Crew rounds out Tribe's Top 10 prospects

Baseball America is churning out its Organizational Top Ten Prospects lists and the baseball site touched on the Indians today. If you take the time to read through it all, it's loaded with interesting stuff to a Brewers fan thanks in large part to the CC Sabathia trade that sent the Tribe: Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson and Michael Brantley. But one reason blogs exist is to point out the interesting gems so you don't have to do any of that boring reading stuff:

• Russell "3TO" Branyan was the Indians top ranked prospect in 1999. While the BTB is of the belief that 3TO transcends mankind, in all seriousness it shows you how off even the most in depth and knowledgeable sources can be. Titanic boomstick moonshot dingers guy? Yes.  #1 prospect? Not so much. But for the sake of our love for this man, Baseball America has never had a more accurate read on a man...ever. I REALLY want to read what the publication said about 3TO in 1999.
• The year after topping the Crew's Top Ten Prospects list, LaPorta checks in at #2 with the Indians. 
• Brantley ranks #9.
• Cleveland's #1 prospect, C-Carlos Santana, came to the organization via the Casey Blake trade. This is REALLY interesting. The crown jewel of the mega Sabathia deal is viewed as lesser a prospect than the main bargaining chip in the Blake swap? Shows you how much an All-Star caliber catcher is valued.
• Brantley also ranks as the best hitter for average and best athlete. He is not projected to be in the starting lineup on the Tribes starting 9 in 2012.
• LaPorta possesses the best hitter for power and is thought to be the 1B in 2012.
• Santana is an Indian because the Indians picked up the remaining $2 million on Blakes contract when they shipped him to Hollywood. (Subscriber info)
• One of LaPorta's listed weaknesses? Hitting soft stuff in hitter's counts! He would have fit right into the Crew's philosophy, I'm having nightmares of Jorge Campillo again.
• Brantley gets bad reads off the bat in center, taking bad routes to the ball and possesses a below average arm. (Subscriber info) Funny how he was thought to have been the CF of the future in Milwaukee. Maybe retaining Taylor Green will turn out to be a positive after all.

The Crew's Top Ten Prospects won't be published until Jan. 19.