Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 21-50

[battlekow]

Third-hand hearsay Chad Jones update from LSU message board TigerDroppings.com.

[DHonks]

umm...MEts tampering?

[YoungGeezy]

You never know with grandma's, maybe she just got Mets mixed up with Milwaukee. If not....Brewers better investigated and make the punishment rain on the Mets because thats not right or cool for them to be doing. We don't go behind there backs and try to sign and talk there picks into signing with us. (Essentially talking them out of signing by promising to give them this much more money next year as a pick or UDFA)

Without a doubt I think the Brewers need to pony up and extend his rights with Chad the same as the Angels did with Locker. I think there is no way he will be healthy enough to know what his future holds in the next month to sign him and you don't want to allow that talent slip your figures when baseball is looking like his best chance for professional sports. I was a football fan of his (except to soft for his size) but I just don't see him being able to fly around the field and take the everyday physical demands that the NFL has.

[uwisfan]

I thought the tampering conversation was meant as a joke. Wasnt this guy one of the last ones drafted and now he has a massive injury. I would think the Brewers have dropped all interest, however remote it was, by now... especially given he likely wont play this year. I'm not saying that the Mets would be okay to tamper, but why would they risk tampering on someone like that?

[colbyjack]

I wouldn't put much stock in that report.

[YoungGeezy]

I thought the tampering conversation was meant as a joke. Wasnt this guy one of the last ones drafted and now he has a massive injury. I would think the Brewers have dropped all interest, however remote it was, by now... especially given he likely wont play this year. I'm not saying that the Mets would be okay to tamper, but why would they risk tampering on someone like that?

Because he is without a doubt a 1st round caliber player... at two different positions (P and OF) who because of the injury may be limited to baseball in the future. With a serious leg injury like that it will not be easy to come back to physical grind of the NFL and cover 4.3 -4.4 WR's all day everyday. With baseball he doesn't have to deal with the brutal and physical demands of the NFL and could still perform at a high level. So in my opinion it would be dumb to drop interest and they really should try to extend his rights to see how this plays out. Plus the only reason he was drafted so low was because he was 100% commited to football, not even a slight chance for baseball...until the injury occured. Jones is no scrub ha if he was to sign with the Crew and be healthy, he may just be one of the biggest steals if draft history. Not everyday you get a 1st rounder in the 50th round

[battlekow]

Grafton edges Nicolet to gain state summer tourney berth

Special to the Journal Sentinel

Grafton had just two hits Saturday, but with Conor Fisk on the mound, that was plenty.

 

The Black Hawks defeated Nicolet, 1-0, in the final of the Cedarburg Sectional to qualify for the WIAA state summer baseball tournament for the first time since 1983 and second time overall.

 

Fisk, a Milwaukee Brewers draft pick who signed to play at Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Ill., allowed three hits and struck out nine.

 

C.J. Koehler drove in Robbie Doring in the fourth inning for the game's only run.

[Mass Haas]

Confirming what we pretty much knew already --

 

Scott Matyas, who Gopher baseball coach John Anderson rates as the best closer in college baseball, was drafted 28th by Milwaukee but will not sign and will return to the Gophers this season.

[Mass Haas]

Chad Jones out of the hospital after a one-month stay

[battlekow]

Squeeze bunt advances West Bend West past Grafton

Dave Boehler/Special to the Journal Sentinel

 

Stevens Point — Many years from now, maybe tales of how West Bend West scored its winning run in the last inning of a state baseball tournament game will morph into something more dramatic.

 

For now, the Spartans will settle for Joe Stubbe's ability to resist stabbing at a wild pitch on a suicide squeeze bunt attempt in the top of the seventh inning.

 

Not highlight-reel material, but it allowed Eric Ducharme to score the go-ahead run from third base in West's 9-7 come-from-behind quarterfinal victory over Grafton on Wednesday afternoon at Bukolt Park.

 

"It was just instinct," Stubbe said. "I figured the catcher had a better chance of missing it than me hitting it, so that's just what I did."

 

Stubbe eventually walked and scored on an error to give West its final two-run margin and a date with West Salem in the semifinals at approximately noon Thursday.

 

The Spartans (34-2), who overcame a 7-3 deficit, allowed Grafton to score six runs in the second inning on one hit. Five of the runs were unearned because of three errors.

 

"For us to get out of there with a win is magical," West coach Bill Albrecht said.

 

Grafton finished with a 21-10 record after going 4-23 last year. The Black Hawks also overcame the death of senior outfielder Matt Malkowski (car accident) shortly before the season began and reached state for the first time since their debut in 1983.

 

"The finish is heartbreaking," Grafton coach Brian Durst said. "But we don't let that overshadow what we've done along the way. To be able to look my seniors in the eye and have them look around, have all the kids look around at this field and realize where they're finishing. They climbed the mountain. They finished at state. Only one team gets to get out of here with a win to end it, and that'll be the championship team.

 

"West Bend West has so many ways of beating you. And they found a way to do it again. They earned the chance to move on."

 

West's rally began when Grafton senior pitcher Conor Fisk, a late-round draft choice of the Milwaukee Brewers in June, walked the first two batters.

 

"I wish I had that inning over," said Fisk, who struck out 11 but walked seven. "I couldn't even hit the zone. I didn't know what was going on at all."

 

Harry Steldt flied out to right field, but Matt Wolf was able to tag from second and put runners on first and third with one out.

 

Shane Hayes, who struck out in his first three at-bats, attempted a squeeze bunt but fouled the ball back to the screen.

 

He swung away but also fouled the next pitch for a 0-2 count. Hayes then tied the score at 7-7 on a single to left field.

 

"I just wanted to make contact," Hayes said. "Obviously, I wasn't making contact all game."

 

Albrecht also ordered the squeeze bunt with Stubbe at the plate and another runner on third.

 

"A squeeze puts a lot of pressure on the defense," Albrecht said. "Sometimes you don't always have to do it right."

[UeckerPowell]

Callis also answered a Chad Jones question on twitter.

 

"Goes into 2011 draft. @MitchellNJ: Chad Jones may not play football again. If Brewers don't sign him by 8/15 what happens to his BB rights??"

[jwill535]

I think he would be worth a $50,000 bonus as a sort of holders fee. He is a very talented pitcher and given then likely hood of him not playing football, he may be inclined to take the money too.

[biedergb]

If he is really upper round talent, he would probably need to be wowed, as he could rehab and look to be taken a lot higher next year. Also, I wonder how much of his rookie contract with the Giants is guaranteed.

[battlekow]

Baseball America scouting report on Tc Mark:

Scouts are divided on catcher T.C. Mark. He didn't catch consistently

for his high school team this year and his arm is average, at best, but

some scouts think he'll be passable behind the plate, and if he is he

offers an intriguing package. One scout compared him to Brad Fullmer,

another bat-first prospect who tried to make it as a catcher before he

became a corner infielder. Mark has strong forearms and a good

line-drive approach from the left side of the plate. He has more of an

up-the-middle and opposite-field approach now, and could hit for more

power if he starts lifting and pulling the ball. He'll have to tone down

his swing, as he has a lot of head movement and is inconsistent. He

didn't crack BA's Top 200 but could get drafted in that range because

catchers--especially those who can hit--get pushed up draft boards. If

he doesn't sign, Mark will head to Arizona.

[battlekow]

Baseball America scouting report on Nick Shaw:

Barry has another potential D-II position draftee in senior Nick Shaw, a

shortstop who walked 49 times this year, the first time he failed to

draw 50 walks in a season. Shaw lacks power but can handle the bat and

has good offensive instincts. He's a fringy runner and fits better at

second base than as at short but should be a nice senior sign.

[battlekow]

Adam McCalvy:

One more note on the signing deadline: I know there

has been some interest in the Brewers' 50th round selection, Chad Jones,

a two-sport star from LSU who was also drafted by the NFL's New York

Giants. Jones was involved in a serious car accident in late June, and

Seid said that, "based on all the [medical] information that we do have

and do not have," it is unlikely that Jones will sign with Milwaukee.

[Never Outhustled]

Adam McCalvy:

One more note on the signing deadline: I know there has been some interest in the Brewers' 50th round selection, Chad Jones, a two-sport star from LSU who was also drafted by the NFL's New York Giants. Jones was involved in a serious car accident in late June, and Seid said that, "based on all the [medical] information that we do have and do not have," it is unlikely that Jones will sign with Milwaukee.

Dang, that's disappointing. It really would have been exciting having Jones in the system.

[sveumrules]

Why not throw 250K his way just in case? It seems like the potential reward far outweighs the risk, especially when you consider how many million we're eating this year on the likes of Hall and Suppan.

[miggs721]

sign Gibson, looks like talks have broken off with Covey....way to go scouting department

[jackalope02ca]

In regards to Jones it sounds like the Brewers have done their homework in regards to looking at the medical that is available. If he's withholding medical there is likley a reason. Wasn't opposed to signing him but if the medical indicates he won't play baseball why waste money.

 

At least they did their homework on one front. Doesn't look like they did a very good job with their homework in regards to the signability of guys.

[YoungGeezy]

Brewers scouting departmant is one of the best out there at signing all there high picks and most mid-round picks....your post was before the Covey news came out so can't fault eighter of you two but really you couldn't ask for much more when it comes to Brewers signing picks. Now with 2 million freed up on our budget, how about we give Gibson a ring and give him that first 2 round money he wanted? He lost a big high school arm so mid as well sign the 2nd or 3rd best one we drafted (Not sure who is better, him or Pierce)

[ILuvDaBush]

I would definitely say that Gibson would have been a quality consolation prize. If we would have given Covey a physical earlier, and thus negated a lot of Dylan's interest in turning pro, we could have put on a much better push for one of, if not, the best prep southpaw in Florida. Now...all I can really hope for is a Cuban or a Dominican. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mass Haas]

For what it's worth, this blogger indicates the Brewers offered lefty Daniel Gibson a bonus in excess of $500,000 to sign. The writer is either careless or simply doesn't indicate that Gibson did indeed honor his University of Florida commitment, instead just mentioning a generic "institute of higher learning".