Top 20 prospects for 2007...

Jim Callis at Baseball America - in the current Ask BA article - generated a list of the top 20 prospects that appear likely to make an impact in the majors in 2007. Take a second to go look at his list and come back - it is short, sweet and to the point.

Ok, so the Halos have four players on the list. They are, without a doubt the usual suspects (or prospects) when it comes to discussing the farm system.

#2 - Brandon Wood, SS

#10 - Howie Kendrick, 2B

#12 - Jered Weaver, SP

#20 - Kendry Morales, 1B/DH/LF - or anywhere that doesn't really require a glove.

There is a discussion starting at BTF and I will share my thoughts here as well...

To have four players (Wood, Kendrick, Weaver and Morales) in the top 20 shows the depth of the Halos system. Unfortunately, each of the players has issues. For example, Wood, Kendrick and Morales don't like to take a walk - at all; Morales seems to be allergic to leather gloves, and Weaver is an EXTREME fly ball pitcher who relies on the strikeout to a very high degree.

Most of these issues are things I can live with right now, as these guys are in AA or AAA. My concern is major-league pitchers not giving in to Wood, Kendrick and Morales and exploiting their overaggressive approach at the plate. Similarly, as Weaver gets to AAA and beyond he probably won't strike out 9+ batters per 9 innings. That leads to more balls in play, and consequently, more fly balls - and probably more home runs.

I know that most organizations would kill for a top four like this - not to mention Kotchman, Santana and McPherson - but prospects are prospects and the holes that these guys have shown in AA might come calling at the higher levels.

I do know that a lineup that features Wood, Kotchman, Guerrero, Morales, Kendrick, McPherson and Mathis will probably strike more fear into the opposition than Cabrera, Guerreo, Anderson, Kennedy, Figgins and Molina.