Interesting Little Article About Drafting Gunnar

[Pickles]

Interesting little article I came across on Yahoo about the draft process for Gunnar, with insight from other front offices and scouts.

https://sports.yahoo.com/how-did-29-mlb-teams-pass-on-orioles-superstar-gunnar-henderson-203049351.html

Among may interesting tidbits here's one I was unaware of:

Henderson says Baltimore hadn’t contacted him or his agent before the draft. Such an approach is actually common practice for a number of teams, who use the tactic to retain leverage. For Henderson, it was a wonderful surprise.

[Can_of_corn]

Thanks for the link.

I guess since the O's drafted Henderson with their second pick they count as being one of the 29 teams to pass on him?

That's a poor title for the article.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Thanks for the link.

I guess since the O's drafted Henderson with their second pick they count as being one of the 29 teams to pass on him?

That's a poor title for the article.

Well, I guess technically they did.

They were very lucky to get him when they did.

Another tidbit from the article was the O's had him rated far higher than where they actually took him.

[Can_of_corn]

They did, but I'm pretty sure that title is meant to imply that all the other MLB teams passed on him.  Which they themselves mention didn't happen.

[RZNJ]

4 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Well, I guess technically they did.

They were very lucky to get him when they did.

Another tidbit from the article was the O's had him rated far higher than where they actually took him.

Some people are more interested in the title than actually discussing the story.  Apparently our scout Jennings was onto him since his junior year.

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/hearing-about-henderson-from-scout-who-signed-him#:~:text=Scout David Jennings was on,were on the clock again.

[Pickles]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

They did, but I'm pretty sure that title is meant to imply that all the other MLB teams passed on him.  Which they themselves mention didn't happen.

They're in the media.  Ipso facto, they're not that smart.  I wouldn't read that much into it.  They're just emphasizing that it's very rare for a 2nd round pick to be a superstar by the age of 22.

[Pickles]

4 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Some people are more interested in the title than actually discussing the story.  Apparently our scout Jennings was onto him since his junior year.

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/hearing-about-henderson-from-scout-who-signed-him#:~:text=Scout David Jennings was on,were on the clock again.

Hadn't seen that article before.  That scout deserves a bonus.

From the article I posted, there was an Astros scout pushing hard to draft Gunnar before we got the chance.  We were very lucky to get a shot at drafting him.

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, Pickles said:

They're in the media.  Ipso facto, they're not that smart.  I wouldn't read that much into it.  They're just emphasizing that it's very rare for a 2nd round pick to be a superstar by the age of 22.

And then they mention Betts and Bellinger, who were drafted even later.  I'd rather discount Pujols from the equation since his age is in question and the draft was a lot different but he was also not a first round pick.  So three of seven or four of eight mentioned were not first round picks.  That's not rare, it's actually higher than I think any of us would have guessed.

It wasn't a bad listen and I do appreciate the link but they aren't making really strong statements.

Edited June 7 by Can_of_corn
forgot Pujols was a 13th round pick.

[Pickles]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

And then they mention Betts and Bellinger, who were drafted even later (so three of the eight he mentioned were not first round picks).

It wasn't a bad listen and I do appreciate the link but they aren't making really strong statements.

Are you a lawyer?

Because you really missed your calling if not.

And I mean no disrespect to you or lawyers.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Pickles said:

Are you a lawyer?

Because you really missed your calling if not.

And I mean no disrespect to you or lawyers.

I just miss the days before content was spewed out at breakneck pace without proper editorial procedures.

It's all so slapdash anymore. 

[dystopia]

I am picturing the O’s draft room positively wetting themselves with excitement when Gunnar was still on the board at the time of their second pick. Obviously they had to choose Adley with their first pick, but some of those lower drafting teams have to be kicking themselves for passing on Gunnar in favor of players like Daniel Espino, Michael Toglia, Kody Hoese, etc. 

[RZNJ]

30 minutes ago, dystopia said:

I am picturing the O’s draft room positively wetting themselves with excitement when Gunnar was still on the board at the time of their second pick. Obviously they had to choose Adley with their first pick, but some of those lower drafting teams have to be kicking themselves for passing on Gunnar in favor of players like Daniel Espino, Michael Toglia, Kody Hoese, etc. 

Daniel Espino is quite a talent himself, unfortunately, derailed by injuries to this point.  Two years ago, at 21, he had 4 starts at AA and in 18 innings had 4 walks and 35 K’s.  He was on his way.

67. Daniel Espino

Cleveland Guardians

RHP

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

Tools: Fastball: 80 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55

Skinny: Espino has some of the best pure stuff in the minors, but he’s struggled to stay on the mound and has to prove he can stay healthy. He made only four starts in 2022 due to knee and shoulder injuries and will miss the entire 2023 season after having shoulder surgery.

[Just Regular]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

I just miss the days before content was spewed out at breakneck pace without proper editorial procedures.

It's all so slapdash anymore. 

Its ombudsman more than lawyer for me.

@RZNJ I was at the Baysox game 4.23.2022 when Espino opened striking out 11 in a row including Gunnar and Westburg.      Gunnar got him for a HR on Batter Faced #12.

Fangraphs Longenhagen was over the moon for Espino that spring.     I believe it was near the wickedest stuff Gunnar's ever seen even still.

https://www.mlb.com/news/daniel-espino-career-high-14-strikeouts-double-a-akron

[dystopia]

55 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Daniel Espino is quite a talent himself, unfortunately, derailed by injuries to this point.  Two years ago, at 21, he had 4 starts at AA and in 18 innings had 4 walks and 35 K’s.  He was on his way.

67. Daniel Espino

Cleveland Guardians

RHP

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

Tools: Fastball: 80 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55

Skinny: Espino has some of the best pure stuff in the minors, but he’s struggled to stay on the mound and has to prove he can stay healthy. He made only four starts in 2022 due to knee and shoulder injuries and will miss the entire 2023 season after having shoulder surgery.

That’s the chance you take when drafting a pitcher over a position player these days. 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, dystopia said:

That’s the chance you take when drafting a pitcher over a position player these days. 

I've never heard of a position player being injured.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't happen.

We just imagined Kjerstad missing two seasons.