10 replies to this topic

[T C]

Good read on FanGraphs today regarding some players at Boise this year

http://www.fangraphs...ts-boise-hawks/

[rcleven]

Will be excited to see them in Geneva next spring.

[Luke]

Pretty good stuff in that.

I wouldn't worry too much about the writer being disappointed in Candelario. One game is one game, and Candelario's numbers pretty much speak for themselves. His defense at third could be an issue, but if Baez moves over there Candelario won't be prying it away from him anyway.

[FFP]

Thanks for the link, T C

[ced landrum]

Nice to see Martin get some love. He is going to be fun to watch develop.

[Brett]

Thanks for sharing this - I've had it in a tab for a full write-up. Interesting stuff.

[T C]

I find it interesting that he only threw a 70 on Vogelbach's future power. This isn't me being an irrational Cubs fan, I know how rare 80 grades are, but everything i've ever read on Vogelbach has pegged 75-80 power on him, and having watched him swing quite a bit, he certainly looks like a guy who projects as an 80 power guy, especially since it sounds/looks like he'll be able to make decent contact. I wonder if he saw something in Vogelbach's swing or body profile that worries him?

Also, his description of Paniagua makes me pretty excited about him

[Luke]

80 is sort of a moving target. Bryce Harper more or less defines 80 power for the current crop of young players, and Vogelbach, as much power as he projects, isn't quite to that level. Five years ago Vogelbach might have gotten that 80 grade, but not right now.

A lot of scouts don't like using half grades, either. If this guy is one who just doesn't give 55s or 65s or 75s, then a power grade of 70 would include players just a step down from amazingly-elite.

Soler is right up there with Vogelbach on the power grades, and Baez doesn't project too far behind them.

[Cubsin]

Statistical tidbits from the Northwest League:

There were only three teenagers among the 25 top hitters (by OPS), and all three were Boise Hawks. Candelario was 18, and finished 20th. Amaya was 19 and finished third. Marco Hernandez was 19 and finished 23rd. There were four 20 year olds, including Rock Shoulders, who finished 13th. There were five 21 year olds, including Stephen Bruno who finished first at .938. The second-best OPS among qualifiers was .883. The other 13 leaders were 22 or older, and none were Hawks..There were 52 total qualifiers.

Among the other qualifiers, 20 year old Wilson Contreras finished tied for 35th, and 19 year old Darien Martin finished 28th.

Among the nonqualifiers, Vogelbach (age 19) had an OPS of 1.031, way ahead of Bruno and comparable only to Mike Zunino's (age 21) 1.210. Almora (age 18), had an OPS of .738, very close to Candelario's .741.

[Tommy]

Thanks Cubsin! Good stuff! Building from the bottom up! Love it!

[fromthemitten]

Good to see Paniguia pitching well after years of the organization churning out power arms, the recent scrubs coming up has disheartened me a bit. Seems like they're doing well when it comes to positional players and I like Vogelbach hitting the opposite way. Hopefully he's in the majors by 2014