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Westheim · 06-17-2012, 06:54 AM

The 1978 draft pool does not contain *any* 5-star potential rated starting pitchers (yet some who might be able to be converted). This makes passing on Andres Ramirez last year all the more painful. All our top pick Daniel Hall has done in AA is batting .300 with little power and getting hurt.

There were certainly some interesting players in the pool, with a trio of relievers (two potential starters), a few infielders and there were certainly options for strong defensive *and* good offensive catchers, but none that combined both features.

Our first pick was #2, and we’d see what would remain after that. I once again was not sure whom to take as a top pick, but in contrast to last year this was not because of two WOW MUST HAVE guys, but rather because there was nobody in there without some flaws. Here are the (about) Top 10 players compiled through scouting reports:

SP John Douglas (8/14/3 – 12/19/11 – 17) – top rated starter in there
MR Richard Cunningham (11/10/5 – 20/15/17 – 16) – could be everything from starter to closer
MR Carlos Martinez (10/16/10 – 20/18/17 – 6) – screams closer, 22 yo Dominican future star, little work to be done
1B Yong-chan Cong (7/2/5 – 17/10/18) – defensively weak
MR Gary Simmons (12/8/7 – 19/9/13 – 15) – could be a top closer, but could be converted to a #1 starter
1B/2B/SS/3B Mike Grimes (9/1/6 – 17/1/17) – no power at all, best at 1B
1B/2B/SS Bobby Brewster (6/2/6 – 11/9/15)
LF/CF/RF Jeff Young (6/2/4 – 10/9/12) – big range
RF Carlos Leon (10/5/8 – 13/9/13)
1B Johnny Snow (7/2/3 – 15/13/10) – defensively a burden, but with a power bat

Even if you pick #2, it means somebody picks before you. The evil Loggers picked John “Barbwire” Douglas, my #1 ranked player. Damn youuuuu!! (shakes fist) Two of my Top 10 survived the first round and supplemental round. I took Simmons in the second round and Snow in the third, surprised he was still there. His inability to catch a ball must have contributed to that. By round 4, only relievers, catchers and some infielders with small bats from my shortlist remained. The last shortlisted player went in round 6 to the Canadiens, from there I drafted scrap outfielders, since my organization was thin with them anyway, but they ran out quickly as well.

All in all, the Raccoons drafted the following players:

Round 1: #2 MR Richard Cunningham, 18, from Moreno Valley, CA. Has some serious stuff. Listed as reliever but I plan to convert him to a starter.
Round 2: #5 MR Gary Simmons, 20, rural Oregon. Big time stuff, with movement to be developed. Listed as reliever, but another guy that could also be a starter – or even a successful closer.
Round 3: #10 1B Johnny Snow, 17, Waco, TX. Big bat, small glove, serious work to be done.
Round 4: MR Marvin Large, 21, Providence, RI. Should be a good bullpen piece somewhere down that road.
Round 5: C Eric Gregory, 22, New York City boy.
Round 6: MR Jeff Nelson, 21, from Tennessee, described as serviceable majors pen member.
Round 7: LF/RF Fernando Perez, 20, from Mexico.
Round 8: LF/RF Jose Lopez, 18, from Mexico.
Round 9: MR Andre Dupond, 22, from Canada.
Round 10: SP Gonzalo Torres, 17, from Dominica.

Simmons, Large, and Nelson go straight to AA, the rest is sent to the A level. This was not a very good draft class in my opinion.

By the way, I should have received an additional pick for Ben Green, who was a type A free agent, but didn’t. Something seemed to have gone awfully wrong here. Any hint at what I could have done wrong with him? :-(

In the aftermath I made some more moves in the minors to reduce the A roster a bit. Outfield prospect Andy Simms was moved to AA. Reliever Bill Craig went to AAA, and reliever Miguel Bojorquez moved to AA along with catcher Victor Walter.

Daniel Hall had just come back to the AA team, but had gone 0-13 at the plate since then. Worries there.

06-17-2012, 06:54 AM	#26
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 11,903	The 1978 draft pool does not contain any 5-star potential rated starting pitchers (yet some who might be able to be converted). This makes passing on Andres Ramirez last year all the more painful. All our top pick Daniel Hall has done in AA is batting .300 with little power and getting hurt. There were certainly some interesting players in the pool, with a trio of relievers (two potential starters), a few infielders and there were certainly options for strong defensive and good offensive catchers, but none that combined both features. Our first pick was #2, and we’d see what would remain after that. I once again was not sure whom to take as a top pick, but in contrast to last year this was not because of two WOW MUST HAVE guys, but rather because there was nobody in there without some flaws. Here are the (about) Top 10 players compiled through scouting reports: SP John Douglas (8/14/3 – 12/19/11 – 17) – top rated starter in there MR Richard Cunningham (11/10/5 – 20/15/17 – 16) – could be everything from starter to closer MR Carlos Martinez (10/16/10 – 20/18/17 – 6) – screams closer, 22 yo Dominican future star, little work to be done 1B Yong-chan Cong (7/2/5 – 17/10/18) – defensively weak MR Gary Simmons (12/8/7 – 19/9/13 – 15) – could be a top closer, but could be converted to a #1 starter 1B/2B/SS/3B Mike Grimes (9/1/6 – 17/1/17) – no power at all, best at 1B 1B/2B/SS Bobby Brewster (6/2/6 – 11/9/15) LF/CF/RF Jeff Young (6/2/4 – 10/9/12) – big range RF Carlos Leon (10/5/8 – 13/9/13) 1B Johnny Snow (7/2/3 – 15/13/10) – defensively a burden, but with a power bat Even if you pick #2, it means somebody picks before you. The evil Loggers picked John “Barbwire” Douglas, my #1 ranked player. Damn youuuuu!! (shakes fist) Two of my Top 10 survived the first round and supplemental round. I took Simmons in the second round and Snow in the third, surprised he was still there. His inability to catch a ball must have contributed to that. By round 4, only relievers, catchers and some infielders with small bats from my shortlist remained. The last shortlisted player went in round 6 to the Canadiens, from there I drafted scrap outfielders, since my organization was thin with them anyway, but they ran out quickly as well. All in all, the Raccoons drafted the following players: Round 1: #2 MR Richard Cunningham, 18, from Moreno Valley, CA. Has some serious stuff. Listed as reliever but I plan to convert him to a starter. Round 2: #5 MR Gary Simmons, 20, rural Oregon. Big time stuff, with movement to be developed. Listed as reliever, but another guy that could also be a starter – or even a successful closer. Round 3: #10 1B Johnny Snow, 17, Waco, TX. Big bat, small glove, serious work to be done. Round 4: MR Marvin Large, 21, Providence, RI. Should be a good bullpen piece somewhere down that road. Round 5: C Eric Gregory, 22, New York City boy. Round 6: MR Jeff Nelson, 21, from Tennessee, described as serviceable majors pen member. Round 7: LF/RF Fernando Perez, 20, from Mexico. Round 8: LF/RF Jose Lopez, 18, from Mexico. Round 9: MR Andre Dupond, 22, from Canada. Round 10: SP Gonzalo Torres, 17, from Dominica. Simmons, Large, and Nelson go straight to AA, the rest is sent to the A level. This was not a very good draft class in my opinion. By the way, I should have received an additional pick for Ben Green, who was a type A free agent, but didn’t. Something seemed to have gone awfully wrong here. Any hint at what I could have done wrong with him? :-( In the aftermath I made some more moves in the minors to reduce the A roster a bit. Outfield prospect Andy Simms was moved to AA. Reliever Bill Craig went to AAA, and reliever Miguel Bojorquez moved to AA along with catcher Victor Walter. Daniel Hall had just come back to the AA team, but had gone 0-13 at the plate since then. Worries there.