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At MiLB.com, minor-league guru Jonathan Mayo still predicts that the Mets will select 
OF Ike Davis from Arizona State with their first pick in the 2008 MLB Draft on June 5.
According to Mayo, “Word is the Mets are looking for some college hitters who can move quickly.”
For more on Davis, including video, go to MiLB.com, where he is described as having ‘a sweet left-handed swing that should generate more power in the future.’
From what I can gather, though they prefer to draft a college bat, the Mets are also very interested in 18–year-old SS Anthony Hewitt, who was born in Brooklyn, grew up a Yankees fan, and currently attends Salisbury School in Connecticut.
In fact, Hewitt has met with the team at Shea Stadium a few times already, where he also took batting practice.
For more on Hewitt, including video, go to MiLB.com, where he is described as, “A terrific athlete with a good arm, most feel a move to the outfield is likely so he can just go out and develop his considerable offensive tools.”
By the way, speaking of Mayo, he recently released the book Facing Clemens, which will give you a sense of what it’s like to stand in the box and face Roger Clemens.
Re: Clemens, I don’t need a book to tell me it’s probably not much fun at all to dig in against a 250-lb. mentally-ill HGH addict. But perhaps it’s worth a read.
lol
Matt, if I keep on slapping BOMBS, they are going to have to find a new 2b when I make my eventual move to first. Maybe Hewitt can shift positions?
am I the only one who thinks this is old and tired and has been for weeks?
I think it’s funny.
yeah the moment has passed slappy… move on
no, you are not.
ALthough it would be fun to see Castillo just hit RH, and to start taking cuts like Tatis. The dude certainly isn’t a lightwieght, so maybe he can reinvent himself as a power hitter?
I agree. It’s played out.
phew, glad to know i’m not the only one…
the other “character” nicknames on here like I know someone has “johansantana” only seem to come about once in a WHILE and then its funny, but come on..every day? give it a rest
a little tired.
but I have to admit that if Willie has gone under the transformation it appears he has over the past 2 games, maybe refering to him as Bill R. is fitting.
The big question is if Hosmer falls to do we take him…. which would mean paying over slot.. but getting a very talented HS first basemen…
id take him in a heartbeat! ive seen him hit i live 2 blocks away from plantation heritage so ive gotten plenty of chances to see him hit.
Our list should be:
Skipworth
Hosmer
Friedrich
Scheppers
Hope one of those falls, atleast 1 top 10 Boras talent will fall, look at Porcello last year. If we pass on the guy, it’s going to be embarrasing.
Mets keep saying they won’t pay over slot. Hopefully they are bluffing. They have two first rounders and it would be nice to get someone better than Pelfrey or Humber.
I suppose now would be a good time to point out the mets went “over slot” for one Mike Pelfrey
No time like the present. I still think Pelfrey has the tools to be good. He just needs to learn command of his pitches and develop and out pitch. Will he ever? Who knows.
But the Mets historically have not paid over slot. I didn’t do my homework on Pelf or Humber and was unaware that Pelf was paid over slot.
I think Pelfrey would be fantastic… out of the bullpen. I mean, yeah, he could still develop into a top flight (or maybe solid #3) starter, but I just have this sneaking suspicion that the Mets will eventually get frustrated with Pelfrey, trade him for whatever they can get, and watch him become Jason Isringhausen or pre-injury Octavio Dotel.
I am not sure how effective a bullpen arm is if he can’t throw strikes. I can see Pelfrey coming out in a pressure sitaution and just walking the first batter he sees befreo setling down, if he ever does.
Pelfrey needs to be carted out there every fifth day, lumps be damned. I think he needs to learn on the job. When he goes down to the minors, he is going to dominate, then come up and still have to adjust to the MLB hitter.
I have no idea who they should take (individually), never having seen any of these dudes!
COnceptually though, taking strong college players early makes a lot of sense, to help restock the higher levels of the minors sooner. And of course, get to the show sooner!
But, based on history, they could take a concensus stud in the first round that will fizzle out in A+ or AA, and some no name from the 15th round will end up being an impact player in a few years!
Ike Davis, sounds like a R&B star, how about Lenny’s son , Cutter, BA had the Mets taking catcher Jason Castro, and Ethan Martin, the baseball draft is so hard to predict, none of us has seen any of these guys play, he’s Ron Davis’ son, I just read his scouting report, sounds like they can do better, Skipworth will be gone by the time the Mets pick as well as Hosmer, the only thing that might help is their signablity, I wouldn’t mind a college pitcher, but they could use a bat too, they do have three picks in the top 100 I believe
I read that they have 3 picks in the top 33 and 5 in the top 100.
That is correct.
I like your info better
According to Mayo, “Word is the Mets are looking for some college hitters who can move quickly.”
As opposed to other teams who prefer to draft players that will take longer to develop.
lol.
By quickly I think they mean within a year and half’s time. Where as other teams can wait for these players to develop, like Arizona did.
yeah, i know. guys with higher ceilings may take longer to develop.
i think it’s funny to picture a team’s draft war room and have the GM say “no, no, don’t take that guy! he could be in the majors in a year or two!”
Or maybe they’ll just stick to their recent tactic of trolling the draft for future Tommy John surgery candidates.
Nah, you know what, let’s give this “close-to-MLB-ready” hitters approach a shot. It’s just crazy enough to work. They’ll never see it coming…
How do people here feel about Cutter Dykstra? I don’t know all the names in the draft, but I hear he can go pretty high or during the supplemental rounds. I’d like to see the Mets make a grab for him with our 3rd pick if he’s still available.
Nothing would make me happier than Lenny Dykstra reincarnated and playing in this organization.
I guess Step 1 we’d have to kill Lenny Dykstra…
Did he seriously name his son “Cutter”? What the hell is wrong with him?
Give him a break, it was the ’80s. And in his defense, he was drunk and roided out of his mind. (Also explains Cutter’s conception.)
i would be more likely to read that book if it was titled “defacing clemens”
I Like Ike
I’d rather the Mets focus on a right-handed power hitting outfielder. We have plenty of lefty hitting players on our team. And I know many of these players may be gone by the time these players make it to the bigs, but it’s good to have that there.
Two words….Nick Evans.
The Mets system has too many needs to NOT draft the most talented player available with their first 5 picks. They need pitching, they need hitting, they need fast track guys, they need high ceiling guys, they need guys other teams covet, etc. Bottom line, when they get called, check your board and take the player you have rated the highest. With those picks, we should have a good haul. Draft’s a week from today, right?
I’m not sure if I even trust our scouting department. How about when our turn comes around, we run someone over to the Twins board and see who’s the best ranked player available and make our pick.
I like it. No. I love it.
If they mean through the farm system I hope they don’t rush whoever it is. I think it’s safe to say that isn’t working so well for us.
I say send some draft spies to the Twins and Rays draft room… both of those teams have been making nice hauls when it comes to the draft.
Well, at least soon the organization will have 8765 OF/1Bs.
You forgot to qualify that. They’ll soon have 8765 AA-level OF/1Bs.
Baseball America on Ike and Hewitt
Ike who they list as the 30th overall best draft prospect (we pick 18th):
The son of former big league reliever Ron Davis, Ike was not a scouts’ favorite coming into his junior season. A decorated high school career that included a star turn with Team USA’s youth national squad and an MVP award at the 2004 Aflac Classic, and his pitching family pedigree, had most scouts regarding him as a pitcher out of high school. He decided to go to Arizona State rather than sign as a Rays 19th-round pick, and he started on the mound and batted cleanup in his first game as a Sun Devil. He struggled with wood in the Alaska League in 2006 and in the Cape in 2007, when he cut his summer short to have right wrist surgery. He returned to the mound as a closer in 2008 and played first base to keep his arm fresh. He also worked to incorporate his lower half more and was having a banner season, leading the Sun Devils in the triple crown categories as well as saves, before missing time with a ribcage injury. Davis has excellent raw power, comparing to former ASU star Jeff Larish, but he’s a much better defender with a better swing and better pitch recognition. Davis is above-average at first base and should be able to play an outfield corner as well due to his plus arm; his below-average speed could limit him to left.
And Hewitt who they list as the 41st best prospect:
Hewitt is the epitome of high-risk, high-reward. The risk starts with his signability: Any team that drafts Hewitt must be prepared to open its wallet and buy the academic-minded Brooklyn native-turned-Connecticut boarding school star out of a commitment to Vanderbilt. There’s also a huge risk that he simply won’t hit in professional ball: his raw bat was overmatched against quality pitching on the showcase circuit last summer, and though he dominated vastly inferior prep competition this spring, he still struggles to recognize breaking balls and can get locked up at times by ordinary fastballs. But then he’ll crush a ball 450 feet and give scouts a glimpse of his prodigious upside. Several scouts said he was second to Tim Beckham as the best athlete at the East Coast showcase last summer, and he has three legitimate above-average tools in his raw power, speed and arm strength. His muscular 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame evokes Ron Gant, and his work ethic and charisma stand out. Hewitt plays shortstop for Salisbury, but his poor footwork, stiff actions and lack of instincts will dictate a shift to third base or more likely the outfield, where he has enough speed and arm strength for center or right. Hewitt has generated mountains of buzz in the Northeast and could sneak into the supplemental round or even the back of the first round if a club falls in love with his potential enough to overlook his crudeness.
I love high ceiling, high risk players… but I need to have some faith that our minor league system can develop these players and teach them to play. At this point, I don’t have the confidence that the Mets system can do that yet.
Or at least not expose them so they still have value on the trade market.
Yeah exactly. I don’t care who they pick at this point, I just hope they can actually develop them.
Jeez, I hope they don’t take Davis. The guy couldn’t hit in ‘06 or ‘07 before getting hurt. It doesn’t sound like he really has a position if he’s been a closer and a 1B this year.
Pasadena.
Hewitt sounds very raw. Hardly on the fast track.
Could the Mets find someone who has actual baseball skills instead of just potential?
I noticed that there is a dearth of top 50 OF prospects in this draft. There are only about five in their top 30, and good deal of those are OF/P or OF/1B. So if the Mets did want a fast moving OF, they don’t have much to chose from.
Any chance the Wilpons can get Jerry Reise to sit in on this draft? Make Omar fetch sandwiches or something?
LOL! Love it.
Does he mean move quickly on the basepaths or move quickly through the farm system?
I fail at using this comment thing.
If they mean through the farm system I hope they don’t rush whoever it is. I think it’s safe to say that isn’t working so well for us.
From Keith Law chat at ESPN.com:
Rick (Hartford): Seems like Anthony Hewitt is all projection at this point. What’s your take on him and how risky is he?
SportsNation Keith Law: (2:12 PM ET ) Super high risk. Good tools, looks great in the uniform, puts on a show in BP, but did not hit an iota with wood last summer and faces horrid competition in school. No way I take him in the first round.
Law went on to say, “Seriously, the guy looks absolutely delicious in the road grays. Like a young Harrison Ford.”
Gee, missed that one.
That link left Scheppers out of the first round, that certainly won’t happen.
BA has him as the 10th best prospect.
Here’s what my draft board would look like for the Mets:
Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt
Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage HS (FLA.)
Justin Smoak, 1B, South Carolina
Yonder Alonso, 1B, Miami
Brian Matusz, LHP, San Diego
Aaron Hicks, RHP/OF, Wilson HS (CA.)
Jason Castro, C, Stanford
Casey Kelly, SS/RHP, Sarasota (Fla.) HS
Joshua Fields, RHP, Georgia
Jemile Weeks, 2B, Miami
Mike Montgomery, LHP, Hart HS (CA.)
Andrew Cashner, RHP, Texas Christian
Zach Collier, OF, Chino Hills HS (CA.)
You want Castro, but not Skipworth or Posey?
Hicks as the 2nd pitcher? Not Crow? Not even listing Crow?
Fields? Cashner? Big on relievers?
This is a strange list.
I dunno if you guys so the clip for that hewit guy. he is a miny hamely ramierez. move him to the outfield. he has powere speed and is a good fundamental player. that would be a smart get!
After looking at the draft situation i think we need jason castro if he is still available. Remember we have two picks in the first round so we could probably get jason castro and josh fields.
zach collier is one prospect ive heard of that sounds like what the mets are looking for.