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White Sox minor league director Buddy Bell feels that 2007 first round draft pick (25th overall) Aaron Poreda will reach the majors in 2009. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times thinks that the pitching prospect will fight for a rotation spot in Spring Training.

From minor-league director Buddy Bell gushing about him last week, to the Sox open to the idea of the 22-year-old lefty battling with Clayton Richard for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation.

Now, all Poreda has to do is go and get it.

After one full season in the minors and a lights-out showing at this year’s Arizona Fall League, Poreda — the club’s first pick in the 2007 draft — has put himself into position to at least grab a bullpen spot.

The 6′6″ lefty combined for 27 starts in Advanced-A and Double-A. His record was 8-9 with a 3.13 ERA. In his 161 innings of work, Poreda struck out 118 batters while walking 40. Batters averaged .244 against him.

In the Arizona Fall League, Poreda has only been used in relief work. He’s pitched 8.2 innings in nine games, amassed a 5.19 ERA, and struck out 12 hitters while walking five.

Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Tommy Hanson is only 22-years-old, but he’s showing why it’s going to be tough for the Braves to keep him in their minor league system for the duration of the 2009 season. In Arizona Fall League play Hanson’s made five starts for the Mesa Solar Sox and won three while not losing at all. In 18.2 innings he’s struck out (pay attention here!!!) 30 batters while only walking four. He’s only given up six hits and one earned run to sport a 0.48 ERA.

These numbers aren’t completely unfounded either. In 25 combined Single-A and Double-A starts in 2008, Hanson went 11-5. He struck out 163 batters in 138 innings and walked 52. He had an ERA of 2.41. Batters seemed dumbfounded as they only managed a measly .175 batting average against him.

Most people familiar with the Braves farm system feel that Hanson has an anticipated Major League promotion date some time in August of 2009. But, if Hanson finishes AFL play strong and continues to shine in Spring Training, couldn’t the Braves find a spot for him in April?

Fantasy leaguers who utilize a minor league system should already have Hanson on their radar. It’s also time for NL-only owners to keep an eye on the young, rising star.

Sports Illustrated reported it first. Matt Holliday is headed to Oakland and nobody knows what’s coming back to Colorado in return. ESPN thinks that pitcher Greg Smith will be included in the deal, but the big news (other than Holliday being traded) is that no news is known about the deal, yet.

As mentioned previously, this deal will most assuredly hurt Hollidays fantasy baseball value. At this point, I can only speculate how much. Holliday has never played a game at McAfee Coliseum. But, the park effects aren’t boding well for the ex-Rockie outfielder.

According to ESPN’s MLB Park Factor statistics Coors Field ranks third for home runs with a 1.299 HR factor and McAfee Coliseum ranks 14th with a 0.988 HR factor. Coors Field also ranks third with a 1.126 Runs factor, while McAfee Coliseum ranks 26th with a 0.916 Runs factor.

Another thing to consider when speculating about Hollidays 2009 fantasy value is the fact that he’ll have less support in the lineup hititng behind him. Whether it’s Sweeney, Cust, or Suzuki hitting in the clean up hole, you can be pretty sure they won’t offer the same protection as Garrett Atkins did in Colorado.

Update [Nov 10, 2008 4:01 PM EST]: This deal isn’t final yet, and likely won’t be for another 48 hours.

Update [Nov 11, 2008 1:27 PM EST]: The deal still hasn’t been finalized, but there is a better picture of the players involved. Colorado seems to be sending Holliday to Oakland for Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith, and Huston Street.

Update [Nov 12, 2008 2:30 PM EST]: The deal is now official. The A’s sent outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, reliever Huston Street and left-handed pitcher Greg Smith to the Rockies for Matt Holliday.

One of the Phillies top hitting prospects is currently tearing up the Arizona Fall League. Shortstop Jason Donald, through 18 games, is batting .459/.522/.803 with eight doubles, two triples, and three home runs. He’s leading the AFL in doubles, is fourth in base hits, third in batting average, and sixth in runs scored. Donald is following up a very successful 2008 season in Double-A Reading where he batted .307/.391/.497 with 19 doubles and 14 home runs. But, is this enough to become a blip on your fantasy radar?

Another impressive note regarding Donald’s Double-A season is the fact that he improved upon his batting average from 2007, his RBI total, and his home run total. To see a 23-year-old (he’s actually 24 now) kid do this says a lot about his willingness to learn and his ability to grow as a hitter.

Now, let’s look at some of the negative aspects keeping Donald from reaching any level of fantasy baseball production.

First off, he strikes out more than a guy with a .300-plus batting average should. At Double-A he struck out 86 times in 362 at-bats. That shakes out to a 76.2% contact rate, which not too many guys who hit .307 have. In the AFL he’s struck out 12 times in 61 at-bats. At least that brings his contact rate up to 80.3%, but it’s still not ideal for a guy who’s most likely gonna make the big club because of his batting average and not his power potential.

Another big issue keeping Donald out of Philadelphia is the position he plays. At shortstop, he’s not getting calle dup any time soon to displace Jimmy Rollins from his throne. And a switch over to the other middle infield spot is laughable due to Chase Utley. About the quickest way that I can see Donald making the Phillies 25-man roster is as a replacement to Pedro Feliz at third base. Folks have hinted at a possible switch for Donald in the past, but it hasn’t happened yet. And Feliz isn’t giving up his position to Donald just yet. You could ask for a higher batting average out of Feliz, but his glove and power potential are a bit better than Donald’s at this point. Donald did have 14 home runs and 19 doubles in Double-A in 2008. So, the power potential is there, but it hasn’t surfaced as it has in Feliz, yet.

If Donald keeps hitting like this for the duration of the AFL and he shows up at Spring Training still lighting it up, you may see talk of him making the club and joining the backup or utility infield committee of Iguchi, Dobbs, Cervenak, and Harman. But that’s not terribly likely. What’s more liekly is that the Phillies will want to get Donald as many at-bats as possible in the minors to aid in his development.

Down the road, Donald could become relevant in fantasy baseball. It, most likely, won’t be in the first half of 2009. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep an eye on him for the next little while. Those of you in fantasy leagues that use players from the minors should pay a little extra attention as he has deep keeper status.

As mentioned in an earlier post, the KC Royals and the Florida Marlins have swapped players. First baseman Mike Jacobs is joining the Royals and relief pitcher Leo Nunez is on his way to Miami. Let’s now look at the Nunez side of this deal.

Nunez will join the bullpen as a set-up guy, most likely. His ERA was good in Kansas City in 2008 at 2.98 over 48.1 innings. But his strikeout total (26) and strikeout to walk ratio (26:15) don’t particularly lend well to being promted to the closers role, which is currently held by Kevin Gregg. Or is it Matt Lindstrom?

No matter if it’s Gregg or Lindstrom who enters 2009 as the Marlins closer, consider Nunez the third in line, at best. He’ll be a source for holds (if your league uses that category) and that’s about it.

Immediately making changes in the off-season, the KC Royals and the Florida Marlins swap players. First baseman Mike Jacobs is joining the Royals and relief pitcher Leo Nunez is on his way to Miami.

Jacobs hit 32 home runs and drove in 93 in 2008 for the Marlins but the fantasy goodness stops there. He only batted .247 and had a very low 67 runs. His run total is low because this guy never seems to get on base, which is proven by his .299 on-base percentage.

Expect Jacobs to split time between DH and first base, which leaves this question. What do the Royals do with Ryan Shealy and Billy Butler now that there is a third person to take up at-bats?

Second base prospect Drew Sutton spent the entire 2008 season in Double-A Corpus Christi for the Astros hitting fairly well. His slash stats were .317/.408/.523 and he hit 39 doubles, 20 home runs, and knocked in 69 in 520 at-bats. But, it’s his sick 41 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League that are causing folks to think about Sutton as an addition to the Astros big club in 2009.

In 41 at-bats at the AFL, Sutton is batting .463/.579/.927 (read:1.506 OPS), has five doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI. He’s impressing Astros brass with his plate discipline and glove work, and his AFL manager feels he’s hitting himself onto the Astros club in 2009.

Said Scottsdale manager Shane Turner, “He’s shown more power that you’d think would come out of that body. He has a pretty good idea of the strike zone.”

Turner said Sutton also has impressed on defense. Because Astros outfielder Brian Bogusevic missed time early in the season because of a tweaked hamstring, Sutton was asked to play in the outfield. He played four games in center, four at third and three at short.

“It’s a hard thing when you move around as much as he does,” Turner said. “But his bat is going to find a position for him. When you make a mistake to him, he’s not going to miss it.”

Sutton is a natural second baseman, but he did play shortstop and third base in 2008. If he continues on this torrid pace, the Astros could give him a chance to win the third base job in Spring Training. These are all big ifs, but Sutton should be on your radar from this point forward.