I still can’t decide if I love this draft or hate this draft. Like Striker, this draft annoys me because there’s not enough ceiling in our pics. But I think I like this draft because I don’t think there was a lot of ceiling left by the time we picked so I’m kind of digging the strategy of a lot of higher floor guys With some lottery tickets in the later rounds.
Coppy
Tapate50 (06-21-2019)
50PoundHead (06-21-2019)
clvclv (06-21-2019)
He was a two-way player at Young Harris. I don't know what his pitch repertoire consisted of, but he struck out 98 guys in 91 innings his 1st year in JC ball. Lousy control, however, with a walk rate of nearly 5 per game. His 2nd year he went through the roof, striking out 160 guys in 96 innings with much improved control, walking only 33. He was Baseball America's National JUCO Player of the Year in 2003. In addition to his stellar pitching in 2003, he hit .439 with 21 HRs in 223 ABs.
I think its true of the two first round picks. They were more high floor picks. And there were several higher ceilings picks taken after them.
In the case of Langeliers, there were several players taken after him (Bishop, Carroll, Rutledge, Manoah) who were arguably higher ceiling.
In the case of Shewmake, there were HS pitchers taken after him (Espino, Walston and Malone) that were arguably higher ceiling.
The most reliable rule of thumb for the 1st round imo is to go for the highest ceiling. And I don't think we did that.
"I am a victim, I will tell you. I am a victim."
"I am your retribution."
i think Langeliers' ceiling is being way undersold. i don't think they were the highest ceiling picks possible and i wouldn't claim that, but i don't think either of them lack ceiling, either. it's really tough to say without seeing trackman data that's supposedly out there.
"Well, you’ll learn soon enough that this was a massive red wave landslide." - thethe on the 2020 election that trump lost bigly
“I can’t fix my life, but I can fix the world.” - sturg
clvclv (06-21-2019)
I think one thing that happens when teams get to the point where everyone considers them the gold standard for a second is that people have a tendency to start over-exalting every thing they do whether it plays a significant role in their success or not. Or whether it was in fact something that any team would have done in the same situation.
The new buzz word is using depth and versatility to set up platoon situations. Hardly a new concept, but one that is sexy again because some winning teams are doing it.
Having a bunch of guys with certain strengths that can deploy by matchups is certainly a nice thing to have. I wish Atlanta would do more of that at least in moderation.
But at the end of the day, I do not think the Chris Taylors and Kike Hernandez's of the world are the reason the Dodgers are successful.
I would like to think the Braves see more in Shewmake than that at 21, but it does seem like a pretty weak draft class so maybe that's about all you can do there. I'm not thrilled by Shewmake primarily because his bat showed no real improvement over his time at TAMU. On one hand it was consistent, but the lack of progress calls the upside into question. Maybe a professional workout regimen will add that missing power though.
"Well, you’ll learn soon enough that this was a massive red wave landslide." - thethe on the 2020 election that trump lost bigly
“I can’t fix my life, but I can fix the world.” - sturg