2007 Draft Class

[RammyFanny]

JWR (Somewhere between Chicago and Dekalb, Illinois): If you were the Cubs, would you take the college catcher or the high school third baseman? Which guy SHOULD the Cubs take with the third pick in the upcoming draft?

 

Kevin Goldstein: I'd probably take the high school third baseman, assuming you mean Josh Vitters. I think they're pretty even talent wise, but Wieters might cost twice as much, and he's not twice as good.

[CubinNY]

JWR (Somewhere between Chicago and Dekalb, Illinois): If you were the Cubs, would you take the college catcher or the high school third baseman? Which guy SHOULD the Cubs take with the third pick in the upcoming draft?

 

Kevin Goldstein: I'd probably take the high school third baseman, assuming you mean Josh Vitters. I think they're pretty even talent wise, but Wieters might cost twice as much, and he's not twice as good.

 

I love it. How does Kevin measure talent?

 

Translation:

 

The entire draft is a highly speculative system with no sure-fire way to tell who is the better pick when looking at a small class of elite prospects. All things being equal, I'd take the guy who will cost less in such situatations.

[Mephistopheles]

not that i agree with the fact that Wieters and Vitters are of equal talent, but if they are he's right. It would be foolish to take the one that would cost twice as much. Even if you have that much money in your budget, you can turn arund draft a tough sign in the tenth round or so and give them money over slot, in the case of last year: Matt Latos, Jordan Walden, Chris Huseby, Dellin Betances and Alex White among others.

[RichHillIsABeast]

not that i agree with the fact that Wieters and Vitters are of equal talent, but if they are he's right. It would be foolish to take the one that would cost twice as much. Even if you have that much money in your budget, you can turn arund draft a tough sign in the tenth round or so and give them money over slot, in the case of last year: Matt Latos, Jordan Walden, Chris Huseby, Dellin Betances and Alex White among others.

 

Bud Selig sure does throw a fit when that happens.

[UK1679666180]

Meph, here's Beaven.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: In a lesser year for righthanded high school pitching prospects, Beavan would be getting more acclaim for his rare combination of talent and skills. His raw stuff is obvious and Beavan has been very consistent from outing to outing over a two-year period. He was 8-2, 0.21 this season entering the state playoffs with 124 strikeouts in 63 innings. His best outing of the year was an 18-strikeout no-hitter on March 3 vs. Irving ’s McArthur High. He throws in the 92-96 mph range with very good life from a quick arm action and mid three-quarters release point. Beavan’s breaking ball is a big-breaking, low-80s slider that isn’t the sharpest around, but it’s size, relative velocity and Beavan’s ability to throw it for strikes makes it a plus pitch—and probably his best pitch. Beavan’s changeup is even a pretty good pitch considering how infrequently he needs to use it. Beavan is an excellent athlete who repeats his delivery and his ultra-aggressive personality means that he’s going to attack hitters in the strike zone. That approach gives Beavan an extra edge; he’s right at the border of being aggressive and being cocky, and it’s served him well thus far. It particularly served him well in a hostile environment at last summer’s World Junior Championship, when he blanked host and previously-undefeated Cuba 4-0, striking out 11 in a key quarter-final game that sprung Team USA into the championship game. The Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay is a great comparison for Beavan in terms of build, stuff and approach, and Beavan’s draft status, the top half of the first round, reflects that.

[Guest]

not that i agree with the fact that Wieters and Vitters are of equal talent, but if they are he's right. It would be foolish to take the one that would cost twice as much. Even if you have that much money in your budget, you can turn arund draft a tough sign in the tenth round or so and give them money over slot, in the case of last year: Matt Latos, Jordan Walden, Chris Huseby, Dellin Betances and Alex White among others.

 

Bud Selig sure does throw a fit when that happens.

 

Yeah, but thankfully the Cubs don't seem to care what Bud says (judging by the bonues Andersen, Huseby, Rundle, Kreier and Samson received).

[UK1679666180]

While on the subject of Texas power pitchers, the signability of Jordan Walden plays a major role of what happens in the top 5 picks. I can't imagine him not signing though.

[Mephistopheles]

Meph, here's Beaven.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: In a lesser year for righthanded high school pitching prospects, Beavan would be getting more acclaim for his rare combination of talent and skills. His raw stuff is obvious and Beavan has been very consistent from outing to outing over a two-year period. He was 8-2, 0.21 this season entering the state playoffs with 124 strikeouts in 63 innings. His best outing of the year was an 18-strikeout no-hitter on March 3 vs. Irving ’s McArthur High. He throws in the 92-96 mph range with very good life from a quick arm action and mid three-quarters release point. Beavan’s breaking ball is a big-breaking, low-80s slider that isn’t the sharpest around, but it’s size, relative velocity and Beavan’s ability to throw it for strikes makes it a plus pitch—and probably his best pitch. Beavan’s changeup is even a pretty good pitch considering how infrequently he needs to use it. Beavan is an excellent athlete who repeats his delivery and his ultra-aggressive personality means that he’s going to attack hitters in the strike zone. That approach gives Beavan an extra edge; he’s right at the border of being aggressive and being cocky, and it’s served him well thus far. It particularly served him well in a hostile environment at last summer’s World Junior Championship, when he blanked host and previously-undefeated Cuba 4-0, striking out 11 in a key quarter-final game that sprung Team USA into the championship game. The Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay is a great comparison for Beavan in terms of build, stuff and approach, and Beavan’s draft status, the top half of the first round, reflects that.

 

 

i still think peavy is the best comp.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

The report in the other thread regarding Tampa and Wieters is very interesting. The latest I've heard from Royals scuttlebutt is that they are determined to bring in a bat. If Wieters is on the board, the Cubs can forget about him, KC will take him. The intriguing thing is that if Tampa goes that route, KC's attention will immediately turn to Vitters and Moustakas, and they like the lefty better.

 

So incredibly, at #3 the Cubs may actually have David Price on the board. I can't envision any scenario where Wilkins doesn't take him if that is indeed what transpires. How can you pass on Price? :shock:

[Guest]

That'd be wonderful, that's what I'm hoping against hope for.

[TruffleShuffle]

it's wilken... not wilkens, wilkins, etc.

[Mephistopheles]

does it really matter? (no)

[TruffleShuffle]

does it really matter? (no)

 

if people are going to say stuff like "we should just trust wilkins track record" they should at least know the guy's name.

[Drew Doughty]

does it really matter? (no)

 

if people are going to say stuff like "we should just trust wilkins track record" they should at least know the guy's name.

 

maybe they are saying "we should trust wilkin's track record" but are forgetting the '.

 

it doesn't really matter though.

[Mephistopheles]

does it really matter? (no)

 

if people are going to say stuff like "we should just trust wilkins track record" they should at least know the guy's name.

 

 

its a common misspelling, even if they don't know it. to bitch about it is to be a jackass.

[B]

I hope we draft Kerry Woods.

[Guest]

does it really matter? (no)

 

if people are going to say stuff like "we should just trust wilkins track record" they should at least know the guy's name.

 

 

its a common misspelling, even if they don't know it. to bitch about it is to be a jackass.

Meph,

 

Love the information and analytic style you bring...but please stop the insults.

[Mephistopheles]

fine. its still not a big deal.

[RammyFanny]

BTW, Price owned in his last start to redeem himself of a shaky start before. I'm not looking at the numbers now but I remember 8 IP, 1 ER, 15K's. Not sure on BB's but I think it was 1.

[Soriano12]

I hope Wilkins gets Price if he is still available.

[The Q]

Anyone hear anything about these two West Coast Guys?

 

Brandon McKerney- Apparently he's tearin it up at Washington and is expected to be drafted in the top 5-10 rounds.

 

Darin Holcomb, Gonzaga- He's draft eligible, but I don't know what his propsects are.

[Guest]

Devil Rays scouting director RJ Harris confirms that the three players the Rays are focusing on are David Price, Matt Wieters and Josh Vitters.

 

BA has scouting reports up for their top 100 prospects now: http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/rankings/?rank=draft

 

I got to say I liked reading Josh Heyward's scouting report (though I really, really hope he has some outstading contract demands so he can end up at UCLA for 3 years :)).

[TruffleShuffle]

how many guys do you think will get (or at least ask for) major league contracts? I'm guessing just Wieters and Price.

[Guest]

how many guys do you think will get (or at least ask for) major league contracts? I'm guessing just Wieters and Price.

 

Brackman and Scherzer too (Boras clients).

[TruffleShuffle]

how many guys do you think will get (or at least ask for) major league contracts? I'm guessing just Wieters and Price.

 

Brackman and Scherzer too (Boras clients).

 

Scherzer I can believe (if he doesn't sign with the D'backs) but I wouldn't give Brackman a big league contract. Just seems too raw to me.