Sickels top 175

[Jaw]

Good one?

Belliard posted a slick .400 OPS as an 18 YO in Rookie/A, then a .514 OPS as a 19 YO in A. Never posted anything higher than a .631 OPS in the minors until he was 25 in AA and had already had some significant MLB experience.

Well I was thinking more of his MLB stats but I concede the point. Either way, I think my intention was clear.

[Horsehide Harry]

The sad thing is that the Braves were made an example of when every other team that is successful in Latin America is doing similar things. And to top it off, I expect we will see the end of International FA soon with a world draft, just as the Braves get out of jail...

[Southcack77]

It seems to me I read that a lot of reports on him when he came stateside is that he had gained a fair amount of weight which led to concerns that he spent all of his contract on Big Macs. Could have been a lot of sour grapes by other scouts (which many scouts don't bother hiding). I think the other thing is that the Braves rushed him stateside (along with most of the other 2016 signings). It wouldn't have hurt to have him and the other guys start the season in the Dominican Summer League and then graduating to the Gulf Coast League a bit later.

I see some similarities here (although it's way to early to tell on Maitan) with the Olivera fiasco. Olivera (like Maitan) was highly thought of by a lot of scouts and the Dodgers signed him to a pretty lucrative deal. You can never tell with these guys until they hit the field.

He's like 30 years younger than Oliveira so he has that going for him.

[Enscheff]

A real indictment of the previous FO, as has been mentioned, that they broke the bank and so many rules on what looks, at least at the moment, on a lot of scouting misses. Worse, still, that it will somewhat hamstring the current regime for a few years.

From what I’ve read, Maitan’s failures are due to mishandling by the Braves once he got to the US, not a failure of the international scouting community.

[Enscheff]

I am surprised by how highly rated Pache has become. Everytime I saw him in Rome he made the pitchers of both teams look better than they are. I'm not sure why people think he will ever out hit Rafael Belliard.

Kevin Pillar. Period.

[mfree80]

From what I’ve read, Maitan’s failures are due to mishandling by the Braves once he got to the US, not a failure of the international scouting community.

Hmmmm. I would like to know more about this claim. How did the Braves hamper his progress? I don't remember hearing this before.

Or is it just another thing to bash the Braves management over?

[Enscheff]

Hmmmm. I would like to know more about this claim. How did the Braves hamper his progress? I don't remember hearing this before.

Or is it just another thing to bash the Braves management over?

I haven’t seen the MLBTR chatters or EL ever bash anyone.

[mfree80]

I haven’t seen the MLBTR chatters or EL ever bash anyone.

It was actually a serious question. I hadn't heard that before. How did they say he had been mishandled?