Draft "Chat" v.1

[Greg Pappas]

Welcome everyone to the first OriolesHangout.com Draft Chat.

I and other knowledgable posters will be taking questions, and invite you all to participate in offering your opinions and views on the draft as well.

Lets have fun!

" I may have technical issues...help out if able"

[WebLink21]

Hey Greg, how is it going?

[WebLink21]

Guess I missed it :confused:

[Duke2010]

Well I'll start by saying that I'm somewhat that we have the number 4 pick because if we had the number 1 it would be tough passing on anyone in the top 5 because all are such good prospects. This way we can be happy with which happens to fall to us and we won't have to complain about why we didn't take player A over player B.

I really love Beckham (hard to believe he's only 2 weeks older than me lol) as well as Smoak, and haven't really gotten connected with Alvarez because he's always been assumed as number 1 overall. Same with the pitchers, I'm just not feeling it. I'd like to get a stud SS in the first round, but Smoak my by more of a sure thing and we could always snag a college SS in round 2-5. Perhaps G. Beckham (unlikely), Crawford (may be gone after the sandwich round) or Reese Havens.

[baltimoriole]

Greg, Is it possible to draft a corner infielder and still be in position to draft a second round middle infielder that'd be a legitimate prospect, i.e. Gordon Beckham, or Jemile Weeks?

I've heard that Gordon Beckham has really looked good this year, what is you take?

[rhall]

Greg, Is it possible to draft a corner infielder and still be in position to draft a second round middle infielder that'd be a legitimate prospect, i.e. Gordon Beckham, or Jemile Weeks?

I've heard that Gordon Beckham has really looked good this year, what is you take?

Barring injury or complete collapse there is no way Gordon Beckham is available for our 2nd round pick. He's a solid bet to go middle of first round somewhere. If he keeps improving throughout this year, he could get closer to that top 10 boundary. He's still hitting over .500 for pete's sake. :eek:

Jemile Weeks could possibly make it, IMO, but he's pretty polished and I think a lot of teams will have their eyes on him. He could go in the first round and I would be surprised if he made it out of the 1st round supplemental picks. He had a somewhat disappointing year (only bcuz of high expectations) last year, which lowered his draft projection, but he's off to a great start this year hitting .421/.468/.789 through his first 14 games.

[Greg Pappas]

Back, sorry for the technical issues. :)

[Greg Pappas]

Hey Greg, how is it going?

You missed nothing my friend, all is well.

[Greg Pappas]

Well I'll start by saying that I'm somewhat that we have the number 4 pick because if we had the number 1 it would be tough passing on anyone in the top 5 because all are such good prospects. This way we can be happy with which happens to fall to us and we won't have to complain about why we didn't take player A over player B.

I really love Beckham (hard to believe he's only 2 weeks older than me lol) as well as Smoak, and haven't really gotten connected with Alvarez because he's always been assumed as number 1 overall. Same with the pitchers, I'm just not feeling it. I'd like to get a stud SS in the first round, but Smoak my by more of a sure thing and we could always snag a college SS in round 2-5. Perhaps G. Beckham (unlikely), Crawford (may be gone after the sandwich round) or Reese Havens.

Reese Havens has looked awfully good so far in '08... and I expect him to be available come our second pick. Smoak and Havens together yet again? :p

[Greg Pappas]

Barring injury or complete collapse there is no way Gordon Beckham is available for our 2nd round pick. He's a solid bet to go middle of first round somewhere. If he keeps improving throughout this year, he could get closer to that top 10 boundary. He's still hitting over .500 for pete's sake. :eek:

Jemile Weeks could possibly make it, IMO, but he's pretty polished and I think a lot of teams will have their eyes on him. He could go in the first round and I would be surprised if he made it out of the 1st round supplemental picks. He had a somewhat disappointing year (only bcuz of high expectations) last year, which lowered his draft projection, but he's off to a great start this year hitting .421/.468/.789 through his first 14 games.

Agreed on all points, although Beckham is viewed by most as a latter first rounder. I believe as you do that he could surprise a bit and hit the 12-18 pick range.

[rhall]

Player AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HBP SO GDP OB% SF SH SB-ATT PO A E FLD%

6 Gordon Beckham... .500 16-16 72 26 36 6 1 10 25 74 1.028 7 2 5 0 .556 0 1 5-6 25 29 1 .982



Player AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HBP SO GDP OB% SF SH SB-ATT PO A E FLD%

2 Jemile Weeks..... .421 14-14 57 17 24 5 2 4 17 45 .789 5 0 9 0 .468 0 2 5-6 18 31 1 .980

[Greg Pappas]

Player AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HBP SO GDP OB% SF SH SB-ATT PO A E FLD%

6 Gordon Beckham... .500 16-16 72 26 36 6 1 10 25 74 1.028 7 2 5 0 .556 0 1 5-6 25 29 1 .982



Player AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HBP SO GDP OB% SF SH SB-ATT PO A E FLD%

2 Jemile Weeks..... .421 14-14 57 17 24 5 2 4 17 45 .789 5 0 9 0 .468 0 2 5-6 18 31 1 .980


Great job as always rhall. Weeks is an offensive catalyst, and while showing surprising pop this year, doesn't project to hit for much power as a pro. Gordon Beckham has delighted scouts with great play at SS and at the plate. He is picking the right year to have a breakout season.

[rhall]

Agreed on all points, although Beckham is viewed by most as a latter first rounder. I believe as you do that he could surprise a bit and hit the 12-18 pick range.




Gordon Beckham, SS, University of Georgia

Similar to last year's crop, this year's draft is light on college middle infielders. Luckily, this draft does have Gordon Beckham. After going 1-for-5 in Friday's opener of a three-game series with Arkansas, Beckham went off on a tear for the rest of the weekend, going 4-for-6 with a pair of doubles Saturday, then adding four more hits in five at-bats with a pair of home runs on Sunday. In 15 games for the bulldogs, Beckham is now hitting a remarkable .507/.553/1.014, or 35-for-69 with nine home runs. He's a solid defender with good athleticism, and the only real knock against him is he free-swinging approach. Nevertheless, he could slide into the single-digit picks of the first round if he keeps hitting like this.

Source (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7245)

I agree with you Greg that 12-18 sounds more likely. He'll have to keep hitting, convince more people that he can stay at shortstop and some other players may have to slide slightly, but talk of Gordon hitting single digits is happening with credible sources (BP).

[Greg Pappas]

Source (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7245)

I agree with you Greg that 12-18 sounds more likely. He'll have to keep hitting, convince more people that he can stay at shortstop and some other players may have to slide slightly, but talk of Gordon hitting single digits is happening with credible sources.

I have GB at pick #14 to Minnesota in my most recent mock at MLB-Draft.com (http://www.mlb-draft.com/).

[rhall]

Reese Havens is playing great but I don't really know much about him other than that his time at SC has been disappointing (offensively) thus far. Do you think his breakout year will continue? And how do you see him projecting (talentwise, not draft slot).

[Greg Pappas]

Reese Havens is playing great but I don't really know much about him other than that his time at SC has been disappointing (offensively) thus far. Do you think his breakout year will continue? And how do you see him projecting (talentwise, not draft slot).

Havens has the skills to man 2B or 3B, but it's unlikely to see him remain at SS as a pro. He somewhat reminds me of Dodgers farmhand and 2B prospect Blake Dewitt. Potentially he could develop into an average defender at both 2B and 3B, but I personally see him as at second. He is a solid athlete and has some pop, but isn't a big SB threat, so he will need to hit for average and provide some pop to make it in the bigs. He has the skill-set to succeed, but he must ride this wave of improvement to be a worthy 2nd rounder.

[Greg Pappas]

Well... no activity in nearly 20 minutes... sorry all for having internet connection issues at the worst possible time.

I'll try again soon. :)