Rule 5 Ruminations

[nsacpi]

It's been a while since we've dabbled in the Rule 5 draft. There are no polished diamonds available. Everyone on the list has issues and flaws. What teams do is squint really hard and try to find a player that potentially can rise above those flaws and help them someday.

I'm going to nominate a player I hope the Braves consider. I'll start by acknowledging the issues that have led his team not to protect him. He is notorious for not giving his all, having been pulled out of numerous games for not running out balls. He had a disappointing season last year in AA, hitting only .236. So we would have to stash him for a whole season on the major league roster even though he needs another year or two in the minors.

So why do I want to draft him? Several reasons. Talent to start with. He is a former first round pick (#8 in the first round to be precise) with tools you rarely find in the Rule 5 draft. Great speed. Has more pop than most speed guys have. Another reason I think he is a good fit for us is he can play center. Our internal options right now are Melvin, Cunningham and Almonte. We need some alternatives. We also have needs at the top of the lineup. He could potentially help us there too some day. He has put up a walk rate north of 10% each of the past three years (12% in AA in 2014). Which means he had a decent OBP (.346) last season even with the low batting average. He is still young (turned 22 in August).

I think of him as being a Peraza-like player. Peraza is younger and doesn't have the attitude issues. But this player also walks more than Peraza and shows more power (11 home runs in AA in 2014). Between the two of them they could give us a dynamic combination that would take care of second and center as well as the top two spots in the lineup. Maybe not right away in 2015 but sometime down the line.

So why not take a flyer on Delino DeShields.

[CyYoung31]

I thought this was a joke at first. Didn't realize that he had a son.

[Hawk]

I like DeShields. He took a 90MPH fastball off the face last spring -- that could have had some effect on his performance.

There are other issues at play, too (DUI several years ago and 'attitude' issues) ... but he's from Atlanta, and good stock.

According to his 2010 MLB Draft scouting report, DeShields has "plus-plus speed" on the basepaths. He is good at hitting, with "the ability to hit line drives consistently." His power hitting is "marginal." His arm strength is "below-average, but it plays OK in the outfield," with "plus range." His fielding ability is good, with a soft-enough touch to play in the middle infield. His physical stature is compared to current New York Mets outfielder Eric Young, Jr.. While his speed and pedigree are listed as advantages, his primary disadvantages are his relative lack of power hitting and inconsistent effort.

[rico43]

Better yet, draft him and offer them some juicy young pitching to enable us to retain his rights if we did send him down.

Wasn't it Ben Rivera that the Braves left unprotected, then drafted Rule 5 when they had the first overall pick?

[Braves1976]

It's been a while since we've dabbled in the Rule 5 draft. There are no polished diamonds available. Everyone on the list has issues and flaws. What teams do is squint really hard and try to find a player that potentially can rise above those flaws and help them someday.

I'm going to nominate a player I hope the Braves consider. I'll start by acknowledging the issues that have led his team not to protect him. He is notorious for not giving his all, having been pulled out of numerous games for not running out balls. He had a disappointing season last year in AA, hitting only .236. So we would have to stash him for a whole season on the major league roster even though he needs another year or two in the minors.

So why do I want to draft him? Several reasons. Talent to start with. He is a former first round pick (#8 in the first round to be precise) with tools you rarely find in the Rule 5 draft. Great speed. Has more pop than most speed guys have. Another reason I think he is a good fit for us is he can play center. Our internal options right now are Melvin, Cunningham and Almonte. We need some alternatives. We also have needs at the top of the lineup. He could potentially help us there too some day. He has put up a walk rate north of 10% each of the past three years (12% in AA in 2014). Which means he had a decent OBP (.346) last season even with the low batting average. He is still young (turned 22 in August).

I think of him as being a Peraza-like player. Peraza is younger and doesn't have the attitude issues. But this player also walks more than Peraza and shows more power (11 home runs in AA in 2014). Between the two of them they could give us a dynamic combination that would take care of second and center as well as the top two spots in the lineup. Maybe not right away in 2015 but sometime down the line.

So why not take a flyer on Delino DeShields.

I agree, I'd take a flyer on that kid for sure in a rebuild/retool year like this one. While he likely isn't ready yet next year could be a different story. So just keep him on the roster as our 4th outfielder (give him the role Schafer had last season in other words). Then in 2016-17 we should have a very good centerfielder on our hands.