I am sure many of you are already aware of this, but be sure to check out the Pirates Prospects 2011 Prospect Guide that was put together by Tim Williams. It looks to be a great resource, one that I ordered immediately once it became available. For anyone who has not been reading Pirates Prospects, you should probably start. Tim has done some great work over there, dating back to when the site debuted as BuccoFans.com. He was at his best during the draft pick signing period, reporting several Pirates signings before any members of the mainstream media. He has also conducted countless interviews with Pirates minor leaguers. Tim has put a lot of time into this book, starting with several scouting trips during the season. I had the chance to meet him while he was scouting the Pirates short season State College team in September, and he seems like a very good guy on top of everything else.
As far as the contents of the book, here are some details.
- 194 pages
- Information on 237 prospects
- The Pirates Prospects 2011 Top 50 Prospects ranking
- Exclusive interviews with pitching prospects Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Zack Von Rosenberg, and Zack Dodson
- Estimated Rule 5 and minor league free agency dates for every player
Please head over Pirates Prospects and consider purchasing the book, which costs $20. If you place an order during the pre-sale period, you will also be entered into a drawing for two free infield box tickets to the 2011 home opener. The proceeds of this book will help Tim expand the coverage at Pirates Prospects this year, which is a good thing for all of us. His goals include nearly two weeks at spring training, more in-person coverage for the 2011 season, and purchases of a high-quality camera and a radar gun.
On a somewhat related note, I apologize for the lack of posts here at Pittsburgh Lumber Co. the past few weeks. I am working on my own project, and it has taken up most of my free time. I will provide some additional details once everything is closer to completion.
