Major League Draft / Minor League Ball

by FanBall on May 14, 2009 10:11 AM CDT

One of the SBN partners with Bleed Cubbie Blue is Minor League Ball with John Sickels. One of the things that John likes to do is conduct a mock Minor League Draft with his readers volunteering to take over every team. Now, it's only the first three rounds, but really, I'm having diffucluty reading up for the first round pick, could you imagine having to sort through players for pick 1,000 or so?

Anyway, I volunteered to conduct the Cubs mock draft and I thought I would make a fanpost here to get a good draft conversation going and maybe we'll start talking about the Cubs system as a whole.

This year the Cubs have picks

No. 31

No. 79

No. 109

The overall goal I always believe is to take the best talent because it often takes 3 or 4 years for players to develop and who knows what will happen with injuries, trades, and what not at the major league level. That being said, I think the Cubs are good on 2B/LFs. Fire away on your thoughts/suggestions.

My Minor League Ball Cross Post

General Minor League Ball Mock Draft Post

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

I know the Cubs have failed in the past

but I want a high upside guy at #31. I really disliked the Cashner pick in the first round last year. I haven’t looked enough yet for any names though.

by rlpete on May 14, 2009 10:34 AM CDT reply actions

The Cubs

do try to take the best athlete available. They don’t always go for the best ballplayer. In Moneyball terms, the Cubs like to sell jeans. There’s more upside to that, but also a greater risk of failure.

The exception to that is the Cubs like to take “smart” ballplayers. They love guys like Darwin Barney or Matt Cerda who maybe aren’t the greatest athletes in the world, but can make up for it by playing smart. They also love to take middle infielders with high intelligence and average to below average speed and make catchers out of them—Steve Clevenger and Cerda are two examples of this.

I wouldn’t ever suggest drafting for need, but the Cubs could use some pure center fielders in their system. Also starting pitchers, especially left-handers. The Cubs like guys who throw hard, thinking they can work on improving their secondary pitches, but it’s harder to teach a guy to throw harder.

Now at #31, I have no idea who would be available for such a pick. I have been following Tim Wheeler because he’s a local boy for me in Sacramento. He could be available, but I don’t know if the Cubs would take him. And at #79 and #109, I’d be completely clueless. I’m more of an amateur Oneri Fleita than an amateur Tim Wilken. Give them to me after they get signed, not before.

by Josh Timmers on May 14, 2009 12:07 PM CDT reply actions

Developing SS and CF would be nice...

Granted, everyone’s goal is to find a good SS and CF, considering those are two of the hardest positions to fill. But we haven’t had enormous success in either of those spots over the years. Theriot has been a pleasant surprise, but our last 3 major CF picks (Patterson, Pie, and Colvin) haven’t worked out according to hopes.

by SouthernCub on May 14, 2009 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Whoever they take, they better look good in a Marlins uniform

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on May 14, 2009 10:30 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree with the previous two posters- get a "tools" guy.

You know, like, Strasburg. Because he’ll definitely be there when we pick. ;)

by Pat19 on May 14, 2009 12:15 PM CDT reply actions

unfortunately

we can’t ‘trade up’

by tim815 on May 14, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Naaah

He’s right-handed.

But seriously, I’ve heard this draft described as Strasburg and everybody else. It’s not like there isn’t any talent out there, it’s just that the gap between Strasburg and whoever goes #2 is huge and the gap between #2 and #14 isn’t all that great, nor is the gap between #15 and #30.

by Josh Timmers on May 14, 2009 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't sleep on...

Dustin Ackley, Grant Green and Donavan Tate — toolsy players that will speed through the system.

by serbianking33 on May 14, 2009 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions

unfortunately

we draft at 31, and that’s where the dropoff is.

j/k

by tim815 on May 14, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions

milb.com

has a weekly on the draft

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090506&content_id=4588754&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

is on hitters. you da’ man. draft us some keepers.

by tim815 on May 14, 2009 8:21 PM CDT reply actions

Good sign

31st pick? Good number for us at least. :)

Just take the best player available… if it’s a second baseman or leftfielder, so be it…. no team in baseball is stocked enough to pass over a talented player based on need… especially when you have the unlimited budget the Cubs SHOULD have. Being a fan of this kind of team… I just hope a really good player falls because other fans’ pathetic and cheap teams. I just want the world title to go with it… and you get that by spending the monay!

Two words… OVER SLOT! Get it done, Jim.

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Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on May 14, 2009 10:20 PM CDT reply actions