2008 Yankees Draft

[Gom]

End result. We didn't sign the first pick. Bad draft when you don't sign your first pick.

 

I am starting to believe that the Yankees will never win anything again under Cashman.

[CrespoBlows]

End result. We didn't sign the first pick. Bad draft when you don't sign your first pick.

 

I am starting to believe that the Yankees will never win anything again under Cashman.

 

Not always.

[Gom]

Crespo.....

 

If you don't sign your first pick, it's a bad draft. As of now. It's a wasted pick. The Yankees didn't draft a player not to sign him [i think].

 

Regardless of how it turns out, as of today, August 17th, 2008, it's a bad draft.

[CrespoBlows]

Crespo.....

 

If you don't sign your first pick, it's a bad draft. As of now. It's a wasted pick. The Yankees didn't draft a player not to sign him [i think].

 

Regardless of how it turns out, as of today, August 17th, 2008, it's a bad draft.

 

Dude, that's a universal claim.

 

Not all drafts that did not result in the signing of a first round pick, turn out to be bad drafts.

[jacksonianmarch]

We do get another pick next season in both the first and second round. So it isnt a total loss

[Gom]

Never said it was a total loss. However, we lose leverage with that pick, as it is not protected if we don't sign the player [in other words if it happens again, we don't get a supplemental pick in 2010]. Of course it's a universal claim, he's a universal idiot.

 

Just little mistakes like this that seem to happen all the time on Cashman's watch. I fail to see how this intern is now seen upon as a genius. You know what's funny? Hank was right. If he had followed his gut and traded for Santana, it would be the Red Sox worrying about the wild card and not us. Instead, he listened to the village idiot.

[schillingouttheks]

Well, the Red Sox still are worrying about the Wild Card...

[jacksonianmarch]

Gom, regardless man, our MiLB system gets a boost with Brackman coming back. Looks like Bleich is gonna need TJS. Didnt make much sense when Oppenheimer was interviewed after the draft and he said Bleich sits 92-93 and come the CWS he's throwing mid 80s after a bout of elbow "tendonitis". I still liked his off speed offerings with elbow problems.

 

Also, I know the comp picks are unprotected. But how many of our first rounders have gone unsigned? Just one in recent memory and that's Cole. Hell, we offered 4.5 mil up front to Brackman with the possibility of making his bonus worth 13.4mil while we knew he needed TJS. The draft strategy has been solid to this point. The one thing I find intriguing is that we did have some top talent, but we didnt have another headliner in the draft as protection. 2 yrs ago we drafted Peavey late as insurance in the event that Brackman didnt sign.

 

Regardless, we have the potential to have 6 players leave this offseason with draft compensation. (Marte, Pudge, Giambi, Abreu, Mussina, Pettitte). I know they wont all go, but I have a feeling we'll have at least 3 picks in the first round and likely 7-8 picks before the third round. We'll likely draft conservative in the comp picks from this draft since those picks arent protected, but we'll likely go for the gold in the other ones. I am not worried. Just upset that the best talent to fall to us didnt stick. That being said, if we flop the rest of the way like I think we will, then we could have a shot at some really awesome talent.

[Gom]

Cashman is still an idiot. Not signing your first round pick is ridiculous. Why draft him in the first place? Jacko, this guy has to go.

 

Another thing...this isn't the NBA. Most draft picks never amount to much. You're putting way too much value on this. Remember when everyone was pissed off the Yankees took Henry and the Red Sox took Craig Hansen? Come on now. I'm just showing you that the man running the club is a terrible GM. He doesn't draft well or sign players well. He can't balance winning today with building for tomorrow. To tell you the truth, if he was good at one or the other, I'd be ok. He just sucks at today AND tomorrow.

 

You still haven't given me a reason why Stick shouldn't be running the team, or pretty much any GM with a clue instead of Cashman.

[jacksonianmarch]

How can you say that Cashman doesnt draft well when he finally got a legitimate draft budget in 2005. His 2006 draft was amazing. Joba, Kennedy and Robertson are in the majors already. Do you know how rare it is to see 3 players in the majors from a draft that occured only 2 yrs prior? Regardless, if the rumor is true that Cole had a "change of heart" then so be it.

[Gom]

Funny how a lack of a "legitimate budget" didn't hamper his predecessor in getting Pettitte, Jeter, Posada, Bernie, and Mo. Come on.

 

It is clear now Jacko that no matter what Cashman does, you're in his corner. I'm surprised at your lack of objectivity. I gave him all the credit for the Nady deal, but I'm still killing him on Santana. I want him to do well, but I have no emotional stake in him. I still wonder why you do.

 

Joba and Robertson are in the majors.

 

Change of heart? With Boras as his agent? Now that's funny.

[ORS]

When is Jacks going to stop trotting Ian Kennedy out as an example of drafting well? He was suspect going into that draft with a less than stellar junior year. Cashman should consider himself lucky the guy flashed in the pan and created some trade value that, unfortunately for the Yankees, he didn't use before the warts got exposed.

[jacksonianmarch]

ORS, remember, thinking is important. Kennedy dominated the minors and made it to the bigs in one yr. That doesnt happen often at all. How he does in the bigs is more a development and coaching issue than a drafting one. He was a low risk pick, that is for sure. It was obvious this kid would move through the system, just not at this speed. Right now, he just needs to start working on his stuff in the minors rather than just dominating which he can do to the AAA population.

[ORS]

Low risk? According to who? I remember reading about him and he wasn't impressing anyone at USC before he got drafted. Most who saw him said he had fringe stuff. He can go down and up and down and up for next 4 years, but until he starts getting the Mussina strikezone, he'll struggle.

[Gom]

ORS, don't even try. He's convinced Cashman is a visionary. When Cashman takes a s***, Jacko believes its a dozen roses. I've tried, he just won't see reason.

 

87 MPH fastball....does....not....cut it. Develop it all you want, but unless Kennedy gets that fastball up to 92, he will be forever known as the guy the Yankees wouldn't trade for Santana.

 

My only hope was that this non-deal would end the tenure of the most over-rated GM in my Yankee fandom's history. Sadly, it looks like it will continue.

 

I LOVE MISTY MAY-TREANOR!

[26 to 6]

Low risk? According to who? I remember reading about him and he wasn't impressing anyone at USC before he got drafted. Most who saw him said he had fringe stuff. He can go down and up and down and up for next 4 years' date=' but until he starts getting the Mussina strikezone, he'll struggle.[/quote']

Yeah, it's sort of obvious he has fringe "stuff," all you have to do is watch him to realize that. But so does Mike Mussina, and Tom Glavine, and....you get my point. A pitcher's "stuff" doesn't dictate his ability and level of success. That was a silly post. But I do agree that if he is going to go anywhere in his big league career he needs to add a few miles to his fastball, and work on his control and pitch selection. I thought from the beginning he was rushed way too quickly, which sort of surprised me considering how conservative the Yankees have been with their other pitching prospects. He needs to just do his s*** in Scranton, come up in September, take up space and maybe learn a few things, and then head off to Scranton in April and start all over from there. He has no place in a Major League rotation yet.

[TheKilo]

Mussina used to throw 93, 94 MPH.

[ORS]

And Mike Mussina has always been able to throw his 3 main pitches pretty much wherever he wanted, Glavine too. It's this rep that gets them the "vet" strikezone they get now. Kennedy has their stuff, with neither their command, nor, consequently, their strikezone.

[jacksonianmarch]

And this is why Kennedy should have taken more time to get to the bigs. He isnt as good as his one yr rise would have you believe. But as a guy 2 yrs s/p being drafted, he is not as bad as his initial MLB stats would indicate. You guys kill him as if he is nothing. He has a very good shot at being a solid back of the rotation option and I have hardly deviated from this thought process.

[BoSox21]

if Kennedy has similar stuff to a Mussina, Glavine or Maddux, then he'd better damn well get some command otherwise he'll ride the bus his entire career

[ARod2212]

Cashman didn't sign the first round pick because the kid changed his mind and wanted to go to college. This doesn't make Cashman a bad general manager.

[jacksonianmarch]

if Kennedy has similar stuff to a Mussina' date=' Glavine or Maddux, then he'd better damn well get some command otherwise he'll ride the bus his entire career[/quote']

 

Some kids have stuff that necessitates just getting it near the plate. Other kids have stuff that necessitates good but not fantastic control. Some guys are blessed with good control but stuff that requires that control to be great. Kennedy can locate all of his pitches when he is on. Problem is, every time he comes to the bigs he tries to be superman and K everyone. He needs to understand that he doesnt have that kind of stuff. I wish you guys had the opportunity to see what I have seen of the kid.

[jacksonianmarch]

Now for the aftermath.

 

I am very excited about the infusion of very young talent into this system. While that is the more risky proposition (ie less HS draftees make it to the bigs), it has the higher upside (most of the MLB HOFers and All Stars were HS draftees).

 

Corban Joseph, Kyle Higashioka and Garrison Lassiter were solid draft and signings. All 3 have advanced offensive approaches and should rocket through the system. Chris Smith fits into this mold as well, but he is much more of a project than the other three.

 

Brett Mitchell was the HS jewel now that Cole let us down. 96mph cheese with a plus slider and a solid changeup. His first two outings have been dynamite and those in attendance were surprised by how good his changeup actually is. (He uses it as his second pitch).

 

Mikey O'Brien, Matt Richardson and Nick Turley are the other 3 HS pitchers drafted. Richardson has the best mechanics, O'Brien the best arm and Turley the highest upside. 6'7" lefties with low 90s heat dont grow on trees.

 

I am also pleased with the college arms. Bleich will give us a lefty with major league potential and likely good vertical movement. Mitchell will give us another righty sinkerballer with an advanced arsenal who should move through our system. Phelps gives us a dominant right hander with power and finesse who had an uncharacteristic junior yr after dominating as a sophomore. And I like the Braboy pick here too. A guy with 6 months worth of experience on the hill who can throw 96mph.

 

Where we missed the boat was in the college position player market. I know it wasnt the deepest college market out there, but the biggest guy we got was David Adams. While I like Adams, and think he's in the Pedroia mold, I dont think he should be the only headliner of this college position player class. Dan Brewer was the 8th round pick and he looks like a 4th OFer at best, even if everything goes right. The biggest offensive college position player didnt sign (Luke Anders) so missing out on a bat in that market is a bit disappointing. Regardless, the yankees ended up in the bottom 5 in terms of bonuses shelled out. If Cole and Bittle signed, the yankees would have spent about 9 mil on the draft, which would have had them in the top 5. That being said, without the headliner in Cole, this is a middle of the pack draft. Nomaas gave it a B-. Other sites regard this in the C+ range. Nothing great. But the quality of the HS players will make or break this draft. Time will tell

[jacksonianmarch]

Bleich has now thrown 2 straight starts with no runs allowed. 12.2IP 7H 0ER 11K 0BB in his last 2. Also, Brackman put it together last start, 5IP 5H 1ER 5K 1BB.

[Cocos Disciples]

AFL?

[jacksonianmarch]

No, Bleich and Brackman are in the HWL. For those levelled AA or higher, they go to the AFL. For those A+ and lower, they go to the HWL.

[Cocos Disciples]

Huh, didn't know that. Cool.

[jacksonianmarch]

Bleich finally started again last night and he dominated once again. 5IP 4H 0ER 0BB 9K. Since starting off rocky in his first 2 starts in the HWL, he has put up this line: 24.2IP 16H 2ER 1BB 28K. After getting some time off after an injury plagued Jr yr, Bleich is absolutely dominating and is now starting to see his velocity come up into the low 90s range once again.

[jacksonianmarch]

this is why you have a draft thread. So you can put the signings in the thread after its made

[Cocos Disciples]

Jayhawk Bill: The only not NYY fan who posted more than 5 times in this thread.