Possible Records Update

Since it is the All Star Break, I thought now would be a good time to update some possible new records.
LF Darin DePaula of the Durham CroBulls was off to a fast start this season. DePaula has stolen 50 bases and has only been caught twice! With 91 games finished, Darin is averaging a stolen base almost every other game. In order to beat Phillip Hunter's record of 106 stolen bases, DePaula would have to steal 56 more bases in 71 games, which is close to a steal a game. DePaula is on pace to steal 89 bases by the end of the season. The CroBulls are going to have to let Darin run a little bit more in order for him to break this record!
Closer of the Cleveland Elite Senators II, Marty Dyer has to put in more effort in order to beat Clarence Kolb's record of 58 saves. In 91 games, Dyer is 31 for 31 with saves. That is almost a save every three games! Dyer is on pace to have 55 saves by the end of the season. Marty has a very good chance to beat the record, but will have to continue his save streak in order to break Kolb's record!
Cincinnati Flying Pig's starting pitcher Fonzie Lewis was off to a great start going 13-5 in 91 games. Lewis is going to have to win 11 more games in 71 games in order to break the record. Lewis is currently on pace to go 23-9 this season. The current record is held by George Ramsey and Darryl Morgan with 24 wins.
Although Lewis started of the season leading the league in wins, Darryl Priest of the Tacoma Rain took the lead. Priest is currently 15-4 with an ERA of 3.03. Priest is the only player of the four to actually be on pace to beat the record- with an amazing 27 wins!

Power Rankings 6-10-10

HOPELESS TEAMS
32. Dover DBagers – 32-57 #21 Hitting/ #32 Pitching/ #18 Fielding
As if the DBagers didn't have enough problems this season, fans are now wearing brown paper bags to all the homes games. Team has decided to charge for outfield seats and free admission for the rest. Remember to come early and get some good seats.

31. Little Rock Anti-Clintons (Maybe Lumber Jacks) – 25-64 #31 Hitting/ #27 Pitching/ #20 Fielding
Pick a name already people


THE ALMOST HOPELESS TEAMS
30. Oklahoma City 89ers – 34-55 #30 Hitting/ #29 Pitching/ #21 Fielding
There’s one bright spot for the 89ers, there no longer a Hopeless team.

29. Montreal Maniac – 35-54 #32 Hitting/ #28 Pitching/ #32 Fielding
You have to feel bad for Maniac’s, the season as been real ugly for the team so far. Perhaps if the Maniac’s could hit, pitch and field it could improve on there record. Until then, the Maniac’s will continue to sit in the NL North cellar.

28. Kansas City Kansas City Royals 33-56 #28 Hitting/ #26 Pitching/ #6 Fielding
Will not say anything about the Kansas City Kansas City Royals until they fix there name.

27. San Diego Missions – 33-56 #26 Hitting/ #18 Pitching/ #29 Fielding
San Diego is slipping into the Pacific Ocean at this rate. A weird development this season has been if the Missions played all there games on the road, they would be in the playoff race.

26. Toronto and the Lone Ranger – 37-52 #22 Hitting/ #23 Pitching/ #24 Fielding
Getting outscored by a combined margin of 66 runs, it’s the Toronto’s pitching that's the problem, with an ERA of 5.02. Maybe the real Lone Ranger could pitch for the team?


THE THANKS FOR PLAYING BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR TEAMS
25. Salem Saints 37-52 #14 Hitting/ 24 Pitching/ #26 Fielding
The Saints can hit with the best of them. The pitching staff most be praying to the wrong god this season because they can’t stop anyone. Salem is tied for the most blown saves with 18, only 6 less then the saves the team has collected all season.

24. Colorado Deadbeats – 38-51 #3 Hitting/ #31 Pitching/ #14 Fielding
Deadbeats pitchers have an 6.33 ERA, but apparently they think it could get worst then that very soon: The Deadbeats seem to be interested in any pitcher with a pulse. They have open tryouts starting in a week, so if you think you can make it as a pitcher in the major leagues, give it a try.

23. Huntington Bullets 38-51 #6 Hitting/ #30 Pitching/ #1 Fielding
Slowly, quietly, the Bullets might be coming around. The pitching staff is finally showing signs of life. There are only two questions, then: (1) is it too late? (2) can they play the rest of there games on the road? The Bullets sit 14 games out, a long but not impossible deficet.


THE WHERE ON LIFE SUPPORT TEAMS
22. Durham CroBulls 44-45 #29 Hitting/ #19 Pitching/ #8 Fielding
No matter what happens to the CroBulls, they have truly confused the city of Durham this season. A 97 year old retired vet stated “Might as well go home and spend time with the wife if the team can’t score some runs.” No comment from the wife.

21. Trenton Tea Baggers 42-27 #27 Hitting/ #16 Pitching/ #2 Fielding


THE BELOW AVERAGE TEAMS
20. Burlington Beavers 41-48 #23 Hitting/ #12 Pitching/ #10 Fielding
This is a weird team, everything says they should have a better record but they don’t. They have scored 5 more runs then allowed, are almost even at home and the road. Think they should change there name to the Burlington Mysteries.

19. Boise Barnstormers 40-49 #25 Hitting/ #11 Pitching/ #13 Fielding
See above

18. Florida Manatees 44-45 #13 Hitting/ #20 Pitching/ #16 Fielding
The Manatees don't have a good back of the rotation, they don't have a good bullpen, they have an average defense, and they have an average lineup. The Manatees are going to have to scratch and claw if they want to make it to the top. But then again these are Manatees, I don’t even think they can scratch or claw.

17. Louisville Sluggers 46-43 #17 Hitting/ #22 Pitching/ #9 Fielding
They have opened up a little space in the National South. Never mind the team being out scored by 23 runs already, first place is first place.

16. Baltimore Beatdown 43-46 #12 Hitting/ #14 Pitching/ #11 Fielding.
The mission is simple for the Beatdown the rest of the year: survive. Find a way to improve but don’t fall to the rest of the pack behind them.


THE AVERAGE TEAMS
15. Santa Cruz Is Coming to Town 47-42 #19 Hitting/ #6 Pitching/ #30 Fielding
Maybe if they find enough people to mail letters to Santa Clause, he can finally come to town and delivier a gift of an offense to the team. This would be a scary team with an offense.

14. New Orleans Knights 49-40 #10 Hitting/ #15 Pitching/ #3 Fielding
Wish the last Wildcard spot could be a fight to the death. Right now it would a Fish Taco versus a Knight. A Fish Taco sure sounds good right now.

13. Chicago Fish Tacos 48-41 #11 Hitting/ #17 Pitching/ #4 Fielding
Bet you didn’t see a Fish Taco beating a Knight did you.

12. Charlotte Blue Devils 47-42 #16 Hitting/ #9 Pitching/ #22 Fielding
The Blue Devils must be wishing they played in a different division. Third place, 13 games out is all they have to show for a very good season so far. If the played in the National League South they would be in first place but so would every other National League team.

THE ABOVE AVERAGE TEAMS
11. Anaheim Los Angeles Conquistadores 49-40 #24 Hitting/ #7 Pitching/ #5 Fielding
Until this team can shows me something, I refuse to put them in the Top Ten. Also they will fade after the Allstar break (putting hands together and praying)

10. Cleveland Elite Senators II 52-37 #7 Hitting/ #21 Pitching/ #25 Fielding
I don’t know what they offered to the baseball gods because they shouldn’t be here, let alone have 52 wins. They have scored only 12 more runs then allowed with an above average offense, below average pitching staff and a horrible defense. Need to find out more about this.

9. Helena Emperors 47-42 #11 Hitting/ #17 Pitching/ #4 Fielding
May be third in there division but there in front of the Santa Cruz Is Coming to Town and Anaheim Los Angeles Conquistadores in the power rankings. It’s good to be the Emperor.

8. Texas Justice 47-42 #1 Hitting/ #25 Pitching/ #31 Fielding
Baseball is a funny game sometimes: The Justice can’t pitch or field but they always find a way to win. Just imagine what this team would be like if they had an offense.

7. Ottawa Morissettes 55-34 #20 Hitting/ #8 Pitching/ #23 Fielding
Still riding the wave they created during the first week of the season. Just seems like the team is coasting the rest of the way but with the rest of the division I really don’t blame them..

THE GREAT TEAMS
6. Wichita WINNERS 52-37 #18 Hitting/ #2 Pitching/ #17 Fielding
With a name like the WINNERS, I’d expect nothing less from the team. Should have an easy time the rest of the season as the division isn’t that strong.

5. Cincinnati Flying Pigs 55-34 #4 Hitting/ #10 Pitching/ #15 Fielding
While the Flying Pigs continue to pound out the hits like a bull, their pitching is going unnoticed -- and it should be noticed. The team ERA is 4.03 and there only allowing 4.38 runs per game. While the offense will remain, the jury is still out on the starting pitching. If these two can hang on and put up good numbers the rest of the way, the American League North should be a fun race all the way to the end.

4. St. Louis Birdos 56-33 #15 Hitting/ #1 Pitching/ #12 Fielding
This is proof that playing the league toughest division doesn’t always help. Second best record in the National League and still 4 games out. Still, the Birdos have all the makings of the top team, including their best starting staff in many years.


THE ELITE TEAMS
3. Tacoma Rain 59-30 #8 Hitting/ #4 Pitching/ #28 Fielding
I think it time for the Rain to let up a little. There’s nothing more to prove with a 21 game led in the division before the All-Star break.

2. San Antonio Sentinals 59-30 #5 Hitting/ #3 Pitching/ #7 Fielding
Sorry San Antonio, all your huffing and puffing still won’t make me change my mind about Tacoma winning the World Series. Plus I can’t take you seriously when your not even number 1 in the power rankings.

1. Philadelphia Pirates 60-29 #2 Hitting/ #5 Pitching/ #27 Fielding
It seems that Philadelphia is finally starting to hit a rough patch. The offense has come down a bit, same with the pitching staff. Still, they have the best record in the majors, so it's important to understand the difference between concern and panic. A Pirates team with holes is still one of the better teams this league has every seen.

NL and AL South Draft Review

NL SOUTH

Louisville Sluggers
Positions of Need: CF, SS, RP
Summary: Mixed bag of a draft they seem to target certain guys who would be sure things for the team passing up on better skilled prospects for guys they must have been in love with. Sanders will be a great closer and might turn out to be the best and most easily translatable reliever of those to go in the top 10. Manship isn't going to be dominating but should be a solid major leaguer. Overall not a bad draft for ML potential players as they landed 3 solid options.
Grade: B
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 1.26 CF Earl Coleman- Better suited for 2B, but this guy can hit and Run well enough to be in the league (AA)
S10 1.50 SS Carl Crosby- Defensive superstar, but poor performer at the plate and on the bases. Will be a career defensive replacement and spot starter (HiA)
S11 1.6 CF Pete Peters- was a huge reach with the 6^th overall pick last season, he is a light hitter with great speed, He has a place of many teams, and he's just not the star you would want with a top 10 pick (HiA)
S11 1.35 1B Eddie Hultzen- solid power bopping 1B his middle of the road splits will scare some. (HiA)
S11 1.53 RF Tyler Dempster- Above average runner and a solid hitter, good late 1^st round pick up last season (LoA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.9 RP Jermaine Sanders- In the year of the RP Sanders goes in the 1^st 10 picks. I believe he was the 4^th top 10 pick for RP in this draft. Sanders is a great all around reliever with precision control and 2 dominant pitches. He might be an elite closer one day in this league.
1.36 SP Gary Manship- some signing issues with Manship allowed him to slip into the late 1^st round. Overall he is a solid starter with 5 workable pitches including a good sinker. His control is already tolerable as an 18 year old prospect. He has a lot of growing to do and average makeup.
2.68 2B Rob Roberts- poor hitter with average speed and defense. Maybe a 1 star prospect at best huge reach in the top of the 2^nd round.
3.101 LRP Michael Byrd- above average fastball is the only solid pitch in his 5 pitch arsenal. His splits and control are MLB potential, although bottom of the barrel, He might still get a good number of innings in his career as a cheap alternative for a staff.

Durham CroBulls
Positions of Need: RP, SP
Summary: Coleman is going to be great in the right situation, but he will need to be monitored and watched. Walbeck further adds to a freshly growing bullpen. The best pick might be their 3^rd rounder where they pick up a perfect NL specialist in Bubba Ennis.
Grade: B-
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 1.4 RF Ryan Halama- Solid hitting prospect with good power and batting eye Traded S11 to Cin (AAA)
S9 1.54 3B D.T. Bailey- he is as fast as he is blind. Will strike out a whole bunch and steal a whole bunch no power. (AA)
S9 1.62 SP Joel Swift- Middle of the road splits average pitch selection. (AA)
S10 1.9 3B Fernando Gardel- UNSIGNED
S11 1.5 P Roland Gosling- top of the rotation type Starter, Gosling has 4 pitches good control and solid splits.
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.7 RP Tripp Coleman- His Stamina and Durability scream out relief pitcher with limited pitch count. He would be a great closer if carefully monitored and maintained. He has ace quality splits and control with an outstanding Sinker and an above average slider. The 7^th pick might be a bit high for a guy you have to watch to make his piece fit into your teams puzzle.
1.50 RP Al Walbeck- solid reliever with above average control and splits. He has a great Split Fastball to work with and a solid 4-semaer to fall back on. Probably not going to be a superstar but a nice piece deep in the 1st round.
2.67 SP Alvin Merrick- In college he was known As: wild thang" Merrick. He might have killed a mascot or two with his killer velocity and lack of control. 5 solid pitches his best being his changeup. Unless he finds some control he does make it out of the minors.
3.99 2B Bubba Ennis- Great runner and speed guy with great contact. I love this pick in the 3rd round He should be a good defensive replacement in the field and a pitch running extraordinaire.

Kansas City Kansas City Royals
Positions of Need: SS, CF, C
Summary: Started a run on Relief pitching that lasted throughout the 1^st round. Everyone went into a mad grab for quality relievers. Defensive Stud and Speedster Midre Jacquez is a nice pickup in the 2^nd round. Overall I think KC got some prospects to be happy with that filled some of their needs.
Grade: B-
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 1.9 P Stewart Black- a Low durability reliever who has shown mix results as the ML Closer, He should be very successful if his pitch count is controlled. (ML)
S9 1.36 P Garland Badilla- 4 pitches middle of the road left/right splits he is going to be a mixed bag in the MLTRADED SEASON 10 to CLEV (AAA)
S9 1.49 P Tomas Borges- 3 quality pitches but average control and stamina will limit him to relief, he might sneak a few spot starts in his career (AAA)
S10 3 P Anthony Clifton- Pitching ace already in the bigs for good reason this guy can pitch. Not even close to full potential and he already averages almost a strike out an inning in the ML. (ML) S11 1.7 SP Howard James- Ace quality pitcher with 5 pitches excellent splits and good control lacks game changing velocity and is strictly a fly ball pitcher. (HiA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.3 RP Luke Jennings- fairly developed Reliever for an 18 year old. He has a great pitcher splits and perfect control. His 3 pitches should bring him great success as a reliever for many seasons. At pick #3 he went way to high in the draft
2.63 SS Midre Jacquez- 2 great tools with his elite speed and running and his great defensive presence. He should have success in the Majors with those tools even with his lowly bat.
3.95 2B Hub Faulk- Better suited for RF or LF, he is a slightly above average hitter, but might not be skilled enough to get regular At Bats in the Majors.

Little Rock Anti-Clintons
Positions of Need: SP, RP, CF
Summary: Took a serious risk with their #1 pick Alvin Bradley. Bradley's signabilty issues scared off a number of suitors, but maybe Little Rocks risk will pay huge dividends and they will get a late 1^st round gem. Only time will tell, but you have to commend the guts. The rest of the draft doesn't deliver much in the way of ML prospects.
Grade: B-
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 1.14 1B Todd Clark- elite level hitter but the 1^st round is a stretch for a low fielding position. He can hit near the top though (AAA)
S10 1.28 SP Carson Lockhart- good college pitcher would have drafted higher if his stamina was better, but still he has 4 pitches on top of good control and left/right combination (AAA)
S10 1.39 P Vin Starr- Struggles at times against Lefties, but should pitch in the majors one day with 3 great pitches. (AAA)
S10 1.44 P Josh Pecina- he has the pitch selection and velocity of a star but has low stamina and average control. He will be a solid mop-up long reliever in the majors for a time. (AAA)
S10 1.55 2B Perry MacRae-Contact hitter with no power and bat batting eye but great speed and base running. He should provide enough tools to have the option to strike out as much as he wants in the Majors. (AAA)
S11 1.23 RF Tony Valenzuela- Good speed, but average hitting he seems the ball well and seems to understand the pitching he just doesn't have the natural talent.
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.22 SS Alvin Bradley- he has 3B written all over him on defense. He possesses a plus bat with good speed. I would expect numbers close to a .290 hitter with 20 HR and 35 SB when he is ML ready. He is fairly developed and should rise quickly through the minors. He is considering football as a career option so he will be a late signer.
2.82 SS Ellis Henson- The backup plan for Bradley not signing. Defensively he's worse at 3B but he is capable. He is almost as quick and runs overall better than Bradley. He is a much poor hitter and is slated to be nothing more than an AAA grinder.
3.114 SP Richard Braun- Great pitcher to have in the minor leagues he will eat innings and throw solid games, He has poor baseball splits and will struggle to much against ML hitting to be a viable major league option.

AL SOUTH

San Antonio Sentinals
Positions of Need:
Summary: Totally hate the Rodriguez pick with their 1st overall selection, there seem to be other talent on the board which made a lot better sense with that pick, Getting Gil deep in the 2^nd round illustrated that even on their own draft board. Lombardi and Allen both are skilled players but like all late 1^st rounders they are flawed and will need to be in very defined roles for them to succeed.
Grade: D+
Historical 1^ST Round
9.1.25 Rp Junior Tavarez developed reliever with solid control and good right/left understanding. 3 pitches including a top flight sinker. (AAA)
9.1.42 2B Lee Brock- middle of the road hitter with good speed and base running. His defense is good enough to play most any position except SS and CF.
9.1.60 2B Virgil Maxwell- Good contact but an overall light weight hitter. He could play every day and contribute near the bottom of a lineup, but he is nothing more than a stopgap player.
10.1.32 P Tyson Cross- UNSIGNED
10.1.42RP Glendon Stockton- 3 pitches and good splits, glendon's low durability is not ideal for a reliever. (HiA) 11.1.29 P Von Pose Solid #2 or 3 starter on a good major league club. Von's makeup will make him a slow mover through the minors (AA)
11.1.34 P Reid Bordick- star 2 pitch reliever he has outstanding splits and great control and pitches, his low stamina will keep him to 1 or 2 batters max an appearance. (AA)
11.1.63 P Zoltan Jackson- Long Relief prospect with middle of the road splits and pitch selection, not going to make much of a major league splash (AA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.32 SS Davey Rodriguez- below average fielder. He isn't much better in the field with above average power but poor contact hitting. Below average speed makes up the trifurcate of AAA player. Poor pick at #1
1.43 SP Tom Lombardi- poor durability on an otherwise solid relief pitcher. He has elite level control and 3
pitches to throw out over the plate. He just will be limited on the number of batters he can face an outing and the
number of appearance in a season. Probably a reach in the 1st round for this reliever.
1.48 C Bo Allen- Better DH than a positional player so on an AL team he should be fine. Great overall hitter with above average power and good batting eye. He isn't going to hurt you at the plate at all.
2.61 SS Carmine Gil- solid defender and a better overall player than #1 pick Rodriguez. He can play SS and should blow through the minors fairly quickly and be a key defensive sub. He will strike out a lot at the plate but he has enough bats to count on him to deliver some offense.
2.69 SP Rickey Eckenstahler-- Solid late 2nd round Pitcher. He struggles against Left hander hitters and has only 1 plus pitch to work with. He is not a bad pick up late in the 2nd round.
2.90 RP Charles Fonville- His fastball and Slider are unhittable when they get going and rank among the best scouts have seen, His control is also considered elite level. His drawback is his average pitching splits which show his struggles against Right Handers who at the MLB level might eat him up. Still might be a good risk/reward pick late in the 2nd.
3.122 SS Shigetoshi Zhang- Average hitter below average defender, above average speed. He's just a mixed bag in the 3rd round. Most likely he's nothing more than a minor league lifer.

Texas Justice
Positions of Need: SP, LF
Summary: Got their LF in the 1^st round, but had to reach for him. They still need to increase their stable of Farm arms, which seems to be desperately lacking
Grade: B+
Historical 1^ST Round
9.1.23 2B Stephen Albers- A guy who can hit and field. Not much not to like when he makes the league (AA)
9.1.41 SS Enrique Flores- better suited for 3B great power, but probably will hit for an average around .260 (AA)
9.1.51 C Tori Tatum- great offensive catcher offers a solid body behind the plate. (AA)
10- NO PICKS
11.1.28 SS Shane Kerr- Average hitter above average speed. Might be a weak SS in the field
11.1.31 SS Quinn Coco- Contact bloop single guy, he has little power and average speed, better suited for 3B.
11.1.45 CF Aaron Munro- Great speed, but a slight better than average contact hitter. He can play the field fairly well and should be solid platoon versus left handers.
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.12 RF J.P. Diaz- huge reach in the mid 1^st round. He is a fast no power bat that sees the ball well, but can't drive it deep enough to even make up for his plus speed. He should steal 25-40 bases a season and has the running sense to take advantage of poor catchers and exploitable pitchers. To high in the draft for a guy that doesn't offer more than 2 tools. Needs to field as well
3.104 SS Phil Maxwell - would be more successful on defense at 3B, he doesn't offer enough at the plate (poor batting eye and hitting stats) and can't run the bases well enough to merit this high of a pick. Type A
4.136 CF Andrew DeJean – a contact hitter with poor batting splits. He might get some AB's against right handers, His bread and butter might be his speed if he develops his baserunning he might be a good defensive pinch runner in the league. Type B

Florida Manatees
Positions of Need: SP, C
Summary: Florida is young and has great depth everywhere. Their biggest weakness would be starting pitching where they have a number of young stars already developing. What they need is a few stronger stamina arms to extend the innings pitched for the starters, Superstar AAA P Edgardo Montana would be better in Long relief or setup with his stamina. Ashby fits the bill for the type of pitcher they needed for their farm. Omar James will also be an asset when he is ready to contribute. Both should be great players to have on any team.
Grade: B+
Historical 1^ST Round
9.1.2 SS Sal Gwynn- all around all-star, but weak against Left handers, still has great defense and hitting and should be a value then he breaks the big leagues (AA)
9.1.31 P Darrin Lennon- 4 pitches with good control and solid splits he could be a Great #2 guy if you overlook his durability (AA)
9.1.34 2B Derrick Brewer- Good stamina and control but average splits, His sinker and Fastball makeup for his poor Curve. (LoA)
9.1.47 P Darby Speier- Good speed and good contact, but lower power numbers and very mediocre left/right splits (HiA)
9.1.52 LF Vincente Moreno- average hitter and runner, but nothing more than a flash in the pan for major league prospects (HiA)
10.1.7 RP Ben Van Hatten- Great power reliever he could strikeout the side easily in an ML game. Might be the closer of the future for Florida. Great control and splits. Downside outside of his Curve his pitch selection is quite poor. (HiA)
10.1.33 CF John Bolick- Solid ML prospect, He has 5 tools to offer Florida including good speed, solid hitting and precision fielding. (AA)
11.1.3 SS Von Hammonds Average fielder and solid runner. He has great contact and splits, but not much power. He's probably a .320 hitter with 10 hr power and 25+ stolen bases. (LoA)
11.1.52 CF Jim Becker- solid power but will struggle putting the ball in play without making an out He also has good speed could be a solid 2B or CF prospect. (LoA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.4 P Steven Ashby- Solid #1 or 2 option for a ML rotation, he has very underwhelming pitches, but he has strikeout power and great stamina to overcome his shortcoming.
2.64 P Omar James- One of the best Sinkers scouting has seen. He struggles some with his control, but if he develops that should be fine and he could be a good 10 closer in the league.
3.96 RF Conor Shaw- Shaw might be Long Hauls version of Rob Deer, this guy than belt it out of the park when he gets a hold of it, but he will bat close to .220-.240 on the season with a good amount of strikeouts.

New Orleans Knights
Positions of Need: RP, C, 3B
Summary: The Knights have taken a fill in approach to their bullpen, they are stacked with veteran talent, but lack any home grown recruits, this can be an expensive way to close out a game, Their start catch is also showing signs of his age and it would be nice to have a guy moving up the ladder to replace him. 3B Sherm James has never been a superstar, but a stable force on the hot corner, his contract expires at the end of the season. New Orleans brought in a few talented, but flawed prospects. Mcdill is talented and it will be interesting to see his reaction to major league hitting, he will dominant at times, but more than likely he will also lose control of games without a very good catcher.
Grade: C-
Historical 1^ST Round
9.1.3 P Bobby Buchanan- great changeup but 3 other average pitches after that to work with. He struggles against left handed hitting, but his control and stamina should make him a ML pitcher soon (AAA)
9.1.29 Russell Fontenot- Defensive wizard, Fontenot will struggle getting the ball in play without any natural talent at the plate, he does have great understanding how to hit and will draw a walk, but not a major league hitter. (AA)
9.1.35 Marcus Davis- Already nearly developed Marcus still has average splits, but still is weak against left handers. His control is also going to cost him at times. He has 3 great pitches. (AA)
9.1.48 SS Marcus Wilson- Solid Defense and good contact hitter, but little power and average baseball knowledge and batting eye. He will be a defensive guru in the league (AAA)
9.1.53 Robinson Embree- Poor splits will keep his knuckle curve out of the league most of his career. (AAA)
10.1.14 1B Rodrigo Torres- great hitter, but average splits and defense. Might have been a reach in the top 20 for a 1B (AAA)
10.1.17 SS Eli Torres UNSIGNED
10.1.34 P Jerome Harris- Poor control on an average reliever with only a changeup to throw. (HiA)
10.1.47 2B Virgil Ortiz- solid runner with above average contact and little power. Not an ML starter for long in the league, but still could find a role (HiA)
11.1.57 P Bill Key- Poor Control and durability will limit Key's role on a major league club, His best role will be in relief, but I'm not sure who if anyone will give him a major league shot (LoA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.6 P Dan McDill- Average left/right splits will condemn a rather spectacular pitcher, with 3 great pitches, in college his fastball, curve and changeup won him many games at his high velocity. In the majors he will struggle at times. Still a reach in the top 10
1.49 SS Paxton Casey- NOT SCOUTED
1.59 RF Lloyd Vernon- Considering Basketball for a career. He's an average ML prospect at best with even worse batting splits. Good luck in the NBA Vernon.

AL and NL East Season 12 Draft Review

Philadelphia Pirates
Positions of Need: SS, 3B, RP
Summary: The Pirates are a team built for today. They have a relatively young and able ML team, so the farm system is less of a concern right now, but they so have very shallow depth at SS where 28 year old ML starter Luis Ordonez is the only multi tool prospect the system has. Third Base has a more immediate concern with 30 year old Ed Serrano hold down the position, signed from Season 13 he's showing signs of his age and will start slipping even more in the future seasons. There is again no true heir to 3B in Philadelphia.
Grade: D-
Historical 1^ST Round
S10 (31) 2B Max Ruiz- Defensively great with good speed, average bat. (AA)
S11 (33) SP Paul Bruce- Solid low stamina starter, (LoA)
S11 (46) Cl Tike Levis- could be a solid closer has average control.
S11 (49) LF Cody Campbell- average hitter major injury in s12
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.24 RF Clint Kouzmanoff- great contact hitter with solid speed and batting eye. He has below average splits and low makeup
1.45 2B Mark Dirks- great contact and no power. Dirks is fast and runs well. At 22 he is developed but has poor makeup how much will be improve in his limited time. Poor splits should keep him in the minors.
2.92 SS Eliezer Valdez- no bat with defense better suited for right or left field. He doesn't offer enough speed to even back his way into the majors as a replacement.
3.124 LF Andy Vasquez- Mr. Average will max out in AAA.

St. Louis Birdos
Positions of Need: SP, CF, 2B
Summary: The Birdos are in very good shape both on the farm and in the Majors. They have had solid drafts in the past, but drafting late has not allowed them to pick up a superstar. They have gathers a great supporting cast. The areas looking to improve are the Starting Pitching where they have a few veterans that they could look to replace in the future and a sure starter for 2B and CF.
Grade: A-
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (13) Luke Comer- fireballer with average splits, might be a #5 guy sometime in his career (AA)
S9 (32) SP A.J. Freel- Control issues on an otherwise solid pitcher (AA)
S10 (11) C J.P. Beltre- Superstar hitter, but durability issues will limit his effect to 400 abs a season (AA)
S10 (37) P Craig May UNSIGNED
S11 (26) SP Donatello Blake- UNSIGNED
S11 (60) 2B Haywood Brown- good speed, great contact average splits (LoA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.27 2B Carl Shannon- all contact and speed. He is not going to get many out of the park, but should steal 60+ bases a season. He is very developed for 18 and could be a factor sooner than later. He will struggle against good pitching with his middle of the road splits
1.28 RP Gregg Charles Solid reliever with3 plus pitches and good control. He has a poor durability and stamina mix, but should be overlooked for any reliever with3 good pitches.
1.42 SS Cyrus Fletcher= Defensive superstar with great speed and base running. His bat projects to be average with little power, but the rest of his interchangeable will help get him a shot
2.87 RP Carter Pillette= potential to have 3 useable pitches including a solid 4 seamer. His right hand split makes him a risk on the mount but he still has a good potential to play a role for a team.
3.100 P Mel Choo

Charlotte Blue Devils
Positions of Need: SP, RP, CF
Summary: The future Blue Devil offense is fairly set, they have good depth at Catcher, OF and 2B and should be able to translate this depth into trades to cover some of the thinning areas. Pitching is starting to become a concern for the future. They have a number of aging arms who need replacements ready down the road. A few of the relievers are already 35+ and are on the downsides of their careers.
Grade: A
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (22) Eugene Lieberthal-Solid long reliever/spot starter (AA) could be effective in a few seasons
S9 (58) RP Steven Collins- elite closer with 2 pitches (AA) 60/68 career minor League saves
S10 (24) 2B Rob Yates- light hitting speedster (HiA)
S10 (54) CF Glenn Berry- TRADED (S11) Average bat with good speed and solid D. (AAA) .300+ average in 2 AAA Season.
S10 (58) 2B D.J. Christenson- decent contact hitter with poor base running (HiA)
S11 (16) C Derrek Wilkins- .350 career average in the minors in part time action could be a star in the ML (HiA) 3 season away at most.
S11 (22) 1B Rudy Williams- Good slugging 1B he should be a solid 5 or 6 hole hitter in a few season (HiA)
S11 (40) LF Blaine Harris- power slugging OF with solid speed splits (LoA)
S11 (47) SS Dave Bates- good contact hitter with solid speed, better off at 3B (LoA)
S11 (55) LF Wayne Mordecai- speedy of with solid hitting chops, might struggle against Righties. Slow learner might never reach projections. (LoA)
S11 (66) LF Dan Eveland- All speed contact only hitter, makeup says he never develops into his projections.
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.30 P Malcolm Brown- already pretty developed for 19 he has an odd stamina where he sits between a long reliever and a starter. Good control and 4 good pitches. I like this pick at 30
1.57 LRP Preston Weaver- going to be an effective long reliever with3 plus pitches and good velocity and control. He has an average right hand split that needs to be developed to its full potential if he makes this league.
2.88 SP Bill Dunn- low splits might keep him from being a factor. He has great control which should make his pitch selection that much better.
3.120 P Lou Eiland- good 3^rd round selection. Lou slid to the 3^rd because he has no true defined role on the team. He's an athlete that should be able to pitch effectively in a few seasons when he gets close to his projections 3 plus pitches solid control and splits.

Burlington Beavers
Positions of Need: SS, SP, RF
Summary: Right now the Major league team works with a below average defensive SS and a rotation which is veteran by all standards. These are major concerns that they need to address in the farm for the future. In the Season 12 draft they need to get a few quality farm arms and a potential future starter at SS. They could also work the trade wire and dangle out positional depth at 2b and catcher to wrangle a few upgrades for the future.
Grade: D
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (6) 2B Ken Moss- good speed and contact, (ML) 22Sb in 400 ML AB's
S10 (5) C Pascual Santos-could be a great DH, poor Catcher ( HiA)
S11 (17) 3B Jordan Cloud- Poor Splits solid hitter good speed (LoA)
S11 (41) LF Tony Almanza- good hitter poor splits (HiA)
S11 (56) 3B Marty Christiansen- Average grind type player/ (HiA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.15 LF Wilfredo Andrus- average hitter with high speed and poor base running. He is going to be a frustrating player in the way his base running will neutralize his speed
2.75 RP Rocky O'Brien- below average versus right and lefties with great control. His pitch selection features a good fastball and a solid slider and changeup. His velocity is good enough to get a few strikeouts.
3.107 SP Antonio Moreno- poor left/right split but he has great stamina and good control. His pitch selection is average at best. He is going to be a huge inning eater in the minors

AL EAST

Baltimore Beatdown
Positions of Need: 3B, SP, CF
Summary: The Major Leagues have 2 29 year old players covering 3B, both could be upgraded upon for the future, but currently there is no depth behind them. The Starting Pitching might be an even more immediate problem as the youngest starter is already in his upper 20's. They need to find upgrades for this system now.
Grade: C-
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (12) RP Vic Williams- great control and 3 pitches average splits. Big gamble with the 12^th pick (AAA)
S9 (57) RP Alexander Nelson- TRADED (11) average control and splits will limit is effectiveness in the ML (HiA)
S10 (10) RP Pat Sefcik- Elite closer with poor durability if he has elite tools everywhere else (AA)
S10 (46) SP Sherm Taylor- Solid middle rotation pitcher (HiA)
S11 (59) SP Peaches Brosius- poor splits will keep him out of the ML (HiA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.58 SP Mark Joseph- great stamina with good control. He has poor pitch selection and average to below average splits. He's going to be an inning eater.
2.89 RP Brian Riedling- solid reliever with 3 solid pitches and good control. He needs more durability if he wishes to be an impact in the Majors. A Durability bump would make him a great option for the Pen.
3.121 RP Michael Park- great control with average splits. He has very poor durability for a reliever. I'm not sure is future holds much above AAA.

Wichita WINNERS
Positions of Need: SS, RF/LF, 3B
Summary: SS Jason Merrick might be able to be shift over to cover the 3B hole that is developing, He's not suited to play Short regularly without causing major defensive woes, but a shift to 3B would benefit him and his playing time. SS still needs a future everyday fielder whose bat will not kill the lineup. Right/Left fielders should be a fairly easy pickup late in the draft and they did so with Mario Kirk.
Grade: B+
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (21) SP Chris Sanford- TRADED (S11) skilled starting pitcher very close to ML potential (AAA)
S9 (40) SP Andre Barkley TRADED (S10) could be an ace Closer or long reliever (ML)
S9 (50) P Harry Romo- Average splits on a solid long reliever (AAA)
S10 (23) CF Chance Martin- Solid speedster with good contact poor batting eye (AA)
S10 (53) LF Ed Jacquez- Average hitter good splits (AAA)
S10 (57) SP Todd Simms- below average splits 4 good pitches (AAA)
S11 (32) SP Yorvit Alarcon- Average starting pitcher, middle rotation guy (AA)
S11 (42) SS Watty Buddie- below average hitter good speed better at 3B. (R )
S11 (48) CF Cy Miller UNSIGNED
S11 (50) 2B Carl Ryan- Poor Splits with decent power and speed.
S11 (51) SS Dorian King- left hand hitting contact hitter good speed below average base running
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.25 SS Jason Merrick- Better suited for 3B, Jason has a power bat with good batting eye. He will struggle with his batting average and might bat around .260 for most of his career, but he should do so while batting 30+ home runs and drawing 75+ walks a season
1.41 CF Stump Boyd- good defensive CF with average contact ratings. He's a solid hitter against lefties. And a decent runner with good base running. Expect 20+ stolen bases, but struggles abound at the plate.
1.47 SP Grady Crawford- 5 good pitches including a great curve, nice changeup and an amazing cut fastball. He is going to get guys watching those pitches go by. He has precision control. He will struggle with major league hitting though and might never get a shot at showing those skills in the pros
1.56 P Jonathan Diaz
2.74 RP Ben Dougherty- Featuring a great Cut fastball and 3 other fallback pitches, Dougherty should find some success in the minors. He has below average control but he still might be good enough if he makes his projections to play in the majors consistently
2.85 LF Mario Kirk- fairly developed already at 19; he will be a slow learner the rest of the way, if he makes his projections you are looking at a plus hitter with 15-20 homerun power and a .270 batting average. He will strikeout a far amount.
3.102 2B Darrel Strong- Better suited for RF/LF he has good speed, but this will not make up for his average hitting and base running. He should have a solid minor league career ahead of him, but probably has no major league hope as he stands.
3.117 RP- Virgil Vincente- Low durability reliever with great right/left splits he has 3 above average pitches to work with and strikeout velocity to make them look that much better. He will make a great 1 inning closer. Poor control will be his stumbling block to the Majors.

Dover DBagers
Positions of Need: C, 3B, SS
Summary: The left side of the infield needs some major shoring up. Already the ML club has 2 rule 5 Shortstops on the roster. The DBags drafted away from needs in the 1^st 3 rounds instead focusing on the best player. Tanner should be a guarantee mainstay in Dover for awhile. The Catching draft pool was very shallow but it would have been good to see them pick up a guy to fill the hole.
Grade: C+
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (45) SS Jody Jennings-good speed and solid hitting
S9 (61) P Vladimir Palmeiro UNSIGNED
S10 (19) P Otis Webb UNSIGNED
S10 (27) RP Pinky Darwin- Solid everyday reliever (AAA)
S10 (35) CF Trevor Randall Average hitter and fielder grind type player (hiA)
S10 (43) CF Ossie Barry UNSIGNED
S10 (51) RF Chad Darwin UNSIGNED
S11 (10) SS Prince Sanford- UNSIGNED
S11 (20) LF Brayan Nelson- Great hitter with solid chops (AA)
S11 (54) CL Dioner Garces- Solid reliever with 3 pitcher below average against lefties. (HiA)
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.21 SP Bruce Tanner- solid late round pick up, Tanner has 5 pitches including a lights out Knuckleball and a plus fastball. As with any Knuckleball guy he's not going to strikeout many, but he should be able to control the game very well and pitch deep into games. Should be able to get a few all-star nods in the future and be able to pull in a few sub 4 era seasons.
1.55 SP Ernest Carmona- great control and his feature pitch changeup are sick, but he will struggle with his consistency versus major league pitching. If he makes the league he will hover around a 5.50 ERA
1.60 2B Brent Roth- All defense and speed. Roth's bat is not major league caliber, but his glove and wheels project to be top of the league capable. He might make a great defensive option and if He bunts anywhere near what his projections show he might be a valuable late inning guy at the plate.
2.81 SP Quinton Douglass- has the stamina and control teams want in the major league pitcher. He lacks the ability to consistently get batters out and will find himself in a lot of trouble at times. His sinker and slider will get him out of some trouble, but still expect a 5.80 + ERA
3.113 2B Billy Barkett- weak hitter with speed but not a smart runner, His defense isn't good enough to make up for the rest of his short comings. Career minor leaguer. Might see AA consistently.

Huntington Bullets
Positions of Need: SP, CF, RP
Summary: Former #1 pick Danny Gilbert should be moved over to give 3B depth in the minors, he is not a capable SS, but would be a great 3B. CF O.T. Lincoln
Has a 4 season deal running through Season 16 he will be 35 when that deal expires, They need to fill his shoes with someone and be ready for him to decline the next few seasons. The Starting pitching could also use a few more fresh faces to up the competition and improve the ranks. Last season #1 pick Albert Perez is a good start to a future rotation, but the addition of College Pickup this season Henry Burns might even be better. This guy will be a ML star in the future. The pickup of C Ismael Acevedo in the 6^th round is also I nice diamond find.
Grade: A-
Historical 1^ST Round
S9 (15) SS Danny Gilbert- Could be a solid 3B with plus hitting (HiA)
S10 (13) 2B Jeff Cooney- developed fielder with a good projected bat 2-3 season away (AA)
S11 (2) SP Albert Perez- solid pitching prospect but will struggle against left handers.
SEASON 12 DRAFT
1.1 SP Henry Burns- This seasons #1 is the best Pitcher in the draft and deserve the #1 pick because of it. Projects to have 2 elite pitches in his Curve and Fastball. His velocity should put him in the league leaders in strikeouts each season and best of all he will be in the majors in most likely 2 seasons with the right training and coaching.
3.93 SP York Dougherty- High Schooler who feels college is going to be a better career choice right now. At 7M in bonuses I would have to agree college is a better option. He projects to have a ML quality curve and slider but very little command of the strike zone.