IMO, it depends on how you view Blair, Jenkins, Mallex, etc. If you are including them along with our recent IFA signings, i think we are definitely in the running for number 1.
Baseball America Midseason Top 100
- Thread starter CJ9
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IMO, it depends on how you view Blair, Jenkins, Mallex, etc. If you are including them along with our recent IFA signings, i think we are definitely in the running for number 1.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
I don't see similarities at all. Bell has always been a high average contact hitter... Braxton has never been one. Bell's power was always suspect... Davidson was always supposed to have it naturally. Nothing alike.
bravos4evr
Still Playing the Waiting Game
oh ffs people, I AM TRYING TO BE OPTIMISTIC HERE!!!
chop2chip
Well-known member
That's why he's not on the list. Fried should make it once he gets a full season under his belt. The reports on his stuff have been awesome
chop2chip
Well-known member
That's the folly of stat line scouting. We shouldn't pay too much heed to performance, even at the higher levels. He's still big, strong and throws in the mid to upper 90's as a left handed starting pitcher. He's the same guy he was last year - lots of strikeouts and too many walks. I don't see a reason why he should drop that much in the rankings.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
Newcomb still tracks as a good pitcher. He just turned 23 so still young.. He needs to learn to get righties out, but he doesn't give up extra base hits and his BAbip is .335 and that is down from early starts. I think as he learns to pitch to RHB.. he will become the pitcher we all hoped for. But overall, his projection hasn't changed with many scouts because his stuff is still good.
That curve ball is Barry Zito-esque. Just devastating.
Russ2dollas
10 yr, $185 million Extension
I care more about talent under 25 than farm system.
There are farms with more high end guys than us. There are a lot of teams w/ proven ML talent that are really young.
We really haven't separated our farm from the Phillies or Nats and both are better than us now. Marlins and Mets have a lot of young talent too. That is what worries me. It's not like the division is full of the Phillies from a couple of years ago.
The good news for us is that we are going to add a strong draft class this year, a strong international class, and a lot of high picks next year. The bad news is that most of our top end talent is FAR away. It would really be nice for us to land a clearly ready college bat. I know that opens up some Lewis debates from last year, but I'm thinking a Senzel type bat with game power. A really obvious bat at 1-1 or wherever we are.
There are farms with more high end guys than us. There are a lot of teams w/ proven ML talent that are really young.
We really haven't separated our farm from the Phillies or Nats and both are better than us now. Marlins and Mets have a lot of young talent too. That is what worries me. It's not like the division is full of the Phillies from a couple of years ago.
The good news for us is that we are going to add a strong draft class this year, a strong international class, and a lot of high picks next year. The bad news is that most of our top end talent is FAR away. It would really be nice for us to land a clearly ready college bat. I know that opens up some Lewis debates from last year, but I'm thinking a Senzel type bat with game power. A really obvious bat at 1-1 or wherever we are.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
look if we are bad next year, I swear, I will get you a Beer... that will make you happy!
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
oh and speaking of Lewis.. not a bad start.. .270ish.. OPSin over .800 only 10Ks in 70+ ABs...
Tapate50
Well-known member
Thats the hitch ain't it? Most of our top positional talents are babies. Hard to project "elite" prospect on anyone yet. Just not there where they will appear on lists yet.
Heck for that matter, most of our "elite" or possibly "elite" guys are below A ball. Hard to project em that far out. Fried, The Tookster, Allard, Sorokoa etc... could all easily be elite prospects. Riley, Maitan, Acuna, Wilson, Cruz, Pache too... We just aren't where they will show up yet.
And I'll say it again, I think Ozzie is about 6 spots too low. Guy is ripping up AA as a teenager. Not just holding his own...ripping it to ****ing shreds.
I was such a useless lump at 19.
Heck for that matter, most of our "elite" or possibly "elite" guys are below A ball. Hard to project em that far out. Fried, The Tookster, Allard, Sorokoa etc... could all easily be elite prospects. Riley, Maitan, Acuna, Wilson, Cruz, Pache too... We just aren't where they will show up yet.
And I'll say it again, I think Ozzie is about 6 spots too low. Guy is ripping up AA as a teenager. Not just holding his own...ripping it to ****ing shreds.
I was such a useless lump at 19.
Russ2dollas
10 yr, $185 million Extension
Albies is sooooo small I think he'll always be lower. Guys just prefer to bet on bigger frames for power and holding up. His lack of walks is also surprising with that small zone.
Tapate50
Well-known member
Cuz he barrels everything up bro.
.278/.373/.486 (.859 OPS) with 2 HRs, 10 BBs and 10Ks in about 80 PAs.
I'm trying to decide if I would be happy or disappointed with his performance in low-A ball if he were a Brave. Truthfully I would be a little disappointed, but I wouldn't be upset about it. His biggest knock was contact issues, and his K rate is well under 15%.
For comparison, Swanson put up an .876 OPS with 14 Ks and 14 BBs in low-A over about 90 PAs immediately after being drafted. He obviously played SS, but that showing was enough to cement him as a top 10 prospect. Keep in mind Lewis is still only 20, while Swanson was 21 when drafted...Lewis was a young Junior.
I hate to beat this dead horse, but I imagine Lewis will easily be a top 50 guy at the end of the year, while Anderson won't even sniff the top 100. It's going to take a long time for me to get over not drafting Lewis at #3 haha!
Its okay. We have a few resident wet blankets to temper our excitement about the young up and coming Braves. They will make sure we are aware of every potential weakness.
Yeah, you and many people I imagine. Much of the defense at the time was around the fact that people thought we wouldn't be able to sign Wentz and Muller if we went with Lewis, but the way the rest of our draft went that really didn't wind up being the case given how far we went over slot with Wilson and Cumberland.
We could have easily drafted Wilson with pick 80 and drafted college seniors with our 3rd and 4th picks and signed Lewis instead. Assuming Lewis would sign for 5 mil we would simply have lost Harrington and Walker, if he held out for 5.5 mil we would have to lose Rowland and Becherer. I think he would have probably signed for 5 mil given that slot value for pick 4 was 5.2 mil and the Rockies had no interest in him. So the Anderson, Harrington, Walker versus Lewis comparison will be interesting to watch.
In the end though the Braves were hardly alone in doubting his contact skills since 7 other teams passed on him after them. But the Mariners will look pretty bright if he busts out. Guess we'll find out in 3-4 years.
I would disagree on upside. Our farm absolutely has as much upside as anyone because we have as many high-upside prospects as anyone...they're just mostly very young.
And regarding the idea that we 'certainly' aren't the top system in baseball, I'm not going to say that...since some actually do rank us the #1 system. Not certain at all.