Draft Thoughts

Ok, so a number of people said 4 hrs is too short
12 is definitely too long, but I even think 8 hrs is too long, that's just 1 pick in a 12 hour window.

What I tried last year was a big failure, but I like how its going so far this year.. quick.. but I thought that enough notice had been given to prepare owners. Maybe I was wrong...

I sort of feel like Harrisburg and Montreal were gone for over a day and don't care at the same level as the rest of the owners... not that they are bad owners for that but can we cater around a league to an ownership style that is more hands off? It seems like this activity would be an issue for free agency...too and always keep them at a disadvantage. But In FA they just miss out on bidding so they don't complain, because they are skipped in the draft with presumably fair warning it a huge injustice? One thing I don't like is that I saw both owners who were skipped, logged on early in the morning and could have sent a 4-5 person list and been ok? That seems fair to me... disagree?? I know some people have jobs during the day and that they can't get any time to look at emails, but is that the case here or was it just oversight and not good planning? Its not like we suddenly went through 10 picks in a day.

What if its 4 hours, but if 5 picks are made in a day, then no picks after that are skipped that day? I liked that idea a bit. I just hestitate to make it much longer because I know it slows down the draft exponentially... with a 4 hr limit it seems people are around more because they know things will happen....

The 2019 Draft - Clone Time!

Ted Schmidt of Key Largo has pointed out to me that several of the players in this draft idolize Deuce stars to the point of copying batting or throwing motions and this has not been lost on scouts.

One grizzled old-timer said "When I look at Shanty Welburn I can't help thinking about Rebel Wiesler. The kid's definitely a young version of Reb." And with Wiesler halfway to 3,000 hits and currently poking the ball at .303 for Key Largo you can expect a lot of interest in young Welburn.

Phoenix slugger Ben Howerton has an admirer in young Bug Lanphier. "The spitting image of Big Ben" said that old scout, as he watched Lanphier tattoo the ball in batting practice. Bug told this reporter "I only hope I can be as successful as Mr. Howerton. I sure am rooting for him to win the homerun title this season." And I'm sure that any team would love to have a young hitter who might grow up to hit .338 with 23 homers in half a season!

The recently drafted Armando Lozano reminds people of Luis Trucks...a lot! With Trucks posting a 2.71 ERA so far this year Valencia couldn't resist selecting the young righty. "He looks just like Trucks, with that motion!" a bystander said, as Lozano worked out.

But this trend of younger ballplayers copying their idols isn't limited to future "sure things". El Paso AAA hurler George Gabler has a big fan in 21 year old Jawaun Haynie. "I don't know why", said young Haynie, "but there's something heroic about George Gabler and without realizing it I started to pitch like him."

Similarly, Bilal Byman has grown up being a fan of Jackson's Adrian Beeler. "He's so solid behind the plate, I guess I just patterned myself after him" said Byman.

And now, courtesy of Warren Steeves, a mock draft, already wrong!

1. Seattle - Felipe Romero
2. Mexico City - Jorge Arias (these two were already picked when Warren made this list)
3. Valencia - Martin Escamilla (oops, Valencia went for Arias)
4. Harlem - Boileryard Boultes
5. Iowa - Armando Lozano (oops, gone at #3)

well, he goes on through the first round but it's more information than I feel like dealing with. The funny thing about this is that it's really pretty good but like most mock drafts, goes off-track easily. With the Lozano pick at 3 it makes #5 wrong and even funnier, a little birdie told me there's a good chance that Harlem won't even be using that pick at #4! I better not make a mock draft myself, assuming that the Harlem rumor is true because then Warren will use the pick and I'd be wrong right away.