Post: Drafting a new army
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05-06-2011, 12:39 PM
#1
Chrome
At least I can fight
The Tampa Bay Rays don't pick until the 24th selection of the upcoming MLB draft, but for the next couple of rounds that follow, they will essentially own the process, with seven sandwich picks after two picks in the first round. The Rays have ten of the first 60 picks.
"If they hit it right on just half of those picks," said a rival executive, "then this draft will set them up for years to come. This draft is loaded with pitching, and they're in a great position to take advantage of it."
Some notes about the Rays' strategy and draft preparation:
1. As they prepare evaluations, they are using former big-leaguer Rocco Baldelli to cross-check all position players, and former Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland to cross-check all pitchers.
2. The Rays' huge cache of picks won't alter their draft strategy of taking the best player on their board. They will evaluate the best players, rank them, and when their pick comes up, they will select their highest-ranked player, regardless of position.
3. Given their enormous number of picks early in the draft, and the preparation for those picks, the Rays probably will rely a little more in the later rounds on the evaluations of their area scouts -- probably starting about Round 5.
By the way, the Toronto Blue Jays are in the same kind of position, with a whole bunch of picks early in the draft.
This week in baseball -
• Over the weekend, Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson met with struggling lefty Francisco Liriano to discuss Liriano's arm slot, which was all over the place to start the season as he compiled a 9.13 ERA. Anderson showed Liriano the video, and then asked him what he thought. Liriano mentioned that he didn't want to get hurt with his two-seam fastball. Anderson's response: "OK, let's put that pitch in your back pocket. If you've lost trust in it, let's eliminate it."
"If they hit it right on just half of those picks," said a rival executive, "then this draft will set them up for years to come. This draft is loaded with pitching, and they're in a great position to take advantage of it."
Some notes about the Rays' strategy and draft preparation:
1. As they prepare evaluations, they are using former big-leaguer Rocco Baldelli to cross-check all position players, and former Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland to cross-check all pitchers.
2. The Rays' huge cache of picks won't alter their draft strategy of taking the best player on their board. They will evaluate the best players, rank them, and when their pick comes up, they will select their highest-ranked player, regardless of position.
3. Given their enormous number of picks early in the draft, and the preparation for those picks, the Rays probably will rely a little more in the later rounds on the evaluations of their area scouts -- probably starting about Round 5.
By the way, the Toronto Blue Jays are in the same kind of position, with a whole bunch of picks early in the draft.
This week in baseball -
• Over the weekend, Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson met with struggling lefty Francisco Liriano to discuss Liriano's arm slot, which was all over the place to start the season as he compiled a 9.13 ERA. Anderson showed Liriano the video, and then asked him what he thought. Liriano mentioned that he didn't want to get hurt with his two-seam fastball. Anderson's response: "OK, let's put that pitch in your back pocket. If you've lost trust in it, let's eliminate it."
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05-08-2011, 07:21 PM
#2
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