Callis chat 4/2

[Hutman]

I posted a question to Jim Callis yesterday on Matusz. I've been torn as to if he was someone I could get excited about. Here is my question and his response:

Eric (Baltimore) : Jim a lot of draft predictions have Brian Matusz as the Orioles pick at # 4. Which MLB pitcher does he most compare to? Does he have the stuff to be a # 1 or is he more of a # 2?

Jim Callis: I'm not sure he'll get to the Orioles at No. 4. I don't have a ready-made comp for you, but he's plus fastball, plus changeup, solid curveball, good polish and he's a lefty. Could be a No. 1, No. 2 is probably more realistic. To be honest, they're aren't a lot of true No. 1s, so I look at it more as frontline pitchers, No. 3s and back-of-the-rotation guys than as Nos. 1-2-3-4-5.

So needless to say I was pretty suprised that he may be gone by # 4. But if he's there great, otherwise that just means we got the impact position player we were looking for.

[Greg Pappas]

I posted a question to Jim Callis yesterday on Matusz. I've been torn as to if he was someone I could get excited about. Here is my question and his response:

Eric (Baltimore) : Jim a lot of draft predictions have Brian Matusz as the Orioles pick at # 4. Which MLB pitcher does he most compare to? Does he have the stuff to be a # 1 or is he more of a # 2?

Jim Callis: I'm not sure he'll get to the Orioles at No. 4. I don't have a ready-made comp for you, but he's plus fastball, plus changeup, solid curveball, good polish and he's a lefty. Could be a No. 1, No. 2 is probably more realistic. To be honest, they're aren't a lot of true No. 1s, so I look at it more as frontline pitchers, No. 3s and back-of-the-rotation guys than as Nos. 1-2-3-4-5.

So needless to say I was pretty suprised that he may be gone by # 4. But if he's there great, otherwise that just means we got the impact position player we were looking for.

Thanks for the info...

[WebLink21]

My avatar agrees! :D

[napbow]

From Keith Law's chat today. Interesting about Matusz.

Chris (NYC): Keith, Can we get a preliminary top 10 mock draft?

Keith Law: (2:11 PM ET ) I wouldn't put names to teams now - way too early - but the top 10 picks today would probably include guys like Smoak, Alvarez, both Beckhams, Posey, Crow, maybe Matusz (although two people have told me his velocity is down to 89-91), Wallace, Melville, maybe Skipworth if someone buys into him as a catcher ... I approve of the Justin Upton ... and someone like Hicks or even Gose.

Keith Law: (2:12 PM ET ) Oh, and I omitted some top guys who are Boras clients and might fall as a result, like Hosmer and Cole.

[Hutman]

Interesting, Greg, have you heard or read anything about Matusz's velocity. I heard that he had a bad first outting but that he's been stellar ever since.:eek:

[WebLink21]

Interesting, Greg, have you heard or read anything about Matusz's velocity. I heard that he had a bad first outting but that he's been stellar ever since.:eek:

His first outing was not good at all. Since then he has been lights out. He has 71 K's in 44.2 IP with a 1.81 ERA.

[Greg Pappas]

Interesting, Greg, have you heard or read anything about Matusz's velocity. I heard that he had a bad first outting but that he's been stellar ever since.:eek:

Weblink is dead on... nothing to report about a drop in velocity. Matusz has been brilliant.

[rhall]

From Keith Law's chat today. Interesting about Matusz.

Chris (NYC): Keith, Can we get a preliminary top 10 mock draft?

Keith Law: (2:11 PM ET ) I wouldn't put names to teams now - way too early - but the top 10 picks today would probably include guys like Smoak, Alvarez, both Beckhams, Posey, Crow, maybe Matusz (although two people have told me his velocity is down to 89-91), Wallace, Melville, maybe Skipworth if someone buys into him as a catcher ... I approve of the Justin Upton ... and someone like Hicks or even Gose.

Keith Law: (2:12 PM ET ) Oh, and I omitted some top guys who are Boras clients and might fall as a result, like Hosmer and Cole.

I'm actually a little surprised to see Posey and Wallace in there, and Gose just because we don't hear much about him. Good info. More crazy is that he makes it seem like he likes Posey more than Skipworth.

[Camden_yardbird]

There are too many questions about the pitchers. Just draft a hitter Jordan there are so many of them...

[Greg Pappas]

I'm actually a little surprised to see Posey and Wallace in there, and Gose just because we don't hear much about him. Good info. More crazy is that he makes it seem like he likes Posey more than Skipworth.

Law has never impressed me personally... but I don't disregard his info outright.

Alvarez
T. Beckham
Crow
Matusz
Smoak
Hosmer
Skipworth

These 7 seem very likely for the top ten, while it's certainly possible one or two could drop via financial demands. Draft intrigue... gotta love it. :D

[waroriole]

From Keith Law's chat today. Interesting about Matusz.

Chris (NYC): Keith, Can we get a preliminary top 10 mock draft?

Keith Law: (2:11 PM ET ) I wouldn't put names to teams now - way too early - but the top 10 picks today would probably include guys like Smoak, Alvarez, both Beckhams, Posey, Crow, maybe Matusz (although two people have told me his velocity is down to 89-91), Wallace, Melville, maybe Skipworth if someone buys into him as a catcher ... I approve of the Justin Upton ... and someone like Hicks or even Gose.

Keith Law: (2:12 PM ET ) Oh, and I omitted some top guys who are Boras clients and might fall as a result, like Hosmer and Cole.

I guess Gordon Beckham has really shot up the board. If the O's are dead set on a position player and T. Beckham and Alvarez are gone, what are the chances we draft the other Beckham.

[waroriole]

I posted a question to Jim Callis yesterday on Matusz. I've been torn as to if he was someone I could get excited about. Here is my question and his response:

Eric (Baltimore) : Jim a lot of draft predictions have Brian Matusz as the Orioles pick at # 4. Which MLB pitcher does he most compare to? Does he have the stuff to be a # 1 or is he more of a # 2?

Jim Callis: I'm not sure he'll get to the Orioles at No. 4. I don't have a ready-made comp for you, but he's plus fastball, plus changeup, solid curveball, good polish and he's a lefty. Could be a No. 1, No. 2 is probably more realistic. To be honest, they're aren't a lot of true No. 1s, so I look at it more as frontline pitchers, No. 3s and back-of-the-rotation guys than as Nos. 1-2-3-4-5.

So needless to say I was pretty suprised that he may be gone by # 4. But if he's there great, otherwise that just means we got the impact position player we were looking for.

This could be a good thing for the O's. Matusz gone by #2, you would think Crow wouldn't last to #4; that should leave us with either Beckham or Alvarez.

[Hutman]

This could be a good thing for the O's. Matusz gone by #2, you would think Crow wouldn't last to #4; that should leave us with either Beckham or Alvarez.

I just don't see Matusz going at 2. I think if anything Crow goes 1 to TB and then Alvarez to Pitt with the 2, then its a crap shoot with KC if they go Matusz, Melville or Beckham. Its anybodys guess, at this point I'm ready for them to draft so we will know who were getting.

[Greg Pappas]

I guess Gordon Beckham has really shot up the board. If the O's are dead set on a position player and T. Beckham and Alvarez are gone, what are the chances we draft the other Beckham.

While Gordon Beckham has been lights out impressive so far, he is still not considered an elite prospect; the likes of Alvarez or Tim Beckham. However, he's taken his game to a new level and will come off the board by mid round one. He could go in the top ten certainly, but would have to maintain an amazing pace at the plate, and that seems a bit unlikely.

I like GB a lot and would love to have him, but he doesn't appear to have top 5 talent at this juncture, and will certainly not last until our 2nd pick (#50). It's early and scouts views can and do change over time... he's one to watch. :)

[Pruke]

when it comes to elite prospects, is this a 1 / 2 / 3 or 4 deep draft? in other words, do we sneak in the door or are we going to be tier-2 benefactors?

[Hutman]

when it comes to elite prospects, is this a 1 / 2 / 3 or 4 deep draft? in other words, do we sneak in the door or are we going to be tier-2 benefactors?

I would say there are at least 4 if not 6 elite prospects in this draft. At the beginning of the year it was Alvarez, Matusz, Crow and Beckham. I'd consider adding Smoak and Hosmer to that category as well. Any way you slice it, were gonna get a great prospect.