2011 Cubs picks and signings thread

[Little Slide Rooter]

Just watched video......wow. Dude is really big (sorta fat) and slow.

 

Matt Stairs?

 

What an ugly video. I'm pretty sure this guy is in my softball league. Very stiff swing.

 

I like the concept of an actual corner bat though. Any idea of signability?

 

didn't look stiff to me. looks pretty free and easy. in one of the highlights he takes a swing and fouls one off, less than 3 second later he was ripping a line drive.

I hope we can sign him. Quite intrigued by the kid.

[Guest]

I'd like DeVoss a lot better if he were a plus defender. First pick so far I don't like.

[davell]

I wouldn't mind seeing us take Phillip Evans or Christian Lopes in the 4th, if we wind up taking hitting again. Fisher would be my top choice though hitting-wise.

 

Pitching-wise, I'm not mentioning the one guy, so not to jinx it.

[Rob]

I'd like DeVoss a lot better if he were a plus defender. First pick so far I don't like.

 

I'm just happy we got to pick #3 before I didn't like one.

[toonsterwu]

I wouldn't mind seeing us take Phillip Evans or Christian Lopes in the 4th, if we wind up taking hitting again. Fisher would be my top choice though hitting-wise.

 

Pitching-wise, I'm not mentioning the one guy, so not to jinx it.

 

I have an odd feeling that we may take a college guy that could move fast, akin to the Rusin pick. I'm hoping for more upside though.

[craig]

eh ... devoss ... fits some of the past drafts of the cubs going after some more polished guys in that 3rd-7th round area to balance things out ...

 

Being only a sophomore, I wonder how polished he is.

 

His stats profile changed completely between freshman and sophomore year. He hit 9 HR as a freshman, with 50K/211 AB, horrible.

 

This year his BB/K went from 29BB/50K to 57BB/30K. Total reversal, really weird. With 57 walks plus 11 HBP, that was 68 free on-bases for only 215 AB. A .151 IsoD is kind of hard to get when it's built on a .340 average.

 

Heh, I'll guess he gets with the Cubs, they encourage him to be aggressive, and he'll loses the walking, which is the one thing that stands out.

 

I don't think the Campana analogy works very well. If Campana had a .150 IsoD, we'd totally love the guy. Second, Campana never hit 9 HR, even with metal.

 

Obviously not a pick that's easy to love, but I guess we'll see how it works out. Some of the 3rd round type picks I liked the least (Theriot and was Barney 3rd or 4th?) have actually had some of the most big-league starts of any of the players drafted by the Cubs lately.

[davell]

I wouldn't mind seeing us take Phillip Evans or Christian Lopes in the 4th, if we wind up taking hitting again. Fisher would be my top choice though hitting-wise.

 

Pitching-wise, I'm not mentioning the one guy, so not to jinx it.

 

I have an odd feeling that we may take a college guy that could move fast, akin to the Rusin pick. I'm hoping for more upside though.

 

I expect a Burch Smith type guy honestly.

[Guest]

eh ... devoss ... fits some of the past drafts of the cubs going after some more polished guys in that 3rd-7th round area to balance things out ...

 

Being only a sophomore, I wonder how polished he is.

 

His stats profile changed completely between freshman and sophomore year. He hit 9 HR as a freshman, with 50K/211 AB, horrible.

 

This year his BB/K went from 29BB/50K to 57BB/30K. Total reversal, really weird. With 57 walks plus 11 HBP, that was 68 free on-bases for only 215 AB. A .151 IsoD is kind of hard to get when it's built on a .340 average.

 

Heh, I'll guess he gets with the Cubs, they encourage him to be aggressive, and he'll loses the walking, which is the one thing that stands out.

 

I don't think the Campana analogy works very well. If Campana had a .150 IsoD, we'd totally love the guy. Second, Campana never hit 9 HR, even with metal.

 

Obviously not a pick that's easy to love, but I guess we'll see how it works out. Some of the 3rd round type picks I liked the least (Theriot and was Barney 3rd or 4th?) have actually had some of the most big-league starts of any of the players drafted by the Cubs lately.

 

He's like some Frankenstein of Patterson, Thomas, and Campana.

[davell]

Come on Cubs, take your next ace right here.......

[Rob]

Like it.

[jersey cubs fan]

tony zych, RHP from Louisville Edited June 7, 2011 by jersey cubs fan

[davell]

Crap, I don't want more relievers. :banghead: He is good and all, but damn......

[craig]

Vogelbach sounds like he'll be a difficult sign. Interesting that the Cubs would have spent so high on a pick with those weight/1B limitations, who's still going to be that expensive/difficult to sign.

 

I guess if he's going to be pretty pricey, and they knew that, and they took him anyway, they must like him a lot more than we might have expected.

[toonsterwu]

eh ... devoss ... fits some of the past drafts of the cubs going after some more polished guys in that 3rd-7th round area to balance things out ...

 

Being only a sophomore, I wonder how polished he is.

 

His stats profile changed completely between freshman and sophomore year. He hit 9 HR as a freshman, with 50K/211 AB, horrible.

 

This year his BB/K went from 29BB/50K to 57BB/30K. Total reversal, really weird. With 57 walks plus 11 HBP, that was 68 free on-bases for only 215 AB. A .151 IsoD is kind of hard to get when it's built on a .340 average.

 

Heh, I'll guess he gets with the Cubs, they encourage him to be aggressive, and he'll loses the walking, which is the one thing that stands out.

 

I don't think the Campana analogy works very well. If Campana had a .150 IsoD, we'd totally love the guy. Second, Campana never hit 9 HR, even with metal.

 

Obviously not a pick that's easy to love, but I guess we'll see how it works out. Some of the 3rd round type picks I liked the least (Theriot and was Barney 3rd or 4th?) have actually had some of the most big-league starts of any of the players drafted by the Cubs lately.

 

He's like some Frankenstein of Patterson, Thomas, and Campana.

 

How about a cross between Super Sam fuld and Tony Campana?

[toonsterwu]

Well ... it's not exactly a high floor pick, but I'm not jumping for joy for Zych. That said, he could move fast, I guess, and I could see the big league bullpen being shook up a ton sooner than later.

[Guest]

Zych is a re-draft. BA's 50th best prospect overall. Cubs picked him in the 49th rd 3 years ago. Went to a private HS in Chicago.

 

Good value, but not a SP.

[davell]

Maybe we're planning on going pitching heavy thru IFA?

 

Figured we'd have already taken at least one and probably 2 starters at this stage.

Edited June 7, 2011 by davell

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So two people whose primary ability is they can hit, and our speedy athletic guy draws a million walks.

 

From a very macro point of view, I like the idea.

[jersey cubs fan]

Zych is a re-draft. BA's 50th best prospect overall. Cubs picked him in the 49th rd 3 years ago. Went to a private HS in Chicago.

 

Good value, but not a SP.

 

St. Rita High School.

[Guest]

30/14 K/BB in 30 IP in the Big East? That's underwhelming.

[THISisTHEyear09]

Zych touched 100 in Cape Cod last year

[toonsterwu]

Maybe we're planning on going pitching heavy thru IFA?

 

Figured we'd have already taken at least one and probably 2 starters at this stage.

 

I half wonder if the loaded pitching at XST had them leaning towards filling positional holes earlier. I mean, we do have a lot of intriguing arms in XST that are poised for shortseason ball.

 

System seems very reminiscent of the 2003 system in that way. Here's hoping more arms turn out than that group did.

[SouthSideRyan]

Zych is a re-draft. BA's 50th best prospect overall. Cubs picked him in the 49th rd 3 years ago. Went to a private HS in Chicago.

 

Good value, but not a SP.

 

St. Rita High School.

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Guest]

30/14 K/BB in 30 IP in the Big East? That's underwhelming.

If he throws that hard with that low a k-rate in the big east, I'm guessing his breaking stuff is less than exceptional.

[Guest]

BA:

 

50. Tony Zych, rhp

Louisville

Zych led the Cape Cod League with 12 saves last summer, when scouts voted him the circuit's top prospect after he dealt 97 mph fastballs during the all-star game. After using him sporadically as a starter in his first two seasons, Louisville has kept him in the bullpen this spring and he has thrived. He has worked at 94-97 mph all season, with a high of 99. His fastball gets on hitters quickly thanks to some funk in his delivery. Zych's arm action isn't pretty and puts some stress on his shoulder, but it adds to his deception and doesn't hamper his control. He's an athletic 6-foot-3, 188-pounder whom the Cardinals recruited as a two-way player who could contribute in the middle infield, where he saw some action as a freshman. Zych has the mental toughness to handle late-inning assignments and shouldn't require much time in the minors. Whether he becomes a closer or set-up man depends on how consistent his mid-80s slider becomes. He doesn't miss as many bats as he should because his fastball can get straight and his slider can flatten out.