The countdown is on for MLB scouting directors. The draft is just days away, so it's time for them to rank hundreds of players. Here are the latest links on the 2010 draft:
- The Rangers' ownership problems means the team will be focusing on easily-signable players, reports Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
- Steve Gilbert of MLB.com thinks the Diamondbacks will look to add pitching after spending most of their early picks in the 2009 draft on position players. He also doesn't think Arizona will pay above slot to sign a player.
- Lou Montanez, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis tell MLB.com's Spencer Fordin what they remember about being drafted.
- Bryce Harper may have played his last amateur game and it's not just because the draft is approaching. He received a two-game suspension after being ejected, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale (Twitter link). MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo has video of the ejection.
- ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill hears that the Mets are high on Drew Pomeranz and Josh Sale. The Mets' decision could come down to players' asking prices, however.
- ESPN.com's Keith Law says the Mets could have a shot at Manny Machado, since the clubs picking between Pittsburgh and New York haven't shown clear interest in the high school shortstop.
- Rival scouts and executives expect the Red Sox and Blue Jays to be big spenders in the draft this year, according to Law.
- Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that the Jays will not shy away from tough signs.
- An MLB executive told Law that catcher Yasmani Grandal is looking for "Buster Posey money." Posey received a $6.2MM bonus from the Giants.
- If you're wondering who your team might select, check out this mock draft by three Baseball America writers.
Harpers reputation most likely proceeded him with the umpire. It didn’t help matters when the dirt went airborne.
well as you can see in the comments on that page that drawing a line in the dirt is an automatic ejection in some leagues. It goes with the showing up an umpire thing
That’s bull. Sure it may be a “rule” in some leagues but it certainly isn’t listed officially. The call was way outside on 2 strikes. He didn’t say anything. Sure he showed up the ump – the ump SCREWED UP. Since when does being “mature” equal not standing up for yourself?
It was a stupid call. I’m sure that Harper wishes he could have his line drawing back. I’m sure the ump wishes he didn’t overreact.
I never meant it was Harper’s fault. I play the game and that is something I could see myself doing tbh. I was just standing up for the ump.
Sorry – my comments weren’t directed right at you. More a general frustration of posts in this thread and in the original video clip.
I played baseball as well. You show umpires respect. I just don’t know when we crossed this line of umps being “gods” that can’t be challenged – even when it’s clear they screwed up. And more importantly, umpires are to show players respect. The umpire could have warned Harper, he could have verbally told him to take a seat, etc. Instead he went straight for the ejection in a game that was critically important.
What’s the difference between a player yelling at an umpire and pointing to the spot where they thought the pitch went and a player quietly walking away and drawing a line with his bat? They both are arguing the location of the pitch. They both are “showing up the umpire”. Yet one gets you booted automatically while the other happens EVERY SINGLE GAME and rarely leads to ejection.
I have read the stories on Harper and seen the clips online. Is it just me or does this kid just reek of bust? He has obviously excelled at playing with kids and has a huge ego to show for it which might prevent him from overcoming any problem in playing in the pros.
I agree, the talent is undeniable, but when, not if, he hits a roadblock, does he have the emotional maturity and intelligence to overcome it?
I think this is nonsense. Either pro ball will go smoothly and his confidence will prove justified or he’ll be humbled a little. He’s never had a reason to be humble.
It’s just you.
This is a guy who hit .442 with 29 homers and 18 SB in 215 at-bats with wood bats against older competition as a 17 year-old.
I saw him play twice. Quite impressed. Went 0-for-5 in one game then homered and stole a base in the next.
I can’t wait for people to harrumph about Harper’s character because of this suspension, even though the suspension is complete BS. Are we going to start dinging Kevin Gregg’s character for his ejection, too?
Also, setting aside talent difference, Yasmani Grandal shouldn’t ask for Buster Posey money. Posey needs that money because Brian Sabean’s never going to let him be a full-time major league catcher.
As a Jays fan, I am so excited about this draft! It could be a very significant turning-point for the franchise.
As a Jays fan i hope BA is right and we go for Whitson with the #11 spot. All this talk of Austin Wilson seems premature as I don’t see anyone gambling their first choice on him since he’s such a hard sign. If AA wants to make a splash he can def chose Wilson at #34 and im sure he’ll still be there and be just as expensive.
Harper must be undeniably talented, but there’s a world of difference between hitting JUCO pitching and solid minor league pitching. I don’t care if he’s only 17. We’ll see which way he evolves. He might explode into a star…but he’s just as likely to get lazy add a few pounds and lose some aptitude. The difference between a AAA player and a major leaguer isn’t much, so the value of the head is very important. Maybe not so much in the 30th round when only cab fare is on the line…but definitely when There’s $10 mill plus involved.
Have you seen any evidence that he doesn’t work hard?
Money does goofy things to people. I’m just saying he would be far from the first super-hyped phenom to flame out. I think sheer physical maturity will also change the ballplayer he will be. He’s the top of this draft class..not the top draft pick for all-time. The window for every drafted and signed player is narrow…..given injuries and the like. Hard work might not have anything to do with the outcome.
Then say it about any draft pick. NO ONE has called him the top draft pick of all time, and the risk you’re describing is with anyone.
He’s actually been referred to as the best prospect of all-time by scouts and publications. I’m just saying the risk is greater because of the money involved. Pujols flaming out in the 13th round at $60,000 wouldn’t have been as bad on the Cards as Harper sticking the Nats with a $10 or $11 million dollar AAA or backup catcher.
I’m talking about the pure business side. I’d say the odds on another 1st rounder signing for a million or two and becoming an excellent big leaguer are the same as Harpers. I’m sure glad I’m the Pirates. I wouldn’t be paying for the hype on Monday.
All in all he’s just not worth millions more than the #2—#3 pick etc.
First of all, name a scout or publication that’s called him the best prospect of all-time. And cite someone whose opinion counts, not the SI cover. I can’t recall even seeing someone call him better than Strasburg.
Second, it’s historically stupid to shy away from the consensus best player in a draft because of cost concerns. Sure, *someone* in a given draft is almost always going to be better after signing for much less money, but that consensus guy is a much better bet than any one guy you bet on. You can’t bet the field in the draft. Also, look at other guys whose demands were outlandish in the past. Sure, you’ve got Mark Priors out there. But do you really want to be one of the teams that passed on Mark Teixeira for cost reasons when he was the consensus best player in the draft? Or the Pirates passing on Wieters? Or the Rays passing on Alvarez and Posey? Someone in this draft is very likely to be better than Harper, but you don’t get to pick “someone else.” And if you’re picking one guy number one overall, Harper is the one with the best chance to be a franchise cornerstone caliber player. That likelihood and upside costs a lot of money.
I’m with you on drafting the the best player based on pure ability. I agree that the Nationals or any other team drafting #1 have to take that strategy. What I’m trying to say is that the signing bonuses are too high given the risk involved. Will these teams be able to recoup the $10-15 million they sink in. What ARE their actual values. I’m curious to know that. It’s obvious what teams will pay, but what is Harper actually worth.
Baseball Prospectus did a report a few years ago about player values. They said A-Rod wasn’t worth his contract to the Yankees. Not based on anything on the field, but from the standpoint that he himself didn’t make his own contract back for the Yankees.
Player values at the major league free agent level tend to be too much because the players have usually already hit their prime by the time they sign multi-year deals (e.g., Sabathia will be under contract when he’s no longer nearly an ace). Cliff Lee will be 31 this offseason, and has had two outstanding years in the majors so far. Some team is going to sign him for five or more years at more than $15 million per year. That’s much riskier than giving $15 million total to a potential superstar that you will have under team control for six years once he reaches the majors.
Draft picks are paid much, much less than their free market value. Aroldis Chapman is much less polished, had faced much worse competition, and pitched in front of scouts much less than Strasburg, but got twice as much money. On the open market, Strasburg would have gotten more than $50 million. Harper would get way more in an open market. The year of the loophole draft free agents, those four guys got much more than the teams that drafted them would have paid them, and none of them was the prospect Harper is.
Where do you get that from? Seriously, that’s just made up BS.The kid has achieved at his age what NO other prep prospect has done. You can’t compare him to older kids – all you can do is look at how talents like A-Rod were developed at age 17. Harper ranks among them.He is a gym rat that spends all his time doing baseball. Why would he suddenly get lazy and lose ability? Just because you get a payday doesn’t mean you stop trying. In fact, that is by far the exception rather than the norm.Of course, he might totally fail. But the same thing is true for EVERY SINGLE PLAYER DRAFTED. Strasgburg could be a bust. His arm could fall off, he could lose his touch, etc, etc. The fact is the draft is inherently risky. The best thing you can do is manage that risk appropriately. Bryce Harper is the best risk out there right now. Absolutely no question about it. People are just looking for an excuse for him to fail at this point. It really is just silly.
Every single player that gets drafted won’t put the organization on the hook for a $10+ million major league contract. There are two things going on here. Harper’s ability and it’s real value. I’d much rather see teams like the Pirates and Royals spend on the draft than mediocre free agents, but saying that any draftee is worth what these guys are asking is ludicrous.
What I’m saying about his body and ability is that right now he is WAY ahead of the curve as a 17 year old. As other players mature they will close the gap and he might also regress….making him less appealing as time goes on.
The top rounds are pretty much a given in any draft. A teams drafting ability really shines from about #5-15. That’s where the risk is minimal and the reward is the greatest. The Cardinals got Pujols in the 13th round out of a Kansas City JUCO for a $60,000 signing bonus after originally offering him $10,000.
Cory …
You can’t do that. You can’t point to Pujols and marvel at what a great signing he is. Pujols is a once in a generation player who was passed up by every single team in baseball. Piazza was a 62nd round pick. Does that mean that picks in round 50 and beyond represent the best value? Absolutely NOT. Pujols and Piazza would have been tremendous picks even if they were picked 1st overall and signed to the largest draft bonuses ever.
The fact is, the probability of even making it to the majors is fractional once you move beyond the first few rounds. Virtually everyone who is an impact player was signed internationally or came from the early rounds of the draft.
All Harper has to do to justify his paycheck is make it to the bigs and contribute in some way. If a win is worth about $4m, he could sign a record deal of $16m and then be worth 4 wins over the next 6 years. Pretty easy to do.
If the top few rounds have the teams close to equal, then that makes the later rounds important in seperating organizational quality. These guys don’t NEED to pan out. They can be used as bargaining chips in trades with teams willing to take a chance.
I’d rather the Mets pick up Grandal or Choice.
Lou Montanez talks about being drafted, reporter asks why the hell someone would actually draft him