The newly dubbed Cuban Rampage have had an interesting history in the NKFBL. They’ve been a very strong team with a farm system void of talent. Feeling that they were a strong enough team to be competitive but not strong enough to go all the way, Jeff Lester decided to do a little re-building. Over the last few months they’ve traded Adrian Gonzalez, Jake Peavy and Carlos Zambrano and have stocked their farm system with Brett Wallace, Justin Smoak, Maddison Bumgarner and 5 first rd picks in this years draft.
Lester has gotten a bad wrap as the owner who doesn't know prospects. Due to the fact that until the recent trades his farm system consisted of only Adam Miller and Ryan Pope I agreed with this assessment, that was until I reviewed his 2007 draft. Take a look at who they drafted: Andrew Miller, Adam Miller, Jacoby Elisbury, Adam Lind, Clay Bucholtz, Miguel Montero, Alberto Callaspo, Gio Gonzalez and Kurt Suziki. Not a bad draft. If he held onto all of his picks he’d have 2 top 8 catchers in Montero and Suziki, a solid 2nd basemen in Callaspo, 2 very strong outfielders in Jacoby and Lind and a starter who really turned it on in the 2nd half, Bucholtz. The Rampage started their prospect drafting out strong but since then it’s gone down hill. They had 2 top 5 picks in 2008 and selected Price and LaPorta, two very talented young players but followed that up with nothing and then nothing from the 2009 draft.
The 2010 draft will be a big building block for the Rampage’s future. With the number 1 pick they will take Stephen Strasburg who should pay immediate dividends. Who they pick with the remaining 1st rounders will be the difference in making or breaking this “rebuilding” process for the Cuban Rampge.
Top 5 Prospects:
1. Brett Wallace 3B TOR
2. Justin Smoak 1B TEX
3. Madison Bumgarner SP SF
4. Adam Miller SP CLE
5. Ryan Pope SP NYY
Top 5 Graduated Prospects:
1. Jacoby Elisbury 2007 Rd 3
2. Adam Lind 2007 Rd 4
3. Miguel Montero 2007 Rd 6
4. Clay Bucholtz 2007 Rd 5
5. Kurt Suziki 2007 Rd 9
pretty close between the Rampage, Pandas, Dogs and Ballers the last 4 spots.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd go with the Dogs over the Rampage. Alvarez and Felix would probably be the top 2 in the Rampage system and they are a bit deeper overall. The Rampage have the better top 3 with Bumgarner, but the Dogs have a little more depth and the better top 2.
It's really close, but personally I'd go....
3. Dogs
4. Rampage
5. Ballers
6. Pandas
Don't sleep on the Chris Carter/Matuz/Morrison top 3 either. I leap the Ballers over the Pandas this season due to Parker missing the year. It's really close, but there's my personal opinion on which farm I'd want if I were picking a team today, factoring in everything.