Given the definitions of value in my earlier post, I consider this one…

“relative worth, merit, or importance: the value of a college education; the value of a queen in chess.”

as my best way to evaluate talent and to assign value.

What this means is that I am not going to penalize a player for switching leagues midseason or for being on a poor team. Mark Teixeira, for example, showed more poise than weakness by adjusting from NL pitching to AL pitching and thriving.

Drop the “League”-necessary aspect of it. Anyone who switches leagues is thereby null and void in that case (Manny Ramirez? AL MVP hands down).

So, when I make my votes, I am going to take the last league in which they played and count the players entire year into the consideration. So, for example, C. C. Sabathia started in Cleveland, finished in Milwaukee, but I will treat his stats as if he spent the whole season in Milwaukee.

It’s not perfect, but it is light years better than the system our voters currently go by. Imagine a year where a Pujols 70 HR .500 OBP year gets shafted because of a deadline trade.

Here is the paste of my original 2008 award picks, posted originally on my fantasy baseball forum. In hindsight a few small changes could’ve been made but I stand by everything I wrote:
 

AL MVP:

  3B Alex Rodriguez (NYY):
   .302 AVG, .392 OBP, .573 SLG
   35 HR, 104 R, 103 RBI
   65 BB, 117 K
   18/21 SB/CS, .965 OPS

  Comments: Even with the missed time, the best (but not easy) choice. Playing 3rd base over 1st base gives a slight edge.

 [2nd choice]:
  
  1B Mark Teixeira (LAA):
   .308 AVG, .410 OBP, .552 SLG
   33 HR, 102 R, 121 RBI
   98 BB, 93 K
   2/0 SB/CS, .962 OPS

  Comments: One of the most underrated players (please GOD come to Toronto). Qualifies for AL despite playing mostly in ATL. Has more BB than SO.

 [3rd choice]:
  
  CF Josh Hamilton (TEX):
   .304 AVG, .371 OBP, .530 SLG
   32 HR, 98 R, 130 RBI
   64 BB, 126 K
   9/1 SB/CS, .901 OPS

  Comments: .901 OPS doesn’t cut it for first choice. The high RBI total reflects the team he plays on more than his ability.

  Ranks four through ten:

#4 OF Carlos Quentin (CWS)
#5 OF Jason Bay (BOS)
#6 1B Kevin Youkilis (BOS)
#7 1B Miguel Cabrera (DET)
#8 1B Justin Morneau (MIN)
#9 DH Milton Bradley (TEX)
#10 C Joe Mauer (MIN)

AL Cy Young:

   SP Roy Halladay (TOR):
    20-11 W/L, 246.0 IP, 2.78 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 206 K
    220 H, 39 BB, 9 CG
    5.28 K/BB, 7.54 K/9, 1.43 BB/9, .620 OOPS

  Comments: The best pitcher in the AL by a large margin. Not only a workhorse but extremely consistent. Leads AL in WHIP. Has his strikeouts back up to go along with an insane GB/FB ratio. More CG’s than anyone in AL by leaps and bounds. Possibly best pitcher in MLB all-around when including health.

  [2nd choice]:

   SP Cliff Lee (CLE):
    22-3 W/L, 223.1 IP, 2.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 170 K
    214 H, 34 BB, 4 CG
    5.00 K/BB, 6.85 K/9, 1.37 BB/9, .632 OOPS

  Comments: If there’s one pitcher I wouldn’t mind winning it over Halladay it’s Lee. A phenomenal year where it really came all together for a pitcher that isn’t this good. Plays for Cleveland. Will probably win the Cy unanimously.

  [3rd choice]:

    SP Justin Duchscherer (OAK):
     10-8 W/L, 141.2 IP, 2.54 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 95 K
     107H, 34 BB, 1 CG
     2.79 K/BB, 6.04 K/9, 2.16 BB/9, .589 OOPS

  Comments: A very distant third in a shallow Cy Young pool. A superb 141.2 IP - double the average closer. I’ll take 141 of Duchscherer over F-Rod and his 12350 saves on a 1.20 WHIP any day. Godly .589 OOPS. Unfortunate injury.

  Ranks four through ten:

#4. SP Ervin Santana (LAA)
#5. RP Mariano Rivera (NYY)
#6. RP Joe Nathan (MIN)
#7. RP Joakim Soria (KCR)
#8. SP A.J. Burnett (TOR)
#9. SP Josh Beckett (BOS)
#10. SP Jon Lester (BOS)

NL MVP:

   1B Albert Pujols (STL):
    .357 AVG, .462 OBP, .653 SLG
    37 HR, 100 R, 116 RBI
    104 BB, 54 K
    7/3 SB/CS, 1.114 OPS

  Comments: The best player of this generation might’ve just had the best year of his career. Yet, people talk like there is an NL MVP race. This might be the biggest blowout I’ve ever seen in any MVP race ever (sans Bonds). 104 walks on 54 strikeouts. 1.114 OPS. Plays on a team that is garbage. God only knows what he could do with protection. May be the best player to ever pick up a baseball bat.

  [2nd choice]:
   SS Hanley Ramirez (FLA):
    .301 AVG, .400 OBP, .540 SLG
    33 HR, 125 R, 67 RBI
    92 BB, 122 K
    35/12 SB/CS, .940 OPS

  Comments: A .940 OPS at shortstop is about as valuable as you get to any team. Idiotically misplaced in the FLA lineup. Speed, eye, contact and power all at toughest position in the game to find hitting.

  [3rd choice]:
   OF Manny Ramirez (LAD):
    .332 AVG, .430 OBP. .601 SLG
    37 HR, 102 R, 121 RBI
    87 BB, 124 K
    3/0 SB/CS, 1.031 OPS

Comments: It has always amazed me how quietly Manny Ramirez can put up simply monstrous seasons. Just a giant of a year from a player that looked like he might’ve been over that hill. His 1.232 OPS in his 187 LAD AB’s didn’t hurt their playoff chances either.

  Ranks four through ten:

#4. OF Lance Berkman (HOU)
#5. 3B David Wright (NYM)
#6. OF Matt Holliday (COL)
#7. 2B Chase Utley (PHI)
#8. SS Jose Reyes (NYM)
#9. OF Carlos Beltran (NYM)
#10. 3B Chipper Jones (ATL)

NL Cy Young:

   SP Tim Lincecum (SFG):
    18-5 W/L, 227.0 IP, 2.62 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 265 K
    182 H, 84 BB, 2 CG
    3.15 K/BB, 10.51 K/9, 3.33 BB/9, .609 OOPS

  Comments: His 1.17 WHIP is overshadowed by his dominant power and low OOPS. 10.51 K/9 as a starter is just sick and if he can get those walks down over the next few years I expect him to win many Cy’s. I suspect the actual voters will pick Webb (or possibly but doubtfully Sabathia) this year, mind you. Oh, and I still have horrible nightmares about that week or so when it looked like Lincecum for Rios was going to go through.

  [2nd choice]:
   
   SP C.C. Sabathia (MIL):
    17-10 W/L, 253.0 IP, 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 251 K
    223 H, 59 BB, 10 CG
    4.25 K/BB, 8.93 K/9, 2.12 BB/9, .622 OOPS

  Comments: The only true workhorse left in the league along with Halladay. Without his dreadful start probably would be the lock. Has an almost unheard of .550 OOPS in his 17 MIL starts. To put it in perspective Mariano Rivera’s career OOPS is .555 and he just faces 3 batters at a time. Sabathia’s close to Lincecum, but I think Lincecum deserves it a bit more because of the more important ratios. Certainly a very close second, almost close enough for me to reconsider. But not close enough.

  [3rd choice]:

   SP Johan Santana (NYM):
    16-7 W/L, 234.1 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 206 K
    206 H, 63 BB, 3 CG
    3.27 K/BB, 7.91 K/9, 2.42 BB/9, .645 OOPS

  Comments: Going into the year, the fact that the best pitcher in the game was going to the NL made it seem like Santana was not only going to win the Cy Young, but win it unanimously with a sub-2 ERA. There are a few things about Santana that have been bothering me. One - his WHIP has increased every year since 2004. Two - his OOPS last year was .678 and this year .645 which is great, but not elite, and certainly not deservedly of best-in-game status. Not only has Santana fallen from first in my best pitcher today list, he’s not even in the top five. Regardless, he had another great year - 2.53 ERA with over 200 K’s. Can’t hate on that. Interestingly though, Halladay, who had become known as someone who gets ground balls and doesn’t K people any more, had 206 K’s this year too. In a year where pitchers seem to be re-finding stuff they had, Santana is regressing. I was tempted to put Harden third despite the fact he’s only pitched 148 innings. But given two lines going into a season, I’d take Johan’s.

  Ranks four through ten:

#4. SP Rich Harden (CHC) (SICK .556 OOPS in 148 IP. Pedro’s 2.07 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 23 win year had a .535 OOPS)
#5. SP Dan Haren (ARI)
#6. SP Cole Hamels (PHI)
#7. SP Jake Peavy (SDP)
#8. SP Ben Sheets (MIL)
#9. SP Brandon Webb (ARI)
#10. SP Edinson Volquez (CIN)

The three most underrated seasons from each league:

AL:

   1B Kevin Youkilis (BOS):
    .312 AVG, .390 OBP, .569 SLG
    29 HR, 91 R, 115 RBI
    62 BB, 108 K
    3/5 SB/CS, .958 OPS

  Comments: Despite playing in Boston he had an incredibly quiet (a la old Moises Alou) .958 OPS season. That is a damn good OPS for an afterthought on that team. Deserves the MVP more than the much-ballyhooed Pedroia. Playing 2B doesn’t give THAT much more value.

  [2nd choice]:

   SP Shaun Marcum (TOR):
    9-7 W/L, 151.1 IP, 3.39 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 123 K
    126 H, 50 BB, 0 CG
    2.46 K/BB, 7.31 K/9, 2.98 BB/9, .682 OOPS

  Comments: It is really too bad that Marcum got injured. Basically his only three bad starts of the season were when he came back from the injury, and they inflated his numbers significantly. But still, he pitched 3/4 of a 200 inning year with a 3.39 ERA and a WHIP better than Lincecum’s. Nobody outside of Toronto and hardcore baseball fans could even name him. Now he’s really screwed his arm and won’t even be pitching next year.

  [3rd choice]:

   1B Aubrey Huff (TBD):
    .304 AVG, .360 OBP, .552 SLG
    32 HR, 96 R, 108 RBI
    53 BB, 89 K
    4/0 SB/CS, .912 OPS

  Comments: Huff has always been a jerk and one of my least favorite players. He had that one good year in TB and then decided he wanted to suck for six years and suddenly be good again. He has to have the quietest .900+ OPS this year.

Honorable Mention:
DH Milton Bradley (TEX)
OF Carlos Quentin (CWS)
1B Mark Teixeira (LAA)

NL:

   1B Adrian Gonzalez (SDP):
    .279 AVG, .361 OBP, .510 SLG
    36 HR, 103 R, 119 RBI
    74 BB, 142 K
    0/0 SB/CS, .871 OPS

  Comments: The perennially underrated Adrian does it again. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a newscaster talk about him and yet he manages some pretty damn hardcore production on the beyond woeful Padres. Keep in mind he’s only 26, plays in PETCO, and plays on a team that couldn’t hit their way out of a wet paper bag.

  [2nd choice]:
   
    OF Adam Dunn (CIN):
     .236 AVG, .386 OBP, .513 SLG
     40 HR, 79 R, 110 RBI
     122 BB, 164 K
     2/1 SB/CS, .899 OPS

  Comments: Any time I hear people talk about Dunn, they talk about his average. They talk about him as an average player who could be great with a higher average. I’m so sick of hearing it. This guy is a top-notch player. Not elite, but great. He has an almost .400 OBP, hits 40 homers, walks 125 times and most impressively of all does it consistently on a yearly basis. But you still hear about his average. People don’t realize the production Dunn brings to the table - they don’t come close to realizing it. I would kill to have Dunn on the Jays. This is one of a set of at least five consecutive years now where Dunn is one of the most underrated players out there. Possibly the most underrated player of this entire decade.

  [3rd choice]:

   OF Ryan Ludwick (STL):
    .299 AVG, .371 OBP, .591 SLG
    37 HR, 104 R, 117 RBI
    62 BB, 146 K
    4/4 SB/CS, .966 OPS

  Comments: A year like this can’t go by without at least quite a bit of talk about it. But it has received nowhere near the talk it deserves. A .966 OPS from a perennial loser like this is the definition of a flukeyass (and therefore almost always underrated) year. Who the hell is Ryan Ludwick?

Honorable Mention:
1B Albert Pujols (STL)
1B Carlos Delgado (NYM)
UT Mark DeRosa (CHC)

The two most overrated years (one from each league):

AL:

   2B Dustin Pedroia (BOS):
    .326 AVG, .376 OBP, .493 OPS
    17 HR, 118 R, 83 RBI
    50 BB, 52 K
    20/1 SB/CS, .869 OPS

  Comments: It’s a good year. I’m not going to question that. He also plays 2B where it is hard to find production. BUT THIS IS NOT AN MVP YEAR. It’s not CLOSE TO AN MVP YEAR. I can not turn on a TV without hearing how Pedroia should win the MVP. It’s a complete laugh. Pedroia is not even the MVP of his own team. Let’s put some things in perspective here, media.

Honorable Mention:
SS Derek Jeter (NYY) (the perennial candidate)
SP Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS)
RP Francisco Rodriguez (LAA)

NL:

   SS Jose Reyes (NYM):
    .297 AVG, .358 OBP, .475 SLG
    16 HR, 113 R, 68 RBI
    66 BB, 82 K
    56/15 SB/CS, .833 OPS

  Comments: The guy can steal bases so he’s an uber-elite ball player. That’s according to most media I listen to. He had a .833 OPS ffs (coming off a .775 OPS), a .358 OBP and did get caught 15 times. He’s a quality SS, but he’s overrated to no end.

Honorable Mention:
1B Ryan Howard (PHI)
1B Prince Fielder (MIL)
OF Alfonso Soriano (CHC)

The two biggest “WTF years” (one for each league, WTF can be good or bad):

AL:

   DH Milton Bradley (TEX):
    .321 AVG, .436 OBP, .563 SLG
    22 HR, 78 R, 77 RBI
    80 BB, 112 K
    5/3 SB/CS, .999 OPS

  Comments: Seemingly out of nowhere Bradley became an on-base machine breaking the .450 mark, if only through 414 ab’s. Throw in a .550+ SLG and you have yourself a 1.0 OPS player. And it’s Milton Bradley. Milton Bradley - ranked worse than 240 coming into the year and a supposed clubhouse cancer. The only reason he wasn’t also the most underrated is because at least from what I saw it got a lot of coverage at first.

Honorable Mention:
1B Aubrey Huff (TBD)
OF Carlos Quentin (CWS)
OF Carl Crawford (TBD)

NL:

   OF Ryan Ludwick (STL):
    .299 AVG, .371 OBP, .591 OPS
    37 HR, 104 R, 117 RBI
    62 BB, 146 K
    4/4 SB/CS, .966 OPS

  Comments: It will be interesting to see where Ludwick drafts next year.

Honorable Mention:
OF Nate McLouth (PIT)
3B Chipper Jones (ATL)
SP Aaron Harang (CIN)

The two biggest busts:

AL:

   1B David Ortiz (BOS):
    .264 AVG, .369 OBP, .507 SLG
    23 HR, 74 R, 89 RBI
    70 BB, 74 K
    1/0 SB/CS, .877 OPS

  Comments: I don’t care how injured he was. Ortiz’s OPS in his previous 5 years: .961, .983, 1.001, 1.049, 1.066.
   

Honorable Mention:
SP Fausto Carmona (CLE)
OF Carl Crawford (TBD)
SP Erik Bedard (SEA)
Superspecial mention for DH Travis Hafner (CLE)
NL:

   1B Todd Helton (COL):
    .264 AVG, .391 OBP, .388 SLG
    7 HR, 39 R, 29 RBI
    61 BB, 50 K
    0/0 SB/CS, .779 OPS

  Comments: For years Helton has been a .300 AVG, .400 OBP lock. It all fell off this year and how. Who ever would’ve thought that Helton’s SLG would be lower than his OBP? It seems like all he can do now that is like his old self is walk.

Honorable Mention:
C Russell Martin (LAD)
SS Jimmy Rollins (PHI)
SS Miguel Tejada (HOU)
Superspecial mention for OF Andruw Jones (LAD)

 And also… what happens if a player switches leagues in the middle of a season if the MVP is a league-based award?

Looking to Dictionary.com to define value:

–verb (used with object)

These are the only relevant definitions that we can work with when trying to define what value in this situation means. To me, going to Costco and getting 200 Aspirin for $10 when they cost $3 for 25 at Shopper’s Drug Mart is value. I am getting the best possible goods-to-dollar ratio.

Clearly, with the MLB’s informal and ambiguous definition of what the MVP is, the voters have gone a different route. It’s not about money. Value in the MVP is about how much you mean to your team from a production standpoint. But production isn’t enough. It needs to be production which helps a team that without that player wouldn’t make the playoffs. At the very least, they get a heavy swing.

Take this year’s NL MVP voting. Albert Pujols got 18 first place MVP votes to Ryan Howard’s 12. Pujols ended up winning the MVP, but not by a wide margin.

Albert Pujols had one of the best years in the history of baseball this year, hitting .357 with a .462 OBP. 37 homers on 116 RBI, 104 BB on 54 SO, .653 SLG on 1.115 OPS.

Ryan Howard had a good year. Ryan Howard is not in the same league, continent, planet, solar system or universe as Pujols this year. Howard hit .251 on a pultry .339 OBP. He did hit 48 homers on 146 RBI, walked 81 times on 199 SO, slugged .543 with a .881 OPS. That’s right, an .881 OPS. And we’re talking about him as if he’s in any competition with Pujols.

Not only was Howard in competition, he nearly won. Why? WHY!?! Why. Because Howard was on the Phillies - a team that squeezed into the playoffs in a garbage division and league. Is his .881 OPS with 48 homers him being valuable or him being in the right place at the right time to qualify himself for this award? Should it be changed to the Most Opportunistic Award? The Most Lucky Award? Shouldn’t it be about how, in the same situation, another player would do - better or worse? Is there any doubt in your mind Pujols (and 30 others) would do better than Howard in his situation?

Anybody who knows baseball in the slightes bit knows that Pujols had the far superior (to the third degree) year, so there’s no reason in continuing to compare stats.

MVP clearly means “the player who did the most for their team and was also in a playoff race, unless a player on another team does an far superior job even on a losing team.”

What is to be done about this? If Ryan Howard won the MVP this year I think I would’ve projectile vomited for days… yes, I’m sure it’s clear by now that I do not agree with the current MVP philosophy our voters go by.

There is one more problem. A big one.

What if a player switches leagues in the middle of the year? As the current MVP “definition” states, they can only win the MVP for their cumulative statistics for ONE team. That is, they can not be the MVP of two teams at once. Makes sense… unless you want the MVP to go to the most opportunistic player instead of the best, which is my case. For example, this year Mark Teixeira switched teams this year. He went from ATL to LAA. If he were to put up the numbers he put up in ATL in LAA instead, he would probably have been the lock for AL MVP this year. But because of him switching leagues he gets no consideration in either league.

So, what’s the solution? My next post will deal with my theoretical picks this year for most of the awards - my solution to what value means. My solution to what player should walk home which represents the best position player in the game.

- The Phillies traded away 23-year old OF Greg Golson for 25-year old Rangers OF John Mayberry Jr. I have heard many arguments suggesting that this is a bad move for the Phillies, to trade away a guy who just had a .282/.333/.434 season for someone who is two years older and only a level above posting a .263/.316/.474. Well, here’s what’s behind the numbers - Golson may be two years younger, but he projects as a 15-20 HR guy, who has never taken more than 34 walks in a season and has struck out in 30% of his career Plate Appearances. He also has been in the minors one year longer than Mayberry and has a career .265/.309/.406 line. Mayberry on the other hand, is a year removed from posting 30 HRs. While he may post similar average and on-base percentages to Golson, he has a clear advantage in power - and he also strikes out less. His career line is .255/.330/.472.

- The Red Sox traded Coco Crisp for KC’s Ramon Ramirez. Coco Crisp had a disappointing tenure in Boston, after coming over from Cleveland in their 7-player deal in January 2006. Crisp had posted back to back strong seasons in Cleveland, followed by 3 sub-par injury-filled seasons in Boston. This trade may make DeJesus tradable, despite the fact he has had a better career offensively and is only one month older. Boston receives reliever Ramon Ramirez, who posted a 2.64 ERA in 71.7 innings of relief this year. He struggled in 2007 after a decent debut for Colorado in 2006. Not a bad move for Boston, who pick up a potentially solid reliever for an expendable and unhappy center fielder.

- The Chicago White Sox made a splash in the international free agent market, signing 19-year old Cuban infielder Dayan Viciedo to an $11 million dollar Major League deal.

- Mike Mussina officially retired, and the “Hall of Fame” discussions noxiously continue. I’m not sure how many articles I will have to read to find one that doesn’t discuss his win total as being the most important factor to him being or not being in the HoF. Let’s not make mention of his 11 200+ Innings seasons, 57 complete games, 23 shutouts, 2813 strikeouts, 3.68 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, being on the Cy Young ballot 9 times, and five all-star games. Personally, I’m on the fence on this one. No matter how I look at it, not winning a Cy Young and not winning 300 games will ultimately kill his HoF bid, as these are two key factors looked at by the statistically challenged.

Other headlines:

- The Yankees are preparing an offer for A.J. Burnett in the 5/80 range according to the New York Post. It’s unfortunate that someone with his attitude doesn’t go the way of the Shea Hillenbrand. I hear the media friendly Oakland Raiders are looking for an upgrade at Quarterback.
- Peter Gammons believes that Milton Bradley is the priority of the Blue Jays this off-season. There is no questioning Milton Bradley’s skill - but with Lind and Snider, it makes more sense to go after Jason Giambi or Rafael Furcal. Milton Bradley doesn’t bring the necessary power to the team.
- Alex Rodriguez is named the - oh, sorry, I was wrong. Turns out Dustin Pedroia was selected as AL MVP by mistake due to ballot confusion from Florida sports writers.

Affeldt posted a 3.33 ERA last year, with a 25:80 BB:K rate in 78.3 IP.

Based on all the data in the chart, it is safe to assume that in the year of the big contract, Sabathia was more dominant. However, Santana was not a free agent but was entering his FA year. Both pitchers were one year removed from winning the Cy Young award, in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Over the length of their careers, Santana has been more effective in his time as a starter, but Sabathia has been a steady ace the past few years and, even in his first three seasons, was a dominant #2. That being said, if I had to choose one to be on my team, it would be Johan Santana. He is consistently dominant and his highest ERA as a starter was 3.33 ERA in 2007. Sabathia has pitched 250 innings in the previous two years, and you have to begin worrying about durability in an otherwise durable career. Santana has yet to miss a start in 5 years.

Who would you rather have, and why?

The MLBPA seems to think so. Via RotoWorld, the New York Daily News discusses pressure he may be receiving from the union. Those close to Sabathia believe he wants to stay in Milwaukee but wouldn’t mind a move closer to home (he is from California). The union’s potential pressure would cause Sabathia to take the Yankees’ contract offer despite a personal preference not to. The more money Sabathia makes, the more money the rest of the starting pitchers will make despite the country’s economic situation.

While Sabathia making an annual 23.3 Million is good for the MLBPA and the greedy players and agents therein, is it good for baseball? Should the Union have any impact on the way Sabathia thinks? After all, this is the same union that clearly knows what is good for the sport - they found it necessary to claim “cigarettes are worse than steroids” four years ago, and don’t forget their major league screw-up of the Mitchell Report.

Ultimately, deservedly or not, Sabathia will do one of two things - listen to the union and take $140 Million to help raise the salaries of all players; or he will usher in an ideology that has been all but officially removed from baseball - the concept of the big star hometown discount.

1) Jarrod Parker (RHP)

First on the list is Jarrod Parker, the 2007 1st-rounder. The once booming Arizona farm system has had its’ talent either graduated or traded away in packaged deals (Dan Haren). The soon to be 20-year old RHP Parker had his first minor league season and began with South Bend (Low-A). He spent the entire season there and recorded a 3.44 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and 117 Ks in 117.2 IP, almost an exact 1 K/IP. Things are looking up for Parker and he should be able to test AA by mid-season 2009.

2) Daniel Schlereth (LHP)

Another first rounder, Schlereth was picked 26th overall in this year’s draft. In limited time, he posted a 1.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with a 6:20 BB:K ratio in only 12 innings. He split time between Rookie and Low-A and should begin the season at High-A. He could reach AAA by year’s end, as the Diamondbacks are expected to be aggressive with the 22-year old.

3) Gerardo Parra (OF)

This 21-year old was signed out of Venezuela in 2004 and has completed 3 full minor league seasons with the organization. Parra continues to show his ability to hit for contact, going .301/.381/.413 with a 23:31 BB:K ratio in High-A ball. After being promoted to AA, he hit .275/.341/.419 with a 24:34 BB:K ratio. Parra also likes to steal bases, but needs to work on his baserunning ability, as he went 28 for 41 (68%). Parra also needs to work on his reads as he committed 11 errors and ultimately may be pushed into RF despite his strong arm (13 assists). Injuries permitting, Parra should be able to see limited time with the Diamondbacks in 2009.

4) Wade Miley (LHP)

Wade Miley was another 1st rounder from 2008. He is a strong, powerful lefty who has the stuff to be a starter but may only have the control to be a reliever. Miley started his career in short-season ball and made 7 relief appearances, posting a 4.91 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with a 5:11 BB:K ratio in 11 innings. It’s hard to judge him until we see what he does in his first full season, but he has the stuff to be a big leaguer.

5) Cesar Valdez (RHP)

Cesar Valdez will be 24 at opening day and if he continues to put up his career minor league lines, he will get a chance to start for Arizona later in the season. This year, Valdez started in High-A and posted a 2.53 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with a 16:80 BB:K ratio in 96 innings. After showing outstanding control, he was promoted to AA where he finished the year putting up a 4.06 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with a 23:60 BB:K ratio in 64.1 IP.

6) Kevin Eichhorn (RHP)

The 18-year old Eichhorn was dominating in high school and was widely expected to go to Santa Clara. However, the Diamondbacks took a shot and offered $500,000 to Eichhorn in hopes of changing his mind, and they were successful. The 18-year old could start in Low-A ball next year and is expected to move slowly.

7) Evan Frey (OF)

The speedy left-handed center fielder continued where he left off in 2007 by hitting .327/.401/.417 with 39:38 BB:K in Low-A and .297/.399/.402 and a 37:46 BB:K rate after his promotion to High-A. He went 37 for 48 in SB attempts (77%). In 784 career minor league at bats, Frey has hit only 3 HR, solidifying his future role as a lead-off hitter. He is solid defensively, and as a former 10th round draft pick he is still completely underrated.

8) Tony Barnette (RHP)

Just like Frey, Barnette was a 10th round draft pick, from the year prior. Barnette made a two level jump in 2008, going from Low-A to AA, a move brought on by his age (25). He posted a 3.87 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with a 42:133 BB:K in 153.2 IP. Barnette continues to post solid but unspectacular numbers in the minor leagues. Barnette at best could make it as a #3 starter and should get a shot to prove himself in some capacity for Arizona this year.

9) Collin Cowgill (OF)

Cowgill, drafted in the 5th round this year, had a short dominating stint in short-season ball before being promoted to Low-A. He posted 11 HRs in only 79 ABs in short-season ball with a .304/.415/.785 line. In 201 at bats in Low-A, the power-sapping Midwest League dropped him to only 1 HR, leaving him with a .358 SLG at that level. Cowgill is strong, but at 5′9″ he doesn’t project to hit more than 20 HR.

10) Bryan Shaw (RHP)

This year’s 2nd rounder, Shaw pitched in 21 relief appearances this year splitting time between Rookie and Low-A. On the year, he posted a 5.22 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 13:33 BB:K in 39.2 IP. It was not an impressive debut for the 2nd rounder.

11) Barry Enright (RHP)

Last year’s 2nd rounder, Enright had 15 scoreless innings in 2007 but did not fair as well in his first full-season. Enright pitched the year at High-A, posting a 4.44 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 35:143 BB:K in 164.1 IP. An improvement is expected next year, but it was far from what was expected of him by the organization.

Recap:

While I agree with the rankings of the first three prospects, I would put Cesar Valdez ahead of Wade Miley and Frey ahead of Eichhorn. Enright should also be ahead of Shaw. Valdez has put up strong numbers year after year and continues to be underrated by scouts despite the statistical evidence that supports his case. Miley and Eichhorn have yet to prove anything, and neither looked impressive in their extremely short debut stints. Frey is also under-rated, and while he doesn’t project as an everyday player, he has the tools to be a lead-off hitter on most clubs if he continues to post the numbers he has thus far in his career. It is clearly evident where Arizona’s scouting has been, and there is an overwhelming number of pitchers in the pipeline but only one (Parker) has a high ceiling. With four compensation-eligible free agents (Dunn, Cruz, Hudson, Johnson), the Diamondbacks are hoping to restock their system in the 2009 draft to usher in the next generation of young Diamondbacks.