I had a really good interview with David Todd today on ESPN 970. We discussed a lot of minor league topics, and a few topics from big league camp. A lot of the topics serve as a recap of the top stories this week and some of the top stories from previous weeks, so I figured I’d share the audio tonight and highlight the key discussions.
**We talked about where guys were going to start the season, including the aggressive promotions of Cole Tucker, Austin Meadows, and Reese McGuire, all of which I have reported in the last week. This also went into the fact that the Pirates have been playing a lot of different guys at third base, including guys like Connor Joe and Jordan Luplow, who were drafted as outfielders.
**David asked me about the first base prospects in the upper levels, with Stetson Allie and Josh Bell. I pointed out how Stetson Allie is unlikely to carry his current stats over to the majors, since most three-outcomes guys in Double-A don’t become three-outcome guys in the majors. Allie needs to cut down on his strikeouts in order to have a shot at the majors. Bell currently projects as the first baseman of the future. I reviewed how his defense looks so far, and the changes he has made over the off-season to add muscle and avoid a falloff in his power later in the season.
**Brandon Cumpton had surgery this week, and we discussed how this impacts the pitching depth and the Indianapolis rotation. Currently I project that rotation to include Clayton Richard, Casey Sadler, Nick Kingham, Adrian Sampson (who I forgot to mention on the show), and one of the non-roster invitee guys until Jameson Taillon returns. David brought up a scenario where Stolmy Pimentel clears waivers, and in that scenario, I think he gets the final spot.
**David asked if anyone has caught my eye and if anyone looks different this year. We discussed the change in Jameson Taillon’s mechanics briefly, referencing my article earlier this week. I also talked about how Cole Tucker’s hitting has been impressive so far.
**Finally, we talked about Arquimedes Caminero, how he looks, and whether he can make the majors. I think he’s got a good shot if he throws strikes.
Here is the full audio.
**We have less than 100 paperback books of the 2015 Prospect Guide remaining from the final shipment. I don’t anticipate ordering another shipment this year. That means once the current batch is gone, the paperback version will be sold out. You can order your copy of the book on the products page of the site.
**Every day I upload content on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and the video features on YouTube. Be sure that you’re subscribed to all of those sites to follow everything we upload throughout Spring Training (there is different content for each social media site).
**How Stephen Tarpley Is Following The Successful Adjustment He Made With The Orioles. Took two days off from the video features, mostly because it can sometimes be very difficult finding specific players or coaches at Pirate City. Today’s feature gives you your first look at Stephen Tarpley pitching in the Pirates’ system since being acquired for Travis Snider.
**Diaz Continues To Impress Hurdle, Kingham On The List, Burnett Using The Change More. Notes from big league camp, including praise from Clint Hurdle on Elias Diaz and Nick Kingham, and a new approach for A.J. Burnett.
**After Countless Injuries, Barrett Barnes Needs A Drastic Change To Revive His Career. Barnes was very candid when I talked to him on Wednesday afternoon. He knows that he’s had too many injuries, and is hoping to get past them this year. In the article, I break down the impact of the injuries, and what kind of talent Barnes has when healthy.
**Draft Prospect Watch: Dansby Swanson Is Perfect At The Plate, Joe Demers Is Perfect On The Mound. John Dreker recaps some of the draft prospects for this summer’s draft.
**Don’t forget to submit your questions for the weekly Q&A, which will run tomorrow afternoon. You can submit your questions here:
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