Minnesota Twins Prospect #15 (Poll)

by SethSpeaks on Oct 22, 2008 9:49 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

Jeff Manship takes the spot for Prospect #14. So it's time to vote for #15. I have some personal thoughts on these, but it is a community vote, so I will go by the 5% rule this time again. Be sure to leave Comments and also tell me who should be added to the ballot, if someone is missing. So, keep discussing your choices:

Danny Valencia, 3B
Ben Revere, OF
Aaron Hicks, OF
Angel Morales, OF
Wilson Ramos, C
Jose Mijares, LH RP
Anthony Swarzak, RHP
Tyler Robertson, LHP
Deolis Guerra, RHP
Luke Hughes, 3B/2B/OF/DH
Shooter Hunt, RHP
Kevin Mulvey, RHP
Trevor Plouffe, IF
Jeff Manship, RHP

Off the ballot (for this round) - Erik Lis, Steve Tolleson, Rene Tosoni

On the ballot - Joe Benson, David Bromberg, Brian Duensing, David Winfree

Again, please vote for the player that you think is the Twins top prospect among those remaining on the ballot. Poll will be up approximately 24 hours. Please vote, but also discuss your selection and the players available. Finally, if there are names you feel should be added to a ballot, mention them as well.

Again, if you have any questions or want to do some research on any of the prospects mentioned, one starting point might be http://www.sethspeaks.net/100208.htm. That is my personal Top 10 list, and it has links to all of my top 50 choices.

Poll

Who is Twins Prospect #15?

Joe Benson

4 votes

David Bromberg

10 votes

Rob Delaney

15 votes

Brian Duensing

5 votes

Carlos Gutierrez

27 votes

Michael McCardell

3 votes

Chris Parmelee

39 votes

Deibinson Romero

4 votes

Anthony Slama

5 votes

David Winfree

2 votes

114 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 17 comments

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Comments

I went with Gutierrez...

for I believe the 4th straight time now.

His upside is too great to ignore for me.

Parmelee/Romero would be next for me.

by DJSkillz on Oct 22, 2008 10:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Slama has such a great name, can't wait to vote for him. I went with Gutierrez though...

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane

by AdamOnFirst on Oct 23, 2008 12:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Back to Delaney...

…but I could be swayed for next time by some convincing arguments.

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by Andersklasen on Oct 23, 2008 1:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I voted for...

…One of the following 3:

Player A .288/.346/.434 37walks/103strikeouts 452 at bats
Player B .336/.402/.518 27walks/43strikeouts 220 at bats
Player C .325/.430/.452 18walks/28strikeouts 126 at bats

Yes, all three played for the same team, although Player C was injured. I voted for Player C…opps! I guess this time I can’t because Rene Tosoni is no longer on the list. By the way, Player A is Wilson Ramos who was voted #5. Player B is Danny Valencia who was Player B. Not bad company…yet like Rodney Dangerfield, Rene Tosoni can’t get any respect amongst Twinkie Town voters!

by roger13 on Oct 23, 2008 7:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Defense and age

I think it’s really a disservice to Ramos to compare him to Tosoni. Ramos is a year younger at the same level and plays a premium defensive position. Again, Tosoni is a corner outfielder with little power. Guys like that rarely make it to the majors unless they develop an ability to play center. Also, I’d like to see him put those numbers up for a longer period of time than just 125 at bats. After 125 at bats, Gomez was hitting like .300/.350/.450 with 18 SBs in 18 chances. We all know he slumped quite a bit before a late surge. Let me see Tosoni put those numbers up for a full season.

One more thing: If Tosoni makes it to the majors, it will be a huge story because he was drafted 34th one year and 36th the next year. Most of the guys ahead of him on my list were drafted in the top three rounds or signed as high-profile international players. Valencia and Manship are the exceptions.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 23, 2008 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

CMath...

…All I was saying is that he put up numbers similar to the #1 and #5 selections, yet, doesn’t seem to get much support now that we are down in the teens. The fact that he sustained a broken foot from a foul ball shouldn’t be held against him, yet, I must agree that 126 at bats are somewhat limited. When he returned late in the year, he didn’t do as well in his last 14 at bats…however, did very well in the playoffs including hitting two big home runs. I agree that we need to see more from him, however, all indications are that the Twins are very high on him as evidenced by his promotion to Ft. Myers from ETon with both Benson and Parmalee returning to Beloit. It also should be noted that when he did return for the playoffs, he was consistently the Miracle’s centerfielder which indicates to me that Jeff Smith believes he is an above average outfielder. My point however, was that this is one kid that deserves some recognition and now that he is off the list he is likely destined to not be selected until somewhere in the 20’s or 30’s. He deserves a selection much higher than that in my opinion.

by roger13 on Oct 23, 2008 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he's a centerfielder...

…it changes everything. I guess I would say my reluctance is similar to my reluctance with Gutierrez. There’s so much uncertainty, that I can’t rate him in the high teens. I have Gutierrez rated 16 and Tosoni rated 17. Both could break the top ten, if not the top five, after this season with big years in AA.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 23, 2008 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

cmat-

Send me an e-mail when you have a chance…

by SethSpeaks on Oct 23, 2008 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just still think....

that Gutierrez is no more of a risk than say, Parmelee, and his upside isn’t any smaller IMO.

by DJSkillz on Oct 23, 2008 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You're probably right

Parmelee’s upside is Adam Dunn. Gutierrez’s upside is Derek Lowe. I guess there’s at least a 5 margin for error here. In othet words, I could rank any of these guys up or down five slots and not be too bothered by it.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 23, 2008 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, I had to do a little research on some of these names.

In the end I went with Parmelee. I can’t see him edging out Justin for playing time soon. But, he does have the power thing going for him. This “game” is definitely getting tougher.

by Beerbear on Oct 23, 2008 1:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gotta go with Delaney again. His numbers are just too good in the minors. But I’m getting closer to vote for Parmelee because of his upside and what he’s done so far.

by hitormiss1414 on Oct 23, 2008 1:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I went with Parmelee.

And that’s a choice that has a lot of personal bias in it, because I really do want the guy to succeed. He was 20 this year in Beloit, and he has quite a weakness in his ability to make contact, but he has a good eye (18.3% walk rate) and good power (.257 isolated power). Right now I identify him like a poor man’s Adam Dunn…not quite that monster, but a player in the same mold. He’s a flyball hitter, but he locked onto his share of line drives this year too (19%).

by Jesse on Oct 23, 2008 3:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dunn is a good comp

Here’s what Dunn did as a 20 year old in the Midwest league:
420AB 118H 292B 16HR 100BB 101K .281/.428/.469/897

Here’s what Parmelee did at the same age in the same league:
226AB 102B 14HR 52BB 83K .239/.385/.496/881

Dunn had the same number of homers in twice the at bats. He did have three times the doubles and a lower K rate.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 23, 2008 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+ or - Five spots

I’m not incredibly particular about the exact slot a guy ends up in, but I think of guys in general areas. I’ve been swayed by the Parmelee faction this time, but I’d like to see Gutierrez, Delaney, Romero, McCardell, and Bromberg in the top 20. Great article on Bromberg in BA that Seth linked to. Makes you realize the challenges of teaching pitching in the minors, how irrelevant numbers may be if a given guy is ‘working’ on something, and especially the value Rick Knapp had.

by Han Joelo on Oct 23, 2008 6:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs