jacksonianmarch

I realize that, but Hughes won 18 yrs with a worse bullpen and a lineup that had 4 players posting career lows. I am predicting that he builds on last season, improves his ERA into the high 3's and brings his WHIP down a little as well, which I think will translate into one more win. Obviously, injury is involved, but we shall see. Also, with Nova, I have been following him for a long time now. Sinkerballers who have good control typically do okay in the bigs. I am definitely optimistic, but there will be no innings limit on him and I do think he has the potential to be an average starter. And at a 4.50ERA, he'd lose 15 games for the Pirates, but in NY, he'd win double digits

So Dipre, what's the unrealistic portion? I never predict injuries since they are variable. But seeing a rebound from Jeter and ARod is hardly unrealistic. It's not like I am predicting late 90s numbers from them, but something that would put them between their career lows last season and their previous seasons which were fantastic. Otherwise, I have a dropoff for Posada and Cano and pretty much the same for everyone else except Tex. Tex is 29, he's in his prime and is coming off a terrible start last yr. He'll rebound. Otherwise, where is the big purple unicorn?

Before you pencil him in for the 2012 RF spot, you need to see how he responds to an entire yr in AAA. In the bigs, he held his own and showed flashes but was still a minus in terms of COF spot, although he was just 22. There are a lot of prospects that get chewed up at the AAA level, and before you go handing him that spot, you'd really want to see him progress even further.

First of all, a 4.08ERA for Hughes is an improvement. Second of all, the ZIPS projections are skewed for players who had been relievers and have converted to starters, so the IP are gonna be low for Phil on these projections regardless. If I had to predict.... 1. Jeter SS- .290/.360/.420 2. Granderson CF- .260/.340/.460 3. Teixeira 1B- .290/.390/.560 4. Rodriguez 3B- .290/.400/.550 5. Cano 2B- .300/.360/.520 6. Swisher RF- .240/.360/.490 7. Posada DH- .230/.350/.420 8. Martin C- .270/.370/.390 9. Gardner LF- .290/.400/.400 Starters 1. Sabathia 20-9 3.20ERA 1.15WHIP 2. Hughes 19-7 3.80ERA 1.20WHIP 3. Burnett 15-10 4.30ERA 1.40WHIP 4. Nova 13-9 4.50ERA 1.40WHIP 5. ??? I think Swisher and Posada come down with Swish seeing an uptick in the OBP. I think Tex and ARod rebound into the .900s OPS wise. I think Cano maintains his power but sees his average slip a bit. Jeter rebounds a bit but doesnt reach his career marks. Granderson a slight uptick. Martin improve now that he's healthy but doesnt reach LA glory days. CC keeps on keeping on. Hughes wins a little more and improves on his numbers slightly. Burnett gets inbetween his 2009 and his 2010 numbers. And I think Nova is going to be a lot better than people give him credit for with that sinker and his control. The real question is, who is gonna be the #5 and who will end the season in that spot in the rotation. My guess is that we make a mid season deal and address that problem directly.

Basketball has become almost unwatchable. The star power is ridiculous and it has shown that there is truly no room in the pros for guys with underwhelming physical tools but ridiculous fundamentals. There is no everyman quality to the game anymore. Seeing a guy like David Wells take the hill was always comforting that an overweight drunk could actually be a student of the game enough to be great in the pros. In basketball, that just isnt the case. If you are under 6'6" and don't have elite quickness, you're nothing. Otherwise, you need to be over 6'6" and be able to jump over a small car to be able to play.

Long time no speak buddy

Good luck over there. Seems like your people are making a difference.

I think all 3 end up in the bigs. Warren throws the hardest of the bunch and I think he safely projects as a middle of the rotation starter. Warren has the most upside of the three, but they're all mid rotation prospects

Yep, he's a 20 game winner if he can stay healthy

Going through the BP list... 5 stars The 5 star guys are no brainers. Montero is the best hitter in the minors. I think BP undersells his D a little since he made major improvements last yr, but he still looks to be average at best. It wont be his strong suit Banuelos is definitely a 5 star, and he is pretty close to a finished product. His FB is in the mid 90s, he has a plus change and plus curve. His control needs some tightening up with the FB since he is just getting used to his newfound velocity. But he is definitely a 5 star. Gary Sanchez has Montero's offensive ability mixed with the projection to be above average or better behind the dish. He was in the GCL last yr mostly due to catching depth and to allow him to get acclimated to America. He'll be in Charleston, IMO, and will rocket through the system if the Yankees allow. His bat is so good that if they moved him to 1b, he'd probably be a big league callup in September of 2012. But he will probably be held back to allow his receiving skills and game calling abilities to develop Dellin Betances as a 5 star is appropriate, but is it possible for a 5 star to not even be close to his potential? Last yr, he looked amazing coming back, but his velocity and stuff overpowered some unexpecting hitters. If his control continues to improve, he's an ace in waiting. His biggest questionmark is health. But almost all of his health issues focused around his elbow, which the Yanks dicked around long enough and finally fixed. Hopefully he can stay healthy, cause he has a great future ahead of him Snubs Corban Joseph has to be on there. His power is coming especially as he gains weight, his swing looks great and his defense reportedly improved in 2010 to where he has the potential to be an average to above average 2b or 3b. Plus, the kid has a good eye for a 21 yr old. David Adams needs to be on there as well. The two guys who give the Yanks a hell of a lot of depth at 2b are left off. I know Adams has had his injury problems, but he has good size, a great bat and solid D at a tough position. I would also rather have Bryan Mitchell on there than Colin Curtis. Mitchell being 19 and showing 92-94 velocity with a now curve. 3 star prospects In terms of the "star" system, I think the only major gripe I have is with Brackman. If he isnt a 4 or 5 star, then I dont know who is. The kid essentially lost 2 seasons to Tommy John and came back solid last yr. Yes, he's old for the league, but his injury issues and two sport college career stunted his early growth. The fact is, he is 6'9", can sit in the high 90s, throws a plus spike curve and developed a reliable change, all while improving his location. I agree with Romine as a 3 star prospect since I think he projects as an average to above average catcher without a lot of room either way. I think he'll end up as a .750-.840OPS catcher in the bigs with double digit homers, an average eye, a BA around .280 and solid but unspectacular catching skills Nunez is a 3 star, IMO, because he still has a lot of projection left to reach. As it stands right now, he could be a major league caliber starting shortstop. He improved his batting eye last yr, although his power growth essentially stopped. He reminds me a lot of Austin Jackson offensively. Capable of hitting close to .300, not a ton of patience, good speed, good D from a big time defensive position, and more power projection still on the table. If he stays as is, 3 star is appropriate. But he has a chance to regress or progress and we'll see which way he goes. I'd give him another yr in AAA if we could since Pena is a stellar defensive backup and we need to see which way this kid goes. Nova as a 3 star is fine by me. He has 5 star stuff, but he pitches to contact with the sinker and isnt really a strike out artist. I have said it many times on here, I expect a good season out of him this yr. Nothing spectacular, but an ERA under 4.50 with a lot of innings logged is where I am putting my money. Which is probably not far off from where I expect him to end up. He's essentially a finished product who just needs to get used to the bigs. Noesi as a 3 star is similar to Nova. Noesi throws a little slower (low 90s) but makes up for it with elite control (1.5BB/9IP in MiLB career) of a deep arsenal. He's safely a middle of the rotation starter without much upside beyond that but also without much downside aside from possible injury. Brett Marshall as a 3 star this yr isnt underselling him too much, but he has ace potential. And TJS was probably the best thing for him, because all the dry throwing, core strengthening, and mechanical tweaking had him come back as a different animal. He's capable of locating his FB that can get up to 97 while also throwing a wicked slider and a big league caliber change. He even added a 2 seamer. He has all the looks of a #1 or #2 in the rotation or a closer in the pen. But being in Charleston for most of the yr is enough to sit back a little and hold him in the 3 star category. But if that was the case, why have Sanchez as a 5 star? Adam Warren is a major sleeper. He was taken in the 4th round in the 2009 draft as a guy with a lot of polish, but apparently not a lot of upside. Well, his FB now sits 93 and can touch 96. He has impeccable control of a deep arsenal including a 4 seamer, 2 seamer, slider, curve and change. Of those, his FB is plus and his slider flashes plus, but the others are at least big league average. He's done everything the Yanks could have asked for and even picked up his K rate to 9.8K/9IP when he moved to Trenton. But he continually gets undersold. This might be the yr he jumps onto the prospect map, though. Nine more Graham Stoneburner reminds me a lot of Scot Shields. Wicked sinker, devastating slider and small frame. I agree with BP on the need to develop the change. He's worked on it, but it still seems like a minus right now. Then again, he's entering his second pro season, so he still has some time. Laird is a bit of a free swinger, but has a ton of pop and showed improved patience in AA. He enters 2011 as a 23 yr old in AAA and is also dealing with a move to the OF. They are pretty close to on about Heathcott. Tons of tools for a HS kid in his first taste of the pros. The swing needs some work, but it isnt a major warning sign and the power should come Culver is spot on for them Phelps gets undersold as well. He throws low to mid 90s, has a 4 pitch arsenal with a plus slider and he locates. Not sure on what planet that is "average". He's a dark horse candidate for the #5 spot in the rotation Mesa's pure hit tool is centered completely around the curve. He used to not be able to touch it. This past season, he hit it well enough to get by. If he can improve just that part of his game, he has a big league starter's potential in the OF with his power and speed combo DJ Mitchell is pretty close to on as well, although I am not sure why everyone automatically assumes he is a reliever. He's a sinkerballer with a wicked sinker, good breaking ball and passable change. He has the stuff to be a back end starter. Out of the pen, he could fill the long lost shoes of Ramiro Mendoza. Colin Curtis shouldnt be on this list. His now is 4th OFer, his ceiling is 4th OFer, there are a ton better prospects than him. Angelo Gumbs has a ton of tools and is raw, I agree, but he also didnt need to make this list. He has something like 4 at bats to his name. Overall, I like their writeup. They seem to be the closest to reality, but I think the snubs of Joseph and Adams are the biggest glaring omissions

That might complicate things. But we will see. Theo said that for the player to get some security, the team must get something back

I'm not sad for him. His home vs road splits were ridiculous and I expect him to do pretty well in AAA. And in terms of Brackman, not sure what there isn't to like. He has size, power and a deep arsenal. And in 2010, he showed control

We agree on something

Not sure why Brackman isnt at least 4 stars. 6'9" and capable of throwing high 90s is pretty nice IMO

I will call him what I want. He's a douche who is gonna skate by again since he is famous

Pierre is WORLDS better in terms of basestealing instinct and speed. Or he was anyway. Regardless, you are comparing, once again, a kid with promise but a MAJOR flaw in his game to guys who have more tools than he does

I'd put a Pujols to NY at about 2%. There would need to be a multitude of factors and IMO, CC isnt one of them. If we lose CC, then Hank and Hal will push hard on Cash to make a deal and we'd probably gut our MiLB system for King Felix, who will finally become expensive in 2012. But for Pujols to come to NY, we'd need to see the offense falter significantly in 2011 and we'd need to miss the playoffs. And by falter, I dont mean get injured, I mean players all having career worsts at the same time. That would spur the boys in the FO to make a major play for Albert, IMO. And I think the likelihood that Cano dips back to .270, ARod drops below .800OPS, Tex drops below .800OPS and Swisher goes back to what he was in Chicago is pretty low

He did get hit with resisting arrest peacefully. But thanks for summing it up

See the Josh Hamilton thread for further evidence

And people wonder why I called him out for defending Cabrera in such a way. For Hamilton, who didn't get behind the wheel mind you, it's our society that makes excuses. For Cabrera, it's Dipre making excuses.

It isnt a low blow. Look at the comments made before Calling me out. A spade is a spade my friend. Why else would he be saying we cannot assault his character and use cultural excuses for it? If he's gonna go down the road of a flimsy "riding a donkey through the streets of Venezuela" defense and then start assaulting the character of posters on the board for not agreeing with him, then I have to assume there is another reason behind it. Why can't one ask the question when such a ridiculous position is taken to defend a guy who continually puts himself AND others in danger with his actions

Maybe, but it is still pretty early to write off a kid with his tools

It is a roll of the dice, but it isnt a franchise killer of a contract like Wells' was. Ricciardi really hamstrung the team with Wells and Rios' deal. If Bautista turns out to be a late bloomer and consistently puts up .900+OPS's on an annual basis, then this deal is a steal