Author Topic: Cubs Draft 2021  (Read 5080 times)

Bennett

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #195 on: July 24, 2021, 01:44:20 pm »
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CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #196 on: July 26, 2021, 04:18:23 pm »
Kevin Goldstein
@Kevin_Goldstein

First rounders I know there will be questions about heading into Sunday.
6. Jordan Lawler (ARZ): 50/50 proposition. They'll have $7+ million to offer.
10. Kumar Rocker (NYM): Still think it gets done.
16. Khalil Watson (MIA): Had hard $5m price tag; MIA has $4.25 left...

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #197 on: July 30, 2021, 11:18:08 am »
Jim Callis
@jimcallisMLB
Interesting
@MLBDraft
 signing by
@Cubs
 in 20th rd. California HS LHP Wilson Cunningham gets a $10k bonus but will attend U. of Chicago full-time w/Cubs team heavily assisting w/hefty tuition. Projectable 6-ft-8, currently mid-80s fastball, good aptitude.


Interesting.  So he goes to the school full time, can work out in the p[itch lab at Wrigley and maybe do minor league ball in the summer.

Dave23

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #198 on: July 30, 2021, 12:03:13 pm »
Yeah, "interesting" is a good word for that...

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #199 on: July 30, 2021, 12:07:06 pm »
Wow, that's cool and creative.  I didn't anticipate that, but think it's fun.  Yeah, tuition at Chicago is very expensive, so that's substantial. 

My nephew is at U Chicago, and they have a quarter-system that might prove really conducive to Cunningham.  Most universities run a semester system which doesn't sync well with the minor-league life. Spring semester conflicts with spring training, and fall semester at most universities begins in August.  So there aren't ANY semesters that don't conflict with the minor-league baseball schedule to varying degree. 

But Chicago's quarter system is potentially much friendlier.  fall term doesn't start until late September; conflicting with Fall instrux but not with any of the minor-league season.  Winter quarter finishes in March, so he'd maybe miss some spring training and have a variably delayed start.  But minor-league camp doesn't start as early as big-league camp anyway, so he might be only a couple weeks delayed.  So he could be carrying both Fall and Winter quarters like a regular student.  His academic schedule would obviously be delayed if he's taking off BOTH spring and summer quarters, but being able to take 2/3 of the normal quarters wouldn't disrupt his academic progress all that badly.  And he'd be able to experience much of the intellectual and social life that a normal student has access to.  Seems like a really cool fit. 

I hope it works out for him, and pitch lab has him throwing strikes at 95 within a year or two. 

JR

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #200 on: July 30, 2021, 11:31:34 pm »
That seems like a strategy that should be utilized more often.  Like for the Cubs, draft a somewhat interesting HS guy who's going to DePaul, UIC, Loyola, U of Chicago, etc., and pay their tuition while they develop in pro ball.  Or someone who can go to school near Mesa and do it that way as well.

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #201 on: July 31, 2021, 09:04:56 am »
JR, not to belabor it, but I think Chicago's academic calendar is key, and enables this in a way that wouldn't apply for Avitia at GCU or Az State in Mesa. 
-https://www.uchicago.edu/academics/calendar/

Using this year's calendar, fall term began Sept 27, and winter term was done March 12. 
-Usually "term ends" is when faculty grades are due; last-day-of-exams is several days sooner, and not every student has exams on the last day or two, and can often arrange with professor to take them early, if desired. 

Minor-league camp pre-Covid usually began ~March 5, IIRC, so Cunningham could probably conservatively get to Mesa for spring training within a week, or perhaps less, of camp opening.  With Fall semester not starting till Sept 27, he'd have the entire minor-league season, all he'd miss would be fall instrux. 

By contrast, for Avitia who lives near Mesa and will be going to school in Phoenix, spring term runs till the start of May, and fall term starts the last week of August.  So he'd miss not only fall instrux, but the end of the minor-league season and the first two months of the spring/summer minor-league life.   

Chicago's schedule is just uniquely perfect. 
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davep

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #202 on: July 31, 2021, 09:11:46 am »
Didn't the Cubs try that on a small scale with one of their draft choices about 8 years ago?  I remember waiting for his school to be over before he could join Boise.  He may have lived in Boise at that time.  I remember him as a college football player, but extremely vague memories, since he never went anywhere.

JeffH

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #203 on: July 31, 2021, 09:21:08 am »
Quincy Carter?

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #204 on: July 31, 2021, 09:24:33 am »
No it was Joey M something. He was a linebacker at Boise. I think it will be easier in this case as pitchers can work on improving pitches and velocity outside of games easier than the hitter.

Edit: Found a link
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.idahostatesman.com/sports/college/mountain-west/boise-state-university/boise-state-football/article214646135.html

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #205 on: July 31, 2021, 09:59:16 am »
Yeah, my recall is that his actual baseball participation was really slim.  Spring semester lasted pretty long, and football practice started pretty quickly.  So the sliver of summer that he actually spend with the Cubs was teensy.  He was a friend of Bill Buckner, who was hitting coach and who lived in Boise. 

As you say, WAY easier for a pitcher to practice his craft than a hitter.