2008 MLB Draft Thread

[Simon_Cowbell]

MLB.com has this at the top of its front page right now.... Say what??
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First-Year Player Draft coverage is under way with the preview show. The Negro Leagues draft is at 1 ET, then the first round at 2 on MLB.com and ESPN2.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

Anthony Hewitt, a Vanderbilt signee and another NYC kid like Alvarez, might take the money if he's drafted.

Could go to Milwaukee (6 of the first 62 picks) at 16.

Go Hewitt, go Vanderbilt.

 

[Trey Beamon]

Given that Beckman is Tampa-bound and everyone and their LOL cat has Pittsburgh choosing Alvarez, I'm feeling pretty ****ing good at the moment.

That said, look for the Pirates to draft Posey and turn him into a long reliever. :

 

[Trey Beamon]

Anthony Hewitt, a Vanderbilt signee and another NYC kid like Alvarez, might take the money if he's drafted.

Could go to Milwaukee (6 of the first 62 picks) at 16.

Go Hewitt, go Vanderbilt.

Hewitt attends high school in Connecticut. Is he originally from NYC?

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

Trey,

He's from Brooklyn originally. The Boys' Club of New York helped put him into the prep school chute. He's already been worked out by the Mets, Brewers and Phillies.

http://www.courant.com/sports/highschool/hc-hewitt0605.artjun05,0,4432623.story

Alvarez is from Washington Heights, like Manny Ramirez. It's said that the tennis team would put everything down and stop what they were doing when he was hitting. The ball jumps off this kid's bat.

 

[93Devil]

Anthony Hewitt, a Vanderbilt signee and another NYC kid like Alvarez, might take the money if he's drafted.

Could go to Milwaukee (6 of the first 62 picks) at 16.

Go Hewitt, go Vanderbilt.

Hewitt attends high school in Connecticut. Is he originally from NYC?

Brewers have that many top picks? Lord.

LaPorta is on his way...

Where are all of these guys going to play?

They might own the NL with the Dodgers for the next decade.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

LaPorta's already at Double-A, on the fast track.

The organization knows what to do with the draft better than just about any in the big leagues.

 

[Cosmo]

OOP -- Oh, I know what they passed up in Wieters. But the PGH front office wanted no part of Boras, so they get what they get in Moskos. I think Wieters will be in Baltimore by September. Saw him down this way in a Carolina League game and it was a man-against-boys scenario.

 

[Claws for Concern]

Brian Matusz from University of San Diego is projected as the top pitcher in the draft. Junior lefty was 12-2 this year and leaves as USD's all-time strikeouts leader. He was West Coast Conference pitcher of the year and tossed a three-hit complete game shutout of Cal in the opening game of the NCAA Long Beach regional last Friday. He's got four go-to pitches. I don't think he'll last past 5 or 6th pick overall.


Edit update: Matusz goes fourth overall to Baltimore.

 

[93Devil]

Brian Matusz from University of San Diego is projected as the top pitcher in the draft. Junior lefty was 12-2 this year and leaves as USD's all-time strikeouts leader. He was West Coast Conference pitcher of the year and tossed a three-hit complete game shutout of Cal in the opening game of the NCAA Long Beach regional last Friday. He's got four go-to pitches. I don't think he'll last past 5 or 6th pick overall.

If he has a bum shoulder, I'm sure the Pirates will grab him.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

OOP -- Oh, I know what they passed up in Wieters. But the PGH front office wanted no part of Boras, so they get what they get in Moskos. I think Wieters will be in Baltimore by September. Saw him down this way in a Carolina League game and it was a man-against-boys scenario.

Wieters will play in the Carolina League All-Star game, and then go to AA the rest of the year. He'll start on opening day in Baltimore next year.

 

[Gutter]

LaPorta's already at Double-A, on the fast track.

The organization knows what to do with the draft better than just about any in the big leagues.

Thanks to Jack Z.

Would like to see them load up on some arms this time around ... or a good catching prospect.

Re: LaPorta ... he'll probably get bumped up to Nashville soon (maybe along with Gamel), then get a September call-up. Probably will see him starting for the Brewers in right field next year, moving Hart to center.

 

[Oz]

I'll be curious to read why the Royals picked Eric Hosmer and opposed to Buster Posey, who with his glove and bat at catcher could have easily gone No. 1 to the Rays. Not that Hosmer's overrated at No. 3, but I am curious to see why they passed on Posey, who slipped to the Giants at No. 5.

 

[Overrated]

I'll be curious to read why the Royals picked Eric Hosmer and opposed to Buster Posey, who with his glove and bat at catcher could have easily gone No. 1 to the Rays. Not that Hosmer's overrated at No. 3, but I am curious to see why they passed on Posey, who slipped to the Giants at No. 5.

I've read in a number of places that Posey's skills don't necessarily translate into a surefire MLB stud. I forget the comparisons drawn, but I was like, "Wow. That's not very good at all."

I'm just the messenger...I have no idea about the guy.

 

[Moderator1]

My only question on the Nats' pick - can he pitch Sunday?

 

[Norman Stansfield]

I'll be curious to read why the Royals picked Eric Hosmer and opposed to Buster Posey, who with his glove and bat at catcher could have easily gone No. 1 to the Rays. Not that Hosmer's overrated at No. 3, but I am curious to see why they passed on Posey, who slipped to the Giants at No. 5.

Wasn't signability an issue with Posey? I thought I read somewhere that he wanted something like $11-$12 million to sign.

Also, that kid Wallace that the Cardinals picked...what a chunk! Now they've got themselves a white Prince Fielder

 

[Norman Stansfield]

My only question on the Nats' pick - can he pitch Sunday?

Watching this draft is just weird.

Nothing against the Nats, Moddy, but I swear I heard crickets chirping when they made their first pick a little while ago.

 

[slappy4428]

I swear i thought Justin Smoak was like 24 or 25 by now...

He's been at South Carolina since 1994, so you may be right.

In the parlance of the times, Justin Smoak is a major Major Oglivie...

 

[Oz]

I'll be curious to read why the Royals picked Eric Hosmer and opposed to Buster Posey, who with his glove and bat at catcher could have easily gone No. 1 to the Rays. Not that Hosmer's overrated at No. 3, but I am curious to see why they passed on Posey, who slipped to the Giants at No. 5.

Wasn't signability an issue with Posey? I thought I read somewhere that he wanted something like $11-$12 million to sign.

Hosmer might have more signability problems, being a Boras client and a high school kid who could always go to Arizona State (where he committed) if the money's not right.

Either way, I'm just happy to see the Royals taking top talent as opposed the ones most likely to sign.

 

[Gutter]

The Brewers got a catcher, like I was asking for ... just not one of the top 3 I wanted (knew it would be a stretch to get one of them).

Lawrie is "raw" defensively ... so what else is new with a Brewers prospect?