2011 Draft

[ballmich]

Have we signed any of these guys yet? I want to say that I've read some organizations have already signed a number of guys... But I haven't heard anything about Detroit.

[C03BRA]

Have we signed any of these guys yet? I want to say that I've read some organizations have already signed a number of guys... But I haven't heard anything about Detroit.

27th pick Matyas has signed

40th Ryan Krill will honor his commitment to MSU

Twitter

[TheCouga]

The point it, they were no longer even trying in the mid-30's. They were going to their feeder schools for organizational fodder. These guys pretty much would have been available as non-drafted free agents, so there was no point in drafting them. Particularly as there were plenty of HS players we could have drafted. And we could have drafted those HS players with the intent of not even signing them... just to keep a deep pocketed team from getting richer. Because these directional michigan schools and southern florida players would have been available in later rounds or after the draft. It really is ridiculous.

What do you think every team does when they pick in the 30s?

[C03BRA]

Tigers' draft lacks fireworks -- but isn't short on potential
Prospects to watch

Critics will say Chadd would have been crazy to have evaluated his own work any differently.

No question, except this isn't the Tigers era from 1977-2003, when drafts were almost always bad and everyone knew it. Justin Verlander arrived with 2004's first pick, and five months later Chadd was brought over from Boston to shore up Detroit's overall draft-day fortunes.

The minor leagues, fueled by Mike Ilitch's money, have been steadily rising since. The farm system turns out legitimate, sometimes exceptional, big-league talent. In the crapshoot known as drafting and developing baseball players, Chadd's record is sound.

And this year's haul could produce a bonus or two.

Four names to follow:

* Aaron Westlake , a first baseman from Vanderbilt whom the Tigers got in the third round with the 106th overall selection. Most evaluators had him in the top 50 or 60 players. What the Tigers grabbed in this 6-4, 230-pound, left-handed power hitter is very probably Miguel Cabrera's successor at first base.

* Brandon Loy , shortstop, University of Texas. His defense is phenomenal. The Tigers see him developing into an everyday big-league hitter. If you've seen him play in any of the College World Series games, you understand why Detroit loved him as a fifth-round pick.

* Tyler Collins , outfielder, Howard College: He is on his way to TCU if the Tigers don't sign the 5-11, left-handed hitter with gunpowder in his bat. The Tigers got him with a sixth-round pick. He could end up as their big steal from the 2011 draft.

* Tyler Gibson , outfielder, Stratford Academy, Macon, Ga. As the clock ticks toward midnight, Aug. 15, the deadline for signing this year's draftees, keep all eyes focused on Gibson. He is this year's answer to Castellanos, Turner and Porcello. Gibson, 17, is 6-2, 190 pounds, and a left-handed hitter with a lovely swing and superb athleticism. The Tigers, who worked him ahead of the draft at Lakeland, Fla., will need to pay handsomely to keep him from his Georgia Tech scholarship. They rolled the dice on Gibson with a 15th-round pick, knowing his GT commitment and money demands kept him from being a hot early-round choice.

From The Detroit News: Columnists | Tigers' draft lacks fireworks, stud pitchers -- but isn't short on potential | The Detroit News

More at the link....

[gzbach]

According to BBA's Draft Database, 9th round pick Chad Wright has signed.

[CanTig]

Chad Wright Bio

Statistics

2009 Game-by-Game
2010 Game-by-Game
2011 Game-by-Game
Career Totals
• SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll (2009)
• SEC Freshman of the Week (4/20/09)
• Cape Cod League Summer All-Star (2010)
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2010)
• Second-team All-SEC Outfield (coaches)
• Ninth round draft pick in 2011 (Tigers)


2011
Was named second-team All-SEC in the outfield in a voting of the league coaches, UK's first All-SEC outfielder since Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill in 2008 ... Was an offensive force throughout the year, leading UK in hits (78), on-base percentage (.449), triples (three), walks (23) and stolen bases (16) ... Hit .359 on the year with career highs in doubles (16), triples, homers (six), RBI (40), runs (42), slugging percentage (.544), total bases (118), on-base percentage, walks, hit by pitches (14), on-base percentage and stolen bases ... Fielded a perfect left and centerfield for UK, starting all 55 games and totaling four outfield assists ... Reached base safely in 52 of UK's 55 games and had a stretch of 24 consecutive games reaching safely ... While drawing 23 walks and getting plunked by 14 pitches, only struck out 16 times in 262 plate appearances ... Among SEC stats, Wright ranked eighth in average, seventh in slugging, seventh in on-base percentage, third in hits, 12th in doubles, sixth in triples, 21st in home runs, seventh in total bases, third in hit by pitch, 10th in stolen bases, total plate appearances and ninth in at bats (217) ... In just conference games, Wright hit .339 and ranked 10th in hits (42), first in triples (three), 10th in total bases (63) and fifth in hit by pitch (six) ... Hit .397 with two outs, collecting 29 two-out hits and 12 two-out RBI ... Batted .384 with runners in scoring position and .353 with runners on base ... Prolific at using both sides of the field and stroking line drives from foul pole to foul pole, led UK with a total of 29 hits hit to the opposite field, including 21 hits to leftfield, 12 hits to centerfield and 23 hits to rightfield ... Led UK with 24 multi-hit games, including hitting streaks of nine and seven games ... Totaled a team-best 24 two-strike hits and struck out only 16 times in 262 plate appearances ... Hit .387 in non-conference games and .361 in games at Cliff Hagan Stadium ... In games, UK won, Wright hit a team-leading .417 and in games UK lost he hit .314 ... During UK's 22 night games (first pitch after 6 p.m. local time), Wright hit a staggering .425 with 20 RBI ... Finished the year on a blistering pace, batting .522 with three doubles and a triple over the last five games and .467 with two homers and 11 RBI over the final 10 games ... Got off to a slow start in February, batting .276, hitting .375 in March, .316 in April and .467 in May ... Finished the year on a seven game hitting streak, with all seven games coming as multi-hit contests, including three three-hit games ... Had nine three-hit games in 2011 and four three-RBI performances ... Launched a career-high six homers, including two against two of the top arms in the SEC, including Vanderbilt lefty and SEC Pitcher of the Year Grayson Garvin and Auburn righty Derek Varnadore.

Summer
Had a breakout summer onto the prospect map, earning all-star accolades in the prestigious Cape Cod League ... Helped lead Cotuit to the league championship title ... Batted .300 (45-for-15) during the summer, with 18 runs scored, six doubles and 10 RBI in 43 games ... During the regular season, batted .290 (40-for-138), ranking ninth in the CCL in average ... Ranked 10th in the league in hits ... Overall, drew eight walks and struck out just 24 times on the summer ... Stole 6-of-12 bases during the summer, laying down two sacrifice bunts and charting one sacrifice fly ... Selected for the prestigious CCL All-Star Game at Fenway Park, going 1-for-3 as the leadoff hitter in the game ... UK teammate and CCL standout reliever Braden Kapteyn was also selected to the game, with Wright grounding out against Kapteyn.

2010
Every day starter in the outfield, playing in 54 games with 53 starts ... Batted .316 (71-for-225), with 12 doubles, two triples, two homers and 37 RBI ... Drew 19 walks and struck out 31 times, getting hit by nine pitches for a .388 on-base percentage ... Stole 12-of-15 bases ... Had four outfield assists on the year, leading the team ... Laid down five sacrifice bunts and had two sacrifice flies ... Led the team in at bats (225), doubles (12) and triples (two) ... Hit .292 (35-for-120) in SEC play, with 20 runs scored, eight doubles, one triple and 16 RBI ... Batted .343 (36-for-105) in non-conference games, with four doubles, one triple, two homers and 21 RBI ... Hit .322 (39-for-121) in 29 home games, with eight doubles, two homers and 24 RBI ... Got off to a great start, batting .355 (44-for-124) with eight doubles, two triples, two homers and 23 RBI in the first 30 games of the season ... Hit .286 (34-for-119) over the last 30 games of the season ... Led the team with 21 multi-hit games, adding eight multi-RBI games ... Had a 10-game hitting streak during the year and finished the year on a team-best six-game hitting streak ... Made 43 starts in leftfield and 10 starts in rightfield, depending on the dimensions of the home stadium ... Had 12 two-hit games, eight three-hit games and one four-hit game ... Hit in the first three spots in the order, batting primarily No. 1 (33 times), No. 2 (six times), No. 3 (11 times) ... Hit .300 (15-for-50) with four doubles and one triple as the leadoff hitter, drawing six walks ... Hit .333 (36-for-108) with 36 RBI, seven doubles, one triple and one homer with runners on base ... Was 2-for-11 with seven RBI with the bases loaded, hitting into one double play ... Went 3-for-4 with four RBI against Monmouth in San Diego ... Had a 3-for-5 game vs. IPFW, adding three RBI, and then batting 4-for-4 in the IPFW series finale ... Played in the Northwoods League during the summer for the Wisconsin Woodchucks ... Played in 60 games, batting .300 (68-for-227) with 33 runs, nine doubles, two triple, three homers, 20 RBI ... Drew 31 walks and struck out 29 times ... Ranked fourth in the league with 27 steals, also checking in 19th in runs (33), ninth in hits (68), 13th in walks (31), 13th in on-base percentage, with his .300 average ranking 14th-best in the Northwoods League.


Chad Wright
2009
Had a breakout season as a true freshman starter in the SEC, ranking second on the team with a .343 (62-for-181) average in 50 games and 47 starts ... Had eight doubles, one triple, four homers and 23 RBI, drawing 19 walks and striking out 34 times, stealing 13-of-15 bases ... Led the team with four outfield assists ... Played in all 30 SEC games for UK, batting .336 (37-for-110) with 25 runs scored, five doubles, two homers, 10 RBI, 16 walks, 22 strikeouts, stealing 7-of-9 bases ... Led UK with a .357 (25-for-70) average in 18 games played on the road ... Batted .373 (38-for-102) in 29 day games and .304 (24-for-79) in 21 night games ... In UK's last 15 games in SEC play, while fighting for a postseason berth, hit .369 (24-for-65) with five doubles, two homers, 10 RBI, nine walks, eight strikeouts and 5-of-6 stolen bases ... In UK's final 20 games overall, hit .381 (32-for-84) with 23 runs, five doubles, one triple, three homers, 14 RBI and six steals ... Made a move to the lead-off spot in the order late in the year with great success, batting .375 (33-for-88) in 21 games as the No. 1 hitter, adding 23 runs scored, five doubles, one triple, three homers, 14 RBI and six steals ... Had a team-high eight bunt singles ... Got first career start against James Madison in the Caravelle Resort Invitational ... Went 3-for-4 with a double a steal and four RBI as the designated hitter in his first start at Cliff Hagan Stadium against Western Michigan ... Followed that game with a four-RBI outing against Eastern Kentucky, belting his first career home run, a three-run homer ... Had back-to-back three-hit games against Indiana State and Georgetown College ... Had three consecutive two-hit games against Vanderbilt and West Virginia ... Went 2-for-2 with two walks and two stolen bases against Vanderbilt ... Had a breakout performance at Louisville, going 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI a triple and a homer ... Scored five runs in a 4-for-5 outing against Mississippi State, with two doubles, two walks and one steal in the series finale ... Was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the three-game series with MSU and the win at Louisville, reaching base safely in 18-of-24 plate appearances, batting .550 (11-for-20) with 10 runs, two doubles, one triple, one homer and three RBI ... In UK's last game of the year at Florida, needing a win to clinch a postseason berth, went 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, two RBI, a walk and a solo home run ... Homer at UF came in the top of the ninth with UK trailing, a no-doubt jack hit off Florida closer Billy Bullock.

High School
First-team All-State selection and brother of former UK outfielder Brock Wright ...Two-time All-State honoree, earning the distinction as a junior ... Hit .418 with 51 runs, 15 doubles, five homers and 34 RBI, stealing 32 bases as a senior ... Batted .472 with five doubles, nine home runs, 32 RBI, and a school-record 60 stolen bases ... As a sophomore, hit .412 with 46 runs, eight doubles, three homers, 34 RBI and 41 stolen bags ... Owns school records for single-season stolen bases, career triples, and career stolen bases ... Led team to the regional championship in three of four years, including a state championship appearance in 2007 ... Five-year letterwinner, coached by Jimmy Long ... A pure athlete, owns football school records for career rushing yards (5,813) and single-game rushing yards (357) ... Was a first-team All-Western Kentucky selection as a football player junior and senior years ... Member of the National Honor Society and honor graduate.

Personal
Full name is Chad Everett Wright ... Born July 27, 1989 in Paducah, Ky. ... Son of Greg and Trina Wright ... Brothers Bryce (16) and Brock (24), a former outfielder at UK ...Brock hit .242 (15-for-62) in 30 games and 15 starts as a freshman outfielder in 2007, totaling five homers and 15 RBI, drawing 19 walks and stealing 5-of-6 bases ... Brock had a solo home run during Super Bulldog Weekend at Mississippi State in 2007, with the Bulldogs advancing to the College World Series that season.

Chad Wright Notes
• Chad Wright was voted second-team All-SEC in the outfield by the league coaches, UK's first All-SEC outfielder since Collin Cowgill and Sawyer Carroll in 2008.
• Wright hit .359 with 16 doubles, three triples, six homers and 40 RBI, drawing 23 walks and striking out just 16 times, stealing 16 bases.
• Wright led UK in at bats (217), triples (three), on-base percentage (.449), walks (23) and stolen bases (16).
• Among SEC stats, Wright ranked eighth in average (.359), seventh in slugging (.544), seventh in on-base percentage (.449), third in hits (78), 12th in doubles (16), sixth in triples (three), 21st in home runs (six), seventh in total bases (118), third in hit by pitch (14), 10th in stolen bases (16), total plate appearances (262) and ninth in at bats (217).
• In SEC games alone, Wright ranked 10th in hits (42), first in triples (three), 10th in total bases (63) and fifth in hit by pitch (six).
• Reached base safely in 52 of UK's 55 games in 2011 and owned a stretch of 24 consecutive games reaching base safely.
• Led UK with 24 multiple-hit games, running up hitting streaks of nine and seven games in 2011.
• With four outfield assists in 2011, Wright now owns 12 career outfield assists.
• Totaled 29 two-out hits - second-most on the club - and 12 two-out RBI.
• Only struck out 16 times in 262 plate appearances in 2011.
• Led the team with 24 two-strike hits.
• In his three-year career, Wright owns a .339 average (211-for-623) with 118 runs, 36 doubles, six triples, 12 homers and 100 RBI, posting a .474 slugging percentage and a .418 on-base clip, stealing 38-of-47 bases.
• Wright ranks ninth in UK career history in average (.339), 13th in hits (211), 10th in triples (six), eighth in sacrifice bunts (21), 12th in stolen bases (36) and 11th in stolen base attempts (47).
• Wright needs just 66 hits to break the all-time UK career record for hits. The fewest hits he has recorded in a season were 62 in 181 at bats as a freshman.




Kentucky Baseball

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[ballmich]

What do you think every team does when they pick in the 30s?

Tiger's 2009 Draft:

30 James Robbins HS Shorecrest HS (Shoreline, WA)
31 Andrew Walter HS Cactus HS (Glendale, AZ)
32 Parker Markel HS Mountain Ridge HS (Glendale, AZ)
33 Cody Keefer HS Davis Senior HS (Davis, CA)
34 Derek Kline Millersville University (Millersville, PA)
35 Patrick Biondi HS Divine Child HS (Dearborn, MI)
36 Benjamin Crumpton HS Lakeside HS (Hot Springs, AR)
37 Daniel Canela HS Florida Christian School (Miami, FL)
38 Tarran Senay HS South Park HS (South Park, PA)
39 Chad Duling HS Bishop Carroll Catholic HS (Wichita, KS)

I'll help you with the math... that's 9 out of 10 picks that were high school kids.

In response to your question, I say that teams select good players in the 30's. They aren't chosing guys from feeder schools who would have almost certainly been available as non-drafted free agents.

[ballmich]

From The Detroit News: Columnists | Tigers' draft lacks fireworks, stud pitchers -- but isn't short on potential | The Detroit News

More at the link....

Henning should be deported to Fukishima. He can mix his kool-aid out of the fresh spring water flowing out of the reactors.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Buster Olney tweet:

Curt Casali, Vanderbilt C, taken in 10th rd DET. Scout: "Absolute steal... Smart, calls his own pitches, and he's worked with great staff."

[TheCouga]

Tiger's 2009 Draft:

30 James Robbins HS Shorecrest HS (Shoreline, WA)
31 Andrew Walter HS Cactus HS (Glendale, AZ)
32 Parker Markel HS Mountain Ridge HS (Glendale, AZ)
33 Cody Keefer HS Davis Senior HS (Davis, CA)
34 Derek Kline Millersville University (Millersville, PA)
35 Patrick Biondi HS Divine Child HS (Dearborn, MI)
36 Benjamin Crumpton HS Lakeside HS (Hot Springs, AR)
37 Daniel Canela HS Florida Christian School (Miami, FL)
38 Tarran Senay HS South Park HS (South Park, PA)
39 Chad Duling HS Bishop Carroll Catholic HS (Wichita, KS)

I'll help you with the math... that's 9 out of 10 picks that were high school kids.

In response to your question, I say that teams select good players in the 30's. They aren't chosing guys from feeder schools who would have almost certainly been available as non-drafted free agents.

Maybe the best HSers were all taken this time. More and more teams are taking big gambles with HS players...leaving more college talent on the table.

I'd like to hear you back up your statement that the guys we took in round 30 would be available as undrafted free agents because they suck so bad.

[TheCouga]

Buster Olney tweet:

...and here I thought we only drafted organizational filler.

[witz57]

For what its worth, Olney went to Vandy and loves to talk up his guys. That said I hope scouts really do feel this way.

[TonyJM]

I'll help you with the math... that's 9 out of 10 picks that were high school kids.

I think they only signed Robbins from that group.


-Tony

[Glutn4Pnshmnt]

Watching Verlander pitch last night has me feeling better about this draft. Alot of the "experts" on here also criticized that pick because he had bad numbers at Old Dominion and they wanted the sexy picks like Weaver & Drew....

Contrary to revisionist history, Verlander was NOT an over slot pick. He was a risky gamble that we picked because he would sign for around slot which he almost didn't.

If you don't believe me you can look it up yourself.

[TonyJM]

Watching Verlander pitch last night has me feeling better about this draft. Alot of the "experts" on here also criticized that pick because he had bad numbers at Old Dominion and they wanted the sexy picks like Weaver & Drew....

This is right...I was pretty confident that our second pick, Eric Beattie (who posted nice numbers in college and the Cape Cod League), would be the better player. Fortunately, I'm not an MLB general manager.

That draft occurred right after Moneyball started getting big. The prevailing view at the time was that guys with good college numbers were being undervalued in contrast to higher-risk high school kids. A lot of the board commentary on the '04 draft reflected that.

In recent years, it's moved away from high school versus college and become more of "are you spending money or not?" As a fan, it's always more enjoyable to follow prospects the team spent a ton of money on the draft. It makes sense and I'm sure it translates into a better farm system in the aggregate. However, we've seen enough instances where nearer-slot bonus guys like Joyce, Granderson, Verlander, Avila, etc., and over-slot guys or high-end high school prospects like Andrew Miller, Cale Iorg, Scott Moore, Brent Clevlen have struggled to know that there aren't any certainties in the draft.

There's also a black-box feel to the draft...I've been following it casually for awhile and I still don't have a great feel for how draft budgets are determined, where the money comes from, what a typical board looks like, who is really responsible for making a given pick in a certain round, etc. What I enjoy about the MLB draft is just skimming information about the picks and reading the (mostly) fluff stories on the players.


-Tony

[witz57]

Contrary to revisionist history, Verlander was NOT an over slot pick. He was a risky gamble that we picked because he would sign for around slot which he almost didn't.

If you don't believe me you can look it up yourself.

Do you have a link for this? Because listing to a recent episode of Kevin Goldstein's BP podcast, he specifically talked about how that year Padres management had narrowed it down to Weaver, S. Drew, and Verlander for one overall, but they all wanted over slot. Matt Bush's people contacted ownership, said he'd sign for slot and thats why he was drafted.

[Glutn4Pnshmnt]

Do you have a link for this? Because listing to a recent episode of Kevin Goldstein's BP podcast, he specifically talked about how that year Padres management had narrowed it down to Weaver, S. Drew, and Verlander for one overall, but they all wanted over slot. Matt Bush's people contacted ownership, said he'd sign for slot and thats why he was drafted.

The Tigers drafted #3 in 2003 and they paid Kyle Sleeth more than they paid Verlander at #2 in 2004. You can't get a link because baseball doesn't publish "slots" they are only speculation based on prior years.

The Tigers paid more money to Eric Munson in 1999 ($3.5M) than Verlander. Verlander signed for less than Bush at #1 and less than Niemann at #4.

I was pretty sure that Bush signed for under slot and was widely mocked. Do a search on this site. The best history is to read it while it's happening. Things seem to change as they evolve.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I can't even find a thread that covers the 2004 draft itself. FWIW.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Bush was definitely picked because he agreed to take 'less.'

I recall a lot of buzz with the Tigers and Niemann, and 1 other guy.

Here's the motown link:

MLB Draft Thread

Verlander wasn't exactly popular, but people seemed open to it.

[DontGotSheed]

MLB Draft Thread

If you got time, I suggest going back and checking this out. Pretty entertaining and educational.

Cruzer was on fire...except for the Beattie pick.

I can't believe how low Street fell in that draft.

[TonyJM]

Verlander wasn't exactly popular, but people seemed open to it.

There should also be a thread on the contract negotiations. They broke off a couple times, with Verlander's dad supposedly intervening in order to get a deal done. That's where a lot more of the negativity towards the Verlander pick comes out.

FWIW, Verlander's bonus was a little lower than Bush's and higher than the number three pick, Humber. That doesn't mean he wouldn't have commanded more as a number one pick though. Also -- both Drew and Weaver commanded higher bonuses than both Bush and Verlander.


-Tony

[TonyJM]

MLB Draft Thread

Thanks for the link...I forgot how money estrepe was in those threads.


-Tony

[Edman85]

Thanks for the link...I forgot how money estrepe was in those threads.


-Tony

Check the '06 one where he was less money.

[irvink]

Bush was definitely picked because he agreed to take 'less.'

I recall a lot of buzz with the Tigers and Niemann, and 1 other guy.

Here's the motown link:

MLB Draft Thread

Verlander wasn't exactly popular, but people seemed open to it.

I believe the other guy that many were advocating was Homer Bailey.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Posters brought up some good names that draft: saw Street, Gio Gonzalez, and Yovani Gallardo mentioned.

Good thing Tigers got Verlander right, because the rest of that draft was ****.

Also some other interesting chatter: Clevelen was being touted as having been a good HS pick a few years back, and Micro popped in for, in retrospect, an epic blunder.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

I believe the other guy that many were advocating was Homer Bailey.

Thanks, I think you're right, I remember it being 3 pitchers, and Bailey would have made sense.

[ballmich]

I wasn't posting at MTS at the time, but I was an advocate of drafting Humber #2. I didn't think the stigma that Humber got as a Rice pitcher was fair, even after seeing Kenny Baugh starting to fizzle. Verlander concerned me because I didn't see any progression in his numbers from 2002 to 2004, in fact his ERA kept going up every season.

Glad the Tigers drafted the right guy. Interesting to see Humber having a decent seasno this year, though.

[ballmich]

I think they only signed Robbins from that group.


-Tony

I believe you are right, and Robbins was hearlded as a very "good get" when we did sign him.

As far as the others, it was just a rebuttal to the comment that "all teams draft like this in the 30's" when just two year prior the Tiger drafted nearly all HS kids with lots of upside in the 30's.

[ballmich]

Maybe the best HSers were all taken this time. More and more teams are taking big gambles with HS players...leaving more college talent on the table.

I think anyone that looks at the HS guys drafted in round 30 and after knows this isn't the case that they were "all taken".

I'm still waiting for your response to my proving that all teams don't draft minor league fodder in round 30. I showed you where two drafts ago, the Tigers took pretty much all high upside HS guys in that round. Not nepotism picks. Not minor league fodder to fill out a roster. Good picks, even if they didn't sign most of them.

I'd like to hear you back up your statement that the guys we took in round 30 would be available as undrafted free agents because they suck so bad.

You are missing the point, which is that the relative difference between the minor league fodder the Tigers drafted in these rounds and what they can get after the draft is minor at best and probably negligible. None of these guys project to ever reach the majors. And it's a little more that coincidental that the vast majority of them came from feeder schools like WMU, CMU, and Southern Florida, etc.

Instead, the Tigers could have drafted better players, even if the possibility of signing them was slim (like in 2009). Then either drafted these same feeder school kids later, pursued them after the draft, or signed a simliar player with negligible difference in talent. Because you never know, maybe we would have signed one of those other kids with upside (kind of like Robbins in 2009 which was unexpected). And even if we didn't, the guys we drafted in the 30's could all be thrown in a bag with picks in the 40's and non-drafted free agents and drawn at random, because these guys are very unlikely to become anything more than fodder. However a guy like Robbins, has the chance to be something a little more, if we are lucky.

[DontGotSheed]

I believe you are right, and Robbins was hearlded as a very "good get" when we did sign him.

Robbins is doing work at West Michigan right now.

[TonyJM]

Check the '06 one where he was less money.

Ouch. Nice call. Regardless, by money I meant in terms of being active in digging up info on the guys. Especially later round picks.

And it probably could have been worse...I was an enormous proponent of Dallas Buck and Cody Johnson in that thread and declared it the greatest day of my life because we drafted Andrew Miller.

[ballmich]

...and declared it the greatest day of my life because we drafted Andrew Miller.

That was a good day, Tom.

[plantcitytigersfan]

When Green did not sign last year, I had a lengthy debate with someone whether Green was smart for not signing. I stated that if you are a college junior with pro hopes you should sign, the other person stated he would make more money going back into the draft. I then researched the prior five drafts and every college junior who went back to school was drafted in a lower round the following year. The streak continues.

Yes, I am also disappointed with this draft.

Larry
2011 AAT Kenny Faulk

According to Baseball America, Cole Green signed for $90,000. Thats a heck of a lot less than the $300 K or more that we offered him. I guess going back to school didn't work out so well for him.

Larry
2011 AAT Kenny Faulk

[Microline133]

Lots of things at play in the Cole situation last year....

The fact that he and his family are already very well off played into it, along with the fact that he genuinely wanted to go back to school and try to win a CWS title (something they had a very good shot at this year).

Purely from a bonus view, this was an epic fail...but in the grand scheme, I'd be curious if he's actually upset with his decision or not. Based on what I knew of the situation last year, I'm not sure he would be upset at all.

[gzbach]

I've come up with the most compelling reason yet for signing Tyler Gibson. We currently have only 5 Tylers in the organization (Stohr at Erie, White at Lakeland, Collins and Barrett at Connecticut and Clark at GCL). Even with the signing of Gibson, that will give us only 6, still one short of having one for each of the 7 stateside teams. SIGN GIBSON NOW!!!!!! (then go out and find one more Tyler somewhere).

[AlaskanTigersFan]

Tigers Signed Tyler Gibson today. From what I hear, he could have been a 1st round choice yet he slipped all the way to the 15th round. Mark got any info on him?

[pyrotigers]

Reading BA today, it seems the Tigers spent the 2nd lowest amount of money among the MLB teams on this draft.

[Edman85]

Reading BA today, it seems the Tigers spent the 2nd lowest amount of money among the MLB teams on this draft.

That's not really saying much as they didn't really have high picks to spend money on.