Re: Minor Matters

2417
Reviewing Tony's posts here is his list from 20 up to 7:

20. Shawn Armstrong RH RP
19. Giovanni Urshela 3B who Civ loves
18. Devon McClure OF athletic can he play ball?
17. Chun Lee RH RP out 2012 with arm surgery
16. Anthony Santander OF Civ favorite and pick for 2013
15. Nick Hagadone LH RP is he still eligible as a rookie?
14. Trey Haley RP, rh I think Sort of a breakout season in 2012
13. Luigi Rodriguez OF usually rated higher
12. Jesus Aguillar 1B Tony had him way too high last year, let's see him how he does in AA
11. Scott Barnes LH RP Higher than Hagadone?
10. Tony Wolters 2b-ss One of many middle IF in the top 10'
9. Mitch Brown RHP High pick out of high school in 2012, long way from majors
8. Tyler Naquin OF No Homers in his debut season; playing CF but playing doesn't have CF future
7. Cody Allen RHP Looked fine in 2012 debut season; not impressing this spring

Who's left? The standard top 3 of Bauer, Lindor and Paulino. Middle IF Ronnie Rodriguez. RHP Danny Salazar. And I guess Joe's 2013 favorite Sr. Ramirez.

Re: Minor Matters

2418
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Jose Ramirez Blasts Series del Caribe Three Run Homer Well Over Right Centerfield Wall
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Jose Ramirez Greeted At Home Following His Three Run Homer At The Series Del Caribe in Mexico

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Well, after his winterball season ended, I figured he would rank somewhere between 8 and 15. Going 1-5 far exceeded my expectations. I knew Tony was struggling with the idea of where to rank Ramirez. I think Mexico did the trick, icing on the cake. Ramirez was outstanding during the winter playoff season. That had to be an additional "feather" in the cap. Winning a gold glove this winter and making the Series del Caribe all-star team certainly did not hurt his chances any. Jose put one helluva resume together this fall and winter.
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Here's a few photos of Jose Ramirez in action for the Toros in the Dominican Republic.

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Jose Ramirez Player Page

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... pid=608070

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“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

2419
Tony's No. 6

6. Ronny Rodriguez – Shortstop

Born: 04/17/1992 - Height: 6’0” - Weight: 170 - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

History: Rodriguez was signed by the Indians as a free agent in October of 2010 out of the Dominican Republic. He originally signed with the Chicago Cubs back in 2008 when he was 16 years old, but since he was attending high school in the United States in Boston at the time he had to be released from his contract. After he was released by the Cubs he had to wait a year in order to be eligible to sign with another team. He finished last season ranked 4th in the Carolina League in games played (126), 7th in at bats (454), 8th in runs (67), 10th in hits (120), 4th in home runs (19), 7th in RBI (66), 5th in total bases (205), 11th in slugging percentage (.452), and 15th in OPS (.752).

Re: Minor Matters

2420
Tony's No. 5

5. Danny Salazar – Right-handed Pitcher

Born: 01/11/1990 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

History: Salazar was signed by the Indians as a free agent in July of 2006 out of the Dominican Republic. He suffered a right elbow sprain in late May of 2010 that eventually led to Tommy John surgery in August of 2010. He made five appearances (three starts) in the Dominican Winter League in the offseason and went 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA, and in 14.0 innings he allowed 12 hits, 1 home run, 4 walks, and had 17 strikeouts.

Strengths: Salazar is a converted shortstop that has a smaller frame for a pitcher but has tons of athleticism and lots of arm strength. He has a lot of confidence in his.. [the rest is available only to subscribers]

Re: Minor Matters

2422
I keep checking back over Tony's top 60 prospect list to see if I missed a rating along the line somewhere.

At one point, I was wondering why Ramirez wasn't rated higher, a little closer to Lindor in fact. I'm anxious to see what changed in Tony's opinion.

I'd really like to read the scouting report once it becomes available. So! If anyone out there has a subscription to Tony's Baseball Insider, I'd appreciate someone posting it.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

2423
2013 Indians Top 60 Prospects: #4 2B Jose Ramirez

Yard Barker Found 12 hours ago on Indians Baseball Insider:

TEAMS: Cleveland Indians

The IBI's 2013 Indians Top 60 Prospect countdown continues on with second baseman Jose Ramirez. Some may be surprised to see Ramirez this high, but if there was one player that caught the system by storm last season it was Ramirez and is a player that the Indians themselves did not really know what they had in him until June and July came around. All he does is hit and his impressive winter ball showing could land him in Akron to start the season. Tony talks about his exciting upside and areas of opportunity in this detailed scouting report.

Scouting Notes

Turned in impressive full-season debut at Low-A Lake County in 2012, batting .354/.403/.462 with 54 runs scored, 15 stolen bases and 26/24 K/BB in 67 games; 5’9” doesn’t involve much projection; switch hitter with a simple swing and direct path to the ball; lots of hard contact; strong top hand and bat-to-ball ability.

Potential for a legitimate plus hit tool; drives the ball despite undersized frame; can be overaggressive at the plate; projects for below-average power.

Natural second baseman; arm is weakest tool, though sufficient for the position; smooth, clean actions; above-average speed lends to similar range; solid glove and hands; second-base-only prospect; value will always be tied to his hit tool.

Spring Training Forecast

Ramirez will head to minor league spring training, but could very well see some at-bats in big league camp as the month progresses.

2013 Outlook

He may be undersized and lack projection, but Ramirez will move up to High-A next season and could keep moving up the ladder if he continues to rake.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

2426
It would mean that he is future trade fodder. I would not be surprised for him to be moved as far a head as possible. Then traded.
Anything's possible in Cleveland as we've seen in the past.

I would be very careful in making any hasty decisions for at least 2 years or so. Afterall, Ramirez is only 19 years old (Born 9/16/92). He won't be turning 20 until September.

Whatever happens, I think Ramirez is slotted just about where I was hoping he would be at this time.

I don't think anyone here has seen Ramirez play as much as I have. He has all the skills except maybe for a power bat which may still come if he grows a tad more.

Dustin Pedroia is 5'-8" x 165 lbs. Everyone was telling me that he was too small to play in the majors, that he would never last the rigors of a long season. I guess they were wrong, eh?

Jose Ramirez is 5'-9" x 165 lbs ( 1 whole inch taller than Pedroia :P ). No one was able to judge Pedroia's intangibles like heart and his aggressive, hardnosed attitude. In this respect, I think Ramirez has a lot in common with Pedroia.

As far as stamina is concerned.......I think he can handle it.

In 2012 between Arizona, Mahoning Valley, Lake County, DWL, and the Series del Caribe, Ramirez played in 164 games and had a whopping 740 plate appearances.

Only question is whether or not Ramirez had enough rest between the end of the Series del Caribe which just ended February 7th, and the start of spring training. That's just shy of 1 entire year's worth of non-stop baseball. Even between the end of the summer season and the start of winterball, he was on the field prepping for a spot on the Toros roster.

Not to be overlooked is Ramirez's defense. Between Mahoning Valley and Lake County, Ramirez had a .993 (only 2 errors) good enough to win himself his first gold glove. Couple that with his play this winter and you can add another gold glove to his trophy cabinet.

Ramirez is a prospect. Only 19 years old. Plenty of time to become a star or to become a bust. Hopefully he'll get the opportunities to find out.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

2427
2013 Indians Top 60 Prospects: #4 2B Jose Ramirez

By Tony Lastoria

March 14, 2013 ShareThis

4. Jose Ramirez – Second Baseman

Born: 09/17/1992 – Height: 5’9” – Weight: 165 – Bats: Switch – Throws: Right

History:

Ramirez was signed by the Indians as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic in November of 2009. He did not play in 2010 due to injury and made his professional debut in 2011 stateside at rookie level Arizona. He finished in the Top 15 of the Arizona League in hitting in 2011 (.325) and last season he finished 1st in the organization in hitting (.354). He played in the Dominican Winter League in the offseason where he racked up 234 at bats and played in 60 games, hitting .303 with 2 HR, 30 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and .765 OPS, and also had a 31-38 walk to strikeout ratio.

Strengths:

Ramirez is yet another interesting young middle infielder for the Indians who has some considerable upside as a prospect. He shows very good, natural ability from both sides of the plate and has very good hand-eye coordination which helps him consistently put the bat on the ball. He shows good patience and discipline at the plate where he is selective and zones up to look for a good pitch to hit, lays off borderline pitches, and is not afraid to work from behind in the count. He lacks much physical strength and has below average power, but he displays good bat speed and drives the ball well for his size where he can really pound the gaps and keep defenses honest. He is a lightning rod who impacts the top of the lineup as a tablesetter and true leadoff prospect not only because of his good bat-to-ball ability, patience, and on-base skills, but with how he puts pressure on the defense every at bat. He has very good speed, is a threat to steal when he gets on base, runs the bases very hard, is a very instinctual runner, and brings a ton of energy.

For as much as Ramirez has excelled in the batter’s box in his short career, he has been equally as impressive in the field. He has become a bona fide prospect not just because of his plus hitting tool and speed, but also because of his very good skills and versatility as a defender. He along with shortstop Francisco Lindor made for quite an impressive keystone combination last year at Low-A Lake County in the second half of the season and routinely put up highlight reel plays almost every night. He shows good lateral movement to his left and right, has good hands and footwork, has quick feet, and a strong, accurate arm. The Indians believe he is more of a second baseman at the moment, but they have played him some at shortstop to give him exposure there and all over the diamond in order to add to his versatility. He shows some leadership qualities, has very good makeup, and is a very hard worker.

Ramirez was not even ranked in the Top 100 prospect listing last season, though the Indians themselves were not even sure of what they had in him going into the season. Once he was unleashed in the second half the season at Low-A Lake County he exploded onto the season and is now a priority prospect for them. The subjective evaluation of his tools and potential changed significantly from the beginning of spring training to the end of the season and his winter ball campaign where his tools now grade out as Major League average and much higher than they were a year prior. His energy and ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball is impressive, and is something that really opened the eyes to a lot of the coaches, front office personnel, and coordinators in the organization. The reckless all-out way he plays is contagious, and he is a lot like former Indians outfield prospect Jose Constanza, though has much higher upside.

Opportunities:

Ramirez spent the first half of last season in extended spring training while Robel Garcia opened the year and struggled at Lake County. Garcia was a higher priority prospect going into the season, which is why he got the opportunity at Lake County initially and why Ramirez did not, but it shows how much of an unknown Ramirez was and how he really took advantage of an opportunity. There is not a lot to his game that needs work as he is so polished both defensively and offensively, though he needs to refine his approach to be more consistent with it at the plate, continue to make strides with his pitch recognition skills, and fine tune his game defensively with his pre-pitch positioning and focus. He needs more development as a base-runner as he is still learning to get a feel for stealing bases, reading pitchers, and getting good jumps. He came on so strong and fast last season that he now has expectations he has to live up to as a high profile prospect, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure that comes with the more high profile spotlight this season. He also needs to prove he can keep up his high level performance as there is not much of a track record to go by. Since he is undersized and lacks much power, he will need to maintain his plus bat-to-ball and on-base skills in order to retain his high prospect standing.

Outlook:

If there is one player that caught the system by storm last season it was Ramirez as he has shot up the ranks and come out of nowhere to become the Indians best true second base prospect in their system. He opened up some eyes after a stellar 2011 campaign at rookie-level Arizona, but he is now taken much more seriously as a prospect after his dominant showing at Low-A Lake County last season and what he did in winter ball in the offseason. He had about as great of a season with the bat as a player can have last season, and has put himself on the map as a guy the Indians know they need to focus their resources toward. He has been a performer to date in his short career, and is a guy with an unlimited future at this point. At worst he could end up an infield version of Jose Constanza or Ezequiel Carrera and become a good depth option for the Indians down the road, but if he keeps performing like he has and continues to develop he has the potential to be much more and be an everyday Major League second baseman. He has been one of the better stories in the Indians system the last year, and it will be exciting this season to see how he builds on his 2012 campaign. He thought is that he will open the season as the regular second baseman at High-A Carolina, though after his lengthy and impressive showing in winter ball there is a lot of talk that he may completely skip Carolina and open the season at Double-A Akron.

Video IBI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8slDmQEb9Y

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“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

2428
Dammed! Rusty made me do it :P

I forked out twenty five bucks for a subscription to IBI. Twenty five bucks for a scouting report. Go Figure! :lol:
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

2429
Dustin Pedroia is 5'-8" x 165 lbs. Everyone was telling me that he was too small to play in the majors, that he would never last the rigors of a long season. I guess they were wrong, eh?

Who knew PEDroia was going to start taking PEDs when he went to the majors ?

You sure know how to waste $25. You do know that Lastoria was actually the poster "Consigliere" on the same forum you were "Bobbinhead doll" or guy or whatever.

Re: Minor Matters

2430
Are you telling me that Tito condoned PED's ?!?!?!

I need proof that Pedroia is tainted.

Well! Maybe Pedroia is tainted. Tito sure likes a certain druggie that we all know is tainted and there is proof he was doing drugs. Tito is expecting this guy to be a clubhouse leader ??

Still need some proof tough.

As far as I'm aware of, Pedroia is insisting on stiffer penalties for abusers.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller