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Grant Brisbee
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Rob Neyer
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Jason Brannon
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Jim Baker
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eBay Item Of The Day - May 25
Marc Normandin
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Wendy Thurm
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Baseball On Par With Other Professional Sports In Dealing With Bad Umpires - May 20
MLB.com has released their list of the 100 best prospects -- up from 50 in previous seasons -- but it's the guys at the top of the list that we can really argue about, and they've got Tampa Bay's Matt Moore at the very top.
Jan 26, 2012 - MLB.com's first-ever Top 100 Prospects was published last night, and it's got all the multimedia bells and whistles that you would expect. Which is not a knock, at all.
Of course I'm not remotely qualified to quibble with a list like this.
Except I'm going to quibble, just a little ...
I don't believe Matt Moore is the No. 1 prospect in the game.
Look, I know he's brilliant. I can read the numbers, and I saw him pitching for the Rays last October. But let me ask you this question ... If you could have one prospect for the next (say) three or four years, who would you take?
Matt Moore? There is a significant chance that Matt Moore will spend one of the next three or four years on the Disabled List. Also, most young pitchers, no matter how talented and healthy, need a few years to adjust to the rigors of facing the best hitters in the world. Granted, the Rays have a spectacular tradition of keeping their pitchers healthy. Still.
I'll take Bryce Harper, for the next three or four years and beyond. There's a pitching prospect like Matt Moore every two or three years. There's a hitting prospect like Harper every ... what, decade or so? Just in case anyone's forgotten, last summer Bryce Harper was
18 YEARS OLD.
Let that swirl around inside your brain-holder for a few seconds.
I don't think Harper's actually ready to really help the Nationals in the majors quite yet. I think if he plays he'll be adequate, at best. But both Ken Griffey and Alex Rodriguez were All-Star caliber players at 20, and I don't think anyone should be particularly surprised if Harper's a star in 2013. Should we really expect the same of Matt Moore?
Maybe. He's phenomenally talented. I certainly wouldn't quibble with listing him No. 2, or 3 (behind Mike Trout). But I do not think he's the most valuable, promising young player who's eligible for a Rookie of the Year Award in 2012.
8 comments
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Comments
Damn your liberal bias favoring the Washington insider ...
oh, wait, never mind. I got this confused with Newt…
Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "Yes, ... wait, ... no, ... never mind"
by jbg2772 on Jan 26, 2012 1:29 PM EST reply actions
even in the headshot photo
billy hamilton still looks to be about 5’2, 130
by gator32301 on Jan 26, 2012 1:49 PM EST reply actions
Just to play devil's advocate
Bryce’s wOBA dropped over 100 points to .332 when he was promoted to AA. I know it’s a smaller sample, but isn’t it possible that this was indicative that he needs more seasoning / wouldn’t necessarily tear up the majors if he was promoted today?
Again, not arguing I’d take Matt Moore over Harper, just noting that Moore looks about as ready as ready gets…
by aronofsky40 on Jan 26, 2012 2:56 PM EST reply actions
Seems simple enough.
I’m pretty sure MLB has issued a mandate to all writers that Harper is to be hyped at all costs.
Additionally, where is “Other” in the poll, and why is Trout there?
Most arguments are really about context.
by SheaWasBettor21 on Jan 27, 2012 12:45 AM EST up reply actions
I think the best prospect is Moore
However, the biggest prospect is certainly Harper. Moore has proved he belongs in the bigs, we are still uncertain about Harper.
"Whenever one finds himself in the majority, it is time to step back and reflect," Mark Twain.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Jan 26, 2012 6:45 PM EST reply actions
but moore will be in the rays rotation in april
while neither trout nor harper will be in anaheim or washington’s lineup. gimme moore
Trolling the Offseason: Starring Jamie Moyer, Directed by Dan O'Dowd, with Executive Producers Dick and Charlie Monfort
PRMLB Arizona Diamondbacks GM
by papality on Jan 27, 2012 1:04 AM EST reply actions
Wow...
What an idiotic article. It’s funny because everyone thinks that every young fireballer is going to end up the disabled list. Wanna know where that idea came from? It’s because young pitchers who throw hard don’t have the right mechanics.
Look at Matt Moore and tell me he doesn’t have the right mechanics.
Anyway, the point of this article is to say Matt Moore is overrated. When in fact, Bryce Harper is.
by Roy J on Jan 27, 2012 10:25 AM EST reply actions
No.
The point is to say that they are both likely to succeed but its statisticly more likely for a hitter to achieve his potential than a pitcher and if both are equally good prospects then the hitter should be higher rated by simple virtue of him not being as likely to miss time.
by Robby The Kid on Jan 27, 2012 12:47 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
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