Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 47 - Puig, Nolasco, Kemp, Ramirez, Urias

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about Yasiel Puig and his All-Star aspirations. I make veiled (and not so veiled) references to this piece I wrote for Yahoo! Sports. Needless to say, every single Atlanta Braves fan -- past, present and future -- is pissed at me.

The Dodgers acquired Ricky Nolasco in a surprisingly good deal. They gave up Steve Ames, Angel Sanchez and Josh Wall for Nolasco and nearly $200,000 in international spending money.

Matt Kemp is on the disabled list again. I fear this could be a lost season for the Dodgers' former slugger. Stephen Fife joined him on the DL on the same day. He had a poor outing in 'Frisco on Saturday, but he had been pitching well leading up to that start.

Hanley Ramirez is on fire. He should probably be in the All-Star game, but he's in the same boat as Puig by not playing enough games (so say the masses).

Joc Pederson cracked Baseball America's Top 50 prospect list at a respectable 35. One omission was Corey Seager. Jared contends Julio Urias should have made it, too. Speaking of Urias, he had the best outing of his young career (6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K). He threw just one inning tonight.

Scott Schebler and Justin Chigbogu are having nice seasons in their respective leagues.

Finally, we answer listener questions, which were really strong this week.

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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 45 - Kemp, Puig, Anderson, Urias, Seager

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about the return of Matt Kemp to the Dodgers' lineup. Here's hoping he's healthy enough to start being a valuable contributor.

Then there's the obligatory Yasiel Puig update. He's still really good at this baseball thing.

I question why the Dodgers have Puig in left field and Andre Ethier playing right field. I understand why it's happening, I just don't agree with it.

Chris Anderson and Tom Windle made their professional debuts with the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday. Anderson was particularly impressive.

Julio Urias, who checked in at No. 41 on Jason Parks' (Baseball Prospectus) midseason Top 50 prospect list, has struggled a bit in his last two starts. I feel I say this a lot, but he is just 16 years old. Another teenager made Parks' list in Corey Seager (No. 35). He's starting to hit and hit with authority.

Zach Lee and Chris Reed (my boy) are having nice seasons with the Lookouts. Lee's strikeout rate is the highest of his career while Reed's is the lowest, yet Reed is still having success. We also talk about Justin Chigbogu, who's off to a fast start in the Arizona Rookie League.

The Dodgers won't lose a draft pick due to overspending, which is a good thing.

Finally, we answer listener questions. Please, keep them coming. Also, we're at 20 reviews on iTunes. I'm challenging the listeners to get that number to 23 by next week's episode. And, in case you were wondering, Jared did get to 1,000 followers.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Puig and friends: Examining the Dodgers' best power-hitting prospects

Power is one of the most coveted tools in baseball. Not everyone can hit 40 home runs a season. Hell, not everyone can even get to 30 these days.

Some players are solely known for it while others develop through their development. Either way, it's usually the last tool to develop fully. I mean, we're still waiting for James Loney to hit 20 home runs in a season.

The Dodgers have some interesting power prospects in the minors. There are some guys who have average to slightly above-average power potential (O'Koyea Dickson, Corey Seager, Blake Smith), but this list is reserved for guys who have at least plus (60 or better) raw power.

Best power prospects

Justin Chigbogu
- Chigbogu, who draws comparisons to Ryan Howard, was the Dodgers' fourth-round draft pick in 2012 out of a small high school in Missouri. He was ranked as Baseball America's 423rd-best player, yet was the  146th player chosen -- and it's because he has plus raw power. I gave him my "Best power prospect" rating in my Top 50. However, it seems someone else on this list should have received that honor.

There's no doubting Chigbogu's power potential, but, like most power hitters, there's a lot of swing and miss that comes along with it. He hit just three home runs in his professional debut (131 plate appearances), but he was just an 18-year-old for the majority of his season. He's a long way from the majors and it will be interesting to see how quickly that power develops.



Joey Curletta
- Curletta was the Dodgers' sixth-round pick in 2012 and is hulking right-handed hitter (6'4, 225 at age 18). Curletta checked in as the Dodgers' No. 30 prospect in Baseball America's Prospect Handbook, which was a bit of a surprise. But, like Chigbogu, it's because of Curletta's raw power potential.

His position is yet to be determined (he'll either be a corner outfielder or first baseman), but the youngster has loads of power potential. He's a guy who could benefit greatly from Mark McGwire's tutelage -- if Big Mac is still around in a few years (which he should be). 



Chris Jacobs
- I saw Jacobs in person a couple times last season, including during batting practice. He put on a pretty good show, including hitting a couple balls out of the Banner Island Ballpark to left-center field. The air isn't rarefied in Stockton, Calif., so that was an impressive feat. He also hit a home run when I saw him during a game (ended up being the game-winner), but it was an extreme cheapy down the right field line.

Still, Jacobs managed a .493 slugging percentage with the Quakes in 2012 after an even more impressive showing in the Midwest League the year before (12 home runs, .521 slugging percentage). The power potential is there, but that's pretty all Jacobs has going for him.



Michael Pericht
- Pericht was another player I saw in person and, like Jacobs, he impressed me with his power potential. Pericht cleared the stadium during a game. I was walking down the left field line toward the Quakes' bullpen when I heard the loud crack of the bat. I looked up to see Pericht's ball sailing overhead and clearing the stadium -- not the left field wall -- by about 50 feet. While it's just 300 feet (?!) down the left field line in Banner Island Ballpark, that ball probably traveled a good 420 feet.

Pericht has even more swing and miss than Jacobs, which is alarming. Still, the power potential is there and it's even more at a premium because it comes from behind the plate. He's been a mid-.400 slugging guy for most of his career, but he also hasn't been able to stay completely healthy.



Yasiel Puig
 - While Puig has played sparingly since signing his $42 million contract last summer, the hype and physical ability are present. Puig was the talk of Dodger camp on Friday, the first full day of team activities. His batting practice session produced this reaction:

Yasiel Puig wins BP. Crushed the ball and turned some heads. #Dodgers
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) February 15, 2013

Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus gave Puig a "7" in terms of raw power -- and that was from an outside source (not a Dodger source). Ned Colletti said this about Puig in October:

"'You could be standing with your back to the cage, and when he hits, you’ll know he’s hitting.'"

The praise, hype and potential are all there. It's time for Puig to show off that raw plus-plus power potential He'll have every opportunity to do so in 2013.

Dodgers' 2012 MLB Draft signing update -- Seager, Rodriguez, Garcia

The Dodgers have signed nine of their first 11 draft picks so far and they are getting some really good deals so far.

Scott Griggs is the most recent draftee to sign. The eighth-round pick out of UCLA signed today for slot amount ($135,100).

The Dodgers' bonus pool was set at $5,202,800. So far, they've spent $2,340,500. The team has yet to sign first-round pick Corey Seager and second-round pick Steven Rodriguez.

Seager's slot amount is $1.95 million. Rodriguez's slot amount is $610,800. Rodriguez was overdrafted for sure, but if he signs for less than slot, it might be worth it.

If Rodriguez does, it allows the Dodgers to give a little more money to Seager, who, as a high schooler, has the option to go to college. He's committed to the University of South Carolina.

Here's a list of the Dodger draftees (in the first 10 rounds) who have signed so far.

Round	Player	Slot	Bonus	Savings
1s	Jesmuel Valentin	$984,700	$984,700	$0
3	Onelki Garcia	$420,300	$382,000	$38,300
4	Justin Chigbogu	$305,700	$250,000	$55,700
5	Ross Stripling	$228,900	$130,000	$98,900
6	Joey Curletta	$171,600	$171,600	$0
7	Theo Alexander	$144,600	$144,600	$0
8	Scott Griggs	$135,100	$135,100	$0
9	Zachary Bird	$126,100	$140,000	($13,900)
10	Zach Babbitt	$125,000	$2,500	$122,500
Total		$2,642,000	$2,340,500	$301,500

Thank you Zach Babbitt for saving the Dodgers a ton of money in this draft. The Academy of Arts "star" was massively overdrafted.

The only player the Dodgers have had to spend more than the recommended amount for was Zachary Bird, the first high school pitcher the team selected in the 2012 draft. He wasn't expected to sign for the slot amount, but the Dodgers got themselves a nice deal. Some have (lazily?) compared him to Edwin Jackson.

So, let's say Rodriguez signs for $500,000 (hopefully that's conservative). That means the Dodgers would be able to offer Seager as much as $2,362,300. They could even offer him at least a couple hundred thousand more without any draft pick penalty.

The biggest surprise might be Garcia's less than slot signing. He was ineligible for the draft last year and was said to be seeking a $7 million bonus. The Dodgers selected knowing full well Garcia wouldn't get anywhere near that amount. But I'm not sure they knew he'd sign for less than slot. That could end up being a steal.

Some of the first nine picks have already made their debuts in the Pioneer League with the Ogden Raptors or with the Arizona League Dodgers.

The Dodgers are in good shape. Even if Rodriguez signs for slot, the Dodgers can still offer Seager a deal worth about $2.25 million. So, those concerned the Dodgers might not sign their first-round pick, I'd breathe easy.

Before too long, Seager will sign and make his debut shortly after. I'd like to see him begin in Ogden, but I could see him beginning with the AZL Dodgers.

The Dodgers have also signed 16 of their 30 selections after the 10th round. High schoolers Josh Henderson, Kevin Maxey and Cuban left-hander Alfredo Unzue remain some of the biggest names unsigned. The only player who has said he will not sign is Korey Dunbar. He's a catcher from Nitro High School in West Virginia. It'd be a big shock if he ends up signing.

The Dodgers are doing an admirable job in the first year of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The signing process is vastly different than it has been in the past.

The Dodgers once paid Andy LaRoche a $1 million bonus as a 39th-round pick. Those days are long gone.

Here's to getting Seager signed and a few of the later-round guys under contract soon.

#####

My latest at Chad Moriyama is my scouting report on Garrett Gould. Here's an excerpt:

"For Gould, his success depends on his fastball velocity. During the 2010 season, his velocity sat more in the upper-80s than the low-90s, but in 2011, he was closer to the low-90s on a consistent basis. When I saw him live, he was sitting between 87-91 MPH with his fastball, and he threw his two-seamer in the 86-88 MPH range. He touched 91 MPH with hi four-seamer and generally sat around 88-90 during his five innings of work. To be honest, I wasn’t overly impressed with his fastball. He located it well at times, but it also got him into a little trouble during the game. His control was adequate, but he walked three batters in his five innings."

Photo credit: Courtesy of Perfect Game

Los Angeles Dodgers' 2012 MLB Draft recap -- Seager, Valentin, Garcia

With the 2012 MLB Draft done and the Dodgers signing players seemingly daily, here's a recap of what they did this year.

Positional breakdown (round number in parenthesis)
24 position players, 17 pitchers

• C: Eric Smith (18), John Cannon (29), C.J. Saylor (33), Austin Cowen (35), Korey Dunbar (39)
• 1B: Justin Chigbogu (4), Paul Hoenecke (24), John Sgromolo (37)
• 2B: Zach Babbitt (10)
• 3B: Corey Seager (1)
• SS: Jesmuel Valentin (1s), Darrell Sweeney (13), Jordan Parr (26), Justin Gonzalez (27), Trent Giambrone (30), Jose Vizcaino (36)
• OF: Joey Curletta (6), Theo Alexander (7), Jeremy Rathjen (11), Josh Henderson (16), Kevin Maxey (17), Jacob Scavuzzo (21), Corey Embree (38), Pat Stover (40)
• RHP: Ross Stripling (5), Scott Griggs (8), Zachary Bird (9), James Campbell (12), Matthew Reckling (14), Duke von Schamann (15), Owen Jones (19), Jharel Cotton (20), Alan Garcia (22), Lindsey Caughel (23), David Graybill (31), Jordan Hershiser (34)
• LHP: Steven Rodriguez (2), Onelki Garcia (3), Danny Coulombe (25), Jake Hermensen (28), Alfredo Unzue (32)

Bloodlines
Seager: Kyle Seager (brother)
Valentin: Jose Valentin (father)
Babbit: Shooty Babbit (father)
Cotton: Jamaine Cotton (brother)
A. Garcia: Cornelio Garcia (father)
Parr: Josh Parr (brother)
Hershiser: Orel Hershiser (father)
Vizcaino: Jose Vizcaino (father)

Signings
Valentin - $984,700
Stripling - $130,000 ($98,900 less than slot)
Alexander - Unknown, $144,600 (recommended) 

All bonus amounts after the 10th round are for $100,000 or less unless otherwise reported: Rathjen, Sweeney, Reckling, Hermsen, Cannon, Hershiser, Cowen, Embree

(These categories are from the Baseball America Prospect Handbook)

Best pure hitter
Seager. He has a nice opposite-field approach, which is advanced for a high schooler.

Best power hitter
Curletta. At 6'4, 230, he has the most power potential of anyone the Dodgers drafted. Check out this video (sorry for all the other crap associated with it). Chigbogu and Seager are next in line.

Fastest baserunner
Sweeney or Embree. Sweeney has good range at shortstop and Embree could stick in center field.

Best defensive player
Valentin. He played second base in Puerto Rico, but only because the No. 1 overall selection -- Carlos Correa -- was playing shortstop. Valentin profiles as a much better defender than his father. Actually, he profiles as a much better player than his father.

Best fastball
Garcia. While Griggs may top out in the mid-90s, a fastball that ranges from 90-95 MPH is more valuable than a right-handed fastball at 93-95 MPH.

Best secondary pitch
Griggs. His curveball is reminiscent of Ethan Martin's, as it sits at 79-82 MPH and has a lot of bite.

Best athlete
Gonzalez. At 6'2, 200 pounds, he can legitimately stick at shortstop due to his athleticism.

Most intriguing background
Valentin. Playing second fiddle to Correa, Valentin has the bloodlines and the ability to be a quality Major Leaguer. He reminds me a lot of Ivan De Jesus, but Valentin has a much better chance of staying at shortstop.

Closest to the Majors
Rodriguez. Jim Callis said aside from Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays, No. 22 overall), Rodriguez could be the fastest mover in this draft. I wouldn't expect to see him this season, but sometime in 2013 might not be out of the question.

Best late-round selection (20th round an on)
Gonzalez. The toolsy shortstop is just that -- a project who could pay off as a late-round selection (27th round). This is what Baseball America had to say about him:

"Athletic and rangy, Gonzalez had a chance to go in the first 10 rounds with a big year. He has the tools to play shortstop, with good footwork, infield actions, arm strength and quickness. He adds solid-average raw power, if not a tick above, and he has good projection in his 6-foot-2, 200-pound body. But Gonzalez has all kinds of issues making consistent contact at the plate, with a grooved swing and pitch-recognition problems. He was leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in strikeouts for the second consecutive year."

Don't care for the strikeouts (27.5 percent at Florida State), but the tools are there and the walk rate is nice (12.4 percent). He also has power potential and was only caught stealing four times in college. In this video, it seems Gonzalez has some opposite-field power potential, which is never a bad thing.



If he remains at shortstop, he could be a nice late-round pick.

The one who could get away
Garcia. Jim Callis of Baseball America said Garcia would have been the Dodgers' first-round selection if he was draft-eligible last season. He was not and the Dodgers took a shot on him in the third round. Slot recommendation for this selection is $420,300. If the Dodgers hope to land the big Cuban, they're going to have to go significantly over slot. If Alexander signed for slot, the Dodgers are $98,900 in the black in their bonus pool. His reported bonus demands were in the $7 million range. He's not going to get that much, but there's still a chance he could go unsigned.

Assessment
I actually like this draft, aside from using the second-round pick on a college reliever. Seager, Valentin, Garcia and Curletta could pay dividends.