Herlin writes: I remember seeing you writing about current Angels shortstop David Eckstein in a "Down on the Farm" column a long time ago (at least back when Eckstein was still in Boston's minor league system) But I can't find the original article now. If possible, could you please find the article for review? That'll be interesting, because I think your opinions and predictions about him at that time now all proved to be dead right.

My own files only go back to 2000, but here's what I wrote about Eckstein in an Anaheim farm system report after the Angels first acquired him:

David Eckstein, 2B: Stolen from the Red Sox on waivers. Has very good patience, speed, a track record of good hitting. Limited to second base, which limits his use as a utility player.

I was wrong about his ability to play positions other than second base, but I do take some pride in spotting him as a good hitter ahead of time, which is part of the reason I like him ... he was a sleeper call that actually worked out. In the 1998 Minor League Scouting Notebook, I pointed him out as a draft sleeper. At the fall 1998 Arizona Fall League Fantasy Symposium, I gave Eckstein a strong recommendation. I gave him a Grade C in the 1999 book, though with the caveat that he was one of my favorite players, and would "deserve a job" if he did well in Double-A. In the 2000 book, I gave him a B-, talking about how much I loved his bat, but how scouts didn't like his glove, even though the numbers said he was a good fielder.

Forgive me, but I do feel like I want to brag just a bit about the Eckstein call. I'm not surprised Eckstein has turned into a fine player, although to be honest I did not expect him to be a shortstop. I thought that he'd get a job somewhere eventually as a second baseman, so it's not quite right to say I was "dead right" about him completely. But I'm not afraid to say I was right about his bat.

Toby J. writes: I've heard that the draft changes negotiated in the new Basic Agreement have been dropped. What's the scoop on that?

When the MLBPA and the owners negotiated a new agreement this summer, they supposedly agreed on a new structure for the draft. Free agent compensation with draft picks was eliminated, but teams that failed to sign a first-round pick would now be compensated with a pick in the same slot the next year.

But when the two sides got together in September to put the agreement on paper and get everything all signed and legalized, they found that they disagreed on what they'd agreed to in the countdown before the strike date (is that clear enough?). Unable to resolve the issue quickly, they decided to buck the whole idea of draft changes, including a possible world draft, to a committee for further study. The old draft rules have been restored for 2003, and possibly longer, depending on what happens with said committee.

Hari writes: What do you think of Julio Zuleta of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs? He had 31 homres this season and hit .293, but is seemingly consistently overlooked. The Cubs seem satisfied with Hee Seop Choi at first base for the near future, but couldn't Zuleta play left field or be used as trade bait?

It seems that Zuleta has been thoroughly glued with the "Minor League Slugger" label. He has major league power, no question, and could hit .260=.270 in full-time action, but he strikes out a lot, does not draw many walks, and is limited defensively by poor range. If he were left-handed, it would be easier for him to get a job on a bench somewhere as a pinch-hitter/platoon partner/DH type, but being right-handed limits his options. It wouldn't surprise me to see him end up in Japan. Zuleta is a better hitter than many players with jobs, but his skill set isn't one that lends itself to easy fitting on most managers' rosters.

A Mets Fan asks: Can you tell me anything about Mets outfielder Wayne Lydon? He had a great year for Class A Capital City, batting .294 with 87 steals, but I've scoured the internet for stuff on this guy, and I've found nothing. How old is he? Is he a prospect? If so, what is his ceiling?

Lydon was a ninth-round pick in 1999, out of high school in Jessup, Pennsylvania. He is 6-2, 190, and played the '02 campaign at 21 years of age. A switch hitter, his best attribute is speed, and his 87 steals this year have drawn notice from speed-hungry fantasy players.

Is he a prospect? Well, I know those 87 steals are enticing, and he did hit .294 in his first complete season of full-season ball. But he also struck out 104 times, and posted just 14 extra-base hits in 127 games (nine doubles, five triples). With his speed, you'd figure he could hit 20 doubles just by accident. I want to see more pop in his bat before I give him a strong recommendation as a prospect. He doesn't need to hit a bunch of home runs, but he does need to show more strength with the bat to avoid getting it knocked out of his hand at higher levels.

Linda B. from Seattle writes: How come nobody ever talks about Mariners pitcher Clint Nageotte as a prospect? His ERA isn't so hot, but look at those strikeouts!

Look at those strikeouts, indeed. Nageotte was 9-6 with a 4.54 ERA in the Class A California League this year, but he struck out 214 in 165 innings, with 68 walks. He allowed less than a hit-per-inning, gave up just 10 homers, and didn't walk huge numbers of people, so the relatively high ERA looks something like a fluke. He led all minor leaguers in strikeouts, coming on the heels of a 187-strikeout season in the '01 Midwest League.

Nageotte isn't a soft-tosser, either. His slider is his best pitch, and it's a killer, but he also has a 92-94 mph fastball. He needs to improve his command, and a changeup will help at higher levels, but Nageotte has one of the best pure power arms in the minor leagues. If strikeouts are the best indicator of future success for a pitcher, this guy has a bright future indeed. At 6-4, 200, he projects to be durable, and hasn't had any health problems so far. He was a steal as a fifth-round pick in the '99 draft, out of high school in Cleveland.

John Sickels is the author of the 2002 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. He is currently writing a biography of Bob Feller. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at johnsickels.com.