Nationals Draft Pick Discussion Thread

[DPMOmaha]

Still 10-15 picks to go.

[d_mc_nabb]

anyone have info on Paul Demny?

[ronnynat]

anyone have info on Paul Demny?

This is from last year.

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=69398

Paul Demny is a 2007 RHP with a 6'3'', 215 lb. frame from East Bernard, TX who attends East Bernard. He has a strong, mature athletic build and very good raw arm strength. Demny's fastball was up to 94 mph and was pretty consistently 92 mph when throwing 4-seamers. He threw some 2-seamers at 87-88 that had good life and were effective, also. He curveball was 76 mph and flashed very good spin at times. The whole issue with Demny are his mechanics, he didn't throw many pitches from the same delivery and release point, ranging all the way from over the top to low 3/4's. His best mechanics look to be a mid 3/4's drop and drive style. When he gains some consistency he could see his stuff really come on because he has top draft prospect talent.

[wpa2629]

So ... what do you we think Nats fans ... our draft was considered one of the best in MLB last year ... how are we looking this year??

[ronnynat]

This is from Nats Journal

Sixth round, 181st pick overall: Paul Demny, RHP, Blinn College (Texas)

Comments from MLB.com: none available

Assorted comments from several Washington scouts: He's intriguing because he's a junior college pitcher, but very young. He doesn't turn 19 until August. His best pitch is a 93-94 mph sinking fastball.

[ronnynat]

So ... what do you we think Nats fans ... our draft was considered one of the best in MLB last year ... how are we looking this year??

Definitely Top 10.

[sportsfan882]

Not too bad. Crow sounds like a keeper. Hood sounds like a bigger version of Burgess. They better sign him.  Espinosa could be interesting. I don't think the draft is as good as last year's but I think they did a fine job.

[ronnynat]

Not too bad. Crow sounds like a keeper. Hood sounds like a bigger version of Burgess. They better sign him.  Espinosa could be interesting. I don't think the draft is as good as last year's but I think they did a fine job.

Definitely a better first pick. Crow could end up being our top prospect.

[sportsfan882]

Definitely a better first pick. Crow could end up being our top prospect.

I agree. I would have preferred a hitter but the more I read about Crow the more I become excited about him being in our system.  Hopefully he doesn't pull a Detwiler on us and instead actually dominates the low minors like a first round pick out of college should.

[ronnynat]

I agree. I would have preferred a hitter but the more I read about Crow the more I become excited about him being in our system.  Hopefully he doesn't pull a Detwiler on us and instead actually dominates the low minors like a first round pick out of college should.

Well, he's known for having good control and a fastball that can hit 98, so my hopes are a lot higher for him.

I do think Detwiler will be fine, though. I just never projected him to be a top of the rotation guy.

[wpa2629]

I heard Crow wanted a mack daddy signing bonus -- is that true or skuttlebutt??

[BBQ]

I have had bad feelings about Detwiler recently glad to see we drafted someone that wouldn't make it as bad if Detwiler fails to reach the bigs.

In 2007 I'd rather have taken Matt LaPorta an OF

[ronnynat]

In 2007 I'd rather have taken Matt LaPorta an OF

I agree now, but probably would have disagreed last year.

[ronnynat]

Starting to sign some draft picks.

In other news, the team announced they have signed six picks from last week's MLB draft: left-hander Ricardo Pecina (drafted in the eighth round), left-hander Tom Milone (10th round), shortstop Jose Losada (17th round), left-hander Joseph Garrett (25th round), catcher Chris Solis (27th round) and third baseman Ronnie Labrie (38th round).

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/chatter/2008/Jun/07/roster-moves-and-other-info/

[BBQ]

We need Crow to get his hard-throwing ass to Potomac so he can get a few innings of MLB ball in September. It was a waste of time to have Detwiler up last year, all he did was throw one inning...

[houston-nat]

The Nats have drafted Rice first baseman J.P. Padron. Yeaahh Rice!  He's been a more than solid hitter this year, if not exactly a star or anything.
We also got some Rice pitcher I've never heard of; don't know why they passed up on Cole St Clair, who somehow stuck around to the second day of drafting but got taken by (I think) the Dodgers; Cole is the "ultimate package" of great guy, great athlete, and ... great student 

[wpa2629]

We need Crow to get his hard-throwing ass to Potomac so he can get a few innings of MLB ball in September. It was a waste of time to have Detwiler up last year, all he did was throw one inning...

meh ... pretty sure the reason he was called up was so that he could work with Randy St. Claire - the number of innings he pitched was incidental ...

[tomterp]

meh ... pretty sure the reason he was called up was so that he could work with Randy St. Claire - the number of innings he pitched was incidental ...

 

wpa, I think you've been spending too much time in the air conditioning lately.  Crow not only has not been called up, but he has not yet been signed, so far as we know.

Could it have been Mock you were thinking of?  (I'm not trying to "Mock" you here)   

[ronnynat]

wpa, I think you've been spending too much time in the air conditioning lately.  Crow not only has not been called up, but he has not yet been signed, so far as we know.

Could it have been Mock you were thinking of?  (I'm not trying to "Mock" you here)   

She was responding to this:

We need Crow to get his hard-throwing ass to Potomac so he can get a few innings of MLB ball in September. It was a waste of time to have Detwiler up last year, all he did was throw one inning...

[tomterp]

She was responding to this:

We need Crow to get his hard-throwing ass to Potomac so he can get a few innings of MLB ball in September. It was a waste of time to have Detwiler up last year, all he did was throw one inning...

 

[wpa2629]

 

LOL @ Tomterp ... 

[tomterp]

LOL @ Tomterp ... 

[tomterp]

By the way, I assume everyone knows we've signed 10 of our draft picks already, right? 

From Nats' press releases:

June 8, 2008

The Washington Nationals today announced they have agreed to terms with four players selected in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Including yesterday's signings, they have now agreed to terms with 10 players selected in the Draft.
Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden, Vice President of Baseball Operations and Assistant General Manager Mike Rizzo, and Director of Scouting Dana Brown made this joint announcement.

The following are the Nationals' most-recent signings: Left-handed pitcher William Atwood (12th round) and shortstop James Keithley (39th round) will report to the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Single-A (short-season) New York-Penn League. Catcher Daniel Killian (7th round) and left-handed pitcher Clayton Dill (35th round) will be assigned to the Nationals' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Viera (FL).

June 7, 2008

The Washington Nationals today announced they have agreed to terms with six players selected in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Nationals senior vice president and general manager Jim Bowden, vice president of baseball operations and assistant general manager Mike Rizzo, and director of scouting Dana Brown made this joint announcement.
The Nationals have agreed to terms with the following players: Left-handed pitchers Ricardo Pecina (8th round), Tom Milone (10th round), Joseph Garrett (25th round) and shortstop Jose Lozada (17th round) will be assigned to the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Class A (short-season) New York-Penn League. Catcher Chris Solis (27th round) and third baseman Ronnie Labrie (38th round) will report to the Nationals' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Viera (Fla.).

[BBQ]

I wish we had as good  pitching coach as 'hitting' coach freaking lenny harris [doesn't deserve capitalization.

[ronnynat]

Jim Callis at BA thinks Crow will pretty easily become our top prospect:

The Nationals have added several talented pitchers in the last two years, none better than Aaron Crow, who leapfrogs the rest of Washington's arms as well as first baseman Chris Marrero.

Regardless of the depth of this draft, I think that when you get a guy that "leapfrogs" the rest of your solid prospects, you've done something very positive for your franchise. Our farm system keeps getting stronger. At least that part of the plan is working out so far.