Prospect Insider - Tacoma Rainiers Final Roster

Tacoma Rainiers Final Roster

By Jason A. Churchill

By 04-06-2009

Here they are:

Pitchers
Jesus Delgado
Andy Baldwin
Gaby Hernandez
Sean White
Eric Hull
Chris Seddon
Denny Stark
Jason Vargas
Randy Messenger
Brodie Downs
Garrett Olson
Justin Thomas

Hitters
Mike Morse
Chris Shelton
Bryan LaHair
Chris Woodward
Callix Crabbe
Chris Burke
Mike Carp
Jeff Clement
Prentice Redman
Mike Wilson
Steve Moss
Jamie Burke

tacoma-rainiers-final-roster

Comments
The following 12 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: Jason A. Churchill on 04-06-2009 19:12:46
So, obviously, Adam Moore to AA - I don't like the move, but if he isn't there too long, I guess it's no big deal. And Saunders is clearly not starting the year active. haven't heard any further details, but the latest I have is that his shoulder wasn't right.

You'll also notice no Oswaldo Navarro. Again, not sure if he's hurt, been sent to AA to play short so Triunfel can plays a lot of second...

Patrick Ryan was either sent back to Milwaukee or is hurt and on the disabled list.

Here's what my lineup would be:

1. Redman, CF
2. Crabbe/Burke, 2B
3. Clement, C
4. Shelton, 1B/DH
5. Carp, 1B/DH
6. Wilson, RF
7. Morse, 3B
8. Moss, LF
9. Woodward, SS

Rotation:

Olson
Vargas
Baldwin
Hernandez
Seddon

Pen:
Downs
Stark
Hull
Messenger
White
Delgado

I'd probably use Messenger to close, at least early on.

2. By: Jason A. Churchill on 04-06-2009 19:19:13
And Aumont is starting the year in High Desert, not West Tenn. But Triunfel is headed West Tennessee.

3. By: acqb1424 on 04-06-2009 20:04:43
Jason, I've been dying to hear your thoughts on the whole Aumont to the bullpen stuff. I know you were truly the first one to break it, but is the move permanent?

4. By: stickball on 04-06-2009 21:24:54
Who's the 25th man on the Tacoma roster? Will it be an OF as a temporary fill-in for Saunders? Gillies perhaps?

5. By: Kevin on 04-06-2009 22:04:16
That's a pretty good AAA lineup that should score a lot of runs. That is, until Clement heads north again.

6. By: Lonnie on 04-06-2009 22:13:44
Wow, there are only 3 true outfielders on the roster! LaHair will probably see time in the outfield the majority of the time he plays, but he's a project. Chris Burke can play some outfield, but as a utility player only.

Morse should never get a sniff of the outfield grass.

Wilson
Redman
Moss

That's not a bad outfield, but damn it's thin. Looks to me like there is room for another project...

Lonnie

7. By: dewey on 04-06-2009 23:18:46
Jason not being a wise guy but who is the prospect on this team? Clement is past prospect category i think how about you? I hat to rant but Bavasi and Fontaine screwed this org badly!

8. By: rocketdawg31 on 04-06-2009 23:45:02
I'm not Jason, dewey, but I really want to answer that question.

Saunders is a prospect- once he's healthy to play. Tuiasasopo will likely be back in AAA on the 16th of this month- and he, too, is a prospect.

I don't know who goes away on the Tacomer roster once those two cats are there, but leading guess for me is Morse or LaHair.

Clement, Olson and Vargas are going to try to avoid the dreaded "AAAA player" label this year.

9. By: dewey on 04-07-2009 08:39:34
So rocket what your saying is there isnt a prospect on this list? I agree Saunders sounds like the most interesting guy of the bunch.Im a little perplexed by Aumunt going to the pen? I have allways heard good young arms you want to get as many innings as you can so they can learn there craft .Being from canada im sure he hasnt played as much as most players so im not getting this move am i reading this wrong?

10. By: STEVEV on 04-07-2009 12:12:09
Not trying to be a wise-guy here. I'm just a newby asking what might seem a dumb question.

How do you guys define "prospect"? Obviously some guys, like Clement, Olson and Morse, for example, have spent significant time in the major leagues. It makes sense that they would no longer be considered prospects. And some guys just don't project to ever make it to the majors, so they wouldn't really be prospects ether. But what about Mike Carp? What factors do you consider when saying whether or not a guy is or is not a prospect?

Thanks,
Steve

11. By: DobberSr on 04-07-2009 12:23:15
Aumont is a horse of a kid, but he has not been able to pitch healthy since we signed him. Mabe because of his not playing high school baseball, his arm is just not strong enough for the rigors of being a starting pitcher? If I remember correctly, he was only a "starter" in the minors for a very short time because of some tenderness that developed in his elbow. I know that he was not able to pitch in the Advanced Development Program this last Fall because of arm issues. GMZ will get him some innings out of the pen this year and we should finally know what we have in Phillippe.

12. By: rocketdawg31 on 04-07-2009 15:57:03

Re: Post#10 STEVEV-

Shucks, man, that's not a dumb question. And you bring up a good case in point when you mention Mike Carp. Some would argue that I goofed and overlooked his name when I moderately contended that the prospects to be had in AAA-Tacoma were not to be found on the roster Jason provided.

With Carp, I think it depends on who you ask. I like the fact he's a lefty bat with what seems a pro approach.

But (and this is just me)...I have to seriously wonder about his power/hitting potential in the higher levels. I guess you could say I'm reserving judgment on him before I myself bestow "prospect" status in my head to him.

But, it's totally fair to say that Carp DOES meet a lot of criteria for prospect status already- and can be regarded as such by others.

And I do think he likely has more upside than the likes of Johan Limonta and Marshall Hubbard at the major-league level. Time will tell.

As for what goes into my thinking of what a prospect is...I look for overall age of player, the numbers he's put up, WHERE he put up those numbers (For example, I take any hitter's numbers from our own High Desert with a grain of salt because that place is death on pitching. Conversely, if I see dominant pitching numbers put up at High Desert, that raises the eyebrows a bit more.)...

Then you look at tools. How tall? How strong? How fast? How instinctive? If they're pitchers, how hard do they throw? Secondary pitches? Command? Do they have it?

With any player, I always ask "Are they thinking out there, or are they just going on pure physical ability?"

The absolute dream is to have a kid who's world-class athletic but shows he's predicating his play on his high instincts and intelligence for the game.

Case in point: There's a kid named Donovan Tate (a high-school outfielder) in this upcoming draft who on physical gifts alone, could make you drool. Every single tool in the box (size, strength, speed, quickness) you could want.

He is a very legitimate possibility of being picked #2 in the draft by the Mariners.

But, for me (and I'll be honest, I haven't seen enough of him)- but what I have seen, I feel like I'm seeing a guy for who the physical side of the game is so easy that he's never developed baseball IQ.

I could darn well be wrong about Tate. But that's the feeling I get when I see him- terrific athlete, not really a baseball player.

The baseball world is littered with fantastic athletes in the lower minors who don't have the wherewithal (makeup, intangibles, whatever you wanna call it) mentally to ascend to higher levels.

Then, there's the Dustin Pedroias- tools somewhat lacking, but 100% ballplayer.

Both types can make a prospect to me.

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