Post by Exposgm on May 1, 2010 12:20:26 GMT -5
Much like last year, TMBL is loaded with rookies, many of whom are real quality players. Most of these guys are ready to make an impact on their teams right away, although there are some others that could have used more time in the minor leagues. There’s a bit of everything, from star pitchers in the making to players from all positions. Based on how these players should perform during their rookie season, here is another top 10 15 starting now:
15 - Razor Shines – 1B – Blue Jays – A fourth round pick by the Tigers in 1974, Shines was acquired during the expansion draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He took a very long time to develop, and while he always hit for a high average in the minors, he never displayed the type of power expected from a player of his position. A switch-hitter, he’ll do well right-away, batting close to .290 with a lot of doubles and around 50 RBI. - .256, 8 HR, 54 RBI
14 - Barry Larkin – SS – Mets – First overall pick just a year ago, Larkin is being sent in the action at only 18 years old. He did hit for an amazing .435 in 23 at-bats last season with the Mets, but he could have used more time in the minors, if only to polish his glove play. Expect a .260 average with 15 steals and tough times on defense. - .276, 78 R, 27 SB
13 - Tim Burke – RP – Expos – A late first round pick in 1977, Burke did very well as a closer in the minors and will now try to do the same with the big-league club. Possessing good control as well as a great slider and good fastball, Burke joins a good bullpen that has been looking for a real closer for a while now. He could be that man. Expect 20 to 25 saves with an ERA around 3.50 in close to 100 innings. - 7-3, 3.74, 10 SV
12 - Bobby Bonilla – DH – Yankees – Picked 9th overall in 1981, “Bobby-Bo” is already part of the Yankees big league roster. It’s a good thing the AL adopted the DH rule a decade ago: Bonilla fits in perfectly for that role. A natural third baseman with mediocre defensive skills, Bonilla’s bat should help him be a steady contributor for years to come. Expect a .260 average with 15 homeruns and 70 RBI. - .226, 13 HR, 60 RBI
11 - Joey McLaughlin – SP – Brewers – A 5th round pick by the Brewers in 1974, McLaughlin didn’t progress well at times but eventually picked up the pace and turned himself into a more than decent prospect. He went 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA in 3 starts last season, but will do better this year. At this point of his career, he’s perfect for a fifth starter spot, which is exactly where he’ll be with the Brewers. He can certainly rack up 10 to 12 wins with an ERA slightly above four. - 14-8, 3.40
10 - Pat Rooney – RF – Astros – Taking over an aging Bobby Bonds, Rooney is a former first round pick by the Reds who was lost to Toronto during the expansion draft. The Astros acquired his services during the 1981 campaign. Rooney can hit well but lacks a bit of power which he may develop later on. Expect a .290 average with 10 homeruns and 65 RBI. - .310, 5 HR, 56 RBI
9 - Andy Van Slyke – CF – White Sox – The fourth overall pick in 1978, Van Slyke was only 17 when he batted .171 in 16 games with the White Sox later that same year. He is now 22 and ready to do much better. Van Slyke is a complete player, who can hit for power, display speed and patience and play great defense including showing off a canon arm. He’ll get even better later on, but at this point, he’ll still manage to produce well enough. Expect a .260 average with 15 homeruns and 70 RBI. - .242, 11 HR, 68 RBI
8 - George Vukovich – RF – Rangers – A fifth round pick by the Yankees in 1974, Vukovich was taken by the Blue Jays in the expansion draft before winding up in the Twins system and later on with the Rangers with whom he now makes his debut. Vukovich batted .305 with 2 homeruns and 13 RBI in 21 games with them last year. He should do quite well, like hit for .280 or better with around 12 homeruns while playing solid defense. - .277, 7 HR, 50 RBI
7 - Greg Gagne – SS – Yankees – It had been a while since the Yankees last had a starting shortstop of quality. The fourth overall pick in the 1979 draft, Gagne is exactly that. Solid on defense, he can hold his own at the plate, even hit with some power. He’s only 21, but he’s ready for big league action. Expect a .275 average with a dozen homeruns and 60 RBI. - .261, 6 HR, 58 RBI
6 - Brick Smith – DH – White Sox – Taken first in the sixth round of the 1977 draft, Smith was traded from the Mariners to the White Sox two years later. A huge 6’4, 235 lbs first baseman, Smith doesn’t quite have the power his size would suggest. He’ll develop more power later on, but even now he should do well already. Expect a .275 average with 15 homeruns and 80 RBI. - .227, 9 HR, 60 RBI
5 - Jim Eisenreich – CF – Giants – A Giants first round pick, 13th overall, Eisenreich will be starting for the Giants this season. He’s a contact hitter which will collect hits and bat for a high average. He batted .387 in a 15 game stint last year. He won’t hit that well as a full time player, but he will certainly be a threat for the batting title every season. After turning centerfielders Rudy Law and Chili Davis into corner outfielders, the Giants are playing a natural RF in CF, but Eisenreich should still be alright. He will hit higher than .300 right away, perhaps even in the .320s. - .343, 2 HR, 70 RBI
4 - Alan Wiggins – 2B – Expos – The Expos first round pick in 1976, Wiggins took a while to get started in the minors. Still having much to learn about the game, especially with the glove, Wiggins will start for the Expos this season, batting leadoff where he should do pretty well thanks to his blazing speed. Expect a .285 average with 50 steals and 100 runs scored. - .271, 90 R, 58 SB
3 - Mike Morgan – SP – Dodgers – Taken in the first round by the San Diego Padres in 1977, Morgan was dealt to LA in 1979 where he just reached the rotation on a regular basis. Rather inconsistent in the minors, Morgan is nevertheless a top pitching prospect. He has excellent control, some good pitches and will get even better. Expect 14 wins with an ERA in the low threes. - 12-7, 2.88, NL ERA leader
2 - Kirby Puckett – CF – Cardinals – The sixth player taken in the 1978 draft, Puckett is a small (5’8) outfielder that packs a ton of talent. He batted well above .300 in every minor league season except one. A free swinger, Puckett can hit for power but will develop that aspect of his game a little later on. For the moment, he will hit for a high average, and stands a real chance at batting close to .310 for his rookie season with a dozen homeruns and close to 100 RBI. Defensively, he plays more than decent and has a powerful arm. - .289, 10 HR, 87 RBI
1 - Barry Bonds – LF – Royals – Taken 2nd overall by the Royals in the 1982 draft, Bonds showed in only 80 games at AAA that he has nothing more to learn in the minors: the son of Bobby batted .399 with 23 homeruns, 73 RBI and an amazing total of 97 walks (for an astonishing .549 OBA). Without any surprise, he starts the year with the Royals. He may only be 18 years old, but he’s ready to make some damage. Expect a .260 average with over 25 homeruns, 100 RBI and quite probably over 100 walks. - .253, 24 HR, 109 RBI, 82 BB
Best of the Rest: (in no particular order)
Mike Witt - RP - Red Sox - 0-2, 6.50
Pat Perry - RP - Tigers - 4-3, 3.60
Ellis Burks - CF - Blue Jays - .274, 17 HR, 70 RBI
Jon Perlman - RP - Blue Jays - 1-3, 4.32
Al Jones - RP - Blue Jays - 5-3, 3.58
Mike Capel - RP - Yankees - 4-2, 3.79
Jim Acker - RP - Yankees - 1-3, 3.41
Marty Bystrom - SP - Orioles - 9-11, 6.10
Doug Sisk - RP - Orioles - 1-3, 6.09
Mike Couchee - RP - White Sox - 3-1, 4.73
Randy Johnson - SP - Royals - 5-20, 6.24
Steve Fireovid - RP - Royals - 3-4, 4.50
Steve Crawford - RP - Royals - 0-0, 3.32
Jeff Heathcock - RP - Twins - 5-0, 4.56
Mike Brown - RP - Angels - 0-0, 3.86
Keith Atherton - RP - Athletics - 2-3, 4.38
Pete O'Brien - DH - Rangers - .232, 19 HR, 65 RBI
Orel Hershiser - SP - Rangers - 15-9, 4.62
Cardell Camper - RP - Rangers - 5-0, 2.51
Cecilio Guante - RP - Mariners - 1-1, 4.57
Darryl Strawberry - RF - Phillies - .292, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Jay Aldrich - RP - Phillies - 7-5, 2.23
Jesse Orosco - RP - Cardinals - 3-1, 3.50
Harold Reynolds - 2B - Mets - .280, 99 R, 22 SB
Tony Walker - CF - Mets - .227, 0 HR, 13 RBI
Mike Maddux - SP - Mets - 6-19, 5.45
David Cone - SP - Mets - 1-8, 10.57
Jeff Calhoun - RP - Mets - 0-0, 6.47
Jose DeLeon - RP - Cubs - 0-0, 6.75
Dennis Rasmussen - RP - Cubs - 1-2, 6.98
Neil Fiala - 1B - Reds - .295, 2 HR, 23 RBI
Rickey Keeton - RP - Reds - 3-0, 1.71, 8 SV
Rick Bordi - RP - Pirates - 4-4, 5.48
Bill Schroeder - C - Dodgers - .209, 19 HR, 68 RBI
Terry Pendleton - 3B - Dodgers - .292, 11 HR, 54 RBI
Brad Lesley - RP - Dodgers - 10-7, 4.22, 8 SV
Otis Nixon - CF - Padres - .272, 70 R, 42 SB
15 - Razor Shines – 1B – Blue Jays – A fourth round pick by the Tigers in 1974, Shines was acquired during the expansion draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He took a very long time to develop, and while he always hit for a high average in the minors, he never displayed the type of power expected from a player of his position. A switch-hitter, he’ll do well right-away, batting close to .290 with a lot of doubles and around 50 RBI. - .256, 8 HR, 54 RBI
14 - Barry Larkin – SS – Mets – First overall pick just a year ago, Larkin is being sent in the action at only 18 years old. He did hit for an amazing .435 in 23 at-bats last season with the Mets, but he could have used more time in the minors, if only to polish his glove play. Expect a .260 average with 15 steals and tough times on defense. - .276, 78 R, 27 SB
13 - Tim Burke – RP – Expos – A late first round pick in 1977, Burke did very well as a closer in the minors and will now try to do the same with the big-league club. Possessing good control as well as a great slider and good fastball, Burke joins a good bullpen that has been looking for a real closer for a while now. He could be that man. Expect 20 to 25 saves with an ERA around 3.50 in close to 100 innings. - 7-3, 3.74, 10 SV
12 - Bobby Bonilla – DH – Yankees – Picked 9th overall in 1981, “Bobby-Bo” is already part of the Yankees big league roster. It’s a good thing the AL adopted the DH rule a decade ago: Bonilla fits in perfectly for that role. A natural third baseman with mediocre defensive skills, Bonilla’s bat should help him be a steady contributor for years to come. Expect a .260 average with 15 homeruns and 70 RBI. - .226, 13 HR, 60 RBI
11 - Joey McLaughlin – SP – Brewers – A 5th round pick by the Brewers in 1974, McLaughlin didn’t progress well at times but eventually picked up the pace and turned himself into a more than decent prospect. He went 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA in 3 starts last season, but will do better this year. At this point of his career, he’s perfect for a fifth starter spot, which is exactly where he’ll be with the Brewers. He can certainly rack up 10 to 12 wins with an ERA slightly above four. - 14-8, 3.40
10 - Pat Rooney – RF – Astros – Taking over an aging Bobby Bonds, Rooney is a former first round pick by the Reds who was lost to Toronto during the expansion draft. The Astros acquired his services during the 1981 campaign. Rooney can hit well but lacks a bit of power which he may develop later on. Expect a .290 average with 10 homeruns and 65 RBI. - .310, 5 HR, 56 RBI
9 - Andy Van Slyke – CF – White Sox – The fourth overall pick in 1978, Van Slyke was only 17 when he batted .171 in 16 games with the White Sox later that same year. He is now 22 and ready to do much better. Van Slyke is a complete player, who can hit for power, display speed and patience and play great defense including showing off a canon arm. He’ll get even better later on, but at this point, he’ll still manage to produce well enough. Expect a .260 average with 15 homeruns and 70 RBI. - .242, 11 HR, 68 RBI
8 - George Vukovich – RF – Rangers – A fifth round pick by the Yankees in 1974, Vukovich was taken by the Blue Jays in the expansion draft before winding up in the Twins system and later on with the Rangers with whom he now makes his debut. Vukovich batted .305 with 2 homeruns and 13 RBI in 21 games with them last year. He should do quite well, like hit for .280 or better with around 12 homeruns while playing solid defense. - .277, 7 HR, 50 RBI
7 - Greg Gagne – SS – Yankees – It had been a while since the Yankees last had a starting shortstop of quality. The fourth overall pick in the 1979 draft, Gagne is exactly that. Solid on defense, he can hold his own at the plate, even hit with some power. He’s only 21, but he’s ready for big league action. Expect a .275 average with a dozen homeruns and 60 RBI. - .261, 6 HR, 58 RBI
6 - Brick Smith – DH – White Sox – Taken first in the sixth round of the 1977 draft, Smith was traded from the Mariners to the White Sox two years later. A huge 6’4, 235 lbs first baseman, Smith doesn’t quite have the power his size would suggest. He’ll develop more power later on, but even now he should do well already. Expect a .275 average with 15 homeruns and 80 RBI. - .227, 9 HR, 60 RBI
5 - Jim Eisenreich – CF – Giants – A Giants first round pick, 13th overall, Eisenreich will be starting for the Giants this season. He’s a contact hitter which will collect hits and bat for a high average. He batted .387 in a 15 game stint last year. He won’t hit that well as a full time player, but he will certainly be a threat for the batting title every season. After turning centerfielders Rudy Law and Chili Davis into corner outfielders, the Giants are playing a natural RF in CF, but Eisenreich should still be alright. He will hit higher than .300 right away, perhaps even in the .320s. - .343, 2 HR, 70 RBI
4 - Alan Wiggins – 2B – Expos – The Expos first round pick in 1976, Wiggins took a while to get started in the minors. Still having much to learn about the game, especially with the glove, Wiggins will start for the Expos this season, batting leadoff where he should do pretty well thanks to his blazing speed. Expect a .285 average with 50 steals and 100 runs scored. - .271, 90 R, 58 SB
3 - Mike Morgan – SP – Dodgers – Taken in the first round by the San Diego Padres in 1977, Morgan was dealt to LA in 1979 where he just reached the rotation on a regular basis. Rather inconsistent in the minors, Morgan is nevertheless a top pitching prospect. He has excellent control, some good pitches and will get even better. Expect 14 wins with an ERA in the low threes. - 12-7, 2.88, NL ERA leader
2 - Kirby Puckett – CF – Cardinals – The sixth player taken in the 1978 draft, Puckett is a small (5’8) outfielder that packs a ton of talent. He batted well above .300 in every minor league season except one. A free swinger, Puckett can hit for power but will develop that aspect of his game a little later on. For the moment, he will hit for a high average, and stands a real chance at batting close to .310 for his rookie season with a dozen homeruns and close to 100 RBI. Defensively, he plays more than decent and has a powerful arm. - .289, 10 HR, 87 RBI
1 - Barry Bonds – LF – Royals – Taken 2nd overall by the Royals in the 1982 draft, Bonds showed in only 80 games at AAA that he has nothing more to learn in the minors: the son of Bobby batted .399 with 23 homeruns, 73 RBI and an amazing total of 97 walks (for an astonishing .549 OBA). Without any surprise, he starts the year with the Royals. He may only be 18 years old, but he’s ready to make some damage. Expect a .260 average with over 25 homeruns, 100 RBI and quite probably over 100 walks. - .253, 24 HR, 109 RBI, 82 BB
Best of the Rest: (in no particular order)
Mike Witt - RP - Red Sox - 0-2, 6.50
Pat Perry - RP - Tigers - 4-3, 3.60
Ellis Burks - CF - Blue Jays - .274, 17 HR, 70 RBI
Jon Perlman - RP - Blue Jays - 1-3, 4.32
Al Jones - RP - Blue Jays - 5-3, 3.58
Mike Capel - RP - Yankees - 4-2, 3.79
Jim Acker - RP - Yankees - 1-3, 3.41
Marty Bystrom - SP - Orioles - 9-11, 6.10
Doug Sisk - RP - Orioles - 1-3, 6.09
Mike Couchee - RP - White Sox - 3-1, 4.73
Randy Johnson - SP - Royals - 5-20, 6.24
Steve Fireovid - RP - Royals - 3-4, 4.50
Steve Crawford - RP - Royals - 0-0, 3.32
Jeff Heathcock - RP - Twins - 5-0, 4.56
Mike Brown - RP - Angels - 0-0, 3.86
Keith Atherton - RP - Athletics - 2-3, 4.38
Pete O'Brien - DH - Rangers - .232, 19 HR, 65 RBI
Orel Hershiser - SP - Rangers - 15-9, 4.62
Cardell Camper - RP - Rangers - 5-0, 2.51
Cecilio Guante - RP - Mariners - 1-1, 4.57
Darryl Strawberry - RF - Phillies - .292, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Jay Aldrich - RP - Phillies - 7-5, 2.23
Jesse Orosco - RP - Cardinals - 3-1, 3.50
Harold Reynolds - 2B - Mets - .280, 99 R, 22 SB
Tony Walker - CF - Mets - .227, 0 HR, 13 RBI
Mike Maddux - SP - Mets - 6-19, 5.45
David Cone - SP - Mets - 1-8, 10.57
Jeff Calhoun - RP - Mets - 0-0, 6.47
Jose DeLeon - RP - Cubs - 0-0, 6.75
Dennis Rasmussen - RP - Cubs - 1-2, 6.98
Neil Fiala - 1B - Reds - .295, 2 HR, 23 RBI
Rickey Keeton - RP - Reds - 3-0, 1.71, 8 SV
Rick Bordi - RP - Pirates - 4-4, 5.48
Bill Schroeder - C - Dodgers - .209, 19 HR, 68 RBI
Terry Pendleton - 3B - Dodgers - .292, 11 HR, 54 RBI
Brad Lesley - RP - Dodgers - 10-7, 4.22, 8 SV
Otis Nixon - CF - Padres - .272, 70 R, 42 SB