2014 Draft Discussion

[Gmoney08]

Not that it makes a huge difference, but I remember Wood being a 97-98 guy. Did he ever hit 100?

 

I thought 19, 20 year old KWood before his first surgery used to hit 100 when he dialed it up.

 

I think he was more in the 97mph and lower range during his 02-04 seasons..

[cubsclapp]

Not that it makes a huge difference, but I remember Wood being a 97-98 guy. Did he ever hit 100?

 

I thought 19, 20 year old KWood before his first surgery used to hit 100 when he dialed it up.

 

I think he was more in the 97mph and lower range during his 02-04 seasons..

 

I saved an AP (Denver Post) newspaper clipping for years with notes on his 20-K game... I remember it said that he was not clocked at under 95 mph with a fastball all game and hit 100 mph five times. I have no idea how accurate that was (or how accurate the gun it was referencing was) but just passing that along. Whatever the case, it sure felt like he was hitting at least close to 100 a few times in that game.

 

Edit: Just found the Sun-Times article on the game and here's an excerpt from it:

 

Dierker said the Houston radar gun had him at 100 m.p.h. on one pitch.

 

Scouts behind home plate had him at 99 m.p.h. several times and never below 95, which is still harder than any other Cubs starter throws on his best day.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12615540-419/archives-kerry-wood-20-strikeout-game.html

[cubsclapp]

Sports Illustrated piece on Rodon in the last few days:

 

"He's been very good," said longtime N.C. State coach Elliott Avent. "Don't be fooled."

 

A scout -- a national cross-checker for a National League team -- is not quite on board with Avent, saying of Rodon, "He appears to have lost some of his power. Where last year, he pitched at 92-93 [miles per hour] and amped up to 96-97, this year he's pitching at 90-91 and occasionally touching 95. I also see him throwing more sliders than last year."

 

Asked if there's cause for concern, the scout said, "I don't think so, because of the body of work. As a freshman and sophomore, he showed he could beat the best college teams. And in the summers, on Team USA, he pitched against Japan and Cuba. To me, he looks like he's holding back a little right now, like maybe he's saving some bullets for later."

 

"Carlos' number one thing, above anything," Avent said, "is that he loves to win. He's a throwback. He's Bob Gibson. He's Pete Rose. I recruited him to play both ways, because he's a good hitter. Most guys, knowing the type of money that's going to be swirling around after this season, would go to their coach and tell them they want to focus on pitching. He begs me to hit. That shows you what kind kid he is. When the game's over, he looks back and sees how he did. He doesn't calculate things as they're going on."

 

When it comes time for self-evaluation, Rodon does not go easy on himself. Prior to the Miami start, he beat himself up for having poor command of his fastball, and he spent the week trying to lock himself in mechanically so he could locate the ball where he wanted. His fastball, slider and cutter are all above average pitches, and he's working on a changeup.

 

"I've noticed hitters are coming up a little more aggressively," Rodon said. "I see more guys swinging early in counts. I've got to use that to my advantage. There's nothing better than getting a guy out on the first or second pitch. I'll take that over a strikeout any day."

 

Even with Rodon's uneven start to this season, the NL scout said, "He won't fall past three in the draft, and that's the worst case scenario. I think Houston takes him with the first pick."

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20140404/carlos-rodon-nc-state-mlb-draft/#ixzz2yBgxwkkj

[sneakypower]

Even with Rodon's uneven start to this season, the NL scout said, "He won't fall past three in the draft, and that's the worst case scenario. I think Houston takes him with the first pick."

http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj487/Rita7070/Moving%20Objects/damn-damn-damn-james_o_GIFSoupcom.gif

[A New Era]

I think they mistyped "four".

[imb]

I think they mistyped "four".

 

they think houston takes him with the four pick?

[Guest]

@keithlaw: Hearing LHP Brady Aiken, the top prospect for this year's #mlbdraft, is dealing today, hitting 96 at least six times already

[The-Kris-Bryant]

Not that it makes a huge difference, but I remember Wood being a 97-98 guy. Did he ever hit 100?

 

I thought 19, 20 year old KWood before his first surgery used to hit 100 when he dialed it up.

 

I think he was more in the 97mph and lower range during his 02-04 seasons..

Unrelated but one of the things I've always wanted to look into is the relationship between velocity and pitcher extension. Throwing 97 instead of 100 might only be a 3% dip in reaction time, but so is releasing the pitch 2 feet further out in front. I've always thought Woody got huge extension towards the plate.

[The-Kris-Bryant]

A scout -- a national cross-checker for a National League team -- is not quite on board with Avent, saying of Rodon, "He appears to have lost some of his power. Where last year, he pitched at 92-93 [miles per hour] and amped up to 96-97, this year he's pitching at 90-91 and occasionally touching 95. I also see him throwing more sliders than last year."

 

Asked if there's cause for concern, the scout said, "I don't think so, because of the body of work. As a freshman and sophomore, he showed he could beat the best college teams. And in the summers, on Team USA, he pitched against Japan and Cuba. To me, he looks like he's holding back a little right now, like maybe he's saving some bullets for later."

I agree with this guy. It's not uncommon for pitchers, especially young ones, to see variability in their velocity from year to year. It can be due to fatigue playing year round, poor workout regiment, or they're trying to pitch more finesse. I agree that it is something worth noting, but right now. I personally think Rodon's pedigree, current (still good) performance and overall future potential warrants him to be the top pick. If not, fantastic. Mark my words, barring a catastrophic injury or obscene bonus demands, the Cubs wont pass on him.

[Guest]

BA's midseason top 50: http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-draft-update-change-at-the-top-as-pitchers-dominate/

 

1. Brady Aiken

2. Tyler Kolek

3. Carlos Rodon

4. Alex Jackson

5. Jeff Hoffman

6. Tyler Beede

7. Aaron Nola

8. Nick Gordon

9. Kyle Freeland

10. Brad Zimmer

[A New Era]

looks like a pretty decent estimate for right now. Neither Kolek or Aiken will make it to 4 at their current pace.

[Gilby]

So Crawford, Law, and BA all have Aiken at #1.

[davell]

I wonder what kind of price tag Rodon is going to have? Considering what Appel got by staying his senior year, I'm going to guess that Rodon either goes top 2(or gets no worse than 2nd slot money anyway) or goes back for his senior season, if his stock is down at the time of draft.

[Guest]

I wonder what kind of price tag Rodon is going to have? Considering what Appel got by staying his senior year, I'm going to guess that Rodon either goes top 2(or gets no worse than 2nd slot money anyway) or goes back for his senior season, if his stock is down at the time of draft.

That would be a horrible gamble on his part.

[Guest]

I wonder what kind of price tag Rodon is going to have? Considering what Appel got by staying his senior year, I'm going to guess that Rodon either goes top 2(or gets no worse than 2nd slot money anyway) or goes back for his senior season, if his stock is down at the time of draft.

That would be a horrible gamble on his part.

 

Even worse than Appel's gamble given all the news of his past injuries that are just now filtering out to the media.

[davell]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

[Vinestal]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

Rodin eh? Sounds like a legit prospect... What school? heh

[davell]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

Rodin eh? Sounds like a legit prospect... What school? heh

 

Lol. Anyway, State decided it'd be swell to let him throw 134 pitches. [expletive] idiots.

[wekim81]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

Rodin eh? Sounds like a legit prospect... What school? heh

 

Lol. Anyway, State decided it'd be swell to let him throw 134 pitches. [expletive] idiots.

What's a normal college pitch count? 100-110 like MLB?

[Guest]

College pitchers are way more likely to go 120+ pitches. Rodon gave up his share of runners against a quality opponent and had 1 day shorter rest than normal, so it was still a pretty bad idea on NC State's part.

[Guest]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

Rodin eh? Sounds like a legit prospect... What school? heh

 

Lol. Anyway, State decided it'd be swell to let him throw 134 pitches. [expletive] idiots.

 

On short rest.

 

The stuff was good but Rodon did struggle with his FB command in the early going.

[wekim81]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

Rodin eh? Sounds like a legit prospect... What school? heh

 

Lol. Anyway, State decided it'd be swell to let him throw 134 pitches. [expletive] idiots.

 

On short rest.

 

The stuff was good but Rodon did struggle with his FB command in the early going.

it was still 5 full days off between starts.

[davell]

State's official [expletive] Twitter account called his 134 pitches a "career best". [expletive] idiots.

[Guest]

Rodin is sitting 94-96, touching 98. Slider 87-88, cutter 99-91-both filthy, according to Aaron Fitt.

Rodin eh? Sounds like a legit prospect... What school? heh

 

Lol. Anyway, State decided it'd be swell to let him throw 134 pitches. [expletive] idiots.

 

On short rest.

 

The stuff was good but Rodon did struggle with his FB command in the early going.

it was still 5 full days off between starts.

 

Yes, but he's been used to 6 days of rest for 2.5 years now and threw a career high pitches on short rest.

 

And it's not like Rodon doesn't have an injury history.

[Guest]

Patrick Mooney[/url]"]“It’s very fluid — we always have to remind ourselves of that,” Hoyer said. “Guys do come on late. Guys struggle late. A lot of different things happen that can change things up. You never want to get off a guy too early, and you never want to oversell on a couple guys early.”

 

After drafting at No. 4, the Cubs won’t select again until the 45th overall pick. There’s nothing like the NFL combine or a March Madness event that puts draft prospects on the same big stage. Whatever way Cubs scouts and executives are leaning now, it won’t necessarily be the same feeling inside the room on June 5.

 

“We’re dealing with 18-year-old kids and 21-year-old kids,” Hoyer said. “When that’s the case, guys can really improve in a hurry — and then guys can get hurt. One of the biggest challenges with pitching is you think a guy is definitely not going to be there in the second round.

 

“But all of a sudden, he has an arm injury or his velocity dips. And now all of a sudden, we might well be looking at him. We have to be able to make an educated decision. That is a real challenge.”