Outshined_One

My enthusiasm is two-fold... 1) His struggles at Auburn, to my knowledge, have not been the result of any particular injury issues. 2) He managed to get himself back on his feet at ECU once he became a full-time pitcher. In 2005, he was considered good enough to be drafted as a pitcher in the first round, thanks to a low 90s fastball with some life and a great breaking ball (I think it was a curve?). Over two years, his stock dropped considerably because of his struggles and a lack of playing time. Once he became a full-time pitcher, he actually performed decently. I'd like to think he could recapture what once made him a potential first rounder. It might not happen, but it's a similar risk to picking a guy like Shafer or Carpenter, imo.

Because people easily forgot the awesome days of 4-3 and check swing groundouts.

My first impression of the draft so far is generally positive. Cashner, fine, whatever. I'm skeptical that he can become an effective starter, but if he sticks at reliever, he should be good. At 19, you're not going to get the pick of the litter. Flaherty...eh. It depends on where he moves. If the guy is really 6'5, he's not sticking at SS. It sounds like the guy could be good, but it all depends on his power. I haven't heard glowing remarks about his potential to develop that power. As things stand now, he could be a good super utility type. I really liked the Shafer, Carpenter, and Bristow picks. All have had their share of struggles, but have very good upsides. Cerda and Harrison...eh, not a fan. Undersized infielders never appeal to me.

I really really really really liked Bristow back in 2005. I'm happy with this pick.

After digging around, it looks like Bristow has converted to the mound and made second team all-conference in C-USA as a starting pitcher. I remember reading a report that he was in the low 90s with very good breaking stuff back in HS. It looks like he went to Auburn, floundered on the mound and at the plate, and then transferred to ECU, where he managed to turn things around for himself. I'm trying to dig around for some info on how he's done since going to ECU. I like this pick for purely nostalgia reasons.

Justin Bristow? Ha! I remember him! I wanted the Cubs to take him as a high schooler, when he was a C/3B type.

Huh. Based on reliable information I'm hearing, apparently Flaherty is taller than his listed height. He's likely around 6'5.

Cerda's a left handed hitter who plays SS. Somehow, this does not surprise me. His defense looks decent with a pretty good arm. His swing tells me he's not going to be a power hitter; he doesn't let the ball get deep in the zone and has a tendency to throw his hands at the ball. We'll see what the Cubs can do with him. Considering he's a fourth rounder, I'm not expecting an all star.

Given his bum ankle and short stature for a RHP, that's not overly surprising.

Cubs tab their first HS player. A 5'9 165 lb SS. Something tells me this pick will receive some sarcasm.

Devaris Strange-Gordon? Now that's an awesome name.

Go for it. :D

Thank heaven Baltimore took Hudson. I wouldn't have been able to handle it if Wilken took yet another two way college player who never totally dedicated himself to baseball.

My guess is they saw what the Rays had been doing over the past decade and realized they could build a good team while still keeping cheap in free agency. Cheap this side of Gil Meche. Fair point.

My guess is they saw what the Rays had been doing over the past decade and realized they could build a good team while still keeping cheap in free agency.

Decent, with the potential to be very good if Carpenter and Shafer can get back to their pre-injury stuff.

We're boned.

Box Scores Iowa PPD Tennessee won 9-8 in the 11th: Box Score CF S. Fuld 1/3, 3 BB, 2 R, 2B (5) SS M. Camp 2/6, R, RBI, 2B (6), K LF T. Colvin 1/3, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI, K 1B J. Fox 1/3, 2 BB, R RF D. Deeds 2/4, BB, R, RBI, K 3B/1B K. Reynolds 3/4, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B (9), HR (4) SP D. Veal 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 8/3 K/BB, WP, 2-5 GO-FO Daytona won 13-3 Box Score 2B T. Thomas 2/4, BB, R, 5 RBI, 3B (3), HR (5), K SS D. Barney 0/4, BB, R LF T. Wright 2/4, BB, 3 R C S. Clevenger 4/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B (3) RF Y. Carter 2/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (6), K 1B R. Canzler 0/3, RBI, K 3B J. Lansford 1/3, R, HBP CF J. Wyatt 0/2, 2 BB, 2 R SP A. Maestri 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5/2 K/BB, HR, HBP, 4-7 GO-FO Peoria won 6-5 Box Score SS N. Samson 0/4, BB, 2 R C J. Donaldson 1/4, BB, R, 2 K, SB (6) LF B. Guyer 2/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (3), Assist (2B) 3B J. Rosa 2/4, 3 E (16, throw, fielding, fielding) 2B M. Smith 2/3, R, 2 RBI, HR (9), K, HBP RF D. Johnston 0/3, BB, K, CS (6) DH E. Lara 2/4 CF L. Johnston 1/3, BB, CS (6) SP D. Rhee 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3/2 K/BB, WP, 6-0 GO-FO OVERALL: 3-0

Box Scores Tennessee won 10-6 Box Score SS M. Camp 1/4, BB, R, RBI, PO (1B), E (4, fielding) CF T. Colvin 3/5, R, RBI, 2B (11), PO (1B) 1B M. Craig 0/2, 3 BB, R DH J. Fox 0/4, BB, 2 K 2B N. Spears 3/4, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B (9) RF D. Deeds 2/4, BB, RBI, SB (4) 3B M. Matulia 0/4, BB, 2 K SP M. Atkins 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4/3 K/BB, HR, 7-6 GO-FO Daytona lost 5-4 Box Score 2B T. Thomas 1/3 SS D. Barney 1/4, BB, R, 2 K LF T. Wright 0/4, 3 K, HBP DH S. Clevenger 3/4, BB, R RF Y. Carter 3/5, 2 R, SB (4) 1B R. Canzler 3/4, 3 RBI C M. Reed 0/5, 3 K 3B J. Lansford 3/4, RBI, 2B (9), K, CS (2), E (13, throw) CF J. Wyatt 1/2, 2 BB SP M. Mateo 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2/0 K/BB, HR, WP, HBP, 8-3 GO-FO RP T. Blackford .1 hitless/scoreless, 0/1 K/BB, WP, 0-1 GO-FO RP C. Lambert 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2/1 K/BB, HR, 1-0 GO-FO Peoria lost 6-1 Box Score SS N. Samson 0/5, 2 K 2B M. Smith 0/3, 2 BB LF B. Guyer 0/4, BB, K 3B J. Rosa 0/3, BB RF D. Johnston 0/4, K DH E. Lara 1/4, RBI CF L. Johnson 3/4, 2B (3) SP C. Siegfried 3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 2/2 K/BB, WP, 4-3 GO-FO OVERALL: 1-2

That's his final line.

Bob Brenly was an atrocious manager. He won a WS.

They can easily move him to a corner and let Pie play CF. It's not like they're going ga-ga over David Dellucci, you know?

Use your mod powers to slice and dice accordingly.

Don't be too sure about that.

Box Scores Iowa won 3-2 thanks to a run in the 10th Box Score 2B E. Patterson 1/5, R, 2B (13), 2 K CF F. Pie 1/5, RBI, K LF M. Murton 1/5, R, 2B (9), K, Assist (Home) 1B J. Dubois 1/3, BB, R, 2 RBI, HR (3), K RF J. Kroeger 2/4, CS (2), PO (1B) 3B C. McGehee 1/3, BB SP JR Mathes 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2/1 K/BB, 5-1 GO-FO RP C. Pignatiello 1.2 perfect, 1/0 K/BB, 3-1 GO-FO Tennessee lost 10-9 in the 11th Box Score CF S. Fuld 3/3, 2 RBI, 2B (4), 2 Assist (2B, 3B), HBP SS M. Camp 1/7, R, K, SB (11) LF/CF T. Colvin 1/5, BB, R, RBI, 2B (10), K DH M. Craig 0/3, 3 BB RF D. Deeds 1/4, 2 BB, R, RBI, 2B (12), 2 K, SB (3) 1B J. Fox 1/6, R, RBI 3B M. Matulia 0/3, BB, R, RBI C W. Castillo 3/6, R, 2 RBI, 3 K, PB (1) SP J. Russell 3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2/2 K/BB, HR, HBP, 3-2 GO-FO RP M. Holliman 3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1/0 K/BB, HR, 6-2 GO-FO Daytona lost 2-1 Box Score 2B T. Thomas 0/4, K CF J. Wyatt 0/3, BB, 2 K, E (2, fielding) DH T. Wright 0/3, R, HBP RF R. Harvey 1/4, K, Assist (1B) C S. Clevenger 1/3, RBI LF Y. Carter 1/3, BB, 2 K 3B J. Lansford 0/2, 2 K PH J. Mota 0/1, K SS D. Barney 0/3, E (6, throw) SP M. Carrillo 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3/4 K/BB, HR, 4-7 GO-FO RP J. Papelbon 2 hitless/scoreless, 1/1 K/BB, 4-1 GO-FO Peoria lost 4-2 Box Score CF C. Andersen 1/4, 3B (2), Assist (3B) SS N. Samson 2/3, R, 3B (1), HBP LF B. Guyer 1/3, R, RBI, SB (3), Assist (2B) 1B J. Rosa 1/4, 2B (19), 2 K 3B M. Smith 1/4, 2 K, E (11, throw) RF D. Johnston 0/4, 2 K 2B G. Guzman 0/3, K DH E. Lara 0/3, K SP R. Hernandez 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 5/1 K/BB, WP, 4-4 GO-FO RP K. Kreier 2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2/0 K/BB, 2-0 GO-FO RP J. Latham 1 scoreless, 2 H, 1-1 GO-FO OVERALL: 1-3