Sorry I don’t have time for a more substantial post today. I’ve been thinking about nothing but Arsenal’s match against AC Milan today, and unfortunately it’s prohibited me from thinking about anything Phillies related. But I did want to quickly sum up the Phillies 2008 draft picks, as the order looks close to set.

#24
#34
#51 (could be as low as 53 if both Shannon Stewart and Mike Piazza sign with other teams)
#71 (could be as low as 72 if both Shannon Stewart and Mike Piazza sign with other teams)
#109 (could be as low as 111, same reason above)
#111 (could be as low as 113, same reason above)

So, 6 picks in the first 111. This draft needs to be a home run, plain and simple.

and COME ON ARSENAL

Saw this asked in the comments on a previous post. The Phillies receive a sandwich pick (#34 overall) plus the Giants 2nd round pick for the loss of Aaron Rowand. The second round is not set yet, as the number of comp picks hasn’t been decided, but the pick will be somewhere between #50 and #55. The Phillies 2nd round pick will be somewhere in the 75-79 range, and then we also receive a compensation pick at the end of the 3rd round for not signing Workman last year. So all told, we have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds. Let’s hope Gillick doesn’t take the cheap route (as mandated by the owners) and can sign 6 quality prospects to help give the system a boost. We’ll have lots of draft coverage come spring time, but you have to be optimistic about having 6 picks in the first 120 or so spots.

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.

I’m transferring all of the information previously found on the page at the top of the blog onto a post that can be archived under the 2007 draft tag.

Here you’ll find a list of our draftees, in the order in which they were drafted. You’ll find his info, and then links to any articles about him and his selection by the Phillies. Players in BOLD have signed. Bonus amounts listed when given.

01.19 – Joe Savery, LHP (Rice University) – 6′3, 215 lbs – 11/4/85. Article #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6,
01.37 – Travis D’Arnaud, C (Lakewood HS) – 6′2, 195 lbs – 2/10/89. Article #1, #2,
02.19 – Travis Mattair, 3B (Southridge HS) – 6′5, 210 lbs – 12/21/88. Article #1, #2, #3,
03.13 – Brandon Workman, RHP (Bowie HS) – 6′4, 195 lbs – 8/13/88.
03.19 – Matthew Spencer, LF (Arizona State) – 6′4, 225 lbs – 1/27/86.
04.19 – Tyler Mach, 2B (Oklahoma State) – 6′1, 195 lbs – 12/11/84. Article #1,
05.19 – Michael Taylor, RF (Stanford University) – 6′6, 250 lbs – 12/19/85. Article #1,
06.19 – Matthew Rizzotti, 1B (Manhattan College) – 6′5, 235 lbs – 12/24/85. Article #1
07.19 – Tyson Brummett, RHP (UCLA) – 6′2, 180 lbs – 8/15/84. Article #1, #2,
08.19 – Chance Chapman, RHP (Oral Roberts) – 6′4, 210 lbs – 2/27/84. Article #1
09.19 – Chris Kissock, RHP (Lewis and Clark State) – 6′4, 195 lbs – 5/2/85.
10.19 – Joseph Rocchio, RHP (Cal St Northridge) – 6′5, 200 lbs – 10/15/84.
11.19 – Justin DeFratus, RHP (Ventura College) – 6′4, 215 lbs – 10/21/87.
12.19 – Julian Sampson, RHP (Skyline HS) – 6′5, 210 lbs – 1/21/89.
13.19 – Luke Wertz, RHP (U Nebraska, Lincoln) – 6′0, 175 lbs – 9/20/85. Article #1
14.19 – Jesus Andino Villegas, SS (Porterville College) – 5′11, 175 lbs – 9/21/86. Article #1, #2, #3
15.19 – Karl Bolt, 1B (US Air Force Academy) – 6′3, 220 lbs – 8/16/85. Article #1, #2, #3
16.19 – Brian Schittler, RHP (College of Charleston) – 6′5, ?? – 12/21/85. Article #1, #2, #3
17.19 – Zach Sterner, RHP (Tennessee Wesleyan) – 6′1, 180 lbs – 11/7/85. Article #1, #2, #3
18.19 – Mark Adzik, LHP (William Penn Charter School) – 6′4, ?? – 4/23/88. Article #1, #2, #3
19.19 – Cedric Johnson, CF (Thatcher HS) – 6′2, 185 lbs – 1/10/89. Article #1, #2, #3
20.19 – Carlos Moncrief, RHP (Hillcrest Christian HS) – 6′1, 210 lbs – 11/3/88. Article #1, #2, #3
21.19 – Adam Sorgi, 2B (Stanford University) – 6′1, 180 lbs – 12/17/84. Article #1, #2, #3
22.19 – Nathaniel “Jiwan” James, RHP (Williston HS) – 6′4, 180 lbs – 4/11/89. Article #1, #2, #3
23.19 – Gerard Breslin, RHP (La Salle U) – 6′2, 205 lbs – 7/24/84. Article #1, #2, #3
24.19 – Caleb Magnum, C (North Carolina State) – 5′11, 185 lbs – 1/3/85. Article #1, #2, #3
25.19 – William Harris, LHP (Deleware) – 6′1, 200 lbs – 1/19/85. Article #1, #2, #3
26.19 – Nolan Mulligan, RHP (Lynn University) – 6′5, 190 lbs – 1/30/85. Article #1, #2, #3
27.19 – Richard Austin, RHP (Seton Hill U) – 6′3, 210 lbs – 1/16/85. Article #1, #2, #3
28.19 – Chris Rhoads, RHP (U of Arkansas, Fayetteville) – 6′1, 160 lbs – 8/12/85. Article #1, #2
29.19 – Derek Hall, C (El Dorado HS) – 6′2, 195 lbs – 3/23/89. Article #1, #2, #3
30.19 – Jacob Diekman, LHP (Cloud County CC) – 6′4, ?? – 1/21/87. Article #1, #2, #3
31.19 – Jeff Richard, RHP (Central Michigan U) – 6′5, 245 lbs – 8/27/86. Article #1, #2, #3
32.19 – Kirk Bacsu, C (U of Evansville) – 5′10, 180 lbs – 5/16/85. Article #1,
33.19 – Richard Prall, C (La Salle U) – 6′0, 210 lbs – 1/29/85. Article #1, #2, #3
34.19 – Brett Hambright, C (Temescal Canyon HS) – 6′1, 215 lbs – 11/29/88. Article #1, #2, #3
35.19 – Zach Cleveland, RHP (Golden HS) – 6′1, 165 lbs – 3/5/89. Article #1, #2, #3
36.19 – Kyle Benoit, RHP (Cardinal Leger SS) – 5′11, 200 lbs – 2/9/89. Article #1, #2, #3
37.19 – Kyle Slate, RHP (Christian Brothers Academy) – 6′5, 200 lbs – 4/23/89. Article #1, #2, #3
38.19 – Joe Paylor, CF (Hillcrest HS) – 5′10, 160 lbs – 1/17/89. Article #1, #2, #3
39.19 – Michael Branham, RHP (U Florida) – 6′3, 210 lbs – 6/24/86. Article #1, #2, #3
40.19 – John Hinson, SS (AC Reynolds HS) – 6′1, 195 lbs – 9/13/88. Article #1, #2, #3
41.19 – Tyler Gilder, RHP (Butte HS) – 6′6, 200 lbs – 4/17/89. Article #1, #2, #3
42.19 – James Mahler, RHP (Jordan HS) – 6′5, 230 lbs – 9/2/88. Article #1, #2, #3
43.19 – Cory Vaughn, RF (Jesuit HS) – 6′3, 215 lbs – 5/1/89. Article #1, #2, #3
44.19 – Brandon Bonner, RHP (Lakewood HS) – 6′5, 220 lbs – 3/16/89. Article #1, #2, #3
45.19 – Michael Morrison, 1B (Bishop Luers HS) – 6′1, 220 lbs – 3/17/88. Article #1, #2, #3
46.19 – Damian Seguen, RHP (North Bergen HS) – 6′2, 220 lbs – 4/25/89. Article #1, #2, #3
47.19 – Jeremiah Manning, RF (Bartow HS) – 6′4, 220 lbs – 10/2/88. Article #1, #2, #3
48.19 – Cody Winiarski, RHP (Union Grove HS) – 6′3, 190 lbs – 8/27/89. Article #1, #2, #3
49.19 – Navarro Hall, CF (Kennesaw Mountain HS) – 5′11, 170 lbs – 1/1/89. Article #1, #2, #3
50.19 – Jeremy Penn, RHP (All Saints Cathedral School) – 6′3, 160 lbs – 12/15/89. Article #1, #2, #3

Decent. And here’s why I think it’s a decent draft. In the first 10 rounds, the Phillies made more low ceiling picks than high risk/high reward picks. Joe Savery is a good gamble if he can regain his pre injury form, but not everyone is convinced he can do that. d’Arnaud and Mattair are prep prospects with big ceilings, and patience will be needed to see how they develop. Four of the next five picks, however, represent low ceiling, affordable guys. The Phillies took Spencer, Mach, Taylor, Rizzotti and Brummett in rounds 3-7, and of that group, the only guy with a high ceiling is Taylor, and he’s always been the “tools are there, just not the results” guy. Mach and Brummett signed for well below slot, the others right around slot. To make matters worse, the Phillies finished the first 10 rounds with 3 more low ceiling college guys, Chapman, Kissock, and Rocchio. The problem with this, is that the Phillies only took 3 potential above average starting players with their first 10 picks, and they were the first 3 guys taken. The guy with the next highest ceiling is Brandon Workman, and he’ll be at Texas for 3 years.

Continue reading The 2007 draft, in one word →

* The Phillies signed Julian Sampson to an above slot deal ($390,000)

* The Phillies signed Jiwan James to an above slot deal ($150,000)

* The Phillies signed Jacob Diekman to an above slot deal (unknown)

* The Phillies signed Kyle Slate and Cedric Johnson, two prep prospects. Slate was given an $80,000 dollar bonus, plus $80,000 towards a college education should he later pursue that. For comparison’s sake, Tyler Mach got $95,000 in an under slot deal in the 4th round, while Tyson Brummett got $25,000 as a 7th round pick. No bonus amount has been published that I’ve seen on Johnson.

* The Phillies did not sign Brandon Workman, and will receive a compensation pick between the 3rd and 4th round of next year’s draft.

So, how’d they do? I’m planning a more in depth piece looking at the other NL East teams and how they did in the draft, as well as comparing the Phillies to a few other teams on both ends of the spectrum. But, weigh in, share your thoughts on this draft. Just remember to be civil.