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#Post#: 406762--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Bennett
Date: June 15, 2020, 11:56 am
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HTML https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2020/06/15/cubs-sign-duke-two-way-star-1b-rhp-matt-mervis/
#Post#: 406763--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 15, 2020, 11:59 am
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--- Quote from: Deeg link ---
>
> Are we really getting excited about the fact that a guy is
enthusiastic about his own picks?
--- End Quote ---
Heh heh, yes, kinda. :) . I'm an optimistic fan, so I do get
fired up. :) .
But yeah, for my Green Bay Packers, for example, it's usually
pretty easy to read from their comments whether they think a guy
is a project who will take some time (Jordan Love), versus a
ready-soon guy. I expected all five Cub guys to be clearly
communicated as projects who will take variably long time.
*That was obviously true for Howard, Nwogo, Little, and moreno.
*But I really was surprised that somebody as wild as Burl, with
<50 college innings pitched, would be portrayed as a possible
ready-soon guy.
I always love to hear decision-makers explain their decisions.
*We know every player has risk, and most fail;
*but you wouldn't spend one of only 5 picks on a guy who doesn't
have some qualities that might make him valuable.
*So hearing what qualities and talents a guy has that made the
scouting director choose him is really interesting and fun.
#Post#: 406770--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: JR
Date: June 15, 2020, 2:35 pm
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[quote]Bob Nightengale
Matt Mervis, a first baseman/pitcher from Duke, signs for
$20,000 with the #Cubs. He's a power left-handed bat, and power
right-handed pitcher
#Post#: 406771--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: JR
Date: June 15, 2020, 2:36 pm
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HTML https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2020/06/duke-baseball-mlb-draft-undrafted-free-agent-matt-mervis-chicago-cubs
#Post#: 406869--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: June 17, 2020, 9:59 am
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Sharma had an article on Carraway.
-His fastball spin rate was 2500 rpm averaging 97 mph.
-His curveball spin rate was 2650 at 79 mph. That would be top
20 for lefties in MLB
-In addition his elite spin rates his spin axis and efficiency
is top notch as well.
#Post#: 406870--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Playtwo
Date: June 17, 2020, 10:30 am
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He throws seeds.
#Post#: 406872--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Dave23
Date: June 17, 2020, 12:01 pm
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I can’t believe we had to wait this long for that!
#Post#: 406873--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: jacey1
Date: June 17, 2020, 12:09 pm
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--- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
>
> Sharma had an article on Carraway.
>
> -His fastball spin rate was 2500 rpm averaging 97 mph.
> -His curveball spin rate was 2650 at 79 mph. That would be
top 20 for lefties in MLB
> -In addition his elite spin rates his spin axis and efficiency
is top notch as well.
>
>
>
--- End Quote ---
BUT CAN HE PITCH???
#Post#: 406874--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 17, 2020, 12:21 pm
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HTML https://theathletic.com/1871468/2020/06/14/what-did-we-learn-from-the-cubs-draft-jordan-nwogu-is-one-of-a-few-upside-bets/
Nwogu article:
“Jordan has a lot of really, really interesting traits,” said
John Pedrotty, an area scout .... “(Jordan’s) swing is a little
unorthodox right now, but some of the brightest hitting guys in
our organization have really liked how quick he is to the ball.
All those movements that seem a little unorthodox — we think
it’s kind of untapped power potential in there that is waiting
to be unlocked.”
As Pedrotty mentioned, the swing needs polish, with scouts
around baseball suggesting it’s not the most aesthetically
pleasing. It’s a choppy swing that can be exposed by breaking
balls and quality fastballs up in the zone...
But while it may not look the way a swing is typically supposed
to, ... strikeouts never were really a concern. His career
strikeout rate of 18.3 percent dropped each year at Michigan.
=============
Helpful to read their views. Consistent with what we've heard
last week, that his present swing is problematic, but that they
think it may be correctible. We'll see. The one view is that
having been productive and having limited his K's, despite his
crummy swing, perhaps suggests that there's mental, hand-eye
quickness to be able to work around his faulty swing. Takes
talent to overcome a bad swing. So maybe there's a really
talented hitter disguised by the lousy swing, and once they fix
that all the talent will come out.
Still, changing a swing isn't easy, I don't think. Making
tweaks is one thing, serious revision of a swing may be harder.
I also think "oh, only 18% K-rate, K's aren't a problem" may be
too optimistic. 18% isn't exactly small, and the NL is NOT the
Big Ten. A guy who K'd 18% against college pitching might K
like Brett Jackson in the pros. Plus if he's got specific holes
in his swing, big-league scouting might identify those holes in
a way that college scouting doesn't.
#Post#: 406879--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 17, 2020, 12:49 pm
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--- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
>
> Sharma had an article on Carraway.
> -His fastball spin rate was 2500 rpm averaging 97 mph.
> -His curveball spin rate was 2650 at 79 mph. That would be
top 20 for lefties in MLB
--- End Quote ---
HTML https://theathletic.com/1876278/2020/06/17/our-fans-are-going-to-love-him-can-burl-carraway-be-elite-for-the-cubs/
Seems like a pretty confident, ambitious guy. Seems to have a
middling view on technology. Positive about development and
technology and understanding stuff, but in an earlier quote he'd
said something about now wanting to think too much. Perhaps
that's a good perspective: When you get behind a better 2-0, I
don't imagine you totally want to be introspectively analyzing
everything about your mechanics. But being willing and able to
receive input from the analytics guys, I'd think that would be
help. (Work on strengthening your lower back a little bit.
Your spin is most effective at arm-angle X; your spin and your
control declines when that arm angle drifts, and it's been
drifting more often lately... )
Burl notes that he pitched back-to-back and had some
3-appearance week(s). Kantro also noted that his pitch stats
actually looked as good or better then he did 2-inning work. It
took Carl Edwards a couple of years before they'd use him back
to back, and he never pitched two innings. So the concept that
Burl might be used back-to-back and perhaps have some 2-inning
outings like Hader, that could be nice. *IF* he's actually
good.
Kantro: "he’s never going to be a guy that’s painting corners."
Might-be-a-Maples will remain an open question for a while, I
think.
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