2012 General Draft Discussion

[filthyfrog]

Wow, those compensation picks look good now. Imagine if D'vo Jr. was our second pick. Doesn't look quite so bad when you've already taken some potential impact bats and have enough wiggle room to take a chance on an athlete who doesn't appear to be a very good baseball player.

[nate82]

Tyrone Taylor has also played for the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2011 Area Code Games.

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7093639

[umphrey]

Magnifico!

 

cool name

[igor67]

He is Magnifico and the camera loves him.

[brwrsfan]

I already called dibs on Magnifico's jersey with my friends in the event that he ever makes the majors. Can't ask for a better name. Sounds like he only throws the fastball and nothing else, though he has touched 103 MPH i guess. Teach him any other pitch and move him to the pen I guess.

[monty57]

Yeah, the MLB.com guys said he hits 100 MPH but it's straight, so "when he throws it over the plate even college guys hit it." Good natural ability, but if he doesn't add a secondary pitch and/or get some movement on the fastball, he will be very hittable.

[thablingster]

It is interesting that a guy who can throw up to 103 has an average strikeout rate. The Brewers must feel like they can help him add secondary pitches to keep people off of the fastball. Either way, it should be interesting to watch.

[nate82]

Yeah, the MLB.com guys said he hits 100 MPH but it's straight, so "when he throws it over the plate even college guys hit it." Good natural ability, but if he doesn't add a secondary pitch and/or get some movement on the fastball, he will be very hittable.

 

This might be something where he needs to throw a little less harder and be around 95-98 MPH to get some more movement on his fastball. But adding a secondary pitch or pitches is always a good idea.

[dlk9s]

It is interesting that a guy who can throw up to 103 has an average strikeout rate. The Brewers must feel like they can help him add secondary pitches to keep people off of the fastball. Either way, it should be interesting to watch.

 

Yup. Can't teach triple digits, but you can teach a guy how to throw a decent slider. Might as well give him a shot.

[HiAndTight]

I don't mean to sound negative guys, but what is with the Brewers and drafting hitters who likely won't stay at their current positions due to their defense? Don't get me wrong, I love the offensive upside and the power arms that these players have, but I'm kinda sick of the defensive projects like Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, Ryan Braun, Mat Gamel etc.. I'm not sure if this is a drafting issue or if the Brewers rushed these players to the Majors (except Gamel) because they needed the offense, when the players needed more time in the minors to work on their defense or whatever, but I just think this is a legitimate issue the Brewers have that I hope they can fix.

 

 

I don't think this is any more a legitimate issue for the Brewers than most other teams. I just think we harp on it a bit more on here.

 

How many players when reading their scouting report says, "may have to move as he fills out," or "may not have the defense to stay behind the plate, but bat will play at a corner position." I think Brewers fans get way too worked up because they put way too much into the position next to the players name. And that's what some sight has them at. Not the Brewers. The Brewers didn't have Matt LaPorta at 1st.

 

 

I'll be 90 pct of current position players started their career at SS in HS, and the ones that moved likely played at some of the elite baseball programs from around the country.

[Kelbysdaddy]

I love the buck farmer pick in the 15th. If they sign him he could be a real steal.

[bork]

Holy pitchers Batman.

[And That]

The Brewers' first unsigned pick from 2011, UNC Wilmington OF Andrew Cain, was drafted by the Giants in the 24th round this year after his senior season. He was drafted by the Brewers in the 12th round last year. Whoops.

[battlekow]

Four high school catchers. Fun stuff.

 

I think it would be neat if at some point the Brewers could manage to draft >50% Canadians + Puerto Ricans. Draft-eligible players outside the 50 states are the new market inefficiency. In particular former curlers. Former curlers are the new market inefficiency. Stetsons are cool.

[battlekow]

RHP Brad Schreiber, whom the Brewers drafted out of Kimberly HS in the 42nd round in 2009 but couldn't sign away from Purdue, was taken in the 40th round by the Twins this time around.

[HiAndTight]

I wonder why Seid is so gung-ho on taking college players. Sure they help out quicker, but HS players provide more upside.

 

 

Because there is a thought that HS players are going to be harder signs the next couple years with the budgets teams have to work with and that man who get drafted later on, are potentially willing to go and honor their college commitment in hopes of improving their draft stock, ala Rodon.

[HiAndTight]

I don't mean to sound negative guys, but what is with the Brewers and drafting hitters who likely won't stay at their current positions due to their defense? Don't get me wrong, I love the offensive upside and the power arms that these players have, but I'm kinda sick of the defensive projects like Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, Ryan Braun, Mat Gamel etc..

 

The problem of course is that it's incredibly difficult to draft well rounded with players with upside, most draft picks are going to have 1 or 2 tools that really intrigue the team and the rest is "development". Obviously if the bat won't play then the player doesn't have a career, it doesn't matter how well he fields. So from that perspective I don't mind the Brewers drafting all bat players, however they do need to identify the proper position and put more development time into every player's defense just like they do their offense. This has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time and I don't want to go off on a long tangent, but I think the Brewers have definitely left plenty of room to improve their developmental defensive plan in the minors.

 

Today's athletes are just different, the kids now are vastly different than the kids I played with in the early 90s, hell they are different than the kids we had 5 years ago. There just aren't many extremely motivated and/or coachable kids out there that are going do work on their own for their own good, there's too much instant gratification out there for that kind of work ethic. Therefore the organization is going to have to push these guys harder so that a young man like Gamel is making strides defensively way before AA. At some point the Brewers are going to have to buy into athlete building vs the limited athletic development they do now, the days of playing survival of the fittest in the minor leagues are hopefully coming to an end.

 

Speaking of which, I often wonder if the drug problem with speed is a direct result of the crappy treatment of the MiLB players. Most of these young men aren't getting enough rest and for 60 years they didn't eat close to healthy enough meals, so without the internal fuel to burn or enough rest it's no wonder so many turned to speed to keep their energy level/heart rate artificially high just to get through the day. 3-4 years of that in the minors and by the time they hit MLB greenies are an entrenched part of the lifestyle... something to consider at any rate.

 

 

 

I think this is just utterly ridiculous and I cannot even fathom what you base this on. That players "you played with," which first I would need to know what level you played at, and B-what direct relationship you have with players now to even begin to give credence to, but to me this is a generational thing.

 

As you get older, it's alwyas, "this generation is softer, these guys don't work has hard as we used to," they don't care enough," which to put it frankly is a load of crap.

 

 

If ANYTHING, I think players spend MORE time honing their craft now with more specialization in youth and High School athletics. And your argument is one 5th round draft pick. I'll counter with a former 1st rounder in Brett Lawrie who some may or may not like, but who has never been accused of not playing hard every single day, almost going over the top at times.

 

Bottom line, I don't think minor league players have not caring as much or playing hard. I think you have more coaching and more development within the system. Not that they need to be pushed harder, simply that it's smarter to teach them more effectiviiiies.

 

So I don't think that work ethic has anything to do with it.

 

Not do I buy the argument that players used greenies because they weren't getting fed well enough. When you're 18-22, energy is hardly an issue.

[TheCrew07]

I think this is just utterly ridiculous and I cannot even fathom what you base this on. That players "you played with," which first I would need to know what level you played at, and B-what direct relationship you have with players now to even begin to give credence to, but to me this is a generational thing..

 

I'm not surprised.

 

If you haven't been coaching at any a meaningful level for the last 15-20 years then you simply wouldn't have experienced the change. It's not so much as generational change, as it is a societal change, and I don't have the time this morning nor the inclination to layout in great detail my experiences with you that I've been sharing on this board regularly since 2004. I will simply say that in the end pretty much everything with a young athlete's attitude and performance comes down to the parents and there's been a significant shift in the way we raise our children.

[DHonks]

If ANYTHING, I think players spend MORE time honing their craft now with more specialization in youth and High School athletics. And your argument is one 5th round draft pick. I'll counter with a former 1st rounder in Brett Lawrie who some may or may not like, but who has never been accused of not playing hard every single day, almost going over the top at times.

 

Actually, there were numerous reports in the minors of Brett Lawrie not playing hard. There were a number of occasions his manager yanked him out of games for not running hard or playing hard. The Brewers covered these stories up, but if you search Brewerfan, the reports were there.

[CheezWizHed]

I'll counter with a former 1st rounder in Brett Lawrie who some may or may not like, but who has never been accused of not playing hard every single day, almost going over the top at times.

 

I've accused him of that personally. I only saw him in one game at a 'Rattlers game, but wow did he take that day off defensively. Hustle and effort really eluded him, at least on that day.

[Menace II Sobriety]

I'm just glad that none of the Brewers top picks are playing in the Super Regionals or the CWS in case they have a bad game and we have to hear about the one time I saw him play he was wildly inconsistent.

[Tedaldtada]

Hopefully the signings pick back up today. Am I right that the big question marks in the first 10 rounds are Taylor (2), Ortega (6), and Rivera (8)?

 

As far as I know, Haniger is thought of as a slot sign. What about Quintana (3) and Lavandero (9)?

[LouisEly]

"I will simply say that in the end pretty much everything with a young athlete's attitude and performance comes down to the parents and there's been a significant shift in the way we raise our children."

 

Amen, but that is a discussion for a different board.

[splitterpfj]

The Brewers expect to announce a number of additional signings from last week's First-Year Player Draft by the end of the week, including a deal with second-round pick Tyrone Taylor, a center fielder from Torrance (Calif.) High School, who had a scholarship offer from Cal-State Fullerton. Club officials cannot comment on any of the pending signings until the players pass physical exams. -Adam McCalvy

[CheezWizHed]

If draft picks in rounds 11-40 have a max of $100k bonus (without effecting the 1-10 pick pool), where do undrafted players fall? Same limit ($100k) or maybe less?