Mariners Rumors: Griffey, Draft, Morrow

Amen to emotionless signings! Now if we can just eliminate emotion from the sport...

i was bored
As a Tigers fan, these are some suggestions for the #9 pick Detroit has (maybe this will also help with who is a top pick in the draft and knowing a bit about him):

2009 MLB Draft

Detroit Tigers Early Draft Wish List

Player, Position
Explaination/ Scouting Report

1. S Strasburg, RHP
Duh! This guy's amazing! He obviously will not slip down to
the #9 pick the Tigers have, but c'mon, every team has Stras #1 on
their draft meter (no matter what pick they have). Scouts are drooling
over his stuff: upper 90's fastball, and three plus offspeed pitches
(change, slider, and a curve). He is projected to be an ace on any
pitching staff. He has dominated everyone he has faced, and he has
shown poise way beyond his years. Strasburg will definatley be the No.
1 pick, if the Nats can shell out the money for him (they failed
miserably in the Aaron Crow fiasco). If not, Seattle will snatch him up.

2. G Green, SS
The Tigers need position players, and Green is one of the
best in the draft. The Tigers also need Shortstop and Middle Infield
help. Sure, they have Iorg and Worth in their minor league system, but
they might not pan out. Green would be a solid pick because he has a
strong bat and an above average glove. A bit on the thin side, he will
probably lose range once he gains some weight (so a possible move to
third could be in his future). He has torn up the Cape Cod League, and
he could become the best hitter in the draft. Unfortunaty for Detroit,
Green will most likely be drafted in the Top 5.

3. M Purke, LHP
This guy's also a stud. He is considered the top prep
pitcher in the draft, but since he is still young (but not raw) the
Tigers would have to take him slow (like Porcello). But, Purke has
great potential. He has a good fastball for a lefty (mid 90's), and
excellent control with it. His out pitch is definatly his slider,
which is filthy. He is also developing a change-up. His velocity
should also increase as he fills out. Purke can go deep into games
without wearing down; however, his delivery is not very fluid at
times. He will most likely be drafted before the Tigers' #9 pick.

4. A Crow, RHP
Last years 1st round pick for the Nationals. Might be a
tough player to sign, but signability has never been an issue with the
Tigers. He could become a front of the rotation starter or even an ace
of a pitching staff. He has three devastating pitches: a good, hard
fastball with sink (mid to upper 90's), a slider, and a good change-
up. He has a good delivery, but has some sort of "funk" in it: a
slight wrist twitch. This potential flaw in his mechanics does not
have scouts seriously concerned. Crow may have slipped down to #9 last
year, but he will most likely not be available at the Tigers #9 pick
this year. Crow would be able to rise through any minor league system
and reach the majors quickly.

5. T Matzek, LHP
Also a stud prep pitcher. He has good command with a firm
fastball (mid
90's) and has three, solid offspeed pitches. The big lefty (6-3) is
only in high school, so Matzek would also be taken slowly along his
path to the Show. However, he has major league stuff, and like Purke,
Matzek could make a fast leap to the majors if needed. He also has a
fluid, easy, repeatable delivery, something scouts love. Matzek has
the biggest chance to slide down to the #9 pick for the Tigers;
although, his stock is rising rapidly.

6. R Jackson/ R Shields, SS
Jackson is a highly athletic shortstop, and Shields has
quickly risen on the draft boards due to his success in the Cape Cod
League. Although Shields is ranked higher than Jackson, Shields is a
Div II athlete (Florida Southern College), and Jackson is a Div I
athlete (from Miami). Both are very gifted infielders, and they have
the potential to be solid hitters with decent pop (think Khalil
Greene). The Tigers need more position players in their pitcher
dominated system. Jackson's value is dropping and Shields' is quickly
increasing.

7. M Givens, RHP/SS
Another high school athlete with a lot of potential. He
currently projects as a pitcher (mid to upper 90's heat and decent
offspeed pitches), but is considered to be very raw as a pitcher. He
has a deceptive side-arm delivery, and he could be a useful relief
pitcher. He is a five-tool, two-way player. At shortstop, he has good
fielding skills and a strong arm, but a bad arm angle to be drafted as
a shortstop. Since he is so raw as a pitcher (and he is projected to
be drafted as one), his draft status has slipped some.

8. A White, RHP
Another top pitcher in the draft. Control has been a bit of
a problem, but it has not hindered his performance ("effectivley
wild"). White features a mid 90's fastball and a sharp slider (his
slider has drawn comparisons with Brandon Webb). He also has an
average change-up (in developement). White is projected to be a front
of the rotation guy. He has a very smooth delivery, and posted a very
strong ERA in college. The UNC Tar Heels have a strong history of
rolling out MLB ready pitchers, and the Tigers have drafted a UNC
pitcher before (A Miller). He would reach the majors quickly.

9. A Maddox/ L Bailey, C
It's no secret the Tigers need catching in their
organization and these two are solid prep catchers. Maddox has some
mad power, and the strongest arm of any prep catcher in the draft.
Maddox can also pitch, and may be projected to do so (although he has
very powerful bat). Bailey is a solid, consistent prep catcher. He can
make contact and has quick feet behind the dish but not an impressive
arm for a catcher. Max Strassi is also an elite prep catcher (some
scouts have him ranked higher than Bailey and Maddox), but has been
very inconsistent. His numbers also might be a bit inflated due to the
weak league he is in. Both would be solid picks, but not for an early
first round choice.

10. D Ackley, OF/1st
Considered the best, pure hitter in the draft, Ackley also
has a very good glove at first (although he could move to the
outfield). He has the best and purest swing in the draft. The Tigers
could use another bat in their future, but they already have a first
baseman locked up (Cabrera). Ackley would probably then be moved to
the outfield. Although, he probably will not slip down to the #9 pick
the Tigers have.

On the Radar

D Tate, K Gibson, M Strassi, K Davis, J Turner, A Oliver, T Scheppers,
M Davidson, C Jenkins, D Webb, M Minor, Z Wheeler, I Krol, S Bittle

Note:

GM David Dombrowski has a track record to draft hard throwing pitchers
over position players. Also, signability is no longer a concern to the
Tigers. They had their top draftees signed and playing in the minors
before many other teams even started talks. They are willing to flex
their financial muscles and give large signing bonuses to draftees.

The Mariners plan on taking the best available player with their second overall pick in this year's June draft.

Well hell i'd hope so..good grief

"The chances of Ken Griffey Jr.'s return to Seattle seem slim. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said he plans on "taking the emotion out of signings.""

Seems the new GM would like to take the emotion out of the fan base as well.

Everyone may be drooling over Strasberg, but keep in mind that the last college pitcher this hyped was Mark Prior, and sadly Strasberg is already being compared to him in more ways than one...

http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/11/18/665018/quick-note-stephen-strasbu

He's still clearly the #1 pick, but if I were the Nats I'd take advantage of his pitching for a few years and then look to trade him for a massive haul of prospects and let his new team worry about is long term injury prospects. Sadly, the Nats could probably never do that as fans would revolt about a franchise that has struggled for years dealing away a young star.

pskip13
you should go to scout.com and talk to fellow tiger fans on our site, your info would be much appreciated

Also, having White at #8 is a little nuts. He is considered by many to be the #2 talent in this years draft.

A good portion of the Mariner fan base doesn't know what is good for them. If Edgar and Bone came out of retirement to to pitch and catch in 2009, two thirds of Seattle fans would pee their pants. I can't tell you how many grannies I've overheard wondering aloud why Willie Bloomquist wasn't starting, after all, he's the best player on the team. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jack.

Seattle will take either Green or White in my opinion.

The M's have Bedard, Washburn, Batista off the books in 2010 and that leaves only Felix, Morrow and RRS as holdovers (maybe Heilman). And Morrow/RRS haven't shown they can handle the load as of yet. Either way, the M's are going to be thin on pitching in 2010 and 2011 with most of their prospective starters being at least 2 years out. They are going to be missing Chris Tillman HUGE in 2010. So the Mariners really could use a potential TOR guy like Crow or White to slot in the upper minors above Aumont, Pineda, Ramirez, etc. I could definitely see them taking a pitcher.

BUT.. They also don't have any sort of SS on the way either. Betancourt is only the SS by default. And he is getting worse. 2009 will be a very telling year for the future of Yuni in Seattle. Aside from him, most people think Triunfel will be moved to 2B or 3B in the next few years. Enter Grant Green. IF Green can stick at SS and IF he can come close to living up to his Evan Longoria comparisons, he is a perfect fit in Seattle. But there are legitimate doubts he can do either.

So White or Crow would be the safest bet at #2 for the Mariners but I'm hoping for a breakout from Green to put him over the top in Seattle's eye.

"The M's have Bedard, Washburn, Batista off the books in 2010 and that leaves only Felix, Morrow and RRS as holdovers (maybe Heilman)."

Don't forget the Sliver of Talent, Carlos Silva!

Oh, wait, you were trying to forget?

My guess is that the M's won't be able to trade him until about halfway through the 2010 season at the earliest, so we're stuck with him for now.

And Heilman is eligible for free agency at the end of 2010, so unless the M's trade him before then, they'll have him until then.

So, that leaves Felix Hernandez, Brandon Morrow, Carlos Silva, and Ryan Rowland-Smith in the starting rotation at this time next year, which is not a bad #1-4(even if Silva sucks). ;)

"A good portion of the Mariner fan base doesn't know what is good for them. If Edgar and Bone came out of retirement to to pitch and catch in 2009, two thirds of Seattle fans would pee their pants. I can't tell you how many grannies I've overheard wondering aloud why Willie Bloomquist wasn't starting, after all, he's the best player on the team. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jack."

Rudolf; well said, and spot on my friend.

I think Morrow diserves a spot in the rotation!