Article: For Better or Worse: Eddie Rosario

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1312-For-Better-or-Worse-Eddie-Rosario

[Oldgoat_MN]

Great write-up, though he had 70 RBI in Beloit last year, not 780.

While it seems unlikely he will exceed an .835 OPS in Ft. Myers, I am optimistic about this young man. The position change didn't seem to affect his offensive numbers.

I'll say better. I think he will adjust well and will be more highly talked about as he moves along in the organization. He is no Sano or Arcia, but has an excellent bat for a 2B.

I wouldn't look for him in a Twins uniform before 2015 though. More likely 2016.

[Cap'n Piranha]

Eddie just might be my favorite prospect in the entire system. I'm excited to see what he can do with a whole season (knock on wood for no injuries), and am really excited for a potential Roberts-Rosario-Sano-Vargas top 4 of the Miracle line-up. That's some serious OBP followed by big-time SLG.

[ericchri]

I kind of expect his numbers to go down a bit, but that doesn't mean getting worse as a player. And I expect his defense to be better with a full season already under his belt and the initial learning curve out of the way. He's one of the most intriguing prospects for me. If he shows the ability to stick at second and keeps hitting like he has been, he immediately shoots up into the potential star category. As frustrating as I expect the major league season to be, he's one of the players I'm really hoping to see take that step up a level to show he's going to be legit and make following the Twins minor leagues a blast this year.

[mnfanforlife]

Eddie will get BETTER! After 2013 we will have a different Top 10 prospects list with Rosario rated AHEAD of Sano.

[mnfanforlife]

What Eddie has that Sano does not: speed, ability to play defense up-the-middle, ability to not strikeout so dang much, better batting average.

[Jim Crikket]

I'll say better, simply because another year playing almost every day at 2B should make him better at that position. If he can just maintain his offensive productivity as he moves up a level, that would in itself constitute being "better."

[gunnarthor]

He was a 4th round pick, not third.

 

I'm probably less optimistic about Rosario than any of our other top prospects. I'm concerned about his declining OBP last year, esp after he came back. Hope I'm wrong. I think, of all our prospects, he could be the biggest X-factor in that other teams don't have a big time second base prospect and, if he pans out, he'll give the Twins a very rare and valuable player.

[Gotwinsgo]

He was getting thrown out a bunch before he got hit in the face. Go back and look at the first half. He actually hit prospect cold sheet because of that.

[mnfanforlife]

Who cares how much he got caught stealing?...his offensive numbers were great, and he is gonna be a stud moving forward. Will probably play all of 2013 in Ft. Myers while he learns 2B

[jmlease1]

I think the common perception will be that he'll dip a little, but I think he'll actually be slightly better when you account for ballpark factors, etc. (His OPS may drop some, but his OPS+ will probably be fairly consistent) I think we'll see the improvement more on the defensive side as he shows greater comfort at 2B.

[jtrinaldi]

Rosario is the best pure hitter in the Twins system, however Sano is the better overall prospect because of his power

[mnfanforlife]

Rosario is the best pure hitter in the Twins system, however Sano is the better overall prospect because of his power

 

Could Rosario put up similar power numbers to Sano next year in Ft. Myers? Kinda like 2011....And if Eddie can....why would Sano be considered a better prospect?

[Seth Stohs]

Could Rosario put up similar power numbers to Sano next year in Ft. Myers? Kinda like 2011....And if Eddie can....why would Sano be considered a better prospect?

 

 

No, he couldn't... I don't think. Just not as much power as Sano... he'll likely have a higher batting average, and OBP will be close, but Sano will have higher SLG (although Rosario could rack up a ton of doubles).

[Steve Lein]

Eddie won't put up the power Sano will. This was already demonstrated last year in Beloit (28 HR's vs 12 HR's). BUT whereas Sano will hit more out of the yard, Rosario will rack up more doubles, so I'd expect their XBH totals at the end of the year to be very similar.

 

And as pure hitters go, I'll still take Arcia's bat over Eddie's for tops in the system.

[mnfanforlife]

I don't think Arcia will be in the "system" much longer. At least not the minor league system.

[mlhouse]

Very good prospect, particularly if he can grow into a 2nd baseman. I expect the slugging percentage to decline, but I want to see the OBP go up the .370 range. Rosario projects to be a top of the order hitter and the ability to be more selective needs to be developed.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Worse, because each successive league in the majors is about 15% better, and the amount a player improves each year is likely 5% or under.

 

I'm also optimistic about Rosario being the Twins 2B of the future, and eager to see what a year under his belt at 2B and an injury free one to boot looks like.

[AlwaysinModeration]

*minors

[Mike Sixel]

Big fan, cannot wait to see him in MN someday. I think he will be about the same.

[kab21]

I'm going to be the pessimist and say that Rosario shows that he is merely a good prospect with moderate upside. He'll be good and could end up as a solid MLB'er.

[Oldgoat_MN]

Seth - is there a place where we can see all the For Better or Worse write-ups? These are all fun. Thanks

[Shane Wahl]

The key is sticking at second base. If so, then he is a GREAT prospect because he is a great all-around hitter.

[Brock Beauchamp]

And as pure hitters go, I'll still take Arcia's bat over Eddie's for tops in the system.

 

I was going to say the same thing.

[mnfanforlife]

Eddie won't put up the power Sano will. This was already demonstrated last year in Beloit (28 HR's vs 12 HR's). .

 

OK? Then what was demonstrated in Elizabethton in 2011??

 

Rosario hit more HR's than Sano, but Sano didn't get to play 30+ more games than Eddie in 2011.

[mnfanforlife]

I was going to say the same thing.

 

Rosario can run, stirkes out less. Arcia is a slower runner, strikes out more. Power numbers are similar. On-base numbers are similar. Both went nuts at ELZ, both will probably be above-average major league hitters. But Rosario has more upside with his speed and contact.

[mnfanforlife]

Ok, I will be the optimist. Rosario will hit .315 with 25 HR's and 89 RBI's in A+ and AA combined next year. Sano stays in Ft. Myers til 2014.

[Steve Lein]

OK? Then what was demonstrated in Elizabethton in 2011??

 

Rosario hit more HR's than Sano, but Sano didn't get to play 30+ more games than Eddie in 2011.

 

That Rosario could match Sano's HR totals in smaller ballparks...

 

Listen, Rosario is 6'0" (probably actually more like 5'10") 170-ish pounds, Sano is 6'3"+, 235+ lbs - that's a HUGE difference in muscle mass and power-profile-projection. Also, It's been witnessed by every scout on the planet that Sano can moonshot balls over fences, while Rosario get's his HR's in a more line-drive capacity. And finally, from day 1 of scouts watching them both play at Elizabethton, they said Rosario wouldn't be able to continue with monster HR totals as he moved up (and if Rosario was going to hit 16 more HR's in those 30 games, I'm pretty sure that would be some kind of record).

 

While I don't think Sano's HR totals are going to be suppressed all that much by the Florida State League, I do think Rosario's will be, for all the reasons stated above.

[Steve Lein]

Ok, I will be the optimist. Rosario will hit .315 with 25 HR's and 89 RBI's in A+ and AA combined next year. Sano stays in Ft. Myers til 2014.

 

If that happens, or people even thought it was possible, he'd be a top 10 prospect in all of baseball. But it's just not going to.

[nicksaviking]

And look at their eventual landing spot. Target Field thus far looks to be much more friendly to righties like Sano than it does to lefties like Rosario. A line drive hitter like Rosario is going to have difficulty with the RF porch, all he has to do is ask Justin Morneau.