BA Bluejay's top 10

by slurve on Nov 14, 2008 1:29 PM EST

1. Travis Snider, of
2. J.P. Arencibia, c
3. Brett Cecil, lhp
4. Justin Jackson, ss
5. David Cooper, 1b
6. Kevin Ahrens, 3b
7. Brad Mills, lhp
8. Ricky Romero, lhp
9. Marc Rzepczynski, lhp
10. Brad Emaus, 2b/3b No real surprises - Kevin Ahrens had a pretty bad year but still came in at #6... I'm sure the person answering questions today in the chat will get peppered with "will Travis Snider be a DH?"

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Comments

How about

“Will David Cooper be a DH?”

by acerimusdux on Nov 14, 2008 2:26 PM EST reply actions

DH

if his upside is only 20 hr’s i don’t think he’ll even do that very well.

I heard Tim Lincecum will win 1 Cy Young & 11 Tim Lincecums. Question is, how many Cole Hamels will he win?

by the pinstripes on Nov 14, 2008 4:50 PM EST up reply actions

This list is much better then anything they have had in recent years. Cooper, Arencibia, and Snider all look to be good bats. Cecil will likely settle into the role of a middle rotation starter and Jackson plays great defense at shortstop. If Ahrens can turn it around then JP finally may be on to something.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Nov 14, 2008 2:57 PM EST reply actions

disagree

i hate to disagree kb but this list stinks imo. aside from snider & arencibia everyone else is a pretty sizeable question mark.

cooper – can’t field w/ 20 hr. upside
cecil – most scouts are at least skeptical as to where he profiles best.
jackson – what about the bat?
ahrens – what’s his upside? a light hitting 3b?

I heard Tim Lincecum will win 1 Cy Young & 11 Tim Lincecums. Question is, how many Cole Hamels will he win?

by the pinstripes on Nov 14, 2008 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

I've read Cooper is a possible 30 HR guy.

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Nov 14, 2008 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

+1

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Nov 14, 2008 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

I am not saying it is a good list

But it is MUCH better then anything the Jays have produced in recent years. Also, while Ahrens might have had a bad year, he has been compared to Chipper Jones.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Nov 14, 2008 5:06 PM EST up reply actions

I think it's time to retire the Aherns/Chipper comps

Ahrens was said to have a “body type like Chipper Jones”, played the same position coming out of the draft, and is a switch hitter, so it was easy for people to toss that comp out when he was drafted, but Chipper never had contact rate issues like Ahrens has displayed so far.

I’m not trying to completely discount him as a prospect since there’s plenty of time to grow, but unless Ahrens somehow puts up some sort of Chipper-esque line through high A and AA next year, I’m starting to see an upside closer to Betemit. I’d certainly put a guy like Emaus higher on a prospect list than Ahrens going into 2009, since it seems that Emaus is becoming a lock to hit his way into a 2b/3b role on a big league club with the potential of 20 HR power.

by jibs on Nov 14, 2008 6:45 PM EST up reply actions

Ahrens

could still turn out to be injury proned.

Or the “S” word. There’s lots of way he could still be like Chipper!

by alskor on Nov 14, 2008 9:34 PM EST up reply actions

"injury prone"

dammit

by alskor on Nov 14, 2008 9:34 PM EST up reply actions

S word

by aCone419 on Nov 15, 2008 11:58 AM EST up reply actions

Just a joke

but rumors have swirled around Chipper for a long time. Nothing ever substantial in the slightest, though.

by alskor on Nov 15, 2008 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

It could only have gone up...

They really haven’t had a good system for years, so there was only one way to go.

I personally like Rzepcynski and Emaus to move up the list in years to come. I mean, I went to Tulane and watched Emaus play, so kind of biased. But still.

by thudean on Nov 14, 2008 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

Romero

After 3 years with no success at AA I am surprised to still see him on their top10. His results in AAA are just an illusion from small sample size, I mean his K rate rose 2.5per 9 after he was promoted.

by tdot mariner fan on Nov 14, 2008 3:10 PM EST reply actions

eh

who else are you going to put on the list?

Once you get past the top few guys in that system there isnt much to look at

by nms on Nov 14, 2008 3:25 PM EST up reply actions

You are right there is not a lot to choose from

However, Tim Collins put up very interesting number as a 19 year old in first year in A ball. He is one to watch now, I am wondering why he was not drafted though.

There are also all those teenaged position players that Riccardi drafted in the early rounds in 2007 along with Yohermyn Chavez.

Scott Campbell is also a major omission from the top 10 for men, he could eventually be a solid 2b and being from New Zealand is probably still raw as a player.

Also, Scott Richmond looked fairly good for a player who has never played affiliated ball. Personally, Richmond is looking to be an excellent grab for the independent leagues and has what is needed to be a good #5 right now.

by tdot mariner fan on Nov 14, 2008 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

pardon the typos

Also, Collins was 18 this year.

by tdot mariner fan on Nov 14, 2008 4:24 PM EST up reply actions

Also on Collins

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/SPORTS03/808030575/1022/sports03

I hope I did the link right. The article describes him as having a 93mph fastball and a sharp curve, he is also working on a changeup. This a very good repertoire for a lefty. The reason why he was undrafted was probably due to him being 5’7.

by tdot mariner fan on Nov 14, 2008 4:33 PM EST up reply actions