BP Top 101 Prospects

Here are the players that made the top 101 on baseball prospectus from the Kelly's Heroes

#2 OF Mike Trout
#26 SP Mike Minor
#28 2B Jason Kipnis
#41 C Dereck Norris
#66 SP Chris Dwyer
#69 1B Anthony Rizzo
#79 RP Tanner Scheppers
#101 OF Donavan Tate

Eric Hurley's Return

Eric Hurley (hamstring) has resumed throwing off a mound and could be ready for game action sometime next week.
Hurley has been a walking MASH unit the last few years, having not appeared in a major league game since 20008 due to a variety of ailments. He was once a promising prospect and is still just 25, but his star has faded dramatically. He's likely to begin the season at Triple-A.

Trade 2/25/11

Kelly's Heroes Gets
1B Anthony Rizzo
C Max Stassi
2nd rd 32 overall

Rolling Goats Gets
C Christian Betencourt Atl
SS Jed Lowrie
2B Reese Havens
2nd rd 28th overall


The Heroes get back two of their own in Rizzo and Stassi. Both started there CPL days with Kelly's Heroes. Rizzo adds much needed 1B depth in the minors and Stassi is big upgrade over Betencourt in my eyes.

After the trade here is what the Kelly's Heros BA top 100 list looks like:
#2 OF Mike Trout
#37 SP Mike Minor
#54 2B Jason Kipnis
#71 C Derrek Norris
#75 1B Anthony Rizzo
#83 SP Chris Dwyer
#84 RP Tanner Scheppers

Kelly's Heroes Draft Strategy

Trade 2/24/11

Tom Cats Gets
2012 2nd rd (Shues)
2012 2nd rd (Tigers)

Heroes Gets
2011 2nd rd (28)


Over Paid a little bit, but this would have more then likely my 6th and 7th of the 2012 draft. I really wanted another pick in the 28 this season, the Heroes board has 28 guys that I would have really like to get and after the trade that is one more that I covet I'll have a chance to draft no matter what happens in front of me. Also it makes the 3rd and 4th rd picks a little more flexable.

BA Top 100 Kelly's Heroes

Kelly's Heroes
#2 OF Mike Trout
#37 SP Mike Minor
#54 2B Jason Kipnis
#71 C Derrek Norris
#83 SP Chris Dwyer
#84 RP Tanner Scheppers

Notes 2/23/11

-Soriano said he plans to continue improving his defense and doesn't have any plans of being forced to the bench in the late innings for defensive reasons, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "When I started working on my defense [last] season, my defense started getting better, so I want to have the same routine," said Soriano, who indicated he continued some of that work into the winter. "I want to work on my defense every day. . . and to play in the ninth inning."

-Andrus added 10 pounds of muscle this offseason and plans to be more aggressive in hitter's counts at the plate, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Andrus, who is expected to hit second in the lineup this season, showed almost no power last season (.301 slugging, 18 extra-base hits, no homers) despite good speed and baserunning instincts so it's nice to see him concentrate on his real weakness at the plate. Even a handful of home runs would place him among the AL elite at shortstop given his speed potential.

-Snider took some grounders Tuesday, but he will not hit for a couple more days so he can rest his sore ribs. Snider should be back at full health well in advance of the regular season

-Aardsma walked unassisted for the first time since December hip surgery at Mariners' practice on Wednesday, reports Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune.
Spin: As Aardsma goes on to say, "It takes time, and you can't rush it." One has to imagine that the Mariners will take that kind of approach with their closer, which means that he could miss the first month of the season and maybe more. Walking without crutches is a good sign for Aardsma, but at least to begin 2011, Brandon League looks to be the guy getting the save opportunities out of Seattle's bullpen.

-The Indians may continue limiting Hafner's playing time in an effort to keep him healthy this season, the team's official site reports.
Spin: The Indians limited Hafner to just four consecutive games before a day off for much of the second half of the season last year with encouraging results so a similar plan may be in the cards again this season. "We don't want to run him down to the ground way too early. I think throughout camp we're going to get a better feel of how he is physically and then I'll get together with our medical staff and see," manager Manny Acta said.

Chris Dwyer #64 On BB Top 100

Here what Bullpen Banter had to say about Dwyer.

Michael Herrick (40): Maybe the least heralded of the Kansas City's big four LHP's, Dwyer can certainly hang with the others. His 12-6 curve gets a plus grade from scouts and it plays up a bit from there with his ability to locate the pitch. He has above average velocity for a LHP, sitting 91-92 and touching 95. He worked hard to improve the command of the fastball and he's not afraid to go after hitters and work on the inner half of the plate. His change lags behind the other pitches but the FB/CB is so good that an average change still gives his #2 potential. Dwyer needs to improve his control to reach that ceiling, but I'm a big believer in him. He'll be in the loaded Arkansas rotation to open the year and could see time in KC by 2012.

Al Skorupa (55): I had Dwyer a little higher than the group, coming in at #55 on my personal list. Dwyer is a pitcher who I also could see flying up the rankings in 2011. He’s not there yet because of his weak change and control issues. The upside is that the strengths in his game are elite strengths. If he can improve upon the flaws in his game he will quickly resemble a top pitching prospect.

Jeff Reese (69): I'd say Chris Dwyer has already flown up the rankings. He got an over-slot deal in the 2009 draft mostly because he was a rare draft eligible freshman (meaning he had significantly more leverage than most 21 year old draftees). He flashed the plus stuff that Mike mentions above, but he had the consistency of, well, a freshman. The consistency he showed during the 2010 season was a very pleasant surprise. The emergence of Chris Dwyer just highlights the importance of spending money in the draft.

Tanner Scheppers #77 BB Top 100

Here is what a couple of there writer's said about him.


Full story at http://bullpenbanter.com




Al Skorupa (77): I loved Scheppers last year and I'm still a big fan. I am now reasonably certain he ends up in relief and his stock has dropped some for me, but not all that much. Scheppers throws in the upper 90’s and has two plus secondary pitches. Both are breaking balls, though, and he still hasn't really come up with an effective off speed pitch. This is still a pitcher with special stuff that deserves a high ranking either as a starter or reliever. Scheppers did struggle at the end of the season, but it seemed more like he ran out of gas than anything. I do feel this is a prospect who is getting overlooked somehow. He answered most of the major questions we had about him last year at this time. His stuff is major league ready and filthy. Also, his arm didn't fall off - which is a plus.

Michael Herrick (71): There may be more risk with Scheppers than other relievers, but I think his potential as a reliever is even higher than guys like Kimbrel or Walden. I think there is a good chance he can make it as a starter, even if the change doesn't really develop. His stuff is so filthy, I think he could probably get by and be successful as is. If the change develops...we're looking at a potential ace. The range of outcomes is pretty wide here, but the potential is great enough to rank him #71 on my list.

Mike Minor Profile from Bullpen Banter

Mike Minor is a pitcher. He does all the things to maximize his tools. He works fast, can field his position, and holds runners well. He will vary his looks with runners on base, and will hold the ball to throw off runners timing. Mike will show different pickoff moves to first, and has a legitimate “balk move” to first.

Minor doesn’t have ace type of stuff, but his stuff plays up because he knows how to pitch and he hides the ball very well. He pitches a lot like former Brave Tom Glavine, working the outside corner with fastballs and changeups, but he has a little more on the fastball and will bust right handed hitters inside. He generally starts off establishing the fastball/change combo, and then will bring the curve into play the second time through the order. Some of the teams he faced in 2010 stacked the lineup with right handed bats, which plays into Minor’s strength.

Minor will crack the Brave rotation some time in 2011. He may even win a job at the back of the rotation out of Spring Training. He has little to prove in the minors. He has the stuff to be a solid number 2 starter, which is all that the Braves really need him to be with plenty of quality at the front of their rotation.

Closer look at one of the newest Heroes

1B Daric Barton is one of the newest members of the Kelly's Heroes here is look at part of what John Sickels of minor league ball wrote today on him.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/2/11/1988989/career-profile-daric-barton

In 2010 was the first season he played every day with a .273/.393/.405 mark, with 10 homers, 33 doubles, 110 walks, and 102 strikeouts.

He still doesn't show the home run power normally expected of a first baseman, but his exceptional walk rate stands out. So far, he's a career .260/.369/.399 hitter, OPS+109, including last year's OPS+119 mark. His fielding at first base didn't draw great reviews when he first moved there in the minors, but it was decent in '08 and '09 and excellent last year, helping boost his WAR. He was at 4.9 WAR in 2010, giving him a 7.0 mark so far in his career.

The main question for Barton remains home run development. At age 25 he still has time to develop more, but even if he stays where he is now in terms of power, his combination of high OBP and strong defense makes him an above average player.

Ryan Zimmerman Buzz

The Mauling Tigers came hard after Zimmerman, offering:
1st rd 2011
1sr rd 2012
OF Grady Sizemore
SP Randell Delgado
3B Edwin Encarncion
SP Brett Myers

The Heroes countered that offer late last night with:
1st rd 2011
1sr rd 2012
OF Grady Sizemore
SP Josh Beckett
3B Alex Rodriguez
for
3B Ryan Zimmerman
OF Alfonso Soriano
OF Donavan Tate

Tiger has declined the offer.

FanHouse Top 100 Kelly's Heroes

The Heroes lock down 7 of the top 100, not too bad. Grats to Krauss for making his 1st top 100 of the season.

#1 OF Mike Trout
#28 SP Mike Minor
#53 C Dereck Norris
#65 OF Oswaldo Arcia
#67 Jason Kipnis
#72 Tanner Scheppers
#99 OF Marc Krauss

Trade 2/9/2011

Shue Gets
26th
30th

JK Gets
38th
43rd
51st
59th

All picks are for the 2011 draft. Was going to take a reach at least at one of those 2 picks so it made sence to make that move.

Project Prospect

Here is member of Project Prospect top 100 players.

#2. OF Mike Trout
#28 2B Jason Kipnis
#30 SP Mike Minor
#42 2B Reese Havens
#50 C Dereck Norris
#68 RP Tanner Scheppers
#91 Johnny Giavotella