The draft is only one portion of how to build the organization up. Trades, as we've seen, can inject life fairly quickly but also the international market. Look at the Braves big 4 starters...Minor, Delgado, Teheran and Vizcaino. Three of those four guys were acquired via international free agency. Signing these type of guys are just as important as signing the top draft picks. Another aspect is scouting, Stros need to make sure they hit big in the later rounds were they can pickup a Hellickson, Moore or Oswalt.
If you look at the Astros top 10 prospects that they did not draft ... Jarred Cosart Position: RHP Age: 21 Drafted: 2008, 38th (1156) Jonathan Singleton Position: 1b Age: 20 Drafted: 2009, 8th (257) Jonathan Villar Position: SS Age: 20 Signed: May 20, 2008 Paul Clemens Position: RHP Age: 23 Drafted: 2008, 7th (220) Brett Oberholtzer Position: LHP Age: 22 Drafted: 2008, 8th (250) Domingo Santana Position: OF Age: 19 Signed: March 23, 2009 You will see that the Braves and Phillies drafted gold outside of the top rounds. They also did well in International FA signing. I also suspect that the Braves and Phillies do a better job than most with player development in the minor leagues. The bottom line is that the the number one pick in the draft is nothing to discount, but ... The Astros need to elevate their scouting, drafting and development if they want to have a top tier minor league system.
It's been said before but merits repeating, the Astros draft for depth but trade for talent. That's why most of their top prospects were acquired in trades rather than drafted.
I've seen Appel pitch twice against Rice. Dude throws gas. Can get it up in the upper 90s. Would be a solid choice for the Astros
Troll? Nice name-calling, there. It's a discussion board. You bring your point in here and people discuss it. If you can't handle opposing viewpoints without calling names and crying, then do indeed use the "ignore" feature. I won't be putting you on "ignore", however, because I can handle some disagreement. Nor will I resort to namecalling. Way to stay classy.
This. I view having the number one pick in next year's draft almost as a hindrance in that you have to pay a whole lot of money to the first pick. Unfortunately in this draft there is no clear cut favorite like in year's past, so you may pay a guy who might not have gone top ten in last year's draft. However, the Astros have their pick of the litter, so as long as they identify the "BPA" for them, hopefully it will work out. No Worries is absolutely correct. It all comes down to drafting the right players through scouting. When said players are drafted and assigned to minor league teams --- its the coaching, the development that is going to get these players on the right track. I'd like to see some of the money saved from the major league payroll go towards hiring personnel to help develop and mentor the minor leaguers we currently have and to help the prosepects coming in make the proper adjustments to make it to the show.
Thought I'd give this a bump Stanford open their season Friday against # 10 Vanderbilt (legit competition) Appel's Line 7 IP 1 ER 2 H 2 BB 5 K's http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2011-2012/stanbb01.html He appears to be the odds on pick right now, it appears him or the Giolito kid out of high school. Still some time for things to play out, but he doesn't look to have any weaknesses and big stuff, proven at high levels.
Appel looks like a complete pitcher with his variety of pitches and his velocity. The only problem I have with him are his low strikeout numbers for someone who throws that hard. Right now I'm leaning towards Giolito. He has a very easy motion that doesn't put strain on his arm, averages at least 1 strikeout per inning and is projected to turn into a Verlander type of starter. I think the Astros being the first team to draft a high school right handed pitcher would give us some pretty good press as well.
I am not a fan of drafting pithcing with this pick. Pitching doesn't have a great track record with that pick.
And the Astros have a poor track record of developing first round pitchers... unless they were being groomed for the bullpen (Wagner, Lidge).
The Astros recent first round draft picks (under Heck) have been rather under-whelming: 2008 Jason Castro 2008 Jordan Lyles 2009 Jiovanni Mier 2010 Delino DeShields, Jr. 2010 Mike Foltynewicz 2010 Michael Kvasnicka 2011 George Springer Lyles is the best of the bunch. The rest have under-performed to some degree, except for Springer who is still to have seen his first complete pro season. At this point, I would not be surprised if Mier, DeShields, Foltynewicz or Kvasnicka ever see significant time in The Bigs. I am hoping that Luhnow can improve the Astros's player development and these first picks can develop can into better prospects.
No, but pitchers with potential are more overvalued than position players. If the Astros scouting has improves (big If), then get a a lot of pitchers who could excel, would be great trading chips to get those position players.
You need at least one big time frontend guy to compete for championships. Other than maybe Cosart, the Astros don't have anybody with ace potential.
Castro has been injured, so jury is very much out on him. DDJ is so young, and his performance really wasn't that surprising. I'd bet him as a big leaguer. Kvasnicka is a bust, IMO. The problem is nobody looks like a star. At best we are picking guys expected to be solid, not great players.
Castro in three minor league seasons has an underwhelming .788 OPS. And that is with one quarter of his games being played in Lancaster. I got no idea what DDJ will become. He has shown very little to this point. I agree nobody looks like a star. I am not sure what is to blame. Either we are making safe picks or we are failing to develop the players we do pick.
A .788 OPS would be very good for a catcher (Mitch Melusky is our last catcher with an OPS that high). And don't forget he was rushed through the minors. DDJ has shown speed, athleticism, and the ability to draw walks. He has a lot of raw ability, which was known when he was drafted, though I certainly wasn't a fan of using a top 10 pick on him. Go take a look at Robinson Cano at that age. I think we've been mixing safe picks with high potential players. I certainly haven't been overly impressed by Heck, especially considering the fanfare he came here with. I think they are mixing "saf
