Down on the Farm: Now available on MotorCityBengals.com

Prospect ranking can be a tedious, next to impossible task in my opinion. Pegging the next can’t miss prospect is often the equivalent to a novice tossing darts at the old dartboard. However, talking prospects is by far my favorite hobby.

For the last couple of seasons I have blogged about the Detroit Tigers farm system. I have previously provided content for the websites SpotStarters, MackAvenueTigers and BlessYouBoys (via fan-post). It was at those sites that writers Blake VandeBunte and Kurt Mensching kindly showed me the ropes of the world of blogging.

Born and raised in the metro Detroit area I began my obsession with the Tigers at a very young age. Although I was just two years old in 1984 I’m pretty sure I popped a bottle of champagne that magical season.

Currently a resident of Orlando, the reasonable drive to Joker Marchant Stadium has provided me with great opportunities to watch our prospects as they pass through Lakeland. I attend Spring Training, Florida State League and Gulf Coast League games on a regular basis and look forward to passing on what I observe.

The expert scouts log innings in minor league parks throughout the country bringing us loads of information. Many bloggers create lists and chatter based solely on those experts opinions and reports. I believe I reside in a grey area somewhere in between those two methods. Expect a combination of reports and information from scouts and my blunt unbiased opinion from my adventures in Lakeland.

Rather than attempting to construct top ten lists that would likely mirror pre-existing reports, I choose to mix things up a bit. Prospect profiles will be my first order of business and will arrive soon and often to provide a more in depth look at our farm system. I will cover both top prospects and some of the players that fail to receive much attention at all.

This season I will also keep you up to date on which players are on the rise and decline in our system. Expect pictures and even video clips from some of the games that I attend. Have no fear, spring training will be covered in depth as well. A couple other surprises are also in the works, so stay tuned.

I hope for this to be a place where readers can come to discuss all minor league matters in our system. I look forward to this upcoming season here at my new home with you.

The series will begin this week when I breakdown and discuss pitching prospect Brayan Villarreal.

-JAYRC