Here’s some players BA expects to be taken around the 28th slot.

Andrew Cashner, RHP – Texas Christian
Ryan Perry, RHP – Arizona
Reese Havens, SS – S. Carolina
Jason Castro, C – Stanford (They drafted two C’s in the top 5 rds last season)
Brett Devall, LHP – HS – Florida
Daniel Webb, RHP – HS – Kentucky
Ike Davis, 1B/OF – Arizona State

I really think Casey Kelly – SS is at the top of my list. I think he could still be there at #28. I also like Andrew Cashner – P at that spot as well.

Kyle Long, Alex Meyer and Xavier Avery also are guys I think could be possibilities at #40, but Avery may not even decide to play baseball. This is where it’s tough to judge. Could a team convince him baseball is the right choice? Obviously he has tremendous potential.

Pitching is what wins championships. It’s so much easier to pick the next Brien Taylor than a Jake Peavy.

He proved he can handle the wood bat on the Cape. I’m very high on him as a hitter because of that. He’s a very real consideration @ 28.

This kid looks like a tremendous talent. 96 MPH Heater and a big league curve ball. He can hit too! I saw a clip of him pitching and was just like…......wow!

The only concern is he has a small frame. He’s listed at 180 lbs, so he probably around 165. He’s still just a kid, so there’s room for growth.

He’s got first round talent. Size, or in Sonny’s case lack thereof, is the only issue.

I’ve dropped him from consideration. It appears football has stolen away another exciting prospect.

There has been some concern of the declining number of American Blacks in MLB. If you are wondering why take a look at football and basketball. There’s more than a handful of RB’s, WR’s, DB’s, Safeties, PG and SG’s who sure look like they have all the physical tools to be splendid baseball players.

Curses!

These California kids are all highly touted. All three are potential 1st round selections and likely gone by the time the Yankees pick.

Gose wants to play OF instead of P, even though he throws 97 MPH. He wants to be the next Juan Pierre. Why? I’m not sure. However, he seems very determined so this could pose some problems for the team that drafts him. Is he even a 1st round talent as a hitter? Probably not.

Hicks is similar to Gose. Seems to be the better offensive option. He should leave the board in the middle of the 1st. Five-tool type.

Galloway is an OF. Considered slightly more advanced than Hicks as a hitter but not as high a ceiling. Safe pick. Should develop into a decent player. Mid-late 1st.

Replacement for Giambi – I’m not a big fan of drafting a 1B, because what that usually means is the player is a defensive liability and ends up there because of it. I’d rather take a more athletic player, and move him to first if it’s the best fit for the organization. Free Agency might be the solution here anyways.

Pitchers, pitchers and more pitchers. A priority.

After 35 games:
Tabata .231 AVG 0 HR 14 RBI
Jackson .273 AVG 0 HR 6 RBI

These guys are supposed to be the future. I’m just not completely sold. Virtually no power this season from either prospect.

Again football plays until the selection process. Long is interesting, but it would cost a whole lot of money to sign him and for him to back away from the free ride at Florida State. I think a college education is important to the Long family.

Hood has got his free ride at Alabama. And he gets to play both football and baseball. I don’t even think at this point the young man knows which one he’ll go with. If I had to guess…........football.

So if you’re going to select either, your organization better be prepared to “show them the money!”

Here’s a thought. If you don’t hit 95 MPH on the gun, I wouldn’t even consider drafting you.

Broken about a month ago. It’s not a huge deal, but he’s falling fast on the draft boards. Including Sickels. lol

Doesn’t look like he’s gonna be there for us at 28. Tyler Sample is interesting because he throws hard, but he has some control issues.

I might just take Sonny Gray, instead of reaching. He might not progress much this season because of the injury and the Yankees would need to look deeper at the injury. That’s not gonna happen in a mock draft, so I’ll assume he’ll be fine. lol

I just don’t see one. It doesn’t look like a good crop this draft. Both Beckhams will be gone and they look like the only sure bets. Kelly has a suspect bat and a would be a hard sign, due to football. Havens projects to be a 3b. Am a missing someone?

I find it difficult to determine who’s going to be better. Wallace looks like a Billy Ball dream player! Ike might have more power? It will be tough to choose between them, and both project at 1B, although Ike could also play in the OF.

His stock in sliding in some corners. He is one of the most polished HS hitters. Projects to be a very good MLB player. I just didn’t consider him at 28, because I didn’t think he’d be there.

He’d take more time to develop. And they say he doesn’t have a high ceiling. I’m sure how they determine this ceiling crap.

It will be interesting to see where he goes.

Slugging Purdue 1B. Great college hitter. No mention of him on any mock drafts. Would make a great 4th or 5th round selection.

Another Cape Cod vet, who showed he could hit with wood. Worth consideration with a 3rd or 4th.

Ryne should also be in that range, I doubt he’d last to the fifth.

Three players of interest on this college team

C – Tim Park
OF – Mike Sheridan
OF – Ben Guez – (Cape League All-Star)

http://www.tribeathletics.com/files/bsb/2008/5.pdf

Trying to cover all the bases here. I need some names for the later portion of the draft. Usually it’s better to invest in college players here, as you’ll HS kids might and often do opt for college.

Names?

2007 Draft Picks B/T Ht Wt DOB Rd POS Signed
Andrew W. Brackman R/R 6’11” 1985-12-04 1 RHP 08/15/2007
Austin A. Romine R/R 6’01” 195 1988-11-22 2 C 08/15/2007
Ryan J. Pope R/R 6’03” 190 1986-05-21 3 RHP 06/29/2007
Bradley K. Suttle S/R 6’02” 215 1986-01-24 4 3B 08/15/2007
Adam Olbrychowski R/R 6’02” 180 1986-09-07 5 RHP 6/20/2007
Richard C. Weems L/R 6’02” 170 1989-01-17 6 C 08/15/2007
Damon A. Sublett L/R 6’01” 190 1985-09-22 7 2B 6/20/2007
Taylor D. Grote L/R 6’02” 195 1988-12-05 8 CF Signed
Austin M. Krum L/L 5’09” 175 1986-01-19 9 CF 6/20/2007
Carmen E. Angelini R/R 6’01” 185 1988-09-22 10 SS 08/15/2007

Brackman – Big contract (Boras) Tommy John Surgery
Romine – In 15 games is hitting .351 0HR 6RBI (Only 2 AB’s in 2007)
Pope – In 8 starts 4-2 2.13 ERA (3-0 2.49 ERA in 2007)
Suttle – In 13 games is hitting .320 1HR 3RBI (Only 8 AB’s last season)
Olbrychowski – In 6 starts 2-2 3.94 ERA (3-5 4.47 ERA last season)
Weems – No info. HS catcher.
Sublett – In 34 games is hitting .231 1HR 10RBI (.326 8HR 53RBI last season)
Grote – In game last season 0/1 with a BB. Injured?
Krum – In 38 games is hitting .227 1HR 17RBI (Hit just .238 with no power last season)
Angelini – In 41 games is hitting .232 1HR 10RBI

If I was running the show, I’d make darn sure Fernando Frias and Jean Carlos Rodriguez of George Washington HS (NYC) ended up in my system. Both are very good ball players, but would be later round selections. 10 round and beyond territory – just a guess. But I would never use a hometown as a grading tool

I do think having a little local flavor is in the best interest of a ball club, however, it just has to happen by concidence.

A good example is Manny Del Carmen – from Boston, drafted by Boston, darn good arm. It wouldn’t have mattered though if he was from Hong Kong though. It was all about the arm.