ChuckS

Does he have to play that one position every day? I'm taking the guy who is +10 on offense, in hopes of finding a position that he won't kill me at whether that's 1B, DH, corner OF, or a combination of the three. There are also always late inning defensive replacements. My second pick would be the guy who is average in offense and defense and last pick would be Jorge Mateo.

Not definitively. But I can provide other examples of it. Jonathan Schoop was promoted to the big leagues after less than half a season in Triple A where he put up middling numbers as a 21-year-old. He was TERRIBLE in his first full season in Baltimore, posting a sub-600 OPS. Do I think he was rushed and would have benefited from another 300-500 at bats in Norfolk? Absolutely. But I'm sure you will have a different take on it.

Okay. You must have a different definition of what it would mean to rush someone in this context. Not going to argue semantics with an absolutist.

I think there are numerous examples of players coming up and struggling, then getting sent back to Triple A to work on things and coming up different players. Whether you want call that something other than rushed, "not ready" or "in need of more development", I won't argue semantics Now maybe they need that to experience that failure in the majors sometimes to know what they need to go back down and work on. That could be a valid point to make. But saying that there is no such thing as rushed takes the possibility for additional development that could have occurred in the minor leagues, out of the equation.

Who is talking about high school players going straight to the big leagues? I think we all know that doesn't happen. You don't think players are ever called up to the majors, struggle, sent down, then come back up to different results because they needed additional development time?

Of course there is such thing as rushed. If there wasn't, then there would be no such thing as development. These guys would be coming into the system as finished products, and thus wouldn't benefit by any time spent playing in the minor leagues.

It's really hard to put these guys into tiers when they are all top 20-50ish prospects. Cowser could end up being the best of them all. Who knows. I think he has just as much upside and a higher floor than Mayo and Kjerstad because of his defense. Who is more talented? That is completely subjective and depends on what skill sets you value the most.

If they aren’t confident in Norby’s defense at second, I would expect them to promote Mayo and move Westburg back to second.

I disagree. We are at a point where the competition for spots is thick and any openings need to go to our best prospects in triple A. I don’t see them creating unnecessary road blocks when there are already unavoidable ones on the road. I think we will see Norby or Mayo if Holliday is sent down.

Understanding that we can't extend everyone to a massive contract or maybe even more than one player, I don't see how anyone can choose a pitcher as their number one priority given the amount of risk involved. Adley is great. But he's a catcher who is less likely to be productive into his 30s. We have another catching phenom on the way. Give me the sure thing. Gimme the stud SS who has yet to even hit his prime. Gunnar is the easy call here, although JH could quickly make the argument for himself.

Think Heston will be the next call up. Mayo’s K/BB ratio is poor and I think they’ll want to see that even out. Stowers and Norby have seen their numbers slip a bit. It will likely take an injury to an outfielder or first baseman, but I think we see HK next.

Yes that’s been established. What about my point are you arguing exactly?

Was he throwing 96 with movement in his previous big league stint? Sometimes these guys find velocity later in their career and become completely different pitchers, a la Charlie Morton

Is he really averaging 92? I heard he was topping out at 92.

Yea. I think Creed was so hot the first two months in Delmarva that they wanted to promote him quickly after his first taste of sustained success since he was repeating the level. I'd like to see him get AT LEAST half a season in Aberdeen regardless of his performance. I wouldn't object to him playing the whole season in Aberdeen either.