I.D.T. -- In-Draft Thread 2010

[Guest Edgy DC]

Does Harper get to continue wearing his signature Ace Frehley eye black as a pro?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Wow... very hot doggy.

[Frayed Knot]

-- Matt Harvey, rhp, Mets (No.7): His $2.525 million bonus was $347,000 over slot and the largest paid by New York since it gave Mike Pelfrey a team-record $3.55 million (as part of a $5.25 million big league contract) in 2005.


It is NOT - unlike Pelfrey & also Humber before him - a 'Major League' contract, something that would have put him immediately on the 40-man and shorten his timetable to the majors.
Not sure what his workload in college was but, either way, I doubt we'll see anything of him this year until maybe the fall/winter leagues.



Harper got an ML deal with Washington which is a bit risky for a guy who'd only be going into his Sr year of HS normally. The only other one I can remember who got a ML deal any younger was the absolutely idiotic deal the Yanx gave the then 16 y/o Wily Mo Pena.

Several picks in the top half of the 1st round wound up NOT signing, including #6 Barret Loux to the DBacks who earlier in the week failed a physical
also #9 Karsten Whitson, a HS pitcher who was rumored to be one of the Mets top choices. He chose college over San Diego's money.
#14 Dylan Covey (Brewers) another HS pitcher who shockingly was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes recently. Will also head to college instead.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Going overslot on a couple of dudes notwithstanding, as per Jim Callis of Baseball America-- in the latter portion of this Times game article from yesterday-- the Mets' total spending on draft picks remained somewhat underwhelming:

But at least by one measurement, the Mets are spending more money than they were a year ago. In 2010, according to Baseball America, the team spent $3.85 million in signing nine of their top 10 picks, including the $2.52 million used to sign Matt Harvey, the North Carolina pitcher who was their No. 1 pick and was represented by Scott Boras. That was twice what they spent in 2009, when the Mets finished dead last in spending on top draft picks. This year, they will finish ahead of three division rivals � the Phillies, the Florida Marlins and the Braves. But Jim Callis, Baseball America �s executive editor, said the Mets� total spending on draft picks � $4.72 million � ranked 20th out of 30 M.L.B. teams. Callis considers this odd given that the Mets should have considerable financial resources from their new stadium and cable television network. �It looks like business as usual for the team,� Callis said. �The question is why they are not being a lot more aggressive.� Aggressiveness in this instance would be the willingness to consistently draft players in the top 10 rounds who are higher rated than others still available and almost certain to ask for more money. Yet the Mets do not necessarily do that. �The Mets are conservative year after year after year,� he said. The Mets� second-round pick this year was Blake Forsythe, a catcher from Tennessee with above-average power who signed for $392,400. Their third-round pick was Cory Vaughn, an outfielder from San Diego State University and the son of the former major league slugger Greg Vaughn. He received $240,300. Callis said both signings were slightly above what Major League Baseball recommended teams spend in those rounds. The Yankees, meanwhile, again spent more than the Mets on the top 10 rounds, shelling out $5.13 million in 2010, including $950,000 on their top pick, Cito Culver, a shortstop from Rochester. The Mets declined to comment on their strategy in drafting and signing picks. Although they have been widely criticized in recent years for not having a good farm system, they have produced three good rookies this season in first baseman Ike Davis, starting pitcher Jon Niese and catcher Josh Thole. Other young players like Ruben Tejada and Fernando Martinez are now playing with the Mets, but whether they will hit well enough to be real factors in the future remains to be seen.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Can they please at least acknowledge that money spent in the draft largely correlates with draft position? They were in much better position in 2010 than 2009, but still. Picking seventh and then 89th and 153rd doesn't really put you in a position to drop the same dollars as some others.

Anybody see that ninth-rounder throw 103 the other night?