Programming note

Scheduling

Sorry for the lack of updates, I’ve been kind of short on time. I’m going to attempt to have something up on Thursday dealing with the Rule 5 draft, whether it be the Phillies taking someone or losing someone in the process. I’m also beginning to work on my top 30 prospects list, but it won’t be published for a while. Since we have plenty of time and not a whole lot to discuss, other than boring trade rumors/fantasies, I’m going to start the Reader Top 30, maybe on Friday, or maybe next Monday. There won’t be a firm time table, like one day per vote, especially with the holidays coming up, but it should spark some good debate, and in the depths of winter, good debate about interesting topics is always welcome.

So, look for Rule 5 stuff on Thursday, then maybe the first day of voting on the Reader Top 30, and we’ll go from there.

39 thoughts on “Programming note”

  3. In years past it was kind of hard to find enough guys to round out the top 30. This year we’re going to leave some true prospects off of the list – and that’s assuming we don’t end up with any Damarii Saunderson type anomolies…

    PP’s top 30 is always the highlight of the off-season for me.

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  4. Was Saunderson actually cut last year, didn’t see him on any teams at all, or was he at Ext. ST all season?

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  6. The best comparison of where our top 30 quality is now compared to where it used to be is a guy like Collier. In the past, we would have tried to overlook his terrible year and said look at all that potential and he would have been kept in the top 15 or so. Now, he will still make the top 30 but barely, in the mid to late 20s. Barring a Halladay trade, the #4 organization could be even higher next year because very few players may lose their eligibility this year by playing in the majors.

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  7. gmwannabe – I heard Sunderson was cut – was that not the case?

    PP, any plans for a 2010 break-out candidate post – or just a place for readers to suggest their own.

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  8. A couple more Rule 5 candidates of interest from BA’s John Manuel (no subscription necessary). I particularly like Rockies reliever Craig Baker, who’s described in this snippet…

    Baker was an ace at Cal State Northridge and a third-round pick in 2006, and he’s had shoulder injuries since college that limited him in his first two pro seasons. However, he proved durable as the high Class A California League’s top closer this season, saving 33 games, posting a 2.39 ERA and striking out 75 in a career-best 63 innings…
    Of course it’s more important to have real good stuff, and Baker does, with a 90-93 mph fastball and his signature power curveball, a plus low-80s breaker. He also throws a a slider for strikes.

    He posted good numbers in the California League (10.77 K/9, 3.02 BB/9, 0.14 HR/9, 50.0% GB, 2.26 FIP) and didn’t show much of a platoon split. In short, he’s the kind of guy I’d love the Phils to take a flier on.

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  9. Collier will at least make my own top 20, maybe 15. I’m not going to be deterred by a bad year when he’s 18/19 years old.

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  11. I just want everyone to know that we can all rest easy now . . . Ross Gload is in the house, baby!

    Seriously, if this team wants to go back and win another WS, the presence of a bench player who can just flat out hit the ball and can serve as a DH is very important. Greg Dobbs is not quite that player and, at least now, neither is “I left my heart in” Ben Francisco. I think Michael Taylor could become that player, but that’s all conjecture.

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  12. Scott Lauber says that Amaro and the Phillies “have targeted about three players that they’d be interested in selecting” in the Rule 5 draft tomorrow.

    So Bobby Mosebach, Lincoln Holdzkom, and Jim Ed Warden are all eligible, right?

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  16. I truly cannot believe that the Halladay thing is still alive.

    I realize I’m in the minority, but if I had to choose, I’d include Brown over Taylor. Brown may have more raw upside, but not a lot more, and Taylor is ready to become a phenomenal player and can give them much-needed payroll right away. I will say this, however, you can almost be guaranteed that this will be a one-year rental, so even Happ, Brown and somebody else (they will want at least one more player) will be a steep price. What is starting to make me sad is that, as I see this unfold, I get the nagging and ugly feeling that the team may be looking at the next two years or so as a limited window of opportunity. I hate that. I don’t want them to be good for 2 years, I want them to be good for the next decade. They haven’t really been burned yet in trading their young talent, but over, time, if they keep doing this, it is going to take its toll.

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  17. I would keep Taylor over Brown. I know it’s only on paper but Taylor has better numbers at every level they have both played.

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  20. Hopefully – the Halladay rumors are dead. This just in from MLB Trade Rumors: “8:33am: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. had this to say to Scott Lauber about acquiring Halladay: “I don’t think there’s any likeliness. None.””

    I’m going to look up Herndon right away.

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  22. I can’t find Herndon’s statistics anywhere – is his name misspelled in the media? Has anyone been able to find a link with his stats?

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  23. Proper Name: Kenneth David Herndon
    Born: Sept. 4, 1985 in Panama City, Fla.
    High School:
    College: Gulf Coast (Fla.) CC
    Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 230
    Bats: R Throws: R

    2009 Pitching Statistics
    Club (League) Class W L ERA G GS CG SV IP H R ER HR BB SO BB/9 SO/9 WHIP STK% G/F
    Arkansas (TL) AA 5 6 3.03 50 0 0 11 65.1 70 25 22 9 14 35 1.93 4.82 1.29 66% 2.28
    Minor League Totals 5 6 3.03 50 0 0 11 65.1 70 25 22 9 14 35 1.93 4.82 1.29 66% 2.28

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  29. What’s the point of drafting a guy like Herndon? There’s virtually no chance he’ll end up being on the big league team when camp breaks north.

    Am I overlooking any strategy angle?

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  31. They must have like what they saw in the Dominican Winter League where Herndon has been working an inning or less with a GO/AO of 2.50 and opponents hitting just .148 in his last 10 relief appearances. Probably could be the next Clay Condrey.

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  32. Sanchez I get (looks like a power arm), but Herndon is harder to understand. Maybe with him (Herndon) they see a player who is surging or who could be much better if they tweaked something about his approach/motion or used him in a different way. It is a bit of a head scratcher.

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  36. The cost is so minimal that it won’t hurt to take a look. As suggested scouts often see something that they can alter to add movement or velocity. Arms are always needed in the spring and this one is certainly cheap.

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  37. Phillies selected RHP David Herndon from the Angels with the 22nd pick in the Rule 5 Draft.

    Herndon, 24, was drafted in the fifth round by the Angels in 2006. He’s known as a control pitcher, averaging just 1.4 BB/9 in 132 professional appearances. Still, he’s a longshot to stick with the big club in 2010.

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  38. Scott lauber wrote this on his blog….Herndon had been pitching in the Dominican Winter League, where Phillies minor-league coach Carlos Arroyo was his pitching coach.

    “We’ve seen him for about 3-4 years now, and our guys really got on him down in winter ball this year down in the Dominican,” pro scouting coordinator Mike Ondo said. “He’s a two-pitch guy, and he’s got a real good sinker. We’ve seen fastballs from 91 to 94, but we really like the sink that he has and the fact that he can give us, maybe if he makes the club, two innings out of the bullpen.”

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