Fangraphs Top-10 Angels Prospects

[Scott34]

The reports are quite solid but leaving Morin off the top 15 is hilarious.

[Angelsjunky]

I'm not the biggest fan of Sickels lists over the years, but I find it interesting comparing notes and holes in others lists. You can always spot an armchair scout who has never seen a player and goes on to make stuff up about them, or base their rankings purely on stats.

 

If we haven't seen a player ourselves we'll touch base with Ric Wilson for a scouting report (Eddie Bane & Abe Flores before) and when available, another MLB scout not in the Angels org whose been extremely helpful over the years.

 

The reason I like Sickels is that he combines strong statistical analysis with eye-witness scouting. I think he does some himself but also researches what other scouts say. He isn't just a stat guy.

 

I had to laugh at his comment for the Angels #1 prospect from 2007:

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2006/12/15/171440/10

 

 

Whoops. We all have some doozies, don't we? I thought Brian Specht was going to be really good and that Chris Pettit was going to be a .290, 15 HR hitter in the majors. Oh well.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Angelsjunky

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Is that a different brother of Zach Borensteins?  Our favorite brother was named Toby Zeigler, no?  This guy is Josh.  I will also note that I rarely go to the comments of any story but felt I needed to as there might be a little easter egg there due to Borensteins "low" rating.  I wasn't disappointed.

[Inside Pitch]

Here's a follow-up:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/steamer-projects-los-angeles-angels-prospects/

 

 

 

 

You know, that follow up is pretty interesting.  For all the talk about the Angels lack of a farm system, the guys they DO have on offense are at least projecting to be useful.   This team lacks trade chips, and impact players, but it's got some pieces in place that could if pressed into action at least keep from embarrassing themselves.  Some might try to take that comment and say it's an indictment, but really, the team simply needs to be able to fill gaps as they appear, not fill in voids.

 

The folliow up post also shows why adding a couple SPs is a must. 

[Inside Pitch]

And now -- a Q&A with Cron...

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/qa-cj-cron-los-angeles-angels-power-hitting-prospect/

 

I liked the bit about his never trying to pull the ball -- that would explain a lot in regards to why the numbers were what they were last year.  My guess is that they will try to get him to pull more and use that power.  

 

This IS a guy I think Baylor could help.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Our lack of nearly ready starting pitching is the primary reason I would try to trade Aybar or Kendrick (plus marginal prospect) for another young pitcher or two.  I don't think Stamets or Lindsey would embarrass themselves to badly hitting 9th if it meant adding quality young arms to help by the farm more time.  Otherwise, we're forced to overpay for marginal free agents.

[Second Base]

I think he deserves to be in the 11-15 range at worst. Perhaps at #10.

 

Spoiler Alert: I have him in the 11-15 range.  As I've said all along, I may not like his brother, but Zach himself looks like a pretty solid prospect to me.  Maybe an everyday player, maybe a platoon bat.  Maybe a power bat off the bench.  Maybe a AAAA player.  I just don't see superstar.  I'm willing to bet he's a better guy than his brother the troll. 

[tdawg87]

Is that a different brother of Zach Borensteins? Our favorite brother was named Toby Zeigler, no? This guy is Josh. I will also note that I rarely go to the comments of any story but felt I needed to as there might be a little easter egg there due to Borensteins "low" rating. I wasn't disappointed.

Toby Ziegler is a character on a show (can't remember which). Wasn't his real name.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Oh, ok.  Must've missed that episode.

[Second Base]

All in all, I think this is the best list Fan Graphs has ever had.  They're normally awful when it comes to Top Prospect lists.  This one isn't as bad as years past though.  But leaving Morin off was a pretty big miss on their part. 

[Chuck]

The reason I like Sickels is that he combines strong statistical analysis with eye-witness scouting. I think he does some himself but also researches what other scouts say. He isn't just a stat guy.

 

I had to laugh at his comment for the Angels #1 prospect from 2007:

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2006/12/15/171440/10

 

 

Whoops. We all have some doozies, don't we? I thought Brian Specht was going to be really good and that Chris Pettit was going to be a .290, 15 HR hitter in the majors. Oh well.

 

Funny comments, but we've all missed the mark here and there.

 

I truly believed Trevor Reckling was going to be a solid young lefty.

[Brent Maguire]

Leaving Morin off is really bad.

 

Otherwise, I think the list is perfectly in line with most other lists.

[Brent Maguire]

Btw this is the top 10 list from Baseball Prospectus:

 

 

1. 2B Taylor Lindsey
2. 3B Kaleb Cowart
3. 1B C.J. Cron
4. RHP R.J. Alvarez
5. RHP Mark Sappington
6. RF Randal Grichuk
7. 2B Alex Yarbrough
8. SS Jose Rondon
9. LHP Ricardo Sanchez
10. LHP Hunter Green

[tdawg87]

Who the f is Richard Sanchez

[Inside Pitch]

Hes the 17 year old international signing last year.

[ettin]

Toby Ziegler is a character on a show (can't remember which). Wasn't his real name.

 

West Wing. Perhaps it was Josh's cerebral attempt to indirectly reference the West Coast Angels? Or perhaps it was because the character was Jewish? Maybe Tobey Maguire was already taken? Why am I continuing to waste time typing about his name?

[Mark68]

The good news is minor league baseball has successfully kept its boot on that Zionist. But Selig and henry ford can sleep soundly tonight knowing that they have succeeded in keeping things the way they're supposed to be after that debacle in letting sandy Koufax in the hall.

They also somehow let Hank Greenberg in.

[Docwaukee]

They also somehow let Hank Greenberg in.

the 'hebrew hammer' 

[Mark68]

Toby Ziegler is a character on a show (can't remember which). Wasn't his real name.

The West Wing.

 

Played by Richard Schiff.

[nikkachez]

Joseeeee! I'm a big Jose Rondon fan, I think once he matures physically a bit more and continues to improve his contact skills, he could become a fringe star shortstop

[IowaAngels27]

With the quality coaching in the Angels system, I see no reason for all 15 to develop into quality Big League players.

[nikkachez]

Ricardo Sanchez isn't getting the love I think he deserves, while the Angels have been almost absent in getting Latin players the last couple years, Sanchez has been one of the few big international signings the Angels have made. He's a young lefty, 17 or 18, left handed, already throws in the low 90's and scouting reports say he has the potential for 3 above average pitches. He's raw obviously but he's got some of the highest upside in the system, him and Green could make intriguing future starters.

[Blarg]

The good news is minor league baseball has successfully kept its boot on that Zionist. But Selig and henry ford can sleep soundly tonight knowing that they have succeeded in keeping things the way they're supposed to be after that debacle in letting sandy Koufax in the hall.

 

Toby is going to be so upset to learn the commissioner of baseball is Jewish and has done nothing to right the wrongs of the minor league rankings.

[Stradling]

Instigator?

[Guest]

The West Wing.

 

Played by Richard Schiff.

Awesome character/actor and amazing show. One of my all-time favorites.