Here’s what the kids did in spring training today:
It ain’t much to write home about.
- Colby went 0 for 3 with a walk.
- Mather went 1 for 3 with a walk and a steal.
- Adam Ottavino walked two and allowed a run.
- Herron gave up the game winning hit.
- The loss can be hung on two costly errors by David Freese. Both led to runs.
- Goold says both pitchers (Ott, Herron) pitched better then the boxscore would indicate.
- Brendan Ryan went 2 for 3.
A few more interesting bits from DG’s blog today, in more bullet points:
- Donnie Smith was released after being arrested on battery charges.
- Several minor league pitchers attending a spring camp focusing in on Brent Strom’s classic mechanics. Those pitchers are Thomas Eager, David Kopp, Gary Daley Jr., Blake King, Kris Honel, Eric Haberer, Nick Webber, Jess Todd and Mark McCormick. With the exception of Kopp, it seems like he’s getting together the “problem childs”-guys who are damaged goods or on their last rope. Also, Todd and Eager both came with warning labels due the effort they throw with.
I’ve been getting more and more interested in college baseball lately, I’m trying to track a handful of players. Add UCLA’s LHP Tim Murphy to that list. On to yet even more bullet points-
- Mizzou lost 5-2 to San Diego. Rick Zagone is continuing to prove the as the weak link in the chain, it may be time to move sophomore Kyle Gibson up to the # 2 starter.
- In a huge shocker, my local Iowa Hawkeyes beat #5 Vanderbilt 6-3.
- I caught a few innings of the UCLA Bethune-Cookman game on ESPN2. I was interested in seeing Brandon Crawford and Tim Murphy. Murphy was impressive. He threw a 89-91 MPH fastball and a very good curveball. It was a big, slow breaker that at times would start at the batters eyes and end at his knees. He reminded me a bit of Brad Furnish, but with better control. I couldn’t watch the whole thing, but when I turned it back I saw that he had pitched a complete game shutout. I could see him going in the early portion of the supplemental round, maybe even better then that. Crawford showed some good range and an excellent throwing arm, but I didn’t see him do anything at the plate.
- Brett Hunter of Pepperdine out pitched Shooter Hunt of Tulane. Hunter allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks with 7 K’s in 7 innings, Hunt walked allowed just 2 hits but walked 5 and struck out 8 in 6 IP.
- In another heavyweight pitching match up, Tanner Scheppers allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks with 9 K’s in 6 innings in a losing cause, facing Brian Matusz and San Diego. Matusz allowed 2 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while fanning 11 in 7 IP.
Filed under: 2008 MLB draft, Daily Farm Reports, college baseball
erik
azruavatar
fewgoodcards
roarke49
theredbaaron
I think it sucks about Donnie but that was to be expected. I don’t know if anyone else read the article about the fight he got into but the line that caught my attention was
“a witness overheard him tell his girlfriend that he was going to “knock out” a Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., man”
the problem with that statement is hes married
Looks like hes in more trouble than with just the law.
well, the release of smith about sums up the “classic” ‘04 draft. “hey, we pretty much pissed that draft away, what good does it matter to hang on to the other guy from old dominion?” i’m sorry, i hate to be someone who dwells on the past, but that HAS to be one of the worst drafts of the decade. opinions?????
Jstrange-
Can’t argue with you on the 04 draft. Anytime you leave Philip Hughes, Yovani Gallardo, Huston Street, and Hunter Pence on the table in favour of Chris Lambert and Mike Ferris, that constitutes a pretty bad day.
Agree about ‘04, but I also think we were hamstrung by a series of drafts leading up to 2004, drafts with no rhyme or reason and a special bias toward low-upside middle infielders.
In the 2002 draft, for example, we lost our first two picks because of free agent signings, then squandered the next two on middle infielders who never went anywhere. We failed to sign our fifth-round pick, catcher Josh Bell.
It wasn’t until the sixth round, when we took Cody Haerther, that we got a legit prospect we were able to sign. But even that was a miss, since he was drafted as a third baseman and is now trying to make it as a corner outfielder, where his power doesn’t match up to the profile you expect from a guy who lacks secondary skills.
The best player from that draft so far is Brad Thompson, taken in the 16th round. (Although Kyle McClellan, taken in the 25th, has caught Dave Duncan’s eye this spring.)
You see this played out in draft after draft leading up to 2004 — inexplicable choices in the early rounds, with the best players almost always taken in later rounds.
There are some exceptions, of course — Dan Haren in the second round in 2001, Daric Barton in the first round in 2003. But the overall pattern is no pattern; it’s hard to see what was going on beyond a bunch of scouts jockeying to see who had the juice to get their favorite players picked in the early rounds.
That’s why all of us, I think, appreciate the system that started up in 2005. We disagree with some of the choices, but at least there seems to be a strategy in place.
My Missouri State Bears open their home season against Iowa this weekend. The Hawkeyes might be a little better than anticipated, or it could be a one game thing.
All I know is, Go Bears!
Love the sight, appreciate you guy’s hard work. Just wanted to say go Hawkeyes. I do think the hawkeyes are going to be a tough team, but not a top 25 team. The coach Dahm (spelling?) has alot of pro ties. (unfortinatly they are with the cubs) He does know how to win and develop players. I just hope for a top half finish in the big ten this year and maybe more the following years.
I did read the article on the fight Donnie Smith was alleged to have been in and was shocked when I read that same line about his girlfriend knowing that he is married… So I decided to do some investigating.. Got a copy of the police report which is public record and guess what.. There is no witness who stated anything about a girlfriend in it nor was Smith drinking. The alleged victim provoked and instigated the fight is what I got from the witness statements… Maybe people shouldn’t be so quick to find these guys guilty! I feel that the Cardinals lost a very talented pitcher and I think that we will all see why soon enough… I look forward to seeing what happens in his career!