After winning 3 of 4 against the Royals, we are the sixth worst team. Still worse than the Astros though.
caminante11 said:After winning 3 of 4 against the Royals, we are the sixth worst team. Still worse than the Astros though.
1. Brendan Rodgers - Lake Mary HS (FL) - SS
2. Brady Aiken - LHP
3. Michael Matuella - Duke - RHP
4. Kyle Funkhowser - Louisville - RHP
5. Walker Buehler - Vanderbilt - RHP
6. Dansby Swanson - Vanderbilt - 2B/SS
7. Justin Hooper - De La Salle, Calif HS - LHP
8. Koby Allard - San Clemente, Calif HS - LHP
9. Trenton Clark - Richland HS, TX - OF
10. Nathan Kirkby - UVA - LHP
11. Nick Plummer - Brother Rice HS, MI - OF
http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=11017
Before all the drama began, Aiken was sitting 89-91 with his fastball which displayed some nice downward plane while topping out at 92. From the onset you could see the command wasn't there, but after a long layoff, this was not surprising.
The first batter Aiken faced worked a full count before hammering a mistake fastball out over the plate into the left-center field gap. Aiken would go on to face three more batters, striking out one, while mixing things up with his heat and hammer curve. Reports last year had the breaking ball coming across in the mid-70s range, but in this outing the velocity was in the 68-72 range with one spiking at 76 mph. It still had nice shape, but didn't seem to be as dynamic as it has been known to be.
They haven't specifically said what the issue was that made him leave yesterday. However, I know the back story on him. If he did blow the UCL out, the Astros don't look as bad for wanting protection in his contract now.Pilgrim said:His original problem was that his ligament was too small, right? So if he gets TJ I assume it would be a normal sized one?
I wonder where he'd go in the draft if he gets the surgery. Giolito and Hoffman were similar situations and their teams are probably pretty happy they drafted them. Might be a good pick for a certain team that could really use a prospect with ace upside.
Matuella also has back problems. I'd pass on him...multiple injury problems at his age are not a good sign.RedOctober3829 said:Mike Matuella needs TJ surgery. He was a candidate for the top pick. Hope he slides to 7.
Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:The problem with Matuella is that he's never shown the ability to actually pitch regularly for an extended period. This was supposed to be the year where he showed scouts that he could stay on the mound and take the ball every week. Even a guy like Jeff Hoffman, an analogous guy from last year's draft who had TJ and who was picked largely based on stuff and body-type, pitched 250 innings in college. Matuella has thrown 138 and never more than 58 in a season.
Other college arms projected in the Top 10 like Funkhouser, Buehler, and Kirby have been dominant this year so I think you'd need a hell of a projection on Matuella to take him over those guys (if they're available at #7).
Probably not, but then baseball has a history of father/son duos that actually really worked.Bigpupp said:I'm honestly curious, if his name were Daz Johnson would he be as interesting of a prospect?
Kylie McDaniel on the podcast a few weeks ago was saying the problem with Daz is that he was the best sophomore in the country and hasn't developed since then. That doesn't strike me as a really hopeful profile. I'd rather they take one of the college players since they've had more success there.Drek717 said:Probably not, but then baseball has a history of father/son duos that actually really worked.
Same could be said for Vlad Guerrero Jr. who is about to cash in, likely far more lucratively than Daz Cameron.
Patient teams have a lot of success against him. He likes to try and work the corners and get you to chase but his control isn't there enough every game. When his control is on, he's an Ace. When it's not, it's a lot of walks and hitter's counts.Brianish said:Maybe someone can provide a little context with me. What's going on with Kyle Funkhouser? Coming into this season, he seemed like a consensus Top 10, potentially Top 5 guy, and now I'm seeing him all over the place. People have him going as soon as the Rangers, and as late as Detroit. Is it just that the results haven't been there this season? His K/9 is pretty similar to last year, and his K/BB has improved, but his ERA is a bit higher. Are people noticing issues with his delivery or velocity? Are other guys just leapfrogging him?
7. Red Sox – Andrew Benintendi, CF, Arkansas
The Red Sox top targets (Swanson, Bregman, Tate, in that order) should all be gone by this pick. They’re been on Cameron and Fulmer all spring, along with Benintendi recently and Funkhouser until he completely fell apart over the last month. Cameron, Fulmer and Benintendi all make it here and it isn’t clear which Boston would prefer, but Benintendi’s combination of up-the-middle fit and high level of play in the SEC have scouts suggesting he’s the most likely pick here in this scenario.
That sounds about right. A few years ago, during Daz's sophomore summer, my sons team played in a showcase tournament against the East Cobb Astros, who had Daz in center and Mike in the dugout. I was pitching cage bp to our guys and talked to the EC bp pitcher while waiting to play. He told me then that Daz was going to be the #1 pick in the 2015 draft like it was a no doubter. I saw him up close that game and the next day for about a 1/2 game as we were waiting to play. With the expectations that I was watching the 2015 1st pick, I wasn't impressed. If I didn't have those expectations, I'm not sure what I would have thought. But I remember thinking I wasn't impressed with any one skill other than the fact that Mike Cameron was sitting on the bucket. A great deal of projectability when a kid is 15 is physical development and I think its easy to look over and assume the kid is going to grow into the frame the dad already had. Mike is 6'2" or so and I think the latest numbers on Daz has him a 6' even (not sure if that is even true).tmorgan said:Kylie McDaniel on the podcast a few weeks ago was saying the problem with Daz is that he was the best sophomore in the country and hasn't developed since then. That doesn't strike me as a really hopeful profile. I'd rather they take one of the college players since they've had more success there.