The Lunatic Fringe

Before anything else…the Lunatic Fringe’s 1-Year Anniversary is coming up!  We’re celebrating by giving away free stuff!  And all you have to do is follow us!  Get all the details here!

Now, onto the prospects.

The offseason is always a great time to discuss prospects.  Who’s ready?  Who is coming soon, so you shouldn’t block them with a big, useless Aaron Rowand free agent signing?  Throughout the offseason, a lot of Giants prospects lists have been distributed, discussed and debated.  Now, it’s our turn.

For those of you who don’t know, I covered the Giants farm system for nearly a decade on SFDugout.com.  I spent years actually traveling around the country and watching these kids.  Although I stopped last season, I keep a close eye on the farm system.  These kids are close to my heart.  Over the last ten years, I got to see, meet and talk with most of the Giants who won the World Series before anyone thought they could.  I hope to say the same about many of these kids on this list.

Over the rest of this week, we’ll be counting down the Top 10.  But here’s #25-#11 for your reading enjoyment:

25: Angel Villalona – Back in play with his visa being restored, but it’s hard to figure out what’s going to happen with this talented kid after years away from the game.

24: Jacob Dunnington – Solid year for the reliever, not giving up a lot of hits.  Some see him as a potential closer candidate, but he’s a long way off.

23: Chuckie Jones – Very talented mid-round draft pick from 2010 who got a lot of press, but he struggled in 2011.  A lot of raw talent, but he doesn’t have a lot of time to stay raw.

22: Jarrett Parker – The other center fielder taken with a top pick in 2010.  Some people love his balance of talent, but I think he’s too much balance, not enough over-the-top, with his tools.

21: Kendry Flores – Another talented kid who had a rough year.  Could be a good hard-throwing starter, but got knocked around in S-K.

20: Ehire Adrianza – I’m one of the only ones who doesn’t see him as a top 10 guy.  Well, sorry, but I don’t see him hitting enough to even be a utility guy.

19: Dan Otero – Former top minor league closer, missed much of 2011 with injury.  Might be more setup man than closer in the bigs, but has the kind of control you want for that role.

18: Charlie Culberson – He was a hot man as a second base prospect after a big San Jose season following years of troubles, but he was mediocre again in 2011.  Another reason I don’t buy Adrianza’s 2011.

17: Ricky Oropesa – Part of an intriguing 2011 draft class.  Big power who dropped in the draft due to concerns about his ability to make contact.

16: Adam Duvall – Former second baseman playing third that had a major power showing in Augusta, which isn’t easy.  Giants seem committed to him at third.

15: Conor Gillaspie – Made it back to the bigs this season.  His bat remains a question, and he looks more like a utility guy, if only they’d have him try out second base.

14: Hector Correa – Many prospect watchers don’t care for middle relievers, but Correa can surprise people.  He could become Ramon Ramirez’s replacement sometime in 2012.

13: Josh Osich – Oregon State superstar with multiple no-hitters in college, high velocity, but also Tommy John surgery.  He could be a steal.

12: Seth Rosin – Former starter who struggled int he role, and moved to relief.  He will surprise with his strikeout ability when he moves back to starter.

11: Chris Dominguez – Bigtime power potential, with the true ability to stick at third base.  Contact remains an issue, but he could be a Adrian Beltre type of player.

You’ll see the Top 10 in the coming week.  If you know the system, there probably won’t be any surprises about who is in the list in the upcoming days, but maybe some in the order.

The truth about these prospect lists is that they don’t mean anything.  Not many writers have the guts to review their old lists.  Few fans bother with an after-the-fact critique.  But they’re fun to do.  I hope week gets some of you readers interested in the kids, and get to know the future Giants, and hopefully future World Series winners.