2007 Reds #1 Pick--Devin Mesoraco (Official Thread)

[Edd Roush]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Well now you are assuming the Reds would do a few things, like take someone that wasn't #1 on their board, and then promote a college player fast enough to actually help ASAP. The Reds highest 2006 Draft pick for a regular is Danny Dorn in Sarasota where he started the season and he was their 32nd round pick. This years college crop was said to be fairly weak with lots of solid HS talent, so take that for what its worth.

Well with the way baseball works, unless you are going to wreck a superstar college player's confidence (a la Ryan Wagner), help as soon as possible is understood to be 1-2 years. There's a good likelihood that Krivsky won't be the Reds' GM when Mesoraco hits the bigs, considering the volatility of the position. I am not against the pick of Mesoraco, as it shows that the Reds' are willing to take another Bailey-like risk to hit another home run with a draft pick.

[dougdirt]

My point is more along the lines of, the Reds are not going to push talent that fast unless its top of the line (see Bruce or Bailey) and you are not going to get that kind of talent at #15 unless you are drafting someone who slipped and wants top 5 type money (Stephen Drew went #15 in 2004 but had the highest signing bonus of anyone in the draft). The Reds probably will never be that type of team to take a guy who fell because of money demands, so they are not going to get that type of talent in the middle of the first round.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Ouch. Not looking good for Mesoraco through his first 18 games with the GCL Reds...

.226 batting average, 0 HR, 5 RBI

62 at bats, 14 hits (13 singles and 1 double -- ouch again), .324 OBP, .242 SLG, .566 OPS

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/m...pbp&pid=519023

[M2]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Porcello was said to want 8 million to sign or he was going to college. I will hazard a guess that Rick was not on their board at all for that reason.

It's nice that he said that, but the going rate for top college pitchers last year (both Boras clients) was $3.5M. So Porcello could have demanded a Caribbean island and a palace in Dubai, he'll be signing for something in the $3M range.

He's perfectly welcome to go to college to risk injury and a performance slip in search of an extra $500 K in three years, but I'll be mighty surprised if he isn't locked up in the Tigers system for less than half of his asking price by Aug. 15.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by M2

It's nice that he said that, but the going rate for top college pitchers last year (both Boras clients) was $3.5M. So Porcello could have demanded a Caribbean island and a palace in Dubai, he'll be signing for something in the $3M range.

He's perfectly welcome to go to college to risk injury and a performance slip in search of an extra $500 K in three years, but I'll be mighty surprised if he isn't locked up in the Tigers system for less than half of his asking price by Aug. 15.

I would almost be willing to bet money that Porcello, if he signs, doesn't take less than 5 million.

[M2]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I would almost be willing to bet money that Porcello, if he signs, doesn't take less than 5 million.

Pinky wager then. I can't see the Tigers paying more for Porcello than they did for Andrew Miller or Justin Verlander.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by M2

Pinky wager then. I can't see the Tigers paying more for Porcello than they did for Andrew Miller or Justin Verlander.

I don't think they would have made the pick if they didn't think they were going to sign him.

[M2]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I don't think they would have made the pick if they didn't think they were going to sign him.

I agree. I'm just saying they'll sign him for less than they paid Miller, who was a better, more advanced, less risky pitcher. Boras doesn't have an argumentative leg to stand on. He capped himself. I figure Price's absolute ceiling is $4M and Porcello's not beating that either.

[BoydsOfSummer]

An uneventful day for young Devin yesterday. A o-fer with two whiffs..

	



GCL Reds
Player	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
Reed CF	5	1	3	1	0	0	1	0	0	.309
Soto 3B	5	0	2	0	1	0	1	0	2	.324
Scott DH	5	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	.267
Gualdron 2B	4	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	.304
Sanchez 1B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.197
Mendez a- PH-1B	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	.246
Mesoraco C	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.212
Oliveras RF	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.163
Bastardo LF	4	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	.220
Moreta SS	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	.214
Lotzkar P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Conatser P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Vinyard P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Hotchkiss P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Navarro P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Fiebig P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000

BATTING
2B: Scott (2, Noel), Reed (3, Noel), Gualdron (2, Noel).
3B: Bastardo (2, Noel), Soto (3, Cole).
HR: Mendez (2, 8th inning off Cole, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Reed 4; Soto 4; Scott 2; Gualdron 4; Mendez 4; Bastardo 3.
RBI: Reed (9), Mendez (7), Soto (19).
2-out RBI: Reed; Mendez; Soto.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Mesoraco 2; Soto; Oliveras; Mendez; Scott.
GIDP: Scott.
Team LOB: 7.

BASERUNNING
CS: Reed (3, 2nd base by Burch/Tarnow).

FIELDING
E: Soto 2 (12, throw, fielding), Navarro (1, fielding).
Outfield assists: Bastardo (Tarnow at home).
DP: (Gualdron-Moreta-Sanchez).

a-Flied out for Sanchez in the 5th.
GCL Orioles
Player	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
Lester CF	5	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	.235
Cardona 2B	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	2	.270
Reimold, N RF	4	1	2	1	0	0	3	0	0	.231
Polanco, E 1B	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.289
Kolodny 3B	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	.396
Ellis LF	4	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.193
Carolus DH	3	3	1	0	0	1	2	1	0	.205
Tarnow C	3	1	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	.282
DiGeronimo SS	3	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.356
Noel P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Burch P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cole P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000

BATTING
2B: Tarnow (4, Navarro), Reimold, N (4, Navarro).
HR: Carolus (2, 5th inning off Vinyard, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Lester; Cardona; Reimold, N 3; Polanco, E; Ellis; Carolus 4; Tarnow 3; DiGeronimo.
RBI: Carolus 2 (14), Tarnow 2 (8), DiGeronimo (7), Lester (7), Reimold, N 3 (7), Kolodny (23).
2-out RBI: Lester.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Polanco, E; Cardona 3.
SF: DiGeronimo; Kolodny.
GIDP: Polanco, E.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
SB: Cardona (3, 2nd base off Lotzkar/Mesoraco), Carolus (3, 2nd base off Navarro/Mesoraco).

FIELDING
E: Reimold, N (1, throw).
PB: Tarnow (5).
DP: (Polanco, E-DiGeronimo-Polanco, E).



GCL Reds
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Lotzkar 	2.0	0	0	0	1	3	0	0.00
Conatser 	2.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	13.50
Vinyard (L, 0-2)	1.1	4	5	2	2	0	1	10.61
Hotchkiss 	1.2	1	0	0	0	2	0	0.00
Navarro 	0.1	3	6	4	1	0	0	21.60
Fiebig 	0.2	1	0	0	0	0	0	4.61

GCL Orioles
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Noel (W, 5-0)	6.0	7	2	1	1	5	0	2.01
Burch (H, 2)	1.0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0.00
Cole (S, 1)	2.0	3	3	3	1	3	1	7.71



WP: Navarro 2, Noel.
HBP: Reimold, N (by Conatser), Tarnow (by Vinyard), Ellis (by Navarro).
Ground outs-fly outs: Lotzkar 1-2, Conatser 4-1, Vinyard 0-3, Hotchkiss 0-3, Navarro 1-0, Fiebig 0-2, Noel 7-7, Burch 0-0, Cole 1-2.
Batters faced: Lotzkar 7, Conatser 7, Vinyard 11, Hotchkiss 7, Navarro 7, Fiebig 3, Noel 26, Burch 3, Cole 10.
Inherited runners-scored: Hotchkiss 3-3, Fiebig 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Joel Myers. 1B: Bill Molsan. 2B: . 3B: .
Weather: 95 degrees, overcast.
Wind: 1 mph, Varies.

[Eric_Davis]

Why don't we wait until he actually does something before we start talking about him every day. This thread's going to be 500 pages before he earns his first player of the week honors.

he'll be a 3rd baseman / 1st baseman before long........if he can even hit....

[Aronchis]

Originally Posted by KeyMastur

he'll be a 3rd baseman / 1st baseman before long........if he can even hit....

Uh, no.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by KeyMastur

he'll be a 3rd baseman / 1st baseman before long........if he can even hit....

No. Mesoraco is actually a pretty good defensive catcher. He's a guy I fully expect to stay at catcher. It's his natural position, and he's good at it.

The question is his bat. Will he hit well enough to make the majors? Luckily he doesn't have to be too great considering the standards for the catching position. The odds of him ever hitting good enough to play at 1st or 3rd are quite poor.

He'll stay at catcher, and his bat will determine whether he will make the majors.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Yeah, he is a good defensive catcher. At least we hope he is. From all accounts he is, but he better start hitting the ball. Hopefully Drew Stubbs doesn't try and give him any tips.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey

Yeah, he is a good defensive catcher. At least we hope he is. From all accounts he is, but he better start hitting the ball. Hopefully Drew Stubbs doesn't try and give him any tips.

He's 18.

For some reason, I am not concerned by his struggles.