - Subject to Change.

Chris Kline - F
Jim Callis - M
John Sickles - ML

F - Fair
M - Moron
L - Loser" (B/c of Jed Lowrie be graded higher than Austin Jackson

"When did a typo became "irony" moron?

Eff Lowerie or Lowrie of which ever that effing losers' name is spelled he is still a mfing POS compared to Kennedy. "

"Ask the m'fing Twins if they had a choice.....

....of effing POS Lowerie or Kennedy, who they would want."

"Only a Moron would rank Lowerie ahead of Kennedy

Lowerie (A-) didn't sniff Top-50 list of MiLB. Kennedy (B+) was ranked #26."

I sure hope you enjoy your new board, wherever that is, man...

by alskor on Dec 17, 2007 2:37 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Oh
...and the Twins probably just want Ellsbury over the Yankees guys b/c Ellsbury has a big world championship ring on his finger.

;)

by alskor on Dec 17, 2007 2:41 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Twins needs
I think the Twins are/were looking for position players ready to step into their lineup.  Either of the Red Sox packages offers them immediate solutions in CF and at 2B or SS.

Phil Hughes is the best of the names that has come up, however.  Two A- prospects don't necessarily equal one A prospect.

by Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 2:50 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

My comments
werent serious.

Id probably take the Hughes deal

by alskor on Dec 17, 2007 2:52 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Re:
Until you provide some rational thoughts on why Lowrie is overrated, you will likely not be taken seriously

Mods, can we get working on this guy?

-1 and only member of the Jed Lowrie fan club!

by Jgaztambide on Dec 17, 2007 3:07 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Re:
  1. John is a Twins fan who happens to like Lowrie a lot
  2. Would you like every site to put out the same exact list so everyone can say "oh good, we all had the same #47 prospect!"?  Baseball America loves tools, Baseball Prospectus loves their stats, and John has a blend of the two.  They'll each have a different perspective, from which you can draw your own conclusions
  3. I personally don't like Kennedy too much, but if you think it's so black and white that one would have to be a "Moron / Loser" to make that argument, I encourage you to make that argument in a civil, respectful manner
  4. The whole "everyone else is saying this" argument is really a tough way to prove your point.  I haven't seen you on the site before, so I'll assume you're new.  Around here, to be taken seriously, you need to prove your own point.  Bring some stats, find some scouting reports, use your "gut feel" to whatever extent you feel it is necessary.  Tell us why a middle infielder who puts up a .900 OPS in the high minors without batting-average inflated stats is bad.  Explain how a 13% walk rate from a SS is bad, and how 67 extra base hits from middle infield somehow turns into a negative.  
On the other hand, tell us why you think Kennedy is so good.  I'm not saying he's not, but this site is (ideally) not a place where people sit and hurl insults at each other when they don't like their prospect rankings.  

Just some thoughts...

-1 and only member of the Jed Lowrie fan club!

by Jgaztambide on Dec 17, 2007 3:25 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

wieters
At this point you're simply lying Taz. I haven't graded Wieters yet and would certainly rank him ahead of Lowrie.

If you have a beef with me, fine, but keep your facts straight, don't lie, and don't insult other posters. Calling people morons is going to get you tagged as a troll pretty soon. Debate is great...childish insults aren't.

by John Sickels on Dec 17, 2007 3:50 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

What are you waiting for?
Taz deserved the boot a long, long time ago.

by Flynn Blake on Dec 17, 2007 4:54 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

+1
This guy has done some stuff that's worse than what a lot of the Jobasox did. I'm amazed that John's shown this much restraint after the guy personally insulted him and his work, as well as numerous other posters.

And why is that fantasy recruiting thread still there?

Are the mods on holiday? Drunk on egg nog?

by AucklandGM on Dec 17, 2007 5:58 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Still in transition
Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 17, 2007 7:10 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

banning people
obviously, John's free to change the rules as he wishes, but, traditionally, people aren't banned from the board just for being rude. obviously, Taz is taking it to the extreme here, but it's still within the bounds of what's been allowed before -- so long as he grows up and learns to play nicely some of the time.

Joba was only banned after months and months of being a pest. furthermore, i think he was banned because he was INTENTIONALLY disruptive -- he made that his sole purpose, and created alter egos to communicate with himself.

now, Joba is being "re-banned" quickly because.....he was already banned. and he just keeps coming back to do the same thing.

i don't think the precedent on this board has ever been to quickly delete accounts, even if someone's behavior is very antisocial. don't get me wrong -- i think every single one of Taz's comments are out of line. but it's not like doing what he's done normally gets you booted, and i'm not sure we'd want to start doing that now. beyond that, i don't think it's fair to compare to Joba.

by bleedjaxblue on Dec 17, 2007 7:19 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

taz
Taz is acting like an asshole, but I haven't pressed the delete key yet. There is a difference between an asshole and a troll. . .I don't like deleting people and have generally only done so when they become INTENTIONALLY disruptive and try to make the website community unworkable, like Joba.

Taz came in here today and threw some insults around, most directed at me, but maybe he's just having a bad day. Maybe he is just an example of a particularly immature Yankees fan.

If he continues to insult other posters, then I will declare him a troll and delete him.

by John Sickels on Dec 17, 2007 8:20 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

ok taz
ur a dick. i agree with u, but that doesnt excuse u for ur asshole actions. u r an insult to yankees fans.

and taz sounds like da yaz...just sayin'...

--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 17, 2007 9:23 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

John
I don't come here to read this BS, and I really don't care if this guy is someone just having a bad day.  His posting history says he started to go nuts yesterday, and has continued to do so today.  I've posted some irrational stuff in my time, but I don't continue over 20+ straight posts

And, yes, I presume I'll see joeficara on here within the hour spouting drivel...

Just shut him down.

Joe

by joeficarra on Dec 17, 2007 9:39 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

troll
the dumbass troll has been deleted.

by John Sickels on Dec 17, 2007 10:08 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks...
and I'm very sorry that you have to spend any time on this crap...I hope the book is going well, and while I've historically been more of a "lurker" than a "commenter", I'll buy the book this year...

I know I'm not the reason, but I appreciate both of your efforts on this site...and I should be giving more back...

Joe

by joeficarra on Dec 17, 2007 10:18 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

pardon me
Pardon my language, but I'd really like to know what the fuck is going on. Where are all these trolls coming from? It's not just Joba and his various incarnations, either.

A good friend who runs a tremendously successful website tells me that an increased level of trolldom is a good sign...it means your website is successful enough to lure out the lunatics. I guess I didn't understand exactly how many lunatics are out there.

It takes all kinds I guess...apparently there are people who find emotional satisfaction (and probably sexual satisfaction) in disrupting a website about minor league baseball. Wish they'd just find a sock and some lotion, go hide in the basement, and leave us alone to study our prospects in peace.

by John Sickels on Dec 17, 2007 10:30 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I don't understand it either
I'm about your age, and this whole environment is something I don't get.  Kids today gladly volunteer personal information about themselves to the entire freaking world, while otherwise real people hide behind "screen-names" so that they can be complete assholes to everyone who doesn't see the world the same way they do.  Did anyone younger than 25 today ever get their asses spanked?  Even once?  Or ever get taught the concept of "critical thinking"?? (my personal bitch...)

And, yes, I am personally in "old, bitter man mode" tonight...

If I can take the time to respond to someone with my personal name on the response, then I am serious about it, and it means something.  Too many people "seem" to be hiding behind their screen-names.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, if you don't have either the intellectual capability, or the emotional maturity, to put your real name on any public statement, then you are meaningless.  And that seems to be something our society hasn't completely figured out yet...

Joe

by joeficarra on Dec 17, 2007 10:53 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

real names
Does Pete Abraham on his blog require people register with their real names?  Maybe it's him, or maybe it's someone else, but I think that could possibly help a little bit.  But then someone has to approve all new registrations.

by sabernar on Dec 18, 2007 10:26 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Funny
Good times....some day I have to look old Socky up. I've lost touch with so many of my old...acquaintances.

John, keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to the book.

The squirrels have become organized...and they're angry!

by maxisagod on Dec 17, 2007 11:17 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

screw u
im no ass-kisser. i just stand up for whats right. you are a little douchebag who is very disrespectful. john doesnt have to write this blog for you. he doesnt have to make this preview for you--he can just say screw you buy my book, as he may actually be losing sales because the grades are all people may want to know. lets see u do this...oh right, you can't.
--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 17, 2007 9:44 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

SORRY!
wrong reply to...i meant to reply to taz...again, sorry!
--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 17, 2007 9:50 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

ok
--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 17, 2007 9:54 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

This troll crap
Is really getting old, what freakin attention whore.

by goalieguy on Dec 17, 2007 9:57 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

i am no troll!
i try to make the best contributions to the community--not screw everything up...if you look thru my posts you an see im no troll, and ask the people around the site who have seen my posts know that i dont do that shit. so lay off.
--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 17, 2007 10:00 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

haha
random tidbit--i love it when jeri says "dumbass deleted". John, you have to adopt that line--its so...impacting...lol
--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 17, 2007 10:14 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Bobby
that wasnt directed at you, your a solid poster. It was directed at Taz

by goalieguy on Dec 17, 2007 10:20 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

np
You replied after my comment, so I thought it was directed at me. It's all good!
--http://yankeesfuture.wordpress.com Bobby Mcnally (alias)

by bobbymcnally on Dec 18, 2007 2:22 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Re:
the Minorleaguebaseball.com rankings have been taken as pretty terrible in these parts.  I don't agree with much of what they've ranked.  If you think those rankings are the basis from which all other rankings should be based, then I recommend you stick to their site with their posters / writers who determined those grades and leave this community to our ranking systems.  

I don't believe Wieters has been ranked as of now, so I don't know where your comment came from

In terms of Porcello being ranked above Lowrie, I think there are some very convincing reasons for it.  Any time you have a highschool arm who has not thrown a single pitch in professional baseball, the risk factor is so overwhelming that it's not worth placing them high on prospect lists

In the end, it depends on how your "grading system" actually works.  Baseball America's grading system is basically "here are the highest ceilings, with a very small emphasis on their actual performance or likelihood of reaching said ceiling"

If you think of prospect rankings as an investment, you would see the folly of this as a method of ranking prospects.  That would be like JP Morgan ranking a bunch of Penny Stocks as "Must buys" simply because they could triple in value overnight.  This does nothing to take into account the risk factor of those investments.  This is what happens when Risk is not an element of your evaluation.  Does Porcello have an extremely high upside?  Sure he does.  Does he have a lot of hurdles to clear before he comes close to achieving that upside, including developing his pitches, consistency, a longer season, and the dreaded "injury Nexus"?  he sure as heck does

Lowrie, on the other hand, has very little risk attached to him, much like Pedroia before him (and Ellsbury currently).  He has performed very well in the high minors, with good walk rates, decent K rates, good EBH rates, and (according to some) the ability to stay at SS.  There should be very little doubt that Lowrie will contribute value to a team in the very near future from a middle infield position.  That doubt certainly exists for Porcello, simply because he's an 18-year old pitcher...

-1 and only member of the Jed Lowrie fan club!

by Jgaztambide on Dec 17, 2007 4:15 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Lowrie's risk/upside
The curious thing is that to my untrained eye Lowrie isn't quite a finished product.  Not like Pedroia last year or Ellsbury this year.  He has only one season in the high minors and his BB/K fell from 1:1 to just over 1:3 after his promotion to Pawtucket.

His DT MLEs for 2007
AA  .259/.364/.441, .278 EQA
AAA .278/.328/.488, .273 EQA

Some comps if he can repeat that in the majors might be Dan Uggla, Robinson Cano, and Michael Young (2007 version of each).  If he can take one more step forward in 2008, improving that OBP while holding his gains in SLG, then we're looking at comps of Edgar Renteria and Carlos Guillen (2007 version).

Finished product after only 130 games split between AA and AAA?  Seems unlikely.  I know he's not the youngest prospect on the planet, but experience matters as well as age and he has only 2 1/2 professional seasons under his belt.

by Valentine on Dec 17, 2007 6:55 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Agreed to a point...
Valentine, I agree with you to a certain extent.  Obviously he's not a finished product, but he's pretty darned close to it right now.  According to his mle's, he's similar to some current / former allstars, all players who are regarded pretty highly.  

Lowrie's splits between AA and AAA are very interesting, because there was a clear drop in his BB with an increase in his K, but there was also a very clear increase in his power production on the opposite end.  

It seems pretty clear that he had a different approach at the plate when he moved up.  In one league he showed the ability to hit for decent average to go along with very good plate discipline and pretty good power.  In another league he sacrificed the discipline for increased power.  Did one league surprise him with how often they threw strikes?

Anyways, I don't want to get into this too much.  he's not a finished product, but he's had success in the high minors.  He's certainly a better bet to reach the majors than Porcello is, and that was my original point

-1 and only member of the Jed Lowrie fan club!

by Jgaztambide on Dec 17, 2007 7:24 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

While I agree with most of what you said
It's not unthinkable to have Kennedy in your top 50, and sleep on Lowrie.  In fact, I personally would probably have Lowrie behind Kennedy just personally. I see Lowrie as being a good offensive SS with defensive defencies that will probably move him on the other side of the diamond.  Even as a 2b, he projects well.  He'll never hit for a ton of power, but he'll get his fair share of 2b's.  His park at Portland was primarily neutral but did have a lean toward a hitters park.  The Eastern league itself is very neutral.

What I'd like to see from Lowrie is production at the ML level.  That's really all he's got left to prove.

My grade would be a B+, My grade for Kennedy would also be a B+.  I'd rate them equally but if I had to rank them in order, Kennedy would be above Lowrie in my opinion.

by cubsfan2883 on Dec 17, 2007 3:12 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Chris Carter
Any word on his grade, or will he be amongst the C's?  His bat should put him at a C+ at least, I think, even when discounting his terrible defense.

by robertgold on Dec 17, 2007 2:52 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

So...
does this suggest that you think Alan Horne is as good a prospect as Todd Frazier?  All things considered, I'd question that.  With Horne's injury history and late season struggles, I'd say he's not deserving of the same ranking as Frazier.

I'd have kept Frazier at B+, and might have dropped Horne to B-.  Frazier won't stick long-term at SS, but he can play there now.  His athleticism should make him a very good defensive 3B.  Real nice plate discipline and power.  I say B+.

But, its your list and the difference between B and B+ isn't really that much.

by TheBlues on Dec 17, 2007 3:00 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

relax man
why are you being so inflammatory?

by mroak89 on Dec 17, 2007 4:27 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Lowrie vs. Pedroia
People say, "but you rated Pedroia a B+ and Pedroia was younger".  Thing is, if you could go back in time, wouldn't you make Pedroia an A- now?  Perhaps Pedroia's success taught some sort of lesson about these low ceiling-low floor guys.  Though I have a feeling that Lowrie's career could end up looking more like Russ Adams' than Pedroia's, just a hunch, because I think Pedroia is the exception not the rule when it comes to scrappy middle infielders.  But I could see the justification with the A-, and hey John is the scout after all.
Hey fish, leave those kids alone!

by The Congo Hammer on Dec 17, 2007 5:46 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Pedroia
No, I would not rate Pedroia an A-. Well, if we knew exactly how he was going to turn out, then yes. Problem is, even though Pedroia has panned out....so far....in 2006 there was still a chance that he would fail.

Looking at 1998, even if Pedroia were to replicate his 2007 season for the next five years, he still would have ranked as about the 13th-18th most valuable player to come from that group.

by rwperu34 on Dec 17, 2007 6:15 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Wait
When did getting an A- mean there was no chance you could fail? There's no such thing in baseball.
This is me being polite.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Dec 17, 2007 6:21 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Exactamundo
If we knew that Pedroia was going to repeat his 2007 season six times, he'd be an A-, but there was/is a chance he could have failed, so really, his value wasn't quite as high.

by rwperu34 on Dec 17, 2007 7:15 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

re: lesson
"Perhaps Pedroia's success taught some sort of lesson about these low ceiling-low floor guys"

I think you mean low ceiling-high floor. Right?

As for Pedroia, I'd take him on my team in a second. But I'm not sure he would have had the same offensive production he outputted in 2007 for a different team. He benefits from Fenway more than most. Kind of like John Valentin and Jody Reed did. Look at the home/road splits.

by McLovin on Dec 17, 2007 6:32 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

A-Jax to B
Right on, right on, right on.

Methinks he may even be a B+...

by Dfarth on Dec 17, 2007 6:40 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Funny
reading this thread after the troll comments have been deleted.  

Anyway, I never really understood why some fans get upset if they feel a prospect from their team is underrated or a prospect from another team is overrated in comparison.  Either the prospect does better than expected - in which case your team enjoys the benefit - or the rating ultimately proved correct.  What is there to get so bent out of shape about?

by Scott Proctor Fan Club on Dec 18, 2007 12:51 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Another thing...
is that this website isnt a community prospect consensus project.

If John, who has a long and impressive resume in evaluating prospects, wants to give a guy like Lowrie a half a letter grade boost b/c he has a feeling about him... well, that's legit. Its his website and he's been right on things like that a hundred time.

Reminds of Jimy Williams, who had the same response whenever he was asked about in game strategy, lineup construction, etc... "Manager's decision."  Period. Projecting players is an inexact process to begin with...

(Beyond that, John has given some pretty good reasons to support his feelings about Lowrie)

by alskor on Dec 18, 2007 1:31 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

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