One problem with our draft so far

[Frobby]

Through Round 2:

Us -- Machado

Yanks - Culver, Pick 82

Sox - Vitek, Brentz, Ranaudo, Pick 57

Rays - J. Sale, J. O'Conner, Vettieson, Pick 66, Pick 79

Jays - McGuire, A. Sanchez, Syndergaard, Wojciechowski, Pick 61, Pick 69, Pick 80

Machado had better be a game-changing stud, otherwise we're just overwhelmed with numbers here.

[adamwolff11]

The Mike Gonzalez signing just keeps looking better and better.....

[Stotle]

Through Round 2:

Us -- Machado

Yanks - C. Clarke, Culver, Pick 82

Sox - Vitek, Brentz, Ranaudo, Pick 57

Rays - J. Sale, J. O'Conner, Vettieson, Pick 66, Pick 79

Jays - McGuire, A. Sanchez, Syndergaard, Wojciechowski, Pick 61, Pick 69, Pick 80

Machado had better be a game-changing stud, otherwise we're just overwhelmed with numbers here.

Yanks didn't get Clarke. That was LAA. NYA only had one pick - Culver.

[Art Wing]

Through Round 2:

Us -- Machado

Yanks - C. Clarke, Culver, Pick 82

Sox - Vitek, Brentz, Ranaudo, Pick 57

Rays - J. Sale, J. O'Conner, Vettieson, Pick 66, Pick 79

Jays - McGuire, A. Sanchez, Syndergaard, Wojciechowski, Pick 61, Pick 69, Pick 80

Machado had better be a game-changing stud, otherwise we're just overwhelmed with numbers here.

Frobby, I know this might be an impossible question, but what is your honest and objective, best guest as to our next plausible competitive year? I was so high on this team before the season started, but reality has forced me to see that I've been viewing things in a tunnel. We very well be many more years away from being better than the other AL East teams.

[EL_Coyote]

The Mike Gonzalez signing just keeps looking better and better.....

Yeah I know! We could've gotten Brentz with that pick we gave away. The only thing that really can be done to combat that is over slotting like crazy, and even then there is only so much talent in this draft.

To make matters worse... It seems the team targets position players with power but none that carry impressive batting averages or are below average base runners. I think that if the team really has to take a look at what it's doing and re-think a few things. Xavier Avery is one exception that comes to mind.

[skanar]

I mean, there are already a couple pre-draft threads discussing this exact topic...

And, the Gonzalez signing was a huge mistake, true, but even with our 2nd rounder we'd still have only half of the Red Sox's picks and less than one-third of the Jays'! We didn't lose anyone to FA last year, or gamble and attempt to game the draft compensation system. Now, maybe that's a mistake in itself, but we need to discuss THAT, then, and not dump more on the Gonzalez signing.

Let's assume that our goal is to acquire draft picks through Type A/B FAs - who should we target this offseason? We'd want to sign them to a cheap one-year deal, then hope they have a strong season so they'd decline an arbitration offer to seek a multi-year deal next offseason. Relievers seem like especially good choices, given their year-to-year volatility.

Unfortunately, this plan sounds eerily like another of Macphail's signings: Garrett Atkins.

[Frobby]

Our drafts vs. the rest of the AL East since Jordan arrived (* = high school, ** = juco)

2005

Orioles: Reimold 1.4 WAR, Olson -2.4 WAR, Hernandez** 0.6 WAR

Yankees: Gardner 2.2 WAR, Fister 0.6 WAR, Austin Jackson*

Sox: Ellsbury 6.7 WAR, Hansen -2.2 WAR, Buchholz** 1.3 WAR, Lowrie 1.5 WAR, Bowden* -0.3 WAR

Jays: Romero 2.3 WAR, Ray 0.0 WAR

Rays: Hunter* 0.0, Mortenson** -1.2, Ike Davis*

2006

Orioles: Berken -1.0 WAR

Yankees: Chamberlain 4.3 WAR, Kennedy -0.4 WAR, McCutchen 0.3 WAR, Robertson 0.4 WAR, Melancon 0.1 WAR

Sox: Bard 0.5 WAR, Masterson 2.9 WAR, Bates -0.1 WAR, Richardson 0.1 WAR, LaPorta 0.5 WAR, Reddick** 0.1 WAR

Jays: Snider* 0.1 WAR

Rays: Longoria 10.4, Butler -0.1

2007

Orioles: Wieters 1.2 WAR

Yankees: ---

Sox: ---

Jays: Cecil -0.1 WAR, Mills -0.6 WAR, Rcepczinsky 1.3 WAR

Rays: Price 1.4

2008

Orioles: Matusz 0.7 WAR

Yankees: ---

Sox: ---

Jays: ---

Rays: ---

You can see from this that it is still pretty early to judge even the 2005 draft. Out of all the high school draftees, only Travis Snider and Austin Jackson have made a little dent so far.

[Frobby]

Frobby, I know this might be an impossible question, but what is your honest and objective, best guest as to our next plausible competitive year?

Plausible? 2011. For that to happen, BRob has to come back healthy, a bunch of our younger players need to come on very strong, and we need to address a bunch of things in the offseason. If the first two things don't happen, then it could be years and years.

It is better to wait until this year is over before making any judgments.

[Oriol3s]

Yeah I know! We could've gotten Brentz with that pick we gave away.

No, the Red Sox took him in the compensation round. The 2nd round starts today. Even if the O's had a 2nd round pick, they wouldn't have been able to pick Brentz.

Last night there was a thread started about "Is the Draft Broken," discussing the fact that "rich" teams with Type A Free Agents can let them sign with another team, get the compensation picks, and then sign new free agents themselves. So they not only replace their "lost" players, but get extra early draft picks to help the farm system.

[Frobby]

Yanks didn't get Clarke. That was LAA. NYA only had one pick - Culver.

Thanks, fixed that.

[Stotle]

Thanks, fixed that.

No problem. I just wanted to feel a little better! At least we are ahead of NYA for now. If Jordan has some room in the budget (not sure the exact number Machado floated, but heard it is significant) there could be some BIG talents available in Rounds 3 an 4.

[Frobby]

No problem. I just wanted to feel a little better! At least we are ahead of NYA for now. If Jordan has some room in the budget (not sure the exact number Machado floated, but heard it is significant) there could be some BIG talents available in Rounds 3 an 4.

We need to find room in our budget, come hell or high water. No point in speculating right now who will be available when our time comes to pick, but when our turn arrives, I'd be interested in your thoughts as to who's out there.

[mcgraw238]

We need to find room in our budget, come hell or high water. No point in speculating right now who will be available when our time comes to pick, but when our turn arrives, I'd be interested in your thoughts as to who's out there.

Agreed we need to make the room in the budget. Today is the crucial day in this draft. Jordan needs to take some tough signs and get it done. I as well will be interested on what people think when the selections are made. Where's Markopolis these days? He's the guy during the draft that usually gets the threads started as each of the picks are made.

[Sports Guy]

The concept of trading for draft picks while not exactly trading for a draft pick.

Some team understand this...Others don't.

[mcgraw238]

The concept of trading for draft picks while not exactly trading for a draft pick.

Some team understand this...Others don't.

We were planning on getting picks for Huff last year but his performance took him out of both the A and B category so we flipped him to Detroit. Zaun was a B that Tampa received a comp pick for. It will be interesting whether we hold on to some of our current vets and offer arbitration or flip them at the deadline.