The Bill Shelley Memorial Farm Thread

grabarkewitz:

Keith Law, in his rating of all the farm systems, has us at 19, one spot higher than the Giants. Pretty much spot on. We are pretty weak on the upper levels, but the lower levels are loaded with talented players. Even though Law didn't mention any names, I think he already has a jones for Kenley Jansen. I have read more about this kid in the past three months than were ever written about him over the past three years.

I even read a report (might've been Sickels) that felt that Jansen could be a starting pitcher once he develops his stamina. His fastball is already legendary and there has been much talk that his slider and change up are going to be plus-plus pitches. Add to that, he is a horse. He is now being listed at 6'6" and 240lbs. You know Logan White loves his big pitchers. I would not be surprised if it is a race between him, Chris Withrow and Aaron Miller to make the show. The report even speculated that Jansen may bypass high A ball and go right to AA. As I expect Miller to do the same, that rotation could be sick - Withrow, Aaron Miller, Jon-Michael Redding, Jansen and Alberto Bastardo has filth written all over it. Of course, if Jansen cannot hack it as a starter, he would be some kind of closer. This might be the smartest move the Dodgers made, last year, moving him to the mound when they figured out he couldn't hit his weight.

That's really exciting. I think I'll just hang out in this thread and enjoy prospect chatter instead of the bummer that is hot-stove 2009/10.

MLB network just did their top 50 prospect show and had Ethan Martin at #49 and Dee Gordon in the 30s (can't remember the exact number).

Carlos Santana comes in at #3 on Keith Law's top 100 list. Ugh.

Santana could be the Victor Martinez who can actually catch -- a switch-hitter with legitimate plate discipline and power with good receiving skills and an above-average arm. Cleveland swiped Santana from the Dodgers in the Casey Blake deal because they were willing to send L.A. the $2 million required to pay Blake's salary the rest of the way; in other words, they paid roughly what the ninth or 10th pick in a typical Rule 4 draft gets and ended up with the third-best prospect in baseball, a return on investment that Indians GM Mark Shapiro probably would take eight days a week. At the plate, Santana does start his hands a little deep, but he uses that to create great leverage in his swing as he explodes from his loaded position to the ball, with both hard contact and good loft when he squares a pitch up -- something he does quite often with an approach one Cleveland executive called "selective-aggressive," meaning Santana works the count but is more than happy to jump on a pitch he can hit early in an at-bat. He's a good athlete and runs well for a backstop. Santana has good hands behind the plate and arm strength, and he has shown progress in the one deficiency in his catching, his ability to handle a staff and work with pitchers. Lou Marson might be the starting catcher this April in Cleveland, but the job should be Santana's by September.

Torgy, Webster's full name is Carl Allen Webster.