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MLB Draft Signing Deadline: Who Will Sign By August 15th
Friday August 12, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern- MLB Reports): With the August 15 deadline for all 2011 MLB draftees to sign, players and teams are getting down to the wire with negotiations. Only two of the top ten picks have been signed, right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer, and second baseman Cory Spangenberg by the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, respectively. Of the 33 first round picks, 9 have signed, as well as 14 of the 27 picks in the supplemental first round. It is expected that most of the picks from the first round will go down to the last hour, if not minute. However, there is a lot of speculation about who will not sign, and the fans of each team are hoping and praying their team will get their guy. Some players come into the draft with lofty expectations and high estimates of signing bonus money. As a result, many of the lower budget franchises stay away from these players, and draft “safe” players, who will sign for a more reasonable price.
The Oakland Athletics’ GM Billy Beane was made famous through the book “Moneyball”, which portrayed the club as a bottom feeder organization financially. They had to pick lesser talents in order to sign all their draft picks. They shied away from the big “sexy” names on draft boards and targeted players with specific skill sets. Other teams who have done this in the past to varying degrees of success are the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals. In the last couple of years, these organizations have turned their philosophies around, drafting tough to sign players with higher ceilings, and ending up signing most of them. Today will highlight a few of the players drafted who will be tougher than others to sign.
From this year’s draft, one of the players who was known to be extremely
difficult to sign was Josh Bell. On talent alone, he was rated as an early first round pick, yet dropped to the second round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had sent a letter to Major League Baseball advising teams not to draft him on account that he wanted to attend the University of Texas. Some have said this was just a bargaining tool to simply add more leverage to his situation, while others think he will not sign under any circumstances. It has been predicted that it will take a minimum of $10M and a Major League contract in order to sign him. I feel that the Pirates are an extreme long shot to sign Bell, and he will attend U of T and be a Longhorn for the next three years.
High school right-handed pitcher Tyler Beede could have been a top 10 pick, with his 95 mph fastball and devastating change-up. Beede was widely known to be seeking a bonus upwards of $3-4M. The Toronto Blue Jays and their new management have made it a point to take the best player available when they it is their turn to select a player in the draft. So, when it came to their turn as the 21st selection, the Jays did not hesitate to choose Beede, who has said it will come down to money in the long run. I believe the Jays will sign him in the final minutes for close to $3M.
With the 5th overall pick, the Kansas City Royals had a tough decision to make. Outfielder Bubba Starling, a hometown kid from Kansas, was widely considered the top prep offensive talent in the draft was still on the board. Starling has a scholarship to the University of Nebraska to play both football and baseball. It is very likely that a bonus upwards of $8M will be what it takes for Starling to sign with KC on August 15. Expect this deal to get done.
Gerrit Cole, the flame throwing right-handed pitcher from UCLA was taken by the Pirates first overall in the draft. Cole has reached 102 mph on radar guns and routinely hits triple digits. Cole has yet to sign, but is widely expected to join the Pirates. A Major League deal for 4 years and $8M or so is likely.
Rice University has been known to producing top talent, as witnessed by having eight first round picks in the last 11 years, most notably when Phil Humber and Jeff Niemann went 3rd and 4th overall in the 2004 draft. Another first rounder from Rice was Lance Berkman in 1997. So when one of the top three candidates for the first overall pick came down to an infielder from Rice, who just happened to win the Dick Howser Trophy, (essentially the Heisman Award for college baseball players), nobody was surprised. Anthony Rendon may not have above average speed or the best glove, but he has an above average arm and was considered by most to be the best hitter in the country. Rendon dropped to #6 to the Washington Nationals due to signability concerns but should sign for $4M plus.
Shortstops with ultra talent often get huge signing bonuses and Cleveland Indians’ first pick (8th overall), Francisco Lindor will be no exception. Lindor has the talent to warrant a $3M bonus, but should hold out for more. The Indians tend to shy away from this kind of pick, but the talent speaks for itself and I believe the Indians will go as high as $3.5M to sign the talented shortstop.
There has arguably not been a better high school pitcher in the last decade than
flame throwing Dylan Bundy. The right-hander has reached 100 mph and has 2 plus secondary pitches. His high school pitching numbers are straight out of a video game. 71 innings, 2 earned runs. TWO! He also had 158 strikeouts to 5 walks. FIVE WALKS! Good for a 31.6:1 K:BB ratio. Oh, and the fact that he can also hit, as evidenced by his 11 home runs and 54 RBI in only 105 at-bats doesn’t hurt. The University of Texas commit could command a Major League contract and $6-8M. He should sign; my guess is $6.5M.
Here is the breakdown of the entire 2011 first round of picks, with players in bold having already signed:
1 Gerrit Cole RHP Pittsburgh Pirates
2 Danny Hultzen LHP Seattle Mariners
3 Trevor Bauer RHP Arizona Diamondbacks – ML deal 4/$7M
4 Dylan Bundy RHP Baltimore Orioles
5 Bubba Starling OF Kansas City Royals
6 Anthony Rendon 3B Washington Nationals
7 Archie Bradley RHP Arizona Diamondbacks
8 Francisco Lindor SS Cleveland Indians
9 Javier Baez SS Chicago Cubs
10 Cory Spangenberg 2B San Diego Padres – $1.86M
11 George Springer OF Houston Astros
12 Taylor Jungmann RHP Milwaukee Brewers
13 Brandon Nimmo OF New York Mets
14 Jose Fernandez RHP Florida Marlins
15 Jed Bradley LHP Milwaukee Brewers
16 Chris Reed LHP LA Dodgers
17 C.J. Cron Jr. 1B LA Angels – $1.467M
18 Sonny Gray RHP Oakland Athletics – $1.54M
19 Matt Barnes RHP Boston Red Sox
20 Tyler Anderson LHP Colorado Rockies
21 Tyler Beede RHP Toronto Blue Jays
22 Kolten Wong 2B St. Louis Cardinals – $1.3M
23 Alex Meyer RHP Washington Nationals
24 Taylor Guerrieri RHP Tampa Bay Rays
25 Joe Ross RHP San Diego Padres
26 Blake Swihart C Boston Red Sox
27 Robert Stephenson RHP Cincinnati Reds
28 Sean Gilmartin LHP Atlanta Braves – $1.13M
29 Joe Panik SS San Francisco Giants – $1.116M
30 Levi Michael SS Minnesota Twins
31 Mikie Mahtook OF Tampa Bay Rays
32 Jake Hager SS Tampa Bay Rays – $963K
33 Kevin Matthews LHP Texas Rangers – $936K
I think that although you can’t be sure about these kinds of things, my gut feeling is that every first rounder this year will actually sign by August 15th. I also predict that at least one signing will come minutes after the deadline, probably a Scott Boras client, and the league will allow the deal to pass.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Intern, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
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Analyzing the 2011 MLB Draft: 1st Round Steals and Misses
Tuesday June 7, 2011
MLB reports: Day one of the 2011 MLB Draft is now in the books and we are moving on to Round 2. The most hyped draft in recent memory did not disappoint, as the results of Round 1 featured many surprises and shockers. With the amount of mock drafts and industry experts covering the big event, you would think that the first round results would have been more predictable. But many teams took diverse routes in making their selections in the first round and now the second-guessing begins. While the analysis may look very different in 1-5 years from now, the day after the draft- we take a look at the highlights of the first round and our most noted steals and misses.
STEALS
6. Washington Nationals: Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice
A team is simply not supposed to land the top hitter of the draft at the #6 slot but that is exactly what the Nationals did with Rendon. If not for injury concerns, Rendon would have gone as one of the first two picks. While Rendon does carry some risk, the Nationals loved his upside and had to make the selection. The best pick of the draft for the slot in my opinion.
12. Milwaukee Brewers: Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Texas
15. Milwaukee Brewers (for unsigned 2010 first rounder Dylan Covey): Jed Bradley, LHP, Georgia Tech
The Brewers really cleaned up by landing not one but two top-ten starting pitchers by drafting Jungmann and Bradley. Jungmann is the 6’6″ gunslinging Texas pitcher and Bradley is one of the top lefty pitchers. Just like that, in one round the Brewers began the process of restocking their farm system with top pitching prospects.
19. Boston Red Sox (from Tigers for Type-A Victor Martinez): Matt Barnes, RHP, UConn
26. Boston Red Sox (from Rangers for Type-A Adrian Beltre): Blake Swihart, C, Rio Rancho (N.M.) Cleveland HS
The mighty Red sox were at it again by landing a top-ten starting pitcher and the top catching prospect in the draft with the #19 and #26 picks. Barnes was considered to go high, considering his 6’4′, 205 lbs frame and fluid delivery. Then Swihart, whom the Red Sox were known to have targeted at #19, fell all the way to them at #26. A great day for a team that knows how to draft well, plain and simple.
24. Tampa Bay Rays (from Red Sox for Type-A Carl Crawford): Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Columbia (S.C.) Spring Valley HS
31. Tampa Bay Rays (from Yankeesfor Type-A Rafael Soriano): Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU
With ten top picks, the Rays were armed with the means to obtain prospects and they got two great ones in Guerrieri and Mahtook. Maturity issues dogged Guerrieri and based on talent alone, he should have gone in the top-12. Mahtook was seen as a possible Mets pick at #13, with a solid glove, bat and speed. Possibly the next Carl Crawford, the Rays showed that good scouting pays off even when you draft late. The Rays may have lost Crawford and Soriano to free agency but they will have the last laugh when both Guerrieri and Mahtook make the majors one day.
MISSES
13. New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo, OF Cheyenne East (Wyo.) HS
Nimmo was picked for the most part based on signability and cost. With the Mets in financial limbo, the team passed on many far superior talents to take Nimmo at #13. The kid is considered a project as he never played high school ball and should have been a 2nd round pick. For a team that desperately needs to rebuild its system, this pick will be a miss.
16. Los Angeles Dodgers: Chris Reed, LHP, Stanford
See Nimmo at #13. The Dodgers are in poor shape financially and like the Mets made their selection based on cost and signability. For another kid that was projected to be a 2nd round pick and also likely to be a reliever, this draft slot was too much of a reach. Overall a great opportunity for Reed, but a huge blow to the Dodgers farm system.
18. Oakland Athletics: Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt
Reports have Oakland viewing Gray as a starter, but I see the #18 pick likely as a future reliever. Based on his size (5’11”), there will be questions of durability and ability to succeed at the major league level. With so many quality prospects still available, the jury is definitely out on this pick.
29. San Francisco Giants: Joe Panik, SS, St. John’s
The media will have a field day with this pick as the Giants appear to have made a “Panik” move with the selection of Joe Panik in the first round. In desperate need of offense, the Giants opted to grab a shortstop late. With Josh Bell still on the board, a higher risk/reward pick may have been in order. Panik has a strong glove and decent bat, but does not project to have first round type talent.
30. Minnesota Twins: Levi Michael, SS, North Carolina
See Panik at #29. The Twins were in the same boat as the Giants when making their selection. However, the difference is that the Giants are open to spending on draft selections while the Twins tend to be more fiscally responsible (cheap). With the new ballpark in place, the Twins should have gone after a selection with higher upside. They played it safe with Michael, but the ceiling is not high enough to warrant the selection with Bell and Purke still available.
Previous Draft Articles by MLB reports:
The 2011 MLB Draft: Recap of the Results, 1st Round Picks and Future Stars
Updating the 2011 MLB Draft: Baseball Prospects and Draft Projections
The 2011 MLB Draft: The Report and Inside Scoops
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The 2011 MLB Draft: Recap of the Results, 1st Round Picks and Future Stars
Monday June 6, 2011
MLB reports: After months of speculation, the 2011 MLB Draft arrived. One of the most debated drafts in years, many of the players were known but where they would be drafted remained a mystery right up until today. After Washington drafted Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper the last two years with the top overall pick, who would go #1 this year was shrouded in secrecy. Rumors had the Pirates grabbing Gerrit Cole going #1 by most outlets. However, Rendon, Hultzen and even Bundy were getting a great deal of hype.
We have prepared below a list of the First Round picks in the 2011 MLB Draft. We have listed the players by position, school, draft position and team. We have also provided our analysis and opinions. Time will tell which players end up justifying their draft positions. Some players got drafted according to talent skills. Others according to team needs and even signability played a large part for many. This was definitely one of the most exciting drafts that I have ever covered. The amount of talent available played a huge part as did the buzz generated before the draft due to the explosion of the internet and social media. Compared to the pre-draft predictions and mock drafts, the final results ended up surprising and shocking many. We definitely look forward to revisiting this draft list over the next few years and analyze which picks worked out and the ones that bombed. Half of the fun is predicting the draft and the rest is second guessing it.
The Results of the First Round of the 2011 MLB Draft are as follows:
1. Pittsburgh Pirates: Gerrit Cole, RHP, UCLA
The consensus top choice of the draft ended up going in the top spot. The top arm of the draft, teams love drafting big power arms. With Jameson Taillon, Pittsburgh will have a scary 1-2 punch and will have their future all-star catcher Tony Sanchez to handle the staff. The Yankees loss in 2008 is the Pirates gain. Cole can hit 102 mph on the radar gun. It will be interesting to see who will end up being the better starter between Cole, Hultzen and Bundy. Cole has battled some command issues this season but the ceiling is very high on this future star. A solid pick overall. I would have gone with Rendon but this was a pick that the Pirates almost had to make.
2. Seattle Mariners: Danny Hultzen, LHP, Virginia
Widely expected Anthony Rendon starts his drop. After not going #1, many expected the Mariners to take Rendon. Hultzen goes up all the way to #2 as the Mariners continue to stock up on pitching. Hultzen has three strong pitches and had a huge season for Virginia this year. The kid will look for big bucks and the Mariners will open up their wallet. The surprises have already begun to start the draft and shows that mock drafts can simply be thrown out the window once the real show begins. If the goal of teams is to build strong rotations a la the Giants and Rays, then the Mariners are well on their way to building a contender. King Felix, Prince Pineda and Hultzen should give the Mariners one of the top rotations in the AL West, if not all of baseball one day. The irony is that the Diamondbacks were picking next and had taken Hultzen out of high school in 2008. Arizona lost out on him again.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA
Many mock drafts got this one correctly. Only 6’0″, Bauer is drawing Lincecum comparisons. He may be one of the quicker climbs to the majors and was part of the reason why he was drafted. Diamondbacks also wanted him and didn’t think he would last until the 7th pick. So far in the year of the pitcher, all top 3 picks are starters. As the Rendon drop continues, I see him going no later than #6 to Washington who would love to add another strong bat.
4. Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso (Okla.) HS
Four picks. Four starting pitchers. Orioles love their young pitchers and Bundy will be a big addition. Bundy was expected to possibly go as high as #2 and some had him pegged at #1. He throws 100+ mph and is looking for a big contract. Joe Bundy, the brother of Dylan is also an Oriole and we may see the brothers on the field together one day. Known to have a great work ethic and should be a great addition for the Orioles. Some reports had the Royals hoping that Bundy would fall next to #5 but his potential was too much for the Orioles to pass up on.
5. Kansas City Royals: Bubba Starling, OF, Gardner Edgerton (Kan.) HS
This is the case of the local boy who made good. Starling is considered one of the best athletes in the draft and will excel in his hometown for years to come. What a scary offense he will form with Myers, Moustakas and Hosmer. Another multi-sport star, Starling will have to choose between football and baseball. The hometown advantage should win out and we will see Starling patrolling the Royals outfield one day soon. A solid pick and even better for the Nationals, who grab the former lock #1 pick going into the season, Anthony Rendon at #6.
6. Washington Nationals: Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice
My pick to go first overall, Rendon falls all the way to #6. Not that the Nationals will complain. With injury concerns including shoulder, Rendon was seen by many as the top bat of the draft. I cannot believe that 5 other teams could pass him up and Washington fans should be dancing in the streets. Washington in 3-4 years will be a huge powerhouse team with the Royals. Perhaps a World Series matchup one day?
7. Arizona Diamondbacks (for unsigned 2010 first rounder Barret Loux): Archie Bradley, RHP, Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS
The year of the pitcher continues. Another two-sport player, Bradley will also have to pick baseball over football. A huge price tag and expected to fall into the teens, the Diamondbacks targeted their player and grabbed him. On a rebuilding team, a solid pick with a high ceiling.
8. Cleveland Indians: Francisco Lindor, SS, Montverde (Fla.) Academy
A shortstop with pop, the Indians found the future replacement for Asdrubal Cabrera. A safe pick, many expected the Indians to go with a starting pitcher here.
9. Chicago Cubs: Javier Baez, SS, Jacksonville (Fla.) Arlington Country Day School
Another hugely talented player out of Florida. A-Rod comparisons anyone? Baez is seen to have a strong bat. He may not stay at shortstop but Baez should be a solid bat for a team in dire need of offense. With Castro entrenched at short, it will be interesting to see where Baez plays on the diamond.
10. San Diego Padres (for unsigned 2010 first rounder Karsten Whitson): Cory Spangenberg, 2B, Indian River (Fla.) JC
A versatile player, Spagenberg also plays shortstop and outfield. The next Chone Figgins or Ben Zobrist? One of the top athletes of the draft, signability issues had led to experts pegging him as a late first rounder. Despite failing to sign last year’s pick, the Padres were not afraid to go with another high-risk, high-reward player. This may be the future center fielder of the Padres, with great defense and plus speed to go along with a solid bat.
11. Houston Astros: George Springer, OF, UConn
Great bat speed and huge upside. There are doubts if the kid will be a superstar but the Astros like him and grabbed him early. Not sure how well his bat will translate to the majors but has drawn Grady Sizemore comparisons. A great outfielder who will likely stay in center field, the upside was too high for the Astros to pass up on him. He will be compared to fellow draftee Bubba Starling and who will become the better player. I can’t say that I am particularly happy with this selection as Taylor Jungmann should have gone to Houston at this slot.
12. Milwaukee Brewers: Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Texas
Jungmann is a 6’6″ pitcher and considered a very advanced pitcher. I thought he might go in the top-5 and would not fall past Houston. But the Brewers got lucky and grabbed one of the best pitchers still available at #12. As a local product, Jungmann was a great fit for Houston. But as a team that needs to restock its prospects cupboard, the Brewers got one of the “can’t miss” kids. We may be looking at the future Brewers ace.
13. New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo, OF Cheyenne East (Wyo.) HS
The Mets…the Mets….what are they thinking? He did not play high school ball and was projected by some as a 2nd rounder. Lots of talents, but the comparisons to Rocco Baldelli do not get me very excited. High reward and high risk player. If he does project into a future Andy Van Slyke, the Mets will be pleased. But for a team in dire need of talent in its system, I would have gone with more certainty. Playing its home game in a pitcher’s park, I expected a pitcher here. But as this draft is showing us, you never know what will happen. Mets fans tomorrow morning will probably be angry in what is shaping as the roughest season in team history.
14. Florida Marlins: Jose Fernandez, RHP, Tampa Alonso (Fla.) HS
A local product, Fernandez is 6’4″ and 220 pounds. The Marlins love their upside pitchers and Fernandez has one of the best arms in the draft. Concerns over legal issues may have led him to fall and some expected him to go later in the 1st round. But the Marlins took the best available arm and with the need to sell seats in their new ballpark, Fernandez could not be passed up. Questions on maturity also dog him and we may be seeing another Matt Garza scenario. But if Fernandez comes close to matching Garza’s numbers in the majors, the Marlins will be pleased. A good pick that makes sense.
15. Milwaukee Brewers (for unsigned 2010 first rounder Dylan Covey): Jed Bradley, LHP, Georgia Tech
Combined with Jungmann, the Brewers are the big winners thus far. A very advanced pitcher, Bradley was a top-10 pick for me going into the draft. The Brewers always have strong scouting and it doesn’t surprise me that they did not pass up on this kid. Congrats to Milwaukee, well done.
16. Los Angeles Dodgers: Chris Reed, LHP, Stanford
A closer at Stanford, Reed is a big boy at 6’4″, 195 lbs. Reports indicate that he may move to the rotation, although at this point I see him staying in the pen. A nice pick, I had him going in the 2nd round and not drafted early by the Dodgers. I suspect signability had a lot to do with this one as the Dodgers do not likely have the money available to go with a high-profile prospect. I have never approved a selection based on money considerations and thus would label this one as likely a failure in the making.
17. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: C.J. Cron, 1B, Utah
The Angels were smart with this pick, as they need bats in the system and Cron had one of the biggest bats in the country. Cron was projected to be a late first-rounder but the Angels did not let him slip. Cron comes from a baseball family, as his father is a manager at AA and his brother will likely be drafted this year as well. For a team that usually goes with pitching, I’m impressed that Anaheim broke away from its mold and went with a college bat. Kudos to the Angels on their choice.
18. Oakland Athletics: Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt
Projected by some as a top-10 selection, the A’s got Gray with the 18th pick. Great stuff and despite standing at only 5’11”, the Athletics could not pass on his potential. I think that Gray will end up in the bullpen and Oakland likely sees him as a future closer. The A’s do not do many things traditionally and they obviously saw enough in Gray to take him in the 1st round. I am sitting on the fence with this pick but my guts says a strong starter would have better served the team long-term.
19. Boston Red Sox (from Tigers for Type-A Victor Martinez): Matt Barnes, RHP, UConn
Another projected top-10 pick, the Red Sox nab Barnes at #19. At 6’4″ 205 lbs, the Red Sox get themselves a great arm. Lively stuff with a smooth delivery, Red Sox nation has to be pleased with this choice. This teams knows how to draft, plain and simple. Some mock drafts had Barnes as high as #5. Somehow the Red Sox always seem to walk away with winners from the draft, despite drafting late. Strong scouting and deep pockets always help.
20. Colorado Rockies: Tyler, Anderson, LHP, Oregon
The greatest pitcher in Oregon history, Anderson is seen very close to the majors. An advanced pitcher that should do really well in Colorado. After growing up in Vegas, Anderson will be ready for the weather conditions of Colorado. A relatively safe pick, Anderson went a little higher than I expected. But with Cron and Barnes off the board, the Rockies went with their next highest rated player.
21. Toronto Blue Jays: Tyler Beede, RHP, Groton (Mass.) Lawrence Academy
The Red Sox were hoping to land this kid at #26 but the Jays nabbed the Mass. product early. I would have gone with Bell or Purke with this pick, but the Jays clearly saw a lot in this kid to make this surprise pick. Beede is planning to go to Vanderbilt but with a strong offer, he will likely sign. Theo Epstein is likely not happy after losing out on him, but the Jays should be pleased with their choice. If they are able to sign him. With a debate on signability, the Jays went high-risk and high-reward with this pick.
22. St. Louis Cardinals: Kolten Wong, 2B, Hawaii
A strong hitter and seen as a good defender, the Cardinals did really well for themselves here. Kolten Wong was seen as a late first-rounder, with average speed and power. He will be more of a project, but the Cardinals are seen as getting a kid with good makeup. It is hard to get many superstars this late, but a good solid second baseman should be seen as a nice selection if he pans out. Guerrieri, Bell and Swihart are still on the board, as is Purke who would have been higher ceiling picks. The Cardinals went safe here, but a guaranteed return has value sometimes as well.
23. Washington Nationals (from White Sox for Type-A Adam Dunn): Alex Meyer, LHP, Kentucky
Standing 6’9″, the Nationals went for a big time pitcher, literally. There is a chance that Meyer could be a starter and might be the next Randy Johnson. Or he could become the next Andrew Brackman or maybe a future closer. These types of picks are hard to project and Meyer like many tall pitchers will need to find control if he is to succeed in the majors. Still many good players on the board but after going with the safe Rendon, the Nationals went with the high ceiling project here. Future hall-of-famer or bust? We won’t know on Meyer for a few years.
24. Tampa Bay Rays (from Red Sox for Type-A Carl Crawford): Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Columbia (S.C.) Spring Valley HS
This was a top-12 pick on many boards, but maturity issues dogged Guerrieri to drop this low. One of the best arms in the draft, the Rays have done it again. On pure talent, Guerrieri can compete with almost any pitcher in the draft. He has a very strong fastball and pitching in the Rays system, he could develop in a hurry. Clearly makeup did not scare the team and the Rays made a strong selection. After losing Carl Crawford, the Rays got back a big piece today for their organization.
25. San Diego Padres: Joe Ross, RHP, Oakland (Calif.) Bishop O’Dowd HS
The younger brother of Oakland A’s pitcher Tyson Ross, the Padres get a 6’2″, 180 lbs pitcher. Ross was expected to perhaps go to the A’s or Giants, but he still stays local and goes to San Diego. Pitching in San Diego, Ross should do very well in a pitcher’s park. I have read good reports on the kid and he should be a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter. Nice pick for the Padres.
26. Boston Red Sox (from Rangers for Type-A Adrian Beltre): Blake Swihart, C, Rio Rancho (N.M.) Cleveland HS
The Red Sox continue to clean up as they draft the strongest hitting catcher of the draft. His bat compares to Chase Utley, which is a nice comparison. The Red Sox were supposed to take Swihart at #19 but were able to nab Barnes and still get their man at #26. A win-win night for the strong drafting Red Sox.
27. Cincinnati Reds: Robert Stephenson, RHP, Martinez CA, Alhambra HS
Stephenson had back-to-back no-hitters in high-school and was seen as going to the Giants possibly at #29. This kid has huge upside and for a team that drafts exceptionally every year, the Reds have likely found themselves another winner. Especially if the Giants were looking at him as a possible choice, Stephenson will be a prospect to keep an eye on.
28. Atlanta Braves: Sean Gilmartin, LHP, Florida State
The Braves grab a college lefty late in the draft and they have gone with a more ready arm in Gilmartin. Considered a safe pick, the Braves went with a winner with a good selection of pitches and fluid delivery. Gilmartin continues the trend of the “pitcher’s draft”.
29. San Francisco Giants: Joe Panik, SS, St. John’s
A New York native, Derek Jeter is his favorite player. Not on many boards, the Giants went a little high on Panik. Did they “Panik” with this pick? Yes. With such deep pitching, the Giants had to get some bats into their system. A player who is seen as very intense and playing the game the right way, Panik could be a decent bat, strong glove for the Giants. But since he would have likely been there for them in the 2nd round, I think they reached early. I would have gone for Bell or Purke and taken my chances with a risky signing with this pick and having a higher ceiling.
30. Minnesota Twins: Levi Michael, SS, North Carolina
A switch-hitting shortstop, not a bad pick for the Twins. Some experts had him in the early 20s, but playing hurt his numbers were average. Michael plays hard and is seen as a solid defender. A Twins-type player according to Gammons, we could be looked at the future shortstop of the Twins. While Michael does not have much power, he should hit for average and should be a good gritty ballplayer. Personally, I still like the higher upside players but with budgetary concerns, the Twins like safer type picks that are signable. Michael fits the bill.
31. Tampa Bay Rays (from Yankeesfor Type-A Rafael Soriano): Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU
A top-15 pick who falls to #31, the Rays nab a fairly strong prospect. A really strong defender, Mahtook will be a great center fielder. He can hit for average, some power and will steal many bases. Many experts will be happy with this pick and with a strong scouting staff, the Rays grabbed themselves another good one. A hard worker with lots of talent, we could see the next Carl Crawford here. The Brewers, Red Sox, Nationals and Rays are my big winners thus far.
32. Tampa Bay Rays: Jake Hager, SS, Sierra Vista HS (NV)
The Rays go with a project here but with 3 picks in the 1st round, they could afford to take an easy sign with tools. As more of a late 2nd round type selection, this pick was financially driven and not my preference. With stronger players on the board, I would have liked to see the Rays to go for more of a proven commodity.
33. Texas Rangers (from Phillies for Type-A Cliff Lee): Kevin Matthews, LHP, Richmond Hill HS (GA)
The Rangers go with pitching with the last pick of the 1st round. He is apparently destined to go to Virginia but the Rangers went for the high-risk, high-reward pick. The Rangers have all of a sudden becoming a breeding ground for pitching and Matthews fits the mold of what Texas looks for in a pitcher. Signability aside, Matthews is an extremely talented pitcher and will be a huge success if signed by the team. Otherwise, with the last pick of the first round, the Rangers were not taking a huge chance but tried to score big.
Still sitting on the board at this point were expected first round picks Larry Greene, Daniel Norris, Josh Bell, Matt Purke and Henry Owens. It goes to show you that no matter how well we try to project these drafts, surprises will always result. For curiosity, check out our recent articles in the past few days on the draft and see how our inside scouts did. You might be surprised. While it takes skill and knowledge to try to predict these drafts, it is far from an exact science. But when projections do turn into reality, it is always a great feeling.
Updating the 2011 MLB Draft: Baseball Prospects and Draft Projections
The 2011 MLB Draft: The Report and Inside Scoops
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MILTON BRADLEY – “I can fix him”
MLB reports: Milton Bradley. The name just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?
The board game references are endless and I’m sure Milton has heard and seem them all. For me, if I had to draw a comparison, having Milton Bradley on a team is like playing operation. You have to hold the tweezers gently and play very carefully. Once false move and watch out, ZAP! Game over. Over the years, since 2000 to be exact, 8- count them 8, major league teams have played the baseball version of operation by employing Milton Bradley on their respective teams. The history is well-known by all MLB fans, but here is a recap for those of you new to the game:
Team 1 – Montreal Expos 2000-2001: Drafted Milton and traded him to the Indians for Zach Day.
Team 2 – Cleveland Indians 2001-2003: Bradley’s longest tenured team (NO joke). Bradley had an altercation with then Indians’ manager Eric Wedge in spring training of 2004, Bradley is then subsequently traded to the Dodgers for Franklin Gutierrez and Adrian Brown.
Team 3- Los Angeles Dodgers 2004-2005: Bradley and then teammate, future hall of famer Jeff Kent trade barbs in the media, essentially Bradley accused Kent of a lack of leadership and not knowing how to deal with black people. With all due respect to Kent, dealing with Bradley and Bonds is a difficult task regardless of race, gender or ethnicity. Bradley is later traded with Antonio Perez to the Oakland Athletics for Andre (gulp) Ethier. Definitely not one of Billy Bean’s finer moments. Sorry Billy.
Team 4- Oakland Athletics 2006-2007: Oakland represented Milton’s last team run beyond 1 year, but just barely. On June 21, 2007 Bradley was designated for assignment by the A’s and was traded subsequently with cash to the San Diego Padres for the infamous Adrian Brown. Quite the distinction of twice being traded for one another.
Team 5- San Diego Padres 2007: Bradley in September of 2007 had his famous run-in with an umpire which caused his manager at the time Bud Black to restrain him and Bradley ended up tearing his ACL in the process. Bradley ends up leaving Padres as free agent and signing with Rangers.
Team 6- Texas Rangers 2008: While with the Rangers, Bradley had his most celebrated season in the majors, leading the AL with a 1.036 OPS. Despite a lofty season capped by an all-star appearance, Bradley has one known incident where he sought out Royals broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre to “discuss” comments Lefebvre made about Bradley during that tame. At the end of the season, Bradley signs with the Cubs as a free agent for a whopping 3 years, $30 million.
Team 7 – Chicago Cub 2009: The Milton Bradley era in Chicago lasted a grand total of 1 year in Chicago, with Bradley fighting with everyone that was anyone that year and making his heavily criticized contract seem well, very ….very…..very bad. The tables started to really turn on Milton in June of that year, first from a suspension relating to an umpire bumping and later Sweet Lou blowing up at Bradley and sending him home during a game. The Bradley Cubs era unofficially came to an end on September 20, 2009 when the Cubs suspended Bradley for the rest of the season for disparaging remarks made by Bradley about the Cubs and city of Chicago. Lovely exit. Officially on December 18, 2009, Bradley was traded to the Mariners for Carlos Silva in a “your junk” for “my trash” deal.
Team 8- Seattle Mariners 2010 -?: The Mariners acquired Bradley in the hopes of rejuvenating a stagnant offence and instantly inserted Bradley as their cleanup hitter. The low-pressure stage of Seattle was to have a calming effect on Bradley with many experts expecting a comeback season, yours truly included by drafting Milton in the 15th round of my fantasy draft that year. In May 2010 Bradley removed himself from a game and took a two-week leave of absence for “personal reasons” which have not been explained to-date to my knowledge. The rest of the year was a fairly meek one for Bradley, with neither his bat or his team ever getting on track. As of the new year, Bradley was arrested on January 18, 2011 for allegedly uttering criminal threats to a female patron in his home.
Given his track record of incidents and altercations, my question is: how can so many teams and related executives have continued to give this man so many chances and employ him in baseball? It appears that Bradley wore out his welcome in almost every city he played in and lasted only 1-2 years at a time at most stops. The lifetime statistics are good- .272 average, .366 obp, .443 slg, but not great. Bradley though was never a particular strong home run hitter, did not drive in or score many runs and did not steal many bases. He did a lot of things, but none exceptionally well. A constant malcontent and injury prone player, team after team acquired him only to be left with egg on their faces.
Then again I ask, why the fascination with Bradley? How did he manage to have a career that lasted this long? Simple. Everyone wants to be considered a genius, to have a breakthrough. Imagine the person that is able to motivate, settle down Bradley and extract all the talent out of him and turn out the results that were expected of him. That executive would succeed where all else have failed and that is saying a lot. One by one some great minds in baseball set out to achieve this result and one by one, each failed. The closest achieved result was in Texas, where the Rangers led by Ron Washington were able to get an all-star year out of Bradley where he kept his nose clean for the most part and produced. Did the Rangers lock him up that offseason. No. They thanked their stars for getting the results they did and left the relationship on a high note. The result? Bradley I read in reports contacted the Cubs during that offseason and expressed his desire to play for Chicago. The Cubs were apparently so moved by his sincerity and gesture that they chose to sign Bradley over other available similar free agents Raul Ibanez and Adam Dunn. Yikes.
When news spread of the Cubs signing of Bradley to his monster contract, people in the industry were floored. The common theme that arose was “nothing good can come of this” and sure enough, nothing did.
As we are now in the year 2011 and Bradley has paid his bail and is now back resting at home, the reality is that this is a baseball player at the end of his rope. He has now played and been blacklisted on 26% of the MLB teams and the other 74% have taken note. We have entered a new era of major league baseball, one where speed, defence and youth has a higher premium than it did compared to recent years. Older, slower, defensively inclined players have been pushed aside for younger, cheaper talent. As we stand today, Manny Ramirez, Vlad Guerrero and Johnny Damon are still looking for work. I’m sure the Mariners have a team of lawyers working as we speak trying to find a way to void Bradley’s contract. If unsuccessful, we will probably see a release of him as the final footnote to his career. If Vlad can still be unemployed given his strong showing last year the Rangers, teams will equally have no issue leaving Bradley dangling on the waiver wire.
In my era we have seen Joey/Albert Belle, Carl Everett, Manny Ramirez and now Milton Bradley sideshows in baseball. Train wrecks that people criticize but can’t stop watching. I believe executives are getting smarter and more sophisticated in judging character and personality before drafting and promoting players. As we stand in the new MLB, we will see fewer, if any, Milton Bradleys in baseball. Baseball executives will choose not to play “operation” with their teams and their own baseball careers. Happy trails Milton Bradley. The game will continue, just with a different player in your place.
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