Post by Ben (Rays GM) on Aug 14, 2012 19:54:36 GMT -5
What were your favorite picks (other people's or your own)? Were there any players snatched up right before you were hoping to take them? Any major regrets? Strategies that worked that you're willing to share now that it's over?
Post by Max (Tigers GM) on Aug 14, 2012 21:01:12 GMT -5
M's took Jorge Soler in the first rd, one pick before my first pick. I planned on stealing him with my second pick in the first rd and 24th overall but....nice pick Zack!
Post by Tucker (Padres GM) on Aug 14, 2012 21:27:46 GMT -5
I probably should have taken soler at 16, but oh well. I'm pumped I got buxton at 5 though. Ben getting straily was big. And mark getting Appel, zunino, and correa at 3,4, and 6 is pretty good
Post by Jon (Astros GM) on Aug 14, 2012 22:00:44 GMT -5
My original plan was taking Soler and McCullers but when Heaney fell I knew I had to take him. Was very happy with Courtney Hawkins so I'm not too upset. Pretty surprised Soler wasn't top 10 though.
Losing my own Jonathan Villar and then Jesus Aguilar to Rays was upsetting. Great draft.
Obviously Angels had the best total draft. That many picks on top of his already stellar system is scary.
In the end I think we all like our drafts, for now.
Post by Billy (Cardinals GM) on Aug 14, 2012 22:48:24 GMT -5
The only guy that I wanted but missed out on was Nick Williams. He was taken at 203 but I was hoping he would fall to me at 208. Scouts are saying he's a got a lot of talent and he's having a pretty good year in rookie ball so far.
Given that I had two days to prep for the draft, I'm pretty happy with the way mine turned out, lol. Had Odor not still been on the board, I was planning to take Soler, but I couldn't pass up a kid doing well with two pro years under his belt already.
In general I leaned towards guys who had pro experience over guys just taken in the draft. Didn't realize I had amassed so many MI prospects but my minors needed help in all areas, I didn't target any one position. Should've popped a couple more SPs but every time the pick came my way, I ended up talking myself out of the SP and towards the position player - c'est la vie!
There are plenty of guys I would've loved to have snagged before my second pick (92), especially Villanueva - hint hint - but overall I'm happy with my draft.
Post by Zack (Mariners GM) on Aug 14, 2012 23:48:19 GMT -5
Gotta say I'm happy to grab Soler, especially after seeing how much he was coveted by you all haha...besides him, I think my favorite pick was Carlos Sanchez in the 3rd round.
As for guys I missed out on, I really liked Gregory Polanco, Arsimendy Alcantara, Jeimer Candelario and Adalberto Mondesi. So congrats to the Jays, Marlins and Reds for snagging those guys.
Also, I was hoping Phillips Castillo would go undrafted so I could pick him up in the post-draft additions but props again to Dan for ruining that haha
Post by Alex (Nationals GM) on Aug 15, 2012 2:33:48 GMT -5
i wish i had more time to prepare but i'm happy overall with my draft. I wish i would've taken Blackburn with my post draft additions last year and then again at pick 22 but i am not disappointed with Miles Head and very happy with Fried, Stratton and especially Alen Hanson. I probably should have taken Solar instead of Stratton though.
As far as who i thought was the best pick in the draft i would have to say Jorge Bonifacio all the way down at 46 since he will probably be a top 70-80 overall prospect or Yasiel Puig at 64.
Post by Ben (Rays GM) on Aug 15, 2012 7:42:40 GMT -5
I don't think there will be any picks quite at the same level as the Oscar Taveras pick last year (late supplemental round, now an A grade prospect), but if anybody is going to come close, it's Gregory Polanco. I also really like Chris Parmelee, and I like the Padres' move of taking Joey Gallo when he did - he just keeps on hitting, and even though it may have been a reach based on draft position, it won't be based on his grade. Impressed with the trio of pitchers that the Brewers took with three of their first four picks (Wacha, McCullers, Selman) as well. Soler could have gone anywhere in the first round. I could have seen him in the top 10, but also spoke to people who wouldn't have taken him until the supplemental round; still, I think the Mariners did well to take him at number 17. Of course the Angels had a great draft - with his system he didn't need depth, so he added five potential stars, my favorite being Zunino. Courtney Hawkins fell a long way and the Astros did well to get him where they did. Hanson to the Giants, Odor to the Marlins, Griffin to the Tigers, Marte to the Reds, and Villanueva to the Blue Jays were nice picks, and I liked the way the Cubs and Twins delved into the international market. The Cardinals took Matt Olson right before I was going to, and the Mets did the same with Greg Garcia and Ty Kelly, so I settled for Ronny Rodriguez and Colin Walsh instead using some of the picks I acquired from the Royals.
As for my picks - another year, another draft with 0 prospects from the actual draft. Hitting was my biggest need for this draft, but the picks I'm most pleased with are all pitchers - the three pitchers I took in rounds 1 and 3: Straily, Clayton Blackburn, and Burch Smith. Straily and Blackburn were the two guys I was targeting most before the draft started (and the reason I set out to acquire Mariners' and Royals' first rounders), but I think finding Smith for that third round pick is going to prove the best value of my draft. The late round hitters that I took have been putting up good numbers this season, so hopefully they can continue to build off that and establish themselves.
Last Edit: Aug 15, 2012 7:49:18 GMT -5 by Ben (Rays GM)
Post by Chris (Former Cubs GM) on Aug 15, 2012 8:38:30 GMT -5
Really upset I missed on puig/ Franklin Barreto/Gustavo Cabrera. Not going to lie, I was no where near as prepared for this draft the way I was for last years draft.
Was also upset to see how many cubs that I coulda added via post draft additions last year that were takin in this years draft. Seemed like every other pick was from Cubs system.
Not too excited about my trio of picks. Took Adam Walker about 40-50 picks before he would have been takin but I liked a lot of things about him and didn't have a pick for another 3rounds after I took him. A lot of promise in Jairo Beras but won't see that kid on a roster for 4 or 5 years at best.
Adam Walker about 40-50 picks before he would have been takin but I liked a lot of things about him and didn't have a pick for another 3rounds after I took him.
I'd have taken Walker with my supplemental pick (82) had he been there. Wasn't surprised to see him go when he did.
Last Edit: Aug 15, 2012 8:52:34 GMT -5 by Ben (Rays GM)
Post by Brian (Blue Jays GM) on Aug 15, 2012 9:58:44 GMT -5
Nice to see that people liked my selections of Polanco and Villanueva, I thought those were my best picks. For those that don't know, I compiled the pre-draft rankings from John Sickels, Keith Law, and Jim Callis and created an aggregate prospect ranking based off the average of their 3 lists. Using that I was able to determine who was a high ceiling prospect falling to a lower draft spot, which allowed me to land guys like Trahan, Piscotty, Coulter, Rahier, and Kelly as good value where I selected them and later Ty Buttrey who was a big time value pick. I tried to balance my value drafting of draft prospects with some established guys who I really liked in Polanco, Villanueva, Gattis (a personal favorite), Suarez, Mendez, and Rodriguez.
As for picks that were not my own, I thought the Rays, Marlins, Mariners, and Tigers all did an awesome job strengthening their teams. For the Rays, it was all about those 3 pitchers, who I think are 3 huge talents that make his system even scarier than it already was. Marlins, love the selections of Odor, Mondesi, Diekroger (who would've been my next pick if he fell), and Rodriguez. Mariners, the Soler pick has been praised, but I actually loved the selection of Montero who was one of my favorite non-draft prospects (Bonifacio and Vinicio were great value where they were selected as well). For the Tigers, huge improvements to the big league roster with Cook, Griffin, and Quintana.
Post by Kevin (Guardians GM) on Aug 15, 2012 12:02:41 GMT -5
I was surprised to see as many teams take from current systems then players from the draft. I feel that it went up this year compared to last which meant more people had time to prepare. I wasn't one of them though...but it did allow me to get a first round, 3 supplemental round and a 2nd round talent from my picks so I felt the value was there for me. As I see it, while they don't have a few years under their belt like other prosepects, they will eventully become that group so either way to get them works for me.
I did hate to see people who I planned to take post draft get taken and I didn't want to use a pick on them when I could get them later for free but that didn't go as planned.
Post by Tucker (Padres GM) on Aug 15, 2012 18:35:35 GMT -5
Most questionable picks of the draft? Definitely my 3 2nd round picks of
103 Padres (via Pirates) - Tom Murphy, C, Colorado Rockies 105 Padres (via Indians) - Anthony Alford, OF, Toronto Blue Jays 106 Padres (via Giants) - Avery Romero, 3B, Miami Marlins
I have no idea why i picked them, i was at work without my list and made them based off a small amount of info i could find on my ipad. The picks came faster than i expected.
I liked my draft. I was not here during it but having 5 picks in the top 10 will make anyones draft look good. I got the #1 overall pick at #3, my catcher of the future at #4. At #7 I got arguably the best pitcher in the draft, who unfortunately did not sign, but will go into the next draft as possibly the #1 pick. I really wanted to get Fried in the draft but Giants got him a pick before me, so I went with another guy I like in Almora. I am happy to end my draft with Giolito who has extreme upside and if he hadn't have gotten injuried could have went in the top 5.
Overall I got an SS, C, P, OF and P. I would have liked to get one more pitcher instead of hitter, but I am happy with the talent I got. Glad I didn't pick Buxton over Zunino because I knew Almora would be available to me.
Looking at the other drafts teams have had, I like the Marlins pick of Odor, the Astros pick of Heaney as he was in consideration for me to be one of my picks. I also love the picks of the Brewers getting those two pitchers at the end of the first round. The Orioles pick of Marrero I like as well. I like the Rangers pick as well getting Lucas Sims. I see a lot of teams really took advantage of their picks and stocked their systems. Good work to all
