Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 1-5; Latest -- Dylan Covey doing well at U of San Diego

[DHonks]

The AZ schedule doesn't include Tucson, I don't think. But SD is 6 hours drive from Phoenix, 1+ hr flight. It's not THAT close. I support the decision, as it gives him three years to learn routines before he has to think about pro-ball.

[stalton]

Are there still gentleman's agreements to resign Covey when Covey comes back

[brosto1]

X ellence, I generally respect your opinion as much as any poster here but that last statement of it being an "idiotic decision" is not well informed or necessary coming from someone outside of the situation. As mentioned, I am only Type 2 and it changed my life drastically for five months. Two hours is not much if speaking of a family member that might need some help. This is a life-changing diagnosis for him. I wouldn't call it idiotic if he decided to not pursue a pro career in three or four years. Money isn't everything, especially when it comes to the schedule of a professional baseball player. I would much rather be closer to those I loved and have less money than be away from them with more money. That is why my wife and I moved four years ago and I became a stay-at-home dad rather than continuing my work.

[CheezWizHed]

Covey was home-schooled. It's not uncommon for there to be a higher level of sheltering of the kids in those situations...

 

Poor and incorrect stereotype. Especially on a kid that has played as much BB as Covey has and is going to SD for college.

[DKM4Boston]

Yes, there are professional athletes with Type 1 diabetes, but when were they diagnosed? As a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed at age 19, it's quite a frightening thing to go through. I was afraid to leave my parents house for months after being diagnosed. After 11 years with it, I'm sure I could be comfortable signing a professional contract (not that I am even remotely athletic or anything) because I know what I have to do, know my limits, etc. to take care of myself, but if I were to be offered a contract shortly after I was diagnosed...no question I'd have to turn it down. It's not like millions of dollars will make it go away or make it any easier to deal with. A millionaire with type 1 diabetes has to check their blood sugar multiple times a day, take enough, but not too much insulin, count carbs just like my broke butt has to do.

[MNBrew]

X, we all wanted the guy to sign and become a great Brewers pitcher. I hate the loss of a top prospect before we ever had him. Your judgemental response, though, seems at best narrow-minded and harsh.

 

Covey's medical diagnosis puts this decision into a whole-life context, not just a baseball/money context. Going to college is still loaded with a serious growth curve but allows him to adapt to life away from home & with diabetes at the same time, then adding a baseball season at a point when he's got the first two things under control.

 

It's just unforeseeable bad luck, but it's hardly the kind of break the Brewers deserved.

[Never Outhustled]

X ellence, I generally respect your opinion as much as any poster here but that last statement of it being an "idiotic decision" is not well informed or necessary coming from someone outside of the situation. As mentioned, I am only Type 2 and it changed my life drastically for five months. Two hours is not much if speaking of a family member that might need some help. This is a life-changing diagnosis for him. I wouldn't call it idiotic if he decided to not pursue a pro career in three or four years. Money isn't everything, especially when it comes to the schedule of a professional baseball player. I would much rather be closer to those I loved and have less money than be away from them with more money. That is why my wife and I moved four years ago and I became a stay-at-home dad rather than continuing my work.

 

 

I understand what your saying, but by turning down the bonus, he's shut himself out of that money for at least 3 years, possibly forever. That money could be a serious asset in dealing with his issues.

 

If he takes the money, nothing changes for him tomorrow. He could stay home as long as he wants if he turns pro now. Did you really think the Brewers were going to demand he be in Arizona tomorrow if he signed? By choosing college, he's actually rushing the life style adaptations he'll be going through. The scheduale of a college student athlete is far more hectic than a minor league baseball player. If he had signed, he wouldn't leave the Maryvale complex until 11 months from now. It would be a far more stable environment than college.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

This kind of decision sets this team back. It really sucks.

[AdvantageSchneider]

Does it? We get the same pick next year. If we sign a couple of good pitchers with our two first round picks quickly next year they won't be that far behind where Covey would have been. Covey wasn't going to pictch at all this year for the brewers from what I understand.

[YoungGeezy]

X ellence, I generally respect your opinion as much as any poster here but that last statement of it being an "idiotic decision" is not well informed or necessary coming from someone outside of the situation. As mentioned, I am only Type 2 and it changed my life drastically for five months. Two hours is not much if speaking of a family member that might need some help. This is a life-changing diagnosis for him. I wouldn't call it idiotic if he decided to not pursue a pro career in three or four years. Money isn't everything, especially when it comes to the schedule of a professional baseball player. I would much rather be closer to those I loved and have less money than be away from them with more money. That is why my wife and I moved four years ago and I became a stay-at-home dad rather than continuing my work.

Well put and I couldn't agree more! I personally don't have it but I have learned a lot in the past couple years about it and it is a difficult thing to deal. 3 varsity football players I coach have diabetes and I see what the go through and they all have pretty much learned to manage (occasionally they have to go check there numbers or run a get some skittles during practice) but after having to quickly give one of them an insulant shot during a practice last year, it became really real for me. I didn't mean to attack X ellence it just bugs when people talk about a serious thing and brush it off as nothing and no biggy.

 

 

[Diskono]

This kind of decision sets this team back. It really sucks.

Eh, I'm not so sure. Heck, we could draft him at #15 next year, and everything will be pretty much the same as if he would have signed today.

[Never Outhustled]

This kind of decision sets this team back. It really sucks.

Eh, I'm not so sure. Heck, we could draft him at #15 next year, and everything will be pretty much the same as if he would have signed today.

 

 

No, he's eliminated himself from the draft for 3 years by choosing to attend a 4 year school.

[colbyjack]

I didn't mean to attack X ellence it just bugs when people talk about a serious thing and brush it off as nothing and no biggy.

 

I honestly didn't take X's response to be a personal attack or even an insensitive apprecation of Covey's situation. Turning down $2M is also not something to brush off as nothing and no biggy. From purely a baseball perspective, not even taking Covey's health into consideration, turning town that kind of money is historically a bad decision. I respect the decision that he made and for the reasons he did so, but I really hope he doesn't painfully regret that decision 3 years from now.

 

Again, from a baseball perspective, at least he's going to a program that has a knack of developing some pretty solid arms in recent years.

[hawing]

Dang, you guys, we could practically start up a bf.net diabetes support group. Indeed, stalton and I have already compared "friendly" food ideas in a few in-game chats. However, let's not do it in the draft forum. Back to (closer to) topic.

 

The compensatory pick will be at least as much a crapshoot as Covey's signing would have been; and Diskono has a point that this doesn't stop Covey from ever signing with Milwaukee. That doesn't make tonight's turn of events less disappointing, though, and it's tempting to feel like we've experienced enough disappointment in 2010 already.

[Never Outhustled]

Yes, there are professional athletes with Type 1 diabetes, but when were they diagnosed? As a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed at age 19, it's quite a frightening thing to go through. I was afraid to leave my parents house for months after being diagnosed. After 11 years with it, I'm sure I could be comfortable signing a professional contract (not that I am even remotely athletic or anything) because I know what I have to do, know my limits, etc. to take care of myself, but if I were to be offered a contract shortly after I was diagnosed...no question I'd have to turn it down.

Thanks for your insight. I do have to ask though, if your choices immediately after the diagnosis were to sign a pro contract now for $2 million dollars without needed to start your career until late February, or turn it down, leave home and start college and baseball fall practice in 2 weeks, which would you choose?

[brosto1]

If my son had been in the same situation, I would rather him go to college somewhere within driving distance of me. The money may not ever be there again, but it's just money. This is his health and his life. I understand that perhaps the Brewers would have let him take his time in dealing with everything. Judging by quotes it sounds like the Brewers were willing to help him.

 

By going to college, it helps him get closer to a degree and it maintains what to him is his normal routine of school each day. College is more difficult than high school, but the routine is still very similar. Many HS sports have some form of practice before classes, followed by another practice later in the day after practice. Being a home schooled child he could possibly have developed very good independent study habits that will help him in college; this is one of many reasons why parents choose home schooling. Like I previously mentioned, perhaps he just wants to see if he even wants to pursue a pro career with Type 1 Diabetes. It is quite possible he will value his life and the time and quality of his life more and not want the rigors of a MLB schedule. Going to college will help him determine a lot of the questions he faces while getting him closer to a degree while still leaving open the possibility of a pro career.

[YoungGeezy]

Well if we draft him in 3 years, I don't think it would really put us to far behind...Odorizzi didn't make it to Wisconsin until his 3rd season pro so if they would have taken him as slow as they did Jake, the time table wouldn't be to far off. Now that is also a couple of really big IF's. Who knows what he will be in 3 years or what his tim table would have been but seeing as Rivas and Rogers are both still in AA, Scarpetta in A+, Odorizzi in A and only Heckathorn and Peralta have gotten a bump out of all our other top pitching prospects, I have a feeling they would have moved him slow to start.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

Does it? We get the same pick next year. If we sign a couple of good pitchers with our two first round picks quickly next year they won't be that far behind where Covey would have been. Covey wasn't going to pictch at all this year for the brewers from what I understand.

I think it does. This team needs front line pitching badly. With this team's failure to develop front line pitching under Melvin, waiting another year for a 1st round pick closes the window even more with the Braun/Yo/Weeks/Hart core.

This can't happen to a team that need pitching asap, imo.

 

[jjjf44]

Do the Brewers get the 15th pick in the first round and a first round pick depending what record and place they end up this years, in next years amatuer draft? Is it only the first round, that if they don't sign the player, they get a simialar choice next year, or is it other early rounds that if they don't sign the player they get picks the next year. This year they didn't sign #'s 15, 16 and 19 also, do they get picks to replace the picks that didn't sign?

[WisconsinSportsRule]

Do the Brewers get the 15th pick in the first round and a first round pick depending what record and place they end up this years, in next years amatuer draft? Is it only the first round, that if they don't sign the player, they get a simialar choice next year, or is it other early rounds that if they don't sign the player they get picks the next year. This year they didn't sign #'s 15, 16 and 19 also, do they get picks to replace the picks that didn't sign?

Yes, we'll have two first rounders next year, but if we don't get the #15 pick (or whatever the pick becomes) signed next year, we lose the draft pick all together.

[brosto1]

Next year they can draft a college pitcher with this pick in what should be a very deep draft in the early rounds. Covey has a lot of upside, but if they would go the collegiate route next year that pitcher may reach Milwaukee quicker than Covey would have developed. I would rather it worked out that he was healthy and signed, but the silver lining is the depth of next year's draft.

[colbyjack]

The Brewers compensation pick for not signing Covey will be considered 14a, which means it falls in place with any other players that don't sign ahead of the Brewers pick this past year. So far Barret Loux, the 6th overall pick, has failed his physical and reportedly won't sign with the D-Backs, while Karsten Whitson, the 9th overall pick has also decided to go to college. That means 14a as it stands right now would actually be the 17th overall pick.

 

You don't get comp picks past the third round for unsigned players.

To clarify, you get the pick right after the slot of unsigned first and second rounders. You get a supplemental third-round pick for unsigned third rounders.

EDIT: My bad, the Brewers will get the 15th pick for Covey. The comp picks for unsigned players hold regardless of the unsigned players that may garner comp picks ahead of them. So, it's quite possible that the Brewers actual first-round pick could slip after the Covey comp pick (and last I looked a few days ago the Brewers would draft 10th based on record).

[jerichoholicninja]

Type 1 diabetic weighing in on this. Good call by the Brewers. Yes, you can be a pro athlete and have diabetes but the fact that he was just diagnosed means its going to take him at least a year, if not more, to figure out how is body is going to react to the physicality of being a pro baseball player and the effect it has on his blood glucose and how to make sure that he will be in top condition for each start. Brandon Marrow and Jason Johnson are two diabetic pitchers but they had been for a while by the time they became pros. Jay Cutler was a pro when he found out but he was already an established starter in the NFL. Covey would have to learn how to live a new life style, eat a new diet and become a major league pitcher at the same time. I can't imagine how much his development would be stunted by this. He may someday have become a good major leaguer but i think that that would be well past his time with the Brewers because his development would have been so far behind.

[TheCrew]

I understand what your saying, but by turning down the bonus, he's shut himself out of that money for at least 3 years, possibly forever. That money could be a serious asset in dealing with his issues.

 

If he takes the money, nothing changes for him tomorrow. He could stay home as long as he wants if he turns pro now. Did you really think the Brewers were going to demand he be in Arizona tomorrow if he signed? By choosing college, he's actually rushing the life style adaptations he'll be going through. The scheduale of a college student athlete is far more hectic than a minor league baseball player. If he had signed, he wouldn't leave the Maryvale complex until 11 months from now. It would be a far more stable environment than college.

Money isn't everything and a lot changes if he takes the money - No the Brewers wouldn't have demanded he be there tomorrow, but they would at some point and clearly the kid and his family has put his medical issues ahead of his baseball career. Good for him and his family - type I diabetes is more serious than a lot of people realize.

 

I'd also have to disagree that the schedule of a college student/athlete is far more hectic than a minor league ball player. For one, he now has 4 years that he is going to be in SD - looking at their site and last seasons schedule, a majority of games are played at home and all are played in Cali.

 

I think you need to look at this from a longer term perspective than where he would be in the next 6-9 months. 3 years down the road he will be in San Diego, had he accepted the the contract, he probably wouldn't be in the AZL then.

[YoungGeezy]

Does it? We get the same pick next year. If we sign a couple of good pitchers with our two first round picks quickly next year they won't be that far behind where Covey would have been. Covey wasn't going to pictch at all this year for the brewers from what I understand.

I think it does. This team needs front line pitching badly. With this team's failure to develop front line pitching under Melvin, waiting another year for a 1st round pick closes the window even more with the Braun/Yo/Weeks/Hart core.

This can't happen to a team that need pitching asap, imo.

 

 

1) It is not like Covey would have been in the majors ready to be a front line starter any time soon. As mentioned before it took Odorizzi to years or short season ball before he even made it to Wisconsin. Now Covey would have probably been moved a little faster than that but the Brewers not not like to rush most pitchers through the system except for a few older 24/25 year olds like Fiers and Lomantagne. Have to believe 2014 would have been the earliest he could have helped (11' in A, 12' in AA, 13' AAA....which is extremely aggresive) Many rookie pitches don't jump straight to the front of the rotation so say it takes him one year of decent ball to really work his way as a number 2 guy. That is 2015 for best case scenerio that he could be the front of the line guy that we need. It may be just me but 2015 is a little far away to be considered a set back. Heck by 2015 Odorizzi may already have a ROY and CY Young in his case http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif lol

 

2) When I saw this it made me think of the JSOnline comment board but you can't really classify the Brewers lack of developed SP's to Doug Melvin because he doesn't really do that much when it comes to the draft. You could say under Jack Z or now blame Bruce Seid but not Melvin. Melvin can only be blamed for the the FA signings brought in or the pitchers he has traded for. When it comes to the draft, he puts it in his scouting directors hands and I think sets the budget for what they can afford to spend on picks. Thats really all. So yeah Melvin hasn't brought in front of the line pitching VIA FA or trades but Jack Z didn't bring many in VIA draft.