MLB.com’s Draft Tracker is finally up and running for the 2008 Draft. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems like the Tracker is usually up in mid-May. Anywho, as usual it has the full complement of scouting videos, which are a great way to kill a slow and hot (the a/c is still on the fritz here) afternoon at work. You can find Gerrit Cole’s video here, Nick Maronde’s here, Tanner Scheppers’ here, and Ike Davis’ here. Those are just some names that have been bandied about in Yankee land recently.
Draft Chats
Just wanted to quickly pass along that Keith Law and BA’s Jim Callis will be chatting over at ESPN at 1 and 2pm today, respectively. It’s safe to assume the draft will be the main focus. You follow the chats free while they’re live, but once they end they hide behind the Insider wall. John Manuel has some of the latest buzz. Just about 24 hours away…
Update: Looks like they pushed KLaw’s chat back to 2. Apparently Steve Phillips is having a groundbreaking chat.
Draft Roundup
Less than two days away … are ya ready? Here’s some stuff to hold you over:
- KLaw takes a step back and looks at how the 2003 Draft unfolded. The line about Matt Antonelli & Mark Melancon? Totally stole that from me. Law also explains why teams should be allowed to trade picks. Sorry, but both of those pieces are behind the iron curtain of ESPN Insider.
- Both the NY Times and ESPN take a gander into the life of Pedro Alvarez. Interesting stuff.
- Amy Nelson explains how the Brewers can clean-up this year with all those extra picks.
- Bob Klapisch talks about how the Mets will screw up those three early picks.
- The UBBMD is still going on. I don’t have the time to follow along, so I just submitted a list of players I’d like to take in the second round. Tops on that list was Purdue RHP Josh Lindblom.
- Paul DePodesta talks about life in Padres’ war room.
- Saber Scouting ranks their Top 100 Draft Prospects.
- Jonathan Mayo has a new Mock First Round up. Brett Hunter? Bah! Give me upside or give me death!
Unsigned Gems
(Damon Oppenheimer pic via NoMaas’ PhotoBucket album)
Yankee fans disagree about a lot of things: Melky Cabrera’s potential, the Johan Santana non-trade, Joe Torre’s dismissal, Brian Cashman’s body of work, and Phil Hughes’ fastball are just the tip of the iceberg. However, one thing we can all agree on is that Damon Oppenheimer has done a superb job since taking over as the Yanks’ Vice President of Scouting back in 2005. With the Yanks’ newfound philosophy of shunning overpriced, underachieving and over-the-hill free agents in favor of cheap, young players developed from within, Oppenheimer’s work has received more attention that any of his predecessors, and the man has delivered.
Baseball America recognized his potential way back in 2003 when they called him a “rising star in [the Yankees’] Tampa office,” and ESPN’s Keith Law recently said “[Oppenheimer] is freaking smart, doesn’t get enough credit … definitely among my top 10 GM candidates.” His drafts have already produced two big leaguers in Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy, and he’s mixed high ceiling talent (Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances, Austin Jackson) with high probability talent (JB Cox, Zach McAllister, Colin Curtis) while adding depth (Justin Snyder, Alan Horne, Mitch Hilligoss). A whopping 17 players on my preseason Top 30 Prospects list were drafted during his tenure. It’s a rather impressive resume.
While we focus on players who are with the organization for obvious reasons, what often gets overlooked are the quality players that Oppenheimer has drafted, but was unable to sign. The Yanks are flexing their financial muscle in the draft more and more these days, but there’s plenty of signability guys that they’ve missed out on. Here’s the best of the unsigned, eight talented players that Oppenheimer & Co. have selected, but couldn’t add to the organization. The good stuff starts after the jump.
Draft Q&A with Brian Foley of The College Baseball Blog
Considering his site is the most comprehensive college baseball site on the planet, it only made sense to ask Brian to answer some draft related questions about some of the best collegiate players. He was kind enough to do it last year, and even kinder to do it this year considering I fed him endless “dude, I’ve been really busy, I’ll email you the questions next week” lines the past few weeks.
Make sure you head on over Brian’s site to keep up with all the NCAA postseason action. There’s already been some big upsets and surprising developments, and there’s bound to be more in the coming weeks.
Okay, I’ll shut up now.
There isn’t a clear top talent in this draft class, instead there’s a collection of players that have distinguished themselves as the best of the mediocre. Which of Pedro Alvarez (3B, Vanderbilt), Buster Posey (C, Florida State), Aaron Crow (RHP, Missouri) and Brian Matusz (LHP, San Diego) do you like best, and why?
I think the CAN’T miss player of out that bunch is Buster Posey but he will never be a perennial All-Star. Pedro Alvarez needs to find a solid position at the next level as he struggles in the field. Crow has a hitch in his motion which might cause some injury issues in the coming years; the kid can throw over 95 MPH but needs to get coached on his motion. Matusz just doesn’t dominate the game with his fastball, which scares me as he lives off his breaking ball and changeup.
Mocking the mock draft
Last year I represented the Yankees in John Sickel’s mock draft over at Minor League Ball, but this year I decided against it because it was just way too time consuming. Mock drafts are still fun however, so I kept track of who I would have taken in each of the Yanks’ spots. Here’s a little breakdown of my mock mock draft, as well as the picks that were actually made.
Round 1, Pick 28
Mike’s Pick: Robbie Ross, LHP, Lexington Christian Academy (Ky.)
Actual Pick: Zach Collier, OF, Chino Hills HS (Ca.)
Gerrit Cole was off the board, having gone to the Cubbies with the 19th pick. Collier has a ton of helium right now as a toolsy, Austin Jackson type player, and is a very good pick at 28. I went with Ross because, well, I felt he was the best player left on the board. He’s a power lefty with a very good slider and lots of polish. I was really hoping for Illinois prep RHP Jake Ordorizzi, but he went to the Padres at 23. (Ross eventually went to the Royals at #36, and I took him in the sandwich round of the UBBMD)
UBBMD Update
So my pick finally rolled around in the United Baseball Bloggers Mock Draft, and with it I took none other than Gerrit Cole. No brainer, he was the best player left on the board by a considerable margin (using Keith Law’s latest rankings, the next best player was ranked 12 spots behind Cole). Kids with electric fastballs and good breaking balls don’t last until pick #28, and the makeup stuff doesn’t concern me at all (I wish someone would quantify these makeup concerns, no one has said what he’s done to make people question his makeup, they just say he’s got issues).
You can see all the picks here; Phuture Phils took Tanner Scheppers, the wildcard of the draft class. We were planning on doing the sandwich round, and in discussions to the do the second round as well, but some have been frustrated by the pace, so we might not get that far. I’ll keep you updated if we do.
In other mock draft news, John Sickels’ mock draft is being held today. I represented the Yanks last year, but I’m not doing it again this year. Too much work and too time consuming. I’ll breakdown the Yanks’ picks later today or tomorrow, and I’ll also post who I would have taken at each spot (it’s easier when you don’t have to sit in front of the computer and wait for each stinkin’ pick). Can’t get me enough draft talk.
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