S I mock draft

[xian4]

final update - some interesting picks

1: Houston Astros -- Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

Appel has a terrific arm, is close to the majors and is a potential staff ace. Recent high schoolers picked "1-1" have fared poorly (infielders Matt Bush in 2004 and Tim Beckham in 2008, for instance) and prepsters usually take awhile to reach the big leagues. Appel is Houston's safest option.

2: Minnesota Twins -- Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County HS, Baxley, Ga.

The Twins are known as an extremely patient, perhaps too patient, organization. If they choose the lavishly talented Buxton, this draft's top talent, Minnesota will provide him ample time to develop.

CHEN: Buxton is draft's best and most intriguing player

3: Seattle Mariners -- Mike Zunino, C, Florida

The Mariners are a "BPA" club -- Best Player Available. Also, their system is chock full of excellent pitching. Those facts would indicate picking Carlos Correa, but Seattle needs a quality long-term catching solution and Zunino is the best fit.

4: Baltimore Orioles -- Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco

The O's may be gun shy in selecting a hurler with their first pick, since Matt Hobgood and Brian Matusz have struggled. However, Baltimore's luck may have changed last year because Dylan Bundy, whom Baltimore took fourth overall in 2011, looks like a superstar. The Birds are reportedly very enthusiastic regarding Zimmer.

5: Kansas City Royals -- Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

The Royals are weary of all the "team of the future" hype; they want to win games now. Once he fixes some mechanical and command issues, Gausman could slip into the Kansas City rotation quickly, particularly with Luke Hochevar underachieving and Danny Duffy hurt.

6: Chicago Cubs -- Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M

The Cubs have a scouting director, of course, but make no mistake who is running the show here: Theo Epstein, His Royal Highness. Epstein, the Cubs' first-year president of baseball operations, favors college players and the Cubs have had a depressingly bad track record with recent first-round picks. Wacha is a mature college starter who could provide quick help to a talent starved Cubs staff.

7: San Diego Padres -- Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif.

The best arm available before being sidelined early in the season, Giolito is the biggest X factor in the draft. Believed to carry a huge price tag, Giolito's injury may have reduced some of his bargaining leverage, plus the Padres could entice him with the prospect of playing close to his Southern California home.

8: Pittsburgh Pirates -- Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

The Pirates will be exceptionally lucky -- not to mention supremely grateful -- if Correa, this year's second-best overall talent, drops to them at this spot. Correa is a franchise cornerstone-type player who will fit perfectly into the Bucs rebuilding scheme.

9: Miami Marlins -- Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy Charter, Hialeah Gardens, Fla.

The Marlins may zero in on Almora, and the match appears to be ideal. A Florida high schooler, the talented Almora is a multi-tooled athlete who would pair perfectly in Miami's outfield alongside Giancarlo Stanton.

10: Colorado Rockies -- Max Fried, LHP, Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif.

The Rockies, disappointing so far in 2012, need both pitchers and hitters, but the former appear to be the more pressing need. Scouts whisper that Colorado does a poor job of developing pitchers, but the Rox may take another crack at it with Fried. The young lefty is a possible No. 1 starter.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/baseball/mlb/06/04/mock.draft.2012/index.html#ixzz1wqehv8tZ

[Rene88]

Me no likey this mock:)

[Can_of_corn]

I don't think Matusz would make the O's gun shy about taking a pitcher.

[Frobby]

I don't think Matusz would make the O's gun shy about taking a pitcher.

Agreed. It won't surprise me if he's a 15-game winner this year.

[Stotle]

Um..................

[LookinUp]

Um..................

Based on what I've read from you and others, um might be the nicest thing to say about this mock.

[BobDylanBundy]

Some of the mock draft choices were odd, and the logic described for some teams floats between overly simplistic and downright flawed. I suspect several posters on this forum could write a better article.

[clapdiddy]

Connoly said the other day in one of his posts that he thought we were leaning to Zimmer.

[oriolekid]

I thought Appel was the furthest of all the college arms from the bigs?

[Rene88]

Connoly said the other day in one of his posts that he thought we were leaning to Zimmer.

Melewski still says one of the following: Gausman, Zimmer, Correa or Fried.