Draft Review

by NovaO on Jun 12, 2008 12:36 PM PDT

Hey guys, I'm in the middle of a draft review series for THT over the next few weeks, and I want some suggestions for players to look at.

I've already done a profile on Jemile Weeks , who while I think is an overdraft, should still give the A's some solid value once he is ready for major league pitching.

I'm already planning to do break downs on players up to pick 50, but I realize Oakland didn't have a selection after Weeks until 58.

So here are some thoughts on some Oakland picks:

58. Tyson Ross - I've seen scouting reports that have his velocity up to 94 or 95, but the video doesn't show that. It showed him working in the mid - upper 80's and his mechanics bear that out: little use of his lower body, short stride. Of course, the video was taken in 2007, and I'm very interested to see the changes made to his mechanics that allowed him to see a jump in velocity.

90. Preston Paramore - I liked what I saw, though I didn't see many swings (maybe that is due to his plate discipline), but he put a solid swing on the ball and let it travel relatively deep. Not a lot of upside, but I like him nonetheless.

214. Brett Hunter - I like this pick. Ross never really used his lower body, but Hunter maximizes his use of his lower body as evidenced by his mid-90's velocity. I saw pretty good control as well and he could move quickly.

394. Daniel Thomas - shows good control and pretty solid 3 or 4 pitch mix. Can get his fastball up to 93 with movement and I think he has some more velocity left in the tank as well

664. Preston Guilmet - this was a pure results-oriented pick. He put up great #s at Arizona, but when you watch you see an awkward wind-up (helping with deception), and pretty fringy stuff. He does all the things pitchers need to do like change speeds, pitch backwards, etc, but we'll see what happens....definitely a results vs. scouting battle here.

So if there any suggestions for players to profile (including more in-depth breakdowns on the players above) please let me know

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Doolittle

I’d like to know a bit more about Ryan Doolittle.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Jun 12, 2008 12:57 PM PDT 0 recs

Brother of Sean

by Zonis on Jun 12, 2008 1:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

Yup

I know the A’s drafted him as a pitcher. Baseball cube had some fugly numbers for him in 2007, but I read he did a better job pitching this year.

Leave it to the A’s to convert the left handed brother to a first baseman and keep the right handed brother as a pitcher.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Jun 12, 2008 1:34 PM PDT up 0 recs

I'm really anxious to get some video of Doolittle

He wasn’t quite the power hitter at UVA he is now and I would like to see what kind of adjustments he has made since.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Jun 12, 2008 2:40 PM PDT up 0 recs

Not sure it's adjustments so much as just greater strength

He has more muscle now than he did in college, and he’s hitting the ball with more force.

Playing in the California League probably isn’t hurting, either…

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 12, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up 0 recs

I would bet...

there were some adjustments as well. You could be the strongest guy in the world and have an inefficient swing and not hit for any power. Maybe he had a power type swing coming out, maybe not. I’ll have to go back and check. Putting on some muscle would definitely help, but he would need to have had a power type swing to begin with.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Jun 12, 2008 5:40 PM PDT up 0 recs

main adjustment: gaining 20 pounds

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jun 12, 2008 4:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

oops...I didn't catch the first name

anybody with video of the other Doolittle, I would be interested in seeing as well, but the mlb draft tracker doesn’t have video of him.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Jun 12, 2008 2:42 PM PDT up 0 recs

Family Ties

I vaguely remember reading somewhere (that I can’t remember) that Ryan Doolittle had a sub 1.0 ERA this year, but now that I care I can’t verify the information. Ain’t that always the case? For all I know I could be totally wrong.

I wonder if Ryan Doolittle might be one of those “Jared Lansford” type picks, in where the A’s got a player lower in the draft then they should have, because they were really the only team with a shot to keep that player from going to a 4 year school (from high school or JC) due to family ties.

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Jun 12, 2008 3:34 PM PDT up 0 recs

Ah Ha!!!!!

“Ryan Doolittle, Sean’s brother, went 4-2 with a 0.68 ERA for Cumberland County College this year. In 40 innings, he gave up 26 hits and six walks while striking out 59. Doolittle, 20, was the 784th player chosen.”

Sometimes life will strike you out on a curve ball and the only choice you have is to flip off the umpire and walk to first base anyway.

by Threepwood XX on Jun 12, 2008 3:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

Oh, you wrote that article?

Thanks for stopping by, it was excellent.

I wonder if the A’s can work with Weeks on letting the ball travel a little bit farther before starting his swing. I also wonder (maybe you could even tell us) if this is the problem that Ryan Sweeney has in translating his muscular force into game-time power.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 12, 2008 1:30 PM PDT 0 recs

I'm interested in Paramore and Christian

and if you think either have power potential. Paramore looks like he may have the body for it.

Also, great article.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 12, 2008 1:38 PM PDT 0 recs

christian friedrich?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jun 12, 2008 2:12 PM PDT up 0 recs

Jason Christian

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 12, 2008 2:16 PM PDT up 0 recs

Christians?

Release the lions!

[Actually, he’s talking about Jason Christian, SS, Michigan, 5th round pick.]

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 12, 2008 2:17 PM PDT up 0 recs

Paramore yes, Christian no

Paramore has some qualities that make him look he could hit for power at the higher levels

Christian is a little too handsy and you can tell he has been taught to take advantage of his speed by slapping the ball around the entire field instead of driving it. His frame is pretty small as well.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Jun 12, 2008 2:44 PM PDT up 0 recs

jason christian

he’s described as a toolsy college SS w/ all 5 playable tolls that can be improved. something that lacks at the SS in the current farm system
Sickles’ thought it was a solid pick

OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
155 Jason Christian SS Jr. L-R 6-3 170 Michigan Loveland, Ohio Never drafted 6/16/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Christian was a key figure on a Michigan team that lost out to eventual national champion Oregon State in NCAA super-regional play last June. He topped the Wolverines with 64 runs while hitting .328-7-44, and played a steady shortstop. His improvement from his freshman year, when he played sparingly, was pronounced and scouts are hoping for similar improvement in all areas in 2008. Christian has a long, lean, projectable body and may be one of the few players who increase his power without losing speed as he fills out his athletic frame and gets stronger. He has excellent bat speed with a short, sweet swing and the ball jumps off his bat. He runs the 60 in the 6.7-6.8 second range. He has soft hands in the field with good first-step quickness and moves well to either side. He also has an above-average arm for shortstop, a 60 on the standard 20-80 scouting scale, with on-target accuracy. In a pinch, he could play any infield position. He lost valuable time strengthening his body last fall however, as he incurred a small tear in the labrum of his non-throwing shoulder diving for a ball late in the summer while playing in the Northwoods League, and wasn’t 100 percent again until early February.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Despite a back injury that cost him 10 games early in the 2008 season and limited his defensive mobility immediately afterwards, Christian had a strong spring and not only solidified his prospect status but could go even higher than projected. All five of Christian’s tools play, there aren’t any concerns about his ability to stay at shortstop at the upper levels of his game and he brings more offense to the position than many young shortstops. Christian hit .330-7-48 this spring, despite the back injury, and added 39 walks and 16 steals.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

by Asfan4ever723 on Jun 12, 2008 4:18 PM PDT up 0 recs

he might...

I haven’t watched his video other than at full speed. My computer crashed last night so I am without a lot of the stuff I use to evaluate players, but I went back to look Christian:

He is definitely an athlete, he definitely has speed, and he looks like he has pretty good bat speed, but again the hands look like they get too far out in front and he looks like he makes contact too far out in front. He could make the adjustments necessary and add some power to his swing, but adjustments are easier said than done.

I’ll add his swing looks better than a lot of guys that try to get “extension” with their swings, but he still has some work to do. As a shortstop, he won’t have as much pressure on his bat to succeed.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Jun 12, 2008 5:51 PM PDT up 0 recs

hoping they sign

Dusty Coleman SS Wichita st., he ranked around 180 among the top 200…draft eligible soph

also 2b walton from byu, who couldve gone higherf

by Asfan4ever723 on Jun 12, 2008 4:29 PM PDT up 0 recs

Coleman is going to take over-slot money to sign

Actually the A’s picked a whole bunch of players like that (guys who clearly fell so far below their talent level that there’s no way they’re signing for slot money). I’d be surprised if Brett Hunter or Preston Guilmet signed for slot too, and that’s just the college players.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 12, 2008 4:52 PM PDT up 0 recs

well hopefully that bigger draft budget translates into these guys getting signed

by Zonis on Jun 12, 2008 5:33 PM PDT up 0 recs

Going up the list...

..Brent Warren.

Kid can play. Heart cannot.

Or can it?

Notes From The Nat has a new home: http://www.natnotes.com

by Ozzz on Jun 12, 2008 3:32 PM PDT 0 recs

Are you saying that he lacks courage, or that he literally has a heart condition?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 12, 2008 3:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

He has a real heart condition

by theblackpearl on Jun 12, 2008 4:09 PM PDT up 0 recs

probably headed to oregon st.

also crocker headed to cal poly

by Asfan4ever723 on Jun 12, 2008 4:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

Ross signs

From SuSlu: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/12/SP881185NI.DTL

Ross threw for a brief session yesterday at the Coliseum in front of Geren, Young and some front office people.

So far not hearing anybody in the A’s organization sounding very concerned about his mechanics. And, with a four pitch repertoire , Ross, who will start this year in Kane County, will seemingly move quickly through the system.

by TheRaiderWay on Jun 13, 2008 12:43 AM PDT 0 recs

Somehow, I doubt that

He’s going to hit the Henry Rodriguez wall somewhere around AA, where he either realizes that he’s going to have to change the way he pitches in order to move further, or flops.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 13, 2008 9:43 AM PDT up 0 recs

Here's a more functional

link ...

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Jun 13, 2008 11:02 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'd hardly call a very brief fluff piece that doesn't quote a single team source about Ross

evidence or even suggestive of anything …

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Jun 13, 2008 11:23 AM PDT up 0 recs

O.K...

You know that. Then why don’t the salaries baseball experts that have a vested interest in the career of Ross, know that also and do something about it now?

by TheRaiderWay on Jun 13, 2008 9:50 AM PDT 0 recs

You're asking me to explain their motives?

I mean, without fail, every neutral source I’ve read (and some non-neutral ones) has said, on seeing him, “Wow. Ugh. They’re going to need to clean him up big time.”

Or something to that effect.

Perhaps the A’s know something we don’t. Or perhaps they’re just obtuse. Or perhaps Slusser just hasn’t talked to the right people. I’m just expressing my personal opinion, which is that he will not be rocketing to the big leagues.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 13, 2008 10:18 AM PDT up 0 recs