Chat Transcript: Earlier in the day, Jim Callis chatted on ESPN.com

Top 100 Prospects Chat

Moderator: Executive Editor Jim Callis, fresh off his chat at ESPN.com, will begin taking your questions here at 3:00 p.m.

Q:	Dave from Maryland asks: Where does Kyle Sleeth rank in the Top 100? Also what is his ETA?
A:	Jim Callis: He's No. 36 on the list, thanks to his plus fastballcurve combination. The Tigers need a lot of help, obviously, and Sleeth is advanced, but he probably needs at least a full season in the minors. Look for him at some point in 2005.

Q:	Russ Oates from Whitestone, NY asks: Jeff Francis was the lowest rated lefty on the Top 100, coming in at 93. After his horrible start last season he had one great second half, but he's more of a #3 than a #2, right? And that is still a good thing for him, as your internal chat says about #3 starters.
A:	Jim Callis: That's correct on all counts. Francis has an average fastball, and at-times plus curve and a developing changeup. He doesn't have a dominant pitch, though he does throw strikes. That adds up to a No. 3 starter, and as Russ mentioned, we consider that a compliment.

Q:	Steve from Birmingham, Ala asks: How can Grady Sizemore be 9, while Jeremy Reed is 25? I acknowledge that Reed is a year older, but at the same level, Reed had much better stats and terrific batting eye, along with much more speed. Other than date of birth, what exactly does Sizemore do markedly better than Reed to justify such a ranking?
A:	Jim Callis: We balance performance at tools. Personally, I value performance at least a little more, though the consensus at BA is closer to 50-50. I like Jeremy Reed, but I find it a little funny that he wasn't anywhere close to the Top 100 a year ago and now there's a lot of clamoring to put him in the top 5-10 prospects in baseball. That's just premature guys, and I like Jeremy Reed. He had a great year, but on the other hand, he might not be a CF down the road, he might not hit more than 15-20 HRs (and even that would be below average for a corner guy) and he doesn't have the blazing speed his SB totals might indicate. Sizemore is a gifted hitter in his own right, and he has more power, better speed and a better chance to play CF. There's not a huge, huge difference, but I have a little more faith in Sizemore right now.

Q:	Dave from Maryland asks: If the Brewers struggle in the 1st half of the season could Rickie Weeks be promoted at mid-season?
A:	Jim Callis: Well, they're going to struggle. I think the Brewers may keep Weeks in the minors for much of the year, if for no other reason to give playing time to Junior Spivey and Keith Ginter, enhancing their trade value.

Q:	Steve from NYC asks: You mentioned Hawksworth & Wainwright during the last chat but not Chris Narveson. Your thoughts on him ?
A:	Jim Callis: Steve is referring to the just-completed ESPN.com chat, which we'll link to the top of this file at the end of this chat. I like Chris Narveson, who like many Cardinals pitching prospects, had Tommy John surgery (his was in 2001). He has average stuff across the board, with his changeup his best pitch. I'd project him reaching the big leagues at some point in 2005.

Q:	Sean K. Palmer from Washington DC asks: Jim...I just finished your fantastic chat over on ESPN.COM, and loved every minute of it. You definitely made my Friday!!!! I've heard rumors of a trade by my hometown Mets trying to get their hands on Alfonso Soriano by giving up one of Peterson or Kazmir and packaging them with Yates and possibly Heilman. Do you feel that Soriano has reached his peak due to his bad strikezone judgment and his apparant switch to the outfield and would you trade either Peterson or Kazmir at this point to get a guy like that?
A:	Jim Callis: I don't think these rumors will really come to fruition. I don't think Soriano has peaked, and I discussed this a little (in relation to Juan Samuel, who's really not a great comp for him) in the last Ask BA. If the Rangers would give up Soriano for Matt Peterson and either Tyler Yates or Aaron Heilman, I'd jump on it. I wouldn't deal Scott Kazmir at this point because his ceiling is so high and it looks like he'll reach it, but if the Mets were contending that might be a different story.

Q:	Snapper Bean from Greater Kensington asks: With all due respect it seems to me that BA tends to overweight ceiling and underweight age-adjusted performance. I guess I'm a bit perplexed by the omission of RHP Ryan Madson who had far superior numbers to Jeremy Guthrie at AAA, was only 22 for AAA, then was USA Baseball's best pitcher at Olympic qualifying.
A:	Jim Callis: I've heard the first accusation before but not the second. We're always putting performance in context of age, as well as league, ballpark, level, etc. Madson has a very good changeup, but his fastball is average and his breaking ball is slightly below average. He gave up a hit per inning last year in Triple-A. I like him, but he's more of an end-of-rotation starter for me and not a Top 100 guy.

Q:	JB from WL, CT asks: Thanks for taking the time to answer all of these questions. I was wondering your thoughts on Felix Hernandez. He was already ranked at number 30 and he is only 17 years old. Is his stuff that good, and is there anyone you can compare him to? Thanks!
A:	Jim Callis: Hernandez, as I mentioned in my recent Mariners prospect chat, seems almost too good to be true. His fastball and curveball are both potential plus-plus pitches, and he just needs a little more consistency and command as he moves up the ladder. I tend to shy away from comparisons, as they're rarely fair to either player. But if you're looking for a guy with a power fastball and curve in the minors, I think of guys like Kerry Wood.

Q:	Dave from Maryland asks: Who could the No.1 prospect at the end of the 2004 minor league season?
A:	Jim Callis: Of guys who I'm certain will still have their rookie eligibility at the end of the year, I'll go with Rays OF Delmon Young and Brewers 1B Prince Fielder.

Q:	Big Daddy from Salem asks: Thanks for taking my question. I counted 15 players in your top-100 that were drafted in the first round last June. I also counted 16 players in your top-100 that were drafted in the first round of the 2002 draft. That means that nearly one-third of the top 100 players in baseball came from the first rounds of the past two drafts. Have these players logged enough professional playing time in order to accurately judge how talented they are? Or is your top-100 list a projection based on raw tools alone?
A:	Jim Callis: It's a blend, Big Daddy, of performance and tools. We're ranking the BEST prospects here, and the best tend to move pretty quickly. If a guy is still in the minors after 4-5 seasons, in most cases he's not one of the Top 100 Prospects in the game.

Q:	Justin Riddick from Alamo, TN asks: What do you think of the Cubs signing Greg Maddux for three years considering all of the pitching talent they have in the farm system?
A:	Jim Callis: I would have spent the money on offense. I look at Chicago's offense, and I see two above-average hitters for their position: Derrek Lee and Sammy Sosa. I love the Cubs pitching depth in the majors and minors. To repeat what I said at ESPN.com earlier today: There will be some attrition, but Angel Guzman, Justin Jones, Andy Sisco, Bobby Brownlie, Chadd Blasko, Jae-Kuk Ryu and Luke Hagerty all have the potential to pitch in the front half of a rotation (at least one not as loaded as Chicago's). Also keep an eye on relievers Todd Wellemeyer and Francis Beltran, and lower-level guys like Billy Petrick and Jason Wylie. And Ricky Nolasco, who gets overlooked.

Q:	Russ from NY asks: Ian Stewart looks like he is going to be the second-best prospect grown out of the Rockies system. What's the best possible outcome for him?
A:	Jim Callis: The best-case scenario is that he becomes a 40-HR third baseman. There's some question on his glove, but he should be able to handle the hot corner.

Q:	Curt Wilson from Bradenton, FL asks: Nice top 100. Ive read some stories that say he may be up in september, which i think would be crazy. What is your view on Delmon Young's time table?
A:	Jim Callis: He'd like to be up this year, but making it up by September 2005 would be an express trip through the minors. I project him as a big league regular in 2006.

Q:	Marty from Minneapolis, Minn asks: Everything I've read has Ryan Wagner and Jesse Crain almost identical in terms of talent, backgroud (U. of Houston) and where they are at professionally (on the doorstep of closing). Why exactly is Wagner 43 places ahead of Crain? (46th to 89th)
A:	Jim Callis: Crain throws a little harder and has a plus slider, but Wagner has a plus fastball and an otherworldly slider. He's also more deceptive, and the combination allows him to miss more bats. That's not taking anything away from Crain. Both are future closers.

Q:	Trent from San Jose, CA asks: How in the world did Oakland A's pitcher Brad Sullivan not make the TOP 100 List? This guy nearly led college baseball two years in a row in strikeouts, plus excelled with TEAM USA. Do scouts see him as more of a 4th or 5th starter in the pros? Thank you.
A:	Jim Callis: We like him, but we want to see how healthy he is in 2004 after his arm wore down at the end of the college season. He has a ceiling as a No. 2 starter, but No. 3 is more realistic. If he's healthy, Oakland will have gotten a steal with the No. 25 pick last June.

Q:	Alan from San Francisco asks: Was there any consideration for Tim Stauffer? I understand he has no pro experience and injury questions, but I'm surprised he didn't make the Top 100. Several other players coming off injurieswere ranked very high, and Stauffer's track record at college should be enough to get some idea of where he'd rank.
A:	Jim Callis: It was the same situation as with Brad Sullivan. We wanted to see that Tim Stauffer was 100 percent healthy before we put him on the list.

Q:	Ian from NJ asks: Is Wladimir Balentien the Felix Hernandez of position players or does he have even more questions that need to be answered?
A:	Jim Callis: That's a bit much for Balentien. He has big-time power, but his grip-it-and-rip-it approach may be exposed at higher levels. Too early to put him on the Top 100, even after he decimated the Arizona League.

Q:	J Deloney from Dayton, OH asks: Much has been made of Brent Clevlen's stats suffering while playing in West Michigan's home park. Is it possible that both Scott Moore and Kody Kirkland will play in Lakeland this season or might Moore repeat Low A? Could Moore move back to shortstop?
A:	Jim Callis: The Tigers are keeping Moore at third base and almost certainly will split up Moore and Kirkland to give both full playing time. Kirkland is the better prospect, but may have to start the year in low Class A.

Q:	steve from chicago asks: Hi Jim. Love you, love the show. Jeff Francoeur=.750 OPS in A ball. What's he doing at #26? And where the heck is the minor league leader in KIP Joel Zumaya?
A:	Jim Callis: Thanks, Steve. You're right, that's a slight red flag (though his OPS was .770) on Francoeur, and that's why I ranked him 47th on my Top 50 in the Prospect Handbook. But he has tremendous all-around tools and that's a very strong season for a 19-year-old in low Class A. I'd like to see him walk more, but he looks plenty good to me. As for Zumaya, he has a mid-90s fastball and a power curveball. But he also has a max-effort delivery, inconsistent command and mechanics and not much of a changeup at this point. Long term, he may be more of a reliever than a starter. Keep in mind, I'm not ripping Zumaya. He has an electric arm, but there are a lot of things he needs to refine.

Q:	Paul Furlong from Chicago asks: Why is Justin Jones lhp, ahead of Andy Sisco lhp, Cubs, on you rankings?
A:	Jim Callis: Sisco has one plus pitch right now (fastball). Jones has two (fastball, curveball) as well as a better changeup and more advanced command.

Q:	David Carroll from Superior, Wisconsin asks: If you go back and look, you will find that Jeremy Reed is very comparable to Brian Giles at a similar point in their careers. Giles also showed tremendous strike zone judgment before he showed much power. Of course, Giles was never considered a top-ten prospect either. But if we learn from experience, shouldn't Reed be?
A:	Jim Callis: I don't buy this comparison. We missed the boat on Giles, as did most people until he got to the majors and kept raking there. But Jeremy Reed is not going to average 35 homers and 110 walks in his big league prime. He's just not that kind of player.

Q:	Mark L. Peel from NorthSideBaseball.com asks: Just curious what you think Dustin McGowan's upside is.
A:	Jim Callis: Hi, Mark. His fastball, curveball and slider are all power pitches, and his changeup and command keep improving. If it all comes together, he can be a No. 1 starter.

Q:	Adam from Chicago asks: Thanks for your generous chat schedule (both on ESPN and BA). With the Cubs depth of top-notch SP prospects (Guzman, Jones, Blasko, Sisco, Brownlie, Hagerty, Ryu) do you think Guzman will be ready to step in mid-season in order to deal Matt Clement for a need? With Dempster possibly on board for 2005, Cruz in the wings, Prior, Wood, Zambrano and some guy named Maddux locked up for 2 or more years, would you try to deal prospects for young hitters such as Navarro, who is blocked by Posada? Which arms would you be least likely to give up?
A:	Jim Callis: Guzman probably will start the year in extended spring as he recovers from minor shoulder surgery, so I don't see him being ready at midseason. I still would deal pitching prospects if I were the Cubs for two reasons: the rate of attrition involved, and the simple fact that the Cubs have many to spare. But I'd target big league hitters who could help me now while I had the chance to win it all, rather than prospects who can't help immediately. I'd try to hold onto Guzman, Justin Jones, Andy Sisco, Bobby Brownlie, etc., but if there's a deal that would help the club, I'd part with almost anyone.

Q:	Andrew from Kansas City, MO asks: Greinke seems to be rated too low at #14. Putting him behind guys who have very few IP or ABs seems pretty ridiculous when Greinke has dominated hitter at A+ and held his own at AA. Did he really slip that far because he doesn't have what you guys call a "dominant pitch"?
A:	Jim Callis: By that same logic, we shouldn't have ranked Alex Rodriguez No. 6 (which turned out five spots too low) entering 1994, when he had yet to get his first pro AB. Putting a guy at No. 14 means we really like him a lot. I wouldn't say Greinke dominated Double-A hitters either, with 58 hits allowed and 34 strikeouts (versus just five walks) in 53 innings. He lacks a dominant pitch, though he does have dominant command. He's very good and we recognize that. But I'll still take Delmon Young, Rickie Weeks and Kazuo Matsui over him, and I don't have to think twice about it.

Q:	tom smith from ny asks: can you talk to the yankees and tell them to draft chris nelson out of georgia...........
A:	Jim Callis: Only if they promise not to sign him. I'm a University of Georgia grad, and I want to see him play for the Bulldogs next year.

Moderator: Jim has to step away for five minutes, but he'll be back shortly.

Q:	Dean Quinton from Brooks, Alberta asks: Hi Jim, how close did Brandon League come to making the list? He was mentioned in the round table discussion but no one really nailed it down to how close he came. Than you.
A:	Jim Callis: We talked about him, but he wasn't super close. He has a terrific arm but got knocked around too much in high Class A to make the list at this point. Wouldn't shock me at all, though, if you see him on next year's list.

Q:	Sammy from Charlotte asks: Who was the 101 Prospect?
A:	Jim Callis: The three guys who came the closest but just missed were Dodgers RHP Joel Hanrahan, Reds 3B Edwin Encarnacion and Reds LHP Brandon Claussen.

Q:	Al from Queens, NY asks: I was surprised to see Toronto's Francisco Rosario on the list after a year of inactivity (TJ surgery). Even more surprising was Arizona's Adriano Rosario being left off the list, given his success in the MWL, his age and pure stuff. Do you think a good argument can be made that the wrong Rosario was put in the top 100?
A:	Jim Callis: We got the right guy. Francisco is already throwing in the mid-90s with no soreness, and he's going to rocket up this list. Adriano can light up a radar gun, but I've also talked to scouts who think his fastball is straight and his slider is inconsistent. There's also question as to whether his listed birthdate is legitimate.

Q:	Ted from Brooklyn asks: it seems like what could be a landmark class of pitchers is under-represented in the top 10. what are the chances that 5 years from now you will regret ranking Rios or Sizemore over some of the high upside pitchers?
A:	Jim Callis: To paraphrase Paul DePodesta: It's an art, not a science. We're not going to get every guy right. But we feel we've done the best possible job putting together this list. And hitting prospects are going to succeed more often than pitching prospects. I'm looking at the hitters in our Top 10: Joe Mauer, B.J. Upton, Delmon Young, Rickie Weeks, Alexis Rios, Kazuo Matsui, Grady Sizemore and Prince Fielder. I'll be very surprised if at least 5-6 of those guys aren't perennial all-stars.

Q:	Chris from Huntsville, AL asks: Would you say that the success of the two drafting styles (college vs. high school) is more dependent on WHO the players are than the styles themselves? For instance, Oakland was successful using the college drafting style, picking up Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, and Tim Hudson, while organizations such as the Dodgers have enjoyed drafting success picking high school players such as Greg Miller and James Loney. Both schools of thought are sure that theirs is the best and it doesn't really seem that one is better than the other to me.
A:	Jim Callis: Definitely, Chris. You can think you have the best philosophy in the world, but you still have to draft the right guys (and be fortunate as they make their way to the majors). As for the Dodgers, they don't think high school guys are the best. But with so many teams taking college players, that's leaving high school guys on the top of LA's draft board when it's their turn to pick. Personally, I think you have to blend college and high school players. If you ignore one group, you're limiting your choices.

Q:	aaron from (delmar) asks: How did Justin Huber not make this list??? He may not have put up amazing numbers but he made steady progress last year. Did he at least get consideration?
A:	Jim Callis: There are a lot of questions about whether he can handle the defensive responsibilities of catching. If he can't, he's a first baseman, and that doubt is why he's not on the Top 100.

Q:	Delmon Young from Florida asks: Man, I'm bored with the minors already and I haven't even gone there yet. Thanks for the props, m'man...can you tell everyone out there a couple of MLB comparables on me? Or do I not have any?
A:	Jim Callis: Albert Belle ceiling, with a better personality and a strong right hip.

Q:	Steve from Burien, WA asks: Hi, Jim! Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us twice over. I'll try my question here, too: is there any hope left for Ryan Anderson, or is he nothing more than a cautionary tale on evaluating pitching prospects now?
A:	Jim Callis: I can't bank on him after he has torn his labrum three times. Just another example of the attrition rate of pitchers, though no regrets ranking him. He had performed well all the way up to Triple-A before he got hurt.

Q:	John from Canada asks: What do you think of the Jays' minor leaguers? If you can, could you name the Jays that are in the top 100? Thanks.
A:	Jim Callis: I won't do this for every club, but for the Jays we have: OF Alexis Rios (6), RHP Dustin McGowan (18), C Guillermo Quiroz (35), OF Gabe Gross (72), RHP Francisco Rosario (87) and SS Aaron Hill (96). RHP David Bush, RHP Vince Perkins, SS Russ Adams and RHP Brandon League also received varying degrees of support.

Q:	jameson parker from Vancouver, B.C. asks: Question about two righthanders. What gives Hawksworth the edge over Matt Cain, and what are their injury situations coming into this season?
A:	Jim Callis: Cain has to prove he can come back from a stress fracture in his elbow, while Hawksworth should be fine because his injury was just a bone spur in his ankle. Cain has a higher peak velocity, but Hawksworth also has a plus fastball, not to mention a better curveball, changeup and overall command. The health questions are probably the biggest difference between the two.

Q:	J-P from Manhattan asks: Hey Jim, with 5 prospects in the top 100 (Matsui included) and Justin Huber assumedly close to the cut, are the Mets in the Top 10 in talent, especially if they have such a strong first five or so?
A:	Jim Callis: We ranked them 10th among all the organizations. Their high-end talent is much more impressive than their depth. If you've read my last few Ask BA columns, you know that I think high-end talent is also much more important than depth.

Q:	SteveO from NYC asks: Could you compare last year's top 5 to this year's? Mauer kind of cancels out Mauer, but how about Upton-Reyes, Young-Baldelli, Jackson-Foppert and Weeks-Tex. Maybe you could replace Foppert with Harden because of the injury? Which group do you think is stronger? Thanks, been looking forward to the top 100 for a long time!!!
A:	Jim Callis: I like this year's top five a little better. I like Upton a little more than Reyes, Young a little more than Baldelli. Jackson vs. healthy Foppert or Harden is pretty even. Weeks and Teixeira are different types of players, but pretty even.

Q:	Anthony Peruchietti from Dearborn Heights, MI asks: Jim, does Chris Lubanski profile to be more of a complete player like Beltran or just a leadoff speed type like Damon?
A:	Jim Callis: I think he's closer to Damon than Beltran, though Lubanski has a 25-homer ceiling.

Q:	Jeff from Los Altos, CA asks: How close to pitchers Brad Sullivan and David Bush come to making the top 100? I was a bit surprised neither was on the list, especially Bush.
A:	Jim Callis: I addressed Sullivan a little earlier. With Bush, he was close. We've loved him since he was a warrior as a closer at Wake Forest. But he doesn't have a true out pitch, just solid stuff, and he didn't miss a ton of bats last year. I ranked him 89th on my personal list, but that was the highest of the five of us who hashed it all out.

Q:	Brain from NYC asks: What kind of player does David Wright project to be if he reaches his full potencial?
A:	Jim Callis: He can hit .300 with 20-25 homers, a good number of walks and solid defense at the hot corner. He may be the least hyped of the guys in our Top 25.

Q:	Justin from Capitol Hill asks: Is JJ Hardy a potential all-star or more of a consistant .270, 15 HR, 75 RBI shortstop?
A:	Jim Callis: I think he's a .270-15-75 hitter with Gold Glove potential, which would make him an all-star.

Q:	Marc from Tracy, CA asks: How do you think BA would have graded Jamie Moyer as a prospect?
A:	Jim Callis: He didn't miss many bats above Class A, so he wouldn't have been a Top 100 guy. I don't think anyone could have looked at his stuff or statistics and projected anywhere close to this kind of career. I think he holds some kind of arcane record like most wins after age 30 compared to before age 30, or something like that, a tribute to his ability to adapt.

Q:	SoCalBrewfan from Just a long flyball away from the KIA bash asks: Where are all the third basemen? I guess some are probably listed as SS now (Sergio Santos?)...but it seems like a few guys from the last wave of supposedly great 3b kind of fizzled (Beltre, Aramis Ramirez), and that there are not too many up and comers at the position...some of the guys on this list seem destined for other corners anyway.
A:	Jim Callis: We have five on the list: Andy Marte (11), David Wright (21), Dallas McPherson (33), Ian Stewart (57) and Matt Moses (81). I also could see Scott Hairston or Sergio Santos winding up there for the Diamondbacks.

Q:	Chris from Huntsville, AL asks: Who is the most likely to disappoint next year out of the Top 25 on the BA list?
A:	Jim Callis: Wow. I'll say Chin-Hui Tsao, because it's impossible to pitch in Colorado.

Q:	J-P from Manhattan asks: Hey Jim, Lasting Milledge is considered a true-five tool player, but is he strong enough to ever hit 30 hr's, or fast enough to steal 30 sb's, or a good enough hitter to ever hit .300, or is he just an athelete who can do a little bit of everything like all the rest of the Mets five-tool outfielders (Escobar, Payton, Ochoa, Huskey...kidding on the last one). PLease tell me he has the potential to outplay all those guys, 'cause i need some real men in that wonderfully irragated outfield of ours.
A:	Jim Callis: Oh, he has the potential and tools to blow those guys away. He's also very raw. Very high risk with a very high potential reward, but he's no sure thing.

Q:	Michael from Seattle asks: What kind of numbers do you see Victor Martinez posting this year and beyond?
A:	Jim Callis: Like many rookies, Victor Martinez didn't live up to expectations right away. No reason he can't hit .290-.300 with 20-25 homers annually once he hits his stride.

Q:	Eric from San Diego asks: Hi Jim, what is Franklin Gutierrez's upside, does he really project to be a centerfielder?
A:	Jim Callis: He's a legitmate center fielder with five-tool potential. He needs to tighten his strike zone to reach his ceiling, but it's hard to argue with his physical package.

Q:	Ted from Canada asks: Kevin Youkilis: Wade Boggs redux, Dave Magadan or never was?
A:	Jim Callis: Dave Magadan with a better glove at third base. And that's a pretty useful player.

Q:	Jordan from Madison asks: Mr. Callis, sir, thanks for chatting it up today. Could you compare a couple of displaced first basemen in the Brewers organization? Specifically, I'm wondering why Brad Nelson continues to get more love than Corey Hart. Hart seems to have better tools, has performed better, and has stayed healthy. So why is Nelson often ranked ahead of him?
A:	Jim Callis: Nelson has more power and will be more productive offensively in the long run. A wrist injury wrecked his 2003 season, but Nelson should be back with a vengeance this year. And I do like Hart, too.

Q:	jb from SanFran asks: Thanks for the chat, these are awesome. How much power could BJ Upton have? Is his ceiling closer to A-Rod or Jeter?
A:	Jim Callis: He could, and I emphasize "could," become a 30-homer guy in time. I'd never compare anyone to A-Rod. He's the gold standard. Upton is compared to Jeter a lot, and I think in the long run he'll have more power and be a better defender than Jeter.

Q:	Coop from AZ asks: How do you feel about Sergio Santos?
A:	Jim Callis: Like him a lot, love his bat, don't think he's a shortstop.

Q:	Rob from Miami, FL asks: In the prime of his big league career, Zack Greinke will most likely be compared to A) Greg Maddux, B) Jake Peavy or C) Jeff Suppan?
A:	Jim Callis: Closer to Peavy than Maddux.

Q:	Alex from Madison asks: Hi there. I was wondering about A. Loewen's high ranking. He didn't pitch much last year and yet ranks higher than a lot of others who are more advanced, have almost as good stuff and have dominated at several minor league levels including the O's John Maine. Isn't Loewen a bit of a reach this high?
A:	Jim Callis: It's consistent with our approach. We do consider performance, but we don't hold the brevity of someone's career against him. Loewen throws harder, has a better breaking ball and may have the better changeup. He's also three years younger and a lefty. I like both guys a lot, but if I can only have one, give me Loewen.

Moderator: Jim has to run now, and he's sorry he couldn't handle more of your questions. But he reminds you that if he couldn't get to your question today, send it to him at askba@baseballamerica.com and he may answer it in Ask BA. Please include your full name and hometown. Thanks!