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Saturday, June 7, 2008

Surprise Draft for Buckeyes

The Major League Baseball first-year player draft was held Thursday and Friday and it was full of surprises for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Two of the surprises were good. Another was not.

J.B. Shuck was the only Buckeye to go on day one. I'm not sure anyone expected the Buckeyes' most versatile athlete to go in the sixth round, but the Houston Astros picked him up with their final pick of day one.

Dan DeLucia, came back from Tommy John surgery in 10 months to make an opening day start. His work ethic received notice by the Detroit Tigers who picked DeLucia up in the 35th round.

One Buckeye who wasn't taken in any of the Draft's 50 rounds was Jake Hale. Previously drafted twice, the OSU junior was overlooked this year and now must take a serious look at his baseball future.

Also overlooked was first baseman Justin Miller, though the fact he wasn't drafted was not as big of a surprise as Hale.

I would like to thank everyone for following the draft here. The comments reflect most of the Big Ten picks. Special thanks to RockyBuckeye and BaseballBucks33.

29 comments:

rockybuckeye said...

My top 10 from the other day...

Rays-T. Beckham
Pirates-Alverez
Royals-Hosmer
Orioles-Smoak
Giants-Crow
Marlins-Posey
Reds-G. Beckham (more hope than reality)
White Sox-Matusz
Nationals-Alonso
Astros-Cashner

My opnion on the most talented
G. Beckham
Hosmer
Crow
Smoak
T. Beckham

First 12 Big Ten players to be drafted..
Zach Putnam P Mich
Josh Lindblom P Purdue
Drew O'Neil P PSU
Jason Christian SS Mich
JB Shuck OF/P OSU
Adam Abraham 3B Mich
Kyle Hudson OF Illinois
Dan Black C Purdue
Nate Recknagel 1B Mich
Jake Hale P OSU
Kyle Day C MSU
Cory Wine 1B PSU

rockybuckeye said...

What the heck Reds? You have Crow, and Beckham on the board. You can never have enough pitching, and SS has been a need since Larkin left. You take a 1B?? You hopefully have Votto at 1st for the next decade. Right? Alonso isn't even the best 1B?

This pick frustrates me.

BaseballBucks33 said...

Yeah the Reds really blew it with picking Alonso at 1B. I really hope Joey Votto is in Cincy for a long time. I love that guy.

I can't believe they took him over Crow and Beckham.They also left Justin Smoak on the board. I defentily think Smoak is rated over Alsono at 1B.Smoak is really fun to watch hit,the kid can rake.

I really don't like this pick at all.I don't have anything against Alonso, he is a stud but not what the REDS need at all.

rockybuckeye said...

I'm telling you Beckham is going to be a stud. Well both are but I'm talking about Gordon. I should have known the Giants were going to get Posey. A bit surprised the O's took Matusz, they're loaded with pitching in A- through AA, but have no power besides Weiters.

The Reds pick really frustrates me. If you wanted power get Smoak who can do it from both sides of the plate. His glove is better than Alonso's too. I don't know I was really set on picking Gordon and if not, at least Crow. Sucks I have to follow the ChiSox and Rangers to teams I have 0 interest in to follow Beckham and Smoak and not the O's and Reds like it could/shold have been. At least I started out 3/3. Went to hell after that.

rockybuckeye said...

You know, I know a lot of these kids coming out of HS are from the south or out west, but doesn't it sicken you a bit when you hear of the HS kids who have to make a decision usually having signed to Clemson, or Georgia, or ASU? When is the last time a true stud out of HS seriously considered OSU? Isn't it sad/strange that the 2 supposed best HS kids in Ohio, are from Columbus in Curl from DeSales and Warrington from Watkins and they're going to Miami U. and Ball State respectively?

rockybuckeye said...

Have been reading a lot of scouting reports and I guess Lindblom is actually a pretty high prospect, I knew he was solid but a few guys have him ranked around 65. Putnam playing for Michigan gets a lot of attention but it makes sense knowing what both are capabale of. We're in the 50s now an outside of a run of multi-position players, no real relief pitchers have been drafted. I'm guessing Lindblom goes here shortly before 70.

rockybuckeye said...

I intially had Hudon at 4th behind Putnam and Lindblom but 2nd thoughts knocked him down, well I guess I should've stuck with what I had. Hudson goes in the 4th round at 116 to the O's. This is really interesting as the O's selected Angle last year as the CF they hoped to have in Baltimore one day. Not sure if I like that.

Meanwhile O'Neil goes 120 to the White Sox and is the 3rd Big Ten player off the board. I get 1 right finally.

rockybuckeye said...

Purdue's Ryne White in the 4th and Michigan's Jason Christian in the 5the are two more Big Ten guys to be drafted.

I totally messed up and did not know White was a draft eligible Soph.

He went where he should have.

Man was I off on Putnam though. Everyone else has been where they should but I thought Putnam was mid3rd early 4th. Right now its looking like he isn't a first day pick. This definitely doesn't speak good for Recknagel.

rockybuckeye said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rockybuckeye said...

Putnam is saved by the Indians late in the 5th. I had just told myself watch them pick him up.

Good value. I hate Michigan and I hate the Indians. Works for me. Also the Indians did draft C. Doug Pickens last year, so maybe that'll be beneficial for them.

Buckeye Nine said...

I absolutely love all of this draft insight! Thanks for the great conversation today.

rockybuckeye said...

Nothing too noteworthy yet. The Reds did take CF Andrew Means from Indiana in round 11. Means is from Avon Lake so I'm sure between that and Bloomington a few Reds scout knew of him.

rockybuckeye said...

And the Reds follow that up with a 12th round selection of MSU's Kyle Day.

Maybe in the enxt 3 rounds they're grab Recknagel, Hale, and Abraham.

rockybuckeye said...

Next 4 Big Ten players

Minnesota's P Kyle Carr round 12, #366 to Minnesota Twins
Illinois' P Scott Shaw round 13, #404 to NY Mets
Michigan's 3B Adam Abraham round 13, #411 to the Indians, joining Putnam.
Iowa's CF Caleb Curry round 14, #418 to the SF Giants.

rockybuckeye said...

You've got to be kidding me... the Indians in round 19 with pick 921 draft... Nate Recknagel. Yes, Putnam, Abraham, Recknagel.

Buckeye Nine said...

Through 25 rounds and still no other Buckeyes have joined Shuck in the Draft, including Jake Hale.

rockybuckeye said...

This isn't a good sign for Jake.

He was drafted higher than what he will go this time, TWICE before.

Honestly if he gets drafted in round 47 he should still go. At this rate the more time he spends at OSU the worse it is for him. That nothing against the progam, its just an obvious fact. He has not developed, infact has egressed since his Frosh year. Not regressed in a Rory sense, but still. He needs to have professional coaching if he really wants to make it. I know on paper being this late drafted one would say come back, but Jake has pt in his time. For him nothing will really be gained.

I'm shocked at this.

Buckeye Nine said...

I'm not going to totally blame the coaching staff on Hale's development or lack thereof at Ohio State. I never once got the idea that Hale was putting in the extra work to become a better player and there are rumors of off-the-field problems surrounding him. MLB teams look at the total package, not just talent, when drafting players. He is a talented pitcher, and I agree needed better coaching, but he also needed to be somewhat responsive to the coaching he did receive. He did not have the type of year he needed to have in 2008 though started well after missing the first two weeks of the season, when it was reported he had tendinitis. He trailed off after that. I think he could be a very good pro pitcher.

rockybuckeye said...

Oh, no I won't say it was coaching end of story tat is/was Jake's problem. I didn't not mean that he was receiving poor instruction and coaching is why he tailed off, moreso the environment of the coaching and situation. Did the environment bring the best out of Jake? I think it is obvious and as you stated Jake probably did things his way. I think by staying in the program he didn't receive a kick in the butt or feel any sense in urgency.

Now obviously instructing at the next level is better, but I don't believe the instruction he received here was awful and the sle reason he has not reached the potential I think he has, just you have times where things don't mesh.

I've heard Luebke is still raw, and coming out of a DI program was expecting to have somewhat better coaching, but clearly Cory did what it took, listened to the right people and got better each year. Is his stuff that much better than Jake's? On paper no. But one was drafted 63rd overall and as we reach the mid-30s rounds one has yet to be called.

I think this also illustrates how huge it is to play in a top-flight summer league. Many scouts/organizations will give you a break if you have a sub-par collegiate season but showed flashes in the Cape, the Woodlands, etc.

rockybuckeye said...

Now its getting bad. I had Sorenson and Monterey form MSU going in the early 30s. Sorenson just did to the Tigers in the 32nd, but these pitchers are nowhere near as talented as Jake. Tyler Tufts from Indiana and Kyle from Ball State I've seen throw and they both as well went in round 32.

I guess this does show we had a down season on talent.

Drafted players so far by my count..
UM 5 Christian, Putnam, Abraham, Recknagel, Wilson
Purdue 3 Lindblom, White, Bloomis
Minnesota 3 Nohelty, Hanson, Carr (all 3 stayed in Minnesota and were picked by the Twins.. weird)
Indiana 2 Means, Tufts
Illinois 2 Hudson, Shaw
Iowa 1 Curry
MSU 1 Sorenson
PSU 1 O'Neil
OSU 1 Shuck
NW 0

rockybuckeye said...

Danny! DeLucia gets picked up by the Tigers in round 35 pick 1036.

A pleasant surprise. Congrats to him. Shows hard work does pay off.

BaseballBucks33 said...

Way to go Danny!! That is really cool to see. Such a great kid and hard worker. Tigers make a good pick.

RB,i did not need the draft to tell me we are down on talent this year. That much i knew in April.

Really can't believe Hale is still on the board at this point.

rockybuckeye said...

MSU actually has 2, I fogot about C. Kyle Day. Also 3B from Purdue Dan Black has been selected.

rockybuckeye said...

Well hey, maybe on the brightside a Hale-Wolo-Armstrong/Barerra/Minium rotation isn't too bad?

Buckeye Nine said...

I'll be out of pocket until very late tonight. Thanks for holding down the fort while I'm away.

BaseballBucks33 said...

Really feel bad for Jake Hale. I never thought he would not get drafted. He did struggle in '08,but in 50th rounds i thought there was a spot for Hale. I agree that the Indiana game hurt his draft status.He was really bad that day. I also wounder about the off the field stuff. I hope it did not hurt him today. I just think he was really bad with his delivery this year. If your delivery is bad, your location is going to be off.He would change his delivery pitch to pitch,batter to batter sometimes.You can't do that and be succesfull at this level. I also though his curve and change was not right this yr.

On the postive side,we will have Hale and Wolo on the hill with Armstrong or Barerra. Not a bad starting roation.

Also we will have Gus back. That is huge because he can really anchor our lineup next season. He had such a great yr driving in runs. He is a hard worker and hopefully next yr. at this time he is in the pros.

Hopefully Jake can find a good summer league and work hard this summer to get better. The best thing he can do is have a good summer to jump into a big senior season. I hate to see him back this way,but this is how the cards were dealt.

rockybuckeye said...

Can't believe MSU, Iowa, and Indiana produced more pros than us.

Purdue is either going to be really good or really bad with Black, White, Bischoff, Lindblom all drafted with eligibility left.

Hopefully Jake is a late addition to a Cape team.

rockybuckeye said...

With JB and Dan being selected, the 06 team now has 7 players drafted.

3 of the 4 weekend starters have been drafted; Luebke, DeLucia, Shuck.

3 IF's in Bourquin, Stephen, and Fryer.

2 OF's in Angle and Shuck.

Then you have guys like Howell, and Zoeller fill in.

Pretty talented team there.

Anyhow it was a fun 2 days, I did embarassingly watch every pick pop up on the screen, but it was worth it havinf JB and Dan go, as well as numeroud of Big Ten athletes that I was able to see, unreal that the Championship game had 8 players go, could have been 10 except Bischoff and Loomis were unable to pitch for Purdue. I think the quality of Big Ten ball is slowly improving.

Will be nice to see in 2-3 years how this class stacks up. It appears better on paper for position players than last year, but it'll take something special to match 05 with Bruce, Upton, Zimmerman, Braun, Gordon, Clement, Tulowitzki, and Maybin. Unreal how loaded that group was.

BaseballBucks33 said...

I just thought about this today. Chris Fetter from Michigan did not get drafted either. I would have to say that is more of a suprise than how low Putnam went. Fetter at times was better than Zack last yr. Has better command than Zack i think.

Dude stood next to me up in AA,he is huge and when he is on the hill he is even bigger and throws hard. Only 28 BB in almost 100 Ip,with 80 something K,71 hits given up.10-2 in 16 starts.

I guess i really like Fetter the more i watch him throw. He is just a good ballplayer and will be a good # 1 next season.