Eric Lauer? Another pitcher who was good not that long ago but pretty bad last year. Anyone know more about why last year was so rough for him and whether we should have realistic hopes that he can get back to his '22 form? It's just a minor league deal, so no harm in giving him a look.
See on MLBTR Lauer had elbow and shoulder injuries throughout the entire 2023 season besides the impingement issue with his right shoulder. If he is actually healthy again…….
A bit off topic but was reading the MLB article about the Spring Breakout game and they have video of Skenes, Chandler, and Solometo pitching in the article. Solometo reminds me so much of Candelaria’s delivery just with a bit longer back swing with his arm before coming home with it. Never looked like Candelaria was ever throwing that hard with that windup of his. He was bringing it in the low 90’s but that was hard in those days unlike these days.
I watched a couple innings of Brecht's last start and the stuff is absolutely there, I just don't know if I can take a gamble on him because of the control. A 40 grade on it seems generous on it at times.
We'll see how it plays out and then come draft time how it falls, but I think there's a good chance to try and get one of Honeycutt or Montgomery which would make me very happy.
Can't believe I'm saying this but think JJ or Kurtz may fall to us at pick 9. Kurtz is really getting pitched around this year, he still doesn't chase much but a few of the at bats I've watched he has. Of course JJ has been hurt.
Honeycutt scares me with his swing and miss issues. I don't think he has a double or triple this year, just homeruns and singles lol. Plenty of stolen bases follow the singles. If I had just a little more confidence in his bat I'd be right there with ya, his other tools are so damn good.
I can't imagine they went under on 6 picks in the top 10 rounds so that they could give Zander Meuth a modest overslot deal and eat a bunch of spending capacity.
They had to have someone else lined up overslot, got sniped, and then grabbed Cuvet on a hail mary.
My question about this as a stupid internet man…wouldn’t you have numerous guys to target in case you’re sniped? As in, we have 5-10 guys we have ticketed for potential big overslot bonuses rounds 6-10, so we’re bound to hit one of them? What do I know…
I've never been close to a draft room either but I bet it comes down to options and opportunity.
Seems like clubs generally like having handshake deals lined up with their target and at the end of the day there's only so many dudes in a given draft that're even worth it. Success rate is pretty abysmal and HS arms in particular are extracting huge premiums to buy them out of college.
They should have been able to go close $1.3 million to sign him. If I'm remembering correctly, they still had close a half million under their pool allotment.
He's been absolutely crazy hitting the ball. About 6 or 7 college pitchers creeping into the top 15 range with 4 or 5 potential top 10. Top of the draft is not looking the same with Condon jumping the pack, JJ hurt and Kurtz being pitched around.
No, a reference to le grand conde, a 17th century French general. For whatever reason, that name has stuck with me and it came back with Charlie Condon (shrugs).
Santucci, Smith and Hartle are as good a top 3 lefty college group as I can remember. All could go in the top 10 (Jac also). Smith probably has the highest ceiling but lowest floor. Hartle has the very high floor but is pinched by his lower ceiling. I think I like Santucci the most so far, even though his ceiling isn't quite as high as Smith and his floor is lower than Hartle. Great match-up to kick off conference play between Duke and Wake.
Hartley seems pretty meh to me. Very good control, meh stuff. Also, I’d wait to see if they make it all the way through healthy before we call them the best college lefty group in recent memory.
I was going to touch on the Santucci/Smith/Hartle race here but decided to dedicate a whole article to it later on. Have watched every pitch Santucci has thrown this year. Excited to see him face Kurtz and King.
Ryan Prager from TA&M is another draft eligible lefty off to a great start. I watched a game he pitched but was focusing more on the A&M hitters and didn't get a good feel for his stuff. He seemed to be a high 80's low 90's guy with pretty good control.
This new obstruction rule for 2024 should cause a lot of delays and weird rulings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsrtI4Oilj8
We need power hitters....Condon is now out of range...maybe Kurtz falls behind all those pitchers.
I still like Blake Burke somewhere between rounds 2 and 4. Rodney Green round 4 or later.
Burke had a rough start in the first week and a half but has been crushing the ball lately.
Eric Lauer? Another pitcher who was good not that long ago but pretty bad last year. Anyone know more about why last year was so rough for him and whether we should have realistic hopes that he can get back to his '22 form? It's just a minor league deal, so no harm in giving him a look.
Like
See on MLBTR Lauer had elbow and shoulder injuries throughout the entire 2023 season besides the impingement issue with his right shoulder. If he is actually healthy again…….
It’ll tough for him not to face the Pirates. He has a 2.61 lifetime ERA against Ben’s clown show offense.
A bit off topic but was reading the MLB article about the Spring Breakout game and they have video of Skenes, Chandler, and Solometo pitching in the article. Solometo reminds me so much of Candelaria’s delivery just with a bit longer back swing with his arm before coming home with it. Never looked like Candelaria was ever throwing that hard with that windup of his. He was bringing it in the low 90’s but that was hard in those days unlike these days.
My current T10 would be
Bazzana
Weatherholt
Hagen smith
Condon
Kurtz
Hardle
Castiglione
Griffin
Morlando
Brecht
Out on Burns due to injury risk
Fair to wonder about JJ’s injury risk too. Hasn’t he had a couple issues with the hammy?
Is it rational to hope they *don't* take Bazzana purely for the inevitable cringey Greg Brown home run calls.
His home run calls are bad. Not like my puns, which are all brilliant.
I watched a couple innings of Brecht's last start and the stuff is absolutely there, I just don't know if I can take a gamble on him because of the control. A 40 grade on it seems generous on it at times.
He may have Brecht himself if he doesn’t get that control in order…
I have him just outside the top group of college arms because of his control. He's still a top 20 pick though with probably the highest ceiling.
Only tangentially related but I was digging into Misorowski of the Brewers the other day and holy crap.
What? No Montgomery? I hate it!!! lol
I like Jac or Vance but Braden is slowly creeping into my hope list
I hope he makes it to us. He's the best outfielder in my opinion.
We'll see how it plays out and then come draft time how it falls, but I think there's a good chance to try and get one of Honeycutt or Montgomery which would make me very happy.
Can't believe I'm saying this but think JJ or Kurtz may fall to us at pick 9. Kurtz is really getting pitched around this year, he still doesn't chase much but a few of the at bats I've watched he has. Of course JJ has been hurt.
Honeycutt scares me with his swing and miss issues. I don't think he has a double or triple this year, just homeruns and singles lol. Plenty of stolen bases follow the singles. If I had just a little more confidence in his bat I'd be right there with ya, his other tools are so damn good.
One way or another, there should be a juicy crop of hitters to choose from at 9. So, they'll take a pitcher lol
My hope is we get one of these 4. Kurtz, JJ, Jac or Montgomery.
Condon would be there but I don't think there's a chance of him being there unless he falls off a cliff.
I like pitchers lol
High school pitcher at that lol.
That's the same daniel cuvet we drafted but couldnt ink? Man wouldnt that have been nice
Busted draft.
I can't imagine they went under on 6 picks in the top 10 rounds so that they could give Zander Meuth a modest overslot deal and eat a bunch of spending capacity.
They had to have someone else lined up overslot, got sniped, and then grabbed Cuvet on a hail mary.
My question about this as a stupid internet man…wouldn’t you have numerous guys to target in case you’re sniped? As in, we have 5-10 guys we have ticketed for potential big overslot bonuses rounds 6-10, so we’re bound to hit one of them? What do I know…
I've never been close to a draft room either but I bet it comes down to options and opportunity.
Seems like clubs generally like having handshake deals lined up with their target and at the end of the day there's only so many dudes in a given draft that're even worth it. Success rate is pretty abysmal and HS arms in particular are extracting huge premiums to buy them out of college.
I heard it was Cameron Johnson. He backed out last minute
Oh for real? That would do it.
They should have been able to go close $1.3 million to sign him. If I'm remembering correctly, they still had close a half million under their pool allotment.
Let's hope $2m wouldn't have done it or that they dumped three quarters of a mil into Curtis and Cotto only after getting told no by Cuvet.
Conference play begins!
Might have to catch a UGA game in Athens to see Charlie (Aaron Judge, Jr.) Condon go yard 3 or 4 times.
Wowza!!!
He's been absolutely crazy hitting the ball. About 6 or 7 college pitchers creeping into the top 15 range with 4 or 5 potential top 10. Top of the draft is not looking the same with Condon jumping the pack, JJ hurt and Kurtz being pitched around.
Condon ranked #1 in Law's ranking he just released
Le Grand Condon.
Is that a Le Grand Meulnes reference?
No, a reference to le grand conde, a 17th century French general. For whatever reason, that name has stuck with me and it came back with Charlie Condon (shrugs).
Keith Law isn't much of a Mike Sirota fan. Or Santucci. Having Santucci 28, I'm just going to ignore everything he says from now on lol
I was wondering who would be the first to really jump him up towards the top. I'll have to go check it out.
Santucci, Smith and Hartle are as good a top 3 lefty college group as I can remember. All could go in the top 10 (Jac also). Smith probably has the highest ceiling but lowest floor. Hartle has the very high floor but is pinched by his lower ceiling. I think I like Santucci the most so far, even though his ceiling isn't quite as high as Smith and his floor is lower than Hartle. Great match-up to kick off conference play between Duke and Wake.
Hartley seems pretty meh to me. Very good control, meh stuff. Also, I’d wait to see if they make it all the way through healthy before we call them the best college lefty group in recent memory.
I was going to touch on the Santucci/Smith/Hartle race here but decided to dedicate a whole article to it later on. Have watched every pitch Santucci has thrown this year. Excited to see him face Kurtz and King.
Ryan Prager from TA&M is another draft eligible lefty off to a great start. I watched a game he pitched but was focusing more on the A&M hitters and didn't get a good feel for his stuff. He seemed to be a high 80's low 90's guy with pretty good control.
Holman going to rise up the rankings pretty quickly.
(missed the lefty part. But point still stands lol)
He's one of my top 15 probably top 10. 30 strikeouts to 2 walks, crazy good control.
Holman has been crazy good this year.
Turd going to be pushed back to mid-week starter soon
Kade Anderson!
Gage is going to Jump him!
I'm glad they are easing him back in.
He looks like the next Aaron Judge in that highlight.