2013 Draft Discussion

[abohnhoff]

Heard from a good source that the Cubs worked out junior college freshman Nick Gardewine today.

 

http://stats.njcaa.org/sports/bsb/2012-13/div1/players/nickgardewinephkq

 

We are from the same home town, Effingham IL, but do not know much more about him. Source said he hit 95 mph on the gun today quite a few times.

[Guest]

Baseball America[/url]"]Based on conversations with scouts and agents, neither player figures to drop because of the positive tests. Two club officials said their teams believed Gray’s use of Adderall was a one-time mistake and wouldn’t be held against him. A source close to Blair said his positive test also resulted from a one-time indiscretion and that no teams had expressed any concerns about it. Both executives and the third source spoke on condition of anonymity.

[Guest]

Baseball America[/url]"]Based on conversations with scouts and agents, neither player figures to drop because of the positive tests. Two club officials said their teams believed Gray’s use of Adderall was a one-time mistake and wouldn’t be held against him. A source close to Blair said his positive test also resulted from a one-time indiscretion and that no teams had expressed any concerns about it. Both executives and the third source spoke on condition of anonymity.

So, the one time that MLB tested them they came up dirty. But the assumption is that it is the only time they used PED's?

 

That's kind of crazy.

[Clem Fandango]

We are from the same home town, Effingham IL

 

My sophomoric humor kicked in and I laughed pretty hard at the fact this town name exists. I'm not proud of myself.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Is Adderall really that big a deal? He wasn't snorting cocaine.

 

Feel free to blast me if I'm off base here.

[JLN]

I'm not a psychiatrist so I could be wrong on some of this, but I think some of the confusion regarding psychostimulants is that people hear the "stimulant" part of the word and assume there is some paradoxical effect because a "stimulant" should stimulate behavior. Actually what they do is stimulate dopamine (and I believe norepinephrine) activity by blocking reuptake of the neurotransmitter in the prefrontal cortex where executive functioning takes place. Increased dopamine activity improves executive functioning and ADHD is basically a disorder of executive functioning. People without ADHD likely already have adequate dopamine activity, but the effects of taking the stimulant should really be the same (although there may be some additional euphoria or something related to the flooding of dopamine).

[Guest]

He's a league average 3rd baseman at the least now with the potential to be better especially if he can continue playing great defense like he is this season. If he can string 4- 3+ win seasons together, he isn't a bust. Mild disappointment, maybe.

 

he's way more than a mild disappointment, even if everything else you say is true. it's like orioles fans who say they aren't disappointed weiters because he's still a nice player. bs.

[Guest]

@NathanRode: Might be higher probability than some think. RT @jimcallisBA I think someone will make a run. @jaypers413: Can Sheffield be signed #mlbdraft

 

@jimcallisBA: Make me feel guilty. Manaea Jones Serrano Biggio maybe Du.Peterson @jaypers413: Asked for Ask BA, best 5 who are toughest signs? #mlbdraft

 

To which Connor Glassey added:

 

“@conorglassey: @jimcallisBA Cal Quantrill

[davell]

I've thought about Sheffield, but with the Baker and Vizcaino set backs, I wonder if the FO would just prefer safer territory than this, when plenty of other choices are out there.

[Guest]

USA Today[/url]"]Yet, the team officials said they don't expect the positive test will hurt Gray's position in the draft since it involved a stimulant and not a steroid or human growth hormone.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is Adderall really that big a deal? He wasn't snorting cocaine.

 

Feel free to blast me if I'm off base here.

 

Adderall is cheating, cocaine is not.

[Guest]

If the Cubs are fine with selecting him and believe his talent is similar to Appel and Bryant's, I find the idea of drafting Gray and signing him under slot by $1.5-2 million and spreading that money elsewhere rather intriguing. I haven't been a fan of signability picks before this, preferring to just draft BPA, but clearly Gray is talented enough for 1.2, unlike Moran or other signability candidates.

[Guest]

If the Cubs are fine with selecting him and believe his talent is similar to Appel and Bryant's, I find the idea of drafting Gray and signing him under slot by $1.5-2 million and spreading that money elsewhere rather intriguing. I haven't been a fan of signability picks before this, preferring to just draft BPA, but clearly Gray is talented enough for 1.2, unlike Moran or other signability candidates.

 

Unfortunately, the Astros are probably thinking the same thing.

[Guest]

If the Cubs are fine with selecting him and believe his talent is similar to Appel and Bryant's, I find the idea of drafting Gray and signing him under slot by $1.5-2 million and spreading that money elsewhere rather intriguing. I haven't been a fan of signability picks before this, preferring to just draft BPA, but clearly Gray is talented enough for 1.2, unlike Moran or other signability candidates.

 

Unfortunately, the Astros are probably thinking the same thing.

 

No doubt.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If the Cubs are fine with selecting him and believe his talent is similar to Appel and Bryant's, I find the idea of drafting Gray and signing him under slot by $1.5-2 million and spreading that money elsewhere rather intriguing. I haven't been a fan of signability picks before this, preferring to just draft BPA, but clearly Gray is talented enough for 1.2, unlike Moran or other signability candidates.

 

Unfortunately, the Astros are probably thinking the same thing.

 

That's what's weird about it. I don't know if it hurts his draft status or not, and I also don't know if by hurting his draft status he might actually cause himself to go higher or not.

[Guest]

If the Cubs are fine with selecting him and believe his talent is similar to Appel and Bryant's, I find the idea of drafting Gray and signing him under slot by $1.5-2 million and spreading that money elsewhere rather intriguing. I haven't been a fan of signability picks before this, preferring to just draft BPA, but clearly Gray is talented enough for 1.2, unlike Moran or other signability candidates.

 

Unfortunately, the Astros are probably thinking the same thing.

 

That's what's weird about it. I don't know if it hurts his draft status or not, and I also don't know if by hurting his draft status he might actually cause himself to go higher or not.

 

Yeah. It'll probably cost him leverage and therefore money, but I'd have to consider him the favorite to go #1 now.

[Pushfrog98]

We are from the same home town, Effingham IL

 

My sophomoric humor kicked in and I laughed pretty hard at the fact this town name exists. I'm not proud of myself.

It's ok. I lived down the road from Effingham for the last 10 years, and I still laugh and make the same "Want some Effing Eggs with your Effingham?" jokes.

Heard from a good source that the Cubs worked out junior college freshman Nick Gardewine today.

 

http://stats.njcaa.org/sports/bsb/2012-13/div1/players/nickgardewinephkq

 

We are from the same home town, Effingham IL, but do not know much more about him. Source said he hit 95 mph on the gun today quite a few times.

I'm almost positive I saw this kid pitch last year. If it's the same guy, he was dealing.

[Guest]

Heard from a good source that the Cubs worked out junior college freshman Nick Gardewine today.

 

http://stats.njcaa.org/sports/bsb/2012-13/div1/players/nickgardewinephkq

 

We are from the same home town, Effingham IL, but do not know much more about him. Source said he hit 95 mph on the gun today quite a few times.

 

BA rated Garenwine the 336th best prospect in the country and third best in the state of Illinois. Here's what they wrote about him:

 

Gardewine threw a seven-inning no-hitter in his third college start in March, and he emerged as the ace and top prospect on a Kaskaskia team that advanced to the Junior College World Series for the first time ever. He's small (6-foot-1, 165 pounds) but has a quick arm and clean delivery that produce quality stuff. Those traits prompt comparisons to Matt Stites, a former juco pitcher at Jefferson (Mo.) is now a reliever in the Padres system. Gardewine may wind up in the bullpen as well because his size leads to durability concerns. He has the pitches and throws enough strikes to have a chance as a starter, however. His best offering is a cutter that can reach 90 mph. He sits at 90-91 mph and peaks at 94 with his fastball, and he mixes in a hard breaking ball and a changeup.

 

Of course teams work out countless players right before the draft, especially local prospects and those close to their winter/ST headquarters.

[Bilbo161]

Anyone else think Kohl Stewart moves up because of Gray's indiscretion. I always thought he or Frasier might be the best choice for 1/2 if the goal is saving money for later rounds.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Yes, I've been surprised the Astros haven't been attached to Stewart.

[THISisTHEyear09]

A friend of mine works in the front office of an mlb team (cant say which team,as he asked me not to) and he's got info on basically every player in the country. He said he would text me after our picks (probably not during the draft though) and give me a short rundown. I think I'll post what he has to say in the draft thread.

[RammyFanny]

Law's final rankings:

 

1) Appel

Analysis: He's a polished, athletic college right-hander with three above-average to plus pitches, clearly the top talent in this year's class.

2) Bryant

Analysis: Bryant's kind of right-handed power is very hard to find, and even if he ends up in right field he's athletic enough to be good there.

3) Gray

Analysis: Shows two plus pitches and had much better conditioning and fastball command this year, although it remains to be seen if his positive test for the amphetamine Adderall hurts his stock at all.

4) Stewart

5) Meadows

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9330709/mark-appel-kris-bryant-lead-final-ranking-top-draft-prospects-2013-mlb-draft

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Having had a day to process the arguments and discussion on both sides, I think I would pass on Gray over this incident.

 

His whole ascension to the top of the draft board, when he suddenly could not only hold his fastball velocity late into games but improve it, was already in need of an explanation. Now we have a potential explanation that seems pretty plausible to me.

[mookie]

Yea. Pretty much.

[jersey cubs fan]

Having had a day to process the arguments and discussion on both sides, I think I would pass on Gray over this incident.

 

His whole ascension to the top of the draft board, when he suddenly could not only hold his fastball velocity late into games but improve it, was already in need of an explanation. Now we have a potential explanation that seems pretty plausible to me.

 

That's the way I'm leaning, unless they may think he will be allowed to "treat his ailment" as a pro.

 

Still though, if they were drafting 3rd maybe it makes sense to take the guy but when you have the option of one of the other two among the big three, I see no reason to risk it.