2014 Cubs Pick Discussion

[nathaniel hornblower]

From ESPN's 2nd round writeup:

 

Quickest to the majors: Jake Stinnett, RHP, Maryland -- Stinnett was the first collegiate senior to come off the board, but don’t let that fool you. He has two pitches that flash plus in his mid-90s fastball and a slider with quality bite. If the Chicago Cubs decide to move him to the bullpen, he could help them next year, but even as a starter he shouldn’t need too much time in a minor league system because of his stuff and above-average feel for pitching.

 

That was of NL Central picks FYI. Both Law and Crawford questioned the Schwarber pick based on him eventually moving to first base but mentioned that if the savings are used on some HS pitching, it could turn into a net gain.

[ScrubMD]

I'm hoping Bryant and Schwarber are eventually hitting back to back and we can do a beauty and the beast type thing. That would be cute.

 

Also, I trust our FO's rankings more than some internet scout's, and I love Schwarber, but I'd be kind of disappointed if they don't have a big overslot planned.

[Fro]

Indiana's baseball coach talks about the amount of scouting the Cubs did on Schwarber

 

Spoke to Tracy Smith briefly about Schwarber. He said he has even greater respect for Theo Epstein as a man of conviction after this. He said the Cubs put a lot more time and effort into scouting Schwarber than any other club, and there were many clubs working hard. But said they dug deep in their scouting of Schwarber the person and the player and came out very impressed.

 

And this is pretty awesome:

 

At CWS last year, kid asked @kschwarb12 what he'd buy when he makes MLB. 'A farm with some horses. I'll name the first one Bomb'. Awesome

Edited June 6, 2014 by Fro

[TheDude]

It sure does look like the Cubs are stacking their odds to get as much minor league talent to the big leagues in the same window of years as possible.

[Felix Leiter]

Gonna push back on him staying at catcher. Set aside his bat. He's shown he can play the position in college and wouldn't you want the Cubs to nurture that? Would you be satisfied if he was the equal of Michael Barrett? How about Mike Piazza(who was not the best fielder) but had a huge bat(with a little vitamin help)? I know that teams are looking for power hitters(which seems to be in rare quantity) but if you can get that with an average fielder/arm who calls a good game, then we'd all want that.

[jersey cubs fan]

Gonna push back on him staying at catcher. Set aside his bat. He's shown he can play the position in college and wouldn't you want the Cubs to nurture that? Would you be satisfied if he was the equal of Michael Barrett? How about Mike Piazza(who was not the best fielder) but had a huge bat(with a little vitamin help)? I know that teams are looking for power hitters(which seems to be in rare quantity) but if you can get that with an average fielder/arm who calls a good game, then we'd all want that.

 

I'd absolutely want to see them try and keep him at catcher.

[Exile on Waveland]

I know far more about basketball than baseball and am not remotely a baseball scout, so grain of salt, but:

 

Schwarber controls the strike zone and seemingly hits the ball hard every time he makes contact. The guy can really, really hit. Definitely one of the best Big Ten hitters I've seen come through. Catching seems fine, who knows. I thought he showed good arm strength both behind the plate and in the field. I was surprised he went No. 4, but most expected him to be a first-rounder, at least here.

 

(Just too bad about IU's two-straight late-inning loses to end their season.)

[Guest]

@jimcallisMLB: I'll talk @WhiteSox, @Cubs & @MLBDraft on the @MacAndSpiegs Show on @670TheScore in Chicago at 9:40 am CT.

[Guest]

How much better of a prospect was Zunino than Schwarber?

[Guest]

Stinnett will be starting for Maryland against Virginia at 11 am Saturday on ESPN2.

 

I know this is common in college baseball but why are baseball players allowed to hire agents and be drafted without losing eligibility but football and basketball players aren't? Always wondered that.

 

Baseball players don't have agents before they sign, they're called advisors. It's basically a joke.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet.

 

The Chicago Cubs say they got the No. 2 player on their board (after Brady Aiken) in Indiana catcher/left fielder Kyle Schwarber, a power-hitting left-handed hitter with a sound approach and great makeup. My main concern on Schwarber is where he plays, because he's almost certainly not a catcher in pro ball and will be a project in left.

 

Schwarber is listed at 6-feet, 240 pounds; only three players 6 feet or shorter and 240 pounds or more have ever played the outfield in the majors (Marlon Byrd, Dayan Viciedo and Byron Gettis), so the historical comps point to Schwarber moving to first base unless he can drop some weight. (The list isn't much better if you drop the weight bar to 230, adding four players, one of whom was nicknamed "Fats.") The Cubs did take the draft's best college senior at No. 45 in Jake Stinnett of Maryland, and I imagine both players will sign under-slot deals, giving the Cubs a dividend to use on Friday on some top prep players who are still on the board. So the net result of the Schwarber pick could end up a big positive.

[jersey cubs fan]

Stinnett will be starting for Maryland against Virginia at 11 am Saturday on ESPN2.

 

I know this is common in college baseball but why are baseball players allowed to hire agents and be drafted without losing eligibility but football and basketball players aren't? Always wondered that.

 

Baseball players don't have agents before they sign, they're called advisors. It's basically a joke.

 

It also probably has something to do with the fact baseball players can spend the first 6-10 years of their career making barely the minimum, while football and basketball players pretty much start earnings big bucks right away and only wait 3-4 years for their big payday. Baseball drafts both high school and college players. You have to allow those high school players to get advice when they are committing themselves to an organization for a decade with no out but retirement.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

only three players 6 feet or shorter and 240 pounds or more have ever played the outfield in the majors (Marlon Byrd, Dayan Viciedo and Byron Gettis), so the historical comps point to Schwarber moving to first base unless he can drop some weight. (The list isn't much better if you drop the weight bar to 230, adding four players, one of whom was nicknamed "Fats.")

 

I doubt there is anything close to accurate data supporting this claim.

[Guest]

Catcher or bust?

 

I like the pick, but I hope we aren't looking back at this pick in four years and bitching about it.

[Guest]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

[sneakypower]

Catcher or bust?

 

I like the pick, but I hope we aren't looking back at this pick in four years and bitching about it.

i'll be looking back at it in four minutes and bitching about it

[apete6]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

 

Except Vogelbach's bat isn't that good.

[Guest]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

You seem to be ignoring the first part of the sentence. Does it need an underline?

[Tyrant]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

You seem to be ignoring the first part of the sentence. Does it need an underline?

 

has there ever been an instance where a clear DH prospect has been traded for something good? i'm not being sarcastic, i'm honestly asking.

[jersey cubs fan]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

 

As others have pointed out, huge difference.

 

The Vogelbach fallacy was that his bat was going to carry him to the majors no matter what his defense was. But he was drafted out of HS and his bat has never lived up to the reputation of his batting practice prowess. The best college bat is an entirely different ballgame.

[Guest]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

You seem to be ignoring the first part of the sentence. Does it need an underline?

 

has there ever been an instance where a clear DH prospect has been traded for something good? i'm not being sarcastic, i'm honestly asking.

How is he now a "clear DH prospect"?

[Tyrant]

If he's the best bat in the draft, the worst case scenario is that he's great trade bait if he has to move to first base.

 

Ah, the old Vogelbach fallacy.

You seem to be ignoring the first part of the sentence. Does it need an underline?

 

has there ever been an instance where a clear DH prospect has been traded for something good? i'm not being sarcastic, i'm honestly asking.

How is he now a "clear DH prospect"?

 

wasn't referring to him specifically. just the general idea of the "vogelbach fallacy" as someone else put it.

[Guest]

wasn't referring to him specifically. just the general idea of the "vogelbach fallacy" as someone else put it.

ah.

 

to answer your question, I can't think of any good examples of a DH-only prospect getting much of a return in trade. On the other hand, first base prospects have been traded for very good returns when the bat is big enough.

[davell]

I thought Cease already had TJS?