The Jake Peavy trade to the White Sox, which appears dead, definitely got our attention. Apparently, teams are ready to make some moves earlier than normal this season. Usually trade moves come after the prospect ones.
But this has been a bit of a quiet year among rookies. Look below in our rookie watch: It is not a great class to date.
The White Sox were ready to deal an elite pitching prospect in Aaron Poreda and a serviceable back-end rookie starter Clayton Richard -- along with Lance Broadway and Brent Lillibridge perhaps -- for the security of a front-line starter in Peavy. The deal didn't fall through because the Padres didn't like Poreda and Richard. Peavy apparently didn't like the White Sox, the AL or -- most important -- they wouldn't guarantee the last year of his current contract.
The talk about Poreda being a future reliever and not a potential ace is a little ridiculous. That was floated around in reports Thursday. But the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Poreda is absolutely a future major league ace.
The 2007 first-round pick showed that Wednesday in Double-A, striking out 12 in seven innings. For the season, the left-hander is 3-4 with a 2.53 ERA and a .200 batting-average against. He has 50 strikeouts to 24 walks in 46 1/3 innings.
Put that arm in that pitcher's park in San Diego and you have the next Cole Hamels. Sure, the knock is he has a high-90s fastball and needs work on the command of his secondary pitches, but what young pitcher doesn't?
Richard himself looks like a solid Fantasy starter in the right situation, too. He tossed seven quality innings Monday vs. the first-place Blue Jays, allowing just three hits and one run. He remains the White Sox No. 5 starter and is a nice sleeper in deeper leagues, mostly AL-only formats.
Eventually, that rotation spot could go to Poreda this season. Once it does, pick him up in any Fantasy league for a potential big-time impact.
We though it could be by June 1 -- and it still might in Chicago. The White Sox might want to show the world what the Padres will be missing.
What's Brewing this Weeks
When the Brewers were rumored to be losing patience with Rickie Weeks, there was speculation elite shortstop prospect Alcides Escobar could be moved to second base to expedite his arrival in the major leagues. When Weeks needed season-ending wrist surgery, Escobar went right to work transitioning to second base.
Escobar is playing second in Triple-A now and could be the Brewers' best long-term option at the position before we reach the halfway point of the season.
Escobar is hitting just .273 with two homers, .324 OBP and a .360 SLUG, but the speedster has scored 29 runs and stolen 18 bases in 22 attempts. Last season in Double-A, he hit .328 (.363 OBP and .434 SLUG) with 95 runs and 34 steals. Those steals make him a potential impact call-up in all Rotisserie formats.
It might take just a few weeks to get a call to Milwaukee. They will start age-old veteran Craig Counsell for now, or consider Bill Hall there if Mat Gamel proves worthy of regular at-bats at third, but Escobar needs to be stashed away now if you have room. Two weeks from now might be too late.
Gamel's glove is a real problem for a contender like the Brewers, a team that didn't like Ryan J. Braun at third base, but if he proves worthy of at-bats, you should consider adding Gamel even in mixed formats. We all can agree he can really hit.
Heads up on the High Five
We gave no guarantees on the success of the High Five June 1 call-ups, but Luke Hochevar and Nolan Reimold are already in the major leagues, to mixed results. We figured we have to keep you up to date on the three others:
David Price, SP, Rays: He is coming off his best start of the season, another limited to just five innings. He no-hit Rochester for five innings last Sunday, striking out a season-high nine. Through eight abbreviated starts and just 34 1/3 innings, he is 1-4 with a 3.93 ERA and a .231 batting-average against. He has struck out 35 but walked 18. We figured he could replace a struggling Jeff Niemann, but Niemann is also coming off his best start of the season. The Rays squashed thoughts they would take the struggling Scott Kazmir out of the rotation, too. Kazmir will start Monday.
Tommy Hanson, SP, Braves: The Braves finally ended the failed Jo-Jo Reyes experiment, but they turned first to the short right-hander Kris Medlen as opposed to going to the elite prospect in Hanson. Medlen earned his look, but Hanson is even more of a knockout future ace. He has struck out 64 in 47 2/3 innings, allowing a mere .172 batting-average against. He has pitched through six innings in each of his past five starts, including going eight and seven in his past two. His last start Saturday was his most dominant of the season, allowing just two hits in seven shutout innings. He could replace Medlen for a two-start week in Fantasy Week 8 (May 25-31), perhaps, but more likely the Braves will wait until Tom Glavine's future is decided.
Matt Wieters, C, Orioles: Spring reports had the Orioles waiting on Wieters until mid-May in order to save a year of salary arbitration. Well, the timing had Wieters homering twice on May 14 and once on May 15. He apparently wanted to make sure the Orioles knew he was ready, if they wanted to make the call. Wieters is hitting .282 with four homers, 21 RBI, 22 runs, .370 OBP and a .479 SLUG in Triple-A. Gregg Zaun is hitting .194 and approaching 100 at-bats. The O's have had to have seen enough. Wieters would be a nice storyline to take the thunder from the Nationals in the interleague series this weekend.
Baltimore's Chris Tillman, our honorable mention from our High Five report, has won his past five starts. He is now 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA and .226 batting-average against through 36 innings (seven starts). He has struck out 42 and walked 13. Apparently, though, the Orioles are in no hurry to expose their elite pitching prospects to a sorry last-place team. Our point is that arms like Tillman would give them a chance to be a better team than the first-place Blue Jays.
Homer time
One of last year's High Five is making yet another call to the majors, Homer Bailey. Bailey will start for the Reds on Saturday after they placed Edinson Volquez on the 15-day DL due to back trouble.
Bailey started poorly in Triple-A after a great spring, but he has been solid in each of his past six starts since April 14. He hasn't gone less than six innings in that span and only once allowed as many as four runs. He has had a 15-strikeout game in there. That's some serious stuff.
For the season, Bailey is 3-5 with a 4.57 ERA and .261 batting average against. He has 43 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings, although he has allowed an alarming nine homers.
We have cautioned to not give on up a power 23-year-old arm like Bailey's. Even with a bad outing Saturday, we will continue to say that. Bailey will be a good Fantasy starting pitcher ... as soon as three years ago (grin).
Perfect time to add him
Indians pitching prospect Jeanmar Gomez is our latest addition to the CBSSports.com database. Through eight starts in the minors (four in Class A, four in Double-A), he is 6-2 with a 1.36 ERA and a .147 batting-average against. He has struck out 41 batters to just six walks in 53 innings. If you think those numbers are ridiculous, we buried the lede: He pitched a perfect game Thursday at Double-A Trenton, striking out eight.
His current numbers after his promotion to Double-A are eye-popping: 4-0, 0.31 with a .097 batting-average against in 29 innings. He has allowed just nine hits, one walk and has struck out 26. Completely unhittable.
Gomez should be owned in more non-keeper leagues than Mr. Stephen Strasburg. Yeah, we went there. Gomez has not been in our database to this point because the 21-year-old Venezuelan was an unheralded prospect after going 5-9 with a 4.55 ERA and 154 hits allowed in 138 1/3 Class A innings in 2008. You have to consider him a potential impact prospect on the come now.
Prospect watch
Each week we break down all the minor leaguers who are owned in at least 1 percent of our Fantasy leagues. This will be your essential guide to unearthing the elite prospects before they hit the big time.
|
|||||||||||
Player | POS | TM | % | Player | POS | TM | % | Player | POS | TM | % |
David Price | SP | TB | 83 | Beau Mills | 1B | CLE | 3 | Cesar Carrillo | SP | SD | 1 |
Matt Wieters | C | BAL | 79 | Daric Barton | 1B | OAK | 3 | Jason Hirsh | SP | COL | 1 |
Tommy Hanson | SP | ATL | 72 | Aaron Cunningham | OF | OAK | 2 | Bradley Holt | SP | NYM | 1 |
Ricky Romero | SP | TOR | 32 | Charles Lofgren | SP | CLE | 2 | Collin Balester | SP | WAS | 1 |
Cameron Maybin | CF | FLA | 26 | J.R. Towles | C | HOU | 2 | Brett Lawrie | C | MIL | 1 |
Clay Buchholz | SP | BOS | 25 | Wilmer Flores | SS | NYM | 2 | Tyler Colvin | LF | CHC | 1 |
Brandon Wood | 3B | ANA | 23 | Rafael Perez | RP | CLE | 2 | David Cooper | 1B | TOR | 1 |
Lastings Milledge | CF | WAS | 18 | Jose A. Contreras | SP | CHW | 2 | Greg Reynolds | SP | COL | 1 |
Gordon Beckham | SS | CHW | 17 | Sean West | SP | FLA | 2 | Marc Rzepczynski | SP | TOR | 1 |
Andrew McCutchen | OF | PIT | 14 | Junichi Tazawa | SP | BOS | 2 | Wes Hodges | 3B | CLE | 1 |
Alcides Escobar | SS | MIL | 13 | Hank Conger | C | ANA | 2 | Ryan Shealy | 1B | KC | 1 |
Chris Tillman | SP | BAL | 13 | Scott Elbert | RP | LA | 2 | Chin-lung Hu | SS | LA | 1 |
Madison Bumgarner | SP | SF | 13 | Lou Marson | C | PHI | 2 | Josh Barfield | 2B | CLE | 1 |
Neftali Feliz | SP | TEX | 13 | Freddie Freeman | 1B | ATL | 2 | Jerry Owens | CF | SEA | 1 |
Pedro Alvarez | 3B | PIT | 12 | Todd Frazier | SS | CIN | 2 | Mark Melancon | RP | NYY | 1 |
Homer Bailey | SP | CIN | 10 | Jordan Walden | SP | ANA | 2 | Cole Rohrbough | SP | ATL | 1 |
Jeff Samardzija | RP | CHC | 10 | Steve Pearce | RF | PIT | 2 | Ryan Kalish | OF | BOS | 1 |
Buster Posey | C | SF | 10 | Mark Prior | SP | SD | 2 | Brandon Allen | OF | CHW | 1 |
Jason Heyward | OF | ATL | 10 | Chris Valaika | SS | CIN | 2 | Mark Trumbo | 1B | ANA | 1 |
Carlos Carrasco | SP | PHI | 10 | Andrew Brackman | SP | NYY | 2 | Brent Lillibridge | SS | CHW | 1 |
Lars Anderson | 1B | BOS | 9 | Greg Halman | OF | SEA | 2 | Gorkys Hernandez | OF | ATL | 1 |
Dana Eveland | SP | OAK | 9 | Josh Whitesell | 1B | ARI | 2 | Kyle Kendrick | SP | PHI | 1 |
Justin Smoak | 1B | TEX | 9 | Jesus Guzman | 3B | SF | 2 | Chris Nelson | SS | COL | 1 |
Jeff Clement | C | SEA | 9 | Dominic Brown | OF | PHI | 2 | Henry A. Rodriguez | SP | OAK | 1 |
Michael Bowden | SP | BOS | 8 | Aaron Hicks | OF | MIN | 2 | Michael Main | SP | TEX | 1 |
Brett Wallace | 3B | STL | 7 | Deolis Guerra | SP | MIN | 2 | Cale Iorg | SS | DET | 1 |
Gio Gonzalez | SP | OAK | 7 | David Freese | 3B | STL | 2 | Humberto Sanchez | RP | NYY | 1 |
David Purcey | SP | TOR | 7 | Tyler Flowers | C | CHW | 2 | Eric O. Young | 2B | COL | 1 |
Jarrod Parker | SP | ARI | 7 | Adrian Cardenas | SS | OAK | 2 | Eric Patterson | 2B | OAK | 1 |
Fernando Martinez | OF | NYM | 7 | Jason Donald | SS | PHI | 2 | Greg Smith | SP | COL | 1 |
Wade Davis | SP | TB | 7 | Jeremy Jeffress | SP | MIL | 2 | Jason Castro | C | HOU | 1 |
Aaron Poreda | SP | CHW | 7 | Ben Revere | CF | MIN | 2 | Casey Weathers | RP | COL | 1 |
Michael Moustakas | 3B | KC | 6 | Jose Ceda | RP | FLA | 2 | Daryl Jones | CF | STL | 1 |
Alexi Casilla | 2B | MIN | 6 | Joe Koshansky | 1B | MIL | 1 | Gregor M. Blanco | LF | ATL | 1 |
Tim Beckham | SS | TB | 6 | Danny Cortes | SP | KC | 1 | Fautino De Los Santos | RP | OAK | 1 |
Austin Jackson | OF | NYY | 6 | Dellin Betances | SP | NYY | 1 | Brandon Erbe | SP | BAL | 1 |
Brian Matusz | SP | BAL | 6 | William Rowell | 3B | BAL | 1 | Martin Perez | SP | TEX | 1 |
James McDonald | RP | LA | 6 | Ethan Martin | SP | LA | 1 | Matt Tuiasosopo | 3B | SEA | 1 |
Michael Stanton | OF | FLA | 6 | Troy Patton | SP | BAL | 1 | David Hernandez | SP | BAL | 1 |
Dayan Viciedo | 3B | CHW | 5 | Brad Lincoln | SP | PIT | 1 | Nicholas Weglarz | 1B | CLE | 1 |
Gaby Sanchez | 1B | FLA | 5 | Josh Reddick | LF | BOS | 1 | Sean Doolittle | 1B | OAK | 1 |
Yonder Alonso | 1B | CIN | 5 | John Raynor | OF | FLA | 1 | John Bowker | 1B | SF | 1 |
Kyle Blanks | 1B | SD | 5 | Josh D. Fields | RP | SEA | 1 | Bud Norris | SP | HOU | 1 |
Josh Vitters | 3B | CHC | 5 | Kyle Skipworth | C | FLA | 1 | Hector Rondon | SP | CLE | 1 |
Timothy Alderson | SP | SF | 5 | Radhames Liz | SP | BAL | 1 | Jonny Gomes | LF | CIN | 1 |
Carlos Santana | C | CLE | 5 | Sean Rodriguez | 2B | ANA | 1 | Brian Bogusevic | OF | HOU | 1 |
Michael Ynoa | SP | OAK | 4 | Jeremy Sowers | SP | CLE | 1 | Michael Saunders | 3B | SEA | 1 |
Chad Cordero | RP | SEA | 4 | Cedric Hunter | CF | SD | 1 | Daryl Thompson | SP | CIN | 1 |
Jake Arrieta | SP | BAL | 4 | Brandon Jones | LF | ATL | 1 | Bryan D. Anderson | C | STL | 1 |
Mitchell Boggs | SP | STL | 4 | Wilson Ramos | C | MIN | 1 | Engel Beltre | OF | TEX | 1 |
Logan Morrison | 1B | FLA | 4 | Daniel Schlereth | RP | ARI | 1 | Isaac Davis | 1B | NYM | 1 |
Kila Ka'aihue | DH | KC | 4 | Kyle Drabek | SP | PHI | 1 | Joe Savery | SP | PHI | 1 |
Desmond Jennings | OF | TB | 4 | Jeremy Accardo | RP | TOR | 1 | Reese Havens | SS | NYM | 1 |
Matt Joyce | OF | TB | 4 | Wilin Rosario | C | COL | 1 | Ryan Tucker | SP | FLA | 1 |
J.P. Arencibia | C | TOR | 4 | Ivan DeJesus | SS | LA | 1 | Chris C. Carter | DH | BOS | 1 |
Reid Brignac | SS | TB | 4 | Matt Latos | SP | SD | 1 | Andrew Cashner | SP | CHC | 1 |
Max Ramirez | C | TEX | 4 | Jess Todd | RP | STL | 1 | Chris Johnson | 3B | HOU | 1 |
Matt Antonelli | 2B | SD | 4 | Austin Romine | C | NYY | 1 | Trevor Reckling | RP | ANA | 1 |
Sean Gallagher | SP | OAK | 4 | Jake Fox | 1B | CHC | 1 | Juan Francisco | 3B | CIN | 1 |
Angel Villalona | 3B | SF | 4 | Joshua Lindblom | P | LA | 1 | Nick Evans | LF | NYM | 1 |
Jonathon Niese | SP | NYM | 4 | Joey Gathright | CF | BAL | 1 | Wade LeBlanc | SP | SD | 1 |
Jesus Montero | C | NYY | 4 | Jemile Weeks | 2B | OAK | 1 | John Mayberry | OF | PHI | 1 |
Carlos Gonzalez | OF | COL | 4 | Drew Stubbs | OF | CIN | 1 | Mike Carp | 1B | SEA | 1 |
Ian Kennedy | SP | NYY | 3 | Trevor Crowe | OF | CLE | 1 | Nicholas Noonan | SS | SF | 1 |
Dallas McPherson | 3B | SF | 3 | Daniel Moskos | SP | PIT | 1 |
|
|||
Adam Miller | SP | CLE | 3 | Michael Burgess | RF | WAS | 1 | David Huff | SP | CLE | |
Carlos Triunfel | SS | SEA | 3 | Kevin Mulvey | SP | MIN | 1 | Kris Medlen | P | ATL | |
Angel Salome | C | MIL | 3 | Neil Walker | 3B | PIT | 1 | Ross Detwiler | SP | WAS | |
Blake DeWitt | 2B | LA | 3 | Vin Mazzaro | SP | OAK | 1 | Kala Kaaihue | 1B | ATL | |
Jose Tabata | OF | PIT | 3 | Julio Borbon | CF | TEX | 1 | Joaquin Arias | 2B | TEX | |
Jeremy Hellickson | SP | TB | 3 | Jon Meloan | RP | CLE | 1 | Kevin Frandsen | 2B | SF | |
Matt Dominguez | 3B | FLA | 3 | Edwar Ramirez | RP | NYY | 1 | Justin Maxwell | CF | WAS | |
Chris Marrero | OF | WAS | 3 | Michael Brantley | OF | CLE | 1 | Kellen Kulbacki | LF | SD | |
Jake McGee | SP | TB | 3 | Conor M. Gillaspie | 3B | SF | 1 | Wilkin Ramirez | OF | DET | |
Phillippe Aumont | SP | SEA | 3 | Andrew Lambo | LF | LA | 1 | Anthony Swarzak | SP | MIN | |
Chris C. Carter | 1B | OAK | 3 | Brett Sinkbeil | SP | FLA | 1 | Tom Gorzelanny | SP | PIT | |
Eric Hosmer | 1B | KC | 3 | Joe Mather | LF | STL | 1 | ||||
Jhoulys Chacin | SP | COL | 3 | Kasey Kiker | SP | TEX | 1 |
Rookie watch
Top AL rookies to date
- Scott Richmond, SP, TOR -- There are some struggles to come, but you cannot argue with the results to date.
- Matt Palmer, SP, LAA -- Journeyman isn't a long-term solution either, but it's a down year.
- Rick Porcello, SP, DET -- He's third now, but he's far more capable of staying on this list than Nos. 1 and 2.
- Elvis Andrus, SS, TEX -- He leads all AL rookies with 18 runs and is picking up the stolen base pace.
- Nolan Reimold, OF, BAL -- He just arrived, but he is doing enough to stick around long term.
- Honorable mentions: Andrew Bailey, RP, OAK; Travis Snider, OF, TOR; Jeff Larish, 1B, DET; Jose Morales, C, MIN; Brett Gardner, OF, NYY; Francisco Cervelli, C, NYY; Alfredo Aceves, RP, NYY; Phil Coke, RP, NYY; and Jeff Niemann, SP, TB.
Top NL rookies to date
- Colby Rasmus, OF, STL -- Recent hot streak might have earned him full-time center field job.
- Micah Hoffpauir, OF, CHC -- He deserves a lot more at-bats, either at first or in the outfield.
- Shairon Martis, SP, WAS -- Despite bad last outing, he is still off to a 5-0 start for the lowly Nats.
- Dexter Fowler, OF, COL -- His bat is not that impressive, but it is tough to deny his 10 steals.
- Bobby Parnell, RP, NYM -- He moved up to the seventh, but he deserves the eighth over J.J. Putz now.
- Honorable mentions: Jordan Zimmermann, SP, WAS; J.A. Happ, RP, PHI; Danny Herrera, RP, CIN; Kenshin Kawakami, SP, ATL; Brian Barden, 3B, STL; Juan Gutierrez, RP, ARI; Ross Detwiler, SP, WAS; and Omir Santos, C, NYM.
You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball prospect questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Prospects in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.