Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

by antinous on Aug 22, 2007 11:36 PM PDT

...and we win!

Carlos Gomez is a former professional ballplayer whose analyses focus on mechanics. He has selected his "DRAFTY" award winners for 2007, and believes that the Giants had the best draft.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-draftys-the-2007-mlb-draft-awards/

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

While I'm glad he likes Bumgardner, I'm going to be really bitter if either Mills or Hayward becomes a genuine top-notch bat - the Giants could have and should have had one of them.

Jonathan Sanchez. He's left-handed, like Barry Zito. His fastball breaks 80, unlike Zito.

by Aadik on Aug 22, 2007 11:35 PM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

I think he is. Look at the 11-20 bracket. Heyward's swing looks exactly like one special man we know - Barry Bonds. Look at it.

Brian Wilson for Closer!

by BawLa on Aug 23, 2007 12:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Is the swing matched with the vision, the smarts, and the ungodly self-confidence?

I don't actually know, so I'm asking in all seriousness.

by Skaldheim on Aug 23, 2007 8:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

vision, not quite. the smarts, maybe. the ungodly self confidence? not at all. apparently the kids the most humble human being you could ask for.

Pedro Feliz: He kinda hits home runs?

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Aug 24, 2007 2:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Heyward's swing isn't even CLOSE to Barry's.

His starting position has his hands up over his ears, twirling his bat in a circle. Bonds has his hands down at chin level, twitching the back just back and forth.
Heyward's front leg is out quite a bit further than Bonds' usually is. While, like Barry, he takes a small step, it leaves his legs very far apart rather than Barry's, which is usually just a little more than shoulder's width when he swings, leading to more balance.
The swing itself is very long, with Heyward getting a lot of extension in his hands during the heart of the swing. That leads to a hole in on his hands that can be exploited. Bonds keeps his hands in very well, allowing him to hit inside pitches and keep them fair.

SFDugout.com - Returning Offseason 2007

by BruteSentiment on Aug 24, 2007 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

I wonder if you could partially fix that by having him choke up a tad like Bonds does? It seems to have worked for Drew Stubbs. I think there's another MLB player who recently started choking up a tad and went on a tear.

by DrBGiantsfan on Aug 24, 2007 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

You mean Matt Cain?

Proud adoptive father of the All-Father and his 2.29 ERA

by EliminateMe on Aug 24, 2007 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions

No, but.....

has Barry Bonds been giving Matt Cain hitting lessons? I hadn't heard that. I'll have to watch him bat the next game he pitches.

by DrBGiantsfan on Aug 24, 2007 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Hard to complain, I think. Carlos has Baumgarner rated the #3 pick - while Heyward and Mills are about where they should be. We got terrific value. And later, we didn't make some of the mistakes other clubs made, we got Fairley and Noonan.

by allfrank on Aug 23, 2007 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Some other guy who swings like Barry Bonds sold me a burger yesterday at Carl Jr.'s. What does THAT prove?? Tim Alderson struck out five batters in just two innings yesterday in his second game appearance, and Bumgarner was picked well ahead of Alderson. I'm going with Gomez and the guy who drafted Lincecum and Cain on this one. I know our offense stinks, but ask any expert what is easier to fix, bad offense or bad pitching and tell me what he says.

Randy Messenger says,"We're in Florida this weekend?? Maybe I should have just punched Scott Olsen again!"

by rxmeister on Aug 23, 2007 8:12 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Proves you have questionable taste in fast food.

by zenbitz on Aug 23, 2007 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Mark, if it's so much easier to fix, how come it's not, you know, fixed already?

The SF Giants: agressively promoting young talent since 2008.

by Lyle @ McCovey Chronicles on Aug 23, 2007 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

AYFKM???

After eating one Western Bacon Cheesburger (make it a DOUBLE), I can't enjoy any other fast food burger.

Ok, that's not true. I still can. But given the choice, I would eat the WBC everysingle day.

Dave Righetti: You don't know him.

by howtheyscored on Aug 23, 2007 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Yeah. Carl's Jr. isn't half bad. I'm still partial to In-N-Out myself

by sfgfan on Aug 24, 2007 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

I'm no expert, but I don't think either is easy to fix if you don't have replacements coming from within. The Giants do have replacements that have and will arrive on the pitching side, but the cupboard in the high minors is nearly bare with regard to hitters.

I can see decent production from a platoon of Nate Schierholtz and Dan Ortmeier in right or left field and from Freddie Lewis and Rajai Davis in center, but there is no star power among them -- and there is almost no one coming to help on the infield or behind the plate.

by sharksrog on Aug 24, 2007 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Please, please, please, let Carlos be right!!

by Skaldheim on Aug 23, 2007 8:16 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

It's funny, Jarrod Parker's arm action in the video clip reminds me of Matt Cain.

I wonder who the better player will be, Madison Bumgarner or Tim Alderson . . .

Brian Anderson: converting saves and dominating as best he can.

by JT Jordan on Aug 23, 2007 8:41 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Good comp. I do like Matt Cain's arm action quite a bit. Parker's seems oh-so slightly "whippier."

by ChadBradfordWannabe on Aug 23, 2007 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Good to see, although it should be pointed out that we did have six picks - if we hadn't made it somewhere in the top five it would have been a grand failure.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Aug 23, 2007 9:05 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Oh, and I don't see the similarities (swing-wise) between Heyward and Bonds, at least not yet. He has a LOT of work to do with his swing in order to get to the level of Bonds' swing.

by ChadBradfordWannabe on Aug 23, 2007 9:53 AM PDT reply actions

Heyward's Swing

From the scouting video I saw, Heywards swing, especially how he holds his arms/elbows in the followthrough reminds me a whole lot of what I remember about Willie McCovey, also not a bad comp.

by DrBGiantsfan on Aug 23, 2007 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Heyward's Swing

I wish I could find a video of McCovey to do such a comparison.

I still don't like Heyward as a pick. In two years, no one on the Giants side will be talking about him as a 'shoulda' pick.

SFDugout.com - Returning Offseason 2007

by BruteSentiment on Aug 24, 2007 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Dunno if you guys saw this, but this was a comp between Bonds/Ruth and Aaron/A-Rod in terms of their swings....

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-four-greatest-home-run-hitters-of-alltime-a-video-anal ysis/

Maybe I should've consolidated all my thoughts into one comment. Nah, that would be too smart.
I'm getting better. I promise...LOL

Carlos

by ChadBradfordWannabe on Aug 23, 2007 9:56 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Carlos,

A SF prospect I would enjoy seeing have a breakthrough season is EME. Thought his line drive/power stroke would be great in ATT Park. He has had a couple of shoulder injuries. How are his swing mechanics?

by wilriv21 on Aug 23, 2007 7:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

I'm happy with our draft, especially now that they're all signed.

But this year, we better draft a hitter with our top 3 pick. >:(

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.

by jponry on Aug 23, 2007 10:00 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Everyone loves Noonan.

Strikeouts are boring. Besides that, they're fascist. Not boring: Emmanuel Burriss. Not facist: THE RETURN OF SF Dugout

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Aug 23, 2007 10:29 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

He has a very nice swing.

Your 2010 NL rookie of the year,... Andy D'alessio

by ramirez415 on Aug 23, 2007 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

I have posted either here or on another Giants board that I would have liked to see them take pitcher Rick Porcello at #22 and outfielder Kyle Russell with one of the last two picks of the supplemental round.

Given that Carlos rates Porcello as the #2 pitcher and as the runaway #1 value pick in the draft and given that he ranks Russell as his #5 non-first-round draft pick, I suspect that had the Giants taken those two players Carlos would not only have ranked the Giants #1 among all teams, but #1 even considering the six picks out of the first 51 that they had to work with. And that he would have ranked them #1 in runaway style, just as he did with Porcello.

by sharksrog on Aug 23, 2007 6:21 PM PDT reply actions

Re: Carlos Gomez Picks the DRAFTYs

Sharksrog--

You are absolutely right. As much as I like Fairley, I think Russell's upside is higher, but with more risk in it as well, IMO. Russell's swing, while long, has LEGIT power all over it. His swing has a nice base for which to work with. Someone like Revere or Kozma needs a total revamping if they want power out of it.

Had the Giants gone Bumgarner, Porcello, Noonan, Russell....

that's a lot of risk and it would've been expensive, but WOW, that category (best draft) would've had one name....Giants, by a mile...

BTW, I put Russell and Fields as #5 because they weren't signed, not because it reflected my preferences. Russell would've probably been my #1 non-first rounder.

by ChadBradfordWannabe on Aug 23, 2007 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions