41 replies to this topic

[SoxScout]

@donnydragons MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: Doncaster's Daniel McGrath has signed with the Boston Red Sox.

Ace pitcher set to try his arm in the US
November 27, 2011

MELBOURNE Aces manager and international scout Phil Dale believes 17-year-old Doncaster pitcher Daniel McGrath is the next on the radar to head to the US after fielding a swag of major league contracts.

The explosive young talent - who made his debut on the Aces' roster last season - is choosing between going to college in the US and signing a professional contract.

But it appears certain that he will join the more experienced Aces pitcher Shane Lindsay - who signed with the LA Dodgers last week - to head to the US at the completion of the Aces' season.

''He's [McGrath] an amateur and still in the under-18 program but he pitches for us and he's doing a really good job, better than I've seen him pitch for a long time,'' Dale said.

''I think he's had offers but he's just playing around with what options are the best for him.''

He's 6'3. Doesn't turn 18 until July 7th.

Edited by SoxScout, 07 February 2012 - 08:41 PM.

[StuckOnYouk]

The next Jon Lester would be nice!

[CaptainLaddie]

That's exactly who I thought he looked like, too. Heh.

[Traylora]

oh! incredible things )

[Orel Miraculous]

This is exciting. Not because I have any idea whether he's any good, but because MLB Network is broadcasting the ABL championship series this weekend featuring McGrath's Melbourne Aces against the Perth Heat.

[SydneySox]

If only that were more exciting down here

[SoxScout]

The 6-foot-3 southpaw will also pitch in the under-18 Nationals for a third time, having already shown the best velocity (approximately 91 mph) of any Australian pitcher to throw in the tournament.

According to one major league source, there were 15 big league organizations interested in McGrath, who narrowed down his decision to three teams at the end. A longtime Red Sox fan, McGrath turned down richer offers from other teams in order to sign with the Sox, the source added. The Red Sox were represented at Tuesday's signing by the organization's scouting director for the Pacific region, Jon Deeble, who first saw the big lefty pitch four years ago............. He was thought to have drawn the most interest from major league clubs of any Australian teenager in at least the past 10 years.

http://www.weei.com/...tralian-pitcher

Edited by SoxScout, 07 February 2012 - 10:45 PM.

[Over Guapo Grande]

Writes righty, throws lefty?

[SydneySox]

http://www.weei.com/...tralian-pitcher

Interesting that the article neglects to note that Jon Deeble doesn't just work for the Sox, he's the National Coach of the Australian team a well. It's a little bit of info, but a fairly relevant one when it comes to this sort of thing, because Deeble would have been around this kid for a long time.

[Sprowl]

Writes righty, throws lefty?

It's a rare mix, but not unheard of. Sometimes the power hand and the skill hand aren't the same. I write lefty, and throw righty (not at 91 mph, unfortunately).

[strek1]

This is rather "Out of the blue" is it not? Hope he pans out. The Minors did need some reinforcements.

[PedroSpecialK]

I did not know there was an Aussie Stevie Janowski

[Freddy Linn]

Writes righty, throws lefty?

Rafael Nadal is the same.

[SydneySox]

A friend in the ABL passed this info on:

"Well I can add he's a product of the MLB Australian Academy having first attended in 2009 as a 14 or 15 year old. He was the top pitcher in the recent U-18s Oceania Championships, won by Australia, where he was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over nine innings in which he allowed four hits and struck out 18. He'll have a short visit to Spring Training then come home to finish Year 12 and attend the Academy again this year."

[Carl Everetts Therapist]

Watching that 2 second clip it looks like he could lengthen his stride and short arm the ball a little less. I am hardly the pitching expert, but it looks like he has a real possibility to add velocity with some coaching, age, and weight training. A raw kid whose a lefty and throws hard with a prototypical "pitchers"frame, this looks like a nice signing, I wonder how he would have fit into a typical draft board. Depending on the money (says he took less to come to Boston) this seems like the kind of move that good farm systems make.

Edited by Carl Everetts Therapist, 08 February 2012 - 07:31 AM.

[Orel Miraculous]

ABL.com Article

Stats

Strangely he's only pitched in 12 of Melbourne's 45 games and went a full month without an appearance from Dec. 20 to Jan. 22. Hopefully we get a look at him this weekend.

10.2 IP, 14 H, 8 BB, 11 K, 6.75 ERA.

[rembrat]

I shall call him... "Bloodbath" McGrath.

[trekfan55]

This is worth pointing out:

Source: Red Sox lock up highly-regarded Australian teenage pitcher Daniel McGrath -- hat tip to @sonsofsamhorn http://fullcount.wee...daniel-mcgrath/

Bradfo's twitter link

[Harry Hooper]

Watching that 2 second clip it looks like he could lengthen his stride and short arm the ball a little less. I am hardly the pitching expert, but it looks like he has a real possibility to add velocity with some coaching, age, and weight training. A raw kid whose a lefty and throws hard with a prototypical "pitchers"frame, this looks like a nice signing, I wonder how he would have fit into a typical draft board. Depending on the money (says he took less to come to Boston) this seems like the kind of move that good farm systems make.

Agreed, he cerainly could add more leg drive to that delivery.

[SydneySox]

I shall call him... "Bloodbath" McGrath.

Won't work. We, like the Irish, pronounce McGrath as McGrar.

So you'll have to call him Bloodbar McGrath.

[MrNewEngland]

Rafael Nadal is the same.

So does Jon Lester.

[rembrat]

Won't work. We, like the Irish, pronounce McGrath as McGrar.

So you'll have to call him Bloodbar McGrath.

And the worst off-season ever continues.

[SoxScout]

http://www.smh.com.a...0208-1rf0x.html

$400K

[The Allented Mr Ripley]

Won't work. We, like the Irish, pronounce McGrath as McGrar.

So you'll have to call him Bloodbar McGrath.

Bostonians can legitimately get away with Bonesaw McGrath, then.

[steveluck7]

Bostonians can legitimately get away with Bonesaw McGrath, then.

Jerry Remy certainly can. It'll fit right in after he reads the spot for A-mee-kerr insurance

[SydneySox]

Bostonians can legitimately get away with Bonesaw McGrath, then.

This will definitely work.

Bonsar Magrar

[Sprowl]

This will definitely work.

Bonsar Magrar

Isn't it a little early for Talk-like-a-pirate Day?

[Rudy Pemberton]

Our best aussie prospect since james alsbury?

[Rough Carrigan]

Oceania? We've always been at war with Oceania!

[Freddy Linn]

So does Jon Lester.

Further research shows Billy Wagner was righty as a kid, broke his pitching arm, and switched to lefty. Everything else is righty.

Mickelson plays golf and bats lefty but is a righty.

[Papelbon's Poutine]

Mickelson plays golf and bats lefty but is a righty.

He mirrored his dad's swing as a kid, literally standing across from him and copying it. He can play golf right handed as well.

[Orel Miraculous]

Game 1 of the ABL Championship starting now on MLB Network. Not sure if McGrath is active though.

[HangingW/ScottCooper]

To all those looking for a nickname... what about Sugar Ray?

[shepard50]

Interesting that the article neglects to note that Jon Deeble doesn't just work for the Sox, he's the National Coach of the Australian team a well. It's a little bit of info, but a fairly relevant one when it comes to this sort of thing, because Deeble would have been around this kid for a long time.

Just to reinforce this point: from the ABL Aces news site

There was no doubt in his mind that Boston were the best fit.
"It was an easy decision in the end. Jon Deeble called us and my mum said we'd let him know within ten minutes and she called him back twenty seconds later."

We should hire Hire College Coaches as Red Sox scouts.

[AlNipper49]

From lurker "John"

Hi there

Just a lurker from New Zealand here who saw the following article on ESPN today:

http://espn.go.com/b...ive-without-pap

There is more on Mark Melancon’s recent visit to New Zealand in the national daily “The New Zealand Herald” here:

http://www.baseballn...con-pitching-in

Maybe visiting our fair shores is a good omen for MLB baseball players as Curtis Granderson did so last year – and though he is with the hated Yankees he his break out year.

I tried joining up a couple of times at SOSH, but never did get a reply. Has there been a change of process?

I’m quite a Celtics fan also and wanted to send something in about Steven Adams, who is seen as a legit chance, as a NBA centre. He is attending the University of Pittsburgh this year:

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10776226

He is the younger brother of Valerie Adams who is the current Olympic and World Champ in the women’s shot-put. So… he has some good genes!

Good luck to all the Boston teams.

[SydneySox]

Nip you racist, we're not the same place.

Regardless; Mark and his family went out there this year and Curtis Granderson this year. A good friend (my local MLB source) was with them and reported that Melancon is a fantastic guy, and Granderson too. Obviously, MLB sponsored the trip. I got a signed Melancon hat from my friend which is super-awesome and goes right to the Pool Room with my signed Javier Lopez shirt. Prized possessions.

This is part of MLB's global push, and a way to further build the ABL. New Zealand usually ends up with a team in our competitions (Wellington Phoenix in the soccer, NZ Warriors in our Rugby League etc) and the ABL does have a long term game that would potentially have an expanded competition and NZ would be an obvious place to base a team, but that's all very pie-in-the-sky because the ABL can currently only dream about being mainstream and financially comfortable enough to expand that far.

Melancon had just been traded to the Sox and this was obviously a long-planned trip. I smsed a few questions over about the trade but didn't get any inside info. He was 'excited' etc and that's all I learned. He's a smart dude and good with the media so it's no surprise he said all the right things.

[Troy O'Lovely]

Not to belabor a tangential point but didn't JD Drew throw righty and bat exclusively lefty? http://www.photofile...er/JD-Drew.html Check out which hand his glove is on.

[Sausage in Section 17]

Throwing righty and batting lefty isn't unusual at all, though the reverse is quite rare.

What others were finding remarkable was that he pitches and writes using different hands.

[Lose Remerswaal]

.

Edited by Lose Remerswaal, 06 March 2012 - 06:18 PM.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Like, ohhhh, Yaz? (BL TR)

[OttoC]

BR TR -- 10175
BL TL -- 2552
BR TL --513
BL TR -- 1912
BB TR -- 898
BB TL -- 175

Baseball-databank.org's database: does not include players who made their debuts in 2011 (I haven't updated yet).

[snowmanny]

Like, ohhhh, Yaz? (BL TR)

Or Ted.