Back in the States! Woooo! The bus ride back was relatively enjoyable. I watched four episodes of Friday Night Lights, season 4...If you have never given FNL a chance, you really should...especially if you are in the 16-28 age range. How did I come up with that range? Not sure. I don't have too much time to watch TV shows but I watch FNL and Entourage. Other than that, for me? It's whatever is on ESPN and the ESPN family of networks, plus MLB and NFL Network.
Later this afternoon we will have our next edition of Inside the Dugout, with Brandon Baumgartner.
But...what I do have for you is the next installment of the young core debate...today's division of discussion? NL Central.
Just a refresher on criteria: I am only analyzing players 27 and younger on each team's 40-man roster based predominantly on their MLB production and what it might project to...
Winners
AL East: Tampa Bay
AL Central: Detroit
AL West: Texas
NL East: Atlanta Braves
NL Central:
NL West:
Cincinnati Reds: I have already written a blog about how impressed I am with what Mike Leake has done in his rookie campaign. The guy is 22 and absolutely dealing. Yes, Stephen Strasburg has not disappointed, but Leake gets the job done just as well, just, without the pizzazz.
On the hill, alongside Leake, there is the unknown element of Aroldis Chapman...my inclination is that Chapman will be very good--all-star good, but maybe not Hall of Fame good. Johnny Cueto's numbers continue to get better and better and he is only 24. If only Homer Bailey was able to bring things together, imagine this team's rotation for the next few years!
Offensively, a lot of their future rides on Yonder Alonso, the left-handed hitting first baseman. Will he stay at first? I don't think so because if he pans out, you have to find a way to keep him and Votto in the lineup. For now, Alonso is an unknown. Votto (26), however, is one of the best first baseman in the league. Alongside Votto, Drew Stubbs (25) in his first full-season is doing ok. He is hitting for relative power and swiping bags, but his average is only .234. If he can improve on that .30 points, he would be a huge contributor.
Their young arms are better than their young bats. For now, it's not close, but if Alonso pans out, the bats shorten the gap. Still, in the long run, if they keep things in tact, the pitching will carry this team. Scary thought, though, as they play in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball.
Youth Leader? At this point, it is no question for me that this goes to Mike Leake. He is 22 and already one of the best pitchers in baseball.
St. Louis Cardinals: Forgive them for competing for the World Series for the past five years, but St. Louis does not have a whole lot to work with in their 27 and younger pool of their 40-man. Names you know? Yadier Molina (27) and Colby Rasmus (23). Name you might not know, but should? Jaime Garcia (23).
Molina is a very good catcher and a nice piece to have, but he is not an absolute cornerstone. Would 30 of 30 MLB teams die to have him? Yes (maybe not Minnesota). But not in the same they that 28 of 30 teams would die to have a guy like Albert Pujols.
Colby Rasmus is a toolsy, athletic center fielder and the center fielder of the future for the red birds. He is having a pretty darn good season, hitting .274 with 16 HR and 40 RBI. The RBI totals are misleading, as it is tough to collect em with Pujols and Holliday in the lineup. He is on the right track to becoming an All-Star caliber player, though the Cards certainly would love to see his average jump closer towards .300.
Jaime Garcia has burst onto the scene in 2010. The lefty is 7-4 with a 2.27 ERA! Holy smokes! He is having a very impressive season and no one even knows!
Unfortunately, beyond Garcia, Rasmus, and Molina, there is not too much to write home about. But, once again, that's okay when you are consistently playing deep into October.
Youth Leader? I'm going with Rasmus, only because I want to see it from Garcia for more than one season.
Milwaukee Brewers: They have the most developed young talent in the division, by far. Heard of these guys? Fielder, Braun, Gallardo, Weeks, and Parra. Don't forget Alcides Escobar, who, at 23, is doing just fine at shortstop.
Obviously that list is more batter-loaded, but that's a scary lineup to imagine for the future. A core of Fielder, Braun, Weeks, and Escobar. Unsure of who Yovanni Gallardo is? Check out the strikeout leaderboard for 2010.
Plus, at 24, Matt Gamel has a very high ceiling. Casey McGehee, at 27, is the type of player that usually gets left off teams with this much young talent in the long run, but for now, he is a very good role player.
As far as unproven talent on this squad, there is not that much, which is not always a bad thing. The only question is whether money can keep this team together.
Youth Leader? This is a tough one. Braun and Fielder are top offensive forces. Gallardo is one of the game's bright young pitchers. I go with Braun. He has found a home in left field and has all of the offensive tools.
Chicago Cubs: Things just don't look that great for the Cubs down the road. All but two of their guys worth mentioning are 27, and while they are all very useful, they, as a core, don't shine nearly bright enough to win championships. Who are they? Geo Soto, Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Randy Wells, and Tom Gorzelanny. See? Not a great core, necessarily. They are all good pieces to have on a competitive team.
Starlin Castro is very young (as far as we know), at 20, and has tons of potential. Tyler Colvin, at 25, does as well. Beyond these two, there is not much. I am tired of sticking up for Jeff Samardzija.
I am going to pack this one in, sort of like what's been going on upstairs with this team...
Youth Leader? Castro. At 20, he is a got tons of talent with the glove and is hitting over .270.
Houston Astros: Not looking good. You know what you are getting with Hunter Pence (27)...he is pretty good, but not great. Tommy Manzella is okay but is already 27. Jason Castro is their only offensive hope for the future. The 23 year-old left-handed hitting catcher should be very good for them in the long run. But there are no arms to speak of and no bats to join Castro.
It's pretty bare.
Youth Leader? Castro, I guess? No...Pence. Or, Castro? Can I get back to you?
Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen is pretty freaking good. Outside of him, there is not much you can bank on. Jeff Clement has not yet panned out. Neither has Lastings Milledge. Jose Tabata is unproven. And yeah, that's really about it...
And the Winner Is...The Milwaukee Brewers. Hands-down. Not really too close, to be honest with you. It was tougher to decide who was last than who was first.
2. Cincinnati Reds: A bat or two short of topping the Brew Crew
3. St. Louis: Rasmus and Garcia are that good.
4. No one.
Tied for 5th: Pittsburgh and Chicago.
Last in baseball: Houston.
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