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Draft Updates: M’s, Padres, Pirates, O’s

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Here are some updates to prepare you for the top five picks in the 2009 draft, which takes place a week from tomorrow.
  • The Mariners pick second and they have four of the first 51 picks. That's why the Mariners' scouting director told MLB.com's Jim Street that this is the most important draft in franchise history. That's a bold statement considering the Mariners drafted both Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. Dustin Ackley, who the Mariners may well choose, told David Laurila of Baseball Prospectus that he doesn't care who drafts him.
  • The Padres are tight-lipped about what they plan to do with their third overall pick, as MLB.com's Corey Brock reports.
  • Pirates GM Neal Huntington identified Stephen Strasburg as the best available pitcher and Ackley as the best available hitter in Jenifer Langosch's MLB.com article. The Pirates, who pick fourth, say there's a group of quality arms available after those two players.
  • Baltimore's director of scouting says the O's will take the best available player in next week's draft. MLB.com's Spencer Fordin says they'll have the chance to take an elite arm with their fifth overall pick. 
  • Lane Meyer of NoMaas.org heard that the Yankees are impressed by the depth of the left-handed pitching class in this year's draft. 

No Regrets For Jays On Snider Situation

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It's become a trend in baseball to hold top prospects back at the beginning of the season. We've seen the Rays do this with David Price, and the same situation would have occurred with Evan Longoria had it not been for injuries on the big league club. The Orioles finally just called up Matt Wieters this weekend, and the Brewers employed this method with Ryan Braun back in 2007.

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has a different outlook on the situation, and says that he has no regrets in making the decision to give Toronto's prized outfield prospect Travis Snider a shot on the big league club to start the season:

"I don't get caught up in the whole, 'Oh, we better hold this guy back, because we control him' [attitude]. I think what you want to do is take your best players and, if they have to go back down, they go back down. You can still get that time back a couple months down the road."

Snider certainly earned his way onto the club, hitting .381 while clubbing four home runs and driving in 10 runs through 22 games this Spring, but has gone into a deep slump after a hot start. In the month of May, Snider had posted a line of .213/.237/.243 and 11 strikeouts with just one walk.

Baltimore's Andy MacPhail commented on his own situation with Wieters, using Snider's struggles to support his decision to keep Wieters in the minors:

"We think Wieters is ready," MacPhail was quoted as saying in the Toronto Sun. "We don't want to be like Toronto with Snider and return the player to the Minors."

Did Ricciardi rush Snider to the Majors? What would the MLBTR readers have done in that situation, given Snider's strong Spring Training performance?

Chad Moeller Designated For Assignment

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According to a press release, the Orioles designated backup catcher Chad Moeller for assignment to make room for super-prospect Matt Wieters.  Moeller, 34, hit .200/.259/.360 in 54 plate appearances.  But more importantly, it's Wieters Time!

On a related note, Tom Tango asked today:

Please, just one time I’d like to hear an honest reason for why star players are being held back.  Just once.

Odds & Ends: Draft, Rangers, Feliz

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Another collection of random links…

Matt Wieters To Debut Friday

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He's finally coming…multiple readers have emailed that Orioles president Andy MacPhail said on MASN that top prospect Matt Wieters will debut Friday in Baltimore against Dontrelle Willis and the Tigers.  Wieters, 23, posted a .285/.367/.482 line in Triple A.  He slugged .552 in May.

Since the Orioles were patient with him, Wieters likely won't become a Super Two player. Even if he never sees the minors after his weekend debut, he'll accumulate just 129 days of service time this year and won't have enough experience to become a Super Two after 2011. Every player to become a Super Two in the last three offseasons has had at least two years, 130 days service time. Wieters will hit free agency after the 2015 season regardless, but he'll go to arbitration three times, instead of four. By showing restraint this year Baltimore saved millions of dollars down the road, when they expect to contend.

No player making his MLB debut between now and the end of the season is likely to become a Super Two after 2011, even if he sticks in the majors. This matters for teams like the Braves who can now call up players like Tommy Hanson without paying extra for them in years to come.

Ben Nicholson-Smith also contributed to this post

MacPhail On The O’s

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Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun spoke recently with Orioles president Andy MacPhail.  His club is on pace for less than 70 wins this season, but MacPhail is generally pleased with the direction the organization is headed.

"The Orioles are less than two seasons into his plan and this particular season has a very particular transitional purpose," writes Schmuck.  "That's why he's not willing to rush Matt Wieters and [Chris] Tillman and some of the other top prospects into the fray.  Wieters will be here in the next week or two and the others will come when the time is right, not because the club needs a marketing boost."

The O's made a couple of questionable personnel moves this offseason — signing Adam Eaton and dealing for Felix Pie — but the nucleus for future success would seem to be in place.  Adam Jones is a budding star in the outfield and Wieters is as close to a no-doubt prospect as they come.

"Things don't change overnight," MacPhail said Friday.  "We really have made more progress than what you could have reasonably assumed."

Orioles Release Adam Eaton

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4:22pm: According to the Baltimore Sun it's official- Eaton's been released. As the Sun points out, Eaton only completed five innings in two of his eight starts this year. Albers will get the call to join the O's.

3:34pm: As Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports, the Orioles will relase Adam Eaton. This has yet to be confirmed by the Orioles.

Kubatko believes the O's will call up Matt Albers to serve as a long reliever, but he doesn't know who will take Eaton's rotation spot.

Odds And Ends: Padres, Takatsu, Sano

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Links for Friday afternoon…

  • SI.com's Tom Verducci heard one GM argue that the Padres should trade Jake Peavy and Adrian Gonzalez to re-stock the farm system.
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo breaks down what will happen after Stephen Strasburg's drafted by the Nationals. He predicts that eight or nine college arms could go in the first 20 picks, if you count redrafts like Aaron Crow and Tanner Scheppers. 
  • According to Mike Rutsey of the Toronto Sun, Travis Snider was sent to Triple A by the Blue Jays. Snider was hitting .242/.292/.394, with 25 strikeouts in 99 at bats.
  • According to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker, Shingo Takatsu auditioned in front of the D'Backs and Giants. He threw as hard as 86 mph and impressed scouts with his breaking balls. If the name sounds familiar it's because the 40-year-old sidearmer used to close for the White Sox.
  • Steve Melewski of MASN wonders if Nolan Reimold has seen the last of the minor leagues. After a slow start, the left fielder is seven for his last 18, including a homer off Mariano Rviera.
  • Via Twitter, Keith Law suggests pitcher Sonny Gray would go in the top three picks of this year's draft if he were eligible.
  • Live to Play suggests the list of suitors for Miguel Angel Sano will soon "thin out to the very serious contenders" for the 16-year-old shortstop prospect.
  • Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star writes that the ideal trade for the Royals might be Mike Jacobs or Jose Guillen for a "capable shortstop."

Odds and Ends: Big Papi, Ray, Murphy

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The night in baseball so far…

  • David Ortiz finally homered after 149 regular-season at-bats without a home run dating back to September 22, 2008. Home runs tend to come in bunches, so if Ortiz quickly follows with a few more, consider the Red Sox less interested in hitters like Aubrey Huff or Nick Johnson.
  • Chris Ray is throwing with desired velocity, but still doesn't have his location, according to Spencer Fordin or MLB.com. Watch Ray's walk rate. He's walked nine in 12 2/3 innings. But with 15 strikeouts in that time, he's a bit of control away from helping the Orioles-or perhaps a contending team, come the trade deadline.
  • All those thinking the Mets will trade for a first baseman, watch the next four games carefully. The Mets are giving Daniel Murphy a chance to grab the position, and Murphy, a natural third baseman, should have an easier adjustment there than in left field.

Heyman On Mets, Trades, Billingsley

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman wonders why the Mets aren't giving Daniel Murphy a chance as their regular first baseman.  He names trade possibilities, in order of likelihood: Nick Johnson, Aubrey Huff, Russell Branyan, Victor Martinez/Mark DeRosa, and Garrett Atkins.
  • Heyman names 22 players who might hit the trading block this summer, headed by Jake Peavy, Matt Holliday, and Erik Bedard.  The A's could potentially have a lot of veterans to spin off.
  • Heyman says "the Dodgers briefly tried to lock up Chad Billingsley this winter, and probably wish they had."  Billingsley will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season, so his salary figures to jump up past $4MM.
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