Jack Zduriencik spotted at Husky Ballpark

by schwagnah on May 5, 2009 6:55 PM PDT Comment 50 comments

GMZ was spotted at Husky Ballpark during the USC at Washington game Saturday (presumably to evaluate up and coming talent).

I know USC has a couple of quality arms in Robert Stock and Brad Boxberger, and their shortstop Grant Green has been attached to a few draft boards in the top few picks.

I can't imagine he was really looking at anybody on the Huskies, though in the game in question pitcher Jason Erickson threw an eight inning gem and of course Kyle Conley is one of the Pac-10's best hitters, especially power-wise.

Conley's line so far this year: .348 BA, 17 HR (conference leading), .453 OBP, .732 SLG, 32 walks. Downside: 48 strikeouts is fourth highest in the conference.

Wonder who he might have been looking at... or just out to enjoy a college baseball game while his M's played at Safeco the same day?

0 recs | Comment 50 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Well this is interesting news.

You got slurved bitch.

by Slurvey on May 5, 2009 7:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Had to have been Green, right?

Does he project as a SS?

by TheTank123 on May 5, 2009 7:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes he does and is expected to stay there.

Above-Average Fielder as for the bat I don’t really know I think 15HR/15 Steals sounds realistic from what I know then again some scouts/sites love him and JAC kinda dislikes him so if we’re gonna draft a bat we’re better off with Ackley.

You got slurved bitch.

by Slurvey on May 5, 2009 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know

This organization puts a huge emphasis on D. I wouldn’t be surprised if we went with Green. In fact, I’m expecting it.

by Taylor H on May 5, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are better defensive shortstops in the draft than Green

Jeovanni Mair, who’s my early hope for the #33 spot, springs to mind.

by Graham on May 5, 2009 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

At 2 shouldn't we be focusing on a pure hitter?

by Sec 108 on May 6, 2009 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is my thought too

I would be happy with Strasburg (well, beyond happy here), Ackley, and White at #2.

by Graham on May 6, 2009 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Above-average?

Where’d you hear that?

Mostly I hear good with the bat, not sure if he can stay at short.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on May 5, 2009 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I bet we're picking Lincecum

by JI on May 5, 2009 8:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If at first you don't succeed try again

by Robert on May 6, 2009 12:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right.

Because heaven forbid the Mariners pass on another UW player who turns out to be God. The fanbase would REALLY be annoying then.

Fans are typically idiots.

by The Typical Idiot Fan on May 6, 2009 1:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are multiple Gods?

And they’ve played at UW?

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on May 6, 2009 6:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree that the fans who are still annoyed at us passing on Tiny Tim to stop bitching about it and understand that mistakes are in the past for a reason.

by Robert on May 6, 2009 8:18 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

He was watching Green, who had a terrible day

by Graham on May 5, 2009 10:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

So, Larry Stone's piece on the draft ...

with the comment that Green’s stock had dropped, was accurate?

by msb on May 5, 2009 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It has a little, but I'm not at all convinced that that piece is accurate just because what the hell Tannar Scheppers

by Graham on May 5, 2009 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you think Ackley is the best non-Strasburg option at two?

by Mariner John on May 5, 2009 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, but the risk is that he doesn't play a good centre

White second

by Graham on May 5, 2009 11:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

(as in, second to Ackley, not overall)

by Graham on May 5, 2009 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn't Ackley's defensive upside more along the lines of solid (but not spectacular) corner OF?

by abender20 on May 6, 2009 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

His upside? No

He has the speed and athleticism to potentially be a average-above average CF. Think Jeremy Reedish

by Graham on May 6, 2009 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But if I think Jeremy Reedish all I see are weak grounders to 2b.

by Sec 108 on May 6, 2009 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Think Jeremy Reedish in SoCal

by Graham on May 6, 2009 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So as long as we keep Ackley near his roid supplier he will be good?

by Sec 108 on May 6, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't know steroids made you sane

by Graham on May 6, 2009 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing can make me sane.

Is that what you meant?

by Sec 108 on May 6, 2009 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was referring to Jeremy Reed being crazy

by Graham on May 6, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think all five players involved in that trade were/are crazy.

by Sec 108 on May 6, 2009 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whoa. That would be tight.

by Taylor H on May 6, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

4 scoreless innings

of no hit ball. Sitting at mid-90s.

But it was independent league spring training, so what of it.

"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon

by FirebatM3 on May 5, 2009 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So?

He’s a pitcher with injury problems and that means if you take him with the #2 pick you deserve to be shot in the crotch

by Graham on May 5, 2009 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

FWIW...

Thinking on my own here, I’m with you.

Scheppers reminds me a lot of Morrow — shoulder concerns nuking the end of a season (Morrow’s 2005), two pitches (93-95 FB and 83-85 Slider), and not a lot of starts in college. He didn’t even really START pitching until college (he came into college as a SS). I didn’t get good vibes about Morrow in 2006 and I don’t get good vibes about Scheppers now, even if both have a lot of talent. If Scheppers were to fall to 27 (and, of course, 33), I’d be a little more inclined to take a look. But even then I just don’t get good vibes with him…

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on May 5, 2009 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Figured it was Green he was there to see.

by schwagnah on May 6, 2009 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's been said...

…but yeah, clearly JZ was there mostly to watch Green. He’s a top-tier talent evaluator and getting his own eyes on a player is very important to him — provided that player is worth his time. It’s convenient, of course, that GG was in his own back yard, and JZ is able to get a sense for the type of player he’d be getting by watching him no matter what kind of game he’d had. Knowing what I know about Zduriencik, I’d be a little bit surprised if he’s high on Green — but that said — if they DO draft Green we can be sure that we’re getting a good hitter. He’s got a real knack for evaluating hitting prospects especially, based on some of the stories I’ve heard behind the scenes.

The huge question with Green, of course — not unlike Ackley — is where he’ll play in the field. And (unlike Ackley) how much power is in his bat. Personally, I’d prefer to take the risk that Ackley isn’t a CF (or even an outfielder at all). He’s a lefty whose bat has already displayed a lot of power. Most certainly I’d take him over Grant Green…

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on May 5, 2009 11:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Eh

Ackley’s not a power guy. Ackley’s best case scenario is John Olerud with defense that works in the outfield. More likely, he’s Darin Erstad. Or something in between.

But Ackley isn’t a guy whose power is unquestionable.

by davidcameron on May 6, 2009 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yikes. I had the impression that Ackley looked to be a genuine power impact bat in 2011.

You and Conor have seen him play a bit and heard more from scouts coming through NC, right? Do you think it would be a mistake to draft Ackely with the second?

by Decatur on May 6, 2009 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Ackley's a safe pick

Probably the safest pick in the draft. He’s got great bat control, a very good eye, a compact/line drive swing, and he’s a good athlete.

If he can stick in CF, he’s probably a +3 win player. Think .280/.370/.450 or something as his realistic offensive production. As an above average defender, that’s a borderline all-star. If he can’t turn his athleticism into good routes in the outfield, though, he’s not that much different than Mike Carp with better defense at first base.

He’s got way less star potential than you’d expect from a #2 pick, but he’s also got the least amount of bust potential of anyone.

by davidcameron on May 6, 2009 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or, to put it this way

Here’s how I’d put the odds of Ackley’s career turning out

5%: Nick Markakis
10%: J.D. Drew
15%: David DeJesus
25%: Andre Ethier
15%: Nate McLouth
10%: Shin-Soo Choo
5%: Jeremy Hermida

10%: Flops in the minors.

by davidcameron on May 6, 2009 9:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not a bad list of players there.

I like it.

by Wilder. on May 6, 2009 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like what John Morgan was saying about Aaron Curry

I like Ackley’s bat, from what I’ve heard of him (haven’t seen him); what do you think are the odds that he becomes, say, a +5 < x < +10 fielder at CF?

by The Ancient Mariner on May 6, 2009 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No one has any idea

We can look at him run and say “hey, he should be pretty decent in the outfield”, but the arm problems and UNC’s reluctance to play him out there means that everyone’s guessing. We’ve all seen decent athletes be pretty bad defensive outfielders, so just because he runs well doesn’t mean he’s going to be above average. But on the other hand, he’s just as athletic (maybe more) as Darin Erstad, who was an amazing defensive CF in his prime.

So he might be -10 in LF, or he might be +20 in CF. Or anything in between. It’s all just guessing.

by davidcameron on May 6, 2009 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs