VineLine's Top 50

[CubbieRich]

My Vineline arrived yesterday at work and they have rankings of the ‘Top 50’ Minor Leaguer Prospects by the Cubs minor league staff. Some of the staff is gone, but they still counted their opinions. Sean Gallagher was rated as #1 pitcher and Eric Patterson was #1 player of 2005.

 

The position breakdown is (RHP)-16, (LHP)-8, ©-5, (1B)-3, (2B)-5, (SS)-5, (3B)-3, (OF)-5

 

Here are the players in alphabetical order and who is missing, with some of their ratings.

 

Aardsma, Atkins, Baez, Berg, Billek, Blasko, Brownlie, Burrows, Coats, Collins, Craig, Dopriak, Downs, Fox, Fuld, Gallagher, Guzman, Harvey, Hill, Holliman, Johnson, Johnston, Koronka, Lewis, Marmol, Marshall, McGehee, Montanez, Moore, Muyco, Patterson, Pawelek, Perez, Petrick, Phelps, Pie, Reed, Reynolds, Richie, Rojas, Ryu, Simokatis, Sing, Soto, Spears, Taylor, Theriot, Valdez, Veal, Walker.

 

Missing: Dwaine Bacon(#1 in speed and # 2 best basestealing), David Kelton, John Connolly(#2 best command), Micah Hoffpauir(#1 best range and #1 footwork 1b), Carmen Pignatiello, Russ Rohlicek.

[CubDad4Ever]

Thanks for the update. Any more detailed info would be appreciated One of the great things about this board is the variety of info presented on all levels . Gods Peace and Thanks again. Coach L

[Ding Dong Johnson]

My Vineline arrived yesterday at work and they have rankings of the ‘Top 50’ Minor Leaguer Prospects by the Cubs minor league staff. Some of the staff is gone, but they still counted their opinions. Sean Gallagher was rated as #1 pitcher and Eric Patterson was #1 player of 2005.

 

The position breakdown is (RHP)-16, (LHP)-8, ©-5, (1B)-3, (2B)-5, (SS)-5, (3B)-3, (OF)-5

 

Here are the players in alphabetical order and who is missing, with some of their ratings.

 

Aardsma, Atkins, Baez, Berg, Billek, Blasko, Brownlie, Burrows, Coats, Collins, Craig, Dopriak, Downs, Fox, Fuld, Gallagher, Guzman, Harvey, Hill, Holliman, Johnson, Johnston, Koronka, Lewis, Marmol, Marshall, McGehee, Montanez, Moore, Muyco, Patterson, Pawelek, Perez, Petrick, Phelps, Pie, Reed, Reynolds, Richie, Rojas, Ryu, Simokatis, Sing, Soto, Spears, Taylor, Theriot, Valdez, Veal, Walker.

 

Missing: Dwaine Bacon(#1 in speed and # 2 best basestealing), David Kelton, John Connolly(#2 best command), Micah Hoffpauir(#1 best range and #1 footwork 1b), Carmen Pignatiello, Russ Rohlicek.

 

My guess is Kelton is missing because he's not in our system any more.

[craig]

My Vineline arrived yesterday at work and they have rankings of the ‘Top 50’ Minor Leaguer Prospects by the Cubs minor league staff. Some of the staff is gone, but they still counted their opinions. Sean Gallagher was rated as #1 pitcher and Eric Patterson was #1 player of 2005.

 

The position breakdown is (RHP)-16, (LHP)-8, ©-5, (1B)-3, (2B)-5, (SS)-5, (3B)-3, (OF)-5

 

Here are the players in alphabetical order and who is missing, with some of their ratings.

 

Aardsma, Atkins, Baez, Berg, Billek, Blasko, Brownlie, Burrows, Coats, Collins, Craig, Dopriak, Downs, Fox, Fuld, Gallagher, Guzman, Harvey, Hill, Holliman, Johnson, Johnston, Koronka, Lewis, Marmol, Marshall, McGehee, Montanez, Moore, Muyco, Patterson, Pawelek, Perez, Petrick, Phelps, Pie, Reed, Reynolds, Richie, Rojas, Ryu, Simokatis, Sing, Soto, Spears, Taylor, Theriot, Valdez, Veal, Walker.

 

Missing: Dwaine Bacon(#1 in speed and # 2 best basestealing), David Kelton, John Connolly(#2 best command), Micah Hoffpauir(#1 best range and #1 footwork 1b), Carmen Pignatiello, Russ Rohlicek.

 

I haven't gotten mine yet. If you are a veteran of VineLine prospect reports, how does the layout compare this year to previous years? They used to give top 10 with good thorough scouting reports, plus short notes on next ten. Last year they didn't want to offend any players by ranking them lower than others, so they just had these cheesy "best at skill X..." deals, which ended up giving the impression that Buck Coats and Micah Hoffpauir were the best prospects in the system!

 

I hope they have some all-around prospect reports on some selected players, like in former years, even if they don't actually rank guys.

[goonys evil twin]

I can't put any faith in a Cubs published list of top prospects.

[CubbieRich]

I read the propaganda from the front office and am always high on our farm system. I realize that less than 5% of any minor league system will ever reach the Big Leagues, so it's a crap shoot at best. Just looking at the list I see position players who have made the switch to pitching and not many skilled position players. If Pie, Harvey and a couple others work out..then I suppose I should be satisfied.

 

They do seem to come up with categories like 'best hustle'..'shiniest fingernails'..'best cookie maker'..that just fill space. The problem I have is their signing of any player under 5'9", no speed, no glove and a history of arm problems. Why waste our time with players like that?

[Outshined_One]

Is that Deryck or Richard Lewis?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

If Pie, Harvey and a couple others work out..then I suppose I should be satisfied.

 

Big if, and one that has me depressed when I look at the list. If Hendry had a knack for landing the big-name FAs every year, I wouldn't put a lot of stock in it. However...

[Magnetic Curses]

I can't put any faith in a Cubs published list of top prospects.

 

:lol: :lol:

[CubsMinorLeagueReport]

Wow, Gallagher #1 Pitcher?

[rawaction]

Wow, Gallagher #1 Pitcher?

 

I think that was just for 2005 according to the original post. Can't disagree with that.

[oldcubsfan]

I noticed that Mike Fontenot isn't listed in the top 50 and that Theriot seems to be the one they like a lot more.

[CuseCubFan69]

I noticed that Mike Fontenot isn't listed in the top 50 and that Theriot seems to be the one they like a lot more.

 

That kid made somebody angry. He seems like a decent guy to have on the bench so there must be something about his work ethic or some other intangible.

[craig]

I noticed that Mike Fontenot isn't listed in the top 50 and that Theriot seems to be the one they like a lot more.

 

Theriot is way ahead of Fontenot. Theriot is a good fielder, and can play a good SS, 2B, and 3B. That makes him an infield candidate, with utility profile. He's also a good contact hitter, and contact guys who don't whiff much are less likely to be ovewhelmed by the superior pitching in the majors. (Normally high-K guys have more difficulty with promotions and have their production drop more significantly than do low-K hitters.)

 

Fontenot is a good walker. But he's not a good fielder, sort of a Todd Walker type, sub-par at 2B, bad at 3rd, don't-even-think-about-it at SS. Not a good profile for a utility infielder. Not a base-stealer, not a power hitter, although he K's a lot like a would-be power-hitter. Not a very high-average hitter (probably because he K's so often). I don't think the Cubs see Fontenot as having any future with them in the majors.

[goonys evil twin]

Fontenot is a good walker. But he's not a good fielder, sort of a Todd Walker type, sub-par at 2B, bad at 3rd, don't-even-think-about-it at SS. Not a good profile for a utility infielder. Not a base-stealer, not a power hitter, although he K's a lot like a would-be power-hitter. Not a very high-average hitter (probably because he K's so often). I don't think the Cubs see Fontenot as having any future with them in the majors.

 

Sounds like Jose Macias.

[Brian]

I noticed that Mike Fontenot isn't listed in the top 50 and that Theriot seems to be the one they like a lot more.

 

That kid made somebody angry. He seems like a decent guy to have on the bench so there must be something about his work ethic or some other intangible.

 

Didn't he draw a walk in his ML debut, that's gotta be it. :lol:

[CuseCubFan69]

I noticed that Mike Fontenot isn't listed in the top 50 and that Theriot seems to be the one they like a lot more.

 

That kid made somebody angry. He seems like a decent guy to have on the bench so there must be something about his work ethic or some other intangible.

 

Didn't he draw a walk in his ML debut, that's gotta be it. :lol:

 

:D He probably scored and rubbed in Bakers face.