Houston Astros Top 20 Prospects for 2008

1 JR Towles
2 Troy Patton
3 Felipe Paulino
4 Mike Costanzo
5 Juan Gutierrez
6 Paul Estrada
7 Bud Norris
8 Mitch Einertson
9 Brad James
10 Max Sapp
11 Josh Flores
12 Sam Gervacio
13 Mark McLemore
14 Chance Douglass
15 E1i Iorg
16 Dennis Sarfate
17 Koby Clemens
18 Jordan Parraz
19 Jonny Ash
20 Tommy Manzella

I forgot about Reineke. Take out McLemore and put him in.
I am not 100% happy with the list from 13 on, Parraz should be a little higher, but most from there are interchangable.

Also, if you want any explanations or other info I will answer. I didn't want to waste time since so few people care, but if you do I will.

I assume all the guys we differ on will be in the book since you have to have at leaste 30 and there isn't much else to talk about.

Towles should be a B+. From past comments that is where he should be. 4 levels in one year, that is a rising stock.

Patton wasn't great, but everyone should realize he was one of the youngest players to start multiple games in the majors last year.

I don't have much on Norris but I am glad you think he will breakout.

I would have had Bourn and Costanzo flipped and hoped they will bothe turn into B level MLB players.

I have hopes for Gutierrez, because of the past, and his stuff should help him come back to a decent prospect.

I had Sapp so high because I gave him the benefit of the doubt(or really the scouts for the Stros). Duman has made it clear to me I overrated him.

If you throw in Reineke to where I put McLemore like I said later, that is on par.

Parraz is a player that actually boomed a little this year and was one of the only players that stock rose.

Everyone keeps hoping for Iorg because of physical abilities and he has one of the best stories/character in all of baseball.

I reckon you think like I do that Flores may never get the power needed to be a regular in the bigs. Maybe a 4th OF glove.

Koby is still young and most think he is a guy that could put together all his abilities into a breakout year.

The one big disagreement is the ability of Paul Estrada. From what I know, he was forced to feature his CB/FB all year because they need more development. His split is one of the best in baseball and is what gave him insane K/9 in the past. I have said before the story of Chipper Jones in St but here it is, Estrada threw him a split and Chipper stepped out and asked Ausmus "what the hell is that", then was throw another one and laughed in the box. Then in a post-game interview said he had never seen a pitch do anything like that before. Hyperbole maybe, but that is Chipper Jones.

All in all I am very satisfied with the comparability of my list and the Sickles top 20. Most of the guys on the list are longshots anyway so it is basically personal preference.

Sorry for the long post. What can I say, go with what you know.