davell

That'd be absolute best case scenario. My guess is a team like Tampa uses an early pick on him, so they can spend overslot money on some high schoolers later on.

I could see Meyer making a big jump. He's certainly learned how to pitch this year. His control has made HUGE strides and he has excellent velo with the obvious build to increase it more. I'd rather have a bunch of the other college pitchers personally, but I can see where a couple of scouting directors could take him over some of the bigger names anyway.

I think him winning that home run contest contributed to his "power" potential, at least some. I think that the power IS there, it just may not translate over to game power, by what we're hearing. SS is obviously a premium position and while I'm not going to be TOO pissed if he was our pick with this board available, I'd rather have quite a few guys. Bundy, Jungmann, Springer, Swihart, Guerrieri, Josh Bell, Meyer, Cron(especially if we use money saved here later on), A Bradley, Norris, J Bradley, and Purke(who I'd still have quite a bit higher than this, if his situation changes positively before the draft in any way). Considering I'd also take all 8 of the guys listed ahead of him as well in this draft, I guess I've got Lindor somewhere around the 20th best talent or so. With the draft being so deep this year, I'd find a way to reason it out if he were out top pick, IF we do excellent in rounds 2-10. If not, then the 1st pick matters alot more and we better take someone with the potential to be elite, which I just don't see out of Lindor.

Bauer has thrown 673 pitches over his last 5 starts. Oddly enough, I think that's who I'm hoping the Cubs take. Don't think he's going to be there though.

I hope so, because that could be a chain type movement. I want to see Micah Gibbs get moved to Daytona and hopefully that would put Cabeza at Peoria as well.

i really wish we would give big-ass bonuses to players who most scouts actually believe are worth that kind of money. i'm getting pretty tired of the cubs dumping big cash on the jeff samardzija/drew rundle/chris huseby/logan watkins types and having them come up bust. I kind of disagree with this actually. I'm not about to deny the lack of success of these guys, but it's obviously hit and miss, so I figure that we're due for one or two of the big overslots to work out soon, so I hope we spend away. :D

Bauer isn't making it to the Cubs, let alone 21. I really want Bundy but that doesn't seem at all possible now. :( Yeah, there's talk the Pirates may even truly consider him(Bundy) at 1. I actually think I'd rather have Bauer than Cole, if somehow we had a choice between the 2 at 9.(not happening)

The Mets aren't going to trade Wright most likely, unless they're blown away: Brett/McNutt/Vitters? I'm not even sure they'd think that's enough. Brett/McNutt/Cashner? I'd possibly do the first one, provided we had a really good draft. I'm a total "no" on the second one. That said, the more I think about it, the more I think the Mets are going to want young, inexpensive MAJOR league talent in return, as it's at least easier to sell to their fans, should they trade the face of their franchise. Castro isn't going anywhere obviously, but I could see ANYONE else being moved in a deal for Wright. It'd be great if Colvin got hot and the Mets actually liked him, he wouldn't be the major piece, but he could fill a spot at least. I'd rather part with him than Brett for sure. My guess at an offer that'd make the Mets consider it would be something like Cashner/Byrd/McNutt/Castillo for Wright.

I brought up David Wright a couple of months ago, maybe even before we traded for Garza. I'd love to find a way to get him, but considering what it took to get a guy like Garza, I can't even really imagine what the Mets think Wright is worth: My guess is they'd start with Castro and want more than just him. Assuming Alderson realizes he can't get him, I'd be shocked if we could land him without including both Brett and McNutt in a deal, with probably more going their way as well. Worth it? I say yes actually, depending on how things go over the next month or two in the minors(to see if anyone steps up and looks like they may be a capable replacement prospect, albeit probably at a different spot than those 2) and how we do in June with the draft. If we load up there and have a guy or two step up also, go for it. Guys like Wright aren't exactly easy to find obviously.

Keeping Koyie Hill around(which is fine, since it's eventually going to allow Castillo the chance to play everyday) certainly has created a log jam for us in the minors. Clevenger is killing Southern League pitching and has no where to go. Same with Gibbs in the Midwest League. If Brenly doesn't start hitting soon, they may need to make room for Gibbs in Daytona and piss Bob off probably, because Gibbs appears as if he's definitely ready to face FSL pitchers anyway. They could move Cabeza up to Peoria as well, if this were to actually happen.

I'm fine with taking Starling if we give him the 5 year deal and it allows us to spend plenty of money elsewhere during the draft. But, I do have some reservations about taking someone as toolsy as Starling is, with very little results shown to date. On another note, Garrit Cole has struggled somewhat recently(last 2 starts) and I may even go as far as to say that I think Bauer is the guy I'd rather have between those 2. I know he doesn't have the same stuff as Cole, but it's not going to surprise me at all if he winds up as the better pro. Josh Osich threw a no-no against Bauer and UCLA today, for what it's worth. Osich has put himself into late 1st round consideration at this stage in his own right. Great recovery by him.

While I would be very happy to get Bubba, wouldn't that pretty much put an end to our hopes of any significant late round super slots? That's where I'm at as well, considering how much it's probably going to cost to get him. That said, I think this draft is going to shape up a tad differently than other recent ones anyway, because I don't see guys dropping as much as usual due to signability. I think most teams are going to look at this draft as the LAST one where overslotting is allowed and will spend whatever it takes to get players. Much moreso than in the past.

I'm pretty sure a knuckle curve is his best pitch. I know his velo isn't anything eye-popping, but can't remember what it is either.

I really question whether Lindor will ever hit enough to be a starting middle infielder in the majors. When I read reports like this: I worry. Some people aren't so hot on his defensive tools, either. In other words, bleh. Not a fan of that pick. Yeah, that's John Klima from BaseballBeginnings and I really like reading his stuff actually. He did preface this by saying that he's basically lower on Lindor than just about everyone else though. Which is one of the things I like most about Klima, by the way. He's not afraid to out on a limb and say something most others are scared to say. I just hope he's wrong about Lindor, if he's our pick. :D

Lindor wouldn't be my pick either, with those guys all on the board, but I won't be but so disappointed, since he's a guy that's probably the best defensive player in the draft, has a solid hit tool, and may wind up as a double digit home run once he fills out some.

His K's are down this year smart guy. ??????????? I wasn't a math major, but 29K's in 30.2 innings seems like it's up from a 3 year period(as was mentioned) where he had 187 in 200.2, 172 in 200, and 208 in 215.1. That's 8.5K/9 this year versus 8.3K/9 for the previous 3 seasons. The only thing calculated wrong was the K per 9 rate for THIS year, which is understandable since he posted that early in the morning before his last start was updated into his current stats. Maybe you should look at what was written before coming down on others.

Just as important - another rehab outing for the Gooz: And a scouting report on Matt Loosen: And Reggie Golden hit a HR today. Even with the extra weight, Golden is showing he can flat out hit. My guess is as soon as he's in shape, he's going to be at Peoria.

This was so spectacularly wrong, I had to stop reading Really now? He got a larger bonus than Simpson for some other reason than to buy out his commitment to football? And, yes, any athlete, who devotes part time to 2 sports, does need time to develop and see what they'll become. I'm not talking Samardzjia now, I was referring to the promise he showed when he was drafted, although he was much more of a reach, imo, than Szczur. Szczur was actually rated higher than Simpson by BA, PG, etc. That I did not know. I stand corrected on his rating and partial reasons for his bonus. But, I still feel he has more to prove, in terms of actually reaching his promise, because of being a 2 sport athlete. Just out of curiosity, is there any way of determining where Samardzijia ranked as a prospect relative to those 2, when he was drafted? If I remember correctly, Shark was considered a 1st round possibility for a team, IF he didn't have football standing in the way. I don't remember how that draft was regarded though, in terms of talent. On the other hand, Jim Callis(who loves Szczur) says he would be considered a 1st round type in THIS draft, if he were in it. He uses Mikie Mahtook as a comparison for him. Considering how strong this draft is, it's extremely high praise, even if it comes from a guy with a mancrush on Szczur.

Take the Tennessee-Vandy game for sure. You've got Sonny Gray(Friday night starter) who's likely a top 10 overall pick, Jason Esposito, who's a 1st rounder, Curt Casali, Grayson Garvin, Navery Moore, and Aaron Westlake who are all 2-5th round type talents. Taylor Hill will get taken as well. That's all on Vandy's team, by the way, and they have other non-draft eligible guys who are worth watching too.

When he's promoted to Chicago will he bump Byrd to right or play right? I think that when he makes it to Chicago, he pushes Byrd to another team. Unless Colvin falls flat on his face, which is possible, at least.

I think it's pretty balanced right now as well. I definitely think we need to add some power, but I really want a potential "ace" taken in round 1, then fill in with power over the next couple of rounds. With as deep as the draft is, I think we've got a solid chance to accomplish this.

All I wanted before the season started was for Purke to have a slight dropoff to where he could possibly be available when we pick.....Now, I'm kind of scared to take him, if he IS there. Tonight, he was sitting 92-93 in the 2nd, but fell to 88 after that and only pitched 4 innings total. I know he got a late start, due to blistering, but he should be lasting further than that at this stage and holding velo as well. Maybe he's going to wind up as a closer? It wouldn't shock me to see him stay another year(since he's a soph eligible) to improve his atock again, if he doesn't show much stamina improvement from now to the draft.......

Few years? He IS the franchise now.

I don't think this affects Pujols OR Fielder personally. Gonzalez was traded and then signed a deal keeping him in Boston(his preferred location by most accounts) and avoiding FA completely. I'll be very surprised if in an open market Fielder(who doesn't offer as much to a team as A-GON does) doesn't get a more expensive deal than what AGON just signed. And Pujols isn't going to compare himself to anyone, period. He's the franchise and any team that entertains signing him is going to have to pay him as such. In the end, I think if AGON had wanted more money, he could have gotten it too, but he's with a franchise that's basically a perennial contender and took a little less to stay there and try to win a championship or two.

I don't look at him as anything more than a 5th OFer for us longterm, kind of what the Cubs were(are) hoping they received with Perez. Speed guy, basically. That said, like Fuld has showed so far as well, if given the shot to play for a smaller market team, I think it's definitely possible he could be a productive player. But, he'll never have any trade value for us, so we may as well hold onto him and hope he adds some speed for us at some point in the future.