The Official 2024 Draft Thread

[Inside Pitch]

9 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

So this one-two combo makes me think boom or bust. Either Moore is going to be great, or he's going to be recent Javy Baez who can't play the field.

To be clear, my concerns are about the player development more than the player.  I mean Sonny Chiarra was a dude with a bad body and a near perfect approach so you'd figure he would at the very least maintain his walk rate but he's been awful.  Neto was a walk machine, ditto Schanuel and while he's been doing that more of late both guys have become more swing happy.

[Blarg]

1 minute ago, Inside Pitch said:

He's about due to go nuts for 45 days before forgetting again.

I think he has been working so hard on defense he used up all of his baseball reserves making that an area no one can question. He has pulled off some pretty nice plays recently that may just trigger his brain to say, good enough, now let's hit. Post break he may just do what you say. Or his downside may just settle into league average and then ride highs for longer periods. 

[Tank]

2 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

To be clear, my concerns are about the player development more than the player.  I mean Sonny Chiarra was a dude with a bad body and a near perfect approach so you'd figure he would at the very least maintain his walk rate but he's been awful.  Neto was a walk machine, ditto Schanuel and while he's been doing that more of late both guys have become more swing happy.

i'm more than willing to have lunch with both of these guys this week and share your insights with them. 

[Blarg]

2 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

.  Neto was a walk machine, ditto Schanuel and while he's been doing that more of late both guys have become more swing happy.

You almost can't blame then when pitches 6" off the plate are called strikes, you can't umpire from the batters box. They have had to react to inconsistent strike zones. I've seen Neto and Schanuel correctly see the ball out of the zone and get rung up. The only defense is to not let that third strike get called and that raises the out of zone swings. If they could learn pitch spoiling it could balance the tables. 

[Angelsjunky]

13 minutes ago, Jason said:

Yes, he has improved but sadly, he forgot how to hit. I haven't watched a game in months but do check the box score so I'll take your word for it that his defense is where it needs to be now. 

When did he know how to hit? For a fortnight in April?

12 minutes ago, Blarg said:

For all of the complaining about how the organization is run we still have three guys through draft and trade under 23 that are actually playing and holding their own in the Majors. We have Caden Dana banging on the door. It's been a surge of quality players that if the previous GM's hadn't blown their draft chances there wouldn't be talk of a rebuild, it would be complete.

Can Moore shore up 2nd base starting next season? That is probably too aggressive but then again, the Angels really don't have much to lose running him through Washington's defense gauntlet and learn on the job. Like Neto, Schanuel and O'Hoppe are doing now, they will be the vets next year and Moore the rookie. Rengifo should still be around to take some pressure off Moore so he isn't do or die every series. But that will look more like Kendrick learning under Kennedy his first year then he's on his own.

The Angels sure didn't know what they were doing for quite a while. I think that is over. It's going to take a long time to change that perception but I think the corner is turned. But any draft doesn't change today. 

Fair enough. I know some folks in the prospects thread have pointed out that the farm is particularly barren because they've moved some guys through so quickly. Another org might still have Schanuel and Neto in AA/AAA. So I think you're right that there's signs of improvement, or I hope you're right! I'm less concerned about their drafting than I am about their development, as IP says...

6 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

To be clear, my concerns are about the player development more than the player.  I mean Sonny Chiarra was a dude with a bad body and a near perfect approach so you'd figure he would at the very least maintain his walk rate but he's been awful.  Neto was a walk machine, ditto Schanuel and while he's been doing that more of late both guys have become more swing happy.

Yeah, I hear you. I didn't know Neto was a walk machine - maybe he'll relax a bit, and start taking more pitches. Schanuel's been walking more, as you say, and hitting more like he started as: good average, lots of walks, but not much power. Better than what he was doing for the first few months.

[Blarg]

3 minutes ago, Tank said:

i'm more than willing to have lunch with both of these guys this week and share your insights with them. 

Now that you're retired, I would expect some of these issues get ironed out. Keep the receipts,  Minasian will cover meals but you're on your own with drinks. 

[Angels 1961]

19 minutes ago, Jason said:

Very good or just better?

Very good you see him this weekend plays he made?

[Chuck]

 

[Blarg]

1 minute ago, Angelsjunky said:

Fair enough. I know some folks in the prospects thread have pointed out that the farm is particularly barren because they've moved some guys through so quickly. Another org might still have Schanuel and Neto in AA/AAA. So I think you're right that there's signs of improvement, or I hope you're right! I'm less concerned about their drafting than I am about their development, as IP says...

Yeah, I'm living off of hopium these days that the kids are going to save the franchise. Now if @Tank and I can just keep Moreno at the bar drinking and talking static vs electronic billboards, Minasian may just pull this off. 

[Tank]

3 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Yeah, I'm living off of hopium these days that the kids are going to save the franchise. Now if @Tank and I can just keep Moreno at the bar drinking and talking static vs electronic billboards, Minasian may just pull this off. 

i'm all in.

i saved my collection of medieval times rally flags from the dinner theater. maybe i can bring those along to distract arte while actual work gets done.

[jsnpritchett]

They should cut down the time between early-round picks.  You can't make trades, so things should go very quickly.

[Blarg]

4 minutes ago, Tank said:

i'm all in.

i saved my collection of medieval times rally flags from the dinner theater. maybe i can bring those along to distract arte while actual work gets done.

Wear the cod piece, that always us worth a few hours of discussion. 

[Blarg]

3 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

They should cut down the time between early-round picks.  You can't make trades, so things should go very quickly.

But they put all that time and effort into the player profiles. 

[Angelsjunky]

Hypothetical Angels lineup, 2026

C O'Hoppe

1B Schanuel

2B Moore

SS Neto

3B Rengifo (or Fontenelle)

LF Trout

CF Rada

RF Adell

DH Rendon

[tdawg87]

SSSSSICK LINEUPS

[Blarg]

We are not out of the first round and the Padres picked a High School pitcher that looked just like a High School pitcher. No discernable plus pitch. A curve that is very easy to track. I wonder what they see in him but more importantly, if this is the best available at 25 there is probably nothing in the 2nd round out of high school. 

[Stradling]

If you are a high school kid contemplating college and you are drafted by the Angels, does the aggressive promotions help with sign-ability? 

[jsnpritchett]

3 minutes ago, Blarg said:

We are not out of the first round and the Padres picked a High School pitcher that looked just like a High School pitcher. No discernable plus pitch. A curve that is very easy to track. I wonder what they see in him but more importantly, if this is the best available at 25 there is probably nothing in the 2nd round out of high school. 

He also turns 20 next February, so he's old for a high school pick. 

[Blarg]

9 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Hypothetical Angels lineup, 2026

C O'Hoppe

1B Schanuel

2B Moore

SS Neto

3B Rengifo (or Fontenelle)

LF Trout

CF Rada

RF Adell

DH Rendon

I hate to say but I really hope Rendon is gone before then. His 35% season appearences has worn out my patience. 

[Stradling]

The Phillies just drafted a 19 year old high school kid that was ranked around 45 with the 27th pick. 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Blarg said:

I hate to say but I really hope Rendon is gone before then. His 35% season appearences has worn out my patience. 

Rendon is another major injury away from retiring. 

[Blarg]

Just now, jsnpritchett said:

He also turns 20 next February, so he's old for a high school pick. 

Holy shit, how many grades was he held back. Can he spell his name yet?

 

(Here is where a tragic story is linked and I look like an idiot)

[Blarg]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

The Phillies just drafted a 19 year old high school kid that was ranked around 45 with the 27th pick. 

Under slot !

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

Rendon is another major injury away from retiring. 

Great, now he's gonna Pujols us.

Gross.

[Inside Pitch]

27 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Yeah, I hear you. I didn't know Neto was a walk machine - maybe he'll relax a bit, and start taking more pitches. Schanuel's been walking more, as you say, and hitting more like he started as: good average, lots of walks, but not much power. Better than what he was doing for the first few months.

Neto walked 39 times .vs 19 Ks his final season at Campbell and finished his college career with more walks than Ks.  He can milk walks, just hasn't happened at the MLB level.  Dude has been channeling his inner Aybar/GA.