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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 01:21 PM) 20 percent is way too much for Aiken falling to 4. Idk. I can see it: Astros take Rodon, who the Marlins wanted. Marlins then take Jackson, who is 2nd on their board. Then all it takes is either of the rumors that Sox love Kolek OR Nola to be true.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 01:18 PM) I'm not going to say that he is back to his 2008 self, but if he can settle into somewhere between 2010 and 2011, you've got yourself a really good top three pitchers for this team in Sale, Q, and Danks. Throw some serviable outings from Noesi and Rienzo back there, and this is a plus rotation in MLB. Add a free agent or tradee #3 starter and you've got a real shot. I feel more comfortable dreaming on Danks being a good #4, but that's a rotation that could take the division if the offensive improvement is for real.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 11:55 AM) Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 18m One of Cuba's up-and-coming young pitchers has left the island. Scouting info and a GIF at Baseball America: http://bit.ly/UfhZ7t Wtf is Despaigne like a Cuban stage name or something? This is the third significant prospect named Despaigne to pop up in the new in the last 6 months.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 01:10 PM) I was just trying to come up with options for leverage. I agree it's risky but Boras does alot of out of the box thinking. Why would he have to wait 2 years and not just enter the draft next year. He wouldn't. I thought you were responding to my earlier point where I said he would have no leverage NEXT year because he was a senior.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 12:40 PM) As most know, I love to cherry pick....Sans 2 games where Danks was absolutely shelled, giving up 15 runs in 9.2 innings, Johnny has a 2.89 ERA in his other 10 starts. 9 of his 12 starts have been of the quality variety..... I know a lot of people have talked about trading Danks, but if he keeps this up for the next 2 months, there's no way I'm trading him. Cherry-picking aside, his upside at this point is managing to get close to earning his contract. If you can get out from under that, you have to. Worst case you re-allocate it to a similar pitcher who has a chance to out-earn it. Never forget that the first couple years of the big FA contract are expected to be the highest yield. It's nice that he's not totally cooked at this point, but the value of the deal went down the toilet a long time ago. He was never expected to be worth it toward the end, and that was before the injury.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 01:01 PM) Could he hold his guy out a year and pitch in an independent league? It's possible, but it's extremely risky given the rigidity of the draft rules now. When Crow did it, it was essentially still an open market. For Rodon to ultimate push his sign date back two years is to hope to avoid injury and maintain velocity just to enter the draft at age 24, having lost all semblance of leverage, all for the ultimate upside of less than $2m of slot bonus from 3 to 1. Realistically, even in the very remote scenario where everything in the world goes right for him and he gets popped #1 at 24 in 2016, the team that picks him is going to get him for underslot anyway, because wtf else is he going to do at that point? Meanwhile, he would probably be accruing service time in the Majors by then if he'd just taken his $5m in 2014.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 01:00 PM) Is this still not understood? They will spend the money even if they don't get the BPA. That would be the point. By "spend the money," I meant "do not allow the prospect of saving money on slot for later deter you from choosing the BPA at 3."

Ultimately, if we draft Rodon, he'll end up signing with us for a little over slot value, IMO. He just doesn't have the leverage players used to have. He's already seen his stock drop over the course of a year, and even if he went back for his senior year and DIDN'T decline and DID stay healthy, he'd be re-entering the draft with less leverage than before since he'll be a senior. If they like Rodon the best, they should take him.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 11:39 AM) My order of preference (would probably put Jackson in there but sounds like we're really locked into a pitcher): Aiken Rodon Nola Kolek Mine is: Rodon Aiken Kolek Jackson Nola

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 11:37 AM) The Sox have played 6 more games than the Tigers. That could be something to keep an eye on. Yeah how the hell did THAT happen? Seems like some crazy rainoutness I imagine that having to make those games up at this point will mean they are played in less than ideal conditions, like planned off days or doubleheaders. Could definitely be a slight advantage for us.

Spend the money, get the BPA.

QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 11:33 AM) Today is only the first round, correct? Are there any second round projections? I suppose I could just read a mock draft list and see who the 30 or so players are that start the rankings around 35. Two rounds today, muthaf***a! Actually three if you count the supp round.

Dave Cameron -- High School arms and the #1 pick: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/high-school...and-the-1-pick/

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 10:07 AM) http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/sec...salute-to-nola/ Yes, he maintained 92-94 into the 8th inning according to Baseball America's Aaron Fitt. Also touched 96 early, but was probably just the adrenaline. He also pitches on 7 days rest. That was something Mike Ferrin pointed out about college velocity at one point.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 09:42 AM) How about we not s*** up this thread with your routine Law bashing? Seconded.

With Kolek's late "slide," might he be abetter financial deal than we thought at #3?

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 4, 2014 -> 08:39 PM) As of now, something seems wrong with his hitting. I mentioned in another thread that so far, he's been a bust. Doesn't mean for a second I'm ready to give up on him. I think we can all agree we just don't want another situation where the closer is traded for someone that just falls apart relatively quickly in the minors. Lol Matt Davidson is not a bust if you aren't ready to give up on him. Bust is a done deal.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 08:45 AM) Well if you are referring to their aversion to high school pitchers by all accounts Aiken seems to be #1 on their board. I am hoping like hell he falls to them some how. It's a VERY realistic scenario. If Rodon goes 1.1, the consensus seems to be Jackson goes 1.2, leaving Aiken to fall in our laps.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2014 -> 09:04 AM) In 2014 having a cheap, cost-controlled, mid-rotation starter is a huge deal for a team. That saves them eight figures+ per year versus if they actually had to go out and bring one in off of the free agent market. But you can do better at #3 overall.

Thanks in advance for the great work on tracking this stuff.

Three games back from the Tigers.

From Cistulli's Fringe Five, upon which Semien was featured highly and loudly all last year, we have from Montas love: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-fringe-...e-prospects-28/

Jose Abreu was not a "diamond in the rough." We was the best, most developed, most mature, and most celebrated hitter on the island of Cuba. No one had to "find" him.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Jun 4, 2014 -> 12:17 PM) Coincidentally I am listening to that podcast right now and came here to post about how Parks says if he were a GM, he would take Aaron Nola over Tyler Kolek. Parks thinks that Kolek is all arm, and has not learned any pitchability yet. Pretty much views him as high risk/high reward, where he views Nola as not as high of a reward, but much safer. The thing I took from that wasn't so much that Nola was safer, but that people were underrating his stuff. Touches mid-90's with three good pitches (I think I posted something about it a few pages back). But then I saw Doug Thorburn's recent Rasing Aces post where he broke down the mechanics of the top 4 SP prospects and came away a big fan of Kolek's mechanics: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article....articleid=23731

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 4, 2014 -> 09:48 AM) Where was Parks discussing it? Fringe Average podcast? Yes, I believe it was the one before the most recent.