How didn't this guy pan out?

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:49 pm

Figure maybe this will get discussion going. What prospect, either from your IBC or favorite team's past, are you still in shock didn't pan out?

Brewers · Post by **Brewers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:12 pm

Being the last person off the train this summer, I have to start this conversation with Brandon Wood. I know he played in some favorable offensive environments, but that one puzzled me.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:21 pm

A look into the future: Tyler Skaggs and Juan "Snapneck" Nicasio

Ok,ok, I'll be serious for a minute. Andrew Miller. It's still fairly early on him, but huge, fireballing lefty seemed like a no-miss. You have to look at the development issues. First, he was rushed by Detroit, then flipped to Florida, who didn't do him any favors, either. But I thought he was going to be a Randy Johnson-like stud.

Phillies · Post by **Phillies** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:46 pm

Lou Marson. I wasnt too upset when we traded him cause Lee was coming to town. But I thought he'd be a great defender and a .280/.380 type hitter with 10HR and plenty of doubles.

Cardinals · Post by **Cardinals** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:51 pm

Nick Noonan. I thought he'd end up being Chase Utley-lite at some point, or at least a plus offensive 2B with passable defense. Didn't happen.

Brewers · Post by **Brewers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:53 pm

I can speak to Miller. As a Tiger fan I lived through that pain. The story out of Detroit was that the major league stitches were less pronounced than the college stitches on the baseball and he couldn't grip the ball the same. I don't know about that, but I do know he never through a quality slider in the big leagues and his college slider was the best I have ever seen.

Giants · Post by **Giants** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:57 pm

Pretty much everyone from Stanford since Mike Mussina. I grew up going to Stanford games and believed in all of those guys (my first IBC trade was giving up the 6th pick in the 2005 draft, which turned out to be Troy Tulowitzki IIRC, in order to get a late first rounder so I could take John Mayberry, also got Jeremy Accardo but the key to me was Mayberry. Yikes). I've since learned about the Stanford swing and what happens when you have a pitcher go out and throw 120 pitches on 2 days rest and now it makes sense...

Rays · Post by **Rays** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:58 pm

Great topic.

I thought Scott Elbert was going to be lights out and then he had the shoulder issues.

Loved Radhames Liz and I think Nate Hunter somehow stole him off waivers from me.

Probably have to throw Chris Nelson's name out there at this point, since he's pretty famous (or infamous) in the league.

Anyway, looking forward to reading these as many guys have been following prospects for much longer than me.

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:59 pm

There's not a Cardinals prospect that really jumps out, but then again the Cardinals haven't really had a top of the line prospect I can recall since JD Drew and Ankiel (and I won't lump Ankiel in here)

Tony Giarratano, as me and Ben discussed earlier. He wasn't going to be a world beater or anything, but I was 100% certain he'd be an average to above average shortstop for a long time. Good D, hit for average, had some pop in his bat, did well at every level.

I guess my biggest disappointment was Stud Stable member Josh Barfield. When I dealt for him, he was being compared to Jeff Kent. But that clearly didn't happen, and my future #4 hitter was traded away for Tom Gordon in 2007

Brewers · Post by **Brewers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:01 pm

I saw John Mayberry hit a 450 ft. bomb in a single A game. He also struck out three times and made a throwing error.

The most impressive thing that I ever saw in a minor league game was a throw from Felix Pie. I saw Pie throw a ball on a line from the warning track in center over the catcher's head. I was sure he was going to be a star, of course one of the reason's I thought that was his similarity to Alphonso Soriano...hmmmmmm.

I also took in about 5 Joel Zumaya single A starts. Man! Talk about some helpless 18 year olds.

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:02 pm

I forgot all about Felix Pie, I had him on my roster for a long, long time. I finally gave up on him around 2006. He was the player that made me swear off Latin American hitting prospects

Phillies · Post by **Phillies** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:03 pm

Mayberry ended 2011 hitting .301/.370/.593 with 9 HR in 42 games. Be ready.

Brewers · Post by **Brewers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:07 pm

I have always been a sucker for the tall rocket thrower too.

Andy Sisco was a personal favorite.

I really wanted Colt Griffen to succeed.

Brewers · Post by **Brewers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:19 pm

The 1998 Tigers:

In 1997 the Tigers had:

25 year old 1B Tony Clark who hit .276/.376/.500 with 32 HR

27 year old 2B Damion Easley who hit .264/.362/.471 with 22 HR

26 year old OF Bobby Higginson who hit .299/.379/.520 with 27 HR

29 year old DH Bob Hamelin who hit .270/.366/.487

28 year old 3B Travis Fryman who hit .274/.326/.440

---------------------

24 year old ACE Justin Thompson 15-11, 3.02 ERA, 223 IP, 152 ERA+

29 year old CL Todd Jones 3.09 ERA

---------------------

21 year old CF Juan Encarnacion .323/.394/.560, 26 HR (AA)

21 year old CF Gabe Kapler .295/.361/.505 (A+), he would also hit .322/.393/.583 in 98 at (AA)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dodgers · Post by **Dodgers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:22 pm

Greg Miller.

Tigers · Post by **Tigers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:26 pm

Chris Snelling - never could stay healthy after he blew that knee out rounding third.

Phillies · Post by **Phillies** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:27 pm

JD Drew - Mr too good for Philadelphia. Suck it.

Cardinals · Post by **Cardinals** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:33 pm

I don't think JD Drew counts as a bust. He played 14 years, hit .278/.384/.489 for his career, with a career 125 OPS+. He only made one all star game, but he was a pretty good player. Not the next Mickey Mantle, but I don't think he qualifies as not panning out.

Except for the Phillies.

edit - misread what Aaron said. But there are people out there who really hate JD Drew (besides Phillies fans), and I don't understand why.

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:36 pm

JD Drew never should've left Atlanta. The one year he was there was the only time he ever looked like he enjoyed playing baseball. But I'm eventually he'd have gotten a hangnail that put him on the DL there too

Mariners · Post by **Mariners** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:42 pm

I would say Mark Prior, but when it comes to pitchers, injuries, loss of velocity and such, I'm more suprised by the ones who actually make it and have a good career.

Not that I was suprised he didn't make it, as we knew of 'his ways' as a Minor Leaguer, but the one that just makes me sick for having a multi-million talent, but the brain of an idiot is Elijah Dukes.

Phillies · Post by **Phillies** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:45 pm

Travis Lee and Omar Daal. That trade still hurts.

Brewers · Post by **Brewers** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:53 pm

It would pain me every time I watched a Twins/Tigers game to see Jason Kubel and Ryan Raburn on the field at the same time. Kubel was such an amazing prospect before Raburn kneecapped him in an AFL game. Even though it would have made MIN way better, I always felt bad for him.

Kubel in 2004: .352/.414/.590 in AA/AAA

He was also known as a pretty mobile OF at the time. He has carved out a decent career for himself, but with the mobility he may have signed a 100 M contract one day.

Pirates · Post by **Pirates** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:19 pm

Donald Veal

Pirates · Post by **Pirates** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:23 pm

Also a ton of top 100 prospects I had over the years.

Chuck lofgren
Trevor Crowe
Billy Rowell.

Also everyone involved in the Santana trade
Mulvey
Guerra
Humber

Phillies · Post by **Phillies** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:48 pm

Humber is ready for the spotlight.