Ackley could drop?

[allstar1579]

Probably LF, or maybe even 1B depending, but I see LF as his likely landing spot.

I'd rather have Reimold in LF than Ackley with those numbers. You convince me Ackley can play 2B and I sign off on him that high

[allstar1579]

Just doesn't tickle me in the right place.

Whoa there...this is a family friendly site.

[Stotle]

Nah, from what they are saying now, he's been sitting close to 95 and hitting 97-98, I think something is fishy because he has barely flashed the ability to hit 95 before let alone sit there.

Well..yeah, I was overstating my man-crush for Matzek a little bit there, but I had Matzek at a 55 with the FB before, if that makes a jump to the 70 range, then couple that with his change/curve/slider and man...that's just scary to think about.

I don't think you see grade-and-a-half jumps in a matter of weeks, so I'll remain cautiously optimistic that we'll see Stras/Ackley/Tate/[silly PIT selection]/Matzek

I'm sticking with my previous ratings until I get a gun on him with 98 in red:

Motion - 60

Fastball - 60

Curve - 50/55

Change - 50

Slider - 55/60

Command - 50/55

[Stotle]

I'd rather have Reimold in LF than Ackley with those numbers. You convince me Ackley can play 2B and I sign off on him that high

And devote the extra year of development time with the hopes that he can learn 2B enough to play it well at the ML level? Sounds like a mid-1st project, not top 5, to me.

[allstar1579]

I don't think you see grade-and-a-half jumps in a matter of weeks, so I'll remain cautiously optimistic that we'll see Stras/Ackley/Tate/[silly PIT selection]/Matzek

I'm sticking with my previous ratings until I get a gun on him with 98 in red:

Motion - 60

Fastball - 60

Curve - 50/55

Change - 50

Slider - 55/60

Command - 50/55

Yeah, wishful thinking I'd like to see that be true, but I can't help thinking this may be some of that scout manipulation that we were talking about in the other thread. I can't believe he'd go from 90-93 and touching 94-95 to a 3mph jump randomly a week out of the draft. If it were true, I'd bump him to a 70 on the FB. I have his curve a bit higher though, I had it 55/60, but I'm right there with you on the others.

Just hoping he drops to us and JJ is thinking the same thing we are.

[allstar1579]

And devote the extra year of development time with the hopes that he can learn 2B enough to play it well at the ML level? Sounds like a mid-1st project, not top 5, to me.

With Roberts signed long term anyway, I may be willing to take that shot for his bat. I'd still rather have Matzek, but I like Ackley a lot better at 2B than I do at 1B or the OF (at least with the players we currently have already).

[Stotle]

With Roberts signed long term anyway, I may be willing to take that shot for his bat. I'd still rather have Matzek, but I like Ackley a lot better at 2B than I do at 1B or the OF (at least with the players we currently have already).

Yeah, I agree. I just don't see the fit -- and I'm not overly impressed with Ackley. I mean, definitely the best college hitter his year, and one of the best college hit tools in a while, but I don't see the projection, necessarily, as a pro. I guess it's just not a tool set I value this high in the draft.

[sbauer]

Olney wrote in his insider blog today that he's hearing chatter the Mariners may pass on Ackley.

[Hutman]

5 more days and we will all be worked up to a feverish state on this. At this point I will trust JJ's judgement here that he's drafted the best player available.

[JTrea81]

I'd rather have Reimold in LF than Ackley with those numbers. You convince me Ackley can play 2B and I sign off on him that high

Reimold won't be batting .315+ nor be getting on base at a .400+ clip.

Besides, Reimold can move to DH and remain in the lineup.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Olney wrote in his insider blog today that he's hearing chatter the Mariners may pass on Ackley.

Uh oh.

Bye bye Tyler Matzek, it's been good to dream on ya...

[allstar1579]

Reimold won't be batting .315+ nor be getting on base at a .400+ clip.

Besides, Reimold can move to DH and remain in the lineup.

No but he will be hitting 2-3 times the home runs, and I will gladly take that and an elite arm for later. People moving to DH should be because they can't play anywhere else, you have no idea how he will respond to hitting as a DH, some people do better, some people worse, so are you going to risk ruining one prospect you already have for another that may not actually do anything once he gets here? Ackley could just as easily hit .290 with 7 HR a year, you would be starting threads to replace him daily.

[frode]

I don't think Ackley will fall to us, but it'd be great if he did. I think a realistic expectation for the Orioles would be Crow, and IMO he's probably the best fit for the organization.

[thundercleetz]

I still believe if we get Ackley we should try him at second base. With B-Rob, we could certainly afford to let him take his time to learn. With that said, what is the signability looking like for Ackley? Would he be able to be signed quickly and get that critical half season of pro ball in?

[oriolefan1035]

I haven't seen them play, but from all I read, I think we'd be fortunate if we're able to draft either Ackley or Matzek. The Ackley/Utley comparison has to get you excited! He has the average and speed that you like out of a leadoff man, with some power to boot. We're going to need a competent leadoff hitter in a couple of years when we're planning on contending anyhow, and I'm not so sure that B-Rob will still be that guy. Regardless of where he winds up in the field, be it 1B (not sold on Snyder yet), 2B, or LF/DH split with Reimold, we can always use a bat like that in our lineup. Matzek seems like he would fit right in as well. Aside from Stras, he seems to have the best tools of any pitcher in the draft. Though I believe drafting high school players is far more risky than drafting out of college, I love his ace potential. With the upcoming logjam in our rotation, we shouldn't care if it takes him a few years to get here.