When KOB took over the dismal Names franchise it was coming off of a prospect draft in which Jason Pridie was its only pick. KOB seemed determined to change that and loaded up on prospect picks with 5 in the first two rounds. The Monsters replenished their meager system by picking Justin Smoak, Michael Stanton, Eric Hosmer, Aaron Hicks and Greg Halman with those picks. They went out and added Carlos Santana, Domonic Brown and Austin Jackson via trades and built up the number 1 farm system in all of the NKFBL.
The Smoke Monsters seem to be set up well to be a strong team in a few years. They have a potentially strong young pitching staff with Bucholtz, Chamberlain and Liriano and while their major league roster is in serious need of some hitters, they’re on their way. Their system boasts some of the strongest hitting prospects in all of baseball in Carlos Santana, Domonic Brown and Michael Stanton. If 2 out of the 3 pan out and they get some help from a few of their other 18 hitting prospects they could build a very strong offense from within.
Since taking over KOB has turned this team from a punch-line, to the loosing-ist team in NKFBL history, to a team with a lot of hope for the future. Although I don’t agree with them already dealing their 2011 first round prospect pick which could very well end up being “the Lebron of baseball” Bryce Harper, look for the Monsters to snag a few pitchers in this year’s prospect draft and slowly turn into a contender by 2013/2014.
Top 5 Prospects:
1. Carlos Santana C CLE
2. Domonic Brown OF PHI
3. Aaron Hicks OF MIN
4. Austin Jackson OF DET
5. Michael Stanton OF FLA
Top 5 Graduated Prospects:
1. Josh Hamilton 2007 Rd 12
2. James Loney 2007 Rd 4
3. Yunel Escobar 2007 Rd 15
4. Elvis Andrus 2007 Rd 7
5. Colby Rasmus (trade)
How is Stanton their 5th best prospect when he is #6 overall in the rankings? Or is the top 5 just listed arbitrarily?
ReplyDeleteaustin jackson above stanton hahahahahah
ReplyDeleteThis rant has been brewing in me all day, so here it goes. I really hope that ranking Stanton #5 on this list was a typo or a joke or something, because it is a joke. I can see an argument that Santana and Stanton are interchangeable, but to rank him below Brown, Hicks and Jackson is absolutely insane. To even rank Jackson above prospects like Freeman, Lawrie, Hosmer, Revere, Martin, Beckham and Tabata is a mistake to me. Jackson at 23 is atleast 2 years older than all of these guys and in my mind has the upside of David Dejesus with more speed. I feel that age is one of the most important factors in accessing a prospects upside and is seems it was not a factor at all here.
ReplyDeleteAs many of you know I would make sweet butt love to Mike Stanton if given the opportunity and here is why:
Before he turned 20 Mike Stanton has his 68 Home Runs (wait I thought power was the last thing to develop), his OBP was hovering around .400 before being promoted to AA AT THE AGE OF 19, he also has plus speed and could potentially steal 10-15 steal once he is unleashed on the base paths, his walks were up and his strikeouts were down last year at Hi A and his been said to have a phenomenal work ethic.
Yes he does have strike out issues, but he is still very young and if he can learn better pitch recognition and cut down on bad swings, pitchers will be afraid to pitch to him and his walks will go way up. He just started seeing better pitching last season and I'm willing to bet his numbers will be much better in AA this season.
To have Stanton any lower than #2 on this list makes me cry, inside and outside.
I agree with KOB except on your last point. Strikeout issues generally don't go away and plate disipline isn't something that most players can learn. It's possible that he develops a better eye, but it's been shown time and time again that it is something you either have or don't.
ReplyDeleteGood thing for Stanton is that he seems to draw a lot of walks, despite striking out a ton. It usually just hurts the AVE, while the OBP and SLG stay high. Guys like Carolos Pena and Adam Dunn have the same issues and I can see him following an Adam Dunn like career, but with more speed.
Anyway, that is a pretty tits career. 40 HR guys with speed are hard to come by, even if they only hit .250. He certainly has more bust potential due to the contact issues, but has shown nothing but star power as of yet, so that's what you have to go by.
I'm just looking for numbers similar to what he put up at Hi A last year a Walk rate around 13% and a Strike out rate around 25% would be more than enough to me.
ReplyDeletehaha I'm glad we got your blood boiling KOB, after all your Stanton love and your post yesterday about how you couldnt wait to see us rant and rave about stanton I couldnt help but do that for you, I had him at #1 but I had to drop him down there for you, he's a beast, I'll admit it. The strikeouts dont scare me on a prospect that walks as much as he does, there are plenty of sluggers that strike out a lot but make up for it with their power..Howard, Dunn, Reynolds etc, Stanton looks like he'll be in that group in a few years.
ReplyDeleteby the way. am i the only one that's bothered by the fact that everyone in the league seems to call nub Jason Pirdie (Pronounced Per-Dee) by his dislexic last name Pridie (pride-ee)? I guess it's funny that no one even has enough respect for him to get his name right, but anyway, that's my rant. Btw, Mike Stanton's in trouble. Bud Selig released a statement that minor leagues will begin testing for HGH. Whomp whomp for like 1/2 the guys.
ReplyDeleteAdam Dunn factoid: In 2002 he stole 19 bases.
ReplyDeleteJRad's right...this HGH news could signal the end of the blog. First suspension is going to Brett Wallace. Those massive calves are not all natural.
ReplyDeletehahahaha the Walrus.
ReplyDeleteActually JRad it's Pridie (pronounced Pree-dee) not Pirdie. OWNED!!!!
ReplyDelete