scaffolds

Someone Email me questioning why Jon Still was ranked so low (53) the reasoning its this. Still had a good season at Greenville and has played well in Lancaster, but Still its below average in all phases of catching (recieving, blocking pitches and arm) which means his future could only be as first basemen, however he its also below average as a defensive first baseman and while he has some pop with the bat its only adequate for the position.

Since we have made the list of the top 75 prospects, why not list the next 25 to reach the top 100 prospects in the Red Sox system. 76- David Pauley RHP 77- Kade keowen RF 78- Brock Huntzinger RHP 79- Randy Consuegra RHP 80- Hunter Strickland RHP 81- Anataner Batista RHP 82- David Marks LF 83- Manuel Rivera LHP 84- Darren Blocker 3B 85- Thomas Presley RHP 86- Dennis Neuman RHP 87- Roberto Feliz LF 88- Willy Mota RHP 89- Pedro Perez RHP 90- Luis Soto RF 91- Adam Mills RHP 92- Carlos Gonzalez RHP 93- Joseph Guerra RHP 94- Jorge Jimenez 3B 95- Jimmy James RHP 96- Wilfredo Pichardo 2B 97- Chad Rhodes RHP 98- Chris Province RHP 99- Charles New RHP 00- Jay Johnson OF

Lin and Almanzar are very different type of prospects. The hardest tool for a scout to find in a prospect is power, projected power and Almanzar has plus plus projected power, with plus bat speed, good athletic ability and hands specially for someone of his size and a strong arm. Lin has outstanding speed, a very good arm, with very good range in the outfield, a true center fielder, while he has good bat speed and pop its the key for him as a prospect.

AZBlue my pleasure, The 21-40 group consist of prospects with very good tools, some with high ceiling, but in general prospects with more questions than the ones in the first group. The 41-75 group consist of three parts, prospects that had a down year or had health issues in 2007 but in general have tools to work on, prospects who are older, with limeted tools and ceiling, but ones who have produced and very young ones with very good tools and projections, but are raw.

Kottaras didn't had a good year, but this list isn't just about production, there still questions on his catching, his arm, his ability to call a game. Its way to early to give up on him and like I posted before he needs another full season in AAA.

Yes, first base its his best position, but even at first he is below average.

There still a couple weeks left on the minor league calender, but after having watch or talking with people in the industry who has seen this prospects on a regular basis its time to make the list of the top Red Sox prospects. The last couple of years I have made a list of the 50 Red Sox prospects, but because the talent and depth has improved considerably I have decided to increased the list to the top 75 prospects on the system, THis list is based on Projections, Ceiling, Tools, Prospect Age and Player Production. This list isn't based on the prospect playing level or how close to ML the prospect playing level is. The top 75 prospects: 01- Clay Buchholz RHP 02- Jacoby Ellsbury CF 03- Michael Bowden RHP 04- Lars Anderson 1B 05- Justin Masterson RHP 06- Brandon Moss RF 07- Craig Hansen RHP 08- Michael Almanzar 3B 09- Josh Reddick RF 10- Oscar Tejada SS 11- Jed Lowrie 2B 12- Will Middlebrook 3B 13- Aaron Bate 1B 14- Che-Hsuang Lin CF 15- Nick Hagadone LHP 16- Ryan Kalish CF 17- Chris Carter 1B 18- Kris Johnson LHP 19- Jason Place RF 20- Anthony Rizzo 1B 21- Chih-Hsien Chiang 2B 22- Reid Engel CF 23- Miguel Socolovitch RHP 24- Mark Wagner C 25- Tony Granadillo 2B 26- Manuel Arrambaris 3B 27- Bryson Cox RHP 28- Dustin Richardson LHP 29- Carlos Fernandez LF 30- Daniel Bard RHP 31- Zachary Daeges LF 32- David Mailman RF 33- Argenis Diaz SS 34- Ryan Dent 2B 35- Felix Ventura RHP 36- George kottaras C 37- Jose Capellan LHP 38- Mike Jones 1B 39- Yamaico Navarro SS 40- Tyler Weedem C 41- Devern Hansack RHP 42- Bubba Bell CF 43- Richie Lentz RHP 44- Edgar Martinez RHP 45- Jose Alvarez LHP 46- Luis Summoza RF 47- Ryan Phillips LHP 48- Jon Eagan C 49- Kyle Jackson RHP 50- Felix Doubront LHP 51- Caleb Clay RHP 52- Hunter Jones LHP 53- Jonathan Still 1B 54- Jordan Craft RHP 55- Dustin Brown C 56- Stolmy Pimentel RHP 57- Kris Negron 2B 58- Mickey Hall RF 59- Ronald Bermudez CF 60- Andrew Pinkney 3B 61- Arbert Jimenez LHP 62- Michael Rozier LHP 63- Christian Lara SS 64- Chad Spann 3B 65- Cesar Cabral LHP 66- Luis Exposito C 67- Yeiper Castillo RHP 68- Jeff Corsoletti LF 69- Jeff Natale 2B 70- Mitchell Dening RF 71- Anthony Alvarado RHP 72- Austin Bailey RHP 73- Brake Britton LHP 74- Scott White 3B 75- Jorge Rodriguez RHP

Gagne should had pitched in the first game where there was a 4 run lead and Had Papelbon in case that he couldn't hold it and if not Papelbon for the second game, but that's Francona for you.

Could he had been traded for Nick Johnson?

I haven't been able to confirm any other Sox signing lately, with the early phase of International signing coming to an end in a couple weeks might be able to do it.

Thank You. The player ranking list is based on tools, projection, ceiling and production Isn't based on the level where the player may be playingat the time.

AZBlue, you welcome, my pleasure.

There's only 15 days left on the early phase of the International signing. According to the Boston Glove the Red Sox signed the first European player in years when they signed German RHP Jennel Hudson. Hudson who is 6-5 and its 17 yrs has been playing in the ML European baseball Academy in Italy. The Puerto Rico Winter league has cancel its 2007-2008 season because bad economic issues on the island.

A few more notes about the Sox signing of 2007 draft picks. Scouts who have scouted David Mailman compare him to Sox prospect Josh Reddick, both of them with a very smooth lefthanded swing and power projected, in Reddick's case he is showing his power in the South Atlantic league. According to reports both Michael Almanzar and Will Middlebrook will come to Spring training in 2008 and to Extended Spring training as a short stop, a decision of whom will move to Tthird base will be done sometimes in Extended. In Ryan Dent's case he could open Spring training as a short stop, but a decision to second base should be soon after. The Sox decision in signing hitters from the 2007 draft its based that the 2008 draft will be heavy pitching oriented and has a shortage of hitters (at least for now) There was some talk before last night dead line about the Sox signing their 15th round pick Scott Green and according to some reports he was in Boston taking a physical on Tuesday. Green who is about 6-7 240 and has a fast ball in the range 92-93 and had a good season in the Cape over priced himself and there was talk that he wantedat least a million to sign. I believe that the Sox made the right decision of letting him to return to kentucky university where he has been inconsistent and there's health questions about him. The list of Red Sox prospect won't come out for about a month, but this a preview of how the 2007 drafted and signed prospects may look like. Will Middlebrook SS/3B ( top 12 prospect) Nick Hagadone LHP (top 20 prospect) Anthony Rizzo 1B (top 30 prospect) Ryan Dent 2B (top 35 prospect) David Mailman OF (top 45 prospect) Austin Bailey RHP (top 50- 60 prospect) Jaren Mattews OF (top 60 prospect) Brake Britton LHP (top 75 prospect)

In general the Red Sox did a good job (not great) in signing the draft picks, however its dissapointing to only been able to sign 1 (Middlebrook) out of the top 3 prospects that they drafted. Nick Tepesch was without a doubt the top pitcher that the Sox drafted and Yosmany Grandal may had been the top catching prospect on the draft. I understand that both players had a very high price tag on them, but when the Sox spend $ 700,000 to sing Brake Britton (which by the way i am lukewarm on him) they could had spend a bit more and had signed Tespech or Grandal. Like i said before they did a good job in signing the draft picks and when you add International signs like Michael Almanzar and Che-Hsuang lin they had done a very good job of adding talent to the system this Summer.

The Red Sox signed Austin Bailey, Jaren Mattews and John "Brake" Britton. Bailey is a RHP and the Sox 16th round pick from Alabama 6-0 190 a physically mature former third baseman who hasn't been pitching for very long, but has a fastball at 92-93 that he can maintain deep into games. Perhaps he is the top pitching prospect signed out of this draft. Mattews is a 6-1 180 L/L 1B/OF out of New Jersey and the Sox 17th round draft pick, like with Mailman he projects as an outfielder, but its a better athlete, however his bat isn't as polish as Mailman. Britton is a 6-2 200 LHP out of Texas and the Sox 23th round draft pick. Britton's fastball is about 88-90, but was inconsistent in 2007 and even dipped into the mid 80's, his best pitch is a mid 70's C/B.

AZBlue you welcome, In my opinion the difference between Anderson and Rizzo is that Anderson is more mature and a year older at the same stage, that's why he went directly to Greenville, on the other hand Rizzo more than likely will start in the GCL in 2008. In addition Anderson has been hyped by BA and Jim Callis, don't get me wrong I am not saying that Anderson isn't a very good prospect, because he is, but that Rizzo is too.

According to unofficial reports Will Middlebrook and David Mailman have signed with the Red Sox. Middlebrook is a 6-2 215 SS/3b/RHP from Texas H.S. and the Sox fifth round pick, Mailman is a 6-2 180 L/L from North Carolina and the Sox's seventh round pick.

The Red Sox have released that they have signed their 6th round pick first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo who just turned 18 yrs a week ago is 6-3 220 L/L is a power hitting first baseman. After having watched Lars Anderson play in different tournaments last year and having follow Rizzo for the last three years honestly can say that Rizzo is as good as a hitter coming out of H.S. as Anderson was and is a better fielder, with better mobility. Rizzo should be among the top 30 Red Sox prospects this off season. I believe that Rizzo's bonus was for$ 325 000. There are a lot or rumors going on about which draft pick the Red Sox may sign before tonight midnight, but one who isn't a rumor is after talking with Yasmany Grandal a couple of days ago its very unlikely that he will sign.

Kottaras isn't ready for the ML, not even as a back up, as for a back up catcher for 2008 it all depends the Sox plans with Wakefield, if he is coming back i won't be surprised if Mirabelli gets resigned.

While Kottaras value its way down organizations don't give away LH catchers. Kottaras will be back in Pawtucket in 2008 at least for the first half of the season unless there's injuries at the ML, as a 24 yrs he is still a prospect.

Mota is having a good, not great first year in Lowell as a pitcher, a relief pitcher in all of his games 12G 1 SV 18 2/3 IP 16 H (2HR) 11 BB 14 K 2-3 record 3.86 ERA and 229 Ave against. There isn't a question about the quality of arm Mota has (mid 90's) but he needs a off speed pitch and to bring douwn the # of bases on balls.

Five Red Sox pitchers combine to strike out 18 batters Monday in 16 inning as the Sox beat the Marlins 5-4. RHP Yeiper Castillo (Sox's starter) had 6k in 4 IP, RHP Alberto Gonzalez had 5 K in 2 2/3 IP, RHP Dennis Neuman had 4 K in 2 1/3 IP, LHP Manuel Rivera had 1 K in 4 IP and RHP Manuel Jimenez (game's winner) had 2 k in 3IP.

Reddick started the year in extended in Spring training, in my opinion let him finished the year in Greenville. The Orioles's Markakis is the ML player who Reddick's talent is similar to. At this point Reddick is the Sox system #9 prospect.