This is the time of year that it is fun to take a look that prospects who may make a big jump in the coming season. It’s not so much a time to question whether or not Eloy Jimenez will be baseball’s best prospect by the years end (which he will), nor is it a time to wonder if Brent Honeywell is actually the most exciting pitching prospect (which he is).
No, this is the time to look a little deeper in the farm systems at several guys who had a big 2016 and wonder if in fact they are for real, ready to make their presence known in the Top 100. Guys like those who I have looked at in the past, like Carson Kelly and Joe Jimenez who seem ready for the big break, and other guys like Cornelius Randolph who are still climbing the ladder.
Mallex Smith was once the Atlanta Braves prized centerfielder of the future. The speedy centerfielder became expendable with the Gold Glove season of Ender Inciarte and the emergence of Ronald Acuna and Ray-Patrick Didder in the lower minors. The Braves would send him to Seattle for more pitching — as the Braves have become accustomed to doing — only to see Seattle send him to Tampa for pitching and prospects an hour later.
Every year, as the Hall of Fame inductions roll around, the Chipper Jones debate begins. Perhaps it is heightened living in the Atlanta area as I do, but each and every year as Larry Wayne Jones inches closer to possible enshrinement, the debate arises.
Last year, I shared my Internet Baseball Writer’s Association of America votes for our Hall of Fame election. For those unaware of what the IBWAA is, it is a way for internet writers to be part of a bigger whole, as they work towards the BBWAA without the grueling — and arguably outdated — requirements to become a member. It is basically an alliance of writers joined together to discuss and promote our one common interest: baseball.
And then we vote. Last season, the vote saw Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey, Jr. get the required 75 percent to be elected into the IBWAA Hall. If you remember, I voted for many of the Steroid Era players, simply because it’s a part of the game that everyone else profited off of — including the writers who won’t vote for these villains of the game — and they should get to enjoy the honor of being forever remembered. I fell short last year on seeing some of the guys I wanted in, but it didn’t stop me from voting for them again.
Guessing on minor league prospects is often times no easier than projecting the weather. You see this big front moving in, one that has all the characteristics of blowing up into something huge, and then, after issuing tons of alerts, it drizzles and nothing comes of it.
The past two seasons in particular, it seems a lot of major league teams have taken chances on some of their prospect forecasts. The big leagues have been over run with a bevy of youthful talent of late, as prospects have been sped through farm systems seemingly faster than ever. That’s why it seems so odd that we are still waiting on the arrival of Jesse Winker.
There has been some buzz lately about Giovanny Gallegos. Ever since the New York Yankees made some moves to open up space on their 40-man roster for the 25-year old reliever, he went from under-the-radar to top 20 prospect.
The Phil Bickford Story has certainly had its plot twists for a career that hasn’t seen a pitch thrown above A-ball. Twice a first-rounder after a stint at two colleges (and an amazing summer on the Cape), would see him excel across two levels of the minors in 2016. That sure is a lot of twos.
So, it should come as no surprise that Phil Bickford was suspended for a drug of abuse (meaning recreational). It’s the — you guessed it — second time Bickford has failed a league sanctioned drug test.
Skipping a team’s Winterfest is certainly one way to send a message. The Washington Nationals didn’t like it one bit and shortly after sent their one-time shortstop Danny Espinosa to the Los Angeles Angels for two pitching prospects.
The Chicago White Sox have had a nice 48 hours, haven’t they? A day after getting four solid prospects for Chris Sale, they sent Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for three more. Their top five prospects now rival anyone’s in baseball, and that says a lot.
Oh, and the New York Yankees went New York Yankees once again.
Dave Dombrowski doesn’t like to keep prospects around for too long. Despite it seeming that the Washington Nationals were ready to have a Max Scherzer and Chris Sale one-two punch atop their rotation as late as last night, the Boston Red Sox swooped in and now have a frightening Big Three in their rotation. Chris Sale changes the color of his Sox and is now atop a rotation that has David Price and the 2016 Cy Young winner Rick Porcello.
Wayne Cavadi's Online Portfolio 