Pair of recent articles that others may enjoy

[biggentleben]

So, this is in the shameless plug category, but I was able to be part of a conference call with Keith Law and an online Q & A with Jim Callis this week regarding their prospect lists that were limited to media, and the answers I got from both prompted a couple of articles that I ended up putting up that I thought would be interesting for everyone here as well.

 

First, a look on how the game's view on catching has changed and continues to change in the minor leagues (even including a Twins minor leaguer in the analysis).

 

Second, a look at the various different minor league prospect lists and what to look for in each one. Those who read the hundreds of pages in the Dozier/Dodgers thread may recall a similar quick breakdown I did there, but I did include a couple others as well.

[wsnydes]

Thanks for the shameless plug, Ben.  I was actually talking with a friend about the catching position and how it seems to be evolving just the other day.  Being also a Cardinals fan, my immediate thoughts were that guys like Molina are a rarer and rarer breed by the day it seems.  I thought a few years ago that I may be old fashioned in this view, but I'd take a good defensive catcher that knows how to control a game over one that puts up monster numbers offensively any day.  I believe that good catchers can take pressure off of many aspects of the game that really can't be done by other positions.  That may not be the case in this day.  Thanks for the link.

[Steve Lein]

Good stuff.

 

I've been following all the sites you mention and their lists since I started blogging about the Twins and prospects about 10 years ago, and agree with pretty much all of your takes on them.

 

Keith Law especially. He gets a lot of criticism for having outliers in comparison to others, but I also tell people he's one of the few that actually gets out to see the players in person.

[biggentleben]

 

Thanks for the shameless plug, Ben.  I was actually talking with a friend about the catching position and how it seems to be evolving just the other day.  Being also a Cardinals fan, my immediate thoughts were that guys like Molina are a rarer and rarer breed by the day it seems.  I thought a few years ago that I may be old fashioned in this view, but I'd take a good defensive catcher that knows how to control a game over one that puts up monster numbers offensively any day.  I believe that good catchers can take pressure off of many aspects of the game that really can't be done by other positions.  That may not be the case in this day.  Thanks for the link.

 

No worries! What the stats at least show is that you see more defensive talent at the position than offensive talent, and that's very true when you look at combined talent. Not many players at all have the combo.

[spinowner]

 

No worries! What the stats at least show is that you see more defensive talent at the position than offensive talent, and that's very true when you look at combined talent. Not many players at all have the combo.

This reminds me of something I read once. I can't remember who wrote it so I can't make a citation. The point the writer made was that there are three types of players who wind up as major league catchers. The two more common types are hitters who can catch and catchers who can't hit. The third type, the rarity, is catchers who can hit.

[biggentleben]

 

This reminds me of something I read once. I can't remember who wrote it so I can't make a citation. The point the writer made was that there are three types of players who wind up as major league catchers. The two more common types are hitters who can catch and catchers who can't hit. The third type, the rarity, is catchers who can hit.

 

And, while that last breed used to have a place in the big leagues, it's basically the Orioles now that even have a place for such players behind the plate as they have the only negative cumulative defensive rating of their catchers over the last three years, and then they sign Wellington Castillo, one of the worst-rated defensive regular catchers in the last 5 years.

[TheLeviathan]

Love the stuff on prospect lists, very cool.

[biggentleben]

 

Love the stuff on prospect lists, very cool.

 

Thanks. I trimmed to that as I have more than that I keep note of, but they're more niche and less "national". 2080 was borderline, but they've really increased profile in the last year as they've partnered with Perfect Game, so they're fairly well-respected, especially in the industry when I ask around about top prospect lists...

[TheLeviathan]

 

Thanks. I trimmed to that as I have more than that I keep note of, but they're more niche and less "national". 2080 was borderline, but they've really increased profile in the last year as they've partnered with Perfect Game, so they're fairly well-respected, especially in the industry when I ask around about top prospect lists...

 

I would love to see more of this.  I think there is a weird trust level with these scouting services that seems to ignore the sheer impossibility of these guys having the kind of sample size of observation to make definitive analysis possible.  

 

I love reading them and looking at them too.  But I've learned (the hard way) to take them with a huge grain of salt.  Especially as it regards defense.