2011 Draft Analysis

Now that the 2011 BRASSball draft has concluded, it's time to take a look back at the players selected by the California Roadrunners.

California had all of their picks, except the first-round pick (dealt to Springfield in the Garret Cole trade) and their sixth-round pick (dealt to Santa Barbara prior to 2011). They also had an additional compensatory pick at the end of round 1.

Our overall strategy entering the draft was to diversify the roster with youth, fill out the amateur system for the long term, and add speed. In general, those goals were accomplished. Obviously, time will tell if this approach paid off.

Let's take a look back, pick by pick, and the Roadrunner selections.

Billy Hamilton, OF (Reds)
Round 1 - RFA Comp A (#26)
The philosophy behind the Roadrunners' draft was to obtain speed. What we got were some fast wheels in future leadoff man Billy Hamilton. The only trouble here is we don't know what position he'll end up in: Center? Second? Shortstop? All are possibilities, but one thing is certain: we want him at the top of our lineup.

The other unknown is when Hamilton will be called up. There are rumors that he could see time as early as this season in September, or as late as 2014. Whenever he arrives, though, he is projected to give pitchers nightmares when he gets on base.

Grade: B+
2011 Outlook: CAL Amateur System
Long-Term Speculation: Leadoff Hitter, Shortstop

Ivan Nova, SP (Yankees)
Round 2 (#36)
After Hamilton was chosen with the team's first pick, it was time to look at the current starting rotation. Well, that was quick as there's not much to look at. Livan Hernandez (36) and John Lackey (32) sit atop the current rotation, which makes us nervous for the future. Enter 24-year old Ivan Nova, who will join the current roster as part of the bullpen from the right side.

Nova quietly (although nothing's quiet in New York) made the Yankees' rotation and is penciled in as the #4 starter when the 2011 season opens. He is currently 2-0, with a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings this Spring.

Grade: B+
2011 Outlook: Middle Reliever
Long-Term Speculation: #3 Starter

Jerry Sands, OF (Dodgers)
Round 3 (#63)
The next spot California was ready to focus on was first base. With Brandon Belt arguably the only real first base prospect ready to make an impact on a club in the near future, the team looked to Sands as a high-risk, moderate reward pick.

Sands' 2011 Spring stats currently sit at .308-2-5 in 26 at-bats. Not bad, but probably not overwhelming enough to make the Dodgers opening day roster. The other issue plaguing Sands (other than his high strikeout totals), is that he's blocked at first and in the outfield. He could wind up at third if Casey Blake misses time or is dealt/retires within the next year or two.

Grade: B-
2011 Outlook: CAL Amateur System
Long-Term Speculation: #6 Hitter, First Base.

Will Ohman, RP (White Sox)
Round 4 (#102)
In every draft, there is a run on relief pitching. Year to year, you're never quite sure who is going to step up and have that breakout, low ERA and WHIP, high strikeout total season. When you get these stats from a lefty, you have to jump at selecting them. In the fourth round, however, all of those relievers are gone, and you're forced to take the next best available guy.

That's exactly where the Roadrunners found lefty specialist Will Ohman. Desperate for some left-handed pitching, Ohman will enter the 2011 season along with Nate Robertson as a middle relief pitcher from the left side.

Grade: B-
2011 Outlook: Middle Reliever
Long-Term Speculation: Primary Lefty Specialist

John Mayberry, Jr. (Phillies)
Round 5 (#126)
Also in every draft, you need to start taking some fliers on guys that may or may not win a starting job. Or even make a ball club out of Spring training. Mayberry's stock rose quickly on the Roadrunner draft board when Phillies' top prospect Domonic Brown was sent to the disabled list. However, he is still competing with Ben Francisco for the job in right field.

Currently, Mayberry is hitting .302 with 5 home runs, 11 RBI, and 4 stolen bases in 63 at-bats. He's getting a long look this Spring, and has a decent shot of making the roster even if he doesn't start. At 27, he'll need to get a significant number of at-bats this season to be considered a keeper for California.

Grade: B-
2011 Outlook: CAL Minor League System
Long-Term Speculation: Situational Outfielder

Wilson Valdez (Phillies)
Round 7 (#174)
Valdez was another claim by the Roadrunners, and another Phillie that moved up the board after Chase Utley went down with an injury. Since the time Valdez was claimed during the draft, another Roadrunner, Luis Castillo, was picked up by Philadelphia to compete against Valdez for the starting job at second base. Still, with 381 adjusted plate appearances at a 2 rating at shortstop, he was difficult to pass up in round 7.

Known more for his defense than his offense, Valdez will provide positional flexibility at short, second, and even third. He'll be called on to pinch-run and for the occasional sacrifice bunt, but is not considered a long-term keeper. He is having a nice Spring, currently hitting .328 for the Phillies (third-best behind Ross Gload and the aforementioned Ben Francisco).

Grade: C+
2011 Outlook: Starting Shortstop vs. Right-Handers
Long-Term Speculation: Infield Defensive Replacement.

Jarrod Dyson (Royals)
Round 8 (#198)
The selection of Jarrod Dyson in round 8 is probably the one that has the organization the most excited. We think we got a real "steal" here, pun intended. Dyson "flew" under everyone's radar as he is not listed as one of the Royals top prospects. However, he is projected as Kansas City's best base runner and defensive player by Baseball America.

Dyson is currently hitting .375 this Spring, and leads the Royals with 7 stolen bases. He is still on the roster as the team's center fielder, even with Melky Cabrera scheduled to start there on opening day. However, Cabrera could be traded as part of an up-and-coming youth movement that includes Dyson in its plans.

Grade: B
2011 Outlook: CAL Minor League System
Long-Term Speculation: Leadoff Hitter, Centerfield

Rich Hill (Red Sox)
Round 9 (#222)
Hill was another one of those fliers that the team took based on Spring training performance. However, this one didn't work out so well. Hill was reassigned to the Red Sox minor league camp to work on his new throwing angle. It's certainly possible that Hill could get called up once he's had more time to perfect his new throwing motion and get comfortable in his new bullpen role.

Grade: C-
2011 Outlook: CAL Minor League System
Long-Term Speculation: Long Reliever

Brent Lillibridge (White Sox)
Round 10 (#246)
Lillibridge, a former top prospect in the Braves organization, was picked up late in the draft based on his speed and the potential to grab a roster spot on the White Sox. Lillibridge is now out of options and will either make the club or be released. That's basically how the Roadrunners feel about him as he will most likely be signed to a long-term deal or be let go after this season. He's currently hitting .239 this Spring, while his competition, Lastings Milledge, his hitting .315. Not good.

Grade: D+
2011 Outlook: CAL Minor League System
Long-Term Speculation: Utility Infielder and Outfielder.

Chris Valaika (Reds)
Round 11 (#270)
Valaika, a former minor league player of the year for the Reds back in 2008, was picked up with the Roadrunners' final pick in the 2011 BRASSball draft. The team was hopeful that he'd win a spot on the Reds' bench, but, like Hill and Lillibridge, it appears that the gambles the Roadrunners took late in the draft will not pay off. While it's possible that Valaika may get recalled by the Reds after the season starts, it will only be to fill a bench spot. If nothing else, the Reds are going to go with Paul Janish as their opening day shortstop after Valaika was sent down... not that Valaika posed a real threat to Janish.

Grade: D-
2011 Outlook: CAL Minor League System
Long-Term Speculation: Utility Infielder

California Wins Home Opener Against Springfield 2-1 in 12 Innings

Josh Hamilton waited until the 12th inning to get his first hit of 2011. It was clutch as the Roadrunners defeated the Isotopes 2-1 in the first home game for California. The game was highlighted (or low-lighted) by four Roadrunner errors, including a costly one by Ronny Cedeno in the top of the 12th that allowed J.D. Drew to score after his leadoff double.

Hunter Pence then returned the favor by mishandling a ball hit to him by Kosuke Fukudome. After Bengie Molina sacrificed Fukudome to third, Mark Ellis stepped up and delivered a single to tie the game. Clearly shaken up by the error, Chris Perez then walked the next two batters to load the bases. Springfield got the hook out for Perez, and brought in Edward Mujica to try and put out a nasty fire. However, Hamilton came up huge and smacked a game winning single for the victory in extras.

Here's the game summary from Strat-O-Matic:

One run was the difference at Angels Stadium as the California Roadrunners defeated the Springfield Isotopes in 12 innings 2 to 1.

No runners had crossed home plate after the regulation nine.  California won the hard fought contest in the 12th inning.  Kosuke Fukudome started the inning off right when he reached on an error.  Bengie Molina stepped up to the plate and he laid down a sacrifice bunt.  Mark Ellis then delivered a single. Julio Borbon came up and he drew a walk.  Jose Bautista came to the plate and drew a walk to load the bases.  Josh Hamilton extended the rally and laced a base-hit.  California had 8 hits for the night. 

Brandon Lyon (1-0) went 1 inning allowing 1 run for the victory. Chris Perez (0-1) took the loss in relief.  He gave up 2 runs and 1 hit in 1 inning.

When asked about how his players performed in their opening game, Nathan, the co-manager of the Roadrunners, exclaimed,"thanks to your playing and my decisions, we won the game!" Nathan was key in delivering some tough calls, including pulling starter Chris Volstad in the seventh, substituting him for Nate Robertson. Nathan also wanted an intentional walk delivered to Stephen Drew in the 4th, and demanded Trevor Bell pitch the 10th.

Brendan, the Roadrunners' other co-manager was asked after the game what it felt like to relinquish some of the play-calling duties to his fellow manager. "It could have been some beginners luck out there, or it could be a new brand of California Roadrunners Baseball for BRASS. Either way, it was an exciting opening day, and a great experience to share with Nathan."

Roadrunner Sports Cards

I've been an avid collector of Sports Cards and sports memorabilia since I was seven years old. Well, probably more of an obsessed, addicted, die-hard collector at times, but I prefer to be called an "enthusiast" of sports-related item collecting. No matter what you call me, sports and accumulating sports-related items of meaning will always be a hobby of mine.

The last time I bought a pack of Baseball cards was back in 2004. It probably was a whole box, and I probably didn't open it either. That's pretty much what my "collecting" had become: pure economical speculation. It wasn't as much fun as tearing open a pack of cards in search of the rookie card of the guy that was just called up from the minors.

Turn the clock ahead seven years to the present, and I'm back into Strat-O-Matic. I also have a son who is old enough to play Baseball (T-ball for another year, actually), know most of the major league teams by glancing at the logo, and find a little joy in opening a pack of cards.

I picked up a "few" retail packs of 2010 Bowman Sterling and 2011 Topps Series 1. Because I'm me, and they were a little more expensive, I kept the Bowman Sterling for myself. I let my son open and keep the 2011 Topps cards, and he enjoyed looking at the pictures on the front. I showed him the flip side of the card, and how you can sort them by number. I told my wife that this is a great way to teach him some math, and we created sort piles while ignoring her eye rolling.

While I still find some joy in opening a fresh pack of cards, there's a greater joy in watching a child do so, especially for the first time. As his small fingers passed one card for the next, I read the player names and immediately associated them with BRASSball teams.

Interestingly enough, we only got one insert card worth noting: an autographed refractor of Pirates prospect Tony Sanchez, also of the Roadrunners' amateur system. Of all the packs we opened, we found only two other players from the team: Mark Ellis (2011 Topps) and Jose Bautista (2011 Topps Kimball Champions insert). No Josh Hamilton. No John Lackey. Not even a Chris Valaika!

Now that my son has a box of his own to put his 2011 Baseball cards in (along with a few Star Wars: Clone Wars cards), we'll definitely be picking up a pack or three here and there. I'll be on the lookout for members of the California Roadrunners, and cards of players on your team to use as voodoo dolls.