Comments on: To Draft or Not to Draft http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/ We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future - FDR Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:08:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Jeff http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388490 Jeff Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:03:00 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388490 <p>Can someone please tell me what Gooden's first 6 years would be worth in today's dollars? Boswell's argument is absurd. If someone asks you if you want a 20 year old Dwight Gooden the response is "yes, please."</p> Can someone please tell me what Gooden’s first 6 years would be worth in today’s dollars? Boswell’s argument is absurd. If someone asks you if you want a 20 year old Dwight Gooden the response is “yes, please.”

]]> By: Dick http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388483 Dick Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:06:52 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388483 <p>Andrew Oliver pitched a gem today against Mizzou. Kyle Gibson got lit up! Kipnis has been on fire this weekend and Grant Green continues to heat up.</p> Andrew Oliver pitched a gem today against Mizzou. Kyle Gibson got lit up! Kipnis has been on fire this weekend and Grant Green continues to heat up.

]]> By: Dick http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388482 Dick Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:52:00 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388482 <p>Mike Leake is pitching so well he is liable to be long gone when pick #10 rolls around! Mowed down Trojans yesterday. Green got a triple and scored the only run Leake allowed.</p> Mike Leake is pitching so well he is liable to be long gone when pick #10 rolls around! Mowed down Trojans yesterday. Green got a triple and scored the only run Leake allowed.

]]> By: Guy McGuffin http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388481 Guy McGuffin Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:34:57 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388481 <p>Another fun one from that article was his use of W-L from Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson from age of 19 and on. He kind of undermines his entire point by saying that sometimes it takes these pitchers a few years to develop when he throws out examples of guys who came into the league when they were 19 years old. He doesn't discern that Strasburg might be close to 22 years old by the time he throws in the big leagues.</p> Another fun one from that article was his use of W-L from Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson from age of 19 and on. He kind of undermines his entire point by saying that sometimes it takes these pitchers a few years to develop when he throws out examples of guys who came into the league when they were 19 years old. He doesn’t discern that Strasburg might be close to 22 years old by the time he throws in the big leagues.

]]> By: Steve Walker http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388480 Steve Walker Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:22:22 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388480 <p>Brian -- The information below is for a book I wrote on the 1969 Senators that will go to press in 3 weeks. The title is "A Whole New Ballgame: The 1969 Washington Senators." If you prefer, I can send you the information via e-mail as well as a press release. I don't see any other way to contact you, so I'm posting a comment. Your choice whether or not to post.</p> <p>The draft angle with the '69 Senators is that they had the first choice in the '69 draft and chose well - Jeff Burroughs, but it took him a few years to blossom, and, sadly, he did so in Texas and Atlanta, not D.C. But I don't cover that in the book.</p> <p>Here is a link to the Pocol Press website, the book's publisher:</p> <p>http://pocolpress.com/getBookDetail.php?bookID=000040</p> <p>Pocol Press Box 411 Clifton, VA 20124 703-830-5862 www.pocolpress.com</p> <p>If you would like to receive a press release, please contact Pocol Press at chrisandtom at erols.com or steve at stephenjwalker.com</p> Brian — The information below is for a book I wrote on the 1969 Senators that will go to press in 3 weeks. The title is “A Whole New Ballgame: The 1969 Washington Senators.” If you prefer, I can send you the information via e-mail as well as a press release. I don’t see any other way to contact you, so I’m posting a comment. Your choice whether or not to post.

The draft angle with the ‘69 Senators is that they had the first choice in the ‘69 draft and chose well – Jeff Burroughs, but it took him a few years to blossom, and, sadly, he did so in Texas and Atlanta, not D.C. But I don’t cover that in the book.

Here is a link to the Pocol Press website, the book’s publisher:

http://pocolpress.com/getBookDetail.php?bookID=000040

Pocol Press Box 411 Clifton, VA 20124 703-830-5862 http://www.pocolpress.com

If you would like to receive a press release, please contact Pocol Press at chrisandtom at erols.com or steve at stephenjwalker.com

]]> By: Sue Dinem http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388479 Sue Dinem Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:18:42 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388479 <p>Ah, the spending = smarts philistines have returned...</p> Ah, the spending = smarts philistines have returned…

]]> By: Bill Wagner http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388478 Bill Wagner Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:01:35 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388478 <p>A winning franchise goes for it. A losing franchise is afraid. The winning franchise takes the best player and pays him. The losing franchise settles for second best in order to save money. They Yankees are a winning franchise. The Red Sox are a winning franchise. The Royals are perennial doormats. There is a reason for that. If the Nats are going to be something other than Royals East then they had best take this kid, sign him to whatever the market is, and STFU. In 6 years who wants to face the prospect that a Strasbourg who is an all star front line pitcher walks? So the Nats then better sign him again - winning teams do this. Losing teams or one-shot wonder teams do not. We're going to find out a lot about this franchise over the summer. Despite having a HUGE market are the Nats going to pay up for talent or are they going to pitter patter around doing stupid things like the Royals and Twins? I don't get too excited about teams who get lucky one year, trade in August for a star to get them over the hump, and then do a talent drain to lower payroll the next spring - sort of like the Marlins. It gives the fans NOTHING to relate to - a gypsy team with no stability. I hope that the Nats become the Red Sox of the NL East. We certainly have the right market to be just that!</p> A winning franchise goes for it. A losing franchise is afraid. The winning franchise takes the best player and pays him. The losing franchise settles for second best in order to save money. They Yankees are a winning franchise. The Red Sox are a winning franchise. The Royals are perennial doormats. There is a reason for that. If the Nats are going to be something other than Royals East then they had best take this kid, sign him to whatever the market is, and STFU. In 6 years who wants to face the prospect that a Strasbourg who is an all star front line pitcher walks? So the Nats then better sign him again – winning teams do this. Losing teams or one-shot wonder teams do not. We’re going to find out a lot about this franchise over the summer. Despite having a HUGE market are the Nats going to pay up for talent or are they going to pitter patter around doing stupid things like the Royals and Twins? I don’t get too excited about teams who get lucky one year, trade in August for a star to get them over the hump, and then do a talent drain to lower payroll the next spring – sort of like the Marlins. It gives the fans NOTHING to relate to – a gypsy team with no stability. I hope that the Nats become the Red Sox of the NL East. We certainly have the right market to be just that!

]]> By: Jeff E. http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388477 Jeff E. Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:03:39 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388477 <p>Prayers that Strasburg does not end up a more polished version of Todd VanPoppel. that should not happen. Todd just had one pitch even after working with Duncan. Josh Bard is a great guy! Is Flores ready to go or will Josh be the Bard of the Anacostia??? Interesting rotation shaping up @ Harrisburg with Alaniz, Atilano, Van Allen, Detwiler and probably Brownlie to stabilize things. curious LH pen help in Novoa and Bittner. anybody down in Viera get a good read on Zach Zincola??? maturing on time? learning from the vets? should be interesting to see how THE CHIEF takes to the Pudget Sound "Junior full circle" caravan. interesting that the 1989 Upper Deck set with Junior as rookie is still $100 a set. Has not changed since 1989. Am I reading too much in the box scores from FLA, but is Alex Cintron coming on or just having a nice week, yet still bound for SYR? Hey, Cap fans- who are you picking between a VAN/CHI series in the west??? Good luck to Shawn Hil getting to listen to Bud Black AND Greg Maddux. may health restore his career. maybe the laid back, low expectations of SD is the right tonic without the gin and olive???</p> Prayers that Strasburg does not end up a more polished version of Todd VanPoppel. that should not happen. Todd just had one pitch even after working with Duncan. Josh Bard is a great guy! Is Flores ready to go or will Josh be the Bard of the Anacostia??? Interesting rotation shaping up @ Harrisburg with Alaniz, Atilano, Van Allen, Detwiler and probably Brownlie to stabilize things. curious LH pen help in Novoa and Bittner. anybody down in Viera get a good read on Zach Zincola??? maturing on time? learning from the vets? should be interesting to see how THE CHIEF takes to the Pudget Sound “Junior full circle” caravan. interesting that the 1989 Upper Deck set with Junior as rookie is still $100 a set. Has not changed since 1989. Am I reading too much in the box scores from FLA, but is Alex Cintron coming on or just having a nice week, yet still bound for SYR? Hey, Cap fans- who are you picking between a VAN/CHI series in the west??? Good luck to Shawn Hil getting to listen to Bud Black AND Greg Maddux. may health restore his career. maybe the laid back, low expectations of SD is the right tonic without the gin and olive???

]]> By: Scot B. http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388476 Scot B. Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:49:08 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388476 <p>This on Strasburg from BA's John Manuel via ESPN: "He's going to be outstanding...JIm Callis has a great column coming in the next BA about why the online frenzy about Strasburg's mechanics is overblown and frankly ridiculous. Expect him to be a true No. 1 starter." Also, (me talking): I always enjoy reading Boswell. Admit, however, he was less than circumspect in latest piece per there no "1A".</p> This on Strasburg from BA’s John Manuel via ESPN: “He’s going to be outstanding…JIm Callis has a great column coming in the next BA about why the online frenzy about Strasburg’s mechanics is overblown and frankly ridiculous. Expect him to be a true No. 1 starter.” Also, (me talking): I always enjoy reading Boswell. Admit, however, he was less than circumspect in latest piece per there no “1A”.

]]> By: Ted Leavngood http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388475 Ted Leavngood Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:58:06 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388475 <p>Exceptional. The point made above that the argument can be reduced to this and that is true, but it takes exactly this kind of tough, point-by-point refutation to make it stick. Again, nicely done. I think Boz does provide push back to Gammons' piece, whose motivation I think is still suspect.</p> Exceptional. The point made above that the argument can be reduced to this and that is true, but it takes exactly this kind of tough, point-by-point refutation to make it stick. Again, nicely done. I think Boz does provide push back to Gammons’ piece, whose motivation I think is still suspect.

]]> By: Romp n Stomp http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388474 Romp n Stomp Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:53:28 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388474 <blockquote cite="#commentbody-388471"> <strong><a href="#comment-388471" rel="nofollow">John O’Connor</a> :</strong> <p>I suspect Boz was just parroting a line of thought fed to him by the Nats, all in an effort to drive down the price for Strasburg.</p> <p>Oh, and will Tony Gwynn PLEASE keep Strasburg’s pitch count below 110? Please?</p> </blockquote> <p>T Gwynn is only pitching him once a week and on a pitch count. T Gwynn has said in the past "Stephen Strasburg will not leave his arm at SDSU"</p> John O’Connor :

I suspect Boz was just parroting a line of thought fed to him by the Nats, all in an effort to drive down the price for Strasburg.

Oh, and will Tony Gwynn PLEASE keep Strasburg’s pitch count below 110? Please?

T Gwynn is only pitching him once a week and on a pitch count. T Gwynn has said in the past “Stephen Strasburg will not leave his arm at SDSU”

]]> By: JCA http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388473 JCA Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:22:06 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388473 <p>My guess is Boz was just trying to make a contrarian argument to stimulate discussion. It stimulated Brian to write this piece, which pretty much rips up the straw that "pitchers are too risky." sure they are, the younger the more risky, but all things aren't equal. The only reason to have doubt would be if Green is 1A, like Mauer, Weiters, or Texiera. He isn't according to everyone I trust.</p> My guess is Boz was just trying to make a contrarian argument to stimulate discussion. It stimulated Brian to write this piece, which pretty much rips up the straw that “pitchers are too risky.” sure they are, the younger the more risky, but all things aren’t equal. The only reason to have doubt would be if Green is 1A, like Mauer, Weiters, or Texiera. He isn’t according to everyone I trust.

]]> By: natteringnabob http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388472 natteringnabob Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:54:30 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388472 <p>Nats made roster moves: JZimmermann to start in AAA and get ready to be 5th starter, Martis named 4th starter, Patterson and Castillo to minor league camp, Pena placed on waivers, Valentin becomes free agent.</p> Nats made roster moves: JZimmermann to start in AAA and get ready to be 5th starter, Martis named 4th starter, Patterson and Castillo to minor league camp, Pena placed on waivers, Valentin becomes free agent.

]]> By: John O'Connor http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388471 John O'Connor Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:18:30 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388471 <p>I suspect Boz was just parroting a line of thought fed to him by the Nats, all in an effort to drive down the price for Strasburg.</p> <p>Oh, and will Tony Gwynn PLEASE keep Strasburg's pitch count below 110? Please?</p> I suspect Boz was just parroting a line of thought fed to him by the Nats, all in an effort to drive down the price for Strasburg.

Oh, and will Tony Gwynn PLEASE keep Strasburg’s pitch count below 110? Please?

]]> By: Jeff E. http://natsfarm.com/2009/03/27/to-draft-or-not-to-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-388470 Jeff E. Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:23:21 +0000 http://natsfarm.com/?p=2283#comment-388470 <p>Who said Bill James and the book Moneyball did not change the way fans hedged numbers over the pure game of baseball????? Just draft Strasberg and be done with it. Keep Casto. waive No Mo Pena!!!! too bad the Nats could not pick up Ronnie Paulino- another ex-Buc farmhand!!</p> Who said Bill James and the book Moneyball did not change the way fans hedged numbers over the pure game of baseball????? Just draft Strasberg and be done with it. Keep Casto. waive No Mo Pena!!!! too bad the Nats could not pick up Ronnie Paulino- another ex-Buc farmhand!!

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