Aftermath of the Deadline, part 2: Multisport Stars (or, The Many Faces of Bubba Starling)

The Draft deadline, which was August 15th, has been over for a few weeks, and there is plenty of analysis to go through. We started off with players who didn't sign, now we go to those who were multisport athletes, most notably Kansas City outfielder Bubba Starling.


The pictures on the right are all of the same person: Bubba Starling. Starling, who was the 5th overall pick of the 2011 draft, played baseball, football, and basketball for Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas, earning all-state honors in each sport. Regarded as a top baseball and football talent, Starling was aggressively scouted by the Kansas City Royals, and heavily recruited by the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team. After graduating, he had a tough choice to make: Go to Nebraska and play football, or sign with the Royals? It took almost 3 months, but on the night of August 15th, Starling signed a professional contract with Kansas City. The total amount he signed for was a whopping $7.5 Million, which, given that Starling's agent is Scott Boras, is not that much of a surprise.

Starling's scouting report shows that he is a true athlete, and has the potential to grow, considering he had to balance a trimester's worth of football, basketball, and baseball each year. He even admitted that he isn't in his top form, as he only played baseball for a third of his school year, and didn't have enough time to train his baseball muscles. Regardless, if he develops into the star that he should be, expect great things from him, and he should find himself in the company of current prospects, but soon to be regulars Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas in 3-4 years time.

Aftermath of the Deadline, part 1: Missed signings

The August 15th signing deadline passed, and as usual, most of the action happened in the final hour. All but 2 teams signed their first round and  supplemental picks, with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres each missing one player.

Tyler Beede: the first one who got away

The Blue Jays missed out on tough sign Tyler Beede, a Massachusetts Prep product, who committed to Vanderbilt. Beede, whose situation was comparable to now-Pirates outfielder Josh Bell (see article Where will Josh Bell go?") and high schoolers Bubba Starling and Archie Bradley, who turned down scholarships to play quarterback for the Universities of Nebraska and Oklahoma, respectively, was almost 100% committed to go to Vanderbilt, and like Bell, made it explicitly clear to all teams that he wanted to attend college. Regardless, Beede will play for Vanderbilt next year, and the Blue Jays will get the 22nd overall selection as compensation.

Brett Austin: the other one who got away

As for the Padres, they signed both their first round picks, outfielders Cory Spangenberg and Joe Ross, but unfortunately, they missed Providence high school catcher Brett Austin, who decided to play for North Carolina State. Austin, who was the 2nd highest rated prep catcher behind Blake Swihart, now of the Boston Red Sox, was nabbed 54th overall in the compensation round, Austin was compensation for Yorvit Torrealba, another catcher.

Those two are the latest in a recently established line of amateur talent who chose not to sign. Beginning in 2008, when Sandy Alderson did his first draft fix, one of his stipulations was that any team who didn't sign a first round or comp round pick would be given a pick in next years draft, exactly 1 spot behind their original. Here is the history of unsigned first and comp picks since 2008, and where they are now.

Gerrit Cole

In 2008, the first year of the fixed draft, only two players refused to sign with their respective teams. Aaron Crow (Washington Nationals) and Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees). A third player, Josh Fields (Seattle Mariners) missed the deadline, but because he was a college senior, he signed in January, becoming the last official draft-and-follow, a player who isn't signed until the following year. Fields went to Seattle, toiled in the minors, then was dealt to Boston in the Erik Bedard trade. As for Crow, he pitched in an independent league, and then was redrafted 12th overall by Kansas city. He made the major league team in 2011, and was named an all-star. Cole on the other hand pitched 3 years for UCLA, made the College world series final his sophmore year, and then was drafted first overall by Pittsburgh this year. 

Matt Purke

In 2009, 3 players did not sign, 2 first rounders and a comp pick. Matt Purke (Texas Rangers), LeVon Washington (Tampa Bay Rays) and James Paxton (Toronto Blue Jays). Purke pitched 2 years at TCU and made the College World Series, but arm trouble in his sophmore year dropped his stock, and he was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2011 draft by Washington. LeVon Washington went to JuCo for a year, then was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2010, in the 4th round. Paxton, who actually was pitching at the University of Kentucky, was declared ineligible after signing an agent, and pitched in an independent league. In 2010, Seattle drafted him in the 4th round.

Dylan Covey

In 2010, 3 players didn't sign, all first rounders. Barret Loux (Arizona D-Backs), Dylan Covey (Milwaukee Brewers) and Karsten Whitson (San Diego Padres) Loux was a college pitcher out of Texas A&M, who unfortunately failed his physical, drawing caution flags. Loux was left out in the wind before the Texas Rangers came to the rescue and signed him. Whitson signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Florida, on the other hand, and appeared in the College World Series championship against South Carolina.

Covey just had bad luck, as he was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes. Deciding to learn how to control his condition rather than accept the money, Covey quietly enrolled at the University of San Diego, where he now pitches for the Toreros. He is expected to be a top option for the 2013 draft. 

Stay tuned for Part 2: Coming soon!

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: National League Pitchers (part 4 in a 4 part series)

We finish up our 4 part projection for Rookie of the Year with the top 3 National League pitchers.

Here are the top 3 NL pitchers who could win Rookie of the Year

Dillon Gee, New York Mets: Gee has gone from being a little-known middle round draft pick to a top notch starter. He leads all NL rookie pitchers in wins (10) and innings pitched (114.3), and has tied the Mets record for consecutive wins in starts (8, with Doc Gooden). Gee's first half was amazing, unfortunately he wasn't rewarded with an all-star nod. Nonetheless, Gee has the stuff to be a mid-rotation anchor for years to come, and should he lower his ERA and win at least 4 more games, he could be the first NL pitcher since Dontrelle Willis to win Rookie of the Year.

Vance Worley, Philadelphia Phillies: In a Phillies rotation known as the Phantastic 4, with one of their mighty arms currently on the disabled list and pondering retirement, one rookie has managed to prove himself worthy of being that pitcher's replacement. Vance Worley is the only other starting pitcher in the National League worth noting. as he has an 8-1 record with a 2.35 ERA; 2nd and first, respectively among NL rookie starting pitchers. Worley has electric stuff and the poise of a Zen master, but in order to overtake Gee as top NL rookie pitcher, he will have to blow people away and make himself a titan in a titanic rotation.


Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves: John who? Craig Kimbrel has to be the best reliever that the Braves have had. He already has 36 saves, tops among rookie relievers, and is on pace to save at least 15 more games, maybe more. Kimbreal has a sub-2.00 ERA as well, and has 89 strikeouts, more than any rookie except for padres pitcher Corey Luebke and teammake Brandon Beachy. Kimbrel may be impressive, but he's not going to win, let alone finish in the top 3 unless he breaks 45 saves, and even then, he would have to beat out teammate Freddie Freeman, who in turn is also having a great season at the plate. Even though Kimbrel may have a hard time cracking the top 3, he could garner plenty of votes both in the Rookie of the Year award voting and the NL Cy Young voting.

That's the last post in this 4 part series, however there will be a bonus post which determines who will win the Rookie of the Year awards. Also, be on the lookout for the Legends of Tomorrow Awards, which will be released the day after the season ends.

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: National League Batters (part 3 in a 4 part series)

We've already considered the top candidates for the American League Rookie of the Year, 3 hitters, and 3 pitchers. Now it's time to focus on the Senior Circuit, more specifically, the hitters.

Here are the top 3 candidates for Rookie of the Year, according to me.

Freddie Freeman: 1B, Atlanta Braves: Fearless Freddie, as I like to call him, could potentially run away with the Rookie of the Year, should he continue to produce at the rate that he's been going. He's tops among all non June call-ups with a .300 batting average, is second only to Danny Espinosa in home runs at 15 and RBI at 54, leads all rookies with 120 hits, and is more of a slugger than anyone else. I've actually seen Freeman in person, and he is definitely a contender for the Rookie of the Year honor, though he's still not as good as Jason Heyward was last year.

Danny Espinosa: 2B, Washington Nationals: As is the case with Blue Jays catcher JP Arencibia, Danny Espinosa is an all or nothing guy. Either he hits a big home run, or he strikes out. As previously mentioned, Espinosa is first in home runs and RBI (17 and 55, respectively)and also in stolen bases with 12, but his batting average is a paltry .226, not exactly praiseworthy. Nonetheless, Espinosa is a hustler who does everything he can to win, and he's proven to be popular with the DC crowd, as evidenced by Danny Espinosa Bobblehead day in September. Espinosa needs to go on a tear, if he wishes to at least contend with Fearless Freddie, otherwise, he'll go down the tubes.

Justin Turner: 2B, New York Mets: The last time a New York Met won the Rookie of the Year award, it was 1984, almost 27 years ago. This year, the Mets have a contender in Justin Turner. Turner may not hit as well as Freeman (.268 batting average) or as hard as Espinosa (2 home runs) but the one thing he has that could at least propel him into 2nd place is a Rookie of the Month award (Freddie Freeman recently won the award for July, which is why Turner could settle for 2nd place among hitters). Nonetheless, Turner has also set a Mets record for consecutive games with an RBI, and he went from the starting second baseman in Buffalo to the starting 3rd baseman in New York when David Wright was hurt. Turner now plays 22d base, but he could garner a few votes for his ability to handle situations and his close competition with Espinosa and Freeman.

The last post will focus on National League pitchers.

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: American League Pitchers (part 2 in a 4 part series)

This is the second in a 4 part series in determining who could the American and National League Rookie of the Year. We started off with American League hitters, now it's time for American League Pitchers.

Here are the 3 top candidates from LOT:

Jeremy Hellickson: Tampa Bay Rays:  You know you are a possible front runner when you win the AL Pitcher of the Month Award and the AL Rookie of the Month award at the same time. Hellickson certainly has pushed himself above the majority of the rookie pitchers by doing this. Though his won-loss record says otherwise, (10-7) his ERA is lower than any of the other rookie starters, including potential competitor Ivan Nova, who has 3 losses fewer. Hellickson also has more strikeouts than any other pitcher except for Mariners starder Michael Pineda, and is the only pitcher in this class to have thrown a shutout. Hellickson does have a couple strikes on him, like his rookie-leading 14 home runs, and his 45 walks, 3rd most among his class, but otherwise, if he can have another monster month like he did in May, he could be an easy choice for the award.

Aaron Crow: Kansas City Royals: Crow is only a reliever, not even a closer, yet, but eventually someone will have to replace the ineffective Joakim Soria, and Crow seems to be the perfect fit. Crow was a draft dodger in 2008 when the Washington Nationals drafted him 8th overall, but he did come back and get drafted by his home-state Royals. So far, the decision seems to have paid off. Crow was one of two rookies selected to this year's American League All Star team (Los Angeles Angels closer Jordan Walden was the other), and currently he leads all rookies, including starters in ERA with a miniscule 1.76 mark. Though his other stats are average at best, it wouldn't surprise me if Crow got a first place vote.


Jordan Walden: Los Angeles Angels: To be completely honest, I hate Walden. I don't know why, maybe it's because he's really good. Disregarding my hatred, Walden's best qualities are his low ERA at 2.91, his first all-star selection, and last but not least, his 24 saves, which lead all AL rookies and all but 4 AL closers. Walden is in a class by his own, and the writers who vote this fall should make note of that, If Walden is able to have a Neftali Feliz-like season, it could pay off for him, and he could run away with the award.





The next post will focus on NL hitters who could win the NL rookie of the Year award.

An August projection for Rookies of the Year: American League hitters (part 1 in a 4 part series)

Which rookies will earn this trophy?

Even though it is slightly past midseason, teams are getting ready for the final stretch. That means that it's time to figure out who could possibly win each major league award, at least for L.O.T. But being that this is a blog that is devoted to prospects and rookies, we will focus on the Rookie of the year award.

Each year, 2 awards are given out, one for the American League, and one for the National League.  These awards go to the most outstanding rookie, or the rookie with the best statistics. Last year, Giants catcher Buster Posey won the NL rookie of the Year award with a .305 batting average, 18 home runs, and 67 Runs batted in, all nice stats. In the AL, Rangers closer Neftali Feliz won, with a 2.73 ERA and 40 saves. Both Posey and Feliz beat out some impressive candidates to win, like Braves outfielder Jason Heyward and Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson.

There has been a recent trend though in the winners. Since 2004, the NL Rookie of the year has been a hitter, with current Reds pitcher Dontrelle Willis as the last pitcher to win. In the AL, the winner the past 2 years has been a relief pitcher. Evan Longoria was the last non-pitcher to win in 2008. However, there is the possibility that these trends will be broken this year, especially with the impressive rookies this year.

Here are the top 3 candidates that I would consider in the American League.

Hitters:

Eric Hosmer, 1B: Royals. In terms of hitting, Hosmer has been impressive. He has the highest batting average out of any non-June callup, at .286, and his 10 home runs are 3rd most out of any American League rookie, behind Blue Jays catcher JP Arencibia and Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo. Hosmer also has a terrific glove, and hits high in the Royals lineup. He's appeared in more games than every rookie except Trumbo and Arencibia, and has more plate appearances than everyone except Trumbo. Hosmer is an everyday guy, and a bright spot on an otherwise dismal Royals team. If anything, he could be a frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year Race.

Mark Trumbo, 1B: Angels. Trumbo reminds me of Ike Davis, an average hitter who has plenty of pop in his bat, as evidenced by his .256 average and AL Rookie leading 19 home runs, 88 hits and 19 doubles. What's also impressive about him is that he is the most active rookie. Trumbo has appeared in more games, and gone to the plate more times than anyone else. He's played the hero role also, with plenty of timely hits that have helped the Angels win key games, not to mention his rookie-leading 53 RBIs. Should Trumbo raise his average, expect him to overtake Hosmer as the top hitting rookie, and make a serious run for Rookie of the Year.

JP Arencibia, C: Blue Jays: There seems to be a rule when it comes to voting for the rookie of the year in baseball. Anybody with a low batting average, no matter how impressive their other statistics are, is not going to win. If that's the case, then JP Arencibia has some major work to do if he wants to contend. Though Arencibia is hitting .218, he has the second highest homer total at 16. the third highest double total at 12, the second highest RBI total at 45, and the third highest hit total at 62. Arencibia may be a catcher, but that's no excuse when he's hitting in a large park like Rogers Centre. If anything, Arencibia could potentially have a resurgence and contend for Rookie of the Year, but that's very unlikely.

The next post will feature American League pitchers who should be considered for the Rookie of the Year award.