Arizona Fall League

[SoxSpeed22]

Experience is the only real issue I see with Mitchell. That injury really did delay his development. It's good to hear that he's a hard worker and responsive to coaching. The most important thing is polishing up on the little things, like baserunning technique, routes to the ball and pitch recognition. Being able to bunt for base hits will also help him.

[khan]

Originally Posted by DirtySox

More on Phegley:

http://www.csnchicago.com/10/18/10/P...925&feedID=621

Michael Blanke is a C to watch, but it's hard to get too excited until he's playing at an age appropriate level. Scouting reports really like him though. Also, Miguel Gonzalez is fantastic defensively but the bat needs to catch up.

Thanks. I'll keep an eye on these two.

Originally Posted by DirtySox

Mitchell striking out is not new.

I suppose my overarching issue is not with respect to Mitchell specifically, but with the ongoing cavalcade of SOX prospects that come up as a strike-out-in-waiting:

Fields was an automatic K, and I DESPERATELY wanted KW to ship his ass out after his lucky 2007.
I think Flowers just struck out again as I typed this sentence.
Jordan Danks hasn't improved in this area at all, yet the SOX kept moving him up.
Viciedo Ks too much, but moreso as a product of a lack of walking.
Brent Morel had more Ks than hits when he got called up, but then he does other things well enough to where this isn't mentioned as frequently.
And there are others, too.

I merely wish that there were more SOX prospect hitters that were NOT automatic Ks. For that matter, I wish there were more actual PROSPECTS in the system.

[DirtySox]

Originally Posted by khan

Thanks. I'll keep an eye on these two.



I suppose my overarching issue is not with respect to Mitchell specifically, but with the ongoing cavalcade of SOX prospects that come up as a strike-out-in-waiting:

Fields was an automatic K, and I DESPERATELY wanted KW to ship his ass out after his lucky 2007.
I think Flowers just struck out again as I typed this sentence.
Jordan Danks hasn't improved in this area at all, yet the SOX kept moving him up.
Viciedo Ks too much, but moreso as a product of a lack of walking.
Brent Morel had more Ks than hits when he got called up, but then he does other things well enough to where this isn't mentioned as frequently.
And there are others, too.

I merely wish that there were more SOX prospect hitters that were NOT automatic Ks. For that matter, I wish there were more actual PROSPECTS in the system.

Agree in general.

I won't quibble with Dayan's K rate though. It was around 22% in the minors and 24% in the majors. Perfectly acceptable for a slugger. The BB rate is disgusting though. (3% and 1.9%)

Not worried about Morel either. He obviously needs time to acclimate to major league pitching, but his track record shows he generally puts the ball in play. (15.4 K% in AAA last year)

The rest I'll give you. Especially Jordan Danks. Yuck.

[rdivaldi]

Originally Posted by khan

However, I think its becoming clear that he'd probably not going to do much for this organization.

Based on what? It's unbelievable how Phegley has become the unofficial whipping boy of the farm system. The kid was sick all season and hasn't had an opportunity to prove himself yet. Give it a rest....

[Domeshot17]

Originally Posted by rdivaldi

Based on what? It's unbelievable how Phegley has become the unofficial whipping boy of the farm system. The kid was sick all season and hasn't had an opportunity to prove himself yet. Give it a rest....

Before he got sick he was pretty bad, and while it isn't his fault, he has his draft position to live up too. He was a severe reach there, especially with the talent still on the board at the time.

It was a typical Sox easy sign without the big potential pick. Again, I don't blame Phegley for his disease, this isn't something he brought on himself in ANY WAY. However, I can be critical and sympathetic at the same time. If you look back at the draft thread you can see me clamoring for Tanner Scheppers. Tougher sign, a little bit of an injury concern, but the kid is a top 40 prospect right now. What would our system be like if we had Scheppers moving in to replace Jenks next year with the luxury of stretching Sale out int he minors to take over in the rotation? Or if we just had Scheppers and Sale both stretching out for the rotation 2012 when we lose Burls and Edwin Jackson.

That is a huge difference. Right now, Sale may be stupidly made a closer, ruining his real potential, because we have nothing else, and we have a catcher who before getting sick showed nothing in his early work to even be remotely excited about and now may never be healthy enough to play.

[khan]

Yes, we're all aware that the lad was ill. However, he was a HUGE overdraft, and as dome stated, he did little-to-nothing BEFORE he got sick.


Also, I don't think ANYONE other than you sees him as the whipping boy for the entire system. I think there are real systemic issues that lead to Phegley being drafted rounds before he should have been drafted.

[russ99]

Originally Posted by khan

Yes, we're all aware that the lad was ill. However, he was a HUGE overdraft, and as dome stated, he did little-to-nothing BEFORE he got sick.

Also, I don't think ANYONE other than you sees him as the whipping boy for the entire system. I think there are real systemic issues that lead to Phegley being drafted rounds before he should have been drafted.

Again, the simplest explanation would suffice - the Sox saw catcher as a need position considering his potential as a hitter with power, which don't grow on trees at that position. It's not always about Jerry going under slot.

Baseball America thought highly enough of him to pick him the Sox preseason #11.

After 400 AB in the minors (including hitting a total of .284/.328/.415 at 3 levels this year) it's foolish to assume he'll be a bust.

Hopefully he can get well and build on his season next year in AA, and at least get a cup of coffee in the bigs before the end of 2012.

[Domeshot17]

Originally Posted by russ99

Again, the simplest explanation would suffice - the Sox saw catcher as a need position considering his potential as a hitter with power, which don't grow on trees at that position. It's not always about Jerry going under slot.

Baseball America thought highly enough of him to pick him the Sox preseason #11.

After 400 AB in the minors (including hitting a total of .284/.328/.415 at 3 levels this year) it's foolish to assume he'll be a bust.

Hopefully he can get well and build on his season next year in AA, and at least get a cup of coffee in the bigs before the end of 2012.

(1) This isn't the NBA or NFL, you do not ever draft need in the mlb draft unless its a player who is going to reach in the next year or 2. You can approach a draft with intent, I.E. the farm is thin on pitching so you will draft pitching heavy, but any team that drafts on position need in the first 4-5 rounds is one that will constantly have a bad farm. You can draft a position when the talent is equal (think Gordon over Smoak) but the best farms generally draft BPA

(2) Being ranked number 11 in the Sox system is nothing of an accomplishment. The fact he was drafted so high, in a piss poor farm, and ranked out of the top 10 is more negative than positive

(3) Touting his power and then mentioning his sub .750 OPS in the minors is quite conflicting.

Again, he has some upside, but he was a terrible pick then and has done nothing to prove it wrong. Scheppers has a ceiling much like Sale, we blew it.

[khan]

Again, thanks for getting to this before me, dome.

Yes, catcher is a "position of need" for this system. But guess what:

EVERY position is a "position of need" for every system, but ESPECIALLY for one as devoid of talent as the SOX's system.


Picking by position, ESPECIALLY as high as Phegley was picked, is country-dumb. Pick the best damn player you can, get him in the system, and let the system figure out where he'll end up. Many players started out in different positions than where they ended up in the bigs. So if the intent was to actually [SHOCK!] develop a player for the 25 man, this was a dumb pick, as there were players of much HIGHER promise taken after Phegley.

Alternatively, as a SOX fan you should know: KW picks players to trade them, REGARDLESS of position. If this is the GM's M.O., then he STILL should pick the BPA. ESPECIALLY for a system this ****ty and as high as Phegley was picked. [EDIT] BPAs are more likely to become valued chips in trade than a guy who was overdrafted due to some perceived "positional need." [/EDIT]

I still hope that he'll become something of note, but early returns are HIGHLY disappointing, given his draft position. [And the other players drafted near his position that the SOX passed on to get Phegley.] However, him being drafted where he was drafted is emblematic of but ONE problem with this organization out of many problems.

[SephClone89]

Originally Posted by khan

Again, thanks for getting to this before me, dome.

Yes, catcher is a "position of need" for this system. But guess what:

EVERY position is a "position of need" for every system, but ESPECIALLY for one as devoid of talent as the SOX's system.


Picking by position, ESPECIALLY as high as Phegley was picked, is country-dumb. Pick the best damn player you can, get him in the system, and let the system figure out where he'll end up. Many players started out in different positions than where they ended up in the bigs. So if the intent was to actually [SHOCK!] develop a player for the 25 man, this was a dumb pick, as there were players of much HIGHER promise taken after Phegley.

Alternatively, as a SOX fan you should know: KW picks players to trade them, REGARDLESS of position. If this is the GM's M.O., then he STILL should pick the BPA. ESPECIALLY for a system this ****ty and as high as Phegley was picked. [EDIT] BPAs are more likely to become valued chips in trade than a guy who was overdrafted due to some perceived "positional need." [/EDIT]

I still hope that he'll become something of note, but early returns are HIGHLY disappointing, given his draft position. [And the other players drafted near his position that the SOX passed on to get Phegley.] However, him being drafted where he was drafted is emblematic of but ONE problem with this organization out of many problems.

I was on the main forum listing, saw "Arizona Fall League" and last post by "khan"...how the hell did I know that it would be an angry post?

[khan]

Thank you for your thoughtful contribution to the thread.

[DirtySox]

Blurb on EE. Here's hoping the bat continues to catch up with the defense. Because the glove is one of the best in the minors.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...rticleid=12330

[SoxSpeed22]

Escobar is never going to be much of a power hitter with his size. Baseball reference had him listed at 150 lbs. He needs to master bunting, working the count and slap hitting ala Pierre.

[DirtySox]

Phil Rogers is terrible, but there was talk of Mitchell in today's article:

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com...-mitchell.html

He notes that recent scouting reports are mixed, and that the ankle is apparently hindering him currently.

[DirtySox]

Mitchell speaks:

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com...0-percent.html