Looking ahead to the 2018 draft

[gmwannabe]

i guess the trading for a competitive balance pick is now not going to happen. Although, taveras is going tonight for reading. a good start and he might be included.
gm

[Squire]

BA IS doing their draft map state by state coverage. So that's cool. Kinda wish they would update their mock since the most recent one was 5/18

[fish]

BA IS doing their draft map state by state coverage. So that's cool. Kinda wish they would update their mock since the most recent one was 5/18

I think the new format of their website stinks. Either it looks like they aren't putting out nearly the same content as they used to, or they actually aren't. I loved my subscription for more than 20 years, but i feel no desire to re-subscribe.

[Philsmania]

Well, you're right, he was literally twice the player Pat was. If he'd started playing in 2008 instead of 1998 he would probably be a lot more widely appreciated based on WAR and OBP becoming more and more recognized over BA and HRs. Only made one all-star team and one top 10 MVP finish. Question is, how much of that was also due to him being an unpopular (and fairly low-key) player?

Nevertheless, symbolically, he did not live up to the expectations Boras put on him as something like a one-of-a-kind draft class player. Though many others have been worse!

Meanwhile, Pat, while not really a star either, was quietly very good to great (but for defense) with much lower expectations (which is not say our phan base didn't still have them, and let him hear about it).

Drew had a very good career. However, he wasn't the generational talent that Boras cracked him up to be (Boras compared him to Mickey Mantle) and, yes, he was injury prone and, fairly or not, developed the reputation for being a malcontent and a me-first player. And, some of his actions in later years backed up the "Just Dollars" label that was affixed to him during the draft bruhaha (his best season was in 2004 with his homestate Braves yet he promptly busted out of there to sign with the Dodgers as a free agent and then opted out of his contract after two years to go to the Red Sox).. Burrell had a nice career as well though slightly lesser than Drew's. Burrell came close to being a 2008 All-Star and, if he made it, both he and Drew would have made their lone All-Star appearances in the same game. For what it's worth, Burrell got himself more WC rings.

[julio]

BA IS doing their draft map state by state coverage. So that's cool. Kinda wish they would update their mock since the most recent one was 5/18

I think the new format of their website stinks. Either it looks like they aren't putting out nearly the same content as they used to, or they actually aren't. I loved my subscription for more than 20 years, but i feel no desire to re-subscribe.

Send Matt Eddy an email telling him this. What they told me was that they've "optimized for mobile devices." The site may look better on a phone, but it's much worse on a "traditional" large screen.

Of course, the ideal solution is to have the data in a back-end database, and have separate "skins" for mobile and desktop users - there's no reason why users of any particular device should be forced to deal with an interface designed for a radically different display.

[Squire]

New website format is horrible.

[julio]

New website format is horrible.

Again, communicate this to Matt Eddy at BA. Griping about it here isn't going to affect anything. If they get enough complaints from customers, they might do something about it.

[Squire]

Updated BA Mock still gives us Bohn but says that it’s less certain than a few weeks ago and Madrigal is getting mentioned here more and that Singer is a possibility

[nycphils]

Singer would be great. A Nola, Sixto, Singer and two of Pivetta/Medina/JoJo/de los Santos/VV rotation would look pretty good in 2021

[flyers19rw]

It looks to me like teams are sounding out guys to see what their financial demands are. If there's a fit, then that guy will be the pick. No organization is going to tip their hand on that until the final moments of selections on Monday.

[Austinfan]

Why would you draft Bart and trade Grullon, a plus defensive catcher who's already put up 10 dingers, the last few on the road?
I'd rather marinate Bart behind Grullon, and see who looks ML ready in two years. Bart is already 21, and would probably got to Williamsport, then A ball at 22, and maybe Reading at 23. By that time you'd know if Grullon is for real.

Both Grullon and Bart are essentially catcher only, since they lack the athleticism for any where else but 1B.
If either one pans out, Alfaro can play 3B or RF as well as catch and get his PAs.

[phillychuck]

Bart would start at Lakewood, and maybe move to CLW this season at the end. Then CLW/Reading next season. He's a very advanced bat. The glove will come along at any level.

This is moot, though, since it's probably about a 5% chance we end up with Bart. I even think we have a better chance of drafting Mize--maybe 10%...Bohm probably 60-65%. Libertore/Singer, etc. 20-25%

[Squire]

The kiley McDaniel/Eric Longenhagen mock draft at fangraphs is a fascinating read. Basically says bohm with a chance that for Mize. If it's Mize, Phils would have to go for college seniors in rounds 4 and maybe 5

[zambonir]

I don't think you draft for need and I don't think anyone gets traded so quickly. Pretty sure at some point we all had Herrera traded by 2020 when either Moniak or Halseley came up.

I hope Alfaro has a bright future but neither Knapp nor anyone in the minors is guaranteed. To flash back again, I remember when the Phillies had more catchers than they knew what do with in Jaramillo, Marson and D'arnaud. I also seem to remember them having so many catchers that Sebastian Valle was gonna have to change positions.

[bigegypt0417]

Why would you draft Bart and trade Grullon, a plus defensive catcher who's already put up 10 dingers, the last few on the road?
I'd rather marinate Bart behind Grullon, and see who looks ML ready in two years. Bart is already 21, and would probably got to Williamsport, then A ball at 22, and maybe Reading at 23. By that time you'd know if Grullon is for real.

Both Grullon and Bart are essentially catcher only, since they lack the athleticism for any where else but 1B.
If either one pans out, Alfaro can play 3B or RF as well as catch and get his PAs.

Because if you use the 3rd pick in the draft on a catcher you're drafting your catcher of the future. 2 eerks ago you were telling us to calm down about Grullon. We have alfaro to hold the fort until Bart is ready.

[zambonir]

The real question is, if Bart is available at #3 for money reasons, will the Phillies also pass?

[Lucky_Beagle]

I personally would not spend the 3rd pick in the draft on a catcher. I would need to be convinced it is a worth while pick if I thought there is an every day starting position player available or a starting pitcher available who is projected to be as good.

[zambonir]

I dunno. Catching is pretty scarce these days.And I reckon 110 games from a good catcher is just as valuable as 150 from an infielder. I guess the risk is that catchers seem harder to develop (they get injured, the bat slows while they deal with the catching, etc.).

Everybody's had him going to SF for so long that I suppose I might be perceiving him as being more valuable than he is (i.e,. the #2 guy "dropped" to us!) when it's probably a wash with several guys anyway.

[Squire]

Minorleagueball.com has its annual community mock draft today starting at 1pm and going 5 rounds

Update: It went 1 Mize 2 Bohm so the Phillies guy Took Bart

[allentown]

That's what I would have done.