Top 200 MLB Prospects for 2011

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Ranking the Top Prospects in Major League Baseball

by Ryan S. Kelley

Description of Rankings and Scoring Methods:

Below is a rankings database constructed by Ryan Kelley, Executive Editor of Baseball News Hound L.L.C.  Top prospects are ranked based on scouting grades derived from Baseball News Hound scouting reports. A list of other sources where information was consulted or used is available at the bottom of this page and listed under "Bibliography."

All scouting grades are based on the standard "20-80" scouting scale. Ratings of 50 and 55 are considered low-average and high-average tools respectively. Low-average and high-average tools are given to prospect skills that project to fall within the range of MLB average when (and if) they play in the Major Leagues. Scores above this range (60-80) are considered above-average, "plus," and "plus-plus" respectively, and indicate skills that project to outperform the average Major League player of the same position. A plus (rated 60-65) fastball, for instance, would indicate a fastball that features consistent 92-95 mph velocity, and movement at or above the average Major League fastball movement. Outside of velocity and movement, a pitches's overall effectiveness determines its' score.

Tools projected to be below average tools are scored in the 20-45 range. Generally however, and tools rated below 40 are extremely rare at the Major League Level. Adam Dunn/Sean Casey running speed are "30" tools, and Jason Tyner batting power would be at the bottom of the scale as well.

All grades account for a players' present and projected ability. Young prospects for instance, won't have the present skills that Major League players and more experienced prospects have, but their potential skills might allow them to grade comparably.

An in-depth description of the scale is available here at Baseball Prospectus.

Rankings:

Click here to view the rankings in a new window, or view the embedded spreadsheet below.

Top 200 MLB Prospects 2011



Key/Glossary:

The above columns/categories are as follows:

Rank: The players' overall rank in comparison to other top prospects.

Grade: A rough letter grade on the scale F-A+ defining the prospects' overall value. This grade takes in to account their skills, experience level, and any attribute that possibly affects their future. A top-tier, five-tool scout may still fall below the A range due to injury concerns, make-up issues or other negative attributes that could decrease the players' overall value.

D.O.B.: "Date-Of-Birth" is the players' birth date.

Hght/Wght: The players' height (in inches) and weight (in pounds).

OPS: (Batters) Aggregate (Minor League) career On-Base-Plus-Slugging Percentage (expressed as a decimal here)

ERA: (Pitchers) Aggregate (Minor League) career Earned-Run-Average.

Bat: (Batters) A score for the batters' hitting ability. Distinct from power or plate discipline, this is a measurement of a batters' ability to hit for batting average and to make square contact to all fields.

Fb: (Pitchers) A score for the pitchers' fastball effectiveness. The score is based on fastball velocity, movement and the pitchers' ability to utilize it.

Pwr: (Batters) A score for the batters' ability to hit the baseball with authority and generate extra base hits. The score is based on the batters' bat speed, strength, loft and both raw and projected power.

Bb: (Pitchers) A score for the pitchers' "breaking-ball" or repertoire of breaking pitches. The score accounts the velocity, the amount of break, the sharpness of the break and the overall effectiveness of the pitchers' breaking pitches.

Spd: (Batters) A score for a baserunner's in game runnings speed. This score rates a players' running speed on the basepaths, out of the batters box and in the field (while playing defense).

Ch: (Pitchers) A score for a pitchers' changeup(s). The score is based on the pitches' velocity, movement, on the arm-speed with which the pitcher delivers it.

Fld: (Batters) A score for a batters' overall defensive ability. Arm strength, throw accuracy, range, agility/body control are the primary factors taken in to account for this grade.

Cmd: (Pitchers) A scouting score for the pitchers' ability to locate his pitches.

Dis: (Batters) A grade for the batters' plate discipline. The batters' ability to reach base against advanced pitching, to work the count to his favor and to make quick adjustments when needed.

Pol: (Pitchers) A score for a pitchers' effectiveness outside of a pure 'stuff' level. Pitching intelligence, poise/mound presence and clean mechanics are considered here.

Full Scouting Reports


Full scouting reports on top prospects in baseball are available at scout.baseballnewshound.com. Many of the reports are in the process of being formatted and posted, but a complete list of reports on the top 50 prospects will be available by February 11, 2011. We are still in the process of editing all scouting reports. Please excuse any grammatical or formatting errors.

Bibliography:

Callis, Jim, John Manuel, and Jim Shonerd. Baseball America. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. <http://www.baseballamerica.com>.

Forman, Sean. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Baseball Statistics and History. Sports Reference L.L.C., 1 May 2004. Web. Nov. 2010. <http://www.baseball-reference.com/>.

Kelley, Ryan S. "Top 100 MLB Prospects for 2010." The Baseball Chronicle. The Baseball News Hound L.L.C., 6 Nov. 2009. Web. <http://thebaseballchronicle.blogspot.com/2009/11/top-25-mlb-prospects-spring-2010.html>.

All articles and spreadsheets on this page are property of  BaseballNewsHound.com and Baseball News Hound L.L.C.

Red Sox Add Bobby Jenks and Others to 'Pen, Projected Payroll Outpaces Yankees' (For Now)

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, (on Twitter) the Red Sox have signed former Chicago White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks, to a two-year $12 million dollar contract. After Jenks' relatively disappointing season, where he posted a 4.44 ERA, the White Sox decided to non-tender the reliever in November.

Bobby Jenks, a former All-Star, is one of a trip of high-profile Red Sox acquisitions this month. The Red Sox added perennial American League and National League MVP candidates, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez earlier in December, during the winter meetings.

The Red Sox have also made a number of smaller transactions this offseason. They've handed new contracts to veteran main-stays, Jason Varitek and David Ortiz, and have added a number of veteran pitchers. Earlier today it was reported that the team would re-sign former Detroit Tigers' top prospect Andrew Miller, and was preparing to sign free agent pitcher Matt Albers.

With the recent, expensive acquistions of Gonzalez, Crawford, and Jenks combined with new contracts for veterans like Jason Varitek and David Ortiz, the Red Sox may have passed the Yankees' projected 2011 payroll-- for the time being.

Yankees Sign Russell Martin

Yankees Sign Russell Martin To One Year Deal
Ryan Kelley
12/14/10
3:47pm EST

The New York Yankees are in the process of signing former All-Star catcher Russell Martin to a deal that will probably keep him in New York through 2012. This signing came only hours after the team fell short of signing their primary target this offseason, star free agent pitcher Cliff Lee. Lee’s decision to sign with the Phillies, instead, shocked much of the baseball community.

Only a couple of years ago, Martin, the Dodger’s former starting catcher, was one of the National League’s rising stars. He made the NL All-Star team in 2007 and 2008, and has won both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Marred by injury, Martin has seen a steep drop in his production these past two seasons, failing to post an OPS above .680. His defense is still premium among MLB catchers, though, and he has experience playing third base as well.

The Yankees hope that Martin can rebound from the hip injury—a hairline fracture—that depressed his 2009 production. In order for his contract to become official, Martin will have to pass a physical proving his health. With less than five years of MLB service time, Martin will be under team control through 2012.

Earlier this winter, the Dodgers offered Martin a $4.2 million dollar contract, with an additional $1.1 million in incentives. The two sides weren’t able to reach an agreement and Martin was non-tendered a couple of weeks ago.

Martin, a native of Montreal Quebec, had stated that he wanted to play for an East Coast team so that he could be closer to his home city. Naturally, the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays were also possible suitors for the 28-year-old catcher.

Yankees Offer Star Pitcher Cliff Lee Seven Year Contract

Yankees Offer Star Pitcher Cliff Lee Seven Year Contract

In the wake of the Red Sox’ signing of star leftfielder, Carl Crawford, to a seven year $142 million dollar contract, the New York Times has reported that the Yankees offered free agent pitcher, Cliff Lee a seven-year, $161 million dollar contract.

Firmly locked in a bidding war with the Texas Rangers, the Yankees had already offered Lee a six-year, $140 million dollar contract earlier in the winter meetings. But, with the Red Sox addition of two star, left-handed batters this week, the Yankees decided to increase their contract offer to seven years- a length that only the Red Sox had offered Lee previously. However, the new offer from the Yankees has less annual value than their previous, six-year offer.

It seems that Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker has played his hand well. Waiting until after other top free agents, Jason Werth and Carl Crawford had signed to gauge Lee's market value, and gambling on the Yankees desperation to add a top left-handed starter. In such a strong division, heavy on left-handed sluggers and with their biggest rival, the Red Sox adding so much talent, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman is now left with little leverage in talks with Cliff Lee.

Red Sox Sign Carl Crawford, Put Pressure on Yankees

Red Sox Sign Carl Crawford, Put Pressure on Yankees
by Ryan Kelley
12/08/10
2:27am


On Wednesday night the Red Sox signed free agent All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford to a near record-breaking seven-year, $142 million dollar contract.

Throughout the recent winter meetings, it seemed that Red Sox General Manager, Theo Epstein, had been too busy, already working on acquiring Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres, to be close to a second blockbuster deal. In fact, the Red Sox visible interest in Crawford was most defined by media reports that Crawford’s price tag—enlarged by the Nationals’ big-money signing of outfielder Jason Werth—was too gaudy for the team’s taste. Clearly, the team wasn't intimidated by adding another big contract to their 2011 payroll, and they handed one baseball's richest contracts to Crawford.

Theo Epstein's Plan to Sign Crawford

This move shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to those who follow recent business in the American League East, though. Apparent in his array of transactions last offseason, Epstein was planning to make a run a big-money outfielder this year. The move seems even more natural after a disappointing 2010 season. Interestingly enough, the deal should also push New York Yankees' General Manager, Brian Cashman, into an even more difficult position this offseason.

The Red Sox waited out the winter meetings last offseason and ended their 2009-2010 offseason with only short-term signings. There was some speculation that the team had signed veteran centerfielder Mike Cameron to keep an outfield spot warm for Crawford, and that the Padres’ All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez would be one of the team’s targets moving forward.

Fast-forward through a relatively disappointing season where the team finished third in the American League East, and the Red Sox have taken the spotlight once again. Adding Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez to a lineup that already includes Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury has made the Sox the favorite to win the American League Pennant in 2011.

Carl Crawford, still just 29 years old, is already a four time All-Star, and is baseball’s active leader in triples, range factor (per game) for a left fielder and is second in stolen bases. An asset on both sides of the ball, the speedy outfielder added both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger to his resume this off-season.

Boston Has Forced the Yankees into a Difficult Position

However, Crawford fits the Red Sox preferences in one more important way. His addition means more than just an increase in production—it also forces the team’s rival, and primary competition, the New York Yankees, in to a very undesirable position in regard to their own, expensive, offseason negotiations.

The Red Sox lineup will now feature 5 left-handed batters—all in key, run-producing positions. Crawford (two-hitter), along with (lead-off man) Jacoby Ellsbury, (clean-up hitter) Adrian Gonzalez, (number-six hitter) David Ortiz, and (number-seven hitter) JD Drew all show considerable platoon-splits, with Crawford, Ortiz and Drew having the most difficulty with lefties.

With the Yankees already in hot pursuit for left-handed ace pitcher Cliff Lee, recently offering him a record-breaking 6-year $140 million dollar contract, the Red Sox have pushed the Yankees’ hand even further; forcing them to offer Lee a 7th year and even more money. Now that the Yankees’ lineup is suddenly out-gunned by their rival, the team is obviously even more desperate to help their starting rotation. Because the Red Sox, have such a left-handed batting order, the Yankees will have no choice but to pursue another star lefty-- Cliff Lee-- to join C.C. Sabathia in the rotation. By this same thinking, the Red Sox have given veteran lefty Andy Pettitte even more leverage in his contract negotiations with the Yankees.

Up until this point, the Yankees had already been in desperate need of left-handed pitchers. Boone Logan and Neil Cotts, both unreliable options, are the team’s lone lefty relievers who have major league experience. Depending on the outcome of the Lee and Pettitte contract negotiations, the Yankees could be more inclined to pursue expensive lefty relievers like Scott Downs and Pedro Feliciano.

So, in a sense, the Red Sox used Crawford as a gambit. They handed him a massive contract in hopes of receiving All-Star level production, and in hopes of forcing the Yankees into drowning their flexibility with an even more massive payroll. At the very least, Crawford’s contract has made Cliff Lee wealthier, and has made Yankees GM Brian Cashman sweat.

Boston Going Gonzo: Adrian Gonzalez Traded to Boston Red Sox

Boston Going Gonzo: Adrian Gonzalez Traded to Boston Red Sox

Ryan Kelley
12/5/10
8:44 PM EST

Although no deal has been officially announced, numerous reports indicate that All Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez will be traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a package of top prospects that includes pitcher Casey Kelly first baseman Anthony Rizzo, outfielder Reymond Fuentes and one other mid-range prospect-- possibly pitcher Drake Britton.

Early Sunday afternoon, Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman reported (via Twitter) that a deal between the Red Sox and Padres for Adrian Gonzalez had fallen through; just hours later he reported that a deal was being finalized between the two teams. Heyman also stated that a press conference announcing the trade is scheduled for tomorrow.

With the acquisition of Gonzalez, Boston will likely leave the running for former Phillies outfielder, Jason Werth, and will move to sign their new slugger to a more lucrative new contract. This could also mean that Adrian Beltre’s time in Boston is over, and that Kevin Youkilis will move from first base back to the hot corner next season.

Casey Kelly was Boston’s top pick—drafted 30th overall—in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft. Drafted as a two-way player, Kelly had spent much of his first two professional seasons playing both shortstop and pitcher, but was eventually moved to full time duty on the mound. Once he focused solely on pitching, Kelly’s stock exploded as he blew South Atlantic and Carolina League hitters away with his plus command and impressive repertoire. However, last season, as one of the youngest pitchers in the Eastern League, Kelly struggled and attracted some questions about his fastball velocity and his eventual ceiling.

Despite his struggles last year, Kelly is still viewed as an eventual above-average starting pitcher in the MLB. This past November, Baseball America rated Kelly as Boston’s top prospect heading in to 2011 season.

Reymond Fuentes and Anthony Rizzo are both mid-range prospects with much less projection. Rizzo, the better of the two, won Boston’s Minor League Player of the Year Award (along with catcher Ryan Lavarnway) and could eventually become a solid player in the MLB. His power was rated by Baseball America as the best in Boston’s system for 2011.

Fuentes has plus speed and stole 42 bases in the South Atlantic League in 2010. While he is still very raw in terms of development, Baseball America ranked him as Boston’s 6th best prosect for 2011.

The addition of Adrian Gonzalez will give the Red Sox much needed power in the heart of their batting order. While David Ortiz, the teams’ clean-up hitter and top power source since 2003, showed some resurgence last year after a disappointing 2009 season, his numbers have sharply declined since his years on the MVP ballot (2004-2007).

The addition of Gonzalez, whom has been the National League All Star Team’s starting first basemen for the past three years, will also help to fill the void left by the departures of Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez. A former number one overall pick (2000), Gonzalez has a career .875 OPS and has won two Gold Gloves at first base. Still only 28 years old, he is considered to be one of the top players in baseball and he finished forth in MVP balloting this past November.

Cash Crops Part I

#1 The Boston Red Sox

If you look at the most successful teams throughout history, their teams have been built on the young talent that they've harvested from their farm. You might argue that the Yankees are an exception to this rule, however, if you take a closer look to their history, they're not. Babe Ruth was never a baby Yankee, but Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Don Mattingly, Andy Pettitte, Whitey Ford and of course, Yogi Berra were at one point in their professional careers.

Recently, the Red Sox, The Athletics, The Devil Rays and the Marlins have all been powerhouses at some time in the last decade, and all of them created those teams with a powerhouse minor league system. Over the next month, I will be ranking an providing analysis for the best Farm-Constructed MLB teams throughout the last 20 years and providing analysis. Each team is ranked by my opinion on their player quality, prospect-to-All Star (or "good" player) frequency and the team's success using those players. The last factor that goes into my ranking is the percentage of the ratio of harvested prospects on their 25 man roster in comparison to the rest of their 25 man roster. That may sound confusing, especially with such an awkward sentence, and I'm not sure how to write it more clearly, but if the percentage is 40%, then 40% of their 25 active players have been prospects for that team at one time or another. This technique may not be as effective as the usual numbers technique that I use, but bear with me, remember that I always try to give you readers some decent stuff. The number in parenthesis is the ration of former prospects now starting for the MLB team to 25 (25 man roster). The number of championships in the last decade is also listed and is next to the percentage.

1. The Boston Red Sox, (%52), 2 WS -

Looking back on the days before Theo Epstein, for a Red Sox fan, is like thinking about the Universe before the Big Bang. Epstein took an annually mediocre team and turned it into one that's won two World Series in four years. The Red Sox aren't the Devil Rays however--their team always has a veteran presence. Sometimes these veterans are rent-a-players like Jon Smoltz or Orlando Cabrera, while others bleed--well--red...Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett are two great examples. The point is, Theo is adept at finding a happy medium in constructing his roster. He mixes his powerful young-guns, his old-n'-steadies, and his high-priced free agents better than any other GM in baseball. Billy Bean got the book, Moneyball by Michael Lewis, but Epstein should get a medal. Below are some of the recent, top, young players that the Sox have raised through their farm system, from Greenville, to Pawtucket and then too the big club.

1. Jonathan Papelbon, CL-When Rivera's arm finally falls off, Papelbon will take the AL Closer's Crown off of the old man's head and step in as the most dominating closer in the AL--maybe in the MLB. Even as a Yankees/Nats fan, I love Papelbon. Papelbon's repertoire: a 95 mph 4 seamer, a mid-eighties slider, a diving splitter and an occasional change. Yes it's sexy. He's a reliever that has the stuff to be a frontline starter. His stuff is unmatchable, and he has been the biggest part of the Red Sox recent playoff run.

2. Kevin Youkilis, CI- Youkilis was drafted by the Sox in the 8th round of the 2001 MLB draft and drew Billy Beane's eye immediately. Yook is a perfect ballplayer in my opinion. The guy is %100 skill--not all muscle and 'roids. He understands the game, and most importantly, he understands that in most situations a walk is as valuable as a single. He gets on base at an impressive rate, fields the corners extremely well and is the true MVP of the Red Sox. Francona, one of the best managers of my generation, taught Youkilis to take a more liberal approach at the plate in Spring 2008. That new approach resulted in 29 homers, 115 ribbies and a .312 batting average. He is also a great role model (outside of the gut) for young baseball fans/players. No 'roids, no problem.

3. Clay Buchholz, SP- I didn't place Buchholz third because of what he is--I placed him here because he WILL be one of the best young pitchers in the AL in the next few years. Hugh's got the hype. A "ninety five MPH fastball" the Yankee fans said...Not so. His fastball is 90-92 and he's a placement pitcher. True, Hughes looks like he'll be a good player, but he's not Buchholz. Not nearly. Buchholz has a 95 mph rising four-seamer, a developing two-seamer, and a 12-6 curve that could potentially beat out Kazmir's slider for the best pitch in the AL East (outside of Rivera's cutter). Oh, and his change is pretty nasty too. He hasn't been slotted in to the rotation just yet, but if Theo knows what he is doing--and he does--he'll have him in there by mid-season. He reminds me of a young Roy Halladay.

4. Jon Lester, LHSP- Lester, drafted in the second round of the 2002 amatuer draft by the Red Sox, was one of the greatest "comeback stories" in the history of the game. Hotchkins disease kept him from the sport for a couple of seasons, but when he returned he returned with fire in his eye. With the big club, the kid threw a no-hitter in the Spring of '08. Schilling is about to ride off into the sunset, and Beckett/Daisuke can't carry all alone. Lester is the new leader of this staff, as long as the Alpha Male, Beckett, recognizes Lester's ability. In his first full season Lester went 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA and 152 k's in 210 ip. His numbers were sexy last year, and although some say he'll regress slightly in 2008 to James Shields numbers, I disagree. His curveball and his placement make me think he's closer to Cole Hamels than to Shields.

5. Dustin Pedroia, 2B- Nobody expected Pedroia to be what he's become except for me of course. Not to gloat, but I saw this coming...Pedroia has always been a gamer. Pedroia pushes his 5'9" (really 5'6") stature well beyond the limit. He swings like he's aiming for the Citgo Sign--quite a few blocks from Fenway-- and he fields like he has a thing for brown face paint. He makes some of the best contact in the game, striking out a ridiculously low 52 times in 653 at bats in 2008 while hitting .326. In his short career, the energizer Bunny has walked more times than he has struck out--a feat that almost no batter today could dream of. Although his minor league OPS was .845, Pedroia was never viewed as anything more than a stopgap to Hanley Ramirez, and then when Hanley was traded, he was thought to be only a decent option to hold second base down for a couple of years until a big free agent name appeared on the market. Then, in spring training '07, the little fireball started heating up. His career stats through 1262 at bats include a .313 batting average, 140 rbis, 104 BB's 101 K's, 140 rbis, 209 runs and 320 hits. His base running ability is also one of the best in the AL, slyly stealing 27 bases in his career, vs. only 3 gun-downs. If he was a Yankee, he'd already be a "lock for the Hall of Fame" like Jeter was deemed at age 26...

6. Nomar Garciaparra, SS- Before Papi, D-Ped, Schilling, Papelbon and Youkilis were beloved, there was Nomar. Jeter's smile always got the press, but Nomar was the better hitter AND fielder in his heyday. In 3,968 at bats with the Red Sox Nomar, brother of the less famous Ramon, had 1282 hits and batted .323 with 178 bombs. His arm was stronger than Jeter's, and at times, his Range Factor was nearly a point higher--even with similar pitching. Tearing apart his wrist has cost him his chance at winning a World Series as a starter, but he will be in the Hall in a few years, so don't feel too bad for him.

7. Jason Varitek, C- After being drafted in the first round of the 1993 draft by the Twins, Varitek was traded to the Mariners and then with Derek Lowe to the Sox in July, 1997. Papelbon is the pitching staff's leader, but Varitek was the one-field General for the last decade. At the plate Varitek has always been solid, extremely close in yearly statistics to Mike Lieberthal. Although Posada has the better bat, Varitek had the better glove and the bigger balls. Not only did he slap A-Rod around in 2005, but he's won a few games off of Rivera. Through about 9 seasons worth of at bats (about 450 a season is a full season for a catcher) he had 654 ribbies and 161 homers. I never really bought the "you need a catcher that can call a good game" thing, because, in the end, the pitcher decides what he pitches. If a catcher can't hit or field like Wil Nieves, I don't think he has any place in the MLB--even with a nice rapport with his pitchers. I didn't believe it until Ausmus and Varitek, and what makes Varitek an All Star is the fact that he can call a great game and hit as well. Anyway, the point is both of their staff's love them, and both of these guys are gamers. A true leader, Varitek deserves his spot in the heart of ever Red Sox fan.

8. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF- In a few years Ellsbury will be near the top of this list. The kid is Reyes-fast, and stole 50 bases in '08--amazing considering his .336 OBP. He doesn't strike out too often, and he can take a walk well enough to slot in as a leadoff man for a long time. Even though his '08 numbers weren't as earth-shattering as those he put up in 2007, his minor league numbers suggest that he'll be an annual All-Star with more experience. In barely 1000 at bats in the minors Ellsbury hit .314 with 164 runs, a .390 OBP and 105 stolen bases. That averages out to about 90 runs and 60 stolen bases a season. His power has developed at an impressive pace since his call-up, and someday he will hit 15 homers to go along with his stellar peripherals.

9. Trot Nixon, RF- Nixon had a relatively short career due to injury. Still, he was an immense talent in the early days of his career and Nix managed to help the Sox to a World Series before he left Boston. In 3,285 at bats with the Red Sox, Nixon collected 912 hits and crushed 106 bombs while posting an OPS+ of about 120. After he left the Sox his career fell apart, but while he was with them he helped them win the World Series, and helped win them more than one playoff game as well.

10. Jed Lowrie, MI- Lowrie is a very good player, but no future MVP. Still, he can hit for a high average and field most of the positions on the diamond. His lousy range should tell you that third base-- or possibly second base-- is in his future. Wherever he plays he'll be solid. He had a .381 OBP in the minors and an .827 OPS. At some point Lowrie will hit about .300, post an OBP of about .370-.390 and slug about .450. He has a nice line drive swing, and could be a number 2 hitter if Pedroia gets injured, but more than likely he'll be towards the back of the lineup. Either way, Lowrie is a guy that every team wants. And, you never know, he could turn into Mike Aviles one day.

Evan Almighty and Getting the Devil Out

Evan Longoria went from promising prospect to one of the top third basemen in the game. Coming out of Durham, Evan was a funny kid, more humble than confident. The Rays took advantage and intelligently signed Evan to a long term contract before he started hitting bombs. It isn't hard to see where the Rays sudden 180 from zero to hero came about. Longoria, Upton, Shields, Kazmir, Garza, Pena, Crawford all took it upon themselves to get this team going. Luckily, outside of Pena, all of the players are fresh faces and will look to be playing for years to come.

Whose next? The Royals? The Nationals? Maybe the Athletics? It'd be hard to match the Rays' accomplishments, and who knows, without those rain delays in that god-forsaken land of Philadelphia they may have won it all. The Athletics look the closest, but the Royals look the deepest. Alex Gordon could be the next Evan Longoria. Mike Aviles is certainly a tick up from Jason Bartlett, but maybe not Reid Brignac (we'll see). Greinke, Bannister, Meche look nearly as solid as Kazmir, Garza and Shields. The Royals may be .500 this year, but the Rays will look to eclipse 100 wins for the first time in the young team's history. In a division donning C.C. Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, Mart Teixeira, Big Poppie, the reining AL MVP, Dustin Pedroia, A.J. Burnett and Daisule Matsuzaka this feat would be near impossible for most teams. But the Rays have the heart, and the enthusiasm that only young players can bring to the game. The Bobby Abreu's, the Derek Jeters, the A-Rods have long forgotten that enthusiasm, and this is why their records look so mediocre by season's end.

The Nationals look like the baby Rays of the NL. Ross Detwiler,l Jordan Zimmerman, Ryan Zimmerman, Elijah Dukes, Lastings Milledge, Josh Willingham and Scott Olson all look like they can bring this team from basement of the NL East to the apex. Maybe some of the youngins like Chris Marrero and Peter Bourjos can help--and if they do The Mets won't need to choke to miss the playoffs. With the Marlins finally on their last legs of mediocrity, the Nationals will look to defeat the sputtering Braves and the pathetic Mets to finally take over supremecy in the NL West.