Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

[mhagf4]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

Baseball America releases a TOP 30 prospects handbook every Jan/Feb. I used that last year to take a look at some of the ratings. I found it to be the most in-depth.

What are you guys going to do with 17 year old prospects such as Danrys Vasquez in the Tigers system? He signed a contact over a million bucks at 16 last year.

Making a 17 year old prospect is a bit much, but only the real good ones get offered that kind of money.

In years past what I have done with MY Franchise's is left some of those guys off. Unless the 17 year old is a lock to be in the bigs in a year or two (and those players are few and far between), I don't see how you can really put in a guy who won't make the club for 5-6 years.

So, I leave those guys off, and create them through the draft. Last year, with my Royals 'chise, I left Chelsor Cuthbert off (actually, he was in the initial set, but I changed him to someone else). Eventually, I drafted a B potential guy, and changed him to Cuthbert.

Unless a player is an organization's top 10 guy, I have a hard time putting in a 17 year old. JMO.

Of course, for this community project, I'll do whatever the consensus is.

[gator3guy]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

I guess my question would be, do they plan on moving Alonso to a different position?

they tried him a little in left...still TBD

[Karle]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

I did leave off Danry Vasquez. Yes, the Tigers paid him a million dollar bonus and John Sickels ranked him as one of the top 20 prospects but he is only 17 and is not expected to even play in the USA in 2011. He could turn out great, but he could also be a complete bust. I believe he is too far away to consider.

Karle

[M11x]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

I wonder if the 2011 roster editor will allow creation of a player younger than 18. I know that a specific international player can still be created, just add a year or two to the age but I don't think that SCEA has allowed that accuracy in the past.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

International free agents are tricky. They sign when they're 16 with high potential (most of it is sugar-coating, much like the draft reports), but slowly as they work their way up, most become less likely to make it to the big leagues.

Case in point, the Padres currently are stocked with several of them at the lower levels:

Adys Portillo (19) (Advanced-A)
Edinson Rincon (20) (Advanced-A)
Rymer Liriano (20) (Advanced-A)
Luis Domoromo (19) (Class-A)
Jonathan Galvez (20) (Advanced-A)
Corey Adamson (19) (Class-A)

Out of those six, Domoromo and Adamson have yet to show anything worthwhile, Liriano has only been a base-stealing threat, Rincon's calling card is a hitter but nothing else. The only two that might make it someday to the big leagues are Portillo and Galvez. They also had a player named Yefri Carvajal, who got worse each year.

[KJWILLIAMS1]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

To KJWilliams

I would love to have the same problem the Reds have here in Detroit. Actual major league level players stuck in the minors because the major league team is flooded with talent.

I guess my question would be, do they plan on moving Alonso to a different position?

As stated above, they did TRY Alonzo in the outfield, but it was quickly determined he had no business out there. My gut and local Cincy sources are saying that IF (and thats a big IF) the Reds are in it at the deadline, they will move Alonzo/Heisey/and a younger pitching prospect for that final piece albeit a bigtime LF, starting pitcher, or possibly a SS. If they are out of it, look for Phillips to possibly get traded. Lets hope for the best!!

Farm systems are tough to predict. So many people scout and predict, but they tend to be wrong more than right about POTENTIAL. Thats a word that gets many people fired due to interpretation. Thanks for responding.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

Yeah some players don't live up to their high potential, but usually the top 50 or so prospects make it to the big leagues in some capacity. One or two in each ranking class become elite players, several become all-stars, while the rest become either AAAA players to solid starters.

[Knight165]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

Am I the only one having trouble finding scouting reports on minor league players?

Do you guys have any advice? Because all I can seem to find are Top 10 and 20 lists of teams prospects that aren't very detailed.

If need be...I will supply you guys with info on as many players as you deem necessary.
I have 4 different prospect guides of some sort on the way.
I used to have a pay site that someone gave me as a gift(it was a code to get info)......but it is difficult to find prospect info on some teams.
The Red Sox...have an awesome prospect site...I think the Cubs did as well.
They are fan sites...but some are quite detailed and respectable.

M.K.
Knight165

[Knight165]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

.....and it's REALLY tricky with very young far off prospects.
Both grading...and starting points as far as attributes.
Trust me....you're going to get a lot of "How the heck did you rate so and so a 55 for power?!...the guy is a beast!" Right....but if you put him up against even a mid level MLB starter....he's no more than a 55 to start. He might be an 80 in 2-3 years...
Be warned...get ready for the..."but he's a plus/plus" comments.

M.K.
Knight165

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

.....and it's REALLY tricky with very young far off prospects.
Both grading...and starting points as far as attributes.
Trust me....you're going to get a lot of "How the heck did you rate so and so a 55 for power?!...the guy is a beast!" Right....but if you put him up against even a mid level MLB starter....he's no more than a 55 to start. He might be an 80 in 2-3 years...
Be warned...get ready for the..."but he's a plus/plus" comments.

M.K.
Knight165

It is indeed tricky, because if you're projecting someone to have above-average power (65), if that player is in AA, you might give him between a 40-45 for the combined power (R + L), but since progression might be inconsistent, the player could fall well short or go way past that mark.

I have a certain threshold I've been using. If average power is 50 in the Majors, then in AAA I expect it to be around 35, AA 25, and in Class-A, 15. A Mike Stanton-type would get somewhere between a 40-50 in A, 50-65 in AA, and 65-80 in AAA.

We can adjust the ratings, but if it's still to not that person's liking, they're always welcome to change it themselves when the rosters come out.

[Knight165]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

It is indeed tricky, because if you're projecting someone to have above-average power (65), if that player is in AA, you might give him between a 40-45 for the combined power (R + L), but since progression might be inconsistent, the player could fall well short or go way past that mark.

I have a certain threshold I've been using. If average power is 50 in the Majors, then in AAA I expect it to be around 35, AA 25, and in Class-A, 15. A Mike Stanton-type would get somewhere between a 40-50 in A, 50-65 in AA, and 65-80 in AAA.

We can adjust the ratings, but if it's still to not that person's liking, they're always welcome to change it themselves when the rosters come out.

Rag....If I could make a suggestion(to all really)...and once you see my chart....you'll understand....
Don't worry to much about the team level.....as much as age and years away(in age) from a players top level of potential attributes.
The progression jumps can be anything for an A for example from 9-20+ points per year....I use the average of 10-12(which is most likely)...so I just take the number I want him to reach(say 90).....his current age(say 22)....which is at least 4 years of 10-12 points per year of growth...multiply and then subtract that from the 90.
Now if a guy is close to being his top number...don't worry much about working it back fully....go ahead and just leave room for 1 or 2 years of progression. It will work out.
I tried level jumps two years ago....and just felt better with going with years instead.
I really hope this game eventually goes with rewarding/penalizing players from being moved up too soon(keeping them in Low A for instance would give him better progression reward and jumping him might stunt him)...as this would make it much easier to rate guys as per level(my true choice of rating)

M.K.
Knight165

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

Rag....If I could make a suggestion(to all really)...and once you see my chart....you'll understand....
Don't worry to much about the team level.....as much as age and years away(in age) from a players top level of potential attributes.
The progression jumps can be anything for an A for example from 9-20+ points per year....I use the average of 10-12(which is most likely)...so I just take the number I want him to reach(say 90).....his current age(say 22)....which is at least 4 years of 10-12 points per year of growth...multiply and then subtract that from the 90.
Now if a guy is close to being his top number...don't worry much about working it back fully....go ahead and just leave room for 1 or 2 years of progression. It will work out.
I tried level jumps two years ago....and just felt better with going with years instead.
I really hope this game eventually goes with rewarding/penalizing players from being moved up too soon(keeping them in Low A for instance would give him better progression reward and jumping him might stunt him)...as this would make it much easier to rate guys as per level(my true choice of rating)

M.K.
Knight165

Agreed. I'll see how the chart turns out. Gotta keep everything consistent.

[juicer420]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

Knight,

For the Giants, I have Brandon Belt and Zach Wheeler as the lone "A" potential players. As far as "B", "C", and "D" potential players, I'm waiting to see how everyone else handles them with their team sets. So I haven't spent too much time exploring that quite yet.

[cnelly4]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

I have just Sano as my lone "A" for the Twins. Although it appears they may have quite a few "B's", and a lot of "C's"

[sink4ever]

Re: Operation Sports Full Minors 2011 - Recruiting

I've volunteered to do the Yankees, but I'm certainly open to input from anyone who would like to help. I think the Yankees have one sure-fire 'A' in Jesus Montero. I think Gary Sanchez could be an 'A' as well, but he'd have to start rated quite low since he's a long way away. Banuelos and Betances are probably high B's, I imagine we'll categorize them as B's in the game.

Anyway, I have a spreadsheet I'm working on with some very preliminary data. I can't upload .xls files so if anyone wants to see it and/or partner in creating the Yankees, shoot me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.