Mid-season rankings

[Jeff B]

We just finished our top 25 prospects list at FutureSox.com, which you can read here.

My personal top 10 was:
1. Dan Hudson
2. Chris Sale
3. Dayan Viciedo
4. Tyler Flowers
5. Trayce Thompson
6. Jared Mitchell
7. Brent Morel
8. Jacob Petricka
9. Jordan Danks
10. Ryan Buch

Some may see Buch at 10 as a surprise but I'm a big fan of his, he's my big sleeper pick. I could see Chris Sale at #1, but Hudson's performance at AAA gave him the edge for me and Petricka slides comfortably into the top 10. The other '10 draftees in my top 25 are Addison Reed (#12), Matthew Grimes (#21) and Andy Wilkins (#24).

So who does everyone else have in their top 10?

[Pablo_Honey]

Hmm, interesting top 10 you have there. I'm surprised to see Thompson ahead of Mitchell. Thompson's too raw for my liking and his long swing doesn't inspire much confidence in me. Danks has disappointed yet again and with his age I expected better. Flowers is struggling as well but he was never this bad so I'm willing to cut him some slack. So yeah, just throwing in my two cents.

My totally unbiased top 10:
1. Hudson
2. Viciedo
3. Sale
4. Morel
5. Flowers
6. Mitchell
7. Holmberg
8. Bellamy
9. Thompson
10. Petricka

[tm1119]

Our system is so thin that there really isnt a whole lot of room for debate here. Although, I have a few different guys towards the bottom of my list.

1. Hudson
2. Dayan
3. Sale
4. Flowers
5. Morel
6. Mitchel
7. Santos Rodriguez (future closer?)
8. Petricka
9. Jose Martinez
10. Eduardo Escobar

[Hitmen77]

Why can't the Sox have a better farm system? I guess that's half rhetorical.

Are we expecting to see improvement in the system over the next few years as the 2008 and later draft picks take shape?

[PolishPrince34]

1. Dan Hudson
2. Chris Sale
3. Jared Mitchell
4. Trayce Thompson
5. Brent Morel
6.Tyler Flowers
7. Dayan Viciedo
8. Jacob Petricka
9. Addison Reed
10. Ryan Buch

[tm1119]

What's everybodys deal with Thompson? He has yet to show any ability to hit whatsoever. I know he's still young but from what I've read he's nothing but an athlete that needs to learn how to hit completely as a big leaguer. Not saying that can't happen but I don't see how he's in our top 10 until he learns how to hit at least a little bit.

[DirtySox]

Originally Posted by tm1119

What's everybodys deal with Thompson? He has yet to show any ability to hit whatsoever. I know he's still young but from what I've read he's nothing but an athlete that needs to learn how to hit completely as a big leaguer. Not saying that can't happen but I don't see how he's in our top 10 until he learns how to hit at least a little bit.

He probably has the highest ceiling in the system. He oozes tools. He started off this year ridiculously hot in Kanny, but soon cooled down and then got injured. Yes he is raw, but most scouting publications were heaping praise on him for the adjustments he made to his game. He's probably be around 6ish on my list.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by tm1119

What's everybodys deal with Thompson? He has yet to show any ability to hit whatsoever. I know he's still young but from what I've read he's nothing but an athlete that needs to learn how to hit completely as a big leaguer. Not saying that can't happen but I don't see how he's in our top 10 until he learns how to hit at least a little bit.

I think a guy like Trayce Thompson would be a fringe Top 10 candidate in a lot of farm systems, but you're right the fact that he rountinely bounces into the top half speaks for how bare our system is right now.

[Randar68]

Originally Posted by Hitmen77

Why can't the Sox have a better farm system? I guess that's half rhetorical.

When you make a habit out of making big trades, it will cost you depth and talent. Likewise, if you aren't going to spend big money and take fliers on guys with huge demands who slip in the draft or demand above-slot money you are going to miss out on better talent...

[tm1119]

Originally Posted by Randar68

When you make a habit out of making big trades, it will cost you depth and talent. Likewise, if you aren't going to spend big money and take fliers on guys with huge demands who slip in the draft or demand above-slot money you are going to miss out on better talent...

The latter half of your statement is the main reason. We really haven't given up that much legit talent by way of trade to warrant having this bare of a system. It's a factor but a very small 1. The main reason is drafting safe and easy to sign college players with no potential at all. Until management shows the willingness to pay and take the time to develop prospects our system is going to suck. If you notice almost every legit prospect we get is on a rush course to the majors. Beckham, Jor. Danks, sale, dayan, poreda, hudson to name them off the top of my head. No development time at all.

[cws05champ]

Originally Posted by tm1119

The latter half of your statement is the main
reason. We really haven't given up that much legit talent by way of trade to warrant having this bare of a system. It's a factor but a very small 1. The main reason is drafting safe and easy to sign college players with no potential at all. Until management shows the willingness to pay and take the time to develop prospects our system is going to suck. If you notice almost every legit prospect we get is on a rush course to the majors. Beckham, Jor. Danks, sale, dayan, poreda, hudson to name them off the top of my head. No development time at all.

Also, our international scouting and signings have been non-existent over the last few years, outside of the Cuban connection. If they're not going to draft and sign the talented, but hard to sign guys and get their act together in International scouting, they won't fully turn this ship around.

As long as we have a competitive team at the major league level though I have no problem with KW's strategy to use minor league depth to acquire ML players. I just hope they identify the correct guys to keep (Beckham, Sale etc) that will be good long term.

[tm1119]

Originally Posted by cws05champ

Also, our international scouting and signings have been non-existent over the last few years, outside of the Cuban connection. If they're not going to draft and sign the talented, but hard to sign guys and get their act together in International scouting, they won't fully turn this ship around.

As long as we have a competitive team at the major league level though I have no problem with KW's strategy to use minor league depth to acquire ML players. I just hope they identify the correct guys to keep (Beckham, Sale etc) that will be good long term.

I completely agree with you that KW is good at using his minor league system for acquiring good MLB talent, and I have no problem with that at all. But hes also extremely handcuffed with the deals he can make because of how thin our system is. Im not saying we have to draft the most expensive guys in the draft every round, but at least make an effort to get a guy with some legit potential. Seems like we are so content in drafting that 22 year old college pitcher that has the ceiling of middle reliever at best. Theres really no reason for it all either. The Rays, Twins, Marlins, Padres and others all have lower payrolls than us and seem to be able to develop tons of talent. Yet we cant do a damn thing in the draft besides draft 22 year olds that seem to sit in A or AA til their 26. Very frustrating to think of how much the draft and player development holds this entire franchise back.

[Tragg]

We produce more talent than people realize. lately we've squandered a lot of it for pretty much nill in return....bad veterans, utility infielders, etc.

We had no farm system...but somehow we had 4 pitchers to send to San Diego for Peavy. We had no farm system, but we'll meet too of the prospects this weekend that we gave for, Marquez I suppose, as things turned out. When we trade a solid veteran starter Javy, we get ONE legitimate prospect out of the deal. ONE. (Swisher yielded the As 3).

And we don't seem to work the draft very well, nor take risks for high ceiling, nor spend money over slot.

[Pablo_Honey]

Originally Posted by Tragg

We had no farm system, but we'll meet too of the prospects this weekend that we gave for, Marquez I suppose, as things turned out. When we trade a solid veteran starter Javy, we get ONE legitimate prospect out of the deal. ONE. (Swisher yielded the As 3).

When we traded for Swisher, he had a lot of value. He walked, hit for power, ran the bases, fielded multiple positions and was signed for cheap. When Javy was traded, he was coming off another 4.00+ ERA season for the fourth time in five seasons. He was also coming off a pathetic late season stint after which he got his ass chewed up by Ozzie in public. I'd hardly put them on the same level of talent.

Originally Posted by Tragg

And we don't seem to work the draft very well, nor take risks for high ceiling, nor spend money over slot.

This. The Sox are notorious for avoiding high ceiling guys that are tough signs. Even when they do draft tough signs, they pick the lower ceiling ones and go after them in the lower rounds to sign them for moderate amount (E.g. Steven Upchurch). The Sox may have drafted riskier picks like Mitchell and Sale but they still managed to sign them near slot and fairly quickly too. It also doesn't help we are horrible at developing prospects.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Tragg

We had no farm system...but somehow we had 4 pitchers to send to San Diego for Peavy. We had no farm system, but we'll meet too of the prospects this weekend that we gave for, Marquez I suppose, as things turned out. When we trade a solid veteran starter Javy, we get ONE legitimate prospect out of the deal. ONE. (Swisher yielded the As 3).

We got Peavy because we took his entire contract off San Diego's hands.