Who from the 2008 Draft will start in AA next year?
by laxtonto on Jan 13, 2009 2:55 PM EST
31 comments
After coming across this in a chat transcript today, it got me wondering who else is from the 2008 Draft is going to start in AA.
Richard Durrett: I think the earliest is mid-to-late 2010. That would be my guess. What does that mean for Chris Davis? I don't know. And I don't think the Rangers are too worried about it at this point. Two years is a lot of time. But Smoak is a polished hitter and making solid progress. Here's another one for you: Look for Smoak to start in Frisco(AA) this season and not Bakersfield(A+).
So who else? Right now the list contains:
Justin Smoak, Brett Wallace
Iill update the list if anymore links are posted
.
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probably
gordham beckham I assume. Posey is a possibility as is Alonso.
ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com
by sully10x on Jan 13, 2009 2:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Smoak
My guess is that Smoak spends a month or two in the California Leauge before moving up to AA, but it wouldn’t shock me if he went to AA straightaway.
by Dalman on Jan 13, 2009 3:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
To back up Sully
Yonder Alonso has been mentioned as competing in ST for a spot between A+/AA. My guess is that its all talk and he is slated for AA Carolina in April.
It also would not surprise me to see Zach Stewart (RP, Cin) to start in AA. He finished in A+ last year.
by dougdirt on Jan 13, 2009 3:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
From what they did last year
I’d say 1st rounders Brett Wallace (StL), David Cooper (Tor), Conor Gillespie (SF).
2nd rounder Josh Lindblom (LAD)
3rd rounders Zach Stewart (Cincy) and Craig Kimbrel (Atla)
by VladiHondo on Jan 13, 2009 3:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Possibly
Austin Gallagher (3rd rounder?)
The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.
by mckeeno on Jan 13, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Cooper
He’s gonna be there soon, but I can see him doing it Adam Lind style, first month or 2 back in high A, then tearing through AA and getting a taste of AAA. Let’s hope he doesn’t stink up the majors in the same way.
Rios is the next Juan Gonzales, thats right, I said it.
by KaoticKlown on Jan 14, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Alvarez maybe
Guys who played in A+ or higher at all last year and therefore are theoretically closest:
Brett Wallace
Yonder Alonso
Carlos Gutierrez
Andrew Cashner
Ryan Perry
Allan Dykstra
Conor Gillaspie (for some reason played in MLB)
Cody Satterwhite
Zach Stewart
Craig Kimbrel
Jay Jackson
Aaron Luna
Matt Hall
Robbie Weinhardt
Brandon Douglas
by aCone419 on Jan 13, 2009 4:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
conor gillaspie
it was actually a great moment in contract negotiations. he wanted a major league contract, but SF didn’t want to waste the option year, so he signed a minor league contract on draft day, and got his major league contract in september with a callup.
he’ll probably get optioned to AA to start the year, with another callup in september, and his final ETA being mid 2010.
When they should be sacrifice bunting, they are buying effeminate designer jeans. When they should be fouling off pitches, they are masturbating. Always, they are masturbating.
by variablesdont on Jan 13, 2009 6:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
AA or A?
Since Conor Gillaspie played no higher than short season A ball in the minors last season (before his contractual call-up to SF) and posted only a .674 OPS in 71 at bats there, I think he more likely to start 2009 at High A San Jose. Conor also wasn’t selected to play in the Hawaiian League.
The 2008 Giants draft choice who almost certainly WILL open the season in AA is catcher Buster Posey. Buster DID play in Hawaii and has already played in High A in the California League playoffs in 2008. In addition, Steve Decker — former Giants catcher and the guy who worked with Pablo Sandoval on his catching for most of last season in High A ball — has been promoted to AA Connecticut. Any idea which catcher he’ll be working with there? :)
by sharksrog on Jan 16, 2009 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm like 99% sure
Dykstra is going back to Lake Elsinore. So I think we can cross him off the list.
1-10-DEN 18 (9:52) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass short right intended for 19-E.Royal INTERCEPTED by 93-L.Castillo (95-S.Phillips) at DEN 18. 93-L.Castillo to DEN 14 for 4 yards (62-C.Wiegmann). 6-J.Cutler pouts ob to DEN 25 for 11 yards.
by Wonko on Jan 13, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
On the Cubs
I think there’s an outside shot Cashner starts at AA. There are some rumors that the Cubs are going to stretch him out, though, so I think Daytona is more likely.
Jackson was so good last year that it wouldn’t stun me if he started in AA.
by toonsterwu on Jan 13, 2009 11:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Lance Lynn, rhp
The Cardinals threw Clayton Mortensen right into the Springfield rotation last year and Lynn is more polished than he is. They’ve been very aggressive promoting guys to AA the last couple years.
by mateodh on Jan 13, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Posey
The Giants just named Steve Decker, former ML catcher as manager of the CT Defenders. They’ll certainly send Posey there to work with him.
Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...
by tedfordfan on Jan 13, 2009 4:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Make sure you post reports...
Also, the starting rotation is rumored to be:
Bumgarner
Alderson
Sosa
Tanner
Snyder
And there’s talk of pushing Noonan to AA to play 2B.
Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...
by tedfordfan on Jan 14, 2009 9:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
"And there’s talk of pushing Noonan to AA to play 2B."
No shit? Do they not care that he couldn’t control the strike zone in Low A?
Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.
by doublestix on Jan 14, 2009 7:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The funniest thing about this is that Giants personnel think Noonan has the best strike zone judgement in the system.
While most will go with the obvious: “Well, that might very well be true, it IS the Giants system and we’re talking about hitters here…” I think I prefer to go with: “Just remember that the Giants have a different definition of strike zone discipline than most. Their definition loosely translates into ‘swings at pitches.’”
Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...
by tedfordfan on Jan 15, 2009 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You beat me to it
You beat me to it, Jefffan. I guess I’m Shane Vereen, and you’re Jahvid Best! :)
by sharksrog on Jan 16, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
too early for him but I can watch him get rocked in AA then.
by Bravesin07 on Jan 13, 2009 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Of course he'll get rocked
He’s finally going to have a chance to work on those secondary pitches. I look forward to it.
by JayWise on Jan 14, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I could see Carlos Guitierrez
But if so just barely
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jan 13, 2009 5:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Thoughts
The first basemen and Wallace all seem like good bets. I think Beckham will go to A+ first unless he looks really tremendous in the spring.
My sleeper for this question is Christian Friedrich of the Rockies, who profiles as a guy who should eat A ballers alive and probably would benefit more from a challenge in AA.
by mrkupe on Jan 13, 2009 7:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Smoak Quick rise
Would that ever shift Davis to DH or back to 3B? It just seems like Blalock would be the guy to lose out on some ABs and not Davis.
by Chalupa Cabrera on Jan 14, 2009 12:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Blalock is in the last year of his contract
and it looks like Davis gets to move to DH or LF.
The DH spot may depend on Max Ramirez and his if the team keeps him as a bat or trys to get value as a C.
by laxtonto on Jan 14, 2009 12:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
+1
Thanks for the info on Blalock, wasn’t sure how much longer he was under contract. If Max Ramirez could stick behind the plate the thought of him, Davis, and Smoak in the same lineup is very scary. I know this doesn’t consider the emergence of other other Ranger C and 1B bats like Salty and Teagarden, but I think Ramirez will have the best bat of those 3 aforementioned.
by Chalupa Cabrera on Jan 14, 2009 4:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Josh Lindblom
ended the year in AA, seems likely to start there in 09.
by nwbb on Jan 14, 2009 1:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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