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MLB Draft 2011

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 26 2011 09:53 AM

June 6 isn't that far away, is it? Let's open with an in-depth Adam Rubin i'view with Mr. Paul DePodesta, [crossout]our cyborg savior[/crossout] a smart man who should be able to help us draft well, and who pledges to change the organization culture regarding "slot money." “I think we plan to be aggressive,” DePodesta said. “There does get to the point where there are diminishing returns on amateur players, because there are only so many big leaguers out there who are currently amateurs. It doesn’t necessarily make sense to go completely overboard. But I think where it makes sense and we pick our spots, we plan to be aggressive. That was our approach coming in. There’s nothing that’s happened between now and then that’s changed.” As for the slotting principle in general, DePodesta said: “It’s sort of a difficult spot. Certainly you want to be good citizens. At the same time, if other people are not playing that role and they’re getting an edge on you competitively because of that, it becomes a difficult choice as to what you think you should do. Our mission at this point is to do everything we can to help the Mets.” Keith Law's dartboard identifies potential Mets draft picks at No. 13 as LSU outfielder Mikie Mahtook, UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer, Texas right-hander Taylor Jungmann and Columbia, S.C., high school right-hander Taylor Guerrieri. My early favorite? I like-a the tools/versatility/Ming-the-Merciless sound of Hawaiian/Cape Cod standout infielder/outfielder Kolton Wong.

Edgy DC Apr 26 2011 10:35 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Let's be clear. There's nothing good-citizeny about salary-fixing, unless you believe the civis is confined to 30 old rich guys.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 26 2011 10:45 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Baseball America in an early projection has the Mets going with Taylor Jungman, but I'm not big on Taylors (or Tylers). [url]http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-dish/2011/2611619.html We could use some Colton Wong. And I do like the sound of this George Springer guy. [url]http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/03/draft-prospect-qa-george-springer.html

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 26 2011 10:52 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Yeah, you and the world and-- most likely-- the top 12 teams picking. If he drops, then great... but I dunthinkthassgonhappen. Jackie Bradley, Jr., however, might still be around. (And he was a Hyannis Met in the CCL. Fate speaks through wooden bats!) I like the all-around package and polish, despite the fact that he just hurt his wrist and the fact that his name makes me think of this.

seawolf17 Apr 26 2011 10:59 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Let's keep an eye on pitcher Nick Tropeano of YOUR Stony Brook Seawolves, who's 8-1, 1.06 in nine starts. In 59 2/3 innings, he's allowed 35 hits (31 singles, four doubles), walked twelve and struck out 78.

Edgy DC Apr 26 2011 11:06 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Baseball America in an early projection has the Mets going with Taylor Jungman, but I'm not big on Taylors (or Tylers). Like there's a single workable first name in LWFS's post at all. What soap opera were they watching 18 years ago?

Frayed Knot Apr 26 2011 11:10 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

The word on this draft from even before last year's draft was over was this figures to be one of the deepest fields ever and that opinion hasn't changed a bit as the date draws nearer. UCLA pitcher Gerritt Cole (who opted not to sign with the Yanx when they made him #28 overall out of HS 3 years ago) and Rice U 3B Anthony Rendon are widely expected to go 1-2 or 2-1 After that is where the speculation starts. The good part about it being a deep draft is the idea that both the 13th pick and the 44th pick (thank you Pedro Feliciano) could yield much better players than what you'd normally expect out of those slots.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 26 2011 11:20 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

The depth lends a different patina to the usual draft-underlying question. In a river-deep draft, should a selecting team lean more to the high-ceiling side or more to the high-polish side? If you're toting 2-3 picks in the top 50, do you swing for the fences with one-- prep arm, or tools-jump-off-the-page HS OF, say-- and Ike/Havens it with the others?

Frayed Knot Apr 26 2011 02:26 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

No matter what the field looks like I think you always want to go with the best available. A deeper draft means there should be less of a reason to "overpay" high up, but that was never really the Mets' problem in the first place. Where they've skimped in the past was in not taking a chance in the later rounds either on a HS kid oozing with potential but a long way from polished, or on the college kid with options like another year remaining or a football option that he can parlay into a bigger bonus. Bottom line is none of this should affect the #13 pick and probably not the 44th either. Like Podesta said in that link, over-spending isn't something you do just to do it but also something you shouldn't be afraid to do if you see an opportunity that could pay off in the long run. The interesting team this year should be Tampa who don't have a pick in the top 23 but then have a stunning 12 picks in the next 65

Ceetar Apr 26 2011 02:30 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Frayed Knot wrote: No matter what the field looks like I think you always want to go with the best available. A deeper draft means there should be less of a reason to "overpay" high up, but that was never really the Mets' problem in the first place. Where they've skimped in the past was in not taking a chance in the later rounds either on a HS kid oozing with potential but a long way from polished, or on the college kid with options like another year remaining or a football option that he can parlay into a bigger bonus. Bottom line is none of this should affect the #13 pick and probably not the 44th either. Like Podesta said in that link, over-spending isn't something you do just to do it but also something you shouldn't be afraid to do if you see an opportunity that could pay off in the long run. The interesting team this year should be Tampa who don't have a pick in the top 23 but then have a stunning 12 picks in the next 65 Presumably they'll be a good team to waotch in coming years as those 12 picks can become trade bait and rule 5 fodder that doesn't fit on the roster.

Edgy DC Apr 26 2011 02:43 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

The Mets are going to rule the planet in coming years. Coming weeks even.

Frayed Knot May 17 2011 07:17 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Good run-down of top draft prospects for next month with thumb-nail sketches of their pros and cons from Kevin Goldstein at BP. Mets choose 13th (and then 44th) this year. Note that he's not selling that list as a draft prediction but rather just a subjective list of ranked talent. Risk, signability issues, clubs needs/individual philosophies, or just plain differences of opinion mixed with late-season surges, slumps, or injuries are all going to factor into the exact order of picks. Even here the two players who have spent virtually the entirety of the last 11 months as presumed picks 1 & 1A (Rendon & Cole) are now listed 2nd and 4th due to a variety of factors.

Frayed Knot May 20 2011 02:59 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo projects Alex Meyer, RHP, Kentucky, as the Mets projected 1st round pick, adding that; "the parallels to [last year's #1 pick] Matt Harvey ... are almost uncanny. That one's worked out so far, so why not go down that path again?" Goldstein's description [he has him ranked 14th overall] sees him as a high risk/reward type: Pros: If you see Meyer on the right day, he looks like the best college pitcher in the country, with a mid-90s fastball that reaches 98 and a plus-plus slider that is nearly impossible to hit because of the tilt on the pitch and the angles created by his 6-foot-9 frame. Cons: If you see Meyer on a bad day, you might not take him in the first two rounds. He's disturbingly inconsistent and has a lot of trouble repeating his complex delivery, leading to wild fluctuations in his control and the quality of his slider. One scout summed him up best by saying, “He's either a number one, a shutdown closer, or doesn't get out of Double-A.”

batmagadanleadoff May 20 2011 03:14 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo projects Alex Meyer, RHP, Kentucky, as the Mets projected 1st round pick, adding that; "the parallels to [last year's #1 pick] Matt Harvey ... are almost uncanny. That one's worked out so far, so why not go down that path again?" Goldstein's description [he has him ranked 14th overall] sees him as a high risk/reward type: Pros: If you see Meyer on the right day, he looks like the best college pitcher in the country, with a mid-90s fastball that reaches 98 and a plus-plus slider that is nearly impossible to hit because of the tilt on the pitch and the angles created by his 6-foot-9 frame. Cons: If you see Meyer on a bad day, you might not take him in the first two rounds. He's disturbingly inconsistent and has a lot of trouble repeating his complex delivery, leading to wild fluctuations in his control and the quality of his slider. One scout summed him up best by saying, “He's either a number one, a shutdown closer, or doesn't get out of Double-A.” Are you sure that's not Mike Pelfrey's old scouting report? And whatever happened to Pelf's 98 MPH college heater?

Ashie62 May 20 2011 03:43 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Or Philip Humber.

Edgy DC May 20 2011 08:57 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Humber's one of the hottest pitchers in the AL right now. Besides, his out pitch was always a curve, wasn't it?

Frayed Knot May 20 2011 09:05 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

I don't remember reports on Pelfrey talking about 98 (unless it was his body temperature) and they definitely were not on Humber. Besides, there's a difference between touching 98 (as these reports often say) and throwing constantly at that speed ("sitting at" in scout-speak). If the larger point is that reports on these guys are always glowing at this point ... well then you're right. After all, if scouts and evaluators didn't like them then they wouldn't be being talked about in the front half of the first round. And do remember that - even from the first round - the picks who will fail to spend even one day in the majors will outnumber those who'll become stars. The good news is that this is being talked about as an exceptionally deep draft (particularly in pitching) so the 13th pick could have the talent of a mid-top 10 in other years. The trick, of course, is to bet on the right one.

Ashie62 May 24 2011 04:23 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

There is talk of Jackie Bradley Jr. falling into the Mets hands in the first round next month. Plays for the South Carolina Gamecocks and this OF was named the most outstanding player in the 2010 College World Series. 5'10 175 lbs. Bats Left Throws Right.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 24 2011 05:35 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

He'd presumably be a high-polish, good-not-great-ceiling kinda guy. Only a little riskier, thanks to a (power-sapping?) recent wrist injury knocking him out for a month.

Ashie62 May 24 2011 06:52 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Unfair to Bradley, but he reminds me of Cameron Maybin & B.J. Upton, both duds.

Edgy DC May 24 2011 08:02 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Leaving aside the notion that we should all fail so gloriously as B.J. Upton, who in the draft reminds you of good players?

seawolf17 May 24 2011 08:13 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

YOUR Stony Brook Seawolves (41-10, 22-2) play for the America East championship this week. Could be a very wolfy MLB draft this year, methinks: Nick Tropeano -- 11-1, 1.91 in 13 starts. 85 IP, 57 H (.189 BA), 21 BB, 107 K Tyler Johnson -- 9-2, 1.66 in 12 starts. 70 2/3 IP, 56 H (.220 BA - 11 doubles, the rest singles), 15 BB, 56 K Brandon McNitt -- 7-2, 1.73 in 9 starts. 73 IP, 61 H -- also has three saves

Vic Sage May 24 2011 10:57 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

go [crossout:20bvasf5]Patriots[/crossout:20bvasf5]... um, Seawolves!

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 25 2011 11:02 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Most [crossout]caffeine-addled, pointless exercises in whistling-in-the-dark[/crossout] mock drafts I've seen seem to have the Mets going with one of the high-ceiling power arms that fall to their slot. Gammons goes another way: on-base-y UNC shortstop Levi Michael. Toby Hyde gives a capsule summary here: Typos aside, the switch-hitting Michael owns a .311/.461/.464 line with 12 doubles, three triples, and four home runs in 54 games as a 20-year old this spring after dealing with a minor ankle injury. He’s also drawn 45 walks and been hit by 12 pitches while striking out just 32 times. Obviously, he has a tremendous plate eye and some doubles power. Remember too when looking at college hitting lines now, that colleges have switched to a new metal bat which is supposed to be dead, and play much more like wood. He graduated high school a semester early to enroll at UNC where he played 2B as a freshman, 3B as a sophomore and SS as a junior. As a result, at 20 now, Michael is younger than most three-year college prospects, and should have more room for growth as a player. Hmm. HMM.

batmagadanleadoff May 25 2011 11:05 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

We don't need a Shortstop.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 25 2011 11:10 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Scouts sez he profiles as an "offensive-leaning 2B." Still, college bat with doubles-power (tops) seems like a BIT of a reach for the early first round of this draft. Somebody like him (or Kolton Wong, say) would be a nice prize at #44, though.

Frayed Knot May 31 2011 03:07 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

A BA piece on Taylor Guerrieri, s South Carolina HS RHP who is often being mentioned as someone who could go right around the 13th pick next week. Excepts: No prospect has seen a bigger rise in draft stock than Guerrieri, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound righthander. The odds of him ending up on campus [that would be Univ South Carolina where he has a scholarship] are looking slimmer every day. "It's the best high school arm I've ever seen," an American League scout said. "I walked into the ballpark and saw the first pitch he threw in the bullpen and I could have left. There is no chance I see this guy unless he's pitching against us in the big leagues. "Everything was above-average to plus-plus the day I saw him. It's easy, effortless. I walked out of there with my jaw dropped. This guy is unbelievable." At his best, Guerrieri ranges from 93-96 mph with his fastball and can touch 97. He mixes in an 81-83 curveball with sharp break. His fastball has plenty of life to it, sinking and running when he throws to his arm side and showing heavy sink when he goes to his glove side. Guerrieri has a unique grip for his curveball, also a plus pitch. "I tuck my middle finger under my index and that causes it to get more spin," Guerrieri said. "I was messing around with it when I was younger. I picked that up and figured out it could be a good pitch for me." Like most high school arms, Guerrieri doesn't have much need for more than a fastball-curveball combination, but he also works with a changeup and cutter. "The cutter is opposite of my fastball," Guerrieri said. "It'll run away from righties, about the speed of 89-92. It looks like a fastball coming at you, then it darts the other way. The changeup I haven't been able to use much this year. I'm looking to use that this coming year, wherever I am. Originally, I started with a circle grip and couldn't get a feel for it. So I switched to a three-finger. That's worked wonders for me."

Frayed Knot Jun 01 2011 03:11 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

From a BA Q&A on the draft: Q -- If it's a choice between [UConn OF] George Springer or [LSU OF] Mikie Mahtook for the Mets are #13, who do you take and why? Personally, I like Springer's bat better than Mahtook, who may also not be able to stick in CF. Mahtook has the look of a 4th outfielder, while Springer may be a nice above-average bat. Thoughts? Jim Callis -- I would take Springer, though it's close. There's more risk in the bat, but I think Springer gets hammered a little unfairly, and his tools and upside are better than Mahtook's. I agree, Mahtook isn't a lock to stay in center field.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 01 2011 03:20 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

POP QUIZ: Assuming samples of all three are available-- and they will be-- which would YOU prefer the Mets snatch up? A) High-level college pitching (Jungmann, J. Bradley, Gray, Barnes) B) Toolsy college OF (Springer, Mahtook) C) Prep arm (A. Bradley, Guerrieri, Norris) D) Toolsy prep bat (Lindor, Baez, Swihart) I know that only losers draft for "need," but I can't help feeling, given where the depth is, that a polished college arm with, say, a 2013 ETA-- of which there might be a few-- might be the way to go in the 13 slot, followed by whoever slides out of the college bats like, say, Kolton Wong, Jackie Bradley or Levi Michael with the second pick.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jun 01 2011 04:20 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Ashie62 wrote: Unfair to Bradley, but he reminds me of Cameron Maybin & B.J. Upton, both duds. I know this is from more than a week ago, and I know Edge kind of deflated it with his reply, but reading this quote hurt my brain. I'll set aside Maybin, a 24 year old player who is already a success by baseball prospect standards in that he's actually made it to the big leagues (and is a positive contributor, at that); but how in the hell is someone going to call BJ Upton a dud? Since 2004, he's been worth about 15 wins over replacement, good enough to put him in the top 100 position players in the game over that time, and he's only in his 26 year old season. For comparison, Chase Utley's* first full year in the majors was his 26 year old season. So Upton's proven himself in the top 20-25% of position players in the game essentially before the age Chase Utley even got started, and someone considers him a dud! I'm supposed to be doing work and not posting right now, but wow. *- I'll use Chase Utley not because I'm totes in love with his jock or something, but because he's not a player anyone could reasonably consider a dud and who started his career towards the olderish end of the spectrum (but not incredibly atypically old, of course).

Frayed Knot Jun 01 2011 05:04 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

There's a tendency among some fans - built in part, I think, by the more widely touted NBA & NFL drafts - that top ten picks are supposed to instantly become perennial All-Stars and failure to do constitutes dud-hood. Upton was I believe a #2 overall and Maybin a top-ten and one of the first HS players taken that year - both of which creates high expectations.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 03 2011 09:50 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

I confess: I want a big hitter. Sickels most recently has the Mets choosing between George Springer and Mikie Mahook. Can you tell which is which?

Frayed Knot Jun 03 2011 09:58 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

That's gotta be Mahtook on the bottom but only because I can read his 'Tigers' (LSU) jersey. From BP's Kevin Goldstein on those two: - George Springer - UConn OF (who he has ranked 10th) Pros: It's rare to find college players with Springer's kind of tools and athleticism. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he grabs your attention the second he walks off the bus, and his power, speed, and arm strength all earn 60-plus grades on the scouting scale. Cons: Springer has plenty of holes in his swing, and there are questions about just how much he'll hit. He has reduced his strikeout rate significantly this spring, but he's still prone to chasing and often gets beat inside. - Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU (17th) Pros: Mahtook is one of the few college hitters with a breakout season despite the new bats*. Good swing mechanics and a patient approach have him hitting .371/.482/.691 in 52 games for the Tigers, and his 13 home runs represent more than 40 percent of his team's total. He has average-to-plus power to all fields, but he's not just a slugger; he's a 50-55 runner who is playing center field and has a good arm. Cons: Few think he can play an up-the-middle position in the big leagues, so Mahtook's bat will have to develop to profile as a corner outfielder. He's more of a guy with no real weaknesses than one with star-level tools. * New regs on metal bats have offense significantly down in college as compared to recent years.

Frayed Knot Jun 03 2011 05:48 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Baseball America projects Round 1 1. PIRATES: Danny Hultzen, lhp, Virginia. 2. MARINERS: Anthony Rendon, 3b, Rice. 3. DIAMONDBACKS: Dylan Bundy, rhp, Owasso (Okla.) HS. 4. ORIOLES: Trevor Bauer, rhp, UCLA. 5. ROYALS: Gerrit Cole, rhp, UCLA. 6. NATIONALS: Bubba Starling, of, Gardner-Edgerton HS, Gardner, Kan. 7. DIAMONDBACKS: Sonny Gray, rhp, Vanderbilt. 8. INDIANS: Jed Bradley, lhp, Georgia Tech. 9. CUBS: Archie Bradley, rhp, Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS. 10. PADRES: Matt Barnes, rhp, Connecticut. 11. ASTROS: Taylor Jungmann, rhp, Texas. 12. BREWERS: Javier Baez, ss, Arlington Country Day School, Jacksonville, Fla. 13. METS: Mikie Mahtook, of, Louisiana State. 14. MARLINS: Cory Spangenberg, 3b, Indian River (Fla.) JC. 15. BREWERS: Taylor Guerrieri, rhp, Spring Valley HS, Columbia, S.C. 16. DODGERS: Tyler Anderson, lhp, Oregon. 17. ANGELS: Francisco Lindor, ss, Monteverde (Fla.) Academy. 18. ATHLETICS: George Springer, of, Connecticut. 19. RED SOX: Josh Bell, of, Dallas Jesuit HS. 20. ROCKIES: C.J. Cron, 1b, Utah. 21. BLUE JAYS: Levi Michael, ss, North Carolina. 22. CARDINALS: Jose Fernandez, rhp, Alonso HS, Tampa. 23. NATIONALS: Alex Meyer, rhp, Kentucky. 24. RAYS: Kolten Wong, 2b, Hawaii. 25. PADRES: Dillon Howard, rhp, Searcy (Ark.) HS. 26. RED SOX: Austin Hedges, c, JSerra HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. 27. REDS: Robert Stephenson, rhp, Alhambra HS, Martinez, Calif. 28. BRAVES: Daniel Norris, lhp, Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn. 29. GIANTS: Joe Ross, rhp, Bishop O'Dowd HS, Oakland. 30. TWINS: Sean Gilmartin, lhp, Florida State. 31. RAYS: Brian Goodwin, of, Miami-Dade JC. 32. RAYS: Henry Owens, lhp, Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif. 33. RANGERS: Blake Swihart, c, Cleveland HS, Rio Rancho, N.M.

Edgy DC Jun 03 2011 07:11 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Sons of Moms who watched soaps: Taylor = 2 Dylan = 1 Cory = 1 Tyler = 1 Kolten = 1 Dillon = 1 Blake = 1

Ashie62 Jun 03 2011 07:13 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Carl Crawford makes that play.

Ashie62 Jun 03 2011 07:18 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Mike Mahtook...

Ashie62 Jun 03 2011 07:21 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Edgy DC wrote: Sons of Moms who watched soaps: Taylor = 2 Dylan = 1 Cory = 1 Tyler = 1 Kolten = 1 Dillon = 1 Blake = 1 Not Bubba?

Frayed Knot Jun 05 2011 09:20 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

BP's Kevin Goldstein concocts his mock 1st round and includes with it a number of hints and notes (often conflicting) he's gathered on each team recently from various sources. 13. New York Mets: Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Texas While many have assumed a safe college position player, their focus seems to be on pitching. Jungmann shouldn't be a difficult sign, and has the polish to breeze through the system and catch up to Matt Harvey and Juerys Familia's timetable. - Jungman, Gray, and Barnes - Mikie Mahtook - Javier Baez/Levi Michael – in lead, like the SS thought - Hearing nothing but pitching of late - Go crazy and shock if there is a drop? Mixed.

Ashie62 Jun 05 2011 09:22 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Pirates announce they are taking Gerrit Cole per ESPN.

bmfc1 Jun 05 2011 09:26 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 05 2011 09:45 AM

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: POP QUIZ: Assuming samples of all three are available-- and they will be-- which would YOU prefer the Mets snatch up? A) High-level college pitching (Jungmann, J. Bradley, Gray, Barnes) B) Toolsy college OF (Springer, Mahtook) C) Prep arm (A. Bradley, Guerrieri, Norris) D) Toolsy prep bat (Lindor, Baez, Swihart) As long as they don't "reach" to fill a need, if all of the above are equally worthy of a first-round pick, I'd go with B and take Springer or Mahtook. They should get a bat that is two or three years away so that if the team is overhauled this fall, then they have another player that is ready to be a part of the resurgence.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 05 2011 09:36 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

I'd be happy with A or B. Outfield and pitching are the two areas I think I'd most like to beef up. (I also wouldn't mind a hot catching prospect.)

Ashie62 Jun 05 2011 10:58 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

I'd like Sonny Gray if he slips.

bmfc1 Jun 05 2011 02:39 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Taylor the high school pitcher or Taylor the college pitcher? http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/p ... s-at-no-13

Frayed Knot Jun 05 2011 03:51 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Ashie62 wrote: I'd like Sonny Gray if he slips. Plus he sounds like a guy who'd make a great game show host if the baseball thing doesn't work out.

Ashie62 Jun 05 2011 04:15 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Frayed Knot wrote: Ashie62 wrote: I'd like Sonny Gray if he slips. Plus he sounds like a guy who'd make a great game show host if the baseball thing doesn't work out. Its time for a new incarnation of Wonderama.

Frayed Knot Jun 05 2011 04:25 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

(Irwin) Sonny Fox is still living apparently, but at 86 y/o is probably pretty gray.

metirish Jun 05 2011 04:41 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Keith Law projects the Mets The club's new mandate is to take pitching? The Mets select 13th in the draft on Monday night, and also picked up a compensatory pick at No. 44 for losing Pedro Feliciano as a free agent to the Yankees. ESPN draft guru Keith Law projects the Mets taking Taylor Guerreri, a right-handed pitcher from Spring Valley High School in South Carolina. Law adds: The club's new mandate is to take pitching. Taylor Jungmann would be the choice over Guerrieri if he's available; Jed Bradley is another option. Preferred bats are still Levi Michael, Mikie Mahtook and Javier Baez. Here are possible selections. If you have ESPN Insider access, click here for a full first-round draft projection from Law. The draft begins at 7 p.m. Monday, with the first round and supplemental picks on the opening night. Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Spring Valley HS (S.C.) Law says: Guerrieri is one of the top prep arms in this year's draft, showing huge velocity with a knockout curveball and a good frame. I've had scouts tell me it's the best raw stuff of any high school pitcher in this draft, sitting 92-97 in most outings with a knockout breaking ball and a body to match. More in Insider here. Taylor Jungmann, RHP, University of Texas Law says: Jungmann is one of several three-year performers among college pitchers in this year's draft, and he does it while looking like he isn't even breaking a sweat. Jungmann can sit 91-93 but go back for 94-95 whenever he wants it, and he pairs it with a hammer curveball at 75-78 with two-plane break. More in Insider here. Jed Bradley, LHP, Georgia Tech Law says: Bradley has the size, arm strength, and left-handedness that scouts love to see, making him a clear first-rounder this year, while the lack of an average breaking ball is raising questions about his long-term ceiling. More in Insider here. Levi Michael, SS, University of North Carolina Law says: Michael has established himself as the best college shortstop in this year's draft, although the competition for that title wasn't very strong. But as a switch-hitter who can run and has shown he can handle the position he's almost certain to go in the first round. More in Insider here. Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU Law says: Mahtook entered the year as a safe, high-probability college bat who could play up the middle and would hit enough to be an everyday guy. But in a year when new BBCOR bats have power numbers down all over the country he's ratcheted up his own power output, establishing himself as a five-tool player with some star potential. More in Insider here. Javier Baez, SS, Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville (Fla.). Law says: Baez has crazy bat speed and big future power potential, but needs to find a position and show a little more energy on the field. At the plate Baez unleashes on every pitch with a max-effort swing that, when he squares a ball up, produces loud, hard contact. He doesn't shorten up or ever use another approach beyond "swing with all you've got," and he can get too power-happy and start to swing uphill. More in Insider here. also from Rubin AdamRubinESPN On this date in 1973, the #Mets drafted Lee Mazzilli in the first round out of Brooklyn's Lincoln High School.

metirish Jun 05 2011 07:05 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Interesting Mets Look to Open Their Wallets By BRIAN COSTA With their finances in distress, the Mets need to stay in the good graces of Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. And yet, now more than ever, it's essential that they ignore Selig's wishes in one critical area: the amateur draft. For years, they have adhered closely to MLB recommendations on signing bonuses for draft picks, sometimes to the detriment of their farm system. But with the draft set to begin Monday, general manager Sandy Alderson said the Mets will have the flexibility to spend more than MLB would prefer, better known as spending over slot. The proof will be in the dollars they dole out to their draft picks, a figure that won't be known for a couple of months. But despite all their financial issues, the Mets appear poised to spend more aggressively in this draft than they have in years. "Obviously, there's a lot of hit and miss in the draft, but you do have to spend money on talent," Alderson said. "I don't expect to be over slot in every round…but we're going to be prepared to do that." The actual draft selections, which will be made over three days, cost nothing. Teams have until Aug. 15 to sign their picks. But money plays a role in teams' decisions on whom to draft. The more coveted players usually indicate to interested teams before the draft how much money they'd be looking for. Players expected to demand a high sum sometimes are selected later than talent alone would dictate. The Mets, who hold the 13th overall pick, will select players based on the recommendations of Paul DePodesta, their vice president of player development and amateur scouting. But scouting acumen must be met with the financial wherewithal to put it to use. "Teams very rarely in the first few rounds are going to take a player that they don't think they have a realistic chance to sign," said Jim Callis, executive editor of Baseball America. "If you're hoping to spend slot money and the guy wants more, you might have to walk away from it." The slotting system, in which MLB recommends a bonus figure for each pick, was first implemented in 2000. Alderson, who was baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations at the time, helped create it. The purpose was to curb the escalation of signing bonuses, which, in theory, would benefit all clubs. But because the slotting recommendations aren't part of the collective-bargaining agreement, teams aren't bound by them. Several big-market teams, most notably the Yankees and Red Sox, have all but ignored them, using their financial advantage to bolster their farm system. But the Mets have been an exception. They did go over slot to sign pitcher Matt Harvey, their first-round pick in 2010, to a $2.5 million bonus. But in general, they haven't spent aggressively on the draft. In the first 10 rounds of the 2010 draft, the Mets doled out $3.9 million to nine players. They spent 4% more than MLB recommended, which ranked 20th in the majors, according to Baseball America. The Yankees spent $5.1 million in the first 10 rounds, going 88% over slot. In the past five drafts combined, the Mets have spent roughly $20.6 million, less than all but one team in baseball, the Chicago White Sox. DePodesta still has a budget he must work within (he declined to disclose the figure). But he doesn't expect it to hamper his ability to find talent. "I don't know how our absolute spending will end up lining up," DePodesta said. "But I'll put it this way: On draft day, I think we're going into it with the idea that when our turn comes to pick in every round, we're going to take the guy that we think is the best player on the board and not worry so much about the signability portion of it. We're going to go after what we believe is talent." Spending more money on the draft would be, to some degree, a reallocation of resources for the Mets. For much of the past decade, the organization has valued past performance, doling out hundreds of millions of dollars to high-priced free agents. But the return on those investments hasn't been good. The Mets' major-league payroll is expected to drop substantially in 2012. And while much of that will represent cost-cutting, Alderson said some of that money will likely be reinvested in player development. "It's one big pie of spending," DePodesta said. "Because my focus right now is scouting, of course I'm going to push for a bigger signing-bonus budget and carve some out of other areas to do that. But the fact is, in order to do that, you have to make sacrifices."

Ashie62 Jun 05 2011 07:16 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

So Irish, in spite of your noble efforts, if we don't have insider, we're fucked?

Frayed Knot Jun 05 2011 08:23 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

It bears repeating, but the problem with the Mets reluctance to spend has NOT been with 1st round picks it's been with not taking chances on later round guys. With a draft as deep as this one is supposed to be several good prospects are going to get to you at #13. Maybe someone with big $$ demands is still around at #44 and then it becomes a question of whether you think it's worth paying him 1st round money too. Later on there might be HS players who, while raw, are worth taking a chance on over-paying. Those are the kinds of picks the Mets have not been taking due to their adherence to the slotting system.

Edgy DC Jun 05 2011 09:19 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

And interestingly, one of the best examples of that was Pedro Beato, a guy they generously (generous to other baseball teams, that is) held the line on. The Mets got ripped for skinflintiness last year, but most other teams spent their money before the Mets even picked. Haters are nuts. I say the team is in a great position to build a Navarone-storming-quality force for now and the future.

Frayed Knot Jun 06 2011 06:16 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Beato came under the (no-longer existing) 'draft-and-follow' rules where you could draft a HS kid and watch his progress through a year of JuCo then choose to sign him (or not) until a week before the following draft. The since-imposed hard August 15th deadline for all draftees did away with that option. As a HS kid who did well in his JuCo year, the Mets offered the 17th round pick the equivalent of 2nd round money but Beato wanted 1st round cash and when neither side would give in he wound up going back into the draft where he was picked by Baltimore (and wound up getting just about the midway point between what he wanted and what the Mets were offering). Whether the Mets held the line on their offer because they thought that's all he was worth or if they were pressured by MLB into not going any higher will probably never be known for sure and I suppose either side of the 'Mets are/aren't cheap' debate can point to that case as evidence; either they were right to hold the line seeing as how six years later he's still just a middle reliever, or that they were fortunate to get back the player they shouldn't have lost over a measly 700K in the first place. And, yeah, in general trying to judge a draft by total amount of dollars spent is a pretty shallow bit of analysis. Where you pick determines how much gets spent more often than does some sort of philosophy (two drafts ago the Mets didn't pick until #78). It's true that the Mets have rarely rocked Bud's boat on the whole unofficial cap situation - and almost certainly to their own detriment at times - but there's also a lot of misinformation out there as to exactly how it affects who they draft.

Frayed Knot Jun 06 2011 07:27 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

btw, the biggest name on the bonus-busting front this year could be Irving, Texas HS OF Josh Bell. Considered by many to be the best HS bat this year, Bell has written a letter to MLB asking that he NOT be drafted as he has every intention of attending U-Texas in the fall. Whether he actually means that or if it's merely a ploy to push his selection downward towards a team that is willing to pay him big bucks to forego college remains to be seen. He wouldn't be the first to declare no interest in the draft only to sign later on.

Ashie62 Jun 06 2011 08:18 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Didn't the Mets spend a million half on Kazmir?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 06 2011 08:20 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

I wonder if Damien Magnifico's price has dropped.

MFS62 Jun 06 2011 08:38 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Every time I hear "toolsy high school hitter" I think "Shawn Abner". I know. I know. I should be thinking "Darryl Strawberry". But still ... Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 06 2011 09:00 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Edgy DC wrote: And interestingly, one of the best examples of that was Pedro Beato, a guy they generously (generous to other baseball teams, that is) held the line on. The Mets got ripped for skinflintiness last year, but most other teams spent their money before the Mets even picked. Haters are nuts. I say the team is in a great position to build a Navarone-storming-quality force for now and the future. Last year, they dug a little and got-- among others-- Peavey and Goeddel for above-slot. IIRC, 2009's where they got semi-legitmately killed (Magnifico et. al. in the middle rounds), here and elsewhere. And I agree. It starts with going with a running buddy for Familia and Harvey, and following that up with a toolsy HSer who you overwhelm with your professionalism, commitment to building something here, a show of "The Book of Mormon," and lots of cash. Team Jungmann/Bell-or-Baez, baby.

Ceetar Jun 06 2011 09:04 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

I feel almost bad for some of the mock drafters sometimes. They put all this work into guessing which order guys are going into just to try to inform people days earlier which guys might end up in their systems and not show up in the majors for years anyway. And most of that work is rendered useless or just plain wrong come draft time.

A Boy Named Seo Jun 06 2011 10:00 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

We had some killer draft threads here in years passed. Love all the kids with zany names and the homo-erotic scouting reports. MLB.tv/.com locked & loaded! #Team_Jungmann

Frayed Knot Jun 06 2011 10:26 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Ashie62 wrote: Didn't the Mets spend a million half on Kazmir? I'm pretty sure it was more than that. Some teams supposedly passed on him that year based on the idea that he was going to ask for a huge bonus because he had a U-Texas scholarship in his pocket. But he wound up going to the Mets for right around where a guy picked in his spot (15th overall) was slotted to get. The larger point is that procuring talent doesn't come cheap (nor should it). The knock against the Mets in the past is that they haven't always gone for the best available player if they thought it was going to cost them more than what MLB wants a player picked in that spot to cost. They have occasionally spent more than daddy Bud wishes they would but have also passed up on doing so more often than a large market team should.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 06 2011 10:27 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Ceetar wrote: I feel almost bad for some of the mock drafters sometimes. They put all this work into guessing which order guys are going into just to try to inform people days earlier which guys might end up in their systems and not show up in the majors for years anyway. And most of that work is rendered useless or just plain wrong come draft time. "Save your pity, fan. My ability to buy and sell you and your pretty little wife has tremendous upside potential."

Vic Sage Jun 06 2011 11:50 AM Re: MLB Draft 2011

...It starts with going with a running buddy for Familia and Harvey, and following that up with a toolsy HSer who you overwhelm with your professionalism, commitment to building something here, a show of "The Book of Mormon," and lots of cash. I'll arrange the MORMON tickets, if that'll help!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 06 2011 12:32 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

Been reading about Williams Jerez in the Snooze. Dominican "kid" (18? 19? 31??) going to high school in Bushwick, hitting the crap out of the ball (.692/.738/1.385 // 2.123!!) and hit some balls into the second deck at Shea during a workout there this weekend. Could go top 50.

seawolf17 Jun 06 2011 12:36 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: hit some balls into the second deck at Shea during a workout there this weekend. /weep

Frayed Knot Jun 06 2011 12:45 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Been reading about Williams Jerez in the Snooze. Dominican "kid" (18? 19? 31??) going to high school in Bushwick, hitting the crap out of the ball (.692/.738/1.385 // 2.123!!) and hit some balls into the second deck at Shea during a workout there this weekend. Could go top 50. "Ultra-athletic and toolsy ... but extremely raw" says BP's Kevin Goldstein and projects him going to ... the Yanquis at #51 With no 1st round pick (thanx to Steinbrenner bros & Raphael Soriano) the Yanx could go for an "upside" guy and he's from the same HS as Yanx pitching prospect Dellin Betances

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 06 2011 01:05 PM Re: MLB Draft 2011

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Been reading about Williams Jerez in the Snooze. Dominican "kid" (18? 19? 31??) going to high school in Bushwick, hitting the crap out of the ball (.692/.738/1.385 // 2.123!!) and hit some balls into the second deck at Shea during a workout there this weekend. Could go top 50. GOOD GOD WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIS LEG