BigEd76 wrote:TMac confirms his son is going to St. Joe's. Everyone can relax now

momadance wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:Is there a good reason to even have a 40th round?

There's no good reason to have 40 rounds or 5 levels of minor leagues. MLB needs to get with the times.

BigEd76 wrote:

Almaraz pointed out that most of the Phillies’ selections had good statistics at whatever level they played. He said the organization’s analytics crew played a considerable role in that.

“We combined in making decisions,” he said. “The primary focus was ability, but we looked at the metrics to help us. I’m very old school, but I am a big believer in metrics, too. It’s a piece of the puzzle for me to make decisions.”

WUT!

thephan wrote:

"I went to Penn with baseball on my mind from Day 1. That's what I've always wanted to do since high school. Education was always a big thing for me, so it gave me the best of both worlds. But I've always had baseball on my mind." - Bossart

>> Had a little Gin and Juice moment with that Bossart quote, in fact I will raise a glass to that.

Honorary picks are a little silly. @40 you had to assume nothing much was happening there, but why even bother? I know it is confirmed that he is going on to university as a student.

The Crimson Cyclone wrote:wasn't Piazza an honorary pick for Lasorda (family friend's son)?


sure worked out for them

I made the choice to headline this piece with Matt Beaty, but I could just have easily opted to kick it off with a couple hundred words on the bizarrely underrated Tennessee Tech SR SS/2B Dylan Bosheers, who is ranked one spot ahead of the big bat of Beaty due to his almost equal bat but clearly more impressive defensive upside. Quite simply, Bosheers was a baffling omission from last year’s draft. He’s done everything asked from him as a college player and then some (.368/.444/.577 with 27 BB/32 K in 234 AB last year), and he has at least two clear average or better professional tools (defense, speed). He’s not just a slap and dash bat, either; he’s got an approach geared towards driving the ball and he’s capable of using the whole field as well as almost any middle infielder in the country. A future pro shortstop with average speed (plays up thanks to his smarts on the bases) and meaningful pop that walks as much as he strikes out has a place in the draft’s top fifteen rounds. I could see him deservedly getting picked in the same range I predicted for Beaty (8th/9th/10th) as a money-saving option senior sign for a smart club that emphasizes college production. Depending on how things shake out the rest of the way, he might wind up even higher than that on my personal board. I like players with the upside of being quality big league infielders, what can I say? I’m not great at analogies, but I think something like [Alex Bregman : Blake Trahan as Blake Trahan : Dylan Bosheers] works.

smitty wrote:

The Crimson Cyclone wrote:wasn't Piazza an honorary pick for Lasorda (family friend's son)?


sure worked out for them

Yes. In the 62nd round in 1988. There were 76 rounds that year. Only the Yankees were drafting guys by then.

. Piazza was a freak. No one wanted him for his baseball ability. For some reason, no one knew he was actually good. Only seven teams even picked someone in the 62nd round.

iladelph53 wrote:

smitty wrote:

The Crimson Cyclone wrote:wasn't Piazza an honorary pick for Lasorda (family friend's son)?


sure worked out for them

Yes. In the 62nd round in 1988. There were 76 rounds that year. Only the Yankees were drafting guys by then.

. Piazza was a freak. No one wanted him for his baseball ability. For some reason, no one knew he was actually good. Only seven teams even picked someone in the 62nd round.

So you're saying Tommy McCarthy could reach MIKE PIAZZA TERRITORY?

pacino wrote:

momadance wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:Is there a good reason to even have a 40th round?

There's no good reason to have 40 rounds or 5 levels of minor leagues. MLB needs to get with the times.

the reason is the fans in those towns that develop relationships with the big league club. It would be bad long-term business for MLB to cut down the minor leagues. it may not be the most efficient way to develop players but it's the way they make the most money.

td11 wrote:feels like a decided shift in drafting philosophy this year with them drafting so many good baseball players

ScottyJetpax25
Excited to get this thing goin! #Phillies

Werthless wrote:

td11 wrote:feels like a decided shift in drafting philosophy this year with them drafting so many good baseball players

Fixed your post.

(It's only partly tongue in cheek. They seem to value success on the field more highly than in the past).