Season 16 Draft Recap - Dover through Atlanta

Chuck Thomas Dover Dingos Age: 22 B/T: R/R Born: Brighton, CO Position(s): 2B/CIF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Dover Dingos
--Thanks to their stellar efforts last season the Dingos had one of the last first round picks this year, with it they chose CF/2B Chuck Thomas at #34 overall.  Thomas has a very nice glove, but only average range defensively.  At the plate he has good contact, but is otherwise only average at best with the bat.  He'll be a decent backup at the ML level, but probably not much more than that.  2nd and 3rd round picks Kevin Killian and Marshall Carter not only continue the trend of picks with last names that could also be first names, but are both fringe prospects to hit the majors at some point, but will probably top out at AAA.  4th rounder Farmer Flair has one of the best names in the draft, but that's about it.  5th rounder Jhonny Rosales has a nicely mispelled first name, but is otherwise a minor leaguer as well.  If this were a draft graded on unique names, the Dingos would get an A+, but it's not, so they don't.
Grade: D+

Jayson Harvey Columbus HoundDogs Age: 21 B/T: L/L Born: Oakley, CA Position(s): P (SP5) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Columbus HoundDogs
--With the final pick in the first round, the HoundDogs selected RP Jayson Harvey.  Harvey shows excellent control, above average splits, and great pitches.  He doesn't put much heat on the ball and serves up quite a few fly balls, but should still make the majors. There isn't much else to see in the Columbus draft, as after Harvey there is just a selection of minor league lifers.
Grade: D- 

Jerome McGrady Cleveland Steamers Age: 19 B/T: R/R Born: Tarkio, MO Position(s): P (SuA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Cleveland Steamers
 --The Steamers used the #30 pick on RP Jerome McGrady, a pretty solid setup man with closer potential in the right situation.  His stamina and durability will limit him to around 30-40 innings a season, but they will be high quality innings as his control, splits, velocity, and pitches are all very nice.  The rest of the Steamers draft netted some nice AAA talent but not much else, which given the talent in this draft is about par for the course.
Grade: D+

Augie Badilla Charlotte Thunder Age: 18 B/T: L/L Born: Melrose, MA Position(s): P (ClA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Charlotte Thunder
--The Thunder had a wealth of picks in this seasons draft, and used their first one at #16 overall on RP Augie Badilla.   Badilla is probably one of the top two relievers taken in the draft this season, with huge durability that should get him 80-100+ IP in a season.  He has elite control, splits, velocity, and great pitches.  His only flaw is that he does tend to give up the flyball.  #20 overall selection RP Gabe Kirby also has closer potential, with elite control, splits, and velocity.  His first pitch is electric, and he hardly ever gives up a flyball, which is what you look for in a closer.  He doesn't have the durability of Badilla, but will be a very good ML RP.  Supplemental pick RP Dom Lowell finished the Thunders trifecta of RPs in the first round, and while he doesn't have quite the potential of Badilla or Kirby, should still make the majors as a setup man.  Supplemental pick SS Jim Wyatt is an elite defensive SS, and can hit lefties very well, and is also an excellent bunter and baserunner, and will be a good National League SS.  Supplemental pick 2B Edward Nichols was a nice value pick, and has a pretty decent bat for this draft class, and a passable glove.  He could start if the situation is right, or will be a very capable backup. From there the Charlotte draft drifts into minor league territory, but for this seasons draft class this is a very nice haul and one of the top drafts.
Grade: A

Milt Ward Chicago Sabercats Age: 20 B/T: S/L Born: Chino Hills, CA Position(s): P (SP4) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Chicago Sabercats
--With the #14 overall pick in the draft the Sabercats selected lefty SP Milt Ward.  Ward is a crafty pitcher, with great control, above average splits, and four top notch pitches.  He should be a pretty solid #2 or #3 starter in the majors once he develops.  #27 pick Tom Phillips is a SS prospect with a 3B glove and unfortunately a SS bat.  He's a pretty weak hitter, and only an average SS defensively, so will probably struggle to find a spot in the majors.  Supplemental pick RP Ivan Darnell should make it as a setup man in the majors thanks to his very high control, but he'll have to spend a bit of time in the minors working on his splits in order to be effective.   Supplemental pick RP Phil Dong also has setup man potential thanks to his control and splits.  Supplemental pick RP Will Davidson will probably top out at AAA, and the rest of Chicago's picks are minor leaguers as well.  Not a great draft, but not horrible either, solidly average.
Grade: C

Dingo Douglas Burlington Champs Age: 22 B/T: R/R Born: Moncton, NB Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Burlington Champs
--With the #10 pick in the draft the champs selected a player that Dover would probably love to have, SP Dingo Douglas.  In addition to having a rocking name, Dingo is a workhorse SP with top control, great splits, and a great pitch selection.  He has #1 starter written all over him if he develops fully.  Burlington also had the #12 pick in the draft, which they used on another starter, Gene Burnett.  Burnett is also a workhorse, but doesn't have the control or splits of Douglas, although his pitch selection is just as nice.  He should be a solid middle to end of rotation starter in the bigs.  With the #19 pick the Champs took SS Willie Latham, a solid hitting SS with a capable but not great glove for the position.  If he is able to reach his defensive potential he'll be a great hitting SS, if not he'll be an average hitting 3B. Supplemental pick SP Dean Long is another SP in the vein of Burnett, but with worse control and splits, but slightly better pitches.  He could be a #5 starter on most ML teams.  2nd round selection RP Don Lukasiewicz is a nice value pick and should be a solid ML setup man.  From there it's strictly minor league for the Champs draft.  Considering the placement and number of 1st round picks Burlington had this season, they probably would have liked to have done better, but all told this was still a solid draft.
Grade: B

Felipe Costilla Atlanta Pitbulls Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Canton, OK Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Atlanta Pitbulls
--Picking at #28, the Pitbulls selected SP Filipe Costilla, a workhorse with good control, above average splits, and some nice pitches.  He should be a solid ML SP, and projects to a #3 or #4 in the majors.   2nd round selection C Kareem Cox was an excellent value pick and is an excellent hitting and fielding catcher with good pitch calling skills.  He is also a lock to be the newest Pitbull to earn a plaque in the Wiki Vasquez Hall of Injured Greats thanks to his health rating of 18.  The rest of the Pitbulls draft brought on some minor leaguers but nothing else of note.
Grade: C-

Season 16 Draft Recap - LA Sharks of Anaheim through Florida

Kevin Vickers Anaheim Sharks Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Potter, NE Position(s): 2B/CIF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Los Angeles Sharks of Anaheim
--With the #16 pick in the draft the Sharks selected 2B/CF Kevin Vickers.  Vickers is a very solid defensive player with great range and a good glove.  He hits for high average and has good speed, and would be a pretty nice #2 hitter or bottom of the order batter.  He is a very versatile player, although he has limited durability.  Supplemental pick 3B Bubba Pisciotta is a solid backup prospect for the bigs, he as a decent glove for 3B, and has an average bat and doesn't quite have the power you would like to see at the hot corner.  Supplemental pick SP Manny Hollingsworth is a hard throwing lefty who will need to maximize his development to counteract his weakness vs. right handed hitters, but he is solid everywhere else and could be a #5 starter in the majors if things go right.  2nd round pick SP Frank McMasters would be great if his control weren't such a problem that it will prevent him from making the majors.  2nd round pick 1b/RF Darryl Spehr is a great contact hitter, but his splits are weak and he has little to no power, thus rendering him undesirable for those positions. 3rd round pick SS Garland Blank has a nice glove and could make it as a defensive replacement.  All told this draft was a mixed bag for the Sharks, yielding some promising players and some duds, but the good outweighs the bad for the most part.
Grade: C+

Jose Martinez Los Angeles Leopards Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Whitehall, WI Position(s): SS/IF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Los Angeles Leopards
--In a draft filled with stinkers it is amazing that Jose Martinez fell to #8 overall.  Martinez is a slugging 3B/SS,  who has great potential at the hot corner thanks to his tremendous bat a glove that is good but not quite up to SS level.  His batting eye is supreme, and he should hit for very high average as well as power.  He doesn't see right handed pitching too well, but his plate discipline will more than make up for that. It is good for LA that they signed Martinez though, because their 2nd round selection is a minor league lifer and none of their other top round picks signed.  But it is pretty much a given that most teams would trade their drafts for this one this season because Martinez is such a nice prospect.
Grade: B+

Don Ross Kansas City Express Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Mounds, OK Position(s): 1B View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Kansas City Express
--The Express had the #3 pick in the draft, and were the first team to select a hitter this year, and they chose a beast in 1B Don Ross.  Quite simply put, Ross is everything you want in a 1B.  He hits for maximum power and average, and is very disciplined at the plate, and his glove is good enough to play competently in the field.  Barring injury he has 500HR potential.  2nd round pick RP Nap Dillon was also a nice find for KC that late in the draft.  With his control and splits he should have a nice career as a setup man in the bigs.  None of KC's other signed picks in the top rounds will amount to much, but netting two quality ML players this season is a victory, and Ross is tremendous and was a solid use of a top five pick.
Grade: A-

Vin Lunar Jackson Pollocks Age: 18 B/T: L/L Born: Lamar, MO Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Jackson Pollocks
--The Pollocks had the top pick in the draft this season, and didn't waste it as they selected far and away the best pitcher in the draft in SP Vin Lunar.  Lunar's stuff is electric, he has impeccable control, extremely deceptive movement, and pitches good enough to make those skills very effective.  He is a true Ace #1 SP.  Supplemental pick CF Scott Taylor was a nice selection as well, with elite defensive skills for CF, and a pretty good bat vs. right handed pitching.  The next few picks yielded some AAAA players who could sub in the majors in a pinch if necessary in RP J.J. Rigby and LF Dustin Fick, but neither one of them will ever be starters.  Still, based on the strength of Lunar alone this was an awesome draft, as pitchers like him don't come around very often.
Grade: A

Andre Penny Iowa City Corn Dogs Age: 19 B/T: R/R Born: Winthrop, IA Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Iowa City Corn Dogs
--The Corn Dogs selected SP Andre Penny with the #24 pick in the draft this season.  Penny projects to have #5 starter or long relief potential, as there really isn't anything truly outstanding in his skill set.  There isn't anything really deficient either, making him a solid but not notable pitcher.  The rest of Iowa Cities draft wasn't that remarkable either, bringing on a bunch of quality minor league players, but nobody who really has a realistic shot of making the major leagues.  This was a pretty forgettable draft for the Corn Dogs.
Grade: D

Miguel Gomez Florida Almendares Age: 19 B/T: R/R Born: Hannibal, OH Position(s): P (P) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Florida Almendares
--The Almendares had two 1st round picks this season at #38 and #56.  Their first selection refused to sign, leaving them with a top pick of RP Miguel Gomez.  Gomez keeps the ball down, has great velocity and a very nice first pitch, but not enough else to distinguish himself in the major leagues, should he make it.  If he does it will probably be as a setup B pitcher.  Of the rest of the Almendares selection of draft pitchers, none of them really show enough potential to make the majors, although 3rd rounder Will Harnisch might make it as a long reliever.  Not the best draft for Florida this season.
Grade: D-

Season 16 Draft Recap - Pawtucket through Montgomery

Pedro Rosado Pawtucket G-Maniacs Age: 22 B/T: R/R Born: Chester, SC Position(s): SS View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Pawtucket G-Maniacs
--With the #22 pick in the draft the G's selected slugging SS Pedro Rosado. Rosado boasts an elite glove and tremendous power at the plate. His defensive skills are more than worthy enough for the major leagues, while his power bat is an unexpected bonus for the position. He won't hit for average though, and is very sluggish on the basepath. 2nd round pick 3B Anthony Remlinger is a good but not great 3B prospect, with a good glove for the position and good power, but the rest of his bat is average to suspect. 3rd round pick Kevin Jordan was projected initially as a SS, but realistically is only a 3b defensively. He has a bat in the same vein as Rosado and Remlinger, great power but suspect skills elsewhere. No other top round picks signed for Pawtucket, leaving them with three players of essentially the same type, with Rosado having the best chance at being a ML regular.
Grade: C+

James Quinn Omaha Sluggers Age: 18 B/T: S/R Born: Satellite Beach, FL Position(s): SS View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Omaha Sluggers
--The Sluggers selected SS James Quinn with the #17 overall pick in the draft this season.  Quinn actually seems much better suited to play  3B at the ML level, but will be a very good defensive 3B with a great ML bat showing good power and pretty good skills elsewhere at the plate.  The Omaha draft drops considerably in talent from there however, with the subsequent picks being little more than minor league filler, leaving this to be a one man draft. Quinn was a good pick though, and keeps this draft from being a waste for Omaha.
Grade: C

New York Pick Pockets
--In the long history of draft reviews that I have done for the Cobb Times Herald, I don't think I have ever had to review a draft this awful.  New York has had some winners, notably the Vasco Bennett pick, which at the time was called quite possibly the worst top round draft pick in history, but this years draft as a whole is a new level of futility.  To start there were no first or second round picks due to type A free agent signings in the offseason, which is forgivable.  What isn't forgivable is using the 3rd round draft pick on a projected 56 overall setup man who is demanding 8.5 million dollars.  Obviously he didn't sign, and the Pick Pockets were left with two minor league scrubs in the 4th and 5th rounds.  Until further notice this draft sets the bar for worst in Cobb History.
Grade: F--

Charley Knapp New York Expos Age: 20 B/T: L/L Born: Hackettstown, NJ Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

New York Expos
--Going into this years draft the Expos had a bunch of picks to work with, including the #4 overall selection, SP Charley Knapp.  Knapp is a workhorse SP, with huge stamina and above average velocity, splits, and control.  His pitch selection is weak, but in this years draft he was one of the better starters out there to choose from.  Supplemental pick CF Brad Giambi is weak defensively for the position and might be better suited to 2B, but has a nice bat and hit righties pretty well and is a threat on the base path.  Supplemental pick SP Lyle Wolf looks like a lock to be a ML long reliever some day, as he has great pitches, but only slightly above average splits and middling control.  2nd round pick SP Lou Barker is another one that has a future in long relief thanks to his high control and good pitches but weak splits.  The same can also be said of fellow 2nd round SP Denny Tomlin.  From the 3rd round onward for the Expos the draft yielded some AAAA pitchers and career minor leaguers.  Not the best draft for the number of picks allotted to them, but the Expos did sign at least 2-3 future major leaguers, including a nice starting pitcher.
Grade: B-

Eric Dreifort Nashville Rebel Riders Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Gilcrest, CO Position(s): SS View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Nashville Rebel Riders
--Picking very late in the 1st round at #32 overall, the Rebel Riders were just hoping that someone with a modicum of ML potential would be available.  They found a player in SS Eric Dreifort, who projects to be a nice backup SS at the ML level, and a player who can start in a pinch.  Dreifort has an average to slightly below average glove for SS, and a slightly above average bat, making him either a weak hitting 3B or a good hitting SS with defensive liabilities. But he is a legit ML prospect nonetheless.  3rd round pick SS Milt Lloyd has a nice glove, and some pop at the plate but seems best suited to a backup role, and is the only other ML calibur prospect netted in this years draft for the Rebel Riders, making the net haul pretty thin.
Grade: D+

Sherman Rogers Montgomery Burns Age: 18 B/T: S/L Born: Portland, CT Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Montgomery Burns
--The Burns were looking good with the #2 overall pick this year, and with it they signed arguably the second best available SP in Sherman Rogers.  In addition to his Eric Collins like mustache, Rogers has good control, splits, and pitches, and really keeps the ball down.   He's a pretty solid pitcher who projects to be a #1 or #2 depending on the rotation he's put in.  But in the Times Herald opinion they actually netted a better player with the #21 pick in the first round, C Terry Bannister.  Bannister is quite simply a beast at the plate, with off the charts power and batting eye, and great contact and splits.  He also calls a pretty good game for a slugging catcher, and was a real find and better than many players selected before him, making him a top value pick.  2nd round selection RF Al Wagner was a nice value pick as well, with good hitting skills vs. righties and a decent glove for the OF.  All told this was a very nice draft for the Burns, mostly due to the unexpected gift at #21 in Bannister.
Grade: A 

Season 16 Draft Recap - Santa Fe through Richmond

Milt Romero Santa Fe Greyhounds Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Red Oak, OK Position(s): 2B View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Santa Fe Greyhounds
--The Greyhounds had the #7 pick in the draft this season and bet the farm on signing risk SS Phil Beltran.  Predictably Beltran gave the Greyhoundsthe proverbial middle finger and decided to go to college, leaving Santa Fe with nothing to show for a top ten pick other than a type D pick next season.  Supplemental round pick CF Milt Romero is a decent backup at CF, with a glove that is average for the position and a bat that is ok but not really outstanding.  Supplemental pick SS Edwin Potvin would be a nice SS if his glove weren't going to top out at levels more suited to the outfield.  3rd round pick Lawrence Blair could make the majors as a long reliever/mopup man.  All told this wasn't the best draft Santa Fe has ever had.
Grade: D-

D'Angelo James Seattle Pilots Age: 20 B/T: R/R Born: Westborough, MA Position(s): RF View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Seattle Pilots
--There weren't many impact bats in this years draft, and Seattle managed to sign one of them in RF D'Angelo James.  James is a true beast at the plate and barring injury will be a dominant hitter, even in the vacuous Seattle stadium.  There is nothing wrong with his hitting skills at all, and he is a decent defender for RF, making him a true stud.   Supplemental pick LF Bill Tracy is an above average bat, and was a pretty good value pick at #50 overall, especially in a talent thin draft.  Tracy isn't quite the bat you would like to see at LF, but his baserunning skills are top notch and he will be a solid top of the order hitter.  2nd round pick 2B Randy Rodgers was also a very nice find, a great contact hitter with top speed, another leadoff threat that should make the majors someday.  4th round pick C Eric Sheffield is a top defensive catcher, his bat isn't too great but he might be the best field general behind the plate in this years draft.  The rest of the Seattle draft features players who will be career minor leaguers.  This was as good a draft as you could get this year and was well done.
Grade: A

Jim Pelfrey San Francisco Earthquakes Age: 20 B/T: L/L Born: Tacoma, WA Position(s): P (SP5) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

San Francisco Earthquakes
--Sometimes despite the best efforts of management, a draft just doesn't go the way you want it too.  That is the case with San Francisco this season, as their top pick, SS Pedro Guerrero refused to sign.  The Earthquakes didn't have a 1st round pick this season, which left them with  future AAA starter Jim Pelfry as their top pick who signed.  Pelfry can't pitch to right handed batters, which means that he might even struggle at AAA.  The rest of the players in the Earthquakes draft are average minor league fodder.  There's always next year.
Grade: F

Don Maurer Richmond Cohibas Age: 21 B/T: S/R Born: Glendale, AZ Position(s): 2B View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Richmond Cohibas
--Another team without a 1st round pick, the Cohibas top selection was 2nd round 2B Don Maurer.  Maurer could actually play 3B, but his bat is pretty weak and will probably keep him stuck in the minors for his career.  3rd round pick SS Julian Buscher is one of the best value picks in the draft, having some of the best potential defensive ratings of any SS in the game today, which should land him a spot on a ML team in the future.  No other players in the Richmond draft really impress or look to emerge from the minor leagues.  Bushcer saves this draft from being a complete disaster.
Grade: D+

Season 16 Draft Recap - Tampa Bay through St. Louis

Bryce Fife Tampa Bay Beagles Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Islip, NY Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Tampa Bay Beagles
--With the #26 pick in the draft Tampa Bay selected SP Bryce Fife.  Fife projects to be slightly above average in splits, velocity, control, and stamina, and has some pretty nice pitches.  But he doesn't really impress enough to really be more than a long reliever or spot starter in the majors.  2nd round pick RP Luke Feldman has some nice control and pitches for a reliever, but he will have to maximize his development in order to become anything other than a setup B type pitcher or AAAA player in the future.  The rest of the Beagles draft was pretty anemic and didn't produce any players with major league potential.
Grade: D

Chris Withers Tacoma Jerry Gang Age: 18 B/T: S/R Born: Hudson, IA Position(s): P (ClA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Tacoma Jerry Gang 
--The Jerry Gang picked late in the 1st round at #29 overall, which didn't bode well for a good pick considering the talent, but they managed to score a very nice closer prospect in RP Chris Withers.  Withers shows elite control, great splits, velocity, and pitch selection for the position, and is pretty durable to boot, making him a nice find at #29.  Supplemental pick SP Matthew Padgett doesn't have quite the upside that Withers does, but is intriguing and could make it in the majors thanks to his precise control and four quality pitches.  His fifth pitch is a bit worrisome however and hopefully will be dropped down the line, and his splits are only average at best.  2nd round selection LF John Torrealba was a great value pick, a fine leadoff hitter with great contact and splits vs. righties.  He isn't very good vs. left handed pitching, and doesn't have the power you would normally associate with a COF spot, but could be a sparkplug in the lineup if given the chance.    2nd round choice SS John Shipley also has ML potential thanks to his top notch glove, but he will be limited to the role of a defensive replacement thanks to his lackluster bat.  The Gang didn't sign any of their other top round picks, but that is ok as the ones they did all can play in the bigs someday, making this a pretty nice draft all things considered.
Grade: B+

Gabby Hudson Syracuse Sympathizers Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Kenyon, MN Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Syracuse Sympathizers
--The Sympathizers were sitting pretty this year for the draft, going in with the #6 and #9 overall picks, and looking to nab a couple of studs for the future of the franchise.  How did it work out?  At #6 they selected SP Gabby Hudson, a fine starter who is pretty good in all key categories, but really isn't the dominant type of player you would expect to get with the sixth pick in the draft, and really only has #3 or #4 potential in the majors.  They did much better with the 9th pick, selecting SS Luke Colangelo.  Colangelo has an average glove, and would be a very fine 3B if he doesn't maximize his defensive growth potential.  His stick is pretty good, and .280/25/100 out of him should be the norm in the majors, with the potential for greater numbers if he has protection in the lineup.  He's pretty quick too, and a decent base runner as well.  2nd round selection CF Al Ibarra is a decent hitter, not great but not horrible, and has a good glove for the position.  He could be a valuable backup at CF and 2B in the majors.  3rd round selection RP Alex Blanco was quite a find at that spot, and has great potential to be successful in the majors with is top splits and pitch selection, if he can overcome the occasional control issue.  The rest of the Sympathizers draft was minor league lifers.  All told this was a successful draft, but one that could have been much better had they been able to score a player of the type you normally get at #6.
Grade: B+

Tris Flair Sioux Falls Corn Cleats Age: 22 B/T: R/R Born: Lehi, UT Position(s): C View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
--The Corn Cleats went into the draft with the most 1st and 2nd round picks thanks to the loss of several type A free agents in the offseason, and were hoping to bolster their minors and not suffer the fate the Wichita Wankers did in season 15, where they had the misfortune of a lack of talent with tons of picks.  The results were pretty good all things considered.  Their first pick was at #25 overall, where the Cleats selected slugging C Tris Flair.  Only an average defensive catcher, Flair's main upside is in his tremendously powerful bat, which is very good vs. lefties.  With his low durability he'll probably be limited to platoon duty in the majors.  Supplemental pick 2B Virgil Snelling may be the steal of the draft, selected at #43 overall.  Projected to top out at an overall of 87 according to Times Herald Scouts, Snelling has an elite glove, decent power, and great splits and batting eye.  He also has top speed and baserunning skills, and should be a starter in the majors someday, being capable of playing every position save for SS.  Supplemental pick 1B Seth Feldman was also a nice choice, a great contact hitting 1B who should be able to hit for average and OBP in the bigs at an elite level.  He doesn't have top power, but 15-20 homers a year isn't out of the question for him.  Supplemental pick RP also has the potential to be a ML regular, thanks to his top splits, velocity, GB/FB, and pitch selection.    Supplemental pick CF Fred Benoit has ML backup potential thanks to his great glove and speed, but his bat is average at best.  2nd round pick CF Spud Harvey has the same batting skills as Benoit, but his glove isn't nearly as nice.  2nd round pick SP Laynce Chase could potentially make it as a long reliever, but his ceiling is pretty limited.  The remainder of the Cleats draft saw three more players with ML potential, LF Everth Hernandez, a 3rd rounder with a decent bat who could possibly see time as a backup, and two defensive shortstops in 4th and 5th round picks Davey Baerga and Alex Jacquez.  So the grand tally for SXF in this years draft was 4 players with definite ML starting potential, and six with the potential to be role players off the bench.  This was a haul by anybodies standards in a draft lacking depth in talent.
Grade: A

Kirk Barnes St. Louis Tweakers Age: 18 B/T: L/L Born: Boswell, OK Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

St. Louis Tweakers
--Picking at #11 this year, the Tweakers selected SP Kirk Barnes, a crafty lefty with great splits.  Barnes shows decent promise with his pitch selection, although none of them can be considered elite pitches.  Barnes true strength lies with his deceptive movement, although he sometimes experiences control issues.  He's a workhorse too, and if his game is on is a complete game monster on the mound.  2nd round pick LF Chris Rigby is a platoon managers dream, showing incredible power and skills vs. right handed pitching.  He'll strike out a lot, and can't hit lefties worth a lick, but his bat shows tremendous value depending on the matchup.  3rd round choice DH Sid Priest adds some depth off the bench should a bat be needed, as his is decent but not elite.  4th round pick CF Wiki Molina is a nice defensive CF, but his bat might prevent him from ever seeing the big leagues.  Not a bad draft for the Tweakers, netting some players with enough upside to overcome their flaws. 
Grade: B

Season 16 Draft Recap - Wichita through Toronto

Seth Shipley Wichita Wankers Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Citrus Heights, CA Position(s): P (LRA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Wichita Wankers
--Picking late as usual, the Wankers selected SP Seth Shipley at #31 overall in the first round.  Shipley is a very hard throwing righty with great splits, huge velocity and movement, and 3 good pitches and fourth pitch that is average.  Also average to below average is Shipley's control, but if he can maximize his progress with that facet of his game he should have a career in the majors in the starting rotation.  Supplemental pick SP Eddie Brooks, taken at #44 overall, is slightly above average in all key skills but really doesn't excel in any one particular area.  He should be able to crack the majors as a long reliever/spot starter, but a regular rotation spot seems unlikely.  Supplemental pick SP Anthony Ledee, taken at #56 has some nice potential to make the majors as a quality long reliever or #5 starter.  His control is pretty good, his splits are reasonable, and he has a very nice first pitch.  2nd round selection SP Spike Sutton was a good value pick, and has the same long reliever/spot starter potential as the supplemental round choices for the Wankers.  3rd round pick 1B Ellie Donatello was a nice value pick, esp. given the dearth of overall talent this season in the draft, with good power and decent skills vs. lefties.  After Donatello there really isn't anyone else in the Wankers draft with real major league potential, but all told this was a decent draft under the circumstances for the Wankers.
Grade: B

Joseph Sasaki Vancouver Grizzlies Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Baton Rouge, LA Position(s): SS/3B/2B View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Vancouver Grizzlies
--The Grizzlies forfeited their 1st round pick in favor of signing FA Bosco Simon, but did have two supplemental round choices in this years draft.  The first, SS Joseph Sasaki, is an above average fielding SS with some pop in his bat and a decent batting eye.  His contact and splits aren't the best, but  he should be a serviceable utility man in the majors.  The Grizzlies other supplemental choice, SS Darryl Montgomery doesn't really have the skills to cut it at the major league level, with a glove best suited for 3B but only a very average bat.  3rd round pick SS Joe Percival was a tremendous value pick, with a gold glove caliber defensive skill set and an elite batting eye.  The rest of his hitting skills are pretty anemic, but he has definite ML starting potential depending on the team, but will at the very least be a very good backup SS in the big leagues someday.  No other picks in the Vancouver draft really impress, leaving the Grizzlies with an average haul this year, with the Percival selection keeping this draft respectable.
Grade: C

Billy Campbell Trenton Lions Age: 21 B/T: R/R Born: Providence, RI Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Trenton Lions
--The Lions were hoping to use this draft to bolster their minor league pitching, but unfortunately there wasn't a lot of depth at that position this season.  That lack of depth showed as the Lions managed a selection of a decent but not truly notable pitcher at #15 overall this year in SP Billy Campbell.   Campbell has above average control and splits, low velocity, and average to below average pitches.  He projects to be a #5 starter or thereabouts in the majors.  Supplemental pick C Mitch Schafer was a nice pick at #40, a very solid hitting catcher with average defensive skills.  He has a great contact bat and is very durable behind the plate.  2nd round pick SP Ruben Parra could make it in the majors as a long reliever, and fellow 2nd round selection RP Mule has fringe potential to make the ML bullpen.  The remainder of the Lions draft netted some pretty nice minor league players but no further prospects with ML potential.  Overall the Lions have to be disappointed with being unable to land a better pitcher at #15 overall this season, as usually there are some pretty good players around at that spot in the draft.
Grade: C

Willis Theriot Toronto Blue Jays Age: 22 B/T: S/R Born: Glen Cove, NY Position(s): P (ClA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Toronto Blue Jays
--With the #18 overall pick in the draft, the Blue Jays selected elite closer prospect Willis Theriot.  Theriot has the distinction of not only having elite control, splits, velocity, and GB/FB ratio, but of being a true five pitch closer.  All five pitches are effective, and his sinker, curve, and slider are all elite.  Supplemental pick RP Pete Wallace also has ML potential, but is more suited to a setup B or long relief role in the majors.  Thanks to his stellar control, 2nd round selection Matty Slocumb should have a future in the ML bullpen, as should fellow 2nd rounder SP Neil Peterman.  Peterman will probably be more of a long reliever/spot starter, but is a nice value pick.  After Peterman the rest of the Blue Jays draft is pretty much minor league filler, but getting a shutdown closer like Theriot in draft as poor in talent as this seasons is makes this draft a success for Toronto.
Grade: B

Season 16 Preview - American League

Lars the Greek - Cobb Times Herald

Once again last season Cleveland followed it's usual M.O. and made the playoffs as a wildcard entrant, and then proceeded to unseat the top seeded teams en route to an incredible 6th straight World Series appearance, where they lost to the powerful Columbus side from the NL.  How will this season fare in the AL, will it be more of the same as the rest of the league just plays for regular season glory while Cleveland tears through the postseason yet again?  Or will there finally be someone else representing the junior circuit in the championship?  Read on to see how Lars thinks the regular season will play out.

American League

Lars the Greeks Divisional Breakdowns

AL North: For as long as Lars can remember Pawtucket has owned the AL North.  But the winds of change are blowing and not even the mighty Dean Hernandez may be enough to stop the oncoming Toronto Blue Jays storm.  The Chicago Sabercats and Seattle Pilots are rebuilding for the future, so this is a two team race featuring a long time powerhouse vs. a franchise that is sorely overdue for some success.  Lars thinks that with the moves Toronto made in the offseason to shore up their lineup plus their maturing and very impressive pitching staff they will finally have enough to unseat the mighty G- Maniacs.

AL East: Dover owned the regular season last year while Cleveland once again did enough to get into the playoffs, where they have ruled supreme in recent memory.  Lars sees more of the same this year as both squads remain very talented and are clearly superior at the moment to their divisional rivals in Syracuse and New York.  While those two teams rebuild to challenge in a few seasons, it looks like another dogfight for the top spot.  Lars sees a similar outcome to last season as Dover is the deeper of the two franchises, and that benefit will be reaped in the regular season. 

AL South:  The AL South has the real potential to be what the NL East is currently in a season or two, as all four teams look to be very good in the upcoming seasons.  This year though Kansas City is a season or two away and will probably finish at the bottom of the division, albeit with a competitive record.  Florida and Nashville are locks to be good teams and have winning records, while the Dogs move to Santa Fe is the wildcard in this division.  Santa Fe improved their ML team by leaps and bounds in the offseason, and if their pitchers arms stay attached could match the performances of the divisional favorites.  This should get interesting, and picking a division winner for the AL South is extremely difficult indeed.

AL West:  This division should be a similar story to the last few seasons as Tacoma and Vancouver are the favorites, and St. Louis and Anaheim are dark horse candidates for a wild card spot.  Vancouver hasn't been able to quite put it together the last few seasons, but they added some huge free agent signings in the offseason that make their lineup very dangerous.  Lars thinks that this year might be the time they finally beat out their Pacific Northwest rival to the North for the division.

Projected Cy Young: Dean Hernandez - Pawtucket G-Maniacs
--Other Contenders: Kazuhiro Ong (NAS), Benito Beltre (TOR), Tommy Wakeland (VAN), Darren Howry (TAC), Eric Collins (FLA), Trevor Seelbach (CLE)
Projected MVP: Pedro Franco (NAS)
--Other Contenders: Lyle Crudale (CLE), Ralph Woods (SFE), Richard Nakajima (VAN)
Projected Fireman of the Year: Trevor Seelbach - Cleveland Steamers
--Other Contenders: Raymond Hawkins (FLA), Jared Jacobsen (LAA), Edgardo Romero (DOV)
Projected Rookie of the Year: Russell Walker - Toronto Blue Jays
--Other Contenders: Mike O'Shea (DOV), Damaso Pizarro (SYR)

Top Five Rotations in the American League

1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. Florida Almendares
3. Pawtucket G-Maniacs
4. Tacoma Jerry Gang
5. Vancouver Grizzlies

Top Five Lineups in the American League
1. Nashville Rebel Riders
2. Vancouver Grizzlies
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Santa Fe Greyhounds
5. Cleveland Steamers

Top Three Offseason Free Agent Signings
1. Bosco Simon - Vancouver Grizzlies
2. Victor Gandarillas - Santa Fe Greyhounds
3. Ignacio Lopez  - Vancouver Grizzlies

Four Teams on the Rise:
1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. Vancouver Grizzlies
3. Santa Fe Greyhounds
4. Kansas City Express

Two Teams on the Decline
1. Anaheim Sharks
2. Chicago Sabercats


Four prospects who could make a difference if called up this season
1. Morris Coomer - Anaheim Sharks
2. Malcolm Tucker - Cleveland Steamers
3. Harry Barnes - Vancouver Grizzlies
4. Enos French - Vancouver Grizzlies

Projected finishes, by division:

AL North
Toronto Blue Jays - 94-68
Pawtucket G-Maniacs - 88-74
Seattle Pilots - 72-90
Chicago Sabercats - 64-98

AL East
Dover Dingos - 96-66
Cleveland Steamers-94-68
Syracuse Sympathizers - 76-86
New York Expos - 63-99

AL South
Florida Almendares - 92-70
Nashville Rebel Riders - 90-72
Santa Fe Greyhounds - 85-77
Kansas City Express - 63-99

AL West
Vancouver Grizzlies - 97-65
Tacoma Jerry Gang - 95-67
Anaheim Sharks 89-73
St. Louis Tweakers - 71-91