Predict the Top Four Selections of the 2011 MLB Draft

[LookinUp]

Official Prediction: 1) Cole, 2) Rendon, 3) Hultzen, 4) Bundy

Hopeful #1: 1) Hultzen, 2) Cole, 3) Bauer, 4) Rendon

Hopeful #2: 1) Hultzen, 2) Rendon, 3) Bauer, 4) Cole

Interesting possibility: 1) Rendon, 2) Starling, 3) Hultzen, 4) Cole

[GoldGlove21]

I'm assuming each organization has there own interviews with the player and there own doctor reports. Some of the infomation may be key in whether or not they want to draft a player. If an organization goes out and says they want a player another organization drafting before them may feel more confident in there interview or doctor reports. Of course this could turn into a game of chicken or even a bluff. Either way it is probably best to stay quiet and let the draft unfold itself.

Official prediction:

1. Cole

2. Rendon

3. Hultzen

4. Bundy

What I do not get is that all the MLB draft can do is unfold as it moves forward. The only shocks are when a team reaches for a player or one slides. A team behind you can not influence what you do and the teams a head of you care less about what you do. If I was a scout I wouldn't care what the scouting directors of the teams drafting near me thought of a given player.

Information does leak out, but what hits the internet seems to be common sense. Pittsburgh like 3 to 5 guys with that first pick. The Diamondbacks are looking for pitching. Could Rendon slip because of injury concers? Could Cole slip due to his recent struggles?

I suppose the Pirates wouldn't want to come out and say "We are going to take the best player on our board who doesn't cost us a fortune". That can give the fans the wrong message.

A team like the Mariners might not want to say "We are worried about Rendon's health so we might pass on him". I would imagine that would not make an agent that the team has to deal with both moving forward and in this draft very happy.

The Orioles might not want to say "We have a hard time developing position prospects so we went with pitching" or "We took a college arm because our starting rotation isn't where we thought it would be at this point."

I can also see how it could be bad for a team to come out and say that player X is our guy, only to change your mind at the last minute. I just more information would come out, instead we get headlines like these:

Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen has pitched his way up teams' draft boards and remains a candidate to go first overall to the Pirates, Jonathan Mayo writes at MLB.com.

Olney points out that talent evaluators love high schooler Dylan Bundy and suggests the right-hander will be selected early on in Monday’s draft.

MLB.com's Bill Ladson hears that the Nationals, who select sixth overall, are looking at Bundy, Danny Hultzen, Bubba Starling, Jed Bradley, Trevor Bauer and Alex Meyer.

In this week's edition of Ask BA, Jim Callis of Baseball America says the Pirates will likely select Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon, UCLA righty Gerrit Cole or Hultzen. At this point, it's a matter of "reading the tea leaves," since Pittsburgh's intention remains unclear.

[Birds08]

It seems from this thread that everyone is convinced Starling is going to play baseball and skip Nebraska?

[Greg Pappas]

It seems from this thread that everyone is convinced Starling is going to play baseball and skip Nebraska?

I wouldn't say 'convinced', but rather that it is a good possibility that he'll sign to play professional baseball. Teams will be in touch with his advisor, and can determine a course of action based on what they hear. Starling does have legitimate choices.

[Stotle]

It seems from this thread that everyone is convinced Starling is going to play baseball and skip Nebraska?

Sunday night we'll have a good idea when his bonus demands are released.

[Stotle]

Law's latest mock lines-up with my prediction. Not that it means anything at this point:

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft/2011/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&page=LawMockDraft3.0

[DrOrioles90210]

Law's latest mock lines-up with my prediction. Not that it means anything at this point:

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft/2011/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&page=LawMockDraft3.0

Is Hultzen that safe to pass on the higher (or much higher) ceilings? Hultzen is a 2/3, correct?

[RVAbird]

I still think ARI goes Hultzen if available.

PIT - Cole

SEA - Rendon

ARI - Hultzen

BAL - Bundy

[Stotle]

Is Hultzen that safe to pass on the higher (or much higher) ceilings? Hultzen is a 2/3, correct?

I don't think we could smash Baltimore for taking a potential mid-rotation arm (some say #2) that could essentially start at AA next year and be in Baltimore by late 2012. I do think it's funny that there are like 7 or 8 players I'd personally prefer, and it could line-up that once again BAL takes someone that would be a ways off from my personal preference.

Further, people like Callis and Law say Hultzen is being considered as high is #1 overall, so it's not like Mr. Jordan would be going out on a limb vs. what the reported "consensus" is among certain evaluators.

[Hank Scorpio]

I don't think we could smash Baltimore for taking a potential mid-rotation arm (some say #2) that could essentially start at AA next year and be in Baltimore by late 2012. I do think it's funny that there are like 7 or 8 players I'd personally prefer, and it could line-up that once again BAL takes someone that would be a ways off from my personal preference.

Further, people like Callis and Law say Hultzen is being considered as high is #1 overall, so it's not like Mr. Jordan would be going out on a limb vs. what the reported "consensus" is among certain evaluators.

If they have Bundy & Hultzen available, I will be very surprised if they take Hultzen.

Of course, I'll be moderately surprised if both are available.

[SrMeowMeow]

1. Bauer

2. Springer

3. Bradley

4. Rendon, Cole and Bundy

[Enjoy Terror]

1. PIT - Cole (Pittsburgh has assembled a pretty young lineup; their rotation is likely to be something they draft high for)

2. SEA - Rendon (Rendon, having been a consensus #1, could quickly help Seattle's ailing offense; this makes sense)

3. ARI - Bauer (Arizona is high on this guy)

4. BAL - Bundy (I like the Bobby/Dylan connection)

[ccbird]

If they have Bundy & Hultzen available, I will be very surprised if they take Hultzen.

Of course, I'll be moderately surprised if both are available.

I'm not sure why it would be very suprising to see the O's take the college lefty over the HS righty when they are considered to be relatively equal talents. I know there is already an established Bundy/O's connection but I'm not sure that sways Jordan and the FO enough to go Bundy over Hultzen.

[DrOrioles90210]

I don't think we could smash Baltimore for taking a potential mid-rotation arm (some say #2) that could essentially start at AA next year and be in Baltimore by late 2012. I do think it's funny that there are like 7 or 8 players I'd personally prefer, and it could line-up that once again BAL takes someone that would be a ways off from my personal preference.

Further, people like Callis and Law say Hultzen is being considered as high is #1 overall, so it's not like Mr. Jordan would be going out on a limb vs. what the reported "consensus" is among certain evaluators.

I wouldn't be upset to have that player in the O's system, but of all of the other players available, to me he's the least exciting so I hope someone else is picked by the O's for that reason alone.

[Stotle]

I wouldn't be upset to have that player in the O's system, but of all of the other players available, to me he's the least exciting so I hope someone else is picked by the O's for that reason alone.

This is pretty close to how I personally feel, but it certainly isn't a situation like Hobgood's where you are selecting a player clearly behind his contemporaries (other HS righties available).