Marlins Offseason Update

[Orioles]

Been a bit tied up since season's end, but the IBC Marlins are now open for offseason business.

First, a belated congrats to Pat Bishop on his well-deserved IBC championship, done the hard way - through Yankee stadium and JB's powerhouse pinstripes then the defending champs.

Also, an even more overdue congrats to Aaron's Cardinals, who on the way to wrapping up their 2nd straight NL pennant kindly stopped in Miami to welcome me to my first IBC postseason with a good ol' fashioned ass whuppin' (the 3-game kind). St. Louis steamrolled through South Florida with such terrible efficiency that were it not for the lingering stench of Trevor Hoffman's rotting flesh to remind Dolphin Stadium patrons that the Fish played October baseball this year, they'd still be wondering where that mysterious-square-shaped-dirt-area on the 30-yard line in week 6 came from.

To those GMs who have PMd me with trade inquiries, sorry I've been slow to respond, but I wanted to have a closer look at my squad before entering into any trade discussions, and just haven't had the time until now. Hopefully I'll be able to hit you back in the next few days.

I hope to post a quick assessment of the current roster at some point today, which should give those interested in dealing an idea of what changes I'm looking to make for 09.

[Orioles]

11/25

Prospect ranking pimperoo!

BA Toronto Blue Jays Top 10:

2. J.P. Arencibia, c
...healthy in 2008, he tied Minor League Player of the Year Matt Wieters for the most homers by a minor league catcher (27) and ranked 10th in the minors with 105 RBIs... has impressive power to all fields–especially to center and left field–and rarely gets cheated at the plate. An agile and fundamentally sound receiver who calls a good game, he's bilingual and a natural leader. He threw out 34 percent of basestealers in 2008, and evaluators rave about his easy, accurate and strong throwing arm. He also improved his blocking skills, dramatically reducing his rate of passed balls... A potential first-division regular, Arencibia is Toronto's catcher of the future. He could be big league-ready by the second half of 2009. (Matt Eddy)

10. Brad Emaus, 2B/3B
A Cape Cod League all-star in 2006, Emaus fell to the 11th round of the 2007 draft after an ankle injury slowed him as a junior. He earned an Opening Day assignment to high Class A in 2008 and went on to surprise the Blue Jays with all facets of his game. He ranked sixth in the Florida State League with 49 extra-base hits... gap hitter with a sturdy build and a short stroke to the ball, Emaus grinds out at-bats and already shows average hitting and power tools. His strong knowledge of the strike zone and his willingness to use all fields should help him refine his offensive potential. He has a strong arm... Emaus has drawn comparisons with Ty Wigginton for his build, solid righthanded bat and ability to cover second and third base. After the season he headed to Hawaii Winter Baseball, where he played all over the infield, and he will advance to Double-A in 2009. (Matt Eddy)

BA Cleveland Indians Top 10

4. Adam Miller, SP
...The No. 1 prospect on this list the previous four years, Miller continues to show great promise and an inability to stay healthy... Miller's fastball is the best in the organization, a lively 93-95 mph heater that regularly touched 97 mph in his early winter-ball outings. When he's at his best, his slider is a plus-plus 86-88 mph pitch with late break, and it too looked good in the Dominican. He also uses a two-seam fastball to get groundballs. He has a relatively stress-free delivery and good command... A starter throughout his minor league career, Miller may have to move to the bullpen for health reasons. He should compete for a big league relief role in 2009 and soon could become the dominant closer the Indians have sorely lacked in recent years. (Ben Badler)

BA Detroit Tigers Top 10

7. Scott Sizemore, 2B
Sizemore's strong performance in the 2007 Arizona Fall League, where he batted .356 and played solidly at shortstop, seemingly put him in line for a breakthrough season in 2008. However, he played in just 53 games before breaking the hamate bone in his left wrist in early June... has a short, compact swing that enables him to hit singles and doubles and avoid strikeouts. He's a grinder who draws comparisons to Placido Polanco, whom he ultimately may succeed as Detroit's second baseman. Much like Polanco, he has a knack for getting the barrel of his bat on the ball. He recognizes pitches well and rarely has bad at-bats. He's an average runner who has shown the instincts for stealing bases in the lower minors... should be ready for spring training, but lingering tenderness in the wrist has been a concern. As long as he does not suffer any more setbacks, he should begin 2009 in Double-A. (J.P. Morosi)

BP Arizona Diamondbacks Top 11

5. Cesar Valdez, SP [***]With three straight years of solid performance, including some nice outings at Double-A, Valdez was finally recognized as a prospect as the number of naysayers dwindled... Valdez fills the strike zone with two offerings that generate both swings-and misses and plenty of ground balls. He pitches primarily off of his average-velocity sinker, using it to set up his two plus changeups; an 80-81 mph classic that falls off the table, and a mid-80s version that team officials describe as "splitter-like." His curveball is a solid average offering that he uses liberally against lefties. He's a highly efficient pitcher who keeps his pitch counts low, and he has the frame and clean mechanics to become an innings eater... Arizona feels that Valdez is ready for Triple-A, and he could get in some big-league innings this season. He's on pace to be up on the roster full time in 2010. (K. Goldstein)

BP Chicago Cubs Top 11

9. Welington Castillo, C [***] The Cubs' top catching prospect got off to a slow start in the Florida State League, but showed life with the bat and continued plus defense after a promotion to Double-A Tennessee... Castillo has solid skills, hitting for a decent average with gap power, and projecting for double-digit home-run totals annually. He has excellent arm strength and a quick release, which led to his gunning down 43 percent of attempted basestealers at Double-A. (K. Goldstein)

The Sleeper: Dominican middle-infielder Junior Lake is a long-bodied, athletic, toolsy player with power, speed, and a whole lot of raw ability. He showed plenty of potential while hitting .286/.335/.417 as an 18-year-old playing in the Arizona Rookie League. (K. Goldstein)

BP Colorado Rockies Top 11

2. Jhoulys Chacin, SP [*****] Coming up from short-season ball and dominating for both A-level affiliates as a 20-year-old, Chacin rocketed to the top position among Rockies pitching prospects... From the depth of his arsenal to his command and presence on the mound, everything about Chacin defies his youth. He throws up to five pitches, including a low-90s fastball with outstanding sink and run that generates as many ground balls as it does swings and misses. He also mixes in an effective upper-80s cutter, two different breaking balls which rank as average, and a very good changeup. One team official cited Chacin's maturity and confidence on the mound, saying "he manages himself with a slow heartbeat..." They have every confidence that Chacin is ready for a rotation spot at Double-A Tulsa. If he continues to succeed at the level that he did last year, a September look is not out of the question. (K. Goldstein)

BP Florida Marlins Top 11

2. Chris Coghlan, 2B [***] He's a classic polished college product who delivered a good year at the upper levels and participated in the Futures Game... is a pest on offense who works the count well and combines excellent contact with the ability to drive balls on occasion. Once he gets on, he's a plus runner who likes to steal bases. He's played a solid second base after moving there from third, which was his position in college... Rumors of Dan Uggla's departure have been flying around...
...but for now, Coghlan is scheduled to begin the year at Triple-A, as new acquisition Emilio Bonifacio has first dibs on the second-base job should Uggla depart (or simply move off of second). (K. Goldstein)