Keep an eye on Tanner Scheppers. He was drafted just last year, but he's definitely being fast tracked by the Rangers. He's already in Triple-A after just 11 innings of Double-A experience this year and 0 innings of minor league experience after getting drafted last year. He has electric stuff and profiles as a setup/closer type. Feliz hasn't been bad so much as he's had a few bumps in the road and is still so young. If he were to struggle to the point of being pulled out of the closer gig Francisco has been terrible, and I'd guess Scheppers may get a serious look if he continues to excel in the minors.
For two catcher leagues of 12-teams or greater I'd be keeping an eye on Tyler Flowers. He's a low average slugging type given his k-rate, but A.J. Pierzynski hasn't swung a good bat, and if the White Sox find themselves burried at the deadline I wouldn't be shocked to see them try and trade him opening up the catcher spot fo Flowers.
Eric Chavez has not cut it at DH, Chris Carter will likely be up shortly after June 1st and given the opportunity to wrestle the full-time DH gig away from him permanently. Those in OBP leagues can bump him up a bit since he draws walks at a decent clip which helps offset his high k-rate and low AVG.
Brett Wallace is slugging the stitches out of the baseball and seems to have a fairly clear path with only Lyle Overbay blocking him at 1B in Toronto. Not sure how much I buy into the new found power, as I'd always believed from what I'd read he was more of a gap to gap high average 20-25 HR type, but if the new found power is legit, look out.
Pretty much everyone else mentioned previously would qualify as players of interest. I'm less intrigued by Alvarez this year than most. He's still struggling against lefties and it appears he could use more seasoning. I think Moustakas will spend the entire year in the minors, with at most, a September call-up at the end of the season. He's taken huge strides in his plate discipline in Double-A this year, but the sample size is small, and I think the Royals would be thrilled, and wise, just to see him advance to Triple-A at the end of the season if he keeps raking. Santana is the crown jewel of guys who may be unowned IMO. Strasburg and Heyward were almost certainly drafted in any league that had them in the player pool, so I'll save comment on them. If Nick Johnson ends up on and off the DL this year, keep tabs on how Jesus Montero hits in Triple-A. He hadn't opened the season well, but if he rakes, the Yankees won't care about starting his arbitration clock and could give him time as a backup C/DH if need be this year.
B-Chad wrote:Keep an eye on Tanner Scheppers. He was drafted just last year, but he's definitely being fast tracked by the Rangers. He's already in Triple-A after just 11 innings of Double-A experience this year and 0 innings of minor league experience after getting drafted last year. He has electric stuff and profiles as a setup/closer type. Feliz hasn't been bad so much as he's had a few bumps in the road and is still so young. If he were to struggle to the point of being pulled out of the closer gig Francisco has been terrible, and I'd guess Scheppers may get a serious look if he continues to excel in the minors.
For two catcher leagues of 12-teams or greater I'd be keeping an eye on Tyler Flowers. He's a low average slugging type given his k-rate, but A.J. Pierzynski hasn't swung a good bat, and if the White Sox find themselves burried at the deadline I wouldn't be shocked to see them try and trade him opening up the catcher spot fo Flowers.
Eric Chavez has not cut it at DH, Chris Carter will likely be up shortly after June 1st and given the opportunity to wrestle the full-time DH gig away from him permanently. Those in OBP leagues can bump him up a bit since he draws walks at a decent clip which helps offset his high k-rate and low AVG.
Brett Wallace is slugging the stitches out of the baseball and seems to have a fairly clear path with only Lyle Overbay blocking him at 1B in Toronto. Not sure how much I buy into the new found power, as I'd always believed from what I'd read he was more of a gap to gap high average 20-25 HR type, but if the new found power is legit, look out.
Spot on B-chad about Scheppers and Wallace. Not sure about Flowers as supposedly his defense is still pretty poor. Oakland is likely to see an influx of call-ups, but it'll be interesting as to who. Carter hasn't exactly set the world on fire but the same can be said of Michael Taylor.
Another guy to keep an eye on is Jose Tabata in Pittsburgh. Outside of McCluthen, the Pirates OF has been disappointing while Tabata has been on fire. Guy is also tearing up the basepaths and would make a better option than Iwamura at the leadoff spot.
B-Chad wrote: If Nick Johnson ends up on and off the DL this year, keep tabs on how Jesus Montero hits in Triple-A. He hadn't opened the season well, but if he rakes, the Yankees won't care about starting his arbitration clock and could give him time as a backup C/DH if need be this year.
At the expense of who? Johnson on the DL allows Posada to DH with Cervelli to catch. (Upgrade offensively at DH and defensively at C). This is just a false statement. No Montero this year.
B-Chad wrote:Pedroia's LD rate of 20% is reason to believe he'll maintain a higher BA then Cano. It should also be noted he hits more FB's then Cano, which means that even if he posts a lower HR/FB then Cano, he should come in reasonably close to Cano in HR's
B-Chad wrote: If Nick Johnson ends up on and off the DL this year, keep tabs on how Jesus Montero hits in Triple-A. He hadn't opened the season well, but if he rakes, the Yankees won't care about starting his arbitration clock and could give him time as a backup C/DH if need be this year.
At the expense of who? Johnson on the DL allows Posada to DH with Cervelli to catch. (Upgrade offensively at DH and defensively at C). This is just a false statement. No Montero this year.
Ahhhh I forgot. You have inside sources While I don't believe Montero will get the call (only because I don't believe he's ready), if he rakes in Triple-A and Johnson is on the DL for extended periods I like his odds to get called up. I understand Cervelli has had a nice start to the season, but I'm sure the Bronx Bombers would be content with Posada and his oven mitt behind the plate if it meant an offensive upgrade from Cervelli to Montero (once again assuming Montero assaults Triple-A pitching like he did Single-A and Double-A last year, though that remains to be seen). Then again I suppose I shouldn't question such a definitive statement from someone who declared Joba the definite number 5 starter coming into the year and Hughes the 8th inning guy
Michael Stanton. He's killing it in the minors and Florider is going to call him up in June (once the date passes where they can save another year on him). I don't expect him to hit for avg but I expect huge power numbers.
LloydChristmas wrote:In a redraft league, I'm really beginning to worry that a lot of these top prospects are getting overvalued. I've been following everyone you've mentioned heavily and I think I've personally fallen a little too much in love with some of them.
What's the consensus on Santana and Posey? Will they have Top-10 catcher value this year? Top 15?
How can you say they are being overvalued when most of the players are still on the WW? You just never know when the next Ryan Braun will be called up. You can get burnt just as easily as you could be rewarded. But what are you really paying for these guys?
LloydChristmas wrote:In a redraft league, I'm really beginning to worry that a lot of these top prospects are getting overvalued. I've been following everyone you've mentioned heavily and I think I've personally fallen a little too much in love with some of them.
What's the consensus on Santana and Posey? Will they have Top-10 catcher value this year? Top 15?
How can you say they are being overvalued when most of the players are still on the WW? You just never know when the next Ryan Braun will be called up. You can get burnt just as easily as you could be rewarded. But what are you really paying for these guys?
The "price" would just be the opportunity cost of having a minor leaguer on your bench when you could be streaming a starting pitcher or holding an extra position player who is producing now. Obviously it's a calculated risk/reward trade off, but I'm really questioning the reward component of that. Once again, don't get me wrong, I completely buy into the long term value of these guys, but will they have more value this year than, say, Troy Glaus (generic middle-of-the-pack player)?
Assuming Heyward, Strasburg and Smoak are taken I would say guys like Santana, Stanton, Posey, Alvarez, Wallace and Jennings should be, will be owned in keepers before the year is done.
soty wrote:Assuming Heyward, Strasburg and Smoak are taken I would say guys like Santana, Stanton, Posey, Alvarez, Wallace and Jennings should be, will be owned in keepers before the year is done.
Should those players be owned in non-keepers as well before the year is done?
B-Chad wrote: Then again I suppose I shouldn't question such a definitive statement from someone who declared Joba the definite number 5 starter coming into the year and Hughes the 8th inning guy
Well this is wrong, because thats not what I said. Nice spin though. This is also coming from the man who pegged Phillips over Cano, right?
B-Chad wrote:Pedroia's LD rate of 20% is reason to believe he'll maintain a higher BA then Cano. It should also be noted he hits more FB's then Cano, which means that even if he posts a lower HR/FB then Cano, he should come in reasonably close to Cano in HR's
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While I don't believe Montero will get the call (only because I don't believe he's ready), if he rakes in Triple-A and Johnson is on the DL for extended periods I like his odds to get called up. I understand Cervelli has had a nice start to the season, but I'm sure the Bronx Bombers would be content with Posada and his oven mitt behind the plate if it meant an offensive upgrade from Cervelli to Montero (once again assuming Montero assaults Triple-A pitching like he did Single-A and Double-A last year, though that remains to be seen). Then again I suppose I shouldn't question such a definitive statement from someone who declared Joba the definite number 5 starter coming into the year and Hughes the 8th inning guy 
