Best of MLB.com Mailbag

Perez is one of the Rays' pleasant problems. The speedster is a real talent who will likely be the center fielder at Triple-A Durham this season. From what I have heard and read about him, he's close to being Major League-ready. Just one problem: B.J. Upton is in center field for the Rays. As with most young players who have potential, the Rays would rather have Perez playing every day, which he should do at Durham, rather than coming off the bench and occasionally starting at the Major League level.

What is the reasoning behind signing Rod Barajas? I thought after the Blue Jays signed Sal Fasano that they already had their catcher to back up Gregg Zaun. Are the Jays going to let Fasano catch again in the Majors?
-- A.J., Toronto

Similar to last season, Fasano will probably begin the season with Triple-A Syracuse. The Jays nearly signed Barajas to be their starter for 2007, but now he comes in to serve as the primary backup. Having both Barajas and Fasano in the fold gives the Jays ample depth behind the plate.

Last season, Toronto's lack of depth at catcher was exposed when Zaun missed time with a broken hand. Now, the Jays believe they can keep prospects Robinzon Diaz and Curtis Thigpen at Syracuse to develop, and club officials feel comfortable knowing they have experienced options in Barajas and Fasano should injuries become an issue again.

Why isn't Chuck James considered a lock for the fifth spot in the [Braves'] rotation?
--John K., Chicago, Ill.

I will be surprised if James doesn't win the battle for that fifth spot. Assuming Mike Hampton is healthy and capable of filling the fourth spot, James will be competing against Jair Jurrjens, Jo-Jo Reyes, Jeff Bennett and Buddy Carlyle.

But at the same time, I think James has something to prove. He completed at least six innings in just 12 of his 30 starts last year, and he has spent the offseason strengthening the fatigued left shoulder that caused him to alter his mechanics and lose some of the unique deception he had in his delivery.

Both Jurrjens and Reyes have much brighter futures than James. But my guess is that they'll begin the year in the Minors to gain a little more seasoning. Because he's out of options, Bennett will likely begin the season in the Majors as a starter or as a reliever.

Since moving into a starting role with Triple-A Richmond late last season, Bennett has seen his career resurrected. Other than his final start on Nov. 28, the veteran right-hander impressed during eight outings in the Venezuelan Winter League.

During the three appearances he made for Atlanta late last season, Bennett opened some eyes. Whenever talking about this upcoming season, John Smoltz has mentioned how impressed he was with the right-hander.

If James were to start the season in the Minors, he wouldn't be adversely affected from a mental perspective. He's simply not wired that way. But at the same time, I think the only time he might be sent to Richmond this year will be if he struggles in April and gives reason to believe that last year's struggles weren't simply a product of his fatigued shoulder.

James says his shoulder is strong and there's no doubt that he can benefit from having fellow left-hander Tom Glavine around to mentor him. Still, before he can legitimately feel good about a long-term future in the Majors, he's going to have to add to his two-pitch repertoire and keep more pitches down in the zone.

Dating back to his first big league start on June 25, 2006, James has surrendered 1.67 homers per nine innings, which ranks as the worst mark among pitchers who have completed at least 150 innings.

I thought Joey Devine had good stuff. Why would the Braves trade him away for Mark Kotsay, when they expect Jordan Schafer to be ready as early as this summer?
-- Collin C., Asheville, N.C.

Devine does have good stuff and still has the potential to be a legitimate big league reliever. But I'm certainly not convinced that he has the stuff and mentality to be the dependable closer some hoped he would become after the Braves took him with their first pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. He definitely has to find a pitch to improve his success against left-handed hitters.

As much as we've talked about Schafer, let's not forget that he's even more of an uncertainty than Devine, who at least has had plenty of opportunity to show what he can do above the Class A level. Even if Schafer succeeds at Double-A Mississippi during the season's early months, it certainly won't hurt him to stay in the Minors until at least September.

There's no doubt that general manager Frank Wren rolled the dice when he acquired Kotsay. This is obviously a business in which you have to make a few roster gambles, and if Kotsay's back proves healthy, this will be a trade that could provide the Braves a great return.

It certainly won't hurt Devine to experience a change of scenery. As long as he was with the Braves, everybody would remember him for the rude Major League initiation he received just months after being drafted. Hopefully he goes out there, learns to relax and becomes a successful big leaguer.

If he does, there's still a good chance the Braves will look at this trade as a good one. They didn't value Devine like they once did, and with the opportunity to take a chance on Kotsay, they had no problem including him in the deal.

Tommy Hanson, Cole Rohrbough and Jeff Locke are considered Braves top Minor League pitching prospects. What can you tell us about them?
-- Jeffry M., Eatonville, Va.

Many rate each of these pitchers among the organization's top 10 overall prospects. Hanson, a strong-right-hander whose fastball can touch 95 mph, and Rohrbough, a polished left-hander who has a three-quarter delivery, could be in the Majors within a year. Locke, a 21-year-old left-hander, arguably has the best upside of this trio. But he's likely at least two years away from being ready for the Majors. In 13 appearances for Rookie Level Danville last year, he went 7-1 with a 2.66 ERA and limited opponents to a .213 batting average.

With the glut of infielders now signed by the Cardinals, where does Brendan Ryan fit into the Cardinals' future plans?
-- Parker B., Jefferson City, Mo.

It looks like it may be tough for Ryan to crack the Opening Day roster if everyone is healthy. As it stands now, you'd have to figure the six infielders who will break camp are Albert Pujols, Adam Kennedy, Cesar Izturis, Troy Glaus, Aaron Miles and Scott Spiezio. Re-signing Miles definitely hurt Ryan's chances in the short term.

In the long view, Ryan's future still looks pretty bright. But for now he's likely to be headed back to Memphis.

Columbus is in the process of building a brand new baseball stadium in the heart of the arena district, set to open in 2009. The Nationals call Columbus their Triple-A home through the end of '08. What are the chances the Indians would want to move from Buffalo to Columbus in '09?
-- Eric K., Columbus, Ohio

This issue has come up from about a dozen people in recent weeks, so let's address it. Basically, a move to Columbus makes sense. Perhaps even too much sense for it not to happen. The Indians' contract with Buffalo is up after this year, the Nats' contract with Columbus is up after this year and the intrastate rival Reds have no interest in moving their Triple-A operation out of Louisville.

Tapping into the Columbus market could be a tremendous benefit to the Indians. If the good people of Columbus had a more vested interest in the Tribe's farm system, they might be more inclined to make the 140-mile drive north to Progressive Field than the 100-mile trek to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

All this being said, no one with the Indians has confirmed that a move is, indeed, happening. The Tribe has a great relationship with Buffalo. It's a Triple-A marriage that's gone very well, and, of course, there is some benefit to having a presence in western New York. And while a move to Columbus seems to make sense, plenty of things in life that appear to make sense don't actually happen. So stay tuned.

Why is Brad Snyder constantly overlooked when talking about the Indians' outfield future? He's a former first-round Draft pick, a hometown boy, and he's already on the Tribe's 40-man roster. Just how far is he off the club's radar?
-- Devin R., Philadelphia

As we enter the '08 season, Snyder isn't on the big league radar. The Indians still have legitimate concerns about his plate discipline. He struck out 91 times in 259 at-bats at Buffalo last season before a fractured thumb ended his season in late July.

But the Indians don't operate on preconceived notions about guys. If Snyder performs and improves, he'll force his way into the picture.

The Mariners added a farm team at Pulaski, Va. in the Appalachian League. Is this a lower league than the Northwest League? What is the reason for the Mariners to add another team?
-- Phil M., Philadelphia

The Appalachian League is regarded as a "Rookie-advanced" caliber league, and the Mariners view it as an opportunity to place some of their Latin American players as well as some of the top high school players that aren't quite ready for Class A Everett, which is more of a college-level team. So instead of sending certain players to Arizona, they will be sent to Pulaski, "so they can play under the lights and in front of people," farm director Greg Hunter said. Seattle and Pulaski signed a one-year working agreement.

How soon do you think Chris Coghlan will move up to the Major Leagues? We had the pleasure of seeing him play in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Chatham A's in summer 2005. Another member of that '05 team was Marlins lefty Andrew Miller. We think it would be awesome if they would someday play together on the same MLB team.
-- C.C., East Berne, N.Y.

Coghlan is a 22-year-old who projects to become a big-time left-handed bat in the Florida lineup down the road. He is a non-roster invitee to Spring Training this year, so this will be the first time he gets an extended look by the Major League staff. Considering that he finished up at Class A Jupiter last season, the club would likely want him to perform at the Double-A level before it considers moving him up to the big leagues. Also, he has been playing a lot of second base in the Minor Leagues, after he was a third baseman at the University of Mississippi. Dan Uggla, of course, has solidified the second-base position. But in a year or so, perhaps the team would consider switching Uggla to third to make room for Coghlan. If Coghlan were to hit for more power, he, too, could be a third-base option. It is an interesting fact that Coghlan and Miller were once teammates at the Cape Cod Baseball League, and they may do so again in the big leagues.

With the announcement that the Triple-A Braves affiliate will be leaving Richmond, Va., to be closer to Atlanta, what are the chances of the Nats relocating their Triple-A team to Richmond?
-- Brett G., Oak Hill, Va.

It's hard to tell. We probably will not know anything until the second half of the season. I'm sure the Nationals would like to have a Minor League team closer to the D.C. area. In 2006, for example, the Nationals wanted their Triple-A team to go to Norfolk, but the Orioles ended up putting a team there.

After his struggles last year in the Major Leagues, do you think Kory Casto has a future with the Nationals?
-- Jay F., Dale City, Va.

That's a good question. As of right now, I don't think it's very good, because there are a lot of outfielders ahead of him in the organizational pecking order. In order to get back into the Major Leagues, Casto must have a good year with Triple-A Columbus. Last year, he hit .246 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs for the Clippers.

Will the O's current rebuilding program force the team to introduce Minor League pitching prospects like Chorye Spoone and Brandon Erbe to Major League hitters a bit prematurely?
-- Glenn B., Annapolis, Md.

No, the Orioles won't rush their prospects to the big leagues for little or no discernible reason. That's one of the main purposes of moving into a full-fledged rebuilding mode -- making sure that the team's prospects get routed correctly through the system. As of now, Spoone and Erbe will be given the time they need to develop properly.

Even without the Bedard trade, the Orioles have a host of intriguing young arms. Along with the trio that's locked into the parent club's rotation -- Jeremy Guthrie, Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera -- Baltimore has upper-level prospects Garrett Olson, Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Hayden Penn all competing to break into a back-end starting job.

Baltimore could be adding some more pitching prospects via the Bedard trade, and they'd help fill in the team's organizational depth in the Minor Leagues. There's a saying in developmental circles that it takes 20 pitching prospects to fill out a good five-man rotation, and the Orioles seem quite determined to seek safety in numbers.

Again, if the trade goes through, Spoone and Erbe -- and Pedro Beato, for that matter -- won't stand out quite as much in the organization because they'll be part of a pitching pipeline designed to keep a steady flow of talent. The Orioles are trying to get their Minor League house in order, which in turn should lead to more stability in the big leagues.

I feel like Tadahito Iguchi isn't the kind of second baseman who will make the cut [for the Padres]. Should he struggle in the beginning of the season, will Matt Antonelli get a shot at every day? I saw him in Spring Training in 2007 when he hit a three-run home run and I feel he can play every day. Is this possible?
-- Alec L., San Diego

In a perfect world, if you're a Padres fan, you won't see Antonelli at all in San Diego, not until the rosters expand on Sept. 1. That would mean that Iguchi, who signed a one-year deal with the Padres last month, has solidified the second base job and, obviously, been productive. I think the National League better suits Iguchi, and he certainly showed better production with the Phillies after being traded to Philadelphia from the White Sox last season (.304 batting average, .361 on-base percentage).

On the other hand, you have to wonder how PETCO Park will affect Iguchi. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that Antonelli, after some seasoning at Triple-A Portland, makes his way to San Diego sometime after the All-Star break, especially if he's tearing up the Pacific Coast League.

What happened to Dave Lundquist and Ryan Newman, the [Pirates' Minor League] coaches in [Class A] Hickory last year?
-- Eric D., Fort Dodge, Pa.

Back in December, Detroit named Newman as the manager of its Class A club in Oneonta. For Newman, the position is his first outside the Pirates organization and marks the first managerial opportunity for the 28-year-old former middle infielder. As for Lundquist, he has left the Pittsburgh organization to become the pitching coach for the Phillies' Class A affiliate in Lakewood, N.J.

Newman has been replaced in Hickory by Rudy Pena, while Jeff Johnson takes over as the successor to Lundquist as the team's pitching coach.

What is the situation with Joaquin Arias and his health? I know that he has immense talent and promise as a future Major League shortstop but [the Rangers] already have Young at the big league level and Elvis Andrus is up and coming. So how will he be able to get a taste of the big leagues?
-- Michael G., DeSoto, Texas

Arias, after missing almost all last year with shoulder problems, is expected to play at Triple-A Oklahoma this season. It's a big year for him obviously. If he plays well, somebody will ultimately give him a chance.

How long until top catching prospect John Jaso makes it to [Tampa]? He tore up Double-A Montgomery and showed that he is ready for Durham.
--Steven G., Ballwin, Mo.

I don't look for Jaso to be with the team on Opening Day, but stranger things have happened. Right now Dioner Navarro, Shawn Riggans and Mike DiFelice are blocking Jaso's way. I think the Rays want to see Jaso compete at the Triple-A level before thinking about giving him the call.

Do you think [Rays prospect] Evan Longoria has a chance to be a star in the years to come? I have met and talked to him about baseball and he has the talent, but most importantly, he has the mental part of the game down. I see him doing very well next year, maybe pushing for Rookie of the Year.
--James B., Claremont, Fla.

I have talked to Longoria as well, and he is an impressive kid. From everything the Rays have said about his abilities, the Rays believe their top prospect is the real deal and should be earmarked for stardom. But there are more players who have looked like stars at Triple-A then washed out at the Major League level than there are success stories. That's because of the quality of baseball played at the Major League level, which is drastically different than Triple-A. So while Longoria has the look of a can't-miss prospect, he still has a challenge in front of him.

Why are guys like Mike Aviles and Rowdy Hardy languishing in the Minor Leagues when they are the Royals' Minor League Players of the Year? Surely they could help the Major League Royals before someone else snatches them away. What am I missing?
-- Scott R., Columbus

Aviles will be in camp with the Major League club as a possibility for a backup infielder spot, which might be his future role in the Majors. He's just learning second base, though, and the Royals might want him to play a full season at that position with Triple-A Omaha to see if he could be a possible successor to veteran Mark Grudzielanek. Hardy, a left-hander with great control, still is developing his pitch arsenal, and he'll work on his curveball and slider in Double-A this year after a spectacular Class A season. Aviles will be 27 when the season opens, and he has a lot of competition for a backup job. Hardy is 25 with just two pro seasons of experience. They had great years in the Minors, but that's not an automatic prelude to success in the Majors.

Why don't the Royals at least give Craig Brazell a chance? First base is stacked now, but isn't Brazell the power hitter the Royals have been looking for?
-- Nate D., Topeka, Kan.

Brazell hit 39 home runs, the most in the Minors, last season for Wichita and Omaha. After 10 years in the Minors, Brazell wanted to try Japan, and the Royals obliged him last December by selling his contract to the Seibu Lions.

I recall reading that the White Sox have a 16-year-old shortstop prospect somewhere down on the farm. If this is true, I was wondering if you could give an update on him and information on when we may be seeing him play shortstop at Comiskey Park (that's right).
-- Ryan, Grayslake, Ill.

Juan Silverio is the player in question, signed out of the Dominican Republic. I talked to Minor League director Alan Regier about Silverio, who took part in instructional league play, and the White Sox have no intention of rushing his progress. So, Silverio probably will start in the Dominican Summer League -- but from the sound of the buzz around this prospect, he could be in the Majors before he's old enough to legally drink.

What happened to [Yankees prospect] J. Brent Cox from the University of Texas? Do you think he will be in the Major Leagues anytime soon?
-- George F., Bronx, N.Y.

Cox missed all of 2007 with Tommy John surgery and has resumed throwing on the side, with his recovery on schedule. He wasn't invited to big league Spring Training because he's a bit behind the rest of the pitchers, but he'll be competitively pitching near the beginning of the Minor League schedule. The Yankees still regard him highly and a potential big league debut in late 2008 or sometime in 2009 wouldn't seem to be out of the question.