Baseball Draft Discussion

by JWO on May 27, 2009 1:35 PM EDT Comment 16 comments

We're just a couple of weeks away from the MLB 2009 Draft, and I thought it might be interesting to have an open discussion about what the Cardinals might do. Currently, they are slotted with the 19th pick in the draft. I'm curious what the community thinnks the FO will do in terms of its selection. Last year's selection (The Walrus) is thus far turning out to be a pretty smart move. What is in store this year?

My quiet hope is that somehow, Aaron Crow slips to the Cardinals due to his contract shenanigans in 2008. I doubt it will happen, but you never know. We all remember (painfully) how low Porcello fell.

What do you folks think? Any dark horse candidates?

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I don't know any names,

but I think they should look to get a high potential starting pitcher, preferably a lefty. That or a middle infielder. if Crow did drop that far, they would have to get him IMO.

by ultimatecardinalfan on May 27, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Best available.....

Though I may pass on that player if it were an OF.

I’d probably draft the best available SP, and I, personally, would prefer someone from college. The STL system isn’t stacked at anything other than high level OF’s, and right-handed MR’s. I don’t see the need to add a lefty SP just for the sake of adding one. If a LHP is the best SP available, sure. If not, take who ever is.

Blanking on the name, but I’d also keep an eye on the SS from USC.

"Stats are for losers," Muschamp said after last week's victory. "I like winning games."

by SoonerfanTU on May 27, 2009 4:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Grant Green

He’s got some tools, but his defense isn’t great and he rarely walks.

St. Louis Cardinals... defying win expectancy since 2008

by vivaelpujols on May 27, 2009 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

rarely walks scares me

I think it’s a good way to wind up with a guy like Joe Thurston, lots of talent but still struggles in the big leagues. Course this is a young guy we’re talking about, he could easily develop patience at the plate.

by TheBirds on May 27, 2009 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are we really going to waste a pick on another Tyler Greene?

Really? At least Tyler has a glove to go with his high K/no BB offense, Grant doesn’t even have that. Sure, he’s got tools, but so did Tyler when we drafted him and those tools never evolved into true skills. I think Green could fall into the second round, maybe not to us, but it would be foolish to pick another college SS in the first round based on potential, imo.

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on May 28, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anybody we draft at 19....

Is going to be on potential.

And I’ve heard that GG’s glove is fine, it is just his range at SS that is questioned. Not like he is a butcher in the field though.

Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket. According to the percentage people, you should be perfectly comfortable." - Manager Bobby Bragan

by SoonerfanTU on May 28, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree...

There are plenty of good college pitchers we could draft at 19 that have higher upside and are better put together as pitchers than Grant Green is as a SS. One or all of Rex Brothers, James Paxton, or Andy Oliver will be available at 19. All are lefthanders, something sorely missing in the Cardinal minor league system. All are more polished and have better potential as pitchers than Green does as a SS. Most mock drafts I’ve seen have the Tigers taking Green at #9 or have him falling out of the first round.

We found Brett Wallace in the middle of the first round last year because of signability issues for other clubs and he was considered the best bat in the draft. There is value at 19 and it doesn’t have to come from only players with tools and potential.

If we’re taking only “potentially good players” at #19, something is horribly wrong with our draft strategy or this is a very lean draft. I don’t think that either of those is the case.

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on May 28, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Second that

go for quality over positional significance. I take whoever is the best player who falls to us, regardless of position. But ideally, I’d go for one of the three LHP RB mentioned in his excellent draft primer, if available, and if no-one considerably better is out there.

Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.

by Felonius_Monk on May 28, 2009 7:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

James Paxton

Lefty out of Kentucky. Supposedly his last outing was down, but he’s capable of throwing mid-to-high 90s with a good breaking ball.

In what St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa called a "big day" for his club, starter Chris Carpenter took the mound for his first session of live batting practice and promptly buzzed the fuzz on catcher Jason LaRue’s chin with an errant fastball.

"Sorry," Carpenter called from the mound.

"Don’t say you’re sorry," LaRue barked back.

"He said it," pitching coach Dave Duncan said from the side of the cage, "but he didn’t mean it."
~ DG

by mateodh on May 27, 2009 7:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Some COLLEGE SENIORS I'd like to know more about are...

Bryan Marquez – 2B – NMSU
2009: 215 AB, .414 – 83 runs, 14 doubles, 22 homers, 85 rbi, 49:29 BB:K .534 OBP, .795 SLG

Gary Helmick – 2B – Towson
2009: 228 AB, .430 – 72 runs, 12 doubles, 9 triples, 17 homers, 51 RBI, 32:23 BB:K .502 OBP, .785 SLG

Tommy Nurre – INF – Miami (OH)
2009: 202 AB, .406 – 53 runs, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 17 homers, 54 RBI, 28:34 BB:K .498 OBP, .757 SLG
16 steals, 1 caught

Jordan Kreke – SS – Eastern Ill.
2009: 188 AB, .394 – 50 runs, 16 doubles, 3 triples, 13 homers, 59 RBI, 8:22 BB:K .433 OBP, .718 SLG
5 steals, 0 caught

Nate Freiman – INF – Duke
2009: .352, 47 runs, 15 doubles, 20 homers, 59 RBI .463 OBP, .703 SLG

Hayden Johnston – INF – Ohio
2009: .393, 61 runs, 25 doubles, 16 homers, 47 RBI, .448 OBP, .701 SLG

Matt Vern – INF – TCU
2009: .369, 56 runs, 15 homers, 45 RBI, .474 OBP, .699 SLG

J.T. Wise – C – Oklahoma
2009: .374, 17 homers, 61 RBI, .703 SLG

by stlfan on May 27, 2009 10:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I liked to learn more about Marquez

those 85 rbi’s caught my eye and he walks a lot. Also since hes at a small school he could drop to 3rd or something, he could be a long term solution for our woes at the keystone

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring" -Rogers Hornsby

by stlwcards on May 28, 2009 7:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs