Sickels on overrated draft prospects.

[PBR Street Gang]

Sorry if this was posted before.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/5/1459544/discussion-question-overrated

Of the obvious potential first round picks for the 2010 draft, who strikes you as potentially overrated?

Just for myself, I haven't seen them in person, and I know what the scouting reports say, but watching draft video I like Karsten Whitson's videos better than Jameson Taillon's. I don't know if I will rank Whitson ahead of Taillon on my personal board...I won't make a board until later this month...and sometimes when a player gets super-hyped I tend to get annoyed with it and it can cloud my thinking, but am I wrong in thinking that Taillon isn't as far above the other high school pitchers as conventional wisdom says?

[Hutman]

Sorry if this was posted before.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/5/1459544/discussion-question-overrated[/quote

Interesting read, I like Tallion, but as I put up in a thread a couple of weeks ago, Whitson looks like he is having a real nice year and looks like a really good prospect who will probably be the # 2 HS pitcher off the board.

[QBsILLEST1]

Sorry if this was posted before.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/5/1459544/discussion-question-overrated[/quote

Interesting read, I like Tallion, but as I put up in a thread a couple of weeks ago, Whitson looks like he is having a real nice year and looks like a really good prospect who will probably be the # 2 HS pitcher off the board.

This is what surprises me, I have been out for about a month or so, and suddenly Whitson is the top arm other than Taillon and noted as having the best command. What else changed?

From the sounds of it, Whitson is very similar to Z. Wheeler from last draft, but Whitson may have a better slider and possibly better command but with a bit less top end velo from reports I have read though I haven't read any new stuff on Whitson.

When looking at these HS guys, I don't expect a fully baked product, and IMO Whitson's command or the movement on his fastball doesn't make up for the fact that Taillon's FB touches 98 and has a curveball that has "plus-plus" potential to go along with 2 other possible plus pitches. Taillon showed his ability last year in the showcases against the top hitters in the country and dominated on a level that was unable to be matched by anyone at the time. If suddenly average varsity hitters have hit him more than expected, IMO its mechanical(something that can be fixed) rather than an unfixable thing. Maybe the 3 extra MPH made his fastball just a bit straighter making it juuust a bit easier to hit? WHo knows, but Taillon has the highest ceiling and with just minor refinement, he IMO is among the top arms HS arms in recent memory..... No slight on Whitson, he was one of my favs coming into the draft, I just don't see the same value in him as I do in Taillon. Taillon to me is a pitcher who will PROJECT as a #1 while Whitson to me is more in the mold of very very solid #2, just a step behind, and thats more due to the velocity limiting his ceiling(like Hobgood). Difference lies in Whitson's projectability.......IMO of course....

[Stotle]

Just to be clear, we are talking about comments from someone who admittedly hasn't seen the players and acknowledges reports from people who have actually seen them are different? And we are talking about his comments on command and quality of stuff countering the reports, based solely on some video (some of which is video I've taken, since I've seen it embedded on the minorleagueball.com site?

I respect that Sickels has been doing this for so long, but I think you should be careful about what qualifies as analysis and what qualifies as filling space with a conversational piece. I mean, Sickels even goes on to say part of this is just his annoyance with Taillon getting hyped. Seems like a piece designed to spark discussion at his site, and nothing more.

And I'm someone who has Whitson as the second best arm in the class. He's not at Taillon's level right now.

[Stotle]

This is what surprises me, I have been out for about a month or so, and suddenly Whitson is the top arm other than Taillon and noted as having the best command. What else changed?

From the sounds of it, Whitson is very similar to Z. Wheeler from last draft, but Whitson may have a better slider and possibly better command but with a bit less top end velo from reports I have read though I haven't read any new stuff on Whitson.

When looking at these HS guys, I don't expect a fully baked product, and IMO Whitson's command or the movement on his fastball doesn't make up for the fact that Taillon's FB touches 98 and has a curveball that has "plus-plus" potential to go along with 2 other possible plus pitches. Taillon showed his ability last year in the showcases against the top hitters in the country and dominated on a level that was unable to be matched by anyone at the time. If suddenly average varsity hitters have hit him more than expected, IMO its mechanical(something that can be fixed) rather than an unfixable thing. Maybe the 3 extra MPH made his fastball just a bit straighter making it juuust a bit easier to hit? WHo knows, but Taillon has the highest ceiling and with just minor refinement, he IMO is among the top arms HS arms in recent memory..... No slight on Whitson, he was one of my favs coming into the draft, I just don't see the same value in him as I do in Taillon. Taillon to me is a pitcher who will PROJECT as a #1 while Whitson to me is more in the mold of very very solid #2, just a step behind, and thats more due to the velocity limiting his ceiling(like Hobgood). Difference lies in Whitson's projectability.......IMO of course....

I don't see how you can look at Whitson and think Hobgood. Maybe look at Covey and think Hobgood, but Whitson has plenty of projection left, and he was touching mid-90s last fall.

[PBR Street Gang]

Does anyone have Whitson and Taillon's Junior and Senior year stats? IP, BF,BAA, BB, K, ERA?

They seem to be hidden for some reason.