Sunday, June 28, 2009

Once again, time to play: Mock that Draft!

The 2010 I-75 Strat League draft looks to be a good one for second basemen, pitchers and prospects. So much so for second basemen, in fact, that everyone can afford to wait on them and focus on pitchers and prospects in the first round. Here then is the first OFFICIAL look at our Mock Draft predictions for 2010. (We resisted the urge to pick just 11 players to raise the ire of Pigman. Absence of assigned teams to draft spots should be enough.)

1. Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore -- Baseball's top prospect deluxe was called up in May and is going through a bit of an indoctrination, but the 6-foot-5 switch-hitting catcher has can't-miss written all over him. He's only 23, and a former first-round pick.

2. David Price, LHP, Tampa -- Although his slow start puts him in danger of becoming someone to stash on your inactive list, no one has suggested the future for the former No. 1 pick is any less bright than when he dazzled the baseball world on the postseason stage in 2008.

3. Ben Zobrist, OF/IF, Tampa -- Got room in your lineup for a switch-hitting 28-year-old who plays six positions and only has one error among them? Whose on-base is around .400, whose slugging is over .600 and whose OPS is over 1.000? Thought so.

4. Chris Carpenter, RHP, St. Louis -- Only 65 innings so far, but zoiks! A .070 WHIP and .162 BAA, with balance both ways, will make this 34-year-old the Justin Duchscherer of the 2010 draft.

5. Kevin Millwood, RHP, Texas -- Millwood will be 35 by year's end, but he's on track to have one of the better available starting pitcher cards, and in most years starting pitching is very desirable. He's giving up the longball so he won't be a match in every park, but he's holding the opposition to a 1.22 WHIP and .237 BAA.

6. David Aardsma, RHP, Seattle -- The Mariners closer not only has 15 saves, but he has struck out 45 in 35 innings, and it's a valuable weapon to be able to bring in a closer with a bunch of Ks on his card. His WHIP is 1.19, his BAA .164. He'll be 28, a former first-round draft pick (2003).

7. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh -- Not yet 23, this speedburner got his chance when the Pirates dealt Nate McClouth to Atlanta. At the moment he has more triples than doubles and hasn't been caught stealing. Will make a fine leadoff man for some team for years to come.

8. Tommy Hanson, RHP, Atlanta -- A June callup, the top Braves prospect is 4-0 with wins over the Yankees and Red Sox. His stats aren't terrific yet, so he has the potential to either shoot up this list or fall off it completely.

9. Rick Porcello, RHP, Detroit -- There are other players with flashier numbers to this point, but given that he's just 20 years old, his 1.36 WHIP and .266 BAA are more than a good gamble for somebody, and as a great mind once said, "One of the Michiganders will make this pick with his heart."

10. J.A. Happ, LHP, Philadelphia -- Happ should go early for being a combination of having a good card and being a top young prospect. Currently he's 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 66 IP, with a 1.23 WHIP and .226 BAA.

11. Andrew Bailey, RHP, Oakland -- A's rookie has already racked up 45 innings of shut-down relief, fanning 52 in that time, posting a 1.01 WHIP and .174 BAA. Also has eight saves, so could be somebody's co-closer. Only 25.

12. Zach Duke, LHP, Pittsburgh -- He'll resemble Cliff Lee somewhat in that he gets out righties well and is already over 100 innings and should be an innings-eater. WHIP and BAA vs. righties is 1.12 and .244.

If you're counting, that's only three hitters and nine pitchers. You can also make a case for just about anyone in Toronto's infield being on this list, but we'll see how they're looking in another month or so and re-evaluate.