Author Topic: Cubs Draft 2017  (Read 10468 times)

mO

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Cubs Draft 2017
« on: May 27, 2017, 06:08:26 pm »
With the 27th pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, the World Champion Chicago Cubs select...

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Dave23

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2017, 06:45:09 pm »
I kinda hope we draft Brent Rooker at either 27 or 30, just so I can call his dad and laugh at his Cardinal-lovin' azz...

Dave23

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2017, 06:46:26 pm »
He fits our profile of prolific college bat, anyway...

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2017, 09:53:25 pm »
Law in his chat doesn't think the Cubs would take Allen at 27.

Reb

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2017, 11:54:08 pm »
It's kind of weird how Cubs are so linked to Allen. Mayo (think it was him) pointed this out, as the Cubs picks are near end of the round. Top 10 pick---can understand the speculation more but later picks--who knows who else might still be there. Maybe some kind of misdirection by Cubs or, more likely, just Allen's advisor talking a lot---draft my guy before Cubs take him.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2017, 07:54:49 am »
I agree that is weird the Cubs have been so linked to Allen. I can definitely see why, plus run and plus defense at SS with a possible plus hit tool and makeup. That screams a better version of La Stella. Law also put 27 in there for a reason, he could have said the Cubs aren't going to pick him. So it might be 30, they might try and move him down to second round. I have no clue.

I go back and forth on what the Cubs should do. Part of me wants the Cubs to pick high school pitchers or just pitchers in general. The other part of me is that pitchers are fragile and scary. I'm glad I'm not the guy in charge and I can just shoot off on a message board.

davep

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2017, 11:30:28 am »
There has been very little on this board about who the Cubs might take in the draft.  The reason for that it obvious.  With 25 plus teams picking before them, there is no way to know who might be available when it comes time for the Cubs to pick.  But reporters HAVE to write, and also HAVE to be controversial in order to attract readership.  And they gain credibility if they guess correctly.

Allen is someone that a reporter can write about with at least a little rationale.  The Cubs front office has shown a propensity to pick shortstops, stating that a shortstop can play anywhere on the field, if necessary.  And Allen is a shortstop.  Add to that that this front office chose Pedroia, an undersized infielder, in a previous draft.  Allen is an undersized infielder.  And finally, in spite of a systemic need for pitching, the front office has chosen position players over pitchers in the first round since coming to Chicago.

Allen is projected to be a likely first round choice.  Will he be there when the Cubs choose?  Who knows?

But when you are paid to write about who the Cubs should pick, you gotta write something.

Reb

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2017, 12:26:48 pm »
It's mostly non-Cubs connected sources who have Allen going to Cubs--folks who cover the draft and prospects. They just plug in the guy they see going to whatever team, so don't see it as matter of stirring up controversy. I don't know, maybe he'll be one of the two picks. If Cubs like him, fine by me.

chgojhawk

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2017, 12:37:38 pm »
I agree that is weird the Cubs have been so linked to Allen. I can definitely see why, plus run and plus defense at SS with a possible plus hit tool and makeup. That screams a better version of La Stella. Law also put 27 in there for a reason, he could have said the Cubs aren't going to pick him. So it might be 30, they might try and move him down to second round. I have no clue.

I go back and forth on what the Cubs should do. Part of me wants the Cubs to pick high school pitchers or just pitchers in general. The other part of me is that pitchers are fragile and scary. I'm glad I'm not the guy in charge and I can just shoot off on a message board.

For the next few years I hope the Cubs take nothing but pitchers.  I agree that pitchers are fragile and scary, but the lineup is pretty well set with young players for awhile and everyone this deep in the draft is a crapshoot anyhow.  Take 10 pitchers with your first 10 picks and hope that 2 of them pan out.  If this little SS pans out he is essentially going to be a utility guy or trade bait if we keep Russell, Bryant and Baez (not to mention Happ and anyone else currently in the org.).

How far back do you go with your Creighton fandom?  I am coaching youth baseball with a former Creighton pitcher.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2017, 01:31:16 pm »
I was a freshman in 1995, so I guess that was the start. I can't say I'd recognize a ton of the baseball players. The program went downhill after Hendry left and Dahm took over during my years there. Ed Servias, Scott's uncle, has done much better but I just don't have much time to follow them closely.

chgojhawk

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2017, 01:34:50 pm »
Missed him by a couple years. He finished up in '93.

Reb

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #11 on: June 09, 2017, 01:57:44 am »
Jim Callis' new mock draft:

27. Cubs: Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri
It's no secret that Chicago has prioritized pitching. The Cubs won't force the issue, but it could be a coup to land Houck here after he figured to be a top-10 choice coming into the year. They also could gamble on [Seth] Romero or [Clarke] Schmidt.

Callis has Cubs taking Nick Allen at #30.

Reb

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2017, 03:00:14 am »
Jason McLeod on Cubs draft re. pitching:

"It's going to be a focal point," McLeod said. "We might be a little more focused on a particular type [of pitcher] rather than just casting a really wide net like we have the last couple of years. When you look up after Tuesday, and we've gone through a few rounds, you'll see a pretty good mix of pitching again."
McLeod said they have a specific wish list, although he wouldn't reveal the characteristics.
"I feel now we're going to look for something a little more specific -- body type, pitch type, how the arm works," he said. "A lot of that is learning what we've done since we got here."

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #13 on: June 09, 2017, 08:35:43 am »
The Cubs type seems to be tall pitchers that are ground ball pitchers.

Since Levine mentioned him anybody have a clue what Romero did to get kicked off the UH team?  A college power lefty with Top 10ish talent would be great at the end of the first. I know he had conditioning concerns which is concerning, but the positives might outweigh the negatives, kinda like when they picked Bucholtz in Boston.

The Luke Hemleich situation is amazing too, no one appearently knew that he had a conviction at 15 for sexually assulting a 6 year old relative and has to register as a sex offender.

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2017
« Reply #14 on: June 09, 2017, 09:11:18 am »
Jason McLeod on Cubs draft re. pitching:

"It's going to be a focal point," McLeod said. "We might be a little more focused on a particular type [of pitcher] rather than just casting a really wide net like we have the last couple of years. When you look up after Tuesday, and we've gone through a few rounds, you'll see a pretty good mix of pitching again."
McLeod said they have a specific wish list, although he wouldn't reveal the characteristics.
"I feel now we're going to look for something a little more specific -- body type, pitch type, how the arm works," he said. "A lot of that is learning what we've done since we got here."

Curious comments.  I thought there have been studies and stuff suggesting that "body type" doesn't really make that much difference, and that the new Cubs were less prioritized on height and build than back in Hendry days.  Obviously McLeod's comments are fairly vague (we don't know what "body type" they thing makes a pitcher better....).  But I do vaguely hypothesis/infer (probably foolishly so) that this involves:
1.  Enhanced odds that they may go pitching with both first rounders.  After first round, nobody's perfect.  Beggars can't be choosers, you're going to need to settle/compromise, whether that be "body type" or health history or low-risk mechanics or command or velocity or something.  But in round one, larger pool of guys who have better chance to offer both velocity and command and body type and low-risk delivery? 

2.  A way to focus draft preparation?  When picking top 5, they could really focus on small group of top guys and scout them like crazy.  Last year, a bunch of top guys they didn't need to spend time on.  If they filter, for example, for college pitchers 6'3" or taller whose preliminary evals pass their injury-risk threshold, maybe that allows more chance to really exhaustively study a smaller pool of guys. 

3.  "Body type" would seem to imply rotation wannabes.  For relief, we're not concerned about Edwards.