Article: Twins Daily Official MLB Draft Day 1

[Doubles]

Gotcha.

[drjim]

 

Huh? Aiken needed TJS but neither Allard or Garrett has, right? Allard has had back surgery (two) tho.

 Garrett needs it now, happened in the last week.

 

But indeed Allard is healthy and doing quite well.

[tytybuckets]

I'm really starting to like the idea of Lewis more and more.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I feel like, when you're drafting a pitcher, you should probably just assume that TJ is going to happen and accept it as a part of the process. 

[Steve Lein]

 

 

Huh? Aiken needed TJS but neither Allard or Garrett has, right? Allard has had back surgery (two) tho.

 

Maybe I'm thinking of Max Fried for Allard, but Garrett's news just came out last week: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article154970919.html

[curt1965]

DA

3:27 Any chance Minnesota goes Lewis #1 and uses extra money on Shane Baz at #35?

Keith Law

3:28 I don't think so.

Can someone please explain to me how the Twins would have a chance to sign Baz at #35?

Why wouldn't he sign with the team that drafted him at, say 10-15 or so?

I realize he says he going to college, but I don't get how he'd be around at #35?

[InfraRen]

Think this is a guy some of you like:

 

Wade
3:47 When is Rooker taken?
Keith Law
3:47 Tonight, somewhere between 30-50 is my guess.

 

 

[tytybuckets]

The main reason I would lean Wright is the track record for successful Vandy guys is about as good as any college.

[InfraRen]

Names for if the Twins take Lewis tonight:

 

Danny
3:48 Sorry if you've answered his before, but who are the players in mind that teams cutting a deal want to fall in the supplemental 1st or 2nd round?
Keith Law
3:49 Prep arms, largely. Carlson, Enlow, Jennings, Baz (in theory, doubt it happens), Crouse, Heatherly, etc.

 

 

[jorgenswest]

I would take the player with the highest upside. I don't know who that would be but the only way the mid market Twins acquire a superstar is the draft them or sign them internationally. They shouldn't go with the safe pick. Is there consensus on the player with the best upside?

[Steve Lein]

 

Can someone please explain to me how the Twins would have a chance to sign Baz at #35?
Why wouldn't he sign with the team that drafted him at, say 10-15 or so?
I realize he says he going to college, but I don't get how he'd be around at #35?

 

If they save a bunch of money at #1 (lets say, $1.5MIL, or about how much it goes down to for the #4 pick), if you add what you've banked onto the slot for #35 you have as much money as the slot for pick #15.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Last three are all casualties to Tommy John already in their careers.

Aiken, Allard, Garrett.  

 

Allard was a stress reaction in his lower back not Tommy John.  The 19 year old is now in AA and putting together a damn good season for his age and competition.

[Willihammer]

Allard was 93-94 and had a really nice curveball IIRC. I remember liking him quite a bit at the time. Similar to Gore I suppose.

[InfraRen]

Main reason I'd be bummed about not taking Greene. 102 mph heater, athletic, plus this:

 

Mo
3:54 Not a question, but as an African-American and lifelong baseball fan, Hunter Greene might already be my new favorite player
Keith Law
3:54 I was extremely impressed when I sat down with him. His answers weren't canned or hackneyed; he's intelligent and his answers were really thoughtful.

 

 

#MoldHim

[beckmt]

Greene probably has the highest upside and the biggest bust factor.  College arms are more predictable, but there are no guarantees.  That is the issue with this draft. I also do not get to see the spin factors and other things the Twins look at.  That is a piece of Information that seems to mean at lot to our FO.

[Respy]

 

DA
3:27 Any chance Minnesota goes Lewis #1 and uses extra money on Shane Baz at #35?
Keith Law
3:28 I don't think so.

 

With all of the question marks regarding the injury potential surrounding prospect pitchers nowadays, I'm starting to think more and more that the top position player (Royce Lewis) might be a better option, then draft a higher quantity of high-ceiling pitchers later.  Is there really such a thing as a high-floor pitcher anymore?

 

That being said, I've realized as I'm typing this that our last top pick (Alex Kirilloff) was a position player and still needed TJ surgery.  Ditto for our best current position player (Sano). Maybe they'd be best off setting aside some draft money to buy a horseshoe from Always Dreaming or a vault of rabbit's feet.  On a related note, they should offer one of the players a draft bonus of $777,777.  I see the #1 spot is slotted at $7,770,700.  Just throw in an extra $7,077!

Edited June 12, 2017 by Respy

[curt1965]

I understand that, Steve. But wouldn't the team that drafted him at 15 own his rights, and say sign with us for xxx or go to college?

[Mike Sixel]

 

I understand that, Steve. But wouldn't the team that drafted him at 15 own his rights, and say sign with us for xxx or go to college?

 

that's the risk, yes. 

[Steve Lein]

 

I understand that, Steve. But wouldn't the team that drafted him at 15 own his rights, and say sign with us for xxx or go to college?

 

There is that risk, but it comes down to the Twins having the biggest pool to play with.

 

As soon as I have my $$$ amount agreed at #1 I'm calling the guy I want to fall and telling him I will pay you $XXX amount at #35. That means every talk they have with another team has to meet that number from there on out.

 

Lets say the Twins offer them $4MIL at #35. That's pick #12 money. In this case that team is the Pirates. They have just over $10MIL.  If that player starts falling into the 15-20 range, then we're talking teams with a pool of only $8MIL or less. 

 

You think those teams are gonna pony up that price and blow half their budget in round 1? Remember, they LOSE that pool money if they don't sign the player.

 

 

Edited June 12, 2017 by Steve Lein

[MN_ExPat]

 

The average fastball in the MLB is 94 MPH. Considering the Twins have been behind the 8 ball for years using power pitchers, I'm very disappointed they're targeting another 88-91 MPH pitcher. 

He was hitting 94/95 in the game against Kentucky, and he looked good.  Wouldn't feel bad about that pick.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

My picks

1. Gore
2. Greene
3. Lewis
4. Wright
5. Adele or however you spell it
6. McKay

 

There are ways, nowadays, to verify such things.

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Danny Hultzen was a two-way player, who was drafted at 1-2 by Seattle in 2011.

 

SSS alert

[Oldgoat_MN]

After seeing more than one mock draft board change the #1 to McKay I'm guessing that's who we are taking.

I was really a Wright, Gore, Greene, McKay sequence guy.

Hope it goes well.

[twinsfanstreif]

Please, not Lewis.  Want pitching, more pitching, and even more pitching.

But we can't think like that, think of teams that passed on Trout because they needed pitching (we sure did) or the Astros passing on Bryant for Appel because they needed pitchers. There is much regret in baseball from teams drafting for need

[twinsfanstreif]

Danny Hultzen was a two-way player, who was drafted at 1-2 by Seattle in 2011.

 

SSS alert

He was also a "can't miss" prospect

[nicksaviking]

 

But we can't think like that, think of teams that passed on Trout because they needed pitching (we sure did) or the Astros passing on Bryant for Appel because they needed pitchers. There is much regret in baseball from teams drafting for need

 

Just to play Devil's Advocate (because I agree with taking the best player available if it is discernible):

 

Mike Trout has played in one playoff series in his career, largely due to the fact that the Angels have had awful pitching for about a decade. So even the best player in baseball can't save a team without good arms.

[prouster]

LENIII just tweeted that the "Lewis steam is real" and that McKay and Greene are "also in the picture." Says it's coming down to money.

 

[InfraRen]

[markos]

 

He was also a "can't miss" prospect

Yeah, there really is no such thing. Every pitcher has a non-zero chance that his elbow/shoulder will fall apart. Every single one. It comes with being a pitcher. I think teams are getting better at identifying and preventing injuries, but it certainly isn't perfect yet.

[twinsfanstreif]

Just to play Devil's Advocate (because I agree with taking the best player available if it is discernible):

 

Mike Trout has played in one playoff series in his career, largely due to the fact that the Angels have had awful pitching for about a decade. So even the best player in baseball can't save a team without good arms.

To play Devil's advocate to your devil's advocate, are you saying that you would rather have Gibson opposed to Trout? Or Appel over Bryant?