It’s important to keep in mind he’s pitched once, I think, since the NCAA tournament.

He had to have had a period of inactivity since SDSU lost, the draft, and so on til now. He’ll probably be back at 102 by spring training.

Another thing to keep in mind as far as the draft is what is available. Everything I’ve read said that the position players in this year’s draft are worse than last year’s…and the 2009 position player class supposed to be a mediocre class at best. Pitchers are susceptible to injury-every throw could blow out their elbow. The Buccos plan to pick up high end pitchers later worked this year…but there is no guarantee they’d be able to do it again. I still think you’re better off taking more talented players. Taillon and Ranaudo are head-and-shoulders above everyone else and until it changes, I think one of those guys should be the Bucs pick.
The assertion that Strasburg should be a power reliever is ludicrous to me…the value of Strasburg plummets if you stick him in the bullpen. Great…a last place team has a dynamite close! See how far that gets you. Pitchers don’t have their A+ stuff all the time-it happens. Now, if it keeps happening…well thats a different story.

Sorry. By more talented players, I should have used higher-ceiling, even though that term is vague enough, I guess. I think its pretty much the consensus (even with the most die-hard Buccos fans) that Sanchez isn’t the 4th most talented player in that draft. That doesn’t mean he won’t be a regular, or an All-Star…it just means that people with more potential or prospects with higher ceilings were available.
My point is this, and I don’t think maybe I made it well in my earlier comment. I think pitchers fail mainly due to two factors: A) injury and B) flaws in their game get exposed as they move up levels in competition. Since it is such a crapshoot with pitchers, I think you should focus on the incredibly talented ones and take them if possible. The Bucs strategy of taking them later on in the draft worked this year…but what if they aim to do that again and then don’t sign three of their top four pitchers they pick?
And as far as position players being less risky…take a look at the #2 and #3 picks in the otherwise awesome 2005 first round. Alex Gordon and Jeff Clement. Or in 2003: Delmon Young and Rickie Weeks were the first two picks. There are risks just about everywhere with the draft, and there really is nowhere to hide from it.
Just as a general question to all involved…what are your opinions about high school vs. college pitchers?

I agree with you about the mechanics. If Bucs scouts find that both Taillon and Ranaudo have awful deliveries that could lead to injuries, then I would turn to another pick, whoever that may be. I have a question to people who have followed the Bucs much longer than I have: it seems that their 1st round picks on pitchers in the past were made mostly on signability rather than talent, with Moskos and Bullington being the primary examples. Does anyone remember that being the case with Burnett, JVB, and Maholm?

Thats a helluva 1-2 punch to the gut…cheap management along with bad player evaluation. I agree, I don’t think its good to have a system…high school and college have their pros and cons, but I think you should look at the player more. Even though its new management, I don’t think the Bucs should steer clear from pitchers with their first picks. Thats where difference-makers like Beckett and Verlander are generally picked.
As far as Prior, I saw this link a few years ago about how his mechanics had changed from 2003, and had video clips to prove it. Interesting stuff. My brother is a Cubs fan and all I have to do is bring up Wood, Prior, or Dusty Baker and he’ll see red. Good ammunition.

Otherwise, stay away from first round pitchers. Historically, position players hit at 50% in the first round, high school pitchers at 40%, and college pitchers at 25%. If you can get possible future first round high schoolers with later picks, then you can increase your odds like the Pirates did this year.

Tony Sanchez should only be considered a reach if judged against the other position players taken ahead of him. Once the Pirates decided there was no sure “impact talent” available at #4, the best thing to do is play the odds and take a position player.

The next position player taken was Grant Green at #13, who signed for $2.75M, and then Robert Borchering at #16, who signed for $1.8M. Since these are in the range that Tony Sanchez signed for, can we not assume that the Pirates just liked Sanchez better?

Put into this perspective, I don’t think Sanchez should be seen as a “reach”. They simply liked him better than 2 other mid first rounders, and let the other teams take their chances on the pitcher lottery.

Here’s a question for y’all…what does Tony have to do at the pro level for his selection to be a success? Or do you think its irrelevant if he turns out to be decent, but just a regular, while the picks the Bucs passed over turn out to be all-stars?