2013 Draft Discussion

[toonsterwu]

Wow, major statement by Gray, although I have no clue if Baylor is decent competition or not. The day after he met with Theo, Jed, and Jason. :oldbluekoolaid:

 

Baylor is hitting .274/.367/.358 in conference and .271/.358/.348 overall. The conference line is second in the mediocre Big 12 (with a big gap behind the best hitting team in the conference, Kansas State).

 

Probably one of the best offensive teams he's faced in conference - the Big 12 is not the SEC or Pac-12.

 

This really should go in the baseball thread, but since you follow college baseball more than I do, what happened to the Big 12? That slash line would be one of the worst offenses in the ACC (if they performed in the ACC and put up those numbers). Man, I just don't know what happened to that conference baseball wise.

[Guest]

Nebraska leaving, aTm leaving, Mizzou declining and then leaving all took a toll. Texas isn't what it used to be either, I don't think.

[Guest]

Nebraska leaving, aTm leaving, Mizzou declining and then leaving all took a toll. Texas isn't what it used to be either, I don't think.

 

Texas is a hot mess, last in the conference this year.

 

I'd say that sums it up, along with disappointing seasons from Baylor and TCU.

[Bilbo161]

I have mixed feelings about Colin Moran. On the one hand, I question whether or not the power will come, and I don't think he's an elite contact guy. Just one of those feelings when you see a guy sometimes. Sometimes my feelings are way off, though.

 

So if I was being fair ... you look at the bloodlines, the body, the swing ... you would think he should be able to add enough power to be solid at the hot corner while hitting for a solid enough average. Furthermore, he should be solid defensively. It's a good and ready package, and he's shown a high level of performance.

 

I wouldn't take him over Gray, and as lukewarm as I still am about Appel, I wouldn't take him over Appel for us. But ... if they for some reason opted against whoever was left of the two and went with Moran ... there's a part of me that would be so wary of it, but there's a part of me that could understand passing on Bryant for him (personally, Ball would be my third). I can see Moran as possibly being the away version of Kyle Seager, and being that guy relatively soon.

 

I like Ball too. Very intriguing package. A tall lanky lefty already showing good stuff with alot of filling out to do yet. And maybe even better as a hitter? Love those good hitting pitchers.

[Guest]

BA's best tools in the draft

[WrigleyField 22]

please draft this guy

 

http://gamedayr.com/gamedayr/photo-florida-state-scott-sitz-kenny-powers/

Rod Beck?

[Bilbo161]

please draft this guy

 

http://gamedayr.com/gamedayr/photo-florida-state-scott-sitz-kenny-powers/

Rod Beck?

 

Where is he predicted to go? Have not heard of him before. I have no problem with the body type if he's in shape and able to handle the workload.

[RammyFanny]

Josh Gaab ‏@Gobroks 1h

 

Kris Bryant has 4 PA's so far. He has seen 14 balls, 0 strikes, and attempted 0 swings. (UBB, IBB, HBP, UBB).

[Guest]

After having his first mock go Appel-Gray, Jim Callis flipped it and has the Cubs getting Appel this time: http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/jim-callis-2013-mock-draft-2-0/

 

1. HOUSTON ASTROS: Houston has narrowed its field to five: the top two college pitchers (Oklahoma’s Jonathan Gray and Stanford’s Mark Appel), the top two college bats (San Diego third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant and North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran) and a fifth option, presumed to be Georgia high school outfielder Clint Frazier.

 

Rumors persist that the Astros might prefer to redistribute bonus-pool money by striking a deal with one of the hitters, and owner Jim Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow have been spotted scouting Moran. Most industry sources, however, continue to believe the choice will come down to Gray or Appel, whom Houston also considered with the No. 1 pick last year. They’re close enough in talent that asking price could be a deciding factor, though either will command significantly more than the $4.8 million Carlos Correa got as the top choice in 2013.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Jonathan Gray (Mock Draft 1.0: Mark Appel).

 

2. CHICAGO CUBS: Chicago is looking at the same four college players that Houston is evaluating. The Cubs have an acute need for pitching and have had scouting eyes on Appel and Gray throughout the spring. It’s not clear whom they would prefer between Gray and Appel if the Astros opt for a hitter.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Mark Appel (Mock Draft 1.0: Jonathan Gray).

 

Callis has Manaea tumbling to the Yankees at 32.

[davell]

Some real uncertainty when it comes to Manaea. As a Cubs fan, knowing we have a tad over 11 mill to use, after the 5% money, would you give our 2nd pick slot(6.7) and Manaea 4 mill(Boras guy) and just sign senior college guys to fill out the rest, if that option were available to us?

[Guest]

Without question.

[wekim81]

Some real uncertainty when it comes to Manaea. As a Cubs fan, knowing we have a tad over 11 mill to use, after the 5% money, would you give our 2nd pick slot(6.7) and Manaea 4 mill(Boras guy) and just sign senior college guys to fill out the rest, if that option were available to us?

I wouldnt..because I think Manaea's a hurt. And I've got a feeling what we saw in the Cape Cod league isn't coming back.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Some real uncertainty when it comes to Manaea. As a Cubs fan, knowing we have a tad over 11 mill to use, after the 5% money, would you give our 2nd pick slot(6.7) and Manaea 4 mill(Boras guy) and just sign senior college guys to fill out the rest, if that option were available to us?

 

I'm tempted. Does Manaea have any sort of arm problems or is it just the hip thing?

[Tryptamine]

Some real uncertainty when it comes to Manaea. As a Cubs fan, knowing we have a tad over 11 mill to use, after the 5% money, would you give our 2nd pick slot(6.7) and Manaea 4 mill(Boras guy) and just sign senior college guys to fill out the rest, if that option were available to us?

 

I'm tempted. Does Manaea have any sort of arm problems or is it just the hip thing?

 

I thought the most recent injury was shoulder related which makes me completely uninterested in giving up the rest of the draft for him.

[Guest]

Without question.

 

Depends on how his medicals pan out. I'd be pretty wary of punting 8 picks for two pitchers, one of whom just had a shoulder injury.

[Guest]

Some real uncertainty when it comes to Manaea. As a Cubs fan, knowing we have a tad over 11 mill to use, after the 5% money, would you give our 2nd pick slot(6.7) and Manaea 4 mill(Boras guy) and just sign senior college guys to fill out the rest, if that option were available to us?

 

I'm tempted. Does Manaea have any sort of arm problems or is it just the hip thing?

 

I thought the most recent injury was shoulder related which makes me completely uninterested in giving up the rest of the draft for him.

 

Shoulder soreness plus the same hip injury he's had off and on all season. They're possibly related.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yeah, if he's had any sort of arm issues, then pass.

[jersey cubs fan]

I would not like the idea of putting all my eggs in two arm baskets, especially when, despite all the talk of a surplus of hitting and no pitching, the Cubs aren't exactly blessed with bats that are performing.

 

You solve the pitching issue with supply. This management team has shown an ability to find and acquire decent arms. Your bullpen eventually gets solved with quantity, not high risk high reward arms.

[Guest]

Chris Anderson fell completely out of the first round in Callis' mock.

[Guest]

Baylor's coach dropped a Roger Clemens comp on Gray after yesterday's game.

[Tryptamine]

From ABTY on Theo at Gray's start yesterday:

 

Apparently at one point yesterday, Theo turned to the other two and said something along the lines of '...I think we found our Verlander'... If Gray really has closed the gap on Appel and Bryant goes 1, the last 24 along with the next 24 could end up being more important than any of us realize...

 

For those of us who prefer Gray, this is pretty exciting to hear.

[toonsterwu]

See, here's what I don't get about that comment. Gray "closing the gap" makes little sense to me since a lot of folks have Gray as the top guy in this class. Anyhow, I have my doubts Bryant goes 1.

 

As for taking Manaea, I'd pass. There's enough intriguing arms to not take a gamble like that. I agree with JCF that attempting to get a quantity of solid quality is better than gambling on a high upside arm.

 

As a side note, if you want to talk about senior signs, lefty Scott Silverstein of UVA is someone to consider in the top 10 rounds. He was a very good prep arm, but then had multiple injuries. He's a 5th year senior, but he's come on strong and is topping out mid-90's on the fastball again. We know they scout UVA enough (who doesn't these days, but they did pick Bruno last year while going to study Taylor), so just a guy to keep in mind.

[Guest]

please draft this guy

 

http://gamedayr.com/gamedayr/photo-florida-state-scott-sitz-kenny-powers/

Rod Beck?

 

Where is he predicted to go? Have not heard of him before. I have no problem with the body type if he's in shape and able to handle the workload.

 

He's a college senior with mediocre stuff (though he knocked out UCLA last year in Omaha). He's probably gonna go rounds 6-10 if he signs cheaply, otherwise he'll go after round 20.

[jersey cubs fan]

See, here's what I don't get about that comment. Gray "closing the gap" makes little sense to me since a lot of folks have Gray as the top guy in this class.

 

While he may be the top guy on a lot of lists he is not on all lists. On those lists where he is considered #2 (and most people have speculated the Cubs have him #2) that would leave a gap which he could theoretically close.

[Guest]

Appel so far - 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP.

 

Not like Appel was lit up or anything when he gave up that run - it was a leadoff IF single, HBP, sac bunt and an RBI groundout.