Offical Draft Thread.

Post #41 » by **MickeyDavis** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 6:56 pm

He's a Boras guy so he won't be cheap. If we don't sign him by August 15 we get the #8 pick next year. Maybe that is the plan, maybe they think next years draft will be loaded. :dontknow:

Post #42 » by **ReasonablySober** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 6:57 pm

Baseball America had him rated 20th in the nation in their preview issue. They also have a feature article on him to which I'll summarize when I get done reading it.

ajb905 · Post #43 » by **ajb905** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 6:58 pm

It will be interesting to hear what Doug Melvin says about this pick. If he's a crummy 1B, I'm guessing he might be a crummy OF or C prospect. Though if he can hit and tears up the minors than you can trade him to AL team to stick at 1B or DH.

koski02 · Post #44 » by **koski02** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 7:09 pm

i trust melvin much more on position players compared to pitchers high as he's been spot on with all of his high position player picks while he's missed on a few pitchers he took high. it seems he knows what he's doing taking laporta with this pick

trwi7 · Post #45 » by **trwi7** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 7:12 pm

koski02 wrote:i trust melvin much more on position players compared to pitchers high as he's been spot on with all of his high position player picks while he's missed on a few pitchers he took high. it seems he knows what he's doing taking laporta with this pick

It's easier to project hitters than pitchers so of course you'd trust everyone more with hitters. But Melvin and Jack Z. have gotten us Gallardo and Inman.

Post #46 » by **ReasonablySober** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 7:16 pm

Just read up on him in BA. Some thoughts:

* 6'1", 215 lbs

* kid can flat out hit. Heading into his last series of the season he ranked #1 all time in HR at Florida, #3 All-Time in the SEC and #9 All-Time in the NCAA.

* he had an oblique strain that ruined his junior year but came back in a big way as a healthy senior. He hit .423, slugged .853 and hit 19 home runs. He walks a lot (41) and strikes out little (15).

* sounds like a very hard worker and a guy that just wants to play baseball.

I have absolutely no idea where he'll play on the field.

koski02 · Post #47 » by **koski02** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 7:17 pm

http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=2&date=6/7/2007&id=24690

LaPorta, a senior at the University of Florida, is a two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year (2007 and 2005). This past season, he hit .402 with 20 home runs, 52 RBI and 55 walks. He was a member of the 2005 USA Baseball National Team and was recently named a finalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award given to the nation's premier amateur baseball player.

he was also drafted twice by the red sox in 2006 and the cubs in 2003 but chose not to sign.

ajb905 · Post #48 » by **ajb905** » Thu Jun 7, 2007 7:19 pm

Here is an article from Baseball America's website from last year
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/co ... porta.html

LaPorta's Power Propels Florida's Offense
2006 College Preview Index

By Will Kimmey
January 21, 2006

Matt LaPorta enrolled at Florida as a catcher, but classmate Brian Jeroloman's skill behind the plate prompted a shift to the outfield to keep him in the lineup. LaPorta settled in at first base as a sophomore, and then spent all of fall practice at third base.

LaPorta said third was his favorite position, though he's likely to spend more time at first this season. Some scouts like him in an outfield corner, while a small minority would like him to try catching as a pro.

It's easy to find a consensus on LaPorta's best position: next to the plate. He led college baseball with 26 home runs, including blasts off first-round picks Cesar Carrillo and Luke Hochevar, as he bashed his way to a first-team All-America sophomore season.

Few were fence scrapers. Texas coach Augie Garrido said LaPorta was better at putting things into orbit than NASA. He's been working a bit more often than those aerospace engineers, too, with 40 career home runs in 395 at-bats, or one every 9.87 at-bats. He needs 16 home runs this season to break Florida's career record, set over four seasons by Ben Harrison.

"Obviously, you see the strength in that swing," said an area scout with an American League team. "That's just monster raw juice."

LaPorta's prodigious blasts often provided the same momentum-shifting power as a slam dunk in basketball; Florida was 21-3 in games in which he homered last season and 27-20 otherwise.

"I think some people think I either hit a home run or strike out," LaPorta said. "That's not it at all. I can hit the ball to right field and I do hit it to right field. When I just happen to hit it good, it goes out."

In addition to the homers, LaPorta led the Southeastern Conference in slugging percentage (.698) and RBIs (79). He won the league's 2005 player of the year award while boosting Florida to a conference title and then the championship round of the College World Series. That success earned him a spot on the U.S. national team, where he led Team USA with four home runs and showed his toughness by playing through a severely sprained left foot and chipped front tooth he sustained on the tour.

"It's not too often you get to play for your country," he said. "I just sucked it up."

Loud Production

If LaPorta were to replicate his 2005 offensive output this year, no one would be disappointed. Except maybe him. He's a tireless worker always striving to improve. Police arrived at McKethan Stadium late one night last season after someone reported hearing loud noises coming from Florida's ballpark. It turned out LaPorta was just honing his swing.

LaPorta continued that quest upon returning to campus late last summer. He has lost about 15 pounds by sticking to a leaner diet--eating more chicken and fish and vegetables while cutting out greasy foods--and added quickness by performing extra agility work with the strength coach twice a week. Both will help should LaPorta end up playing more at third base than Pat McMahon initially expects, though his range might still be limited to one or two steps either way.

LaPorta has also enhanced the video study he began last season with departed senior Jeff Corsaletti. He started by watching film of his own at-bats and moved on to checking out major league hitters.

"We've got study hall at school, and I'm on the Internet instead of doing school work finding out what these guys' approach is," LaPorta said. "I don