OTM Prospect Rankings: Who's No. 2?
Just like every other list on the internet, Lars Anderson clocked in at OTM's No. 1 prospect. Anderson edged Michael Bowden by earning 72 percent of the vote.
Now it's the battle for No. 2. Here are the candidates:

MICHAEL BOWDEN (More info)
22 y.o / Starting Pitcher / T: R, B: R
SP: 2 / BA: 2 / MLB: 2
LVL IP BB SO HR ERA WHIP
AA 104.1 24 101 5 2.33 0.92
AAA 40 5 29 5 3.38 1.13
MLB 5 1 3 0 3.60 1.60
Big righty with high ceiling. Three strong pitches.

DANIEL BARD (More info)
24 y.o / Relief pitcher / T: R, B: R
SP: 3 / BA: 4 / MLB: 3
LVL IP BB SO HR ERA WHIP A 28 4 43 1 0.64 0.57 AA 49.2 26 64 3 1.99 1.13
Strikeout artist and has lowered walk-rate significantly in his career. Powerful; can hit 100 on the gun.

JOSH REDDICK (More info)
22 y.o / Outfielder / B: R, T: L
SP: 4 / BA: 5: / MLB: 4
LVL AB 2B HR RBI BA/OBP/SLG A 53 4 0 9 .340/.397/.491 A+ 312 11 17 57 .343/.375/.593 AA 117 4 6 25 .214/.290/.436
Athletic outfielder with very good power for small frame. Needs to work on plate discipline.

MICHAEL ALMANZAR (More info)
18 y.o. / Third Base / B: R, T: R
SP: 5 / BA: 8 / MLB: 6
LVL AB 2B HR RBI BA/OBP/SLG
RK 89 6 1 11 .348/.414/.472
A 140 5 2 11 .207/.238/.314
Very raw infielder but has huge potential. Very good power potential.

JUNICHI TAZAWA (More info)
23 y.o. / Starting pitcher / B: R, T: R
SP: 7 / BA: n-a / MLB: n-a
LVL IP BB SO HR ERA WHIP
JAP 113 15 114 - 0.80 -
High-potential pitcher with great secondary pitches. Some say he would have been a first round draft pick if eligible.

NICK HAGADONE (More info)
23 y.o. / Starting pitcher / B: L, T: L
SP: 16 / BA: 3 / MLB: 8
LVL IP BB SO HR ERA WHIP
A 10 6 12 0 0.00 1.10
Underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2008. Expects to be pitching in May 2009. Big lefty that has hit 98 on the gun. First round pick with potential, but no one knows how he'll rebound after TJ.

CASEY KELLY (More info)
19 y.o / Infielder-Pitcher / B: R, T: R
SP: 6 / BA: 6 / MLB: 11
LVL AB 2B HR RBI BA/OBP/SLG
Rk 98 5 1 9 .173/.229/.255
A- 32 5 0 4 .344/.344/.563
Very talented player that could be either a shortstop or a pitcher. Kelly will start 2009 as a pitcher, throw 100 innings, then move to shortstop for the remainder of the year.

RYAN WESTMORELAND (More info)
19 y.o. / Outfielder / B: L, T: R
SP: 11 / BA: 7 / MLB: 5
LVL AB 2B HR RBI BA/OBP/SLG
HS 72 7 4 31 .486/.562/.806
Fast, athletic outfielder with a lot of skills. From Rhode Island. Had shoulder surgery in November, won't play until June 2009.
0 recs |
27 comments
Comments
Just a hint, guys
The correct answer begins with M… and it ends with “ichael Bowden”…
For those who voted otherwise, see me after class.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on Jan 10, 2009 4:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
Haha. I’d have to agree here, I don’t think he has the potential as some of the others listed, but Bowden’s success at every level, size, stuff and desire will make him a cog in the middle of a rotation somewhere (hopefully Boston).
by BSturgeon on Jan 10, 2009 4:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Bowden is the clear choice here (I do have a mancrush on him, though), but I didn’t realize how good this group listed actually is.
Bard: a lot of upside, just a reliever, but talented
Reddick: not a huge fan of this guy, but he’s put up great numbers
Almanzar: raw as a piece of steak, but the potential of filet mignon
Tazawa: unknown commodity but could be great
Hagadone: it sucks he went down with shoulder trouble, but I think he should be quite good. Might be the best of the bunch.
Kelly: wicked talented, the only question is what position he’ll play
Westmoreland: not high on Westmoreland, but I can’t make any real decision until we see him play
by Randy Booth on Jan 10, 2009 5:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'd say it'd go as follows after #1.
Bowden
Bard
Kelly
Reddick
Tazawa
Almanzar
Westmoreland
Hagadone (only because of the surgery – successful recovery would put him way past Westy)
For those children who claimed they’ve been a fan of their favorite team all their life, or even since they were about four or five years old: bullshit. There’s always that certain event or certain player that draws to the sport and draws you to a team. For me, Nomar Garciaparra was that reason. - Nick Coviello: I Try To See Rocco, But All I Think Is Nomar; 1/9/09
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 10, 2009 9:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This is the way I'd put it
Bowden (reminds me kind of like Jake Peavy)
Reddick (i saw a video of him playing, my goodness he’s freaking good)
Almanzar (i have the same feeling about him that i did with Hanley Ramirez…)
Hagadone (left handed Jon Papelbon)
Kelly (if he’s a pitcher)
Bard (power bullpen arm)
Westmoreland (just because he could turn out to be another Jason Place)
Tazawa (so far, i’m not impressed)
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble
by DirtySouthSox on Jan 10, 2009 10:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Why aren’t you impressed with Tazawa ‘so far’?
by Randy Booth on Jan 10, 2009 11:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure
But I think I could put up a solid ERA in the Japanese Independent League.
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble
by DirtySouthSox on Jan 10, 2009 11:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Reddick
Hes already 22 and was terrible in AA. What am I missing with this guy?
by BTLove on Jan 10, 2009 10:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Athletic dude, with a very good glove, solid line drive swing and lots of power potential
Low OBP guy, but you score in this game with RUNS not with WALKS. :)
Mother---- him and John Wayne!
by MerryGoByeBye on Jan 10, 2009 11:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Reddick’s average will come up when he starts the season at AA, that’s guaranteed, but the guy has some pop. Six home runs in just over 100 at-bats. His power has been consistent.
by Randy Booth on Jan 10, 2009 11:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Here's a video...
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble
by DirtySouthSox on Jan 11, 2009 10:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
By the way, Josh Reddick kind of hits like a Japanese hitter.
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble
by DirtySouthSox on Jan 11, 2009 10:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He's gotta shorten his stroke.
His hands go back and drop before he swings. And he’s got an ugly uppercut.
Manny ain't the only bad man.
by tommy.otm on Jan 11, 2009 11:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Disagree about his stroke
It’s not very compact, but it’s nothing that hurts him or can’t be corrected with time. That uppercut swing is likely going to improve as well, he seems like a smart enough kid to get that right. At this point, we know 2 things: He’s athletic and his LD% is undeniable. He should be higher than Daniel Bard in our list, but whatever…
Mother---- him and John Wayne!
by MerryGoByeBye on Jan 12, 2009 12:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Bard is higher to look better to other teams as trade bait.
Shh…
For those children who claimed they’ve been a fan of their favorite team all their life, or even since they were about four or five years old: bullshit. There’s always that certain event or certain player that draws to the sport and draws you to a team. For me, Nomar Garciaparra was that reason. - Nick Coviello: I Try To See Rocco, But All I Think Is Nomar; 1/9/09
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 12, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That is an ugly swing. He’s got some holes in that thing he’ll need to work on…
by Randy Booth on Jan 12, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s what she said!
Well, I'll appreciate for you to keep my zingers outta your mouth!
by BoSox415 on Jan 12, 2009 4:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think he was probably slumping.
Or like Randy Booth has his bro-mance with Bowden, maybe I have one with Reddick.
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble
by DirtySouthSox on Jan 10, 2009 11:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
That show is so gay.
Although The Hills will have you in stitches because I’m pretty sure no one on the show has an IQ above 80.
For those children who claimed they’ve been a fan of their favorite team all their life, or even since they were about four or five years old: bullshit. There’s always that certain event or certain player that draws to the sport and draws you to a team. For me, Nomar Garciaparra was that reason. - Nick Coviello: I Try To See Rocco, But All I Think Is Nomar; 1/9/09
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 11, 2009 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
what happened to ryan kalish
i know alot of people have soured on him, and i haven’t heard much about him lately
by beantownboy171 on Jan 11, 2009 1:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
His season was a slight disappointment because of injury, I believe.
But he’s a legitimate top 10 prospect
"no1 has time to read your long comments, are you writing a book?"
by britsoxfan on Jan 11, 2009 2:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
His swing is awful
I was never impressed by that kid, I’d be surprised to be wrong about this. He’s athletic, but nothing more than that.
Mother---- him and John Wayne!
by MerryGoByeBye on Jan 11, 2009 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
He wasn’t on the list provided. On soxprospects.com, he is listed at #8 which is probably where I would have put him. Also, #9 on there is Che-Hsuan Lin who was the MVP of the All Star Futures Game, so he should be mentioned in the Top 10, too.
The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble
by DirtySouthSox on Jan 11, 2009 6:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Isn't Tazawa
Just 22? Correct me if I’m wrong.
by Gnick on Jan 11, 2009 6:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

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