Feb
23
2010
Baseball America’s Top 100
Posted by erik in Prospect rankings, tags: Brett Wallace, Scott Bittle, shelby millerShelby Miller made the list, ranking 50th overall. Miller was the lone Cardinal representation. In other news, the Cardinal team color will remain red.
Brett Wallace ranked 27th.
In other news, Scott Bittle is probably toast. Take it away, Strauss -
Bittle’s issues are believed significant. His shoulder issue is most obvious toward the anterior (front) part of his shoulder. If surgery is required, it likely would be similar to the capsule-tightening procedure former Cardinals lefthander Mark Mulder required in 2006. Mulder made one abbreviated start with the club in two seasons after the surgery and last week at least postponed a comeback attempt.
Yep, he’s fried.
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Garcia didn’t make the top 100? I’ve subscribed to BA since the beginning but now they’ve got my dander up. I’m betting that 10 years from now Garcia will be having a better career than Wallace. C’mon Callis. Show me yer money!
The moment I saw that the Cardinals had just taken Scott Bittle in the fourth round, I immediately thought it was perhaps one of the worst draft picks in the Luhnow era. He had had shoulder issues for two straight seasons, the Yankees took away their 2008 offer after he failed a physical. I think that that would be a red flag to stay away. At least for the first 10 rounds anyway.
Will we ever see another high school outfielder, or pitcher taken by the Cardinals past the first round in the Luhnow era. The complete lack of upside we see picked by the Cardinals once we get past the first round supplemental, every draft, is so depressing.
Garcia’s a very good prospect, but he’s not elite (Sickles has him as a B-level prospect). Most have him tagged as a mid-rotation starter, and my impression is that starting pitchers land on the top 100 only if they’re more than that. Plus, pitching prospects tend to be harder to gauge than position players because of the rate of injuries; plenty of legit major league prospects have had their development completely detrailed by arm trouble. To me, that tends to make a top position prospect more valuable than an equally top pitching prospect, because an elite position player has a better chance of contributing at the MLB level than a pitching prospect.
(I think Garcia’s a legit future No. 2, but that could be my homerism talking)
As I mentioned in another comment, Bittle was a gamble–a 1st/2nd round talent taken in the 4th. He was available there because of his injuries, and it was a high risk, high reward pick, something Luhnow gets criticized for not doing. Bittle had major upside–if he was healthy. He’s not, which is why they call it a “high risk.” He also didn’t “fail a physical”–the Yankees doctors didn’t like what they saw in his arm (similar to what happened with Trever Miller), which was countered by other doctors supplied by Bittle and his agent.
(Also, I’m not sure how my comment suddenly became the third one of the day; it was second until this evening)
No Forsch, it wasn’t a high risk/high reward pick.
It was taking a college senior, that threw one pitch, that has had a long track record of shoulder injuries.
It was pretty much all risk with no possible reward.
I’m with Forsch – This certainly was a risk/reward pick. In the grand scheme of things the opportunity cost of $75K and a late 4th round pick is non-existent. Not worth arguing. Best of luck Mr. Bittle.
If he had no possible reward, why did the Yankees draft him in the second round in the season before? He had shoulder problems then, too, which is why the Yankee doctors checked him out before they signed (or in this case, didn’t sign) him to a deal.
Bittle also had three pitches–a nasty mid-to-high-80s cutter that was his primary pitch, a 4-seam low-90s fastball, and a change-up.
This just in…Dr. James Andrews says no surgery needed.
So, he’s not toast….yet.