11/3/13

Draft 14 – Luke Weaver, Derek Fisher, Cameron Varga, Cobi Johnson, John Jones

draft - luke weaver10-19 – BLF – Luke Weaver - Fastball:  Weaver shows a 91 to 94 mph Fastball with good tailing action. Secondary Pitches: Weaver throws a slider that shows flashes of plus potential and sits in the low 80s.  It sometimes shows a sweeping action and at times a harder break, once he is able to find a consistency in the slider it will be easier to grade.  But both have plus potential. Command: He shows excellent command and pounds the lower half of the strike zone.  He isn’t afraid  to pound the inner have of the  plate with all his pitches. Summary:   Luke Weaver is my dark horse in this draft.  He has a lot of good pieces and if he puts them together, Weaver will become a very good pitcher.  I see him as a #1/#2 type but could become a pure #1 if things go right.  I have heard comps on him like Brett Saberhagen and Tim Hudson. http://bigleaguefutures.net/1/2013/10/19/scouting-report-luke-weaver-rhp/


10-18-13 – Matt Garroich – Derek Fisher at Virginia was highly touted out of high school, I had him 20th overall in the draft, and he has done nothing to hurt his stock while a Cavalier. He still has some swing and miss issues, a balding head and big time power but his speed has maintained better than I expected. His toolset is that of a solid regular or better in the majors. http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/10/18/4851030/2014-mlb-draft-atlantic-region-college-discussion

10-15-13 – Baseball America - 40. Cameron Varga, rhp, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Loveland, Ohio: Nagging injuries sidelined Varga this summer, but the 19-year-old has touched 95 mph with his fastball in the past with a plus curveball, and he has an athletic build. http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-draft-top-50-october-2013-carlos-rodon/

9-30-13 – TTF Mock 2.0 - 28. Oakland Athletics — Cobi Johnson, RHP, James Mitchell HS (FL) At 6’-4” and 180 pounds, the right-hander has the ideal size for a frontline starter. His fastball has touched 93 mph, and he adds a solid curveball. His change-up, like most prep pitchers, is still developing, but he shows a  good feel for pitching, and his athleticism will help with his progression. He has shown very good command of his stuff and had 103 K/14 BB over 71 innings as a junior. He also hit .426/.508/.703 over 30 games with 18 stolen bases. His velocity does drop off in later innings, but he should gain more stamina as he fills out his frame. He struck out three in one perfect inning at the PG Classic. Committed to Florida State. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-mock-draft-2-0-draft-order-set/38280#5E3F5j1jWOgE69bJ.99

9-11-13 - Sully’s 2014 Top 100 MLB HS Draft Prospects – 81.John Jones – C, East River (FL ) HS http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-2014-top-100-mlb-hs-draft-prospects/

'The War Room' - The DH and Starling Marte

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The Commish was asked earlier this month if he thought there ever would be any changes regarding the two leagues having separate policies regarding the DH.

He played cute and said you never know...  things can always change.

What's your spin on this?

And from Michael Scannell -
So, I listened to a recent podcast on Metsblog with Cerrone and Cartiglia.  One of the things they said they had heard was that a lot of teams have interest in Ike Davis, not as a centerpiece necessarily but as a guy who could turn it around in a new situation.

 

The other piece of news that has come out is that the Pirates want to re-sign Marlon Byrd.  To me, this means they'll be giving him a multi-year contract if they hope to keep him off the market.  That would make the Pirates' outfield Marte, McCutcheon, and Byrd.  They also have Gregory Polanco ready to hit the bigs sometime in 2014 and top prospects Josh Bell and Austin Meadows following up behind.

 

This got me thinking about the possible availability of Starling Marte.  Polanco brings a lot of what Marte does and projects (by some) to have a higher ceiling.  We know the Mets had interest in Marte because they requested him and Brad Lincoln in return for Ike Davis in 2011 when Pittsburgh wanted him.

 

I thought maybe it was time to revisit that deal, this time of course with the tables turned in Pittsburgh's favor.  If they're willing to move Marte and would take a chance on Davis, would it make sense to move Davis and prospects for Marte?  He could play LF or CF and instantly hit leadoff for the Mets.  Maybe Davis turns it around, maybe he doesn't, but this way someone else takes the risk on him while the Mets add a building block (cheaply too) for now and the future.

11/2/13

CBS Sports Free Agent Predictions

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CBS Sports assembled their six baseball experts to predict the landing spots of the top free agents this year. Of interest to Mets fans were their thoughts on Shin Soo Choo, Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz.

Two of the six "experts" predicted that Choo would land with the Mets, but three said he would sign with Houston. Really??? I think it is unlikely that Houston would pursue Choo and even less likely that he would elect to go with the Astros. I am somewhat surprised that supposed experts would conclude that the Mets would ante up for Choo with the market for outfielders seemingly going through the roof.

One of CBS's experts siad the Mets would sign Cruz. That would be a pleasant surprise. None believed there would be a reunion between Beltran and the Mets. Four of the six said he would return to the Cardinals.

There were three free agents that all six experts agreed upon. The unanimous selections were Robinson Cano - Yankees, Brian Mcann - Rangers, and Mike Napoli - Red Sox. No surprises there.

If the Mets were to get either Choo or Cruz, I would be most gratified. I am concerned that Alderdson may be unwilling to pay the price in $ or years that would be required to snag an impact free agent. I can't wait to see how this off season plays out.

Draft 14 – Michael Conforto, Luke Weaver, Alex Jackson, Dylan Cease, Carlos Rodon

Draft - michael conforto10-14-13 – Top ’14 College Hitters - 13. Michael Conforto / LF-1B / Oregon State — He likely won’t provide much value with the glove or on the bases, but he’s been extremely productive for Oregon State and should hit enough to stick in left field someday. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2013/10/top-14-for-14-college-hitters/


9-30-13 – TTF Mock 2.0 - 14. San Francisco Giants — Luke Weaver, RHP, Florida State  A 6’-2”, 180-pound right-hander, Weaver enjoyed an outstanding season for the Seminoles this year. Over 15 starts, he had a 2.29 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 119 K/19 BB over 98.1 innings. His 10.9 K/9 and 6.3 K/BB ratios show the kind of power/command pitcher he is. His fastball sits in the low/mid 90s and he adds a change-up that shows plus potential. There is still room for projection and added velocity as he fills out. Over 21 innings for Team USA, he had 17 K/5 BB. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-mock-draft-2-0-draft-order-set/38280#5E3F5j1jWOgE69bJ.99

9-11-13 - Sully’s 2014 Top 100 MLB HS Draft Prospects - 8.Alex Jackson – C, Rancho Bernardo (CA) HS http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-2014-top-100-mlb-hs-draft-prospects/

10-15-13 – Baseball America - 35. Dylan Cease, rhp, Milton (Ga.) HS: Athletic pitcher who produces easy velocity, with a fastball up to 97 mph; inconsistent breaking ball and command are knocks. http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-draft-top-50-october-2013-carlos-rodon/

10-18-13 – Matt Garroich – Carlos Rodon is the best lefty in the country and, as it stands, the clear-cut favorite to go first overall. He is the ace of the N.C. State Wolfpack and has been since he came to campus. He will likely be the same on any team he pitches as long as he is healthy. On the same squad is one of the top college hitters, Trea Turner. He is an impressive athlete with 80 speed and solid defense at short while swinging the bat well enough to impact in the batters box as well. http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/10/18/4851030/2014-mlb-draft-atlantic-region-college-discussion

I May Be Wrong But

avatar - i may be wrongMost people are of the opinion that the Mets need to add one, and maybe two starters this offseason.  I say the Mets should look no further than Las Vegas and Binghamton to fill out their rotation.   I understood when the Mets  held back Harvey and Wheeler to protect them from the super two cutoff, but Montero and Syndergaard are completely different cases.  Both guys possess strong command over all of their pitches, which is something neither Harvey or Wheeler could say coming out of AAA  .In the case of Montero I really believe that he's ready to make the jump now, all Syndergaard lacks is some refinement on his change up...I would leave him in Binghamton for a month to work it out, and then jump him straight to Queens.  I also believe that losing a year of service time, would be well worth the spike in attendance the Mets would see for Wheeler Day, Montero Day, and Thor Day...

 

Does anyone else believe that the Mets organizational hitting philosophy may deter free agent hitters from signing here?  Lets face it...Dave Hudgins and Terry Collins have ruined more  hitters during there tenure than they have ressurected.   When they got here, Ike Davis was a budding star power hitter--and now quite frankly he looks lost at the plate, just trying to make contact on the rare occasion that he does swing...Lucas Duda may have been the worst Mets outfielder since Mackey Sasser, but at times he looked like a fearsone power hitter--Now he looks too terrified to swing...Guys like Davis and Duda need to take advantage of first pitch fastballs--not worry about drawing enough walks or working counts.

 

We Met fans have been talking about the "money coming off the books" in 2014 for a long time, but I just don't believe the Mets have an excessive amount to spend...Unless the Wilpons decide to bring payroll back to the 140 million range as it should be (and they won't), The Mets  really only have around 30 million to spend.  That may seem like quite a bit--But is it?  The Giants just commited 36 million of their 2014 payroll to resign Tim Lincecum and Hunter Pence.  That is more than the Mets entire offseason budget for this year, on a #5 starter and the fourth best free agent outfielder.  Those are just two of the Mets many needs---No Shortstop, no backup catcher, no bench depth, no bullpen help....I have this horrible feeling that the 2014 Mets are going to look an awful lot like the 2013 Mets.

 

The Red Sox this week made qualifying offers to Mike Napoli, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Stephen Drew,and  quite frankly they probably could have made one to Jarod Saltalamachia as well...The point is, if all of these players sign elsewhere the Sox could potentially have four first round picks this June....They will replace these guys with three or four more guys on two year deals, and in three years they will end up getting compensation for them as well...Teams like the Red Sox,  Yankees,  Cards and the Rays have been taking advantage of this compensation system by making qualifying offers, and offering arbitration for years.   The key is to sign players to higher dollar, short term contracts, and then not be afraid to let them move on when the contract runs out.  The Mets have been historically short sighted when it comes to this stuff, but its a great way for successful teams to keep the farm well stocked

Draft 14 - A Quick Look At - OF - Michael Conforto - Oregon State

draft - michael conforto 2Michael Conforto

 

5-28-13 - Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State - After hitting .349 with 14 doubles, 13 home runs, 76 RBI and a slash line of .438/.601/1.039 as a freshman last year, the 6’-1”, 200-pound left-hander was showered with awards and had high expectations coming into this year. After nine games, he was hitting .273 with two doubles, no home runs and four RBI. On Saturday, he went 3-for-7 in a double-header with his first two home runs of the season and five RBI. On Sunday, he went 3-for-5 with two more home runs and seven RBI. The bat has woken up, and I expect a full on assault coming for one of the best overall hitters in the 2014 MLB draft. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft/29840#fm24otWuYCEocLQZ.99

 

6-9-13 -  28.Michael Conforto, OF (Oregon State): The PAC-12 outfielder has a quality hit tool and improving approach, but will need to hit for more power. Even so, he has a high floor. http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2013/06/09/2014-mlb-draft-top-30-prospects/

 

6-10-13 -  Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State - A scout’s quick take on Conforto was that “This kid can flat out rake. I think he’s going to be the best bat in the Pac-12 next year, if not in 2013.”  He has very good bat speed with lift.  The term “the ball jumps off his bat” is one of the most overused in baseball, but it is definitely appropriate in Conforto’s case. http://bigleaguefutures.net/1/2013/06/10/2014-mlb-draft-early-college-names-to-know/

 

6-12-13 - Player:  Michael Conforto   Position:  OF   School:  Oregon State   Date of Birth:  3/1/1993   Height/Weight:  6’1/215   Bats/Throws:  L/R   2014 Class:  College Junior

Scouting Report:   One of the top college bats for 2014   Strong, muscular build

Open stance   Smooth swing with lift   Excellent bat speed   Plus raw power

Ball jumps off bat

 

 

6-9-13 - 21. Arizona Diamondbacks — Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State - After an incredible freshman season in which he hit .349 over 58 games with 14 doubles, 13 home runs, 76 RBI and a .438 OBP/.601 SLG, the 6’-1”, 215 pound left-hander has regressed a bit his sophomore year. Over 58 games, he is hitting .326 with nine home runs, 42 RBI and a .450 OBP/.501 SLG. While he has improved his walk rate and approach, the power numbers are down. A great talent, he should be among the better college bats available in the 2014 MLB draft. He has been a little inconsistent in the outfield this season but shows enough to hold down a corner outfield spot. http://beforeitsnews.com/sports/2013/06/2014-mlb-mock-draft-1-0-no-time-like-the-present-2513748.html?currentSplittedPage=2

 

7-17-13 –  Mike Conforto, OF, Oregon State - Conforto has a strong, sturdy build at 6'1, 215" that looks like it's all muscle.  He's not going to wow you with his tools the way Turner does but he makes hard contact consistently, including a pair of HRs in the Tuesday game.  His bat is his main weapon as he should hit for average that he'll supplement with walks and above average power.  Defensively he's probably relegated to LF.  He's a little thick legged and doesn't have great range nor did he display good arm strength.  That puts a tremendous burden on his bat, but it looks like it's capable of carrying the load. http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2013/07/looking-ahead-to-the-2014-and-2015-mlb-draft-notes-from-the-collegiate-national-team-games/

 

7-21-13 - Cuba’s Norge Ruiz dominated his first time through the order, striking out five of the first nine batters faced. The second time through the order got off to a strong start for Team USA as Trea Turner (NC State) opened the fourth with a base hit to left center. LSU’s Alex Bregman followed with a base knock to give Team USA a pair of base runners. With one out and runners on the corners, Michael Conforto (Oregon State) broke the scoreless tie with a sacrifice fly to left. http://ht.ly/2yvWIz

8-14-13 – Through The Fence – Top 50 Prospects – 11. Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State - Maybe the best pure hitter available in the 2014 MLB draft, the 6’-2”, 215-pound right-hander uses the whole field and has a great approach at the plate. I got a chance to see him hit when the Collegiate National team played at Kane County, and I was extremely impressed by the way he handles himself at the plate — waiting for his pitch and driving it to the gaps with ease. He hit .328/.447/.526 over 65 games as a sophomore with 11 home runs and 41 walks. He’s not going to steal many bases, and he will most likely end up in left field. His bat is what will land him in the first round. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-top-50-prospects/36463#mwWwsFxSUZy7YC5V.99

 

9-4-13 – Mack’s Mock Draft v1.0 – 12 – OF - Michael Conforto – Oregon State – This is a 6-1 bulldog type hitter. Michael Choice-like projected power.  I expect he will end this upcoming season as one of the top power hitters in college.

 

9-30-13 – TTF Mock 2.0 - 18. New York Yankees — Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State Maybe the best pure hitter available in the 2014 MLB draft, the 6’-2”, 215-pound right-hander uses the whole field and has a great approach at the plate. Surprising that he falls this far in the 2014 MLB mock draft, I got a chance to see him hit when the Collegiate National team played at Kane County, and I was extremely impressed by the way he handles himself at the plate — waiting for his pitch and driving it to the gaps with ease. He hit .328/.447/.526 over 65 games as a sophomore with 11 home runs and 41 walks. He’s not going to steal many bases, and he will most likely end up in left field. His bat is what will land him in the first round. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-mock-draft-2-0-draft-order-set/38280#5E3F5j1jWOgE69bJ.99

Fangraphs - Payroll Obligations

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Team2012 Payroll2013 Payroll2014 Payroll Obligations
Astros$60,800,000$26,000,000$14,400,000
Marlins$100,000,000$50,000,000$21,700,000
Mariners$84,000,000$84,000,000$37,800,000
Rays$63,000,000$61,000,000$43,600,000
Twins$100,000,000$82,000,000$50,800,000
Cubs$109,000,000$106,000,000$58,000,000
Pirates$51,000,000$66,000,000$58,700,000
Mets$94,000,000$93,000,000$62,100,000
Padres$55,000,000$68,000,000$64,100,000
Athletics$53,000,000$62,000,000$65,900,000
White Sox$97,700,000$119,000,000$68,300,000
Indians$65,000,000$80,000,000$69,400,000
Rockies$81,000,000$73,000,000$72,000,000
Cardinals$111,000,000$116,000,000$76,000,000
Royals$64,000,000$81,800,000$79,500,000
Braves$93,000,000$90,000,000$80,400,000
Brewers$98,000,000$88,000,000$81,500,000
Orioles$84,000,000$92,000,000$88,100,000
D’Backs$75,000,000$86,000,000$94,000,000
Rangers$120,000,000$125,000,000$98,300,000
Reds$87,000,000$106,000,000$107,500,000
Red Sox$175,300,000$154,000,000$115,000,000
Nationals$92,000,000$118,000,000$117,000,000
Blue Jays$83,000,000$119,000,000$121,200,000
Phillies$172,000,000$159,000,000$121,800,000
Giants$131,000,000$136,000,000$127,500,000
Yankees$209,000,000$228,000,000$128,200,000
Tigers$133,000,000$148,000,000$134,000,000
Angels$151,000,000$137,000,000$151,500,000
Dodgers$105,000,000$216,000,000$195,300,000

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-new-national-tv-contracts-and-2014-payrolls/

 

FLASH - SP - Phillip Humber

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Matt Eddy     ‏@MattEddyBA           

#Athletics sign RHP Phil Humber, who had elected free agency from Astros. In 2013: 0-8, 7.90 with 5.9 SO, 3.3 BB & 1.5 HR per nine in 17 G.

9 Baseball - Top 150 High School Draft Prospects

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Jeff Sullivan’s Official 2014 Top 150 High School Prospects List


After attending all of the major events in the country this year, including the Tournament of Stars, East Coast Pro Showcase, Area Code Games, and PG All-American Game, this is how I view the top 150 high school prospects in the 2014 MLB Draft. There are some big movements including three Jupiter standouts Tucker Baca, Garrett Fulenchek, and Cre Finfrock all jumping securely into the top 100.


Follow @JSully12 and @ninecombine on twitter for more updates throughout the year leading up to the draft

The 2015 Top 50 High School Prospects will be released tomorrow!





  1. Michael Gettys – OF/RHP, Gainesville (GA) HS






  1. Grant Holmes – RHP, Conway (SC) HS






  1. Sean Reid-Foley – RHP, Sandalwood (FL) HS






  1. Braxton Davidson – 1B/OF, T.C. Roberson (NC) HS






  1. Michael Chavis – 3B, Sprayberry (GA) HS






  1. Alex Jackson – C, Rancho Bernardo (CA) HS






  1. Kodi Medeiros – LHP, Waiakea (HI) HS






  1. Touki Toussaint – RHP, Coral Springs Christian (FL)






  1. Jacob Gatewood – SS, Clovis (CA) HS






  1. Tyler Kolek – RHP, Shepherd (TX) HS




 

http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/jeff-sullivans-2014-top-150-prospects/