BA Sox draft questions in chat with Callis

by bhoov on Feb 11, 2008 2:32 PM CST

Some draft questions at BA.

It seems the top 8 right now are Alvarez, Matusz, Crow, Smoak, Melville, Beckham, Hosmer, Alonso. I'd be happy with any of those 8. Of course it's still early, and that will almost certainly change, but it seems like a relatively deep draft according to Callis. Only Alvarez and Hosmer are represented by Boras so far.

Q: Steve from Chicago asks:
Hey Jim. There's great fear in Chicago that the White Sox will continue to not take the best available talent. Their 1st round picks in recent years seem to be conservative picks while passing on much higher ceiling players. Granted they've been picking lower in the draft, but what do you envision them doing with this year's 8th overall pick? Watching the Tigers snag elite talent (some of which the Sox passed on) while not being afraid to go over slot is not making Sox fans very happy about the Sox' recent draft philosophies.

A: Jim Callis: I've heard that fear as well (I live on the North Side up here in Subzeroland). Last year, GM Kenny Williams reportedly mandated landing some multitooled athletes, but they loaded up on pitchers. I don't think you'll see Jerry Reinsdorf start playing the over-slot game, but I do think you'll see the White Sox take a quality player at No. 8. They might be in play for one of the first basemen, like South Carolina's Justin Smoak or Miami's Yonder Alonso, or someone like Skipworth. I'd be a little surprised if Chicago took another pitcher. The Sox system is really bereft of advanced hitters right now.

Q: Landy from Hinsdale asks:
White Sox fans believe Kenny Williams is enamored enough with Jordan Danks that there's contemplation about selection him 8th overall. Please reassure me that this won't happen. Please Jim. For the love of Shoeless Joe, say it ain't so...

A: Jim Callis: Oh boy. The White Sox did take a late-round flier out of high school and did deal for his brother. And if they wanted Danks, they might have to take him at No. 8 because they won't pick again until No. 84. But I can't see them popping Danks there at all, and he could be available at No. 84. He looks great, but his bat isn't what scouts thought it would be at this point. So, it ain't so . . .

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/chat.php?id=2008021101&rnd=12

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still think

its way too early to speculate on the draft, what if jordan danks puts up a monster year? i could see KW goin after him then. way too many "what ifs" though.

12/12/07- We'll miss you Andy Gonzalez

by The Deacon on Feb 11, 2008 2:39 PM CST reply actions

Said it many times before...

I'd love the Sox to draft my boy Smoak.

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Feb 11, 2008 2:43 PM CST reply actions

By the way...

Some other S. Carolina alumni in MLB... Brian Roberts... Adam Everett... and uhm... give me a sec...

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Feb 11, 2008 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

I thought...

the consensus was that Smoak wouldn't fall to the Sox.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on Feb 11, 2008 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

ick.

Smoak #2

Smoak #5

Not lookin' good.

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Feb 11, 2008 2:53 PM CST up reply actions

that 1st one

must be very old. Aaron Crow and Matusz are the consensus top 2 college pitchers going into the season and they had Crow at the bottom of the 1st round.

by bhoov on Feb 11, 2008 3:15 PM CST up reply actions

old

or done by idiots. if the draft were today, beckham wouldn't last five picks let alone until the second round.

by larry on Feb 11, 2008 3:34 PM CST up reply actions

It's looking

like the "done by idiots" option. Not only do they have tim beckham lasting until the second round, but they have him being in college in North Carolina as opposed to high school in Georgia.

by bhoov on Feb 11, 2008 3:58 PM CST up reply actions

i simply googled mlb draft 2008

and that's what i got. any others you can find?

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Feb 11, 2008 6:32 PM CST up reply actions

i'm not really looking for

who will to be drafted where, as that's all speculation now anyhow, but really i want to know each teams' needs and player bios on the top picks

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Feb 11, 2008 6:34 PM CST up reply actions

each team needs

the best player available.

by larry on Feb 11, 2008 7:54 PM CST up reply actions

haha. good one

I guess I'm thinking too much about the NFL draft right now.

But some GM's may not take a 3B if they just spent last year's top 10 pick on one if a hot pitcher or 1B is available. Or they might. Depends on the GM. Some take best player available, some try not to overstack the same position.

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Feb 11, 2008 11:31 PM CST up reply actions

best player available

is usually not cut and dry. the best player available at a given draft slot, especially as one moves further down the draft board (porcello type scenarios excepted), is usually one of a few players. i suppose one can argue that a team would not take a 3B if they took one last year. but rarely is a position player considered married to a position for life (maybe a totally unathletic player who is a 1B would fit this). if you draft a 3B again, the easy way to sell it is by saying "x can also play y and z positions and, at any rate, we should just let these guys develop."

the basic point is that a team that drafted a SS in 1992 and had the #1 pick in 1993 wasn't going to say "we're not going to take alex rodriguez because we drafted a SS last year. SS isn't a need position for us anymore." arod was by far the best player available in that draft - little to no argument on that. no team would have passed on him. well, maybe the pirates.

by larry on Feb 12, 2008 11:12 AM CST up reply actions