<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Billy Waltrip enters for Jonathan Gray in the top 6th. Gray 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 8 K, 109 pitches.</p>— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/OU_Baseball/status/333320316984115200">May 11, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt): I really like Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray, but if I had the No. 1 overall pick in #mlbdraft, I think I would take Bryant. Special power bat By the way, he just hit his 27th of the season.
Prior to this season we seemed to have a desperate need for front end pitchers. But given the performances of Cosart, Wojiechowski, Tropeano, Folty, McCullers and Velasquez, it seems likely we may already have a few of them. Bryant seems to be the best player to me, plus the saved money which could help us land even more prospects, plus he could be a fast mover in the sysytem. By 2015 we could have a good squad, and still have a boatload of prospects to trade for great MLB players.
If by draft time Bryant is still perceived as special, and Appel and Gray are the best pitchers available, but not special, then I agree.
Bryant is putting up insane numbers, his SLG% alone is over 850. He also has 56 walks in 51 games, not sure how much is plate discipline and how much is terrified pitchers.
His home run numbers are absolutely insane in today's college baseball. Quite frankly, 28 home runs isn't a bad total for an entire team now. If this were pre-2011, he might have 40 homers by now. And if this were back in the days of Pete Incaviglia at Oklahoma State, Berkman at Rice and Brandon Larson at LSU where hitters were swinging -5 bats, he might have 50 or more.
^^ This. You're absolutely correct. The new bats they debuted last year swing like a wet noodle. Some are even saying they have less pop than a wooden bat. Given that, Bryant's numbers are amazing.
Ok, with Bryant's great performance this year, does anyone think there's a chance we don't save money on signing him if we draft him #1?
No because the Cubs are rumored to be salivating for Appel and that's all we need for leverage. You could save close to $2 million my convincing Bryant he'll slip to # 3 if he doesn't agree to below slot at #1.
Cubs from the rumors I read want one of Appel or Gray. So at best you could maybe save 500k - 1 million. Give me Bryant, pitchers are just too much of an injury risk, better to load up on high ceiling arms later and take the sure bat at 1-1.
Appel deserves to go number one. If you decide to pass up on him, you better feel really strongly that the players you use the saved money on are good.
The appeal of Bryant to me was the fact that we could save a boat load of cash to use on our 2nd rounder. I'd much prefer a pitcher with ace potential though. His stats are mighty impressive, I wouldn't be upset if we took him, but only if we're able to save significant money.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Ridiculous. MT @<a href="https://twitter.com/socal_cbdaily">socal_cbdaily</a>: KRIS BRYANT! #29! 2-run moonshot over the extra tall wall 400 feet in dead CF here at Riverside. USD 5, UCR 2</p>— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/aaronfitt/status/334495498817925121">May 15, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I dont know. If he continues at this torrent pace of late and becomes a consensus #1, then a bargain signing isnt likely.
Have it both ways and go for a Stanek or Manaea (or maybe even Stewart). Right now, Appel/Gray/Bryant seem to be the guys most likely to go off the board in the Top 3. Any discount for them would probably be small. With Bryant, he will probably go 3, money aside, which would be a $5.6M slot value. I could see him doing a $2M savings ($5.8M) to go #1, because Cubs seem to be going pitcher at #2. That is the best leverage against Appel/Gray, because that would mean one of them would slip to #3. They have to believe we are willing to take Bryant at that spot. I have to think Stanek/Manea/Stewart/Meadows/Frazier need to consider taking offers in the $4M-$4.5M range.
Bingo just what I've been saying get Bryant at # 3 money and get a top notch high school arm at 2-1. We all need to pray Kohl falls because of signability issues just like McCullers last year. It could happen.
It would be harder. More teams may consider our strategy and Stewart is ranked higher than McCullers was. Of course, there will be somebody who falls due to signability. For reference our 2-1 pick is worth $1.4M. And we have $585K we can over for our overall draft pool.
