In-Draft Thread - 2011

[seawolf17]

Mixed emotions as the Mets fall two picks short of Nick Tropeano, who goes to Houston with the 160th pick. Congratulations Nick!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

NOTABLES REMAINING:

-- Nicky Delmonico, C/3B, Farragut HS (TN)-- plus bat who could stick at catcher, Georgia commitment
-- Dillon Maples, RHP, Pinecrest HS (NC)-- low-90s fastball with good movement/iffy command; decent slurvy curveball for strikes
-- Josh Osich, LHP, Oregon State-- threw no-hitter against UCLA while facing Trevor Bauer

[bmfc1]

The Mets take yet another pitcher drafting John (You're With Me) Leathersich, from UMass, Lowell in the 5th round.

Read his influences: http://www.goriverhawks.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/leathersich_jack00.html

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Goes by Jack Leathersich, looks like a closer type

"I throw baseballs fast"

http://twitter.com/#!/LeatherRocket

[seawolf17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Goes by Jack Leathersich, looks like a closer type "I throw baseballs fast" http://twitter.com/#!/LeatherRocket

Gave him the official CPF Twitter welcome. If he responds, I'll ask him to sing his fight song.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

G: There's a lot out there about Jack Leathersich the baseball player, what does Jack like to do outside of the diamond? JL: I just like to hang out with my friends. I am big in the weight room; I like to get in there, put my iPod on and go to work. I do like to try and play golf every once in a while. I guess you could just say I like to be a normal college kid. When I am away from the field, I try to relax and keep baseball separate. When I get to the field, it�s all business for me. I like to say there�s a time for baseball and there�s a time to just be a normal guy. JG: You list Tom Glavine as an influence; have you ever met Tom in person? What about Glavine did you admire (other than the fact you are both lefthanders)? JL: No, I have never met him. I always admired Glavine for the way he carried himself and went about his business. I think he is as professional as professional gets. He might not have been the hardest thrower, but he knew he was going to get you out somehow. When I watched him play, he was always super confident. I try to base my mound confidence off of what I saw in Glavine as a kid. JG: You are nicknamed �The Rocket.� How did you garner this nickname? JL: Oh man, it�s been going on for a while now. I guess it started in the Valley League when I came out of the pen and threw mostly fastballs. It�s always been something that people have called me jokingly. I was called it in Valley as well as at UMass and down the Cape. JG: What is your mound entrance music and why? JL: Another One Bites the Dust by Queen. A walk out is all about originality, you don�t want to come out to something that everyone uses. I thought it was a good song to use as a strikeout pitcher. I thought it had a good little ring to it, I�ve used other songs but I felt that one fit me the best.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Short lefty, starred as a closer in Cape Cod last summer (31 K/21 innings), Bahston-area born-and-raised.

Did we just draft Masshole Wagner?

[metirish]

Yeah like no one would ever think to use Another One Bites the Dust , very original.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

To be fair, this is a generation of draftees that is all over the reggaeton, Jay-Z, and nu-metal (with a little AC/DC among the "traditionalists"), and one that completely missed the wrestling heyday of JunkYard Dog.

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: Yeah like no one would ever think to use Another One Bites the Dust , very original.

I prefer the song for when the opposing team removes a pitcher mid-inning.

I'd rock as a scoreboard operator.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I've always liked the idea of a closer coming in to the strains of a funeral mass (or, failing that, a farty New Orleans jazz funeral).

And there goes Delmonico to Baltimore. Why NOT take a chance on a bat like that? Will the Mets take a chance on a bat like that? Will the Mets draft a position player ever again?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I've always liked the idea of a closer coming in to the strains of a funeral mass (or, failing that, a farty New Orleans jazz funeral). And there goes Delmonico to Baltimore. Why NOT take a chance on a bat like that? Will the Mets take a chance on a bat like that? Will the Mets draft a position player ever again?

Yes. Come on down, high-school outfielder Joe Tuschak.

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: High upside's cool. But is it me, or did he have the feel of a guy who'd be around later?

Uh...yeah..

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Their Northeast scouts must've like Tuschak's tools better than those of Mike Trout-y Derek Fisher, with a sweet bat and superprecocious plate selectivity and developing power and a Virginia commitment... from the same area, but a little younger.

He goes at 204 to the Rangers.

[ashie62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Mets go with Cory Mozzoni, RHP from NC State.

Holy Cannoli!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

#222: Meaty Arizona 1B Cole Frenzel. Originally from North Dakota.

Come on, Montana!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Cole Frenzel, 1B, Arizona

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

#252 makes the Mets yell, "MUNO!" (Daniel, of Fresno State, a switch-hitting shortstop.)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That sleep-whooping you heard was from Second Spitter, as the Mets go Greek with #282, nabbing Florida's Alexander Panteliodis, a lefty arm.

And at #286, a "Jace Fry" goes to the A's; G-Fafif, do you know something we don't?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: That sleep-whooping you heard was from Second Spitter, as the Mets go Greek with #282, nabbing Florida's Alexander Panteliodis, a lefty arm.

"Panteliodis" being the Grecian term for "pantsload."

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Speaking of which, we've entered the even-more-of-a-crapshoot portion of our program.

#312 and #342-- Rounds 9 and 10-- are a pair of high-school righties: Matthew Budgell (CA) and Christian Montgomery (IN).

[batmagadanleadoff]

I'd say that the draft's been a crapshhot from the get-go. Here's every single first-round, overall 13th pick ever drafted:

2011 - Brandon Nimmo � Mets - RF
2010 � Chris Sale � White Sox � LHP
2009 � Grant Green � A�s � SS
2008 � Brett Wallace � Cards � 3B
2007 � Beau Mills � Indians � 3B
2006 � Tyler Colvin � Cubs � OF
2005 � Brandon Snyder � Orioles � C
2004 � Bill Bray � Expos � LHP
2003 � Aaron Hill � Blue Jays � SS
2002 � Khalil Greene � Padres � SS
2001 � Casey Kotchman � Angels � 1B
2000 � Shaun Boyd � Cards � 2B
1999 � Mike Paradis � Orioles � RHP
1998 � J.M. Gold � Brewers � RHP
1997 � Kyle Peterson � Brewers � RHP
1996 � Robert Stratton � Mets � OF
1995 � Mark Redman � Twins � LHP
1994 � Paul Konerko � Dodgers � C
1993 � Matt Drews � Yankees � RHP
1992 � Chad McConnell � Phillies � OF
1991 � Manny Ramirez � Indians � OF
1990 � Donovan Osborne � Cards � LHP
1989 � Brent Mayne � Royals � C
1988 � Austin Manahan � Pirates � SS
1987 � Bill Spiers � Brewers � SS
1986 � Ryan Bowen � Astros � RHP
1985 � Jeff Bumgarner � Twins � RHP
1984 � Bob Caffrey � Expos � C
1983 � Joel Davis � White Sox � RHP
1982 � John Russell � Phillies � C/OF
1981 � George Alpert � Indians � OF
1980 � Lebo Powell � Phillies � C
1979 � Rick Leach � Tigers � OF
1978 � Bill Hayes � Cubs � C
1977 � Andrew Madden � Red Sox � RHP
1976 � Tom Thurberg � Mets � OF/RHP
1975 � Rick Sofield � Twins � SS
1974 � Garry Templeton � Cards � SS
1973 � Doug Heinhold � Yankees � RHP
1972 � Richard Bengston � Mets � C
1971 � Frank Tanana � Angels � LHP
1970 � John Bedard � Pirates � RHP
1969 � Noel Jenke � Red Sox � OF
1968 � Tim Grant � Reds � RHP
1967 � Dan Haynes � White Sox � 3B
1966 � Gary Nolan � Reds � RHP
1965 � Gene Lamont � Tigers - C

[Ceetar]

I'm hoping for Manny Ramirez then.

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I'd say that the draft's been a crapshhot from the get-go.

Depends on your definition of 'crap-shoot'.
If by that you mean that even a first-round pick is hardly a guarantee of success, well then you're correct.
But a 1st round pick is MUCH more likely to succeed than a 2nd, a 2nd more likely than a 3rd, and by the time you reach the 4th round the odds are a small fraction of where they were when you started.

Also throw in the idea that if this draft is as talented as they claim then a mid-round pick this year has even better odds than a mid-round pick in others.
Besides, there were some nice names on that 13's list even if there were a lot of misses in between.
Plus I'd like to think teams are getting better at this as the draft era has evolved although I don't know if facts would back me up there.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I 1976 � Tom Thurberg � Mets � OF/RHP

Double threat!
6 wins, 106 Ks and a .373 average for Jackson in 1980!

UMBD sez he showed good power with Class A Wausau in '77 (11 HRs) but appears to have moved to the mound full-time in '78.

[Methead]

I gotta stop looking at the birthdates of these kids... it's only gonna get worse as the years drag on.

[Guest themetfairy]

Methead wrote: I gotta stop looking at the birthdates of these kids... it's only gonna get worse as the years drag on.

I hit my low when I discovered that Ruben Tejada is younger than my daughter....

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Guys, I'm relatively young here, right?

These guys were born when I was in high school.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I kind of get a kick out seeing Dwight Smith Jr. and Jack Armstrong Jr. get drafted (both were this year). Makes me remember their dads.

[MFS62]

After stifling the urge to regurge over the selection of a "toolsy" high school position player in the first round, I began to re-think it.
I'm feeling better about the first two picks.
Sandy and staff aren't looking for a quick fix - players with college experience who might make the majors in a year or two and quickly make their drafting skills look good. They picked players who will need time to develop, and that shows me a commitment to building the organization and player development- a longer term approach.
I like that.

Later