2011 Cubs picks and signings thread

[shnsajax]

If he can play he can play. Right now thus team needs some talent with a little bit of attitude.

[FloridaCubbie]

Of interest, he attended Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville and lives with his high school coach. As someone who grew up in Jacksonville, I can say that ACD is well known for recruiting athletes, academic misconduct, accreditation issues, etc. I certainly don't mean to imply anything about Baez, but seeing he played at ACD definitely catches my eye as a Jacksonville native.

 

Yea, that caught my eye as well, but I assume the fact that he was going to go to JU in the fall is a good sign in regards to his grades, test scores, and maturity.

[TruffleShuffle]

Baseball america says some scouts are turned off by his hot headed, cocky attitude. Ugh.

 

some scouts are old curmudgeons who don't like a lot of things.

[davell]

Now that the 1st round is over, I'm coming around more and more on Baez. I hope we start him out at SS personally, but expect he'll move to 3rd before long. I am pretty sure I read somewhere that if he was a relatively high 1st rounder, he'd go for slot and be in camp soon. So, that's a plus as well.

 

As for what's still out there, it's time for the Cubs to go spend some damn money. Josh Bell, Derek Fisher, Austin Hedges, Andrew Susac, and Phillip Evans appear to be the big overslots left on the hitting side that I like. While guys like Dunston(Maybe a little nostalgia here)Dickerson, Gaedele, Goetzman, Thormore, Gallagher, Oropesa, Vogelbach(I really want to pull for this guy)Vollmuth, Esposito, and Tucker all are out there too.

 

On the pitching side, which is where I want to concentrate on in the 2nd round(hitting again in the 3rd most likely, followed by pitching in the 4th and 5th, based on current talent out there) we've got a shot at still landing an ace. One of Daniel Norris, Matt Purke(and watch him earn his money, ala Ranaudo in the Cape. That said, I don't know how he looked his last time or two out either) Dillon Howard, or Dillon Maples NEEDS to wind up a Cub in the 2nd round. A couple of other guys I really like are Jake Cave(he's a local kid who I think is going to wind up a very solid 2-3 starter once he gives up the OF) Bryan Brickhouse, John Stilson(reminiscent of Hahn last year with the very late injury) Adam Conley, Ian Gardeck(who's drawn Cashner comparisons)Jorge Lopez(who I'm shocked is still there, thought he was a bigtime helium guy)Rookie Davis, and Carter Capps.

 

Bottom line though, is we got a bigtime upside guy and will probably get him for slot, so lets go get an ace now and fill in with another power bat and another really solid arm or two through the top 5 rounds. It's time to do this the right way and hopefully we'll all be happy as hell tomorrow.

[Guest]

Welp, two of my favorite candidates for the Cubs' second round pick just went off the board in Jace Peterson and Grayson Garvin. I'd love to think the Cubs would pony up for Norris, Purke, or Bell, but that doesn't fit their MO.

 

I'm thinking Jason Espisito will be the pick if he's there. I'd like that.

 

Esposito definitely sounds like a Wilken pick.

 

The 2 Dillons are still available? I like both of them, wouldn't mind either one and probably prefer them to Daniel Norris.

[davell]

Norris is supposedly wanting 3.9 mill and his velo has evidently been erratic this spring(which Goldstein just mentioned and I didn't know. I still like him alot though but I've heard nothing but positive things about Maples. I thought the Yanks were definitely taking Howard, for what it's worth.

[Guest]

Norris is supposedly wanting 3.9 mill and his velo has evidently been erratic this spring(which Goldstein just mentioned and I didn't know. I still like him alot though but I've heard nothing but positive things about Maples. I thought the Yanks were definitely taking Howard, for what it's worth.

 

Yeah, Norris has been up and down with velocity all spring. He claimed he was sacrificing velocity for more control but scouts felt like he was covering up for a drop in velo.

[Guest]

Bruce Miles[/url]"]“We do feel that he’s probably one of the two better hitters in this whole draft,” said scouting director Tim Wilken.

 

“I’ve had this question asked not only in our room but outside the room,” Wilken said. “I think he projects anywhere his bat’s going to take him. He can play short. We’ll just let that take care of itself. We’re going to find out from him. He’s going to tell use on the field. I have seen him play at third. Our scouts have seen him play at third. We’ve even seen him catch. I wouldn’t doubt that he could play second as well. He’s a baseball player.”

 

Some reports describe Baez as having a “lightning-quick” bat. There had been some concern expressed in various places about his temperament.

 

“He’s a very quiet young man off the field, very fiery on the field,” Wilken said. “He’s confident, but it’s silent confidence. He has very good makeup off the field.

 

“He doesn’t mince his words. You’re going to get a straight answer. There’s not going to be a lot of verbiage in between.”

[Guest]

The Brewers worked out Javier Baez last week and he was impressive: http://disciplesofuecker.com/javier-baez-impressive-in-brewers-workout/

 

A source who watched Baez take batting practice told me that the young Puerto Rican native hit almost two dozen home runs during his batting practice session, including 5 to the upper deck.

 

To put that power display into context, the only two Brewers draftees in recent memory to display that much home run clout during a pre-draft workout were Prince Fielder and Josh Murray. Not all players the Brewers draft are worked out in Milwaukee prior to the draft.

[toonsterwu]

The guy I really want is Derek Fisher. Feels like a Wilken type of pick as well (athletic guy who currently plays up the middle), but more importantly, has ridiculous raw power. I don't mind the gamble - sure, he's got a high bust rate, but I want the system to add some power. Also, 2-3 million isn't that much. That said, I have my doubts the Cubs will spend like that.

[Little Slide Rooter]

i'm not too thrilled with the pick, if for no other reason that the cubs' recent track record with high school hitters and high school hitters from florida. i guess i just don't trust the cubs.

 

This. I dont mind going after high ceiling high schoolers in the later rounds, but as far as the 1st round, the Cubs should have no more business around high schoolers than a 38 year old with a mustache and a 6 pack of Michelob Ultra playing Skid Row out of his windowless van.

[toonsterwu]

eh, i'm not one to believe that since we've failed before, we should stop trying. Scouting shouldn't be overly concerned about player development. They should focus on who they think is best. As some scouts say, if the player has the talent, ability, and work ethic, it should come through irrespective of flaws in player development strategy (I guess if Baez fails, I'm also saying that there's a chance that there was a failure in some aspect of scouting, whether it was the work ethic, discipline, etceteras).

[SouthSideRyan]

“He’s a very quiet young man off the field, very fiery on the field,” Wilken said. “He’s confident, but it’s silent confidence. He has very good makeup off the field.

 

“He doesn’t mince his words. You’re going to get a straight answer. There’s not going to be a lot of verbiage in between.”

 

Should be easy for @thekapman to run a find and replace for Zambrano-Baez.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So if I am to peak in check in on our picks throughout the day, Im assuming this would be the thread to do it in?

[davell]

I guess if I had to pin it down to one player who I'd like to see us take at 68, it'd be Purke. I think if you go this route though, you follow it up in the 3rd round with another pitcher, just in case he doesn't impress over the summer and you decide it's not worth the investment. My other choices would be the 2 Dillons. And if you go with one of them, you can follow it up with hitting in the 3rd.

 

I'm a big Fisher fan as well honestly though and if we took him, I'd still be happy as hell. My gut tells me we go with a Kyle Gaedele type guy here and follow it up pitching in rounds 3-4 most likely.

[davell]

There's some really solid depth at catcher in the high achool ranks that I'd like to see us take advantage of sometime early on day 2, maybe 4th-5th round. We could put him in rookie/short season ball this year and wouldn't have to rush him, with Gibbs ahead and looking like he'll see Daytona by midseason hopefully.

[Guest]

Here are the players from Baseball America's Top 50 still on the board. . .

 

No. 15. Josh Bell, of

 

No. 16. Daniel Norris, lhp

 

No. 28. Austin Hedges, c

 

No. 30 Andrew Susac, c

 

No. 31 Dillon Howard, rhp

 

No. 32 Matt Purke, lhp

 

No. 39 Jorge Lopez, rhp

 

No. 41 Josh Osich, lhp

 

No. 42 Alex Dickerson, of

 

No. 46 Dillon Maples, rhp

 

No. 50 Tony Zych, rhp

[Guest]

“He’s a very quiet young man off the field, very fiery on the field,” Wilken said. “He’s confident, but it’s silent confidence. He has very good makeup off the field.

 

“He doesn’t mince his words. You’re going to get a straight answer. There’s not going to be a lot of verbiage in between.”

 

Should be easy for @thekapman to run a find and replace for Zambrano-Baez.

 

Damn you for stealing my joke. Although I was going with the hobbit Paul Sullivan.

[shnsajax]

Assuming no damage to the arm, I want Purke.

[Men in Blue]

So many pros but I do not like the cons. That said, too talented of a kid to pass on.

 

 

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/994/818/10natn23_display_image.jpg?1307420037

 

With the 9th pick the Cubs selected Javier Baez, a 6'1, 205 lbs shortstop out of Florida high ceiling player who can hit and hit for power. He's a SS now but he's expected to get bigger and possibly move to 3b. One way or the other the Cubs will get his bat in the lineup if he develops as expected. Baseball America said he has "few peers on offense" in this draft. Scouts have called his bat the quickest in the draft -- quicker even than Rendon and Starling. Two players he's been compared to offensively is Hanley Ramirez and Gary Sheffield.

 

The downside is a questionable makeup. He's known to have something of a temper and the Cubs haven't had too much success in that area (see Carlos Zambrano, Milton Bradley) but the Cubs knew this going in and thought it was worth the gamble

 

Read more: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-den/2011/06/cubs-select-javier-baez-ss-arlington-country-day-hs-fl.html#ixzz1ObJmYsL7

[Guest]

I want Dillon Howard.

[Tryptamine]

The more I read the more I like Dillon Maples for this pick.

[Men in Blue]

I want Dillon Howard.

 

Boras corp? No thanks.

 

 

His signability could be an interesting puzzle for scouts to figure out, though, as he is being advised by the Boras Corporation, which has a documented history of steering high-school clients to college before entering professional baseball. In addition, Howard would be eligible to re-enter the draft as a college sophomore, due to his age, if he chooses to honor his scholarship to Arkansas. If those factors aren’t enough for Howard to ponder, his stature as one of the top high-school prospects ever raised and developed in Arkansas may put added pressure on him to play for the extremely-popular state school, and potentially even lead that program to its first-ever College World Series title. Projected Draft Position: Late First Round/Sandwich Round

 

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=193297

[Men in Blue]

Andrew Susac, please.

 

 

Susac has clearly established himself as the best all-round catching prospect in the 2011 college class with his combination of a strong, durable frame, natural athleticism, solid catch-and-throw skills and improving offensive tools.

Susac has excellent raw bat speed and the ball explodes off his bat with authority when he squares it up, but he still needs to refine a somewhat unconventional approach to hitting.

 

He has a hip-glide to his front side that occasionally leaves him looking off balance at point of contact. Susac is solidly put-together and has a physical presence on the field with his strength and stature. His only obvious drawback is his lack of speed. Projected Draft Position: Late first round/compensation round. --ALLAN SIMPSON

http://www.perfectgame.org/images/profilepics/08nat209.jpg

[UMFan83]

So if I am to peak in check in on our picks throughout the day, Im assuming this would be the thread to do it in?

 

I'll be using the Movie Thread myself.