Source: Vlad Guerrero's son, BlueJays and a posible verbal agreement.

[Angrioter]

Your wife was a cleat chaser, wasn't she?

 

I hope that translates okay as I didn't mean that as an insult.

 

I'd like to add to the stuff about the academies. With the changes to the rules where kids are not allowed to attend major league sponsored academies before they sign, there are some in DR that are concerned about two things. The overall health of the youth of the nation (not to mention the health of baseball over time). Also, that some not so good locals are taking advantage of the kids. I don't think it was right that teams were essentially making deals with 14 year olds, but it's not the answer to ban these kids from something which helped them out.

 

Cleat chaser is like a Groupie?

 

That's right. Many teams carry to their "protected players" ( verbal agreements) to their complex to avoid injury and instructing them clandestinely.

[TheHurl]

Cleat chaser is like a Groupie?

 

That's right. Many teams carry to their "protected players" ( verbal agreements) to their complex to avoid injury and instructing them clandestinely.

 

I'd say more like only went for ball players...wouldn't be PC of me to call your wife a Groupie. Especially on be kind to a Mexican day.

 

I think it would be great for you to write a first-hand piece for Breaking Blue on how the changes to the International rules are changing things (for the better and/or worse). Get someone like NJH to edit it for you.

[Angrioter]

I'd say more like only went for ball players...wouldn't be PC of me to call your wife a Groupie. Especially on be kind to a Mexican day.

 

I think it would be great for you to write a first-hand piece for Breaking Blue on how the changes to the International rules are changing things (for the better and/or worse). Get someone like NJH to edit it for you.

 

The int draft is near. Things will get very ugly for Venezuela and Dominicana.

[TheHurl]

The int draft is near. Things will get very ugly for Venezuela and Dominicana.

 

I'd guess that a lot of the top young kids will get invites to North American Prep High Schools which in itself has it's positives and negatives.

[Abomination]

The int draft is near. Things will get very ugly for Venezuela and Dominicana.

 

Perhaps if it happens, MLB will provide facilities for all those kids as part of a deal.

[Angrioter]

I'd guess that a lot of the top young kids will get invites to North American Prep High Schools which in itself has it's positives and negatives.

 

Yeah. Our educational system will improve; kids won't leave the school to play baseball and Governments will invest more in school sports programs.

By having a better academically level, MLB teams could sign players in the 20's years old.

[TheHurl]

Perhaps if it happens, MLB will provide facilities for all those kids as part of a deal.

 

I don't know what the answer is. I think if the International Draft does happen and the MLB teams take their facilities out (why would they need them if they have to wait until the kids are 17 or 18 to draft them) but the agencies might move in and create the facilities (or take over the current ones). I suppose the DSL would still exist so there will be some need for some of the parks. As Ang said, forcing the kids to get high school to be eligible for the draft might be good long term for the country, but there are going to be some f***ing hugely talented kids that have to leave the country to likely get there chance (or have American Football Player standards for graduation)

[TwistedLogic]

I've always wondered what drives teams to sign these 16 year olds to such massive contracts, but stops them from spending similar dollars on guys like Beede, Aiken, Bryant, Nola, etc. When the Jays drafted Kris Bryant, he couldn't have been more raw than someone like Vladdy Little, right? I imagine if they'd even offered him half of what they'll probably sign Vlad for, they might have gotten him.

 

I've always said that I understand if a team drew the line and didn't go nuts to sign someone like Bryant (as the Jays) or Cole (as the Yankees), but then you realize the same teams give 3-4M, sometimes higher to these 16 year olds in the DR. This isn't a valid comparison any longer, with the new draft caps in place, but why didn't teams spend like they do in the IFA market, on guys with high ceilings/low signability in the draft up until a few years ago.

[Angrioter]

I've always wondered what drives teams to sign these 16 year olds to such massive contracts, but stops them from spending similar dollars on guys like Beede, Aiken, Bryant, Nola, etc. When the Jays drafted Kris Bryant, he couldn't have been more raw than someone like Vladdy Little, right? I imagine if they'd even offered him half of what they'll probably sign Vlad for, they might have gotten him.

 

I've always said that I understand if a team drew the line and didn't go nuts to sign someone like Bryant (as the Jays) or Cole (as the Yankees), but then you realize the same teams give 3-4M, sometimes higher to these 16 year olds in the DR. This isn't a valid comparison any longer, with the new draft caps in place, but why didn't teams spend like they do in the IFA market, on guys with high ceilings/low signability in the draft up until a few years ago.

 

2004-2014 Wins leaders

7/19 Dominicans

http://i.snag.gy/4Gj4V.jpg

[Angrioter]

Well for one tons of talent. A lot of the best players in baseball were international free agents. The idea of taking a player when hes 16 and develop and mold him into who you want to be is always intriguing. A lot of pitchers who go to college especially for the top teams in the NCAA they get abused. Thats why teams are turning to high school pitching so they can bring them along the way they want them developed. Catchers as well. Most of the top catching prospects don't get the chance to call games or develop a game plan. The coach decides all the pitches and major league teams hate this. It slows don't the development of the player.

 

Carlos Rodon have more innings in his arm than Jamie Moyer.

[TheHurl]

I've always wondered what drives teams to sign these 16 year olds to such massive contracts, but stops them from spending similar dollars on guys like Beede, Aiken, Bryant, Nola, etc. When the Jays drafted Kris Bryant, he couldn't have been more raw than someone like Vladdy Little, right? I imagine if they'd even offered him half of what they'll probably sign Vlad for, they might have gotten him.

 

I've always said that I understand if a team drew the line and didn't go nuts to sign someone like Bryant (as the Jays) or Cole (as the Yankees), but then you realize the same teams give 3-4M, sometimes higher to these 16 year olds in the DR. This isn't a valid comparison any longer, with the new draft caps in place, but why didn't teams spend like they do in the IFA market, on guys with high ceilings/low signability in the draft up until a few years ago.

 

Very few have got $3M though. As of 2011 only 18 guys got $2M (whereas at least 20 a year get that in the draft). I'll have to go through the other years to see that updated number. Outside of that it's the difference of the Draft prospects having top advisers doing their negotiating for them, player having better options (going to college). So in other words, FA 16 year International you sign or someone else does. High School draftee, gets college experience and is paid again in three years, and wants first round money, when it's just you and them. Bryant without signability issues was ranked anywhere from 30 to 200 in that draft, so it's not like he automatically deserved the 1st round money he was asking.

[TwistedLogic]

Well for one tons of talent. A lot of the best players in baseball were international free agents. The idea of taking a player when hes 16 and develop and mold him into who you want to be is always intriguing. A lot of pitchers who go to college especially for the top teams in the NCAA they get abused. Thats why teams are turning to high school pitching so they can bring them along the way they want them developed. Catchers as well. Most of the top catching prospects don't get the chance to call games or develop a game plan. The coach decides all the pitches and major league teams hate this. It slows don't the development of the player.

 

I get it somewhat, but what exactly drives a team to offer 4.5M to Vlad Jr when they won't give 3.5M to Beede? I'm not saying I disagree with the approach, or that I'm unhappy with how the Beede thing turned out, just curious as to what makes these younger, rawer prospects more valuable to them. Beede, Cole, Bryant, Nola, all these guys were passed on before they got to college to be abused by NCAA coaches in the first place.

[TwistedLogic]

Very few have got $3M though. As of 2011 only 18 guys got $2M (whereas at least 20 a year get that in the draft). I'll have to go through the other years to see that updated number. Outside of that it's the difference of the Draft prospects having top advisers doing their negotiating for them, player having better options (going to college). So in other words, FA 16 year International you sign or someone else does. High School draftee, gets college experience and is paid again in three years, and wants first round money, when it's just you and them. Bryant without signability issues was ranked anywhere from 30 to 200 in that draft, so it's not like he automatically deserved the 1st round money he was asking.

 

This is true, but if I remember correctly, Norris was ranked as a top 15 draft prospect and fell all the way to the 2nd round because of his Clemson commitment. That was a year where there wasn't a draft cap, so how did scouts of so many teams allow them to pass him over simply because they didn't wanna pay him what he might have asked for?

 

I understand when teams let a guy like Josh Bell slip, who eventually signed with the Pirates for a ridiculous 5M, but I find it strange that you'd let a guy with the draft profile of Norris slip when he would only go on to sign for 2M.

 

I guess it's because they think they can get a comparable talent for cheaper in the draft, where as in the IFA market it's like you said, either you sign the guy or someone else will.

[TheHurl]

This is true, but if I remember correctly, Norris was ranked as a top 15 draft prospect and fell all the way to the 2nd round because of his Clemson commitment. That was a year where there wasn't a draft cap, so how did scouts of so many teams allow them to pass him over simply because they didn't wanna pay him what he might have asked for?

 

I understand when teams let a guy like Josh Bell slip, who eventually signed with the Pirates for a ridiculous 5M, but I find it strange that you'd let a guy with the draft profile of Norris slip when he would only go on to sign for 2M.

 

I guess it's because they think they can get a comparable talent for cheaper in the draft, where as in the IFA market it's like you said, either you sign the guy or someone else will.

 

There is also the other aspect in the draft. You are giving up another player to get that player. That year (2011 I believe) the Rays and Jays had a shitload of picks, so for one of them it made more sense to take a chance that Norris would actually sign. I understand what you are saying though, prior to the bonus pools, there were often times where tough sign guys dropped to really late and at times $500K was the difference between them signing and not signing, yet teams spend $500K on s*** all the time. In looking back at the PG rankings he was #15. So slot money for $1.557M. Jays gave Norris just a 430K premium on that (and it was a year where many players got overslot money. If he was asking for $2.5M (top 5 slot money) they probably wouldn't have signed him and that's the head scratching type that happens.

[TwistedLogic]

There is also the other aspect in the draft. You are giving up another player to get that player. That year (2011 I believe) the Rays and Jays had a shitload of picks, so for one of them it made more sense to take a chance that Norris would actually sign. I understand what you are saying though, prior to the bonus pools, there were often times where tough sign guys dropped to really late and at times $500K was the difference between them signing and not signing, yet teams spend $500K on s*** all the time. In looking back at the PG rankings he was #15. So slot money for $1.557M. Jays gave Norris just a 430K premium on that (and it was a year where many players got overslot money. If he was asking for $2.5M (top 5 slot money) they probably wouldn't have signed him and that's the head scratching type that happens.

 

Speaking of which, I was just thinking about this last night. What an atrocious draft that was for the Rays. If I recall correctly, they had I think 12 of the top 100 picks? They've made exactly 0 legitimate prospects from that crop. The best of that class right now looks to be Mahtook, who BA just ranked 6th in a weak system.

 

The Rays seem to be incredibly bad at drafting, and at the risk of people here flinging s*** at me for making this statement, I don't think there's even a doubt in my mind that AA has been better at drafting than Friedman throughout each of their respective AL East tenures.

 

Yeah, they picked up Price (1st overall) and Longoria (3rd overall), but they're also the team that drafted Young and Beckham with 1:1 picks; even while occupying a very high spot in the draft many different times, they have an uncomfortably high fail rate with first round picks.

 

Furthermore, for all the s*** we've given the Jays for drafting Romero (8.9 career WAR) when Tulo was still on the board in 2006, the Rays drafted Wade Townsend (0 IP above AA) when McCutchen was still on the board in the same draft.

[Captain Adama]

Speaking of which, I was just thinking about this last night. What an atrocious draft that was for the Rays. If I recall correctly, they had I think 12 of the top 100 picks? They've made exactly 0 legitimate prospects from that crop. The best of that class right now looks to be Mahtook, who BA just ranked 6th in a weak system.

 

The Rays seem to be incredibly bad at drafting, and at the risk of people here flinging s*** at me for making this statement, I don't think there's even a doubt in my mind that AA has been better at drafting than Friedman throughout each of their respective AL East tenures.

 

Yeah, they picked up Price (1st overall) and Longoria (3rd overall), but they're also the team that drafted Young and Beckham with 1:1 picks; even while occupying a very high spot in the draft many different times, they have an uncomfortably high fail rate with first round picks.

 

Furthermore, for all the s*** we've given the Jays for drafting Romero (8.9 career WAR) when Tulo was still on the board in 2006, the Rays drafted Wade Townsend (0 IP above AA) when McCutchen was still on the board in the same draft.

 

I'll just go and say that the Townsend pick wasn't with Friedman at the helm, even though he was a memeber of the org, and I don't know how many similar staff they had at the time.

 

Wade Townsend, must really suck to be a Top 10 pick twice and still not make the majors lmao.

[Angrioter]

I'll just go and say that the Townsend pick wasn't with Friedman at the helm, even though he was a memeber of the org, and I don't know how many similar staff they had at the time.

 

Wade Townsend, must really suck to be a Top 10 pick twice and still not make the majors lmao.

 

Esto....

The Atlanta Braves were strongly considering selecting Todd Van Poppel, a high school pitcher out of Arlington, Texas, with the No. 1 overall pick in the June 1990 draft until Braves scouting director Paul Snyder essentially said he would resign if the club didn't take the high school shortstop from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. The Braves did, but it still makes us wonder: What if the Braves had selected Van Poppel instead of Chipper Jones?

[metafour]

This is true, but if I remember correctly, Norris was ranked as a top 15 draft prospect and fell all the way to the 2nd round because of his Clemson commitment.

 

Norris was an extremely polarizing prospect by the time the draft actually took place. His command and velocity were both all over the place to round out his senior season of HS ball (and ironically that translated to his Pro debut as well). Despite him still being "ranked" 15th online, it wouldn't surprise me at all if numerous teams had moved him down significantly on their boards, at which point his supposedly huge bonus demands likely took him off the board completely.

[Angrioter]

1 -- Pittsburgh, Gerrit Cole, RHP, UCLA

2 -- Seattle, Danny Hultzen, LHP, Virginia

3 -- Arizona, Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA

4 -- Baltimore, Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso (Okla.) HS

5 -- Kansas City, Bubba Starling, OF, Gardner-Edgerton HS (Kan.)

6 -- Washington, Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice

7 -- Arizona, Archie Bradley, RHP, Broken Arrow (Okla.) Senior HS

8 -- Cleveland, Francisco Lindor, SS, Montverde (Fla.) Academy

9 -- Chicago Cubs, Javier Baez, SS, Arlington Country Day School, Jacksonville, Fla.

10 -- San Diego, Corey Spangenberg, 2B, Indian River State College

11 -- Houston, George Springer, OF, Connecticut

12 -- Milwaukee, Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Texas

13 -- NY Mets, Brandon Nimmo, OF, Cheyenne (Wyo.) East HS

14 -- Florida, Jose Fernandez, RHP, Braulio Alonso, HS, Tampa, Fla.

15 -- Milwaukee, Jed Bradley, LHP, Georgia Tech

16 -- LA Dodgers, Chris Reed, LHP, Stanford

17 -- LA Angels, C.J. Cron, 1B, Utah

18 -- Oakland, Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt

19 -- Boston (from Detroit), Matt Barnes, RHP, Connecticut

20 -- Colorado, Tyler Anderson, LHP, Oregon

21 -- Toronto, Tyler Beede, RHP, Lawrence Academy, Auburn, Mass.

22 -- St. Louis, Kolten Wong, 2B, Hawaii

23 -- Washington (from Chicago-AL), Alex Meyer, RHP, Kentucky

24 -- Tampa Bay (from Boston), Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Spring Valley HS, Columbia, SC

25 -- San Diego, Joe Ross, RHP, Bishop O'Dowd HS, Oakland

26 -- Boston (from Texas), Blake Swihart, C, V. Sue Cleveland HS, Rio Rancho, NM

27 -- Cincinnati, Robert Stephenson, RHP, Alhambra HS, Martinez, Calif.

28 -- Atlanta, Sean Gilmartin, LHP, Florida State

29 -- San Francisco, Joe Panik, SS, St. John's

30 -- Minnesota, Levi Michael, SS, North Carolina

31 -- Tampa Bay (from New York-AL), Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU.

32 -- Tampa Bay, Jake Hager, SS, Sierra Vista HS, Las Vegas

33 -- Texas (from Philadelphia), Kevin Matthews, LHP, Richmond Hill (Ga.) HS

34 -- Washington, Brian Goodwin, OF, Miami Dade CC

35 -- Toronto, Jacob Anderson, OF, Chino (Calif.) HS

36 -- Boston, Henry Owens, LHP, Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif.

37 -- Texas, Zach Cone, OF, Georgia

38 -- Tampa Bay, Brandon Martin, SS, Santiago HS, Corona, Calif.

39 -- Philadelphia, Larry Greene, OF, Berrien County HS, Nashville, Ga.

40 -- Boston, Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, South Carolina

41 -- Tampa Bay, Tyler Goeddel, 3B, St. Francis HS, Mountan View, Calif.

42 -- Tampa Bay, Jeff Ames, RHP, Lower Columbia College

43 -- Arizona, Andrew Chafin, LHP, Kent State

44 -- NY Mets, Michael Fulmer, RHP, Deer Creek HS, Edmond, Okla.

45 -- Colorado, Trevor Story, SS, Irving (Texas) HS

46 -- Toronto, Joe Musgrove, RHP, Grossmont HS, El Cajon, Calif.

47 -- Chicago White Sox, Keenyn Walker, OF, Central Arizona CC

48 -- San Diego, Michael Kelly, RHP, West Boca Raton (Fla.) HS

49 -- San Francisco, Kyle Crick, RHP, Sherman (Texas), HS

50 -- Minnesota, Travis Harrison, 3B, Tustin (Calif.) HS

51 -- NY Yankees, Dante Bichette, 3B, Orangewood Christian HS, Maitland, Fla.

52 -- Tampa Bay, Blake Snell, LHP, Shorewood HS, Shoreline, Wash.

53 -- Toronto, Dwight Smith, OF, McIntosh HS, Peachtree City, Ga.

54 -- San Diego, Brett Austin, C, Providence HS, Charlotte, NC

55 -- Minnesota, Hudson Boyd, RHP, Bishop Verot HS, Fort Myers, Fla.

56 -- Tampa Bay, Kes Carter, OF, Western Kentucky

57 -- Toronto, Kevin Comer, RHP, Seneca HS, Tabernacle, NJ

58 -- San Diego, Jace Peterson, SS, McNeese State

59 -- Tampa Bay, Grayson Garvin, LHP, Vanderbilt

60 -- Tampa Bay, James Harris Jr., OF, Oakland (Calif.) Technical HS

61 -- Pittsburgh, Josh Bell, RF, Jesuit College Prep, Irving, Texas

62 -- Seattle, Bradley Miller, SS, Clemson

63 -- Arizona, Anthony Meo, RHP, Coastal Carolina

64 -- Baltimore, Jason Esposito, 3B, Vanderbilt

65 -- Kansas City, Cameron Gallagher, C, Manheim Township HS, Lancaster, Pa.

66 -- Philadelphia, Roman Quinn, SS, Port St. Joe (Fla.)

67 -- Cleveland, Dillon Howard, RHP, Searcy (Ark.) HS

68 -- Chicago Cubs, Daniel Vogelbach, 1B, Bishop Verot HS, North Fort Myers, Fla.

69 -- Houston, Adrian Houser, RHP, Locust Grove (Okla.) HS

70 -- Milwaukee, Jorge Lopez, RHP, Caguas Military Academy, Cayey, PR

71 -- NY Mets, Cory Mazzoni, RHP, North Carolina State

72 -- Florida, Adam Conley, LHP, Washington State

73 -- LA Dodgers, Alex Santana, 3B, Mariner HS, Cape Coral, Fla.

74 -- Toronto, Daniel Norris, LHP, Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn.

 

 

 

lol Tampa

[TheHurl]

I'll just go and say that the Townsend pick wasn't with Friedman at the helm, even though he was a memeber of the org, and I don't know how many similar staff they had at the time.

 

Wade Townsend, must really suck to be a Top 10 pick twice and still not make the majors lmao.

 

He never should have been in the draft the second time. He re-enrolled in school, not to play baseball, just to finish his degree. He didn't know that would end his negotiations with Baltimore (Baltimore wasn't aware of this either). I agree that the Rays 2011 class is pretty bad in hindsight. Although 3 of the players hit top 100 prospect status (Guerreri would likely be debuting this year if it weren't for his injury). In the end it was 8.9M spent on 12 players that they would have been better off tanking all the picks and paying Josh Bell his asking price. At the time the draft had mixed reviews with most, as usual, liking the overslot guys, and not caring much for the slot and below guys.

[Orgfiller]

Wow, that draft class is (was?) stacked with talent.

[NorthOf49]

I remember some people had Levi Michael to the Jays because he was an advanced middle infield bat. That guy sure busted fast.

 

Seeing that whole draft again makes me feel much better about Comer and Musgrove. Tampa, Minnesota, Milwaukee and others blew great opportunities.

 

Wow, that draft class is (was?) stacked with talent.

The top half of the first round was absolutely loaded with tools.

[Angrioter]

I remember some people had Levi Michael to the Jays because he was an advanced middle infield bat. That guy sure busted fast.

 

Seeing that whole draft again makes me feel much better about Comer and Musgrove.

 

Comer and Musgrove = JA Happ = Michael "The Condor" Saunders + Melky's pick

[TwistedLogic]

I'll just go and say that the Townsend pick wasn't with Friedman at the helm, even though he was a memeber of the org, and I don't know how many similar staff they had at the time.

 

Wade Townsend, must really suck to be a Top 10 pick twice and still not make the majors lmao.

 

I know Friedman wasn't at the helm when they made the Townsend pick, but looking back at his Rays tenure, other than taking advantage of a 1:1 and a 1:3 to get Price and Longoria, his drafting has been pretty atrocious.

 

They took Beckham 1:1 in 2008 when Alvarez, Posey and Hosmer were still up. They whiffed on LeVon Washington with the 1:30 in 2009, which gave them a comp pick in 2010, yet with three top 50 picks in 2010, they picked up Sale, O'Conner and Vettleson. They've gotten zero blue chip or even highly regarded prospects so far from twelve Top 100 selections in 2011, with their best bets being Guerrieri and his body of glass and Mahtook, who gets 40-45 overall scouting grades from FanGraphs and MLB. Even Shaffer, who they took with their first round pick in 2012, has yet to make any of their top prospects lists.

[metafour]

Beede, Cole, Bryant, Nola, all these guys were passed on before they got to college to be abused by NCAA coaches in the first place.

 

Cole simply wanted to go to college. The Yankees were prepared to pay him WELL over slot, with the planned offer being $4 million I believe. He never even negotiated with them. Kid was from Newport Beach and probably had money growing up; kids like that can afford to have fun on a major college campus for 3 years versus riding around on a bus through crappy US towns to play minor league baseball in front of no one.

 

Nola and Bryant were simply kids who believed they could go to college and increase their stock; and both ended up being correct. We drafted Nola's older brother as well in that same draft in hopes of having them both sign, but both ended up going to LSU (his brother returning). Nola was a home-town kid who was born in Baton Rouge, the city which houses LSU's campus.

 

With Beede there were conflicting reports about us potentially disagreeing with a medical situation that may have popped up during negotiation. Without knowing who "changed" their offer/demand, in those situations there is a somewhat present need to bite the bullet and be confident to walk away from a kid for future negotiation power alone. You don't want to be the team that agents know they can push around and extract extra money from.

[TwistedLogic]

Wow, that draft class is (was?) stacked with talent.

 

I agree. That's probably my favorite draft class since I started religiously following the Jays, not only because I remember how highly touted so many guys in that class were, but also because it had the added bonus that every guy had a great name, lmao. I'd say 1-9 all have awesome baseball names.

 

If you wanna see a monster draft class, look at 2005.

 

Though, while 2005 was insanely top heavy, I do think 2011 could end up being one of the deepest drafts ever.

[GD]

I wanted Sonny Gray a little, Jose Fernandez a little...

 

 

and C.J. Cron a ​lot.

[NorthOf49]

I wanted Sonny Gray a little, Jose Fernandez a little...

 

 

and C.J. Cron a ​lot.

I wanted Guerrieri or Barnes. Or Josh Bell, but everyone wanted Josh Bell's talent and were shocked when the Pirates got him to sign.

[TwistedLogic]

I wanted Sonny Gray a little, Jose Fernandez a little...

 

and C.J. Cron a ​lot.

 

I really wanted Gray, lol. When Gray went off the board, I wanted Guerrieri or Barnes. Felt like a consolation prize when Gray went to the A's and we got a guy who was committed to the same school that Gray was coming from.

 

And wow, 2008 was a garbage draft class. As good as 2005 was, 2008 was just as bad.

[TwistedLogic]

I wanted Guerrieri or Barnes. Or Josh Bell, but everyone wanted Josh Bell's talent and were shocked when the Pirates got him to sign.

 

lol