Steve (PGH) and I thought it would be fin to hand out draft grades again. These are our opinion, and certainly are subjective to an extent, so don;t take them too seriously. Also, the grades are only partially based on talent that you got, and they look more at what you did with what you have. Here you go.
Boston A+
1B Sadahura Oh
CF Josh Hamilton
Getting an absolute stud at 5 is huge, maybe the best 5th pick ever. In addition, nabbing Hamilton in round 2 makes Bostons draft a profitable one.
Atlanta A
1B Prince Fielder
P Felix Hernandez
SS Hanley Ramirez
CF Grady Sizemore
P Gil Meche
2B Ian Kinsler
RP Chad Cordero
RP Brian Wolfe
Since we were able to script the first 7 picks of the draft, 4 of which belonged to Atlanta, it is no surprise that we are grading this team high. One of if not the best draft in memory by a single team, Casey is building a powerhouse. The high point was getting 2B kinsler in the 2nd round, a great talent to fall that low. The low point was taking Meche, a 23 year old pitcher when he already has great starters. Zumaya would have been a better pick here. But, that is minor in this great draft.
Pittsburgh A
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
3B Alex Gordon
CF Hunter Pence
P Micah Figgs
Salty is a great pickup. The number of stud catchers is on the rise, but being one of the 4 or 5 teams that have one is a huge plus, which is why this pick was so huge. Gordon, too was an amazing pickup so late, as was Pence. When currently good teams get high draft picks and draft well, look out.
Kansas City A
Traded #1 for CF Mike Robinson
P Freddy Mendoza
SS Stephen Drew
RF Puddles Sheldon
The trade of his #1 for Mike Robinson met a huge need foe the Royals, giving the a CH/SP guy who can come in and score runs right away. In addition, his other 3 picks were all smart, bringing in very good starting pitching, and filling a hole at short.
Florida A-
3B Garret Atkins
With only one pick, and the league making it for him, it is hard to grade this well. Although, getting Atkins this late is a great pickup.
HoustonA-
LF Matt Holiday
RP Matt Lindstrom
SS Steve May
Holliday was one of the top outfielders in the draft and one of the top pure hitters as well. Lindstrom was a very nice pickup in round 2 as well.
Colorado A-
P Francisco Liriano
RP Joel Zumaya
P Spencer Kriegel
C Jack Behrman
Colorado, in the GM's first draft was able to emerge with the top Starting Pitcher and the top Reliever in the pool. Kriegal was also a fine pickup, but Behrman was a reach.
Texas A-
RF Delmon Young (Draft day trade)
2B Kelly Johnson
Trading to get Delmon Young at the time of the pick continues to make a great team younger. Johnson also provides a protege since Biggio is aging.
San Diego A-
P Danny Kingston
P Mac Thomas
P Bert Dilly
SD was making calls and pulling strings to make things happen, and we like to see that. Mike was able to trade for the pick to get P Bert Dilly, a huge risk, but a guy with huge upside. We would all do better to take more chances like this.
Toronto B+
P Tim Lincecum
C Big Bear Andrews
P Kason Goddard
P Jim Tweedles
Lincecum was a good pick, further building that rotation. Andrews was okay: nothing special but at an important position.
Anaheim B+
RF Nick Markakis
P Samuel Gereson
P Casey Jannsen
SS Jimmy Anderson
Markakis is a great pickup and will add will help round out a potentially very good offense. Gereson certainly has upside and Jannsen is a good pickup for the 3rd round.
Milwakee B+
P Scott Kazmir
P Eduardo Lodermo
P Eric Bauer
Kazmir was one of the top pitchers and will do very well in Milwakee. Lodermo is very solid for a 2nd rounder.
Oakland B
C Brian McCann
P Matt Garza
C Kenji Jahima
1B Ryan Garcon
RF Franklin Gutierez
Los Angeles B
P Fausto Carmona
P Mike Palmer
New York Mets B
Traded #1 for CF Tris Speaker
SS Travis Ykema
1B Eric Bittner
P Brandon Morrow
P Joakim Soria
Speaker is a huge gain, and the two pitchers are both great picks. Ykema may have been high and Bittner is a gamble.
Saint Louis B
C Bobby Wilson
LF Jacoby Ellsbury
2B Placido Polanco
CF Jesus Sindari
3B Freddy Sanchez
P Mel Napier
A lot of picks really helped out STL in this draft. Wilson and Sanchez were both pretty good picks. There were no bad picks in STL's draft, but it would be easy to make the case for slightly different choices.
San Francisco B
P Andy Virmin
A cheap 3rd rounder will fill a roster slot in LOW for awhile, if nothing else.
New York YankeesB-
RP Chad Cordero (clone)
RP Justin Hampson
2B Frank Sundin
P Camilla Rodriguez
Cordero is good, and Hampson is okay, but there is nothing special about the Sundin or Rodriguez picks.
Cleveland B-
P Ricardo Torrez
May be able to eat up some innings in relief.
Cincinnati B-
P Brett Conlon
Low control and average pitches make Conlon a career AAA player, but not much was left this late.
Detroit B-
RP Bobby Jenks
Jenks is certainly a very good reliever, but there were probably better players on the board.
Seattle B+
Traded #1 to NYN for 4 players
2B Cooper Greer
They traded their #1 for 4 players, and while it was partly because of cast and roster spots, they could have gotten a very good player with that pick.
Philadelphia C-
P Doud Slaten
Made a fine pick. Too bad they didn't have more in a draft like this.
Baltimore C-
Traded #2 pick for SS Royce Clayton
There was a player very similar to Clayton taken 17 pick after this one. If they would have kept it, they could have gotten a very good player.
Chicago White Sox D
P Raphael Perez
RF Jack Cust
P Nick Remlinger
CF Jay Backus
We had Perez ranked as the 7th best reliever, and he was the first one taken. Players like Cust are a dime a dozen and Remlinger, too, won't win any awards.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
2032 Mock Draft
After a record setting break in the league, we are finally up to looking seriously at the Ammy Draft. For the second year in a row, Sheffy and I will be doing a mock draft, sharing what we think are the wise and likely picks. We generated the Draft Order based on all we knew at the time. We hope you enjoy and feel free to comment. Here we go!
1. ATL: Nick- 1B Prince Fielder. Atlanta is apparently a hangout for young studs, and the best player in the draft will fit right in.
Steve- P Francisco Liriano. Well, I already botched this one up. However, I thought the Braves might take the best pitcher in the draft knowing they could get one of the first baseman with the 3rd pick.
2. COL: Nick- P Francisco Liriano. When rebuilding, like the Rockies will be doing, it helps to have an ace to build the staff around. Liriano is the best hurler in the pool.
Steve- 1B Prince Fielder. Colorado has holes all over the place, so they will take the best player in the draft and begin to build an offense.
3. ATL (CHN): Nick- P Felix Hernandez. Adding a 4th stud starting pitcher to the club, the Braves snatch up Hernandez. Watch out for the Braves in 5 or 6 years.
Steve- 1B Sadahura Oh. Here is where I expected Atlanta to get their first baseman. Oh looks to be somewhat similar to Lou Gehrig.
4. ATL (KC): Nick- SS Hanley Ramirez. Let me say what is on everyone's mind...yes it is rediculous that the Braves have this many high pick 2 years in a row with such great draft pools. That being said, they will take the SS that will quickly become the best in the league.
Steve- SS Hanley Ramirez. Another pick for the Braves. Here they take a guy who will be the best middle infielder in the league.
5. BOS: Nick- 1B Sadahura Oh. Oh is a steal at 5, and provides a feared bat in the middle of the Sox lineup for a long time.
Steve- P Felix Hernandez. Boston’s pitching has really fallen apart since their trip to the World Series 3 years ago. It’s time to get an ace.
6. ATL (DET): Nick- CF Grady Sizemore. With their 4th pcik in the top 6 (excuse me while I vomit), the Braves take Sizemore to fill a very important position on the field, giving them young studs at 6 offensive positions and 4 stud pitchers.
Steve- CF Grady Sizemore. This is ridiculous. With their 4th pick in the top 6, Atlanta adds another prize bat.
7. OAK: Nick- C Brain McCann. Hard to pass up a top 5 catcher like this whn he is on the board at 7.
Steve- C Brian McCann. Oakland still has some of the pieces in place to turn things around. McCann gives them some hope of reestablishing a potent lineup.
8. PGH (BAL): Nick- 3B Garret Atkins. Can play first base, which the Pirates need, and though 3B Gordon has much better speed, Atkins is ready to play now, which is also what the Pirates need.
Steve- 2B Dib Williams. At 37, he’ll provide a lot of veteran leadership. Club is hoping he can be a player coach (did you really thing I’d give away who I want).
9. HOU: Nick- 3B Alex Gordon. He won't be ready for awhile, but he is a great hitter and defender. Can you believe a guy like this could fall to 9?
Steve- 3B Alex Gordon. Gordon still has a lot of growing to do, but he has tremendous potential and the Astros have lots of time.
10. MIL: Nick- RF Delmon Young. Gives the Brewers a very solid bat to help them manufacture runs in a tough division.
Steve- C Jarrod Saltamacchia . His bat behind Greenberg’s would make the middle of the Brew Crew’s lineup much more dangerous.
11. LA: Nick- P Scott Kazmir. Some would say the Dodgers have not had a really good pitcher since Billy Chapel, so Kazmir will help them in that category.
Steve- P Scott Kazmir. The Dodgers have been without a true ace since Billy Chapel retired.
12. NYN: Nick- C Jarrod Saltamacchia. A great cathcer is always a good pick, particularly this late.
Steve- SS Travis Ykema. The Mets are really a team without much for holes. Ykema would improve on one of their weaker spots.
13. NYN (CLE): Nick- P Tim Lincecum. Another arm to help solidify a talented, but chaky rotation.
Steve- C Bobby Wilson. Wilson allows the Mets to improve in one of the few spots they can at this point.
14. ANA: Nick- CF Hunter Pence. The 2nd really good CF in this draft will add even more pop to the Angels lineup.
Steve- 3B Gerret Atkins. Teamed with the Howard brothers and Slater, this Angels offense will soon be very good.
15. CHA: Nick- LF Matt Holiday. The Sox are right there in a tough division, so Holiday could get them over the hump.
Steve- P Tim Lincecum. The White Sox have never had trouble scoring runs. What they’ve needed is consistent pitching. They should get that here.
16. TOR: Nick- RF Nick Markakis. The last of the elite outfielders in the pool, Toronto can certainly add a nice player at this spot.
Steve- LF Matt Holiday. How is a bat like this still around. Toronto will go crazy if this happens. Finally, a big time bat to go with what has become a strong pitching staff.
17. ATL (TEX): Nick- 2B Ian Kinsler. The Braves add another piece to a scary puzzle.
Steve- 2B Ian Kinsler. Atlanta fills another hole with a great player.
18. FLA: Nick- C Bobby Wilson. Florida already has a lot, but the smart pick here is to add the 3rd good catcher in the draft.
Steve- P Fausto Carmona. The Marlins don’t really need anything so they’ll just take the best pitcher on the board.
19. KC (CIN): Nick- SS Travis Ykema. The second best SS in the draft is nothing to cry about at this point. Very good value.
Steve- RF Delmon Young. Another team ecstatic that a bat of this talent may fall to them. He should be a perfect compliment to Graves and Duncan.
20. STL: Nick- P Fausto Carmona. Another good arm in a pitchers park will help them fight for the NL Central crown.
Steve- P Gil Meche. Here’s another team without much for holes. Meche looks to be the best pitcher available.
21. SEA: Nick- P Gil Meche
Steve- 2B Kelly Johnson
22. PHI: Nick- RP Joel Zumaya
Steve- P John Maine
23. SF: Nick- RP Joakim Soria
Steve- RP Joel Zumaya
24. PGH (SD): Nick- RP Bobby Jenks
Steve- RF Nick Markakis
25. KC (PGH): Nick- RP Chad Cordero
Steve- SS Stephen Drew
26. MIN: Nick- CF Josh Hamilton
Steve- CF Hunter Pence
27. DET (MON): Nick- P John Maine
Steve- P Freddy Mendoza
28. NYA: Nick- P Freddy Mendoza
Steve- RP Joakim Soria
1. ATL: Nick- 1B Prince Fielder. Atlanta is apparently a hangout for young studs, and the best player in the draft will fit right in.
Steve- P Francisco Liriano. Well, I already botched this one up. However, I thought the Braves might take the best pitcher in the draft knowing they could get one of the first baseman with the 3rd pick.
2. COL: Nick- P Francisco Liriano. When rebuilding, like the Rockies will be doing, it helps to have an ace to build the staff around. Liriano is the best hurler in the pool.
Steve- 1B Prince Fielder. Colorado has holes all over the place, so they will take the best player in the draft and begin to build an offense.
3. ATL (CHN): Nick- P Felix Hernandez. Adding a 4th stud starting pitcher to the club, the Braves snatch up Hernandez. Watch out for the Braves in 5 or 6 years.
Steve- 1B Sadahura Oh. Here is where I expected Atlanta to get their first baseman. Oh looks to be somewhat similar to Lou Gehrig.
4. ATL (KC): Nick- SS Hanley Ramirez. Let me say what is on everyone's mind...yes it is rediculous that the Braves have this many high pick 2 years in a row with such great draft pools. That being said, they will take the SS that will quickly become the best in the league.
Steve- SS Hanley Ramirez. Another pick for the Braves. Here they take a guy who will be the best middle infielder in the league.
5. BOS: Nick- 1B Sadahura Oh. Oh is a steal at 5, and provides a feared bat in the middle of the Sox lineup for a long time.
Steve- P Felix Hernandez. Boston’s pitching has really fallen apart since their trip to the World Series 3 years ago. It’s time to get an ace.
6. ATL (DET): Nick- CF Grady Sizemore. With their 4th pcik in the top 6 (excuse me while I vomit), the Braves take Sizemore to fill a very important position on the field, giving them young studs at 6 offensive positions and 4 stud pitchers.
Steve- CF Grady Sizemore. This is ridiculous. With their 4th pick in the top 6, Atlanta adds another prize bat.
7. OAK: Nick- C Brain McCann. Hard to pass up a top 5 catcher like this whn he is on the board at 7.
Steve- C Brian McCann. Oakland still has some of the pieces in place to turn things around. McCann gives them some hope of reestablishing a potent lineup.
8. PGH (BAL): Nick- 3B Garret Atkins. Can play first base, which the Pirates need, and though 3B Gordon has much better speed, Atkins is ready to play now, which is also what the Pirates need.
Steve- 2B Dib Williams. At 37, he’ll provide a lot of veteran leadership. Club is hoping he can be a player coach (did you really thing I’d give away who I want).
9. HOU: Nick- 3B Alex Gordon. He won't be ready for awhile, but he is a great hitter and defender. Can you believe a guy like this could fall to 9?
Steve- 3B Alex Gordon. Gordon still has a lot of growing to do, but he has tremendous potential and the Astros have lots of time.
10. MIL: Nick- RF Delmon Young. Gives the Brewers a very solid bat to help them manufacture runs in a tough division.
Steve- C Jarrod Saltamacchia . His bat behind Greenberg’s would make the middle of the Brew Crew’s lineup much more dangerous.
11. LA: Nick- P Scott Kazmir. Some would say the Dodgers have not had a really good pitcher since Billy Chapel, so Kazmir will help them in that category.
Steve- P Scott Kazmir. The Dodgers have been without a true ace since Billy Chapel retired.
12. NYN: Nick- C Jarrod Saltamacchia. A great cathcer is always a good pick, particularly this late.
Steve- SS Travis Ykema. The Mets are really a team without much for holes. Ykema would improve on one of their weaker spots.
13. NYN (CLE): Nick- P Tim Lincecum. Another arm to help solidify a talented, but chaky rotation.
Steve- C Bobby Wilson. Wilson allows the Mets to improve in one of the few spots they can at this point.
14. ANA: Nick- CF Hunter Pence. The 2nd really good CF in this draft will add even more pop to the Angels lineup.
Steve- 3B Gerret Atkins. Teamed with the Howard brothers and Slater, this Angels offense will soon be very good.
15. CHA: Nick- LF Matt Holiday. The Sox are right there in a tough division, so Holiday could get them over the hump.
Steve- P Tim Lincecum. The White Sox have never had trouble scoring runs. What they’ve needed is consistent pitching. They should get that here.
16. TOR: Nick- RF Nick Markakis. The last of the elite outfielders in the pool, Toronto can certainly add a nice player at this spot.
Steve- LF Matt Holiday. How is a bat like this still around. Toronto will go crazy if this happens. Finally, a big time bat to go with what has become a strong pitching staff.
17. ATL (TEX): Nick- 2B Ian Kinsler. The Braves add another piece to a scary puzzle.
Steve- 2B Ian Kinsler. Atlanta fills another hole with a great player.
18. FLA: Nick- C Bobby Wilson. Florida already has a lot, but the smart pick here is to add the 3rd good catcher in the draft.
Steve- P Fausto Carmona. The Marlins don’t really need anything so they’ll just take the best pitcher on the board.
19. KC (CIN): Nick- SS Travis Ykema. The second best SS in the draft is nothing to cry about at this point. Very good value.
Steve- RF Delmon Young. Another team ecstatic that a bat of this talent may fall to them. He should be a perfect compliment to Graves and Duncan.
20. STL: Nick- P Fausto Carmona. Another good arm in a pitchers park will help them fight for the NL Central crown.
Steve- P Gil Meche. Here’s another team without much for holes. Meche looks to be the best pitcher available.
21. SEA: Nick- P Gil Meche
Steve- 2B Kelly Johnson
22. PHI: Nick- RP Joel Zumaya
Steve- P John Maine
23. SF: Nick- RP Joakim Soria
Steve- RP Joel Zumaya
24. PGH (SD): Nick- RP Bobby Jenks
Steve- RF Nick Markakis
25. KC (PGH): Nick- RP Chad Cordero
Steve- SS Stephen Drew
26. MIN: Nick- CF Josh Hamilton
Steve- CF Hunter Pence
27. DET (MON): Nick- P John Maine
Steve- P Freddy Mendoza
28. NYA: Nick- P Freddy Mendoza
Steve- RP Joakim Soria
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