2011 Draft

[alwaysthrowheat]

I saw Colin Kaline mentioned in a local draft column, but isn't he still just going into his senior year at FSC?

Colin graduated in 07 which would make him a graduating senior. Not sure if he redshirted a year though.

[Antrat]

Remember. Albert Pujols - 402nd overall pick.

[toadhunter911]

Cole goes #1 to Pittsburgh.

Hultzen goes #2 to Seattle.

[tigerbomb13]

Dylan Bundy and Bubba Starling are GREAT names!

[witz57]

So far looks like everyone's willing to pay for the best players. Not a surprise, but not good news for the Tigers if trends continue.

[ScrubBeaterUpper]

Bauer 3rd to Arizona, I will watch his career closely, I think he blows up sooner rather than later.

[witz57]

Bauer 3rd to Arizona, I will watch his career closely, I think he blows up sooner rather than later.

Yeah, someone (Law/Goldstein/can't remember) that if he signed fast enough Arizona might even pull him up this year. I don't think he'll be the best pitcher in the draft (cop out I know) but I've seen both him and Cole throw from behind the plate, and I think Bauer is the most ready to pitch right away.

I hope he does well too. There was a day I sat behind him, and watched the numbers on his gun while Cole pitched. It'd be cool to be able to tell that story about a couple of all stars.

[Scottish caveman]

So far looks like everyone's willing to pay for the best players. Not a surprise, but not good news for the Tigers if trends continue.

Might as well draft them...the compensation for not signing the prospect almost makes it a no brainer.

[Los Gatos]

I liked the little segment on Sonny Gray. He seems like a great kid.

[AlaskanTigersFan]

I think we'll be surprised when the Tigers Pick.

[cruzer1]

I have no idea what the Nats will do with Rendon, although that's an awesome pick for them. They have now picked up Strasburg/Harper/Rendon in three drafts, which is phenomenal.

[tigersrok]

Boston selected Matt Barnes with the pick they got for the Tigers signing Martinez. Great value for them.

[Dunkin Darvin]

Anyone know if the supplemental picks are tonight or tomorrow?

[CW]

Anyone know if the supplemental picks are tonight or tomorrow?

It just started - only a minute betwee picks (I think). Second round starts tomorrow at 12 EST.

[JonBenke]

Boston selected Matt Barnes with the pick they got for the Tigers signing Martinez. Great value for them.

Good value, but would you trade him for Victor Martinez straight up ... most likely.

[alwaysthrowheat]

Bell, Purke, Norris available after 60 picks.

[CW]

Bell, Purke, Norris available after 60 picks.

Dillon Howard as well.

[TurnerHasHYPE]

Bell, Purke, Norris available after 60 picks.

I CANNOT believe Norris is still available.

[witz57]

Good value, but would you trade him for Victor Martinez straight up ... most likely.

I see what you're trying to do there, but your not painting the full picture. The real question is would you trade Vmart for Barnes plus a giant pile of financial flexibility (Vmart's contract minus what you spend on the pick) which can be used for other signings or trades. Also keep in mind you now have a draft pick in your system which makes it more reasonable to trade other prospects for vets.

It's just not as simple as you framed it, and your use of the phrase "straight up" is incredibly misleading.

Opportunity cost is a real thing.

[Ed Stevens]

I see what you're trying to do there, but your not painting the full picture. The real question is would you trade Vmart for Barnes plus a giant pile of financial flexibility (Vmart's contract minus what you spend on the pick) which can be used for other signings or trades. Also keep in mind you now have a draft pick in your system which makes it more reasonable to trade other prospects for vets.

It's just not as simple as you framed it, and your use of the phrase "straight up" is incredibly misleading.

Opportunity cost is a real thing.

While I understand your point of view I believe you absolutely take that trade off. Here is why I say that: The Tigers were obviously able and willing to have a payroll that supports the Martinez contract. So say you don't sign him, where do you invest that money? You could use it on another free agent, say Adam Dunn (oops), and you're in the same situation. You could trade for a player with an existing significant contract, say Vernon Wells (ouch). You could spread it out a bit on lesser players and maybe save some cash to pick up a big contract at the trade deadline. The problem with that is that without Martinez you're probably not in a position to buy at the trade deadline because you're probably not that good. Even if you do manage to stay in contention without signing Martinez you have to use prospects that you wanted to stockpile in the first place by keeping your first round pick instead of signing a Type A free agent.

Secondly, the way the draft works -if the Tigers are consistent in being willing to pay well above slot money to kids who are considered "difficult signs" - then losing that first round pick is virtually irrelevant. Take last year for example. They lost their first round pick by signing Valverde but still took Castellanos with their first pick and signed him to a deal well above slot. Judging from comments made after the draft and the money they gave him, the Tigers had him so high on their draft board that they probably would have picked him in their original spot anyway. Tomorrow if the Tigers end up with a guy like Bell, Norris, or Purke then the loss of that first round pick is, essentially, made irrelevant again. The baseball draft doesn't work the same way as the NFL, NBA, and NHL drafts do. The fact that there is no slotting system in place allows teams willing to break away from the commissioner's office wishes to circumvent the design of the current draft process.

[Shelton]

Benke's question was pretty simple. Assume Victor is signed to the deal he has now but is on another team. Assume the tigers have this Neely drafted kid. Would you make that trade straight up? Your option at dh if no victor is an internal option or someone that you could have signed as a type B or lower.

I think I would take victor, given the team's current plan to "win now" and no other decent dh options.

It is a tough call, but victor is a very good player.

[hueytaxi]

Only saw John Matlack at the Lakeland game tonight. The Detroit staff was set up in the cafeteria to monitor progression.

[Nastradamus]

I see what you're trying to do there, but your not painting the full picture. The real question is would you trade Vmart for Barnes plus a giant pile of financial flexibility (Vmart's contract minus what you spend on the pick) which can be used for other signings or trades. Also keep in mind you now have a draft pick in your system which makes it more reasonable to trade other prospects for vets.

It's just not as simples as you framed it, and your use of the phrase "straight up" is incredibly misleading.

Opportunity cost is a real thing.

Not necessarily. If you can't spend that money because all the players you want require compensation or you spend it on a crappy player because you didnt' have to give upa pick, you look stupid. The rate of draft pick success is pretty low and we were looking to contend now. Also, the other way to spend that money would be to trade for a veteran, which still requires you to give up young players. Boston got 2 picks but gave up 1 for Crawford and a package of really good young players for Gonzalez to replace the players who got them those picks.

[witz57]

I agree with a ton of your points Ed and my post actually wasn't meant to be for or against the Vmart signing. I just thought if it was going to be talked about it the discussion should extend beyond 'would you trade him straight up for the pick?' because it leaves out a lot of other considerations which are relevant.

[irvink]

It seems like there is a very good chance now that Josh Bell will fall to us. Some speculation had him going to Boston, Texas, NYY or TB in the supplemental round. Didn't happen. TB picks again just before us at 75. If they don't take him there, he'd be there for the taking. Will we get him?

[DontGotSheed]

Bell, Purke, Norris available after 60 picks.

A LOT of talent still on the board....thank goodness the Tigers are not afraid to spend money. They could easily get some first round talent today. I am now officially excited.


BTW, anyone else surprised Lindor and Rendon fell so far? Very pitching heavy at the top of the draft this year.

[alwaysthrowheat]

A LOT of talent still on the board....thank goodness the Tigers are not afraid to spend money. They could easily get some first round talent today. I am now officially excited.


BTW, anyone else surprised Lindor and Rendon fell so far? Very pitching heavy at the top of the draft this year.

Yeah, they definitely can get some quality talent today. With the odds stacked against a player to make it to the bigs anyway, especially after rounds 1, sandwich, and 2, if the Tigs get a few major league players today, it will be a success.

People forget that more often than not, no matter how high you're drafted, you're probably not going to make it. That's just the cold, hard truth.

[IdahoBert]

If Josh Bell worries that he has a propensity for injury he would do well to sign with the Tigers. Sustain a major injury at the University of Texas and kiss good bye to baseball. He has some good reasons to sign right now while the iron is hot. Should he make it to the 76th round he should take the Tigers money and run and we should all hope for the best.

[Shelton]

He won't make it to the 76th round.

[DontGotSheed]

He won't make it to the 76th round.

76th pick?

[ChrisBrown]

So it sounds like Bell won't be the pick. I guess the Tigers just can't stomach using that much of their draft budget on one kid. I wouldn't be the least bit upset if they grab Norris though.

[DontGotSheed]

Yeah, they definitely can get some quality talent today. With the odds stacked against a player to make it to the bigs anyway, especially after rounds 1, sandwich, and 2, if the Tigs get a few major league players today, it will be a success.

People forget that more often than not, no matter how high you're drafted, you're probably not going to make it. That's just the cold, hard truth.

Well all you can do is draft the talent and hopefully they make it. Tigers have to get the best player since they didn't get a 1st round pick. Have to be very smart today. I'd say if Bell or Purke are there...they HAVE to pick them. Purke's signability worries me a little more than Bell or even Norris. That stunt he pulled with Texas makes me nervous.

[Los Gatos]

Nice article on Bell from a few months ago.

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[RatkoVarda]

Well all you can do is draft the talent and hopefully they make it. Tigers have to get the best player since they didn't get a 1st round pick. Have to be very smart today. I'd say if Bell or Purke are there...they HAVE to pick them. Purke's signability worries me a little more than Bell or even Norris. That stunt he pulled with Texas makes me nervous.

What stunt? The Rangers agreed to his $6m bonus demand and MLB, which was then running the team said no, only $4m, so he went to college. Not the decision I would have made, but not crazy and not a stunt.

[cruzer1]

Bell goes to the Pirates.

[irvink]

maybe for the best?

Kevin_Goldstein Kevin Goldstein
Talked to some teams late last night after the draft and they were off Bell, just didn't think they could get it done.

[Shelton]

Don't understand the pirates picking bell. They don't exactly have the luxury of wasting picks, and I can't imagine he wants to be in that org.

Are second round picks protected if you fail to sign your guy? I didn't think they were. If they are protected, it's not a terrible move.

[SacBunt]

Houston takes Adrian Houser (despite the MLB announcers saying it was Detroit). Okie pitcher.

[Scottish caveman]

They are protected in the pick !

[irvink]

The 2nd round pick is protected.

Kevin_Goldstein Kevin Goldstein
Less than 30% RT @JoelAustin14: @Kevin_Goldstein What are the odds that Bell gets signed? Realistically. #pirates