2018 Draft stuff

[ALessKosherScott]

 

It's an interesting case. I too, see both sides here. That said, I'm not sure why Brenda Tracey's opinion on this matters at all. She likely knows about as much of the situation as we do. The crime she faced was horrific, but that doesn't suddenly make her an expert on who is and is not guilty.

 

 

Brenda Tracy's opinions don't matter. What does matter is how Oregon State fans have jumped down her throat openly for questioning the logic of keeping Heimlich on the team this season. And the simple and fair question is "Would Heimlich still be on the team if he were merely a middle reliever?"

 

This is the future for the team that drafts Heimlich. The issue is never going to disappear. You can plead rehabilitation or questions of guilt all you want, but there are always going to be a mass of people who will question whether he should be there. And the more successful Heimlich becomes as a pitcher, the more the team's fans are going to have to defend his actions. The question becomes who do you want to marginalize: Heimlich or the victim?

 

And for the SI article, this was the quote that made my stomach turn the most:

 

"What's the kid supposed to do now? Kill himself?" says a Division I head coach who has watched Heimlich closely. 

 

As if a college baseball player with a college degree only has the option of playing baseball with his life. No one is saying put Heimlich in jail. But at the same time, he can prove himself to be rehabilitated just the same by doing anything else. He can become a lawyer and give better legal advice to teen boys in similar situations. He can become a counselor and help survivors of sexual abuse. He can go to Wall Street and make millions on the stock market. 

 

Maybe taking a mound for a major league baseball team where people are going to debate whether or not he should be there isn't the right career choice.

[biggentleben]

 

I find that even more interesting when many people tend to want our justice system move away from incarceration and more into rehabilitation. This debate is the other side to that conversation. I still lean towards giving him a second chance. What I can say is this. He won't be drafted high. He's likely going to have to gut it out in the minors with a low salary and a high chance of not making it. Whether he did it, or plead guilty to avoid trial, his actions have cost him quite a bit.

It's an interesting case. I too, see both sides here. That said, I'm not sure why Brenda Tracey's opinion on this matters at all. She likely knows about as much of the situation as we do. The crime she faced was horrific, but that doesn't suddenly make her an expert on who is and is not guilty.

 

My own take probably doesn't differ much here. Facts we know.

• He plead guilty (and this probably the biggest piece).
• He has complied with everything asked of him by the justice system.
• Yes, children can be coached and this stuff can be made up. It's rare though, and probably the biggest case he has in this area is that this was going on during his brother's divorce and his brother's continued silence (which if he spoke could turn that scale either way).
• The justice system does make mistakes, but let's not pretend that our jails populations are predominantly innocent either.  

I think my second point is the one that wins out here. Whether he did it or not, he has done everything required of him. As far as society is concerned, he has done his penance. Playing baseball isn't going to leave him with lots of alone time with young children. It's not as if it's a career doing daycare or elementary education, and he and his future team can certainly agree to protocols that keep him accountable if desired.

 

I think the real consternation here, if I were to put on my amateur psychologist hat, is that people are probably more upset about the idea that this kid could get very rich given the crime he plead guilt to. That, to me at least, is a bit more arbitrary. I can certainly see restricting him from professions that would expose him to young children. That isn't a forgiveness issue, but a trust one. MLB isn't one of those careers though. 

 

Everything required of him...except properly report his status as an offender to the state of Oregon, which is why he was not part of Oregon State's postseason last year. So there are some hairy details still....

[gunnarthor]

Couple high school kids looked good returning from injury. Both could have been top 10 picks. Likely that one or both is still around at 20.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/latest-2018-mlb-draft-news-from-callis-mayo/c-277888816

[gunnarthor]

pipeline has a new mock up - https://www.mlb.com/news/mock-draft-college-players-get-picked-early/c-278228058

 

They note that the Twins are looking at college pitchers and have us taking Jackson Kowar from Florida. I'd be ok with him.

 

They also have a top 200 draft prospect list (Luke Heimlech (sp) is not on it).

 

 http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2018?list=draft

[zenser]

Is Hankins signable at 20?

[gunnarthor]

 

Is Hankins signable at 20?

I think so. He's a big risk though. His upside is huge but shoulder injuries at 18? He doesn't have the other pitches yet. If he and and Kowar were available, I'd take Kowar.  

[Mike Sixel]

So far, two teams have told KLaw they won't draft Heimlich.

[biggentleben]

 

I think so. He's a big risk though. His upside is huge but shoulder injuries at 18? He doesn't have the other pitches yet. If he and and Kowar were available, I'd take Kowar.  

 

He definitely had the other pitches in summer and fall, but the shoulder stuff really cost him snap on his breaking stuff...

 

As far as signable, I've heard $4.5M on him. That'd be roughly $1.4M overslot for the Twins. I imagine he's a Ray/Royal/Indian or goes to Vandy.

[Mike Sixel]

"always take hitters early"

 

and this....about a guy that would have been a top 5 pick a few years ago...

 

Kyle
3:15 Can JJ SCHWARZ stick at C? Where will he be drafted?

Eric A Longenhagen
3:15 No, he's someone's senior sign

[gunnarthor]

 

"always take hitters early"

 

and this....about a guy that would have been a top 5 pick a few years ago...

 

Kyle
3:15 Can JJ SCHWARZ stick at C? Where will he be drafted?

Eric A Longenhagen
3:15 No, he's someone's senior sign

His fall is stunning to me.

[Mike Sixel]

Agreed. And I wasn't trying to say one example proves anything, it is just fascinating to me how this guy fell

[diehardtwinsfan]

"always take hitters early"

 

and this....about a guy that would have been a top 5 pick a few years ago...

 

Kyle

3:15 Can JJ SCHWARZ stick at C? Where will he be drafted?

Eric A Longenhagen

3:15 No, he's someone's senior sign

Given our need for catchers, and the fact that he was considered a high pick at one point, this is a senior sign that I think the Twins should pick in round 11 (or top 10 if he's signing under slot).

[Mr. Brooks]

Given our need for catchers, and the fact that he was considered a high pick at one point, this is a senior sign that I think the Twins should pick in round 11 (or top 10 if he's signing under slot).

Schwartz won't be drafted as a catcher though.

That's part of the reason why he's not a top prospect anymore.

[Mike Sixel]

Schwartz won't be drafted as a catcher though.

That's part of the reason why he's not a top prospect anymore.

Agreed. I'd definitely be interested late.... He once showed her could hit

[biggentleben]

All kinds of things floating about the early picks now - with the understanding that many are smoke screens, but some relate back to things whispered, if not outright stated early in the process.

 

The Phillies and Mets both could be looking to cut big deals if Mize/Bart are not available for them, pushing someone who wouldn't figure into the top 5 and another into the top 10, and bumping other guys back.

 

One of the surprise teams that sent people of importance to yesterday's Florida game were the Braves, who haven't really been tied to Jonathan India, and it was well-known that Singer and Kowar weren't pitching. Could be some possibility that the Braves make a splash with India at 8 as well, which would toss a few other things into turmoil.

 

Most likely, the players the Mets and Phillies would target would be HS arms, meaning less on the market, but that would also mean that hitters start to fall, and if the Braves grab India, that could mean guys like Swaggerty and college arms get bumped down as well, meaning all sorts of names could be on the board for the Twins that mocks haven't had available there.

 

My personal take on talk over the last week - Cole Winn isn't getting out of the top 10, and he very well could be the first high school player taken.