After winning 3 of 4 against the Royals, we are the sixth worst team. Still worse than the Astros though.
2015 Draft Watch
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Updated status on the race to the bottom: http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings/_/group/9/sort/winPercent
Sox currently at #5, and appear likely to finish somewhere between 4-7.
Of the competition, the teams to root for wins out of are:
Minnesota (#4, +1.5 ahead of the Sox)
Houston (#6, -.5 behind the Sox)
Cubs (#7, -1 behind the Sox)
["ahead of" means ahead in the race to the bottom, also known as "behind"]
The Twins will be the one competitor facing a team that has a good reason to beat them (Tigers, in the hunt for clinching AL Central and playoff seeding). Houston and the Cubs will be facing teams unlikely to be giving a shit (Mets and Brewers, respectively). The Sox of course wrap up with the MFY.
Unfortunately, only the Sox will end the season with a home series... the Twins, Astros and Cubs are all on the road.
I'll guess its Pick #7.
Sox currently at #5, and appear likely to finish somewhere between 4-7.
Of the competition, the teams to root for wins out of are:
Minnesota (#4, +1.5 ahead of the Sox)
Houston (#6, -.5 behind the Sox)
Cubs (#7, -1 behind the Sox)
["ahead of" means ahead in the race to the bottom, also known as "behind"]
The Twins will be the one competitor facing a team that has a good reason to beat them (Tigers, in the hunt for clinching AL Central and playoff seeding). Houston and the Cubs will be facing teams unlikely to be giving a shit (Mets and Brewers, respectively). The Sox of course wrap up with the MFY.
Unfortunately, only the Sox will end the season with a home series... the Twins, Astros and Cubs are all on the road.
I'll guess its Pick #7.
Looking at that Fangraphs list, it appears that there are a lot of good arms in the top-10, and some defensive SS options, even if it is overall really weak on bats at the top of the class. As someone looking for an ace, I'm pleased with what looks like it should be available to the Sox in the 5-8 range.
So they end up with the sixth-worst record, and therefore the seventh pick. Since the late-season wins came mostly because some of the young guys who are already in the organization played well, I'm happy. Someone like Betts, Vasquez, or Webster is much more likely to contribute to future Red Sox championships than whomever they draft in 2015, and it is very useful to the team to see them succeed at the major league level.
http://www.mymlbdraft.com/MLB-Mock-Draft
Just for fun...This sites been around for a while, not sure who runs it, but Walker Buehler at #7 would be incredible. Draft is pretty deep in arms.
Just for fun...This sites been around for a while, not sure who runs it, but Walker Buehler at #7 would be incredible. Draft is pretty deep in arms.
BA came out with an initial top 50 and a big writeup (sub required for the whole thing)
Big takeaways are: no consensus #1 yet, deep in college arms and prep outfielders. One scouting director said "this has the chance to be the best group of high school outfielders we have seen in years."
Imagine a Sox jersey with "Funkhowser" on the back. I'd buy it even if he sucks.
Big takeaways are: no consensus #1 yet, deep in college arms and prep outfielders. One scouting director said "this has the chance to be the best group of high school outfielders we have seen in years."
Imagine a Sox jersey with "Funkhowser" on the back. I'd buy it even if he sucks.
While I am always a proponent of BPA, it would be nice if that happened to be one of the prep outfielders with some power. If that's where this draft is deep, it might match up with with the home town team's needs. The farm system is pretty deep in infielders and pitchers, and the long term assets they have in the outfield is more of the speed and defense variety (Margot, Betts, Castillo, Bradley). You have to go down to number 20 on the SoxProspects list to get to an outfielder who has any chance at any power, and even he is already being talked about as potentially ending up at 1st base (Longhi). It's possible Devers moves to left field, of course, but the hope is that he sticks at third. Cecchini could move to left, but again, we're talking a skill set that is lacking in power.
I don't really buy into the notion that corner outfielders have to provide home run power, but you do need power from somewhere and at the moment they are looking at getting it from 1st, DH and hopefully shortstop in the short term with two of those three players likely out of the organization in three years. The best bet for replacements is a seriously injured Allen Craig and corner infield (mostly 1st base) types like Sam Travis or Travis Shaw. Maybe (hopefully) Devers is ready by then as well.
Regardless, I'm pretty well convinced Theo Epstein has the right idea in building the offense from within while looking for pitching on the free agent and trade markets.
I don't really buy into the notion that corner outfielders have to provide home run power, but you do need power from somewhere and at the moment they are looking at getting it from 1st, DH and hopefully shortstop in the short term with two of those three players likely out of the organization in three years. The best bet for replacements is a seriously injured Allen Craig and corner infield (mostly 1st base) types like Sam Travis or Travis Shaw. Maybe (hopefully) Devers is ready by then as well.
Regardless, I'm pretty well convinced Theo Epstein has the right idea in building the offense from within while looking for pitching on the free agent and trade markets.
@redsoxstats: Hear there is a multiple person Boston contingent in freezing Louisville scouting Kyle Funkhouser right now.
Brady Aiken made his first start yesterday for IMG Academy. He left with an injury in the 1st inning having only made a dozen or so pitches. Ben Cherington was in attendance.
Here is a brief summary of what his outing was like. Sorry about the color but that is how it came out.
Here is a brief summary of what his outing was like. Sorry about the color but that is how it came out.
http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=11017
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.
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.
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:
Brady Aiken did have TJ surgery, FYI. Announced it himself on Jeter's new Player's Tribune or whatever website.
I'd have to think that puts him squarely in the Red Sox' view for pick #7. They can afford to gamble a bit on his elbow holding up to have a shot at an ace level pitcher moreso than many of the other teams picking before them.
I'd have to think that puts him squarely in the Red Sox' view for pick #7. They can afford to gamble a bit on his elbow holding up to have a shot at an ace level pitcher moreso than many of the other teams picking before them.
I know nothing about either guy but if they are both top pick-worthy on talent alone that's a gamble I make every day of the week. No guarantees in the draft anyway, and in some ways TJS recovery can be more of a sure thing than some of the other stuff you hope for from a young pitcher - velo increase, offspeed development and so on.
Matuella also has back problems. I'd pass on him...multiple injury problems at his age are not a good sign.RedOctober3829 said:
The back issue is Spondylolysis which is pretty manageable once diagnosed and unless rad or drs corrects me (or another doctor) it's not really a major concern. Proper core strengthening can mitigate it and unless one of the docs want to correct me, it's not a major concern. I was actually diagnosed with this around the same age and while I'm obviously not a professional athlete, it's not something debilitating.
Despite the TJ, I think if he's there you have to pull the trigger on what could be a legit stud. 6'6", 220#, sits mid 90s with downward plane and movement and has secondary pitches to match. I know we said it two years ago when they took Ball but ideally the Sox don't have a shot at those kind of guys very often. Even with the rosy picture of the minor league system right now, the sox lack that kind of guy. I think they absolutely should take him if he's available.
Despite the TJ, I think if he's there you have to pull the trigger on what could be a legit stud. 6'6", 220#, sits mid 90s with downward plane and movement and has secondary pitches to match. I know we said it two years ago when they took Ball but ideally the Sox don't have a shot at those kind of guys very often. Even with the rosy picture of the minor league system right now, the sox lack that kind of guy. I think they absolutely should take him if he's available.
Yeah, I'm down on Aiken on account of the TJ, but being a high school arm, he was already a bigger risk. Matuella has similar upside, but is a hell of a lot closer to realizing it. If he's available and the medical staff think it's a good bet, I absolutely pull the trigger on him.
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).
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).
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 5h 5 hours ago
Heard the Red Sox have been "all over" LSU's Alex Bregman. 2B. 6 K, 19 BB, 7 HR this year. Kind of odd, short, contact swing.
Heard the Red Sox have been "all over" LSU's Alex Bregman. 2B. 6 K, 19 BB, 7 HR this year. Kind of odd, short, contact swing.
They drafted him out of high school and he is from almost the same area that Swihart came from. Makes sense.
@redsoxstats: As I tweeted last week, Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs [http://t.co/jwQBKNgW69] reports strong rumors of LSUs Alex Bregman at #7 to Red Sox.
It appears that Ben Cherington (or his doppelganger) was doing some due diligence on Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer.
Unless there's another thread I missed, it's probably a good time to get this thread back up and going again as we near the draft starting June 8 I believe. A few mocks I've seen have Bergman going to the Sox. Here's one site with updated preductions:
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb-draft
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb-draft
In a fresh mock draft, Keith Law sees the Sox grabbing Daz Cameron:
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft/mock/?season=2015&version=1&source=Keith-Law-Mock-Draft&refresh=true (Insider only)
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft/mock/?season=2015&version=1&source=Keith-Law-Mock-Draft&refresh=true (Insider only)
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?
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:
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:
Personally, based on what's left when they pick, if Fulmer is available, I'd like for them to pick him. (Assuming Swanson and Tate are gone). It feels like they're always trying to land that next Pedroia or Ellsbury type and strike out. Fulmer's pitched in all the big spots. It's the delivery that scares teams.
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:
I've looked at some scouting video's and he's clearly better than he was 2 summers ago, both physically and tools wise, but I just don't know if he's top 5 pick material. I seriously doubt he would have been such a high rated prospect 2 summers ago if not for the fact that he was Mike Cameron's kid and playing CF for the EC Astros. And if the current draft status didn't derive in some part from the projection 2 years ago, its hard to say where he'd fall.
Gammons weighs in on the draft possibilities
http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-potential-draft-choices-for-red-sox/
http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-potential-draft-choices-for-red-sox/