THE best sound at this time of the year is not the crack of the bat or pop of a mitt. It is buzz. It is the excited noise behind home plate created by baseball officials when the monotony of March is broken by the promise of the near future.
Seeing prospects go from words on a scouting report to in-your-face realities is perhaps the greatest joy of spring training. And there has been a lot of joy this spring, too much to fully chronicle all those making great first impressions. So with apologies to – among others – Dodger first baseman James Loney, “a no-question star,” according to an NL official, precocious Royals starter Zach Greinke and Indian center fielder Grady Sizemore, whom team officials privately say has been their best, though he will begin the year in Triple-A, here are five youngsters who have been buzzing loudly this spring:
COLE HAMELS – The Phillies expended three young arms for Billy Wagner because in Gavin Floyd and, particularly, Hamels, they still had elite pitching prospects. “Make a note about this guy,” Reds GM Dan O’Brien said of Hamels, a 20-year-old lefty. “He is very impressive, especially for his age. For such a young player, he has remarkable poise and feel to go along with remarkable ability. It is quite a combination.”
JOE MAUER – For financial and local reasons, the Twins bypassed Mark Prior and took this St. Paul high school catcher No. 1 overall in 2001. “The Mauer-Prior debate is going to be a good one, and I think Prior is great,” an AL assistant GM said. “Mauer is going to be great. The kid is 20 and yet never has a bad at-bat. He’s not afraid to see pitches. He will win a Gold Glove this year. He has very soft hands, moves around well and it is phenomenal how strong his arm is [Mauer was recruited to play quarterback at Florida State].”
The Twins traded All-Star A.J. Pierzynski because they thought Mauer was ready and an AL West scout said, “He is like a 30-year-old with his poise and catching ability. If he hits, he’s an All-Star this year.” An NL West scout said, “Joe Mauer has the most accurate arm of any catcher I have ever seen.”
RYAN SWEENEY – Came to spring with no buzz as more advanced outfield prospects Jeremy Reed and Joe Borchard were set to fight to make the big club. Sweeney is still ticketed for just Single-A. Yet for a 19-year-old drafted last June out of the hardly baseball hotbed of Iowa high schools he has shined in his first major league camp. Arizona VP Sandy Johnson said, “He looks like an excellent young player.” And an AL farm director said, “This kid is 19, in his first spring camp and playing in “A” games and fitting right in. The resemblance to me is Shawn Green with just as good an arm and a better swing at the same juncture.”
B.J. UPTON – An NL farm director said the 19-year-old Devil Ray would be part of any great shortstop discussion. Soon. “He has physical skills off the charts,” an AL advanced scout said. An NL West scout said, “Upton is the real deal. It’s really hard to take your eyes off him. He has utter explosion in his game. He naturally does what 95 percent of the players can’t do at all. He can run. He has a Howitzer arm. He’s going to hit for power down the road.” An executive from a club that does not like drafting high school players said, “In my mind he’s a better prospect than Mauer. The knock on him was he was a tool’s guy, but this player has some polish.”
RICHIE WEEKS – The Brewers already have sent last year’s second-overall pick to minor league camp. But one NL scout said, “He could start at second for them right now.” In Weeks and first-base prospect Prince Fielder, Milwaukee sees a starry infield right side for years. Weeks has an advanced hitting eye and lightning in his legs and bat, which moved A’s GM Billy Beane to say, “It’s evident he’s a special player.”
