Author Topic: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B  (Read 27590 times)

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Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #50: June 24, 2012, 01:57:19 PM »
Uh. No.

There's so many things wrong with the statement you just made I'm not even going to try and rebuttal.


:lmao: so you're saying we're still drafting best available and not sign ability through out the draft?

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #51: June 24, 2012, 06:14:21 PM »

:lmao: so you're saying we're still drafting best available and not sign ability through out the draft?


No one drafts just best players anymore.  with the cap on the bonuses, even the richest teams draft 3 or 4 guys who will sign for chicken feed.  That said, there is no way Skole was a signability pick last year.   

Offline RD

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #52: June 24, 2012, 07:05:52 PM »
No one drafts just best players anymore.  with the cap on the bonuses, even the richest teams draft 3 or 4 guys who will sign for chicken feed.  That said, there is no way Skole was a signability pick last year.   

He was a slot guy, however. I know previous drafts have numbers all over, but he was a pick along the likes of Mooneyham and Kieboom. Skole's actual bonus was in the middle/bottom of the pack for the round.

Also, let's not forget that he is still in low A ball. We've had college guys with immediate success before, only to really slow down as they climb the ranks. Adrian Alaniz comes to mind. I have high hopes for Skole also, butletsnot get ahead of ourselves.

But Skole definitely does not have anything to do with the typeof drafting utilized to sign Giolito. We took a couple clear sign ability guys this year but also some slot guys. We didn't punt completely with the rest of our picks.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #53: June 24, 2012, 09:37:43 PM »
RD - If you want to know a team that did a lot of cheap top 10 picks, look no further than the Red Sox.  3 of their top 10 picks signed for a total of $27K. 

Do you agree that the Nats seem a little passive in their signing and promotion of college guys, at least recently?  After Storen and Strasburg, that is.

Offline RD

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #54: June 24, 2012, 11:14:54 PM »
RD - If you want to know a team that did a lot of cheap top 10 picks, look no further than the Red Sox.  3 of their top 10 picks signed for a total of $27K. 

Do you agree that the Nats seem a little passive in their signing and promotion of college guys, at least recently?  After Storen and Strasburg, that is.

I know some teams went real cheap in an effort to make up for drafting over slot type of guys. I havent looked at everyones draft, but I would imagine 90% of the team did that, with at least one pick. Everyone to varying degrees of course.

All Im saying is, Skole has performed well, but he was taken where he was expected to go, and signed where he expected to go. We didn't go the Red Sox route and completely punt picks to go big elsewhere. We did overdraft a few people to save some money, but we also drafted guys like Mooneyham and Kieboom, even Renda to a certain extent that signed for slot or near slot. We did get Renda for a savings, but he was a borderline top 100 guy taken at 80. Skole fits this group, so Skole is still the type of player we could have taken, under the strategy we displayed this year.

And of course, Skole could also prove to be the kind of guy that gets bumped up to the second or third round from the 5th, to save a little cash. So we can still add Skole types of talents on draft day. Its all about scouting. It is a crapshoot whether its the 5th, 6th, or 15th round. Scouting and development is what will make the difference.

I think we did a decent job spreading out our draft strategy. We definitely overdrafted a couple guys to save some cash, but we didn't drafted 35th round talents(signing for $1,000) in the 5th and 6th round to do it. We drafted a couple guys for slot or near it, and went big with one guy. While this draft will be determined by Giolito's success, we did land a couple guys who have a legit chance at impacting the big league club. We didn't punt on 9 picks just to get Giolito signed. I wish we would have gone with a couple more HSers in the top ten, but that's just about spreading the ages of talent throughout the system better.

Definitely agree they seem a bit passive on promoting guys. It seems like only the premium guys get pushed through at a rapid pace. I dont know if its just a cautionary thing in general, but it appears that we've loaded up on certain positions and it causes a bit of a log jam. We've drafted a lot of college middle infielders over the past couple years ... Kelso, Martinson, Hague, and Kobernus, then traded for a couple of similar age in Zach Walters and Cutter Dykstra, and one of the International guys in Adrian Sanchez is a part of the group. That doesn't include corner guys like Rendon or Skole. To get all those guys enough time to develop, some have shifted to the corners to get AB's. While I think Im in the group that many of you are in thinking Skole has proven more than any of them and should play, who gets the boot(whether thats a promotion to Harrisburg, a demotion to Hagerstown or solely to the bench)? Hague was a high pick that has to play. He hasn't earned a promotion to AA and is struggling, but you can't push him to the bench or promote him. Demoting him will likely result in Skole type of numbers(based on his scouting reports). Martinson probably earned a promotion to Potomac after a solid season at Hagerstown last year, and he was forced to start at Hagerstown again. He just got his well deserved promotion. He deserves to play at Potomac. Sanchez and Kelso are versatile and can move around a bit, and already had a full year at Hagerstown already.

Thats a part of the reason I wanted some more HS talent in the system. Then we go and draft two more middle infielders in the top 10! lol. Like I said, I dont know if that has anything to do with it. Since Kelso profiles as more of a utility guy and Sanchez hasnt had as much success(and neither have the upside of a Hague), I would probably demote one of them back to Hagerstown for Skole. That's just me though.

And of course, this only applies to infielders. It doesn't have anything to do with why Goodwin is still down at Hagerstown. Allowing Michael Taylor to roam center is probably the biggest reason why he's still down.

In general though, yes, I agree that they do seem a bit passive in assignments and promotions. For younger guys, I think its better to be more passive at the younger levels while the players gain confidence and work on their games against guys still developing(as opposed to players that are pushing for the bigs within a year) but guys like Skole and Goodwin in particular look like they deserve to be at a higher level.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #55: June 25, 2012, 08:52:05 AM »
Thanks RD.  Always interested in your thoughts on the system.

When I read halfsmokes post at the top of the page, it implied we were being cheap, which prompted my response.  From what you are saying, it looks like we weren't so much throwing away half our top 10 picks to college seniors unlikely to advance beyond A ball as we took a lot guys around where they should have been drafted.  I don't think that is really signability picking, but it probably is not the old system where guys would be literally the best talent on the board and could be signed for a premium without consequences.  So I guess HS is right to :lmao: at the idea that we always take the best on the board, but it is probably a stretch to suggest that we are taking a lot of overdrafts simply to skimp money.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #56: June 25, 2012, 09:11:10 AM »
It's not skimping, it's redirecting to first rounders - if everyone signs, total outlay is the same. I just object to loading up on guys we know will take less than slot

Offline RD

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #57: June 25, 2012, 05:42:25 PM »
It's not skimping, it's redirecting to first rounders - if everyone signs, total outlay is the same. I just object to loading up on guys we know will take less than slot

It's the nature of the game now though. We aren't the only ones to employ that strategy, and weren't the worst. Don't hate the player, hate the game. The new draft rules have made it this way. It's not a strategy we solely employ.

We could draft totally slot and end up losing a pick if someone decides they want to go to school. Or if we value a guy much higher than someone else, we could take them where we value them, and sign them for less than slot. Is that still loading up for another pick? Being cheap?

The new rules have changed everything. I still consider us lucky having Giolito fallnto us. If we had to save a little on 2 or 3 picks to do so, that's what you have to do within the rules. We didn't blow wall other picks too just give Giolito our entire draft pool. We save a little but still went after some talented kids. Our first 3 picks were all top 100 ranked guys, depending on the board. I know MLB.com had all 3 ranked there. So I think we did a good job balancing things out. If there's a problem, its with the new rules. Not with the Nationals. They played it well IMO.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #58: June 27, 2012, 12:53:22 PM »
HR #18 today

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #59: July 05, 2012, 09:11:33 PM »
Hit HR #20 tonight

Offline Capital Punisher

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #60: July 08, 2012, 05:55:27 PM »
#21 today, that is a ton in any league.

Offline BerakosVA

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #61: July 08, 2012, 06:25:14 PM »
Why wasn't he invited to the Futures Game?

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #62: July 08, 2012, 06:27:16 PM »
He's too old for his league. Might be a case of dominating guys he should be dominating.

Plus, its not really a game of top stats as much as top tools guys.

He'll be 23 at the end of July. League average age is 21.

Not that, that is something new for the Nats... they like to slow play non-top prospects and don't mind stocking the low minors with a lot of "older" guys.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #63: July 23, 2012, 11:30:19 PM »
Skole had been out since July 8th but came back today: 3/5 with a HR (22), 2 RBIs, BB, SB.

He hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th.

Offline monkeyhit

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #64: August 02, 2012, 07:25:35 AM »
23rd HR last night. Should be moved up, but needs another position perhaps. Lot of errors at 3rd.

Offline Kentucky_National

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #65: August 09, 2012, 01:31:35 AM »
Skole with 2 HR's tonight. 27 now.

Offline hammondsnats

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #66: August 09, 2012, 01:59:21 AM »
my boy was there tonight ... said the guy is just an absolute stud.  total monster.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #67: August 09, 2012, 10:47:28 AM »
A bump to Potomac would have been nice but I guess they want him there for a full season or something to work on his D.

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #68: August 09, 2012, 10:50:05 AM »
Skole has already told fans that have asked that he's not going to be promoted this year.

Offline sportsfan882

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #69: August 09, 2012, 10:57:12 AM »
Because of his defense?

18 errors in 92 games

Online blue911

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #70: August 09, 2012, 10:57:41 AM »
Skole has already told fans that have asked that he's not going to be promoted this year.

The Tyler Moore route.

Offline Mr Clean

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #71: August 09, 2012, 11:03:26 AM »
So if he is not promoted he can't go to the AFL?

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #72: August 09, 2012, 11:05:01 AM »
For a team that's as aggressive as anyone with top prospects, they take their time with 'non-prospects'

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #73: August 09, 2012, 11:13:33 AM »
For a team that's as aggressive as anyone with top prospects, they take their time with 'non-prospects'

What's the rush?

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow The Prospects : Matt Skole 3B
« Reply #74: August 09, 2012, 11:15:36 AM »
What's the rush?

He'a killing the ball- let him face better pitchers