MLB Prospect Watch

From Prospect to Closer

This time a year ago, Neftali Feliz was simply a pitching prospect who had more upside than any other pitcher in the minor leagues.  A couple months later, he was blowing American League hitters away with a "you can't hit this even though you know it's coming" fastball that took the league by storm.  This off-season, there was debate whether or not he should go back to the minors to work on being a starter or stay in the majors and be a dominant reliever.

And now, he's the closer for the Texas Rangers.  At least for the time being, reports Ray Buck of the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram.

Thanks in part to Feliz's dominance and in part to Frank Francisco's inability to close out games, the Rangers have turned to their 21-year-old phenom for late inning help, but the team says the move is only temporary until Francisco figures out what is causing his lack of confidence and velocity.  That may be the plan for now, but if Feliz excels in the role, the team will be hard-pressed to remove him from his 9th inning duties.  Regardless, success as a closer could spell the end of Feliz's career as a starter.

There are many differing opinions regarding the move of a potential ace pitcher, which Feliz is thought by some to be, to a bullpen role, especially if it is being done simply to fill a major league need.  In this case the Rangers certainly have a need, but there are an increasing number of people who are beginning to doubt whether Feliz is ever going to make the adjustments necessary to become a front line starter.  Dave Cameron of FanGraphs.com makes the argument that, while typically a move to the bullpen like this minimizes the potential value of a prospect, this may be one of the situations where it makes sense.

Prospect Potent Potables - 4/6

Today's links can't believe that half-court shot for Butler almost went in...

• Tyson Ross earning a spot in the bullpen was one of a number of surprises that came out of the end of Oakland A's camp, explains Casey Tefertiller for Baseball America.
• The Texas Rangers announced that Neftali Feliz would (not surprisingly) be the primary set-up man for closer Frank Francisco, reports T.R. Sullivan for MLB.com.  The team stuck to their word on Opening Day, calling on the rookie to start the 8th inning in a tie game, but Feliz rewarded the team for their confidence with a rough third of an inning, giving up two hits and walking two batters while only recording one out.
• Mark Hulet of FanGraphs.com has a game report from one of Mike Leake's spring starts for the Cincinnati Reds, with some less-than-stellar reviews about the most recent pitcher slated to skip the minor leagues altogether.
• The Milwaukee Brewers have announced a number of their 2010 assignments for prospects, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
• Reid Brignac is this year's winner of the Al Lopez award, given by the Tampa Bay Rays to their top rookie in Spring Training, says Bill Chastain of MLB.com.  Brignac earned a spot on the 25-man roster and a platoon spot in the lineup thanks to his strong play this March.
• Great news for Boston Red Sox' OF prospect Ryan Westmoreland as he recovers from brain surgery.  Westmoreland is back in the Boston area and has made "significant gains" towards recovers, reports Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Rangers Pitching Prospect Placement

T.R. Sullivan offers up some interesting information on his MLB.com blog regarding where the Texas Rangers plan to start a number of their pitching prospects, and in what roles they will be pitching.  The information is coming courtesy of Rangers' farm director Scott Servais.

• It appears Neftali Feliz will remain with the big-league club in a set-up role after some speculation that he could be sent down to work on his secondary stuff, which he will need to one-day be a starter.  Feliz showed the Rangers that he still has his 100-mph fastball as he blew away Rockies' hitters yesterday in a relief outing.
• Kasey Kiker will return to a starting role after making a few relief appearances toward the end of last year, but that could be in either Double or Triple-A.
• The Double-A Frisco rotation will feature Martin Perez and Blake Beavan.
• Michael Main will be in the rotation in High-A Bakersfield.
• Neil Ramirez will be in the rotation at Low-A Hickory.
• Tanner Scheppers, who impressed in big-league camp this spring, will begin the 2009 season in a relief role in Double-A, but only to monitor his innings, according to the organization.  He could still start at some point during this season, but given his domination in short stints this spring, the Rangers may be considering him a late-season boost to their major league bullpen, much like Feliz was last season.

Scheppers in Arlington in 2010?

It certainly won't be to start the season, but we could see Tanner Scheppers in the major leagues at some point in 2010, says Even Grant for Baseball America.  Scheppers was the 44th overall pick in 2009 by the Texas Rangers, one year after being the 48th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Call if the Neftali Feliz plan, as Scheppers is being groomed as a starter, but could be called up in the second half if the team is in need of bullpen help.  Behind the guidance of team President Nolan Ryan, the Rangers have embraced a relatively old-school theory of allowing pitching prospects to cut their teeth in a major league bullpen if they feel they can help the team in that role.  

If Scheppers continues to display the mid-90's fastball he showed off in camp, he may be in Arlington by the All-Star Break.

Feliz Impresses with Breaking Pitches

The hangup on Texas Rangers' super-prospect Neftali Feliz has been the need for refinement in his off-speed arsenal.  In his most recent outing, Feliz showed progress in his curve ball and changeup, as well as the command of his fastball, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.  It should be noted that Feliz was pitching in a "B" game against primarily minor league competition.

Despite Feliz's success in the big-league bullpen in 2009, the Rangers would still like to see Feliz sure up his entire assortment of pitches in hopes that he could be a starter in the major leagues as he has been in the minors.  The team has yet to decide where Feliz will begin the season, and have not ruled out the possibility that it could be back in Triple-A.