Down On The Farm: Prospect Chat With ESPN's Keith Law

Coming to you from wet and rainy Montreal, Canada where I am visiting a client. I think they have a requirement that they can only hire models.

Here are some excerpts from Keith Law's prospect chat over at ESPN:

Clay (Normal, IL)

Klaw, SHOULD Daniel Descalso be given a serious look to win the 2B job for the Cardinals next season so we can finally put an end to the Schumaker experiment? And WILL he get that shot?

Klaw

  (1:18 PM)

Yes, he should. As for whether he will, that depends on whether Wile E. Coyote is managing, doesn't it?

Descalso hit .282-.350-.420 with 9 HRs and 71 RBIs at AAA Memphis this year.

Andrew (Philly)

Will Domonic Brown be a star in this league at smoe point?

Klaw

  (1:20 PM)

Yes.

Yeah, but how soon? I give him 3 years.

Jason (Bmore)

Concerned at all about Martin Perez' less than stellar year?

Klaw

  (1:28 PM)

Yes. Talked to a source who saw Perez top out at 88 in a mid-summer start.

Not good for the young pitching prospect, but he could be hurt.

More after the jump:

Brian (Hoboken, NJ)

Brian Cashman supposedly said Dellin Betances is the Yankees' best pitcher in the system. I read your review of Betances and I know you're not sold. Is Betances really the best the Yankees have or is he being overhyped? Yankee system has a good number of promising arms these days.

Klaw

  (1:34 PM)

Banuelos is the best pitching prospect in the Yanks' system, and I don't think I'm remotely alone in that assessment.

How does a team with the highest payroll in baseball have some of the best pitching prospects in baseball? 

Ray A. (San Francisco, CA)

If your the Giants do you resign Pat Burrell or do you have Brandon Belt and Thomas Neal battle it out for the final spot OF spot, assuming Torres and Ross are back.

Klaw

  (1:35 PM)

I'd be hesitant to buy into Burrell's resurgence too much - the guy was awful for a year-plus in Tampa, and while I know NL West competition is pretty light, I can't tell you I think Burrell will even be 85% of this next year.

My money is on Brandon Belt.

Roger (CT)

When you refer to a pitcher as an "Ace" or a "#1" is that just top 30 pitcher in the game or is there some other definition?

Klaw

  (1:49 PM)

I'd think of a true ace/number-one as top 15-20. You would not expect every team to have a number one starter, and you'd expect to see more teams with none than teams with two or more.

Well, there you go. We have a definition for an ace starting pitcher.

Kevin (New York, NY)

Gary Sanchez or Max Stassi, Shelby Miller or Matt Moore, Bryce Harper or Jesus Montero.

Klaw

  (2:02 PM)

Interesting. I'd probably lean Sanchez, definitely Miller, and probably Harper.

Wow. Harper over Montero? Yankees fans just went from zero to ballistic in 3 seconds flat.

Reif (Denver)

Keith, Todd Helton announced that he is NOT retiring. Obviously that's his choice, but doesn't this keep the Rockies handcuffed to go out and improve the club? Not only are they paying his salary, but if he's not producing there is very little flexibilty to add a good hitting 1b.

Klaw

  (2:12 PM)

I saw him play three games last week. Looks like his bat already retired.

I know the folks at Purple Row won't be happy with me for posting this, but i couldn't resist. Sweep!!!

Matt (Tampa)

Banuelos or Perez

Klaw

  (2:30 PM)

Banuelos now.

OK. KLaw was high on Perez last year, so does that mean Banuelos will be in his top 10 this year?

Kyle (Fort Lauderdale)

Morrison/ Stanton or Freeman/ Heyward?

Klaw

  (2:36 PM)

Morrison/Stanton.

Klaw must love Logan Morrison, huh?