1996 BLB Amateur Draft

[spot]

Huh?

So you took the number 3 overall guy on your list. Why not the first two guys?

Outfielder (see above) and a closer.

And it wasn't my list, but my scouts recommendations.

[Delandis]

Huh?

So you took the number 3 overall guy on your list. Why not the first two guys?

Bornstein was #3 hitter and #26 overall on my scout's list. We had a slight difference of opinion there.

[Jistic]

Was hoping for Aten or Cardenas at 9. No such luck.

[liquidcrash]

My thoughts on the picks today, because I know you've all been waiting on them:

1.3- Antonio Cardenas- He's not the top hitter on my board, but I like him. Above average contact, really good power, won't strike out. One of the better eyes in this draft, though there isn't a ton here in that department. Fantastic fielder, and I might try him at SS. He could certainly play there, though the lower Turn DP rating might hurt some. He was in the group at the top of my hitting board.

1.4- Ernie Bornstein- Probably my #1 hitter. Maybe his top-end potential isn't quite as high as some others, including Cardenas, but he's really far along in the development process. There's little risk here and a lot to like. He'll hit for a solid average, has a little pop and has really good speed on the basepaths. Good in CF, which can be hard to find. Maybe he'll never be a Stout Slugger type of player, but has All-Star ability and the safest bet among the hitters.

1.5 Robby Aten- As others have mentioned, the injuries worry me. A partially torn labrum and biceps tendonitis have both put him on the shelf, but he's not listed as Fragile. Still it would concern me. Other than that, his potential has him among the pitchers I like most after Fisher. Throws 94-96 as an 18 year old, throws 6 pitches. He's been really good in our HS level. My scout likes him as a solid 6-6-6 potential guy. As a high school player, he's a long way from the majors, but if he stays healthy he could be a really good player.

I like all the picks, nothing jumps out as out of place to me. I'd have been ecstatic to grab any of these guys down at #14, though I knew they'd all be gone by then.

[BradZ]

Now let's badmouth Ryan for not being locked and loaded. Boo Clowns!

Hey, Ryan's here! Did I mention he's terrible? Boo!

[liquidcrash]

Somehow, he's still my favorite Clown on this site, though he's trying my patience today. It's now almost a toss-up.

[BradZ]

Pick is in: OF Jimmy "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" Jones.

Morgantown is OTC.

[Lintyfresh85]

Pick is in: OF Jimmy "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" Jones.

Morgantown is OTC.

Jones is my mystery player that, if he takes the Virginia Bounce<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->™, would be the next Jerry Daly.

The ONLY thing that stopped me from taking Jones in the Top 2 was his 5 contact. Paranoid that it'll top out at a 4, and his secondary skills will be useful, but won't make him a star.

Think Indy got a steal if the 5 turns out to be a true rating.

[Ryan]

My only "issue" is thatd I'd hate to see an Auto Pick at #3. Top 3 picks can be franchise changers. But I'm not assuming anything till it happens.

A point can be made that if you have the #3 pick, you should be ready. Not a shot at Spot at all, considering I just made everyone wait an hour before I made my pick.

For what it's worth, Cardenas ranked out as the highest hitter on my board. Didn't have interest in taking him, but the bat should play.

My scout loves Cardenas, but only had him 9th overall. Really wanted to take him at #6, but that afformentioned bastard Spot took him.

Now let's badmouth Ryan for not being locked and loaded. Boo Clowns!

Yeah, that guy's a dick.


With that being said....

With the #6 pick, the Clowns select Jimmy Jones. Jimmy's an athlete who can hit for power and average, will take a walk, but won't miss his pitch. We hope.

Average defensively, but he's got a cannon for an arm and solid range in LF. Jones has speed to burn on the basepaths, so expect lots of extra base hits.

Really had a tough time here picking between Jimmy and one other guy. Here's hoping we picked the right one.

[Clay]

Pick is in: OF Jimmy "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" Jones.

Morgantown is OTC.

"Kool-Aid" would be a great nickname here.

[Dave]

I look forward to Jimmy Jones (18 years old, 2-2-2-2-2) hitting .020 next season at single-A and then deciding he hates baseball.

[Clay]

Jones is my mystery player that, if he takes the Virginia Bounce<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->™, would be the next Jerry Daly.

The ONLY thing that stopped me from taking Jones in the Top 2 was his 5 contact. Paranoid that it'll top out at a 4, and his secondary skills will be useful, but won't make him a star.

Think Indy got a steal if the 5 turns out to be a true rating.

I can see the Daly comp.

[Carlos]

Outfielder (see above) and a closer.

And it wasn't my list, but my scouts recommendations.

Ah got it.


Sent from my mobile device.

[liquidcrash]

I don't see Daly. Less Contact, more power for Jones.

He's the top HS hitter according to my scout. I love the production, really like him as a prospect. No glaring weaknesses in his potential, should be ok at making contact and will put up big power numbers with his gap and home run power. Like several of the other top hitters in this draft, he's got plenty of speed.

[spot]

A point can be made that if you have the #3 pick, you should be ready. Not a shot at Spot at all, considering I just made everyone wait an hour before I made my pick.

Not really on board with the "not ready" stuff. Again, folks are being a bit touchy with all this. I got the pick in before the clock expired. If it was necessary to get it in sooner then either set the clock to be shorter or let's draft by list in-game and Clay can just do it within the sim.

No offense taken, BTW. I am just not really seeing all the hoopla.