John Manuel Chat

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Moderator: John Manuel will begin taking your questions at 3:00 p.m. EST. You are welcome to get your questions in early, and this is an open chat -- ask about anything in the Baseball America universe.

Q:	Russ from NY asks: After an encouraging start to Philip Hughes' career, he hasn't pitched since that first game. Anything wrong with him or are the Yankees being cautious with his arm?
A:	John Manuel: OK, sorry for the delay. John Manuel: Just talked to Damon Oppenheimer this week about Hughes; we'll have the full quotes in the next Prospect Pulse, but Damon says Hughes is just being put on a throwing program; he has a little elbow soreness, and the Yankees are just being cautious with him. "There's nothing wrong with him," were Damon's exact words.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: As the trade deadline approaches, there is much talk of the Yankees making a move. Do you think that the Yankees would part with Eric Duncan, or is he untouchable? Do the Yankees have anyone who is untouchable?
A:	John Manuel: Lots of Yankees questions. I don't think anyone in that organization is off-limits. Duncan, in my opinion, didn't earn a promotion to Tampa (he was hitting like .180 in the month prior to coming to Tampa), he was given one to showcase him for trades. Obviously the Yankees want Randy Johnson, and I don't think they'll hold anything back to get him.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: Tampa RHP Chad Orvella has put up some pretty crazy KIP numbers this year. Does he have the stuff to make his way up and become the Devil Rays closer, or is he just feasting on inexperienced hitting in A ball?
A:	John Manuel: Charles, you've hit a couple of high notes already. I'm a big Chad Orvella guy, a conversion guy, very new to pitching (he played SS at NC State), and he can bring it, 95-96 heat with developing secondary stuff. I think the Rays have reason to believe he can be a setup guy down the line; not sure if he'll close, but he's athletic, repeats his delivery and has a fresh arm. There's a lot to like, even for a 5-foot-11 RHP..

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: What has happened to Corwin Malone?
A:	John Manuel: Tommy John surgery . . . no more for Charles!

Q:	Fabian from minoryankeeblog.blogspot.com asks: I have a mancrush on Marcos Vechionacci. What are your views on him and his potential?
A:	John Manuel: I didn't even realize I had taken so many Yankees questions. Vechionacci is interesting, a Venezuelan youngster (I think he's still just 17) who can hit. He doesn't have one tool that really stands out, but he can hit from both sides, can play the left side of the infield, has good hands and poise for a player his age. He's interesting, but he's also kind of far away. Hard to say what his ceiling is, but he's a young player who can hit, and that's a good start.

Q:	Ken from Fairfax, Virginia asks: CALLUPS! Who can we look for to get the call before the end of the year? Capellan? Marte? Blanton? Francis? Floyd?
A:	John Manuel: Ken, good question. Francis is a big question; do the Rockies think it's better to start his contract clock and give him a taste of the majors now, or will the experience of pitching in the Olympics help his development enough. Capellan, after seeing him Tuesday, seems ready to help the Braves in the bullpen; I'm not sure they need Marte right now with Giles back and Chipper Jones at third, I don't see a place for him. Blanton and Floyd are both close, but I don't see them as being ready to help their clubs in pennant races right now; I'd imagine they are just September callups at best.

Q:	David from Phoenix asks: Chris Snyder was absent on BA's top catcher list, assumably due to his slow start. Where would he fall on that list now, or would he still be excluded?
A:	John Manuel: We'll have an organization report about him soon. Snyder's slow start was a factor, but he wasn't far off. I think more important is what the Diamondbacks think of Snyder, and they like his bat speed and loft power. Clearly, he will have opportunity with a rebuilding team.

Q:	Rudy Schoppe from Itasca, Illinois asks: What do you think of Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney?
A:	John Manuel: Well, they're both pretty good. Anderson's moving rapidly and holding his own in Double-A (hits in 15 of his 19 games). Sweeney is really coming on at Winston-Salem, hitting .388 in July with a current 10-game hitting streak. If Kenny Williams needs to make another move, they give him the outfield depth to move someone (as was the case with Jeremy Reed). They're probably the White Sox' top two prospects, I would imagine.

Q:	Russ from NY asks: Has Colorado put Chris Iannetta on the fast track to the Majors? His start at Asheville has been quite good.
A:	John Manuel: I don't know that putting a college player in the Sally League means he's on the fast track. I like Iannetta, he's earned some Joe Girardi comps for his short swing and his style of play. He's a gamer and a good leader, good traits in a catcher. But the Rockies also like J.D. Closser, so Iannetta doesn't need to be on the fast track yet.

Q:	Amanda from Dallas, TX asks: With yesterday's injury to Ricardo Rodriguez, who do you think the Rangers will fill out their rotation with for the rest of the season? Is there anyone in the minor leagues that is ready for the promotion? Are we going to have to trade away a bunch of prospects for some overpriced mid-level starter? Does this kill their chances at the playoffs?
A:	John Manuel: Sounds like the Rangers will explore a trade. Unless they want to call up Sam Narron or Ryan Snare from Oklahoma (and they probably want someone with more experience and more of a power arm), they will have to make a move. The organization has become much deeper and more talented since Grady Fuson was running the scouting and farm departments, so if John Hart decides to make a deal, he has the pieces to make one.

Q:	Michael from Chicago asks: Ryan Church is having a monster season for the Expos in Triple A. Is he considered a bonda fide prospect. Is it realistic to see him as a regular in the Expos outfield next year?
A:	John Manuel: Church has emerged as bona fide; two scouts from other organizations who have seen him liked him as a guy with enough offense to be a starting corner outfielder. If they Expos land in D.C. next year, as ESPN.com's esteemed Jayson Stark is reporting, I would guess Church would be an important, low-cost piece. Why he's not in the big leagues, I don't know.

Q:	Chris B from SLC, UT asks: John— The Giants farm system has performed better than expected this year. Valdez , Cain and Aardsma are all progressing quickly. And finally there seems to be some life with some positional prospects; Lewis, Schierholtz, Buscher. I’m pleased with the Eddy Martinez pick in the second round. Your thoughts on the status of things in the Giants system?
A:	John Manuel: I agree, it's been a good year for the Giants on the whole. Only real downers I see are Buscher's surgery in the offseason, precluding him from playing 3B, Todd Jennings' struggles and the down year for Dan Ortmeier, who's hitting .213 since April. Not only have Cain, Valdez and Aardsma progressed quickly, but Brad Hennessey is re-establishing himself, Pat Misch is having a real nice year after being pushed at Norwich, and Jeremy Accardo has had a real nice year in his pro debut. Not to mention Nate Schierholtz has had a fantastic season. I'm not a huge Martinez-Esteve guy, he's lost some athleticism in his lower half in college (hamstrings) and he's not much of a defender. He can mash, though, and the Giants need hitters.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: With Corey Koskie gone at the end of the year for the Twins, does Terry Tiffee have any chance at making the big club, or is Mike Cuddyer going to take over for Corey?
A:	John Manuel: I think Cuddyer is the first choice, but Tiffee can hit, and he's always hit. He's a poor runner and just average defensively, but I think he does have a chance if he hits well in spring training. The Twins' depth is very impressive, system-wide.

Q:	John from Maryland asks: Calvin Pickering is putting up huge power numbers in Triple A this year. Will he get a chance to produce on the major league level or do you just see him as a 4A player, great in the minors but nothing special in the majors?
A:	John Manuel: He's a 4-A guy, sorry. Maybe he'll be another Bucky Jacobson, maybe he's just a guy who needs a chance, but it's hard to see him getting one. He ate his way out of one with Baltimore; if he gets a second chance he'll be lucky.

Q:	Grace from Columbus asks: Will the Marlins give Joe Dillon a chance to be in their starting lineup next year? He doesn't seem to have anything else to prove in Triple A.
A:	John Manuel: Dillon has quietly had an amazing season, coming back from disc problems in his back that have plagued him for five years or more. He's even playing some 2B at Albuquerque, which is just amazing. It wouldn't surprise me if the Marlins gave him a shot, it would seem he would make a nice reserve who could play 2b, 3b, some 1b and LF.

Q:	George from Memphis, TN asks: Who has the higher ceiling between Bobby Brownlie and Angel Guzman? If the Cubs traded one of them at the dead line which one would you rather keep? Also who would you say are the Cubs top 5 prospects at this point? Thanks
A:	John Manuel: Many, many good questions today . . . this is another one. I'd want to talk to some scouts who have seen Guzman lately, since getting back to Double-A, but it sounds like he's the one with the higher ceiling despite Brownlie's excellent outings of late. I have not heard good reports on Brownlie's velocity this year, he's in the 87-90 range, and that makes it sound like his ceiling is a bit limited, unless he gets that 96 mph gas back. Jim Callis handles the Cubs, and I don't think their top 5 would change much from Guzman, Jones, Harvey, Sisco and Pie, though Pie might be higher and Sisco lower based on this season. Brian Dopirak could move himself into this list as well based on his excellent season at Lansing and showing that he can make adjustments at the plate and make more consistent contact.

Q:	Peter T from Walnut Creek, CA asks: Thanks for taking the time to chat. Brad Hennessey has been pitching well for the Giants--what's his future?
A:	John Manuel: We'll have more on this in the next Pulse, but Hennessey is a real feel-good story. He's pitching well at Fresno, back-to-back 7-inning starts, with velocity in the low 90s again (91-92) and his slider close to its former glory, when one Giants official slapped a 75 grade on it. His future would seem to be San Francisco, and probably soon.

Q:	bill harrigan from ledgewood n.j.II asks: I saw Scott Baker have a rough 1st start in AAA against Scranton.What is your timetable for him to reach Minn.?
A:	John Manuel: He's already way ahead of schedule; I saw him lose a game to N.C. State here in Durham last March, and now he's knocking on the door of the major leagues. He's already thrown 120 innings in the minors this season, though, and I would guess he's not going to get a callup this year. September 2005 seems a bit conservative, but that would still be my ETA.

Q:	Joel from Washington, DC asks: John, what do you consider a reasonable return for Kris Benson? Some have criticized Pirates GM Dave Littlefield for reportedly turning down a trade with the Phillies centered on Ryan Howard, while the Twins are said to be willing to part with Michael Restovich. Would you rather have Howard or Restovich? How about getting Adrian Gonzalez from the Rangers now that Ricardo Rodriguez is out for the season?
A:	John Manuel: Benson is 29, he's got a losing record in the major leagues and a career ERA over 4.00. None of these guys you mentioned are can't-miss guys, and maybe Benson's track record is why. To me, Littlefield should hold out for more. Ryan Howard's having a great year, but Reading is a hitter's park, and Howard's K-BB ratio is middling. Can he repeat it? I'd want a good young arm (Alfredo Simon?) to go with him for Benson, because even though his track record isn't great, Benson is pitching well and he's the best non-Randy Johnson starter available. Gonzalez might be the best bet because I'd rather have a good hitter with stength who can grow into his power than a minor league slugger who hasn't proved he can make consistent contact beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Q:	TrojanCat from Iowa asks: What's your take on the Team USA National Team this year? Who are the top prospects from the team, and projected rounds for those eligible in next year's draft?
A:	John Manuel: I was incredibly disappointed with Team USA; I saw all eight games here in Durham and was underwhelmed with their effort in their second four-game series against Chinese Taipei. That said, the team's individual talent looks really, really good. John Mayberry, Jeff Clement, Alex Gordon and Ryan Zimmerman all have hitting potential, and Troy Tulowitzki oozes tools; as a college SS, he should be drafted pretty high next year. Those guys all seem like first-rounders. I wasn't as impressed with the arm. Mike Pelfrey looked hittable; I liked Luke Hochevar better. The team has a bevy of decent lefties, none of whom have the stuff of, say, a David Purcey from this year's draft. The team should produce more hitters in the first round than pitchers, but it was an underwhelming, under-achieving bunch as a unit.

Q:	Dan from NJ asks: Thanks for doing these chats. What kind of ceiling do you think Yusmeiro Petit has? It seems like he doesn't have the stuff to strike out the number of guys that he does, so what's the reason for his success? A deceptive delivery? Changing speeds effectively?
A:	John Manuel: Petit seems like a guy to watch; he makes people miss, and deception and solid average stuff seem to be his keys. He's got command of three average pitches and he knows how to use them. I wouldn't get too excited about him being a front-of-the-rotation guy, but it sounds like he has a chance to be a third or fourth starter, and that's not bad.

Q:	Zach Duke from Pittsburgh asks: Am I destined to be a run of the mill soft tossing lefty or do I have a chance to be a number 1 or 2 starter someday?
A:	John Manuel: I think we'd all like to know. This test of being promoted to Double-A will tell us more. I lean more toward the former; I just don't think deception alone can get it done, and it sounds like Duke's changeup needs to be more consistent. He's not very different in many regards from Petit.

Q:	Super Nintendo Chalmers from Springfield, USA asks: Your chats rocks! How has the progress of Hanley Ramirez been this year? I havent heard much about him.
A:	John Manuel: THanks for the kind words, whatever your name is. Hanley's back from his wrist sprain and has hit .385 since returning to Sarasota's lineup. We also have had FSL managers say good things about his defense during our Best Tools survey, according to Jota Jota Cooper, so it sounds like all systems are go for Hanley.

Q:	Josh Heines from Philadelphia asks: In the updated top 25 you ranked Scott Kazmir #24. Since you updated the list, Kazmir has been on fire. This includes his brilliant 8 inning performance. Does the 8 inning performance boost his rating at all since it proves he can be very effective deep into ballgames?
A:	John Manuel: He's been really, really good, and that game sounds like his best as a pro. Apparently, his stuff was just sizzling. Now, I think everyone involved (mostly the Mets) want to see Kazmir string together a couple of months of being healthy and pitching 6-7 innings consistently. That's all we were waiting for with our rankings.

Q:	Tom from Mineola, NY asks: Can you tell me the injury status of Franklin Gutierrez? I know he was promoted to AAA Buffalo, but noticed he hasn't played much for them. Thanks.
A:	John Manuel: We had him in Daily Dish the other day with a bruised ligament in his elbow, I believe. He's probably going to miss all of July.

Q:	Ben from Washington DC asks: It seems that the Expos have been adding some good young talent the past year. With they possibly moving out here...I wanted your thoughts on their scouting & player development. Cordero (draft) already in the big leagues is doing very well. Omar Minaya has done very well trading Scott Stewart (Ryan Church & Maicer Izturis) and Carl Everett (Jon Rauch & Gary Majewski). They seem to have more young guys not far off (Hinckley...Broadway...Everts). This organization seems to be in much better shape than it was a year or two ago. Your thoughts? Thank for these chats...
A:	John Manuel: The Expos' system had nowhere to go but up, and it has gone up this year, no question. Minaya has made some better deals of late, but how about dealing Jayson Bay for Lou Collier? Hard to forget that one . . . Hinckley is an elite prospect, though, and they've had some success with the players you mentioned. Dana Brown has done a nice job as scouting director despite a real paucity of resources. I'd still say this is a bottom-third organization in terms of talent, though.

Q:	Jason from Charlotte asks: The Braves has farm system enjoyed a very good season. Which of their pitchers do you see as having the best chance to be a #1 starter (Capellan, Meyer, Davies, Stephens, etc.)
A:	John Manuel: I don't know that there's a No. 1 in the group. Capellan has top-of-the-rotation stuff, but makeup is a big part of being a No. 1, and we hear Cappy needs to be prodded to do his running, things like that, that make me think he's not a No. 1. I like all of those guys as prospects, but Davies is the guy with the combination of stuff and intangibles that seems best-suited to one day be an ace.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: With Billingsley and Guzman being recently promoted, do you think that the Dodgers have an overly aggresive promotional history? It seems they always have a glutton of players doing well at lower levels, but they level off at the higher levels.
A:	John Manuel: OK, one more from Charles. It's interesting, the Dodgers have rushed a lot of guys--Adrian Beltre from about three regimes ago, Edwin Jackson here recently, but I don't think it's been terrible for those players. Beltre certainly is having a nice walk year; reports on Jackson's stuff are very good, he just hasn't gotten away with many mistakes against experienced hitters in unforgiving PCL ballparks. James Loney doesn't have big numbers, but scouts who have seen him in the SL this year rave. I don't think the Dodgers have been too aggressive. Billingsley and Guzman had mastered the FSL, really, so I think they earned their promotions, rather than the Dodgers pushing them when they had not merited it.

Q:	Jeffrey from Norwalk asks: Do you REALLY think Dallas McPherson is going to maintain his production in the majors considering his ridiculous strikeout rates and VERY favorable home ballparks?
A:	John Manuel: It's hard to imagine anyone maintaining a .700 slugging percentage as a 23-year-old in the big leagues, isn't it? It's very reasonable, though, to expect McPherson to be a 30-home run guy in the major leagues. What a draft in 2001 . . . Kotchman, Mathis and McPherson. All could be impact players.

Q:	dave from maryland asks: could conor jackson and carlos quentin be september callups?
A:	John Manuel: I don't think so, Dave, that just seems very premature. However, both players are savvy, experienced ex-collegians who were expected to move quickly, and the Diamondbacks are in a situation where they might not be stealing at-bats from others. I think Josh Kroeger, though, is more likely to be up in September, along with Luis Terrero, who is close with new manager Al Pedrique.

Q:	dave from maryland asks: what is the update on jj hardy shoulder injury?
A:	John Manuel: He's out for the entire season . . . labrum tear, and he's at a position wehre he kind of needs his labrum to be healthy.

Q:	Jason from Charlotte asks: Who would you rather have long term at 3b, Wright or Marte? Before this season I think the consensus was Marte. Has this feeling changed with Wright's explosion this season?
A:	John Manuel: I think I'd rather have Wright, and that's the easy answer. Andy Marte is an elite guy as well, and he's 10 months younger than Wright, but Wright's performance this year, his increased power, his excellent defense, his overall tools, give him an edge for me. Like I said, it's the easy pick to make considering the year Wright has had.

Q:	Pete from Wantagh, NY asks: Is Justin Morneau going back to Rochester when Mientkiewicz returns from injury?
A:	John Manuel: I can't see why he would. He has 15 hits, seven of them for extra bases, in 54 at-bats all year. He's hit safely in six straight, and if they didn't think he was ready, Ron Gardenhire wouldn't have batted him cleanup. Morneau has done all he can in the minors; it's a shame he won't get to play for Canada in the Olympics, but he's a big leaguer now, and he should remain one.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: After a rough start, Alfredo Simon has been hot recently. How do you feel about his future?
A:	John Manuel: I'm just getting to know him as a prospect a little better, but his last two starts have been lights-out; pitching coach Steve Shrenk reports his final pitch in each CG SHO has been 93 mph. He's still going to have to improve his slider (which has made progress) to remain in the rotation, however; the Phillies have long thought his live fastball and solid change might profile better in the bullpen. If the slider comes along and gives him three pitches, he can stay in the rotation.

Q:	Heath from Lakeland, FL asks: I've noticed that White Sox Supplemental 1st round pick Gio Gonzalez has been sharp in the Appy league. Would a late season promotion be possible for Gio?
A:	John Manuel: Gio is having a very impressive debut. It appears at Kannapolis, with Wes Whisler currently the fifth starter, that he doesn't have an opening at a higher level. Something would have to happen there to open up a spot for Gio.

Q:	Mike Marinaro from Tampa, FL asks: John: I've been picketing outside Baseball America's headquarters. My sign reads "Felix Hernandez is the NOT the best pitcher in the minor leagues. That title belongs to Matt Cain." Nobody has stopped me or told me to move on down the block yet. A hot dog vendor told me to wait until Cole Hamels gets healthy. I replied "what about Greg Miller?" LOL How can Cain, who we KNOW is 19 years old, NOT be the number 1 pitching prospect in baseball?
A:	John Manuel: Hernandez vs. Cain . . . Doubt Hernandez' age all you like, it's fine; I'll just remind you that Matt Cain already has had an arm injury (elbow stress fracture). Hernandez hasn't even been allowed to throw his 90 mph slider; it's yet to come, but he has shown it in side work, along with an 82-84 mph curve, wicked hard change in the mid to upper 80s and a fastball he throws every bit as hard as Matt Cain. Cain has had a great year by showing great stuff and staying healthy. They're very similar in some ways. The consensus, however, sounds like Cain is in the discussion but behind Hernandez.

Q:	Jay from Madison asks: Only a few ab's but J. Fiorentino, the O's 3rd round pick this year has looked good. Is it too early too be excited? Also, how would you rate N. Markakis' progress? At this point do you project him to have enough to be a starting corner outfielder?
A:	John Manuel: Fiorentino is a personal fave, it's not too early to be excited. He can hit, he's got a good line-drive stroke. I'm surprised by his early power. He's not too different from Val Majewski in some ways, but Majewski is physically more imposing. Markakis is intriguing; he hit his 10th homer yesterday and he's having a nice year considering most other clubs liked him better on the mound. It's too bad for the Greek Olympic team that he's not pitching, because they really, really need him on the mound. But I might be the only one who cares about that.

Q:	Ryan from Mulberry, FL asks: Is there any validity to the Ryan Howard for Rocco Baldelli deal that has been rumored in the press? Would the Rays really be comfortable with Gathright and Crawford in the same OF or would that mean a possible position change for B.J. Upton. Could we see him being tried in CF?
A:	John Manuel: Marc Topkin, BA correspondent extraordinaire of the St. Pete Times, termed that rumor as unlikely today. I'm not a Gathright guy; he's incredibly fast, and he makes contact, but he lacks instincts and needs time to be passable in CF. Baldelli is a special player. I don't think a position change is in the offing for B.J. Upton any time soon. His tools profile him for SS and he just needs to adjust to the speed of the game and be more consistent.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: How concerned are you about Rickie Weeks struggles this year in AA?
A:	John Manuel: It's the Charles Berg chat for crying out loud . . . No, I'm not concerned. He's leading his team in on-base percentage. I'm not sure the leap from the SWAC to the Southern League can be measured. He has incredible hands at the plate and just needs to trust them, especially on breaking stuff. Weeks has had a very solid season considering his experience level and the quality of the opponents he's facing.

Q:	Bob from winthrop Mass asks: John, thanks for doing the draft. Looking at the Red sox,can you compare any of the pitchers they drafted this year on par with jon Papelbon or Beau Vaughn I know that Alvarez would be a stretch at this point. Thank you.
A:	John Manuel: Andrew Dobies should be a prospect on par with or ahead of those guys; let's see Vaughn do something at a level above low Class A. Dobies can get too cutter-happy, but he pounds the zone and really competes. Kyle Bono has solid-average stuff, excellent savvy and a knack for missing bats, he's a nice value in the eighth round. The rest of the Sox' higher picks are college relievers like Vaughn and Papelbon, so maybe the Sox will try them as starters, too. Cla Meredith is certainly off to a strong start as a reliever, and the buzz is Boston will sign LHP Mike Rozier, who has a very nice upside. So it could be a solid pitching haul.

Q:	Peter from Putnam Valley, NY asks: In BA's pre-season top 10 lists for San Francisco, Merkin Valdez was number 1 and Matt Cain 2. Now with over half a season to further evaluate, any change to the top two?
A:	John Manuel: Safe to say they could be reversed; I wrote that Cain "might have a better arm than Merkin Valdez, and he profiles better as a starter." We ranked Cain second because of his elbow injury, hedging our bets a bit, and a healthy season would seem to give Cain the leg up on being No. 1.

Q:	Charles Berg from Houston, Texas asks: What is wrong with Cole Hamels? Will he pitch again this year? Are his injuries a major concern?
A:	John Manuel: We've reported on this consistently in Daily Dish; he has inflammation in his throwing elbow, definitely a concern because he has lost some development time. But he's still just 20, and it makes sense for the Phillies to be conservative with him at this stage.

Q:	Robert Goldberg from Lyndhurst, NJ asks: Is Jermaine Van Buren (currently putting up outstanding #s in AA for West Tennessee) a real prospect, or is he yet another minor league closer who won't succeed in the bigs? He's only 24, and did have a big arm when the Rockies drafted him in '98.
A:	John Manuel: Van Buren was once a top prospect for the Rockies. Now he's a minor league closer; as JIm Callis wrote several years ago, the track record of guys who rack up big saves totals in the minor leagues is not good. Sounds like Van Buren is a one-pitch guy, but he's having a great season, so I can understand why you would ask. But if he makes the majors and contributes, he will have had a pretty unique career.

Q:	Jamo Pytlak from Chandler, AZ asks: Where would Stephen Head rank on your early 2005 draft board?
A:	John Manuel: Stephen Head was a surprise omission from Team USA's roster. He looked a bit tired against Canada in the trials, but I thought he and Tyler Greene had done enough last summer and this spring to make the roster, and neither one made it. Head is a winner from all accounts, he's trimmed up his body and he has legitimate power. I think he'll rank as a possible first-rounder on our draft board, among the top 15 college players for next year's draft.

Q:	Kevin from Rockford, IL asks: Any word on some of the tougher Cub signs from this past summer's draft (Patterson, Johnson, Owings, ect)? What are the chances of them signing two or three of these guys?
A:	John Manuel: Owings just returned from the Cape Cod League with a tweaked knee; I think he's headed back to school. Eric Patterson is probably 60-40 chances, with the 60 being that he signs. I don't know what he does for himself returning as a senior. Grant Johnson, on the other hand, probably needs to show that he's healthy, 100 percent, and he has some leverage as a redshirt sophomore, like Owings (a true soph., point is, they both have more leverage than E-Pat). It would still surprise me, though, if Johnson went back to school. He sounded like he wanted to sign back in May.

Q:	Brian Durack from Texas asks: Do you see Nick Swisher getting in in Oakland this year for the second-half deficient Eric Byrnes? If not, what does next year look like for him?
A:	John Manuel: Swisher has done everything he can to show he's ready; he's really had a nice season in Sacramento and I would expect he could contribute in Oakland down the stretch with his patience and plate discipline.

Q:	caleb pick from asheville, nc asks: as a big asheville tourists fan i have gotten to see 3b prospect ian stewart play several times and love what i've seen. i'd like to know what you think of him and when the rockies will likely advance him through their system.
A:	John Manuel: OK, gotta go soon . . . I am a big fan of both Asheville (Asheville High, Class of '90) and Ian Stewart, who just has mad power. Also, Stewart's arrival seems to have brought out the best in Jeff Baker, who has progressed ahead of him. Stewart has earned comparisons to Jim Thome, which says a lot right there, but because of Baker ahead of him and Todd Helton, I'll guess he'll move relatively slowly, one step at a time, unless he really accelerates that timetable.

Q:	Russ from NY asks: Maybe it's just me, but I think Alexis Rios's jump to the Majors was a pretty quiet move? Agree or diasagree?
A:	John Manuel: It was fairly quiet, and then Rios started slowly, but he's come on of late and has a six-game hitting streak. Carlos Tosca was talking about him at the All-Star Game, and was enthused by his progress. Rios has a .749 OPS in 178 at-bats, not bad for his age.

Q:	Jason from Charlotte asks: Since you saw Capellan this week, expound on what you saw?
A:	John Manuel: He threw about one changeup . . . I was impressed with his breaking ball, it was a tight, power breaking ball. He was a lot thicker than I thought he was; I saw him at the Futures Game but was in the press box during that inning, so I didn't get a close-up look. That was my biggest concern. Just my thoughts.

Moderator: OK, that's going to have to be it . . thanks for all the fine questions today, hopefully we'll do this again real soon.