BA's Eastern League Top 20

[Frobby]

Usually BA uses for criteria on these lists

Pitchers -- 20 appearances or 1/3 IP per team game

Batters -- 1 PA per team game

So Wieters, Tillman, Arrieta and Hernandez should all be eligible.

Thanks. I don't care much about these rankings generally, but I really don't care about them with respect to those players who spent a lot of time in the majors this year. I've got a pretty good idea by now of what we have in Wieters, Tillman and Hernandez, no matter what BA says. Arrieta's ranking is of greater interest.

[Stotle]

Wieters #1 I assume...Tillman top 5?

Wieters, I would assume, would be #1. As Frobby points out, Hanson could sneak in there. Desmond Jennings missed qualifying by 5 PAs, or he could have gotten some votes.

Without thinking too much about it, I'd think something like:

Wieters/Hanson/Tillman/Desmond/LaPorta/Sizemore/Jackson/Brignac/Hellickson/Davis could all get top 5 consideration.

[Sports Guy]

Wieters, I would assume, would be #1. As Frobby points out, Hanson could sneak in there. Desmond Jennings missed qualifying by 5 PAs, or he could have gotten some votes.

Without thinking too much about it, I'd think something like:

Wieters/Hanson/Tillman/Desmond/LaPorta/Sizemore/Jackson/Brignac/Hellickson/Davis could all get top 5 consideration.

That is real scary.

[Stotle]

That is real scary.

Sorry -- Desmond as in Nationals's Ian Desmond, not Desmond Jennings.

Yeah, Tampa has a good group breaking in -- particularly when you include Price. If they move Upton for any solid return, they could put together something really interesting. Imagine if they had sucked it up and drafted Posey despite his asking price:

2010 and on

C Posey

1B Pena

2B Bartlett

3B Longoria

SS Brignac

RF Jennings

CF Upton

LF Crawford

DH Zobrist

P Price

P Garza

P Shields

P Hellickson

P Davis

P Niemann

[wildcard]

I know that I mentioned that in the OP, but, to be fair, many posters, IIRC, aknowledged that the Orioles should do better in the upper MiLs due to Boston graduating so many of their top prospects. That is why it is important that some players from '06, '07 and '08 have break-out seasons and that the '09 draft is the re-stocking the system, which is what Boston has shown that they do so well with how many prospects on this lists in the lower minors.

Agree about Snyder, but, this is by far the most up beat post from BA since Snyder's debut and being picked the Appy League's top prospect. It is also the first time that they had something positive to say about his defense.

I also think the Arrieta is being under rated, that said, BA did mention about the mechanical tweak and his "big stuff". Command (not control, thank god!) is still an issue - along with consistency with his secondary pitches. Jake is a bull dog and shows that he is willing to learn - I believe that he will fix these issues next year.

Yes, that is the first I have seen that written about Snyder also.

[Sports Guy]

Sorry -- Desmond as in Nationals's Ian Desmond, not Desmond Jennings.

Yeah, Tampa has a good group breaking in -- particularly when you include Price. If they move Upton for any solid return, they could put together something really interesting.

Should have been obvious since you said Jennings didn't qualify(and since you were using last names with everyone else)..My mistake there.

You know what i wonder...With all of that pitching talent coming up, I wonder if James Shields could be available?

He starts to get expensive soon and could be moved.

I think it is more likely he gets moved next offseason though.

[Stotle]

Should have been obvious since you said Jennings didn't qualify(and since you were using last names with everyone else)..My mistake there.

You know what i wonder...With all of that pitching talent coming up, I wonder if James Shields could be available?

He starts to get expensive soon and could be moved.

I think it is more likely he gets moved next offseason though.

I think Shields and Upton will be available. Upton this winter (for immediate help) and Shields next winter (for one or two good-not-great prospects). How disappointed will BAL fans be to see Upton + something headed to SDN for Blanks or MIL for Fielder...

LF Crawford

CF Jennings

RF Zobrist

1B Blanks/Fielder

2B Brignac

SS Bartlett

3B Longoria

DH Pena

C Navarro

[Sports Guy]

I think Shields and Upton will be available. Upton this winter (for immediate help) and Shields next winter (for one or top good-not-great prospects). How disappointed will BAL fans be to see Upton + something headed to SDN for Blanks or MIL for Fielder...

LF Crawford

CF Jennings

RF Zobrist

1B Blanks/Fielder

2B Brignac

SS Bartlett

3B Longoria

DH Pena

C Navarro

Yea, I thought about a Fielder/Upton swap...But I would think, because of salary, that Crawford/Fielder makes more sense for the DRays...Not too bad for Milwaukee either.

[Stotle]

Yea, I thought about a Fielder/Upton swap...But I would think, because of salary, that Crawford/Fielder makes more sense for the DRays...Not too bad for Milwaukee either.

I think MIL needs a CF (corner already full), and Crawford doesn't have the arm. I guess they could shift Braun to 1B, but I'd think Gamel would get the nod for now.

[Sports Guy]

I think MIL needs a CF (corner already full), and Crawford doesn't have the arm. I guess they could shift Braun to 1B, but I'd think Gamel would get the nod for now.

Crawford may not have the arm but he could be a GG caliber CFer.

[alexei606]

Wieters, I would assume, would be #1. As Frobby points out, Hanson could sneak in there. Desmond Jennings missed qualifying by 5 PAs, or he could have gotten some votes.

Without thinking too much about it, I'd think something like:

Wieters/Hanson/Tillman/Desmond/LaPorta/Sizemore/Jackson/Brignac/Hellickson/Davis could all get top 5 consideration.

Close, here's the actual list from BA's top 20 for the International League:

1.Wieters 2. Hanson 3. McCutchen 4. Tillman 5. Davis 6. Hellickson 7. Jackson 8. LaPorta 9. Hector Rondon 10. Brignac - you picked eight out of the top 10

11. Arrieta 12. Fernando Martinez 13. Tabata 14. Stubbs 15. Michael Brantley 16. Niese 17. Carrasco 18. Detwiler 19. Desmond 20. Chris Heisey

Only Sizemore from your list didn't make it.

[Stotle]

Close, here's the actual list from BA's top 20 for the International League:

1.Wieters 2. Hanson 3. McCutchen 4. Tillman 5. Davis 6. Hellickson 7. Jackson 8. LaPorta 9. Hector Rondon 10. Brignac - you picked eight out of the top 10

11. Arrieta 12. Fernando Martinez 13. Tabata 14. Stubbs 15. Michael Brantley 16. Niese 17. Carrasco 18. Detwiler 19. Desmond 20. Chris Heisey

Only Sizemore from your list didn't make it.

Ahhhh! Forgot McCutchen was eligible! Oh well, not too bad!

[joeride]

The Baseball America EL chat John Manuel says he would put Bell in the top 8 if he qualified. He mentioned Bell's defense has improved

sorry I don't know how to link or I would have

[QBsILLEST1]

The Baseball America EL chat John Manuel says he would put Bell in the top 8 if he qualified. He mentioned Bell's defense has improved

sorry I don't know how to link or I would have

Nice...I like to hear that. I wonder then who will rate higher between him and Arrieta when it comes to top 100. I really woulda thought Jake would nevger rate behind him, but the way Manuel sounds, I could be wrong....