OT - MLB Draft, the redheaded step child of drafts

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June 8th, 2010 at 12:32 AM
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tricks574
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OT - MLB Draft, the redheaded step child of drafts

Just a few things from the MLB draft today, because it's the offseason! Hooray offseason!

The Tiger's drafted twice today, both supplemental round picks, and got Nick Castellanos, a 3B out of a Florida HS, and Chance Ruffin, RHP out of Texas.

I actually told a friend, who posts here, that the Tiger's would have to draft Castellanos if he fell. He's a HS SS who is probably too big to continue at the position, but should have an above average bat and has a lot of power potential if he can fill out his frame. I love the pick, I love it like Mariah Carey loves cocaine. 

Ruffin is a relief pitcher out of Texas, but there is a chance he could transition into a starter down the road. I'm a little surprised he was the pick, Dombrowski and Chadd are always picking power arms, and Ruffin doens't fit that profile. Low to mid 90's fastball, with decent change up and breaking ball. Good control and make-up, as well as being the son of a former MLB player and having a truly great baseball name. 

In less Tiger's related draft news, Ryan Lamarre has not been drafted yet, but it seems like he should go sometime soon, hopefully he doesn't fall like Putnam did. In what might be good or bad news, Alex Wimmers was drafted by the Twins, so all Tiger's/Wolverines fans get to continue hating him, and you can still use the voodoo doll with one strand of his hair tied around the waist as a pincushion. 

 

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June 8th, 2010 at 12:37 AM | If the MLB got Todd McShay, (Score:1)
david from wyoming
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If the MLB got Todd McShay, Mel Kiper, and the rest of the blowhards that cover the NFL draft, tonight would have been much better.

Oh wait, I think I got that backwards...

Thanks for the update!

Are you a park ranger at Yellowstone? Say hi to Yogi Bear for me. - the_big_house 500th

I may not be a 70 year old man. - Herm

June 8th, 2010 at 12:45 AM | The WNBA, MLS (Score:1)
NorthSideBlueFan
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and to a lesser extent NHL drafts beg to differ.

Great analysis though, thanks!

"... never forget that Ohio is still a four-letter word."
-Bob Ufer

June 8th, 2010 at 1:49 AM | I love the MLB draft.  It's (Score:1)
MGoAndy
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I love the MLB draft.  It's cool that your team has 50 picks, and I like that HS kids from around here can get picked.

June 8th, 2010 at 11:07 AM | A pitcher from my high school (Score:1)
mattbern
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A pitcher from my high school was slated to go in the first round or compensation round, until he tore a ligament in his throwing elbow 3 days before the draft.  He's gonna miss out on a big signing bonus because he got injured for the first time in his career.  I feel bad for the kid.

You play to win the game

June 8th, 2010 at 9:34 AM | Chance Ruffin is a man among (Score:1)
formerlyanonymous
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Chance Ruffin is a man among boys when it comes to relievers. The guy is absolutely ridiculous. His starting stints haven't been the best, but he still would be 75% of teams' ace given the opportunity. Great pick up.

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June 8th, 2010 at 12:25 PM | Yesterday Keith Law said it (Score:1)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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Yesterday Keith Law said it looked like Ruffin was going to go #12 to the Reds.  Probably what changed that is Grandal falling that far, but in any case both he and Castellanos look like top-15 talents.  The Tigers made out huge.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

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June 8th, 2010 at 9:45 AM | a draft like no other (Score:1)
blueheron
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I like that it's such a crapshot.  As well, quite a few players, even these days, come from out-of-the-way places.  This is less common in basketball, where many stars get overexposed on the AAU circuit.

"..."

June 8th, 2010 at 10:21 AM | What is the rationale for (Score:1)
jmblue
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What is the rationale for having so many rounds?  (I know it used to be even more - 75).  Wouldn't it make sense to limit it to 25 rounds, given that there are only 25 roster spots on a Major League team?  And really, after round 25, you may as well let a kid decide which team he wants to try out for, since his odds are going to be so slim anyway.

June 8th, 2010 at 10:45 AM | What is the rationale for (Score:1)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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What is the rationale for having so many rounds?

1) Teams have an obligation to fill out their minor league rosters, including short-season A ball and rookie ball which don't even start til after the draft.  Football, basketball, and hockey don't have anywhere near that kind of farm system to fill up.  A team has to keep something like 150 players in the bushes.

2) The way the NCAA is set up, you can be drafted and still go to college, unlike in basketball and football.  Hockey players can be in college and still be the property of their respective teams, but baseball players in college are eligible for redrafting.  All in all you have three chances, so the draft has to account for the fact that a ton of these players won't be signing at all.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

June 8th, 2010 at 12:15 PM | yes and in addition (Score:1)
J. Lichty
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many players who are drafted dont sign.  If a team does not sign a player by a certain date, unless they are out of college eligibility, that player goes back into the draft the following year.

Teams used to be able to "draft and follow" Juco players, which allowed them to play a season with the drafting team still retaining the rights of that player, but that loophole closed a couple years ago.

Numerous highly ranked players do not sign with the team that drafts them, and you will see a team draft the same player multiple times.

The other thing that makes the MLB draft unique is that it does not include foreign players who do not have to go through a draft process, but rather sign directly with teams.

Most teams now run academies in latin america, especially Dominican Republic and Venezuela, in order to build relationships with the kids at a young age.

Obviously the latter system really favors teams that will spend the big bucks on the internationals, although MLB has shown that even some of the smaller market teams have been able to develop good farm systems.

our package is our package, and it’s pretty big. - Greg Mattison, Bowl Practice Presser Tr. 12-13-11.

June 8th, 2010 at 10:29 AM | Actually I am watching for (Score:1)
maizenbluenc
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Actually I am watching for three players who stayed a week at my house for the USA baseball 18U tournament: Jake Thompson, John Barbato, and Mike Antonio.

Both the #1 and #2 choice were here in the torunament last year. Harper was full of himself, but Taillon is a really nice kid, and his dad is great as well. We spent a lot of time talking with his dad because they know a player from The Woodlands who had stayed with us in 2008.

June 8th, 2010 at 1:08 PM | #66 and #86 (Score:1)
maizenbluenc
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Jake Thompson #66 to the Rays. (sweet, maybe he'll play in Durham on his way up)

Mike Anthonio, #86 to KC.

June 8th, 2010 at 10:52 AM | I definitely wouldn't call (Score:1)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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I definitely wouldn't call the MLB draft the red-headed stepchild of drafts.  Of the big 4 it's definitely the NHL's.  Nobody's ever heard of any of the European kids and most of the NA kids, but college baseball gives the MLB early-rounders enough exposure that people know who many of them are.  I'd heard of Chance Ruffin, for example.

Plus, the draft is followed by college baseball fans who want their signees picked high enough to be affirmation that they're quality players but not so high they're tempted to forgo college.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

June 8th, 2010 at 11:14 AM | You took the words (Score:1)
cadmus2166
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right off of my keyboard!

I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?

June 8th, 2010 at 12:23 PM | disagree (Score:1)
J. Lichty
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It may be redheaded because of the overall national profile of the sport, but in terms of immediate impact players, the NHL draft far outstrips MLB.

Most of the top NHL picks go right to the league.  Even those who return to Junior or College play in a much higher profile than the short season or JUCO leagues of MLB players.

There is also the element of the NHL draft that ALL players must go through the draft to be eligible to play in the league.  Players cannot be stashed in Europe and signed directly like MLB which means that the best players are always going to be in the draft.

You really need to look no further than the fact that the MLB draft happens during the season  . . . on a MONDAY, to realize that even MLB realizes that it is the sleepiest of all the drafts.

The MLB draft is still great for those who like to follow prospects and follow the minor leagues, but to take the average fan of each sport, the least utility is recevied from the MLB draft.

our package is our package, and it’s pretty big. - Greg Mattison, Bowl Practice Presser Tr. 12-13-11.

June 8th, 2010 at 12:46 PM | Most of the top NHL picks go (Score:1)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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Most of the top NHL picks go right to the league.

No, they don't.  Six picks in the '09 Entry Draft played anything even resembling a full season this year.  And that's about average at best.  Most players don't even get signed until they've had a few years to develop.

And yes, the top international talent is subject to the draft, but that means absolutely nothing.  Only the absolute diehards ever heard of Victor Hedman or Oliver Ekman-Larsson.  I bet you that's the first time you ever heard the latter name - that's certainly the case for me.  He went 6th.  I would argue that the presence of internationals greatly lessens the name recognition: Drew Pomeranz and Barret Loux went 5/6 in the MLB draft - those are familiar names to college baseball fans.

And the MLB draft is on a Monday because the MLB draft is the only one that coincides with its own season.  Most teams don't play on Mondays.  On Fridays, MLB wants you watching the games, not the draft.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

June 8th, 2010 at 1:57 PM | thats a fair point (Score:1)
J. Lichty
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I should rephrase.  It is far more likely for a top pick to go directly to the league in hockey than in baseball.

Strasburg is one of the few players in recent memory that I can recall making it to the majors within a year of signing, and even he did not go directly to the majors.

While both the MLB and NHL draft are about building a deep system, the NHL has much higher opportunity for immediate impact.

our package is our package, and it’s pretty big. - Greg Mattison, Bowl Practice Presser Tr. 12-13-11.

June 8th, 2010 at 11:53 AM | I actually really enjoy (Score:1)
bacon1431
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I actually really enjoy watching the MLB and NHL drafts. I pretty much know about every pick in the NFL and NBA drafts and the NFL has too much time in between picks. I like to research the players the Tigers and Wings draft because I know very little about them, outside of the ones connected with UM. Plus, the MLB draft is so fast paced, it makes it really interesting. Teams are forced into quick decisions, so preparation beforehand is even more important than it is in the NFL or NBA. I mean, 1 minute between compensation picks. Pretty cool.

One thing I'd change about the MLB draft is fixed signing slots. Signability plays a huge role and causes many top prospects to fall to teams like the Yankees and Red Sox. The small market teams have to opt for lesser talent players cuz they can't afford to give a kid a $3 million signing bonus. I know the Tigers have really benefited from this in the past (see Maybin, Porcello, Turner, and now Castellanos), but I'd like to see fixed limits on contracts depending on where a player is drafted. Just so the big market teams aren't getting all the best players. All a player has to do is give the impression that he wants alot of cash and he can avoid the bad teams and get drafted by a team that is consistently successful. Just look at what Marcantuoni did in the OHL draft. Said he really wanted to go the college route, teams were reluctant to draft him, but Kitchener is a good team and they drafted him knowing that he'd probably go the OHL route.

For a' that, an' a' that, 
Our toils obscure an' a' that, 
The rank is but the guinea's stamp, 
The man's the gowd for a' that. 
June 8th, 2010 at 12:28 PM | Ryan Lamarre off the board (Score:1)
tricks574
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He goes at the 62nd pick to the Red's. 

www.get2formaizenblue.blogspot.com

For all of your obscure college wrestling blog needs

June 8th, 2010 at 1:35 PM | Congrats to Ryan, can't (Score:1)
bacon1431
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Congrats to Ryan, can't imagine he'd stick around UM another year, but we'd love to have him back. But he'll probably go and I think Cincinnati is a good place to land. They've got two young starters in the pros right now but you never know. Good luck to him.

For a' that, an' a' that, 
Our toils obscure an' a' that, 
The rank is but the guinea's stamp, 
The man's the gowd for a' that. 
June 8th, 2010 at 1:54 PM | I like what the red's are doing (Score:1)
tricks574
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They've got some nice young bats, Bruce and Votto and Stubs, and some pretty good starting pitching in Leake, Cueto, and Volquez (when he gets back).

www.get2formaizenblue.blogspot.com

For all of your obscure college wrestling blog needs

June 8th, 2010 at 2:13 PM | Dang (Score:1)
Other Chris
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There goes Matt Miller at #159.  He was totally clutch against Northwestern in the big comeback win, and throughout the end of the season. 

June 8th, 2010 at 3:23 PM | Oaks goes before Burgoon. (Score:1)
formerlyanonymous
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Oaks goes before Burgoon. Huh.

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June 8th, 2010 at 4:28 PM | Well (Score:1)
Other Chris
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Can't develop height, I guess.

Wonder if we'll get tears at Chez Autre this year?  The daughter was pretty much philosophical about LaMarre: "If he gets drafted in the first two rounds he has to go.  He's not dumb."  The pitchers, though....

June 8th, 2010 at 5:00 PM | Burgoon has a really (Score:1)
bacon1431
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Burgoon has a really interesting decision ahead of him. Miller as well, I don't hink he expected to get drafted that high and Burgoon didn't expect to be the third pitcher from his school to be drafted. Congrats to all three though.

For a' that, an' a' that, 
Our toils obscure an' a' that, 
The rank is but the guinea's stamp, 
The man's the gowd for a' that. 
June 10th, 2010 at 11:17 AM | I wonder if Burgoon will stay (Score:1)
Other Chris
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He had a bit of disappointing end of season, he's an academic-athletic award-winner. I guess we'll find out.  Coach Keller leaving may play into all of this with the pitchers.

EDIT:

Now Burgoon will have the choice to sign with the Mariners if the contract is what he is looking for, or return to Michigan for his senior season.

"I would love to sign, that's what is in my heart, but if it doesn't happen that's okay, too," Burgoon said. "Here at Michigan I'm in a great situation and it's everything I could ask for. Coming back to Michigan is not a bad option at all."

http://www.crescent-news.com/news/article/4841422

June 14th, 2010 at 3:49 PM | LaMarre signs... Burgoon (Score:1)
Quag77
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LaMarre signs... Burgoon signs... Miller signs as well.   

Time to move on... 

Next years squad should be ok, just need a few guys to step up like Gerbe & Crank did this year.  Infield will be solid, the outfield will have questions as does the starting catcher spot.  Pitching...well, I guess that's always the question huh.

FOCUS! Even when it looks like odds are against you... Never quit!

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