Cub prospects in the news

[Cubswin11]

Phil Rogers with a snippet on Saunders (a little over the top)

 

Don't overlook Timothy Saunders on your list of the Cubs' shortstop prospects. It's an indictment of the scouting

 

community that he was still available in the 32nd round of last year's draft after twice leading Marietta College to Division III titles. He has been one of the best hitters from that draft so far, killing the ball everywhere he's been, including a recent homer while making a cameo appearance in the Cactus League. Said Cubs senior VP scouting/player development Jason McLeod: “Just on his athleticism and actions, he should’ve been drafted much higher. I think the start to his career is legit. He’ll be tested this year to see what he can do over a full season.’’

Saunders, a right-handed hitter, led Marietta to a 163-42 record in four seasons, including a combined 95-12 his last two seasons. He batted .441 when he returned to Marietta for his senior season after going undrafted as a junion and put together a slash line of .381/.431/.536 in 49 games after signing with the Cubs, including some time with high-A Daytona. Between college and the pros, Saunders had 10 home runs and 58 stolen bases last year. He could turn into one of the Cubs' best draft picks ever. More McLeod: “He’s a very athletic guy who simply went under the radar going into the draft last year – and that includes us. Sometimes those (Division III) schools can get overlooked due to the competition level.’’

Yeah, lets use a teams w/l record in DIII baseball and attribute it to one player and use it to validate a guys worth as a prospect. I'm not going to get excited about Saunders until he shows he can put up good numbers without an incredibly inflated and unsustainable BABIP. His k% also increased with every move up last year along with his BB% rate decreasing.

 

Side note, I bet Rogers thinks a slash line is an advanced sabermetrics metric.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Cubswin11

[Guest]

Phil Rogers with a snippet on Saunders (a little over the top)

 

Don't overlook Timothy Saunders on your list of the Cubs' shortstop prospects. It's an indictment of the scouting

 

community that he was still available in the 32nd round of last year's draft after twice leading Marietta College to Division III titles. He has been one of the best hitters from that draft so far, killing the ball everywhere he's been, including a recent homer while making a cameo appearance in the Cactus League. Said Cubs senior VP scouting/player development Jason McLeod: “Just on his athleticism and actions, he should’ve been drafted much higher. I think the start to his career is legit. He’ll be tested this year to see what he can do over a full season.’’

Saunders, a right-handed hitter, led Marietta to a 163-42 record in four seasons, including a combined 95-12 his last two seasons. He batted .441 when he returned to Marietta for his senior season after going undrafted as a junion and put together a slash line of .381/.431/.536 in 49 games after signing with the Cubs, including some time with high-A Daytona. Between college and the pros, Saunders had 10 home runs and 58 stolen bases last year. He could turn into one of the Cubs' best draft picks ever. More McLeod: “He’s a very athletic guy who simply went under the radar going into the draft last year – and that includes us. Sometimes those (Division III) schools can get overlooked due to the competition level.’’

Yeah, I'm not going to get excited about Saunders until he shows he can put up good numbers without an incredibly inflated and unsustainable BABIP. His k% also increased with every move up last year along with his BB% rate decreasing.

 

Side note, I bet Rogers thinks a slash line is an advanced sabermetrics metric.

 

In newspapers, it's definitely progress.

 

Also... he may have had an unsustainably high BABIP...but he hit .381, soooo....?

[Guest]

He could turn into one of the Cubs' best draft picks ever.

I'm going to have to call hyperbole on this one.

 

One of the best values from late in the draft? Fine.

 

One of the Cubs' best draft picks ever? Whatever, Phil.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

He could turn into one of the Cubs' best draft picks ever.

I'm going to have to call hyperbole on this one.

 

One of the best values from late in the draft? Fine.

 

One of the Cubs' best draft picks ever? Whatever, Phil.

 

I'm kind of curious who the best Cubs draft picks ever actually are.

 

Maddux is surely No. 1.

Grace, Carter, Palmeiro.

 

Anyone else of note?

[jersey cubs fan]

He said "he could", so there's leeway.

[Guest]

He could turn into one of the Cubs' best draft picks ever.

I'm going to have to call hyperbole on this one.

 

One of the best values from late in the draft? Fine.

 

One of the Cubs' best draft picks ever? Whatever, Phil.

 

I'm kind of curious who the best Cubs draft picks ever actually are.

 

Maddux is surely No. 1.

Grace, Carter, Palmeiro.

 

Anyone else of note?

Baez!

[Cubswin11]

He could turn into one of the Cubs' best draft picks ever.

I'm going to have to call hyperbole on this one.

 

One of the best values from late in the draft? Fine.

 

One of the Cubs' best draft picks ever? Whatever, Phil.

 

I'm kind of curious who the best Cubs draft picks ever actually are.

 

Maddux is surely No. 1.

Grace, Carter, Palmeiro.

 

Anyone else of note?

Prior was still a good pick, imo and one of the better ones in our lame history of picks (especially over the last 10-15 years).

[jersey cubs fan]

Prior was still a good pick, imo and one of the better ones in our lame history of picks (especially over the last 10-15 years).

 

He was an obvious pick, not a good one. Teixeira was the pick they should have made that year. Hands down, no questions asked.

[Guest]

Prior was still a good pick, imo and one of the better ones in our lame history of picks (especially over the last 10-15 years).

 

He was an obvious pick, not a good one. Teixeira was the pick they should have made that year. Hands down, no questions asked.

Do you like Bryant over Appel this year?

[jersey cubs fan]

Prior was still a good pick, imo and one of the better ones in our lame history of picks (especially over the last 10-15 years).

 

He was an obvious pick, not a good one. Teixeira was the pick they should have made that year. Hands down, no questions asked.

Do you like Bryant over Appel this year?

 

I know very little about this year's draft.

 

I take the can't miss college bat over the can't miss college arm every time though.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I like both Prior and Teixeiria over Appel and Bryant.

[craig]

...I'm kind of curious who the best Cubs draft picks ever actually are.

 

Maddux is surely No. 1.

Grace, Carter, Palmeiro.

 

Anyone else of note?

 

I assume you're doing "best" as in guys who ended up best players, not the most impressive scouting choices. Joe Carter was like the #2 or #3 pick in his draft, so that was kind of like Mark Prior, don't miss there.

 

Lee Smith was a good pick, 2nd round I think. One pick who could have been a great non-obvious pick was Kyle Farnsworth. He was drafted really late, and ended up with pretty elite talent. If he'd had more brains, self-discipline, and better work habits, I wonder how good he might have been able to become?

 

Heh, we're also in the world of guys who actually signed. Tim Lincecum might be one of the best picks...

[craig]

McLeod is a very positive guy. Saying a guy "should have been drafted much higher", when he was drafted 32nd round, might mean he should've been drafted in the teens, or maybe in the Bruno type area of the draft. Not quite like saying "he's a first round talent.

 

Still, it's fun to read some positive comments about him. As McLeod says, we'll see how he does this season. If he's very good in Daytona, he becomes a little interesting. He whiffed fairly often and walked not a lot. Something will probably need to be more impressive hitting-wise to sustain. Probably something in the walks/power/K's domains will need to step up some.

[mul21]

Prior was still a good pick, imo and one of the better ones in our lame history of picks (especially over the last 10-15 years).

 

He was an obvious pick, not a good one. Teixeira was the pick they should have made that year. Hands down, no questions asked.

 

If he was drafted as a 1B, I couldn't disagree with you more. If there was a thought he could stick at 3B or in the OF, I might agree with that. Top flight arms are so hard to find (and keep healthy) that when you have an opportunity like Prior, with his perfect mechanics and great stuff, I just don't think you can chance passing it up. You can build a solid offense without a super elite bat, but it's tough to win big without that TOR arm.

[Guest]

prior wasn't just a "can't-miss" pitcher. wasn't he always considered the best pitching prospect ever before strasburg?

[imb]

give me a 10 percent chance of prior staying healthy for a decade and i'd still take him over teix's entire career.

[jersey cubs fan]

Prior was still a good pick, imo and one of the better ones in our lame history of picks (especially over the last 10-15 years).

 

He was an obvious pick, not a good one. Teixeira was the pick they should have made that year. Hands down, no questions asked.

 

If he was drafted as a 1B, I couldn't disagree with you more. If there was a thought he could stick at 3B or in the OF, I might agree with that. Top flight arms are so hard to find (and keep healthy) that when you have an opportunity like Prior, with his perfect mechanics and great stuff, I just don't think you can chance passing it up. You can build a solid offense without a super elite bat, but it's tough to win big without that TOR arm.

 

They don't stay healthy, he didn't have perfect mechanics.

 

If you could guarantee they'd both have full careers you take the pitcher. But that guarantee doesn't exist. You take the pitcher, I'll take the bat, and you will lose most of the time I will win most of the time and that is all that matters in baseball.

[mul21]

 

They don't stay healthy, he didn't have perfect mechanics.

 

If you could guarantee they'd both have full careers you take the pitcher. But that guarantee doesn't exist. You take the pitcher, I'll take the bat, and you will lose most of the time I will win most of the time and that is all that matters in baseball.

 

Um, yeah, they kind of were.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1623962

[Guest]

 

They don't stay healthy, he didn't have perfect mechanics.

 

If you could guarantee they'd both have full careers you take the pitcher. But that guarantee doesn't exist. You take the pitcher, I'll take the bat, and you will lose most of the time I will win most of the time and that is all that matters in baseball.

 

Um, yeah, they kind of were.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1623962

 

[expletive] you for making me read even part of that.

 

Google "Mark Prior inverted W" and then shut up.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

They don't stay healthy, he didn't have perfect mechanics.

 

If you could guarantee they'd both have full careers you take the pitcher. But that guarantee doesn't exist. You take the pitcher, I'll take the bat, and you will lose most of the time I will win most of the time and that is all that matters in baseball.

 

Um, yeah, they kind of were.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1623962

 

Okay, you go ahead with that theory. Again, take the pitcher and I'll take the hitter and I will win a lot more than you.

[davell]

Gooney's right. But I would have taken Prior over Teixeira. Thought there was solid amountbof separation in talent. Just as this year, I'd definitely take Appel and Gray is 50/50 for me right now, over any hitter in the draft.

[Guest]

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw 9h

… RT @jontehBest: @keithlaw what does javy have to do to be your #1 next year?

 

haha

[mul21]

 

They don't stay healthy, he didn't have perfect mechanics.

 

If you could guarantee they'd both have full careers you take the pitcher. But that guarantee doesn't exist. You take the pitcher, I'll take the bat, and you will lose most of the time I will win most of the time and that is all that matters in baseball.

 

Um, yeah, they kind of were.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1623962

 

Okay, you go ahead with that theory. Again, take the pitcher and I'll take the hitter and I will win a lot more than you.

 

Generally I agree with you, just not in this specific case with the facts in hand at the time of the draft.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

They don't stay healthy, he didn't have perfect mechanics.

 

If you could guarantee they'd both have full careers you take the pitcher. But that guarantee doesn't exist. You take the pitcher, I'll take the bat, and you will lose most of the time I will win most of the time and that is all that matters in baseball.

 

Um, yeah, they kind of were.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1623962

 

Okay, you go ahead with that theory. Again, take the pitcher and I'll take the hitter and I will win a lot more than you.

 

Generally I agree with you, just not in this specific case with the facts in hand at the time of the draft.

 

The facts were Tex was a can't miss bat and Prior was a can't miss pitcher and the much more likely of the two to have his career derailed by injury. Some people who apparently didn't know what they were talking about wrote of flawless mechanics, but more than one pointed out his fatal flaws.

 

As the facts were presented at the time I wanted Tex and I was right.

[davell]

Matt Loosen tweeted"lost some good guys today", so I guess at least a few cuts were made.