Comments on: Friday Links (17 Aug 07)

By: Tom Waits

Tom Waits — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:48:48 +0000

64: Somebody told me a couple of months ago that I shouldn’t worry about the pitching, either. He was one of the only big upside picks they took and they lost him for a fraction of the draft budget they had left.

67: Several of the first 8 picks we made were selected because we knew they’d sign. It’s not like we stretched the budget on the first 8 players and then needed to have a fixed cost on Toledo.

The Padres have moved on, short a talented player who would have been an asset to the organization.

How many other teams signed their first 8? SF signed their first 24. Colorado signed their first 13. Arizona signed their first 15. LA didn’t miss until 5. I could keep looking, but the NL West is sufficient for my purposes. 3/5 of our most immediate competition didn’t let ANY of their top picks slip away. None of our immediate competition missed the opportunity cost of the 117th pick.

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By: Didi

Didi — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:46:55 +0000

Anybody else worried about tonight's game? Opposing pitcher with losing record and high ERA facing our ace at home...a recipe for a Padres loss.

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By: LynchMob

LynchMob — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:35:23 +0000

OTOH … here’s another arguement in favor of signing Toledo

Jennings can’t win, but payday awaits

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/ne.....;type=lgns

… yow … ouch … biff …

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By: LaMar

LaMar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:16:07 +0000

#58 -- "forethoughtful" Nicely turned.

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By: LynchMob

LynchMob — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:49:19 +0000

62/63/66 … all true … they drafted Toledo because they thought he was both worth slot and would sign for slot … they thought wrong … it was a risk/gamble and they lost … how many teams made the same risk/gamble with the same result with their 1st round pick? Also, it’s not quite apples-to-applies to simply call him a “3rd round pick” … since he was the 9th player the Padres drafted. How many other teams signed the first 8 players they drafted? My point is more than just “the Padres did better than average” … it’s that it’s factor’d into the planning/process that not every player you draft is going to sign … Toledo’s not the first, won’t be the last … yes, it’s true that “every pick you [sign] increases your chances of getting a future big league player” … but it’s also true that the Padres have made a decision to follow the “MLB slot guidelines” (probably for several reasons, not the least of which is their overall budget decision) … Toledo got a “take it or leave it” offer, and he moved on and the Padres have moved on …

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By: Steve C

Steve C — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:39:01 +0000

Re: 64 I think people are upset that they had the budget to sign him and they didn't. not signing a third round pick is kind of important when your team is trying to re-build through the draft and not FA. Like TW said most players drafted never put on a big league uni so every pick you have increases your chances of getting a future big league player.

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By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:32:13 +0000

27: Cool, thanks.

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By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:30:13 +0000

Not signing a third round draft pick seems like a funny thing to make such a big fuss over.

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By: Tom Waits

Tom Waits — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:06:03 +0000

61: The organization that expert works for ranked Toledo the 151st best draft prospect.

Nobody’s said he’s a can’t-miss prospect. Most of the guys we drafted, including the polished college pitchers, won’t see the big leagues. That would seem to make it even more important to hoard talent.

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By: Tom Waits

Tom Waits — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:01:14 +0000

57: It wasn’t an either-or decision with Latos and Toledo. We already had Latos. Our scouts thought enough of Toledo to draft him in the 3rd round. We paid last year’s 3rd rounder 415,000. It doesn’t matter what “some teams” thought of Toledo, it matters what the Padres thought of him. If they saw him as a 160 pounder with little projection, why’d they pick him? Harvey was still there. So were a bunch of college pitchers.

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