tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.comments2023-05-27T08:20:02.829-07:00Remember '51 - An often biased look at baseball and the SF GiantsKevin O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-80804671891494435662013-05-31T11:53:44.757-07:002013-05-31T11:53:44.757-07:00He just got purchased by the Red Sox from independ...He just got purchased by the Red Sox from independent Grand Prairie Air Hogs. And he's now an outfielder!!!H.E. Pennypackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01556364432176724193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-58866175840917488732013-02-21T12:26:20.736-08:002013-02-21T12:26:20.736-08:00Dude, he's 22 years old... How is his youth go...Dude, he's 22 years old... How is his youth gone? lol come one man...Jim Fiorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07471914038807601014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-66252163278526186632012-07-04T09:48:11.374-07:002012-07-04T09:48:11.374-07:00Bring up Dominguez and have him go through intensi...Bring up Dominguez and have him go through intensive hitting training with bam bam. Are you kidding? E. Burriss can bat 210 and play in the majors and we can't bring him up?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-40437776390631214022012-04-25T20:19:05.428-07:002012-04-25T20:19:05.428-07:00Noonan had what I thought was a breakout in the se...Noonan had what I thought was a breakout in the second half of his first season in San Jose. Basically, it is much like what he is doing in AAA right now: not striking out much, BB/K ratio very high, near the 1.0 the best hitters reach. That was 2009, second half, which we can't see now, but was available at that great minor league stats site that no longer is updated.<br><br>Since then, he had been pretty much overmatched in AA.<br><br>But remember, only the best prospects even make AA by age 22, which he was last season. He's still only 23 and doing well in AAA, we have to remember that he's younger than the competition right now, and yet doing well against them.<br><br>Plus, we have to remember how hard it is to hit in the Eastern League. Seems to me that only the best prospects figure out how to hit there, but the tweeners and below just suffer there.<br><br>I also think the comparisons with Utley did him a disservice, setting expectations too high (too be more precise, what was said then was that he was viewed as an Utley-lite, in that he could be like Utley except for the power). Partly because when people hear Utley, they then don't hear the "lite", and then think HR power.<br><br>He's becoming too much of a Burriss, though, in that his power is almost non-existent. Do you know if he had some bad injury to his legs in 2009? His stolen bases and ISO had sharp drops after that nice, what I thought breakout, half season in 2009 (I can dig up the stats if you like). And have stayed down ever since, I thought he was going to be good for double digits in triples, homers, and SB early on.<br><br>Plus, he did the video training system same time as Belt and said back then that he was hitting more line drives back then, but his ISO is even worse this season, so far.<br><br>Of course, he might be a tweener like Nate. Nate usually struggled with his promotion, so what he appeared to do, based on his stat pattern, was first focus on learning how to hit at his new level, so his batting average would be pretty good, but his ISO and thus SLG was not so great. Then once he got his legs in that league, he would then figure out how to hit for HR power once he got hitting down.<br><br>Maybe Noonan is like that?<br><br>I think the only reason he's playing SS and 3B in recent years is because Culberson had risen above him as a prospect, and so they wanted Charlie playing at the position they hope he makes the majors in, which was 2B, which left SS and 3B for Noonan to play. Plus, at the rate he was going, being a utility player who can play a lot of positions was his best hopes of making the majors, much like Burriss.<br><br>But the good news is that he's still very young, and with Franchez probably gone in 2013, both Burriss and Culberson (and probably Gillaspie) will be battling for the 2B position that year, and Panik don't look like he's going to force his way into AAA for 2013 either, so Noonan might get to start at 2B again in 2013 at Fresno.<br><br>I'm still hopeful for Noonan, nice to see him doing well, but he still have a lot to prove still to make the majors.obsessivegiantscompulsivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11362706004246875823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-71392921134867380282012-04-07T18:11:34.329-07:002012-04-07T18:11:34.329-07:00I agree. I think Richmond has the most interestin...I agree. I think Richmond has the most interesting offensive lineup to watch out for, but the Augusta rotation takes the cake for me. Good seasons by these guys in the staff could swing the Giants system in the views of many scouts and experts. Of course, off seasons and it could only amplify the Giants' lack of pitching depth in the system. Either way, it'll make for an interesting story line this year.<br><br>Also hoping for a bounce back year from my boy Carlos Willoughby. Still like him despite the disappointing 2011 finish.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-62101379868925260282012-04-07T11:41:13.127-07:002012-04-07T11:41:13.127-07:00Can't wait for this Augusta rotation.On the hi...Can't wait for this Augusta rotation.<br><br>On the historical front - we lost to the Mets Sand Gnats cuz they brought in a frickin' ringer - Johan Santana himself. Talk about dirty pool...Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-55391341419839339972012-04-03T21:47:23.619-07:002012-04-03T21:47:23.619-07:00Thanks for the congrats. They are definitely exper...Thanks for the congrats. They are definitely experiencing some big turnover as of late, so it's a nice opportunity. I plan on posting a couple of things there this week. I was hoping to get the 21-25 post up tonight, but the short week at school bogged me down. Should be up sometime tomorrow though.<br><br>As for grades, yeah I know what you mean. I'm not trying to say I'm all rosy-colored glasses with these guys, but it's important to recognize the guys who are worth recognizing. You're absolutely right. The odds these guys face are long, and expectations should always be tempered. But that being said, prospects and minor league players are something to be valued, and each one has a different amount of value to the Giants organization. I guess as a Giants fan what I'm trying to do is figure out who's valuable and who's maybe not so as much.<br><br>Thanks for the comment, hopefully I can get that post out by tomorrow.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-34802361446688929742012-04-03T08:29:55.700-07:002012-04-03T08:29:55.700-07:00Kevin - Congrats. I really like Wally Fish's ...Kevin - Congrats. I really like Wally Fish's writing and you will contribute very nicely to Seedlings. Good stuff.<br><br>As for your grades, its good to be tough and fair. The odds these guys face are long. I have a hard time criticizing guys as well. Don't hold back, what you say is nothing compared to all the MLB guys when they're carving up draft order, thinning the herd on promotions and what not.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-91713828410487945422012-04-02T21:40:42.092-07:002012-04-02T21:40:42.092-07:00Thanks OGC, sorry for not getting to this comment ...Thanks OGC, sorry for not getting to this comment earlier. It was a really great one.<br><br>To be honest, I'm more anti-Whiteside than I am anti-Stewart. I really like what Stewart brings to the table. He's solid defensively, and while offensively he doesn't bring much upside, he did show some progress as he got more at-bats. My big thing is that we know what Whiteside is going to bring to the table, which to be honest, isn't much. I wouldn't be averse to Sanchez starting in Triple-A. In fact, I have supported it for most of this Spring. I'm just saying that if Bochy is really all about bringing Whiteside back as the backup and releasing Stewart, the Giants might as well bring up Sanchez because he's a better option than Whiteside IMO. Furthermore, I still think a prospect could develop as a backup (I think working with the Major League staff instead of journeyman or Quad-A guys is invaluable), and the Rockies are thinking that by bringing in Wilin Rosario. Now, knowing Jim Tracy, who knows how they'll handle Rosario, but it does give some food for thought with the whole Sanchez situation.<br><br>Either way, I think Sanchez is a special player. I think if Posey can't catch full time (and you're right, everything now points to him being recovered and good to go), then I think he and Sanchez would make a very valuable platoon. Of course, that probably means that either Susac or Joseph is trade bait, but that isn't a bad thing, especially if the Giants could get something big in return. That is the benefit of having a surplus at a premium position. It can net you a lot in return.<br><br>That's a good point about the Arias and the Giants history of taking up failed prospects. Casilla and Torres are two big success stories, and the Giants still have some in the works, with Michael Main being the main one (former first round pick by the Rangers). Gordon of the MiLBA still has hope for him, though they note that he needs to make a big step up this year. I will definitely be paying attention to Main this year to see how he progresses at Double-A. If he can resurrect his career in the Pen, it could be another dumpster dive gem from Sabes, who got him in the Molina trade.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-39784359282476352282012-04-02T08:11:21.748-07:002012-04-02T08:11:21.748-07:00Nice rundown of Giants news. I would note that Ch...Nice rundown of Giants news. <br><br>I would note that Chris Stewart most probably has the inside track to taking the backup job, not Whiteside. And while he's older, not really a vet yet, almost same as Sanchez, both really had their major debut in 2011 (though Stewart got some playing timre previously in majors, but not very much).<br><br>Here's why I would rather see Stewart backing up and Sanchez in AAA. Stewart has good batting peripherals: good contact rate, good walk rate to boot. Catchers take longer to develop their hitting, so if we can hold onto him, he could blossom for us offensively potentially. He's done well against LHP so far in his career (again, not much and most of it last season, but still 800+ OPS is pretty good for catcher), so he's perfect for this season: when LHP starting, Posey moves to 1B, Stewart most likely hit as well or better vs. LHP than the lefty he replaces, whether Schierholtz or Huff or whoever. <br><br>To boot, Stewart in 2011 was among the leaders in defensive runs saved according to the Fielding Bible: that in spite of it being a counting stat (i.e. more IP, more count) and him only having a third of the IP of leading catchers. He was very good defensively as a catcher.<br><br>Meanwhile, as encouraged I am about Posey, we don't really know what is going to happen with him going forward. Carlos Santana recovered nicely for the Indians after his injury at home plate, but everyone is individual, so who really knows about Posey. As strong as he is as a person, listening to his interviews, I got the sense that it shook him up, I mean, he was going to encourage his child not to be a catcher. So mentally, he might be ready to move on once another prospect steps up, or who knows, maybe he tells the Giants he's done, move him to another position.<br><br>That makes it important, in my mind, to give Sanchez every chance to develop in the minors and possibly be the starting catcher in 2013, if necessary. At worse, we have two capable starting catchers (maybe three if Stewart blossoms). Plus, I want Sanchez ready to take over as soon as possible, Posey is still the catcher, you can account for every possible play, so you never know what he might face catching in 2012. Hector will be less prepared if he's up here sitting on the bench.<br><br>Keeping Hector and dumping Stewart closes off options for the Giants. Stewart might end up in a nice platoon for another team where he's the guy against LHP plus maybe end of game defensive. While Hector might struggle defensively and delay his development into a starting catcher.<br><br>Not that he is even assured of being a starter. Some prospect evaluation books view him as a nice backup, not a starter. I assume that is because of his rawer defensive abilities. We see the comments and get hopes about him, but need to be aware that not everyone agrees that he'll be a starter. <br><br>What if he isn't? Then if we lose Posey for whatever reason as catcher, we already lost Stewart (he is gone if we put him on waivers), and will be forced to start Sanchez, who in this scenario is not capable of starting, or the Giants end up having to trade someone good to get a better catcher than Sanchez. Making Stewart our backup and Sanchez our AAA starting catcher gives us a lot of potential options, as well as give us risk mitigation in terms of position coverage.<br><br>And lastly, I agree that Arias could be a sleeper this season. Stewart and Blanco too. The Giants the past few years (Torres, Stewart, Blanco, Arias, Casilla) have been picking up some nice failed prospects who appear to be turning it around right when the Giants pick them up (or maybe the Giants helped them make that final tweak necessary, who knows?).<br><br>Again, nice post.obsessivegiantscompulsivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11362706004246875823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-56789619502061403702012-03-28T00:10:24.619-07:002012-03-28T00:10:24.619-07:00Thanks for this sportive blog.Training ContractsThanks for this sportive blog.<br><br><a href="http://www.samplecontracts.org/category/training-contracts" rel="nofollow">Training Contracts</a>jaylen watkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11246576951108532477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-33252486593517018402012-03-25T18:06:13.890-07:002012-03-25T18:06:13.890-07:00Shank,Thanks for the reads and the comment. I appr...Shank,<br><br>Thanks for the reads and the comment. I appreciate the feedback. I know my posting is inconsistent, but with work and such, it can be hard to balance. I will say this, I won't have such a blackout like the last time where I didn't post from last June until this February.<br><br>Yeah, I really don't think there's much comparison with the Chris D and Conor G debate in terms of who the better prospect. The one thing I have to say is I have been really impressed with how Conor bounced back after a subpar 2009. He got better defensively, showed some aggressiveness and power and has really developed himself to the point where he looks like a Major League player. Chris D has some impressive tools, but at his age, I just don't see him getting much better than what he is. On the flip side, a lot of people say that if the plate approach doesn't improve, he could have some value as a converted pitcher because his arm is so strong. Granted, he probably would be bullpen material, but it wouldn't be bad if the Giants can salvage something if the bat doesn't come around.<br><br>Yeah, Osich is interesting because he would have been first round or second round material had he not had the injury issues toward the end of 2011. I like him though, and I think he could be a surprise. Of course, it's hard to figure out how healthy his arm is because there hasn't been much said out of camp on Osich's status.<br><br>Good point on Adrianza. It may be a contingency plan should Crawford get hurt or really tank. And with Theriot and Fontenot reportedly being shopped, the depth in middle infield would be thin with Arias and Burriss behind Crawford with those two former Cubbies gone. I really believe Adrianza can turn into an Alcides Escobar-type Shorstop, but I do just want to see him in Double-A just to see him challenged. Fresno could either be an overwhelming challenge or mask some deficiencies since Triple-A pitching is not that good.<br><br>As for the DPL, the one reason I profiled it is because I want to do more profiles on perspective un-signed Latin American prospects. While the DPL doesn't cover the whole gamut of prospects in the Latin America (it only covers the DR), it is a nice resource and gives us more info than what we had before when it came to knowing who was going to be targeted by teams.<br><br>You're probably right about Parker, but with Brown going to be there, I don't like it. I still think he has a lot to prove in the Cal League and I think he would struggle Kieschnick-style (who had similar contact and strikeout issues in SJ). But you're probably right about there being a ton of outfield prospects, and Parker being promoted simply out of necessity, since he's probably more ready for Double-A than anybody else. I do hope he gets to play his natural position of CF, because he doesn't have the arm strength to play right, and he doesn't have the power set to play left.<br><br>Thanks again for the comments and the reads as always.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-11197252678296381832012-03-25T11:48:13.890-07:002012-03-25T11:48:13.890-07:00Hey Kevin - Just caught up on all your posts - ver...Hey Kevin - Just caught up on all your posts - very nice work. <br><br>I agree with your rankings of Conor G and Chris D, it really comes down to contact with those 2 - as it always has for Chris D. Thanks for putting so many links in, I find that very helpful to go back to what has been put down before (specifically with the Chris D from college/saber scouting but in general its a great idea)<br><br>I'm completely with you on Osich, its so frustrating not knowing anything more with what the Giants are doing with him...<br><br>Should be an interesting year for Rosin/Kickham to sink/swim, and the Augusta rotation is the most watched in Gint prospectors land for sure. Crick/Blackburn/Mejia is a nice young core to dream on.<br><br>Enjoyed your DPL profile. With regards to Adrianza, it may be a procedural move, I can't picture them not testing his bat in the Eastern. On the other hand, if they needed a quick call up if Crawford gets hurt, maybe Fresno would be the way to go. That's the only reason I could see for them playing him in Fresno.<br><br>I think they have a big time logjam at OF which might force them to move Parker along to the Eastern as well. There are just too many OF prospects, its musical chairs. I didn't like Parker's stance much from what I saw during spring training broadcasts, but small sample.<br><br>Love your blog, you put up quality work with a lot of consideration. Separates out from the pack big time.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-604839208546434402012-03-21T13:20:00.046-07:002012-03-21T13:20:00.046-07:00How come I knew that was you? Jeez...How come I knew that was you? Jeez...Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-86239029226278816502012-03-21T11:09:50.276-07:002012-03-21T11:09:50.276-07:00Thanks!-NeosporinThanks!<br><br>-NeosporinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-3442731519851075732012-03-21T10:30:16.204-07:002012-03-21T10:30:16.204-07:00Kinda same deal. Was older than his expected age w...Kinda same deal. Was older than his expected age when he made the move to the states. But unlike Carmona, this happened in Little League and not the majors. Nonetheless, a 12 year old throwing 80 is one thing, a 14 year old doing it against kids two years younger significantly depreciates the value (wow...I'm analyzing Little League players...christ).<br><br>But back to Danny, weird story. Apparently, he went to play in JC and married some 30 year old woman when he was 19. He tried to make it as a position player, played in some semi-pro leagues, but it was obvious that he just didn't have the talent to play at the next level. Even if he was 12 years old, his fastball never really developed, for reports had him only throwing about 85 mph when he was in high school, which is pretty average.<br><br>Now, he's coaching at James Monroe high school in New York City.<br><br>(I may or may not have gotten a lot of this from Wikipedia, so take it with some salt)Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-13162589240790771162012-03-21T10:03:18.747-07:002012-03-21T10:03:18.747-07:00What ever happened to Danny Almonte?What ever happened to Danny Almonte?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-87639852137573035142012-03-11T09:08:48.836-07:002012-03-11T09:08:48.836-07:00Caught my first glimpse of Susac at the back of th...Caught my first glimpse of Susac at the back of the Angel scrimmage yesterday - he hammered the first pitch he saw into LF. Great stance and he looked good behind the plate. Very excited about Susac.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-65801301215163479962012-03-09T07:46:57.913-08:002012-03-09T07:46:57.913-08:00That was a bummer. I do think Sanchez has a shot, ...That was a bummer. I do think Sanchez has a shot, but I do think he'll have to hit extremely well to get a spot. And I mean, extremely well. I just think with Whiteside's major league contract, Sanchez will have to really be eye-popping to push out Whiteside, especially by Opening Day. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sanchez break the roster earlier than expected and eventually earn the spot. I just think he and the Giants would benefit more from having some more at-bats in Fresno before he is thrown in the fire so quickly. <br><br>You're also right with the situation with Posey. You wonder how comfortable Bochy is gonna be in terms of putting him behind the plate. How much he plays is going to be important because you're right, I think if Posey is a four-five time a week catcher, then you can probably live with Whiteside or Stewart behind the dish. However, if it's more in the 2-3 time a week range, then Sanchez probably would be the better option (though maybe not right away since like I said, he could develop his approach a little more in the minors).Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-2224546706785894452012-03-09T07:23:41.433-08:002012-03-09T07:23:41.433-08:00Very fair assessment. I hope this hamstring is a ...Very fair assessment. I hope this hamstring is a slight tweak, he was hitting well. But his weakness was exposed in that dodger game to me - very slow footspeed. Conditioning is going to be hugely important to Hector. I have to think the Giants are really stressing it - I like their new head trainer's energy a lot. <br><br>I've been saying he's going to hit his way onto the 25. A lot of that is tied up in how comfortable they get with Posey. There are a lot of moving parts. But just like how the Gints didn't go get a FA SS because they like what Crawford does, I think they didn't get a backup C who can hit because they like what Hector does. Whiteside and Stewart are cheap placeholders and "good guys" - they are both great backup catchers on a normal squad, its just the Posey situation is muddled.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-10923422024374746942012-03-04T01:01:42.688-08:002012-03-04T01:01:42.688-08:00That's a good point. At the same time though, ...That's a good point. At the same time though, I do feel like at this point, it's probably more optimistic to think that Marlowe and Kieschnick have a shot at a future in baseball, let alone the Giants. It's hard to say that for Villalona with the way things just appear. Hence, I don't feel it would be right to say he's among the Giants' 30 most promising players in the minor leagues when I'm not very optimistic myself that he'll ever see a Giants uniform from the way his career has gone these past few seasons. I am not giving up on him by any means, but to rank him over Marlowe and Kieschnick I think is a bit of a stretch at this point. Maybe if he does play this year and shows some promise, he'll rank ahead of those guys because he has (or had) so much talent. But as of now, I have to give Marlowe and Kieschnick the benefit of the doubt.<br><br>As for Villalona himself, I am going to go over this in a specific post, but I think you're absolutely right about next year. As long as he isn't going hitless over an entire season stretch, him showing anything will probably be viewed as progress. I think a lot of Giants fans were probably thinking that signing bonus he signed as a 16 year old was a sunk cost at this point, especially with how slowly the court case moved in the D/R. I hope the visa issue works out better, but as you said, it most likely won't.<br><br>I am hoping for Augusta or SJ, but SK along with some extended Spring Training seems like the best landing spot for Villalona this year. Not necessarily a bad thing, simply because as you said, it's not really about him progressing his career but rather re-starting it. Better off to start at a level where his chances of success and gaining confidence are high, and that would be in a lower level like SK or Augusta (though I would balk from Augusta simply not to rush him back)Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-75413276301921358012012-03-02T09:56:04.397-08:002012-03-02T09:56:04.397-08:00Frankly, if you are going to go with a tie at #30,...Frankly, if you are going to go with a tie at #30, you may as well as left Villalona in there, then there's no flip flopping, per se, since Angel's still in there, just acknowledging that there are two prospects you wanted to highlight (and that's what these lists are really for, highlighting and discussing, except for those in the business of selling such lists).<br><br>We don't know what's happening with Villalona.<br><br>We don't know if he (or the Giants) are being shaked down by the local power-mad local official who wants a little something something on the side, since Angel was doling out dough (allegedly) to the murder victim's family.<br><br>Or maybe someone who thinks Angel's guilty and getting away with murder wants to throw an obstacle in front of Angel, making his comeback more problematic.<br><br>Or maybe that official happens to come from the same neighborhood and happens to be friends with the deceased family and/or part of that social circle. <br><br>We don't know if he's really in that bad a physical shape (the only report previously suggested that he was in good shape - for him) such that he could be kept out (then again, Ponson never had any problems...)<br><br>Maybe he has high blood pressure or even high cholesterol, part of the reporting on that noted that it might be related to a medical condition, as the official language was something about him not being an elite athlete, due to physical and/or medical condition, from what I recall. It could be a relatively minor medical issue that an official decided would keep him out (but this would tie in with the above "keep the murderer out of U.S." theory).<br><br>I think that Angel will eventually make it into the U.S. He'll probably miss most of spring training, because, as you saw with the trial, the government can and will move slowly when it feels like it. But evenutally it does.<br><br>I don't think it matters that much, he was probably going into instructional league even if he made it to spring training, and the Giants probably acclimate further with SS Salem-Keizer to assess where to put him next, Augusta or SJ. <br><br>This season is about getting back into the system, getting him back into baseball shape, and assessing where he is developmentally. If he can produce somewhere, great, but the most I was hoping to get was just him re-starting his career. Then we'll see where he goes.obsessivegiantscompulsivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11362706004246875823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-23189207806515674432012-02-29T07:06:15.819-08:002012-02-29T07:06:15.819-08:00That's a great catch. On paper, they are very ...That's a great catch. On paper, they are very similar. Marte displayed more power in Altoona, but as you noted before, Pegs was recovering from injury so I wonder what his year would have looked like had he been fully healthy. Marte may have a bit more ability on the basepaths than Peguero (he's consistently stolen 20-plus bags as a professional), but offensively, they seem to be very similar players.<br><br>Like I said before, I do like Peguero and think he could be a viable outfielder at the Big League level. And to me, I think people dismissing him simply because of the low walk rates should look at the overall profile rather than just one set of numbers. That being said, I think 2012 will kind of be the make or break year for him, simply because at some point, his approach will be tested (same with Marte IMO too) because teams have more info on him. I think Pegs can handle it, but I'm not totally sold just yet.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-69102867611958354522012-02-28T20:53:20.946-08:002012-02-28T20:53:20.946-08:00I was reading some reports on Starling Marte, the ...I was reading some reports on Starling Marte, the highly rated Pirates OF prospect - it sounded so much like Pegs I had to compare the stats. They are amazingly similar players - you go side to side there are slight differences here and there. Pegs might be getting penalized for his injury time missed and diminished stats in the eastern. The Marte comp makes me a little more impressed with Pegs - he had to rehab back this year and that hurt his numbers some.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723610406379824887.post-53138972358034940982012-02-28T12:34:33.819-08:002012-02-28T12:34:33.819-08:00Thanks Shank. I agree with what Sabean said in ret...Thanks Shank. I agree with what Sabean said in retrospect, and do agree with your point that the Eastern League is the best measuring stick for prospects. Triple-A is nice, but to me it's more tuneup for the better prospects before they reach the Majors. That being said, I was surprised Sabean had Posey skip Double-A. It turned out okay of course, but usually you see prospects play Double-A and skip Triple-A rather than vice versa. But overall, I agree with the sentiment that Triple-A numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, especially with lesser prospects who all of a sudden break out in the PCL. They may be good, but it's not a sure-fire sign that they're going to rake at the Major League level.<br><br>Nice connection with Morse and Dominguez. I'm not totally giving up on Dominguez because he does have two tools that scouts rate very highly (power and arm strength). He has showed improvement as well, even if it hasn't been dramatic. Sometimes though with prospects, a change of scenery is all that is needed. Maybe prospects don't take to instruction or management well in the organization that drafted them. I could see Morse being overlooked in the Chicago and Seattle systems, especially since those organizations at the time were either a.) not very patient with prospects or b.) trying to re-tool their organizations (especially in the Seattle case, where they were transitioning from the disastrous Bavasi tenure to Jack Z). Bautista could have been the same thing, especially since they invested in some higher end prospects like Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata, who played positions where Bautista played. I hate to see former prospects in the Giants system thrive, but sometimes, it's just part of the gamw.Kevin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00114732419318117049noreply@blogger.com