2011 Cubs picks and signings thread

[questionmarkgrace]

If they sign the right guys, this will be Wilkens best draft so far with the cubs. I havent been crazy with his previous drafts in comparison to what he did with toronto. But maybe that speaks to toronto's player development in comparison to the cubs.

[toonsterwu]

So if we take Hendry loosely at his word of about twice as much money on the amateur side, we're looking at roughly 8-10 million. At what point do you guys draw the lines on some of the bigger ticket items? Just playing around with things, but if we sign Maples, Vogelbach, Baez, that likely would eat close to 5, if not 6, mil, leaving us with enough money to sign a few more, but probably leaving some key names from later on out. I guess, with most assumptions that Vogelbach and Baez will sign, I'm sort of getting at what cost is Maples worth it? If we can get say, Dunston, Jensen, Jacquez (if not more) for Maples money, would you prefer something like that (based off the rough expectations, it seems possible that those three could cost around what Maples is asking loosely for).

[craig]

Good question. I think it depends on what Maples will settle for. One of the early posts said he ws demanding $3M.

 

We've seen the kind of talent you can get for $0.15-.20 on guys like Struck, Beeler, McNutt, Kurcz, and Reed in recent drafts. If it's 15 overslot guys in that price range versus one Maples, I'm going for the fifteen projectable overslots.

 

One of the concerns with Maples was that he has a worrisome delivery. So the odds are pretty strong that even if you sign him, he'll go the same way as Rhee, Brownlie, Blasko, Hagerty, and Christensen. So I'd lean towards the volume of good prospects over Maples, if he's really going $3.

 

At $1.5, different story.

[Guest]

Tom Ricketts:

 

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the draft and signing amateur talent: “One of the things that everyone should know, we talk about building an organization. We talk about, ‘We have to bring in the right players, both international and U.S. amateurs, and we have to bring them up through the facilities with the right coaching. We’ve committed to dedicating more dollars to those signings, both in the U.S. and internationally this year.”

[Guest]

Tom Ricketts:

 

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the draft and signing amateur talent: “One of the things that everyone should know, we talk about building an organization. We talk about, ‘We have to bring in the right players, both international and U.S. amateurs, and we have to bring them up through the facilities with the right coaching. We’ve committed to dedicating more dollars to those signings, both in the U.S. and internationally this year.”

=D> \:D/

[davell]

It's what we've all basically asked for, gotta be thrilled with the effort here honestly......

 

 

As far as what Toonster asked: Damn good question too and I'm not totally sure what I'd really prefer. I was one of the guys wanting Maples in the 2nd round(love Vogelbach though), so I like him ALOT. Is he worth that trio of guys? Dunno. But, I think the numbers you mentioned are probably dead on. 6 mill for those 3, or 6 mill for Baez, Vogelbach, Dunston, Jacquez, and Jensen? I think the odds favor taking the 3 guys over Maples, I guess. But Jacquez' size makes him a reliever right off the bat, right? It's not like the majors are screaming with 5'9 starters anyway. In a perfect world, I'd do my damndest to find a way to make it work with Maples and get Jensen somehow too. Lose out on Dunston and Jacquez......

[Guest]

Boozer (Chicago) We heard the last draft was sooooo deep...in a different year, would Javier Baez have been a top 10? Lots of complaints in Chicago that the Cubs reached.

 

Klaw (1:15 PM) They didn't reach. They took a risk, but that's not the same as reaching. Baez has crazy bat speed and potential 30-HR power, and he's a good enough athlete that some scouts thought he could stay at SS (I think he goes to 3B). He's just high-risk.

 

Jack (Chicago) Hayden Simpson was a reach...not Baez.

 

Klaw (1:17 PM) Yep, I'd agree with that.

[davell]

Keith Law was asked on Twitter about Maples and said it'd take 2 mill to sign him and he expects he'll go to UNC.......Doubt Law is plugged into the Cubs all that well, but the 2 mill figure is low enough(if true) that I can see the Cubs getting him.

[Guest]

46th rounder Scott Weismann, RHP, Clemson signed.

 

Righthander Scott Weisman was expected to be a fixture in Clemson's rotation after he led the team with nine victories in 2010. He didn't meet expectations, though he wasn't hurt, just ineffective. He's stocky at 6 feet, 190 pounds, and he was much more effective out of the bullpen, limiting opponents to a .128 average entering the ACC tournament. Weisman's sinker reaches 93, and his slider helps him get groundballs, but neither pitch gets a ton of swings and misses. He added a cutter this year that gave him a different look.

[Guest]

Two new UDFA signed by the Cubs, per BA:

 

C Pat Terry, Santa Clara

1B Ryan Durrence, Bethune-Cookman (FL)

[wekim81]

Since when is 6 feet, 190 pounds stocky? I'm pissed off at that comment!

[videographer]

UDFA signing: RHP Nick Johnson from U of Cincinnati

 

This from BA

 

Though righthanders Nick Johnson and Ross Gerdeman hit 94 mph with their fastballs this spring, neither has had consistent success in college. Johnson, a 5-foot-11, 182-pound senior, has the better breaking ball of the two, spinning a solid-average curveball. Gerdeman is more physical (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) and has better command.

[Guest]

21st rounder Andrew McKirahan is pitching in relief for Texas in the College World Series right now on ESPN. He's about to face Preston Tucker.

[Guest]

He got 1 guy out, walked one and gave up an IF single on a balk where the first baseman could have gotten the guy out and re-set the play but, for whatever reason, didn't. He topped out at 92.

[Outshined_One]

Sounds like 22nd rounder RHP Ethan Elias will sign at some point.

 

Link

[Outshined_One]

16th rounder Rafael Lopez signed per BA.

[BeerHere]

Tom Ricketts:

 

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the draft and signing amateur talent: “One of the things that everyone should know, we talk about building an organization. We talk about, ‘We have to bring in the right players, both international and U.S. amateurs, and we have to bring them up through the facilities with the right coaching. We’ve committed to dedicating more dollars to those signings, both in the U.S. and internationally this year.”

 

I feel like the Cubs went cheap in the 2010 draft. A big market team should not be spending in the middle of the pack. I'm not condoning wasting money and if someone told me that the 2010 pool of players was below average I guess that would make a difference. Simpson was not/is not a first round talent, at least at this point. Sure he had the illness, but he is doing very little right now in A ball to warrant that selection. I realize that the draft is a gamble in some respects but an aging team with an average farm system should be spending BIG on the draft IMO. I didn't see that last year and until I see more signings from the 2011 class I'll stick by my gut feeling that Ricketts is saying what the fans want to hear while not following up on those statements.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't think the average baseball fan (read: moron) is going to care about spending money in the draft.

[CubColtPacer]

Tom Ricketts:

 

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the draft and signing amateur talent: “One of the things that everyone should know, we talk about building an organization. We talk about, ‘We have to bring in the right players, both international and U.S. amateurs, and we have to bring them up through the facilities with the right coaching. We’ve committed to dedicating more dollars to those signings, both in the U.S. and internationally this year.”

 

I feel like the Cubs went cheap in the 2010 draft. A big market team should not be spending in the middle of the pack. I'm not condoning wasting money and if someone told me that the 2010 pool of players was below average I guess that would make a difference. Simpson was not/is not a first round talent, at least at this point. Sure he had the illness, but he is doing very little right now in A ball to warrant that selection. I realize that the draft is a gamble in some respects but an aging team with an average farm system should be spending BIG on the draft IMO. I didn't see that last year and until I see more signings from the 2011 class I'll stick by my gut feeling that Ricketts is saying what the fans want to hear while not following up on those statements.

 

It makes no sense that the Cubs would go with the draft philosophy they did in 2011 if they were planning to go cheap. I have no idea how many of the guys they will actually sign, but you don't draft a bunch of players out of high school along with a few guys that will require major overslots without some indication that you will have a pretty good budget at your disposal. How desperate will the Cubs get if some of these players ask for more money than expected? I don't know. But they had a pathway to draft decent talent without spending tons of money and they chose to go with the high upside high risk guys instead.

[OleMissCub]

any news on the fat kid?

[Guest]

any news on the fat kid?

 

No. He's going to require overslot money so that won't get done till around the deadline. Selig's stance on not announcing overslot deals till mid-August is annoying and dumb.

[BeerHere]

Tom Ricketts:

 

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the draft and signing amateur talent: “One of the things that everyone should know, we talk about building an organization. We talk about, ‘We have to bring in the right players, both international and U.S. amateurs, and we have to bring them up through the facilities with the right coaching. We’ve committed to dedicating more dollars to those signings, both in the U.S. and internationally this year.”

 

I feel like the Cubs went cheap in the 2010 draft. A big market team should not be spending in the middle of the pack. I'm not condoning wasting money and if someone told me that the 2010 pool of players was below average I guess that would make a difference. Simpson was not/is not a first round talent, at least at this point. Sure he had the illness, but he is doing very little right now in A ball to warrant that selection. I realize that the draft is a gamble in some respects but an aging team with an average farm system should be spending BIG on the draft IMO. I didn't see that last year and until I see more signings from the 2011 class I'll stick by my gut feeling that Ricketts is saying what the fans want to hear while not following up on those statements.

 

It makes no sense that the Cubs would go with the draft philosophy they did in 2011 if they were planning to go cheap. I have no idea how many of the guys they will actually sign, but you don't draft a bunch of players out of high school along with a few guys that will require major overslots without some indication that you will have a pretty good budget at your disposal. How desperate will the Cubs get if some of these players ask for more money than expected? I don't know. But they had a pathway to draft decent talent without spending tons of money and they chose to go with the high upside high risk guys instead.

 

I HATE the fact that I have become so cynical. Having said that......

 

...if the Cubs didn't want to spend and they don't sign these kids, they could easily blame it on unrealistic bonus demands. I know it sounds hard to believe but it sincerely bothers me that I have become so cynical. Like I said above, I'll believe it when I see it with Ricketts. If they sign all these draftees I'll eat my words.

 

edit: formatting

[CubColtPacer]

Tom Ricketts:

 

Bruce Miles[/url]"]On the draft and signing amateur talent: “One of the things that everyone should know, we talk about building an organization. We talk about, ‘We have to bring in the right players, both international and U.S. amateurs, and we have to bring them up through the facilities with the right coaching. We’ve committed to dedicating more dollars to those signings, both in the U.S. and internationally this year.”

 

I feel like the Cubs went cheap in the 2010 draft. A big market team should not be spending in the middle of the pack. I'm not condoning wasting money and if someone told me that the 2010 pool of players was below average I guess that would make a difference. Simpson was not/is not a first round talent, at least at this point. Sure he had the illness, but he is doing very little right now in A ball to warrant that selection. I realize that the draft is a gamble in some respects but an aging team with an average farm system should be spending BIG on the draft IMO. I didn't see that last year and until I see more signings from the 2011 class I'll stick by my gut feeling that Ricketts is saying what the fans want to hear while not following up on those statements.

 

It makes no sense that the Cubs would go with the draft philosophy they did in 2011 if they were planning to go cheap. I have no idea how many of the guys they will actually sign, but you don't draft a bunch of players out of high school along with a few guys that will require major overslots without some indication that you will have a pretty good budget at your disposal. How desperate will the Cubs get if some of these players ask for more money than expected? I don't know. But they had a pathway to draft decent talent without spending tons of money and they chose to go with the high upside high risk guys instead.

 

I HATE the fact that I have become so cynical. Having said that......

 

...if the Cubs didn't want to spend and they don't sign these kids, they could easily blame it on unrealistic bonus demands. I know it sounds hard to believe but it sincerely bothers me that I have become so cynical. Like I said above, I'll believe it when I see it with Ricketts. If they sign all these draftees I'll eat my words.

 

edit: formatting

 

I understand somewhat being cynical, but I don't get the motive for the Cubs. Why would they want to draft those guys just to not sign them? They have to fill their minor league rosters somehow. If they just wanted to do that with cheap guys they could have drafted college players who didn't have as many options. It's not like they're getting good PR for drafting all these guys because most of the fanbase doesn't know or care about overslots or draft budgets.

 

Now will they chicken out when it comes time to actually put up the money? That is certainly possible. But the draft they had is not consistent with going into the draft intent on not spending money.

[Guest]

The Cubs spent $4.73 million, the 20th most in the draft last year, while having the 16th pick and not having any extra picks. Nothing *too* disappointing.

 

The Cubs also spent $4.16 million dollars on international amateurs last year, the 7th most in baseball. And that $4.16 million doesn't include the $1.75 million they spent on 3 Cuban non-amateurs (that would put them at 2nd in all of baseball, but obviously other teams spent on non-amateur Cubans and I'm not sure how that would bump those other teams).

[Splendid Splinter]

The Cubs spent $4.73 million, the 20th most in the draft last year, while having the 16th pick and not having any extra picks. Nothing *too* disappointing.

 

The Cubs also spent $4.16 million dollars on international amateurs last year, the 7th most in baseball. And that $4.16 million doesn't include the $1.75 million they spent on 3 Cuban non-amateurs (that would put them at 2nd in all of baseball, but obviously other teams spent on non-amateur Cubans and I'm not sure how that would bump those other teams).

 

 

That $4.73 mil included the Sczcur bonus and whatnot??? I thought the draft $$ last year was a little misleading cuz they spent just as much in IFA, if not more (when you include the Cubans)... Also the MLB payroll is less this year than last so this is where Ricketts gonna be accountable for his words where he said the money is gonna go more towards for draft/international/development/etc when the MLB payroll is less, but the budget overall stays the same (he said something similar to that)... So if he goes like $4.5 mil on this draft, I'll be disappointed and start thinking he's not true to his words entirely unless he goes big on international signings, but if he goes like $6+ mil, then I'll start believing that he REALLY wants to build from within... Looking at how he drafted like 16 of the first 20 players were high schoolers, it's not gonna be cheap to sign most of those guys. Heck I'll be surprised if he can get Baez and Vogelbach signed for less than $3 mil combined.