Official Draft Discussion Thread (Rounds 5-9)

[gregmag]

Use the link Toby just posted . . . it's some of the best baseball writing you'll read on BF.net, which is to say it's some of the best baseball writing you'll read anywhere.

 

Greg.

[BillScottCanRake]

Can we ban the word Maybin or add it to the curse word list? I am upset over that...

[And That]

Seattle stole our Prettyman.

[gregmag]

Maybe Jack Z. has picked up Doug Melvin's "quantity over (or at least in conjunction with) quality" strategy from the Sexson trade, because it feels like we've drafted about 15 3Bs so far today.

 

Greg.

[Katuluu]

I'm more of a fan of Sexson's wife myself....

[Katuluu]

Perhaps they've been watching to much Abbott and Costello lately?

 

Melvin: Who should we draft?

Jack Z: I don't know.

Melvin: Third base!

[SoCalBrewfan]

LHP Steve Garrison (4) grades out third among New Jersey?s elite high school arms for the purposes of this year?s draft, but some scouts believe he may end up better in the long run than Hunt or Mazzaro. He throws strikes with all his pitches, with command to both sides of the plate. His fastball was mainly in the 86-88 mph range this spring, but it has been 90-91 in the past and scouts have no doubt it will return to that velocity, and possibly exceed it because he is athletic and has good arm speed. He also has a quality slider that he can bury under the hands of righthanded hitters. On talent, mound presence and feel for the game, Garrison would surely go in the first 10 round, but he is a signability risk of a strong commitment to North Carolina, and that could knock him down and possibly right out of the draft.

[danzig6767]

Toby

 

Do you think the Brewers took Braun more on need or they truely thought he was the best available player?

 

I dont know Jack Z at all,but he doesnt strike me as the type to risk such a high pick on a guy he didnt really really like just to fill a need.

[brettac1]

Stevson Garrison, LHP, Hun School (NJ)

[And That]

Do you think the Brewers took Braun more on need or they truely thought he was the best available player?

 

They say they always take the best players available, but I have the feeling that argument would be a little bit of a cop-out in this case. Anyone would have a very difficult time making the case that Braun was THE best player currently available (even his supporters acknowledge that Maybin and others were in the same talent range). Did the fact that he played at a position of need influence the Brewers' want for him? Yes. If he had been a left fielder (or, if he had already been coverted to LF), I don't think the Brewers would have taken him.

 

I think they looked at what they had at third, and saw Braun with tunnel vision after Zimmerman and Gordon were selected. All I can say is, at least they didn't take Tulowitski. Braun will be a left fielder in 2 years and may or may not ever hit very well past AA.

[gregmag]

Right, but his supporters (and I don't know enough to be anything other than agnostic here) would then say that, if you have two or three basically equal players, and one fills a need, that's a fair tiebreaker. Wouldn't you agree -- even though you disagree with the premise that Braun is approximately even with Maybin?

 

Greg.

[And That]

Wouldn't you agree -- even though you disagree with the premise that Braun is approximately even with Maybin?

 

I'd agree that if two players are almost completely equal, you take the guy at the position of more need, but I don't really even consider Braun to be a long-term third baseman. That's part of the really big risk here for the Brewers. If you make Braun an outfielder down the line, that further distances him from Maybin.

[danzig6767]

If you make Braun an outfielder down the line, that further distances him from Maybin.

 

To be fair though,from what i've read there are questions about how Maybin will handle more advanced pitching.I'm not sold on Braun either,but their have been alot of highly thought of high school outfielders with long swings that never were able to handle better pitching.

 

Uggg,i just hope Jack Z was right.It could be awhile before we draft this high again ad this was a very important pick.Top 5 draft picks have a much better chance of being a cornerstone type of player than later first rounders..

[colbyjack]

Onto the 5th-9th picks:

 

Kevin Roberts is a good athlete, and just because some people think he's a future reliever doesn't mean the Brewers feel that way. He has three solid pitches in his fastball, curve and changeup, so I'm sure he'll start his career as a starer.

 

Hammond sounds like a left-handed version of Josh Baker. Big frame, polished repertoire and decent stuff. I always dig the lefties, so I'm anxious to learn more about him.

 

Michael Brantley is more like the prototypical Jack Z. pick, with good all around tools. Again, I can't say I know much about him, but I'm anxious to learn more.

 

How can you not like taking Rickie's little brother? He's committed to Miami, but as an 8th rounder I'm sure they will get him signed.

 

I really like the selection of Carlos Hereaud, who I have heard quite a bit about over the past year, particularly with my work with Perfect Game. Strong body, and a good hitter. He played SS in HS, but has been considered a 3B or 2B for the pro level for as long as I've been reading about him. The comparison to Alfonzo physically is a good one.

[And That]

I just watched Hereaud's scouting video, and I came away impressed with the stockyness/agility ratio of his body. He's pretty think, but he moves around well. Pretty good swing, too. My biggest concern involves his defensive footwork, especially when he releases the ball. He never sets his feet up the same way twice, and gets happy feet when he throws hard. His best throw on the tape (his most in control throw) was a feed into second base on a double play scenario.

[clancyphile]

Is Braun a risk? Yes. But then again, so were Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder.

 

Any complaints about those two picks?

[JoeHova]

I don't think Rickie was considered any more of a risk than any prospect. In fact, he was pretty universally considered a sure thing and many people were even comparing him to Joe Morgan and Hank Aaron.

[DHonks]

except Joe, his competition in college was only a small step above good HS baseball conferences. That's why I felt he was a risk

[And That]

Any complaints about those two picks?

 

Neither Weeks nor Fielder had the questions about their bat that Braun does. It is a really bad analogy.

[NastyTwig]

I'm no draft buff, but where are the questions about his bat coming from? The 50 ABs in the Cape? The hitch? BA says that he does have that hitch in his swing, but his hands are fast enough to make it a non-issue.