Smoak 2-5 4th HR today

[DocJJ]

against Vanderbilt. Too bad Alvarez is out, we could have seen the two play against each other.

[CharmCityHokie]

I hope Smoak drops to our draft spot because I'm dying to have a legitimate power threat coming through the system. I know Reimold is working his way up, but I still have my doubts about him. Though if we draft Smoak I guess that would bump Snyder to DH? or maybe backup LF, 3B, 1B, DH?

[DennisTheOsFan]

If Smoak is the lucky guy we end up drafting, he's our 1B. Sounds like Snyder is getting his shot at 3B, along with Rowell. If I'm looking at the crystaball, I say Snyder sticks at 3B and Rowell goes to DH, with Smoak anchoring 1B. If we get Smoak and he starts hitting right off the bat, I think we will have to ponder long and hard if we need Teixeira. If Rowell shows a big bat, I think that slams the door shut on Tex coming here.

[WebLink21]

He has to be moving up on alot of teams draft boards with his performance so far this season. I would not be shocked at all if he has moved ahead of Alvarez as the best college bat in the draft.

[Stotle]

He has to be moving up on alot of teams draft boards with his performance so far this season. I would not be shocked at all if he has moved ahead of Alvarez as the best college bat in the draft.

Shrug. I think it takes a little more to de-throne a kid who was arguably the best college bat last year as a soph. Alvarez is also a better all-around player who could play four different positions at the ML level.

[WebLink21]

Shrug. I think it takes a little more to de-throne a kid who was arguably the best college bat last year as a soph. Alvarez is also a better all-around player who could play four different positions at the ML level.

A little more than a good season you say? OK, how about Alvarez's injury and the fact that Boras is representing him? If you don't think that the "arguably the best college bat" can slide, you just need to look at Weiters last year. Players can slide fast in the draft. Especially when there are other, safer players to take. I am not saying that it will def happen, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it does.

[Hutman]

He has to be moving up on alot of teams draft boards with his performance so far this season. I would not be shocked at all if he has moved ahead of Alvarez as the best college bat in the draft.

He's pretty much been up near the top since the beginning of the year. I would say that you can add him into the Top 4 "can't miss" prospects and make it a Top 5.

Alvarez being hurt and being represented by Boras may be an issue to some teams, but its not an issue to TB and the O's, but it may make Pitt and KC a little leary, but Pitt needs to step up for their fans after their pick last year. So they may make the big splash for Alvarez if TB passes. If they don't, its a very real possibility that Alvarez falls to the O's. Certainly each of the top 5 guys will go above slot. So each of the teams needs to get their checkbook ready.

[Stotle]

A little more than a good season you say? OK, how about Alvarez's injury and the fact that Boras is representing him? If you don't think that the "arguably the best college bat" can slide, you just need to look at Weiters last year. Players can slide fast in the draft. Especially when there are other, safer players to take. I am not saying that it will def happen, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it does.

Well, you're making two different arguments. If Alvarez slips because of signability, it doesn't matter how good or bad Smoak looks. If you are talking about best overall college hitter, I'm not sure how you can put Smoak ahead of Alvarez (which is what you were saying -- Smoak looks like he can pass Alvarez as the best college hitter in the draft). Is Smoak even technically a better "hitter" than Alonso? It's certainly close. Also, Wieters was still the top overall college bat to go. Many think Moustakas is a better overall hitter, so I don't think him going ahead tells us anything.

Teixeira broke his ankle the year he was drafted and he inked a record deal. I understand the excitement surrounding Smoak (and I guess Hosmer, as well), but it's a little odd to see so many on here with so little interest in Alvarez. There is definitely a "short attenion span" syndrom when it comes to college/HS kids, as evidenced by so many talking about Gordon Beckham as a top 10 draft pick based on three weeks of play.

[WebLink21]

Well, you're making two different arguments. If Alvarez slips because of signability, it doesn't matter how good or bad Smoak looks. If you are talking about best overall college hitter, I'm not sure how you can put Smoak ahead of Alvarez (which is what you were saying -- Smoak looks like he can pass Alvarez as the best college hitter in the draft). Is Smoak even technically a better "hitter" than Alonso? It's certainly close. Also, Wieters was still the top overall college bat to go. Many think Moustakas is a better overall hitter, so I don't think him going ahead tells us anything.

Teixeira broke his ankle the year he was drafted and he inked a record deal. I understand the excitement surrounding Smoak (and I guess Hosmer, as well), but it's a little odd to see so many on here with so little interest in Alvarez. There is definitely a "short attenion span" syndrom when it comes to college/HS kids, as evidenced by so many talking about Gordon Beckham as a top 10 draft pick based on three weeks of play.

I was actually factoring it all in together when I made the statement that he may move ahead of Alvarez. It may have come of as me saying that it was just performance based, but that wasn't the intent. Smoak's performance this season just makes it more likely that Alvarez could slip. I would be happy with either one as out pick this season. I think that either will become a very good player.

[Stotle]

I was actually factoring it all in together when I made the statement that he may move ahead of Alvarez. It may have come of as me saying that it was just performance based, but that wasn't the intent. Smoak's performance this season just makes it more likely that Alvarez could slip. I would be happy with either one as out pick this season. I think that either will become a very good player.

Fair enough. I was looking at:

He has to be moving up on alot of teams draft boards with his performance so far this season. I would not be shocked at all if he has moved ahead of Alvarez as the best college bat in the draft.

That said, I still don't think Smoak's performance, thus far, will have much to do with where Alvarez goes. More likely, you're looking at Beckham, Matusz, Crowe, Melville as guys that could potentially go ahead of Alvarez for various reasons. Further, if Smoak continues to rake, his asking price is going to increase a fair amount.

[bluehens45]

I will be happy with any of Matusz, Beckham, Smoak, or Alvarez. To me those are the 4 cant miss prospects with crow right there as well.

[Stotle]

I will be happy with any of Matusz, Beckham, Smoak, or Alvarez. To me those are the 4 cant miss prospects with crow right there as well.

I whole-heartedly agree with this. If Crow maintains his velocity through the season, I'd add him as well (though he'd likely be off the board).

[Greg Pappas]

Shrug. I think it takes a little more to de-throne a kid who was arguably the best college bat last year as a soph. Alvarez is also a better all-around player who could play four different positions at the ML level.

While I agree that Alvarez should be ranked ahead of Smoak, it is by a slim margin. To say that Alvarez can play four ML positions is a bit problematic, in that he is not known as a strong defender. Which four are you thinking he is suited to?

Smoak on the other hand is a noted strong defender at 1B, and will play that position well as a pro, whereas Alvarez's future position is still to be decided.

Again, Alvarez is the better prospect and one I'd be very pleased to draft, but I thought it important to note his possible deficiencies as well.

[Greg Pappas]

I will be happy with any of Matusz, Beckham, Smoak, or Alvarez. To me those are the 4 cant miss prospects with crow right there as well.

Crow and Matusz should both be good pro's, while Missouri prepster Tim Melville's season gets underway today. It'll be fun watching their development.

Alvarez, Smoak, Beckham and Hosmer are the hitters that I'd rank very closely, and would be delighted to add to our system.

This is the most excited I've ever been about the draft, and that includes the craziness and happiness getting Wieters in the fold last year. It should be great fun following these young men this year.

[Stotle]

While I agree that Alvarez should be ranked ahead of Smoak, it is by a slim margin. To say that Alvarez can play four ML positions is a bit problematic, in that he is not known as a strong defender. Which four are you thinking he is suited to?

Smoak on the other hand is a noted strong defender at 1B, and will play that position well as a pro, whereas Alvarez's future position is still to be decided.

Again, Alvarez is the better prospect and one I'd be very pleased to draft, but I thought it important to note his possible deficiencies as well.

Not really sure why you think it's problematic, Greg. Alvarez projects to 3b/1b/rf/lf. To say he is not known as a "strong" defender is really more a case of he is not a "plus" defender. There aren't any questions as to whether he can play 3b adequately (unless something has changed dramatically from his soph season) and he has the arm for RF. Projections placing him in TAM would have to be for RF with 3b/1b/lf currently occupied and Alvarez's arrival time set at 2010. Finally, he is still listed as one of three, maybe four, college players who could see time in the ML within a calendar year of signing (Matusz/Crow/Smoak) being the other three. If defense were that large a problem, he wouldn't have been listed by BA as a good bet for quickest to the majors in the draft class.

To summarize, Smoak is a strong defender at 1b with more power than Alvarez. Alvarez is an adequate defender with enough athleticism to play the OF corners as well as 3b/1b and is a better all-around hitter than anyone else at the college level. Alonso fits in between the two as a better all-around hitter than Smoak, but far worse defender than either Smoak or Alvarez.

Obviously, a lot of this is my opinion with scouting reports from established sites sprinkled in. If you have reading on Alvarez's defense being a question, I'd love to read it. I haven't come across anything like that in my own observations or readings.

As always, thanks for the fun convo.