A few tidbits in Joe Strauss’s latest chat today.
Jeff: Hey Joe,
At this point, do you know who is first on the Cardinals draft board?
Do they have any interest in Aaron Hicks?
Joe Strauss: There is interest in Hicks, a high school RHP from California. Picking 13th, their selection will be influenced by who falls beforehand. I keep hearing “pitching” but others I respect, such as Baseball America’s Jim Callis, have projected Arizona State 3B/1B Brett Wallace, a lefthanded hitter who won the Pac-10 Triple Crown as a sophomore. Names like Josh Fields, Christian Friedrich and local buzz Tim Melville remain in play. Warning: In the last 48 hours I have twice heard the term “reach” used for two names under consideration. Brrrrrr.
Ugh. Who are the reaches? Perry has to be one of them. As for the other, I haven’t the foggiest. Jemile Weeks? Conor Gillaspie? Reese Havens? If so, I wouldn’t be super enthused but nor would I be all that upset. What would strike me as extremely weird is someone like RHPs Lance Lynn of Ole Miss, Josh Lindlom of Purdue or Zach Putnam of Michigan. Could it be Jake Odorizzi? Most pundits rank him in the 25-35 range. With gossip like this, I’m expecting the best and preparing for the worst. I probably don’t have to say this, but let’s all remember to behave ourselves and give some benefit of the doubt tomorrow if a “reach” is taken. Luhnow, if anyone, has earned some slack from the fans. Remember last year? Many bemoaned Kozma, Mortensen, Kopp and others, and those picks are working out well so far. I don’t want to have to be the comment police. You can vent, just don’t act like an insane person doing it.
Regarding another one of his comments: Why Fields? He isn’t much different than Chris Perez. I suppose having a 1-2 punch like that in the bullpen could make for a 7-inning game, and that’s good. But adding any college closer seems superfluous to me, especially considering what Jason Motte is doing in AAA, Fernando Salas is doing in AA, and the simple fact that Adam Ottavino, Mark McCormick, and even Jess Todd or Mitch Boggs ultimately may not cut it as starters themselves. But, I think most would think all four of those pitchers would be effective pitching late in the game. By my estimation, relief seems like the clubs strong suite right now. And with Fields also comes Scott Boras, so maybe we don’t have anything to be concerned about.
Filed under: 2008 MLB draft
erik
azruavatar
fewgoodcards
roarke49
theredbaaron
I’m going to echo the same sentiment - please, PLEASE no relief pitchers in that 13th spot. It’s entirely too high in the draft to take a relief arm when our system already has some good bullpen prospects, but lacks another big-time bat to complement Colby and any potential #1 staff aces. The first half of the draft is where you get guys like that.
i don’t want fields b/c we basically have him in palm beach right now in francisco samuel.
Drafted a bunch of RH relievers last year
Todd (if starting fails)
Eager
Reifer
Dew
Fick
T.Maj
Then you figure at least one of the Zawacki, Hooker, Blazek guys will be moved to the bullpen.
Kudo’s to the Cards for being able to draft RH bullpen guys…but when does enough become enough?
We have 1 legit LH starter in the sytem (Garcia)…Furnish is 23 in A ball and his K’s per 9 have dropped like a rock.
Addition is young, but he can barely break a pane of glass with his fastball.
LHP is a premium, so are SS’s…and to me that is what the Cards lack the most.
We have the market cornered on 4th OF’s, RHP bullpen guys and scrapy 2B’s
I couldn’t make my point any better than Picklefork did. The Cards have done a great job of replenishing their system with the Dews and Jays of the world. If the Cards take a slap hitter or reliever with the 13th pick I may have to excuse myself from this site for a couple months in order to try and forget about it.
I don’t like behaving myself on draft day. I’d much rather throw a tantrum.
Blech on relievers who the Cardinals don’t think can become a starter (i.e.Jess Todd has done remarkably well). And I’d prefer no defensively challenged 1st baseman — although I could understand that type of pick I still wouldn’t like it.
I’m still a fan of Jemile Weeks at 13. The organization basically has 1 potential everyday middle infielder in Kozma and that’s about it. (I’m still not a Jose Martinez believer.) Even if Weeks is a bit of a reach at 13, I don’t think it’s an unjustifiable one.
Azru,
You are on the money about the Cards’ lack of middle infielder depth. Weeks was a name that has been thrown around for the last few months, and I could see him making the jump to Q-C. Pair him up with Kozma, let the duo make their way up the chain!
Brett Lawrie MAY be able to stick at 2B. If he could, he’d be a great player with the kind of bat he has.
I will be devastated if we end up with Weeks or Gillaspie at 13. Some people have questioned Weeks’ ability to stay at second - some scouts think he’ll need to move to CF…he’s definitely not very polished as a fielder. You can always move a SS prospect to 2B. There tend to be better players/athletes there at HS and college. Not many players that don’t project for much power become impact players. Do we want a guy at 13 whose upside is Delino Deshields? Because that’s where I think Weeks might be.
I saw Gillaspie play today. He’s hitting it well, hitting line drives. He doesn’t seem to have the power to play 3B in the majors, and he’s a little on the smaller size - definitely not an upside pick. Your getting the player he is right now. Please, neither of those guys at 13.
Barden can play 2B. I’ll not be happy if we take Weeks at #13. In the supplemental, fine. Let’s go with a high ceiling guy @ 13, whoever the team thinks that may be (pitcher or position player). My fear is that they go with a safe pick @ 13, a polished college player who projects as a MLB reliever or #7 hitter. I’m still holding out hope Crow falls to us.
Granted i would like someone with a little more upside but id would take a Delino Deshields type. He was a good everyday second baseman. He was a stolen base machine with a good percentage with above avg ob and slug for a 2b most years. Outside of 3 down years (two of them at the very end of his career) he was one of the best over that time. I could think of a lot worse things. Although, I am still hoping for friedrich!