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#Post#: 406659--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 13, 2020, 2:29 pm
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The five picks tended on the young side.
-Three are teenagers.
-Burl and Nwogu are both young 21's,
*Burl just turned 21 two weeks ago,
*Nwogu in March.
Likewise Nwogu and Burl seem perhaps developmentally younger
than their ages.
Seems like Hendry era again. :) .
#Post#: 406665--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Robb
Date: June 13, 2020, 3:04 pm
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I like this approach. Pitch-to-contact guys simply don't have
much if any upside. In the past it was said that you can't teach
velocity, but pitch labs and Driveline have roved that you can,
indeed teach velocity to some. But that might be a higher risk
than teaching control. At least with these low-floor
high-ceilings guys you know they have the physical capacity to
reach the upper speeds. If Little can find control and spin at
98-100 then he is a potential TOR guy. Better chance of that
than teaching teaching Brendon Little to up his velocity and
maintain control and stamina. Little will most likely flame out
(pun intended) but if you draft 5 guys with this upside and one
hits then you have already beaten every draft since Theo took
over.
#Post#: 406669--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 13, 2020, 5:24 pm
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--- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
>
> Dan Kantrovitz was on the Cubs Weekly podcast (Marquee
Network) and they had Callis on after him.
> -They went for tools because they believe in the player
development system
> -Burl has the stuff to get out major leaguers, but he still
has things to do
> -Little needs a lot of work. They are going to send him to the
pitch lab and work on his delivery and pitches, but you can’t
teach the velocity
> -Nwogu needs to rework his swing, but a lot of power/speed
> -He didn’t really touch a lot on the 5th rounder
--- End Quote ---
Here is the link to that interview:
HTML https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/cubs-weekly-podcast-special-draft-edition-with-dan-kantrovitz-and-jim-callis/
#Post#: 406685--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 13, 2020, 10:56 pm
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Finally had time to listen to that interview. Blue, your
account was an excellent synopsis. Kantrovitz was very
enthusiastic about their picks; went after tools in the belief
that the development system will make them work.
Not knowing his personality, was hard to filter his positive
message. Might just be a Fleita. But I expected him to tone
down enthusiasm; he didn't really.
*There have been thoughts that Little's notorious 105 wasn't
really real in some way; Kantrovitz didn't doubt it, downplay
it, or pooh-pooh it any ways, and seemed to accept the 105 as a
real thing. Sounded like he though the velocity was for real,
and said that their scouts loves Little. But otherwise sounded
like they assume he'll pretty much need to be completely rebuilt
in the pitch lab.
*People have hyped Burl as this big-stuff ready-now guy. I
expected K to downplay the hype; but he didn't really. Has
things to do, and don't want to rush him; but K seemed fine with
the narrative that Burl might be ready very soon. Surprised me;
I assumed as with Little that he'd probably be viewed as a raw
talent with a lot of pitch-lab reconstruction ahead. K also
notes that Burl is an enthusiastic, energetic guy, and that fans
will like him.
*Nwogu: talked up his capacity to control the strike zone and
limit K's, which I found encouraging. Assumed Nwogu would be a
hit-lab project and would need to rebuild his swing. K seemed
pretty optimistic about Nwogu NOT being a big K-guy; power guys
who don't K excessively are pretty valuable.. Callis was kind
of surprised that Nwogu didn't strike out more given his swing;
suggested that he must have some really good hand-eye
coordination.
*K also didn't back away from talking about Howard hitting for
power.
Callis was pretty positive about Moreno; almost like he thought
he was too good to be signable.
#Post#: 406687--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Deeg
Date: June 13, 2020, 11:26 pm
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Are we really getting excited about the fact that a guy is
enthusiastic about his own picks?
#Post#: 406701--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: June 14, 2020, 7:52 am
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I like the focus on tools which is better than what they where
doing. I was just disappointed with the positions they choose.
If they had take Clayton Beeter instead of Burl, I'd be pretty
happy with draft. Beeter might end up as reliever, but he at
least has a chance to start.
On Little velocity. 105 isn't impossible for him especially
since there is confirmed trackman's of 101 and 102. The number
of guys that throw that hard is tiny, even smaller if you make
it lefties. Callis was implying that as a starter he was
sitting 93-96 and only Max Fried was in that area as a lefty
starter last year. If they could pitch lab him a more
consistent breaking ball and an off-speed pitch (change-up,
forkball) letting him start could be a fun option, but it is
probably easier to let him develop as a reliever.
If they use the tools approach to look for starting pitchers and
are willing to dip into the high school ranks, then I think
there is a lot of reason to be happy about what the Cubs are
doing. They won't hit on 100%, but even it is similar to their
percentage they had a college pitchers I'd be happy. The
difference is instead of a reliever you could end up with an
ace.
This draft is a B+ just getting Howard. It could have been a
lot better, but it could also have been a whole lot worse too in
rounds 2-5.
#Post#: 406704--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: June 14, 2020, 8:34 am
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The other thing that I’m not probably factoring in is the minor
leagues are getting contracted next year so the Cubs are going
to lose an AZL team and the Eugene level team so inning might be
harder to come by for players next year. The Cubs do a fair
number of arms in the AZL range and South Bend’s rotation could
get jammed up quickly.
I wonder if the Cubs could run what amounts to an instructional
league in their complex of guys that aren’t ready for AZL team
yet.
#Post#: 406705--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 14, 2020, 9:00 am
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I'm good with judging and grading based on what you know at the
time. Totally fair.
Obviously how the guys ACTUALLY play out is what will matter.
(Duh, super obvious.)
I think their are good chances that it will not play out great.
Pitch and hit labs, analytics and development are the buzz.
But I'm hesitant to assume that analytics and pitch labs will
convert wildmen into control artists. Pretty good chance that
wild is wild, and Burl and Little will just be too wild to be
especially good.
Hit lab seems even less likely to make bad hitters good. Yes,
to better utilize latent power, I believe it. To make good
hitters better, I believe it.
So yeah, who knows, down the line all of these guys might
develop and be variably good, and it will look genius. Or 5
years out, I might look back and say, "man, why waste picks on
wildmen, can't fix that; and guy who can't process movement, you
can't fix that."
Howard is different story, of course. But who knows? Maybe his
shoulder problems will return, and we'll look back and say,
"Man, why draft a SS who's just had shoulder problems? Dumb."
Maybe the power will never come. "Remember when they thought
he'd hit for power? What were they thinking?" Maybe both heat
and movement will have him hit like Russell with even less
power, and he'll be hanging as a #8 hitter. "Why did they think
he'd hit? Other scouts had noticed that he'd struggled some on
the summer circuit against better pitching...." And maybe his
defensive range will limit him to being an average SS, kind of a
SS Almora. "Man, I know he gets what he can reach, but even
pre-draft reports recognized that his range would be limited.
Why didn't they go for more ceiling than a limited-range
defense-first guy with no power and a fringy bat?"
We grade now based on perceptions now, that makes sense.
Obviously there are scenarios in which all 5 will fail and it
will look like an F. And scenarios in which all 5 succeed and
it will look like A+. Time will tell. For now, I'm hoping for
the best, that they've all got what it takes, and that
cutting-edge development will bring out the very best in each of
them and that it will be really good.
#Post#: 406709--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: June 14, 2020, 11:21 am
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Brandon Beesley, OF, Cal Poly first Cubs UDFA. #429 on BA.
Lowest ranked signing so far on BA’s list
#Post#: 406710--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: guest61
Date: June 14, 2020, 11:50 am
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Sounds like the second Cubs undrafted free agent signing might
be Coastal Carolina shortstop Scott McKeon, a former Juco
transfer who was off to a big spring before the season was cut
short. Four home runs in 16 games after three bombs as a junior.
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