BA's Draft Report Cards

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Q: Navin from Los Angeles asks:

The Cubs seemed to take a few gambles to make up for their lack of draft picks. How do you see the gambles working out (Samardzija in the football vs. baseball decision, Huseby recovering to first round form after TJS)?

 

A: Jim Callis: That's exactly what the Cubs did. Samardzija has a tremendous arm and the Cubs think they can teach him to pitch if he comes to baseball full-time. If he doesn't, they're only out $250,000.

 

they're also out their first round pick, since they forfeited their legitimate one so they could get this guy without spending any extra money.

 

Samardzija was a 5th rounder.

[CubinNY]

And BA rated the 5 best drafts as of now as:

 

BEST DRAFT

1. Red Sox

2. Yankees

3. Diamondbacks

4. Orioles

5. Twins

 

OK. I found it in Raisin's post.

 

Now my question, How come the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins have such good drafts and have good records. Maybe the question is dumb, but what are the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins know that the Cubs don't?

[UK1679666180]

And BA rated the 5 best drafts as of now as:

 

BEST DRAFT

1. Red Sox

2. Yankees

3. Diamondbacks

4. Orioles

5. Twins

 

OK. I found it in Raisin's post.

 

Now my question, How come the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins have such good drafts and have good records. Maybe the question is dumb, but what are the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins know that the Cubs don't?

 

The ability to grade the draft short-term does very little in the long-term, the Cubs rec'd high grades in '01 and '02 and the benefits as far as W-L has not been evident. Of course, I believe the Tigers had strong drafts around that time as well. Boston and NY are not known for their strong drafts, this is more of a fluke for them especially with both of them always losing draft picks to FA.

[Guest]

Q: Navin from Los Angeles asks:

The Cubs seemed to take a few gambles to make up for their lack of draft picks. How do you see the gambles working out (Samardzija in the football vs. baseball decision, Huseby recovering to first round form after TJS)?

 

A: Jim Callis: That's exactly what the Cubs did. Samardzija has a tremendous arm and the Cubs think they can teach him to pitch if he comes to baseball full-time. If he doesn't, they're only out $250,000.

 

they're also out their first round pick, since they forfeited their legitimate one so they could get this guy without spending any extra money.

I think he really liked Colvin best on the board at the time.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

And BA rated the 5 best drafts as of now as:

 

BEST DRAFT

1. Red Sox

2. Yankees

3. Diamondbacks

4. Orioles

5. Twins

 

OK. I found it in Raisin's post.

 

Now my question, How come the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins have such good drafts and have good records. Maybe the question is dumb, but what are the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins know that the Cubs don't?

 

As UK touched on, the grading of a draft 4 months later is going to be mostly based on how those same players were graded 4 months ago. In the case of the Red Sox and Yankees, highly rated players with signability concerns fell to them in later rounds and were signed above slot money (Red Sox: Daniel Bard, Lars Anderson, Ty Weeden and Ryan Kalish; Yankees: Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Dellin Betances, Mark Melancon and Colin Curtis).

 

The Cubs do this too (see: Samardzija, Huseby, Rundle) but not to the extent of the Red Sox and Yankees.

 

The real judge of the draft will be a few years down the road.

[NorthsideAvenger]

And BA rated the 5 best drafts as of now as:

 

BEST DRAFT

1. Red Sox

2. Yankees

3. Diamondbacks

4. Orioles

5. Twins

 

OK. I found it in Raisin's post.

 

Now my question, How come the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins have such good drafts and have good records. Maybe the question is dumb, but what are the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins know that the Cubs don't?

 

As UK touched on, the grading of a draft 4 months later is going to be mostly based on how those same players were graded 4 months ago. In the case of the Red Sox and Yankees, highly rated players with signability concerns fell to them in later rounds and were signed above slot money (Red Sox: Daniel Bard, Lars Anderson, Ty Weeden and Ryan Kalish; Yankees: Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Dellin Betances, Mark Melancon and Colin Curtis).

 

The Cubs do this too (see: Samardzija, Huseby, Rundle) but not to the extent of the Red Sox and Yankees.

 

The real judge of the draft will be a few years down the road.

 

Ultimately, I think the Cubs did more in this draft, then what some pundits believe they did. The teams that "graded well" in this draft, their prospects have the same chances of making it to the pros as the Cubs prospects. Ultimately Colvin/Shark/Rundle/Anderson will rivalred any teams Top prospects of the draft of 2006.

[the splendid splinter]

Has anyone mentioned or has any talked about getting Wilken to talk about this draft with Northsideball?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Q: Navin from Los Angeles asks:

The Cubs seemed to take a few gambles to make up for their lack of draft picks. How do you see the gambles working out (Samardzija in the football vs. baseball decision, Huseby recovering to first round form after TJS)?

 

A: Jim Callis: That's exactly what the Cubs did. Samardzija has a tremendous arm and the Cubs think they can teach him to pitch if he comes to baseball full-time. If he doesn't, they're only out $250,000.

 

they're also out their first round pick, since they forfeited their legitimate one so they could get this guy without spending any extra money.

I think he really liked Colvin best on the board at the time.

 

I agree, and it looks like most in baseball like the pick too.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Has anyone mentioned or has any talked about getting Wilken to talk about this draft with Northsideball?

 

No, I don't know that any of us know how to go about doing that.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/features/262755.html

 

It's zero coincidence that the two teams we rated as having the best 2006 drafts (BA, Nov. 6-19) are the two richest: the Red Sox and Yankees. While the average club spent close to $5 million on its draft, Boston shelled out $8.5 million.