Here’s hoping the Braves draft somebody helpful.
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Here’s hoping the Braves draft somebody helpful.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
We should try to draft Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner, or Pedro. Ha ha ha
You need to lay off the LSD smitty!
but it is soooo good!
Well, in that case, Share some!!!! Please!!!!
So, based on reading various draft rumors, it seems Dayton Moore is more than a little involved in the Royals draft strategy. I know he works for them now, but wasn’t he supposed to “sit out” the draft. I mean he basically put together the Braves strategy and now he’s handing that work over to another club? Does it bother anyone else?
No, because we have a system of taking players from the south east.I think everyone knows who we are going after.
Eric Gregg died. Funny, I found this site by googling “eric gregg satan” and getting a skip bayless road from bristol page and from there followed links, now I feel bad. If the Braves get Matt Antonelli from Wake I’ll be psyched, I know him a little bit because he went to my high school.
Welcome to the maddness John
Antonelli is a possability if he’s available with the Braves second pick. I don’t see him going 24.
I disagree with you, Smitty. The Braves do scout the southeast heavily, but they don’t restrict themselves there. They’ll go with the best talent available, and the Royals now have insight into what the Braves believe is the best talent. In the later rounds, where you hope to pull big sleepers, that would really hurt you.
Hello John…
( I always wanted to say that..)
I’ve heard Antonelli as high as 14 to the Blue Jays. I doubt he lasts till the sandwich round. Rumors for our first rounder include Kasey Kiker, Brooks Brown, and Jeremy Jeffress. I’d bet on one of the two high schoolers, if they’re still available, but Kiker’s makeup problems might scare the Braves off.
No, but we do take our first few round picks from the south. My understanding is that Morre is going to do our draft and take over in KC later this week. He may have some input on KC’s draft, but they may be looking for diffrent players than we are and they have access to picks much sooner than we do. We might take some picks in the later rounds that would be a strech for the Royals.
I like Jeremy Jeffress, I’d be very happy with him as the first pick.
Antonelli’s stock has really dropped recently. He may still go as highly as the teens, but I think he’ll fall down some.
6 picks in the first 2 rounds. thats one good thing that we have to look forward to. i dont think any other team has more unless i looked over someone. i dont really understand the supplemental picks. are those just additional picks due to the legality issues of trades?
MLB guys saying Antonelli will go to Red Sox at 27, but I’m not sure I buy it. Some of their other choices look a tad funky.
Anyone have any good draft links
It’s streaming video on mlb.com, Smitty.
KC takes Hochevar.
Nice to see a former Vol go #1
I see the UNC lefty dind’t go top 5. Mayeb he will fall to us, he has to be better than Remlinger.
unrelated note:
Didnt realize that Eric Gregg’s son was a pitcher for the Angels….
Miller just went at 6.
Many hilarious awkward pauses on the MLB feed.
Yeah, and their feed is well behind the actual events.
The Draft Tracker is much less inane.
All the info is here
Huh. Rangers take Kiker. Didn’t expect him to go that high.
Wow. The feed is at least 4 picks behind. They just announced Kiker and the Nationals just picked.
There goes Kiker at #12
Jeffress to the Brew Crew … who is still left for us?
Man, Jeffress was taken at 16.
This draft is weak
Antonelli, too, way higher than expected.
There goes Antonelli to the Padres.
The Phillies took Drebeck as a shortstop
Is Kyle Drabek Doug’s son?
yup
Wow, Drabek really fell.
Here we go!
Please give us Bard here.
Who the hell is that?
Draft Tracker’s thing on Maxwell Sapp says he “has an idea at the plate.” What does that mean? Who doesn’t have an idea?
(Johnson, that is)
John Johnson? Was Will Williams not ready? Who is this guy?
Well, that was uneventful. All that talent out there and we take John Johnson. How can we pass on Chamberlain or Bard here?
Someone tell us something about him
I don’t know anything about him. Wasn’t on Baseball America’s Draft Tracker so I have no clue.
They’ll be talking about him on the draft show soon.
an outfielder??
why do we need an OF?
Well, Bard to the Red Sox. I still don’t know who John Johnson is, except that I find his name a sad indictment of parents these days.
They’re saying it’s an interesting pick … lot of power last summer but fell off the map this fall and spring.
Is his name Cody or John?
Uh, I think you mean Cody Johnson……outfielder from Mosley HS (Panama City, Fla.)
here is a link! He gose by Cody I think
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/2006draft/060127johnson.html
I feel like the rich just get richer in some of these drafts. The Red Sox just pulled what I believe is a Top 10 overall pitcher at the 28 spot. Why don’t teams that know they need help sooner than later take arms like Bard, who are proven at a higher level? I am baffled that some people have jobs.
I think we just picked A.J. Zapp.
A tall, “laid back” LH first baseman with good power but holes in his swing … exactly what this organization needed.
Boy, his swing does look a lot like LaRoche’s too …
Sounds like he was killing the ball for about two years, then fell of the planet
Well, Schuerholz really screwed the pooch with that one. Here’s hoping they give Joba Chamberlain a good look at 38 if he is still there.
I think he could be a great player, I say if JS likes him, then I like him
Then isn’t your commentary unnecessary, Smitty?
is anyone elses draft track stuck on pick 30?
I personally wouldn’t have cared about the pick if they waited on him. I think he still would have been there at 38 and probably at 43. Why not take say, Bard, with this pick, and then take Johnson at 38 or 43? Doesn’t make much sense to me.
That’s what I was thinking, Josh. Even if he develops, you could have had him later and gotten someone else there that you can’t get later. We reached.
No Stu, I am getting paid big moeny to give my commentary
They are taking a 15 minute break, I think. The picks aren’t stuck, none more have been made. Still an oppportunity to pick up more talent in the sandwich round – 2 picks there. I too am puzzled why no Bard at 24; oh well.
By JS, obviously. I doubt many would pay to hear, “I’m going to like whomever we draft.”
They must be taking a break before the sandwich round.
Could it be the infatuation with high schoolers, Kyle? That seems to be the only explanation.
Well he was great as a junior in high school. He played with the East Cobb Astros with a wood bat and was great. I can see why they took him.
Well JS does have that book money to pay me with.
Well, 26 other picks also were not Daniel Bard, so we weren’t the only ones. The Red Sox must have shit their pants when they realized he was still on the board for either of their picks. I wonder if JS has some sort of budget constraint that necessitated taking Johnson in the 1st round?
I think it’s a little ridiculous to really get upset over picks this early. You have to wait a couple of years in baseball to know if “Schuerholz really screwed the pooch.” No offense, Josh Engleman, you certainly know more about the draft than I do, but I’m thinking Schuerholz’s track record probably earns him a little leeway.
I agree with Smitty and put my trust in the professional scouts and evaluators (at least the Atlanta Braves ones).
Another possibility, jenny. Hadn’t thought of that. [whine] I want a new owner![/whine]
Bard, ?, LaPorta would have looked so much better to me than what we have so far. I’d rather have LaPorta than Johnson but that is probably just me. I would have been thrilled to get Bard and LaPorta with either Chamberlain or Mulvey from Villanova as my other pick. But I’m really high on Mulvey, too.
There’s a lot to like about Johnson, it’s not like we pulled him out of nowhere. He was very well regarded until a recent slump. The way position players were going in that first round, I can see why they may have felt they needed to grab one.
I’d say they aren’t afraid of taking a college arm and may take Brooks Brown with one of the next three-four picks… I think they like Johnson and maybe heard someone else was considering drafting him. I dunno. I’m optimistic about Johnson – i’d rather have someone who’s played at a high level once and then struggled over someone who has never reached that high level (like the Clemson OF the Cubs drafted – everyone is already puzzled at that pick) – with our player development system, you have to hope they can get this kid on track. of course, i’d prefer he stay away from the rocket wheeler school of plate discipline if possible 🙂
Maybe there were $$ concerns also. I have to imagine Bard will sign for above slot because of his pedigree, whereas Johnson might be at the opposite end of that spectrum. BA says he only had a “partial” scholarship to FSU – could that be true? If FSU doesn’t even like him enough to give him a full scholarship he certainly can’t ask for a ton of money.
I agree, JS should get the benefit of the doubt after years of success. The problem I have is that he reached with this pick. As I said above, I don’t mind taking Johnson, I just mind we took him there, when there were other options available. It comes down to value, and I don’t think we maximized it here.
Draft is going again – HS SS going to the Dodgers at 31
The perfect Braves draft pick would be Matt Jones, a righthanded high school pitcher from Marietta. As far as I know, there is no such person, but give it time.
I’m pretty sure there was little call for LaRoche v. 2.0.
Pretty funny, Mac. I chuckled out loud here at work.
Oops, there goes Brooks Brown off the board to the dbacks.
There’s a great read over at espn over Eric Gregg, the Braves and holding a grudge. Check it out here
We already have LaRoche v2 in the minors. Johnson makes v3.
Right, but Johnson is really not like LaRoche. That’s a bad comparison. LaRoche = some guy with a bat, Johnson = 5 tools. Now not everyone loves toolsy guys, but that’s what the Braves tend toward.
As for Schuerholz’s track record, he hasn’t made one good first round pick in Atlanta without Dayton Moore’s help. The Braves track record with first rounders in the nineties was abhorrent; none of the Braves’ first picks between Mike Kelly and Adam Wainwright had a major league career worth noting.
38. Atl–Alex White, rhp, HS/North Carolina
43. Atl–Derrick Robinson, of, HS/Florida
They are Baseball America’s projections.
Braves get Cory Rasmus – Colby Rasmus’ younger brother, and Kasey Kiker’s teammate at an Alabama HS. RHP and SS? prospect, probably a pitcher for us.
Well, we got Cory Rasmus RHP from Russell County HS. I don’t really mind this too much, although I think we reached again. I forgot David Huff was still out there and just saw him go off the board, he’s another guy I thought highly of.
Just to rub salt in my wounds, Joba Chamberlain goes to the Yankees. Somebody hates me.
Did Bobby draft Chipper or did JS? I guess it was Bobby
Chamberlain to the Yanks. They must not have liked him because I’m sure Rasmus would have been there at 43.
Evarts?
And a 6’3″ projectable LHP at #43. Stereotypical Braves draft, really. Hope it doesn’t bite them in the a$$
Next pick for us is Steven Evarts LFP out of high school. I am through making comments about the Braves picks because I clearly have no idea what they are thinking.
He is better than Remlinger right now. CALL HIM UP!
We are on deck again, maybe they will pick me
Bobby did. Chipper was the last first pick of the Ancien Régime.
“LaRoche = some guy with a bat”…hahaha….good stuff Jay. That just made my day
Wow a lefty who can hit 95 comming out of high school! Damn!
Jeffrey Locke, LHP, Crosby Kennett Sr. HS
Jeff Locke
Jeffrey Locke: “His main pitch is a fastball, which has hit as high as 95 mph on the gun. His secondary pitches need work.”
Translation: He only throws a fastball. Yikes.
Jeff Locke is from New Hampshire. Live free or die!
WEll Jenny, no one in the current pen can throw a fastball at all.
Lots of kids hit 95 on the radar gun in high school then lose velocity. Happens all the time.
So, I guess the Braves aren’t going with the college closer route this year.
Billy Smith 6 foot 170 from Chattanooga would be a good pick, at least I think so.
No, they’re going with the “no closer” route this year.
But mac he is left handed. Which means he could strike out LaRoche! Oh well so can everyone else.
Right now Bobby Dews has the best fastball in our pen.
The Brewers took Brent Brewer, ha ha ha ha!
There goes LeBlanc, Mac.
The Braves mostly develop from within… But by my count, I think that the only players on the current roster who were drafted by the team from 1991-99 are Marcus, Horacio, and Langerhans. And Marcus was a 53rd round pick — they only draft 50 now.
Billy Beene took a high school pitcher.
Dustin Evans from Georga Southern. GSU doesn’t have to play a full cenfrece slate because not all SoCon schools have a baseball team.
He had an elboy injury and his “stuff hasn’t returned.” That’s encouraging.
Robert Fontaine?
Did anyone else see that Eva Longoria got drafted 3rd overall? Sweet!!!
I said that the A’s were going the high school route more now. Everybody thinks that high school pitchers are useless, so Beane takes high school pitchers. Market inefficiencies.
I am glad to see he is becomming more flexable
It’s hard to say “everyone” doesn’t like HS pitchers. Kershaw was 7th, Kiker 12th, Jeffress 16th, Drabek 17th or 18th.
Okay, “everyone” is an exaggeration, but compared to a few years ago, three high school pitchers in the top twenty is a low count.
Beane has always been flexible; that’s the whole point. He takes guys who are less valued, for whatever reason, in any given year. It’s the only way to go if you can’t afford to play the free agent market the way the Yankees and Red Sox do. Well, there’s also the Royals way…
Are we going to get Dontrell Willis?
I’ll take Dontrelle, and move Sosa to the closer role?
Chad Rogers, another lefty
I have lived in Panama City, Florida most of my life. I have gone to watch Mosely play several times over the past four years, even though I’m a Rutherford graduate. Cody Johnson can play. Lots of power. Good outfielder. Great pickup for the Braves.
What else do you know about him Cory? Was he slummping this year?
Right now Bobby Dews has the best fastball in our pen.
I liked this.
As for the draft, who knows who will end up being good? I do know that no matter who we drafted, they won’t be good this year. I just hope we got something for furcal and farnsworthless leaving out of that sandwich round.
Just noticed (I am not following live) that the Dodgers took a “Preston Mattingly” with the first sandwich pick. Since he’s from Indiana, I assume he’s a relative?
Here is an article from Sunday about Cody Johnson from the News Herald: our local newspaer in Panama City
http://ap.emeraldcoast.com/snews_display.php?aID=1388
I believe that preston is don mattingly’s son. And I believe he might be the sister of a certain BTFers ex-fiance.
I live in Evansville, IN and Preston goes to Central High School in here. He is the son of Don. The local media has been saying he would go in the early rounds based on potential. I don’t think anyone thought he’d be a sandwich pick. He has been saying that he’d go pro only if the money was there because his dad has been encouraging to go play college ball for University of Tennessee. My guess is that he’s not going to UT now. I don’t know how good he’ll be. He’s one of those kids who is all state in every sport, but never concentrated fully on one specific sport. So who knows what he can be when playing only baseball.
Son of Don. Was committed to UT, but he got taken really early compared to his BA ranking, so there’s little chance of him going to college. Then again, the Dodgers haven’t had sterling success with Vol clients in the past year.
Unlike most first round draft picks, it’s not like Don Mattingly’s kids *need* the money.
But this makes headlines if true: I believe that preston is don mattingly’s son. And I believe he might be the sister of a certain BTFers ex-fiance.
Was Illa Borders ever drafted?
Wow, after hearing how bad Cody Johnson “struggled” this year, I didn’t expect this:
I understand that the struggles likely occurred in games with a travelling team against better competition. Still, it’s not like the kid totally fell on his face. Also, you have to like this:
Davey,
Good ESPN column. Thanks for the heads up.
The only thing the author missed was the odd fact that Livan Hernandez beat the Braves on the very day Eric Gregg passed. Kinda creepy, if you ask me.
Don has been pushing his son to go to college over playing pro now, not sure if that will change
JS doesn’t have much say, Snyder and Clark take care of the draft.
I’ve been reading Espn’s Page 2 stuff for about 3 years now and I never knew that Jones was such a big Braves fan. Maybe I’m ignorant and never noticed it..or he just never really parades it like Sports Guy does with his Red Sox.
Yeah, that’s a great article from Page 2. I hope everyone can put Game 5 behind them now… and anyway, who other than a Red Sox fan can wear their team allegiance in such a flagrant way?
The only thing the author missed was the odd fact that Livan Hernandez beat the Braves on the very day Eric Gregg passed. Kinda creepy, if you ask me
Eric gregg, still screwing the braves from beyond the grave!!!!
Zadok Magruder HS? I was going to make fun of that name until I realized that it’s in my county. Oops.
Bomani Jones is a huge Braves fan … he’s written in the past about how Braves fans have unfairly gotten a bad rap over poor attendance (pointing out several factors other than apathy that impact attendance at the Ted), and I’ve exchanged a number of e-mails with him about the team.
Also, I believe this is the myspace page of new Braves farmhand Chase Fontaine:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=37497103
It would be much funnier if I was a Mets fan.
Adam,
You’re right..Sports Guy does it in a flagrant way, but I can still enjoy most of his stuff.
Some of those other Page 2 writers make me want to bleed out of my eyes. I can’t get through Shannof’s Daily Quicky or one Skip Bayless article without stabbing myself with rusty objects and hoping for tetanus.
There was this other guy that tried to be funny with an Nfl Mock Draft..wow, that was the equivalent of fighting a grizzly bear..just brutal.
So yeah, refreshing to see a fellow die hard Brave fan there.
Oh, I think Simmons is often hilarious. But don’t stab yourself with rusty objects. Or worry too much about NFL mock drafts. It’s all the same thing, really, and it all hurts too much.
mhr,
About an hour ago, I, too, swapped emails with Bomani & he was real cool. Braves-brothers unite…
This is going insanely fast in the later rounds today. I’m guessing the East Coast teams are trying to get done by the time the 400 bags of Chinese takeout arrive at the office.
This is from Baseball Prospectus writer Kevin Goldstein on 1st round pick Cody Johnson:
A high-risk/high-reward pick who entered the season as a top pick but had played his way out of the first round according to many. His tools–in particular his plus-power potential–ranked with the best high school players in the country, but it rarely showed up in games. He has a hitch in his swing and is raw in the outfield, despite good athleticism. Will either be a star or fizzle out before he gets to Double-A.
It is difficult–if not impossible–to judge a draft until at least 3 years have gone by.
In addition, I assume that Braves’ scouts know vastly more than we do.
That said, I like parts of the Braves’ draft. Johnson is a great first choice and Rogers and Evarts are good young arms. Rasmus looks like a bit of a reach and I am a bit dubious about over-hyped Multipurpose players. We do not need a Braves’ version of Matt Bush.It might be useful to sign and then trade him.
The surprising thing about this draft was what happened next: drafting Locke. The Braves have already been burned by drafting two players from New England (Charles Morton(3rd, 2002) and Jeff Katz (9th, 2004) and neither has panned out. The problem with New England players is tha they are simply not tested in the same way that players from the sunbelt are.
Dustin Evans looks like a gamble, but then again the scouts must be convinced that he is a find.
More puzzling, I do not understand drafting Fontaine. Do we need a SS with no obvious upside? The Braves already have more shortstops than they know what to do with and there were many better players available.
Gunderson is probably a sound, if unexciting pick. The same with Hyde. I like Mehlich in the 11th, because he has a strong upside, which is more than can be said for some of the earlier picks.
All told, at this point in time it is hard not to be disappointed with this draft. Given the number of picks the Braves have still helped themselves, but not as much as in 2003, 2002, 2001 and 2000. The 2000 class–also dubbed to be weak in talent (hence the comparisons)–was still productive for the Braves. The Braves will be lucky if the 2006 class is as productive.