Well, since the Astros have taken the inside track to the #1 pick grin, and I think it's never too early to discuss who could be the next superstar for the Houston Astros. This guy, Nick Williams, out of Galveston Ball, is already drawing comparisons to Ken Griffey Jr. <object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18732536&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18732536&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/18732536">Nick Williams - Texas</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/powershowcase">Martin Reinhardt</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p> http://galvestondailynews.com/story/164194 Article from July 2010 From his coach:
HAHAHA...I was kidding. Sort of...:-( Williams and Springer would be a heck of a 1-2 punch but love those Stanford arms a bit more.
Rep me if you knew this kid was going to be black after reading this before the pictures even loaded.
The Astros will make a 2nd half surge and end up with the 7th pick.. Thereby missing out on Ken Griffey Jr. Jr.
If Heck's last couple drafts have told us anything, he's going with a position player with the first pick. They have less of a chance of being busts. But as roxlife said Mark Appel looks pretty good out of Stanford. That would be crazy to imagine an outfield consisting of Williams, Springer and Ovando @ mmp in 2014 or 2015. We are just gonna have to watch how the year plays out. Nobody at this time last year thought Rendon would go 6th and Purke would go in the 3rd round.
Repped for the research, nice job. Hopefully the Stros have another firesale at the deadline and clinch the #1 spot. There is some talent at AA and below we just have to be patient.
Hey I found a top 100 list!! http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
Here's a story on the top kid Lance McCullers: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/jesu...ers-jr-impresses-with-97-mph-fastball/1095658
After reading the forbes article on Crane, we are not drafting this kid. We are gonna go back to drafting mostly white players since he's in charge now.
For those interested, here's a link to a scouting report of Lance McCullers a 2012 HS RHP. There's a world of time before the 2012 draft, but right now he's on the watch list for the potential #1 pick next year. The link also has a video. http://sbb.scout.com/2/1081304.html
I'll take Mark Appel please. Plus plus fastball with a plus slider. He's pitching for collegiate Team USA this summer.
Nobody is a surefire offensive threat ever. You just never know for sure. Honestly, we don't have much pitching either. Counting on Pence/Bourn/Wandy bringing to fix more than the 2012 draft will.
Looking at the last 20+ years, if it is a position player, they will be from high school. If it is a pitcher, they will be from college. High School pitchers and college bats don't go #1 overall. The exceptions are Brien Taylor, Pat Burrell and Phil Nevin (technically, Bryce Harper too, but he skipped his senior year of high school to get his single year of college). In fact, the only two high school pitchers to ever go #1 in the history of the draft (dating back to 1965) are Brien Taylor and David Clyde. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for bucking the trends and going that route.
It is hard to get excited about the the number one pick in MLB. IIRC it is like a 50/50 chance that they see significant time in the MLB. This is so different as compared to the NBA and the NFL.
I think if you look back at the past 20 years you'll see it a much better ratio than that. Of the "busts" most of them have been pitchers who've been injured. I think they should draft bpa (ie if there a strasburg available pick him), but if two prospects are about equal I think history (and injury concerns) should push them to draft the position player.
I follow college baseball closely and i really like the shortstop out of stanford, I think he was a first rounder out of high school but decided to go to college anyways.
He was taken in the 2nd by the Rays... he's a superb fielder, but he hit sub .300 this past season. Not to mention, he has limited power in his bat... reminds me of Adam Everett, to be honest. I'd much rather settle for the power arm/bat (Appel or N. Williams), especially if the pick falls in the top 5.
