Article:Trizz's 100th Article Spectactular: The Top 5 Rookie Prospects(MLB)



Before I get into my list, I must point this out its my 100th article b*tches!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now for some fast facts about my milestone *Trizz's first article was published in Sep 2007...take away the month long hiatus it took about 5-6 months to do *Aside from satires(IM Convos, Sports Help Wanted) a whopping 22 articles are NOT Boston sports related *Out of the 100 articles, only 14 flopped(failed to make front page) *By simple logic Boston=Front Page Now for the top rookies of 2008(note rankings based on probable impact on their respective teams not just overall talent)

7.Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox Since Johnny Damon left, the Sox needed that golden boy to keep the pink hat wearers in the seats. Then came Taco Boy. While the bar will be set high based off his incredible postseason run. I think Ellsbury will become a solid .270 guy, 30 steals, but he will be a great fielder overall. He may have won the starting job but he will still find some quality time in the dugout especially against strong lefties.

6.Kosuke Fukudome, OF, Chicago Cubs Besides having a name that would make most grade schoolers chuckle. Fukudome will be a much needed force in the outfield. He may not have gotten the hype that Ichiro, Dice-K, or Hideki Matsui got but you will be hearing about him sooner than you think. He's 30 so in my eyes he shouldn't even be a rookie but you know how Japanese baseball is so vaaaaaaaastly different

5.Andy Laroche, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers LaRoche has consistently put up and improved on numbers as he moved along in the minor leagues and is slated to battle the perenially injured Nomar Garciaparra for the Dodgers third baseman job.He has shown the patience in the batters box to be a good hitter drawing over 200 walks with a .374 OBP in the minors. He also has the potential to come into the league and hit 20+ home runs, LaRoche hit 18 last year in Triple-A in just 265 ABs before being called up.

4.Clay Buchholz, SP, Boston Red Sox All overhyped no hitters aside, he's the real deal and with Schilling likely out for a while, he should be a 4th, 5th starter. He has 356 Ks for his minor league career, his flaw is limited pitches, a low to mid-90s fastball and a plus curve and changeup that he can locate for strikes. He alsu has stamina issues which is why he was shut down last year for the Sox postseason run. He should see no more than 75 pitches early in the season but when they finally let the training wheels off watch out.

3.Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds Since being called up he has posted a  321/360/548 line with four home runs and 17 RBIs in just over 80 major league at-bats. His ability to hit at every stop in the minor leagues (Minor league totals: 289/385/476, 96 HRs, 436 RBIs - 2553 Abs) shows his readiness as a major league hitter. Votto also may be a player who can snag you a few extra stolen bases, after being relatively quiet on the base paths early on; he stole on average 20 bags per season his last two years in the minors. Speaking of the Reds....

2.Homer Bailey, SP, Cincinnati Reds Bailey has been hyped for years now and he showed why at every level in the minors averaging more than one strikeout per inning. He has great stuff, including a mid-90s fastball and a plus curve but like most young pitchers, he has control issues. Besides having Dusty Baker as his manager skies the limit for Bailey and I think he will be a solid #3 starter by time the Reds fall out of the playoff race.

1.Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays Sign you spend to much time on AGM, A Bay Ray tops any countdown that doesnt have the word "worst" in it. But since being drafted third overall in the 2006 draft Longoria has not disappointed. In two minor league seasons the Long Beach State alum has cruised though the Rays system hitting 304/388/546 with 44 career homers and over 150 knocked in. He should be the opening day starter at 3B but you never know. He is the favorite to take home AL Rookie of the Year.