2009 Draft Discussion Thread

[Guest]

31. Chicago Cubs

 

Brett Jackson, OF, University of California: No real change here. Interest in several guys who are almost sure to be gone by this pick.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft2009/insider/news/story?id=4224965

 

I don't have Premium but wow to Tanner Scheppers falling to round 2. The Cubs better pick him if he's there.

[Guest]

I really hope the Cubs can get Robert Stock as a pitcher in the 3rd round or whatever.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-preview/2009/268153.html

[RammyFanny]

31. Chicago Cubs

 

Brett Jackson, OF, University of California: No real change here. Interest in several guys who are almost sure to be gone by this pick.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft2009/insider/news/story?id=4224965

 

I don't have Premium but wow to Tanner Scheppers falling to round 2. The Cubs better pick him if he's there.

Right-hander Tanner Scheppers doesn't have a home right now in the first round, although he's probably going to get first-round money from someone even if he slips out of the top 32. The same is probably true for Texas high school lefty Matt Purke, who is reportedly looking for anywhere from $2.5 million to $5 million.

[Guest]

On another note, is Davis High's Cody Keefer on any of those lists?

 

Are any UCD guys anywhere - Ty Kelly would probably be the only one who might be on there.

 

In BA's top 200 California prospects, LHP Andy Suiter came in at 74 and 2B/3B Ty Kelly came in at 94.

 

Elsewhere in the Big West, UC Davis crashed to earth with a 13-42 record one season after making it to regionals. The Aggies' top prospect this year, lefthander Andy Suiter, went 0-2, 8.89 with 41 walks in just 26 innings. He does have big-time arm strength. He opened the season as a weekend starter and failed miserably, then rallied in a relief role, running his fastball up to 95 mph to go with a power curve that reaches the low 80s. Repeating his delivery remains an issue, but when he's down in the strike zone Suiter can overmatch even good hitters, striking out Brett Jackson and Blake Smith in a matchup at California late in the season.

 

Davis' top hitter this season is versatile switch-hitter Ty Kelly, who won the Big West batting title a year ago (.397) but dropped to .307 this spring, albeit with 20 doubles. Kelly is versatile, having played center field in the Cape Cod League last summer and third and second base in college. He's a better fit at second with gap power, average speed and an average to above-average arm.

[NCCubFan]

 

So, in other words, my realistic hope is that the Cubs target college pitching. Someone like Baylor LHP/OF Aaron Miller or Texas A&M RHP Alex Wilson would make a lot of sense, given the Cubs' tendencies.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we need Alex Wilson's permission to draft him again?

 

Correct. However, the Cubs have re-drafted a number of players, including Andrew Cashner last year. It's part of their M.O., especially in recent drafts. You see it happen every now and again.

Sam Fuld is another recent example, as is Michael Brenly.

[Guest]

 

So, in other words, my realistic hope is that the Cubs target college pitching. Someone like Baylor LHP/OF Aaron Miller or Texas A&M RHP Alex Wilson would make a lot of sense, given the Cubs' tendencies.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we need Alex Wilson's permission to draft him again?

 

Correct. However, the Cubs have re-drafted a number of players, including Andrew Cashner last year. It's part of their M.O., especially in recent drafts. You see it happen every now and again.

Sam Fuld is another recent example, as is Michael Brenly.

 

Marquez Smith.

[Guest]

On another note, is Davis High's Cody Keefer on any of those lists?

 

Are any UCD guys anywhere - Ty Kelly would probably be the only one who might be on there.

 

In BA's top 200 California prospects, LHP Andy Suiter came in at 74 and 2B/3B Ty Kelly came in at 94.

 

Elsewhere in the Big West, UC Davis crashed to earth with a 13-42 record one season after making it to regionals. The Aggies' top prospect this year, lefthander Andy Suiter, went 0-2, 8.89 with 41 walks in just 26 innings. He does have big-time arm strength. He opened the season as a weekend starter and failed miserably, then rallied in a relief role, running his fastball up to 95 mph to go with a power curve that reaches the low 80s. Repeating his delivery remains an issue, but when he's down in the strike zone Suiter can overmatch even good hitters, striking out Brett Jackson and Blake Smith in a matchup at California late in the season.

 

Davis' top hitter this season is versatile switch-hitter Ty Kelly, who won the Big West batting title a year ago (.397) but dropped to .307 this spring, albeit with 20 doubles. Kelly is versatile, having played center field in the Cape Cod League last summer and third and second base in college. He's a better fit at second with gap power, average speed and an average to above-average arm.

 

That sounds about right in terms of analyzing the two players.

 

Suiter just has horrendous control (41 walks in 26 1/3 IP this year) and led the team in walks this year. He led the team in walks last year despite pitching at most half the innings of some of the starters (he walked 30 players in 41 innings while two of the starters combined for 14 and 24 walks in 100 and 102 IP). The only reason he's that high on the list is because he's a lefty.

 

Kelly I've heard doesn't really have a position. Some think he's a 3B, some a 2B, some a 1B and some an OF. The UCD head coach was trying him all over the place this year (after it was clear the season was going nowhere) to showcase him a bit for the scouts.

 

I think both will end up coming back because they won't get drafted nearly as high as they would need to or get the money to leave.

 

Thanks for the info.

[illiniguy]

So is Stock as a hitter a done thing? Is pitching the only way he gets drafted?

[Outshined_One]

So is Stock as a hitter a done thing? Is pitching the only way he gets drafted?

 

Reportedly, he really wants to be drafted as a catcher, but he's been much, much stronger as a pitcher. He might want to return to USC in an attempt to boost his stock for next year's draft.

 

Andy Seiler posted a draft preview for the Cubs. I have some issues with what he said, but it's a good read.

[Guest]

So is Stock as a hitter a done thing? Is pitching the only way he gets drafted?

 

He's been horrible as a hitter for three straight years but the BA story I linked says he'd still prefer to catch. As a pitcher, he's had great success the second half of this season, has 3 potential plus pitches, he's got a good feel on the mound, his arm doesn't have the wear and tear of other college pitchers, and he's younger than the usual college junior since he skipped his HS senior year to go straight to USC. Lot of good things there.

 

"He's going to have a long career as a pitcher," House said. "But he hasn't quite given up catching and hitting yet. I don't think he's totally made up his mind what he wants to be—but he's a pitcher. He's going to make a lot of money.

 

"He's one of those guys that has a special talent between the lines as a pitcher. He just gets it. He's a three-pitch pitcher who throws a changeup or curveball at any count. And he throws 94 miles an hour . . . From my standpoint, he's a treat to work with."

 

Of course, given his younger age and his desire to still hit (and that he could easily be a top 10 pick if he returns to school), he might be a very tough sign.

[Guest]

Andy Seiler posted a draft preview for the Cubs. I have some issues with what he said, but it's a good read.

 

Yeah, I don't get the whole Boras thing he mentioned.

[Outshined_One]

Andy Seiler posted a draft preview for the Cubs. I have some issues with what he said, but it's a good read.

 

Yeah, I don't get the whole Boras thing he mentioned.

 

I took him up on it in the comments. We'll see what he says.

 

He may have confused his Chicago teams. The White Sox have a very negative relationship with Boras.

[Guest]

On Alex Wilson:

 

The Cubs took a flier on him in the 10th round last June and followed him when he returned to the Cape in the summer. Chicago reportedly offered him $600,000 to sign but he was looking for $1.5 million.

[Guest]

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/6/2/896798/draft-board#comments

 

Sickels top 50.

[Outshined_One]

I'd always heard about this, but I didn't find confirmation until I dug around for information until today. Link

 

Scott Boras, Scott Boras Corp, is a former second baseman and center fielder who played in the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals organizations. After four years in the minor leagues, during which he never made it above Class AA, he retired due to three knee surgeries. The Cubs paid for him to attend law school at the University of the Pacific.

[Guest]

SteveFitz (Cicero, IL): Cubs....31st.....Who have you heard? Tim Wheeler's name has been mentioned locally a few times. Thoughts?

 

Jim Callis : Wheeler is at worst the third-best college position player on the board in my book, though you could debate it and maybe argue him down to fifth- or sixth-best. In a light year for college bats, I don't think he gets to No. 31.

 

Harold, Phoenix: Your Mock V. 3 comes out ______? (Loved your first two.)

 

Jim Callis : Friday. Time of day on Friday depends on how well my calls go. On Monday, John Manuel and I will have a pseudo-mock first round where we alternate picks and say who the teams should draft. On Tuesday morning, you'll get Mock v4.0. And with the draft at 6 p.m., I'll probably blog updates throughout the day.

 

Lane Meyer (Nomaas, NY): Hey Jim, thanks for the chat. Where do you draw the tier lines in this class of LHPs? Matzek, Purke, Paxton, Brothers, James, Minor, Skaggs, and Oliver - not their order, but the groupings that you'd put them in (tier 1, tier 2, etc). Thanks!

 

Jim Callis : (2:35 PM ET ) Lane, I have enjoyed your interviews immensely this spring. (You can check them out at nomaas.org) I'd put Matzek and Purke in Tier 1 in that order, Brothers and James in Tier 2 in that order and the other guys in Tier 3.

 

Jim Callis : (2:36 PM ET ) That said, Mike Minor could get drafted ahead of all of them.

 

Rich ( Denver ): Jim, give me a couple of players who you think might fall out of the 1st round.

 

Jim Callis : Donavan Tate is the only upper first-round talent who I think has a chance to fall out. Tanner Scheppers could if a) teams are reluctant to clear him medicallly and b) if he wants a ton of money, but I don't think that's true.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Can anyone tell me where UL-Monroe SS Ben Songier is projected to be drafted?

[Guest]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090604&content_id=5139340&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

31. Chicago Cubs: Tim Wheeler, OF, Sacramento State

Trying to figure out Tim Wilken's drafts might be an exercise in futility because there's no telling which way he might go. They have taken a college bat with one of their first two picks in each of the past three Drafts, for whatever that's worth. Wheeler could go higher if teams decide to go the college-hitter route, as he's shown an ability to make consistent contact, run well and hit with a little more power this year than he had in the past.

 

Others of interest: Scheppers went 13, Arnett went 15, Pollock went 16, Gould went 24, Purke went 25 and Jackson 29. No James and no Tate.

[Guest]

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8996

 

Draft Rumor Mill

[Guest]

mike IL: Brett Jackson- good pick for the Cubs or not?

 

Keith Law: (1:58 PM ET ) I'd call it a reach - his inability to make contact with metal in his hands is a pretty serious issue.

 

Doug (NY): Mock v3 coming out soon?

 

Keith Law: (2:10 PM ET ) There will be one on Monday and another on Tuesday. I may do one in between if I hear enough new info.

 

Derrick (Tulsa, OK): Is Chad James solidly in the 1st round? Is signability an issue for him?

 

Keith Law: (2:20 PM ET ) Yes. Only if he slides to the end of the round.

 

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=26795

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=949

 

Kyle Gibson is falling due to his drop in velocity and forearm tightness.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Please don't get my hopes up.

[Guest]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090605&content_id=5157212&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

In about 50 words

Wilken's approach is to "take the best big leaguer left." He leans toward athletic players -- Tyler Colvin and Josh Vitters are good examples. The Cubs, hoping they can continue to pick low in the First-Year Player Draft, the order of which is determined by where the team finishes the year before, have expanded their scouting efforts, and signed players from Korea and Australia.

 

First-round buzz

Mayo projects that the Cubs will tab outfielder Tim Wheeler of Sacramento State. Baseball America projects the Cubs to take another Notre Dame player and select A.J. Pollock, who was the MVP of the Cape Cod League last summer, batting .377 with a .556 slugging percentage. According to the publication, Pollock "stands out most for his athleticism and pure hitting ability from the right side."

 

Shopping list

Wilken feels this isn't a true first round and that there isn't the superstar talent projected for that round. There is good depth, though, from the end of the first to the fifth round, and Wilken has had each of the Cubs' national and regional scouts picking their top five guys. Then they debate the players' pluses and minuses. With the team's expanded international scouting, Wilken said, he can address some of the organization's needs in the Draft, such as finding more left-handers, catchers and outfielders.

[Outshined_One]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090605&content_id=5157212&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

In about 50 words

Wilken's approach is to "take the best big leaguer left." He leans toward athletic players -- Tyler Colvin and Josh Vitters are good examples. The Cubs, hoping they can continue to pick low in the First-Year Player Draft, the order of which is determined by where the team finishes the year before, have expanded their scouting efforts, and signed players from Korea and Australia.

 

First-round buzz

Mayo projects that the Cubs will tab outfielder Tim Wheeler of Sacramento State. Baseball America projects the Cubs to take another Notre Dame player and select A.J. Pollock, who was the MVP of the Cape Cod League last summer, batting .377 with a .556 slugging percentage. According to the publication, Pollock "stands out most for his athleticism and pure hitting ability from the right side."

 

Shopping list

Wilken feels this isn't a true first round and that there isn't the superstar talent projected for that round. There is good depth, though, from the end of the first to the fifth round, and Wilken has had each of the Cubs' national and regional scouts picking their top five guys. Then they debate the players' pluses and minuses. With the team's expanded international scouting, Wilken said, he can address some of the organization's needs in the Draft, such as finding more left-handers, catchers and outfielders.

 

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[illiniguy]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=949

 

Kyle Gibson is falling due to his drop in velocity and forearm tightness.

I was listening to 810 sportszone here today and they interviewed one of the BA guys, I didn't catch his name, but he basically said Gibson would be the bust of this years draft.