Top 20 Prospects Each Affilation

[CrespoBlows]

GCL

1. Luis Soto, ss, Red Sox
9. Christian Lara, ss, Red Sox
19. Willy Mota, of, Red Sox

NYPL

2. Anibal Sanchez, rhp, Lowell
9. Christian Lara, ss, Lowell
14. Tommy Hottovy, lhp, Lowell

SL

20. Brandon Moss, of, Augusta

FSL

3. Hanley Ramirez, ss, Sarasota
14. Jon Papelbon, rhp, Sarasota
15. Jon Lester, lhp, Sarasota

[keithfoulke29]

What about Manny Delcarmen?

[Zenny]

Originally posted by keithfoulke29@Oct 2 2004, 08:24 PM
What about Manny Delcarmen?

He was in the FSL this year, but the likely didn't include him on the list due to his recovery from TJS. After Manny came back in May, the Sox limited his pitch-count strictly, so he would only go 2-3 innings for a while. Back when he was up throwing 5-6 innings again, he really got stronger. Don't be surprised if he's one of the top 5 starters in the Eastern League next season, along with Papelbon, of course.

[keithfoulke29]

He was in the FSL this year, but the likely didn't include him on the list due to his recovery from TJS. After Manny came back in May, the Sox limited his pitch-count strictly, so he would only go 2-3 innings for a while. Back when he was up throwing 5-6 innings again, he really got stronger. Don't be surprised if he's one of the top 5 starters in the Eastern League next season, along with Papelbon, of course

Thanks for the info Zenny.

[YanksHater213]

Any question you have about the prospects, ask him, he knows all

[keithfoulke29]

Ok cool.

[CrespoBlows]

Originally posted by Zenny@Oct 3 2004, 01:02 AM
He was in the FSL this year, but the likely didn't include him on the list due to his recovery from TJS. After Manny came back in May, the Sox limited his pitch-count strictly, so he would only go 2-3 innings for a while. Back when he was up throwing 5-6 innings again, he really got stronger. Don't be surprised if he's one of the top 5 starters in the Eastern League next season, along with Papelbon, of course.

Do you know what he was hitting on the radar gun this year? I heard he can throw close to 100 mph. Is he like Cedeno?

[keithfoulke29]

I did not know that, thanks for the info.He seems like he could be really good, if he remains healthy.

[Zenny]

Originally posted by CrespoBlows@Oct 3 2004, 10:10 AM
Do you know what he was hitting on the radar gun this year? I heard he can throw close to 100 mph. Is he like Cedeno?

By the end of the season, he was cranking it up to 98 and consistently sitting on 95-96. I'm more impressed with the strides he made on his changeup and slider. That slider is going to be a big-time strikeout pitch. I am going to be very interested to see how he, Papelbon, Lester and the rest of the kids do in making the jump from the big FSL ballparks to the EL's tiny stadiums and bad weather.

He really isn't like Cedeno in that he's really making strides in throwing his offspeed stuff for strikes. Cedeno has a very nice break to his curveball, but he can't control it for anything. If he can begin to throw that bad boy for strikes, he's the next Oliver Perez. But that is much easier said than done. Manny D. is more likely to become the better big-league pitcher, but if they progress well, they both have some rediculously high upside. The biggest key is, the both of them need to stay healthy.

[CrespoBlows]

What about the Lester kid, I saw him throw once, he did ok. He hit 93 on the radar gun, and threw an ok curveball. Is he going to be better than this?

[Zenny]

Originally posted by CrespoBlows@Oct 3 2004, 09:04 PM
What about the Lester kid, I saw him throw once, he did ok. He hit 93 on the radar gun, and threw an ok curveball. Is he going to be better than this?

He's a good pitcher and he did a lot better than his ERA indicates. He had one, and his only, relief appearance (Kim's rehab outing) on April 15th where he gave up 9 runs without getting an out. Since Lester is a starter, I think we can throw that one relief appearance out the window and judge him as a 3.39 ERA pitcher instead of the 4.28 that is indicated there.

Lester had a very nice K/BB of 2.62, had a K/IP of 1.07 and is only 20 years old (21 next season). Lefties with 90 MPH heaters don't grow on trees and we have two of them. The key is, we need these two guys to get their offspeed stuff going. Lester is further along than Cedeno in that regard, though.

[Zenny]

Shoppach made the list as 18th in the International League, while no one made the list for the Eastern League (the only likely qualifier would've been Alvarez).

[ahhchon]

i know absolutely NOTHING about the red sox farm system, thanks for putting some info in me..

looks like we have a pretty good future with these guys. maybe some sort of boston big 3? i would love to have pedro and schilling around as mentor and pitching coaches. i mean, seriously. hall of fame pitchers teaching young studs how to pitch, how can you go wrong, right?

john

[Zenny]

Originally posted by ahhchon@Oct 8 2004, 11:30 PM
i know absolutely NOTHING about the red sox farm system, thanks for putting some info in me..

looks like we have a pretty good future with these guys. maybe some sort of boston big 3? i would love to have pedro and schilling around as mentor and pitching coaches. i mean, seriously. hall of fame pitchers teaching young studs how to pitch, how can you go wrong, right?

I wouldn't put too much stock in them. Most pitching prospects are very volatile and most of them don't turn into much. Look at it this way, Alan Embree was a huge prospect way back when. At the rate Cedeno is going, he's likely going to be Alan Embree.

If there were any sure things for pitchers in our system, it would be Alvarez then Papelbon. Both of them have displayed excellent offspeed stuff with fantastic control. Papelbon adds another dimension with a 94 MPH heater, though, as opposed to Alvarez's 88.