If the playoffs started today...

First, take a look at our predictions from the beginning of the season: http://hbd-morgan.blogspot.com/2007/12/division-winner-and-wildcard.html .

NL North: Cleveland Cleveland Stormtroopers
NL East: Boston Blood Sox
NL South: Houston Texans
NL West: Las Vegas Gamblers
NL Wildcard 1: Hartford Harpoons
NL Wildcard 2: Atlanta Braves/Anaheim Redbirds (I forget the tiebreaker rules)

AL North: Chicago Knights
AL East: New York Mugger Funk
AL South: Memphis Elvi
AL West: Scottsdale Mad Jester
AL Wildcard 1: Sacramento Air Force
AL Wildcard 2: Washington D.C. War Criminals

AL is the tougher league to make the playoffs by 8 games at this point. The two one seeds would be Scottsdale and Houston (Oh and Houston has less wins than Washington).

Top teams at each level by record:

AAA: New Britain
AA: Scottsdale
HiA: Washingtond D.C.
LoA: Houston
RL: Anaheim

Draft Recap - S7

Anaheim - Due to free agency Anaheim had 5 picks in the first 40 picks in the draft. Their first 9 picks were all pitchers. The got a future closer in Brantley. Another Closer/Setup in Tony Andrews. With picks #29, #38, and #39 Anaheim got three very similar pitcher. All seem to have decent enough ratings to get to the majors, but none of them have those ideal STA/DUR combos to anchor a rotation. In all I think 7 of their pitchers have a chance to make the ML (which is phenomenal), but I usually don't think a teams first two picks should be RPs.

Arizona - Got a quality 2B in Malcolm Christopher who has above average glove and bat. He also has 100 speed rating, but coupled with mediocre base running skills you wonder what difference the speed will make. SP Kipling and RP Santiago both have a good chance to make the majors,

Atlanta - Their first two picks Joe Welsh and Ben Damon are both quality pitchers. Welsh could have 4 pitches rated over 60 and one of those over 90. When you pick late in the first round though your highly rated pitchers almost always have a flaw and both of them do not have ideal stamina. Lopez is a fine OF, and Gonzales could be a RP can give you 45 IPs from the setup B role.

Austin - Hank Simmons is a true MVP type player, I would rate him someone above Yamid Sierra but not quite Carlos Johnson. Both of those guys are first basemen though, and Simmons actually can play defense enough to be a 3B or quality OF. He does have a potentially fatal flaw, and that is his very poor health rating. Hopefully we never have to do a "what if he had stayed healthy" report on him. Cy Purcell is a ok hitter, but doesn't look like he could make the majors as a SS. RP Roberts is decent, except his pitch ratings are barely average.

Boston - Dennis Perez is a great pickup at #13. He has phenomenal power and good L/R splits. His glove is versatile enough that you have places to play him. He compares well to Vance Damon of Chicago, so he can expect lots of all-star snubs too. Perez unfortunately has a little lower durability than you would like in a star. Buck Perkins and Ricardo Padilla look to be good RPs, but Padilla's STA/DUR is really going to limit him to an inning every 4 days.

Chicago - Didn't have a first round pick until #51 due to the Daniel Malone signing. At 51 they picked up Kevin Carter. He looks a hair below ideal range for a SS, but other than that it should be ok as a defensive SS. His bat is a little light, so he might end up as the teams ML backup SS. 2nd round pick Hal Throneberry is a 2B with an average bat.

Cincinnati - Juan Colome looks like a true star in the making, every offensive rating project to at least upper 80s except vR, and that is in the 70s. I don't see his 3rd round pick, but he's asking for $8.5 and that is not a good sign. Not too many 3rd rounders are worth that. In the 4th and 5th round Cincy picked up 2 very good defensive SS, with light bats, which I think is a great use of those rounds.

Cleveland - Tenidad Gomez is a solid SP that could end up being a #2 or #3 in the rotation. His stamina is a little low, but he got a very good durability for a SP that should overcome some of that. He's got pitches in the 90s, 80s, and 70s, with three good pitches and fourth pitch to go along with his great control and good splits he should do well. Pick #34 was a defensive wizard CF Wagner, who has great L/R splits. Zimmer will make the majors, I like my 1B to have a little more power, he's more of a Sean Casey/John Olerud type guy. I like his 2nd round pick Zapata and see him a quality contributor for a long time.

Colorado - SP Graves will be an anchor for their rotation for a long time. He's got everything you want in an SP, he's doesn't have those mind-blowing ratings in the 85+ range, but just as important every rating is solid and he doesn't have a weakness. SP Becker is good, but his pitch ratings are a little lower than you like. I also like his switch hitting CF Castillo.

Dover - Has some signing issues in a few of his guys. Rob Forest swings a nice bat, but I really am not sure he can make it defensively as a SS. Vin Jacobs is a masher who won't have great OBP, but with hit 40-50 HRs. I can't see three of his other players, but pick #61 is asking for $6.5M.

Florida - Chazzzzz is starting to get quite a stack of all-stars. Usually I would not suggest getting a catcher with the first pick, but Gerald Bradley look to be quite a catch (look what milbredhawk started with his puns.) He reminds me of a Joe Mauer or Scottsdale's Kyle Forrest (with a little less power.) He's that rare HBD catcher that has a quality bat, quality catcher skills, and high durability. 2nd Rounder Ray Anderson has a very nice glove, and a good bat to go with a great batting eye and some speed. CF Griffith has a great glove. I actually like his 5th round pitcher better than his 4th rounder.

Fresno - They had the #3 pick in the draft, although I did not scout SP Hinske, it has been reported he is very good. Right now though he is holding out. 2B Darren Prior has a nice glove, but I expect at the ML level he plays the OF. Kenny Hill and Julio Miranda are both good glove CF/2B types that have adequate ML bats. Looks like the 2B/CF area is covered for a while in Fresno.

Hartford - Got a good slugging 3B Maxwell that should have a good BA, he's going to be an RBI machine for this team. Juan Solano is one of those monster power guys with a great BE, but he's really a DH so it looks like NL based Hartford is going to try him at 1B. He would hit 60 HRs at Hartford. 3B Branson and RF Manning are both solid players that don't do anything spectacular.

Houston - Another team that went all-in when it came to pitchers as his first 8 picks were pitchers. Len Phelps looks like a star in the making. He's got phenomenal L/R splits, to go along with very good control and pitch ratings. He can be an Ace on a staff, but like a number of SPs this year his STA/DUR combo is a little lower than you like. He looks like a 190 IP guy. 2nd rounder Miller has nice ratings, but will probably end up as a LRA.

Indianapolis - Stone Rivera is holding out right now, but I expect him to sign. He's got great ratings all around and is a franchise player. He is a true 5 tool type player. Pick #33 SP Prieto can pitch 220 IPs, but not sure if his L/R splits are going to be high enough to make the majors. Their next three picks Lofton, Mateo, and Dillon all have a chance to make the majors. I really like 3B Dillon's numbers for a 4th round pick.

Las Vegas - For the second season in a row Vegas has picked up a star SP in the first round. He doesn't have any of those pitching red flags, and he has 4 pitchers that should rate in the upper 70s. Picked pitchers until the 10th round, but their low scouting budget showed up in the later rounds. Used some of their draft picks wisely on some great FA pickups, I think most teams would trade their deeper drafts to get their hands on Gilbert.

Memphis - Got a solid player in Chris Yates. He does everything pretty good, but what could push him up into the list of good first round pick is those secondary ratings like durability, health, and makeup which all rate very high. It was a pretty well rounded first 5 rounds, got a SP and decent RP in the 5th round.

Milwaukee - I'll start off by saying I am not a fan of picking up closer type RPs with a top 10 pick in the draft. It is such a volatile position in HBD and in my opinion the hardest position to predict success even for veteran pitchers. Then closers might only affect 50 IPs a season so it is hard to make a case for them over 200 IPs SPs and 550 AB sluggers available at this spot. But since it is so unpredictable, if Milwaukee was able to find the Marianno Rivera of Morgan World and for 12 seasons this guy gives them 40+ saves with 1.10 WHIP, 2.25 ERA and solidifies the closers spot they will be happy with this pick. I do think he is the best closer I have seen in the draft. All the crucial number are in the 90s, his stamina is high enough to actually pitch an entire inning, and durability means he is ready almost every other game. I consider this the riskiest pick in the entire draft, but at the same time it could pay off very big. Bingo LeCroy is another quality RP, but his low STA/DUR will keep him from being an all-star. Shortstops Friend and Rushford both have decent bats, but their range is low for SS. For the 5th round Landrum is a good SP, he has very good STA/DUR numbers, and the very nice pitch ratings could overcome the lower L/R splits.

Minnesota - Didn't get a pick until #44, where they got a Juan Pierre like CF in Clint Clemens. He has a good glove, and great speed, but the bat is a little light. His next pick Reitz is almost the twin of his first pick.

Monterrey - I can't see is first pick Albert Sellers, but if he's 23 picks better than his supplemental pick he has to be something good. CF Tavarez is a very nice pick and one of the best CF in the draft, add to the fact that he was pick #35 and this was a steal. 3B Griffin is another solid well rounded player, while JD Loux is a pure power hitter. 4th rounder Yamamoto is a solid hitter, but he is really on a DH.

Nashville - SS Dickie Baxter is just a bit below ideal defensive numbers at SS, but his bat is so strong he is valuable wherever he ends up playing. The next four picks were pitchers, but their L/R splits are a little lower than I like.

New Britain - Steve Miceli is a solid all-round baseball player. He swings a bat that does everything well, but nothing excellent. Same for his glove, he probably won't be able to play SS at the ML level but he does have versatility. Pick #46 swings a similarly good bat, but is not nearly as versatile with the glove. Torres was a nice pick at #105, I can seem him as very nice leadoff hitter. He could bat .280 with 45+ steals. Cameron can smack around LH pitchers, so he might end up a great 1/2 of a platoon.

NY - Cortez is great bat and will produce big things in that Funk lineup. He has excellent L/R splits, and enough power to hit 25-30 HRs. He also has great secondary ratings (the health, durability, and makeup) They also got a great leadoff hitter/CF in Whitman. He is a 40 SB kind of guy that can get on base. His next three picks all have a decent chance of contributing the ML level. I think NY really benefited from so many teams focusing on pitching in the draft they got some position players that project better than their draft slot.

Sacramento - Butch Hoffman has a good bat, but his glove probably won't be good enough to play SS in the majors. Still his range is good enough to maybe play CF. Ricardo Martin could be the best hitter in the draft, but he is a DH only kind of guy. I think Sacramento is pushing to allow 3 DHs in the game for future seasons. Picks #65 Groom, #74 Knight, and #106 Speaker I also consider major league material and certainly scout as high quality for where they were drafted.

Salem - This was a tough draft for Salem. I think they had the worst "first pick" position in the draft due to signing Brian Scott (who has done very well.) Couple that with going the "only draft pitchers" until rd 8 strategy that some other teams employed and well most of the good SPs were gone by their first pick.

Santa Fe - I really like the Dickie Snyder pickup. He's a solid #2 or #3 SP (which is the best you can hope for when picking in the 20s) his splits are above average, but he has two pitches over 70 and all five are over 50. He's got good control and GB/FB ratio which are key to success in Santa Fe. They got a great defensive C with pick #45, and his power could even project to HR totals in the 40s. Buzz Kramer could be a decent RP, and Beltre has solid hitting numbers if he could crack Santa Fe's solid lineup.

Scottsdale - With the last pick in the first round Scottsdale picked Kennie Mullin, he's a quality SP with good control and L/R splits. One pitch hits the upper 90s, and two more are above 60. Obviously he fell due to his less than ideal STA/DUR combo and health, but he might get 190-200 IPs a season. After that is Thurman Robbins who could be a good ML starter, but he is very raw and has a lot of room to grow before he will make it. RP Carrasquel has good control and two great pitches, but his L/R splits are mediocre. David Taylor is a dark horse to one day be a 5th starter at the ML level/

St. Louis. A peculiar draft. He has yet to sign any players before round 17. I only scouted one of his top 5 players and he won't sign. Hopefully he at least makes offer to some of these guys.

Texas - Pierzynski is one of the most complete hitters in the draft, contact, power, vL, vR, and BE all project above 80. You can build a lineup around this guy and I am sure he will be an all-star. I think Trujillo who is a ok defensive C with a decent bat was picked a bit early. But then at picks #91 and #123 they picked up some very good RPs that should be quality players. Very few people must have scouted them because I was surprised guys that talented were still left on the board.

Toronto - Ramon Martin has pretty average L/R splits, but his speed, contact, power, and batting eye are all very strong. I haven't seen many player that are good at everything except L/R splits so it will be interesting to find out what his production looks like. 2nd round and 3rd round picks Joel Branson and Billy Hamill both are good hitters, but that is not much diversity in their top 3 picks.

DC - Picked up a very nice power hitter in Rudy Lee, he is going to tear LH pitchers up. Then picked up one of the best defensive SS in the game, who has enough of a bat to get him to the big leagues. Then must have picked up 1st round pick Rudy's brother in Tony Lee, another RF that kills RH pitchers. There is an outside chance SP Arias makes the big, but it will be a back of the rotation kind of guy.

Wichita - Jumbo Alfonseca will be a SP at the major league level for many years, he has good control and respectable splits. Still with a top 10 pick I think most people are hoping to land a much stronger SP. To be honest I'm not sure if I don't like SP Jesse Reynolds who they got with at #50 better than pick #7. In the 5th round they got a decent CF in Herb Christensen. In round 4 they took a flyer on SS Bartolo Cruz. He says he won't sign and is asking for $5M for the 122th pick in the draft. His glove is outstanding and is probably just a couple of points away from being the best SS glove in the draft. His bat is good enough to keep him in the majors with that glove. Usually past the supplemental round the occasional outrageous contract demands players ask for are an easy "No thanks" choice for owners, but I can see this guy getting signed for $5M as an IFA. If no great IFAs come by signing him might be a good option

Top 30 Prospects

The only person who actually sent me their list was TheJester74, and to my surprise our lists were quite different. I was tempted to change my list radically, or to simply defer to his alltogether, because averaging players' positions on our list to make a single one wouldn't produce any kind of accurate semblance of a consensus. So, first you will see my list, plainly done because you've already read my cutsie little snippits. Second is TheJester74's list, which is lengthier and provides additional dialogue on the players. When reading through this, think about the reliability of draft picks being developed sucessfully in Morgan as compared to MLB, and how that effects the game. But anyways, here we go... oh and Merry Draft Day...


1 Clint Hutton Florida AAA 3B
2 Hersh Knight Scottsdale HiA SP
3 Juan Moreno Texas HiA RF
4 Cesar Park Monterrey AA 2B
5 Rick Potvin Indianapolis HiA 2B
6 Brant McCallum Milwaukee AAA SP
7 Vic Moreno Anaheim AAA 1B
8 Mark Ramsay Milwaukee HiA DH
9 Russell Cook Sacramento AAA DH
10 Ken Lawson Scottsdale AAA SP
11 Andrew Clayton Nashville HiA RP
12 Bo Moore Minnesota HiA RP
13 Archie Gaetti Salem AAA 3B
14 Jeffrey Donovan Florida AA SS
15 Benito Valdiva Dover LoA CF
16 Raul Vega Milwaukee AAA SP
17 Carlos Ibarra Colorado HiA SP
18 Del Mercedes New York AAA SP
19 Leo Allen Cincinnati AAA 1B
20 Cliff Hogan New York AAA SP
21 Robinson Holliday Milwaukee HiA CF
22 Dan Smith St. Louis AAA SS
23 Daniel Grace Anaheim AAA CF
24 Ed Steele Santa Fe AA RF
25 Alex Durazo Fresno HiA SP
26 Rex Key St. Louis AAA CF
27 Phillip McNiel Anaheim AA 3B
28 Alex Rivas Atlanta HiA SS
29 Darryl Finley Nashville AA 1B
30 Marc Priest Texas AA RP
Glendon Sabathia Memphis LoA SP
Bartolo Pichardo Cleveland HiA SP
Phil Wathan Toronto LoA SS


And TheJester74's list copied and pasted...

1. Clint Hutton - FLA 3B/COF. It was very close as too if Hutton or Tarrasco were top. Hutton has a better bat and more power. He will hit RH pitchers better than Tarrasco. They should both be in the top 10 of the triple crown categories each season. Hutton’s career will probably most mimic Rusty Jones of Scottsdale. Tarrasco got the nod for #1 because his durability, better defense, and two years younger, but Hutton very well could end up with flashier numbers at the end of his career.

2 Archie Gaetti - Salem 3B. Gaetti is a true slugger with MVP type potential. He’s a Mike Schmidt type player and Salem will be able to build there lineup around him for years to come. What been good to see out of him is that he is really starting to blow away the competition for the first time this season.

3 Juan Moreno – Texas RF. Juan is a great slugger and has a decent glove for being such a top offensive talent. He compares favorably to Juan Gonzalez, he add a lot of pop to their lineup. I would have put him even higher on the list, but his durability is really an issue and he will have be lucky to play in 130 games.

4. JP Isringhouse – Toronto RF. I probably have this guy rated too high, but he really has superior power rating with good contact and L/R splits. What seems to set this slugger apart from others is that he has such high durability and health he really can play 160 games. He’s only 20 and he’s in high A, where he has hit 24 HRs in 38 games.. You can build a lineup around him.

5 Cesar Park – IF/COF Monterrey. Park is one of the most complete hitters on the list, he has tremendous L/R splits and batting eye, and his contact and power numbers are very good also. His secondary numbers (health, durability, and makeup) are all very nice and he has crushed every minor league pitcher he has faced.

6 Vic Moreno - Anaheim 1B. Vic will be a great pro for years to come, he should be rated 80+ on contact, power, vL, vR, and batting eye. Bat him third in any lineup he will produce great results.

7. Del Mercedes – NY SP. Almost the identical player as Leo Mackowiak (who was rated in the top 5 of this list until promoted to the Majors.) His L/R splits are not quite as good, but he has 2 superior pitches and 3 more that are very good. In 530 minor league innings he has a 1.19 WHIP and 2.44 ERA.

8 Hersch Knight – Scottsdale SP. Knight is a very raw player and has a long way to go to develop his skills, but his ceiling is almost unlimited. Control, vL, vR, velocity, GB/FG, and at least one pitch all project to the 90s. He’s only 19 and his health rating is high enough it looks like he could at least get close to developing, but he’s just so far away from his potential that it is hard to rank him higher.

9. Emil Fernandez Arizona SP. He’s a talented young SP that has quality rating in every area, doesn’t have the one dominating area, but also doesn’t have an Achilles heel either.

10 Brent McCullum – Milwaukee SP. McCullum is going to pitch in the majors for a long time. He should be able to throw 215 innings, has great command, velocity, and doesn’t give up many long balls. You wish his vR rating was a little higher, but his secondary ratings are worth bumping him up a notch or two. After very successful stints in Hi-A and AA, he put up just ok numbers in AAA in S6, this year he is back to dominating and I think will do very well when he gets the call in a season or two.

11 Dan Smith – SS St. Louis. Dan Smith is a former first pick in the draft and deserved that pick. He’s a quality player with great offensive numbers and should develop a glove that can handle being a SS. I compare him most like fellow switch hitting SS Carlos Guillen, but Smith has more power. He probably should be ranked higher, but I can’t help but wonder if he will be a great player ala Andruw Jones that never quite matches his hype.

12. Ken Lawson – Scottsdale SP. Lawson is a solid pitching prospect that is particularly tough on RH hitters, he’s got great control and the sta/dur combo that allows him to easily get 210 IPs a season.

13 Nicky Meacham - Florida RF. Meacham is listed here above many guys that have much higher OVR numbers than him, but he just fills that role of a 50 HR 125 RBI slugger that teams need. He’s not great on defense, but does it well enough that you have options of RF or 1B.

14 Jeffrey Donovan – Florida OF. Donovan does everything well, but nothing spectacular. He won’t win an MVP award but is one of those solid players that win games. I would expect his career looks like Garret Anderson’s career.

15. Phillip McNeal – Anaheim 3B. Mcneal is a switch hitter that has very nice ratings, but he seems to be one of those players that plays above his ratings, in almost 1300 career ABs he has a .356 average and a 1.131 OPS over that period. Those are very impressive numbers.

16 Dan Cortes - Indianapolis SP - I don’t expect Cortes to ever win a Cy Young award, but he should get 220+ IPs and compete in every game. Four higly rated pitches and decent splits with good control. He’ll have a long career in Morgan World.

17 Robinson Holliday – Milwaukee CF. The former first pick in the draft is a very nice player and I suspect will be an all-star. He a sure thing to make the majors and will contribute. I have probably discounted his value some because he was the first pick in the draft. When a team gets the first pick in the draft they want either an Ace SP, a slugging gold glove SS, or just a monster Doug Connelly type bat. Holliday is not the kind of player that you fear, but he will be a great contributor.

18 Andrew Clayton – Nashville RP. The only RP on the list, but he is more of an uber-RP. Usually RPs don’t pitch enough innings to be considered this high, but he has a 50 stamina and 70 durability rating. He can pitch two innings almost every other day, and do it well. This is one of the most interesting players in the game and how he is used to be the most effective will be fun to watch. Do I have him rated too high? Probably, but if they can find a way to utilize his fascinating STA/DUR ratings then he could be like Bob Appier in Chicago that won 19 games one season as an RP, and Clayton could pitch even more innings.

19 Sid Ritz – Dover SP. Ritz has great control, two very good pitches, and a rubber arm. His L/R splits are good, but not great. Still what he means to a team is pitching 240 quality innings pitches. A guy on a staff that can do that is worth an extra day of rest to a bullpen, which helps you on the days he doesn’t pitch.

20 Carson Sellers – St. Louis 2B. A steal to get this guy with the 19th pick in the draft. He has very nice power and hits for average. His defense isn’t gold glove material, but he is good enough to give his owner options as to where he can play him. I wouldn’t consider him HOF material, but he’s in that group of players right behind the superstars.

21. Alex Rivas – Atlanta SS. Rivas will be a great defensive SS for Atlanta, and he also swings a nice bat, even though his L/R splits are a little lower than you like. His power could easily be in the 35-45 HR range. His Durability and Health rating are so high, coupled with his power and defensive rating, its hard not to compare him to Cal Ripkin.

22 Eduado Merced – St. Louis SS. Merced is another guy I have problems ranking higher. He really does everything very well, and by that I mean everything. Seriously, in the top player rating section every rating project to 80s or 90s except the useless patience and temper ratings. Then in the batter ratings its all 60s, 70s, and 80s except for (again useless) push/pull ratings. So what’s not to love about him? This might just be my scouts not getting it right, but I see him as barely getting the required SS defensive ratings, and that’s if he hits 100% development and that never happens. So if he really doesn’t make it as a SS, then suddenly his value drops since he’s being compared to other 3B/2B instead of lighter hitting SS.

23 Benito Valvedia – Dover CF. He has that great combination of having great CF defense and a good bat. Looks like a perfect #2 or #3 hitter, could hit 15-25 HRs with a very high batting average

24 Rick Potvin – Indianapolis 2B – An on-base machine that can also hit 30 HRs in a season, has speed and defense. He is certainly all-star material and .420 OBP is not out of reach for him at the ML level. His glove still has a long way to develop and lags behind his bat, so I expect he will be brought up and played at something other than 2B.

25 Ed Steele RF Santa Fe. Steele is going to be a prodigious slugger, and if he gets to play in Santa Fe those could be some scary numbers he puts up every year.

26. Raul Vega – Milwaukee SP. Despite having a tough transition to AAA this season, Vega should get it straightened out and have a good ML career. He’s almost unhittable for LH batters, and he has great control. He doesn’t have a top of the line rated pitch, but all are decent. I seem him as a top notch #3 SP who gets his team 200+ IPs.

27. Jimmie Colon – Scottsdale SS. Colon does not have mind-blowing offensive numbers, but he’s got gold glove SS written all over him. He’s only 20 and he’s already very close to having a glove good enough to play ML SS. Plus his very nice L/R splits projects to hitting around .300, which is just gravy when it comes to a SS with his defensive skills.

28. Richie Mullen – Atlanta SP. He has all the ratings that point to being a star, all the critical pitching ratings are in the 70s and 80s, two highly rated pitches and three others all above 50. He’s got good makeup and he’s only 21. His Durability rating is a little lower than you like, but he’s SP material all the way. Maybe he gets it when he comes to the majors, but its curious that he still has yet to post good numbers in the minors. In 234 minor league innings he has a 1.49 WHIP and 4.84 ERA, and all but 36 innings of that is Hi-A and below. He’s got two much talent to not make it to the majors, but you wonder if he will be a Kris Benson (which wouldn’t be a horrible life to live)

29 Torey Gutierrez Ari SS – Torey will no doubt will win multiple gold gloves as SS, he’s only 21 and has by far the best glove in all the minors, and maybe one of the top two or three in the majors. Plus he hasn’t even peaked. His bat is not great, but he’s not awful. Actually he is very tough against LH pitchers.

30 Rex Key – St. Louis CF. Rex is one of the best CF prospects in the world. His range is immense and has a great glove. His offensive ratings a good, not great, but he does have a batting eye in the upper 90s. This has led to him posting a career OBP of .419.

****Honorable Mention – Guys that I was considering putting on the top 30 list.

Mark Ramsey – Milwaukee DH. I see this guy and he has Edgar Martinez written all over him. His L/R splits and batting eye are phenomenal. Sure he’s only a DH, but he can carry a team with his bat.

Happy Moore – Hartford DH. I am really torn on this guy and I wanted to put him in the top 30, his offensive numbers are off the charts and he could easily have the best OPS in the Major leagues any given season, but wouldn’t have the ABs to qualify. He’s Manny Ramirez but a DH only (currently playing in the NL) and his durability only gets him about 450 ABs.

Phil Wathan – Toronto SS. Wathan looks to be a very solid future ML player. He has a good bat and a he should be able to play SS at the ML level. Also his secondary ratings (health, durability, and makeup) are all very high.

Carlos Urbina – Boston CF. A power hitting CF. He has a career OPS over 1.000 and has speed too.

Daniel Grace - Anaheim CF. Grace is a great athlete that will be an all-star CF for years to come. He has a good power, splits, and batting eye and plays good defense.

Bartolo Pichardo – Cleveland SP. This is a pitcher that has everything going for him on the mound. Great splits, control, and very nice pitch ratings. I would love to put him higher on the list, but his STA/DUR combination really concerns me. He’ll be a 5-6 inning pitcher at best if a SP. Maybe it would be best to use him as a closer, but he is such a talent you want to get as many innings as possible.

Carlos Mesa – Chicago 1B/COF. He’d be on the list if he was younger, but I’m not sure he can reach his potential at this point.

Stan Parish – Milwaukee 1B/COF.
Henry Simmons – Sacramento 3B.
Rafael Prieto – Tor RF
Douglas Knotts – Scottsdale 1B
Dwight Forbes – Chicago SP

Bo Moore – Minnesota P. I really like this pitcher and his ratings, but his stamina is way to low to be a full time SP.

Tomas Guererro – Monterey IF. If his defense actually was good enough to be a SS he would be on the list, but it falls just a bit short. He still will be an above average
3B.Eduado Suarez – Cleveland 2B.

***Three guys that were at the top of the list – but got promoted mid-season.

Leo Mackowiak – Scottsdale SP. Leo has dominated at every level he has pitched at so far. He has great accuracy and has actually put up pretty good strikeout numbers for HBD. He is equally impressive against both LH and RH hitters, and has two highly rated pitches and two more pitches that are adequate. His weakness will be his durability, which limits his pitch count to 90-100 per game. Compares to Pedro Martinez; lights out up until 100 pitches. Promoted

JP Anderson – Sacramento 2B.

Andres Tarrasco – Monterrey IF. A truly spectacular player that should be have a HOF career. He probably won’t be able to play SS at the ML level, but otherwise he doesn’t have much of a fault. He’s a switch hitter with superior contact, power, and batting eye. He crushes LH pitchers and still is above average on RH pitchers. His health, stamina, and makeup are all high so no red flags there. The other great thing about him is he has excelled at every level he has played at.

Top ten systems

So, I've got to be honest, this is the product of twenty minutes of thought, based mostly on my previous stuff, the number and position of players on my top30 list, as well as the win-loss record of minor league teams. There are easy arguments to make for each team to be shifted around a little bit, and I figure people can make their arguments (bragging) on the world chat, so here we go... from tenth to first...

10. St. Louis
9. Indianapolis
8. Sacramento
7. Santa Fe
6. Texas
5. Florida
4. Atlanta
3. Anahiem
2. Scottsdale
1. Milwaukee

The Final Installment

Okay, just a reminder if anyone wants to have input on the top 30 list, send me your list by 1/7 at 9PM through sitemail or trade chat. Second, one thing I have not included while putting these lists together, but something worth looking at, is that under franchise rankings if you select status info you can view the number of draft picks and international prospects currently on a team's roster, which is a good way to see how well a team scouts and develops.


AL West


Salem Mad Monks- This organization is the original third horse in a two horse race, or something like that, as this franchise finished third in the AL South every season except for last, when they finally stepped into second. They have some young talent and a few more guys on the way. This team has never had a presence on the international market, but most of their top draft picks are still in the system. But this team is devoid of young pitching talent, and as such, a C for depth and a B- for impact.

Archie Gaetti AAA 3B A Fantastic slugger who plays great defense on the hot corner
Albert Fernandez HiA CF A- Good defense, speed, may struggle with righty pitching
Hunter McCartney AAA C B Average bat, good defense, look for him to be traded
Max Lima AAA 1B B should hit 40+ HRs each year with an OPS around .800, but an injury risk
Larry Knowles HiA 2B B- Great range, speed, and hits lefty pitching plenty well



Scottsdale Mad Jesters- In one of the best turnarounds in Morgan history, TheJester74 took a 37 win team to 100 wins in one season’s time. Afterwards, he won back to back World Series titles, and continues to have one of Morgan’s best rosters and best farm systems. It’s been done through making more trades than most owners even contemplate, recycling incredibly talented players in their prime for equal talent and somehow having everything work out. Could say more, but for now, an A- for depth and an A for impact.

Hersh Knight HiA SP A+ With his gb/fb rating, I believe he is the second best minor leaguer in Morgan, could use some extra stamina
Ken Lawson AAA SP A- Wears ugly glasses, not an ace against lefties, great gb/fb
Andres Arroyo AAA Cl A- With his pitch ratings and stats, he just misses an A rating
Al Calvo LoA 2B A- Great eye, plays good defense, could keep an OBP around .400
Douglas Knotts AAA 1B B+ A unique combo of speed and power, could be a 30/30 guy



Sacramento Air Force- Way back in season 2 hshack had Albuquerque looking scary good, but things never panned out and he left in season 4. Since then, willcatfan has taken over, and proved to be an able owner, getting to the World Series in season 5. While the ML club missed the playoffs last season, the Air Force is once again flying high in a very tough AL West (hooray puns). This organization has never poured a lot of money into scouting and prospects, but they did get Rafael Cedeno, and currently they merit a B- for depth and an A for impact. (Also they’ve added JP Anderson, but he’s at the big league level?)

Russell Cook AAA DH A Textbook DH, hits for power and average, but atrocious on the base pad
Horacio Rosario AAA SP B+ terrible stamina, but otherwise pretty good all around
Louie Posada HiA RP B+ Below average second pitch, stats in the minors are alarming
Esteban Valdes HiA 2B B+ Great contact and speed for a lead off hitter, nice range at 2B
Alan Baker HiA 2B B- Above average bat, below average defense



Colorado Funky Back Beats- For the good of all of Morgan, lets hope beamer88 sticks with it, as this team is in a tough division and could really use a consistent long term plan. Playing in Colorado, this team will be best served by finding guys with big time power and pitchers who can strike guys out, and the unfortunate news is they’ve not got any in the system. Fortunately, beamer88 is spending in the right places for a rebuilding effort, and soon turnover will take away veterans who don’t fit in with the long term plan. For now, a C- for depth and a C for impact.

Carlos Ibarra HiA SP A Has a ton of potential, but only has two plus pitches
Dennis Lee AAA CF B Only projects to a 69 ovr rating according to my scouts, but I see him holding down center for 6 seasons
Alex Long HiA RF B Good contact, good against lefties, good speed, great range
James Duvall AAA SP C+ his splits and pitch ratings simply aren’t good enough, and he lacks stamina
Julio Polanco AAA 2B C an average hitter and below average defensively at 2B

Seventh Installment

NL South


Atlanta Braves- joemac55 won his title in Season 5, is a seven season owner, and looks to have solid footing going forward. This is largely because, since season two, Atlanta has been one of the top spenders on international free agents. Guys on this prospect list, as well as names like Al Alomar and Jose Cordero, were all purchased at reasonable prices on the international market, allowing a winning organization to continue to add high end talent, and so a B+ for depth and an A- for impact

Alex Rivas HiA SS A Gold Glove defense at short with a decent amount of pop in his bat
Richie Mullen AA SP A- Impressive control, splits, pitches, only lacks a starter’s stamina
Jose Nieves AAA RP B+ A flame thrower with nice stats but may give up the long ball, also will pick runners off
George Blowers AAA SS B Good enough splits to hit well, won’t last as a SS
Ivan Gonzales AA 3B B Slightly above average bat, but a great defensive 3B



Monterrey Habaneros- A quick look at the Habaneros ML roster makes their struggles record-wise perplexing, but despite a great group of position players, they lack any kind of pitching at the ML level. It doesn’t look like the situation is going to improve any time soon, as Monterrey has no big time pitchers coming up through the works. That highly talented infield is about to get crowded as more prospects arrive, but without that help on the mound, the organization earns a B for depth and a B+ for impact.

Cesar Park AA 2B A An elite hitter with great stats, could use a move to COF
Tomas Guerrero HiA SS B+ Can hold down SS defensively, and has great minor league stats
Ronald Jones LoA 2B B+ Great range for 2B or CF, and can really hit lefties
Greg Duran AAA 2B B Will hit for a nice average, handles righties well, maybe move to RF
Bob McElroy LoA Cl B Should be a fine relief pitcher, may struggle against righties



Austin Wranglers- chrispy is another owner who has been here since Season 1. With a payroll always above 100 million, Austin has never found itself in an all out rebuilding mode, but a look at their season records over the last few seasons suggest that perhaps that time is coming. Their minor league system has a nice stable of arms, and while there are no big bats, there are at least enough guys to fill holes that might arise. Plus, they have Alex Pujols, so B for depth and a B for impact.

Gregory Jefferies AAA Cl A Enough stamina to give closer caliber pitching in long relief
Warren Boehringer AA SP B+ L/R Splits aren’t stellar, but he’s a workhorse
Randy Harris AA Cl B+ Textbook ratings of a closer if he pans out to projections
Vasco Cruz AA SP B The kind of pitcher who could no-hit the Atlanta Braves
Clarence Schneider HiA 2B B Should be able to hit .300, not enough defense to stay at 2nd



Houston Texans- After taking a step backwards in season 6, this team is a legitimate contender to take the NL South this time around. Financially, this team is average in its payroll and scouting, and this season they’ve poured 20 million into their prospect budget. This team has done a great job with making the most of their first round picks, and if that trend continues, look for them to begin and maintain playoff runs for seasons to come. Seeing as they have no CF’s, at all, they earn a C for depth and a B- for impact.

Matty Martinez HiA SP A- A good pitcher, but lacks the stamina, durability of starters
Brian Jung LoA Cl A- If his L/R splits were a little higher… Phenominal stats
Billy Reese AAA RF B Hits righties well, has some speed, and plays good defense
Miguel Santos AAA 2B B A plus defender who should maintain a decent OBP
Kevin Mitchell AA SP B- Very inconsistent, but anytime you find a superlative rating (projects to 100 control), it merits a shot at the Bigs

Sixth Installment

AL East


Washington D.C. War Criminals- After winning the East for the first three seasons of Morgan, including two trips to the World Series including one Championship, the War Criminals have been passed by New York, finishing second three straight seasons. This is an organization that always spends an average amount on scouting, with an extra allotment to their prospect budget. Without ever having had any top 20 draft picks, this organization lacks top end talent. A C+ for depth and a C- for impact.

Jimmie Lee HiA SS B+ Great defender, eye, but should only play against lefty pitching
Nick Simms AA 2B B Ideal defense for 2B, below average bat but can hit lefties well
Chad Harang LoA RP B- Should be okay, stats suggest he can out-pitch his ratings
Kirk Towers HiA SP B- Has four plus pitches, but his splits are worrisome
Damaso Lima HiA C B- Only an average pitch caller, his splits are good enough for ML



Indianapolis Hoosierdaddies- Rafael Alicia has just graduated to the ML club, and will be that teams star player and leader for years to come. And don’t sleep on Justin Davis, who should be joining the rotation soon, and will be there for years to come. A team that has struggled before being taken over by basketmoney, they have gotten draft picks that are well on their way towards helping the ML club overtake the traditional powers in the East. So, a B for depth and a A for impact.

Rick Potvin HiA 2B A Bad defense at second, but a perfect eye, could be a 25/25 guy
Dan Cortes AA SP A- Four plus pitches, won’t dominate, but will be plenty solid
Victor Valdes AAA 2B A- Can hit for average, and has enough speed to bat lead off
David Seaver AAA C B+ Provides a good, inexpensive option at DH going forward
Joaquin Pascual AAA SP B A poor man’s number four starter



New York Mugger Funk- With guys like Esteban Montanez and Alex Cordero already up at the ML level, New York has no need for any big time hitters in this year’s draft, so look for them to shift their focus to pitching prospects. Oh wait, they’ve got two good ones in AAA. To be honest, this team has a wealth of young talent on the ML/AAA levels, and they’ve already won a title, so lets all just hope they don’t hit any homeruns with late first round draft picks. An B for depth, and a B+ for impact.

Del Mercedes AAA SP A A 100 rated fastball despite 24 velocity? Stats are impressive.
Cliff Hogan AAA SP A- Nice splits, control, 2 great pitches, gb/fb not quite there though
John Simmons AAA C B+ Impeccable pitch calling, but may only play against righties
Bob Winchester HiA 3B B- Needs to move to COF, nice splits but nothing amazing
Ellis Campbell HiA LF B- Awkward, a LF with an average bat, nice speed, and defense


Florida Phoenix- Chazzzzzz (6 z’s, get it right people) took over a two win team, that has never done better than a .420 winning percentage and has finished fourth in the East all six seasons. That won’t change this year, but what is changing is the organizations hope going forward. With four strong teams ahead of them, the Phoenix will struggle will struggle to rise again (corny, I know). But the old contracts are almost expired, and then money can really be put towards finding and developing contracts. For now, an B- for depth and an A for impact.

Clint Hutton AAA 3B A Could win a few MVP's, his defense may not hold up at 3B
Jeffrey Donovan AA SS A Here’s the future 3B, whose splits are very impressive
Shane Hale LoA SP B+ A workhorse with pinpoint control, not good enough against righties to merit elite status
Marty Foster AA LF B An above average bat, but better options are out there for LF
Dean Ryan AA CF B A good enough hitter, but he isn’t exactly a great defender

Fifth Installment

First, an announcement. At the end of this we will be putting out a top 30 prospect list. If anyone would like to contribute to that list, please submit your own top 30 to me (milbredhawk) through trade chat or sitemail by 1/7 at 9 PM, and then I'll publish the final list on 1/8.


NL North


Cincinnati Reds- Looking at the Red’s budget indicates a focus on finding the top prospects available over the past few seasons, but unfortunately the ML club has played well enough to prevent Cincinnati from getting any top five picks. There are a lot of nice pitchers with some control problems here, and only 5 of 14 first round picks are still in the Cincinnati organization. Trying not to be biased, I’ll give a B for depth and a B- for impact.

Leo Allen AAA 1B A Not a big time slugger, but will have a great OBP w/ some power
Alex Maranon AAA 2B B+ Nice range, good l/r splits, projects to a 100 bunt rating
Cesar Gonzalez AAA 3B B plays outstanding defense, OPS over .850 in the minors
Alex Barcello AA SS B flawless defense at short, but a zero rating against lefty pitching
Lonny Andrews AAA SP B A workhouse who’s unique mix of ratings could amount to an ERA anywhere between 3.75 and 5.00



Cleveland Cleveland Stormtroopers- (done by TheJester74, and I edited it down a bit) A number of major league prospects in their minors, I saw another 4-6 that should be quality contributors that didn't make the list. It seems clear that they pay attention to makeup and health in the guys they draft, and they also have not traded away many prospects. While they are lacking that sure thing HOF talent in the minors, that seems to be more a product of some of their best young talent already being in the majors. (Me- An A for depth and a B for impact)

Bartolo Pichardo HiA SP B+ A tweener pitcher, but will be fine when on the mound
Hughie Kane HiA SS B+ Crushes LH pitching, good ratings in makeup, health, stamina
Jerry Montgomery AAA SP B His L/R splits are just slightly above average, but he has 4 highly rated pitches
Eduardo Suarez AAA 2B B Projects to COF, hits for a high average and drives in runs
Russell Justice AAA RF B Won't hit for average, should put up 45+ HRs and 110RBIs


Toronto Storks- Don’t forget that Barjaz won the first World Series in Morgan. However, the Storks have not made the playoffs since season 2. This team rarely trades its prospects, and despite not spending the most on the various types of scouting, they have made the most of every first round pick. It should be noted, however, that they lack minor league pitching, both starters and relievers. With three strong RF prospects, it makes sense for them to move some position talent for pitching. They earn a B for depth and a B+ for impact.

Phil Wathan LoA SS A Provides offense at a position that he can hold down defensively
Rafael Prieto AA RF A- Owns lefties, will be a great third base coach in thirty seasons
JP Isringhausen HiA RF B+ Nice power, should have a sufficient OPS for a COF
Charlie Shiell AAA RF B Will hit for a nice average, great arm for an outfielder
Dick Pressley HiA C B Good combo of hitting a defense, but poor stamina and health



St. Louis Melon Farmers- Take quick glance at the Farmers', umm, farm system, and you find seven or so nice hitting prospects, four of whom will make this team defensively solid. jdbkaput’s task now is to find young pitching while maintaining the veteran pitching already on the ML level, an aging group of veterans mostly signed through free agency. Without any B level pitching prospects, a B for depth seems fair, and an A for impact.

Dan Smith AAA SS A Could play a gold glove 3B while batting in a clean up spot, he was the first overall pick in the season 4 draft
Rex Key AAA CF A- Rangy, will bat first or second and score 170+ runs in the future
Carson Sellers AA 2B A- A great bat, he hasn’t fielded his position well in the minors
Eduardo Merced HiA SS B+ a fine defensive SS who wields an above average bat
Stan McNamara AAA LF B+ look for him to be a big time slugger in Morgan

Fourth Installment

AL North


Chicago Knights- Last season Chicago finished tops in the North for the third time in six seasons, pushing their record to 85-77. Led by Stan Jackson, the under-appreciated SS who plays exactly 136 games each season, this organization has maintained a strong system while always staying in contention at the ML level. There are, however, no big time position players coming up, and so a B for depth and a B for impact.

Dwight Forbes AAA SP A- Four good seasons in AAA, his WHIP is higher than his ERA would suggest
Karl Simmons AAA Cl A- Weak second pitch, health issues, he will be just fine
Antonio Kim AA Cl B+ Has thrown 92 innings in 2.5 season, gb/fb rating is worrisome
Carlos Mesa AA LF B Hits righties well enough to be productive, but is lacking compared to other AL left fielders
Jack Dunn AAA SS B Could play 2B or CF with an OBP around .350



Minnesota St. Paul Sots- Always keeping a high payroll, Minnesota has budgeted just 1 million dollars for International Scouting. They have also traditionally skimped on High School scouting, but those college players that they have drafted have gotten to the Major League level very quickly. Contending for the North title again this season, Daggers may run low on prospects to trade if they need to snatch up any pieces. They merit a D+ for depth and a D for impact.

Bo Moore HiA SP A- He’s boasts four plus pitches, but lacks the stamina to start
Benny Alomar AAA Cl B Not as good against righties, may tend to give up HRs
Hal Lewis HiA LF B- His stats in AA/AAA will tell what kind of ML player he’ll be
Philip Breen AAA SS C+ He’s average in every way possible, and is an injury risk
Don Lewis AAA CF C Will keep the bench warm at the ML level, plus defender



Dover Gophers- In badhame7’s second season at the helm the team is not on pace to match last season’s 3rd place finish’s win total. Dover simply lacks the talent at the ML level to seriously contend at the top of the American League. A strong draft this season will have a huge influence on Dover’s future, as the system needs to add more impact players before they can be a major threat in Morgan’s future. The Gophers merit a B- for depth and a B- for impact.

Benito Valdivia LoA CF A Great defense in CF and has potential to hit .330 annually
Sid Ritz HiA SP A- L/R splits keep him from being an uppest echelon pitching prospect
Stretch Bush AAA SS B Slightly below average SS defense, slightly above average bat
Doyle Nathan LoA 2B B- He rules. Needs to move to COF, but may not hit well enough
Jeffrey Smith AAA 2B B- Hard to say where he fits in, should be an okay hitter



Milwaukee Gurus- If slow and steady wins the race then the Gurus have a very bright future ahead of themselves. douglasdao has invested more than 20 million into his prospect budget each of the past three seasons in an effort to land high end international talent. While that trend is due to level off, the core of the future is in place, and it is solid. The Gurus get an easy A for impact, with a B+ for depth.

Robinson Holliday HiA CF A Has trouble with lefties, but has great range and a nice bat
Mark Ramsay HiA DH A He posted a 1.523 OPS in 30 games in LoA, w/ a fantastic eye
Raul Vega AAA SP A Only deficiencies are stamina and velocity, no real out pitch
Brent McCallum AAA SP A- Righties can hit him, but he makes half of the future rotation w/ Vega
Artie Pearson AAA RP B+ A solid pitcher, but has an awkward stamina/durability combination