It's time to go on record, ya'll...

[bucksfan2]

Surest pick likely available to us will be, I think, Gordon Beckham. I don't think we can take the risk of getting nothing if there's an injury to Crow. Our organization's better and deeper than it has been but not deep enough to blow a first round pick (and it's largely better because we've had four in a row that range from tremendous to promising). So I want Gordon Beckham, though just from looking at the youtube videos, I think Hosmer is the best bat in the draft.

The more and more I think about it I would want Beckham. Just by watching Crow's video's his mechanics scare me. Couple that with the fact that he wants a major league contract and you are handing out quite a bit of chash for a guy who you are hoping doesn't throw out his arm or a guy who you are going to have to change mechanics.

[M2]

My order of preference goes like this:

1) Tim Beckham
2) Buster Posey
3) Brian Matusz
4) Gordon Beckham
5) Aaron Crow

[AdamDunn]

Solid. Exactly. If we had the 20th pick in the draft, then yes. But this year has a crop of top tier talent of about 9-10 guys-Beckham, Beckham, Posey, Matusz, Crow, Smoak, Alonso, Hosmer, Alvarez, and you could make a case for Skipworth.Drafting #7 overall, you have to draft a great bat or fantastic arm, not a great fielding SS with a questionable bat.

Ok... I'm assuming that Tim, Posey, Smoak, and Alvarez are all gone.

1) Crow has injury written on him.

2) Hosmer is Boras guy and only projects to have above average power and average bat.

3) I suppose you could throw Alonso in the list as well. Don't know too much about him.

4) Ditto about Skipworth, but we already got Devin last year. I doubt his ability presses the Reds to draft another catcher in the first round.

[11larkin11]

Ok... I'm assuming that Tim, Posey, Smoak, and Alvarez are all gone.

1) Crow has injury written on him.

2) Hosmer is Boras guy and only projects to have above average power and average bat.

3) I suppose you could throw Alonso in the list as well. Don't know too much about him.

4) Ditto about Skipworth, but we already got Devin last year. I doubt his ability presses the Reds to draft another catcher in the first round.

And that leaves who? Gordon Beckham

[lollipopcurve]

My preferences among the top-ranked guys.......

1. Posey

2. T. Beckham

3. Matusz, Alvarez

4. Alonso, G. Beckham

5. Crow

[AdamDunn]

And that leaves who? Gordon Beckham

Gordon is ahead of Kelly on my list.

[RedsManRick]

Of the options I've seen us linked with, put me down in the Alonso camp. I'm a big fan of high floor guys in the first round and he's as sure thing as it comes in this draft -- considering the increased chances of pitchers to get injured. I just can't think of other big power, very good plate discipline guys who haven't panned out.

I'm not worried about the organizational depth chart concerns.

[M2]

Of the options I've seen us linked with, put me down in the Alonso camp. I'm a big fan of high floor guys in the first round and he's as sure thing as it comes in this draft -- considering the increased chances of pitchers to get injured. I just can't think of other big power, very good plate discipline guys who haven't panned out.

I'm not worried about the organizational depth chart concerns.

Yet here's the question. Choose between these two hitters:

Player A - .397/.505/.781
Player B - .370/.536/.767

It would seem to me both are big power, very good plate discipline players. Yet one plays SS (and just got listed as being the 3rd best collegiate athlete in the draft) and the other plays 1B.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Yet here's the question. Choose between these two hitters:

Player A - .397/.505/.781
Player B - .370/.536/.767

It would seem to me both are big power, very good plate discipline players. Yet one plays SS (and just got listed as being the 3rd best collegiate athlete in the draft) and the other plays 1B.

What scares me about Beckham is what if he's just having a flukey year (Brandon Larson)? He's pretty much come out of nowhere this year.

Last year, he was solid at .969, but Alonso was 1.224 (this year Alonso 1.341 and Beckham 1.305). Granted, Beckham plays a defensive position, so if he can stick at SS and his bat is not just having a fluke year, he would be a great get. I just think Alonso or Smoak are both way more of the sure thing offensively and if you can squeeze some decent defense out of them it would be a bonus, even if they are at a non-defensive premium position.

This comparison brings me to a question. When comparing the SLG aspect of OPS between two players at the collegiate level, how much does the player's home park have to do with his power numbers? Could Beckham be in more of a hitter's park (or vise versa)? I would assume there is not much difference in the pitching between the ACC and SEC, but I would think park factors have to play some part.

[AmarilloRed]

The four the Reds are hoping for (with where Baseball America rates them):

--2. Brian Matusz, a left-handed pitcher from the University of San Diego: He was a fourth-round pick out of high school. He throws up to 93, but his offspeed stuff sets him apart.

--4. Buster Posey, a catcher from Florida State: He's a converted shortstop. Baseball America calls him "one of the safest picks in the his years draft. His projection as an offensive catcher with Gold Glove-caliber defense has boosted Posey's draft stock as much as anyone's over the weeks leading up to the draft."

--6. Gordon Beckham, a shortstop from Georgia: That's Jeff Keppinger's background as well. Beckham won the Cape Cod home run title last year. He's been among the leading hitters in the NCAA, both in average and home runs.

--10. Yonder Alonso, a first baseman from Miami: A very good hitter. Drove in 69 runs as a freshman. Hit .376 with 18 homers as a sophomore.

http://beta.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...cincinnati.com

I would hope the Reds are concentrating on more than these 4, but I will go with these for now.

[Betterread]

1. I might be the only person to think that ALVAREZ may fall to the Reds (because of the Boras connection) so he would be my first pick - he is a surefire MLer.
2. Aaron Crow, Shooter Hunt and Brian Matusz all have significant strengths and a few areas of concerns but any of these 3 would be a logical pick - college Ps are one of the two obvious strengths of the top end (top15) of this draft.
3. If (for some unknown reason) Buster Posey falls to the Reds - he's a safe pick.
3. The other strength is 1B - JUstin Smoak is the real deal, and Eric Hosmer has even more power potential. I like Smoak as a 4th choice.

Tim Beckham has been compared to the Uptons - this comparison flatters him. Gordon Beckham is less of a SS than CHris Valaika, though he mashes like a corner IFer, so that's OK.

[OnBaseMachine]

Gordon Beckham is less of a SS than CHris Valaika, though he mashes like a corner IFer, so that's OK.

Says who?

[Kingspoint]

Jockety's making this pick.

I think he'll go for the guy that has the biggest powerbat of whoever's left.

[kaldaniels]

Is there a "Lincecum" type-blunder possible this year? (I'm not one screaming about the Stubbs pick by the way...it happens and I still have high expectations for Drew). Anyway...as the title says...anyone want to strongly go on record on a possible gaffe rather than MMQB'ing. From all the mocks I've seen I don't forsee too much controversy unless Jock makes a shocking reach for someone.

[AdamDunn]

Is there a "Lincecum" type-blunder possible this year? (I'm not one screaming about the Stubbs pick by the way...it happens and I still have high expectations for Drew). Anyway...as the title says...anyone want to strongly go on record on a possible gaffe rather than MMQB'ing. From all the mocks I've seen I don't forsee too much controversy unless Jock makes a shocking reach for someone.

If Brian Matusz is still on the board and the Reds don't take him.