Two Major One Minor 061411

This week the focus is on three power hitting outfielders that represent the past, present and future of my roster. They are Nelson Cruz, Mike Stanton and Dayan Viciedo. The home run is the calling card for each of them.


I remember at the end of our draft in 2008 that I made the choice to select Ryan Raburn instead of Nelson Cruz for $1. He went unclaimed and I watched him have a phenomenal year in the minors as he hit .342 with 37 home runs and 24 steals in 103 games before the Rangers called him up. I  jumped at the chance and was very happy to claim him at $5. He was one of my prized players that I knew had a productive career ahead of him. In the midst of his breakout season the following year I traded him and two others for Zack Greinke during his Cy Young season. Cruz finished that season batting .260 with 33 home runs and 20 steals for the Rangers. Although he has had some injury issues when healthy Cruz is one of the most talented in the game. In an injury shortened 2010 season he still managed 22 home runs and 17 steals in 108 games while batting .318. This season he has also missed some games due to injury which I believe has led to his eye not being as sharp contributing to a .229 average while slugging 15 home runs through 50 games. In the last seven days Cruz has two of the longest home runs with blasts of 459 and 450 feet.


Stanton quickly brought the spotlight on himself when he slugged 39 home runs as a teenager. I started to follow him the following season as he put 28 balls over the fence but never advanced above Double A. Going into our 2010 draft I made Stanton my top prospect target and I was able to land him for $5. He proceeded to break out of the gates by hitting .313 with 21 home runs and 52 RBI through only 53 games before getting called up by the Marlins. He finished out the season hitting 22 home runs and 59 RBI through 100 games while managing to hit .259. Through 62 games this season he is hitting .259 with 16 home runs and 41 RBI while his strikeout rate is down and his slugging percentage is up.


Before that same 2010 draft I read how the Chicago White Sox signed a young Cuban infielder named Dayan Viciedo for 4 years at $10 million with a $4 million signing bonus. I took a chance and got him for $1 and watched him hit .274 with 20 home runs and 47 RBI in 86 games at AAA and hit .308 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 38 games with the White Sox. This season he is back in AAA and moved to the outfield while hitting .318 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI though 62 games and he has greatly improved his walk rate showing better plate discipline. He is still only 22 and has a very promising future. White Sox GM Kenny Williams has said on more than one occasion that Viciedo hits the ball harder than anyone currently on their roster. It will only be a matter of time before Viciedo is a regular in the White Sox line up.