2008 Cubs Picks Thread

[TruffleShuffle]

well whatever, if he's looking for more than he should get, then don't pay him.

[Guest]

Navin (Los Angeles): What are the chances the Cubs can sign 10th rounder Alex Wilson?

 

Kevin Goldstein: The good news is that the two sides are definitely negotiating.

 

http://baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=504

[Guest]

BA says Wilson is leaning to returning:

 

10 311 Cubs Alex Wilson, rhp Expected to return to Texas A&M

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/news/2008/266692.html

 

Rivals:

 

RHP Alex Wilson (Texas A&M)

Drafted by: Chicago Cubs

Our take: I had the opportunity to speak with Wilson two days ago, and it looks like the right-hander will be returning to college this fall. Wilson's stock would soar with a good 2009 campaign.

 

http://collegebaseball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=837491

[Guest]

Cubs players who haven't signed:

 

Round 10, Pick 311: RHP Alex Wilson, Texas A&M - seeking over slot 7-figure bonus

Round 27, Pick 821: RHP Sonny Gray, Smyrna HS (Smyrna, TN) - started school at Vanderbilt

Round 29, Pick 881: 3B Sean Buckley, King HS (Tampa, FL)

Round 30, Pick 911: RHP Matt White, Paris JC (TX)

Round 31, Pick 941: 3B Kyle Wilson, Hill JC (IL)

Round 35, Pick 1061: RHP Ross Vagedes, Wright State - supposedly has retired

Round 38, Pick 1151: OF Sean McNaughton, Brigham Young

Round 39, Pick 1181: RHP Jordan Brown, Louisiana State

Round 40, Pick 1211: 2B/SS Jared McDonald, Pima CC (AZ)

Round 41, Pick 1241: SS Jordan Petraitis, Miami (OH)

Round 42, Pick 1271: RHP Derek Riley, Chandler-Gilbert CC (AZ)

Round 43, Pick 1301: RHP Jesse Ginley, Dunnellon HS (Dunnellon, FL) - likely heading to JC

Round 44, Pick 1331: C/3B David Doss, South Alabama

Round 45, Pick 1359: LHP Ashton Florko, U. British Columbia - likely going back to school

Round 46, Pick 1386: RHP/SS Anthony Zych, St. Rita HS (Chicago, IL) - seeking overslot bonus, likely going to Louisville

Round 47, Pick 1413: OF Chad Cregar, Western Kentucky

Round 48, Pick 1440: RHP Dylan Mosely, Louisiana Tech

Round 49, Pick 1467: RHP Hunter Scantling, Episcopal HS (Jacksonville, FL) - seeking overslot 6 or 7-figure bonus, likely going to FSU

Round 50, Pick 1494: RHP Peter Levitt, Pitt CC (NC)CaliforniaRaisin

[Rob]

I'm doubting we get anything done with Wilson.

[Guest]

BWAHAHA:

 

Baseball Prospectus[/url]"]Signing Deadline Analysis on XM Radio 175 - 1:05am ET

 

By Kevin Goldstein

 

Not going out tonight because you care more about today’s draft signing deadline than meeting that special someone? Looking for some instant analysis after it’s over? Have an XM radio? Staying up late? Then you’re our kind of person. The signing deadline is at 11:59pm ET, and at 1:05 am ET, I’ll be joining Holden Kushner on MLB Home Plate (XM 175) to talk about what went down. Come join us if you can.

[Guest]

RaiderPower.com[/url]"]Yeah, I’m coming back to Texas A&M,” Wilson confirmed. “The Cubs submitted an offer about two weeks ago and I turned it down pretty quickly. With a good season I think I can be a high profile prospect next year, and their offer wasn’t very close. I never heard from them after that.”

 

“I’m feeling great. In fact, I think I’m as good as ever. I’ve always been a fastball-slider pitcher, and I had a curveball and changeup but those weren’t my best pitches,” Wilson said. “With the injury, the first pitches I could throw were the curveball and changeup, so I’ve put in a lot more focus on those two and I feel I’m very effective with all four pitches.”

 

“I had my best outing of the summer in my last appearance. I was hitting 97-98 mph so my velocity is all the way back,” Wilson said. “I struck out seven hitters in four innings. I like to come right at hitters and first see if they can catch up to my fastball. I’m not afraid to pitch inside and go right after them. That sets-up hitters for my slider which is my out-pitch.”

 

Meh.

[YearofDaCubs]

Was he really throwing 97-98?

[RammyFanny]

Wasn't his ERA like 5 or something? Even if he had good velocity it's not like he could have blown us away or anything, but I definitely would have liked to snag him.

[Mephistopheles]

since when do we look at ERA when a pitcher is coming off of TJ? It takes a year to eighteen months in order to fully regain your command. Your velocity can come back much quicker, but your command of your fastball and the command/consistency of your offspeed pitches takes much, much longer. CCL hitters don't suck. They can hit a 95 mph fastball down the middle.

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-dish/2008/267079.html

 

BEST DRAFT

1. Rangers

2. Royals

3. Giants

4. Twins

5. Red Sox

 

BEST FASTBALL

1. Ryan Perry, rhp, Tigers (1)

2. Brad Holt, rhp, Mets (1s)

3. Andrew Cashner, rhp, Cubs (1)

4. Craig Kimbrel, rhp, Braves (3)

5. Josh Lindblom, rhp, Dodgers (2)

 

BEST PRO DEBUT

College Players

1. Brett Wallace, 3b, Cardinals (1)

2. Roberto Lopez, 1b/of, Angels (25)

3. Dan Robertson, of, Padres (33)

4. Jay Jackson, rhp, Cubs (9)

5. Pat Venditte, rhp/lhp, Yankees (20)

 

MOST INTRIGUING BACKGROUND

Baseball Relative Division

1. Kenny Williams Jr., of, White Sox (6)

2. Tim Beckham, ss, Rays (1)

and Jeremy Beckham, 2b/3b, Rays (17)

3. Ryan Mantle, of, Giants (19)

4. Cutter Dykstra, of, Brewers (2)

5. Joe Coleman, rhp, Cubs (15)

 

THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY

College Players

1. Aaron Crow, rhp, Nationals (1)

2. Tanner Scheppers, rhp, Pirates (2)

3. Chris Dominguez, 3b, Rockies (5)

4. Alex Wilson, rhp, Cubs (10)

5. Scott Bittle, rhp, Yankees (2)

 

High School Players

1. Gerrit Cole, rhp, Yankees (1)

2. Alex Meyer, rhp, Red Sox (20)

3. Sonny Gray, rhp, Cubs (27)

4. Zach Cox, 3b, Dodgers (20)

5. Brett Mooneyham, lhp, Padres (15)

[soonercub]

I saw that BA has a write up about the NL central 2008 drafts. If anyone can summarize the Cub information it would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest]

Cubs Draft Report Card

 

Analyzing Chicago's 2008 draft class

 

POSITION PLAYERS

 

BEST PURE HITTER: SS Ryan Flaherty (1s) or C Matt Cerda (4). >> BEST POWER HITTER: 1B Rebel Ridling (25) (Flaherty may have more usable power in the long run). >> FASTEST RUNNER: OF Tony Campana (13). >> BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: C Luis Flores (7). Campana is a runner up.

 

PITCHERS

 

BEST FASTBALL: Andrew Cashner (1) topped out at 99 mph as a pro and was unhittable in the FSL playoffs. Gets good run on his FB. RHP Chris Carpenter (3) pitches at 92-95 mph and can touch 97. >> BEST SECONDARY PITCH: Cashner's mid-80s slider has so much break that it looks like a power curveball at times.

 

ODDS AND ENDS

 

BEST PRO DEBUT: RHP Jay Jackson (9). He throws a low-90s fastball, a hard slider, an average curveball and feel for a changeup. >> BEST ATHLETE: 2B Logan Watkins (21). >> MOST INTRIGUING BACKGROUND: C Michael Brenly (36) is the son of Cubs broadcaster Bob, a former big league all-star and manager. RHP Joe Coleman (15), 2B Josh Harrison (6), 1B Ryan Keedy (16) and unsigned RHP Dylan Moseley (48, back at Louisiana Tech) all have relatives who played in the majors. >> CLOSEST TO THE MAJORS: Cashner would be the obvious candidate if the Cubs weren't going to develop him as a starter. Don't be surprised if it's RHP David Cales (24), who has a plus slider and moxie. >> BEST LATE-ROUND PICK: Watkins, who signed for $500,000. >> THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY: RHPs Alex Wilson (10) and Sonny Gray (27).

 

QUICK TAKE

The Cubs believe Andrew Cashner will develop as a starter. In RHP Aaron Shafer (2) and Carpenter, they added two more arms who projected as first-rounders before having elbow problems. Flaherty and Cerda have the potential for premium bats at premium positions.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/acashner08100140bm.jpg

 

Since it's premium content, I took out some of the stuff.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-dish/2008/267105.html

[Guest]

I saw that BA has a write up about the NL central 2008 drafts. If anyone can summarize the Cub information it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Didn't see your post, there you are.

 

I really hope BA is right that the Cubs believe Cashner can develop as a starter. :)

[soonercub]

Thanks, good stuff.

[shnsajax]

I saw that BA has a write up about the NL central 2008 drafts. If anyone can summarize the Cub information it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Didn't see your post, there you are.

 

I really hope BA is right that the Cubs believe Cashner can develop as a starter. :)

 

What does his ETA look like as a starter?

[Guest]

Justin (Nashville, TN): Do you think grooming Andrew Cashner to be a starter is a good idea?

 

Jim Callis: (2:16 PM ET ) Personally, no. Most clubs use relief prospects as starters for a while to get them regular innings and to make them work on secondary pitches. But Cashner's stuff played up huge this year when he moved to the bullpen, and I'm not sold that he has the command or third pitch to be a starter. I bet the Cubs move him back to the bullpen in a couple of years.

 

I saw that BA has a write up about the NL central 2008 drafts. If anyone can summarize the Cub information it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Didn't see your post, there you are.

 

I really hope BA is right that the Cubs believe Cashner can develop as a starter. :)

 

What does his ETA look like as a starter?

 

He's probably in Daytona to start 2009 as a starter or a reliever. A good season as a reliever probably gets him to Chicago by Sept. 2009. If all goes well, as a starter, the earliest I can see is 2010 with him sticking for good in 2011.

[soonercub]

I bet they start him in the rotation at Daytona next year and try to build up his innings to the 140-160 range. That way he can work on his control and secondary stuff. If he is throwing well and they need bullpen help late in the year he could get a call. More realistically you could see him in 2010 battling for a bullpen job. If he improves his control he has Joba type stuff.

[Guest]

Q: Mike from Chicago asks:

Do you think the Cubs have anybody that could blossom into a super prospect or are the players in the draft cards just decent prospects?

 

A: Jim Callis: The Cubs draft was fine but not necessarily laden with superstars. I see first-rounder Andrew Cashner more as a reliever than a starter in the long run. I do like SS Ryan Flaherty (sandwich round), but he's more of a solid regular than a star and probably not a SS. The sleeper is RHP Jay Jackson (ninth round), who could move fast and has the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter. He's a steal.

 

Q: Navin from Pasadena, CA asks:

Can Matt Cerda stick at catcher?

 

A: Jim Callis: The Cubs are pleased with his progress so far. He has plus arm strength and the hands to be a good receiver.

 

Q: Brett from Mount Prospect, IL asks:

No love for Matt Cerda for Most Intriguing Backround? ESPN.com had a nice piece about his matchup with 14 year old Danny Almonte at the LLWS.

 

A: John Manuel: The Cerda piece was great, plus he also prompted a $500k fine from MLB when the Cubs mishandled the paperwork and had him play before he'd officially signed, plus he's moving from 2B to C. He's very interesting.