Discussion: Disappointing First Base Prospects
by John Sickels on Sep 20, 2009 11:32 PM EDT
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PrintI finished the Rotowire Top 100 yesterday and Rotowire subscribers can find it by clicking here
Question for you: three first base prospects fell off the list entirely: Lars Anderson, Eric Hosmer, and Angel Villalona. of this three, which one do you think is most likely to rebound? In other words, if you could have one of these guys, which one would you pick?
UPDATE: I wrote this post without being aware of the current legal controversy (to put it mildly) regarding Angel Villalona. The reason I didn't know about Villalona's arrest was because I've been almost completely off-grid for the last week. Jeri had surgery two weeks ago. She's fine, but isn't allowed to do any lifting for the rest of the month. As a result, I have been doing almost nothing but child care and household duties, while also trying to cram in baseball stuff in when I can. I hadn't read any baseball news this weekend, and the post was based just on what Anderson, Hosmer, and Villalona had done on the baseball field during the regular season.
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Villalona
Probably shouldn’t get any votes considering he MIGHT be in a cell for the next 20 years.
http://milbprospects.blogspot.com/
Suprised
I’m suprised the Giants moved him off of 3rd. Kids got a gun
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
He also got a big gut. The Giants are worried that he’s going to get so big that he can only play 1B.
The official statement is that the Giants moved him to 1B because they did not want to hold back him offensively by having him play 3B and worrying more about this defense.
Reportedly, Villalona still wants to play 3B and has been taking batting practice at 3B while he plays 1B. He reportedly is pushing hard for this.
He was rated as good defensively at 3B previously, so they could put him back at 3B at some point if he is still working out at 3B and keeping up his skills there.
But with Sandoval currently at 3B, VIllalona might just stay at 1B, assuming he’s innocent and returns to baseball.
Neukom: sign up Sabean for another two years!
Adoptive parental unit of Ehire Adrianza.
Godfather of Travis Ishikawa.
by obsessivegiantscompulsive on Oct 1, 2009 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Is this sarcasm?
Linda's in the cold ground, won't see her anymore
Somewhere out on the highway tonight, the drunken engines roar
It's just one of those things, one of those things
-- Al Stewart, "Accident on 3rd St."
In memory of Nick Adenhart and all victims of drunk driving
nope
From ESPN insider: An ESPN Deportes story says that according to information compiled at the crime scene, Angel Villalona was the shooter in a murder that occurred in the Dominican Republic over the weekend.
I declare a holding of the horses
I am very reluctant to call it a “murder” without more information. He might (or might not) be a stupid 19 year old kid, but I’m skeptical that he’s dumb enough to go into any public place and just kill a guy for the hell of it.
He has lots of money and is obviously well known. I would be very surprised if there is not a lot more to this story . . .perhaps this was something done in self-defense?
That's what I'm thinking.
but then again there are the cases of Ugeth Urbina and Ambiorix Burgos.
http://milbprospects.blogspot.com/
by Matt Garrioch on Sep 21, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Villalona will rebound quickest
in the Dominican Penal League.
Don't believe in yourself.
Believe in Me who believes in You.
Most likely?
Anderson. Though Hosmer is still an exciting prospect.
Who loves orange soda?
Why?
Given that this poll was created after the Villalona reports began circulating, I don’t get why he was included.
Founder of www.projectprospect.com
Lars Anderson
He had a bad year, but he’s the only one with a track record of professional success. I wouldn’t object to having either of the other players in my system, but considering this is a question about being a good player rather than all-star, I don’t really understand choosing either of the other two over Lars.
+1
There are also the reports that Lars was playing injured for a lot of this year, which mitigates (to an extent) his poor 2009 showing. I’m in the group that’s saying his prospect status is way, way down, but I still give him a better shot than Hosmer to rebound.
I dare anyone
to walk up to Villalona in a bar and tell him he doesn’t belong in John’s poll. I bet he gets the most votes, just from fear.
Angel Villalona has to be the answer doesn't he?
He killed a man in a bar fight. Murder makes for a very disappointing season.
Tools Whore
i go with Villalona
he looks like he really has that killer instinct.
ouch.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 21, 2009 10:40 AM EDT reply actions
I say Anderson.
Of the three, he has the best track record in the past.
As for Villalona… let’s not jump to conclusions, I have no idea how the legal system works in the Dominican Republic (they didn’t teach us about Dominican law in law school) but I assume that there will be a trial before he gets convicted.
Eric Hosmer
I will preface this by saying this is my opinion … so that being said.
Eric Hosmer is the better of the 3 prospects and has the highest ceiling (especially since Angel Villanova is in prospect limbo).
Fact #1. He was drafted in a very deep class of first baseman that includes Pedro Alvarez (he will switch to 1B), Yonder Alonso, Justin Smoak, David Cooper, Ike Davis, Allan Dykstra and Brett Wallace. Anderson’s class was a weak offensive class and therefore more overhyped due to the lack of offensive prowess in that particular draft.
Fact #2. Taking Angel Villanova out of the equation, his potential power, plate discipline and glove rate higher than Lars Anderson. Hosmer has graded as a 80 on power (but has yet to manifest itself). It is not unusual for a HS power prospect to need more time before hitting HRs in the minors and I am basing my power opinion on other scouts more than my own personal accounts.
I am not discounting Lars Anderson skill-set, but in the end, I just do not see him as a potential elite first baseman.
If I had to compare the two prospects I could see in five years that Lars Anderson would be similar to a James Loney type player offensively and Eric Hosmer is more in-line with Adrian Gonzalez.
Very fun topic
I definitely have to agree with everything you are saying. I go with Hosmer too.
something that nobody seems to have addressed here
Hosmer’s absurdly high GB rate. That’s really his biggest flaw at this point . . .it’s killing his power production and other rate numbers as well most likely.
I picked Villalona but
I would like to change to Hosmer due to the fact that he was given an A- before the season. To me an A- is a top 20 talent and I didn’t see that before the season and I for sure don’t see it now.
both
I see Hosmer and Anderson succeeding at the major league level. I believe Lars’ past success can be duplicated, and Hosmer has the raw skills to succeed.
anderson
one major thing stuck out to me, and that’s anderson’s shown he can do it in the minors before….we haven’t seen hosmer for a full season yet have the success that anderson has had in a full season league…
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
Like the Madden Curse and the Sports Illustrated Curse
Could we be witnessing the dark and dangerous conception of the John Sickles curse?!
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