UNC's Ackley calls for gushing

[TinCup]

Descriptive article (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=mcgee_ryan&id=4196736)with copious amounts of laudatory remarks about Dustin Ackley!

Some highlights:


Then the scout sitting next to him chimed in: "I would walk over hot coals naked to watch this kid hit."


In Gammons' May 16 blog on ESPN.com, he -- yes -- gushed for nearly 500 words under the headline "Carolina's Dustin Ackley has 'it'" and evoked the names of Derek Jeter, Joe Mauer, Chase Utley and Johnny Damon.


As many at-bats as I have watched on video during my life, you catch yourself watching Dusty's over and over because it is truly amazing how long his bat head stays through the hitting zone, even when he's fooled. That's why he can make so much contact, especially with two strikes."

[DocJJ]

Ackley won't be around by the 3rd pick. Focus your enthusiasm on another choice....

[Moose Milligan]

Damn, I wish there were some way he'd fall to us.

I'm no expert, but from what I've read it seems like its a safe bet he won't be there for us at 5.

[WV O's]

I wonder why a scout would put Damon in the same conversation as Jeter, Utley and Mauer??

This is the second or third time I have seen this kind of reference to Damon..unwarranted IMHO.

[Stotle]

I wonder why a scout would put Damon in the same conversation as Jeter, Utley and Mauer??

This is the second or third time I have seen this kind of reference to Damon..unwarranted IMHO.

And I think pre-power surge Damon may be the best comp I've seen for Ackley. Though who knows what he'll ultimately be defensively.

[Moose Milligan]

I wonder why a scout would put Damon in the same conversation as Jeter, Utley and Mauer??

This is the second or third time I have seen this kind of reference to Damon..unwarranted IMHO.

Damon was really hyped way back when.

[JTrea81]

It's a shame we won't be able to get him. Our only hope is that Boras will want tons of $ for him so he drops like Posey did and somebody locks MacPhail in a closet so Jordan can pick him.

[QBsILLEST1]

Im not as high on him as many people are. Id rather shoot for the high ceiling pitchers that are available than him. He is a good pure hitter and with the lack of good pure hitting position players in this draft, he is a commodity. His ceiling is limited though his floor is pretty high. He is probably the safest pick in the draft when taking Strasburg's injury risk into consideration. Its hard to think back 3 months ago when Green was supposed to be the best college hitter coming out of this draft. Ackley turned out a year like everyone expecting from Green and Green went in the opposite direction. If it was possible to forget about the 2009 college season then people would be a lot more excited if we picked Green.

[RZNJ]

Someone's got to show me video of this kid hitting homeruns because he looks like a singles hitter to me. Now, he might be a .330 type hitter but I just don't see much power from the, admittedly, few pieces of video I've seen on him. BTW, Gammons has gushed about many, many players. He's a gusher. Wish I could remember the name of the Braves OF prospect who he had in the Hall of Fame and the Oval office. Kid never made it.

[Stotle]

Someone's got to show me video of this kid hitting homeruns because he looks like a singles hitter to me. Now, he might be a .330 type hitter but I just don't see much power from the, admittedly, few pieces of video I've seen on him. BTW, Gammons has gushed about many, many players. He's a gusher. Wish I could remember the name of the Braves OF prospect who he had in the Hall of Fame and the Oval office. Kid never made it.

I tend to agree with this. In what I've seen of Ackley this year (around 7ish games) he excels at getting the bat to the ball, but he really feasted on non-elite pitching.

Now, I think he's probably more than a singles hitter, but a gap-to-gap guy as a pro seems more likely. I don't know exactly where he'd fall in my top 10, but I don't think he is a surefire #2. I actually still may like Green more than Ackley; maybe White as well. To be clear, Ackley has the best hit tool in the draft, I just don't know that the rest of the package adds up to #2 overall for me.

[Fairfax Bird]

It's a shame we won't be able to get him. Our only hope is that Boras will want tons of $ for him so he drops like Posey did and somebody locks MacPhail in a closet so Jordan can pick him.

Yeah, cause MacPhail has refused to negotiate with Scott Boras. Wait, MacPhail negotiated the Wieters deadline deal? Yeah, but Boras wasn't his agent. Wait, Boras was his agent? Oh, then this post is just bashing MacPhail for no reason. OK, got it.

[thundercleetz]

Not sure if this has been brought up, but for discussion sake lets say Ackley falls to us. Would you place him at second base? His bat would have tremendous value there, and he is certainly athletic enough to play the position. North Carolina coach Mike Fox said: "Let him put in the time, and he will be an outstanding second baseman." Even though we have B-Rob, I would still try Ackley at second to maximize his value.

[Stotle]

Not sure if this has been brought up, but for discussion sake lets say Ackley falls to us. Would you place him at second base? His bat would have tremendous value there, and he is certainly athletic enough to play the position. North Carolina coach Mike Fox said: "Let him put in the time, and he will be an outstanding second baseman." Even though we have B-Rob, I would still try Ackley at second to maximize his value.

Nice in theory. Are there any teams willing to keep him in the minors for an extra year or two in order to let him learn the position? My guess is no. Same reason I had Lawrie as an overdraft by Milwaukee last year. Good bat, but mostly for an up-the-middle position, and he really didn't project there as a pro. Milwaukee decided he had the skill set to catch (which he does) so they said he'd be molded as a catcher. Fast forward to this spring and Milwaukee announced he's no longer going to catch.

Now, maybe Ackley picks it up really quickly, but it's a pretty tough position at the pro level. My guess is he's in the OF. Hopefully he can improve his routes and reads enough to be a solid CFer, because if not he may be a bit of a reach at 1:2. I mean, he looks pretty Damon to me, and I'm not sure I'd want Damon as my first baseman (or really my LF in his younger days).

[LookinUp]

3b is easier to learn and the O's have a serious need there...just saying.

Either way, if he falls to us I think we have to take him and worry about position later. He won't fall to us though.

[Stotle]

3b is easier to learn and the O's have a serious need there...just saying.

Either way, if he falls to us I think we have to take him and worry about position later. He won't fall to us though.

I don't see nearly enough power for a typical 3B, though. Plus, I'm not sold on the arm playing there.

[LookinUp]

I don't see nearly enough power for a typical 3B, though. Plus, I'm not sold on the arm playing there.

I buy the arm argument (sort of), but I don't buy the power argument. It's not that I question your judgement, it's that I question the stereotype of 3b as a purely power position. A lot of people seem to think it has to be, but I don't buy it. I'd think a guy with 15-25 hr power plays just fine at thrid if he brings other value to the table.

[allstar1579]

I buy the arm argument (sort of), but I don't buy the power argument. It's not that I question your judgement, it's that I question the stereotype of 3b as a purely power position. A lot of people seem to think it has to be, but I don't buy it. I'd think a guy with 15-25 hr power plays just fine at thrid if he brings other value to the table.

I think what he's telling you is don't bet on him to be a 15-25 HR guy. It's hard to say just yet, but his numbers are really inflated from the metal bat and feasting on some bad pitching a few times. He might end up being a 10-12 HR guy in the majors.

The arm I think is the big reason, it won't cut it at 3b, it's been the issue he hasn't been able to play much at CF, so a position that takes more arm isn't going to work.

[Stotle]

I buy the arm argument (sort of), but I don't buy the power argument. It's not that I question your judgement, it's that I question the stereotype of 3b as a purely power position. A lot of people seem to think it has to be, but I don't buy it. I'd think a guy with 15-25 hr power plays just fine at thrid if he brings other value to the table.

You see 15-25 coming from Ackley? I see 10-20, with most years closer to 10-15.

[LookinUp]

Yeah, my impression was that he was going to be an extreme line drive hitter, and that would eventually turn into a little more power. Basically, I think he's similar to Snyder.

You all have a much greater ability to judge their potential than I do though. A couple of games on TV can only tell you so much.

[Stotle]

Yeah, my impression was that he was going to be an extreme line drive hitter, and that would eventually turn into a little more power. Basically, I think he's similar to Snyder.

You all have a much greater ability to judge their potential than I do though. A couple of games on TV can only tell you so much.

I think he needs to tweak his general swing plane to hit for noticeable power as a pro, and that would cut down his hitting tool by preventing his bat from staying in the hit zone quite as much. I don't love his swing, so id prefer him in center where he's valuable with a gap-to-gap approach.

[thundercleetz]

Nice in theory. Are there any teams willing to keep him in the minors for an extra year or two in order to let him learn the position? My guess is no. Same reason I had Lawrie as an overdraft by Milwaukee last year. Good bat, but mostly for an up-the-middle position, and he really didn't project there as a pro. Milwaukee decided he had the skill set to catch (which he does) so they said he'd be molded as a catcher. Fast forward to this spring and Milwaukee announced he's no longer going to catch.

Now, maybe Ackley picks it up really quickly, but it's a pretty tough position at the pro level. My guess is he's in the OF. Hopefully he can improve his routes and reads enough to be a solid CFer, because if not he may be a bit of a reach at 1:2. I mean, he looks pretty Damon to me, and I'm not sure I'd want Damon as my first baseman (or really my LF in his younger days).

With B-Rob, I believe we would be willing to keep him in the minors for an extra year or two in order to let him learn the position. Although, two years is a little extreme. One year would probably give us enough of a gage to see if he had the potential to play 2B reguarly or not.

[Stotle]

With B-Rob, I believe we would be willing to keep him in the minors for an extra year or two in order to let him learn the position. Although, two years is a little extreme. One year would probably give us enough of a gage to see if he had the potential to play 2B reguarly or not.

I don't know. I think I disagree. It isn't one year, it's one year "extra" -- beyond what it would take for him to progress offensively. So, figure he has to spend a full year at HiA, rather than half a year. Figure on a full year at AA, then at least part of a year at AAA. If he's a late sign (which I imagine he will be), you are now looking at 2012ish for an arrival time. That's a fair amount extra to spend on development considering how much you're likely spending in up-front bonus.

Also, he needs time in center, so if you spend the year and it becomes obvious he can't stick at second, add another half a season to make sure he gets the needed reps in the outfield.

I just don't see BAL (or any other team) doing that. I imagine he'll be shifted to the outfield and progressed as quickly as his bat will take him. For what it's worth, I a a believer that he could learn second and be adequate to pretty good there.