Has there been any report on Eric Beaulac? When healthy, he appeared to have a chance at being a decent right reliever.

Elvin Ramirez probably your best RH relief "prospect", if there even is such a thing, right now. Obviously the reports from last year now coupled with 10 K's in 5 IP. I'm not going to take Jeff from AA's velocity reports too seriously considering it was opening day and 30 degrees out, but after starting 88-89, I think he had Ramirez eventually hitting 95. So even if he's not at 100, thats still something.

Other than him, not counting starters you'll convert to relief because who the heck knows, you have to think Holt, Arm-Rod, Whitenton, Rosario are your best guys.

Rhiner Cruz, as much as he showed almost nothing in his time here, was REALLY impressive last night when I saw him pitch the 8th in the Houston/Washington game. Mid-High 90's consistently, 80-82 on the slider that he looked like he COULD command, contrary to reports otherwise (nice velocity difference) and a funky arm angle.

I think are best right-handed "relief prospects" are actually starters who will be switched over - Familia, Mazzoni, Verrett, Mejia, etc.

I'm not claiming that all of those guys besides Mejia will be switched over, but some of them probably will, and may be effective in the pen.

I don't see any reason to believe Mazzoni lands in the pen unless/until he fails as a starter. He was 2nd in the acc in k's and has 2 above average pitches and a workable 3rd. I don't think they took Mazzoni in the second round unless they envision him as a starter

I agree with that pretty much entirely. However, he very well may not cut it as a starter, since many don't. He's got the stuff to play up in the pen if he ever switches over, as do those other guys.

I don't disagree at all. I'm just saying "on paper" Mazzoni probably profiles as a starter unless he fails to get hitters out. I merely meant to this point there haven't been any red flags ie iffy delivery, iffy FB velocity, stamina concerns as there are with Familia, Mejia etc. Even Verrett with his reported 88-91 on his FB has some velocity "concerns" (it's certainly enough to do well but it's also "short" enough that it may work better in the pen).

Yeah, I think we're not disagreeing - I'm basically saying that the right hand wave is likely to be guys with good stuff who don't quite cut it as starters, as opposed to lefties like Edgin and Leathersich, who are clearly relief prospects from the start.

I don't think anyone placed a "ceiling" on him last June, did they? Usually guys like Law or Mayo or even Sickels, after seeing them in the minors, place some kind of projected ceiling (Peavey for instance was thought to have a #3 ceiling upon being drafted 2 yrs ago) yet I don't recall one for Mazzoni. Or did I miss one?