2009 MLB Draft Thread
 

C'mon, some people here are obviously pumped about it.

Strasburg is obviously going #1, and I assume Ackley is going #2, but then the fun starts with San Diego at 3.

I personally hope the Tigs gamble on being able to sign Jacob Turner at 9 if he is there. Not the prospect Porcello was, but he fits the bill of a Tigs pick. He's 6'5, throws 98 mph and has a sharp slider. Would love to get this kid.

So what say you? It's on the MLB Network tonight, which sadly I do not have for some god forsaken reason but I assume mlb.com will stream. And if they don't, some site will I hope.

I can't even remember the last time the Royals picked outside of the top 10. How disappointing. :D

way too many picks and way too long of a lead-time for them to get to the majors for me to invest in the MLB Draft. Talk to me when the kids actually get to AA or AAA and then maybe I'll start getting excited about them.

I'm just thankful that the Sox are ahead of the Yankees. If a bonus baby is falling, we'll at least get a chance to pass before they take him.

Well, that happens quicker for most teams than it does for your team, hence the reason for the interest. :)

You're missing out on the sheer joy of following Devin Mesoraco's rookie league debut.

Something I've wondered...let's say behind the first couple of picks there's a player who wants more money than a team is willing to pay, so they pass on him and take a less-skilled player who will sign for slot money. Let's then say they've saved maybe $3 million by doing this. If you really believe the kid you have passed on is a much better player, would it not be more advantageous for the team to take the more talented kid, give him his money, wait out the year and then trade him off?

Seems like using that $3 million to basically help you acquire a better, established player (even if still a young kid) would be a good use of resources, especially when most of these guys don't amount to much anyway and so much hype surrounds new "top prospects."

The Royals picked the cheaper option for several years. They finally figured out that they were better off picking a talented player and bucking up.

The problem is that the failure rate on big money guys is no better. Spending that 3 mil on a guy that seems lost in A ball or blows out his shoulder just leaves you with 3 mil less to spend next year.

I think, though, with the compensation system in place that there will be fewer teams passing on above slot players. If they don't sign the team will just get the same pick next year. A lot of guys after big money won't want to take the risk of playing for a year in the Cape Cod league ala Crow.

I just think if you're confident enough in your scouting which has rated one player above another, it's a waste of all those resources (the scouting cost plus the cost of signing the second player) to not get the guy you feel is better. This is assuming there's enough of a difference between the two guys of course...I'm obviously not advocating spending more just to spend more.

And if you're not confident in your scouting...well, that's the real issue.

lol

its true of hockey too though. football and bball because the players go right on the active roster i think fans just care more

First draft for the Brewers without Jack Z(current mariners GM, never could spell his last name) running the show. First draft for the Brewers in a long, long time without picking in the top 20. But they've also got like 7 in the top 100 I believe.

I always enjoy the MLB draft. These aren't guys that disappear after the draft only to emerge years later to me anyway, as I follow Brew Crew prospects through the minors.

Joy, you say?

I plan on getting in on the sheer joy of his 3rd straight year in A ball next season. Maybe he can hit higher than .208 one of these years.

FYI, apparently you can watch the 1st round on MLB.com in addition to MLB Network since I know not many people get MLB Network. I guess MLB Network is readily available in most areas but the cable providers make it difficult to get the channel. Supposedly it's available in our area here in CT but I don't know anyone that actually gets the channel.

MLBN is the one friggin good thing about Time Warner.

Watching most of the NHL playoffs in SD because our VersusHD feed just doesn't come in...not a good thing.

It's a long-term thing, but I am very interested in seeing if the Nationals succeed with at least one of their top 10 picks. Hopefully we'll go with a more likely success at the #10 spot (in other words, not a pitcher).

Their plans are reportedly to take a pitcher. It makes sense in this draft, with exactly one highly regarded hitter, and lots of high school guys, to take the best player.

I kind of hope the Natinals draft Crow at 10.

I would find that deliciously funny. Offer him half what they did last year, and include a promise to draft him again next year if he does not sign that.

No chance Crow makes it to 10

Here's my mock top 10:

1.Nats- Steven Strasburg
2.Mariners- Dustin Ackley
3.Padres- Alex White
4.Pirates- Zack Wheeler
5.Orioles- Aaron Crow
6.Giants- Tyler Matzek
7.Braves- Mike Minor
8.Reds- Tanner Scheppers
9.Tigers- Matthew Purke
10.Nationals- Grant Green

You don't think Scheppers drops with his injury?

Actually, there's a possibility Crow could fall. Apparently his agent was trying to find a buyer for him in the Top 10 and wasn't having much luck. I'd love for the Giants to take him, though. Crow or Matzek would be ideal.

As for the Natinals taking Crow again, can't happen. Players have to sign a waiver allowing them to be re-drafted by the team that picked them the previous year. Crow didn't sign the paperwork as of yesterday. Don't believe Scheppers did, either, so the Pirates can't draft him again.

Also, word is the Pirates are going to take C Tony Sanchez from BC, which would be another overdraft for them. Rumor has it they want to save money and put it towards an international player by the name of Miguel Angel Sano. Somewhere Daniel Moskos is cringing.

Keith Law on ESPNInsider:

"Right now, I don't have Aaron Crow or Tanner Scheppers going in the first round. Teams in the top 10 are telling me that neither is a top choice for them, with a few teams pointing to medical concerns about Scheppers, and everyone pointing to their belief that neither player will sign for less than what he turned down last year. Of course, either player could go later in the round or even afterward and still get a seven-figure bonus, but more than one scouting director or general manager has told me in the past few days that he doesn't want to risk a first-round pick on a player who might not sign. "

On talent, neither makes it outside the top 10. On ridiculous contract demands, sure they could drop.

Yeah, both those guys should give Matt Harrington a call and see how that worked out for him.

Yeah Law has confirmed a predraft deal. Poor Pirates fans. They better sign all the IFAs.

yeah, that would be horrible.

I guess if they go overslot on thier 2 second rounders I could live with it. But I actually think they have 3 pretty solid catchers, with a couple having 5-6 years left of club control.

I'm really hoping Ackley has ridiculous demands and falls to the Giants. I have this pipe dream every year, though....in the past there was Pedro Alvarez, Matt Wieters, and the like.

Alright...swap out Scheppers with Donavon Tate or the pitcher from Stanford.

The Pirates really seem to like Sanchez so I'm not sure if its 100% a signability issue. It's a weak draft after Strasburg so taking a guy like him this year isn't as bad as it would have been last year when the first round was a bit deeper in talent.

Sano, though, is the top international player and his comparisons are to Longoria. The Pirates definitely aren't going cheap here because his bonus is expected to pass Inoa's deal from last year. Everyone seems to think he's their's to lose as well so the Pirates may actually be building something resembling a farm system.

Yeah, it looks like Sanchez and the Pirates have reached a pre-draft deal.

1.Strasburg
2.Ackley
3.Tate
4.Sanchez
5.White
6.Matzek
7.Wheeler
8.Minor
9.Crow
10.Green

With their recent history of scouting and developing pitchers, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Giants took a pitcher at 6. Actually wondering if they might consider Crow.

No MLBN here on ATT Uverse. :(

Matzek could fall to Detroit at 9. If he does lets hope the Tigs pull the trigger but apparently they might try and avoid huge bonuses this year.

Yeah, it makes sense. And with 2, perhaps one pans out. But with the largely discussed lack of success with early pitchers, it would seem nice to have something a little more guaranteed.



It would be amusing for sure. But as mentioned later, right now it's not possible for them to draft him.


mlb.com projects Storen for #10 and Crow out of the top 10.

I will be very amused if Crow drops out of the top 10 or the first round. At a minimum I would love for him to get less than the Nationals offered him last year. I don't want to go so far as to wish him to not perform well in his career, but if you want to take a stupid risk like this, you deserve getting a lower contract than last year.

What's funny is I've read that some teams actually see him as a somewhat safe signability pick this year because he has zero leverage now that he's already sat out a year.

I'm going to be devastated if Matzek falls and the Tigs don't spring on it.

Watching on MLB Network now...good lord does this set remind me of "Baseketball."

I lied, I still would be fine with Turner or Matzek and we'll have a crack at at least one of them.

You get your pick of the litter DeTox. Heard that Turner to Tigers was pretty much a foregone conclusion...wonder if Matzek being there changes things.

Pretty clear that MLB Network isn't going to criticize any of the picks. Its like Bug Selig gave them a script to follow and a list of words and phrases they're not allowed to say.

I kind of like the detailed scouting report (not just the short summary) that goes with the profiles of draftees on mlb.com. Way more detail than you usually get for free on something like that.

That, of course, assuming they're accurate.

Everyone is shitting on the Braves.

We'll see. A Tigs insider says they liked Turner more then Matzek before signability issues with Matzek. We'll see though what they decide to do. There is no guarantee they'll over spend with the state of things in Detroit but I am hopeful.

Dola, I could see CF Raymond Fuentes too here. His name is sky rocketing lately and it's been attached to Detroit. We need bats in the system but not at the expense of another potential stud pitcher.

Would be awesome if the Natinals took Matzek...talk about stocking up on starting pitching.

Happy with the Turner pick. Touches 98 with the FB and has a good off speed pitch. Not getting my hopes up but the potential is there to be a dominant guy in the rotation down the road.

Reading the scouting report on mlb.com, it says he tops out at 92 or so.

He'll throw that I am sure but he can rev it up when he needs it. He's like Porcello. Porcello hit high 90's but doesn't throw it a lot because he doesn't need it.

They need to sign Strasburg tomorrow and get him in a uniform and playing now.

Nice pick, Kansas City. Well done.