Gray, Appel, or Bryant?

[KBIB]

Bryant has been on a complete tear. This guy is starting to look like a legit first overall talent.

The Cubs can obviously use one of those two pitchers, preferably Appel, but Bryant is making the decision a lot harder because right now, with his offensive gifts, you cant just over look him when this team has decent enough SP but is having a hard time scoring runs. Plus he also plays a black hole position for the Cubs.


I hate to say it, but Bryant is a Theo type who I doubt gets passed up at 2. With rumors he could sign cheap and then the Cubs can go over slot on a few other picks, its a no brainer. Looking at Bryant at 3, Baez at short, and Rizzo at 1 in the near future, that has the makings of an all star infield in itself.



Bake

 

[patg006]

Bryant has been on a complete tear. This guy is starting to look like a legit first overall talent.

The Cubs can obviously use one of those two pitchers, preferably Appel, but Bryant is making the decision a lot harder because right now, with his offensive gifts, you cant just over look him when this team has decent enough SP but is having a hard time scoring runs. Plus he also plays a black hole position for the Cubs.


I hate to say it, but Bryant is a Theo type who I doubt gets passed up at 2. With rumors he could sign cheap and then the Cubs can go over slot on a few other picks, its a no brainer. Looking at Bryant at 3, Baez at short, and Rizzo at 1 in the near future, that has the makings of an all star infield in itself.



Bake

With reports of Bryant not being able to play 3rd at the ML level, I would pass. If he were a bonified, sure fire 3B till he dies--I'd consider differently.

Mark Appel has to be the pick, still. He has been the most dominant pitcher in college the last 2 years, he has the least amount of time to spend in the minors before pitching at the ML level, and I'll take his Mark Prior-like stuff over Grey's 1 and a half trick pony fastball while his other pitches need work.

 

[SilenceS]

Bryant projects to move from third. He may be able to stay there, but most scouts believe he will have to go to first or OF. They also project him more a .260-.270 guy with 30 plus homerun power. I would pass on him. He has a lot of swing and miss to his game and we got prospects like that. To me, it is easier to find bats then it is pitching. You dont pass up an Ace potential of Gray or Appel in my opinion.

 

[KBisBack!]

Mark Appel has to be the pick, still. He has been the most dominant pitcher in college the last 2 years, he has the least amount of time to spend in the minors before pitching at the ML level, and I'll take his Mark Prior-like stuff over Grey's 1 and a half trick pony fastball while his other pitches need work.

Agreed.

He was the pick to make last year and again is the pick to make this year.

 

[KBisBack!]

You dont pass up an Ace potential of Gray or Appel in my opinion.

Unless of course you can find a cheaper, HS OF project like last year.

 

[CSF77]

The only real question happens if the stroes take Appel. At that point it is a toss up. I'd take Bryant then. SP is always available in F/A. 3B is at a premium. Appel is the only player I believe changes that. He is near ML ready. IDC is Bryant needs to move. LF will be open soon enough.

 

[dabynsky]

Appel, Gray and Bryant is the order of the top 3 prospects at this moment. It is certainly getting interesting since the Stros might bypass all three of those guys to get a guy to sign for underslot before the draft.

 

[The Bandit]

The only real question happens if the stroes take Appel. At that point it is a toss up. I'd take Bryant then. SP is always available in F/A. 3B is at a premium. Appel is the only player I believe changes that. He is near ML ready. IDC is Bryant needs to move. LF will be open soon enough.

Eh I think I'd rather take Gray if he's available and Appel isn't, I also am starting to wonder if Appel even is a good pick with how much he could fuck up the rest of the draft with the money he'll want, still would want him the most though, followed by Gray.

 

[CSF77]

Eh I think I'd rather take Gray if he's available and Appel isn't, I also am starting to wonder if Appel even is a good pick with how much he could fuck up the rest of the draft with the money he'll want, still would want him the most though, followed by Gray.

Like I said. There is quality SP on the market every year. 3B has been in shortage every year now and the league is lacking quality depth. Supply and demand. 3B has higher value right now. Appel is close to ML ready that places him higher. Grey is still a project.

 

[The Bandit]

Like I said. There is quality SP on the market every year. 3B has been in shortage every year now and the league is lacking quality depth. Supply and demand. 3B has higher value right now. Appel is close to ML ready that places him higher. Grey is still a project.

I understand that but he's not projected to be a 3b so it really deplletes the value to the Cubs to me.

 

[mountsalami]

I understand that but he's not projected to be a 3b so it really deplletes the value to the Cubs to me.

The team sucks and there's plenty of glaring holes to fill.

If the guy can hit we can use him.

 

[The Bandit]

The team sucks and there's plenty of glaring holes to fill.

If the guy can hit we can use him.

That isn't even the point being made?

 

[CSF77]

The team sucks and there's plenty of glaring holes to fill.

If the guy can hit we can use him.

That isn't even the point being made?

2 things here.

1: Braun rule: Came up as a 3B moved to LF and won a GG. MVP hitter. No problem.

2: If there is a league wide shortage at 3B teams will look at him as a potential trade piece down the road.

I believe that you take players that fill the biggest need. The biggest need league wise is at 3B. So any 3B prospect's value is magnified in getting a trade return.


My opinion is if you get Appel you rush him to the rotation.

Anyone else use to stock up trade chips.

Cubs are big market. act like it.

 

[KBIB]

Law now saying Stro's are leaning towards Moran.


WTF?



Laim

 

[chibears55]

The latest mock draft from Keith Law of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) has Moran slated to go to the Astros. Law doesn't think Houston will make a formal decision on the pick until Thursday, but the buzz within the industry has them leaning towards Moran. The reasoning is that the third baseman's next-best alternative is to go No. 5 to Cleveland, where his slot value is less than $3.8MM. Because of that, the Astros could offer him about $4MM or so and know he'd accept it. The value of the No. 1 pick is $7.2MM, which would leave the Astros with enough to grab top talents who fall to picks 40 and 74. They could take Gray but they wouldn't pocket much by doing that and they're not on Kris Bryant or Clint Frazier. Appel doesn't seem to be one of their top two options either. Also noteworthy - Law's scenario has Gray falling to the Indians at No. 5.
Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com's mock draft has Gray going No. 1 followed by Appel and Bryant. At No. 4, Mayo now has right-hander Kohl Stewart going to the Twins. Yesterday, Twins VP Mike Radcliff told Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN that he won't rule out Stewart due to his diabetes.

 

[patg006]

Law now saying Stro's are leaning towards Moran.


WTF?



Laim

Well shit.....

Keith Law proclaims it true, it must be.

 

[patg006]

Well shit.....

Keith Law proclaims it true, it must be.

MLB.com writer John Mayo still has Gray to the stros at 1.

Regardless, Appel is a must at 2

 

[JosMin]

The Cubs are in a great spot because they won't be paying the premium of selecting first overall and will still be guaranteed to get one of the top three talents in the draft. From a pure talent standpoint, Appel is who I'd go with if Houston doesn't pick him. He's been the best pitcher in college two years running and would be able to help us at the major league level in less than a calendar year. Bryant's range and defense continue to point to a corner outfield spot. As others have echoed -- if the Cubs truly feel he can develop 80-power potential, that may be a guy you want to slot next to Rizzo for the next 10 years. At the end of the day, it really depends on if they want to dip into pitching heavily in rounds 2 through 5 because they'll have extra money to overslot players. If that's the case, it may make more sense to go with Bryant. If they want a guy they're almost certain to have in a Cubs uni by this time next year, then go with Appel. Grey? Meh.... He's too much of a project for my taste.

 

[Willrust]

What if....

Houston takes Moran
Cubs take Gray
Appel gets taken by the Rockies!

Would that knock Boras down a peg with athletes looking for representation? Appel would have gone top 3 last year if Scott Boras wasn't his agent, and if he falls to the Rockies, a pitcher's worst nightmare, Boras has to take the hit... Right?

 

[Boobaby1]

What if....

Houston takes Moran
Cubs take Gray
Appel gets taken by the Rockies!

Would that knock Boras down a peg with athletes looking for representation? Appel would have gone top 3 last year if Scott Boras wasn't his agent, and if he falls to the Rockies, a pitcher's worst nightmare, Boras has to take the hit... Right?

And what if the Cubs take Bryant, someone they can shuffle in the system at A or AA to move up the ladder with Baez, and Soler? Wouldn't that be a kicker?

By possibly extending Shark and Garza, the Cubs could have those two, plus Jackson and Wood in the rotation. About 25 million will be coming off the books this year and Soriano's contract will be coming off the books soon enough, so maybe the Cubs are going to buy the pitching when one a top end starter comes available, and have power hitters coming through the ranks like the three aforementioned players.

Hell, I would be ecstatic of the Cubs signed Choo, E-Santana (who would probably bode well in the NL), and extended Garza in the off-season if they didn't take a pitcher in the 1st round. Who knows, they may back-fill with pitching throughout the rest of the draft.

Just a thought.