Exactly a month until the draft. Who are we gonna take???

[NCCubFan]

Wait, why can't we exceed slot money?

Maybe because of the ownership issue?

[RichHillIsABeast]

Wait, why can't we exceed slot money?

Maybe because of the ownership issue?

 

That's what I was thinking. Since when did Hendry and Cubs management give a rip what Selig says about slot money? That's probably it - ownership issues.

[cuubs4life]

its looking more and more like vitters will be a Cub due to the signability issues of Wieters. I read that the Cubs like a High School pitcher- Parker?? I just cant see how they turn down Vitters if he is there at 3, or Wieters if they change their mind about the whole Slot Money thing.

[Soriano12]

If the Cubs pass on Matt Wieters it will cement them as officially the dumbest organization in all of baseball.

[cuubs4life]

I agree but there is a money issue. If money were not involved that pick would be wieters hands down.

[Soriano12]

I agree but there is a money issue. If money were not involved that pick would be wieters hands down.

 

Which is sad considering the wasted money we have tied up in Eyre, Jones, and bitch tit.s whose remaining salary we ate.

 

Wieters has MLB ready power and understands the concept of taking a walk. He should be ML ready by mid 08 and could replace Barrett. 4-5 years after that he could slide to first or third to ease the wear on this knees.

 

I hate this organization.

[cuubs4life]

I agree but there is a money issue. If money were not involved that pick would be wieters hands down.

 

Which is sad considering the wasted money we have tied up in Eyre, Jones, and bitch tit.s whose remaining salary we ate.

 

Wieters has MLB ready power and understands the concept of taking a walk. He should be ML ready by mid 08 and could replace Barrett. 4-5 years after that he could slide to first or third to ease the wear on this knees.

 

I hate this organization.

 

Could not have said it any better. Wieters is the second best player in this draft, if he is on the board we NEED to take him.

[UK1679666180]

Wieters is the second best player in this draft, if he is on the board we NEED to take him.

 

According to who?

 

It's all subjective, what one team sees another will see different and each team will then have seen him enough to form an educated opinion and yet be different despite all the years of scouting and innings watching them.

[Flames24Rulz]

If the Cubs pass on Matt Wieters it will cement them as officially the dumbest organization in all of baseball.

 

First of all, they already are the dumbest organization in all of baseball.

 

If Wieters is on the board and we don't take him, I'm going to be furious.

[TruffleShuffle]

If the Cubs pass on Matt Wieters it will cement them as officially the dumbest organization in all of baseball.

 

First of all, they already are the dumbest organization in all of baseball.

 

If Wieters is on the board and we don't take him, I'm going to be furious.

 

brace yourself...

[nilodnayr]

Gammons just said we're gonna take Vitters...

[Soriano12]

Gammons just said we're gonna take Vitters...

 

Hooray for Ryan Harvey part II

[nilodnayr]

I agree but there is a money issue. If money were not involved that pick would be wieters hands down.

 

Which is sad considering the wasted money we have tied up in Eyre, Jones, and bitch tit.s whose remaining salary we ate.

 

Wieters has MLB ready power and understands the concept of taking a walk. He should be ML ready by mid 08 and could replace Barrett. 4-5 years after that he could slide to first or third to ease the wear on this knees.

 

I hate this organization.

 

Could not have said it any better. Wieters is the second best player in this draft, if he is on the board we NEED to take him.

 

Wieters ready by mid 08! Really? I don't know as much as him as a lot of people here, but is that true? His bat might be ready, but defensively/play calling its gotta take a little time to adjust.

 

Regarding $, the cubs have never been penny pinchers in terms of high end draft talent. In fact, I can't think of any team that is as unfrugal as we are. We always take guys who fall from the first couple rounds because of bonus demands/signability and have no problem investing in who we think is the best on the board.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Gammons just said we're gonna take Vitters...

 

Welcome to the Cubs organization Jarrod Parker/Matt Wieters!

[nilodnayr]

Gammons just said we're gonna take Vitters...

 

Hooray for Ryan Harvey part II

 

We need to stop taking HS position players.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Regarding $, the cubs have never been penny pinchers in terms of high end draft talent. In fact, I can't think of any team that is as unfrugal as we are. We always take guys who fall from the first couple rounds because of bonus demands/signability and have no problem investing in who we think is the best on the board.

 

That was when we actually had an owner though.

[nilodnayr]

sure they are. good batting average hitters with not so special power for their positions. its a great comparison, production wise.

 

Now, but you're comparing a 6'1 25-26 year old MLB hitter to a 6'4 and 3/4ths (read that Vitters is up there now) 17 year old who is still growing into his body. I don't know for sure, but I can say pretty confidently Murton didn't show Vitters power potential at 17.

 

I'm sure he won his HS HR Derby.

[Hacking Out Machine]

I agree but there is a money issue. If money were not involved that pick would be wieters hands down.

 

Which is sad considering the wasted money we have tied up in Eyre, Jones, and bitch tit.s whose remaining salary we ate.

 

Wieters has MLB ready power and understands the concept of taking a walk. He should be ML ready by mid 08 and could replace Barrett. 4-5 years after that he could slide to first or third to ease the wear on this knees.

 

I hate this organization.

 

When you talk about wasted money, don't forget about Howry, Samardzija, and Chris Huseby, the kid they threw 1.3 MIL at last year coming off TJ surgery.

 

In Samardzija, they were willing to toss around stupid money to keep a kid who wasn't even the best pitcher on his own college team and hasn't fooled a soul since he turned pro(20 K's vs 72 hits allowed in the FSL in 51 IP???????). Looks good in a football uni, though. Now they'll pass on Wieters because he isn't worth the extra coin?

 

Too bad Wieters didn't catch 20 TD passes at Tech. Then he'd be worth it. Maybe they'll draft Calvin Johnson. He might not be able to hit, but man is he athletic!

[Guest]

Wow, the level of cynicism is incredible. I'm not even going to try and argue against it because I don't have the time or inclination to spit into the wind here.

 

Personally, I'm looking forward to this draft because I think we're going to get a heck of a player whether the pick is Wieters, Vitters or any of the other top 5 guys this year.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

As for Samardzija, if he's not going to work out (and the fork looks awfully big), it is good that he struggles mightily as he has been--it could convince him to give up on the game and the contract in favor of an NFL career. From what I gathered in a different thread, if Shark goes for football, the Cubs are off the hook, other than his signing bonus. I can live with a $3-4MM mistake a lot easier than a $16MM error!

 

As for the draft, isn't Wieters even MORE of a priority now, after the Barrett meltdown this week? It seems extremely unlikely he'll be a Cub in 2008, so I think this forces Wilkens' hand. And that makes me happy. The Cubs can tread water with some combination of Blanco, Hill and Soto for the rest of the year, and hope Wieters is ready to play ML ball in 2008.

 

It all comes down to the Royals--do they take Wieters, a more affordable HS bat like Moustakas, or a pitcher? All I can say is that in the Sunday KC Star, they made the argument that the Royals have "cheaped out" on other high 1st round picks in the past, choosing signability and affordability over the Best Available Talent. The consensus is they won't do that this time, and that bodes ill for Wieters falling to #3.

[Mephistopheles]

You don't pull the plug on Samardzija right now because he's getting lit up in the FSL. The Cubs expected that considering how raw he was. Everyone knew he was going to be a project.

[Soriano12]

I think there is so much negativity simply because of the track record of the Cubs and first round picks. Many of scouts have admitted that while Vitters is talented, they really dont' know where he could project power wise and might not even have 30HR potential.

 

Just because we have hired some messiah that was all world in Toronto doesn't mean his success will translate here. It is very possible that his draft decisions could have been influenced by those scouts he was working with in Toronto, and his picks here will be influenced by opinions of Cubs scouts.

 

Wieters is the safest pick, IMO and the most major league ready. There is nothing wrong with safe. Upside is a dangerous word. If I had a choice between getting a solid player in a draft or a AllStar in one draft and duds in 3 others, I'll take the solid player every day of the week.

[NCCubFan]

Just because we have hired some messiah that was all world in Toronto doesn't mean his success will translate here. It is very possible that his draft decisions could have been influenced by those scouts he was working with in Toronto, and his picks here will be influenced by opinions of Cubs scouts.

True, but his established record should give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. There's more reason to think Wilkins will be successful than to think he won't.

[Guest]

Wilken did good in Tampa too.

[jersey cubs fan]

You don't pull the plug on Samardzija right now because he's getting lit up in the FSL. The Cubs expected that considering how raw he was. Everyone knew he was going to be a project.

 

I don't think the Cubs thought he was going to be this much of a project. They apparantly were ready to fast track him, considering the contract they gave him and where he started the year. If they thought he was going to be how he has been, I'm sure they would have started him in low A.