Draft perspective

[NonProfitCow]

Just curious about about how you guys perceive the Cards draft this year.

 

I LOVE the first 2 picks, but am very disappointed after that. I like Kelly, but I think his upside is Ryan Madson.

 

Just like to know what the smarter people of the rivals have to say about the Cards draft.

 

I'll give you guys my thoughts on the Cubs top few picks, but I don't want to look like a Cubbie downer troll. They definitely picked for upside and tools, but I'm not a fan. Mixing in some great athletes is a good thing IMO, but I just don't like the way the Cubs did it this year. A lot of good arms were available at 31. But, to make you guys feel better about the "athlete" thing, check out Darryl Jones in the Cards system.

[Guest]

All you need to know is I let out an expletive or 10 when the Cardinals picked Shelby Miller. I really like Stock as a pitcher too; I was hoping the Cubs would get him in the 3rd round. Just get him to dump the catching nonsense.

 

Good luck gluing Bittle's arm together. I don't care for Jackson. Weird to take back-to-back relievers. And I don't like Jackson.

 

I'd take the Cardinals draft over the Cubs'. :(

[Outshined_One]

For the Cardinals, lots of upside and lots of questions.

 

Of the four top HS arms (Turner, Purke, Miller, Matzek), I had the most questions about Miller. His fastball is really good, but everything I've read about him tells me that he is really, really raw. The guy has a great upside and all, but he's going to need time to develop his secondary stuff. I had questions about whether he'd be worth the money he's reportedly been asking for. Granted, the guy could be a legitimate ace down the road, but his development is probably going to take a lot of time. The more time these guys require, the more that could go wrong. He's a good pick, but still, I have my doubts.

 

Stock was a head-scratcher for me. They announced him as a catcher, but the guy hasn't done enough with the bat yet to justify keeping him behind the plate. Granted, he has the tools to be really good at C, but he hasn't proven enough there to make me think he'll stick there. Furthermore, while people all think the Cardinals could afford to waste two or three years trying to develop him at catcher and then convert him to pitcher, that's a significant chunk of development time that's gone flying out the window. Again, good pick, but I have my doubts.

 

After that, the only guys I know are Ryan Jackson (who sounds like an all glove, no hit guy) and Scott Bittle (who refused to sign as a second rounder last year with the Yankees of all teams).

 

You're not alone in your assessment of the Cubs.

[Mephistopheles]

robert stock is basically the age equivalent of a college freshman. the boy enrolled at USC when he was 16. it should come as no surprise that he struggled his entire career as a catcher, and not a pitcher even though his tools are much better off the mound than on it. even if he's a bust as a catcher in three years, which is not likely IMO, he's only then going to be the age of an older collegiate junior. Edited June 11, 2009 by Mephistopheles

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm not much of a draftnik, but here goes.

 

Miller seems to be a great pick from all I've read. However, it is a bit scary to have to invest 4 million dollars into a guy when his fastball is the only real pitch of note right now.

 

Stock as a hitter doesn't seem like it will work out, I have a hard time seeing someone who can't hit higher than .226 in college being a good professional hitter. As a pitcher he definitely could be something. I wonder if Stock will rub against the Cardinals brass in that aspect.

 

If Kelly ends up as Ryan Madson then he's definitely worth the pick, and his stuff won't be the shortcoming. A lot of hits from college competition with that stuff though.

 

Jackson and Bittle are decent value guys. Maybe one of them regains their form(did Jackson have an injury?) and you look real smart for popping them as late as they did.

 

Also, Raisin doesn't like Jackson.

[Mephistopheles]

As a pure hitter, Robert Stock had arguably the most raw power of any hitter in the draft. Period. As a defensive catcher, he along with Austin Maddox showed the most catch and throw ability. At USC both of those tools tended to play most of the time. He also did show an advanced approach to hitting. He didn't have poor plate discipline, took his walks. Hitting for average was the only thing he struggled with. He still needs to work on that, but as he matures and learns to use more of the field as a hitter that should come along without expense of power. His age to peer level cannot be understated. It's no surprise he struggled, statistically. The Cardinals will probably hit it big on him.

[UK1679666180]

It's like they were all drinking in that draft room and said "f it", let's throw everything out we did before and go for as many high ceiling/possible high risk kids as possible. I thought it was an outstanding draft, which is the opposite I've come to expect from the Cards.