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[CubColtPacer]

But Wilken hasn't taken part in the previous HS selections. He has a good reputation with reason.

 

I don't know how to research this information, but it would be very interesting to know about the HS kids Wilken drafted in (say) the 1st and 2nd rounds in earlier drafts, for context if nothing else.

 

I am not sure overall, but many of his first picks (some of these are when he was a cross-checker, the other ones have been as scouting director) that have really succeeded have been non-college players. Shawn Green, Shannon Stewart, Chris Carpenter, Roy Halladay, Craig Wilson, Vernon Wells, Felipe Lopez, and Alexis Rios were all drafted by Wilken in a 10 year period without going to college. He had some busts, but I think Wilken should probably be given the benefit of the doubt with regards in being able to pick out high school talent.

[YearofDaCubs]

Thanks to this thread, I had a dream last night that we drafted Vitters. :lol:

[Vinestal]

Thanks to this thread, I had a dream last night that we drafted Vitters. :lol:

 

Sounds like a nightmare.

[RammyFanny]

From Rise Magazine (before Vitters has what appears like succeeded expectations in his senior year)

 

http://www.risemag.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=InTheMag&articleID=7786&categoryKey=Next

 

Arod comparison...

 

These pics aren't showing the entire body in the motion, but their swings do look pretty similar:

 

http://www.schoolsports.com/images/FE/chain195siteType8/site161/client/Nov06_Next_Vitters.jpg

http://www.schoolsports.com/images/FE/chain195siteType8/site161/client/Nov06_Next_ARod.jpg

[RammyFanny]

Here's a recent write up from Sports Illustrated a couple of days ago:

 

A big hit

With power to all fields, Vitters a natural at the plate

 

 

While talking to a veteran scout who saw Darryl Strawberry and Gary Carter as young hitters, Cypress (Calif.) coach John Weber gained insight into how outsiders view his star third baseman, Josh Vitters.

 

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Vitters, who missed five games earlier this season due to pneumonia, is batting .409 with six home runs and 21 RBIs. As a junior he hit .352 with nine home runs and 32 RBIs as Cypress went 20-3.

 

"He gets the ball as well as anybody and has really soft hands," Weber says. "Probably 90 percent of his errors are when he has to move two or three steps to his left."

 

Last summer, Vitters starred against the nation's best. He was 3-for-4 (all doubles) in the 2006 Aflac All-American Game last August. One of those two-baggers came off a 93 mph fastball from Michael Main, one of the nation's premier pitchers. Another came off of Rick Porcello, the ace of the nation's No. 1-ranked team, Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.). Later that summer he was named top prospect at the Area Code Games

 

"I always wanted to hit the ball as hard as I could. I always had that power mentality," says Vitters, an Arizona State signee who hopes to be selected in June's amateur draft. "I'd definitely say I was more of a natural hitter. It came easy to me and I didn't take lessons. I just followed my brother, Christian [a shortstop now in the Oakland A's system]."

 

Though he's had many great games, Vitters says that a 1-for-2 performance is the one he will remember the most because it came during his sophomore year when the Centurions defeated Yucaipa, 7-1, to win the Southern Section Division II championship at Angel Stadium.

 

Weber believes that there was an even more memorable moment earlier this spring when Vitters faced a noted flamethrower in Long Beach (Calif.) Wilson junior Aaron Hicks in the Loara Tournament. "It was a great duel -- two phenoms," Weber says of the seven-pitch at bat that ended with Vitters lining a one-hop drive off Hicks's leg that knocked the pitcher out of the game. "He was blowing gas and Josh was just standing there. That at-bat encompasses who Josh Vitters is and solidifies how good of a hitter he is."

 

"It was probably a defining moment for scouts," Vitters says, "but for me it was just another at-bat."

 

And from BA:

 

Josh Vitters, 3b, Cypress (Calif.) HS

Some scouts are calling the Cypress, Calif. third baseman the safest pick in the draft

[Vinestal]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

I remember hearing basicly the same things about Harvey when he was drafted.

[RammyFanny]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

I remember hearing basicly the same things about Harvey when he was drafted.

Look, i'm not saying Vitters will or won't be a bust, but that's a pretty weak argument for or against it. Just like you can say you've heard the same things about Harvey, I can say i've heard the same things about ARod and Delmon Young.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

I remember hearing basicly the same things about Harvey when he was drafted.

 

I don't think any scout said this about Harvey:

 

And from BA:

 

Josh Vitters, 3b, Cypress (Calif.) HS

Some scouts are calling the Cypress, Calif. third baseman the safest pick in the draft

[Lockes Eye Scar]

a HS player the safest pick? hmm

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think I'd be happy with either Price, Vitters, or Weiters. No to Brackman or Burgess.

[YearofDaCubs]

I think I'd be happy with either Price, Vitters, or Weiters. No to Brackman or Burgess.

I'm with you. Don't know much about these guys , save for what I've read but the 3 you mentioned make the most sense. We're in a good position.

[RichHillIsABeast]

I think I'd be happy with either Price, Vitters, or Weiters. No to Brackman or Burgess.

I'm with you. Don't know much about these guys , save for what I've read but the 3 you mentioned make the most sense. We're in a good position.

 

A 96 loss season will do that for you. :cry:

 

But anyway, I'm thinking about hopping on the Vitters bandwagon.

[Balsa]

Ve Vant Vitters?

[craig]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

I remember hearing basicly the same things about Harvey when he was drafted.

 

I never heard anything remotely like that regarding Harvey. I heard people say they'd never seen anybody hit the ball as hard or far as Harvey, in terms of power. But every report I recall noted that he was not close to being a polished hitter, and would need to make a lot of adjustments to his stroke. Cubs hoped he'd figure that out; oops.

 

The "hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments", nobody said that about Harvey.

[UK1679666180]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

I remember hearing basicly the same things about Harvey when he was drafted.

 

I never heard anything remotely like that regarding Harvey. I heard people say they'd never seen anybody hit the ball as hard or far as Harvey, in terms of power. But every report I recall noted that he was not close to being a polished hitter, and would need to make a lot of adjustments to his stroke. Cubs hoped he'd figure that out; oops.

 

The "hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments", nobody said that about Harvey.

 

It was all about raw power, strong arm, coming off a knee injury, and being an overall very good athlete.

[Mephistopheles]

Ryan Harvey, of

Harvey has made an amazing comeback after blowing out his right knee in an outfield collision at the Diamond Club Classic showcase in Florida last November. After missing Dunedin High's first 17 games, he has become one of three candidates to go No. 1 overall to the Devil Rays. Harvey draws comparisons to two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy because of his huge athletic frame (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) and top-of-the-line power potential. More than just a slugger, Harvey runs well and is a potential Gold Glove right fielder. He's a more pure hitter than former Dunedin teammate Steve Doetsch, now a top juco prospect at Indian River CC. Harvey also threw 90-93 mph on the mound in the past but gave up pitching this year while overcoming his injury. Some scouts believe he has the best overall package of tools in the nation, and he shouldn't get past the Royals and Cubs, who choose fifth and sixth.

 

BA

[craig]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

He's a more pure hitter than former Dunedin teammate Steve Doetsch, now a top juco prospect at Indian River CC.

 

Doetsch, who turns 24 this calendar year, has hit .260 with .665 OPS over the previous two years in A-ball.

 

Would one scout comparing Vitters favorably to every hitter he's ever seen, be equivalent to another scout comparing Harvey favorably to Deutsch?

[Mephistopheles]

come on, that comment about him was made four years ago.

[Vinestal]

"I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," one scout told Weber.

 

Noting his hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments, Weber says, "He's the rare combination of being able to hit with mammoth power and also drive the ball in the gaps. I firmly believe that he can be a [major league] all-star every year and a major run producer."

 

I remember hearing basicly the same things about Harvey when he was drafted.

 

I never heard anything remotely like that regarding Harvey. I heard people say they'd never seen anybody hit the ball as hard or far as Harvey, in terms of power. But every report I recall noted that he was not close to being a polished hitter, and would need to make a lot of adjustments to his stroke. Cubs hoped he'd figure that out; oops.

 

The "hand-eye coordination and uncanny ability to make adjustments", nobody said that about Harvey.

 

Yeah they did. Its really easy for everyone to say that things like that were never said, years later. I remember everyone raving about his great hand-eye cordination and what a great swing he had. They talked about all the different special drills he would run with different colored balls and how astonished they were with his pitch recognition. Every one oooo'd and ahhh'd about Harvey around the time of the draft just like Vitters and 3 years from now when I bring up that people said "I've never seen a hitter hit like this guy," they'll say that no one ever said that as well.

[Vinestal]

come on, that comment about him was made four years ago.

 

No one's talking about recent comments, everyone knows he sucks now. We're talking about comments made around the time of the draft.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

come on, that comment about him was made four years ago.

 

No one's talking about recent comments, everyone knows he sucks now. We're talking about comments made around the time of the draft.

 

He's talking about the comparison to Deutsch.

[craig]

Vinestal, I honestly don't remember the colored ball stuff. My info was probably largely BA based, and Meph's little BA report probably capsulizes it well. My recall of the reports were that he was allegedly a great athlete ("he can pitch as well as hit!"), the monster power potential, the notion that at least for a while Tampa had considered him for #1, the great throwing arm, the injury, the formerly good speed, the defensive potential. I guess my recall was that "pure hitter" or "pure contact hitter" or "safe pick" were not among the first things usually said. Meph copied the BA note.

 

The best thing they could say about his pure hitting is that a scout preferred him to a HS teammate who was a nice Juco prospect. And who we subsequently know hasn't been a very pure hitter either. There are hundreds of prospects for this draft where a scout can say he's the purest hitter on his HS or college team. Every team has to have one of those. I think that's a lesser claim than for a scout to say that he's the best hitter he's ever seen. Especially a Cal scout, in an area where good prospects are common.

 

That said, every scout has his own opinion. And a kid's team coach is obviously going to pass along the most favorable ones to a hype-em-up article about the kid. Maybe this is a 1st year scout. Maybe the HS coach is hyperbolizing what the scout actually said. Maybe this is one of those dumb scouts who can't recognize a real hitter if he saw one. Maybe if you asked 50 other scouts, none would share that view. And, certainly regardless of what the scouts say now, the guy could still be a bad-pitch-recognition hacker 3 years from now.

 

I'm just saying that IMO, the Harvey stuff was more about the unmatched power and outfield/arm potential, not about the ability to put the bat on moving pitches. The vitters stuff seems to be relatively more focused on his pure hitting ability. Given that it's a much stronger draft pool and it's 3 picks higher, I'd think the odds of Vitters going Harvey are a lot lower than with the original Harvey. But certainly there is that chance. I just don't think that it's as high.

 

Immediately after taking Harvey, the Cubs said that he'd need a lot of time and would be a slow-tracker. I think that was as obvious a statement that he wasn't a refined pure hitter or a good contact hitter as could be possible. His HS batting average wasn't very high. Low .300's, I think, his abbreviated senior season. Red Flags. Of course, that same applies to Vitters. The stats I saw had him only in the low .400's. Not sure that's all that exceptional or once-in-a-lifetime. I also clearly recall a scouting report on Harvey that spring in which a scout spoke favorably about his long-term potential, but also said that he looked pretty sick in a recent game, and alluded to long swing and breaking-ball vulnerability and fishing for junk problems that have never resolved themselves. So i guess to me there were a lot of strong red lights on harvey from the start. That it didn't work out, was disappointing but not exactly astonishing.

 

Patterson, different story. There, the uniformity of scouting enthusiasm and confidence was on a way different level from harvey.