Reid Brignac

by deadboy on Jan 17, 2008 8:39 PM EST Comment 15 comments

I was wondering what the big hooplah over Brignac is. I have seen all of his stats and read many prospect analyses and all of that but he fails to impress me. Sure he had one good season and there are few players with his skills but he is just plain over-rated. I have seen in a number of different places that he was considered a top 20 prospect in all of the minor leagues. I do understand that he has top-notch tools and may one day be a star but a top 20 prospect that has had one good season and just recently hit .260 in AA doesn't equal a top prospect to me. A prospect with good tools and still with a LOT to prove, yes. What are your opinions?

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Oops i forgot...

Brignac also just "hit" his way to a line of .177/.218/.248 in the AFL. Please help me understand why he is so hyped up.

by deadboy on Jan 17, 2008 8:42 PM EST reply actions

I still believe...

in Briggy. I saw him play a couple games in the AFL, and he looked good. Looked like he could stick at SS and hit the ball solidly, altho I think he only got 1 hit. I've read that he was tired at year's end and that may have contributed to the poor AFL stats. His regular season stats at the 'weed-out' AA level (in a slight pitcher's league) were not spectacular but solid - at age 21, a year young for the league. I think it is generally short-sighted to abandon a previous top-ranked prospect just because they didnt put up eye-popping stats 1 year. I could understand a slight downgrade, but not much. I think he'll be in the 20-30 range on BA's list, so where we have him is fine.

by rhd on Jan 17, 2008 9:13 PM EST up reply actions

OK

Run down the top SS prospects and get back to me.

"The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns." -mckeeno

by PujolsJunkie on Jan 17, 2008 8:50 PM EST reply actions

I know...

He has huge potential and tools but in my opinion you have to have tools and consistent production to really be high up on a list. Maybe it's just me...

by deadboy on Jan 17, 2008 9:50 PM EST reply actions

1st off he had a better than good season

considering his age and position.

2nd he still hit 17 homeruns, had 15 stolen bases, walked more and struck out less this year.

He is young, plays a premium position, has good size and already shown very good power...I think most think he could develop serious power for a shortstop. He has a very big frame.

by tt68 on Jan 17, 2008 10:13 PM EST up reply actions

see Hanley Ramirez

to see why that perception is wrong.

by pedrophile on Jan 18, 2008 12:18 AM EST up reply actions

While that's a valid point

I wouldnt want to consistently wager on toolsy players following that pattern.

by alskor on Jan 18, 2008 12:19 AM EST up reply actions

Hanley

BJ Upton, and others are far more than toolsy players. And they all had solid if not spectacular numbers even when they "didnt" produce.

I am cautious with guys like Maybin or Wood who do have a glaring weakness to go along with their obvious strengths. But since Briggy has no glaring weakness and many strengths I don't see a reason to bump him down from the A-.

by pedrophile on Jan 19, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions

The thing to bare in mind here is...

that the threshold for offensive performance by a SS is extremely low. So even though Brignac's numbers dont impress in a vacuum, he is a pretty damn good prospect. ARL is impressive, too.

I think John has him right at B+. He's a pretty good hitter for a SS. Add to that his tools and there's a lot to like.

by alskor on Jan 18, 2008 12:18 AM EST reply actions

This is true..

There is a lot to like about him but i just feel like he shouldn't be quite as high on many prospect lists due to last season. I'm pretty sure everyone can agree that he still has much to prove. He hasn't shown much in AA and although he has improved, he has much work to do. The whole point of this was to see if anyone agreed with me that he was a bit over-rated?

by deadboy on Jan 18, 2008 12:49 AM EST up reply actions

i dont agree

i think he's under-rated.

by daveh33 on Jan 18, 2008 12:51 AM EST up reply actions

here's the thing

he is big, he plays SS, he has some speed, his BB-rate is improving, his SO-rate is improving, he can hit for power, he did hit for avg in his breakout year, he has no major hole {like Wood had with Ks}, and his ARL has always been on the plus side.

by daveh33 on Jan 18, 2008 2:25 AM EST reply actions

brignac

while it's true his 2006 numbers look great while his 2007 numbers look sub-par, his ratios such as bb:k, k:ab have all improved by quite a bit in 2007. that said keep in mind double a in tampa's farm system is notorious to being harsh for hitters (i remember reading about this in several places). he was rated just outside the top 10 last yr, so if he drops 10-20 places and rates in the mid20s- mid 30s i think that's pretty reasonable. he just turned 22 this year, so he has time to build on his improvements. a B+ grade seems reasonable.

by bk11 on Jan 18, 2008 4:46 AM EST reply actions

Brignac

I agree with BK here. All of his ratios did improve. If his BABIP goes up then he's a .300 hitter. And BABIP is flukey from year to year.

Factor in his age and his position and you've got yourself a top prospect.

Here's another question you should consider. Who would you rate higher than him that's currently not? And are any of those players in AAA or AA?

If you answer those two questions honestly, I think the answer would be that there aren't a lot of players in AAA or AA, rated below Brignac that you could make a case for being higher than him.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of anybody. Could you make a case for some guys in single A. I suppose. But they probably don't have the track record that Brignac has.

I think he belongs in the top 20 to 30 of all hitters in the minors. Certainly top 50 for both hitters and pitchers if you do it that way.

by Montreal97 on Jan 18, 2008 12:00 PM EST reply actions

brignac

i think he's the same guy now that he was last year. no big step forward, but as others have pointed out, his peripheral ratios (Ks, walks) all improved. player development in action!

of course, the fact that he's holding steady on lists means that in reality he's dropped, since most of the guys who were ahead of him last year have graduated and a bunch of new guys have passed him. leaving the california league took some of the fun out of it, statistically. but i think he'll get there. he's young.

of course, i admit, i've traded him in my league. but i had tulo break out for me last year, and i got greinke for him. i've always had a thing for grienke.

by wily mo on Jan 18, 2008 12:29 PM EST reply actions