MLB

Key player notes from AAA's International and Pacific Coast Leagues. Who's moving on up and who's failing to distinguish themselves?

POSITION PLAYERS
Michael Brantley , OF Cleveland- AAA Line .281, 1 HR, 11 RBI

Everyone talks about the top 10 and first round picks, but what have been the best hidden gems in the Major League Baseball Draft’s last 45 years or so?

From Albert Pujols (13th Round) to Mike Piazza (62nd Round) to Andy Pettitte (22nd Round), many superstars have been discovered well after being part of hundreds—if not thousands—of other players.

So, who’s in my personal top 10 list of under-the-radar, hidden gems in the past 45 years of MLB Drafts?

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A few years ago, the New York Mets had a sensational, up and coming player in their minor league system.

That player is Nick Evans .

The Red Sox were in a huge rut as they started the 2010 year 4-9.

The highly touted pitching staff, which was expected to carry this team, struggled mightly. And the offense didn't do much at the plate.

There was talk of trading David Ortiz, or just giving up on the year at end of April.

But since the sluggish start, the Sox are the hottest team in baseball. Four players in particular have heavily impacted Boston's recent successs.

These four contributors deserve all-star votes.

Just over a third of the way through the 2010 season, it is overly apparent: The Dodgers have been hit hard by injuries straight out of the gate.

However, hope is on the horizon. A perpetually depleted bullpen is starting to rebound from injuries to its main characters. Hong-Chih Kuo is beginning to find his form that enabled him to have success in his 2009 campaign.

Jeff Weaver, the Dodgers veteran righty out of the 'pen has been heckled by numerous health issues all season. However, it appears as though his recent soreness will not force him to the disabled list.

Oh man, it's been so many months since I've done an MLB Rumor Mill at BleacherReport.com. It's been ages, literally!

So here I am, back with the MLB Rumors. And that brings me to another thing: I haven't written an MLB article for a long time, too. Jeez.

  The Mets twice tried to send pitcher Oliver Perez to the minor leagues, but he twice refused so instead of asking him a third time the team simply put him on the DL. Now it appears that the MLB is looking into whether or not Perez is legitimately hurt.

1995 Record: 100-44

Most people would argue that the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees were the teams of the 1990s, frequently winning their division titles and also appearing in and winning several World Series Championships.

However, some may forget that the Cleveland Indians were also one of the most consistent teams in the '90s, almost always winning the AL Central.

The Indians had two World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997 and lost both to the Braves and Marlins, respectively.

The writing is on the wall. The precedent has been set...twice. The only question remaining is: When?

The Milwaukee Brewers have a decision to make, and there are rumors swirling that they may be making that decision during an internal management meeting scheduled for today.

The timing works. The Brewers have an off-day tomorrow after yet another disappointing run of games. As I write this, they've lost five of six on this road trip including an extra inning affair yesterday.

The 1968 season pitched by St. Louis Cardinal's ace Bob Gibson (22-9 , 1.12 ERA, 268 strikeouts, 0.853 WHIP, Cy Young, and MVP)  is the standard of supremacy that every pitcher aspires to match. (Where was Gibson's run support that caused him to lose nine games with that earned run average?!?! )