Bullpen Banter Red Sox Season Preview

Hope you guys don't mind me posting this! I'm writing for a baseball website that just launched named Bullpen Banter (www.bullpenbanter.com). We've got some really good content in a nice format and I'm pretty excited about it. Currently, We're releasing team previews daily. This week was the AL and NL East teams. We went in reverse order of finish and today was the Red Sox Preview. I did pick them to finish first - but it wasn't just me! We had some disagreement, too...

The Bullpen Banter Team is dedicated to providing outstanding baseball analysis from various points of view. Our website hosts both a chat room and a forum so our readers can constantly interact with a knowledgeable and vibrant baseball community. Each writer represents a different area in the country which provides a unique ability to gauge the thoughts of both the mainstream media and the fans in the region. Additionally, we are always open to new ideas and voices, so feel free to submit a guest piece.

We've got some very bright writers (ahem) and some interesting analysis on a number of subjects. Besides the team previews we're in the process of releasing our collaborative top 100 prospect list. There are some PitchFX charts and analysis. We have a number of feature articles planned and a few up already - ie. on drafting for need vs. BPA and breaking down the Justin Upton signing. We're also in the process of some research with MySQL on a number of things I can't reveal yet! In the coming weeks we'll be adding video and game reports on a number of College and Minor League teams and players. We will also have regular roundtable discussion features. Another nice element is that we take submissions for articles (sort of like a magazine) and you're all welcome to send us anything interesting you have to say, as well as rebut any points we've made that you disagree with.

Here's the Sox Preview

The Phillies preview was also released today

Here are the top 25 prospects (all that's been released so far) with write ups for each.

As a sample (don't worry our website is free - just hoping you visit...) here is the write up on OF prospect Mike Stanton of the Marlins:

Notre Dame High School has produced its fair share of notable baseball players. The most famous include Cy Young winner Jack McDowell, 1968 first overall draft pick Tom Foli, and the general manager of the '92,'93, & '08 World Series champions, Pat Gillick. Giancarlo Cruz- "Michael" Stanton has the potential to be among those names with his combination of athleticism and elite power. Stanton is young but relatively polished for a former football star who didn't concentrate fully on baseball until being drafted by the fins 79th overall in 2007. Stanton has deposited 68 baseballs over the fence in first three seasons and is arguably the fourth or fifth best player today from his draft class.

Steve Kuperman: Grade A easy for me, No. 4 on my list currently. If he had played in the FSL the entire year nobody would be asking questions, as he managed to absolutely crush the ball in one of the worst hitters' parks in the minors while cutting his strikeouts substantially. The guy gets tons of praise for work ethic.

JD Sussman: I disagree with your point on Stanton's contact issues. While he has been great thus far, I foresee his contact issues and poor pitch recognition limiting him offensively. What keeps him ranked so highly is that he should have solid defensive value in both his arm and his range. For me, he has the highest bust rate of any player int he top 10. If those issues really hurt him, in a years time he could be pretty far down the list, despite his accomplishments at a young age. I have him slightly lower at 9.

Michael Herrick: I can understand you knocking Stanton down a few spots due to the contact/strikeout issues, JD.  I know the High A stint is a SSS, but his K rate wasn't horrible there.  I think as long as he's not rushed too far, too fast the plate discipline can improve some, at least into a somewhat manageable <30% type of range.  I guess I tend to see him as more of a .260 hitter in the bigs as opposed to something in the .230 range.  That power is just such a valuable tool though, I really can't see him lower than 5.

Al Skorupa: Strikeouts a concern? Yes. Special bat despite that? Absolutely.

His 80 power is something that we can be fairly certain will come with him to the majors. He does enough other things well to still project as an offensive force despite some questions about his contact ability, patience and strikeouts.

Stanton is plenty athletic and a good fielder. He could very easily end up the best major leaguer out of the top 5 prospects, but I'm not ready to bet on that just yet.

Register and let us know what you think! You can also follow us on twitter. (me and JD, too)

Thanks for your time,

Al Skorupa (alskor)

www.bullpenbanter.com