The homers? All but one were solo shots.

“But, Bob, that’s probably just luck, or mostly so.”

I would’ve thought so, too, azru’sbrain, but then I checked his splits. With men on base, Castillo held opponents to something like .240 slugging. And with RISP, batters slugged…just…a meager…wait for it…one sixty-seven. :)

Castillo!

Most of the best of the FSL farm didn’t hang around long enough to make the list or were injured.

Don’t you have to have to put in a certain amount of at bats or innings ?

I think you are right that the writers take this seriously, I just don’t think it is much of a tool in terms of tracking prospects. Just as you say, they really can’t see a player enough to put together rankings so the methodology is probably really flawed in this instance. I mean these are based on BA’s interprtation of coversations with managers and scouts, right there you are talking about something that is really subjective. After seeing this list though I am starting to think that there are plenty of prospects that are left off.

BJM

In BA’s defense, we’re talking about selecting 20 top prospects from a 12-team league. I don’t know how many teams move guys up and down the way the Cardinals do, but you have to think there are dozens of players under consideration.

Even if the BA reporter talks to a dozen managers, coaches, and/or scouts, one from each team, there have to be gaps in their perspective and their memories. They can’t possibly have seen every promising player enough times to have a balanced opinion.

I get the impression the BA writers work hard at this and take it seriously. Let’s appreciate it for what it is.