We got Machado!!!!

[Lucky Jim]

Huh?

scuba dive panda bear

This is the JDouble/QBIllest grade inflation at work.

[byrdz]

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[tnsmith90]

My question is this...why does everyone doubt his power potential? From what I'm hearing he projects to have good pop for SS, or at 2nd, but anywhere else on the diamond he won't have enough power to for his stick to stick. I don't pretend to know much about amateur scouting. I just would like to know what is the reasoning behind that? His high school numbers were beastly, and his frame is similar to many great power hitters over the years. Manny Machado is listed at 6-2 180 or 6-3 190 depending where you look. Hank Aaron was 6-0 180, Willie Mays 5-11 180, Jose Bautista 6-0 195, A-Rod coming out of highschool was supposedly 6-3 190, Frank Robinson was 6-1 195, Mickey Mantle was 5-11 198, Colby Rasmus is 6-2 200, Anthony Rendon is 5-11 180. All of those guys besides Machado either have, had, or are supposed to have spectacular power. They all have similar frames, and Machado isn't even a man yet. So just looking at Machado's build, and high school numbers I can't see why he supposedly probably won't have plus power anywhere except as a MI. I understand that a player's build, and HS stats probably aren't the whole story behind a players power projection. I'm just wondering, what exactly is the rest of the story?

[Bradysburns]

I am really excited by this pick - and I have to apologize to Andy MacPhail. He has proven tonight that he's willing to grow the bats, too. That has been one of my biggest problems - the "buy the bats" conundrum. (In other words, we keep drafting pitching, but we have no hitting... yet we cannot attract good hitters without better overall performance, which we can't have unless we get better hitting, etc.)

Go Birds. This gives us a little depth at SS, too, because once Givens gets back... he could be good.

[Stotle]

Would be curious to know the timeline of those two videos. Could be my imagination but he looks bigger and more developed in the first one.

All are from the same tournament down in Jupiter, Florida. October 23-25, 2009. I was at a couple of those games.

[allstar1579]

My question is this...why does everyone doubt his power potential? From what I'm hearing he projects to have good pop for SS, or at 2nd, but anywhere else on the diamond he won't have enough power to for his stick to stick. I don't pretend to know much about amateur scouting. I just would like to know what is the reasoning behind that? His high school numbers were beastly, and his frame is similar to many great power hitters over the years. Manny Machado is listed at 6-2 180 or 6-3 190 depending where you look. Hank Aaron was 6-0 180, Willie Mays 5-11 180, Jose Bautista 6-0 195, A-Rod coming out of highschool was supposedly 6-3 190, Frank Robinson was 6-1 195, Mickey Mantle was 5-11 198, Colby Rasmus is 6-2 200, Anthony Rendon is 5-11 180. All of those guys besides Machado either have, had, or are supposed to have spectacular power. They all have similar frames, and Machado isn't even a man yet. So just looking at Machado's build, and high school numbers I can't see why he supposedly probably won't have plus power anywhere except as a MI. I understand that a player's build, and HS stats probably aren't the whole story behind a players power projection. I'm just wondering, what exactly is the rest of the story?

Power is all about the swing. Good speed, quick hands, quick wrists, using the right parts of your body in the swing. A guy doesn't have to be huge to hit HR, it's just about driving the ball.

[JTrea81]

I am really excited by this pick - and I have to apologize to Andy MacPhail. He has proven tonight that he's willing to grow the bats, too. That has been one of my biggest problems - the "buy the bats" conundrum. (In other words, we keep drafting pitching, but we have no hitting... yet we cannot attract good hitters without better overall performance, which we can't have unless we get better hitting, etc.)

Go Birds. This gives us a little depth at SS, too, because once Givens gets back... he could be good.

MacPhail has said to his credit that he's hands off with Jordan. And he'll agree with whoever Jordan thinks has the best future as an Oriole.

The only thing MacPhail will be involved in is the signing process...

[tnsmith90]

Power is all about the swing. Good speed, quick hands, quick wrists, using the right parts of your body in the swing. A guy doesn't have to be huge to hit HR, it's just about driving the ball.

Okay thanks that makes sense. I guess my next question would be what exactly is the issue with Machado's swing then? In your opinion what aspects of his swing are holding him back from having better power potential?

[LookinUp]

Okay thanks that makes sense. I guess my next question would be what exactly is the issue with Machado's swing then? In your opinion what aspects of his swing are holding him back from having better power potential?

It looks long and slow to me. It's hard to know what type of pitching he was facing (stotle could let us know).

He's a young kid who has to refine his swing while growing into a man's body. I have to be honest...I don't like what I saw in that video, but it's not my job to project high school players as major leaguers.

[Lucky Jim]

It looks long and slow to me. It's hard to know what type of pitching he was facing (stotle could let us know).

He's a young kid who has to refine his swing while growing into a man's body. I have to be honest...I don't like what I saw in that video, but it's not my job to project high school players as major leaguers.

Wow, the conclusions we come to on this board based on scant evidence.

[JTrea81]

Wow, the conclusions we come to on this board based on scant evidence.

There have been other scouting reports on his swing being long, so it isn't a baseless conclusion. Professional scouts have seen the same things.

His ability to turn on the 90+ MPH fastball though is pretty impressive.

[Stotle]

It looks long and slow to me. It's hard to know what type of pitching he was facing (stotle could let us know).

He's a young kid who has to refine his swing while growing into a man's body. I have to be honest...I don't like what I saw in that video, but it's not my job to project high school players as major leaguers.

Ontario Blue Jays (included Evan Grills -- soft tossing lefty; mostly 2010/11 HS grads; team faired well in tourney)

East Cobb Astros in second game (mostly 2011 HS grads, but good talent; East Cobb is the biggest Georgia program -- very highly respected)

Bo Jackson Midwest (mostly 2011 HS grads, some 2012 and a couple 2010; not one of the better staffs)

Mid-Atlantic PG Orange (mostly 2010 kids -- not a travel program, individual kids from atlantic states that wanted to play in the tourny; best player was MIF Sean Coyle -- brother is at UNC, which is where Sean is committed)

[Lucky Jim]

There have been other scouting reports on his swing being long, so it isn't a baseless conclusion. Professional scouts have seen the same things.

His ability to turn on the 90+ MPH fastball though is pretty impressive.

It's one thing to quote other scouts on batspeed (and if you can link something like that from the last, say, six months, that would be great) . . . it's another to identify it in a short video of questionable quality.

Mind you, I'm not saying that he doesn't have refining to do. I just don't see enough in those videos to come to conclusions about batspeed.

[DocJJ]

Is this right? If so, damn. I know it is hight school but that is crazy!

http://masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2010/06/machado-man.html

He can turn on a good fastball with the best of 'em. Will be fooled on breaking balls until he's seen enough of them in the minors.

He was intentionally walked twice with the bases loaded this year. Once, his team was up by 5 runs when this happened. Now that's what I call being pitched around...

[LookinUp]

Wow, the conclusions we come to on this board based on scant evidence.

Lol, chill out. I gave my opinion on what I saw and I stated it as such. I also included a qualifier that I'm not a person who tries to project high schoolers (particularly juniors who are young for their grade).

For the life of me I don't understand why people get offended - or otherwise protective - so easy.

Still, I stand my my opinion while recognizing that pro coaching, experience and weight training will likely turn him into a much different hitter than we saw in that video.