2009 Cubs Picks Thread

[Keener98]

Joseph Thomas 3rd baseman from Edward Waters College? Im sure he played some real good competition there....

[Guest]

Joseph Thomas 3rd baseman from Edward Waters College? Im sure he played some real good competition there....

 

Does it really matter?

 

Like the kids from Canada and Puerto Rico faced much competition.

 

ETA: It's a historically black college.

[Keener98]

Joseph Thomas 3rd baseman from Edward Waters College? Im sure he played some real good competition there....

 

Does it really matter?

 

Like the kids from Canada and Puerto Rico faced much competition.

 

I understand that, it was mainly just a comment about Edward Waters College as Ive never heard of it.

[Guest]

Sophomore Charles Thomas (6-foot-5, 235 pounds) is catching the attention of scouts. But it’s not his .389 batting average and 13 homers, three of which came in the same game. It’s his low-90s fastball that has the pros intrigued.

 

Thomas has been out for two weeks while rehabbing a torn cartilage in his knee. Marshall said he expects to have Thomas back for the postseason but only as a pitcher.

 

http://www.blackcollegebaseball.com/News/ewc/2008/4/22/042308itp_ewc.asp?path=ewc

[Guest]

Joseph Thomas 3rd baseman from Edward Waters College? Im sure he played some real good competition there....

 

Does it really matter?

 

Like the kids from Canada and Puerto Rico faced much competition.

 

I understand that, it was mainly just a comment about Edward Waters College as Ive never heard of it.

 

Check the edit. It's apparently a historically black college.

[Guest]

The Cubs had an anti-stats draft, taking two college hitters who are good athletes but did not perform this year. I've said before that I think college stats are limited in their value to major league teams, but one thing I do believe is that college hitters who don't hit with metal aren't likely to start hitting with wood against better pitching. Cal center fielder Brett Jackson punched out 61 times (against just 29 walks) in 218 at-bats this spring, and LSU second baseman DJ LeMahieu fattened up on weak nonconference competition, hitting just .322/.377/.407 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) in SEC play.

[CUBZ99]

Sophomore Charles Thomas (6-foot-5, 235 pounds) is catching the attention of scouts. But it’s not his .389 batting average and 13 homers, three of which came in the same game. It’s his low-90s fastball that has the pros intrigued.

 

Thomas has been out for two weeks while rehabbing a torn cartilage in his knee. Marshall said he expects to have Thomas back for the postseason but only as a pitcher.

 

http://www.blackcollegebaseball.com/News/ewc/2008/4/22/042308itp_ewc.asp?path=ewc

 

I thought they drafted Joseph Thomas? I'm assuming it is the same guy.

Edited June 10, 2009 by CUBZ99

[Outshined_One]

Sophomore Charles Thomas (6-foot-5, 235 pounds) is catching the attention of scouts. But it’s not his .389 batting average and 13 homers, three of which came in the same game. It’s his low-90s fastball that has the pros intrigued.

 

Thomas has been out for two weeks while rehabbing a torn cartilage in his knee. Marshall said he expects to have Thomas back for the postseason but only as a pitcher.

 

http://www.blackcollegebaseball.com/News/ewc/2008/4/22/042308itp_ewc.asp?path=ewc

 

I thought they drafted Joseph Thomas? Is Charles the same guy?

 

Charles is the only one I can find in their stats. He's their 3B, so I'm guessing that's him.

[Guest]

Old Westbury righthander Robert Whitenack had a solid spring, going 5-2, 2.81 with 79 strikeouts and 25 walks in 67 innings. Whitenack has been heavily scouted and could be drafted anywhere from the fifth to the 10th round. His best pitch is an 80 mph knuckle-curveball with tumbling 12-to-6 action that some scouts rate as plus and others rate as plus-plus. Whitenack had scouts buzzing by running his fastball up to 92 mph early in the season in Florida, but he's pitched mostly in the 87-89 range down the stretch. Some scouts have seen Whitenack flash an average slider and an average change as well. He has a loose arm and a skinny 6-foot-5, 185-pound build that leaves room for projection, though some scouts aren't enamored of his narrow frame. The son of a retired New York City police officer, Whitenack shows tenacity on the mound.

 

Rated as the 4th best prospect in the state of NY.

 

Sounds like a nice college pick with room for projection remaining.

 

From BA:

 

• Sticking in the Northeast, Robert Whitenack rivaled Buch for the best curveball in the region, and he’s a solid value pick for the Cubs at the end of the eighth round.

[Guest]

Round 3, Pick 109: Austin Kirk, LHP, Owasso HS (Owasso, OK)

 

From ITI:

 

Kirk’s fastball was anywhere from 89 to 94 mph this past season, and he combined that with a traditional 12-6 curveball, a changeup, and a harder, “slurve” type pitch.

 

As the season progressed, Kirk made strides with the development of his secondary pitches, Holleman said.

 

“The last part of the season, he really got control of his changeup and curveball and that just made him double nasty,” he said. “He was just terrific for us. After the season, the Cubs had him for a pre-draft workout, and I guess he just knocked their socks off and really impressed them.”

[Guest]

John Mincone, lhp, Suffolk-Brentwood CC

 

20th best prospect in the state of New York per BA. No write up.

[Keener98]

Round 3, Pick 109: Austin Kirk, LHP, Owasso HS (Owasso, OK)

 

From ITI:

 

Kirk’s fastball was anywhere from 89 to 94 mph this past season, and he combined that with a traditional 12-6 curveball, a changeup, and a harder, “slurve” type pitch.

 

As the season progressed, Kirk made strides with the development of his secondary pitches, Holleman said.

 

“The last part of the season, he really got control of his changeup and curveball and that just made him double nasty,” he said. “He was just terrific for us. After the season, the Cubs had him for a pre-draft workout, and I guess he just knocked their socks off and really impressed them.”

 

The more I read about Kirk the more Im really liking the pick. A high schooler with 4 pitches already with a fastball between 89-94 is pretty intriguing.

[Guest]

The Cubs 12th rounder is: Burundi Davis, of, Howard JC

 

BA has him rated as the 96th best prospect in Texas.

[Guest]

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the conference call last night, I asked Jackson about working to make more contact. “I think with experience and proper coaching, it’s something that won’t be remembered,” he said of his 61 strikeout and 29 walks in 218 at-bats this year. “I don’t think that I’m a strikeout guy…In general, I’m an aggressive hitter. That’s the way I play the game. I play the game hard, and I play the game to win. Sometimes, aggressiveness can cause a strikeout. I don’t think that will be a problem in the future. I’m a fast learner, and with professional coaching and professional experience, I’ll learn to be a professional hitter.”

 

Sounds like a good answer, and the Cubs do lover their “gamers,” don’t they? Jackson did have an OBP of .407 and a slugging percentage of .564 at Cal. Some scouts have compared Jackson to J.D. Drew. He compared himself with Jim Edmonds (let’s hope with a better personality). Wilken compared him with Mark Kotsay, but without the “contact.”

[craig]

The Cubs 12th rounder is: Burundi Davis, of, Howard JC

 

BA has him rated as the 96th best prospect in Texas.

 

Through 12, the Cubs have drafted only two players older than 20. The Citadel DH and the Kentucky pitcher who turns 23 later this year.

[Post Count Padder]

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the conference call last night, I asked Jackson about working to make more contact. “I think with experience and proper coaching, it’s something that won’t be remembered,” he said of his 61 strikeout and 29 walks in 218 at-bats this year. “I don’t think that I’m a strikeout guy…In general, I’m an aggressive hitter. That’s the way I play the game. I play the game hard, and I play the game to win. Sometimes, aggressiveness can cause a strikeout. I don’t think that will be a problem in the future. I’m a fast learner, and with professional coaching and professional experience, I’ll learn to be a professional hitter.”

 

Sounds like a good answer, and the Cubs do lover their “gamers,” don’t they? Jackson did have an OBP of .407 and a slugging percentage of .564 at Cal. Some scouts have compared Jackson to J.D. Drew. He compared himself with Jim Edmonds (let’s hope with a better personality). Wilken compared him with Mark Kotsay, but without the “contact.”

Well that makes me feel better. :x

[TruffleShuffle]

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the conference call last night, I asked Jackson about working to make more contact. “I think with experience and proper coaching, it’s something that won’t be remembered,” he said of his 61 strikeout and 29 walks in 218 at-bats this year. “I don’t think that I’m a strikeout guy…In general, I’m an aggressive hitter. That’s the way I play the game. I play the game hard, and I play the game to win. Sometimes, aggressiveness can cause a strikeout. I don’t think that will be a problem in the future. I’m a fast learner, and with professional coaching and professional experience, I’ll learn to be a professional hitter.”

 

Sounds like a good answer, and the Cubs do lover their “gamers,” don’t they? Jackson did have an OBP of .407 and a slugging percentage of .564 at Cal. Some scouts have compared Jackson to J.D. Drew. He compared himself with Jim Edmonds (let’s hope with a better personality). Wilken compared him with Mark Kotsay, but without the “contact.”

Well that makes me feel better. :x

 

yeah i read that and thought "bad baseball player"

[Guest]

13th rounder: Chad Taylor, SS/CF, Jefferson HS (FL)

 

8/29/1990 6'1, 170 lbs

 

USF Bulls Baseball[/url]"]A four-year varsity starter at Jefferson High in Tampa, Chad Taylor was a first team All-Western Conference selection in 2008. The honorable mention All-Hillsborough County honoree hit .350 in 60 at bats, with seven doubles and eight RBI in his junior season. Along with scoring 10 runs, he was 7-7 stealing bases. On the mound, Taylor posted a 0.553 ERA in 12.2 innings, allowing only four hits and one run while recording one win and a pair of saves. He made one start and struck out 21 batters. Taylor is the No. 872nd-ranked prospect in the county by Perfect Game.

 

Prado on Taylor: “Chad Taylor is another one; he can pitch, and he can play infield or outfield. He’s another guy that’s done a great job at his high school and has potential to be just a great player. He is a good player right now and he can do a lot of things for us. He is like Chase and some other guys, in that he can play anywhere on the field.”

 

He's committed to USF.

[Guest]

The Cubs 12th rounder is: Burundi Davis, of, Howard JC

 

BA has him rated as the 96th best prospect in Texas.

 

Through 12, the Cubs have drafted only two players older than 20. The Citadel DH and the Kentucky pitcher who turns 23 later this year.

 

Wilken seems to really like his young college players, JC, etc.

[Guest]

The Cubs 12th rounder is: Burundi Davis, of, Howard JC

 

BA has him rated as the 96th best prospect in Texas.

 

He's all set to transfer to Mississippi State:

 

Mississippi State Athletics[/url]"]RUNEY DAVIS, OF, 5-11, 180, R-R, Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown High School/University of Texas/Howard College)

 

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Transferred to Howard College in Big Spring, Texas, following a rookie season at the University of Texas in 2008 ... Saw limited playing time in seven games with one at-bat and four runs scored as a Longhorn ... Projected starter in the outfield as a freshman playing for Coach Britt Smith’s Howard College Hawks in 2009.

 

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letter-winner as an outfielder at Georgetown (Texas) High School ... Coached by Danny Wallace ... Served as team captain and piled up 52 hits, drove in 31 runs and pilfered 25 bases in helping lead the Georgetown Eagles to the 2007 Class 5A Region II finals ... Earned third-team all-state, first-team all-district and all-county honors as a senior in 2007 ... Also a first-team all-district selection as a junior on GHS’ 2006 bi-district championship team ... An 11th-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft ... Played summer league baseball for the SLAM club baseball team in Austin ... Coached by Tommy Boggs ... Accorded Premier All-Star and Team Texas honors while playing for Austin SLAM ... Three-year letter-winner and two-time all-district selection in football as a running back in high school ... Also a member of GHS’s 2006 regional qualifying 400-meter and 800-meter relay teams in track ... Participated in Georgetown High School’s PALS program.

 

PERSONAL: Born Burundi Runey Davis on January 1, 1989 in Austin, Texas ... Son of Mona Shields of Temple, Texas.

 

COHEN: "Runey was an impressive multi-sport athlete in an outstanding high school program in Texas. He possesses the speed and the quickness to cover a lot of ground in the outfield and can put pressure on opposing defenses."

[Guest]

John Mincone, lhp, Suffolk-Brentwood CC

 

20th best prospect in the state of New York per BA. No write up.

 

http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14400&ATCLID=1349400

[Guest]

14th rounder: Danny Keefe, RHP, Tampa

 

BA rated him as the 70th best prospect in Florida.

 

MLB scouting video: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4736851

 

Tampa Spartans Team Bio: http://www.tampaspartans.com/profile.asp?playerID=407

 

St. Petersburg Times[/url]"]Danny Keefe, P, University of Tampa: Posted 70 strikeouts, second most on UT staff.

[SouthSideRyan]

He compared himself with Jim Edmonds (let’s hope with a better personality).

 

Impossible.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why have the Cubs had the last pick in a couple rounds? Did Anaheim lose their rights to the pick in those rounds?

[jersey cubs fan]

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the conference call last night, I asked Jackson about working to make more contact. “I think with experience and proper coaching, it’s something that won’t be remembered,” he said of his 61 strikeout and 29 walks in 218 at-bats this year. “I don’t think that I’m a strikeout guy…In general, I’m an aggressive hitter. That’s the way I play the game. I play the game hard, and I play the game to win. Sometimes, aggressiveness can cause a strikeout. I don’t think that will be a problem in the future. I’m a fast learner, and with professional coaching and professional experience, I’ll learn to be a professional hitter.”

 

I have to say, I've never heard of a guy learning how to make contact after becoming a pro. I've heard about power developing later, but I've never heard about that about contact. And if a guy is going to be a 5 tool guy, making contact seems to be a prerequisite for such a description. Is there any sort of history of a limited power guy with significant trouble making contact who actually turned into a quality major leaguer?