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Dodgers prospect chat with Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus 2013 annual was recently published and True Blue LA had the opportunity to talk to some of their authors. This is the first part of an interview with Jason Parks, who writes about prospects and he talks about his top two Dodger prospects, Yasiel Puig and Zach Lee.
By CraigMinami on Mar 9 2013, 10:30a
I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Jason Parks, author at Baseball Prospectus, about some of the top prospects for the Dodgers. Parks had a passion for baseball and writing and while he didn't have any goals to be a national prospect writer, he happened to be friends with certain people and it just kind of happened. Parks' predecessor was Kevin Goldstein, who is now overseeing the Houston Astros pro scouting department.
We talked about a few of the prospects Parks profiled here, but since his analysis was for subscribers only, here are some of Jason's thoughts about those players.
Yasiel Puig was the number one prospect and Parks said one of the issues with Puig was that not many people had seen him in game action. Puig physically looks better than initially advertised, perhaps people saw him a few years when he looked different but now his physical appearance is beginning to turn heads.
"First of all, he's not 6'3", he looks 6'. He's built like Ray Lewis, he's a middle linebacker in a 4-3 system," Parks said. "He's got broad shoulders, and a big broad chest. But he's an athlete, he can run, he can throw, he's got power, he's a five-tool guy."
On what minor league level Puig should play this year, Parks said "for hitters, Double-A is the test, if you put Puig in High A, he's gonna rake; it is not going to tell you much. He's a grown man, if you put him with boys, he's going to treat them like boys.
"Put him in Double-A, that's the test, that is where pitchers can command their stuff better, you see a lot more breaking ball, change ups can be thrown for strikes, pitch sequence becomes a bigger part of the equation." It will be a test for Puig because "you just see a lot more serious pitchers."
"I'm a very much interested in seeing Puig in Double-A," Parks said.
Zach Lee was the number two prospect, and Parks said "I think he is really good prospect, what I don't think he is a really great prospect and I think that is a really important distinction.
"We as fans of prospects, when your team sets out and says this guy is going to be D-1 quarterback and were going to give him five million dollars, and five million dollars buys a lot of perception." he said. That buys this whole top of rotation [idea], "that always exist when a kid is 18 and never exists when he is 21 or 22."
Parks said Lee isn't going to be an ace but "what he can be is a solid major league starter someday." "And that has a ton of value."
"He's got very good delivery, he's athletic kid obviously, he's got size, he's got strength, his fastball is solid average, he can bump it to plus velocity," Parks said. "He has multiple breaking ball looks, I personally like the slider. He can turnover the change up, he can pitch in sequence."
For Lee, Double-A is also the test level, are you for real, "are you a major leaguer or a minor leaguer?"
"Lee is going to struggle a bit but I think he going to become a solid number three or number four type of starter and if he does develop to that, that's a win, he's worth every single dime they gave him to forego his scholarship to LSU. I'm a fan of him, I like him."[REDACTED] -
Yasiel Puig ------ Yah-seal pweeg
He's fast.
He throws hard.
And he's got a purdy swing.
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Dear Mods. Los Angeles has more Mexicans than Mexico City. Please put my thread back into ghetto Spanglish. Muchas Gracias.[REDACTED]Comment
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:greinke:
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Jason Parks on Puig...
Guy is already big but he'll be huge when his body fills out.Yasiel Puig was the number one prospect and Parks said one of the issues with Puig was that not many people had seen him in game action. Puig physically looks better than initially advertised, perhaps people saw him a few years when he looked different but now his physical appearance is beginning to turn heads.
"First of all, he's not 6'3", he looks 6'. He's built like Ray Lewis, he's a middle linebacker in a 4-3 system," Parks said. "He's got broad shoulders, and a big broad chest. But he's an athlete, he can run, he can throw, he's got power, he's a five-tool guy."
On what minor league level Puig should play this year, Parks said "for hitters, Double-A is the test, if you put Puig in High A, he's gonna rake; it is not going to tell you much. He's a grown man, if you put him with boys, he's going to treat them like boys.
"Put him in Double-A, that's the test, that is where pitchers can command their stuff better, you see a lot more breaking ball, change ups can be thrown for strikes, pitch sequence becomes a bigger part of the equation." It will be a test for Puig because "you just see a lot more serious pitchers."
"I'm a very much interested in seeing Puig in Double-A," Parks said.
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Sidenote - Christ. Hanley lost a ton of weight. He's been one of those "best shape of his life" hype-receivers this winter, but WOW... Part of it has to be standing next to that monster, but still...[REDACTED]Comment
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Lilly having more trade interest than Capuano or Harang? It's Cafardo, so probably bullshit x1000.Ted Lilly, LHP, Dodgers — Growing interest in the lefty, who missed most of last season after May, as he makes his way back from shoulder surgery. There seems to be more interest in the 37-year-old Lilly than in Aaron Harang or Chris Capuano, two extra Dodgers starters who also could be dealt. The Dodgers are holding on to all of them until they are assured that Chad Billingsley is 100 percent ready after undergoing treatments to his elbow this offseason that enabled him to bypass Tommy John surgery.
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Rickie Weeks striking out on 3 pitches from Ryu. I know it's just Spring and not even halfway through March, but it's nice to see him doing well against MLB hitters.[REDACTED]Comment
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Ryu had another start, another successful outing against the Brewers. He threw 5.2 innings, striking out six and sitting down the last 11 batters he saw whilst only giving up a single run. A-Gone also hit two oppo homers and Ethier was 3 for 3 in that game. Those were Adrian's first two homers of Spring if you don't count the one off of R.A. Dickey in the WBC.
Also worth noting: Carl Crawford made his spring debut. He DH'd on Saturday (0 for 3 with lots of hustle - very important) and he'll DH today and tomorrow. He's trying really hard to make the Opening Day roster.
I think that him and Grienke will open the season on 15-day DL and just be sure to be as healthy as possible in mid-April, but we'll see what they do. Grienke threw a bullpen on Sunday, too.[REDACTED]Comment
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Greinke will make a 45-pitch start on Wednesday. LINK
It's still undecided whether he'll make that start from Minor League camp or the big league Spring Training. That decision will affect the date that his stint on the 15-day DL will be retroactive to once Opening Day arrives. Doyers won't need a 5th starting pitcher until April 13th.[REDACTED]Comment
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Questionable Player Updates:- Carl Crawford looks to be on track for a start in LF on Opening Day next week
- Ryu will begin the season as a starter
- 4 million bucks of Hanley's salary will be covered by the WBC. Every day on the DL is covered by WBC insurance policy (SOURCE)
- Hanley is estimated to make his 2013 debut around May 16 or so.
- Yasiel Puig went 0-2 in a game over the weekend and his ST average dropped to .526. Christ he's ridiculous - and will hopefully rip AA baseball a new one to force himself onto the MLB roster this summer.
The last bullpen spot is still up for grabs and it's an interesting situation. The Big 3 of NRIs is now a Big 2 - Peter Moylan and Kevin Gregg - and there's a few 40-man arms that could be candidates as well:
Paco Rodriguez .... LOOGY drafted last summer - first 2012 draftee to hit the bigs.
Josh Wall .... Hard throwing righty, minor league closer. He was born 8 days before me. He throws gas; 10.2 MLB innings last year with 12 Ks and a walk.
And of course, the trade-able trio: Capuano, Harang, Lilly.
Dream scenario for me is that Capuano stays as a long-reliever from the bullpen, the minor league guys stay in the minors (until needed due to injuries), and that Moylan and Gregg accept AAA assignments and come up as depth for the inevitable injuries. What is most likely to happen: Lilly stays (least trade value) and Capuano and Harang get traded for nobodies. One of Moylan/Gregg make the roster. Josh Wall comes up when one of Moylan/Gregg reminds us why they were NRI guys in the first place.
Still a week left, things can still change.[REDACTED]Comment
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TBLA
Chris Capuano Sweepstakes!Scouts from the Rangers, Mariners, Pirates, and Indians were on hand to watch Capuano mow down one little, two little, 25 little Indians on Monday afternoon.
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Great game yesterday with Kemp finally getting his first hit
And it wouldn't be complete without storming the field for Friday night fireworks
RIP 
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