5 Stars for Jason Kipnis

1. Jason Kipnis, 2B
DOB: 4/3/87
Height/Weight: 5-10/175
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: Second round, 2009, Arizona State
2010 Stats: .300/.387/.478 at High-A (54 G); .311/.385/.502 at Double-A (79 G)
Best/Worst Tool: Hit/arm





Five-Star Prospects
1. Jason Kipnis, 2B
2. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B
Four-Star Prospects
3. Drew Pomeranz, LHP
4. Alex White, RHP
Three-Star Prospects
5. LeVon Washington, OF
6. Nick Weglarz, OF
7. Joe Gardner, RHP
8. Jason Knapp, RHP
9. Tony Wolters, SS
10. Cord Phelps, 2B/3B
11. Kyle Blair, RHP

Updated All-Time Record

League Year Wins Loses Ties Win%
TSA 2006 181 116 11 .606**
CPL 2007 156 167 22 .484
CPL 2008 160 173 19 .480
CPL 2009 200 134 18 .599*
CPL 2010 136 186 30 .429

**Won the championship
*Made the playoffs

Trade 11/27/2010

Pro Bowlers Gets
3rd rd pick (45 overall)

Heros Gets
C Jarred Saltalamachia Bos

Not sure if Salty will every be the be the guy but need some depth at catcher and thought he is worth taking a shot at.

Mike Trout #1 and other notes

The first overall prospect in the minorleagueball community rankings was Mike Trout. Gatling asked me to post this due to some unforeseen issues with SBN. I'm sure the guys will get the %s up for the next vote.

With 63.2% of the vote, Julio Teheran is elected Community Pitching Prospect #2.

Dereck Norris was given 5 stars by BP and named the2nd prospect in there system.

Bryce Harper

Even though I'm sure the answer is no, how does five 1st rd picks over the next two years and few prospects sound for Harper? I think that is a deal I would have to make? Is it good for Rick?

AFL Update

The Heros have 6 players working on there game in the AFL here is how they are doing.

Arizona Fall League: Batting Leaders (click column headers to sort)
Name Team POS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG OPS
Johnny Giavotella SUR 2B 15 61 11 20 9 0 2 11 35 4 5 0 1 .373 .574 .328 .947
Marc Krauss SCO OF 21 82 20 25 5 1 4 23 44 14 21 0 0 .406 .537 .305 .943
Jason Kipnis PEJ 2B 19 78 13 23 11 3 3 19 49 5 9 2 0 .337 .628 .295 .966
A.J. Pollock SCO OF 15 61 10 18 6 0 0 9 24 6 10 6 0 .377 .393 .295 .770
Derek Norris SCO C 16 54 10 15 5 2 4 19 36 11 18 2 0 .403 .667 .278 1.070

Notes
*All 5 of the pos players were in the Fall League All-Star Game
*Krauss and Norris are tied for 3rd in hte league in HR
*Krauss leads the league in RBI's with 23
*AJ Pollack is tied for 6th in SB with 6
*Norris is 4th in OPS with a 1.070
*Kipnis rebound from a small start to now be tied for 5th fir total bases with 49
*Giavotella is batting .328 and post the 2nd lowest K% rate in the league.

SP Eric Hurley 3-0 (6 starts) 24Inn 14k's 1.82era 1.01whip
*3rd in era
*2nd in Whip amoung SP's
*Tied 5th in Wins

Trade Idea

Here was a blockbuster trade I was thinking of offering to the Raging Ferrits.

I would get
C Posey
1B Morneau
OF Upton

Jake would get
1st rd 6th
1st rd 7th
1st rd 10th
1st rd (2012)
1st rd (2012 Cale's)
SP Julio Terahan
OF Mike Trout
C Dereck Norris
OF Marc Krauss

What are some thoughts out there? Jake gets 5 1st rd's and 2 top 5 prospcts over all, Norris should be top 100 and they call Krauss a mini-Dunn (even though he is 6'3 240) With Jake's other prospects and draft picks over the next two years he will put an elite core of prospects together that can make a major slash. Down side probaly not going to win the next two years.

Notes

Jay Bruce, who is an arbitration-eligible as a "Super Two" this winter, is open to a multi-year contract, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.

"If Jay can get compensated fairly over his arbitration years and into his free agency years, we're open to it," said Bruce's agent Matt Sosnick. "If it makes financial sense, we'll look at it. There is no hesitation on Jay's part to stay in Cincinnati for as long as possible. He loves it there." Bruce, 23, batted .281/.353/.493 with 25 homers and 70 RBI this past season and is already one of the best defensive right fielders in baseball. It would be wise to lock him up now before he has a true breakthrough season.

The Yankees have included Bill Hall on their offseason wish list, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

Hall, who turns 31 in December, batted .247/.316/.456 with 18 home runs, 46 RBI and nine stolen bases in 344 at-bats with the Red Sox this past season. He also played six different defensive positions, so his flexibility would be valuable for any team. They obviously won't be alone in their interest -- and money and playing time will be two significant factors -- but it's worth noting that Hall works out with Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long in the offseason.

Manny Ramirez's agent Scott Boras said Monday that his client is hoping to find an incentive-laden one-year contract for 2011.

Manny wants to DH in a hitting-friendly environment. "It's just like Vlad Guerrero. His last Angels season, where he had an injury season and he had 50 RBI, was not a customary Vlad Guerrero season," said Boras. "He went to Texas and reestablished himself. This is really the course for great veteran hitters." Ramirez might have to settle for a deal with a non-contender.

According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pirates have identified Jorge De La Rosa as their primary offseason target.

De La Rosa is expected to land a lucrative multi-year contract this winter as a second tier option to top free agent Cliff Lee. The Pirates don't tend to shell out such things, but they do have a talented core in place and could certainly use a jolt in the starting rotation. De La Rosa, 29, posted a 4.22 ERA and struck out 113 batters in 121 2/3 innings this past year.

Stocking up for 2012

There has been a trade in the CPL

Rolling Goats Gets
SP Dellin Betences NYY
SP Strolmy Pimintal Bos
Your Mom's 2012 4th round pick

Kelly's Heroes Gets:
2012 1st rd pick

Wladimir Balentien signed in Japan

Balentien never caught on state-side, registering a .221/.281/.374 career batting line and 149 strikeouts over 511 major league at-bats. If he plays well enough in Japan, he may be able to find a spot on a big league roster for 2012. It's not yet known which Japanese club he signed with.

The Heros once recieved Balentien and Luke Hochevar in exchnage for Ichiro. Both where top 50 prospects at the time, what a terrible trade.

Arguelles Traded

There has been a trade in the CPL

Your Mom trades:
2012 4th round pick

to Kelly's Heroes for:
Noel Arguelles (SP KC)

Ryan Zimmerman

Ryan Zimmerman not only was Hero of the year but was named 2010 NL silver slugger as well. The award was the 25 year olds 2nd time winning.

Eric Hurley Healthy?

Rangers activated RHP Eric Hurley from the 60-day disabled list.

Hurley missed the entire 2010 season because of chronic hand problems that have so far required three surgeries. He hasn't thrown a pitch in a major league game since 2008, when he finished with a 5.47 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 24 2/3 innings.

Hurley was once a top #25 prospect in all of baseball. Here was his report on MILB

Hurley reached Triple-A at age 21 and more than held his own there, with his final stats skewed by two awful starts to close out the year. The hard-throwing right-hander uses a hard, heavy sinker/fastball and can throw both a two- and four-seam fastball by hitters. His other offerings -- a slider and changeup -- aren't bad, but are a bit behind his fastball. Once he establishes command of those pitches, the sky could be the limit.
Following the pattern of his career thus far -- and what the Rangers have done with other pitchers in the past -- Hurley should reach Arlington at some point in 2008. Give him a little time back in Triple-A to iron out his game and he could be ready to join the Rangers' rotation by midseason.

Arz Kelly's Heros Prospects

This was pulled from BP on Nov 12, 2010

Marc Krauss, OFDOB: 10/5/87
Height/Weight: 6-3/235
Bats/Throws: L/R
Drafted/Signed: Second round, 2009, Ohio University
2010 Stats: .302/.371/.509 at High-A (138 G)
Best/Worst Tool: Power/speed

Year in Review: This massive outfielder was among the Cal League's most dangerous hitters in the second half, slugging 18 home runs in just 272 at-bats after the All-Star break.
The Good: One scout compared Krauss to a “mini Adam Dunn,” as he's a massive presence at the plate with an explosive swing that generates impressive power to all fields. He has a sound approach at the dish and can blast mistakes over the fence from pole to pole.
The Bad: With Krauss' size come the expected negatives, as he's downright slow and a poor outfielder that some scouts believe is better suited for first base or designated hitter. He's a streaky hitter whose swing can get quite long at times, and many question his ability to hit for average at the higher levels.
Ephemera: While it's unlikely that he'll ever catch Mike Schmidt (548), Krauss needs just 21 major-league home runs to rank second among players drafted out of Ohio U.
Perfect World Projection: He may be a low-average, high-power hitter who likely hits fifth in a good lineup.
Fantasy Impact: You'll get power, but don't expect much else.
Path to the Big Leagues: Mobile will provide observers with a much better feel for Krauss' ability to do things beyond hit home runs.
ETA: Late 2012.

A.J. Pollock, OF: He missed all of the regular season due to elbow surgery; many scouts see him as a 'tweener.

Sam Demel, RHP: This power-armed righty was impressive at times out of the big-league bullpen. However, he needs more consistency with his control and slider

Dark Horse Free Agents: Jorge De La Rosa

Full Story at http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=12408

He might not be Cliff Lee, but Jorge De La Rosa has as much value as any other starting pitcher on the free-agent market beside the Rangers left-hander. After being traded from the Royals to the Rockies in 2008, De La Rosa has dominated National League hitters.

De La Rosa only made 20 starts in 2010 because of a torn flexor tendon band in a finger of his pitching hand, which put him on the disabled list for almost two months. In 2009, he was eighth in the NL with 9.39 SO/9 (min. 100 IP), helping the Rockies capture the NL wild card.

The break on De La Rosa’s slider is devastating and his changeup is very deceptive. He’s a strikeout machine but can get wild at times. De La Rosa’s career averages in strikeouts (146) and walks (83) are almost identical to Giants southpaw Jonathan Sanchez’s career averages (170 SO, 83 BB).

2011 Mock Draft 1.0

1 Scared Hitless OF Bryce Harper Was
2 Raging Ferrets SP Jameson Taillon Pit
3 Get Denarded SS Manny Machado Bal
4 Get Denarded 3B Zack Cox Stl
5 Your Mom OF Michael Choice Oak
6 Kelly's Heroes SP Zach Lee LAD
7 Kelly's Heroes 3B Nick Castellanos Det
8 S W H SP Alex Wimmers Min
9 Tom Cat's SP Drew Pomeranz Cle
10 Kelly's Heroes SP/RP Chris Sale ChW
11 Motley Shue 3B Kaleb Cowart LAA
12 Your Mom OF Kyle Parker Col
13 S W H C Yasmani Grandal Cin
14 Fajita Eaters OF Josh Sale TB
15 Mauling Tigers 3B Mike Olt Tex
16 Baby Seals SS Christian Colon KC

Manny Time!

The Heros made a trade with Get Denarded today. Get Denarded will move up from the 7th pick to the 4th pick in the 1st rd and the Heros in exchange will recieve OF Manny Ramirez. The thinking behind the trade was there was not one guy we had to have at #4, Zack Cox is a nice player but not one we were sold on more so then others that will be left at #7.

Manny may only have 1 good year left in the tank but if there is one good year left in him it could be a big addition to the Heros. His stats last year were ok .298 9 HR 42RBI 46BB in an injury plagued season. Hopefully this year he will be playing with a chip on this shoulder.

Future Shock Blog on BP

•Eduardo Escobar, SS, White Sox (AFL: Saguaros): 3-for-5, 3B, R, RBI. This has to slow down at some point, right? Up to .366/.416/.662 in 18 games.

•Juan Francisco, 3B, Reds (DWL: Gigantes): 3-for-5, 2B, R, RBI, K. Reds fans won't be shocked to learn that he's yet to draw a walk in 40 at-bats.

•Caleb Joseph, C, Orioles (AFL: Scorpions): 3-for-3, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB. Athletic catcher trying to bounce back from miserable regular season at Double-A (.235/.301/.368).

•Marc Krauss, OF, Diamondbacks (AFL: Scorpions): 3-for-5, 2B, R. Big left-fielder draws some physical comps to Adam Dunn; he doesn't have that kind of power, but he certainly can hit.

•Martin Perez, LHP, Rangers (VEN: Navegantes): 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 1 K. Has combined three very good outings with two downright awful ones as Jekyll and Hyde act we saw in the regular season continues.

•Logan Schafer, OF, Brewers (AFL: Rafters): 3-for-5, RBI. Slew of injuries (groin, hernia, broken foot) limited him to just eight regular season games; has tools to succeed but 24 and almost no upper-level experience.

•Robbie Weinhardt, RHP, Tigers (PR: Senadores): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K. Six shutout innings in five appearances; will have to earn way back to big leagues after rocky debut.

2012 Draft Picks

The Hero's will be looking to add a few early draft picks to the 2012 draft.