Just setting the Cubs up for a bunch of excitement, just to watch it comes crashing down like always.
It's not really about that. I'm just glad to have him on the Cubs regardless. I don't think I would've liked Appel as much. Ha. I just want to hear the sound of Wrigley when he gets that first HR.
Domingo Santana has become an interesting case. After his catastrophic stint in the show last year some guys gave up on him entirely. Others still view him as a top 100 guy who can be a good feast or famine slugger. He will obviously start in AAA, but I'm curious just how long the Astros will want to leave him there if he produces. I'm thinking the Astros hope he produces mainly so he can rebuild his value for a mid-season trade. We're already flush with feast or famine sluggers. I'm thinking Jonathan Villar is in a similar situation. He's too talented to simply give up on, but appears to not be in our MLB plans (which I'm fine with).
Both Santana and Villar are a dime/dozen in most team's organizations... they unlikely get the opportunities they did at the MLB level (esp Villar) if they're not on a team that was able to play unproven minor league players at the MLB level because they were "rebuilding". I'm also not exactly sure what Villar's "talent" is that you speak of... I guess he "looks" like he should be a great ballplayer (great speed, unexpected occasional power, great baseball name)... which would fit the Ed Wade talent-evaluation school of why he was likely enamored with him to begin with. As far as Santana goes, he's highly likely to be the first PTBNL on any future multi-player deal... I don't think any team will be saying "man, if only we could get that guy!"
Domingo Santana had an .845 OPS at AAA as a 21 year old. It's revisionist history to suggest he was some scrub prospect the Astros forced up the minors simply because we were terrible. Before his disaster in the show he was gonna be on virtually everybodys top 100 lists. He is still on some guys, that is not a dime a dozen prospect.
I think many talent evaluators would disagree with you. Top 100 guys aren't a dime a dozen in any organization. Yes, Santana was horrible in his short stint in the majors last year, but good lord it was 17 at bats (at 21 years old). If he would have hit 3 HR in those 17 at bats some people would have been sizing him up for the HOF already. Santana may never make it, but to say he is a dime a dozen in most teams organizations is ludicrous, he is easily top 3 prospect in pretty much every organization in baseball (probably come in at 6 for the Cubs) And while he certainly "could" be involved in a deal, Luhnow has made it pretty clear he is trying to collect as many power bats as possible as it is a "skill" that is clearly not what it used to be. How we do in the first half will obviously have an effect on what type of deals are made, but I don't think he is highly likely to be moved right now
Well that's just hyperbole. Neither is a run of the mill toolsy, unproven player. Santana put up an 850+ OPS at AAA at age 22 with 2 plus tools (power/arm). That's a top 5 prospect in most systems and a top 150 prospect overall. Sickels put a B grade on him. Villar has plus range at SS, which is extremely rare. Plus average or better speed and power for SS. They both have undeniable below-average hit tools, but if that gets ironed out they're all-stars. That and Villar's defensive consistency.
Again... every organization has a guy/guys that "could" be good with a minor tweak here, a slight improvement there, etc. Villar has had an extended/undeserved stint at the MLB level because this was a bad team. He's not, nor should be, counted on to be in this club's future plans. And I will never be enamored by his "range" at SS when he can't routinely make routine plays... that and his questionable work ethic, and him gaining weight (reports were too much partying on the road), and I no longer consider him a prospect. Maybe I was a little harsh on Santana because yes, in year's past, he would be counted on to not only be one of the top prospects, but to eventually succeed. That is no longer the case with this organization and its minor league depth and ultimate need to have guys start producing at the MLB level. Yes, top 100 guys are top 100 guys... but its still all the more likely that they don't pan out, and if all goes as "master-planned", Santana shouldn't be getting AB's with the Astros any time soon.
So in your mind, the only way prospects should ever get AB's is if they are elite or on terrible teams? If Santana tears up PCL pitching for a few months you can't just ignore him because he "might not" pan out, that's stupid.
Santana is not a "dime a dozen prospect in most organizations". He may never pan out, but he is still viewed as a top 100 prospect which puts him about 4th on an average teams top 10 board.
If you're going to word it like that, then no. Not every team has advanced (AAA and above) sub-25 year olds with multiple plus major league tools held back by one particular tool/skill. What most teams have are wild-card, toolsy guys in the low-A that need to make strides across the board, like Santana when he was acquired in 2011. Big difference.
Santana might still be 2 development years away from The Bigs. The question is how long will Luhnow be patient.
Yes, usually prospects should earn their spot on the MLB team. If Santana tears it up, they'd also need to have somebody fail on the major league roster to get him up here. If that doesn't happen, he could/should be traded for pitching. The last thing they should do is promote him and have him on the bench behind all the other current MLB outfielders.
Pretty meaningless and hollow stat now.... his chances of being an everyday MLB SS are pretty slim. And yes, there was nobody better at the MLB level at the time. They could have acquired a stop-gap like Lowrie at any point, but they gave Villar more opportunities since winning wasn't a priority those years.
