When we first started cranking out the Baseball Prospectus a few years ago, our goal was to produce a top-notch baseball guide. We want to produce something which gives fans a solid grasp of the abilities and accomplishments of the players at both the major league and minor league levels. While we sought from the…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed OF Damon Mashore to a minor league contract with a spring training NRI. [1/26] Mashore has outstanding plate discipline, reasonable range, and a strong, accurate arm. His ability to contribute as a major league regular has essentially been ruined by his annual knee injuries, but as a bench player, platoon partner, and…
So, it’s late January, and the Super Bowl’s over. The worm-harboring subcutaneous cyst otherwise known as college basketball is beginning to swell and redden, preparing to burst forth into the disgusting froth of pus known as the NCAA tournament. Network television is filled with frenetically paced events like the Senior Skins Game, which appears to…
We like to take a few minutes every couple of weeks to respond to our email. Names and addresses of the person submitting the question have been changed, but the text is unedited. Q: How could you leave Michael Coleman off your list of top prospects? Everyone else loves him, including Sickels, Benson, and Shandler….
DON SUTTON "When you gave him the ball, you knew one thing — your pitcher was going to give you everything he had. You win as many games as he did, to me, that should be automatic Hall of Fame." — Tommy Lasorda, Dodgers vice president "I thought it was a no-brainer the first year…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed LHP Rich Robertson to a minor league contract. [1/19] Signed OF Gary Thurman to a minor-league contract with a spring training NRI. [1/22] Neither are bad additions. The Angels rotation is currently looking to be Chuck Finley, Ken Hill, Allen Watson, Jason Dickson, and Omar Olivares. Robertson joins William VanLandingham on the…
In 1982, after several years of self-publishing, Bill James released his annual Baseball Abstract with a major publisher for the first time. Since then, the baseball world has never been the same. The influence of James’ work during the 1980s cannot be overestimated; while some might argue that if not James, then someone would have…
With very few significant free agents unsigned, and the trade market at a bit of a standstill, we thought it would be a good time to look at what your favorite team should look like in three months. Here’s the first in the midwinter Lineupectomy series. BALTIMORE ORIOLES An aging, overrated team whose offense should…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed INF Norberto Martin to a one-year contract. [1/9] Signed RHP William VanLandingham to a one-year contract. [1/10] With the defections of Jack Howell and Craig Grebeck, the Angels were getting pretty thin for utility infielders. Paco Martin may have his faults (mostly in the field), but as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner for…
The Rule V draft is essentially a legal lottery that baseball GMs play. They get to buy a ticket (i.e., a player) in each round, and each ticket has roughly a one in a million shot of turning out to be worth its cost (i.e., a lost spot on the 25-man roster for a year)….
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed DH/1B Cecil Fielder to a one-year contract. [12/19] The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Angels were confronted with a very similar choice after the 1990 season, when they let Brian Downing walk away to bring in Dave Parker to DH. Fielder’s a better player now than Parker…
GRAB BAG "I’m a little frustrated about our pitching situation right now. We’re still going to be pretty good on the field, but our pitching staff is up in the air, and everybody knows you can’t win without pitching." — Jim Leyland, Marlins manager "I’m an independent person. After this season, I’m a free agent….
With all the focus on players who’ve moved due to expansion, trades, or free agent lunacy, some players whose roles have increased dramatically have received less attention. Here’s a quick review of several players whose ’98 values may rise due to all the recent activity. Mark Kotsay, Cliff Floyd, Todd Dunwoody (Florida of/1b types) If…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed C Matt Walbeck to a one-year contract. [12/16] ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Sold the rights to LF Harvey Pulliam to Orix of the Japanese Leagues. [12/17] Signed RHPs Scott Brow, Greg Hansell, Barry Manuel, and Dave Pavlas to minor league contracts with NRIs to spring training. [12/18] The D-backs’ pitching situation is fluid (to…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed RHP Rich DeLucia to a one-year contract, and signed RHP Mark Gubicza to a minor-league contract with a spring training invite. [12/8] Signed RHP Omar Olivares to a one-year contract. [12/11] The Angels haven’t managed to pull off any of the rumored deals for pitching that would in turn move either Garrett…
SIGNINGS "Vinny [Castilla] has become one of the top players in the major leagues at his position. He plays every day and not only puts up big offensive numbers but has surfaced as one of the best fielding third basemen in baseball today." — Bob Gebhard, Rockies GM "There was never any question we wanted…