TBA 2013 Draft, Round 2 Review

What a wild 2nd round it was!  I always find the 2nd round to be the most fascinating.  Many times, the first round picks are obvious, but in the second round you have to be more knowledgeable or creative.  That being said, there were some true steals and and some outright "epic fails" (as my 4th grader would say).

All opinions are my own.  Direct your ire to me alone, and I'm pretty certain this will bring some ire.

1. (MAC) Brett Anderson -- HOLY MOLEY!!!  This may be the greatest 2nd round pick in the history of the TBA.  Good Joe says:  he got a potential #1 SP here.  This is how you rebuild a team.  Bad Joe says:  everyone from pick #11 in the first round on down should be ashamed for passing him over.
2. (BOW) Mike Fiers -- Good Joe says:  a pretty good 120+ innings here.  Bad Joe says:  not enough upside for a rebuilding team.
3. (BRI) N. Aoki -- Good Joe says:  very useful OF to plug in to a team that may be the NL favorite.  This is what a "Win Now" pick looks like.  Bad Joe says:  this may be the best card you get out of Aoki.  Joe of Washington BoozeHounds says:  I am so glad he did not take Brandon Moss or Ruggiano here.
4. (REN) J. Segura -- Good Joe says:  nice prospect pick-up for a team looking for middle infield help.  Bad Joe says:  that SS-4 is scary.
5. (SPO) WY Chen -- Good Joe says:  solid pick, will work well in that stadium.  Bad Joe says:  Nothing much.
6. (KC) B. Moss -- Good Joe says:  absolute monster card.  Bad Joe says:  if KC is planning to compete, nice pick.  Otherwise this is likely a wasted pick unless he's spun into a trade.  Expect his future to look alot like his pre-2012.
7. (NAS) J. Ruggiano -- see #6, "B. Moss".  I give Ruggiano a little more chance at a future than Moss, but not much.
8. (EVA) Brett Jackson -- Good Joe says:  Evanston got a home town favorite.  Bad Joe says:  What in Brett Jackson's profile at this point looks like a useful ML player?  If I had a dime for every guy who stunk and then reworked his swing and still stunk...
9. (SEA) Drew Smyly -- Good Joe says:  Seattle clearly has a plan to chuck LHPs at every hitter in his spacious stadium and it could work.  Bad Joe says:  if I squint, I can see a future #4 SP.
10. (SEA) Everth Cabrera -- Good Joe says:  best SS available in a weak field after Simmons.  Very useful player in a platoon against RHP.  Bad Joe says nothing bad about Seattle, but Hey London!   This is the SS you should have drafted to compete this year.
11. (ORE) Erik Kratz -- Good Joe says:  Carlos Ruiz is suspended...  OK, I got nothing here.  Bad Joe says:  Clearly the O. Hudson pick of last year was completely forgotten.  I am reminded of a famous Mel Kiper line about the Colts during an NFL draft:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvXm0HTWeyY (advance to 2:26 in the clip).  Bob, blow that team up and rebuild or keep enjoying 75-win seasons.
12. (LON) A. Hechavarria -- Good Joe says:  here'a slick-fielding SS.  Bad Joe says:  didn't you just draft this guy in the first round?  What's the point?  Does he even use a bat when he goes to the plate?
13. (LON) T. Rosenthal -- Good Joe says:  nice pick up, especially if he gets a spot in the rotation.  Bad Joe says:  no help for this year.
14. (REN) H. Pence -- Good Joe says:  Possible bounce-back.   Somewhat useful OF.  Bad Joe says:  not sure this is the guy to build with.  I thought Reno was trying to trade excess OFs.  Joe of Washington BoozeHounds says:  I often don't understand Rich's game-plan but he constantly kicks my posterior so I give him the benefit of the doubt.
15. (SAN) Matt Carpenter -- Good Joe says:  Finally!  Someone picks a player that will really help his team this season.  Carpenter has a great card against RHP and plays competent 3B.  Bad Joe says:  I'm not sure if he keeps hitting like that.
16. (LON) Anthony Gose -- Good Joe says:  He's fast and plays on Paul's home-country team.  Bad Joe says:  Are we in the 5th round already?  This guy may not even play much in the majors this year.
17. (NAS) Josh Rutledge -- Good Joe says:  I like this pick.  Solid value for a rebuilder and looks to be Colorado's starting 2B.  Bad Joe says:  Take a walk once in awhile Josh!
18. (LON) D. O'Day -- Good Joe says:  Finally a guy that can help London make a playoff push *this* year.  Bad Joe says:  It's about time.
19. (VB) S. Diamond -- Good Joe says:  Fills out the back end of rotation with competent innings.  Bad Joe says:  I think there was more value available in a good RP since VB is currently lacking much of a bullpen.
20. (MAC) W. Castillo -- Good Joe says:  Nice catching prospect that should start in Chicago this year.  Bad Joe says:  I'd like this pick more if another prospect catcher wasn't the taken on the very next pick by the same rebuilding team.  Seems like duplication.

Winners:

1. Mackinaw:  Getting Brett Anderson there was a total steal.  Well done.
2. San Antonio:  Matt Carpenter is a very useful piece for a good team this year.
3. Oahu, Washington, Claysburg, and Napa:  No picks this year in the 2nd, so no chance to screw up.

Losers:

1. London:  London has a very good team this year and a chance to make a splash in the playoffs, but three out of the four picks in this round were spent on futures, including two reaches (Hechevaria and Gose).  There is a time to make a "WIN NOW" pick and this was your time.  It's a big opportunity lost.
2. Oregon:  A 160 PA backup catcher in the mid-second round is a total waste.  It's the second year in a row Oregon burned an early pick on a bit piece that could have been had rounds later.
3. Evanston:  Brett Jackson should generate some buzz in Chicago... and a lot of strikeouts.

So that's it.  I was rough and blunt on a couple teams, but this league needs a jolt of competition.  The same 6-8 teams have winning records every year more or less.  Rebuilding a team requires some effort and study to get a foundation through the draft. 

Feel free to put your opinions about these picks, and maybe the fact that I shouldn't call other league members out, in the comments!

TBA 2013 Draft: Round 1

TBA 2013 DRAFT REVIEW:  Round 1

It is that time again to review the good, bad, and ugly of the 2013 first round.  This year will be tough because it truly lacked that “WTF” moment or pick.  Sure…..there were a couple reaches, but nothing that had me shaking my head in disbelief.  As in years past, this is just my opinion.  No one has deemed me all-knowing so please take my comments with a grain of salt.  Without any further delay, here it is. 

1)    Bryce Harper- (Mackinaw).  Not exactly a shock here.  Mackinaw rebuffed many advances on this pick (including from yours truly) and it was probably a wise move as Harper is they type of player your build around.  He does a little of everything and all signs point to star. 

2)     Manny Machado- (Bowling Green).  Bowling green has now embraced the rebuilding process.  His offense grew old and feeble quickly and the smart money was an offensive pick and he did so by taking Machado.  I saw him going with Cespedes, but the age may have scared him off.  With no true 3B and an aging SS, Machado makes sense.  It is still unclear where Machado ends up playing.  Either way, he is the young type of blue chipper that Bowling Green needs to start the rebuild.

3)    Yu Darvish- (Brighton).  Some pundits expected Brighton to fill their RF hole with Cespedes.  This was considered, but one of the worst kept secrets behind the scenes was Brighton’s admiration for Darvish.  With a solid, but aging rotation, Darvish will step right in and fill the #3 slot behind Hamels and Kuroda.  Management was encouraged by Darvish’s late season rebound and is expecting big things,

4)    Matt Moore- (Kansas City).  With a need for SP, the pick of Matt Moore makes sense.  Moore ad a slow start in 2012, but came on strong and has a power arm that screams potential ace if he gets his control harnessed.  Parker, Medlen, and Harvey were also on the table, but Moore was a solid choice under the current state of pitching in KC. 

5)    Andrelton Simmons- (Spokane).  The second worst kept secret in the league is that Larry Hill likes defense so this move was a foregone conclusion once he slipped.  For this season, Simmons will serve as understudy to JJ Hardy.  The future belongs to Simmons and he should maintain his 1 rating for years to come.  His bat should be potent enough not to be confused with Brendan Ryan.  If things work well, Larry will have his SS for the foreseeable future AND he may just have a valuable trade chip in Hardy. 

6)    Yoenis Cespedes- (Evanston).  I don’t think this is who Evanston was hoping for at #6, but Cespedes provides value at #6 as well as immediate dividends.  He provides an excellent bat, defensive upgrade on holliday in LF, and while there has been questions about his true age, should provide many years of service.   He has worked at his conditioning and flexibility this off season so hopefully that keeps him off the DL and capable in the field.

7)    Matt Harvey- (Nassau).  One suspects that Mr. Garafalo was hoping Cespeds fell into his lap, but Evanston pissed on his cornflakes.  Instead, Nassau opts for young fireballer Matt Harvey.  With Medlen and Parker staring him in the face, Nassau opts for upside vs immediate help.  Harvey impressed in limited exposure in his debut.  He will get every opportunity to anchor the Mets staff.  Like most young fireballers, control will need some work before he can make the next step.  If he improves on that, Steve may have himself an excellent #2 type for years.

8)    Kris Medlen- (Brighton).  Making his 2^nd pick in the first round, management was ecstatic to wake up in the morning to the sight of Medlen being auto drafted.  While plan B Jarrod Parker would have been a fine consolation prize, Medlen has an incredible card that could provide invaluable in Brightons quest to become the first TBA repeat champion.  He could be used out of the pen as well as start and that flexibility will be invaluable in matchups. 

9)    Yasmani Grandal- (Seattle).  I believe that Seattle was hoping for a Simmons freefall, but his neighbor Spokane put an end to that.  Enter Yasmani Grandal into the picture.  With Chris Iannetta and Jeff Mathis as catchers, the need is there for a long term solution.  Grandal could be it.  Despite the fact that he plays in SD, he put up some solid numbers in his short stint in the bigs and more is expected.  However, we must discuss the elephant in the room…. PED’s.      Not only will Grandal miss the first 50 games of the season, but one has to wonder how he does without the juice.  Stay tuned.

10)  Jarrod Parker- (London).  London came into the draft likely looking to upgrade the offense as his pitching is already among tops in the league.  However, the opportunity to grab Parker at #10 was too tempting to pass up.  He will add even more depth to an already killer staff OR (my trading nature creeping in) be spun off in a deal to upgrade elsewhere. 

11)  Will Middlebrooks- (Claysburg).  The artist formally known as Delaware Valley had no 3B.  Enter Mr. Middlebrooks.  He was having a solid rookie campaign before injury shut him down.  Middlebrooks should provide solid D and provide pop.  Management would like to see him take a few walks, but he fills a need and should at least be a Joe Crede-esque 3B if not better.

12)  Tyler Skaggs- (Evanston).  Evanston opts to add a prospect with little use this year.  Skaggs has the pedigree and should get the opportunity to be the #5 SP in Arizona.  Nothing here suggests ace or even #2.  However, his ceiling could be a nice #3 and that is not bad at all.  Maybe a little bit of a reach, but I can’t say it’s a WTF pick. 

13)  Starling Marte- (Claysburg).  One of the few young bats available at this point and it is a solid pick.  While no one at this point is a sure thing, Marte has a lot of tools that could make him a cornerstone for the rebuilding Claysburg franchise.  The K’s need to come down and the walks need to go up.  With that said, he could easily turn in a 20/20 season while providing solid glovework. 

14)  Lucas Harrell- (Kansas City).  Look…..no one is going to confuse Harrell with a prospect.  Nothing in his history shows much of anything.  He did however turn in a very sound season and will provide quality innings to a team in need of them.  Harrell keeps the ball in the park and should keep the Bashers in games.  Anything that he provides in the future is gravy.

15)  Jacob Turner- (Evanston).  Jacob Turner was and is a highly touted prospect who struggled in his limited exposure in the bigs.  While he is not a high K type, he projects as a solid mid-rotation pitcher with a possibility of better.  He will take some lumps as he will be thrown into the fire in Miami.  The rewards could be worth it long term.

16)  Zack Cozart- (London).  Ahh…..Mr. Cozart.  Probably the biggest reach of the round.  I am not saying he is a poor player.  He has some value.  He comes to work with a solid glove and has some pop.  He is kind of a poor man’s JJ Hardy.  He isn’t exactly a kid and his lack of on base skills keeps him from being a 1^st rd talent.  However, London unfortunately picked a bad year to need a SS as the draft is tissue thin with SS with immediate value.  I believe London would acknowledge the reach, but also has to suck it up or risk having to draft junk or overpay for someone else’s SS.

17)  Fernando Rodney- (Washington).  As a Tiger fan, the thought of Rodney ever being drafted again let alone in the first round would have made me soil my britches.  Here we are….Rodney is in the first round, and I have to find clean drawers.  Rodney came out of nowhere to put up an absolutely beastly closer card with high innings.  A repeat is virtually impossible, but who cares?  Rodney is a difference maker for a playoff run NOW.  Rodney was selected by Washington, but immediately was shipped to Oahu to see if he can guide the Wonders to the promise land. 

18)  Adam Eaton-(Bowling Green).  I like this pick.  Eaton is slated to be the starting CF for Arizona.  He lacks power, but has a track record of getting on base at a prolific rate.  Excellent value here for a rebuilding Bowling Green.  Little use this year, but I am sure that matters little to Mr.Hallee who has is eyes on next year.

19)  AJ Griffin- (Seattle).  Now that Darvish, Moore, Medlen, Parker, and Harvey are gone, what is a team looking for a young SP to do?  Enter AJ Griffin.  He is a good upside pitcher who’s main drawback is a lack of a high k-rate.  It doesn’t matter to Seattle.  Griffin has a job in Oakland and will get every chance to shine. 

20)  Ryan Cook- (Kansas City).  KC wraps up round 1 with set-up man Ryan Cook.  Personally, I am not a big fan of taking a RP in the first round let alone a set-up man.  With that said, Cook is clearly the 2^nd best RP card in the draft and he would not have lasted much longer.  He was on my radar and I am sure the radar of others.  Mr. Hughes saw a need to restock the shelves in his pitching staff and has done so with Moore, Harrell, and Cook. 

 

 I do not think there were any real “winners” and “losers” in this round, but for the sake of the review,  I will do it.

WINNERS:
1) Brighton.  I hate to pick myself as it may appear to be self serving.  With that being said, I was able to add a potential ace and an incredible swing pitcher card to an already solid pitching staff
2) Mackinaw.  Bryce Harper……next.
3) Evansotn/KC.  3 picks each in the 1^st.  Evanston going young.  KC stocking up on pitching. 

LOSERS:  (Again….I didn’t see any glaring losers, but…..)
1) Anyone picking after #12 who passed on Brett Anderson.  I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t even see he was in the draft and I know of one other GM who said that he would have taken him if he saw he was available.  If healthy, Anderson could be an ace.  There could be many people kicking themselves on this one.
2) London.  Paul and I discussed this pick and I completely understand his reasoning if not agree with it.  I classify him as a loser because it was a reach.  Of course getting a steal on Parker helps makes it easier to do. 
3) The author.  I was hoping to be able to rip some picks, but I can’t say that I hate anything that was done in this round.  Maybe didn’t agree with it all, but definitely a pretty solid round of drafting.

BIGGEST STEALS:
1) Adam Eaton- (Bowling Green).  I think he could be gem at the end of the round.
2) Jarrod Parker- (London).  I pegged Parker going top 8, but London scooped him up at 10.  Even though he didn’t need pitching, you can’t pass this up at 10. 
3) Starling Marte- (Claysburg).  If he gets his K’s under control, he has 20/30 talent with a good glove.  Nothing wrong with that at all.

BIGGEST REACHES:
1) Zack Cozart (London).  Paul gets the honor of making both lists.  It was a desperation reach and not one made in haste.  Call it what you will, but Cozart and 1^st rd do not belong in the same sentence. 
2) Ryan Cook (Kansas City).  Not a bad pick.  I just can’t get past my “don’t take a set up man in the 1^st” philosophy.  I have no doubts that Ryan will benefit.
3) Tyler Skaggs (Evanston).  Again, I don’t dislike the pick.  I do feel he went higher than value (I pegged late 1^st/early 2^nd), but he is a talented pitcher. 

2013 Draft Preview

With the draft starting late this afternoon, without any further ado I present the 2013 Top 10 Draft Preview:

1) Bryce Harper- Mackinaw

These number one picks have become pretty easy with Heyward in 2011, Trout last year, and now Harper. Nothing to note here other than Harper was a teenager in the MLB All-Star Game. Moving on...

 2) Manny Machado- Bowling Green

 The Bowlers had a miserable 2012 season and the rebuilding starts now for this team. Young top-prospect Manny Machado converted to third base in MLB for the Orioles and whether he stays there or moves back to his natural position shortstop, he will be a coveted asset for Bowling Green. Third base is barren, not one player on the current roster plays third, while shortstop is filled by the long-time Bowler Derek Jeter who is nearing the end of his career. Machado didn't light up MLB in his debut but played solid enough to show he should have a long career ahead of him.

 3) Yoenis Cespedes- Brighton

 Brighton has recently solidified their starting five in the rotation so with an outfield spot open the Cuban defector Cespedes is the pick here. He can slot right in alongside Alex Gordon and Dexter Fowler while pushing Chris Young to a defensive replacement/4th outfielder role. Brighton will have another great team this year and trading up to grab this pick solidifies their team and could make them favorites in the Lennu Harris League this year.

 4) Yu Darvish- Kansas City

 Kansas City is in desperate need of a top-of-the rotation arm and if Darvish falls to four there is no reason the Bombers would not snatch him up. That is unless they prefer the lefty Matt Moore. Darvish made an excellent transition from Japan to the MLB and I would expect him to follow up with a great TBA season as well. The righty is only 26 years old and immediately would become a fixture as the ace of this team.

 5) Matt Moore- Spokane

 And this is where I predict my predictions to fall apart... I feel confident in my first four choices but after that anyone could go anywhere... So take these with a grain of salt. Matt Moore just missed out on qualifying for last years draft and now with a full season under his belt we have a better idea of his performance. And he is still worthy of a top draft pick. Moore survived a rough half of the year and excelled in the second, leaving owners drooling over the possibility of his second half stats over a full season. Moore can team up with RA Dickey, Jason Vargas, Blake Beaven, and Chad Billingsley for a formidable rotation and a potential playoff push this season.

 6) Andrelton Simmons, Evanston

 Evanston is in rebuilding mode and what better way to do so than by adding a defensive stud up the middle. Simmons already is being touted as the best defensive shortstop in MLB (apologies to Brendan Ryan) and if he can hit even just a little then he will be a valuable if not outstanding player. Simmons' season was stalled by injuries throughout the season but once he came up he entrenched himself as the starter in Atlanta. The Wildcats would serve well to add Simmons if Spokane doesn't snatch him up first.

 7) Matt Harvey, Nassau

 The G-Men have done a great job at rebuilding this team but are still a few pieces away. This team has collected a number of young pitchers in Homer Bailey, Zach Britton, and Daniel Hudson but so many talented young pitchers left on the board at this spot I believe they add to their collection. Jarrod Parker, Harvey, Jacob Turner, and AJ Griffin are the top names left and I feel they make the move to add Harvey here. Parker may be the one with a full season under his belt but Harvey looks like he will start the year in the big leagues and if his short stint in the majors was any indication he is a top-of-the line arm that will look good playing in Nassau County next year.

 8) Kris Medlen, Brighton

 Brighton is the first team to make their second selection of the draft here at number 8. They could go one of two ways here. Kris Medlen (if someone does not trade up to sneak of Brighton and take him) or Will Middlebrooks. Medlen obviously had a fantastic season and with Cespedes would push the Bearcats closer to their second title. Middlebrooks would be the third baseman-in-training until Miguel Cabrera is moved back to first base. As you can see, I have them eventually going with Medlen as the chance for a second title is just too great to pass up. If Medlen is gone then Middlebrooks it is.

 9) Jarrod Parker, Seattle

 The Thunderbirds are another case where I see them going one way or the other. As much as I wanted to put catcher Yasmasni Grandal here I couldn't as the chance to add a top pitcher was too much. The rookie Parker was a huge reason why Oakland charged to the playoffs and he could help Seattle make an attempt of their own. At only 24 years of age, Parker should be around for a long time and could help establish the Thunderbirds in their new home.

 10) Zack Cozart, London

 Everyone knows how the Badgers operate: pitching, pitching, and then some more pitching for good measure. The theme has not changed this year with a starting staff of David Price, Madison Bumgarner, Jordan Zimmermann, Josh Johnson, and Dan Haren. Although Haren and Johnson are not as strong this year as in the past, they will be aided by pre-season Rookie of the Year favorite Mike Trout, Aramis Ramirez, and Yadier Molina. What they are missing is in the middle infield. Shortstop should be the pick here (insert obligatory Yuni Betancourt joke here) as future defensive stalwart Zack Cozart is on the board. Cozart is light offensively but can put home double digit home run numbers and will provide good defense to help lift London's playoff aspirations this year.

11) Will Middlebrooks, Claysburg

Middlebrooks is the best position player left on the board and will provide a solid third base alternative to Chris Johnson. Middlebrooks looks like a good future defensive player and his 15 home runs in a half season show he can hit as well.

12) Yasmani Grandal, Evanston

Josh Thole is the lone catcher on the Wildcats roster so they sure could use an upgrade. Despite a PED suspension, Grandal profiles as an excellent bat behind the plate and excelled in limited time last year. He could be the catching answer Evanston has been looking for.

13) Adam Eaton, Claysburg

This may seem like a stretch but Claysburg sorely needs outfield prospects and Eaton is the best on the board. The 22 year old put up solid numbers in his brief debut and has put up excellent minor league numbers at every stop. Claysburg may be able to trade down a couple spots and grab him, as well as another pick, but Eaton should be high on their radar wherever their second pick is.

14) AJ Griffin, Kansas City

Even with the Darvish pick earlier, one can never have enough pitching. Griffin showed he can throw in his 15 MLB starts this season and should have a good future ahead of him.

15) Jacob Turner, Evanston

Yes they already have a number of young arms but a theme of this preview seems to be you can never have enough pitching and it applies right here. Turner should have a rotation spot so he finally has a chance to prove himself in a full season.

16) Ryan Cook, London

London has a chance to push for a title this year and Cook can help anchor this bullpen.

17) Brandon Moss, Washington

Moss has a fantastic short-season card and could help at both first base and in the corner outfield positions. Almost a perfect fit with the team playing in Coors Field.

18) Tyler Skaggs, Bowling Green

Skaggs is a 21-year old top prospect lefty who has excelled at every stop in the minor leagues. Just got a taste of the majors this year but he would immediately become one of Bowling Green's top prospects if they can add him.

19) Jean Segura, Seattle

Right now Brendan Ryan is the only shortstop on the roster, Segura will give them some youth at the position and hopefully he can turn into the long term answer for them.

20) Norichika Aoki, Kansas City

Finishing out the first round of the draft Kansas City could end it the same way they began, with a Japanese import. This time they go for the outfielder Aoki who could provide depth at all three outfield positions and a strong bat.

Only a few hours to go until the draft opens but here's an idea of how it could shake out.