Up-and-Comers: The Best of the New Guys in the National League
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by user Forseti
I can't claim to be informed about the majority of minor-leaguers who are ready to make the leap to the Bigs, but ever since the Indians have fallen off the radar I have been looking ahead to next year while watching Major League games. Looking ahead to Cleveland's future, I have been watching games through a different lens. Now I am not a good judge of big-league talent, but I have seen plenty of guys come-up at this time in the season and I feel that I can tell who's ready to stick around for a long-time. After all, that's the only thing these kids care about: staying in the bigs, whether it's a situational guy, an everyday player or better-yet, a rising star. Ryan Howard, Bobby Jenks, and Jonathan Papelbon are all going to be fixtures on their teams for a long time and will be on lots of all-star teams throughout their careers. Here are the guys that are the newest "new crop" in my opinion.
- Quick note: These are the guys that relatively new to the bigs and haven't had a full season of productivity yet. For instance, David Wright is younger than most of these players, but he is already "established" in the Majors, same goes for Matt Holiday (Rockies OF who is now the best hitter on their team ahead of Helton). OK, on to the future stars:
National League
Lastings Milledge (OF-New York Mets)
Milledge is a great-player who has the word "five-tool" within one sentence of his name, no matter what else is being said. He is fast, has pretty good outfield instincts and apparently he is very raw. By his own admission, he has never really accepted coaching because he "was always so talented." Not only does he look like an athletic freak and a sure-fire cog in the Mets playoff roster, but it sounds like after a career of being stubborn to coaches, he is eager to accept their tutelage now. First comparison that comes to mind for Milledge is Mike Cameron. they seem to have the same speed capabilities and overall solid-game. I'm sure that Beltran will mentor him and show him what it takes to utilize all 5 tools. On top of that, Willie Randolph will eagerly coach up this future-star.
Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla: (SS, 2B- Florida Marlins)
Like Milledge, Ramirez was a highly touted prospect. Uggla was a no-name that was called up simply because the Marlins had their third fire sale in the last 10 years. Ramirez and Uggla are excelling in the bumper-crop of young players that Girardi has starting for the Fish. Ramirez is a plus defensive shortstop with potential to resemble Miguel Tejada with slightly less power. Uggla, is looking like a more balanced version of Jeff Kent. He will hit the off-speed stuff better, but no one in recent memory has hit the fastball like Kent, so let's not pencil Uggla in the Hall just yet. This will be a superb defensive and offensive middle infield for the Marlins for years to come. With only $15 million in salaries right now and Miguel Cabrera already locked up, it is looking like the Marlins will have the best all-around infield in the National league for a long-time to come.
Ryan Zimmerman (3B- Washington Nationals)
Zimmerman has started all year, for the rebuilding Nationals, and this guy can flat-out play. I was watching him play the other day and he jumped off the screen at me. He was polished and he looked every bit as confident at third as Rolen and even more so than an Aramis Ramirez or even a Chipper Jones. Now, Ramirez and Jones are better big leaguers, but Zimmerman looked like a better third basemen. He went to his right as good as anyone I have ever seen and he seemed to have a great approach at the plate. He is striking out a lot and only hitting .270, but these will move in opposite directions by the end of the year and will be even better next season. Once the nationals deal Soriano, they will not be worrying about a third base prospect because they have a premier hot-corner player right now.
Prince Fielder (1B- Milwaukee Brewers)
Fielder is not a surprise to anyone who follows Spring training because he was highly touted at the beginning of the season, but he is a formidable big-leaguer in his first full season and looks to be a permanent fixture in the middle of the Brewers lineup. If the Brewers decide to keep Lee, then they will have a violent middle of the order group. I don’t want to face Weeks, Lee, Fielder, Hall anytime soon if I'm an NL pitcher. Fielder will be the power hitting first basemen for the Brewers for years to come and the big guy has surprising agility in the field. Fielder reminds me of Ryan Howard from last year, he should win the NL rookie of the year if he keeps hitting the way he has been. If he has the same type of meteoric rise that Howard has had this year, then lookout NL central pitchers, because Pujols and Fielder will be making your ERA's look like crap.
I'm sure I am missing some great talent, and it's simply due to lack of time for watching games and writing about players. A few names to remember before I end this thing: Adrian Gonzalez (1B- San Diego Padres), Freddy Sanchez Note: this is only his 2nd year as a starter after drifting in and out of the Red Sox system (2B- Pittsburgh Pirates) and I'm sure there are tons of big-league ready pitchers to come up, but those will have to wait until later in the season.
Source
Date
Tue 06/27/06, 7:17 am EST
