2011 Cubs picks and signings thread

[nick23]

This is what Law said about Maples pre-draft. We signed four of Law's top 77. Not bad at all.

If you want pure arm strength, Maples is among the most enticing arms in the class, but you have to close your eyes a little bit on the delivery.

 

His velocity has crept up all spring and he's easily 92-97 with, on pure movement, one of the best sliders in the draft. It is hard and sharp, with good tilt at 77-80. His arm is very quick but he generates most of the velocity from his upper body, with a good stride but minimal hip rotation and too much of an arm wrap in the back. He cuts himself off badly when he lands and often doesn't even land squarely, none of which is helping his command any.

 

The pure stuff is very appealing, but I think Maples is ultimately a pen guy, and with a strong commitment to UNC and the general reluctance within the industry to draft future relievers out of high school, there's a good chance he goes to college.

[craig]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20110816&content_id=23279900&vkey=pr_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

Wilken press release. There is a LOT of good stuff in there, I encourage you to read it. Some notes:

1. Says 34 signings. We've got 34 accounted for. So apparently no unknown low-profile signings that we hadn't hear about.

2. Makes reference to three first round talents, Baez, Maples, and Vogelbach. Dunston not included.

3. Says the spending this year was more than last two years combined.

4. Wilken sees this as one of the most talented draft classes he's ever seen signed, and speaks to it's depth.

5. Says that they invested in added scouts. I like that very much.

6. Says that this year's draft class as a whole was regarded as being really good and really deep, so that this was an ideal year to be able to spend.

[Shilzzz]

just to throw my hat in the thread, i am ecstatic that the cubs did as much as they have this year with amatuers (internationals incl). however, i still think the players they are targeting are so raw, and our organization so fundamentally flawed, that there is destined to be some big time flops, unless different front office people are brought in sooner than later. in an organ where patience is not practiced, and players seem to decline more often than improve, raw is not always the best thing. i think some of these guys profile as types that will usurp the obstacles in front of them (particularly dunston and baez, though maples is the poster boy for arms that hendry's coaches destroy or make bullpen fodder), and that we signed enough upside guys to make the cushion of failure more tolerable, but if one of vogelbach, gretzky, and hoilman end up being an everyday 1b in the majors we will have been fortunate. i also wonder if all these 1b is a further sign of ricketts and co having no intention on going long term with pujols or fielder, and rather stopgapping with pena (which is not the worst option, really). again, i think this is the best draft easily in years, if not as long as i've been alive enough to be a baseball fan, but i think that the whole keith law-is-a-dick-to-cubs-fans-and-prospects thing is kind of true in so far as most cubs guys don't pan out, and as a career move it's not the dumbest one to pick.

[Guest]

The official list from the Cubs is in the attachment.

[wvcbxl]

The official list from the Cubs is in the attachment.

 

That list has Andreoli signed.

[BeerHere]

The official list from the Cubs is in the attachment.

 

That list has Andreoli signed.

BA shows him as signed as well

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/2011xteam.php?team=1004

[KingCubsFan]

The official list from the Cubs is in the attachment.

 

That list has Andreoli signed.

Doesn't he project as a 4th outfielder?

[Guest]

How soon can draftees start playing? I think I remember seeing HS draftees play in Mesa the year they were drafted. Any chance we see Baez and VogelBOMB (I said it) in Mesa before the year is done?

 

Sure there's a chance. Vitters signed on deadline day and manages to scrape a few ABs at Mesa and Boise. On the other hand, Ben Wells signed at the deadline last year and ended up debuting at fall instructs. Not sure if it was because he was a pitcher and they wanted to rest hir arm or what. But there is no precedence for this many deadline signings, so I'm certainly not sure.

[UMFan83]

Sorry I don't follow these threads as day to day as you guys, so I claim partial ignorance. I am just curious as to whether it's a recent trend for teams to sign post-1st round picks so far above slot? I just remember when Shark was signed and how the MLB was pissed that we went so far over slot. I know he was a 4th rounder and we gave him $10 mil, which even this year would be insanely over slot, but I remember the prevailing thought being not to abuse the system by going way overslot to sign your draft picks. Now it seems like teams reguarly ignore the slot system when making picks and signing them.

 

Is this becoming a problem that is going to be addressed at some point, perhaps the next CBA negotiations? I would hate to see this practice stopped now that the Cubs seem to finally be realzing the value of exploiting their resources in the draft.

[Vinestal]

Dunston jr has tweeted he reports to Mesa on Friday, don't know if he'll play in games or not right away. He's also going to get involved in camp Colvin.

[jersey cubs fan]

Dunston jr has tweeted he reports to Mesa on Friday, don't know if he'll play in games or not right away. He's also going to get involved in camp Colvin.

 

Can they rename that camp after a guy who didn't fall apart the year after doing it?

[Vinestal]

Dunston jr has tweeted he reports to Mesa on Friday, don't know if he'll play in games or not right away. He's also going to get involved in camp Colvin.

 

Can they rename that camp after a guy who didn't fall apart the year after doing it?

 

Lol yeah I agree.

[TruffleShuffle]

Wow, Daniel Lockhart got $395,000. Probably the craziest bonus the Cubs gave.

 

isn't his ceiling basically his dad?

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Looking forward to hearing what KLaw has to say, assuming it's positive. I usually try and tune in to his podcast on Tuesdays; if he says anything about the Cubs' draft / signings, I'll be sure to post it here.

Nevermind. In a shocking update that no one could have possibly foreseen, Law spent at least 5 minutes talking about how well the Blue Jays did and did not mention the Cubs at all. Completely flabbergasted.

[craig]

Wow, Daniel Lockhart got $395,000. Probably the craziest bonus the Cubs gave.

 

isn't his ceiling basically his dad?

 

I think it's higher. Daniel lists a little taller, and my understanding is that he might be a stronger hitter than his father, with more power and a chance to hit for higher average. And I'm not sure, but it may be envisioned that he might be able to play SS.

 

A .260 BA-.700 OPS 2B is one thing. A .280 BA-.780 OPS SS is quite another. We'll see, of course. But I think he's got a chance to be a much better offensive guy than his dad.

[Guest]

Dillon Maples will report to Mesa next month for instructs so we'll have to rely on Arizona Phil for now and wait till 2012 for real game box scores (and given how the Cubs move prep arms, we might have to wait till June of 2012). Makes sense given the scouting reports say he needs to re-work his mechanics.

[idakepps]

Looking forward to hearing what KLaw has to say, assuming it's positive. I usually try and tune in to his podcast on Tuesdays; if he says anything about the Cubs' draft / signings, I'll be sure to post it here.

Nevermind. In a shocking update that no one could have possibly foreseen, Law spent at least 5 minutes talking about how well the Blue Jays did and did not mention the Cubs at all. Completely flabbergasted.

 

Ha. I listened to that too and had the same reaction. Anyone going to post what he wrote?

[Outshined_One]

Huh, 35th rounder RHP Ian Dickson signed.

[craig]

Huh, 35th rounder RHP Ian Dickson signed.

 

He's tall, 20, throws hard, mid 90's, not sure about health history, and his mechanics are wildly inconsistent. Some guys can never get control, but sometimes if the mechanics get cleaned up and become consistent, who knows.

[toonsterwu]

pretty certain that Dickson was out with some sort of injury this year. Must have had decent reports from his first two years.

[Scotti]

i think you're confusing overall contract value with bonus.

 

I'm not sure where you get that I meant that either a two-sport or a MLB deal is a "straight up" bonus--that obviously isn't the case. Regardless, for the purposes of staying slot, MLB doesn't care how you spread it out (and it still gets counted in the bonus bucket by BA as well). Over slot is over slot. Two-sport guys can go over slot because MLB wants to be competitive with the other sports but MLB nixed the initial Samardzija deal because it was over slot by goofy proportions not because it was "straight up" or whatever.

 

This got started by my pointing out that MLB can, and has, voided amateur deals. I just don't see how that's debatable. Regardless, I'd prefer not to hijack the thread further than we already have.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

just to throw my hat in the thread, i am ecstatic that the cubs did as much as they have this year with amatuers (internationals incl). however, i still think the players they are targeting are so raw, and our organization so fundamentally flawed, that there is destined to be some big time flops, unless different front office people are brought in sooner than later. in an organ where patience is not practiced, and players seem to decline more often than improve, raw is not always the best thing. i think some of these guys profile as types that will usurp the obstacles in front of them (particularly dunston and baez, though maples is the poster boy for arms that hendry's coaches destroy or make bullpen fodder), and that we signed enough upside guys to make the cushion of failure more tolerable, but if one of vogelbach, gretzky, and hoilman end up being an everyday 1b in the majors we will have been fortunate. i also wonder if all these 1b is a further sign of ricketts and co having no intention on going long term with pujols or fielder, and rather stopgapping with pena (which is not the worst option, really). again, i think this is the best draft easily in years, if not as long as i've been alive enough to be a baseball fan, but i think that the whole keith law-is-a-dick-to-cubs-fans-and-prospects thing is kind of true in so far as most cubs guys don't pan out, and as a career move it's not the dumbest one to pick.

 

There would still be flops...many, many flops.

[Scotti]

Dunston jr has tweeted he reports to Mesa on Friday, don't know if he'll play in games or not right away. He's also going to get involved in camp Colvin.

 

Can they rename that camp after a guy who didn't fall apart the year after doing it?

 

Lol yeah I agree.

 

It was actually named for him because he was a guy who went to the camp and showed immidiate benefits from having attended (and reortedly commiting himself fully to the program). "Camp Colvin" is synonomous with working hard and getting promoted to the bigs (and hitting 20HR in the process). I don't really think what Colvin does THIS year is an issue for, say, Dunston or Vogelbach.

[JockJones]

That said, we went after the hitters, and we went after what we termed in the higher picks to be a little bit more intelligent at the plate, guys that have a chance to have a pretty good OBP. They're selective, they want to work the pitcher hard.

 

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/6148

[Shilzzz]

just to throw my hat in the thread, i am ecstatic that the cubs did as much as they have this year with amatuers (internationals incl). however, i still think the players they are targeting are so raw, and our organization so fundamentally flawed, that there is destined to be some big time flops, unless different front office people are brought in sooner than later. in an organ where patience is not practiced, and players seem to decline more often than improve, raw is not always the best thing. i think some of these guys profile as types that will usurp the obstacles in front of them (particularly dunston and baez, though maples is the poster boy for arms that hendry's coaches destroy or make bullpen fodder), and that we signed enough upside guys to make the cushion of failure more tolerable, but if one of vogelbach, gretzky, and hoilman end up being an everyday 1b in the majors we will have been fortunate. i also wonder if all these 1b is a further sign of ricketts and co having no intention on going long term with pujols or fielder, and rather stopgapping with pena (which is not the worst option, really). again, i think this is the best draft easily in years, if not as long as i've been alive enough to be a baseball fan, but i think that the whole keith law-is-a-dick-to-cubs-fans-and-prospects thing is kind of true in so far as most cubs guys don't pan out, and as a career move it's not the dumbest one to pick.

 

There would still be flops...many, many flops.

 

right, absolutely. i guess my point was more aimed at how to curb the amount of flops, specifically with the higher ceiling guys. also, that the compensation of lack of obp skills by good hand guys is an interesting strategy that says much more about the cubs front office than surface level.