Draft Pick Discussion Thread, Rounds 1-5

[Tedaldtada]

I'm very ok with the pick. If LaPorta turns out to be good though, everyone needs to back off of the crew for any future 1st round selection that is a bat. Deal?

[Herm]

By scouting report, looks like the Twins just drafted Chad Green

[NastyTwig]

Did the Haydel, Robinson, and Bryson signings have anything to do with the value pick?

 

Here's to picking a fallen prospect and shelling out the big bucks in the later rounds...

[crewcrazy]

Porcello to the Tigers? That just doesn't seem fair.

[Brian the Automator]

First Jack Z quote of the draft:

 

"We are happy to have secured the rights to one of the top college

power hitters in the country," said Zduriencik. "Matt has had a

solid college career and is certainly ready for his next challenge.

He has a unique opportunity to eventually contribute to a young

and talented Major League team that could be together a long time."

 

So, I'm reading into this that fast-tracking him is on the agenda. No big shock, really, assuming I'm reading into it right.

[splitterpfj]

I like the Brewers' pick. I didn't want a HS arm, I did want a power bat, and I did want someone who might be here in 3 years instead of 5.

 

This player would seem to fit my wishes, too bad he's not also left-handed and fast, I guess I forgot to wish for those things.

[Never Outhustled]

Question for Patrick

 

How would you compare Laporta to Lance Berkman coming out of college? The Astros had Bagwell at 1st, so the they moved Berkman, a college star 1B who didn't have great athletism, to LF. Berkman became a decent LF, and is possibly the most underrated hitter in the game. It seems like Laporta has Berkmans patient approach, power, and work ethic. Does Berkman the college player outdate your enormeous field of knowledge?

 

Also, IIRC, wasn't Jason Lane a college 1B too ? He also moved to the OF, but his bat didn't succeed. He seems to be much more athletic than Laporta, but what kind of hitter was he in college?

[DHonks]

I just got home from work and have to say that I am absolutely thrilled with the LaPorta pick

 

Brett, I'm with you. I traditionally like HS pitchers, but given the dearth of power at the corners, I really wanted a corner outfielder. LaPorta could be tried at 1b, LF, or C. Any sound good to me.

 

I love that some are criticizing us for taking a DH. The last DH we drafted is currently on pace for 30-35 homers...by the All-Star break!

[Pioneers3]

The braves are putting togeather a pretty good draft, first Heyward than Gilmore two High School kids with very raw power... I predict that both will be in the bigs in 4 or 5 years

[sbrylski]

I actually like the pick. LOVE the OBP, and I really like the fact that he could very well be ready sometime next season.

[RyDogg66]

The Padres with 5 picks in the comp round. That seems fair.

[homer]

Colby,

Any chance Burgess is still around in the 3rd? I doubt he will be but I know his stock has fallen of late.

 

 

EDIT: Nats took him at 49. There goes that idea. I figured it'd be too much to ask for.

[Never Outhustled]

Heres some outstanding interview links from JS Online. Jack Z makes it very clear Laporta will play LF. The team had him in Brevard County for a workout, and was tried in LF then.

 

Jack Z also acknowledges the team went outside the box with this pick. Boy did they ever. While many of us here now support the pick after getting over the initial shock, none of could have guessed it in a million years.

[TheCrew07]

I like the pick on the paper, we'll see on the field.

 

I'm finding this draft irritating, how about every team in a big market gets a bizillion extra picks to sign players away from each other? There really needs to be some net loss/gain equation put into the compensation picks somehow. 5 picks for the Padres? They can redraft half a team in the first round... just doesn't seem right.

[danzig6767]

I like the choice

 

1.Not a HS righthander

 

2.He has a dominant skill that happens to be a very important one,he can hit and hit for power.

 

3.He hopefully can be ready soon if he pans out

[colbyjack]

X, Berkman is a very interesting comparison. I don't recall Berkman's scouting reports from draft day, since the event wasn't followed anywhere close to what it is now, but looking up reports on him after the fact (largely seeing why/how Kyle Peterson went before he did) it seems the scouting reports were relatively similar to LaPorta's for the reasons you stated. Somewhat limited athleticism, the ability to play LF (and Berkman has even played CF) yet a very solid bat.

 

Lane was short on tools despite having a good college career.

 

I have contact with LaPorta's direct representative with the Boras corp, and I'm going to see if I can set up an interview in the next day or two.

[pogokat]

If you get the best college hitter in the draft, then you have done well...i was really hoping they'd do something like this...unlike practically every high schooler and pitcher, you can almost gurantee that laporta will play in the majors...

 

i think its a very exciting pick and it makes me a lot happier than any of the pitchers projected...though i think jarrod parker woulda been ok..

[Oldcity]

I agree. Now that the shock has worn off and I have had a chance to look closely at his numbers, I'm pretty pleased. I still can't get over the .589 OBP.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Who knew Jack Z was so moneyball? Should be a fast-track guy, and I guess we've heard cautionary tales about defense that turned out to be overblown before.

 

It's nice to have another slugger around, because even our excellent crop of OF prospects tends more toward the speedy, line-drive types...Errecart and Katin are similar breeds but far less accomplished than LaPorta I think. Whoever said that Jack Z likes to get the best of something in the first round if he can was right on I think...now let's get him signed and into that West Virginia lineup.

[PeaveyFury]

If you get the best college hitter in the draft, then you have done well

 

I agree completely. I was quite stunned when I saw his name taken by the Brewers this afternoon, but looking at his numbers, it's almost stunning that he didn't get more press and wasn't higher rated to begin with.... is that solely based on his defense?

 

If it is, we heard the exact same stuff with Fielder and Braun, along with Weeks' well documented struggles in he minors at 2B, and we can plainly see how that has worked out.

 

I'm pretty thrilled, but as others have said, that might be mainly because it's not a prep pitcher.

[Oldcity]

Quote:

---

Whoever said that Jack Z likes to get the best of something in the first round if he can was right on I think...

---

Jack Z actually said that himself in his interview. I really like that quote.

[LUKE232323]

www.baseballamerica.com/t...porta.html

 

Don't know if this was posted yet, great read on LaPorta.

 

Quote:

---

"Matt LaPorta, I think he looks just like Albert Pujols," Southern California righthander Ian Kennedy said after facing him during national team trials. "He's a good hitter with a really good plan and he studies his swing a lot--he watches film after film--and it shows."

---

[RyDogg66]

Jordan Zimmerman to the Nationals with the 67th pick.

 

we would have had the 71st pick, but it goes to STL for Suppan and they select David Kopp, RHP, Clemson.

[Oldcity]

Hey, Jordan Zimmerman of UW-Stevens point goes 67th to the Nationals. Good for him!

[chuckiehacks]

Love the pick for several reasons:

-The combination of him being a senior and being picked higher than expected should make him pretty signable, Boras be damned. This will further eliminate the "cheapskate Brewers" mentality;

-If he's that good of an athlete, I'm pretty sure he can play LF. Someone else mentioned Carlos Lee, LaPorta has to be better than that;

-The guy can flat-out rake. And he led the nation in OBP. I might read Moneyball again tonight just for fun!