Random thought

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I’m not going to bother with a depth chart for Lakewood, because after we started doing these I realized that everything is still very much in the air, and there isn’t even a whole lot of value in that. But I did see this in today’s scouting notebook by Kevin Goldstein at BP;

Carlos Carrasco, RHP, Phillies: “He has a chance to be special with that changeup.”

Jason Donald, MI, Phillies: “He gets a lot of hype, but I’m just not on that. He’s a bench player at best.”

Remember, this isn’t Goldstein’s opinion, just what scouts have told him.

56 thoughts on “Random thought”

  1. The opinions expressed by scouts are wholly their own and although are informed opinions are not definite indicators of future performance. Possible side effects include dizziness and vomiting. Your results will vary. See your doctor if you have other questions about BP.

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  3. I was puzzled at first by that assessment of Donald, but if you’re focusing strictly on tools, Donald doesn’t have one that really jumps out at you. He’s one of those “solid but unspectacular” / “abilities play up because of intangibles” / “good work ethic” type of players. Given that guys like Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia have been slapped with the same tags before, I’m not unduly worried about it.

    (Not that I’m saying Donald will be anything like those two; just proving a point.)

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  4. I’m not that concerned with Donald because even if he ends up being a bench player I think he has the skill set, work ethic and ability to be an excellent bench player. Just because a guy doesn’t start regularly doesn’t mean he isn’t an important part of a team. A good minor league system will produce a lot of different players that a team needs. Let’s not forget how much we all detested the Tomas Perez’s of the world.

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  5. Just as a side note, Yahoo!Sports affiliate Scout.com came out with its top 100 prospects today.

    While certainly not as well respected as BA, BP, or any of the other major scouting services out there, it’s at least noteworthy that three Phillies prospects made the list:

    Carlos Carrasco – #54
    Lou Marson – #78
    JA Happ – #96

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  6. Honestly, I see Donald as a starter on a 2nd division team. I think he could fill in at 3B next year but I don’t see him as a star.

    I like the positive remarks on Carrasco.

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  7. All the folks who discount Jason Donald will be proven wrong with time. Just wait and see.

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  9. IMHO Donald will prove to be a SOLID starter at 2B but that is never going to happen for us. At 3B he will be average with his D and be a solid production guy but nothing eye popping hitting around .280 with 12-15 HRs but a ton of doubles.

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  10. Since this is random, just thought I’d point out today’s philly.com says Phillies signed Domingo Santana (16) 6’5 OF from the Dominican Republic for $300,000 , in case anybody missed it.

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  11. The Santana contract is an excellent sign that the team is committed to dedicating significant resources to the farm system and overcoming this year’s loss of a first round pick.

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  12. I guess I was wrong. It looks like they will be spending more in Latin America due to the lack of draft picks. Something about signing a guy that was pursued by the Yankees makes my heart swell with pride.

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  13. Good news about the international signing. Question though…how were they able to sign him when I thought you couldn’t begin signing international 16-year-olds until June?

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  14. Does anyone have a link about the Santana signing, or possibly some more information? A 6’5″ 16 year old is certainly intriguing (and of course, there’s the question of his age)

    It is nice to see the Phils spending on player development. Let’s hope they keep it up.

    – Jeff

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  18. Google is no help on further information, especially since there is a stadium named ‘Domingo Santana’. Are we sure the Phillies didn’t just buy a stadium?

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  19. Haha maybe that is the name of the town he’s from. 6 foot 5 with a laser rocket arm at 16 is very intriguing thou.

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  20. More info from the Daily News:The Phillies hope they have discovered a gem in the Dominican Republic. The organization has signed a 6-5, 190-pound outfielder named Domingo Santana, giving him a $330,000 bonus. The righthanded hitter is just 16 years old and does not turn 17 until August.

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  21. Daily News lists the Santana bonus as $330K. Supposedly turns 17 in August.

    My question is why he did not sign last summer? I think the eligibility date is sometime in August for players to turn 16. This signing is good news, though of course we hope there are another 4-6 additional ones like this.

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  22. Wow, I am pretty surprised and happy that they signed somebody.

    I know last year the Reds signed Juan Duran around this time(I think). He was going to be a top sign after July 2nd, but it turned out he was eligible before then.

    If the Phillies spend this much, you have to figure they absolutely love him. Supposedly they have great scouts down there, they just never sign the guys. Hopefully things change this year.

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  24. Yeah, especially since Domingo Santana is an anagram for “Danny Almonte” (well, the DO share a couple of similar letters, you gotta give me that at least)

    – Jeff

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  25. Just a reminder – the book on Utley when he came up was that he was a tough player, projected as a .280-.300 line-drive hitter w/ about 15 hr and about 80 rbi and that, while a good baserunner, he was a poor defender (in case anyone missed this, his fielding numbers last year were off the charts – as if his offensive contributions were not enough).

    So, yes, Friar is right, I’m not too concerned about what the scouting gurus say about Donald. They can go back to watching Andrew McCutcheon.

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  26. i agree with friar. as i have said before, donald is not a “scouts player”. he doesn’t blow you away with any tool. his strongest tool is his make-up, but scouts don’t focus on that.

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  27. Donald is a terrific player but he’ll never be a starting shortstop for a playoff team. He doesn’t have the range or the arm. But that’s okay, that’s why they have 2B where he could truly excel. My guess is that if the Phils think he might be able to replace Pedro next year, he’ll play mostly 3B at Lehigh. If they plan to trade him, he’ll stay at SS. Amaro asked for Buchholz from the Red Sox when they asked for our boy Lou and I say way to go Ruben. I could live with that deal but the Red Sox refused.

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  28. And since this is really random let me be the first to toss this out – Brandon Workman. Just saw a thing on BA where they are predicting he could be a top five pick next year. Ouch. I’m more than fine with picks like Kyle Gibson – he’s high on the draft list for this year but was a 37th round pick or so, so you can’t blame the Phils. Workman was a 3rd rounder.

    Now back to more positive thoughts!!!

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  29. Ehh yea that sucks about Workman, but didn’t we get Collier with the comp pick from missing out on him? at least there’s a silver lining

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  30. “Donald is a terrific player but he’ll never be a starting shortstop for a playoff team. He doesn’t have the range or the arm.”

    Derek Jeter has no range and a much worse arm than Donald. I do believe he was a SS on a playoff-caliber team. Don’t think Donald will hit like Jeter, but he can certainly provide adequate defense up the middle.

    I don’t think playoff-caliber teams necessarily all have SSs with a lot of range and a cannon arm, either, and neither will you if you stop to check out some of those teams.

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  31. It was not Collier they got in lieu of Workman. They got a replacement 3rd rounder, which I believe turned into Vance Worley.

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  32. My mistake… for some reason I thought Workman was a second-rounder.

    I think I’d much rather have Workman than Worley.

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  33. Side note: Freddy Galvis’ name has been popping up in box scores, anyone have any info on him on how he looks at the plate? The development of Galvis and Mattair could be huge this year.

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  35. When I watched Saturday’s game and saw HOW good a catcher Jaramillo was I did a 180. This plan was been flawed
    all along. And the key point they seemed to have no intention
    of promoting Marson, Neither Ruiz or Coste can stop baserunners late and close. I like the fact that he got up in the
    Phillies faces and produced defensively. three catchers would of been a better plan freeing Coste for other things.
    It is a fan right to change their mind Anyway its over and we have a pitcher who cant pitch.

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  36. When Amaro made the trade exchanging a catcher for a catcher, I thought it didn’t make sense. We’d of got the same or better from Jaramillo. What was the point? Nor did the Mayberry, Golson trade make sense. Swapping number 1s, one outfielder for another? An was Ibanez such a deal? Money wise Burrell signed for considerably less.

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  37. Or they gonna send Mayberry back just to keep a guy who
    is a leftie and little elso . Even Charlie sounds unsure??

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  38. Send Mayberry back where? All I’m saying is Golson would of fit as a Michael Bourn type player, with great speed, a late inning defensive replacement, occasional start.. Mayberry is similar to Taylor and Brown in talent, so I wonder if there will be a place for him in Philadelphia.

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  39. Phils have believed all along that Jaramillo was a sub-par defensive catcher, despite a couple of defensive player of the year awards in the minors.

    Maybe he didn’t take instruction well. I’d be content with him platooning with Ruiz since he can hit righties, at least at the AAA level.

    Coste should be OK for another year, though. If Ruiz gets hurt, we’d better hope Marson is ready.

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  40. Every time I think I can trust Ruben he rekindles the doubt.
    This organization has to start judging player on what they
    can do instead of the secrative “winter meeting plan:” and personal likes and dislikes.

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  41. Really?!? They believed Jaramillo was sub par defensively? I thought it was more that he couldn’t hit. They almost always mentioned his defense as a plus…he simply never hit enough to beat out Ruiz and there was no point to have both Ruiz and Jaramillo on the same roster as they are the same player overall.

    To Airborne: It was more of a “change of scenery” trade for both guys as well. The Phillies also didn’t have any power corner bats in their upper minors either so they wanted a guy they could call up to do that. Neither Taylor and Brown have played even at AA yet so you couldn’t call either up like you could Mayberry. Besides Golson will likely never hit at the MLB level…his strikezone recognition is almost non-existent.

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  42. Nepp I have to disagree Jaramillo is so much better a defensive catcher Ruiz. It isnt even close . You could give Ruiz
    a tub of ball and clear the field and he would never make the throws Jaramillo did Saturday. I have heard that calls a good game crap since the ’50’s Maybe Jaramillo and Marson can do better. I am just PO’d from being misled

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  43. “nowheels please Says:
    March 29, 2009 at 5:42 pm
    Nepp I have to disagree Jaramillo is so much better a defensive catcher Ruiz. It isnt even close . You could give Ruiz a tub of ball and clear the field and he would never make the throws Jaramillo did Saturday. ”

    Ruiz is one of the best throwing catchers the phillies have had for a long time- but phillies pitching philosophy seems to have gone back to the Joe Kerrigan days to limit your concern over baserunners and focus on the hitter. The only other thing I could think is that, and while i’ve never thought he looked slow, his catch and release time may be delayed. Cause he’s made some tremendous throws the last 2 years that didn’t nail baserunners.

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  44. oh well water under the bridge I quess. I was under the illusion they were going to give Marson a chance. They didnt
    even give Donald a chance and are putting too much on a
    aging player like Feliz.(I doubt that situation ends well.

    Fish and Nepp your thoughts on Jenkins staying PLEASE

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  45. “Nepp I have to disagree Jaramillo is so much better a defensive catcher Ruiz. It isnt even close.”

    This is so wrong lol.

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  47. “Fish and Nepp your thoughts on Jenkins staying PLEASE”

    Well, Stairs or Jenkins has to stay- and nobody is going to eat his salary, so isn’t pretty close to a given that Jenkins stays? besides, i think he’s got to be a better outfielder than Stairs, and hitting wise, the two aren’t that different if you expose them both to 200 at bats. I guess i’d prefer stairs as a pinch hitter- but no big tradeoff.

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  48. They have gotten salaries twister Ohman signed a minor league contract for about 1/2 mil more than Taschner . The difference Ohman can get lefties out. If they hadnt got
    Paulino would they not be forced to get rid of his salary.(over
    my head)
    It just seem strange to talk about keeping guys back just to not start the clock,when you are stuck for millions with Jenkins.
    Unless Taschner turns it around they got less than nothing for Jaramillo 800k less

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  49. I Know that a lot of the people have seen the kids play. But I never remember hearing that Jaramillo was a great defensive catcher. Last season after hearing Lidge say he can throw his pitch in the dirt and not worry because of ruiz, that sealed it for me even with little offense, Ruiz earns his starting position with great confidence by the pitching staff.

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  50. good point but it doesnt mean Jaramillo cant do it also
    I guess you didnt watch saturdays game Mike but i believe
    my own eyes.
    Put it this way had they released Jaramillo they would of been better off than they are now saddled with Taschner.

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  51. I cant believe how wrong i was. Jaramillo as back up and you have Coste as “right handed bat ” off the bench. chit and cheap since JJ get minimum. goes to show ya we can be as dump as GM’s

    Sheffield the bench???

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  52. I really try to steer away from Major League talk on this site, but Sheffield on the bench would be a mistake. Hell, you’re only going to be on the hook for $400k, call up Mayberry instead and let him be the backup. At least you won’t have to deal with a cancerous personality (side note: Sheffield is one of my least favorite athletes of all time)

    – Jeff, who actually did work some minor league talk into this post (pats self on back)

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  53. Anyone in Clearwater seen Darin McDonald. Supposedly he’s reconsidered an is returning to baseball.

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  54. My yearly prayer has done unheard. We will have to endure another year of Chris Wheeler I only hope my sacrifice will
    get me into heaven sooner. The Sarg isnt too fancy either but at least he tells the truth as he sees it. The greatest Wheeler insult is when he lies on TV as he does on Radio. OMG
    PS. SORRY but i feel better now

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  55. Wheels, follow the Phillies minor leaguers and you won’t have to listen to Wheeler.

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  56. I think complaints about Wheeler are about as far as you could possibly deviate from talking about Phillies minor leaguers while still talking about baseball in general.

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