Minor League Ball Gameday Discussion, March 17

Good afternoon prospect watchers. I hope your weekend is going well. My internet problem has been resolved...it seems an AT&T crew working on a trunk line down the street forgot to reconnect my house...but everything is fine now. Use this thread to discuss happenings in the baseball world for today.

Items of interest:

***If you haven't, you really need to check out Matt Garrioch's in-person report from Friday's Indiana State vs. University of Minnesota game, which featured likely first round picks Sean Manaea and Tom Windle facing off against each other in a duel of top prospect lefties. Includes video!

***I want to get all the planned Prospect Retros done this week. Next up: Mike Schmidt. I am adding Juan Pierre to the list because I think he's interesting. The others are Jason Schmidt, Tom Glavine, Ken Griffey Jr., John Lackey, Randy Johnson, and Vida Blue.

***Matt and I will start working on a Mock 2013 draft.

***Ben Harrow at Beyond the Boxscore talks about the philosophy of prospect lists.

***Atlanta Braves prospect J.R. Graham is going back to minor league camp, but he made quite an impression on the Braves staff this spring. Getting close to 100 MPH and throwing nine scoreless innings will do that.

***At one time, Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Simon Castro was a top prospect in the San Diego Padres system, until nagging injuries, mechanical issues, and control problems bit into his stock. He's had a good spring with the White Sox, fanning nine with one walk, three hits, and one run in seven innings pitched. Castro turns 25 in April, still throws hard, and is still young enough to have a significant career if he maintains improved command. Keep a close eye on him.

***White Sox first base prospect Keon Barnum has a broken hamate. A power hitter who draws comparisons to Fred McGriff (he's strong, muscular, tall, African American, and from Tampa), he was drafted in the supplemental first round last June, with a $950,000 bonus to keep him away from college at the University of Miami.