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| Wednesday, January 31 | |||||
| Mariners minor-league report Special to ESPN.com | |||||
| System overview The loss of Alex Rodriguez has left a bitter taste in the mouths of Mariners fans. But if there is anything the trade of Ken Griffey Jr. last year should teach Seattle faithful, it is this: do not overestimate the importance of a single player. Griffey is an outstanding player; the Mariners went to the playoffs without him. A-Rod may be the best shortstop in the history of baseball; he will be missed, but it doesn't mean the Mariners are headed for immediate collapse. 2001 may not be a terrific season, but there is plenty of ammunition left for the long march ahead. The Mariners have a strong farm system. They've drafted decently; they have a solid Latin American program; they're very active in the emerging Asian baseball market. On the mound, Ryan Anderson headlines a strong group of young hurlers. For hitters, they can turn to Willie Bloomquist, Antonio Perez, Chris Snelling, and Juan Silvestre. The Mariners have a good mix of high-ceiling players, with "solid" organization-types to fill in the gaps. Seattle farm clubs had the best combined record in organized ball in '00. Also, note newcomer Ichiro Suzuki, who is expected to take over in right field in '01. I'm not listing him as a "prospect" below, since he's 27 years old, but he won seven batting titles in Japan. At the minimum he'll be a good player, and he could be Tony Gwynn. 2000 Minor League W-L Percentage: .577 (1st overall) 2000 amateur draft The big problem for the Mariners player development people in 2000 was lack of draft picks. Signing John Olerud, Aaron Sele and Arthur Rhodes cost Seattle first-, second-, and third-round picks. The first player they selected was Sam Hays, a hard-throwing lefty from high school in Texas drafted in the fourth round. He was considered a second-round talent by many teams, but fell in the draft due to questions about his signability. The Mariners got him to sign, taking some sting off the draft. He won't be rushed, but has a high ceiling and good bloodlines. His grandfather, Sid Hudson, was a major-league pitcher. The fifth-round choice was expended on Derrick Van Dusen, a polished lefty from Riverside Community College in California. He pitched very well in his debut, and combines with Hays to give the Mariners two interesting lefties. Sixth-rounder Jamal Strong, from the University of Nebraska, is a speedster who swiped 60 bases and drew 52 walks in short-season ball. He has little power, but his leadoff skills are intriguing. Another choice to watch is eighth-round pick Rett Johnson, a right-hander from Coastal Carolina University. He throws 91 mph and has a solid breaking pitch. Overall, the lack of top-round choices was a huge handicap, but signing Hays helped a little. Top prospects 1) Ryan Anderson, LHP: Gradually improving his control of 97-mph fastball and hard slider. Minor arm troubles in '00 are worrisome, but he is still more advanced than Randy Johnson was at the same age. 2) Antonio Perez, SS: Came over in the Griffey trade. 17 homers, 28 steals, 58 walks at age 19 in the California League. Long-term replacement for A-Rod. 3) Chris Snelling, OF: Australian outfielder with excellent bat speed and superb strike zone judgment. Missed much of year in Class A with broken hand, but expected to be fully healthy in '01. 4) Willie Bloomquist, 2B: Rushed a bit last year; hit .379 in the California League, but just .224 in Triple-A, skipping Double-A. Line-drive hitter with speed, athleticism, and excellent work ethic. Needs to work on the strike zone. 5) Jeff Heaverlo, RHP: Supplemental first-rounder in '99. 159/52 K/BB ratio in California League. Polished college-trained pitcher, not an ace type, but should be a good inning eater. Others of note Cha Baek, RHP: High-profile Korean, somewhat disappointing at Class A Wisconsin (3.98 ERA) due to arm fatigue. Still has a ton of potential if he avoids injury. Ryan Christianson, C: A bit raw (.249, 13 homers in Class A) but has very strong potential with both bat and glove. Joel Pineiro, RHP: Could be fifth starter or long reliever. Decent stuff, throws strikes, impresses scouts with tenacity. Juan Silvestre, OF: Hit .304 with 30 homers, 137 RBI in Cal League, at age 22. His home park in Lancaster helped a lot, so watch him carefully in Double-A. Greg Wooten, RHP: Walked just 15 guys in 179 Double-A innings. Stuff is average, so he has little margin for error, and at 27 he isn't young, though injuries stalled his career for awhile. Other names to know: Craig Anderson, LHP; Scott Atchison, RHP; Shin-Soo Choo, OF; Eduardo Figueroa, OF; Brain Fuentes, LHP; Sheldon Fulse, OF; Pedro Liriano, 2B; Aquilino Lopez, RHP; Josue Matos, RHP; Shawn McCorkle, 1B; Clint Nageotte, RHP; Brandon Parker, RHP; J.J. Putz, RHP; Bo Robinson, 3B; Rafael Soriano, RHP; Matt Thornton, LHP; Emmanuel Ulloa, RHP; Miguel Villilo, 3B. John Sickels is working on the STATS 2001 Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can e-mail your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com. | ALSO SEE Hot Stove Heaters: Mariners ESPN.com's Hot Stove Heaters | ||||