6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Only one bit of introductory news, and that is Baseball America's surprising selection of Devil Rays prospect Delmon Young as the Minor League Player of the Year. As Stephen Smith pointed out, if Wood had the best season of any minor leaguer, why didn't they either (a) rename the award as the Best Prospect Award, or (b) give it to Wood? Eh, whatever. What I care about mostly is that the kid delivers in the Show. (You can read more about the decisionmaking process here.)

Also: BA had a chat wrap about the selection process. Some interesting bits from that:

Q:	Greg from LA asks: How close was Brandon Wood?
A:	John Manuel: He was very close, and really the only other person in the discussion for me. We had about eight finalists, though, players like Justin Verlander (Tigers), Francisco Liriano (Twins), Andy LaRoche (Dodgers) pop to mind off the top of my head. But Wood was the only other guy I considered who could dislodge Delmon. For me, the top prospect in the minors puts together a year like Delmon did, and he has to win the award unless someone takes it away. Brandon Wood just about took it away. More than 100 extra-base hits is ridiculous in the impressive sense of the word.
Q:	Mike Marinaro from Tampa, FL asks: The Dodgers' farm system is so stacked, it should make all the other organizations in baseball a little bit jealous, to say the least. With the unbelievable amount of top-notch pitching prospects in the organization, Chad Billingsley seems to have separated himself from the rest of the pack as the starter with the highest ceiling. If Greg Miller, who bounced back in a dominant way this season, continues to pitch in 2006 like he did in his brief appeaance in 2005 (~2.10 ERA, 25 hits, 41 K's, in 34.2 IP), can the left-handed Miller eclipse Billingsley as a prospect?
A:	John Manuel: I don't see Miller surpassing Billingsley, sorry. He's got a 2-0 lead in shoulder surgeries, that's significant. You left out Miller's walks this year, I have 22 BB in 23 IP outside of Rookie ball. See what I mean about selective stats, like our first post? I have heard great things about Miller, but I think I'm probably the only BA writer who would say Billingsley is currently the minors' best pitching prospect, with M.Cain, F. Liriano and King Felix in the big leagues.
Q:	Red from HB, CA asks: Was Howie Kendrick and the fantastic numbers he put up part of the POY discussion? Where do Kendrick and Wood fall in the top 100 after fantastic years?
A:	John Manuel: Howie was a strong candidate, what a hitter. We're having a hard time getting a read on just how good this guy is, because you just don't see hitters with a .355 career averaging improving on that when they move up a level (he hit .367 this year). He also has some power. I would say the Angels have depth up the middle with him, B. Wood, E. Aybar and Callaspo, wouldn't you?
Q:	Trent from Irvine, CA asks: The Angels ranked as the number one organization at the beginning of the year. Since then, players like Wood, Kendrick, Mathis, Saunders, Santana, and Adenhart have more than exceeded expectations. Does this year just create some distance between the Angels and the next best organization interms of minor league talent for next year?
A:	John Manuel: No, because the Dodgers had just as good a year in the minors, and they were No. 2 going in. Very tough call between the two organizations.
Q:	Red from HB, CA asks: It is amazing depth (the Halos MIF prospects). Who gets moved?
A:	John Manuel: Callaspo and Aybar, I just don't see how Kendrick and Wood aren't better prospects, and they already fit Mickey Hatcher's aggressiveness mold . . . see, I can joke about walks, too.

Q:	tiffythetitan from Oakland, CA asks: Hi...could you please comment on the Luke Hochevar saga? Just odd. I read "License To Deal" though so I feel a little more in tune with how things work. Bottomline: Luke Hochevar wanted to play ball and not hold out, correct?
A:	John Manuel: A Saga it is . . . I just don't believe that you can say that about Hochevar if he picked Scott Boras as his agent. Top talents who retain Boras as their attorney have to know his track record, and his track record is, for top talents, a holdout is a good possibility. My only other comment should be, what a mess. I feel badly for Luke Hochevar, but ultimately, it's his call. He would do well to remember that.

On to the day's postseason game...

2005-09-12: Salt Lake did not play

2005-09-12: Rancho Cucamonga did not play
2005-09-12: Cedar Rapids did not play
2005-09-12: AZL Angels did not play
2005-09-12: Orem did not play
2005-09-12: Las Vegas did not play
2005-09-12: Vero Beach did not play
2005-09-12: Columbus did not play
2005-09-12: GCL Dodgers did not play
2005-09-12: Ogden did not play