Mock Draft Picks 1-10

[furryburres]

Moskos was definitely going first round, and likely somewhere 8-15. Sort of like Joshua Fields this year. I agree the pick was a waste at 2.

Matusz would be the safe "guess" for PIT, but I think they may try to appease the fanbase by making the splash with Alvarez if he doesn't go #1.

Right. And I see where you're driving at with the fanbase. I know they're pretty pissed about last year's draft. So would I.

And besides, there were better pitchers than Moskos that they could have waited to pick. I believe Scott Moviel was a better choice.

[Greg Pappas]

With the 3rd pick in the OH Mock Draft... The Kansas City Royal's select Aaron Crow, RHSP, Missouri.

Kansas City will take the local guy because he not only will be the best player on their board, he'll be the best pitcher. KC knows that they must build a great staff to ever have a shot at competing for the playoffs, and with a solid hitting core in place, the Royals intend to strengthen their rotation via their own farm system... namely the draft.

[Stotle]

No surprises with the third pick. KAN goes with the local kid, hoping to add him to the rotation by mid-2010. Grienke/Bannister/Hochevar/Crow could be a very solid core, which will be a necessity to match up with DET and MIN over the next five seasons.

BAL is on the clock!

[furryburres]

No surprises with the third pick. KAN goes with the local kid, hoping to add him to the rotation by mid-2010. Grienke/Bannister/Hochevar/Crow could be a very solid core, which will be a necessity to match up with DET and MIN over the next five seasons.

BAL is on the clock!

Will someone explain to me what the hype about the local kid is?

Also, doesn't Matusz have a higher ceiling?

[Stotle]

Will someone explain to me what the hype about the local kid is?

Also, doesn't Matusz have a higher ceiling?

I would assume it's the fact that the fanbase is more aware of the college phenom in their area than the phenom in a different part of the country (since college baseball isn't typically a nationally followed sport). It would be like BAL fans being more aware of a Golden Spikes candidate at Maryland since he would be covered by the local sports media.

Matusz is considered by most to be the safest pick. He is more refined than Crow and has a longer history of being dominant (Crow didn't really take the next step until this past summer). That said, Crow's "stuff" is generally considered to have a higher ceiling.

[Greg Pappas]

Will someone explain to me what the hype about the local kid is?

Also, doesn't Matusz have a higher ceiling?

Going by what we know now and basing opinions on pro scouting, Crow is considered the bigger upside guy... with good command of a mid nineties FB, plus slider and good change. He has all the tools of a legitimate #1 starter. Matusz is also an excellent prospect, and probably more likely to reach his potential as compared to Crow. Matusz profiles as a strong #2 on a playoff caliber staff.

[PeteCanes]

With the fourth pick in the OH Mock Draft the Baltimore Orioles select...

Brian Matusz, LHSP, San Diego

The Orioles will be eager to add the dominant 6' 4" lefthander to headline their already solid stable of young minor league arms including Chris Tillman, Chorye Spoone, Brandon Erbe, and Matt Riley.

The Toreros junior boasts a fastball that reaches 94 mph combined with a plus curve and plus change that many project will elevate him to be an elite #2 starter if not more. He has demonstrated an outstanding high K rate his junior season and is among the NCAA leaders in wins and strikeouts, leading Sand Diego into the top fifteen of the college rankings.

Despite the youngsters impressive repertoire of pitches, the Orioles are most impressed with Matusz' control. Look to see him in the Baltimore rotation around 2010.

[allstar1579]

With the fourth pick in the OH Mock Draft the Baltimore Orioles select...

Brian Matusz, LHSP, San Diego

The Orioles will be eager to add the dominant 6' 4" lefthander to headline their already solid stable of young minor league arms including Chris Tillman, Chorye Spoone, Brandon Erbe, and Matt Riley.

The Toreros junior boasts a fastball that reaches 94 mph combined with a plus curve and plus change that many project will elevate him to be an elite #2 starter if not more. He has demonstrated an outstanding high K rate his junior season and is among the NCAA leaders in wins and strikeouts, leading Sand Diego into the top fifteen of the college rankings.

Despite the youngsters impressive repertoire of pitches, the Orioles are most impressed with Matusz' control. Look to see him in the Baltimore rotation around 2010.

Any temptation to take GBeck after the movement he has been making lately, or Smoak with the power tear he has gone on? Both would also be solid picks for our boys, not that I'm taking away from Matusz, I think he could be as well.

[allstar1579]

A collective grown from from the teams that thought Alvrez might slip due to signability (here in the SFN war room, we've all taken off our "Vote for Pedro" shirts and tossed them in the trash). A bold choice for PIT, but one that needed to be made after the Moskos fiasco last year. Alvarez's arrival should correspond nicely with McCutchen (CF), Walker (3b) and Pearce (1b/RF). Walker has had a little bit of trouble adjusting to 3b, so you could see him shifted to the OF. However, Alvarez is a strong enough athlete PIT may decide to shift him and his arm to RF and let Pearce patrol LF when Bay is shipped out. Lots of options for the Pirates, who just might be building a special offense in the most lackluster division in baseball.

KAN is on the clock!

I think this is a very iffy area of the draft. I know the popular consensus is that PIT needs to and will make a splash this year, but through all my hunting I couldn't find one Boras client that PIT has ever drafted, nor did I see any Boras guys on the current roster, which doesn't bode well.

[PeteCanes]

Any temptation to take GBeck after the movement he has been making lately, or Smoak with the power tear he has gone on? Both would also be solid picks for our boys, not that I'm taking away from Matusz, I think he could be as well.

I've been a big proponent of Smoak for a while. I went with who I think the Orioles would draft though, which is the criteria for the Mock Draft. Not that I don't think the Orioles aren't very high on Smoak, they'd be foolish not to be, but the team has continued to show the desire to build up pitching.

I had no temptation to take GBeck, but only because I project Matusz and Smoak higher than him, and honestly have no idea how the Orioles would view his movement up draft boards this season. It was really between Matusz and Smoak for me, and I think if the draft goes down in this scenario it will be the same for Joe Jordan and Andy MacPhail.

I would be quite happy if the Orioles end up with Matusz, as he is a top flight college pitcher. I like him better than Crow.

I hope the Orioles never draft another high school pitcher in round 1.

[allstar1579]

I've been a big proponent of Smoak for a while. I went with who I think the Orioles would draft though, which is the criteria for the Mock Draft. Not that I don't think the Orioles aren't very high on Smoak, they'd be foolish not to be, but the team has continued to show the desire to build up pitching.

I had no temptation to take GBeck, but only because I project Matusz and Smoak higher than him, and honestly have no idea how the Orioles would view his movement up draft boards this season. It was really between Matusz and Smoak for me, and I think if the draft goes down in this scenario it will be the same for Joe Jordan and Andy MacPhail.

I would be quite happy if the Orioles end up with Matusz, as he is a top flight college pitcher. I like him better than Crow.

I hope the Orioles never draft another high school pitcher in round 1.

Yeah, I know what you mean, I like Matusz too..I just question with the lack of positional players if they can pass up a real hitting SS prospect or a 1B/DH masher right now. I think the mantra I heard all winter was trade for pitchers and draft position players. The way Gordon is putting it together, and with Smoak at 18 HR right now, i don't know if they can walk away from those guys with Alvarez and TBeck off the board.

[Stotle]

I think this is a very iffy area of the draft. I know the popular consensus is that PIT needs to and will make a splash this year, but through all my hunting I couldn't find one Boras client that PIT has ever drafted, nor did I see any Boras guys on the current roster, which doesn't bode well.

Completely new group of people in PIT making these decisions this year, though.

[Stotle]

BAL proves true the conventional wisdom that this is a 4 player draft, taking the talented lefty out of San Diego. Matusz is considered by most to be safest pitcher in the draft, with all indications pointing towards a front of the rotation starter somewhere between a decent #2 to a solid #1. BM should move quickly through the MiL and will likely split his first pro season between HiA and AA. It would not be a surprise to see him contributing with the ML club by 2010.

SFN is on the clock!

[Greg Pappas]

With the fourth pick in the OH Mock Draft the Baltimore Orioles select...

Brian Matusz, LHSP, San Diego

The Orioles will be eager to add the dominant 6' 4" lefthander to headline their already solid stable of young minor league arms including Chris Tillman, Chorye Spoone, Brandon Erbe, and Matt Riley.

The Toreros junior boasts a fastball that reaches 94 mph combined with a plus curve and plus change that many project will elevate him to be an elite #2 starter if not more. He has demonstrated an outstanding high K rate his junior season and is among the NCAA leaders in wins and strikeouts, leading Sand Diego into the top fifteen of the college rankings.

Despite the youngsters impressive repertoire of pitches, the Orioles are most impressed with Matusz' control. Look to see him in the Baltimore rotation around 2010.

Solid choice. Go O's!

[allstar1579]

Completely new group of people in PIT making these decisions this year, though.

I guess the big question is does that avoidance come from the owner or previous management, and to a lesser degree do we know that the new management specifically will deal with Boras? Making a high-salaried pick doesn't have to mean a Boras client, most all of the predicted top 5 should be high salaried guys, hence why they took Moskos who should have been a much lower pick (and lower salary). I don't know how long the other guys were around, but to NEVER have picked a Boras guy really says something about an organization.