So are we looking at a #2 pitcher here?
Championships for MY teams in my lifetime:
Cincinnati Reds - 75, 76, 90
Chicago Blackhawks - 10, 13, 15
University of Kentucky - 78, 96, 98, 12
Chicago Bulls - 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
“Everything that happens before Death is what counts.”
― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes
I'd say that's a best case scenario. The consensus seems to be a #3So are we looking at a #2 pitcher here?
If he is a command ground ball pitcher, like the reports I have seen, then I really like the pick. Good sinker ball pitchers don't have great velocity, they keep the ball down the zone, throw strikes, dont allow HR's, and are very good pitchers. I haven't heard anyone describe Brandon Webb as a pitcher who blows you away with stuff. What I have heard said about him is that he throws a heavy ball. At GABP I will take a heavy ball.
anyone hear an ETA?
The seven most magic words in all the land...
"If, in the opinion of the referee,..."
What I like about Leake is the easy stroke on his pitches. That can make your fastball look faster and disguise a changeup something fierce. He destroys timing.
Nothing's guaranteed, but I really liked this guy before the draft.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Yet he sports a 7.3 k/9 for his career -- so he's clearly blowing quite a few people away with his stuff.
I watched the MLB.com clip of Leake, and the commentary was "Good competitor, good command, around the plate all the time, but not going to be a high strikeout pitcher." I'm rarely (read: never) in favor of using a high pick on a pitcher who doesn't project to be high-strikeout / power pitcher material. Get your finesse guys later in the draft.
Cincinnati Reds: Farm System Champions 2022
So this is one of those picks that might be a hit, but reading between the lines it sounds like we drafted for signability and safety. He's likely to be solid, but not awe inspiring.
Championships for MY teams in my lifetime:
Cincinnati Reds - 75, 76, 90
Chicago Blackhawks - 10, 13, 15
University of Kentucky - 78, 96, 98, 12
Chicago Bulls - 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
“Everything that happens before Death is what counts.”
― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Pretty much my read on the situation. I don't think Leake was the best player available, but he was probably the best combination of "likely to sign at slot" and "likely to reach the majors in some capacity." The better players all had a little more risk attached or a few more dollar signs behind their names.
Interesting to note: second straight year the Reds have drafted a player on the fast track to the bigs at a spot on the diamond where there is a logjam of talent. Though, in their defense, it's never a bad thing to have too much pitching.
Cincinnati Reds: Farm System Champions 2022
"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."
--Woody Hayes
The one thing that is starting to annoy me, I must admit, is folks assuming this was a "signability" pick. Unless you have firsthand knowledge (which really most if not all of you naysayers don't), you should knock off the signability claims.
That's what pissed me off. Leake was definitely not my favorite pick, but I thought they were going to use the money and go after someone big in the supplemental round...and then we drafted a guy named Boxberger over Scheppers? It's just frustrating to know that Crow and Scheppers could both have been had if we weren't so cheap.I like Leake but Leake would have looked a whole lot better with a high ceiling guy with our bonus selection in the supplemental round. What does he do goes and drafts a back of the rotation starter/MR 40 players into the draft! Wow!!?!
Last edited by Superdude; 06-09-2009 at 11:44 PM.
No one is claiming any "insider" knowledge -- just doing some speculation based on the available information. It seems like, if signability was no concern, the logical pick would've been Crow -- who is almost universally rated as having better stuff than Leake and is slightly more advanced than Leake in terms of development (having pitched outside of college last year).
Cincinnati Reds: Farm System Champions 2022
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