Update: Marcus Stroman signs --#22 Overall

[dagger]

He isn't really low-ceilinged at all, nor necessarily a reliever. Said before the draft that Stroman scares me, and he still does...there's a lot of effort in his delivery. If he stays healthy, however, he can be pretty damned good.

I heard he projects for the bullpen? I don't mind the pick if he signs under slot, but if we have to pay slot for him then that messes us up.

I don't really mind the pick considering the next year we would have to take the most signable guy due to the crazy leverage the guy would have being our last compensation pick (before we lose the pick).

I'm not too worried about this. I prefer to look on it as a guy who might give us a longer period under control at the major league level. Better than paying Cordero $4 million to set a record for eighth inning walks.

[flatjacket1]

I'm not too worried about this. I prefer to look on it as a guy who might give us a longer period under control at the major league level. Better than paying Cordero $4 million to set a record for eighth inning walks.

Still bullpen arms are generally overvalued. Failed starters in a strong system will generally be able to fulfill your desire for a young controllable bullpen. Stroman can make a difference soon but still at best hes a 1 fWAR/year type of player which isn't bad until you realize he was drafted in the first round.

I don't mind the pick too much in hindsight though, just because hes so close (apparently he can get MLB level hitters out right now) and bullpen is a need but still. I prefer the guy that MIGHT be a 4 fWAR player and be a cornerstone to the guy who will likely have a nice bullpen career.

I don't mind having a great reliever for 6+ years though. I predicted with the CBA changes that the biggest change would be the value of a good bullpen (teams no longer have incentive to let their type A-type B relievers walk in favor of draft picks) so this might be a step in the right direction.

I don't know really, I'm quite torn on this pick.

[dagger]

I'm not too worried about this. I prefer to look on it as a guy who might give us a longer period under control at the major league level. Better than paying Cordero $4 million to set a record for eighth inning walks.

Still bullpen arms are generally overvalued. Failed starters in a strong system will generally be able to fulfill your desire for a young controllable bullpen. Stroman can make a difference soon but still at best hes a 1 fWAR/year type of player which isn't bad until you realize he was drafted in the first round.

I don't mind the pick too much in hindsight though, just because hes so close (apparently he can get MLB level hitters out right now) and bullpen is a need but still. I prefer the guy that MIGHT be a 4 fWAR player and be a cornerstone to the guy who will likely have a nice bullpen career.

I don't mind having a great reliever for 6+ years though. I predicted with the CBA changes that the biggest change would be the value of a good bullpen (teams no longer have incentive to let their type A-type B relievers walk in favor of draft picks) so this might be a step in the right direction.

I don't know really, I'm quite torn on this pick.

I, for one, think the best teams develop part of their bullpen organically, and don't base all of their needs on the retread market. When AA could milk a pick out of stiffs like Rauch, it was easier to justify, but frankly, I don't need advanced analytics to know Francisco Cordero, like Rauch and Frankie Francisco, were overpaid for what they delivered. If we're serious about winning, we need to have a couple of internally generated relievers. And if we are severely budget-constrained, better to put our $$$ into starters than relievers.

A Santos/Janssen/Stroman/Perez pen sounds nice from a financial perspective. Now if Stroman grades out as a quality starter, so much the better, but I'm thinking this CBA, coupled with our general budget situation, means we have to think strategically about where to put $$$ and getting a six year major control reliever out of the draft - when we have five picks in the first and supp round - was a pretty good strategic move.

[dagger]

I'm not too worried about this. I prefer to look on it as a guy who might give us a longer period under control at the major league level. Better than paying Cordero $4 million to set a record for eighth inning walks.

Still bullpen arms are generally overvalued. Failed starters in a strong system will generally be able to fulfill your desire for a young controllable bullpen. Stroman can make a difference soon but still at best hes a 1 fWAR/year type of player which isn't bad until you realize he was drafted in the first round.

I don't mind the pick too much in hindsight though, just because hes so close (apparently he can get MLB level hitters out right now) and bullpen is a need but still. I prefer the guy that MIGHT be a 4 fWAR player and be a cornerstone to the guy who will likely have a nice bullpen career.

I don't mind having a great reliever for 6+ years though. I predicted with the CBA changes that the biggest change would be the value of a good bullpen (teams no longer have incentive to let their type A-type B relievers walk in favor of draft picks) so this might be a step in the right direction.

I don't know really, I'm quite torn on this pick.

I, for one, think the best teams develop part of their bullpen organically, and don't base all of their needs on the retread market. When AA could milk a pick out of stiffs like Rauch, it was easier to justify, but frankly, I don't need advanced analytics to know Francisco Cordero, like Rauch and Frankie Francisco, were overpaid for what they delivered. If we're serious about winning, we need to have a couple of internally generated relievers. And if we are severely budget-constrained, better to put our $$$ into starters than relievers.

A Santos/Janssen/Stroman/Perez pen sounds nice from a financial perspective. Now if Stroman grades out as a quality starter, so much the better, but I'm thinking this CBA, coupled with our general budget situation, means we have to think strategically about where to put $$$ and getting a six year major control reliever out of the draft - when we have five picks in the first and supp round - was a pretty good strategic move.

[Schad]

I heard he projects for the bullpen? I don't mind the pick if he signs under slot, but if we have to pay slot for him then that messes us up.

I don't really mind the pick considering the next year we would have to take the most signable guy due to the crazy leverage the guy would have being our last compensation pick (before we lose the pick).

His height and delivery suggests the bullpen, but doesn't guarantee it...it's just a matter of whether his arm can hold up, in either role. There's a bit of arm drag there, and his conditioning notwithstanding, that scares me.

His stuff is elite, though, and he has demonstrated that he can maintain it as a starter. Honestly? We might be well-served pulling a Koch (hmm, phrasing?), bringing him up as a fireballing closer and dealing him as he enters his arb years, because closers have far more trade value than they ought to.

[Garmfay]

Stroman already near 100 innings this year, I doubt he would start in the minors for like 9 starts? I could easily see them bring up as a reliver this year and get him to sign underslot (Sale style)

[Schad]

Stroman already near 100 innings this year, I doubt he would start in the minors for like 9 starts? I could easily see them bring up as a reliver this year and get him to sign underslot (Sale style)

Agreed. I could very easily see an agreement to sign him early and have him pitching out of the bullpen by August. The decision on whether or not to start him really won't come into play until next year.

[WpgPage]

Need to re-acquire Tim Collins so we can have the shortest pen in the MLB.

[torontoaces04]

Stroman signed;

Marcus Stroman ‏@MStrooo7
Down here in Dunedin, FL for a couple more days then off to Vancouver, Canada! The journey begins. Love it! #HDMH #blessed

https://twitter.com/#!/MStrooo7

[nonc]

i was hoping he signed in person and would be in the bullpen tonight #fantasy

also, let's not trade Janssen you can build around this guy he's only 31. cash in on Oliver.

[tiger7]

Good news. Stock up on quality arms.

[dagger]

In this Sportsnet Interview, Stroman says he has been told he'll pitch for two weeks in Vancouver and then move to the Fisher Cats (AA) with the possibility of making the Jays this season.

He likes starting but believes he's cut out to relieve. He comes into games late, to close them down, with some real "bulldog swagger".

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2012/0 ... in_majors/

A starter the past season with the Duke Blue Devils, the bullpen sits just fine with Stroman, who closed for the United States at the Pan American Games last year and at times in college, too. Though he enjoys starting, he feels "my personality is geared toward coming in and shutting games down in the late innings."

"I just have that confident bulldog swagger that I think will work in late innings," he added, "which could also be applied to starting, but I just think the late innings fits the way I pitch."

Stroman was chosen 22nd overall, sliding because of durability concerns over his 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame. Questions about his size have followed him around, "my whole life, ever since I started playing," he noted, and Blue Devils pitching coach Sean Snedeker told sportsnet.ca recently that he hasn't seen any other player fuelled by doubts the way Stroman is.

"I always keep that in the back of my head and play with a chip on my shoulder, knowing I could continually prove these people wrong," he said. "I live by the motto height doesn't measure heart, something that I've branded within the last year, and I truly don't believe in the whole height stigma.

"If you have it, no matter what your height is, you can pitch at whatever level, just as long as you have the ability and the drive."

[Al_Oliver]

In this Sportsnet Interview, Stroman says he has been told he'll pitch for two weeks in Vancouver and then move to the Fisher Cats (AA) with the possibility of making the Jays this season.

He likes starting but believes he's cut out to relieve. He comes into games late, to close them down, with some real "bulldog swagger".

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2012/0 ... in_majors/

A starter the past season with the Duke Blue Devils, the bullpen sits just fine with Stroman, who closed for the United States at the Pan American Games last year and at times in college, too. Though he enjoys starting, he feels "my personality is geared toward coming in and shutting games down in the late innings."

"I just have that confident bulldog swagger that I think will work in late innings," he added, "which could also be applied to starting, but I just think the late innings fits the way I pitch."

Stroman was chosen 22nd overall, sliding because of durability concerns over his 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame. Questions about his size have followed him around, "my whole life, ever since I started playing," he noted, and Blue Devils pitching coach Sean Snedeker told sportsnet.ca recently that he hasn't seen any other player fuelled by doubts the way Stroman is.

"I always keep that in the back of my head and play with a chip on my shoulder, knowing I could continually prove these people wrong," he said. "I live by the motto height doesn't measure heart, something that I've branded within the last year, and I truly don't believe in the whole height stigma.

"If you have it, no matter what your height is, you can pitch at whatever level, just as long as you have the ability and the drive."

Hard not to like this kid. I hope he burns through A/AA.
We need him badly...