Keith Law Top 50

[allstar1579]

The issue, to me, is that it's debatable his stuff plays as a shutdown guy against ML hitters, due primarily to plane. That said, you could drop him into a bullpen right now and he'd hold his own. I might buy six years of a good 8th inning guy/fringe-stopper for a mil or two.

I disagree with people who would like to start him -- it isn't what I'd do, personally. His value, to me, is in the fact that there's nothing much left to develop as a reliever.

Yeah I completely understand. I think that's why he toyed with a curve last night but only threw it like 3 times. It was a huge, hard breaker that had great left-right movement, but at field level you could see there wasn't enough up and down to it.

I hadn't really chimed in on the RP/SP debate because I KINDA see both sides. I lean RP too, but he's got those 3 REALLY good pitches so it's tempting to want to try to start him. If I had to choose one way or the other I'd say RP too because I think he could be a really good one. He just needs to trust his CH inside on RHB more because neither the FB or the SL work there and he's not backing them off the plate which lets them reach and poke the SL when he tries to throw it just off the plate.

[Stotle]

Yeah I completely understand. I think that's why he toyed with a curve last night but only threw it like 3 times. It was a huge, hard breaker that had great left-right movement, but at field level you could see there wasn't enough up and down to it.

I hadn't really chimed in on the RP/SP debate because I KINDA see both sides. I lean RP too, but he's got those 3 REALLY good pitches so it's tempting to want to try to start him. If I had to choose one way or the other I'd say RP too because I think he could be a really good one. He just needs to trust his CH inside on RHB more because neither the FB or the SL work there and he's not backing them off the plate which lets them reach and poke the SL when he tries to throw it just off the plate.

I just don't buy into "three pitches" being the criteria for a SP. I think a SP needs three pitches, but just because you have three good pitches doesn't mean that you should be a starter.

[allstar1579]

I just don't buy into "three pitches" being the criteria for a SP. I think a SP needs three pitches, but just because you have three good pitches doesn't mean that you should be a starter.

Yeah I get you. I made the exact argument against it a couple months ago talking about how I thought Klein should be a RP, so I guess I'm a little hypocritical in that sense. I think he can absolutely be a RP with 3 good pitches, and I think like you said he's not going to get enough plane to be good enough at the ML level, maybe through AA, but I think he'd hit the wall there.

[Stotle]

Yeah I get you. I made the exact argument against it a couple months ago talking about how I thought Klein should be a RP, so I guess I'm a little hypocritical in that sense. I think he can absolutely be a RP with 3 good pitches, and I think like you said he's not going to get enough plane to be good enough at the ML level, maybe through AA, but I think he'd hit the wall there.

I actually think, provided durability is there, that he can last as a starter. I just question whether he's more useful as a very good relief arm (potential two-inning guy) or as a fringe-mid-rotation arm. And to get to that mid-rotation upside, you have to develop him for a year or two, building up innings.

Instant return as reliever, as opposed to wait and see if you can get mid-rotation value for him a couple of years from now. As you said, same argument against doing this with Klein, though in that case you were investing less up front (but operating with the shadow of shoulder issues).

[JohnnyK27]

Correa projects as a 3Bman in the majors. I'd have to make him my pick.

[RZNJ]

Correa projects as a 3Bman in the majors. I'd have to make him my pick.

I think I'm leaning this way as well. Really good upside offensively and none of the college guys knock my socks off. All of the things I've read about this kid are very positive makeup wise as well. Most of the talk has him being there at #4.

[JohnnyK27]

I think I'm leaning this way as well. Really good upside offensively and none of the college guys knock my socks off. All of the things I've read about this kid are very positive makeup wise as well. Most of the talk has him being there at #4.

Well if there's a Bundy type guy there fine...But it's high time we try to fill our positional holes. And it would be nice to find some high avg guys with power.

[eb45]

Well if there's a Bundy type guy there fine...But it's high time we try to fill our positional holes. And it would be nice to find some high avg guys with power.

That's not how you draft in baseball. Besides, Machado will be ready before anyone in this draft.

Not sure who I want right now, assuming Appel, Giolito, and Buxton are gone. Thinking Gausman or Zimmer, but would be fine with Almora or Correa as well. Maybe Zunino, but he doesn't really excite me. Marrero is the only one I'd really steer clear of.

[allstar1579]

That's not how you draft in baseball. Besides, Machado will be ready before anyone in this draft.

Not sure who I want right now, assuming Appel, Giolito, and Buxton are gone. Thinking Gausman or Zimmer, but would be fine with Almora or Correa as well. Maybe Zunino, but he doesn't really excite me. Marrero is the only one I'd really steer clear of.

Don't think it hurts his draft status but Zimmer just hurt his hammy, might miss a couple weeks.

[Nigel Tufnel]

I think I'm leaning this way as well. Really good upside offensively and none of the college guys knock my socks off. All of the things I've read about this kid are very positive makeup wise as well. Most of the talk has him being there at #4.

Keith Law just said he'd happily take Correa at #4 - could wind up the best player in the draft class. (He may have also said that in his write up, but I'm not an insider).

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/43678

[JohnnyK27]

Keith Law just said he'd happily take Correa at #4 - could wind up the best player in the draft class. (He may have also said that in his write up, but I'm not an insider).

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/43678

Sold ...How do I submit the pick for the Orioles

[section18]

I agree. Let's hope the teams drafting ahead of us need pitching and want Buxton. The less we talk about this guy the better. Keith Law is read by a lot of baseball people. Does he influence teams decisions Stotle? If Appel and Buxton go #1 and #2 and Correa goes #3 who do you think we will pick? Zimmer, Gausman or Almora?

[Stotle]

I agree. Let's hope the teams drafting ahead of us need pitching and want Buxton. The less we talk about this guy the better. Keith Law is read by a lot of baseball people. Does he influence teams decisions Stotle? If Appel and Buxton go #1 and #2 and Correa goes #3 who do you think we will pick? Zimmer, Gausman or Almora?

I obviously am not sure what goes on in every scouting department, but I would say that Law, Callis, etc. do not affect how teams draft, with one exception. To the extent they share what they are hearing w/r/t when certain players are being targeted, they might push a team with extra picks to jump on a player a pick earlier than they might have.

E.g., Say Boston picks at 1-21 and 1S-10. Callis/Law speaks to contact at the top of the decision-making pyramid and in discussing several players Callis/Law mentions he hears Player A is being looked at heavily in the back of the first round. Boston liked this kid a lot and was hoping to grab him with their second pick -- the 10th in the Supplemental 1st Round. Maybe Boston considers more closely whether they should pop Player A at 1-21 instead of hoping he is still there at 1S-10.

But remember, Law/Callis build their lists, in large part, by getting opinions from inside the industry (Callis exclusively, Law as a supplement to the scouting he does himself). Law's/Callis's rankings are MUCH more likely to be affected by the opinions of folks in the industry than the other way around. I like Law an awful lot, as a person and as a writer/evaluator, but if there was an organization that thought his opinion should be the determining factor in who they should draft in the top five overall picks, they would throw enough money at him to get him to leave ESPN and come work for them.

[section18]

I've just read several scouting reports some dated as recent as this week with some interesting comments that differ from what Keith Law is saying. I've read that Buxton, Correa and Zunino could go in the top three. If this happens we would have to decide between Appel, Zimmer and Gausman. It's really interesting reading about these three pitchers. Some think Zimmer and Gausman are better than Appel while others still support Appel. Gausman is hitting 99 regularly and is getting a lot of applause. He is also using Dylan Bundy's workout program. Interesting! The only knock seems to be his curveball is lacking. Appel and Zimmer appear to be more hittable than Gausman.

MLB.com seems to think it will be Appel #1. Buxton #2 and Zunino #3. If this happens we would be deciding between Correa, Gausman and Zimmer. Roll the dice....this is getting interesting. Appel, Zimmer and Gausman to choose from or Correa, Gausman and Zimmer for us to choose from. In the first scenario I would take Appel and in the second I would take Correa. Gausman gave up 4 runs in a recent start striking out 11 and giving 10 hits. ?

[Stotle]

I've just read several scouting reports some dated as recent as this week with some interesting comments that differ from what Keith Law is saying. I've read that Buxton, Correa and Zunino could go in the top three. If this happens we would have to decide between Appel, Zimmer and Gausman. It's really interesting reading about these three pitchers. Some think Zimmer and Gausman are better than Appel while others still support Appel. Gausman is hitting 99 regularly and is getting a lot of applause. He is also using Dylan Bundy's workout program. Interesting! The only knock seems to be his curveball is lacking. Appel and Zimmer appear to be more hittable than Gausman.

MLB.com seems to think it will be Appel #1. Buxton #2 and Zunino #3. If this happens we would be deciding between Correa, Gausman and Zimmer. Roll the dice....this is getting interesting. Appel, Zimmer and Gausman to choose from or Correa, Gausman and Zimmer for us to choose from. In the first scenario I would take Appel and in the second I would take Correa. Gausman gave up 4 runs in a recent start striking out 11 and giving 10 hits. ?

Sources for scouting reports? Just curious.