Sticking Points 2051.7: Inside the Rockville Draft War Room

[JimSlade]

Sticking Points was given an exclusive insider's view of the Pikemen's 2051 amateur draft. Our correspondent was embedded with GM Jim Slade and his scouting and development team from the final rundown that happened in the hours leading up to the draft through the intense days of drafting in the war room through the post-draft recap. Out of respect for the organization and the amateurs involved, we will steer clear of naming specific players whose names were nearly called by Rockville, but we will share some of the tipping points that led to the team's 20 selections.

Rockville would pick 25th overall in what one member of the scouting staff called "the slimmest draft I've seen in ages." As another member of the war room team put it, "Sure, it would have made our jobs a little easier - at least at the start to pick higher in the draft, but our aim is to help the Pikemen pick last."

A lot of coffee was downed as well as some other beverages to take the edge off. Although the team went into the draft more or less on the same page with its draft strategy, discussion was free flowing and sometimes cutting. It was interesting to watch how the team assessed sometimes conflicting factors for evaluation, such as metrics vs intangibles, potential vs performance.

The night before the draft, Slade and his team convened for a working dinner. They reviewed the talent at each level of the organization, according to each position and skill set. By the time dessert arrived, the team felt as in sync as experienced double-play partners. Best available talent at each round would dictate picks, but pushes would be decided by movement-heavy pitching talent and balanced hitting approaches mixed with athleticism. In the latter rounds, the team agreed to allow more weight for intangibles, such as leadership qualities, work ethic, distinctive offspeed pitches, and cool names.

One interesting thing Slade asked his team to check him on was his predilection for "straight arrows" and aversion to "bad eggs." As Slade told me, late into the night, "I know, I've been called 'Scout Master' by my scouts in the past. I've passed on some premium talent because I don't want the headaches. I don't have much tolerance for guys with bad attitudes, but Denny [manager Denny Dooley] and my minor league coaches know how to keep the boys in check. Plus, we get enough leaders on each team and the players can police themselves."

In the early rounds, the team had its eye on a half dozen starting pitchers who fit the agreed-upon profile as well as a middle infielder, catcher, centerfielder, and couple of first basemen who might be expected to be on the board in the bottom third of the first round. By the time the Pikemen got to select, most of the everyday players were off the board, but their top pitching target, lefty Joe MacIndoe, remained. "We got just the guy we wanted," said Slade, pumping his fist seconds after placing the pick.

Only 1 serious player of interest was drafted in the remaining picks in Round 1, so spirits were high as the second round got underway. That's when a handful of targeted players quickly went off the board, including a couple of "outside-the-box" selections that had Slade and the team thinking they were smarter than anyone else in competing war rooms. "It's really pathetic," joked Slade the next day. "We sell ourselves on being the only team that sees an opportunity to take a talent in a higher round than expected, then a team 10 picks ahead of us takes him like it was a no-brainer. So much for being a genius." Things were getting dicey as the 62nd overall pick approached, but relief pitchers and second basemen suddenly became a hot ticket and starting pitcher Jeffery Workman was sitting right where the team hoped he would be. High fives broke out across the room. As one scout said, "I've been tracking that kid from the time before he had pubic hair!"

Athletic third baseman Cesar Cuevas went in the 3rd round, starter Aaron Bridges gave the team a little more assurance about building future pitching depth in the 4th. Slade did admit that although Bridges was the highest-rated guy on their board heading in the 4th round, that it was hard to see one of the drafting team's most highly rated bats go off the board before their turn to decide.

The 5th round was where the team would allow for "Boy Scout" qualities to emerge. Roger Rodriguez, a strong-fielding catcher with gap power got the call. Hard-working centerfielder Mike Burkett, seen as a "glue guy" by the team, when in the 6th. Then, the team doubled down on catching depth with the selection of Bob Aucoin, whose personality profile is painted in blue.

As would be expected in the remaining rounds, the team targeted players who might be role players in the majors, at best. That's not to say their expected contributions to the organization are to be overlooked. "We want to instill a winning culture from the bottom up," explained Slade. "There's that expression, 'standing on the shoulders of giants.' We want our depth guys in A ball to be the giants on which our future stars can stand."

In the 11th round, as the selection clock ticked down, a brutally frank debate broke out over whether the team should select a flashier outfielder with a great name or SS John McCutcheon. "Cutch" would ultimately be the selection, not only for his historically cool nickname potential before for all that "blue" that filled up his personality profile. "Let's face it," said a member of the scouting team, "the 355th overall pick's best route to the bigs is more likely as a third base coach than a player. But kids like this one are the fabric of a winning organization."

[aaronweiner]

Oh, I assure you, this wasn't the slimmest draft in ages.

Writeup coming later this week I think.

[JimSlade]

Well, that's good to hear - that the draft wasn't too slim. I'm still getting used to not having 20-80 skills ratings here. Also, I didn't tell you how far back my scout went. He's pretty green. It's like when my 25-year-old son refers to "back in the day." I'm like, "Dude, 'the day' for you is still tomorrow!"

[cheekimonk]

Oh, I assure you, this wasn't the slimmest draft in ages.

Writeup coming later this week I think.

"I've seen worse," said the Coroner