I usually find Day 2 more interesting when players like Lind, Marcum, Rzepczynski, , Pastornicky and Thames (and Joel Collins) are drafted.  Lind particularly was fun.  I hadn't heard much about him, and couldn't figure out why he was drafted in the 3rd round until I looked at his age, what he had done in the few months before the draft and scouting video of his swing. 

As for the two position players drafted, they both have nice swings and according to the reports, they will essentially make their living on their bats (although neither is a poor defender), so the development of power and plate control will be the thing to watch.

I am not surprised to see the club move to picking more high-schoolers.  There are two factors at work, in my view.  The change to the CBA which allowed high-schoolers to be kept in the system but not on the 40 man for 5 years instead of 4 allows for more leisurely and careful development.  The club also apparently has more confidence in their own development processes than formerly; with the development record this year, you can certainly see evidence that would support this confidence and trust.

The club also apparently has more confidence in their own development processes than formerly; with the development record this year, you can certainly see evidence that would support this confidence and trust.

Agreed.

I've always wondered what kind of balance there is between drafting and developing.  Said another way, if these players the Jays took yesterday were drafted by Cleveland or Arizona how differently would they turn out?  You could be the best drafter in the world, but if there's poor development you'll look bad.

I voted Ecstatic!!!

I like some of our current ML rotation to step up a notch. With some minor league pitchers that have high upside like Z Stewart & H Alvarez being close, I can see a solid rotation very soon. The depth in high ceiling pitchers below AA will keep the rotation strong.

Since IMO strong teams need very good SP rotations to succeed I can see us competing with NYY, Bos & TB. NYY & Bos IMO would have issues not playing under performing, expensive FAs and TB cannot afford to keep their stars. Since we will not successfully compete in getting the expensive FAs we will not have this problem.

Therefore I accept the high risk, high ceiling picks we made on day #1.

I have not read details of Dwight Smith's high ceiling yet. But I expect he has that high ceiling to be drafted in accordance with the current philosophy.

Honestly, I think any answerr other than "Not sure" is reee-donkulous.

(So there.)

To mmick Ron Washington, "That's just the way the basebally draft go!"

It's not the results, it's the process.

My God. I am turning into Dayton Moore.

I like the draft so far, but it totally depends on whether they can sign their top picks. If they come away with Beede, Norris, Anderson, and most of the remaining picks, I would put myself in the "ecstatic" category. I think AA + co. are going to be aggressive in getting them signed, too.

I've spent most of my adult life believing firmly that drafting high school pitchers in the first round is the sort of strategic thinking that made Las Vegas (the city!) what it is today.

Not quite as bad as spending the rent money on a lottery ticket, but generally a really dumb gamble. I guess we'll see (ask me in ten years!)

On the other hand, the Blue Jays haven't done badly with their picks, which include the two Cy Young winners (Halladay and Carpenter, and just how many other teams have drafted two Cy Young winners out of high school with their first round pick?) and genuine major leaguers like McGowan and Karsay. They kept screwing up with their college pitchers (Earl Sanders, Matt Williams, Alex Sanchez, Jeff Ware)

I've spent most of my adult life believing firmly that drafting high school pitchers in the first round is the sort of strategic thinking that made Las Vegas (the city!) what it is today.

Not quite as bad as spending the rent money on a lottery ticket, but generally a really dumb gamble. I guess we'll see (ask me in ten years!)

Yes.  Didn't Bill James publish a massive study showing drafting high school pitchers is folly?  The burn out rate is huge.  They might be projectable with big upside, but they're so many years from the majors most fall to injury.

Like others, this draft will be judged on how many of these guys they sign.

The burnout rate has been huge. Doesn't necessarily mean it will continue to be. It's not inconceivable that teams might learn to protect and teach their pitchers better.

The burnout rate has been huge. Doesn't necessarily mean it will continue to be. It's not inconceivable that teams might learn to protect and teach their pitchers better.

Yeah but is there any evidence that pitchers are less injured now?  Even with awareness of pitch counts and all that, pitchers get injured a lot.  And I think they will always continue to be.  The human arm is just not designed to do the things they do. 

It's not inconceivable that teams might learn to protect and teach their pitchers better.

That's what I was thinking (hoping?) - that some teams have learned that while the strategy has been pure foolishness in the past, they now have a much better idea how to keep these very young arms healthy. And that they also have far, far more interest in actually keeping those arms healthy than any college program would.

Taking college pitchers is also like taking damaged goods with their workloads.

Also, injury rates may be the same, but the severity of the injury is what is most important. Pitchers can come back now from almost every injury (not necessarily their effectiveness though, unfortunately).

I know most won't believe it, but the pitching the Jays have is not actually a "strength" with the staff being very average (or at times even below that). You  have to take some pitchers then in the draft.