Draft Day... Skenes or Crews?

[USF_Football]

Skenes is the second coming of Strasburg (and mature beyond his years). Crews brings a phenominal bat to the plate. So who are you hoping the Pirates select... because taking anyone outside of these two players with the Nationals pick is pointless.

I'm pulling for Skenes. Our pitching is terrible... and unless Gore and Gray turn the corner in the next few years, I'm not sure if we truly have a true horse presently. We have plenty of promising OF bats... I'm praying the Pirates take Crews... we need to catch a break.

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

Skenes is the second coming of Strasburg (and mature beyond his years). Crews brings a phenominal bat to the plate. So who are you hoping the Pirates select... because taking anyone outside of these two players with the Nationals pick is pointless.

I'm pulling for Skenes. Our pitching is terrible... and unless Gore and Gray turn the corner in the next few years, I'm not sure if we truly have a true horse presently. We have plenty of promising OF bats... I'm praying the Pirates take Crews... we need to catch a break.

If Gray turns the corner? He’s an All-Star sporting a sub 4 ERA. I think he’s turned the corner.

[imref]

Skenes has a pretty good bat too. 

[bluestreak]

I’ve heard some scuttlebutt that Pirates may take Langford to save money.

[USF_Football]

If Gray turns the corner? He’s an All-Star sporting a sub 4 ERA. I think he’s turned the corner.

He’s a participation trophy All Star at best due to the current league rules. It’s a sad reality of MLB attempting to drive fan interest by adding him to the roster. Let’s at least call it what it is.

[Natsinpwc]

Gray has pitched fine this year.  I think a better way of putting is that he is probably not a top of the rotation guy longer term. More a 3/4. Skenes has the potential to be a number one. Of healthy a Skenes, Gore, Cavalli and Gray rotation would be pretty good I think even in 2024. My question would be would the owners go out and get some bats and bullpen arms to supplement that rotation so the team could compete for the playoffs.

[Natsinpwc]

I’ve heard some scuttlebutt that Pirates may take Langford to save money.

Yea. That has been discussed here in one of these threads.

[welch]

Keith Law, as of 1:10 am:

1. Pittsburgh Pirates – Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
Langford has clearly been on the short list for the Pirates all year, but with Dylan Crews appearing to want over slot to sign here and the team’s apparent preference for a bat over an arm possibly leading them away from Paul Skenes, Langford is the best fit as someone who’s absolutely good enough to be the first overall pick but would sign at a number that will let the Pirates go over slot with later picks. Don’t discount Max Clark here either, for the same reasons, although I think the Pirates would prefer the college guy who’ll get there faster. Clark is motivated to go first overall and there’s a very good argument that he has the highest upside of any candidate to go here.

2. Washington Nationals – Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU
Tough call for the Nats if both LSU kids are here, but a source familiar with the team’s thinking told me the Nats would probably still take Skenes because he has the profile of a pitcher who’s in the majors in a year à la Stephen Strasburg. Neither is a wrong choice and I could easily see them taking Crews.

https://theathletic.com/4671798/2023/07/07/mlb-mock-draft-langford-pirates-crews-clark/

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yea. That has been discussed here in one of these threads.

yes, there's a more general draft thread in The Farm. https://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=40466.0

At this point, McDaniel and Law are saying Langford #1, and Longenhagen strongly thinks that is developing (even though his last mock had Crews #1). It seems to be the Pirates MO, they've worked with Langford's agent recently, and really there's not that much separating him from the other college guys. it's a matter of floor vs ceiling in part, but neither bat is a risky pick and both have good tools.

That said, it's Skenes or Crews here. For me, I think the staff could use a high end #1, and I don't think Gore is it. Cavalli probably isn't either. I could easily see a post-Corbin rotation with Gore and Gray and a couple of Cavalli, Irvin, Rutledge, and Henry. that's only a 50% hit rate on AAA talent. skenes would look great, and that let's you spend on position players, which have a better hit rate in FA.

Crews would set them up a different way. Crews, Wood, and whoever is good for 6+ years as the outfield, with House at one corner IF. Your money then gets spent for a big time pitcher. How can that go wrong?

F the injury risk. Skenes.

[nfotiu]

Take the bat.  Pitchers are too much of a crap shoot to stay healthy these days.

[USF_Football]

JCA said it best IMO. It’s not that I dislike Gray - he’s just not what we all dreamed about when the Dodgers cleaned out our soon to be departing talent a few years back. He’s a #3 at best - in reality a #4 as NatsInPWC stated.

My fantasy would be that Soto signs in FA with us and that the haul we got for him hits. Wood is firing on all cylinders presently. Gore is not the #1 we were hoping for, however I see #2 potential. Hassel is looking to be a full time OFer. Susana probably gets converted to a reliever long term when he doesn’t pan out as a SP (he’s still young - he’s wild though like a young Michael Kopech). Maybe he turns the corner.

On a different note, does anyone remember what we got in return for Dane Dunning off hand? Was he part of the Adam Eaton deal (just can’t remember).

Other than that, our farm isn’t as deep with the arms as we would hope. Skenes at least gives me some hope if we pick him up.

We’re all holding out hope for Cade. Just a lot of question marks in general. Makes me sick to see the Braves hitting on every single arm and bat they practically bring up. The rebuild in DC is going to take some time. I might be retired by the time they finally figure it out.

Anyways… it’s a good day to be talking baseball in the DC circles. Probably one of the the better days of the year for anything related to National baseball presently.

[Slateman]

Dunning was part of the Eaton deal. Giolito, Dunning, and Lopez for Eaton

[welch]

I think that Rizzo drafts Skenes after the Pirates draft Langford. That's what all the Smartest Guys predict, anyway. I would love to have "the next Stephen Strasburg" pitching for the Nats. That boosts what will be a pretty good rotation by next August, a rotation of Gore, Cavalli, Irvin, Gray, and probably Rutledge. With Corbin in the bullpen. Skenes would give six pretty good and pretty young starters, which means the Nats have room for a flop or for injuries. Add Bennett soon after, since Bennett is doing well.

The Nats following choices this week will be high enough that they should pick up some good hitters. Last I looked, Keith Law had written that there are about 40 players who would be first round picks in a typical draft. Counting the 32 picks that include the supplimentals, and giving the Pirates the first pick in each round, that would give the Nats a choice of seven extra first-round-deserving prospects. That's when they draft a hitter. 

[USF_Football]

Skenes will be up in 2025 (assuming no injuries). No reason to slow his progression down at this point as a MLB owner.

[catocony]

If the Pirates don't take Skenes then the Nats shouldn't hesitate for a split second to pick him.  Skenes > Crews > Langford.

[hotshot]

Has Skenes had TJ surgery yet? If not, that's what you have to look forward to if he's the pick.

[Kevrock]

Now the board will be surprised if we take Crews over Skenes it seems

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

Skenes will be up in 2025 (assuming no injuries). No reason to slow his progression down at this point as a MLB owner.

I seriously doubt Skenes spends an entire season in the minors. My guess is he's up at the start of opening day 24'. He's ready to pitch in the majors now.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Now the board will be surprised if we take Crews over Skenes it seems

we've been conditioned to over Skenes.

[nobleisthyname]

Has Skenes had TJ surgery yet? If not, that's what you have to look forward to if he's the pick.

Yep, have to expect either '24 or '25 will be a lost season.

[hotshot]

Skenes will be up in 2025 (assuming no injuries). No reason to slow his progression down at this point as a MLB owner.

These days that is a HUGE assumption for a pitcher.

[bluestreak]

I think it would be idiotic to take a Boras client (Crews).

[Natsinpwc]

Yep, have to expect either '24 or '25 will be a lost season.

The most likely scenario to me is that he pitches 2024 but the team is no good.  But then they are better in 2025 but he gets hurt mid season and need TJ surgery. And does not return until the end of 2026.

[HalfSmokes]

I seriously doubt Skenes spends an entire season in the minors. My guess is he's up at the start of opening day 24'. He's ready to pitch in the majors now.

He spends time in the minors if his team still sucks and the owner wants team control of his prime

[Natsinpwc]

He spends time in the minors if his team still sucks and the owner wants team control of his prime

What happens if the owners just don’t care either way. Like our current guys.