2015 Draft

[SpOkane]

But we drafted a pitcher first!

BPA, compadre!

[Otter]

I've watched a few Florida St. games lately, and have been really impressed with Stewart. I can't remember the last college hitter I've seen with such an advanced approach and impressive plate discipline. I hope BA's mock is correct, and we do get a shot at him with our first pick. We could really use an infusion of OBP ability in our system.

I really hate to use this comp, but he reminds me of Nick Swisher....and not just his hitting approach, but the way he plays the game...

[JayThomas]

I've watched a few Florida St. games lately, and have been really impressed with Stewart. I can't remember the last college hitter I've seen with such an advanced approach and impressive plate discipline. I hope BA's mock is correct, and we do get a shot at him with our first pick. We could really use an infusion of OBP ability in our system.

I really hate to use this comp, but he reminds me of Nick Swisher....and not just his hitting approach, but the way he plays the game...

That's it - he's off the board.

[SpOkane]

The latest BA mock has the O's selecting Stewart w/ the 1st pick and Kirby w/ the supplemental pick. In each of their 4 mocks they have the O's taking Kirby w/ one of the 1st 2 picks.

MLB's latest has O's taking Funkhouser and then Lambert an hs rhp. This after having the O' selecting Newman 2 mocks in a row.

McDaniel from FG has Kirby w/ the first pick. Seems like Kirby may be one of the picks.

[Slade-OH]

I could definitely see Kirby, although I don't see the Orioles grabbing him at pick 25. He's more of a candidate for pick 36 if he's there like the BA mock draft projected. Doesn't help that UVA has him shelved during the NCAA regionals. However, it looks like they may win that regional and rumors are that Kirby would be back to pitch in the Super Regionals if they advanced.

[sportsfan8703]

DJ Stewart would definitely help with the OF depth problem. Sounds like he could be in the mix sometime next year on the MLB roster.

I thought we traded our comp pick for this year in the Ryan Webb trade? Oh Nelson Cruz. I forgot.

[Otter]

That's it - he's off the board.

I love his game, and our system really needs OBP guys with decent power, but he seems to play the game in a way that can annoy opponents and fans. He takes forever in between pitches, adjusting both batting gloves, adjusting equipment, etc. He hit a triple in the ACC tournament, and after sliding into third base he popped up and immediately did a Superman impression. He yelled and ripped open his jersey to reveal a t-shirt with the FS logo on it. I think he'd fit right in with the Royals...

[Can_of_corn]

Huge questions with Aiken's medicals. He might drop as far as the second round.

Shame no one could get him to swallow his pride last year.

[Stotle]

Shame no one could get him to swallow his pride last year.

Well that's an insane take....

Said in love and partial tongue in cheek. But seriously this had nothing to do with pride and a truckload to do with Aiken/Astros level of trust.

No team has seen the medicals yet so unless agents/doctors are leaking info the huge questions are just the normal questions associated with TJ surgery, amplified by the rumors there were issues with the surgery (which very well could be the case).

[Stotle]

DJ Stewart would definitely help with the OF depth problem. Sounds like he could be in the mix sometime next year on the MLB roster.

I thought we traded our comp pick for this year in the Ryan Webb trade? Oh Nelson Cruz. I forgot.

I wouldn't take Stewart in the first and may not take him with the comp pick. If he's around in the 2nd round for BAL I'd pop him there.

[Can_of_corn]

Well that's an insane take....

Said in love and partial tongue in cheek. But seriously this had nothing to do with pride and a truckload to do with Aiken/Astros level of trust.

No team has seen the medicals yet so unless agents/doctors are leaking info the huge questions are just the normal questions associated with TJ surgery, amplified by the rumors there were issues with the surgery (which very well could be the case).

Go check Fangraphs. I would link but on my tablet.

Ok time to clean my last two posts up.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/brady-aikens-medicals-are-out-situation-is-still-cloudy/

His draft stock for next week’s draft ranges anywhere from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second round, depending on how much truth there is to these rumors.

A few days ago, the Aiken camp made his medical information available to teams, but with a very rare set of conditions about who can see it. Sources indicate the information is available only to GM-level personnel or higher (who can then distribute it to other decision-makers within the team) and the GM has to make a specific request with Aiken’s camp to see it, which the Aiken camp then has accept.

That puts the reports about this information in an odd light, as teams interested in drafting Aiken who’ve also been granted access to his medical reports now have incentives to leak negative information about the medical to push his price down — while, at the same time, there exists no incentive to leak positive information regarding the medical.

A team in the middle of the 2nd round told me (and I don’t think they’re the only team that feels this way) that they would take Aiken for a slot bonus there (a little over $1 million) no matter what Aiken’s medical says.

[Can_of_corn]

Well that's an insane take....

Said in love and partial tongue in cheek. But seriously this had nothing to do with pride and a truckload to do with Aiken/Astros level of trust.

No team has seen the medicals yet so unless agents/doctors are leaking info the huge questions are just the normal questions associated with TJ surgery, amplified by the rumors there were issues with the surgery (which very well could be the case).

As for trust, we'll you can buy my trust and the Astros had offered enough to do just that.

The Astros offered Aiken 5 million, that to me shows that they had a lot of faith in him and they trusted him. It also shows to me that the Astros deserved the trust back, if for no other reason that any rational business is going to try and protect and cultivate the product of that much invenstment.

[Stotle]

As for trust, we'll you can buy my trust and the Astros had offered enough to do just that.

Didn't see the medicals came out -- interesting. Good update from Kiley though it doesn't really add any new info.

I guess there's something to be said for taking it up the ass from an employer and agreeing to have them control your fate/career for the next ten years. I don't blame Aiken for deciding he'd rather roll the dice than be the property of an org he didn't trust for the next decade.

[Can_of_corn]

Didn't see the medicals came out -- interesting. Good update from Kiley though it doesn't really add any new info.

I guess there's something to be said for taking it up the ass from an employer and agreeing to have them control your fate/career for the next ten years. I don't blame Aiken for deciding he'd rather roll the dice than be the property of an org he didn't trust for the next decade.

You suck it up and drive on.

You were just handed 5 million with a fair likelihood of a lot more to come. There are very many fates worse then being the chattel of a MLB franchise.

I know 10 years feels like forever when you are 18 but put your head down and get to work.

He traded what should have been a life without financial worry for a big unknown.

[Stotle]

You suck it up and drive on.

You were just handed 5 million with a fair likelihood of a lot more to come. There are very many fates worse then being the chattel of a MLB franchise.

I know 10 years feels like forever when you are 18 but put your head down and get to work.

He traded what should have been a life without financial worry for a big unknown.

I get that's how some view these things. I disagree with the thinking. Houston runs things differently than a lot of clubs. Last summer they were fresh off of some very negative press with respect to a litany of items from there approach to developing arms, practices with respect to promoting prospects, contract negotiations, and overall "disconnected" approach to handling personnel matters.

I guess we'll see when he goes and how much he gets, but I'd be surprised if someone wasn't ready to give him seven figures (and I could see him getting north of $2 MM if the right team/opportunity is there). He'll lose money in the process, but I doubt seriously whether he'll lose any sleep if this path leads him to an organization with whom he will be happier, and whose handling of him he trusts.

For the record I am not an anti-Houston guy, though I thought their handling of these particular negotiations were very clunky.