Just a quick note, Keith gave his listing of the Top 6o players heading into the spring, and highlighted a number of guys to watch for who could be improving their stock. You can see the list here, though it’s Insider content, so you cheapskates (I kid, I kid) can only get the first few paragraphs. With the impending loss of Aaron Rowand, it could mean an additional 1st rounder, or more likely, a 2nd rounder plus a compensation round pick. This year’s draft, according to Keith, has more corner guys, both in the infield and outfield, and fewer up the middle players, while the collection of prep arms will pale in comparison to last year’s haul. How much money the Phillies are willing to spend on the draft will again be an issue. We’ll definitely have our first round pick (unless we sign a Type A free agent), then the comp pick for Rowand, plus an extra pick in either the 1st or 2nd round (possibly 3rd, if the signing team signs a player better than Rowand), plus the extra pick after the 3rd round because we didn’t sign Workman.
14 thoughts on “Keith Law’s Top 60 amateurs for 2008”
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Phuture Phillies 
You can never have too much pitching, but I’d have to think the organization is going to be taking a C/3B/OF early in the draft this year. The lack in position players in this system is scary.
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We need to take an OF 1st, then 3rd, then some pitchers, and find a good steal at C
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They could always use more prospects at every position, but C isn’t one i’m that worried about.
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Catcher is still a good position to take fairly early if a talent is available, since Phillies develop catchers well and catchers are extremely tradeable. My first choice is a college 3B if a good one is on the board and then pitching and a corner OF, but I would not pass up a good C if one is on the board when we pick.
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With our first round pick, I’d take the best available, obviously, and I’d do the same with the comp pick. After that, I’d look at a corner position, then possibly a pure shortstop if one is there, and I’d spend the next 4 or 5 picks on projectable high school arms, and maybe a polished college arm in there somewhere.
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Won’t we also get a 2nd comp pick because Freddy Garcia is a type B free agent? Am I missing something?
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The only way we get that pick is if we offer him arbitration and he signs elsewhere, or someone signs him before December 7th. I don’t think either option is likely. If they offer him arbitration, the minimum he’ll get is around 7-8M, and he’s likely to not pitch until at least the All Star Break. He’d surely take the arbitration. Can’t risk it.
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Oh ok I forgot about the arbitration part. Thanks.
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I thought with the new collective bargaining agreement that a team didn’t lose draft picks for signing FA? in the past I know that the Phills have lost high draft picks for signing guys like Jim Thome for example. you make a comment in the opening post about the Phils high picks this year IF they don’t sign a ‘Type A free agent’. what does that mean exactly?
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The new collective bargaining agreement does not change compensation for Type A FA. You still lose your first or second draft pick. The agreement does reduce the number of FA who qualify as Type A and does eliminate loss of a draft pick when you sign a Type B FA.
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“With our first round pick, I’d take the best available, obviously, and I’d do the same with the comp pick. After that, I’d look at a corner position, then possibly a pure shortstop if one is there, and I’d spend the next 4 or 5 picks on projectable high school arms, and maybe a polished college arm in there somewhere.”
After our first 2 picks , we’ll take 4 college seniors with prep arms available.
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Hi PhuturePhillies and all ships at sea!
I thought since the 2008 Draft is approaching, any body interested in whats happened to Nick Morreale, my son, and a 2006 DFE, I might take a moment and shed some light. Nick is finishing his sophomore year at Mesa Community College. Over the last two years, Nick has honed his skills and improved his strength and quickness. Nick has alternated at catcher and has played first base and third base and has even closed a few games this year. 90+. If there are any of you who remember, Nick wanted to take sometime after the 2006 draft (Phillies Round 48) to develop and then hopefully sign at the top of his game. God has willed him healthy and he is ready. Nick has timed out as an avegage major leaguer in all the timed categories, 6.9 to 7.0 60yeard dash, 1.8 to 1.9 glove to glove to second, etc. He is 6’3″ and 210 and has hit with wood the last two seasons and posts a 300+ batting ave. and an ob% of almost 500. His conference in Arizona is most competitive and he faces 90+ most of the time. The Cleveland Indians have spoken to his coach a number of times and Nick has committed and signed a Letter of Intent (90%) to Northern Illinois University for the fall and will probably play in the Northwood League this summer pending the draft. Bob Szymkowski, Midwest Supervising Scout for the Phillies, has been most supportive of Nick and has gone to bat for Nick with anyone that inquires. Bob was most instrumental in helping Nick with Northern Illinois and Coach Ed Mathey. I also think that it is very good for Nick to fall back under Bob’s jurisdiction in Illinois to rekindle the Phillies interest. I wouldn’t be more happy then for the Phillies to take interest in Nick once again. The Phillies, from top to bottom, have been most kind to Nick and win loose or draw, I will forever be in awe of their class and professionalism. Its certainly a fun time for me to be still on this side of the grass!!!
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Wow. Thanks for sharing that. Its good to hear he’s doing well. Should he end up at Northern Illinois it will help his draft stock, but I have a feeling he’ll get popped by some team this June if he’s fully healthy and playing well. Again, best of luck, and thanks for stopping back in to update us.
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PhuturePhillies and all else
I know I was a bit wordy last time but I forgot a thought. My son was in the 2006 draft and one of the guys that were in the last bunch of DFE’S. I hope that the Phils do not forget about these guys. Many were drafted in the late rounds because they good enough to the organization know they wanted to develop a bit more and go into baseball to become a major leaguer then just a pro player. Consequently, those guys went in the late rounds. Now, after two years of getting bigger and stronger and better, they are ripe for the picking and ready to go and not necessarily in the top rounds. Most probably have offers to D-1 schools if not already in one so the carrot is just a bit more money then the scholarship. They already were deemed valuable to the organization.
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