The 2013-14 MLB Hot Stove Tracker And Spring Training Discussion Thread

Still not gonna compete with STL, CIN, PIT. Lol

Breaking down the Top 100 Prospects list

1 - Byron Buxton, OF (MIN)

2 - Xander Bogaerts, SS (BOS)

3 - Oscar Taveras, OF (STL)

4 - Miguel Sano, 3B (MIN)

5 - Archie Bradley, RHP (ARI)

6 - Taijuan Walker, RHP (SEA)

7 - Javier Baez, SS (CHC)

8 - Carlos Correa, SS (HOU)

9 - Kris Bryant, 3B (CHC)

10 - Francisco Lindor, SS (CLE)

11 - Noah Syndergaard, RHP (NYM)

12 - Addison Russell, SS (OAK)

13 - Gregory Polanco, OF (PIT)

14 - Jonathan Gray, RHP (COL)

15 - Nick Castellanos, 3B (DET)

16 - Jameson Taillon, RHP (PIT)

17 - Mark Appel, RHP (HOU)

18 - Albert Almora, OF (CHC)

19 - Robert Stephenson, RHP (CIN)

20 - Dylan Bundy, RHP (BAL)

21 - George Springer, OF (HOU)

22 - Travis d'Arnaud, C (NYM)

23 - Aaron Sanchez, RHP (TOR)

24 - Austin Hedges, C (SD)

25 - Kyle Zimmer, RHP (KC)

26 - Maikel Franco, 3B (PHI)

27 - Tyler Glasnow, RHP (PIT)

28 - Alex Meyer, RHP (MIN)

29 - Andrew Heaney, LHP (MIA)

30 - Henry Owens, LHP (BOS)

31 - Kevin Gausman, RHP (BAL)

32 - Kyle Crick, RHP (SF)

33 - Jackie Bradley, OF (BOS)

34 - Corey Seager, SS (LAD)

35 - Yordano Ventura, RHP (KC)

36 - Joc Pederson, OF (LAD)

37 - Billy Hamilton, OF (CIN)

38 - Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS (KC)

39 - Jorge Alfaro, C (TEX)

40 - Kohl Stewart, RHP (MIN)

41 - Eddie Butler, RHP (COL)

42 - C.J. Edwards, RHP (CHC)

43 - Max Fried, LHP (SD)

44 - Lucas Giolito, RHP (WAS)

45 - Austin Meadows, OF (PIT)

46 - Allen Webster, RHP (BOS)

47 - Gary Sanchez, C (NYY)

48 - Clint Frazier, OF (CLE)

49 - Jorge Soler, OF (CHC)

50 - Jonathan Singleton, 1B (HOU)

51 - Colin Moran, 3B (MIA)

52 - Lance McCullers Jr., RHP (HOU)

53 - Jesse Biddle, LHP (PHI)

54 - Mike Foltyniewicz, RHP (HOU)

55 - Marcus Stroman, RHP (TOR)

56 - Jake Odorizzi, RHP (TB)

57 - Garin Cecchini, 3B (BOS)

58 - Kolten Wong, 2B (STL)

59 - Rougned Odor, 2B (TEX)

60 - Lucas Sims, RHP (ATL)

61 - Blake Swihart, C (BOS)

62 - Mookie Betts, 2B (BOS)

63 - Zach Lee, RHP (LAD)

64 - Julio Urias, LHP (LAD)

65 - Jake Marisnick, OF (MIA)

66 - Delino DeShields Jr., OF (HOU)

67 - Alen Hanson, SS (PIT)

68 - Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP (BAL)

69 - A.J. Cole, RHP (WAS)

70 - Erik Johnson, RHP (CWS)

71 - David Dahl, OF (COL)

72 - Michael Choice, OF (TEX)

73 - Trevor Bauer, RHP (CLE)

74 - Josh Bell, OF (PIT)

75 - Mason Williams, OF (NYY)

76 - Luis Sardinas, SS (TEX)

77 - Chris Owings, SS (ARI)

78 - Matt Wisler, RHP (SD)

79 - Braden Shipley, RHP (ARI)

80 - Matt Davidson, 3B (CWS)

81 - Justin Nicolino, LHP (MIA)

82 - Christian Bethancourt, C (ATL)

83 - Jimmy Nelson, RHP (MIL)

84 - Hak-Ju Lee, SS (TB)

85 - Rafael Montero, RHP (NYM)

86 - Matt Barnes, RHP (BOS)

87 - Casey Kelly, RHP (SD)

88 - D.J. Peterson, 3B (SEA)

89 - Arismendy Alcantara, 2B (CHC)

90 - J.O. Berrios, RHP (MIN)

91 - Jorge Bonifacio, OF (KC)

92 - Joey Gallo, 3B (TEX)

93 - Roberto Osuna, RHP (TOR)

94 - Taylor Guerrieri, RHP (TB)

95 - Edwin Escobar, LHP (SF)

96 - Trey Ball, LHP (BOS)

97 - Robbie Ray, LHP (DET)

98 - Stephen Piscotty, OF (STL)

99 - Rosell Herrera, SS (COL)

100 - Pierce Johnson, RHP (CHC)





link

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
So the A's trade for Jim Johnson and give him 10M for 1 year instead of Balfour for 2/12. LOL at that one.

lol this lol

The angels don't have one mudda f**ka on that list

Keith Laws Farm System Ranking
Cant post the whole thing since its on ESPN Insider, ill just post the teams that we follow here on the zone and also the number 1 ranked team

1. Houston Astros

On the one hand, when you pick first overall every year, you should probably end up with a pretty good farm system, and the Astros' top five prospects are all first-round picks. On the other hand, the Astros have done everything they needed to do to restock what was a few years ago the worst system in the majors, like exceeding MLB's recommended signing bonuses for Lance McCullers Jr. and Rio Ruiz in 2012, or landing prospects like Jonathan Singleton, Domingo Santana and Asher Wojciechowski in trades.

They've become more aggressive in Latin America, as well, after years of dormancy following the departure of legendary Venezuelan scout Andres Reiner in 2005, and have been willing to endure some brutal seasons at the major league level in pursuit of the goal of strengthening the weak system. They have depth and they have a couple of high-ceiling guys at the top of the system, getting close to the point where the light at the end of the tunnel no longer looks like an oncoming train. It's been ugly, Astros fans, but hang in there.



11. Los Angeles Dodgers

Also a very top-heavy system, like Baltimore's, with two elite guys at the top and three solid guys after, followed by a lot of reliever/fifth starter depth. They did have some intriguing arms in short-season ball who could push this system's overall value up a lot by next year, especially since none of their top eight prospects are likely to lose eligibility in 2014.



12. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have produced so much homegrown talent over the past five years that it's hard to believe they're still above the median, but with potential superstar Oscar Taveras on top, a half-dozen more prospects who project as regulars or better, and lots of pitching and bench depth, they're poised to keep stocking the major league team for several more years. One system weakness, though, as you might have heard: shortstop.



22. Atlanta Braves

A very top-heavy system, led by first-rounder Lucas Sims and Panamanian catcher Christian Bethancourt, but years of subpar drafts as well as trades to bolster the major league team have thinned the system out. Atlanta is the only team with two undrafted (yet draft-eligible) free agents in its top 10 prospects.


25. San Francisco Giants

The Giants have a lot of high-floor arms in their system and a couple of intriguing up-the-middle bats, but not quite enough of either to overcome a lack of high-ceiling (potential star) prospects after hard-throwing Kyle Crick. They are in position to use that pitching depth to make a midseason acquisition if they need to this year, which wasn't true of their system going into 2013.



26. Oakland Athletics

The A's have one of the youngest top 10s of any team in the majors, but aside from budding superstar Addison Russell, most of their talent is far away and still very uncertain.



29. Los Angeles Angels

An awful system after years of lost first-round picks and trades to bulk up the major league team, it improved marginally in 2013 with some new arms, but regression from most of the top position player prospects in the system was a huge disappointment.



http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10354393/houston-astros-top-farm-system-rankings-mlb

Protective hats for pitchers have been approved
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10363291/pitchers-protective-caps-approved-major-league-baseball

Cardinals #12 now huh?

The MLB.com Top 100 might have came out but remember the Baseball America Top 100 has weight too, and that doesn't come out till sometime next month.

Matt Holliday ranked as the #1 LF in MLB

Originally posted by jrg:
Matt Holliday ranked as the #1 LF in MLB

Holliday is still a very good hitter but it speaks to the lack of LF talent quite a bit. I'd still take Braun over him even with the question marks that he has.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by jrg:
Matt Holliday ranked as the #1 LF in MLB

Holliday is still a very good hitter but it speaks to the lack of LF talent quite a bit. I'd still take Braun over him even with the question marks that he has.

Braun will be in RF this year. I agree regarding the lack of LF talent. Holliday is as consistent as they come, but even I was when they had him ranked #1...ahead of Bryce Harper.

Berkman retires

Originally posted by jrg:

Berkman retires

Michael Young too

The angels LF, whoever it is, is the best LF in the game