June 7, 200421 yr I didn't see a thread yet with this so here goes... The White Sox picked Josh Fields, 3B Oklahoma State in the first round today. Is this a message pick? Here's what Baseball America says about Fields... http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/colle...0317fields.html Major league scouting directors voted Oklahoma State junior Josh Fields as BA's preseason first-team All-American at third base. Fields is as unproven as any preseason All-American because he doubles as Oklahoma State's quarterback (setting a career record with 55 touchdown passes) and hasn't dedicated himself to baseball year-round like other prospects. But scouts love Fields' bat, and he was off to a .377-3-12 start this year, with five doubles, 19 walks and seven strikeouts in 56 at-bats. He served as a DH and first baseman during his freshman year and moved to third full-time last year while hitting .358-12-55 with 46 strikeouts and 24 walks in 229 at-bats. A National League scouting director shared his opinion, noting that the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Fields could be the first third baseman drafted this June, likely in the first five rounds, because he has plenty of room for improvement and could take off once he gives up football. "He's going to be a guy with power. He's got bat speed and strength. He's not making the kind of contact you hope he will in the future, but he hasn't played collegiately a lot, and he hasn't played in the summers to my knowledge, or in the fall (because of football). He's basically played spring to spring. I think he won't be a tremendous average hitter, but he will make enough contact to get to his power. "(Defensively), he just needs to continue to make improvements. I don't see him needing to move if he works hard. His hands and feet are a little rough and his arm is erratic and no better than average. He's got to work to stay there, but just being around him and knowing his makeup and work ethic, I think he'll work at it. He'll be adequate, and when I say adequate, you're going to give a little bit because of the bat and power you think he'll have. "Third base is one of the toughest positions to find a guy to play because of the defense you want and the power you need there. There haven't been a lot of guys who jump out at you. When you find a guy who handles the position defensively, he doesn't have the bat you want there. Fields does."
June 7, 200421 yr You don't make a message pick in the 1st Round. This was a real pick and if I'm Crede, I'm looking over my shoulder in two or three years. Does this guy want to play baseball or are we getting into a NFL v. MLB soap opera? Anybody know?
June 7, 200421 yr Author I understand your point but if Crede has 12 homeruns and is hitting .320, I don't think they make this pick.
June 7, 200421 yr This guy will not stay at 3B, likely move to OF or 1B, not a good arm. Big 12 QB, not a good arm
June 7, 200421 yr I understand your point but if Crede has 12 homeruns and is hitting .320, I don't think they make this pick. Possibly not. Pitching is always a good pick. Looking at the farm system, if you don't go pitching, corner infielders seem like the area to draft. After Crede, IIRC, we are a little thin on "can't miss prospects". I wouldn't be surprised if we draft a 1st baseman and some lefty power.
June 7, 200421 yr Big 12 QB, not a good arm No kidding. It's one thing to have an arm weaker than Rolen or Glaus. It's another to say that a former QB will have to be MOVED because of his (weak) arm. I understand there arm speed and technique issues involved in football vs baseball, but does he really have a weak arm?
June 7, 200421 yr I understand your point but if Crede has 12 homeruns and is hitting .320, I don't think they make this pick. You take the best talent available. That was Josh Fields. The Sox need depth at 3B anyways. And if it lights a fire under Crede's ass, then so be it. He could use a kick in the ass anyways.
June 7, 200421 yr personally i like the pic... the guy looks really good and if crede cant get it in gear we've got another option... granted a couple years away
June 7, 200421 yr Drew Henson, Chris Weinke, Quincy Carter, Josh Booty, Chad Hutchinson, Joe Borchard, how many of these football guys have actually delivered? Seems like a reach to me. Give me a baseball player. Seen enough football players pretending to be baseball players. BAD PICK
June 7, 200421 yr I've heard he prefers baseball. I highly doubt the Sox make this pick if they aren't pretty damn sure he'll play baseball. Man, i've never seen the guy play baseball, but i've seen about 3 of his football games. I don't see how he could have a "weak" arm And there's no way this is a message/motivational pick
June 7, 200421 yr I was actually watching this kid play a week or so ago when OSU played Texas on FSN. I was impressed and hope he can turn into a good pick.
June 7, 200421 yr From what i read and Understand he may be a strong kid, but his swing has to be LOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG If he's not making good contact in college. Pro pitchers will take advantage of that. Time will tell
June 7, 200421 yr We need pitching... :headshake OK - now try making just a wee-bit of sense out of this: You don't reach for a pitcher that shouldn't be taken. Fields was the 'Best Player Available', meaning that he was the best player still left when the Sox picked. C-O-M-M-O-N S-E-N-S-E! winningugly, have you seen him play, or are you just making an uneducated assumption based on the fact that he is a two-sport athlete? I'm pretty sure that is what you're basing it on. And, he put up awesome numbers in one hell of a conference, the Big 12 (Hit .358 and .362 IIRC) with almost no lineup protection around him. Again, you don't reach for a pitcher who shouldn't have been selected there. You take the best available player, in this case, Josh Fields. I'm exstatic about the pick!
June 7, 200421 yr I don't understand why everyone doesn't like this pick. To begin, this guy is hitting .362 this year w/21 doubles 10 HRs and 47 RBI. We're not talking about someone who is facing slouches either, he plays in the Big 12. His three year totals are pretty sick as well. .364 AVG, 40 Doubles, 25 HRs, and 131 RBIs in 163 games. This is also a guy who doesn't even devote all of his time to baseball yet. Sounds to me like he's got a high ceiling because we don't know how good he can be with his full attention on baseball. Now why in the world would anyone not think this kid wasn't talented enough to be picked 18th? I firmly believe that in the first round you should draft for just that, TALENT. Screw our "needs" there are very few players who could make an impact within a year or two and most of them (if not all of them) were gone by the time our pick came up. All this stuff about lighting a fire under crede's ass is B.S. Fields is at least two years away. Some fire a two year cushion is, eh? Position players are safer draft picks. Period. With all of the injuries the super sox pitching phenoms have suffered over the past three years makes me pine for a player just like Fields. This was a safe pick, and I'm glad the Sox made it. Btw, this is what BA has to say about Fields: "He's going to be a guy with power. He's got bat speed and strength. He's not making the kind of contact you hope he will in the future, but he hasn't played collegiately a lot, and he hasn't played in the summers to my knowledge, or in the fall (because of football). He's basically played spring to spring. I think he won't be a tremendous average hitter, but he will make enough contact to get to his power. "(Defensively), he just needs to continue to make improvements. I don't see him needing to move if he works hard. His hands and feet are a little rough and his arm is erratic and no better than average. He's got to work to stay there, but just being around him and knowing his makeup and work ethic, I think he'll work at it. He'll be adequate, and when I say adequate, you're going to give a little bit because of the bat and power you think he'll have. "Third base is one of the toughest positions to find a guy to play because of the defense you want and the power you need there. There haven't been a lot of guys who jump out at you. When you find a guy who handles the position defensively, he doesn't have the bat you want there. Fields does."
June 7, 200421 yr Drew Henson, Chris Weinke, Quincy Carter, Josh Booty, Chad Hutchinson, Joe Borchard, how many of these football guys have actually delivered? Seems like a reach to me. Give me a baseball player. Seen enough football players pretending to be baseball players. BAD PICK Frank Thomas.
June 7, 200421 yr Drew Henson, Chris Weinke, Quincy Carter, Josh Booty, Chad Hutchinson, Joe Borchard, how many of these football guys have actually delivered? Seems like a reach to me. Give me a baseball player. Seen enough football players pretending to be baseball players. BAD PICK Or are they baseball players pretending to be football players?
June 7, 200421 yr , he put up awesome numbers in one hell of a conference, the Big 12 (Hit .358 and .362 IIRC) with almost no lineup protection around him. Yeah, facing many pitchers who could never dream of the majors, while using aluminum bats. Had he hit 450, I would have been impressed. I want him to be Rolen/Glaus-type player just as I want Borchard to put up Dunn numbers. Color me uninpressed until Fields comes into rookie ball and hits 400 with power and gets on a fast track to the bigs. I want All-Stars, godamnit!!
June 7, 200421 yr Yeah, facing many pitchers who could never dream of the majors, while using aluminum bats. Had he hit 450, I would have been impressed. I want him to be Rolen/Glaus-type player just as I want Borchard to put up Dunn numbers. Color me uninpressed until Fields coming into rookie ball and hits 400 with power and gets on a fast track to the bigs. Come on Brando - the Big 12 has some very good pitchers. Zach Jackson, JP Howell to name just a few, and this coming from me who knows not much about college ball, but I can tell you for certain that the Big12 is a good conference.
June 7, 200421 yr Fotop That is exactly my thinking. It's good to have great athletes because they can be moved around. It's hard to say how long it will take him, but Crede has time to develop still. Fields isn't that close.
June 7, 200421 yr Now why in the world would anyone not think this kid wasn't talented enough to be picked 18th? I firmly believe that in the first round you should draft for just that, TALENT Does he have lightening-fast reflexes and generate effortless batspeed? Does he have Wade Boggs's (prime) hand-eye coordination and cool? Or Thomas's eye and knowledge of the strike-zone? I hope your answers are as follows: "Yes" "Oh yes" "OMG....By cracky, yesiree!"
June 7, 200421 yr The draft is not an exact science, Brando We are years away from having a consensus on how good of a pick it was
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