Direction?

by BlueVol03 on Aug 19, 2008 9:46 AM EDT Comment 29 comments

So it looks like we'll get a top 10 pick in the draft next season. Although some are calling it a weak draft class there is definitely some good looking prospects.

Here are some options:

Grant Green: USC SS, Can he play 3B? He's been lighting up the Cape Cod league. He is a 5-tool player but may not make it out of the top 3 players picked.

Alex White: UNC RHP. Good movement on a 96 mph fastball. Shouldn't take too long to reach the majors. May not make it out of the top 5.

Strasburg and Ackley won't make it to our pick.

Aaron Crow? He didn't sign with the Nats and should spend little time in the minors once drafted next season.

If we go with a High Schooler we could take the local kid Tate. Do we really want to spend another 1st rounder on an OF though? There's also Givens (SS) and Purke (LHP).

A good writeup on prospects can be found here.

What direction should we go???

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Good idea for a post...

…this will be the first draft in quite some time that I actually read up on all the top prospects beforehand.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Aug 19, 2008 9:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

…pitching, pitching. Perferably college pitching. They have the best chance at making an almost immediate impact. College guys will be up though our system faster than HS guys would be and can help us out sooner. As far as drafting a bat goes you don’t worry about posistion, you just draft.

by bravesfan91 on Aug 19, 2008 10:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I do hope they draft a player who is close to the MLB level. This little rebuilding process we’re going through shouldn’t be more than a year or two and they should draft someone who can help out in 2010 or 2011.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Aug 19, 2008 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m thinking a college infielder or pitcher would be what we ought to draft this year and next since you can never have too much pitching and we don’t know how much Chipper has left in the tank. I would have killed to been able to draft Smoak in this year’s draft, I think he’s gonna be special.

by bravesfan91 on Aug 19, 2008 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Infielders

Chris Dominguez, 3B, Louisville is a decent prospect. He was drafted by the Rockies in the 5th round this year but chose not to sign. He batted .365 with 20+ HRs and 75 RBIs. He’ll probably be a 1st rounder if he has another season like that.

by BlueVol03 on Aug 19, 2008 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

1st pick

We should lose the rest of our games and pick Steven Strasburg first overall.

by drdonkeypunch on Aug 19, 2008 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Got to see Strasburg pitch for the Olympic team down in Durham, and I’d have to agree. Tanking the season to get that guy would be a great idea.

by cbwilk on Aug 19, 2008 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never...

Tank a season, the team owes the fans to do as good as they possibly can. That being said though, I’d love a top-5 or top-10 pick since that’s where we’re currently headed. : )

by bravesfan91 on Aug 19, 2008 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I doubt

we could afford Strasburg anyway or better yet we may not choose to pay him. His demands will be high. Whoever we select we should stay AWAY from Boras clients even if the next guy is not as good as the Boras client.

braves#1

by rockybull on Aug 19, 2008 1:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The O’s took a chance on a Boras client in Matt Wieters and it’s worked out very well.

To quote bigjoe…“just saying”.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Aug 19, 2008 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes

but will the Braves dish out the bucks that Boras will want? That will be the sticking point is what I am sayin.

braves#1

by rockybull on Aug 19, 2008 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why the fuck wouldn’t they? we’re spending a good bit on the draft lately. SEE: heyward, jason

Following the Braves...one long hard drink at a time.

by bigjoe on Aug 19, 2008 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

it all depends how much the FUCKING agent wants. Crows Agent not named Boras wanted $9 million at first. Yes the agent went down to about 4.4 million but Boras rarely backs down. Did Jason Heyward sign for 4 million or more? I dont think he did and the pick that we will get will prolly be top 7 or 8. That is gonna be more money than what Heyward got. And EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN DRAFT LATELY PEOPLE SAY ALOT OF TEAMS ARE STAYIN AWAY FROM THIS GUY OR THIS GUY OR THIS GUY BECAUSE OF SIGNABLILITY ISSUES. SEE: Porcello, Rick

I dont know if Porcello was a Boras client or not but I do know that some teams passed on Wieters because of the Boras factor. Bottom line is Boras clients WILL be harder to sign than others. Thats just the way it is. Well BIGJOE why did we NOT sign Joshua Fields last year in round 2? We knew he would have been a Round 1 pick this year if he was healthy and he WOULD be our future closer. Oh yeah thats right he is a Boras client. Please use common sense before spewing out ‘’why the fuck wouldn’t they?

I dont know why the fuck didn’t we sign Fields last year? Thats the better question you should say.

braves#1

by rockybull on Aug 19, 2008 8:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and

yes I realized that Boras backed down with some of his demands but not by alot though.

braves#1

by rockybull on Aug 19, 2008 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crow..

…also wanted a Major League Deal and the Nats weren’t about to give up a 40 man roster spot.

Revisit the Braves World Championship Year, all Season!

You can also check out my stuff at Baseball Digest Daily

by RainDelay on Aug 19, 2008 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

becaaaaaaaause he was a junior, and drafting juniors is inherently stupid when they can just as easily threaten you with “i’m going to school”?

Following the Braves...one long hard drink at a time.

by bigjoe on Aug 19, 2008 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hopefully strasberg signs with boras and falls like a rock right into our laps. that would be AWESOME.

Following the Braves...one long hard drink at a time.

by bigjoe on Aug 19, 2008 2:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the teams

that will obviously draft ahead of us..

Mariners, not sure of their history with Boras
Padres, They usually avoid these type of contracts. However, their #1 overall pick a few years back has caused quite a bit of backlash so they could grab him.
Nationals, no way they pick him
San Francisco, they could take him if they forgive Boras for the Zito contract
Pitt, KC, and Cincy all could take him.

There’s no way he falls to us. Honestly, even though he’s a complete stud right now on the mound, he has a lot of innings on that arm. Prior redux???

by BlueVol03 on Aug 19, 2008 3:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

except prior was GOOD when he came up. he went to shit when dusty baker used him like a rubber band.

Following the Braves...one long hard drink at a time.

by bigjoe on Aug 19, 2008 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dont see how Green would be taken int he first three picks. I say if Ackley’s there we take him right away, Strasburg and Purke asside, I think the next best player would be Crow.

by SayHeyWerd on Aug 19, 2008 11:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Green by all accounts is a polished college bat with above-average range playing a premium defensive position. Those guys are rare and merit top pick consideration, especially given the lack of good shortstops for the Mariners, Padres, Nationals, Giants, Pirates, Royals, and Reds.

by 17843 on Aug 20, 2008 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where’s a good site to look at the projected top 15 picks? I tried BA and BP but couldn’t find one.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Aug 20, 2008 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No idea really, BA had a nice write-up on Green recently though.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/summer-scene/summer-stock/2008/266640.html

by 17843 on Aug 20, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice read, thanks.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Aug 20, 2008 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ackley

I would rather have Green than Ackley. Ackley is great but I like the versatility and potential of Green better. Ackley also just had Tommy John surgery but should be fine for the upcoming season.

by BlueVol03 on Aug 20, 2008 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tate

Run away screaming. Here’s a quote from his coach: “He’s a lot like [Jeff] Francoeur, he can run and throw and hit home runs.”

by buzzdeadwax on Aug 25, 2008 12:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Surely...

there’s not two of them????

by BBFAN46 on Aug 25, 2008 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The funny thing is...

…Frenchy doesn’t seem to be able to do any of these things any more. I’m kind of surprised by that guy’s comment. Maybe I’m making too much of it, but if I’m in charge of a team’s draft, and I saw that quote, I would probably flinch. It would make me reconsider using a top-10 pick on him, regardless of how talented he may be. Also, the scouting report I read went on to mention that his only potential weakness was hitting good pitching (or something to that effect). Well, that’s one helluva weakness, isn’t it? Who cares if you can run and throw if you can’t hit?!?

by buzzdeadwax on Aug 26, 2008 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe it really is...

that jinx thing. For the relatively small change he will cost, I think the Braves will give him another full year unless they get an offer that blows them away before then — which I can’t imagine, but stranger things have happened.

by BBFAN46 on Aug 26, 2008 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs