Alvarez to KC? Draft buzz

by cookierojas73 on May 24, 2008 1:25 PM EDT

According to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, there's a good chance we may be welcoming a pretty promising hitter to the organization on draft day:

3. Kansas City Royals. Multiple sources indicate that the Royals, who have a positive relationship with Boras, will not let [Pedro] Alvarez get past them if he’s available. He’ll cost a lot, but they think he’ll be worth it, and they might be right.

The rest of Goldstein's article profiling what the top ten teams are thinking can be found at the link below:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7570

Meanwhile, Jim Callis of Baseball America had Alvarez going at #2 to Pittsburgh in his mock draft a week ago (link below) with KC taking Buster Posey:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/mock-draft/2008/266117.html

No one seems concerned about Alavarez's injury...seems to me that a team had better be 100% confident that it won't diminish his skills long-term before taking him that high.

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I've heard...

That our big board shapes out like this…

1.Alvarez
2.Hosmer

by adschofield on May 24, 2008 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

Hamate Injury

There’s really no record of guys who’ve had long term problems with their wrist after that kind of injury. I’ve never heard of anybody who had his career significant damaged by it.

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." - Mark Twain

by JM Barten on May 24, 2008 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

The wrist is a relatively simple joint, but it will probably take a year for his swing and power to be 100% back to normal. The injury was in February, so I’m guessing he will be back to his old self next season.

The downfall, of course, is that you’re basically picking him on what he’s done on the field the past two years, and disregarding this season. It’s a slight gamble, but given the fact that he was a unanimous choice to go #1 overall before the season, I don’t think it’s a huge risk.

This situation is eerily similar to Mark Teixeira’s ordeal. He was a dominant hitter for Georgia Tech his first two years, then injured his ankle a couple games into his junior year and was out basically all season. He dropped a few spots but was eventually picked up by Texas at #5, was given a huge deal, and went on to have a great career.

Founder of the Rowdy Hardy Fan Club

by eazyb81 on May 24, 2008 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

The Royals have a positive relationship with Boras?

That’s news to me. I was under the impression, based on several news articles, that the Royals brass were pretty irritated with Boras after the Moustakas.

I’m a bit (not a lot, but a little) surprised to see Posey that high on someone’s draft board—so far, it seems like the consensus top five picks have been Alvarez, Crow, Smoak, Beckham, and Matusz.

by DarthYoshi on May 24, 2008 3:43 PM EDT reply actions

(the first part should read: after the Moustakas signing)

by DarthYoshi on May 24, 2008 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

glad you posted the correction

because otherwise it sounds like you’re suggesting that we made a huge moustakas with that signing

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by marbotty on May 25, 2008 5:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Boras only has a good relationship

with the devil.

sign Greinke a Evan Longoria type deal now.

by kcscoliny on May 24, 2008 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

True, And He

Is the devil.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on May 24, 2008 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

i want alvarez or smoak..

Yasuhiko Yabuta is to Major League Baseball as Drew Carey is to The Price is Right

by focs on May 24, 2008 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

I would be surprised....

if Smoak is drafted by the Royals…It sounds like it’s going to be Alvarez or Hosmer

by adschofield on May 24, 2008 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I just want whoever can help our MLB team as soon as possible...

and my reasoning is that we need as many pre-2014 F.A. eligibilities as possible. We need to accumulate as much talent together as possible. I would love, love, love either Alvarez or Smoak.

The Nation at large.

by Royals Nation on May 24, 2008 5:45 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

this is also why I’m much higher on the elder Beckham than most. I think he’d be a good fit.

I don’t know much about Hosmer, but the fact that I see his name bandied about despite being listed at #7 (at best – I’ve seen him much lower), and he’s a high school firstbaseman, makes me a bit scared we’re going to screw up the draft.

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by marbotty on May 25, 2008 5:06 AM EDT up reply actions

BUT

You know better than to decide if we screwed up that soon. Rankings mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Remember when the Twins “screwed up” by not taking Mark Prior, then went on to shred his arm while Mauer became an All-Star catcher? Remember when we screwed up by taking Billy Butler, only to have him become the best pure hitting prospect within two years?

He’s EASILY a top 10 prospect in this draft—easily. The only reason you might see him lower is the “Boras Factor.”

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on May 25, 2008 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs