Draft Pick Discussion Thread, Rounds 1-5

[Never Outhustled]

That includes Daniel Bard, who many liked.

 

To me, Bard was just never that productive. He has a big fastball, but he's never developed his breaking ball to the point where he could dominate college hitters. I think he'll end up in the bullpen down the line because of this.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

Melvin said this morning on 1250 (WSSP) that he thought Butler would last until the 4th round, and that the Brewers would probably have drafted him there.

[Big Reed]

Don't know much about Jeffries other than the written word provided here. However, unlike past drafts, there is no player after Jeffries that really stands out or perked my interest. in the past , we've taken flyers on injured players with high ceilings, or college players with great production.

 

but this class of picks just says nothing - well ok, it was a draft. nothing special. The brewers didn't make any stupid pick - just none to get overly excited about. I didn't see any other team doing much better.

 

In the past, people would say the baseball draft is just a crap shoot, and I would disagree with them and say there are certain players who will be stars. Weeks was one of those players you knew would be a star, as was Fielder. but this year, I have to join the masses and say this baseball draft will be a crap shoot. obviously there will be players who become stars. but based on their performance this year, the stars are going to be hard to pick out from the also rans.

 

In the past, people have said small market teams need to build up their farm teams to be successful. I can't see the Royals or Brewers getting a lot of future starters out of this year's draft. Unfortunately, both small market teams are going to have to learn the future success of their franchise cannot be solely dependent on their draft. They are going to have to pony up and spend some money on some free agents to fill in the holes. Spending $50 million on payroll and hoping to have a great draft is not going to add up to a winning team. I realize Melvin knows this, but many fans do not.

[Kaukauna]

Brewers signed the Brewer, per release from the team:

 

The Milwaukee Brewers today signed second-round pick SS Brent Brewer (Sandy Creek HS, Fairburn, GA).

 

Brewer will report to the Rookie Arizona Summer League Brewers.

[jwaltz]

I guess my trepidations about him signing or going to FSU were unwarranted. It's nice to see him signed so quickly. I wonder if they had a pre-draft deal in place or if he just accepted their first offer.

[PeaveyFury]

Pre-draft deal is likely, but you can be sure regardless that if the Brewers took him in the 2nd, that the committment to FSU had been discussed and the Brewers were confident it wouldn't be an issue.

 

But I'm guessing pre-draft deal. The financial details will help us figure it out.

[jwaltz]

Here's John Sickels' take on our selection of Jeffress.

 

From www.minorleagueball.com/

 

16) Brewers: Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Halifax County HS, South Boston, VA

As you guys know, I love this guy. Not (just) because of the 100 MPH fastball. . .Colt Griffin taught us not to get excited about that. . .but because of his athleticism, his delivery, and strong makeup reports. He needs development time, but it looks like a good pick to me.

[brewmann04]

will brewer be playing Second or will he be tried as a CF

[plowjockey]

One of the interviews out there said they'd start Brewer at short and go from there. A couple of scouting reports I've read say if he moves it would be to left field, which suprised me, seeing as though he is supposed to be a superior athlete. CF would seem more logical, but what do any of us really know, other than what we read, and then it's only what someone wants to tell a journalist. If this guy hits, they'll find him a spot.

[geothite]

I bet the Brewers had two guys at this spot.

They called Mitchell before the draft and Brewer.

Mitchell was a no go and Brewer indicated to them that he wanted to play baseball. I think Minnesota picked Mitchell in the later rounds, I think he really wants to play football at LSU.

I like this pick and Jeffress pick very much. There are 4 or 5 that I think are interesting if we can get them signed.

 

I know it is "DOUG MELVIN", not Bob.

I am old.

[Chio151]

Found this in google news (tallahassee.com):

 

Quote:

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The shortstop was selected in second round of the draft by the Brewers for a bonus believed to be about $500,000. The Brewers will also pay for a college scholarship.

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[Kaukauna]

BREWERS SIGN TOP DRAFT PICK

 

RHP JEREMY JEFFRESS TO REPORT TO ARIZONA BREWERS

 

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers have signed RHP Jeremy Jeffress, their first selection (16th overall) in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. The signing is contingent on the passing of a physical.

 

The signing was announced today by Special Assistant to the General Manager/Director of Amateur Scouting, Jack Zduriencik.

 

?We are very pleased to have come to terms with our first-round selection,? said Zduriencik. ?This is an indication of a young man with a desire to begin his career immediately. Jeremy has an understanding of getting into uniform sooner rather than later to help begin the developmental process.?

 

Jeffress, 18, is scheduled to begin his professional career with the Arizona Brewers in the Rookie Arizona League. He went 5-1 with a 0.19 ERA at Halifax County Senior High School this season, striking out 71 batters in 37.0 innings pitched.

 

Jeffress is expected arrive in Milwaukee this weekend.

[brewerfan82]

Quote:

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BREWERS SIGN TOP DRAFT PICK

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Wow! That was quick! I knew without a college commitment this should be a quick sign, but I don't remember any of our first rounders ever signing this fast.

 

You've gotta love that the kid really wants to play and isn't worried about the financial side as much.

 

Have any other teams signed their top pick yet?

[Southwest Brewer]

With all the guys we've trotted out of the pen I'd get a kick out of having Jeffress pitch an inning of flamethrowing.

 

Just for a day or two between when they give up on the next guy and the time it takes to find a replacement. Maybe between the time when Jackson gets his last start and whoever comes off the DL to take his spot 5 days later.

Then send him down to Arizona/Helena.

 

I know. Not gonna happen, but it would be fun to see the guy throw a single inning in mop up work or something.

[don1481]

Quote:

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it would be fun to see the guy throw a single inning in mop up work or something.

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Sure that'd be fun but...

 

1. We'd have to add him to the 40-man for that and start burning up options *sigh*

2. When we'd drop him from the 40-man (which would most likely have to happen unless we want to keep burning options for the next few years), wouldn't every other team in baseball get a crack at claiming him...?

[heresrobin]

Was anybody else a little surprised that the Brewers did not select a catcher in the first 3 or 4 rounds? Rather, they chose to address catcher picks as the draft went on.

 

In looking at Colby's catcher profiles on the homepage, it seemed like there were a lot of solid catcher prospects in the 2-4 round range. Somebody like say a Tartamella or Langley.

 

Once they passed on Conger and Sapp, I was hoping for a catcher with one of next few picks.

 

Nothing against the guys we did take in rounds 2-5 or the catchers we took later on. Bouchie and Whiteside look like really good players. But personally I was hoping they would address the catching position a little bit earlier on. It's my only real criticism, albeit probably a weak one, with the draft.

[colbyjack]

Was anybody else a little surprised that the Brewers did not select a catcher in the first 3 or 4 rounds?

 

That was definitely the one thing that surprised me this year. Not so much for catching being an organizational need, but for the simple fact that the Brewers had several top catching prospects, including Conger, Langley and Mike Murray at their pre-draft workout. I think that alone is a true testament that the team does indeed draft the best player available, because I do believe the organization had every intent to select a catcher, if they could before they took Bouchie.

[heresrobin]

Just wondering if anybody else watched any of the Oregon State vs. Stanford series on ESPN and saw Cole Gillespie play?

 

From what I saw (as much as you can gather from watching just 3 at-bats) he looks pretty much as advertised. A pretty imposing, strong right-handed swinger. He looks pretty focused up there and seems to have a nice line-drive swing. The guy is having an incredible year at the plate and hopefully he continues it on through to the Championship game.

 

Anybody else have some better insight on Cole from watching him lately?

[colbyjack]

I watched a few Oregon State games just to have the chance to see Gillespie play. I think your observations are very accurate. I was impressed by how Gillespie actually is. He has a MLB body, that's for sure, and reminded me physically of Jeff Kent, particularly with his low, sloped shoulders (the tops of his shoulders look like they are a foot below the bottom of his chin).

 

Right now he looks like a dead pull hitter, but he made very good, consistent hard contact every time at the plate with a swing that is very short to the ball. He has some pretty good speed as well getting down the line to first base, and he moved from 1B to 3B on a ball a lot of players wouldn't have been able to (which is an underappreciated and important skill that I value).

 

I also agree that he looks very focused, intense. Since he somewhat came out of nowhere to become a legitimate prospect, you know he has put in a lot of hard work to get where he is today.

[Kaukauna]

Anundsen and Bouchie both in the fold, leaving just Gillespie unsigned in the top 10. Good stuff.

[brewmann04]

great news

thanks for the update

[heresrobin]

Colby, I was also pleasantly surprised with Gillespie's speed as well. I heard "corner outfielder," "lingering shoulder problems," and I immediately thought he would be a bit more lumbering, somewhere between say Carlos Lee and Adam Dunn. But Cole can move pretty well. I only saw him running out of the box to 1st but he seemed pretty quick and had some burst.

 

Anyways, Oregon State is the only team with a Brewers draftee left in the College playoffs and I believe Oregon State plays Miami at 6pm on ESPN on Saturday night. Of course, right during the Brewers/Indians game, but if you want to you could flip back and forth. Check it out.

[molitor fan]

While watching the Oregon State/Georgia game, I heard the announcers make mention that Cole Gillespie's favorite player was Barry Bonds, and that he recently met him at a restaurant. The humorous part in this is that Gillespie somehow convinced Bonds to give him a rather lengthy hitting clinic in the restaurant parking lot in which Gillespie picked the brain of Bonds. Gotta like the kids moxie, if not his choice of heros.

[Oldcity]

Well I've been in Omaha for the last three days, and I've seen three Oregon St. games. It's funny that you saw him as a pull-hitter Patrick, because almost all of his solidly-hit balls have been to the opposite field. He's had two doubles and a triple to right field, and he's been robbed twice in the right-center gap. He had one hit to the wall in left that was caught, and that's really the only pulled ball I can recall.

 

He has good speed and seems to be a good defender. He had an absolutely outstanding diving catch the other day. He seems to be a solid line drive hitter with a little pop. I believe he's hitting around .415 in the post-season, and his season average is .388. I've been very impressed with what I've seen.

[Oldcity]

 

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/saltstadt/DSCF0375.jpg

 

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/saltstadt/DSCF0406.jpg

 

Here's a few photos I took... Sub-par quality but I thought some might be interested. The bottom pic is Jemile Weeks. I'm sorry about the hugeness... I read the faq on how to re-size but I'm pretty computer illiterate, and I obviously was missing something.

 

 

 

(resized pics -TC)