Draft 2016

[Edgy MD]

With the #37 overall pick, the A's select Jeffries Daulton, whose parents must've been big 1995 Phillies fans.

[MFS62]

Some 6 degrees of (or less) separation stuff: The catcher the White Sox selected with the 10th pick is the son of my daughter's boss. She told me that they were expecting him to be selected early and a local TV crew was set up in his home to get the family's reaction. I thought they only did stuff like that in the NFL and NBA drafts.

Later

[G-Fafif]

Another product of nearby (to me, certainly) Freeport: Ray Searage, 1981 Met, sole member of the 1.000/1.000 club, current Pirate pitching guru, fixer of Jon Niese, who, you might have heard, was born the day the Mets last won a World Series.

As for Justin Dunn, he grew up a MFY fan.

Growing up, who was your favorite team? Favorite player? "Favorite player? Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. If you can't tell off of that, I'm a big-time Yankee guy." Being at Boston College, has it been difficult being a Yankee fan in Boston over the last couple of years? "Yeah, it's been a little difficult. I always represent my team. I go to Fenway wearing my Yankee hat. Not as much anymore, but when I was a freshman I'd wear it. Even when they weren't even playing. I definitely get some flack for it on the team."

On the day he was born, the Mets lost to the Marlins, 3-0. When he was two days old, they fell into last place. A week later, they forged a tie for second...the same day the MFYs clinched their first playoff spot in 15 years. He grew up in a world when the easy choice was the wrong choice, but he made it.

Hopefully, the Mets have made the right choice and he'll soon forget all those youthful indiscretions.

[Edgy MD]

Mets second-rounder and he Number 64 overall pick is first baseman Pete Alonso of your Florida Gators.

I support the idea that, when you've got a cool last name like "Alonso," a sober, pedestrian name like "Pete" goes with it nicely as a prefix. "Yonder" is just overkill. Good eye, good glove, but no single overwhelming skill. Just a baby James Loney.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm not too cool with picking a guy that high if he's projected for the bullpen.

To paraphrase Drake, he started at the back end, now he's here. ("Here" being a frontline starter for BC, and presumably-- at least to start-- in the pros.)

mlb.com's Jim Callis: Dunn had so much helium down the stretch that I thought there was a very good chance he would go No. 10 to the White Sox or No. 11 to the Mariners. So the Mets have to be pleasantly surprised to get him here. He opened the season in BC's bullpen, but proved he could start and seemed to get better every outing down the stretch. Odd thought: Maybe the bullpen background means that there's less mileage on his arm compared to some of his age-group contemporaries.

That-- and the fact that he seemed to be able to hold velocity deep into games AND that he seemed to get stronger/better as his starting stint has progressed-- was a big part of the "helium" in his balloon.

Side note: it's kind of cool that we've got a shot at watching two of our first three picks in the College World Series in a week (depending on how BC and tourney fave Florida do in this weekend's SuperRegionals).

Side note to side note: College pitcher? Bullpen experience, with a four-pitch mix? Sounds like the kind of guy who could be a potential September call-up, no? (See: Brandon Finnegan with KC, 2014.)

Edited June 10, 2016 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Another product of nearby (to me, certainly) Freeport: Ray Searage, 1981 Met, sole member of the 1.000/1.000 club, current Pirate pitching guru, fixer of Jon Niese, who, you might have heard, was born the day the Mets last won a World Series. As for Justin Dunn, he grew up a MFY fan. Growing up, who was your favorite team? Favorite player? "Favorite player? Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. If you can't tell off of that, I'm a big-time Yankee guy." Being at Boston College, has it been difficult being a Yankee fan in Boston over the last couple of years? "Yeah, it's been a little difficult. I always represent my team. I go to Fenway wearing my Yankee hat. Not as much anymore, but when I was a freshman I'd wear it. Even when they weren't even playing. I definitely get some flack for it on the team." On the day he was born, the Mets lost to the Marlins, 3-0. When he was two days old, they fell into last place. A week later, they forged a tie for second...the same day the MFYs clinched their first playoff spot in 15 years. He grew up in a world when the easy choice was the wrong choice, but he made it. Hopefully, the Mets have made the right choice and he'll soon forget all those youthful indiscretions.

Kay reportedly also MFY fan. Thanks a lot, Fred.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Mets on Peter Alonso: "He may be a one-tool player, but it's really a tremendous tool."

[Lefty Specialist]

Marty Feldman wrote: He's going to be very popular.

[Edgy MD]

Mets on Peter Alonso: "He may be a one-tool player, but it's really a tremendous tool."

This is why God created the word OMG!

[MFS62]

I heard that his one good tool is a power bat.
But I guess that's kinda' obvious once you see that picture.

Later

[bmfc1]

Anthony DiComo ‏@AnthonyDiComo 3m3 minutes ago
Ward Melville High School and UConn product Anthony Kay: "I was a Yankees fan, but I guess I'm a Mets fan now."

I guess.

[TransMonk]

I'm not sure that stink washes off so easily.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree. I mean, look at Minka Kelly. As beautiful as she is, she still smells like a guy in a Ronaldo shirt.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

bmfc1 wrote: Anthony DiComo ‏@AnthonyDiComo 3m3 minutes ago Ward Melville High School and UConn product Anthony Kay: "I was a Yankees fan, but I guess I'm a Mets fan now." I guess.

KAY: [Takes off Yankee hat]
[Lays it carefully in a shoebox]
[Places shoebox lovingly in childhood closet]
[Places Mets hat on his head, with awkward, unnatural tilt]
[Kicks rocks]

[Ceetar]

Ted Berg wrote: Hyperlocal you-are-old tweet: Mets no. 1 pick Justin Dunn was born in Freeport, but after Nunley's closed.

[Frayed Knot]

ROUND 3: Blake Tiberi; 3B, U of Louisville; L/R; 5' 11"/195 DOB: 2/16/95

ROUND 4: Michael Paez; SS; Coastal Carolina; R/R; [u:3vbret8p]5' 8"/165[/u:3vbret8p]; 12/8/94

ROUND 5: Colby Woodmansee; SS; Arizona State; R/R; 6' 3"/195; 8/27/94

ROUND 6: Christopher Viall; RHP; Stanford; 6' 9"/230; 9/28/95



And, yeah, all this stuff is premature to even think about.
On the other hand, 14 of tonight's 30 starters were 1st round draft picks, including seven in the top 10, two overall #1's, and two picked by the Mets

Pelfrey (9th overall pick in 2005), CC Sabathia (20 in 1998), Michael Wacha (19/2012), Chris Sale (13/2010), Ian Kennedy (21/2006), Kevin Gaussman (4/2012), Lance McCullers (41/2012),
Gerritt Cole (#1/2011), Steven Strasberg (#1/2009), Sonny Gray (18/2011), Jon 'No Relation' Gray (3/2013), Andrew Cashner (19/2008), Clayton Kershaw (7/2006), and Matt Harvey (7/2010)

[Edgy MD]

Ceetar wrote: Hyperlocal you-are-old tweet: Mets no. 1 pick Justin Dunn was born in Freeport, but after Nunley's closed.

Hyperlocal yes-indeed-you-are tweet: Realizing that Nunley's closed so long ago that you've forgotten that it was, in fact, in Baldwin.

[Frayed Knot]

ROUND 7: Austin McGeorge (can we call him Bundy?); RHP Cal St Long Beach; 6' 2"/210; DOB: 11/27/94

ROUND 8: Placido Torres; LHP Tusculum College (*???); 5' 11"/170; 5/17/93 (already 23 y/o)

ROUND 9: Colin Holderman; RHP; Heartland CC**; 6' 6"/220; 10/8/95

ROUND 10: Gene Cone (wonder if he'll get invited to Bar Mitzvahs like that other Cone/Cohen?); OF Univ South Carolina-Columbia***; L/L; 6' 0"/170; 9/21/94


* Tusculum is in Decatur, Georgia

** Heartland Comm Coll in Bloomington, Illinois, not Bloomington, Indiana or else Dave Stoller would have biked to it

*** Put him on the Low-A Fireflies and he'll already know the stadium

[MFS62]

The first 10 picks all were college kids.
I don't know if that is significant or not. But its interesting.


Later

[Edgy MD]

I'm choosing to like Colby Woodmansee — in part because his last name makes a nice adjective, and in part because when you say "Sun Devils shortstop," I say "Hubie Brooks."

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: The first 10 picks all were college kids. I don't know if that is significant or not. But its interesting.

It might not be a total coincidence.
With the first few picks you go for whoever you think is best (at least you should) and, given Sandy's willingness to draft HS kids up top in recent years, it appears like they just happened to like the remaining college guys better when the wheel stopped on them this year.

But then you get into budget ceilings. There's an overall cap for the cumulative picks in the first 10 rounds (there's a formula to determine the exact dollar figure for each team depending on where they pick within a round) and college picks can often be had for less money than HS simply because the non-elite college players simply have less leverage. So if there is a HS kid you like beyond the first few rounds you might wait until the 11th or beyond where the cap doesn't apply so that if you do have to go over budget to talk him out of taking a scholarship then you can do so without having to reduce someone else's bonus.
And indeed HS kids were picked in rounds 11, 13 & 14 and in some picks beyond that. Maybe that was because of strategy or maybe not.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Random draft guys we got.

Round 22: CF Ian Strom out of UMass-Lowell, aka Jack Leathersich University.

This guy can go get 'em!
q4aRc-gc3ck

*
Round 13: Xavier catcher Dan Rizzie, despite being a mild-mannered reporter is evidently a "pro-level" reciever

Dan Rizzie ‏@drizz777 19h19 hours ago Blessed and excited to join the @NewYorkMets organization! Thanks to everyone that has helped me along the way. Go Mets!

*
Round 37: Branden Fryman, SS out of Florida HS: Son of Travis Fryman.

*
Round 18: RHP Adam Atkins, LSU
College seniors usually aren't exciting but SIDEARMING RELIEVER ALERT
8X6HBqINqt8

[MFS62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Random draft guys we got. Round 22: CF Ian Strom out of UMass-Lowell, aka Jack Leathersich University. Round 37: Branden Fryman, SS out of Florida HS: Son of Travis Fryman.

When the local tv sports reporter (don't remember which one) said Fryman was the son of an ex Detroit major leaguer. I thought of Woody, forgot about Travis.
And, is Ian Strom related to ex-Met Brent?

Later

[seawolf17]

Two Seawolves this year: a 33rd round pick by the Astros and our first MFY in the 37th.

[Lefty Specialist]

ROUND 10: Gene Cone (wonder if he'll get invited to Bar Mitzvahs like that other Cone/Cohen?); OF Univ South Carolina-Columbia***; L/L; 6' 0"/170; 9/21/94

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Check out the style on 11th round draft pick Cameron Planck, who says Noah Syndergaard is his favorite pro. Planck is one of those guys the Mets are expected to need to "overslot" for since he has a ride to kollege as leverage, and according to this article, he already rejected 3rd round $$.

Cmon, Fred. Bust out the checkbook already.

[Edgy MD]

That's it. I'm sending my imaginary children to Rowan County Senior High School.

I can't imagine a function that uniform wouldn't be appropriate garb for.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It would be ideal for a fast-food-franchise clown.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Louisville tends to hold on to its recruits, too.

Dammit.

[Frayed Knot]

John Sickels review of NYM draft:

NEW YORK METS
1) Justin Dunn, RHP, Boston College
1) Anthony Kay, LHP, University of Connecticut
2) Peter Alonso, 1B, University of Florida
3) Blake Tiberi, 3B, University of Louisville
4) Michael Paez, SS, Coastal Carolina
COMMENT: Obviously a heavy college orientation early. Dunn was a fast-riser this spring with his arm strength, athleticism, and rapidly improved pitchability. The Mets drafted Kay out of high school but got their man with his 93-95 MPH fastball and strong change-up this time. Alonso and Tiberi have strong track records as college hitters but don’t offer much defensive projection. Paez has pop but will wind up at second base, perhaps in combination with fifth rounder Colby Woodmansee, Arizona State shortstop who has some pop and a decent glove. 8th round LHP Placido Torres was a statistical dominator out of Tusculum, already signed for $10,000, perhaps opening bonus space for more expensive preps like RHP Cameron Planck (11th round) or RHP Matt Cleveland (12th round).