Hey team! We'll start off the new-look When The Giants Come To Town with a "big picture" review of the just completed 2021 MLB Draft. I'm not going to do my usual deep dive rundown of every player drafted. Instead, we'll look at how their draft fits into the "big picture" of the organization.
Obviously, everybody is talking about the first 9 picks all being pitchers. I know there's been talk of aw shucks, that's just how the board played. Of course we took the Best Player Available every step of the way! I mean I guess it's possible but both FZ and Scott Harris were sending strong signals before the draft they were looking to balance out the farm system and big time.
That they did while taking 8 of the 9 out of college. On average, college pitchers move much faster than HS pitchers and are far less likely to bust. It's not too farfetched to think the top guy, Will Bednar RHP, could be pitching in a Giants uniform by September. Speaking of Bednar, not only does he come from the same school as Will Clark 1B, he's the second pitcher they've drafted out of Miss St. after Chris Stratton RHP, but he's going to be a lot better than Stratton. You heard it here first! After that, they loaded up on big dudes with mid-high 90's velocity and high K rates.
There was buzz before the Giants pick at #14 they were talking to Kahlil Watson HS SS who would be yet another high ceiling addition to the organization. I would have been completely down with that, and they still could have loaded up on college pitching with the next 8 picks. As it played out, I'm equally down with the fast moving college pitcher. You can never have too much pitching, right?
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I'll start posting more often as we come out of the break. I will not be posting daily Game Wraps or Down on the Farm and I probably won't be posting every day at all. I will be looking for single focus stories that catch my eye and post them when see them. My estimate is it will be anywhere from 1-4 times per week.
Hello DrB,
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you. Good to have you back. I will miss your daily updates, but will look forward to your single focus stories just as much.
Best Regards...
-kar120c
Good to see you back Doc. I like Will Bednar so I'm pretty ok with the pick, but down on the philosophy at the same time. Rumors that we were in on Harris but balked at the price tag last minute, and the organization now seems to have a track record of going for underslot college guys in the first round. Maybe it works out because of Harrison but I would prefer we take the gamble on a top rated guy in the first, that's where we find the elite talent IMO.
ReplyDeleteI mean we only took one HS guy in the first 10 picks, so it's not even like we got a Harrison type for going underslot this year. In hindsight this seemed like the perfect year to grab Harris because we took so many college guys (many seniors..)
Either way like you mentioned in another post, the track record for first round picks really needs to improve IMO. People see the team is doing so well that is awesome, but we really aren't like the dodgers/padres that are built on young elite talent. Our top 5 WRC+ bats are on the wrong side of 30. Plenty of good young depth, but our star players have been the older guys so we need some of these prospects to eventually turn into high end players.
The draft seems so complicated- teams need to not only scout for talent but also determine how to allocate their spending in a manner to maximize the talent they acquire. Advantage goes to the smart guys in such a system and I think the Giants have a very “smart” group led by Farhan.
ReplyDeleteAverson Arteaga is getting lots of run for his fast start down in the AZ League - he plays for the Giants Orange team. I have spoken with someone who has seen him live multiple times who says he is absolutely legit. Serious power.
ReplyDeleteAnother high ceiling MIF in the Giants pipeline.
Sounds good Doc, you do your thing.
ReplyDeleteWould love to still be able to read a run down of the first 2 or 3 picks, I'm really pleased with what FZ and Scott Harris did.
thanks for your report and i like your new approach! look forward to your insights, Doc. note: while the Giants made it 9 pitchers in a row, those wacky Angels went full title boogie and drafted 20 pitchers!
ReplyDeletefinally, i have only the most basic understanding of the "over and under slot" stuff, but it seems bonus money was the reason the Giants passed on Watson?
I'm guessing they passed on Watson because he's a HS hitter in the 1st round, and that's an easy way to miss in the first round. HS hitters are very difficult to develop to the majors, so many things can happen along the way. Additionally, I think the Giants sense that their window is going to be coming open in a big way in about 2 years, and that's when they want their MiLB talent to pop through into the majors.
DeleteKeep in mind folks, there's like $160M available in FA for 2022 and beyond. There's big moves a'comin.
Welcome back DrBGiantsfan! Hope you had a good break. You do a very good job with your site and I enjoy reading it all the time.
ReplyDeleteYou have to find a pic of Rohan Handa kid the Giants drafted, he's got the Rollie Fingers stache going.
Maria I. Guardado:
ReplyDeleteRHP Jimmie Sherfy was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers.
Sherfy to the Ds helps the Giants both ways.
DeleteRIP Dick Tidrow
ReplyDeleteI just saw this. Didn't know that he died. A primary reason for the building of the dynasty. Prayers for his family. Thanks for all that you did for this team.
DeleteSabean came on the radio and shared a story about how Dick scouted Timmy and was so impressed he firmly told Sabes to stay far away from Washington so to not draw anymore attention to the possibility of the Giants drafting him.
DeleteDoc:
ReplyDeleteI have been reading this blog religiously since day 1. Seems like time to Thank you again for all you do. Even if you never post another article, I will cherish the time I spend on this blog.
A couple of random thoughts:
I am somewhat dismay by the excessive influence that Holmes have in the Giants' draft process. They should be drafting the best player available, not the best player available in my neighborhood. I realize that little is expected of players drafted after the 10th round, but still...
I am also not a fan of the churn. I used to pride myself in knowing the players up and down the Giants' system. Now, I can't even tell who is in San Francisco vs Sacramento. I guess I have to tolerate it, especially if it results in the end game of winning the World Series.
Anon #1
Any "white whales" or anyone you(or anyone else) are particularly excited about in the draft class?
ReplyDeleteSeth Lonsway LHP. Huge K rates in a major college conference but wild as a hare, or is it hair? If the Giants coaching ninjas can get him to command that stuff, he could be a future ace.
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