Posts belonging to Category Major League Baseball

On Thursday night The Baseball Show was back with its first episode of the New Year.  As usual, I was joined by Clint from DiamondHoggers.com and TomahawkTake.com, and MJ Lloyd from OffBasePercentage.com and HaloHangout.com. I know, it’s getting to be a lot of websites, right? Anyway, we had a blast talking baseball and touched on a slew of different topics.  We will now be recording the podcast every Thursday night, so if you’re free, please feel free to join us.  If not, don’t worry; we’ll have the entire show available on all of our sites the following day.

Here are some of the topics we discussed on Thursday’s show:

–       MJ is the new editor for HaloHangout.com, so he describes why he’s an Angels fan.

–       Why are the Braves so willing to ship Prado? How much are they expecting for Jair Jurrjens, and is he really healthy?

–       Where will Prince Fielder land? Nationals, Mariners or a mystery team?

–       Why does Ryan Zimmerman fly under the radar? Can the Nationals sign Prince Fielder and ultimately re-sign him?

–       What is Kenny Williams doing? Are the White Sox rebuilding or contending? Mike shares his frustrations…

–       The Marlins are officially a team full of nut jobs.  Will all of their personalities mesh or are we in store for utter mayhem?

–       What prospects are we looking to see in 2012? Obviously Matt Moore and Bryce Harper, but who else? Speaking of Harper, it’s always fun to speculate on whether he can break camp with the Nationals.

–       Most importantly, be sure to tune back in next week as we debut a new series, “Ask MJ” where we will spend 10-20 minutes asking MJ whatever question we want.  We welcome any questions from our readers and listeners as well. The more ridiculous, the better.  I personally can’t wait.

#15 Jarrod Parker

Oakland Athletics

DOB: 11/24/1988

Previous Rank: 8

ETA: 2011

Parker missed 2010 due to Tommy John, and it took him several months of 2011 to really begin to look like he did before the surgery.  Still, his second-half and track record prior to TJ were enough to sway Billy Beane to pull the trigger on the deal that recently sent All-Star Trevor Cahill to Phoenix.

On the year, Parker posted a 3.79 ERA with 112 strikeouts to 55 walks in 131 innings pitched.  Obviously we’d like to see him striking out more hitters than that, but he still received the call to the D-Backs in September and had a very impressive six-inning start and even earned a spot on the NLDS roster.

Parker has a classic mix of fastball, breaker, and changeup, all of which grade as at least solid-average offerings.  His fastball has neared triple-digits before, but he typically works in the 93-96 mph range with his 4-seamer.  He throws a heavy sinker about two mphs off of the 4-seamer, but it digs well and even gets some swings-and-misses.  Parker’s bender is a slider in the mid-80s with tight break and good shape as well as solid command.  His change is behind, but it’s going to be an above-average offering for him and is definitely a pitch that will play in Oakland to both sides of the plate.

Parker is an ace and immediately jumps to the top of the A’s prospect rankings list.  Brett Anderson, Parker, Sonny Gray, and Dallas Braden should make a very young and formidable rotation in 2013 and beyond.

I guess the best place to start is here- from my seat on this here train.  It’s five ‘til 8 and we are on the Amtrak from Gallup, New Mexico and won’t exit this beast until we hit Fullerton, California.  What do five coaches, a 12-hour overnight train ride, four and a half days in sunshiny Anaheim, and the nation’s largest baseball convention add up to?  That’s a hell of a good question.  Be sure to check back each night to find out.  I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

#17 Bubba Starling

Kansas City Royals

DOB: 8/3/1992

Previous Rank: N/A

ETA: 2014

Starling was the top prep position player available in the 2011 draft.  His tools were the finest in the 2011 class for any position player, though.  He’s blazing fast, throws gas from the outfield, generates outstanding bat speed, and has a frame that projects both in terms of potential and the likelihood of a healthy career.  As far as we at The Sombrero are concerned, however, that is where the compliments end.

Starling is loaded with shit makeup, a lack of familiarity with the game, and poor fundamentals in terms of both mechanics and comprehension.  He signed late too, and basically missed half a season unnecessarily, suggesting that baseball is not a terribly high priority for him.  You’d think a guy who wasted as much time fooling around with a football as Starling did would want to get started early to attempt to maybe even the playing field between himself and the guys who have lived within the game for the last 10 or 15 years.

Starling then proceeded to receive an underage drinking charge.  Don’t look for this guy to ever have much in the way of baseball IQ.  Expect insane tools and athleticism, the type that guys like Starling don’t deserve.  He should spend a season and a half or two in the low Minors and about the same amount in Double-A and Triple-A.  Look for him to debut in center some time in 2014.  KC is really going to regret passing on Archie Bradley.

#17 Devin Mesoraco

Cincinnati Reds

DOB: 6/19/1988

Previous Rank: 27

ETA: 2011

It’s hard to believe that a guy like Yasmani Grandal could somehow become dispensable (not to mention Yonder Alonso), but that is exactly what happened when the Reds sent both guys to San Diego for Mat Latos.  The primary reasons that deal makes sense for the Reds is No. 1: Joey Votto, and No: 2, Devin Mesoraco.

Mesoraco slashed .289/.371/.484 for Louisville and then was called up for 50 at-bats with Cincinnati.  He went deep 15 times in Triple-A, walks at a decent clip, and projects for way more power than he currently displays.  Perhaps even more important, though, is that Mesoraco possesses the tools to be an average catcher in the Show.  He is an average receiver as well as thrower, and should be the Opening Day starter for the Reds in 2012 , hitting in the middle of the order by 2014 alongside Jay Bruce and Votto.

Grandal is built like a brick wall, so it’s tough for him to get his 220-pound frame moving.  That is just about the only knock on him, though. Devin Mesoraco is one of the finest hitting prospects in the game, and he does an average job on the other side of the ball at a premium position.