Chisoxfn Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 This is a guy that I would absolutely love if he fell to us in the draft. However, with him getting healthy there is very little chance of him ever sliding to one of the Sox selections. Scheppers was widely regarded as one of the top 3 picks in last years draft, prior to him being shut-down, and was selected by the Pirates in the 2nd round last year but failed to sign. He has big-time upside and the only significant question-mark is whether he's heatlhy. However, in this day and age, pitchers get hurt, it's almost a given and I haven't read any reports or heard anyone talk about Scheppers delivery putting too much stress on his arm. Bottom line, this is one of the few impact arms that might somehow slide down the draft due to him missing almost a year and if he is there, you have to pounce on him. Below is a write-up from BA. We've been cautious with our ranking of Scheppers, being that he hadn't thrown a pitch after injuring his shoulder with Fresno State last year. A first-round talent last year, Scheppers slid to the second round after the injury, but the Pirates didn't sign him. The move looks to be paying off, as the 6-foot-4 righthander has returned to the mound and is flashing the stuff that propelled him to a 8-2, 2.93 record last season with 109 strikeouts and 34 walks over 71 innings. Late last month, Scheppers pitched in scrimmages at Golden West (Calif.) JC and was reportedly a little wild, but was sitting at 95-96 mph with his fastball, touching 98. On May 4, he pitched in his first game with the independent St. Paul Saints—an exhibition game against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. "We saw him really, really good," an American League scouting director said. "Our guys said he's going in the first five picks, the top 10 for sure." Scheppers was throwing on the one-year anniversary of his last live game action. As a junior at Fresno State, he was shut down last May with a shoulder injury. He showed little signs of rust, as he generally located his pitches, although he nibbled a little in the second inning which led to some of the walks. "You don't see that kind of velocity every day," St. Paul manager George Tsamis said. "It's so nice and smooth, nice and easy. He's got a real good arm on him . . . The gun they have there, we saw a lot of 95s, 97s, one 98. He looked real good and he has that good biting curveball. He threw some good ones last night. A few of the called strikeouts were on curveballs." The goal for Scheppers was simply to get four innings of work. He was efficient, thanks in part to a pair of double plays, and needed just 54 pitches to get his four innings in. He's scheduled to return to the mound on May 10 against Winnipeg, with a plan of getting five innings of work. He'll make his first official outing of the season on May 16 against Sioux Falls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Scheppers has his velocity back, assuming he can stay healthy till june, he's going to go early. There's is, however, a decent chance that he could fall to us. He's high-risk, high-reward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Ya, I expect him to go top 10, but you never know what might happen when a guy has something like that to be concerned with. Another injury guy that could fall is the top prep catcher, Bailey. He is supposed to be a f***ing stud defensively and is having tommy john surgery and will miss the rest of this season. That means the Sox could get lucky and take a guy that was a lock to go top 12 picks, with a little later pick, maybe one of the freebies they got for OC. I know we have Flowers, but I wouldn't mind taking my chance on a guy that profiles as a potential gold glover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 From what I have heard, it looks like teams are shying away from him and he will probably go in the mid 1st at the earliest. I guess a lot of teams aren't willing to risk a lot on him with his injury concerns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 QUOTE (BearSox @ May 7, 2009 -> 02:36 PM) From what I have heard, it looks like teams are shying away from him and he will probably go in the mid 1st at the earliest. I guess a lot of teams aren't willing to risk a lot on him with his injury concerns. I believe that was before he made his debut. His fastball was popping. I wonder where Aaron Crow will end up going. He's supposed to make his independent league debut shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 7, 2009 -> 02:39 PM) I believe that was before he made his debut. His fastball was popping. I wonder where Aaron Crow will end up going. He's supposed to make his independent league debut shortly. I want to see Washington take him with the 10th pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman31 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 7, 2009 -> 04:48 PM) I want to see Washington take him with the 10th pick. LOL, that would balance things out nicely wouldn't it? Aaron had been working out at Mizzou. I'm rooting for him, he was so much fun to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 I'd love to see Crow on the Sox, but I highly doubt he'd fall that far. Plus he'd be stupid not to sign this time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 7, 2009 -> 06:11 PM) I'd love to see Crow on the Sox, but I highly doubt he'd fall that far. Plus he'd be stupid not to sign this time around. Oh man, I would likely jizz my pants if Crow fell all the way to us. Crow was the one pitcher I really wanted last year, if we went that route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Is this kid a Borass guy? Why didn't he sign? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 8, 2009 -> 08:47 AM) Is this kid a Borass guy? Why didn't he sign? Scheppers was coming off of Tommy John, and wanted high-first round money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ May 8, 2009 -> 06:49 AM) Scheppers was coming off of Tommy John, and wanted high-first round money. Yep, prior to hurting his arm he was a consensus lock to go top 5 and was a guy I would have loved the Sox to take a reach on had he slid to there 3rd round selection (since the Sox had no 2nd round pick). But the Pirates took a shot on him and it was a great decision by the Pirates org, even if it didn't work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 This week, the gap narrowed between the two independent American Associations pitchers with early-first-round aspirations. St. Paul Saints righthander Tanner Scheppers wasn't as overpowering Sunday as he was in his first exhibition start, this time allowing five runs on five hits over four innings, though he did show a mid-90s fastball again. Fort Worth Cats righthander Aaron Crow showed better command his second time out, tossing four scoreless innings on Saturday. If Scheppers has some up and down appearances, he could find is way on the boards when the Sox pick. I say look past that injury and look at the raw upside. He's showing good velocity though so I'm sure he'll go well before the Sox pick, probably in the top 10 along with Crow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felix Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 His fastball reached 99 yesterday and his stuff looked pretty impressive. I didn't get to see too much of his start, but I saw bits and pieces and he looked pretty good. Still, he looked like he had a hell of a fastball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 QUOTE (Felix @ May 11, 2009 -> 11:09 AM) His fastball reached 99 yesterday and his stuff looked pretty impressive. I didn't get to see too much of his start, but I saw bits and pieces and he looked pretty good. Still, he looked like he had a hell of a fastball. I take it you were at the game? You interning there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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