the 6 untouchables

[Kingspoint]

Above average defensive shortstop with solid pop and solid plate discipline when your current SS is only signed through the end of the year makes him a tough move.

I'm going the same way, but with Valaika at 2nd Base. Phillips costs $11M next year, and I think Valaika will give us what we want over the next 4-5-6 years at the Major League level similar to Cozart (who'll probably hit better).

[flyer85]

I'd be more than willing to trade Alonso. unfortunately he doesn't have a very good track record as a hitter for a 1b.

[Kingspoint]

Some people asked me what I liked about Hotchkiss, at least enough to place him 6th in an "untouchable" category.

He's continued to show this year why I'm high on him as a viable Major League contributor.

Let's see what he does next season. A full season at Carolina, with the goal of getting him to 150+ innings pitched and injury-free, will be another measurable to see if he can climb the next step. Whether or not he pitches well enough in the first half of the season to justify a jump to Louisville for the second half will remain to be seen. But, I'm certain that at some point next season he makes starts for Louisville. When that happens will be up to him, of course.

He's moved up in the organizational depth charts, for sure.

At 25 next year, while splitting time between Louisville and Carolina (mostly Carolina), he won't be too old. It's very possible that he makes his Major League debut at the age of 26 in 2012. That could be as a Starter or a Reliever (to be determined).

Congratulations on earning the Carolina League Pitcher-of-the-Year during a season where he started as a Reliever and ended up a Starter.

With only 17 starts in 4 Minor League seasons (15 since June of this year), next year will be his first season as a full-time Starter. We'll have a really good idea after 2011 whether or not he can be a Starter in the future.