League and McGowan

by slitheringslider on Oct 11, 2006 7:49 PM EDT

I thought Brandon League and Dustin McGowan are no longer prospects due to playing time in the majors, but they have recently been named the #13 and #15 prospect in the International League by Baseball America.

Despite how low everyone is on McGowan these days, and how badly he pitched this year, obviously there are people who still thinks he can be a star in the big leagues.

I am very interested in the Arizona Fall League this year as it might be make or break time for McGowan's chance to succeed as a Blue Jay. If McGowan can harness his potential, he would fit in nicely behind Halladay and Burnett as the #3 starter in the rotation, but that is a big if...

What do you guys think of McGowan and what holds for him in the future? Bust or Late-Bloomer?

Why do every Top Jays prospect in recent memory either bust or blooms late? Chris Carpenter, Kelvim Escobar, Roy Halladay, Josh Phelps, to name a few, and now McGowan.

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What's strange...

is how slowly even the non-busts took to develop, with two of them (Carpenter and Escobar) not having done so as Blue Jays.

by mark w on Oct 12, 2006 7:31 PM EDT reply actions

and Halladay

taking about 4 years to develop. Must be something in the water at Syracuse. Aaron Hill is the closest we have had to immediate success in the big leagues. However, he does not have the ceiling of any of the above listed players.

by slitheringslider on Oct 12, 2006 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

McGowan

can't be called a bust yet, but I think he has to show something this season. Hopefully he can get a little more consistent playing time.

League seems to be slated for a major bullpen role next season. He and Accardo look like they will be battling for the 7th and 8th innings, and I doubt the Jays will resign Speier, not with the money that set-up guys were getting last season, and, while I will be sad to see him go, I think the money will be better spent elsewhere.

A more compelling decision, I think, will be whether to resign Catalanotto or Lilly. I'm planning on writing up a diary about this.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Oct 13, 2006 8:56 AM EDT reply actions