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#Post#: 175728--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: AndyMacFAIL
Date: April 12, 2014, 8:26 pm
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N.C. State beat Duke 6-2.
Trea Turner: 0-4, 2 walks, scored one run, 2 fly outs, a ground
out, a strike out.
HTML http://www.gopack.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2013-2014/st34.html
HTML http://www.gopack.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2013-2014/st34.html
#Post#: 175767--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: AndyMacFAIL
Date: April 13, 2014, 4:02 pm
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Trailing by six runs in the bottom of the 8th, Duke rallies to
score five in the 8th and two in the 9th to beat N. C. State
11-10.
Trea Turner on the day was 1 for 1 with 3 walks, 4 runs scored,
2 RBI, a sac fly, two stolen bases and an error in the field.
HTML http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=47555&a=1
HTML http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=47555&a=1
#Post#: 175938--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: April 14, 2014, 9:41 pm
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I saw who Craig post over on PSD a question about Beede over on
PSD. I like his stuff and delivery, but the controls problems
are an issue for me too. He might get better like Archer, but
I'm sure there are far more that don't and at #4 I'd like upside
with a high floor. Beede has the upside, but the floor is lower
than most of the pitchers. I'm going to ignore that every
pitcher that is drafted has a floor of out of baseball with
injury, cause the Cubs got to get lucky some time.
Here is my list of who I'd like to get. Keep in mind I hated
the Bryant pick for a few days, so I basically know nothing.
1.) Brady Aiken- likely no chance
2.) Carlos Rodon- with the velocity coming back he might work
his way into #1 pick yet.
3.) Jeff Hoffman- I don't love the delivery, but the stuff is
Jonathan Grey good. If you buy that the defense/catching issues
are his main issue, then he could be a steal.
4.) Tyler Kolek- hopefully he goes higher in the draft.
5.) Alex Jackson- if he can stick at catcher, he might be
higher.
6.) Bradley Zimmer- only cause he has power/speed and bats left
handed. He might be a big reach.
#Post#: 175940--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: Reb
Date: April 14, 2014, 10:32 pm
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ESPN's Chris Crawford today on Aiken and Alex Jackson:
San Diego has been a hotbed of talent over the last few years,
and in Alex Jackson and Brady Aiken, it may just have the best
two prep players in the country this spring.
Coming into the year, Jackson (Rancho Bernardo HS) was
considered by most to be one of -- if not the -- best prep
hitters in the country, and while there are still some questions
about his overall upside and where he'll end up defensively,
he's done very little to diminish his stock.
Jackson was particularly impressive on Thursday, hitting two
homers against Torrey Pines High School, giving the right-handed
hitting catcher seven on the season and 43 over his three years
at Rancho Bernardo. The Oregon commit has impressed scouts with
his ability to hit the ball hard to all parts of the field, and
he's one of the few hitters in this year's class to get plus
grades with both the hit and power tool.
"I think Jackson is the best hitter in the class," an NL scout
said. "He had some timing issues early in the year, but he's
impressed me with the way he's made adjustments. I think you're
looking at a guy who can hit .300 and give you 25-30 homers
during his best seasons, and I don't see any other hitter with
that kind of potential this season at either the college or high
school level. I think he's going to end up in right field, and
he should be an All-Star there."
Jackson is a lock for the top half of the first round, and could
go in the top 10 to a team like the Toronto Blue Jays,
Philadelphia Phillies or Minnesota Twins.
Meanwhile, it was another dominating effort from Cathedral
Catholic High School's Aiken, who continues to establish himself
as the consensus No. 1 player in this draft. Aiken struck out 8
over 5 1/3 innings against Patrick Henry High school on
Wednesday, hitting 96 mph with his fastball and showing the same
quality secondary stuff he has this spring.
"At some point you run out of superlatives [about Aiken]," an NL
crosschecker said. "The kid just knows how to pitch, and I love
the delivery. It's been a long time since we've seen a prep
pitcher go first overall, but I really think this could be the
year."
#Post#: 175941--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: Reb
Date: April 14, 2014, 10:34 pm
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More from Crawford today:
Battle for No. 2 hurler heats up
Even with his inconsistencies, Carlos Rodon is still considered
the consensus top collegiate pitcher in the class, but who that
second hurler will be is still very much up for debate.
• LSU's Aaron Nola has been among the most consistent quality
arms in college baseball this year, and that run continued on
Friday night against Arkansas. Nola set a career high with 13
strikeouts in his seven innings against the Razorbacks, giving
up just four hits and two earned runs in the process. The Tiger
ace has now just allowed five earned runs on the year, with a
batting average against of just .143.
"The command [for Nola] today was exceptional," an NL East scout
said. "He located his fastball and breaking ball pretty much
wherever he wanted today outside of the two leadoff walks in the
second and seventh. I'm still not sure how well he's going to do
verse quality left handed hitters, but when you're placing the
ball where you want it may not matter."
Nola still looks likely to go in the first 20 picks, with teams
like the Milwaukee Brewers, Washington Nationals and Kansas City
Royals making sense as possible suitors.
• Jeff Hoffman has shown nowhere near the consistency Nola has
this spring, and the East Carolina right-hander continued his
up-and-down ways against Old Dominion. Hoffman gave up eight
hits and three runs in his 6 1/3 innings of work with no walks
and four strikeouts. He did get eight ground ball outs, but the
lack of missed bats has grown concerning for some.
"He looks like a solid back-end starter to me," an AL West scout
said. There's nothing wrong with that, but if you saw him over
the summer you'd be disappointed with that prognosis. The
slider/curve just isn't an out pitch like it was in the Cape Cod
League, and without that, I don't see a guy worth a top ten
pick."
• Vanderbilt right-hander Tyler Beede was once again not at his
best on Friday against Texas A&M, though like Rodon his defense
didn't help him much.
Beede gave up nine hits and seven runs over his five innings of
work, walking four and striking out four. The former Blue Jays
first-rounder had shown vastly improved command over the first
six weeks of the season, but he's struggled to locate his
pitches and throw strikes over the last month, and the breaking
ball has been closer to an average offering rather than plus
like it was in February and most of March.
Most scouts I've talked to believe that Beede is still No. 2 on
the collegiate pitching board, but Nola and Hoffman both have a
chance to pass him with strong finishes to their respective
seasons.
#Post#: 175942--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: Deeg
Date: April 14, 2014, 11:56 pm
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I'm praying Rodon's question marks cause him to fall to #4.
That could be the franchise-making break we've been waiting for.
#Post#: 175957--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: craig
Date: April 15, 2014, 9:37 am
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HTML http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2014/04/the-board-2014-volume-iii/
Chris Crawford.
Has Rodon-Holmes-Jackson 3-4-5, ahead of Hoffman/Beede.
1. With Bryant, McLeod seemed to think he could handle 3B even
though all of the scouting reports pushed him to OF. During his
draft summer, all the reports seemed to assume he'd move off of
SS, but McLeod and Cubs have still kept him there.
I wonder if McLeod might take an analogous "we think he may be
able to catch, we'll leave him their" approach with Jackson?
2. We'll see how things go down the stretch. But if Jackson is
projecting as a 25HR/.290-hitter outfielder, I'm not sure why
they might not prefer that over a wild Beede or the injury risk
associated with a HS arm like holmes. On the other hand, it
seems there are a lot of HS prospect who might hit .290 with
20-35 HR who end up hitting .235 with a ton of K's….
3. I wonder how Derek Johnson factors in. I tend to assume
that all HS pitchers are bad picks because of injury history.
*But Derek Johnson at Vanderbilt was consistently recruiting HS
pitchers, and working with them. I wonder if his experience or
effectiveness with handling them reaffirms the risk?
*Perhaps, having spend his career there, he knows better than
anybody who risky teen pitchers are?
*Or perhaps it reduces the anxiety? Maybe he and Theo think he
knows how to work with teen pitchers, and has established a good
program with minimal injuries? Maybe he and Theo perhaps think
the anxieties are overblown?
#Post#: 175985--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: Reb
Date: April 15, 2014, 12:23 pm
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Trying to develop Jackson as a catcher probably delays reaching
majors by a year or two compared to OF. Okay with that if has a
good chance to work. That would be an interesting pick.
Chris Crawford did a mock two weeks ago and projected Cubs
would prefer Beede over HS pitchers (other than Aiken). Seems
like the Johnson/Vandy connection has some assuming Cubs
focusing on Beede.
I'm with Deeg and others hoping that Rodon falls to
#4---probably won't happen.
#Post#: 175989--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: craig
Date: April 15, 2014, 12:29 pm
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HIgher risk: 21+wild vs 18+control?
#Post#: 175990--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2014 Draft
DIR By: Reb
Date: April 15, 2014, 12:33 pm
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Law had Holmes #5 three weeks ago, so on same page there with
Crawford (but BA at #15). I would think Cubs giving Holmes a
good look, especially if Hoffman and Beede fail to pick things
up.
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