team #17

Generation O
Oli35
(101-61, 2nd NL Central, rank 18 last year)

Prospects:
P Nick Hagadone, Indians #3, BP #91, BA #44, KL #100, FH #93
P Mike Minor, Braves #4, FH #43
C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers #5
OF Jordan Danks, White Sox #5
P Troy Patton, Orioles #14
P Jordan Lyles, Astros #3, BA #91, KL #60, FH #99
P Aaron Poreda, Padres #10
P Travis Wood, Reds #7
P Adys Portillo, Padres #13
1B Brandon Allen, Diamondbacks #4, BP #85
1B David Cooper, Blue Jays #4
1B Ryan Strieby, Tigers #11
P Cesar Ramos, Padres #26

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B Adrian Gonzalez, Padres
1B Daniel Murphy, Mets
2B Kelly Johnson, Diamondbacks
2B Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians
C Nick Hundley, Padres
OF Carlos Gomez, Brewers
OF Chris Young, Diamondbacks
P Reynel Pinto, Marlins
P Franklin Morales, Rockies
P Clay Mortensen, Athletics
2B Martin Prado, Braves

It's tough to win 100 games and not win your division. Luckily for them, they've got the the highest ranking of their competition in the division, though it's more of a quantity-over-quality based rank. And that lack of impact talent will require more smart management to keep this team successful. Of course, Adrian Gonzalez helps a lot. This also makes first base the deepest position, with Sweeney and Murphy backing up Gonzalez and Allen, Strieby, and Cooper on the way. They'll need to manifest a little more to become usable trade bait, so he'll probably hold his excess for a while. The rest of the infield is getting shuffled around. Glaus is moving from third to add to the logjam at first. Tejada's sliding to third. Cabrera's shifted full-time to short, presumably. And that leaves second base pretty open. Johnson is the presumed starter in Arizona, though that could change at any time, and Lopez could make up the difference backing up in StL. Prado might factor in as well. Catching is led by Napoli, who's got the larger share in LA, though not a real full-time job, which may require outside help, as maybe Hundley and LaRue get the PT, but maybe not. The outfield has plenty of centerfielders, with Gomez, Beltran, and the black Chris Young as its projected starters. Pagan may contribute, but that's it. Another body is likely needed here as well, as Gomez might not be full time and Beltran's starting the year injured. The rotation has a few underrated names in it. Harang has been a top K guy for a few years, though few realize it. Burnett was, of course, a big signing in NY, though he's been a second-banana his whole career. Pavano looks solid so far this spring for Minny and may finally return to Florida form that got him that big NY contract. Morales seems to have been pushed to the pen, and Looper hasn't found work yet, leaving two rotation spots unfilled. Poreda and Mortensen might figure in, but it's unlikely they'll be used enough to hold down a rotation spot. The pen should be bolstered this year. A full year of Zumaya, the return of Neshek, and the migration of Escobar and Morales will give enough quality innings to the pen to make most leads hold up. This team isn't shaping up to repeat at 100 wins, though Oli has worked wonders in this league in the past. May well be he can work his magic again.

Prospects: 13 (t-10th)
Pts per prospect: 8.01 (21st)
Total points: 104.12 (17th)

team #16

Sarasota Manatees
DodgerDon
(68-94, 4th AL East, rank 22 last year)

Prospects:
SS Grant Green, Athletics #3, BP #86, BA #52, KL #93, FH #64
P Phillippe Aumont, Mariners #4, BP #78, BA #93, FH #29
P Matt Hobgood, Orioles #5
P Kasey Kiker, Rangers #6
OF Reymond Fuentes, Red Sox #7
P Billy Bullock, Twins #15
P Garrett Richards, Angels #5
P Chad Jenkins, Blue Jays
P Bryan Price, Indians #28
SS Trevor Plouffe, Twins #24
P Matt Bashore, Twins #26
C Steve Baron, Mariners #25

Other non-prospect youngsters:
3B Matt Tolbert, Twins
C Francisco Cervelli, Yankees
OF Travis Buck, Athletics
OF Franklin Gutierrez, Mariners
OF Nolan Reimold, Orioles
P Andrew Bailey, Athletics
P Daniel Bard, Red Sox
P Jensen Lewis, Indians
P Scott Kazmir, Angels
P Jon Lester, Red Sox
P Brandon McCarthy, Rangers
P Ricky Romero, Blue Jays
P Anthony Swarzak, Twins

This is a tough team to read. On one hand, they're coming off a pretty bad last place team. On the other, they have the pitching that can get any team into the race. Where will they be next year? Let's take a look. As mentioned of the pitching staff, they have a bona fide ace - Jon Lester. He's young, great, and durable. He'll lead this staff for the next few years. Kazmir's not going to be Cy caliber like some had predicted he might, but he'll fit right in as a #2. Romero had a very good rookie year, and figures to build on that. Bedard used to be great, but injuries have lowered expectations, and any season of health from him is a bonus. Unfortunately, there's nothing much else besides them. McCarthy has had too many injuries to predict where he'll go. The Twins don't want Swarzak getting too many innings, so he's not likely to get them. The 5th starter will have to come from somewhere. In the pen, Bailey showed up as a rookie, and can be built around, with guys like Tallet, Okajima, and Wilson to get him the ball. The other half of the battery looks to be Laird. Can't say whether he'll be full-time, but he should get enough to be obvious half-timer, though you'll probably be able to make up the difference with Cervelli. Unfortunately, Laird is the second most talented player in the infield, behind Beltre, and that is itself an indictment. Huff's off to the NL, Tolbert's getting phased out of the rotation, and there's nobody besides Beltre figuring on a starting gig. The OF is in much better shape. FA to be Crawford is still fast, newly-renewed Gutierrez is the best D CF, and Rios can be something quality, though he hasn't been. Wise, Scott, and Buck will come off the bench, and should provide the power or speed you want. In the end, I don't see enough offense with no immediate help coming to expect a playoff run. The pitching, barring injury, should still win this team their share of games, but not enough. It's really time to retool the offense, and maybe expand the horizons a bit.

Prospects: 12 (t-13th)
Pts per prospect: 9.04 (19th)
Total points: 108.48 (16th)

team #15

Milwaukee Sudz
colts25
(44-118, 4th AL West, rank 12 last year)

Prospects:
1B Freddie Freeman, Braves #2, BP #51, BA #32, KL #67, FH #49
C Wilin Rosario, Rockies #3
SS Carlos Triunfel, Mariners #6, KL #44, FH #73
P Ryan Tucker, Marlins #6
P Zach McAllister, Yankees #5, FH #76
OF Grant Desme, Athletics #8
1B Sean Doolittle, Athletics #10
OF Chris Heisey, Reds #4, KL #88
P Jordan Walden, Angels #9, BP #89
OF Kellen Kulbacki, Padres #16

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B Travis Ishikawa, Giants
OF Nick Evans, Mets
2B Luis Valbuena, Indians
OF Jeremy Hermida, Red Sox
OF Carlos Quentin, White Sox
OF Clete Thomas, Tigers
OF B.J. Upton, Rays
OF Will Venable, Padres
P Jason Berken, Orioles
P Kyle Davies, Royals
P Ryan Feierabend, Mariners
P Armando Galarraga, Tigers
P Scott Olsen, Nationals
P David Purcey, Blue Jays
Util Alberto Gonzalez, Nationals

This franchise is the unfortunate owner of one Grant Desme, promising outfielder-turned-priest. That's pretty much the story of this franchise right now. Promising players not panning out, and a bit of unstable ownership have turned a promising franchise into a cellar-dweller. Not to say there isn't hope, just that they could use some better luck getting their prospects to pan out as hoped. Next in line for that hype is Freddie Freeman, who shouldn't have any obstacles in his path to the big leagues. He just needs to produce when he gets there. Garko isn't an obstacle here, either. Otherwise around the infield, there are a few nice players, such as Iwamura, Furcal, and Kouzmanoff, though none are ready for the breakout this team needs. Same story for catching, as Kendall and Zaun are old, and Santos won't get a full-time gig. If there's a breakout to be had, it's in the outfield. Hermida could live up to his prospect hype, as could Upton, or Quentin could come back strong from injury. Gomes and Heisey are competing for the same job in Cincy, though one could snatch the job. Pitching is where the most help is needed, however. Relics like Contreras, Livan Hernandez, and Freddy Garcia are having too much expected from them. Davies and Snell could step up another notch, but I don't see either being more than a #3 type starter. In the pen, Sherrill and Soriano are proven commodities, and Stetter's been pretty good, but that's literally about it, as there aren't a lot of bodies in the pen. In the end, they're at this point on the list because there are some good prospects on this team. They really need 'em to pan out, though, as it'll be a long build either way.

Prospects: 10 (t-15th)
Pts per prospect: 11.31 (15th)
Total points: 113.1 (15th)

team #14

Minneapolis Millers
evil_twin
(72-90, 3rd AL Central, rank 17 last year)

Prospects:
P Kyle Gibson, Twins #3, BP #71, BA #61, KL #89
3B Mat Gamel, Brewers #3, BA #89, FH #84
P Alex White, Indians #9, BP #77, BA #65
C Jason Castro, Astros #1, BP #100, BA #41, KL #65, FH #27
P Tyson Ross, Athletics #6
P Jason Stoffel, Giants #15
2B D.J. LeMahieu, Cubs #10
P Jeremy Bleich, Yankees #9
P Tyler Robertson, Twins #16
P Anthony Slama, Twins #19
OF A.J. Pollock, Diamondbacks #3, FH #92
1B Rich Poythress, Mariners #28
2B Kyle Seager, Mariners #30

Other non-prospect youngsters:
2B Gordon Beckham, White Sox
2B Robinson Cano, Yankees
2B Rusty Ryal, Diamondbacks
C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
OF Tony Gwynn Jr, Padres
P Kevin Jepsen, Angels
P Jeff Samardzija, Cubs
P Zach Duke, Pirates
P Matt Garza, Rays
P Francisco Liriano, Twins
P Jesse Litsch, Blue Jays
SS Cliff Pennington, Athletics

I'm not even sure why I'm reviewing this team. I mean, they can accumulate all the prospects they want, and they'll never finish better than second. In seriousness, this team won't win as it is now because it doesn't have the stars to do it. There are a couple very nice plyaers here, and there's a fair pipeline of prospects, but at least one person needs to emerge as a bona-fide stud to push this team over. Right now, the best candidate for that is Gordon Beckham. 2B-to be, Beckham came out last year and played very well after his midseason call-up to rescue this team from their 3B woes. Buuut now he's moving to 2B to add to this team's worst logjam. Inconvenient, to be sure. But it is certainly the infield where this team has the greatest trouble. At first, Konerko is getting old, but he should still have at least one above-average season in him. Garrett Jones came out of nowhere last year, but you have to think that season was an outlier. 2B is backlogged, as mentioned before, with Cano the presumed starter, and Schumaker and Beckham the backups. Punto will move around the infield, but it's doubtful you want him starting at any point in time. Shortstop is depending entirely on a a return to health from Aviles. Without a significant contribution from him, another nole is open. Molina's the reigning All-Star starter, and Castro's on the way, so catching, at the least, is set. In the outfield, Hunter is declining, but still has a very good stat line and the veteran leadership this team needs. Once they figure out a way to quantify that, of course. Unfortunately, beyond Hunter, there's not much. Gwynn's been a part-timer, and Kearns, Kotsay, and Monroe are all, at best, has-beens. More bodies needed. Starting pitching is this team's obvious strength. Garza, Arroyo, Meche, and Hudson, and to a lesser extent, Duke and Liriano are all established at this point, if not healthy and in top form. Samardzija may make some starts at this point as well, though it's up to luck at that point. The pen is fairly solid, with the efforts centered around Paps. Downs, Bergmann, Francisco, Grabow, and Linebrink are all established relievers with sure jobs right now. Slama, Shinskie, Morlan, etc could be called up any day. In summary, this is another middle-of-the-road team. Offense is a bit below average, and pitching is a bit above. And I don't see why it won't stay that way until somebody steps up and takes charge.

Prospects: 13 (t-10th)
Pts per prospect: 9.08 (18th)
Total points: 118.04 (13th)

team #13

DC Congresscritters
eagle61
(83-79, 3rd NL Central, rank 21 last year)

Prospects:
P Jeremy Hellickson, Rays #2, BP #13, BA #18, KL #17, FH #10
3B Lonnie Chisenhall, Indians #2, BP #43, BA #31, KL #26, FH #68
C Tyler Flowers, White Sox #2, BP #72, BA #60, KL #58, FH #67
2B Adrian Cardenas, Athletics #9
SS Ian Desmond, Nationals #4
P Brett Sinkbeil, Marlins #24
OF Sam Fuld, Cubs #23

Other non-prospect youngsters:
2B Andres Blanco, Cubs
3B Andy LaRoche, Pirates
C Robinzon Diaz, Tigers
C Brian McCann, Braves
C Jarrod Saltalaacchia, Rangers
OF Gregor Blanco, Braves
OF Trevor Crowe, Indians
OF Brett Gardner, Yankees
OF Hunter Pence, Astros
P Joey Devine, Athletics
P Mark Lowe, Mariners
P Edward Mujica, Padres
P Chris Ray, Rangers
P Dallas Braden, Athletics
P Craig Stammen, Nationals
P Jason Vargas, Mariners
SS Luis Cruz, Brewers
SS Brendan Ryan, Cardinals

One of this year's biggest risers on this year's list does it primarily with three impact talents. And somehow, he does it without a single Braves prospect! But really, he's got a better system than the two guys he's trying to chase, and as long as he can maneuver his roster accordingly, he should put himself in a position to make up ground. His strongest position is catcher. McCann is underrated, if only because of that Mauer guy stealing all the headlines. Saltalamacchia is a former top prospect that's starting to run out of chances before he loses his starting job, and Flowers is a current catching prospect on the brink of snagging the job on the south side. Somehow, he managed to wrangle all three of the most recent Atlanta-produced catching phenoms. At first, Nick Johnson is expected to benefit from Yankee Stadium's apparent jet stream, but that's only so long as he can stay on the field. Chase Utley is the best second baseman in baseball, and there's really nothing else need be said about that. Blanco can spell him if he needs a rest. Inge at third was an All-Star last year, and LaRoche can have some good streaks, but both are really keeping things warm until Chisenhall arrives. Shortstop will primarily be manned by Ryan, though Izturis may see time, as will Desmond, though he may be more super-sub than anything. The outfield is a weak point on this team. Pence is a good first-division regular, but nobody else jumps out. Byrd might have a job in Chitown, though he's never been consistent. Michaels, if he's still in the game, hasn't held down a job. Guillen and Guerrero are injury risk and probably DHs, so they might not see the OF at all. Gardner and Schierholtz have shots at at least part-time gigs, but until they find out a way to quantify "grit" and "guts", they won't be significant contributors. The pitching staff has some questions. Derek Lowe, Oswalt, and Garland appear to be set in a rotation from day one. Braden may as well. Duchscherer can be very good if ever he can stay healthy. Stammen will eat innings, but he's in danger of only registering a half-season once the young gun in DC gets called up. The pen holds a bunch of formerly-injured and no longer trustworthy closers, such as B.J. Ryan and Chris Ray. Ray and Devine have a chance to close again. Ryan probably won't pitch a meaningful inning again. Mark Lowe can be an effective reliever, as can Mujica, when they've got the home-field advantage. All in all, it's an average pen. There's no real reason this team should take a nosedive going for next year. With some good drafting and a couple nice rookie call-ups, this team should hit enough to win. And win enough to be like usual winning record but middle-pack team.

Prospecs: 7 (t-21st)
Pts Per prospect: 16.59 (5th)
Total Points: 116.16 (14th)

team #12

Pike Place FishHeads
jrnyfan01
(40-122, 4th NL West, rank 14 last year)

Prospects:
3B Pedro Alvarez, Pirates #1, BP #6, BA #8, KL #35, FH #13
P Tanner Scheppers, Rangers #4, BP #68, BA #42, KL #78, FH #31
P Stephen Strasburg, Nationals #1, BP #1, BA #2, KL #2, FH #1
2B Brett Lawrie, Brewers #2, BP #99, BA #59, KL #47, FH #87
P Jarrod Parker, Diamondbacks #1, BP #52, BA #36, KL #37, FH #21
P Trevor Reckling, Angels #4, BP #92, KL #77, FH #98
OF Daryl Jones, Cardinals #4, KL #59
P Brad Mills, Blue Jays #8
P Adam Warren, Yankees #26
P Daniel Moskos, Pirates #30

Other non-prospect youngsters:
2B Alexi Casilla, Twins
3B Josh Fields, Royals
C Jeff Mathis, Angels
C Geovany Soto, Cubs
OF Elijah Dukes, (ex-)Nationals
OF Daryl Jones, Cardinals
OF Kyle Blanks, Padres
P Matt Albers, Orioles
P Jason Motte, Cardinals
P Nick Blackburn, Twins
P Mitchell Boggs, Cardinals
P Billy Buckner, Diamondbacks
P Fausto Carmona, Indians
P Dana Eveland, Blue Jays
P Gio Gonzalez, Athletics
P Andy Sonnanstine, Rays

Different jrny team, same jrny flavor. And that's not a misprint - Strasburg is, despite his high regard, the third-highest-valued player on this team. It's a balance in the formula to try to give kudos to prospects from more highly-regarded organizations, and ole Steve's teammates ain't doing him any favors. That said, there's still a lot of high-end talent on this team. To be honest, the ranking would've ended up higher if ownership would cut ties with some of the chaff on the roster. But without further ado - the roster! And speaking of Strasburg, much like his MLB counterpart, he's already the best pitcher on the staff. Unfortunately, he's not slated to reach the bigs until at least halfway through the year. Which means a rotation cobbled together with the likes of Carmona, Blackburn, Sonnanstine, and Ollie Perez will handle the majority of the innings. Don't get me wrong, those guys are all respectable with varying degrees of upside, but that's a rotation that gets you to .500 and no further. Yeah, Webb's still there, and he could be the ace they need, but until he puts something together on the field, color me unconvinced. The starters will have to hold things together all the more so due to a distinct lack of bodies in the pen. I don't even know if any of those guys has an opening day job for sure. So that's the story of the pitching staff, and I can't say the position players fare that much better. The artist formerly known as the Giambino mans first, at least until Adrian gets traded and Blanks can move to his eventual landing pad in SD. Barmes is slated to start at second, and he'll need to be sufficient, since Casilla has fallen out of favor in Minny. The side of the infield is not so lucky. Adam Everett is a defensive replacement masquerading as a starter at short, and third base is utterly vacant. Maybe they're throwing a surprise party for Alvarez when he arrives. Catching is solid ABs-wise, though Soto will need to bounce back from whatever made him terrible last year to make you feel good about the situation. As bad as any of that may be, it still gets worse! One of only two full-time starters in the outfield is also the only full timer at first! Blanks is an up-and-comer worth hanging on to, but he's just not a quality outfielder defensively, thus his destination is 1B. Both Morgan and Taveras are here, and they're competing for the same job in Washington, as well, so they'll combine to form one player, and nothing more. Ordonez fell out of favor long ago in Detroit, and only yet remains due to a contractual issue. Combine him with Church, Byrnes, and the now-released Dukes and you ahould be able to put together an outfield. At least you should, but we'll see. Either way, this team is destined for the basement. If Alvarez and Strasburg arrive mid-season this year, it'll at least give the team an idea of where it's headed, as Alvarez and Strasburg are the future of this team. But the future is not now. They're going to be bad again next year, just maybe not quite to the same level.

Prospects: 10 (t-15th)
Pts per prospect: 13.94 (7th)
Total points: 139.42 (12th)

team #11

South City Magnums
magnum
(82-80, 3rd NL West, rank 10 last year)

Prospects:
P Zack Wheeler, Giants #3, BP #88, BA #49, KL #84
OF Thomas Neal, Giants #4, BA #96, FH #62
SS Reid Brignac, Rays #5, BP #69, BA #54
P Jennry Mejia, Mets #1, BP #48, BA #56, KL #23, FH #23
SS Dee Gordon, Dodgers #1, BP #27, BA #46, KL #39, FH #44
P Jake McGee, Rays #8
P Drew Storen, Nationals #3, BP #60, BA #92, KL #92, FH #79
P Wynn Pelzer, Padres #7
SS Jiovanni Mier, Astros #2, BP #97, BA #73, KL #94
P Jon Niese, Mets #6
P Matt Maloney, Reds #8
P Scott Barnes, Indians #29
1B Angel Villalona, Giants #30
P Polin Trinidad, Astros #26

Other non-prospect youngsters:
2B Rickie Weeks, Brewers
2B Kevin Frandsen, Red Sox
3B Alex Gordon, Royals
3B Pablo Sandoval, Giants
OF Nick Markakis, Orioles
OF Justin Upton, Diamondbacks
P Cla Meredith, Orioles
P Francisco Rodriguez, Mets
P Matt Cain, Giants
P Big Fat Bartolo Colon, FA
P Ross Detwiler, Nationals
P David Huff, Indians
P Jair Jurrjens, Braves
P Chris Lambert, Orioles
P Ervin Santana, Angels
P Justin Verlander, Tigers
3B Brandon Wood, Angels

Now that we're into the top half of the rankings, a lot more recognizable names start popping up in the prospect portion of the list. Strasburg was in the previous group, now the likes of Mejia, Brignac, and Gordon pop in. And the team could use their help, and soon, because this team is just starting to peak, and with the division they're in, they'll need all the help they can get. A solid pitching staff led by Verlander, Cain, and Jurrjens could use the help of a Mejia-type, though hoping for solid contributions from Erv Santana, Niese, and Detwiler isn't a bad place to be, all things considered. Of course, you can never have too many good arms, and Santana's injury history, along with any one of the others going down, and now you're in trouble. The pen is in fairly good shape as well, with Meredith, Ziegler, and Hawkins to get the ball to K-Rod. While he's overrated, IMO, he's still going to give you everything you ask from a reliever - just not everything you could hope for. Of the positions, outfield is easily the greatest position of depth and strength. Markakis, Cruz, and Upton are All-Star caliber, and that leaves Werth and that Manny Ramirez guy on the bench, with or without the juice. I would say it would be worthwhile to try to move some of that depth for a catcher, as there's a need in that spot. Doumit is decent enough, but he has trouble putting a full year together, and Johjima has taken his ball and gone home to the other side of the West Pond. At the corners will likely be the Kung Fu Panda and one of Alex Gordon or Brandon Wood. Wood seems like he'll finally get a full-time shot in Anaheim, so I'm guessing he'll be the choice, since Gordon's starting the year hurt, as well as dangling dangerously close to "bust" status. Either way, it should be possible to get a full year's worth of 3B out of them. Though, this is assuming that Sandoval gets enough time at 1B to make him eligible, as without him, there are no other options. Clark's toast whether or not he retires, and it seems Villalona's once-promising career may well be over for all the wrong reasons. Up the middle, we expect to see Ramirez and Weeks turning the pivot. They'll have to, because Frandsen and Brignac will likely be naught but backups this year. In the end, this team seems to parallel the Rays of MLB. Good to very good on paper, but with the Anteaters and Sparrows to play the Yankees and Red Sox roles, it's hard to envision them cracking the playoffs. However, with guys like Upton and Verlander to build around, they'll surely be there to take their shots in due time.

Prospects: 14 (t-5th)
Pts per prospect: 11.68 (13th)
Total points: 163.58 (11th)

team #10

Washington Whips
maddove117
(94-68, 3rd AL East, rank 4 last year)

Prospects:
3B Josh Bell, Orioles #2, BP #39, BA #37, KL #61, FH #42
P Mike Montgomery, Royals #1, BP #36, BA #39, KL #75, FH #34
OF Josh Reddick, Red Sox #3, BP #58, BA #75
SS Tim Beckham, Rays #6, BP #56, BA #67, KL #29, FH #77
P Chad James, Marlins #3, BA #78
P Hector Rondon, Indians #7, KL #51
3B James Darnell, Padres #3, BP #64, BA #90
SS Danny Espinosa, Nationals #5
3B Matt Tuiasosopo, Mariners #19
P Daniel Schlereth, Tigers #5, FH #78
2B Scott Sizemore, Tigers #10, BP #57
P Dellin Betances, Yankees #28
OF Cedric Hunter, Padres #23

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B Joey Votto, Reds
C Kurt Suzuki, Athletics
OF Chris Coghlan, Marlins
OF Corey Hart, Brewers
OF Colby Rasmus, Cardinals
OF Ryan Sweeney, Athletics
P Jason Hammel, Rockies
P Brandon League, Mariners
P James McDonald, Dodgers
P Brett Anderson, Athletics
P Dan Cortes, Mariners
P Sean Gallagher, Padres
P Aaron Laffey, Indians
P Mat Latos, Padres
P Clayton Richard, Padres
SS Elvis Andrus, Rangers

Despite being a team with an excess of both age and youth, but nothing in-between, this team continues to pile up the wins. While the likes of Hudson, Rolen, and Cabrera age and decline, they pave the way for Sizemore, Bell, and Andrus. They only need to wait for the young guys to stand up and be counted and they'll be back on top of that division soon enough. The only noticeable weakness is the outfield. Cameron is still starting, but his offense is no longer what it was, which wasn't great to begin with. Hart, Sweeney, and Willingham have each had some measure of success, but none have yet to establish themselves consistently. But for next year, Cameron, some combination of those other three, and Rasmus appear to be the starting outfield. It won't be a world-beater, but Rasmus is a recent top prospect who also may break out at any time. Reddick is on the way to step in when Cameron's done, and the ship will move along. In the infield, Teixeira, Hudson, Rolen, and Cabrera are the old guys; Votto, Sizemore, and Andrus are the young guys, with a bunch of young 3Bs on the way to fill that out. They're good now and will be good in the future, not much to say there. Behind the plate, Suzuki is an underrated hitter, and Torrealba is a useful player, though his offensive numbers are bound to take a hit now that he's moving from Coors to Petco. Pitching-wise it's much the same. That guy called Doc Halladay is a horse, as anyone will tell you, and Latos and Anderson are very good young pitchers to slot behind him. Like other positions, starter goes three deep, but unlike other positions, you need 5 starters to be viable. Richard looks like he'll have a rotation spot, as does Myers, but there's no insurance for any of them. The bullpen looks to be reasonably solid, but it doesn't have the names you'd look for as reliable arms to bring you to the finish line. Durbin and Hammel are long guys that aren't going to impress anyone. Crain, League, Lindstrom, McDonald, and Schlereth are projected bullpen arms, and it should be enough to construct a complete bullpen, but it could as easily be a house of straw as it is a house of brick. On the whole, this is a very strong offensive team, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. The pitching raises a few questions, but as long as they can keep them in position for a 7-5 win, they'll be fine and competing in that very tough division.

Prospects: 13 (t-9th)
Pts per prospect: 13.28 (9th)
Total Points: 172.58 (9th)

team #9

Pacific Fire
deer454
(84-78, 3rd AL West, rank 5 last year)

Prospects:
P Jhoulys Chacin, Rockies #4, BA #71, KL #48, FH #89
OF Brett Jackson, Cubs #2, BP #96, BA #74, FH #72
C Adam Moore, Mariners #3, BA #83
C Austin Romine, Yankees #2, BA #86, FH #45
P Andrew Cashner, Cubs #4, BA #95, KL #79
SS Hector Gomez, Rockies #5
C Sebastian Valle, Phillies #7
3B Danny Valencia, Twins #6
3B Ryan Flaherty, Cubs #9
P Aaron Miller, Dodgers #3
3B Juan Francisco, Reds #5
P Brad Holt, Mets #5
P Amaury Rivas, Brewers #16
3B David Freese, Cardinals #5

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B Steve Pearce, Pirates
3B/1B Jorge Cantu, Marlins
3B Ian Stewart, Rockies
OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers
OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
P Phil Coke, Tigers
P Carlos Villanueva, Brewers
P Alfredo Aceves, Yankees
P Edwin Jackson, Diamondbacks
P Wade LeBlanc, Padres
P Andrew Miller, Marlins
P Bud Norris, Astros
P Bobby Parnell, Mets
P Felipe Paulino, Astros
P Mark Rzepczynski, Blue Jays (yeah Windows, spell check that)
P Kevin Slowey, Twins
P Sean West, Marlins

For a team that was supposedly rebuilding, they put together a solid season last year. And they've got the pieces to build around in certain places, as well. Just that the other places are too weak right now to support a championship-caliber run. That is particularly true of the pitching staff. Zambrano's not the Big Z we once knew, and Chris Young is having trouble returning to form after surgery so long ago. Ed Jackson could benefit from a move to the NL, but his overall numbers last year disguised a poor second half. Slowey missed half the season with wrist surgery, though spring reports are promising. Throw in there some Aceves, Norris, Paulino, and Rzep-whatever, and you've got an abundance of bodies, but few to count on, and fewer still with the ceiling high enough to lead a team. And they'll need the extra bodies, because the 'pen is rather sparse on its own. Betancourt, Coke, Cruz, Lidge, and Villanueva all expect to have steady jobs, though they'll particularly need Lidge to regain some sort of form, or the late innings will be much more harrowing than anyone wants them to be. Offense is deep really at only one position - outfield. Kemp, McCutchen, and Ichiro are the sort of championship outfield you like to see, both offensively and defensively. Matsui provides pop off the bench, or splitting time with Pronk at DH, and Anderson, Matthews, and Murphyare adequate backups. Brett Jackson should also be ready to step in when Ichiro has declined far enough. Catcher and 3B are really positions of an appearance of depth, but both are less deep than one might like. Catcher has Olivo and Shoppach most likely splitting time, and maybe a few spare ABs for Pudge here and there. Moore, Romine, and Valle are decent prospects, but only Moore is even the best catching prospect in his own system, so they'll need some help to even get the PT they need. At third, Stewart is really the only regular option. Cantu and Atkins don't expect to see regular time, if any at all at the hot corner, both prospectively moving to first. Valencia and Francisco are prospects with the means to a starting job in the near future, but right now the people getting excited about them are a little too rose-tinted to be trusted objectively. Let's let them win their jobs and go from there. Freese may factor into St Louis' situation as well, but we'll see where that goes. Second base is the opposite of third as there are not many but one man for the job - Brandon Phillips. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, just something that might require insurance. Lugo will likely have some ABs to back him up, as well as Theriot at short, though I doubt he'll be able to step in in a worst case. First base is also a bit of a muck. Hafner is strictly a DH, Pearce just isn't good enough to hold a steady job, especially with Garrett Jones going off his gourd last year. Cantu is the most likely starter, though he's got young'uns pushing his job security. Atkins is also slated to start, but he too may get forced out before long. Heck, even Belliard is in the mix. But that's about the way this roster shows on paper - quantity to excess, just not quite enough quality to grab things by the cojones and take over. After all, you can accumulate all you want, but only 9 men can take the field at a time.

Prospects: 14 (t-5th)
Pts per prospect: 11.96 (12th)
Total Points: 167.42 (10th)

team #8

Chicago Noble Statesmen
ooooohdoggie
(34-128, 4th AL Central, rank 19 last year)

Prospects:
OF Jason Heyward, Braves #1, BP #2, BA #1, KL #1, FH #4
3B Josh Vitters, Cubs #3, BP #31, BA #70, KL #30, FH #53
OF Donavan Tate, Padres #1, BP #29, BA #53, FH #37
P Daniel Hudson, White Sox #3, BP #55, BA #66, FH #32
1B Brandon Snyder, Orioles #6
3B Brent Morel, White Sox #4
OF Slade Heathcott, Yankees #4
P Brad Lincoln, Pirates #4
SS Jose Iglesias, Red Sox #9, KL #91
3B Dayan Viciedo, White Sox #7
SS Ivan DeJesus, Dodgers #8
3B Jefry Marte, Mets #12
SS Tyler Greene, Cardinals #14

Other non-prospect youngsters:
3B Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
OF Shin-Soo Choo, Indians
OF Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
P Jose Arredondo, Reds
P Lance Broadway, Blue Jays
P Andrew Brackman, Yankees
P Cole Hamels, Phillies
P Felix Hernandez, Mariners
P Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks

This team isn't good. Sure, they have Felix and Hamels, and that will win a few games by itself. However, the offense is nearly nonexistant. I suppose they'll get better this year, as Heyward will fill out the outfield with Choo and Gonzalez, effectively replacing Ankiel. However, an aging and increasingly injured 1B tandem of Delgado and D-Lee would've been much nicer 7 years ago, but today they're not carrying a team like they used to. 2B is all but vacant. Guzman might shift over there some this year, but he doesn't seem to have the Opening Day job, so we'll see hos that goes. Problem with that is that, if he moves over to second, nobody will be to play short. Third base is really deep...in prospects. Viciedo, Morel, Vitters, and Marte all play there - or at least they do right now. One of them will get the job, since Eddie Encarnacion's not blocking anyone's playing time. However, the question becomes what to do with the lot of them. Catching is actually above average with Florida's Baker and the one called Posada, though Jorge could break down at any moment, much like the rest of his fellow aging cast of Yanks. The aforementioned outfield should be fine with Choo, Heyward, and Gonzalez, and Ankiel to back them up. Pitching is top-heavy with King Felix and Hamels. After that, you're hoping for a bounce-back from Davis or Hill or Washburn or Kennedy. They should provide the innings, but I don't think they'll surprise us with a season of high quality. The pen is a mess. Wood, the team's best reliever, is out for the start of the season. Arredondo's trying to come back from a procedure, this time in Cincy. Nobody else there is worth mention. It's really no wonder this team didn't break 40 wins, since there's just not enough to work with. It's a heavily future-based team, and the future hasn't arrived yet.

Prospects: 14 (t-5th)
Pts per prospect: 12.67 (11th)
Total points: 177.4 (8th)

team #7

St. Louis Sparrows
rockrobster
(117-45, 1st NL West, rank 8 last year)
Back-to-Back World Series Champs

Prospects:
OF Desmond Jennings, Rays #1, BP #7, BA #6, KL #6, FH #3
P Neftali Feliz, Rangers #1, BP #3, BA #9, KL #13, FH #6
1B Justin Smoak, Rangers #2, BP #17, BA #13, KL #9, FH #22
OF Ryan Westmoreland, Red Sox #1, BP #14, BA #21, KL #32, FH #39
P Simon Castro, Padres #2, BP #47, BA #57, KL #46
OF Jose Tabata, Pirates #2, BP #90, KL #57, FH #69
P Brandon Erbe, Orioles #7
P Chorye Spoone, Orioles #28
C Alex Avila, Tigers #6
P Jose Ortegano, Braves #25
2B Matt Antonelli, Padres #27

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B Prince Fielder, Brewers
2B Ian Kinsler, Rangers
C Russell Martin, Dodgers
OF Brian Anderson, Royals
OF Wladimir Balentien, Reds
OF Adam Jones, Orioles
OF Delmon Young, Twins
P Phil Hughes, Yankees
P Trevor Cahill, Athletics
P Zack Greinke, Royals
P Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
P Edinson Volquez, Reds
SS Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks
SS Chin-Lung Hu, Dodgers
2B Blake DeWitt, Dodgers
2B Brent Lillibridge, White Sox

A great way to establish a place near the top of a list like this: grab the #1 prospect from the #1 organization and #s 1 and 2 from the #2 org. However, this ranking rewards quantity as well as quality, optimally both, and this list is but average in quantity. Pair that with the back-to-back WS titles and the rest of the league is in trouble. Therefore, let us disassemble this winner to see how it ticks. As I've mentioned many times before, you win with stars, and this team has its share. A-Rod and Prince man the corners, though only Branyan backs up Prince for now. DeRosa would've backed up A-Rod, but he looks to be manning for the Giants. Kinsler's the projected starter at second, but he's starting the year on the DL. Good thing last year's breakout star, Zobrist, is available to cover for him. The infield's weakest link is probably short, with Drew the Younger as the primary option. He's not yet lived up to the hype he had, though he'll have plenty of chances. Lillibridge, DeWitt, and Castro will fill in what needs filling. Behind the plate, a declining Russell Martin and an ascending Avila offer a season's worth of service for the club. The outfield could also use some work, though the prospects are certainly on their way. Delmon Young is the 2nd best outfielder, which isn't a good thing, behind stud Adam Jones, and ahead of Vernon Wells or DeJesus. Fukudome, Anderson, and Balentien may spell any of them as necessary, though they're generally not the type you want starting. Tabata, Jennings, and Westmoreland provide an opportunity to flank Jones with another stud for years to come, though there's much trepidation surrounding Westmoreland following his recent surgery. Pitching-wise, this team was led by another breakout star, Greinke. He's got a good supporting cast behind him, provided they stay healthy. Danks, Guthrie, Kershaw, Volquez, and now-healthy Francis provide much potential, but not much security if something goes wrong. In relief there is Mo, and the rest really don't matter much. Nunez, Hughes, Mike Gonzalez, and others should be enough to do the job. The rest of us just hope we can dethrone the mighty Sparrows next year, because they'll be a tough out for some time.

Prospects: 11 (14th)
Pts per prospect: 20.49 (1st)
Total points: 225.44 (4th)

team #6

Boston Samurai
brygold
(110-52, 1st AL East, rank 1 last year)

Prospects:
P Madison Bumgarner, Giants #2, BP #21, BA #14, KL #28, FH #14
1B Chris Carter, Athletics #1, BP #11, BA #28, KL #33, FH #26
P Aaron Crow, Royals #2, BP #54, BA #40, KL #87, FH #54
SS Todd Frazier, Reds #1, BP #67, BA #43, KL #66, FH #56
C Tony Sanchez, Pirates #3, BP #75, BA #79, KL #82, FH #75
C Hank Conger, Angels #1, BP #81, BA #84, KL #52, FH #88
OF Fernando Martinez, Mets #3, BP #80, BA #77, KL #73, FH #33
SS Wilmer Flores, Mets #2, BP #84, BA #88, KL #41
3B Logan Forsythe, Padres #5
SS David Renfroe, Red Sox #14
1B Chris Marrero, Nationals #6, FH #63
3B Bobby Borchering, Diamondbacks #2
OF Michael Burgess, Nationals #9
3B Neftali Soto, Reds #13
1B Beau Mills, Indians #24
OF Brian Bogusevic, Astros #21

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B Daric Barton, Athletics
1B Jeff Clement, Pirates
2B Howie Kendrick, Angels
3B Jose Lopez, Mariners
3B Evan Longoria, Rays
OF Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox
OF Matt LaPorta, Indians
OF Cameron Maybin, Marlins
OF Lastings Milledge, Pirates
OF Travis Snider, Blue Jays
OF Drew Stubbs, Reds
P Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers
P J.P. Howell, Rays
P Clay Buchholz, Red Sox
P Brett Cecil, Blue Jays
P Tim Lincecum, Giants
P Mike Pelfrey, Mets
P Anibal Sanchez, Marlins
P Chris Tillman, Orioles
P Chris Volstad, Marlins
SS Jose Reyes, Mets
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies

Not gonna lie, but it's weird to see this team knocked off its perch so far. I would attribute it to two things: one, prospects graduate eventually, and a lot of his did, and two, the pack caught up to him in that he doesn't have the same über-prospects he's had in the past. Not that it really matters that much, as the prospects of the past now form the dynasty of the future. This dynasty is not without its weaknesses, however. Of those, I would rank catcher the highest. Barajas is the presumed starter, and should be part of the Mets everyday lineup, but he never was an offensive factor. Schneider's nothing more than a backup, and Clement's going to play every day - at first base. Conger and Sancheez aren't going to be ready this year. If this team's going to make an upgrade, it would be here. First base is the next weakest position, with an aging Helton in front of Clement and Barton, with Carter still not ready and a couple B-rank prospects behind him. Kendrick will get another shot to play second every day, but his insurance policy, Jose Lopez, will be insuring Longoria at third instead. Then there's the shortstop, which is probably the strongest position with Reyes, despite his health concerns, and Tulo, who looks like the best all-around SS in baseball right now. The outfield should be in good shape. Ellsbury and Holliday will play every day. Snider has become an offensive force, though he might not play the field much, same with Cust. Milledge, Maybin, LaPorta, and Stubbs are taxi-squad lottery tickets right now. All have the potential to break out, but for the playing time and the ability to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them. The starting staff looks strong once again with Lincecum, Beckett, Correia, Sabathia, with a little Dice-K and Pelfrey seasoned in. You might see some Anibal Sanchez, Tillman, Volstad, Cecil, and Buchholz, but in quantities only relative to the innings they actually log, which are not certain for any of them. The gross excess in the rotation allows the pen to be thin. Broxton is lights-out of course, but Howell's hurt, Rodney's not very good, and Weathers and Wuertz are hit-or-miss. There is an abnormal thinness with only Bumgarner and Crow on the rise, and both have issues to overcome. MadBum has raised eyebrows in a bad way with persistent velocity issues dating back to mid-'09, and Crow has to overcome "being a Royal." Not that this rotation could weather a 10-year prospect drought anyway. So yeah, the team's good, and they'll still be good for years, blah blah blah. Moving on, nothing more to see here...

Prospects: 16 (2nd)
Pts per prospect: 12.71 (10th)
Total points: 203.4 (7th)

team #5

Wisconsin Winchesters
eman7400
(92-70, 2nd AL Central, rank 20 last year)

Prospects:
P Martin Perez, Rangers #3, BP #15, BA #17, KL #7, FH #9
P Tyler Matzek, Rockies #1, BP #23, BA #23, KL #22, FH #94
1B Brett Wallace, Athletics #2, BP #44, BA #27, KL #20, FH #28
OF Ben Revere, Twins #5, BP #46, FH #80
OF Nick Weglarz, Indians #6
P Craig Kimbrel, Braves #5, FH #81
P Casey Crosby, Tigers #2, BP #32, BA #47, KL #45, FH #82
P Randall Delgado, Braves #7, KL #85
C Christian Bethancourt, Braves #6
P Zach Stewart, Blue Jays #1, KL #55, FH #60
P Joe Savery, Phillies #21
P Josh Roenicke, Blue Jays #7
P Donnie Veal, Pirates #24
P Eddie Kunz, Mets #25

Other non-prospect youngsters:
1B James Loney, Dodgers
2B Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
3B Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
C Taylor Teagarden, Rangers
OF Jay Bruce, Reds
P Ronald Belisario, Dodgers
P Manny Corpas, Rockies
P Yovani Gallardo, Brewers
P Matt Harrison, Rangers
P Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
P Ross Ohlendorf, Pirates
P Jered Weaver, Angels
SS Yunel Escobar, Braves

This year’s biggest riser jumped a bunch of spots under the new management, picking up his top two prospects in this past year’s draft. They managed the increase while still remaining competitive, and a lot of this is due to a young core of infielders that will lead this team to more success in the future. Paramount among these contributors are Pedroia and Zimmerman, both All-Star level and likely to stay there for years. They’ll need to, as the lines of succession are barren. There figure to be multiple players at first and short, but Loney and Yunel Escobar should be the starters. Both are young players with some amount of hype and success, but not quite the success to back it up. Wallace may get some time in Oakland to push Loney, and Dunn could always factor in, while Gonzalez will be available as situations requiring his defense arise. Catching is a bit of a toss-up, as Teagarden is fighting for playing time while Bengie Molina gets pushed out in San Fran. Hopefully they’ll be able to combine into one useful player, though I don’t expect it to happen. The outfield is fairly set around Ibanez, Bruze, McLouth, and Pierre. Ibanez is coming off a career year, though at his age, health is always a concern. Pierre is back to a starting job, and will steal plenty, but his problem is increasingly his ability to steal first. McLouth has a full season in Atlanta in front of him and will have the lineup protection to make the most use of his overrated skilset. Bruce may break out and fulfill his prospect status, or he could be just ok again. The pitching staff reminds me of the Twins’ – nothing great, but a lot of solid, innings-eating arms. Gallardo is the highest-ceiling of the group, with Weaver, Nolasco, Dempster, and Bannister falling in line behind him. Harrison and Ohlendorf provide insurance. Unfortunately, Danny Duffy decided to quit baseball, so the team takes a hit from that, but Perez and Matzek are enough to make the line of succession on the pitching staff look strong. In the bullpen, Balfour, Belisario, Corpas, Kuo, Putz, and Rauch have each had good to great years, but none are consistent enough to count on. It's likely a closer-by-committee approach, but that may be sorted out if one or two step up with particularly good seasons. In all, this is a team that has enough talent to prey upon the weak teams in the AL, but not enough to regularly get past the elite teams. Therefore, this will likely be another high-80s win season without a playoff berth. Enough to keep the fans hopeful, just not enough to actually be of significance.

Prospects: 15 (t-3rd)
Pts per prospect: 13.58 (8th)
Total points: 203.7 (6th)

team #4

New Orleans Pelicans
spid24
(94-68, 1st NL East, rank 9 last year)

Prospects:
P Brian Matusz, Orioles #1, BP #18, BA #5, KL #11, FH #8
OF Dustin Ackley, Mariners #1, BP #12, BA #11, KL #8, FH #18
SS Starlin Castro, Cubs #1, BP #37, BA #16, KL #12, FH #11
C Jesus Montero, Yankees #1, BP #4, BA #4, KL #10, FH #5
C Derek Norris, Nationals #2, BP #28, BA #38, KL #31, FH #35
1B Gaby Sanchez, Marlins #5
P Eric Arnett, Brewers #4
C Max Stassi, Athletics #4
P Shelby Miller, Cardinals #1, BP #38, BA #50, KL #38, FH #59
2B Eric Young Jr., Rockies #6
P Manny Banuelos, Yankees #6, KL #96, FH #41
OF Rafael Rodriguez, Giants #12
SS Tommy Manzella, Astros #11

Other non-prospect youngsters:
2B Emmanuel Burriss, Giants
C George Kottaras, Brewers
C Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks
OF Adam Lind, Blue Jays
OF Felix Pie, Orioles
OF Seth Smith, Rockies
P Sean Burnett, Nationals
P Ryan Perry, Tigers
P Huston Street, Rockies
P Brian Wilson, Giants
P Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
P Joba Chamberlain, Yankees
P J.A. Happ, Phillies
P Luke Hochevar, Royals
P Derek Holland, Rangers
P Micah Owings, Reds

Not gonna lie - I'm not sure how this team won so many games last year. They've got as many individual #1 prospects as anybody, but that doesn't translate into wins. What they did get was a career year from Morales and solid performances from the pitching staff to power to the title. And this staff is just getting better. Pettite, Way-Rod, and Buehrle are solid starters that continue to truck along despite their age. On the young side, Happ overachieved last year, and Billingsley is one of the game's best youngsters. Holland and Matusz will likely get more innings this year than last, though that probably only means a combined 200 innings. Hochevar has another shot to live up to his high draft status, but he can hardly be counted on, at least as far as quality goes. It's a rotation, but only an above-average one. That is to say, they'll get you through a season, but they won't be the key to your success, nor will they lead you to success beyond the season. The pen is probably one of the best. Madson, Guerrier, and Breslow are quality arms without the S stat, which is provided by Wilson and Street. Perry has a lot of potential there, too. Positional assignments is where this team falls short, particularly in the outfield. It's one of the worst major league outfields defensively. Lind and Guillen are nigh-statues, while Pie, the presumed other starter, is average. Offensively, Lind is a bona-fide cleanup man, while Guillen, well, wants to be. Pie will at least get the playing time to show he's useful. Seth Smith is the probable 4th guy, which is fine, but not impressive, and something called Willie Harris rounds out the bunch. On the infield, there's still more to be desired. Morales is coming off a career year, with Thome's part-time power to back him up. At second the woes begin, with the artist formerly known as Eckstein and part-timer Burriss, along with defense-only Feliz at third. Washed-up Renteria holds down short alongside Adam Everett clone, Tommy Manzella. Of course Starlin Castro is on the way soon, which may signify an upswing in the team's offensive fortunes. Behind the plate is up-and-comer Miguel Montero accompanied by Kottaras and Ross to fill out the ABs. Jesus Montero, Norris, and Stassi are quality catching prospects that will tandem nicely with Montero once they arrive, or may be useful trade chips. Going forward, I would have to say this team needs a Pie or a Hochevar to take a step up to maintain their division lead. Hard to say a 94-win team benefited from a "weak" division, but as far as the APPA goes, they did, as they had the fewest wins among all division winners. They do have a lot of high-potential, and highly-rated prospects, of whom more than one could get the call and make a contribution this year, so it's hard to say definitively, but based on the state of things now, this is an above-average team that would need more than a bit of luck to challenge seriously for a championship.

Prospects: 13 (t-9th)
Pts per prospect: 18.98 (3rd)
Total Points: 246.78 (3rd)

team #3

Saint Paul Saints
chazzzzzz
(98-64, 1st AL Central, rank 6 last year)

Prospects:
OF Aaron Hicks, Twins #1, BP #26, BA #19, KL #19, FH #40
P Julio Teheran, Braves #3, BP #33, BA #51, KL #63, FH #74
SS Miguel Sano, Twins #4, BP #35, BA #94, KL #97
OF Michael Brantley, Indians #5, KL #71
P Chris Withrow, Dodgers #2, BP #40, BA #48, KL #83, FH #100
P Jay Jackson, Cubs #5, BA #98, KL #50
P Junichi Tazawa, Red Sox #6, KL #98
C Kyle Skipworth, Marlins #7
P Carlos Carrasco, Indians #8
3B Alex Liddi, Mariners #5
SS Hak-Ju Lee, Cubs #6, BP #63
P Esmil Rogers, Rockies #9
OF Greg Halman, Mariners #10
C J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays #2
P Deolis Guerra, Twins #22

Other non-prospect youngsters:
C Dioner Navarro, Rays
OF Dexter Fowler, Rockies
OF Denard Span, Twins
OF Chase Headley, Padres
P Matt Daley, Rockies
P Jose Mijares, Twins
P Ramon Troncoso, Dodgers
P Tom Gorzelanny, Cubs
P Tommy Hanson, Braves
P Justin Masterson, Indians
SS Ronny Cedeno, Pirates
SS Jed Lowrie, Red Sox
3B Adam Rosales, Athletics

Ah, yes, it's come to my turn in the list. If I'm going to comment on every other team, it's fair that I should comment on my own. And that starts with this: my team's getting old. The core of the team is in their primes, for sure, but there are a lot of 29-31 year olds that will keep me successful for the next couple seasons, but I need a couple more in the Hanson/Fowler age range to lock up a chain of succession into the future. The prospects I do have are, as you can probably observe, not of the highest-impact caliber. A good quantity of future starters, perhaps, but not the types of players that will win you championships. And the team isn't all that deep, either. Last year, I was struggling to find enough at-bats at the infield corners. This year, with Headley back in the infield, and Polanco moving over from second, I may have an excess, when combined with Youkilis and Am-Ram. Though that would then leave me weak up the middle with pretty much just Bartlett and Uggla as starters. Lee and Sano are quality SS prospects, but they're too far away to make a difference any time soon. My catching situation doesn't make me comfortable, either, as Navarro's lost his full-time job, and Whiteside and Moeller aren't any better than stopgaps. Arencibia and Skipworth are both prospects that have fallen a bit, on top of it all. At least my outfield's in good shape. Fowler, Granderson, and Span will all be roughly every-day players and produce offensively. And if I'm lucky, I'll get a hand from a Josh Hamilton-type. Pitching has long been a strength of my team, and it'll continue to be with, hopefully, a full year of Hanson and Peavy to go with most of a year of Lee and Sheets, with the reliable Saunders to close out the rotation, and Gorzelanny and Masterson as insurance. The pen is fairly solid as well, despite losing Guzman for the year and Buchholz' continued recovery. Jenka, Mijares, Daley, and Troncoso all have prominent roles in their teams' bullpens and shouldn't have trouble accruing innings. Duensing should be available for long relief. So yeah, that's my team. Good, sure. Good enough to probably win the division, I think, especially after last year's effort. But the clock is ticking. I'll need a youth infusion in the infield to keep the roll going much beyond 2012.

Prospects: 15 (t-3rd)
Pts per prospect: 14.28 (6th)
Total points: 214.22 (5th)