Oklahoma dismissed quarterback Rhett Bomar from school after he accepted
full-time pay for a job at which he worked just five hours a week. With Bomar
owning a national championship-caliber arm, and college football being
college football, he'll probably surface with another program before too
long. But if he doesn't, I wonder if a baseball team might sign him. Bomar
would have been a high draft pick in 2004 out of Grand Prairie (Texas)
High--Kerry Wood's alma mate--if he hadn't been intent on becoming a Sooner.

Here's our scouting report from two years ago:

OF Rhett Bomar is loaded with tools. He's 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and his
power and arm are more than suited for right field. He might not play any
baseball after this spring, though. The consensus top quarterback recruit in
the nation, Bomar is headed to Oklahoma, where he'll be the eventual
successor to reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jason White. Bomar threw for
6,097 yards and accounted for 91 touchdowns in 27 high school games




         Taking into account the recent trades in baseball as well as
         how prospects have performed this year, who do you think now
         has the best farm system in terms of talent and depth? I think
         the Devil Rays have passed quite a few clubs and would be in
         the top three along with the Dodgers and Angels.

         Patrick Fischer
         Orlando


I enjoyed this question, because when we do our organization rankings in the
offseason, they're really just a snapshot of that moment in time. So much has
happened since, from major league callups to the draft to injuries to stock
rising or dropping due to performance, that those ratings are now obsolete.

Our top four organizations coming into the season were, in order, the
Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins and Angels. But all of those systems have been
weakened by the promotions of Top 100 Prospects such as Stephen Drew, Conor
Jackson and Carlos Quentin (Diamondbacks); Chad Billingsley, Russell Martin,
Jonathan Broxton and Andre Ethier (Dodgers, who also dealt away Top 100
Prospect Joel Guzman); Jeremy Hermida, Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Scott
Olsen and Josh Johnson (Marlins); and Howie Kendrick, Jered Weaver and Kendry
Morales (Angels).

I do agree with Patrick that the Devil Rays (ranked No. 10 during spring
training) have passed quite a few clubs, and in my opinion they have passed
them all. Tampa Bay currently has the best farm system in baseball.

Delmon Young entered the season with our endorsement as the game's best
prospect, and he still ranks among the elite. Youngsters such as Reid
Brignac, Wade Davis and Jacob McGee have made the jump to Top 100 status.
The Devil Rays have added two more Top 100-quality players in Guzman and
first-round pick Evan Longoria. They had underappreciated depth to begin
with, and many of their prospects have taken a positive step forward. Tampa
Bay also hasn't lost too many prospects to the majors this season, with Chad
Orvella (currently in the minors but over the rookie/prospect 50-inning
limit), Jamie Shields and trade acquisition Ben Zobrist the only names of
note.

The Rockies also have moved up, from No. 11 at the outset of the season to
No. 2 in my mind at this point. Troy Tulowitzki can make a case for being the
best shortstop in the minors, and despite a so-so season Ian Stewart is among
the best at third base. Chris Iannetta, Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales
could join them in the 2007 version of the Top 100, as could first-round
choice Greg Reynolds. The only notable prospect Colorado has brought to the
majors this year is the injured Omar Quintanilla.

The Diamondbacks (Justin Upton, Carlos Gonzalez, Chris Young), Dodgers (Adam
LaRoche, Scott Elbert, Matt Kemp) and Angels (Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Nick
Adenhart) still have plenty of blue-chip talent and would place near the top
of the organization rankings if we did them today. But their loss of depth
has allowed the Devil Rays and Rockies to pass them by.






         What's the deal with Cuban national team second baseman
         Yuliesky Gourriel? There were reports that he had defected
         last week. Now we hear those reports may have been false.
         Can you give us a definitive confirmation as to whether
         he defected and tell us what kind of player he would project
         to be in the majors?

         Shawn Carey
         Batavia, Ill.


There was quite a stir last week when several reports originated from
Colombia that Gourriel had defected while there for the Central American and
Caribbean Games. One Colombian newspaper reported that Gourriel quickly
signed a deal with the Yankees. But none of that was true, and Gourriel
returned home to Cuba after helping his team win another gold medal in
international competition.

Gourriel, 22, is the defending Cuban League leader in homers (27) and RBIs
(92) in a 90-game season. He also batted .273 with two homers and six RBIs at
the World Baseball Classic, where Cuba lost to Japan in the finals. After
that tournament, one scout estimated that Gourriel could command a $20
million contract if he hit the open market.

Gourriel has exceptionally quick hands and strong wrists, giving him
tremendous bat speed and power. He's also a quality defender with
above-average arm strength and range. He has played mostly second and third
base for Cuba, and some scouts believe he could handle shortstop.

He has inherited the mantle of the best young player in Cuba from past
stalwarts such as Omar Linares (who never defected) and Kendry Morales (now
with the Angels). Gourriel is unlikely to join Morales in the United States,
however, because of close family ties he'd be reluctant to sever. His father
Lourdes, a former national team outfielder, manages him on the Sancti
Spiritus club on which he plays with his brother Yuniesky, an outfielder.






         I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with Justin Upton's
         performance in low Class A, especially after what he did in
         spring training, but I still believe he'll be as good as
         advertised. He's still very young and adjustment time is to be
         expected. Because numbers don't tell the whole picture, what
         have scouts been saying about him? Do you expect him to perform
         better in year two?

         Chris Nordensson
         Tucson



The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, Upton signed with the Diamondbacks
in January for a then-record $6.1 million. Considered more advanced at the
same stage of his career than his older brother B.J., the No. 2 choice in
2002, Justin went 7-for-14 with three doubles and a triple in a stint in big
league camp this spring. He has been solid but decidedly less spectacular in
the Midwest League this summer, hitting .264/.345/.412 with nine homers, 48
RBIs and 11 steals in 86 games.

There's nothing wrong with those numbers. Upton is a 18-year-old making his
pro debut in a full-season league that's kinder to pitchers than hitters. But
Cameron Maybin, whom the Tigers took 10th overall last year and is just four
months older, is batting .327/.411/.489 with six homers, 53 RBIs and 25
steals in 74 games, and he's playing at West Michigan, which might have the
toughest hitter's park in low Class A. That's the kind of production we all
probably expected from Upton.

Scouts and managers alike rave about Upton's tools. He still projects as a
plus hitter with plus power and plus-plus speed. The one quibble Midwest
League observers have about Upton is a sense of entitlement. Unlike Maybin,
who comes to the ballpark to beat you with all five tools every day, Upton
has shown a propensity to coast and hasn't gotten the most out of his
physical ability. That's been the disappointment in his performance, and it's
something he should outgrow.

Upton should put up better numbers in 2007. He'll have an extra year of
experience, and he should be stronger and hopefully more mature. He'll also
move from South Bend to high Class A Lancaster, a hitter's haven in a
hitter's league.