All-Future Team

A couple weeks ago Peter King wrote an article with his All-Future football team ... ignoring the fact that he's an idiot and a couple of the picks are absolutely crazy I am going to do the same thing only with baseball.

I'll put a few more caveats on myself than King did, the players I choose from will have not played a single out in the majors yet. I'm picking a future team that's really all about the future.

Catcher: Matt Wieters (Orioles) : Krever finally has something to look forward to not named Bedard or Ripken. He's a big switch hitting catcher with power and a rocket arm...what's not to like?

First Base: Yonder Alonso (The U) : You don't know him...but you will. The '08 baseball draft will see several collegiate first basemen taken high but Yonder gains points for his great eye at the plate, ability to hit for high average, good power, solid athleticism, and having the coolest name ever.

Second Base: Jemile Weeks (The U) : Ricky's little brother is just as good a player...maybe better. And yes, that is the right side of the infield from one college.

Shortstop: Chin-lung Hu (Dodgers) : That's our first Asian! The shortstop crop is pretty bereft of talent right now, so I opted for a fabulous defensive player who's bat has really come alive this year. Hu is hitting over .360 in AAA with lots of doubles. I thought about going with Reid Brignac, but he's really struggling...Jed Lowrie is a better hitter than Hu but prolly isn't good enough defensively to stay at short...I almost put Elivs Andrus here but I can't lie to myself like that (he could end up being the best though says the optimistic Ranger fan in me.)

Third Base: Pedro Alvarez (Vanderbelt) : The early favorite to go #1 overall next year, making it back to back Commodores. Pedro has a chance to be a very, very, VERY special player with a lightning quick stroke and good eye at the dish. He's just beginning his junior year at Vandy now, but don't be surprised if he's at the top of everyone's top prospect lists by 09.

Left Field: Matt LaPorta (Brewers) : As all loyal readers of this blog know, I love me some Matt LaPorta. He may only hope to be adequate in left but his bat may be the best in this group.

Center Field: Jay Bruce (Reds) : The recent promotions of Justin Upton and Cameron Maybin have thinned out the ranks of top center fielders in the minors and thus made me reach a bit for this pick. Bruce may be best suited in right but will find his way into the Reds everyday lineup very soon where he'll be one of the best all around hitters in baseball.

Right Field: Kosuke Fukudome (Chunichi Dragons) : The next great Japanese import. He'll be the biggest Japanese cross over to America since Ninja Warrior...or Dice-K, whatever. He should be a cross between Hideki Matsui at the plate and Ichiro in the field. (that's a good thing.) Fukudome, who's achieved demi-God like status in Japan, will be a pure free agent this offseason so no one will have to pay $75 million just to talk to him, but he should get $15+ per year for a team looking for a good hitter with a great eye, solid power, good speed, and one of the top 5 outfield arms in baseball.

Starting Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) : That makes the Dodgers the second team with two players on this list...with the University of Miami being the other. Kershaw is bar-none the best pitching prospect in baseball...anyone who says otherwise is not worth listening to. The fact that this Highland Park product will get to throw half of his innings in the friendly confines of Chavez Ravine will make his numbers look even better...He could have a shelf full of Cy Youngs by the time his Career is over.

Closer: Casey Weathers (Rockies) : A lot of the great closers (Rivera, Hoffman, Gagne) started their minor league careers as starters, I wanted to discount the throngs of young starters who's future may ultimately lay in the pen and instead focus on players that have been in the role of closer for a while. Casey Weathers is by far the best of the group, and the best relief pitcher prospect around. The former Georgia Tech two way star focused solely on pitching last season, to much success. Weathers will be throwing 100mph humidor soaked balls past hitters maybe as soon as next season.

There you have it, the best of the best of the really young and unproven.