Prospect # 11 : RHP - Jesse Beal

[QBsILLEST1]

You are right but I think it says a lot that we are not entirely barren after graduating the amount of guys we did. The thing is we need to continue to have good draft classes to keep our farm stocked. If the organizational philosophy is that we cannot compete with the Sox and Yankees on the giant contracts handed out to the superstars, then we need to get as much as we can from the draft and internationally. We made a big step in that direction draft wise (but not internationally) by going over slot and spending a lot. If those guys pan out, sort of like Arrieta did, it will give us an above average farm for some time.

Yes, we need to continue to take a slew of overslotters and value picks. IMO value picks are getting overlooked here. Guys like Henry, Cowan, Tolliver who all suffered injuries that hurt their draft stock, thus enabling us to take them in the later rounds for close to slot. Henry has the stuff of a 1st rounder, Cowan was regarded as a 2nd rounder, as was Tolliver, and they were all gotten in rounds where many teams are picking up minor league fillers.....

IMO this year we need to have a similarly big draft budget, it may even be the last time we can splurge on the draft in the same way, but we need to get a top end prospect. After a few graduations this year we will have next to no 1st tier prospects. So, IMO we need to shoot for a Taillon,Ranaudo, McGuire, Cole, Whitson, someone who will add a large amount of prospect-ness. Then go for overslotters and value picks later on. I remember Stotle saying that there should be another large amount of available overslotter this draft based off of the number of HS kids who are in the 1-3rd round talent range.

As for the international front, personally I dont mind if we dont spend huge here as long as we are utilizing those resources in the rule 4 draft. Now, if there is some sort of premium talent available to us like Sano, then we need to jump on that, but otherwise, its a better use of $$ in the rule 4 draft where you dont pay more for an equally talents prospect like you do in the International front. My thinking like I mentioned is for the $100K prospects in the international FA. That same prospect would cost maybe $50 or $75k in the Rule 4, but we should definitely be in on any premium guys down there. I wish we could find us a Martin Perez or an uninjured Michael Ynoa down there.....

[Stotle]

Little things like this catch my eye. Why do you say that the Sally League is a breaking ball league. Is there a logical reason why the Sally League would be any more a breaking ball league than the Midwest League, or any other league for that matter?

1) The type of pitcher you find in LoA tends to be college control guys and developing HSers. The college guys that can throw the ball by people don't generally spend much time at the level. To be clear I AM NOT SAYING THAT NO ONE THROWS FASTBALLS IN THIS LEAGUE -- I'm getting used to your cross-examinations (). I'm saying it's a league where lots of pitchers throw off-speed stuff -- moreso than the lower levels and, intuitively I'd say, a higher percentage than HiA (generally speaking).

2) Hoes said in an interview, "This is a breaking ball league. The pitchers here throw mostly breaking balls and off-speed stuff whereas last year it was primarily fastballs." It was a radio interview, so sorry no link...

Finally, I don't see anywhere in my post where I stated it was MORE of a breaking ball league than the midwest league, but whatever...

[Stotle]

I guess I just misinterpret things. Calling the SAL "a breaking ball league" would seem to imply that it is more of a breaking ball league than other leagues. I would agree that the SAL is more of a breaking ball league than the rookie leagues and the shortseason leagues. It stands to reason that the offspeed stuff gets better and better located the higher you advance. So, to my thinking, the SAL isn't any more a breaking ball league than the Midwest League which is the same level. I think logic would dictate that it isn't any more a breaking ball league than any of the AA or AAA leagues either. L. J. Hoes may think the SAL is a breaking ball league. Of course, he's comparing that to the Gulf Coast League. Advanced pitchers don't spend much time in low A ball. Those are usually guys with pretty good secondary stuff.

Well, I disagree. I think the pitcher population at that level tends to have a disproportionate amount of breaking ball pitchers based on the profile of draftees that tend to enter at that level, as opposed to HiA. I'm fine with you disagreeing -- moving on.