Best of MLB.com Mailbag

Keep looking well down the road on Montero, who will turn 18 on Nov. 28 and just got his feet wet this season in the Gulf Coast League. He batted .280 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 33 games, and the Yankees were very pleased with his progress, both offensively and defensively, this year, as well as his work ethic.

Tabata just turned 19 in August, and he has already completed a season in high Class A ball, batting .307 with five homers and 54 RBIs in 103 games for the Tampa Yankees. He is still viewed as a future Major League hitter, and many expect that his power numbers will increase as he hones his approach.

I have an opportunity to see the Springfield Cardinals when they play in Tulsa. Who are the bright prospects there for 2008?
-- Doug D., Broken Arrow, Okla.

Two names to watch are Allen Craig and Adam Ottavino.

Craig is one of the more intriguing prospects in the organization, a hard guy to really have a read on. He had a huge year offensively in a very tough league last year, batting .312 with a .370 on-base percentage while slugging .530 at Class A Palm Beach. But there seems to be some question as to whether he profiles as a Major League third baseman. If Craig has another big year at the plate, and shows some defensive capability, he will be somebody to watch very closely.

Ottavino, meanwhile, you probably know about. He was the Cardinals' first-round pick in 2006, and held his own in Short-Season and low A in his first year. In his first full pro season, at Palm Beach, he did it again. Ottavino showed a legitimate big arm and will get every opportunity.

I read that we Royals fans are losing our Double-A club in Wichita, and they're about to become the North Arkansas Drillers. Is this true?
-- Hank K., Balad, Iraq.

The Wichita Wranglers next season will be the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, playing at a new park in a growing area at Springdale, Ark. The location will cut down on some of the club's travel to other Texas League cities. The Royals had been in Wichita since 1995. You can read about the Naturals on MiLB.com.

Does it strike you that Cameron Maybin is injury prone? He always seems to be out with injuries to the point where comparisons to with Ken Griffey Jr. extend beyond his talent and skills. Is anybody in the Tigers brass worried about this?
-- Ric S., Tucson, Ariz.

I think it's way premature and probably unfair to say that. For one thing, his injuries have consisted of a strained ligament in his finger and a couple of strains to his non-throwing shoulder, and none of the injuries required surgery. For another thing, he isn't 21 years old yet, and he has been through two Minor League seasons. In the case of his shoulder strain in the Arizona Fall League last month, he was getting back to playing every day after spending part of August and most of September on the bench.

Will Nationals prospect Justin Maxwell be an everyday outfielder in the Major Leagues next season?
-- Sean O., Springfield, Va.

If the Nats sign a quality free agent to play center field, the answer is, "No." Members of the Washington "think tank" believe Maxwell needs a year in Double-A Harrisburg. Let's see what happens in Spring Training. You never know.

How close is Zech Zinicola to making an impact in the Major Leagues? Also, do the Nationals see him as their future closer?
-- Nathan, Brandon, Manitoba

Zinicola is a future closer, but he is not close to making an impact on the team. He had a bad year in the Minor Leagues in 2007. He was in 42 games for Harrisburg and had a 5.46 ERA.

What will be Ray Olmedo's job next year? He had a pretty good season with Triple-A Syracuse last season and his stats in the Venezuelan League this winter look good, too. Will he be the backup infielder for the Jays?
-- Jose C., Maracay, Venezuela

Olmedo will likely be in the mix for a utility job next season with the Jays, who are looking to add another player or two to the competition this offseason. Olmedo has impressed Toronto with his defense, but he'll likely be up against Russ Adams, Joe Inglett and Hector Luna, among others.

Working in Olmedo's favor is that he's a switch hitter with some speed who can play more than one infield position. He hit .290 in 97 games at Triple-A last year, and Olmedo has batted .320 with 14 runs through 25 games with Bravos de Margarita in the Venezuelan League this winter.

How is Lucas May progressing?
-- Charles R., Chelsea, Ala.

The Dodgers prospect hit 25 homers with 89 RBIs at Class A Inland Empire, which is good. His average was .256 with a .313 on-base percentage, which is not so good. This was his first year as a catcher, having shifted from third base. He probably will advance to Double-A in 2008. The power numbers, especially at that position, put him on everyone's radar, and Double-A will be a true test of his potential.

What are the plans for Adam Miller for next year? Can we turn him into a Jonathan Papelbon type of closer, or will he be trade bait for a big bat in left field?
-- Jay Z., Attica, Ohio

The Tribe's first inclination is to use Miller as a starter. He's not currently in the mix for a big-league rotation job, as he's coming off an injury-plagued '07. But the reports on Miller out of the Arizona Fall League, where, through three starts, he had given up six earned runs in 10 innings, are that the elbow problems that held him up this summer appear to have dissipated.

If Miller is healthy and effective at the outset of '08 and a need exists in the Major League 'pen, I think the Indians would at least consider using Miller as a reliever.

Again, though, they still view the soon-to-be 23-year-old Miller as best suited for starting work, and he, along with left-handed prospect Chuck Lofgren, would be a depth option in that department next year.

As for trade bait, no player on the farm is untouchable, and many teams would still clamor for Miller, even though he's had elbow problems in two of the last three seasons. But it would take an awful lot for the Indians to consider parting with their top pitching prospect. And no, I don't see them dealing him in a package for some guy named Miguel Cabrera.

Why did the Mariners trade Jamie Moyer, and who did they get for him?
-- George G., Vader, Wash.

The Mariners traded Moyer to the Phillies on Aug. 19, 2006, for right-handed Minor League pitchers Andrew Baldwin and Andy Barb. Moyer was in the final year of his contract with Seattle and not in the teams' plans for the 2007 season. Moyer helped pitch the Phillies into the playoffs this past season, while Baldwin, 25, had a 5-12 record and 4.23 ERA for Double-A West Tennessee. He had 115 strikeouts and just 19 walks in 166 innings. Barb, 23, was 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 10 saves for Class A Wisconsin in 32 relief appearances. His strikeout/walk ratio (55-14 in 38 2/3 innings) also was outstanding.

Do you think O's prospect Chorye Spoon will come up next year? If so, when do you think?
-- Alex W., Pasadena, Md.

Spoon had a breakout year in 2007, but he probably needs a little more time. The 22-year-old went 10-9 with a 3.26 ERA for Class A Frederick and was recognized as the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year, but he still has to make the leap to Double-A Bowie. If he navigates that with aplomb, the local Pasadena product could wind up with a September callup.

That's not really probable, though, and Spoon may end up sticking at Bowie for an entire season. He threw a career-high 152 innings this past season and led Frederick to the Carolina League championship, but Double-A is a completely different animal. Then again, Garrett Olson only got 14 starts there before moving to Triple-A Norfolk.

Baltimore has several arms lying in wait for rotation slots, and some of them may eventually be converted to relievers. Radhames Liz and Olson both struggled in their debuts, and Hayden Penn is still waiting for a clean shot at starting. If Spoon has another breakthrough season and presses on their heels, the Orioles will have quite a few decisions to make.

Do you think that Chase Headley is ready? And if so, where do you think the Padres will play him?
-- Chris H., Poway, Calif.

Yes, speaking of Headley ... I think you will see him this season in a Padres uniform, and not for a cup of coffee in September. There's a chance San Diego will take a look at him in the outfield so that they keep him and Kouzmanoff. The Padres have reportedly been asked about Headley recently by other teams and have, again, reportedly told suitors he's not available. I think that San Diego would like nothing more than to hang onto its top prospects, and Headley is at the top of the list. He was the MVP in the Texas League and is a smooth fielder with a great approach at the plate. In short, he fits the vision of what chief executive officer Sandy Alderson and the rest of the staff want in hitters in their organization.

Have the Rangers given up on moving Joaquin Arias to center field due to the shoulder injury he had, or was that idea doomed from the beginning?
-- Wayne K., Dumas, Texas

The Rangers' No. 1 goal with Arias right now is to get him healthy and have him return to top prospect status with a big year at Triple-A Oklahoma. Center field is out.

Do you see Homer Bailey in the Reds starting rotation on Opening Day 2008?
-- Chris M., Lexington, Ky.

Based on his mixed performances in the Majors this season, he's not a stone-cold lock for the Reds starting five. But you'd have to think his chances are extremely good, especially when you consider there isn't a lot of better options in-house or on the open market. Bailey has nothing left to prove in the Minors and had a couple of brilliant outings in the big leagues. He'll also have that experience behind him as he moves forward.

What are the plans for Joe Koshansky? Will the Rockies use him as trade bait, or will he get a chance to show what he can do at the Major League level?
-- Adam L., Washington, D.C.

As long as Helton is healthy, it's going to be tough for Koshansky to get a chance with the Rockies. Also, if Helton is out, the Rockies have the option of going with Garrett Atkins at first base and Jamey Carroll, Ian Stewart or Jeff Baker at third.

The Rockies think a lot of Koshansky, who could return to Triple-A Colorado Springs and hit well enough to force himself into action if Helton is hurt. Koshansky was used in several important situations late in the regular season. But without being able to offer consistent playing time, the Rockies' best move would be to package him in a trade.

Who are the top prospects under Double-A for the White Sox and what is your assessment of their potential?
-- Tom, Lake Forest

It's hard to truly judge any player under Double-A, as they really have just begun their professional career and so much can change on their way up. But here's a few names I've heard mentioned who show great promise.

Right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos might just be considered the top prospect in the entire system, earning some national notice by pitching for the World Team in the 2007 Futures Game. He also pitched for Birmingham, though, so that promotion might rule him out based on your criteria, Tom.

First baseman Chris Carter and outfielder John Shelby had great seasons on offense for Class A Kannapolis. Aaron Poreda, the White Sox top pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, had a tremendous inaugural campaign, but the hard-throwing southpaw probably was a step ahead of the Pioneer League competition as an experienced college pitcher. This upcoming season will be an even greater test for Poreda.

These prospects could help the White Sox over the next two or three years. They also could help the White Sox immediately, as part of an upcoming trade or two.