If you have a question, send it to askba@baseballamerica.com. Please include your full name and hometown if you'd like your letter to be considered for use in an upcoming column. Also, please understand that we can't respond to every question.
Ask BADec. 21, 2008
Who are the top 10 prospects in the American League? What does the Mariners Top 10 look like after their three-team, 12-player trade?
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Ask BADec. 7, 2008
What does the White Sox Top 10 Prospects list look like after the Dayan Viciedo signing and the Javier Vazquez trade? Where would Junichi Tazawa fit on the Red Sox Top 10?
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Ask BANov. 24, 2008
How much does Braves catcher Tyler Flowers' AFL performance affect his prospect status? What's the outlook for Red Sox first baseman Anthony Rizzo after he was diagnosed with cancer? How good is the second tier of Rangers catching prospects?
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Ask BANov. 17, 2008
Which was the last organization to win Triple-A and Double-A titles in the same year? If Cubs outfielder Felix Pie gets a chance to play, how good can he become? Will Notre Dame quarterback/first baseman Evan Sharpley get drafted high enough to turn pro in baseball next year?
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Ask BANov. 10, 2008
Do the Cardinals and Rays make good trade partners? Will White Sox lefty Aaron Poreda be a starter or reliever? Are minor league free agents eligible for the Rule 5 draft?
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Ask BANov. 3, 2008
What's the deal with 2009's top draft-eligible sophomores? What should the Mariners do with all their catchers? What does the Yankees Top 10 Prospects list look like?
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Ask BAOct. 27, 2008
Who are the best lefty-righty pitching prospect combos? What does the future hold for Rangers first baseman/outfielder Mitch Moreland? Could lefthander Eric Berger be a steal for the Indians as an eighth-rounder?
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Ask BAOct. 20, 2008
Who has the best lefty-righty prospect combo? What's the status of A's seventh-round pick Brett Hunter? If a team signs multiple Type A free agents, who gets its first-round pick as compensation?
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Ask BAOct. 13, 2008
Will the White Sox keep Gordon Beckham at shortstop? Who might the Royals take with the No. 12 pick in the 2009 draft? Do teams have to negotiate in good faith to get compensation for unsigned draft picks?
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Ask BAOct. 5, 2008
What's the draft order for 2009? What would a combined Olympic/college/junior USA Baseball prospect ranking look like? Is there still hope for Astros catcher J.R. Towles?
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Ask BASep. 28, 2008
In light of the developments with Pedro Alvarez, should the Nationals be allowed to negotiate with Aaron Crow? What's the scouting report on Giants rookie sensation Pablo Sandoval? Why would Brad Miller consent to be "traded" to an independent league team?
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Ask BASep. 22, 2008
Do the Rangers have the best farm system in baseball? Would teams consider tanking to protect their first-round pick from free-agent compensation? Is Diamondbacks lefty Clay Zavada a legitimate prospect?
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Ask BASep. 15, 2008
What would the 2006 draft look like if it were held today? Would the Mariners lose much if they didn't sign first-rounder Joshua Fields? Should Travis Hafner have made a rehab stint in the Eastern League playoffs?
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Ask BASep. 8, 2008
How does Blue Jays outfielder Travis Snider compare to other recent elite high school draft picks? Can Jesus Montero stay behind the plate and how quickly can he help the Yankees? Did the draft signing percentages jump in the later rounds, and if so, then why?
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Ask BASep. 1, 2008
Could 2008 first-round pick make the Cardinals to open next season? Would MLB consider adopting the National Hockey League's rules giving teams the rights to drafted players for more than one year? Are Cubs farmhands Micah Hoffpauir, Jason Dubois and Mitch Atkins legitimate prospects?
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Ask BAAug. 25, 2008
Does the Indians' draft strategy make sense? Would the MLB consider adopting NFL's rookie salary pool for the draft? Who's the top shortstop prospect for the 2009 draft?
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Ask BAAug. 18, 2008
Who were the biggest coups in the draft? Will the holdouts until the last seconds before the deadline ever end? What kind of compensation will the Yankees get for failing to sign first-rounder Gerrit Cole?
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Ask BAAug. 11, 2008
Will Buster Posey and other first-rounders sign? Is Indians lefthander David Huff on the verge of a callup? How good is Rangers lefty Derek Holland?
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Ask BAAug. 3, 2008
Who's the Pirates' third baseman of the future: Pedro Alvarez, Andy LaRoche or Neil Walker? Why won't the Angels give Brandon Wood a chance? What are the rules governing athletes who are pros in one sport and amateurs in another, such as New York Yankees outfielder/Arizona State wide receiver Mike Jones.
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Ask BAJul. 27, 2008
What has gotten into Cubs righthander Jeff Samardzija? Which high draft picks might not sign by the Aug. 15 deadline? Will the Red Sox give knuckleballer Charlie Zink a shot?
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Ask BAJul. 20, 2008
Which top prospects have been the biggest disappointments in 2008? Why aren't there more elite prospects? Which newcomer is Oakland's second baseman of the future?
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Ask BAJul. 14, 2008
Who is the No. 1 prospect for each team? Do the Dodgers see first-rounder Ethan Martin as a hitter or pitcher, and will a team ever try to develop a two-way star? What were the scouting reports on Nate McLouth as he rose through the Pirates system?
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Ask BAJul. 6, 2008
Where would $4.25 million bonus baby Michel Inoa rank among prospects in the Athletics system and in the minors overall? How risky is it to invest big money in an international amateur? How good are the catchers in the Futures Game?
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Ask BAJul. 1, 2008
Who had the best drafts in the last two decades? Will the Royals be able to sign Eric Hosmer and Tim Melville? Who are the leading candidates to be rookie of the year in 2009?
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Ask BAJun. 22, 2008
What are the repercussions of Tim Beckham's record deal? Who determines which players qualify as two-sport athletes for the purposes of spreading out their bonus over five years? Have two players traded for each other ever won the MVP and Cy Young awards in the subsequent season, as Josh Hamilton and Edinson Volquez have the chance to do this year?
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Ask BAJun. 16, 2008
Which teams had the best drafts? Was supplemental first-rounder Jeremy Bleich a steal or a reach for the Yankees? Were the Athletics wise to gamble on several top talents who slipped because of signability?
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Ask BAJun. 9, 2008
Which 2008 draftees are their team's top prospect? Including recent draft picks, what would a revised Mets Top 10 list look like? If Marshall's Jeff Waggoner the college coach doing the most with the least?
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Ask BAMay. 25, 2008
Which top high school prospects are least likely to sign? Why have Iowa prep prospects Brent Warren and B.J. Hermsen seen their stock slip? After spending $2 million on Juan Duran, could the Reds go cheap with the No. 7 overall pick?
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Ask BAMay. 19, 2008
How has Connecticut prep shortstop Anthony Hewitt rocketed into the first round? Does Canada have any impact players to offer for the 2008 draft? Why don't college seniors use independent leagues to gain extra leverage?
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Ask BAMay. 11, 2008
Can possible No. 1 overall pick Buster Posey stay at catcher, and how good would he be at shortstop? How do top two-way talents Aaron Hicks, Ethan Martin and Casey Kelly rate, strictly as hitters and strictly as pitchers? How does this year's banner crop of first basemen stack up—defensively?
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