This list was originally posted January 5, 2008.  THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST!!! THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST AND PRE-SEASON GRADES!!!!!!!!

1) Carlos Carrasco, RHP, Grade B
     4.32 ERA with 109/45 K/BB in 115 innings in Double-A. Just promoted to Triple-A, has looked great in his first two starts. Numbers have not always matched reputation but he's made definite progress this year.
2) Adrian Cardenas, 2B, Grade B
     .309/.374/.444 for Clearwater in the Florida State League before trade to Oakland, where he was just promoted to Double-A. Quite promising.
3) Josh Outman, LHP, Grade B
     3.20 ERA with 66/37 K/BB in 70 innings for Double-A Reading before trade to Oakland. Athletics are moving him back to starting role. Still a good prospect.
4) Joe Savery, LHP, Grade B
      4.36 ERA with 104/56 K/BB in 126 innings for Clearwater, 147 hits. A mixed bag, gets a lot of grounders but hittable. At least he is healthy.
5) Kyle Drabek, RHP, Grade C+
      Rehabbing from surgery in the Gulf Coast League.
6) Jason Donald, SS, Grade C+
      .308/.388/.509 with 10 steals and 14 homers for Reading. Looks good to me after proving he can handle this level pitching.
7) Greg Golson, OF, Grade C+
     .283/.330/.433 with 19 steals, 10 homers, 26 walks, 117 strikeouts for Reading. Great tools, skills have improved but not enough to make me confident he will live up to potential.
8) Travis Blackley, LHP, Grade C+
      5.47 ERA with 78/54 K/BB in 109 innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, 114 hits. Not impressive at all.
9) J.A. Happ, LHP, Grade C+
      3.30 ERA with 127/41 K/BB in 117 innings in Triple-A, 97 hits. Fourth/fifth starter type if he can maintain his command in the majors.
10) Lou Marson, C, Grade C+
       .319/.434/.423 in 97 games for Reading. Good strike zone judgment, reasonable defense, lacks power.
11) Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Grade C+
       3.49 ERA with 41/29 K/BB in 49 innings for Reading, before missing most of July with injury. Just reactivated. Interesting prospect if command is there.
12) Julian Sampson, RHP, Grade C+
       4.50 ERA with 53/46 K/BB in 112 innings for Class A Lakewood, 132 hits allowed. Projectable strike-thrower, but low strikeout rate an issue.
13) Travis D'Arnaud, C, Grade C+
      .313/.376/.481 for Williamsport in the New-York-Penn League. Need higher level data but this is obviously a nice marker for a 19 year old player.
14) Matt Spencer, OF, Grade C+
      .249/.317/.367 for Clearwater, though capable of better. Traded to Oakland, hitting .370/.429/.605 in 20 games in the Cal League, though with poor plate discipline.
15) Andrew Carpenter, RHP, Grade C+
       5.99 ERA with 50/25 K/BB in 74 innings for Reading, 94 hits allowed. Only strong attribute is control.
16) Jeremy Slayden, OF, Grade C 
       .292/.367/.467 for Reading. Old for a prospect at 26 but he continues to produce solid numbers.
17) Scott Mathieson, RHP, Grade C
       Hasn't pitched this year due to Tommy John.
18) Tyler Mach, 3B-2B, Grade C
       Hasn't played this year.
19) Travis Mattair, 3B, Grade C
       .253/.319/.329 for Lakewood. Nothing very positive in these numbers.
20) Dominic Brown, OF, Grade C
     .296/.381/.430 with 19 steals for Lakewood. Big step forward, tools are developing into skills, will be much higher on this list next year. I like him a lot.

Trading Cardenas and Outman thins the system further, though the development of Brown and (possibly) outfielder Michael Taylor helps. I still don't trust Golson to develop into a useful player, the BB/K/AB ratio scares me a lot. I still don't have a good instinct either way for Carlos Carrasco, who seems to come and go performance wise but did take a step forward this year and who has done very well in his first two Triple-A outings.