Last year the book was released on February 23rd. The date will be a little later this year, due to all of the late moves (Francisco Liriano, Jonathan Sanchez, Brandon Inge). A lot of those made some last-minute impacts to the projections in the book. We just finished those projections this week, and we’re in the final editing stages of the book. We also need to get a few updated photos of some of the new additions over the off-season, which we’re currently getting in Spring Training.

There were also some other factors that delayed the book. I’ve been busy moving down to Bradenton, and working on hiring people for coverage for the 2013 season.

I’m planning to send the book in for publishing this weekend. After that it depends on the publisher. In the past I’ve gotten books back anywhere from three days to a little over a week after I placed the order. That means I could start shipping the book out as early as a week from today.

Along with a profile of every player on the Major League roster, the book will feature several featured articles on the team, a guide to understanding some of the top advanced statistics, payroll information, Pitch F/X reports, and a breakdown of the rest of the teams in the NL Central heading in to the 2013 season.

The 2013 Annual will be released in early February, although you can pre-order your copy of the book today by going to the Products page. For those of you who have ordered the 2013 Prospect Guide, there is a coupon code on the back page of the book that you can use for $5 off the Annual. If you haven’t ordered either book, you can buy both together as a Combo Pack for a discounted rate. The Prospect Guide will be shipped right away, and the Annual will be shipped when it is released.

If you’ve already ordered the Combo Pack, your Annual will be one of the first to ship when the books are published.

Go to the Products page to pre-order your copy today.

In the book’s introduction I talked a bit about how the purpose of the book was always to expand the site. The first year I did the book, it allowed me to expand this to a full-time job. That provided two benefits. It allowed me to dedicate all of my time to this site, providing updates every day and reporting news as fast as possible. It also came at a time when I was like many other people in this country — out of work for a few years, struggling to find any job to support my family, all while having my self-esteem and spirit crushed daily. I’ll always owe a debt to the readers of this site and the people who bought the book, since you literally rescued me from one of the darkest times in my life.

The second book came out last year, and I decided to expand the site. We added daily major league coverage, and expanded some of the minor league coverage. We also provided daily coverage from Spring Training. This year’s book will help continue all of that, and continue expanding on the coverage of the minor leagues. Everything on the site is free, and a large part of why we can provide year round free coverage is because of the book.

When I first designed the book I wanted to make something that I would use all throughout the year. Outside of the Pirates organization, I’m not sure there’s anyone who follows the farm system or knows as much about the players as I do. And yet I reference the Prospect Guide daily throughout the year, even after transactions are made and after new information comes forward. So not only is it something that helps the site continue to grow, but it’s a great reference throughout the year for the minor league system, and something that I use as a reference for a lot of articles on the site.

You can purchase the book on the products page of the site.

Pre-Sales Shipping

For those of you who pre-ordered the book, all of the pre-sales went out yesterday and today. You should have received an e-mail with a tracking number. There was a delay getting the book from the publisher this year. Last year I sent the book in on the 13th of December and received the shipment on the 16th. This year I sent the book in on the 12th and received it on the 19th. I’m not sure what the reason was for the delay, but I’m hoping that will still get the book to most of you in time for Christmas. Normally when I send out a book on Friday or Saturday, it arrives in the Pittsburgh area on Monday. I’m hoping that schedule holds up even with the holidays, especially since I sent the books out Wednesday and Thursday.

Digital Copy

The digital copy of the 2013 Prospect Guide is now available through the publisher. The eBook comes in PDF format and should be compatible with any tablet or reader. The publisher, Lulu, often has discount codes on their site. I recommend searching for those codes. Sometimes you can save 30% or more, and the best part is that this comes from the publisher so it’s not taking away from the site. Right now they’re doing their “13 Days of Savings” with a new coupon every day. If I see a coupon that works with the eBook, I’ll post it on the site and on Twitter (@timwilliamsP2)

Click here to purchase the eBook.

For the rest of the week, we will be holding a pre-sales contest. Order your book by this Friday, December 7th, at 2:00 PM EST and you’ll be entered to win a pair of VIP passes for PirateFest. Each book you pre-order will get you one entry in the contest. If you purchase the Combo Pack, that’s two entries. For those of you who purchased multiple books to be given as gifts, each book will get you an entry. Anyone who has already placed their order is automatically entered into the contest.

Included in the prize pack are two VIP passes for PirateFest (Dec. 14-16) at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, good for Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Each pass is good for one day only and they can used together or separately.

The Friday night event is the Season Ticket Holder Event. The ticket for that night allows you the chance to get free autographs from selected Pirates players as well as attend the Q&A session with Clint Hurdle, Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington.

Also included is a VIP shopping pass for the PirateFest Aramark store. There are special discounts for the Friday event (up to 70% off on select items) as well as 30-40% discounts during the Saturday and Sunday events.

The times and dates are as follows:

Friday, December 14 – 6:30 PM- 9:00PM

Saturday, December 15 – 12:00 PM- 7:00PM

Sunday, December 16 – 12:00 PM- 5:00PM

To enter the contest, be sure to pre-order your copy of the 2013 Prospect Guide, or get the Combo Pack to get two entries. The contest ends on Friday at 2:00 PM EST, and the winner will be announced and notified via e-mail shortly after that.

Click here to pre-order your copy of the 2013 Prospect Guide.

The Cover

In previous years there hasn’t been a specific method to finding a cover player. In 2011 we went with the four best pictures of the top prospects that we had. In 2012 we went with the top four pitching prospects in the system. Starting this year, the cover will feature the previous year’s Player of the Year or Pitcher of the Year. This year the cover features Gregory Polanco, who is our 2012 Player of the Year.

What’s New in 2013?

The 2013 version has a few changes on the production side. In previous years we printed on “Publisher Grade” paper, which didn’t lead to the best image quality in the books. This year we’re making the switch to standard paper, which should lead to better printing quality. The book is slightly bigger than previous books (6×9 instead of 5.5×8.5). That will allow the text size to be slightly increased, which was an issue that a few people brought up last year.

The switch does result in more expensive paper, which will lead to two changes. First, the player profiles will be changed. The top 50 prospects will still be featured in the same way, but the additional prospects will be reduced, especially with organizational players. There will still be a summary for each player, but the summary for some players will be shorter. There is also a $1 price increase, which is half of the increase in production cost for the book. That means the book will be shipped for $25.

Digital Version

Like last year, there will be a digital version of the Prospect Guide, although that will not be available for pre-sales, and will come out shortly after the Prospect Guide is released.  The digital version will be an e-book that can be accessed on any e-reader, including iPads, Kindles, and Smartphones.

The 2013 Annual

Around early-February 2013 we will be releasing our other book, the Pirates Prospects 2013 Annual.  The Annual looks at the major league team, with profiles for all of the players on the 40-man roster, the non-roster invitees for Spring Training.  It will include featured articles on several of the team’s top performers, Pitch F/X profiles, and Matt Bandi’s projections for each individual player in 2013.

All pre-sales of the 2013 Prospect Guide will come with a coupon for $5 off the 2013 Annual. The Combo Pack will also be available for pre-sales. If you purchase the combo pack, your books will be shipped separately. The Prospect Guide will be shipped in mid-December, and the Annual will be released when the book is printed.

The first code is “TAILLON” and is based on Jameson Taillon’s performance in each of his starts. For every strikeout Taillon throws, you will save $1. The code “TAILLON” is only good for one day after his most recent start. As an example, last night Taillon struck out six batters. So today, you can save $6 on the Prospect Guide AND $6 on the Annual by using the code “TAILLON”.** The code is only active today, and a new discount will be added after Taillon’s next start, based on how he performs.

The second code is “COLE” and is the same as the code for Jameson Taillon. You save $1 for every strikeout Gerrit Cole records by using the code “COLE”. The code will only be active the day following Cole’s most recent start.

Since Cole and Taillon usually pitch on back to back days, the Taillon code will only be active until Cole’s start begins. If there is a day between their starts, the Taillon code would be active until midnight the following day. Cole’s code will be active until midnight the following day.

The third code is a weekly promotion. The code “HOME RUN” will be based on the amount of home runs the farm system hits in the previous week. The home runs will be tallied from Monday through Sunday of the previous week, and the code will activate on Monday of the new week. This code is not active yet, and will start on Monday, based on the amount of home runs the Pirates prospects hit this week. Unlike the daily Cole and Taillon codes, the “HOME RUN” code can be used all week.

**There is a limit of one code per cart. If you wish to buy the Prospect Guide and the Annual at a discount, you would need to place two separate orders. Limit of one discount per book, per person.

To use the codes, go to the products page. Add the items to your cart, then in the coupons box, enter your coupon code. Only one code can be used at a time. Check the Prospect Watch each night to see the results from the minor league system, and to see the latest discount code.

The coupon codes will not work on the Ebooks. However, there are usually coupon codes available for the Ebooks. Right now you can use the code “EARTH” to save 16% off the Ebooks. That code can only be used on the Ebooks, which are sold through our publisher. The link for those books can be found on the products page.

ACTIVE CODES

TAILLON – Save $6, expires 4/25/2012 at 6:30 PM EST

COLE – Based on his strikeouts in the 4/25 start. Promotion runs on 4/26/2012, ending at midnight.

HOME RUN – Starts on Monday, 4/30. Based on home runs hit by the Pirates’ minor league players during the week of 4/23-4/29. Promotion will run from 4/30-5/6.

The Annual can be purchased on the products page of the site. If you haven’t bought the 2012 Prospect Guide, you can buy both books together at a discounted rate. Those who have already bought the Prospect Guide can use the coupon code found in the back of the book for a $5 discount on the Annual.

The 2012 Annual takes a look at the major league team, with player profiles for every player on the 40-man roster, and every player invited to Spring Training. Along with the profiles on all of the players in major league camp, the Annual takes a look at payroll figures for everyone on the 40-man roster, with a pre-season payroll projection.

A main feature is Matt Bandi’s projection system, featuring 2012 WAR projections for all players, as well as wOBA platoon projections, and the projected MLB standings and award winners for the 2012 season.

The Annual takes an analytical view at the current Pittsburgh Pirates outfield, looking at the debate between power and speed at the corner spots. The book also features an article that looks at what has gone wrong with the free agent signings from the last few years, and how they compare to the other signings in the majors.

The 2012 Annual also features Pitch F/X reports on Charlie Morton, James McDonald, Erik Bedard, Jeff Karstens, Kevin Correia, and Joel Hanrahan; four year forecasts on the other NL Central teams, and an in-depth featured look at the early 1990′s Pirates.

The 2012 Annual is the perfect way to get ready for the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates season.

Order your copy of the 2012 Annual today!

The 2012 Annual takes a look at the major league team, with player profiles for every player on the 40-man roster, and every player invited to Spring Training. We are even prepared to include A.J. Burnett in the book, assuming a deal between the Yankees and Pirates is reached by the end of the weekend.

Along with the profiles on all of the players in major league camp, the Annual takes a look at payroll figures for everyone on the 40-man roster, with a pre-season payroll projection.

A main feature is Matt Bandi’s projection system, featuring 2012 WAR projections for all players, as well as wOBA platoon projections, and the projected MLB standings and award winners for the 2012 season.

The Annual takes an analytical view at the current Pittsburgh Pirates outfield, looking at the debate between power and speed at the corner spots. The book also features an article that looks at what has gone wrong with the free agent signings from the last few years, and how they compare to the other signings in the majors.

The 2012 Annual also features Pitch F/X reports on Charlie Morton, James McDonald, Erik Bedard, Jeff Karstens, Kevin Correia, and Joel Hanrahan; four year forecasts on the other NL Central teams, and an in-depth featured look at the early 1990′s Pirates.

The 2012 Annual is the perfect way to get ready for the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates season. It can be purchased on the Products Page of the site, either individually, or in a combo pack with the 2012 Prospect Guide. For those of you who have already purchased the Prospect Guide, there is a coupon code on page 204 which gives you a $5 discount on the Annual.

Order your copy of the 2012 Annual today!

The Annual is currently available for pre-sale on the Products page. Those of you who bought the 2012 Prospect Guide can use the discount code on page 204 to get $5 off the book. If you haven’t bought the Prospect Guide, you can buy both the Prospect Guide and the Annual together for a discounted rate.

The 2012 Prospect Guide was released in mid-December, which was earlier than last year’s mid-January release date. You can still pick up your copy on the Products page. If you’re looking for the eBook version, it can be found here. The eBook version is for sale through the publisher, and from now until January 20th you can use the code “PRICETHAW” at checkout to get 20% off the book. That makes the eBook $16.

The Prospect Guide covers every player in the system, with over 250 scouting reports, a complete international section, a review of the 2011 season, and other references for the Rule 5 draft, minor league free agency, signing bonuses, and more. If you’re not looking for that much information, and just want a look at the top prospects in the system, we now have the Prospect Guide Lite. The Lite version of the Prospect Guide is an eBook which contains the top 50 prospects in the system, a featured article on Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Luis Heredia, and Stetson Allie, and the depth charts, All-tools teams, and 2015 projected lineups. It doesn’t include the other 200+ scouting reports, the international section, or the previously mentioned references. The Lite version of the Prospect Guide can be purchased here through our publisher. You can also use the code “PRICETHAW” at checkout to get 20% off the book through January 20th, making the book $8. If you’ve already bought the Prospect Guide, there is no need to buy the Lite version, since it only contains information from the full version.

-Purchase your copy of the Annual on the Products page. You can use the coupon code on page 204 of the Prospect Guide, or you can buy the combo pack to get both books at a discounted price. The Annual will be released in early February.

-The hard copy version of the 2012 Prospect Guide can be found on the Products page. The Digital version can be found on our publisher’s site. You can use the code “PRICETHAW” for 20% off the eBook through January 20th.

-The Lite version of the 2012 Prospect Guide is now available on our publisher’s site. You can use the code “PRICETHAW” for 20% off through January 20th.

There is a benefit to the eBook being sold through the publisher. They often give discount codes which you can use towards the book. The discounts come from the publisher, and not from our cut of the book, so you’re getting the book at a cheaper price and still helping to support the site.

Today they have a big sale that runs through 3:00 AM EST. Use the code “BLIZZARDS” at the checkout and you can save 35% on your order. That makes the eBook just $13. The code is only available today, and expires tonight (Wednesday night/Thursday morning), so take advantage while you can. I’ll keep the site updated when I see more codes from the publisher, but this is one of the highest value codes I’ve seen from them. The code is now expired, but you can use the code “ONEMORETHING” to get 25% off the book. This code is active through January 6th.

You can purchase your eBook version of the 2012 Prospect Guide here. The eBook should be available on the iBookstore and NOOK soon.