Your #1 Prospect: Casey Kelly (via snapshots.mlblogs.com)

View full size photo »

Throwing this up a bit early. I have faith that no voting past 3:45 AM CST is really gonna mess with the overall result too much, and I've got a very busy day ahead.

It's not exactly a revolutionary choice, but then again, why should it be? Coming in with around 34% of the vote, Casey Kelly claims the top spot on our prospect list by way of plurality. While Kelly is not quite as clear a winner as Lars Anderson was last year, he's no less deserving than the first baseman was last year. Hopefully, Kelly's followup performance won't be quite as...uninspiring.

So, let's move on to round 2. See the first post for information on the various candidates.

Lars Anderson, last year's consensus #1, has likely fallen. Who will take over in his place? via

View full size photo »

It's that time of year again, folks. This year, we're going to be compiling the top 20 prospects in the farm system according to you, the Over the Monster readers, and it will likely be somewhat less cut and dry this time around given the rather seismic nature of the minors this year. We're trying out a new Google Docs based system to  make the voting more open. I've provided write ups of 15 of the Sox' best prospects, but voting is not limited to them by any means. Just type in a name and submit.

Continue reading this post »

I had the pleasure last night to go check out the Sea Dogs in Portland. I got a call from a friend a few hours before the game and he told me he had an extra ticket. I couldn't pass up a chance to see Lars Anderson go 0 for 4.

OK, so that didn't actually happen. Lars did all right and it was a pretty good game despite the Dogs losing, 6-4. I made note of a few players that saw action last night.

Continue reading this post »

Oscar Perez is the biggest name in the DSL, but could there be another Stolmy Pimentel coming to a minor league team near you? via sonsofsamhorn.net

View full size photo »

The Dominican Summer League is a strange place. There are 4 divisions, of which one has 4 teams, one 5 teams, and two have 12 teams. Some of said teams sport names like "DSL Yankees 2" or "DSL Brewers/O's", and at one point, the "Hiroshima Toyo Carp". A DSL game could easily mistaken for a High School game with few players over 20, and many ranging from 17-18 years old. Scouting reports are few and far between, and Box Scores tend to be put up late at night in spite of the league consisting of almost exclusively day games. The DSL is a league of significant transience, as if you don't succeed and get promoted quickly, there's little chance you ever will. In many ways, the DSL is to the world of professional baseball what spring training is to the majors. Succeed there, and you'll get your shot. Fail, and it's back from whence you came, and in a hurry.

So the question becomes "do the Red Sox have anyone there?"

Continue reading this post »

More photos » by Paul Beaty - AP

Huzzah! Finally, an SBN-hosted picture I can use! (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Browse more photos »

About 50 days ago, I wrote a piece on upcoming roster changes for the Pawtucket Red Sox that would be necessitated by a surge of players from below (see: The Pawtucket Roster Crunch). Things have turned out slightly differently. Promotion from within has certainly occurred. Aaron Bates had already moved up by then. Mark Wagner has since, and Junichi Tazawa recently joined the ranks in McCoy Stadium. Victor Martinez' acquisition will likely force Kottaras back down also (he should clear waivers) once the dust has settled. I expect the denizens of this site are already plenty familiar with those names, though, so let's focus elsewhere.

Continue reading this post »

Cancer isn't about to stop Anthony Rizzo. via snapshots.mlblogs.com

View full size photo »

No, I am not proud of the title.

Alright, the trade deadline has passed, and the Sox are minus 2 prospects and a young graduate. But all is well in the farm system. Between Clay, Bard, Kelly, Bowden, Tazawa, and arguably Pimentel and Doubront, none of the arms the Sox shipped out were even top-5 pitchers in the system, and of course the positional depth remains untouched from Lars and Reddick, right on down to Westmoreland.

So, now that I am certain that none of these guys will be pulled out from underneath me, here's the follow-up to the "Market Crash" piece. These are the Sox farmhands who have best improved their stock over the season to date.

Continue reading this post »

Feeling down from the losing streak? Want an inspirational story about a promising prospect to give you a lift? Look elsewhere. via sonsofsamhorn.net

View full size photo »

Acclaim is a fickle thing in the world of prospects. One good year could have a previous unknown garnering all sorts of attention, from lists of dark horses and "players to watch" to team top-10's and league top-100's. The opposite is, of course, also true—one bad year and a player previously proclaimed a future All-Star is dropped to the realms of the dreaded "PTBNL", from whence few have ever returned (with some exceptions. See: Ortiz, David). After all, in the minor leagues, everyone is unproven. A major leaguer with a good track record slumps, while a minor leaguer "hits a wall". The Sox farm system is, of course, not immune from this. And just as 2009 has seen some pleasant surprises, it has seen some disappointments as well. So, without further ado, and from the smallest to greatest drops, I give you the 5 worst cases.

Continue reading this post »

View full size photo »

4 months ago, before the 2009 season started, the position of top Red Sox prospect was reserved for Lars Anderson. Clay Buchholz graduated following his half-season in 2008, Michael Bowden was considered a mid-rotation starter, and Daniel Bard could not threaten the top spot as a bullpen arm. Lars Anderson sat undisputed at #1.

Today, it's not so clear that he is deserving of that distinction, as Lars has dropped to #2 in the SoxProspects.com rankings. To be fair to Lars, a big part of this drop is Casey Kelly's outstanding showing on the mound, but Anderson's offensive slump cannot simply be ignored. He dominated Portland in 133 at bats after his promotion from Lancaster last year, putting up a line of .317/.408/.513. But so far in 2009 he's batting a much less impressive .272/.366/.413. 

The reaction from scouts has not been positive, with some calling him alternatively "overrated" and "unathletic". And if their reaction has been somewhat overly quick, than the reaction of some fans has been downright alarmist, with every line of "0-4, K" damning him more in their minds as a non-prospect. While there is certainly some reason to worry, this seems like a dramatic overreaction from the baseball community at large. It seems like everyone is ignoring the actual scenario that's taking place and simply looking at Lars like he's David Ortiz dropping off the face of the earth for the first 2 months of the season. As much as it is legitimate to be concerned for Lars as you would any prospect having a down year, there are more reasons to write this season off.

Continue reading this post »