62.024 | Prospect Watch -- First Base

[RonCo]

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2062 Snapshot

2061 RANKING
1. Arce
2. Oksuzian
3. Xanthos
4. Nesmith
5 Torres

[url=http:// http://montybrewster.net/forums/viewtop ... 60&t=52740]Full Report[/url]

Technically, the team drafted four first basemen this season, but two of them will play the outfield or third base. With the promotion of Abdullah bin Mu'awwiyah from the complex, and the inclusion of the draftees (Luis Zamora, and Antonio Hernandez), it means that, like many organizations, the Bikini Krill list is full of guys who really could be major leaguers, depending.

At the end of the day, though, this season's list looks a lot like last season's list. And, while Oksuzian and Arce could probably hold their own at the big league level, the rest are all guys who really need a little something extra to happen to truly say you'd want them as the project. That said, arguably, each level has multiple someones who could justifiably be said to have a decent shot at appearing in a Bikini uni.

This means a lot of the ranked order here is mostly based on who is closest to ready, which, really may or may not be a good way of looking at it because right now the big league slot is covered by Mike McClure, who has been mostly stable and mostly good over his career. He's also a team leader. That said, despite a rough start in 2062, McClure's ceiling seems to be no more than 3 WAR, and his strike out rate is, well, not good. At $3M a year, he's still underpaid. Maybe it's time to trade him, however. We'll see what the deadline brings if the Krill are still moribund.

Anyway, let's take a look.


#1: Mauro Oksuzian

Mauro Oksuzian (1B)	Age	OVR	CON	BABIP	AvK	GAP	POW	EYE
Level: AA	20	35/50	6/8	5/6	8/9	5/5	4/5	4/5
Age: 20	*	IFR	IFE	IFA	TDP	OFR	OFE	OFA
Bats-Throws: R/R	*	3	7	2	1	2	5	1
Height: 6'1"	*	SPD	AGR	STE	RUN	CBK	CFR	CAR
Weight: 200	*	2	4	5	3	1	1	1
Source: DR60.7

While the core ratings have not budged much, to say that Oksuzian's step up from A ball to AA in Kamloops has been a success is to say that Mikki Manning's latest tour was a hit. The kid is hitting .354/.379/.493, with four homers. At 20 years old, he still had growing to do, but his progress has been enough, and his advantage in the contact area have driven most followers of the team to lift him to the #1 slot in the organization.


#2: Guillermo Arce

Guillermo Arce (1B)	Age	OVR	CON	BABIP	AvK	GAP	POW	EYE
Level: AAA	21	45/45	7/7	6/6	7/7	5/5	5/5	5/5
Age: 21	*	IFR	IFE	IFA	TDP	OFR	OFE	OFA
Bats-Throws: R/R	*	4	4	1	4	3	2	3
Height: 6'0"	*	SPD	AGR	STE	RUN	CBK	CFR	CAR
Weight: 200	*	2	2	2	1	1	1	1
Source: DR59.3

Arce is playing well in his transition to AAA this year, hitting .309/.346/.464, with 8 homers. Good enough for a 111 OPS+. Solid, right? And on the whole his ratings are fleshed out to the point that most suggest the 21-year-old is ready to play at the big league level if the parent team needs him. Some are arguing that that is the case. His defense is solid enough.

So why the demotion from #1 on the ranking list to #2?

Well, in the whole process, scouts have shaves a point off their expectation for the Virginian's power ratingdropping it from 6 to 5 on the 10-point scale. For Arce, that's a pretty big deal. The result drops him from a guy who looked like he might stand out a little (and could contribute to a winning club), into the realm of folks you don't mind having stand at first base until someone better comes along.



#3: Ares Xanthos

Ares Xanthos (1B)	Age	OVR	CON	BABIP	AvK	GAP	POW	EYE
Level: AAA	25	40/45	4/5	4/5	4/4	4/4	7/7	8/9
Age: 25	*	IFR	IFE	IFA	TDP	OFR	OFE	OFA
Bats-Throws: R/R	*	3	1	3	4	1	2	4
Height: 6'2"	*	SPD	AGR	STE	RUN	CBK	CFR	CAR
Weight: 200	*	4	2	3	6	1	1	1
Source: D55.14

One way or the other, this will be Xanthos's last year on the prospect list. He's 25 now, so we almost took him off the list now, but he's had such a looooong, grind-it-out path to his current situation that his combination of power and plate discipline says there's just enough hope to still call him a prospect. In other words, so much depends on a point of contact. He's a guy who has won my heart, though, so I'm still rooting for him.


#4: Burt Nesmith

Burt Nesmith (1B)	Age	OVR	CON	BABIP	AvK	GAP	POW	EYE
Level: SA	20	30/45	4/6	3/5	5/7	5/5	6/7	3/3
Age: 20	*	IFR	IFE	IFA	TDP	OFR	OFE	OFA
Bats-Throws: R/R	*	3	5	2	1	3	2	3
Height: 6'9"	*	SPD	AGR	STE	RUN	CBK	CFR	CAR
Weight: 210	*	3	2	2	4	1	1	1
Source: DR58.2

Last year I said Nesmith could be #1 on the list. That was probably a bit optimistic, but I see why I said it. If his plate discipline comes in, he's got a combination of decent contact and solid power that makes you a little excited, and at 6'9", he's a great target at first base. The issue, of course, is that his plate discipline continues to irk fans. His transition to A-ball has not gone particularly well at this point, so there is some thought that the 20-year-old might be returned to Port au Prince once that season begins in earnest.


#5: Field Bet

	LVL	CUR	POT	Age	B	Con	BABIP	AvK	Gap	Pow	Eye
Antonio Hernandez	SA	40	40	20	R	5	5	6	5	7	4
Miguel Torres	SA	20	40	21	L	7	6	8	4	3	4
Luis Zamora	R	40	45	21	L	6	6	6	5	4	6
Abdullah bin Mu'awiyah	R	20	45	18	R	6	5	7	4	6	3

Number 5 is one of these guys. Feel free to tell me which one.


Summary

First base is a position of considerable depth across the league, it seemsin the sense that every draft is filled with kids who can be reasonably expected to play the position. So it seems to me that in context of the league, Bikini's system is like Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap. Basically kind of like lukewarm water.