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#Post#: 123359--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Chris27
Date: April 2, 2013, 6:17 pm
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Law has an Insider piece on Frazier. I hate to keep asking but,
would anyone like to post it?
HTML http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/mlb_draft/id/9125153/clint-frazier-shows-top-10-talent-their-questions-projection-mlb
#Post#: 123366--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Ray
Date: April 2, 2013, 7:08 pm
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Outfielder Clint Frazier of Loganville (Ga.) HS is one of the
top two prep bats in this class, playing a few towns and just
one county over from the other top high school hitter, Grayson's
Austin Meadows. Frazier went deep in his first two at-bats
Monday night, including a homer on the first pitch he saw, both
no-doubters off the bat, showing the positives that should make
him a top-10 pick but also the concerns that might keep him out
of the top five.
Frazier has some of the best pure bat speed I have ever seen on
an amateur player, and he controls the bat head well too -- it's
not a wild, undisciplined hack but a repeatable swing with good
form and balance throughout. He doesn't knock himself over or
collapse his back side; he just has very, very quick hands and a
fundamentally sound swing. That bat speed means hard contact
which, given the hip rotation and loft in his finish, means plus
power too, particularly to pull. If he gets a fastball up, or a
hanging breaking ball, he destroys it, doing so twice in Monday
night's game before he popped up in his third and final at-bat.
[+] Enlarge
Keith Law/ESPN
Frazier still has trouble recognizing off-speed stuff.
What Frazier showed he didn't like much was breaking stuff, even
the mediocre kind. He was looking for fastballs and looking up
in the zone, so when pitchers changed speeds on him and threw
some fringy facsimiles of curveballs, Frazier would end up way
out in front. As you can see in the image to the right,
Frazier's bat is already through the zone while the ball hasn't
even reached the plate yet. He is young enough to develop that
pitch recognition, and the tremendous bat speed gives him an
advantage long-term, but I don't think his present hit tool is
all that high even with the lightning-quick bat.
On defense, Frazier profiles as a corner outfielder, with
adequate range in center for the high school level or perhaps a
college team, but not for pro ball. His arm was plus before a
bout of tendinitis in the fall and is now just average, good
enough for right field but with the hope that it can get back to
where it was a year or so ago. High school outfielders who
project as corner guys aren't usually single-digit draft picks
-- Delmon Young is the only one to go first overall since Shawn
Abner in 1984 -- but I do think Frazier's present power and
future hit tools are enough to justify it.
Frazier's other question mark is his lack of projection. At
about 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Frazier already has a big leaguer's
physique, which is great but doesn't allow scouts or teams to
dream on future growth. In other words, he doesn't project to
add strength or power as he adds muscle to his frame, because
he's unlikely to get much bigger. There's room for growth in his
game, such as recognizing off-speed pitches sooner, but he won't
get it from the physical side.
I'll see Meadows at home on Wednesday for another head-to-head
comparison. After last summer, I had Meadows rated over Frazier,
based on the higher upside, even though Frazier had better
present skills. I'll re-evaluate that position after seeing them
both in the span of about 50 hours.
#Post#: 123372--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Ray
Date: April 2, 2013, 7:29 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I haven't paid for my espn insider in like 5 years. I've
wondered many times what the deal was. Finally got an email the
other day saying payment was due because my year was up. Since
I havent had the bank account used on file there in many years,
I can't help but wonder if someone else has been paying for my
insider.
#Post#: 123375--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: PRCubFan
Date: April 2, 2013, 7:51 pm
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Hopefully Almora is a stud, but I can't help but wonder how much
better the Cubs could have been maybe as soon as next season if
they had drafted Appel last year and then been able to pick up
Gray this year. Add them to Samardzija, Edwin Jackson, Garza if
he was ever to remain healthy and signed a long term deal, and a
guy like Arodys Vizcaino and all of a sudden, the Cubs have some
very enticing power arms in that rotation.
#Post#: 123378--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: brjones
Date: April 2, 2013, 8:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Ray link ---
>
> I haven't paid for my espn insider in like 5 years. I've
wondered many times what the deal was. Finally got an email the
other day saying payment was due because my year was up. Since
I havent had the bank account used on file there in many years,
I can't help but wonder if someone else has been paying for my
insider.
>
--- End Quote ---
I think they just have poor record keeping there, because I
haven't paid in years either. I got a "free trial" about 10
years ago. After the trial ran out, I paid for the first year,
then never again. The credit card I used to get my subscription
was cancelled years ago. But I still get Insider, and I even
get ESPN Magazine for free. I never read it and would like to
cancel it because it goes straight to the trash every
month...but I don't want to risk losing my free insider.
#Post#: 123382--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: CurtOne
Date: April 2, 2013, 8:30 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: brjones link ---
>
> I think they just have poor record keeping there, because I
haven't paid in years either. I got a "free trial" about 10
years ago. After the trial ran out, I paid for the first year,
then never again. The credit card I used to get my subscription
was cancelled years ago. But I still get Insider, and I even
get ESPN Magazine for free. I never read it and would like to
cancel it because it goes straight to the trash every
month...but I don't want to risk losing my free insider.
>
--- End Quote ---
Most periodicals and newspapers don't make money on
subscriptions but advertisements. I know guys who get the New
York Times for free because subscription numbers mean more to
sell advertisements than the subscription itself is worth. I
told the guys at ESPN I didn't want the magazine anymore. I
asked if there was a price for just getting Insider info without
getting the magazine. Nope. But they wouldn't send me the
magazine anymore; I could take the internet version. I had to
take one or the other. Why? Numbers. They have to have
numbers to show potential advertisers.
My wife has been tossing the TV Guide renewals in the trash for
years. Yes, we still get TV Guide. For almost every magazine
you almost have to demand they cancel.
#Post#: 123383--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Chris27
Date: April 2, 2013, 8:31 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the content Ray.
#Post#: 123463--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Chris27
Date: April 5, 2013, 3:03 pm
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PG's Patrick Ebert:
--- Quote ---
> I touched upon Jonathan Gray last week, and had the good
fortune to watch last weekend's start as well. This time it was
against Kansas, and the guy is just filthy. He went the full 9
innings, gave up 2 hits, one was a soft flare to RF, the other
was on an infield single to the SS that could have been an out
if played better (allowing the runner to go from first to third
on the play, which should never happen). That runner scored on a
DP ball to the next hitter.
>
> He has great fastball velocity (mid to upper 90s) and command,
and his mid-80s slider is probably his best pitch. It's really
hard to identify out of the hand and breaks late, hard and away
from RH batters. His low-80s changeup is also a very nice pitch
that he uses perfectly to neutralize LH hitters. He has great
temp on the mound, keeps his composure and really is the
completely package you look for in a future staff ace.
>
> I was actually talking to Kendall Rogers about this earlier
today, but it is somewhat surprisingly that he hasn't gotten
more pub early this season. He is a legitimate factor for the
Astros and the No. 1 overall pick. While Appel has been dominant
again this year and Manaea also offers the projected total
package of a staff ace, Jonathan Gray is doing it week after
week, and the weather has been rather cool this spring.
--- End Quote ---
HTML http://www.perfectgame.org/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=10108&MessageID=21037#post21037
#Post#: 123464--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Chris27
Date: April 5, 2013, 3:08 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Callis' Wednesday chat:
--- Quote ---
> Frank (Chicago): Between Clint Frazier and Javier Baez, who
has better bat speed and overall plate discipline?
>
> Jim Callis: They have similar bat speed, which is to say a ton
of it. Frazier hasn’t faced pro pitching, so plate discipline is
a tough call, but Baez is so aggressive at the plate that I’d
expect Frazier is ahead of him in that regard.
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
> @Jaypers413 (IL): Could you see the Cubs taking RHP Jon Gray
if the Astros pop Appel at 1-1?
>
> Jim Callis: I could. If the draft were today, I’d expect Appel
and Gray to go 1-2 or 2-1.
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
> Luke (Indiana): If the draft was tomorrow, who are your top
three picks, in order?
>
> Jim Callis: Stanford RHP Mark Appel, Oklahoma RHP Jonathan
Gray, Georgia high school OF Austin Meadows. I actually wrote my
column for our last magazine issue on who I’d take with each of
the first 10 picks, and that will post with our updated Draft
Top 50 Prospects tomorrow. I wrote that column about 10 days
ago, and I’ve shuffled my choices since then.
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
> Peter (Brooklyn): Seems like Sean Manaea's stock has fallen in
a lot of mock drafts. Do you chalk up his less than totally
dominant start, both production and stuff-wise, to the weather?
Something else?
>
> Jim Callis: I think he has fallen a little bit, though I still
think he’d go in the top 5-10 picks if the draft were today. The
weather up here–I live outside of Chicago–has been bitterly cold
for most of the year, but I think the inconsistency of his
secondary pitches and his command. His numbers aren’t bad at all
(1.14 ERA, 46-13 K-BB in 39 IP) but he hasn’t shown scouts
everything they’ve hoped for.
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
> Joel (KCK): Is there any chance that Jonathan Gray has put
himself on Houston's short list for the #1 pick?
>
> Jim Callis: Not sure how short that list is yet, but yes, Gray
is definitely a candidate.
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote ---
> Jordan (Chicago): Who do you think the Cubs will grab at No.
2? Also have you heard anything of the progress of Barret Loux
and his upside? Seems kind of quiet regarding the No. 6 pick in
the draft...
>
> Jim Callis: Almost assuredly a college pitcher at No. 2, Appel
or Gray. Loux is more of a high-floor than a high-ceiling guy.
He can pitch but his stuff is average, so he’s probably a No. 4
starter at best.
--- End Quote ---
HTML http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/prospects-and-draft-chat-with-jim-callis/
#Post#: 123465--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2013 Draft
DIR By: Chris27
Date: April 5, 2013, 3:21 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Another Law Insider piece, this time on Austin Meadows:
HTML http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/mlb_draft/id/9134126/austin-meadows-shows-tools-stick-center-field-top-five-pick-mlb-draft
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