Community Prospect List #1

Only One Choice!

Say HAY
Ward
HAY
Ward
HAY
WARRRRRD.

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by cwhitman412 on Dec 24, 2009 10:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

sorry

I’m going with Strasburg on this one. I think both are elite prospects, and I’ll lean pitching over hitting. I think we often undervalue college experience a bit. Certainly, it’s not exactly the same, but it’s experience against quality opponents nonetheless. I believe in the stuff to buy him as number 1, despite the inherent risks with pitchers.

That said, thanks for starting this. Wonder who voted for Smoak.

by toonsterwu on Dec 24, 2009 10:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Course

I’m a community superstar. I need to do my best.
Just kidding.
There’s always a few people who choose.

Hey guys, I run a music blog. alternative, powerpop, punk, electronica, screamo, etc etc, check it out. http://muzikdizcovery.blogspot.com/ artist interviews and many other stuff. free cookies! (not really, but still) :D

by cwhitman412 on Dec 24, 2009 10:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Is it really experience against quality opponents?

Especially when we’re talking about a kid who pitched in the lowly Mountain West Conference? What percentage of the guys he faced last year do you ever expect to even get to the AA level? I haven’t looked at the numbers, but my guess would be somewhere south of 1%.

College experience certainly isn’t worthless, but in terms of relevance to ML success, I’d put it on a similar level to success in a short season league.

by nixa37 on Dec 25, 2009 11:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Heyward

Though I almost went with Strasburg or Montero. Heyward got the edge because he is a hitter over Strasburg as pitchers, even the best of the best, are risky. Heyward got the edge of Montero who is a better hitter but Heywards position and defensive ability at that position gets the edge over a slightly better hitter with no position/1B/DH.

www.redsminorleagues.com

by dougdirt on Dec 24, 2009 10:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

There shouldn't be any options but Say Hey and Strawman

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Dec 24, 2009 11:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It's Starsburg

Get the nickname right.

But seriously, I would have done that, but it’s no fair to the other candidates.

Hey guys, I run a music blog. alternative, powerpop, punk, electronica, screamo, etc etc, check it out. http://muzikdizcovery.blogspot.com/ artist interviews and many other stuff. free cookies! (not really, but still) :D

by cwhitman412 on Dec 24, 2009 11:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I had to go with...

Heyward. He is just too good right now. He is better than any outfield prospect in recent memory in my opinion. I would take him over Jay Bruce, Delmon Young, and any other one in the past 5 years. You have to when andrew jones was a prospect to find an outfield prospect I would consider taking over him.(Maybe Josh Hamilton, but I would still probably take Heyward)

by joegonzo on Dec 24, 2009 11:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Merry Christmas

From Justin Upton

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by WayneCampbell08 on Dec 25, 2009 10:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Heyward 2009 > Upton 2006

Upton’s last prospect year was 2006. Upton 2007 v. Heyward 2009 is a decent debate, but I’d probably take Heyward. Heyward’s got the combination of power, patience, contact ability, and defense that spells complete prospect in a way that hasn’t come around in years. The only comp for what Heyward did last year is Vlad Guerrero in 1997.

by slamcactus on Dec 26, 2009 3:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That said...

Strasburg should have been the choice here. He’ll be the unanimous choice of scouts, BA, and BP. General rule is hitter over pitcher, but it’s possible there’s never been a pitching prospect as good as Strasburg.

by slamcactus on Dec 26, 2009 3:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow

who voted justin smoak

by matthewmafa on Dec 24, 2009 11:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Is Smoak even a better prospect...

than Alvarez, Montero, Posey, or Matusz? I don’t think so, but that may be just me.

by joegonzo on Dec 24, 2009 11:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

no

not really that close either for me.

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Dec 25, 2009 12:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

some said this somewhere.. i forgot where...

but there are many heywards in the bigs, they can be found everywhere… strasburgs are rare..

strasburg needs to be number 1..

by matthewmafa on Dec 25, 2009 12:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Actually...

I checked and there are no other Jason Heywards… you are right about Strasburg though. They are both quite rare it turns out.

I haven’t decided who I’m voting for yet though guys. Any ideas?

Can tell you this – it won’t be Justin Smoak! Lol. You know what, I still don’t think Smaok is a better than Yonder Alonso. Funny how everybody said that Alonso getting drafted higher was dumb because of Smoak’s big time power. Now all I keep hearing is backtracking on Smoaks power – but I digress.

What’s funny is I WANT to vote Stanton, my mind says vote Strasburg but, Jason Heyward is a player.

by casejud on Dec 25, 2009 12:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good call starting this up

Don’t forget testers!

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Dec 25, 2009 2:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Saw No Point Just Yet

Since we know Heyward 1, Strasburg 2 (or vice versa), then a couple of the list guys then.

Hey guys, I run a music blog. alternative, powerpop, punk, electronica, screamo, etc etc, check it out. http://muzikdizcovery.blogspot.com/ artist interviews and many other stuff. free cookies! (not really, but still) :D

by cwhitman412 on Dec 25, 2009 7:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good to get the discussion going

There might be guys on the tester list who some people like more than any of the candidates. But yeah it doesn’t really start mattering till later

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Dec 25, 2009 6:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Strasburg

He upside is so high he is a clear cut number one for me. No flaws, only concern I have is potential break down because he is so unique.

I just got on twitter.Follow me at http://twitter.com/JDSussman
I'll be trying to post lines and analysis as much as possible.
Remember: baseball guys... baseball...

by JDSussman on Dec 25, 2009 2:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

+1

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Dec 25, 2009 2:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

+2

I’m as iconoclastic as they come, but it has to be Strasburg.

by FastBennyF on Dec 25, 2009 4:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I really don't get this upside argument

Yes, Strasburg has insane upside as we’ve pretty much never seen any prospect with his raw stuff. On the other hand, how many prospects have we ever seen that combine Heyward’s contact, power, and plate discipline skills at such a young age? Seriously, have we ever seen a 20 year old player with this high of a floor as a hitter?

I guess I could understand an argument for Strasburg if we had some sort of track record of dominance against professional players, but that simply isn’t the case. While his stuff looked overwhelming in the AFL, it certainly wasn’t overwhelming the hitters.

I guess I just don’t see a big enough difference in upside to justify overlooking Heyward’s clearly superior professional track record.

by nixa37 on Dec 25, 2009 11:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Montero

for one?

http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com

by lemonjello on Dec 25, 2009 9:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe in terms of contact and power

But Heyward has a definite edge in terms of plate discipline. Montero’s walk rate in AA last year was 7.7%. Heyward’s was 14.7%. That’s a huge advantage for Heyward right there. Other than that, they are very similar. In fact I’d probably give Montero a slight edge in terms of raw power, but its not nearly as big as Heyward’s advantage in terms of plate discipline.

by nixa37 on Dec 26, 2009 9:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

He had one bad outing that colored his overall stats. He completely dominated upper level hitters despite not having pitched in months.

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by WayneCampbell08 on Dec 25, 2009 10:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn't even looking at his ERA

I’m talking about the strikeout and walk rates. The 10.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 are both very good, but they aren’t dominating. Just last year we saw Hanson post a 15.9 K/9 and a 2.1 BB/9. Strasburg’s numbers aren’t anything better than what Hughes or Matusz did last year. Given his advantage in raw stuff, I really was expecting better.

As for not having pitched in months, almost everyone in the AFL has significant time in between their final minor league game and the start of the AFL and Strasburg pitched in the instructional league before making his AFL debut. He may have been a bit rusty but he was also better rested than just about any pitcher there.

by nixa37 on Dec 26, 2009 10:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but...

even if Heyward reaches his upside, there are other position players who will be similarly valuable. Look at the WAR leaderboards, and you won’t find anyone who’s absolutely run away with the lead on the position player side of things. Strasburg has a chance to be a singularly valuable pitcher. The best chance of anyone who’s come along in quite some time. He should have been #1.

by slamcactus on Dec 26, 2009 3:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Other than this year you could say the same for pitchers

And Pujols and Arod came fairly close to matching Grienke’s advantage this year in 2008 and 2007 respectively.

by nixa37 on Dec 26, 2009 10:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i voted strats

although many prefer hitting over pitching i went with the guy who has the most ability to take over a game, and to me, thats strats

by miraclemets on Dec 25, 2009 9:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Definitely Strasburg

But I find it weird that Bumgarner is on the ballot and Feliz isn’t.

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by Conjunction on Dec 25, 2009 9:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not That It's A Big Deal

I’ll put him on next round.

Hey guys, I run a music blog. alternative, powerpop, punk, electronica, screamo, etc etc, check it out. http://muzikdizcovery.blogspot.com/ artist interviews and many other stuff. free cookies! (not really, but still) :D

by cwhitman412 on Dec 25, 2009 9:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Whoever didn't vote for Strasburg/Heyward, speak now or forever hold your peace...

:-]

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Dec 25, 2009 11:20 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I would have voted for Strasburg

but the entire poll was opened and closed so quickly that I never even saw it.

by alskor on Dec 25, 2009 11:51 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wouldn't Have Made Much Difference

Hey guys, I run a music blog. alternative, powerpop, punk, electronica, screamo, etc etc, check it out. http://muzikdizcovery.blogspot.com/ artist interviews and many other stuff. free cookies! (not really, but still) :D

by cwhitman412 on Dec 25, 2009 11:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

It does seem like a lot of people that would participate in this won’t get a chance to vote because they are doing holiday things today and the polls are being opened and closed so quickly.

by jibs on Dec 25, 2009 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

nevermind

I now see your comments regarding the first 2 polls in the #2 thread, makes sense.

by jibs on Dec 25, 2009 12:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I mean, does anyone argue that it could have turned out differently if I left it open?

Hey guys, I run a music blog. alternative, powerpop, punk, electronica, screamo, etc etc, check it out. http://muzikdizcovery.blogspot.com/ artist interviews and many other stuff. free cookies! (not really, but still) :D

by cwhitman412 on Dec 25, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm Sorry....

But anyone who doesn’t put Strasburg needs to have their head checked. Injury thoughts or not, no one has had an arsenal like this in a LONG time.

Let’s remember, he SITS in the high nineties with movement and has other plus offerings. I know there are Heyward guys out there, but Stras is a once in a generation prospect.

by sheetskout on Dec 26, 2009 6:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs