Draft update

[BuccoFla]

I think the Bucs might take a SS with their first pick this year.




Jason Churchill quote

(4) Manny Machado, SS, Brito HS (Fla.): "This is a kid who might end up the best player in the draft," said one assistant general manager, who recently made a trip with his club's scouting director to see Machado. "He's got tremendous physical skills."


Keith Law chat

There's no Heyward in this draft, and Wilson isn't as toolsy as Hicks but is more advanced right now as a hitter. You've named two of the top three HS bats in this draft right now, along with SS Manny Machado, who might be first off the board because of his position.

[WTM]

All these updates are much appreciated.

I'd almost rather they had the 4th pick this year.  It'd be easier to take Machado or Josh Sale there.

[81omar]

    Taillon has now had bad games twice in a row,back to back 6 ER games?  For a HS pitcher who is supposed to be top 5 material that can't be good on his resume.

   I read an article from BA on Machado,he sounds like a baseball maniac,like his solo goal is to be the best player possible. He was mentioned as a mid-first rounder since last season ended so its not a stretch that he can move up the charts since others seem to be dropping(Colon,Ranaudo,possibly Taillon now)

[WTM]

Machado sounds to me like Colon with more tools.  I can live with that.  They're not going to take a HS pitcher and I don't want them to take a college pitcher.

[mouse]

I would like to see them take a bat, but that is based in part on my hope more than one of the pitchers from last year's draft work out. Pitchers first, as they seem to take longer to make it to the majors. Then the position players, so a group come in at the same time.

[Cobra]

Who is Machado's agent? Yes, it does matter to the Pirates.

[WTM]

Who is Machado's agent?

Boras.

[fjk090852-2]

Machado seems like a player we better track until the June draft. He may be a a good choice for the Bucs. I would not believe Boras would want to break the bank with this player. He will request a large bonus, but I believe he could be signed.

[BuccoFla]

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Updated: March 13, 4:14 PM ET



The Brewers' Stunning Move




By Jorge Arangure Jr.
ESPN The Magazine

In the summer of 2003, Milwaukee Brewers executives noticed that many of their best Latin American prospects arrived to play in the United States almost as undeveloped as when they first joined the organization. Players who had been signed on raw talent—this is mostly the case since Dominican prospects rarely if ever play in any competitive games as teenagers—continued to be raw. Those projectable 16 year-old kids with long lean bodies and whip-like throwing motions continued to throw in the mid to upper 80 mph range. Hitters with strong wrists and great hand-eye coordination continued to show up unable to recognize the strike zone and without basic game instincts, two things they are supposed to learn at an academy.

So in a stunning and controversial decision, the Brewers closed their Dominican academy, in turn becoming the only team in the majors without one.

   
Jack Zduriencik was a scouting director with Milwaukee, and is now Seattle's GM. He understands the issue.

"They felt they could train and educate the young kids here in the states," said Jack Zduriencik, former scouting director with the Brewers and now general manager for the Seattle Mariners. "The plan was to sign lesser amount of players but to spend the dollars it took to do so, deferring most of the costs into the player signings."

Running an academy can be quite costly. Aside from construction costs, one former Latin American team executive estimated his team's academy spent nearly $500,000 a year on room and board, rent, food, electricity and water. The San Padres Padres spend nearly $25,000 alone on their emergency power generator.

Early on, the Brewers were big players in the signing market. In 2005, they inked pitcher Rolando Pascual for $710,000, the most given to a Dominican pitcher that year. Initially, the lack of an academy worked to Milwaukee's advantage.

"What we'd tell the kids is that if they signed with us, they would get to come to the United States immediately," said Fernando Arango, the Brewers Latin American scouting director.

But what Milwaukee soon discovered was that most of these kids were overmatched when they came to the United States. In three minor league seasons, Pascual is just 2-10 with an 10.63 ERA. The Brewers now no longer sign top-of-the-market players.

"Although they have no academy they spend coin on a a limited amount of players," one agent said. "I say they are in the middle of the pack as far as spending. In presence in the DR, I say they're bottom five."

Arango said the Brewers are now in the process of planning a return to the Dominican. The team is in negotiations to field-share a team with another organization in the Dominican Summer League. The hope, Arango said, is for Milwaukee to have an academy up and running again by the end of the year. Without one, Milwaukee prospects may continue to flounder in the minors.

"These kids," Arango said, "are like wild stallions that you have to try to domesticate."

[Piratesprospects]

Machado seems like a player we better track until the June draft. He may be a a good choice for the Bucs. I would not believe Boras would want to break the bank with this player. He will request a large bonus, but I believe he could be signed.

I've been trying to find stats for Machado, but no luck.  Their coach is entering results of the games on Max Preps, but no individual stats.

[Pirates2014Champ]

Who is Machado's agent?

Boras.

Pass!

[markson33]

I don't think the Pirates pass on a player because of Boras.  The Alvarez negotiations get a lot of press, but the Bucs have worked with Boras on a number of other player contracts that don't get mentioned often.

[Dale Berras Stash]

I don't think the Pirates pass on a player because of Boras.  The Alvarez negotiations get a lot of press, but the Bucs have worked with Boras on a number of other player contracts that don't get mentioned often.

Who are those other Boras clients the Pirates have dealt with?  The only other current Boras client on the 40 is Gorkys and there are no negotiations yet with him.

I honestly don't remember us having a Boras client within the past 5 years or so.  Unless it was a total scrub client that Boras forgot about having as a client, too.

[gorillagogo]

I don't think the Pirates pass on a player because of Boras.  The Alvarez negotiations get a lot of press, but the Bucs have worked with Boras on a number of other player contracts that don't get mentioned often.

Who are those other Boras clients the Pirates have dealt with?  The only other current Boras client on the 40 is Gorkys and there are no negotiations yet with him.

I honestly don't remember us having a Boras client within the past 5 years or so.  Unless it was a total scrub client that Boras forgot about having as a client, too.

According to wikipedia's list of Scott Boras clients (guaranteed to be 90% accurate!), the following current or recent Pirates are Boras clients: Chris Bootcheck, Craig Hansen, Mike Gonzalez, Xavier Nady and Julian Tavarez.

EDIT: I should add, I'm not certain whether some of these guys were Boras clients at the time they played for the Bucs.

[WTM]

Boras should stop dumping on the Pirates.  His clients need to have a place to go when their careers fall on hard times.