BTS

Yeah, good point. I'll be a bit annoyed if the team doesn't add an MLB infielder at these rates. There isn't an excuse for being terrible anymore when average MLB players are available for <5M on 1-year deals.

How does Asdrubal Cabrera, coming off a 2.7 fWAR season and projected to be at least average again next year, only get 3.5M? I would have been content with him getting like 2/15 from Shatkins.

And, I'm spent Franco was identified as a top tier player in his age group as early as 12 or 13, and was seen regularly by scouts by age 14. Sometimes, precocious prospects are workout warriors or have early physical peaks, but Franco isn’t either of those. He essentially hasn’t failed on a baseball field in any meaningful way since puberty, with his success punctuated by a 2018 pro debut in which he outpaced the game’s most recent phenom, No. 1 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., in just about every way, at the same level, at the same age. Franco signed for the largest bonus in the 2017 July 2nd class ($3.825 million) and was seen as the best player in the class by a good margin. There were some questions about his occasionally disinterested style of play as an amateur, but he likely already had a deal done and didn’t have anything to play for in later workouts. He’s literally always been the best player on any field he’s been on, usually by a lot. The raw tools are accordingly loud, and match his stats: at least a plus hit tool with explosive bat speed, elite bat and body control, and an advanced sense of the zone to go along with plus raw power, plus speed, a plus arm, and a real chance to stick at shortstop. Franco is about as close as you’ll see to a perfect prospect at this point, with questions only arising if you really nitpick — the main one being that Franco isn’t tall — but he already has huge power, so it matters less that he isn’t physically projectable. The Rays have indicated they will start Franco at Low-A in 2019 and, so long as he keeps performing, keep pushing him until he’s challenged so he can experience adversity before he reaches the big leagues. It wouldn’t surprise us to see Franco move across multiple levels, but we wouldn’t expect quite a Juan Soto-esque pace of promotion, and a 2019 MLB debut seems incredibly unlikely, given the Rays’ upper-level infield glut and the service time implications. Rays officials have likened their immediate impression of Franco, as a player and person, to Evan Longoria. Teammates respond to him, and there isn’t even a whiff of the makeup concern some scouts conjured up as an amateur. Franco seems to be the sole author of his potential at this point.

I see one player I probably would have taken over him, and another I wouldn’t have, but would understand if someone did.

Great pick. He should not have still been available.

Some assets I can include in a package: Eddie Rosario Chris Taylor Willians Astudillo Jose Quintana Kenta Maeda Aroldis Chapman Dellin Betances Will Smith AJ Minter Alex Kirilloff Luis Garcia (Nats prospect) Sandy Alcantara Drew Waters Calvin Mitchell Milb 16

I’d move a player/pick/prospect package for a pick here.

Keep in mind that you only have one hour to trade a pick once the clock starts.

You got it!

If anyone sees a way to get me an upcoming pick that doesn`t involve me trading Trout, Bellinger, or Cole, please let me know.

Btw new folks: it’s courtesy to send a PM to the next guy letting him know he’s up.

I think I would have had Severino ranked as the #1 pitcher in the draft.

Guess the prospect expert who wrote this in November: Paddack sure came back into dynasty consciousness quickly. Don’t let the stats fool you; he’s pretty unlikely to be more than a solid SP4 in a solid pitcher’s park. But he’s pretty close to the majors at this point and given his age, the Padres won’t hold him down for long in 2019 if there’s an opening and he’s upright. Don’t expect more than 2018 Mike Fiers and you may not be disappointed.

No need to apologize. You picked within your window.

OK fellas, and Littlemoon: if Hurl's guy doesn't pick before his clock expires tonight at 2:30 or whatever it is, we're going to pause the draft. Really s***** way to kick things off if we have to go there.

Go Leaves Go

Pause the draft.

I usually adopt a team to root for when Ottawa is done. Definitely feels like the Isles this year.

Barry Trotz is a coaching god. My heart is fully behind the Islanders right now. They will be my team ROS.

In that case please carry on

Is Bryant the +?

That’s interesting. I didn’t think Snell would go 2nd, but I don’t hate it.

That’s the plan. Thanks Jim.

And we’re off

Chubs is online