In-Draft Thread - 2008

[Frayed Knot]

I checked the TV listings earlier and ESPN2 has set aside 4 hours of programming time and, I believe, are just doing to 1st round plus supplementals -- 46 picks at about 1 pick per 5 minutes.
That puts our early picks at approx 3:30, 3:45 and 4:40

In the pre-TV days they'd go through 46 picks in about 20 minutes. But it became apparent last year that not only is it a 5 minute max but it's a 5 minute minimum so the team execs get to sit around so the folks at Bristol Clown College can justify the salaries they're paying to all the talking heads.

1 - Rays: "Souces say" they've settled on Georgia HS SS Tim Beckman

2 - Pirates

3 - Royals

4 - Orioles

5 - Giants

6 - Marlins

7 - Reds

8 - White Sox

9 - Nationals

10 - Astros

11 - Rangers

12 - A's

13 - Cardinals

14 - Twins

15 - Dodgers

16 - Brewers

17 - Blue Jays

18 - Mets

19 - Cubs

20 - Mariners

21 - Tigers

22 - Mets

23 - Padres

24 - Phils

25 - Rockies

26 - Dbacks

27 - Twins

28 - Yanks

29 - Indians

30 - Red Sox

31 - Twins

32 - Brewers

33 - Mets

68 - Mets

100 - Mets

[Centerfield]

Which of those picks is compensation for Glavine? I would love if whoever we pick became a major Brave-Killer for us in the coming years...

[metirish]

Nice work FK .

[Frayed Knot]

Centerfield wrote: Which of those picks is compensation for Glavine? I would love if whoever we pick became a major Brave-Killer for us in the coming years...

#18 was originally the Braves pick that we get instead on account of the signing and #33 is the extra pick, ie. one that we gain but they don't lose.
#22 is our own pick.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd like a first baseman, a catcher, and a starting pitcher for the first three. All college boys on the fast track. That would be my ideal first round.

[Frayed Knot]

1 - Rays - Tim Beckman, SS (HS)

2 - Pirates - Pedro Alvarez, 3B Vanderbilt Univ (via Washington Heights, NYC)
Pittsburgh has had both a rash of bad decisions with the draft in recent years plus a bunch of shit luck with injuries so they've got a lot riding on this guy

3 - Royals - Eric Hosmer, 1B (Fla - HS)
He was a "high-ceiling" guy who some thought might drop on account of Boras-fueled bonus demands but KC grabs him ahead of all the college 1Bmen

4 - Orioles - Brian Matusz - LHP, Univ of San Diego

5 - Giants - Buster Posey, C, Fla St

6 - Marlins

7 - Reds

8 - White Sox

9 - Nationals

10 - Astros

[bmfc1]

So much for Jason Castro as he goes at 10 to Houston.

[seawolf17]

Are there any Beckhams left? Apparently, they're all the rage this year. Everyone's picking them.

[Frayed Knot]

6 - Marlins - Kyle Skipworth, C (California HS)

7 - Reds - Yonder Alonso, 1B (Miami U)
Supposedly the "most ML ready" of all 1B prospects goes to the team with Joey Votto already sitting there

8 - White Sox - Gordon Beckham, SS (Univ of Georgia)
No relation to pick #1

9 - Nationals - Aaron Crow, RHP (U Missouri)

10 - Astros - Jason Castro, C (Stanford)
There goes the 3rd catcher, Depth reportedly falls WAY off after this

11 - Rangers

12 - A's

13 - Cardinals

14 - Twins

15 - Dodgers

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Last time the Mets made a 1st round sandwich pick that they received after losing a left-handed starter who left on less-that-good terms, it was David Wright.

Am I reaching here?

[Frayed Knot]

]Am I reaching here?

Of course you are, but I like the thought




11 - Rangers - Justin Smoak, 1B (Univ South Carolina)

12 - A's - Jemile Weeks, 2B (U Miami)
Rickie's baby bro and a reported NYM target

13 - Cardinals - Brett Wallace, 3B (Ariz St)

14 - Twins - Aaron Hicks - RHP (California HS)
A product of the MLB Academy in Compton California

15 - Dodgers - Ethan Martin, RHP/3B (HS - Georgia)
Sorry Vlad

16 - Brewers

17 - Blue Jays

18 - Mets

19 - Cubs

20 - Mariners

[Centerfield]

Jason Castro?

[Guest holychicken]

Are the Mets still adhering to the slotting nonsense or whatever it is called?

[Willets Point]

How much time is there between picks? I would imagine it wouldn't take several hours to just get to 15.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I just flipped it on and it looks like 5 min between picks. Blue Jays took the first baseman from Berkley named Cooper. Mets up now.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Mets grab ASU lefty first baseman Ike Davis.

Cool.

Edit:



2008: .394/.468/.778 (1.246 OPS) in 198 AB. 26 2B, 16 HR, 73 RBI.

I like Ike.

[Guest AG/DC]

Right off the factory floor.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Okay, NOW we can cut Delgado.

Or maybe we can wait until next week. Give Ike some time at St. Lucie to get a few at bats.

[Guest AG/DC]

Jeez, the cutmania continues.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Somewhere Mike Carp is fuming.

[Frayed Knot]

16 - Brewers - Brett Lawrie, C (Canada)

17 - Blue Jays - David Cooper, 1B (Cal St Fullerton)

18 - Mets - Ike Davis, 1B/OF (Arizona St)
Well, we got our 1st sacker. Can also pitch and father Ron was MLB reliever
"lots of power, lots of Ks, but a good approach" says BP's Kevin Goldstein

19 - Cubs - Andrew Cashner, RHP (TCU)
There's the 1st reliever

20 - Mariners - Josh Fields, RHP (U Georgia)

21 - Tigers

22 - Mets

23 - Padres

24 - Phils

25 - Rockies

[DocTee]

Milwaukee must be desperate if there's a big drop in catching prospects after the top three

[Gwreck]

With pick #22, the Mets get David Havens, Shortstop, University of South Carolina.

Bats L / Throws R

[Benjamin Grimm]

Now we can cut Reyes too!

[Gwreck]

According to this report (Source: MLB.com's "Draft Tracker"), he's likely to get moved out of shortstop:

Hitting Ability: Havens has improved over time as a hitter and makes good contact with a very patient approach.

Power: Excellent bat speed does generate some pop and he could hit 10-15 homers, maybe 15-20 at best.

Running Speed: He's a well below-average runner.

Base running: Very alert on the bases and armed with good instincts, he won't hurt you.

Arm Strength: He's got a plus arm at short.

Fielding: He catches the ball well when he gets to it.

Range: His range is restricted because of his lack of foot speed. Some feel he'll have to move to third.

Physical Description: Havens is really put together with a strong, athletic body.

Medical Update: He had a sprained thumb in the fall, but he's 100 percent now.

Strengths: A good approach at the plate with the ability to make solid contact; good knowledge of how to play the game.

Weaknesses: Lack of speed, which could force a move to third.

Summary: A legitimate prospect in high school, teams were scared off because of a strong commitment to South Carolina. He's improved steadily in his three years there and has evolved into a good all-around hitter with outstanding plate discpline. He may need to move to third down the road because of his lack of range, but his smarts in the field may at least give him the opportunity to play his way off of short as a pro. At either spot, he's sure to go off the board pretty quickly.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Sounds like they drafted a DH.

Does his bat sound strong enough to make up for his apparent lack of a "natural position?"

[Vic Sage]

We're pretty much covered at SS and 3B for the forseeable future.
How about moving him to 2b? Jeff Kent didn't have any footspeed either.

[Benjamin Grimm]

That seems to make the most sense.

He doesn't seem to have the speed you'd want in an outfielder, and he doesn't have the power you'd want at first base.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Ravech, Keith Law, Phillips, etc., were saying that moving him to catcher was a possibility, too, though he's resisted it in the past. All the guys gushed about him, liberally throwing around stuff like "gamer" and "ballplayer".

BA Blog sez:

"Well, the rumors about the Mets wanting college bats were true. No one thought Reese Havens would be the one, though. Havens resuscitated his career in the Cape Cod League last summer, changing his approach and moving his hands in his swing, and his power took off this spring. He takes a healthy hack but after struggling for two seasons, he took off this year and profiles as an offensive infielder. More than likely, he fits better at second base or third."

Reese Havens, gamer:

[Frayed Knot]

21 - Tigers - Ryan Perry, RHP (Arizona)
'nother reliever

22 - Mets - Reese Havens - SS (Univ South Carolina)
Lefty hitter - rumors have had teams liking him with catching in mind
I know the BoSox liked him

23 - Padres - Allan Dykstra - 1B (Wake Forest)
No, not Lenny's kid, although he (Cutter Dykstra) is eligible for this draft and might be 4th round or so

24 - Phils - Anthony Hewitt - SS/OF (Conn - HS)
"Off the chart tools" but VERY raw" is what I've read.
One place said he's, at the same time, the most likely to become a ML super-star or flunk out of A-Ball.

25 - Rockies - Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky U
The BP mafia are surprised he didn't go higher.

26 - Dbacks

27 - Twins

28 - Yanks

29 - Indians

30 - Red Sox

31 - Twins

32 - Brewers

33 - Mets