It’s still early August but the rookie class of 2015 is on the verge of becoming the most productive (via fWAR) first-year crop in the history of the game, Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan writes. The Astros’ Carlos Correa leads the way, and Passan hears from two general managers who already rank Correa amongst the top 5-10 players in the game. Rookie position players are generally outshining the rookie pitchers, though this season has still seen several impressive young arms like Noah Syndergaard, Joe Ross, Aaron Nola and Lance McCullers make their debuts. Here’s more from around the baseball world as we wrap up the weekend…
- The Brewers’ midseason trades have heavily upgraded their farm system, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Baseball America’s John Manuel is describes the Brew Crew’s improvements as “pretty amazing,” saying the team went “from a middle of the pack (farm) system to a top five or 10 system.” Haudricourt breaks down the projected new top 10 prospects in the Brewers’ system.
- With the Pirates lacking in rotation depth, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wonders if the team would consider calling up top prospect Tyler Glasnow. The Bucs could break their pattern of being conservative with minor league promotions if it meant adding a premium arm for the playoff race, like how Gerrit Cole’s call-up in 2013 helped carry the team into the postseason. Glasnow, a consensus top-16 prospect (as per MLB.com, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law) prior to the season, has a combined 2.41 ERA, 11.6 K/9 and 3.61 K/BB rate over 78 1/3 innings over three levels, though he’s made only two starts at Triple-A.
- There’s a perception around the game that an experienced executive like Dave Dombrowski may not want to take the Angels’ GM job given the perceived lack of power a GM would have with Arte Moreno and Mike Scioscia wielding most of the influence, The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Shaikin writes. Then again, Shaikin notes, pundits said the same thing about the Orioles’ front office situation a few years ago prior to Dan Duquette’s hiring, and the O’s have since thrived. Shaikin doesn’t think Dombrowski will end up in Anaheim, but rather could join the Blue Jays or the Mariners front office.
Didn’t Dan Duquette try to leave the Orioles not too long ago?
Yes, but that was for the President position with Toronto.. That would have been a promotion since he is currently just the VP and GM in Baltimore..
The Brewers got lucky the Mets got cold feet on the Carlos Gomez deal. That package they got from the Astros is going to look amazing very soon
The Mets also got lucky. They traded less for a player who better fits their needs in Céspedes.
I don’t think Cespedes is a better fit, but he is a solid bat.
The rookies have been impressive, and there list is amazing without even mentioning Schwarber, Osuna, Gallo, Gonzalez, Travis, Rodriguez, Duffy or Norris